from another and what James saith c. 1. v. 17. Every good and perfect gift cometh from above Yet by the words of Christ in the parable it is plain that some improved the Talents they had received and some improved not their Talent Matth. 25. And Israel was cast off of God for their not improving their day of grace Matthew 23.37 Rom. 4.11,12,13 And he received the Sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the father of all them that believe tho' they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed unto them also And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the Circumcision only but also walk in the steps of that faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed thro' the Law but thro' the righteousness of Faith Now what was the steps of that Faith that our Father Abraham walkt in being uncircumcised It was that he staggered not at the promise of God but believed that he should have it according to the word of the Lord in the way of his obedience that he thereby should be made the Father of many Nations and heir of the world which carried him thro' all difficulties and caused him to tread in the steps of Righteousness according as the Lord required of him Gen. 17,1,2 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect And I will make my Covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly These words shew that God required of Abraham his sincere obedience that thereby he might be the heir of this promise Accordingly St. Paul saith verse 13. For the promise that he shoulld be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Which was through the righteousness which this his faith produc'd the which Circumcision was afterward given him as a Seal of this his righteousness by faith And whether circumcised or uncircumcised whosoever treads in the steps of our Father Abraham in looking for the performance of the promise in the way of their obedience shall also become heirs of life Rom 4.14,15,16 For if they which are of the Law be heirs faith is made void and the promise made of none effect because the Law worketh wrath for where no Law is there is no transgression Therefore it is of faith that it might be of grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all Now the Law expected the perfect performance of the thing required before they could become justified by it but then under the Law through mercy they that did render their sincere obedience thereunto it was accepted of them so as they had the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them for their Justification But hereby it sheweth that Justification was not to be attained by the Law but that Justification and Righteousness is to be attained by Faith that draws out the heart in love to God and Christ with an assent to yield obedience to him Such are made partakers of his grace and so by the Righteousness of Christ become justified And where this complying frame of spirit is it was and is the seed to whom the promise belongs whether under the Law or Gospel and unto such as these that tread in Abraham's steps he is a Father For all are his servants to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 Rom. 4.21,22 And he being fully persuaded that what God hath promised he was able to perform And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness That is Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to perform what he had promised him which drew out his heart to yield that obedience which God required of him He thus believing it was imputed to him for righteousness And whereas the Apostle saith verse 23,24,25 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification That is if we believe in him that raised up our Lord from the dead that the purchased Salvation by Christ is to be imputed according as he in his Word hath declared and so accordingly we lay hold of the promise of Life then Christ was delivered for our offences as well as for theirs and likewise rose again for our Justification as well as theirs if we according as these Romans had done to whom he wrote have obeyed from the heart the Doctrine of the Gospel then also we by Christ are made free from the condemning power of sin and are become the servants of Righteousness Rom. 6.17,18 But we are no sooner set clear from the condemning power of sin by the free grace of God purchased by the Blood of his Son but we are immediately thereupon listed Souldiers of Christ to fight under his Banner against the World the Flesh and the Devil and all our corrupt Affections and Inclinations and bringing down every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Chap. III. The Election of the first Churches EPhes 2.8,9,10 For by Grace are ye saved thro' Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Not of works lest any man should boast For we are his Workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them By these words the Apostle also clearly sheweth that by good works standing alone without the merits of Christ no man can be justified in his sight And therefore all boasting is taken away from man in the sight of God But whereas he saith in v. 10. For we are his Workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Here the Apostle hath his peculiar reference to the first Churches who were brought out of darkness sin and errour And as he saith in verse 12. Ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the World Now at that time God did not only abound in his mercy towards them of the first Churches in all wisdom and prudence Ephes 5.8 in shewing his mighty power in them and in calling them as the Apostle saith out of darkness into his marvelous light 1 Pet. 2.9 and thereby bringing over the consent of their wills to his Laws he did then freely justifie them by his grace but also when God had done this
of God by halves as to the threatnings and mercy which is contained in the word which is the promise of Salvation to the obedient and likewise punishments to the disobedient But they like us believing the word of God by halves performed the lesser matters of the Law but left the weight ier undone for which Christ was laid in Zion as a stumbling stone so as they should not believe in him but this their disobedience was appointed them for their former rebellion and the stroke fell upon their Children that were alike partakers with them in iniquity Now the Faith that had been so long wanting in them was that which Christ in a more particular manner spake to In that they believed the word of God by halves is clear by the parable which he put forth concerning Lazarus and the rich Man in his request to Abraham that he would send Lazarus to his Brethren to warn them that they might escape that place of torment but Abraham said They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them but he still persisted Saying If one went to them from the dead they would repent But Abraham said If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead Luke 16.27 c. Whereby it clearly shews that they did not believe Moses and the Prophets as they should have done so as to have lived a holy life Saint Peter saith of Christ Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that thro' his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins That is such as believe in him according to the tenour of his Word and Gospel in which he requires our observing to do whatsoever he commands us Matth. 28.20 And upon the will 's consenting to these conditions they received remission of sins And whereas it is said in the following verse While Peter spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word Now these that at this time heard the word on whom the Holy Ghost thus suddenly sell were before proselytes of the Gentiles who truly feared God wrought righteousness as in ver 34. and 35. But others that believed of the first Churches which had before lived in sin were to repent and be haptized before they could receive the Holy Ghost Chap. V. Such as have Believed may afterwards fall away SAINT Peter saith Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the persence of the Lord. By these words he sheweth that upon Repentance and Resignation of themselves to Christ for him to have the ruling power in the heart at which time it is that such receive the remission of their sins Yet their sins according to the text are not blotted out until the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. So as if they again wilfully yield to Sin their former trespasses will again be required of them The like the Lord saith in the parable concerning the Servant that owed ten thousand Talents who besought his Lord for Pardon and his Lord forgave him the debt But for the Cruel usage of his Fellow-Servant his Lord again required his former debt for which he delivered him to the tormentors for that debt which he had before forgiven him Matth. 18.24,26,27,30,34 And the Lord saith Ezek 33.13,14,15 When I shall say to the Righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit iniquity all his righteousness shall not be remembred but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall die for it Again when I say to the wicked thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Here we see that the promise of life is no longer to the righteous man than he continues to do righteously Neither is the threatned death to the wicked any longer than he continues to do wickedly So likewise neither is the eternal life promised the believer of any longer continuance than he persists believing that Salvation is to be had according to the tenour of the Gospel In which Gospel is required our love and sincere obedience Matth. 10.37 Christ saith He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me And he also saith Mark 8.34,35 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel the same shall save it Whereby it clearly shews that we must part with the delights advantages and pleasures of this world for Christ as well as life it self when call'd for And Christ saith of some that they receive the word with Joy and for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away Luke 8.13 Whereby the Lord fully declares the promise is no longer to the believer than he remains believing in him and his word Which word requires our practical obedience The which if we perform then are we his Disciples indeed For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 But the first Churches being in a particular manner chosen and called unto whom the holy Ghost was given whereby they generally stood tho' some fell away by making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 but to the succeeding generations of the Gentile-Churches that came in by the call of the Gospel with the assistance of the good motions of the Spirit of God of whom Christ saith Many are called but few are chosen because of their not improving of their day of grace which God had put into their hands Matth. 20.16 Chap. VI. The Conversion of the Jaylor COncerning the Jaylor Acts 16.30,31,32,33 when after he was awakned by the Miracle he saw he then said Sirs VVhat must I do to be saved And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house And they spake unto him the words of the Lord and to all that were in his house The which words of the Lord was that which he commanded his Disciples to teach Which was the condition upon which Christ had offered Salvation Mat. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you The which upon their wills consenting to yield their love and obedience in a belief that Christ was able to save them they were baptized And concerning Philip and the Eunuch Acts 8.35,36,37 Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached unto him JESUS And as they went on their way they came to a certain water and the Eunuch said See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized And Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest and he answered and said
themselves without fear Clouds they are without water That is for any to feed themselves without fear the Apostle terms them Clouds without water But for Believers to be timerously fearful of themselves because of their own weakness lest they should offend that fear is pleasing in the sight of God because it keeps them in a diligent watchfulness And were there not great cause of fear the Apostle would not have so forewarned the Saints of that roaring Lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 And of such as fear it is said The Lord will deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Here we see there is comfort for them that so fear But as for such as are mistrustfully fearful of the faithfulness and power of God that he will not perform his promise according to his word and therefore they will not venture the loss of the delights and advantages of this World so as to obey his Commands and Precepts of such fearful and unbelieving it is of whom the Lord saith They shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 Therefore St. Paul saith to the Saints Heb. 10.35 Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward That is confidence in the power and faithfulness of God for as we believe that God is so we must believe that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. v. 6. And that the Crown of Life according to the promise of the Lord will be given to them that continue faithful to the death Rev. 2.10 Therefore St. Paul saith For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 10.36 For whosoever doeth the will of God comes in as Heirs to the promise And accordingly St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so sight I not as one that beateth the Air. This being the Apostle's faith his confidence in the faithfulness of the promiser which made him thus run and fight for in so doing he knew that he was not at an uncertainty And this is the faith or belief which is to the saving of the Soul For verily there is a reward for the righteous Psal 58.11 For God doth never justifie the ungodly by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ but when they turn from sin unto God for God will no otherwise clear the guilty 1 John 4.18 He saith Perfect love casteth out fear That is where perfect love is it casteth out all slavish fear but not a filial Child-like fear but it is not every sincere-hearted Christian can be thus assured they are made perfect in love and those that are so are not thereby assured that their love will so remain For the Lord saith of the Church of Ephesus That she was fallen from her first love for which she was threatned to be removed out of his favour if she did not repent and do her first works Rev. 2.4,5 Chap. X. Christ the Author of Faith HEB. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of Faith For had not God promised Christ and by him everlasting Life to all them that should keep his Covenant there had been no ground for Faith or hope of Salvation Therefore of this Faith Christ is the Author the which faith or hope caused all those Worthies of old to undergo all those difficulties mentioned in the foregoing chapter which are as a Cloud of Witnesses to incourage us to suffer and to follow the Lord Jesus thro' all difficulties Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God ch 12. v. 2. The which if we accordingly deny our selves in obedience to him Christ will then compleatly finish our faith in giving the Crown of Life to them who have continued faithful to the death Chap. XI What it is to be born of God and to overcome the World 1 JOHN 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Now we must always look to the words that go before and to those that follow after if we would come to a right understanding of the word For in that he saith They that love God they likewise love Christ that is begotten of him or else they cannot be born of God For if they or we are not by our believing that Christ is the Son of God brought off from the delights of this World we cannot be born of God For it is such a belief in us that Christ is the Son of God which draws out our heart to love and obey him as God or else our belief in him is not such as makes us to be born of God Therefore he saith in verse 2. By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God keep his Commandments For by the Commandments of God we are commanded to love the Children of God and by keeping the commands of God it is we know that we love God therefore the Apostle saith in v. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous By which we see our love to God and Christ is in keeping their Commands And he saith in verse 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the victory that overcometh the World even our faith What meaneth the Apostle here in saying that by faith they overcame the World He meaneth all the vain fleshly and covetous desires of any thing relating to the World which by their faith they overcame Which faith set them on work looking for the reward promised which is the Crown of Life But notwithstanding some have again been overcome by the World and so made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 and others as in 2 Pet. 2.18,19 They allure thro' the lust of the flesh thro' much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage By which nothing can be more plain than that those that have had the New Birth wrought in them and have overcome the World may again be overcome by the World and brought into bondage and so the latter end is worse with them than the beginning as in ver 20,21 Now the man that is born of God is brought off from the World and whilst he so continues new-born or brought off from the World he sinneth not because he doth not wilfully commit sin For the sins that are not wilfully committed will not be imputed for Christ remains their Advocate John 5.16 If any man see his
Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death Now were there none but those that were so absolutely chosen of God that they could not fall away it could not then be so properly said of them that prayers should give them life that never were in danger of death And so on the contrary if others by the determinate Counsel of God were left under a necessity of damnation then prayers for such would be altogether unavailable it being impossible that the offender should receive life by them neither would the Apostle have given orders for them to have been so prayed for Chap. XII How it is that he that is born of God sinneth not and keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not THE Apostle saith 1 John c. 5. v. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not These words admit of a two-fold meaning First That there was a remnant of Israel so secured in Christ as they could not be deceived Secondly They have a reference to all that that are born of God so as to be brought off from the ways of sin And whilst they are thus born or brought off from sin so as to maintain a continual combat with the World the Flesh and the Devil Such an one theâ— cannot wilfully commit sin because their wills and inclinations are set against sin And if they in their wills and inclinations remain thus stedfast it keeps them in a continual resistance so as the evil one cannot touch them Now we are to take notice that by their improving their season of grace or the Talents which God had given them the Apostle saith They kept themselves so as the evil one toucheth them not For they which had the five Talents were to improve them as well as they which had the two and one But whosoever is again brought off from the ways of God to the World as to yield themselves again servants to sin the grace of God was by them received in vain Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness And St. John saith chap. 2. v. 3,4 And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him This is so plain that it needs no explanation to shew that it is the practical knowledge of God that is required Chap XIII The meaning of being born again explained JOHN 3.1,2,3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jews the same came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This the Lord said to a man that was a Pharisee and a Ruler in Israel and to a man that had a desire after the knowledge of the Lord but was ashamed to come to him in the sight of the World and so came to Jesus by night and therefore the Lord said unto him as in the foregoing words in which the Lord had only his reference to such as were ashamed to own him before men and such as live after the flesh Now Nicodemus wondering at the answer of the Lord in verse 4. said unto him How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born ver 5,6 Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit These words of the Lord here has no reference to Children as to their thus being born again nor to those persons that have always lived in a holy in and upright conversation For first the Believers Children are in Covenant and if they die in their Infancy are accepted in and thro' Christ And John Baptist was moved by the Spirit of God with joy in his Mothers womb upon the salutation of the blessed Virgin And Christ saith Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 Therefore what is here spoken by the Lord of being born after the flesh hath not its reference to the natural birth But as the Lord had a figurative meaning in saying they must be born after the Spirit or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God So the Lord hath here a figurative meaning as to these here spoken of which are born of the flesh That is those that embraced the desires of the flesh and the world and thereby begotten or born of it from which they must be again new born that is brought off by forsaking that which before they delighted in and their wills and affections brought into a complying frame to the Spirit of God or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.8 The Lord saith The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit By these words the Lord doth seem to have a reference in the first place to them that were in a peculiar manner chosen and appointed to partake of the Holy Ghost and also these words have a reference in general to all to whom the Word of the Gospel should come accompanied with the good motions of the Spirit of God as thereby to be brought off from sin And also it did signifie the Lord 's then withdrawing his Spirit from Israel the which was for their sinfulness for which cause also it was the twice fallen Children of Ham became more estranged from God And tho' the Spirit compared to the Wind bloweth where it listeth yet the Spirit listeth not to blow on them by whom it is grieved Therefore it is said grieve not the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 Accordingly it is said concerning them that were sanctified That if they did sin wilfully they then did despight to the Spirit of grace and to such the Lord will recompence vengeance Heb. 10.26,29,30 For tho' the Disciples or standing Witnesses could not be ensnared nor drawn off by the Devil yet the others of the first Churches did not so securely stand Chap. XIV Of being in the Faith or turning Reprobate SAInt Paul saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves how
of the Crown of righteousness till at his departure when the end had crown'd his work 2 Tim. 4 7,8 Neither was the Crown of life any otherwise promised But the Apostle in this place had his reference to the general Callings as of Israel and the Gentile Churches But more peculiarly to the time when Israel will again be called in at the time of the Restitution of all things For when the Lord comes again to Zion it is then he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11.25,26 And then it is God will see no iniquity in Jacob when he hath purged all iniquity from them For they are the elect unto whose persons the promise is made to as Rom 11.28 For they are beloved for their Fathers sake And then the believer in Christ will partake with them of the Eternal Inheritance that is but in this time promised Unto which Inheritance the persons of the first Gentile Churches were chosen and had given them the Holy Ghost as the earnest of that Inheritance which they should be heirs to world without end if they did not disinherit themselves For the Seed that is in Christ and Isaac is them that have the Spirit of Christ and them that have a mind and will brought into Subjection unto the mind and will of Christ without which they are none of his Rom. 8.9,14 But when Israel is restored God will give them one heart and one way that they may fear him for ever Jer. 32.39 for the good of them and their Children after them Chap XXIII Adding to the Church and ordaining to Eternal Life explained And Christ dying for the world ST Peter said to the Jews Acts 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved This he said to the Jews because the generality of them were excluded the then mercy so that such of them as were not left to blindness were daily added to the Church For Christ in Zion was laid as a stumbling stone And as for those Gentiles that were ordained to eternal Life they were called in by the convincing power of the Spirit which went with the word of the Disciples whereby they did yield their assent to be obedient to the truth which they no sooner did but God justified them by his grace and glorified them by his giving to them the Holy Ghost to be in them whereby he did abound to them in all wisdom and prudence and in divers miracles and gifts This is that in which God did manifest himself to them as he did not unto the world These are they which Christ prayed for with his Disciples that should believe in him thro' their word Which was by the word preached by the mouth of the Disciples by whom the first Churches were gathered For the word of God and Christ was never term'd the word of the Disciples But the first Churches receiving the word from the mouth of the Disciples therefore said by Christ to believe in him thro' their word But when the Holy Ghost was shed forth abundantly on the first Churches then the Holy Ghost became an evident witness to the world that God had sent Christ So as the world did not believe thro' the Word of the Disciples but through the convincing signs and wonders and mighty power of the Spirit of God that was seen amongst the Churches The which did bear witness it was the word of God that was taught amongst them For had we had no other witness than the word of a few Disciples that Christ was the Son of God there had been little reason for the world to have believed it But the visible witness of the Holy Ghost bearing witness to the truth of what the Disciples taught was the convincing argument to the world that God had sent Christ as thereby they might take hold of the offered mercy by him on the condition as it is tendred And if we are found in our duty according to the capacity God has put us in we then shall not want his assistance to enable us to do that which he requires of us But as for the Disciples and first Churches Christ in a particular manner prayed for as he did not for the world John 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they all may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Now whereas the Lord saith that they may be one in us That was in that they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost which both them that were first given to Christ of the Father and the first Churches that should believe in him thro' their word received from the mouth of the Disciples were also partakers of that one Spirit with God and Christ and thereby became one with them in being united by one Spirit For the Spirit that was before with the Disciples was given to be in them John 14.17 That they should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Eph. 1.12 And this was evident to the world when the Holy Ghost was thus given And the Lord here prayed that by this clear manifestation to the world the world might believe that God had sent him For when the world believed that God had sent Christ by the Convincing Signs and wonders miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost that was then given part of the world embraced the Faith as St Paul declareth and the word brought forth fruit in them as it did in the Church of Collosse Chap. 1.6 For according to the Command of Christ The Gospel was preached to every Creature under Heaven Col. 1.23 And by the mighty signs and wonders that accompanied the Word they were under a conviction that Christ was the Son of God And then there was a power in them to go to him for the offered mercy But when God for sin withdraws from a Person People or Nation he then leaves them to blindness as he did Israel and Christ so died for the World that all that have not disinherited themselves will reap benefit by it Now the first Churches were as a Candle lighted up by the Lord to enlighten the World who lay in Wickednesss and Darkness And they being to withstand all the fury of the Enemy at the Publication of the Gospel Therefore they had so great a portion of the Spirit given them And it was them whom the Disciples taught that received the Word from their mouth and so believed in Christ thro' their Word to whom Christ made these promises Mark 16.15,16,17 Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature And these signs shall follow them that believe In my Name shall they cast out Devils They shall speak with new Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall lay hands on the Sick and they shall recover By these words we see nothing can be more plain than
that hath promised and his faithfulness cannot fail And the invitations and drawings of God are with the Cords of a man and with the bands of Love Hosea Ch. 11. ver 4. So as the will is left either to chuse or refuse the same And tho' God may sometimes go out of his usual way of working and as it were pluck a brand out of the burning yet that person no longer securely stands than he willingly devotes himself to his Makers Service But when he will have none of his Counsel but despises his reproof then will the Lord laugh at the Calamity of such and mock when their fear cometh Pro. 1.25,26,27 Which as a whirlwind will come suddenly and now is very nigh at hand But yet the door of mercy is open to all that will repent and turn from their evil ways so as they may escape the wrath to come Jer. 18.7,8 FINIS THE Near Aproach of CHRIST's KINGDOM Clearly proved by Scripture With a certain Account of the Signs of the present Times relating thereto As also That the Conversion and Restauration of Israel will be after the Lord's coming That after the Lord 's coming most of the great Plagues mentioned in the Revelations will be poured out upon the Earth and the Wicked That the Beast and the False Prophet will be then taken alive That all the Christians that came in by Christ of the Gentile Race were termed Heathens in the Old Testament And that the Law and Gospel speaks but to them that are under it That after the Fiery Tempest the Heavens and Earth will be renew'd and all things restored as in the beginning LONDON Printed for M. M. and are to be sold by Tho. Fabian at the lower end of Cheapside in Mercers Chapel And divers other Booksellers about London 1696. Advertisement The most material points that we are in controversie about are already answered which Books are to be sold at the same Booksellers and of a small price that thereby they may be the easier had by all There will other Books come forth in a short time so as by Gods assistance all the disputable places and most of the figurative speeches will be by the word it self fully and clearly explained ERRATA Page 48. l. 27. from the top r. 1 Pet. 4.12 TO THE KING AND Parliament THIS Treatise giving an Account of the Certain Signs of the Times and the near approach of the coming of the Lord is humbly presented That they may know what God is going about to do so as to prepare for the coming of Christ 'T is therefore most humbly hoped our most Gracious King with the Great Council of the Nation who have so wonderfully appeared for the Defence of the Protestant Religion may be further instrumental to the Glory of God in encouraging the knowledge of the Truths hereto contained God make His Majesty and Great Council to be a Blessing to the Nations TO THE READER Christian Reader WHEN I heard of those often repeated Earthquakes the like whereof the World never produced and that it is according to the Word of the Lord that there should be Earthquakes in divers places with distress of Nations c. when these things come to pass the Lord hath bidden such as have an Interest in him then to look up and to lift up their heads for their Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21.28 The thoughts of which set me on a fervent longing desire for the coming of the Lord and drew out my heart in more ardent desires after him whereupon I took to the Lord's direction resolving to search the Scriptures with more diligence than ever I had done the which I no sooner had performed but I found the certainty of the coming of the Lord and that it was very nigh at hand but still I was to seek how and in what manner for I could then no ways make the Old and New Testament agree neither did I then rightly understand any of the figurative speeches and finding it too hard for me I was much troubled thereat but as I had taken to the Lords direction in the search of the Scripture whereby I came to the assured knowledge of his coming so I also would according to the advice therein seek to the Lord for knowledge to understand the secrets therein contained as Prov. 2.3,4,5,6 for he is the wonderful Counsellor and the mighty God Isa 9.6 The which when I so did the Lord more and more inlightened my understanding in his Word So as I do wholly acknowledge the discovery of these great and hidden Mysteries was from the Lord and attained according to the way directed in his Word which is by prayer and diligence This small Treatise being an Essay containeth the plain Heads easie to the apprehension of any that thereby all these great things might the better be registred in their memory so as to sink down upon the heart The other Book being somewhat more difficult for them to understand that are not well vers'd in the Word and understand not the way of Scripture speaking For therein is most of the figurative speeches opened by the Key of the Word that is by joyning Scripture to Scripture and in not leaving any other Scriptures to contradict what is said whereby the true meaning of the Word is clearly explained But these great Mysteries were to remain a secret to the time of the end according to the Word of the Lord in Daniel chap. 12.4 And in Zech. 14.7 It is said It shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light And in that God has made choice of so weak an Instrument it is that his power might the more eminently appear therein and that the Infinite God hath now at this evening time caused the true meaning of his Word to be discovered it is an infallible Sign of the certain near approach of the coming of the Lord for whose coming if we prepare we shall be certainly happy but if you will put the day far off it will then come on you as a snare Luke ch 21. v. 34,35 in which you will be destroyed but if you will be as earnest with God for your selves and so continue as I have been earnest with the Almighty for the generality of you all I make no question but you will be for ever blessed for if we will not be wanting to our selves God will not be wanting to us Now that we and the generality of the Christian World would seek the Lord whilst he is to be found and that the Warnings he gives us to prepare for his coming might so awaken us as that we may be found with our Lamps trimmed and our Lights burning is the earnest prayer of Your Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus M. M. A certain Account of the Signs of the Last Times The Coming of the Lord. The Destruction of Babylon With the Christians that remain in their Wickedness Also the Calling in of the Jews And the Restoration of all
things Chap. I. A necessity of being ready prepared for the Lord 's Coming lest that Day should come upon us unawares which is very near at hand NOW we not apprehending the dangerous condition that we stand in by reason we falsly imagine that the New Everlasting Covenant is made with us when now the Believers are but Heirs with Israel of the same Promise but because Christ said of them that were given him of his Father to be his standing Witnesses thro' the World that none should pluck them out of his hand And the Apostle speaking of the Churches that first trusted in Christ which had the abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon them to secure their standing and thereby they generally stood which in Scripture the major part is reckoned for the whole And the Spirit was also given to confirm the Gospel to the World and the following Generations as will be abundantly proved but we having been in a mistake as to these things have thought it no concern of ours to know whether the Lord is coming or not But we also by misunderstanding the words of the Lord when he sent forth his Disciples to teach all Nations saying He that believeth shall be saved That is they that believed the Doctrine which Christ sent them forth to teach in which was included the conditions of man's salvation the which whosoever accordingly believed should be saved and they which believed not should be damned Now these words were but of force to them that believed and to them that refused believing for unto whom the Word never came they cannot be damned for not believing that which they never heard And the Apostle saith That what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law Rom. 3.19 Rom. 2.12 So likewise what the Gospel saith it saith to them that are under the Gospel that is to them that have the Gospel and obey or refuse to obey the same to them accordingly does the promised mercies or otherwise the threatned judgments belong And tho' St. John saith He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5.12 Yet these words do noâ— exclude all them which have never heard of the Son so as that none of them should ever have life by the Son for there will be a Redemption in the World to come as will be proved And when Christ comes to judge the World and at the last and final Judgment they are all said to be â—udged according to the deeds done in the body whether they have been good or evil Mat. 25.35 Mat. 7.21 Mat. 16.27 Rom. 2.6.13 1 Pet. 1.17 James 1.22 Rev. 20.12,13 1 Tim. 6.18,19 Rev. 2.23,26 And tho' in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats there is but two sorts mentioned yet there is a third included in as much as the Poor and Children were not caâ—able to be made partakers of the Blessing or the Curse in their doing or not doing good to God's Elect And therefore the word all to â—hem on his left hand is not mentioned when â—e sentenced them to everlasting fire Matth. â—h 25. v. 41. And whereas it is said all Nations â—t is but meant all the Nations that have the Gospel And St. Paul saith The Lord will come to â—ake vengeance on them that know not God and obey â—ot the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall â—e punished with everlasting destruction 2 Thes 1.8 The word all he here mentions not but he â—hiefly includes them that have the Knowledge of God and of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ â—or the Gospel speaks to them that have the Gospel yet in works deny it in that they will â—ot yield obedience to it For it is declared in everal places of Scripture too many to be here â—t down that the Jews will be called in when â—…e Lord again comes and they do no ways â—bey the Gospel and then according to the word the Lord he will gather in others with them Isâ— 56.8 These things being abundantly proved iâ— a Book that is coming forth of which I shall heâ— set down some few proofs Chap. II. The Restoration of Israel THat the Restoration of Israel will be at thâ— time when the Nations round about aâ—… judged in the Valley of Jehosaphat and whereas the Lord saith Assemble your selves and comâ— up all ye heathen round about Joel 3.11,12 This iâ— spoken to those that have Israel's Land in theâ— possession and unto them that are their Oppreâ—sors And the reason why they are termed Heaâ—then was because there was no other then buâ— Jews and Heathen and that then not only thâ— back-sliding Christians which were afore prophesied of were so term'd but also the best oâ— Saints that came in by Christ of the Gentilâ— race are likewise termed Heathen as in 2 Esâ— 2.34 I say unto you O ye Heathen that heâ— and understand look for your Shepherd he shall giâ— you everlasting rest And what the Law and Goâ—pel saith it saith to those that are under thâ— Law and Gospel Rom. 3.19 Rom. 2.13,14 〈◊〉 as Christians and Turks For the backslidiâ— Christians are those that are under the condemâ—ing power of the Law and Gospel and also thâ— Turks acknowledge the true God but in Worâ— deny him and therefore fall under the coâ— demning power of the Moral Law And where the Lord saith Come up all ye Heathen Joel 3. 〈◊〉 now the word all in Scripture doth not include the whole and the Conversion of Israel will also be When Saviours come upon Mount Sion then the Kingdom will be the Lord's Obad. v. 21. Then it is Israel shall see him whom they have pierced and mourn over him Zech. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 And after the Lord descends upon Mount Olivet Jerusalem will be built never more to be destroyed Zech. 14.10,11 and the Wicked never more to have a prevailing power against Israel And the Lord Christ saith That Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luke 21.24 Which shews the Gentile Power will be wholly taken away before Jerusalem will be restored Accordingly St. Paul where he speaks of the Conversion of the Jews turns them to Isaiah where the Lord is there declared to come to judge the World Rom. 11.26 Isa 59.17,18,19,20 and God by the same Prophet ordered Proclamation to the end of this world Say ye to the daughter of Sion behold thy Salvation cometh behold his reward is with him Isa 62.11 Which shews their Salvation is not to be till the time of the power of this wicked world is ended and therefore it is said when the Lord comes that the Beast and false Prophet will be taken alive and cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone so as time for them and the wicked of this World shall be no longer Rev. 19.20 Therefore St. Paul bids the Church 1 Tim. 6.18,19 Do good that they be rich in good
is according to their willing and running they shall find acceptance with him and accordingly be rewarded by him And the people are condemned not because they knew not God but because they had no will to obey him as in Prov. 1.30,31 They would have none of my counsel they despised all my reproof Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices And the Lord saith to the Jews John 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might have life Thereby shewing the door of mercy was wider open to them of Israel than they were willing to embrace and improve the opportunity And oh that we would not as they were be found alike guilty and so be made partakers of the more severer vengeance But on the contrary that we would turn from all our evil ways and seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Isa 55.6,7 begging his assistance that we may be able to withstand all our corrupt affections and inclinations and if we are sincere therein God will not be wanting to us But if we have no love to his ways 2 Thes 2.10 nor will not obey him Prov. 1.30 and will not chuse his fear verse 29. then for such there remains no hope For we shall stand or fall according as we chuse or refuse obedience to his will Now we through the mistaking of some of the sayings of St. Paul have made the Oath of God and the general Call and Offer of mercy by Christ to all that will according as it is tendred lay hold of it to be of no effect Notwithstanding St. Peter fairly warns us that in St. Paul's Epistles were some things hard to be understood which some did wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 2.16 And could we no otherwise have understood the meaning of St. Paul than in the contradiction of the God of Truth it had been a far less errour to have thought St. Paul might have erred than to have made the Oath of God and the general offer of mercy by Christ void by the misapprehending the words of St. Paul so as to think that none but the Elect could be saved But as the Prophet for believing the old Prophet in the contradiction of what God himself had said therefore was destroyed for a Lion met him and slew him 1 Kings 13.17,18,19,23,24 This being set down for a warning to us that we might not be alike guilty Chap. XIV What the Sign is when God for Sin intends to leave a Nation People or Person And the Kingdom of God in this time and the Kingdom of God in time to come explained VVHen God because of Sin determines to leave a People Nation or Person to destruction he then leaves them to delusion and to blindness of mind like as Pharaoh Exod. 7.13 Ahab 1 Kings 22.20,21 and Israel Psal 81.11,12 And Christ spake to Israel in Parables That by hearing they should hear and not understand and seeing they should see and not perceive Matth. 13.14 For the Jews were then in expectation of the coming of the glorious Kingdom of God which was foretold them by the mouth of all the Prophets and therefore a Pharisee demanded of Christ when the Kingdom of God should come And he answered him and said The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation but more rightly exprest as it is set down in the Margin of your Bibles not with shew neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you Luke 17 20,21 Christ by these words sheweth that in this time he was but to have his ruling-power in the hearts of his People And by this it is clear it is those that he rules in that are his And this being the only visible Kingdom that God has in the time of this World which Kingdom or People is not in shew of this World's greatness and grandeur This answer of the Lord was quite contrary to what the Pharisee expected for he only apprehended the Lord was to come to Reign and restore all things and not that he was first to come to suffer and this proved a stumbling-block to Israel But the Lord said in the following verses to his Disciples of his second coming v. 23,24,25 For as the lightning that lightneth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall also the Son of Man be in his day For the glory of that day will be such as St. Paul terms the then time but night to that approaching day Rom. 13.12,13 And Christ concerning the Parable of his second coming and Kingdom saith Matth. c. 13. v. 41,42,43 The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Here the Lord declareth the time of the end of this World will be when he cometh at which time the Power of this World will be taken from them by his coming and sending his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity By these words nothing can be more plain than that the Kingdom which will then be Christ's is this material World from which those that offend and do iniquity will then be cast out Now from these words also the Lord leaves himself scope to take in those that are given him of his Father at his second coming the which also will be his Elect which is Israel Rom. 11.28 and other Nations mentioned in the Word which will then be saved and then will the way of the Kings of the East be prepared Rev. 16.12 And the forementioned Book sheweth whom the Lord hath said shall likewise be spared and all these will be brought to a sense of their own unworthiness and so lay hold of mercy before the wicked is destroyed and therefore then they will not be offenders when the wicked are cast out so as the Lord may take in whom he will of the Heathen and God will as well keep faithful to his promise at Christ's second coming in calling in the Jews and others with them Isa 56.8 as he did perform his promise to Christ when he first came in calling in and justifying the sinners of the Gentiles And in that Christ saith to his Disciples in the 43th verse Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Here Christ doth not say all the righteous therefore he hath his reference to the raised Saints and the Witnesses that will be caught up in the clouds into those glorious Mansions or Tabernacles which the Lord pitcheth and not Man Isa 4.5,6 Rev. 21.21 From which they shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of
their Father In this portion hath the Disciples their part and when the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 Then it is that the Kingdom of this World is become the Kingdom of their Father into which they shall thus gloriously shine forth and this is that the Apostle speaks of 1 Cor. 2.9 likewise Isa 64.4 and Ephes 2.6,7 and then they shall have their reigning-power on the Earth Rev. 5.10 next under Christ their Supreme Head Now the Lord all along whilst he was upon the Earth spake but in Parables as to his second coming and Kingdom Matth. 13.34 by reason Israel being sinful for which it was determined of God they should be left to blindness and that Christ should suffer by them for tho' in other things they sinned wilfully yet they ignorantly crucified the Lord of Life Acts 3.17 And the Lord again speaking of his second coming and of gathering the Nations and by the Parable of setting the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left He saith to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Matth. 25.34 Now from the foundation of the material Heavens and Earth there was no other Kingdom prepared but this World which will be again restored But the Law and Gospel speaking but to those that are under it Rom. 3.19 and chap. 2.12,14 The Lord might therefore have his reference to the foundation of the World that was laid in Israel for the World to come at which foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb And then was the Kingdom of Canaan prepared for Israel by their Enemies destruction And the Gentiles that Christ shall find in obedience amongst the Christian Nations at his coming will then be made the Inheritors with Israel of this Kingdom For they were not only to be Heirs with Israel of the promised Everlasting Covenant whereby Eternal Life is secured to the Soul but they were also to have a share with them in their Inheritance For of Japhet it was prophesied that he should dwell in the Tents of Shem and therefore this Kingdom may likewise be said to be prepared for them And also at the restoration of all things it is that Israel will be restored to their own Land Joel 3.16 And then will God make her Wilderness like Eden and her Desart like the Garden of the Lord Isa 51.3 And then it is Christ will have his peaceable Kingdom Isa 11.9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 65.23,24,25 And in that day God 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 he will break the Bow and the Sword and the Battel out of the Earth and will make them lie down safely Hosea 2.18,19 And then will God betroth them unto him for ever in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies v. 19. And then this is the Peace the Lord hath declared shall be in the time of his Kingdom But when Christ first came he said he came not to send Peace on Earth but a Sword Matth. 10.34 For in this time them that are the true Followers of Christ the Devil will be still raising them up Enemies And Christ saith to his Disciples That in him they might have peace but in the World they should have tribulation John 16.33 And likewise St. Paul saith That after his departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among them not sparing the Flock And also of their own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Acts 20.29,30 which accordingly followed Now whereas it is said Prov. 16.7 When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his Enemies to be at peace with him This King Solomon spake of the natural Seed of Israel which had they continued in the fear of the Lord they had then been the Emblem of that peaceable Kingdom that is now to come And they in this time should have been the Head and not the Tail and above only Deut. 28.13 But there never was any such promise made to the true Churches of Christ in this time but on the contrary they were foretold they should be afflicted persecuted and meet with fiery Tryals neither were they to adorn themselves 1 Pet. 3.3 Chap. XV. The Elect Church discovered And why God suffered the Beast to arise to deceive the Nations Also a twofold being in the Book of Life NOW Christ by his Word declareth that he would have an Elect Church or People throughout this World that should never be deceived by the Beast or false Prophet And that it was to his Disciples which came of the remnant of Israel unto whom Christ promised to be with to the end of the World Matth. 38.20 And that none should pluck them out of his hand And tho' the first Gentile Churches that received the Word from the mouth of the Disciples were likewise also Elected and fore-chosen of God and made partakers of the Holy Ghost yet their succeeding Generations were but raised to that from which Israel fell And God foreseeing that the Gentile Nations that embraced the Gospel would afterward fall away by having no love to the Truth but taking pleasure in unrighteousness as Israel and the People of Old had done Rom. 1.21,22 therefore it was determined of God they should be left to strong delusions to believe a Lye Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10,11,12 For which cause it was the determination of God that all that dwell upon the Earth should worship the Beast whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.7,8 That is all the Kindreds and Tongues and Nations that dwell upon all the Earth that the Beast had dominion over should worship him except those whose Names were written in the Book of Life for the Word speaks to them that received it and it was those fell into the snare that had not a love to it but took pleasure in unrighteousness And Luther says that the Beast and false Prophet are generally comprehended under one head And the Lord saith Rev. 17.8 And they that dwell upon the Earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the World when they behold the Beast Now I have already proved by the Word in a Treatise concerning Election that there was no Election through the first World of People nor till after the miscarriage of Israel in the Wilderness Then did the Lord secure a certain remnant of them to himself at which time Israel was laid for the
it is not only to be an advantage to themselves but also to carry on the Counsel of the will of God in the purpose he hath determined As the Remnant for a standing witness The first Churches likewise to partake of the Holy Ghost and to bear their testimony to the truth of the Gospel And also they were to withstand the fury of the enemy and to meet with fiery tryals These things were so certainly alotted here their portion that they were not to think strange of it Pet. neither are Israel that will be taken in and be the Lords Elect in time to come chosen only for themselves but also to carry on the Counsel of the will of God that the other Nations that are spared might be blessed in them who are given to Israel for Daughters and Servants Who in some measure will partake of the glory And also in this time if God doth elect or chuse any single person it is not only for the benefit of that person but to carry on the Counsel of the Will of God As Josiah he was to break down the Altars of the false Gods And Cyrus to restore Israel to their own Land And Luther to bring the Gospel again to light that others that would might take hold of the offers of mercy I hope that His Majesty and the Great Councel of the Nation will take these things into their consideration that thro' their incouraging the Knowledge of the truth it may meet with better success than it did in Swedeland For when the good Ministers that truely feared God seeing the Signs the Lord foretold should be before his coming and thereby apprehending his near approach was willing to acquaint the people that thereby they might prepare for the coming of the Lord so as they might not be found in darkness at that day and that day come upon them at unawares But the greater part withstood the truth like the Pharisees of old and would suppress the Knowledge of it and presently sent away to the Ministers in Holland to continue as they were The certainty of this came over in the Monthly Mercury And I also heard by an Outlandish Minister that when the good Ministers of that Country upon the signs the Lord had given of his coming and they knowing there was a great deal of the Scripture unrevealed therefore desired that they might joyn in earnest prayers to the Lord for the right understanding of his word and to leave off their Scholastick way of preaching and more to study the Word But those that were in the wrong being the strongest party would not yield thereunto But I hope our Ministers and Teachers of all Parties will not follow their Example since it is made so clearly evident that the stroke will fall on the Christians that shall be found in darkness at that day And since we have been all in mistakes some more and some less till God of his mercy now again brought the true meaning of his word to light according to his promise as we therefore may the better pity and pray one for the other and by a speedy reformation break off from our sins by working righteousness and in shewing mercy to the poor who are at this day languishing And also by our owning the whole truth that thereby we may unite and serve the Lord with one consent And that by us the Protestant Churches beyond Sea might be warned and that by our and their owning the whole truth it may give such an alarm to the Christian World that many Millions of Souls might come out of Darkness For the Lord giveth his Creature an opportunity to improve and this being now the small time that is given the Christians whereby to escape the wrath to come if we accordingly take hold of it and do not stand in opposition against the truth FINIS A Rehearsal of the Covenant BY MOSES Made with the Children of Israel at Mount Horeb Including the Strangers which were then with them and those that afterward should be brought into Covenant with them by Christ From which Adopted Seed comes the Root of Gall and Wormwood which is the Blood-thirsty Drunkard whom St. Paul terms the Root of Bitterness With a certain Account how the Mountains of Sicily and Naples came to be fired being prophesied of by Moses Chap. XXIX Of the Covenant MOses having gathered all the people together and rehearsed the Covenant of the Lord to them and given them a charge to keep it and therefore saith in Deut. 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do 10. v. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains of your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the men of Israel 11. v. Your little ones your Wives and thy Stranger that is in thy Camp from the Hewer of thy Wood unto the Drawer of thy Water 12. v. That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day 13. v. That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn to thy Fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. We here see that this Covenant was made with them and their little ones and with the strangers that were in their Camp all of them were nominated in this Covenant And Moses farther saith in 14. v. Neither with you only do I make this Covenant and this Oath 15. v. But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God and also with him that is not here with us this day We see here that this Covenant was made vvith them also that vvere not vvith them at that day The vvhich as there vvere strangers at that time taken into Covenant vvith Israel so strangers vvere again to be taken into Covenant in the time that vvas then to come and so to become the Seed of Abraham And therefore St. John Baptist said to the Pharisees knovving that their hearts vvere not right to God Matt. 3.8,9 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance 9. v. And think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father for I say unto you That God is able of these stones to raise up Children unto Abraham And St. Paul saith to the Philippians Phil. 3.3 That they are the Circumcision which Worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh And St. Paul farther saith in the Ephesians Ephes 3.6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel And he farther saith in Galathians Gal. 3.28,29 There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither Bond nor Free there is neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus And if
God speaking of the Princes and people of Judah wherein he saith in v. 2. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Can we think that God here spoke to the material heavens and earth that has no ears or understanding No it was to the Princes of Judah and their people to let them understand why he was displeased with them And again God saith in Jer. 6.19 Hear O Earth behold I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their own thoughts because they have not hearkned unto thy words nor to my law but rejected it You see here that this Earth is the people of the world which God doth hear Alarm with his displeasure against Judah And God saith in Jer. 22.29 O Earth Earth Earth hear the word of the Lord. 30. Thus saith the Lord write ye this Man Childless a Man that shall not prosper in his days You see here in this place that the Earth was not only to hear the word of the Lord but to do some thing and what is it But to write this man which was the King of Judah Childless and that he should not prosper Now upon consideration none can be so stupid as to think that God call'd on the massy lump of Earth which we tread on to hear his word and to write this Man childless And the Lord speaking of the destruction of his people in Isa 5. by Nebuchadnezzer in which he declares how the enemies should come up against Israel saith in v. 30. And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the Sea And if one look into the land behold darkness and sorrow and the light is darkned in the heavens thereof Whereas the Lord saith darkness in the land that is sorrow and darkness among the people of the land And whereas the Lord saith the light is darkness in the heavens thereof that is the heavens of that land which was the King Princes and Priests thereof And St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3.8 Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day And in v. 10 he tells us That 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 shall melt with fervent heat The Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up Whereas he saith in the forementioned Verse But the Heavens and Earth which are now are reserved unto fire and in the 10th Verse he saith That the Heavens shall past away with a great noise That is That the wicked Powers will so pass away with terrible shriekings thorough the fiery Indignation of the Lord. And whereas he saith That the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the which Elements are the Elements that the body of Mankind is made up of For they are composed of the 4 Elements According to this it is said in Psal 37.20 The Enemies of the Lord shall be as the â—at of Lambs they shall consume into Smoke shall they consume away And whereas he saith That the Earth and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up That is with the forementioned Tempell spoken of in Ps 11.6 the which shall carry off all the wicked and then the Earth and Air will be purified by Fire as it was before by water at which time Israel with the rest of the Elect of God will be secure in the Holy Land between Mount Olivet underneath that glorious Tabernacle the which the Lord shall pitch and not Mâ—n the which I shall hereafter prove and then 't will be according to the saying of the Psalmist When the nicked are cut off thou shalt see it and then 't is as in Psalm 91.4 He shall cover thee with his Feathers under his wings shalt thou trust And it is said in the 8th Verse Onely with thine Eyes shalt thou behold and see the Reward of the wicked that which this whole Psalm treats of is the security of his people at the time of the wickeds Overthrow Whereas he tells us That One Day is with the Lord as a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years as One Day After which he tells us the Day of the Lord will come which is not the Natural Day nor the Artificial Day the Old World was not destroyed in such a Day Neither did the Ram's Horns blow down Jericho in such a Day But it is that Day which is spoken of in Acts 17.31 where it is said That God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead But you may say Where will the Thousand Years Reign be when the Heavens and Earth are burnt up as St. Peter saith in the 7th Verse of the forementioned Chapter Pray forget not the Apostles saying wherein he tells us The Heavens and Earth which are now God hath reserved unto fire For those that were in the Old World those shall continue as then so now the being of Heaven and Earth at the Restitution or in the world to come or New Jerusalem-state only they will appear more illustrious when the darksome Clouds are dispersed and then the Earth will be renewed to that Perfection as it was in the first Creation But as to the Heavens which are now whereof St Peter speaketh his meaning is the Principalities and Powers which are carrying on the Rule of the darkness of this World and by the Earth the meaner sort which are filling up their measure of Iniquity the which the Old World did admit of no such dstinction in it And also by the Heavens is comprehended the Teachers and those that should have been the Teachers of the Word for if they are called Gods to whom the Word of God came as in John 10.35 why not those called Heavens to whom the Word of God was entrusted to enlighten the World withal And as our Lord saith to his Disciples in Mat. 5.14 Ye are the Light of the world And in the book called The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs which they spake to their Children before their Death wherein Levi in his last Charge to his Sons tells them They be the Light of the Heavens as the Sun and the Moon And he said unto them What shall all the Heathen do if you be over darkned with wickedness and bring Cursedness upon your Countryfolk for whose sake the Light of the world is put into you to enlighten all men withal This Light of the world shall you most willfully steal and teach Commandments contrary to the Righteousness of God Here by all this you see that those to whom the word of God is committed are term'd the Light of the World and the
tells us who they are that shall be gathered It is the Nations that are then upon the Earth at his coming And the Lord in the 33. V. saith He shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on the left V. 34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the world Now whereas the Lord saith come ye blessed that is they were blessed because they were excepted and also there was that found in them that did distinguish them from the wicked of the world Here by these words of our Lord we are fully informed that they are to enter into the Kingdom that was prepared for them from the foundation of the World and we know what Kingdom that was which was then prepared at the foundation of the World that it was this material Heaven and Earth and the Garden of Eden and when Christ comes it is this will be again restored to Israel and the rest of the Elect with them whom Christ will set at his right hand as being part of his Sheep but this setting them on the right hand and left is but a figurative Speech and spoken by way of Parable as I shall prove by several places of Scripture And whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 25.35 I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in V. 36. Naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me V. 37. Then shall the Righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee Drink V. 38. VVhen saw we thee a Stranger and took thee in or nake and clothed thee V. 39. Or when saw we the sick or in prison and came unto thee V. 40. And the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me V. 41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels V. 42. For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was a thirsty and ye gave me no drink V. 43. I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not V. 44. Then shall they also answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or a thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not Minister unto thee V. 45. Then shall he answer them saying verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me V. 46. And these shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous in to Life Eternal That is the Lord then giveth them an assurance of their Eternal Salvation So as they are for ever after past the power or fear of the Second Death Now when Christ said to them on his Right Hand Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World he did not then say any thing to exclude a Temporal Death but at the conclusion of the whole matter the Lord said The Righteous shall go into Life Eternal That is then they shall have the assurance of Eternal Life for then by the New Covenant-Promise which will then be made with them they are put past the power of the second death And the Lord by his Word counts a Temporal Death not a dying as in John 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my Sayings he shall never see death And when they are again restored then they will be put into a capacity never to offend any more by the Promised New Covenant that then will be made with them of which the Christian that is now become a New Creature will be partaker of that promis'd New Covenant with them but how few is there of such And whereas it is said in Matth. 25.32 that before him shall be gathered all Nations and that he shall separate the one from the other and that he shall set the Sheep on his Right Hand and the Goats on his Left But yet when the blessing was by the Lord pronounc'd the Word All was not then included And if it had all the innocent children and the poor had been all excluded because the one had no knowledge how to do good upon which the blessing was pronounc'd and the poor had it not to do withal Nor doth the Lord include the Word All in that Everlasting Sentence of Condemnation but this Sentence was chiefly to them that knew him but would not live in Obedience to him nor do the good that was required of them for they did not deny the knowledge of the Lord but said Lord when saw we thee thus and thus Whereupon the Lord saith In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me You have not obeyed the great Commandment I left with you at my departure which was to love one another and that you should bear one another's burdens and you knowing most of my Revealed Will wherein my Mercy and Love is comprehended and in that you have shewed no Mercy to the Elect or Sheep of God now there remains no Mercy for you the which I left upon Record by my Servant James chap. 2.13 That he shall have judgment without mercy that have shewed no mercy Now if their Punishment be so great to them that has done no good in their Generation according to their Capacity how much severer Punishment must those Christians expect that are committing all those Evils which this Nation and the rest of the Christian World doth abound in accompanied with the Romish Cruelty to the Servants of Christ And as St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 4.18 If the Righteous scarcely be Saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear that are filling up their days in commiting iniquity since every sin doth augment their Punishment And the Lord also tells us Mat. 7.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewen down and cast into the Fire V. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them V. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven V. 22. Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderful works V. 23. Then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Here the Lord doth in a more clear manner Figure out to us the Papists with their signs
in as much as there is no Wicked in Heaven And from the Foundation of the World was Paradice prepared which does appear to be destroyed by the Flood However the place where it was is said to be the Land which the Lord careth for Deut. 11.12 and which he gave to the Seed of Abraham as in Gen. 17.8,9 I will give unto thee and thy Seed after thee the Land wherein thou art a Stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God Verse 9. And God said to Abraham thou shalt keep my Commandments therefore thou and thy Seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee Here God in the 8th Verse gives the Land to Abraham and his Seed for an everlasting Inheritance upon a conditional Covenant which was in verse 9. That God said to Abraham Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefoee thou and thy Seed after thee in their generations The which they did not do and therefore received the threatned Curse but not the blessing But God's promise was to Abraham in the forementioned Chapter Gen. 17.7 That he would establish his Covenant with him That is with himself and his Seed after him in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant But it is not to be a conditional Covenant as the former was The which God hath so often rehearsed that it should be confirmed to them by the mouths of all his Prophets and as God did promise Abraham and to his Seed the Land for an everlasting possession and since this Covenant is to be made with Abraham and his Seed together then it must be at the Resurrection made good at which time will be the Restitution of all things Now God saith in Ezek. 5.12 That he would scatter Israel into all the Winds and from one End of the Earth to the other From these places is the Lord said to gather his Elect at his coming And God himself saith I will gather Israel and others with him And in Isaiah 43.4,5,6,7,8 The Lord saith in verse 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy Life Verse 5. Fear not for I am with thee I will bring thy Seed from the East and gather thee from the West Verse 6. I will say to the North give up and to the South keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughiers from the ends of the Earth Verse 6. Every one that is called by my Name for I have created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him Verse 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears Now Israel God saith that he created him for his Glory and these are the Elect in a more particular manner for whom the Kingdom was prepared from the Foundation of the World And as in some places the Reigns of David and Solomon are intermixt and Christ's first and second coming are intermixt so is here their Deliverance by Cyrus with that of their final and last Deliverance by Christ when he comes to judge the World The which the foregoing Words of the Lord doth make fully out For when they returned out of the Babylonish Captivity they were not gathered from the East West North and South Neither were they honourable because they were under another Nation Neither did they appear to the Glory of God when they murdered the Lord of Life for which they have been a scatter'd people ever since throughout the Face of the whole Earth Now God foreseeing the ignorance of his people as to the time to come therefore saith Bring the blind people that have Eyes and the deaf that have Ears for they apprehend not the sayings of the Most High as to the time of their Restoration And the Lord saith 2 Esdras in the sixth chap. verse 5,6,7,8,9,10 That ere the present years were sought out and or ever the inventions of them that now sin were turned before they were sealed that have gathered Faich for a Treasure Then did I consider these things and they were all made through me alone and through no other by me also they shall be ended and by none other Verse 7. Then answered I and said What shall be the parting asunder of the Times or when shall be the first and the beginning of it that followeth Ver. 8. And he said unto me From Abraham unto Isaac when Jacob and Esau were born of him Jacob's hand held first the heel of Esau Verse 9. For Esau is the end of the World and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth Verse 10. The hand of Man is between the heel and the hand Here in the V. 7. Esdras was desirous to know what should be the parting asunder of the times and when should be the end of the first and the begining of that which followeth in answer to which God lets him understand by the following words that Esau and Jacob were the figure of both worlds And God said unto him when Esau and Jacob were born Jacobs hand held first the heel of Esau For Esau is the end of the world and Jacob is the begining of that which followeth and the hand of man is now between the heel and the hand That is the time of man now is signified to be between the heel and the hand by which is meant labour sorrow and darkness for the head is excluded as not being plac'd between the heel and the hand Therefore they of this world walk in darkness labour and mischief But the Glory is reserved for the other world Jacob. Where the head is with the Body In which is wisdom Glory excellency and greatness Now whereas it is said Jacobs hand held first the heel of Esau That is that the Glory of the other world will come in before this our sinful world is gone off And as I formerly shewed you by Isaiah God figured out to us the Roman Babylon so God here comprehends this wicked world by Esau and that which is to come by Jacob. So this place in Mal. 1.2,3,4,5,6 Doth make it fully out for God saith in V. 2. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob. V. 3. And I hated Esau and laid his Mountains and his heritage wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness V. 4. And they shall call them the border of Wickedness a people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever V. 5. And your eyes shall see and ye shall say the Lord will be magnified from the borders of Israel V. 6. A Son honoureth his father and a Servant his Master if then I be a father where is mine honor and if I be a Master where is my fear saith the Lord of Host unto you O Priests that despise
should wholly fall off And by what Dan saith of his Children in his last Testament is to the same effect For he saith I am sure in the latter days ye shall depart from the Lord and walk in naughtiness working the abominations of the Gentiles and haunting wicked Women in all lewdness by the Working of deceitful Spirits in you For I have read in Enoch that Satan is your Prince and that all the Spirits of Fornication and Pride shall ply themselves in laying Snares for the Children of Dan to make them sin before the Lord. Here we may see what was the reason that none of Dan was of that Number which was to be Sealed for the Glorious Tabernacle when the Lord again comes which is the Sion that shall be revealed and then shall Jerusalem again be built having twelve Gates as in Ezek. 48. from the 31. v. to the 35. called after the Names of the Tribes of Israel according to that of the New Jerusalem which comes down from Heaven of which it is said There is no Temple in it Rev. 21.22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it But as to the New Earthly Jerusalem there is said will be a Temple for from under the threshold of which shall issue forth the Waters spoken of Ezek 47.1 Now that these Waters here spoken of are real Waters is certain in that there is nothing in the whole Book of God to prove it a figurative speech and we are not to makefigures and that there shall be by these Waters real Fruit Trees as is said and also abundance of Fish in the River For the Lord hath declared that then the Earth shall abound with all good things And then of Jerusalem it shall be said from that day the Lord is there as in Ezek. 48.35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures and the name of the City from that day shall be The Lord is there And then it is the saying of the Apostle will be fullfilled in the Manifestation of the kindness of the Lord to them in the Ages to come as in Eph. 2.6,7 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus Now in Heaven we neither read of Ages nor Generations and were the Ages here spoken of meant of them that are in Heaven he would have said That the Ages that are past might see the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his kindness towards them because that they being in Heaven would sooner behold the exceeding Kindness of the Lord toward them than those that are afterward to go to Heaven of the following Generations or Ages Therefore the kindness here spoken of must be manifested here when the New Jerusalem shall descend out of Heaven when that Glorious Tabernacle shall be Revealed which the Lord shall pitch and not Man over the Land of Canaan And the Land that is given by the Lord in Ezek. 47.14 appears to be far larger than what Israel has had in Possession Now as to what Obadiah saith in the first part of the Chapter where he treats of the Real Seed of Esau and from the 15. v. downward of the Day of the Lord being near upon all the Heathen by which he comprehends the Wicked of the World that their reward should then be given them At which time there should be deliverance on Mount Sion as it is said in the 17. v. But upon Mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be Holiness and the House of Jacob shall possess their possessions 20. And the Captivity of the Host of the Children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites even to Zarephath and the Captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad shall possess the Cities of the South 21. And Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion to Judg the Mount of Esau and the Kingdoms shall be the Lords Here you see this Prophet with Esdras comprehends all the Wicked World under the Name of Esau And this Prophet also gives us to understand when the Kingdom shall be the Lords That is when Saviours come upon Mount Sion and the World is Judged By which words we see that now the Kingdom is not termed the Lords not till such time that he comes to Judg the World and to restore Israel's Inheritance to them And then at that time the Kingdom will be the Lords St. Paul Terms this World as it is now to be ruled by the Devil Whereas he saith 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not And in Eph. 6.12 he saith We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers and against the Rulers of the darkness of this World and against Spiritual Wickedness in high places And the Devil boasting to our Saviour of his Power Luke 4.6 When he shewed him all the Kingdoms of this World in a moment of time and the Devil said unto him all this Power will I give thee and the Glory of them for that is delivered unto me That is after mankind again became wilfully wicked God left them to Satan's Delusion And although the Devil is the Father of Lies yet he would scarce have told them to the God of Truth who knew how far his Power did extend And the Lord himself saith John 14.30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the Prince of this World cometh and hath no part in me But you may say I thought God had ruled all things in Heaven and Earth God doth invisibly over-rule the Devil or else he would destroy all the Righteous from off the Earth were not his Power limited by the most high but the visible rule as is declared by the Apostle is in the Devil who carries on the Darkness of this World Eph. 6.12 by himself and all his adherents for it is said That he ruleth in the Hearts of the Children of the Disobedient but you may say the Lord did say to his Disciples Mark 9.1 Verily verily I say unto you that there be some of them that stand here which shall not tast of Death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with Power Which was made out in his Transfiguration in 2. v. Six days after Jesus taketh Peter James and John and leadeth them up into an high Mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them 3. v. And his Raiment became shining exceeding white as Snow so as no Fuller on Earth can white them 4. v. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus 7. v. And there was a Cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the Cloud saying this is my beloved Son hear him Now the other Evangelists say a bright Cloud Which makes it out to us where the Heavenly Powers
War with the remnant of her Seed which kept the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ Now by the Wings of a great Eagle is meant Support and Assistance and by Waters is comprehended Afflictions and the Men that are the Afflictors by what the Prophet David faith in Psal 18.4 The Floods of ungodly men made me afraid From these Waters the Earth helped the Woman for the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up That is takes them away by Death yet still the Devil Persists in his Malice for he goes to make War with the Remnant of her Seed By all this it is made clearly to appear that Christ's Church was a suffering Church is a suffering Church and so will continue to the end of this World and the Lord to incourage us tells the Church in Rev. 3.10 That if they keep the word of his Patience he also will keep them from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the earth Here we see is a general Tryal and the Lord to comfort us saith in the 11. v. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown Here we may plainly see that the Glory will be prepared for them that Love him when he comes the second time for the Glory is not now in this our World for Christ's Church And when we Pray for Christ to have here in this World a Glorious Church we Pray against the determined will of God But whereas St. Paul saith Ephes 5.25 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it 26. That he might Sanctify it and cleanse it with the washing of Water 〈◊〉 the Word This part is to be perform'd in this sinful World But whereas he saith in the 27. v. That he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blemish Now we must take notice of the words of the Apostle which tells us that he might present it to himself a Glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Not that he hath so presented it or that it is so presented but the word is That he may present it a glorious Church without having spot or wrinkle Then the question is here when it shall be to which I Answer it will be at the great Weding Supper of the Lamb the which will be when the Lord comes Now as to his coming that we might not be mistaken therein the Lord saith Matt. 24.25 Behold I have told you before 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret Chambers believe it not 27. v. For as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth 〈◊〉 to the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be 28. For wheresoever the Carcass is there will the Eagles begathered together By which we see the Lord did not tell them they should be gathered into Heaven at the time of his coming But the Lord after he arose expounded to them the Scriptures Luk. 24.27 Begining at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Now the Scriptures do not only speak of his Sufferings but also of his Reigning on Mount Sion in Jerusalem Gloriously And then as to what the New Heavens and Earth will be will then be made manifest Whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 24.29 Immediately after the Tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken By these that is the Sun Moon and Stars and the Powers of Heaven being shaken hath its reference of certain as to what I before shewed you But these words may admit of a two fold meaning and not only comprehend the Popish Ministery and others that have been negligent in their places and the wicked powers but also when the Lord cometh there may be a great Eclipse of the Sun and the Moon may change her Colour and those wandring Stars fall from Heaven which Satan has influence on as to carry on the darkness of this World by And as St. Jude saith in the 13. v. Where he compareth the wicked to the raging Waves of the Sea foaming â—ut their own shame And likewise he compares them to wandring Stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Now as there is the real Waves of the Sea we see here that the Wicked are the Figurative Waves of the Sea And as there is real wandring Stars that Satan has Influence on to help him in the carrying on the darkness of this World So there is Figurative Wandering Stars the which do darken the light of the Word and so the World that is the people is darkned thereby For which both the real and figurative Stars are reserved the blackness of darkness for ever For by these words we see that in the Restoration the Stars will not be left to influence man to Iniquity Now whereas St. John saith John 2.8 The darkness is past and the true light now shineth Which was the true Light then broke forth in the Church as to Knowledg and Love but as to the latter it hath a more particular reference for he so explains himself in the 9. v. in that he saith He that hateth his Brother is in darkness And in the 10. v. he saith He that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light 〈…〉 St. Paul saith 〈…〉 Rom. 13.12,13 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 drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envy Here the Apostle fully declares that it was then night but that he would have them walk as the Children of the day in which day there will be no such thing committed at which time according to the saying of the Psalmist That all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed of the Lord and also in Ezek. 48.31 Zach. 14.11 Jer. 31.40 Now as to what the Lord saith in Luke 21. c. 24. That Israel shall fall by the edge of the Sword and shall be led away captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fullfilled Which is as I before told you not until the Gentile Power is quite vanquished the which will be when the Lord comes and then will Jerusalem be gloriously built never more to be destroyed as it is written 25. v. And there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring 26. v. Mens
Supper I find therein is Comfort for the Poor for when those that were bidden were not found worthy through their own neglect and so was detain'd from coming through the Love they had to this present World as in Matt. 22.8 Then said the King to his Servants the Wedding is ready but they that were bidden were not worthy 9. Go ye therefore into the High-ways and as many as ye shall find bid to the Marriage 10. So those Servants went into the high-ways and gathered together all as many as they could find both good and bad and the Wedding was furnished with guests 11. And when the King came in to see the guests he saw there a man which had not a Wedding Garment 12. And he said unto him friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding Garment and he was speechless 13. Then said the King to the Servants bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth We see that although the poor in great number at the last day will be called in to be made partakers of that blessedness which then shall be revealed yet we see by this one that has been mentioned that some of them will be cast out and that there will be something found in them which will unfit them for mercy That is their Lives more estranged from God and their tempers more united to Satan like to this Man in the Parable which might like the Glory of the Saints yet not their Sanctity or they sound guilty of some of those crying sins unrepented of And whereas the Lord saith in the 14. v. For many are called but few are chosen That is they are called so as to be brought into the knowledg of God and his ways as to know what he requires of us But by reason they will not use their utmost endeavour to make their Calling and Election sure therefore they will not be chosen in the great day of the Lord the which the foregoing words doth make it so out that they did neglect the tender and offer of mercy by his Messengers in or of the Gospel being not willing to forego this present World and therefore are not sound ready when the Lord comes so as then to be chosen by him And also if we neglect the tender of mercy all our Life time I can find no hopes that such should be chosen upon a Death-Bed As for the Thief upon the Cross he was not brought into the knowledg of the Lord before that time And the Lord saith in Luke 14.21,22,23 When those that were bidden came not then the Master of the House being angry said to his Servants go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City and bring in hither the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind And the servant said Lord it is done as thou commanded and yet there is room And the Lord said to the servant go out into the high-ways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be full Now as to the meaning of these Parables of the Lord in which they are bidden to Supper is his Invitation to us by the Gospel which remains good from the time of his being on Earth till his second coming at which time he not finding those that were bidden prepared for his coming therefore in the 24. v. saith That none of those men that were bidden shall tast of my Supper That is those that are not found prepared And in Luke 18.8 Where the Lord saith When he cometh shall he find faith on Earth That is the generality of the Christians will be more prophane and wicked than ever they were and therefore none of them that are so shall have any part of his Supper when he cometh Now that the justice and mercy of God might be both evident as the Psalmist and St. Paul saith in Rom. 3.4 Where he speaking of God saith in Ps 51.4 That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged Therefore God looking on the poor that here have known nothing but misery and thereby made uncapable of shewing mercy in giving relief to others and also through poverty had not the due education as to bring them up in the knowledge of the Lord of which some of them which will be brought in at the coming of the Lord is said to be lame halt and blind To be sure some of them will not be only outwardly so but also there will be those that are inwardly so The first that were brought in are said to be fetcht out of the streets and lanes of the City And the Servants of the Lord said yet there is room Then were they Commanded to go into the high waies and hedges and to compel them to come in Here by all this we have no reason to believe that these were all sound ready at his coming but that they then are called in to sill up their places that have neglected his mercy And Isaiah Prophesieth of the time to come in which the Lord shall be judge that the lame also shall take the prey Whereas he saith in Chap. 33.22 v. The Lord is our Judge the Lord ic our Lawgiver the Lord is our King he will save us 23. v. Thy tackling are loosed they could not well strengthen their Mast they could not spread the Sail then is the prey of a great spoile divided the lame take the prey You may plainly see by these words that they have only reference to the time when the Lord again comes And in the 14 Chap. 1. v. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them in their own Land and strangers shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. By which we see that there will be strangers called in at that time when Israel is And the Psalmist where he saith Psal 9.17,18,19 The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Then it is in the following verse The needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Arise O Lord let not man prevail let the Heathen be judged in thy sight We see here when it is that the Poor and Needy is thus to be remembred It is when the Lord riseth to judgment at which time he renders punishments to the Wicked and Comfort to the Afflicted And it is said in Psal 37.7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devises to pass 8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil 9. For evil doers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the Earth 10. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be 11. But the meek
shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace 12. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his Teeth 13. The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming 22. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the Earth and they that are cursed of him shall be cut off Therefore it is said He that giveth to the Poor lendeth to the Lord. And the Lord calleth the Poor his Brethren And the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the Wise and God hath chosen the weak things af the world to confound the things that are mighty 28. And the base things of the World and the things that are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are You see in these last words of the verse that St. Paul had a reference for the time to come And as the Lord at his first coming did chuse the mean and low things of the Earth So at the Lord's second coming it does appear that he will then chuse them also as part of his Elect when he again comes 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence That is It is not their Wisdom Grandeur or Greatness that made them acceptable with God Of which Hanath Prophesieth in 1 Sam. 2.8 He raised up the Poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory for the Pillars of the Earth are the Lords and he hath set the World upon them 9. He will keep the feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in darkness for by strength shall nâ— man prevail 10. The Adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them the Lord shall judg the ends of the Earth and he shall give strength unto his King and exalt the Horn of his Anointed And therefore he saith in 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption 31. That according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. And Jeremiah saith Jer. 9.23,24 Thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving Kindness Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. This Chapter as well as the forementioned to the Corinthians has a reference to the second Coming of Christ at which time he will exercise Loving Kindness Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth Now it does fully appear by Scripture who are the Elect that will be received into mercy when the Lord again comes That it is the Antient People of God the Jews with part of those people or nations which Isaiah makes mention of in the 60. c. 6. 7. v. And the poor which have not uncapacitated themselves for Mercy There is also then a Blessing promised to the Meek Psal 37.11 They shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of Peace which cannot be till the Lord again comes That is those meek that have not had the Opportunity of more knowledg And the Merciful that have shewed mercy to Gods Elect if they have not been guilty of the evils against which the Lord hath pronounc'd that dreadful sentence Rev. 21.8 That they shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death But I hope God of his infinite mercy hath here caused the true meaning of his Word to break forth to be the means of saving of thousands of poor Papists and Turks And I hope it will awaken thousands of our Nations that are asleep in security before they sleep that sleep of Eternal Death But as for them that are willfully ignorant there remains for them no hopes of Mercy For God saith Prov. 1.24,25,26,27,28 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded 25. v. But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof 26. v. I will also laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your Fear cometh 27. v. When your Fear cometh as Desolation and your destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you 28. v. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me According to the saying of the Lord in St. Luke That they shall then strive to enter in but shall not be able That is as soon as the Lord appeareth they will be seeking to him for Mercy for this Scripture doth particularly relate to the latter Day but then it will be too late Prov. 1.29 For that they hated Knowledge and did not chuse the Fear of the Lord. Whilst the door of Mercy is open to us whereby to make our Calling and Election sure For when the Lord comes to Judgment we must then give an account of our Stewardship and as we are found so will our Sentence be whether for Blessedness or Misery Now the Lord Christ with the Apostles speaks in the same method as God aforetime spake by his Prophets in that they do mention those things which are to come as though they were already done And also in that they mention or joyn those things together which are done or shortly to be done with those things which are of a long continuance before they will be accomplisht And having proved it in several places before I shall here make mention but of Two The first is the foregoing words of the Apostle wherein he makes mention of those call'd in at Christs first coming with the promised Elect which shall be received into mercy at his second coming And also Christ himself mentioneth the destruction of Jerusalem with that of the destruction of the world as tho they were to have been at one and the same time That thereby we might the better understand the writings of the Prophets and Moses as to their joyning things together which admits of great distance of time between For as to the Covenant that God made with Israel the Christians were included therein also As being Ahrahams seed by Christ And therefore when Moses speaks of Israels Land he there speaks of what will become of the Christians Land That is the Land where the pretended head of the Church is who walk with Israel according to the imagination of their own hearts Which woe is pronounced to that Land that it shall become brimstone and salt and burning Also those Prophesies of Christs first coming are joyn'd with his second coming and
many more as I before shewed you And that in those Prophesies there are great distances of time between their accomplishment although it is set down as though they were so near together Now Christ having left it clear to us by the Event that the World was not destroyed when Jerusalem was whereby it makes it plain to our apprehensions that those Prophesies had a farther meaning than what the first part made out and what has not been made good it remains to be made good 2 Esdras 13.29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 Behold the days come when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the Earth 30. v. He shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the Earth 31. And one shall undertake to fight against another one City against another one place against another one people against another one Realm against another 32. v. And the time shall be and the Signs shall happen and then shall my Son be declared whom thou sawest as a man ascending 33. v. And when all the people hear his Voice every man shall in their own Land leave the Battle they have one against another 34. v. And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together as thou sawest them willing to come and overcome him by fighting 36. v. But he shall stand upon the top of Mount Sion and Sion shall come and shall be shewed to all men being prepared and builded like as thou sawest the Hill graven without hands 37. v. And this my Son shall rebuke the wicked Inventions of those Nations which for their wicked Life are fallen into the Tempest Now without all doubt this fighting is so term'd as Jacobs Prayers were Wrestling when he prevail'd with the Angel but these will not have such success But when they see the glory they will immediately leave the Battle they have one against the other thinking to overcome the Lord by their Prayers but then it will be too late for them for then they must be judged according to their Deeds done in their body For then he will lay before them all their wicked Inventions Now it does certainly appear that this is the Battle that was to be fought by every particular And also this War that is now is produced by those that are set down in Rev. 16 13. And I saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the False Prophet 14. v. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which goeth forth unto the Kings of the Earth and the whole World to gather them to the Battle of that great Day of God Almighty 15. v. Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Now this War proceedeth from the Devil the Beast and false Prophet who have drawn in the Kings and Princes of the Earth with them so as the Devil by his Unclean Spirits hath set all the World in an Uproar as in Esdras Now we are to take notice of the words of the Lord in Joel where he saith Joel 3.2 I will also gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my People and for my Heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my Land Now in Scripture as I have proved to you all does not signify the whole and so the word here makes out in that the Lord saith He will plead with them there for his People and for his Heritage Israel whom they have scattered and parted his Land Now we know that it was but part of the Nations that was guilty of so doing therefore just at that time there may be but that part Judged And the words in the 12. v. makes it further so appear for the Lord there saith Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to Judg all the Heathen round about That is thus All the Heathen round about that has Israel's Land in possession and doth Lord it over them For those of the Heathen that are here Judged are all condemned as it is clear in the two following verses And it is Evident by other places of Scripture they shall have a time of Torment here before they are cast into Hell Now in that they are all here termed Heathens is according to that of the saying of St Paul He is not a Jew that is one outwardly so they are not Christistians that only outwardly bear the Name of Christ as Papists do neither do they know God which the Turks pretend to do yet in works deny him and Worship Mahomet Therefore these in the sight of God appear as the worst of Heathens Neither could thâ—se 〈◊〉 be expressed so well under any other 〈◊〉 being a multitude of incorrigible sinners but some times comprehended under the title of Esau Now by these Heathens there is none of those Nations comprehended which the Lord will call in at his coming because that they are all condemned but I hope the Almighty God hath at this time set our King amongst them that he might be the awakener of ten thousand times ten thousand of them And I hope every thinking Soul will consider what God is going about to do so as to prepare for his coming And since we have been all in great mistakes we may the better pity and pray the one for the other now the Time is just at hand For this being the Exact Battle that is described with the Earthquakes that have been in divers places and the Cities of the Nations falling with the continual Whirlwinds mentioned in Jeremiah 30.23,24 At the time that Israel is to be restored God saith in the 23. v. Behold the Whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with Fury a continuing Whirlwind it shall fall with pain upon the head of the Wicked 24. The fierce Anger of the Lord shall not return until he have done it and until he have performed the intents of his heart in the latter days ye shall consider it And now it is these Whirlwinds of the Lord are gone forth for War and Afflictious are by the Lord termed Winds as in Jer. 51.1 And also the great stupidity that is at this day upon the People according to the Word of the Lord in Isa 29. the which is wholly directed unto the Christians as all the following part of the Chapter from the 4th ver makes appear And the Lord at this time by weak means making good that Promise in Daniel 12.4 But thou O Daniel shut up the Words and seal the Book even till the time of the End Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Now the Lord having opened his Word whereby Knowledge may be increased and this he hath done by weak means that his glory might the more eminently appear and
But by the word it may be easily proved there is several ways for the elect to be brought into Christ For first after the fall of Adam they were to observe the ordinances then declar'd to them by God and also looking to the promis'd Seed for satisfaction and reconciliation if they were found in their obedience to God After which Moses his time God gave them the Law upon mount Sinai But still they were to look to Christ in the promise in that he should bruise the Serpents head and take away the sting of Death from them And here God saith to Israel as he said to Cain Gen. 4.7 If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou doest evil sin lyeth at the Door So God saith to the Seed of Jacob Deu. 11.26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse 27. A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day 28. And a curse if you will not obey the Commandments of the Lord your God but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day You see here was the free Grace of God manifested to them above the rest of the World in that God had so far renewnewed or inlightned them as to bring them to the knowledg of himself the which the rest of the world was almost wholly ignorant of And here God gave Israel a rule by which they should walk the which it they had so done they had enjoyed the blessings that God had there promised them and that He would also be their God for ever and they should be his people And after Christ came the Gospel was published wherein all Nations were invited that whosoever would might come and take of the Waters of Life freely Rev. 22.17 But although there was none excluded yet there was the Condition of the tender of Grace to be observed by all them that are made partakers of the blessedness Which Condition was Repentance from Dead Works with Love and Obedience to God and Christ and thankful acknowledgment of the mercy and benefit purchast by Him Now as concerning Election which consists of Three Distinctions FIrst The Election of the Church Secondly The Election of the children of the Church as being in covenant and if they die in their Infancy accepted for their Parents sake so as they shall not see Hell and in the Last Judgment there is none condemned to feel punishment in that body in which they never had offended Therefore the children shall return from the Land of the Enemy as I shall hereafter prove And Thirdly Of the special Elect which the Lord terms the very Elect of whom he said they should not be deceived And now to make clear these Elections I shall here prove to you that there was neither Predestination nor Reprobation before the Foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth And in the first place I shall prove there was none reprobated as I shall make appear by the Word and Oath of God For God saith in Ezekiel 33.11 Say unto them as I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Deash of the Wicked Now had God made a Decree before the Foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth that the greater part of mankind should be Reprobates and for being so they should be damned and 〈◊〉 Decree to pass before they had a being or the World in which they offended then of necessity God must have delight in the Death of a sinner But God foreseeing that Israel and we would be apt to attribute their miscarriage unto him therefore by his Oath he confirms to us the contrary swearing by Himself because he could swear by no Greater And in 2 Esdras 8.59 it is said For it was not his Will that man should come to nought And Abraham said to God Shall not the Judge of all the World do Right And how would the Justice of God appear to make so many Millions of Souls on purpose to damn them and only in pretence put them in a capacity of Obedience when his unrevokable Decree was to the contrary The which be it far from any soul to think it being contrary to his Justice and Mercy and contrary to his Oath and Word Now as St. Paul saith in Ephes 1.4 They were chosen in him before the Foundation of the World The which Foundation admits of several Interpretations The First Foundation was the Material Heavens and Earth Secondly The People of the World is far oftner termed the World than the Real Earth is For in John 15.18,19 the Lord terms the People the World no less than six times in two Verses And so by the Prophets and Apostles the People is term'd the World Now the Foundation of the World of People has been several â—mes laid The Old World in Adam this World in Noah and the Foundation of the World to come in the Seed of Jacob as I shall hereafter prove to you when the Lord brought them out of the Land of Egypt at which time he marked them for himself to be the chief Foundation of the World to come at which foundation the Lord Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb. As it is said in Rev. 19.8 The Lamb stain from the foundation of the World And it is said 1 Pet. 1.20 That Christ was foreordain'd before the foundation of the World but was manifested in these last times for you These words admit of a two fold interpretation in as much as there is several Foundations and it may as well be rendered that Christ was Ordained at the Fall of Adam to make satisfaction for mankind which was before the foundation of that World which is to come which afterwards the Foundation was laid in Israel when the Pascal Lamb was slain as I shall make clear to you And whereas St. Peter saith was manifest in these last times the which is the last times of this World of People Now whereas St. Paul saith in Ephes 1.9 Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ At which time he spake this it is evident they were not in Heaven and therefore spoken for time to come And whereas he saith in verse 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love Now after Israel had fallen off the Lord tells Esdras in chap. 2. verse 11. Their glory also will I take to me and give these the everlasting Tabernacles which I had prepared for them Verse 12. They shall have the Tree of Life for an Oyntment of sweet savours they shall neither labour nor be weary By which it doth seem to appear that God did make choice of others for the Glorious Tabernacle before them which were the Foundation And St. Paul saith Ephes 2.20,21,22 That they are built
Siria and others that are of this Elder World shall serve the younger of which I have given a more full Account in the foregoing Part. Not only so but the younger sort of them whose Parents are now Enemies to the Church yet their Children that has not been guilty shall be spared and not cut off with the rest of the wicked For in Joel 3. where it speaks of the Judgment of this World the Lord saith in the 8th Verse I will sell your Sous and Daughters into the hand of the Children of Judah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people far off for the Lord hath spoken it Sheba being part of the Elect that will be called in at the coming of the Lord. As it is said in Isaiah 60.6 And also the Lord said 2 Esdras 6.18,19 to 28. Behold the days come that I will begin to draw nigh and to visit them that dwell upon the Earth And I will begin to make inquisition of them what they be that have hurt unjustly with their unrighteousness and when the afflictions of Sion shall be fulfilled And when the world that shall begin to vanish away shall be finished then will I shew these tokens The books shall be opened before the firmament and they shall see altogether And the Children of a year old shall speak with their voices the women with Child shall bring forth untimely Children of three or four months old and they shall live and be raised up And suddenly shall the sound places appear unsound the full store-houses shall suddenly appear empty And the Trumpet shall give a sound which when every man heareth they shall be afraid At that time shall friends fight one against another like enemies and the Earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein the Springs of the Fountains shall stand still and in three hours they shall not run Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape and see my salvation and the end of your world And the men that are received shall see it who have not tasted Death from their Birth and the heart of the inhabitants shall be changed and turned into another meaning For evil shall be put out deceit shall be quenched As for faith it shall flourish corruption shall be overcome and the truth which hath been so long without fruit shall be declared Rom. 9.8 This is the Seed which St. Paul speaks of in V. 8. Where he saith the Children of the promise are counted for the Seed And also the Lord by Esdras has given us to understand that the innocent children shall not be taken away in the Judgment with their parents And the Lord also in V. 9. of this Chap. saith 2 Esdras 6.9 Esau is the end of this world and Jacob the begining of it that followeth Now as to what the Lord said to Rebecca concerning these two brothers before they had done good or evil was no other then that the Elder should serve the younger for God did not then say that he loved Jacob and hated Esau Therefore the Apostle makes a stop and begins again wherein he saith in V. 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Which words of the Lord are said in Mal. 2.3 After Esau was wicked and the world with him But these words of the Lord in Mal. hath also a prophetical reference as to the glorious time to come in which time Jacob will appear the beloved and Esau the hated That is the figurative Esau by which is signified the wicked of the world but in more especial manner that Esau which is Term'd the degenerate root by reason the Lord saith he hath laid his mountains and heritage wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness For this curse is only pronounc'd to them that their land shall be inhabited with fearful Creatures And it is the usual way of the Lord to speak of things that are to come as tho they were already done For when these words of the Lord were spoken to Malachy Esau was more flourishing then Jacob. For at that time Israel had displeased the Lord and for his Sins his Mountains were laid wast before those of Esau's And when those Mountains of Esau were laid wast they were not made partâ—kers of those Judgments And St. Paul knowing that those words of the Lord in Malachy had reference for the time that is now to come therefore he here mentions them as treating of that time also And after he had here rehearsed the word of the Lord in saying Rom. 9.14,15 Jacob have I Loved and Esau have I hated He saith in v. 14. What shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid V. 15. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion The which words were said to Moses by the Lord in the time that the Lord chose Israel to set them above the rest of the Nations At which time he brought them out of the Land of Egypt with signs and wonders to fix them on the midst of the Earth for the Exalting of their Glory and to allure thereby the World that they might be brought into the Knowledg of God Of which the Patriarch Levy said in his last Will and Testament If you should be over-darkned with Error what shall all the Heathen do But Israel falling into sin and error was cast off and the Heathen for a time taken in in their room But for the Oaths sake God made with their Fathers they shall be again taken in and made partakers of that everlasting blessedness promised to them And whereas St. Paul saith in the 16th verse So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy These words admit of a two sold meaning The one is that we are so far fallen that of our selves we can neither will nor run but it is God that sheweth Mercy in calling us renewing and inlightning us in the knowledg of himself whereby we are put into a Capacity to will and run The which if we so do and continue to do we shall undoubtedly find mercy for it is through our own default if once enlightned we again fall off And therefore St. Paul saith who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth The which can be no other than our own corrupt Affections the subtil Instigations of Satan or pressing Afflictions Against all which we must daily go to God by servent Prayer for his support and assistance and if we so do he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee But as to what was said here in the 16th verse I chiefly apprehend it is spoken of the time when the Lord again comes that then they will be seeking and running to enter into Life but then their willing and running will not be available having neglected the offer
him also freely give us all things That is God will freely give us all things if we will receive it according to the tender of his Grace in his Word and with patience wait for it as these did And whereas he saith in 33. v. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth 33. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh interessione for us That is as I elsewhere said that we are no sooner converted and brought into an holy Resignation of our selves unto God but we are accepted of God through the satisfaction made by the Death of Christ who now lives to make intercession for such And as to what we were before we were Converted those sins will not be laid to our charge But this is no incouragement to us to sin and defer Repentance for those Romans never had the knowledg of the truth before But we are born Children of the visible Church and if we defer Repentance and check the good motions of the Spirit and refuse to be obedient to the word thinking it will be time enough hereafter to look after Heaven In so doing we tempt God to leave us to hardness of Heart and blindness of mind therefore the Apostle doth so earnestly exhort the Hebrews To day whilst it is called to day not to harden their Hearts That is not to put off Repentance till to morrow And when we are brought home to Christ by Repentance and resigning up our selves to him we are then no sooner in him but we must walk in newness of Life Of which St. Jude puts in remembrance Jude 6.7 Of the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitations he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Even as Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange Flesh are set forth for an Example suffering the vengeance of eternal Fire By which we see if we give our selves a liberty to sin God does with hold his restraining Grace from us and so through sin we become subjects of God's wrath And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword 36. As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that lovedus 38. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. By these words we see that St. Paul was of this perswasion That they being once in Christ that it was not any nor all of these forementioned things should be able to separate them from the Love of God through Christ By which we see there is nothing but wilful sin that can separate the Soul from the Love of God in Christ if once accepted And whereas St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.13.14 We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation thro' Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the gloey of our Lord Jesus Christ Now whereas St. Paul saith That God from the beginning chose the Thessalonians to Salvation Now were these words to be taken as hitherto we have done there is a contradiction in the Apostles own words For in the Ephesians he there saith that they were chosen in Christ before the Foundation of the World And here in the Thessalonians he saith from the beginning Now were they chosen from the beginning of the material Heavens and Earth or from the beginning of the first world of People which was in the seed of Cain and Seth. Then were they not chosen before the foundation of the World but at the foundation of the World therefore these words admit of a contradiction And from the beginning here spoken of could not reach to God and Eternity for there is neither beginning nor end therefore his words here and in the Ephesians admit of two meanings The first is as I before proved to you That the Churches that first trusted in Christ was made choice of for the glorious Tabernacle and so will appear to the praise of his Glory as being approv'd of of God as to matter of choice or liking in God for the glorious Tabernacle sooner then Israel or before Israel which is the foundation of the world here spoken of as I have already clearly proved Now whereas he saith that the Thessalonians were chosen from the begining to Salvation is no other then from the begining of the preaching of the Gospel The which begining I shall make clear to you by the words of our blessed Lord and St. John First what the Lord saith to his Disciples in John 15.27 And ye shall also bear witness because ye have been with me from the begining And St. John saith 1 John 2.24 Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the begining If that which ye have heard from the begining shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father By what is here said it is evident that the Apostle had no other meaning then from the begining of the publishing of the Gospel by reason Christ and the Apostles did express themselves so And the Apostles own words are to the like effect in Phil. 1.5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now which is no other then from the first day they heard the word Now the Thessalonians their being chosen to salvation was not so absolute but that they might through their own neglect fall short of salvation as St. Pauls own words make appear Because he saith in the 2 Thes 1.11 Wherefore also we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power By what is here said it doth appear that the Thessalonians being chosen to salvation was like that of the children of Israel who was chosen of the Lord for the Land of Canan for God brought them out of the Land of Egypt That was God by his own out stretched arm brought them out of Egypt and through the red Sea This being that which lay not in their power to do But when he brought them into the Wilderness they were to fight for the Land of Canan or else they were never to
the words of the Apostles make out But I shall here only mention the words of St. Paul what he saith in Heb. 6.4,5,6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renue them again by repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame By these words of the Apostle it is fully evident although they were thus sealed with the Spirit of Promise which is the Holy Ghost yet it was not impossible for them to fall off again And therefore he useth all those Admonitions and Exhortations to them that they might persevere in Holiness and in the fear of the Lord. And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Now these words were in a more particular mannet spoken of Israel when the Lord again comes as in Rom. 11.25,26,27,28,29 where he saith For I would not Brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in 26. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is writteu there shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 27. For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins 28. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for their Fathers sakes 29. For the Gifts and calling of God are without Repentance This blindness we see happened to Israel not from any Decree in God before their own default occasioned it for the word happened makes it appear it was not designed for them These Words are concerning the wonderful Promises made to the Fathers concerning 〈◊〉 which will be made good to them whe◠〈◊〉 Lord again come at which time he will give them a New Heart and a Now Spirit so as they shall not sin against him and then 〈◊〉 â—hat he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. So as it is said that then he will not be angry with them nor rebuke them any more Now as to what reference the gifts and calling of God has to us or chiefly to the first Christian Churches was in giving Christ and the Holy Ghost and in calling the then Churches out of the Darkness of Heathenism and in forgiving them all their past sins and that through the imputed righteousness of Christ they were accepted as perfectly righteous in the sight of God as it is said he not imputing their iniquities And after they or we are regenerated the sins that are not wilfully committed are not imputed Therefore St. Paul faith That if he did that he would not then it was no more he that did it but sin that dwelleth in him Now the then gifts and callings of God to them and us did exrend no farther then thus renewing us again as to set them and us upright Therefore the Apostle wisely cautions them and us that he that standeth must take heed lest he fall But the first Churches being thus regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost the Apostle might well say that they were chosen to salvation since God had put them into such a Capacity and made them fit for it if they did not again fall away the choice being absolute in God But because the frail or sinful nature of man was not removed therefore there remained a defect in them and our selves and therefore we are continually to go to God to beg renewed strength from him And if we take to the rules that he hath set before us he will perfect â—he work that he hath begun in us according to the saying of the Psalmist Psa 84.11 The Lord will give grace and glory No good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly For God doth not withdraw from his people on purpose to damn them For the Apostle Peter saith 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance The like St. Paul saith in Timothy 2 Tim. 2.2,3.4 But it may be said how is it then that all are not saved The reason why Christ himself tells us Mat. 13.25 There is several sorts of ground Thereby giving us to understand that we are not naturally all alike For by the words of the Lord it appears that he had done alike for all which is the generality of all but that we cannot bring forth fruit alike according to what the Lord saith in Mat. 13.18.19 Hear ye therefore the parable of the Sower 19. V. When any one heareth the word of the Kingdom and understandeth not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was Sown in his heart This is he which received the Seed by the way side We see this sort of ground or people were wanting to themselves by reason they did not consider their ways to be wise And therefore are destroyed for lack of knowledge And whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 13.20,21,22,23 But he that received the Seed in stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy received it yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended Here is great defect in the ground or Man himself And he saith in 22. V. He also that received the Seed among the Thorns is he that heareth the word And the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becometh unfruitful Here the diligent husbandman might root out most part of these Thorns which makes his ground unfruitful or his heart barren of faith and love to God And the Lord saith in 23. V. But he that received the Seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth some an hundred fold some sixty some thirty By this we may clearly see it was the ground which the Lord here declares did differ for as it is said the Lord dyed for all and the promises are made to all that will receive him according to the Tenor of the Gospel But we see they cannot all alike receive him For we read that the same Seed was Sown but the ground could not bear alike but in that they brought forth no fruit was because they were wanting to themselves But although God may give to some more and to some less yet he requireth of all an improvement according to what he hath given them As witness to whom he gave the Talents Now me thinks of all the ground the stony seems to be in the worst condition being that in which man can be least helpful
whoever will is permited to come to Christ yet all they that come to him must take his Yoke upon them that is Live in Obedience to him for though Christ remains an Advocate with the Father for Sins of Ignorance and Sins of Infirmity and Sins of Surprizal yet wo be to them that willfully give themselves a liberty to sin Knowingly for Israel was termed the Reprobate Silver so likewise 't is the Christians that relinquish their Obedience is proved the Reprobate and the People of God's Curse to Judgment XII The Great Day of Salvation was when God was in Christ Reconciling the World to Himself which was when the Gentile Nations were first taken into Covenant he then not imputing to them their Trespasses but when they fell into Sin and had no love to the ways of the Lord they were then left to Delusion And therefore then it was not the great day of Salvation when they were all given up to worship the Beast but those whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life from the Foundation the which were the Remnant chosen from among Israel from whom the Disciples of Christ sprang and of whom Christ said None should pluck them out of his hand and to whom he promised to be with to the end of the World and likewise that he would forsake none whilst they keep the way XIII Man was intrusted with the Word for his Posterity as Adam was with Eternal Life in Paradice for his and God accordingly laid his commands that they should not add to the Word nor diminish from it and the Lord likewise annexed those great Threatnings to those that should do either Rev. 22.18,19 And the Beast that has deprived the Nations of the Word by which God calls to his Creatures to walk in Newness of Life and he is the Afflicter of them that would yield Obedience to it therefore is the most severe Vengeance pronounced against him but the Elect Remnant was secured by a promise from Christ and by further pertaking of the Spirit of God that we are none of the Remnant that are thus Elected is as clear as the Sun in the Firmament because our Predecessors were all deceived by the Beast by whom the Elect Remnant were never deceived as by the word is proved XIV VVhereas the Apostle saith God worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will The Apostle only had his referrence to the great works that properly belong to God in carrying on of Man's Redemption and aiso in Electing some and setting a door of Mercy open to others and in determining that the great Glory should be for the heirs of the world to come unto whom the Election did appertain for not only the Remnant and First Churches but Israel will then be the Lords Elect and likewise all them that are found in their Obedience though not Elected will come in by Christ as heirs with them to the promised Reward but the Electing or Fore-choosing was according to the will of God who according to his abundant Mercy to the heirs of Promise will in the time to come establish his Everlasting Covevenant and these are the Jacob that he Loved for Esau and Jacob were made the Representatives of the two Worlds Esau of this World and Jacob of that which is to come as is proved and they of this World generally sell their Birth-right for a mess of Pottage rather then they will wrestle with an Affliction or withstand a Temptation they will part with the hope for promised Reward which is the Crown of Life and therefore God said Jacob have I Loved and Esau have I Hated for all are in this time to wrestle with the Lord for the Blessing as Jacob did For tho' the Election was not attained by their Willing and Running yet the promised reward is to be attain'd by them that so doth whether Elect or not Elect for all that are found in their Obedience in this time comes in as heirs to the Promises But before Esau or Jacob had done Good or Evil God only said The Elder should serve the Younger And this was so ordered by the determinate Counsel of God that the Elder should serve the Younger That is all that does not come in as the seed of Jacob to be heirs to the World to come the rest that are then spared of this Elder World or Esau Generation are then given as Daughters and Servants to Israel and servants of them that are so as is proved Thus God as the Potter has power over his Clay to make one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour but not that God did make any Vessel to do Evil that thereby they might become a Vessel to Dishonour XV. And though God said That he will shew Mercy on whom he will shew Mercy and whom he will he hardneth yet his Will is guided as he is the fountain of all Reason with greater Reason than we can imagin For after God had chosen Abraham it was then according to his obedient walking that he became heir to the Promises for which Promise sake God did at the appointed time appear to deliver Israel and so he will again at the appointed time but then for Pharoah's Cruelty and inhumane slavery to Israel God did then for his Sin harden him in unbelief so as he should not believe the Miracles done by Moses that thereby he might shew his power on him by destroying him and his Army in the Red Sea and therefore as in the margent of the Bible it is said God made him stand That is Stand in the place of power that he was in till he himself came in the Clouds to destroy him in the Sea So likewise tho God Elected some of Israel and left a door of Mercy open to others and left others of them to Blindness yet it was those that were left to Blindness that was most wicked among them and such as had the greater power to promote the knowledge of the fear of â—…e Lord but none of them that were found in obedient waâ—king were left of him to Blindness for unto them was the word of this Salvation sent Acts 13.26 and it is those that refuse Obedience to the same that falls under the Eternal Judgment whilst others that does but ignorantly offend will be beaten with fewer stripes Luke 12.48 And there is a Redemption in the VVorld to come for some and none shall be punished in that body in which they never took pleasure to commit Iniquity Now whereas the Apostle saith God worketh all things the word all in Scripture doth not include the whole as I have els-where proved XVI And God is not the author of the evil of Sin although he is the author of the evil of Punishment but upon mans repenting and returning God hath often repented him of the Evil he thought to do unto them as by the word is proved Jer. 18.7,8,9,10 Joel 2.13,14 Jonah 3.9,10 Gen. 6.6,7 Ezek. 18.20,21,22,23,24 Ezek. 33.18,19
The First Book A Clear and Brief Explanation upon the Chief Points of the New Testament The Second Book Proving the near Approach of Christ's Kingdom with the Signs of the Times The Third Book A Rehearsal of the Covenant of Moses with his then Prophecying of the Firing the Mountains Also proving the Root of Gall and Wormwood and the Root of Bitterness to be one and the same The Fourth Book The Figurative Speeches by which God hath veiled the Secrets contained in his Word until the Time of the End which is the Time determined by the Lord they should be revealed Dan. 12.4.7 Zech. 14.7 The Fifth Book The Christian Belief Shewing what a Christian ought to believe and how it is that Christ must be ours if we are his The Sixth Book Proving Three Worlds and Three Foundations The Sin against the Holy Ghost The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Battel of Gog and Magog The Seventh Book A short Collection of all the Heads of the Chief Points and Mistaken Places contained in the Scriptures that the Truth may the better be retained in our Memories By M. MARSIN LONDON Printed and Sold by Edward Pool at the Sign of the Half Moon under the Royal-Exchange Cornhill John Gwillim in Bishopigate-street over against the Royal James Mrs. Mitchel at the Crown and Cushion VVestminster-hall By Abel Roper at Black Boy over against St. Dunstan's-Church in Fleet-street 1698. Price Three Shillings NOw God of his mercy according to his promise hath made plain his Word let us take heed that we are not found like those that say to God We desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21.14 But let all take to the Lord's direction in the search of the Scriptures For he saith It is they that testifie of him John 5.39 Therefore we should not lean to Man nor our own received Opinion but see if those Truths which are here discovered are not made plain by the Word For the Scriptures as they declare the Lord's first comming so they do much more declare his second coming to Judge and Reign as by all the Prophets is foretold and likewise by the Apostles confirmed Acts 3.21 Now Christs first coming was but darkly set down so as not only the Jews but the Devils themselves were deceived thereby and therefore said Why art thou come to torment us before the time as knowing that Christ had a time in which he should Reign And as Christ first comming was fulfilled in the Letter of the Word so also will Christ's second coming be fulfilled in the Letter of the Word And it was because of Israels sinfulness that Christ was laid in Sion as a stumbling-stone so as they knew not the day of their Visitation and how can we clear our selves of the like guiltiness as not to fear that that day should overtake us as a snare seeing also it was for sin that the Gentile Churches were left to delusion because they tooke pleasure in Iniquity but the first Churches were not in darkness for that day to overtake them at unawares How comes it then that we are so much in the dark as to this matter Is it not because of Sin that we have lost the knowledge of it and therefore also have no desiâ—e to know it But the Lord according to his promise has now brought the true meaning of his Word to light that thereby knowledge might be increased and that the wise in heart may consider it and that by their example others by them may be brought to the knowledge of the Truth But whoever had rather the Glory of God and the good of Souls lie at stake then themselves found in a mistake let such consider how they will answer it at the great day And the Lord said My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hos 4.6 And not because God had rebrobated them nor because they were not his People A CLEAR and BRIEF EXPLANATION Upon the Chief Points In the New-Testament Where by laying Scripture to Scripture It is fully proved What is the Faith that Justifies And what it is to be a Believer Also the Faith of Abraham clearly explained and all other Controversal Points relating to Faith plainly Stated and Answered With the Remnant and first Churches peculiar Call Also the more General Callings Likewise proving that the Law and Gospel speaks only to those that are under them The whole laid down in a plain and easie Method fitted to the understanding of the meanest Reader By M. Mersen London Printed and Sold by John Clarke at the Bible in the Old Change John Gwillim in Bishops-gate-street over against the Royal James Mrs. Mitchel at the Crown and Cushion in Westminster-Hall and Mr. Garin over against the Crown Tavern in the Strand the corner of St. Clements Church Yard 1697. The TABLE THE Faith of Abraham clearly explained Chap. 2. p. 7 The Election of the Remnant and first Churches C. 3. p. 18 A Believer justified by Christ which they could not be by the Law of Moses explained Ch. 4. p. 31 Such as have believed may afterward fall away Chap 5. p. 35 The Conversion of the Jaylor explained Chap. 6. p. 37 The abolishing the Ceremonial Law Chap. 7. p. 39 Of things Strangled and Blood Chap. 8. p. 41 What is required of a Christian Chap. 9. p. 42 What we ought to fear and what we ought not to fear C. 9. p. 47 Christ being the Author of Faith explained Chap. 10. p. 49 What it is to be born of God Chap. 11. p. 50 How it is that he that is born of God Sinneth not Chap. 12. p. 52 The meaning of being born again explained Chap. 13. p. 54 The Wind blowing where it listeth explained p. 55 Of being in the Faith or turning Reprobate expl Chap. 14. p. 56 The everlasting Life that is now given the believer explained Chap. 15. p. 58 A Believer not coming into Condemnation exp Chap. 16. p. 60 A belief in Christ further explained Chap. 16. p. 65 Shewing who are they that are Condemned already Chap. 17. p. 72 The eternal purpose explained Chap. 18. p. 76 God Worlding all after the Councel of his own Will explained Chap. 19. p. 77 Chosen from the Foundation and before the Foundation Explained Chap 20. p. 80 The Call to the Eternal inheritance explained Chap. 21. p. 82 The Gifts and Callings of God explained Chap. 22. p. 84 Adding to the Church and ordaining to Eternal Life and Christ dying for the World explained Chap. 23. p. 85 Whereas Christ saith in believing that he is the Son of God is the Rock of which he built his Church and his Church is not only his Eact but likewise all them that they him against whom the gates of hel shall not prevail For he is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 For the Faith that God requireth of us is to believe that be is and that he is a
for them it was fore-ordained by him that in good works they should walk before him Now these places are not fitly appliable to us for it is evident that we are not now in that gross darkness neither are we strangers to the Covenant of Promise as they were neither are we made partakers of the Holy Ghost as they were The like he saith of the Church in Titus chap. 3. v. 4,5,6,7 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Now by these places it is clear that he spake this concerning them of the Then Times For it is known to all that there has been no such abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon the Chuches since the Apostles Times And these are they of whom the Apostle saith Called of God according to his purpose For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.28,29 According to which he saith Ephes 1.12 That they should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. And St. Paul saith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed This he also speaks of the Then Times and of the Churches that first trusted in Christ who were afore chosen of God according to his purpose which was to confirm the Truth of the Gospel to the following Generations and God gave to them more abundantly of his Spirit to secure their standing as well as to confirm the Truth of the Gospel so as if they did not disinherit themselves by wilful sinning they could no ways miss of Salvation for they were ordained chosen and appointed to it of God as Israel was for the Land of Canaan but neither of them was to have the fruition of that which was promised without their own endeavour Therefore St. Peter saith Save your selves from this untoward Generation Acts 2.40 And make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And by the abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon the first Churches they generally stood and the major part in Scripture is always reckoned as the whole whereas the Apostle saith As many as were ordained to eternal life believed This plainly shews that this Ordination was to the first Churches for if all that were ordained to eternal life then believed it makes it clear that to us that follow after there remains no such Ordination According to this St. James saith Acts 15.14 Simon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his Name How a people for his Name That is for the greater graces here and for the greater glory hereafter As in Ephes 1.12 That they should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Ephes 2.7 That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards them through Christ Jesus Now at that time when God called in the Gentiles was the time when God made his Promise good to Christ and Abraham in that the Gentiles were taken into Covenant they then being justified by the Righteousness of Christ without the deeds of the Law and so by Christ they became the Seed of Abraham and were thereby brought into subjection to the Commands of God and the Moral Law Matth. 29.17 Matth. 20.28 Rom. 2.13 and so with Israel become Heirs to the Covenant of Promise which Covenant of Promise they were before strangers unto Eph. 2.12 and at the publication of the Gospel was the acceptable time and the great day of Salvation to the Gentiles when the Lord then thus took them into Covenant with himself and justified them freely by his grace without the deeds of the Law that thereby he might bring them and their Children in as Heirs with Israel to whom the promise belonged And also to shew that the Apostle had his chief reference to those times he saith 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation And he saith in chap. 6. verse 1,2 We then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain For he saith 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 For then was the accepted time that free grace was freely administred only by the change of their wills and affections and that done by the power of God but he beseeches them that they receive not the grace of God in vain for if they wilfully again were intangled in sin the grace of God was received in vain by them And whereas he saith Rom 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past Here he fully declareth that in the acceptable day it was their past sins were then pardoned and afterward they were to walk in newness of life And accordingly he saith in verse 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Thereby clearly shewing that this Justification had in it a chief reference to those times at which time the Apostle did conclude as in verse 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law But when they were brought in as Heirs to the Covenant of Promise the case was altered with them for then there was required their sincere obedience to all God's Commands and Precepts and therein to remain faithful to the death if they would have the Crown of Life by the Everlasting Covenant secured to them for then they and their Children were to retain that Doctrine which was at first so powerfully delivered Heb 2.1,2,3,4 Therefore we ought to give the more diligent heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip For if the Words spoken by Angels were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to the will of God Thus it was the will of God so powerfully to confirm the Doctrine of the Gospel For as the outward glory was
the Spirit of God and the checks of Conscience all which improved is able to make wise unto Salvation But as the Lord saith Some hear the Word and with joy receive it and believe for a while yet in time of temptation fall away Luke 8.13 This is a sufficient proof that some may practically believe and yet afterwards fall away And others there are that have lived a loose life which afterwards may fall under the terrours of Conscience by which they may be frighted from their evil practices after which some build their faith in Christ and hopes of Salvation upon this their Conversion But resting there without further improving the advantage that God puts into their hands in turning the strong man out of possession therefore the old Inhabitant again returns and finding them or him empty of true love to God and to the ways of Holiness and only the house or person finely garnished with an outward shew of Profession then he again takes possession of his old Habitation with more corrupt inclinations than before and so the latter end is much worse with such than their beginning Luke 11.21,22,24,25,26 But such will be blessed whether they fall under a terrour or not that keep to a close walking with God in a Child-like frame of spirit in love and obedience to him For he that walketh uprightly walketh surely Prov. 10.9 And the Lord saith God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And it is only such as hold out to the end that have the sure word of promise to receive the Crown of life But as for the very Elect which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth and cry day and night unto him by reason of the oppression of the Adversary and never were deceived by the Beast or false Prophet Matth. 24.24 Rev. 14.4 Luke 18.7 of which number we cannot be because all our predecessors came out of Popery neither are we of that Remnant But these are they of whom it is said the foundation standeth sure And of whom Christ saith none shall pluck them out of his hand And it was to his Disciples that were of that remnant to whom he promised to be with them to the end of the World And also that he will forsake none whilst they keep to the Rule that he hath set before them but the Remnant were to remain his Witnesses all the time of this World against the power of this Enemy by whom they have been often driven nto Dens and Caves of the Earth Chap. IIII. Believers justified by Christ which they could not be by the Law of Moses SAINT Paul saith Acts 13.37,38,39 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that thro' this Man is preach'd unto you the forgiveness of sins And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses This may be taken under a two-fold head 1. That none can perform the moral Law to that perfection as thereby to become justified by it without the Merits of Christ But the Apostle hath here his reference to the Ceremonial Law in that he terms it the Law of Moses which in this Book in several places he treats of the abolishing of For those things therein contain'd in keeping them could no ways purifie the Conscience but keeping the Commands of God does purifie the Conscience and thereby produces a holy life so as we may with boldness look by the eye of Faith to Christ for acceptance and justification thro' the imputation of his perfect Righteousness For St. Paul saith Acts 13.26 Whosoever among you feareth God to you is the Word of this Salvation sent And he saith Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him For which promise sake he also saith Acts 26.7 Our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come Whereby we see there was some of every Tribe then converted to the Christian Faith And these were they unto whom St. James wrote James 1.1 To the twelve Tribes which are scatered abroad greeting These are they that are said to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14.4 And of these it is said of every Tribe are to be sealed twelve thousand Rev. 7. And all along in the word all are incouraged to run the race for the hope 's sake set before them And that they shall reap that faint not Gal. Ch. 4. v. 9. 2. St. Paul relating how he was sent of the Lord to preach the Gospel Acts 26.16 And what should be the effects of his preaching as in the 18. verse To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of Sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith that is in me These words shew that until they were turned from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God so as Satan must wholly lose his ruling power in the heart before they could receive remission of their sins as to be sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus And St. Paul saith Rom. 9.30 What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of Faith That is the first Churches being brought out of sin and darkness by a belief in the Gospel and a willingness to yield their obedience thereunto thereby they became justified thro' the imputation of Christ's righteousness For a Soul-saving Faith is of a purifying quality as knowing by the belief of the Gospel they are his Servants to whom they yield themselves to obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6.16 And also Saint Peter saith of the first Gentile Churches that God purified their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 For having a faith or belief in the Doctrine of the Gospel they were therein commanded to be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 And St. Paul saith Rom. 9.31 But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness has not attained to the Law of righteousness wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone Now the Question is what was the Law of righteousness which Israel followed after and what was the works of the Law they trusted in The Law of righteousness and works of the Law which they trusted in was the Ceremonial Law with the Tithing of Mint Anise and Cummin but they left the weightier matters of the Law undone as judgment mercy and faith Mat. 23.23,24,25,26,27 For which their evil practices they were termed a Generation of Vipers Mat. 3.7,8,9 But whereas Christ saith of them they had not Faith was not only because they believed not in him but also because they believed the word
that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Now in the Apostle's time there was a twofold way of Christ's being in the Churches for Christ said to his Disciples The Spirit that dwelleth with you shall be in you John 14.17 because unto them was given the Holy Ghost to be in them which afterward also was but with the Churches But Christ in every true Believer must be so in them as to have the ruling-power in their hearts and affections in that their wills must be brought into subjection unto Christ by a complying frame of spirit to his will And thus Christ dwells in every true Believer For whosoever is in Christ in them is required a mind agreeable to the will of Christ that he thereby may rule in the heart Now the Corinthians having embraced the faith in yielding their consent to be obedient unto Christ and had also received the Spirit of whom St. Paul afterward heard of their disorderly walking therefore he writes to them to examine themselves whether they were in the faith and to prove themselves whether Christ were still thus in them or not for if Christ were not thus in them then they had rebelled from their subjection unto him and thereby grieved the Spirit of God and so become Reprobates But those that had never yielded their obedience to God or Christ cannot properly be said to be Rebels or Reprobates because they did never own themselves as servants to them but did all along yield themselves servants to sin for which they shall receive their punishment tho' not as Rebels or Reprobates But Israel whom God had taken into Covenant with himself they likewise were termed Reprobates for their wilful disobedience for which they were rejected of God Jer. 6.28,30 They are all grievous revolters walking with slanders they are Brass and Iron they are all corrupters Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Now tho' the Lord saith The Spirit like the Wind bloweth where it listeth but it listeth not to blow on them by whom it is grieved and therefore Israel was rejected Now some of them of Corinth were fallen into great iniquity and also had spoken evil of St. Paul and some other Disciples Therefore he saith in verse 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not Reprobates As much as to say ye shall know that we have not rebelled from our great Master and therefore not Reprobates For it is said Every one is his servant To whom they yield themselves to obey his servants they are to whom they obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 Chap. XV. The Everlasting Life that is now given the Believer explained JOHN 6.47 Christ saith He that believeth in me hath everlasting life Now we have misapprehended the words of Christ for the everlasting life that is now given the Believer is no otherwise given except to the standing Witness than it was to Adam and Eve in Paradice For when sin in the Soul is pardoned the will changed Christ's Righteousness imputed then it is the everlasting life lost by Adam again takes place of which everlasting life nothing can again disinherit them but wilful and presumptuously sinning or negligently and carelesly departing from the ways of God Therefore Christ saith Rev. 3.2,3 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God If therefore thou wilt not watch I will come upon thee as a Thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee And likewise St. Paul cautions the Church of Corinth fearing lest the Serpent should beguile them as he beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 For if Adam and Eve had never sinned they had never died Now the Churches thus standing were to take heed lest they should fall and to fight to keep their ground thereby to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. c. 1. v. 10. And St. Paul saith Phil. 2.12,13 It is God that worketh in them both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure That is it was so far the good will and pleasure of God to restore them and renew them by his Spirit and to put them into a capacity of sincere obedience in which capacity they were to use their utmost diligence to work out their salvation with fear and trembling So likewise are we to do the same also For those that received the Talents were to improve that which was given them and he that did not according to his ability improve that which he had received was therefore condemned Matth. 25.15 Chap. XVI A Believer not coming into Condemnation explained CHrist saith John 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life These words of the Lord may admit of a two-fold meaning That is whilst the Believer continues believing that Salvation is to be had according to the promise of the Lord in the Gospel in the way of their love and obedience Whilst he thus believeth he shall never come into condemnation But this which the Lord here saith hath its peculiar reference to his second Coming at which time he cometh to judge the world and restore all things as in verse 22. The Judgment is then committed unto Christ at which time as in verse 23. All men shall honour the Son as they honour the Father The which never yet hath been done for the generality of the Jews hitherto have not honoured the Son as they honour the Father Neither by the Turks is the Son honoured as the Father Therefore this the Lord spake for the time when he again shall come That whosoever he shall then find a true practical Believer shall not come into condemnation For then the everlasting life that is now given the Believer will be secured to their persons for at that time they will be put into a capacity never more to offend For not only the raised Saints but the living Believer will then receive the Crown of Life For when the Lord again cometh the Crown of Righteousness is given to all that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 For when an inherent perfect Righteousness is given and the continuance of it secured to us by the establishing of the now-promised new everlasting Covenant then is Life crowned to the Soul This is the Covenant of Promise which now the Believers with Israel are but Heirs to And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham 's seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3.29 but when the Lord again comes his other Sheep will be brought into that Fold with them that do securely stand For the Lord saith At that time when there is one Fold there shall be but one Shepherd John 10.16 Therefore this will not be till the Lord again comes But we taking all the Promises as
method of Salvation which if accordingly be lieved they should be saved Therefore Christ saith to the Church Rev. 3.3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee Here we see the Lord calls upon them to put in practice what they have heard Which if they do not he will come upon them at an hour they are not aware of And as the Thief comes to destroy so the Lord will come to the destruction of them that have his word and will not according thereunto wait for him with a prepared heart in love to receive him For he saith If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love John 15.10 and in the 14. v. Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you And also the Lord saith John 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And the offer of mercy by Christ is to all that will take his Yoke upon them Matth. 11.29 And the Lord saith Mark 8.34,35,36 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel the same shall save it For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul This losing of the life for Christ is to be taken under a twofold head Not only when we are called to lay down our life for the defence of the Gospel but also in denying our selves the pleasures delights and advantages of this world for this is spoken in general to all that will save their lives to life eternal According to this the Lord saith John 12.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal And Christ saith Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.24 Christ saith Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them is like to a wise man that built his house upon a rock So if we lay hold upon the promise of life according to the conditions offered by Christ we build upon that rock that will never fail us So as when the greatest storm ariseth that man will securely stand because he is faithful that hath promised But if we believe in Christ for justification yet walk according to our own imaginations and not according to his Commands it is building upon a sandy foundation for which they will have damnation According to the word of the Lord when he sent his Disciples to teach the Doctrine of the Gospel which was the conditions of the Covenant of grace He then said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.15,16 That is it was the Gospel which then Christ sent forth his disciples to teach which they that heard were to believe Accordingly the Lord saith Matth. 28.19,20 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you and lo I am with you to the end of the world That is with the race of the Disciples which is of the remnant he will be with to the end of the World for they are those that none can pluck out of his hand And of whom it is said they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth And also he will never forsake any whilst they keep his way in observing to do whatsoever he Commands them Now the Belief in Christ that is saving is to be grounded upon the words of Christ that his righteousness is to be applied for the justification of the sinner according to the conditions as it is tendred by him which is in the observing to do whatsoever he commanded them For tho' at the first receiving of the Gospel by his free grace they were saved from their sins by yielding to the conditions that Christ required Yet all of them that were not immediately taken away by death were to be judged according to the performance of those conditions before they could be thought meet to partake of the Crown of life And in every believer is required the faith of God's Elect that in the way of their love and obedience they shall become Heirs to the promise Zacheus desired to be a Disciple of the Lord and he knew in being so his Obedience was required Therefore he said Lord half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any by false accusation I will restore him fourfold Luke 19.8 But many of us like the Jews of old by their Tradition made the Commands of God of no effect So many with us by their half-faith or believing but half way in that they leave out the conditions upon which life and salvation is offered by Christ have made their faith in Christ of none effect to the saving of their Souls because the promise of life is upon condition of our Obedience In which whosoever remains faithful to the death shall have the Crown of life But for any to think that Christ dyed to give them a liberty to sin it is of such God saith Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50.21,22 This forgetting God is forgetting their duty as to yield Obedience unto his Commands But for our having Faith in the righteousness of Christ separate from good works is dead standing alone James 2.20,21,22 But wilt thou know vain man that faith without works is dead Was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Seest thou how faith wrought with his work and by works was faith made perfect Thereby shewing that a lively and perfect Faith always includs good works As first the inward work upon the will and affections and afterwards good works put in practise Therefore he saith in the 26 verse For as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also And Chap 1. v. 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed Now why is it term'd the Law of Liberty Because such as walk in obedience thereunto are by Christ set free from the condemning power of sin and death 26. v. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth
not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's Religion is vain v. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction and to keep themselves unspotted from the world Here we see St. James as well as St. Peter finds some that were willing to take up with an imaginary faith occasioned through the mistake of some of the sayings of St Paul Altho the same Apostle in such abundance of places doth so clearly explain himself by shewing what is required of them that are to be made partakers of the Crown of Righteousness as has been already proved And he also sheweth that good works is a foundation for us to build our hopes of Salvation upon as well as the merits of Christ 1 Tim. 6.17,18,19 And he also saith It is not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 And that we should give our Bodies a living Sacrifice which is our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 And also that we must maintain a continual warfare Eph. 6.11,12,13 And as we believe that God is so we are to believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Now in all these places in which St. Paul writes plainly agreeable to the word of God and Christ the Prophets and Apostles we will not believe him in because they do not so well suit our inclinations But in those sayings of his which we have not understood him in we have placed our belief to the contradiction of himself and all the revealed will of God in his word And tho' St. Peter did forewarn us that in St. Paul's Epistles there were some things hard to be understood which then some did wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Yet we have not thereby taken warning but how we shall answer it before the great Judge which is just at hand we had need now to consider before it be too late Now the Churches that first trusted in Christ being more Eminently chosen and called of God and by the abundant shedding forth of the Holy Ghost upon them they generally stood But the following generations were but raised to that from which Israel fell And therefore by their miscarriage we had need take warning For the Apostle saith If God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Rom. 11.21 And Oh! that it might be a sufficient warning to us Chap. XVII Shewing who are they that are condemned already And who it is that will find Redemption SAINT John saith Chap. 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him This St. John spake of them that heard Christ and believed not on him The like the Lord saith of himself in the 18 verse He that believeth on me is not condemned but he that believed not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotton Son of God By these words it is plain that those that were condemned already were those that refused to believe in him And not that those were condemned for not believing in him who never heard of him For if so the Lord had then excluded all the first Churches who were then to be brought home by the preaching of the Gospel But we have falsly imagined from these and the like words as where the Lord said to his Disciples Mark 16.15,16 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Which words has only a reference to such as believed and such as refused believing so as not to yield obedience to the truth when they heard it For according to the Commands of the Lord St. Paul saith The Gospel was preached to every Creature which is under heaven Col. 1.23 Now the Children did not fall under this condemnation because they were not capable of believing or not believing Neither do the Heathen now fall under this condemnation who know not the Gospel For none shall be damned for not believing that they never heard And whereas it is said 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life These words do not exclude them that never heard of the Son so as none of them shall never receive life by the Son For there will be a Redemption in the world to come as will be fully proved in another Treatise And when Christ comes to judge the world and at the last and final Judgment they are all said to be judged according to their deeds done in the Body whether they have been good or evil And tho' in the parable of the Sheep and Goats there is but two sorts mentioned yet there is a third included in as much as the poor and the Children were not capable to be made partakers of the blessing or the curse in their doing or not doing good to the distressed Sheep of Christ And therefore the word all is not mentioned when he sentenced them to everlasting fire Matth. 25.41 And whereas Saint Paul saith To take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction 2 Thes 1.5,6,7,8,9 The word all he mentions not But he includes them that have the knowledge of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ yet in works deny him in that they will not yield obedience to him And the Apostle saith Rom. 3.19 That what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law So likewise what the Gospel saith it saith to them that are under the Gospel That is to them that have the Gospel and obey or refuse to obey the same To them accordingly doth the promised mercy or the threatned judgment belong And in the Gospel is required our obedience to the Moral Law And also he saith Rom. 2.11,12 There is no respect of persons with God For as many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law By which we see the Heathens that have not the knowledge of God come not under the same Judgment or condemnation of the fiery indignation unto which the wicked Christians are condemned because the law and Gospel only speaks to them that are under it Neither did the Old world go into the fire of Hell And all being judged according to their works and according to their deeds done in the body whether they have been good or evil Therefore to them that has done no evil works there will be a general release when they are judged Therefore all Children will certainly be cleared Neither do all offenders fall under everlasting condemnation The which by God's assistance I
shall further prove in a Treatise concerning forgiveness in the world to come But as for those Gentiles of old spoken of by St. Paul Rom. 2.14,15,16 Which having not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel And the Gospel saith that all shall be judged according to their deeds Now Conscience is a true witness which God hath set up in the Soul therefore whom that excuseth in judgment those will find mercy as by the Apostles foregoing words he doth fully make appear But as for all the Heathen whom we have mistakenly thought went to everlasting fire by the example of St. Paul we have not been permitted to judge them but to leave them to the judgment of the all-wise God 1 Cor. 5.12,13 For God hath secret places for Souls in that great pit which we know not of And some goes to the water and some to the fire and some to prison-houses As will be proved But to him that ordereth his conversation aright God hath promised to shew his Salvation Psal 350.2 And the Lord also saith Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy c. Mat. 5.3,4,5,6,7,8,9 And God hath promised he will give grace and glory to them that walk uprightly Ps 84.11 And the like God saith Isa 33.15,16 Ps 15. and Ps 24.3,4,5 Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his Holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his Salvation This is the man that is sure to have the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed to him from the God of his Salvation And by an upright conversation in complyance to a chief good the Noble Heathen gropt after Christ in the dark And when all are judged according to their works they then of a certain shall have their Reward Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be and ch 20.12,13 ch 2.23,26 Matth. 7.21 Matth. 25.35 Rom. 2.6,13,14,15 James 1.22 1 Pet. 1.17 1 Tim. 6.18,19 Psalm 58.11 Pro. 11.18 c. 25.22 Mat 5.12 Now when we find in appearance an absolute contradiction in the Word then it is certain we do not rightly understand the true meaning of it For when rightly understood it all agrees in a holy harmony one with the other by which mercy Truth and Justice kiss each other Chap. XVIII The Eternal purpose explained I Shall here further speak concerning those places we have mistaken Saint Paul in And first of the eternal purpose fully proving that the Apostle spake only of the eternity that was to come Eph. 3.11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Here he doth not say that God had from all eternity a purpose in Christ But the word is only according to the eternal purpose as looking forward to the eternity that lies before us In which in and thro' Christ after the fall of man there was a purpose in God as to man's Salvation According to this St. Paul again saith Heb. 5.9 Christ is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him That is looking forward to the eternal Salvation that lies before us the which in time Christ became the Author of Chap. XIX God's working all things after the Councel of his own will explained SAINT Paul saith Eph. 1.11 In whom we also have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Now whereas St. Paul saith God worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will That is he here speaks as to all the great works that God worketh that he worketh those things after the counsel of his own will According to which St. James saith Known unto God are all his works Acts 15.18 Here both the Apostles speak concerning the method and way of God's carrying on of man's Salvation with the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow shewing that the first Churches were predestinated according to the will or purpose of God that they should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ and therefore they were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise for the establishing of the gospel and for the more security of their standing that God might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards them in the ages to come Eph. 2.7 and also set a door of mercy open to all that should believe in him according to his word with the determined punishments to them that should remain in their disobedience and the intended glory that should follow to the righteous These being God's works which he worketh according to the counsel of his own Will And St. Paul had no other meaning for the word all in Scripture doth not include the whole And St. Paul speaks also in the like manner in that he saith Every man when it doth but include a very small number as in the 1 Cor. 4.5 He saith when the Lord comes he will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God This all or every man does but signifie those whose counsels of their hearts are agreeable to the will of God And I fear they will be but a small number that will receive this praise of God compared with the whole I could here recite many places but having already proved in another book I shall not insist much upon it But we not rightly understanding the way of Scripture-speaking therefore did not rightly apprehend the meaning of St. Paul So as we have taken his words to the contradiction of that God that cannot lie And who hath said and sworn that he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should return and live Yet notwithstanding we have so mistakenly believed St. Paul as to think that by afore-sight in God of Adam's miscarriage he did predestinate a few to Salvation and left all the rest under a necessity of damnation decreeing them Reprobates before they were created or the world in which they offended And these opinions we have taken up with through the mistake of the words of St. Paul Notwithstanding the Oath and word and all the declarations of God to the
that Christ spake this of the then time and of them that should believe in him through the Word of the Disciples as received from their mouth For this Christ spake of the remnant and first Churches unto whom the Holy Ghost was given to be in them and of whom St John saith Ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is true and is no lie 1 John 2.27 This the Apostle speaks of them who had the Holy Ghost given to be in them they needed no other teaching but as the same anointing taught them But some not obeying the Spirits teaching went out from them that was not of that remnant as in the 19v But the Holy Ghost was not given to any till they were first brought home by the Call of the Word to yield their consent to the tender of his Grace as to turn from every evil way For the Holy Ghost could not be received into an unclean Heart And the Holy Ghost was then given that thereby the world might believe that God had sent Christ And also St. Paul of the then time saith That God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing to them their Trespasses 2 Cor. 5.19 That is not laying their past sins to the charge of them that laid hold of the tender of his Grace So as none need fear if they are not Elected they shall not be accepted And after the Nations of the World had embraced the Faith the Lord continued a standing Witness amongst them always to bear their Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel And they are they that lie in the street of the Great City And when the Gentile Nations fell away as Israel did they remained to bear their Testimony to the truth against all the fury of the Antichristian Enemy And when we come rightly to understand who were the Servants to whom Christ delivered the Talents none will then think that the Fountain of all Wisdom and Reason carries on his works according to the Council of his own Will guided with out Reason All these things that I have now hinted will by God's assistance be fully and clearly proved in a short time And let us not deceive our selves by a false Faith or an imaginary Election For the Elect that lie in the Street of the great City and cry day and night unto God by reason of the Oppression of the Enemy we are not And as for the Elect that are to be gathered from the four Winds we have not apprehended who they are and they will appear to be them that we are little aware of as will be proved in the next Treatise In which will be the signs of the times The coming of the Lord The Calling in of Israel The Destruction of Babylon And the Restitution of all things clearly made evident by the word Therefore we had need look to it how we stand as believers lest we should have believed in vain for the Lord is at hand who will judge us according to our deeds and according as our Works have been Now the Lord of his mercy causing the true meaning of his Word to break forth for the vindication of his Justice and for the exaltation of his mercy let us therefore prepare for his coming and unite to serve the Lord with one consent and be found of him in peace St. Paul saith upon the first publication of the Gospel How shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.14,15 For the first Publishers of the Gospel were sent forth by the Lord and instructed by him what to teach But when the Gospel was establisht then the Apostle said Gal. 6.16 And as many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God And then they were not to wait for new Calls but to walk according to the Rule that was set before them lest they should be cast off again as Israel was For God by his word continually calls upon us to walk in obedience to him But such as refuse to obey are the ground bearing Thorns and Briers which is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. verse 8. Mat. 16.24,25,26,27 Mat. 3.10 But the offer of mercy is to whomsoever will that they may come and take the waters of life freely Rev. 22.17 That is If they are willing to yield subjection to his laws then they may freely come For every one that thirsteth are invited to the waters and they that have no money may buy and eat without money and without price Isa 55.1 So as the poor are not excluded for want of money nor the Gentile sinners upon the publication of the Gospel were not excluded for want of Righteousness if they did thirst after it For the Righteousness of Christ was imputed for the Justification of any that were willing for the future to render their sincere obedience to him For it was their past sins that were committed before their conversion which were remitted Rom. 3.25 But as the Psalmist saith let them not turn again to folly Ps 85.8 And tho' the remnant and first Churches were not fore chosen for their willing and running Yet the Crown of Life was to be attained by their willing and running And so it is by all that will lay hold on it But when the Gentile Nations cme to have no love to the truth then God left them to strong delusions that they might be damned 2 Thes 2.10,11,12 And Oh! that this may be a warning to us that we may receive the knowledge of the truth in the love thereof that our Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. For we are not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 For this was the determined counsel of God that seeing he was to part with the Son of his love to suffer for sinners that such as would not in this time deny themselves for him should in time to come suffer by him Mar. 8.34,35,36,37,38 Luke 19.27 But we having lost the ancient way of Scripture speaking and the right apprehension of the Kingdom that is to come and mistakingly taking all that was said to the first Churches and all that was said as relating to Israel at the time of the Restitution of all things as tho' they now belong'd to us by reason of which weare involved in great and dangerous mistakes GOD Bless King William and in these times make him more blessed in Conquering of Hearts than Nations by the incouraging and promoting the Knowledge of the truth For the door of mercy is open to all that will lay hold of the tender of his Grace So as none need fear that if they are not elected they shall not be accepted For Christ saith Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him Come And we may with confidence rely uon his Word for he is faithful
times Matth. 16.3 The which became destructive to them but St. Paul saith Ye are not in darkness that that day should come upon you at unawares 1 Thes 5.4 And blessed will they be that upon the warning the Lord gives them will so prepare for him as to have their Lamps trimed and their lights burning For the Lord compareth himself to a man that took a long journey and gave to every man his work and commanded the Porter to watch And the Lord saith watch ye therefore lest coming suddenly I find you sleeping Mark 13.34,35,36,37 These places shew the dreadful condition those Christians will be in that will not take warning by the Signs given by him and the Lord also saith If the good man of the house had known what hour the Thief would have come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken through Luke 12.39 For as the Thief comes to destroy so the Lord will come to the destruction of them that profess they know him yet will not make preparation for him Chap. V. The Signs of the Times NOW as concerning the Time and the Signs of the Time that is that the time of the Signs and Wonders to the time of Christ's coming and afterwards till such time as the Wicked are taken off from the Earth it doth clearly appear will be forty five years according to which time Israel lay in the Wilderness and were Conquering their Enemies in the Land of Canaan before they were peaceably setled there for in numbers it is said According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 The like is said in Micah According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt I will shew unto him marvellous things the nations shall be confounded at all their might Mich 7.15,16 And it is said in Zechary 14.3 Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battel And in Daniel there is just forty five days difference in the number of the days and he is said to be blessed that comes to the last number Dan. 12.12 And that we are now far gone in this forty five days of years is certain by the Signs of the Times and if they began in 1663. when the great Blazing Star appeared which the Astronomers said was a Rod to whip the Earth withal And since we have had Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and oft repeated Blazing Stars according to the Word of the Lord Luke 21.25 or whether the beginning of the limited time was when the Evil Spirits mentioned in the Revelations Chap. 16.13,14 came out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet which has gathered together the Kings of the earth to the battel of the great day of God Almighty And by these the World is now in an uproar as in 2 Esdras 9.3,4 and also the Lord saith in Luke Chap. 21.25,26,27 There shall be distress of nations with perplexity the sea and the waves thereof roaring mens hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken By which is meant the ruling powers of the earth which in Scripture is also called the Heavens And then it is the Lord will come as in ver 27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory And it is also given us as a Sign of the Lord 's coming the often breakin gs forth of fire out of the earth altho' History gives us an account that the Mountains were fired before Christ came The Romans being formerly the afflicters of the natural Seed of Jacob as since they have also been of the adopted Seed of Jacob for which with their other abominable sins the anger of the Lord has been kindled against them yet before the coming of the Lord it is declared by the Angel to Esdras There shall be confusion in many places and fire shall be oft sent out again 2 Esd 5.8 which hath lately in a wonderful manner been fulfilled Now all along in the Scripture the Afflictions of the Natural and of the Adopted Seed are joyned together so here in Isaiah 5. from the beginning to the 14. verse in a particular manner treats of the miscarriage and punishment of the natural Seed of Jacob. And beginning at the 14th verse to the 24th treats of the punishment of the adopted Seed of Jacob. For in the 16th verse he saith The Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in Judgment At which time the Lambs shall feed after their manner Therefore this is to be fulfilled when the Lord again comes Against which time it is said Isa 5.14 Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth wide without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it This doth evidently appear that Hell hath enlarged her self by these often torrents and rivers of Fire Pitch and Bitumen which God hath lately sent out thence According to the Word of God in Deuteronomy Chap. 32.22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell and shall consume the Earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the Mountains By these words we are to understand that the fire of Hell and the fire in the Foundations of these Mountains extendeth it self from the one to the other This is further treated of in a Book that is to come forth And it is also said in Isaiah 30. v. 30. For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it This Tophet here spoken of is Hell the King for whom it was prepared is the Devil but Man that is insnared by him does also fall into it For the Lord saith Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 But all Hell will not be fired till the last and final Judgment when all the dead will be judged Rev. 20.14 And whereas it is said The pile thereof is fire and much wood That is much combustible matter fit for fuel as Brimstone Pitch Sulpher Bitumen Coperas and the like These things the Lord hath so placed and by his breath and command he hath kindled it And it is said of the Beast and false Prophet that after the Lord comes they were both taken and cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19.20 which Lake is already kindled into which they shall be cast which reacheth to the lowest Hell Chap. VI. Whirlwinds from the Lord. NOW are the Whirlwinds of the Lord gone forth according to the Word of
persuaded the Lord was able to Heal them became healed Two of an extraordinary lameness one of eighteen years continuance using Crutches the other having her thigh and ancle-bone out of joint from her childhood And another of a Leprosie and one of a withered hand from her childhood These things being publickly known and attested in the City of London And the Lord having wrought these miraculous Cures upon these women it ought to be considered of by us For as the Lord came by a Woman so after he arose he appeared first to the Women And now at the time of his second coming he hath miraculously appeared in working of miracles on Women And also another great and evident Sign the Lord hath given us of his coming and that the great Jubile is at hand by the miraculous springing up of a Field of Corn without plowing or sowing and of that goodness and quantity the like was never before heard of since the first Creation when all things sprang up of themselves and this wonderful Crop springing up out of sixteen Acres of fallow Land which formerly had been sown with Turneps This Miracle was near Maidstone in Kent being generally known and accordingly published This Land belonged to a Man that was very charitable to the Poor Thereby the Lord also shewing that in time to come such will be abundantly rewarded For he saith The merciful shall obtain mercy Matth. 5.7 And he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord Pro. 19.17 And it is said Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days Eccles 11.1 Chap. VIII Where the Armies are to be gathered together after the Lord comes THE Lord saith in Revelations ch 16.15,16 Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Armageddon Now here in these verseâ— the Lord tells us how he will come and they are those that will be blessed that are found watching for his coming and that when he does come it is then he will gather together these great armies or people to the place called Armageddon And in Joel there the Lord calls it the Valley oâ— Jehoshaphat Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for there will 〈◊〉 sit to judge all the Heathen round about Joel 3.12 These words shew 't is after they are awakened by the coming of the Lord that then they will be gathered together to the Valley of Jehoshâ—…hat for it is there the Lord will sit to judgâ— the Heathen round about that have Israels Land in their possession as in the 3 Ch. 2 ver And where this Valley of Jehoshaphat is is made mention of in 2 Chr. 20.26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the Valley of Barachah for there they blessed the Lord therefore the name of the same place was called the Valley of Berachah unto this day And in this Valley Jehoshaphat blessed God for the great deliverance he had given them from their Enemies which Enemies were those that were related to Israel as Ammon Moab and Mount Seir. So those that are again to be there gathered are those that pretend Relation to the Christian Israelite as Pope and Turk and the negligent Christian all acknowledging the true God but in works deny him For all the Christians that bear the name of Christ of the Gentile race whether good or bad are alike term'd Heathen in the Old Testament 2 Esd 2.34 For then there being no other than Jews and Heathen they could be no otherwise expressed as I have already by the word proved Therefore the Lord here saith Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50.22 And also accordingly the Lord saith to Esdras that when he comes it is then they will be gathered together the which will be to the forementioned place For at or about the time of his coming there will be fighting together in their own Land As in 2 Esd 13.30,31,32,33,34 And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the Earth And one shall undertake to fight against another one City against another one place against another one people against another one Realm against another And the time shall be when these things shall come to pass and the signs shall happen which I shewed thee before and then shall my Son be declared And when all the people hear his voice every man shall in their own Land leave the Battle they have one against another And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered as thou sawest them willing to come and to overcome him by fighting Which fighting here without doubt will be like that of Jacobs wrestling with the Angel which was by prayer for a blessing But they having by their wicked practices as in the 37 and 38 verses lost their day and season of Grace it will with them then be too late as it was with Esau to have the blessing All these places agree in one and the same thing that there will be fighting one against another at or about the time of the coming the Lord and that it will be after the Lord comes that they shall be gathered together to Armegeddon or otherwise called the Valley of Jeâ—hoshaphat there to be judged Chap. IX The Everlasting Covenant and Crown of Life THE Everlasting Covenant and the Crown of Life is one and the same thing And when the Lord again comes he will make that new everlasting Covenant with both the Houses of Jocob in which Covenant the true practical believer will be then included as coming in by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who are now but Heirs with Israel of the same promise Gal. 3.29 And then it is they shall no more teach 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 faith the Lord Jer. 31.34,35,36 Then it is His People shall be willing in the day of his power in the beauties of holiness Psal 110.3 And then it is Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation They shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end Isa 45.17 And then it is the Lord will rest in his love Zeph. 3.17 Ezek. 37.26,27,28 when Israel is put into a capacity never more to offend him And then is life crowned to the Soul when they are thus secured by him And then it is that sighing and sorrowing will fly away And then it is The days of his People shall be as the days of a Tree and that his Elect shall long injoy the work of their hands Isa 65.22 And then it is The meek shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Ps 37.11 But the
fore-mentioned promised new Covenant will not be made with the rest of the Nations that then will be called in as God by the Prophet hath declared Ezek 16.61 And after the thousand years when Satan is again loosed and the eminent glory of the Lord is not so visible among them then Satan will again draw off some of them that are spared of those Nations which are not secured by the everlasting Covenant and fire shall come down from Heaven and destroy them And then the Devil that deceived them will then be cast into the lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and for ever Rev. 20.3,9,10 From which words we are to take notice the Lord here declareth the continuance of day and night as also in Psa 89.36 â—7 And after the Devil is cast into Hell we read of no other than a temporal punishment inflicted on them of the Nations that will not go up to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and keep the feast of Tabernacles Zec 14.16,17 And how many thousand years it will be after Satan is cast into the fire of Hell before the final judgment the Lord best knoweth But by the word it is clear it will be many thousand years For God hath said He will keep Covenant and mercy to a thousand Generations Deut 7.9 And from Adam to this time we cannot well reckon above a hundred Generations For where St. Luke counts the Genealogy from Adam to Christ he reckons up but about three score Generations Luke 3. And this fore-mentioned Kingdom is the Kingdom of which the Angel told the blessed Virgin that Christ should Reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luke 1.33 This ever chiefly includes the ever of the world to come in which time Christ will have his Reigning Power and at the time of the last Judgment when the Heavens and Earth are said to fly away Re. 20.11 The fore-mentioned Book explaineth the meaning thereof fully making it appear by the word there is two sorts of Heavens and Earth whereby it is clearly proved that the Kingdom of Christ will have no end according to the word of the Angel to the Blessed Virgin and according to the word of the Lord in Daniel But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7.18 And God saith in Isaiah For 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 Isa 66.22 For then it is God will give Israel a place of their own so as they shall move no more 2 Sam. 7.10 But we not apprehending there is three Evers three Times three Generations and three Worlds spoken of in Scripture thereby we have been much in the dark concerning this world to come And this world to come being the time that is chiefly comprehended in Psal 89.2 For I have said mercy shall be built up for ever thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very Heavens I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have sworn to David my Servant Thy Seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all Generations Chap. X. The Meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles being again kept NOw in that the feast of Tabernacles is again to be kept when all the other great Feasts are laid aside Zech. 14.16 it doth thereby appear that when Israel and those of the Nations which are saved are first gathered they will then again for some time dwell in booths as Israel did when they came out of Aegypt And therefore this feast to be kept for a remembrance in the ever of the time to come But some may say How can the Nations come up yearly to Jerusalem the Journy being so far distant from some But none need Question but God will make them of ability to do what he requires of them And whereas it is said That every one that is left of all the Nations That is every one of the Nations that were left should go up yearly to Jerusalem but not that it is there meant that every individual person of the Nations will be required to go up year by year unto Jerusalem but some of the heads of the Nations And therefore said in the 18 verse If the Family of Aegypt go not up c. Then a National punishment is threatned Now what we find written in the old and new Testament and nothing therein to contradict the plain meaning thereof that will of certain be fulfilled in the plain and clear way as it is expressed But that is a figurative Speech and not to be taken in the letter of the word where we find other Scriptures in contradiction to it There God hath a secret vail'd in it which he reserves until such time as he will have it revealed But what God commands to be done And what God declares he will have done And what God hath sworn he delights not in And what God hath absolutely promised to do And what God hath sworn he will do These things are to be taken as they are exprest or we are apostatized from the truth And it is at the Restauration of Israel that the Everlasting Covenant will be established as to which time God has sworn to Israel That he will not be wroth with them nor rebuke them any more Isa 54.8,9,10,11,12 For then God will put his fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him Jer. 32.39,40,41 And concerning that time The Lord hath sworn by his right hand and by the arm of his Strength that he will no more give their Corn to be meat for their enemies neither shall the Sons of Strangers drink the Wine for which they have laboured Isa 62.8 This promise will be fulfilled when Jerusalem is made the praise of the earth as in the 7th ver Which is at the time of the Restitution of all things when the Lord again comes Acts 3.20,21,22,23,24 And then it is There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11.26 Isa 59.20 Then shall the Lord rore out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his People and the Strength of the Children of Israel Joel 3.16 This Zion or Jerusalem is meant of the glorious Tabernacles spoken of Heb. 8.2 But we all coming out of the Darkness of Popery have lost the right apprehension of this Kingdom or World to come whereby we are involved in great mistakes so as to think the promised everlasting Covenant is now established and that such as belong to it may fall foully but not finally but when that Covenant is established then it is that God will put his fear into their hearts so as
they shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 But we not understanding aright this Kingdom or World to come which has been the causes of turning the plain word of God in the old Testament into figurative Speeches and thereby made the Oath and Promise of God to Israel void Of which St. Peter exhorts the Church to take heed to the sure Word of Prophecy as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2 Peter 1.19 Chap. XI Where the Great Glory of the Lord will be when he comes to deliver his people WHEN the Lord again comes to deliver his People his infinite glory will then again be in the Clouds in which will be those glorious mansions into which he will receive his raised Saints John 14.2,3 and there will be that Tabernacle which the Lord shall pitch and not man Heb 8.2 which will be over the Land of Canaan from whence he will descend to Mount Olivet and also from the Tabernacle he will descend upon Mount Zion and there will he Make the place of his feet glorious Isa 60.13 For as the Lord formerly descended down in a Cloud into the Tabernacle Exod. 40.34 So the Lord will again descend upon Mount Zion And as the Lord was over Israel in the Clouds when Pharaoh was drowned in the Sea Exod. 14.19,20,24 So again the Lord will be in the Clouds when the Beast and false Prophet shall be taken alive and cast into a lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19.20 And as the King of Aegypt and Babylon with all their Prognosticators and Diviners could not by them have any knowledge of their near approaching ruine So will it be with those in our days for they will not foresee the near approaching pressedness or misery according to the word of the Lord Isa 44.25 The Lord frustrateth the Tokens of liars and maketh Diviners mad that turneth wise men backward and maketh their Knowledge foolishness This will again be alike at the time of Jacobs deliverance And it is said of Christ in Isa 64.1 Oh that thou wouldest rent the Heavens that thou wouldest come down that the Mountains might flow down at thy presence V. 4. For since the beginning of the World men have not heard neither perceived by the Ear neither hath the eye seen O God! besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him 1 Cor. 2.9 Psalm 31.19 And oh that there might be many amongst us and elsewhere found such as are true waiters for him so as thereby to become the blessed of the Lord and not found as the fruitless Fig-tree which of the Lord received the curse Chap. XII The Fruitless Fig-Tree MARK 11.13 And Jesus seeing a Fig-tree afar off having leaves he came if haply he might find any thing thereon and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves for the time of figs was not yet This Fig-tree was the representative of the body or generality of Israel on whom the Lord when he came found nothing but leaves only The which was only an outward shew and Form of Religion having nothing of real holiness and of upright walking amongst them as in Matth. 23.23,24,25,26.27,28 For tho' the time of ripe fruit as Figs were not yet yet there might have been green Fruit as sincerity and an upright and holy conversation But as for Israel's bearing ripe fruit it was not to be in this time but in the time to come after the ever of this time is past and gone Then it is they will be made partakers of the continual fresh springs of the Spirit of God which is drinking of the River of his pleasures Psal 36.8 For then they will have an Inherent perfect righteousness and that secured by the establishing of that now-promised new-everlasting Covenant which will crown Life to the Soul Isa 45.17 But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end For the everlasting covenant when established and the Crown of Life is one and the same thing only two ways worded And the Believer comes in by Christ as Heir to that promised Covenant Gal. 3.28,29 Eph. 2.12 But the Believer in Christ is no longer a Believer than he believes Salvation is to be had according to the tenour of the Gospel which is in the way of our love and obedience no more than a Righteous man is a Righteous man in the day that he comitteth iniquity Ezek. 33.13 Chap. XIII Concerning the Remnant and first Churches and also the World BUT whereas the remnant and first Churches were fore chosen of God according to the Counsel of his own will for the purpose he had determined for them which was to bear their Testimony to the truth and for the glory that should follow And tho' they were not thus fore-chosen for their fore-seen willing and running yet afterward when they had embraced the Faith they were to run for the price for the hopes sake that was set before them which is the Crown of Life which was to be obtained by their willing and running by which way it is to be attained by all that will lay hold on it For when the Gospel was establisht we that followed after were to take to the way and keep the Rule set before us Heb. 2.2,3,4 And the Lord will be with us in his way and never forsake any while they keep his way by walking in a holy and upright Conversation And all that know the Lord by the Gospel should go to him for strength for he hath promised his assistance Now after the world was convinced that Christ was the Son of God they were put into a capacity of obedience as many as have the call of the word and the good motions of the Spirit of God therefore if afterward they miscarried it was thro' their own negligence and barrenness of the Soil into which the Seed of the word was cast according to the Parable of the Lord Ma. 13.20,21 which brought forth Fruit for a time and afterward withered away For when the Lord had laid the World under a Conviction by the which means it was part of the world embraced the Faith and brought forth Fruit according as it did in the Church of Golosse Col. 1.6 And the Lord laid Israel under a conviction when he shewed them his glory in the Wilderness and gave to them his Laws and Statutes Exod. 19.9,16,18 And when God would have healed Babylon it was by bringing her under a conviction in pulling her great Monarch down from his Throne and making him eat Grass like the Oxen till his hairs became like Eagles feathers and his Nails like Birds Claws and he made to acknwledge to all Nations that the Great God of Heaven ruleth over the Children of men Dan. 4. â—3 ch 3.29 Now when God hath convinced his Creatures he takes delight to see them improve that rational understanding that he hath given them to their Souls advantage and then it
ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed and heirs according to the Promise Now by all this we see that every true Christian comes into the Covenant to be of the Seed of Abraham by Christ Now we know that both the Seeds of Abraham which came of Isaac were both Circumcised the which was â—he Seal or Sign of the Covenant So the Roâ—ans receive the Sign of Baptism as well as the â—rue Christians who take the word of God for â—he Rule of their Lives to which Christians is 〈◊〉 Promise made That unto all them that obey him â—hrist is become the Author of Eternal Salvaâ—on Now the Romans though they have the sign of Baptism yet wholly renounce Obedience to the will of God in his word the which he hath given both to Jew and Gentile as a rule to walk by Now Moses knowing by the Spirit of Prophesy that there would come in strangers to be joyned in Covenant with Israel in and through Christ and so become the Seed of Abraham of whom also there would be a Seed the which should prove an Esau Generation who would fall off from the true ways of Godliness and fall into Wickedness Pride and Cruelty and therefore when he speaks of the Jews miscarriage he hath joyned the miscarriage of these with them that is these degenerated Christians the which time and the event hath made clearly evident by the Destruction that he pronounced against their Land the which was never threatned against the Land of Canaan that that should become Brimstone Salt and Burning Neither hath any such thing ever falleâ— upon any part of the aforesaid Land But now God has made it plainly appear to whom these Prophesies did relate since in Sicily and Naples the threatned Judgments are evidently broken forth among them And Moses in Deut. 29.16,17,18 saith For ye know how we have dwelâ— in the land of Egypt and how we came through thâ— Nations which ye passed by And ye have seen their abominations and their idols wood and stone silvâ— and gold which are among them Lest there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose Heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God to go and serve the Gods of these Nations lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood By which we see that this has not its reference to the Body of Israel in that he mentions Man or Woman or Family or Tribe by which words the Body of Israel cannot be comprehended And whereas he saith lest there should be among you a root that beareth Gall and Wormwood Now a root doth signify one of the Tribes or the major part of a tribe for in the Scripture the greater number is taken for the whole and a Man or Woman or single family is but a bough or branch of a root Now a root hath its springing increasing and continuance and we know that the Tribes when spoken of singly are termed as one Man as Judah and Benjamin Manasses and Ephraim the which each of them signifies a Tribe Now those that are brought in to be of the Seed of Abraham by Christ come in as of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah from which Tribe there was a root of Gall and Wormwood to spring forth of which St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.3 Except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the Son of Perdition Ye see also that the Apostle here terms the Beast to be a Man And he also forewarneth the Hebrews of him c. 12.15 Bidding them looâ— diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness spring up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 16. Lest there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright By these words we find also that out of this root of Bitterness would spring up trouble and thereby many should be defiled which by sad experience has been made evident And the Apostle also here compares him to Esau whose representative he is or Figure of him altho many degrees worse therefore for him is reserv'd the worser Punishment who as Esau parted with his Birthright so this Man here spoken of parted with the promised Blessing which was for Eternity for this World's morsel Now Moses in the forementioned verse at which I left off wherein he speaks of the root that beareth Gall and Wormwood of which he saith Deut. 29.19 And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this Curse and he blesseth himself in his Heart saying I shall have peace tho I walk in the imagination of mine Heart to add drunkenness to thirst 20. The Lord will not sparâ— him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven 21. And the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the Tribes of Israel according to aâ—… the Curses of the Covenant that are written in this Book of the Law 22. So that the generation tâ— come of your Children that shall rise up after you and the stranger that shall come from a far Land shall say when they see the Plagues of that Land and the sickness which the Lord hath laid upon it 23. And that the whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning that it is not sown nor beareth nor any grass groweth therein like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim which the Lord overthrew in his anger and in his wrath Now we are to take notice what are the sins against whom God did by Moses pronounce these Ireful Judgments as in Deut. 29.18,19 Lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace tho I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness to thirst Now we are to consider what the Scripture calls Dunkenness besides that excess of drinking good Liquor In the first place God mentions another sort of Drunkenness by Moses Deut. 32.42 I will make mine Arrows drunk with Blood And this Drunkenness which Moses speaks of is mentioned by St. John Rev. 17.6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration Now this Woman that was thus Drunken is mystical Babylon as in the 5. v. of this chapter and in the 3. v. she is termed Babylon the great the mother of harlots and the abomination of the earth The Beast that beareth her that is beareth her up in her Grandeur and Greatness is the Pope which sets himself up as a God And this is the man that addeth Drunkenness to his thirst for he first thirsteth
after the Blood of the Saints of which he hath taken so much with her that they are become Drunken with it And in Rev. 16.6 It is said They have shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy And whereas Moses saith God would blot out that Mans Name from under Heaven So it is said in Rev. 19.20,22 That he was cast alive into the lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone And as to what Moses saith in the 22. v. we are in especial manner to take notice of in that he saith The Generation to come of your Children in that he doth not here in the plural number say Generations but Generation Speaking after the manner of our Lord Christ David and others in that they mention this Wicked World as one Generation And the Elect with their Generations in the Glorious time another Generation And whereas he saith the stranger that shall come from a far Land up to Jerusalem he saith When they see the Plagues of that Land and the Sickness which the Lord hath laid upon it Here we see Moses does not term it Israel's Land or the Land they were going to possess or Canaan but that Land whereby it is plain it was not meant their Land Now after the Lord again comes and the Judgment of this World is past 't is said Zach. 14.16 Every one shall go up from year to year to Worship the King the Lord of Hosts And then it is those strangers that in their journey pass by that Land up to Jerusalem and see that the whole Land thereof is become Brimstone and Salt and Burning nor any Grass groweth therein like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim which the Lord overthrew in his Anger and in his Wrath Deut. 29.24 Even all the Nations shall say wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land what meaneth the heat of his great Anger 25. Then men shall say because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt Now as I before shewed you the Covenant included strangers that were to be brought in for time to come which by Christ should become the Seed of Abraham And so also the Covenant was made with our Fathers when they came out of the Land of Egypt But you may say that Christ came out of one Tribe and therefore the Covenant not made with our Fathers which words include more than one Father To which I Answer That whilst Judah was in Egypt from him sprang many Fathers of Families But peradventure you may say that Christ could not come of all the Families of Judah To which I Answer That by the Father and Mother's side of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came there was then when this Covenant was made many of our Fathers also considering that then they lived to see the fourth Generation of their Children Now in the 26. v. forward Moses seems also to intermix Israel vvith this Degenerate Root for in the 26. v. he saith They went and served other Gods and Worshipped them Gods whom they knew not and whom he had not given unto them 27. v. And the Anger of the Lord was kindled against this Land to bring upon it all the Curses that are written in this Book That is This Land which he before had been speaking of on vvhich shall be made out all the severer Curses that are Written in this Book of the Lavv. And as many of the Curses as have not been inflicted on Israel and their Land will be inflicted on that Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood and their Land to whom the severest of them doth particularly belong as I before shewed you And Moses saith in the 28. v. The Lord rooted them out of their Land in anger and in wrath and in great indignation and cast them into another land as it is this day 29. v. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God But those things which are revealed belong unto us and our Children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Now whereas Moses saith in the 28. verse That the Lord rooted them out of their Land in anger in wrath and in great indignation The which words also have a reference to Israel because God for their Sins did cast out the Seed of Jacob out of their Land But whereas he saith The Lord cast them into an other Land as it is this Day But now when this question is said should be asked and this Answer return'd it was after the time of Restitution and to them of that Generation that are partakers of that blessedness which then will be revealed And whereas he saith cast them into another Land which was quite different from Judah's Curse for they were to be scattered into the Four Winds and from one end of the Earth to the other Therefore I fear the Land here spoken of that these are to be cast into will be that which is mentioned Job 10.22 A Land of Darkness as Darkness it self For the time when these words were spoken would not admit him more clearly to mention them Now Moses in Deut. 29.29 to let them understand that there was something here interwoven or that his words had a Two-fold meaning that Israel might not be too much discouraged and that also the true Christians might thereby be enlightned as concerning this Root of Bitterness when God shall open their Eyes to see it in that he saith to them Deut. 29.29 That secret things belong to God but those things that are revealed belong to us and to our Children Now there are a great many secret things in the Book of God which this Word may have some Reference to but to assure us here was a Secret and therefore to this place is this Word Secret linked only So in the following Chapter Deut. 30. he treats of Israel's repenting and returning and in the 6. v. he saith God will circumcise their heart and the heart of their Seed to love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul that they may live And he saith in the 7. v. The Lord thy God will put all these Curses upon thine Enemies and on them that hate thee which persecuted thee 8. v. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all his commandments which I command thee this day 9. v. And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattle and in the fruit of thy land for good for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good as he rejoyced over thy Fathers Now from the 10. v downward Moses speaks of the then time how they should walk with God For in the 11. v. he saith This commandment which I command thee this day
Isa 34.6 The vvhich after he had given an Account of the Day of Vengeance and the year of recompence for the Controversy of Sion he speaks of this Esau's Land vvhich is this root of Bitterness That the streams thereof shall be turned into Pitch and the dust thereof into Brimstone And also in the 14. v. in answer to that of the Teeth of Beasts It is here said It shall be an habitation of Dragons the wild Beast of the Desart shall also meet with the wild Beast of the Island and the Satyr shall cry to his fellow And in Rev. 18.2 it is said that Satyrs shall Dance there Now these Satyrs are generally held to be Devils and Moses here says The Poyson of the Serpents of the Dust Now we know that in Gen. 3. God pronounc'd that Curse to that Serpent which was the Devil That dust should be the Serpents meas therefore I look upon these Serpents of the Dust here spoken of to be Devils Now Moses in the 25. v. begins again to speak of the Afflictions of the Natural Seed of Abraham for this Song is intermixt with the Natural and with the Adopted Seed of Abraham wherein he treats from Israel's first coming into Canaan to the Destruction of the World and their Restoration Now as to the Natural Seed he saith Deut. 23.25 The sword without and Terror within shall destroy both the young man and the Virgin the suckling also with the man of gray hairs 26. I said I would scatter them into corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men 27. Were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say our Hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this 28. For they are a Nation void of Council neither is there any understanding in them 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end 30. How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their Rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up 31. For their Rock is not as our Rock even our Enemies themselves being Judges Now this part we see is altogether spoken of the Natural Seed by the Judgments that have come upon them And from the 31. v. to the 36. v. Moses speaks again of the Adopted Seed of which came that Root of Bitterness of which he saith in Deut. 32.32 For their Vine is the Vine of Sodom and the Fields of Gomorrah Their Grapes are Grapes of Gall their clusters are Bitter 33. Their Wine is the Poyson of Dragons and the cruel Venom of Asps 34. Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my Treasures 35. To me belongeth Vengeance and recompence their foot shall slide in due time for the day of their Calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make haste Now whereas God said Is not this laid up in store with me and Sealed up among my Treasuries whereby we may plainly see there was a secret in these words which was not then to be unfolded And whereas God saith To me belongeth vengeance and recompence That is God will arise to Judgment and then will he render Vengeance and Recompence Then shall those deceivers with the deceived know to whom these threatned Judgments do belong For God saith Their Foot shall slide in due time That is from their height grandeur and greatness For in the next words God saith The Day of their Calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make haste And Moses began again in the 36. v. to speak of the Natural Seed of Abraham which words of his has their Reference towards the time of Israel's Restitution for he saith Deut. 32.36 For the Lord shall judg his People and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shâ—… up or left 37. And he shall say where are their Gods their rock in whom they trusted 38. Which did eat the Fat of their Sacrifices and drink the Wine of their Drink-offerings let them rise up and help you and be your Protection 39. See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I Kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand 40. For I lift up my hand to Heaven and say I live for ever 41. v. If I whet my glittering Sword and mine hand take hold of Judgment I will render Vengeance to mine Enemies and will reward them that hate me 42. v. I will make mine Arrows drunk with Blood and my Sword shall devour Flesh and that with the Blood of the slain and of the Captives from the beginning of Revenges upon the Enemy 43. v. Rejoyce O ye Nations with his people for he will avenge the Blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his Adversaries and will be merciful unto his Land and to his people Now we see that in these Verses are contained the Judgment the which is Gods Revenges upon the Enemy at which time 〈◊〉 other Nations will be received into mercy to rejoyce with his people at that time when the Lord hath mercy on his Land and on his people Therefore we may clearly see that all this is to be fullfill'd at the Restitution of all things For the Land has never been restor'd to Israel since the Captivity Only that Judah had a liberty to build a Temple and to inhabit in that part that belonged to them but notwithstanding they were subject to another Monarchy So we see that all the Scripture doth absolutely agree in one and the same thing That the Wicked 〈◊〉 be destroyed and Israel restored and the promised Elect called in and all this is to be at one and the same time And as you see the natural Seed and the Adopted Seed here joyn'd so they are alike joyn'd throughout the Word where they are spoken of so is the Destruction of the Wicked World all along said to be at the Time of their Restitution In this fore-mentioned Chapter and Song is not only contained the short History of the World from the time that God brought the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt to the time that the Lord ariseth to Judgment at which time it is said from the beginning of revenges upon the Enemy he will make his Arrows Drunk with Blood and his Sword shall devour Flesh And as it is said at which time God will have mercy on his Land and on his People and then it is other Nations shall Rejoyce with them Deut. 32.41,42,43 By which we see that this Song does not only reach to the end of this World but it launcheth it self forth into the Glorious time And David being a Prophet and belov'd of God and thereby understanding the secrets of God more than
the rest therefore he cries out of the Wonderful things that is contained in his Law Novv were these Judgments that are here set down pronounced against the Land of the thirsty Drunkard with good Liquor I doubt there would not be much Land left either in Canaan or Christendom free from these Plagues here specified as well as Sicily and Naples for we need not doubt but most of the foresaid Land at one time or other hath had such owners But altho the Drunkard that Loves good Liquor is threatned with the wrath of God and Hell yet there is not this remarkable Curse threatn'd to their Land And there is nothing in the Word of God that is insignificant but hath its time to be made Evident And now is the near Approach of Israel's restoration it being now the time that the Whirlwinds are gone forth as in Jer. 30.22 Behold the whirl-wind of the Lord goeih forth with fury a continual whirl-wind which shall fall with pain upon the Head of the wicked The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he hath done it until he hath performed the intents of his heart In the latter days ye shall consider it BLessed News unto the Jews And to them that are Circumcis'd in Heart and Ear And unto them that will amend Blessedness doth them attend But unto them that will not hear Grief and Horror will be their share THE Figurative SPEECHES BY WHICH God has Veiled his Secrets Contained in His WORD Until the end of the Time which is the time determined by Him that they should be revealed And now by the Assistance of GOD The Scriptures being Opened by the Key of the Word the Secrets therein contained are made as plain to the understanding as a Riddle when unfolded By M. Mersen London Printed and Sold by John Clarke at the Bible in the Old Change John Guillim in Bishops-gate-street over against the Royal James Mrs. Mitchel at the Crown and Cushion in Westminster-hall and Mr. Garin over against the Crown Tavern in the Strand the corner of St. Clements Church Yard 1697. Christian Reader THis Book being done in hast is not so well done as it ought to have been yet therein is made manifest both the Wisdom of God and the Power of God And when I Writ this Book there was a dread stood over me as a Caution that I should not do the Work of the Lord negligently And there is but two or three things in it wherein I did lean to my own understanding or received Opinion without seeking to God concerning it And since in those things God by his Word hath made it plain to me that I was mistaken in them for I then thought that all that laid hold of the offered Mercy according as it is tendred in the Gospel was also termed the Elect as well as those that were fore-chosen and so then not reckoned with the World But afterwards I found by the Word that such were but in Covenant Neither did I then understand that the Christians when spoken of in the Old Testament in which they are often mentioned were all there termed Heathen both good and bad which since by the Word I have fully proved in another Treatise And likewise then I did not so well understand that the Lord by the Law and Gospel speaks but in a peculiar manner to them that are under it For the Heathen fall not under the same severe Condemnation as the wicked Christians will when the Lord again comes And therefore no such necessity to warn them for the Coming of the Lord whom they now know not but they may find Mercy according to the Word And it is the promise of God that Israel shall be restored when the Lord again comes as is fully proved in the following Treatise from the Prophets and Apostles As for such as find fault with my quoting of Esdras saying that he was not mentioned either by Christ or any of the Apostles To which I answer Neither were several other of the Prophets that are spoken of in the Old Testament But if any say he is not mentioned there they assert that which is false For Ezra in the Old Testament is the same Person which in the Apocrypha is called Esdras For in Ezra Chap. 10. the 9 16 17. Verses is exactly the same with that in 1 Esdras 9. Chap. 5 6 17. Verses And also as in Nehemian 2.4 the like is again said in the 1 Esdras 9.40,42 By which places it is fully made appear That it was one and the same man who after the Captivity caused Israel to put away their strange Wives being met together at Jerusalem on the Twelfth day of the Ninth Month at which time was the great Showre of Rain And also he stood upon a Pulpit of Wood and Read the Law to all the People on the First day of the Seventh Month. As to the difference of the Name the one was taken out of the Hebrew the other out of the Caldean Tongue But as for our Ancient Expositors who placed not his Prophesies among the Prophets it was because themselves erred from the Truth For they newly coming from under the darkness of Popery and so did not rightly understand the Scriptures for they apprehended that none but the Elect could be saved But now it is fully proved by the Word that all that are found in obedience are Heirs to the promise whether Elect or not Elect. They likewise have denied the Restitution of all things which God by the mouth of all his holy Prophets hath declared Acts 3.21 and so likewise by Esdras After I Writ this Book I found there was several other places in Scripture in controversie which was not in this Treatise answered which made me defer the finishing of it till such time as God had innabled me to make plain those other places which were in dispute which by Gods assistance I have accomplished Oh! that we would improve the knowledge of the Truth to our Souls Eternal Advantage is the Prayer of your Friend and Servant in Christ M. M. ERRATA PAg. 3 l. 5. from the bottom in Revelations blot s. p. 6 l. 2. r. Hosts p. 41. l. 8. f. 4. r. 14. l. 9. f. 1. r. 2. p. 55. l. 17. f. is r. are p. 66. l. 24. f. beast r. beasts p. 69. l. 16. f. doth r. do p. 97. l. 13. blot by p. 104. l. 24. r. book p. 108. l. 9. r. written p. 116. l. last r. be p. 117. l. 1. blot saith p. 119. l. 24. r. Hannah p. 131. l. 14. r. meant l. 16. r. for the that p. 133. l. 20. r. Vesuvius p. 134 l. 3. r. Tanrmins p. 135. l. 25. r. rest p. 137 l. 28. r. speaking p. 141. l. last r. kingdom p. 155. l. 5. r. exterminated p. 169. l. 8. r. accepted l. 16. blot of The TABLE OF the World that Perished p. â— Figurative Heavens and Earth p. â— Elements p. â— Rise of the Beast p. 12
to be the Host of Heaven There is also a material City and a City of People There is a sea of Waters and a sea of People There is a flood of Waters and a flood of People There is raging Waves of the Sea and raging Waves of the Sea of Mankind There is real Wandering stars and figurative Wandring stars There is the Animal Beasts and the Beast of People There is an Earthly City and a City that comes down from Heaven There is a Tabernacle of Man's Pitching and a Tabernacle which the Lord shall pitch and not Man There is natural Waters and spiritual Waters There is the Whirl-wind in the Air and the Whirl-wind of Afflictions There is real fire and figurative fire which is the Anger of Almighty God But God to let us understand that Hell-fire is as well a material fire therefore saith it is a Lake of Fire that burneth with Brimstone There is a real sword and a figurative sword There is a real Vine-yard and figurative Vine-yard There is real shepherds and figurative shepherds There is real Horses and Figurative Horses There is old Babilon and figurative Babilon There is a real Esau and a figurative Esau There is the real Land of Esau and the figurative Land of Esauh There is a real Assyria and a figurative Assyria Also this following Treatise gives an Account of three Worlds three Evers Three Generations three Times three Days There is the Natural Day the Day of a Year and a day of a thousand Years There is also three sorts of Sabbaths spoken of First The seventh Day Sabbath 2dly The seventh Years Sabbath 3. The seventh seventh Years Sabbath in which all things were restored to their right owners the which figures out to us the great Jubile or Sabbatism of Rest and Restitution of all things by Christ when he again comes And also in the great Jubel Sabbath there is one thing very remarkable that is that the Jubel Year was not fixton the seventh seventh Year the which would have been on the forty ninth year But leaving the forty ninth year was placed on the fiftieth year which seems to signify the change of the Sabbath to all when the Lord again comes accordingly our eighth Day otherwise called the First Day is now the Sabbath for in the fourth Commandment God saith the seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God But when in the following words God blessed the Day it is the the Sabbath Day God nominates the blessing to and therein not mentioning the seventh day when he blessed the Day but only the Sabbath the All Wife God hath left himself scope for the alteration or change of the day Now what is writ in the Holy Word is the Posts of Wisdoms doors Prov. 8.34 at which we should wait always with earnest Prayers fervent Affection and Self-resignation of our own understanding By which means what is here set down in this little Manual hath been attained that all the Praise and Glory may be of God The which Advice is in the word Learn not to thine own understanding but fear the Lord and depart from evil For who by their own Wisdom can find out God And David cries out Psal 119.18,99,100,101,102 Open thou mine Eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law And indeed there is wondrous things contained in it And he saith I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation I understand more than the Antients because I kept thy Precepts I have refrained my feet from evil that I might keep thy word I have not departed from thy Judgments for thou hast taught me And indeed without seeking to God to teach us as David did there is no understanding the hidden misteries and sigurative Speeches that are contained in his word And by the word we understand the Lord spoke to the Jews altogether in Parables for it is said without a Parable spake he not unto them because for their Sins he was laid in Sion as a stumbling stone so as these Parables when opened by the Key of the Word it will altogether appear contrary to what we have hitherto apprehended concerning the Coming of the Lord whose coming is to Judg the World and restore Israel THIS following Treatise sheweth what iâ— the World that is to be destroyed And the Heavens and Earth that is to be burnt Where the Land of Idumea is whose smoke will always ascend With an account when the great Judgments mentioned in the Revelations will be pour'd out upon the Earth Also when all the Jews will be called in And what is the New Heavens and Earth And of the new Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven where the Glorious Tabernacle is to be pitcht And what is the Sea that shall be no more And what will be the World that is to come How the Mountains came to be fir'd With a Prophecy of Luther's when the Lord shall come to Judg the World As also with an account what Belief is or aâ— a true Soul-saving Faith And also it treats of Election and the several sorts of it as the very Elect and a conditional Election and to others a day of Grace And by the Word proving there are several Worlds and so several Foundations by which it is clearly proved that there was none reprobated before the Foundation of the material Heavens and Earth And how Christ dwells in us by his Spiritâ— It gives an Account of the Tree of Knowledg of good and evil A Key found out which the Lord had hid in his Word until such time that he would have the Secrets therein contained reveal'd So as thereby Preparation for the coming of the Lord may be made in our Hearts And what is here set down in this Little Book has been attain'd by fervent desire and self-resignation of my own Vnderstanding and by Prayers and Tears and many a waking Night An Alarm to the world of the near Approach of the day of Judgment BY a clear Information of the certain near approach of the Coming of the Lord that we may make Preparation for him before it be too late That we cry not to the Rocks and Mountains Rev. â— to fall on us to hide us from the Face of â—im that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For that great Day of his Wrath to the Wicked is just at hand Which Day will be a Day of Glory to the Saints and Wrath to the Wicked Liver Therefore let every one strive to make their Peace with the Son before they perish from the way for his Wrath is already kindled But then it will evidently appear that the Heb. 5.9 Lord is the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him And then as it is said 2 Thes 1.10 He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Which Belief is to believe in him and his Word so
Light of the Heaven as the Sun and Moon And as for the Elements we know that man's body is made up of the Four Elements Now St. Peter in his way of speaking doth make it a figurative Speech as to the burning the Heavens and Earth And when we can bring several places out of holy Writ to prove it to be so and places of Scripture to prove our assertion then we go upon good grounds but when we make figurative Speeches or Allegories where there is none and where there is for them to make an Assertion of that which they cannot bring good Proof for out of the Word is of very dangerous consequence and as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 3.16 wrest the Scripture to their own destruction But this of St. Peter is easily proved a figurative Speech not only by his own manner of speaking but also by the Three Evangelists wherein our Lord makes no mention of the burning of the Heavens and Earth when he comes to judge the World Nor St. John in Rev. 6.14 mentions not any such thing as to the burning of them Neither in any of the Epistles of St. Paul is there any mention made of their being destroy'd at the coming of the Lord Nor doth any other place of the Bible speak of their being burnt but St. Peter And whereas the Apostle Peter makes mention of fire it is to set forth the fierce Anger of the Lord against sinners For as there is nothing so terrible to our Natures as fire so there can be nothing so insupportable as the Anger of the Almighty Lord and therefore he is said in 2 Thes 1.8 to come in flaming fire to take Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The weight of Whose Anger being more intolerable than we are able to imagine it Therefore God saith Jer. 23.29 Is not my Word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rocks in peices And therefore it is a usual Phrase in Scripture to express the Anger of the Almighty God by Fire Zeph. 1.18 where God himself saith with the Fire of my Jealousie And it is said of God Deut. 4.24 That he is a consuming Fire That is he is an unresistable Power Heb. 12.23 And as the Thorns cannot resist the Powerful Flames neither can we his ireful Judgments when he doth inflict them on the sinner And here had St. Peter in the plain Letter of the Word pronounc'd those Judgments against the Powers and People the then present Age could not have born it neither indeed the succeeding Generations And as for the Beast or Pope he found so much in the Scriptures against himself and his Crew that he made it Death for the Laity to read them that thereby his Falshood and Villany might remain undiscovered to the people Now the Pope did not rise till several hundred years after the Apostles And St. Paul in 2 Thes 2,3 Declareth that the day of the Lord shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition v. 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he is as God sitting in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God v. 9,10,11,12 Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonder v. 10. And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lit 12. That they all might be damned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in Vnrighteousness By which we may plainly see that God never leaves a people till such time as they forsake him by taking pleasure in Unrighteousness And therefore as to what hath been said of the Beast and the seven hill'd City and of the Reign of the Beast has been in a figurative way For the Pope's Design with his Crew being wholly to deceive the Will of God is that they might be deceived And it is said in Rev. 13.2 when the Beast arose The Dragon gave him his power and his Seat and great Authority And now as the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.4 he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped So that he is as God sitting in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And now he sitting in the Temple of God and takes the Power of a God to him in that he saith the revealed will of God is no farther to be accounted of than to what he approves of in it And also he with his pretended Keys le ts into Heaven those whom God by his Word shuts out and them out of Heaven whom God by his Word permits in Thus they are filling up their Iniquity that they may come to their deserved end And little better success must no Sect or Church expect that has used the Word of God deceitfully nor their hypocritical Hearers As for this Babylon and Countries adjoyning to it is figured our to us in the former Idumea or Edom For Esau looking on himself as the Elder brother therefore his Envy was always towards Israel although he sinfully and foolishly did sell his Birthright unto shis Brother in the time he was distressed being faint for want of Food he then said if I die for hunger what good then will this birth right do me And so not regarding the promises of God and therefore in the day of tryal parted with his birthright for a mess of pottage And almost all this world being like unto him that in the day of tryal either for some lust or some profit or to deliver themselves out of some trouble they part with the blessing which God in Christ has promis'd which is eternal salvation if they walk according to the rule God has set before them And so for these uncertain momentary injoyments like Esau embrace this present world And when the time comes for the righteous to inherit the blessing these worldlings will then like Esau be rejected although they may then seek the blessing earnestly with tears as he did yet was rejected But as it is in our days the more emptiness and want of knowledge the more pride and malice So was it with the seed of Esau for it is said of him in Obed. 1. v. 3.4,8,10 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the Rock whose habitation is high that saith in his heart who shall bring me down to the ground 4. Tho thou exalt thy self as the Eagle and the thou set thy nest among the Stats thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. Verse 8. Shall I not in that day saith the Lord even destroy the wise men out of Edom and understanding out
of the mount of Esau Verse 10. For thy Violence against the Brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever And Jer. 49. from ver 7. to v. 23. gives us much the same account of them And as the two forementioned Prophets did treat of the real Esau or Idumea so the Prophet Isaiah dothof the figurative one and also of those wicked Powers that are carrying on the darkness of this World with him And here Isaiah ch 34.4,10 doth fully make out the meaning of St. Peter where he here terms the Powers or Rulers to be the Host of Heaven where in Verse 4. he saith All the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a Scrole and all their Hosts shall fall down as the Leaf falleth from the Vine and as a falling fig from the fig tree Now as to the Host of Heaven his meaning here cannot be because in the 10th Verse of the same Chapter he makes mention of Day and Night and many Generations after these Heavens here spoken of were destroyed But whereas the Prophet mentions the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved his meaning is without doubt that their Power shall be taken from them as Kings do from their Parliaments that are dissolved by them And in the next place he saith the Heavens shall be rolled together as a Scrole or fastened together till they receive their sentence of Judgment After which they fell down as a leaf falleth from the Vine and a falling fig from the fig tree By which methinks there is a suitable Representation of the Soul as the leaf to the fire and the body as the rotten fig to the Dunghil And in the 5th Verse of the same Chapter the Lord saith My Sword shall be bathed in Heaven behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of my Curse to Judgment Verse 6. The Sword of the Lord is fill'd with Blood and is made fâ—… with fatness and with the Blood of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the Kidneys of Rams for the Lord hath a Sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the Land of Idumea Now we may easily tell where this Land of Idumea is which is here mentioned by the Pope's pretension to be the Elder Christian Brother although like Esau he hath forsaken God and his Word and as he did lies in wait to destroy his Christian Brother And this Prophet further declaring their destruction saith in the 7th Verse And the Vnicorns shall come down with them and the Bullocks with the Bulls and their Land shall be soaked with Blood and their dust made fat with fatness for it is the day of the Lord's Vengeance and the year of Recompence for the Controversie of Sion 9. The Streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into Brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day the smoak thereof shall go up for ever from generation to generation it shall lie waste none shall pass through it for ever and ever 11. But the Cormorant and the Bittern shall possess it the Owl also and the Raven shall dwell in it and he shall stretch out upon the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness 14. The wild beast of the Desert shall also meet with the wild beast of the Island and the Satyr shall cry to his fellow and the Schriech-Owl also shall rest there and find for her self a place of rest 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read no one of these shall fail none shall want her mate for my mouth it hath commanded and his Spirit it hath gathered them 17. And he hath cast the Lot for them and his band hath divided it unto them by Line they shall possess it for ever from Generation to Generation shall they dwell therein Here you see after these Heavens and Earth here mentioned are destroyed there is day and night and many generations as in the foregoing ver you read of This Idumea before mentioned being the Land of the Figurative Esau whose Land shall be thus accursed but the Land of the Real Esau shall be inhabited as in Obad. 1.19 This Book of the Lord which is here mentioned in the sixteenth Verse the Pope with his Crew has made it Death for the Inhabitants of those Countries to read whereby although they have been exceeding sinful that would have discovered to them their near approaching danger but now it is hid from their Eyes For those signs that God hath sent for fore-warnings of their utter Destruction they have banisht the Knowledge thereof from them by excluding the Word of God and now their Destruction will come suddenly as a Whirlwind when it cometh Isa 47.7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14 They discerning not Mount Aetna the meaning of its violent breaking forth of Fire and apprehend not the meaning of those violent Earthquakes which our Lord foretold in Mat. 24.7 should be in divers places to give us notice of his near approach of his coming to judge the World Zeph. 2.8,9,10,11 For although there has been several Earthquakes and very great ones since the world began yet it was but one or so at a time and then many years it may be an Hundred before we hear of another But now there has been divers Earthquakes which have been in several places of the world the which the World before never produc'd the like of those in Sicily and therefore we cannot but have good Reason to believe that these are the Earthquakes spoken of in Rev. 16.18 And there were Voices and Thunderings and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great 19. And the great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell And by these late Earthquakes according to the Word the Cities of the Nations have fallen but they apprehend not the meaning of it Neither that of the Mountain Vesivius which hath cast up so great a quantity of melted Sulphur and Bitumen that both together hath form'd a kind of little River for Three Miles together So that fearing it should diffuse it self the Viceroy of Naples has ordered a Passage to be opened for the Infernal Liquor into the Sea And since this Mountain Vesivius in Naples has sent forth floods of fire as Mount Aetna has done in Sicily by which the Lord with this dreadful River and fiery Mountains doth figure out to us where he intends this his ireful Judgments as part of the Land to become burning Pitch as shall never be quenched night not day and the other part inhabited with those fearful Creatures for ever from generation to generation Now when all these things shall come to pass as to the Judgments threatned both to the Heavens and Earth The Prophet Isaiah c. 34.8 nominates the time and tells
us It is the day of the Lord's Vengeance and the year of recompence for the controversy of Sion Why is it termed the Day of the Lord's Vengeance and year of recompence being both one and the same time The Lord to inlighten our understanding that the day in which he will come to Judg the World in is more than a natural day and that in that day the vengeance shall not long last upon the Earth but as the Psalmist saith Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God but his Mercy shall be of long continuance to his Spouse and chosen People the Jews from which he will never withdraw his mercy from them more And the Prophet Isaiah doth also confirm this to us again from the Lord in much the same words for the Lord saith Isa â—3 4,5,6 The day of Vengeance is in mine heart and the year of my Redeemed is come And I looked and there was none to help and I wondred that there was none to uphold therefore mine own Arm brought Salvation unto me and my fury it upheld me 6. And I will tread down the people in mine anger and make them drunk in my fury and I will bring down their strength to the Earth All which doth fully make out that the day in which the Lord doth come to judge the world in will be the day of the Restitution of all things and then will Israel be restor'd And God hath given us further Confirmation of this in Isa 62.6,7,8,11,12 where he saith I have set Watchmen upon the Walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence 7. And give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth 8. The Lord hath sworn by his right hand by the arm of his strength Surely I will no more give thy Corn to be meat for thine Enemies and the Sons of the strangers shall not drink thy Wine for which thou hast laboured 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world Say ye unto the Daughter of Sion behold thy Salvation cometh behold his reward is with him and his work before him 12. And they shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be called sought out a City not forsaken Now first in the 6th Verse the Lord tells them That he hath set Watchmen upon thy Walls O Jerusalem Which shall never hold their Peace and the Saints that are of the New Jerusalem which is above as it is said in Rev. 6.9 They cry Lord haw long In the next place that followeth is a special Command to all that make mention of the Lord not to keep silence and that we should give him no rest until he establish and make Jerusalem a praise A praise Where The Lord hath said in the Earth And in Verse 8. the Lord hath sworn to them by his Right Hand and by the Arm of his Strength the which is by the Greatness of his Power That he will give no more their Corn to be meat for their Enemies and that the Sons of Strangers shall no more drink the Wine for the which they have laboured These Promises we see are not yet made good to them and therefore doth remain to be fullfill'd to them for that God that cannot Lie hath sworn it And that this is to be perform'd on Earth is evident in as much as there is not Corn and Wine to be sowed and reaped in Heaven Now when this shall be the Lord tells us in the 11th Verse for there the Lord hath Ordered Proclamation to be made to the End of the World thereby to let us know that their Restoration is not to be in this our World for it is not there said That the Lord hath proclaimed it to the Ends of the World but to the End of this World Say to the Daughter of Sion behold thy Salvation cometh and his Reward is with him Now it is evident that when the Lord did first come that they had not salvation and that his Reward was not with him nor their City restored to them And therefore the Lord tells them in Luke 21. where speaking of his Second Coming to judge the World he telleth them in the 24th Verse That Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the Times of the Gentiles be fullfilled That is not till the Time of the Gentiles be accomplished And therefore the Lord in Luke 4. read no more of Isa 6. than what did belong to Israel at that time Which being the first Verse of that Chapter in Isaiah which is the 18th Verse of the forementioned Chapter in Luke where it is said The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and the recovery of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised 19. And to preach the acceptable Year of the Lord. 20. And he closed the book 21. And he said unto them This Day this Scripture is fullfilled in your Ears Now the Lord at this time was sent to preach Deliverance or to foretell the Deliverance of the Captives and he was sent to recover the sight of the blind and by whom the blind Gentiles were enlightned and to set at liberty those that were bruised or bound as Isaiah hath it That is bound by Satan through the darkness of Error â—nd to preach or proclaim as Isaiah hath it the Acceptable Year of the Lord. Wherein all were invited as it is said in Mat. 11.23 The Lord there inviteth all that were weary and heavy laden to come unto kim So the Lord leaving the following words of Isaiah which was concerning himself as not belonging to them of that time And the last part of the Verse which treats of the Second Coming of the Lord. 2. Wherein it is said The Day of Vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them Beauty for Ashes and the Oyl of joy for mourning and the Garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Here you also see that the day of the Lord's Vengeance is the time of Sion's Comfort And whereas St. Peter saith There shall be New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness This hath its special Reference to the New Ruling Powers which are the raised Saints which are here termed the Heavens wherein dwelleth Righteousness And the New Earth is the Restored Jews with the rest of the Promised Elect. In which Earth will dwell Righteousness But as to the Massy Lump of Earth of it self is neither capable of doing right or wrong And as for Righteousness dwelling
is the Covenant set down that the Lord will make with the House of Israel in Ver. 31,33 After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people v. 34. 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 unto the greatest of them saith the Lord For I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sins no more v. 35. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roar the Lord of Hosts is his Name V. 36. If those Ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the Seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever V. 37. Thus saith the Lord if Heaven ahove can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the Seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. V. 38. Behold the days come saith the Lord and the City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hananiel unto the gate of the Corner V. 40. And the whole valley of the dead Bodies and the Ashes and all the Fields unto the Brook Kidron unto the corner of the Horse-Gate toward the East shall be holy unto the Lord it shall not be plucks up nor thrown down any more for ever Now whereas the Lord saith behold the days come that the City shall be built Now the Lord does not here say the day is come but the days come by which the Lord comprehends the days of two thousand years or thereabouts and then their City shall be built for it is said a thousand year is with the Lord as one day and therefore the Lord speaking in many places of things that are to come as tho they were present Of which Divine Duhartus speaking of God saith that his mighty Voice speaks in the midst of thunder causing the Rocks to Rock and Hills to Tear calling the things that are not as tho they were Now what is spoken of this City of certain is not ment of that which was built at the return out of the Babilonian Captivity First That the dimentions of it is far larger than ever Jerusalem was yet built Secondly That this Jerusalem shall be called Holy unto the Lord. Thirdly It shall not be pluckt up nor thrown down any more for ever And therefore it is to be rebuilt at the restitution of all things At which time all these wonderful promises shall be made good to Israel And the Lord also saith in Jerem. 32.37 Behold I will gather them out of all countries whither I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them again into this place and cause them to dwell safely 38. And they shall be my people and I will be their God 39. And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their Children after them 40. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me 41. Yea I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole Soul Jer. 33.14 Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah 15. In those days and at that time I will cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David and he shall execute Judgment and righteousness in the Land 16. In those days shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely Here you see in those forementioned verses is contained Gods everlasting covenant with Israel after they are again re-establish'd they shall never more be cast off Whereby we see they stand with greater security then our first parents did in paradice And therefore the making good of these promises must be at the restitution of all things At which time they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and his brother but that they then shall be all taught of God from the least of them to the greatest of them And God also tells them in Isa 60.21 Thy people 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 22. A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in its time And it is said in v. 14. of the same Chap. The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despise thee shall bow themselves down at the Soles of thy Feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the holy one of Israel Now whereas God saith in Isa 4.5 And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem Now by these words it does appear to have its meaning at the coming of the Lord that those that then are found written among the living shall there continue alive and remain in Jerusalem the which will be as it is inhabited with several sorts of people And the words that are in the following verse makes it so out where 't is said v. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of burning v. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon all her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence v. 6. And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from the storm and from the rain By these following words you see that Jerusalem was not then purged from her filthiness when the Lord said they should be called holy that were written among the living in Jerusalem And also there may then be some Achan in the Camp of Judah the which may be taken off before they come to their glorious settlement as never to be cast out of the favour of God any more over whom God hath promis'd there should be this glory that is before mention'd a Tabernacle
for a shadow to them in the day time from the heat and for a covert from the storm and from the rain Of which Tabernacle I shall speak more to hereafter Now whereas it is in some places of Scripture set down the first coming of the Lord with his second coming whereby it hath made those Scriptures appear more dark to the Reader but it is no other than as the Kingdom of Christ is intermixt in several places of the Psalms and elsewhere with the Kingdom of David and Solomon and whilst some lie poring on these places they leave Twenty nay many more clear Texts of Scripture unregarded whereas they should look in all places to the Scriptures way of speaking But I must needs own that a false receiv'd Opinion does mightily blind the Understanding And also in that it is the ordinary way of Scripture speaking both in the Old and New Testament of things that are decreed shall be done to mention them as though they were already done the which does something darken the meaning of it to the Reader But the Omnipotent God looking on all things that he has determined to be done in time to be as though it were already done But when we find it hath not been done it remains sure and certain to us that it will be done being promised by that God and Lord that cannot lie Neither will he perform his promise unto us by the halves But when I consider the Strong Promises of God to Israel even to both the Houses of Jacob which are scattered through the Face of the whole Earth that he will again restore them and that all these wonderful Blessings shall be then made good unto them in their own Land and to their Children after them and that they should have all the good things of this Life and that in such a wonderful manner And also God having promised an Everlasting Covenant with them that he will never depart from them nor leave them to depart from him and that the City shall be built upon her own Heap and that they should continue a Nation upon the Earth as long as the Sun and Moon endureth And in that these things are set down in so many places of Scripture when they should be made good to Israel as at the day of the great slaughter when the Towers fall when a Nation shall be born at once and at the End of this World And when there is a New Heaven and Earth all which will be when the Lord comes to judge the World in the Valley of Jehoshaphat Having these plain places of Scripture it strikes me with Astonishment to think with what Darkness we have read them But whereas St. Paul saith in 1 Cor. 15.50 That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption It is true Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom which is in the Heaven of Heavens Neither as it is here said can Corruption inherit Incorruption which is Flesh and Blood with its corrupt Affections and Lust cannot inherit the Kingdom of Christ which then will be made like to Eden the Garden of God as it is said in Isa 31.3 no more than Adam could enjoy Paradice after he had sinned But as for Flesh and Blood we know he had it in the first Creation but it was his sin made him obnoxious to God for which he was cast out of Paradice But Israel when again restored will be past that danger through the Everlasting Covenant that God will then make with them when they are made partakers of the Glory that shall be revealed And St. Paul speaking of the Resurrection of the Dead saith in 1 Cor. 15.42,43,44 So also is the Resurrection of the Dead It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power 44. It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body Now the Apostle tells us that this great Change in Verse 52. will be in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 53. For this corruption must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 45. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory 56. The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law 57. But thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ We see there is no other raised here but them that truly sing O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Now whereas St. Paul saith in 1 Thes 4.13,14,15,16 I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 15. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout with the Voice of the Archangel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Now whereas St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.51,52 We shall not sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Here he saith we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump Now in these words the wicked are not included for they are never numbered with the righteous And it is said When Christ cometh the wicked shall be slain by the Sword that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord and that all Fowls were filled with their Flesh as in Rev. 19.21 Therefore not changed because they then knew a temporal Death as well as a spiritual Therefore by this word we all the Apostle doth only include those that were to bear their Testimony to the Truth as the first Churches did and as the Vaudois have remained a continual Standing Witness to the Truth If by this Change here spoken of he doth include also at that moment an Immortal Change then it doth appear to be none but the Witnesses that are said to lie in the Street
of the Great City That is they are compassed about with their Enemies of them it is said They ascended up in a Cloud and their Enemies beheld them as in Rev. 11.12 They being chose for the Glorious Tabernacle as the first Churches were For it does appear that all that are raised are not raised to the Glorious Tabernacle as I shall elsewhere prove And also when St. Paul wrote this Epistle and that of the first of the Thessalonians they were in a continual expectation of the coming of Christ insomuch that they thought he would return in their Day But when St. Paul by further Revelation found that the coming of Christ would not be so sudden he then acquainted the Church therewith as in 2 Thess 2.2,3 That ye be not soon shaken in mind nor be troubled neither by Spirit nor by Word nor by Letter as from us though the Day of Christ were at hand 3. Let no man deceive you by any means for that Day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the Son of Perdition Now by what is here said it is evident that the Lord was daily expected of them till after this time that the Apostle acquainted them with the contrary Now that there will be a Spiritual Change upon all the Elect when Christ comes is certain by all the New Covenant Promises And also Esdras saith chap. 6.26 And the men that are received shall see it who have not tasted Death from their birth and the heart of the Inhabitants shall be changed and turned into an other meaning Now whereas the Lord said in Mat. 24.40 Then shall two be in the Field the one shall be taken and the other left two women shall be grinding at the Mill the one shall be taken and the other left but he does not here tell us how But in Verse 31. he saith He shall send his Angels with a great Sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the Four winds But the Lord saith nothing in the Three Evangelists of their being caught up in the Clouds but only where the Carcase is there will the Eagles be gathered together Now this gathering together from the Four Winds doth comprehend all the Elect that will be upon the Earth at Christ's coming As the faithful Christians whom the Lord shall so find and the twelve Tribes of Israel and those other promised Elect whom the Lord will call in with them Now into these Four Winds was Judah Levy and Benjamin scattered And from these Four Winds will the Lord gather them As for the Ten Tribes they will come out of one place as in Esdras 13. where it is said they went into a far Countrey where never man dwelt Verse 45. For through that Countrey there was a great way to go namely of a Year and an half and the same Region is called Arsareth Then dwelt they there until the latter time Which in the fore part of the Chapter is when Christ comes Now in that Christ and his Apostles spake of these things darkly it was because there was a Secret in it which by this manner of speaking it has remain'd veil'd to us that the calling in of Israel should be at his second coming At which time all the wicked Christians will be cast out for as there was a secret under the Law that was veiled from the Jews so this has been a secret vail'd under the Gospel from the Christians that Israel were comprehended under the Elect. And by the Heavens and Earth that are to be destroyed is meant the wicked Powers and People and then will the material Earth be restored and renewed And whereas the Lord saith in Luke 17.31 In that day he which shall be upon the House top and his stuff in the House let him not come down to take it away and he that is in the Field let him likewise not return back Remember Lot 's wife Now the will of the Lord is such that all his should by his word and the signs be inlightned of his coming And the Lord here gives warning that they should not hanker at that day after their stuff So as to setch any thing out of the house by which words it doth appear they might have knowledge they should use such things but that they should not then regard them but to keep on praying till they are delivered out of the danger by the Angels as Lot was out of Sodom And that we should not be unmindful so to do we have given us the sad remembrance of Lots wife This warning is only to the believers for them that believe not and them that have not the word it signifies nothing to them Therefore it is said of Israel and the promised Elect Isa 66.20 Isa 60.6 That they shall be brought to Jerusalem otherways as upon Horses Camels Litters and the like and these are said to come in multitudes and to bring their Silver and Gold with them But Christ saith of the others there shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken the other left two grinding at the mill one taken and the other left Luke 17.44,45 That is the true Christians must be thus taken and the Elect being all gathered to the holy Land but the wicked are left to partake of those dreadful Judgments which the Lord will pour upon the Earth after he comes As in Rev. 9. Chap. Now there was a necessity of a secresy in these things as to the Heavens and Earth and of the calling in of Israel and Christs second coming And the Lord foreseeing that the apprehensions of the suddenness of his again coming would be a means to keep the Christians in obedience to him and love and affection one to the other and from being greedy of the lucre of this world but that they should alwaies live as waiting for their change for the Lord foretold us that when they should begin to think he delayed his coming they would then eat and drink with the drunken and smite their fellow Servants which in a dreadful manner they have already done but the Lord after his Ascension gave to St. John a certain knowledg of his return which was comprehended under two Heads The time of the Witnesses Prophesying and the Beasts Reigning For the Lord saith v. 11.3 I will give Power to my two witnesses and they shall Prophecy a thousand two hundred and threescore days cloathed in sackcloth And in Rev. 13.5 There is mention made of the Beast to whom the Devil gave Power and he was to continue forty and two Months Now by this Beast it doth not only appear to be the Pope but also it may be meant by the first great Councils that did Afflict the Church Now the Witnesses Prophesying a thousand two hundred and sixty days cloathed in Sackcloth is exactly the two and forty Month the Beast is to Reign For two and forty Months Reckoning thirty days to
a Month according to the Egyptian Account it doth just amount to one thousand two hundred and sixty days of years at which time the Lord will come and then the Beast shall be taken and cast alive into a Lake burning with Fire and Brimstone and the Devil bound up and then will be the first Resurrection of which St. John speaks in Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they that sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshiped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years 5. But the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished this is the first Resurrection V. 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years It is said in Isa 1.26 where God telleth them I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness the Faithful City Pray mark the Words Here the Lord doth not tell them that they should have such Judges as they had at the first and such Counsellors as they had at the beginning but that the Lord would restore them Judges that they had at the first and those Counsellors which were at the beginning Therefore the Lord said unto Daniel in Chap. 12.13 But go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in thy Lot at the end of the days Now the Lord in the fore part of the Chapter tells him of the end of the world and what shall then happen and also tells him that he shall rest and stand in his Lot at the End of the Days Here the Lord doth not tell him that he shall stand in his Lot at the End of his Days but at the End of the Days after he has rested which is at the Resurrection By this of Daniel it doth further clear to us the first Resurrection on whom the second Death shall have no Power but that they shall be Priests of God and Christ and reign with him a thousand years And Isaiah saith Chap. 24.23 Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously Not that Christ and his Saints shall reign no longer than the Thousand Years but that the Visible Glory may not so eminently appear among them after Satan is loosed that thereby he may accomplish his final Overthrow when he has deceived his Gog and Magog of which I shall speak more to in another place Whereas the Angel saith Rev. 10.6 That there should be time no longer That is no longer time for this wicked World to have Power and time of Repentance for their time should be no longer But there will be a glorious Time for the People of God in the renewed Heavens and Earrh when the Lord reigneth And as there will be another World so another Generation and another Time Of which times the Lord saith in Esdras 9.6 The Times also of the Highest have plain beginnings in wonders and powerful workings and endings in Effects and Signs The Lord grant that we may be awakened by the Signs of the End which End is now approaching And in John Martha said to the Lord concerning her brother chap. 11.24 Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day The which last Day is the last day of this wicked World and when this World shall be judged For the Saints are raised before the Wicked are condemned Therefore by this last day must be meant the last day of their Time For to take it otherwise it cannot be for it is said when this World is past that Day and Night lasteth for ever and for ever as in Revelations where the Devil receives his Last Judgment he is there said to be cast into Hell to be tormented day and night for ever and for ever The same is said of God That he liveth for ever and for ever Rev. 4.9 And as to what St. Paul saith in 1 Thess 1.5 VVhich is a manifest Token of the Righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer Verse 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9. VVho shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power 10. VVhen he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Now whereas he saith counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which they did also suffer In answer to which it is said in Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Verse 17. Saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Verse 18. And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy Name small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the Earth Now it is at this time when the Lord cometh that the Kingdoms of this World will become the Kingdoms of God and Christ And it is then God will give Rewards to his Servants at which time the wicked Worldlings that are dead in sin will be judged and then shall they be destroyed which destroyed the Earth which Earth is their fellow brethren upon the Earth And also by the words of St. Paul before mentioned it is when the Lord shall be revealed that then to the wicked will be recompensed Tribulation and to the Saints Rest and Consolation And when God and Christ have taken possession of the Kingdom then shall the Saints reign on the Earth as in Rev. 5.10 And hast made us unto God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth And according to this it is said in Ephes 2.7 And also in 1 Pet. 2.9 Where he mentions those things which are to come as if they were present which way of speaking is often used in
Scripture And the like is in Dan. 7.27 And in 2 Tim. 4.8 It is said The Crowns are given in that day to all them that love his appearing For now it is said in Rev. 6.9 The Souls are under the Altar Now in the next place we are to take notice who are those that do chiefly fall under this everlasting Punishment mentioned by St. Paul in 2 Thess 1.6,8,9 which in especial manner appears to be those rhat were the Afflictors of the the Servants of God as in Verse 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you By which we see these will be the great sharers of his Wrath when the Lord comes as in verse 8. In flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9. VVho shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Now altho he saith this of them that know not God Now those are said not to know God that in works deny him in not obeying the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Now this word was more particularly directed to them that would not have a practical Knowledg of God and of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as to be obedient thereunto Now that this Condemnation did not extend to all that had not the knowledg of God and of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is evident for in his words there is not all expressed for he did not say of all them that knew not God and all them that knew not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ but to them chiefly that knew it and would not obey it for the Lord saith he that knoweth not his Masters Will and doeth it not shall be beaten with fewer stripes For St. Paul also knew that the Jews that neither did know nor obey the Gospel were to be called in at the coming of the Lord is evident by what is said in Rom. 11.25,26 That when the fulness of the Gentiles be come in then all Israel should be saved He saith according as it is written in Isa 59. read there from the V. 14. to the end of the Chapter in which is contained Christ's coming to Judgment and the Redemption of his People and it is at that time when he comes to Mount Sion That he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And then will the rest of the promised Elect be gathered in Now when the Lord was upon the Earth he did not in the plain Letter of the Word either bid us pray for Jerusalem or the Conversion of the Jews but in the Second and Third Petitions of that Prayer that he taught us they are both included Where he saith Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven For the Lord knowing that Israels time to be restored would not be until his Second Coming at which Time should be the Restitution of all Things And then will the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ And then will Israel be restored and the promised New Covenant made with them And then will the Will of the Lord be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven and this the Lord would have us to pray for before we ask our daily bread for the Time was not so absolutely determined but that the days may be shortned And the Lord said to Esdras Pray for few days unto you And Christ in Matth. 24.22 saith For the Elect's sake those days shall be shortned And St. Peter speaking of Christ's second coming in Acts 3.19,20,21,22,23 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you 21. VVhom the Heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began 22. For Moses truly said to the Fathers a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you 23. And it shall come to pass that every Soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people Here the Apostle absolutely tells us The Lord will again come and then will the Times of Restitution be the which he saith hath been declared by all the Prophets and by them I here prove the same unto you And in 2 Esdras 11.37 And I beheld and lo as it were a roaring lion chased out of the wood And I saw that he sent out a mans voice unto the eagle and said V. 38. Hear thou I will talk with thee and the highest shall say unto thee V. 39. Art not thou it that remaineth of the four beasts whom I made to reign in my world that the end of their times might come through them V. 46. That all the earth may be refreshed and may return being delivered from thy violence and that she may hope for the judgment and mercy of him that made her Now we have all of us been under a very great mistake as to our Lord 's coming to judgment taking his coming to judg the World for that last and final Judgment spoken of in Rev. 20.12 wherein the Dead both small and great shall stand before the Throne of God At which time the Sea and Hell and Death shall deliver up their Dead which are in them But when Christ comes to Judg the World there is mention made of no such thing But whereas St. Paul saith in the 2 Tim. 4.1 That the Lord Jesus Christ shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Here we must not forget whom the Lord calls Dead it is also them that are dead in sin and it is those Dead wirh the living Saints and restored Jews that he will first Judg. And whereas it is said in his Kingdom pray take notice of the word Kingdom which Kingdom would be but of a short continuance were it but for a natural day therefore it is said that he must Reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his feet which is till the last general Judgment when the Sea Hell and Death shall deliver up their Dead Now as to what our Lord saith concerning his coming Matth. 25.31 when the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory V. 32. And before him shall be gathered all Natiions and he shall seperate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Now whereas the Lord saith he shall fit upon the Throne of his Glory which words argue a continuance of some considerable time upon his Throne And the Lord here
and lying wonders in that they say Lord Lord have we not Prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works All which does fully make out it is those that makes a profession of Christ but in their Works deny him which are here in a more particular manner shut out And in the Revelations it is said The Vine is first trod in the Wine-press of God's wrath Mat. 25.30 VVhere the Lord in the parable of the three men to whom the Talents were given it was he that improved not his Talent whom the Lord commanded should be cast into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth The Lord also saith in Luke 19.12,14,15,27 A certain Nobleman went into a far Countrey to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return 14. But his Citizens hated him and sent a Messenger after him Saying we will not have this man to reign over us 14. And it came to pass when he was returned having received the Kingdom The Lord saith Verse 27. But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Now as to whom this Sentence of Condemnation is passed it doth also in a particular manner figure out the Christians to us in that they have the knowledge of the Lord and would not have him to reign over them And the Lord doth not here make mention of the crying sins of the Times for the Scriptures do fully make manifest that they shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21.8 But the Lord to undeceive them that think they shall be happy when indeed they shall be miserable Therefore it is said That it is not him that confesseth the Lord with his mouth and in his works deny him and that it is not onely the shuning the doing evil Which so few does now adays But we must also learn to do well for if we Christians are not found ready with grace in our hearts at his coming we shall be shut out like the foolish Virgins from those heavenly nuptials with the Lord the Bridegroom of Souls Now whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 13.34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables and without a parable spake he not unto them 35. That it might be fullfilled which was spoken by the prophet Saying I will open my mouth in parables I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world And in the 36th Verse 't is made mention of the Disciples coming to the Lord saying Declare unto us the parable of the Tares of the field 37. He answered and said unto them He that soweth the good Seed is the Son of Man 38. The Field is the world the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the wicked One. 39. The Enemy that soweth them is the Devil the Harvest is the end of this world the Reapers are the Angels 40. As therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world 41. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity 42. And cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth 43 Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Now here we see this is the Interpretation of the Parable wherein we are to take notice that the Tares are the Seed of the Wicked One and according to the saying of St. Peter the World that is to be burnt Pray take notice where this Kingdom is from whence all things that offend and do Iniquity is to be pluckt out you see it is here upon this Earth Now by this you may more clearly see which are the Heavens and Earth which are to be destroyed by the fiery indignation of the Lord's Displeasure And we ought to take notice of the Words of the Lord in that he saith he would open his Mouth in Parables and he would utter things that have been kept secret from the Foundation of the World Which is That the Glory of the Righteous shall be when the Wicked World shall be destroyed Whose Executioners are said to be the Angels For although these things were hinted to them in Old Time by the Prophets yet Israel apprehended them not no more than that of Christ coming to suffer And like us that have been ignorant in these great matters as to the Sayings of Christ and his Apostles And whereas the Lord saith The Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of his Father he also saith in John 10.30 I and my Father are one Now seeing that Christ and the Father are One the Kingdom that is the Son 's must be the Father 's also And it is said Rev. 11.15 The The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ And in Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Verse 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell with all the Nations that forget God Verse 18. For the needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Now Christ by these words Wheat Sheep and Elect thereby leaves himself scope for to take in whom he pleases at his coming the which will be those people which the Prophets have prophesied of with the poor that are said to be fetch'd in at the coming of the Lord. But by what the Lord saith it is evident that there will be something found in them to distinguish them from the Wicked of the World But as for the Christians that forget God they must look to be turned into Hell as it is said Now it is these and the like places that have cast a Veil over our Faces or Apprehensions in taking the Elect which is to be called in at the coming of the Lord for the Saints which attend him from Heaven and for the Witnesses that meet him in the Clouds of Glory the which then will descend from Heaven and is the place which the Lord said he would prepare for them and then come again and receive them to himself Joh 14.3 This being the Tabernacle which the Lord shall pitch and not man 1 Pet. 1.4,5 Of which I shall speak more in another place But as for those that were before mentioned The Lord there saith it is all the Nations that shall be gathered before him And it is evident that the Saints in Henven are not termed the Nations neither the Damned that are in the infernal Regions And also the Wicked is to be gathered out of this Kingdom of his And therefore this Kingdom of his must be upon the Earth
shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of Herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past 21. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity The earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain That it is as well those that are Spiritually Dead in Sin wherein by the Lord 's saying Men is comprehended the whole Man both Soul and Body The Soul being already Dead and the Body daily dying Now when these dead Men shall Live he farther tells us it shall be when his dead body shall arise which is in the first Resurrection as I have proved by Scripture And as to the Body of the Saints you see they are not termed Men because the better part of them is alive and united to the Lord of Glory Upon which the Lord terms the dead Bodies of the Saints to be his dead Body And that this rising is at the first Resurrection is further cleared in that he then tells us the Earth shall cast out the Dead In the following verse the Lord instructeth his People that then shall be on the Earth to hide them for a little moment until the indignation be over past that is not to appear much in the World either in pompous splendor Action or Labour But in a more particular manner to secure themselves in himself and that the more we see the day approaching At that time when the Lord cometh to Punish the Inhabitants of the Earth he also then will punish the Leviathan and slay the Dragon that is in the Sea By this we see that Isaiah gives us the same account as St. Paul and St. John does as concerning the destruction of the beast and the binding of Satan And God speaking to Ezekiel of the Restoration of Israel and of the Resurrection saith in the 37 c. where he shewed him the Valley of dead bones which were very many and very dry and they are represented to him how they came together all in figurative way after which the Lord opens to him the meaning thereof as in v. 11. God said unto him Son of Man these bones are the whole House of Israel Behold they say our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts V. 12. Therefore Prophesy and say to them thus saith the Lord God behold O my people I will open your Graves and cause you to come up out of your Graves and bring you into the land of Israel V. 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your Graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves V. 14. And shall put my Spirit in you and ye shall live and I shall place you in your own Land then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it saith the Lord. V. 15. The word of the Lord came again unto me saying V. 16. Moreover thou Son of Man take thee one stick and write upon it for Judah and for the Children of Israel his companions then take another stick and write upon it for Joseph the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions V. 17. And joyn them one to another into one stick and they shall become one in thine hand V. 21. Say unto them thus saith the Lord God behold I will take the Children of Israel from among the Heathen where they be gone and I will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land Now here you see again by this what was the meaning of the dry bones the which the Lord declared to him was the whole House of Israel that is the whole of them that are to be saved for St. Paul saith they are not all Israel that are of Israel But this Promise was made to them that then said we are cast off that they were a part of the whole Body which should arise out of their Graves and be made partakers of the Resurrection and be united to their Head and Husband at which time the two Families of Israel should be gathered together from among the Heathen and be made one People for ever And Isa saith in the 66. c. 8. v. Who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such a thing shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Sion Travelled she brought forth her Children V. 9. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord shall I cause to bring forth and shut up the Womb saith thy God v. 10. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that Love her rejoyce for joy with her all yâ— that Mourn for her v. 11. That ye may suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolations that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abnndanâ—… of her Glory v. 12. For thus saith the Lord behold I will extend peace to her like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream then shall ye suck ye shall be born upon her sides and be dandled upon her knees v. 13. As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem v. 14. And when you see this your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his Servants and his indignation towards his enemies v. 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of Fire v. 16. For by fire and sword will the Lord plead with all Flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many Here you see that a Nation shall be born at once and at that time Israel shall rejoyce in Jerusalem When they are again re-established they nor their Seed shall never more be cast off But be the inheritors of Eternal Life Now that some will enter into this Kingdom but not by this Everlasting Covenant is evident by what God saith in Isa 19.24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assiria even a blessing in the midst of the Land V. 25. Whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless saying blessed be Egypt my people and Syria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance And in Ezek. 16.59 Thus saith the Lord God I will even deal with thee as thou hast done which hast despised the Oath in breaking the Covenant V. 60. Nevertheless I will remember my Covenant with thee in the days of thy youth and I will establish unto thee an Everlasting
there committed and in that it is termed Egypt is because Egypt was the place where the Children of Israel was so cruelly oppressed and in that it is termed the place where the Lord was Crucified is not only because he was Crucified by the Roman Power but their daily Crucifying of him in that they say it is the real Body and Blood of our Lord that they continually distribute amongst themselves So this Edom is not the real Land of Esau but the figurative one for as I before shewed you that the real Land of Esau is to be inhabited by them of the South but these figurative ones made a desolation And why it is said for their violence against the Children of Judah Now it was the real Egypt an Idumea which did most afflict the Natural Seed of Jacob. Now it is evident that the true Christians that are taken in to be of the Seed of Abraham must come in through Crist who is of the Tribe of Judah And it is these of Judah also that this Egypt Idumea and Babylon have been the Afflictors and Murderers of And the Prophet Joel saith in Joel 3.10,21 But Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from Generation to Generation V. 21. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth in Sion Then shall Jerusalem be rebuilt and continue from Generation to Generation by which we see in this glorious time there will be Marrying and giving in Marriage by the continuance of Generations here spoken of And then the Lord at that time when he comes again will cleanse their Blood which he hath not cleansed at which time the Lord will dwell in Sion which Sion may be comprehended under at wofold meaning as the glorious Tabernacle where he will dwell from which he will descend to the real Mount Sion And at that time will the Lord make the place of the Soles of his Feet glorious as it is said Isa 60.13 And then it is that the Promise will be made good to Abraham That in thee and thy Seed all the Families of the Earth shall be called blessed Now they are not so but at that time it will be so Now whereas the Lord in the same chap. of Joel speaketh of the Enemies of the Children of Judah and the Children of Jerusalem that they sold them to the Grecians that they might remove them far from their Borders The Lord saith of the Enemies of Judah in V. 8. I will sell your Sons and your Daughters into the Hands of the Children of Judah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people far off for the Lord hath spoken it Now the Sabeans are of Sheba the which People is foretold of by the Prophet from the Lord Isa 60.6 That they should find Mercy at that time when Israel is again restored Now these that have been the Oppressors of Judah although they themselves that are left unconverted till the coming of the Lord are to be destroyed yet their Children we here see are not to be cut off with their Parents but are said that then they should be sold to be Servants to a People whom the Lord will then receive into Mercy Now these are to be servants to them that are servants to Israel for God saith in Isa 6.12 The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted And the Lord saith in Zeph. 3.7 I said surely thou wilt fear me Thou wilt receive instruction so their dwellings should be cut off howsoever I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings Here we see God had not forsaken Israel if they had not first forsaken him and therefore now they must wait until it is his time to be gracious unto them as in v. 8. of the before-mentioned Chapter Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation even all my fierce Anger for all the Earth shall be devoured with the Fire of my jealousie 9. For then will I turn to the People a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent 10. From the Rivers of Ethiopia my Supplicants even the Daughters of my dispersed shall bring mine Offering 11. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me for then will I take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoyce in thy pride and thou shalt be no more haughty And I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor People and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their Mouth for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid Here the Lord telleth Israel that he will take out from the midst of them them that rejoyce in their Pride that is he would take their enemies out of their Land and their City which was the Glory of all Lands and therefore termed Israel's Pride And the Lord saith I will leave in the midst of them an Afflicted poor People which shall trust in the name of the Lord and be partakers of the immediate Blessedness and Glory as the following words make appear Zeph. 3.14,15 c. Sing O Daughter of Sion shout O Israel be glad and rejoice with all the Heart O Daughter of Jerusalem The Lord hath taken away thy Judgments he hath cast out thine Enemies the King of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evil any more In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem fear thou not and to Sion let not thy hands be slack The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with Joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assemblies who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burden Behold at that time I will undo all that Afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I gather you for I will make you a name and a Praise among all the People of the Earth when I turn back your captivity before your Eyes saith the Lord. Here we see that at the Time that the Lord will deliver Israel his Determination is to gather the Nations and assemble the Kingdoms that he may pour upon them his fierce Anger Now as to what the Lord saith to the Prophet Ezekiel concerning the building of
are there is the Kingdom of God which Vision was a Figure of the Glory which shall be Revealed For there Christ appeared in his Glory accompanied with his Saints from Heaven and with his Living Saints on Earth and the Voice of God thereby to inform us that we might not mistake and take mean and low things for the glorious Kingdom of God and Christ of which our Lord is not yet in possession of It was then within two days before he that is now in Possession was to be turn'd out for a Thousand years is but as one day and one day as a Thousand years with the Lord nor to us a Thousand years will appear but as one day compared with Eternity Heb. 10.37 And at the appointed time he that shall come will come and will not tarry But as to what the Lord said after he arose in Matt. 28.18 Jesus came and spake unto them saying all Power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth That was He then had compleated the Purchase thereof and had the full assurance of it from the Father altho he was not in the real possession of it But it is our way of speaking and much more the Scripture way of speaking that when any thing is given us and so confirm'd on us that we cannot be disappointed of it then we say such an Estate is given us altho the other that injoys it is not at present put out of Possession The which the Apostle in Hebrews 2. doth make it more plainly appear wherein he saith in the 8. v. God hath put all things in subjection under his Feet for in that he put all things in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him but now we see not yet all things put under him That is we see not yet the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ 9. v. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of Death crowned with Glory and Honour And St. Paul saith much the same words in 1 Cor. 15.27,28 And it is also said in Heb. 10.12 This man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sin for ever sate down on the Right Hand of God 13. v. From henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool This ever signifies whilst this our World lasteth all which time he expecteth till his Enemies be made his Footstool but by these words it is fully Evident to us that his Enemies are not made his Footstool Now David was a Type of Christ and he was anointed King whereby he was assured of the Kingdom a long time before he received the Power of the Kingdom But his Followers knowing him to be the Lord 's Anointed owned him to be their Prince and King when he was not in the Possession of the Kingdom but at the time God had determined he removed his Enemies and set him on the Throne of Israel his People So Christ will not have only his suffering time with David here where none but a few shall own him to be their Prince and King But also his Reigning time on the Throne of his Father David at which time all his Enemies shall be made his Footstool and then it is that all the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ Now that the Lord does speak of things that are to come as tho they were already past I will give you one more clear proof which is in Jer. 31.15 Thus saith the Lord a Voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her Children refused to be comforted for her Children because they were not You see that this is spoken of as tho it were already done and past altho it was about five hundred years before this Prophesy was fulfulfil'd as in Mat. 2.16 Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise Men was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coast thereof from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the Wise men 17. v. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the Prophet saying 18. v. In Ramah was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her Children and would not be comforted because they are not Now Herod by Slaying these Children did think to take off the Lord of Glory but God disappointed him upon which remarkable thing Rachel was Prophesied of And also these things gives us light how to read the Scriptures as I before told you That those Prophesies and Sayings in Scripture which speak as if they were already done if we do not find they are done it remaineth good to us they shall be done Now although the Lord did say all power was given him in Heaven and in Earth yet the Lord to let us understand that his time was not yet saith in John 18.36 His Kingdom is not of this World Therefore the Lord Instructeth us in Luke 9.23 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me 24. v. For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his Life for my sake the same shall save it 25. v. For what is a man Advantaged if he gain the whole World and lose himself or be cast away 26. v. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the Holy Angels By this we see when the Lord's time will be that is when he comes to Judg the World and at the time of the Restitution of all things And the Apostle tells us Ephes 6.11,12,13,18 That our Life here must be a continual Warfare Heb. 11.13 And that the Saints are but strangers and pilgrims upon the Earth 1 Pet. 5.8,9 And that we have an Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the Faith Put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil 12. v. For we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World and against Spiritual Wickedness in high-places 13. v. Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the Evil Day He also adviseth us To be fervent in Prayer serving the Lord. And to do this let us not go out in our own strength but with strong Crying and Prayers unto our God that we may be able to stand in the evil Day And St. John perswades us 1 John 2.15,16,17 not to love the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the
Hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken 27. v. Then shall they see the son of man coming in a Cloud with power and great glory 28. v. And when these things begin to come to pass then loob up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth uigh These Words of our Lord admit of wonderful Comfort to the Saints And in all these forementioned places the Lord makes no mention of the damned being raised at his coming And the Lord saith Luke 21.31,32 When ye see these things come to pass know ye that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand 32. v. Verily verily I say unto you this Generation shall not pass away till all these things be fullfilled Now we see by these Words that the Lord doth assure us that he will come in this Generation which words of the Lord is confirmed to us by the Evangelists But you may say I desire to know the meaning of the Lord in his saying that he would come before this Generation shall pass away and since that there has been so many Generations and the Lord is not yet come As to the meaning of this Generation the Psalmist himself makes it fully out to us in Psalm 12.7 v. wherein he saith Thou shalt keep them O Lord thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever Which is as much as to say such a wicked sort of people as is now shall continue ever That is the ever of this World or as long as that lasteth In which all the Wicked God looks upon as one generation being guilty of one and the same sins as Idolatry Adultery Fornication False Swearing Prophanation of the Sabbath Druokenness Debate Deceit making a man an Offender for a Word and upon all Occasions their flight is unto the Refuge of Lies That wheresoever ye hear any almost run down so as though they were not fit to live upon the Earth it is commonly they are the Innocent Party for they that are in the Wrong think to carry off all before them with their Lies whilst the Innocent and Righteous are loth to speak the worst they know of their Adversaries taking Example by their Lord and Master And like the Angel in St. Jude durst not bring a Railing Accusation against the Devil but said The Lord rebuke thee Whilst the Wicked are raising all their Instruments to broach their Clamour of their own Inventions through Town and Countrey But the Lord saith in Isa 28.17 Judgment will I lay to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and the Hail shall sweep away the Refuge of Lies The which being the storm that at last shall carry them all away This Scripture hath its special reference to the time when the Lord cometh by the Hail that is here mentioned Now it is just with us Christians as it was with the Jews when the Lord first came that was they thought themselves secure enough they being of the Seed of Abraham So the generality of the Christians think themselves safe enough in that they are baptized and go by the Name of Christians and are of the Outward Church They rest there and think they need not concern themselves any farther Not considering that also they must put on Christ and thereby become New Creatures or else it will avail them nothing And another sort there are that think that if they get but themselves into a separate Congregation and fancy themselves elected they then think themselves past all danger The which will prove but self-deceiving And like that of the Jews who fancied themselves safe because they were of the Seed of Abraham But as to the sure Rule the which is Warrantable by Scripture to bring us to Eternal Happiness is That God requires of us our true Love to himself above all other with a filial Fear of his Majesty continually before our Eyes and in a holy Resignation of our Wills to his Law and so to walk in sincere Obedience unto him The which if we so do and so continue to do the Lord will give us 2 Tim. 4.8 at his appearing as it is written a Crown rf Righteousness for the Lord died not to save us in our sins but to save us from our sins that sin might not reign in our mortal bodies to fulfil it in the Lust thereof That is not to give liberty to any known sin let it be never so near or dear to us Now as I before shewed you God looks upon all the Wicked of this World as One Generation And again the Prophet David makes it out in Psalm 22.28,29 There speaking of Christs glorious Kingdom he saith in the 30. v. A Seed shall serve him and it shall be accounted to him for a Generation Although to our way of reckoning and the Scriptures common way of reckoning are many Generations But being made partakers of one Blessedness therefore accounted of the Lord but as One Generation And David again speaking of the time to come saith in Psalm 24.5,6 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation 6. This is the Generation of them that seek him that seek thy Face O Jacob. Selah And the Lord again terms all the Wicked of this World as One Generation Luke 16.8 For the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light And the Lord saith to the like effect Luke 17.24,25 For as the lightning that lightneth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall also the Son of man be in his day 25. v. But he must suffer many things and be rejected of this Generation Here the Lord tells us of the visible Glory that he shall have in his day which is the day in which he shall Judge the World which is the day of the Thousand Years But first he faith he must suffer many things and be rejected of this Generation Wherein by this Generation he includes the Wicked of this World which will continue till he again comes And having further proof of this in Tob. 14.5 where he declared to his Son before his Death That again God would have mercy on them and bring them again into their own Land where they should build a Temple but not like the first until the time of that Age he fullfilled That is that Generation or that Age or such a sort of People their time be accomplisht After which he saith They should return from all places of their Captivity and build up Jerusalem gloriously The Lord foreseeing what Darkness we were like to fall under and in especial manner as to that concerning his coming and therefore the Lord doth assure us he will come in this Generation After which he saith Heaven and Earth shall pass away but his word shall not pass away That is the Wicked Powers and People shall pass away Of
which the Lord for our better inlightning tells us in Mat. 13.52 That every Scribe that is well instructed bringeth out of his Treasury things New and Old That is for the better understanding of the New Testament we must search the Old For indeed they both give light the one to the other And as to the meaning of the Lord in his saying this generation I was ignorant of how to apprehend it And being formerly asked by a Gentleman that had no belief of the Bible how I could since my Lord had so falfyfied his word in his promise as concerning his coming in that generation and since there has been so many generations and the Lord is not yet come At which time I could not give him a satisfactory answer neither any that could prove so to my self At which I was much troubled altho it did no way shake my belief in the Lord as not to believe him to be the Son of God and as being so he had made satisfaction for all them that truly love and fear him for through Mercy I had had those Experiences of the Lord unto me that I was not staggered therein notwithstanding my trouble was very great that my Lord should be termed a Deceiver in being worse than his word After which a considerable time I hearing of the Earth-quakes and the Cities of the Nations falling I thought it my best way to take the Lords Advice and search the Scriptures with more diligence than ever and I earnestly besought the Lord with Prayers that he would inlighten my Understanding therein And blessed be God he hath granted my request and not only so but having found out these several places the which are and will be standing witnesses to my Lord to prove that he hath not falsified his word to us in the Promise of his Coming but that he will certainly come in this Generation whose coming is just at hand which will be the day in which Christ will Judg the World and give rewards to his Servants at which time there will be none of these Corruptions for St. Paul and Esaras saith they shall be changed 2 Esd 6.26,27 The men that are received shall see it who have not tasted Death from their Birth and the Hearts of the Inhabitants shall be changed and turned into another meaning for evil shall be put out deceit shall be quenched as for faith it shall flourish and corruption shall be overcome and truth which hath been so long without fruit shall be declared Then will the saying of the Angel to the Blessed Virgin be made good concerning Christ as in Luke 1.32,33 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Now the Throne of his Father David was on Mount Sion and Jerusalem And Christ saith to Nathanael in John 1.51 Hereafter you shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man When this eminent Glory of Christ shall be Revealed then also will come to pass the saying of the Apostle as in Ephes 2.7 That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus This exceeding Riches of the Grace of Christ will be manifested toward them in the World to come Of which World to come shall proceed Ages and Generations And God saith of Israel in Isa 45.17,18 Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded World without end For thus saith the Lord that Created the Heavens God himself that formed the Earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vain he formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is none else And St. Paul instructing the Church by Timothy saith 1 Tim. 6.19 That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life We see here is another time spoken of and if it's time it is then before Eternity and so before the final Judgment wherein 't is said the Sea Hell and Death shall deliver up their Dead And whereas there is spoken of three Generations and three Worlds and three Times the which three ways of expressing includes one and the same thing and that there will be a time wherein the Glory of the Righteous shall be reveal'd as there has been times wherein they have been despised and therefore St. Paul saith Rom. 8.18,19,20,21,22 But I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 19. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God 20. For the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now Here the Apostle speaketh in the usual Scripture way in that he mentions that which is to come as tho it were then present the which by his following words he doth so explain himself as in the 23. v. where he saith And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our Body 24. For we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he hope for 25. But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it As concerning this Hope the Lord puts forth the Parable in Luke 19.12,16,17 He said therefore a certain noble man went out into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return By this we see the Lord was to return again when he had received the Power of the Kingdom and then he will give here rewards to his Servants according to their diligence imployed in his Service as in the 16. and 17. v. Then came the first saying Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds And he said unto him well thou good servant because thou hast been faithful in a very little have thou Authority over ten Cites And here we see according to the improvement of the Talent he gives us so will his rewards be for the God of Judgment will not be such a partial Judg as some has thought him But the Judg of all the World will do right Now by the Parable that the Lord put forth concerning the Wedding
Nations that come against Jerusalem 10. v. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born Here in these verses the Lord tells us that at the restoration of Jerusalem the weak Saint shall be as the house of David and the house of David shall be as God That is as David was King over them so will Christ the Lord who is as God And then shall they see him whom they have pierced As also it is said in Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with the Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all the Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Now it will be when the Lord comes in the Clouds of Heaven that they shall see him whom they have pierced And the people shall mourn apart as in Zach. 12.12 The land shall mourn every Family apart the Family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the Family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart 13. v. The Family of the house of Levy apart and their wives apart the Family of Shinei apart and their wives apart all the Families that remain every Family apart and their wives apart Here we see there is no mention made of the Mourning of them of Juda which is spoken of in the 7. v. by which it does more plainly appear to be the true Christians they coming in by the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah And it is said in Esdras 5.8 There shall be a confusion also in many places and fire shall be oft sent out again Which Word of the Lord is made good by the often repeated fires that he has lately sent out of Mount Etna and Vesivius And it is now according to what is said in Esdras 5.12 At the same time shall men hope and nothing obtain they shall labour but their ways shall not prosper And also it is said in Esdras 6.24 At that time shall Friends fight one against another like Enemies and the Earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein the Springs of the Fountains shall stand still and in three hours they shall not run Now whereas it is said the Earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein Which Earth is the Earth of people which stands in fear of those Armies which are amongst them And as for the Springs of the Fountains standing still they did so at Taurmins and thereabouts in the year 1694. And also the Springs of Water were stopt for some time in Jamaica in the great Earthquake This Book of Esdras has been laid aside because they apprehended not the Restoration of the Jews should be at the Judgment of this World and their Glory to be in the Renewed Heaven and Earth at Christ's Second Coming Although it is all along declared to be so both in the Old and New Testament but in some places more veil'd Now this Esdras is the same which is called Ezra in that Book set down in the Bible before Nehemiah For in Ezra 10th chap. the 9 16 and 17. verses is exactly the same with that in the first Book of Esdras the 9th chap. 5 6 16 and 17. verses As to the difference of the Name the Prophets are not in the New Testament named as they are in the Old Testament Now since the Signs are come which the Lord hath given us to prepare our Hearts for him that thereby we may be continually upon our Watch longing and waiting for his coming and that we may be found of him in peace and not of the Tares that are said in the Parible to be bound in bundles and cast into the Fire of Hell I shall now here speak of the new Jerusalem which is spoken of in Rev. 21.1 wherein St. John saith He saw a new Heaven and a new Earth For he tells us that the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away And in the 6. c. from the 13. v. to the 17. he tells us there of Stars falling the Heavens being rolled together and also every Mountain and Island were moved out of their places and the Kings of the Earth and the great men the Rich Men the chief Captains the mighty men every bound man and every free man hid themselves in Dens and Rocks of the Mountains and said to the Rocks and Mountains fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wraâ—h is come and who shall be able to stand I shall not here inlarge upon it because I have already proved it unto you what are the Heavens that will be rolled together whilst the Kings of the Earth for some time remain upon the Earth to be ruled with a rod of Iron till dashed to pieces like a Potters Vessel That is those wicked Kings that have been the Afflictors of the Servants of Christ and so continue without repentance until the Lord comes Here we may see that the writings of this Book by this place and others has been very much misplaced in that they have set down the great day of the Wrath of the Lamb and the destruction of the World before the rice of the Beast And in the 14. chap. from the 15. v. to the 20. it treats of the Earth being Reaped and also the Vine of the Earth being reaped was cast into the Wine-press of the wrath of God which Wine-press was trod without the City Thus the Earth with the Vine of the Earth being reaped are the Heavens and Earth which are said to pass away And in the 20. v. it is said the Wine-press is trod without the City And in Rev. 22.14,15 it is said Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City For without are Dogs and sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie This City here mentioned being the City spoken of in the 14. c. at the 20. v. Where the Wine-press is said to be trod without the City And the 14. chap. is much misplaced by reason it is set before the Fall of Babilon And also the two last Chapters are misplaced which treats of the New Jerusalem in that they have placed them beyond the final and last Judgment For this New Jerusalem being the City without which the Wine-press was trod And without which were Dogs and Sorcerers Now had this City been after the final Judgment it would not have been said without were whoremongers and Idolaters Sorcerers and the like for such being in Hell have then no such term for then they
Arise shine for thy light is come and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee For behold darkness shall cover the Earth and gross darkness the People but the Lord shall rise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee For as the Lord is said in Numb 14.14 to be over Israel in a Cloudy Pillar when he delivered them out of Egypt which was but a Figure of the great deliverance to come at which time the Lord will be in the Clouds and his Spouse his chief raised Saints with him This Tabernacle Covert or City is said to be twelve thousand furlongs not only in length and breadth but the same in heighth by which it does appear that the top thereof may reach to Heaven and that the Heavens may remain open above it as it was when it descended until this Glory that shall be Revealed be drawn up again and that the Throne of God in the highest Heavens may be placed over Mount Sion That as it is said in Gen. 28.12 That the Ladder which Jacob saw set upon the Earth the top of which reached to Heaven and that the Angels of God did ascend and descend upon it and the Lord God stood above it By which it doth appear that this Ladder will prove the white Clouds and that the Top of them will reach to Heaven whilst one part of them may extend so low as Mount Sion and these appear to be the Ladder upon which the Angels ascended and descended upon the Son of Man as the Lord saith John 1.51 Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man The which words of the Lord in saying that you shall see the Heavens open doth seem to signify the continuance of their remaining open for some time And St. John saith Rev. 21 22. He saw no Temple in this City which came down from Heaven for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it 23. And the City had no need of the Son neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the lamb is the Light thereof Now if the Heavens be open over this City and the Throne of God just above it as it is said of the Ladder God stood at the top of it then must the Glory of God inlighten this City as well as the Lamb is the light thereof And according to all these places of Scripture it doth so appear to be neither can it properly be said that there is a distinction of Glory between the Father and the Son for Christ saith to the Father in John 17.5 Glorify thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Therefore where the Glory of the Son is there is the Glory of the Father also And St. John speaking of the Angel saith Rev. 22.1 He shewed me a pure River of water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Now we read nothing of the Holy Ghost but whereas it is said This River proceeded out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and it is said of the Spirit to proceed from the Father and the Son and the Lord termeth the Holy Spirit to Water in John 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of Water springing up into everlasting life And the Lord farther saith in John 7.38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water 39. But this spake the Lord of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive And in Isa 44.3 God saith I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thy Off-spring And in Psal 46.4 There is a River the streams thereof shall make glad the City of the most High Therefore this River here spoken of the which proceedeth from the Throne of God and of the Lamb must be meant of the Spirit And it is said of this Heavenly City Rev. 22.3 There shall be no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it 4. And they shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their foreheads These words shew that the Saints will always be about the Throne both in the time that is to come and also in Eternity And to what Isaiah saith in the 60. c. which treats of the Heavenly Jerusalem and also of the new Earthly one For it is there said the Lord shall rise upon thee 3. v. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising By which it does appear that the Gentiles and Kings that is as many of them as have had an interest in Christ and are departed this World shall come to the brightness of their Rising or Glory the which is in the Jerusalem which comes down from Heaven And from the 4. v. of the same Chap. to the 18. it treats of them that are to be call'd in with the Jews at the second coming of the Lord. But it is said 9. v. Surely the Isles shall wait for me Now this waiting could not be at Christ's first coming for then the Isles had no knowledg of the Lord and therefore could not be said to wait for him they knew not And in the 19. and 20. verses of this 60. chap. speaking of the Heavenly Jerusalem where it is said The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God the Glory 20. Thy Son shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the days of thy mourning shall be ended And in the 21. v. it speaks of the People of Israel Thy People 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 22. v. A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in his time Here the Prophet speaks of the People of Israel who in a more peculiar manner belongeth to this City that they should be all righteous and that they shall Inherit the Land for ever and that they should multiply therein and increase and that this should be in its time which will be at the Restitution of all things and then will there be a new Earthly Jerusalem built upon her own heap as Jer. 30.18 And then as the Lord sath Isa 54.12 I will make thy windows of Agates and thy Gates of Carbuncles and all thy Borders of pleasant Stones According to this Tobit
saith 13. c. 15. v. Let my Soul bless God the great King 16. For Jerusalem shall be built up with Saphires and Emeralds and Precious Stones thy Walls and Towers and Battlements with pure Gold 17. And the streets of Jerusalem shall be Paved with Beril and Carhuucle and Stones of Ophir 18. And all her streets shall say Alleluja and they shall praise him saying blessed be God which hath extolled it for ever Now in this Earthly Jerusalem there is said to be a Temple as in Ezek. 47.1 Where the waters are said to come from under the Threshold Now when the Lord cometh to Judg the world and to deliver Israel then will his Elect be gathered to the Holy Land And it is said in Isa 32.19 When it shall hail coming down on the Forrest the City shall be low in a low place Here the People is term'd the City according to that in Isa 62.12 where Israel is treated A City sought out and not forsaken This Hail is the horrible Tempest spoken of Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest shall be the portion of their Cup. Now altho the Wicked are for some time left upon the Earth after the Lord comes to receive the Punishments the Lord has appointed them upon the Earth and to behold the Glory of the Saints as it is said Psal 112.10 The wicked shall see it and be grieved he shall gnash with his Teeth and melt away the desire of the wicked shall perish Thus after the Wicked have received part of their Punishment here this forementioned horrible Tempest will sweep away all the refuge of Lies as in Isa 28.17 and in the 29. c. 20,21 v. It is said The terrible one is brought to nought and the Scorner is consumed and all that watch for iniquity are cut off That make a man aâ— offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate and turn aside the just for a thing of naught And it is said Mal. 4.1 For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven all the proud yea and all that do wicked shall he stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall leave them neither root nor branch 2. But unto them that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall Now in the time of the utter Destruction as I have show'd you then will the City be low in a low place as in Isa 32.19 When it shall Hail coming down on the Forrest and the City shall be low in a low place Which City is the People as I have elsewhere proved to you Now where this place will be the Prophet Zachary tells us Zach. 14.3 Then shall the Lord go forth and Fight against those Nations as when he fought in the day of Battle 4. And his Feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof towards the East and toward the West and there shall be a very great Valley and half of the Mountain shall remove toward the North and half toward the South 5. And ye shall flee to the Valley of the Mountains for the Valley of the Mountains shall reach unto Azal Now here by these words it doth evidently appear that Israel with the rest of the Promised Elect that will be called in at the coming of the Lord which then also will be gathered to the Holy Land and secured from the Judgments that will fall on the wicked before the sweeping Tempest cometh that carrieth them all away For when the Lord descends so far down as his Feet to stand on Monnt Olivet the mountain then cleaves asunder and then it is they fly into the Valley of the mountain For as Noah was secured in the Ark when the world was destroyed by the Flood So it doth appear that the Elect will be secured in this Valley whilst the World is destroyed by the horrible tempest of Hail Fire and Brimstone then as it is said the City shall be low in a low place And as concerning the Destruction of this World Esdras saith 2 Esd 7.29,30,31 The World shall be turned into the old silence seven days like as in the former Judgment so that no man shall remain And after seven days the World that yet awaketh not shall be raised up and that shall die that is corrupt Now whereas it is said that the world shall be turn'd into silence seven days like as the former Judgments by which it doth appear that as by the former judgments of the Rains from Heaven and with the Fountains of the great Deep being broken up from beneath by which the old World became silent and at the Destruction of this World by the words it doth appear that this will remain silent for seven days as the old World did for many more for the Waters did continue upon the Earth for some considerable time Now whereas it is said that no man should remain the which words may be taken in a twofold sence First That no man of this wicked World shall remain The second is That the Elect fleeing into Mount Olivet may there sleep whilst the Earth is destroyed and again renewed to that perfection as it was in the first Creation and Canaan made like to Eden the Garden of God And after the world has lain wast God can renew it by the Eighth and our Sabbath being on the eighth day it doth thereby seem to signify as much and the blessing was not given to the name of the Seventh day but to the Sabbath Day And altho those that are chosen for the Glorious Tabernacle are said to be changed in the twinkling of an Eye and so caught up in the Clouds but Israel and the other Elect have no such sudden Change and therefore it doth likely appear these may have their Earthly infirm Bodies Renewed at that time as the Earth is and their heart so changed as it is said in Esdras to another meaning the which is according to the word of the Lord in Rev. 21.5 And he that sate upon the Throne said behold I make all things new and he said unto me write for these words are true and faithful Here we see that the Lord will make all things New Now as some of the Chapters in Revelations are misplaced So some of the Verses of this Chapter in Esdras do certainly appear to be misplaced because the World is said to be destroyed and the Dead Raised before the most high is said to sit upon the Throne of Judgment Now after this World is thus Renewed and Restored and Jerusalem again Built then as it is said in Zach. 14.11 And men shall dwell in it and there shall be no more utter destruction but
Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited Now in that the Lord saith there will be no more utter destruction there whereby it doth appear that there will be some destroy'd but not an utter Destruction for after the thousand years the Gog and Magag will come up against Jerusalem which company will be all destroyed I have given a more full Account of this Gog and Magog where I have spoken of the very or special Elect and therefore shall not here further enlarge upon it A Prophecy of Luther 's which is wonderfully remarkable and also it is worded according to the Scripture Stile LVther began to Preach the Gospel of Christ and to fall off from the Pope in the year 1515 and he Lived and Preached till 1546. and in the time of his Preaching the year is not set down he did assure them before two hundred years be expired if not sooner by the coming of the dreadful day of Judgment they be consumed that all their abominable Blasphemies Idolatries and damnable Religion will utterly be extirminated and destroyed And on the contrary we who for the sake of professing God's Holy word in truth are tormented terrified banished imprisoned and slain here on Earth by that man of Sin and God's Enemies the Antichrist and Pope of Rome at the last day with unspeakable comfort shall injoy and take possession of the Fruits of our assured hopes namely everlasting Consolation Joy and Salvation This saying of Luther's was before the former by reason he mentions that the Gospel was not at that time Preached in England when he spake this as followeth Ah Loving God said Luther come once I wait continually for that day when Early in the morning in the Spring the day and the night are alike long I see a very clear Morning Red. For these are my Cogitations whereof I purpose also to Preach that swiftly out of the morning red will come a black thick Cloud out of which will issue three flakes of Lightning afterwards there will come a clap and in a moment will strike all on a heap Heaven and Earth The Name of the Lord be praised who hath taught us to sigh and yearn after that day indeed we ought to desire the speedy approach thereof When the Turk said Luther begineth a little to decline then certainly the last day will come for then it must needs be of the necessity of the Scripture the loving Lord will come as the Scripture saith and when I come I will move Heaven and Earth and then shall come the desire of all Nations At the last there will be great Alteration and Commotion for then all the Elements shall be melted to Ashes the whole World shall be made a vast lump again as in the Begining then there shall be a New Heaven and Earth and we shall be changed but the Devil shall remain as he is for he hath nothing of the Elements as St. Paul sheweth who had great Revelations But I hope seeing the Gospel in such sort is contemned that the last day is not far two hundred years hence God's word will decrease again and fall and there will be a great darkness for want of upright faithful Servants of the Word as then the whole World will be wild and Epicurish and then the Voice will come and sound behold the Bridegroom cometh Now whereas Luther saith strike all on an heap Heaven and Earth Here he speaketh in the Scripture way of speaking terming the Powers and People to the Heavens and Earth for a great State of Power and People is term'd Heavens and an Earth as I have before show'd you in several places As the old Babilon was so termed when at the Destruction thereof it was said that the Heavens and earth were removed out of their places and this Romish Babilonian Power is also by the word said to be the Heavens and Earth And here he says they are to be struck on an Heap That is thrown down like an heap of Rubbish without any distinction of their Honour and Dignity till the Judgment of the Lord destroys them all and in that he terms it the last day his meaning is the last day of the Power of this World And as to the coming of Christ Luther hath given us for a certain sign the Turks declining the which is already come to pass and then it is he saith will be the last day of the Power of this wicked World for then Christ will come But when all the wicked are to be destroyed from off the Earth then he saith there will be great Alterations and Commotions so as the Elements will be burnt to Ashes and then will the Earth of People with the material Earth lye as a vast lump again as in the begining as in Esdras it is said Seven days and then the renewed Heavens and Earth will appear more Glorious for then the Heavens and Earth will be renewed to that Perfection as 't was in the first Creation then shall some that sleep in the dust awake as it s said in Daniel and Esdras for all that are raised do not Rise to the Glorious Tabernacle of whom Ezekiel speaks of when he saith they shall sleep in the Woods which is like unto that of Adam in Paradice Now the Elements that are here said to be burnt to Ashes are the Elements of Mans Body and this by his own way of expressing of it is made clearly Evident in that he saith the Devil shall remain as he is because he hath nothing of the Elements in him These forementioned Elements are the Elements St. Peter speaks of which shall melt with fervent Heat And of whom the Psalmist saith They shall melt as the Fat of Lambs even with smoke shall they consume away But as for the material Heavens Air Sea and Earth in the Bowels of which is inclosed Hell And for us to think that these shall be burnt to Ashes is altogether repugnant to Scripture for God hath set the Sun as I have already proved as a faithful Witness in Heaven and when the Devil is at last cast into Hell it is said Rev. 20. he was confined there day and night for ever and for ever And also it is said of the Wise in Dan. 12. They shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and for ever And it was Prophesied of Luther by Holy Men As first a Learned Frier at Eisenach named John Hilten who Prophesied touching Luther's time namely That about the year 1516 Popedom would greatly decline as God be praised was through Luther fulfilled and especially concerning Luther and touching his Powerful Teaching and Preaching John Huss Prophesied in the year 1415 as he was to be burned at Costnitz who said This day ye Rost a Goose but one hundred years hence ye shall hear a Swan Sing Huss is called a Goose and Luther a Swan him ye shall not be able to Rost nor overcome
which Gloriously was made true on Luther for in the year 1515 he began to sing and so Powerfully Preached and Wrought and Fought as since the Apostles times none hath done the like yet notwithstanding in despight of the Papists whom valiently in open fight he Encountred he lived many years afterwards and in the year 1546 departed in Peace on his bed Now in that God terms the Wicked to the Heavens and Earth and the World thereby he leaves man scope to come to Repentance whosoever so does they are then neither termed the Heavens nor the Earth nor World that is here spoken of that is to be destroyed 〈…〉 So I hope 〈…〉 by the breaking forth of the Light of Knowledg of the Coming of the Lord and by the fresh publication of the Gospel there may be Millions of Souls brought home so as to prepare for the coming of the Lord so that it may be only those that have hardned themselves in all Iniquity are to be left of God to hardness of heart and blindness of mind which may chiefly prove the Heavens Earth and World which will be destroyed by whom is chiefly included the incorigible Babilouians or Romanists whereas the Lord saith Should he find Faith on the Earth I could wish the Earth here spoken of by the Lord did only as will chiefly include those cruel Babilonians which have acted their Cruelty to the Servants of Christ and such as have given themselves up to wilful sin whereby they are left of God to hardness of Heart and blindness of mind but that all the rest of Mankind and especially them that bear the outward Name of Christ may depart from iniquity or otherwise they being they that will else fall underneath the severest Judgments And that all Mankind would seek unto God as Nineveh did and that also all them that fear his Name would stand in the gan for the People and so the 〈◊〉 of People that is to be destroyed may be â—…minished and the servants of Christ 〈…〉 creased So that Darkness might only fall on that Earth of People that hath excluded themselves from his Mercy but that the 〈…〉 mankind may keep off the Judgments 〈◊〉 against them by their Repentance as Nineveh did so that the Destruction which was threatned to be in forty days was turned to forty days of years in which Time those who were the chief Mourners were remov'd by Death and so now if we by the fresh breaking forth of the clear light of the Gospel with the Voice of the Bridegroom 's coming we so awake as to prepare for it we shall have as good success as Nineveh had for thereby the Earth of the Wicked will be decreased and the Servants of Christ increased And in that Luther doth say There shall be a Voice of the Bridegroom 's coming according to what the Angel said to Daniel altho not in the same words but to the same effect as in Dan. 12.4 But thou O Daniel shut up the words and seal the Book even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledg shall be-increased This fully shows that knowledg shall be increased at the time of the end which end is now just approaching and knowledge breaking forth at the Coming of the Lord thereby to make preparation for his coming But my Soul is troubled when I think of the Words of the Lord concerning the willful miscarriage of the Christians after they have Notice of his Coming for he saith in Luke 14.17 He sent his Servants at Supper-time to say to them which were bidden Come for all things are now ready 18. v. And they all with one accord began to make excuse being eager after the advantage of this World Here we see these might have came had they not been wanting to themselves for which the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them And here we see by the Lord as well as by Daniel and Luther that there would be notice given at the end of the time of his Coming of which the Lord saith is just at Supper-time And the Lord also said Dan. 12.9,10 And he said go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end Which plainly shews there was a Secret in it which was not to be revealed till now the end of the time And also the Lord saith in the tenth verse Many shall be purified and made white and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand And whereas it is said none of the wicked shall understand that is those that have given themselves to work iniquity shall be left of God to hardness of heart and blindness of mind And whereas it is said the Wise shall understand it is meant by them that truly fear the Lord for the fear of the Lord is said to be the beginning of Wisdom and these are those that shall not be in darkness at that day but that the signs with the opened revealed Will of God in his Word shall now alarm them to prepare for his coming Now between these there is a third sort which by the Watchmans Warning they might have the advantage of making preparation For the Watchman is set upon the Watch-Tower to warn all And if the Wicked Man die without Warning although he die in his iniquity yet his Blood will God require at the Watchmans hand according to the Word of the Lord in Ezek. 33.6,7,8 14,15 But if the Watchman see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned if the Sword come and take any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his blood will I require at the Watchmans hand 7. So thou O Son of Man I have set thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the Word at my mouth and warn them from me 8. When I say unto the Wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely die if thou dost not speak to warn the Wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand For the Lord saith in the 14th verse When I say to the Wicked thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right 15. v. he shall surely live he shall not die By this we also see that if God doth say to the Wicked thou shalt surely die yet that threatning was of force no longer than the man remained sinful But as for those sinners who by their continual custom in sin God has left to hardness of heart and blindness of mind they cannot come to amendment of Life And God saith according to this in Ezek. 33.13 When I shall say to the Righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit iniquity all his Righteousness shall not be remembered but for his iniquity that he
hath committed he shall die for it According to this is the Words of Christ in the Gospel where he saith He that believeth in me shall be saved the which Words includes no longer than they so continue believing which belief must be a practical belief the which is to believe in Christ and his Word so as to live in Obedience thereunto for it is said Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. And between Holiness and Righteousness it is hard to make a distinction But as to what the Lord saith John 5.24 was spoken for the time to come when God shall have committed all Judgment to the Son for which time this was spoken that is those that then shall be found believers are then passed from Death to Life so as they shall never come into condemnation And as for the Sheep that so securely stand of whom Christ saith none can pluck them out of my Fathers Hand is spoken of those that are Christs standing Witnesses thorough the World they being those very Elect of whom Christ said it was impossible to deceive and of whom it is said in the Revelations they follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth This being clearly proved where I have spoken of the very Elect I do but here mention it that thereby we may know that we do not so securely stand but as St. Paul saith in Hebrews We like Israel having a Promise of entering into life should take heed lest any of us should sall short of entering into that promised Rest therefore he advises us to make our Calling and Election sure and Christ also invites sinners to come to Repentance and if we are not wanting to our selves Christ will not be wanting to us And by the Watchmans Warning there may be great part of the people saved from the near approaching danger by what God saith in Ezekiel for there is but few Soldiers but when they have the warning given them but they will seek to deliver themselves and God saith in Ezekiel 33.5 He that taketh warning shall deliver his Soul Methinks this promise should make us with life and vigour laborious to gain life for our souls so as we may be delivered from the near approaching danger for that we are in the time in which the Lord will come is certain The which time will be according to that of the Children of Israel with signs and wonders the which we have seen what the Lord foretold should be before his coming And now with the Prophet Daniel's Vision made good to us so that knowledg shall be increased by the unsealing of the Book at the now time of the end the which will occasion great running to and fro so as knowledg may be increased to prepare for the coming of the Lord according to which the Lord saith in Luke 14.17 That he sent forth his Servants at supper time to say to them that are bidden come for all things are now ready The which gives us also certain information that Light should break forth as thereby warning should be given for preparation to be made for the coming of the Lord to Judg the World and give rewards to the Righteous the Old World had by Noah warning given them whom the Scripture terms a Preacher of Righteousness but because they would not believe and amend therefore they were destroyed And the Lord saith in Mat. 25.6 At midnight there was a cry made behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him Which shows in midst of the Night of darkness as to the coming of the Lord that light will break forth so as the cry of the Voice of his Ministers may be heard to warn the People for to prepare to meet the Bridegroom yet upon the Wicked unbelieving World it will come as a Thief in the Night And also as to the Day and Hour no man knoweth Now whereas God saith in Isaiah That that day shall come as a snare upon all flesh Yet as I have already proved the word all in Scripture doth not signify the whole but the major part Now as to what is faid in Rev. 14.6 And I saw another Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to Preach unto them that dwell on the Earth to every Nation Tongue and People 7. Saying with a loud voice fear God give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth the Sea and the Fountains of Water This appears to be after the Lord comes in the Clouds with his Saints and Angels and that as the Christians that were before bidden and sent to by his Servants at Supper time to come to his Supper So it doth appear that those that knew him not may afterwards be invited by the Angel by which means Israel and the Promised Elect may be brought in For John Baptist first Preached Christ to the Jews before he was made publick to the World Afterwards when he was made publick the Lord sent his Disciples to Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles Now this being most agreeable to the word and what I apprehend 't will be but however the Ministers may press forward for a publication of the Gospel every where but if they find not blessed success to forbear and to bestow their Labour amongst the Christians and Turks and such as have the Knowledg of God who must stand or fall as their Master finds them but as for the Jews and promised Elect if they come not in they will be sure to be received into Mercy after the Lord comes as many as have not estranged themselves from God by wicked Practices Now whereas the Lord saith in Daniel 12.11 And from the time the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away and the Abomination that maketh desolate set up there should be a thousand two hundred and ninety days And in the following Verse 't is said Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days Here is 45 days of years difference between this and the forementioned number And it is said that he is blessed that waiteth and cometh to the last Number of the Thousand three hundred and five and thirty days Now this being the exact number of years Israel knew after they were delivered out of Egypt before they had Conquered their Enemies so as to be settled in the Land of Canaan for they lay forty years in the Wilderness and five years they were Conquering their Enemies before they peaceably settled in the Land of Canaan Now the like time being mentioned in Daniel whereby it doth appear from the time of the visible signs of the Lord 's Coming till the time he comes and also until the time that all the wicked are cut of doth seem to be the exact number of years because the Lord saith he that waiteth and cometh to the five and forty days of years beyond the forementioned Number are said to be blessed which Argues by
that time all the wicked will be cut off from the Face of the Earth for he that liveth to that time being blessed signifies that there will be none living but what will then be blessed And that we may be made partakers of this blessedness here is a short Account of the Faith we are to believe For Faith in Christ is to believe that he is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him And those that would be made partakers of this blessedness must go to God by daily and servent Prayer and imploy their Diligence in his service Jam. 2.20,22 For Faith without works is Dead and by works is Faith made perfect And without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 And in Ephes 2.3 to the 10. v. For we are his workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before Ordained that we should walk in them It is of the great mercy and rich Grace of God in that he gave the Son his Love a ransome to make satisfaction and Reconciliation for as many as shall come unto God by him and therefore it is of Grace that any is saved and we no sooner Repent and believe if done in sincerity but we are excepted of Christ and then his Righteousness and good Works is imputed to us as though we had been Created so Notwithstanding we had been before great sinners But after we are received into Mercy God hath fore-ordain'd that we should walk in good Works which if we will not we shall have neither part nor lot in this Portion and the Apostle saith It is of Faith that worketh by Love is required and there is no such obedience as that in which the Heart is concern'd A Belief Now to believe in Christ for Salvation is to believe his word for it and if we believe his word for it we believe that Salvation is attainable according to his Word the which we no sooner believe but weare by his word put into his Vineyard to work therein and then begins the Race that we are to run and the Armor is prepared for us to put on in which we are to maintain a continual Combat with the World the Flesh and the Devil and that unto our Lives end we must continue in and hold out and overcome if we ever intend to have the Crown For altho some of these Enemies may get the Advantage at some time yet besure keep so good a guard that when you find any breaking in of the Enemy go to the Lord with Submission Contrition and Acknowledgment begging new Strength from him that you may be able to Conquer these your Enemies and that you may have grace of him so to withstand them as they may not break in upon you And as for our saying that God is merciful and we trust in God yet walk according to our own imaginations and fancies is but to trust God to destroy us for although God is exceeding Merciful yet his Mercies will be distributed according as he hath declared in his word And whereas the Lord saith in Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the steight Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able This hath a special reference to the time of the Lord 's Coming to Judg the World but what reference it hath to the present time is to those that either strive in a false way or else go out in their own strength with a resolution to serve the Lord and amend their Lives When withal they should go to God to beg strength of him to fulfil these their Resolutions and also for his continual Assistance in this their Pilgrimage and if so he hath said he will never leave us nor forsake us for if we do not so in Temptations and Afflictions we shall fall away for the best of men are not able in their own strength to grapple with the World the Flesh and the Devil And for our Example St. Peter putting too much confidence in himself therefore so fouly fell as to deny his Master and how often have some of us known those that have made Vows and Protestations for their amendment but putting confidence in themselves thinking they had Power to perform it without seeking to God for his continual assistance in their performance of these their Resolutions and for want of so doing how soon hath all these Vows and Protestations been Vanquisht But if we take to the means and go in the way then unto them the Lord saith He that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and unto him that knocketh it shall be opened And whereas the Lord saith Many are called but few are chosen That is after they were called so as to be brought into the knowledg of the Truth which afterwards they not imploying their utmost endeavour to make their calling an Election sure in improving the Talent that he hath given them therefore they will not be chosen of him All these controversal points being clearly Answered where I spoke of Election And whereas it is said Revel 21.7.8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son but the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Liers shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Now whereas he here saith the fearful That is those that are mistrustingly fearful of the Promises Power or Providences of God and therefore throw themselves out of the way of his Mercy either by Dispair or presumptiously running into all excess of Riot Now as a mistrustful fear in God shall be punished with Hell Fire so on the contrary them that are fearful by reason of their own weakness least they should miscarry they are promised by the Lord deliverance as in Heb. 2.15 And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to bondage Now whereas God saith by Moses Dan. 32.40 that he lives for ever And also it is said of the material Earth Heb. 7.14 that it abideth for ever Yet ever cannot comprehend what is here expressed Psal 104.5,6 But God may sometimes use this method in speaking as to himself and other things by such words as do fall short of expressing the full meaning of that is signified to us by them because he hath a secret in his word which nothing but Prayer Self-Resignation and Meditation can give us a light therein as to the understanding of it and as to the Prophesies time has much explained if we in the forementioned way consider it And we also are to take notice that altho ever is attributed to that which cannot be comprehended by it yet Eternity or Everlasting is never attributed to that which cannot reach it But God is termed Isa 6.9 The Eternal God and the Everlasting Father And it is said Heb. 5.9 Christ is
become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him And it is also said Ps 96.10 The Earth is fixed that it cannot be moved That is so as to become nothing or as not to be Earth The whole Earth will never be turned for ever into a burning Mountain neither will it for ever lie as a waste Chaos but as God hath promised it shall become a New Earth that is a Renewed Earth And unto that part which God hath assign'd the fire there shall it be bounded which is to part of the Land of the figurative Esau of which Isaiah makes mention Isa 34.5,7,9,10 Now whereas it is said in Genesis 8.21 The Lord smelled a sweet Savour and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his Youth Neither will I again smite any more every living thing as I have done While the Earth remaineth Seed-time and Harvest and Cold and Heat Summer and Winter and Day and Night shall not cease Now if God doth never more curse all the ground neither again smite any more every living thing as he hath done then the Earth cannot be made a perpetual Desolation Now whereas God saith in the following Verse While the Earth remaineth there should be Seed-time and Harvest c. The which Farth here spoken of seems to signifie the People of the Earth or the Earth of People that whilst the Earthly Body of Man remains there shall be Seed-time and Harvest and the like And what God saith in the following Chapter Gen. 9.11,12 doth seem to make it so appear For he saith I will establish my Covenant with you neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the Waters of a Flood neither shall there any more be a Flood to destroy the Earth Now we know that it was not the Material Earth that was destroyed but the Earth of People Now in the 12th verse God saith I will make between me and you and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations 13. v. I do set my Bow in the Cloud and it shall be for a Token of a Covenant between me and the Earth Here again God terms the people of the Earth to be the Earth And whereas God saith to perpetual generations Thereby we are given to understand that there will be perpetually that is to everlasting a generation upon the Earth And therefore God saith Gen. 9.12,13,16 The Bow shall be in the Cloud and I will look upon it that I may remember the everlasting Covenant between God and every living Creature of all flesh that is upon the Earth Here God has explain'd what was the Earth which in the 13th verse he made a Covenant with Which is here set down to be with every living creature of all flesh Now for God to look on the Bow in the Cloud to remember the Everlasting Covenant between himself and every living Creature The which Covenant would be void if God should destroy every living Creature of all flesh from off the Earth Now whereas the Lord saith Heaven and Earth shall pass away that is the Powers with the People And whereas he saith pass away it argues that it will not be a sudden moving but that there will be a time of punishment inflicted on them here before their departure of which David saith Psalm 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron thou shalt dash them in peices like a Potters Vessel And where Daniel speaks of the Judgment of this World he saith Dan. 7.12 As concerning the rest of the Beast they had their Dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time And the Lord saith Rev. 2.27 He shall rule them with a Rod of Iron as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers And also it is said of the Lord Rev. 19.15 Out of his mouth went a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron and he treadeth the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of the Almighty God By all this it doth plainly appear that there will be a time of punishment upon the Earth when the Lord is againcome before the Wicked are turned into Hell And to make this further clear it is said Psalm 112.10 That the wicked shall gnash their Teeth when they see the vengeance Now St. John speaketh in the words of the Lord as touching the Heavens and the Earth which are at the coming of the Lord. For he saith Rev. 21.1 The first Heavens and the first Earth are passed away Which Heavens and Earth are the Wicked Powers with the Wicked People Now at the final and last Judgment the Heavens and the Earth are said to fly away the which shews a more hasty motion and as I apprehend by the Heavens is meant Israels Sovereignty over the rest of the Nations and by the Earth the serviceableness of other Nations to Israel And that at the final Judgment that distinction may no longer continue and so said to fly away as not to have place found for them For after Death is cast into Hell there will be no more dying and when they are become immortal there will not be that need of serviceableness the one to the other And not only so but the Elementary Body of Man will then fly away and no more place also found for it this being according to the promise God made to Abraham Gen. 17.8 And I will give unto thee and to thy Seed after thee the Land wherein thou art a Stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God And the like God hath sworn in Isaiah as I have already proved that he will give them the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession And in Isa 66 22. God saith 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 By all this it is clearly proved That the and is to be Inhabited by the Seed of Jacob 〈◊〉 everlasting according to the Promise that â—od hath made unto them But at the time of this great Revolution 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 said in Dan. 12.1,2 And at that 〈◊〉 shall Michael stand up the great Prince â—hich standeth for the Children of thy People and 〈◊〉 shall be a time of trouble such as never was â—ce thâ—re was a Nation even to that same time â—nd aâ— what 〈◊〉 thy People shall be delivered every 〈◊〉 that shall 〈◊〉 written in the Book And any of â—…m thâ—… sâ—eep in the dust of the Earth all awâ—… some to â—verbasting Lise and some to â—ame and everlasting conteâ—…pt Now whereas he saith many of them that â—eep in the dust of the Earth shall awake â—y these words is given us to understand that it 〈◊〉 not all that sleep in the dust
of the Earth â—at shall then awake but as the Saints are â—st raised to Glory so by the foregoing words does appear also there is some that have been â—ost notoriously wicked shall first rise before â—e rest of the Wicked to have their everlastâ—g Punishment And by what is here said 〈◊〉 may conjecture that the beast upon the â—rone shall not suffer more than his Predecesâ—s that are gone before him but that the oâ—er may arise to receive the like Condemnatiâ—… they being the most wicked by reason â—ey have been the Cause of destroying more â—uls than any other men in the World besides And Luther did hold both Pope and Mahomet to be comprehended under the name of the Beast And we reading neither in the 7th of Daniel nor in the Revelations of any that was cast alive into the lake of Fire but the Beast and the false Prophet which makes me conjecture there may be no other of the wicked raised at that time but what has so sinned And now according to the Word of the Lord in Daniel there has been such a time of trouble as never was since there has been a Nation with Blood and Fire and Vapour of Smoke By which Rivers of Fire Hell hath enlarged her self as in Isa 5.14 Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their Glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it 16. And the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is Holy shall be sanctified in righteousness 17. Then shall the Lambs feed after their manner and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat This is spoken for the time now a coming by Hells enlarging her self and the wicked's descending into it at which time it is said the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted at which time it is also said the Lambs shall feed after their manner Therefore this must relate to the time of the Judgment of this World and the Restoration of all things Now as it is said in Daniel There shall be such trouble as never was since there has been a Nation And now according to the saying of the Angel There has been such trouble at this time as has not been since there has been a Nation with the like amazing Earth-quakes which has been in several places with the Cities of the Nations falling with oft Eruptions of Fire breaking forth of Hell with the continual Wars of long standing and neither Conquering one the other with that great Mortality which has lately been in Palestina and there about to above a Million of Souls All these things being the Signs that God and Christ hath given us that thereby we might prepare for the Coming of the Lord for he saith when his Judgments are upon the Earth let the Inhabitants of the world learn Righteousness Now these Judgments are the Lord 's continual Whirl-winds which is spoken of in Jeremiah That Israel and we should consider it perfectly and we also have had the signs of Good amongst us in token of the great Jubile or Sabbatism of rest in that there was a Field of Corn in Kent came up of it self which has not been before since the Creation Also with the Miraculous Cure of Mary Malliard the which being clear signs of the great Jubile when all things shall grow of themselves at which time also it is said the Lame shall leap as an Hart. And then after the Lord is again come will be kept New Moons and Sabbaths as in Isa 66.23 and solemn Assemblies with the Feast of Tabernacles as in Zac. 14.17,21 and Sacrifices but what those Sacrifices will be we know not And then there shall again be Altars to the Lord as in Isa 19.19 but whether those Altars will be more than for Offering of Incense and sweet smelling savours is uncertain But there was free-will-Offerings before the Law and the like Then will there be greatness in the Church again But in this time Christ saith to his Disciples He that will be chiefest among you shall be servant to all Now whereas the Lord saith in Isa 28.8 For all tables are full of Vomit and Filthiness so that there is no place clean 9. Whom shall he teach Knowledg and whom shall he make to understand Doctrine them that are weaned from the Milk and drawn from the breasts 10. For Precept must be upon Precept Precepts upon Precept Line upon Line Line upon Line here a little and there a little 11. For with stammering Lips and another Tongue will he speak to this People 12. To whom he said this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest and this is the tefreshing yet they would not hear 13. But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept precept upon prâ—…cept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little that they might go and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken Now whereas the Lord saith Precept upon Precept Line upon Line that is of instructions and admonitions shewing us what God re-requires of us that we may walk in obedience thereunto But if we regard it not the Prophesies whereby the secret of the Word is opened is but set down here a little and there a little And God here tells why he hath so placed it is because that those that will go on in their own wicked ways may be snared broken and taken According to which it was with the Jews at the Lord's first Coming To them he was laid in Sion as a stumbling stone but to all them that walked in the Law of the Lord blamelesly none of them were left to stumble thereat And St. Paul saith Phil. 3.6 Touching the righteousness which is in the Law he was blameless And it is said in Luke 1.6 of Zachariah and Elizabeth They were both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Now whereas it is said they were both Righteous That is they were sincerely obedient to all the Commandments of God and did not wilfully break or neglect any and therefore term'd Righteous For to walk in sincerity with God is the only perfection that man in himself can attain to And altho St. Paul saith The Law makes no Man perfect yet walking in the Law blamelesly made them accepted And altho St. Paul saith he was ignorantly a Persecutor yet because he walked in Integrity with God and blamelesly in the Commandments of God therefore he sound mercy with God and neither Jew nor Prosylife that so did but was brought into the Knowledg of the Lord. And whereas the young man saith He kept the Commandments as in Mark 10.19,20,21,22 yet the Lord told him he lacked one thing and bid him go sell what he had and give to the poor for which saying he went away sorrowful But it is not likely the Lord did for ever so part with him for it is said
the Lord loved him And what the Lord here saith as to his selling his Estate and giving it to the Poor was as well to instruct the Church by reason they were not long to have inheritances there the which all the Church followed after the Crucifixion of the Lord. And St. Paul saith in Acts 13.26 Men and Brethren Children of the Stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this Salvation sent By which it is clear that none was left of God to blindness of Mind that truly fear'd his Name And so now it is with us as 't was with the Jews that our Inheritances here will signify little to us And whereas the Lord saith Matt. 11.13 For all the Prophets and the Law Prophesied until John That is until John there was a Succession of Prophets and the whole Law was of force until John after which the Ceremonial Law was Abolished But the Moral Law and some of the Prophesies of the Antient Prophets will be of Force in the World to come Bishop Vsher says We do not well understand what Sanctification and the New Creature are it is no less than for a man to be brought to an intire Resignation of his Will to the Will of God and to live in the Offering up of his Soul continually in the Flames of Love as a whole Burnt-Offering to Christ and how little says he are many of those who profess Christianity experimentally acquainted with this work on their Souls And he further saith 'T is those of the Inner-Court that shall be left as a Seed to partake of the Glory And also good Mr. George Withers saith The Lord will again come whom the Jews do expect And also Mr. Saltmarsh witnessed it with his Death And all the Scriptures do agree in foretelling the second coming of the Lord and other good men whom God hath open'd their Eyes to understand the same with the evident signs that were foretold should be before the coming of the Lord as now if we will be wilfully ignorant of the Truth we must take what follows And that we are in the time of Daniel's 45. Year is most certain and that there is a great many of them past since the signs have been upon the Earth is evidently manifest but as to the day and Hour of the Lord 's coming is uncertain altho very near at hand therefore we should prepare for it and pray for his coming and earnestly desire it I am apt to believe the first Blasing-Star that was seen in 1662 of which it was said it was a rod to whip the World withal which I take to be the first sign that God gave notice of the near approaching Judgment of this World and since we have had several Blazing-Stars and continual Signs As the oft-repeated Earth-quakes and the Cities of the Nations falling with the repeated Rivers and Floods of Fire out of the Earth and Wâ—rs in divers places which were the signs the Lord gave us of his coming which the Earth never produc'd the like before The Lord grant we may be warned by the signs of the Time as all that look Sion ward may â—ay themselves low at his foot that they may be refreshed by his presence And Lord grant that thy Ransomed ones may be many My Book being not so well done as I intended therefore I shall not at this time give an account of the Return from the Land of the Enemy of them that Died Innocently being clearly to be proved by those that are said to be slain in the New Testament are said they shall return from the Land of the Enemy in the Old and also in the last Judgment they are all Judg'd according to the deeds done in the Body With several other places to the like effect which I shall not here mention THE Christian Belief Shewing What a Christian ought to Believe What a true Soul saving Faith is What a false Faith is and Instructions as to a true One With a Brief Explanation Shewing how the Spirit of Christ must be in us or we are none of his proving that it is the same mind is required in us as was in Christ Jesus in having our wills brought into Subjection unto the Will of God And not that the Holy Ghost is given to be in us as it was in the first Churches whereby mighty Sgns and Wonders were done by them and the same Anointing taught them the hidden Misteries of God for the Confirmation of the Gospel that others and those that did come after them might believe the Truth thereof As also an Account of Boptism as to the sign and the thing signified And of the Trinity By M. Mersen London Printed and Sold by John Clarke at the Bible in the Old Change John Gwillim in Bishops-gate-street over against the Royal James Mrs. Mitchel at the Crown and Cushion in Westminster Hall and Mr. Garin over against the Crown Tavern in the Strand the corner of St. Clements Church Yard 1697. The TABLE ADefinition of a true Faith p. 182 A Covenant p. 185 A false Faith and instructions in the true One p. 187 Concerning the everlasting Life given the believer p. 202 A grain of Faith explained p. 228 How it is Christ dwells in us by his Spirit if we are his explained p. 233 An explanation of Baptism p. 245 An explanation of the Trinity p. 247 Concerning the Soul of Man Advertisement THis being part of a Book which contains three Subjects which is parted that all might the better attain to the knowledge of the things therein contained The other Book fully explains the meaning of St. Paul where he speaks of willing and running And therein also is the Faith of Abraham clearly explained with the other difficult places And also therein is proved that the Spirit or Holy Ghost that was but with the Disciples or Church was afterward given to be in the first Churches Joh. 14.17 And therefore Peter said that God put no difference between us and them He there speaks of those that were likewise fore-chosen and did partake of the Holy Ghost to be in them by which they immediately upon receiving spake with Tongues Act 15.8 which evident Witness was to confirm the Gospel to the following Generations But when I Wrote this book I then thought that those that laid hold of the offered Mercy were likewise termed the Elect as well as those that were fore-chosen But since by the Word I find they are but in Covenant I therefore here acknowledge my mistake in explaining those words of St. Peter Acts 15.9 which mistake is in page 232 blotted out THE Christian Belief OR That a Christian ought to Believe according to the Precept of God's Word â— Believe in God the Father Almighty That he was from all Eternity to 〈◊〉 all Eternity God blessed for ever â—…inite in Wisdom Holiness Justice â—…odness and Truth also in Power and 〈◊〉 Glory and that he was the Gen. 1 1â—
1.7,8,9,10 Heb. 9.28 but unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation and so come Lord Jesus Amen A Definition of a true Soul-saving Faith according to the Rule of God's Word which the Lord requireth of us to interest us in himself is this FIrst that all those that come to God must believe that God is and that he is such as he hath declared himself to be in his Holy Word three Persons Father Son and Holy Spirit these Three to be but one God from everlasting to everlasting Isa 40.27,28 Isa 40.23,24 Jer. 23.24 1 Joh. 5.7 Psal 90.2 Rev. 1.8 Psal 90.2 Ps 41.13 John 10.38 of one Will one Mind one Power and one Glory and dwelleth in that light that no mortal Eye is able to approach unto and beyond the Apprehension of Man to comprehend the height of his glorious Excellency this is that God blessed for ever from all Eternity to all Eternity and he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him and that through the alone Merit and meritorious Satisfaction and Intercession of the Lord Christ Jesus Heb. 11.6 2 Cor. 5.18,19 Rev. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.18,19,20,21 Mark here what the Apostle saith It is he that diligently seeketh the Lord is promised the reward and he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy Heb. 11.6 Prov. 28.13 1 Joh. 3.3 Heb. 9.14 2 Cor. 5.17 this is the Faith which the Apostle saith purifieth the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God for he that is in Christ must become a new Creature and walk as he himself walked as much as in us lies 1 Joh. 2.6 Mat. 7.17 Luk. 6.44 Gal. 5.6 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Joh. 4.18 for the Tree is known by its fruit saving Faith worketh by Love and draweth out our hearts and affections after the Lord in the apprehensions of his bringing us to life and immortality which removeth from us the slavish Fear and the Lord hath bidden us take hold of his strength for of our selves we are not able to overcome the Evil of sin the Snares of the World the Wiles of the Devil nor the Treachery of our own Hearts Isa 27.5 Joh. 15.5 Therefore the Lord hath invited all them that are weary and heavy laden to come unto him and he will give them rest Matt. 11.28 Isa 41.3 promising that he will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax therefore in and through Christ we have boldness to the throne of grace through that new and living way the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 4.16 Heb. 10.29 Heb. 12.24 Heb. 13.20 Col. 1.10 whereby the Lord hath made reconciliation in nailing our sins to his Cross and justifying us if we have an interest in him with his righteousness Isai 53.4.5.12 1 Pet. 3.18 2 Cor. 13.5 but be sure let us take the advice of St. Paul with us in that he bids us examine our selves and prove ourselves whether we have the fruits of the Spirit as love joy peace long-suffering temperance meekness gentleness brotherly-kindness charity being easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits doing to others as we would they should do unto us for he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit and therefore whether you have given up your will to the will of God in sincerity to be guided thus by him and to order your course of life thus for him for it is the love and the heart God requireth and if he has that he will never leave us nor forsake us when we leave all this World it is our love will lanch with us into eternal happiness and bring us into the injoyment of that God beloved of us and there we shall be put into a capacity never to offend him and ever to sing Hallelujah to him Gal. 5.22.23 2 Pet. 1.5,6,7 Jam. 1.22,25,26,27 Jam. 3.17 Jam. 4.7,8 Mal. 7.12 1 Cor. 6.17 1 Cor. 19.20 1 Cor. 8.3 Mat. 10.37 Luk. 10.27 2 Cor. 4.14 Joh. 14.21 Joh. 12.26 Joh. 14.2 Rev. 14.13 Rev. 3.12 Rev. 22.7.12 A Covenant made with God MOst great and glorious Lord my God in all thy attributes infinitely above what I am able to apprehend or comprehend of thee who art glorious in holiness rich in grace transcendent in loving kindness and mercy although a severe judge to the incorrigible sinner but unto the repenting sinner that loves and fears thee Lord thou hast promised to shew thy salvation and therefore in the sence of my own unworthiness and misery I lay hold on the offer of thy mercy according as Lord thou hast tendred it in thy Gospel which is by faith and repentance love and new obedience and accordingly thereunto I here unfeignedly resign up to thee my whole heart with its will and affections my Lord and God to be guided and governed by thee begging Lord that thou wilt graciously accept me and make my heart thy habitation by the indwelling of thy Spirit in me so as I may be enabled by thee to love all that thy Majesty loveth and hate all that thou my Lord hatest and also desiring more strength of thee whereby I may be enabled by thee O my God to walk more suitably to thee in all things so putting my whole trust and confidence in thy mercy herein resting upon thy word that Lord thou wilt not forsake the Soul that puts her trust in thee therefore my God leave me not nor forsake me neither leave me so as to forsake thee the fountain and foundation of my eternal happiness but as I here in truth and sincerity do resign up my self my God to thee to be thy servant and spouse in the way of thy Gospel covenant let this Lord be registred in Heaven with thee so as I may be washed in thy Blood from all my filthiness and that I may be covered over with the garment of thy righteousness and here fully regenerated by thy Spirit so as I may find eternal acceptance with thee my God through thy beloved and that my interest in thee my Lord may be more and more clear'd up to me day by day so as I may be brought more into the knowledge of thy love which passeth knowledge and enabled by thee my Lord to live in the flames of love with thee who wilt be glorified in thy Saints and admired in those that do believe and O my God that thou wilt uphold me by the right hand of thy righteousness through this valley and shadow of tears and keep me in or from the hour of temptation and give me a part with thee in the first resurrection O my God be not angry with me for the largeness of this my request since thou hast bidden us open our mouths wide and thou wilt fill them therefore my Lord and God say Amen to these Petitions of thy Unworthy Servant Of a false Faith and Instructions as to the true one THere is a new found
Faith which some take up with now-a-days which is no other than of the Devils coining and his Accomplices in that they say he that believeth through the merits of Christ that he shall be saved therefore they shall be saved If they do but also confess their sins leaving out repenting and forsaking them Which is contrary to the holy Word of God And as St. Peter saith they wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.10 I hope the Prince of Darkness hath not so blinded their minds but that they will own that those did believe that they should be saved when they said to the Lord Christ in Matth. 22. vers Mat. 7.22.23 Have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderful works Then will the Lord profess unto them that he never knew them depart from me ye that work iniquity And also that the foolish Virgins did believe they should be saved when they say in Matth. Mat. 25.11,12 Lord Lord open to us But he shall answer and say verily I say unto you I know you not And whereas the Lord saith in John 47. v. Joh. 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life And whereas St. John saith vers 12. 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life And also the Lord saith in John 6.40 Joh. 6.40 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 and I will raise him up at the last day I hope upon serious considerations none will say they believe in Christ for Salvation when they will not believe what the Lord saith concerning the conditions upon which Salvation is tendred by him the which conditions are repentance love and new obedience And the Lord saith in John 8.31 v. To the Jews which believed on him John 8.31,47,51 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And again in the 47. vers He that is of God heareth Gods word ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God And the Lord saith in the 51. vers Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death That is he shall never see Hell in Esdras Esd 2.39 And the Lord also saith in John 21. vers John 14.21,24 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him And again in the 24. v. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me And Christ saith in the Gospel of John Joh. 15.10 If ye keep my conmandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love And again the Lord saith Joh. 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day And he saith in the 25. v. Joh. 12.25,26 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this World shall keep it unto life Eternal If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honor And the Lord saith to the Jews 34. v. Joh. 8.34,44 Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin And in the 44. v. he saith to them ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do But the Lord saith to them that would have an interest in him in the 34. v. Mark 8.34,35,36,37,38 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels We here see by all this that it is a belief in Christ and his Word that is required of us unto which we are to shew our love and obedience and St. John saith 1 Joh. 4.15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God and he farther saith in the 5. c. and 5. v. Joh. 5.5.13 Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God And again in the 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Can they think it is here meant only a verbal confession with their mouths is required when in their works and practice they deny him No it is the confessing of him always is required as in our words and actions wills and affections in suffering unto death it self By which we see this word confessing him hath a larger extent than some People are aware of Who like unto the Jews that thought Adultery was only in the action but the Lord gave them to understand that it had a far larger extent when he said to them in Matth. Mat. 5.18 that every one that looketh on a Woman to lustafter her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart And whereas it is said to believe on the name of the Son of God That is to believe that he is that Seed that shall bruise the Serpents Head and make reconciliation for all that should with love and thankfulness receive him For although all are freely invited by Christ in the call of the Gospel to come to him but it is none but them whose wills are brought over to him as to become obedient can receive him or the Blessing purchased by him Now all are willing to receive the benefit but all are not willing to perform the conditions whereby they might be made partakers of the Blessing but like Balaam say O that I might die the Death of the Righteous they being unwilling to forego this present evil World Of whom the Lord saith in Isai 13. v. Isa 29.13 This People draweth near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the
Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone That is they sought it by the righteousness of the works of the ceremonial Law which consisted in sacrifices washings and often purifications Of which the Apostle saith Heb. 10.1,2 For the law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect For then would they have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sin Now this was the Law to which Israel trusted to take away their sin Of which Law or Statutes God saith Ezek. 20.25 they were not good Because as it is said in the Hebrews they were but a shadow of the good things to come and therefore could not make the comers thereunto perfect But had Israel employed their utmost diligence in their obedience to the moral Law they had not been left to stumble at that stumbling stone as God by the Prophets hath declared And also Christ himself saith Matth. 23.23,24 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law judgment mercy and faith these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Ye blind guides which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel And again he saith Matth. 19.16,17 One came and said unto him good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life And the Lord said unto him if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments And again Luke 10.25,26,27,28 Another came unto the Lord saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life He said unto him What is written in the Law how readest thou And he answering said thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self And he said unto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live And St. Paul saith Rom. 10.6,7,8,9,10,11 The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation For the Scripture saith whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed The which word of faith mentioned in the 8. v. comprehends all that is contained in the Gospel relating to man's salvation Wherein is declared Christ coming from Heaven his rising again from the dead with the conditions on which Christ and Salvation is offered The knowledge of which he saith was in their mouth and in their heart it being that which he had preached to them And whereas he saith in the 9. v. Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Now this verse as they have parted the words is a contradiction to all the Scripture but the words that go before and the verse that follows after explain the Apostles meaning Where he saith in the 10. v. Rom. 10.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness The which we no sooner are converted but we resign up our selves to him desiring in all things to walk suitably to him the which if we so do we may believe that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us For it is only the sincerity of the heart as to the truth of their belief which will produce a holy life according to the will of God For it is said Heb. 11.12,14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Now what the Apostle here said in the 9. v. was to the Church that he had before instructed and of whom he had had proof of their sincerity and therefore incouraged them to go on in the open acknowledging and confessing of the Lord although they were but a few People amongst a multitude of Heathens And that their faith might not flag as to God's raising Christ from the dead he lets them understand it was a great point of their Salvation according to what he saith 1 Cor. 15.14,16,17 If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins By which we see it is one of the material points of our Salvation And St. Paul saith Rom. 10.12,13,14 There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Here we see in these verses he speaks in general to all but in the 9. v. he speaks to a particular People or Persons to whom he wrote Now in the 12. v. Whereas he saith there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek That is salvation was alike common to all that did alike call upon him And whereas he saith in the 13. v. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved I hope that you do not here apprehend that it was only with a vocal voice that if they so call that they shall be saved No it is the voice of the heart that there may be a suitable frame of Spirit whereby we may call upon God as is required for it is the tongue that expresseth but the meaning or voice of the heart and the tongue is not the man but a small member of him And had we no tongue to express our desires yet the sincerity of our heart in our affections towards God and being sensible of our own unworthiness is that voice which the Lord will hear And like unto this was the voice of the Malefactor that was crucified with Christ who in the sence of his own unworthiness and of Christ's righteousness called on the Lord for mercy Luk. 23.40,41,42,43 faith in him being strong when the Lord was most afflicted and eclipsed which made his believing on him at that time more wonderful but it was the Lord look'd in upon his heart he not before
having slighted his mercy Therefore this is no incouragement to us that live under the call of the Gospel to deferr repentance For the day of grace and the day of life have not one and the same date For if we will go on frowardly in the ways of our own hearts God will leave us to blindness of mind and hardness of heart Now God said that David was a Man after his own heart and why because his heart immediatly answered the call of God by his Word or Messengers as the Psalmist saith Psal 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart answered unto thee thy face Lord will I seek This is the voice which God requires of us The which he found not in Israel As saith St. Paul Rom. 10.21 To Israel he saith all the day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying People And also in Proverbs Prov. 1.24,26 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh By this we may plainly see God complain'd of them because they were wanting to themselves in not improving the season of grace which he had put into their hands Therefore God saith in the 32. v. Prov. 1.32,33 The turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them But whosoever shall hearken unto me shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil What is here spoken is to the foolish and wise Christians and of the near approaching time to come Now the Epistle to the Romans St. Paul sent presently after their conversion when as dayly there were new converts brought over to the Church for their comfort to let them understand that if they should immediatly after their conversion be taken away by a natural death or a violent one upon the account of their faith that they should no ways be startled or dismayed because they had not time after their conversion to do any good action even so much time as to be baptized but only believed as the Thief did and thereupon called upon the Lord for mercy and so departed this life yet they should be saved upon which occasion they were baptized for the dead as the ancients say and of which St. Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 15.29 What shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead Now that they that call upon God so as to have salvation his following words make out where the Apostle saith Rom. 10.14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed By which we see their calling is insignificant without believing and if they savingly believe it must be according to the tenor of the Gospel Which requires of us repentance from dead works and love to and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and if we live amendment of life for he that is in Christ must become a new Creature and walk as he himself walked 1 Joh. 2.6 And as St. Paul to the Romans saith Rom. 8.1,8 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 6. v. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace By which we may plainly see St. Paul's meaning was not that they might remain in their own natural state and so call upon God and be saved but that his meaning was as I before shewed you for what is set down here and what is set down in the 10. Ch. was writ at one and the same time being one and the same Epistle And the Jews wisely tell us that we must look to the words which go before and the words that follow after if we intend to come to a right understanding of the Scripture Now God by the Prophet Jeremiah makes mention of the miscarriage of Judah and how she did but feignedly call upon him as in the 10. v. Jer. 3.10 And yet for all this her treacherous Sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord. And the Apostle saith Rom. 6.16,17,18 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you Being then made free from sin ye became the Servants of righteousness The which is an evident token that we have no share in Christ's righteousness if we our selves walk not in the ways of righteousness And also we sin our sins over again if we do but delightfully think on them And the Apostle relates to Titus what they were before they were converted Titus 3.3,4,5,6,7,8 For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justified by his grace should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life This is a faithful saying and these things I will that you affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works The Apostle having here set down what they were before the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared And whereas he said Not by the works of righteousness which they had done but according to his mercy he saved them by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Here we see was an inward change wrought in them from whence did arise their hopes of salvation And whereas he said that the Spirit was shed on them abundantly it was for the establishing the Gospel And as to what he saith as to their being justified by his grace they should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life That is as I before told you upon their first conversion and resigning themselves up to Christ to be wholly guided and governed by him according to the rule of his word then it is the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them whereby they become justified in sight of God And whereas he saith I will that they affirm constantly that they that have believed in God might be carefull to maintain good works The which he said to let them understand that if they did not persevere in a holy life they might be cast off According to what the Lord saith Joh. 15.2.6,8,9,10,14 Every
branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Herein is my father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples As the father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my fathers commandments and abide in his love Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you By all these words of the Lord it is fully evident that although we were grafted in him and beloved of him yet if we bear not fruit and keep not his commandments we shall neither remain in him nor be beloved of him Now St. Paul saith to the Galatians Gal. 1.6,8 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel And he saith in the 8. v. But though we or an angel from heaven preach another Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Now by the words of St. Paul there was deceivers got in among the Church of Galatia which would have brought them to circumcision and made them also to observe the ceremonial law Therefore he saith Gal. 5.2 I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And again he saith Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Now whereas he saith no man is justified by the works of the law That is man is not able to fulfil all the works of the law in that perfection as is required of him Neither can it take away original sin so as a man cannot become justified by it yet they were so far able to fulfill the law as to walk blamelesly in it as in Luke 1.6 And in the Old Testament time accepted of God for it through the then promised Messiah And whereas he saith not by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ That is by the faith that Jesus Christ requires of us And he saith we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ Now whereas he saith they had believed in Christ that includes a belief in his whole revealed will in his word And in his word he tells us if we will enter into life we must keep the commandments Therefore St. Paul by what he here saith hath no intention to take them off the moral law for they cannot be saved if after they are received into the Church of Christ they will not walk in obedience to it But it is the ceremonial law which some false Brethren would have brought in to have burthened the Church withal whereby they would have made the sufferings of Christ of none effect for man's salvation and justification Therefore he saith Gal. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you This only would I learn of you receive ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain Here we see that these Galatians had upon the preaching of the Gospel received the Spirit and that they had suffered many things as the Church of Christ Yet St. Paul was here afraid of their final falling off by reason of deceivers that were got in among them which would have had them trusted to Circumcision Purifications and Sacrifices for Justification and not unto Christ Which Laws were all abolished at the death of Christ he being that only Sacrifice that could make satisfaction to take away sin and all other Sacrifices were but to figure out him who was alone able to make that great atonement with God Therefore St. Paul reproves them sharply that having begun in the Spirit they should think to be made perfect by the flesh And he saith to them in the 5. v. He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith 6. v. Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Faith or belief in us toward God and Christ consists of three distinct parts first a belief in and a practical consent to the conditions upon which life and salvation is offered by God! the second is a belief in the power and faithfulness of the promiser for the thing promised The third is an intire affection with real thankfulness to the promiser for the thing promised Now these three things were found in the belief of faithful Abraham for he left his own Country to follow the Lord and gave himself wholly up to love and obey him as witness the offering of his Son and also judging him faithful that had promised him the Blessing And St. Paul saith to the like effect of himself in the foregoing Chap. Gal. 2.19,20 For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God That is dead to the ceremonial law not to the moral law for he as well as Abraham was conformable to the law of the Lord to do justice and judgment for which the Lord did confirm his promise to Abraham As in the 19. v. Gen. 18.19 God said I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him And St. Paul saith in the 20. v. Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me We see here St. Paul saith he was crucified with Christ That is he was dead to the World and to the pleasures thereof yet he said that he lived yet he says again not I but Christ liveth in me That is he had so wholly given himself up to Christ and brought down his thoughts into subjection unto him so as Christ had the reigning power in him so as the life which he then lived was by faith in the Son of God Which faith was he
the hearers of the law are justified before God but the doers of the law shall be justified That is as I tell you they were upon their first conversion and resignation justified by their faith in Christ but after we are converted and justified by faith then whilst we have life we must use our diligence to walk in obedience and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. And here we see he acknowledges the moral law to the greatest height and tells us that we must be judged by it and the Gospel 2 Cor. 7.1 For he saith in the 16. v. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Therefore as St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3.14 We must be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And the Apostle saith again 1 Pet. 1.13,14,15 Wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation That is endeavour to be holy in all your conversations And as it is said in Heb. Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. By which we see nothing but a close walking with Christ will keep us in the love of Christ for if we sin willfully after we have thus received the knowledge of the truth I find no hope of mercy for the greater light we sin against the greater condemnation we fall under as witness when the Lord was in the Camp of Israel the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was utterly cut off from the Congregation of the Lord. Rom. 15.29,30,31,32,35 Because he despised the word of the Lord therefore was he cut off in his iniquity and was stoned to death So also underneath the evident manifestations of the Spirit of God in the Apostles time we see in the Acts by Ananias and Saphira his Wife Acts 5.1,2,3,4,5 that having joyned themselves to the Church and in that they hypocritically would appear in the sight of the Apostles more devoted to the interest of the Church then really they were therefore St. Peter tells them they had not lyed unto man but unto God for he saith likewise whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceived this in thine heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the Ghost By which we see of what dreadful consequence it is for us to pretend to be more holy than we really are Therefore let this be a warning to us to be better than we pretend to be for 't is God that knoweth the heart and tryeth the Spirits of men And also God saith Ezek. 33.12 Therefore thou Son of man say unto the Children of thy people the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression as for the wickedness of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth And the Apostle saith Heb. 6.5,6 that if they willfully sin after they have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the World to come they cannot be renewed by repentance For if we are only of the outward Church we fall short of Salvation and must have our share in the threatned misery and if we deferr repentance and check the good motions of the Spirit we thereby lose the day of grace and so are left of God And if we go to hear the word and do not benefit thereby we are like the Earth which drinketh in the rain Heb. 6.3 yet bearing thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And if we are willfully ignorant It is said it is only the Fool hates knowledge Pro. 1.22 And God saith my People are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hosea 4.6 And whereas the Lord saith John 5.20,21,22,23,24 For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doeth and he will shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son By this we may plainly see that Christ spake this for the time to come in which he will jduge the World for when he then came it was to teach and to suffer and now as he is at the right hand of God it is said he sits there as an Advocate with the Father but when he comes again he is then our Judge therefore this is spoken for that time when all judgment shall be given to him The Lord saith That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Now the Jews and Turks honour him not as they do the Father therefore spoken for time to come And he saith Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life That is when the Lord again cometh that them which he then findeth thus will have everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but then will be passed from death unto life And he saith John 5.24,25,26,27,28,29 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 For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself By all the foregoing words it doth evidently appear to be the first resurrection the which will be at the coming of the Lord and here spoken in the usual way of Scripture speaking in mentioning that which is to come as though it were already come Now although the wicked are termed to be dead in sin yet in the foregoing words there was made no mention of them but of the judgment that was committed to Christ Neither is the voice of Christ after his Ascension said to call home any but St. Paul And the Holy Ghost was not given till after the People were brought home by the voice of his Messengers in the call of the Gospel Therefore this must needs be meant of the first Resurrection which will be when Christ again cometh And the Lord saith Joh. 5.27,28,29 And
hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of God We see all along here that the Lord speaks of his power and judgment when he again comes And again he saith Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Here the Lord speaks in the Scripture way of speaking in that he so nearly joyns his coming to judge the World with that last judgment like that of his joyning the destruction of Jerusalem and of the World together according to which all the Scripture is so joyn'd Now these two judgments are clearly to distinct things for in the first it is said the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and it was those that did hear did live therefore this is at the first resurrection when the Lord again comes at which time all the promiss'd Elect shall be call'd in whom he hath promised mercy and with the dead Bodies of the Saints shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live And the other is the eternal judgment which is spoken of in the Revelations where it is said the Sea and Death and Hell delivered up the dead As to what the Lord saith in John 5. from the 20. v. to the 29. v. The Lord there speaks of the two judgments as I have elsewhere proved to you and therefore what he saith in the 24. v. is concerning them that are believers at his coming that they have everlasting life and that they shall not come into condemnation but where the Lord saith John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life And the Apostle also saith 1 John 5.11,12,13 This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life That is God hath renewed us in Christ and given us eternal life by him if we are true Believers and what that belief is that is required of us I have elsewhere proved to you But the everlasting life that is given the Believer is as it was given Adam in Paradise the which was as long as he continued in his obedience And so it is with us the which the words of the Lord doth fully explain where he saith John 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death And Christ saith again John 15.9,10,11,12 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you By all this we plainly see that the eternal life given the Believer is theirs no longer than they persist in their obedience So Adam's eternal life that he had given him in Paradise was lost by his offending for had he persisted in his obedience he had never dyed And as I have already proved to you that if we are regenerated so as our wills are brought over into an intire resignation of our selves to God and Christ then we are accepted of him and then is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us but it is afterward there comes a day of trial either by temptation or affliction or a cloudy dark day may overtake us and therefore it is best for every true Christian to arm themselves for the worst that they may be able to stand in the evil day so whilst we continue in our obedience the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and then as the Apostle saith are we complete in him and afterward what sins are not willfully committed will not destroy us because Christ is our Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 but let him that standeth take heed lest he fall And St. John saith 1 John 3.6,7,8 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him That is they give themselves no liberty to sin and what is not willingly committed is not imputed Little Children let no man deceive you he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous That is if we continue in well-doing as I before shewed we have the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to us for it is said we are complete in him He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinned from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifest that be might destroy the works of the Devil That is he that willfully committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil committeth no sin but what he committeth willfully And the Apostle saith 1 John 1.6,7,8,9 If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin This is that which makes us appear clean and white in the sight of God But he saith again If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us For we cannot live without sin as sins of infirmity and sins of ignorance and too often overtaken in the sins of Negligence and sometimes overtaken with the Sins of Surprisal Therefore he saith in the 9. v. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteouness That is all our unrighteousnesses upon our Conversion are forgiven if we seek to God by Confession and Contrition And whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 5.46,47,48 For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the Publicans the same and if ye salute your Brethren only what do ye more than others do not even the Publicans so Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect That is be you perfect or sincere in your Love to others as God was sincere or perfect in his Love to you in that he gave the Son of his Love for you according to his Promise And in Luke 17.5,6 And the Apostles said unto the Lord increase our Faith And the Lord said if ye had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed you might say to this Sycamine Tree be thou pluck up by the Root and be thou planted in the Sea and it should obey you
You might that is hereafter say to this Sycamine Tree be thou removed for at that time the working of Miracles was not given This also was spoken of to the Apostles And in that he saith to them that if ye have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed the which was to exclude Judas for he had not the least of that saving Faith which worketh the Heart in Love with Christ and so was not to be partakers of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and the working of Miracles with the rest of the Apostles And by the want of this grain was to signify to us that Judas was an instrument of Satan all along according to which is said in John 6.70 Jesus answered them have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil Therefore not one grain of Faith and Love in him to the Lord Jesus But God requireth of us the whole Heart and the whole Soul And Christ saith Matt. 10.37 He that loveth Father or â—…other more than me is not worthy of me he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me 38. He that taketh not his Cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me 39. He that findeth his Life shall loose it and he that looseth his Life for my sake shall find it That is whosoever looseth the Pleasures Advantages and Profits of this World for Christ shall find Life everlasting And Christ saith in Luke 17 10. When ye shall have done all those things which are Commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do But whosoever doth their Duty in their Service God ordereth them Wages And he saith of his they do not serve me for nought as in Mal. 1.10 And God told Abraham that he was his exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 And it is said Heb. 5.9 Christ is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him And Christ saith Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God And we ought to look to the recompence of reward as Moses did Heb. 11.26 For he had respect to the recompence of reward And it is an Article of our Faith to believe that God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him as in Heb. 11.6 For without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him God would not have us think that he is beholden to us for our Service but that we are ingaged to him for accepting of us for his Servants And if we are his Servants we are sure of a Reward And whereas the Man came to Christ with his Son as in Matth. 17.15 Lord have mercy upon my son for he is Lunatick and sore vexed for oft times he falleth into the Fire and oft into the water 16. And I brought him to thy Disciples and they could not cure him 17. Then Jesus answered and said O faithless and perverse Generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him hither to me 18. And Jesus rebuked the Devil and he departed out of him and the Child was cured from that very hour And whereas Christ said unto his Disciples O faithless and perverse Generation how long shall I be with you The which words was without doubt to reprove them for their unbelief of his Power in that they brought not the Possessed to him to be healed And in the 19. v. Then came the Disciples to Jesus apart and said why could not we cast him out 20. And Jesus said unto them because of your unbelief for verily I say unto you if ye have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you Now whereas Jesus said unto them because of your unbelief that was there was then an unbeliever amongst the Apostles But Christ did also let them understand that as many of the Apostles as had Faith as a grain of Mustard seed then that they should hereafter do as great Miracles as the removing of the Mountains to yonder place For he farther tells them that nothing shall be impossible unto them But by the following words of the Lord he did declare that this Power was not then given them as in the 21. v. How beit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting That is then they had no other power given them but what the earnest Prayers and Fastings of the Church may produce But after Christ's Ascension the Apostles were given the Holy Ghost and the Working of Miracles and in so wonderful a manner that on whom they laid their Hands they did receive the Holy Ghost Yet notwithstanding these wonderful Miracles this promise also may have some reference to the time when the Lord again comes For it is a question but that some things might be impossible for them to do after they had received the gifts of the Holy Ghost and the Working of miracles But when they shall sit on Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel then nothing shall be impossible under their head Christ for them to do And they may say to that very mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall be so For the Lord with Peter James and John did but just come down from the mountain where was revealed that glorious Vision And we have reason to believe it was on Mount Olivet because the glory will be there Revealed and the mountain cleaving when the Lord descends so low as his feet to stand upon it may be so determined by the Lord that by the word of the Apostles that that Mountain shall remove toward the North and tovvard the South as in Zac. 14.4 Now the Reason that Christ made mention of so small a quantity of Faith was that thereby his Disciples and Servants afterwards might understand That Judas had never any grain of Faith to make his Heart have any love to Christ And by the word Grain of Faith was Judas Excluded from having any share in those Promises And those promises that were made to particular persons we are not to challenge a share in for they belong not to us no more than the sitting upon twelve Thrones to Judg the twelve Tribes of Israel belongs to us And in Matt. 21.19 And when the Lord saw a Figtree in the way he came to it and found nothing thereon but Leaves only and said unto it let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever And presently the Figtree withered away 20. And when the Disciples saw it they marvelled saying how soon is the figtree withered away 21. Jesus answered and said unto them verily verily I say unto you if ye have Faith and doubt not ye shall not only do this which
is done to the Figtree but also if ye shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and it shall be done 22. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive This Christ spake to his Disciples unto whom he afterward gave as great power to as that of the removing of Mountains when he sent upon them the Holy Ghost and the Power of working Miracles and there is no doubt but if they had said to the Mountain be thou removed into the Sea but it should have been done as well as when Elijah called for Fire to come down from Heaven But these promises belong not to us but those that find they have Power to do these Miracles may believe they do belong to them Now here is some difference betvven vvhat is said in these Verses and vvhat is said in the former for there it is said that they shall say to this Mountain be thou removed and it shall be done but in these last Verses it is said if you shall say to this Mountain be you removed and it shall be so In the former there should be nothing impossible for them to do But in these vvhatsoever they should ask believingly they should receive Now as St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 13,2 And tho I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all Misteries and all knowledg And tho I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing 3. Altho I bestow all my goods to feed the Poor and tho I give my hody to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Now these Mountains that St. Paul here speaks of doth appear to be some inbred Corruption which a man might find some inconvenience in And so for fear of Hell he becomes terrified and therefore no longer willing to live in them having all Faith as to believe the whole Revealed Will of God in his Word And therefore when he finds that he in his own strength was not able to overcome them then he goes to fetch strength from the the Lord in making his Addresses to him for his Assistance and having thereby gain'd power to remove these Mountains yet if his Heart is not drawn out in the Love of God and Christ thereby he is still nothing for it is our Love that God requireth and it is that which will launch with us into the World that is to come As to that word which in these new Translations is termed Charity is in the old Translation Love as in the Original For by Love vve extend our selves to God as vvell as to our fellovv Creatures vvhich by Charity vve cannot do Now as for those places of Scriptvre vvhere Christ and his Apostles saith he that believeth in me or he that believeth in Christ shall be saved is only in short to remember them of the Lord 's Revealed Will in his Word vvhich if they do so believe in the Lord as to make his Commands and Precepts the rule of their Lives to live according thereunto they shall be saved The vvhich is a clear demonstration that the Lord hath by himself and his Apostles left us Instructions vvhich vve are to believe by vvhich Salvation is attainable The vvhich St. Paul's vvords does farther clear 1 Cor. 15.1 Moreover Brethren I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you which also ye have received and wherein ye stand By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I Preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain And St. Peter faith 1 Pet. 1.21,22 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit see that ye Love one another with a pure Heart fervently We here see this Faith purifieth the Soul and extendeth it self in Love for God is Love And St. Peter saith in Acts 15.9 That God put no difference between us and them purifying their Hearts by Faith By vvhich vve see if vve have a saving faith it vvill vvork the same effect in us This is spoken of the Election 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of those that were Christ's standing witnesses thro' the World of whom the Lord faith in John 10.27,28 That none can pluck them out of his hand Concerning the Indwelling of Christ in us NOW as to Christ's being in us and as to the indwelling of the Spirit with us I shall here set down what St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be roprobates Now we are to take notice what he here saith in the former part of the verse the which was that we should examin our selves whether we are in the Faith and that we should prove our selves as much as to say that is the way to know whether Christ is in us or no And in the Ephesians he tells us plainly how it is Christ is said to dwell in us where he saith in Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in Love By which we may clearly see it is by Faith and Love that Christ is said to dwell in our Hearts And therefore St. Paul saith in 1 Cor. 16.22 If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him him be Anathema Maranatha The which is let him be Accursed and if accursed besure he is a Reprobate Now if the indwellings of Christ in us is by Faith and Love then the best way to know whether Christ hath such an Indwelling in us or no is by our Obedience to him in our close walking with him according to his Revealed Will in his Word And if so we shall have the Spirit which is the Comforter more or less bearing Witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God And St. Paul here speaks of the Works of the Flesh where he saith Rom. 8.5 to the 10. v. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit For to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace Because the carnal mind is entirely against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness We see that the Spirit here spoken of is no other but a Spirit of Complaiscency to God and Christ in that their Wills are brought over into the Love
decreed their Works and so concluded them as finisht from the Foundation of the World To which I answer It was from the Foundation of thar World that then was a laying in Israel which the Twelve Tribes were then the Foundation of And not that their Works were finished or they condemned from the foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth For in Esdras 3.17 And it came to pass that when thou leddest his Seed out of Egypt thou broughtest them to Mount Sinai Verse 18. And bowing the Heavens thou didst set fast the Earth and movedst the whole World and madest the Deeps to tremble and troubledst the men of that age That is the world that is to come was establisht in the twelve Tribes which in the Hebrews is mention'd as the foundation Which people now being scattered throughout the face of the Earth when they are again gathered at the coming of the Lord with the Glory that shall then be revealed with the dead that shall be raised will be the world that is to come of which the Apostle speaks And of which he saith they were chosen before the foundation of the world was which world is yet to come as I have show'd you And the Angel further telleth 2 Fsdras 7.11,12,13,14 Which Angel by the word appears to be Christ He saith because for their sakes I made the world And when Adam transgressed my statutes then was decreed that now is done V. 12. Then were the entrances of this world made narrow full of sorrow and travel They are but few and Evil full of Perils and very painful V. 13. For the entrances of the Elder World were wide and sure and brought immortal fruit V. 14. If then they that live labour not to enter these strait and vain things they can never receive those that are laid up for them We see here that the Angel does absolutely declare to Esdras when the decree was past in which the entrance into blessedness was made strait or hard to be attain'd that it was after the fall of Adam and that now we must labour or else we cannot receive the good that is laid up for us which saying is like that of the Lords in Rev. 3.10 because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth V. 11. Behold I come quickly Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown V. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out We here plainly see by the words of the Lord both to Esdras and St. John that there is a part required of us the which is to be performed by us that no man take thy Crown That is as much as to say if thou perform not the condition another shall take thy Crown which was prepared for thee for I can raise me a People another way Of which God hath left us several Examples As first when Israel sinned God would have destroyed them and made of Moses a great Nation Where then would their absolute Election have been for in Exod. 32. where God saith unto Moses in the 7th verse Go get thee down for thy People which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves V. 8. They turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them They have made them a Molten Calf and have Worshiped it and have Sacrificed thereunto and said these be thy Gods O Israel which have brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt V. 9. And the Lord said to Moses I have seen this People and behold it is a stiff-necked People V. 10. Now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation But by Moses's earnest Prayer the fierce Anger of the Lord was asswaged And therefore in the 14th v. it is said The Lord repented of the Evil which he thought to do unto his People Now these are the Elect and chosen People of God whom he had Called Enlightned and put them into a capacity of Obedience and made them sensible what his Will and Pleasure was But they continued not in their Obedience but were quickly turn'd aside and therefore the Lord said they have corrupted themselves Of which also St. James saith chap. 1.13,14,15 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man Verse 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Verse 15. Then when lust hath conceived is bringeth forth fin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death By which we may plainly see that all Evil proceeds from our own hearts and the inbred corruption that is within them being stirr'd up thereunto by the subtil Instigations of the Devil and by the Traps and Gins and Snares that he still lays in our way and the World heedlesly are taken in them And how many after they know the Ways of God yer how few of them do industriously lay forth themselves to serve him as they do the World the Flesh and the Devil Rom. 6.16 But we are his Servants to whom we obey whether of sin unto death or of Obedience unto Righteousness And in Heb. 4.16 it is said Let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need The which if we do and so continue to do God hath promised that he will never leave us nor sorsake us as Heb. 13. wherein he instructs us how to order our Conversation aright thereby to become partakers of the promise In Heb. 13.1,2,3,4,5,6 Let brotherly love continue Verse 2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares Verse 3. Remember them that are in Bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body Verse 4. Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge V. 5. Let your Conversation be without Coveteousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee In this latter part of the Verse he speaks of singular Persons whereas he saith the Lord will never leave thee that is we must each of us search our own Hearts to know whether we walk in a Resignation of our wills to his will and also to go out of our selves to fetch strength from him And then it is he hath promised That he will never leave us nor forsake us V. 6. So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me That is every one that doth so walk may say particularly for himself That the
the promises The which is if we find that our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water the Water of Baptism Then it is he saith in Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that hath promised V. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and good Works For if we do not these things the profession of our Faith will little avail us For he saith in the 26th verse If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins V. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and â—…ery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries V. 28. He that despised Moses's Law dyed without mercy under two or three Witnesses V. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace V. 30 For we know him that saith Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord. And again the Lord shall judg his People Now whereas he saith If we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledg of the Truth Here by these words you see he includes himself and the then gathered Church that he wrote unto That if he or any of them should sin wilfully after they have received the knowledg of the Truth there remains no more Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment Now these were the Called the Elected and the Chosen to whom he gives all this warning to let them understand there was a possibility of their falling off and to let them understand that their Calling and Election was such as brought them into the knowledg of Christ and themselves so far Renewed and Enlightned as to put them into a Capacity of obedience in which capacity they must use their utmost indeavour to make their Calling and Election sure For after God has Illuminated us that is enlightned us then he tries us to prove ouâ— obedience either by Prosperity or Adversity or whatever other Affliction he shall see meet to lay upon us even to the withdrawing of his comfortable Presence from us to see whether our belief in him is such as to take to the Rules that he hath set before us as to be found doing our utmost endeavour in maintaining a warfare and making a continual Resistance for the doing of which we must still seek to God by Prayer for his Assistance then with confidence we may rely on his Promise who hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee And S. James saith in c. 4.7,8 Submit your selves therefore to God resist the Devil and he will flee from you Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you And St. Paul still incouraging them to hold out bids them v. 33. Call to remembrance the formsr days in which after they were illuminated ye endured a great fight of Affliction But when God in the Wilderness did prove Israel they did not stand in the day of Tryal For which all that was numbred of them from 20 years old and upwards that came out of Egypt died in the Wilderness save Caleb and Joshua Num. 23.21 Now whereas Balaam saith God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perversness in Israel In which words he had reference to the time to come and so speaks in the Scripture way of speaking and not that those words did appertain to them at that time but in the time to come when God shall take away their sins For he is of purer Eyes than to behold inipuity and let it go unpunished But it is then he sees no iniquity in Jacob when he hath removed all iniquity from them which the Lord hath promised to do at the time when he again comes For at that time when they were in the Wilderness all those heavy Judgments came upon them because of their Iniquity And also it is further Evident that he intended not those words to them that were then left of Israel For afterward in Numb 25.3,9 they again sinned in committing Whoredom and Idolatry with Moab as in the 3d. v. And Israel joyned himself to Baal Peor and the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel so as there dyed for that Transgression 24 thousand as it is said in the 9th verse Now it is farther evident when Balaam was at that time with Balak he speake to him of the second coming of Christ for in Numb 24.17,18 He saith of Christ I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy all the Children of Seth. Which in antient Writings is said to be the Children of ease and quiet and without doubt meant of her that saith I sit as a Queen and am no Widow nor shall see no sorrow but her destruction at the coming of the Lord shall be at an instant suddenly as here it is said when the Septer shall rise out of Jacob and destroy all the Children of Seth. And in Numb 23.23 It is also said Sureâ—y there is no enchantment against Jacob neither any Divination against Israel according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought That was then there could be no Enchantment against Jacob nor any Divination against Israel when they were not committing Sin But by woful experience we know that when Israel had transgressed by sinning then God suffered the Enchantments of the King of Babylon to be successful for to accomplish his threatned Judgments against Israel as it is said in Ezek. 21.21 For the King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two ways to use Divination He made his Arrows bright he consulted with images he looked in the liver v. 22. At his Right-hand was the Divination for Jerusalem by which we see this Prophesy of Balaam doth particularly appertain to the time to come and then there shall be no Inchantment against Jacob nor Divination against Israel for evermore And the latter part of this Verse doth make it farther appear his meaning was for the time to come wherein he saith according to this time which Argues that there should be another time according to what was then in which it should be said what hath God wrought And also the last Testimony of Ruben gives us an Account of the great Afflictions and Repentance that he had for that sin of his when weeping he said Hearken ye my Brethren and you my Children give Ear to the words of your Father Râ—ber mark what I give in charge behold I command you this day before the God of Heaten
of Mercy when the door was open to them for the Mercy will then be distributed according to the Election of Grace which with the Believers is the Promised Elect which will be called in at his coming And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 9.17,18 For the Scripture saith Vnto 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 throughout all the earth therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Now as I before told you St. Paul hath here his reference to the time to come And the Scripture makes mention that as the Children of Israel was at first delivered by Signs and Wonders so will their deliverance again be with Signs and Wonders The which Signs and Wonders will be before the coming of the Lord who will be their great deliverer And therefore what God said to Moses I will here set down as touching the hardning of Pharaohs heart The which is in Exodus 4.21 Where God saith I will harden Pharaohs heart that he shall not let the People go Not that then God had hardned the heart of Phaaaoh but that it was then to do as from the Lord. For his Cruelty to the Children of Israel proceeded from his own wicked Nature being stirred up thereto by the Devil who is always an Enemy to the Children of God And in the fifth chap. it does appear that God would further prove Pharoah as touching his Cruelty to the Children of Israel before it is said he hardned his heart For in the fifth Chapter of Exodus ver 1,2,6,7,8,9,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharoah Thus saith the Lord God of Israel let my people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the Wilderness Verse 2. And Pharoah said who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Verse 6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the Taskmasters of the people and their Officers saying Verse 7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselves Verse 8. And the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish ought thereof for they be idle therefore they cry saying Let us go and sacrifice to our God Verse 9. Let there be more work laid upon the men that they may labour therein and let them not regard vain Words Verse 12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the Land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw Verse 13. And the Taskmasters hasted them saying Fullfil your Works your daily Task as when there was straw Verse 14. And the Officers of the children of Israel which Pharaohs Taskmasters had set over them were beaten and demanded Wherefore have ye not fullfilled your Task both yesterday and to day as heretofore Verse 15. Then the Officers of the children of Israel came and cryed to Pharaoh saying Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy Servants Verse 16. There is no straw given to thy Servants and they say to us make brick and behold thy Servants are beaten but the fault is in thine own people Verse 17. But he said Ye are idle ye are idle therefere ye say let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord. Verse 18. Go therefore now and work for there shall no straw be given you yet shall you deliver the Tale if your Bricks This horrible Cruelty and inhuman Slavery was he stirred up to by his own evil Heart and the Devils and not by God For that which God did harden him in was in his unbelief by reason of his Cruelty therefore God hardened him in unbelief that he might accomplish his fierce Anger upon him which unbelief was That he regarded not the Miracles done by Moses And the Lord is not said to harden him till the 13th verse of the 7th chap. For in the 3d verse of the same chap. The Lord again repeateth the words and saith he will harden him by which we may plainly see that his hardning was not then by his blessed Majesty for in the 2d verse of the 7th chap. the Lord said unto Moses Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy Brother shall speak unto Pharoah that he send the Children of Israel out of his Land V. 3. And I will harden Pharoah's Heart and multiply my signs and my wonders in the Land of Egypt V. 4. But Pharoah shall not hearken unto you that I may lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth mine Armies and my People the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt by great Judgments Now in the 10th v. Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh and they did as the Lord had commanded In shewing the signs and wonders that he had appointed them And Aaron cast down his Rod before Pharaoh and before his Servants and it became a Serpent V. 11. Then Pharaoh also called the wise Men and the Sorcerers Now the Magicians of Egypt they also did in like manner with their inchantments V. 12. For they cast down every man his Rod and they became Serpents but Aaron's Rod swallowed up their Rods. And then it is in the 13th v. And he hardened Pharaoh's Heart that he hearkned not unto them as the Lord had said V. 14. And the Lord said unto Moses Pharaoh's Heart is hardned he refuseth to let the People go Here is the first time wherein it is said that God hardned Pharaoh's Heart The which we may plainly see That as to what God hardned him in was in his unbelief that he should not believe the Miracles done by Moses and Aaron And also that God did suffer the Magicians to go so far was to carry on the Council of God in that they should be a means to help on the delusion of Pharoah That these Conjurations and Inchantments whereto he trusted should be a means to help forward the accomplishment of his destruction the which for his sin and cruelty was determined of God for him For when Man is wicked God chuseth his delusions by that which he is most prone unto As for Example When God would make good his wordby the Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 22.20,21,22 against Ahab for his Cruelty and Abominable Idolatry the Will of God was That he should be deluded to his Destruction by those Prophets in whom he trusted for they were the Men that perswaded him to go up to Ramoth Gilead to Battle where he was slain and the word of the Lord fulfilled on him Now as to what God said unto Moses concerning the utter Destruction of Pharaoh is in the 9th chap. begining at the 13th verse And the Lord said unto Moses rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews let my people go that
they may serve me V. 14. For I will at this time send all my Plagues upon thine Heart and upon thy Servants and upon thy People that thou mayest know there is none like me in all the Earth By which words it does appear that God had not fully determined all the Plagues that he sent on him not till that time For in the 15th verse God says Now will I stretch out my hand that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt be cut off from the earth Verse 16. And in very deed for that cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my Name may be declared throughout all the Earth Which word raised thee up in the Hebrew is no other than made thee stand The which you may see in the Margin of your Bibles And as to the meaning of the words making thee stand is that thou shalt stand in that place of Power till my appointed time is come for the delivery of my people Israel For God foreknowing the evil heart that was in him and that Satan had made him an Instrument of cruelty therefore God hardned him in Unbelief that he might shew forth his Power in him that thereby the Name of the Lord might be declared throughout all the Earth Now as touching the Root of Gall and Wormwood the which St. Paul terms the Root of Bitterness and the man of sin And by St. John he is term'd the Beast in Rev. 13.1 And I stood upon the Sand of the Sea and I saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven Heads and ten Horns and upon his Horns ten Crowns and upon his Heads the Name of Blasphemy Verse 2. And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feet were as the feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority In the first place St. John saith that he saw a Beast rise out of the Sea and the Sea in Scripture doth signifie the common people from whence this Beast did arise The Horns the Scripture tells us they are Ten Kings and here the Crowns on them signifie as much by which Horns the Beast is defended and maintained in his Power And in that he is like unto a Leopard which seems to signifie to us the several Badges of his Idolatrous Worship that he hath set up and therefore appeareth like a spotted Leopard And it is said he hath Feet like a Bear that seems to set forth to us how he doth trample down the Saints of the most High and tear them in peices It is said he hath a mouth like a Lyon the which as the Lyon's mouth is the Destruction of all that cometh near it so the Mouth of this Beast destroyeth them that do adhere to it And whereas it is said that the Dragon gave him his Power and Seat and great Authority the which is to let us understand that this Power of his was never given him of God but that he received it from the Dragon which is the Devil who making him a fit instrument for himself to carry on his Hellish designs by therefore he gave him his Power and Seat great Authority and put him on a Throne And the Lord will there keep him standing that is make him stand that he shall not be taken off by any of the Judgments which the Lord doth send before his coming But as God did make that Pharaoh stand in his place till his appointed time was come for the delivery of his People as chusing him to harden in unbelief that had hardned himself in all iniquity and cruelty And therefore the Lord reserved him till himself was in the Clouds before that Pharaoh was destroyed in the Sea So the Lord again chuses this Beast to harden in unbelief as to the Miraculous signs that he has and will send on the Earth because this Beast has hardned himself in all manner of Cruelty and Mischief and Blasphemy Therefore the Lord chuseth him to shew the fierceness of his wrath upon when he comes to judg the World and deliver Israel And then it is that this Beast is taken alive Rev. 19.20 And cast into a lake of Fire burning with Brimstone which is the Second Death Now whereas it is said the Lord will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy The which Mercy will again be Distributed to the Believers and Promised Elect when the Lord comes as it was when God said those words to Moses at the time when he brought them out of the Land of Egypt Exodus 33.18 Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy glory V. 19. And he said I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy Which mercy was then shew'd to the Seed of Abraham according to his promise to their forefathers And whereas St. Paul saith in Rom. 9.19 Thou wilt say unto me why doth he yet find fault for who hath resiste his will V. 20. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus V. 21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel unto Honour and another to Dishonour That is the Potter hath Power according to his pleasure of the same Clay to make a Vessel unto Honour and another to dishonour but when he maketh a Vessel to honour out of one and the same lump as he maketh the other there is more of his labour bestowed upon it and more of his proper cost and charge or else it would be unfit for a Vessel of Honour Therefore God sometimes to shew forth his Power plucks some as a brand out of the burning and also God of the worser Clay can make a Vessel unto Honour for God chose Nebuchadnezzar to be a Vessel of Mercy who was of the seed of Ham which was more Estranged from God than the Seed of Shem or Japhet was And by that Miraculous Judgment mentioned in Daniel 4.31,32,33 God brought him home by Repentance And also by other great Miracles God would have brought home the Babilonians by Repentance but they neglecting the opportunity of Mercy therefore God said in Jer. 31.9 I would have healed Babylon but she was not healed We see here was an absolute Election or Choice that God made of Nebuchadnezzar and when he was in his Unregenelate Stare God generally termed him his Servant which God never did the great King of Assiria But as for Cyrus before he had a Being he was Prophesied of that he should be a chosen Servant of God and also that he should build him a Temple as in Isa 45.1 2 Chro. 36.23 But he is no where said to
be Chosen before the Foundation of the World Now as I said before there is an absolute Election the which the Lord terms the very Elect. And there is a conditional Election in which we are to labour in to make our calling and Election sure There is also an opportunity or a day of Grace given the which was offered to those Babilonians as in Jer. 51.9 but it was a prize put into the Hands of Fools But you may say that their Destruction was before declared by the Prophet from God and therefore they Repented not To which I Answer God by his all seeing Eye as knowing their Wickedness and foreseeing their Cruelty to Israel Upon which the Prophet did from the Lord foretel their destruction But however God did offer them Mercy and if they had embraced the Opportunity God would have defer'd his Judgments to have been Inflicted upon the miscarriage of their following Generations As for Example God sent the Prophet Jonah Jonah 3.4,5,6,7,8,9 To Nineveh to Proclaim the Destruction of that great City But they believing the word of the Lord and Repenting God staid off the threatned Judgment which Jonah proclaimed should be within 40 days which upon their repentance God made it 40 days of years In which time most of them that was capable of that Repentance were taken off by Death Now as to the lump or clay that Israel came of when the Lord maketh a Vessel of that Clay without any Addition of the renewing of his Spirit it will prove but a Vessel of Dishonour But God saith in Jer. 2.21 That he made Israel a choice Vine and he looked that it should bring forth Grapes and it brought forth wild Grapes Yet I had planted thee a Noble Vine an Holy and Right Seed How then art thou turned into a degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me By which we see that God had distinguished Israel from the rest of the World and put them all in a Capacity of Obedience but they would not use their utmost endeavour to walk in his ways therefore he gave them up to blindness of Mind and hardness of Heart for they all being put into a Capacity of Obedience in which had they done their utmost endeavour and also lookt to the Promised Messiah for their Justification they should have obtain'd salvation but for want of so doing the generality of them were cut off However from among them God did chuse part of his Special Elect the which were Vessels of Honour of which St. Paul speaks of Rom. 11.5 At this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of grace The which were so absolutely chosen in Christ that they should not fall away And as to what St. Paul saith in the 9th chap. after he had made mention of the Potter and the Clay In the following Verse which is the 22d he saith What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his Power known endured with much long suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction That is God is willing to shew his Wrath and make his Power known on them which he hath endured with much long suffering whilst they were fitting themselves for destruction by which way they became the Vessels of his Wrath. Of whom St. Peter also saith in 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the Builders disallowed the same is made the Head of the Corner and a stone of stumbling and a Rock of Offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient whereunto also they were oppointed But you may say What were they from the beginning appointed to be disobedient To which I answer No. God put them into a capacity of Obedience and required Obedience from them but they refused to obey and hardned their Neck and refused to return as almost the whole History of the Bible gives us to understand therefore God left them to blindness of mind and hardness of heart so as to stumble at the stumbling-stone to the which disobedience they were appointed because they had been before very sinful as in Isaiah we are given an account what the Lord had done for them And of their Wickedness before the Prophet from the Lord did denounce this Judgment against them that he would lay in Sion a stumbling-stone And therefore as to what the Lord said he had done for them and of their miscariage before this Judgment was declared against them I will here set down as to what God hath done for his Vineyard As in Isaiah 5.2 c.. He fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choicest vine and built a Tower in the midst of it and also made a wine-press therein and he looked that it should bring forth grapes and it bronght forth wild grapes 3. And now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah Judge I pray you betwixt me and my Vineyard 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes 5. Now go to I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be trodden down V. 6. And I will lay it wast it shall not be pruned nor hedged but there shall come up briers and thorns I will also command the Clouds that they rain no rain upon it V. 7. For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel and the men of Judah is his pleasant plant and he looked foâ— Judgment and behold oppression for righteousness and behold a cry That is God put them in a Capacity of doing Justice and Judgment the which they might have done but they would not Now as I before told you that the sins of the Natural Seed of Israel and the Adopted Seed are joyned so also the Punishment of the Natural Seed and of the Adopted Seed are joyned together for from 11th v. of the 5th chap. to the 16th v. it doth appear to declare the Punishments of the back-sliding Christians because the next verse speaks of the Lord of Host being exalted in Judgment and that then the Lambs should feed together And in the following part of the Chapter the sins of the Adopted Seed are intermix'd with them of the Natural Seed But by the foregoing verses that are here set down we are given fully to understand wherefore the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel the which was in that they did not make a good improvement of the opportunity of Grace put into their Hands but cast away the Law of the Lord and despised his word therefore was the Anger of the Lord kindled against them After which it is said in Isa 8.13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and
let him be your dread v. 14. And he shall be for a Sanctuary but for a stone of Stumbling and for a Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Jacob for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem V. 15. And many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken Here you see this Judgment which was mentioned by St. Peter That they were appointed to it after they had sinned that they should stumble at that Stumbling Stone so as not to be obedient to him And it is said in the 16th v. Bind up the Testimony seal the Law among my Disciples V. 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his Face from the House of Jacob and I will look for him The which words also signifies the exclusion of the major part of Israel and Judah with the Powers thereof for they being most guilty of the miscarriage of the rest But yet the binding up of the Testimony and the Sealing of the Law among the Disciples seems that it had a larger extent among them of Jacob than as to the very Elect that was chosen from amongst them For the Lord saith in Matt. 11.12 And from the Days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the violent take it by force Now if the Kingdom of Heaven suffered Violence and the Violent took it by Force the which shews us for certain that there were more made partakers of the Kingdom than those that are said to be the very Elect for those were so Elected or Chosen as they could not possibly through mistake or deceit miss of the Kingdom for Christ himself saith in Matt. 24.24 If it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect by which words it does appear impossible to deceive the very Elect. And since all the Christian Churches have been deceived except that of Piedmont according as it is said in the Revelations That all the world wandered after the Beast or great Harlot with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication and who with her Wine made the Inhabitants of the Earth Drunk the Churches of Piedmont only followed Jesus Christ and inviolably adhered to his Doctrin as it is Written of them so as the Valleys had intirely for their Arms a Toarch inviron'd with thick Darkness with this Motto Lux lucet in tenebris Light shines in Darkness by which it does in a more especial manner appear that these are the very Elect spoken of by the Lord by reason that they have stood ever since the Apostles time undeceived by the Beast or false Prophets as the Lord foretold And by which words of the Lord it remains also that it is impossible to deceive the very Elect. Now by these words these very Elect are with Violence secured from the Evil deceit of this World and taken for the Kingdom whilst the other is said to take the Kingdom of Heaven by Violence and that is There was an opportunity of Grace and Mercy put into their Hands in which they did imploy their utmost endeavour to secure the Kingdom of Heaven to themselves and by so doing they are said to take the Kingdom of Heaven by Violence But unto them that did not so the Lord saith in Matt. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not Here the Lord speaketh of the Offers of Grace and Mercy that was tendred to Israel aforetime by the Prophets by whom he would have gathered them as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but they would not Of which also the Lord told Esdras 2 Esd 1. c. 28. to the 32. v. Now whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 13.13 Therefore spake I to them in Parables because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand That is altho they did see and hear they did not give their minds to understand 14. v. And in them is fulfilled the Prophesy of Isaiah which saith By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive 15. For this Peoples Heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of Hearing and their Eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and should understand with their Heart and should be Converted and I should heal them The which Prophecy was ordered by the Lord in Isa 6.9 after the woful miscarriage of his people The which is partly set down in the foregoing Chap. of Isa And after Israel had been exceeding sinful the Prophet Jeremiah saith in Jer. 13.22 And if thou say in thine heart wherefore come these things upon me for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discover'd and thy heels made bare Whereas it is said V. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his Spots Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil V. 24. Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the Wilderness Now we see when man wilfully revolteth and giveth himself up to a custome in sinning by which he becomes forsaken of God then for him that has so accustomed himself to do evil he cannot learn to do well for in so doing they provoke the Lord to leave them to blindness of mind and hardness of heart and then they are past all hope But the Lord saith of Abraham in Gen. 12.19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Here by these words it shews a foreknowledge in God that Abraham would command his Children and houshold after him and they should keep the way of the Lord. That the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him The which shews that the Covenant was but conditional with Abraham himself but yet the forekowledge in God of Abrahams obedience and thereupon it became absolute to him And there was a foreknowledge in God of Israels miscarriage and therefore the miscarriage of them was foretold what would hereafter come to pass concerning them For the Covenant being conditional the breach of the Covenant was their destruction the which default in them was foreknown of God But not that God did make a decree that they should sin and then for their sin be cast off of him and so to become accursed The which is a very great sin in us to think as being against the word and Oath of God And the Lord saith in 2 of Esdras 2.15 To the mother or Church Embrace thy Children and make their feet as fast as pillars And in V. 25.
Nourish thy Children O thou good Nurse stablish their feet That is pray for them instruct them exhort them reprove them rebuke and chastise them For the Lord saith in the 2 of Esdras 9.11 They that have loathed my Law while they had yet liberty And when as yet place of repentance was open unto them understood not but despised it V. 12. The same must know it after death by pain And Eby for not Chastising his Sons but onely reproving them therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against him 1 Sam. 2.30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever but now the Lord saith be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed V. 31. Behold the day is come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thine house Here we see it was sin that did disappoint them of a promised blessing And also the good King Josiah did forfeit his Temporal promised blessing the which was That he should die in peace But he unadvisedly went out to Fight with the King of Egypt when he was forewarn'd by the same King from the Lord to forbear as is said in Chron. 34.27 Because thine Heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the Inhabitants thereof and humblest thy self before me and didest rend thy Clothes and weep before me I have even heard thee also saith the Lord. 28. Behold I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be gathered to the grave in peace neither shall thine Eyes see all the Evil that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabitants of the same Now in the 2 Chron. 35.20 It is said that he went out to Fight against the King of Egypt 21. But he sent Embassadors to him saying what have I to do with thee thou King of Judah I come not against thee this day but against the House wherewith I have war for God commanded me to make hast forbear thee from medling with God who is with me that he destroy thee not 22. Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him but disguised himself that he might Fight with him and hearkned not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God and came to Fight in the Valley of Megiddo 23. And the Archers shot at King Josiah and the King said to his servants have me away for I am sore wounded of which he dyed And also St. Paul in Acts 27.22 saith to them that were in the Ship And now I exhort you to be of good cheer for there shall be no loss of any mans Life among you but of the Ship 23. For there stood by me this night the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve 24. Saying fear not Paul thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee 25. Wherefore Sirs be of good cheer for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me Now when the Ship-men were going to make their escape out of the Ship St. Paul in the 31. v. saith to the Centurian and to the Soldiers except these abide in the Ship you cannot be saved Now all these things are set down for our Instruction and Example and to admonish us that through our own default we may miss of the Promised blessing For we must take to the way and use the means or else the blessing promised is not attainable Therefore St. Paul saith Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it All these things being fair warning that as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.10 We should use all diligence to make our calling and election sure And St. Paul saith Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded Wherefore were they blinded Because they hardned themselves in disobedience unto God as I before shewed you Now there is a threefold hardness of Heart First There is a natural hardness or unbelief Secondly There is a wilful hardness or unbelief that is when we wilfully harden our selves against God and his word And then it is that God gives them up to a judicial hardness of Heart and blindness of mind Therefore the Lord saith in Isa 65.2 The which place is also mentioned by St. Paul in Rom. 10.21 But to Israel he saith I have spread out my hand all the day unto a rebellious People which walked in a way that was not good after their own thoughts And in Rom. 11.11,8 he saith According as it is written God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear unto this day That is as I before shewed you in Isa 6.9 The which Judgment was pronounced against rhem by reason of their great wickedness the which is set down in the foregoing chap. of Isaiah to which I have already spoken and therefore shall here pass it by But as for the other quotation that is put down in the margin which is Isa 29.10 The which is not meant by St. Paul because that place hath its special reference to the Christians by reason from the 5. v. downward it treats of the Destruction of the World and Israel's Enemies the which is said to be at an instant suddenly that is when the Lord cometh At which time also there will be a great stupidness upon the Relapsed Christians occasioned by their sin of which St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.10 Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved 11. And for this cause God sent them strong delusions that they should believe a lie 12. That they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness For as I before shewed it is said in Rev. 13.2 That the Devil gave the Beast his Power of whom came strong Delusions so as they believed Lies Besides all the other Delusions that the Devil has sent abroad in the World the which God suffers to take with them that have no love to the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness The which makes sin exceeding finful By which we are also shewn that the day of Grace and the day of Life hath not one and the same period That is that the day of Grace may be taken away long before our natural Life is Ended Of which the Apostle saith Heb. 3.7 Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith to day if you will hear his Voice 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness 9. When your Fathers tempted me proved
me and saw my works forty years 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation and said they do always err in their Heart and they have not known my ways 11. So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest By these words we again see when it was that the Lord sware that they should not enter into his rest That it was when they sinned in the Wilderness at which time they provoked him to wrath Whereof also it is said in the 17. v. But with whom was he grieved forty years Was it not with them that had sinned whose carcases fell in the Wilderness 18. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not By which we may see that some of them were excluded the Promise above thirty years before their Natural Life was ended And St. Paul speaking of David Rom. 11.9 where he saith Let their Table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompence unto them 10. Let their Eyes be darkned that they may not see and how down their back alway Now it may be said wherefore did David curse them To which I answer David was a tipe of Christ and a Prophet and by the Prophetical Spirit he foresaw the Sufferings of his blessed Lord and that it would be the Jews from whom he should receive his Afflictions and therefore as his own Afflictions he did express them that were done to the Almighty Lord which was the reason that he thus Curst those that should be the Afflictors of the Lord Christ as in Psal 69.6,9,28 v. wherein David intermixes his Sufferings with those of the Sufferings of Christ wherein it does seem in a more especial manner to signify the sufferings of the Lord Christ and as to what related to his Enemies For in the 21. v. he saith They gave me also Gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me Vinegar to drink Which thing was done to the Lord Christ as in Mark 15.23 having before spoken of the Sufferings of the Lord he closes with this which was done to him on the Cross After which David proceeds to Curse them as is before set down And St. Paul says Rom. 11.11 I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid But rather through the fall Salvation is come to the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie Here St. Paul starts the question in that he saith Have they stumbled because they should fall He fearing lest they should fall under that dangerous mistake to which he answers himself God forbid as much as to say it is not so and have a care you think not so And also we see that the Scripture doth fully make it appear to the contrary in shewing us how they first fell And after which God said He would lay in Sion a stumbling stone So as that which should have been for their welfare became a Trap. At which stone they stumbled as they then mist of the Salvation purchased by him And Christ saith Matt. 21.44 That whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder Now it was the Jews that fell upon the Lord which was this Stone but they did it ignorantly through unbelief and their ignorance was occasioned by their sinfulness and for want of a desire to him when they heard of his coming the which had they had a longing after him the extent of his mercy would have been larger amongst them But it is said Matt. 2.23 When the wise men came to inquire saying where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his Star in the East and are come to Worship him 3. When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him We here see that they desired not the coming of Christ And Christ did not manifest himself unto them So if we desire not the coming of the Lord it is a sign that we shall have no share in him and to desire his coming without preparing our Hearts for him there is no hopes of mercy for us But as the Jews fell on that stone and so were broken to pieces So when Christ again comes who is this Stone it is the relapsed Christians that he will fall upon so as to grind them to Powder Now whereas St. Peter saith of the wicked c. 2. v. 11,12 Whereas Angels are greater in power and might bring not a railing accusation against them before the Lord but these as natural brute Beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own Corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness as they that counted pleasure to riot in the day time spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings That is as natural brute beasts which are made to be taken and destroyed understand not how to give honour neither to God nor man and so these speak evil of the things they understand not but are sporting themselves with their own deceiving whereby they came to be destroyed And whereas St. Jude saith 4. v. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Now whereas he saith they were before of old ordained to this Condemnation That is there was in old time a decree ordained that such and the like offenders should fall under the condemnation which then was determined for them but not that there was before Ordain'd of God that there should be such and the like offenders on purpose because that they should fall under the Condemnation that was of old determined No but as our Kings knowing that there will be offenders therefore make Laws for their punishment And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 9.22,23,24 That God might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory 24. Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles Whereas St. Paul saith That God might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy By which words we may plainly understand that then the Glory of God was not manifested on them And also St. Paul in another place saith that they were made the Off-scouring of all things And whereas he saith Vessels of Mercy which God had prepared unto Glory Heâ—e he lets us understand that it is God that fits the Saints for Glory But in the foregoing words of the same Chapter he did not say it was God that fitted Man for destruction And God himself saith thy destruction is of thy self O Man And that he delights not in the death of a sinner And whereas he saith which he had afore prepared unto
Glory even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles That was from their first Conversion the Spirit of the Lord was working with their Spirit so as to make them Vessels of Mercy prepared unto Glory the which Glory will be revealed when the Lord again comes Therefore St. Paul saith a little before his Death 2 Tim. 4.6,7,8 For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing Now here is two things to be considered in these words which is to whom these Crowns are to be given and when they are to be given He tells us they shall be given to all them that love his appearing That is has a longing desire for his appearing And he also tells us they are to be given in that day in which the Lord appeareth Now in the Vision that St. John saw Rev. 4.1,4,6 In which it is said The Vision was for hereafter at which time there was a door opened in Heaven And in the 4. v. it is said There was four and twenty seats And upon the seats four and twenty Elders sitting cloathed in white Raiment and they had on their heads Crowns of Gold And in the 6th v. it is said before the Throne there was a Sea of Glass By which it does appear this Vision which was for time to come does signifie the time when the glorious Tabernacle should descend by reason he mentions there was a door opened in Heaven And by the measure of the City upward and the glory of it Which is mentioned in the 21st and 22d chapters of the Revelations it does seem that the Heavens will remain open over the glorious Tabernacle from the Throne of God And by the Sea of Glass it doth signify as much At which time it is said the Elders were Crowned Which is according to what St. Paul Saith that they shall receive their Crowns in that day when the Lord appeareth at which time the Glory will be manifested Now as to what St. Paul saith in Rom. 9.25 Where he mentions what was said by the Prophet Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved 26. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the Children of the living God By the rehearsal of these words it makes it also plainly appear that St. Paul had his â—eference wholly to the time when the Lord again comes In that he Saith where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the children of the living God Now to whom was this spoken it was to Israel in the Land of Canan Unto which at the restitution they shall be again restored And there shall they be called the children of the living God As in Hos 9.10 Then said God call his name Loammi for ye are not my people and I will not be your God Yet the number of the Children of Israel shall be as the Sand of the Sea which cannot be measured nor numbred And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them ye are the Sons of the living God 11. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the Land for great shall be the day of Jezreel Whereas it is said they shall choose themselves one head the which will be the head whom God hath appointed them And God saith in Hos 2.18,19,20 And in that day I 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 I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the Earth and I will make them lie down safely 19. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousness and in Judgment and in loving kindness and in mercy 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. Which words argue there was a time in which Israel did not know the Lord. And the Lord saith 23. V. And I will sow her unto me in the Earth and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy and I will say to them which were not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God By these quotations of St. Paul we may also clearly see that what he said was for the time to come And he saith in Rom. 8.28,29 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose That is called now for his purpose hereafter for it 29. V. For whom he did forknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first born among many brethren Now whereas he saith whom he did foreknow that is whom Christ had the knowledge of in this life to be conformable to him as was the Apostles and the Churches that first trusted in Christ They were then chosen for to be made partakers of the Glory that shall be Revealed when the Lord again comes according to what he saith in Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Now these words may comprehend the time that is to come that they should be conformable to the Image not only of the mind of Christ but to the person of Christ intime to come And whereas he saith Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also called and whom he called then he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also glorious Here we see he speaks in the usual Scripture way of speaking in that he mentions what is to come as tho it were already done For it is Evident that they were not then glorified By which it does appear that this calling here mentioned is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and Live which is at the first Resurrection which is the Resurrection of the lust at which time the Promised Elect shall find mercy And wheras he saith in Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with
that St. Paul might have his special reference to the promise made to Abraham which was before the Foundation of the World to come which afterward was laid in his Seed For God saith in Gen. 17.7 And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generatione for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee And St. Paul saith in Ephes 1.21 That God hath set Christ far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come And he also saith Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels hath be not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak By which we may plainly see that all along what he saith was tending to that World which is to come and of those that are chosen and are designed to be chosen for that World Now as to what Christ saith in Mat. 22.14 many are called but few are chosen That is there is many called but there are few that have used all their diligence to make their Calling and Election sure and therefore the Lord will not chuse them For although the calling in of the Gentiles was not because of their Works but according to the Riches of his Grace they not having had the tender of Mercy But as to Israel that had before the knowledge of God they were excluded from Mercy because there was not good Works found in them as God by his Prophets and Christ himself saith And as it was with the Jews so it will be much worse with the Christians when the Lord again comes if we do not walk in Obedience to his revealed Will in his Word and so be found ready As for Example by the Parable the Lord put forth concerning those that were bid to the Wedding Supper as in Luke 14.16,17,18,19,20,21 where they all make Excuses For they being not willing to forego this present World and to wrestle for the blessing therefore at his coming they will be excluded his Mercy in that they shall not taste of his Supper Now whereas St. Paul saith Acts 16.6,7 They were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia 7. After they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not Now although they were not at that time suffered to go into Asia yet God did not withhold the Gospel from them for in Rev. 1.4 the Lord biddeth St. John write to the seven Churches in Asia And St. Paul saith the Gospel had been Preached to all People Col. 1.23 Altho they did not alike receive it for the ground was not in it self alike capable to bear the Seed of God's word as the Lord in the Parable hath declared it And also when they had received the Seed they could not alike retain it because some of their Natures were more estranged from God And the major part of Israel and Judah was then Excluded the mercy by Christ by reason of their sin And also it is said Nehe. 13.1,2 That an Ammonite and a Moabite should not come into the Congregation of God for ever 2. v. Because they met not tha Children of Israel with bread and water but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them howbeit our God turned the Curse into a Blessing By which we see what was the reason God excluded them from his Congregation for ever The meaning of ever includes this present World by all which we see what was the cause they could not all alike receive Christ which was not that they were Reprobated before the foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth But as St. Paul saith of Israel it happened to them the which was after they had sinned And so it was with Moab and Ammon after they had sinned And also the Seed of Ham became accursed First from the mockery of his Father Afterwards from the building of Babel And last of all for their Destroying of Jerusalem Now Satan having twisted himself more into the Natures of these therefore they became more abhorred of God And also this root of gall and wormwood which the Apostle terms the Root of Bitterness He also brings in a false Seed with him according to the Parable of the Lord that there would an Enemy come and sow Tares with the Wheat which is the false seed which God also speaks of in Isa 57.3 But draw near hither ye Sons of the Sorcerers the seed of the Adulterer and the Whore The which is but a Viperous Brood and a false Seed God saith they are unprofitable Children And in Deut. 23.2 A bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord even to the Tenth Generation And the Lord also saith in Ezek. 18.20 The Soul that sinneth it shall die The Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Son the righteousness of the Righteous shall be upon him and the wickedness of the Wicked shall be upon him Now the Bastard is more begotten in Sin And the Patriark Ruben saith in his last Testament that Lust is one of the Spirits of the Devil 's giving and being begot in the breach of the command of God they are more estranged from God and thereby Satan may have a freer entrance into his Heart as to draw them into the ways of Sin But if he does see all the evil of Sin and live a very Holy Life there is hopes of Mercy for him altho it doth not appear that he shall have a part in the first Resurrection Now the Pope allowing all these things brings in a false Seed among them which by the word is more estranged from God for both Spiritual Adultery and Bodily Adultery are both abhorred of the Lord. Now the old World consisted of three sorts of People First They that sprang from Kain for Kain wilfully sinning and maliciously Murdering his Brother which was one fall farther from God then that he was fallen in Adam for which he became accursed of God as in Gen. 4.11 And so his Seed became all along more estranged from God he bringing forth a Viperous Brood like himself And from Seth sprang another Seed which he not falling as Kain did but keeping his ground in which God had set him by the promised Christ because he did not wilfully corrupt himself his Seed was termed the Sons of God as in Gen. 6.2 And also there was other Children proceeded from Adam the which was another Seed which we do not read of their miscarriage whilst they and the Children of Seth did not Marry with the Children of Kain which were the twice fallen Children of Man but then when they did the Mass of Mankind became wholly Corrupted so as the imagination of Mans Heart was only evil as in Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every
imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually Then the Lord said in the 6. v. It repented him that he had made man on the Earth And therefore for Man's sinfulness God destroyed them from off the Earth only saving Noah whom God had found to walk uprightly before him Gen. 6.9 And after the Flood from Noah's three Sons sprang three seeds And Saran getting footing into the Heart of Ham so as to make a mockery of his Father as in Gen. 9.22,25 For which he Cursed him and so his Off-spring taking after him proved a Viperous Brood and thereby became more estranged from God than the other two Seeds although afterwards they all almost fell from God yet still the Race of Ham was the worst because of their second Fall in their Father Ham and the Prince of darkness got farther footing in them and so they became the more forsaken of God And so when God chose Israel to bring them into the Land of Canaan they were to drive out the Cananites out of that Land and they were not to make any mixt Marriages with them But when Israel did break the Command of God by their mixt Marriages with them contrary to the command of God they were drawn away by them to their Abominations And when Israel became guilty of the like sins they also became forsaken of God Now we see that these two Worlds had each of them three Seeds And St. Paul faith Rom. 11.25,26 Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodlinss from Jacob. And then it doth appear the mercy shall return to the Seed of Shem. As to those Heathen Nations which are the Promised Elect spoken of in Isaiah And the third Seed will be the young Children of the Wicked Brood which shall be left to remain as in Joel 3.8 where I have already shewed you that Israel shall then sell them for Servants This being clear by the word of God And Noah in his Blessing and Cursing his Children had his reference to the World to come and not to this present time for it is said Gen. 9.24 And Noah awoke from his Wine and knew what his younger Son did unto him 25. v. And he said cursed be Canaan a Servant to Servants shall he be unto his Brethren 26. v. And he said blessed be the Lord God of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant 27. v. God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant Now the History of the Bible makes it appear that all along the Seed of Ham was those that bore the greater sway and was the most flourishing People as in Gen. 10. And so on to Nebucadnezâ—…er they of that stock of Ham being still in great Power At last they were the People that destroyed Israel and therefore were not servant of Servants to Israel only those few that were taken off in the Land of Canaan whilst the rest remained Lords of the World till Cyrus his time And in the Prophesy of their Destruction by the Medes The Lord there terms them to be the Heavens and Earth which Heavens the Lord said he would shake and remove the Earth out of her place Isa 13.13 to 17 v. The which was when the Earth of that People was removed out of their place which Earth was the People And afterward they became a scattered People Now neither the People or Mahomet did come of the Loyns of the foregoing Kings of their Country And by the Prophesy of Noah they are some of the stock of that old Root Ham for their Priests Friers Monks Jesuits Cardinals and Popes are chosen from among all the World And the Prince of Darkness knew where to raise part of his old stock to play a new game with And Mahomet also appears to be one of the same Race And by these Two Satan hath corrupted almost the whole Christian World But the wonderful Subtilty of the Devil was in obliging the Followers of that False Prophet and Impostor Mahomet to Morality Whilst the pretended Vicar which the Devil set up for the Vicar of Christ gave liberty to all manner of Wickedness which either Man or Devil could invent either by his Licenses Pardons or Indulgences if money were in the case And the Devil knowing that Christ was to come but not knowing that he was to come to suffer therefore said Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time By these words it is clear the Devils knew that the Lord was to come to torment them but that it was then before his time and they receiving not their torment then they know that he is to come again But the Devil has caused the Pope and his Adherents to deny it which is the Reason we have all been so involved in Darkness coming out of the dregs of Popery And the Prince of Darkness causing Mahomet to tell the people that he would return the more to take us off from the expectation of the coming of the Lord by the false Impostors pretending thereunto and by the Pope's denying of it For the Devil carrieth on his Kingdom by a Mystery in iniquity And now when the Lord cometh the Children of these forementioned will not be taken away with their wicked Parents but will as I have elsewhere shewed you then be saved to be sold for Servants to those Nations that are said by the Prophet Joel 3.8 shall be Servants to Israel And then will the blessing and cursing of Noah be fulfilled concerning his Sons When this Ham is become servant of servants then also shall those of Japhet which are found in Christ dwell in the Tents of Shem and so be made partakers of the promised New Covenant with Israel whilst some others of the Heathen Gentiles are spared to see the Glory and partake of the Mercy but the great Mercy will then return on that Race that Abraham came of for Egypt and Syria are then taken into Covenant and given to Israel for Daughters though not by the same Covenant Now there being these Three Seeds part of them left again for the other World with some of the Gentile Race of whom comes Mesheth and Tubal and it is these will prove the Gog and Magog when the Devil again is loosed and the Glory of the Lord not so visible amongst them Then he will perswade them and what others he can deceive with them to go up and plunder Jer usalem of the wonderful Riches that then will be there for which Attempt every one that will be in the Conspiracy shall be utterly cut off as in Zech. 14.12 And this shall be the Plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem Their Flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet and
forsaken of him For the new Heart and the new Spirit which God requireth we should make us is that they should desire Holiness and Righteousness as they did heretofore sin and wickedness and also to use their utmost diligence for attaining unto an Holy Life desiring God's Assistance for he will never leave us nor forsake us if we so do for God withdraws not the good motions of his Spirit from any of his People till such time as they fall away from him And this new Heart and new Spirit in the Capacity he hath put us and by the means set before us we are able to make us by his promised assistance but this is not the new heart which he hath promised to give Isa 45.19 By which we may see it is our slothfulness and slugishness and also in our giving way to Temptations and to our own inclinations and affections whereby Satan for our want of bridling them hurries the Soul which way he pleaseth and so for want of watchfulness diligence and labour in the service of the Lord They lose the promised blessing which is Eternal Life and so come to have their Portion in Hell it self but if we are found in the ways of God as St. Paul tells us God doth not forget our Work and Labour of Love And twice in this foregoing Chapter of Ezekiel God saith I have no pleasure in the Death of him that dieth Now after the fall of Man the decree was that the entrances into life should be made strait so as those that will not wrestle for the blessing cannot have it And whereas St. Paul saith in Rom. 11.13 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all That is Israel also being sinful and therefore God left them to blindness of mind and so concluding them all in unbelief that is the greater part of them that they might taste the fruit of their own doings in the weight of his displeasure and that afterward he might make some of all sharers of his mercy And the Lord saith in Amos 3.6 Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not afraid Shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it This is spoken of the Evil of Punishment as all the Chapter makes appear For as man is the committer of the Evil of sin so God is the inflictor of the Evil of punishment And also the like is said in Isaiah 42.24 And St. Peter speaking of Christ saith in Acts 2.23,24 Him being delivered by the determined Counsel and fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of Death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it This being most certain that the Jews could have had no power to crucifie the Lord of Life had it not been done by the determined Counsel and Foreknowledge of God But by these words there is not one syllable from whence we may gather that this Counsel was before the material Heavens and Earth but rather the contrary in that he mentions them not And as to what St. Peter saith Acts 4.27,28 For of a truth against thy Holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together 28. For to do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done Now God eclipsing the Glory of Christ and Christ taking upon him the Form of a Servant and he speaking against their Wicked Ways the which the Jews could not bear and thereupon Satan made them his Instruments to accomplish his Hellish Design by which he thought to have conquered the Lord of Life but he thereby wrought his own eternal perdition and thereby the determined Counfel of God was brought to pass in Satan's Overthrow and man's salvation Now whereas it is said by the Angel where he mentions the Beast and the Kings Rev. 17.17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast until the words of God shall be fullfilled Now we may say Wherefore was it the Will of God to put in the Hearts of these Kings to agree in giving their Power to the Beast until his Word should be fullfilled The Reason is this There was a Foreknowledge in God of their miscarriage And upon that foreknowledg of their miscarriage God did determine to leave them to delusion till such time his Words should be fullfilled according to which St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.9,10 where he speaks of the Beast Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders 10. v. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved We see this was so determined of God by reason God foreseeing they would have no delight in his Ways nor receive the Truth in the Love thereof Therefore they were given up by God to follow the delâ—sions of the Beast and the Devil Now whereas it is said in Acts 13.46,47,48 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judg your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for Salvation unto the ends of the Earth And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed Now by the Ordaining here spoken of if we take it for granted that there was a certain number of the Gentiles as there was of the Jews so absolutely given to Christ as they should never fall away and that they were here so chosen at Antioch where St. Paul spake this for Antioch was an eminent place for Believers insomuch that they were first there called Christians Yet however this does no way prove that all believers are so Ordained to Everlasting Life so as they shall never finally fall away for by the word of God it is absolutely the contrary as I have here proved But as to the Ordaining here spoken of when explained according to the Tenor of the Gospel it does appear to be no such thing for the Believer upon his believing that Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 by which his Heart is drawn out in thankfulness love and obedience to Christ Gal. 5.6 for it is a Faith that worketh by Love is required the which the sinner no sooner so believeth but that all his past Sins are then forgiven him and the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him so as the Believer becomes compleat in him for God by
giving this Belief reneweth his Creature in their Wills and Affections so what afterward is not wilfully committed is not imputed therefore by Christ we are restored to that we lost in Adam For although the Believer that is thus Renewed hath not an inherent perfect Righteousness yet he hath an imputed perfect Righteousness Col. 1.28 Col. 2.10 John 6.47 1 Cor. 10.12 And therefore said to be perfect in Christ Jesus And Christ saith The Believer hath Everlasting Life in him But him that thus standeth let him take heed lest he fall For our standing is like Adams in Paradice for had he never sinned he had never Died. So the Believer if he sins not wilfully shall ever have this Eternal Life abiding in him so as he shall never see Hell for the Believer that is not of the very Elect stands no securer than our First Parents did in Paradice the words of St. Paul make out where he saith 2 Cor. 11.2,3 I am jealous over you with a Godly jealousy for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you a chast Virgin unto Christ But I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ This is spoken of the Church which was espoused to Christ and stood as our first Parents did of whom he was afraid they should be deceived as our First Parents were And also by what he saith to them of whom he said They were ordained to Eternal Life the which Ordination appears to be no other than this of the Corinthians which was that they were chosen of God for Eternal Life and in being so God put them into a caprcity of Obedience in which they were continually to Labour to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 For the Eternal Life that the Believer here receiveth they hold but on conditions of their Obedience Therefore St. Paul saith of these that were Ordained Acts 13.43 When the Congregation was broken up many of the Jews and Religious Proselites followed Paul and Barnabas who speaking to them perswaded them to continue in the grace of God Now these being those of Antioch of whom he saith in the 48. v. was Ordain'd to Eternal Life Now had this Eternal Life been given absolute without condition he would not have perswaded them to continue in the grace of God for then he would have known they could not have fallen from it Now this word ordain is after the manner of speaking which St. Paul doth apply to them that were made Bishops where he saith Tit. 2.16 That Titus was Ordain'd Bishop The like word is applied to the Ministers When we say such an one is an Ordain'd Minister that is when he is so made by the Church whom the King allows of and this Ordination is for his Life upon which he receives his Benefice But notwithstanding this Ordination and Benefice which is given him for his Life yet if he is found in Rebellion to the King his Ordination and Living and his all is forfeited And so it is with those that God Renews and Restores and puts into a capacity of Everlasting Life The gift being free as from God but if any of them fell short of Receiving it it was because they were wanting to themselves And also St. Paul saith 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I endure all things for the Elect's sakes that they may also obtain the Salvation which is in Christ Jesus with Eternal Glory That is there was a possibility that the Elect might not obtain Salvation for whose sake he had the more Afflictions laid on him that he might be an example to them to suffer And St. Paul saith concerning his Apostleship Gal. 2.8 For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles Here we see St. Peter was chosen the Apostle of the Circumcision to whom he wrote this Epistle 1 Pet. 1.2 Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ Now in that St. Peter saith that he wrote this to the strangers that were scattered throughout all those places whereby it is evident that it was Israel who were theâ— a scattered People and whereas he saith Elect according to the foreknowledg of God through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience for from Israel is chosen a certain Number of the very Elect that was so secured by the Spirit of Grace as they they should not fall away which were also foreknown of God and not only so but God had afore determined that the Churches that first trusted in Christ as I have already proved was chosen for the Glorious Tabernacle and for the accomplishment of this God poured forth his Spirit upon them whereby they became Sanctified and so obedient but yet he does not say 't was impossible for some of them to fall away for by his following words he saith 1 Pet. 1,3,4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Here he tells them that they were begotten again into a lively Hope of this Inheritance that is incorruptible And whereas he saith in the 5. v. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time That is most certain that none can stand without the assistance of the Almighty God Yet it was not impossible for some that were of the first Churches through their own Neglect and Satan's Subtilty to fall away therefore he saith 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore â—ird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 14. As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance 15. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 16. Because it is written be ye holy as I am holy 17. And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear As to what St. Peter saith in the 2. c. he there speaks after the Scripture way of speaking as in the 9. v. But ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light This was absolutely spoken for the time to come for at the then present time St. Paul
Well-doing and to take to the Rules that he has set before us that we may so do According to which Christ saith in John 8.51 Verâ—…y verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death That is he shall never see Hell And the Lord saith John 10.14,15,16 I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine Here the Lord seems in a more especial manner to signifie the very Elect. And in the following Words the Lord includes all the Sheep as in the 15. v. As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep Here is all the Sheep included And the Lord saith in the 16. v. And other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also must I bring and they shall hear any Voice and there shall be one Fold and one Shepherd Here the Lord plainly declares to us that he hath two sorts of Sheep and that they are not now of one fold That is the one does not now stand so securely in him as the other does but he saith He must bring them into one fold at which time they shall hear his Voice And then it is there shall be one fold and one shepherd And this will be when the Lord comes again to Mount Sion at which time the Lord will make the promised New Covenant with the House of Israel And then all Israel will be so fixed in him that they shall never more fall away For God saith Isa 40.17 Ezek. 36.24,25,26,27,28 For I will take you from among the Heathen and gather you out of all Countries and I will bring you into your own land Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new Heart also will I give you a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your Fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God So it is said Ezek. 11.19,20 and in Jer. 32.37 Behold I will gather them out of the Conntries whither I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them again into this place and will cause them to dwell safely And they shall be my People and I will be their God And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their Children after them And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me Yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul And the Lord saith Jer. 31.33.34 But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People 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 for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more And God saith Jer. 30.9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them And Ezek. 34.22 Therefore I will save my flock and they shall no more be a prey and I will judg between cattle and cattle And I will set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepherd And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it And I will make with them a Covenant of Peace and will cause the Evil Beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods And the Lord in John having fully declared to us that he hath two sorts of Sheep And that they are not now of one Fold with those that are the very Elect but that he must bring them into one Fold and then there shall be but one Fold at that time when there is but one Shepherd And that will be when the Lord maketh the Promised New Covenant with the House of Israel Now when this New Covenant is made with Israel we see by the oft repeated words of God that then Israel will be so secured as the very Elect are now whom God hath set as his standing Witness in this World So as it remaâ—ns a thing impossible to deceive them And then sâ—all Israel no more fall into sin arâ—er this New Covenant is made with them And as for us we now stand on the same terms as Israel did the which is we have a promise of Everlasting Life if we concinue in well doing Heb. 5.9 For he is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him And as it is said in Rom. 2.7 And to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality and eternal Life So it is by our continuance in well-doing after conversion that we shall be made partakers of Eternal Life Or if otherwise we shall be cut off For the Apostle saith Rom. 2.9,10 Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of Man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 10. v. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile That is as many of the Christians as are brought in by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and so became the seed of Abraham For it is said Gal. 3.29 and Gal. 3.9 If ye be Christs chen are ye Abrahams Seed and heirs according to the promise So when this promised New Covenant is made with the Natural and with the Adopted Seed of Abraham And although the rest of the Elect that are to be called in at the coming of the Lord have not that Everlasting New Covenant made with them as to secure their Off-spring so as they shall never more fall away yet they will stand secure whilst the Eminent Glory is among them and Satan bound up from them and the glorious Tabernacle in their View then they will all be of One Fold so as none for that time shall fall off according to which is the saying of the Lord
were clothed in white robes therefore the four Beasts there spoken of do appear to be the raised Saints and also they are there said to be round about the Throne and in the midst of the Throne and they are said to have Wings which shews they are exalted above the Earth But in the 7th Chap. the Beasts are not there said to have Wings neither to be round about the Throne nor in the midst of the Throne but they are there said to Worship before the Throne that is before the glorious Tabernacle where the Throne of God will be Rev. 21.21 And the Pavement of the glorious Tabernacle will be like Rev. 4.6 a Sea of glass as clear as Cristial so that his People that are then left upon the Earth may through the Sea of Glass behold the infinite Glory of the Lord and the Glory of the Angels and raised Saints that are with him Now that the Lord doth term the People of this World beasts is evident by what the Angel said Esd 11.39 Art not thou it that remaineth of the Beasts whom I made to reign in my Woold â—hat the end of their times might come through them Now these Beasts spoken of here are the wicked of the World which have had the Government and the end of these evil times will come through them But the Beasts spoken of in the two forementioned Chapters of the Revelations in the 4th Chap. the beasts are the raised Saints And in the 7th chap. the Beasts are those Saints that are left upon the Earth And St. John saith Râ—… 14.1,2,3 I looked and lo a Lamb stood on Mount Sion and with him an hundred forty and four thousand having his Fathers Name written in their Foreheads And I heard a Voice from Heaven as the voice of many Waters and as the Voice of a great Thunder And I heard the Voice of Harpers Harping with their Harps And they Sung as it were a new Song before the Throne and before the four Beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that Song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were Redeemed from the Earth By the hundred forty and four thousand is meant the very Elect. The which certain number of Israel doth appear to be found in Christ at his coming although we have not known them And this Song which they sung which no man could learn it might be because they were taken away from the Earth and therefore from among Men for the raised Saints are not called Men. And it is said of them in Rev. 14.4,5 These are they which were not defiled with Women for these are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. Now in Heaven we are not to think there is distinction of Age or Sex and therefore it being said they were not defiled with Women when they were upon the Earth was that they were not guilty of Idolatrous Worship for Idolatry in Scripture is often termed Fornication and Adultery So these not only having kep themselves from Idolatry but in all other things they had lived Exemplary Lives as in Rev. 14.5 In their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God And Esdras saith in 2 Esdras 2.42,43,44,45,46,47 I Esdras saw upon Mount Sion a great people whom I could not number and they all praised the Lord with Songs 43. v. And in the midst of them there was a young man of bigh stature taller than all the rest and upon every one of their heads he set Crowns and was more exalted which I marvelled at greatly 44. v. So I asked the Angel and said Sir what are those 45. He answered and said unto me these be they that have put off mortal cloathing and put on the immortal and have confessed the Name of God Now are they crowned and receive Palms 46. v. Then said I to the Angel What young person is it that crowneth them and giveth them Palms in their hands 47. v. So he answered and said unto me it is the Son of God whom they have confessed in the World Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the Name of the Lord. Novv this Mount Sion is the Glorious Tabernacle which shall be Revealed when the Lord again cometh and where the raised Saints and those Saints which are changed from mortal to immortal shall be Crowned Now as to the word of the Lord which Nathan brought to David is in the 2 Sam. 7.8 Now therefore so shall thou say unto my servant David thus saith the Lord of hosts I took thee from the Sheep-cote from following the sheep to be ruler over my people over Israel 9. And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest and have cut off all thine Enemies out of thy sight and have made thee a great name like unto the name of the great men that are in the Earth 10. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more as before-time In this last verse here is that which is very remarkable in it in that the Lord saith Moreover I will appoint a place for my People Israel and in that God said that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more neither should the Children of wickedness Afflict them Now at that time were they in Canaan settled and Conquerers over all their Enemies round about yet at this time the Lord esteems it not a place of their own because for their sins they should be removed thence but God terms it a place of their own when that time is come in which they shall remove no more And as to what the Prophet saith concerning Solomon 2 Sam. 7.13 He shall build an house for my Name and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever 14. I will be his Father and he shall be my Son If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the Children of men 15. But my mercy shall not depart away from him as I took it from Saul whom I put away before thee And thine house and thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee thy throne shall be established for ever This promise we here see that it hath its Reference to David and Solomon in that they were not cast off upon their Offending as Saul was and so to Christ in time to come at which time his Throne shall be established forever which ever is the ever of the World to come This being according to what the Angel told Mary Luke 1.32 He shall be great and shall he called the Son of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David 33. And he shall
Jer. 15.6 I am weary with Repenting Whereas God saith Mal 3.6 I am the Lord I Change not This God spake as to his Attributes as his Justice Mercy and Truth in which he is an Unchangable Being and therefore for his promise sake it is that the Sons of Jacob are not consumed for in time to come they are to inherit the Land But when God promiseth a Blessing without condition then he Repenteth not For God is not a man that he should Lye neither the Son of Man that be should Repent Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good for God hath promised to Bless Israel and they shall be Blessed and then will he behold no Iniquity in Jacob when he hath purged all Iniquity from them For both in the Old and New Testament those things which are to come are mentioned as though they were already past or present so accordingly St. Paul in the Hebrews Expostulating about the Covenant sometimes expresseth himself as though it were already done that is Establisht but by the whole scope of his words he doth fully declare to the contrary but that they were then given the Holy Ghost which did bear witness with their Spirit they they were chosen to be heirs of that promised Covenant but if they did again willfully Sin and so do despite to the Spirit of Grace then there remained for them no more sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation for if they sinned wilfully under the greater Light they fell under the greater Condemnation for although among the Hebrews were the Remnant that was secured by a promise from Christ that none should pluck them out of his hand but they stood not by the establishing of the Everlasting Covenant but by a promise from Christ that they should not only be heirs to it but inheritors of it and when the Everlasting Covenant is Established then by that Covenant Blessedness is secured as well to the Body as the Soul for then the Souls of the Raised Saints will be again United to their Bodies and blessed in them and so Israel and the True Believers will not only then by that Covenant have an Inherent Perfect Righteousness but they will then be freed from Sickness Sorrow Want and the troubles that are now in this Life and in the time to come in which God will manifest his power he will then also make his People Israel a willing People then it is he will establish his Everlasting Covenant with them for the good of them and their Children after them Jer. 32.39 For this promised Covenant was to be established with Abraham and his seed together in their Generation Gen. 17.7,8 And when the Lord again comes to Restore all things he will then make Mount Sion an Eternal Excellency and the Joy of many Generations Isa 60.15 And then not only the Remnant but likewise the body of the Natural Seed of Jacob will then be the Lords Elect which he will gather from the four winds into which he hath driven them XVII The Christians of the Gentile Race that comes in by Christ to be of the seed of Abraham were all termed heathen in the Old Testament as is proved so as the most severe stroke threatned in the Gospel will fall on the Christians that shall be found in Rebellion and Darkness at that day for the Law and Gospel speak but to them that are under it therefore they are the World that will be condemned by it that will not live in Obedience to it Israel is not reckoned with the World therefore the Lord ordered Proclamation to be made to the end of the world Say ye to the daughter of Sion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him Isa 62.11 Thereby shewing the power of this world will be taken away when their Salvation cometh XVIII In the Word there is mention made of Three Evers Three Times Three Generations Therefore Christ said he would come before this Generation passeth away and the Three Worlds spoken of is the old World this World and the World to come unto whom the Blessing is promised of the establishing the Everlasting Covenant which crowns Life to the Soul not only to the Raised Saints but to Israel and all that long for his Appearing and according to his Word in an obedient frame wait for him Therefore St. Paul exhorteth To lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.19 XIX There is likewise figarative Heavens and Earth spoken of in scripture And the Lord because of Israels sinfulness for which they were left to blindness he therefore spake to them in parables all these things being now at the appointed time rightly understood it turns the scene whereby the Vision of the coming of the Lord is made so plain that he that runs may read it And when the Lord comes the true Christian will be gathered as the Lord hath declared and Israel will then be gathered according as God by his Prophets to them hath revealed whose testimony they have received and then will the Lord gather in others with them XX. And now the Lord according to his word that at the end of the time knowledge should be increased Dan. 12.4 And that at eveninâ— time it shhould be light Zach. 14.4 And that at the end of the time the Vision should speak Hab. 2.3 Hath now made his promise good in the discovery of the great and hidden mysteries in hls word which we have not rightly understood are now made so plain that there is no more room for Mistake and by a speedy Reformation and owning the whole Truth we may not only save our selves but thereby great part of the Christian World may be awakened to come out from the Darkness which they are now under XXI And it is said How shall a Young man Cleanse his way But by taking heed thereto according to the word of God which is a Light to the Path and Lanthorn to the Feet and by which he calls to us to amend our lives And the like is said in the New Testament He that looketh into the perfect Law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work this is the man that shall be Blessed in his deeds James 1.25 And in that it is termed the perfect Law is because it is a perfect and upright rule by which we are to walk and the Law of liberty because upon the wills consenting to yield sincere obedience to all Gods Commands and Preceps such are thereby set clear at liberty from the condemning power of their past sins and shall be Blessed in the promised reward if they be not forgetfull hearers but doers of the work And St. Paul said to the Heathen God is not far from every one Acts 17.27.28 And to them to whom God hath given his word he hath promised that
they that Seek him shall find him if they search for him with the whole heart Christ saith VVhosoever will let him come And tho we can do nothing without Gods assistance for in him we live moâ—e have our being it is he that hath laid the Spiritual meat before us Hosea 11.4 whereby to guide our feet into the way of peace hath promised that whilst they 〈◊〉 the way he will be with them And the Prodigal that knew that he had wandered from his fathers House first lookt home before his father lookt on him and tho God may some times go out of his ordinary way of working and pluck as it were a brand out of the burning yet he no longer securely stands then he is found in his obedience for it is those that will fall under the condemnation that will not choose the fear of the Lord Prov 1.29 but for those that thro long continuance in sin have seared their Conscience whereby they become left of God to a stupid sense it is such cannot learn to do well no more then the Ethiopian can change his Skin c. but whilst we have a sense to see the evil inclinations which our natures are prone to we may continually pray Lord turn thou us and we shall be turned And if man does his endeavour God will never be wanting to such And if we resist the devil he will flee from us And if we draw nigh to God he will draw nigh to us James 4.7,8 But whereas the Lord saith No man can come to me except the Father draw him And the drawings of God are the tenders of his Grace with the good motions of his Spirit and checks of Conscience the which the old World and Israel had till they resisted for which they were condemned Gen. 6.3 Acts 7.51 And whereas the Lord saith Except a Man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This was spoken to Nicodemus who had embraced this present World and therefore came to Jesus by Night as being ashamed to own him and such are to be born again or brought off from the World or they cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven as is more fully proved in the book where the Faith of Abraham is fully explained and also there in is made appear what is meant by the Wind blowing where it listeth and likewise therein is shewed Who they are that are not under the condemning power of the Law for their past sins Rom. 3.25 but under Grace that they are such as will and do walk in Newness of Life and if we will enter into Life we must keep the Commandments Mat. 19.17 For all are his servants to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6 16. And whereas it is said It is not for the works of Righteousness that we have done but of his Mercy he saved 〈◊〉 This was spoken of the Elect who wâ—… then brought out of Idolatry and has no reference to us as is proved XXII Whereas the Apostle said Ye are saved by Grace not of works that is Man could not perform good works to that perfection as to become justified by them without the Merits of Christ and therefore saved by Grace but there is none that live in the performance of good works but shall be rewarded according to their works Rev. 22.12 The Eternal Life that is now in this time given the Believer excepting the very elect which is the standing witness is no otherwise given then it was to Adam and Eve in Paradise for had they never sinned they should never have dyed so the true Believer that believes salvation is to be had in the way of his obedience according to the word of the Lord he shall never be cast off but the Man that Departs from the Lord by wilful committing Iniquity he is no longer a Believer according to the Gospel as is proved XXIII Whereas the Lord said when he sent his Disciples forth to preach the Gospel to all the World He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.15,16,17 That is He that believeth the Doctrine that he sent them forth to Teach and the Mercy and Condemnation was to them that accordingly Believed or refused Believing the same as not to obey the truth Mat. 28.19,20 For the Lord speaks by the Law and Gospel but to them that hears it as proved But whereas Christ said He that Believeth not is condemned already This the Lord spake to the Jews who had heard him but believed not and therefore were condemned and thereby it also sheweth that more of Israel might have been saved had they been willing to take hold of the offered Mercy I here gather so many heads together that thro' the misinterpretation of the Scriptures Satan might not beguile so many of their Souls for if we take a text of Scripture as it stands alone without weighing how it is spoken and what the whole scope of the Scripture tends to we may raise as falce Doctrine as God is True O God who of thy great Mercy hath made thy word plain in those things we have been mistaken in give more of thy Assisting Grace for to improve the knowledge of the Truth These things which are here but hinted with the other disputable places and also the signs of the Times with the near approach of the coming of the Lord are now fully explained and proved in about four small Treatises The Books contain so many several heads that I have not here room to incert them but by them the word is so plain that none need any longer remain in mistakes that are willing to understand the Truth I shall only here mention the chief Title of each Book First The Explaination of the Faith of Abraham Price bound 10. d. bound up with the Christian Belief which has the Eexplanation of the Trinity Price 1 s. 2 d. The signs of the times and coming of the Lord bound up with the Prophesie of Moses that foretold the firing of the Mountains Price bound 10 d. all three bound up togather Price 1 s. 6 d. The book that Proveth there Worlds and three Foundations with the Tree of knowledge of good and evil Price bound 1 s. And are to be Sold at the places before mentioned in the Title The book of the Figurative Speeches is not yet out My aim is at the good of Souls and therefore that they that understand not the word may be convinced of the Truth I Refer my Books to the Lord Bishops who I believe are men of that integrity that will not oppose the Truth to whom I shall by Gods assistance give further satisfaction if required and when God had inlightned my understanding in his word I did dare do no other then leave and venture the little concern I had and come above a Hundred Miles to acquaint the Nation what God is a going about to do this being the little time that is given the Christianâ— to prepare God make this Nation a Light to Christian 〈◊〉 FINIS
evidently manifest at the giving of the Law so the abundant pourings forth of the Spirit with signs and wonders was given for to confirm the Truth of the Gospel And as Israel and their Children were to retain the Laws of God which once they had received so the Gentiles and their Children were to retain the Doctrine of the Gospel that had been once so powerfully delivered which by the call of the Word and the good motions of the Spirit of God if they with diligence improved it would make them wise unto Salvation This Israel had and resisted for which they were condemned Acts 7.51 For as St. James saith c. 1. v. 25. Whosoever looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed And why is it called the perfect Law of Liberty Because it is an upright Rule in which is required Man's sincere obedience which when he sincerely yields himself to obey he is then by Christ's Righteousness set free from the condemning power of sin and death And whereas Christ saith No man can come to me except the Father draw him John 6.44 And this is the drawing of God his Word and his Spirit which we must be accountable for how we have improved our day and season of grace which so many thro' their sloth and negligence misimprove therefore 't is said Many are called but few chosen Mat. 20.16 But as to those of whom St. Paul speaks that were called Rom. 9.23,24 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles These were they that were called according to the fore-determined Counsel of God for the greater grace and sufferings here the greater glory hereafter for these that he here saith were called of the Jews he speaks of that remnant that were called according to the election of grace which was to remain a standing Witness through the World and them that are here said to be called of the Gentiles were those of them that first bore their Testimony to the Gospel which were the Churches that first trusted in Christ these being prepared unto the glory which afterwards should be revealed which preparation was for the receiving of the Holy Ghost These are those of whom St. Paul saith Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy That is in that God chose a remnant from among Israel to be his Witnesses through the World And also fore-appointed the first Churches according to the determined purpose of his own will that they should be made partakers of the Holy Ghost thereby to bear their Testimony for the confirmation of the Truth of the Gospel to the World and succeeding Generations So these being chosen according to the will of God for the greater grace and suffering here and the greater glory hereafter Ephes 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ And again he saith of the first Churches Ephes 2.7 That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus And St. Peter saith to the first Churches 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you Now tho' these were not afore chosen of God for their fore-seen willing and running yet when they were called in they were to will and run for the prize and so must all that will lay hold of the Crown of Life whether Elect or not Elect. For St. Paul saith So run that ye may obtain And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 For though the standing Witness or Remnant were so secured in Christ as none should pluck them out of his hand for they are those which are said to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14.4 yet the other Elect did not so securely stand Therefore St. Paul warns all Heb. 6.4,5,6 Heb. 10.26,29 2 Pet. 2 20. So likewise Prov. 21.16 But the man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the dead That is as St. Paul saith such as have tasted the good Word of God and then wilfully depart from him shall remain in the Congregation of the dead But in that Solomon was forgiven it was for the Promise God made to David his Father concerning him which has now no reference to us as I have clearly proved in another Book where the standing Witness is treated of but hath another meaning than what hitherto we have apprehended of it St. Paul saith Acts 13.32,33 And we declare unto you glad tydings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same to us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee That is if Christ had not again been raised from the dead the Promise could never have been fulfilled And whereas he saith in verse 34. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David Here the Apostle only repeats the words of Isaiah in that he saith God will give them the sure mercies of David not that the sure mercies of David were then given to all that did embrace the Faith but it is according as they hold out to the end they shall be made partakers of those sure mercies But at the Death and Resurrection of Christ was the price of that Redemption paid which was before promised of which the first Churches had then a pledge or fore-tast as the earnest of their Inheritance in that they had the renewing of the Holy Ghost shed on them abundantly Titus 3.5,6 whereby they generally stood and in Scripture the major part is reckoned for the whole and also amongst these Hebrews was the standing Witness and the Spirit was thus wonderfully given for the more security of their standing thereby to confirm the Truth of the Gospel These were they that were in a more peculiar manner ordained to Eternal Life being chosen of God according to the purpose he had before determined for them therefore had a particular calling And as they had the more Talents given them so they had the greater work to do and the greater difficulties to encounter with which they likewise were to perform that were to bear their Testimony to the Truth against all the Power of the Enemy But when the Gospel was established those that followed after had the call of the Word with the good motions of
the Lord Behold the Whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury a continual Whirlwind it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he hath done it and until he have performed the intents of his heart in the latter days ye shall consider Jer. 30.23,24 These Whirlwinds are the continual afflictions wars and commotions which are upon the Earth which will not cease till the Lord hath performed the intents of his heart These things also are set down for them that have the Scripture to consider of that thereby they may know what the Lord is going about to do as to understand the time of their visitation And again it is said Come near ye Nations to hear and hearken ye my people let the Earth hear and all that is therein the World and all things that come forth of it For the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his fury upon all their Armies Isa 34.1,2 And of this time the Lord saith in Esdras For the Lord knoweth all them that sin against him and therefore delivereth he them unto death and destruction For now are the Plagues come upon the whole Earth and ye shall remain in them for God shall not deliver you because ye have sinned against him 2 Esd 15.26,27 This being according to that in Jeremiah That these Whirlwinds of trouble shall not cease in the world until the Lord have performed the intents of his heart Which is in making his Enemies his Footstool and in coming to take his own great Power and Reign and to restore his People And the Lord saith to his people concerning this present time 2 Esd 16.39,40,41 Even so shall not the Plagues be slack to come upon the earth and the world shall mourn and sorrow shall come upon it on every side O my people hear my word make ye ready to the battel And in those evils be even as Pilgrims upon the Earth He that selleth let him be as one that fleeth away And he that buyeth as one that will lose He that occupieth Merchandice as he that hath no profit by it And he that buildeth as he that shall not dwell therein c. And it is said in the 47. v. And those that occupy their Merchandice with Robbery the more they deck their Cities their Houses their own possessions and their own persons the more I will be angry with them for their sins saith the Lord. By this robbery is meant all unjust gain and unlawful dealing with one another And the Lord saith Isa 2.11,12 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And the like the Lord saith in Malachy Chap. 4.1,2 For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch But unto them that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall And the Lord saith Mat 7.19,21 Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire And he also saith Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven For when the Lord comes it will not serve our turns to say that we believed in his Righteousness for Salvation But how we have obeyed him in doing the will of his Father which is in Heaven that thereby his Righteousness may be imputed to us Who is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 For now it is not with us as it was with the Gentiles at their first Calling in who had never heard of Christ nor what he required of them But it is with us as it was with Israel from whom God expected an improvement of their day and season of Grace the which for their not doing they were cast off Therefore St. Paul saith Rom. 11.20,21 If God spared not the Natural branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Thereby shewing that we stand no surer than Israel did Therefore he saith ver 20. Be not high minded but fear Therefore let all that desire to have an interest in him humble themselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt them in due time And the Lord speaking of his second coming saith 2 Esd 6.23,24 The Trumpet shall give a sound which when every man heareth they shall suddenly be afraid This every man here doth but signifie the greater part for it will be a time of rejoycing to Saints 24 v. At that time shall Friends â—ight one against another like Enemies and the Earth â—hall stand in fear with those that dwell therein the â—prings of the Fountains shall stand still and in three hours they shall not run Which accordingly has been fulfilled concerning the Fountains oâ— Waters they have already stood still when the great Earthquakes were in Cisily And also iâ— was given as a Sign of the Lordâ—s coming that there should be monstrous Children brought forth 2 Esd 5.8 Which accordingly in these last years hath been in several Nations fulfilled Chap. VII Signs in England AS God hath at this time shewed forth part of his wrathful indignation in those â—…tions that worship the Beast and false Prophet So in this limited time God hath shewed to us marvelous things in Token of mercy and â—indness thereby to awaken us that his coming is just at hand Whereby we might improve our Day and Season of Grace so as to make preparation for his coming that by so doing we might not be condemned with them that will not And God in a wonderful manner has given us time and space of Repentance in that he hath given us a King who hath continued to us our liberty opportunities of seeking God which had it been otherwise we might have been cut off before these awakening Judgments came by which the Lord calls to the Inhabitants of the Earth to learn Righteousness Isa 26.9 So that thereby many might be awakened and come out of their gross darkness And also all of us from a vain and wicked and loose Conversation Now as the other Nations have had awakning providences of God's displeasure by the Earthquakes and Fires that have broken out of the earth amongst them so God in a wonderful manner hath appeared amongst us in the miraculous Cure of four women which the like was never heard of since Christ's time Who in thinking and being
foundation of the World to come for all that come in as Heirs to that World come in as the Seed of Abraham and from that foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb and from that foundation were the works of those unbelieving Jews finished that fell in the Wilderness when they refused to go to fight for the Land of Canaan And because of Israel's miscarriage the first Gentile Churches were chosen to partake of the Holy Ghost and to bear their Testimony to the Truth the which are said to be chosen before the foundation of the World which foundation was Israel the which choice was not before them as to matter of time but as to matter of choice and liking in God rather to make choice of them that should ignorantly offend him than them that had wilfully disobeyed him And I also have proved that the Eternal Purpose has only a relation to the Eternity that lies before us that the being chosen from the beginning was no other than from the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel And I have also proved that the Decree was made that the Entrances into Life should be made strait after Adam fell and how that straitness doth consist And what is meant by being of old ordained to this condemnation And also I have proved in the Book in which the Faith of Abraham is explained that them of the World embraced the Faith in the Apostles time and brought forth fruit as it did in the Elect Churches All these things I have made clear which hitherto we have not rightly understood which makes me the oftener recite them These things being proved it makes it evident that there was none Elected from the foundation but the remnant And also the first Gentile Churches that were afterward Elected were long departed this life before the Beast arose so as there was none of them then to be deceived by him Now there is also a twofold way of being in the Book of Life First They that have their names there Secondly Those that have a part therein and it is those that have their names there that are Elected and fore-chosen And after the first Gentile Churches were called in their Children were taken into Covenant and a Door of Mercy set open to all such as would take hold of the offer of Life according as it is tendered by Christ Now if these have not their names put into the Book of Life when they are taken into Covenant yet they have their part in the Book of Life in performing the conditions upon which Life is offered by Christ for those he will justifie by his Righteousness Heb. 5.9 The which name or part in the Book of Life may not only be lost through negligence and prophaneness but by adding or diminishing from the Word Rev. 22.19 Deut. 4.2 And there are others also that have a part in the Book of Life which will find Redemption in the World to come for they were such as received not the Truth in the love of it but took pleasure in unrighteousness that the Apostle saith should be damned 2 Thes 2.12 And they were such as heard the Truth and would not believe to obey it that the Lord gave Sentence against But those that have had a longing desire after the Truth and such as have not taken pleasure in unrighteousness such will find Redemption in the World to come And no young Children can take pleasure in iniquity Therefore when all come to be judged according to their works such will be cleared Rom. 2.14,15 Rev. 20.12 But I shall not here insist upon this Subject because I intend hereafter fully to prove it But by what the Lord saith it is of dangerous consequence to take from the Word as well as to add unto it Now the Gentile Christians when they came to have no love to the Truth whereby they might be saved but on the contrary took pleasure in iniquity God gave them up to worship the Beast for when they would not be bound with the Cords of his Laws and follow him in Love Patience and Humility in expectation of the reward of the Crown of Life when the Lord again shall come then it was God permitted the Prince of Darkness to set up his pretended Kingdom by which delusion they also lost the apprehension of the glorious Kingdom of Christ which is now to come and is very nigh at hand which Kingdom has been foretold by all the Prophets sworn to by God himself Psal 89.2 declared by the Apostles And because the Lord Christ spake but in dark Sentences and Parables when he was upon the Earth because that Israel being sinful thereby might be blinded Therefore he declared in Vision to St. John how he would come and of the glory of the New Jerusalem that should come down from Heaven and of his reigning Power here upon the Earth Also annexing those great threatnings mentioned Rev. 22.18,19 to any that should add or diminish to the words of this Prophecy Now all the Gentile Christians thus falling into delusion so as when any of them come out of that darkness by the knowledge of the Word it was evident to them they could not be of that remnant that should never be deceived by reason themselves knew that they or their Predecessors had been deceived by the Beast but as to that Remnant Church or People that the Word does thus bear witness to I shall not here speak further of but hereafter by God's assistance I shall declare who the Two Witnesses are and then I shall make appear who this Church and People and Remnant are to whom the Word doth thus bear witness to and they to the Word Whilst on the contrary the Apostate Church or great Harlot bear not witness to the Word nor the Word to her any otherwise than to her condemnation And our Predecessors being all involved in that darkness whereby we have lost the true sentiments of the Word and so mistakingly taking all that was said to the first Churches and to Israel at the restitution of all things as tho' they now belonged to us the which is of dangerous consequence and whereby many like Ephraim have a care they fall not into the snare as Israel did for when the Lord first came he coming not of a Person of Dignity but of one of no Estate in this World This proved a snare to Israel Let us take warning by them and not neglect the owning of the truth for if we do we shall be taken in the snare as they were for the day of the Lord will come as a snare upon all them that will not prepare for him and take the warning given by him by the signs and the opening of the word as he hath declared and now made them manifest to the world Chap. XVI The difference between the State of the Elect in this time and of that which is to come NOW when God does Elect or fore-chuse any Person or persons
as to become obedient unto him And the Lord speaking of the Signs of his Coming saith Luke 21.28 And when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Heb. 9.28 And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation That is looketh for him with a true longing desire after him For the Lover is with him accepted For the Lord saith John 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him And God hath also promised in Jeremiah Jer. 29.13 Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart And now whosoever comes to Christ by Repentance Love and New Obedience he will in no wise cast out But when he comes to Judgment it will be too late for us Christians But I know to them that are unwilling to leave their Old Sins these glad Tidings will prove but unwelcome News as Christ's first Coming was to Herod and to the wicked Jews with him For when they heard thereof it is said they were troubled Mat. 2.2 For they thinking they were well enough as they were and their Consciences telling them they must reform their ways they desired him not and so as they desired him not so they knew him not who he was to their own destruction And so whosoever now hears of the Lord 's Coming and think with themselves that they will see a little farther first before they will amend their Lives there remains no Hope for them but that they will be left of God to Hardness of Heart and Blindness of Mind and so either be carried off this world by the Judgments that are now sent upon the Earth just before his Coming or otherwise reserved for those intolerable Judgments that are spoken of in the Revelations the which all the greatest of them will be poured forth upon the Earth after the Lord comes And then shall men desire to die but Death shall fly from them till such time that they have endured the Torments that God hath on the Earth allotted them For upon the wicked Psal 11.6 God shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup As in Esdras 2 Esd 13.37,38 For when the Son of God shall come to rebuke the wicked Inventions of those Natious which for their wicked Life are fallen into the Tempest and shall lay before them their evil Thoughts and the Torments wherewith they shall begin to be tormented which are like unto a Flame and he shall destroy them without Labour by the Law which is like unto Fire For as the fire refineth the mettal from the Dross so shall the Lord do at his Coming as it is in Malachy Mal. 3.2,3,4 For he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts but who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like a Refiner's Fire and like Fullers Soap And he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness Then shall the Offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord. This is spoken of the Natural Seed of Jacob whom the Lord shall purifie at his Coming And St. Jude saith Jude v. 15. The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard Speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And St. Peter tells us 2 Pet 3.3,4,5,6 That in the last days there shall come Scoffers waking after their own Lust saying Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation For he there tells us That this they are willingly ignorant of 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 perished But by St. Peter's words we are fully given to understand what that world was which then perished it being neither the material Heavens nor Earth which then perished but the people of the world which perished But he saith in 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men But you may say why doth St. Peter here make mention of the Heavens and Earth that are now if â—e means the people The which words do make it plainly appear he had a figurative meaning in it for we know that there was then the same Heavens and Earth which are now therefore there is this Reason that he here mentions the Heavens and the Earth and not the world as he did before for we read of no Principalities nor Powers no more Soveraignty than was from the Parents to their Children and as from the Elder Brother to the Younger the which their Sons and Daughters had as much command over their children as their Parents had over them And as to what the Lord doth say in Isa 13.13 doth enlighten us herein for God there speaking of the destruction of the Old Babylon which also hath a reference to that which now is the Lord there saith in the 13th Verse Therefore I will shake the Heavens and the Earth shall remove out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of Host and in the day of his fierce anger Now what was the shaking of the Heavens in this place but the destruction of the King of Babylon by the Medes And pray consider what was the Earth that then was removed but the destruction of the Babylonians most of them being destroyed â—p the Sword and the Remnant that was left made Captives The Relation of which is set down in the same Chapter ver 15.16,17,18,19 Every one that is found shall be thrust through and every one that is joyned unto them shall fall by the Sword Their children also shall be dash'd to peices before their eyes their Houses shall be spoiled and their Wives ravished Behold I will stir up the Mece against them which shall not regard silver and as for Gold they shall have no delight in it Their Bows also shall dash the young men in peices and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb their Eyes shall not spart children And Babylon the Glory of Kingdoms the Beauty of the Caldeans Excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Here you see that God terms the Babylonians to the Heavens and Earth and also in Isa 1.
the Work to be his own And as for most of the great Judgments spoken of in the Revelations they will be upon the Earth after the Lord comes And as for the drying up the River Euphrates it was never given us by Christ or his Apostles as a sign before his coming Neither was the Fall of Babylon given us as a sign before the coming of the Lord. But if Babylon does fall before the coming of the Lord it will be upon the Discovery of the great Delusions that is now made manifest being accompanied with the Angry Face of Heaven in the Earthquakes and fiery Mountains that have been amongst them But if the City as well as the Beast do remain till the Lord come at which time Dan. 7.11,12 The Beast will be destroyed and given to the burning flame and then the rest of the Beast or Kings will have their Dominion taken away Yet their Lives will be prolonged for a Season and a Time Then may the Kings that gave their Power to the Beast when they become sensible of the intolerable Vengeance that they are fallen under then may they make good that which is said in Rev. 17.16 And the Ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Now in the destruction of this City there is no other mentioned but them that had given their Power to the Beast And what is faid here and in Daniel and what the Lord in Matth. 22.8 where he speaks concerning his Invitation to us by the Gospel it doth not appear to be after the Lord comes for it is said in the 5. v. They made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandise 6. v. And the remnant took his Servants and intreated them despightfully and slew them 7. v. But when the King hear'd thereof he was wrath and sent forth his Armies and destroyed those Murderers and burnt up their City Now we here have had the Call of the Gospel and neglected it But it has and is the Roman Power that does take the Servants of Christ and use them despightfully and slay them for which it is said that the King sent his Armies and destroyed those Murderers and burnt up their City Now the Murderers being said to be destroyed when the City is burnt up whereby it doth more clearly appear to be after the Lord comes And the Lord hath inform'd us of this City by St. John in Rev. 17. That it is mistical Babylon as in the 5. v. And upon her forehead was a Name written Mistery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth Here the Lord mentions this City under the Name of a Woman And in the following verse it is said And I saw the Woman Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration And in Rev. 18.1 I saw an angel come down from Heaven 2. And he cryed mightily with a strong Voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird This being the same as Isaiah saith in Isa 34.10 and so to the end And in the forementioned Chapter of the Revelations 3. v. For all Nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her Fornication and the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication with her And in the 4. v. And I heard another voice from Heaven saying come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues 5. v. For her sins have reached unto Heaven and God hath remembred her iniquity 6. v. Reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double 7. v. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow 8. v. Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Now that we might not be mistaken as to the City her Merchandise makes it clearly out where it is said in Rev. 18.13,17,18 She makes Merchandise of the Souls of men And in the 17. c. by the Angels words we are fully assured which this City is For in the 18. v. he saith The Woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Now by this demonstration here it is fully made evident that this City here mentioned is Rome in that no City under the face of the whole Heavens can be said to Reign over the Kings of the Earth but Rome and she doth by her Pope and Cardinals and the rest of her Crew which are there situated And also of this City or Woman it is said in Rev. 17.4 She was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet Colour and decked with Gold and Precious Stones and Pearls having a Golden Cup in her Hand full of Abominations and the filth of her Fornications This Cup being another clear proof that it is Rome that is here ment for it is said in the Cup is the abomination and the filth of her Fornications The which she sets up as a God and Worships and with which she commits Spiritual Fornication And now having shewed you who this City is I leave her to her near approaching Judg. Now as to what is said in Zachariah chap. 12.7 v. The Lord also shall save the Tents of Judah first that the Glory of the House of David and the Glory of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnifie themselves against Judah Now the house of David came of the Tribe of Judah and they were the Chief of that Tribe and yet here 't is said that they should not magnifie themselves against Judah and therefore underneath these Words appears there 's something veil'd and the true Christians come in by the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and therefore it does appear to be these of Judah that will de saved first of whom Christ saith Two shall be in one Bed the one shall be taken and the other left two Women grinding at the Mill the one shall be taken and the other left whilst Israel and the promised Elect come in Multitudes And in Zach. 12.8,9,10 verses it is said In that day shall the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them 9. v. And it shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to destroy all the
to himself Herein is not comprehended how God doth deal with some particular persons but to the general carrying on of the Church in the World Now whereas St. Paul saith in Rom. 3,9 For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin 10. v. As it is written there is none Righteous no not one And he faith in Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of the Flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the mind and were by Nature the Children of wrath even as others Tho through sin both Jews and Gentiles are all of them fallen under the Curse and so the wrath of God yet our natures are not alike estrang'd from God Now in Acts 18.9,10 Spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a Vision be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace 10. v. For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this City That is People or much ground capable to receive Seed so as to bring forth Fruit. And as there is several sorts of ground so the Lord tells us there is two sorts of Seed But not that God did Reprobate Man before the Foundation of the material heavens and Earth to Damnation but that the Devil hath since so twisted himself into the Nature of great part of Mankind that he is as it were become one with them Therefore the Lord put forth Matt. 13.24 Another Parable unto them saying the Kingdom of Heaven is likned unto a Man which sowed good Seed in his Field 25. v. But while men slept his Enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way 26. v. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the Tares also 27. v. So the Servants of the Housholder came and said unto him Sir didst not thou sow good seed in thy Field from whence then hath it Tares 28. v. He said unto them an enemy hath done this The Servants said unto him wilt thou then that we go and gather them up 29. v. But he said nay lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them 30. v. Let both grow together until the Harvest and in time of Harvest I will say to the Reapers gather ye together first the Tares and bind them into bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn Here is a clear demonstration that the Tares are a false Seed of the Devils sowing And the Lord speaks of them in Isa 57.3 But draw near hither ye Sons of the Sorcerers the Seed of the Adulterer and the Whore 4. v. Against whom do ye sport your selves against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue are ye not Children of Transgression a seed of Falshood Here we see that a false Seed comes in much this way and what is here spoken of by the Lord has a more particular reference to the Christians who are guilty of these things and in especial manner to the Romans by whom all those abominable wickednesses are allowed and that this was spoken to the Christians it doth appear in the foregoing Chapter Isa 56. from the 7. v. to the end by reason God speaketh of the gathering of the out cast of Israel and that he then will gather others with them and it is evident Israel hath never since been gathered And at that time it is said That all the Beasts of the Field and Forrest should come to devour And that could not be to Devour Israel for it is said they are then to be restored and it is made farther evident in that it is said The Watchmen are all blind and so treating of the same effect in the next Chapter as I have set down in the 3. and 4. v. Now as to what St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it That is the good ground before it receiveth Seed will bring forth Weeds as the other doth Thorns but when the good ground does receive Seed there is presently a difference in the growth of the Fruit in that of the good ground from that of the Thorny yet nothing to be boasted of because all that is good in them came from that hand that gave the Seed or else they might for ever have remained the Children of wrath as well as others Therefore the lower we set in our own Estimation the higher we rise in God's Now whereas Christ saith in John 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him That is at first God must draw the Heart to Christ that the Soul might be convinc'd that he was the Christ And in the Apostles time there was given the Holy Ghost to bear witness to the World the truth thereof Neither can any now come to Christ except the Father draw him And in the visible Church of Christ there is a three-fold drawing of God First By the Invitation of his word and by way of Reproof Instruction and Exhortation Secondly There is the reproof of the Spirit of God which we commonly call the checks of Conscience Thirdly There is the good Motions of the Spirit of God all these being the drawings of God to bring us home to him through Christ to Repentance This being the ordinary way of God's Working in his Church And Israel having these drawings of God therefore he calls out to them by his Prophets for to come to Repentance because â—e had put them in a capacity so to do giving them power to do that part for themselves but when through their continual resisting the good Spirit of God and in refusing to be obedient to his word And then it is God leaves them And therefore St. Stephen said to them Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye And then it is as it is said they that are accustomed to do evil cannot learn to do well That is when through their own resisting they weary out the good Spirit of God so as he leaves them to themselves But whilst God calls Israel to come to Repentance there was a door of Mercy open to them Therefore God saith in Ezekiel 33.11 Say unto them as I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Here it is evident by the Word of God that when he thus invited them there was a door of Mercy open to them but when God would not shew Mercy to his people Israel then doth God neither call on them to Repentance
but forbids his Prophets to pray for them as in Jer. 7.16 the Lord said Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up Cry nor Prayer for them neither make intercession unto me for I will not hear thee And God also saith in Jer. 11.14 Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up Cry nor prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble By which we see that Repentance will not be accepted at all times For the Lord also saith Jer. 14.12 When they fast I will not hear their cry and when they offer burnt-offerings and an oblation I will not accept them but I will consume them by the Sword and by the Famine and by the Pestilence And it is said Jer. 14.10 Thus saith the Lord unto this people thus have they loved to wander they have not refrained their Feet therefore the Lord doth not accept of them he will now remember their Iniquity and visit their sins We see here that the Lord doth not require of them that which they could not do but that which they could do for they might have refrained their Feet and laid a restraint upon themselves Therefore the Lord saith Isa 50.1 Thus saith the Lord where is the Bill of your Mothers Divorce whom I have put away or to which of my Creditors is it to whom I have Sold you behold for your iniquities have you sold your selves and for your Transgressions is your Mother put away Here the Lord declareth that he was Married to Israel but because of their Sins they were put away And here the Lord speaketh in derision to them Wherein he saith Unto which of my Creditors have I sold you As much as to say I have kept Covenant with you but you for your Iniquities have sold your selves Now had God Reprobated these before the Foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth to Sin Death and Damnation there is no deceit can be like it seeing God has thus here declared against it and in Ezekiel by his Oath and word avouched it But whilst we were too much poring on the sayings of St. Paul since we no better understood them and too slightly passing over the Oath and Word of God and not weighing the dangerous consequence that doth attend a mistake herein But our usual saying is fore-warn'd fore-arm'd but we were not so wise as to take the warning for St. Peter cautions us that in St. Paul's Epistles there are some things hard to be understood which some wrest to their own destruction And this St. Peter saith where he speaketh of the New Heavens and Earth of which St. Paul saith in some places before the World began and also he saith from the foundation of the World and again he saith the World to come Now the words of St. Peter are these in the 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for New Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 14. v. Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace without spot and blameless 15. v. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is Salvation even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you 16. v. As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Now St. Peter doth make it clear that in all St. Paul's Epistles he did speak to them of these things that is of the World to come and of their Election and Choice for that World before that World began the which St. Peter here terms the New Heavens and Earth Now whereas he saith That it is they that are unlearned and are unstable that did wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction And now tho we have men of Learning and stable in these our days amongst us Yet those that first brought in this darkness were neither learned nor stable in the school of Christ And whereas St. Paul saith Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Now what were the Worlds that were made To which I Answer First The Material Heavens and Earth Secondly The world of People that did proceed from Adam the which is generally called the old World Thirdly The world of People which did proceed from Noah of whom we sprang And also the World to come the Foundation of which is Israel as I have already proved for the Earth is said to be set fast in them And St. Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an Holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us iâ— Christ Jesus before the World began That is at the first Establishing of the Gospel there was a general call not of their works but according to a purpose in God which was given in Christ before the World began which is the World to come for in Heb. 2.5 he tells It is the World to come of which he speaks Now whereas he saith in 2 Tim. 1.10 But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath Abolished Death and brough life and immortality to light through the Gospel Now here he speaks in the Scripture way of speaking In that he saith hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light At which time Death was not Abolished therefore spoken for time to come which then at the appearing of Christ all the Dead Bodies of the Saints will be raised and his Living Saints so chang'd that there shall be no more fear of their falling off so as to tast Eternal Death And he tells us how this Life and Immortallity comes to light That the knowledg of it is through the Gospel of which he saith He was made a Minister Now seeing Life and immortality comes to light through the Gospel we should in all things labour to walk in Obedience thereunto which Gospel includes the whole Moral Law The which is if we perform the Conditions we shall be made partakers of the Promises which is Immortality and Eternal Life For now God expecteth Fruit from â—s as he did from Israel But if there is no other found with us than was with them that is in shew only we must ook to be hewen down and cast into the Fire at his coming Now whereas St. Paul saith in Titus 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Now this Promise without doubt was all along as to Adam and before the World which sprang from him and so to Noah Before this World was that sprang from him But I believe