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
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
rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 And to shew the immutability of God Therefore it is said of God That whom he loves he loves to the end for he is unchangeable in himself for according to his promise whether Condition aâ—or Absolute he never first with-draws from any And therefore Châ—…st saith If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide 〈◊〉 my live Joh 15.10 ERRATA Page the â—4 is wâ—…ting in the last â—re hest thou that thou diâ—st not receive And p. 75. l. 25. Psa 90.23 Chap. I. This is to prove when and at what time the Believer is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law THAT it is at the Believer's first Resignation of himself to Christ in a willingness to take his Yoke upon him so as to render his sincere Obedience to him then is Christ's Righteousness imputed to him for his Justification This being according to what St. Paul saith concerning the Churches at their first Reception they being brought out of sin darkness and errour Therefore he saith of them Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ 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 In these words he fully shews it was their sins which were committed before conversion which upon their conversion and resignation of themselves to Christ they received remission for those past sins Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Therefore the Apostle concludes that a man was justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Gal. 2.16 that is as before said at his first resignation of himself to Christ to yield him his love and sincere obedience he is then justified by Christ without the deeds of the Law from all his past sins Therefore he saith Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth for upon their conversion they received remission so as none of their past sins should be laid to their charge for God had then justified them by the imputation of Christ's Righteousness and therefore he saith Rom. 10 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth the which belief must be in Christ and his VVord in which he requires our love and sincere obedience in all things as in Mat. 28. v. 20. and then is Christ the end fulfilling or comâ—…eating of the Law for their Justification for they are no sooner thus justified by Christ but they must live unto Christ and then he will persist to fulfil and compleat the end of the Law in them who continue to walk in sincere obedience to him And so the Apostle clearly explains these words where he saith Rom 8 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Here he shews what us these are to whom the Law is thus fulfilled That it was to as many of them as walk not after the flesh but after the spirit And he also saith verse 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace v. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God For it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Now tho' the carnal mind is at enmity against God yet the Man is no longer at enmity against â—…od than he retains that carnal mind So neither is the believer any longer a believer than he retains a mind and will in Subjection to the Law of God For he saith Chap 6.16 His Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Now whereas the Apostle saith to the Church of Ephesus Eph. 2.10 We are his Workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God had afore ordain'd that we should walk in them VVhich shews they were no sooner justified and set clear from the guilt of sin by the imputation of Christ's Righteousness but it was also fore-ordained of God that they should live in Good works and therefore Christ saith The Tree is known by its fruit Mat. 7.17,20 And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 10.9,10 That if thou 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 VVhich shews if the belief in us does not produce a Righteous life then it is altogether unavailable And whereas St. Paul saith Tit. 3.5 It is not by works of Righteousness which they had done but according to his mercy he saved them by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost This also shews when they were thus saved from their Sins That it was at their first conversion and resignation of themselves to Christ And he further shews how they were saved That it was by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which was shed on them abundantly This was only at the establishing of the first Christian Churches for it is evident that there was no such abundant pourings forth of Spirit upon believers afterwards Therefore these places of Scripture are not fitly applicable to us who are born Children of the visible Church and have the Call of the Gospel from whom is expected an improvement of the season of Grace that God hath put into our hands For altho' the Gentiles that had not the knowledge of God were taken into mercy without works of Righteousness yet the Jews who had the knowledge of God were then excluded his mercy because there was not good works found in them as God by all the Prophets and Christ himself declareth Matth. 23.23,24,25,26,27 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 Here these that had the knowledge of God and the Law the Practical part was first requir'd of them as justice and mercy before any ground for a true faith to take place And whereas the Apostle saith in Galatians c. 3. v. 21,22,23,24,25 Is the Law against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe But before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith But after that faith is come we are no longer under a School-master Now whereas he saith the Law was their
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Now we are to take notice that this Man was one that truly feared God and in that he then believed that Christ was the Son of God which he no sooner believed but he knew that he must render to him the like obedience as he had done unto God The which he believing was baptized And also the Text saith that Philip Preached to him Jesus and in so doing he taught him the conditions upon which Christ had offered life and salvation to which he must yield if he would become justified by him Chap. VII Abolishing the Ceremonial Law the Yoke taken off of the Neck of the Disciples ACts 15.6,7,8 And the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider of this matter And when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them Men and Brethren ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe And God which knoweth the hearts bare them witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did unto us Now whereas he saith God which knoweth the hearts bare them witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did unto us That is God bare them witness that this belief in them was according to the tenour of the Gospel and therefore God gave to the first Gentile-Churches the Holy Ghost as he did to the believing Jews And therefore he saith in the 9th verse And put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by Faith Here we see that by this Faith their hearts were purified in their believing the mercy was not to be received nor retained without a complying frame of spirit to the will of God in yielding their obedience to the Gospel which requires our love to God and his Commands Whereas he saith in verse 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a Yoke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear This Yoke which he here speaks of was Circumcision Sacrifices and often Washings and Purifications which were very burdensom and not profitable for they could no ways make the comers thereunto perfect But Faith in Jesus Christ begets a holy life For in the believing that Christ is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5.9 The belief of this makes Faith a purifying Faith But whereas the Apostle saith Acts 15.11 But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they That is the Believers of the Jews that were Circumcised which had yielded their obedience unto Christ did alike believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ they should be saved even as the Believers of the Gentiles that had embraced the Faith in yielding their consent to be obedient to the Gospel For as the Believers of the Gentiles were saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ without Circumcision and the Ceremonial Law So the Believers of the Jews did also believe that they might be saved without them as well as the Gentiles But as for the Moral Law we are as much obliged to keep it as ever Israel was Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified By these words Saint Paul declares that the Moral Law was in as full force as ever it was But as for the Ceremonial Law which afterwards was termed the Law of Moses about which was this Contention it being then to be abolished This is further treated of Acts 21.21 They are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to Circumcise their Children neither to walk after their Customs And so in v. 23,24 of the same chapter it is to the like effect Chap. VIII Of things strangled and Blood NOW as to the things forbidden in the Ceremonial Law which we are still to refrain he singles out and writes concerning them Acts 15.28,29 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things that ye abstain from Meats offered to Idols and from Blood and from things strangled acd from Fornication These things not being forbidden in the Moral Law it was thought good by the Holy Ghost and by them to leave a Command that those things should still be refrained But as for the Doctrine of the Gospel in which is included the Moral Law the Apostles had before well instructed the Church in In which Gospel there is required obedience to all God's Commands and Precepts with a Promise of the Everlasting Inheritance to them that obey Rev. 2.10 This their Faith in believing the Promise carried them out into all good works even to suffering and to death Chap. IX What is required of a Christian to be a Christian indeed shewing that he is also obliged to keep the Moral Law SAINT Paul exhorteth Timothy To fight the good fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 In which Faith we see there is included a Battle to be fought And St. Paul saith The World was crucified to him and he to the World Gal. 6.14 And that he that is in Christ must become a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 12.1,2 And That ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God And in Ephes 4.22,23,24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts And be renewed in the spirit of your mind And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth to his neighbour Gal. 6.7,8,9 Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the slesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not As we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 5.22,23,24 The fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law And they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Now tho' there was no Law to condemn such yet there was the Law of God to guide them And of such as these the Apostle spake when he said They were not under the Law but under Grace The like he saith Gal. 5.18 But if
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
relating to us and the present time has occasioned our falling into great mistakes For whereas the Lord said to his Disciples Matth. 17.20 If ye have faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say to this Mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be unpossible unto you Now tho' at that time the Disciples faith was but weak yet afterwards according to the promise of the Lord they did greater Miracles than that of removing Mountains but this promise belongs no more to us than that of sitting upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel But as much as we can do the Miracles so much the Promise belongs to us Likewise the Apostle speaking of the Gentiles which had received the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. v. 2,3 Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto these dumb Idols even as you were led Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Now he spake this of those that were convinced by the Holy Ghost that Christ was the Son of God For the others that were not then thus convinced would not own him But now all the Christians have learned by rote to say that Christ is the Son of God without the assistance of the Holy Ghost Now the persons of the first Churches were in a more particular manner chosen to be Heirs to the promised everlasting Covenant because unto them was given the Holy Ghost as the earnest of their Inheritance so as they must wilfully disinherit themselves if they mist of the promised blessedness but to the succeeding Generations of the Gentile Churches to them the Promises belonged as they before did to Israel And tho' they were not given the Holy Spirit to be in them as he was in the first Churches but to be with them as he was with Israel yet none can come in as Heirs to the promised Mercy without bringing their wills and affections into subjection unto Christ for he must be so in them as to have the ruling-power in the heart for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 That is so as to have their minds brought into subjection to the will of Christ Therefore St. Paul saith Rom. 8.13,14 For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye thro' the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God That is whosoever will not be led by the Spirit of God to obey the revealed Will of God are not the Sons of God Therefore St. Paul when he related who they were that were in Covenant he there declares it is the Believer that is in Covenant and therefore saith If one of the Parents be a Believer then are the Children holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Whereby we see all that come in as Heirs to the Covenant are included as Believers And the Believer is no longer a Believer than he believes Salvation is to be had according to the tenour of the Gospel But when the Everlasting Covenant is establisht with Abraham and his Seed together the which will be at the Resurrection of the Just which is at the restitution of all things then it is that God will never turn away from them neither shall they then any more depart from him Jer. 32.40 God saith 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 This is that which crowns life to the Soul This promise is not only to the natural Seed of Abraham but to all the adopted Seed that shall be found true Believers in that day then it is that the Lord will perform his promise as in the 39th I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them This is clearly evident that this promise was never made good to the Children of the Gentile Churches and therefore this promise remains to be made good in time to come for his faithfulness cannot fail for hath he said it and shall he not do it no let God be true and every man a lyar Now Israel when they were first brought under the Covenant then was the time when God saw them in their sin and said unto them live For when God brought them out of Egypt they were then polluted in their blood the which time was the time of love the Lord then taking them into Covenant with himself and thereby he said unto them live But Israel not obeying the voice of the Lord in living according to his Commands and Precepts therefore they were cast off of God So when God first took into Covenant the Transgressors of the Gentiles they were then polluted in their blood whom God then renewed by his Spirit and took them into Covenant with himself and put them into a capacity of obedience And the Believers Children were sharers in the promised Mercy until such time as they grew to have no love to the truth but like Israel took pleasure in unrighteousness Then God left them to strong delusions that they might believe lyes That all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.12 But God hath promised all to be with them whilst they keep the way and to the remnant of whom the Disciples sprang which were his Fathers before and given to Christ it was those of whom Christ said None shall pluck them out of my hand but that he would be with them to the end of the World Now when Christ first came the Spirit was shed on Believers abundantly Titus 3.6 Yet notwithstanding St. Paul terms it but night to that approaching day which is at hand and therefore saith The night is far spent the day is at hand let us walk honestly as in the day c. Rom. 13.12,12 Thereby shewing that in that day there will be no disorderly walking amongst them for then it is that both the natural and adopted Seed of Jacob will be all taught of God from the least of them to the greatest of them so as they shall no more teach every man his Neighbour and his Brother For then it is The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea I shall not here insist upon the Everlasting Covenant because I intend fully to explain it in another Treatise Chap. XVI A Belief in Christ further Explained NOW whereas Christ saith He that believeth in me or on me shall be saved And the Apostles also Saying He that Believeth in Christ shall be saved Which is no other than in short to declare that Christ had said and manifested the way and
precepts of men Is not this like building on the Sand of which the Lord speaks in Matth. Where he saith in the 26. v. Mat. 7.26,27 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and whom the Lord forewarns that their building shall not stand in the day of trial And the Lord also saith in 21. v. Mat. 1.21 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 And also St. James saith Jam. 1.22 But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves And he farther saith Jam. 2.20,21,22 But wilt thou know O 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 works and by works was faith made perfect So the Lord saith unto Esdras in the 7. v. 2 Esd 9.7,8 And every one that shall be saved and shall be able to escape by his works and by faith whereby ye have believed shall be preserved from the said perils and shall see my salvation in my land and within my borders And in Matth. 20. Mat. 20.2,4,6,7 The Lord did not call any into his Vineyard without putting them to work therein And in Matth. 26.41 The Lord bids them watch and pray that they enter not into temptation And St. Peter bids us 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Therefore we had need watch continually over our own hearts thoughts words and works For the evil one in all our ways does lay traps nets and gins to insnare us Therefore St. Paul bids us Eph. 6.11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on the breast-plate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints Praying always that is praying dayly Which is as if any one gives us our dayly food as long as we live we say that they continually give us our food Praying all Prayer That is upon all occasions for our selves and for the Saints and for all Men that have not excluded themselves from his mercy And St. John tells us 1 John 2.4,5 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him That is if our wills are brought over to be truly obedient and if so there will not want an earnest endeavour to persevere in a holy life Which is unlike those that Paul to Titus speaks of That Tit. 1.16 profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate How think you it will then prove with such in the great day For St. Paul saith 2 Thes 1.7,8,9 When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power I hope this dreadful sentence will awaken many sleeping Christians before it is too late Therefore to day whilst it is called to day harden not your hearts but make preparation for the Bridegroom of your Souls Now as to what 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 Gentiles that were first brought home to Christ by the call of the Gospel no sooner savingly believed in the Lord Jesus as to accept him as he is tendred in the Gospel but the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them as though they had never sinned For St. Paul saith That Col. 2.10,11 ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the â—…ns of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. And again he saith Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Now whereas he â—aith that they were created in Christ Jesus to good works That is they are â—o sooner taken into mercy but that the â—ghteousness of Christ is imputed to â—hem whereby they appear in the sight â—f God as though they had never sinned â—…om their Creation But when he told â—hem they were created in Christ Jesus to good works you see also in the same ver he tells them that God had ordained that they should walk in them And he saith likewise Col. 2.6,7 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving And he saith farther Col. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is had with Christ in God When Christ who is your life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the Children of disobedience For we are not only to shun the doing evil but we must also learn to do well And whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 9.31,32 But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness
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
the Blood agree in one for at our first beginning after God had Created Man God breathed into him the Breath of Life and thereby man became a Living Soul God did not first give him a Natural Life and then breath into him the Breath of Life so as he became a Living Soul but it was that Living Soul that quickned his Natural Body and did intermix it self with the Water and the Blood as to agree in one and so it runneth through the whole Body of Man not the least Finger nor the most remote part of man but the blood hath therein its Circulation And the Spirit being intermixt with the Water and Blood whereby we may suppose that the Soul of Man vvhen distinct from the Body may bear the figure of a Man for vvhich Opinion our Lord did no vvay reprove his Disciples for thinking he had been a Spirit vvhen he appeared to them in his own likeness after he arose but said Handle me and see for a spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have as in Luke 24.39 This I speak not as an Article of Faith but being not reproved by the Lord therefore 't is most likely THIS TREATISE Proving Three WORLDS FOUDATIONS Mentioned in Scripture Whereby it is clearly made apparent that none were Elected before the Foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth And likewise that the Eternal Purpose only reacheth forward to the Eternity that is before us That the Decree for entring into Life was made strait after Adam fell Two sorts of Elections proved by the Word with the Day of Grace or an Offer of Mercy to all that will upon the Conditions take hold of it which all Israel had till they forfeited it by their not yielding Obedience There are also several Controversal places answered The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge explained LONDON Printed for M. M. and to be sold by Tho. Fabian the lower End of Cheapside in Mercers Chapel And Henry Nelme at the Leg and Star in Cornhill And divers other Booksellers about London 1696. THE CONTENTS THE several sorts of Election As The Election of the first Churches and their Children being in Covenant page 303 The meaning of being Chosen in him before the Foundation of the world p. 305 The Decree was made after the fall of Adam p. 316 Israel was put into a capacity of obedience p. 320 That the Christians were put into the like capacity p. 323 When it is God beholdeth not iniquity in Jacob. p. 326 327 The meaning of Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated p. 337 What God hardened Pharaoh in it being neither in sin nor cruelty p. 343 The root of bitterness which is the Beast p. 347 God shewing mercy to whom he will have mercy p. 349 God gave a day of Grace or an offer of mercy to Babylon p. 351 That we may withstand our mercies p. 362 A three-fold hardness of heart p. 363 Of old ordained to condemnation explained p. 368 The meaning of chosen from the beginning p. 375 The meaning of the eternal purpose p. 380 Who they are that are chosen to the praise of his glory with the general offer of mercy p. 382 What were the worlds that were made p. 394 Concerning the Illegitimate p. 399 How there came to be several Seeds in the world p. 400 Concerning the Righteous and the VVicked p. 407 The foreknowledge of God p. 411 All shall be judged according to their deeds p. 422 The Children of Believers dying in their infancy are in Covenant p. 424 The very Elect or standing witness p. 426 The promise made to David Solomon and Christ p. 444 The Battle of Gog and Magog p. 448 The Sinagainst the Holy Ghost p. 453 The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. p. 456 Of Perfection p. 458 TO THE READER Christian Reader IN this Treatise is discovered those great Truths which we have not understood The which hath much occasioned those great and dangerous mistakes that we are in at this day But God having compassion on them that are unwillingly out of the way therefore hath accordingly now brought the true meaning of the word to light that his justice might be magnified and also that man might not bottom on a wrong Foundation so as to think that God from all eternity elected some to everlasting Life and left all the rest under a necessity of Damnation For now the places of Scripture that have caused our mistakes as to these things are by the word clearly proved to have no such meaning as we have hitherto apprehended But this Book being done in hast both by the Author and Printer for which cause it was not so well done by either as it should have been For my intentions were to have had it published the latter end of the last year But I afterward finding there were several other things in dispute in the New Testament which I did not then so clearly understand made me deferr it till such time as by prayer and further search into the word God might enable me to answer them The which accordingly by Gods assistance I have now perform'd in a small Treatise or two Wherein also the Election of the first Churches is more clearly explained Likewise shewing that their Children were taken into Covenant and those difficult places mentioned in the Table of this Book are here by the word made plain And Oh! that we would improve the Knowledge of these things And since God hath not excluded any from his mercy that are willing to accept it upon the conditions as it is tendred let us not by sin exclude our selves that we may not exclude our selves is the earnest prayer of your Servant well-wisher in Christ M.M. Advertisement This being the part of a book which containeth three several Subjects which I thought good to divide that the price being small it might the easier be attained by all As touching the several sorts of Election and the several ways whereby Christ bringeth his Elect or Sheep into his Fold is here set down FOR although there is but one way of coming to God and that one way is only 〈◊〉 and through Christ for our Lord saith John 14.6 I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me And he farther saith John 10.1 Verily verily I say unto you he that entreth not by the door into the Sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber And the Lord also tells them that he is the Door wherein he saith V. 9 I am the Door By me if any man enter in he shall be saved And it is said Act. 4.12 â—either is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved By these Scriptures is fully manifested there is no way for the elect to come unto God but in and through Christ
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