that ye walk not in the ignorance of Youthfulness and Fornication wherein I over shot my self and defiled the Bed of my Father Jacob. For I assure you that the Lord did therefore strke me with a sore Plague in my Flanks the space of seven Months and I had perished if my Father Jacob had not Prayed to the Lord for me because he was minded to have slain me I was thirty years old when I did this evil in the Sight of the Lord and seven Months was I sick to Death and with a free heart did I afflict my self seven years before the Lord I drank no Wine nor Strong Drink no Flesh came within my Mouth I tasted not any fine Bread but I mourned fot my Sin for it was great and there shall none such be done in Israel And my Sons hear me that I may shew you what I saw concerning the seven Spirits of Error in my Repentance Belial giveth seven Spirits against a Man which are the Well-Springs of Youthful Works seven Spirits are given a Man in his Creation whereby all his Works are dore the first is the Spirit of Life wherewith is Created his Being The second Is the Spirit of Seeing wherewith cometh Lusting The third The Spirit of Hearing wherewith cometh Learning The fourth The Spirit of Smelling wherewith cometh delight by drawing of the Air and breathing it out again The fifth I the Spirit of Speech wherewith Knowledg is made The sixth Is the Spirit of Tasting whereof comes the feeding upon things that are to be Eat and Drank and through them is ingendred strength The seventh Is the Spirit of Seed and Generation wherewith entereth in the Lust of Pleasute Fot this cause it is the last of Creation and the first of Youth because it is full of Ignorance and Ignorance leadeth the younger sott as a blind body into the Ditch and as an Ox to the Stall Amongst all these is the Eight which is of Sleep with whom is Created the wasting away of Nature and the Image of Death With these Spirits are mingled the Spirit of Error whereof the first is the Spirit of Lechery who lieth within the Nature and Senses of a man The Second Spirit of unsatiableness lieth in the belly The Third Spirit of Strife lieth in the Liver and in Choler The Fourth Syirit is of Bravery and Gallantness that the party may seem comely by Excess The Fifth is the Spirit of Pride which maketh a man to mind over-great things or to think well of himself And the sixth is the Spirit of Lying or vain-gloriousness in boasting a man's self and in desire to fill his Talk concerning his own Kindred and Acquaintance The Seventh is the Spirit of Unrighreousness which stirreth up the Affections that a man should perform the lustful pleasures of his heart for Unrighteousness worketh with all the other Spirits by taking Guile unto him Unto all these Spirits is matched the Eighth Spirit which is the Spirit of sleep or sluggishness in Error and Imagination and so the Souls of Young Folks perish because their minds are darkned and hidden from the Truth and udderstand not the Law of the Lord neither obey the Doctrine of their Fathers as befell me in my Youth But now my Children love the Truth and that shall preseve you For Fornication is the destruction of the Soul separating it from God because it leadeth the mind and understanding into Error For Whoredom hath undone many men And although a man be Ancient or Noble yet doth this make him a Laughing Stock But Joseph because he kept himself from all Women and cleansed his Thoughts from all Fornication found Favour both before the Lord and Men. Therefore my Sons fly Fornication charge your Wives and Daughters that they trim not their Heads and will them to chasten their Looks for every woman that dealeth deceitfully in these things is reserved to the punishment of the World to come That is to the Sentence of Judgment which will be in the World to come Now since it was Woman that was first in the Transgression therefore Women and Gentlewomen imploy all your Diligence to escape the near approaching Judgment of the World to come Now whereas Kuben saith had not his Fathers Prayers prevailed with God that God would have killed him Yhe which had the Lord then taken him off where would then have been the Twelve Tribes To which I answer God could raise up Two Tribes out of One Stock as there was of Joseph or God could have given Jacob another Son in his stead For Ruben did at time lose his birthright And Eve said when she had born Seth that God had given her another Seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew Gen. 4.25 And God said unto Cain before he committed that Murder Gon. 4.7 If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door And also the rest of the Patriarchs that was guilty of that sin against Joseph they at their Death declared what terrible Afflictions they fell under for that sin of theirs and the great Repentance they had for it And Judah likewise gives an account of his Affliction and Repentance for the sin that he was overtaken in And where the Old World is spoken of Gen. 6.3 The Lord said my Spirit shall not always strive with man The which words argue the striving of the Spirit of God with Man that had not Man been wanting to himself but had used his utmost endeavour he might have obtained salvation For although after the Fall of Adam the Entrances into Life were made strait yet not so strait but with Labour and Diligence thro' the promised Messiah it was and is attainable But it is said in the fifth verse God saw the wickedness of Man was great in the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart And the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the Face of the Earth both Man and Beast and the creeping things and the Fowls of the Air for it repenteth me that I have made them But Noah found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord. Noah was a just man Now whereas the Lord doth express that it repented him that he had made man and that it grieved him at his heart the which shews a concern in God that man had not then lived up to his Decree whereby his Mercy was attainable Numb 23.19,20 Now whereas it is said That God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of Man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good I have received Commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it Now whereas it is said that God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of
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
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
and Obedience of him The which St. Paul speaks to this effect in Phil. 2.2 to the 8. v. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Look not every man at his own things but every man also to the things of others Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the Death of the Cross Now it was with the Spirit of Love and this submissive Spirit that was in Christ which is required to be in us The which wholly brings us into Obedience to the will of God And St. John saith to the like effect 1 John 2.5,6 Whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the word of God perfected whereby know me that we are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked These forementioned places do fully evidence to us what is that Spirit of Christ that is required to be in us And not that it is required or given to us the working of Miracles the giving of the Holy Ghost or speasting with Tongues Neither that we should expect the Spirits teaching of us so as to speak expresly to us as it did at the Establishing of the first Christian Churches As to which St. Paul saith in Gal. 1.11,12 I certify you brethren that the Gospel which was Preached of me is not after man For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Now the first Churches being thus wonderfully established by the mighty Power of God in the pouring forth of his Spirit upon them for the furtherance of the Gospel unto part of which St. John wrote this first Epistle Which persons were well instructed in the Word after which they received the Holy Ghost which is the anointing which he here speaketh of And as to what he here saith concerning the Word I shall begin at 1 John 2.24,25,26,27 Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall tontinue in the Son and in the Father And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal Life These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Here by these Words we are first to take notice that if the Word of God which they heard from the beginning did remain in them they should also continue in the Son and in the Father so as to have Eternal Life Now these things he wrote to them because there were some that went about to seduce them therefore he doth admonish them that if the word did remain in them that then they should continue in the Son and in the Father Now whereas he saith the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things But by the forementioned Caution that if the word did remain in them that then they should abide in the Father and the Son By which it does appear that if they neglect or slight the word that the Spirit would soon withdraw his teaching and comfortable presence from them Therefore he saith in 1 John 2.28,29 And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming By which we see that although they had the gifts of the Holy Ghost with the Teachings of the Spirit yet they may so grieve the Spirit of Grace as to tempt God to leave them Now when the wonderful pourings forth of the Spirit which was in the Apostles time with the working of Miracles and speaking with Tongues ceased then did this evident Teaching of the Spirit cease also Now St. John writing to the Saints which had the Anointing of the Spirit which was that they had received the Holy Ghost the which was given for the Establishing of the Gospel He saith unto them in the 1 John 3.2,3,4,5 Behold now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And every Man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Now if we have this Hope and do not purify our selves it will prove but a vain hope to us And whereas he saith in the 4. v. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law And ye knew that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no no sin That is he was manifested to take away original Sin and the Sins of the truly Penitent upon their Conversion and afterwards those sins that are not wilfully and presumptuously committed therefore St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.19,20,21 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 Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him We here see that this invitation and the not imputing their iniquities was before their Conversion so as to have tasted the good word of God and the Powers of the World to come And St. John saith 1 John 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him Whereas he saith he that abideth in Christ sinneth not That is sinneth not wilfully and presumptuously and sins after conversion if not wilfully committed are not imputed But he that sinneth presumptuously hath neither seen him nor known him savingly And St. John saith in v. 7. Little Children let no man deceive you he that doeth righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous This is no otherwise than as to the sincerity of their Wills and Affections upon which they are accepted as perfectly Righteous in Christ Jesus for then it is his Righteousness is imputed to them for it is said Col. 2.10 We are compleat in him And St. John also saith 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the
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
have it in possession So it was with these Thessalonians who were chosen to salvation for God brought them out of the Egyptian darkness of Heathenism and delivered them out of the red Sea of their sins which would have drowned them in perdition and from which they could no way deliver themselves and it was onely the out stretched arm of God that did or could deliver them which was done through the satisfaction made by the blood and death of Christ Who dyed for all that will live unto him Now the Thessalonians being thus renewed by the Spirit of Grace and brought into the knowledge of God by the preaching of the Gospel And delivered from the condemning power of sin and accepted in and through the righteousness of Christ and so set free in the Wilderness of this world After which they were to fight for the heavenly Land of Canaan which was the Salvation they were chosen to or else it was not to be had And God having put us into a Captivity of Obedience we are to wrestle for the blessing Therefore St. Paul saith Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling 13. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and do of his own good pleasure That is It is so far the good will and pleasure of God to work in us as to call us and enlighten us by his word whereby he puts us into a capacity of obedience in which capacity we must 2 Pet. 1.10 work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling and so as it is said Heb. 4.1 We must make our calling and election sure For if we improve not our Talent that God hath given us and labour in his service We must expect the same sentence from the Lord as he had who is mentioned in the Gospel Mat. 25.26,30 And therefore the Apostle saith 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 Therefore this Election of the Christian Church is like that of the Jewish The which is as we Elect our Mayors for a City before they are put into the Government of the place the which is if they do not persist in their Obedience to the Supreme Power they shall not come to be Mayor altho he were Elected So is the Election of the Church for the Heavenly City The which is if they do not persist in their Obedience they shall not be made partakers of the Promise which is everlasting Life And whereas St. Paul saith Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace givers that I should Preash among the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ 1. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mistery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ For this Secret was hid from Adam who was the beginning of the first World And also from Noah who was the beginning of the Second World And from Abraham who was the beginning of the third World which is the World that is to come And so all along this Mistery was kept secret till Christ had suffered And he saith 10. v. To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Churches the manifold wisdom of God Whereas he saith principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places That is those principalities and powers which in the Old and New Testament are termed the Heavens are here said to be in Heavenly places that all of them that are called into the Churches might know the manifold Wisdom of God And he saith in the 11. v. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now take it for granted that God did from all Eternity intend to make man and also had a foreknowledg of Mans miscarriage and from thence did arise a purpose in God to save Man through Christ yet from this there is nothing to be gathered that God did then Reprobate Man but that he had from all Eternity a purpose through Christ to save Man But the Apostles words will not bear this for he doth not say that God had from all eternity a purpose in Christ but the word is according to the eternal purpose as looking forward to the Eternity that lies before us In which through Christ there was a purpose in God as to mans Salvation And according to this St. Paul again saith That Christ is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him both which carries one and the same meaning with it for it only reaches forward to the Eternity that lies before us And whereas St. Paul saith Ephes 1.9,10 Having made known to us the misteries of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on the Earth even in him Now when Christ first came it was said That it was in the last times Here it is said in the fulness of times the which must be when the time of this World is fulfilled that then it will be the fulness of times both of this and the old World at which fulness of times God will gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on the Earth which will be when the Lord again comes Now whereas St. Paul saith Ephes 11.12 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being Predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will Now the question is what this Predestination according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Council of his own will was or is To which St. Paul answers himself in the 12. v. according to what the Angel told Esdras That others should have the glorious Tabernacle which was prepared for them According to what St. Paul saith in Phil. 1.12 That they should be to the praise of his Glory who first trusted in Christ By which we may see that the purpose in God as to Predestination was not in the choosing of every individual person so as he could not fall away but to all that did lay hold on the tender of Grace according to the conditions as it is Offered of God through the Redemption purchased by Christ Therefore the Apostle goes on as in the 13. v. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise We see that this sealing was after they believed and as I have proved this sealing was not so absolute but that some of them might fall off as Saul did who had the Spirit of Prophecy The which
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