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A23677 The mystery of the temple and city described in the nine last chapters of Ezekiel unfolded ... by William Alleine ... Alleine, William, 1614-1677. 1679 (1679) Wing A1077; ESTC R28209 178,039 306

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you I say unto all Watch and be not cold and lukewarm but be zealous and repent be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Like Elias Jam. 5.17 He prayed earnestly or he prayed in prayer so pray in prayer hear in hearing do in doing 4. Take heed of Babylonish spots come out of her my people that ye partake not in her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues superstition will-worship to be of a persecuting Spirit to beat fellow-servants these are sins of Babylon and the People of God are sometimes in some degrees defiled with these which if they hearken not to the call partake not in her sins may bring some of the temporal Plagues of Babylon upon them 3. The last branch of the Exhortation is be deligent that ye may be found of him blameless for this consider He that hath the righteousness of Faith is blameless so far as to be without guilt for he that believes is justified from all things Acts 13.39 No sin is charged upon him to his condemnation He is the Blessed Man to whom the Lord doth not impute Sin For he hath an absolutely blameless righteousness imputed to him and received by Faith which renders him blameless in respect of guilt Again he that hates the evil that he doth and complains of his body of sin O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death is so far blameless that the evil he doth is charged not upon him but sin that dwelleth in him 't is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Lastly he that hath sincerity of grace is blameless in a Scripture-account and in a gracious esteem of God A Noah who was righteouss in his generations upright and sincere towards God is perfect and blameless A David a Man after God's Heart doing all his wills is blameless A Job who is an upright Man fearing God and eschewing evil is blameless and a perfect Man such as Zachary and Elizabeth who walk in all the Ordinances and Commands of God are blameless Such as these are blameless in God's Gracious account though not in their own They see much in themselves to bewail much to be humbled for much to repent of much that they blame themselves for when God is yet pleased to call them blameless Now be diligent that you may have that simplicity and godly sincerity which may incourage you to hope that God will out of his abundant grace and great love toward you account you blameless Avoid as much as possible every thing blame worthy and do what is commanded and after all pray That you may be accounted worthy to escape the Judgments which shall come upon the World of the Ungodly and to obtain that World which is to come and to stand before the Son of Man FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Benjamin Harris at the Stationers Arms at the East-End of the Royal-Exchange in Cornhil THE Accomplisht Ladies Delight in Preserving Physick Beautifying and Cookery The Second Edition with Large Additions Price 2 s. War with the Devil Or the Young-Man's Conflict with the Power of Darkness Discovering the Corruption and Vanity of Youth the Horrible Nature of Sin In a Dialogue between an Old Apostate and a Young Professor The Fifth Impression Price 1 s. The Second Part of the War with the Devil The Grand Impostor Discovered Or The Quakers Doctrine weighed in the Ballance and found wanting A Poem by way of Dialogue wherein their Chief and most concerning Principles are laid down and by the Authority of God's Holy Word thereby Refuted Price 1 s. Animae Astrologiae Or A Guide to Astrologers with a New Table of the Fixed Stars Rectifyed for several Years to come and divers other Illustrations By W. Lilly Student in Astrology Price 1 s. 6 d. Summons to the Grave Or A Tim●ly Preparation for Death Demonstrated in a Sermon Preached at the Funeral of John Norcost With Two Elegies thereunto prefixt By the Author of War with the Devil Price 8 d. The History of the Young Converted Gallant Or Directions for the Reading of that Divine Poem War with the Devil Shewing the Readers thereof how to Read the same Poem aright in these four Respects c. First In reference to the Substance or History thereof Secondly In reference to the Intent or Mystery thereof Thirdly In reference to the Consequent Doctrine thereof Fourthly In reference to the Practical Application thereof Compiled in a Poem By John Mason Gentleman of Fordham in Cambridge-shire Price 1 s. The Beauty Vigour and Strength of Youth bespoke for God In a Sermon lately Preached to Young Men from the Twelfth of Ecclesiastes on Verse the First By Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel Price 6 d. Blessed Rest for the Burdened Sinner Or The only Center of the Soul Wherein is Discovered First Who he is that Invites and calls Sinners to this Rest Secondly The Incouragement to come unto him for Rest Thirdly Many Obstructions and Impediments which keeps back Sinners with their Unreasonableness answered Fourthly The Rest that every one shall have that comes unto Christ Delivered in several Sermons from Matthew the 11.12 By John Hopwood Preacher of the Gospel The Mystery of the Temple and City Described in the Nine Last Chapters of Ezekiel Unfolded Also these following Particulars are briefly handled First The Calling of the Jews Secondly The Restitution of all Things Thirdly The Decription of the Two Beasts Rev. 13. Fourthly The Day of Judgment and the World 's Perishing by Fire Fifthly Some Signs of Times when the Fall of Babylon is near Sixthly Some Advantages which the Knowledge of these Truths will afford Seventhly The Conclusion of All in some Counsels and Directions By William Alleine M. A. sometimes Preacher of the Gospel at Bristol The Spirit of Delusion Reproved Or The Quakers Cause fairly Heard and justly Condemned Being an Answer to William Penn George Fox George Whitehead George Keith Edward Burroughs and several others the most leading Men amongst them wherein their Horrid Perversion and False and Dangerous Interpretations of above Fifty Distinct Texts of Holy Scripture are plainly Evinced By Thomas Wilcon Rector of Arrow in Warwickshire Price 1 s. Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ Or A plain and profitable Discourse upon the Sixth of John and Thirty seventh Verse Shewing the Cause Truth and Manner of the Coming of a Sinner to Jesus Christ with his Happy Reception and Blessed Entertainment By John Bunyan Author of the Book intituled the Pilgrim's Progress Price 1 s. 6. d. The Seaman's Spiritual Companion Or Navigation Spiritualized Being a New Compass for Seamen By William Balmford and Recommended to the Christian Reader by J. F. Price 1. s. The Life and Death of Mother Shipton Being not only a True Account of her strange Birth and most Important Passages of her Life But also of her Prophecies now newly Collected and Historically Experienced from the Time of her Birth in the Reign of King Henry the Seventh until this present Year 1679. Containing the most Important Passages of State during the Reign of these Kings and Queens of England following Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth King James K. Charles the First K. Charles the Second Strangely preserved amongst other Writings belonging to an Old Monastery in York-shire and now Published for the Information of Posterity An exact Discovery of the Mystery of Iniquity as it is now in practice amongst the Jesuites and other their Emissaries With a particular Account of their Antichristian and Devilish Policy By Titus Oates D. D. Price 6 d. A Salve for Soul-sores being a Discourse on Christ's friendly Admonition to Peter wherein the Fall and Rising of Peter is at large considered the Craft Potency and Malice of Satan that Arch-Enemy of our Salvation discovered His yvarious Wiles Stratagems and Machinations invalidated Several choice and excellent Gospel-Truthes handled and cleared from the Calumnies and Objections of Gain-sayers Here is also Milk for the Weak Meat for the Strong Musick for the Melancholick and Wine for the Wounded Here the Tempted may be succour'd the Oppressed relieved the Mourner comforted and the Wanderer directed Delivered in sundry Sermonrs at first and now published for the benefit of God's Church in general To which are added Four Sermons Preached upon Sacramental-Occasions By Thomas Powell Preacher of the Gospel and One whom Satan hath winnowed Of the Causes and Cure of sad disconsolate Thoughts in Christians By one of their sympathizing Fellow-Members W. Traughton
The Mystery OF THE TEMPLE and CITY DESCRIBED In the NINE last Chapters of EZEKIEL UNFOLDED Also these following Particulars are briefly handled I. The Calling of the Jews II. The Restitution of all Things III. The Description of the Two Beasts Rev. 13. IV. The Day of Iudgment and the World perishing by Fire V. Some Signs of the Times when the Fall of BABYLON is near VI. Some Advantages which the Knowledge of these Truths will afford VII The Conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions By WILLIAM ALLEINE Minister of the Gospel Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God PSAL. lxxxvii 3 Blessed are they that keep his Commandments that they may have right to eat of the Tree of Life and may enter in thorow the Gates into the City REV. xxii 14 LONDON Printed for B. Harris and are to be sold at the Stationers Arms in Sweetings-Alley near the Royal Exchange and by T. Wall near the To sey in Bristol 1679. Some Discovery OF THE NEVV HEAVENS AND THE NEVV EARTH ALSO OF The Earnest Expectation of the Creature to be delivered from its Bondage into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God TOGETHER With some Hints wherein it will consist Gathered out of Holy Scriptures AS ALSO A Guess at the Time wherein it may probably be expected Together with the Profitable Uses to be made of it As in 2 Pet. 3.14 By WILLIAM ALLEINE Now with the Lord. LONDON Printed for Benjamin Harris 1679. TO THE READER Reader IT will be a good recompence of much Labour in bringing forth that which here follows for the opening of a dark Prophecy if it shall make thee resolve as Moses did concerning the burning Bush I 'le turn aside to see this great Sight even that City the Frame whereof was shewn to the Prophet and whose Name shall be JEHOVAH SHAMMAH The Lord is there In this Prophecy there are as in Paul ' s Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things hard to be understood yet to be in some measure understood if He shall lead into these Mysteries whose work it is to lead into all Truth When I first applyed my self to a more serious and fixed search into the Matters contained in this Prophecy I was little better than blind unto them but now I seem to be able to say as the Man that was brought blind to Christ after the Lord had put his Hands upon his Eyes I see Men like Trees walking And if others shall be like the Angels in desiring to look into these things it is to be hoped they may see and discover them more clearly and distinctly The Glorious Truths which here lie hid under a Vail of Legal Shadows and Figures do in other parts of Scripture appear with open Face and the Holy Spirit speaking by Ezekiel in Parables doth by other holy Men of God speak more plainly And the way of teaching by Parables is very grateful and convincing when the Parable is understood The words of the Wise thus given forth do better sink down into the Heart and will not be so easily let slip August lib. 2. de Civ Dei Cap. 56. saith well Nemo ambigit per similitudines liberius quaeque cognosci cum aliqua difficultate quaesita multo gratius inveniri Qui enim prorsus non inveniunt quod quaerunt fame laborant Qui autem non quaerunt quia in promptu habent fastidio saepe marcescunt In utroque autem languor cavendus est Magnifice igitur salubriter Spiritus Sanctus ita Scripturam modificavit ut locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus fastidia detergerit Nihil enim fere de illis difficultatibus eruitur quod non planissime alibi reperiatur He that by the guidance of the Holy Spirit brings the light Scripture to that which is more dark and the plain Scripture to the Parable is an Interpreter one of a thousand And if it shall be the Endeavour of any to do thus in relation to this and other Prophecies then let them take these two Instances for their Encouragement The first is that of the Eunuch who came to Jerusalem to worship and in his return as he sate in his Chariot read Esaias the Prophet and when he read God hearkened and heard for the Spirit said to Philip Go near and joyn thy self to this Chariot As if he had said Here 's one reading a Prophecy which he doth not but would understand go thou therefore and make him to understand it and Philip began at that Scripture and preached unto him Jesus So read and set your Hearts upon all that is here shown and see whether the Spirit will not joyn himself to your Hearts and Preach much of Jesus to you in and from this Prophecy The other Instance is that of Daniel Chap. 9.2 Who understood by Books the Number of the Years of Jerusalem's desolations and then Verse 3. sets himself to seek the Lord and whilest he was speaking the Man Gabriel being caused to flie swiftly said to him O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee Skill and Understanding If Daniel had not read the Prophecy of Jeremiah he had not understood the time of the Jew's Deliverance from their Captivity neither had that Great Discovery been made to him upon his Prayer of the coming of the Messiah Now go and do thou likewise and then may the Lord give thee Skill and Understanding also in this dark Prophecy whereby abundant Matter for Prayer and Ground of Hope will appear which may be an Anchor of the Soul in Troublous and tempestuous Times When you shall be in the Contemplation of this and other Prophecies you will be as Moses on the top of Pisgah taking a View of the Promised Land And thus may you come to be like the Men of Issachar who had Understanding of the Times to know what Israel ought to do As for the ensuing Discourse the Thoughts of Men may be various about it Some may judge that too little is said and that Things should be more particularly spoken to Others may think that too much is said and may scoff as the Athenians Thou bringest certain strange things to our Ears If any shall complain that too little is said I will confess it For every thing in the Description of this TEMPLE and CITY hath its proper Signification But I must say not for want of Time but for want of better Skill and Understanding of all these Things I cannot now speak particularly yet I find that of Hosea verified Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord. If any say 't is too much let them enter into the Sanctuary of God and weigh the Scriptures well on which the Things which may seem strange are grounded before they reject them for the Aim hath been not to utter any thing from Fancy and Conceit but all from Scripture and not from a private Interpretation of Scripture but an Interpretation justified by other Scriptures And
Matthew is called the Fathers Kingdom Mark 14.25 and Luke 22.18 is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of God in the Gospel most usually is taken for Christs Kingdom Luke 11.21 The Kingdom of God is within you or among you which must be understood of Christs Kingdom It is to be observed also that what is called the Fathers Kingdom in Matthew is called Christs Kingdom Luke 22.30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom 2. Christs Kingdom is included in the Fathers in that Petition Thy Kingdom come The Prayer is made to the Father Thy Kingdom c. Now in this Petition the coming of Christs Kingdom is first desired and after the Fathers when Christ shall have finished the work given him to do as Mediator Consid 6. This House with the whole Limit thereof and every thing belonging to it shall be most holy Chap. 43.12 This is the Law of the House upon the top of the Mountain the whole Limit thereof round about shall be most holy And 't is added to shew the certainty of it This is the Law of the House Q. But how a Law A. The Law of this House shall not onely be a Law shewing what ought to be For thus 't is a Law now and at all times that all things in the Church should be holy 1 Cor. 3.17 The Temple of the Lord is holy That is ought to be so But also a Law shewing what shall be There is a Law commanding and a Law causing that to be which is commanded like the Law of the Creation Let there be Light and there was Light So God will say Let this House be holy and it shall be so There is the Law in the Word and the Law in the Heart and in relation to this time especially God promises I will put my Laws in their inward parts and write them in their hearts c. The Law in the Scriptures requires obedience the Law in the Heart inclines to it and makes it natural and pleasant Paul said of Timothy I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state So when the Law is in the Heart it will make Men to care naturally for the things of God I mean with respect to the Divine Nature which Saints partake of Rom. 8.2 Mention is made of the Law of the Spirit Now such will be the Law of this House The Law of the Spirit which is mighty in Christ Jesus shall make the whole Limit of this House holy Ezek. 36.27 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 here let this farther be taken notice of and it will be a very comfortable consideration Not onely the Temple and Altar and those that worship therein are to be measured but also the Courts both inner and outer and the Gates and Chambers thereof all are to be measured and made according to their Pattern and so most holy Now compare with this Rev. 11.1 2. Where the Temple and Altar and those that worship therein are to be measured But the Court without was not to be measured because it was to be given to the Gentiles c. This sets forth the time of Antichrist's Reign who was to possess the outer Court But when the Gentiles thus tread down the Court which is without there is still a Temple and Altar and there are those that worship therein even a true Church holding Christ the Head and holding forth the truth as it is in Jesus and such who worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And in this time the holy City must be troden down fourty and two Moneths Jerusalem in the Letter was trodden down of the Romans and Mystical Jerusalem hath been trodden down also As that by the Power of Rome when Heathenish so this by the Power of Rome Antichristian but Heathenish still Papists being but Heathens to the true Israel of God This Court trodden down of the Gentiles is cast out and not measured being cut off and separated from the Temple that is the true Church of God by the Reed of the Word as not belonging to the same Thus in John's Vision the outward Court is not measured but Heathens possess it But Ezekiel in his Vision sees the outward Court also measured with the Gates Thresholds Posts and Chambers thereof and all most holy What may be concluded hence but that 1. The State of the Church as it shall be after the Destruction of Antichrist is here set forth when the fourty and two Moneths shall be ended the Witnesses raised and the Jews called for so long as Antichrist remains he possesses the outward Court and it is not measured But being measured as we see in Ezekiel's Vision the Gentiles will be then cast out and Christ will tread in his anger and trample in his fury those who did tread down the Holy City And this measuring of the outward Court shews that the times of the Gentiles will be then fulfilled and the Jews inwardly and in the Spirit even a true Church shall be in the outward Court 2. Churches at this time will be pure yea most holy even the Churches of the outward Court for all will be measured The Wall on the outside of the House chap. 40.5 the Stairs the Gates the Thresholds and every little Chamber v. 6 7. all agree with their Pattern and so there will not be any Antichristian Church left but all will be holy yea most holy How will this be Churches will be as true so pure and in a degree of purity above what they have been at any time yet in the World The Church of the Jews in the Wilderness was holy the measured Churches which have been in the time of Antichrist's Reign have been holy And the Primitive Church gathered by the Apostles was more holy than any before or since But that Glorious Church which shall be after the Calling of the Jews being compared with the former shall be the most holy of all As Christ said of Iohn Baptist A greater than he hath not risen notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he So there hath not been a more Glorious Church in the World than the Primitive was but the least in the time here meant will be greater than that The least of Churches in the time of the New Heavens and New Earth will be greater and more glorious than the best in the times of the Old Heavens and the Old Earth And why may we not conceive that God is pleased to make use of the Names of the Types and Figures in setting forth this Glorious Church to declare that this Spiritual House will be framed as exactly according to an Heavenly Pattern as the typical House was and that true holiness will be as perfect and exact in this as typical was in that We know that Moses his Work was according to the Pattern
Heads shall never happen to them And therefore 1. They shall not defile themselves after their Consecration They shall do their work and walk worthy of their Calling There shall not be a Mark among them declining the work of God nor a Demas carried away with the Love of the World And none shall defile themselves with any Antichristian Abominations We know there is a Popish Custom of shaving the Head and much of Religion is placed in it but none of that sort of men shall have a Being in this time of the Churches Purity and Glory But as Isa 7.20 The Lord shall shave with a Rasor the Head and Hair of the Feet even all that have the Mark of the Beast Rev. 19.20 The Beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast into the Lake of Fire and the Remnant shall be slain In the worst of times a remnant of Saints is left which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ But in that day no remnant of Babylon will be left but the remnant will be slain by the Sword of him that shall sit upon the white Horse 2. Their separation shall not be for Days but Eternity The Nazarites outward and in the flesh were separated but for a time But the Nazarites inwardly and in Spirit shall be for ever For though their Work as Gospel Ministers shall cease at last yet they shall be Priests to offer the Sacrifice of Praise continually The Royal Priesthood spoken of 1 Pet. 2.9 is a Priesthood for ever So then the Priests shall not shave their Heads that is the days of their separation shall not end 3. They shall not be proud or vain Chap. 44.20 They shall not suffer their Locks to grow long This sometimes discovers the pride and vanity of the Heart whence that may be truly said to some which Eliab spake uncharitably to David I know the pride and naughtiness of thy Heart Priestly Ornaments then will not be carnal but the Ornament of a meek humble and gracious Spirit 4. They shall not be prophane verse 21. Neither shall any Priest drink Wine They shall be far from Rioting Drunkenness and Chambering and Wantonness They shall not be filled with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit Now it may be said to many of those which stand in that Rank How long will ye be drunken Put away your Wine from you But at this time such shall not be found among the Priests of the Lord. 5. They shall be Pastors of pure Churches over whom the Line and Reed shall pass Chap. 44.22 The Priests shall not take for their Wives a Widow or her that is put away For the better understanding of this we may observe that Pastors of Churches are called Husbands there being a kind of Spiritual Marriage betwixt them and Churches Lev. 21.4 The Priest shall not defile himself being a chief Man among his People or being a Husband among them So that a Pastor is an Husband to his People Now at this time the Priest shall not take a Widow c. What is signified hereby All Antichristian Popish and pretended Churches will at this time be put away and thrust forth For though there will be a time of Babylon's boasting that she shall sit a Queen and not be a Widow nor see sorrow yet her Plagues shall come in one day and Babylon must know Widowhood and the loss of Children And when Antichristian Churches shall be Widows and thrust forth none of the Priests of the Lord shall marry them Now when any Popish Churches are Widows there are Priests ready to marry them but then they shall be left desolate And in this sense will that be fulfilled Rev. 18.23 The voice of the Bridegroom and the voice of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee No Priests of Babylon shall be left to marry them and none of the Priests of Sion shall then marry any Widow or Daughter of Babylon And observe what follows They shall take Maidens of the House of Israel Churches shall consist of chaste Virgins espoused to Christ and of such who are Israel after the Spirit Such shall the Priest take or a Widow that had a Priest before That is If any Churches shall be Widows by the translation of the Pastors into the New Jerusalem such a Widow a Priest may marry 6. They shall not err in Doctrine or Judgment No Tares of false Doctrine will then be sowen Chap. 44.23 They shall teach my People the difference betwixt the holy and prophane and cause men to discern betwixt the unclean and the clean They shall not justifie the Wicked nor condemn the Righteous neither call Evil good nor Good evil but shall faithfully shew unto Men what is good and what the Lord requireth of them Now many like Ahab's false Prophets utter smooth and pleasing things but then all shall be Micaiahs in speaking what the Lord shall declare to them verse 24. In Controversie they shall stand in Judgment and shall judge it according to my Judgments All Controversies about matters of Faith Worship and Government shall then be at end for the Priests shall judge them according to Gods Judgments 7. They shall not in a way of Church-Communion converse with such as are but dead of themselves to the committing of Sin or are under a force in the profession of Godliness This may be gathered from Chap. 44.31 The Priest shall not eat of any thing that is dead of it self or torn whether it be Fowl or Beast This was forbidden under the Law Exod. 22 31. That which died of it self and was not orderly slain was unclean and forbidden to Aaron and his Sons The Sacrifices must be orderly slain and so they might be eaten Now this in the spiritual signification of it forbids Communion with carnal persons who may seem mortified ones But their body of Sin not being truly slain by the Word and Spirit they shall not be judged fit for religious Communion For the better clearing of this let Acts 10.12 13. be considered Peter saw in a Vision a Sheet wherein were all manner of four-footed Beasts c. And there came a voice Rise Peter kill and eat And what was meant hereby may be gathered from v. 28. Ye know that it is unlawful for a Jew to keep company with one of another Nation but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean That is I must preach the Gospel to Gentiles as well as Jews and I must endeavour to kill the Old Man in them and this being done I may eat that is keep company with them and no longer judge them unclean This place of Ezek. then hints thus much That in the New Jerusalem-state all admitted to Church Communion shall be sound and sincere in the matter of Godliness and true Nathaniels Israelites indeed in whom will be no guile There are now three Ranks of Men professing Godliness 1.
Cubits before the Temple and he said unto me this is the most holy place Not that which was the Figure but the true And this affords a strong Argument to prove that this Name The Lord is there intimates a personal presence For Christ must be personally present in the most holy place to make intercession which will be at last upon Earth Thirdly The Throne of God and of the Lamb will be in this City Rev. 22.3 And Christ on this his Throne sitting at the right hand of God and making intercession Under the Law there was a two-fold Throne 1. A Throne above upon the Ark called the Mercy Seat Exod. 25.17 There the Lord promised to meet and commune with the High Priest This was a Figure of the true which is called the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 This Throne will be in the New Jerusalem and Christ a Priest upon it Zachar. 6.13 praying for and dispensing Grace from it to the Saints 2. A Throne of Judgment Solomon made a great Throne of Ivory there was not the like in any Kingdom 1 Kin. 10.18 And this was a part of Jerusalem's Glory of old Psa 122.5 There are set Thrones of Judgment the Thrones of the House of David and upon David's Throne must Christ sit Now when 't is said the Throne of God and and of the Lamb shall be in it this also is meant And here let this one thing be observed As Christ shall give to the Saints to sit with him upon his Throne so this is not meant of the Throne of Grace where Christ is High Priest True they may go boldly to it to obtain Mercy because Christ is there making intercession But Saints shall not sit there as joynt Mediators with Christ though they are said to be Priests yet not Priests upon a Throne But the Saints shall sit with Christ upon his Throne of Judgment to whom they shall be Servants in executing Justice and Judgment in the Earth Psal 149.9 To execute upon them the Judgment written Christ shall write the Judgment and they shall execute the Judgment written by him This honour have all his Saints Having thus laid down some Arguments to prove the personal presence of Christ in the beloved City and some Objections against it being answered that this great truth may be the better evidenced let the last words of David be a little considered These we find in 2 Sam. 23. and Psal 72. In the former place v. 1. 't is said These be the last words of David and the Preface to what he had to utter shews that they were things of very great weight and very glorious truths David the Son of Jesse said and the Man who was raised up on high the anointed of the God of Jacob the sweet Psalmist of Israel said The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his Word was in my Tongue the God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of the Lord. As these words were a direction to Solomon so chiefly a Prophecy concerning Christ which may be thus rendered Be thou ruler over Men just ruling in the fear of the Lord. Davids Sons succeding him in Government were not all such But Christ who was made of the Seed of David and is to sit upon his Throne shall be such a Ruler He shall be as the light of the Morning when the Sun ariseth even a Morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springing out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain v. 4. Christ the Sun of Righteousness shall arise he shall shine forth as the light of the Morning after the long Night of Antichristian darkness and then there shall be a Morning without Clouds Christ shall come in Clouds but being come the Clouds shall pass away and the tender Grass shall spring out of the Earth they of the City shall multiply and flourish like the Grass of the Field David did not expect it should be thus in the Generations then immediately following True in the beginning of Solomon's Reign there was a short Morning without Clouds but in his latter days he declined and after him things grew much worse Hence he saith Although my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure As if he had said I see by a Spirit of prophecy that my successors will not be all just yet the Covenant made with me stands sure and shall be made good in him who is my Lord and shall be my Son And here is all my Salvation and all my desire I see his day and long for the great Salvation of it and all my desire is that he may have a name above every name and be exalted and extolled and be very high I see the defections and desolations of my House but look beyond these and do well know that a Rod shall come forth of the Stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his Roots and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and he with Righteousness shall judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth In the latter place which is Psal 72. there is a Prayer added to this Prophecy and the conclusion of these last prophetick words of David The contents given of it are these David praying for Solomon sheweth the goodness and glory of his in type and in truth of Christs Kingdom Several passages in it shew that it must be meant of Christ chiefly as v. 5. They shall fear thee as long as Sun and Moon endure throughout all Generations v. 7. In his days shall the Righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth v. 17. His Name shall be for ever and men shall be blessed in him This was the promise made to Abraham In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed that Seed was Christ Gal. 3.16 Glorious things are spoken of Christ's Kingdom in this Psalm He shall judge the people with Righteousness The Mountains that is Rulers shall bring peace to the people They shall not be the Mountains of Prey but the Mountains of Peace His Kingdom shall be universal even to the ends of the Earth An absolute Victory will be gotten over his Enemies they shall lick the Dust and the greatest shall be made to bow to him The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Sebah shall offer Gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him And then will be the Churches full Redemption v. 14. He shall redeem their Soul from deceit and violence Now the fore-sight of this glorious Kingdom and of the happy Estate of the Church in it makes David to break forth into Praises v. 18. Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things and blessed be his Glorious Name for ever and ever and let the
whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen And then he concludes this and all other his Psalms with these words v. 20 The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Whence may be gathered that this Psalm contains the remainder of the last words of David and that this Psalm was the last of David's Psalms though it be not set last in the Book of Psalms For the clearing whereof two things may be considered 1. The Psalms are not all placed according to the time of their composure or the occasion of them for Psalm the Third is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom Now many made before this are set after it as Psa 34. A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech And Psa 51. A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba Soe also Psa 57 and 63. So then this may be the last though not set last 2. The Psalm it self gives us ground to conclude that it was the last and made by David a little before his death For thus he begins it Give the King thy Judgments O God Which shews that Solomon was now made king for so he is here called And this Psalm was made when both Father and Son were Kings Give the King thy Judgments There David is called King and thy Righteousness to the King's Son There Solomon is called King And that Solomon was King David's own words do declare 1 Kin. 1.48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath given me one to sit upon my Throne mine Eyes also seeing it By this 't is evident that the plain literal sense may stand that this was the last of the Psalms of the sweet Psalmist of Israel who never sung more sweetly than now And to this these three things may be added 1. The matter of this Psalm contains that which was the sum and scope of David's Prayers even that Christ might reign gloriously and that in his days the Righteous might flourish This is all my desire and in this my Prayers will reach their end 2. David being carried in spirit to the Day of Christ's glorious reign and being set in the View of his blessed Kingdom and seeing him breaking Oppressors in pieces and perfecting that which concerns the Saints and at last delivering up the Kingdom to God the Father breaks out into this joyful Acclamation The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended They are fulfilled and fully accomplished they are all consummated So much is in the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers of David and of all the Saints will at last have a full accomplishment and Faith may even as God doth call the things that are not as though they were So by a voice of Faith he might well say The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are fulfilled 3. When Christ shall take to himself his great Power and Reign and shall have put down all that is to be put down and shall present all the Saints faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy then Prayers will be ended As the Prayers of Saints so Christ's also who is David the Son of Jesse Hos 3.5 They shall serve the Lord and David their King There Christ is called David And Isa 11. A Rod shall come forth of the Stem of Jesse there he is the Son of Jesse So the Prayers of this David the Son of Jesse will be ended All that ever he prayed for will be accomplished yea all that he hath to pray for will be granted For then all the good things contained in God's Decrees shall be brought forth and whatever Christ hath purchased for shall be enjoyed by the Saints All Promises will be fulfilled to them and all the desires of their hearts given them And then as Faith will be swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition so Prayers will end in everlasting Praises That the great things contained in this Prophecy in which we have been thus running to and fro may be the better understood and improved somewhat shall be added upon these following particulars 1. The Calling of the Jews 2. The Restitution of all things 3. The Description of the two Beasts Revelat. 13. 4. The Day of Judgment and the World 's perishing by Fire 5. Some Signs of the times when the Fall of Babylon is at hand 6. Some Advantages which the knowledge of these Truths will afford 7. The Conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions 1. The Calling of the Jews We may conceive that there will be a twofold Calling of the Jews A First Calling will be at the ending of the One thousand two hundred and ninety days Dan. 12.11 At that time the Jews Deliverance will begin and there will be then a calling and a gathering of them But at this time many will be called but not so many chosen This calling will be inward and effectual to some but to many but outward and in profession only For after this their calling they will have many Enemies causing great trouble to them Dan. 11.31 there is mention of an Enemy and 't is said Arms shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength And v. 45. He shall plant the Tabernacle of his Palace in the glorious holy Mountain Zach. 14.2 I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem and the City shall be taken Now as this will be a time of great tryal so many of the Jews shall fall away Dan. 11.30 This Enemy shall have indignation against the holy Covenant and have intelligence with them that forsake it v. 33. some he shall corrupt by flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall some such as Peter and others such as Judas The second Calling will be at the end of one thousand three hundred and thirty five days which is forty and five years more than the former number 't is said blessed is he that cometh to these days At this time all Israel will be saved as from their persecuting Enemies so from sin and all will be called and chosen and faithful Rev. 19. Thy People shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 All shall be effectually called and their Children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 these shall be of the Church and like John Baptist shall be sanctified from the Womb. No Noah shall have a cursed Cham no Isaac a prophane Esau for this would be a grief of heart contrary to that promise there shall be no sorrow God shall put the Law in the mind and write it in the heart and they shall no more teach every man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for all shall know him from the least even to the greatest of them They may need to be instructed farther in the knowledge of the Messias but no need to be taught which is the Messias no need to be taught as Andrew did Peter Joh. 1.41 We have found the Messias as the
shall it be to the end of these Wonders This is a great Question How long 'T was a Question once askt in Heaven The Angel said Zach. 1.12 How long O Lord And the Souls under the Altar cry How long And thus do the Followers of the Lamb on Earth How long When shall Antichrist be destroyed When shall the glorious Kingdom of Christ come The Answer is When he shall have accomplished to scatter the Power of the holy People all these things shall be finished When the holy People shall be very low and Babylon very high and say I sit a Queen c. then her Plagues shall come the Antichristian Sun must go down at Noon and in the Evening-time it shall be Light to the Saints We have great reason to take notice of this Sign for it is confirmed by an Oath Dan. 12.7 The Man clothed in Linen sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time times and an half and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all shall be finished This indeed is spoken concerning the Jews Three years and an half must they lye under the power of a civil death after their being called and after their getting some power over their Enemies whereby the Pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart even after this their power must be scattered and the power of their Enemies will grow very great as we see Rev. 16.14 But then in the midst of those swellings of Jordan when it shall overflow all its Banks shall Jordan be driven back and a way shall be made for the people of God to enter into their rest This is a sworn and therefore a sure Sign Now we may observe that the case of the Gentile-Saints will be the same with that of the Jews for the dispensations of God will be alike to both These as the Jews must be scattered and lie dead three days and an half for the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless Pit will make war against them overcome and kill them Rev. 11.6 This same thing is set forth in another Vision Rev. 12. Where we read that the Woman is driven into the Wilderness to be there 1260 days and towards the end of these days the Woman thinks her self gotten out of the Wilderness and saith Salvation is come c. But then the Dragon persecutes the Woman and she flies into the Wilderness and is nourished there for a time times and the dividing of a time which is the same with the three days and half Now when such a scattering and killing happens this will be a sign of the fall of Babylon at hand as we see Rev. 11.13 The Witnesses have power to shut Heaven and to smite the Earth with all Plagues and then the scattering of Power comes 2. A second Sign is that which we read Rev. 12.15 The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood to carry away the Woman This is the last attempt against the Woman that is the Church of Christ before she gets out of her Wilderness-estate and before the rising of the Witnesses So that when it shall appear that the Serpent is about this work therein an evident Sign will be given of the very near approach of the Fall of Babylon For this is a work to be done in the time of the Witnesses lying dead and after the Woman is driven the second time into the Wilderness Now as for this Flood we may observe that the Serpent hath several sorts of Floods to cast out of his mouth He hath a Flood of Errors and Heresies to cast out and 't is to be observed that the Devil hath been gathering the Errors and Heresies of ancient times and hath been casting them out altogether in this time and many are carried away by this Flood but the Elect shall not He hath been casting out a Flood of Atheism of Prophaneness and Ungodliness and many have been carried away with this Flood There is another kind of Flood which we read of Isa 59.19 When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood c. Psa 18.4 there are Floods of ungodly men And by Waters in the Revelations are meant Multitudes of People over whom the Woman sits Now we may conceive that the Flood is of this kind because the Earth helps the Woman by swallowing up this Flood This Flood is to be cast out of the Devils mouth We may observe that all sin and so the consequents of it came originally out of the Serpent's mouth for the Serpent spake to Eve and so deceived her and drew her into the transgression So Sin entred and Death and all came out of the Serpent's mouth In like manner will the Serpent be speaking to the hearts of men and perswade them to gather together and make up this Flood and by his Instruments those unclean Spirits like Frogs mentioned Rev. 16.13 will speak in the ears of men And thus will this Flood come out of the Serpent's mouth Now when this Flood is cast out the Earth helps the Woman that is some of the Inhabitants of the Earth being led to it by their own interest swallow up this Flood And if such a thing happens after the killing of the Witnesses that is a Flood shall be cast out and the Earth shall be seen to help the Woman and to swallow it up then so plain and manifest a sign will be given of Babylon's sudden downfal that he that runs may read it and may say to Babylon Come down and sit in the dust yea sit thou silent and get thee into darkness for thy time is near to come and thy days shall not be prolonged and thou as well as old Babylon which was the Glory of Kingdoms and the Beauty of the Chaldee 's Excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom And here we may observe what matter of Consolation there is in these Prophecies when the troubles and dangers of the Church are foretold in them For when the Dragon persecutes the Woman two Wings of a great Eagle are given to the Woman and so she flies from the Face of the Serpent God will sufficiently provide for the Woman's safety and preservation when nothing but utter destruction seems to be coming upon her for the persecuting Dragon shall be no more able to overtake and devour the Woman flying into the Wilderness than a Beast running upon the Earth can catch and devour an Eagle flying in the midst of Heaven And then when the Serpent casts out this Flood to carry away the Woman the Earth helps the Woman Here 's this comfort for the People of God This last design against the Woman whilst in the Wilderness shall most assuredly be made void for though Babylon will be above all doubt of failing in it and her great confidence and raised expectations shall make her say I sit a Queen and shall not see sorrow yet her Plagues will
Promise will be at Christ's Second coming as is evident from what follows Ye shall go forth that is from your bondage and Tread down that they shall be ashes under the Soules of your feet which was not done at his first coming Now observe this Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his Wings what are the Wings of this Sun the Beams of this Sun are its Wings which coming into the Heart shall heal it of all its Wounds which the killing Letter shall make which the Conviction of Sin especially against Christ in Piercing persecuting slighting Christ shall have made So we find concerning the Jews when Christ shall first appear they shall remember their piercing of Christ which will then pierce through their own Souls and shall cause them to mourn and be in bitterness as for a first-born Zach. 12.10 and Rev. 1.7 The first effect of Christ's appearing will be a great mourning and wailing but quickly after this comes healing for the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings and will restore health and heal all these Mourners of their Wounds I shall mention two places of Scripture for the clearing of this one is Jer. 31.18 c. I heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thou hast chastised me and I was chastised turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God This is a Prophecy of the calling of the Ten Tribes none can say that the fulfilling of this Prophecy is past already for no such thing hath been yet done amongst the Ten Tribes Now when Ephraim shall thus bemoan himself what shall the Lord say That we see verse 20. Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him And thus the Lord will quickly comfort Ephraim and give the Oyl of Joy for Mourning The other place is Isa 33.24 When Jerusalem shall be a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down When the Jews shall say The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King as verse 20.22 Then at that time no inhabitant of Jerusalem no man walking in the light of it shall say I am sick for the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities Sin shall be forgiven and every Saint shall know it and have assurance of it as is evident from that Promise None shall say I am sick Surely if there be knowledge of Sin and no assurance of Pardon the Soul will be sick with Sin guilt remaining in the Conscience will trouble it so long as 't is there but no Inhabitant shall say I am sick therefore all shall have assurance of the forgiveness of their sins and this assurance shall continue with them Secondly 'T will be a healing light amongst the Saints many Rents have been made in the Church Saints by their divisions have made wounds amongst themselves through divisions there have been great thoughts of heart great heart-burnings and thence have they come to that Paul complains of amongst the Galatians Chap. 5.15 even to biting and devouring one another Now the Light of that Great Day of the Lord will heal all Wounds which have been made amongst the Saints by Rents and Divisions for Christ will spread his wings even the beams of his light which shall then most gloriously shine forth and he shall gather all the Saints under his wings as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and so will restore health to them and heal them of their wounds This we have set forth Zeph. 3.8 9. Wait ye upon me saith the Lord till the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdomes to pour upon them mine Indignation even all my fierce anger for all the Earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealously We may observe what an admirable harmony of Prophecies there is This is the same in substance with that Prophecy of Gog and Magog in Ezek. and also with that great gathering of the Nations to the Battel of Armageddon Now consider what great mercy God will at that time bring forth to his People Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the Lord to serve him with one consent There shall be one Lip and Language and that a pure one and so there shall not be divisions amongst the Saints but they shall all speak the same things and be perfectly United together of the same mind and the same Judgment 2. The time of the New Heavens will be a time of great purity this we see foretold Ezek. 36.25 c. Great Promises are made to the Jews to be fulfilled in the latter days and amongst other things 't is promised that they shall be made a very pure and holy People Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean and 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 cause you to walk in my Statutes God promises that this shall go with their outward Mercies verse 33. What time I shall cleanse you from all your iniquities I will cause you to dwell in the Cities and the desolate places shall be built up Psa 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness What is meant by the Beauties of Holiness the Church is meant hereby this is an ordinary Periphrasis of the Church say our Annotators the Sanctuary was so called Psa 29.2 Worship the Lord in the beauties of holiness that is in the Sanctuary the true Church is always holy but then it shall be much more eminently holy it shall be even the Beauties of Holiness that is very beautiful and glorious in holiness yea it shall be the beauties of holiness having variety of Graces even all meeting together and appearing in their beauty without spot or wrinkle or any such thing As the Sanctuary was called the beauty of holiness even the typical Sanctuary so then tho true spiritual Sanctuary shall be called the beauty of holiness and be as perfect and exact in true holiness as the worldly Sanctuary was in ceremonial and typical holiness Isa 35.8 There shall be an high-way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it But it shall be for those the wayfaring-men though Fools shall not err therein There hath been an high-way of Prophaneness an high-way of Superstition of Antichristian Idolatry and great multitudes have gone in this way and the ways of Sion have been desolate very few have gone in these but at last that high-way of Prophaneness Idolatry c. will become desolate and the way of Holiness and Godliness will be the great
high-way and the wayfaring-men that go in this way shall have an unerring Spirit to guide them in it for the wayfaring men though Fools shall not err therein Isa 54.11 12. They shall be a holy flock Ezek. 36. ult I will lay thy stones with fair colours and thy foundations with saphires I will make thy windows of agates and thy gates of carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones What doth this signifie but that there shall be a Church at last exceeding pure which shall be called the beauties of holiness Isa 60.2 The Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee The Light of the Glory of the Lord shall shine to the Saints and shall shine from them both for the glorious Works of God wrought for them and upon them and in the Works wrought by the Saints in which the Image and Glory of God shall be seen upon them Rev. 22.4 They shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads Their Professions their Lives their Actings and Conversations shall be a discovery of God Vpon the bells of the horses shall be holiness to the Lord much more upon the foreheads of his people 3. In the time of the New Heavens and New Earth the Sons of God shall have Glorious Liberty And this brings me back again to Rom. 8.21 The Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Now for this we may consider that there is Gracious Liberty and Glorious Liberty there is a Liberty wherewith Christ hath made the Saints free as Gal. 5.1 and a Liberty wherewith he will make them free as in this place which is also called the redemption of the body There is a redemption of the Soul from sin and of the Body from sufferings It hath been for the most part with the Saints as Christ said to Peter Another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not But in the time of Glorious Liberty it shall not be so Gracious Liberty is a Liberty from Evil and a Liberty in relation to that which is good Liberty from Evil is from the evil of sin and of punishment Liberty from the Evil of Sin is when a man is made free from the Reigning power of sin as in regard of the Outward committing so from the inward love of it Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin ye became servants of righteousness There is a Liberty also from the Evil of Punishment Rom. 8. 1 There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus There is now correction to them and therein God dealeth with them as with sons but no condemnation to them they meet with crosses but have escaped the curse die they must but the sting of death is taken away As they look not for life from the Law so they need not fear death by the Law There is a liberty also in relation to that which is good Saints have liberty to go where they are sure to receive that good which they want they may go and that boldly to the Throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in a time of need They can go to Christ to receive of his fullness grace for grace Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above some gifts are good but not perfect others are good and perfect and able to make those perfect who have them Creatures are a good gift for every Creature of God is good but Christ is a good and perfect gift Knowledge is a good gift but the Spirit of wisdome and grace of love and fear of supplication and adoption is a perfect gift Earth is a good gift Heaven is a good and perfect gift Now what a precious liberty is this to have free access to him who gives liberally good and perfect gifts to those that ask them and upraideth not There is a liberty also to the doing of good though there is not free will and power in Nature to do that good which is acceptable to God yet there is by grace when any are made free from sin thereby those that are partakers of the Divine Nature and have the seed of God in them will be free ready and willing to do good I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge my Heart Jam. 25. the Law is called the Law of liberty to men in the flesh 't is a Law of bondage to men in the Spirit 't is a Law of liberty The Law in the Head only may be but a Law of bondage so the Law in the Lips but the Law in the Heart which hath the Law of the Spirit with it is a Law of liberty I go bound in the Spirit said Paul 'T is gracious liberty to go bound in the Spirit both to the doing and suffering the will of God and to be constrained by the love of Christ to live to him Thus much of Gracious Liberty for some introduction to what is to be said of Glorious Liberty And as for Glorious Liberty that the spirits of just men have in Heaven going to God the judge of all to Jesus the Mediator to the General Assembly and Church of the First-born But the glorious liberty mentioned by Paul is that which the Saints shall have in the New Heavens and the New Earth For 't is that which the Creatures long for and look to have some benefit by and therefore is not meant of the State of Glory in Heaven Now that some discovery may be made of this let some few particulars be observed 1. To be free from War and the evils and mischief that attend it is a Glorious Liberty And this shall be the Saints happiness at last when all things shall be made New Isa 40.1 Comfort ye Comfort ye my people speak comfortably to Jerusalem tell her that her Warfare is accomplished In the times of restitution after the destruction of the Man of Sin and the calling of the Jews there shall be no learning of War any more Isa 2.4 but swords shall be beaten into plow-shares and spears into pruning-hooks Now there is War Nation against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom And Saints are called to sight the good fight of faith But when the Beast and false Prophet shall be taken God will make all Wars to cease to the ends of the earth 2. Glorious Liberty will consist in being free from temptations Adam was at first free from sin but not from temptations There shall be at last a better Paradise for the Saints than that in which Adam was placed in which there shall be no Serpent to tempt Satan is now following the Saints with his temptations and he hath his Messengers to buffet them but in the time of Glorious Liberty he shall be bound and cast into Prison and never suffered to tempt one Saint any more for when he shall be loosed out of his Prison he shall deceive the Nations Gog and
is the contrary to being accepted now the meaning of sins lying at the door is that sin is not pardoned but the guilt of it remains sin that is the punishment of sin is at the door ready to come upon thee and therefore thou art not justified so this doing well and not doing well is spoken with respect to the offerings then made and to the end which they aimed at in their offerings which was that they might be accepted and justified Abel did well he took the right course to be justified but Cain did not well Abel did well in seeking his justification and acceptance by an imputed righteousness and thus his sin was carried from his door never to come near it again but Cain did not well in seeking his justification and acceptance by his personal righteousness and by a work which he did For notwithstanding this Sin lay at his door So Abel was justified and became righteous Abel as he is called Mat. 23.25 But Cain went away not justified for which he was very wroth and slew his brother Abel who was the first Martyr and he suffered upon the account of this great fundamental truth of justification by an imputed righteousness Sealing it with his blood If you would then be found in peace being found in a justified estate see that you be not found in this way of Cain but in the way of Blessed Abel who by Faith offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain c. See Heb. 4.11 4. Be without the spots of the Not-Children of God and of such as are in an unregenerate state Deut. 32.5 Their spot is not the spot of his Children There is a great deal of difference betwixt the spots of the Not-Children of God and of the Children of God for these have their spots There are spots in dead Carcases and spots sometimes in living bodies so there are the spots of men dead in Sins and of those that are alive to God Sin reigning Sin loved Sin committed without repentance Godly sorrow and reformation is the spot of men dead in sin and of the Not-Children of God Sin hated sin loathed resisted over which there is mourning after a godly sort is the spot of those that are quickened and made alive to God Let 's take Notice more particularly of some spots of unregeneracy which you must have purged away if you look to reign with Christ 1. That spot of looking on the forbidden fruit as the fairest and best this is a spot of unregeneracy There began the first sin and this is the issue and product of it in corrupt Nature a lusting after the forbidden fruit as the fairest this is the very image of the Earthly Adam When Men can take and eat freely of the forbidden fruit as more sweet and pleasant because forbidden this is a manifest spot of the Not-Children of God Such there are to whom stolen waters are most sweet and Bread of secrecies is pleasant but the dead are there and being there are in the depths of Hell 2. To love worship and serve the Creature more than the Creature to have more care of the body than of the Soul more regard to things temporal then eternal to things earthly than to things Heavenly this is a spot of unregeneracy and forbidds such to look for any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God 3. To love darkness and hate the light to love sin and hate holiness to love the wicked and hate the godly is a spot of the Not-Children of God 4. Delight in lying is a spot of the Not-Children of God Isa 63.8 He said surely they are my people Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour But of such as will ly such as delight in it and make a practice of it what doth the Lord say of such surely they are Children that will ly and therefore are not my people and to them I will be no Saviour 5. The mark of the Beast is a spot of unregeneracy and of the Not-children of God this is either in the forehead so as openly to own the power of the Beast and to profess to be his Worshippers or in the right hand to do the work of the Beast and to give up their power to him this is a spot of the Not-children of God for of such 't is said Rev. 14.9 If any Man Worship the Beast and receive his Mark the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God they that believe as the Pope will have them believe and Worship according to his ordinances and Commands have his marks upon them and are not owned by the Lord as his neither may expect any inheritance in his Kingdom 6. Strive to be more and more cleansed from those spots which the Children of God in a regenerate state are too often defiled with Thus 1. Take heed of the spot of Pride This is a hateful spot which many times defiles even the Children of God Knowledge too oft puffeth up gifts many times puff up the People of God should esteem others better than themselves but too apt they are to esteem themselves better than others God would not have his Children defiled with this spot To prevent this in Paul there was given him a Thorn in the flesh that he might not be lifted up in his Spirit through the abundance of Revelations 2. Take heed of the spot of covetousness too much love to the World is many times the spot of the Children of God We read in Scripture of the idolatry of covetousness and of the iniquity of covetousness There is the idolatry of covetousness I mean that degree of it which is a serving of Mammon and is inconsistent with the serving of God of which Christ said ye cannot serve God and Mammon This is that which excludes from the Kingdom of God and makes men uncapable of an inheritance there Ephes 5.5 Now this degree of covetousness shall not be found in the Children of God But there is besides this mention of the Iniquity of covetousness which though it come not up to that degree of idolatry before spoken of yet 't is iniquity and the least degree of covetousness is iniquity and the iniquity of covetousness when 't is in the people of God begets fatherly displeasure in God Isa 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him But this smiting is in order to the healing of this distemper I have seen his ways and will heal him Take heed therefore as of that Idolatry of covetousness which is the spot of the Not-children of God so also of all Iniquity of covetousness 3. Take heed of the spot of carnal security and of negligence and remissness in duties carnal security slumbering and sleeping was the spot even of the wise Virgins they neglect their watch the Bridegroom comes and finds them sleeping The thoughts of our going hence and Christ's coming should dwell upon our hearts What I say unto