The Standard of the Lord REVEALED By which He hath led and guided and preserved his people since Adam to this day as is manifested through the Scriptures and is shewed forth in this following Abstract AS ALSO A clear manifestation by the Scriptures of the Recovering and Redeeming his Spiritual Seed and Body which is his Church out of thraldom and Captivity which day is begun Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his people saying where is he that brought them up out of the Sea with the Shepherds of his flock where is he that put his holy Spirit within them that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm that led them through the deep as a Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble Isa 63.11 12 13. Neither said they where is the Lord that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt and led us through the Wilderness c. Jer. 2.6 But fear not thou O my servant Jacob and be not dismaied O Israel for behold I will save thee from the land of their Captivity and Jacob shall return and be in rest and at ease and none shall make them afraid Jer. 46.27 Isa 41.13.14 And I will bring again the Captivity of my people Israel and they shall build the waste Cities and inhabit them and they shall plant Vinyards and they shall drink of the Wine thereof and shall make Gardens and eat of the fruit thereof Amos 9.14 The Redeemer is come to Sion Jacob doth rejoice and Israel is glad Psal 53.6 Given forth at Lancaster Castle 11. month 1665 6 By M. F. a Prisoner of the Lord. Printed in the Year MDCLXVII The Epistle to the Reader Diligent Reader IF thou seriously consider that we are fallen into the last days and ages of the World in which the Lord of Heaven and Earth will come and plead with his Enemies and to recompence them according to their works Rev. 20.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Mat. 16.27 and that the terrible day of the Lord is coming with burns as an Oven and all his Enemies are before him as stubble and he will call all men high and low rich and poor to an account for their deeds done and reward every one according to their works whether they be good or whether they be bad The serious consideration of these things should put thee to a stand to search and to see how it stands between thee and the Lord. And if thou desires the knowledge of the living God and of his eternal Truth and desires to know the dealings of the Lord with his people and his seed here upon the earth since he made man and created him and gave him a being upon the earth look into this following Extract which is taken out of the Scriptures and thou mayst thereby see how the Lord hath led his seed and people from the beginning of the World until this present day As also his tender care and love that he hath exercised unto them all along as thou thy self will judge in the reading of this Treatise through which will be for thy own advantage and the building of thee up in the knowledge of the Lord and his Truth and also in the knowledge of the Scriptures which too many are and have been ignorant of and therefore have they dyed in their sins according as Christ saith if you do not believe that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Joh. 8.24 And none do believe that Jesus is Christ but who believes in his light and in his holy Spirit for that is the unction of the holy one the anointing which is the Christ which is the truth and is no lie and which leads into all truth which Christ Jesus promised he would send when he went to his Father in John 16. It is expedient for you saith he that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come he shall guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine therefore I said unto you he shall take of mine and shew it unto you thou mayst read of this at large in this Chapter So this is the very life of our knowledge of the truth to mind the light of the Lord Jesus Christ which is in thy heart and his Spirit that he hath put in thy inward parts and with that eye read this following Treatise in sobriety gentleness and meekness of Spirit without partiality or prejudice and thereby thou mayst gain knowledge and understanding into the truth of God and also into the Scriptures which it may be thou didst not know before Thou mayst also read in this following Book of the Redemption and bringing back of the Captivity of the Church of Christ whose day of redemption and deliverance comes as is shewed therein by the Scriptures and so as I said before being the time is short and the Lord cometh as a thief in the night â—nd the servant knoweth not at what hour his Lord cometh Therefore Christ saith it is good for you to be ready for in such an hour as you think not of the Son of man cometh blessed is the Servant whom the Lord when he cometh findeth watching watch therefore for you know not at what hour the Lord cometh Mat. 24. so in this time and day all people had need to be found watching lest they say peace when sudden destruction cometh upon them So in love to the Souls of all people upon the whole earth is this written and that it might be of advantage to all people is the end of the writing of this following book And the Lord that hath opened and moved by the power of his holy Spirit in writing of it make it also effectual and of use and service for the salvation of the Souls of all the Readers of it M. F. Genesis IN the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Joh. 1. This is the testimony and the record of John the beloved Disciple that leaned on Jesus breast this agreeing with the first of Genesis In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was void and without form and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said let there be light and there was light 1 Joh. 5.7 So here is the record which is in heaven God the Spirit and the Word that was in the beginning with God by which all things were made and created the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and the firmament and all things that are therein and every living creature
begotten Sor into the world that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world 〈◊〉 that was not his end in sending of him but that the world through him might be saved God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself Jeh 3.16 17. 2 Cor. 5.19 So that here is free love and fâ—â—e geace and free mercy that every one that thirsteth may come freely and buy Wine and milk without money and without price without any respect of persons all may come every one that thirsteâ—â— may come he said unto the Jews ye sold your selves for â—ought but ye shall be redeemed without money tuâ—â— again turn again thou backâ—â—iding Israel but here is the sum of all he that believeth on hun is not condemned whoshaver he be but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God and this also is without respect of any person and oh in thing Chapter of Iohn and with the light of Christ Jesus in thee thou mayst search thy heart and see how thou stands unto the Lord God And so this is the main and only truth that we have to hold forth to the whole world as also all the Scriptures bear witness to the same wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and death hath passed over all men for all have sinned for until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law while there was no Law to transgress against sin could not be so easily known among them before Moses had the Law given unto him who had directions from the Lord in Mount Sinai what they should do and how they should walk before the Lord Nevertheless death reigned over them from Adam until Moses and over them that had not sinned according to Adams transgression that is to say had not broken any express command of the Lord but was the right seed in the Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. Wherefore the Apostle saith the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ for there is neither Jew nor Greek neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise now the heir so long as he is a child is under Tutors and Governours and differs nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all so even we who are of the precious seed while we are Children are in bondage under the Elements of the world but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem the seed that was under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father wherefore thou art no more a servant but a Son then an heir of God through Christ So by this Spirit of his Son which he hath sent into the Hearts of his people by this doth he gather this is the ensign that is set up for the gathering of all Nations this is the Shiloh that is come and the gathering is unto him Isa 11. to the â—nd of the Chapter and by this doth he gather his elect from the â—ourâ— winds of the Heavens and from the four corners of the earth and by this doth he redeem Sion through Judgment our of every Kindred Nation Tongue and People and by this will the Lord sift the Nations as with a sive and purge the chaff from the wheat and gather the wheat into his Garner And all they that do not obey the light and spirit which he hath sent into their hearts by this will he judge the whole world in righteousness because the whole world had received a measure of this light and spirit for as the Apostle saith What shall we say is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speak as a man God forbid for then how should he judge the world in righteousness but that his truth hath abounded so far and his mercy and his love hath reached to the whole world for at the times of Ignorance God winked but now he commandeth all men every where to repentâ— for this is the day wherein he judges the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ by the light of his glorious Gospel and this is the day which he hath appointed in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17.31 For the love of Christ saith the Apostle constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again So by his Resurrection he judgeth all those that live to themselves and not unto him that dyed for them and rose again So also by his Resurrection he judgeth all those that live unto themselves This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin he that hateth me hateth my Father also Joh. 5.21 for as the Father raiseth up the dead even so the Son quickeneth whomsoever he will for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that sent him Verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Verily I say unto you that the hour is coming and now is that 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 and hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of Man John 15. from the 15. to the 28. Here Christ Jesus hath spoken himself the very sum and substance of truth and there is not another Now this is the same Christ as was promised of the Father to Abraham and this is the same Christ whereof all the Prophets bore witness and he is the same way the truth and the life and there is none comes to the Father but by him as he himself saith Joh. 14. And there is no other way nor name under Heaven by which any man can be saved the Apostle
saith but by Jesus Christ and he is the foundation of all the Prophets and all the Apostles The Church of Christ upon the earth in the Apostles days when he spoke by them by his Spirit and poured it upon them in the power of his Resurrection and the corner-stone that upholds all the building of his Church he is the Lion of Judah's Tribe and Davids Root Rev. 5. and he only was found worthy to open that Book which John saw written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals and his Spirit and Power is the same as all the Apostles were redeemed by and this same Spirit was poured upon the Apostles and they were endowed and enriched with it and lived in it and obeyed it according to its motion and working and operation and said another foundation could no man lay than that which is already laid but let every one take heed how he builds thereupon So this is the main care that every one is to take to take heed how they build upon this true foundation for every ones work must be tryed by the fire and he whose work is burned suffers loss for there will nothing abide but that which will dwell in the fire for God is a consuming fire and his Spirit burns up the chaff but gathers up the wheat So who abides in the fellowship and in the unity of this eternal Spirit they abide in Gods Elect which he hath chosen and they abide in that which joyns to the Lord where the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin and here is the Mystery of the fellowship and here is the unity of the precious faith which is held in a pure Conscience and who abides here will grow up to a perfect man and these will sight the good sight of faith and contend for it and for them there will be laid up a Crown of righteousness for they that abide and continue to the end in the faith of Gods Elect they will obtain the price of the mark of the high calling but contrariwise they that fall away and shrink back and set up a feigned and a false deceitful Spirit and in that professeth the truth and appears outwardly like other Saints but when the time of tryal comes then they fall flat and draws back from the good word of God from the light and spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ which is the Elect of God where all the Saints in light meet together and joyn and unite and knit together in the unity of the Spirit of life and is baptized by one Spirit into one body and all drinks into one Spirit Let all such as draw from this and deserts from this read their portion in the 10. of the Hebrews and they shall be sure of it for the Lord is not slack concerning his coming neither will alter the word that is gone out of his mouth And all who are not of the right seed and spirit and life which is in Christ Jesus all such will be judged by him and condemned by him for if those that despised Moses Law dyed under the hand of two or three witnesses how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall they be thought worthy of who have trodden under foot and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight to the Spirit of Grace but vengeance belongeth unto me saith the Lord and I will recompense But in the Apostles days there were many false Christs and false spirits which he saw were entering into the Church so that he feared that which came to pass for darkness and Apostacy came over all and the Church of Christ that was then amongst the Saints in the Apostles days went into the Wilderness as John saw in the Revelations and of this the Apostles foretold before it came as it is Acts 20. where he saith Now behold I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God shall see my face no more wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of Christ which he hath purchased with his own blood The Apostle prophesies of the Church going into the Wilderness for I know this that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them This is that Spirit which ever did betray and oppose the truth which was sound among them that professed Christ as Judas was found amongst the twelve for the Apostle saith such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and the Apostle complains of the perils he went through among false Brethren as you may read 2 Cor. 11.2 Pet. 2.1 also Christ prophesied of false Christs coming in his name Mat. 24. and this Spirit is contrary to the right and true seed of God as the Apostle testifies 1 Joh. 3. whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God in this are the Children of God manifest and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother for this is the message that ye heard from the beginning that ye love one another not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slow his Brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous ver 9.10 11 12. But the Apostle saith Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and speaking lies in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.1 and of these times did Christ himself foretel in Mat. 24.25 chap. as you may read at large when the Disciples were shewing him the goodly buildings of the Temple and he told them that one stone should not be left upon another but all should be thrown down and as he sat upon the Mount of Oliâ—es the Disciples came unto him privately saying tell us when shall these things be or what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world and Iesus answered and rehearsed unto them as you may read at large in those Chapters which had relation to this night of Apostacy which was coming on and he told them that false Christs and false Prophets should arise and he tells them that immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkened and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken ver
29. Isa 13.10 Ezek. 32.7 but Christ saith farther verily I say unto you this Generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled which were fulfilled according to Christs words for before the Disciples were removed all these things came to pass and were fulfilled in that day and the Apostles saw and knew the sum and substance of all that was spoken fulfilled but the next words makes it clear Heaven and Earth shall pass away saith Christ but my word shall not pass away my word shall endure for ever and is fullilling through all Generations yea beyond the Heaven and the Earth one Generation comes and another Generation goes and the word fulfills through them all and though that Generation did not pass till these words were fulfilled yet they continue in the substance the same fulfilling for ever to the end of the world Christ saith I will be with you who is the word but of the day and houe knoweth no man no not the Angels but my Father only for the times and seasons are in the Fathers hand And according to this the Apostle saith 1 Jâ—h 2. the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Little Children it is the last time and ye have heard that Antichrist should come and I even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time they went out from us c. ver 17.18 and Jude 17. Beloved remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ how they told you there should be mockers in the last time who walk after their own hearts lusts So these with several others that might be mentioned confirmeth the truth of the night of the Apostacy that was coming on and that the true Church of Christ that was among the Apostles should go into the Wilderness after their decease and departure which John saw would come to pass as you may read in Rev. 12. There was War in Heaven then the true Worship of God was lost and that eternal Spirit which was in the Apostles where the wicked one had no part but they had overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2. I have written unto you young men because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one ver 14. That Spirit was lost which was among the Apostles they sat together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus as you may read Eph. 1.3 and Chap. 2.6 And Iesus exhorted his Disciples to lay up their treasure in Heaven for he said where the treasure is there the heart will be also Math. 6.20 21. But this worship of God and power was lost when the Woman sled into the Wilderness The Church of Christ gone into the Wilderness and then the Dragon got up and made War in Heaven and to this agrees that Prophesie of Christ where he saith the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken Mat. 24.29 but Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels as you may read in the 10. of Daniel after Daniel had mourned three full weeks and had eaten no pleasant bread neither came Wine in his mouth until three full weeks were fulfilled after this Daniel saw the Visions and heard the voice that said fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou settest thine heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard and I am come for thy words but the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me many days but loe Michael one of the chief Princes came to help me now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the last days for yet the Vision is for many days and after this Daniel became dumb and fell upon the ground and retained no strength neither was breath left in him then the Angel came again and touched him as you may read and said knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee and now I will return and sight with the Prince of Persia and when I am come forth loe the Prince of Grecia shall come which is the third Monarchy but I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scriptures of truth and there is none that holdeth with me in these things but Michael the Prince ver 21. So Michael stood for the Angel there in the days of Daniel against the power of the Dragon this Michael the Apostle calls the Archangel Jude 9. And so here in the Apostacy Michael and his Angels have fought against the Dragon and his Angels for they prevailed not while the woman hath been in the Wilderness for it is a place prepared of God for her that she should be fed there a thousand two hundred and threescore days but after this John saw the Dragon cast out that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which had deceived the whole world there was no more place for him in Heaven but he was cast out into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him when the true and precious seed of the body which is Christ which is his Church appeared again in which the wicked one hath no part then there was no place sound in Heaven for the Dragon therefore saith Iohn Rejoyce ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them woe unto the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short this is very truly witnessed and fulfilled at this day for where the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ is witnessed and where his seed is raised up in any where the Spirit of Satan hath no place in their Worship but they worship in the Spirit of the Lord and in his Truth then Satan rages in the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea whither he is cast for in their Heaven and in their Worship he is there making war but where he is cast out from Heaven there he persecutes the Woman that brings forth the man-child and is wroth with her and makes war with the remnant of her seed which keeps the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 12.17 And in the next Chapter when John stood upon the sand of the Sea which was but a brittle foundation for it was to be done away there he saw the beast arise out of the Sea with his seven heads and ten horns and his ten crowns and upon his heads the name of Blasphemy as you may read throughout that 13. Chapter to the end but afterwards John saw an Angel slying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and he cryed with a loud voice unto every Nation and Tongue and People and Kindred saying Fear God and give glory to him and worship him that made Heaven and Earth
the Sea and the Fountains of waters The Book which Iohn saw sealed with seven Seals which he mentions in the 5. Chap. he saw the Lamb open it in the 6. Chap. as you may read and so here there followeth another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of her fornication as you may read Chap. 14. And in the 15. Chapter Iohn saw the seven Angels having the seven last plagues for in them is filled up the wrath of God and one of the four beasts gave unto the seven Angels seven golden Vials full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever and in the 16. Chap. he saw the seven Angels go forth and they poured out their Vials as you may read and in the 17 Chap. there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials and he said come up hither and I will shew thee the judgment of the great Whore So he carried me away saith Iohn in the Spirit into the wilderness here was the place where the true Church was persecuted here was the place where the Dragon cast out his flood after the true Church to destroy her And saith Iohn I saw a Woman sitting upon a Scarlet-coloured beast full of names of Blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns and the Angel shewed him the Mystery of the Beast and of his horns as you may read throughout that 17. Chap. and in the 18. Chap. he saw Babylon destroyed So here is comfort for all the true seed of Gods Elect for Iohn heard the voices of much people in Heaven saying Halelujah Salvation Glory and Honour and a voice came out of the Throne saying praise our God all ye that fear him small and great let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen white and clean for the fine linnen is the righteousness of the Saints and he said unto me write Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb and he saith unto me these are the true sayings of God ver 9. as you may read throughout Chap. 19. And in the 20. Chap. Iohn saw the Angel come down from Heaven having the key of the Bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon and bound him a thousand years as you may read And Iohn saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in these Books and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and whosoever was not found written in the Book of life was cast into the Lake of fire ver 15. And in the 21. Chap. Iohn saw a new Heaven and a new Earth The Church coming forth of the wilderness here was no Dragon in this Heaven for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea where the Dragon lodgeth and hath his way Isa 27.1 And I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband here the Holy Spirit of the Lord God cloaths her seed that hath so long laid desolate as a nourishing mother which is free and gives liberty and sets at liberty all her free-born which are not Children of the Bond-woman but of the free and of this glorious City doth the Prophet Isaiah prophesie when he said Rejoyce O Barren that didst not bear and this is the City which the Apostle saith Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all of all the free-born seed of the promise they are the Heirs but the Bond-woman and her Son are to be cast out of this holy City for he is not the Heir Gal. 4.30 And Iohn heard a great voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and he that sat upon the Throne said behold I make all things new that is according as the Apostle saith if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold I make all things new 2 Cor. 5.17 and he said unto me write for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely Here is the rich bounty of God And there came one of the seven Angels unto Iohn which had the seven vials of the seven last plagues and he said come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife and he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain he shewed me that great City the holy Ierusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the Glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper stone clear as Chrystal This is the Stone the Builders have disallowed which now is become the Head of the Corner of this precious and holy building which is made up of living stones elect and precious and of a Royal Priesthood and of an holy Nation and the Walls of this City had twelve gates and at the gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel and the Walls of this City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb and the foundation of the City was garnished with twelve precious stones and the twelve gates were twelve Pearls every gate was of one Pearl he that understands reads and sees all these things And I Iohn saw no Temple in this City for the Lord God and the Lamb is the Temple of it And this City hath no need of the Sun or the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of the Lord doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof and the Nations of all them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth that are saved shall bring their glory and honour to it and the gates of it are not at all shut by day yet there entereth not any thing that desileth Chap. 21.27 And in the 22. Chap. you may read how Iohn saw the pure River of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and the tree of life which bears twelve manner of fruits and yields her fruits every month and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the Nations and he said these things are faithful and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his
Servant the things which must shortly be done For the Lord God had prophesied of these things before by the Prophets and by Christ Jesus and his Apostles and saith unto Iohn seal not the Prophesie of the sayings of this Book for the time is at hand and behold I come quickly for my reward is with me to give unto every one according to his works And I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last blessed are they that do his Commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie unto you these things to the Churches I am the Root and Off-spring of David and the bright morning Star and the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly even Amen come Lord Jesus the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen ver 20.21 Thus you may see in part the constancy and faithfulness of the Lord God how unchangeable and how unâ—lterable he is and what love and faithful care he hath had over his seed ever since he made man and gave him a being upon the Earth but indeed his love is everlasting for he had elected and decreed and determined Salvation and Redemption to his seed before the foundation of the world was and because he could not alter nor change therefore his seed was preserved as you may read in several places of the Scriptures because I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed and if the Lord had not left us this seed we had been as Sodom and like unto Gomorah But by this little tract that we have gone through the Scriptures since the Lord made man you may read the long-suffering and the patience of the Lord God and his kind dealing and his fatherly care over his seed even when they rebelled against him and that because of his faithfulness in keeping of his promises and Covenants which he so often promised and covenanted as hath been shewed not only unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Iacob but also unto David as you may read at large in the Prophesie of Isaiah and in Ieremiah and the Book of Psalms often hath he redoubled his promises unto David and unto his seed for ever that as his Covenant was with the day and with the night so is his Covenant with David and his seed for ever and as he had sworn that the Waters should not go over the Earth so he had sworn that his Blessing and Covenant should be with David and his seed for ever which he hath faithfully performed of the seed of David he hath sent his Son And so the Lord hath led them along as you may read thorow this Treatise until Christ and according to his promise Christ came and took not upon him as Apostle saith the Nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham for he was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with Glory and Honour that he by the Grace of God should tast of death for every man as you may read in Heb. 2. And he that thought it no robbery to be equal with the great God yet he took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man and being found in the fashion of a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name better then every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father Phil. 2. So he hath gone thorow this great Work and finished it for as the Apostle saith so it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings for in the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications Christs Sufferings with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard and though he was a Son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered and being made perfect through sufferings he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. So the price he hath paid and mans Salvation and Redemption he hath purchased by his own blood as Iohn saith Jesus Christ who is the faithful and true Witness the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1. And he according to his promise unto his Disciples that he would pour down his Spirit upon them and send them another Comforter and bad them stay at Ierusalem till the Spirit was poured on them from on high which was plentifully and richly fulfilled as the Scripture testifies for they were made partakers of it in a plentiful manner and the Apostles were made able Ministers of the Spirit by which they begat multitudes unto God and to the true Faith which is in Christ Jesus so that the light of the glorious Gospel shone gloriously among them and Christ had a glorious Church at that day as those Epistles which the Apostles wrote to the Churches being left upon Record bears a true testimony of the holy Spirit that was in them and all that live in the Spirit of the living God and is endowed and enriched with it bears witness to the Scriptures that they were given forth by the holy Spirit of God and by the inspiration of the Almighty But we may see that Christ and his holy Apostles had a foresight and a knowledge of the beauty and glory of this Church being vailed and that the night of Apostacy and darkness would come over as hath been already shewed and as you may read in the Scriptures which hath been fulfilled as experience of many ages can testifie for by most of the Records that we can find it is above twelve hundred years since the glorious beauty of the Church of Christ was stained but all this hath not come to pass without the fore-knowledge of the holy Prophets Christ and the Apostles And so now blessed and honoured be the glorious God our lot is fallen in a good Land and our time is a time of love and as we are fallen into the last age of the world so also we are risen with Christ Jesus the Sun of Righteousness who ariseth with healing in his wings and now the light of the glorious Gospel hath shined in our hearts and hath given us the knowledge of the glory of the invisible God in the face of Jesus Christ and this Gospel of the