speaks most of the conversion of the Jews speaks by the spirit of prophecie and sure the Prophets and Apostles though they spake by the inspiration of the Spirit yet they did see no further then the accomplishment of the Prophecies in the letter in that the spiritual meaning was shut up until the end of time as in Dan. 12. You shall finde that when the Apostle had spoken at large concerning the calling of the Jews Rom. 11. when he had spoken all which God had revealed by the Spirit he breaks forth in â—o admiration O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out And so when we read in Scripture concerning the calling of the Jews it must of necessity be confined to the Israel of God not Israel in the flesh but the Israel according to election who are the children of God according to the promise which consist both of Jews and Gentiles for the Apostle saith Rom. 3 that he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is Circumcision in the flesh but Circumcision is of the heart not of the letter whose praise is not of man but of God And the Apostle saith likewise All are not Israel which are of Israel but in Isaac shall thy seed be called So the children of the promise are counted for the seed And in Rom. 11. it is said that the election have attained what they sought for but the election have attained it and the rest were hardened But and if you will needs have it to be the Nation of the Jews which shall be converted it cannot be the natural Jews because they are mixt amongst the Heathens Why then it must needs be a Jew according to profession Why then if it be so we see a good part of the Jews by profession converted to the Faith already and the Lord will make a short work in the earth For do you not see many of the Israel of God which have been under the bondage of the Law in entering into Church-fellowship and do not we see that God does begin to discover unto them their errour in thinking that they were under the Gospel and so possest of the substance but now they finde unto their sorrow that it was but a shadow in that it vanished away But howsoever the comfort is the Lord does begin to pour upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of prayer and supplication and though they are in sadnesse in the consideration of what they have done and so look upon him whom they have pierced and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his onely son and in that day there shall be great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo as in Zech. 12. from vers. 10. to the end but though I say it be thus with the Saints at present there is a joyful day at hand when the Lord shall return their Captivity as the rivers in the South And so whatsoever is spoken concerning the return of the children of Israel out of Captivity it is to be understood of Israel in the spirit And whereas the Scripture speaks in the Revelation of the Tribes which are to be sealed it is to be understood likewise in this sense Now as for the judgement that is given unto the Saints the glorious state of the Church it consists most of all in respect of spirituals though I do not deny but that there shall be a temporal power which is begun already for the Kingdom is begun even here in Babylon among the implacable enemies of God as in Dan. 2. Mic. 4. Now I do joyn with the Saints in this their judgement though I must go further for it will appear that though the Kingdom is begun in Babylon yet it shall not stand in Babylon which is Confusion but it is clear that God will gather his people out of Babylon for divers Reasons The first is Because they are to be distinguished from other people in that God will appear in them in glory which cannot be here in Babylon in that the Saints here are as black as pots they are the off-scowring of all things they are vile in name and sore in affliction even as Christ when he was on earth but when he shall appear we shall appear with him in glory and certainly the whole earth shall be full of the salvation of the Lord his holy arm in delivering his people which cannot be until he shall gather us from amongst our enemies and so go before us himself Now another Reason is why God will gather his people from all places whither they have been led captive Because the Saints cannot sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb until the Lord hath given a full deliverance to his Church and brought them into the wildernesse spoken of in Hos. 2. 14. And sure the Lord hath denounced to bring utter destruction on Babylon which assuredly shall come to passe and the Lord can do nothing in this kinde until he have gathered his people out from amongst them Now the Scriptures to prove the gathering away of the Saints out of Babylon and the utter destruction that follows are Isai. the 13 14 50 51 and 52 Chap. Revel. 18. Now the Scriptures which do speak of the wildernesse that the Lord will gather his people into when they are delivered out of Babylon are likewise many in which wildernesse though there shall be nothing in sight in respect of spirituals and temporals yet the glory of Lebanon shall be brought into it and the fruitfulnesse of Carmel Now this wildernesse which is prophesied of that shall be a receptable to the Saints it was never yet accomplished in the letter and therefore we do verily expect to have it accomplished both in the letter and in a spiritual sense Now it is not needful for me to speak any thing concerning this wildernesse for the Scripture it self is so clear that he that runs may read it The Scriptures to prove are these Isai. 51. 1 2. Isa. 43. from vers. 4. to the 12. Isai. 35. thorowout Isa. 51. 3. Isa. 48. 20. Hos. 2. from vers. 14. to the end Rev. 12. Ezek. 34. Isai. 34. from vers. 20. to the end Now I had thought to close up this Discourse that concerns the wildernesse-condition which we do expect God will gather his Church into when he shall separate them from Babylon which is to be understood as well literally as spiritually But seeing it is so incredible a thing to the Saints I conceive they will have but little minde to compare the Scriptures which speak of such a condition And therefore since it is the will of God to call me forth to make it forth more clearly I do here gladly follow him In the first place you may take notice of three particular estates which shall befal
Scripture-Prophecies OPENED Which are to be accomplished in these last times which do attend the second coming of Christ In several LETTERS Written to Christian friends BY E. Avery ISAI. 29. 17 18 19. Is it not a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity and darknesse The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoyce in the holy One of Israel LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the signe of the black spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1647. To the Reader Christan Reader THese following Letters were intended onely for some particular Christians but seeing that which is contained in them is of general concernment I do here present it to the view of all and the rather because the power of God doth appear in it in respect of the weaknesse and contemptiblenesse of the instrument whom he doth here employ as formerly it hath been his course in doing great things by weakest means and so by such foolishnesse he doth bring to nought the wisdom of the wise that so no flesh may glory in his presence And as it hath been the manner of God's proceedings heretofore so likewise I finde the immediate acting of the Spirit in giving in and so accordingly in carrying me forth to communicate it to others And seeing it is thus I dare not conceal it in oblivion but I must hold it forth to the view of the whole world not fearing any thing in way of opposition from the creature for I fear not the prison having such enlargements in God I fear not reproach for I can wear it as my Crown I fear not want in that I do enjoy all in God And though I may be counted mad to the world I shall speak the words of sobernesse and if I am mad as the Apostle saith it is to God and if I am in my right mind it is for the benefit of others And I desire likewise that the Christian Reader should know though I question not the truth of that which I do here hold forth yet I am resolved not to contend for it with carnal weapons as by Argument but rather I shall witnesse the truth of it with my Blood if God shall call me to it for I have nothing to do but to hold it forth and so I must leave it to God who I know will witnesse to his own Truth and reveal it unto all his in his good time in the mean while so far as we have attained let us walk by the same rule and minde the same thing and accordingly wait for further discoveries And so I shall leave thee good Reader to the manifestation of Christ in thy flesh which doth begin to appear in some and we do likewise expect it in general unto all the Saints when God shall bring them out of darknesse into his marvellous light which is begun and shall increase until it be perfect day And with this I shall close up committing thee to God and to the power of his grace ever remaining Thine in Christ Elizabeth Avery The Contents The First Letter THe opening of the mystery both of the state and fall of Babylon Pag. 1. Some discovery of what is meant by the mystery of the feet and toes of the great Image Dan. 2. 34. p. 3. How the Saints are said to be slain in and by Babylon Jer. 51. 49. p. 4. Of Babylons fall p. 6. How the Lord shall gather his Saints out of Babylon before it be destroyed as God overthrew Sodom p. 7. Objections answered as touching local separation p. 8 9. Objections answered as to a further discovery of the mystery of the feet and toes of the great Image p. 11. Also the mystery of the head of gold c. p. 13 14 15. The Second Letter HOw the heavens and the earth shall be dissolved p. 17. What is meant by the Apostle Peter when he saith that the heaven and the earth are reserved to fire against the day of judgement p. 20. Question answered How it can be said that the Saints are slain by their iniquities seeing Christ hath satisfied for the sins of the whole world p. 23. Of the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven p. 25. What is meant by the heavens and earth that must passe away p. 28 29. The beginning of the glorious estate of the Church by the calling of the Jews and what those Jews are p. 30 31. Of a threefold wildernesse which the Saints are brought into p. 34 35. The Third Letter COncerning the Resurrection of the dead c. p. 36. The death natural cannot properly be called death p. 37. When the Mediatour ship of Christ ceaseth p. 39. Khrists Kingdom in Spirit throws down all dominion that is of the earth p. 39. The state of the natural body after death p. 41. What the lake of fire and brimstone is Ibid. Martha her conference with Christ about the resurrection of Lazarus opened Ibid. Of the state of the wicked after death p. 45. What is meant by the body being clothed upon Ibid. Spirits not capable of torment out of the body Ibid. When the judgement of the devil and his angels in the wicked doth begin p. 46. Christian Letters The First Opening the Mystery of the state and fall of BABYLON Dear Friend SEeing it is the greatest joy of the Saints to have communion one with another in the Spirit though distant in the Flesh which joy is much improved when the Lord doth carry us forth in communicating one unto another that which he is pleased to reveal unto us by his Spirit And here by the providence of God I am come forth to act in this kinde So in the first place I shall speak of Babylon as it is that vail of Darknesse which covers all flesh Isa. 25. 7. which God will shortly take away from all his Saints but at present this vail covers all flesh more then ever and Antichrist the spirit of Errour doth reside in the flesh more then ever even in the Saints themselves as well as others and so it shall be till God is manifested in the flesh of the Saints as he was in the Humanity of Christ and such a one in whom God shall be thus manifested shall confesse that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4. 3. and when it is thus with any in such a one Babylon and Antichrist is fallen But at the present Babylon and Antichrist is fallen in a very inconsiderable number of the Saints who are enlightned with the light of Truth and these are the Watchmen that shall declare glad tidings Isa. 51. 14 15 16. and 52. 7 8 But howsoever Babylon and Antichrist which is Confusion and Errour doth remain in the generality of mankinde yea the Saints
men whereas the Saints suffer the judgements of God in this kinde and the wicked and ungodly are freed Unto this I answer Judgement begins at the house of God as Peter saith and if it begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appear and if it be thus with the green tree what shall become of the dry But howsoever though this fire with which God doth judge flesh in his Saints as it is in Isa. 66. the Lord doth judge with fire and the sword all flesh in the first place so I say this fire breaks forth in the house of God unto the destruction of the flesh and so you see the benefit that comes by it Now this destruction of the flesh it is not to be understood in the letter but flesh in a spiritual sense and so the works of the earth likewise Now flâ—sh in the Sainâ—s is that earth which shall be burnt up in some by the fire of the Spirit which hath dissolved heaven and hath melted the elements and burnt up the earth with the works thereof even that which remains when the pure metal is refined and separated from it Now this earth as before I have spoken is the best part of man as his Reason Natural Wisdom and Learning Now as the fire of the Spirit dissolves heaveâ— and melts the elements and burns up the earth which is the flesh in the Saints so the fiery trials which are inflicted upon the people of God whilst they are in Babylon do effect the same work as the fire of the Spirit though it doth not so appear to our apprehension Now when this is done and heaven which is the Word of God is dissolved ceasing to appear in a shadow which is to see Christ in the flâ—sh now we do enjoy heaven more spiritually in that we have more spiritual discerning and Truth which was our element hath been refined and hath lost nothing but its drosse and the earth being burnt up in the Saints when all this is accomplished in the Saints Object How can it be said that the heavens and earth that now are which is the Ordinances as before spoken can be reserved to fire against the day of judgement and perdition of wicked and ungodly men Unto this I answer It is howsoever it may appear for now heaven is passing away with a great noise and the elements are melting with fervent heat and the earth and the works thereof are burning up which is all accomplishing in the Saints and at this time the Church of God is in a sad condition for the sorrows of a travelling woman are come upon them as in Revel. 12. and Hos. 13. and Isai. 26. nay the pangs of death are upon her and sure it is not an easie matter for the soul to part from the body and it is no otherwise when we must part from all our former comforts and so when the Saints are under these fiery trials the dolorous nature of them cannot be expressed at this time the hateful enemies of God the inhabitants of Caldea do adde unto their affliction and in doing so they do procure damnation to themselves whose judgement as Judge saith of a long time slumbreth not where he speaks of Enoch the seventh from Adam who prophesied of these things Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement c. And so you see that these heavens and earth are reserved to fire against the day of judgement and the perdition of the wicked And surely the long-suffering of of God in that the heavens and earth have not passed away long ago is as the Apostle Peter saith salvation to us-ward in that God was not willing that any should perish but that all should be saved that is God will offer salvation to all and for this reason this heavens and earth are continued which is the Ordinances and the teachings of the Saints because God appearing in them they are the ordinary means of salvation for as the Apostle Paul saith faith cometh by hearing the Word of God preached and certainly though there have been much of earth made forth by the ministery of men yet there is somewhat of God so much as is necessary to salvation And so when this heaven and earth which is reserved to fire in reference to the Saints shall passe away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat according as before it is spoken then presently follows the perdition of wicked and ungodly men for when heaven is passed away and vanisht away and taken away which is the Ordinance then there remains no more means of grace in an ordinary way but howsoever no doubt but God will work extraordinarily in bringing in those who are heirs of salvation Now another reason why the perdition of wicked and ungodly men followeth immediately upon the passing away of the Ordinances is Because when God is refining his people in destroying the flesh in them he doth make use of the wrath of men who do fill up the measure of their sin by their cruel usage of the Saints but sure the wrath of man shall turn to the praise of God and the remainder of wrath will he restrain and when God hath finished his work on mount Sion whilst they are in Babylon and so shall have gathered his people from all places whither they have been led captive in respect of a local separation from their hateful enemies then he will visit the proud heart of the King of Babylon and then the violence which hath been done unto the Saints shall be on Babylon shall the inhabitants of Sion say as in Jer. 51. and our blood be on the inhabitants of Caldea shall Jerusalem fay And so when heaven and earth are passed away and the Saints gathered away then follows the destruction of the wicked The Scriptures to prove it are many as in Isa. 13. 14. c. Jer. 50 8 44. and 51. 45. Mic. 4. Rev. 18. This is the day of judgement and perdition of wicked and ungodly men Now having spoken so far as God hath carried me forth concerning the former particulars I shall come to the next as it lieth in order which is concerning the glorious state of the Church that shall not be until the Jews are converted unto the Faith Unto this I do agree with those of this judgement howsoever we differ concerning whom those Jews are which shall be converted Now as God hath made known to me I conceive that those Jews which are to be converted are not the natural Jews for we know there are no natural Jews in that they are mixt among all Nations But let it be granted that there are yet it can be proved that the ten Tribes did never return out of Captivity and so likewise they have no Genealogie howsoever I do not deny but that there are a remnant of those people according to the election of grace But the Apostle Paul who