formerly lean'd too much to the received Notions thinking they had been right till by the abuse of the fore-mentioned Text I made further search into the Scriptures concerning it begging God's assistance by which means I found we are in great Mistakes II. Shewing whom the Seeds are between whom God put Enmity NOw as to the Curse the Lord laid upon the Serpent Gen 3.14,15 Thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belly shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy Life And I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Now this Serpent is to be understood under a twofold Head First That this Old Serpent called the Devil did appear in the shape of a Serpent or rather entred into a Serpent and so spake in the Serpent Whose going was not so uncomly as we may understand from the Words of the Text before the Curse was laid upon him as after Neither any such enmity between the Woman and the Serpent For God made all the Creatures subject to Adam and therefore then there was no enmity between them And after Adam's transgression it was that God placed Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent And when we would bruise the Serpent it is at his Head we strike and he at our Heels And that there was a real Serpent it doth further appear in that he was to go upon his Belly all the days of his Life which accordingly he doth But in that the Scriptures are of more then a private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 And therefore this Scrrpture hath its chief tendency to the Old Serpent called the Devil whom Christ the Seed of the Woman should bruise And likewise between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Old Serpent God hath also put Enmity But who this Seed of the Old Serpent was or is is here to be considered Whereas God said I will put Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 And the Serpent has no other Seed but what does adhere to him and then none had adhered to him to give themselves to his dispose but the Angels whom he drew off with him when he revolted and therefore he is called Belzebub the Prince of the Devils Matth. 12.24 And it was for the Devil and his Angels that Hell-Fire was prepared Matth. 25.41 And it was between this Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman that God did then put Enmity for the Prince of darkness then had no other Seed but the Angels that fell For when Eve bore Cain she said I have gotten a Man from the Lord And therefore then he was not the Seed of the Serpent And for Cain's first Offence God did not cast him out of his presence but said If thou dost well shalt thou not be excepted but if thou dost Evil Sin lieth at thy Door Gen. 4.7 But he by adding Sin to Sin thereby became of that Evil One for which God cast him out of his presence So the Seed of Seth whilst they served God were called the Sons of God But when they had corrupted their Way whereby the earth was filled with Violence they were alike cut off together And so Israel of whom God said I had planted thee a noble Vine a holy and a right Seed Jer. 2.21 God having before proved and tryed Abraham Gen. 22.16,17,18 of whom Israel sprang and had they continued in the steps of Abraham they would have remained Blessed but they turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine ver 21. For when they forsook the holy Commandment and did strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Mat. 23.23,24 For they wanted Faith in the Belief of the Writings of the Prophets as to think that the threatned Judgments from God by them would fall on them if they were disobedient to the weightier matters of the Law and therefore Christ said in the Parable If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets as to be warned by them neither will they believe though one rose from the Dead Luke 16.29,30,31 And also Christ saith For had they believed Moses they would have believed me for he wrote of me John 5.46 For had they lived blamelesly Luke 1.6 according to the rule God had given Israel had never been left to Blindness And it was better for them to whom Christ spake in Parables and dark Sentences and did not his mighty Works amongst them nor suffered his Disciples to declare them that so they might be left to Blindness then those where he did his mighty Works which never Man did Mat. 12.24,35 thereby to convince them Yet they would wilfully set themselves in opposition therefore Christ said It should be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon and Sodom in the Day of Judgment then for such Mat. 11.22,23,24 Deut. 32.5 And whereas some of Israel were elected and to others of them a door of mercy set open but the greater number of Israel were left to Blindness And St. Peter saith of Israel Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Because some of them were likewise saved by afore-appointment whilst it happened that for Sin the major part of Israel were left to Blindness Rom. 11.25 And the major part in Scripture is often called as the whole or all but it was the major part was left to blindness So likewise the Gentiles that were fore-chosen and who first believed Ephes 1.12 were appointed by God that the World through them might believe John 17.21 For there was a particular and a general Calling by the Gospel by which general Call the Nations embraced the Faith and became the Seed of Abraham But when they came to have no Love to the Truth but took pleasure in Unrighteousness God gave them up to strong Delusions to believe Lyes that they might be damned 2 Thes 2.10,11,12 Here are two things lays People under Damnation first In having no Love to the Truth 2dly In taking pleasure in Unrighteousness And those that have no Love to the Truth are not only those that laid the World in Darkness but also all those that doe wilfully oppose the Truth thereby to keep the World in Darkness For all such as would rather let God be dishonoured and the Bible made to contradict it self and his People destroyed for lack of Knowledge Hosea 4.6 rather than themselves be found in a mistake Such may easily conclude what will be their portion III. How the Spirit of Christ must be in us if we are his ROmans 8.1 There is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit That is such as walk after the Spirit are in Christ Jesus For such are said not to be in the Flesh but in the Spirit
TRVTH Vindicated Against All HERESIES SHEWING How the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent is distinguished THE Woman cloathed with the Sun discovered she having the Moon under her Feet The Old and New Testament made to agree AND God's JUSTICE and MERCY Magnified LONDON Printed and Sold by Edward Pool at the Sign of the Half Moon under the Royal Exchange Abel Roper at the Black Boy over against St. Dunstan's Church Fleet-street Mr. Michael at the Crown and Cushion in Westminster-Hall And at Mercer's Chappel in Cheapside 1698. I have by God's assistance made plain the true meaning of this Text which I found to be much abused by one who in his Book saith He knows not but that he may be the Elias which was to come And he in his Book has thrown the miscarriage of the Devil and Man upon God upon the mistakes of this and some other mistaken places of Scripture By which mistaken places the Prince of Darkness has got wonderful advantage to the destruction of many thousand poor Souls I. Chap. GEN. 3.22 And the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil And now least he put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever Now in that God said Behold the Man is become as one of us to know goâ—… and evil That was the Man became like God in the knowledge of good and evil For God had the knowledge of good and evil to distinguish between the excellency of the one and the abomination of the other For God was of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity Hab. 1.13 That is to behold either the Pride or Malice of the Devil or the evil of Man with approbation And Adam and Eve when they had eaten of the forbidden Fruit they became ashamed of the Evil they had done whereby their Nakedness was discovered to them And so the Evil of Sin became disliked by them And in that Adam and Eve disliked Sin and liked Good therein they became like God in the knowledge of good and evil In that they disliked the one and loved the other tho' not in that perfect degree yet unto God it might bear a resemblance For Man was at first created in the Image of God yet infinitely short of the glorious perfection of God who is an unchangeable Being and beyond the Power of Satan's deceiving But Adam and Eve being ashamed of what they had done therein they were quite contrary to the Devil for he was without shame and without excuse For whatsoever Evil he commits he never is surprized or drawn into it but he always doth the worst of Evils with his best liking And whatever Wickedness he does he is the Father of it John 8.44 And not that the Evil of Sin was first determined by God as is falsly asserted by some Now Adam and Eve were beguiled and drawn into the Snare by the Devil And he endeavoured to ensuare our blessed Lord when he said If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their Hands they shall bear thee up least at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone Mat. 4.6 So likewise Satan used perswasions to Adam and Eve in setting forth how beneficial the eating of that Tree would be to them And then she apprehended it was a Tree to be desired to make one wise And Wisdom is pleasing to God and Man And he that hateth Understanding is a Fool 1 King 3.9,10 Prov. 1.22 And it was by Satan's plausible Insinuations that he deceived them he telling them They should be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. And that God did but threaten them and that they should not surely dye Gen. 3.4 So he beguiled them and they did eat but not as they had any dislike to good or delight in evil but the contrary for he perswaded them they should be like Gods or God and when they saw by what they had done that their Natures were defiled so as thereby their Nakedness did appear to them they were ashamed And where there remains Fear and Shame there remains a Child-like frame Now Adam beholding his Sin with fear and Shame Gen. 3.7.10 He thereby shewed his dislike to Sin And therefore God had compassion on Man and promised him a Saviour And in the State that Adam was then in God saw a probability that he might still take and eat of the Tree of Life and therefore the Lord sent him forth of the Garden least he should put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever Gen. 3.22,23 the which God before they had Sinned gave them free liberty to do Gen. 2.16 And therefore God determined not Mans miscarriage by not putting him in ability capable to stand as some have falsly imagined But God having said before to Adam that in the Day that he did eat of the Tree of knowledge of Good and evil he should surely die Gen. 2.17 And it being impossible for God to lye Heb. 6.18 Therefore God sent them out of the Garden least they should take hold of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever And God rather choosing to part with the Son of his Love from the Throne of his Glory to Suffer for Sinners his Love to his Creatures made that possible but for God to lye is impossible Therefore Adam for his transgression dyed in the day of a Thousand Years For one day is with the Lord as a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years as one day 2. Pet. 3.8 And for the Sin of Adam's transgression there was but the punishment of this Life and Death pronounced against them with a comfortable promise by the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15,16,17,18,19 but the Fire of Hell was not threatned to them neither was Hell Fire prepared for Man but for the Devil and his Angels Matt. 25.41 who before the Creation of the World rebelled 2. Now there is a great deal of difference in Scripture between the meaning of the Creation of the World and the Foundation of the World there being but one Creation of the World but several Foundations in as much as there was made several Worlds Heb. 1.2 As the Old World This World and the World that is yet to come All having several Foundations Adam being the Foundation of the Old World Noah the Foundation of this World And Abraham the Foundation of the World to come So as all that come in heirs to that World must come in as the Seed of Abraham Gal. 3.28 And as the Twelve Tribes are the Foundation of the World to come so the Twelve Apostles are said to be the Foundation of the Heavenly City having their names writ on the wall thereof Reve. 21.14 And the Twelve Tribes when they were brought out of Egypt to be placed in the Heart of the Earth and to
to differ for had they not received those Gifts it would have been known they had been none of the Elect before they went out from them but by their going out from them they knew that they were not of them to whom the Promise was made Which were the Remnant and as St. Peter saith It is better not to know the Way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment 2 Pet. 2.18,21 And also of others it is said they made Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 For tho' the elect were fore-chosen without their willing or running yet when they were brought into the knowledge of the Truth they were to make their Calling and Election sure by improving their Talents for there was a part for them to do before they could receive their Eternal Inheritance unless they were immediately removed by Death And therefore saved by Faith and good Works James 2.24 So we see none stood securely only by their Election but the generality of the first Churches standing the major part in Scripture is reckoned for the whole And the Servant to whom the one Talent was given was the world and the Teachers of the World which after the Gospel was received and established the Word was then the Talent which had they according to their ability improved they had thereby been capable to stand God having promised to all whilst they kept to the way his assistance But the evil Servant the Man of Sin got Ground who were the Teachers in the Romish Church which hid the Talent of the Word and would not improve it themselves nor suffer the Truth to be known among the People among whom it might have been improved according to the similitude the Lord put forth concerning the Money-Changers Mat. 25.15,27 And likewise them that will oppose and smother the Truth will not be counted guiltless when the Lord Christ shall come And it is the He-Goats that have eaten the good Pastures and trodden down the residue and fouled the deep Waters Ezek. 34.17,18 By the false Interpretations that have been put upon the Word so as the Flock of Christ eat that which they have trodden and drank that which they have fouled with their Feet vers 19. For which when the Lord comes his severe Judgments will fall on them and then will the Lord feed his Sheep himself so as then his Sheep shall be no more a Prey as in the 22 23 24. Verses For this is spoken of the particular time in which the Lord vvill come to Judge and Reign And Man in this time was trusted with the Word for his Posterity as Adam was trusted with Eternal Life for his Posterity Therefore the Lord alike laid his Commands that Adam should not eat of the Tree nor we add or diminish either to or from his Word Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22.18 The which Word we are to hold fast till the Lord comes Rev. 2.25 Heb. 2.2,3 But these forementioned Teachers that hid the Word would not so much as suffer or permit any Woman to look into it But when Man acts contrary to God God acts contrary to Man The Lord awaken all the Ministers that truly fear his Name of all parties that by their acknowledging and owning the whole Truth they thereby may clear themselves from the Blood of all Men Act. 20.26,27 as they may not be reckoned with the Goats And that by them Millions of Souls may be brought out of their mistaken Notions and that they themselves for so doing may shine as the Stars but them that will take advantage of the People's Ignorance that thereby they may keep them in Mistakes and Darkness it will be a wofull day to them VI. Concerning Christ and the Elect Angels NOw Christ is said to be God's Elect in whom his Soul delighteth Isa 42.1 But he was not Elected because there was any danger of his falling but he was elected according to the purpose of God That by him might be made good the promise God made to our first Parents That by the Seed of the Woman the Serpent's Head should be bruised And as for the elect Angels St. Paul speaks of it doth not appear that they were elected because the fallen Angels had left their own Habitation Jude vers 6. And therefore God would afterward secure the rest of the Angels by electing them but rather that God did elect them for a purpose he had determined For the terrible Judgments of God resting upon the Angels that fell who are reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Which thing is known to all the holy Angels and so a warning to keep them from falling And the reason of Lucifer's Fall was not because he was not so much in the favour of God as the other Angels for he was one of the greatest if not the greatest Angel of God And thro' the greatness of the power which God had given him he set himself in opposition to God and so drew off others of the Angels with him in that great Rebellion But if Man had not sinned Christ had not suffered and Christ laid down his Life for the World But I do not here deny but am ready to believe that all the Heavenly Host that is now remaining in Heaven as Arch-Angels Angels Cherubims and Seraphims might have a Promise from God after the Fall that their standing should be secured to them through Christ But in that St. Paul mentions the elect Angels from those words is rather to be understood that they were Angels whom God had made choice of to assist and aid Man And according to this Christ saith of Children That in Heaven their Angels do always behold the face of his Father Mat. 18.10 So likewise the Disciples told the Damsel when she affirmed that Peter knocked at the door that it was his Angel Acts 12.15 From these Texts it is clear that there are some Angels that in particular are concerned with us and were elected and chosen for that purpose and so they being more near our Persons man the other Angels and thereby know our Transactions and therefore more probable the Apostle gave Timothy his charge before God and Christ and the elect Angels 1. Tim. 5.21 Which Angels being imployed concerning them could likewise bear witness of this his Charge And in the whole Book of God there is no mention made of elect Angels but in this place and therefore it doth appear to be as aforesaid And after the Creation God saw every thing that he had made and it was very good Gen. 1.31 as to what he had then made nothing had defiled it self Therefore when God made the Stars they were then all very good and God made the Lights for Signs and for Seasons and for Days and for Years vers 14. And they being in the Creation by God made very good therefore they were not made of God to influence Man to Iniquity But as
should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 But if we will not deny our selves for Christ Christ will deny us And the Lord saith in the 33d verse That he is the Bread of God that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World That is to all that will take hold of the offered Mercy And Christ saith if he be lifted up from the Earth he will draw all Men unto him John 12.32 Which accordingly followed for after the Lord's Ascension the Holy Ghost was given to be in the Elect whereby the World was convinced that God had sent Christ and so the Nations embraced the Faith and by so doing became the Seed of Abraham and a great number for the major part in Scripture is reckoned as the whole but afterwards when the evil Servants came to think the Lord delayed his coming they began to smite their fellow Servants and to eat and drink with the drunken Luk. 12.45 But we building our Faith upon those dark Sentences which the Lord put forth thereby to leave Israel to Blindness are become Blind our selves also XI The Woman cloathed with the Sun Or The Woman in the Wilderness REV. 12.1 There appeared a great Wonder in Heaven a Woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet and upon her Head a Crown of Twelve Stars Now whereas it is said There appeared a great Wonder in Heaven a Woman First I shall here shew you what or who this Woman is This Woman is the Elect Church or Remnant chosen from among Israel which had a peculiar Calling 2dly Why she is said to be in Heaven It is because she is highly favoured by the Heavenly Powers or Powers of Heaven which is God In being by him elected fore-chosen ordained and secured so by God as none shall pluck them out of his Hand John 10.29 3dly Why she is termed a Wonder Was because there was none elected through the first or Old World nor till the then time that Israel was brought out of Egypt to be placed in the heart of the Earth and laid as a Foundation of the World to come From which Foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb From which Foundation the Works of those unbelieving Jews were finished when they through unbelief of the Promise of God's giving them the Victory refused to go to fight for the Land of Canaan for which all that were numbred of them from twenty Years old and upward dyed in the Wilderness save Caleb and Joshua Now all Israel were taken into Covenant and Life and Death set before them for them to choose Life that they and their Seed might live Deut. 30.19 But in the Wilderness they were disobedient therefore they were cut off After which God secured a Remnant of that Foundation which was then a laying in Israel for the World to come which is the World of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 2.5 And this exceeding kindness of God to this elect Remnant or Woman was the Wonder in Heaven For this is the Foundation or Remnant chosen from the Foundation which standeth sure unto whom Christ promised to be with to the end of the World and that he would send them another Comforter which should abide with them forever Joh. 14.16 This is more fully proved and explained in the former Book Therein is also shewed that God elected and chose from among the Gentiles a peculiar People to the praise of his Name Acts 15.14 upon the first publication of the Gospel who received the holy Ghost to be in them that the World by the evident witness of the Spirit might believe that God sent Christ the which was given for a ground of Faith that thereby we might believe the Truth whereby a door of Mercy was set open to all Believers that believe like Abraham the promised Reward is to be had in the way of their Obedience for Christ is become the author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him whether Elect or not Elect. Whereas it is said in the 4th verse of this 12th chapter That the Elect Remnant or Woman was cloathed with the Sun That is she was covered over with the Righteousness of Christ which was applicable before he was Incarnate or in the Flesh as well as afterwards and in that she is said to have the Moon under her Feet thereby shewing the little value she has to all the changeable Vanities and Pleasures of this World which is like the Moon and therefore she is said to have the Moon under her Feet And in that she is said to have upon her Head a Crown of twelve Stars thereby signified the twelve Apostles to whom was given the preheminency and in time to come the ruling power And in that they are termed the twelve Stars is because they were the first Publishers of the Gospel by which many were turned to Righteousness and of such it is said They shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Rev. 12.2 Now whereas it is said This Woman being with-Child cryed travailing in Birth and pain to be delivered That is of this Elect Remnant or Woman as concerning the Flesh the Lord Christ came And in that she cryed out pained to be delivered was her ardent longing for Christ coming in the Flesh that by the Seed of the Woman the Serpents Head might be bruised Gen. 3.15 But whereas it is said in the 3d. Verse There appeared another Wonder in Heaven a great Red Dragon When the Apostle saw this Vision this Dragon or Devil was not then wholly cast out from some part of the Heavens as doth appear in the 8th verse And whereas it is said in vers the 4. That this Dragon or Devil stood before the Woman to devour the Child as soon as it was born That was in that the Devil stir'd up Herod to seek the young Childs Life thinking to have destroyed him with the Innocent Children vers 5. And she brought forth a Man Child which was to rule all Nations And therefore notwithstanding all Satans attempts this Child was preserved till he himself freely laid down his Life by which he conquered Death after which he was caught up unto God and his Throne according as it is said Acts 1.9 He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And in Heb. 8.1 It is said He is set at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Rev. 12.6 And the Woman fled into the Wilderness where she had a place prepared her of God that they should feed her there a Thousand Two Hundred and Threescore Days From whence we are to take notice there is no mention made of the time how long it was before she fled into the Wilderness after the Child was caught up unto God Now having proved this forementioned Woman to be a Body of People as also the Scarlet Whore that sits on many Waters is a Body of People Rev. 17. And as the Scarlet Whore is
World who acknowledge the Law and Prophets in the truth of these things it is certainly evident to us and the whole World that the Scriptures are true and the Word of God and to confirm the Truth of what God hath there declared he hath given us a Sign in the Heavens Signs upon the Earth and under the Earth and thro' the World But for Brevity sake I shall here mention but three which are evidently known to all First That the old World for Sin was drowned the Rainbow in the Heavens doth witness to the Truth of the Word Secondly God declareth that his Anger should set on fire the Foundations of the Mountains which should burn to the lowest Hell Deut. 32.22 Which for these many hundred years is come to pass and also that Hell should enlarge her self Isaiah 5.14 Which within these few years is wonderfully come to pass by the Rivers of Fire Pitch and Bitumen which has been sent out thence the which doth likewise bear witness to the Truth of God's Word and also Israel's being scattered doth witness to the World the Truth of the same XV. Christ proved to be the Son of God BUT peradventure some will say how can we prove the New Testament to be true and Christ to be the Son of God seeing the Jews do not own it I shall not here go to prove it from the Words of the Apostles as to believe it through their bare Word but I chiefly believe it because I find those things that were fore Prophessed of by the Prophets concerning the Messiah made good in the Crucified Jesus unto which sure word of Prophesies we are always to take heed And in that the Scriptures now again being rightly understood they are not contradictory to what God before spake by the Prophets for we are to believe nothing in contradiction to what God hath spoken by the Prophets for what God hath absolutely promised he will certainly perform And therefore to declare his Righteousness in the performance of his Promise he sent the Son of his Love to Suffer for Sinners as was declared by the Prophets and that for Israel's wilful Disobedience he was then a Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Israel for a Gin and for a Snare to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Isaiah 8.14 Which accordingly so fell out for they expecting he should come as a King and not apprehending that he should first come to Suffer therefore he was Despised and Rejected of Men. A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief they hid as it were there Faces from him he was despised and they esteemed him not Isaiah 53.3 And it was Prophesied concerning him Isaiah 7.4,15,16 That a Virgin should conceive and bear a Son and that he should be born in Bethlehem Mic. 5.2 And lowly Riding upon an Ass Zach. 9.9 And the Lords Sufferings and Death were likewise foretold Isaiah 53 7 He was brought like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep dumb before the shearers so opened he not his mouth Zach. 11.12,13 And they weighed for his price thirty pieces of silver Ps 22 16,18 And they pierced his hands and his feet Dan. 9.26 And the Messiah was cut off but not for himself all these hings and many more were made good in the Crucified Jesus Therefore I believe him to be the Messiah that Seed of the Woman that should â—…ise the Serpents Head Gen 3. And that Lord unto whom the Lord said sit thou on my right hand till I make thine 〈…〉 Ps 110.1 Which will be when the Lord again comes to deliver his People And for further Proof that this Lord is God God saith Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts And none can be the fellow of God but the Son of God which is God and therefore said of him that Was to be born in Bethlehem that his goings forth have been from of old from everlasting Mic. 5.2 And of him it is said Vnto us a child is born and unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and he shall be called the wonderful counceller the mighty God the everlasting Father the prince of peace Isaiah 9.6 And when this Prince of Peace shall come and take the Government then will he be to all his Sheep the everlasting Father and the God of the whole earth shall he be called Isaiah 54.5 And of this Prince of Peace it is said Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Psalm 45.6,7 And according to this the Apostles declare of Christ the Lord that he is God for they were not nor did not hold any thing in contradiction to what God hath declared by the Prophets and what is declared of God in the Old Testament there is nothing contrary thereunto in the New And as the Holy Spirit was spoken of throughout the Old Testament so likewise in the New only sometimes called Holy Spirit sometimes Holy Ghost which is all one it being the Breath of God which is called the River of God the Streams whereof shall make glad the City of God the Holy Tabernacle of the most High Psalm 46.4 Which pure River of Water is said to proceed out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22.1 therefore this River giveth Life and maketh glad Now as there is Figurative Heavens and Earth spoken of in the Old Testament so there is also in the New and as there is a Figurative Sea made mention of in the Old Testament so likewise in the New for there is in both several Figurative Expressions which have one and the same meaning aluding to one and the same thing in both which I have fully made appear in my Book of the Figurative Speeches therefore I shall not insist here up on it But God did not only speak mystically to Israel concerning Christ's first coming because for their Sins they might be snared broken and taken but the second coming of Christ is also to us now since we have lost the true meaning of the word these things appear very mystical in the New Testament to us that the wicked of the Adopted Seed whose turn it is now to be snared broken and taken for God by the Law and Gospel speaks to them that under it as I have fully made appear from the Scriptures in my Book of the Explanation of the New Testament and they are the World that will be Judged by it and the Wicked of them that will not live in Obedience to it are the World that will be then Condemned by it The which the Christians not apprehending they put the Day of Judgment far off expecting the Fall of Babylon and the Restoration of Israel to be before the