doctrine by the slights of men cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive From this text we may learn that it was the wisdome of Christ in order to accomplish his last will and testament that he did give gifts to men that they might be enabled in their successive generations to preach exhort reprove and correct to the end that the man of God or servants of God namely the Church of God might be furnished with every good work that henceforth that is from that time forward they might not be tossed that is removed from that doctrine which Christ left in command in his last will and testament Ephes 4.10 11 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 3.14 15 16. The consequence is that what Christ appointed in his last will and testament was perpetuated and to remain from that time and forward until all the Saints came to the unity of the faith and that perfect man even to the stature and fulness of Christ and so I pass to the third ground and reason Reas 3. It further appears that whatsoever Christ appointed to be practised in his last Will and Testament is perpetuated and to remain because it was before declared by God to Moses and good reason there was that the Laws and Statutes of Christ should be perpetuated and remain as well as Moses Law which did remain untill a more glorious administration for when Moses was dead yet his Law spake which shewed him to be a Law-giver of some authority but if it were as some would have it Christs Law must needs be so weak as to die with him or a non after him or at least some of them and so in effect say that Christ is a more weaker or an imperfecter law-giver than Moses but that it was foretold by God and given in charge that all Christs Laws and Statutes should remain in all Generations for all men to practise according to their several abilities or measures read Peters words Acts 3.22 23. which saith For Moses truly said unto the fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that every Soul that will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people That which is to be observed from this text is first that Christ must be heard in every thing whatsoever he saith and secondly as he must be heard in every thing in whatsoever he saith even so he must be heard in every thing by every soul and thirdly that it is so is clear because whosoever doth not heare viz. obey shall be destroyed so then its plain that all the Statutes and Ordinances of the last will and Testament of the Lord Jesus Christ ought to be believed and practised by all those that are the Lords people in all ages and so I pass to the fourth ground and reason to prove the continuation of all the Statutes and Laws of Kings Jesus Reas 4. Because there must be no adding nor deminishing from his words no putting to nor taking from them for it is a very great evil to put in or take out of it if it be but a mans will and Testament as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3.15 in these words Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Covenant or Testament yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth there unto For as saith the Lord Rev. 22.18 I testifie to every one that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall take away from the words of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and the holy City and from the things that are written in this booke For as he is an unalterable Priest and hath an unchangeable Preist-hood even so he is an unalterable King and Prophet and hath unalterable or unchangeable Lawes Ordinances and Statutes and happy are all those that observe and keep them unto the end And to this end the Apostle Paul who was faithful to Christ who did not hide or shun to declare the whole counsel of God did direct the successive Ministers as Timothy and Titus what to do after him both in respect of Doctrine and discipline and sheweth them how they should behave themselves in the Church of Christ and also to commit it to faithful men that might teach others after them and what quallifications ought to be found in Bishops and Deacons namely Pastors and such as were to take care of the poor so that it is very evident that it was the care of the Apostle to leave in charge an orderly provision for both souls and bodies of the Churches of Christ as Pastors or Bishops to take care of their souls and Deacons to take care of their bodies and the externall way of establishing them or appointing them to the work was by fasting and prayer with laying on of Hands as he himself and the rest of the Ministry were established as Acts 13.3 and 1 Tim. 4.14 Chap. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 6 7 8. more there might be added but at present I shall only add a few sentences of Scriptures but not any of them texts last cited but others as first the charge that Paul giveth to the Pastors or Elders of the Church of Ephesus at his departure Acts 20.28 in these words Take heed unto your selves and unto all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood For I know this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock Wherefore saith he to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.1 in these words I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearance and Kingdome Preach the word instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine Watch thou in all things indure affliction do the work of an Evangelist make a full proof of thy Ministry for their are many unruly and vain talkers wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be found in the faith but a man that is an Hereticke after the first and second admonition reject And the things that thou hast heard and seen in me the same commit to faithful men who also may teach others Tit. 1.10 Chap. 3.10 2 Tim. 2.2 So then those Laws that Christ appointed his Disciples to walk in they must teach there successors to walk in and their successors must commit it to others that they might teach the Generation to come to that end that Christs Laws Statutes Ordinances might be as unchangeable as his Preist-hood and so the words of the author to the Hebrews may be verified Heb.
when the book of the law was found after it had been lost rent his cloathes when he heard it read in the consideration how far the people were revolted from it and gave commandement to the people to reform and observe to do the commandement of the Lord as it was found written in the book of the law of Moses and as it was given in commandement to all the godly or all the Israelites to observe and keep the commandement as it was writeen even so all that were godly amongst the Israelites did accordingly observe and keep them untill Shilo or the great law-giver came even Jesus Christ and in like manner as Jesus Christ did command his Laws and Statutes to be tought to every creature and to be observed by all the faithful even so the faithful have and will in every age faithfully keep them and that Christs Laws are set in oposition to Moses Laws that is to say they are as weighty and as perpetual as Moses were is proved and it is also evident that they were to remain as well when they came out of Babylon as before they went into Babylon Nehem. 8.1 2 3. Chap. 13.1 2 3 4. and so I pass to the seventh ground and reason to prove that all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances appointed by Christ in the new Testament which is his last will are to remain to be practised by the Lords people untill his second coming Reas 7. It further appears that Christs Laws are perpetuated and to remain as aforesaid because if it be but a mans Testament yet if it be confirmed no man must disanul nor add thereunto as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3 15. but this is not only the will and Testament of him who hath an unchangeable Preist-hood and liveth for ever but also it is confirmed not by the blood of bulls and goates but by his own blood and therefore no man may disanul or add thereunto without being in danger of everlasting wrath and cuting off from amonst the people and that Christs will and Testament was confirmed both by his blood and with signs and miracles read these few cited texts in the room of many that might be cited see Heb. 9.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. In these words For if the blood of buls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth Whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood For when Moses had spoken every precept unto the people according to the Law he took the blood of calves and of goats and so forth Saying This is the blood of the Testament which God hath enjoyned unto you It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these From this text compared with chap. 2. and vers 3 4. with Mark 16.20 we may learn that the new Testament is confirmed both with signs and miracles and divers gifts of the holy Ghost and also with Christs blood for the Testator did die and is alive and therefore unless one greater than Jesus Christ or himself do cancel that will and Testament woe woe woe be to that man or woman that disanulleth any one of Christs Laws and Statutes they at the last will be found to be transgressors and guilty of all for so it was in Moses Law all things must be done according to the pattern as it was written and even so saith Christ Teach them after you to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And the very same as hath been said already was given in charge by St. Paul to the Ministry after him as Acts 20 35. Phil. 4.9 Those things that ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you And thus I pass to the eighth ground and reason to prove that all the Laws and Statutes of Christ given forth in his last will and Testament are to remain and be practised by the Lords people Reas 8. It further appears that Christs Laws Statutes and Ordinances are perpetuated and to remain till the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ because St. Paul saith that if I or an Angel should bring another Gospel than what he had preached we must hold him accurst and we well know that the Gospel that Saint Paul preached was a Gospel with all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of Jesus Christ even Repentance Acts 17.30 Faith Acts 16.3 Baptisme Laying on of Hands Acts 19.6 2 Tim. 1.6 1 Tim. 5.22 Heb. 6.2 The Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. Eternal Judgment 2 Cor. 5. Church fellowship Phil 1.5 with receiving into communion Col. 4.10 Rom. 15.7 casting out of the Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. Tit. 3.10 and to sum up all in short be did declare the whole counsel of God Acts 20.27 and taught the Churches how to deale with offenders 2 Thes 3.6 1 Cor. 5.7 9 10. to keep themselves pure And now for men to bring a Gospel as they pretend without some of these Ordinances and to nullifie others and extenuate the strength of many is to bring such a Gospel as Saint Paul never brought but it is another Gospel and such are to be rejected by the servants of Jesus Christ admit of this short argument which is If the Gospel which Saint Paul brought and preached was a Gospel containing all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of King Jesus then those that bring a Gospel with many of them left out bring not the same but another Gospel and is to be rejected But the Gospel that Paul brought was a Gospel containing all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of King Jesus Therefore he that brings or preacheth a Gospel with manay of them left out bringeth another Gospel and is to be rejected Read the words of Paul Gal. 1.6 7 8. which saith I marvail that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have alreardy preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any
upon the earth Selah Then shall the earth yeeld her increase and God even our God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him for the Lord shall be King over all the earth From these Scriptures we may see that the Lord is to dwell with men even to come down and dwell with them it is not said that man shall dwell with God implying a removing of their place but the Tabernacle of God to be with men and he to dwell with them implying that God will remove his habitation But peradventure some may say will the Lord come and dwell with us upon a corrupt carnal earth To which I answer and first Christ did dwell with his Disciples upon the earth and eat with them after his Resurrection what will that teach us weigh it well But secondly the earth then shall be more pure then the Heavens are now for the earth shall be clean in his sight and very good as he at first made them when the restorer shall have restored all things for then the curse will be taken away but as saith Eliphaz Job 15.15 The heavens are not clean in his sight I might speak of Gods dislike of it by reason of the Angels transgression But you will say there shall be a new heaven as well as a new earth I answer it is true where ever Gods seat is there is Heaven but Gods seat shall then be upon earth in Jerusalem where he was shadowed out of old and hence Jerusalem is called by the Prophet Isa 65.17 18 19. the new Heaven in these words Behold I create a new Heaven and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind but be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be heard no more in her nor the voyce of crying From these words we may see what is to be understood by the new Heaven and new Earth spoken of in the 21 Chapter of the Revel and what is to be understood of the Tabernacle of God being with men and he to dwell with them even the Lord of Hosts in his holy mountain at Jerusalem And Saviours shall come upon mount Zion viz. Saints to Judge the mount of Esau when the Kingdome shall be the Lords and so I pass to the seventh Reason to prove that Christ and the Saints shall receive a Kingdom and raign upon earth which is Reas 7. Seventhly Because Christ hath commanded us to pray for it even that his Kingdom might come that his will might be done in Earth as it is in Heaven For there is a time coming that it shall be so and the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as water covereth the Sea when the Law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem now till that day there will be weakness and imperfection amongst the godly that the will of God sometimes will be opposed and resisted but at that time there shall be no sin or disobedience amongst the godly for if they seek for sin in Judah there shall be none found for they shall defile themselves no more with any of their detestable things for all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee for the Kingdoms is the Lords he is the governour amonst the Nations Psal 22.27 28. Ezekiel 37. Matth. 6.10 Micah 4. From hence we may see that Christ is to have a Kingdom and raign and govern the Nations upon the earth at which time his will shall be done upon earth as the Angels do it in Heaven and this Kingdom also is the Saints it being the good pleasure of the Father to give it unto them as saith Christ Luke 12.32 So then Christ and the Saints are to receive a Kingdom and raign upon earth And so I pass to the eighth reason to prove Christ and his Saints to raign upon earth which is Reas 8. Eightly Because the Scripture saith that God will raise up unto David a righteous branch viz. Christ who shall have the Government upon his shoulders and execute Judgment and Justice in the earth mark that and in his dayes Judah shall be saved which yet is not and Israel shall dwell safely and the Saints shall shout for joy and the wicked shall be as ashes under the soles of their feet for God will make Zion as a threshing of Iron having teeth which shall beat the mountains of oposition into dust and the little hills into powder And that there shall be such a righteous branch rise up to David who shall give his people rest and a Kingdom and dominion that they may raign with him upon earth read these Scriptures and peruse them well Jer. 23.5 6. in these words Behold the day cometh saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David a righteous branch and a King shall raign and prosper and shall execute Judgment and Justice in the EARTH in his day Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE From these words we see that the Son of David namely the Lord Christ our Righteousness is to be King and that over all the earth to execute Judgment and Justice therein and at that time or in the dayes of his raign Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely that is God will restore as before said their Judges as at the first viz. the Saints who will judge them in righteousness for the shield of the earth belongeth unto the Lord for so saith the Prophet Isa 9.6 7. in these words For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wounderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever From whence we see that if Davids Kingdome was upon earth then Christ will have a Kingdom upon earth for it is to be upon the throne of his Father David and that is the sure mercies of David that he was never to want a man to sit upon his throne meaning that Christ was to sit there but more of that anon Hence you may see that Christ is to receive a Kingdom and raign upon earth and his Saints with him for they are joynt heirs that in suffering with him they may also be glorified together and raign with him according to the Scriptures Rom. 8.17 2 Tim. 2.12 And so I pass to the ninth Reason to prove that
from the Prophets to witness it but further you may see that there will be a Temple although not the union of the sealed number as Mr. Henden supposed which hath been already answered but a material Temple as saith St. Paul 2 Thes 2.4 He viz. the man of Sin or Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God But if the Temple be to be understood to discypher the Mistical union of the one hundred forty and four thousand as Mr. Henden saith then it is impossible that the Man of Sin should sit there for they are not to be hurt and that connot be said to be the Temple of God in a spiritual sense which is the seat of the Man of Sin but in a material Temple it hath been so already and will be so again for saith Christ It is written my House should be a House of Prayer but ye have made it a den of thiefs And secondly that there is to be a Temple is also proved from Revel 15.8 in these words And the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God from his power and no MAN was able to enter into the TEMPLE till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled From hence we see that there shall be a material Temple which shall be so filled with Gods glory that no MAN shall enter into it until the plagues of the seven Vials be executed and so Christ by the brightness of his coming and excellent glory shall dispossess the Man of Sin of his seat and that the glory of God did shine so of old in his Temple read the words of the Prophet Isa 6 4. Ezek. 10.4 And secondly that the glory of the Lord is to appear or fill his House or material Temple Again read Ezek. 43.5 6 7. in these words So the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court and behold the glory of the Lord filled the House and I heard him speaking unto me out of the House and the man stood by me and he said unto me Son of man the place of my Throne and the place of the sole of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for EVER and my holy Name shall the House of Israel no more defile Agreeable to Chap. 37.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. as you may read at large I could give many reasons more to prove a material Temple and elsewhere I have done it But if it should be objected That God doth not dwell in Temples made with hands I answer and say it is very true that the Temple of Jerusalem they had defiled with their abominations and therefore the Lord destroyed it and for a while took unto himself the instruments of a foolish Shepheard Zech. 11.15 and so was a Gin and a Snare to the House of Israel and so the litteral Zion was to be plowed like a field and Jerusalem to become a heap but it doth nor say that Christ will never dwell in Temples or a Temple made with hands nor that he will never dwell in Mount-Zion litteral in Jerusalem but contrariwise saith in many places that he will come unto his Temple and dwell in Mount-Zion in Jerusalem as I before have proved read the place of Christs Kingly seat in the time of his Reign in my Treatise to Mr. Holland annexed to this I could prove that the Lord will have his seat there at large and that when his Tabernacle shall be with men and his seat where his Father Davids was that then it is to be in material Jerusalem when the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and this was the City and Altar and Temple which was to be measured and the Worshipers which was therein namely the Jews which were to return and at that time shall be returned unto their own Land where they shall worship God according to Moses Law waiting for their Messiah Thirdly what is to be understood by the outward Court not measured or cast out or left out as in reference to measurement it is that after the Israelites be returned before they have finished their outward Courts and walls and the like for their great care and first work shall be upon the chief and principal place viz. their City and Temple the Gentiles namely Gogg the Prince of Meshech and Tubal whose Army shall be of them of Persia Ethiopia and Libia with Gomer and the Family of Togarmah a very great Army of the North Quarters shall be gathered together upon the Mountains of Israel and shall prevail and spoil the Jews for a small season and this shall be done before the outward Court and walls be finished which causeth the Army of the Gentiles to call Jerusalem a Town of unwalled Villages being without Bars and Gates as you may read Ezek. 38.11 in these words And thou shalt say I will go up to the Land of VNWALLED VILLAGES I will go to them that are at rest that dwell safely all of them dwelling without WALS having neither BARS nor GATES to take a spoil to take a prey c. And to this agreeth the words of the Prophet Zecha 2.1 2 3 4 9. which saith I lift up mine eyes again and looked and behold a man with a MEASVRING LINE in his hand Then said I whither goest thou and he said unto me to measure Jerusalem to see what is the breaà th thereof and what is the length thereof And behold the Angel that talked with me went forth and another Angel went out to meet him and said unto him run speak to the young man saying Jerusalem shall be inhabited as a TOWN without WALS c. From these Scriptures and more that might be added we may see that the Walls and outward Court shall not be finished till it is taken and the holy City trod under foot but the time of its oppression is so short as not worth speaking of in comparison of time namely three years and a half so that this Prophet speaks little of the oppression of Israel but doth as it were overlook it because the time of it is so short and speaks of that which is of the greatest moment namely the Enemies destruction but the Prophet Zechariah agreeing with the Revelations sheweth that the City shall for a small time be surprised and taken and the Jews persecuted although the City it self shall not be destroyed but shall be the place of the Enemies Randesvouz and that this is true read the words of the Prophet Daniel compared with Zechariah which saith He shall enter also into the glorious Land and many Countries shall be overthrown but these shall escape out of his hands even EDOM and MOAB and the CHIEF OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON and he shall plant the Tabernacle of his Pallace between the Seas in the glorious holy mountain yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him And at that time
Wilderness of Moab Sixthly The time of her abode in the Wilderness is three years a half Seventhly The people to whom the two Witnesses shall prophesie is the small number of the ten Tribes then in Jerusalem Eightly The two witnesses I understand to be John who saw the vision in the vayl of Patmose and Elijah these things I shall speak to in particular and give my reason why I thus believe and leave the Reader to judge hoping that if any judge me to be deceived in the matter they will rather make me an Object of their pitty rather than an Object of their scorn and shew me their judgment upon the thing in particular and their reason why they so believe and I hope that I shall not slight it but peruse it and weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary and if it hold weight to own it and receive it but passing this I come to the matter and first to the first wich is First The Woman that travaileth spoken of in Revel 12.1 2 3 4. I understand to be Zion and Zion I understand to be the two Tribes which was called the Church of Judah and first that Zion is to be understood the two Tribes even Judah and Benjamin which Jeremiah prophesied unto which was carried into Babylon spoken of in his Lamentations chap. 1.17 in these words Zion spread forth her hands and there was none to comfort her she is called Zion more than ten times over and she to wit Judah and Benjamin bears the name Zion in respect of her place and City that God had placed her in which is called Zion the City of David at large in the Scripture and I think none will deny it which makes me forbear citing the Scripture And that this also in the Lamentations is so plainly spoken of Judah and Benjamin called by the name Zion that I think none can deny it that they which went into captivity and are called Zion read Lam. 1.3 4 6 8 17. Chap. 2.10 are to be understood Judah and Benjamin read Ezra 4.1 compared with Lam. 1.3 is also as plain so then where the Prophets speaks of Zion they mean either the City Zion which was a Mounâ— in Jerusalem which David made his seat which was so called or otherwise it is to be understood the worshippers of God or people in that place namely Judah and Benjamin as aforesaid and now having premised these things I come to prove that this travelling Woman is this Zion or Jerusalem viz. Judah and Benjamin the two Tribes for so I would be understood when I speak of Zion and that she is the Woman which is to travail and afterwards to flie into the Wilderness read Micah 4.7 8 9 10. in these words I will make HER that HALTETH a Remnant and HER that WAS CAST OFF a strong Nation and the Lord shall raign over them in MOVNT ZION from henceforth and for ever And thou O Tower of the flock the strong hold of the Daughter of ZION unto thee shall it come even the first dominion the KINGDOME SHAL COME TO THE DAVGHTER OF JERVSALEM Now why dost thou cry out aloud is there no King in thee is thy Counsellors perished for pangs have taken thee as a Woman in travail Be in pain and labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion like a Woman in travail for now thou shalt go forth out of the City and thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even unto Babylon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hands of thy enemies From these words we may understand that the Woman spoken of which was to travail and bring forth was the two Tribes as from these words for pains have taken hold on THEE as on a Woman in travail Who THEE even THEE Judah which halted pains hath taken hold of THEE Why so Because there is no King in Thee and thy Counsellors are perished yet shall the first dominions come unto the daughter JERVSALEM so then that these people which are called Zion and Jerusalem in this Text is clearly to be understood the two Tribes for these Reasons First Because she is called her that halted and her that was cast off which is usually to be understood the Jews and not the Gentiles which is not called a People halting or cast off Secondly Because it is called by name ZION and JERVSALEM which the Gentiles were not it 's a name proper to the Jews even the two Tribes and not to the Gentiles Thirdly Because the Text saith that then shall the Law go forth of ZION and the word of the Lord from JERVSALEM relating to the time of the fulfilling of the Prophets when the Lord Jesus shall raign upon the Throne of his Father David over the House of Jacob namely the Jews to establish order and govern it in Jerusalem from henceforth and for ever Fourthly It further appears that the travelling Woman is the Jews read Jer. 30.3 4 5 6. in these words For loe the day cometh saith the Lord that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah saith the Lord and I will cause them to return to the Land that I gave their Fathers and they shall possess it And these were the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah for thus saith the Lord we have heard a voyce of trembling of fear and not of peace wherefore do I see every man with his hands upon his loyns as a woman in travel it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it From hence also we may see that the natural seed of Abraham viz. the Jews as a foresaid is the Woman that is to travel spoken of Revel 12. Fifthly It further appears that the travelling Woman is Zion viz. the Jews from the words of the Prophet Isa 66.6 7 8 9.10 which saith A voyce of noise from the City a voyce from the Temple a voyce of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his enemies before she TRAVELLED she brought forth before her pains came she was delivered of a MAN CHILD who hath heard of such a thing who hath seen such a thing shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her Children shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb saith thy God Rejoyce ye with JERVSALEM and be glad with her all ye that love her so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in JERVSALEM From this Text we may also clearly see that the travelling Woman is Zion namely the inhabitants of Jerusalem even the Jews as is above expressed for here is the very Woman and the Man-child mentioned which John spake of in Revel 12. and I do not find that the Scripture in any place else speaks of
when Ephraim and Judah shall be one after Israels return out of Assyria as you may read in the foregoing Chapters as chap. 36. and 37. And they shall never be divided into two Nations any more but as yet they are Quer. 4. Whether shall the Jews be succoured in the time of the Man of Sins raign by any Nation that shall be unsubdued by the Antichrist Answ Yea Moab is appointed of the Lord to be a hiding place to Israel and Moab shall not be subdued by the Antichrist but shall escape him that Moab shall escape him read Dan. 11.41 and that Moab is appointed to be a harbour or place of safety to Israel from the spoiler read Isa 16.4 I could cite many Scriptures more but I pass Quer. 5. Whether shall the Jews be changed at the coming of Christ and made immortal as the believing Gentiles or whether shall nature have more years accompanying it Answ I do not find in Scripture that any shall- be raised from the dead at the coming of the Lord but as have dyed in the Lord neither do I find that any shall be changed amongst the living at that day but such as have before that day believed in Christ and waited for him for at his coming two shall be in one bed the one taken and the other left behind and the Saints are to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel not when the twelve Tribes are changed into an immortal state but before for I do not find that one immortal Saint shall judge or govern another who himself when so judged is immortal Mat. 24.40 1 Thes 4 15 16. Revel 20.6 7 8. Luke 22.30 But if it should be Objected and said what correspondency can there be between bodies mortal and bodies immortal I Answer and say in what may they not correspond in their commerce one with another Was there not correspondency between Christ after his resurrection and his Disciples which were in their mortal bodies did they not walk together and discourse yea did they not eat together after his resurrection surely they had society and communion one with another although Christ was raised from the dead and his Disciples lived in their mortal bodies Luke 24.38 39 to the 48. And that nature shall have more years is clear from the Text cited Isa 65.19.20 and also Zech. 8.4 and more which might be added but I pass saying that I have spoke more or less to the chifest part of thy Queries already as thou maist read at thy leisure in my Book elsewhere Quer. 6. Whether shall Christ give the Jews a Law to keep in obedience to him differing from the Law of Moses or the new Testament Answ I do not find in Scripture mention made but of two Testaments one given from God by Moses as a mediatour and the other by Christ and as for the second or new Testament which is by Christ the Jews did reject and therefore it was taken from them and they shut up under unbelief until the fulness of the Gentiles and I do not find that the gospel administrations are to remain any longer than until the fulness of the Gentiles which will be at the appearance of the Lord Jesus and as touching the Gospel the Jews are to be enemies unto it and as I before have said I never find that the preaching of the Gospel is the way to turn the whole house of Israel from their sins but God hath appointed another way of convertion to the house of Israel namely the glorious appearing of Christ in the Clouds of Heaven at which time the spirit of grace and supplication shall be poured out upon them when they look upon him whom they pierced then shall they mourn and say this is our God we have waited for him Zech. 12.10 Isa 25.9 Mat. 23.38 39 Rom. 11 26 27 28. Isa 59.18 19 20. And as touching the two places of Scripture cited Isa 2.3 Mich. 4.2 to prove that the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem it appears that as the Jews shall be waiting for their King in the Laws of Moses even so those Laws shall remain with the Jews in that day read Isa 66.20 21 22 23 24. Zech. 14.16 17 18 19 20 21. There is many Scriptures speaks to this purpose but I study brevity only giving those Scriptures which lie before me in my mind at present and so pass to the seventh Query which is Quer. 7. How it may appear that Christ shall raign in Mount-Zion in Jerusalem and judge in the valley of Jehoshaphat Answ This also I have before shewed that although the Wine-press shall be trod without the gates at the valley of Iehoshaphat so as blood to come out even to the horses bridle when the Man of Sin shall go forth with fury to destroy the Jews at the Womans return and the ten Tribes with her yet afterwards Jerusalem shall be cleansed and Christ shall have his Seat there as I have fully proved in this Book Dan. 11.44 45. Ezek. 39.11 12 13 14. Revel 14.20 So then the great slaughter shall be without Jerusalem in the valley of Iehoshaphat where he will judge or plead with the heathen with fire and the sword yet he shall afterwards possess Jerusalem or Zion his holy Mountain and his Throne shall be in the place where his Father Davids was where he shall raign in Mount-Zion in Jerusalem thenceforth even for ever Isa 24.23 chap. 9.7 Luke 1.32 33. Quer. 8. Whether the new Jerusalem that shall come down from Heaven be the place for Christ and the Saints to raign in Answ The Scripture saith that they that are saved shall walk in the light of it and shall go no more out and there shall in no wise enter into it that which is unclean but such as are written in the Lambs Book of life Revel 21.24 27. cap. 3.12 Isa 36.1 2 3. So then that is the place for Christ and the Saints where they shall be glorified and there they shall remain for ever for it is the City which Abraham looked for whose maker and builder is the Lord and it is Gods Tabernacle which shall be with men when he shall dwell with them Quer. 9. What shall be the condition of the wicked and also of such as shall believe in Christ and own him in the time of Christs raign Answ As for the wicked they shall have great Judgments in this life as I before have shewed their eyes shall consume in their holes and their flesh shall consume from their bones while they stand upon their feet and afterwards have their due deserts at the time when all shall arise at the general Judgment Zech. 14.12 18. Revel 20.12 And as for those that do believe and obey Christ so as to come up to worship the King the Lord of Hosts even such Gentiles shall have priviledges although inferiour to the Jews and see his glory Isa 60.10 11 12 13 14. chap. 61.1 chap. 66.23
must not be meddled with The sum of all is this First That there is many things used amongst the Sons of Men pretending Worship to God which is abomination unto the Lord and yet no text of Scripture forbidding in so many words saying Thou shalt not do so And Secondly Whereas it hath been affirmed That there is no Example or Command for Women to Eat the Lords Supper It 's false for there is a plain Precept 1 Cor. 11.28 in these words Let a man examine himself and so let him eat which is Preceptory that is He must examine himself and so he must eat The word LET is preceptory Object But if it be Objected that the Text saith Let a Man Examine himself and let a Man eat Answ I Answer It is read in the Greek Let a Man or Woman examine themselves See 1 Cor. 11.28 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Woman as well as a Man and thus the Woman is to be understood implyed in many places although not mentioned in our Translation as well as the man And so it is said Gen. 5.2 That God made them Male and Female and blessed them and called THEIR name Adam And thus you may see that God hath not left us to be guided by blind Consequences but hath left us a plain Rule And as many as walk according to it Peace be unto them and Mercy upon all the Israel of God So then there being many things practised pretending Worshipping of God and are vain and yet not forbidden in so many words Thou shalt not do it So that these may see themselves Answered which hopes that Infants Baptism may be lawful because the Scripture no where saith Thou shalt not Baptize thy Children neither is it any where Thou shalt not Baptize thy Books and Bells and yet to do it is to practise a Tradition of Man in the Service of God and unlawful And thus I pass from this Objection and also from this Subject of Discourse and come to the next which is that of Original Sin Some Objections ANSWERED TOUCHING Original Sinne. AS touching Original Sin there hath been a great Controversie Whether it made Adam and his Posterity guilty and liable to the Second Death or to the First only or to both And it being the main Controversie between me and my Antagonist I thought good to give my Opinion further upon it and to Answer such Objections as are offered by my Adversary and possibly some others as time will admit of and my Way or Method to make the Matter plain shall be by laying down this Position which is Position 1. That the Sin which Adam committed in Paradice did not make him and his guilty of and liable to the Second Death Which I shall prove by several plain and evident Reasons drawn from the Scriptures but before I speak unto it be informed what I mean by the second Death and that is the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which the Scripture calls the second Death Revel 20.14 for I do beleeve that the Wages of Sin is Death but as there is a twofold Covenant so there is a twofold death viz. a first and second Death And that sin in Paradice made Adam and his guilty of the first Death but sin against God manifest in Christ makes man guilty and liable to the second death And so I come to the Reasons to prove That Adams sin in Paradice did not make him and his guilty of and liable to the second Death And so to the First Reason which is Reas 1. Because God did neither threaten the second death neither did he pronounce a second death or any thing of that nature in the Sentence but the first death only with sorrow labor and such like things as the punishment due to that sin And first we may read the threatning Gen. 2.17 in these words But of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die or in dying thou shalt die Well for all this threatning Adam did eat and thereby did transgress Gods Law whereupon God goeth on to pass sentence upon Adam according to what he threatned to bring upon him if he did eat and transgress his Law and his sentence sheweth what death it was that he threatned which was the first death only and not so much as one tittle intimated of the second death in the sentence as you may read Chap. 3.17 18. in these words And unto Adam he said Because thou hast hearkned unto the voice of thy Wife and hast eat of the Tree whereof I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it Cursed is the ground for thy sake Thorns and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground for out of it was thou taken Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return From whence we may see that there is not so much as a tittle of a second death but only the first death Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return that was to be the end of all Object But it is Objected and said That the death mentioned in the threatning must be understood a death of the Soul for ever or a second death because Adam died not in his body or the bodily death that day which he sinned but lived many dayes afterwards Answ In Answer to this Objection Consider these two things The First is That one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 And Adam lived not a thousand years nor no man ever did and therefore Adam upon Gods account died the same day which day in Gods account is a thousand years which no man as before said ever attained to and so died according to what God threatned within the compass or time of the Day In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And Secondly God that seeth all things at once and calls things that shall be as if they were saw Adam dead the same hour that he sinned and he was as really dead in Gods account as Christ was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world or as Abrabam Isaac and Jacob living in a state of Resurrection when God appeared to Moses in the bush Matth. 22.30 31 32. And thus much briefly to the first Objection the second is Object 2. What is meant by the Hebrew word saith my Antagonist in dying thou shalt die Answ To which I Answer and say That so soon as Adam had sinned he was mortalized and in a dying condition never continuing in one stay but in the midst of life subject to drop into the dust and so in being in a dying condition till he did return to dust it was said in dying he should die that is he should be dying till he was dead and this is meant by the word
man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed From which words we plainly see it is of a very dangerous consequence for any man to bring any other Gospel save the very same which was preached by Saint Paul and the Apostles and that Gospel was a Gospel containing all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of King Jesus as hath been already proved therefore let every man take heed of perverting the Gospel either by adding or detracting or wresting any part thereof to their vain corrupt ends and so I pass to the ninth ground or reason of the point saying If it should be objected that this text speaks of some that would have brought the believers back again to be justified by the law I answer breefly and say that let it be what particular it will this we learn in general that the very same Gospel with the very same Laws Statutes and Ordinances which Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles preached and practised is the very same that we must preach and practise or else be accursed Reas 9. It further appears that all Christ Laws Statutes and Ordinances are perpetuated and to remain because when Christ left the world he put his house in order and appointed to every man his work Mark 13.34 and blessed is that servant that when his Lord comes he finds so doing as he left him in chrage and thus Christ goeth before leading his people an example and they follow his steps and at last receive that blessed sentence These are virgins these are they that followed the Lamb whithersoever he goeth here are they that keep the commandements of God and the faith of Jesus right blessed are such dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labour and their works follow them And again they only are Christs friends that do whatsoever he commandeth such shall never be put to shame that have a respect to all his commands and again blessed and thrice happy are they that do all his commandements they shall have right to the tree of life and enter in thorow the gates into the City Amen Reas 10. and lastly because I am called upon to hasten and must be very breif I lay down this as a ground and reason to prove that all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of Christ given forth in his last will and Testament is practicable and to be practised by the Lords People because as it is proved that they are commanded by Christ and confirmed given out as Laws Statutes to all men even every creature to the end of the world even so they all stand firm and undeniable without disanulling or adding thereunto unless the Lord Jesus have repealed or disanulled any one of them for Devils or men cannot disanul or repeal any one nay not the very least of them for he that gave them and commanded them to be observed is greater than all hath all power both in heaven earth given unto him therefore no men nor devils can disanul or add unto them the least jot or little Mat. 21.18 19. Rev. 22.18 John 17.2 Acts 3.22 23. This tenth reason why all Christs Ordinances are to continue practicabe and to be practised by the Lords people is because as devils and men cannot cancel or disanul any one of them neither hath Christ either cancelled his will or disanulled any of his Laws Statutes or Ordinances therefore they are perpetuated and to remain practicable and to be practised by the Lords people in all ages according to their several abilities untill the second and glorious coming of Jesus Christ and thus being in much hast I leave these few grounds and reasons to prove the continuance of all Christs Ordinances practicable and to be practised by the Lords People in all ages according to their several abilities and in the next place I come to the examination of the grounds and reasons which are cited by Mr. Henden to prove That some of Christs Laws and Statutes were to cease and are ceased and shall leave the serious reader to judge when I have impartially offered them to thy view without any lessening the strength of any one of them for although I am neccessitated to gather up the strength of his reason in as few words as may be yet I will not willingly miss any one thing that is material or hath weight in it cited by him to prove the cessation of Christs Ordinances and withal shall endeavour as much plainness of speech as that the weakest capacity of them that are Godly may understand it when they read it that I may not be as a Barbarion unto them the which I find to be the way most profitable unto Edification And first I shall begin with the first thing considerable which is that which he calls or lays down as a sure Maxim page 2. which is saith he Every thing hath its beginning and continuance from the word of God now whatsoever in Gospel times is fore declared and promised in Scripture for abiding did not fall but was upheld by the power of the Word thorow all the times of Apostacy as the Ordinance of Ministry Prayer Praises Baptisme and the Communion 1 Thes 5.16 17 18. Rev. 9.13 Chap. 11.1 Heb. 13.15 Isa 55.13 Chap. 65.5 Mat. 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.26 and also a sealed elect number with the spiritual union Rev. 7.4 5 6 7 8. Chap. 9.4 Chap. 11.1 Chap. 14.1 Likewise the being and profession of faith duties of charity with all morall precepts 1 Cor. 13.13 Mat. 16.18 Rev. 11.3 Mat. 5.17.18 Heb. 13.1 with whatsoever else is promised to continue but that which is not so perpetuated in the Word as Confirmation Ordination Church censures with the primitive order or Church stating was corrupted and turned to confusion by the great Antichrist it wanting the same word and promise to uphold its abiding For proof whereof viz. The cessation of these last mentioned Ordinances we will begin with Isa 56.5 Even unto them viz the Eunuch will I give in my house and within my walles a place and a name better then of that of sons and of daughters I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off It was a prophesie of the primitive Gospel Church the ingrafting the Gentiles there into as appears verse 2. by the salvation coming and the righteousness the Gospel Ministry then revealed also the stranger then joyning to God and the Eunuch the dry tree before then taking hold of the Covenant must allude to the Gentiles who in time past was dead and the place within the walles being interpreted from the Hebrew word J A D which signifieth Hand alluding to Church power now Why should not the place be said to be everlasting as well as the name especially being before both joyned together if the spirit had not seen the fail and interruption of the change thereof Answ In order to the clear answer of these things
caution without offence but admit it were as you say which it is not so that is to say what if that should be as it is not a prophesie of the primitive Gospel Church and that also the word PLACE should signifie Hand alluding to Church Power Doth that Text imply that the word Place is not perpetual or everlasting as well as the Name I am sure that the Text doth not say that the Place viz. Hand as you call it is not perpetual or everlasting as well as the Name but if it be as you say that is that by PLACE is to be understood a Hand alluding to Church power then I will take your own argument and disprove you that is if I can prove the PLACE perpetuated and to remain as well as the Name then all that you have said here falls to the ground without remedy and that they are to remain in the PLACE viz. the Hand which is the Church power as you say see the words of the Prophet Nathan which is a prophesie of that House and Place and Name which Isaiah speaks of that the Gentiles as well as the Jews should have the priviledge to have a Place therein before ever the Place or Walls or House was built read 2 Sam. 7.10 1 Chron. 17.2 in these words Moreover I will appoint a PLACE for my people Israel and will plant them that they may dwell in a PLACE of their own and move NO MORE And that this Text holds correspendency with the fore-cited Text Isa 56. see vers 3. compared with vers 8. Chap. 57.13 which also agreeth with the words of the Psalmist Psal 69.35 36. which saith For God will save Zion and build the Cities of Judah that they may dwell there and have it in possession the seed also of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his Name shall dwell therein according to that Text Revel 3.12 which saith that they shall go no more out but I will write upon him the Name of my God c. and that is a better Name than of Sons and of Daughters So then the Place is as lasting as the Name But give me leave to speak a little like your self by conjectures and imaginations and probabilities and the like and if I be admitted I shall thus say that whereas you say that the word PLACE is to be understood Church Power I say that the word NAME is that which signifieth Church Power in Scripture and in reason more properly than the word PLACE for it is said that God gave Jesus a NAME above every NAME that at the NAME of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Now if we simply understand it as a NAME there were other which were Named Jesus as well as the Lord Jesus But by NAME I understand signifieth Power that Christ had all Power in heaven and earth resigned up into his hands and so his NAME signifieth his Power and also it hath been a Proverb formerly We charge you in the Kings NAME meaning by his Power or Authority much more I could say but enough to prove the word NAME to signifie Power and if so then the power is to be an everlasting power and Throne viz. PLACE and so to remain to all generations I could peradventure alligorize the Scriptures and make them serve my own imaginations and carry a very fair face that wayes and thereby be like unto one hopping in the Clouds and lead other after me but these things I do protest against and endeavour nothing more if my heart deceive me not than to know and declare Christ Jesus and his Laws in the plainness and simplicity of them as they were delivered to and practised by the primitive Churches whose footsteps we ought to walk in agreeing with that Propesie Psal 78.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. in these words We will not hide them from their Children shewing to the generations to come the praise of the Lord for he hath established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children that the generations to come might know them walk about Zion and go round about her tell the Towers thereof mark ye well her bull-works consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the generations following FOR I have made a covenant with my chosen thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all generations wherefore Glory be to God in the Church by Christ Jesus through all ages World without end Amen Ephes 3. last Psal 89.3 4. Psal 48.12 13. And now I shall only sum up all in a few words and pass from this particular And the first is First That every thing hath its beginning and continuance from the word of God saith Mr. Henden and yet did say in the above mentioned Conference to Captain Tucker when he urged a Scripture command for to warrant the practice of Baptisme in our age said that a command to warrant the practice of it was not sufficient unless it were accompanied with the same power the which I conceive agreeth not together Secondly Mr. Henden saith that Baptisme and the Lords Supper did not cease in all the time of Apostacy BVT DID REMAIN practicable as a duty to be practised it having a word for its continuation and yet to my best understanding of his practice by information he practiseth neither of them and thereby condemns himself in the thing that he alloweth and therefore its just with God to give him up to blindness Again as for his cited place Isa 56.5 to prove some of the Ordinances to cease is answered as First by shewing it was not a prophesie of the primitive Gospel Church because the primitive Gospel Church was to offer no burnt offering and sacrifice upon the Altar as these were to do and to be accepted in so doing but these things were taken out of the way and not to be mentioned amongst a Gospel Church for so saith the Spirit sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings thou wouldst not neither hadst thou pleasure in them but a body hast thou prepared Again the Gentiles were then under those sacrifices joyned to God Again it s proved that the PLACE is as everlasting as the NAME and that NAME in Scripture signifieth power more properly than PLACE And thus I pass to the next proof or reason to prove the cessation of some of Christs Ordinances cited by Mr. Henden which is saith he Turn to Mat. 16.18 Where you may observe that to the profession of Peters faith and Christ the rock believed is fore-spoken that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it but vers 19. The keyes of binding and loosing opening and shutting are set after â—as having no such promise annexed to them and why should this be but to shew that these keyes in the Churches hand should have a
Gods Judgments upon the Earth that they may be spared when the seal of the living God is seen upon their fore-head for this to be after the Man-child is caught up to God and to his Throne at which time the Gentile Church which I conceive to be the Man-child is to be in the Ark of their safety being caught up to meet the Lord in the ayre and then the Jews that look for their Messiah it being the time that God hath promised that all Israel viz. the natural seed of Abraham shall be saved as it is written Rom. 11. They shall have the Seal of God or the name of God written in their foreheads to distingush them from the worshippers of the Beast who are to have the name of the Beast in their right hand or forehead Revel 13.16 upon whom the seven Angels are to pour out their vials upon the earth that the same persons who have received the mark of the Beast in their foreheads or hands may be tormented and then the executing Angels will pass by all those that have the Seal of God in their forehead so that they shall not be plagued with those Judgments that shall be executed upon the Beast and his worshippers and to this end the Angel of the East forbid the four Angels that had power to hurt the earth that they might not go forth to execute their office till the servants of God were Sealed in their foreheads Revel 7.2 And this agreeth with the manner of Gods dealing with his people when he executes his Judgments upon the earth as you may see Exod. 12.14 Ezek. 9.4 5 6. and to that end was these Israelites Sealed so that none of the plagues either of the four Angels or the seven Angels did them any hurt And thus much at present of the Sealed number who they are and the Cause of their being Sealed and afterwards was seen preserved as a Sealed number Revel 14.1 2 3 4. Chap. 15.2 3 4. And so I pass to give my opinion what the Temple and the outward Court and holy City is Only by the way I thus say that although I have read Mr. Hendens opinion of the outward Court yet I cannot believe it nor adhere to what he saith because I do not find that ecclesiastical order is in any one Text called the outward Court neither doth it hold parallel with the outward Court but rather to the inward Court even the holy of holies into which the Priest was to enter alone who had the ecclesiastical order put upon him by God but because I find not the Scripture warranting such a parable I leave it and now come to speak briefly to that Text Revel 11.1 2. and first I shall cite the Text it self which is thus read And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein but the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths and I will give power to my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloated in sackcloth from this Text with many more we find that Jerusalem and the Temple is to be built again and the Jews are to worship their God according to the Law of Moses at which time they shall earnestly look for their King namely the Son of God according to the words of their Prophets for although they were blind and understood not his coming in the day of his poverty yet they do believe that they have a King viz. Son of God to come in glory and to ragin upon the Throne of David and when God shall give them opportunity to return out of their long captivity then shall they sit upon their building to redifie the City and Temple as I have formerly proved at large read my Zions redemption and that Jerusalem is to be built again which is called the holy City relating to Revel 11.1 2. read the words of the Prophets which saith They shall build the old wast places they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the wast Cities and THE DESOLATIONS OF MANY GENERATIONS behold the day cometh saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hanael unto the gate of the corner and the measuring line shall yet go forth over again compare Revel 11.1 2. upon the Hill Garib and shall compass about Goath it shall not be plucked up nor thrown down any more FOR EVER in that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruins and I will build it as in the dayes of old and I will plant them upon their Land and they shall be NO MORE plucked out of their Land which I have given them saith the Lord God And Ezekiels vision relates to this very thing where he saith In the vision of God brought he me into the Land of Israel and set me upon a very high Mountain by which was as it were the frame of a City on the South and he brought me thither and behold there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed so he measured the length thereof twenty cubits and the breadth twenty cubits before the Temple and he said unto me this is the most holy place this is the Law of the house upon the Mountain and these are the measures of the Altar after the Rubites and the name of the City from that day shall be THE LORD IS THERE And that the Cities of Jerusalem is called a holy City read Isa 64.10 chap. 61.4 chap. 60.18 Jer. 30.18 chap. 31.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. chap. 33.12 13 14 15 16 17. Amos 9.14 15. Ezek. 40.3 chap. 3.13 chap. 41.4 chap. 48.35 From all that which hath been said this is the Sum in short that the City Jerusalem and the Temple is to be built again and inhabited and God there worshipped only there will be a stop in the work by the Antichrist before the outward Court is finished and therefore the measuring line is said not to pass over the outward Court or it not measured but that I may be plain and easily understood I shall divide the matter in short and brief particulars The first is the building of the City the which I have spoken already to And the second is of the Temple The third is the outward Court being given into the hands of the Gentiles and the holy City being trod under foot forty and two months And fourthly of the two Witnesses prophecying in Sackcloth one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes That the City and Temple is to be built you have heard somewhat
confirm it again when Israel came out of Babylon nor after the Book of the Law was lost and found again in the dayes of Josia no more need we any Sign to confirm that which is already confirmed and also we know that John did no Miracle and yet was an approved Administrator Again whereas Mr. Henden said that he was a legal Minister and a Minister of condemnation which had no visible demonstration from the spirit viz. Miracle The answer was then Mr. Henden was a legal one and a Minister of condemnation because he professeth himself to be a Minister and yet never work a Miracle that ever I heard of there was much time spent upon a kind of running discourse to little edification for that which I would have had done in order to the legal managing of the discourse was that there should have been one question stated at a time and that managed but when one began he spoke of several things and so confounded one with another and cleared it not as it should be I could repeat what was said about the four Winds and what was said by Captain Tucker as to the grounding of faith upon the obscure and dark Prophesies which was well minded although not well weighed by our Antagonist and as I think as little understood I have found it a sure maxime that the greatest confidence amongst men hath the least reason to warrant it which is sad And whereas Hebrews 12. was brought together with Galatians 4. to prove the Church to be called Mount-Zion neither of the places proveth it the Apostle to the Galatians tels us that it is the Covenant which is called Jerusalem which is from above and from the Hebrews we learn also that it is the Covenant or the thing Covenanted and whereas he saith that we are come to Mount-Zion he also saith that we are come to an innumerable company of Angels and to God the Judge of all things and the Spirits of just men made perfect so that we are come to one as well as to another and to neither of them but by faith in the Covenant for while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith and not by sight And Paul doth not say to the Galatians that ye are Mount-Zion or Jerusalem but Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all so then it was the Church which was called Jerusalem but Jerusalem from above was the Churches Mother mark a difference between the Children and the Mother and secondly the Author to the Hebrews doth not call the Church of the Hebrews Mount-Zion but tels them that they were come to Mount-Zion viz. the Covenant of Mount-Zion and the Heavenly Jerusalem but I shall leave these things at present and pass to the Answer of some Objections usually urged against the perpetuation of Christs Ordinances or the constant practising of them and the first that I shall speak to is Object 1. There was a time when God did appear in his Ordinances which shewed there was the power of the Spirit went along with them as Peter in his Ministry in converting three thousand souls at one Sermon saith Mr. John Henden but now we see not the same effects therefore the cause ceaseth God hath left them and they are become as a dead carkass without a soul Answ It is very true there was a time when there was such need of a visible demonstration of Gods Spirit to go along with his Ordinances to bear witness to the sons of men that they were the Ordinances that were approved of by the Lord that they might be a pattern or platform for all men to walk in to the Worlds end and hence it was that when God gave to Moses and the rest of the Children of Israel the pattern of the administration of the Law he gave it with the visible demonstration of his own presence with thundrings and lightenings and the Mountain smoaking with a visible maifestation of Gods glory with and upon Moses so that his face did so shine with the Glory of God when he came from the Mount that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold him by reason of the brightness of the Glory of God shining upon him this was his appearance when he came down with the Tables of the Law written by God so gloriously did God appear in the giving forth of it but afterwards all that the Children of Israel were to do was to have the words of the Law read to them and they to do it or keep it and not to say who shall ascend up into Heaven for some visible demonstration but the Law is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist do it saith Moses Deut. 30.10 11 12. even so saith St. Paul Rom. 10.6 7. The righteousness of faith speaks on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend up into Heaven to fetch Christ down from above c. but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart So that true faith giveth heed to Gods word and looks not for miracles for so saith Christ blessed is he that hath not seen and yet believed for a sinful and an adulterous generation seek a sign but none shall be given unto them c. Secondly If no Ordinance may be an approved Ordinance of God but such an one as hath a visible manifestation according to Mr. Hendens sense as aforesaid then he himself never met together so as God did approve of it because we find that when the Disciples met together the house spoke where they were assembled Thirdly his Ordinance of preaching hath not the Spirit with it because instead of converting three thousand at one Sermon I suppose he never converted three hundred in his life nor scarce half half so many and as for the Ordinance of Prayer I never heard any of those that usually hear Mr. Henden say that he hath prayed till the place hath spoke where he was praying as it did when the Disciples were a Praying Acts 4.31 and as for the Ordinance of Preaching and praying and the like Mr. Henden saith he owns to continue in all ages uncorrupted and they had once as great a visible manifestation as any Ordinance that I know of and yet there is no more appearance in a visible manifestation in them now than there is in any other Ordinance which Mr. Henden cryeth down and I may fitly say to Mr. Henden as Christ said to the Scribes and Pharisies which did much dote upon signs and miracles that the Kingdome of Heaven cometh not with Observations as gadding after miracles saying loe here or loe there for the Kingdome of God is within you that is as if he should have said it consists more in inward glory than outward glory or manifestation for the Kings daughter is all glorious within and the proper work of the Spirit is within as Christ