of all yet none can believe and obey but the Elect whom God giveth †2 Tim. 2. 25. Repentance to and to them only the Word is the savour of Life unto them that are saved by Faith in Christ Jesus Yet the Preacher knowing not who are the Elect doth apply the Word as generally calling all Persons to believe and obey in his Message As saith the Lord to Paul when he sent him to Corinth I have much People in this City So Act. 18. 10. John 10. 20. not all for they could not all believe because they were not all Christ's Sheep as it is written All Men have not Faith 2 Thess 3. 2. For these and the like errors in Faith and corruption in Worship which were too tedious here to refute about the state of Infant-Baptism and the Seventh-day Sabbath of the gross mistake in them that deny the one and keep the other largely handled by me not long since printed in a Book intituled Ancient Truth Revived Wherein is also in 22 Articles every true Protestant's Faith inserted the State of a true Church and how every Ordinance and by whom and in what Order they were performed in the Primitive Churches containing six Sheets of Paper unto which I refer the Reader is one cause why God hath not before this destroyed the false Ecclesiastical power of the Romish Babylon because as the Sins of God's People of old were the cause why old Babylon was not sooner destroyed even so is it See and read Jer. 25. now That as then God did first give his own People a Cup to drink and then Shishack did drink after them So Judgment must first begin at the House * 1 Pet. 4. 17. of God unless there be a speedy Repentance Else surely the time is come as that Servant of God Mr. Beal hath noted on Rev. 20. in his Book called The Image of both Churches That when the 1000 Years of the Beast's Raign was expired Satan the common Adversary of Man shall be loosed out of his dark Prison and set at large by the sufferance of God Mans wickedness deserving no other strongly deluding the Unbelievers for their unbelief-sake to deceive the Universal People of the World through the operation of Errors He shall cause them to give credance to Lyes that they may be damned for refusing the Truth So that the abomination of Desolation shall be set up in the holy Place meaning in the Heart where Christ by faith should dwell to the utter destruction of Faith Which People of him thus deluded is called in a mystery Gog and Magog that is as much as to say Covered and Off-covered For both the grand Captains of them depending doth these two words comprehend the one covering the Devil with many false Religions meaning Loe here is Christ and loe there is Christ the other in his sort following the same wicked consent these two Tyrants the Romish Pope and Mahomet with the whole generation of like Spirits with them mark that have gathered themselves together against God and his Christ to destroy the whole face of Christianity Now the woful experience of the beginning of these things is seen among us so that our Condition looketh too like the state of the Jews When Titus Vespasian the Roman Emperor came and besieged Jerusalem the Jews by reason of their many Errors were divided into sundry * Mark 12. 13 18. Sects and their dividing in Faith divided them in Heart that they destroyed one another So the words of Christ were fulfilled on them that despised his Counsel as it is written Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation Mat. 12. 25. How then doth it behove all Protestants to be by Christ's Words warned with speed to examine whether they be in the Faith of God's Elect * Tit. 1. 1. Heb. 11. and worship God by Christ's †Rev. 14. directions only that there be no dividing in Judgment and so not in Heart considering what * In his Book called the Card and Compass of Life presented to Prince Charles the first one hath noted That the Jews affirm the first Blood split in the World was by reason of the differences in Judgment among Brethren for so all that bear the name of Protestants ought to be in these words Cain was so possessed with Covetousness that he believed there was no Life after this But Abel believed there was after this Life a reward for the Good and punishment for the VVicked in which Contention Cain slew Abel So that Cain was of the Wicked one For to Persecute Imprison or kill any one for Conscience sake is a work †1 John 3. 12. Rev. 2. 10. of the Devil and a Wo is pronounced against them As it is written Wo to them that follow the way of * Jude ver 11. Cain they shall perish So that Protestants may be ashamed to own that evil Spirit to force Men to believe when it is written That it is God shall †Gen. 9. 27. perswade Japhat to dwell in the Tents of Shem. Therefore to force Men to believe or practise in things Divine before God giveth them Faith is but to make a Church of Hypocrites whose Sacrifice is * Prov. 15. 8. Abomination to the Lord as their Father Cain's was Now if any Protestant should be offended like * Amos chap 7. Amaziah the Priest of Bethel with this Christian Warning-piece as he was with the Prophet Amos's Warning to King Jeroboam and his People and say The Land cannot bear these words against the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God charge me as Amaziah did Amos the Prophet with Conspiracy against the King when but for declaring the only means then from the immediate Mouth of the Lord to preserve the King and the Nation as this is from the mediate written Word of God to preserve our King and the Nations from the Judgments threatned I say if we like them will regard no Christan Counsel all Scripture being written for our Admonition then in all likelihood the Judgments threatned on them will fall upon us that God will darken * Amos chap. 8. the Earth in a clear day by sending a Famine in the Land not of Bread nor thirst for Water but of hearing the Words of the Lord. For by reason of so many false Teachers in Judah their Silver became †Isa 1 22. dross their Wine was mixt with Water and they were fed with * Jer. 23. 28. Chaff instead of Wheat As is now seen by woful experience whilst God's Word is not truly Taught but corrupted with Errors under the colour of Christianity with Lo here is Christ and lo there as they said of old The Temple of the ‖ Jer. 7. 4. Lord the Temple of the Lord are these Nevertheless they were told Thy Prophets †Lam. 2. 14. have seen vain and foolish things for thee for they have not
all his good Subjects in whom is the least sence and fear of the Judgments of God for the Sins aforesaid or any other ready to come on this Nation that they would be pleased to remember that Word the Lord sent to Judah * Jer. 18. 7 8 9 10. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their Evil I will repent of the Evil that I thought to do unto them And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it if it do evil in my sight that it obey not my Voice then I will repent of the Good wherewith I said I would benefit them Therefore if all Degrees both noble and ignoble do believe that it is not only for the Sins of some few in the Nation as Christ told the Jews of the Galileans whose Blood Pilate had mingled with their Sacrifices Luke 13. 1 2 3. Suppose ye saith Christ that these Galileans were Sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered these things I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish but for the general Sins of all some in one thing and some in another as afore noted So that according to the Evil will the Punishment be as is shewed by the Prophet Amos in the first and second Chapters The Irreligious are punished for their Cruelty to the Lord's People and the Religious People both Judah and Israel were punished because they had despised the Law of the Lord and kept not his Commandments which they * Exod. 19 8. Jer. 7. 23 24. promised to obey Seeing then the Sin of Leprosy is spread over all Degrees either in Corruption in Faith and Disorder in Worship or Oppression among Men that almost all are shut up as in a †2 Kin. 15. 5. severed House as unclean because by their Sins the Lord's Camp or Dwelling is ‖ Numb 5. 2 3. defiled Therefore dear Protestants under what other Title soever by Men called Christ Jesus the great High-Priest is * Levit 13. Heb. 4. 13. looking on you Therefore I shall close up all to you with the Observation of that worthy Servant of the Lord Henry Ainsworth on Levit. 13. 15. who hath noted there That it is one of the remarkable things in the Law That quick or sound Flesh in the Sore should be judged Leprosy and the Man pronounced unclean whereas if the Leprosy cover all his Flâ—sh he was pronounced clean And hereby the Holy Ghost seems to teach that if we would * 1 Cor. 11. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 7. judg our selves we should not be judged of the Lord 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness But if any quick or sound Flesh that is any Gal. 2. 16. Eph. 2. 5. Rom. 11 6. Gal. 5. 4. part of Health or Life be pretended in our sinful Nature or any whit of Righteousness by Works of the Law by which no Flesh can be justified then God pronounceth us unclean for we cannot be justified but by the Faith of Jesus Therefore with David that we may find Mercy with the Lord we must acknowledg there is no soundness in our Flesh Psal 38. 4 8. Until this be done God will leave us as unclean 2 Kin. 15. 5. Numb 12. 14. shut up from Deliverance from our Enemies and Communion with himself until we be humbled for our Sins Lam. 1. 8. 3. 1 28. As it is written Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear Isa 59. 2. And lastly If in this Warning-piece I have unadvisedly in zeal to God's Glory and good Will and true Affections I bear to my Prince and Countrymen let fall any words that do not become a Christian that is not warranted by God's Word let the Righteous †Psal 146. 5. smite me and it shall be taken as a kindness And let not any Protestant despise this plain way of discovering the Iniquities of these Times because it is not garnished with Eloquent Language nor yet think with themselves the Medicine is too sharp to work a Cure at this time but let all such before they judg or rashly censure it examine the Ingredients by that most Heavenly Herbal God's written Word and they shall find the whole Composition is gathered together by directions of God's Spirit in his Servants the Prophets and Apostles all written for our Learning gathered from the Tree of Life whose Fruit is for Souls food and the Leaves thereof for Healing of the Nations Now if the Lord prosper it is the thing desired herein and I have obtained my end who am one of the Lord 's unprofitable Servants to bring any Glory to his Name or Comfort to his People ERRATA Pag. 9. lin 2. Marg. for Mark read Mat. Pag. 19. lin 15. for 113 115. read 313 315. P. 28. l. last r. Also see Junius
First In the Wilderness figuring our Spiritual Warfare over Sin the World and the Devil and then by Joshua as they were led into Canaan the figure of * Heb. 11. 13 14 15. Heaven So the Saints in the Wilderness †Rev. 12. 6. Exod. 13. 14. chap. Ezek. 20. 35. of this World through many Tribulations ‖ Acts 14. 22. under the conduct of the true Joshua Christ Jesus enter into the glorious Rest even the Haven of Eternal Happiness And hereupon it is written in praise of Christ's Called Chosen and Faithful * Rev. 17. 14. That all the thousand Years Reign of the Beast aforesaid they lived and reigned †Rev. 20. with Christ and they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and that in the Wilderness and this World and the same is still the Saints ‖ 1 John 5. 4. Victory even our Faith by which we overcome the World Now as touching Election that most Heavenly Doctrine of Comfort to God's Children for the help of them deceived about it note That Election is a Work of God the * Eph. 1. 4. Father Redemption †Rev. 5. 9. a Work of God the Son and Sanctification ‖ 1 Cor. 6. 11. the Work of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son So that the very nature of the word Election meaneth not all Men but God foreseeing before all Time in respect of Creation whatsoever would come to pass in time did make choice of a Remnant * Rom. 11. 5. out of the Lump of Mankind to be Heirs of Glory through Christ and left the rest in their fallen Estate And who shall call God to account †Rom 9. in these his Matters So that whomsoever the Father Elected he gave ‖ John 17. 12. unto his Son to Redeem And hereupon it is written in praise of God in Christ Thou hast Redeemed us * Rev. 5. 9. out of all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People So not all Nations because he was given a Ransom for many So that these ‖ Mat. 26. 28. as many as were †Acts 13. 48. ordained to life believed For * Jo. 6 44. no Man can come to Christ but those the Father draweth Now if all had been Redeemed the Altar under the Law and Priests that served at the same all Figures of Christ in the Work of Mans Redemption would have signified so much in Christ the true Altar and High Priest and Sacrifices offered thereon So that if he had Redeemed all would he not at the Golden Altar have offered up his Prayer for all But as Christ redeemed only the Elect or whole †Rom. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 2. World Abraham was Heir of so he appeared at the Golden Altar to offer Prayers for no other but ‖ Rev. 8. 3 4. Saints as it is written I pray not for the World * John 17. 9 20. but those the Father had given him in the †Ezek. 16. 8. Cant. 2 16 Covenant of Grace out of the World And thus all all that is Truth will agree to the Law to wit of Figures and Testimony of the Gospel of Salvation And that those Elected ones by God the Father and Redeemed by Christ cannot totally fall away because none can pluck them out of his Father's Hands ‖ John 10. 29. who has put his fear into their Hearts that they shall not depart * Jer. 32. 40. Prov. 14. 26 27. from him So are they kept by the Power †1 Pet. 1 5. John 17. 12. of God through Faith unto Salvation that they cannot possibly saith Christ be totally deceived Mat. 24. 24. Now some will object If the Elect cannot fall away how came so many as Demas and the like to fall from the Faith they professed Answer The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a ‖ Mat. 13. 47 48. Draw-Net which gathereth into it both good and bad as in the Figurative Building among the Materials came * 1 Kings 10. 22. Apes and Peacocks So among the Elect Living Stones the Materials of the Spiritual Building came Hypocrites who like Apes imitate for a time what the Saints do These are at the Feast but want the Wedding * Mat. 22. 11. Garment of Christ's Righteousness put on by Faith having only Lamps of External †Mat. 25. 3. profession or form of Godliness and not the ‖ 2 Tim. 3. 5. Power or Life thereof the Oyl of God's Grace so having received the Seed of God's Word on a Rock wanting Root * Luke 8. 13. Faith that worketh by Love so were in the Church saith the †1 John 2. 19. Scripture but not of it for had they been of it no doubt they would have continued in it Therefore like Peacocks through Pride fell away not from Grace but from that Grace they seemed ‖ Luke 8. 18. to have their * 2 Pet. 2. 22. Swinish nature being never changed turn again to wallow in the mire of open Filthiness as a Dog to their Vomit As touching Free-will in Man in his fallen Estate to repent and turn from Sin to God is a gross mistake First Because if Adam the Root had not this Power how came his Children to have it For cover †Job 31. 33. his Sin he did but repent he could not because it is not a virtue in Nature As it is written If God perad venture will give them Repentance ‖ 2 Tim. 2. 25. to the acknowledgment of the Truth who only works in his Elect both to will * Phil. 2. 13. and to do of his good Pleasure Therefore when Esau sought Repentance with Tears he found it not because true Repentance is a change †Heb. 12. 17. of the Mind which only belongeth to God to do As by the gift of Faith he opened the * Acts 16. 14. Heart of Lydia to believe and obey the Truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4. 21. Some will object If all Men have not power to believe and obey why is it required of all Men Answ As Belief is a point of Obedience to God our Creator upon the Covenanted Estate Angels and Men made with God before the Fall it is still applied unto all as the word of their Condemnation And hereupon Noah by his Preaching condemneth †Heb. 11. 7. the old World as it is still the savour of Death unto Death in them that perish * 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. Else Christ would not have said to the fallen Angel It is written Thou shalt worship †Mat. 4. 10. the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve So that as this was spoken to Satan being what the Law required of him yet it doth not therefore follow that he had power to repent and believe so can no Man Though the same * Deut. 6. 13. Law requireth Obedience