blind to thy self such are full of Darkness and then how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.22,23 for that leads to utter Darkness But for some there is a Redemption in the World to come for all that dyed in Adams Transgression will be cleared from Original Sin by Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 and so a Redemption for all Children in time to come For then the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the Iniquity of the Son the Soul that sinneth it shall Dye Ezek. 18.20 But in this time it is only the Children of the Believer is Holy 1 Cor. 7.14 before they have committed actual Sin and the Believer is he that believes Salvation is to be had according to the words of Christ but at Judgment there is none Condemned but for the Deeds done in the Body 1 Cor. 5.10 and then all Children will be cleared and likewise all them unto whom God hath promised Mercy will then accordingly find Mercy as the Meek the Mercifull c. Mat. 5. and all that order their conversation aright Psal 50.23 and the Ignorant shall be beaten with fewer Stripes than those that wilfully offend Luke 12.47 And whereas it is said He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life 1 John 5.12 These Words do no ways exclude a Redemption by Christ for some in the World to come or Restoration but for some Sin there is neither forgiveness in this World nor in the World to come Mat. 12.32 1 Joh. 5.16 But whereas it is said Where the Tree falleth there it lieth thereby it shews that after Death we can no ways help our selves as we may now by Repentance and Amendment of Life but all that go into the Pit must there stay till they are brought to Judgment to receive their Sentence of release or final Condemnation but the coming of the Lord the raising of the Saints the judgment of this World and the restoration of Israel will be many Ages before the last Judgment when the Sea Hell and Death deliver up their Dead Rev. 10.12 In which God hath secret places for Souls which we know not of for all that go not to Heaven do not go to the Fire of Hell for what the Lord speaks by the Law and Gospel is but to them that are under it as I have proved and for them that are under the greater light they will fall under the greater Condemnation but whereas the Prophet prays Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him and consumed him and have made his Habitation Desolate The Prophets Petition here is only against those Heathens that devoured Jacob and laid wast his Dwelling Place The same also is said upon their like Cruelties in Psal 79.6,7 And whereas the Apostle saith The Lord will come to take Vengance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 1.8 And those are they that know not God that believe he will not Reward and Punish according to his Word VIII Concerning the drawings of God as to when and upon what account Christ then thus Spake NOW whereas the Lord saith No Man can come to him except the Father draw him John 6.44 And also the Lord saith in vers 65. No Man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father The Lord Christ hath here his reference to the then time in which he appeared as a mean Person which in Scripture is termed the form of a Servant and those that were then first called in had the more immediate drawings of God and the Words of the Lord here had their tendency to the Remnant with the rest of the Elect that were given him of his Father unto whom the Holy Ghost was afterwards given to be in them And therefore the Lord saith in the 45. vers It is written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God The Lord here having his reference to the time that the Holy Ghost should be given for the establishing of the Gospel Heb. 2.3,4 and as an earnest of their Inheritance in time to come Ephe. 1.14 And whereas the Lord saith Every Man that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Whether the Lord in these Words meaneth only the Sheep that were his Fathers before and given to him or all them of Israel who then lived according to the rule of Gods Word for of such it may be said they were taught of God in that they were guided by his Precept and unto all that fear his Name in Israel was the Word of this Salvation sent Acts 13.26 But the Lord seems rather here to have his peculiar reference to them that was then given him by his Father but the reason the Lord speaketh thus mystically to them was because the Multitude had seen the great Miracle that he did in feeding Five Thousand with Four Loaves and Two Fishes Upon which the Multitude thought to have taken him by force and to have made him a King but the Lord knowing their thoughts went privatly from them and the Multitude seeking after the Lord which when they again had found him he then spake so mystically unto them that they could not understand him and therefore they said they were hard sayings who could bear them and from that time many of the Disciples went back and so the Lord brake their design of making him a King for his time to Reign was not then but these very Persons that did not then wilfully depart from him but went away because they could not then understand his sayings Christ said unto them in the 27. vers Labour not for the Meat which perisheth but for that Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give unto you Which was to those very Persons that sought after him to make him a King and who had eaten of the Loaves and were filled For though by those hard sayings the Lord brake their design yet from the Word of the Lord it is plain they were not to be forgotten by him And whereas the Lord saith vers 39. This is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Again in the 40 vers And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life That is every one that so believeth in the Son as to walk in the Precepts of the Son it is likewise the Father's Will that all such may have everlasting Life which is if they continue in well doing then will the Lord raise them up at the last Day which is the last Day of the Power of this wicked World For God is not willing that Man should perish but that they
Curses in the Law were prononced against for although it is said All that are saved are saved by Grace and not of Works that is to show that we cannot perform good Works to that perfection as to become justified by them without the Merits of Christ and therefore saved by Grace and not of Works but Christ's Righteousness will be appli'd to justifie his Creatures sincere indeavours he being the Author of Eternal Salvation to all those that obey him But whereas it is said That it is not of Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saveth us this was spoken to the first Churches which was then brought out of darkness and hath no reference to us as is proved but since the Nations have fallen into Popery we have not so understood as to distinguish between that part of Scripture which hath a general tendency and that which hath not And whereas Christ said to the Jews They should die in their Sins except ye helievc that I am he John 8.24 And who is this he but him that all the Prophets and Moses Prophesied of That when that Prophet came they should hear him in all things whatsoever he commanded them Acts 3.22 which at his first coming they did not And that all Believers that believe according to the Words of Christ so as to consent to take his Yoke upon them to become his Servants are then of his great Mercy and free Grace saved from their original and past Transgressions by the Gospel tender of his Grace Rom. 3.25 without their before performing the Deeds of the Law for Christ is become to such Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and by him the Eternal Life lost by Adam reenters But we are no sonner listed his Souldiers and Servants but we are to Fight to keep our Ground and Station wherein he hath set us for the Eternal Life given to the Believer to make it an Eternal Inheritance is a Prize set before us and it is the Runner that holds out to the end and the Warrier that overcometh that shall have the reward of the Crown of Life Rev. 3.11 And he that puts his Hand to the Plough and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God Luke 9.62 And it is said Remember Lots Wife And the Apostle saith of Himeneus and Alexander That they made Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 Likewise others who were washed from their old Sins returned as a Dog to the Vomit and some denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.20,21,22 And those that live after the Flesh and despise Government act as irrationally as the Beasts for the Beasts had not Reason given them but were made to be destroyed ver 12. And it is the Ground that remains barren under the tender of Grace and free offer of Mercy in the Call of the Gospel that is nigh unto Cursing whose end is to be Burned Heb. 6.6,8 And those that receive the sincere Milk of the Word to grow thereby are thereby brought off from the World and so Regenerated and Born again 1 Pet. 2.2 But they which have not the Word have not the Call of the Gospel And likewise among us who are not of the Elect there are some in a more peculiar manner brought home by the operation of the Spirit of God upon them by the Word but they do no longer stand than they are found sincere in their Obedience Rom. 6.16 IX The Word of the Scriptures is the Word of Faith and in them the offer of the Common Salvation I Do also here affirm that the Word of the Scriptures is the Word of Faith and in them the offer of the common Salvation and whosoever believes the Truth of the Scriptures they are able to make them wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Therefore the Apostle saith It is the power of God unto Salvation unto every one that believeth for therein is the Righteousness of God revealed and the Just shall live by their Faith Rom. 1.16,17 For the Lord is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 And by doing good Works there is a laying hold of Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 as well as there was some foreordained to Eternal Life And the Word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 The which we are to hold fast till he come Rev. 2.24,25 And if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just recompence of Reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him Heb. 2.2,3 For the Lord Christ hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gosple 2 Tim. 1.10 And the Apostle with Moses speaking of the Letter of the Word saith The knowledge of it is in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou mayest do it Deut. 30.14 So that we may do the thing that is there required God having promised his assistance and that he will accept our sincere Endeavour and whosoever takes to the way therein directed will find the assistance therein promised with the assured Reward that Christ has purchased which they also will be partakers of as well as those that were forechosen so as for any ones sincere Service the Lord will be their great Reward when he again comes at the time of the Redemption of the purchased Possession for then will he Redeem Israel and give to others Rewards and Punishments according to their Deeds And this is the common Faith which all that are under the common Call of the Gospel ought to contend for the which St. Jude terms the common Salvation vers 3. And it was by the common Faith that Titus became so Eminent a Christian Titus 1.4 XII How God is the Author of Faith in the Belief of the Scriptures BUT peradventure some will say That we cannot of our selves have Faith to believe the Scriptures for that is the Gift of Ged These Words were spoken to the Elect Church of the Ephesians who were part of the peculiar People chosen from among the Gentiles for the Praise of his Name which received the Holy Ghost to be in them who were then first brought out from the Abominations of the Gentiles and to whom the Apostile saith Eph. 2.8 For by Grace ye are saved thro' Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God That is it was the great Mercy and rich Grace of God the gift of his Son and this great Mercy is to be received thro' Faith which Faith is not of themselves it is the gift of God who unto them in a peculiar manner he did at first manifest himself to but God did never leave himself without vvitness for the ground of Faith to confirm the truth of vvhat he vvould have us believe and therefore to confirm the Lavv that it
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
be laid for the Foundation of the World to come at which Foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb. But was fore-ordained to be slain before the Foundation of the World Which Foundation is that before mentioned and therefore God proved and tryed Abraham to see whether he would offer his only Son as a Sacrifice to him before he made him that Promise that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Gen. 22.16,17,18 Rev. 11.15 Which Promise will be made good in time to come and then will be put in Subjection to Christ the World to come Heb. 2.1 Dan. 7.13,14.26,27 At which Foundation the Works of those unbelieving Jews were finished when they refused to go to fight for the Land of Canaan And from that Foundation after that miscarriage God elected a Remnant And they are those of whom it is said they were chosen from the Foundation And the peculiar People chosen from among the Gentiles which likewise had the peculiar calling and also were to receive the Holy Ghost to be in them which was the anointing of the Spirit whereby they spake with Tongues and wrought Miracle that thereby they might be also a light to the World these were they of whom it is said they were chosen before the Foundation of the World which Foundation is Israel And God chose them as to matter of choice and liking before the Body of Israel which were the Foundation because they had wilfully disobeyed him but as to the matter of Time long after Whereas the Apostle saith They were chosen in Christ before the World was That is before the World was which is now to come in which they are to receive the promised Blessing And as to what God said concerning Jocob and Esau before they had done Good or Evil was only that the Elder should Serve the Younger and not that God did ever hate his Creature until such time as they wilfully disobeyed him But these words concerning Jacob and Esau have a far other meaning then what we have hitherto apprehended But this and the other mistaken places of Scripture by which the World has been cast into a mist of Darkness I have now by Gods assistance by laying the Scriptures together made the true meaning of the word appear as may be found in my Book lately Published But St. Peter fairly warns us That in St. Paul's Epistles are things hard to be understood Which those that were unlearned in the Scriptures did wrest as they also did some other Scriptures to their own destruction 2. Pet. 3.16 But the Scriptures rightly understood and believed are able to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Whereas St. James saith Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the World Acts. 15.18 From which words it is clear that all Gods works were not known to him before the beginning of the World And that is was then the works that properly belong to God that were known to him And that the beginning of the World the Apostle here speaks of must have its chief reference to the beginning or Foundation of the World that was laid in the Seed of Abraham when God brought them out of the Land of Egypt to place them in the Heart of the Earth for the beginning or Foundation of the World to come as by his forementioned words doth appear and not that he had his reference to the beginning of the Creation of the World or the beginning of the World in Adam after the Fall For the Apostle speaking how God did at first visit the Gentiles to take out of them a People for his Name Acts. 15.14 Which were them to whom the Holy Ghost was given to be in them vers 8. And they to whom the Holy Ghost was given were to be a light to the World that the world might believe that God had sent Christ John 17.21 After which 't is said he will return and Build again the Tabernacle of David which is Fallen down Acts. 15.16 The which will be when the Lord returns Whom the Heavens must receive until the times of the Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his Prophets since the World began Acts. 3.21 And then in his following words he tells us who the beginning of this forementioned world were That it was the Fathers in the Wilderness vers 22. For Moses truly said unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Bretheren him shall ye hear in all things the which will be when the Lord again comes And then will be Israel's Glory and then the World that is to come will be in Subjection unto Christ Heb. 2.5 And these are the works St. James had his chief reference to when he said known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the World Acts 15.18 Which beginning of the World was as is aforesaid And the Eternal purpose spoken of Eph. 3.11 Only reacheth forward to the Eternity that lies before us As Christ in time became the Author of Eternal Salvation And as in time he promised Eternal Life And whereas St. Paul saith God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will He here had his reference as St. James had to the great works which properly belong to God As the gift of his Son and in electing some setting a door of Mercy open to others And in determining the great Glory should be for the heirs of the World to come For the word All in Scripture doth not include the whole And as for the works of the Devil and the evil works of Man they do not belong to God therefore he ordained Punishments for them after they fell as I have elsewhere proved And whereas St. Paul saith Eph. 3.8.9 That I should preach among the Gentises the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God That is at the beginning of the World which was laid in the Twelve Tribes who were laid for the beginning or Foundation of the World to come They did not see how the Gentiles should be called in as to become heirs with them This great Mystery was all a long hid in God from them so as they as little understood it as the Old World did And tho' God told Abraham he should be Father of many Nations and the Prophets declared the Gentiles should be called in yet it is no where declared they should be brought in by preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ through the Gospel I have here made so long a digression altho I have something more to the former Subject to say the which I could not go on with till I had given some light to the true meaning of these mistaken places That thereby I might make plain the way for what I have yet further to say 3. That is we are