that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Now in the Apostle's time there was a twofold way of Christ's being in the Churches for Christ said to his Disciples The Spirit that dwelleth with you shall be in you John 14.17 because unto them was given the Holy Ghost to be in them which afterward also was but with the Churches But Christ in every true Believer must be so in them as to have the ruling-power in their hearts and affections in that their wills must be brought into subjection unto Christ by a complying frame of spirit to his will And thus Christ dwells in every true Believer For whosoever is in Christ in them is required a mind agreeable to the will of Christ that he thereby may rule in the heart Now the Corinthians having embraced the faith in yielding their consent to be obedient unto Christ and had also received the Spirit of whom St. Paul afterward heard of their disorderly walking therefore he writes to them to examine themselves whether they were in the faith and to prove themselves whether Christ were still thus in them or not for if Christ were not thus in them then they had rebelled from their subjection unto him and thereby grieved the Spirit of God and so become Reprobates But those that had never yielded their obedience to God or Christ cannot properly be said to be Rebels or Reprobates because they did never own themselves as servants to them but did all along yield themselves servants to sin for which they shall receive their punishment tho' not as Rebels or Reprobates But Israel whom God had taken into Covenant with himself they likewise were termed Reprobates for their wilful disobedience for which they were rejected of God Jer. 6.28,30 They are all grievous revolters walking with slanders they are Brass and Iron they are all corrupters Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Now tho' the Lord saith The Spirit like the Wind bloweth where it listeth but it listeth not to blow on them by whom it is grieved and therefore Israel was rejected Now some of them of Corinth were fallen into great iniquity and also had spoken evil of St. Paul and some other Disciples Therefore he saith in verse 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not Reprobates As much as to say ye shall know that we have not rebelled from our great Master and therefore not Reprobates For it is said Every one is his servant To whom they yield themselves to obey his servants they are to whom they obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 Chap. XV. The Everlasting Life that is now given the Believer explained JOHN 6.47 Christ saith He that believeth in me hath everlasting life Now we have misapprehended the words of Christ for the everlasting life that is now given the Believer is no otherwise given except to the standing Witness than it was to Adam and Eve in Paradice For when sin in the Soul is pardoned the will changed Christ's Righteousness imputed then it is the everlasting life lost by Adam again takes place of which everlasting life nothing can again disinherit them but wilful and presumptuously sinning or negligently and carelesly departing from the ways of God Therefore Christ saith Rev. 3.2,3 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God If therefore thou wilt not watch I will come upon thee as a Thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee And likewise St. Paul cautions the Church of Corinth fearing lest the Serpent should beguile them as he beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 For if Adam and Eve had never sinned they had never died Now the Churches thus standing were to take heed lest they should fall and to fight to keep their ground thereby to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. c. 1. v. 10. And St. Paul saith Phil. 2.12,13 It is God that worketh in them both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure That is it was so far the good will and pleasure of God to restore them and renew them by his Spirit and to put them into a capacity of sincere obedience in which capacity they were to use their utmost diligence to work out their salvation with fear and trembling So likewise are we to do the same also For those that received the Talents were to improve that which was given them and he that did not according to his ability improve that which he had received was therefore condemned Matth. 25.15 Chap. XVI A Believer not coming into Condemnation explained CHrist saith John 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life These words of the Lord may admit of a two-fold meaning That is whilst the Believer continues believing that Salvation is to be had according to the promise of the Lord in the Gospel in the way of their love and obedience Whilst he thus believeth he shall never come into condemnation But this which the Lord here saith hath its peculiar reference to his second Coming at which time he cometh to judge the world and restore all things as in verse 22. The Judgment is then committed unto Christ at which time as in verse 23. All men shall honour the Son as they honour the Father The which never yet hath been done for the generality of the Jews hitherto have not honoured the Son as they honour the Father Neither by the Turks is the Son honoured as the Father Therefore this the Lord spake for the time when he again shall come That whosoever he shall then find a true practical Believer shall not come into condemnation For then the everlasting life that is now given the Believer will be secured to their persons for at that time they will be put into a capacity never more to offend For not only the raised Saints but the living Believer will then receive the Crown of Life For when the Lord again cometh the Crown of Righteousness is given to all that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 For when an inherent perfect Righteousness is given and the continuance of it secured to us by the establishing of the now-promised new everlasting Covenant then is Life crowned to the Soul This is the Covenant of Promise which now the Believers with Israel are but Heirs to And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham 's seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3.29 but when the Lord again comes his other Sheep will be brought into that Fold with them that do securely stand For the Lord saith At that time when there is one Fold there shall be but one Shepherd John 10.16 Therefore this will not be till the Lord again comes But we taking all the Promises as
of God by halves as to the threatnings and mercy which is contained in the word which is the promise of Salvation to the obedient and likewise punishments to the disobedient But they like us believing the word of God by halves performed the lesser matters of the Law but left the weight ier undone for which Christ was laid in Zion as a stumbling stone so as they should not believe in him but this their disobedience was appointed them for their former rebellion and the stroke fell upon their Children that were alike partakers with them in iniquity Now the Faith that had been so long wanting in them was that which Christ in a more particular manner spake to In that they believed the word of God by halves is clear by the parable which he put forth concerning Lazarus and the rich Man in his request to Abraham that he would send Lazarus to his Brethren to warn them that they might escape that place of torment but Abraham said They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them but he still persisted Saying If one went to them from the dead they would repent But Abraham said If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead Luke 16.27 c. Whereby it clearly shews that they did not believe Moses and the Prophets as they should have done so as to have lived a holy life Saint Peter saith of Christ Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that thro' his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins That is such as believe in him according to the tenour of his Word and Gospel in which he requires our observing to do whatsoever he commands us Matth. 28.20 And upon the will 's consenting to these conditions they received remission of sins And whereas it is said in the following verse While Peter spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word Now these that at this time heard the word on whom the Holy Ghost thus suddenly sell were before proselytes of the Gentiles who truly feared God wrought righteousness as in ver 34. and 35. But others that believed of the first Churches which had before lived in sin were to repent and be haptized before they could receive the Holy Ghost Chap. V. Such as have Believed may afterwards fall away SAINT Peter saith Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the persence of the Lord. By these words he sheweth that upon Repentance and Resignation of themselves to Christ for him to have the ruling power in the heart at which time it is that such receive the remission of their sins Yet their sins according to the text are not blotted out until the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. So as if they again wilfully yield to Sin their former trespasses will again be required of them The like the Lord saith in the parable concerning the Servant that owed ten thousand Talents who besought his Lord for Pardon and his Lord forgave him the debt But for the Cruel usage of his Fellow-Servant his Lord again required his former debt for which he delivered him to the tormentors for that debt which he had before forgiven him Matth. 18.24,26,27,30,34 And the Lord saith Ezek 33.13,14,15 When I shall say to the Righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit iniquity all his righteousness shall not be remembred but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall die for it Again when I say to the wicked thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Here we see that the promise of life is no longer to the righteous man than he continues to do righteously Neither is the threatned death to the wicked any longer than he continues to do wickedly So likewise neither is the eternal life promised the believer of any longer continuance than he persists believing that Salvation is to be had according to the tenour of the Gospel In which Gospel is required our love and sincere obedience Matth. 10.37 Christ saith He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me And he also saith Mark 8.34,35 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel the same shall save it Whereby it clearly shews that we must part with the delights advantages and pleasures of this world for Christ as well as life it self when call'd for And Christ saith of some that they receive the word with Joy and for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away Luke 8.13 Whereby the Lord fully declares the promise is no longer to the believer than he remains believing in him and his word Which word requires our practical obedience The which if we perform then are we his Disciples indeed For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 But the first Churches being in a particular manner chosen and called unto whom the holy Ghost was given whereby they generally stood tho' some fell away by making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 but to the succeeding generations of the Gentile-Churches that came in by the call of the Gospel with the assistance of the good motions of the Spirit of God of whom Christ saith Many are called but few are chosen because of their not improving of their day of grace which God had put into their hands Matth. 20.16 Chap. VI. The Conversion of the Jaylor COncerning the Jaylor Acts 16.30,31,32,33 when after he was awakned by the Miracle he saw he then said Sirs VVhat must I do to be saved And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house And they spake unto him the words of the Lord and to all that were in his house The which words of the Lord was that which he commanded his Disciples to teach Which was the condition upon which Christ had offered Salvation Mat. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you The which upon their wills consenting to yield their love and obedience in a belief that Christ was able to save them they were baptized And concerning Philip and the Eunuch Acts 8.35,36,37 Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached unto him JESUS And as they went on their way they came to a certain water and the Eunuch said See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized And Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest and he answered and said
method of Salvation which if accordingly be lieved they should be saved Therefore Christ saith to the Church Rev. 3.3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee Here we see the Lord calls upon them to put in practice what they have heard Which if they do not he will come upon them at an hour they are not aware of And as the Thief comes to destroy so the Lord will come to the destruction of them that have his word and will not according thereunto wait for him with a prepared heart in love to receive him For he saith If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love John 15.10 and in the 14. v. Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you And also the Lord saith John 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And the offer of mercy by Christ is to all that will take his Yoke upon them Matth. 11.29 And the Lord saith Mark 8.34,35,36 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel the same shall save it For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul This losing of the life for Christ is to be taken under a twofold head Not only when we are called to lay down our life for the defence of the Gospel but also in denying our selves the pleasures delights and advantages of this world for this is spoken in general to all that will save their lives to life eternal According to this the Lord saith John 12.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal And Christ saith Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.24 Christ saith Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them is like to a wise man that built his house upon a rock So if we lay hold upon the promise of life according to the conditions offered by Christ we build upon that rock that will never fail us So as when the greatest storm ariseth that man will securely stand because he is faithful that hath promised But if we believe in Christ for justification yet walk according to our own imaginations and not according to his Commands it is building upon a sandy foundation for which they will have damnation According to the word of the Lord when he sent his Disciples to teach the Doctrine of the Gospel which was the conditions of the Covenant of grace He then said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.15,16 That is it was the Gospel which then Christ sent forth his disciples to teach which they that heard were to believe Accordingly the Lord saith Matth. 28.19,20 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you and lo I am with you to the end of the world That is with the race of the Disciples which is of the remnant he will be with to the end of the World for they are those that none can pluck out of his hand And of whom it is said they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth And also he will never forsake any whilst they keep his way in observing to do whatsoever he Commands them Now the Belief in Christ that is saving is to be grounded upon the words of Christ that his righteousness is to be applied for the justification of the sinner according to the conditions as it is tendred by him which is in the observing to do whatsoever he commanded them For tho' at the first receiving of the Gospel by his free grace they were saved from their sins by yielding to the conditions that Christ required Yet all of them that were not immediately taken away by death were to be judged according to the performance of those conditions before they could be thought meet to partake of the Crown of life And in every believer is required the faith of God's Elect that in the way of their love and obedience they shall become Heirs to the promise Zacheus desired to be a Disciple of the Lord and he knew in being so his Obedience was required Therefore he said Lord half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any by false accusation I will restore him fourfold Luke 19.8 But many of us like the Jews of old by their Tradition made the Commands of God of no effect So many with us by their half-faith or believing but half way in that they leave out the conditions upon which life and salvation is offered by Christ have made their faith in Christ of none effect to the saving of their Souls because the promise of life is upon condition of our Obedience In which whosoever remains faithful to the death shall have the Crown of life But for any to think that Christ dyed to give them a liberty to sin it is of such God saith Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50.21,22 This forgetting God is forgetting their duty as to yield Obedience unto his Commands But for our having Faith in the righteousness of Christ separate from good works is dead standing alone James 2.20,21,22 But wilt thou know vain man that faith without works is dead Was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Seest thou how faith wrought with his work and by works was faith made perfect Thereby shewing that a lively and perfect Faith always includs good works As first the inward work upon the will and affections and afterwards good works put in practise Therefore he saith in the 26 verse For as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also And Chap 1. v. 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed Now why is it term'd the Law of Liberty Because such as walk in obedience thereunto are by Christ set free from the condemning power of sin and death 26. v. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth
their Father In this portion hath the Disciples their part and when the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 Then it is that the Kingdom of this World is become the Kingdom of their Father into which they shall thus gloriously shine forth and this is that the Apostle speaks of 1 Cor. 2.9 likewise Isa 64.4 and Ephes 2.6,7 and then they shall have their reigning-power on the Earth Rev. 5.10 next under Christ their Supreme Head Now the Lord all along whilst he was upon the Earth spake but in Parables as to his second coming and Kingdom Matth. 13.34 by reason Israel being sinful for which it was determined of God they should be left to blindness and that Christ should suffer by them for tho' in other things they sinned wilfully yet they ignorantly crucified the Lord of Life Acts 3.17 And the Lord again speaking of his second coming and of gathering the Nations and by the Parable of setting the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left He saith to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Matth. 25.34 Now from the foundation of the material Heavens and Earth there was no other Kingdom prepared but this World which will be again restored But the Law and Gospel speaking but to those that are under it Rom. 3.19 and chap. 2.12,14 The Lord might therefore have his reference to the foundation of the World that was laid in Israel for the World to come at which foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb And then was the Kingdom of Canaan prepared for Israel by their Enemies destruction And the Gentiles that Christ shall find in obedience amongst the Christian Nations at his coming will then be made the Inheritors with Israel of this Kingdom For they were not only to be Heirs with Israel of the promised Everlasting Covenant whereby Eternal Life is secured to the Soul but they were also to have a share with them in their Inheritance For of Japhet it was prophesied that he should dwell in the Tents of Shem and therefore this Kingdom may likewise be said to be prepared for them And also at the restoration of all things it is that Israel will be restored to their own Land Joel 3.16 And then will God make her Wilderness like Eden and her Desart like the Garden of the Lord Isa 51.3 And then it is Christ will have his peaceable Kingdom Isa 11.9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 65.23,24,25 And in that day God will make a Covenant for them with the Beast of the Field and with the Fowls of Heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and he will break the Bow and the Sword and the Battel out of the Earth and will make them lie down safely Hosea 2.18,19 And then will God betroth them unto him for ever in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies v. 19. And then this is the Peace the Lord hath declared shall be in the time of his Kingdom But when Christ first came he said he came not to send Peace on Earth but a Sword Matth. 10.34 For in this time them that are the true Followers of Christ the Devil will be still raising them up Enemies And Christ saith to his Disciples That in him they might have peace but in the World they should have tribulation John 16.33 And likewise St. Paul saith That after his departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among them not sparing the Flock And also of their own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Acts 20.29,30 which accordingly followed Now whereas it is said Prov. 16.7 When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his Enemies to be at peace with him This King Solomon spake of the natural Seed of Israel which had they continued in the fear of the Lord they had then been the Emblem of that peaceable Kingdom that is now to come And they in this time should have been the Head and not the Tail and above only Deut. 28.13 But there never was any such promise made to the true Churches of Christ in this time but on the contrary they were foretold they should be afflicted persecuted and meet with fiery Tryals neither were they to adorn themselves 1 Pet. 3.3 Chap. XV. The Elect Church discovered And why God suffered the Beast to arise to deceive the Nations Also a twofold being in the Book of Life NOW Christ by his Word declareth that he would have an Elect Church or People throughout this World that should never be deceived by the Beast or false Prophet And that it was to his Disciples which came of the remnant of Israel unto whom Christ promised to be with to the end of the World Matth. 38.20 And that none should pluck them out of his hand And tho' the first Gentile Churches that received the Word from the mouth of the Disciples were likewise also Elected and fore-chosen of God and made partakers of the Holy Ghost yet their succeeding Generations were but raised to that from which Israel fell And God foreseeing that the Gentile Nations that embraced the Gospel would afterward fall away by having no love to the Truth but taking pleasure in unrighteousness as Israel and the People of Old had done Rom. 1.21,22 therefore it was determined of God they should be left to strong delusions to believe a Lye Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10,11,12 For which cause it was the determination of God that all that dwell upon the Earth should worship the Beast whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.7,8 That is all the Kindreds and Tongues and Nations that dwell upon all the Earth that the Beast had dominion over should worship him except those whose Names were written in the Book of Life for the Word speaks to them that received it and it was those fell into the snare that had not a love to it but took pleasure in unrighteousness And Luther says that the Beast and false Prophet are generally comprehended under one head And the Lord saith Rev. 17.8 And they that dwell upon the Earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the World when they behold the Beast Now I have already proved by the Word in a Treatise concerning Election that there was no Election through the first World of People nor till after the miscarriage of Israel in the Wilderness Then did the Lord secure a certain remnant of them to himself at which time Israel was laid for the
Father is not in him For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World And the World passeth away and the Lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Which World is the People as I before shewed you And the same Apostle saith John 5.19 We know that we are of God and the whole World lyeth in Wickedness Now all these Warnings and Admonitions were given us by the Apostles in the height of Christ's Spiritual Kingdom when there was such wonderful pourings forth of the Holy Ghost speaking with Tongues Healing all manner of Diseases casting out Devils and on whomsoever they laid their Hands they received the Holy Ghost And St. Paul saith in the Collosians The Gospel had been Preached through the World Yet Satan was not then bound up for he saith He sent a Messenger of his to Buffet him All which is to inform us his Power will continue to the end of this World That is till Christ comes to Judg the World And then he shall be bound up and the wicked receive their Condemnation and all things restored to their first purity And not that he was bound up in the Apostles time till after the Reign of Constantine the great For the Emperor turning Christian had so loaded the Church with Honours and Riches whereby they abounded with Pride whereupon their Contentions grew so hot one with the other that the good Emperor could not allay their Feuds so that he removed his Throne to Constantinople by which removing his Court from Rome made way for the Rise of the beast which is made mention of by St. Paul whereas he saith in 2 Thes 2.7 The mistery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way By which words we may plainly see that the Devil was not bound for he tells us the Mystery of Iniquity was already working in carrying on his design to set the Beast upon the Throne altho it was not fully accomplisht till about two hundred years after the Departure of the Emperor from Rome and he was daily increasing in his Power and the more by the Vacancy of the Throne which was one cause of his getting up into that Pestilential Chair And St. Paul saith in the forementioned Chapter 8. v. Then shall the wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his Coming 9. v. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Power and signs and lying wonders 10. v. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receceived not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved Here we are fully inform'd when the Beast shall be destroyed That is when the Lord cometh to Judg the World whom he then will destroy with the Breath of his Mouth and with the brightness of his coming And John saith Rev. 19.20,21 The Beast was takes and with him the false Prophet that wrought Miracles before him with which he deceived them the had received the Mark of the Beast and them the Worshiped his image these were both cast alive into a Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone And the Remnant were slain with the Sword of him that salt upon the Horse which Sword proceeded out of his Mouth and all the Fowls were filled with their Flesh And he saith Rev. 20.1,2,3 He saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the Bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his hand And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years and cast him into the Bottomless Pit and shut him up and set a Seal upon him that he should not deceive the Nations no more till the Thousand years should be fulfilled after that he must be loosed a little season The next verse treats of the Raising of the Saints by which we see the Prophets and Apostles as I before shewed do all agree that the destroying of the Beast the Judgment of the World the binding of Satan and the raising of the Saints to be all at one and the same time and that time will be at the coming of the Lord And it is said that the Beast and the False Prophet these both were cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone whilst the others that are Slain their Carkasses lay for the Fowls to be filled with their Flesh all this is set down to be done when the Lord again comes Now the Thessalonians apprehending the Day of the Lord was near whereupon the Apostle informs them 2 Thes 2.3 That that day shall not come except there came a falling away first And St. Peter doth plainly speak much to the like Effect 2 Pet. 3.3 of the Christians declining and falling from their Purity and not of an inlargement before the Coming of the Lord Luke 20.21 And our Lord being demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come he answered them and said the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation That is appeareth not with Grandeur or Greatness For they shall not say lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you As much as to say I have no other Throne or Kingdom here but where I am Inthron'd in the Heart is all the Throne I have in this World And in John 16.33 The Lord saith In the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World And the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us Heb. 11. what dreadful Afflictions the Church suffered in the old time knowing here they had no continuing City but they sought one that was to come And the same Apostle saith Heb. 6.7,8 Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and Scourgeth ever Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastning God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is he whom the Father Chastneth not But if ye be without Chastisement whereof all are partakers then are you Bastards and not Sons And St. John in his Revelations tells us what dreadful Afflictions the Church of Christ would suffer even to the end Rev. 12.13,14 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast into the Earth he Persecuted the Woman And to the Woman were given two great Wings of an Eagle that she might fly into the Wilderness where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the Serpent And the Serpent cast out of his Mouth waters as a Flood after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the Flood And the Earth helped the Woman and the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed up the Flood which the Dragon cast out of his Mouth And the Dragon was wrath with the Woman and went to make
him also freely give us all things That is God will freely give us all things if we will receive it according to the tender of his Grace in his Word and with patience wait for it as these did And whereas he saith in 33. v. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth 33. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh interessione for us That is as I elsewhere said that we are no sooner converted and brought into an holy Resignation of our selves unto God but we are accepted of God through the satisfaction made by the Death of Christ who now lives to make intercession for such And as to what we were before we were Converted those sins will not be laid to our charge But this is no incouragement to us to sin and defer Repentance for those Romans never had the knowledg of the truth before But we are born Children of the visible Church and if we defer Repentance and check the good motions of the Spirit and refuse to be obedient to the word thinking it will be time enough hereafter to look after Heaven In so doing we tempt God to leave us to hardness of Heart and blindness of mind therefore the Apostle doth so earnestly exhort the Hebrews To day whilst it is called to day not to harden their Hearts That is not to put off Repentance till to morrow And when we are brought home to Christ by Repentance and resigning up our selves to him we are then no sooner in him but we must walk in newness of Life Of which St. Jude puts in remembrance Jude 6.7 Of the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitations he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Even as Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange Flesh are set forth for an Example suffering the vengeance of eternal Fire By which we see if we give our selves a liberty to sin God does with hold his restraining Grace from us and so through sin we become subjects of God's wrath And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword 36. As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that lovedus 38. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. By these words we see that St. Paul was of this perswasion That they being once in Christ that it was not any nor all of these forementioned things should be able to separate them from the Love of God through Christ By which we see there is nothing but wilful sin that can separate the Soul from the Love of God in Christ if once accepted And whereas St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.13.14 We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation thro' Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the gloey of our Lord Jesus Christ Now whereas St. Paul saith That God from the beginning chose the Thessalonians to Salvation Now were these words to be taken as hitherto we have done there is a contradiction in the Apostles own words For in the Ephesians he there saith that they were chosen in Christ before the Foundation of the World And here in the Thessalonians he saith from the beginning Now were they chosen from the beginning of the material Heavens and Earth or from the beginning of the first world of People which was in the seed of Cain and Seth. Then were they not chosen before the foundation of the World but at the foundation of the World therefore these words admit of a contradiction And from the beginning here spoken of could not reach to God and Eternity for there is neither beginning nor end therefore his words here and in the Ephesians admit of two meanings The first is as I before proved to you That the Churches that first trusted in Christ was made choice of for the glorious Tabernacle and so will appear to the praise of his Glory as being approv'd of of God as to matter of choice or liking in God for the glorious Tabernacle sooner then Israel or before Israel which is the foundation of the world here spoken of as I have already clearly proved Now whereas he saith that the Thessalonians were chosen from the begining to Salvation is no other then from the begining of the preaching of the Gospel The which begining I shall make clear to you by the words of our blessed Lord and St. John First what the Lord saith to his Disciples in John 15.27 And ye shall also bear witness because ye have been with me from the begining And St. John saith 1 John 2.24 Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the begining If that which ye have heard from the begining shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father By what is here said it is evident that the Apostle had no other meaning then from the begining of the publishing of the Gospel by reason Christ and the Apostles did express themselves so And the Apostles own words are to the like effect in Phil. 1.5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now which is no other then from the first day they heard the word Now the Thessalonians their being chosen to salvation was not so absolute but that they might through their own neglect fall short of salvation as St. Pauls own words make appear Because he saith in the 2 Thes 1.11 Wherefore also we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power By what is here said it doth appear that the Thessalonians being chosen to salvation was like that of the children of Israel who was chosen of the Lord for the Land of Canan for God brought them out of the Land of Egypt That was God by his own out stretched arm brought them out of Egypt and through the red Sea This being that which lay not in their power to do But when he brought them into the Wilderness they were to fight for the Land of Canan or else they were never to
themselves without fear Clouds they are without water That is for any to feed themselves without fear the Apostle terms them Clouds without water But for Believers to be timerously fearful of themselves because of their own weakness lest they should offend that fear is pleasing in the sight of God because it keeps them in a diligent watchfulness And were there not great cause of fear the Apostle would not have so forewarned the Saints of that roaring Lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 And of such as fear it is said The Lord will deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Here we see there is comfort for them that so fear But as for such as are mistrustfully fearful of the faithfulness and power of God that he will not perform his promise according to his word and therefore they will not venture the loss of the delights and advantages of this World so as to obey his Commands and Precepts of such fearful and unbelieving it is of whom the Lord saith They shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 Therefore St. Paul saith to the Saints Heb. 10.35 Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward That is confidence in the power and faithfulness of God for as we believe that God is so we must believe that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. v. 6. And that the Crown of Life according to the promise of the Lord will be given to them that continue faithful to the death Rev. 2.10 Therefore St. Paul saith For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 10.36 For whosoever doeth the will of God comes in as Heirs to the promise And accordingly St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so sight I not as one that beateth the Air. This being the Apostle's faith his confidence in the faithfulness of the promiser which made him thus run and fight for in so doing he knew that he was not at an uncertainty And this is the faith or belief which is to the saving of the Soul For verily there is a reward for the righteous Psal 58.11 For God doth never justifie the ungodly by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ but when they turn from sin unto God for God will no otherwise clear the guilty 1 John 4.18 He saith Perfect love casteth out fear That is where perfect love is it casteth out all slavish fear but not a filial Child-like fear but it is not every sincere-hearted Christian can be thus assured they are made perfect in love and those that are so are not thereby assured that their love will so remain For the Lord saith of the Church of Ephesus That she was fallen from her first love for which she was threatned to be removed out of his favour if she did not repent and do her first works Rev. 2.4,5 Chap. X. Christ the Author of Faith HEB. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of Faith For had not God promised Christ and by him everlasting Life to all them that should keep his Covenant there had been no ground for Faith or hope of Salvation Therefore of this Faith Christ is the Author the which faith or hope caused all those Worthies of old to undergo all those difficulties mentioned in the foregoing chapter which are as a Cloud of Witnesses to incourage us to suffer and to follow the Lord Jesus thro' all difficulties Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God ch 12. v. 2. The which if we accordingly deny our selves in obedience to him Christ will then compleatly finish our faith in giving the Crown of Life to them who have continued faithful to the death Chap. XI What it is to be born of God and to overcome the World 1 JOHN 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Now we must always look to the words that go before and to those that follow after if we would come to a right understanding of the word For in that he saith They that love God they likewise love Christ that is begotten of him or else they cannot be born of God For if they or we are not by our believing that Christ is the Son of God brought off from the delights of this World we cannot be born of God For it is such a belief in us that Christ is the Son of God which draws out our heart to love and obey him as God or else our belief in him is not such as makes us to be born of God Therefore he saith in verse 2. By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God keep his Commandments For by the Commandments of God we are commanded to love the Children of God and by keeping the commands of God it is we know that we love God therefore the Apostle saith in v. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous By which we see our love to God and Christ is in keeping their Commands And he saith in verse 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the victory that overcometh the World even our faith What meaneth the Apostle here in saying that by faith they overcame the World He meaneth all the vain fleshly and covetous desires of any thing relating to the World which by their faith they overcame Which faith set them on work looking for the reward promised which is the Crown of Life But notwithstanding some have again been overcome by the World and so made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 and others as in 2 Pet. 2.18,19 They allure thro' the lust of the flesh thro' much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage By which nothing can be more plain than that those that have had the New Birth wrought in them and have overcome the World may again be overcome by the World and brought into bondage and so the latter end is worse with them than the beginning as in ver 20,21 Now the man that is born of God is brought off from the World and whilst he so continues new-born or brought off from the World he sinneth not because he doth not wilfully commit sin For the sins that are not wilfully committed will not be imputed for Christ remains their Advocate John 5.16 If any man see his
they shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 But we not understanding aright this Kingdom or World to come which has been the causes of turning the plain word of God in the old Testament into figurative Speeches and thereby made the Oath and Promise of God to Israel void Of which St. Peter exhorts the Church to take heed to the sure Word of Prophecy as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2 Peter 1.19 Chap. XI Where the Great Glory of the Lord will be when he comes to deliver his people WHEN the Lord again comes to deliver his People his infinite glory will then again be in the Clouds in which will be those glorious mansions into which he will receive his raised Saints John 14.2,3 and there will be that Tabernacle which the Lord shall pitch and not man Heb 8.2 which will be over the Land of Canaan from whence he will descend to Mount Olivet and also from the Tabernacle he will descend upon Mount Zion and there will he Make the place of his feet glorious Isa 60.13 For as the Lord formerly descended down in a Cloud into the Tabernacle Exod. 40.34 So the Lord will again descend upon Mount Zion And as the Lord was over Israel in the Clouds when Pharaoh was drowned in the Sea Exod. 14.19,20,24 So again the Lord will be in the Clouds when the Beast and false Prophet shall be taken alive and cast into a lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19.20 And as the King of Aegypt and Babylon with all their Prognosticators and Diviners could not by them have any knowledge of their near approaching ruine So will it be with those in our days for they will not foresee the near approaching pressedness or misery according to the word of the Lord Isa 44.25 The Lord frustrateth the Tokens of liars and maketh Diviners mad that turneth wise men backward and maketh their Knowledge foolishness This will again be alike at the time of Jacobs deliverance And it is said of Christ in Isa 64.1 Oh that thou wouldest rent the Heavens that thou wouldest come down that the Mountains might flow down at thy presence V. 4. For since the beginning of the World men have not heard neither perceived by the Ear neither hath the eye seen O God! besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him 1 Cor. 2.9 Psalm 31.19 And oh that there might be many amongst us and elsewhere found such as are true waiters for him so as thereby to become the blessed of the Lord and not found as the fruitless Fig-tree which of the Lord received the curse Chap. XII The Fruitless Fig-Tree MARK 11.13 And Jesus seeing a Fig-tree afar off having leaves he came if haply he might find any thing thereon and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves for the time of figs was not yet This Fig-tree was the representative of the body or generality of Israel on whom the Lord when he came found nothing but leaves only The which was only an outward shew and Form of Religion having nothing of real holiness and of upright walking amongst them as in Matth. 23.23,24,25,26.27,28 For tho' the time of ripe fruit as Figs were not yet yet there might have been green Fruit as sincerity and an upright and holy conversation But as for Israel's bearing ripe fruit it was not to be in this time but in the time to come after the ever of this time is past and gone Then it is they will be made partakers of the continual fresh springs of the Spirit of God which is drinking of the River of his pleasures Psal 36.8 For then they will have an Inherent perfect righteousness and that secured by the establishing of that now-promised new-everlasting Covenant which will crown Life to the Soul Isa 45.17 But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end For the everlasting covenant when established and the Crown of Life is one and the same thing only two ways worded And the Believer comes in by Christ as Heir to that promised Covenant Gal. 3.28,29 Eph. 2.12 But the Believer in Christ is no longer a Believer than he believes Salvation is to be had according to the tenour of the Gospel which is in the way of our love and obedience no more than a Righteous man is a Righteous man in the day that he comitteth iniquity Ezek. 33.13 Chap. XIII Concerning the Remnant and first Churches and also the World BUT whereas the remnant and first Churches were fore chosen of God according to the Counsel of his own will for the purpose he had determined for them which was to bear their Testimony to the truth and for the glory that should follow And tho' they were not thus fore-chosen for their fore-seen willing and running yet afterward when they had embraced the Faith they were to run for the price for the hopes sake that was set before them which is the Crown of Life which was to be obtained by their willing and running by which way it is to be attained by all that will lay hold on it For when the Gospel was establisht we that followed after were to take to the way and keep the Rule set before us Heb. 2.2,3,4 And the Lord will be with us in his way and never forsake any while they keep his way by walking in a holy and upright Conversation And all that know the Lord by the Gospel should go to him for strength for he hath promised his assistance Now after the world was convinced that Christ was the Son of God they were put into a capacity of obedience as many as have the call of the word and the good motions of the Spirit of God therefore if afterward they miscarried it was thro' their own negligence and barrenness of the Soil into which the Seed of the word was cast according to the Parable of the Lord Ma. 13.20,21 which brought forth Fruit for a time and afterward withered away For when the Lord had laid the World under a Conviction by the which means it was part of the world embraced the Faith and brought forth Fruit according as it did in the Church of Golosse Col. 1.6 And the Lord laid Israel under a conviction when he shewed them his glory in the Wilderness and gave to them his Laws and Statutes Exod. 19.9,16,18 And when God would have healed Babylon it was by bringing her under a conviction in pulling her great Monarch down from his Throne and making him eat Grass like the Oxen till his hairs became like Eagles feathers and his Nails like Birds Claws and he made to acknwledge to all Nations that the Great God of Heaven ruleth over the Children of men Dan. 4. â—3 ch 3.29 Now when God hath convinced his Creatures he takes delight to see them improve that rational understanding that he hath given them to their Souls advantage and then it
of the Great City That is they are compassed about with their Enemies of them it is said They ascended up in a Cloud and their Enemies beheld them as in Rev. 11.12 They being chose for the Glorious Tabernacle as the first Churches were For it does appear that all that are raised are not raised to the Glorious Tabernacle as I shall elsewhere prove And also when St. Paul wrote this Epistle and that of the first of the Thessalonians they were in a continual expectation of the coming of Christ insomuch that they thought he would return in their Day But when St. Paul by further Revelation found that the coming of Christ would not be so sudden he then acquainted the Church therewith as in 2 Thess 2.2,3 That ye be not soon shaken in mind nor be troubled neither by Spirit nor by Word nor by Letter as from us though the Day of Christ were at hand 3. Let no man deceive you by any means for that Day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the Son of Perdition Now by what is here said it is evident that the Lord was daily expected of them till after this time that the Apostle acquainted them with the contrary Now that there will be a Spiritual Change upon all the Elect when Christ comes is certain by all the New Covenant Promises And also Esdras saith chap. 6.26 And the men that are received shall see it who have not tasted Death from their birth and the heart of the Inhabitants shall be changed and turned into an other meaning Now whereas the Lord said in Mat. 24.40 Then shall two be in the Field the one shall be taken and the other left two women shall be grinding at the Mill the one shall be taken and the other left but he does not here tell us how But in Verse 31. he saith He shall send his Angels with a great Sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the Four winds But the Lord saith nothing in the Three Evangelists of their being caught up in the Clouds but only where the Carcase is there will the Eagles be gathered together Now this gathering together from the Four Winds doth comprehend all the Elect that will be upon the Earth at Christ's coming As the faithful Christians whom the Lord shall so find and the twelve Tribes of Israel and those other promised Elect whom the Lord will call in with them Now into these Four Winds was Judah Levy and Benjamin scattered And from these Four Winds will the Lord gather them As for the Ten Tribes they will come out of one place as in Esdras 13. where it is said they went into a far Countrey where never man dwelt Verse 45. For through that Countrey there was a great way to go namely of a Year and an half and the same Region is called Arsareth Then dwelt they there until the latter time Which in the fore part of the Chapter is when Christ comes Now in that Christ and his Apostles spake of these things darkly it was because there was a Secret in it which by this manner of speaking it has remain'd veil'd to us that the calling in of Israel should be at his second coming At which time all the wicked Christians will be cast out for as there was a secret under the Law that was veiled from the Jews so this has been a secret vail'd under the Gospel from the Christians that Israel were comprehended under the Elect. And by the Heavens and Earth that are to be destroyed is meant the wicked Powers and People and then will the material Earth be restored and renewed And whereas the Lord saith in Luke 17.31 In that day he which shall be upon the House top and his stuff in the House let him not come down to take it away and he that is in the Field let him likewise not return back Remember Lot 's wife Now the will of the Lord is such that all his should by his word and the signs be inlightned of his coming And the Lord here gives warning that they should not hanker at that day after their stuff So as to setch any thing out of the house by which words it doth appear they might have knowledge they should use such things but that they should not then regard them but to keep on praying till they are delivered out of the danger by the Angels as Lot was out of Sodom And that we should not be unmindful so to do we have given us the sad remembrance of Lots wife This warning is only to the believers for them that believe not and them that have not the word it signifies nothing to them Therefore it is said of Israel and the promised Elect Isa 66.20 Isa 60.6 That they shall be brought to Jerusalem otherways as upon Horses Camels Litters and the like and these are said to come in multitudes and to bring their Silver and Gold with them But Christ saith of the others there shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken the other left two grinding at the mill one taken and the other left Luke 17.44,45 That is the true Christians must be thus taken and the Elect being all gathered to the holy Land but the wicked are left to partake of those dreadful Judgments which the Lord will pour upon the Earth after he comes As in Rev. 9. Chap. Now there was a necessity of a secresy in these things as to the Heavens and Earth and of the calling in of Israel and Christs second coming And the Lord foreseeing that the apprehensions of the suddenness of his again coming would be a means to keep the Christians in obedience to him and love and affection one to the other and from being greedy of the lucre of this world but that they should alwaies live as waiting for their change for the Lord foretold us that when they should begin to think he delayed his coming they would then eat and drink with the drunken and smite their fellow Servants which in a dreadful manner they have already done but the Lord after his Ascension gave to St. John a certain knowledg of his return which was comprehended under two Heads The time of the Witnesses Prophesying and the Beasts Reigning For the Lord saith v. 11.3 I will give Power to my two witnesses and they shall Prophecy a thousand two hundred and threescore days cloathed in sackcloth And in Rev. 13.5 There is mention made of the Beast to whom the Devil gave Power and he was to continue forty and two Months Now by this Beast it doth not only appear to be the Pope but also it may be meant by the first great Councils that did Afflict the Church Now the Witnesses Prophesying a thousand two hundred and sixty days cloathed in Sackcloth is exactly the two and forty Month the Beast is to Reign For two and forty Months Reckoning thirty days to
my name Now what is here said it is certain it was spoken for the time that is to come in which God will be magnified in Israel For at that time it is evident the ways of Israel did not please the Lord as to the capacity they were then in And although the Seed of Jacob had the Oracles of God and the Temple yet they had not the promised new Covenant made with them as to be put into a Capacity not to offend but through sin might become as obnoxious to God as any People And Israel saying wherein hast thou loved us Now God said was not Esau Jacob Brother and I loved Jacob and hated Esau That is God had chosen Jacob as the figure of the world to come to whom the most high hath promised to establish an everlasting covenant with his Seed at that time and it is this other world in which is comprehended the love of God to Israel here in this world Esau was a Kingdom before Israel and remained so after Israel as it is said in Obadiah verse 12. Therefore this Esau here spoken of in Malachy could not be the real Esau And also though the people of Esau were destroyed yet God has not curst the Land to be an Habitation for evil creatures For in Obadiah 19. it is said They of the South shall inherit the Mount of Esau But the Inheritance of this figurative Esau is for ever to lie waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness according to the saying of Isaiah and St. John in the Revelations to fullfil the Scriptures Now whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 11.25 For I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this Mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceit that bliwdness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in Verse 26. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written Isa 59.20 There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Verse 27. For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take awaytheir sins Verse 28. As conterning the Gospel they are enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake Now whereas St. Paul saith that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in And the Lord himself saith in Luke 21.28 That Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled That is that Jerusalem shall not be restored until the Gentile power is quite vanquished destroyed or extirpated And that will not be till the Lord cometh at which time all Gentile power will be destroyed and laid low And whereas it is said in Isaiah 60.10 That the Sons of strangers shall build thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee That is those that are Kings at the coming of the Lord which are and may be converted shall become serviceable and minister to Israel And whereas St. Paul saith until the Gentiles be come in That is the fullness or the greater Number of the Gentiles be come in Rom. 11.25,26,27,28,29 So then all Israel shall be saved As it is written there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob for this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins Here we see that the Apostle did not say that the Lord was come out of Sion that should turn away ungodliness from Jacob but that he would make this promise good to them when he again comes to Sion And in Isa 52.17 at the latter end the Lord speaks of putting on Garments of Vengeance for cloathing in which he will judge his Enemies and at the same time he will deliver Israel as the Apostle saith And in verse 28. he saith concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for their fathers sakes For he there tells us 29. The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Which is as much as to say that they cannot be forgotten of God Here we see St. Paul bears his Witness as to God's making good his promises to Israel and that we are not taken in as to disappoint them of their Inheritance at the Restitution of all things But that then they shall be again taken in and the Everlasting Covenant be made with them according as God has before promised to them Rom. 11.30 For although through their unbelief we are taken into mercy whereby their Number is diminished yet the Covenant that God has by Oath promised to make with them even with both the Houses of Jacob at that time of Restitution they cannot be disappointed of For we that are taken in to be of the Seed of Abraham in and through Christ we must come in as of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah of which Race Christ came And St. Paul speaking of the conversion of the Jews Rom. 11.15 saith What shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead And the Patriarch Levy in his last will and Testament foretold his Sons that they should call him Heretick that goeth about to renew the Law by the power of the highest and in the end they should kill him out of hand as they think not knowing that he shall rise again and so shall ye receive his innocent blood wilfully upon your own heads For his sake shall your holy place be left desolate which you shall have defiled by utter forswearing and your dwelling shall not be clean but you shall be curst among the Heathen and despair shall vex you till he visit you again And he further saith then will God raise up a new Priest unto whom all the Lords words shall be opened and he shall execute true Judgment upon the Earth many days And his Star shall rise in Heaven as a King shall he shew forth the light of knowledge in the open Sunshine of the day and he shall be magnified over all the world and be received and shine as the Sun upon the Earth and drive away all darkness and there shall be peace upon all the Earth In his days the Heavens shall rejoyce the Earth shall be glad the clouds shall be merry the knowledge of the Lord shall be poured out upon the Earth as the waters of the Seas and the Angels of Glory that are in the Lords presence shall rejoyce in him The Heavens shall be opened and out of the Temple of Glory shall sanctification come upon him with the fathers voice as from Abraham the father of Isaac and the Glory of the highest shall be spread out upon him and the Spirit of understanding and sanctification shall rest upon him whereof he shall give abundantly and mightily to his children in truth for evermore and there shall none succeed him from Generation to Generation World without end In his Priesthood all sin shall come to an end and the
Supper I find therein is Comfort for the Poor for when those that were bidden were not found worthy through their own neglect and so was detain'd from coming through the Love they had to this present World as in Matt. 22.8 Then said the King to his Servants the Wedding is ready but they that were bidden were not worthy 9. Go ye therefore into the High-ways and as many as ye shall find bid to the Marriage 10. So those Servants went into the high-ways and gathered together all as many as they could find both good and bad and the Wedding was furnished with guests 11. And when the King came in to see the guests he saw there a man which had not a Wedding Garment 12. And he said unto him friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding Garment and he was speechless 13. Then said the King to the Servants bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth We see that although the poor in great number at the last day will be called in to be made partakers of that blessedness which then shall be revealed yet we see by this one that has been mentioned that some of them will be cast out and that there will be something found in them which will unfit them for mercy That is their Lives more estranged from God and their tempers more united to Satan like to this Man in the Parable which might like the Glory of the Saints yet not their Sanctity or they sound guilty of some of those crying sins unrepented of And whereas the Lord saith in the 14. v. For many are called but few are chosen That is they are called so as to be brought into the knowledg of God and his ways as to know what he requires of us But by reason they will not use their utmost endeavour to make their Calling and Election sure therefore they will not be chosen in the great day of the Lord the which the foregoing words doth make it so out that they did neglect the tender and offer of mercy by his Messengers in or of the Gospel being not willing to forego this present World and therefore are not sound ready when the Lord comes so as then to be chosen by him And also if we neglect the tender of mercy all our Life time I can find no hopes that such should be chosen upon a Death-Bed As for the Thief upon the Cross he was not brought into the knowledg of the Lord before that time And the Lord saith in Luke 14.21,22,23 When those that were bidden came not then the Master of the House being angry said to his Servants go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City and bring in hither the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind And the servant said Lord it is done as thou commanded and yet there is room And the Lord said to the servant go out into the high-ways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be full Now as to the meaning of these Parables of the Lord in which they are bidden to Supper is his Invitation to us by the Gospel which remains good from the time of his being on Earth till his second coming at which time he not finding those that were bidden prepared for his coming therefore in the 24. v. saith That none of those men that were bidden shall tast of my Supper That is those that are not found prepared And in Luke 18.8 Where the Lord saith When he cometh shall he find faith on Earth That is the generality of the Christians will be more prophane and wicked than ever they were and therefore none of them that are so shall have any part of his Supper when he cometh Now that the justice and mercy of God might be both evident as the Psalmist and St. Paul saith in Rom. 3.4 Where he speaking of God saith in Ps 51.4 That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged Therefore God looking on the poor that here have known nothing but misery and thereby made uncapable of shewing mercy in giving relief to others and also through poverty had not the due education as to bring them up in the knowledge of the Lord of which some of them which will be brought in at the coming of the Lord is said to be lame halt and blind To be sure some of them will not be only outwardly so but also there will be those that are inwardly so The first that were brought in are said to be fetcht out of the streets and lanes of the City And the Servants of the Lord said yet there is room Then were they Commanded to go into the high waies and hedges and to compel them to come in Here by all this we have no reason to believe that these were all sound ready at his coming but that they then are called in to sill up their places that have neglected his mercy And Isaiah Prophesieth of the time to come in which the Lord shall be judge that the lame also shall take the prey Whereas he saith in Chap. 33.22 v. The Lord is our Judge the Lord ic our Lawgiver the Lord is our King he will save us 23. v. Thy tackling are loosed they could not well strengthen their Mast they could not spread the Sail then is the prey of a great spoile divided the lame take the prey You may plainly see by these words that they have only reference to the time when the Lord again comes And in the 14 Chap. 1. v. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them in their own Land and strangers shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. By which we see that there will be strangers called in at that time when Israel is And the Psalmist where he saith Psal 9.17,18,19 The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Then it is in the following verse The needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Arise O Lord let not man prevail let the Heathen be judged in thy sight We see here when it is that the Poor and Needy is thus to be remembred It is when the Lord riseth to judgment at which time he renders punishments to the Wicked and Comfort to the Afflicted And it is said in Psal 37.7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devises to pass 8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil 9. For evil doers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the Earth 10. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be 11. But the meek
1.7,8,9,10 Heb. 9.28 but unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation and so come Lord Jesus Amen A Definition of a true Soul-saving Faith according to the Rule of God's Word which the Lord requireth of us to interest us in himself is this FIrst that all those that come to God must believe that God is and that he is such as he hath declared himself to be in his Holy Word three Persons Father Son and Holy Spirit these Three to be but one God from everlasting to everlasting Isa 40.27,28 Isa 40.23,24 Jer. 23.24 1 Joh. 5.7 Psal 90.2 Rev. 1.8 Psal 90.2 Ps 41.13 John 10.38 of one Will one Mind one Power and one Glory and dwelleth in that light that no mortal Eye is able to approach unto and beyond the Apprehension of Man to comprehend the height of his glorious Excellency this is that God blessed for ever from all Eternity to all Eternity and he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him and that through the alone Merit and meritorious Satisfaction and Intercession of the Lord Christ Jesus Heb. 11.6 2 Cor. 5.18,19 Rev. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.18,19,20,21 Mark here what the Apostle saith It is he that diligently seeketh the Lord is promised the reward and he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy Heb. 11.6 Prov. 28.13 1 Joh. 3.3 Heb. 9.14 2 Cor. 5.17 this is the Faith which the Apostle saith purifieth the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God for he that is in Christ must become a new Creature and walk as he himself walked as much as in us lies 1 Joh. 2.6 Mat. 7.17 Luk. 6.44 Gal. 5.6 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Joh. 4.18 for the Tree is known by its fruit saving Faith worketh by Love and draweth out our hearts and affections after the Lord in the apprehensions of his bringing us to life and immortality which removeth from us the slavish Fear and the Lord hath bidden us take hold of his strength for of our selves we are not able to overcome the Evil of sin the Snares of the World the Wiles of the Devil nor the Treachery of our own Hearts Isa 27.5 Joh. 15.5 Therefore the Lord hath invited all them that are weary and heavy laden to come unto him and he will give them rest Matt. 11.28 Isa 41.3 promising that he will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax therefore in and through Christ we have boldness to the throne of grace through that new and living way the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 4.16 Heb. 10.29 Heb. 12.24 Heb. 13.20 Col. 1.10 whereby the Lord hath made reconciliation in nailing our sins to his Cross and justifying us if we have an interest in him with his righteousness Isai 53.4.5.12 1 Pet. 3.18 2 Cor. 13.5 but be sure let us take the advice of St. Paul with us in that he bids us examine our selves and prove ourselves whether we have the fruits of the Spirit as love joy peace long-suffering temperance meekness gentleness brotherly-kindness charity being easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits doing to others as we would they should do unto us for he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit and therefore whether you have given up your will to the will of God in sincerity to be guided thus by him and to order your course of life thus for him for it is the love and the heart God requireth and if he has that he will never leave us nor forsake us when we leave all this World it is our love will lanch with us into eternal happiness and bring us into the injoyment of that God beloved of us and there we shall be put into a capacity never to offend him and ever to sing Hallelujah to him Gal. 5.22.23 2 Pet. 1.5,6,7 Jam. 1.22,25,26,27 Jam. 3.17 Jam. 4.7,8 Mal. 7.12 1 Cor. 6.17 1 Cor. 19.20 1 Cor. 8.3 Mat. 10.37 Luk. 10.27 2 Cor. 4.14 Joh. 14.21 Joh. 12.26 Joh. 14.2 Rev. 14.13 Rev. 3.12 Rev. 22.7.12 A Covenant made with God MOst great and glorious Lord my God in all thy attributes infinitely above what I am able to apprehend or comprehend of thee who art glorious in holiness rich in grace transcendent in loving kindness and mercy although a severe judge to the incorrigible sinner but unto the repenting sinner that loves and fears thee Lord thou hast promised to shew thy salvation and therefore in the sence of my own unworthiness and misery I lay hold on the offer of thy mercy according as Lord thou hast tendred it in thy Gospel which is by faith and repentance love and new obedience and accordingly thereunto I here unfeignedly resign up to thee my whole heart with its will and affections my Lord and God to be guided and governed by thee begging Lord that thou wilt graciously accept me and make my heart thy habitation by the indwelling of thy Spirit in me so as I may be enabled by thee to love all that thy Majesty loveth and hate all that thou my Lord hatest and also desiring more strength of thee whereby I may be enabled by thee O my God to walk more suitably to thee in all things so putting my whole trust and confidence in thy mercy herein resting upon thy word that Lord thou wilt not forsake the Soul that puts her trust in thee therefore my God leave me not nor forsake me neither leave me so as to forsake thee the fountain and foundation of my eternal happiness but as I here in truth and sincerity do resign up my self my God to thee to be thy servant and spouse in the way of thy Gospel covenant let this Lord be registred in Heaven with thee so as I may be washed in thy Blood from all my filthiness and that I may be covered over with the garment of thy righteousness and here fully regenerated by thy Spirit so as I may find eternal acceptance with thee my God through thy beloved and that my interest in thee my Lord may be more and more clear'd up to me day by day so as I may be brought more into the knowledge of thy love which passeth knowledge and enabled by thee my Lord to live in the flames of love with thee who wilt be glorified in thy Saints and admired in those that do believe and O my God that thou wilt uphold me by the right hand of thy righteousness through this valley and shadow of tears and keep me in or from the hour of temptation and give me a part with thee in the first resurrection O my God be not angry with me for the largeness of this my request since thou hast bidden us open our mouths wide and thou wilt fill them therefore my Lord and God say Amen to these Petitions of thy Unworthy Servant Of a false Faith and Instructions as to the true one THere is a new found
hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of God We see all along here that the Lord speaks of his power and judgment when he again comes And again he saith Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Here the Lord speaks in the Scripture way of speaking in that he so nearly joyns his coming to judge the World with that last judgment like that of his joyning the destruction of Jerusalem and of the World together according to which all the Scripture is so joyn'd Now these two judgments are clearly to distinct things for in the first it is said the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and it was those that did hear did live therefore this is at the first resurrection when the Lord again comes at which time all the promiss'd Elect shall be call'd in whom he hath promised mercy and with the dead Bodies of the Saints shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live And the other is the eternal judgment which is spoken of in the Revelations where it is said the Sea and Death and Hell delivered up the dead As to what the Lord saith in John 5. from the 20. v. to the 29. v. The Lord there speaks of the two judgments as I have elsewhere proved to you and therefore what he saith in the 24. v. is concerning them that are believers at his coming that they have everlasting life and that they shall not come into condemnation but where the Lord saith John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life And the Apostle also saith 1 John 5.11,12,13 This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life That is God hath renewed us in Christ and given us eternal life by him if we are true Believers and what that belief is that is required of us I have elsewhere proved to you But the everlasting life that is given the Believer is as it was given Adam in Paradise the which was as long as he continued in his obedience And so it is with us the which the words of the Lord doth fully explain where he saith John 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death And Christ saith again John 15.9,10,11,12 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you By all this we plainly see that the eternal life given the Believer is theirs no longer than they persist in their obedience So Adam's eternal life that he had given him in Paradise was lost by his offending for had he persisted in his obedience he had never dyed And as I have already proved to you that if we are regenerated so as our wills are brought over into an intire resignation of our selves to God and Christ then we are accepted of him and then is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us but it is afterward there comes a day of trial either by temptation or affliction or a cloudy dark day may overtake us and therefore it is best for every true Christian to arm themselves for the worst that they may be able to stand in the evil day so whilst we continue in our obedience the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and then as the Apostle saith are we complete in him and afterward what sins are not willfully committed will not destroy us because Christ is our Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 but let him that standeth take heed lest he fall And St. John saith 1 John 3.6,7,8 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him That is they give themselves no liberty to sin and what is not willingly committed is not imputed Little Children let no man deceive you he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous That is if we continue in well-doing as I before shewed we have the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to us for it is said we are complete in him He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinned from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifest that be might destroy the works of the Devil That is he that willfully committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil committeth no sin but what he committeth willfully And the Apostle saith 1 John 1.6,7,8,9 If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin This is that which makes us appear clean and white in the sight of God But he saith again If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us For we cannot live without sin as sins of infirmity and sins of ignorance and too often overtaken in the sins of Negligence and sometimes overtaken with the Sins of Surprisal Therefore he saith in the 9. v. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteouness That is all our unrighteousnesses upon our Conversion are forgiven if we seek to God by Confession and Contrition And whereas the Lord saith in Mat. 5.46,47,48 For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the Publicans the same and if ye salute your Brethren only what do ye more than others do not even the Publicans so Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect That is be you perfect or sincere in your Love to others as God was sincere or perfect in his Love to you in that he gave the Son of his Love for you according to his Promise And in Luke 17.5,6 And the Apostles said unto the Lord increase our Faith And the Lord said if ye had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed you might say to this Sycamine Tree be thou pluck up by the Root and be thou planted in the Sea and it should obey you
is done to the Figtree but also if ye shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and it shall be done 22. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive This Christ spake to his Disciples unto whom he afterward gave as great power to as that of the removing of Mountains when he sent upon them the Holy Ghost and the Power of working Miracles and there is no doubt but if they had said to the Mountain be thou removed into the Sea but it should have been done as well as when Elijah called for Fire to come down from Heaven But these promises belong not to us but those that find they have Power to do these Miracles may believe they do belong to them Now here is some difference betvven vvhat is said in these Verses and vvhat is said in the former for there it is said that they shall say to this Mountain be thou removed and it shall be done but in these last Verses it is said if you shall say to this Mountain be you removed and it shall be so In the former there should be nothing impossible for them to do But in these vvhatsoever they should ask believingly they should receive Now as St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 13,2 And tho I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all Misteries and all knowledg And tho I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing 3. Altho I bestow all my goods to feed the Poor and tho I give my hody to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Now these Mountains that St. Paul here speaks of doth appear to be some inbred Corruption which a man might find some inconvenience in And so for fear of Hell he becomes terrified and therefore no longer willing to live in them having all Faith as to believe the whole Revealed Will of God in his Word And therefore when he finds that he in his own strength was not able to overcome them then he goes to fetch strength from the the Lord in making his Addresses to him for his Assistance and having thereby gain'd power to remove these Mountains yet if his Heart is not drawn out in the Love of God and Christ thereby he is still nothing for it is our Love that God requireth and it is that which will launch with us into the World that is to come As to that word which in these new Translations is termed Charity is in the old Translation Love as in the Original For by Love vve extend our selves to God as vvell as to our fellovv Creatures vvhich by Charity vve cannot do Now as for those places of Scriptvre vvhere Christ and his Apostles saith he that believeth in me or he that believeth in Christ shall be saved is only in short to remember them of the Lord 's Revealed Will in his Word vvhich if they do so believe in the Lord as to make his Commands and Precepts the rule of their Lives to live according thereunto they shall be saved The vvhich is a clear demonstration that the Lord hath by himself and his Apostles left us Instructions vvhich vve are to believe by vvhich Salvation is attainable The vvhich St. Paul's vvords does farther clear 1 Cor. 15.1 Moreover Brethren I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you which also ye have received and wherein ye stand By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I Preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain And St. Peter faith 1 Pet. 1.21,22 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit see that ye Love one another with a pure Heart fervently We here see this Faith purifieth the Soul and extendeth it self in Love for God is Love And St. Peter saith in Acts 15.9 That God put no difference between us and them purifying their Hearts by Faith By vvhich vve see if vve have a saving faith it vvill vvork the same effect in us This is spoken of the Election 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of those that were Christ's standing witnesses thro' the World of whom the Lord faith in John 10.27,28 That none can pluck them out of his hand Concerning the Indwelling of Christ in us NOW as to Christ's being in us and as to the indwelling of the Spirit with us I shall here set down what St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be roprobates Now we are to take notice what he here saith in the former part of the verse the which was that we should examin our selves whether we are in the Faith and that we should prove our selves as much as to say that is the way to know whether Christ is in us or no And in the Ephesians he tells us plainly how it is Christ is said to dwell in us where he saith in Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in Love By which we may clearly see it is by Faith and Love that Christ is said to dwell in our Hearts And therefore St. Paul saith in 1 Cor. 16.22 If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him him be Anathema Maranatha The which is let him be Accursed and if accursed besure he is a Reprobate Now if the indwellings of Christ in us is by Faith and Love then the best way to know whether Christ hath such an Indwelling in us or no is by our Obedience to him in our close walking with him according to his Revealed Will in his Word And if so we shall have the Spirit which is the Comforter more or less bearing Witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God And St. Paul here speaks of the Works of the Flesh where he saith Rom. 8.5 to the 10. v. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit For to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace Because the carnal mind is entirely against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness We see that the Spirit here spoken of is no other but a Spirit of Complaiscency to God and Christ in that their Wills are brought over into the Love
and Obedience of him The which St. Paul speaks to this effect in Phil. 2.2 to the 8. v. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Look not every man at his own things but every man also to the things of others Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the Death of the Cross Now it was with the Spirit of Love and this submissive Spirit that was in Christ which is required to be in us The which wholly brings us into Obedience to the will of God And St. John saith to the like effect 1 John 2.5,6 Whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the word of God perfected whereby know me that we are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked These forementioned places do fully evidence to us what is that Spirit of Christ that is required to be in us And not that it is required or given to us the working of Miracles the giving of the Holy Ghost or speasting with Tongues Neither that we should expect the Spirits teaching of us so as to speak expresly to us as it did at the Establishing of the first Christian Churches As to which St. Paul saith in Gal. 1.11,12 I certify you brethren that the Gospel which was Preached of me is not after man For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Now the first Churches being thus wonderfully established by the mighty Power of God in the pouring forth of his Spirit upon them for the furtherance of the Gospel unto part of which St. John wrote this first Epistle Which persons were well instructed in the Word after which they received the Holy Ghost which is the anointing which he here speaketh of And as to what he here saith concerning the Word I shall begin at 1 John 2.24,25,26,27 Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall tontinue in the Son and in the Father And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal Life These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Here by these Words we are first to take notice that if the Word of God which they heard from the beginning did remain in them they should also continue in the Son and in the Father so as to have Eternal Life Now these things he wrote to them because there were some that went about to seduce them therefore he doth admonish them that if the word did remain in them that then they should continue in the Son and in the Father Now whereas he saith the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things But by the forementioned Caution that if the word did remain in them that then they should abide in the Father and the Son By which it does appear that if they neglect or slight the word that the Spirit would soon withdraw his teaching and comfortable presence from them Therefore he saith in 1 John 2.28,29 And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming By which we see that although they had the gifts of the Holy Ghost with the Teachings of the Spirit yet they may so grieve the Spirit of Grace as to tempt God to leave them Now when the wonderful pourings forth of the Spirit which was in the Apostles time with the working of Miracles and speaking with Tongues ceased then did this evident Teaching of the Spirit cease also Now St. John writing to the Saints which had the Anointing of the Spirit which was that they had received the Holy Ghost the which was given for the Establishing of the Gospel He saith unto them in the 1 John 3.2,3,4,5 Behold now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And every Man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Now if we have this Hope and do not purify our selves it will prove but a vain hope to us And whereas he saith in the 4. v. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law And ye knew that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no no sin That is he was manifested to take away original Sin and the Sins of the truly Penitent upon their Conversion and afterwards those sins that are not wilfully and presumptuously committed therefore St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.19,20,21 That God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him We here see that this invitation and the not imputing their iniquities was before their Conversion so as to have tasted the good word of God and the Powers of the World to come And St. John saith 1 John 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him Whereas he saith he that abideth in Christ sinneth not That is sinneth not wilfully and presumptuously and sins after conversion if not wilfully committed are not imputed But he that sinneth presumptuously hath neither seen him nor known him savingly And St. John saith in v. 7. Little Children let no man deceive you he that doeth righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous This is no otherwise than as to the sincerity of their Wills and Affections upon which they are accepted as perfectly Righteous in Christ Jesus for then it is his Righteousness is imputed to them for it is said Col. 2.10 We are compleat in him And St. John also saith 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the
beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil That is He that wilfully committeth sin is of the Devil for we shall stand or fall according to the integrity or uprightness of our wills the which if that is not right the man cannot be without sin And the which sin makes them the Children of the Devil And of whom God saith in Prov. 1.25,26 They set at nought all his Councel and would none of his reproof Therefore he saith I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh And whereas it is said for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Here St. John doth not speak in the ordinary Scripture way of mentioning things that are to come as though they were already done But in our plain way of speaking in that he saith that he might destroy the works of the Devil whereby we know that it is not yet done but that he hath already paid the Ransome for that which he shall have in possession at that time of Restitution and then shall he destroy the works of the Devil For Christ himself saith in John 14.30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the Prince of this World cometh and hath nothing in me Now it is Evident if the Devil be the Prince of this World Christ hath not yet destroyed the works of the Devil And as to what St. John saith in the 9. v. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Now in the former Verse he makes mention of himself and the Church and also saith they are called the Sons of God but in 1 John 3.9 he neither makes mention of himself or the Church but saith Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Here we see that those that are thus born of God cannot wilfully sin But he writ not so to the Church to whom he directed this Epistle although they received the special Anointing For he saith to them in 1 John 2.24,28 Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son And he saith in the 28. v. And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming By which cautions we see that tho they had received the anointings of the Spirit yet through negligence they might fall off That some are so absolutely chosen or otherwise termed the very Elect or as in Matt. 13.8 The good ground the Lord speaketh of which bringeth forth Fruit so as they cannot wilfully sin and therefore cannot fall away whilst the other had a season of Grace and the anointing of the Spirit and renewings of the Holy Ghost in which benefits they must use their utmost diligence to make their Calling and Election sure and to persevere in an holy Life as they may become the Sons of God Of which St. John saith 1 John 2.29 If ye know that he is Righteous ye know that every one that doth Righteousness is born of him Now that the Righteousness that St. John here speaks of is no other than the uprightness of our wills accompanied with our utmost endeavours to persevere in an Holy Life by which we like Children shew forth our Love and Obedience to God and Christ and if so the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us so as we become perfectly Righteous in the sight of God through the Righteousness of Christ put upon us the which his own words makes fully evident by reason in his first Chapter of the said Book he informs them fully how the case stood with them where he saith in 1 John 1.6,7,8,9,10 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we lie and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness If we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us St. John in the first of these verses tells us That if we say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness that we are lyars And he saith in the following verse If we walk in the light as he is in the light that is as God is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another that is with God according to what he saith in the 3 v. of the same chap. Now our walking in the light as he is in the Light is to have perfection always in our Eyes and aims so as to make it our daily endeavour to persevere man Holy Life and then the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin And in the 8. v. he wholly takes us off of that blind conceit as to think that we have no sin For he saith if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and that the truth is not in us But he lets us understand in the following verse That if we confess our sins he is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness We must not here think that this Confession is to be without contrition and repenting of the evil confessed For if it is our Confession will avail us nothing for the Lord will not hear it to cleanse us from our iniquity And St. John in his whole Epistle makes it evident he had no such meaning for them to confess their sins and not amend their lives as the 4. v. in the 2d Chapter of the Epistle of John He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lier and the truth is not in him 5. But whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked And he saith in 3. c. at 7. and 8. v. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God for God is love 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Now Love is the great Commandment both of the Old and New Testament And Love is placed in the fore-front of all the Graces as in Cor. 13.1 Where
we have in our new Translation turned into Charity which in the old is Love for Charity will not sufficiently explain the meaning of the word Therefore it is said in the 3. v. Though I bestow all my Goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing That is if we have not Love for Love cannot be without Charity but Charity may be without Love for we may be Charitable by the way of Merit thinking to purchase Heaven by it and that will not do But if we are without Charity in the way of our Duty and Love in the fellow feeling of one anothers sufferings then is not the Love of God in us For St. John saith in the 3. chap. 17. v. But whosoever hath this world's goods and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 18. v. My little Children let us not Love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And St. James saith in the 1.17 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions and to keep himself unspotted from the World And he saith in the 2. c. 13. v. For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against Judgment 14. v. For what doth it profit my brethren tho a man say he hath Faith and have not Works can Faith save him 15. v. If a Brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily Food 16. v. And one of you say unto them depart in Peace be you warmed and filled Notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit 17. v. Even so Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone We are not here now to wait for new Calls but to improve the Talent that God hath given us in that we have his word the good motions of his Spirit and the Checks of Conscience the which Talents well improved will bring us to Eternal Blessedness for if we take to the rule which he hath set before us and according thereunto beg his continual Assistance God will then never be wanting to us And St. Paul saith of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 That from a Child thou hast known the Scriptures which is able to make thee wise to Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus By which the Promise is obtainable for as there is an absolute Election of whom it is said their Names was Written in Heaven from the Foundation So there is a conditional Election and us a Day of Grace Therefore as the Apostle saith having a promise of entring into his Rest let us fear lest we should fall short of it Therefore let us up and be doing that thereby we may make our Calling and Election sure for we are not of that number that are chose to be his standing Witnesses thro' the World and therefore may fall away the which I have clearly proved by the word where I have spoken of Election Of Baptism AND whereas St. Paul saith Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ The which is meant 〈◊〉 the Spiritual Baptism whereby they become conformable to Christ as in Rom. 8.9,10 Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you The which indwelling of his Spirit is this Spiritual Baptism Now with the Spiritual Baptism there is joyned a sign or Seal the which is the outward Baptism of Washing or Plunging So as to be buried under the Water and therefore said buried with him in Baptism for as Christ was underneath the Earth so we should be plunged under the Water the which doth also signify to us that we should be Spiritually Dead to the World as having no delight in it or to it Now the Children of believing Parents are said to be Holy therefore fit to receive this sign of Baptism and they also being in Covenant as well as their Parents And by the Blood of Christ it is that both are made partakers of the Promises but to any that are of Maturity and not Believers the which Belief is such as brings our Wills over into a conformity to the will of God then Christ dwells in us by his Spirit and then are we Spiritually Baptised And if the outward sign and Seal is fixt on them that within them is not sound the thing signified It is but like a Seal to a blank Bond For St. Paul saith Rom. 2.28 For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God Now Children are innocent as to any actual Sin and if they come of believing Parents are said to be Holy and so fit to be Baptised and the Covenant of God made by Moses was as well made with Children as with those of Maturity Of the Trinity THe meaning of the Trinity is this That the Infinite God consists of three Glorious Beings or Persons as God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and these three to be one God being of one Will one Mind one Power one Glory this being the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity which was from all Eternity and so continues to all Eternity the only true God blessed for ever more Amen Heb. 1.3,8 John 5.21,22,23 1 John 5.20 Col. 1.15,16,17 John 1.3 Acts 5.3,4 Wisd 7.24,25,26,27 Let us all learn to know God in Christ Christ in Faith by an Holy reliance upon him and a self Resignation of our Wills and affections to him and to know our Faith by good works and so to know the Will of God as to do it and before the knowledg of all other things we should learn to know our selves Whereas it is said in 1 John 5.7,8 that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are One so it is said the Spirit the Water and the Blood a gree in one as to the renewing of a sinner the Spirit of the Lord doth again Renew us the Water in Baptism washeth us and the Blood of Christ 't is that Justifies us if we take hold of the tender of his Grace according to the condition as it is offered And again the Spirit the Water and
are there is the Kingdom of God which Vision was a Figure of the Glory which shall be Revealed For there Christ appeared in his Glory accompanied with his Saints from Heaven and with his Living Saints on Earth and the Voice of God thereby to inform us that we might not mistake and take mean and low things for the glorious Kingdom of God and Christ of which our Lord is not yet in possession of It was then within two days before he that is now in Possession was to be turn'd out for a Thousand years is but as one day and one day as a Thousand years with the Lord nor to us a Thousand years will appear but as one day compared with Eternity Heb. 10.37 And at the appointed time he that shall come will come and will not tarry But as to what the Lord said after he arose in Matt. 28.18 Jesus came and spake unto them saying all Power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth That was He then had compleated the Purchase thereof and had the full assurance of it from the Father altho he was not in the real possession of it But it is our way of speaking and much more the Scripture way of speaking that when any thing is given us and so confirm'd on us that we cannot be disappointed of it then we say such an Estate is given us altho the other that injoys it is not at present put out of Possession The which the Apostle in Hebrews 2. doth make it more plainly appear wherein he saith in the 8. v. God hath put all things in subjection under his Feet for in that he put all things in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him but now we see not yet all things put under him That is we see not yet the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ 9. v. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of Death crowned with Glory and Honour And St. Paul saith much the same words in 1 Cor. 15.27,28 And it is also said in Heb. 10.12 This man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sin for ever sate down on the Right Hand of God 13. v. From henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool This ever signifies whilst this our World lasteth all which time he expecteth till his Enemies be made his Footstool but by these words it is fully Evident to us that his Enemies are not made his Footstool Now David was a Type of Christ and he was anointed King whereby he was assured of the Kingdom a long time before he received the Power of the Kingdom But his Followers knowing him to be the Lord 's Anointed owned him to be their Prince and King when he was not in the Possession of the Kingdom but at the time God had determined he removed his Enemies and set him on the Throne of Israel his People So Christ will not have only his suffering time with David here where none but a few shall own him to be their Prince and King But also his Reigning time on the Throne of his Father David at which time all his Enemies shall be made his Footstool and then it is that all the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ Now that the Lord does speak of things that are to come as tho they were already past I will give you one more clear proof which is in Jer. 31.15 Thus saith the Lord a Voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her Children refused to be comforted for her Children because they were not You see that this is spoken of as tho it were already done and past altho it was about five hundred years before this Prophesy was fulfulfil'd as in Mat. 2.16 Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise Men was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coast thereof from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the Wise men 17. v. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the Prophet saying 18. v. In Ramah was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her Children and would not be comforted because they are not Now Herod by Slaying these Children did think to take off the Lord of Glory but God disappointed him upon which remarkable thing Rachel was Prophesied of And also these things gives us light how to read the Scriptures as I before told you That those Prophesies and Sayings in Scripture which speak as if they were already done if we do not find they are done it remaineth good to us they shall be done Now although the Lord did say all power was given him in Heaven and in Earth yet the Lord to let us understand that his time was not yet saith in John 18.36 His Kingdom is not of this World Therefore the Lord Instructeth us in Luke 9.23 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me 24. v. For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his Life for my sake the same shall save it 25. v. For what is a man Advantaged if he gain the whole World and lose himself or be cast away 26. v. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the Holy Angels By this we see when the Lord's time will be that is when he comes to Judg the World and at the time of the Restitution of all things And the Apostle tells us Ephes 6.11,12,13,18 That our Life here must be a continual Warfare Heb. 11.13 And that the Saints are but strangers and pilgrims upon the Earth 1 Pet. 5.8,9 And that we have an Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the Faith Put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil 12. v. For we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World and against Spiritual Wickedness in high-places 13. v. Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the Evil Day He also adviseth us To be fervent in Prayer serving the Lord. And to do this let us not go out in our own strength but with strong Crying and Prayers unto our God that we may be able to stand in the evil Day And St. John perswades us 1 John 2.15,16,17 not to love the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the