THE MYSTERY OF THE True Ministry UNVAILED, As it was to be before, under, and shall be after Antichrists Time, AND The unlawfulness of the Call of the now MINISTRY. By a Witness of the Gospel, JOHN BRAIN. JEREM. 51.9. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed; forsake her, and let us go every one into his own Country, etc. Vers. 10. The Lord hath brought forth our Righteousness; come, let us declare in Zion the Work of the Lord. Printed at London, and are to be sold in Popes-head Alley. 1649. To the Supreme Authority of the Nation, the Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT. RIGHT HONOURABLE, I Am bold in Jesus Christ to present you with this ensuing Treatise, as a part of the Council of God, witnessing in the Lord unto you, That the Work you have to do for the House of God, is far above your and the world's present apprehensions; the true Church being no way to be restored, until you (whose work I hope it is) have made desolate the false Church, Rev. 17.16. who before made desolate the true Church, Rev. 11 2. so that in all you do less than the making of it desolate, you come short of fulfilling the Mind of God, and occasion the delay of your own deliverance, and the Kingdom's Peace, to do which God will enforce you, and not give you rest until it be done, (yea, and all) be it what, or whomsoever: they that hinder it will be removed out of the way, God will spare no man, any thing herein; be ye therefore instructed, ye that be Judges of the Earth, and kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, that ye may in this his day of wrath find favour with the Lord, that ye may live in his sight, and behold his salvation ready to be revealed; which is the desire and fervent prayer of Your Servant in the Gospel John Brayn. 25 May, 1649. THE MYSTERY OF THE True Ministry UNVAILED, etc. THe blessed and only wise God, to the magnifying of his most glorious Name, hath in the prophetical History of the beloved Disciple John set forth the Churches several changes, from that time the Apocalypses was written to the end of the world. 1. He speaks to the Churches in the time of their Visibility, in which time he lived, as in Chap. 1.2, & 3. in which time the Ministry thereof are Angel Ministers, or true Church-Ministry, Chap. 1.20. who are admonished by the Spirit of Prophecy of Gods depriving the Churches of the use of them for their Apostasy, Rev. 2.5. & 3.16. intimated in taking away the Candlestick of the Ephesian Church. Now on this followeth the sealing up of the Book as a Judgement to the wicked world, so that the Scriptures are in a manner taken from the world with the Church-Ministry, Rev. 5.2. 2. The next estate followeth hereupon, is, the Churches driving into the Wilderness, or hid estate, Antichrist having demolished the frame, Constitution, public Ministry, and Ordinances, as they were set up in the Primitive Church by the Apostles, and set up other of his own, called the abomination of desolation set up in the holy place. 1. This is set out Chap. 12. from vers. 1. to vers. 5. where the Church is in its Visibility: Verse 6. sets out its Invisibility in its flight into the Wilderness. 2. This flight into the Wilderness is discovered more significantly to us, Chap. 11. verse 2. where the Gentiles are said to tread underfoot the holy City 42 months; here by the holy City cannot be meant the City of Jerusalem, it is more than 1600 year since that was destroyed, and lieth so; but the Church is here intended, who must be trod underfoot by the Heathens (for so the Nations are, though they are baptised, and call themselves Christians under the present Administrations) during which time of 1260 years, God ordained his Elect, being without Church-Constitution to be ministered unto man otherway then formerly, which way of Administration was either common, or more especial. 1. The common way of teaching was by the Ministry of those which the Scripture calleth the two Witnesses, Chap. 12.6. who are to feed the Church during its Wilderness Estate. Now the manner how they feed the Church is set down, Chap. 11.3. and then because that the Ordination of Antichrist was unlawful, God is said to give them to prophecy, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to teach against the terror and threats of Antichrist, and authority to do it in Christ's Name during that time for the edification of the Elect. 2. To these God in a more especial manner within this time of 1260 day prophetically years, raiseth up seven eminent men in several ages, who serve to restore the Church of Christ by degrees, and destroy the Church of Antichrist: These are spoken of, Rev. 8.2. which seven Angels are as the Prophets raised up to the Jewish Church, and added to their ordinary Ministry, by whom God revealed something more of himself then the former world knew: so these opened the seven Seals of the sealed Book, each one bringing something of the hid Gospel to light until all were revealed, and so each one pouring out his Vial on the false Church until it were destroyed, Rev. 10.7, 8. & 16.17, 19 Now these in an eminent manner, God having eminent matters to do by them, are said to have their trumps from God, that is, their Ministry and Call thereunto: and it is very remarkable, that both Witnesses and Angels are said to have their authority from God. Antichrist would give none to these to Minister by, or rather indeed could not, it being an abomination to take it from her, nor did they need it, God giving it them, nor would God use Antichrists authority herein. 1. These Witnesses were not two particular men, as some dream, but a few Witnesses raised up of God successively to instruct the Elect, and to manifest Antichrists delusions in the several ages of the predicted time, under part whereof we live, some of them being one while in France, as in Waldoe; others in Bohemia, as in Thabor; others in England at other time, as in John Wicklief. 2. Nor were they the Magistrate and Minister, as some conceive, from the Types they are drawn from, as Moses and Aaron, Zerubbabel and Joshuah. 1. These were to feed the Church, and so may ye say doth the Christian Magistrate, but more these feeds it by prophecy, which is not ordinarily proper to the Magistrate to do. 2. They were in sackcloth still under persecution all these times for the truth, as the Waldenses by Papists, Nonconformists by Bishops, Independents by Presbyters. Now the Magistrates of these times were not brought to sackcloth. 3. To witness to Christ is usually applied to Ministers, but not Magistrates. The Scripture mentions two sorts of Witnesses, the one ordinary, the other extraordinary; That that qualified the extraordinary, was, that he was testis occulatus, 1 John 1.1. they telling men what they saw of Christ in word and deed while he was with them in the flesh, 1 Pet. 5.1. The ordinary Witness is either a sufferer for Christ, or a believer in Christ, discovering to others the knowledge of Salvation by Jesus Christ, which God by his Spirit hath manifested unto him. Object. Some of the Witnesses were ordained by the Popish Ministry. Resp. 1. That was before they were called by God to witness, else they would not have received ordination from them. 2. They witnessed not by that Ordination. That which constituted the ministering Witness here spoken of is set down Rev. 19.10. I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the witness of Jesus, for the witness of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy: So that where God did, for this time of the Church's desolation, give the Spirit of Prophecy, there was witness sufficiently qualified thus; about 1160 Valdus of Lions, a rich man on the sudden death of one in company with him brought him to read the Scriptures, and teach it his family, and after many of the poor, in so much that he became a famous light in that dark time of the world, and did more good than a thousand ordained Ministers have done since without any Ordination. And one john Claydon about the year 1415. had this as an Article by the Bishops exhibited against him, (taken out of a book that was called The Lantern of Light,) That he held the Bishop's Licence, for a man to preach the Word of God is the Character of the Beast. Vide Fox, Acts and Mon. Now, that this sufficiently did constitute the witness for this Ministry during this time, I commend this to your consideration: 1. That they were to minister no more than God by his Spirit gave them an inward power to do, which was to prophecy. 2. The Scripture mentions not that they had authority given them to administer the Sacraments as the Apostles had, Mat. 28. ver. ult. and therefore they had none, nor durst not administer them. 3. Nor during their Ministry were they to be administered, they being not to constitute any Church, nor was their visible Church to be constituted by them. 4. Nor are the Sacraments to be administered but in a true constituted Church, which are never mentioned in all the History of the Church, but after Babel's fall, Rev. 18.2. and the Call of the Saints out of her, Vers. 4. and the Marriage of the Lamb, which was the Restauration of the Church to her primitive Constitution, Rev. 19.7. then Verse 9 followeth, Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb: so that before the Marriage or Church-Constitution is, to be no Supper by any allowance of Jesus Christ at all. 5. There being no true constituted visible Church, there was not that power left in any rightly to elect or ordain any to the public places of the Gospel-Ministry, nor will be while the Witnesses time is, until God send him whom he will send to restore it. 5. I grant that if a right constituted Church were in being, that then none may presume to teach by his gifts, without the Church call, when that that is lawful is to be had: but until that time come, Gods giving to prophecy is sufficient authority without any present call, it being Antichristian. Applic. Consider I pray, to what height of abomination the Sacraments have been put unto, it being worshipped as God cast into Tibur to stop the raging of the Seas; said to be really the body and blood of Christ by transubstantiation, and then the error of consubstantiation came up, and was made to bring death, which was given for to minister life to the Saints, the Cup kept from the Lay-people as they call them, and how since under Episcopacy and Presbytery, communicated to unbelievers carnal and evil minded men, yea, profane and wicked, to the offence of godly minded men. 2. How hath the Sacrament of Baptism been administered Nationally with Doctrines that corrupted the minds of men, as if in it their sins were washed away, and that by this, they come to be members of Christ and of his Church: which state is no other nor no better than the condemned World. 3. Hence God, foreseeing to what abomination in this time the Sacraments by Antichrist would be put unto, did in the time of this Churches hiding, as he did with the jews in the time of their being in the wilderness, dispense with his Ordinance, they being not circumcised: we also during this time being not baptised, are accepted Baptism, being that visible Ordinance did only accompany the estate of the visible Church; which is yet hid, and mainly served to its constitution. 4. The Ministry of the Witnesses and their Authority, is only to endure while the Church is unconstituted, and differs from the Church constituted Ministry in time, in call, in Ministry and office, they being but Witnesses only, and not Gospel-ministers, as Church-ministers. 5. God calling them [my Two Witnesses] showeth that he did approve of them and their Ministry during that time, and that there were no other Ministers in all the world, but these God did allow of or own at all amongst the Nationall Ministry, which were multitudes. 6. As one of these I now Minister. 7. If the Witnesses had not authority to administer the Sacraments, than no other Ministry during their time of ministry, have or had in all the world. 8. As they had not authority to baptise, so consequentially they had no authority to constitute a Church, nor have any yet received it, as I think, as it shall be given. The Third Change, from its Desolate estate, to its Restoration again. Which shall be done by him, spoken of Rev. 18. Ver. 1. who comes on the fall of Babel Rev. 17.6. and calls men out, Cap. 18.4. celebrates the Marriage of the Lamb, Rev. 17.19. administers the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Ver. 9 by whom the Church is adorned with Ministry and Ordinances as a Bride prepared for her Husband, Rev. 21.2. For all these, there is not mention made of any other Church-ministring Angel but this aforesaid. That this Truth may appear more clearly true, I shall commend to your consideration these succeeding Conclusions drawn from Mat. 21.15. The Baptism of john, whence was it, from Heaven or of men? Christ's teaching ver. 23. occasioned the Priests and Elders of the People to question him (saying,) by what authority dost thou these things, & who gave thee this authority? (which proves) 1. That Teachers ought not to teach without authority. 2. This Authority should be lawful, Rom. 10.15; 3. Men may lawfully inquire into Teacher's authority, (yea; and aught to do it) that they may see ground to obey that that is lawful, and reject that that is unlawful. 4. The Priests had good ground to move the question to jesus Christ, 1. Christ being of the Tribe of judah and not Levi, by the Ceremonial Law could not teach publicly, Heb. 7.14. Nor had Moses said any thing of any Priest should rise out of that Tribe. 2. They had the overseeing of the Ministry during their time committed to them. 3. If they had not authority to teach; the People were not to hear, but to avoid them. Now Christ answers their Question, not by an answer, but by proposing another question to them to answer; which question, concerns not himself, but the Baptist: nor doth it concern teaching, but baptising; in which the authority of the Baptist, for his baptising, is employed, though not expressed by a Dilemma. 1. In the words (from Heaven) that is, whether it were immediately from God, and so be extraordinary. 2. In the words (or of men) that is, whether it were by an ordinary call from men, according to Church Constitution or not? 1. Which proves that all public ministerial Acts, whether preaching or baptising, ought not to be executed without authority from God mediate or immediate. 2. All Authority delegated of God to man, is comprehended under one of these. The Baptists authority was from God extraordinary. 1. He did that the Legal Priests did not, hence was he called the Baptist, as being the first ever did that ministerial Act; hence now, was he himself baptised as Mat. 3.14. I have need to be baptised of thee. 2. Mat. 11.13. The Law (that is, the legal Ministry) and the Prophets were until john: Now in that they ceased in john, it proves he was none of them, nor did they acknowledge him. Now that john's Authority was from Heaven, though he did no Miracle, Ioh: 10.41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is clear, a way by which, God again will restore the true Church-Ministry into the world. 1. It was prayed from Heaven without a sign by the Prophet's predictions Mal. 4.5. and confirmed by Christ, Mat. 11.14. This is Elias which was for to come, if ye will receive him. 2. Esa. 40.3. Mat. 3.3. This is he was spoken of by the Prophet Esaiah: These very predictions were Miracles themselves, and so he needed none for confirmation. Conclusion is, That God, because hath foretold in the Scripture that he will send one to restore the fallen Church and the Church Ministry. He will not do it by miracles, but leave men to the Word to be directed to receive him that is to do it, when he that shall do it is sent therefore. That we may receive him when he comes consider: 1. He is that Elias which is to come: There are two persons spoken of by Christ under that name, Mat. 17.11, Elias shall first come, which is that that is to come, so much looked for of the Jews, and neglected of us: And than vers. 12. Elias is already come, etc. which was John the Baptist. Now how, and by what he is to be known, is by Malachi set down cap. 4, 5. said here by Christ, to restore all things: O how welcome should he be to us! 2. Rev. 18.1. His glory is said to lighten the earth, so that he cannot be hid. 3. He comes after the desolation of Antichrist so soon, that it is his work to publish the fall of Babel: I may more abundantly describe him, but this sufficeth. 2. Conclusion: In that God in this Angel sends authority from Heaven: 1. It proves there is no ordinary Authority in the world left either that is lawful or sufficient. 2. There being now no new Administration or Priesthood to be at all, it showeth the present is unclean, and not to be made use of; as was done in the Legal Ministry, which was put an end unto, changed, or swallowed up in the Evangelical. The ordinary authority in Scripture is called by the name of Moses Chair, which is that succession the Priests proved their Ministry from Moses by, Mat. 23.3. to which Christ alludes in the illative (therefore,) Therefore whatever they bid you observe; that is, because they sit in Moses Chair, inferring, that if they had not sit in Moses Chair, there were no tye on the people to hear them, nor no authority in that Ministry to teach them. 1 Conclusion: That as the Priests were to prove their Call to the then Ministry from Moses, which had the extraordinary Call; so are we to prove our ordinary Call to the Ministry to be derived successively to us from the Apostles, who had the immediate or extraordinary Call from Christ. 2 Conclusion is, That the succession must be true, and in a true constituted Church, which Rome claims, though falsely, in Peter's Chair, which indeed once was Paul's, but never Peter, Vid. Zanch. cap. 19.4 Praecep. Now our succession being no lawful nor true Ministers, these Queries; 1. Whether any ministerial act do●● by that Ministry be Evangelically authoritative? 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in what Authority showeth not all Authority is sufficient to minister by some, may be false and counterfeit, as Antichrists is, or none is. 3. On the demand in the text, Who gave you this authority, must be answered. 1. Either that it is from Rome: 2. Or by succession of a Gospel Church-Ministry set up in this Kingdom. Reason. I know that Text, Heb. 6.4. will not allow any man to take this honour (in the Church) to himself, unless he be called of God as Aaron was. For the clearing of which Scripture, observe these things: 1. That in the Church ordinarily none can minister without authority from the Church; for here he speaks to a Church, and of Church-administrations. 2. It is bounded by an exception, unless (extraordinarily) he be called of God. 3. This Call he reduceth to Aaron, and not the Apostles, though Aaron were a minister of the Law, which not without a mystery prophetically showeth any thing. 1. That some unlawfully would take this honour to themselves. 2. That God hath ordained under the Gospel to call some as Aaron was by Moses, that is, God will have the Magistrate set up that Ministry he hath appointed to restore the Church by. Applic. 1. Such a thing must be revealed in the Word to be, or the Magistrate cannot do it, Moses not doing but by command, as in this and elsewhere. 2. If such a thing be not to be accomplished, how vain were this exception if made of such a thing as is not to be under the Gospel at all. That Ordination from Rome is not to be proved Evangelical. 1. Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God as God, 2 Thes. 2.4. and how as God, but in his authoritative giving Commission to the Ministry of his false Church, setting up Laws and appointing the Administrations in his false Church to be according to his and not the Will of Jesus Christ. 2. If succession from ●●me be truly Evangelical, how can the Church be said to be hid, yea that bloody harlot made her to be hid to the world. 3. God in his Word hath declared Antichrist to be the fallen star, Rev. 9.11. Therefore we cannot prove our Ministry thence, unless we will prove one abomination by another; yea, he is the murderer, not the Minister of the Saints; and shall we prove our Ministry from this Jezabel. 2. Succession cannot be proved true from any other Church. 1. If in all the world the Church were but hid three years and a half, Succession could not be proved, how then if it be hid 1260 years? for how can it be said to be hid, when Succession of Ministry can be proved for time, place, and persons? 2. Against those that endeavour to prove their Call from a succession of Ministry set up in this Kingdom in Lucius time, I have proved at large in my Treatise called The Resurrection of fallen Churches, that there was never any true constituted Church in this Kingdom, and then no true Ministry or Succession to be proved hence at all. And were it granted a true Gospel Church was set up in the Land in Lucius time, or before, and that ever since there have been faithful Teachers in the Land? 1. For many years they have been but of the two Witnesses, whose Ordination of those that were ordained, was as corrupt as the Popish Priests, nor did they minister in a Churchway. 2. Nor was Ordination exercised by them, but the Popish Hierarchy, who solely exercised the Authority of Church-administrations in public. 3. Nor were their Societies formally and publicly distinguished from the Popish Societies until Luther's time. 4. Had they the power of Ordination, it must be according to that power ordained them, which was Antichristian. Object. We had Ordination from Luther one of the seven Angels, who had his trump from God, and was prophesied of before, and so had authority to restore the Ministry. 1. We of this Kingdom cannot plead this. 2. Can we: Yet Luther not changing the Church to its right Constitution, nor erecting the Gospel Ministry, what ever his Call was, the ordinary succession of such as succeeded him could not be Evangelical. 3. Nor was the Restauration of the Churches fallen estate given to him to do, it being not to be until the flesh of Antichrist be eat, and her Antichristian policy burned, 1 Cor. 3.15. and she made desolate, that is, her Ministry took from her, Rev. 17.16. Now Luther came, as it were, at the beginning, or in a visible manner seemed to begin these things, the fulfilling whereof is reserved for him who, as another Luther, shall lighten the world, but with a clearer and more exceeding glory, and none else but he to whom it is given may do it at all. Quest. If a people's electing a Minister be not authority sufficient to qualify him for all ministerial duties? Resp. 1. Election is the People's Interest. 2. Ordination is properly the true Church Presbyteries Interest. 3. These two are distinct things, and proper to several persons, one of which is not to destroy the other, nor can one sufficiently qualify a man without the other. 4. Though God hath given the Church, as a Church, the power of Election, yet a company of men in what other state soever, have not this power belonging to, or residing in them; for if they had, how is then God said to give it to the Church. 5. Now as none have power to elect out of Church-society, so Elders ordinarily have no power to ordain any that are not thus elected by a people of and in a Church constituted Estate. Applic. To Ministers, I beseech you, in all humility for God's Glory, and your own Peace in the day of Account, see if the Odinances of God may be administered without a Call; if so, what need a Call, or Paul's so oft pleading for it? and whether an Antichristian Call be not worse than none, when we rule in God's House by the authority of his Adversary? how intolerable a thing were this to be admitted in our own houses. Illustration. As Nehem. 7.67. the Priests and Levites sought their Register amongst those that were recounted by Genealogy, but it was not found, therefore were they, as polluted, put from the Priesthood, which if all Churches that cannot prove their true and lawful successions were so dealt withal, where would there be a Church or Church-Minister? And it is observable, that the Lord having set apart a particular Tribe for the Ministry of the Levitical Priesthood, succession served to continue them, their Corruptions not destroying their ministry: It is otherways now under the Gospel. 2. If the Administrations in the corrupt Church of Corinth were but hay, wood or stubble 1 Cor. 3.12. what are ours, now administered, but their like, being as far below those administered in the true Church, in a right way, as stubble is to precious Stones and Pearls. Object. We had Ordination neither from Pope nor Bishops but from Presbytery. Resp. Presbytery is a stream from that Fountain which in no wise cannot be purer than the rest of that Hierarchy. Appl. to the People. Attend to what the Spirit saith unto you. 1 Thess. 5.12. that those ye are to obey aught to be over you in the Lord, Acts 20.22. and the holy Spirit is to make them Overseers: So that where these are not, the bonds of Government and Authority in teaching are destroyed, there being no Power or Authority to be acknowledged in the Church, but what is of Jesus Christ: Jer. 23.21. and 29.9. God doth condemn the false Prophets for going and he did not send them: And in that 23. Jer. 21. God puts sending before speaking, as distinct things; in which they began to err. Appl. To Magistrates: Consider the time you are in, even at the period of Antichrists allotted time; and it will show you clearly what God is doing, and what you are to do: if y●● go against God's will and work, you will be broken to pieces as others have been before you: you will no longer prosper than ye walk in his way: and know, God's device is against Babel, Jer. 51.11.29. which he will bring about to be done, though against your wills, yea against yourselves: The Lord in mercy be a light unto you, and through your darkness guide you and preserve you, to see the hoped for salvation of God in the Land, Ruth 4.11. and the Lord make you do worthily in Ephrata and famous in Bethlehem. Now in that Christ saith, Mat. 13.52. Every Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven bringeth forth of his Treasury new things and old: I Commend to you, for Confirmation of the aforesaid particulars, the 54. Cap. of the Proph. Esa. In which these several estates of the Gentile Church are clearly held out, with its estate before it was a Church. 1. It's estate before it was a Church, is set out in Ver. 1. by not bearing and not travailing with child, called desolate, which estate can no way be applied to the Jewish Church. 2. This farther cleared, in that this estate of the Gentiles is opposed to the Jews, they being the married Wife, signifying their Church estate as opposed to the Gentiles desolate Condition. The 2. Estate of the Gentiels after calling, is their married Estate under the Gospel in the Apostles time. 1. From ver. 1. where the multitude of Children she then should have are even more than the married Wife. 2. On this God promiseth the Church great increase to betid her under that estate, ver. 2. where her Seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall make the desolate Cities be inhabited; Desolation being the estate God calls the world by, when without Communion with the Lord Jesus in the fellowship of the Gospel: Hence Antichrist for destroying the Gospel-Church Constitution, is called the abomination that maketh desolate, she having made the world desolate as it was before Christ. Ver. 4. The holy Spirit tells her of her youth, which time followed shortly on her Conversion, when she apostatised and fell from her first Love, adulterating the ways of God, and in the end fell to Idolatry, by which the marriage Bond came to be broken. Object. The time of her youth was before Conversion, a time which precedes Marriage. Resp. The Time before Conversion was a desolate Time, and she desolate in that time, which is not accounted of with God at all: and ver. 6. plainly proves this time of youth, was time of marriage, for she is there plainly called a wife of youth. The 3. estate is an estate of Widowhood, ver. 4. 1. Which proves her once to have been the wife of Christ before, or how could she be said to be now a Widow? 2. This Widowhood is expressly set down how it came to be brought upon her, and that is, she was a forsaken woman, her Husband had left her; And now desiring to be again admitted to be the Lords Spouse, she is rejected and refused, as not meet, as in ver. 6. 3. This estate, is that estate that we have been in since the fall of the Gospel-Church. 4. Ver. 7. Proves it, where the Lord is brought in, saying, for a little moment have I forsaken thee: 1260 years in Eternity are lost, as a moment is in the world's thousands of years; or as drop of water is lost that falls into the great Seas. The fourth Estate is her second Restauration, in which Christ takes the Gentile Church again to himself, which is that we look for, and is now immediately to come. 1. As in Verse 5. in which Christ again puts the Church upon the looking on him as her Husband. 2. Verse 6. holds out the means how he assumes her to himself again, and that is giving her Call, Rev. 18.4. 3. Her condition at this time of Calling is excellently set forth, she is then grieved in spirit for lack of her Husband, and for her former dishonouring of him; yea, she is in a forsaken Estate, having a multitude of enemies, and no friends, Rev. 16.14. and so knoweth not what to do for lack of Christ. 4. The way God hath to bring her to be his Wife after Calling, is set out by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by gathering Members into a Church-Society, which work God is said to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words are both in the plural, as that the greatness of all mercies is included in the Lords taking of the Church to himself again, and proves the Church shall yet have abundance of sweet experience of Jesus Christ's Love unto her above all other days or times past. 5. Observe the order things are set down in by God, as first Calling, upon which followeth gathering, and the mercies mentioned, Hosea 2.19, 20, 21, 22. are thereupon made good. 6. Vers. 9 God gives the promise Gen. 9.11. to the Church for assurance, his wrath should no more rest on her, to which water God alludes, Rev. 21.1. saying, There shall be no more Sea; which proves Isaiah to mind the fame things, time, and people with John. 7. This Scripture agreeth with john's in many things, to be fulfilled now among the Gentiles, as the departure of the hills, and the removing of the mountains, spoken of Rev. 6.14. & 16.14. in which worldly greatness, that our impediments to this great work are so removed as never was to be in any age as now, v. 10. 8. In this Vers. 10. after these are removed, and not before, the means by which the Gospel Call may be effectual to us, is set down, and that is by binding Christ to us, and us to Christ by a Covenant, which is the marriage knot. 9 Vers. 11. sets out the estate of the Gentiles with all exactness, before this Marriage time, they are afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, as our estate at this day doth abundantly witness, when God gins to comfort her in her Church estate to be, he being now about to build the Gospel Temple according to that of John, Rev. 11.1. In which consider. 1. He speaks of laying the very foundations which he would not do (if any foundations,) that is, if any true Church were now in being, Vers. 11. 2. God faith he will make her Windows (that is, her Ministers) of Agates, which God by an extraordinary way comes to make again, as in Vers. 12. 3. He will make her gates of Carbuncles, which shows that God would again now come to restore the way of Church-admission to its Membership, which Antichrist, like another Samson, had carried away, as he the gates of Gaza. Applic. That none of the stones mentioned, but the Saphir stones, which are the foundation stones, which signify the Apostles are not of those in Rev. 21. or in Aaron's breast, which show this was the Gentile Church, and not the Jews in this place. 2. In that he saith, he would lay the foundations, make gates and windows, he showeth the desolation of the Church to be otherways then is now thought on. Vers. 13. he saith, All her children shall be taught of God: In my Treatise of the Resurrection of fallen Churches see my Exposition of Heb: 8.10, 11. which accords with the Gospel estate only. Vers. 13.14. He comforts her in the peace she should enjoy after her Church's Constitution, and none before, in that Magistrates were wise, and would be warned of God herein. Vers. 14. In Righteousness she shall be established, to which 2 Pet. 3.13. alludes in his new heaven, and new earth. Vers. 15.16, 17. God tells her what would come on her before these things were fulfilled, as that the enemies would gather together, Rev. 16.14. not by God, but the frogs, who should fall for her sake, Rev. 3.9, & 12.8, 9 and then with what they should come against her, with the Smith's instruments of War, and with false accusations from their deceitful tongue, calling the Saints Schismatics, Heretics, Deceivers, etc. It remains I should prove this against the common received Expositions, but think it needless, only thus generally men understand here by the Jewish Church only, not the Gentiles, which the word Married wife, set down in the beginning by way of opposition to the desolate Church, is a sufficient conviction of itself to prove the contrary, and that the Scripture as before applied concerns us, our peace and way to true happiness, if the Lord give us grace to embrace it, which only can secure us from the desolation and misery so eagerly pursues us, which the Lord in this sweet and saving way of mercy deliver us from, for his Glory, and his Names sake. Amen. FINIS.