A DISCOVERY Of the Latitude of the loss of the EARTHLY PARADISE BY ORIGINAL SIN. Occasioned by a Disputation betwixt Mr. Mathias Rutton, Min: of Boughton Munchalse in Kent, and the Author hereof; branched out in these particulars, as followeth: I. First, An Examination of his Apologetical Letter, with a full Answer thereunto. II. Secondly, Six arguments to prove that Original Sin exposed Adam and his Posterity but to the first death. III. Thirdly, A Discovery of the false and corrupted Ministers by Ten Characters. IV. Fourthly, a Discovery of the true Ministers by Ten Characters. By George Hammon, Pastor to the Church of Christ meeting in Biddenden in Kent. But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, Gen. 2.17. And in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return unto the ground, dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return. London, Printed by Ro: Ibbitson, for Francis Smith, and are to be sold at his Shop in Flying-Horse Court in Fleet street, 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To Mr. Mathias Rutton Minister of Boughton Munchalse, and to the rest of his Brethren (the Clergy) who have eclipsed and darkened the Doctrine of the Gospel by the human traditions received from the Fathers. SIR, I Having received your apologetical discourse (in a Letter sent to a friend of mine) in reference to what discourse you and I formerly had, in the which Letter you discovered yourself to be a great Antagonist unto the truth & the Ministry thereof: Moreover it doth appear by your Letter, that it is your Pulpit discourse frequently to calumniate the people of God; upon the consideration whereof, I thought myself bound in duty to spend some time in showing the difference betwixt true and false Ministers by several characters, to the end you may see yourselves to be such (as you accuse the Ministers of Christ to be) viz. the false corrupt Ministers, and so consequently the Ministers of Satan, to the end you may cease to pervert the right way of the Lord, and repent of your abusing God's People and Ordinances; for assuredly, Sirs, your turning of things upside down, will cause the Lord to turn you out of his presence, unless you repent, for God in all ages hath been very zealous of his order, hence it came to pass, that the Lord threatened the Priests of old to show them his back and not his face in the day of their calamity; the reason was, because they had caused the People to stumble from the ancient path, to walk in a way not cast up, and doubtless it you look into the ancient path of Christ, which he and his Apostles and Disciples walked in, you will find that you are got far out of that path, for they did not teach for hire, to make themselves the rabbis of the times, but were willing to demean themselves, and be the servants of all men for Christ's sake: neither did they cast up such a Path as infant's baptism, to make whole Nations to be a Church, but did command persons to come out from the multitude, and thereby compacted Christ's Churches together of sanctified Stones, that is to say men separated from the National multitude by repentance, faith and baptism, which became the spiritual house: Moreover Sir, whereas you abuse the People of God, by casting reproachful ignominious slanders on them, know, the Lord takes it as done unto himself, they being as dear to him as the apple of his eye, and if Samson would be revenged of the Philistines for his eyes, surely the Lord will be revenged of such as labour (as much as in them lieth) to pluck out his eyes; Sirs are you not like unto those Pharisaical Priests, that Christ reproves, which did build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchre of the righteous, pretending great love to them, and yet notwithstanding persecute the friends of Christ, which walk in that way which Christ hath left them to walk in, by your sect and example, I say, if the blood of the righteous should be required of such a generation, repent you and break off your sins by righteousness, before the wrath of the Lord break out, and there be no remedy: But to pass that, and come to the matter in hand, I have perused your Letter, and given you a full answer to it in the following treatise; one thing I strange at, that you should so much forget yourself, as to charge me, that I fell upon you with abusive words for a Sermon you delivered, in the which you said, you proved me, and such as I were to be the Ministers of Satan, when in very deed and truth, I knew not that you had delivered such a Sermon, neither did I begin with you, but after you had answered to some questions that were propounded to you (by another) and that in your speech you had cast reproachful speech upon the people of God, I could do no less but answer to your speech, but not with abusive words, as you may see more at large in the answer to your Letter, and several other things you did mistake yourself in, but I have showed you them in their time and places, as before mentioned; Moreover, Sir, take this word of advice, that if your memory be so shallow, that you cannot retain any thing without Book, when you have the like occasion again, take down what is spoken in writing, so that you may affirm the truth, for I do assure you to speak untruth is a shame and reproach to any people, but more especially to such as profess themselves to be the Ministers of Christ; and as to original Sin which was a thing we contested about, I have also showed you in the following treatise what punishment it brought upon the Sons of men, and what death it was that was threatened as to be the punishment of it, the which death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, and yet righteous Noah and several others were not damned; so desiring your conversion, much more than your confusion, I rest, but not to be your servant and all men's for Christ's sake, George Hammon. The Epistle to the Reader. Courteous Reader, THere is enclosed in this little Treatise many weighty particulars, the which did concern all persons to look into in former ages, but more especially we that live in the last age; If therefore thou shalt read this Treatise with a single heart, and an impartial affection, doubtless it will be worth thy time and pains. Moreover, I do desire that thou wouldest search the Scriptures, and bring those things that are contained herein to them, that so by the Touchstone of God's Word thou Mayst discern between Truth and Error, and thereby thou wilt become obedient to that Command of the Lord, which is, Try all things, and hold fast that which is good. Remember that the Bereans were counted more noble than the men of Thessalonica, because they received the words of Paul, (which was counted as strange doctrine) and searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether those things were so or no: even so, although many of these particulars may be counted erroneous, yet prove thyself a noble Berean, to search the Scriptures to see whether it be so or no. Moreover, do not count it a strange thing, that the truest Doctrines that ever was should be questioned, and counted heresy; for the learned Scribes and Pharisees did question Christ, to know where he had his Doctrine, and said He hath a Devil, and is mad: The Apostle Paul also was called a pestilent fellow, a teacher of strange Doctrines, a ringleader of Sectaries, a turner of the world up-side down, and what not? Yet, as the Apostle saith, After the manner they called heresy, so worshipped he the God of his Fathers, believing all that was written: Even so say I, that if any thing that I have written in this Treatise do not agree with the Word of God, and the doctrine according to godliness, I shall give thanks to any man that will inform me of it, and also renounce it; but, as the Apostle Paul saith in another case, I judge I have the Spirit of God, and speak the Truth. Moreover, Christian Reader, know that we are in the last age, upon whom the very end of the world is come, in which last age that great hour of temptation shall be, the which shall try all them that dwell upon the face of the whole Earth; therefore very profitable for us to look into the Prophecies, of the last Times, that being forewarned, they may be fore-armed; and in order to the stability of thy mind, I have in the following Treatise set before thy view, the glorious Paradise the which the Lord gave unto his Son Adam: and although he lost it by transgression, yet I have showed thee that it shall be restored again by the Lord Jesus (into that primitive glory) at his second appearance and Kingdom. Moreover, I have showed you what a glorious inheritance God will give to his Son Jesus, which is the Man from Heaven: So that although the earthly man's earthly Paradise was glorious, yet the heavenly man's heavenly Paradise shall be far more glorious; it is that new Jerusalem, the Walls whereof are garnished with all manner of precious stones, the Streets whereof is pure gold, like to transparent glass, the which Paradise shall not be of the Earth, or from the Earth, although it shall be placed upon the new Earth; but (as I have showed in the Treatise) it shall come down out of Heaven from God, being that City which faithful Abraham looked for, which had foundations, whose maker and builder was God, it shall be the glorious habitation of Christ in the day of his reign, and all that are saved shall walk in the light of it, which City hath no need of the Sun, Moon, or Stars; for the Lamb shall be the light of it. Courteous Reader, assure thyself, that the Godly, who have died in the Faith, did see these things in promises, although they were afar off, and did embrace them, and did acknowledge themselves Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth, and they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country which is a heavenly one; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a City: and it was that glorious inheritance which made faithful Moses slight Pharaoh's Royal Diadem, and refuse to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; for he had an eye to the recompense of reward, so that faith is the evidence of things not seen. Moreover, courteous Reader, I desire thee not to slight the matter contained herein, because of any prejudice thou mayst have against the Author; so desiring the Lord to open thy understanding, I shall rest, but not to pray for thy endless happiness by Christ in glory. Thy unworthy Friend G. H. The Sum of a Dispute betwixt a Teacher of the Anabaptiss, and the Minister of Baughton, where by Providence they met August 16. 1654. THe Anabaptist, as appeared by his heat, being much troubled at a Sermon delivered by the Minister, wherein he proved plainly by Scripture, That such as he was, were the Messengers of Satan, and delivered Satan's Message, fell upon the Minister with abusive words; afterwards they entered into Disputation, the Question was, Whether there were any such Sin as Original sin; the Anabaptist denied it; the Minister urged an Argument from the example of David, confessing that he was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did his Mother conceive him, Psal. 51.5. to prove there was. The Anabaptist answered, That the meaning of that place was this, not that David himself was corrupted, or defiled with sin, but that he was shapen and conceived in a sinful Woman. Which answer will appear to any man that hath but common sense, to be not only false, but also most absurd and ridiculous; for David, as will plainly appear to him that reads that Psalm, speaks only of himself, confesseth his own Sin only, and this Original sin, as the root and fountain of all the rest; there was not so much as a thought of time betwixt his Natural being, and his Sinful being, Corruption did accompany the very first degree of his Conception, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my Mother conceive me: And he prays for the forgiveness of this sin among the rest. After many words past, the Anabaptist, unsatisfied, objected, That the Minister never read of any child that was Damned, therefore no such Sin which deserved eternal Death; his reason was, because eternal Death is only the wages of actual sin; which the Minister denied, and instanced in Esau, reprobated from all eternity, Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. The Anabaptist answered, That that was for Esau's actual transgression, and cited Jeremy falsely; but the words named are in Amos 1.3.6.9. For three Transgressions of Damascus, and for Four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; and so the sixth and ninth of Gaza and Tyrus; which text is as far from the purpose as Baughton is from Rome. It appears plainly from the Apostle, that the words cited by the Minister, Esau have I hated, are concerning God's purpose in Election and Reprobation, and not for any actual Sin committed by Esau, or good done by Jacob, for the Children not being yet born, mark that, neither having done good or evil, mark that, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, vers. 11. it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What will the Anabaptists say now? they say it is unjust for God to Damn those that never committed Actual Sin, the Apostle would stop their blasphemous mouths, vers. 14. What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid, saith he, Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, to make one Vessel for honour, and another for dishonour, ver. 21. The Anabaptist still obstinate, the Minister urged another Argument to prove some Children were Damned, and not for Actual sin, therefore for Original, and therefore there was such sin as we call Original; the Argument was taken out of Jude, vers. 7. where it is said, that Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, suffered the vengeance of eternal fire; in which Cities, no doubt but there were some Children which never had sinned actually, and these with the rest suffered the vengeance of eternal fire. The Anabaptist answered, by showing the meaning of Eternal; The word Eternal, saith he, is there to be understood for consuming, which is as ridiculous and absurd as the rest; our ordinary fire is consuming, it consumes the Wood, or other matter that nourisheth it, and so at last itself is extinguished; but this eternal fire never goeth out, neither doth it consume those it burns; the wicked burn eternally, that is, for ever, and are never consumed; so the answer implies a contradiction. To make this his Exposition good, he cited a place of St. Mat. 10.15. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgement, than for that City, that will not receive the Apostles; more tolerable, that is, saith he, (being holpen by one of his Disciples) Sodom and Gomorrah shall be excused; but that Exposition they can never make good; more tolerable, said the Minister, that is, they shall not receive so severe a Sentence, they shall receive lesser Damnation, but not be wholly excused. This he proved by reason, for more is the Comparative degree, and is a relative term, and respects the same thing; then strenghened this reason by Scripture, Mat. 23.14. ye shall receive greater damnation there is Damnation for them because they devoured widows houses, but greater damnation, because they made long prayer their pretence; more tolerable, then, doth not imply that they were wholly excused, but received lesser punishment. The Anabaptist then began to urge an Argument, that no Children were Damned; the Minister perceiving that this was to run round in a circle, not able to endure the cold longer, being not yet fully recovered of sickness, the Anabaptist began to cry Victory, by railing on the Ministers. Were not those people given over to a reprobate sense, to strong delusions, to believe lies, they could never force such interpretations upon Scripture. The Lord open their eyes, that they may see the truth, and convert, and be healed. Mat. Rutton Min. An Answer to a Letter of Master Matth. Rutton, Minister of Baughton (as he so calleth himself) sent to a friend of mine, in order to the Vindication of a Dispute between him and myself at Baughton, where we accidentally met, to his friend Master Mat. Rutton, as followeth. SIR: WHereas you were pleased to affirm in your Letter I was troubled about a Sermon you delivered, in the which you writ, you proved such as I am to be the Ministers of Satan, for the which cause you say I fell upon you with abusive words; Sir, I pray you do not forget yourself, for I began not with you, neither did I give you any abusive words, neither did I know that you had delivered such a Sermon as you confess, in which you rendered me, and such as I am, to be so odious; although I had heard before that you did usually rail much, as your Predecessors did against Christ and his Apostles, saying, they were Deceivers, pestilent Fellows, and turners of the World upside down, though Michael the archangel, when he was Disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses, did not bring a railing accusation, but left it to God, with these words, The Lord rebuke thee. But I pray remember, that your Neighbour, of whom you at that instant received Tithes, after he had paid it, asked you in much mildness of speech, Why you did rail so much against the Baptists; and you presently said, they were Anabaptists, for you said the word in the Greek signified again, and you baptising Persons again are called Anabaptists; at the which words I could no less than make answer, saying, That for my part I did disown baptising of any persons again, who were once truly baptised according to Christ's appointment; and moreover I said, That sprinkling a little water in a child's face in its Infancy, was not Baptism, but a cozening shift brought in by Pope Innocentius the Third; and than you replied, and said, That Baptizo signified Sprinkling, as well as Dipping, the which I denied, and showed you, there was no correspondency between the word Baptizo and Rantizo (in their significations) to prove one and the same thing, Baptizo signifies to plunge, or overwhelm, Rantizo, to sprinkle, or scatter. the one signifying to dip, to plunge, to sink, to overwhelm in water; the other word to sprinkle, to scatter here or there, or to disperse abroad on divers parts of the body; then all that you had more to say in the behalf of that was, That it was set down so in the Book of Common Prayer, and when you could say no more to that, you cried out against them, (viz. the Baptists) for broaching of gross Errors, and instanced that of Original sin, to which I said, that for my part I did believe, That all the Sons and Daughters of Adam, were not only under the guilt of it, but also groan under the punishment of it, until this day; although you falsely writ in your Letter that I denied that there was such a Sin as Original sin, and yet you may remember, that you made me this answer, Though I did believe that there was such a sin, yet there were many of my adherents that did believe there was no such sin; and Sir, than I went on to deal plainly with you, and showed you what that first Sin of Adam in Paradise, which is usually called Original Sin, did incur, and made all his Children liable to, the which * Adam's sin brought not Condemnation to Hell on his Posterity, but death of the Body, with Sickness, Sorrow, &c. I affirm to be the first Death, with sickness, weakness, and all such infirmities, with the loss of all Paradisical enjoyments, and not Damnation in Hell; which is only the desert of sins against God manifested in Christ, which brought a second state of life, and that you may see clearly in the pronunciation of the Sentence by God to Adam, in Gen. 3. from the fourteenth to the twentieth, where he tells him, That in sorrow he should eat bread, with the sweat of his brows, until thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken. This was the punishment God laid upon Adam and his Posterity for that Sin; Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return. Hence it cometh to pass, that both righteous and unrighteous suffer alike, whereby we may see God's Justice must be satified; and so much briefly as to the Sin which you call Original, or more properly to the punishment thereof. And now in order I shall come to the one and fiftieth Psalm, vers. 5. these words, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. In which words there appeareth no such thing as you say, that David there confessed any sin, or guilt of any sin, as he stood in the loins of his Parents, unless that first sin, which, as I have showed you, brought but the first Death; neithe have they any less perfection in quality of nature, by the which they are put into a worse capacity, to stand, or fall, as to the loss of the enjoyment of that eternal inheritance, although I grant the first thing they do when they are capable of a Law (and temptations do approach) they like their first Father Adam, break the Law of God, as he did; and these words have I spoken as in order to the making way for the opening of the words before mentioned; for in the first verse David is a Petitioning to God for Mercy and Pardon for that sin which he had committed in killing Uriah, and taking Bathsheba his Wife unto himself, in the which Petition he uses three Arguments, as we may so say. The First is from the multitude of God's Mercies, in these words, According to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy mercies, verse the first. The Second is from his acknowledging of his Sin, saying, My sins are ever before me, vers. 3. as if he should say, They are the greatest trouble that I have in the World, they are always in my way; so that we see the second Motive that he uses to attain Mercy, is by confession of his sin, with great zeal and ardency of spirit, he well knowing that God had promised, That he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin, should find mercy. And the Third and last Argument which he used (in this Psalm) to move God to have mercy upon him, in blotting out his transgressions, was from the brittleness of his Nature, and the weakness of that Lump that he was made out of; As if he should have said, Father, thou knowest I am of the Earth earthly, which is subject to much weakness, and frailty, and therefore he beyond all other reasons, in this last reason, vers. 5, saith, Behold! as if he should have said, Lord, take notice, as well consider how defective the Mould was in the which I was formed (which to me appears to be his Mother Eva, in whose loins was David, and all other shapen, for God made all Mankind at once, and not his Mother that bare him) that thereby thou considering my frame, Mayst in pity blot out my transgressions. This expression of David is not used alone, but hath the like import, Psal. 103. v. 12, 13, 14, in these words, ver. 12. As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us, And in the fourteenth verse, he giveth the reason why the Lord is so gracious, in these words, For he knoweth our frame, that we are but dust; so that I conceive in this fifth verse. of the one and fiftieth Psalm, which you cited to me in these words, Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, is no more but the proneness of David's Nature, by reason of the weakness of the matter that he was made of; and that is the same that he desires God to take notice of, or behold, whereby he might graciously remit that sinful Act that he had committed, unless you meant that Sin which believing men and women suffer for, which is the sin against the first Covenant, which did consist of an earthly Paradisical glory, which I did to you, and do still affirm, That both Adam, and all his Posterity consideredly as they were in his loins, did not only commit it, but also suffer for it, which I did then (and do still) affirm to be the first Death, by which Pollution and Corruption run thorough all the parts of the outward man. Adam's Sin brought no pollution or disability on the Spiritual part of mankind. But as I have said, no pollution or disability in the least hath it brought to the Spiritual part of man, whereby the Conscience or spirit of man should be defiled, neither actively, nor imputatively; not actively for this reason, because the Spiritual part of man is not involved in the loins of Adam, whereby he doth be get it, but it is formed in man by God, Zach. 12.1. so according to the Word of the Lord, when he speaketh concerning the dissolution Man is not made uncapable to act good by Adam's sin. of that Mortal lump that man begetteth, saith, than Dust shall return to dust, and the Spirit to him that gave it; so that as man begetteth only the Natural part of man, and not the Spiritual, and thereby the Spiritual part being not in form and matter in the loins of Adam, therefore the Spiritual part could not be polluted, but the Natural part being in matter involved in the loins of Adam, was polluted, corrupted, and deformed; from whence ariseth all the corruption of Nature, as Blindness, Deafness, and Lameness, and all such like Corruptions, which shall remain, until this corruptible body shall put on incorruption; so it is clear, that the Spiritual part of the Sons of Adam did not sin in Adam The father's iniquity makes not the child liable to the second death. by action, because it was not in being. The second Reason why the guilt of Adam's sin cannot lie upon the Spiritual part of any, so as to make them stand guilty before God of a second Death, is from the reproof the Lord gave to a Generation of men of your judgement, that thought the child must die for the father's sins, that when the Lord did threaten the punishment of the sins of the Fathers upon the Children, that you blindly, (with those whom the Lord reproveth Ezek. 18.2, 3.) do conclude, that it must needs be the punishment of the second Death, therefore the Lord saith, he would have that Proverb used no more, The fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge, but the soul that sinneth shall die. So much briefly as for the second reason. But whereas you said, that there was no thought of time betwixt the Natural being of David, and the sinful being; if you mean his sinful being, by that matter that he received from Adam, it is granted, but if it be of the Soul, or inward part, which had its being from God, it is denied from the two Reasons already rendered. Further, one Reason more; Any Creature that is defiled in the inward man, is not fit for the Kingdom of God; but Children are fit for the Kingdom of God at the very birth of them; therefore Children are not defiled or corrupted in the inward man. Further, You affirmed in your writing, that I said that you could never read in Scripture that any Children were damned, and therefore no such Sin Original to Damn; to which say you, you instanced that of Esau, who was reprobated from all Eternity; to the which I answer, I do indeed confess you said so, but I have learned, that your say so is no sufficient proof; for the ninth of the Romans, the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth verses, which you cited to prove the matter, prove no such thing; for let any Soul seriously read that place, and see whether that place say, that God reprobated Esau before he was born, or had done good or evil; We may take notice that Paul in that place makes use of two portions of Scripture, the first is Gen. 25.23. and the next is Mal. 1.2, 3. But first to the first place, that speaks of Esau before he was born; now in this place we may take notice that Rebecca had been barren, and child-bearing was somewhat strange to her being barren, so that in verse twenty two it is said, the Children struggled within her (which was a Type of that variance and difference that was to be in time betwixt Jacob and Esau) and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? as if she should have said, What is the cause of this struggling, since it is so that I have been barren, and the text said, she inquired of the Lord; now followeth the matter that was spoken of Esau before he was born, vers. 23. And the Lord said unto her, two Nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels, and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. Now I pray consider, Doth this say that God hath reprobated Esau before he was born? and this was all that I find was said of him before he was born. Pray may not a younger brother far surmount in external enjoyments, insomuch that thereby the elder may come to serve the younger, and yet both of them saved, if the elder do not misdemean himself to God? so, though Jacob have that great possession of the Land of Canaan, and Esau have the inferior possession of Edom, yet, may not Esau be saved if he do not abuse his talon? And the second place that Paul useth is, Mal. 2.3, in these words, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, Rom. 9.13. Now we know, that it is nowhere else written, Esau not hated before he was born. Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated; and this was long after Jacob and Esau were dead; though Paul make use of these two places, as Genesis and Malachy, both at one instant of time, yet the sentence in Malachy was written hundreds of years since that of Genesis i. and concerning Esau after he was dead, and had done many evil works, as Obadiah the tenth. Thus you may see your mistakes in the Scriptures by your little reading, or less exercising of your understandings in them; and as you say, I falsely cited Jeremy, when the place was in Amos; I say you falsely accuse me, for I cited Malachy, Obadiah, and Amos, and the place cited in Jeremy was about the Potter and the Clay. Sir, one absurdity take notice of, in the which you may see you make God a liar, when as God sweareth, (Ezek. 33.11.) that he desires not the death of the wicked, but rather that they would return and live; you say he is so far from meaning what he saith, that he hath appointed from eternity the greatest part of men to be Damned, Contrary to that, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, verses, 2 Pet. 3.9. with a multitude more of Scriptures that might be added. You say that the Anabaptiss, as you call them, will say that it is unjust for God to condemn those that have not committed actual Sin; to which I answer. The Apostle would stop their blasphemous mouths with Rom. 9.14. in these words, What, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Moreover you add, vers. 21. in these words, Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour; and in these words you think you have met with us to the purpose, and therefore are bold to call us blasphemous; but Sir, give me leave to tell you without offence, That if you know as well how to feed the Flock, as you do to take off the fleece, you would have seen that the Apostle had not brought this place to have proved that God might have been righteous, and yet for all that damn where there is no actual sin; for Sir, take notice, that in this place he speaks not to Children, or such as had not committed actual sin, but to the rebellious house of Israel, whom he compares to Clay marred in the potter's hands; so they were in the Lord's hands, and he did intend to make them honourable Vessels, he did (as we may say in reference to his Majesty) do all what he could to them, use all the means that he had to bestow upon a people to make them Honourable, yet still they were marred in his hand, that is to say, rebellious and refractory. You may see this proved fully in these two portions of Scripture, in the room of many more that might be given, Isa. 5. from the first Verse to the eighth, Ezekiel 16, from the fifth to the fourteenth. Now to come to the eighteenth of Jeremiah, from the first verse and so onwards, you may see they are the very words that the Apostle Paul maketh use of to answer that Objection, Rom. 9.19. which saith, Thou then wilt say unto me, why doth he yet find fault, for who hath resisted his will? Answer, Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? Now this take notice of well, Disobedience the cause that men become Vessels of dishonour. that the Apostle goeth now to answer that Objection, vers. 19 in these words, Who hath resisted his will; and showeth them plainly, that they were the people that had resisted his will; if he had not showed by infallible proof, that they were the people that had resisted God's will, than the Objection had lain still unanswered, but now he answereth it, as if he should have said, O ye murmuring stiffnecked house of Israel, have you a word to speak against God for his Justice in cutting you off, and making you a dishonourable people? did not the Lord say unto you long ago by his Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 18. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. when he compares you to the Clay, and himself to the Potter, you being stubborn or refractory in the hand of the Lord, and would have none of his instructions, when he called you to walk in that good old way, but your answer was, You would not walk therein, Jerem. 6.16. did not the Lord prophecy to make you another vessel as seemed him good? which in all likelihood was to be a Vessel of dishonour, for it seems good unto the Lord, when persons will not be allured by Mercy, to be cut off by the Axe of his Justice, Mat. 3.10. John 15.1, 2, 3. Verses, therefore who art thou, or how canst thou find fault, saying, Who hath resisted his will? when it is evident that thou hast so resisted his will, being Clay marred in the potter's hands. But if the Objection be made, That he had mercy on some of the House of Israel, and so made them Vessels of honour, and yet some he made Vessels of dishonour; To that I anwser, It is very true, that he did make some of that Lump Vessels of honour, but they were such as were pricked in their heart for their sins * Act. 2.37 , and did purify their heart through believing, and obeying the truth, and so Christ became the Author of their eternal Salvation, Heb. 5.9. 1 Pet. 1. vers. 22. for it was that which the Lord hath promised Souls that did purge themselves from the unbelief in their hearts, as you may see, 2 Tim. 2.20. But in a great House there are not only Vessels of Gold, and of Silver, but also of Wood, and of Earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour, vers. 21. if a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work. And now I shall give you a brief review of those words that the Apostle Paul makes use of, Rom. 9 they are the words of the Prophet Jeremy, Jer. 18.1. to 17. and so onwards, And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying, Go down to the potter's house, and there will I cause thee to hear my words; and I went down to the potter's House, and behold he wrought a work on the wheel; and the vessel that he made with clay was marred in the hands of the Potter, and he made another Vessel as seemed the Potter good to make it; then the Word of the Lord came unto me saying, O House of Israel, can I not do with you as this Potter, saith the Lord? Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hands, so are ye in my hands, O House of Israel. At what instant I speak concerning a Nation, or Kingdom, to pluck up, or destroy; If that Nation turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them; but in what instant I speak concerning a Nation or Kingdom, to build or to plant it, if they do evil in my sight, then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them; now therefore go, speak to the men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you; return every one of you from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good, but they said there is no hope, but we will wa●●● after our own devices, &c. and in vers, 17. he threatens to show them his back, and not the face in the day of their Calamity, the which we may see the Lord brought upon them, and yet he was just when he judged; and thus you see the Apostle answereth the Objection, and shows the Jews, Rom. 9 what the Lord had determined concerning them, and also made known by the Prophet Jeremy that he could, according to the truth of his Justice (if they remained obstinate in doing evil in his sight) make them a dishonourable Vessel, as well as the Potter could make that Clay (which was not yielding, and conformable to his hands) a vessel of dishonour. Thus I have showed you the words of the Prophet, and the meaning of the Apostle, that he doth not stop the mouths of those persons that say, the Lord of the whole earth cannot do unrighteousness, and therefore cannot Condemn the child, and cast it into Hell for the father's sin; neither can he Reprobate any but for their actual sin; but he stops the mouths of those Jews, and all such as they are who do question why God might find fault, although they before have given him just cause of offence, Mal. 3.8. The next thing you affirm, Sodom not suffering punishment in Hell fire. is not true, wherein you said I did affirm, That that fire which Saint Jude calls eternal fire, was meant only consuming fire; though it was consuming indeed, yet I did not affirm that to be the only meaning of it, but you may remember, I said by the word eternal fire, was meant such a fire as was not kindled by man, neither did it happen in the City by accident, but it issued forth from God, being not kindled by man, and so was as eternal as himself, for the breath of the Lord was ever a fire to his enemies, Dan. 7.10. From hence it is said of him, in Hebr. 11.29. Our God is a consuming fire; the which fire did destroy the Natural bodies of the Sodomites, and that eternal fire was not Hell, as you blindly conceive; but it was such fire as the Prophet commanded to come down from Heaven to destroy the Captains, and their Fifties, which was as eternal as that of Sodom, being without kindling by man, or without end, and it came not out of Hell, but from Heaven; and so you may see it, Gen. 19.24. in these words, than the Lord rained upon Sodom, and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and sire from the Lord out of Heaven; and this was for the destruction of no more but their Natural bodies, for it is not God's way to afflict the punishment of Hell before he hath tried Souls at the general Judgement, which shall not be till after the Resurrection; for the Sentence against the first sin, and the punishment thereof (which was the first death) was not inflicted upon Adam till after God had legally tried him; and Sir, let me tell you, that the very Devils are not yet in Hell, but their punishment is reserved until the Day of Judgement, Reprobate Angels and reprobate men not yet in punishment. Jude vers. 6. Matth. 8.29. Why art thou come to torment us before the time? Which showeth plainly, that the punishment of reprobate Angels, and reprobate Men, is not yet inflicted, but hath reference to time; and Sir, if I should ask you where Hell were, what answer would you give me? you would happily tell me, it was where the Wrath of God was, and then I shall conclude, that Hell were under your Coat, for Christ saith, Ioh. 3.36. That he that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him for ever. And truly Sir, if your faith should be tried by your works (as James saith it must be) then doubtless you would be found altogether unbelieving; and if so, then according to the former words of our blessed Saviour, That the wrath of God abides on such; so that if you do conclude Hell to be in all places where the Wrath of God is, (though I do indeed conclude, that there shall be a material place of Hell, where the Wrath of God shall remain perpetually) than Hell must of necessity be at the place aforesaid. And if you do conclude it to be on the Earth, or under the Earth, as some foolishly have conceived, than it is most evident, that the Devils are not yet in Hell, for he is called the Prince of the Air; and hence it comes to pass, that the Devil is many times cast down by the Judgements of God; so that if you have any reason to prove Hell to be yet in being, than you might have some better ground, to say the Sodomites with their Children are in Hell, but having no reason to prove the first, you have little reason to say the second. But if you should suppose that Luke Parables prove not things. sixteenth would prove it in the Parable, I will show you that that will be no proof, for it was but a Parable, and I can as well affirm that the Trees went forth on a time to anoint a King over them, Judg. 9.8. And they said unto the Olive tree, reign thou over us. You may read unto the sixteenth verse, and see a large Discourse of it, which is a Parable as well as that, Luke sixteenth, and so proves nothing, but is for illustration, and so that place Luke sixteenth is for illustration, by the which the Lord doth show what shall be the condition of poor afflicted Souls that suffer in this Life, and also the condition of such who hate the poor afflicted people of God, and take their pleasure in this Life; so that God calls things that shall be in time, as if they were in present being. Hence it comes to pass, that the Angel cries out, Babylon is fallen, Revel. 14.8. and so Revel. 18.2. which voice from Heaven was sixteen hundred years ago, and yet I doubt not but you would conclude with me, that Rome which is there called Mystery Babylon is not yet fallen; & so also John saith, Revel. 20.11, 12. That he saw the general Resurrection, and the last Judgement; so that you may see God calleth things that shall be, as if they were; and thus I have answered your great Objection, Luk. 16.22. But now because there is a Generation of Men, which affirm, That there is no Hell now in being, nor never shall be, and thereby are hardened in their ungodly practices, I shall show you in a few words my judgement concerning Hell, that all men may see I abhor such an ungodly opinion. In the first place I shall speak a little Hell not in being till the coming of the Lord of the time of its being, and that I find in Scripture shall not be till the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to judge the world, 2 Thessaly. 7. vers. 8. where the Lord is said to come in flaming fire, to punish such as disobey him in his Gospel, and Jude 14, 15. verses, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all. Which showeth, that neither Judgement, nor the execution of Judgement (which is the punishment of Hell) shall be until the coming of the Lord; see also, Revel. 22.12. He shall come quickly, and his reward shall be with him, to give unto every one according to his works. See Mat. 25.29, 30, 31. So much briefly for the time of Hell in its being, although much more may be said. Secondly in brief, for the place of Hell, which I conceive shall be on Earth, where sin was committed; for which I refer you to Isaiah 24.21. which saith, And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will punish the Host of High ones which are on high, and the Kings of the earth on the earth. It is in that day when he shall reign gloriously in the Hill of Zion, when the Sun shall be ashamed, and the Moon confounded. And further, we know Hell is called utter darkness, viz. when the Lord hath with-drawn, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, which are but for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and these words show that they are limited as to time, which when they are taken away, the Earth will be utter darkness, and so the place where the Lord will punish. Further he saith, he will gather all Flesh to the valley of Jehosaphat, and plead with them there, and so much briefly to the place. Now because I have thus said, that Hell is not yet in being, let not any ungodly Soul be hardened in his ungodly practices, to think that when they die they shall not go to Hell, thou Mayst come there too soon; for if so be that a thousand years to the Lord be but as yesterday, and yet he have knowledge of time, then ten thousand years is but a moment to those which have no knowledge of time; but in the Grave there is no remembrance of time, so that from Adam's death which was the first man, unto the time of his Resurrection, will be to him but a moment of time. But if by these words you should conclude that I hold the Mortality of the Soul, I shall speak a word to it, although I have spoke to it before, yet a word now in its place may be seasonable, and that is this, All that is man dyeth, and is mortal; neither do I know, and I believe you will be troubled to find, that any other thing returns to God, than that Spirit, which is neither of man, nor from man, but was freely given from God, which indeed is immortal, and yet is in no capacity to receive joy, until the body is perfected with it. I could speak much to this particular, but that I see two sorts of persons that are ready to run upon the extremes, which for want of true understanding in that point do run into great absurdities. In the last Clause of your Letter you say, The Anabaptist would have urged another Argument to prove no Children damned, but you say you refused it, and said, that was but running round. To which I answer, That it did appear to me you were very weary indeed, and could not answer to one Argument, and therefore much less to many more. You writ to me that you were scarcely recovered of Sickness, and so that was one ground why you could not. We use to say, Sir, a bad shift is better than none, but while you were a talking of the flesh, namely contesting about your Tithes with your Neighbour, which was none of your Flock, you seemed to be very well. But Sir, I marvel not much at your Apology, for I scarce ever met with any of your Coat but they had urgent business that wanted them at home, or a great way to Ride, or a Sermon to Teach, or some such like excuse; but were any of you at any place where you might have varieties for your Belly, or moneys for your Purse, and no Sectaries in the way (as you call them) to trouble you, you would not be in such great haste. Furthermore, you said I cried Victory by railing upon you, Sir, I pray you do not make me like yourself, which usually do rail in your Pulpit, as I am informed, and by your own confession; but I shall give you a review of those words, which you call railing. You may remember, when you were mounted on your Horse, and ready to be gone, when you could say nothing unto me, you had thought to stop my mouth with these words, saying unto me, you profess God hath spoke to you, let us see you show a sign. Although I never had a tittle in my speech to that purpose, my answer was this (which you call railing) that you are like to that adulterous Generation that seek a sign, and none shall be given them. And furthermore I said, That if you were as careful to read the Scriptures, and being frequent in them, as you were, to look after your Tithes, you might have remembered, that John the Baptist, who was a very great Prophet, did show no sign or mark at all, yet all that that he said was true, Joh. 10.41. and this was the sum of that I said, which you call railing. The last thing you say, appears to be full of confusion, for in the first Clause of your last Verse, in which you say, that such as we, are given up, The meaning thereof is this, That God hath given us up to be cast out of his favour, not only intending to harden us, but also to harden himself against us, not intending any means shall do us good, cutting us from mercy, delighting in our destruction; this is meant by giving up to a reprobate sense. And yet now in the last Clause of your Verse you pray, That the Lord would open our eyes; so that in one place you cast us as far as you can into Hell, and say, That God hath done so in his account already. Do I wrong such a generation of men; if I should call them Babel's Brats? I leave the Reader to judge. But as for your prayer I matter it not, whether you pray for us, or curse us (which is your most usuallest practice) for I know that the prayers of such are abomination, according to the Word of the Lord, Prov. 28. vers. 9 I shall speak no more to the Letter at present, but exhort you to repent from your dead works, and believe the Gospel, and be baptised for remission of sins, before the Decree pass, and there be no remedy. The Servant of all men (for Christ's sake) George Hamman. Now Sir, having answered your Letter, I shall not leave you so, but shall further clear the truth of what I have affirmed by word and writing, and that by several Reasons or Arguments, as followeth. Arg. 1. That opinion that affirmeth God may change in what he hath absolutely Decreed, is false, and erroneous; but your Opinion, that Original sin bringeth Adam and all his Posterity, God not changeable in his Decrees. liable, or guilty to the second Death, (and yet we see Adam and all his Posterity are not punished with the second Death) maketh God changeable in what he hath absolutely Decreed; ergo your opinion is false and erroneous. The Major part of the Argument I suppose will not be denied, and that you know well that God changeth not, and therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed. The Minor I shall thus prove, from Gen. 2.17. which faith, But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, or, in dying thou shalt die. Here we may see God did absolutely Decree. and also declare his Decree, That if Adam did transgress that Law, he should die. Now if that Death included there do presuppose the second Death as well as the first, than if all do not die the second Death as well as the first, God's Justice is not satisfied, but his Decree frustrated, for God cannot bring any secondary means to frustrate that which he hath absolutely Decreed, or disappoint the satisfaction of his Justice. When I say he cannot, my meaning is this, That the Will of God, with the Attribute of his Truth, doth guide the Attribute of his Power, so that he can do nothing but what is righteous, according to truth. If God may bring a secondary means to disappoint the satisfaction of his Justice, he may as well bring a secondary means to disappoint the satisfaction of his Mercy, whereby the Justice of his Mercy be not executed. In plaineness of words, my meaning is this, That if the Lord would after he had said Adam should die (and all his) eternally, and yet afterwards prepare life and glory for so many of them as would accept of it; may he not as well prepare a hell for persons who have continued faithful unto death, whose reward is a Crown of Life? But now to answer an Objection or two. Obj. 1. The first Objection is from the example of Niniveh, for the Lord said, Forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed, and yet it was not destroyed; from which word many conclude, that God doth change in his Decree. Ans. God doth not change his Decree, but doth decree to change his Dispensation according to the actions of the Creature. To this I answer, That God did not change his Decree, but did decree to change his Dispensation of Mercy or Judgement according to the Creatures obedience, or disobedience; for God had declared his Decree long before Jonah was sent to Niniveh, That at what instant be spoke of a Nation, or Kingdom, to pluok up, or destroy, if they did repent of their evil, he would repent of the evil he thought to do unto them, Jerem. 18.7. but we see Niniveh did repent, from the King on the throne, to the beggar on the dunghill. And hence it comes to pass, that God could not destroy them, though he told Jonah he did intend such a thing as concerning them; and thus we see God doth not alter in his Decree, although he doth Decree to alter his Dispensation of Mercy or Judgement, according to the Creatures actings. Hence it comes to pass, though Adam should have enjoyed all Paradisical glory, & not been rooted up for ever, yet for his disobedience he was rooted up, & drove out of the Garden, with the loss of all that aforesaid enjoyment; and God that seeth things before time that shall be in time, and calleth things that shall be as if they were, saw Adam the very same day that he did Transgress, not only dying (in dying thou shalt surely die) but also saw Adam and his posterity returned unto Earth from whence he was taken; so the Sentence is true in his account, that calls things that shall be as if they were. So much briefly to the first Objection. Obj. 2. The second Objection is, That the Promise did intervene Adam's Sin, and the Sentence. Ans. I answer, That makes not to the taking away of the Punishment of it; hence it comes to pass, though the Promise hath been made flesh, and dwelled amongst us, and hath been dead and risen again, yet no whit of the punishment is abated; so that God can as well cease to be, as he can cease to be unfaithful in the true execution of the Attributes of his Justice or Mercy. But I conceive the reason why the Promise did intervene, was, because he would not leave his Creatures without some comfort, as if he should have said, Adam, there was a time when thou mightest have eaten of every Tree in the Garden, unless that Tree in the midst, and in pleasure, and not in sorrow, but now thou shalt eat in sorrow all the days of thy life, until thou returnest unto that lump of Earth from whence thou wast taken, therefore thou Mayst see what thou hast got by harkening to the voice of the Serpent, and thy Wife, yet this let me speak to thy comfort, The Seed of the Woman shall break the serpent's head; that is, though the Serpent had thought by his subtlety to have buried thy honour in the dust for ever, and so to have destroyed the work that I had been doing Six, days, in one hour, yet I will have him to know, that my Wisdom is unsearchable, and my ways past finding out; that I have found a way to involve my Son in the flesh, not to take upon him the Nature of Angels, but the Seed of Abraham, whereby he may take away the Victory from the Grave; though thou must needs die, and be like water spilled upon the ground, yet I have used a means that thou shalt not be for ever expelled, 2 Sam. 14.14. So, know this to thy comfort, and set the Serpent know this to his shame, though my word be established in the Heavens, that the Heavens and Earth shall pass away, yet not one word of mine shall pass away unexecuted, and so I shall take the words of the Lord before named, 2 Sam. 14.14. and show you why God brought in the promised Seed, to intervene sin and the sentence, that is, though his Decree cannot be broken, nor his Justice go unsatisfied, but that Man must die for that Original Sin, no man or woman to be exempted, but must all be banished by death. But Jesus Christ was to bring life and immortality to light; herein is the saying made good, O Death where is thy sting! O Grave where is thy Victory! the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law, but thanks be to God, who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. This place the Apostle useth, 1 Cor. 15. to prove the very thing that I am now a proving of. If you should ask me, whether Christ brought nothing for the Sons of Men more than a Resurrection, I should answer yes, many things, he brought heavenly Paradisical glory for all such as would accept of it upon those conditions that he offered it. Much more might be said to this Objection and Argument, but my time at present is precious. Arg. 2. If the Sin against the First Covenant made the Sinners liable but to the first Death, than Adam, and all since in his loins, were liable but to the first Death. But the Sin against the first Covenant made the Sinners liable but to the first Death. Ergo Adam and all his posterity stand guilty by that Sin only of the first Death. To the proof of this Argument I shall give you to understand what I mean by the first Covenant, and that you may see, was excellent enjoyments (I mean) excelling in Prerogative beyond all other Creatures, insomuch as they were all under him, and whatsoever name he gave them they shall be called by; and also, had he not sinned, he should have enjoyed that pure earthly Paradisical enjoyment, which was the glory of the first Covenant, from which glory he fell by transgression of that Law, or that Original Sin, as you so call it. First, Adam's sin being only against the first Covenant brings not Condemnation to Hell. That he sinned against no other Covenant but that Covenant, because there was never no Covenant made of a second Life, or a second Glory, not till after Adam had sinned, and therefore could not sin against such a Covenant, it being not made, nor he in a capacity to sin against any such thing. So that Sir, take notice of this one thing by the way, that as the Grave, and the misery tending thereunto, as sickness, weakness, and such like infirmities, is that which a Creature receiveth as punishment for the sinning against that pure earthly Paradisical Covenant. So the Gulf of Hell, Punishment in Hell only for transgression against the second Covenant with eternal misery, is the punishment of Sin committed against that second Covenant, the which is a Covenant of heavenly Paradisical glory; so that as the glory of the second Covenant doth surmount the glory of the first, so the loss of the thing Covenanted, with the punishment thereunto, doth far surmount the enjoyment of the first, with the punishment annexed thereunto. Now to prove my Minor Proposition by a plain rext, as Gen. 3.19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou returnest to the ground, for out of it wast thou taken, dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return, Compare this with the seventeenth verse of the same Chapter, where he saith, Cursed is the ground for thy sake; and also telleth him, that it shall bear thorns and thistles. So if you take good notice what the Lord denounces as punishment to him and his seed, (which is only earthly) and inflicted only upon the outward man, no whit eternal, neither inflicted upon the inward man; and thus I have proved my Minor Proposition, that Adam's Sin was but against the first Covenant, which sin lost but the enjoyment of the first Life, with that earthly Paradisical glory. Arg. 3. Adam and all his enjoyments before he fell were but earthly. If Adam in his best condition (as he stood in Paradise before the Fall) were but an earthly man, and all his enjoyments were but earthly enjoyments; then he could lose no more than what he had to lose, which was earthly. But Adam in his best condition was but an earthly man, all his enjoyments were but earthly enjoyments. Ergo all that he lost was butearthly enjoyments. The Minor I shall thus prove, 1 Cor. 15.44. There is a Natural body, and a Spiritual body, so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living Soul, the last man Adam was made a quickening spirit, verse 45. howbeit that was not first which is Spiritual, but that which is Natural, and after that which is Spiritual, vers. 46. The first man is of the earth earthy, the second man is the Lord from Heaven, vers. 47. Thus you see the first man Adam was but earthly, and also his enjoyments as earthly as himself. Obj. If it should be objected and said, That the Lord made Adam an immortal Soul. Ans. To which I answer, that God breathed into Adam the breath of Life, and so he became a living Soul; it should appear he was a dead Soul before, for many times in Scripture the Mortal part of Man is called the Soul, Joshua 10.28. it is proved in, and so oftentimes in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh Chapters of Joshua, and Adam and all his Posterity had such mortal Souls, that had not Christ risen to have brought a Resurrection, that is to say, that mortal Body out of the dust, we had been like the beasts that perished, 1 Cor. 15.18. And so much briefly to the third Argument. Arg. 4. The Fourth Argument, To prove why Adam's sin did not bring any of his Posterity to be liable unto the second Death. If the punishment due to that Original sin of Adam in Paradise be no other than what God hath declared in the Sentence, which is no other but upon the outward man, than none of the Sons of Adam shall be Damned for that sin of Adam in Paradise. But that punishment due to Adam in Paradise is no other than what God hath declared in the Sentence, Gen. 3. ergo none of the Children of Adam shall suffer in Hell for that Sin; and that it was but a loss of earthly enjoyments, with deformities, and corruption, I have proved it at large. Arg. 5. To prove that Sin in Paradise did not make him, or any of his Posterity liable to eternal Death, is as followeth. That Opinion, The affirming that Adams●● brought the second Death, justifies the Devil to speak truth, and makes God a Lyar. which (in the extent of it) will make the Devil to speak truth, and God to lie, is an absurd and blasphemous opinion. But the Opinion that saith, That that Sin of Adam in Paradise maketh all the Sons of Adam guilty, and liable to eternal Death, affirmeth that the Devil speaks true, and the Lord lieth: Ergo that Opinion is absurd and blasphemous. The Major will be easily granted. The Minor I shall prove, for God saith, Gen. 2.17. If thou eatest thou shalt surely die, but the Devil said, Gen. 3. to the Woman, ye shall not die, but be like gods, &c. Now if this Death, that the Lord said they should die, be meant punishment in Hell, (as you blindly conceive) and yet we see that all Adam's posterity, which sinned in him, or are become sinners by him, are not punished in Hell, which you say is meant by that Death, than God speaks not true, in saying they shall surely die, when he intends they shall not. And the Devil speaks true when he saith they shall not die, and we see they do not so die; if that Death which God saith they shall surely die, be meant the second Death, this is to make the Devil speak true, and God a Liar. O horrid Blasphemous Opinion! be ashamed of it. Obj. Peradventure you will say, That God sent Christ to take away the guilt and punishment of that Original sin, which is as false and ridicnlous as the other. O blind guide! is this any more in effect than to say, That God sent his Son to make the devil's words appear to be true, and his own false? the Devil said they should not die, God said they should. Now that they might not indeed die, you say, God sent his Son that they might not die, which is no less than to make God a Lyar. And so much briefly to your blasphemous opinion. A word or two what I say to this, and that is in these words, Thou shalt surely die, is only meant the death of the material Body; and hence it comes to pass, that as well the righteous as unrighteous die, none exempted, he regards not the person of any; so that it appears clearly, our God is a God of truth, that cleareth not the guilty, and that the Devil, according to the words of John; is a liar, and hath been so from the beginning. Arg. 6. The last Argument is as followeth, That Opinion which crosseth plain texts of Scripture in the plain meaning of them, is false, and erroneous. But that Opinion which affirmeth, That all Infants as they come into the World are guilty of such a Sin as makes them liable to the second Death, namely, to be punished in hell, and so lie under the Wrath of God, is against plain texts of Scripture, in the plain meaning of them. Ergo such an Opinion is absurd und erroneous. Only the Minor will be questioned, the which I shall prove from Matth. 9.14. where Christ faith, Little Children are heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven, Take notice, Sir, these were not believers sprinkled Children, neither were they Baptised, neither were they brought for that purpose. Thus you see your Opinion speaks against plain text of Scripture, Christ saith, They are heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. And as for the answer of that Objection in Psal. 51.5. I refer you to the place where I have answered it, in its time and place, in the letter. And now I shall take notice of an absurdity that will follow, and so will leave, as to the Arguments you do affirm in this your Opinion, That all Infants that die in their Infancy, none excepted, must needs be damned; for you did affirm, That David was guilty of that Sin that brought Damnation, and if David were guilty, than all Children, for David in your sense was an Elect Person, and yet if he had died in his Infancy he had been damned, according to your expression from Psalm fifty; so that upon this account all Children in their infancy stand at enmity with God; and if so, then show me what reconciliation there can be according to Scripture account, without the manifestation of Repentance and Faith towards God, for Christ faith, Except you believe, you shall die in your sins, John 8.24. which Children cannot do, although you would blindly conclude from Matth. 18. that those little ones there were Children, which cannot be proved; for though Christ did take a little one, yet he took not little ones, and neither are little ones capable to suffer for Christ, and so consequently not capable to be offended. Secondly, Faith is a persuasion of the mind, flowing from the understanding, but Children having no understanding can have no faith, so that God saith, I speak not to your Children, which neither know nor understand; and so much for the absurdity which necessarily will follow, That all Infants must be damned, if that which you say be true, and so I shall leave as to that particular. Characters of the false ministry. THe next thing that I shall enter upon, is to show the Characters of the false and corrupted ministry, whereby they that run may read, and know them by their fruits. First, 1 Character. you shall know them by their teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men; the Lord in old time did complain against such Persons, as you may see, Jer. 5.30, 31. in these words, A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land, the Prophets Prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and the people love to have it so, and what shall be done in the end thereof? Thus you may see the Prophets of old did prophesy the vision of their own Brain, and the Priests of Old, they must bear rule by their means, that is to say, their false Divinations must go for truth, and it being pleasing to the flesh the people loved to have it so. So it is with the false corrupted ministry in our days, the Prophets of old, or more properly ancient Fathers, as they so call them, they in their several Councils have determined certain Articles of their own invention, imposing them on men's Consciences as infallible truths (when God never spoke any such thing in his Word) the Priests they bear rule by their means, and conclude, they must needs be truths, it being the judgement of their reverend Fathers, as Luther, and Calvin, and St. Austin, and the like, and it being grown in custom amongst the people, they love to have it so; like as the people of old, who lusted after the fleshpots of Egypt. I shall only particularize a few of their Traditions, and so pass the first Character. The first is, infant's Baptism, which never had a footing in God's Word, nor their Custom, which is of late by sprinkling. Another Tradition of Man is, their separating from their ancient Churches, (as they so call it) and make a kind of new Garment with old Cloth; my meaning is this, that many of the best sort of Priests (as they so think themselves, although I look upon them to be the very worst) separate from their ancient Church, for all they own their Fundamentals to be true both in Faith and Practice; will not the old Episcopals rise up in Judgement and condemn you, O ye wise Presbyters! that have learned to separate from a Church true in Fundamentals (as you say) when she fails in no hing but Circumstance? is this not getting out of one shape into another, and yet still hold correspondency with the Customs of the limbs? would you not fain shape yourselves into the likeness of the Gospel ministry, if you could? No marvel, for Satan also would transform himself into an Angel of Light; and thus by your Traditions, you make void the commandment of Christ, which did not command the Minister of the Church of Pergamus to separate from the aforesaid Church, although some of them held the doctrine of Balaam, and also of the Nicolaitans; but that which he was to do, was to repent, and help reform. Time would be too short for me to speak of your old Traditions, even the Customs of the Church of England, and your crossings in Baptisms, and such foolish tricks, which you yourself are almost ashamed of, although it be part of your Trade, by which you have had your living; or your Traditions, whereby you have deceived Souls for many Generations. The second Character by the which 2 Char. you may know a false Minister is, They are such as are Men-pleasers, they will speak as great men will have them speak, that thereby they may keep in favour with them howsoever; this you may see by Ahab's false Prophets, in that of 2 Chron. 18.10. and thereby will be a means to imprison the true, if it be possible, as you may see Vers. 23, 24, 25. Chap. 24.20, 21. Also see it pertinent in Jerem. 27.14, 15, 16. So are also our corrupted Ministers in the time of the Gospel; the priesthood there were the cause of Christ's being taken, and the Ministers of the Gospel to suffer; and so it is in our days, the priesthood get in favour with the great men of the times, and by their means the Ministers of the Gospel, and the rest of their poor afflicted Brethren, suffer, both in Person and Estate, as by that Human Tradition of theirs, as namely Tithes, or forced Maintenance, which never was appointed by God for the maintenance of a Gospel-Minister. The third Character whereby you 3 Char. may know the false corrupt Ministers. Christ tells you in Matth. 7. They come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves (that is to say) they make the people believe that they are the Ministers of Christ, and have great care of the Flock, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves; that is, in their hearts they intend to make a prey of the flock; so that their greatest care is for to get the fleece, although they pretend great care of the flock; and they may be very well likened to the false Prophets of Old, that the Lord complains against, Jer. 13.4. O Israel, thy Prophets are like the Foxes in the desert, ye have not gone up in the gaps, neither made up the hedges; for the House of Israel, they did not care to come where there was any work for them to do, but every one looked for gain in his quarter; wherefore the Lord calls those Priests of old greedy dogs, that will never have enough. Even so it is with the Priesthood in our days, they stand not up in the gap to defend their cause, neither to safeguard their people (from the Wolves, as they call them) Peradventure you hear them often rail in their Pulpits, but if they meet any of them that they call Wolves (although many of their flock be there present) they will not stand in the gap to defend that which they call truth; this makes it appear they are but Hirelings, and care not for the flock, but look after the fleece; so that let their flock be where they will, or do what they will, if they meet with them at Shering time, it is as much as they care for. The Fourth Character is, 4 Char. You may know a false Prophet by the ignorance of their people, they are such as lead silly women captive, who are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. This we may see by the poor National people, that go to Church (as they so call it) some forty, fifty years and upwards, and when all is done, they can scarce render an account of the hope that is in them, they know not, as to say, their right hand from their left in the things of God. Obj. If it be Objected and said, That it cannot be meant the Priests of the Nation, because they that are reproved there, are of that sort that creep into Houses, which lead silly women captive, which the Priests of the Nation think they are not, and so lie not under that reproach. Ans. To which I answer, That the Scripture doth not reprove such as preach in Houses, but such as creep into Houses; but I shall a little show you what creeping Creatures are, and that I find are frogs. Hence it came to pass that the frogs of Egypt did not abide in Pharaoh's Court only, but also they crope into his Kneadingtrougles; and I find in the sixteenth of the Revelations, that those unclean spirits like frogs went creeping unto the Kings of the earth, to gather them together to battle, which hath been the trade of the priesthood all along, to beget war in the Nation, to use the privatest and subtlest way to bring about their enterprise, which may be called ereeping; and further, though they come not much amongst the poor of the flock in their Cottages, yet in the Houses of the rich they will creep often enough. The second thing in order to the answering of the Objection is this, That Paul condemned not preaching in Houses, for than he had condemned his own practice, for he preached from House to House often, and often in his own hired house, as Acts 28.30, 31. And further he tells them, in Chap. 20. ver. 20. I have kept nothing back, but have showed you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house. And Chap. eight, and the last, And in every house they ceased not to preach Jesus Christ. So that they are not counted Leaders of silly women, that preach from house to house, or in their hired house, but they are Leaders of sillly Women, that creep into Houses, as I have afore showed you. This might also serve to reprove another sort of false Prophets, but I pass, and hasten to the Fifth Character. The Fifth Character to discover the 5 Char. false corrupted ministry, is this, You shall know them by their Pride and Covetousness, the Apostle saith, In the last days there shall be those who will be self-lovers, and not only so, but proud and covetous withal, having a form of godliness without any power. And so are the Priesthood in our time, proud, in that they love the chiefest Seats at the Feast, and greetings in the Market, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi; and their Covetousness appears in this, In that they reap where they never sow, covet the goods of such as are no whit partakers of their ministry, and yet notwithstanding they will have a form of godliness, and make their people believe they lean upon the Lord, and that God is amongst them in their worship, like unto the corrupted Priests of old, Mich. 3.11. The Priests teach for hire, and the Prophets Divine for money, yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord amongst us? no evil shall come unto us. And so much for the Fifth Character. 6 Char. The Sixth is You shall known them by their implacable hatred against the Ministers of the Gospel, and the simplicity of the Gospel, they are always crying out to the Magistrate, a Sword, a Sword, that so they may be found guilty of the blood of the Saints, and Prophets, they being of the Babylonish crew; This was the disposition of the false Prophets, and corrupted ministry of old, as Lament. 4.3. they are such as cause the blood of the Just to be shed in the midst of the street; and so is it with the Priesthood of our times, which nothing will serve their turns, had they the power in their hands, but the Lives or Liberties of the people of God; witness their railing at them in their Pulpits, and backbiting them in private, on purpose to set the people at enmity with them, crying, away with them, like unto the malignity of the spirits of their Fathers of old, fearing, that if such continue, their trade and great goods will come to nought. 7 Char. The Seventh Character by which the false corrupted ministry may be known, is, They are such as take up the ministry for filthy lucre sake (that is to say) when they come to a people, if they will not give them so much by the year, they will not be their Minister, they leave small Livings to go to greater, and so their great and weighty Call lieth in the heavy Purse; you shall seldom (or never) hear them say, Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospel; (although I am in hunger and nakedness) but woe unto you people, if you pay me not my Tithes, I will get a Summons against you, and so lie under that reproof that saith, He that putteth not into their mouth, they prepare war against, so that they feed themselves with the fat, and clothe themselves with the wool, and kill them that are fed, Ezek. 34.2, 3. &c. And so much for the Seventh Character. The Eighth Character, 8 Char. whereby you may know the false corrupted Ministers, is, They are such as receive their ministry by way of Trade, and not by way of Gift; they buy it, on purpose to sell it again; if Simon Magus were in the gall of bitterness, who thought to purchase the gifts of the Holy Spirit for money (and yet we cannot find that he had an intention to sell it again) then how lie such under the gall of bitterness, who would fain buy it, on purpose to sell it again? so that as the Ministers of Christ receive their Gift by virtue of his ascending up on high, Ephes. 4.8. they being under his teaching and guiding; so the false Ministers receive their Instructions and Teachings from Cambridge and Oxford by virtue of sums of money, and so as I have afore said, they have not the ministry by virtue of Gifts from God, but by virtue of such Human helps. And so much for the Eighth Character. 9 Char. The Ninth Character whereby you may know the false corrupted Ministers, is, They are such as their covetous practice, and ill-gotten goods (many times) endureth not to the second Generation; for the Lord hath said, he will plead both with Fathers and Children; so that many times misery falls upon the outward man, both to Fathers and Children, for such things; you may see what the Lord denounced against the corrupt Priests and Prophets of old, in Jer. 2.8, 9 The Priests said not where is the Lord, and they that handled the Law knew me not; the Pastors also have transgressed against me, and the Prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that did not profit; wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord, and with your children's Children will I plead. So it is with the Priests in our times, they ask not whether the Lord be in the place, but whether there be a good Benefice, and yet notwithstanding we see often times that the Lord hath so pleaded with them and their Children, that they have been exposed to great want. And so much to the Ninth. The Tenth and last Character, 10 Char. whereby you may know the false corrupted Ministers, is, They will pretend much love to Christ and his Apostles, as though they owned their persons and ways; but the Children of God, (such as walk in Christ's ways, which he hath left both by precept and example) they hate, revile, and persecute, as much as in them lieth; so it was with the corrupt Pharisaical Priests and Scribes of old, as Mat. 23.29, 30. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in their blood, wherefore ye are witness to yourselves, that ye are the Children of them that killed the Prophets, vers. 31. Here you may take notice, that though the pharisaical Priests and Scribes of old did pretend great love to the Prophets, and righteous men that were before them, condemning their Fathers for persecuting of them, yet you may see they were the men that owned a Murder against Christ, and also persecuted his Disciples. It was the Priests that gave Judas the thirty pieces of Silver to betray his Master, Matth. 26.3. compared with 14, 15. Also they were the men that gave large money to the soldiers, to say, His Disciples stole him away while we slept. So the Priests of out time, they make as if they were friends to Christ and his Diseiples, and yet they are the greatest Agitators of the reproach and sufferings that is brought upon such as walk in that way which Christ and his Apostles have left by precept and example. And so much for the Tenth and last Character. Now having briefly showed you the Characters of the False Ministers, I shall come now to show you the Characters of the True, the which hath so great a difference from the False, that they that run may discern it; and so briefly to the first. The first Character of the true Ministers is as followeth. They are not only sent by Jesus Christ to preach, but also Gifted by him, whereby they are enabled to preach at all times instant, in season, and out of season; they do not want a great Library of Books, neither do they want a weeks time to preach a Sermon, neither do they preach other men's Works, and so receive not their ministry of man, or from man, as the Apostle Paul saith, Gal. 1.1. but receive it as a free Gift, as you may see, Ephes. 3.8. And so much in brief to the first. 2. The Second Character whereby they are known, is, As they are Gifted by him, so they preach his words only, going forth with the words of his Commission, preaching Repentance and Faith, and having thereby made Disciples they baptise them, according to the command of Christ, Mat. 28.19. Go teach all Nations, and baptise them; showing clearly, that persons must be taught before they are baptised; it is also pertinent, Mark 16.15, 16. compared with Acts 2.37, 38, 39 Chap. 8.12. vers. 37 with many other Scriptures, which will not only prove it to be a precept of Christ, but also the practice of the Ministers of Christ in the Primitive times; and so in our time; so they Constitute Churches (if it may be so called) not by Generation, but by Regeneration, my meaning is this, That they do not make Church-Members by succession (as believers Seed) but by faith, and profession, which doth entitle Persons to be Abraham's Seed, and Heirs according to promise. And so much briefly to the second Character. 3. The Third Character whereby they are known, is, As they go forth with his words and Commission, so they are contented with what Wages he gives them; they take not up the ministry for filthy lucre's sake, but are willing to suffer hunger and cold, and many such like things, if they are called, thereunto; they do not ask the People to whom they preach, what they will give them, but are willing to labour with their hands to supply their wants; this you may see was the carriage of the Apostle Paul, who was a Minister of Christ, and a pattern of good works to the Ministers that should succeed him, as you may see, Acts 20.33. I have coveted no man's Silver, or Gold, or apparel, ye yourselves know, that these hands of mine have communicated unto my wants, and to them that are with me; so it is with the true Gospel Ministers in our time, they are willing to lay themselves out to preach the Gospel frequently in several places, and yet notwithstanding, are as willing to let their hands communicate to their wants, and to their Family, to the end they may make the Gospel of Christ without charge, and also not to lay a stumbling-block in the way, to cause them that are weak to fall; and in a word, they seek not the Fleece, but the Flock, as the Apostle Paul saith, not yours but you. And so much to the third Character. 4. The Fourth Character whereby you may know the true Ministers of the Gospel, is, They are men of the lowest rank, and of the weakest capacity, or prudency in Natural things, whereby the Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than they; therefore if you will know the true Ministers of the Gospel, or find them our, you must not go amongst the wise rabbis of the times, but you must look amongst the weak, despised, rejected people, for in their weakness Christ hath promised to manifest his strength, and hath also said, He will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and destroy the wisdom of the prudent; you shall see these Scriptures in the room of many, first by prophecy, secondly fulfilled, Psal. 82. in these words, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength, Isa. 28.7. Mat. 11.25. there Christ gives thanks, that God had begun to make good his Promises, saying, I thank thee O Lord, Father of Heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; therefore the Apostle saith in 1 Corinth. 1.20. Where is the wise? where is the Scribe? where is the disputer of this World? Compared with Verse 26. which saith, For you know, your calling Brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, nor many mighty, nor many noble are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise, that no flesh should glory in his presence, vers. 29. &c. according as it is written, that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. As if he should have said, That forasmuch as Persons are ready to set up the Creature, and look so little at the Creator, I will now give Strength, and Wisdom, and Gifts to men of the least account, (as in reference to Human Part) that Persons may not attribute praise to the Creature, as to his Wisdom, or Learning, or such like things, but may attribute praise only to me the Creator, for the less fleshly parts, or Human Wisdom is seen in the Creature, the more the gifts of God's Spirit is magnified. And so much of the Fourth Character. The Fifth Character, 5. You shall know them by their being rejected of the Wise and Learned men of the Times, whereby they be often in Tumults; nay you shall know them by their rejoicing in those things which others count shame, as you shall find by the carriage of the true Ministers of old, Acts 5.40, 41. When they had called the Apostles, and beaten them, they commanded them that they should preach no more in the Name of Jesus, and they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name, also in 2 Cor. 6.4. You may see there how persons prove themselves to be Ministers of Christ, in these words, But in all things approving ourselves the Ministers of God, in much patience and afflictions, necessity and distress, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours. So the Apostle, though he were in favour with the chief Priest when he went to Damascus, yet no sooner did he turn to be a Preacher of Christ in simplicity, and forsook the old Jewish form, but he was fain to escape out of their hands in a Basket out of a Window, being afterwards taken, was smote by the High Priest (who once owned him) So it is with the Ministers of our time, no sooner do they forsake the Ceremonies of the Nation, but presently they become a prey (especially of the Priesthood of the Nation) so that he that runneth may read the true Minister from the false. And so much to the Fifth Character. The Sixth Character, 6. is, They are always counted Broachers of new Doctrine, heretics, and turners of the World upside down, their doctrine called heresy, and they ringleaders of the Sectaries; so it was in the Primitive age, and so it is now; that it is so now the continual out-cries of the Priesthood of the Nation against the Ministers of Christ doubtless sounds forth, or otherwise I shall willingly be corrected by the Christian Reader; and that it was so in the Primitive time, I shall prove clearly, as from two or three instances of Scripture, in the room of many more, Acts 24.5. which saith, We have found this man a pestilent fellow, a mover of seditions amongst all the Jews throughout the World, and a ringleader of the Sects of the Nazarens, this was spoken by Paul, Acts 17.6. the last clause, in these words, Those that have turned the world upside down are come hither also, Acts 28.22. Concerning this Sect we know, That it is everywhere spoken against, Chapter 22.22. Then they lift up their voices and said, Away with such a fellow, it is not fit that he should live, chap. 25.24. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men that are here present with us, ye see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me about at Jerusalem, and also here, crying, that he ought not to live any longer. So that you may see plainly, that as the Ministers of the Gospel than were looked upon as pestilent Fellows, and the ringleaders of the Sectaries in that time, by the wise learned Jews; so are the Ministers of the Gospel looked upon in our days, by the blind formal people of this Nation. And so much to the Sixth Character. The Seventh Character of the true Ministers, 7. is, they are not ashamed of the meanest ways or Ordinances of Christ, though they are contemptible to the Wise men of our times, Rom. 1.16. 2 Tim. 2.11. the Gospel Ministers do not pick out those for such Doctrines as please the fancies of men, as the Apostle saith, If I yet please men I am not the Servant of Christ. They preach the Gospel in the plain mean way of it, for the which they suffer reproach, nevertheless they are not ashamed, for they know whom they have believed, even their Lord and Master who went before them, leaving them an example, Who turned not away his face from shame and spitting, Isa. 50 4, 5, 6. Heb. 12.2, 3. Phil. 2.6. 2 Cor. 8.9. So that you may know the Ministers of the Truth by their boldness for the Truth, being not ashamed to preach Christ in his low despised ways, at all places, where the Lord sets a door open unto them. And so much for the Seventh Character. 8. The Eighth Character whereby you may know a true Minister, is, They never call for a Magistrate, or Temporal Lord, to encounter with their Enemies, (or more properly Christ's Enemies) Christ hath prohibited them, teaching them another Lesson, That he that taketh the Sword shall perish by the Sword; so that the Weapons of their Warfare are not Carnal, but Spiritual; so that when they meet with truth's Enemies they take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and that is the Weapon by the which they put the enemies to the worst, and by that Sword at the last Christ's enemies shall be destroyed, Revel. 2.16. Chap. 19.15. and this is the Magistrates Sword, or Champion that the Ministers of the Gospel (in case of opposition) fly to. And so much for the Eighth Character. 9 The Ninth Character whereby you may know a true Minister, is, They are not Lords over God's heritage, that is to say, they will not Lord it over their fellow Brethren, neither do they desire the pre-eminence over the inferiorest Member in the Church; they are indeed the Churches Servants, and not their Lords, they can be content to suffer want, when happily the Church, or some of them, are fed to the full; they can be contented to be abased when the Church doth abound, they make not a prey of their Flocks, they labour not to be rich; nay they can cease from their own wisdom, they can willingly be counted fools for Christ's sake, they seek not the goods of the Church, but their good; not yours but you, as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 12.14. Much more might be said as concerning the Self-denial of the true Ministers of the Gospel, but I shall pass to the Tenth and last Character. The Tenth Character of a true Minister is as followeth; 10. They may be known by the hardship that will follow them, by reviling, by scoffing, by buffetings, by tumults, they shall be a byword in the mouth both of men, women, and children; for Signs and Wonders in the Nation where they live, as it hath been prophesied of them, Isa. 8.18. I and the Children that thou hast given me, are for Signs and Wonders. The Phrases of Carnalmen are as followeth; What, such a Fellow a Minister? a cobbler, Tailor, or tinker, and such like mechanics, are they fit for Ministers? Where had such Fellows their Learning? Are they not blind leaders of the blind, say the wise Carnalists of our time? and by such like terms they set the World in an uproar against them; Was it not so with Christ, and the true Ministers in the Primitive time? Did not the wise Jews, and Scribes, and Pharisaical Priests deride Christ, and call him the Carpenter, and Carpenters Son, and wondered from whence he had his doctrines? Did not the Wise learned men of the Jews call his Disciples ignorant and unlearned men, which knew not the Law, and were accursed, and yet notwithstanding Christ did choose mechanics, as fishermen, and the like, and did reject the wise and learned, and yet that was a hard thing to be received in those days, and so it is in ours; and you may see that Christ was a poor Christ in Carnal men's account; His face was more marred than the Sons of men, he had no form nor comeliness, when any looked upon him, that they should desire him, Isa. 53.1, 2, 3, 4. so are his Ordinances and his ways mean, that if men look upon them with a Natural eye, there is no form or comeliness; and so it is with the Ministers of the Gospel, as I have showed you; he calleth not the rich but the poor, not the wise but babes, not the learned but the ignorant, that he may make such to know doctrine; that the wise men may stumble, and fall, and be taken, but as it is written, He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord; and so much briefly to discover the false ministry, and the true; so that he that will view this with an impartial eye, or single heart, may clearly discern who are the true Ministers, and who are the false, to that end they may not be misled, but may be followers of the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, that thereby they may have him to be their refuge when all falsehood shall be discovered, and the refuge of lies swept away. MYstery Babylon, the Romish Whore, That hath filled the World with thy false Doctrines store, Thy cozening shifts are almost out of date, And thou shalt weep when as it is too late. All Nations that of thy Cup have drunk are mad, And in their hearts still after thee do gad; The Merchants of thy ways do much complain, That by thy ruin they shall lose their gain. The Merchants of her Ware that rich are grown, By taking fleece from sheep that's not your own; Your Riches, Pride, and Honour will decay, And like a dream will vanish clean away: You Merchants as I proper you may call, Remember that your Trade will have a fall, For he that hath the righteous offspring fed, Hath suffered yours oft-time to beg their bread. Sir John Presbyter that are grown so great, And think'st th' art fastened firm within thy Seat, Thy time shall be but for a little space, But Daniels Little Horu shall thee displace. Daniels Little Horn is budding out, That will thee and thy Predecessors rout, Before whom Papal Prelate, and Presbyter shall fall, That his Dominion may be over all. O England, look what Shepherds you have got, That love the Fleece far better than the Flock. Instead of feeding, kill such as are fed, O England see that you are much misled. Thy shepherds certainly are of that sort, That Paul unto Philipia did report; Whose God's their belly, who earthly things do mind, For he saith misery will be their end. But Zion, and thy Pastors, that seem to mourn, And to the World the objects are of scorn, A word of comfort unto thee I say, Thy Servants they shall be; and thee obey. O Zion, be thou joyful in thy King, For if a certain thou shalt reign with him, And for thy suffering, thy reward shall be for aye, In the Land of Promise, double everlasting joy. George Hammon. Zion's Redemption Discovered, Wherein is made plain these particulars. 1 The last and general return of the Jews out of their captivity, and of the building of the City and Temple. 2 The manner of the rise of the Man of Sin, called the Vile Person, or the Antichrist, proved not to be the Romish Babylon. 3 The spoiling of the Jews for a small time, and the taking of their City and Temple. 4 The manner of the Son of Righteousness arising, and the gathering together of his Army. 5 The great war upon the Mountains of Israel, and the destruction of Antichrist. 6 The glorious Reign of Christ and his Saints upon Earth a thousand years. 7 A clear description of New Jerusalem, not built by the Jews at their return out of Captivity. 8 The restoration of the creation into their Primitive Purity. 9 The Signs of the Times of the accomplishment of these prophecies. 10 A profitable Application of the sum of these Particulars. By GEORGE HAMMOND Pastor. LONDON. Printed by R. Ibbitson for Fra. Smith, and are to be sold at his Shop in Flying horse Court in Fleet street. 1655. Zions Redemption Discovered. The last and general return of the Jews out of their Captivity, and of the building of the City and Temple. THe Lord hath promised that the Jews shall return and enjoy their own Land, and build and repair the former Desolations, of which the Scriptures are full: For thus saith the Lord, behold, I will bring again the Captivity of Jacob's Tents, and will have mercy on their dwelling places, and the City shall be built upon her own heap, and the place shall remain after the manner thereof, That the Cities of Judah shall be built as in the former days. Jerem. 30.18. Moreover, that you may see that this is a Prophecy of the last and general return of the Jews, the Lord doth declare that he will not only bring those that were carried in the Northern parts, being subdued by the Roman, or Persian, or Turk, but speaks also of all coasts of the Earth, meaning also all those that were carried away by Salmanaser out of Samaria, so that there might be one sheep-fold together upon the Mountains of Israel: Behold, A prophecy of the return of the Ten Tribes, that there may be one sheepfold on the Mountains of Israel. I will bring them from the North Countries, and from the coast of the earth, for God will save Zion, and build the Cities of Judah, that they may dwell there, and have it in possession; the seed also of his Servants shall inherit it, and they that love his name shall dwell therein; the Towns and Cities of Judah, and Jerusalem shall be re-edified, and shall be no more destroyed by the hands of men, Ezek. 36, 10 11. Jerem. 31.40. compare verse 8.9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 17, 18. 1 Chron. 17 9 Amos 9.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. So that hence we may see here is a glorious time for the Jews to enjoy at the appointed time, at the accomplishment of these Prophecies; then shall that saying be made good, Ten men shall lay hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, and say, we will go with thee, for we have heard that God is with you, Zech. 8.22. Then the hatred of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversary of Judah be cut off, Ephraim shall not envy Judah, neither shall Judah vex Ephraim, Isa. 11.13. Arise and shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee, the Gentiles shall come unto thy light, and the King to the brightness of thy rising; Lift up thine eyes round about, and see, all they gather themselves together, they shall come to thee, thy Sons shall come from far, and thy Daughters shall be nourished at thy side, then shalt thou see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged, because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee, the multitude of Camels shall cover thee, the Dromidaries, or Middian, and Epha, Meaning that their Children and riches shall be brought back from the Land of their enemies as aforetime. all they from Sheba shall come, they shall bring Gold, and Incense, and they shall show forth the praise of the Lord; and the Sons of them that afflicted thee shall come and bow unto thee, and all that despise thee shall fall down at thy feet, and they shall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy one of Israel; whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed by thee, I will make thee an eternal glory and joy from Generation to Generation, Isa. 60.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Compare vers. 14, 15. cha 66.20, 21, 22. Jerem. 31.24. verse 31, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. 2 Sam. 7.10. Ezek. 37.20, 21, 22. Zeph. 3.13. compare 19, 20. Zech. 14.11. Ezek. 36.10, 11. from these Scriptures it is very clear, That at the last and general return of the Jews, their Cities shall be built, and although they may meet with some difficulties after the building thereof (as I shall show you) yet in the time of their return and building they shall have great assistance from God, as is clear from the current of Scripture. Moreover, although the Man of Sin shall trouble them after their return, yet it shall not be as aforetime, but they shall be nourished by God from the fierce wrath of the Dragon, and they shall be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of their God, Isa. 62.3. And they shall call them the Holy People, the redeemed of the Lord, and thou shalt be called Sought out, a City not forsaken, vers. 12. So having showed you by these Scriptures that the Jews shall return and build their City upon her own heap, I shall now also show you that there shall be a Temple built at the last and general return of the Jews, from these three Reasons as followeth. The First is from the Vision that the Lord showed Ezekiel in the time of Israel's Captivity, 1 Three Reasons why the Temple shall be built again. for it is usual with the Lord to follow his people with Mercy, so that in the valley of Achor there may be a door of hope; so the Lord dealt with John, when he was driven into the Isle of Pathmos. But to pass to Ezekiel's Vision, we may take notice that in the fortieth of Ezekiel, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Verses, that the Lord brought Ezekiel in a Vision into the Land of Israel, and setting him upon an high Mount showed him the frame of a City, in the which City also he saw a man whose countenance was like brass, and he had also a measuring reed in his hand. Moreover, that this was a Prophecy of the last and general return, see chap. 37.38. and that also without controversy, Ezekiel did see a Temple built as well as a City, as you may see proved already from Chap. 41.1. and vers. 4. from which we may see clearly there was a Temple, and so as I said before, so I say now, read and consider well the three precedent Chapters, and you shall see that it was the last and general return out of Captivity that there was Prophesied of; from the same account it is clear, That there is to be a Temple as well as a City. Obj. If it be objected and said, That there were Priests and Sacrifices mentioned in that prophecy, to that I answer, and say, It is true, but after the Jews return out of their Captivity, they shall wait for their Messiah in their Sacrifices, until such time as the Man of Sin shall spoil them, and take it away, and place up abomination in the room, for I cannot find from Scripture that the Jews shall be converted by a Gospel-preaching, although I know the two Witnesses shall prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Now that these two Witnesses shall preach Gospel-Ordinances, or a Crucified Christ, Repentance, and faith to the Jews, in such a manner and way as he was, The Jews shall not be converted by a Gospel preaching. or is preached to the Gentiles, that I much question, for as much as I see not the Scripture making good such a thing, but in many places doth cross such an Opinion as to my understanding, for the Lord Christ said, They should see him no more till they said, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; as for the Gospel they are enemies for your sake, but as touching Election they are beloved for the father's sake, for the Gifts and Callings of God are without repentance; So that when they see the Lord come in the Clouds, even the great King that they looked for, than they shall know that it was he that they and their Fathers have rejected, as well as Peter knew Moses and Elias, which he never saw before; so that at that time the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication shall be poured out, and they shall mourn. So when the Redeemer cometh to Zion, at that time shall transgression be turned from Jacob, Matth. 23.39. Rom. 11.25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. verses, Isa. 27, 6. compare vers. 9 chap. 25.7, 8, 9 Zech. 12.10. Moreover if it should be demanded of me, What shall be the work of the two Witnesses? I answer, That their work will be to establish the Jews against the slights of the Man of Sin, that shall affirm himself to be the Christ, and dissuade the Jews from believing in him, reviving those old Prophecies which have been in obscurity by reason of the misunderstanding of the people to whom they were made, The work of the Witnesses to prove the Man of Sin to be the Antichrist, and not the Messiah that they look for. for doubtless the Jews at this time do earnestly expect their King, and should they not have some to instruct them, and to expound the Prophecies, or prophecy of them, It is very like they might do ill enough, especially because of that great appearance of the Man of Sin, what by his great Armies, and the false Signs that shall be wrought by his false Prophets, that shall cause Fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of men, to deceive them that dwell upon the earth, so that their work will not be to preach Ordinances, but to prove that the great person that then shall be exalted amongst them, is not the Christ that they look for, but the Antichrist, or the vile Person, or the first Gog, or the Man of Sin, though he have several Names, yet is he but one Person, which was foretold by Enoch the seventh from Adam, and also by Ezekiel and Daniel, Esay and Joel, and also by Peter and John, which was to stand up in the last days, and also fall upon the Mountains of Israel; and so I shall pass both from the Answer to the Objection, and the first Reason, and come to a Second, to show you why there is to be a Temple built, as well as a City. A second Reason is, because John in his Revelation saw a Temple, and was to measure it, Revel. 11.1, 2, 3. in these words, And there was given to me a Reed like unto a Red, and the Angel that stood by said, Arise, and go measure the Temple of God, and the Altar, and those that worship therein, but the Court which is without the Temple leave out, and measure it not, for it is given into the hands of the Gentiles, and the Holy City shall be trod under foot forty two Months. Hence you may also see there was a Temple, which Temple John was to measure; now, that this was a prophecy of the last times, is clear from verse 18. and as the text reads it, the Court without leave out and measure not; the ancient Translations read it, the inner Court, or the Court within the Temple, leave out, and measure it not, for it is given into the hands of the Gentiles, and the Holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two Months, the which if so, it may appear to us clearly, That before the Jews have finished their inward Court, which is the Holiest of Holiest, the Man of Sin will take it out of their hands, and spoil them of the enjoyment of it, for the term of forty two Months, which is three years and a half, upon the account of thirty days to a Month, the which time and times, and half a time, the travelling Woman will be drove into the Wilderness, and the remnant of her seed persecuted, and this vile Person shall then set up his Image, which shall by the power of the Devil, speak, and cause as many as will not worship the Image of the Beast to be killed, Revel. 13.13, 14, 15. chap. 16.14. but some have expounded this place thus, and have said, The outward Court is the Ordinances that were not to be measured, that is to say, not to be accounted of, so as to be practised, and the Holy City was the Church which was to be trod under foot; to which Exposition, I say, That I never could find God in Scripture comparing the Gospel-Ordinances to an outward Court, it is well if they can find it who do affirm it; neither do I find in the New Testament where the Gospel-Church is compared to a Holy City; Christ hath compared it to a City, but the word Holy is not used in that place; but doubtless this Holy City spoken of here, Revel. 11. is meant Jerusalem, which in Scripture is frequently called a Holy City, as you may see if you peruse these Scriptures following, Psal. 24.3. Isa. 27.13. Chap. 48.2. Dan. 9.24. Joel 2.1. Chap. 3.17. Obadiah 6. Zephany 3.11. Mat. 4.5. Chap. 27.53. So that it will appear, that the Temple spoken of in Revel. 11.1. was the Temple of that beloved City, or Holy City Jerusalem, which is also as clear that it was a prophecy of the last times, if we compare Ezekiel with it; so that both Ezekiel and John in their Discoveries of the prophecy of the last times, do show, that there was a Temple as well as a City; and so I shall pass to the third and last Reason. The Third Reason why there is to be a Temple at the last and general return of the Jews, is from the words of the Apostle Paul unto the Thessalonians, where the Apostle saith, That the Man of Sin shall sit in the Temple of God, which Temple is the glorious holy Mountain before mentioned, even the Temple Jerusalem, as Dan. 11.45. and that this Temple, and the Man of Sin, is to be in the laughed Age, is clear, for the Man of Sin is to be destroyed, saith the Apostle, by the brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. 2.8. Dan. 7.9, 10, 11, 12. until the which time of Christ's coming he shall assume to make the Temple the Throne of his Glory; and so these are the three Reasons in brief why there shall be a Temple built as well as a City; First, because the Lord showed Ezekiel a Temple after the Vision of the dry Bones, which was the last return of the Captives. Secondly, He showed John one, and appointed him to measure it in his Vision. And, Thirdly, By the revelation of the Holy Spirit saith, the Man of Sin shall make his Seat there, and hold it till Christ comes. Moreover, the Prophet Malachy saith, That the Lord that was looked for shall suddenly come into his Temple. And so much briefly, to prove that the Jews shall return again to build their City and Temple. The manner of the Rise of the Man of Sin, called the Vile Penson, or the Antichrist, proved not to be the Romish Babylon. Secondly, The manner of the arising of the Man of Sin, he shall arise out of the Fourth and last Monarchy, the which Fourth Monarchy shall consist of seven Heads, that is, the whole Monarchy shall be ruled by seven unanimously, by Royal authority, but in this unanimous agreement, or seventh Head, shall continue but a little space, but one of the Seven shall make himself the Eighth, and yet of the Seventh, and shall go into perdition; and this is that which was set forth in that Image that Daniel saw, Dan. 2. but more plainly laid down in the lowest part of the Image, as in the Feet and Toes, ver. 41.42, 43. and in the midst of those Kings (that is) while those Kings are a-striving for their Dignity, the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom, The manner of the Man of Sins arising. which shall break and destroy that great King Gog, which shall be the Eighth and last. Moreover, this vile Person, or Man of Sins rise, is with all deceiveableness, and unrighteousness, fair words, and feigned speeches, deceiving the hearts of the simple; and before he cometh to be this Eighth and last King, he is but a Little Horn, full of eyes, Dan. 7.7, 8. professing Knowledge and Light in the Mystery of God, and yet at last he hath a mouth given him to speak great words against the God of Heaven. The very manner of his arising doth declare him to be a great Person at the last, for at his first arising three of the Ten Horns were plucked up by the root, that is, three Kingdoms do fall before him, or are resigned up into his hands, and so groweth great, and by that means he cometh to be one of the Seven that shall rule the whole Monarchy, and shall not be contented with that, as I have showed you, but by his power shall take away the other Six parts, and so changing the Government from the hands of seven into one, he is called the Eighth, and of the Seventh, and so shall remain till the Son of Righteousness shall dismiss his Reign, by casting him off into the Lake of fire, Dan. 7.8. compare verse 24. ch. 8.25. Revel. 17.11. He shall succeed in time the raiser of Taxes, but they shall not give him the power or honour of the Kingdom, but by flattery shall he obtain it, not by a joint consent of the people of the Province, but shall receive his Power and Authority by a small number of people. And when he hath entered into the fattest place of the Province he shall break League, Covenant, and Protestation, and work deceitfully; yet to carry on his design he shall do that which his Father hath not done, nor his father's Father; for by stirring up of his courage and valour, he shall take much riches out of the Southern Country, and to get the affections of those people of the Province where he liveth, he will scatter the Prey amongst them, to the end that his Army may grow great, that thereby he may take strong Holds, and sensed Cities; and this is the very way whereby he shall grow great, and be helped forward, and exalted into the Throne, even in the holy Mountain, Dan. 11.24, 25. ver. 43.45. and so by his Victories he shall grow great, and exalt himself, and at last exalt himself above God, and shall honour the god of Forces, that is, look upon the power of his Army, to be the great Power, that is to say, by his own strength he hath obtained that which he doth enjoy, and so shall puff out great swelling words of vanity against the God of gods, acknowledging no other God but himself, and shall place his Throne above the Stars of Heaven; for the proof of it, see these Scriptures as followeth, Isa. 14.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Dan. 11.36, 37, 38, 39 2 Thess. 2.4. Revel. 17.11. compare fourteen, Also to carry on his design, he shall have a false Prophet that shall work great Signs and Wonders to deceive those that have not narrowly looked into the Scriptures, and are not well grounded therein, for it is the great Hour of temptation to try all them that dwell upon the face of the earth, Revel. 3.10, 11. Great Pharaoh was a lively Type of this last and great Enemy of Israel, for we may find that he had many Magicians which did many lying Signs and Wonders to harden the hearts of his People, Exod. 7.11, 12. So hath the Man of Sin a false Prophet, as I have showed you before, and also in his Province many that can work by magic Art, which love to be in King's Courts, as Pharaoh's Magicians did; and that there shall be lying Signs or Wonders in that time, see these few Scriptures in the room of more, Dan. 8.25. Mat. 24.24. Revel. 13.14, 15, 16. Chap. 16.14. So by these signs and lying Wonders he shall make the World believe that he is the Christ, until both he and his false Prophets shall be taken alive, and cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. If it should be Objected and said, That this is meant of the Romish Babylon, I shall give you three Reasons by the which you may see that the Man of Sin, or the last Antichrist before mentioned, is not the Romish Babylon. First is, The Man of Sin proved not to be the Romish Babylon; by Reasons followfng. because in Scripture the Lord gives the Romish Babylon the name of a Woman, but in all places of Scripture he calleth the last and great Antichrist by the name of a Man; and I will prove these two in order, the which will make good the first Reason. Come down and sit in the dust, O Virgin daughter of Babylon, thy nakedness shall be uncovered, thy shame shall be seen, I will take vengeance, and will not meet thee as a man, Isa. 47.1, 2, 3. See more vers. 9 Jer. 51.8. Prov. 2.16, 17, 18. Chap. 3.4, 5. See more, Revel. 17.4. And the Woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet, upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the earth, vers. 5. And I saw the Woman drunken with the blood of the Saints, and Martyrs of Jesus, vers. 6. See more, Chap. 18.3, 4. Isa. 51.18, 19 And the next thing to prove is, That the Antichrist is called by the name of Man, as you may see, Isa. 14.12. compare 16. How art thou fallen from Heaven, thou Lucifer, Son of the Morning? how art thou cut down to the ground, thou that didst weaken Kingdoms? They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is not this the man that made the Earth to tremble, that did shake Kingdoms? And so as the Scriptures did foresee that he would assume to himself such a Power, was pleased to style him by the name Man, as you may see in the Scriptures following, Ezek. 38.17. Dan. 11.24. 2 Thes. 2.3. From these Scriptures you may see, that the last Beast, which is the Antichrist, is called by the name Man, and that the Romish Babylon is called by the name Woman. And so I pass to the second Reason. Secondly, The great and last Antichrist, or the Man of Sin, cannot be taken for the Romish Babylon, because the Romish Babylon did, and doth acknowledge God, and his Son Christ, although they worship him in a false manner; but the great and last Antichrist acknowledgeth no God, neither will he Worship any, but exalt himself above every god & acknowledgeth no God but himself, who shall be then the God of Forces, and as the Prophet Daniel saith of him, The King shall do what he list, he shall exalt himself against all that is God, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath be accomplished, for the determination is made, Dan. 11.36, 37. 2 Thes. 2.4. Dan. 7.8. Jude 5. From hence you may see, that this last and great Antichrist shall advance himself above every god, not acknowledging the God of Heaven; but the Romish Babylon as aforesaid, doth acknowledge a God, and Worship him, though in a false manner. And so much briefly to the second Reason. The Third and last Reason why the great and last Antichrist may not be took for the Romish Babylon, is, because the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed by the ten Horns of the last Beast, that is to say, by Ten Kings that have supported her; or in a word thus, That the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the appearance of Jesus Christ, but the great and last Antichrist shall not be destroyed until the Lord Jesus come and destroy him upon the Mountains of Israel, as I shall show you in his time, and place. And now to prove that the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the coming of Christ, you shall see it out of Revel. 17.16. And the Ten Horns that thou sawest upon the Beast, shall hate the Whore, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, for God hath put it into their hearts to fulfil his will, and agree, and give their Kingdom unto the Beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled, vers. 17. And the Woman that thou sawest is that great City that reigneth over the Kings of the earth. And you may also see more from Revel. 18.9. and more might be added, but this to prove briefly, That the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the coming of Christ, by the Ten Horns that support the Beast, for which cause the Romish Merchants, (viz.) her Clergy, and the Kings of the Earth, shall weep for her, and lust after her, although the Beast shall overpower them, and make them destroy her; but the Heavens shall rejoice over her, and the Holy Apostles (that is the Churches then in being, and the Gospel-Messengers) showing clearly, That the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the appearance of Christ, Revelations 18.19, 20. The next thing to prove is, That the Man of Sin, or that great and last Antichrist, is to remain until the coming of Christ; so saith the Apostle, That the Lord shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming. And so saith Dan. 7.9, 10, 11. Chap. 11.41. compare Chap. 12.1, 2. Revel. 19.19, 20. so from these Scriptures you may see plainly, That the Man of Sin shall remain till the very time that Christ shall take his great Power and Reign; so that neither of these Opinions can be true, that saith, That the Romish Babylon is the Antichrist, or that saith, That the last and great Antichrist is risen, and already past. So thus I have proved the last Antichrist not to be Babylon. A word or two to prove him to be called the King of Babylon, or the King of Assyria, and that you may see, the Prophet Esay hath the title of both in the fourteenth Chapter, and verse fourth, in these words, Thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babylon, and say, How hath the Oppressor ceased? how hath the golden City ceased? the Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the Ruler, vers. 5. He who smote the people with a continual stroke, he that ruled the Nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth, vers. 6. So here we see he is called the King of Babylon; and in verse 24, 25, 26. in these words, The Lord of Host hath sworn saying, Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass, and as I have purposed it shall stand, that I will break the Assyrian in my Land, and upon my Mountains tread him under foot, then shall his yoke depart from them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole Earth. Hence you may see, that he is also called the Assyrian, and that you may see it is meant the last Antichrist before spoken of, from the fourteenth Verse of the same Chapter, and fifteenth. And see more, vers. 32. in these words, What shall one then answer the Messengers of the Nations, for the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of the people shall trust in it. And that foundation in Zion, or Zion so founded, so as it may be an object for the people to trust in, which will not be until the Lord Jesus is laid as a foundation, or set as a King upon the Holy Hill of Zion; and than the poor of the people shall trust in him, and lie down under the shadow of his wings in peace, and none make them afraid; and somuch briefly as to the discovery of the manner of the rise of the Man of Sin, and also for the proving of him not to be the Romish Babylon, and so pass briefly to the Third, which is the discovery of the taking of the City and Temple from the Jews for a small time. The spoiling of the Jews for a swall time, and the taking of their City and Temple. Now when the Jews are returned into their own Land, and have brought their substance with them, and having no King amongst them, the Man of Sin shall have this evil thought come into his mind for to take from them their substance, and to make Jerusalem the throne of his glory, professing himself to be the King they wait for, but through their knowledge they will not believe him to be their King, for the which cause he shall spoil them, and take away by force their City, setting up his Seat in the glorious holy Mount. I shall give you some lively Prophecies that shall make good this Particular, as brief as may be, In that day, saith the Lord, I will assemble her that halteth, and her that was driven out, and her that was afflicted, now why dost thou cry out aloud, is there no Knig in thee? Is thy counsellor perished? for pains have taken thee, as a woman in travel. Be in pain and labour to bring forth, O Daughter of Zion, like a Woman in travel, for now thou shalt go forth out of the City and dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon, there shalt thou be delivered, there shall the Lord deliver thee from the hands of the enemies; now therefore are many Nations gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eyes look unto Zion, but they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel, for he shall gather them as sheaves into the floor; arise and thresh O daughter of Zion, for I will make thy Horn Iron, and thy hooves Brass, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people, and I will consecrate thy gain unto the Lord, and thy substance unto the Lord of the whole earth, Micha 4.6, 7. compare verses 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. You may see also from Ezekiel 38.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. in these words, Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, be thou a guard unto them, after many days thou shalt be visited, in the latter years thou shalt come into the Land, that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out from many people against the Mountains of Israel, which have been always wast, but it is brought forth out of the Nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them, thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a Cloud to cover the Land, thou and all thy bands, and many people with thee; thus saith the Lord, It shall come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought, and thou shalt say, I will go up into the Land of unwalled Villages, I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil, to take a prey, to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the Nations, which have gotten cattle, and Gods, and that dwell in the midst of the Land. Hence we may see, that after Israel's last and general return, and their bringing their riches with them, as they once did out of the Land of Egypt, that this Gog, which is the great and last Antichrist, as you may see, for he saith it is in the latter days, even in the very last before the coming of Christ, as you may see, Ezek. 38.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. And that he shall take the prey, and spoil Israel for a small time, even until Christ deliver them, is clear from the Prophet Zachary's words, Zech. 14.1, 2, 3, 4. Behold the day of the Lord cemeth, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee, and I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the Cities shall be taken, and the Houses rifled, and the Women ravished, and half of the City shall go into Captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the City, then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations, as when he fought in the day of battle, and his feet in that day shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, which is over against Jerusalem; From these Prophecies you may see that the Man, that great and last Antichrist shall spoil the Jews for a small time, and take from them their City, and place his Tabernacle in the glorious holy Mountain, Dan. 11.45. which the Apostle Paul saith shall be the Temple, for that will be the place of his Seat or Tabernacle, 2 Thess. 2.4. Much more might be said to this Particular, but I hasten to the Fourth Particular, in the which I shall discover the manner of the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, and the gathering together of his Army; and shall also prove that he is a man, and so he shall come and reign. But to pass that, and to the thing in hand, which is the manner of his arising, and the gathering of his Army. The manner of the Sun of Righteousness arising, and the gathering together of his Army. When the full appointed time of the Father shall approach, and the measure of Sin is full, or Iniquity at the height, (as now it is getting up a great pace, by reason of a generation of ungodly men, that deny that there is any God or Devil, and so take liberty to profaneness) than the Lord shall send his Son, even the anointed man (or the Man Christ Jesus) for so he may be properly called, for as man he did rise from the Dead, and as man he did eat and drink with his Disciples; as man he ascended, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and as man shall descend and Judge the World, and reign; and as man he shall deliver up the Mediatorship unto the Father, and be in subjection to the Father, when he hath so delivered it up, Luke 24.39 compare vers. 42, 43. Acts 3.20. Chap. 17.31. 1 Cor. 15.24, 25, 26, 27, 28. from hence you may see if you well perusethese Scriptures, that the Lord Jesus our King, as he was a man, and is, so he shall reign as a Man, although the Man of men, as we may so say, being the first born from the dead; for consider him as God, he cannot be sent, nor appointed by any, neither be in subjection unto any, but being a man, in whom the godhead is completed in, he is in a capacity to be sent by the supreme and Almighty Father; but now to the manner of his coming to redeem Israel, and restore them into their Kingdom, when he is risen, from the right hand of the Father, he shall appear in the Clouds, and shall cause the Angel to sound the Trump, even the last and great Trump, at the which sound all the godly that are asleep in the dust shall forthwith arise, (and no more, for the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished, Rev 20.5,) and then all the living (even such as are godly) shall forthwith be changed, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air; but the ungodly Dead shall lie in the dust, & the ungodly Quick shall remain upon earth, which makes good the words of our blessed Saviour, Two shall be in a bed, the one taken, and the other left; two in a field, the one taken, and the other left, Matth. 24.31. Compare verse 40, 41. 1 Thess. 4.14, 15, 16, 17. Rev. 1.7. chap. 20.5. So when Christ hath thus raised the dead Saints, and changed the living into a glorious immortal state, then shall they forthwith be caught up into the Clouds, and meet with the glorious Angels, and so shall become that glorious Army that John saw, Revel. 19.11. in these words, And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white Horse, and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, in Righteousness doth he judge, and make war, and the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, verse 14. Thus shall he ride in great glory triumphantly in the air, till he cometh over against the Mount of Olives, and there shall he descend with his glorious innumerable Army that follow him, and there shall he be the great King, or Prince Royal of the whole World, agreeing to the prophecy of Scriptures that Prophecy concerning him, Behold, the Lord my God shall come, and all his Saints with him, and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, Zech. 14.4, 5. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, with all his holy Angels, then shall he sit in the throne of his glory, Matth. 25.31. Also Enoch the seventh from Adam, prophesied saying, The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, Jude 14. and when the Jews shall see him come in this excellent glory, then shall that saying written concerning the Jews come to pass, lo this is our God, we have waited for him, he will save us, this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his Salvation, Esa. 25.9. so that this will be the voice of them that remain in the City, and as for those that are Captivated by the Man of sin, they shall be redeemed out of the Land of their enemies by the Lord Jesus himself; at that time shall that saying be fulfilled that is written, The redeemed of the Lord shall come to Zion, with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtain joy, and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall fly away, Isa. 35.10. Chap. 51.11. So much briefly as touching the manner of the Son of Righteousness arising, and the gathering of his Army, and so pass to the Fifth Particular, which is the engagement of the two Armies, namely, the Son of Righteousness, and the Man of Sin, with the total overthrow of the Man of Sin upon the Mountains of Israel, and the restoration of the Kingdom into Israel's hands. The great war upon the Mountains of Israel, and the destruction of the last Antichrist. Now as to the engagement of the two Armies, And I saw the Beast, and the Kings of the earth, and their Armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the Horse, and against his Army, and the Beast was taken, and with him the false Prophet that wrought Miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast, and them that worshipped his Image; these both were cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with brimstone, Rev. 19.20, 21. From hence we may see, the Lord Jesus Christ comes full of fury and wrath, as the Prophet saith of him, Behold the name of the Lord cometh from far, his face is burning, and the burden thereof is heavy, his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire, his breath as an overflowing stream shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the Nation with the five of vanity, and put a bridle in their jaws, causing them to err, Isa. 30.27, 28. Again you see, Isa. 63.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Who is he that cometh from Edom in dyed Garments from Bozra, that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save; wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me; for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall stain all my raiment, for the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my Redeemed is come; I looked but there was none to help, and I wondered that there was none to uphold, therefore my own arm brought Salvation, and my fury it upheld me; for he put on Righteousness as a breastplate, and as a Helmet of Salvation upon his head, and he put on the garment of Vengeance for clothing, and was clad with Zeal as a cloak; according to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his Adversaries, recompense to his Enemies, to the Islands he will repay recompense, for it is the year of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion; I beheld till the Thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as Snow, and the hair of his head like unto pure Wool, his Throne was like the fiery flame, and his Wheels like burning fire; a fiery flame issued and came forth from before him, thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the Judgement was set, and the Books were opened. I beheld then because of the noise and great words which the Horn spoke, I beheld even until the Beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame; let the Heathen be awaked and come down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about; put you in the Sickle, for the Harvest is ripe, come get you down, for the Press is full, the fat over-floweth, for the wickedness is great, multitudes in the valley of Decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of Decision; and the Angel thrust in his Sickle into the earth, and gathered the Vine of the earth and cast it into the great winepress of the Wrath of God, and the winepress was trodden without the City, and blood came out of the winepress even to the Horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs, Isa. 59.16, 17, 18. Chap. 34.8. Dan. 7.9, 10, 11. Joel 3.11, 12, 13, 14. Rev. 14.19, 20. From hence you may see what great slaughter the Lord will make with that great Antichrist and his Army, when he comes to try zions controversy. Moreover, see from the Prophet Ezekiel, Therefore thou Son of Man prophecy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord, behold I am against thee O Gog, the chief Prince of Mesheck and Tubal, I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the North parts, and will bring thee upon the Mountains of Israel, and I will smite thy how out of thy left hand, and cause thine Arrow to fall out of thy right hand; thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel, thou and all thy Bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous Birds of every sort, and unto the Beast of the field to be devoured, thou shalt fall upon the open field, for I have spoken it saith the Lord. And thou Son of Man, thus saith the Lord speak unto every feathered Fowl, and to every Beast of the Field, assemble yourselves, and come gather yourselves on every side to my Sacrifice, that I do Sacrifice to you, even a great Sacrifice upon the Mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh, and drink blood; ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the Princes of the earth, of Rams, of Lambs, and of Goats, of Bullocks, all of them the fatlings of Bashan, and ye shall eat fat till ye be filled, and drink blood till ye be drunken of my Sacrifice which I have Sacrificed for you, Ezek. 39.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Compare verse 17, 18, 19 Isa. 34.5, 6. all which Scriptures, and many more, do show that great destruction, and total fall that the last and great Antichrist shall have upon the Mountains of Israel. A word or two to show that the Jesus the King shall restore their Kingdom into their hands, even the Jews; He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, and in the Majesty of the name of his God, and they shall abide, for now shall he he great unto the ends of the earth, and this man shall be our peace, when the Assyrians shall come into our Land, and when he shall tread in our Palaces; the Lord of host hath sworn saying, Surely so shall it come to pass, as I have purposed so shall it stand, that I will break the Assyrian in my Land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot, then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders, for the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them into their own Land, and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the House of Jacob, and the people shall take them and bring them to their place, and the House of Israel shall possess them in the Land of the Lord, for, Servants and handmaids, and they shall take them Captives whose Captives they were, and they shall rule over their Oppressors, Isa. 14.1, 2, 3. compare 24, 25. verses. So we may see, that it was no Childish question that Christ's Disciples asked him, whether he would at that time restore the Kingdom to Israel, though it were a matter too inquisitive for them to ask such a question, for to know the Times and Seasons; but here you may see, that there is an appointed time of the Father in the which it should be accomplished; and indeed David was a lively Type of Christ, which had no sooner dispaced the Jebusites, and cast them out of Zion, but he made it his own Seat, and the place for his Family. So likewise it will be with the Lord Jesus, that no sooner shall he appear upon the Mountains of Israel, but he shall destroy that last and great Jebusite, or the Man of Sin, or the great and last Amichrist, more properly called, and give it unto the Jews for a Possession, that they may dwell there and have it in possession; The seed also of his Servants shall inherit it, and they that love his name shall dwell therein, Psal. 69.35, 36. so that hence I have discovered briefly that great war upon the Mountains of Israel, with the total ruin of the last and great Antichrist, and the restoration of the Kingdom into the hands of Israel; and leaving of these few Scriptures for the further proof of this thing, I shall pass to the Sixth Particular. Isa. 33.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezek. 38.18, 19, 20, 21, 22. Rev. 11.10. chap. 6.15. The glorious Reign of Christ and his Saints upon Earth a thousand years. The Discovery of the glorious Reign of Christ the great King, and the Saints upon the Earth, and the great peace that shall be in his day. Christian Friend, here is that, the consideration whereof is sufficient to bear up thy spirit in the worst of times, it was that which made the Apostle Paul not count his life dear to him that he might finish his course with joy, so that he was contented to suffer with him, because he knew he should reign with him; but for the better understanding of this glorious reign, I shall divide this subject into several parts. The first is, That Christ shall reign as King on the Earth, even in Jerusalem. Secondly, That the Saints shall have an high Prerogative, so as to reign on earth, even as Christ. And Thirdly, I shall put these two together, with some other considerable particulars, showing you that Christ and the Saints Dominion shall be alike, and that they shall reign alike, they being joint Heirs of one and the same Kingdom alike, only he in all things shall have the pre-eminence; and so I pass to the first, That Christ shall have a Kingdom on earth, and in Jerusalem. This we may see the Angel did declare, or make known unto the Virgin, saying, For lo, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, he shall he great, and he called the Son of the most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David, and he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom shall be no end, Luke 1.31, 32, 33. From hence you may see, that the Lord Jesus Christ shall enjoy David's Throne, which was not Spiritual, and in Heaven, but on earth, and in Jerusalem; even so the Lord Jesus Christ in the same place shall reign Spiritually and Temporally over the very same people; the Prophet also affirming the very same thing saith, Then shall the Sun be ashamed, and the Moon confounded, when the Lord of Host shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, before his ancients gloriously, for behold the day cometh saith the Lord, that I will raise up unto David a righteous branch, a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth, in his day shall Judah be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is the name whereby they shall call him, the Lord our righteousness. Isa. 24.23. Jer. 23.5, 6. Thus you may see plainly, that the Lord Jesus which is called the Son of David, shall possess the Throne of David. Moreover, you may see what the Prophet Micha also saith to the proof of this truth, In that day saith the Lord I will assemble her that halteth, and gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted, and I will make her that halteth a remnant, and her that was cast off, a strong Nation, and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion, for henseforth and for ever, and there was given him Dominion, and Glory, and a Kingdom, that all People, Nations, and Languages should serve him; agreeing with the Psalmist which saith, Yet will I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion, I will declare the Decree, the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the outmost parts of the earth for thy possession; thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel, Psal. 2.6, 7, 8, 9 Dan. 7.14. Micha 4.6, 7. For behold, I create new Heavens, and a new Earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind, but be you glad and rejoice in the thing which I create, for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy, and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying, and he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, and in the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide, for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth, Isa. 65.17, 18, 19 Psal. 67.4. Jerem. 3.17. Isa. 62.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. These Scriptures, and many more that might be added to the proof of the first Particular, That the Lord Jesus Christ shall reign on the earth in Jerusalem. The second thing is to prove, That the Saints also shall receive a Kingdom, and reign on earth. Unto the proof of this I shall begin with the words of our blessed Saviour, which saith, ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations, I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom, and sit upon Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. Whereunto he adds also another sentence in the Apocalypse, very pertinent to the proof of this, saying, He that overcometh, and keepeth my works to the end, I will give him power over the Nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron, and shall break them like a potter's Vessel, even as I have received of my Father, Luke 22.28, 29, 30. Revel. 2.26, 27, 28. From hence we may see, that as the Lord gave unto his Son Jesus, a Kingdom in reference to his Sufferings, and his obedience unto him; even so Jesus the Christ will give his people a Kingdom, in reference to their sufferings, and obedience to his will; and that this is to be on Eatth I shall give you a plain text, even as saith the Spirit of Christ in these words, And they sung a new Song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the Seals thereof, because thou wast killed, and hast redeemed us to God, by thy blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation, and hast made us to our God Kings and Priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Moreover, they shall enjoy that Sovereignty so long as the Sun and Moon endures, for so saith the Lord, by his Prophet, in these words, And in the days of those Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and this Kingdom shall not be given to another people, but it shall break and destroy all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever, and the Kingdom, and Dominion, and Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens shall be given to the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all people shall serve and obey him, Dan. 2.44. Cap. 7.27, 28. Revel. 5.10. from these Scriptures we may see, that the Saints shall enjoy a Kingdom, in the which they shall reign, and rule the Nations with a rod of Iron; so that the wicked shall be as ashes under the soals of their feet. And this Kingdom also we see is to be held on earth, neither can there be any other interpretations given upon these Scriptures without great abuse to the plain meaning of the Spirit in these Scriptures. If it be objected and said, That these Scriptures bespeak, or foreshow the flourishing condition of the people of God, while they live in this corrupt Tabernacle of flesh, I shall deny, and make this answer, That it is the portion of the Saints (nay all of them) to suffer in this Life, and the nigher the appearance of Jesus Christ, the greater shall the suffering be, so that through many tribulations they shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Dan. 7.21. 2 Thess. 1.9. Acts 14.22. 2 Tim. 3.12. Rev: 6.9, 10, 11. and many more Scriptures I might give as to the proof of this, for there shall be such Trials for the godly, that should not the days be shortened, no flesh would be saved, but the Lord shall cut the work short in righteousness, so that when his people are in great trouble, than he shall stand up as a Deliverer, Dan. 11.1. Matth. 24.21.22. View well these Scriptures, and you shall see that that opinion is false, that affirmeth, That the Saints shall flourish in such a condition before mentioned, while they live in this corrupted Tabernacle of flesh; and so I pass to the Third Particular, showing you how Christ and the Saints, shall reign together in the Kingdom, and shall begin with the words of the Apostle, which saith, that the Saints are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, in these words, If Sons then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together, Rom. 8.16, 17. Now we know a joint-heir is an equal sharer, or when two are made alike in the enjoyment of one thing, for so faith the Apostle, Now are we the Sons of God, but it doth not appear what we shall be, but when he shall appear we shall be made like him, 1 Joh. 3.1, 2, 3, 4. they shall be like him in Glory, in Majesty, in Honour; in a word, every way like him, only he in all things shall have the pre-eminence. Moreover, I shall add a plain text of Scripture, in the which we shall see that the Saints and Christ shall reign together, in these words, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection, for on such the second Death shall have no power, but they shall be the Priests of God, and of Christ, and reign with him a thousand years. The which also agreeth with the words of the Prophet, that saith, A King shall reign in Righteousness, and Princes shall decree Judgement, and Saviours shall come up of Mount Zion, and judge the Mount of Esau, and the Kingdoms shall be the Lords, Revel. 20.6. Isa. 32.1. Obadiah 21. therefore let the Saints be joyful in glory, let them sing aloud upon their beds, let the high praise of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the Heathen, and punishment upon the people, to bind the Kings in chains, and the Nobles in fetters of Iron, that they may execute upon them the judgement that is written, this honour have all the Saints, praise ye the Lord; so that it is a faithful saying, if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him, Psal. 149.5, 6, 7, 8, 9 2 Tim. 2, 12. So having showed that Christ and the Saints shall reign together unanimously; I shall also show you that excellent peace that there shall be in the time of his reign throughout the Earth, as saith the Prophet, The whole Earth is at rest and quiet, they shall break forth into singing, the Mountains and Hills shall bring peace unto the people, by Justice he shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the Children of the needy, and subdue the Oppressors, they shall fear thee so long as the Sun and Moon endureth, from generation to generation; he shall come down like the rain upon the new-mowen grass, and as the showers that water the earth, in his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth; his Dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth, and they that dwell in the Wilderness shall kneel before him, and his enemies shall lick up the dust; in that day it shall be said, we have a strong City, salvation hath the Lord appointed for Walls and Bulworks; open ye the Gate that the righteous Nation that keepeth the truth may enter in; thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee, Isa. 14.7. Psal. 72.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Isa. 26.1, 2, 3. From hence we may see, what great peace there shall be in the term of Christ's reign; there is good reason why there shall be such great peace, upon these two accounts; the first is, Because the Devil shall be bound, and shall not stir up Nations to war, which is his practice when he is loose. The second Reason is, Because that at the great destruction of God, (the Great Antichrist) all the Weapons of war shall be burnt, and those that remain which were not brought up to war upon the Mountains of Israel, shall be converted into other service; namely, Their Swords shall be beat into ploughshares, and their Spears into pruning-hooks, for Nation shall not rise up against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more, Ezek. 39.9, 10. Isa. 2.4. Mich. 4.3. Revel. 20.3. From hence it comes to pass, that the people in that day shall be led forth in peace, and the Mountains shall break forth before them into singing, then shall the Law go forth out of Zion, and the Word of the Lord out of thy Jerusalem; then shall the saying be made good that is written, All thy Children shall be taught of God, and great shall be the peace of thy Children. So that be will extend peace to her like a River, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream, Isa. 2.3. cap. 54.13. cap. 55.12. Isa. 66.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Psal. 127.7. and. 125.5. Nah. 1.15. and so I shall leave these Scriptures, and the Fourth, and pass to the Fifth thing in order, which is to show you the people whom Christ and the Saints shall thus rule with a rod of Iron, and that is the ungodly, even such as have afflicted the people of God, and the Sons of them who have afflicted the people of God, for so saith the Prophet, The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee, and all they that despised thee shall fall down at the soals of thy feet, and they shall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the holy one of Israel. Agreeing with that of Malachy, To you that fear my Name shall, the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings, and ye shall grow forth like Calves in the shall, and ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be like dust under the soals of your feet, for thus saith the Lord, after this glory hath he sent me unto the Nations which spoiled you, for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye, for behold, I will lift up my hands upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their Servants, and ye shall know that the Lord of Host hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, O Daughter of Zion, for I will come and dwell in the midst of thee, faith the Lord, Mal. 4.2, 3, 4. Zech. 2.8, 9, 10. Hence you may see, that the enemies of God and his people shall be subdued by Christ, and the Saints, like as the Egyptians of old were spoiled by the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, so shall all the ungodly Egyptians be spoiled at the last, as you may see, Exod. 3.22. Cap. 11.2. Isa. 33.1, 2, 3. When Israel was to go out of the Land of Egypt, the Lord commanded them to ask every one of his Neighbour jewels of Silver and jewels of Gold, and the Lord gave them favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they did obtain what they demanded; by the which the Israelites were enriched by the spoil of the Egyptians; and so it shall be at that day, with the people of God, they shall enjoy the spoil of their enemies, for they are the true Heirs to the riches of the World present, and that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. 1 Corinth. 3.22. Math. 19, 29. So that they shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, as also saith the Scriptures, ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord, and men shall call you the Ministers of our God, ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and be exalted with their glory, Isa. 61.6. Here we see, that the Lord is pleased to give them the riches of the Gentiles, (that is to say, the riches of Sinners) that although they heap up Silver like the dust, and raiment like the clay, yet the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the Silver, so that their gain shall be consecrated to the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth; therefore shall thy Gates be open continually, neither day nor night shall they be shut, that men may bring unto thee the riches of the Gentiles, that thy Kings may be brought for the Nations, and Kingdoms that will not serve thee shall parish, and those Nations shall utterly be destroyed, Job 27.16, Isa. 60, 11, 12. Cap. 66.11. Zech. 14.14. Revel. 21.24. From hence we may see, that riches, and glory, and honour, and a Kingdom, nay and Crowns also, shall be cast down before Christ, and the Saints which shall be at their steps. King Solomon in his glorious Reign was a lively Type of King Jesus in his glorious Reign, and we know in King Solomon's Reign there was great plenty of riches and glory, such as was not in Jerusalem before or since; and that there shall be so in Christ's Reign, was set out by those who came from the East to Jerusalem to worship Christ, which when they had found him, opened their Treasures and presented Gifts, Gold, myrrh, Matth. 2.11. which shows to us, That when the Lord is King in Jerusalem, how persons shall come from the utmost parts of the Earth, to submit to Christ's and the Saints royal Dignity, and present unto them the choicest of riches, which agreeth to the Scriptures before mentioned; so having discovered that Christ and his Saints shall reign in Jerusalem, and of that excellent peace and sovereignty that they shall enjoy in their time, with riches, and the glory of the Gentiles. I pass now unto the Seventh Particular, which is the description of the New Jerusalem. A clear description of New Jerusalem, not built by the Jews at their return out of Captivity. The very consideration of this New Jerusalem is sufficient to ravish the hearts of all such as are heavenly-minded, it was that which did stay and support the minds of the suffering Saints of old, and indeed it is sufficient, because it is of such an excellent situation that it is to be admired, as the Psalmist faith, Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the side of the North is the City of the great King, God is known in her Palace for a refuge; which City in the Mystery is no more but that New Jerusalem, which shall be the City of the great King, Psal. 48.2. compare Psal. 47.8. even so New Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven, and being situated about Zion, it is Metaphorically called mount Zion, because Zion of old did represent it, which was David's Throne, the which David and his Throne was a lively type of Christ, and his Throne, and as David placed himself in Zion, with his Family, so Jesus Christ will place himself in that New Jerusalem, with his Family, the which Family consisteth of risen saved glorified Saints; the which agreeth with the Word of the Lord that faith, The people that are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour unto it, and there shall in no wise enter into it any that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the lamb's Book of Life, Rev l. 21.24, 25, 26, 27. but now I shall pass briefly to a review of that glorious City New Jerusalem, the which is treated of, Revel. 21. beginning at the tenth verse, And he carried me away in the Spirit unto a great and high Mountain, and showed me that great City, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal, and had a wall great and high and had twelve Gates, and at the Gates twelve Angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel; on the East three Gates, on the North three Gates, on the South three Gates, and on the West three Gates; and the wall of the City had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the lamb, and he that talked with me had a golden reed to meajure the City and the Gates thereof, and the wall thereof, and the City lieth four square, and the length is as large as the breadth, and he measured the City with the reed twelve thousand Furlongs, and the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal, and he measured the wall thereof an hundred forty and four Cubits, according to the measure of man, that is of the Angel, and the building of the wall of it was of Jasper, and the City pure Gold, like unto clear Glass, and the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious Stones; the first foundation was Jasper, the second Saphir, the third Chalcedonie, the fourth an emerald, the fifth Sardonix, the sixth Sardins, the seventh Chrysolite, the eighth Beryl, the ninth Topas, the tenth Chrysophrasus, the eleventh a Jacinth, the twelfth an Amethyst; and the twelve Gates were twelve Pearls, every several Gate of one Pearl, the streets of the City were pure Gold, as it were transparent Glass; and I saw no Temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty, and the lamb were the Temple of it; and the City had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb was the light thereof, and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the Kings of the North shall bring their glory and honour into it, and the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, and there shall be no night there, and they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it; there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the lamb's Book of Life, Rev. 21.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. From hence we may take notice of the splendency of this glorious City, and the excellency of the foundations; and doubtless this was the City that our blessed Father Abraham looked for, when he did so disregard his native Country, and father's house, that he forsook it, and was a Sojourner in the Land of Promise, a strange Land, as he is recorded of in the Epistle to the Hebrews in these words, By faith he abode in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country, as one that dwelled in Tents with Isaac and Jacob, as heirs of the same Promises, for he looked for a City having a foundation, whose maker and builder is God, Heb. 11.9, 10. From hence we may see, that God did show Abraham that glorious City, New Jerusalem, that afterwards he and all the faithful should inherit for their Possession, the which he did see by faith, for faith is the evidence of things not seen, and the ground of things hoped for; so that his hope being so firm in that Inheritance that he should enjoy, it made him set light of all earthly inheritances, And they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a Country, wherefore God is not ashamed to be their God, for he hath prepared for them a City, Hebr. 11.14. Compare sixteen. And certainly that City that hath foundations whose maker and builder is God, the which also God hath said he hath prepared, is the very City that John saw come out of Heaven from God, which shall be the place of Christ, and the risen Saints residence, which doth agree with the words of the Spirit of Christ, that faith, he that overcometh I will make a Pillar in the House of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name, Revel. 3.12. So that hence we may see, that as God gave his earthly Son (which is Adam) at the first an earthly Paradisical Inheritance, or Situation, so he gave his second Son, that heavenly Man, a heavenly Paradisical inheritance, or situation, which is no other than the New Jerusalem, situated upon the new Earth; and that this New Jerusalem is not Heaven itself, as some do conceive, (although it be heavenly) is clear, for Christ faith, it shall come out of Heaven from his God, and it is the dwelling place of Christ, and the Saints, until the Mediatorship shall be delivered up into the hands of the Father; but when Christ shall deliver up the Mediatorship unto the Father, than they shall be invested into the highest degree of glory. And having showed you a brief glimpse of the glory of the New Jerusalem, I shall give you several Reasons why that Jerusalem that shall be built upon her own heap by the Jews at their return, is not the New Jerusalem which mention is made of in Rev. 3.12. chap. 21. and so to the first Reason, which is; 1 Because that the City Jerusalem, that is to be built at the Jews return, shall be built by men's hands, as also faith the Prophet, And they shall build the old wast places, and raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the City that was desolate, and wast for many Generations, and the Sons of Strangers shall build thy walls, and their Kings shall minister unto thee. And that this is a Prophecy of the last and general return, you may see, for the text faith, They shall not build and another inhabit, but they shall long enjoy the work of their own hands, Isa. 60.10, 11. cap. 61.4. cap. 65.21, 22, 23. From which Scriptures you may see, that that City in the which the Jews shall inhabit, is built with hands, but the New Jerusalem mentioned Revel. 2. chap. 21. shall be built without hands, as you may see, Heb. 11.10. So much to the first Reason. The second Reason is, because the materials of the New Jerusalem is Gold, and Silver, and precious Stones, and Pearls, Rev. 21.18, 19, 20. but the materials of the other Jerusalem is Wood, and such like, Ezek. 41.16. The third Reason is, because in the New Jerusalem there was no Temple, but the glory of God, and the lamb was the light of it, Rev. 21. 20. but in the other Jerusalem there was a Temple, Ezek. 41.14, 15. Reve. 11.1. 2 Thess. 2.4. The fourth Reason is, because in the New Jerusalem we find mention of no trees but the Tree of Life only, Revelations 22.2. Cap. 2.7. but in the other Jerusalem there was every Tree good for food, Ezek. 47.12. The fifth Reason is, because in the New Jerusalem there shall be no need of the Sun, nor Moor, for God is the light of it, neither shall there be any night there, Revel. 21.23. Compare Chap. 22, 5, but in the other Jerusalem there shall be night and day, and thereby there shall be an account of years; they shall have the use also of the Sun, and the Moon, in which time they shall have their perfect strength, shining forth most excellent in their splendour, as you may see, Isa. 30.26. The sixth Reason is, because that the New Jerusalem shall come down out of Heaven from God, as I before have spoken, as faith the Scripture, And I John saw the New Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride for her Husband, Revel. 21.1. That is, it was a City lacking no reparation, or beautifying, but it was sufficiently trimmed, decked, and beautified, which is called by the Spirit, trimmed as a Bride for her Husband; but the other Jerusalem wanted both re-edifying, trimming, and beautifying. And so briefly I have given you a review of that New Jerusalem, and have proved it not to be that Jerusalem that shall be built upon her own heap. I have showed you also it cannot be meant Heaven, because it came down from God out of Heaven; neither can it be meant the Saints, as some have supposed it because the Saints are said to walk in the streets of it, which streets are pure gold like to clear glass; the Saints also are said to have the name of it written in their foreheads, but there shall in no wise enter into it any that defileth, or maketh a lie, but such as are written in the lamb's Book of Life. The which showeth (and much more I could speak to it) that it is a material City, yet not Heaven itself, though heavenly, as I have said; neither cin it be the Saints, but the City that the Saints shall enter into. Blessed and thrice happy are they that have their portion in it. And so I pass to the Eighth Particular. The restoration of the Creation into the Primitive purity. The truth of this Particular need not much be questioned, that is to say, Whether the Lord will restore the whole Creation into its Primitive excellency, (when I say the whole Creation, I mean Man, though happily not every man, also the Beasts of the Field, and the Earth, into that condition that they were in the time of Adam's innocency) I say there is no question to be made of the truth of this Particular, for all the Prophets that ever writ, have writ more or less to the affirming of this to be true, as I could instance in them all in particular order, but because it will take up much time, I shall give you one plain text of Scripture, that doth affirm, that all the holy Prophets have spoken of this great restoration more or less, the text of Scripture is in Acts 3.20.21. in these words, For I will send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the Heavens must contain until the restoration of all things, spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began. From hence you may see, that all the Prophets ever since the world began, did foretell, or prophecy of the restoration of Man and Beast into their first excellency; which also agreeth with the words of Paul that saith, We know the whole Creation groaneth with us, and traveleth with us in pain together until this present time, because the Creature was made subject to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him that hath subdued it under hope, because the Creatures themselves shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God, Rom. 8.20, 21, 22. From these words we may take notice, that the Creatures with Man shall be delivered from that groaning condition which they were made subject to by reason of Adam's transgression, and that there shall be a perfect restoration of all Creatures, unless it be the Serpent, and such men as live and die in the stare of unbelief, and thereby deprive themselves of that good which otherwise they should enjoy. But for the better understanding of this truth, I shall divide the Creation into three parts, that is to say, the Creature Man, the creature Beast, and the creature Earth, and shall treat of them in order. And first of the Creature Man, that he shall be restored unto that Primitive state, that is to say, all manner of corruption to be done away, as namely, Sickness, Weakness, Faintness, Lameness, Blindness, and all other things that are as Corruptions, or defections in Nature, and then shall the saying be made good that is written by the Prophet, Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped, then shall the Lame man leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be loosed; for in the Wilderness shall waters break out, and rivers in the desert; neither shall the inhabitants of the Land say, I am sick, and the people that are therein shall be forgiven their iniquities, Isa. 32.24. cap. 35.5, 6. they shall not die in their nonage, in that juncture of time, but shall live an hundred years old without frailty in Naure, whereby they shall see their children's Children in great peace, as the Prophet saith, There shall not be thence an infant of days, or an old man that hath not filled his days, but the child shall die being an hundred years old, but the Sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed; even such as do not submit to that great King Jesus, Isa. 65.20. Ezek. 14.12. so that the weakness, and corruptions, and frailty of Nature shall be clear taken away, so that those Jews that live in the flesh, (and others, which is to say the Gentiles, who also are living at that time in the flesh) shall not die by reason of any malady overcoming their Nature, but by virtue of God's appointment, in that set time before mentioned; the envy also of the Sons of men shall depart away, so that one shall not envy another as aforetime, Isa. 11.13. And so I shall briefly pass to the second thing. Which is, That the Beasts of the field shall also be restored from the bondage of their corruption, into that liberty that they did enjoy in the time of Adam's innocency; the envy of them also shall be taken away, so that the lamb and the Kid shall lie down in peace with the savage Beast, the Lion shall not destroy the lamb, neither the Leopard the Kid. There was a lively Type of this thing in Noah's Ark, and so shall it be when Jesus Christ the Ark (that is to say, the safety of his people) is lifted up as an Ensign in the Nations, for so saith the Prophet, With righteousness shall be judge the poor, and reprove with equity, for the meek of the earth, and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall be slay the wicked, and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins; the Wolf also (hall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid, and the Calf, and the young Lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them, and the Cow and the Bear shall feed the young ones, and lie down together, and the Lion shall eat straw with the ox, and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Coskatrice Den, they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy Mountains, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, Isa. 11.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Cap. 65.25. Hence you may see, that there is a time wherein the Creatures shall be restored into the Primitive state; for in the Garden of Eden, in the which they were first placed, they lay down in peace, and did not destroy each other. The reason why they did destroy one another afterwards was, because of the Curse that Adam brought upon the whole Creation by the transgression of the Law of God Hence it cometh to pass, that the Creature Man destroyeth one another, and the Creature Beast, but in the beginning it was not so, neither shall it be so in the time of the perfect Redemption, as is clear from the forementioned Scripture. Obj. But if it should be objected and said, That this is meant by the flourishing state of the Church while they remain in this Tabernacle. Ans. To which I answer, I have already proved, That all or every one of the godly shall suffer persecution in this Life, that although many shall run to and fro in the last days, and be purified and made white, yet the wicked shall do more wickedly, and shall wear out the Saints of the most High, so as there shall be such troubles as there hath not been since there hath been a Nation upon the Earth, insomuch that if the Lord should not shorten these days, and hasten his coming, no flesh should be saved, Dan. 7.21. cap. 8.31. cap. 11.35. cap. 12.1. & 10. Matth. 24.21, 22. Acts 14.22. 2 Tim. 3.12. Rev 6.11. Rev. 12.17. Rev. 13.7. and so I shall leave these Scriptures to be perused, and pass to the third Particular. The third Particular is, That the Earth also shall receive her strength to bring forth, as in its Primitive time, that is to say, before it was Cursed, by reason of the transgression of Man, as also saith the Prophet, Instead of thorns shall come up the Fir-tree, and instead of the Brier shall come up the myrtle-tree, and it shall be to the Lord for a name, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off, then shall he give thee rain of thy seed that thou shalt sow the ground withal, and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous; in that day shall thy cattle feed in large Pastures, the Oxen likewise, and the young ass that ear the ground shall eat clean Provender, which hath been winnowed with a Shovel and with Fan, and there shall be upon every Mountain, and upon every high Hill, rivers and streams of water in the day of the great slaughter, when the Towers fall. Moreover, the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wounds, Isa. 55.13. Chap, 30.23, 24, 25, 26. From hence we may see, that the earth shall be restored unto her Primitive purity, for thus saith the Lord concerning it in the prophecy of Isaiah, in these words, For the Lord shall comfort, Zion, he will comfort her wast places, and he will make her Wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the Garden of the Lord, and they shall say, this Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden, and the wast, and desolate, and ruined Cities are become fenced, and as inhabited. The Wilderness and the solitary places shall also blossom as the Rose, I will open Rivers in high places, and Fountains in the midst of the Valley, I will make the Wilderness a pool of water, and the dry Land springs of water, I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar, the Shittah-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree, and I will set in the desert the fir-tree, and the Pine, and the boxtree together. Moreover, The ploughmen shall overtake the Reapers, and the treaders of Grapes him that soweth Seed, and the Mountains shall drop down sweet wine, Amos 9.13. Isa. 41.18, 19, cap. 35.1, 2. Ezek. 36.35. Isa. 51.3. From hence we may see, that the earth shall be restored into its Primitive purity. Obj. But if it be Objected and said, That here is mention made of ploughing and Reaping, and therefore cannot be a perfect redemption. To the which I answer. Ans. First, That Adam himself when he was in his Innocency was to dress the Garden, and to receive the fruit thereof; and whether or no this were not such an employment as might keep the Garden in such a capacity, as whereby he might receive the fruit from it, I leave the Reader to judge, Gen. 2.15. Secondly, As I have already said, That there are some that will deprive themselves by their transgressions, the which the Prophet saith shall be their Plowmen, Isa. 61.5. and Vine-dressers. Moreover I say, That the strength of their nature shall be such, that nothing that they do shall or can be a burden unto them, but shall be a pleasure unto them; like unto a man walking in his Garden, and taking off a degenerate Plant, which is no burden unto him, but rather his pleasure, for in the time of that perfect Redemption there shall be no kind of weakness or faintness whereby any thing that they shall do will be a burden, as saith the Lord, In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and ho that is feeble amongst them at that day shall be as David, and the House of David shall be as God, as the Angels of God before him, Zech. 12.8. Isa. 40.29, 31. And so much to the Objection, and to the Eighth Particular, and so I shall pass to the Ninth, which is the signs of the times of the accomplishment of these Prophecies. The Signs of the times of the accomplishment of these Prophecies. Doubtless the Lord hath not hid from his Servants those things that he will do in the latter days, nor the time when they shall be performed, though the day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels, yet the times and seasons may be known by the signs. Moreover, it is lawful and commendable for the people of God to look into the Signs of the times, for as much as we see the Lord Jesus Christ reprove such as do not, saying, O ye Hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times, Matth. 16.3. therefore I shall briefly give you some few signs, that shall be as it were the Item of the Day of Christ, or the Morning Watch, and so to the First in order. The first Sign of the second coming of Christ, is the unsettledness of Kingdoms and Nations of the earth, the Government sometimes here, and sometimes there, sometimes in the hands of one, and sometimes in the hands of another, men much striving for Honour and Kingdoms; in the midst of those days shall God set up his Kingdom that shall never be destroyed; and that the earth shall be thus unsettled, reeling to and fro, is clear from the Word of the Lord which saith, The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken man, and be removed like a Tent, and the iniquity there of shall be heavy upon it, so that it shall fall and arise no more, then shall the Sun he ashamed, and the Moon confounded, when the Lord shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem before his ancients gloriously; at which time the little stone hewed out of the Mountain without hands shall become a great Mountain, and fill the whole earth, Dan. 2.35, and ver. 44. Isa. 24.20. compare 23. From whence we may see, that the unsettledness of Nations and Kingdoms upon the earth, and striving for Honour, and change of Governments, is a lively sign of the second coming of the Lord Jesus to be near. The second Sign of the coming of Christ, Is by the abounding of wickedness or iniquity in the World, as now we see it in a great height, even by such as are worn out in their expectation, or waiting for Jesus Christ, who did not like that good condition that they were put in, but having departed from the Faith, and are given up unto all manner of uncleanness. O the ungodly Practices, and horrid Blasphemies that are now committed in England, what by abusing the worthy name of God, speaking reproachfully of him, and his Son Christ, and slighting those Laws and Ordinances which are given forth to be practised till his second and great coming, with the abusing of themselves in uncleanness and Lusts of the flesh, amongst which they contend for the community of Women, which is none of the least of their Uncleanenesses, and make themselves worse than the savage Beasts. Of that sort are the rude Ranters, and the blasphemous Quakers, the which have cast off Civil Humanity, and this generation of men are the men that will cause the Lord to arise, and take vengeance upon the earth, for so saith the word of the Lord, in these words, And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute Judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodlily committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him. So that we may see, that the Lord will send his Son in flaming fire against all ungodly men, but chiefly they that walk after the Lust of the flesh in uncleanness, as he once did destroy the world, and such like Sinners with an overflowing flood, Gen. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Jude 4. compare 14, 15. 2 Pet. 2.4. compare 10. cap. 3.3. compare 10. See also vers. 7. From hence you may see, that that ungodly generation of men that are now in the World, is a lively sign of Christ's coming. And so I pass briefly to the third. The Third sign of Christ's coming, Is the Echo or sound of these two things in the World, as namely, the Preaching of the Gospel about in the Nations, and the wars, and rumours of wars that do accompany it, for when these two things go together, than Christ saith the end is very nigh; and although the Gospel have been preached before in a private way, that is to say, in some particular Nation, or privately in that Nation, yet never was the Gospel preached to Nations and Rulers as it is in our days. Obj. If it should be Objected and said. That the Gospel hath been preached in Nations a great while by the ministry of the Nation? To which I answer. Ans. That as the Congregations of the Nation was never called a Church of Christ, nor her Teachers the Ministers of the Gospel, neither hath that kind of Doctrine which they have preached been called the preaching of the Gospel; If it should be demanded of me, what it is, I should answer to them in their particular order; First, the National Church is called by the name of the Cities of the Nation, which is a borrowed word from Christ's Church, ye are a City set upon an Hill, Mat. 5.14. Rev. 16.19. and that this City of the Nations is meant the National Church is, because they shall begin to decay and sink, and shall also be destroyed at the time that Babylon shall come in remembrance before God, whereby she shall receive the Cup at his hands; for the Nations, or the National Church, hath been stained, is, and shall be, with the corruptions or pollutions of Rome's Doctrine, Jer. 51.7, 8. Again, if you shall ask me what the National Ministers are called in Scripture, I shall show you as followeth, they are called Merchants of the Earth, or the Angels of the Waters; now the word Angel signifieth Minister, as Revel. 1.20, and the Waters signify Nations, for so saith the Spirit, The Waters that thou sawest are Multitudes, Nations, and Tongues, Rev. 17.15. so it is clear, that the Angels of the Waters are meant the Ministers of the Nations, so that they are neither called Ministers of Christ, nor Ministers of the Gospel, but the Ministers of the Gospel are called by another name in the same place, even the Angel of the Altar, and that Christ is our Altar is clear, see Heb. 13.10. Rev. 16.7. Thirdly, Why their Preaching is not called Gospel-preaching, although they make use of the Gospel, is, because they teach for Doctrine the Traditions of their Fathers; and the Apostle calleth not such Gospel-preaching, but saith to the Galathians, I marvel that you are so soon moved away from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel, which is not another, but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ, Gal. 1.6, 7. so that those persons that do pervert any of the sayings of Christ, according to Scripture account, cannot be called the Ministers of the Gospel, nor their Preaching Gospel-preaching, which the Ministers of our Nation have done, that is to say, mingled the Commands of Christ with their Traditions, and so cannot be meant that Gospel-preaching which shall be the forerunner of Jesus Christ; but that the Gospel shall be preached again in the plain way of it, that is to say, in the way which Christ appointed when he ascended up on high, is clear, Mat. 24.14. Rev. 14.6. The Fourth and last Sign of the second coming of Jesus Christ, is those false Signs and Miracles that shall be wrought by the false Prophets, for a little before the coming of Christ there will be a Generation of men that will deny the way and Ordinances of the Gospel, because they are not accompanied with Miracles, and so shall deny the power of the Word. The Devil seeing this, he shall empower the false Prophets, whereby they shall do great Signs and lying Wonders, to deceive by multitudes all incredulous persons, who will believe a lying Sign before they will believe that Word that was confirmed by Signs; for when persons do not like to retain God in their knowledge, God is pleased to send them strong delusions to believe a lie; and that there are many such now in our days that have denied the Truth that once they owned, and are grown to such a height as that they do show many lying Signs; if any shall question the truth of this, let them but go to London, and go to those Meetings that they call the Quakers Meetings, and they shall see it apparently enough. But now to prove that false Signs, and lying Wonders before-runners of Christ's coming, see from these Scriptures following, Mat. 7.22. Cap. 24.24. 2 Thess. 2.9. Rev. 13.13, 14. Cap. 16.14, 15. Friends, I should add some more Signs of Christ's coming, as the gathering together of the Jews into their own Land, which certainly might easily be proved, did we but understand the consultation that there is amongst them, but the returning of the Fleet from the straits will give us more certain intelligence as to that thing; and so I shall leave these few Signs unto your consideration, and pass to the Tenth and last Particular. A profitable Application of the Sum of what is forementioned. Christian Reader, I having showed you what excellent enjoyment the Lord hath laid up for his people, even for such as seek him, as for hidden treasure. Sith the Lord hath set before thine eyes such a Kingdom, and such an Immortal Crown of Life, be exhorted to run with patience the race that is set before you, What if though troubles do beset a Christian life, yet these light afflictions which are but for a moment, work in us a far more and exceeding weight of glory. Dear Christian, be of the mind of the worthy Apostle, that counted all things as dung and dross in comparison of the excellent knowledge of his Christ, reckoning that the sufferings of this present time were not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed. See, thy blessed Saviour hath led thee an example of sufferings, Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despised the Shame, and is nowset down at the right hand of the Father. I say, consider him who endured such Buffetings, such Crowning with Thorns, nay such spitting on, and yet turned not away his back from the smiter, nor his cheek from him that plucked off the hair, Isa. 50.6. 2 Cor. 4.26, 27, 28. Rom. 8.17, 18. Heb. 12.2, 3. Again in the second place, let me exhort thee to stand always upon thy watch, for the Day of Christ, or the day of thy Dissolution is a very uncertain day, for as it was in the dissolution of the old World, so shall it be in the coming of Christ; for the day before the flood, they are, they drank, they married, and gave in Marriage, until the flood came and took them all away. Even so was it with the Sodomites, they continued in their security until the wrath of the Almighty broke out, and there was no remedy. Moreover, when Lot forewarned his Sons in Law of the Wrath of God upon the City, he seemed to them as one that mocked, Gen. 19.14. Matth. 24.37, 38, 39, 40. Moreover the Apostle saith, That the Day of the Lord shall so come as a Thief in the night, that when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travel upon a Woman with child, and they shall not escape, 1 Thess. 5.1, 2, 3. So, forasmuch as the Day of the Lord is so uncertain, let us labour for a watchful Spirit, for it is a duty of a very high concernment, both from the example of the Saints that have gone before, and from a command of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles, as you may see from these Scriptures, Psal. 102.7. Psal. 103.6. Isa. 21.5. Hab. 2.1. Mat. 24.42. Cap. 25.13. Mar. 13.33, 34, 37. Acts 10.31. 1 Cor. 16.13. 1 Thess. 5.6. The Apostle also gives two main Reasons to urge Christians to that duty of watchfulness; the first is from this consideration, That the end of all things is at hand, in these words, saying, The end of all things is at hand, watch and be sober, 1 Pet. 4.7. The second Reason is, because saith he, your Adversary the Devil like a roaring Lion runs about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist be steadfast in the faith, 1 Pet. 5.8. the Spirit of God lays down the danger that will follow security, and saith, If thou shalt not watch, I will come upon thee as a Thief, and thou shalt not know, whenever I will some upon thee, Revel. 3.3. therefore blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his Garment, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame, Revel. 16.15. Therefore, for as much as it is a duty of such concernment, let us labour to watch, to the end we may know the Signs of the times, so as that they overtake us not as a Snare, whereby we be deprived of that glorious Crown that is set before us. And so I pass to the second Use. Secondly, Use 2. Be informed, Christian Reader, of the vanity, or emptiness of all enjoyments, unless such enjoyments as shall be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ at that day, under these two considerations; The first is, The instability, or breviousness of their continuance. Secondly, from the little peace, or Soul-satisfaction they speak to a Soul when they do enjoy them, and so to the first thing considerable, which is the instability, or breviousness, or short continuance of the enjoyments of all things below that inheritance. We shall take notice first of the wiseman's words that saith, Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that that is not, verily riches make themselves wings and fly towards Heaven, riches are not for ever, and the crown of them doth not endure to every Generation; for as we brought nothing into the World, so it is certain we shall carry nothing out, so that every man walketh in a vain show, getting goods, knowing not who shall enjoy them; and thus spending their days in wealth, in a moment go down to the Grave, and his bones being full of the Sins of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust, Job 20.11. Cap. 21.13. Psal. 39.6. 1 Tim. 6.7. Job 1.21. Prov. 23.5. Cap. 27.24. From hence we may see, that we have no continuing City here, but all our in joyments are very brevious and full of frugality; so that we are like unto Dreaming men, that dream they enjoy much, and wake, and behold they have nothing. So it is with all men that have not assurance of that Kingdom to come, that Riches and Honour before mentioned, although they may have much riches in this world, yet when the Lord saith, Return you children of men, they return to dust, and be as if they had not been, and all the riches that they have enjoyed is but to them a Dream, as the Psalmist saith, How are they brought to desolation, as at a moment, they are utterly consumed with terror, as a Dream when one awaketh; so Lord when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their Image, Psal. 73.19, 20. Heb. 13.13. Psal. 90.3, 4, 5, 6. Again, wilt thou set thy heart upon honour, that is as vain as the former: for men of high degree are vanity, and men of low degree are alike, when they are put in a balance they are altogether lighter than vanity; their inward thoughts is, that their houses should continue for ever, and their dwelling pleces unto all generations, they call their Lands after their own names: nevertheless man being in honour abideth not, but is like the beast that perisheth, this their way is their folly, yet their posterity approve their sayings, like Sheep they are laid in the grave, Death shall feed on them, and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their beauty shall consume in their graves from their dwellings, though while he live he bless himself, and men will praise thee when thou dost well to thyself, he shall go to the generation of his Fathers, and never see light, the man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like the beast that perisheth. Psal. 49. 11, 12, 13, 14. compared with 18. Again, wilt thou set thy heart on pleasure, that is vain, and but for a moment; therefore Moses did choose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of Sin for a season: knowing assuredly, that those that live in pleasure were dead while they lived, and so were an ill savour in the nostrils of God, Heb. 11.25. 1 Tim. 5, 6. and so having showed you the instability, and the breviousness of all the things of this life, I shall also show you the vanity, and the little peace that they speak to a Soul here, or at the great day of Account, but rather trouble and vexation of Spirit; as you may see from the words of him that had the greatest experience that ever any before or since had, as you may see by the discovery of what he did enjoy, in that which followeth, I said in my heart, Go too now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure, and behold this also is vanity. I said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, what doth it? I sought in my heart to give myself to Wine, yet acquainting my heart with Wisdom, and to lay hold on Folly till I might see what was that good for the Sons of men, which they should do under the Heavens all the days of their life. I made me great works, I builded me houses, and planted me vineyards, I made me gardens and orchards, and planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits, I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brought forth trees, I got me servants, and maidens, and had servants born in my house; Also I had great possessions of great and small cattle, above all that were in Jerusalem before me, I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of Kings and Princes, I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the Sons of men, as Musical Instruments, and that of all sorts; so was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem, also my wisdom remained with me, and whatsoever my eyes desired, I kept nothing from them, I withheld not my heart from any Joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour; then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do, and behold all was vanity, and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the Sun; for riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death, Prov. 11.4. Ficclesiast. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. From hence you may see, and many more Scriptures that might be added, the vanity and non-profit (as well as the brevity) of all the enjoyments, below that excellent inheritance that shall be given to the Saints at the appearance of Jesus Christ, and therefore gird up the loins of your mind, and hope to the end. And so I pass to the Third Use. The Third shall serve to reprove, 3 Use. thou art reproved poor Soul, whosoever thou art, that art so foolish, that hast a prize put into thy hands, and dost not engage thy heart to make use of it, the Lord will reprove thee at his appearance, because thou hast not made use of that talon he gave thee, and will command that thou shalt be bound, and be cast into utter darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever. O let that sad precedent of Esau be a warning unto thee, the which when he had sold his birthright, afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, and found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Heb. 12.26, 27. Gen. 27.28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. From hence we see, that persons are reproved that do so much hunt after the enjoyment of the world, so that they thereby lose their heavenly inheritance; More you may see also from the words of our blessed Saviour, wherein he reproveth an ungodly generation of men, that strive to be rich in this world, when they are not rich in the graces of God, he saith, Thou Fool, this night shall thy Soul be required of thee, and then whose shall all those be that thou hast labourea for? Luke 12.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. See more in the Parable, But Abraham said, Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented, Luke 16.15. From which words we may see, that such as delight more in the enjoyments of the things of this life, than they do in suffering for Christ's sake, and the Gospel, looking at that glorious kingdom that shall come, when Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the holy Prophets, and all the faithful Saints shall enter into that inheritance of glory, they shall be cast out to utter darkness, and banished from the presence of God and the holy Angels for ever, Matt. 8.11. 12. cap. 13.42, 43. So we may see such Souls are worthy of reproof, which when the Lord hath bestowed a talon upon them, and given them time and means of grace, and yet do not engage their hearts to make use of it. And so I pass to the fourth Use. The fourth use is a word of caution 4 Use. that I shall desire thee, Christian Reader, to lay to heart, which is no other than the same that our blessed Saviour gave to his Disciples in these words, Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, lest that day come upon you unawares, for as a snare it shall come upon all them that live upon the face of the whole earth; Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be counted worthy to escape those things that shall come to pass, and stand before the Son of man. Luke 21.34, 35, 36. What a sad thing will it be for Souls that are not prepared for their great Bridegroom, when the noise shall be made, the Bridegroom comes? therefore take heed of careless security: Take heed, watch and pray, for thou knowest not when the time is. Moreover, Blessed is that servant, that when the Lord comes is found watching. Mat. 25.13. Lu. 12.37. Mat. 26.41. 5ly; The fifth use is an use of direction; In order to the attaining of this heavenly inheritance, first seek it before and above all things in the world, and then I can assure thee thou shalt find it, the which if thou dost find, it will fill the closet of thy Soul with glorious and durable riches; for proof of this, that thou shalt find it, and that thou shalt be made rich by it; see Prov. 8.17, 18, 19 20. in these words; I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me, riches and honour are with me, yea durable riches and righteousness; My fruit is better than gold, yea fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver; I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgement, that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasure; So that those that seek first the kingdom of Heaven, and the righteousness thereof, and seek it as hidden treasure, that is to say, above all things in the world, without doubt the Lord will rise and rain everlasting righteousness upon such souls Hosea 10.12. Prov. 2.3, 4, 5. 1 Chron. 28.9. Mat. 9.33. So much to the first means, in order to the attainment of this inheritance. The second way to attain to this inheritance may be observed from the wise Merchant man, who, when he had found the Pearl of great price, sold all that he had to gain that price; so also must thou, when thou seest an excellency in Jesus Christ, thou must break off thy sins by righteousness, and part with all that is near and dear unto thee, for he that comes to Christ, and hates not Father and Mother, Wife and Children, Lands and living, nay and his own life, cannot be his Disciple; not that I mean that thou shouldst hate the person of thy Father, or thy Mother, or Wife, or Children, and the like, neither did Christ mean so in that speech of his, but to cast them out of their affections when they come in competition with Christ, but still to honour and respect their persons, though slight their counsel, Luk. 14.26, 27. Mat. 10.34, 35, 36, 37, 38. so that this is the second way to attain this Heavenly inheritance or Pearl of great price: Thirdly as thou must forsake all, and break off thy sins by righteousnesle, so thou must increase in thy piety and virtues, thou must not stand still, but thou must add to thy Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, and godliness, for so an entrance shall be administered into his heavenly Kingdom. 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. so that from hence thou mayst see, that the way or means to enter into that heavenly inheritance, is to grow in grace, not to stand still, not be lukewarm, not to have a name to live, and be dead, but to excel in virtue. The fourth: and lastly as thou must seek that inheritance above and before all things, and as thou must forsake all things for the attainment of that precious inheritance, when thou hast found it, so as to part with all, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and as thou must also grow in Graces, adding to thy Faith, Virtue, and so forth: So in the fourth and last place thou must go on, and persevere till death, not turn back, or be weary, or faint in thy mind, for that is the way to inherit that glorious inheritance, even that immortal crown of life, and to sit down with Christ in his Throne, where thou shalt abide for ever and ever 2 Tim. 4.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Jam. 1.12. Rev. 2.10. cap. 3. v. 9 compared with 12. v. 2.7. cap. 21.7. And so I shall pass unto the sixth use. The sixth use is a use of inducement 6 Use. to win thee or move thee to prize that Kingdom, which is to be at the Revelation of Jesus Christ, for then the Tabernacle of God shall be with men, & he shall dwell with them; as also saith John in these words, I heard a great voice from Heaven, saying, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he will be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away, and the redeemed of the Lord shall come to Zion with Songs, and everlasting Joy shall be unto them; and the great King of the whole earth, who is the Son of the most high, and the great Bridegroom of the Bride, shall gird himself and make them sit down at meat, and they shall reign with him, as long as the Sun and Moon endureth, Luk. 12.37. Rev. 21.3, 4, 5. Esa. 35, 10. these privileges in that kingdom shall be above Angels, for not unto the Angels hath he put into subjection the world to come, whereof we speak, but that he hath put it into subjection to the Saints is clear, as you may see from these Scriptures Psal. 149.6, 7, 8, 9 Obedi. 21. Mal. 4.3, 4, 5. Rev. 2.26, 27. from hence we may see the great gainers Saints will be, if it be so that they lose all the enjoyments of this life, provided they do but attain that inheritance, 1 Tim. 4.8. cap. 6. ver. 6. 1 Cor. 3.22. But on the other hand, if thou shouldest lose that inheritance, and the glorious presence of that infinite glory, which was so glorious, that when Peter and John saw but a glimpse of it, they said, It is good for us to be here; I say, if thou shouldest lose Chiss enjoyment, although by it thou Mayst gain all the friendship in the world, & the riches and quintessence thereof; yet thou wouldest be a great loser, Matt. 17.4. Mark 8.36. Christian Reader, thou art not travelling to an earthly Kingdom or Inheritance, but unto Mount Zion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born, which are written in Heaven, and unto God the Judge of all things, and the Spirits of Just men made perfect, where thou shalt enjoy the presence of God, in whose presence there is fullness of Joy, and at his right hand pleasure for evermore, Psal. 16.11. Heb. 12.22, 23. The second inducement is from the Freeness of the giver of this Inheritance, that whether thou art rich or poor, high or low, noble or ignoble, thou Mayst attain to this Inheritance; for the Lord commands his Messengers to offer it freely to every Creature, Mar. 16.15. Rev. 22.17. Moreover he proclaims this his loving kindness by the Prophet, saying, Oh every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come buy Wine without money, and without price, why do you lay out your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which profits not? Esay 55.1, 2. From hence we may take notice of these two things, First how the Lord exhibiteth himself freely to every Creature; and blames such as are contented with Husks, when they may have the Bread of Life freely. The third Inducement or Motive to move thee, or encourage thee to seek after this Inheritance, is from the consideration of thy condition, when the Lord is pleased to cast his eye of pity upon thee; it is not at that time when thou appearest amiable or lovely by reason of thy virtues and graces which is in thee, but when thou wast a deformed Creature, by reason of lying in the blood of the pollution of thy Sin, and it was also when no eye pitied thee; neither could Angels or men do thee any good: In this appeared the love of God (indeed) as saith the Apostle; We know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he were rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich, thus the Lord Jesus made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross; (and as the Apostle Paul saith) this his great love did extend itself to us, when we by Nature were the Children of wrath, as well as others, scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die; but God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us. Rom. 5.7, 8. 2 Cor. 8.9. Phil. 2.6, 7, 8. Ezek. 16.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. So that hence we may see the time when the Lord was pleased in his mercy and pity to look upon us, and offer unto us this rich inheritance. Fourthly, and lastly, be moved above all things to seek this kingdom, because of the endurableness of it, for it will never fail chee, but will remain with thee for ever and ever, as saith the Psalmist, The Lord knoweth the days of the upright, and his inheritance shall be for ever; The Apostle Peter also to confirm this saying, saith, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in the Heaven for you; wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, and be sober and hope to the end for the grace that shall be brought to you at the revolation of Jesus Christ, the which shall be an ample recompense of reward for all the sufferings that thou shalt meet with (for the profession of his name) in this life, Psal. 37.18. 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. comp. 13 v. Rev. 21.6. Rev. 22.12. Heb. 11, 16 The seventh use is to set forth the 7 Use misery and terror that will fall upon all such as sin against such great mercy; were there no more but a deprivation of them from the presence of the glorious God, and that Heavenly Jerusalem, it might be sufficient to be a Worm never dying, and a fire never quenched; but there is also Tophet prepared of old, he hath made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it, Isa. 30.33. Agreeing with the words of the Apostle that saith, Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God? Rom. 2.4, 5. 2 Thess. 1.7, 8. What a forlorn condition will that Soul be in, whoever he be, that hath slighted the means of Grace, and cast behind his back all those sweet invitations of the Gospel, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come forth, to summon all to appear before the Judgement Seat, to give an account before the Tribunal Seat? Will not such Souls call for the Mountains to fall upon them, to hide them from the presence of God? Surely they will, and all such faces shall gather blackness; for thou that hast hated knowledge, and hast not chosen the fear of the Lord, but hast chosen Pleasure, and all that thy heart hath lusted after here below, and hast set greater account of the praise of Men than of the praise of God, this shalt thou have at the Lord's hands, thou shalt lie down in sorrow, where there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; therefore labour to be wise whilst thou Mayst be happy, and in this thy day consider the things that belong to thy peace, lest it be hid from thine eyes for ever, and thou mourn when it be too late. Prov. 1.24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Cap. 5.11. Luke 19.42. The Eighth and last Use shall be for comfort and consolation to all those that shall be Heirs of that Kingdom; Blessed are all they who are found watching when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come, he will gird himself, and make them sit down at meat, and he will come forth and serve them. Therefore be glad and rejoice, for the Lord Omnipotent will reign. Blessed are all they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the lamb, for they shall enter into that glorious City, even that heavenly Jerusalem, (which I have given you a glimpse of) where there shall be singing praises by the Saints, where there shall be everlasting joy, and substantial (or perfect) felicity; therefore I say, Blessed are all the Dead that die in the Lord, for they shall be glorified at his appearance. Even so Amen, Come Lord Jesus come quickly. FINIS. Errata. PAge 68 line the 20. read obtain for owned, p. 72. l. 24. r understanding for wisdom, p. 77. l. 11. r. o'er Chase for out those, p. 78. l. 6. r. Sword for Lord, p 94. l. 24. r. that for but, p. 96. l. 23. r. to for of, p, 124. l. 7. r. their wickedness for the wickedness, l. 8. r. great multitudes twice, p. 126. l. 9 for is King r. their King, p. 127. l. 21. for dispaced r. displaced, p. 137. l. 2. r. upon for up of, p. 139. l. 21. r. of Jerusalem for of thy Jerusalem, p. 140. l. 24. r. the Lord of Hosts after the glory, p. 150. l. 3. r. from God, p. 174. l. 28. for when ever r. what hour.