s 
 
 m 
 
) 
 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Division . 
 
 Secliott 
 
 Number 
 
 11^ 
 
AScRiPTURE Interpretation* 
 
 THEISM: 
 
 PROPHECY: 
 
 O R, 
 
 Prophetical Differtation. 
 
 PREDICTING and DECLARING 
 
 The Coming of the expeded Messiah, in the 
 Character of LORD and KING} - 
 
 THE 
 
 Setting up of a National C^eocrctcyj in the 
 
 Calling of the JEWS, and Redemption 
 
 of the GENTILE Church. 
 
 PART L 
 
 ■I. ■ — *» 
 
 CONSISTING OF 
 
 An Aftro*Theological Unfolding of certain 
 
 formerly obfcure, but highly- interefting and 
 
 capi.al Points of b O C T RIN li,. 
 
 Adapted to the prefent Crifis of AffaiRS* 
 
 By J ^ ^. w i ka gl i £^ 
 » 
 
 X Jo-HN iv. 1. — -Belitve not every Spirit, hut try the Sfirtit 
 whether they are of God ; becauj'e many Julje i: lophett ari 
 gone out into the /; orld. 
 
 Rev. ii. 25, 26, 27. — But that Tuhich ye have air :ady, hold 
 ' faji till I come . And he that overcomdh, and keeteth rny 
 
 *" li^ork unto ihe End, to him will 1 give Power over che ha- 
 tiotts ; (and he J nail rule them with a Rud of Iron ; as the 
 Vejjels oj a Potter J halt they be broken to SJnversJ even at I 
 reeciveii of viy kather. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 Printed for the A U T H O R» 
 MDCCLXIII. 
 
Q^ 
 
 '/ 
 
 f 
 
ERR A TA; 
 
 ^hthe Introdu(fVion p. ir. 1. 24- for on read or. p. ij.l. 2'4>» 
 for have read how. p. jj. for G/i/. III. 17. read 27. p.40. I. 
 19. for Matfh. XVI. read XV. and for Ai«r^. VIII. reacf 
 Vir. p. n- '. 24. r- Revel. XVIII. 8- p.7S-l-9. for H^*. 
 p. 54. 1.19. for facfliry read fan diicy. 
 Chap.IjXiI.ip. read 29. p. 120.]. }. forGlory readGIorificatioir^ 
 p. 126. 1.29. for Siibftance read Sudenance, p. 132. 1. 29- 
 infra for Matth. III. 20. read XXIII. 5. p. ijg. infra foe 
 p/^r iXXXI,io.read20.p. 141. infra 1. 38. lor P/. XXXI* 
 26, read 20. p. 144. infra 1. }. for vers io.rcad4, p.i^}- 
 1. 7. for 6. read 16. p. 156, 1, the laft for 5. read 111. *c£ 
 for XIX. read 19. p. i 57. infral. 10. LX. readLXI, p. 159, 
 1. laft for I Cor, I. zi. read 21. p. 167. 1. 7. for fliew read 
 tell. pi69.U I?, for Af<»«/7. XII- read XVII. p. 189. L 
 ao. fo Reveiy. read VI. p. 196. 1. 21. read feniibJa 
 •within himfelf. p. in, I. ij. for him read gave him. p. 
 220. infra 1. i. for 14. read 4. p. 221.I. 2. read the Trea 
 o; Life, p 228- 1. 9. read henceforth, p, 242. 1. 9. for Luks 
 XX. rendXXII. and fot II. leadXI. p. 287. 1- 17. read 
 •with, p, 288. 1.4J . forV. read IV. p. 290. 1. i. read 25. 
 p. 194. 1. ij. for infolenc read inlolently. p. jo2. 1. ij. 
 leai was about, p. 304.1.19. for would reaJ could, 
 page II. line 20. dele lincc and for is read being, p, 
 14.1.18. for Cafe cad Caufe. p. 19. 1. 19. rcaddcludon, 
 p. 17. 1. 17. for the read a. p. 22. I. 17. for Diftribution 
 read orderly Diftribution. p. 21, 1. 25. for and read the. 
 p. 26.1, 8'forreprefents, readdidrcprefenr. p. 79. I.4. foe 
 beginning read begetting, p. 94. 1. 16. and 17. read alto- 
 gether unwarrantable, p. 97.1. 5. for previous read precious 
 p. i24.infral. 24. read Titulating. p,i 50. 1.25. for but read 
 fo. p. 1 6 J. 1.8. for IV. read XL. and 1, 19. for the Spirit read 
 Spirit, and 1.20, fot Trinity read tlie Trinity, p. 166. 1- 
 9. for extern.1l Men read the external Man. p. 181. 1. i4«i 
 for firft read full. p. 183. 1. i,tead thedefiniteScnfe.p. 185- 
 1. 9. for now read new. p. 187. I.19. for and new Nama 
 lead and in the Stone a new Name written, and 1. 20. foi: 
 revealeth read rcceiveth. p. 188. h 7- icad is perfeci: is 
 <omc. p. 244. 1.17. for underltanding read undert.ikin^, 
 j». 26J. 1. 8'_ ff^r then read rherc. p. 273.1. 4. for whofoc. 
 Vcr rcadeth it read who fo readcth. p, joo, 1. 31. for now 
 rtad none. p. j^i. 1, 26, dele of. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Tbe INTRODUCTION. 
 CHAP. I. 
 An ENQUIRY concerning the 
 Lawfulnefs of feeking the Know- 
 ledge of Future Things. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 A Continuation of the propofed 
 E N QJJ I R Y. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 A Continuation of the propofed 
 E N Q^U I R Y. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Myjlery opened, in the Profecu- 
 tion of the propofed ENQUIRY, 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 A more full Revelation of the Myf- 
 tery^ together with a fubfequent 
 Difcourfe, by way of Differtation 
 upon the Passions. 
 
 CHAP. VL 
 CREATION. 
 
C O N T E N T S. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 P R O VI D E N C E ; the bringing 
 to a Birth 4^f a MAN-CHILD, 
 who is to rule all Nations with a 
 ROD of IRON, and is caught 
 up unto God and to his Throne. 
 Rev. xii. 5. 
 
 ; CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The PR E S C I E N C E of Deity . 
 
 confidered, in order to a more 
 . full Explication of the Scripture 
 Prophecies concerning the bring- 
 ing to a Birth of a MAN-CHILD. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The OMNISCIENCE of Deity 
 confidered, in order to a more 
 full Explication of the former 
 \ProphecieSy concerning the bring- 
 ing to a Birth of a MAN-CHILD. 
 
 LASTLY, , 
 A PO STSCRI PT, by the 
 
 Way of an Essay upon the Signs 
 of the T'hnes* 
 
A LESSON 
 
 T 
 
 K 
 
 ISAIAH XXVIir. 9— ^-2p. 
 
 "VV/H O M fhall he teach Knowledge? And whom 
 W fh llhemaketouncierftand Uodrine? 7hew 
 /W ^''^ weaned from the Miik, a>id drawn fro.a 
 the Breafts» 
 
 For Precepr mufl-be upon'Precepr, Precepr upon 
 Precepr, Line upoa Line, Line; upon Line, herein 
 littie and there a lirdc. 
 
 F ;r w-rh flammerins; Lips, and another Tongue 
 will he (peak to this People. 
 
 To whom he faid, This is the Refl: rrherervhh ye- 
 may caufe the Weary ro reft, and tiiis ts the Rehelh*. 
 iug : Yet they would not hcar.- 
 
 Butthe Wocci of the LORD wss unto them, Pre- 
 cept' uponPrecept, Ptecept upon Precept, Line up- 
 on Line, Line upon Line, here a little ^W dierc a. 
 Iktlej that they might go and fill backward, and 
 be broken, and fnared, and taken. 
 
 Wherefore hear the Word of the LORD, yc 
 fcornful Men. — - 
 
 Bccaufe ye have faid, Wehavc.made a Covenant 
 with Deaths and with Hell are vve at Agreement ;• 
 when the overflowing Scourge ihall pats through,; 
 if fhall not come unro us ; fur vve have made Lies, 
 our Refuge,, and under Faifhood have we hid our- 
 fcivcs. 
 
 Therefore thus faith the Lord GOD, Behold, I 
 lay in Zion for a Foundation: a Stone, a tried Stone,,', 
 a. precious Corner- ^r^;;^, a fure Foundation: Hs. 
 that believeth, (h.di not make hafte. 
 
 J'idgmentaho wiill lay to the L'ne^ aid Ri^.;h- 
 taoufnefs to the Plummet, and the Hail (Inl! (w.ep. 
 aw.iy the Re^ug- of Lies, and the Wactrs fhillover- . 
 Spy/ the Hiding-phce, 
 
 Aj;ci; 
 
And your Covenant with Death fhall be 4HannuI- 
 led, and your Agreement with Hell (hall not ftand; 
 when the overflowing Scourge fhall pafs through^ 
 then ye fhall be trodden down by ir. 
 
 From the Time that it gfjcth forth, it fhalF rake 
 you: For Morning by Morning fhall ir pafs over, 
 by Day and by Night, and it iliaii be a VcxMion; 
 only to underftap.d the Report. 
 
 For rheBedisfhorrer, than thar a Man caafbretch 
 himfclf^on it: And the Covet ir,g narrower, than 
 that he can wrap him(e! fin />. 
 
 For the LORD fhall rife up as i»- Mount Pcraxtm, 
 he fP.all be wroth as /« the Valley of Gibeon, that he 
 may do his Work, Kis flrange Work j and bring 
 to pafs his A^, hisfirangeA6t. ' 
 
 N.jwthercfoie beyenorMockcrs, leH: your Band? 
 be made fltong: For I have heard from the Lord 
 COD of Hofts a Confumpcion, even determined 
 upon the whole Earth. 
 
 Give ye Ear, and hear my Voice*, hearken an4 
 tear my Speech. 
 
 Doth the Plowman plow all Day to (ostr'^. Doth 
 te open and brcnk the Clods of his Ground? 
 
 When he hach made plain the Face thereof, doth 
 he not caft abroad the Fitches, and fcatter theCum- 
 itiin,' and caft in the principal Wheat, and the ap- 
 pointed Barley, and the Rie in their Place ? 
 
 For his God doth inftrudl him to Difcretion, and 
 doth teach him. ' ' 
 
 ' For the Fitches are not thrcfhed with aThrcfhinp- 
 Inflrumcnt, neither is a Cart- Wheel turned about 
 lipon the Cumniin: But the Fitches arc beaten out 
 with a Staffs, and tfje Cummin with a Rod. 
 
 Bread-Corw is bruiftd : becaufc he will rtot ever 
 bethrcfhing ir, nor break it wirh rhc Wheel of hif 
 Carr, n-ir briiife it with his Horlemen. 
 
 This alfo Cometh forth from theLORDof Hofts, 
 tphicb is wonderful in Counfcl, a^id excellent ia 
 Vorkingo ^ '' "^ ' " '* 
 
/'^.•\••'■^••" ••.•N^'\./N.-- ^••■'^■"■^•■■^^V-^',-" ''-^-i' ^>-i' '■>-^' '■•>-^' '""i^^'^ 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 UNDER the Liberties and Privi- 
 leges of Protejiantifm^ our Age^ 
 (as it fhould feem - ) is 
 
 very eminently and peculiarly diltin^^.^; (liable 
 in the Aboundings of a literary or learned 
 IN-FI-DE-LI-TY ; ,t ^uch being the Ap- 
 pointment of God in the CEconomy of bu772an 
 Jfairs, the conftituent Branches or Members 
 of Society in general, do of Courfe derive 
 their Notions of Duty and Religmi. from the 
 SUPERINTEND ANTS of Society: for as 
 zealoufly contended for, and maintained by 
 a lateRcverend Perfojtage * of no iuconfidera- 
 ble Figure, it is acknowledged that a Magi- 
 firacy -to adminifter Law and fuperintend 
 the publick Weal is by no Means a lefs " fa- 
 '• lutary Inftitution," leis " noble in its De- 
 figns," or " important in its Eifedts," than 
 the " feparate Inftitution of an Order of 
 *^ Men, to prelide in our folcmn Ads of 
 
 a " Devo- 
 
 \ As Inftance, the Learned, and fome of them valuable 
 Writers in the DaftUal Way. 
 
 * lif. S..", of rhik4(!f.bi0,. 
 

 [ ii ] 
 
 ^:* Devotion, and to form the Minds of the 
 '* People to the Knowledge both of Law^ and 
 " Duty •, becaiife /iSlian follows Opinion^ 
 
 " and in order to a^ right, we muft firfl 
 " learn to think right : Whence," as the 
 Dodor proceeds to infer, '' the Priefihood^ 
 " moft undoubtedly, refls upon the fame 
 " Foundation with Society itfelf, and takes its 
 " Rife from the Neceflity of human Affairs, 
 which requires fome Inftitution for affifting 
 the Bufy, roufing the htdolent, and inform- 
 «' ing ALL; and (continues he) there never 
 ^' was a Society of any Kind which did not 
 '"■ find it neceflary, pnder fome Name or othef 
 " (call them friefls, or call them by any other 
 Name) to appoint certain Perfons, whofe 
 particular Bufinefs it might be to fludy and 
 «^' explain what was conceived to be the great 
 '' Interefts of that Society." * 
 
 \i is natural for Men to converfe about 
 their Inter ejls^ and in Matters the moft in- 
 terejiing^ there is a State of 'Doubting and 
 UNBELIEF, and there is a State of confirmed 
 KNOWING, the one being neceffsrily fubfer- 
 yient to the other. But it fcems that it is the 
 Part of the more ferioys and well-meaning 
 
 * See his Letter to the Rev. Mr. T— B — . 
 
 cc 
 
I Mi 1 
 
 of Clergy, feverely to inveigh againft the ex- 
 tremely prevalent and daring Infolency of 
 the hifidel State, as ading therein but con^ 
 fiftently with the Duty and Dignity of their 
 Station ; io of Courfe it is the Part of the 
 more ferious and v^ell-meaning of Laity, to 
 fland in Dread and Abhorrence of written 
 Performances Y>vohfftd\y Atheiflical , where- 
 fore, as venturing to impart a Novelty of 
 Sentiment herein, how hardly fhall one el^ 
 cape the concurring Cenfure of many con^ 
 fcientious and ferioufly diipofecj Minds ? 
 
 But in as much as the Times do at 
 Length require, be our Sentiment pub- 
 lickly known : 
 
 Let fuch as be grounded in the Spiritu- 
 ality of a pra&ical Religion, ftand faft in 
 that Liberty wherewith Christ doth make 
 the true Difdples fi^ee j let them fimply 
 adhere to the Scriptures, and to that Pecu- 
 liarity of Illumination wherewith People of 
 different Parties or Denominations may be 
 refpcdtivcly favoured. 
 
 But for the high-flying and fpeculative 
 Admirers of the fupcrnumerary Perform- 
 
 a 2 ances 
 
[ iv ] 
 
 ances of our modem Clergy, freely tole- 
 rated be they, in difcovering and reading to 
 the Utmoft, whatfoever may have been 
 publi(hed to the World, as proceeding from 
 the doubting Defpondency or Defperation 
 of the Infidel State. 
 
 In Matters of common Concern, it never 
 was the Part of the Redeemed in Christ, 
 either forcibly to fupprefs, or peeviflily to 
 accufe our Neighbour in the Sincerity of 
 his Sentiments or Opinions, whatfoever the 
 fame may be, however it may become the 
 Legislature to punifh open Blafphemy ; for 
 as Jefus anfwered Pilate^ faying, ThcTi 
 couldcft have no Power at all againll 
 me, except it were given thee from Above ; 
 fo our modern Specuiatifts (as to the Senfi- 
 ble it is given to underftand) could have no 
 Power at all in prevailing upon our 
 Minds by Means of thofe their fubtil Per- 
 formances exhibited to publick View, ex- 
 cept it were given them to the effecting 
 fuch Purpofes thereby, as providentially are 
 defigned d,x\C\ conduced in Sublcrviency to the 
 Universal Good. 
 
 It 
 
[ V ] 
 
 It is natural for us all to converfe about 
 cur Interefts, I fay j and if we have riot an 
 Jntereft in future Co7iditiom of Life, how 
 ilcnder, how precarious our Interejis in the 
 prejcnt ^ . 
 
 Conversation (in the Great) confifling 
 of a mutual or interchangeable Intercourfe 
 of Sentiment concerning whatfcever be the 
 Objc(fts of our Interejis or AffeBions^ is very 
 properly refolved into a Lacking and Receive 
 ing, or an AJking and 'Declaring • and in a 
 religious Relpedl, a Lacking and Receivings 
 or an Asking and Resolving, Goncerping 
 our Interefts in Common, our higheH Inte- 
 ^refl, even an universal Good. And as 
 formerly, at the Clofe of the Mofaical Ad- 
 miniftration, the Current of popular Senti- 
 ments and Opinions did originate or were 
 da-ived from the Superintendants of Societv, 
 the ediicatiofiaily and prfeffedly Learned, 
 the educatiojially and profefj'edly Religious, 
 viz. Firfl: the Scribes, and Secondly the 
 Priefts, the Elders and Pharifees : So now, 
 as it is known and acknowledged by all, the 
 Current of our Sentiments and Opinions, 
 ©ur Lackings and Aboundings in Common, do 
 
 originate 
 
[ vi ] 
 
 originate in like Mani>er from the Super- 
 INTENDANTS of Society^ viz. The Writings 
 and Preachings of the educationally and pro^ 
 jeJI'edly Learned, the educational^ and fro- 
 fejfedly Religious — moft diredly and mofl: 
 properly clalTed under the Ideas of Scribes, 
 Friefts and Pharifees : For in as much as 
 th€ modern is profc^dly founded upon the 
 antient Inftitution of Tythes, under the Le- 
 vitical Law, the Propriety of the Appella- 
 tion Priefiy may not be evaded ; and tho* in^ 
 the \dXc Difcovery wherewithal it hath pleaf- 
 cd Providence to favour thefe latter Ages, 
 viz. Tht Art of Printings the Appellation 
 Scribe^ is become obfolete ; yet the popu- 
 lar Idea of LearJied educationally, and pro- 
 feiTedly Learned^ howinconteflably/^ra//?/. 
 
 In Coqfequence of an habituated Aptnefs 
 to /peculate a.ndfcrutinize upon fuch Subjects 
 of Enquiry as came within their Cognizance, 
 it ever was the Part of the antient Scribes, 
 to be the Foremoft in raijing Obje(5tions, 
 Doubts and Ambiguities, exciting Debates, 
 and propounding of Qj^ieftions concerning 
 that Sira?2genefs of Dodrine introduced by 
 Him of whom it is written; that H^ /pake 
 as ne'jer Man /poke. And 
 
[ r« ] 
 
 And confidering how amplified by Time 
 the Subjeds of religious Enquiry^ that the fi- 
 milar Doubtings and hackings of the modern 
 Learned fhould be proportionably ejjhanc- 
 ed., is but Matter of Courfe ; and in Con- 
 lequence of the now fo facihtated Means 
 of literary Communications, that thefe si- 
 milar Lackings and Doubtings fhould ter- 
 minate in a Variety of Scepticisms, De- 
 isms, Atheisms, is by all Means a pr^w- 
 dential Verification of our Scripture Prophecies 
 concerning the LATTER DAYS. 
 
 K-s, frofeffedly it is the Part of the Priest 
 to expound^ declare and refohe, fo at Length 
 it is profejfedly become the Part of the mo- 
 dern Scribe to hefttate and fcrutinize, to 
 fiarchy debate, propound and enquire, con- 
 cerning the Fundamentals and Ellentials of 
 the Christian Faith. 
 
 However reje<5t:cd, contemned, or mif-' 
 interpreted, yet it never was the Lot of the 
 real Prophet (fome Allowance being made 
 for a Minority of Growth, J or an Obliquity 
 of Exprcflion) to be confuted in his Doc- 
 trine } and that fo exceedingly infufficient 
 
 and 
 
 t In the regenerate Stat?» 
 
[ viii ] 
 
 and unavailing the EiTays of Clergy in Vin- 
 dication of their Chrijiian Caufe, What 
 
 fpeak thefe their hitherto but vain Refiftan- 
 ces ? — What fpeak they to the Senftble^ but 
 that the one Party is as deep in the Mud as 
 the other in the Mire ? * 
 
 This is Matter of common Concern •, 
 and as fimply one may venture to indulge 
 a Freedom of Communication ; ^ery, 
 Which of thefe Parties beft hold forth to 
 the World ; which makes the more refpec- 
 table Figure ; claims the greater Vene- 
 ration, or moft merits the Efteem of the' 
 candid Speftator, or diftnterejied Arbiter, be- 
 tween the one and the other ; the Priejl or 
 or the Scribe? 
 
 The one Is unhappy in that State of 
 Doubting, which is the Lot of One and 
 All, until it pleafe GOD to enlighten us j 
 the ot' ?r ajfumes to believe ; the one 
 cpenly acknowledges, and even publifhes his 
 Doubts, fuch being the Means which kind 
 Providence vouchlafes for his Relief in due 
 Time ; the other artfully conceals his, be- 
 caufe repugnant to his Intereft, and unbc- 
 
 coming 
 
 * See Dr. Leland's Review of the Deiflical Writers, 
 fche Author feems to have aded the Part of a C;^ndid and 
 Judicious Writer in his Way. 
 
poming his Profeffion. In the Writings of 
 the h^idel^ we very readily trace -dLSinceri-r 
 ty of Purpofe in the undifgiiifed Communi- 
 cations of his real Sentiments : But as we 
 examine the Produftions of THAT 
 T R E Ej the Leaves whereof are fair^ and 
 the Eruit thereof 7jmch ; what can we fay, 
 but that little other than ^ wolfifli Hypo- 
 crify and Diffimulation in an ojientatiotis 
 Multiplying of Words, fliall be found ?— r 
 In the undiiguifed Communications of the 
 Infidel Stats', what read we^ but fuch a Si»» 
 tuation of Mind as claims the concurring 
 Aid of the Senfible, to relieve ?— Who more 
 an Object of Pity and Compaflion than the 
 defperate^yQtfincere Unbeliever i'-Hc fcarcew, 
 ly ever becomes bold in acknowledging 
 himfelffuch, buthy hisprevioufly earneft 
 and diligent Endeavours to examine into 
 the real Mmfy of the Caufe.--— But in the. 
 Writings of Clergy^ what read we more 
 frequently, than the vain and Self*, 
 complaifances of" a Mijid at Eafe; little 
 knowing, lefs caring for an bitereft in 
 Christ, or in their~^ Chriflian Caufe, fo 
 the Na?ne and the Efiablijhmefit be the 
 Means of their peaceably enjoying their 
 temporary Honours and Tranquilities. — 
 W^hat fhall we fay? The Scribe doth Icon' 
 fefs his Doubts, but the Priefi betrayeth 
 his *,— for how confidently may One venture. 
 tp appeal to the Doubting, whether thg^ 
 
 b " more/ 
 
(xi) 
 
 moreferious and weli-meanin!? of C/fr^^yji 
 fo far as diiiher.itdvand thouglitfaliycOii-: 
 Gerned in con-vi3in^^ or oppojing^ have not 
 rdtiiQr J iibtilized lad jire?i^tbe?i'd^ thanr^-. 
 lievf^d thz Djubtings and DelpQadeiicica 
 of triQ Infidel Stau? 
 
 At this the fuliilling of our TIMES,, 
 as tne Reader will have to ob.'erve bythe. 
 Tenor of the enliii ag Difcourfe, we con- 
 fider t.iefetheSuPERiNTENTANTs ofSocic-, 
 ty in general^ whence the Askings andi^f-. 
 folvings^ the Lackings^ and Abou?idi?igs of 
 the i-eople do originate, as being ftrittly 
 the A L>J TIT YPE of thofe of the foe-, 
 ruer Adminiftration at the Coming of the. 
 promifed Mejjiah in the Fle(h. 
 
 Let him that glorieth Glory in the Lord. 
 
 . It was not without fome conh'dera-. 
 
 ble Hefitation, that fo largely^ we have 
 dared to alfume in our having prefixed fo, 
 unulual a Title to a Performance not lefs. 
 unexceptionable than the prefent. 
 
 It muft on all Hands be allowed that- 
 
 herein 1 am RIGHT on otherwife 
 
 eonfiderably WRONG. If Wrong,, 
 
 then of Confequence it will be the Con- 
 oern of the Advocates for Right as fuch, 
 whomibcver thev be, that by one Means 
 ^ another the Wroyg as iudi be openly,- 
 
 decQcied; 
 
d^terhed:, ii^ Order that feverely as it is 
 poiiible the Author and Promulgator of 
 Wrong be cauied to ihiart for foadvent- 
 
 rous a Wrong. If RIGHT, then 
 
 happil/ for me, if given me to triumph 
 witiiin the Eounas of Moderation; 
 for if Rights then certainly there are (as 
 one to many Thoufands at lead,) by whom 
 it will be confidered how becoming the 
 
 Wijdom and Providence of God, thatfb 
 
 inconfiderable an Eflay fhould have ad- 
 mitted of being thus profejjedly dijiifigmjh- 
 ed from the well known Supernumera- 
 ries of 1 HAT TREE, the Leaves where- 
 of are fair, (as aforefaid) and the Fruit 
 thereof muchi 
 
 For admj't that one might venture 
 to enquire between the Advocates for 
 Gospel in general, and thofefor the Mora- 
 lities of the Stage, in the Dignity, pur- 
 portj Spirit, and Tenor of rheir feveral 
 Communications refpectively, (and spe- 
 cially confidering now abfolutely and 
 avowedly the former do affume unto them. - 
 felves the N^mcofanAnibaJJadorfiipfrom 
 above) might there not be a Convcnien- 
 cy in prefuming that at one Time or a-' 
 nother, there may, or ought to be found 
 fome" confiderable or leaff fome reyutahle 
 or commendable Diftinclion or Difference, 
 
 the 
 
( xiii ) 
 
 the Advocates for Right whomfoevcr 
 they be, might well be prdlinied to aiif^ 
 werinthe Ati.rniativc, 
 
 At prefent, how compleatly of a Piece 
 the Publications of the Priejl on the one 
 Part, and of th^ Stage Moralijtofi the other--- 
 
 ! fome Excerptions being made in 
 
 Favour of the Latter, how barefacedly 
 of a Piece, their Compliment Dedicatory ! 
 their Ambition to amule, and the Debth 
 and Cincerity of their Concern to become 
 publickly recommended to a Tafle^ how 
 corrcipondandy fimilari how paralell — •' 
 
 And Query, of the Two, which appears 
 with the Better Grace, the Priest or the 
 Stage Moralifl? The one profeifeth to 
 
 teach^ t\\t other to e?itertai?i] and 
 
 fhall the Reader who would willingly 
 bet:tf//gibtbytheone, or he who expects tb 
 be entertaified by the other be the imoft 
 likely to meet with Difappointment? 
 For the prcfent it is fubmitted, 
 
 'Ihe To?igue is a little Member', and boafteth 
 great Toings. behold have great a Matter 
 a little Fire kindletb! * 
 
 But 
 
 ^ • JafJies ^y $.fee the Chapter to the 
 
 End, 
 
[ xvii ] 
 
 But now a Word as to Criticifm. 
 
 The Foety in prefuming upon his perpe* 
 tuated Fame, pre/umes upon the concur- 
 ring Approbation and Efteem of Mankind 
 in general, as by common Confent ; his 
 Works being really ufeJful and meritorious, 
 fo far as proved, or dtfcovered fo to be, in 
 the IlTue : And what fhall be announced of 
 his excellent Performances in the Great, 
 but that they are an Appeal to an anfwer- 
 able Judgment, Vivacity, or Sublimity of 
 Sentiment -, that is the innate, conftitutional 
 Senlibility, or Sentiment of the Reader ? 
 For the Fabiilifl may not be allowed the 
 Power of infiifing moral Sentiments, any 
 more than a Power of creating them : 
 Could he indeed either create or infufe mo- 
 ral Sentiments, how ftrangely might the 
 World have been fet at Odds ! We have 
 many Minds as it is, and yet there is in the 
 Main, fuch a general Concurrence, as is 
 the Prefervative of regular Societies; and 
 as an Author fhall either be generally ef- 
 teemed, or almoft univerfally rejcded, ac- 
 cording to the Aptnefs of his Appeal-, fo, 
 if we fuppofe a Dcclaimant, propofing to 
 
 * c movp 
 
[ xviii j 
 
 move upon the Minds of a MultlUide upon 
 the Occafion ot lome interejhng Emergency; 
 iliould he make an unaue or an oblique 
 Sally upon the Sentiments, PaiTions, or 
 AlFcdions, wherewithal the People fliall 
 be previotijly pofTejQcd, he fliall be hilTed and 
 contemned, or inftantly mobbed lor his 
 
 Mifdemeanours. Hence, in Matters of 
 
 commcn Concern, doth no Man confide rately 
 alTume any farther in the Communications 
 of his cwiiy than to move upon and excite 
 a Similarity, or Anfwerablenefs of Senti- 
 ment in others: And that the celebrated 
 Works of Antiquity fliould have flood the 
 Teft of Ages, as the Standards of a Sound- 
 nefs, Juftnefs, and Propriety of ?mral Sen- 
 timent, and therefore the Standards of 
 
 TRUE Criticism j Why is it, but 
 
 that Mankind in general, was not fo con- 
 ftituted, or framed in the Beginning, as 
 that ever we fliould become fo far deprav- 
 ed in general, but that the Echo, as One 
 may fay, of Truth and Virtue fhould ///'// 
 remain ? For, as it was fabled of EchOy 
 that when her Body became confumed and 
 
 wafted into Air, her Foice did ftill remain ; 
 
 fo 
 
[ xix ] 
 
 foofthe Humanity in general, It is with 
 Pleafure that we ohfervc, that its primitive 
 Reditiide may never become fo tar ob ite- 
 rated, but that when *' Wildom fhall cry, 
 " and Underflanding (hall put forth her 
 *' Voice," the Echo ihould JiiU be known. 
 
 Yet, in Cafe it (liould with any be ad- . 
 mitted as an Enquiry, or Matter of Debate, 
 whether in our moral Communications we 
 do infufe our Sentiments/ the Rebound is 
 this, is Criticifm infufedf — or can it be in- 
 fufed ? — if it can, why may it not be in^uf- 
 cd into a Stone ?— or if it be infufed, ti'ho 
 iniufes it ? Whut Man fliall communi- 
 cate to me a Capacity of paffing my Enco- 
 miums or Cenlures upon a Variety of writ- 
 ten Performances i^ — Or to whom fliail I pay 
 my Acknowledgements, for having infufed 
 into me a Capacity uf judging and deter- 
 mining of Good and Evit^ Ri^ht and Wroig^ 
 in the daily and hourjy SuccelTion of new 
 Occurrences ? ' 
 
 Let 'the Reader be apprifed however, 
 that the TRUE Prophet alTumes not fo 
 highly as to propofe an infufing of his Sen- 
 timents i but iimply to awaken and cxctte 
 
 c 2 fucb 
 
[ XX J 
 
 fuch a Train of Perceptibilities in others, 
 as require no nnore than an Opening and 
 Expanding ; or, as One may fay, a Stimu- 
 lating and Enkindling ; for as the Writings 
 of the FabuUJl are to be confider'd as an Ap^ 
 peal to the Criticifm, or Judgment of the 
 EXTERNAL Man, — Is not this Thing fo ? — - 
 Was not this a bafe, or the other a com- 
 mendable A(ftion ? — So all the Communi- 
 cations of the TRUE Prophet^ are ever to 
 be confider'd as diftinguifhablc herein, that 
 they are an APPEAL to the Perceptibili- 
 ties of the INTERNAL Man, in Scripture 
 called the Witness; — For though the. 
 Angel ^ be locked up in Death, as the 
 Form, the Figure, or Feature of the Herb, 
 or Tree in the Seed before it germinates; yet 
 the Echo is known : For, when the Pro- 
 phet appeals. Is not this Thing fo ? // is, 
 faith the Witnefs in Secret, though all the 
 World fhould gainfay it. 
 
 Hence, according to Scripture, i John 
 V. 9, "If we receive the Wttnefs of Men, 
 <* the Witnefs of God if greater : For this 
 « is the Witnefs of God, which he hath 
 
 " teftified 
 
 • a//z. The new Man, Ephef. iv. Z4. or hidden Man of 
 the Heart, 1 Peter iij. 4. 
 
[ »*» ] 
 
 « teftified of his Son^ He that belle^eth J!i 
 «* the Son of Got), hath the Witmp n 
 " himfelf : And this is the Record t\izi Gc d 
 *' hath given us ; eternal Life : And this 
 *' Life is in his Son. He that hath the 
 " Son, hath Life 'y and he that hath not 
 «' the Son of God, hath not Life :" Which 
 Scripture unavoidably muft be interpreted 
 thus ; That fo far a€ we favingly believe^ 
 by the hearing of thd Word, it is by Means 
 of the Appeal^ as above, that is made to the 
 Wit7iefi of God in Men : " He that believ- 
 eth on the Son of God, hath the Witnefi 
 in himfdf :" And when once we believe, 
 there needs no recording, or writing down 
 our Belief, left we forget it again ; but this 
 is the Record that God hath given us Life, 
 ETERNAL LIFE; a renewed State, or 
 Condition of Life, according to our Perfe- 
 verancc in fuch an Exercife of a Seeking and 
 Faith towards God, as N. B. our Belief 
 fhall fuggeft to be requifite : And this our 
 renewed State of Life is in his Son : That 
 is to fay, we by fuch Perfeverancc become 
 the quicker^d Branches upon his Vine ; in 
 fuch Scnfe as the outward Man is a Branch, 
 or Member of the natural Vine j " he that 
 
 " hath 
 
 (C 
 (C 
 
r xxii ] 
 
 *^ hath the Son, hath Life 3 and he that 
 *' hath not the Son of GuDy hath not Lile." 
 
 Hence it is that the Prophet is incapabic 
 of 5he V^'ariity of vain Hopes and Fears, con- 
 cerning how acceptable to the Piiblick his 
 Pcrraj mances ; his Bufineis is to bear a Te£- 
 tinnDnv to the Truth ; and as in xht former ^ 
 f© in ail Ages, his Performances, of Courfe^ 
 mufl meet with an abetting^ as well as an 
 
 bodiie Party • Our Nebuchadnezzar, 
 
 b)^ his Compliment and Parade, under the 
 Patronage of my Lord, iliall prevail to 
 amufe here and there an idle Speculatifl 
 with the Muchnefs of his Fruit ; but as his 
 Appeal is no more than an Appeal to the 
 Vanity and D ubting of the antichriffian- 
 ized apofl.\tized State, but /lender is the 
 H'jld he obtains, and but /lenderly produc- 
 tive is his Fruit, of more Fruit ; whereas 
 the Teftimony ot Truth, is divinely effica- 
 cious : For, as proceeding from God, fo 
 it mere or lefs partakes of a Power Omni- 
 potent ^ the Teiidencv of fuch Teftimony 
 being to move upon the Minds of the E- 
 LECT, in the quickening and exciting fuch 
 a FAi iH, as when concentring with the 
 
 Will 
 
cc 
 
 [ xxiii ] 
 
 Will of Qhd's TJnity,^ is Omnipotence it- 
 felf : " All Things are poflibie to him that 
 " believeth." Mark ix. 23. 
 
 But that we .may not be tedious, let 
 the Candid be apprifed, that the Author 
 expe(5ls to be canvafs'd by Numbers, who, 
 *' hearing, fhall hear, but fhall not under- 
 ftand ; and feeing, (hail fee, but fhall 
 not perceive ;" and to the Gainfaying of 
 thefe, he very willingly fubmits : " Why 
 ." do ye not underftand my Speech ? Even 
 *' becaufe you cannot hear my Word."J 
 
 It is given him to , 
 
 rejoice in the Rt j latt vt ot the Myst e- 
 RiES; but at the fame Time he aiTumes to 
 profefs but the Infant State : And as to the 
 . the Enfuing, however fufcep- 
 tive of Crudity^ or chargeable with cer- 
 tain InaccuracieSy fufpedl him of Contriv- 
 ance || who may, it. is prefumed that our 
 Legitimacy will fpeak for itfelf. 
 
 The 
 
 • Our Meaning in the Ufe of this Word Unity, re- 
 mains to be hereafter explained. 
 
 X Ja^H viii. 43. Obferve the fucceeding Verfei to the 
 End. 
 
 II There are, as it fhould fcdm, who fH/pcjS; me of Cok' 
 
 trivance. 
 
[ xxiv ] 
 
 The Deg^'adation of our fpiri^all^EBU'^ 
 ©HADNEZZAR, was Mactcf of hi^h Enter- 
 tainment to me ; for never did the Inter- 
 pretation fo crcur to my Thoughts, until 
 inftaritly as exhibited, / in 
 
 inch Order a$ the Reader iaiau find. But 
 //. B. this Matter, viz. the Hewing down 
 of the Tree, remains to be more largely 
 difcuffed, as it fhall pleafe God hereafter : 
 For though entirely fatisfied as to my own 
 Part, that in comparing Scripture with 
 Scripture, my Mind was inftantly conduct- 
 ed by the unerring Illumina^tion j yet 
 the Anfwerablenefs of thefe feveral Scrip- 
 tures to each other, in Order to the more 
 full Convidtion, and Satisfadion of the 
 candid Enquirer, admits of much larger 
 lUuflrations. 
 
 Finally, be the Seeking aflurcd, That 
 this the full Revelation of the MrsTERV, 
 which from the Beginning of the World 
 hath been hid in God, though peculiar to 
 the Time, is by no Means pecular to a Peo^ 
 fie or Nation : But as the Lightning com- 
 eth out of the Eafl, and fliineth even unto 
 the Weft 5 fo inflantly rifen, and riling, be 
 
i 
 
 [ -XXV ] 
 
 thfc Springings of Evangelic Dav, upori 
 all Nations^ to the Fulfilling of the ancient 
 Predidions, concerning the great and terrible 
 Day of the Lord. 
 
 " He will lift up an Enfign to the Natl- 
 *' on§ from far, and will' hifs unto them 
 " from the Ends of the Earth ; and behold 
 " they ( the Prophets or MefTengers ) Ihalj 
 " come with Speed fwiftly : None lliall be 
 " weary, or ftumblc amongfl: them ; none 
 " fhall (lumber, nor fleep, neither fhall the 
 *' Girdle of their Loins be loofed, nor the 
 ** Latchet of their Shoes be broken : Whofe 
 " Arrows are Jharp^ and all their Bov;s 
 " bent •, their Horfes Hoofs fhall be count- 
 "• ed Hke Flint, and their Wheels like a 
 *•• Whirl-wind -, their Roaring fhall be like 
 " a Lion, and they fhall roar like young 
 " Lions : Yea, they fhall roar^ and lay hold 
 *" of the Prey, and carry it away fafe, and 
 " none fliall deliver it And in that Day^ 
 '^ they ( the Enemy ) fhall roar againfl 
 " them like the Roaring of the Sea ; and if 
 " one look unto the Land, behold Dark- 
 ^' nefs and Sorrow, and the Light is dark« 
 1' ened in the Heavens thereof." 
 
 gj Galiles. 
 
[ xxvi ] 
 
 Galilee of the Nations^ Ifa. ix. i. is 
 mentioned with a View to the Bringing- 
 forth of the Church, in thefe the latter Ages 
 of the World. And that the Jews Ihoiild 
 hitherto have refufed fuch a Chriftianity., 
 as by the Gentiles have been offered 
 them, they have been altogether in the 
 ivight i fuch having been the Will and Ap- 
 pointment of God : And as they now be- 
 come gathered, fuch their Gathering will 
 be ftricftly in Time^ and Order^ and Manner.^ 
 as forelhewn by thofe CAPITAL TRp- 
 iPHECIES, which hitherto by them have 
 been confidered as unfulfilled. The Chil- 
 dren of the Myjlery need not be informed, 
 that the Prophecies of Ifaiah and Jeremiah 
 concerning the Downfal of Babylon, par- 
 ticularly Ifdah the 13, 14, and 47th Chap- 
 ters, and Jeremiah the 50 and 51ft Chap- 
 ters, remain yet to be fulfilled upon Ba- 
 pvLON the Great, 
 
 the Fulfilling in 1 ypc, being in no 
 Wile anfwerable to the mighty Overthrow- 
 ing, and univerfal Devaftation, as defcribed 
 in the faid Chapters :- — Or that the Fulfill- 
 ing of the antient Predidlions concerning 
 ^he Intrer Bringing- forth of che Church, the 
 
 Rcjloratio}'. 
 
[ xxvii ] 
 
 Rejloratiofi of the Jews, and the Vowjjfal 
 oifpiritual Babylon, fliail be altogether a 
 cotemporary Work. 
 
 • The Overthrow of Babylon, is in Scrip- 
 ture dilcourfed as of a Battk that ihail be 
 
 univerfal. 
 
 " The Burden of £^^yc^«, vi\\\ch Ifaiah 
 ** Son of Amoz did fee. Lift ye up the 
 " Banner upon the high Mountain, exalt 
 ** the Voice unto them, (hake the Hand, 
 ** that they may enter the Gates of the No- 
 
 <c bies. --I have commanded nvj jan5fi^ 
 
 *' Jied O^eSj I have alio called my mighty 
 ** Ones, becaufe of mine Anger, even them 
 ** that rejoice >n my Highnefs. The Noife 
 <*.ofa Multitude in the Mountains, like as 
 of a great People ; a^ tumultuous Noife 
 of the Kingdoms of I'^ations gathered to- 
 gether; the Lord of Hofls muftereth the 
 Hoft of the Battle, Ifa. xiii. i, 2^ 3, 4, 5." 
 And according to the Fulfilling in Type, a 
 Battk it was in the literal Senfe. But when 
 the Prophdt is led more diftindly to point 
 out the antitvpical. Fulfilling, at the after 
 Bringing-forth of the Church; " ThePeo- 
 " pie (faith he) Chap, ix, 2. that walked 
 
 d 2 "in 
 
 CC 
 
 <c 
 (( 
 
[. xxvlli ] 
 
 *^ in Darknefs have feen a great Light. 
 " They that dwell in the Land of the Sha- 
 " dow of Death, upon them hath the 
 " Light fhined: They joy before thee ac- 
 ** cording to the Joy in Harveft; and as 
 <* Men rejoice when they divide the Spoil.'* 
 And then with a View to the Calling of the 
 fcattered Jews, proceeds, Ver. 4. " For 
 " thou haft broken the Yoke of his Bur- 
 *' den, and the Staff of his Shoulder, and 
 " the Rod of his OpprelTor, as in the Day 
 *« of Midian" The Day of Midian is thus 
 mentioned, with a Reference to the fo-ce- 
 Icbrated Breaking of their Yoke, as redeem- 
 cd from under the Rod of the former Op- 
 prefTor, viz. Pharaoh. And with a View 
 to the great and finifhing Battle and Vi5lcry 
 of the Church univerfal over her Enemies, 
 proceeds, Ver. 5. " Every Battle of the 
 ** Warrior is with confufed Noife, and 
 « Garments rolled in Blood, but THIS 
 «« {hall be with Burning, and with the JPtW 
 *« of Fire : For unto us a Child is born, 
 " unto us a Son is given, and the Govcrn- 
 « mcnt fhall be upon his Shoulder, &c. 
 « Ver. 6, 7." An Expofition of which Ver- 
 fes we may not farther attempt herej let it 
 
 fuffice 
 
[ xxix ] 
 
 fuffice that they are comprehenfive both, of 
 the former^ and latter Bringing-forth»*!of^ 
 the Church J and may not be interpreted, 
 or apprehended, but by the Enochian Light, ' 
 in the Openings of the great Arcanum. 
 
 But as Cyrus was the Overthrower of 
 Babylon in Type, that the Re-eftablifhrnent 
 of the Church univerfal, 'uiz. the Building- 
 up of the City and Temple, in the myfti- 
 cal Senfe, is cotemporary with the Over- 
 throw of fpiritual Babylon, witnefs thefe re- 
 markable Sentences : " Sing, O ye Hea- 
 " vens, for the Lord hath done it: Shout, 
 ye lower Parts of the Earth : Break forth 
 into Singing, O ye Mountains, O Forefl, 
 and every Tree therein : For the Lord 
 " hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified him* 
 " felf in Ifrael. Thus laith the Lord, tlw 
 " Redeemer, and he that formed thee from 
 *' the Womb, I am the Lord that maketh- 
 " all Things; that flretcheth out the Hea-''* 
 vens alone; that fpreadeth abroad the 
 Earth by myfelf; that fruftrateth the 
 Tokens of Liars, and maketh Diviners 
 mad, that turneth wife Men backward, 
 and maketh their Knowledge foolifh; 
 
 " that 
 
 cc 
 
 <c 
 <( 
 
 «( 
 
 C( 
 
 (( 
 
cc 
 <c 
 
 Cc 
 
 ec 
 <c 
 cc 
 
 «c 
 cc 
 cc 
 
 <c 
 
 [ XXX ] 
 
 that conjirmeth the Word of his Servant* 
 2Lnd perform eth the Counfel of his MefTen- 
 gers; E^ Thdit performeth the Counfel of 
 '* his McfTengers, that faith unto y^r?^/^/;?, 
 " Thou (halt be inhabited ; and to the Cities 
 of Judab, Ye (hall be built, and I will 
 raije up the decayed Places thereof : That 
 lajth unto the Deep, Be dry, and I will 
 ** dry up thy Rivers: That faith of Cy- 
 rus, He is my Shepherd, and fhail per- 
 form all my Pleafure; even faying t^ 
 yerufalemy thou fhalt be built ^ and to 
 the Temple^ thy Foundation fhall be laid, • 
 ** Ifa. xliv. 23 — 28." H;::re the Perfona- 
 lity, and regal Power of Him^ who is the 
 Shepherd of Israel, is fpoken of under the 
 Charaftcr of a CYRUS, f And 
 
 + Many are unhappy in the Lack of diftiinguifhing be- 
 tween the Divinity undi Humanity of Christ: Between 
 the Person ALiTY of Chriji m Heaven, and the Spiri- 
 tuality of Chriji revealed in Men upon Eareh. For 
 clear Apprehenfions in thi» Matter, the Reader is referred 
 to the enfuing Work ; but for the prefent, let it fuffice, 
 that of Chrift in Men, the Scriptures mean no other than 
 the Chrijiian Sta'fif become knoivn and experimented in Men; 
 which Chriftian State, is that of thew^oy Birth, John iii. 3. 
 or it is the obtaining a rene-ived State or Condition of 
 Life. 
 
 Messiah, in the Flefh, was the Opener of the Way, 
 or the firlt from jlJam, in whom the Poflibility of ftich Re- 
 newednefs was obtained, — and bf Chrift revealed in Men: 
 Now, we mean Deity become revealed in, or united with 
 the Humanity^ in fuch Senfe as Deity and Humanity be- 
 came 
 
[ xxxi ] 
 
 And would the Reader be apprifed of 
 the Nature and Manner of this great and 
 univerfal Overthrowing of the graven 
 Images -, * then confider the general Over- 
 
 (urning 
 
 came united in the Per/on of our Lord : Whereas, Chrifi 
 revealed, is an Impropriety of Speech, otherwife than 
 that in fuch the Revelation of Deity in the Humanity, 
 we obtain a Fello<ivlhip with Chrift, and with the Saints 
 in Heaven, as alfo the Fellon.vfbip of the Brethi'ea upon 
 Earth : i And of the latter Bringi-ng-forth of the Church, 
 we would be underftood to mean, a latter Bringing to the 
 Birth of inch the Renewednefs of a Life hid iviih Chriji in 
 God: And of the COMING of C/^;//?, in the Chai after of 
 Lord and King, as the Shepherd oi Ijraely a Shepherd to 
 the Faithful, whether Jew or Gentile ; but a Cyrus to the 
 Gainiaying and Rebellious ; we would be underftood to 
 mean his /IJ/laning, or taking unto himfelf, his great Power 
 in the Agency of his Saints -.—Behold the Lord ccmcth nuitb 
 ^en Thoufand of his Saints, to execute 'Judgment upon all, 
 and to connjince all that are ungodly among them, he. Judex, ir. 
 * Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the graven Images 
 tf her Gods he hath broken to the Ground, Ifa. xxi, 9. Let 
 the fecond Commandment be here cohfidered — Images 
 graven in Wood and in Stone, as the Objefts of our Ado- 
 ration, are now out of Falhion ; yet may we not theiefbre 
 confider ourfelvesas guiltlefs of Idolatry : But of the Ima- 
 ges antitypically and fpiritualiy, we are to underftand the 
 Imagery of our Minds, as vainly prefumeing tofuppofe that 
 we are ferving and worfhipping God, whilft fettered zaA 
 captivated in the Chains of fpiritual Death : For N. B^ 
 we are efpecially forbidden to make unto ourfelves Like' 
 riejfes, or Ccmparijons of God;---Deity being altogether 
 incomprehenfible to Creatures, and can really become 
 known by no other Means than as pleafed to reveal and 
 snake manifeft himfelf : No Man bioweth the Son but tlm 
 Father, neither knonxeth a>ry Man the Father, fave the Son, 
 und he to ivhomfce-ver the Son ^11 re-vcal him : So that while 
 we remain in the Darknefs and Ignorance of fpiritual 
 Death, perhaps void of fo much as a weIl-grour*ded/'<z/Vy&, 
 concerning what we ought to exped from God, or what he 
 % 7°^n 15- J» 2* 3» 4' S>^» 1> 8' 
 
' [ xxxii ] 
 
 turning at the Commencement of Proteftanti 
 ifm ; the one having been but as the Pre- 
 lude to the other. For as the difaffefted 
 to Clergy become fecretiy acquainted with 
 ,GoD in the Openings of the Myliery/^ it will 
 be as impoflible, that confiilent, with their 
 internal ^iet, they fhould itili adhere to 
 the Superflitions, Mockeries, and I'rofana- 
 tions of an Image Worship, as it was for 
 Shadrack, Mcjhack^ and Jbednego^ in Type, 
 that they fhould have fallen down and wor- 
 fliipped the golden Image, which Nebuchad- 
 nezzar the King had fet up : And as natu- 
 ral for them to refufe going to Chuch, pay- 
 ing the Priefl, or partaking in tht accuried Ce- 
 remonials the Reliques of pi-paj Superllition;, 
 called Ordinances^ * as it was for the Martyrs of 
 
 Queeq 
 
 requires of us, we worfhlp not God, but rather a P/jafi^ 
 tafm of the Imagination, which is myitical, or fpiiitual 
 Idolatry; more criminal in itfelf, as more nearly approach- 
 ing the Seemingnefs of that Worfhip, which is leally Wor- 
 fhjp in the evangelical Scnfe. 
 
 • They be all of them Damnable. Yet let not the Can. 
 did take offence at the Expreffions. The Word Damnable, 
 is derived of the Latin Word Damno, to Condemn, and we 
 mean it here in no other than fuch Senfe as the Woid oc- 
 curs, z Peter ii. I. CONDEMNJBLE, or that of 
 Courfe mull either fooner or later fall into Condem- 
 nation. It becomes one neverthclefs to be cautious of 
 giving Offence ; wherefore we condemn not an Adhe- 
 rence to the ORDINANCES (fo called) in every Senfe : Let 
 thole who may have been accuitomed to imagine their 
 
( xxxiii. ) 
 
 Qiicen M^r}'5*Reign, that they iliould have reje'^ed 
 the Mafiy renounced the Popes Holinefs Supremacy.^ 
 or that they fhould have difowned the hkjj'ed tacra- 
 mentofthe Altar; or may one venture a httle farther 
 andfavj as it was forcertainofa more modern Date, 
 that they fhould have refufedto Jwcar^ and //>, or 
 
 thoroughly 
 
 tliemfelvcs benefitted by any fuch a Means adhere to their MeAni 
 anJ welcome, until it pleafe God to enlighten them-, our Senti- 
 ment concerning them in brief Being as follows, viz.. That by the 
 Teftaments it{houldIappear,that the Supper, that is to (ay, the 
 ^«//^;7; PASS OVER under the Mofaical Adminiftration was 
 ircaly inftituted an Ordinance^ it being a Figure To eireniiaily/Jrtf* 
 diftive, and high'y DoElr!.:al. 
 
 Likewife that the Baptism of John was ordained aF/^»r<r, where- 
 by in the moft cogent and jdemonftrative Manner to enforce 
 that Capitaland moii Ejfejiji a I Dodrineof thencwTedamenr* 
 the indifpeniibie Neceflity of our partaking of the one only 
 efficacious Baptism, as the alone pofub'.e Means and Condition 
 of oar being faved, Ep.^, $. Rom. 6,3.4. J. i Pf^. 3, 20. 21. 
 CoLz^l2. y^^si,$. Rom. 12,13. fj/t/. 3, 17. 
 
 That thefe two feveral Tyfes^ or Ordinances., when fulfilled 
 in the Pcrfon of thepromifed-W^^/?, as T^pes or Ordinances 
 were then expired, made void, rendered obfolcte, and done away. 
 
 That confidering how principle a Part of the Bufincfs and 
 Concern of the firft Promulgators of Gofpel it was to wean and 
 draw off the Minds of the People from an habittuated Adhe- 
 ranee to ORDINANCES, as Inftance Cof. 1. from vsrs g, to 
 rhcEnd, fo likewife the Whole of the Epiftle to the Hehervst 
 itmuft be altojiether unwarrantable to prefume thai: an Adherence-- 
 ro thefe rcfpedivc Infticiitions was orherwife abetted or ap«> 
 proved by thej-^w/T^/^? of the Primitive Time than tranfiently in' 
 
 rhe Nature of 6'?^«j'/ flich Signs as however the Ordinances 
 
 were expired, made void, rendered obfolete, siid done awAy* 
 iTiight ftill have been regarded by the People as reraining tiiyis 
 Significative :ind DoBrinal Scnfc, 
 
 ^j^H^^^^^H^HUiob 
 
thoroughly to have acquieied in certain the well 
 known Siiperfiueties of their TIME, in the Way 
 ofaScrvileRefpeamentofthe Perjons or Cofiditi- 
 msofMtn] fuch being tiieN&ture oiWUleformations'^ 
 for N,B, as the enlightened DESPISE NOT the Day 
 
 of 
 
 That whereas there nre certain 5'/>»j now in being termed Or- 
 dinances. Means: is.c. fo abfoiutely and entirely unauthorized by 
 ^ny Scripture Teftimony concersiing them, it appears 
 that not only the A^^^Jthemfelves, but as Muter of ftill greater 
 Confcqnence, an=1 more immediately deinmanding our Notice, 
 aJl warrantable or infltfltible API^REHENSIONS concerning 
 thefe the antient Signs. Water Haptism, and the Supper, their 
 Typical and DodrmalSenie, the£«^/ and Purpofes for whicb 
 rheV wereinftimted, (amidathofeLabvrinrhs of Error and Con- 
 fufion wherein the Church Nominal fince ►he Commencement 
 of herGofpel bath been involved) tot. eEccIefiaftical Eftabliih- 
 menrsof our TIME are become chrir.jly obliterated^ Vague^ 
 undextind, while STRANGE, ^^v«,, and STRANGE DocVrines 
 are found to have been fubfiituted in their (lend,. Outward 
 and vifible Signs of an inward and vital S.iaity^ where the 
 Kealityof fuch a Grace is wanting do conftitute and Charade- 
 xize the HYPOCRITE as fuch •, and where is the Man that 
 ihall be found able to make good the Charge of an Uyirighteom^. 
 9ter< in me, for thac hardly can one be prevailed upon not to 
 i)elieve,thatbeftic might become one to decline thefe fhewy 
 and Often^ations Signs? was there any fuch Tiding to be 
 imagined as a pradical ReeftabUfliaiCnt of the anrient Signs, 
 according to the Ufuages ol ttie unappoftatized Church, the un- 
 feigned SimpHcity of a living and efienfial Faith, as at the 
 Commencement of the Gofpel Difpenfation, the fenlible might 
 iiave no. Objc-aions to a falling in with fuch j)rad:jcal Re^ 
 efiablijhment; whereas to imagine the Poflibility of any fuch 
 pradical Reeftablifhment, might be found not lefs vain trian 
 io imaginelthe Poflibihty of calling back Yefterday that is pafl: ; 
 ^nd fet the Cafe that we were ever fo difpofed or determined 
 «(^ Reinftate a praFttcal Water Baptifm ( to Inflance but oftC. 
 ^ ll\? Qd:u^ce To QaUd^ the Serif tijrq^ 
 
[ XXXV ] * 
 
 c 
 
 of fmall Things^ but are, faithful in ^fiw^ 
 it is hereby that we may. exped: to become 
 Lords,6ver many Things; for as the Re- 
 demption of i/r^f/, from ninder the Tyran- 
 
 Scripture is fo far from propofing to us any fuch an Un- 
 dertaking, that it is inopoffible to difcover, upon fearching 
 them ever fo diligently, either at tvhat Time — hy ivhat 
 Co7nmun'{ — the Manner hoiv — upon 'whom — by 'tvhom — or to 
 •zvhat EnU fuch Baptiim ought n<),w to be adminiilered ; eke 
 Baprifm,. Matt, xxviii. being meant of_ the eflential and 
 fpiritual Bapcifm, and" not of Water- Baptifai"; 'as might 
 eafily be Ihewn, indeed already has bef« fhevvn by fundry 
 late Writers upon the Silbjeft,' however with lefs Ceriainiy' 
 of Demonftration than might now be produced. 
 
 It appears (in fhort) that to onjon,^ to hcncur, and rr-uere 
 thefe feveral Inflitutioris refpeflively, acco'dinj to their ty- 
 pical and do£innal Senfe, (he Ent/s and Purpofei of their pri- 
 mitive Ordination is that vvheretwto the Faithful are now" 
 called : For as ww Times are productive of nerv Events, and 
 as different Perfons are diverfly employed in differciit Ser- 
 vices for God; fo, for any to infer/thai. bec^ufe John the 
 Eaptijl was divinely appoioted' to bnp-:ife in the River Jor- 
 dan ; that therefore, withonc any fucii Warrant as John or 
 the Apollles had, we err m omitting to pra6\,ife tl-.e piefeivt 
 fubllicuted Sjgns, is not much better argued than .to infer, 
 that MnJ'es. when commajided and authorifed' of God to 
 carry on an Intermediation between fharmh and, the Chil- 
 dren of'I/rael, .did err in the Execution of fuch his Cornmif- 
 fion, becaufe Noah had been formerly authorjjed of God 
 in the Work of building the Ark, ■^i^htreiii fc-w, . //^/ // 
 eight Souls n.verefa'ved by Water. — The Ark, as i Peter iii. 
 20, 21. was a Type collateral with the Imlitution of Wa- • 
 ter-Baptifm:-But Mofcs.\^a.% divinely authorifed in Services 
 different from thofe of AW/^, notwithtbnding both were 
 Preachers of Righteoufncfs : So John was commiffioned to 
 baptife in the Waters of Jordan ; but the faithful now, are 
 called to Services vtxy difierent. The Work which God, 
 by the Intermediation of cur fpiritual Mo/es, -is now.about 
 to efFeft, being that of redeeming his captivated Church 
 from under the Power of P'3ar^'3/>, Prince of Uarknefs, fpi^ 
 
 e 3 ■ ritually 
 
[ xxxvi. ] 
 
 . ny oF Pharaoh in Type y was efft:(5i:ed thro' 
 the exlrcme Oppofitions of Power againd 
 Powcry jufi fo it is fpiritually ; we may not' 
 exped: to become quickened or redeeme'd in 
 the Renewings ofprimidve Redtitude, but 
 through a' Series of extreme Confli(!l be- 
 tween the oppofite Powers of Darbicjs and 
 Light; and in trival Matters of a Non-con- 
 formity,; it is not fo much, that any excej/ive 
 f^irtue ought, by ug to be imagined in con- 
 forming or not conforming, (the Adlfon 
 limply tdniidered) but it is. the Purpofe and 
 Lanii^uage of our Faith, that is available with 
 God, in that the called are called to a CcO:?^ 
 tnOtip» " 'O King Nebuchadnezzar y we aje 
 . " not careful to antwer thee in this Mat- 
 " tcr : If it be'fo, our God, whom we 
 " ferye, is able to deliver us out of thine 
 
 ," Hand, 
 
 m 
 
 ^ritaally : By Faiih it is only. that we ever fhall experi- 
 ence fuch Redemption ; and as for fuch Cej-emcnials, cr ' 
 outward Signs, as remain yet ui\divefled of the Appellati- 
 ons Sacrament and Meatrs. ('wirh'-iit me?p1v aH'nr-'ing to 
 
 what 
 otficr c^n K£ poliibiy make «;. aein, 1-;^' in^it tne i ime is 
 now come, wherein tKey (hall fully and compleatly appear 
 to be what indeed- and in reality they ave, <viz.. the Antiqii- 
 Ated, • Remains of w hat 
 
 one may with very grcai .-iJiUrance ai-.vcnture to pronounce 
 the TR AD ITIONjjV/'^'''^ ELDERS, M^ri vii. 5, 6, ^, 
 S, 9. — See Wm. Z/ZTt-'sLetters, Letter firft. This valua- 
 ble Writer found it not his Bufincfs to "rejeft • the' Ceremo- 
 nials approved by the Kftablilhment,. the TIME being not 
 yet fuily Come : And therefore in the faid Letter to his , 
 Correfpondant, hath fliewn his Willingnefs to 'have faid 
 whatfoever might be faid in their Vindication. 
 
[ xxxvii ] 
 
 *' Hand, OKing/ but if not, be ijt'kno\vn 
 
 *' -unto thee, O King, that we will not 
 
 *'• fcrve tby Gods, nor worfJnp the Image 
 
 " which thou haft fet up, l^an iii*. i6, 
 
 '' 17, 18." And as the Faithful in 
 
 Singlenefs of Purpofe tovVards God, are 
 
 Concerned irrfuch -Teftimony, by ftruggling 
 
 with they do at Length obtain a complete 
 
 Vii^lory over all the Powers of Deaths Hell,^ 
 
 and the Draq^on\ our internal iJluminati- 
 
 on, Peace andConlolation, being gradually 
 
 adminiftered upto us, in fuch the Courfe of 
 
 our [piritual Warfare,: '" Whatfoever is 
 
 "born of Cod overcometh the World;" 
 
 *' and this is the Vidory that overcometh 
 
 *' the World, even our Faith j • i fohn v.-j'» 
 
 and N. £. V', That "Faith v/ithout Works 
 
 " is dead; and whatfoever is not of .Faith 
 
 '' is Sin." " . ' 
 
 This the Struggling of the Church in 
 Bringing-forth, is that v/hich in Scripture 
 is called her* Travailing in Pain. Thus the 
 Prophet Ifaiah 3 " A Voice of "Noife from 
 *' the City, a Voice from the Temple, 
 ** (faith he) a Voice from the Lord, that * 
 
 '! rendcreth Re.compence to his Enemies : 
 
 " Before 
 
[ xxxviii ] 
 
 •* .Before /he travailed, fhe brought forth j 
 " before her Pain came, fhe was delivered 
 " of a Man Child:' And proceeds, '^*v\VhQ 
 " h^th heard fiich a Thing? Who hath ' 
 *' it^a luch Things ? Shall the Eai th be 
 *' made to bring forth in 6ne Day ? Or 
 " ihall a Nation be born at once ? Fur as 
 " fooh as Zion travailedy £he broudit forth 
 " her Children!"* 
 
 Now as the Enlight-ened become flrength- 
 cned.in their Faith, and gradually ftrength- 
 ened in the Gifts, and Powers of the inter- 
 nal Man ;. their Testimony becomes com- 
 mu?iicative like a filent Stream, " - 
 
 And wiien the 
 Teftimony -j- becomes puelickly vocal, 
 which cannot be until the appointed Time, 
 then * commences the Roaritig . 'as" before 
 mentioned j for the Crying aloud of the 
 Watchers, fliall be lilce the Roaring of a 
 Lion J yea, they fliall roar like young'Ei- 
 ons J their Roaring fliall be clear, difiiuB^ * 
 and articulate, but the* Roaring ol the Ene- 
 
 my, 
 
 * 'ifa. Iyvi. S^. Sec the C^artfr f^ tV- I'. '. 
 
( xxxix. ) 
 
 my, vi<z, the Beaft^ the Falfe Prophet^ and 
 his Adherents, Ihail be a confufed and tu- 
 multuous jRo^W;zg, like the Roaring of the 
 Sea. 
 
 " Howl ye, for the Day of the Lord is 
 " at Hand: it Ihall come as a Deftruftion 
 " from the Almighty -, therefore fhall all 
 " Hands be faint, and every Man'sHeart fhall 
 '' melf, they Ihall be afraid, Pangs and 
 " Sorrows fhall take hold on them ; they 
 " fhall be in Pain as a Woma?i that travai- 
 " leth ; they fhall be amazed one at another ; 
 <• their Faces fhall be as Flames, Ifa,xui6, 
 
 As for thofe traditional Ceremonies, term- 
 ed Ordinances^could theFaithful experience 
 them to be realh the Means of our SanQi- 
 lication or Salvation ; wherefore fhould we 
 not gladly embrace the Opportunities of be- 
 ing (anQified and faved upon fof^ Terms? 
 It was for the Sake of their typical and doQ:- 
 rinal Signification, that the Obfervation 
 of Statutes and Ordinances was enjoined 
 upon the Hebrews^ under the former 
 Adminiflration j and had it been con- 
 fident with the Wifdom of God, that the 
 
 Obfervatiop 
 
Clx) . 
 
 Obfervation of any Set of Ordinances t>r 
 Ceremonials whatever, fliould have been, 
 enjoined as fuch upon the Gofpel- Church,: 
 fuch Injunction might furely have been re- 
 corded in the New, as repeatedly it is in- 
 ftanced in the OldTeftament, in Words to 
 thisEffed; " It fhall be a Statute for ever 
 « throughout all your Generation?;, in all 
 « your Dwellings."' Andif fevere Rcpre- 
 henfions were due to the Blifid Guides of 
 the former AdminHtration, for omitting the 
 weightier Matters of the Law in fuperfici- 
 ally doing fuch Things, and adhering to 
 . fuch Ceremonials as had rf^/Zy been ordain- 
 ed, mid ought notto have been left undone; 
 how much more open to Reproof be they, 
 who not only omit, but even ridicule the 
 weightier Matters of Gofpel, in fuperftiti- 
 ouflyandhypocritically advocating tor fuch 
 Ordinances, as are merely the SuhftituUd 
 Cere?mnmls of Qur apoftatized State? * 
 
 That during the Times of our appointed 
 Blindnefs, the Perpetuity of thefe theCere^ 
 monials of ^formal Religiouwis foreknown 
 
 ill 
 
 * See M^tt. xxiiid. xvirh. and Mar^\\mh. Chap- 
 ters-, the Fulfilling oft! c MeafureattbisTm-ic, being 
 typicar of the after Fulfilling under [he Gofpel Dil- 
 
 pcnfacion, 
 
[ xii j 
 
 in the Wifdom of God, is our fincere Be- 
 lief : For triiely, had it not been for fo ftrift 
 an Adherence to the Ceremonials and Super- 
 fcials of Religion, as a Sidy to thd Minds 
 of the People, greatet- Anarchies and Con- 
 fufions rhight have befallen in ecclefiafbical 
 Revolutions than have befallen us ; and 
 "what is more worthy of Obfervation, were 
 it not for the Invalidity * of thefe our fub- 
 ftituted Ceremonials in themfelves, the Re- 
 forrnants! of bur latter Ages had wanted 
 Caufe of Controverfy, wherein they Ihould fo 
 Magnanimonfly and Glorioufly have fuffer" 
 ed and triumphed as they have done. 
 
 By any declamatory Reprehenfions of 
 bur prefent prevaling Superftitions, we 
 IVould not, however, be iindferflood to re- 
 commend to a fingle Individual Noncon^ 
 formities or Dijfenfions, otherwife than in 
 Singlenefs of purpofe towards God ; and as 
 the Times fhall bring forth a Concurrenc'!: 
 of Sentiment herein, among the Brethren 
 univerfally over all Chriitendom. 
 
 That the general -Overturning ;«z^' 
 commence by Way of Nonconformity, and 
 
 f ths 
 
 • A Blind and Idolatrous Adherence to a ShfiJci-j of 
 Our own contriving in the Stead of an AcknowJedgs- 
 Jncnttothe genuine fubrtantial and unchangeable TKUTif) 
 
i I xlii ] 
 
 the Reformation carried on by Way of Op- 
 pofition and Perfecution, Zeal againft Zeal 
 in extreme good Earneft, I am altogether 
 clear, and let our national Eftablifhments be 
 pleafed to take Notice, that it will be in 
 vain to call out Schifm^ or to call the Blame 
 of an univerfal Difturbance upon particular 
 Perfonsor Parties, it is the TIME that'iVT. B. 
 fhall bring forth this the TRAVAILING 
 of ZION in PAIN -, and when the Non- 
 conformity commences, it will be by the 
 common Confent and Concurrence of the 
 Faithful among all Nations ; and fuch will 
 be the tumultuous Commotions among the 
 People, and Nations, and Tongues, in art 
 univerfal Manner, in this the TIME of TROU- 
 BLE ; Dan. xii. i. that other wife than as 
 adhering with all Diligence to the pre- 
 didlive Admonitions-, Matt. xxiv. 23 — 28. 
 Mark xiii. 21—24. we fhall be in the ut- 
 moft Danger of being feduced and mifled 
 by the Antichrijls and falfe Prophets, to 
 whom an extraordinary Pawer fhall at this 
 Tims be given. 
 
[ i^liii 3 
 
 Tm*-! Wi hivt hinted 0Or Subjd^ j l>Ut at the 
 fiime Time dare not jdndcrtake to foreknow (of our 
 Gontemporary Readers mOre efp€tially)howm^ny 
 «w by whom the fame fh^Il be deemed (b confidera- 
 bkasto fBga^ ch^ir AttentionPShaH bedeemeU 
 lb confiderable (I mean) as to engage them in that 
 Concern, that earneft Intenfcnefs of thought, 
 ■without which it is inipoffible that our Meaning 
 ihould be rightly apprehended? For, if now 
 there be any fuch Thing, as that which was foe 
 merJy intended by the Apoftle, when fpeaking 
 of d Savour, 2. Cor. ii 14,15, fo certain it is, 
 ^hat the fame is to this Day ^ Samur efLifi unto 
 Lifi itithem that Irue-, and iflkatb unto Death 
 in thmthatperijh. ver. 16. 
 
 .# 
 
 "W ft may not ho\^ever om^it to revive the former 
 tjchortatiofy, " Take heed unto yourfelves, left 
 *♦ at any Time your Hearts be Overcharged with 
 ♦< Surfeiting, and Drunkcnefs, an^ the Cares of 
 ♦♦ tRisLffe, and lb the Day come uport you iwr 
 ** awarefr, for gts a SNARE doth it come upon aU 
 ♦♦ them that dwel) on th^Fdcfe of th* whote Earth. 
 
 ^ Thus 
 
c ^^»^ 1 
 
 t.'.. TMV^ publickly to appear would be altogethe*' 
 . tinwarrantable in me, without apprizing th 
 -^Reader yet farther, that purely in Refpefl of the 
 Matters intended^ (be the Infkrument or his man- 
 'ner as exceptionable as you pleafe) to perufe me 
 "^ith Serioufnefs and Attention is dangerous, 
 '** I admonifh you fincerely," (writes a certaifi 
 Difciple, whofe Name for the prefent I would 
 choofe to be ej^ciifed in concealing) " That other- 
 " wife than difpofed as was the Prodigal or loft 
 *' Son, Luke xv. i8, in returning to his Fathel* 
 " again, you leave my Writings and read theni 
 '" not, my Book will do you harm ; if yoU 
 *< will not take Warning, I will be giiiltlefs^ 
 «* blame nobody, but yourfelf. 
 
 -• la fucti Degree, as but trahfiently and carele'fsljf 
 read, without any Propenfity to d^ji^dl uponfuch 
 Meditations, as it is the Tendency of our novel 
 Difcourfe to excite j the R eadet is welcome to 
 imagine he efcapes or evades the Weight of fuch 
 Pre-admonition; but as read with Strioufnefs; 
 Convi6lion and Satisfadion, attended with art 
 Aptnefs and Propenfity to examine and re* 
 
[ xlv ] 
 
 i-c -examine the Scriptures referred to, and 
 to fpeculatc and meditate upon what occurs, 
 then let him be aiTured that fu h Propenfity 
 is the Drawing cf the Father,— a Cad to 
 
 Repentance ; " Truly the Harveft 
 
 " is plenteous, but the Labourers are few.'* 
 And as difpofed to clofe in with the Vifira- 
 tion, and farther Information be wanting, 
 GOncerning a praftical Introverfton ; Begin- 
 ning and Procefs in the gradual and pro- 
 greflive Work of Repentance and Self-denial^ 
 a Dying to the Former, and rifing to a New- 
 nefs of Life, let fuch Authors J be con- 
 
 fulted 
 
 % With Refpefl to the Nature of Reformations, and na- 
 tional Overturnings, the Martyrdoms fhould be cfpecial- 
 
 ly recommended. To the D'-iJl, or modern AcademicuSf 
 
 the Way to M-vine Knowledge ; the Spirit of Love ; the 
 Spirit of Fkayek ; or thp Grounds and Reasons of the 
 Chrijiian Regeneration, might be fervice- 
 
 able ; folikewif'=" '^-^ Way /o I'^^Sapbath o/'^^, hy Tho' 
 mas Brotnhy, , :\ late Publication, — and as an uni- 
 
 verfal Manual, adapied to all States and Denominations ; 
 the Cbrijiian Pattern, by Thomas a Kempisy is generally 
 known and acknowledged, and might be recommended 
 with this Provifo, in Cafe a genuine Traflation can be met 
 with : For as quick Mercury, by palling under certain chymi-« 
 cal Operations becomes hJIee/, fo the Generality of onr pre- 
 fent Tranllations of this excellent M<2«««/, fo far as I have 
 feen, are rendered lifelefs and abominate, by the Fingerings 
 of our Nebuchadnezzer ; for as of popular Account, 
 the Misfortune of this worthy Author, hath been very hard- 
 ly to have cfcaped his Clutches ;■ and fo far as handed 
 forth and recommended by him, according to his wonted 
 Difpofition to be meddling, in having aflumed to fwell, to. 
 embellifh and refine upon his Language, if one miy be inJ 
 dulged in fo faying ; truly, he ha;h fo fvjelkd it with the- 
 
 Pride 
 
[ xlvi J 
 fulted as the Himes do very amply affbtdi 
 
 However Faith comet/j hy Hearings it 
 muft likewife be reitiembred that Know- 
 ledge puffetb up ; and therefore, that high 
 
 Speculations 
 
 Pride and Pedantry of his own H«art, as to have rendered 
 the faid Book a mere Carcafs. 
 
 And here I can fcarcely omit an Obrervation that now oc- 
 curs, as touching that Slaying of the WitneJJis ; Rev. xi, 
 
 Obferve firft, that the Humanity, as hereafter difcourfed, 
 being a Microco/m of the vifible Creation, the Manner of the 
 divine Procedure with Individuals, in the WorJc of Redemp- 
 tion, is Jimilar to the Manner of the divine Procedure with 
 Mankind in general, under the Difpenfations of Laiu and 
 Go/pel', for as thefe have fucceeded each to the other in the 
 World, fo it is fpiritually ; the Chriflian in the Procefs of 
 his Pilgrimage muft pafs under thefe two Difpenfations, 
 Law — and Gospel: Hence it is, that as obtaining a Re- 
 jiewednefs of Lifeinthe^^^/f^^w^^/'^/a/f the two Testament* 
 of Mcfes and the MeJJiah, do in him become vii'ijied, living 
 znd ejfential ; his Dodrine being called his Testimony : 
 And hence it is, that an illiterate Heathen, untaught in the 
 Scripture, uninformed of their literal and hiftorical Senfe, 
 as divinely influenced, ihall nevertbelefs be entitled to a Tef- 
 timony, and Ihall hold forth genuine Scripture Dodrine : I 
 might appeal to an Inftance of this, whereunto lam an Ear- 
 Witnefs ; at an Yearly-Meeting of the People called Quaker s, 
 —an American Indian^ with becoming Gefture and Elocuti- 
 on, was known to have axhibited a public Difcourfe in his 
 ♦fu;-* Lanp^oac^e, (being incapable of o«r.r,) which was inter- 
 pieted the Satisfadion of the fenfible Part of the 
 
 Meeting. 
 
 The two Tejlaments we have In the Lettert and. they arc 
 the tiuo Witnejfes -J Rev. xi. 3. But that Power fhould 
 be given, JV. B. to thefe tnuo Witnejfes, that they Ihould 
 prophefy, we underftand a living and 'vocal Teftimony in 
 fuch Senfe as above j for in this Senfe it is, that thefe twd 
 WitncJJki are caikii the /wo Olive Trees, and the faia 
 
 COLOEI? 
 
[ xlvii ] 
 
 Speculations may not be Indulged, but in 
 Subferviency to the Simplicity of a living 
 and ejential Faith: And \tt it be efpeci- 
 ally remarked, that when having fo far 
 fpcculated, as to have obtained fuch living 
 
 and 
 
 Golden Candlesticks, fiandin^ before the Qod tf the 
 Earth. The Qne Thou/and T<vjo Hundred and Sixty Days, dur- 
 ing which Time they were to prophecy in Sackcloth, are 
 prophetic Days, and are anfwerable to the Time, Times and 
 an Half of the Church her abode in the Wildernefs State, as 
 hereafter fhall be explained. The Rijing of the Witneffes, 
 Verl'e i , 12. is anfwerable to the Breakings of evan- 
 gelic Day, as above difcourfed ; and the Foice of the Se- 
 venth Angel, Verfe 1-. to the Revelation of \i\ie Myf" 
 iery in an unJvcrfal Manner over all the World. — And 
 as touching that Slaying of the Witnejfes, Verfe 7, their 
 dead Bodies being fufftred to lie in the Streets of \}as great 
 City ; the Rejoicings of the People and Nations over them ; 
 rot fuftcring their dead Bodies to be put into Graves !— - 
 
 Underftand it thus, That what we have jull obferved 
 
 is an Inllance of this : Our faid Author was ii Prophet in 
 Sackcloth ; his Tejiimony tranfmitted to Pofterity ; according 
 to the concealed Meaning of the Text is his Body, that is to 
 fay, his Writing was the Tranfcript of his real Mind ; the 
 genuine 'vital Stn\\mtnts of a living Man ; more diftinft- 
 ly conveying the State of his Will and Mind to the Reader, 
 than might have been done by verbal Communications 
 upon a perfonal Sight and Knowledge of the Author, Face 
 to Face. 
 
 Hence the oiFering any violence to the ^written Teftimony 
 of iuch Author, is moll properly a Killing ; becaufe as 
 God's Witnefs ox Prophet, his Teftimony is thereby ren- 
 dered iioid : (indeed the Enjidence and Sa'vour of a Teftimo- 
 ny may become loft, even by varying but here and there a 
 Word or Syllable) I fay killing; for if my Soul be in Danger 
 6r Diftrels, and my Neighbour presents me with a Tefti- 
 mony that is intiated, poifoned, or fnuelled in the Tranfla- 
 tion, it is like introducing me to an hypocritical, deceitful, 
 iflembling Prophet, who ftiall fpeak one Thing, and mean 
 
 another : 
 
 s 
 
[ xlviii J 
 
 and effential Faith, that then, the Wanderhic? 
 of a vain and fuperficial Curiofity, muft, to 
 the utrnofl, be refifled, fuppreffed, and fuB- 
 jeded to the Death of the Crofs, — Such a 
 Remwednefs of Mind aS Ihall be acknow- 
 ledged 
 
 another: But as any TucK an Idea of PropKet, * involves 
 an Abfurdity, fo it is more properly an introducing one to 
 the dead Body of a Prophet ; inafmuch as fuch 'vitiated 
 TranJIatioti, conveys noteflentially the ^"/V/ and Intention; 
 the Sa'vour, Sen/e, and Spirit of a r^a/ Prophet ; and 6f 
 Confequence, v hoever is concerned in mijiranjlating, mif. 
 interpreting^ or corrupting a written Teftimony. doth that 
 in EfFe£l towards v/homfoever fhould be benefited and in- 
 formed by fuch Teftimony, as it would be to kill my Pro- 
 phet. 
 
 As confidering the Relation between fuch corrupt Tranf- 
 lator, or Mifmterpretfer, and the Teltator, fuch Killing 
 involves not the Idea of Mu.'rder, or Murderer ; but conf> 
 dering the Relation between me and my Prophet, the 
 Crime fupercedes Murder; for Ihould a Man kill my Prc'- 
 phct before my Face, fuch Killitig dcftroys not my Idea of 
 him as being one of God's Prophets ; whereas the Killing 
 of prophetic Teftimony, when my Prophet, who being 
 deceafed cannot anfwer for himfelf, deftroys not only the 
 Teftimony, but my Idea of the Teftator : It deftroys my 
 Idea of Prophet, and even tends to deftroy my Ideas of 
 there ever having been any fuch Thing as Prophet, or Pre- 
 phecy, fince the Beginning of the World; fuch being the 
 Senfe of our faid Scripture in this Matter. 
 
 This the Slaying of prophetic Teftimony, by a Mifinter- 
 pretation and bale Mixture, is that which A''. B. doth chi- 
 jafierize the False Prophet ; It being impolTible that 
 the Letter oi the Teftaments, fhould be interpreted by any 
 in whomfoever the Teftaments fhall not firft have become 
 eflcntiaMy T7i'//ff^ and li'ving. And that the False Pro- 
 phet (hould ever be difcourfed in Scripture as an Inftru- 
 ment of Hell ; that he fl^ould be numbered with the BeaJ*^ 
 and confidered as in League with the Dragon, and intitlei 
 
 to 
 * A real Prophet. 
 
 — -*^.'i.' 
 
[ xHx ] 
 
 ledged really to fhinc before Men, being 
 by no Means the Acquifition of a Day, a 
 Week, or a Month ; it may be an Year, or 
 Years j for as Deity confers not private 
 
 Favours 
 
 to 2i/imiiar Condemnation and Punifhment, as appears by 
 the whole Book of the i2ei/^/fl//o», particularly Chap. xvi. 
 13. Chap. xix. 20. Chap. xx. 10. It is becaufe of their 
 fuperlative Guilt, who upon Pretence of w^T^yfr/a^^, do iii 
 Reality T^ay the Witneffes, and that to the Deceiving of 
 the Peoples and Naiions ; for N. S. I fay Noia Bene that 
 their dead Bodits uo lie in the Streets of the great CItt, 
 *>hich fpiritually is called Sodcm, and ^gypt, where alfp 
 our Lord was crucified, 'viz.. Norriinal Chr-ifiendcPi, degene- 
 rated into that fame Kind of Darknefs, Blindnefs, Sfenfua- 
 lity, and Obduracy, as were that Church and Peopie by 
 ^hcrn our Lotd was crucified ; and they of the Peoples and 
 Nations, A'. 5. will not fuffer their dead Bodies to be put 
 ;nio Graves, but are making merry over them ; that is to 
 fay, we are not iatisfied to let the Scriptures alone, or to 
 treat them \Mth that Decency and Refpeft that is due to ari 
 human Corpfe; to let the Teftimonifcs of the Prophets be 
 biiried in Oblivion, but are idling, meddling, and tamper- 
 ing with them, as^tho' when their Bodies be already dead 
 we. would kill them over again: — Triumphing in fuch 
 Vidlory, rejcicitig and mdking merry ever them, and fending 
 Gifts to one another, becaife thefe iivo Propheis tormented theih 
 that dnvell on the Earth. 
 
 Let us confider how hardly It is that the Guilt of fuch 
 Slaying is avoided : Have I been prefent at the Delivery of 
 ali'ving Tejiimony F I dare hot in my after Coftverfation 
 repeat it, or any Part of it, and why ? Indeed becaufe in 
 fo doing I ftiall be focnd guilty before God of faying thfi 
 Te/iimouy, in that I am incapable of repeating it according 
 to that Mind and Spirit in which it was delivered ; to me 
 it was a li'viAg Tefiimony, the Language of God ; but as I 
 repeat it, the fame becomes dead, and to the Hearer of 
 filch Repetition it is no more than a Carcafs or dead Body. 
 Hence if any Man name the Name o/" Christ, let him depart 
 from Iniquity; for in Striftnefs, it is even unfeenily to 
 JQcntion or make any Application of » Scripture S^ing in 
 
 g an 
 
[ 1 ] 
 
 Favours, fo in the Courfe of our travailing iH 
 Pain, we travail on the Behalf of the Spe- 
 cies in general. 
 
 an unchrtjltan Spirit, and highly difguflful to all fenfible 
 Minds ; for if it be not given me of God, to make a Scrip- 
 ture Paying my cwn, by repeating and applying it accord- 
 ing to the Meaning, Senfe, and Spirit, in which fuch Scrip- 
 ture was written, I am guilty of fuch Slayixg : I may be 
 allowed indeed to make it but partially mine, I may not 
 comprehend the full Meaning ; but if I err in exhibiting a 
 Scripture, according to the ri?^/ IVIind and Intelligence of 
 the Teftator in tranfmitting fuch Scripture, I am a Slayer 
 of the Witnejfes, and a falfe Prophet. 
 
 Thus we fee in what Light our Nebuchadnezzar may, 
 and ought to be confidered as a Slayer of the Witnejfesy 
 and in what Senfe his fepernutnerary Performances in a li- 
 terary Way, ought by all fenfible Minds to be confidered 
 in the General, as being thofe dead Bodies which the 
 Peoples and Nations will not fuffer to be put into Graves : 
 
 That they are the -vital Tejiimonies of the Prophets 
 
 and Apoftles of God rendered Ufele/s, -void, and injig- 
 nijicant, by being flain : So that the Amount of our pre- 
 fent Digreffion feems to terminate thus ; that the Superinten- 
 dant Beast, whofe Part it is toredicule the Belief of an im- 
 mediate Revelation, and at the fame Time to make Pretence 
 of expounding the Tejiaments, is that Charafler to whom 
 it is principally given. Revel, xi. 7. to make /^ar with, 
 evercome, and kill the Witncfles in Sackcloth; or elfe 
 I am the Murderer, in thus interpreting this Scripture. 
 This fo interefting a Point to be debated, I thus flate, 
 by Way of Appeal to the Witnefs in Men ; and can 
 fcarcely omit to fay, let the Reader be aware, that 
 when convinced of the Guilt of fuch Slaying, fo far as 
 abetting and countenancing the Praftice of fuch a Slay- 
 ing in others, he is then an Accomplice in tlieir Guilt. 
 
t I ] 
 
 *(^;/ E N QJJ I R Y, concerning the Lawfulnefs of 
 feeking the Knowledge of future Things. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 "\\rT HEN Jefus appeared to his Bifciples 
 ^^L/ after his Refurredbion from the Dead^ 
 ' ' they being aflembled together, afked 
 of him, faying. Lord, wilt thou at this Time re^ 
 ft ore again the Kingdom of Ifrael ? It is not for 
 you to know the Times and the Seafons (was the 
 Reply) which the Father hath -put in Ms awn 
 power. A6ls i. 6, 7. 
 
 The Coming of Christ, as a Re-efiahlifhmenp 
 to the Houfe of Ifrael^ was the Theme General of 
 the antient Prophets. The GREAT DAY of 
 the Lord, whereof they have fo unanimoufly 
 concurred, according to their refpeftive Mea- 
 fure?, in prediding fucJi WONDERFUL 
 THINGS. 
 
 And there fhall he upon t\^tx^ high Mountain^ 
 find upon every high Hill, Rivers and Streams of 
 
 JVaters, ?'«/^^ Day i?///^^ Great Slaughter, ifjhen 
 
 B the 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 the Towers fall. Moreover, the Light of the 
 Moon JJjall be as the Light of the Sun, and the 
 Light of the Sunjhall be fevenfold as the Light of 
 feven Days, in the Day that the Lord bindeth up 
 the Breach of his People i * and healeth the Stroke 
 of their Wound. Ifa. xxx. 25, 26. 
 
 To fome it may feem, that the Prophet^ by 
 fuch Expreflions as thefe, was endeavouring to 
 fet forth a Sublimity of Sentiment that was in- 
 communicable, or greater than could be dif- 
 tindly conveyed to others by Words ; fince 
 Rivers and Streams of Waters upon the Moun- 
 tains, and upon the Hills, admit not of a literal, 
 neither of z private Interpretation. 2 Pet. i. 20, 
 ,, — This, for the prefent, we fubmit. 
 
 The great DAY of the Lord, wherein 
 he fhould bind up the Breach of his People, had 
 been confidered by the Jews, as the moft in- 
 tcrefting and important Subjedl of Enquiry, 
 for Ages before the Coming of the Mejfiah in 
 the Flefli. 
 
 And it fecms, that when Jefus entered Jeru- 
 falem. Mat. xxi, he entered in the Charader of 
 King, according to the Predi6lion of the Pro- 
 phet Zechariab. Tell ye the Daughter of Zion, 
 Behold, thy King cometh unto the.e fneek, and fitting 
 
 upon 
 
 • Sec Luke xxi, 24. Rojn. xi. 25. Revel, xi. 2. 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 Upon an Afs, and a Colt the Pole of an Afs, Mat. 
 xxi. 5.* And as fuch, was received, at /to 
 Time, with fignal Manifeftations of a general 
 Rejoicing : Hofanna to the Son of David •, bleffed 
 is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord ; Ho- 
 fanna in the highefi. 
 
 He entered the Temple under this CbaraSfer, 
 and caft out the Buyers and Sellers, as one hav- 
 ing Authority fo to do. Yet the whole Tranf- 
 atlion appears to have been no more than 2.Typey 
 and that the GREAT DAY of the Lord was 
 not as yet come. The fcattering of the Power of 
 the Holy People, Dan. xii. 7, was not as yet ac- 
 complifhed. For, inftead of re-eftabli(hing them 
 at that Time in their antient Power and Dignity, 
 as a ehofen and peculiar People, according to their 
 Expeftations, his enfuing Difcourfes in the Pre- 
 fence of the Multitude, as Mat. 22, 23 Chap- 
 ters, confided of the moft fevere Rebukes and 
 Reprehenfions, followed up by a repeated Denun- 
 ciation oiJVoes upon the Heads and Leaders of 
 that Adminijiration, the Chief Priejls, and the 
 Scribes, and the Elders of the People ; telling 
 ihem that the Publicans and Harlots fhould enter 
 
 the Kingdom fooner than they concluding 
 
 (when 
 
 * ' ]. E W • and G E N T I L E The 
 
 "NVords oMhe ? vo^hti Zechariah, i^ 9. being thds; J?*- 
 joice greatly, O Daughter <?/ Zion ; pout^ O Daugh- 
 ter 0/ Jerufalem : BehoU, thy Khig cometh unto thee ;^ bits 
 jvfi, and hailing Salvation j loi/jly, and riding u^aa aa A/t^ 
 and a Coll, the fole of ah 4/s. 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 (when having wept over them) in thefe memo 
 rable Words, Behold, your Houfe is left unto you 
 I defolate ; for I fay unto you ^ ye fhall not fee me 
 
 henceforth, until ye pall fay, " Bleffed is he that 
 Cometh in the Name of the LORD'* 
 
 From this fo folemn a Repitition of thefe 
 Words, how convincingly evident is it, that his 
 Entry into the City and temple at that Time, as 4 
 circumflantial Fulfilling of the Prophecy, in 
 Charader of King, was but fill Predidion ? — 
 A ftriking and lively Figure, forefhewing his 
 
 . future Return to his City and Temple, in the 
 Charafter of King, fpiritually. Behold, your 
 Houfe is left unto you defolate \ for I lay unto 
 you, ye. fhall not fee me henceforth, until ye 
 
 ' Ihall fijy, Bltffed is he that cometh in the Name of 
 the Lord. 
 
 When having ended thefe his lafl Difcourfes 
 in public, the Difciples befought him privately. 
 Chap. 24, 'faying, Tell us when fhall thefe Things 
 he, and what floall he the Signs of thy Coming, and 
 of the End of the World. 
 
 Here was an earlier Inftance of their anxi- 
 ous and curious Solicitude concerning the Things 
 tti come ; and particularly the Tiynes of RESTI- 
 ' .XUTION, wherein the Lord iTiouid be EX- 
 ALTED.* • Such 
 
 f 
 
 t ^, n. 2. Micah'w. I. IJa. \\. 11— 1 7.— — xii. 4. 
 »nd particularly, AQs iii, 19, ;to,f2t. 
 
 % 
 
( s ) 
 
 Such their Solicitude, was not condemned a? 
 <vain or wicked ; but Jefus anfwered and faid unto 
 them, Take Heed that no Man deceive you : And 
 proceeds to give them a curfory Glimpfe of Fu- 
 turity, dov/n to the GREAT DAY of his fecond 
 Coming, in the latter J^es of the World ; firft, 
 fpiritually, as the Lightning cometh out of the 
 Eaflf, and fliincth unto the Weft •, and at length 
 vifibly, when behold^ he cometh with Clouds, and, 
 every Eyejhallfee him, and^they aljo which pierced 
 him ; and all the Kindreds of the Earth Jloall wail 
 becaufe of him. Even fo. Amen. Rev. i. 7. 
 
 As we may be led to difcourfe of thele 
 Things at large hereafter, we propofe foc^the 
 prefent, no more than by Way ^^i Introdu6lioii 
 
 - a ' deliberate 
 
 L.^QUi!. X, tiovvfar it may now be deemed- 
 the Fart of tht faithful Difciples, to be curioufly 
 inquifitive about the Things to come ? I am the 
 Lord, that is my Name, and my Glory will I not 
 give unto another ; 72either my F raise to graven 
 Images. Behold, the former Things are come to 
 pafs, and new Things do I declare ; before they 
 fpring forth ^ I tell you of them. Ifa. xlii. 8, 9. 
 
 When fefus was born in Bethlehem ofjudea. 
 Behold, there came wife Men from the Eafi^ to 
 ferufaUm^ faying. Where is he that was born 
 
 King 
 
• ( 6 ) 
 
 King cf the Jews ? For we have feen his Star in 
 the Eafty and are come to worjhip him. 
 
 Needs there any Illuftration here, to ftiew 
 how far the Curiofity of thefe wife Men was 
 blameable ? We have feen his Star in the Eaft, 
 and are come to worjhip him. 
 
 Let us obferve, that however iinrefolved the 
 Great Enquiry^ A5ls i. 6, Jefus anfwered com- 
 pleatly the propounded Petition, fo far as had 
 any immediate Relation to the Work which was at 
 that Time commencing. Tejhall receive Pczver^ 
 (^laid he) after that the Holy Ghofl is come upon 
 you, and ye fh all be IVitneffes unto me, both in Je- 
 rufalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto 
 the uttcrmofi Tart of the Earth. As amply />r^- 
 di5iive, thefe Sentences, as might reaibnably 
 have been defired. 
 
 ■ It is acknowledged at all Events, that the 
 Anti-Chriji of mifgrounded Literature, and falfe 
 Inta'pi'etation, hath made fo many vain and un- 
 certain Eftimations of the Times and Seafons, that 
 all Prctenfions of fuch Sort, ought as circum- 
 fpe^ly and carefully to be entered upon, as Jiar- 
 rowly and fcrupuloufly canvaflcd and examined by 
 the Seeking and Uninformed ; fince the Day and 
 Hour knoweth no Man ; no, not the ylngels in 
 Heaven, but the Father only. 
 
 I APx'^REHEND 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 I APPREHEND that ouf prcfent Enquiry muft 
 ever remain inconchfive ; and indeed the Pro- 
 phecy of the Scriptures, as prcdidive of Futu- 
 rity, perpetually inexplicable^ fo long as we re- 
 main unblefled with certain clear^ fundamental 
 and fatisfaSfory Conceptions, as touching the? 
 Purpofe, Fore-knowledge^ and Omntfciency of 
 GOD. 
 
 Inasmuch as it is written of the Supreme 
 G O Dj that ^ HIM, and through him, /ind ta 
 HIM, are all Things, Rom. xi. 36. — So the 
 The 1ST, as fuch, doth believe oi Human A£iiom^ 
 that they perpetually do co-operate together, as 
 providentially conduced to fuch general IJfue, as 
 that at length, in the Language of the Pfalmifty 
 Men may praife the Lord for his Goodnefs^ and for 
 his wonderful Works to the Children of Men. 
 
 It is impofllble thus to conceive of God, and 
 of his Providence^ without admitting him to have 
 fore-known whatfoever fhould certainly come to 
 pafs : And indeed it is as oppofite to the exprels 
 Teftimony of the Scriptures, as inconfiftent 
 withy«/?, or even decent Ideas of an All-perfe^ 
 Deity J to admit that the whole Syfiein of tempo- 
 rary Things were created or are conducted other- 
 wife than as pre-purpofed^ fore-known, and predefli- 
 nated of God, before the Mountains were brought 
 forth ^ or ever the Earth was formed. 
 
 But 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 But it ieems that upon fuch Confiderations 
 as thefe, certain Proteftant Reformers have been 
 zx mzny 2i painful^ and laborious Exer- 
 
 cifeof their inventive X acuities, in building up 
 Syftems of Doftrine, concerning what have been 
 term'd the Abfolute DECREES cf God. 
 
 And few of their Opponents, how fuccefsful 
 foever in detefling and pulling down— -have "^xt- 
 vziXed fatisfal^orily to reconcile the Belief of a 
 Fore-knowledge and Free-agency in God, with the 
 Idea of an abfolute Free-agency in Man, 
 
 Here, as Men of cogitative and fpeculative 
 Intelleds, have entered into the Debate, and 
 publifhed their Sentiments, what the oppofite 
 
 Doubtifigs, Opinions, Ambiguities, Defpondencies, 
 
 that have thence arifen,'we need not, for the 
 prefent, recite. 
 
 The fame have, for the .moil Part, been in- 
 concluftve hitherto •, and liow long fhall remain 
 ib to be, is fubmitted to the Purpofe, Prefcience 
 
 and Providence fo unfearchable. 
 
 • 
 
 As confuking our Clajfic Authors upon this, 
 t\i^S\.\\:>]t6io{Univerfal Enquiry, it appears that 
 thefe hold a D^/;!?y— indeed a Plurality of D^/- 
 nies, which were believed' to have prefided over 
 all Things ; but as to what were their Perplexi- 
 ties 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 tics about the Arhiirary DECREES ©f th^r 
 Gods, we appeal to their modern Admir«rs. 
 
 Their Deities (in fhort) were confidered as 
 Lords of their own Aftions, becaufe they could 
 form no Ideas oi Deity ^ but comparatively with 
 their Knowledge of Men^ and their Alliens, 
 
 And how happily might w^e of the Gentile Line- 
 cgey the ^ons of Japhet^ have relapfed into the 
 Simplicity and Wifdom of our former Heathenifm^ 
 to the efcaping thofe woeful Ambiguities and De^ 
 fpondencies that now attend our Ideas of Deity y 
 had not our Scripture God (admit the Suggeftion) 
 fo ordered and appointed, that his MAN of SIN,' 
 the Son of Perdition, with the WORD in his 
 Hand, Ihould, Day by Day, and that for a SuC' 
 ceffion of Ages, have adminiilered unto us, Pre» 
 cept upon Precept, Precept upon Precept-, Lin^ 
 upon Line, Line upon Line ; here a little, and there. 
 a little, concerning him and his Ways, in order, 
 that, according to the Predidions of his ^rvants. 
 the Prophets, we might go and fall backward^ 
 and be broken, andfnared, and taken. Ifa. xxviii. 15.' 
 
 Were we well affured, that in Reality there 
 is no God, we (hould then be freed from Soli- 
 citudes and Dcfpairs concerning his DECREES 
 but inafmuch as we are continually difquieted 
 
 C lyith 
 
 * TORMENTEB. RfveL Xl. 10, 
 
 » 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 with one Conceit or another, about a Jlrafige 
 Cody whom we have never beard, neither fern 
 with our EyeSj or the Word of whofe Life our 
 Hands have handled ; i John i, i , well may we 
 be at a Lofs concerning what is the ConneSlion^ 
 or what the Relation fubfilling between the ab- 
 folute Freedom of JVill, the Power and Agency 
 of" Man, who feemeth to be all in all, and the 
 abfolute Freedom of Will, the Fower and Agency 
 of this our ftrange Scripture God •, A£is xvii. 1 8. 
 Seeing, that according to the Teftimony of faid 
 Scripture, He is the Rock, his Work is perfect : 
 A God of Truth, and without Iniqiiity : fufl and 
 right is he. Deut. xxxii, 4. 
 
 Thus the Source and Original of all Controverfy 
 or Debate concerning the DECREES of God,- 
 indeed, all Doubtings and Solicitudes whatever, 
 concerning either the Reality of a Providence, 
 or the Will and Dejign of fuch Providence in 
 the IJfue and Event of Things, do fundamentally 
 confift in certain conclufive NOTIONS or DE- 
 TERMINATIONS which become formed in 
 our Minds, of fome wide Dijiin^ion or Di^erence 
 between the abfolute Free-agency of God, and 
 the abfolute Free-agency of Man. 
 
 Now, the firft Enquiry that fpontaneoufly 
 arifes with us as the vno^ fundamental, and there- 
 fore moft fit to be propounded to the Bifputants 
 
 of ALL Parties, is this i_ 
 
 How 
 
C i^ ) 
 
 How do thefe our conclufive " nmat^oas 
 Originate? Or, upon wilrnx. fure Grcunu.i% it 
 that we ihould be fo exceedingly propens'd to 
 imagine a vaji Dijiintiwn between the ^igef^c:) of 
 GoD^ and the Agency <?/ Man i fince Man is no 
 more than a Manifeftation of Gcd, and fince the 
 Idea of Cbrijl and Chriphn, implies Gd?a and 
 Af^« brought into aa Unity, or trinity of Three in 
 0;?^ .^ John xvii. io,-2 1,--2^. i J^'^'^ i- 3» Is 
 not the abfokite Free-agency ot God, and the 
 abfolute Free-agency of Man, the felt-fame 
 Thing ?— Will the Scriptures evince the Nega- 
 tive ? — Or can any Inference be thence drawn, 
 that (hall demonftrate the Reality of fuch Diffe- 
 rence as above. Vox Populi, Vox Dei, was the 
 antient Proverb ,-" and, fet afide the Holy Scrip^ 
 ' tures, can any Scripture, Words, or Argument 
 whatever, be brought to invalidate the abfolute 
 Propriety thereof, as taken in its ftrid and ge- 
 nuine Senfe ; fmce Man and His Works, is intire- 
 ly- a Manifefiation of God and his Works •, the 
 Humanity bemg originated from God, as the Re- 
 prefentative ovLikenefs of his unfearchable Deity^ 
 
 • THE Fool bath faid in his Heart, there is no 
 God. And according to the Tenor of the antient 
 Prophecy, it was the peculiar Part of a Typical 
 Babylon, to fay, I am, and there is none elfe. 
 
 The Antichriftian Adminijlration oi Line upon 
 Line, as above, by the Lip of i- lying ^^ 
 
 C 2 merceftary 
 
C 12 ) 
 
 kfiereenar^ C'—y that was appointed to fucceed to 
 the Adminiftration of the ^ord, agreeable to 
 this our Dofbrine of a Fox Populi, was, by cer- 
 tain of the antient Prophets, forefhewn to have 
 been the Speaking of God. 
 
 WIf H Jlammering LipSy and another Tongue, 
 voiU HE /peak to this People. Ifa. xxviii. 1 1 . 
 
 • 
 
 This the Speaking of God to the People by 
 Jlammering Lips and another Tongue ^ is difcourfed 
 of at large by the Apoftle, as the Subjed Matter 
 of one whole Chapter, at a Time when the ful- 
 filling of the faid antient Prophecies was juft com- 
 ^nencing: Let no Man deceive you (faith he) by 
 any Means, (addrelTing himfeif to fuch as were 
 anxioufly inquifirive concerning the Coming of 
 their Lord) for THAT DAT Jhall not come, ex- 
 empt there come a Falling-away firjt ; and that 
 ^AN of SIN be revealed, the Son of P erdition -y 
 who oppofeth, and exalteth himfeif above all that is 
 called God, or is worfhipped -, fa that he as God, 
 fitieth in the Temple i/ God, fbewing himfeif that 
 he 1% GOD. 2 ThefT. ii. 3, 4. 
 
 However the Humanity be a Manifeftation 
 6{ Deity, as above, there remains neverthelefs, 
 a Dijlin^ion between the one and the other ; and 
 He only, who can diftingiufh Humanity and 
 Dsity, in the Perfon of our Lord, now afcended 
 t6 the Father, as the Advocate and Saviour of 
 
 his 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 his Church General upon Eaijth, can rightly and 
 truly diftinguilh Humanity from Deity, in. the 
 greatejl or meanefi among Men. And how com- 
 pleatly impojfibii that any (hould thus diftinguifh 
 in the Perfon of Christ our Lord, until firft 
 become a living Branch upon his Vine •, we wifh 
 every of our Readers an experimental Senfe. 
 
 For the JntichriJ^afiifm General that (hould 
 fucceed to the True Go/pel as extenfively as the 
 fame was at firft promulged among the Na- 
 tions, as thus charafterized by the Apoftle, is 
 inclufive of every Individual under the Chriftian 
 Name, who may not as yet have learn'd by an 
 Experience of his own, to diftinguilh Deity and 
 Humanity in himfelf. 
 
 ' The Humanity in general among profefted 
 Believers, at the penning of faid Epiftle, was 
 fenfible of its Dependency and intimate Union 
 v/ith that which is called God, and is worftup- 
 ped i as appears Verfe 1 3. IVe are hound to give 
 Thanks alway to God for you. Brethren, beloved 
 of the Lord, &c. 
 
 But it feems that there was a Time approach- 
 ing, when the MAN of SIN, the Son of Per^ 
 dition, ftiould become exalted above all that is 
 
 ialled Gqd, or that is worihipped. 
 
 The 
 
( H ) 
 
 The Temple is thus mentioned, Verfe 4, m 
 the^myjikal Senfe j and that the Apoftle fliould 
 have made. Choice of thefe Words — Shewing 
 him/elf that he I S God ; how manifeft that 
 Deity and Humanity fhould be ftill undivided ; 
 but that the Humardty (hould be fo far exalted 
 above Deity, as to become intirely ignorant of 
 the Relation fubfifting between the one and the 
 , ether. 
 
 The Reafon of God's having appointed the 
 deceptive Adminillration of what the Apoftle, 
 in a forcible Perfpicuity of Language, terms a 
 firong Delufton — is cxprefsly declared, Verfes 1 1, 
 12, to have been, 'That they Jhould believe a. 
 JL IE ; that they all might be damned who be- 
 lieved not the IRUIH, but had Pleafure in 
 Unrighteoufnefs. 
 
 Now, as this was at firfl the Cafe of God*s 
 fending t\\Qjlrong Delufton in the jgeneral Senfe, 
 fo the Reafon of its having been traditionally 
 continued from that Day to this, is, unqueftion- 
 ably, becaufe we are not as yet become fo far 
 fallen backward, or broken,— as that, in like ge- 
 neral Senfe, an Adminiftration of the True Gof 
 pei, in its genuine Simplicity, fliould be heartily 
 
 and joyfully embraced or are become fo far 
 
 weary of our Errors and Deceptions, as (had we 
 the like Opportunity of chufing) not to make. 
 
 the 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 the very fame Choice as did the Deluded of the 
 
 Primitive Time, who believed not the Truib^ be- 
 caufe they had Fleafure in Unrighteoufnefs, 
 
 m 
 
 So that as to the Enquiry, How do thefe our 
 Conclufive NOTIONS or DETERMINATI- 
 ONS concerning fome remote Bijlance fubfifting 
 between Deity au'd Humanity originate ? We 
 prefume that the fame muft unavoidably ter- 
 minate thus : 
 
 ijl. That an Ignorance of Deity doth be- 
 long to t\it fallen Eft ate, in the general Senfe. 
 
 But, idly. That we of the latter Days, who 
 profefs Chrift, and are pofleffed of both the 
 lejiaments concerning him, fhould at the fame 
 Time be capable of higher Notions of an Inde- 
 pendency, and more compleat Ignorance of Deity^ 
 than belongs properly to any Kind of Heathenifm^ 
 may not be confider*d as a former vnelufion fmgly, 
 or as a Chance that hath befallen a Party — But 
 in the general Senfe, as the fulfilling of the Mea- 
 fure fore-Ihewn by the Prophets, to have been 
 the gradual and progrefllve Work of Line upon 
 Line, until the Vifion of all fhould become as the 
 Words of a Book that isjealed. Ifa. 29 Chapter. 
 For, how pertinent to obferve, that our mo- 
 dern Debates concerning the DECREES of 
 God, and the Execution of his Decrees, do 
 amount to little other (in Effed) than an En.- 
 
 quiry. 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 quiry. Who is that God ? Or, in the Words of 
 the Text at large. Who is that God that Jhall de^ 
 liver you out of mine Hands ? Dan. iii. 15. It be- 
 ing impofTible that there fhould be any Rea^ 
 fining or Debate, where there is not a previous 
 Doubting — And how hardly is it pofTible that we 
 fliould doubt concerning the DECREES of 
 God, or the Will and Dejign of a Provi- 
 dence, without doubang at the fame Time, 
 the Being of a Providence ? 
 
 Thus the Fool hath faid in his Heart, 
 ^here is no God. And let it be repeated, It 
 was the Part of a "typical Babylon, to fay, I 
 AM, and there is none elfe. 
 
 Our Reader is here referred to a diligent 
 and attentive Perufal of the third and fourth 
 Chapters of the Book of Daniel. 
 
 That King Nebuchadnezzar, according to 
 the Interpretation of his Dream, fhould be 
 driven from Men ; that whilft his Dwelling 
 fhould be with the Beafts of the Field, he 
 fhould be made to eat Grafs as Oxen, and 
 as wetted with the Dew of Heaven ; that 
 the myftical Number of neither more nor 
 lefs than /even Times fhould pafs over him, 
 feems a very intricate and melancholy Affair. 
 
 The 
 
( ^7 ) 
 
 The capital ENQUIRY, as taken in the 
 Great Senfe, which hath been fo univcrfally de-' 
 bated, and repeatedly canvalTed, for Centuries 
 pafl, concerning the Decrees of God, and the 
 Execution of his jD^«"^^^ «' How Great! ho'W 
 Vafil how Important! \\ |IS NOT MAN a Free- 
 Agent ? Then how doth it appear that the Most" 
 MiGB Jhouid bear Rule in the Ki ngdom of Men ? 
 Whence the PolTibility ot fuppofing, or that 
 any (hould afTume to believe that the Mejl HigIS 
 BEARETH Rule in fuch Tranfaftions as do fo 
 manifeftly appear to be carried on by the Agen- 
 cy of Men i this may never be refolved by 
 whomfoever fhall notfirft have learned by an Eoi- 
 ferience of his own to dillinguifti Deity and //«- 
 inanity. 
 
 Whilst confidering now, that the one is the 
 Manifeftation of the <?/^^r— let us diligently ob- 
 ferve, to what Purpofe was that wonderful De- 
 gradation of the Humanity of Nebuchadnezzar 
 the King — O King Nebuchadnezzar ! to thee it is 
 fpoken^ thy Kingdom is departed from thee-, and 
 they Jhall drive thee from Men^ and thy Dwelling 
 Jhall be with the Beafts of the Field •, they Jhall make 
 thee to eat Grafs as Oxen, and feven'TimH. fhall pafs 
 over thee. The Conclufion of the Verfe being 
 thus, UNTIL thou KNOW that the Most High 
 ruleth in the Kingdom of Alen. 
 
 The Words of the Watcher and the Holy One, 
 in the Vifion, were fpoken in a more univerfal 
 Senfe, Verfe 17. This Matter is by the DE- 
 CREE of the Watchers, and the Demand by the 
 
 D WoRP 
 
 II How inexplicably myjitrieut. 
 
(18) 
 
 Word of the Hcly Ones, to the INTENT that 
 the LIVING may know that the Moji High 
 ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it 
 to whomfoever he will \ and fttteth up over it 
 the BASEST of Men : Which Words are again 
 repeated by Daniel, Ver. 25--- And Ver. 34:. it 
 is. given us to fee, how compleatly the faid IN- 
 TENT was fulfilled. 
 
 And at the End of the Days, I Nebuchadnezzar^ 
 lifted Up mine Eyes unto Heaven, and mine Under- 
 Jtandin\ returned to me ; and I hleffed the Mojl 
 High', and 1 praifed and honoured hi in that liv- 
 ETH FOR EVER, whofe DOMINION is an everlafl- 
 ing Dominion; andhis Kingdom is Jrom Gene- 
 ration fo Generation : And all the Inhabitants of 
 the Earth are reputed <24 nothing ; and he doeth 
 according to his IVill, in the Army of Heaven, 
 and among the Inhabitants of the IL art h ; and 
 none can flay his Hand, or fay unto him. What. 
 
 DOST THOU ? 
 
 Thus it appears, that notwithflanding his 
 previous Convi of ion, by the Interpretation of-fo' 
 fjgnal a Vifion, fuch Convidlion was ineffedual, 
 becaufe he had thereby obtained not io much 
 as an Idea concerning what Kind of a KNOW- 
 ING it was, that Iliould be fo wonderfully im- 
 pofed upon him -, but when shaving gained an 
 experimental KNOWING, by having pafTed " 
 
 under 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 pnder the DifcipHne of thtfeven Ernies, he was 
 then taught to diftinguifh Biety and Humanity^ 
 and could make his Acknowledo-ements ac- 
 cordingly— TVij-K; / Nebuchadnezzar^ praife, and 
 extol J and honour the King of Heaven ; all 
 whofefVorks are Truth, andJVays Judgment; 
 ^nd thofs that walk in Pride, he is able to 
 fibafe. 
 
 Now we all know that the Himamty Is abfo- 
 Imdyfree: His Hand can none Jtay, He doeth 
 ^hatfoever he willj our Thoughts, our Words, 
 pr A(5lions can none ftay, or fay unto the leaji, 
 any more than tlie greateji^ What dost thou ? 
 
 Wherefore, How fliall we conceive of 
 the Agency of Man, diftindly or fcparately, 
 from the Agency of God ? 
 
 But that the Will, the Poiver, and Jgcncyoi 
 Man, is the PFill, the Pozver, and Agency of 
 God, were we put upon confirming fo obvi- 
 ous and inconteftible a Certainly, by Way of 
 Sillogifm, \vc prove as follows : 
 
 Christ never prayed the Father in vain, as 
 inftance John xi. 41. Jcfus lifted up his Eyes ajid 
 faid. Father, I thank thee, that thou hajl heard me. 
 (But continues, Verfe 42.) / know that thou 
 Icarefi me always ; lut hecaufe of the People which 
 Jland by, I faid it, that they may believe that thou 
 l^ajf.fcnt we._ D 2 T^^^ 
 
( ^o ) 
 
 The whole Purport of his Prayer, was, Ftk- 
 fber, thy Will he done ; and that in the utmoit 
 Extremities of i\fflie];ion. He never was wont to 
 refift the WUU the Pczver^ or Agency of Man \ 
 or praypd to the Father^ that he would refiricl^ 
 forbid^ rejlrahi^ or punijio his Brethren •, but 
 gave his Back to the Smiters^ and his Cheek to the:p. 
 that plucked cff the Hair -, fubmitting himfelf to 
 the Power and Agency of Man, iz-hoUy^ entirely, 
 according to the antient Predictions— yf hruijed 
 Reedjhnl he not breaks &c. Therefore, in thus 
 fubmitting to the PFiU, the Peu-er, and Agency of 
 Man, he was but fubmitting to the /7^///, the 
 Power,' and Agency of thepATHEi^, hy Ma7i, 
 For, as the whole Tenor of his Life and Dcdirine^ 
 was. Father, thy Will he done : if this his Prayer 
 was heard, or was not prayed in vain, it follows, 
 that nothing was done unto him by the Agency 
 of Man, that wa'i not {Iridly an Execution of 
 the perfefl and entire mil of the Father : So 
 nearly allied is llimanity and Deity. 
 
 Now the PURPOSE of Gop, the Eternal 
 PURPOSE in Christ, and PURPOSE ac^ 
 cording to Ekillon, is mentioned in fundry of 
 the Scriptures : As likewife Predifiinaticn, 
 Determinate Council, and Fore-Knowkdge. But ic 
 is altogether obvious to remark, that the 
 Word PECREE, or DECREES, fo fr^r 
 queritly Qccurring in the pwdern and traditional 
 
 Divinity 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 plvinlty of the Latter Bays, and as the 
 Word is efpeci illy made Choice of in certain 
 0^ our Nuticnal Confejfions of Faith, in any 
 fuch '^^xi{t as thus made Choice of, we find mt 
 in all th-" Bible, 
 
 DECREE or DECREES of God, we do not 
 once find n:entioned in the New-T'cjfcmcnt ; and 
 no where at all, is God's Purpofe or Defign 
 in the Creation, called his Decne, in ekner 
 of the Tefiaments : Indeed there is rot a 
 finglc Infliance, even in the Old-Tejl anient, of 
 its being otherwife ufed than in z figurative Way, 
 ?s Jch xxviii. 26. The moft fignificative Senfe 
 in which the Word occurs in all the Bible, be- 
 ing as already inftanced in Ban. iv.— But, A^. B. 
 We by no Means do flight the Enquiry, neither the 
 'Enquirers, concerning the Purpofe and Predeffi- 
 nation, or the Will and Befign of God in the 
 Works of Creation and Pf evidence ; the fame 
 being a national Seeking, which hath its due 
 and appointed Findings in an iiniverfal Senfe, 
 ^nd that in the Way of Line upon Line in its 
 right Order ; for there never was a Findi?jg with- 
 out a previous Seeking, or a Knowing without a 
 previous Bouhting, or ever can be ; wherefore 
 we honour the TVifiom and Providence of God in 
 our national Seekinos and Doubtings—as much 
 
 O CD 
 
 as in the Adminiflrations of a living Tind faving 
 Wncwledg^, th? one, being neceflarily fubfervi- 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 "Cnt to the other. The MTSTERTof INI^ITT* 
 being altogether the Myjiery of a SEEKING : 
 Rememher ye not {hid Paul) that when I was yet 
 '^'i.^h ^ cti, I told you thefe 'Things ; and- now what 
 wit: holdeth that he * might he revealed in his 
 ^ima? 2 Thef. ii. 5. Thus we flight not the En- 
 quiry, (I fay) neither the E7iqmrers: But at the 
 fame Tinie mufl beg Leave to repeat— ^that ac- 
 cording to the prefent State of our National 
 Churches, 'uix. The Great City which reign- 
 €th ever the Kings of the Earthy Rev. xvii. 18. 
 1 he Seeking and Sttfpenfe Gensrai, as to the Pur- 
 '•port and Tencr of her Do6lrinals, amounts to 
 fcarcely any Thing fhort of an Encutiry, Who 
 is that God, &c. Dan. iii. 15. 
 
 We aim at the utmoft Brevity ; but ' 
 can ica/ceiy iofxi^r ^x\ Intimation 
 
 .. ' ' . ^ 
 
 ' . _ /' 
 
 even in this Place, not only of uiz prcjcnt State^ 
 hut the general JJfue of our National Seekings, 
 '«s the fame were fore-known of God, have been 
 -declared by his Servants and Prophets ; and 
 iTiuft fhortly be fulfilled upon all People, the 
 Nations and Languages in general. 
 
 We might enlarge upon certain of the Prc- 
 diclions of IJaiah and. Jeremiah ; but ts we mean 
 
 no 
 
 « Fiz. The Man of Sh, or the Anti-Christ-Ge^- 
 R,AL of the Gofpel Dirpenfation, 
 
( 23 ) , 
 
 no more than a tranfient^ Intimation, let us ex- 
 amine xh^ ■ prefent 6'/^/<? of our Anti-christi- 
 ANiSM General in the Anti-type^ by y Way of 
 Comparifon with Babylon in ^ype. 
 
 » 
 
 The 3d oi Daniel y and the 13th of 6"/. John, 
 in the Revelation^ are the true Counter Parts to 
 each other ; the one is an hiftorical Account of 
 certain Tranfaftions ir^5;^%, the other a Predic- 
 tion of their fulfilling in the Anti-type, 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar was the Figure, , or Re- 
 prefentative of the Man of Sin, the Son of Per- 
 dition, in the general Senfe ; or of the Humanitj, 
 jn its future State of Self-fufficiency and Self- 
 exaltation, through an almofl univcrfal Igno- 
 rand of Deity, under the Gofpel Difpenfation. 
 
 The fetting up of the Image in the Plain of 
 Dura— the gathering together of the Princes, 
 the Governors, and the Captains, the Judges, the 
 Treafurers, the Counfellors, the Sheriffs, and all 
 the RiiUrs of the Provinces, to the Dedication of 
 the Image — and then the general Proclama- 
 tion, To you it is commanded, O People, and 
 Nations, and Languages, that nt what lime ye 
 hear, tec. Ver. 5. Tou fall down and worjhip the 
 golden Image which Nebuchadnezzar the King 
 hath fet up, and that whofo fell not down and 
 worfhipped,'fhould be cafi into the Midji of a burn- 
 ing fiery Furnace, The Whole of thefe Tranf- 
 
 a(^ions 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 anions (I fay) to the Knd of the Chapter, ap- 
 pears to have been the divinely-appointed Fi- 
 gure, and moll exaft Pidure of the Eccleftajlical 
 tyranny of the Anti-christianism general 
 that was exercifed upon the People, the Nations 
 and Languages, even throughout all the Pro^ 
 vinces of fpiritual Babylon, at nearly the l!ime^ 
 when, according to St. John, All the World won- 
 dered after the Beast, faying, who is like unto th^ 
 Beast? Who is able to make War with him? 
 When he opened his Mouth in Blafphemy againft 
 God to Uafpheme his Name, and his Tabernacle, 
 and them that dwell in Heaven ; . and to whom it 
 was given to' make War with the Saints, and to 
 overcome them. Rev. xiii. 4, 5, 6, 7, 
 
 Thus Nebuchadnezzar did perfonate the 
 Beast, or the Exaltednefs of the Humanity, in 
 the general Senfe — and the IMAGE or Imagi^ 
 nation of the Beast, in Anfwerablenefs to the 
 IMAGE which Nebuchadnezzar the King had fet 
 up, is likewife difcourfed of at large in the faid 
 13th Chapter. § 
 
 We 
 
 % The Image, Dan. iii. txhofe Height h was Sixty, and 
 Breadth Six Cubits, nvas fhaped in the Imagination of the 
 King, or his Council, before it nxias fhaped in the Gold, as an 
 ObjeQ of uni'verfal Adoration : And in this Senfe ivas the 
 Image of the Beaft. And ivell may <we obferve, that King 
 I^ebuchadnezzar might as reafonably ha've propofed to the 
 People, /^f Nations, </W Languages, that they fhould hwve 
 fallen do-wn and nvorjhipped him the Beaft ; as that by an ar- 
 bitrary Decreet they Jhou-ld be conftrained to 'worpip the 
 
 Image^ 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 We all know the Fulfilling of the making 
 IFar with the Saints, as pre-figured in the Heat- 
 ing 
 
 Image, nvhich nvas no mere than the Creature of hit Imagina- 
 
 nation.-— —-Thus the 'vucrjhi jibing cf tht Beaft, and the 
 
 Imzg* of the Beaji, is mentioned. Rev. xiii. as being nearly 
 
 the Jame Thing.- For Deity // Bill Deity, enjen in the 
 
 Anti-type ; ;/ being altogether impofjihle that one Man fiiould 
 impofe upon another the Knonx ledge of God, for this com- 
 pleatly fufEcient Reafon, viz. Becaufe Deity can never be 
 othernuife \iTiQV4\\., than as pleafed to revt2i\ and ma^e m?.n\feii, 
 himfelf — No Man knoweth the Son but the Father; 
 neither knoweth any Man the Father, fave the Son, and 
 he to whomfoever the Son will reveal him. 
 
 And houufver it be providentially orAtTtA, that during the 
 7imes of our appointed Blindn^fs, ive Jhouid be l^ by the 
 Blind /'«. due Subje£iionto the Powere and Ordinances ofMen^ 
 the fame being infituted for the Prefervation of Order and 
 Decorum, upon a political Bottom; Let it neverthelefs be con- 
 fidered, that as.the Witnefs of Men, i John v. 9. or the Teach- 
 ing and Preaching of the true Prophet, is always an Appeal 
 to the Witnefs of God (nxhich is greater) in Men ; fo his 
 Teaching is never urged or impofed upon any — i — Whereasy 
 that any ^tt of Opinions concerning God, or the WorJInp 
 nvhich he requires, fhould be impofed upon Men, is that -vJhich 
 in Striftnefs doth charaSlerife the Anti-typical Beast : For 
 as fvtfibly and difcreetly might one tuorjhip the Pope or ihl 
 Prieft,' the Protrjiant Bifhop or Divine, as pretend to^nuor- 
 fhip God, according to the Imaeery of the BeaJl, Z/?"^ carnal 
 unrcgeneratca M^«; and that here and there one Jhouid he- 
 Jitate in fubmitimg his Neck to the Take f/" popular Superfti- 
 tion, or Jh uld refufe to bow 10 the Imagery cf the Beaft, 
 tr to fuch Notions and Conjcftures c/" Deity as are the Pra- 
 duSl of the vain and unenlightened Imagination, is by no 
 Means more abfurdin the modern, than the ancient Shadrack, 
 
 Mefhack, and Abednego Be it known unto thee, 
 
 O King, that we will not farve thy Gods, nor vvorfhio the 
 Image which thou hall fei up. 
 
 Thus the fetting up of the Image in the Plain ©/"Dura, ivas 
 merely the PiSiure, or typical Reprefentation of that more men- 
 tal aid fpiritual Imagery and Superjiition that chara^erifes 
 
 ■ '. . E iht 
 
( 26 ) _ 
 
 ing of the Puma ce, J and thatuniverfally, through- 
 out all the Province^ : And now as we examine^ 
 (I fay) the PRESENT STATE of our Anti- 
 CHRiSTiANTSM GENERAL, by Way of Com- 
 parifon with Babylon in Type, we find it to a Tittle, 
 decyphered in the fucceeding Chapter, viz. the 
 4.th of Daniel. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar, as King, reprefents the 
 Beast ; but more eipecially. the Power and 
 Dominion of the Beast; viz. *rhe bigher 
 PowerSy we mean the ovcrfhadowing Predomi- 
 nancy of C -.H Power, over all the King-* 
 
 doms and Provinces oifpiritual Bahylcn, obtain- 
 ed by Means of that univerfal Infljencp which 
 Cl"«-y have over L — y, in the ^e*ierai Senie. 
 
 The faid Chapter begins, Nesuchadnez* 
 
 JAR the KING unto all People, Nations and 
 
 Languages, that dwell in alt the Earth, Peace he 
 multiplied unto you. Kere is National Tranqui- 
 lity, from this the faid Source of National 
 Power". 
 
 The 
 
 the AntI- typical Babylon of the latter Days yhd may 
 
 *we «ot objernje, that, according to St. John, Rev. x^ii. ii.. 
 it 'was the fore-knoivn Charaderifiick of Proteftaat Nebii-'^ 
 thadnezzar, that at Length he Jhould exQrc\{e. ail the Power 
 of the firft Beaft before him, Fer. 12. and particularly, that 
 he Jhould fay unto them that d-well*upon the Earth, Ker. 14. 
 that they fliould raake an Image to the Beast which had 
 a Wound by a Sword, and did live. He that hath Ears ta 
 hear, let him hear, 
 
 X Vix. The extreme Perfecutlons ?nd Martyrdoms ga-. 
 »eral, that fell out beivvcen the 14th and 17th Cemuries. 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 The Acknowledgments, Ver. 2 and 3, ap^ 
 pear to have been fincere, and are exprejfive of 
 certain Degrees of Convi^ion -, and are anfwer- 
 able to the National Sentiment of our Reformed 
 Cl—y\ fince the making War with the Saints- 
 at the Commencement gtuQ^^Xo^ Protefiantifm, 
 
 I Nebuchadnezzar, was at Reji i7t mine 
 Houfe^ and fiouriftjing in my Palace. Ver. 4. 
 
 Our temporal Greatnefsy and Profperity in 
 general 
 
 / faiv a Dream which made me afraid, and the 
 thoughts upon my Bed, and Viftons of mine Head 
 troubled me : Ver. 5. 
 
 THEREFORE made la Decree, to bring in all 
 the wife Men. of Babylon before me, &c. Ver. 6 
 and 7. — Here, notwithftanding former Con- 
 vi(5lions, the King was minded to confult to 
 the utmoft, the Extent of all Human Wisdom, 
 before he would apply, to the Divine Infalli- 
 bility fuch being the ordinary Courfe of. 
 
 Things, and moft direflly predidive of our Si- 
 tuation fpiritually, at this Jundure of Time. 
 
 The Jree which was feen in the MIDST of 
 the Earth, that grew and 'A'sls Jirong, the Height 
 whereof reached unto Heaven, and the Sight 
 thereof to the Ends of the Earth, the Leaves 
 
 E 2 whereof 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 whcrcGf were /^/r, and the Fruit thereof fnuch, 
 ^c. Ver. 12. was thus interpreted by Banielj 
 Ver. 2 2. It is thou, OKing, that art growu 
 OMd become strong j for thy Grcatnels is grown, 
 and reacheth unto Heaven, and thy Dominion 
 unto the End of the Earth. This was in no 
 SenCe true of Nebuchadnezzar in Type: But as 
 Vcr. 28, of the fccond Chapter, was predidlive 
 of the LATTER DAYS — a divinely adapt- 
 ed Vifion, or Reprefentation of the Humanity as 
 aforefaid, or human Tree -, viz. The dry Tree of 
 the latter Days, Luke xxiii. 3 1. 
 
 Th5 Fj/7(?;? of the Watchers, is anfwerable 
 to the Vijion of Ifaiah, Chap. xxi. Prepare the 
 Table, WATCH in the Watch-Tower, eat, 
 ^ink; arife, ye Princes, and anoint the Shield, 
 Ver. 5. And the Crying aloud of the Watcher 
 ^d the Koly One, is anfwerable to the blowing 
 t^ the Trumpet, and founding an Alarm, Joel ii. i. 
 :^nd to the Lifting up of the Banner, and exalting. 
 the Voice, Ifa. xiii. 2. thefe being but a various 
 Vifion and Reprefentation of one and the fame 
 Crijis of Affairs, at this the Fulfilling of the 
 Times of the Gentiles j as hereafter fliall appear. 
 Moreover, the Crying aloud of the Watcher and 
 thtHoly One, Ver 14. HEW DOWN the rr^^, 
 and cut ^his Branches ; floake off \\\s Leaves, and 
 flatter his Fruit ; is mod diredly anfwerable to 
 the Preaching of fohn the Baptifi j Repent ye, 
 
 ' . for 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand. Mat. iii. i; 
 And now ALSO, * the Axe is laid to the Rqot of 
 the Trees 'y wherefore every Tree which bringeth not 
 forth good Fruit, // HEIVN DOPFN, and caji 
 into the Fire. Thefe Words, N. B. being pe- 
 culiarly directed to the foremoft of that Admini- 
 flration, Ver. lO. 
 
 • 
 
 This the Preaching of J'cZ'^ the 5^////?, was 
 the Voice of One crying in the JVildernefs, Ifa. xl. 3. 
 as a Type and Prediction of the Crying mightily of 
 the Watchmen, at the Opening of this the Time 
 and 7mfj of RESTITUTION, or fpiritiialCff^ 
 % of Christ, in the Charadlerof LORD and 
 KING ; a Binder up of the Breach of his Peo- 
 ple, at this the Fulfilling of the Forty and Two 
 Prophetic Months, Rev. xi. 2. Or the Time^ 
 Times, and an Half, of the Church her Abode in 
 the JVildernefsState, Dan. xii. 7, and Rev. xii. 14. 
 
 The Tree (as aforefaid) reprefents the Exalted' 
 nefs of the Humanity, in a general, yet not 
 an univerfal Ignorance of Deity ; . and therefore, 
 as the Tree of a fpiritual Nebuchadnezzar, 
 doth more efpecially reprefent the wide-ilretch- 
 ing, ovcr-fhadowing Power and Influence of 
 C — -y m general, fo that as we interpret the 
 
 fame 
 
 * We apprehend that the TVord Also, here, is highly ex- 
 prejjtve of the concealed Meaning ; Viz. That the Fuljlllsng of 
 the Meajure at that Time under the Mosaical, ivas tjfical 
 of the zixtx Fulfilling of the Gentiles under the new Cove- 
 sakt Difpcnfation ; ai hereafter Jhall be explaimd. 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 fame to have been a Vifton of thefe our Latter 
 T>aySy we apprehend that farther Comment upon 
 the conclufive Words of the 14th Verfe, isun- 
 neceifary : LET THE BEASTS GET FROM 
 UNDER IT, and the Fowls from his Branches ; 
 this Sentence being anfvverable to the Voice 
 which was heard from Heaven, Rev. xviii. 4. 
 
 Verse 15, of Dan. iv. confidering the Inter- 
 pretation thereof in the Great Senfe, as it is com- 
 prchenfive of the Univerfality of God's redeem- 
 ing Love, fo is it an Intimation of the Univer- 
 fality of that which in Scripture is called Cha- 
 rity^ I Cor. xiii. that rejoiceth not in Iniquity., hut 
 rejoiceth in the Truth ; beareth all Things, helieveth 
 all Things, hopeth all Things, endureth all Things. 
 
 Let his Heart he changed from Man's, and 
 let a Beall's Heart he given unto him, and let Se- 
 ven Times pajs ever him, Ver. 1 6. 
 
 Beast, is here mentioned in no other Scnfe, 
 than as the Humanity is term'd Beaji, in the 
 Revelation ; and the Change here referred to in 
 the Anti-type, is the Change, which, in the 
 imiverfal Senfe, was gradually effeded between 
 the Commencement of ihtGcfpelDifpenfation, and 
 the Time when all the World wondered after the 
 Beafi— and thence, down to the prefent Time. 
 
 Anh 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 And now, as to the Vafinefs of out prefcnt 
 National Enquiries concerning the DECREES 
 of God, and the Execution of his DECREES, 
 We proceed to make our Refponfe thereunto, 
 and chat in the Words of the Text. - 
 
 " This Matter, viz. The hewing down of the 
 " Tree, is by the iDccree of the WATCH- 
 " ERS, and the JDeiUrtUb by the WORD of 
 " the Holy Ones, to the INTENT that the 
 " Living, may KNOW that the Moji High 
 " ruleth in the Kingdom of Men., andgiveth it to 
 " whomfoever he will ; and fetteth up over it 
 " the hafefi— even the BASEST of Men. 
 
 For, as duly regarding the £x'/f«/ o^ Daniel' % 
 Meaning — as appears Verfe 24. 
 
 THIS is the Inferpretatiojj, and this the 
 <^CCtte of the Most High, v/hich 
 is come upon thy C^tCC and its Branches, 
 
 o 13c^uc{)adne35ar ! the ^ttm of our 
 
 Jpiritual ©abplOll, who hitherto hafl been 
 exercifing ihtaj'piring Arroga)2cy of Qil^Q'^tt 
 Avhich truly is "^rdicTj and htcom^ Jirong-— 
 which hath reached even unto Heaven, 
 and thy ^OmiUion to the Ends of the 
 Earth 4 that they fliall drive thee from Men, 
 and thy Dwelling fliall be with the 250^11.3? 
 of the Field, and they Ihall make thee to eat 
 Grafs as Oxen, and they (hall wet thee with 
 the Dew of Heaven, and ffUeitCini^.^'^'^^^i 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 pafs over thee, UNTIL thou KNOW * 
 that the Most High beareth Rule in the 
 Kingdom of Men — and giveth it to whom- 
 foever he will : Or in more modern Terms, 
 until thou liUDtD * the Cejjdtion and Ex^ 
 'firation of the TIME and TIMES, which, 
 according to the Purpofe and Fore-knowledge 
 of God the Father, were the appointed 
 Boundaries wherein the Power and Injiu- 
 
 ence of a felf-exalted Cl Y,J fhould be 
 
 exercifed upon the PaJJivenefs, Ignorance, 
 and TraSfability of L ty, in general. 
 
 For, as thine Exaltation hath been, fuch fhall 
 thy Degradation be; [Yet, N. B. thy Kingdom 
 Jball be jure unto thee, after that thou Jhalt have 
 known that the Heavens do rule, Verfe 26.] the 
 Watchers, and the Holy Ones, Ver. 17, being 
 the Antecedent to the repeated THEY in Ver. 
 
 25. Their Driving fhall confift in the Proceed- 
 ings forth of the Two-edged Sword of the Testi- 
 mony : But for another Kind of Driving in Con- 
 currence therewith, fee Rev. xvii. 16, 17. For 
 that God . hath put into the ^Hearts, or into 
 the Purpofe and Tendency of the 1 en-fold Work- 
 ing and aftive Powers of the Beast, or t^n- 
 regenerated Man, to. fulfil his Will, and to a- 
 gree and give their Power unto the Beasts un- 
 til 
 
 * t^ Until thou know. 
 X t^ Self-exalted Clergy. 
 
( S3 i 
 
 til the Words of God lliall be fulfilled i and ne- 
 ver Ihalt thou be able to penetrate into thfe 
 Myjieries of Creation and Providence^ until expe- 
 rimentally convinced, by having undergone thd 
 Difcipline of the SEVEN TIMES. 
 
 The Myftery of the /even Times, as fulfill'd 
 upon the MAN of SIN in Type, in Anfwerable^ 
 pefs to xhcjix TimsSy /even Times, or Forty and 
 Two Gradations or Encampments of the Tfrael- 
 ites, was correfpondently typical and predi6live 
 of ^;7^ and they^«?t^ Thing, viz. The Difcipline . 
 of the Crofs, in the feven-fold Procefs of the 
 Chrijiian iR^egen&i'ation in thcCourfeof our Pil- 
 grimage from Egypt to Canaan, fpiritually •, as 
 hereafter Ihall more largely appear. 
 
 The being exiled from Men, in the Type, is 
 explanatory of the Nature and Ai^//;z^r of our 
 becoming Fools for Chr ist*s Sake, in order that 
 we may be really \wi^e ; and of that Abafementand 
 Self-Humiliation necejfarily previous to our real 
 Eftablilhment and Exaltation :, The being made 
 to eat Grafs as Oxen, is predi6tive of the Fa- 
 Piines, Tribulation, and Dijlrejfes general, ' ' 
 
 ■ As like wife of whaC 
 i:> iiiOie cfpeCiaiiy tf» be confider'd, the Sudden-' 
 nefs of the Degradation, in that the general Out- 
 try againll that Chara^ler which was thus tpyi- 
 fied in the antient Nebuchadnezzar, as iinlooked 
 
C 34 ) 
 
 for by him, in the fulfilling of the Type, wil! 
 be like unto a Midnight-Cry. 
 
 Thus we have feen that our National Enqui- 
 ries conctrnmg^ the Decrees of God, and the: 
 Execution of his DECREEsdo amount to no other 
 jn Effe6t, than fuch as ndthcr previous Convi^i- 
 ens, Dan. 'in. 25, the Terror of the fucceeding 
 Vifton, or the Interfretation thereof— —neither 
 the tender Council and Admonition of the P raphe t^ 
 viz. Daniel, Ver, 27, were fufficient to obviate 
 to the Underftanding of the typical NebUchad- 
 iiezzar, 
 
 (Such likewife fhall be the fulfilling in the 
 Antitype) For at the End of twelve Months, as 
 walking in the Palace of the Kingdom of Babylon, 
 the Kingfpake, and f aid, IS not this Great Babylon 
 that I have built for the Houfe of THE Kingdom, 
 by the Might of M^ Power, and for the Honour 
 ofMTMajeHyr 
 
 Here was but an ENQUIRY— which how 
 anlwerable to the ENQUIRY that now bears' 
 Sway in the Heart of the antitypical Neburhad- 
 fie-zzar -, and what fhall be the }fjUe thereof, wc 
 need not, for the prefent, fay more. 
 
 C H A p; 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 ^ Continuation oj the fropofed E N^UIR T. 
 
 // is not for you to know the Times ^ or the SeafonSy 
 which the Father hath put in his own Power, 
 A6ls i. 7. 
 
 SU C H the univerfally correfpondant Senfe, 
 and *Tenor of the Scriptures, it is given us 
 to believe that both the ALPHA and 
 P MEG 4. of Man viz.^ fore-known^ and is ^r^- 
 ordinated of him who JVorketh all things accord- 
 ing to the Council of his own IVill- Fph. i. 1 1. 
 
 That being pre-purpofcd to chufe, the Ef~ 
 
 fe^ual Callings and Election of a future Church 
 
 Militant upon Earth, was fore-known and 
 
 predejlinated of God, from the Beginning, aad 
 
 before the Foundation of the JVorld J. 
 
 Yet, in what Senfe the pre-purpofed Ehutiou 
 will admit of Comparifon, or may rightly be 
 compared with the Execution of an alfolute 
 and arbitrary Decree remaps to be confidered. 
 
 As to that defperate Tenet, the Doftrine of 
 an alfolute and everlafting Reprobation, we 
 rejed the Confideration thereof, at all Events ; 
 as being too odious and ujifeemingly to merit: 
 
 F 2 thft 
 
 % Matt. XXV. 34. John xvii, 24, Eph, i. 4, 1 Pet, i. 20, 
 
( 3^ ) 
 
 .ojjr Animadverfions : For that 2ifmgle Soul of 
 the Poflerity of Adam fhall everlaftingly perifh, 
 admits of no Proof either by one Means or 
 another ; whilfl on Behalf of the All-efficiencj^ 
 and Univerfality of the redeeming Power of 
 God in Christ, one might appeal to the uni- 
 verfally Correfpondant, and moft exprefs De- 
 clarations of the Prophets, both ot the Old 
 Teftament and the New. 
 
 Yet feeing that there really is an EleSlion and 
 VerdiSfion upon the prefent tranfitory Scene — 
 v/e mean an Enquiry concerning the divine 
 Pttrpcfe and Fore-knowledge in fuch Election. 
 
 V/hence, the Point that immediately con- 
 cerns U3, is. Did God (who is no Refpeilor of Per- 
 Sons) fore-know, or fore-ord tin, that this or the 
 other Particular, cur Reader, or certain Indivi- 
 duals of his Acquaintance, Ihould moft afTuredly 
 be the Choftai or Rejected, during the^r^«/Life I 
 Is the prefent Eledion, which was predeflimted, 
 or pre-ordinated of God, in Reality thus Per- 
 sonal, thus dlfolu!ely Preconclusive, ancf 
 circtmiflantially Pe r son a l 
 
 ? 
 
 The Enqitiry, propofed as the Subjed]: of 
 pur prefent Difcourfe, is inclufive of this ou|- 
 prefent Emc^jiry j and as formerly obferved, 
 muft be ever fiifpended and indecijive^ fo long as 
 we remaiq incapable pf certain warrantable^ 
 Ckar., and Sctlsfcufory Apprehenfionc; concern- 
 ing 
 
{ Z7 ) 
 
 ingthc Purpofc, Fore-kncwkdgey and Omnifd- 
 ^ncy of God. 
 
 ^Y Elecfton, we ordinarily nnderlland, God's 
 chufing in Christ, or Deity revealed in the 
 Callings Filiation, Jujlification, and Glorification 
 of the Humanity in the Image of the Son, ac- 
 cording to the Senfe of the Apoftle, Rom. viii. 
 28, 29, 30, 
 
 And whereas it hath been intimated, that 
 there is no fuch wide Diftiftion between Deity 
 and Humanity in any State, but that the one is a 
 Manifeflation of the other : This remains to be 
 difcourfed of at large hereafter. 
 
 For the prefent, let us diligently compare 
 our Ideas of z-free, and of an ahfolute oxperfonal 
 Eleflion ; and very attentively confider the Con- 
 i^quences and Inferences that necefTarily de- 
 pend upon the one and upon the other. 
 
 The Idea of a F?vf Ekolion, comports with our 
 Ideas of God as an all-heneficent Being, not only 
 as having formerly wrought, but perpetually 
 working ; not as having bounded and circum- 
 fcribed his own Agency, but as infiantly exer- 
 Cifing a hoiindlefs and 'unlimited Freedom ; not 
 only as having formerly fought, but perpetually 
 feeking — inftantanepufly calling, elefting, re- 
 jeding, or punifhing, according to his own 
 good Pleafure •, not only as having at fome ima- 
 gined pittances from pafi or prefent Periods 
 
 ■ ' ' " • " of 
 
C 3S ) 
 
 of Duration, been delighted in contriving and 
 pre-purpofins: what a World he would make, 
 what Creatures Ihoi/id be brought forth, what 
 Lives they fhould lead, or how they fhould a£f 
 or behave-, hut z% injldnily txttcidno an imme- 
 ^nte AU-fufFicicncy, peiptfiully rejoicing in an 
 ciidlefs Difplay (^'i New Won d e r s, to the En- 
 tertainment and DcHght of the Principalities and 
 Powc'^s :-; heavenly Places, 
 
 Thus the Idea itfelf \% fre^ \ it involyes no 
 Inconfiftency or Abfurdity, no Murmurings or 
 Repinings : Man is a Free-agent, God like- 
 wile ; — —according to the Council of his own 
 Will the Creation was produced, and according 
 to the Council of his own Will it is preferved 
 and governed : He doeth according to his Will in 
 the Army of Heavet^ and among the Inhabitants of 
 the ^arth, his Hand can none flay^ or fay unt^ 
 him. What dost thou ? 
 
 This, t\\tDo£tnne o£ a, Free-Ele^ion, admits 
 cf no bafe or unfavoury Inferences, no Mifconfc- 
 quences, no doubtful Difputation, no Contra- 
 diftion, no Objedlion ; but \^ferfeSly confonant 
 with the whole Purport and ^enor of the Scrip- 
 tirres, with our ^^/ Conceptions of the Dignity 
 and Free-agency of Man •, as iikewife of the ab- 
 folute Free-agency, Omnipotency, and Omnifciency 
 of God -, allwhofe Works are 'truth, and Ways 
 Judmsnt, \Yhereas the Idea of an arbitrary or 
 
 pre-conclufiv\ 
 
( ^9 ) 
 
 pre-conclujive EleAion, as held by the Calvipt- 
 jsTS, involves a Suppofition, indeed vouches a 
 confirm'd Opinion^ that the Antient of Days, 
 at fome unknown Diftances from the prefent 
 Time, had a Power oi 'willing ., determining^ and 
 chujlngy which he hath not at all Times, — The 
 fame how incongruous, even to a decent or be- 
 coming Idea of Deity ? Are we incapable of 
 conceiving, that when the Antient of Days 
 firft executed the Defign of making Man, he 
 did not propofe to carry on the Work of a Pro- 
 creation and Redemption in the Exercife of 2i per- 
 petuated Freedom of doing according to his 
 
 Will, among the Inhabitants of the Earth ? 
 
 Then furely our Cottons of Deity be unworthy 
 6f a Comparifon with the iheifm of Homer or 
 V'iRGiL : For to imagine, that God, when firft 
 he began to create;, had thus preconclufively 
 crdained whatfoever fhould come to pafs, is 
 prefuming upon his having limited and circumr 
 fcribed his own Power and Agency i that at fome 
 unknnown Diftances from the prefcnt Time, 
 he had a Power of Willing and Chufing — 
 but fhould afterwards be corrfined to the pre- 
 determined, pre-Iimited Boundaries. This is 
 placing the abfolute Free-agency of God below 
 our meaneji Conceptions of a Free-agency in 
 the Creature \ as for Inftance, Had I been to 
 have bounded myfelf, upon the prefent Occa- 
 fioii, i had chofen greater Brevity, but am in- 
 capable 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 tapable of limiting the Holy One of Ifra'dl 
 And fo far as capable in any Senfe of pre-cir- 
 cumfcribing myfelf, claim the Power and Privi- 
 lege of fuperceeding fuch my own Pre-circum- 
 fcriptions : But if God muft be prefumed to 
 have at one Time or another pre-circumfcribed 
 and pre-limited his own Power and Agency ; an 
 Enquiry that very naturally occurs, is, For how 
 LONG ought we to believe him thus pre-limitea 
 and pre-circumfci-ibed ? And within what com- 
 pass of the Infinite Space fliall he not venture to 
 a6l otherwife than by pre-determined Decrees?— 
 Our Potentates upon Earth claim the Privilege 
 of making new Decrees, fo alfo of abrogating 
 and repealing former Decrees •, How often Ihall 
 our God be allowed the Privilege of making 
 new Decrees ? — 
 
 We fubmit for the prefent, knowing of no 
 Concliifion more fafe, than that we trujl znd he' 
 lieve. That as God never abrogates or repeals 
 former Decrees, fo that his Decrees are not plu- 
 ral, neither limited or circumfcribed; but that his 
 Decree is his Purpose •, the fame being injlan- 
 taneous, perpetual, univerfal-, neither beginning 
 or ending, but eternally /rc^r^i,-^. 
 
 *' O Houfe of 7/rrZ(?/, cannot I do with voir 
 '^ as this Potter ? Saith the Lord. Behold, as 
 I! the Clay is in the Potter's Hand, fo are ye in 
 
 !' mine 
 
( 4^ ) 
 
 « mine Hand, O Houfe of Ifrael At 'what 
 
 « Injiant I Ipeak concerning a Nation, and 
 
 " concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to 
 
 « pull down, and to dellroy it : If that Na- 
 
 « tion againft whom I have pronounced, turn 
 
 « from the Evil, I will repent of the Evil that 1 
 
 «' ihought to do unto them. And at what In* 
 
 « Jiant I fpeak concerning a Nation, and con- 
 
 " cerning a Kingdom, to build and to plant it y 
 
 " if it do Evil in my Sight, that it obey not my 
 
 «' Voice, then 1 will repent' of the Good whcre- 
 
 " with I faid I would benefit them. Now 
 
 •' therefore go to, fpeak to the Men of Judah^ 
 
 «' and to the Inhabitants of Jerufak-m, faying, 
 
 •' Thus faith the Lord, Behold, I frame Evil 
 
 *' againft you, and devife a Device againft you ; 
 
 •< return ye now twtxy one from his evil Way, 
 
 ♦* and make your Ways and your Doings ^c^<^. 
 
 " And they faid. There is no Hope, but 
 *< we will walk after our own Devices, and will 
 ** every one do the Imagination of his evil 
 <*' Heart. 
 
 • *' Therefore, thus faith the Lord, Afk ye 
 « now among the Heathen, Who hath heard 
 « fuch Things ? The Virgin of Ifrael hath done 
 «« a very horrible Thing. Will a Man leave 
 •* tht Sno"^ oi Lebanon, which cometh from the 
 •* Rock of ^ Field ? Or fnall the cold flow- 
 
 
{ 42 ) 
 
 ■" ins; War(*rs, that come from another Place,^ 
 
 *' be forfake^n ? Becaufe my People hath for- 
 
 *' gotten me, they have burnt Incenfe to Va- 
 
 *' nity, and they have caufed them lojlumble in 
 
 *' their Ways from the cntient Pdihs, to walk in 
 
 " Paths, in a Way 7Jot caft up j" Jerem. xviii. 
 
 " 6.,- 15. 
 
 Appears not this PafTage a moft lively and 
 affefting Evincement as to~what hath been inti- 
 mated of the abforiue Fvee-agency of Man, and 
 near Relation to God ?— So parallel the Agen- 
 cy of Tielty and Humanity, as thus inftanced, 
 that whilfl: God firft queries of his People, and 
 then informs them how complcatly they were in 
 his Power, he at the fame Time places their Ac- 
 tions fore mod, as though he would repent, or 
 vary his Condud, as they fliould be prevailed 
 upon jirji to vary theirs. 
 
 It hath been the Experience o^fenfthle Minds, 
 in their gradual Advances towards a Knowledge 
 o( Deity, that to wa'k m tht antient Paths (as 
 above) is to walk in Paths ever new and enter- 
 taining ; as it is written, Happy is the Man that- 
 Jindeth IViJdom, and the Man that getteth Under- 
 Jlanding ; for the Merchandife of it is better than 
 the Merchandife of Silver, and the Gain thereof 
 than fne Gold : She is more precious than Rubies^ 
 and all the Thin^i thou canft deftre, are not to be 
 
 compared 
 
C # ) 
 
 ternpmei Unto her -, t^kgfh rfDays in Pi ff0rri^ 
 Handt and in her /t^ft fJand Rkbes and tIonour% 
 httWays are f^afs ofPle^'ifantntfs, and AIL H£ti 
 Paths are Peace* 
 
 The Intercourfe Myfticallyj (whic'h fot the 
 Prefcnt I am not pretending ta fexpiain) Ai de*^ 
 fcribed in the Canticles of Solomon^ is comparable 
 to the afking and Reply of a mok delightful 
 SociabUity^ the Suspence we may obferve is 
 rfeciprocal ; for if Prayer, and Watchfulnefs* ani 
 "Waiting be indefpepfable on oUr Part \ even (b 
 in the Language of the Teftamcnts univerfail^ 
 do we find, that the Creator is continually feprc- 
 fented as Waiting, and calling upon the Children 
 of Men. All Day long have Ifireched bta mH^ 
 Hand, obferve the Words of our Saviour in th^ 
 Parable, And when he cometb Home, he calletb 
 together bis Friends and Neigbhottrs, faying unfa 
 tiwfr, Hjoictwithm^^c. Luke, xv. r6. Aftd 
 whence thofe Rejoicings \»hich iit do he^e flttd 
 inftancedin three fuccefllve Parables, Luke i/;tk 
 Chapter at large? — No reciprocal Joy can be 
 dncdTcdto exift, bui by theMeansof an antecc- 
 
 G 2 aent 
 
( 44 ), 
 
 dent SusP£NcE. From fuch Prcmires as thefc> 
 
 hpvf deduceabte the Dodtrines of an absolute-^ 
 j^y, PARTICULARLY, and unchangeably 
 ^ejtgned? 
 
 . When God calls upon Men^he ordinarily calls 
 by Men i and when torwarned by the MefT^ngers 
 or Miniflers of the divine Good ?leafure, that 
 r^in to ceafefrom doing Evil^ it feems (as the fame 
 hiathbeen itated already p. 36.) that previous to 
 mine Acceptance oi the Invitation, there is a 
 Question to be propounded, and refoived, 
 Vv^hether doth God know? how doth he knoWi 
 fhreknoWy or predejiinnte the Certainty of my 
 c^ufing, or refufmg to accept of this Call ? 
 
 Suspending for the Prefen!: the liTue and Re- 
 firltof fo vaftyfo bold, fo capital, and adventrous 
 a'Demand, an Enquiry that now fur the firft Time 
 o^Q^-g i? ;hi.s ; . , 
 
 'iT^'the diftingaifning Tenet of a limited and 
 tferfonal Eh^iofu as concluded upon in Council, 
 ajid now. held forth by certain of our National 
 Qburchc.Sj-^ the avowed Confejfion oftl^irF^itb, — 
 AVa"? there ever a Son or Daughter of Adam that 
 Cpuld really bejicic ? 
 
 That, many miy. have To believed, impli- 
 citly, as taught, or in the ordinary or prefent 
 ^'' ■• ' literar;^ 
 
( 4J ) 
 
 literary Senfe of the Word, as Belief is critically 
 diftinguiOied from an obvious or demonftrable 
 Certainty, is readily acknowledged : But fub- 
 ilitute the prefent^ in the Stead of the vast En- 
 quiry, as above, the Affirmative could never 
 be proved, how fa btilly lb ever debated : For, 
 according to xht divine znd evangelic Senfe of the 
 Word, to believe^ indifputab'y implies, or at 
 lead precedes, a Divine Infallibility of Know- 
 ledge ; the Terms knowing and believing, in the 
 Language of Scripture, being promifcuoufly 
 ufed, in a parallel Senfe. 
 
 The Evangelift John, begins the fecond Pa- 
 ragraph of his Gofpel thus ; There was a Man 
 fent from God, whofe Name was John ; the fame 
 came for a Witness, to bear Witnefs of the Lights 
 that all Men through Him might believe : He was 
 not that Light, but was fent to bear Witness of 
 that Light, &:c. Verfe 9. 
 
 It is well known that John the Baptifi (as 
 aforefaid) in his Preaching and Baptizing, was 
 a Type of the Crying Mightily of the Watchmen 
 that ihould proclaim the Glad Tidings of the 
 Kingdom, in this the DAY of the Lightning's 
 coming out of the Eafl, and lliining even unto 
 the Weft : And if we fearch the Epiftles of the 
 faid Evangelift for a farther Explanation of him- 
 Iclf concerning the Witnefs borne by the living 
 
 Members 
 
 / 
 
C 46 ) 
 
 Members of Christ's Church, he faith, Chap; 
 V. Ver. 7, 'Thej-e are three that bear Record in 
 Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy 
 Ghost ; and thefe Three are One And there are 
 three that bear Witncfs in Earth, the Spirit, 
 and the Water, and the %loq,v> % and thefe Three 
 u^ree in One. If we receive r/:?^ Witnefs ^/ Men, 
 the Wicnefs of God is greater ; for this is theWit- 
 nelso/GoD, which he hath tefiified of his Son. 
 He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the Wit- 
 ncfs in himfelf. 
 
 Here, of believing in the highly fignificant 
 evangelic Senfe, we are given to underftand, 17?, 
 The embracing oi Christ in the evangelic 
 Faith, or that Faith which is born of God, or is 
 the Gift of God, and overcometh the World, as 
 Ver. 4. And 2^/)', That in thus believing thro' 
 the Teftimony or Witness of Men, (the liv- 
 ing Mcmbtvs of the true Church) the Witness 
 of God is greater ; inafmuch as he that believ- 
 eth in the San of God, hath the Witness in 
 himfelf. 
 
 This the TVitmfs, or Spirit that beareth Wit- 
 ness, Verfe 6, — Verfe 20, is called an Un- 
 
 derstanding •, t'Ve know that the Son of God 
 
 is come, arJ hath given us an Understanding, 
 that we might know him that is true: And Chap. 
 ii. Verr'z/, the fame is called the Anointing, 
 
 which 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 T^Wch teacheth all Things, and is Trutb, and 
 no Lie. And Verfe 20, Te have an Un5iion from 
 the Holy One^ and ye know all Things. I have 
 not written unto you, becaufe ye know not th& 
 Truth ; hut becaufe ye know //, and that «^Lie 
 is of the Truth, 
 
 Thus it largely appears, that BELIEV- 
 ING and KNOWING, in the evangelic Senfe, 
 imply a Divine Infallibility of knowing — even 
 the univerfal Knowledge of all Things, 
 
 That heUeving, in this the diftinguifhing 
 Tenet of a limited and pre-conduftve Eledlion, 
 did never as yet amount to a Knowing ; witnefs 
 the Hundreds and Thoufands of Volumes of 
 Controverfy and Debate thence arilen. 
 
 The Antients of the wifer Heathen, held a 
 Dejiiny, that in a certain Senfe, was believed to 
 have limited and circumfcribed the Aftions 
 of both Gods znd Men y and fuch their Senti- 
 ment, as rightly t^.k-n, was altogether juft ; 
 in, that Deity never counter-adls Pofftbility or 
 Neceffity. But the modern Dodrinal of a pre- 
 comlufive Eledion, appears not to have been 
 grounded upon the Notion of a Dejliny pre Tid- 
 ing over Deity, but of an arbitrary Decree ; and 
 upon fuch Notions of an <2^y£)/i^/^ Pre-fcience in 
 God, which, how warrantable from the Senfe 
 ©f Scripture, remains yet to be confidered. 
 
 By 
 

 cc 
 cc 
 
 ( 48 ) 
 
 « Br the Decree of God, (faith thtWeJiminfier 
 Confejfion of Faith) " for the Manifeftation of 
 his Glory, fome Men and Angels are predcfti- 
 nated unto everlafting Life -, and others fore- 
 *' ordained to everlafting Death. Thefe Angels 
 and Men thus predeftinated and fore-ordain- 
 ed, are particularly and unchangeably defign'd i 
 and their Number is fo certain and definite^ 
 *' that it cannot be either tncreafed or diminijh- 
 •' fi." Such being the diftinguifhirjg Article of 
 Faith, which, as above, we have defin'd pre- 
 coNCLusivE Election. * 
 
 PARTICULARLT2ind unchangeaMy defign'd, 
 as atorefaid, implies, that God, by an arbitrary 
 Decree, hath particulariz'd and limited his own 
 Power and Agency -, and that the Number fliould 
 be fo certain and definite, that it cannot be ei- 
 ther encreafed or diminilhed : As there is not a 
 fingle Hint of the Sort to be met with in xhc 
 Whole of both the Teftaments, which Way Ihall 
 we look for a confirm'd knowing in this Matter ? 
 
 The moft enlightened of the Prophets and 
 ^Apojlles, have ever acknowledged the Wifdom and. 
 Knowing of God to be unfearchable ; whereas this 
 daring AJfertion, is a bold, conclufive Determi- 
 nation, concerning the Pre-fcience of God. 
 
 For, to affert, that the Number is fo f^r/^//? 
 and definite that it cannot be either encreafed or 
 
 diminilhed* 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 diminilhed, is prefuming, that the Number is 
 moft affaredly known unto God •, 
 
 f. z 
 
 . , and' 
 '. But tvho hath knjwn the Mind of the 
 Lord? (may the Senfible (till enquire) Or, bt* 
 ing his Counfellor^ hath taught him? For, if GoD 
 did circumjiantially and pre-concluftvely fore-know 
 and predeftinate of the Many called, how Fem 
 fhould be the chofen, upon the prefent Scene 
 of Aaion ? It may thence be enquired, How 
 far fhall fuch Pre-fcience or Predeftination be 
 deem'd conclufive or circumjlantial ? For if God 
 did thus fore-know the Number in a conclufive^ 
 definite and limited Senfc, he might likewife 
 fore-know the Ages and Sexes of the Chofen \ 
 the 57w^, Flace, Meafure^ Manner^ and Circum- 
 fiances of their feveral and refpedivc CallingSy 
 Convi5iions and Ele5lion, individually. — And if 
 the like of this may be admitted, then may we 
 venture a little farther, and admit, that God 
 may have cixcumjiantially and conclufively fore- 
 known and fore-ordained whatfoever fhould be- 
 fal us individually and univerfally, throughout 
 the whole Courfe of our Lives : Whence every 
 idle Thought, Word, or Adion, fhallbedeem^ 
 ed to have been limited, fettled, and pre-deter- 
 mified in the antient Decree. Hence, God, in 
 having limited and circumfcribed his future 
 Kjiowing, Power, and Agcruy, by an arbitrary 
 
 H Decree, 
 
( 5° ) 
 
 Decree, hath bound up all our Thoughts, Words^ 
 and Anions, in fuch his Decree ; and inftead of 
 an univerfal Freedom, we become loft even to 
 the Idea of fuch Freedom, whilft over-adively" 
 indulging ourfelves in the compleat Enjoyment 
 
 of r^^/ Freedom, Scepticism this, inftead 
 
 of an Infallible knowing. 
 
 The celebrated Pfalmiji, had to blefs that 
 God who covereth him f elf with Light, as with a 
 Garment', who ftretcheth out the Heavens like a 
 Curtain -, who maketh the Clouds his Chariot, and 
 walketh upon the Wings of the Wind. And in as 
 much as the TVw/xjrtfry Man, in the Language 
 of Divine Wifdom, is term'd Beaji', Do the 
 Beafts of the Field enjoy a real Freedom, or are 
 they in like Manner chained ? The "Way of an 
 lEjagle in the Air, was too wonderfid to be com- 
 prehended by a/(?rw^r Prophet J Will ourM?- 
 derns afiert that he flies by Defliny ? Or is the 
 Grafs, or the Flower of the Field, faftened by 
 the fame Chain ? All Flefli is as Grafs, faid one 
 of Old, and the C^iJ^//;//?/} of Man 'as t\\Q Flower 
 of the Field. T^he Wind bloweth whither it lifiethj 
 (faid our Lord) and thou hear eft the Sound thereof, 
 hut canji not tell whence it cometh, or whither it 
 goeth ; fo is every one that is born of God. 
 
 ,Here is zfree Eleftion ; and withal, an Ih- 
 timation of the Unfearchablenef of God's Ways; 
 
 there 
 
( 5' ) 
 
 there beinp; no Neceffity, that even the Regene- 
 rated and Born asiain, fhoald be able at once to 
 comprrhend the Height and the Depth of all 
 
 My^.terii-s. 
 
 Th;£ Verifications of prophetic Teftimony do 
 
 evinct ihc Reality of a divine Prefcience •, and 
 it is granted th.it in what Senfe God may Iiv:ve 
 foreknown, in fuch Senle hath he aifo fortor- 
 ordained, for whom he did fcreknoiv^ he aljo did 
 predejiinate^ Rom viii. 29. the divine I crehicw- 
 ledge 2ind Pred-'flinatin bring co-erernally infe- 
 parable : So that the true i-'oint of Debate is 
 HOW FAR and in WHAT Si NSE ll-all fuch 
 Foreknowledge be deemed frc-conchifixe^ limit" 
 ted and circumjiayitial. 
 
 Let \i be efpecially confide'-ed, that when- 
 foever the divine Prefcience is touched upon 
 in Scripture, how carefully and circumfpectly it 
 is cxpreffed according to the PURl'OSE. § 
 
 It murt be owned, that according to the Fur^ 
 pofe^ the Foreknowledge of God is ahfoJute^ and 
 in the true Interpretation of thefe H'^ords con- 
 fifteth mod eiTcnti ally the Height and ih<; Depth 
 of the Argument. Whoever fliall prevail fun- 
 damentally to dnlinguilli God's foreknowing all 
 Thing'^ according lothePurpoje •, from fuch a Fore- 
 knowing as hath been objefted to, fhall in fo 
 doing have dillinguiihed whatfoever needs to 
 be dillinguiflied, in the mod compleat and fi- 
 nifliing Settlement of the whole Debate that 
 might be defired. 
 
 Tyus fundamentally to diftinguifh, is a prin- 
 cipal Point at which we aim in the prefeni Un- 
 
 H 2 dertaking, 
 
 \ See Rom. viii. 28. and ix. 11. Eph, I. 11. and iii. 11. 
 2 'Cim. i. g. 
 
( 5^ ) 
 
 dertaking, and as failir g of Succefs herein, to- 
 wards rlie Candid and ingenious, to whom it 
 fliall be given to apprehend our real Meaning, 
 It may be owing to fome odiL^r Caiife than that 
 God is unable to convict us by a like Certainty 
 and infalhbility of Kno^vledge as was atlbrded 
 to the Behevers m the prhniti-ve '•fime. 
 
 It appears that our faid moi.lern Do6lrinal, of 
 an ahfolute^ limited and p,Tjonal Eieclion, pre- 
 fuines upon a pnfljed^ told and condnfive Um- 
 
 nifcience, as though all Thin^rs knov/able were 
 -III 
 
 ah-eady known of God, whereas tliat his fore- 
 knowing all rhings according to the PUR- 
 POSE adniics oiany fuch an Interpretation may 
 by no Means be allowed, for it never can be 
 flievvn, be it boldly infilled upon, that by any of 
 oiir canonical Penmen, a total or coMCLUSivtl 
 linOlUing was ever afcribed to IVVy i or 
 "that ever they imagined^ lelieved^- or taught the 
 Reality or Pojfihility of any fuch 'l^hing. • 
 
 The Knowledge of all '^things^ in a certain 
 Senfe, hath been attributed to a divine Science in 
 Man; and the "-Jeackivg of all things ^ is attri- 
 buted to the HOLY ANOINTING-, and accord- 
 ingly faith Paul, Kom. viii. 28. We know 
 that all Things work together for Good^ to ■ them 
 that love God, to them that are the Called accord- 
 ing to his Purpofe. Here the working together 
 of all Things, doth moll alTuredly imply an i;i- 
 Jlancaneoiis tree Agency: And whereas the 
 Apollle proceeds. For whom he did fore-know^ 
 he aljo did predcfiinatc, ccc. Ver. 29 and 3c. 
 It never can be [hewn, according \.^i\\^true In- 
 terpretation of thcle wo;us, that Paul' could 
 have mmnt any other, than that God, having 
 pmpofed^ fore-known, and fredijlinated a. Being 
 
 glorified 
 
( S3 ) 
 
 glorified in the Humanity^ was then exercifing 
 the ' immediate All-rufliciency of an i}2jiantaneous 
 Omniiciency, Power, and Agency, in the Ex- 
 ecution of fach his purpofe: For, I fay, ho\v- 
 ever the Knowledge oi all Things^ according to a 
 certain Propriety of Speech, be attributed to the 
 Holy Anointiiig in the Humanity^ the Hke may 
 »5^ be afcribed to D/V/y-, becaufe, that ever it 
 was poITible, or ever fhall be, that a total or con^ 
 clufive Omnifcience, or Science, fhould have 
 any real Exiftence, either in God, or in any 
 Creature, ought by no Means to be imagined. 
 
 We have thus dwelt upon this our national 
 Article of Faith, according to its ■pre-condufive 
 and definite Senfe •, for as to that Depth of 
 Myjlery comprehended in the Chapter fo uni- 
 verfaily appealed to in this the fubjed Matter of 
 fuch deep Speculation, viz. The 9th of the 
 Epiftle to the Romans,-—'^ t may have Occafion 
 to difcouife thereof at large hereafter ; it be- 
 ing freely acknowledged, that to the Praife of 
 HIS own Glory, God did really fore-ordain, that 
 of the Many that fhould be the Called, upon the 
 prefent Scene, and within the firft Six Thonfand 
 Years from the Creation, the Number of the 
 Chofen fhould be exceedingly few, comparatively 
 fpeaking •, though at the fame Time, an alto- 
 gether unfvre "known and indefmite Number. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
(. 54 ) 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 A Coniimiation cf the proposed ENGIRT, 
 
 li is not foryoH to know the Times and the Seafons 
 which the Father hath put in his own Power. 
 
 W' E have confeffed the 
 
 Reality of a divine Prejcience %-— 
 . have fhewn the Scepticifm that 
 attends the Notion of a total or con- 
 
 ditfi-ve Prefcience :--- And have dared to afiert, 
 that any fuch Notion is altogether unfupported 
 by the Teftimony of the written Word:-— It 
 remains, that with due Regard to the Weight 
 and Importance of our propofed Enquiryy and 
 with a View to a clear and fundamental Interpre- 
 tation of Scripture Prophecy .^ we become more ex- 
 plicit upon the Article TOTAL and CON- 
 CLUSIVE , and that we endeavour 
 to obtain certain, juji and warrantable Concep- 
 tions of Science^ Prefcience, and Omnifcience m 
 general, according to the Senfe and Tenor of the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 (C 
 
 It is not for you to know the Times and 
 *' the Seafons which the Father hath PUT in 
 
 " his 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 " his own Power." Here is no Intimation 
 that our Lord himfelf might not even at this 
 Time have participated in that pleafingAftonilh- 
 ment whence the Earneftnefs of this the Demand 
 of his Chofen, proceeded j for he informs them 
 not, that himfelf could afcertain the Times or 
 the Seafons^ or that his Father had fattened all 
 future Events by a Chain of Dejiinies, but that 
 the Father (hould have PUT them in his own 
 Power : How lively and expreflive the Intima-; 
 tion, that as his Father had referved to himfelf 
 the Management of the Times, it was meet that 
 the Demands of the Children fhould rife no 
 higher than Give us this Day cur daily Bread: 
 It being confident with the divine CEconomy, 
 that our Minds fhould never be fo far carried 
 forth into the Contemplation of the Things fu- 
 ture, as to become unmindful or inattentive 
 of the Thinss present, or of the Times where- 
 in we may be refpeSiively allotted to a<5b t>«r pe- 
 culiar Part in the daily and hourly Succeflion of 
 new Occurrences. 
 
 But let it be efpecially obferved, that it was 
 meet that their Minds ihould be held in huffence 
 with Reference to the Times of Restitution, 
 not only becaufe the fame were fo remote from 
 their immediate Bufinefs or Concern, but be- 
 caule fuch Sufpence muft have been more grate- 
 ful and agreeabky than a dired decifi-ve Anfwer : 
 
 For 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 For we all know that Science, or Knowledge in the 
 Mind of Man, is ever progrefftve ; an earneft Cu- 
 tiofity to know, being fufceptive of a fupremely 
 delightful Gratification. And how pertinent to 
 obfervc from hence, that in the Difpenfations 
 of God to his Children, 2l living and ejjential 
 Knowledge is ever adminiftered in the Way of 
 Precept upon Precept, Line upon Line, here a 
 little and there a little. 
 
 The antient Prophecies were diligently and 
 attentively read by the Chofen of the former Ad- 
 minijlration -, but it was altogether unfit that 
 they fiiould have been otherwife open to their 
 Apprehenfions, than as the immediate Prefer- 
 fervative of their Minds in Faith, Fullnefs, Con* 
 Jidence and Dependence upon God in the Courfe 
 of that Series of Events ; in the carrying on 
 whereof, they were themfehes the appointed 
 Agents : For, as predidlive of Futurity, their 
 precious Depth was compleatly unfearchable, 
 otherwife than as the Predidlions, couched in fo 
 wonderfully coniprehenfive and myflical a Langu- 
 age, became refpedively fulfilPd in their due 
 Order. 
 
 Thus our Lord, or his Jpofiles, did open 
 but here and there a Sentence thereof, and not a 
 fingle Sentence otherwife than 2i%fulfiird in their 
 due and appointed Order : As for Inftance, When 
 Jesus had made a Scourge of fin^ll Cords, and 
 
 driven 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 driven out of the typical Temple the Sh^ep ahd 
 theOxen, and had poured out the Money of the 
 Money- changers^ and overthrew the Tables, — 
 and faid unto them that fold Doves, Take thefs 
 Things hence, &c. John ii. 1 6 ; his Difciples re- 
 membered that it was written. The Zeal of thins 
 Houfe hath eaten me up, Ver. 17. — They were 
 then, for the frft Time, touch'd with a Senfe 
 that thefe Words had been recorded of the 
 Pfalmift, as perfonating the future Mejfiah i 
 of whofe ROYAL CharaEler, as King of the Spi-i 
 ritual Israel, he was the appointed Ty/*^. BuC 
 faid the Jews, IVhat Sign Jhewejl thou unto us^ 
 fedng that thou doeji thefe Things ? V.i 8. Jefus an^' 
 fwered and faid unto them, DefiroythisTemple, and 
 in three Days I will raife it up. Here it appears 
 that the /jypzV^/ Mystery of the Temple and its 
 Services, had till then been an abfolute Secret ; 
 Forty andfix Tears was this Temple in building—'* 
 and wilt thou rear it up in three Days ? Ver. 20J 
 But it feems, that when Jefus was rifen from the 
 Dead, the Difciples were convinced that he had 
 fpoken of his Body -, and then believed they the 
 Scripture, and the PFords which Jesus had faid, 
 Verfe 22. 
 
 Again, The Prophecy of Joel, Chap. ii. 28, 
 was never thoroughly apprehended, until the 
 Day of Pentecor-: was fully come ; and the 
 Twelve being met. together with one Accord, 
 
 I . weiC 
 
cc 
 
 C( 
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 were h«ard to fpeak in a Variety of Tongues^ 
 the wonderful Works of God, — whilft many 
 were amazed at what was feen and heard. 
 *' Others, mocking, faid, Thefe Men are full 
 *« of new Wine." When P^/^r {landing up with 
 the Eleven, lifted up his Voice and faid, " Ye 
 *' Men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Je" 
 ** rufalem, be this known unto you, and hear- 
 " ken to my Words -, Thefe Men are notdrun- 
 '^ ken, as ye fuppofe, feeing it is but the third 
 *' Hour of the Day •, but this is that which was 
 fpoken by the Prophet Joely And it fball come 
 to pafs in the laft Days, that I will pour out 
 of my Spirit upon all Flefh, £s?<:," as Ver. 17, 
 « And on my Servants, and on my Handmaid- 
 *' ens will I pour out of my Spirit, and they 
 " ihall prophcfy ; and I will fhew Wonders in 
 *' the Heaven above, and Signs in the harth 
 " beneath ; Blood, and Fire, and Vapour of 
 *' Smoke ; the Sun Ihall be turned into Dark- 
 " nefs, and the Moon into Blood, before that 
 ** Great and Notable DAY of the Lord come." 
 
 •Ml J 
 
 Here was an Opening ^ind. Fulfilling of Go^" 
 PEL Mysteries and Scripture Prophecy, 
 and yet, as fhall hereafter be fhewn at large, 
 in neither of thefe pectiUar and efpecial Inftances, 
 did the Times admit of other than a feint and 
 partial Opening, becaufe there was, as yet, but 
 but a /v?r//W Fulfilling. For, as the Times of 
 
 the 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 the T^;*?^^/ Church were expiring, and as the 
 Anti-christ General of the GofpelBifpenfation^ 
 Even Him whofe Coming ihould be after the 
 Working of Satan, with all Power, and bigns^ 
 and lying IVcnders, &c. 2 Thefl: ii. 9, 10, was 
 to tread upon the Heels even of xh^ Twelve 
 Apofiles ; fo this was not the Time for the 
 FULL REVELATION of the Myjleries of 
 the Kingdom. Hence it was, that when the 
 Difciples, upon a certain Occafion, afked where- 
 fore their Lord fpake always to the People in 
 Parables : " He anfwered and faid unto chem, 
 " Becaufe it is given unto you to know the 
 « Myfteries of the Kingdom, but to them it is 
 « not given." Matt. xiii. 11. "For in them 
 *« (continues he) is fulfilled the Prophecy of 
 « Jfaias, which faith. By hearing ye Ihaii hear, 
 « and fliall not underftand -, and feeing ye Ihall 
 " fee, and Ihall not perceive." 
 
 Thus the Openings were referved to the 
 
 Times of Fulfilling -, for that the entering and 
 
 fcourging of the Temple in 7ype, the calling 
 
 out of the Money-changers, the Sheep and the 
 
 Oxen, inType, was fuch a Procedure as f(j|all 
 
 be beft underftood, as the Fulfilling becomes uni- 
 
 verfal in the Anti-type : For the Whole of thefe 
 
 Tranfaftions, as likewife the Betraying and Falfe 
 
 Witnefjing, Matt. xxvi. 60, the Conduft of the 
 
 High Prieji^ Ver. 6^, the fucceeding Crucifixion^ 
 
 1 2 - ' Refurn^on 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 'Refurre^ion and Pentecofl, were but the Prelude, 
 or Reprefentation of the Entering and Scourging, 
 the Betraying and Falfe-mtnejfing, Crucifixion, 
 Refurre5lion and Pentecost-General, to be 
 fulfiU'd upon the Dry Tree, even the Dry Tree 
 of the LATTER DAYS. Luke xxiii. 31. 
 
 Thus, according to the Words of the Pro- 
 phet, as repeated by Peter, the Sun fhall be 
 turned into Darknefs, and the Moon into 
 Blood, before the GREAT and NOTABLE 
 DAY of the Lord, or PENTECOST of an 
 univerfal Pouring-forth of the Spirit upon 
 ALL Flelh, be fully come. 
 
 Now as fuch is the Procedure of God to- 
 wards his Church, and Mankind in general ; fo 
 with Individuals, all true Knowledge is open- 
 ed in the Way of Line upon Line, here a little 
 and there a little ; our Faculties being 
 
 ever in Sufpence, therefore ever progrejjive : p^or 
 without a perpetuated Sufpence, how could 
 , Knowledge be progreffive ? How fhould we be 
 inftantly gratified with a perpetuated SiiccefTioii 
 of new Ideas, without an incelTant perpetuated 
 Enquiry ? — Hence, what Manner of Idea would 
 we choofe to form unto ourfelves of a TOTAL 
 Omnifdency ? 
 
 So near is the Relation between God and 
 Man, that in a certain Senfe, we are at Liberty 
 
 to 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 to confider ourfelves as privileged with the Op:: 
 portunity of knowing all Things. Such a Know- 
 ing it was that in the primitive Time diftin- 
 guifhed the lilile Children from the Anti-Chrip : 
 And why not at this Time ? " Little Children, 
 " (faith the beloved John) it is the laft Time 5 
 " and as ye have heard that Anti-Chrift fhoiild 
 " come, even now are there many Anti-Chrip ; 
 " whereby we know that it is the laft Time : 
 " They went out from us, but they are not of 
 « us j^ for if they had been of us, they would no 
 « Doubt have continued w//^ us -, but they went 
 « out that they might be made manifeft, that 
 «' they were not all of us. But Y E have an 
 « Unftion from the Holy One, and YE KNOW' 
 " ALL THINGS. 1 have not written unto 
 « you becaufej^ know not the Truth, but be- 
 " caufe ye know it, and that no Lie is of the 
 « Truth." i Johnn, 18, 19, 20, 21. 
 
 Now with Reference to jufl znd fcriptural Ap- 
 prehenfions concerning the divine Pre-fcience or 
 Omnifcience, be it fuppofcd that fome vaft and 
 enterprizing Genius, very willing and defirous 
 to eftablifti a compleat Syfiem of Divinity, con- 
 fiftcnt with the Letter of the Written Word^ 
 which hath been term'd the RULE fo Orthodox 
 and Fundamental, as Ihould be Proof againft the 
 Oppofitions of all Gain-fayers, even the Super- 
 numerary Subtilties of a literary Infidelity it- 
 felf, was to afk of GoD---That feeing he know- 
 
 eth 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 ctfi but all Things, he would, in Order to the 
 Execution of fo vaft an Undertaking, be pleafed 
 to endow him with his own Omnifciency ? — 
 Upon fuch 3 Suppofition, we enquire. What 
 Kind of an Omnifciency fhould be chofen or de- 
 fined ? Would the Humanity in fuch Cafe de- 
 mand of the Deity a total Omnifcience, or a 
 PROGRESSIVE Omnifcience ? That is to fay, 
 Would we afk to know fo much as that Nos. 
 •f'HiNG FARTHER might €ver be enquired, or 
 ftili fhould remain unknown; or for fuch an 
 Omnifcience^ as that when knowing whatfoever 
 God doth know, Somewhat farther might 
 remain to be ftill unknown ? For, might 
 One have for aiking, an Omnifciene fo CON- 
 CLUSIVE and TOTAL, that when knowing 
 whatfoever is knowable. Nothing farther 
 ihould remain unknown, how reafonably might 
 One hefitate about venturing at any fuch Feti" 
 tion ? 
 
 It was the Complaint of the Treacher for- 
 merly, Ecclef. i. when having given his Heart 
 to know Wijdom^ whofe Excellency he had pre- 
 ferred, and in Charader of the Future Christs 
 had fo amply recommended, in fo riiany, fo ce- 
 lebrated and pathetic Encomiums, that there 
 "was no NEW 'Thing under the Sun : — " The Sun 
 *' arifeth, (faith he) and the Sun goeth down, 
 •' and hafteth to the Place from whence he 
 ^" atofe : The Wind goeth toward the South,- 
 
 " and 
 
i ^3 } 
 
 «« and turneth about unto the North ; it whIrlJ 
 " eth about continually, and the Wind return- 
 ** eth again according to its Circuits : All the 
 ** Rivers run into the Sea, and yet the Sea is 
 •' not full ; unto the Place from whence the 
 
 « Rivers come, thither they return again : 
 
 «' The Thing that hath been, is that which 
 ** fliall be ; and that which is done, is that 
 " which ftiall be done -, and there is no New 
 ** Thing under the Sun."— A forrowful Com- 
 plaint indeed !— " Is there any Thing whereof 
 « it may be faid, See, this is new ?'* How 
 melancholy the Enquiry ! — Is there any Thing 
 whereof it might be faid. See, this is not ?iezv ! 
 might have been the Refponfe ; and perhaps of 
 an equal Weight and Significancy : For, with 
 equal Propriety might it be aflerted, that every 
 Thing that occurs is new, as that there is no 
 NEW Thing under the Sun. But it feems that 
 King Solomon had at length obtained that tho- 
 rough Acquaintance with all temporary Affairs, 
 was become fo far omnifcient as to all Things 
 that are done under the Sun, that in refped: of 
 Knowledge, his Cafe was become a true Parallel 
 to the Weeping of the fam'd Macedonian :* 
 And how juft the Intimation here, that any fuch 
 Omnifcience, as by Man fliall be complained of, 
 may not be afcribed U) Deity, 
 
 It 
 
 ^ Alexander the Greau 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 It was the Knowledge of temporary ThirigSl 
 the Satiety whereof was become fo familiar to 
 the King ^ it was the Sun that fo heavily he 
 murmured againft, as bounding and circum- 
 fcribing his earneft Enquiries for iomc newThing, 
 
 As hereafter we become glorified in future 
 States of Exiftcnce, how bounded or circum- 
 fcribed our Knowing, who can tell ? And if 
 a Satiety of Knowledge, or an End of knowing, 
 neither may^ or ought to be alked or expe6led, in- 
 deed cannot be defired by Man,— why (hall we 
 fay unto GOD, Thus far knowest Thou. — 
 *' For who hath diredbed the Spirit of the Lord ? 
 ** Or, being his Counfdlcr, hath taught him ? 
 " To whom will ye liken God ? Or what Like* 
 « nefs will ye compare unto him ? Have ye 
 « not known, have ye not heard, that the 
 *' Lord, the Creator of the Ends of the Earth, 
 *' fainteth not, neither is weary ? There is 
 « NO SEARCHING HIS UNDERSTAND- 
 « ING. Jfa. xl. 28. 
 
 Now there is not an Inllance, it is prefumed, 
 
 in all the Scriptures, of any One's afking of 
 
 God what the Morrow fhould bring forth : But 
 
 in feveral Inftances we arc commanded to take 
 
 no Thought for the MoiTow ', as likewife not to- 
 
 pre-meditate. And well may we obferve, that 
 
 as in all human Negociations, we addrefs each 
 
 other at Uncertainties, how far Men may hear 
 
 or 
 
( ^5 ) . 
 
 or forbear •, fo ^/ZCommuniaitions from God to 
 Man, upon the Principles of an univerfal Free- 
 agency, do admit and allow of the like Uncer- 
 tainty : To Inftance the iSth of Jeremiah^ for- 
 merly appealed to,-- " At what Inftant I fpeak 
 " concerning a Nation, and concerning a King- 
 '* dom, ^f." from Verfe 7 to 17. When God 
 had thus tenderly and affedingly plead with his 
 People, " Come," laid they, Verfe 18, " and let 
 '' us devife Devices againft Jeremiah •, for the 
 *' Law fhall not periih from the PriciT:, nor 
 «' Counfel from the Wife, nor the Word from 
 *' the Prophet : Come, and let us fm.ite him 
 ^' with the Tongue, and let us not give Heed 
 " to any of his Words,"— Wherefore how fhall 
 we form an Idea of God's knowing all Things, 
 CONCLUSIVELY or TOTALLY, as tho' 
 lie already knew all Things knowable, or that 
 ever can or Jhall be known ? 
 
 That the Be^inmngs^ ProgreJIicjis^ and feve- 
 r2\ Gradations^ the Issue and Tendency-ge- 
 neral of ail Things, Ihculd be known, and 
 fore-known, according to the Pui-pofe, how 
 unqueftiona'bly certain ! whilft for any to 
 affirm that all Things knowahk^ are al- 
 ready known of God — would be intirely re- 
 pugnant to the Senfe and Tenor of the Scrip- 
 tures J and muft admit of being conftrued no- 
 thing Ihort of an afluming to determine concern- 
 
 S ins 
 
( ^6 > 
 
 ing that which is indeterminable.^ univerfal, un- 
 Jearchahle •, — For who hath direded the Spirit 
 of the Lord ? Or, being his Coiinfellor, hath 
 taught him ? 
 
 If we have rightly fhewn that Tower and 
 Agency with Men, be the Power and Agency of 
 God, by Man j then let it be confidcred, that 
 every Aftion is condu(Sted according to that State 
 of Knowing whence the fame doth proceed. 
 Hence, if Power and Agency with Creatures, 
 be the Power and Agency of God by the 
 Creature, the iike is to be affirrned of our 
 Knowing. 
 
 Thus, according to Elihu^ the Son of Bara- 
 WW the Buftte, Job xxxii. 8. There is a Spirit in 
 Man i andtlie Inspiration cf the Almighty giv- 
 €th them an Uiiderjlanding, And as touching 
 the Original of Power, that the Science^ or 
 knowing, Pczver and Agency of Mam, is the 
 Science, Power and Agency of God by Man", 
 how entirely of a Piece the concurring Tefti- 
 mony of the Scriptures. *' Behold^ HE break- 
 «' eth down, and it cannot be built again j H£ 
 *' Jfjiitteth up a Man, and there can be no Open- 
 «c ino-t \^\tYLYi\hl IS JVifdomznA Strength: The 
 " Deceiver and Deceived arc HIS. HE leadeth 
 e' Counfellors away fpoiled, and maketh Judges 
 ^; ]'c:nb, HE Icof'ith thcl^onds of Kings, and 
 
 i' giideti^ 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 *^ girdeth their Loins with a Girdle. HE lead- 
 *« eth Princes away Ipoiled, and overthroweth 
 ** the Mighty. HE removeth away the Speech 
 *' of the Trujly, and taketh away the Under- 
 " STANDING from the Aged. HE poureth 
 ^* Contempt upon Princes, and weakeneth the 
 ** Strength of the Mighty." 
 
 Here the Knowing and Agency of Mam is 
 attributed to Him in whofe Hand is the Soul of 
 every living Things and the Breath of all Mankind, 
 Job xii. lo. Universal In'^piration, Hay; 
 fo that (by the Bye) as we fometimes mock aC 
 the Belief of an Immediate Infpiration^ fuch 
 Mocking is no more than an Inftance of the 
 Poffibility there is, that one Order oi Enthufiajls 
 
 ihould be inclin'd to mock at another. The 
 
 fpiritually Drunken with the new Wine of the 
 Kingdom, the fpiritually Drunken at the Goldeu 
 Cup, Rev. xvii. 4, even the Peoples md Multitudes^ 
 'Nations and Tongues in general, and the literall;^ 
 Drunken, being but fo many different Orders of 
 
 Enthusiasts. An early Inftance of the 
 
 Msckingy we have already taken Notice of, 
 A^s ii. 1 3. ; which the Mocking and Reply at that 
 Time, as thus tranfmitted to Futurity, may be 
 confider'd as predidive of the Mocking and 
 Reply of the After Times ; wherefore," Let us not 
 he unwife, (as was the Exhortation formerly) lut 
 mderjlanding what the Will of ths Lrrd is 3 and 
 
 Ka Iff 
 
f 6!> ) 
 
 let us not he drunk, "with JVifie wherein is Exc/^ff, 
 hut be filled ivith the Spirit. Thus far, as to the 
 Simplicity of a mi/guided Mocking, and for the 
 Gainfnying of thofe, who, according to Judey 
 ** fpeak Evil of thofe Things which they know 
 not: Woe unto them, for they have gone in 
 the Way of Cain, and ran greedily after the 
 *' Error of 5j(3/<5;;? for Reward, and perilhed 
 in the Gainfaying of Cer^." Jude i. ii. 
 
 
 <c 
 
 Shall not the Tree be known by its Fruit? 
 Shall the Fruit be deem'd the Product of 
 Chance ? Or rather, Shall the Fruit-hearing 
 Tree be confidered as the Anti-type of the for- 
 mer Tree, Matt. 'in. 7—10, and M?//. xii.33. 
 O Generation of Vipers, how can ye, being evil, 
 fpeak good Things ? Verfe 34. 'Ere the Day of 
 the Lord fhall powerfully break forth, it re- 
 mains 'that the Meafure of our NATIONAL 
 INIQUITIES be firft fulfilled ; and who are 
 the Inftruments, that of Old, were ordained 
 to this Condemnation ? Jude i. 4. Or wherefore 
 fpake Jude in the Preterperfed Tenfe, as above, 
 if not with a Reference to the antitypical'PviMX^ 
 ing of the Times of the Gentile Church ?--,- 
 *' He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear," 
 
 To return : If the Science or Wifdom, the 
 "Power and Agency Man, be the Wifdom, Power,^ 
 and Agency oi God by Man, what Proof is de- 
 ducible? Thence we enquire of a total or 
 
 CONCLUSJlVfi 
 
 / 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 CONCLUSIVE Omnifciency The Regenerated 
 
 and Born-again, as fuch, arc favoured, and that 
 even whilft converfant with Sinners, with large 
 Participations of the divine OOT»//?/>«f^; as it is 
 written, the Spirit fear cheth all Things, even the 
 deep Things of God; not totally or condufively, buC 
 under a grateful and mofi pleafurahle Sufpcnce : 
 As it is otherwife written. Now we knew in 
 Part, and prophefy in Vzxt. ; but when that which 
 is perfedl is come, then that which is in Yi^xzfhall 
 he done away, i Cor. xiii. 9, 10. 
 
 Let us obferve, that the Apcjile faith not then 
 inall I know all Things knowahle, totallt 
 CONCLUSIVELY; butVerfei2, then fhall I know 
 even as I am known ^ or then fhall tny Knowing 
 be a p^-/^^ Knowing. Now it never can be 
 fhe>An, that in this his Idea oi z perfect Knowings 
 was comprehended the Idea of a total or 
 conclufiveY^noyf'ing, fince fuch a Knowing would 
 be an END of knowing: For certainly if 
 there be a Poflibility of knowing /i?/^r that no- 
 thing FARTHER fhould bc ftill unknown, here 
 would be an End of all SUSPENCE or £»- 
 quiry, and of Confequence an END OF 
 KNOWING ; which may not be imagined ei- 
 ther of Angels or Men. 
 
 Thus, \i Science in Creatures ht th^ Science 
 of GOD by the Creatures, and the fame be 
 
 ETERNALLY 
 
~t,: 
 
 ( 70 ) 
 
 ETERNALLY PROGRESSIVE, it follows, 
 that if Science be progrejfive^ fo Omnifcience like- 
 wife ; lince the Science or Knowing of each Indi- 
 vidual, doth conftitute a Part of the UNIVER- 
 SAL OMNISCIENCE.* 
 
 Hence, however the Things to come, both 
 aJ! to what w«^ be, and Jhall be, as to the Jffue^ 
 ^vent, and Tendency general of all Things, be 
 perfedlly known and fore-known, according to the 
 Purpose ; yet by no Means doth it appear 
 but that Deity itfelf is perpetually entertained 
 with the Novelty of the Things Which are ; 
 Day unto Day uttereth Speech, and Night unto 
 Night Jheweth Knowledge, Pfalm xix 2. 
 
 So that as to the Enquiry^ In what Senfe doth 
 
 God fore-know the Things which are to come ? the 
 
 fame becomes properly refolved into the Enquiry^ 
 
 iWherefore were Men fo efpecially forbidden to 
 
 fre-meditate, and wherefore to take no Thought for 
 
 ihe Marrow? WHEREFORE, indeed! ^ 
 
 But that the Morrow is a Mystery pregnant 
 with SUCH A Bringing-forth, as to Deity it- 
 felf is UNSEARCHABLE. 
 
 * And Note, That even upon the popular and abfurd 
 Suppofition of an «^/f«/ God, or of Deity apart from the 
 Creatures, as a Prince apart from his Subjeiis ; even then 
 muft the Knowing of the Creatures be the Objeft of 
 GOD's Knowing : And if perpetually progrtjffive, of 
 Confequence ihe Objeft of a proprejji-ve Omnifcience in 
 GOD. 
 
( 7' ) 
 
 2'ET Forty Days (faid the Prophet of Old 
 and Nineveh fuall he overthrown. It is well wor- 
 thy of our Obfervation, that the antient Pro- 
 phecies are mpre immediately exprefiive of the 
 Will and Purpofe of God towards the Hmnanity 
 in General, than predictive of fuch Events as 
 fliGuld be literally or circumjlantially fulfilled ; 
 for we find not that a pundlual Fulfilling of pro- 
 phetic Tellimony ought other wife to be looked 
 for, than as refpeding the TIMES ; the Pre- 
 ordination of the TIMES, and the Management 
 of the TIMES, being properly the Attribute of 
 CjOD the Father : Whilfl by no Means can it 
 ever appear why we ou^t to frefmne, that iii 
 the" Inftance above referred to, even God him- 
 felf might fore-hiow the Occafion of his Pro- 
 fhef% being fo exceedingly difpleafed, and as ic 
 is written, very angry. Jonah iv. \, 
 
 Thus the Reader in Meafure is become ac- 
 quainted with our Sentiment, as touching the 
 Pre-fcience and Omnifcience of God -, that his Pre- 
 y?zV;zr^ refpefls the Times, the Issue, Event, 
 and TENDENCY-General of the Workings and 
 Co-workings of all Things together for Good. 
 Rom. viii. 28. and that his Omniscience, 
 being ever progrejfive, is an inftantaneous Be- 
 holder of the Things that are. Heb. iv. 
 
 chap; 
 
 \ 
 
£ 7^ 3 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 "ithe MTSTERT open'd, in the Profecution of 
 the proposed EN^Umj. 
 
 THE Relation fubfifting between GOD, 
 and Creatures, and particularly the 
 whole Courfe of his Procedure with Man, in 
 the Language of our Scripture, is comprehend- 
 ed in the Word MYSTERY : Th^s Paul, 
 Ephejansm. 8. '• Unto me, who am lefs than 
 ** the leaft of all Saints, is this Grace given, 
 *' that I fhculd preach among the Gentiles the 
 •* UNSEARCHABLE RICHES of Ch a I5T; 
 ** and to make all Men fee, what is the Fellow- 
 '« {Kip of the MYSTERY, which from the Be- 
 *' ginning of the World hath been hid in 
 " GOD, who created all Things by j^sus 
 ** Christ; to the Intent, that now unto the 
 *' Principalities and Pcwers— -m'l^ht be known 
 «* by the Church, the manifold JVifdom of GOD, 
 *' according to the eternai. Purpose which 
 ** he purpofed in Christ Jesus our Lord :'* 
 Eph. iii. 8, 9j lo, II. 
 
 Qv 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 Of the eternal Purpose, the Mention 
 whereof doth fo often occur in the New-Tefta- 
 menr, it is given us to underftand the PUR- 
 POSE of GOD to become manifeji unto him- 
 felfin a MYSTERY: The Name CHRIST 
 JESUS, which, by Way of Eminency, was af- 
 cribed to the Humanity of our Lord, compre- 
 hending an Heighth and a Depth of perpetual 
 eternal^ unfeaj'cbeiitpJe V^ on dcrs -, even all the 
 Pluralities, Diverjities, and Multiplicities of every 
 Order of Being -, all Modes of Exiftcnce, to the 
 utmoil Extent of whatfoever can be imagined : 
 Such being the Senfe of the Apoftle in holding- 
 
 forth to the Gentiles, the UNSEARCHABLE 
 RICHES, as above. 
 
 Now we may not obtain the clear, fmidamen- 
 lal 2ind fatisfaffory Conceptions lA Science, Pre- 
 fcience and Omnijcience in general, as heretowre 
 propofed, fhort of daring to penetrate into the 
 Heighth and the Depth of the Mvstery, even 
 the PURPOSE made manifeji in the Name 
 CriRisT Jesus, as above. 
 
 With all pofTible Brevity let us therefore 
 proceed in our earned Endeavours *' to make 
 
 all Men fee what is the heUowJhip of the My; 
 
 tery, which from the Beginning of the 
 " World hath been hid in GOD. 
 
 I As 
 
 (I 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 As conceiving of Deit)\ exclufively of the 
 Creatures, he is zs a No I bingnefs-, an eternal and 
 incompreherifible UNITY, or Onenefs; hidden, 
 unknown, and unfearchable even unto himfelf. 
 This the Uniiy or Onenefs of God, is a WILL 
 or Purpofe to become generated or revealed. Such 
 Purpole confifteth in d. Seeking., or Def.re; and 
 comparing the CAUSE with the E:FFEC T, it 
 is the Defire that caufeth or maketh Coldnefs^ 
 Darknefs., and Hardnefs fpiritually j its primary 
 Operation being to ajlringe, ccmprefs^ or enclofe. 
 Now the CAUSE, that is to fay the Will., which 
 defireth to become manitefted, is called GOD , 
 But the EFFECT, that is to fay the Adumhra^ 
 iion, viz. the Coldnefs, Darknefs., and Hardnefs 
 which thus becomes generated or produced, is 
 called NATURE. 
 
 I. Firji., The Magnetism doth harden., ccnu 
 prefs., or enclofe -, yet the Will of the Unity 
 would be free and at Liberty. Hence, 
 
 IL Secondly., Is generated or produced a Counter 
 Pcife., or oppofite Motion ; the Magnetifm 
 is called the first, and the Counter-Pcife 
 the second Form or Property of the ETER- 
 NAL NATURE. Whence, 
 
 III. Thirdly., A Whirling, or fwift Rotation, is 
 produced, fuch being the Trinity., or Triiin^ 
 Form of the Eternal Night. 
 
 IV. Fourthly.^ 
 
( 7S ) 
 
 IV. Fourihly, This the fwift Rotation of the third 
 . -Form, as accelerated and enhanfed, com- 
 
 , menceth Fire ;. a Raging, Breaking, and 
 confuming fpiritually, which Fire is pro- 
 perly a fourth Form ; the fame is called the 
 Center of Nature \ and in this Place it is, that 
 • the WILL of the Unity is in Scripture calle-^ 
 God the FATHER; alfo 2i 'jealous Gqd, 
 . and 2^ confuming Fire \ Heb. xii. 19. J and 
 as the Blaze doth proceed from the Candle, 
 or as. the Light from the Sun, %o^ 
 
 V. Fifthly^ That Light which is the Brightmfs 
 
 of the Father* i Glory ^ Heb. i. 3. doth ori- 
 ■ ginate or proceed as the generated or begot- 
 ten of the Father, from this the central 
 Fire of the fourth Form. Here the fVatcr, 
 ' ■ called the ^^/fr of Life, John iii. 5. and 
 . iy. iQ. dotii originate- or proceed from the 
 Virtue of the Light, as the Light from the; 
 Fiercenefs of the Fi?'e ; and in this Place 
 it is that the WILL of the UrMy is called 
 God the SON. . 
 
 VL Sixthly, In the Proceedings forth of thq 
 
 Light, the Counter- Aftion of the /r/? and 
 y^<:W Forms becomes the Word, of divine 
 
 L 2 . Power 
 
 X A Fire is kindled in mine Anger, and pcdl burn unto th^ 
 
 loivjji Hell; and Jhall confume the Earth njji'h her Encreafe, 
 
 and fit an Fire the Foundatiins of the Mountains, Deut. x;cxii. 
 22. 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 Power ; tlie Verbum Fiat, or Let it he, of 
 God, whereby all Things were made, and 
 without which was not any Thing made, tfoat 
 was made, John i. 3. From the Fire* in 
 Conjunftion v/ith the Light proceedeth, 
 
 yil. Lajlly, The Breath or Efluence of the 
 divine Holinefs, in Anfvverablenefs to the 
 Air in which we breathe. 
 
 Here the P«r/»oyt' becomes maniftrted in the 
 Trinity of Fire, Light, and Spirit; and accord- 
 ing to fuch Manifeltation, the Unity or Onenefs 
 of Deity is in Scripture difcourfed as of an un- 
 divided Three. Father - — Word and 
 
 SpfRiT ; or, FATHER -— SON — and HO- 
 LY GHOST. 
 
 Thus we have feen that the feven-fold Gene- 
 ration of the eternal JVill, is at once both a 
 Seven-fold 3.nd a. Tmw^ Generation of Three in 
 One; the fifth, fixth, and feventh of the faid 
 myltical Number, being no other than xhtfirfi, 
 fecond, and third tranfmuted or cha;nged in the 
 EnkindHhg of the central Jourth, viz. the FIRE ;. 
 «s more largely may appear hereafter. 
 
 Of Creation, we are ever to uriderftand a Ma- 
 nifeftation of the eternal Purpose, in the 
 Generation of the Seven Forms; each pro- 
 ducing the other in their Order, as above. 
 Such were the Generations of the Heavens and 
 of the Earth, as rQ\2iX.tA by Mofes ; the Sun was 
 enkindled upon the fourth D^y, and the feventh 
 yv2is bleffed and fanftified in Anfwerablenels to 
 the Order of thd Seven Forms.; as above. 
 
 This 
 
( n y 
 
 This the Order of the feven Days, in. the 
 Generations of the Heavens and of "the Earth, 
 is altogether anfwerable to the Procefs of the 
 /even Times .in the Regemralion ; as lliall be 
 Ihewn at large hereafter. 
 
 The Order of our Ajlrum^ or S>olar Syjlon, is 
 moft evidently the Order of the Myftical Seven '» 
 and is therefore by Mofes called Heavens, in the 
 plural Number. 
 
 We read, A^sxwn. i8. " That as Paulwtis 
 " difcourfing daily in the Market, certain Phi- 
 " lofophers- of the Epicurians and* Stoicks en- 
 " countered him; fome faid, AVhat will this 
 " Bablerfay? Other fome, He feemeth to be a 
 
 *' Setter-forth of Jlrange Gods : And they 
 
 t' took him, and brought him to Areopagus, 
 faying^ May we know what this new Doc- 
 J:rine whereof thou fpeakefl, is ? For thou 
 bfingeft certain Jirange Things to our' Ears : 
 We would know therefore what thefe Tilings 
 mean."-— PW flood in the Midft and faid. 
 Ye Men o^ Athens, I perceive that in all 
 Things ye are too fuperjiitious ; for as I pafTed 
 by and beheld your Devotions, I fouiid an 
 Altar with this Infcription, TO THE UN- 
 KNOWN GOD ; vmom therefore ye i^^no- 
 rantly worfhip: Him declare I unto you." 
 And prceeds, " God hath made the World and 
 ," ^11 Things therein. Teeing that he is L.ord 
 
 "of 
 
 tt . \ s> 
 
 it 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 *' o? Heaven and Earth, dwelieth not in Tem- 
 " pies made with Hands, neither is worHiipped 
 " with Metis Hands, as though he needed any 
 " Thing ; feeing he giveth unto -all Life and 
 " Breath, md all Things -, and he hath made of'' 
 " one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell on the 
 " Face of the Earth -, and hath determ.ined the 
 " TIMES before appointed, and the Bounds of 
 *' their Habitations J that they (hould y^^/^ the 
 *' Lord, if haply they- might /^<?/ after him and 
 *' Jind him, though he be not far from any of 
 " us, for IN HIM we live, and move, and 
 " have our Being -, as certain alfo of your own 
 « Poets have faid." 
 
 Now whether we regard oiir own, as related 
 • by Mofes, or a Biverfity of Creations, it \s an 
 ahfolute Certainty, that every Creation is at firll 
 brought forth in Jesu, which being interpret- 
 ed, fignifies TerfeEiion, or difvine Blejfednefs :— 
 All Things being generated \a Jesus Christ, 
 but r^-^^?/^r^/^/in Christ Jesus-, fuch being 
 the Senfe of the Apoftle, Ephef. iii. from Verfe 
 8 to II ; as before cited. 
 
 These are the Generations (faith Mofes) of the- 
 Heavens and of the Earth, in the Day that the 
 Lord God made the Earth and the Heavens, 
 Gen. ii. 4. 
 
 Generations, in the plural Number, is 
 thus mentioned with a. Reference to the 
 
 • various 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 various Graddiions, as mentioned in their Order 
 in the foregoing Chapter, being termed Gene- 
 rations ; becaufe, as aforefaid. Creation, with 
 God, is a Generating or Beginning ; the eternal 
 Will bfing an uniform eternal Purpose to be->- 
 come generated 2Lnd revealed. 
 
 Thus, when God had faid. Let there be Light, 
 
 and there was Light, God faw that it wa.^ good ; 
 
 that is to lay, he was delighted with theDifcovery 
 
 that was then mad^p, •, and at every fucceeding 
 
 Generation in its OrQer, tiie Words are repeated, 
 
 GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD— -And at the 
 
 Ciofe of the fixth Day, after Man had been 
 
 created in the Image of God, to have Bommi- 
 
 on over the Whole, when God law every Thino- 
 
 that he had made, Verfe 31. Behold, it was 
 
 very good. Here the whole was brought forth 
 
 in Jesu, according to the Trifiity of the divine 
 
 Manifejlation-, here THE MORNING STARS 
 
 SANG TOGETHER, AND ALL THE 
 
 SONS OF GOD SHOUTED FOR JOY; 
 
 Job xxxviii. 7. here the Creatures, as (landing 
 
 in the Order of their Generation, under the 
 
 BlefTing and Sandtification in fuch ihtw primitive 
 
 State, were properly the Sons of GOD. 
 
 But to be more particular as to the Creation 
 of Man ;— -Verfe 2.6, " God faid. Let us- niak^ 
 Man in our Lnage, after our Likensfs ; and 
 let them have Dominion over the FiHi of the 
 
 '* Sea, 
 
 

 ( 8° ) 
 
 *' Sea, and over the Fowl of the Air, and over 
 " the Cattle, and over all the Earth, and over 
 " every creeping Thing that creepeth upon the 
 " Earth: So God created Man in his own 
 " Image, in the Image of God created he him; 
 " Male and Female created he them ; and blefied 
 ** them, and gave them the Dominion over all 
 
 the Earth, and over every living Thing tliat 
 
 moveth upon the Earth.'* 
 
 When God faid, Lei us make Man, he fpokc 
 according io K\s Trinity, according to the y^;^;^- 
 • Menefs and PerfeEIion of the Three in Ojte : So 
 Man hkewife is fpoken of in ih^ plural Number ; 
 "in the Image of God created he him, Male 
 " and Female created he them." 
 
 Vv^ELL might the Humanity have been conii- 
 dered thus plural, not only becaufe Male and 
 Female were at firft brought forth in an undi- 
 vided Union, like the Angels in Heaven, Matt. xxii. 
 30. but becaufe it was indeed a meer Wonder 
 of- Pluralities, according to the Myftery of the 
 Jeven-fold Generation of all Things : For how- 
 ever it be reprefented by Mofes, that Man was 
 created upon i\\^ftxth Day, we may not thence 
 imagine, that God firll concerted the making 
 him at this Time ; neither that his Creation com- 
 menced upon the f-xth Day ; God knew wliat 
 ^ he was about to create, and what fhould be the 
 
 IfTue 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 IlTuc and Event of Things, before the Com- 
 mencement of the Work ; for when his Spirit 
 firft movtfd upon the Face of the Waters, he 
 ^ was not beginning a primitive Creation, but a 
 fuhfequent or fubfervient one -, the Generation or 
 Creation of our Earth and Heavens having been 
 but as di/mgk Link, or intermediate Work, in the 
 
 unbeginning, never-ending Chain of G O D's 
 Operations. 
 
 When our planetary Syftem firft arofe out of 
 Chaos, the fame was thus produced, as a Bruifer 
 of the ferpentine Power, that is to lay, our 
 temporary World ; the Hierarchy or Domi7tion of 
 Man was eredled upon the Hierarchy or Domi- 
 nion of the Serpent, as a Bruifer of his Head : 
 The ferpentine Power was deftined to a perpe- 
 tual Enmity with Man, and fhould bruife his 
 Heel ; but the Power and Dominion of the Lat^ 
 ter, in the Regeneration, fhould be ereded in 
 Triumph upon the Head of the Former, as was 
 fore-known in the Purpose of God, 'ere Creati- 
 on commenced. 
 
 The Earth was without Forin, and void^ 
 y (faith Mofes :) The Earth is thus fpoken of aJS 
 pre exijient ; fo alfo are the Waters, Verfe 2 : 
 And when the Fiat of God had faid. Let there 
 ' he Li^ht, and there was Lights the next Proce- 
 dure was to divide the Light from the D&rkn'fs^ 
 
 M and 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 and the Waters from the Waters j {o manifeft is 
 it that this could not have been a primitive, but 
 was an intermediate Creation, as above ; and 
 however reprefented by the Text, (I fay) as the 
 Creation of Man commenced upon the ftxth 
 Day, his Creation did really commence cotempo^ 
 rarily with God's moving upon the Face of the 
 Deep : The Purpofe which continually feeketh 
 its own Manifejlatim, was purpofid in the EJfence 
 of Man, when God faid. Let there be Lights and 
 there was Light, and fo was become known^ 
 when GOD faw the Light that it was good j and 
 thus onward, in every fncceeding Gradation Qt 
 Generation, in their Order : And when the Day 
 approached wherein the Earth fhould bring 
 forth living Creatures, then was the Time wherein 
 Man fhould htcomt ,perfe^ly known : And well 
 might our Text hold him forth in the plural 
 Number, (I fay) iorjirft he was an angelic Birth^ 
 or Reprefentative of the Trinity of Z)^/'/)', an un- 
 divided Male and Female ; and moreover, was a 
 eotemporary Birth, or Microcosm of both the 
 Earth and the Heavens, according to the /even- 
 fold Generation of the temporary Univerfe. Thus 
 the Heaven and the Earth were finifhed, and all 
 thtHoJi of them, Gen. ii. i : And whereas the 
 Lord, the Creator of the Ends of the Earth, 
 fainteth not, neither is weary, Ifa. xl. 28 i yet ac- 
 cording to Mofes, Verfe 2, He refieth on they^- 
 'Venth Day from all his Work j and Verfe 3, 
 
 " God 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 «< God bleffed the fcventh Day, and fanaified // 5 
 « bccaufe that in it he had refied from all his 
 *« Works which he had created and made." 
 
 Let it fuffice, that the Reft, fo efpccially 
 commemoratecl, refpeds nQtDeity itfelf •, but the 
 Ordeh of Manifeftation in and by xhtCreatureSy 
 ii% xht feventh Dd.y was properly their Sabbath, 
 viz. The Sabbath of their primitive Acquiefcence 
 and Blfflednefs in the Name JESUS j— as ihall 
 be farther explained hereafter. 
 
 Suppose it were alked. To what Ptirpofe was 
 the Humanity endowed with fo 'uik a Body, aS 
 that it Ihould be faid unco Adam., when unad- 
 vifedly he had partaken of the Tree of the 
 Knowledge oi Good and hviL, "In the Sweat of 
 *' thy hacc fhak thou eat Bread until thou re- 
 *' turn unco the Ground, for out of it waft 
 « thou taken, Duft thou art, and unto Duft 
 « fhalt thou return ?'* 
 
 It is anfwered, to no other Purpofe, than that 
 through Deaih it might pafs unto Life,* as did 
 the Body of the Second Adam j not the Humanity 
 only, but the Earth and the Heavens, confub- 
 flantial and cocemporary therewith, having beea 
 generated in the Beginning to THIS PUR- 
 POSE, viz. That in due and appointed Order, 
 the WHOLE might be re-generated and born^ 
 again in the Name CHRIST JESUS j " For 
 
 M 2 !! we 
 
 T At thegeneralRssvRRECTioN. 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 " we KNOW that the whole Creation groan- 
 " eth and travaileth in Pain together until now, 
 ** and not only they^ [the Creatures in general] 
 ** but ourfelves alfo, which have the firft Fruits 
 *' of the Spirit, — even we ourfelves ^rd?4« with- 
 " m ourfelves, waiting for the Adoption, viz: 
 '* The Redemption of our Body** Rom, viji. 
 12, 23. 
 
 Now, in as much as it is written of the invij- 
 hk Things, That " from the Creation of the 
 *' World they are clearly feen, being underllood 
 *' by the Things that are made,'* Rom. i. 20 ; 
 Jet us confider attentively what was that State of 
 Perfedion and Blefleduefs wherefrom our firft 
 Parents departed. 
 
 As to the immortal Soul, that it was an Effiu- 
 ence proceeded from the divme EJfence, the A6t 
 oi Breathing, as by the Text, is as decijive as 
 Language could have been found expreflive : 
 And as thus originated, it was the Will crea- 
 turaliz'd, I fay, CREATURAUZED, N.B. 
 or an Effluence of the felf-movingy felf-generating 
 Will of the Eternity, bro't into a diftindt and 
 peculiar Perfonality or Beginningnefs. 
 
 It appears, in the Openings of the Myjiery, 
 that the Soul, as confiderM abftrafledly from the 
 Body, confUleth in the Trinity of the Firji, Se- 
 
 md Slid I bird Forms of the Eternal Seeking j 
 
 and 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 -and In this Senfe, in Scripture, is often Times de- 
 nominated Spirit-, as ijohn^v. 6, 8. And 
 whereas the modern Learned, have imagined Soul 
 and Body oi dijiin^ and y^p^r^/^ Natures, this is 
 but a fingle Inftance of the PofTibihty there is, 
 that whilft profefFing ourfelves w//^infuch fmail 
 Matters as thefe, we fhould in Reahty become 
 Fools ; Rom. i. 22, and iCcr. ii. from 11 to theEnd. 
 Soul 2ind.Body are feparable, in fuch Senfe us Fire 
 and Light are feparable ; Fire fubfifteth without 
 Lights but Light cannot fubfilt without Fire: 
 So the Soul hath a Being diftind from the Body^ 
 "but no living Animal can fubfifl without a Soul\ 
 the Soul becomes embodied (in ihort) in the 
 Water and the Blood, as we know that the 
 Subftantiahty of Flelh fpringeth out of the Blood, 
 
 " This is He that came by J'Fdter and Bloody 
 
 even Jefus Chrifi j not by fVater only, but by 
 Water and Blood ; John v. 6: For there 
 are Three that bear Record in Heaven, (conti- 
 nues he) Verfe 7, the FATHER,- the 
 WORD, and the HOLY GHOST, and 
 *' thefe 27^rf^ are One: And there are Three 
 ♦' that bear fVitnefs i-n Earth, the SPIRIT, 
 ♦' and the WATER, and the BLOOD,— and 
 " thefe Three agree in 0«^.'*— -Whence it ap- 
 pears, in the Openings of the Myjlery^ that, as 
 the unbeginning Will of the Eternity becomes 
 known unto itfelf in the Trinity of Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost i fo the creaturalized 
 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 Human Will doth obtain its Reft and Sanfti- 
 fication in the Trinity of Spirit, Water, and 
 B.ooD, in Anfwerablenefs thereunto -, the JVa^ 
 ter and the Bhod being generated or materializ- 
 ed out oi- the FIRE of the Soul in the enkind- 
 ling of its Ligh:, the Soul giveth Life and Mo- 
 tion to the IVater and the Blood ; which in Re- 
 turn are the Allay and 'Temperature of the Fierce- 
 nets and Confumingnefs of its own FIRE -, the 
 Body being a Manifeftation in Suhjiance^ of what 
 the Soul is in the EJfence, 
 
 Now Adam, the temporary Man, both in Soul 
 and Body was produced co-ejfentially with xht 
 Animals of the Earth, a Microcosm of the So- 
 lar Syftem, according to the Myftcry of the fe^ 
 ven-fold Generation of the Earth and the Hea- 
 vens i and in this Senfe it was, that he fhould 
 return unto the Ground, Gen iii. 19. But in as 
 much as it is reprefented by Mofes^ that when 
 Man had been formed of the Dult of the 
 Ground, God breathed into his Nofirils the Breath 
 of Life, we hereby underftand a Two-fold Man" 
 botli in Soul and Body, an heavenly, in Union 
 with the temporary, that was to return unto the 
 Ground. Thus, according to the Apoflle, 
 thereis a NARURAL Body, and there is a spi- 
 ritual Body, i Cor. xv. 44. " And fo it 
 " is .written, (continues he) the firft Man, 
 .*^ Adam, was nude a living Soul, and the laft 
 
 , " Adam ' 
 
C 87 ) 
 
 « Adam was made a quickening Spirit "—It is to 
 this two -fold State of a natural and fpiritual^ that 
 according to the whole Purport of the New Tef- 
 tament Do6trine, we are called in the Regenera^ 
 iion, as is particularly difcourfed in the fubje<5t 
 Matter of the Sixth of the Evangelift John. — - 
 Of the Bread from Heaven, here called the 
 Bread of Life^ we undcriland the Allay or Tem- 
 perature of the Soul's Fire^ which is . its Body ; 
 and fuch its Body, as aforefaid, is obtained in 
 the JVater and the Blood \ for of the Spirit^ the 
 JV-ater^ and the Blood in Trinity, i John v. 7. 
 we underftand the Trinity of the ffth^ ftxth^ 
 2indfiventh Forms of the creaturalized Will in 
 the Regeneration, which is a T'rinity of LIFE, 
 or Life eternal. He that hath the bon hath Life^ 
 ijohn, V. 12 : whereas the Trinity of the /r/?, 
 fecond and third Forms of the creaturalized WiD, 
 is that which in the Language of the NewTeC- 
 lament, is univerfally called Death : He that 
 loveth not his Brother ahideth in Death, 1 John^ 
 iii. 14. It was into this State of Death that 
 Adam the firfl departed ; for that Mofes fhould 
 have made Choice of thefe Words, Man BE- 
 CAME a LIVING Soul^ we underftand thereby 
 that the Trinity of the firfl, fecond, and third 
 Forms in the Tranfmutation of the fourth, viz. 
 the Fire^ became living and fenfible in thtfifth. 
 Sixth and feventh, in which Senfe it was that he 
 was created in the Image of God, and after his 
 Likenefs^ Xke 
 
( 8? ) 
 
 The Short is this ; it appears in the Opening! 
 of the Myftery, that when the temporary AJirunt 
 or Solar Syjiem firfl arofe out of Chaos, it was 
 produced as an intermediate Birth^ or materializ- 
 ed Figpre of the EJder Worlds fo likewife a Type 
 or Refemblance of that which is to come, I fa. 
 Ixv. 17, and Ixvi. 23. So Adam, the earthly 
 Man, was a Birth co-ejfential and co-temporary 
 with the the feven-fold Generation of temporary 
 things i but j^dam the heavenly, as created in 
 the Image of God, and after his Likenefs, the 
 Son and Heir of Eternity, was an angelic 
 Birth, co-eJfential and co-eternal with the Fixed- 
 nek of the eternal Afirum, and according to the 
 feven-fold Generation of Incorrupiibles and Ever^ 
 lajlings. 
 
 God knew that the Sahhatic State of primi- 
 tive BlefTednefs in the Acquiefcence general of 
 all Creatures in the Order of their Generation, 
 Ihould ceafe with the Day ; and that in the Com- 
 mencement of Creation he was but about to 
 open an intermediate Scene of meer Murder and 
 Mtfery, through the Enmity that fhould fubfifl: 
 between the Seed of the JVoman and that of the 
 Serpent : — Wherefore, that Adam the Co^lejiial 
 fhould have been bro't forth in Union with a ter- 
 reftrial Man, > was thus contrived, in order that 
 when he fhould become lojt to the Trinity of a di- 
 vine Lije^ viz. The JVater and the Blood of the /«- 
 
 ternal 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 rial Man, fuch Lofs might, during the Continu* 
 anceofthe temporary Life, be fupplied by the 
 Water and the Blood of the terrefirial Man, 
 
 • Thus, according to the Eternity, his Soul 
 was co-effential with the eternal unquenchable 
 Fire, Ifa. Ixvi. 24; and according to the <?«/- 
 ward Dominion, was united with an animal Soul 
 in common witfi the Beafis of the Earth, co-ef- 
 fential with the Fire of the temporary Sol ; the 
 Fire an'd Light of the temporary State bearing the 
 fame Relation to the eternal Fire and Light, as 
 doth the Fire, the Light and the Jir thence 
 proceeding of the temporary Sol, to the Fire, the 
 
 Light and the Spirit thence proceeding of the 
 eternal SOL, 
 
 Now of the bleffed Temperature and Harmony 
 that prefided in the Acquiefcence general of all 
 Creatures, whert in the Beginning THE 
 MORNING STARS SANG TOGETHER, 
 AND ALL THE SONS OF GOD SHOUT- 
 ED FOR JOY — we may not, with certain of 
 our modern Syftem Writers, imagine that the 
 fame confiiled in a different Pofition of the 
 Earth to the Sun, fince all fuch Syfiems as thefe 
 preiume upon God's having been doing and un^ 
 doing : Such Writers are welcome to be as bufy 
 as they pleafe in doing and undoing their own 
 Syjlems, but by theFavour of All, it is prefum'd, 
 that however oi?r God may have freely allowed 
 
 N "US 
 
( 9° ) 
 
 US the Privilege of thinking, and fpeaktng, and 
 writing of him and his Works, as beft may fuit 
 our Humours, Interejis, or Ends -, the Time ap- 
 proaches wherein that the Lord, the Creator of 
 the Ends of the Earth, fhould be treated as thus 
 'Variable, may not by every Reader be deem*d 
 altogether reputable. For if, when Adam was 
 firft.plaC'^d in the Garden of Eden to drefs and to 
 keep it, God knew not that the creaturalized Will 
 (hould depart into Death, he was largely difap- 
 pointed; whereas the Lord, the Creator of the 
 Ends of the Earth, is never difappointed, how- 
 ever we may not allow him a total or conclufive 
 Omnifciency : The Subtilty of the Serpent was 
 }^n^<citK\or\?ih\y fore-known 'ere permitted to fuc- 
 ceed in his Experiment upon Eve. 
 
 So all the fubfervient Creatures In their Or- 
 ders refpeftively, were brought forth with Na- 
 tures adapted to the Services of Man as fallen ; 
 the Difcord and Diflbnance of the Elements, 
 under the Regimen of the temporary Aftrum, 
 having been likewife pre-purpofed and contrived 
 in the Order of their Generation. 
 
 And would we conceive, I fay, of that hlifs- 
 ful Temperature which reign'd in Paradife, when 
 ■Adam and Enje were neither aihamed of their 
 Nakednefs, or needed a Defence from the In- 
 clemency of Seafons, how eafy to compare /«- 
 
 vifibles with Vifibles ? Since, according to Saint 
 
 Paul, 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 Paul^ " the invifible Things of God, from the 
 Creation of the Worlds are clearly feen, being 
 underftood by the Things that are made, even 
 his eternal Power and Godhead." Our Syftem 
 of Vifihles being z Figure, as aforefaid, or 1 ratify 
 fcript of the Invifibles -, our temporary Sol being 
 placed in the Midft of the (even-fold Generation 
 of animal and vegetable Effences upon Earth, 
 as a Sub-regent of tjje eternal, SOL, the Center 
 of x.\\t feven-fold Generation of the Permanencies 
 and hcorruptibles in the heavenly Places. 
 
 We have fliewn that our two-fold State in the 
 Beginning, confided in theUnionof an tow»i^ 
 and a paradifaical Mah -, and likewife, that the 
 Effences of the paradifaical Man, were produced 
 tonfubjlantially with the Beafts of the Earth and 
 €reeping Things^ after their Kind ; and, as we 
 might add, were a real Compound of all beftial 
 ^ Eflcnces in Microcofmo, 
 
 /•• 
 -Thus, when the Purpose became manifeft- 
 <4 in a two-fold Humanity, as an intermediate 
 State between pad and to come, how eafy to ad^ 
 mit that the Equilibrium of the Elements, the 
 Springing up of paradifaical Fruit, the Sweet- 
 nefs and Temperature, the general Concert, 
 the blifsful Acquiefcence and harmonious Sing- 
 ing together of all Things, was effeded by a 
 Contaa or Union with the indwelling Prefence 
 of Beiiy throughout ? 
 
 N 2 The 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 The Eternity was not efTenced in Adam ta^ 
 terrefirial Man, but the creaturalized Trinity of 
 the internal and divine Life was the indwelling 
 Illumination^ Thorough-piercing, and SancStifica- 
 tion of the external \ fo the temporary Jftriim was 
 produced as a State peculiar and diflind froinr 
 the eternal : Yet how cafy to admit, that the 
 Temperature general might confift in the Tho- 
 rough-piercing of the eternal, as in Concert with 
 the feven-fold working Powers of all temporary 
 Things ? For, if the Beafis of the Field depart- 
 ed not with Adam from their primitive Eft ate, 
 where then was the typical Signification of the 
 Offerings and Sacrifices of the former Difpenfa- 
 tion ? How fhould thefe Sacrifices prefigure 
 the all-avaiimg Sacrifice ? Why fhould the 
 Brute Creation be our Fellow- fufferers ? Or, 
 with what Propriety could it have been faid that 
 the WHOLE Creation groaneth and travaileth 
 together in Pain ?— The Short is this ; no diffe- 
 rent Pofition of the Earth to the Sun, can be 
 imagined to have produced incorruptible parar 
 difaical Fruit, or now could be contrived fo to 
 temper and fubdue the Rudenefs, the Fiercenefs, 
 the Diffonancy znd Infexihiiiy of our Species, as 
 that, in the Scripture Senfe, " the Wolf fhould 
 *« dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard lie 
 down with the Kid ; the Calf and the young Lion 
 and the Fatlin^ together, that a little Child 
 J^ might lead them.'*--- So the blifsful Acquief- 
 
 cence 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 ccnce of the primitive Sahhath may not be at 
 cribed to the temporary^ but the eternal SOL, 
 thorough-piercing and fan6lifying the outward 
 Court or Creation in the General, as the tempo^ 
 rary State or external Man of HIM, who at this 
 Time reprefented the Lord or Head of the 
 whole Hierarchy or Dominion. 
 
 That we may be ftill more explicit, let us 
 re-confider and re-expatiate upon theMysTERv ' 
 of the feven-foid Generation of the eternal 
 Will. 
 
 
 C H A P. 
 
[ 94 I 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 "A more full Revelation cf the MTStERT. 
 
 "^mT"?" HEN upon a certain Occafion the 
 , ^m/ Difciples were aftonifhed out of Mea- 
 ^ ^ fure, Mark x. 26, Jefus, looking up- 
 on them, informs them, that with GOD all 
 things are pojfible. The Whore, the falfe PrO' 
 phet, and the Undifcerning, would interpret this 
 Text as though our Lord had faid, that with 
 God nothing is impoflible; whereas, according 
 to that Stridncfs of Interpretation which the 
 Scripture requires, there is as wide a Diftinftion 
 between all Things pojftble^ and nothing impoffible^ 
 as between any the moft oppofite Pofitions that 
 could be thought upon : For that with God all 
 Things are poflible, is a moft welcome and bleC 
 fed Truth ; whilft to affirm that with God no. 
 thing is impoflible, would be 
 
 The Power and Agency of God muft be ac- 
 knowledged to be bounded by iV>f^//>j and P^/^ 
 ftbilitieSy as is Power and Agency in the ordinary 
 
 Senfe > 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 Senfe -, more efpecially it is impofTible with God, 
 that according to his Deity he everlhould counter* 
 aSl or contradi5iY{\m(d{\ ; it is impoflible 
 
 that in the Work of glorifying himfelf, he fliould 
 ever be difappointed^ or a<5l indire5ily. It is im- 
 poflible with God that he fhould not be what 
 he is, viz. The Fullnefs of all pofllble Beatitude 
 and Perfe5lion -, and therefore that ever he fliould 
 mderaSi himfelf: Whence it is inferred, that the 
 complicated and myfterious Whole oi all Things 
 do perpetually tend, and that moft directly, to- 
 wards a Manifeftation of the higkeft Good, as to 
 the defired IlTue : Hence Deity refpeds not Per^ 
 fins or Parties, confers no private Favours, or 
 afts any Thing by Individuals that may not 
 bear a due Relation to the IVhole of all his Works; 
 Here numberlefs Impoflibilities might be al- 
 ledged, ad Infinitum. But that with God all 
 T'hings are poffihle, in the Senfe wherein this Sen- 
 tence was fpoken, we interpret all pojfible Excel' 
 lency. Beatitude and Perfe5lion, becaufe Deity is 
 Deity, and cannot be otherwife : As inftance the 
 Occajion of this Saying -, our Lord had been fet- 
 ting forth the ImpofTibility of a rich Man*s en- 
 tering the Kingdom, by comparing it with the 
 ImpofTibility of a Camel's [or Cable's] being 
 made to pafs through the Eye of a Needle. 
 
 That the rich Man, zsfuch, fliould ever 
 enter, is an abfolute ImpofTibility with God, 
 
 and ^ 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 and might well be compared with the abfolute 
 Impoflibility of a Camel's being made to pafs 
 through the Eye of a Needle : His jthus fetting 
 forth the Impoflibility of a rich Manh entering, 
 implied not the Impoflibility of every Man's en- 
 tering the Kingdom in due Time and Order, 
 but thus. How hardly Jhall th^ that have Riches, 
 enter the Kingdom of God? Ver. 23 ; fince that 
 a RICH Man, sisfuch, fiiould ever enter, is an 
 abfolute Impoflibility-— Jefus anfwered again, 
 Ver. 24, by Way of an Explication of his own 
 Meaning, Children, how hard is it for them that 
 irufi in Riches, to enter into the Kingdom of God ? 
 and concludes as above, with Men it is impof- 
 fible, but not with God, becaufe with him all 
 things are foffible. 
 
 Thus the rich Man entereth not ; yet the 
 Works of God are Tta, and Jmen : His King- 
 dom at length mufl: come, and his Will be 
 done in Earth as it is in Heaven , whatfoever is 
 purpofed or began of God, mufl: compleatly be 
 cfl^eded, becaufe all Things with him are poJfihW- 
 
 Now Deity afteth not arbitrarily, or as it were, 
 by Chance ; but whatfoever he doeth, or can do, 
 is done in the Order of the Myftery, 
 
 We have feen that the Earth and the Hea- 
 vens, viz. The temporary AJlrum, were generat- 
 ed 
 
C 97 ) ^ 
 
 ed in the Order of the Myftery ; and whereas the 
 Humanity of our glorified Lord is reprefented as 
 walking in the Midji of the feven golden Can- 
 dlefticks, and poifing the feven Stars as in his 
 right Hand, Rev. i.— How excellently previous 
 the Intinnation here, that fuch is the Order of 
 the Myfiery^ in the Regeneration ! — " Write the 
 " Things which thou haft feen, and the Things 
 " which are., and the Things which Jhall be 
 " hereafter, the Myftery of the feven Stars, 
 " which thou fa weft in my right Hand, and 
 ** the feven golden Candlefticks :" Here N. B, 
 that the Myftery of all Things, (o far as the 
 Things which had been feen, and the Things 
 which were and were to come, may be tc.ken for 
 all Things, according to the indefinite Senfe in 
 which thefe Words were fpoken ; — was com- 
 prehended, N. B. I fay, in the Myftery, or was 
 the Myftery of the feven Stars and feven golden 
 Candlefticks, 
 
 We have been confidering the temporary 
 Adam, or t err eft rial Man, as a Microcofm of the 
 temporary Aftrum : This the tcrreftrial Man, as 
 fallen, in Scripture is called Beaft, Rev. xvii. 7, 
 " The Beaft that thou fawcft, faid the Angel, 
 " was and is mt^ and afcendeth out of the bot- 
 " tomlefs Pit, and goeth into Perdition ; and 
 *' they that dwell on the Earth ftiall wonder 
 " (whofe Names were not written in the Book 
 
 O " of 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 " of Life from the Foundation of the World) 
 *' when they behold the Beail: that was^ and is 
 " not, and yet />." This the Time of wonder- 
 ing is commenced, as hereafter fhall be made 
 appear ; for in the Openings of the Myfierj, we 
 find that what is thus written of the Bepji, re- 
 fpefts the Hunh-mty, in the \iniverfal Senfe ; 
 and that the Beall zvas, and is 71 jt, and yet w, 
 we underlland it thus,— When Jefus was born 
 of the Virgin, the Wor d was made Flefli •, that 
 is to fay, Deity had reaffumed the Humanity, 
 twtn \\\t Humanity oi xht Be ajl ', thus in Chriji 
 the Bead WAS : But when he arofe from the 
 Dead, the Beaft WAS NOT. The beaRial 
 Nature was become extintt in the Renovation, 
 and yet w<2i the SAME individual Body :— And 
 as thus, with t^ie utmoit Propriety, it may "be 
 afRxm'd of the ghrificd Htimanity,_ that in the 
 ■Name Ci>r:Ji, the Beaft WAS, but in the 
 Name Chrifi Jefus, he IS NOT, and yet IS :— 
 So, according to the Revelation made to Saint 
 John, v/hat is written of the Beajl and Beajis, 
 refpefls the Humanity in general, and the Work 
 which was then upon the Wheel between God 
 and Man, univerfally. 
 
 The Guilt of Antichriff.ianifm general, the 
 moil ahominnble of all Abominations, viz. SiT- 
 RITUAL WHOR'tiivOM, is charafterized in 
 the iVoman futhig upon the fcarlet-coiuur'd Beafi^ 
 
 Chapter 
 
( 99 > " 
 
 Chapter xvii, whereupon, for the prefent, wc 
 may not enlarge. 
 
 Let it fuffice, that the ^flnd which hath 
 Wifdom^ Ver..9, or they^T;*?;/-/^/^ Science, Power 
 and Agency of the Humanity as fallen, accord- 
 ing to the Myftery of the feven-fold Generation^ 
 is charUfterized in the Vifion of the feven Heads 
 and TtN Horns. So alio the feven fold 5t7V;zf^, 
 Power and Agency of the heavenly Birth, or re- 
 generated State upon Earth, is charadlcrized in 
 the Vifion of the Lamb : " 1 beheld, and lo ! 
 *' in the Midft of the Throne, and of the four 
 " Beads, and in the Midlt of the Elders, flood 
 " a Lamb as it had been (lain, having kven 
 " Horns and kvcn Eyes, which ar? the kven 
 " Spirits of God, fent forth into all the Earth.'* 
 Revel. V. 6. 
 
 Thus the yfT'^?/-/«7/i Perceptibilities and Powers 
 of the Beqfi and of the Lami?^ appear to be dif- 
 tinguifhable each from the other, as the terref- 
 irial is diftinguifhable from the heavenly Birth : 
 Hence the Wifdor.i of this IForldis Fooli/hnefs with 
 GOD; I Cor. in. 19. So likewife the natural 
 Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of 
 God, becaufe they are Fooliihnefs unto him •, 
 I Cor. ii. 14. Hence it ever is the Part of the 
 Beaji X.0 make War with the Lamb, yet the 
 Lamb is Conqiieror., being King of Kings and 
 
 O2 Lord 
 
( 100 ) 
 
 Lord of Lords; and they that are with him, 
 are called the Chofen and Faithful. If it be 
 
 alked in what Senfe the Faithful overcome ? It 
 is anfwered. By the Sword of their Mouth, and 
 by the Blood of their Tejlimony^ in the Courfe of 
 their pafling through ^eatj^ ""to LIFE, as 
 did the Leader of the Flock. 
 
 Old Jacob was a Type o^ Mejfmh in theFlefh ; 
 and of the ^«g-f/M Birth, through him, became 
 quickened and reviv'd in the two-told Huma- 
 nity of the fpiritual Ifrael, or Church militant ge- 
 neral :— So Esau was a Figure of the Beaft, or 
 terreftrial Man, and of the Edomites general, in 
 whom the Angel, or angelick Birth of the inter- 
 nal Man, fhould remain in the Death of the un- 
 illuminated Fire of the Jir^, fecond^ and third 
 Forms of the creaturalized Will :--- The Con- 
 duft of the Brothers towards each other, was a 
 *Type of the future Tranfadtions between the 
 Called and Chofen, viz. The Jacob and the Jfrael^ 
 and their Brethren after the Flelh, viz. The 
 
 Edomites general of the Gofpel Difpenfation. If 
 
 it be afked in what Senfe the Elder fhould ferve 
 the Younger ? It is anfwered, In Charaft er of 
 Perfecutor\ it being through buffering and Per- 
 fecution that the 'Trinity of Death becomes quick- 
 ened and fublimed into a Trinity of Life. 
 
 Thus, according to the Furpofe and EleSlion, fo 
 
 myfterioufly 
 
( lOl ) 
 
 myfterioufly carried on between Deity and H\> 
 manity, the creaturalized Will, the Faith of 
 the typical Jacobs was induced, was conftrain*d 
 to acknowledge its Relation to God, andD^^^«- 
 dence upon his Providence; Gen. xxxii. 9, 10, 
 II, 12 ; and to wrcftle as a Prince with God 
 and with Men, Ver. 28, by Means of the Ter- 
 ror and Diftrefs wherewith he was fcized at the 
 Approach of his Brother Efau ; " Deliver me, 
 *' I pray thee, from the Hand of my brother, 
 " from the Hand of EfaUy for I fear him, 
 " left he will come and fmite me, and the Mo- 
 " ther with the Children i" Ver. 11. 
 
 So, when betrayed into the Hand of Sinners; 
 it was that the aniiiypical Jacob had to fay unto 
 his Difciples, " My Soul is exceedmg forrowful, 
 c' even unto Death." See the Earneftnefs of his 
 Prayer, Matt, xxvi, and Matt, xxvii. 46. 
 
 Now, that which we efpccially would inti- 
 mate in brief, is this,— That fo adorably mar- 
 'velloiis the atl-demonftrative and all-comprehenfive 
 Sublime of our Scripture Language, and efpe- 
 cialiy his, who in the Vifion had to fay, I am 
 Alpha and Omega, &c. Revel i, that in Stri6t- 
 nefs and Reality, the Myftery of all Things 
 pq/i, prefent and futurey as to the Generation and 
 
 Redemption 
 
C 102 ) 
 
 Redemption of Man^ the Humanity in general, 
 ihotild indeed be comprehended in the Myjiery 
 of the SEVEN STARS and SEVEN GOL- 
 DEN CANDLESTICKS :— For, as Adam, m 
 the Beginning, was generated 2, [even- fold Plu- 
 ral of ihe Sp^ies, fo now, in the Quickening, 
 or Regeneration, the H^imanity, -or Church ge^ 
 neral, confifteth of a/fw»->/i Plural. 
 
 The feven Stars, faid our fccond Jdam in the 
 Vifron,. are the Angels of the feven Churches j 
 2n<l xl\Q feven golden Candleflicks are the fevea 
 Churches^ 
 
 Let us obferve, that the Vifion which was 
 written in a Book, and fent unto the fevea 
 Churches, was not addrefled to the feven 
 Churches, but to the ANGELS of the feven 
 Churches, according to the Tenor of the Ad- 
 drefs. He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear. 
 
 By Churches and Angels of the Churches^ 
 we underftand the two-fold Humanity ; as here* 
 tofbre difcourfed. The Churches were the Can- 
 dlefiicks, or Men, ProfefTors in general in a pro- 
 bationary State, liable tofloine, or not to fhine, 
 to Jiand or fall, to obtain or depart from Diverfi- 
 ties of Gradations or Growths in the quickened 
 and illuminated State ; tlie creaturalizedWiLL, as 
 
 afore faid, 
 
( 1^3 ) 
 
 aforefaid, being ftriftly an ETERNAL, inclof- 
 €d IN atranfient or TEMPORARY Effencei 
 an Immortal, in Union with a Terrestrial 
 Man, as the CANDLE is inclofed ia the 
 CANDLESTICK. 
 
 And the Angels of the Churches, were the 
 angelick Birih^ or regenerated State, viz. 
 The Chofen of the Lamb ; whofe feven-fold 
 Seeing and Perceptibility^ Power and Agency, 
 were the " feven Horns and /even Eyes^ which 
 *' are the feven Spirits of God, fent forth into 
 *' all the Earth." Revel, v. 6. 
 
 That the ever-blefled Humanity of him who 
 Uveth, and was dead, and behold he is alive 
 for ever more, and hath the Keys of Hell 
 and Death, fhould be feen WALKING IN 
 ' THE MIDST of the feven golden Candleflicks^ 
 how excellent the Charader of INTERME- 
 DIATOR between Deity and the Humanity 
 of his Church militant ! And that the Se- 
 ven Stars fhould be poifed, as in his right 
 Hand! How compleatly is reprefented his 
 princely Afcendency and Supremacy over the 
 Church triumphant^ as the abfolute Lord of 
 the REGENERATED HEAVENS, or Myf- 
 tery of the feven-fold Glory and Illumination 
 of the eternal Ajlrum, 
 
 Thus 
 
( 104 ) 
 
 Thus Deity ever doth ad in the Order of 
 the Myjiery \ and in as much as to the Chil- 
 dren of the RegmeratioYiy the faithful FoL 
 iowers of the Lamb, are given the Seven 
 Eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of God, 
 as hkewife the Seven Horns of the Myfte- 
 ry ; fo that which God doeth, is done in the 
 View and Apprehenfion of his Chosen ; and 
 according to our Text, to the INTENT 
 that now unto Principalities and Powers in the 
 heavenly Places, may be known his MANI- 
 FOLD WISDOM : As for Inftance, When 
 they who to the Neglect of their Callings or 
 DilbeHef of a Providence, may have been 
 trufting in Riches, fhall in certain future 
 States of Exiftence, become fo formed and 
 reformed, fined and refined, as to enter the 
 Kingdom, the whole Procefs fhall be ef- 
 fected in the Sight of the Seven Eyes, 
 and by the Agency of the Seven Horns, 
 viz. The Agency of the Creatures, the ccekf- 
 tial, co-effe6lually and co-operatively with the 
 terrefirial and infernal Powers, to the Admi- 
 ration and Thankfgiving of the Faithfd in 
 heavenly Places : — " We give thee Thank?, 
 " O Lord God Almighty, which art, and 
 " waft, and art .to come, becaufe thou haft 
 " taken unto thee ' thy great Power, and haft 
 ** reigned." ReveU xi. 17. 
 
( 105 ) 
 
 To proceed as was piopofed : 
 
 Whatsoever hath a Bfing, is derived or 
 born ofthe^/^m/y, theOnenefs, the Stiilnefs, 
 or incomprehehfible Nothingnefs-of Deity, not 
 that ever there was a Time wherein Deity was 
 unmanifefted, yet thus we fpeak with Referenoc 
 to the Beginnings of Creation. 
 
 This the, UNITY or Onenejsoi the Eternity 
 is a Will^ or Purpofe to become generated or 
 revealed ; J the mil is called GOD : The fVill 
 or Purpofe, being a fingle and uniform Purpofe, 
 doth know its own Defign or Purpofe, vi^^ 
 thar it is a Purpofe fo to become revealed. 
 
 Now every Will confifteth in a Seeking or D^-. 
 fire to do fomething ; but the eternal Will when 
 feeking and defiring ^ndeth nothing but itfelf-, 
 and as nothing but itfetf can he found, it feeketh 
 itfelf in itfelf, and in fuch a Seeking the Will 
 becomes />r^^K^K/.-"— Here is the Beginning of 
 a Somethingnefs ; for every Kind of Defiring con- 
 fifteth in a Drawing or Attra^ion \ fuch Draw- 
 ing, or Artradion, maketh Coldnefs, Darlinefs, 
 and Kardnefs \ the Will:, as aforefaid, is the 
 prime and original CAUSE % and the Magns* 
 tifm is as the necefjary, and ahm pojfihle Means, 
 
 P . or 
 
 t Revealed in a vifiWe and palpable Di%lay of Lifcj 
 Liberty and Agency. 
 
( io6 ) ■ 
 
 or Manner, whereby the IVill flioulJ beo-'m to ' 
 operate:- And i\\t- /idumbrationis the- JiFPtLCT, 
 or Confeq^iience, and mull ever be diftinguiPned 
 from Deity ; Deity is the WILL, or Purpofe 
 that Jongeth to become generated or revealed ; 
 and the Adumbration* is the Beginningnefs of 
 a PoffibiUty thereunto, and the alone Podibility 
 that ever was or' can be. The Magneiifm is the 
 iirjl Form a^ before. 
 
 • II. Nov/ the Umty of the Eternity which con- 
 • tinually defireth^a pleafurable and joyous Ma- 
 nitcRation of itfelf, perceiving that of Necefiity 
 fiik Adumbration is produced by the Magnetifni 
 ol iht firji Forra^ would break and diffipatc fuch 
 Cold-refs^ Hardnefs, 2Lnd Darbiefs ; hence arifeththe 
 'Enmity^ like a Counter -Will ^ or oppofite Motion : 
 The Magnetifm doth hind^ inclofe^ aftringe, and 
 fmit up ; 'yet the Will of xhe Eternity would be 
 ivt^ and at Liberty, and hence- the Rejiftance or 
 Count er^poife, the fecond Form as before j the 
 Root or Bafis, the Ground and Beginning of all 
 Life and Mobility, Power and Agency, in Crea- 
 tures ;• the L''«/(y, as afore faid, is called GOD; 
 and Was there nothing but the Unity^ then all 
 had been an eternal F'acuity and Silence : But in 
 as much as the Unity would become a5five and 
 (Hrring, fo the Magnetifm, or Means, doth confti- 
 tute that which is called NATURE: Was it. 
 
 pofTible 
 * \'iz. The Daikeaiiig, Hardening, i^c. 
 
( 107 ) • 
 
 polTible thatTuch Magnctifm Ihould fubfifl: of 
 'itfelf, then 3.\\ hsid been sl Pkmm -, a Coldnefs^ 
 Hardnefs and Darkael;; fuperceediri^ whatfo- 
 ever can at prefent be ipiagined. The one, viz. 
 thtUm^y, is the Origin of every Kind of Spiri- 
 tuality, Thought^ or Fowfr of thinking •, as the 
 other is the Bafis, Ground and Caufe of every 
 Kind and Degree of palpable, material, and 
 corpufcular Subftances, Thefe oppofite Motions 
 are as a Countei--Poife tO'each other. Whence, 
 
 III, Is produced an orbicular Turning like 
 the Motion of a Wheel; it is thus felt and 
 known in the Spirit, and is thus manifefted in 
 the.planetary Sphere -, for outwardly it is the Stay 
 and Balance of the folar Syjlem, as largely dif- 
 courfed by certain eminent Philofophei-s and 
 Mathematicians,;* and fpiritually this the Firji 
 and Second, f.ibfifting in a Third, is the Union 
 Band: of every immortal Soul-, or, according to 
 Daniel, " It is the- Root of the Tree, as with a 
 " Band of Iron atid Brals." 
 
 K^ tT 
 
. ( 'o8- ) 
 
 It is the Trinity of the diabolic -State, and of 
 the human Soul in the F^ll, which ordinarily is 
 called a Slate of Nature, as diftinguifhable- from 
 Grace; it being that State in which the crea- 
 tural Will doth fubfift as in Selfhood, and bound 
 as by i.ts own Chains •, it being impofilble 
 that the Light of its Fire Ihould otherwife be 
 enkindled than as re-entering by Faith, and rj- 
 concentring with the W LL L of* God's Unity, ^ 
 whence by zxi own Volition it becomes departed 
 and eftranged. Such Re-entering is that which" 
 we ordinarily mean by Converfion : For the 
 creatural Will, as re-concentring with the 
 AViil of the F*ather, by a Ferfeverance in the 
 Fra.ye^' thy Will he done, proceedcth forward in 
 the Order of the feieyi Forms, according to the 
 Jvlyftcry of the fcven-fold Generation and Re- 
 generation of all Beings and Things. 
 
 IV. The Mobility o^ihe third Form, as accele- 
 rated and enhanced, becomes an Extreme' of 
 Sharpuefs and Fiercenefs, as is the firft of a Cold- 
 nefs and Cotnpreffure, and is as a mighty Rend- 
 ing, or thorough Breaking and Conluming, 
 and fpiritually aifordeth a luminous and ma- 
 jeftic Glance or Luftre, in Anfwerablencfs to 
 our temporary Fire : The Fourth is not feparate 
 or diftinit from the Three in One, but it is the 
 TmvVj of Darknefs brought into the- higheft 
 AnguiOi, as to a State of Tranfnutstion ; -that is 
 
 * . to 
 
( 109 )' 
 
 to fay, it is the Enkindlcr of the 'Trinity of 
 Darknefs into a Trinity of Light : The Dark- 
 hefs fpiritiially is Death and Hell ; and the 
 Light fpiritually is, the Light of Life or Heaven : 
 For according to the Language of Scripture, 
 whilft the Trinity of the- creatural Will, in an 
 unconverted State, dwells in Union with the 
 Water and the Blood of the terreftrial Man, the 
 fame is called Death, which Death, at the De- 
 ceafepf theBody, isthenHzLL. So as regaining 
 the Trinity of its own proper Light, in the Con- 
 verfion and Regeneration, fuch the Trinity of 
 Light, whilft in LTnion with the .outward Life^ 
 is called LIFE fpiritually, and at the Deceafeof 
 theBodyftis HhAVEN. 
 
 Thus, when God calleth himklf a. jeakus God 
 and a confuming Fire •, Deut. iv. 24. fuch a Lan- 
 guage is to be underftood with a Reference to 
 Gur StcHes. The Fire is not God, byt it is the 
 Means and alone pffihle Means of his becoming 
 
 creatiiralized \ the Fire may be Darknefs or 
 Light in various Perfons at different Times: 
 The WILL is GOD, wz. the /^7/ of the Eter- 
 nity, the fame being an uniform invariable 
 PURPOSE,- the fame Yefterday, to Day, and 
 for ever. For however in the various Commu- 
 nications of God to Man, it may leem by the 
 Language'of Scripture, as tho' he might be pleafed 
 
 or difpleafed diverfly at different Times j it mufl: 
 
 ever 
 
. ( iio ) 
 
 ever be confidered, that fuch Communications 
 were adminiitered by Men^ and with Relation 
 to our Diverfity of States, the Mutabihty being 
 altogether on pur Fart. 
 
 V. In the Fiercenefs and AnguiiTi of the Fire 
 the Light becomes generated, and in the Glance 
 of the jLiglit (the Brightnefs of the Father'' s Glo- 
 ry) the Might and Strength of the Fire, wherein 
 confifteth the Omnipotency of God die Father, 
 becomes the Omnipotency of: God the Son, 
 even the Omnipotency of an all-efHcient all-con- 
 quering LOVE. Fromthe.Luftre of the Light 
 is generated or diftill'd a pure tranfparent Effen- 
 tiality, called the Water of Life ; it bting origi- 
 nated from the Fire, in Conjun6tion with its 
 Light fmketh downward as it were in 'Return, 
 as the Allay and Fulnlling of its Hunger, 
 and Fiercenefs. " Give Ear, O ye Heavens, 
 " and I will fpeak; and bear, O Earth, the 
 Words of my ' Mouth ! My Doftrine fhall , 
 drop as the Rain, and my Speech fliall diitil 
 " as the Dew •, as the fmall Rain upon the ten- 
 " der Herb, and as Showers uponthe Grafs." 
 
 It could never have been poffible that our 
 Minds fliould'be touched witli.fo fenfible and 
 fubfcantial Delight, as often Time's it is, upon 
 reading tbefe and fuch like Scripture Expref- 
 iions, did 'they not import and comprehend fome 
 
 near 
 
 
' ( III ) 
 
 near and dired Analogy ot /tjfinity fubfiftlng be- 
 tween the Refemblances thus made Choice of, 
 and theinmoit Eflences of the Soul, 
 
 VI. In this the Tranfmutation of the Fire, , 
 the counter Motion of the Jirjl and fecond Forms 
 becomes the Word of divine Power, that was ifi 
 the Beginning with God, and was God, hy which 
 nil Things were made, and without which was not 
 any 'Thing made that was made ; John i. For this 
 the faid countei*' Motion is the Verbum- Fiat^ 
 whereby all Things are modelized and brought 
 into Shape and Figure, and in the Tranfmuta* 
 tion of the Light ifllies forth into a Plurality of 
 Powers, into multiform- Divifibilities and Di- 
 verfities of Life -, in which Scnfe it is the creati^ig 
 Fiat, and the Creatures themfelves the out-fpoken 
 Word;- yet the fame Word is not the Fiat only, 
 whence a Divcrfity of Creations and Creatures 
 do originate, but it is the fpeaking Word, or the 
 inftantaneous, adive, moving Power and Energy 
 of the creaturalized Will : It is the orbicular 
 Motion produced by the counter Adlion of the 
 firft and fecond Forms in the Tranfmutation that 
 fevers the Thoughts, and is xk^- Wheel of the 
 Mind, or the amiable, moving, vital Energy of 
 the Underftanding, which in the Regeneration 
 is called the Word ; and not only the Mover of 
 the Thoughts, but the Modulator and Articu- 
 lator 
 
{ 112' ) 
 
 lator of the Voice, or out- breathing Sound; 
 and as in this Scnfe among Men, it i' the^^^^- 
 ing JVord, fo with the Angels, and Spirits of 
 Che Juft made perfe(5t, it is that Power which 
 didates, modulates, and utters forth the uni- 
 versal SONGr 
 
 VII. Lastly, 'according to the Trinity of 
 Deity, the Seventh is an heavenly MtheVy a 
 ^inEiure^ or md Spirit-, the Breath or Effluence 
 of th^ divine Holinefs, orlgin^d from the Af- 
 tringency or Magnetifm of the firfi Form in 
 the Tranfmutation of the Fire, aqd is called the 
 Holy Ghofi^ in Anfwerabknefs to the Air which 
 is the mtal Spirit of our outward Court : So ac- 
 cording to the Humanity in the Regeneration, 
 it is that which tinftureth the Bloody or chang- 
 eth the Water diftilled from the SouPs Fire, in 
 the enkindling of its Light into an heavenly 
 Blood: — And in this Senfe was it written of 
 Jefus Chriji, that be came not by Water only 
 
 but by Water and Blood j John v. 6. 
 
 But according to Creation, the Seventh ad- 
 mits of being taken in a different Scnfe-, for. 
 here it is not only. the proceeding forth of the 
 vital Spirit^ but it is the Sabbattic State -, the 
 Acquiefcence of the former Six^ in a due Equi- 
 ponderancy or Temperature, wherein each Pro- 
 perty or Form doth rejoice in the other, as in the 
 
 mutual 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 mutual Fulfilling of a feveral Hunger or Defire ; 
 the Laji embracing the Firft^ and the Firft the 
 Laft, as in a circular Play,-— the Seventh con- 
 ^liYxDg oi 2iv\' EJfence or Corporiety, as the Fleili 
 of our mortal Body, is an Ellen ce fpringing out 
 of the Blood, wherein the Myllery of the /even 
 Forms do play as in their common union Band. 
 
 A^. B. That what we have thus repeated is 
 
 but ftill EJlr.y and incompleat, for I.anguage is 
 
 deficient here-, and though we might have been 
 
 more explicit, it matters not, confidering how 
 
 unworthy is the World of the opening Ot luch 
 
 fecret Things. The Mystery is of God, it is 
 
 his Myjlery, and cannot be revealed, but as he 
 
 is pleafed to reveal it himfelf : And wou'd the 
 
 Reader comprehend the Height, and the Depths 
 
 then let him enter into the IVill of the Myltery 
 
 in the Regeneration, fo to comprehend, being 
 
 otherwife impofllble. The Trinity of Darknefs 
 
 fpiritually, is called NATURE; but the feven- 
 
 fold Generation in the Tranfmutation of the 
 
 Fire, is God manifcfted in P'^ature^ as in his 
 
 own proper Kingdom. 
 
 \ 
 Thus the Darknefs is Flell, and the Light is 
 
 Heaven •, the one being the Caufe of the ether, 
 as Fire is the Caufe of Light ; each being di- 
 vided from the other, not in Refped of Place 
 or Locality, but the Diverfity of our States. 
 
 Q^ The 
 
( 1.4 ) 
 
 The fcven-fold, Generation ^of iLverlailino-c 
 and Incormptibles may be called eternal, and 
 of Terreftrials and Tranfitories, temporary Na- 
 ture : Tlie My ?tcry o^ tht Temporary (as afore- 
 iaid) being originated from the eternal Nature, 
 as an intermediate Birth, or materialized State, 
 adidindl: 'and peculia"- Mode of Exiftence pro- 
 ceeded from the Eternal, as an EJjluence, Mcdel^ 
 or Tranfcript thereof. 
 
 We need not be particular here, in fhewing 
 how the many Diverfities of- material Svih?t2LV\cts 
 do originate from the feven-fold Generation ; 
 but may properly obferve, that every Kind, and 
 Degree of animal and vegetable Life upon Earth, 
 is produced and preferved in the Order, and 
 under the Dominion of the temporary Seven. 
 
 For as the Procefs of the Creation, was Day 
 by Day in the Ordef of the /^t;^/?-/?/^ Generation, 
 fo our JJlrum, as aforefaid, is ftridly a Model, 
 or materialized Figure of the myftical Seven : 
 And as the feven-fold Properties, and Move- 
 ilients of all animal and vegetable Effenccs upon 
 Earth, bear a ftnd Relation to the feven-fold 
 Properties, and Movements of the Heavens, 
 fo the temporary Aftrum may very rightly be con- 
 fidered as the Wheel of God's external Provi- 
 dence, bearing Rule over the Day, and over 
 the Ni"ht-, the Times and the Seafons -, the 
 Ebbings and blowings, not only of the Water 
 
 and 
 
( 115 ) 
 
 an i of the y^ir, but the Tempers and Te nper- 
 aments -, even the Thoughts, V/ords, ani Ac- 
 tions of Men. 
 
 The Scripture is not altogether explicit here- 
 in, but at the fame Time* decifive a .' 
 : The Stars are particularized m iwC 
 Moiaic Account of the Creation, ard ftridly 
 regarded by the principal Prophets, both literally 
 and myftically •, and fcarcely ever are mentioned 
 the Sun and the Mocn^ as hereafter to be 
 brought into Sympathy with the Sufferings of 
 Men, but Stars * are mentioned likewife. We 
 have no canonical Authority for the Names rcf- 
 peclivel) of the inyjlical Seven, neitiier of the 
 planetary Seven. 
 
 Yet let it be repeated, that according to the 
 CEconomy of the divine Procedure, an effential 
 and faving Knowledge is ever adminiflered to 
 the World, and Mankind in general, in the 
 Way oi Line upon Line. 
 
 Thus, however we may not have Scripture 
 Authority for the Order of the Seven by Name ; 
 yet, as the Magi and Literati of all Ages do lo 
 unanimoufly agree in calling the Stars by their 
 Names^ who fhail bear Witnefs for God that he 
 is difpleafed, in our daring to fpeak of the myfti- 
 
 0^2 c/il 
 
 * Luek.xxm, 7. Jeelii. lo. Luh xxi. 25. Revet, viii. 12. 
 
,.*»- 
 
 ( n6 ) 
 
 cal Seven, under the well-known Appellations 
 oi xX\t planetciry Seven 1 See the Figure: 7 hefe 
 are tlie Older of the myjlical Seven-, fo alio of 
 x\\c planetary Seven, and of the creation Week ; * 
 
 and 
 
 * .4 fuhfequent Di/courfe, by Way of Dijfertation upon the 
 
 Pajjians. 
 
 It was the Pcirt of ancient Fahulijfs to countenance and 
 piomote a moral Reftitude of L'onduft, from that Senfe 
 wherewithal they were blefled of the Amiabltnefs of Truth 
 znd (^irtue in the Abilratt; and thofe ot the ^^^/•^«'^, p.'.r- 
 ticularly of Greece and J*aly, who as Poe/s, Orators, or 
 Jiijiorians, have claimed the concurring Admiration and 
 EUeem of fucceeding Ages, in their Works fo perpetua'ed 
 relpeC'cively, are confidered by the Senfible as the efpecial 
 and peculiar Inilrumencs of an all-governing Providence. 
 
 Such were thefe, as by a Certain Abitradednefs from 
 Views o{ private Good; had the I'Veal of the Species -SiX. Heart, 
 and according to their feveral Characters were t!ie Appointed 
 of their Day, to whom it was given to take the Lead of 
 the People by a powerful Afcendency over thufe vital Move- 
 ments, the Principles of moral Adion, called Pajjions and 
 jSffeSions. 
 
 Thus Poetry and Oratory fhall prove afFcdnig and enter- 
 taining in Proportion as the Draught be taken from the 
 Life, or at leail be exhibited with every Air c f Probability 
 and Reality ; and is truly excellent in Proportion as a Jiift- 
 jiels, Decency, Dignity and Propriety of Sentiment and 
 Adion be urged and recommended in the End and Aim of 
 the Speaker or Writer. 
 
 The Poet is concerned in dihreating &x\A. pour fraying to 
 his Parpofethat Variety oi Complacencies, DtJlrrJJ'es, Emotions^ 
 Perturbations (however the fame be mod properly defined) 
 whereunto we, as hearing the Image of the Earthy, i Cor. 
 XV. 49. are varioufly fubjeded ; and as aptly approaching 
 the Life, he adeth not beyond his Meaiure, but as rtaliy 
 jrifted with the efiential i.iualiiications of his. ProfelTion, is 
 fure of Succefs in his Endeavours at prevailing more or lefs 
 upon the Mind and Manmrs of his Readers or Admirers. 
 
 And whereas cur Moderns, under the Notion of Sciencty 
 ■ boaft largely of & practical Wisdom, or natural Reli^ 
 
 GiON, 
 
S a turn 
 
 'Ui-y 
 
 L 
 
 urt^ 
 
 V 
 
 ■^1 
 
 •' .'1 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
Siitirrii Jupiter Mars Sol 
 
 Venu5 Mercury Lnita 
 
 S^/i.!f^ar'el/t^-^Wi> ^/(l^ t^t'ees^ Ofui^ 
 
 U a)ia/diyllcM. Be,<M.-jr 
 
 <^y/i^ \.,J€y^t<;n/ a/me SevenStar. 
 ' -^ E 
 
 I y/te^TVeo/- 
 '^c^tre/ aiu^ Sin/ . 
 
 
 LZFE. 
 
( 117 ) 
 
 and how eafy to conceive that the outer Court, 
 the materialized Princedom, ov Dominion oi M^Uy 
 was, during the Continuance of the primitive 
 Sabbath, beatified and fandtified throughout 
 
 by 
 
 GiON, or in the Words of a certain eminent Divine, J "a 
 " moral Philojophy; applying all the oiher Sciences to the 
 *' Bufuiefs and Bofonis of Men ; deducing the Laws 
 •' of our Conduft from our Situation in Life, ai.d Con- 
 " nexions with the Beings around us ; fettling the CEco- 
 '' nomy of the Will and Afieftions ; eftablifhing the Piedo- 
 *' minancy of Reafon and Confcience, and guiding U5 to 
 ** Happinefs through the Practice of Virtue" 
 
 Commiferating the Wretchednefs of fuch Pretenfions to 
 Virtue, a? at Length are become the open and avowed Con- 
 tempt and Ridicule of the profcfTed Infide^, that which 
 biffiy as poflihle Txe woujd intimate is this. That the 
 Paffions and AfFeftions (thefe being but precarious and in- 
 definite Term') do originate indeed from the Order of the 
 myjiical Se--ven: They are, and may be defined, the fe--veral ay.i 
 ivell kncwn Modifications, or States, of the crkaturalizeo 
 Jf'ill, as prejfing onward in the My fiery of a perpetuated Seek- 
 ing : " H. re is the Mind which hath Wiidom," faid the 
 Angel, Rev. xvii. 9. " The feven Heads which thou faw- 
 " eft, are the feven Mountains upon which the U-hore 
 *' fitteth ; and there are feven Kings" (continues he) Ver. 
 10. This Verfe admits of large Explanations, but let it 
 for the prefent fufiice, that the/eve?! Kings, as thus men- 
 tioned fubfequently to the /e'uen Movntains, do unqueflicn- 
 ably refpedl iheje-venfiold S.&tt and Operation, of what we 
 ordinarily mean by Paifinns and AfFedions, njiz. the out- 
 flowing Manifeftation of the fieuen fold Conftitution of the 
 Beafi, in a Series of Words and Aftions, 
 
 For however thefe our Pafiions and AffeSiions be varioufly 
 methodized, n^anaged, and defined, in the View and 
 Eftimation of our modern Schrolmen. they be all compre- 
 hended iu the Circle of the myfiicai St'Vfn ; and as ftnftly 
 adhering to Truth and Nature, are folely reducible to the 
 Oider of the faid myfiicai Seven: Our Willings and Run- 
 nings, 
 
 t Jjr. Smith. See his Difcourfe upon the Converfion rf the 
 K.Tt TV Ame tea' /, and final Fropagaticn of Chrifiianity and 
 tht S cutlets. 
 
■ ( 1.8 ) 
 
 hy the Union, Touchy Thorow^^h -piercing, or In- 
 habitation of Dbl TY, — the moie immt-diate 
 Beantude and Glory of the Temple, f — The 
 Eternal in Conjundion with the temporary Na- 
 ture. ? 
 
 We 
 
 f Temple in the myftlcal Senfe. 
 
 Jilngs, however free, being bounded and circumfcribed as 
 efFeftually as be the Motions of the Planets in their Spheres, 
 ai.d we mi^:^! not mifs the Matter io faying h\ ajimilar 
 Oeconomy. The fe'uen Heads (a"^ above) we i-ntetprei they^- 
 *uen-foU Conftitution of the Mind which hath Wifflom ; the 
 fame bein* that State whicn our Moraiiftb would be inder- 
 ftood to mean by a found Feniper.!!)' nt of Cor.liitution : 
 And would we analze the faid siven-foli> S iate, or 
 iveil k-'iu-ivn Di'verjity nf Stats, or Moiiifications of the crea- 
 turalizedWill in the Fall, c.ieir Order is :i.- foilo'-etli, 'viz. 
 
 I. IN TERti^T ; ? Will, or Dejire t'> do and to he ; to ha^ve, 
 
 and to etijiy . tie I'ame is like a griping, or enclufir.g, 
 a laying huld, an a'trarlino- or dra-wmg imvards. 
 
 II. THE LOVii Or LIBERTY and of POWER; which 
 
 of Cv^urfe ij moft commonly attended with an Affec- 
 tion to Science, the f^me is like a running out-ixard : 
 Here Beneficence and Generofity commence, like an 
 opening of the Fift und letting gc one's Hold : Here 
 is the Enmity or Contrariety ; and hence it i , that fo 
 wonde;ful an rfiCunfillenc Ihall arife in the Will, and 
 in the Deed i>f <:ne and tlie fame individual Perfon ; 
 that for a Time he fhall be intent upon getting and 
 griping, and at anoiher Time as profufe and extrava- 
 gant in Jcatte> ing abroad ; and hence it is that in inte- 
 refted and covetous Pe Tons we f J frequently obferve 
 a contrary Will ; I will and I cao, I dare not, I can- 
 not. From thisCoK«/jr/o//2'of ReftleiTiefs and Con- 
 trariety are generated, 
 
 III. All Paffi .ns and Emotions of the MARTIAL and 
 
 irafcible O^^tx; an impa'ient thirfting after fome- 
 
 ^ViX. great and happy, magn nimous, towering and 
 fplendid : Hence Pride and Ambition, Contempt of 
 Inferiors, vain Glory in SuccefTes, Rage and Remorfe, 
 
 as 
 
( "9 ) 
 
 Wf proceed to a farther Confideratlon of the myfi 
 tical Seven. 
 
 " f am Jlpha and Omega ; (Cd.id one) the Be- 
 J* ginning and the Ending i fear not, I am he 
 
 « that 
 
 88 oppofed Of difappointcd ; thefe three being after th? 
 Trinity of ^\\t dtab$iic State,or unilluminatcd Flag of 
 the Eternity. 
 
 But as the Ettf^al^ in Union with the animal Sou e, 
 IS, during the State of our prelent Sojourning, inkind- 
 ledinrhe rrinity of sl Temporary Light, fo in Anfwer- 
 ab entf* to the Trinity of Spirit Saturn, Jupiter, and 
 J^iari, do we Nombir the Truiity of its Lifk, VenuSj 
 Mercury, and Luna, in the rraDfmuiatibn*— — As, 
 
 I. The VENERAL, and concupifcible Paflions and Af- 
 Jedion«, in Scipiure called the Luft of the Eye and 
 of the Hefti : Jn thefe Jike Fire and Plater, each the 
 Strength and Support of the other, do the Martial and 
 Irafcibie t> omcide and Rejoice as in a Temperament 
 
 ^ Tke f.ovc of Liberty and of Pt^weK in the Tranfmuta- 
 tion becomes more highly gi'aduated, and is th$ 
 PRJDH OF LIFE; an Aquiefcence and de- 
 ligb'Hg in the Honi.urs, Privileges, Splendor and Lord- 
 In., f oi worldly Pomp and Power j and particularly a 
 glo >inc! in verbal Performances, in Wit and Eloquence, 
 Wi. ether vocal or literary. 
 
 ^11. LaCIv is the complcat Worldling j'a T E M P E R A- 
 MEN r, confi(h>g of fuch an Equiponderancy of the 
 Affedion' and Palhonj throughout, as doconfiitute and 
 accomplifh ihepRiKsT, iheAxTORNay, the States- 
 MAN, or Gentleman. 
 
 Here is the Man whofe Happinefs mufl " evidently de- 
 
 V pend upon n^akjng a right EHimate of that Variety of 
 
 V Obje^s wherewithal wc are converfant, and maintaining 
 'S % i EMPERAMENT of Conftiution, lo as to purfu* 
 
 " each 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 ** that llvcth and was dead ; and behold I am al've, 
 " for evermore, and have the Keys of Hcli an<i| 
 " Death :'" This was after his Alcenfun and Gioi" 
 
 •* each of them with a Degree of Force coramenfurve to 
 " their refpedive Values, or Tendencies to f/<L'i?PLB *.suRfe ;' 
 for (continues our Author) " Man being made up oi Boiiy nv^ 
 " Soul, iufiains a double Relation, and is capable of ac'oub'e 
 *' Kind of Pleafure, there being a Variety of Ohjias fuited 
 *' to the Variety of his j^ffcBioxs, PaJJiotiSt and Tempers 
 ** when in their fourd moral '^tate."§ 
 
 Thus have we feen,. as in the Abftradt* fuch a Draught of 
 Analyfis of the Afflcftions as is comprehei:lwe of every Va- 
 riety of fuch Seekings and Propenfiics as do Charaderize 
 the BEAST : they arc the fenjeti Head's of the BEAST, or they 
 are the ft'ven fold State zndi Confticution of the Cbeaturh- 
 LizED Will in the Fail, upon which the WHORE fnteth 
 as upon fe<ve» IMoutituim. x 'They generate, and ar» <^c* 
 
 nerated each of the other, in the Order of the Myftery<and 
 as Interest is the Jlpha^ or Beginningnefs of the Seeking, 
 I it is the Clcfe of that Circle whereof Sei/ io the A lie- 
 
 fo aifo it is the Clcfe of that Circle whereof Seif 
 nation is confidereri as the Center. And as we confider then 
 under the Idea of Kings, they are the outflowing Manifelfa- 
 tion of fuch the feven-fold State (or Povsers) a^ the Beafl, 
 irto a feven-fo'.d Predominancy or Tyranny, and in this Re- 
 fpcft do more immediately come undc the Scripture Ap- 
 pellation LU>*>TS : *♦ picm whcrce come War.«^ atid Fi^ht- 
 *' ings amongft you ? Come they not from hence, even your 
 *' Lufu that war in your Members? Ye lufi and have not j 
 ye kill and defirc to have, and cannot cbtain ; ye fight 
 and war, yet you have not, becaufe you aflc not ; Ye aflc 
 and receive not, becaufe ye afk arriifs, that yc may con- 
 fume it upon your Lxjs T s. Ye Aduhe-ers and AdultrefTes, 
 know ye not that the Friendfhip of the World is Enmity 
 •' with God ? Whofoevcr therefo-e will be the /"/■rVwd' of th<» 
 " World is the Enemy of God, Jamis iv. I, 2. 5 4 
 
 Doth the Batcheltr of yirts giory in the Ability of fcttlinj 
 the CEconomy of the.f^V/Zand Jffeiliom? No Apofllc or 
 
 Prophe; 
 § Dr. Smith \n bit a/oremcniioned Difceurjc* 
 
 «( 
 
 ct 
 «« 
 (< 
 << 
 • ( 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 The Eternity did never begin ; fo the Will of 
 the Eternity, which is God, did never begin to 
 be, neither ever was there a Beginning to a 
 Manifeftation of the Will :, the Myftery of the 
 
 feven-fold 
 
 jProphet of God was as yet ever known to aflame fo largely | 
 neither ever had they the Occafion, the (Economy having 
 been fettled fince the Beginning of the World : Which was 
 this, 'viz. That whilft ignorant of Deily, the true SUM- 
 MUM BONUM, thefe the fetev-fol.i Movements of the 
 Mind IhoLild cotiniially operate upon Extremes, ever 
 clafliing and interfereing Vvith each other ; the lame being 
 diverfly inordinate, not only in different Perfons, but even 
 in the fame Perfon at different Times ; for as conildering 
 them under the 1 dca of K-.ngs, thefe Kings are perpetu- 
 all; at War in our Mem'jers ; they are the Myftery of a 
 feryeiuntcd Seeking (as afoiefaid) a perpetuated Wrellling 
 and F-ghting for the Aicendancy each over the other ; 
 their Movements, whether in Man or Beaji, being corref- 
 pondently fimilar to the Movements of the Spheres, feeing 
 that the " whole Creation groaneth and travaileth to- 
 gether in Pain," tov/ards the promifed Redemption. And 
 whereas whilft our Schoolmenj to the Gratification of 
 fome predominant Inordinacy of AfFctSlion, are imagining 
 " to confult (as they fay) the Conftitution of their Na- 
 ** ture, and by Way of In'vejligation are propofing to dif- 
 V coyer the Duties refalting from a Variety of Connec- 
 *' tion? s and by making a right Eftimate of Things to 
 " frame their Conduft accordingly," herein is moit un- 
 doubtedly inftanced the Poffibility there is that whill^ 
 profeffing ourfelves to be inordinately luife we Ihould iii 
 reality become Fools. Rom. i. 22, 
 
 But fecordly, would we analize the State of the.AfFec- 
 tions, according to odr fsveral and well-known Incrdina-^ 
 ties, and as comprehended under the Scripture Appella" 
 tionKiKGs, they are as follow, 'viz, 
 
 I. Under the Predominancy of a conftitutional Safurr:, 
 4;0VET0U$NESS, and inordinate Com-i<t^/'''^'^> 
 
( 17.7. ) 
 
 fevgn-fold Generation, being co-eternal with the 
 iinfearchable Will : But with Reference to th^ 
 Creatures, the Manifeflation is ever beginning; 
 
 we 
 
 worldly Mindednefs, and Mammonifm, according to 
 its feveral Degrees and Kinds ; commonly attend- 
 ed with Subtility and Refervednefs, and often Times 
 a fordid and malignant Diftruftfulnefs :— — Here is 
 the Mi/er and Mammonifi. 
 
 II. Under the Predominancy of a conftitutional Jupiter^ 
 an inordinate Afteilion to SCIENCE ; perhaps to 
 the Negleft of a reputable CEconomy in domeftic Af- 
 fairs ; an Aptnsfs to ftart into undue Licences of 
 Speech and Behaviour ; a Boldnefs of Sentiment and 
 Imagination ; a vain Glorying in literary Accom- 
 plifhments, or according to a little Variation in the 
 Temperament, Complexion, or Education, an inor- 
 dinate Delighting in Pleafantry, Gaiety, and Sociabi- 
 lity, to the Negledi of our Intevcjls and Duties in the 
 Government of a Family, or Management of our 
 Trade;- and Callings. — Here, inftead of Refervednefs, 
 Subtilty, and Diltruilfulnefs, one is liable to become 
 fooled upon the oppofite Extremes of too open and 
 
 liberal a Communication Here is the Pedant, the 
 
 Libertine, the Infidel, and Bacchanalian. 
 
 ill. Under the Predominancy of a conftitutional Mars^ 
 PRIDE and AMBITION ; fo, according to a vari- 
 ous Temperament, Complexion, or Education, a Li- 
 ablenefs to the various Extravagancies and Inordi- 
 nancies of Angler and Heftntment ; Cruelty ?nd ill 
 Nature.— — Here is properly the Soldier and the 
 Murderer. 
 We have omitted to Number the fourth Form of Fire in 
 
 the foregoing Analyfis ; fo here likeftiTe, it is the Center 
 
 of Tranfmutation, the dividing Mark or Bound; cr it is 
 
 that central Original and caule of Life that animates and is 
 •the i'oa/ of every liv-ing Thing; too incoinprehenfible to be 
 
 known or imagined, otherwifc than by its oxvti Manifejid' 
 
 tion. Again, 
 
 I. Under the Predominancy of a conftitutional Venus, the 
 over BiiNEFiCENl" AlFeftionsj the over Piteous 
 
 and 
 
( 123 ) 
 
 we have onr refpeflive 'Beginnings individually : 
 The hlTences of the Creatures indeed v/ere hicj- 
 lien in God from ail Eternity j but as Branches 
 
 upop 
 
 and Courteous, Lrnj-fufftring and Kind ; as likcwife 
 
 the inoidinacely ViiNERli.\L AfFedions. Here 
 
 is the conflitutionaliy Good-natured, ihe favoured of 
 the Fair, and liable to the Captivities and Knchant- 
 ments of Youth and Beauty. 
 il. Under the Predominancy of a conftituyional Mef-cury, 
 the PRIDE OF LIFE, as before; the Love ol Glo- 
 ry, which in th« Alienation is calhd Vanitv," or vuin 
 Glory ; the Love of Fame and Reputation. P(^i-np and 
 Equipage ; an over- weanngExadt ,eli in t!.ieO derand 
 CEconomy of houlliold Affairs ; an incommenfurate and 
 inordinate Elleem for the Arts and Sciences, { cilled, 
 particularly Poetry and Oratory; ^n ever circuinrpedl 
 Accu-acy (commonly ca'led AiT.datijn) in Maimers 
 and Deportmenf, in Word and G^lhiiC. as well as 
 Cloathine: ; and all in a fhewy and fjperficial Way, 
 to the Contempt of the Indigent, the leis eminett and 
 diftinguifhable in worldly Accompiifhinents, lefs caf-a- 
 ble of bur Refinements, and perhaps more remote 
 from the Means than Capaciiie;; and, what is nioll 
 worthy of Obfervation, to the Negled^of confideripg 
 in others or difcovering in ourfelves, the Miferable- 
 nefs of our fallen EJiale-, or Means of a Reii;mption 
 therefrom. *-— Here is the Gentleman and 7>iock Gen- 
 tleman, viz. the Fop and Man of Fafljhn ; here too is 
 the Scribe and the Difputer oi this If^orld ; the SchAar, 
 the Critic, the Staiejman, tie Peaanty the Peda-^ooue, 
 the modern yirtuofo; and. above ail, the Priej}, and 
 blind Pharifee ; f the Blind leading the Blind ; Mutt. 
 XV. 14. 
 
 Q^z III. Laftly, 
 
 • Hence, according to the Ohfr^vation of the Apofle, not 
 many <zvife, not many mighty, not many n ble after the Fhjh 
 are called. 
 
 t By Pharifee ^ve always mean a Chara£!er, viz. the Pre- 
 eife, the Strid, the Exaii, and Scupulous, merely in CeremO' 
 nials and Superfctah ; hauJng a Form of Godlmef, hut d.ny- 
 ing the PoiAfer ; fuperfcia'ly dsvout, but incorrigibly blind, as 
 to the Spirituality ef the Religion 'iu/j'ch they profefi. 
 
( 124 ) 
 
 upon the Vine, as Shootr or Excrefcences of 
 
 tjie unheginning Effence, our Exiftances are ac- 
 
 . knowledged to have had their refpedbvc Btgin- 
 
 ninzs, 
 
 o 
 
 Thus 
 
 III. Laftly, under Luna, may be confirlered our Aptnefs, 
 Williiigneis, and Volubility at alf changeable Ex- 
 tremes : For, as the Ebbirsirs and Flowings of the 
 Sea are lubjefled to the Doniinion of the Moon, fo the 
 vain Fludluations of our chatrgeable Inordinacies ar? 
 committed to tlie .M-.'vemetrs of the exlernal Provi-j 
 dence : the Btajl being ever liable to more numerous 
 Fonuities and Contmi^encies than the Beafts of the 
 Field, by hovv much his changeable Imrdinaciei are 
 liable to operate upon .i^ore adventurous Extremes. 
 
 It is obvious to obfcrve, that the Volubility of the Paf- 
 fions or Aifeftions, fo called among Men, bear a ftricl Re- 
 iemblance, or indeed, as it fhould appear From Scripture, 
 fome real Analogy to the uridulac-ry Ebbings and Flow- 
 ings of the Ifaien. — -For, as the Vibrations cf the Jir 
 ftial! operate upon the Volubility of the Waters, juft fo it is 
 given us to operate u^on one anotaers Pailions. The ]\ler- 
 ry Atidre-xx) or Buffjon fhall Simulate the PaiTions, and the 
 -Gentry of the l^lieatre Ihall operate^upon the Paffions, par- 
 ticularly the 7nartiai and vnereal, at Pleafure : So that 
 ^lore (ydious Impoilor, \\\e falji l^rophet, we mean the modern 
 Frieji, with feigned Words thall make Merchandife of the 
 People, 2 Pet. ii. 3. by his INFERIOR Qualifications, 
 N. B. in titillating the Paffr^ns : Or, as an Inllrument of 
 the fx/f/vz^/ Providence, in Times of political Struggles, 
 or martial Commotions, according to whatever that Syllem 
 of CEconomy wherein as a Party he may be concerned, fhall 
 ilimulate and agitate the Minds of the Populace,, whilft m 
 the Capacity of Go/pel Minijiery hut [porting^ indeed ijoith his 
 i?TU« Decei-vings ; I Pet. ii. 14. 
 
 And again : Whole Floods of Contempt and Malignity, 
 by Means of the catching communicative Vibrations and 
 Undulations of the PafTions, fhall oftentimes beat upon the 
 Innocent and Well-meaning, as unavoidably as undeferv- 
 cdly. — ^Hence it was that David, when petitioning bis 
 God, had to fay, " Thou makeft us a By-word among the 
 ♦* Heathen, a Shaking of the H^ad ainon^ the People 1 
 
• ( 125 ) 
 
 Thusj however ««^^^/««//?^ the unfearchabk 
 Will, yet the creaturalized Will, as originated 
 therefrom, hath its feveral and refpedive Begin-^ 
 
 iiirigSi 
 
 *' my Confufion is continually before me, and thg Sham^ 
 •^ of sny Face hath covered me, for the Voice of him that 
 " reproacheth and blafphemeth, by reafon of the Enemy 
 " and Avenger : All this is come upon us, yet have wd 
 " not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falfly iii 
 " thy Covenant." Pjalms xliv. 17. 
 
 And, vi'xW %kc fheift , in Reality, the modern Believeif 
 in the Chrifiian Bedemption, in fueh a Circumftance as is 
 thus inftanced, apply to the Frieft, or Batchelor of JrtSf 
 for foihe newly invented System, whereby to fettle THfi 
 Oeconomy of the Will and Affections? Or, 
 with David, will he not rather pray a being faved from 
 the deep Waters ? " Let me be delivered from them that 
 " hate me, and out of the deep Waters : Let not the 
 '♦ Water flood overflow me. neither let the Deep fvvallov/ 
 " hie up J deliver me, becaufe of mine Enemies;" 
 
 •THi Serfible are lenfible (of whatever Age ot Difpeii- 
 fatioh) that the Order aftd Oeconomy of the Paflions and 
 AfFeftions, fo called, were fettled and eftablifhed by thafi 
 Power which hath eftablilhed the ^Faters, even the Wa- 
 ters which are above the Heavens. For, as David ii 
 concerned to obferve, " Them alfo hath he eftahlifhed for' 
 *• ever and ever, and hath made alfo for them a Decree, 
 *' which they Ihall not pafs. Pfahns cxlviii. 
 
 And, 3dly, As proceeding to anaiize the ^i;fn-/o/«/Syflfi? 
 of the CReatUkalized Will in the Regenefation^ 
 then thus : 
 
 I. INTEREST, whereof Derz/y, ' even the unbeginning 
 fVill of the Eternitv , is the Centre : The fame, viz. 
 The crea uralizcd Willing and Defiring to do, and 
 to be, for God ; as partaking of the Vniverfality of 
 Deity, fo it is extended towards the Vniverfality o£ 
 Men, and is csWcd i\iQ Drczving of the Father : No 
 T/ian cometh unto the Son, except the Father draw him. 
 For the Willing and Defiring of the Creature, the 
 Servant, is one with the Willing and Defiring of the 
 Majler. Such the Willing and Defiring of the 
 Creature, as a Branch upon the living Vine, feeking 
 not a private or mercenary Good, but the univerfal 
 
 Good 
 
( 126 ) * 
 
 ffin^fy and progrefllve Manifeftations, ftriftly ia 
 the Order of the fevet; Forms. 
 
 Hence our Lord doth acknowledge his 5^- 
 pnnifj^y frying, Iz^mA^pha-^ for, according to 
 
 the 
 
 GjooA. of One and AI! ; the Glory of GOD, and the, 
 JBrofpcriiy of his Church ; the fams doth confift of 
 an JttraSiing or Drawing, in fuch Senfe as our Lord, 
 upon a certain Occafion, (hould have faid of himfelf, 
 that when lifted up from the Earth, he fhoul4 draw 
 all Men after him. 
 \h A LIVING, unerring, and effential SCIENCE, 
 KNOWING, qr U N D R S T ^ N D I N G j 
 a Pofilbility of fearching and penetrating into the 
 Heighths and Depths oi s\\ Myfteries ; af.afcending 
 and defcending into the real and ejfsntial Knowledge 
 of all Things, human and divine. 
 III. ZEA.L^ y-udgvient, or the Spirit of Judgment and 
 of Burning, in the Neiu fejlarfient, caWsd Spirit, or 
 Spirit that beareth Witness, and Sword of the 
 Spirit, quick and powerful : T hst is, a Difcsrner of 
 • the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. Hebr. 
 iv. 12. 
 
 Thus the Will under Saturn, is defirous ; undcF 
 yupitsr, it is contemplative ; and under Mars, it is 
 zealous and fiery ; as quick, and quicker than Light- 
 ning, in diilinguiniing Good and Evil, Right and 
 Wrong, in every Occurrence ; and is fuch a Dif- 
 cerncr of Spirits, as can inftantly dillinguifli the Pre- 
 cious from the Vile, in all Creatures and Aftions, "and 
 that with divine Infallibility ; as it is written. " He 
 *' that is fpiritual, difcerneth or judgeth all Things ; 
 *' yet he himfelf is judged of no Man." iCor. ii. 15. 
 In the Tranfmutation, this the Strength o{ martial ZeaU 
 commences t^he hidden Subflance, Qr Support, of that, 
 \fhich, in Scripture, is called, 
 
 i, CHARITY, or Divine Lovi-; as the Sharpnefs and 
 Fiercenei*s of the Fire, doth fuftain the Splendor of its 
 own Light : Which Charity until we obtain, the fore- 
 going is found but incompleat ; for, as faid the Apof- 
 tle, " Though I have the Gift of Prophecy, apd un- 
 »« d^rflancj all Myfteriss arid all Knowledge, i^c. 1 Co»» 
 
4( 
 «< 
 
 ( I^r ) 
 
 the afliimed Humanity, as the Son of Man a 
 iQcond Adaru^ he is no more than a Gr^ at/zr^ . 
 But faith he, I ^m Alpha and Omega-, the Begin^ 
 ning and the Endifig.-'-HQVQ we cannot omit 
 to obfervc, that our Alphabet came not by 
 
 ChancC) 
 
 xlii. and have not Charity, I am nothing. Charity 
 fufFereth long, and is kind, bV." See the whol« 
 Chapter. 
 
 It. The SPEAKING WORD; or the knowing and con- 
 templative State brought into an Union with the Power 
 of & vocal Communication ; wherein did ccnfift, in the pri« 
 iniiive Tintie, the Gift ot Tongues as well as of Pro-phecy. 
 111. Laftly, PERFECTION; our R ell and Acquiefcenc* 
 in the Sabbatic SxAxk. " hcyt perft^, even as 
 " your Father which is iu Heaven is ptrfiH f and 
 Hei. iv. 9. " There remaineth therefore a R«st to 
 •* the People of God ; for he that hath entered into this 
 " RiiT, he alfo hath «<?/<•<»' from his own Works, as 
 God did from his : Let us labour therefore to^ enter in* 
 *• to that R*ST." 
 Here is the neiv Jerufalem State, which delighteth in 
 Magnificence, Decency, and Regularity, as to I'empora- 
 ries and Supcrficials, in Word and jn Deed, and in the Or- 
 der and Cgconomy of dcmeAic and ccdefiaHic Affairs, as 
 much as doth the Woildling ; but as in a different State, fo 
 in an higher Tafte, however unperceived by him, * 
 
 7'hv8 however thefethe fevtnfoldMovements of the Mind, 
 be thus rightly analized in the Order of theMyi^ical Senit^, 
 thefaid fevenfold diverfuy of AfFeAions by aDiveifity ot 
 AiTociations and Combinations be as infinitely diverfe and 
 promifcuous in their State and Operation, as be our Lives 
 and Adiocs, our Features, Complextions or Opinions con- 
 Aitutionally diverfified. 
 
 And now as for the Notion' of a Supiritittndant REA* 
 SOK, if the fame be lufHciently authenticated by the TefU- 
 mony of the Scriptures, or in any wife Reconcileable with 
 
 true 
 
 • Whether thtrtfort jott tat tr irlni, or ^ln'jQtfjtr /efl 
 do^ it all 19 fbt Glery •/Qti', i Cor, ;t, 31 . 
 
( 1^8 ) 
 
 Chance, but was born of the Eternity' 
 and that in the Order of the myihca 
 Seven; ,ic is unijGrm in ail Language^* 
 and coniprehenfive of all bounds uttera- 
 
 bie 
 
 true THEISM, it might be well if the certainty of this 
 couli be c'lcovered. IVhirh oj you by taking flought can 
 adi 01" ^ubit to ill Stature ? 
 
 Ft f-rn^s that the End ptopoled in all Modern Syftems 
 of Mo- Ai.iTY aPraaical Virtue, or NATURAL RELI- 
 GION, is in brief that thus there (hould of late have been 
 difcovered a Pofiibility of bscoir.ing Virtuous and happy by 
 /«i/>f; Thought • •; atd in an Ignpyance. N, B, Of 
 
 the Rilafion fubfifting fcetweenGoD and Creatures : And 
 if this bsnot THEISM It is fubmiticd to the Charitable 
 by what other Name than Phiio/cphyt inoite fitly it might 
 be called ? 
 
 The ATHEIST undifguifed might gladly accept of the 
 Means or Opeitunity oJ being rightly informed oJ the Relati- 
 e«asabove: Rut are there unco whom [becaule obuiratelf 
 difdaining the Relation) the Scriptures are become as the 
 "Words of Book that is (ealed, who nevcrthelefs have the 
 bardinefs to undertake an hewing onto ihemfelve a Relaiiau? 
 Thele then are they who fhall dare to Arrogate u>»to them- 
 selves the Name of an high Prcficiercy in a Twofold man- 
 ner of DifcipleChip. * • 
 
 \ HE THIilST however Concedes to a Religion of Rec 
 Jon, or that is founded upxin the Abfolute and Ncceflary 
 Relation?, the fisnefs and propriety, the C or.fiftancy, or 
 Keaionablenefi of I hings,— — "but for the Notion of a Re- 
 fen P K K s I DING OVER or that with any Propriety may or 
 ought be imagined to Prefide onier the Affbc ticks, it 
 icer.i? raiher that the J^.ithr.s, do prefide in one and ail. 
 they appear, as above d fcoud'ed. to be the Skvera £ lzEt» 
 fcxA T i » cr Conditim o/'/Z^t CkEatu RAl, W I L.l.,[ai frej/ing 
 eni<:i.rd rn Aji/itry of a ptrpeiuateti yiaking. 
 
 According to tiic Proceis of the feven-foW Generation^ 
 Knowing and Ptrceptibilty commence in the Enmity that 
 
 aut'eCA. 
 
 * Tke Natural act? -.z^v.^-zi: 
 
( J29 ) 
 
 terable by an human Voice ; It is originated 
 
 from the Language of Angels in Heaven, and 
 
 of Jdam before the Fall. 
 
 There 
 
 arlfeth in the Motion of the/eco»d Form ; it is enhanced in 
 the thir^ and fourth, becomes highly graduated in \ki& fifths 
 ^nAJjxth, and compleated in the Proceedings fourtii of the 
 feventh : Whence according to the Scripta.es this iYitfeven- 
 fold Conftitution of the Beast, be the leven fold Precept- 
 'abilities of the Mind ^bich hath Wifdom. The fiveSenfes, 
 Feeling, Smelling, Tcftcing, Seeing, and Hearing,^ being re- 
 fpedively produced in the Generations of the fecond, 
 third, fourth, fifth, and fexth Forms ; they are fo many 
 feveral and diilind Scnfatiom of the Mind, which in 
 the Regeneration are found anfwerable to a correfpondant 
 Fi've, the Senfations of the Internal Man. And svhereas 
 our IVIoderns have feen meet to diitinguifh Perception, 
 and JuDGMENt. fuch diftinftion is really valid, and yet 
 how contemptably vain and unfcriptural, * as taught in 
 the Seminaries of modern Literature! For whereas v/hen 
 according to the known Rules of Art, we confider the 
 Act of Perceiujing as Prior to our Capacities of Judging, 
 here is then fcarcely any other Ground for fuch a Mode of 
 Piflinftion, than moft undeniably there is for diftinguilhing 
 Prefent and Paft. 
 
 "Thtfitfh Form of Light, (as before) doth fucceed to the 
 fourth Form of Fire ; and as Objedls prefent to the Eye, 
 it is the LIGHT of the M/?:^, N. B. that>^^. The Light 
 of the Body iu he Eye. Matt. vi. 2z. Hsre Perception, and 
 Intelletfion be inflantly exercifed at once. So again v,'i:ilft 
 mine Ear is opened to an oral Difcourfe, my Hearing, and 
 TJnderJianding do inflantly co-operate : and by Way cf 
 Conceflion to the Metaphiiicks of the Schools, that 
 upon my beholding an Objeifi, or hearing an oral 
 Difcourfe, my Judgment for the Prefent may be in- 
 ccmpleat, and that by an Exercife of the Memory in com- 
 paring, and cgnvaffing my former Ideas, I may employ a 
 
 longer 
 
 * Seeing that hy our mofi appronjcdy in the rrMaphificd W^ay^ 
 Perception or Senjation is conjidered as Prior to our Capncitus 
 nf Comparing and Judging, ivkereas if dtler kj ^■^^■' '' ^^■ 
 ■ '■:', Latter, 
 
( I30 ) 
 
 There is no Sound or Breathing whatever 
 without a Vowel \ there be five Vowels in all 
 Languages, neither more nor lefs ; every Y^'^^l 
 is a Part of God^s Name, and in God's highejl 
 
 Nam^ 
 
 longer or a fliorter Time in forming a Judgment, is very 
 freely acknowledged. That I am confcious of a Power of 
 snaking an unlimited Variety of AfTociations and combi- 
 nations in the AbJlraSi \ and that I am capable of RE- 
 FLECTING upon, or of conjidering and contemplating 
 the various Adlions and Operations of my own Mind is 
 very willingly acknowledged. — Thefe feveral Powers are 
 dillinguilhable from an inftant and fenfibie Peneii'irrg, as 
 Remembering is diltinguifhable therefrom, or as my prefent 
 from a fanner Knowing. This is nearly as much as by 
 any Jenjibk Perfpn needs to be conceeded to the Validity 
 of that Science ; which how highly foever accounted of 
 hy the Batch'- Jor of Arts, ' is unworthy of being named. * 
 
 That the Aft of pcrcievin?, and that of comparing an4 
 judging, fhould indeed be fc diilinguifhable each from the 
 other, as oar Schoolmen do pretend, would be lamentable ; 
 and wherefore ? I aniwer, becaufe each Day, every Hour 
 in the Day, as piefeniing the Mind With perpetuated 
 Succeflrons of Novekv, and Variety, contributes ( of 
 Courfe) to cur Happinefs, or the Contrary, in Propor- 
 tion to the RECTITUDE of our injlantaneous Deier- 
 minanons„ 
 
 Our Scriptures do omit tnefe Diflindicns in Manner 
 and Form : But when fpeaking of the Js-ven-fold Confti- 
 tution of the Beast, ihiih, here is the Mind 'which hath 
 Hi/:!:.,,: here i., the Ivliad which hath REASON. 
 
 It appears in the Openings of the M) fiery, thzt Rcajoa 
 Or IntclU^ion, a Capacity of judging, and comparing in 
 the Abtoact, doth accompany the WILL in every State 
 (Js the EYE of its Percept ability ; hence the feijen-fcld. 
 State or C'onllitution of the creatural Wili, in the Re- 
 generation is difcoarfed under the Idea of SEVEN 
 HORNS sr:d SEVEN EYES the SEVEN POWERS, 
 
( ■?• ) 
 
 f^ame are all the five Vowels coiiprehcnded, the 
 fame being composed of the fi-ve^ neither more or 
 lefs lEOUA, the I and the tj are fomewhat va- 
 riable 
 
 and the feven-fold PERCEPTIBILrTlES of the Powers, 
 Perception ^eing altogether the Attribure of the WIlL, 
 
 The Word Rtalon is mod commonly apolied to the Aft of 
 comparing our Ideas irr the Abftraft : Howbeit chefe the 
 fever-fold Powers and Percepiihiliiies cf the Lamb, be in- 
 clufive and comprehenfive of every perceptive and inielledluaf 
 Operation, bearint;, ieeing, feeling, perceiving, knowing and 
 difcerning the many Slates, and Diver fitirs of States ; Beinvs, 
 and Moaes of Being, where^vithal we are converlant ; their 
 Powers, Properticf, Quaiities, i3'c. as iikewile their ma- 
 nifold Allociarions Combinations, Connedllon^, Relations, 
 {^c. whetner intuitively and immediatelv, or by VVav of 
 remembering zViA camparing, in the Abliraft — And now, in 
 a moral Refpcft, it is readily acknowledged thar with Juch 
 as do neither (eek or expeft the Aid of divine Grace, in 
 fettling the CEconomy of their Afjfeftions, one Ntanner of 
 Perceptibility may lo check or correft ano her, as that an 
 Equiponderancy fhali in Meafure be maintained. As for 
 Inllar.ce, when through inordinate C'cvcroufnefs I am in- 
 clined to fteal, \\ may be, that upon deliberating the Mat- 
 ter, my Jo'vial or A/«rOfl/ Senfibilities may over top the 5^- 
 iurnire ; but if Saturn pmch me lo ha'd, that neither my 
 yo'vial Senfibiiiiies of the Shame ani^ Di.lhononr, or my Aiar' 
 ./:<?/, Senfibilities of \.h& Injujiice zn'\ Guilt, (hall prevail to 
 check focb IjicHnation, the pre-dcib-rated Aft becomes 
 executed. to again when inclined towards the Cup ; 
 ji neither my Mattial Senfibiiitics ef that Guilt, and 
 Rtmsrfe that oftentimes fucceed to Drunkenntff, or " 
 that heretofore I may have e.xpe'ienced, or my Saturnine 
 Senfibilities of ihe Expence, fhall prevail to check, or over- 
 balance my prcfent yoTi^Vv/Inciina'ion, or mv Ferienal Saturn 
 ■nini^or Mercurial Propcnfjties, fiiould rot incline mean other 
 Way, then mv Jovial Inclination for the prefent (hall beai Ru!<r. 
 Here is anExercifc of/?//?/?)/?, '. et with whatPropriety can it be 
 faid that Re.'ijon prefides? Wedo all of us exercife Reafon or 
 '^■tntelUBiov, in comparing and canvafHng our (evf^ral Ideas 
 ■ aVid- benSbilities, both paft and prefent j in making oor 
 
 R, ? RdolveE;^ 
 
C ^r 
 
 \ 
 
 y 
 
 riablc in 'all Languages, and by adding an H 
 to the O and the A, we do but give them their 
 proper Breathing, their true and natural Order, 
 
 the 
 
 Refolves, and forming our Dcfigns ; but it is the Affec- 
 tion, moft ailaredly, that leads in one and all univerfally,— 
 As for Inftance, fuppole an A7nbaJ]ader of Cbrift, or one 
 profefling himleif tobe a Minillcr, of the Gofpel, by the joint 
 Concurrence and Approbation of no inconfiderableNumbcr of 
 the Brethren in his aiTuming to preach and publifh a Difcourfc 
 upon the Converfion of the untutored Heathen, fhoald FAIL 
 in hisEndcavours to evince fronr, Scripture Prophecy, that the 
 Truth cf ChriftarAty ftiall indeed be trarsferred to the Na- 
 tives of our J'imerican Continent, by Means of the Sciences 
 Logick, Rhttorick, §Cc. as taught in our prefent Seminaries 
 of Learning: To the Falibility or to the Infalibility of that 
 mighty and diftinguifhing Attribute REASON, {hall fuch 
 Failure be afcribfd ? Or, fuppofing it were demanded 
 whether Reason or Affbction would at firrt have fug- 
 pefled an Undertaking no Icfs prepojhrous than that of an 
 Endeavour to peifwadc the People of PennCy>'vama, that ac- 
 cording to the CEconomy of the divine VVifdom and Provi- 
 dence, it is in any wife likely that our Inaiam fliould ever be- 
 come benefited by our Endeavours to propogafe among them 
 fuch a Chrt(\ia7nty as is ordinarily held forth amonglt our 
 felves : Shail the Vanily or iMfflcacy of a DKcourfe thus 
 preached and printed, be afcribed to the InefFicacy of REA- 
 SON ; or rather, fhall it be akribed to the Vanity and /«. 
 t^.cacy of a leading and predominant AKFECTION, a con- 
 demnable Mercury, fufnce it that fafely one may venture fo 
 fay aCONDEMNABLE Mercury, an highly cbftrufive felf- 
 ♦ fufiicient * and Jnordinatelycondencinabre Inordinacy of 
 AfFertion to he jeen of Men, Watt. 3, 20. He that hath 
 an Earto hear, let him hear, 
 
 * In one particular Inftance the Produflions of \hc fal/e 
 Prephtt are compared to the Fn/it of a Tree, nxhofe Fruit 
 tivfthereth <ivithettt Fruit, the Tree tivice dead and plucked 
 vp by the Roots. Jude i, 12, See the aforementioned Dif' 
 (ourfe, preached by our faiH Author, bejore a Ccn^jention of the 
 American Epifcopal Clergy in the C^rpacity ef Prefident, and 
 Fublijhid At tbiir joint Requcfi^ 
 
( >3? ) 
 
 the Order in which they ought to be placed, be- 
 incr I E O U A, as above ; or according to the 
 Breathing and right Pronunciation thus, lEHCUAH. 
 
 IS 
 
 Ts it Beafott abRrafledly that inclines ere Man to the Stu- 
 dy of the Sciences, ard another to the Management of Sheep 
 and Cattle ; that inclines one Man to a publick, and another 
 to a private Life. &c. or lathcr to ilie A-pcininiert of 
 God, in the original Frame and Conftituiion of the Will 
 and Afleftions ? Shall it be afcribed that an unlimited Di- 
 vesfjty of Inclinations, Tempers and Conftituticns, (hall fo 
 harmonize together as they do, in a Divcrfity of Employ, 
 ments, to the Upholding of a regular CEconcmy in human 
 iAfFairs ? FeafoK or InteUeftion, (in fhort) is the Jttrikute of 
 the WILL, and irflantly cooperative therewith, as ihe 
 EYE of its Perceptibility.X And as is the State or Ccrfiitu- 
 tion ot the creatural Will, whether in the Fall or R« No- 
 VATioN, fuch is the State of hi Rta/on or IntelU^io^—— 
 Thus, " The vile Perfon (hall fpeak Villany , and his Heart 
 *• will work Iniquity : The Irflruments alio of the Churl 
 " are evil ; he dcvileth wicked DeTices, ^c. l/n. xxxii. 7. 
 " and the Liberal devifeth liberal Things, and by liberal 
 •* Things he fhall ttard," Verle 8; for into whatfoever 
 State or Employment the Will eniereth, thither do our Fer- 
 teptibilititi accompany us : ^; An^ it is fc'ely the Preferce 
 and Providence of God that prelerves the CEconcmy ;— -that 
 revealeth his Myfteries to Babes, and that laketh the Wife in 
 their own Craftinefs. 
 
 And »n RefpeA Of the OEconvmy, bow hardly fhall one 
 forbear toeniargeyet farther ? 
 
 We have confidered the fever fold Movements of the 
 AfFeftions as committed to the Movements of the Spheres, 
 or planetary Hewvtn : Not that our Mind* are thus (ub. 
 
 jcded 
 
 ■Jl/i Ferceivhignefs, or Difcernment. 
 
 5 yfm 1 n Sheep-flexler, tr covetous ? A'y Reafon mu{i 
 tinetoubtediy co opiratt ivith tke Affe(\\on, yim 1 'verjeJ in the 
 ScUticfs Lofick in particular ? An AiFedlicn to\fucb Learning 
 muft hat'e prompted my ^-icquifititTis. ^'itn 1 angry ivith rrry Bro' 
 thtr ? My Reitfcn co c^erateif tht'' arg'j wuhout a Crale. 
 
f '34 ) 
 
 If Y be fubftlmted for an T, then thus Y E H OU A. 
 But according to the Changeableiiefs of th« I and 
 fhe U in the ordinary Pronunciation, thus JEHO- 
 VAH. 
 
 jeSed to the Movements of the Spheres, in (o abfolutc s 
 Senf? as is the ?F;W and ly/ather, but to a like Flufluati- 
 on, and fimiiar Contingencies. In this Scnle it is, that 
 thefe the fenjen-foU Movements of the AfFedions, in Scrip- 
 ture are difcourfed of under the Idea of JVaters, as afore- 
 faid. 
 
 And, whereas the Pfalmlft fo freqaently did pray a Be- 
 ing eftablifhcd upon the Reck ; a Beint; laved from the IVa- 
 te'-si and preferved above the IV^aters : It is alfogcther ob- 
 vious to the Senfible, that his Meaning was a Being efta- 
 "blifhed and prefsrved above the Movements of x\\q external 
 Providence ; the communicative undulatory Movements of 
 the Paflions, or feven-fold State of the external Man. 
 
 We are all of us Senfible, more or )e(s, of the Evils and 
 Diftreffes of this prelent World, and that which Chriftianity 
 propofes, is nothing lefs than a real and experimental Par- 
 taking of fuch a Salvation, as David thus fore fa sv and 
 
 prayed for in the Faith ^ ^<;iz. zhemg favcd from tht 
 
 deep Waters; which Salvation (as aforeCaid) is \eTy ire- 
 quently dKcou.l'ed in Scripture, as of a Building, or being 
 
 built upon a /?of^, particularly. Maft. vii. 24 28. and 
 
 Mitt. XVI. 18. And as examining into the Nature of this 
 Sahation, it appears that there is not any other Means 
 of being preferved, or eftablifhed above the feven-fold 
 State and Operation of thefe IVaten, as above, than that of 
 cur Dfmg to the Bestial Sta'ih:! Which dying conftfteth 
 not in barely confenting to the 7'rtt/>&o/ Chrijlinity^ (but con- 
 firteth as weareCrediblv infofmed)in an aftual putting ofFthe 
 old man with his Deeds ; Co/Z.iii.Q. a beinij/;^//;::.'^ intoChrift; 
 or a being ^M'?^'*' mith him by *' Baptifm into Death, in Order 
 •* that like as Chrift was raifcd from the Dead, by theGlory of 
 •• the Father, even fo we^fliould walk in Newncfs of Life," 
 Jiem. vi. 3, 4. This' the Myllery of the Do/} is the 
 
 My fiery 
 
 \ Cal- V. 24. Gal. ii. 20. I Cor, U 18. G;?/. vi, I4. 
 Jtcm, vi. 6* I Cor. i. 23, 1 Cox. ii. 2. 
 
( '3f ) 
 
 " BlefTed 1? the Man who walketh not in the Counfcl 
 *' of the Ungodly, nor ftandeth in the Way of 
 ^* Sinners j nor fitteth in the Seat of the Scornful ; 
 
 Dut 
 
 ftvftery oF zn htermtdiaiion, or Coming-between.. 'Un- 
 
 dcrltand it thus. 
 
 That our fcvcn-fold State in the Renovation, njix. the 
 ftven Horns and fc'vett Eyis of the Lamb, according to the 
 foregoing Analyiis, becomes revived in the Internal^ no 
 othervvife than as the correfpondcnt Se<ven, 'viz, the fcvcn- 
 fold Inordinaces of the external Man become voluntarily 
 
 facrificed, or fubmittcd to the Death of the Crofs. By 
 
 fuch Sacrifice, Oblation, or Submitting^ we would be under- 
 
 ftood to mean a voluntary ReJJignation, or giving up of our 
 
 M'ill, to the //^'/V/of the Father, according to the Example 
 
 of our Lord, and the Tenorof the New-Tcflament Doc- 
 
 line; which voluntary Oblation is that which was typified 
 
 by the Z,^a/;V/Vtf/ Ordinance?, and is realy a Death or Dying. 
 
 For however the Body diech not, neither rileth with Chrirt, 
 
 or (hall rife but at the general Refurreftion, yet the WILL 
 
 being the Enj. the Original, the Support, andCAus«of 
 
 Life, fuch voluntary Oblation is in Stridlnefs z. Dying', it is 
 
 the fhrinking or falling backward of the Will, at into a No- 
 
 thingntjs or Nonentity ; and it fuch a Dying, as, was there 
 
 not a Re'viving in the internal Man, would be even DEATH, 
 
 •ccording to the common Acceptation of the Word. It is 
 
 fuch a Dying, as to the Accomplifhcd and Profperous in the 
 
 Gratificationf of the preient Life, is more formidable than 
 
 Death itfelf; And was it not the Terms of our obtaining 
 
 Life eternal, might be thought upon with greater Reludiaace. 
 
 It is fuch a Death as cannot be fubmitted to, but by Faith, 
 
 and under the ftrongcft CoRviftions and Affurances, that 
 
 indeed it is tht alone po^l/e Means and Condition of our 
 
 being faved : And moreover, fuch a Death as what ever be 
 
 the Promifes anr\excd thereunto, wc fcarcely ever become 
 
 willing to embrace, until by an Experience of our own, 
 
 we become fenfible of our prefer.t Vanity. 
 
 But to proceed, I fay we may jnot become internally re- 
 vived, but as dying Step by Step tj the sxttrnal Life, 
 
 I. We 
 5 Uth. ixth, 25. xiith, 4. 
 
( H^ ) 
 
 ** but his Delight is in the Law of the Lord.** (/?) 
 " Draw ye nigh unto God/' ( as was the Saying of 
 antienc Times) " and he will xlraw nigh unto you j 
 
 believe 
 
 (a) Pfalm. I, 
 
 I. We may not become jntfejieii in the Gofpcl Promifes, 
 as the *' Heirs of God, and joint Heirs wkh Chiillj" 
 Rom. viii. 17, until firft we become facrificed or cxi' 
 
 cified to the IntereJJs ; of Flefh and Blood : Hence, 
 
 cording to our New-Teftament Doftrine, the firit . .:p 
 is to fell all. in Order that we naay have Treafure ia 
 Heaven ; as Inftance, AJark x, 21. ipiritoally to be under- 
 ftood in Reipecl of the State of our AfFeflions. ^ 
 
 II. Ic Is impofiible that we (bouM be intitled to xhTitJfifdom 
 which is from above, until in like Manner w» become cru- 
 cified to iticl'Pif.icm which is of AJen : Hence, according 
 to our New Tedament Doilrine, *' if any Man among 
 •* youfeemeih to be wile in this World, let him become a 
 Fool that he may be wife ; for that wi.h God tlie Wifdcm 
 of this World is Foolifhnefs ;" i Cor. iii. iS, 19.. 
 
 III. It IS impofiible that v/e become ^if-ed with the S^vori 
 of tht spirit, or that really we (hjuld triumph in the 
 Warfare Ki\ the Lainh, until utterly reROiincing and dy- 
 ing to the Ficrcenefs and Cruelty of our own Tempers; 
 until we lav down the carnal Sword, the Inftrun^ent 
 of the external Providence ; and efpecially until we be- 
 come crucified to a falfc Zeal in Religion. For let 
 it ftriftly be obferved how diftingjuifhabic the S%vord 
 cf the Spirit, from the accuftoned Rant of the 
 Hireling Pficft. The faithful Difciple refpe^eth neither 
 Perfons v.ox Parties, but convifteth of Evil for the EviPs 
 Sake ; Whilit right or wrong, it ts the Part of the Jccu- 
 
 jer to accuje.^ — The Gifted in difcernirg the Thoughts 
 and Intents of the Heart do adminider their Cenfurej and 
 Rebukes, no otherwife than as the fame become reallj due; 
 And • ** Miikatl the Arch Angel (laith Jude) when 
 
 con;er.ding 
 
• ( 139 ) 
 
 ' V.> ,tPr, that bpraei^ forth his 
 
 dinners, beiif/e in the Name, and in all Ihing* 
 confide in that NAME wherein is everlafting 
 
 STRENGTH. 
 
 Cl>J James iv. 8. 
 
 ** with the Devil about the Body of Mo/es, durft not 
 *' bring againft him a railing Accufation :" But thefe," 
 continues he Ver. lo. referring to the oppofite Cha- 
 rafter, " fpeak Evil of thofe Things which they know 
 " not, but what they know naturally as brute Beads, 
 ** in thofe Things they corrupt them felves.— Woe 
 •' unto them for they have gone in the Way of Oain, 
 *' and ran greedily after theError ofBaaiam for Reward, 
 ** and perifhed in the Gainfaying of Kore.'" — See an 
 Exemplification of the former, Mat. xxiii. Chapter, and 
 an Inftance of the latter. Mat. xxvi. 65. — Thus far 
 as to th6 Trinity of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars ; the 
 like is to be underftood Qi Venus, Mercury, and Luna, 
 in the Tranfmutation. 
 
 Now, as " confulting the Conftitution of our Nature, 
 •* and finding ourfelves in every Purfuit, aftuated by the 
 *' Defire of Happinefs, and determined to account every 
 *• Thing more or lefs valuable, as it contributes more or 
 •* lefs to that End," ^ we are inclined to imagine that 
 Happinefs muft confift in the Gratification of our feveral 
 AfFedions : But, as adhering to ftrift Epicurianifm, which, 
 whether preached and printed, recommended and enforced 
 by Clergy, and whole Con'ventians of Clergy, as the ac- 
 knowledged Bajis of their Principles or not, we are moft of 
 us apt enough to do : — We find by Experience, that the 
 Demands of our Appetites are unappeafed by Enjoyment j 
 and what is equally worthy of Obfervation, una'voidably 
 embaraffed and difappointed in the Purfuit ; becaufe ac- 
 cording to the CEconomy of the external Providence, Inte^ 
 reft is oppofed to Intereft, Science, to Science ; Sword, to 
 S-word; the Fenerial and Mercurial A ffe(\ions, each rivaling 
 the other in like Manner ; and not only fo, but Intereft is 
 oppofed to Science; Science, to the Snvord ; the Martial, to 
 the Venereal AfFeftions, ^c. according to all poffible Con- 
 
 S tingencie* 
 
 f Dr» Smith, 
 
* ( 13^ ) 
 
 « but his Delight Is in the I 
 
 " Dravijve^jl'pli unto God," thou be *' vtidden 
 
 ••* from the Pride of Man, and pfelerved from 
 " the Strife of Tongues." (d) and flialt be 
 '' like unto the Tree which is planted by the 
 
 " Rivers 
 
 (c) Ifa. xii. 2. (d) Pralms xxxi. lo. 
 
 tingencies and Variabilities, interchangeably and promif- 
 cuoufly, throughout all temporary A^'airs; a wiRied for 
 Succefs and Gratification \x\/ome, confilting in the Difap.- 
 pointnicnt;) and Aggrievanc.es oi others, 
 
 Hejice it is that we become acquainted with the Vanity 
 of Time, and as we enter into a real Converfion through 
 a Fahh in the redeeming Power of an omniprefent Good, 
 the Procefs of they^x-^* Times is forwarded and elrecled, by 
 Means of the feven-fo]d Movements of, the external Provi- 
 dence, by Way of a fe-uen-fold Series of Temptatinns and 
 Psrjecutions. — Thus according to the foregoing Analyfis : 
 
 I. As the Convert becomes willing to die to the Inordinacy 
 
 ot the Saturnine AfFeftions, for the Sake of an Intereji 
 in the redeemed State, and Trea/ure in Heaven, it is 
 the Part of the external Providence to promote fuch his 
 V/iliingnefs, in fo oppofing to his, the Interells of 
 ethers, that by an experimental Senfe of the Vanity 
 and Uncertainty of worldly Profperity, he may thence 
 become ftrengthened in the Renewednefs of his Af~ 
 feftions heavenwards, and Confidence in a Treafure 
 which the Moth corrnpteth not, or is liable to the For- 
 tuities of the prefent fiuduating State of Things. 
 
 II. As laying afide his Books, retiring from Company, and 
 • ceafing from the Wanderings of a 'vain Imagination, 
 
 in a total Renunciation of his former Wifdom ; that 
 he may be induced to fupplicate the Direftion and 
 Prefervation of that Wtfdom which is from above ; by 
 the Movements of the external Providence he fhalllje 
 iBocked, derided, and difefteemed by one and all; for here- 
 by it is, that the knowing of the beflial State becomes 
 fevered and diilinguiihed from that other State of yfaoau- 
 ;«c> which by a iteady Perfeverance in feeking and 
 )• nocking, at Lcnf;th becomes opened unto him. — Here 
 commences, in fome Sort, his iejlimony ; yet, 
 
 III. He 
 
( 139 ) 
 
 " Rivers of Water, that bringeth forth his 
 " Fruit in its Seafon; thy Leaf iliall not wither, 
 " and whatfoever thou doefl: fhall profper. The 
 " Ungodly (as it is written) are not fo^ but are 
 
 " like 
 
 III. He fhall not become gifted with the Sword of the 
 Spirit, but as exercifed in a Series of powerful Oppo- 
 fitions, and daring Infults, proceeded from thesFitrce- 
 nefs and Malignity of a diabolic Mars, the Accufer 
 of the Brethren, that diftinguilhing Species of Rant or 
 railing Accufation, which in every Age is the fure Cha- 
 rafterilHc of the filthy Drea/rxr ; J,ude i. 9, lo. or as 
 it may be from the fecret Counfel of the Wicked, or the 
 invenomed Arrogancy of flanderous Tongues ; Pfalms 
 Ixiv. and Ixxiii. 
 Here let it be carefully noted, that however the internal 
 SOL becomes fully revealed, but in Anfwerablenefs to the 
 folar Light upon the fourth Day ; Yet as in the Procefs of 
 Creation, fo likewife in the Regeneration, it is by Means of the 
 Light fhining in the Darknefs, that we at firil become cap- 
 able of diftinguiftiing Good and E--uil, and whereby we are 
 conduced thus Step by Step, from one Degree of Grace to 
 another; for N. B. the Light Jhineth in Darknefs, but the 
 Darknefs comprehendeth it not.; John i. 5. that is to fay, it 
 is the L/jf-6/ fpiritually that maketh manifef; Eph. v. 13. 
 that convifts us of Evil, affords us clear Apprehcnfions, 
 i^c. whilft the Creature Is unable to comprehend '\t, pchervvife 
 than by fuch its o-ivn Manifefiatlon. — Again, 
 
 I. He fhall not be entitled to a diwne Venus, in Scripture 
 
 called Charity, until with Jofeph (as it may be) he 
 Vithiland the Temptations, and becomes crucified to 
 the External. — Neither, 
 
 II. To a divine Mercury, in the Gift of Prophecy, or of 
 
 Tongues, until firft the natural Volubility of the Tongue, 
 that little Member, be inured to the Bridle : — If any 
 Man offend not in Word, the fame is a pirfeSi Man ; 
 James iii. 2. Either, 
 
 III. Laftly, is that PEACE which was promifed the faith- 
 ful, to be given as the World giveth ; John xiv. 27. 
 or that REST (which is the fame Thing) ; Matt. xi. 
 
 ' 28. that was promifed to the Weary and heavy Laden, 
 
 S 2 other >vife 
 
( HO ) ' ' 
 
 " like the Chaff which the Wind drivethaway; 
 *' therefore fhall they not ftand in the Judg- 
 ** ment, or Sinners in the Congregation of the 
 
 *' Righteous j . . ' '" ' 
 
 " ' " . f r ■ 
 
 *< 
 
 ' • The 
 
 otherwife obtainable than through the Procefs of a 
 /e'ven-JbU Gra.dB.tion, as above. 
 
 Thus we read that IJhmael was a Mocker, and Efau a 
 Perfecijtor ; and as then, " he that was born after the Flejh, 
 *' perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even fo it is 
 now ; Gal. iv. 29. Whence it appears, that fuch the mif- 
 terious Workings, and Co-workings of all Things together, 
 that (o far as we embrace the prefent Opportunities of lay- 
 ing hold of a pradlical Religion, the E-vil among Men fhall 
 be found entirely fubfervient to our Advancement in the 
 higheftGood ; as it is written, " WE KNOW, that all 
 '* Things work together for Good, to them that love God ; 
 •* to them who are called according to his Purpoje ;" Rom, 
 viii> 28. 
 
 And whereas in all Kinds of Strifes, Contentions, or E- 
 mulations merely human, the Weaker muft fubmit to the 
 Stronger and more Powerful ; whilft the moft Powerful of 
 all do triumph at the greateft Hazard, and in the moft im- 
 minent Dangers ; not fo in the other Kind of Warfare ; for 
 let the Faithful be affured for their Encouragement, that 
 as fteadily they perfevere in a right Faith and Rejignaticn, 
 fuch the aftonifhing Wifdom of God, in having comf)afred 
 the Waters with Bounds, it is impoffible their Enemies fhould 
 ever prevail againft them ; or into whatfoever Straits or 
 Difficulties they may fall, that ever they fhould be difcon- 
 certed, afhamed or confounded : f ** Let not mine Ene- 
 •* mies triumph over me : Yea, let none that ijoait on thee 
 •' be ajhamed •" Pjalms xxv. 2, 3. For as with Chriji upon 
 Earth, it was impoffible that the mofl fubtil of the Scribes 
 or Pbarifees fhould enfnare him in his Words, becaufe he 
 
 knew 
 
 ■f Unlefs it be, for a Time, as a Trial of their Faith, in 
 Order thqt in the IJfue they may thereby have'gained the greater 
 advantages. 
 
( 141 ) 
 
 The Name^ as above, confifteth of THREE 
 diftindt Sounds^ or Modulations of the Voice ; 
 comprehending the whole Myftery of God in 
 Trinity : So the Alphabet at large (as aforefaid) 
 
 IS 
 
 knew their Thoughts and the Intention of their Minds in 
 endeavouring fo to do, even fo it is with the Redeemed to 
 this Day : They, in gradually obtaining a Viftory over the 
 Beaji, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the 
 JVaw^^rofhis Name; Reu. xv, 2. become enabled there- 
 by to compafs all his Thoughts, his Powers, and PofTibi- 
 litie« of Adlion, as with a Span ; being isore intimately- 
 acquainted with every Motion and Operation of his Mind 
 and Thoughts thanhimfelf: Whilft he that thus judgeth 
 or difcerneth is judged of no Man." i Cor. ii. 15. 
 
 Thus the Faithful, a.s duly perfevering in their fevicral 
 and refpedlive Callings, may depend upon a perpetuated 
 ViSlory, which at Length fhall confill in ngthing" lefs than 
 an O-vercoming of the World: — " Whatfoever is born of 
 *' God overcometh the World ; and this is the Vidory 
 ** that overcometh the World, even our Faith ;" John v. 4. 
 Here is the being preferved above the Waters, and the alone 
 Prefervation that is poffible : — Not that by a Perfeverance 
 in the Faith we become void of Affeftion, but as the feven- 
 fold Movements of the beftial AfFedions, be fubjedled to 
 the (Eeconomy of th« Temporary, fo as dying to the Tem- 
 porary, by a due Perfeverance in the Faith, we become 
 fwayed by the Movements of the ETERNAL HEAVENS. 
 — And whereas /^/fr^y? Hands oppofed to Inter eji ; Science, 
 to Science ; Szuord, to Sivord, &c. in the Fall ; not fo a- 
 mong the Brethren of the A^e-xv Jerufalem State; for here 
 Inter eji correfponds with Interejl ; Science, with Science ; 
 Zeal correfponds with Zeal; and Charity, with Charity, 
 and that by a Sympathy inviolable to all Eternity : 7ejii- 
 mony, with 'Tfjlimony ; Prophecy, with Prophecy ; unexempt- 
 ed indeed from a Diverfity of Gifts ; i Cor. xii. but freed 
 from the Strife of Tongues ; Pfalm xxxi. 26. the External 
 being delivered from its Inordinacies by fubmitting to the 
 Internal^\n\i ; this the being fwayed by theMovements of the 
 eternal Pro'vidence, is thatfame which certain of our Moderns, 
 called Enthufiafts, would be underftood to mean by a being 
 led and guided by the Spirit : Our being fo guided is in- 
 
 vifible 
 
, ( H2 ) 
 
 is proceeded from the Alphabet divine, compre- 
 henfive of the whole of that infinite Plurality of 
 Sounds, that are, or can b*e uttered in the Hea- 
 venly Places. 
 
 Hen 
 
 CE, 
 
 vifible and incomprehenfible to the Beajl In his unconvert- 
 ed State ; yet, as certainly as the Bead in the Fall is float- 
 ed and borne about by the undulatory Fluftuations of the 
 beftial AfFeftions, as upon the Waves of a tro'ubled Sea, 
 fo certain it is, that the Vibrations, or undulatory Move- 
 ments of the feven-fold Diverfity of AiFeAIons which we 
 experience in the new Jeru/alem State, do correfpond with 
 the Movements of thofe Waters nvhich God hath ejiablijhed 
 for euer and ever; Pfalm cxlviii. even the Waters X^azx. be 
 above the Heavens ; and in this Senfe it is that the Eled are 
 preferved as in the Hoiloiv of God's "Hand; Ifa. xl. 12. thgt 
 they are entitled to the Protedion of the eternal Providence, 
 in fo much, as that according to the Letter of the Text, the 
 fvery Hairs of their Head are numbered: For as inftantly con- 
 duced by fuch fecret Providence, they efcape an Infinity 
 of Contingencies and Fortuities whereunto the Beaji is li- 
 able. * Thus Efau Ihall perfecute Jacob (the called) to the 
 Extent of that Power which is given him ; yet the Conduft 
 of Jfrael (the eledled) fhall no Man arraign his Path, being 
 a Path which no Fonvl knoixieth, and which the Vulture's Eye 
 hath not feen. — " The Sinners in Zion are afraid, Fear- 
 *• fulnefs hath furprized the Hypocrites ; Who among us 
 *' ihall dwell with devouring Fire, who among us Ihall 
 *' dwell with everlafting Burnings ? He that walketh righ- 
 '* teoufly, and fpeaketh uprightly : He that defpifeth the 
 
 '* Gain 
 
 • That the external Man Jh all in any Zt ate he entirely ex- 
 emptid from Contingencies, or a Liablenefs to Accidents or 
 Fortuities, may not he afferted ; hut as caught up into the Wheel 
 of the eternal Providence, that any Kind of Fortuities Jhall 
 deftroy his Peace, or that ever he Jhall become fo entangled in 
 his own Conduft, or enfnared by the Sublilties of the Enemy, 
 as to be reduced to the NeceJJity of fpeaking or ailing Incon- 
 liftencies, or to the NeceJJity of fpeaking or ailing Ignobly or 
 diflionorably, njue may very fafely deny, as being altogether 
 impoflible, /» Cafe he be faithful in perfevering to the End, 
 
( 143 ) 
 
 Hencf, as the A, and thfe O, * the Begin- 
 ning, and the Ending, do conftitute the HIGH- 
 EST CHARACTER whereof we have any 
 Knowledge •, Co ncijther were their Figure the 
 • Produd 
 
 • Rev. i. 8. 
 ** Gain of Opprcffors, and fhaketh his Hands from holding 
 " of Bribes," l^c. If a. xxxiii. 14, 15. ♦* He (hall dwell on 
 " high, his Place of Defence ftiall be the MUNITION of 
 *' Rocks. Bread fhall be given him, and his Waters fhall be 
 •* Jure ; Ver. 16. Look upon Ziow, the City of oar So- 
 *' lemnities ; thine Eyes Ihall fee Jerusalem a quiet Ha- 
 * * bitation ;" Ver. 20. 
 
 Look now upon the Charafterifticks* of the true Church 
 militant'. Rev. xii. I. How anCwerable to our Doftrine of 
 the LIGHT, that central Irradiation the eternal SOL ; — 
 that the Woman fliould be cloathed ivith the SUN : And 
 how anfwerable to the Tenor of our prefent Difcourfe, that 
 (he likewife Ihould be defcribed as having the Moon under 
 her Feet ! For the Moon, as thus mentioned, refpefts the 
 feventh znd la&. o^ the planetary fe'ven, and is meant of the 
 Moon and its Primary, -viz', the World, and all voorldly Af- 
 feiiicns. How anfwerable fuch Defcription, I fay, to the 
 correfpondentDodlrine of 2ihtmg f referred abofue the Wa- 
 ters, and of o-vercoming the World. " Thefe Things have 
 *• I fpoken unto you, that in me ye might have Peace : In 
 *' the World ye Ihall have Tribulation, but be of good 
 ** Cheer, Ihaxe overcome the World ;" John xvi. 33. — And 
 let the Reader be entreated to compare thefe the genuine 
 Charafterifticks of the true Church militanf, with the oppo- 
 fite Charafterifticks of the myfiical Babylon (our nominal 
 Chriftendom) Rev. xvii. She likewife we find difcourfed 
 under the Idea of a WOMAN : In Refpedl of her profef- 
 fing fo avowedly the Name Chriji, whilft ignorant of the 
 true fuixmum bonum, and even void of that FAITH which 
 properly is Faith in the evangelic Senfe : She is called the 
 GREAT WHORE. And by Reafon of the pernicious Ef- 
 feds o^fpurious DoSrine, the fame is called the WINE of her 
 FORNICATION, and wherewith the Inhabitants of the 
 Earth in an univerfal Manner are made drunk. As dignified, 
 fupported, and upheld by the Civit Power, flic iii this 
 Senfe doth Ct upon ihs/tarltt celvHrtd BEAST, and in Re- 
 
 fpeft 
 
( H4 ) 
 
 ^rodud of Chance; but as thus occurring in fa- 
 cred Writ, were appegjed to in their Order, as 
 importing and comprehending a Circle of ever 
 beginning, but neve^ ceafing Wonders. The 
 
 O 
 
 fpeft of a Pomp and Magnificence, merely fuperhicial, fhe 
 was feen to be arrayed in PURPLE and SCARLET Colour, 
 &c. Fer. 10. In Refpeft of that political Unanimity in. her 
 Difcipline and CEconomy, that is the Prefcrvative of regu- 
 lar Societies, fhe is called the GREAT CITY ; and in as 
 much z.%.thzt fable, yet afpiring Race, " t\ax/eparate Or- 
 •' DER OF MEN," J which we call Clergy, is thu Moutb 
 and Wifdom, Tongue and Utterance whereby the People and 
 Nations fo univerfally are fwaycd ^ Ihe is that great Citt 
 which REIGNETH OVER the Kingj of the Earth. The 
 /e'ven-foldConftitution of the Mind which hath Wifdom, is that 
 found Temperament of Conftitution whereupon, as upon a 
 fenjen-fold Eafu f immoveable, fhe doth plan her enormuous 
 Syjiems of Epicurianifm : I fit a ^een, and am no Wiioiv, 
 and Jhall fee no Sorrow; Rev. xviii. 7. And in Refpeft of 
 the Volubility, the communicative undulatory Movements 
 of the AiFedlions, the fublunary Vibrations and Fluclua- 
 tions of all human AiFairs, the People, and Multitudes, and ' 
 Nations, and Tongues, in this Senfe be the MANY WA- 
 TERS upon which the Whore {ilitih ', Ver. 15. And laftly, 
 in Refpefl of that univerfal Confufton, Mifunderjiandivg, and 
 Dijenfon in which ihe mud at Length become inevitably 
 caught and entangled as in her o^n Snare, and wherein her 
 approaching Ruin, univerfal zndfnal Defolation Ihall confift ; 
 flic is moll properiy a Babel or Babylon CONFUSION. |J 
 
 F. S. It Ihould have been obferved, that as inft^nced in 
 the Cafe of Job, fo alfo in that of Nebuchadnezzar ; Dan» 
 iv. 36. when having pafled under the Difcipline of the 
 f even- f old Procefs, viz.. x^cv^fe'ven Times &s above difcourfed, 
 according to the Scripture Admonition, feekfrjl the King- 
 dom, &c. Matt. v\. 33. we are then admitted to the tem- 
 perate Enjoyment of whatfocver the fublunary Gratifications ; 
 
 we 
 
 X Dr. Smuh. f Seven Moutaint; Ver. 9. 
 
 ]| The Hebrew ^'ord Babel, or Babylon, // firiSly an- 
 /werable to the Englilh Word Confuiion. 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 O is a Circle-, fo the Myftery of God is a Circle: 
 The O IK a Figure, or Similitude of Life Eter- 
 nal. " I am he that liveth, and was dead; and 
 " behold I am alive forevermore." 
 
 When according to the Procefs of the feven- 
 fold Generation, the Purpofe of Deity becomes 
 known and revealed in the Order of Creation, — 
 the fix, as aforefaid, do play as in a Circle. 
 
 The Magnetifm of the WILL in Saturn is 
 th^ Alpha o{ the Circle; Sol is the Center; Sa- 
 turn, Jupiter and Mars in Trinity, Venus, 
 Mercury and Luna \n Trinity, \\ are the Circum- 
 ference of all Things. Thus the O is a Circle, 
 
 and the Circle is the Myftery of the CANDLE- 
 STICK, which Mofes was to make after the 
 Pattern which was fhewed him in the Mount : 
 See Exodus xxv. from 3 1. to the End. 
 
 Let us here repeat, that Luna with its Pri- 
 mary in being, counted for the Seventh, is ever 
 
 T to 
 
 II Myftically to be underllood. 
 
 we either may need or dejire, it being in fuch our State of 
 Redemption only, that we ever become capable of any right 
 Etijoyment even of the Word's Good : For hereby it is, that 
 in the Words of our learned DoSior, we become capable of 
 making a " right Eftimation of Objefts and of purfuing 
 " them feveraliy with a Degree of Force commenfurate to 
 «* their refpeaive Values;" it being altogether impoffible 
 that we Ihould not mif-value and o'ver 'value, and of Con- 
 fequence mif-purfue the Things of Time until having expe- 
 rimentally tailed and handled of the Richss of Eternitj^ 
 
( 146 ) 
 
 to be iinderftood in a two-fold Senfe : For firft, 
 as the feventh Form, it is Saturn fublimcd into 
 Air (or according to the Eternity an heavenly 
 jEthtr) which being drawn by the powerful At- 
 • tradion of the Fire, is the proper Breath thereof, 
 and the Caufe of its perpetual Shine. 
 
 But fecondly, according to the Order of Cre- 
 ation, the Seventh is not only Saturn fublimed 
 into Air, as the Breath of the Fire, but Saturn 
 in a State of reajfuming his former Magnetifm : 
 Such his State being that which conftitutes all 
 animal Corporiety. 
 
 The Corporiety that thus commences, is not pe- 
 culiar or diflinft, N. B. from the Seven in the other 
 Senfe, otherwife than as it is an EJfence proceed- 
 ed from the whole of the Seven as a Subjlratum 
 or Body ; the Reft or Acqueifcence of the whole, 
 as being that, wherein the fix do rejoice as in 
 their proper Houfe and Home. To inftance 
 this the two-fold Seventh in the Blood of an Ani- 
 mal: 
 
 The Mechanifm of the Lungs, how adapted 
 to the deftin'd Purpofe! Here the Air ifliies 
 forth from the Fire of the animal Soul, and is 
 powerfully attrafled in return, as the Breath of 
 the Fire, and Support of its continual Burning. 
 The Air thus originated from the Magnetifm 
 
 of 
 
, ( H7 ) 
 
 of the firjl Form in the Trafmutation of the 
 Fire, affordeth unto the Blood its 'Tin^ure^ and 
 vital expanfive Motion ; fo from fuch the expan- 
 five Mobility and Fluidity of the Blood doth the 
 two-fold Seventh arife, viz. Firft an JEtber, or 
 vital Spirt (by Phificians termed animal Spirits) 
 and fecondly, a fhooting-forth into a corpufcular 
 EJ[entiality. J 
 
 That the Seventh is however an Embracing 
 and Laying hold of the First, is that which we 
 efpecially would obferve. It is the Magnetifm 
 of Saturn in the Confumingncfs of the Fire, 
 that draweth back the Air into itfelf ; fo like- 
 wife it is the reafllimed Magnetifm of the firft 
 Form that is the Caufe of the corpufcular EfTcn- 
 tiality in Luna. 
 
 As the Beginning and the Ending thus embrace 
 eachother, fo the Movements of the feven Forms, 
 whether of the eternal or temporary Nature, be 
 circular throughout : Such be the Movements of 
 the planetary Sphere ; fuch the animal CEcono- 
 my in the Blood of the temporary Man ; and 
 fuch the Wheel of the Mind in the Renovation. 
 
 Thus the Ingrefs of the Unity into the Firft, 
 in the Reft, or Acquiefcence of the fabbatic 
 State, is perpetual as the Egrefi, or iflliing forth 
 
 T 2 from 
 
 t The Beaft that was and is not, even he is the Eighth, 
 and is of the Seven ; Rev. xvii. 
 
( h8 ) 
 
 from the Seventh, in a finifhed Difplay of Lite, 
 Liberty and Agency. 
 
 Now as touching the divine Prefcience.y it is 
 cafy to admit that as Creation commenced, it 
 was perfed:ly foreknown, that in /a: Days Ihould 
 the Heavens and the Earth be finiflied, and that 
 
 the Seventh fhould be bleffed and fanftificd. 
 
 " Thefe are the Generations (faith Mofes) of 
 " the Heavens and of the Earth ; i^c. Gen. n. 4. 
 " and of every Plant of the Field before it was 
 " in the Earth j and every Herb of the Field 
 *' before it grew." That the i'urpofe fhould 
 have been generated in the Plants and Herbs of 
 the Field before, they were in the Earth, it is 
 prefumed hath been fufEciently explained, in 
 that the whole was a Contemporary, and feven- 
 fold Generation : But how odly would it read, 
 how incongruous to affcrt, that every Herb, or 
 Tree, each Animal, or Infed:, each Spire of 
 Grafs, was foreknown of Deity in a limited and 
 definite Senfe i and efpecially as Mofes hath been 
 fo particular in repeating at the Clofe of each 
 feveral Operation, Godfaw that it was good -^ i. e. 
 was pleafed and entertained at fuch Sights and 
 Difcoveriefi as were feverally opened in their re^- 
 fpedive Order. 
 
 The Greatnefs and Excellency, the all-com- 
 
 prehenfive, all-perfed Omnifciency of Deity, i« 
 
 the Theme univerfal of the Prophets. 
 
 " Dominion 
 
( H9 ) 
 
 " Dominion and Fear are with him, he mak- 
 " eth Peace in high Places. Is there any Num- 
 " ber of his Armies ? And upon whom doth 
 " not his Light arife ? How then can Man •/* 
 ^c. Job XXV. 4. " Behold even to the Moon, 
 " and it fhineth not -, yea the Stars are not pure 
 " in his Sight." Thefe were the Words of Bil- 
 dadxhtShuhite. But faith Job in Reply, *' To 
 *' whom haft thou uttered Words ? And whofe 
 " Spirit came from thee .? Dead Things are 
 *' formed from under the Waters, and the In- 
 " habitants thereof. Hell is naked before him, 
 ** and Deftrudlion hath no Covering. Heftretch- 
 ** eth out the North over the empty Space, and 
 hangeth the Earth upon nothing. He bind- 
 eth up the Waters in his thick Clouds, and 
 " the Cloud is not rent under them. He hold- 
 *' eth back the Face of his Throne, and fpread- 
 « eth his Cloud upon it. He hath compafTed 
 *' the Waters with Bounds, until Day and Night 
 «' come to an End," ^c. Chap. xxvi. Con- 
 cluding, " Lo thefe are but Parts of his Ways." 
 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 CREATION PARTICULARIZED. 
 
 HE hath compafTed the Waters with 
 Bounds, until Day and Night come to 
 " an End."^ 
 
 Waters 
 
 
( 15° ) 
 
 Waters thus mentioned, are Waters in the 
 great ^enfe -, and that the Waters Ihould be 
 compared with Bounds, how excellently com- 
 pieheafive of the Scope of our prefent Difcourfe. 
 
 When the Earth was without Form, and 
 void ; and Darknefs was upon the Face of the 
 Dpep,the Spirit of God (as it is written) did move 
 upon the Face oi x\\q Waters. This the Moving of 
 the Will, the abiffal and unfearcheable Will, cal- 
 led the Sprit of God, was an ALPHA. 
 
 FIRST, As in the Beginning, xh^Wiil of 
 the UNITY entered into the Magnetifm of the 
 firO: Form, viz. Saturn : The Deep, which was 
 without Form, and void, became hardened and 
 compadled into a various Kind of Efientiality, 
 according to the feven-fold Properties of its/<?r- 
 nter State ; that is to fay, the Earth, Air, and 
 Sea of the elder World, which by a fad Difafter 
 was become broken, darkened, and blended in- 
 to one confufed Mafs ; upon this the Moving 
 of the Fiat in Saturn, did begin to afllime a new 
 Mode of Exiftence : For whereas all was Life 
 and Spirituality, the unbroken Element of an 
 all-tranfparent and chryftaUine Fluidity, ere the 
 Angels departed from their firil Eftate, but now 
 in the Alpha oiGo^\ thus beginning to create, 
 each Order of the antecedent Spirituality did be- 
 gin to aflume its deflined Order in that lower 
 
 Sphere 
 
( 151 ) 
 
 Sphere of a materialized and divided Condition, 
 pre-purpofed by the Creator. 
 
 Upon this the Moving of the Fiat in Saturn 
 the Earth and Planets became refpedlively drawn 
 into their globular Form, whence the Void be- 
 came clear •, and when God faid let there he Lights 
 and there was Lights the fame was a Glance of 
 the Eternal Lights a certain Brightnefs of the 
 Expanfe, which it feems God called Day.— The 
 Light being divided from the Darknefs, Ver. 4. 
 the Evening and the Morning were the firft Day. 
 
 SECONDLT, the orbicular Motion becomes 
 general throughout, and ere SOL was enkindled 
 a Temperament was produced : The Firmament 
 in the MIDST, Ver. 6. that fhould divide the 
 Waters from the Waters, feems to have been 
 mentioned as the Center of the planetary Syf- 
 tem ; however the Fire was yet unenkindled (as 
 the Candlejiick with its Branches, three on each 
 Side ; and the SHAFT of the Candlcftick is de- 
 fcribed. Exodus xxv. without any Mention of the 
 Candle, or of the Light of the Candle) : The 
 Waters, Ver. '6 and 7. being Waters ?.s yet meant 
 in the great Senfe, viz Chaos or the Deep be- 
 caufe of its Fluidity ere compared and adjufted 
 by the creating Fiat: And as the Light was di- 
 vided from the Darknefs upon the firft Day ; fo ndW 
 the Waters are divided from the Waters, both 
 of which Dividings according to the concealed 
 
 Meaning, 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 "Meaning, bear a View to the two-fold Trinity 
 of Darknefs and Light as heretofore difcourfed * 
 The Former refpedts Light and Darknefs fimply? 
 and the Latter^ the feven-fold Generation of all 
 animal and vegetable Subftances ; thus as the 
 Waters were divided from the Waters upon the 
 fecond Day, it Ihould feem that here was the 
 Original of Male and Female^ for that all Dif_ 
 tindion of Sexes confifteth in a certain Difu- ' 
 nion of Darknefs and Lights or of the triunt 
 State of the animal Fire, with the Trinity of its 
 Light. J The Evening and the Morning, Ver* 
 8. were the fecond Day. 
 
 THIRD LT, Whilft the Heavens revolve 
 according to their annual and diurnal Motion, 
 theSeparation is continued, and the Temperament 
 enhanced : — The Face of the Ground becomes 
 dry, Fer. 9. and God called the dry Land Earth, 
 and the Gathering together of the Waters, called 
 he Sea, Fer, 10. As this the third Form be- 
 comes intenfe, the fifth begins its Dawn, whence 
 Life is produced in the firft Degree •, for at this 
 the firfl Conjundion of the Martial and Venereal 
 Properties in the vegetable Kingdom : " Let 
 *' Earth bring forth Grafs ('laid the Fiat of God) 
 " and the Herb yielding Seed after his Kind, 
 " and the Fruit Tree yielding Fruit after his 
 
 « Kind, 
 
 X This being a My fiery, an Explication whereof may not 
 be attempted here^ 
 
( 153 ) 
 
 ** kind, whofe Seed is in itfelf upon the Earth, 
 " and it was fo."— Thus the Evening and the 
 Morning were the third Day. 
 
 FOURTHLT, That Candle, the Day-Star 
 of our prefent fojourning, was lighted up in its 
 Order upon the fourth Day ; and faith Mcfes^ 
 Ver. 6. he made the Stars alfo —How indefinite 
 foever thefe the Words of the Text, it is by no 
 Means probable that the Creation of the Fixed- 
 iiefs of our no6lurnal Splendor univerfally was 
 to-temporary with that of the Sun -, wherefore 
 of the Stars^ as thus mentioned, we underftand 
 the Branches of our own Candlejlick, f the fix 
 primary Opaques. Yet Stars in the indefinite 
 Senfe may be likewife admitted, becaufe whether 
 co-temporary or not, the Order of their Birth 
 was ftridly the Order of the fourth Form^ as was 
 that of the Sun •, wherefore properly mentioned 
 at this the Clofe of th^ fourth Day. 
 
 FIF^HLT, Now higher Degrees of Life 
 become generated. The Eflentiality oi Venus is 
 Water, as aforefaid, originated from the Fire, ia 
 Conjun6tion with its Light : Here was a general 
 bringing forth : " Let the Waters bring forth 
 " abundantly the moving Creature that hath 
 *« Life-, and Fowl that may fly above the Earth, 
 *' in the open Firmament of Heaven," i^c. 
 
 U Ver. 
 
 f Exodutxxx. 31. to the End. 
 
(^54 ) 
 
 Ver. 20, 21. Thus the Animal ^urceeds to the 
 vegitable Life. And the Evening and the Mor- 
 ning were the fifth Day. 
 
 SIXTHLY^ When xhtPurpofe became mani. 
 fefted in the higher Order of Animals npon the 
 fixth Day^ then was the Time when the HUMA- 
 NITY fhould be revealed as before. 
 
 SEVENTHLT, And laflly, \.ht Seventh was 
 thtfabbattic State, wliich I think muft be allowed 
 to have ceafcd with the Day. Thus the Waters 
 Avere compaffed with Bounds: But accord- 
 ing to our Text, God compaffeth the Waters 
 with Bounds, until Day and Night come to an 
 End. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 PROVIDENCE. 
 
 O W incommunicably wonderful that 
 Harmory fo inviolably maintained in 
 the Courfe of thofe the feveral Com- 
 munications of God to Man, which 
 v.'e call Scrl-pture. . , 
 
 As comparing our fubfequent Analyfis of the 
 Aucdtions with the feven-fold Generation of the 
 
 • Heavens 
 
( ^55 ) 
 
 Heavens and of the Earth, as particularized 'in 
 the foregoing Chapter, behold we obviated 
 the Analogy^ which according to the fcriptural and 
 prophetic Acceptation of the Word, fliould jlib- 
 fift between Waters in the more literal, and Wa- 
 ters in the more myltical Senfe, viz. WATERS 
 as the Word occurs. Gen. i. 2. and WATERS 
 in fuch Senfe as already hath been touched upon 
 in our fubfequent Difcourfe, and particularly as 
 the Word occurs. Revel, xvii. 15. viz. the 
 BejUal Affeftions in Refpeft of their volluble 
 and confufed Variabilities under the Dominion 
 cf the external Fr evidence. 
 
 These the Words of our Text may be taken 
 in the two-fold Senfe ; for when Creation was 
 finiflied, the W^ATERS, viz. primitive Chaos^ 
 were compalTed with Bounds ; but that the 
 " Waters fhould be compaffed with Bounds un- 
 " tABay and iVig-^/ come to an End,'* the abfolute 
 and unchangeable Validity of the Expreffions 
 may ftill be depended upon as defcriptive and 
 explanatory of the Manner in which Beily fuper- 
 in tends the all-poffible Variabilities of human 
 
 Affairs. 
 
 * 
 
 In having willed our Exiftence, God may ftill 
 be affirmed to will, and to authorize all our Ac- 
 tions, whether evil or good : That there ftiouid 
 have been a Poflibility of Evil, we afcnbe not 
 
 U 2 to 
 
{ ij6 ) 
 
 to the Will of God, but to the abfoiute Necefr 
 fity and Pofllbility of the Thing itfelf. And ini 
 as much as God doth will to his Creatures the 
 Fower of chufing either the Evil or the Good for 
 themielves, in this Scnfe doth he will the Evil 
 of our Ways in comnlon with the GW; and in 
 as much as he hath willed the Boundaries^ mea- 
 fured the ^antities, and circwmfcribed the 
 Spheres of all poffiblc Evil that ever fhould be 
 brought into Exigence, in his having fo won- 
 derfully adapted the Means to the End^ alj 
 pofTible EVIL, the fubfervient Means of all pof- 
 fible GOOD : It is in this Senfe that the abfolute 
 Validity of our former Aflertion may be de- 
 pended upon, viz. That the Power and Agency 
 of the Creature is neither more nor lefs than the 
 Power and Agency of God by the Creature ; 
 And in what Senfe the f even-fold Procefs in the 
 feneration of the Heavens and of the Earth, 
 as compleated upon the feventh Day, was pre- 
 purpofed and foreknown of God j in fuch benfe 
 were the TIMES of the World, Dan. xii. 7. 
 ^ndRev.im. 14.* pre-purpofed andpre-ordinated 
 likewife in the prc-determined feven-fqld Procefs 
 of the Regeneration. ♦ 
 
 For in as much as the Will of the Eternity 
 
 became crcatural in Adam, fo the Purpofe of God, 
 
 ^ the Glorification of himfclf, was purpofed ^ 
 
 ' ^ the 
 
 % ASs xvii. 26.. — i. 7, a. — xix. 2.1. 
 
( ^S7 ) 
 
 the ahfohie free Agency of the Creature -, feeing 
 that as heretofore obferved, fuch Purpofe was 
 purpofed in the Name Chrijl Jefus. § 
 
 Understant When Man was at firft 
 
 become generated i or cieated) in the Image of 
 God, and after his Likenefs, upon the fixth Day, 
 he was properly a Son of the Morning ; was placed 
 in abfokite Dominion, but was incapable of 
 maintaining his Sovereignity, becaufe he HIM- 
 SELF had not been the Creator \ he was even 
 ignorant of his own Exiftence, whence his Be- 
 ing, how (onjiituted, what the Extent of his Powers 
 and Prerogatives, what his Relation to God, or ' 
 even to the temporary Univerfe ; and when de- 
 parting from the Trinity of a divine Life into a 
 more intimate Knowledge of himfelf, called the 
 ICnowledge of Good and Evil. In fuch the State 
 of his Alienation from Good, it was the Will of 
 the Creator that he fhould fearch and re-fearch 
 the Extent of whatfoever there was to be known 
 
 pr 
 
 ^ Without Refpcft to our Diftic»ianes or Concordances, 
 the Name Christ Jesvs refpedls the two-fold Trinity of 
 Darknefs and Light ; for as the Word Jesus fignifieth Per- 
 feiiion or diniine Blejfednefsi the Anointed or Saviour ; fo the 
 Word Christ, in the Language of Nature, fignineth a 
 Champion or Warrior ; and by Way of Eminency was afcrib- 
 ed to the Perfon of our Lord, in that HE was the Appoint- 
 ed to whom it fhould be given to proclaim the acceptable 
 X^ctr of the Lord: Liberty to the Capti'ues, and the Opening cf 
 the Pri/on to them that nutre bounds, Ifa. Ix. I. to break the 
 Bonds, and accordiiv? to Peter, \.o loofe the Pains of Deatb^ 
 liecatfft it twoi nst pofjiblt that he fhould be holden of it. 
 
( 158 ) 
 
 or difcovered, whether ofDarknefs orL/^/&/,.« whe- 
 " ther of Heaven above, or that is in the Earth 
 « beneath, or that is in the Waters under the 
 *' Earth." If it be afked in what Senfe fiich the 
 State of our Alienation from Good fhould fo 
 frequently be compared to a State of JVhoredom^ 
 it is anfwered in brief, becaufe the Trinity of 
 Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, in its Difunion with 
 the Trinity of the paradifaical State, was fallen 
 into the Embrace of the Bellial, Venus, Mercury^ 
 and Luna, viz. the Water and the Blood of the 
 external Man ; and in fuch Senfe it is, that the 
 Humanity in general, as aforefaid, fo long as 
 ignorant of the true Summum Bonum, and even 
 deftitute of the faving Faith, is properly a 
 Chaos CONFUSION J and as comparing 
 the feven-fold Procefs, as inftanced in the fore- 
 going Chapter, in the Generation of the Heavens 
 and of the Earth, with the feven-fold Procedure 
 of God towards the Species in general, as touch- 
 ed upon already J ji£fs xvii. 26. the Analogy is 
 rendered ftill more obvious ; for as God willed 
 the Glorification of himfelf in the abfolute Free- 
 Agency of the Creature, fo this the Chaos or 
 Confufion of our Minds was the Subjed, or the 
 Objea, of his fecondary Operation in the Courfe 
 of our Redemption and Reftoration in the Name 
 CHRIST JESUS. And whereas ^^^»?, as 
 aforefaid, was incapable' of maintaining the Dig- 
 nity" of his Station, becaufe unexperienced in the 
 
 Knowledge 
 
{ ^59 ) 
 
 Knowledge of both Good and Evil : Not fo in 
 the Regeneration, for here the FIAT of Deity- 
 is claimed by the Creature as its proper Own, 
 For in as much as the Creatural was originated 
 from the unbeginning WILL of the Eternity, as 
 the genuine and legitimate Offspring thereof, fo 
 of Courfe it was entitled to an abfolute, perfedt, 
 and entire Freedom of willing and a6ting as the 
 felf-willing, felf-moving, felf-generating Reprc- 
 fentative of God, § to whom all Things fhould 
 be poffible : And as now the Matter ftands be- 
 tween the unbeginning and creatural Willy that we 
 arc unprepared and incapacitated to accept of 
 the Good until having tailed of the Mixture ; ^ 
 even fuch is the Relation fubfifting between 
 God and Man from the Beginning to the End of 
 Time : For until the Humanity in general had 
 ventured upon* every Experiment, made every 
 Difcovery, tried all Extremes and all poffible 
 Means of Enjoyment that the TIMES did ad- 
 mit, it was unprepared to fall in with fuch an 
 Expedient for Happinefs as was propofed in the 
 Gospel of a Chrifi crucified. ^ 
 
 The felf-willing, felf-moving, felf-generating 
 Energy of the Will, as above, is that which in the 
 Refignation is called its Faith i but in as much 
 as the Scriptures do admit of a Diftindion be- 
 
 tweea 
 
 % See Gen. Hi. 5 compared with Vtr, 22. 
 
 •% Viz. of G Wand Evil. 
 
 t 1 Cor» i. 22. See the Chapter to the End. 
 
{ i6o ) 
 
 twecn Faith and Works, To it is "meet that we 
 diftinguifh the Power or Poflibility of Adion 
 from the Exercife of fuch Power •, the firft we 
 do therefore define to be its FAITH ; as above^ 
 and the latter, viz, the Agency or Exercifi of 
 fuch Power, is that which we ah'eady have cal- 
 led, and is properly defined to be its FIAT. ^ 
 And in as much as the Trinity of Saturn, Jupiten 
 and Mars, which in the creatural EiTence is 
 frequently called Spirit, % in Anfwerablenefs td 
 our Sunday, Monday and 1'uefday, was efpoufed of 
 covenanted in its Faith to the Trinity of its own 
 proper Light, viz. the Venus, Mercury and Luna 
 divine in Scripture called the Bride -, || even fo 
 fhould that Light, which by Way of Eminency 
 is called the true Light, John i. 9. become re- 
 vealed in the Humanity at the Cutting or Divid- 
 ing of a TIME. Who have Ears to hear let 
 them hear, for in this Senfe, and no other, were 
 meant thefe the following and fo extraordinary 
 Sentences ; Dan. ix. 27. 
 
 iC 
 
 He [the Mefliah] Ihall confirm the Cove- 
 nant with many for one Week, and in the 
 « MIDST of the Week he fhall caufc the Sa- 
 crifice and Oblation to ceafe, and for the over- 
 fpreading of Abominations he Ihall make it 
 
 " defolate 
 
 t That prefent and immediate Choice or Volition of the 
 Mind which is the let it be of all our Words and Aftioa*. 
 
 f[ Rev, xxii, 17. j| J?^, xxii. 17, 
 
 
( '6i ) 
 
 « defokte even until the ConfumaitoK, and thaj- 
 « determined ihall be poured upon the Defo- 
 « late." 
 
 The one F/eek^ as thus mentioned, is meant 
 of a WEEK in che great Senfc, viz. the TIMES 
 of the World •, and that the Covenant (liould be 
 confirmed with Mx\NY for one PFeek, refers to 
 that general Reception which the Gofpel at firft 
 met with among the Nations. And as the Le- 
 vhical SACRIFICE and OBLATION did pre- 
 figure the Reconciliation § of the Soul in its vo- 
 luntary Oblation, fo the caufing of the Sacrifice 
 and Ollation to ccafe, was meant of the Figure 
 as fulfilled in the Perfon of the Meffiah-, and that 
 our CANDLESTICK myftically fliould have 
 thus been re-illuminated in its Order upon the 
 IVednefday of the 'World, f feems anfwerable, 
 I think, to the Account which fo repeatedly hath 
 been given of the Myfiical in Anfwerablenefs to 
 xht planetary SEVEN. 
 
 The Over-fpreading of t be Abomihation "wlick 
 
 maketh Desolate, the Mention whereof doth fo 
 
 frequently occur, and as particularly referred to 
 
 by our Lord, % is the ABOMINATION of the 
 
 fucceeding Time, Times, and an Half, during the 
 
 X Continuation 
 
 § Fix. the Efpnufal or Re-ilIumInat;on of the Soul in 
 its being reconciled or conformed to the unbcgianing Will, 
 f The fourth MUlennium. 
 X Malt. xxiy. 15. Mari, xiii, 14. and Lu^e xxi, ?.©. 
 
( i62 ) 
 
 Continuation whereof, the mydical Bahylcn, in 
 the Charader of V/loore^ fliould exercife the Abo- 
 minations of her Defolation without Controul : 
 For how abftrule and inexplicable foever the 
 genuine Interpretation of the T/?;?*?, Times^ and 
 an Half m2.y hitherto have been, be it now pro- 
 claimed in the Ears of all People, That the 'J'ime, 
 7mes, and an Hd/, do relped the Completion 
 of the PFeek, viz. the WEEK of the World. 
 
 That Qjiiantity or Portion of Time that 
 fhould be anfwerable to 2iDay, is called aTIME : 
 Such a Quantity or Portion of Time, as iliould be 
 anfwerable to izuo Days, could not properly have 
 been called a Time, it is therefore called Times ; 
 for all^eit the Words were to be clofed up and 
 Jealed until theTlMR of the End, Ver. 9. it us 
 therefore (Hich the Appointment of God) that 
 this was the Mode of Expreflion in the Stead 
 of its having been otherwife Exprefled three 
 limes and an Half; for as the Sacrifice and Obla- 
 tion was to have ceafed at the dividing of a 
 TIME, even fo the Ti7ne, Times, and an Half-, 
 do refpea the COMPLETION of the Week^ 
 viz. the WEEK oithe World. 
 
 Yet we may not omit to obferve, that the 
 Word Time, though indeed it may refer to a 
 pundual Fulfilling in Point of Time, to an Year, 
 a Month, a D^v, or even to an Hour -, yet ac- 
 cording to the Opening and Manifedation of 
 
 the 
 
( j63 ) 
 
 the Time^ it refers to a certain Gradation ; to 
 fuch a certain and peculiar Rfvelation or Ad',ni- 
 nijiration as may admit of a gradual Opening. 
 
 And here adding Leave to digrefs a little, the 
 Word Babylon is formed of Babel, the Name of 
 tht'Tower, Gen. xi. 9. What is thus recorded, as ' 
 the fubjed Matter of the faid eleventh Chapter, 
 is a genuine Reprefentation of real Faoi^ even 
 though the Tranfa^lion in the hiftorical Scnfe 
 were difcredited as being too extraordinary to be 
 accounted of as probable -■, for however we reje(5t 
 the Notion of a diftant or abf&nt Heaven, yet the 
 Progrefs of the Soul towards x.\vq fpiritual Canaan, 
 or New Jerufalem State, is very aptly and figni- 
 ficantly compared to an Afcending ; it is thus dif- 
 courfed in Scripture, and even thofe who in the 
 prefent Life may have experienced the fabbattic 
 State, in contemplating Futurity, can but hardly 
 divell themfeives of the popular Notion oiafceni- 
 ing at the Deceafe of the Body. 
 
 The Unanimity of the whole Earth, Ver. i. 
 in agreeing to afpire towards Heaven, how ex- 
 cellently reprefentative of thofe cordial and de- 
 liberate Refolves which all Men do form, after 
 fome Sort or another, to afpire towards Happi- 
 nefs! But that the Unanimity lliofuld have become 
 broken m the carrying on of the Work, could 
 ,it be poffible that Hiltory fhould have tranfmit- 
 
 X 2 ted 
 
( i64 ) 
 
 ted to us a more lively and exaftReprefentation 
 of the Iffue and Tendency of all poffible Ways, 
 and of every Expedient that can bethought upon 
 fhort of the one cnly MhANS, the cordial and 
 voluntary OBLATION and SACRIFICE. 
 
 We can unanimouily agree univerfally iii af- 
 piring after Happinefs^ but in the Courfe of our 
 endeavouring to obtain, fall into a Multiplidty 
 and Variety-, an unintelligible and corifuled Di- 
 verfity of claHiing and difagreeing Opinions. 
 
 What is thus recorded of ihcTower (in fhort) 
 was a Fa6l, which in the Wifdom of v .od was 
 meant as a Figure, or typical Reprefcntation of 
 that Relation which was appointed to iubfift be- 
 tween the Humanity as fallen (in the General) and 
 its true SUMMUM BON UM: Namely, that 
 our ultimate Beatitude, which confifteth not in a 
 i(9 here, or Lo there, and as it is written, cometh 
 not by Ohfervation, is altogether unattainable by 
 the FIAT, or Let it be, of the Climber, John x. i. 
 For whenfoever the Word Babylon occurs in the 
 Prophecy of the Scriptures, whether of the Old 
 ^ or New-Teftament, it refpe£i:s not a People or 
 Nation diftinftly and individually, but our FAL- 
 LEN ESTATE in the General, as propenfcd to 
 adventure for its Happinefs, by adventuring, as 
 heretofore obferved, upon all pofllble Extremes : 
 For however the City or Province of the ancient 
 
 " Babylon 
 
{ "65 ) 
 
 *« Bahylon^ the Glory of the Chaldees Excellency," 
 Jfa. xiii. is particularized by the ancient Prophets^ 
 it is thus particularized, no otherwife than as 
 being the Diadem of Nations, in Refpeft of her 
 Eminency, and Superiority in i\\q Abundance of her 
 Delicacies, her magnificent and multiplied Diver- 
 fities of an arrogated Wifdom and fenfual EnJBy- 
 went. Rev. xviii. compared with Ifa. iv. 7. 
 
 In this Refpe6t it was, that according to the 
 Prophecy of the Scriptures, and in the univerfally 
 correfpondent Senfe of the Illuminati of every 
 Age, fhc was the divinely appointed Type of our 
 myflical Babylon, the Antichristianism-Ge- 
 NERAL of thefe our lafl 'Times, fo eminently dif- 
 tinguifliable for the Abundance of her Dekcacies: 
 And in Refpeft of the Propriety of the Appel- 
 lation WHORE, which I think is not afcribed 
 to the ancient Babylon, let it here be confidered, 
 that as the Trinity of the Spirit f became ac- 
 tually re united with Trinity of its Light, 
 in the Intermediation of the Mejfiah, fo, the Of- 
 fers of Grace J being univerfally extended, the 
 Covenant was confirmed with many, as by the 
 Words of the Text ; yet as the SACRIFICE 
 and the OBLATION Chowever as an Ordinance, 
 the Figure was cauicd to ceafc) was that Stoiie 
 
 of 
 
 t John v. 6. Rev.XxW. l-f. jj 
 
 X The Spirit and the Briae fay, come. And let him tBnt 
 heareth. Jay, come-., Rev. xxii. 17. 
 
( i66 ) 
 
 effiumhlin^ and Rock of Offence which could not 
 be removed; fo the primitive Church, how- 
 ever retaining the Form of her Godlinefs, con- 
 duded not long in the Capacity of Virgin •, but 
 of Courfe .'*d felapfe into the Extremities and 
 Inordinacic. of the Beftial Jffe^ions : And that 
 the Trinity of Spirit fhould have been thus 
 captivated again -oy the elementary Dominion, 
 'viz. the fVaier and the Blocd of external Men, 
 how excellently adapted, and highly fignificant, 
 the Appellation WHORE 1 
 
 To proceed, the Word TIME, however re- 
 ferring (I fay) to a pun6tual Confumation in 
 Point of Time, yet according to the prophetical 
 Senfe of the Word, is neverthelefs to be confi- 
 dered according to the gradual fulfilling of our 
 Meafure. The Abomination that maketh de- 
 folate muft fulfil its Meafure, ere " that which 
 " is determined be poured upon the Defolate." 
 Such Fulfilling muft coufift in our having pranc- 
 ed (as aforefaid) upon every Extreme that the 
 Poflibility of Things do admit ; in our having 
 wantoned at large in all Manner of IndulgencieSy 
 under that excellent Salvo, the popular Notion 
 of an imputative Right eoufnefs. But Lo the Ca- 
 pital Letters which were feen in the Vifion 
 to have been written upon the Front of the 
 Whore, are at length become revealed in vifible 
 pd legible Charaders : 
 
 MYSTERY 
 
( i67 ) 
 
 MYSTERY BABYLON. 
 
 " I faw the Woman (faith the beloved Pro- 
 " phet) drunken with the Blood of Saints, and 
 " with the Blood of the Martyrs oi J efus-, and 
 " when I faw her I wondered with great Admi- 
 *'• ration, Ver. 6. And the Angel faid wherefore 
 didft thou marvel? I will fhew thee the Myf^ 
 teryof the Woman, and of the Beast that 
 carrieth her, Ver, 7. The Beafi that thou 
 " fa weft was, and is not, and Ihall afcend out 
 " of theBottomlefsPit, and go into Perdition; 
 " and they that dwell on the Earth fliall wonder^ 
 " whofe Names were not written in the Book 
 " of Life from the Foundation i| of the World, 
 when they behold the Beafi that was, and is 
 not, and yet is,'* Ver. 8. 
 
 a 
 
 
 WONDER, well we may, for while the 
 TVbore is fulfilling the Meafure of her Iniquities 
 loxhtlVcek of the World is expiring; for ac- 
 cording to the Hour and Minute of the Day 
 wherein the Humanity did firft claim its Exif- 
 tence, doth the fecondary Fiat take hold upon the 
 ENDS of the Earth, 
 
 " Hast, 
 
 J Here note that the Foundation of the World Is meant 
 "the Timi preceeding the Revelation of the MYSTERY. 
 

 4C 
 
 ( i68 ) 
 
 ** Hast thou commanded the Mornincr fmce 
 thy Days, and caufed the Day. Spring to know 
 its place, that it might take hold on the Ends of 
 <« the Earthy in order that the Wicked may be 
 «' fnaken out of it?'* y^^ xxxviii. 12, 13, 14. 
 
 1 ne 
 redeeming fiat, 1 i.^y, in the Name CHRIST 
 JESUS, Taketh held upon the Ends of the Earth, 
 
 Who have irars to hear ict them hear! For 
 the myftical PFEEK is compleating its deilined 
 Circle, " it is turned as Clay to the Seal ; 
 
 from the Wicked J their Light is withholden, 
 
 they ftand as a Garment." 
 
 God's purpofe in the Creation (we repeat it 
 again) was his Purpofe of being glorified in the 
 abfolute Free- Agency of the Creatures, of Man in 
 particular, the Power and Energy of the crea- 
 tural Will, as the PoJJibility of Adion we have 
 defined to be its FAITH; and the Agency or 
 Exercife of fuch Power, we have declared to be 
 its FIAT. It was the fVill and the Fiat o^ Deity 
 that willed and caufed our Creation, and that 
 •willeth the Perpetuity oi fuch Creation, by the 
 Means of a Procreation, and as in this Senfe 
 
 prior 
 
 X IVhere is the Promi/e of coming ? (fay they) For ftnce- 
 {he Fathers fell ajliep ail Things continue as they Tvr;v f^am 
 tki; Beginning of t hi Creaiia.i, 2 Peter iii. 4. 
 
( i69 ) 
 
 prior to the Agency of Creatures, fuch the A^^en- 
 cy of the Creatures oi Man in particular, we there- 
 fore declare to be the Jgency of God, by the Means 
 of a. fecondary FIAT. And whereas Jdam the* 
 firft maintained not his Sovereignity -over Deatf> 
 and Hell, as well as over the Dominion of the 
 perifhable World, becaufe h^, had not been 
 counfelled, or in any ways had prefided over the 
 Formation of the IVorld, NOT SO in the Rege- 
 neration (I repeat it again) for by Means of they^- 
 condary Fiat, viz. \}iie Agency of the Creatures, it is, 
 that xht Refloration or Rejlitution oi all Things fliall 
 be efe^fed. Matt. xii. ii. A(5ts hi. 21. 
 
 The PTo of our prcfent Curfe confifteth in a 
 Vijiemperature, § the Diflemperatuie of Seafons, 
 as well as the Diftemperature of the Will and 
 AfFedtions ; for of Bay and Night (as hereafter 
 may appear more at large) by the Words of our 
 Text was meant the Imperfe^ions and Viciffitudes 
 in general ot all human Affairs, and by the 
 creatural Fiat (I fay) mufl the whole of thefc 
 our orefent Viciflitudes be hronght to an END. 
 
 t. ; ' . - 
 
 When the Humanity was fallen it wajs then 
 become fenfible of the Evil-,- and of being de- 
 livered from the Evil, the Oblation and Sacrifice 
 
 Y wJiereof 
 
 % The Want of fucli a due Equiponderancy in \\\e feni en- 
 fold State of the creatural Will, as hithert© we have called 
 a Temperament. 
 
( 17° ) 
 
 whereof the Ceremonial were no more than a 
 Figure, viz. the voluntary Oblatioti of the Faith 
 and Fiat of the creatural to the unheginning 
 "WILL, were the alone pofiible Means. For 
 let us diligently obferve, that fo far as the Faith- 
 ful of x.\\q former Adminillration vjtre fpifitually 
 faiibful in the Qblation and Sacrijice^ they did re- 
 ally partake of ih^t fpiriiud Rock which foUoived 
 them., or of that Prefervation above the IVaters^ 
 viz. the Evils and VicilTitudes of the temporary 
 State which W'as promiftd in the Intermediation 
 of the future Mejjiah. § By the Eye oi Failh could 
 they anticipate the Fromifes, and even could 
 prophecy of the TIMES before appointed., J as far 
 as to the Fulfilling of the Fulnefs of the Times 
 ' upon the Friday of the World, -f- They did really 
 partake (I fay) and yet they did partake of but 
 the Time and Ti-mes that fhould prcceed the di- 
 viding of their IVeek^ in Anfwerabienefs to the 
 
 Trinity 
 
 § That our Saviour had a pcrfonal Exifterce in Heaven, 
 before the Incarnation, is (depend upon it) an abiuro and 
 groundiefs Chimera. 
 
 X ASs xvii. 26. 
 
 f The fame is that which according to the univerfally 
 Cnrrefpondent Senfe of all the Prophets, is that great and 
 terrible DAY of the LORD. Alas, for that Day is great, ft 
 that none is like unto it : It is cvtn the Tiine ^ Jacob V Irouhlet 
 but he Jhall he deh'uer td out rf it, Jer. xxx. 7. Joel ii. 11, 
 Mai. iv. 5. Jfa. ii. 12. arvd xiii. 6. Joel i. 15. Zeph. i. 7. 
 J''>el ii. I. Jer. xlvi. 10. Ezek. xiii. 5. and xxx. ^. Joel 
 iii. 14, 15. Ob. XV Zeph. i. 7. Afts ii. 20. Jude i. 6. 
 2 Peter iii. 10. Rev. vi. 17. I Cor. v. 5. 2 Cor. i. 14, 
 I ThtR. V. 2. i^c. too tedious to leciu. 
 
 / 
 
( '7' ) 
 
 Trin-ty of Spiuit [Saturn^ JupHe}\ and Man) 
 
 which however in its Faith ejpufed^ couKl not 
 
 as yet become actually united with the Trinity of 
 
 its Light, cahed the Promje cf the bather. Ads 
 i. 4. 
 
 David was a Type of the MeJJiah in the Cha- 
 radler of Kino, he willed the Conquell over 
 Death and Hell as is inllanced by Peter, Adl^ ii. 
 but could not effect fuch Conqaelt in himklf, 
 the i ime being not yet come ; neverthelels he 
 knowing the fiirpofe of God in the Name Chriji 
 Jeftis, faith, *' Therefore did my Heart rejoice, 
 " and my Tongue was glad ; moreover alfo my 
 '' Fleih Ihail reft m Hope," A^s ii. 26. The 
 Ceremony oi Heater Baptifin was a Figure of the 
 Javing Baptifm, Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5. that is to fay, 
 of our Baptifm Tpiritually into the CHAOS of the 
 Mind i and m brief, it was the Faith and IjI^at 
 of the creatural Will, that bv Way of a volun- 
 tary Oblation, did effect the Confirmation of. the 
 Covenanc in the Name of a CM)? ; By its Baptifm, 
 (I fay) into Death and Hell, H in the Name 
 of a CHRIST or Champion, feeing that by the 
 Virtue of fuch Baptifm the Trinity of Spi'it be- 
 came reconciled or reunited with the Trinity of 
 its Light in the Name CHRIST JESUS. 
 
 Y 2 ^ Observe 
 
 D The Trinity of the Sou!, in its unrea^eemeH Srate, at 
 the Deceafe of the Body, i its HELL : But in Union with 
 the beftial Affedions, 'viz. the A'ater and tiie Blood o( th-, 
 exce nal Man, it is called DEATH ; and iu this Seafc 
 compared to the tVaitrs of piinjitive Chaos. 
 
 V 
 
( ^72 ) 
 
 Observe now, that fuch the Intermediation 
 was effedled at the dividing of a TIME ; and 
 moreover, was finilhed upon the Eve oii\\tfixth 
 Day-, here the Covenant was confirmed with 
 many, but according to the Letter of the Text, 
 the fucceeding Time and Times^ by the over- 
 fpreading of Abominations, fhouid be made de- 
 folate even until the Confumation, and that de- 
 i^.erminedJIjould be poured upon the D^folate. Qiiery, 
 What fhali we underftand by the Confumation ? It 
 is anfwered, the Completion of theWeek^ as before, 
 for as Adam the firft was created upon the Eve of 
 the fixth Day, even fuch is the bringing to the 
 Birth of a ManChild ; (I fay a MAN CHILD) in 
 whom fhall be fulfilled thofe the capital Pro- 
 phecies both of the Old and New-Teflament, 
 which by many J have been confidered as hither- 
 to unfulfilled. § Who have Ears to hear, let 
 them hear, for many fhall he purified and made 
 white, and tried^ but the Wicked fhall do wickedly, 
 and none of the Wicked fhall underftand^ hut the 
 Wifefljoll underflandy Dan. xii. lo. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 X The Jenvs in particular. 
 
 § And particularly IJa. ix. 2. and I/a. Ixvi. 7. to the 
 End. And Jhebrought forth a Man Child^ njuho wai to rule all 
 Nations nuith a Red of Jr,on, Rev. xii, 5, 
 
( -'iz ) 
 
 CHAP VIII. 
 
 ^he Prefcierfce of Deity confidered in the Works of 
 Creation and Providence, in Order to a more full 
 Explication of the Scripture Prophecies concern- 
 ing the bringing forth of a MAN CHILD. 
 
 WE have formerly touched (though but 
 lightly) uponth3.tDiJlin^icn which we 
 find ourfelves capable of confidcring 
 between Perception andlNTELLECTioN: With 
 all pofllble Diligence let us now re-confider fucb 
 Diftindion as fundamentally as for the prefent it 
 may be permitted us fo to do. And whereas we 
 have juft been diftinguilhing the Power of the 
 Will, from the Jgency or Exercife of fuch Power, 
 this our Mode of Diftindion is valid upon the 
 prefent Occafion. 
 
 We have heretofore reprefented theCREATOR 
 as making fuch Difcoveries, Day by Day, in 
 the Proccfs of the Creation, as were the Matter 
 of prefent Entertainment: Let us remember 
 that as heretofore intimated, all animal Senfation 
 as might be particularized in th.tfive Senfes, be- 
 comes generated or produced according to the 
 Order and Procefs of the myfiical Seven : It is 
 hence that we may become led into right Ap- 
 prehenfions concerning our propofed Bifiin£lion. 
 
 Ere 
 
( 174 ) 
 
 Ere Creation commenced, the TF.Il of the 
 Eternity waa confcious of its Power to cieate. 
 Such the Energy of the linbeginning Will, as 
 the i^ower and PofTibiliiy of ading, may not be 
 called its Faith ; § it is the MAGI A of God. -- 
 I^Jow we cannot but afcnbe to the Magia, an 
 IDl:.A concerning what fhould be created \ and 
 of the llTue and Tendency general of the whole. 
 Here then is originally that Difiin^iion. This 
 t)\t preconceived Idea of the divine Mind, was 
 merely an Idea without Life, or Subftantiality, 
 It was God's Knowledge of the PoJJibility con- 
 cernmg what might be created, before his Fiat 
 or Let it be was entered upon the Execution of 
 the preconceived Undertaking; but when God 
 had faid " Let there be Light, and there was 
 <' Light, God faw that it was good :'* Gen. i. 4. 
 Here was an adbual perceiving. The firft (1 fay) 
 was merely an Idea in the Abftrad j but when 
 God had feen every Thing that he had made., and 
 heboid it was very ^ood. Gen. i. 31. his former 
 Intelle5iion^ and prefent Perception was then be- 
 come fo far united. His having known the 
 Creation in Idea^ is very rightly diftinguifhed from 
 his knowing it vifibly^ palpably 2iX\d fubjiantially. 
 Even fuch therefore is the Diftindion which it 
 concerns us to make between Perception and /«- 
 telk£lion in every Senfe. The Creatural is ori- 
 ginated 
 
 % Seeing that the Word Faith is expreflive of oui Subor- 
 dinacy and Dependency as Creatures. 
 
( 175 ) 
 
 ginated from the unleginning Will •, and as afore- 
 faid, its Reajon is the Eye of its Perceptibility :, 
 And as the unbeginning Will hath a Power of 
 imagining and •pruonceiving in the Abflra6l •, even 
 fo is the creatural Will intitled to a fimilar and 
 correlpondent Power; as of " making an un- 
 '^ limitted Variety of AfTociations and Combi- 
 " nations of Ideas in the Abftradl •, fo of refled- 
 " ing upon, or of confideri ng and contemplat- 
 ♦'' ing its own A6tions." J And as of precon- 
 ceiving, imagining, and predetermining Things 
 future ; fo alfo of retrofpeding, remembering, 
 or reconfidering Things paji. When fpeaking 
 of the unbeginning Will, this the Eye of the 
 Mind is called the EYE of Eternity, wherein 
 the Poflibility of all Things were known before 
 the Beings themfelves were brought into an 
 a6tual Exiftence, but when fpeaking of the 
 Creatural in the State of its Refignation to the 
 unbeginning Will, the fame is called the EYE 
 of its Faith ; and in refpefl of its Power of con- 
 templating Futurity, it h l\it Evidence of Things 
 notfeen; Heb. xi. i. fo when fpeaking of the 
 Beajiy it is that mighty and diftinguifhing Attri- 
 bute, REASOM^ 
 
 Now it is altogether manifeft in the Openings 
 
 of the Myfiery, that in what Senfe the Faith 
 
 of the Will is diftinguifhable from its Fiat-, 
 
 even fuch is the Difference which we find our- 
 
 iielvcs 
 t See Page 130. 
 
( 176 ) 
 
 fclves capable of confidering between its Reafon 
 and Percepion, 
 
 Ere Creation^commenced there was a Capa- 
 city in the divine Mind, of beholding the Crea- 
 tures in Fmuroy beholding them in Idea : Even 
 fo we find a Capacity in the creatural Will of 
 anticipating Futurity. We can imagine of eat- 
 ing, drinking, walking, /peaking, feeing, hearing, 
 and enjoying in the Abftrad. The anticipating 
 Idea is merely an Idea -, it is our antecedent Fit- 
 nefs or Capacity to enjoy ; it is the latent Pofii- 
 bility ; and when adually we enjoy, it is then 
 that fuch the anticipating Idea becomes exer- 
 cifed and made acquainted with its latent Capa- 
 cities. 
 
 Thus for Inflance, the Painter (hall imagine 
 his Pidlure in the Abftrad by the EYE of his 
 Reafon, and when the Pidure is compleated, he 
 then beholdeth it elTentially with the EYJi of 
 his Body: It is the fame Reafon that is exercifed 
 ftill. The preconceived Imagination was the 
 latent Poffibility of an adual and fenfible Per- 
 ception •, as the innate Power of the Will is its 
 latent Pofiibility of Aftion. '"\' ■ 
 
 Weican exerciie Reafon in the Abftrafl, yet 
 when viewing a Pi6lure, attending to a Lefture 
 Or reading a Poem, our Reafon then co-operates ; 
 
 for 
 
( ^11 ) 
 
 for Without the antecedent Capacity of percelv-' 
 ing, there coqld be no fiich a Thing as Precep- 
 'iim at all. And whereas the Act of comparing, 
 and the. Power of imagining, the one called 
 Jculg7ncrJ^ and the other /F/V (in our ordinary 
 Way of rpeaking)are confidered as being in fome 
 Senfe diilingiiifhable each from the other-, it is 
 true, they are diftinguifaaWe, jiid as one Man 
 ihall exercii^^ his Rsnfcn in poring and plodding 
 upon the Ideas of other Men, in viev/ing, 
 comparing and adjufting Things fajl-, whilft 
 another Ihall exercife his Rc^cn in meafuring 
 and fcaning Futurity \ in making new Combina- 
 tions of Ideas-, projc(5img and deiigning what 
 Jhall bey rather than what may ah-eady have been: 
 The former may be called an Exercife of th« 
 iif^;;??ryj and the latter of the Invention -, the one 
 is beft qualified as an Author, and the other as 
 Critick ; and fpiritually, the one is a Prophet^ 
 and the other is a Judge and Counfellor in Ifreal. 
 
 And now as touching the Fore-knozving and 
 M-knowing', the Prescience, and Omnisci-- 
 ENCE of Diety, 1^-ich •. ' th; 
 
 r- i.^.ouif.cis Oi the 
 VvOMAN, * in her Endeavours to diftraft 
 us herein ^ it feems to be at Lengtli expedi- 
 ent that we pray of the divine Condefcention^ 
 certain clear and fatisfactory Apprehenfioris of 
 
 the Real Truth, * 
 
 Z Hov/ 
 
 « The Mother of JiftilQU and Abominations of the Eanh. 
 Rsv. xvii. 5. 
 
( i/S ) 
 
 How impofTible that we lliould proceed Co 
 difcourfe ot a Science or Omniscience in God 
 any ocher-v/ife than comparitively with fuch a 
 Science as we experience in ourfelves ! 
 
 In propoTing to exhibit any curious Piece of 
 Workmanfhip, an artificial Reprefentation oi . 
 the planetary Heavens, for Infcance, ;^ a Man 
 rnuft firft pre-conceive the PoflibiUty in the Ab- 
 ftrad; ; the pre-conceived Idea, being that w^ith- 
 out which a \¥ill or Intention to perform, 
 could by no Means effed the Work. The^r^- 
 «r<?/2(rr/i;^J Imagination is pleafurablc, it is true: 
 It is the EYE of my l^lll to perform : And 
 wherefore it is pleafurable ? It is anfwered, be- 
 caufe it is my Knowledge of the PoJUibility, added 
 to my Coafcioufnefs of a POWER to introduce 
 the Pofiibility into an a£iual, fenfih.e and percept- ' 
 able Exiftance. I am pleafed in the Procefs of 
 the Work \ but my Pleafure is incompleat until 
 my Work be compleated, and then it confifteth 
 
 in an a5fual Enjoyment. The pre-conceived 
 
 imagination which was merely an Idea, is now 
 become a Monument of m.y POWER. It is the 
 Creature of my Mind, or it is 3. palpable and riji- 
 hie Manifcilation, or Proof, that I had really a 
 power of thu^ performing my Will. ---And now 
 if one may be allowed to make Com.parifons, 
 
 "The 
 
 \ Allndinp to a Modern Tn'vention, a curiouny adapted 
 Piece of Clock- work, called an Orrery. 
 
( '79 ) 
 
 fbe Heavens do declare the Glory of Gcd, and ihi 
 Firmament Jhewctb his handy IVork. * Pfalms 
 xix. f . It is a Matter of Rejoicing to the di- 
 vine Mind, to behold in the Sun, Moon and 
 Stars a Monument of his own POWhR, — - 
 For as the Heavens do declare the Glory of 
 God, fo the Firmament flieweth his handy- 
 Work: And if marvelous indeed, that an or- 
 derly Arraingement, and regular Motions, 
 Ihould thus have beep given to inanimate Mat- 
 ter, how much more wonderful that thof$ 
 flated and regular Movements fhould be ani- 
 mated in the Brute Creation! The Flocks and 
 the Herds of the Field have an abflradt Rea- 
 fon, a Capacity of remembringy comparing^ and 
 imaginings as well as an immediate and co-ope- 
 rative Perception. And even as the unbegin- 
 ning MAGI A of 'God, the Supreme Reafoft 
 doth continually operate in the Circle of the 
 myftical Seven; fo the , ANIMAMUNDI, 
 which is the Reafon of Brutes, in common with 
 the earthly Man, doth perpetually operate in 
 thefe, according to the feven-fold Movem.ents 
 of the heftial AffeEiions. And I fay, if the 
 Supreme Mind be entertained, or rejoiced, 
 ]n beholding the Sun, Moon and Stars as a 
 Monument or Manifeftation of creative Power, 
 
 Z 2 » how 
 
 * Here, by Heavens the Pfalmift muft have meant the 
 ETERNAL HEAVENS, and by the Firmament t\t EX- 
 TERNAL, or as heretofore the temporary AJlrum. 
 
( iSo ) 
 
 how much greater Entertainment to read the- 
 more manifold Acknowledgments of the Ani^ 
 mal and Infed Race! Day unto Day uttereth 
 Speech, and Night unto Night fheweth Knowledge, 
 Ver; 2. For of thefe, how plural foever in 
 - Specie, or fubdivided into various Societies, an 
 ^ abfo^ute Freedom of Will is claimed by every In- 
 dividual. The Gnat as well as the Cammel hath 
 its feveral and peculiar Chara£ier, its diftin- 
 guifliing Capacity and Qiialifications, fo affo 
 its particular Series of Adventures, Profperities 
 and Adverfities -, and that fame Providence 
 Avhich prefideth over our Adions, prefideth over 
 theirs in common with ours\ — lefs liable are 
 fhey than we by far, either to the Errors in Judg- 
 ment,, or to the Inordinacies of vile and difor- 
 derly Affeflions. Such Creatures are we Men, 
 vft are often inclined to hold forth to the World 
 that this or the other Thing isfo becaufe willingly 
 we would that it Jljould he fo. The Tabernacles of 
 ■\f Robbers do preofper, and they that mock God are 
 fecure into whofe Hand he bringeth abundantly. 
 Job' xii. 6. 
 
 But afli now the Bealls, and they fJjoll teach 
 thee; the Fowls of the Air, and they fhall tell thee- 
 
 Or fpeak to the Earth and it fiall teach thee, 
 
 and the FiJIoes. cf the Sea JJoall declare nnto thee, 
 
 «3fc. Vcr. 9, 10, 
 
 Wha 
 
IVbj kmwelh not in all thefe, that the Hand ef 
 the Lord hath wrought this ? 
 
 In zvhofe Hand is the Sj)ul .of every living 
 Thin^^ and Breath of all Mankind ? 
 
 Both not the Ear try P^ords, and the Mou^ 
 tafie its Meat? Ver. ii. 
 
 With the Antient is thereJVifdom? With the An- 
 tient of every predcilinarian Divine (lb called) is 
 their Wifdom? Or in Length of Days ^^\ one 
 always be fure to meet with an underfianding 
 Heart? Ver. 12. ; 
 
 For the Encouragment of Laity, one may 
 venture however, to repeat that there never was 
 a Finding without a previous Seeking, or a 
 Knowing without an antecedent Sufpence, or ever 
 can be, x.\\tOne being necelTarily fubfervient to 
 the Other, And admit that whole Societies of 
 People may have Stumbled, — have thefe fium- 
 bled that they fhould fall? God forbid, for how- 
 ever there may have been many who have not 
 obtained, yet the EleBion hath obtained, and 
 floall^obtain, Rom. xi. 
 
 These our national Debates be of very high 
 Confequence. The TIME of a firft Revelation 
 is now at Hand ; and whenfoever it pleafeth the 
 divine Condefceniion to make nianifeft the 
 Truth, how happy ihg: Individuals to whom it 
 
 ihal) 
 
( iB2 ) 
 
 Ihall be given to prize that Truth! 
 
 We confider the Providence of God In a two- 
 fold Refpe<5t. Firji. It is by Means of the ex- 
 ternal Providence that the Waters are compajjed 
 ,ui;ith Bounds; whilft by the Movements of a 
 WT^eel as it were in the Middle of a Wheels it is that, 
 fecondly the Bay and the Night of our temporary 
 State fhall at Length be brought to an End. 
 And Query, what did God fore-know, or fore- 
 ordain of the Brute Creation ? It is anfwered, he 
 fore-knew and/?r^-^i^zW the Perpetuity of each 
 feveral Species according to their Kind by natural 
 Generation ; their feveral Ranks and Degrees ; 
 their Powers, Properties and Qualities ; their 
 mutual Dependancies each upon another, and 
 general Subferviency to Man. — How did God 
 thus fore-know the Condition of Brutes? It is 
 anfwered, the Condition of Brutes could not have 
 
 been thus fore-known in . , , 
 
 definite ■ 
 
( i83 ) 
 
 definite Senfe •, [The infinite God doth delight 
 in his Infinity] and was therefore pre-conceived 
 in Idea and in Po-wtr ; was fore-known in the 
 MAGI A i was fore-known (that is to hy)pQten- 
 tial[u or magically, as a Man may pre -conceive 
 the PoiTibility of Flowers or Fruit whilft the 
 Plant is but in Embrio. 
 
 Could not Deity have pre-conceived thua 
 potentially every Animal or Infed that ever was 
 produced : It is acknowledged they could never 
 have had an Exiflancc ; and yet how prepofte- 
 rous to imagine, that before the Commence- 
 ment of Creation, the Pluralities and Diverfities 
 of all living Creatures were fore-known in a 
 
 ' definite Senfe. But fup- 
 pouiig it were even admited, that both the Genus 
 and the5^fnVi were fore-known, and not only fc, 
 but the certain and precife Number of whatfo- 
 ever Animals or Insects fliould exift from 
 the Beginning to the End of Time. To what 
 End or Purpofe doth God create ? It is anfwer- 
 cd, in general Terms, that the Creatures might 
 enjoy the Plealures of Life j and that he, the 
 Creator might be glorified in our Adions.* 
 
 Every Life confifteth in a peculiarity oilVill. 
 
 Take away the Will from the moft contempta- 
 
 ble or infio-nificant Animal that breathes, and 
 
 you take away its Life \ and however one may 
 
 govern 
 
 « See the civ P/alm, 
 
( 1^4 ) 
 
 govern or refi:rain his Anions, it is impofiibie. 
 to reftrain the Wilhngs and Chufmos of its 
 Thoughts : So that in whatfoever Degree the 
 -Creatures do enjoy the Plealiires of Life, fuch 
 Enjoyment muft eflentially confift in the En- 
 joyment of Liberty •, and fo far as it be poflible 
 that God fhotild rejoice in his fVcrhj Pfaim civ. 
 51. or that Diety llioiild be entertained or de- 
 lighted in our A6^!ons, the PofTibihty mud be 
 accounted for in like Manner. Hence to ima- 
 gine that God fhould foreknow the daily or 
 hourly Adventures, the particular Succe/Tes or 
 Misfortunes of the Wafp, or a Butterfly, is a 
 Thought too prepoflerous to be called a 
 Thought •, — and docs the Prejhytcrian Divine 
 afic wherefore ? It is anfwered conclufively and 
 finally, becaufe it is LVIPOSSIBLE. God hath 
 tompaffcd all our Thoughts, Words and A6i:i- 
 6ns with Bounds^ and the IfTue and Tendancy 
 "thereof are fore-known in a.magicalM.d.nntr -, but 
 that the prefent Volition or Choice, the imme- 
 diate Vibrations and Fluduations of the ?vlind, 
 whether of Man or Beaji, fnould have been fore- 
 known or fore-ordained in the definite Senfe, 
 is an abfolute Impoffibility zvith God : Was it 
 xeally poffible that thus he fliould foreknow, here 
 would be the Pcffibility of an End to all Manner 
 oi Sufpcnce ', 'and of Confequence an End to 
 whatfoever is Matter of reciprocal Joy and En- 
 
 tainment 
 
( .i85 ) 
 
 Entertainment between God and Creatures. ^ 
 to what Purpofe fhould even the Wafp oJ x 
 Butterfly have been gifted with a Will ^ 
 Affedions, an abflradt Reafon and GorrefpoiK .^^ 
 Perceptions in common with Men, but that tht^ 
 might glorify their Creator m, itiz Novelty of their 
 A£tipm ? I am altogether incapable of entertain- 
 ing mine Acquaintance, unlefs in either Words 
 or Aftions ; I exhibet fomewhat now: And 
 wherein can it be fuppofed that Deity is enter- 
 tained or delighted in the Agency of the Crea- 
 tures, if not in the free Spirations of an inflanra- 
 neous Volition. We omit to contend about the 
 abfolute Fore-knowledge of God, in refped ot 
 the particular Adventures of a Fly, or an Hmn- 
 ming-Bird; or do the Ambcijfadors of Chrift ever 
 find it in their Way to hold Synbds or Councils 
 upon the abfolute Prefcience of Deity, in the 
 Agency of the Celeftial Powers : And wherefore 
 (be it the Subject of deliberate Enquiry) that 
 fuch Prefcience Ihould fo warmly have been de- 
 bated, thus folely on the Behalf of mifirahle 
 Sinner i? . * • 
 
 He maketh his Angels Spirits^ his Minifters a 
 flaming Fire, Pfiilms civ. 4. Again, the Earth, ■ 
 and the Sea, and the creeping Things innume- 
 rable being taken into Confidcration. " There 
 " go the Ships, Ver. 26; there is that Levia- 
 " than whom thou haft caufed to play therein : 
 
 A a " Thefg 
 
( i86 ) ■ . 
 
 " Tbefe wait Upon thee, that thou mayefi; give 
 
 " th:m their Meat in due'Seafon: That thou 
 
 *' giveft'them they gather; thou opened thine 
 
 " Hand; they are filled with Good-, thou hid- 
 
 *' eft thy Face-, they are troubeled; thou takeO: 
 
 ^ " away their Breath; they die, and recurn un- 
 
 " to their Duft : Thou lendeft forth thv Spirit; 
 
 " they are created ; thou renewtfl the Face of 
 
 " the Earth." 
 
 • 
 
 God foreknoweth all Things potentially, and 
 as the Angels and Spirits in Heaven, fo the 
 Birds and Beafts^ and creeping Things upon 
 Earth, be exempted from DiftrefTcs and 
 Anxieties concerning the abiolute JJecrees of 
 God, or the Execution of his Decrees : For as the 
 unbeginning MAGIA of the Eternity becomes 
 creatural in the Former, fo the Temporary MA- 
 • GIA * doth regularly operate in the Latter: 
 
 And 
 
 * The fame is meant here, which we have heretofore 
 called the WILL of God's Unity, or WILL of the 
 Eternily : We now wake ufe of the Word M A G I A, 
 becaufe more fignificant, for hereby is meant the unbe- 
 ginning Will, not on'y as z. firj} Cauje^ but as ctnjcious 
 cf its Po^juer, and as beholding in Idea ti.e PcJJibiliiies of 
 future Thiaijes.. \\\ this, Senfe it is the EY£"- of God's tf'on- 
 ders, or the Eye of the Eterr.tty : It cannot thus behold the 
 PolfibiliUes oi future Things in the definite Sen/e, becaule 
 itieif is eternal, unbeginnin;^- and never ending; it there- 
 fore b^holdedi them potentially, or magicaUy. 
 
 Ftirthermore, by the temorary Mugia, we would be un- 
 deiik)od to mean the AN IMA MUNDI, or that which 
 d'^h Regulate and harmonize our Actions ; called Infiviil 
 itt Brutes, and in Men Redjon. it proceedeih not imme- 
 diately 
 
( 1^7 ) 
 
 And that our Scriptures lliouU exhibit Occafi- 
 ons of Controverfy to Men, concerning the ^^- 
 
 ' folute tore-knowing of a fupreme Mind, needs a 
 det'p and fundamental Explanation. The un- 
 be^inning Ma^ia is that Cencer whence all Things 
 do proceed-, and it is impoffiblc that it fhould 
 operate otherwife than in' a creatural Way. It is 
 hence that in the Regeneration we do obtain the 
 Knowie.tgeof ALLTHiNGS; for in the En- 
 mity that arifeth in the counter A6tion of the 
 
 Jirji and faond Forms, the unbeginning Mcigia 
 becomes CREATURAL. Here the EYE of 
 the Unbeginning looketh^ through the creatural 
 Will, fn fuch Meafure and Manner as it pleaf- 
 eth; {() that the creatural Will in the Refigna- 
 'tion, cannot defire to know more, or otherwife 
 than according to the Peculiarity of its Mealure : 
 And here wnilft we do individually claim the, 
 white Stone and new Name, which no Man know- 
 eth fave he that revealed it; Revel, ii. 17. our 
 Word^ and Adions do perpetually co-operate 
 and harmonize 'together: Obferve diligently Qur 
 Meaning, for herein is Deity gloriiied, that 
 each feveral and feperate Individual, by a Pecu- 
 liarity of Will, lliould ftand in its Lot, fhould 
 
 A a 2 contribute 
 
 diately from God, as do the Rays of Light from the Sun ; 
 It is not the Out-floujhisr, but it is the Out-flo-xvn ;.that ,i» 
 to fay, it is ' V , i* as the : Tran- 
 
 fcript, or S7,naiuiu., -.. li'.e uiibeginning M AGI A, as the 
 temporary Nature is a tranfcript Glafs,. or Sj/nilitude of tfee 
 Et-naL 
 
( iSS ) 
 
 contribute its feveral and peculiar A6lion, to 
 the Opening and Difplay of the UNSEARCH- 
 ABLE RICHES. No doubtful Difputation can 
 arife about the ahfelute Prefcience, or the Omnifd- 
 ence of Deity amongll: the Beatified and Sancti- 
 fied in heavenly Places, becaufe the knowing of 
 Deity is their aU in AIL When that which is 
 €ome^ than that which is in Part Jhall he done away -, 
 I Cor. 13., 10. whence as formerly intimated, 
 it is the KNOWING of 1 he Creatures, that as 
 gradually we do obtain oui* Ranks and Stations 
 jn the Filiation and Sanclificarion of the Redecm- 
 sd in Chrijl^ that doth conilitute his MANI- 
 FOLD WISDOM, Eph,m. 10. x\\Q all-knowing 
 OMNICIENCE of God, which as heretofore 
 obferved mud be eternally progrejfive. 
 
 The Ahifs fi? i\\t Unity is hidden, unknown, 
 and unknowable; it is the unfearchable Riches -^ 
 and that the Will of the Etetnity fhould become 
 feveralized in the creatural State^ it is to this 
 Purpole, namely, that the unfearchable Riches 
 might be ever rnanifefted in the ceafclefs Difplay 
 of an infinitely diverfified SuccelTion o^ ever ope- 
 ning WONDERS. Whence it largely appears, 
 that I^owever God foreknoweth all Things ■poten- 
 tially^ or magically^ in IDEA, and in POWER, 
 yet that he cannot foreknow the inftantaneous 
 Vibrations and Fluftuations of our Minds in the 
 
 nitc Senfe, becaufe proceeding either more or 
 
 lefs 
 
( >89 ) 
 
 jefs diredly from the Abifs of his own UN- 
 SEARCH ABLENESS, 
 
 Now Adam^ as created in the Image of God, 
 was a Child of the divine Magia, the rightfviU, 
 and legitimate Ofifspring ot the eternal OMNI- 
 POTENCY : But when diviating'from a State 
 of Refignation into Selthood, it was then that he 
 flept. (3en. ii. 21. And when, according to 
 the Letter of the Text, God had caufed a deep 
 Sleep to fall upon .Adam^ it was then tJiat he flept. 
 to the Magia of God,' and awoke to the Magia 
 of 'the BESTIAL State. I'he one is that 
 ^whence Ptophefy^ and Miracles^ and 'Tongues do 
 proceed J the other is zh3.L fl^'^ifdom of the IForld^ 
 which compared with the Former is Fooli/hnefs 
 
 with God. I Cor. iii. 19 There is iikewife 
 
 the irifernal Magia; and as it fliall fufficientiy be 
 manifefted in its TIME, when the Teftimony 
 becomes powerful at the Opening of the SIXTH 
 SEAL, Revel, v. 12. in order that the Enmity, 
 or Bailance of Power be maintained between 
 MosEs and Pharaoh antitypically : The Ser- 
 vants, that is to fay, the Servants of Pharaoh 
 antitypically, Exod.Vn. ^, 10, ir, 12. fliall lay 
 in their Claim to the Powers and Prerogatives 
 of the Infernal Magia. Here be three feveral 
 Orders, or ("lafTes of Enthiifaifis, and to one or 
 the other of thefe "be the Pafiors. and Teachers of 
 
( 190 ) 
 
 every Nation, Society, Age, or Difpenfation 
 reduceable, -f- viz. 
 
 FIRST, The antitypical MAGI of the 
 Eaft (that is to fay according to the Opening of 
 the TIME, as above J ) fo iikewife the antitypi- 
 cal John, viz. the vocaf and extempore PRO- 
 PHETS, the Feaited with the Bread, and 
 Drunken with the Wine of the Kingdojvi. 
 
 SECONBLT, Thofe DREAMERS 
 who defile the Flejh and defpife Dominion ; Jude i. 
 8. the Senfual and Drunken at the golden 
 Cup. And 
 
 LASTLY, The SORCERORS of Egypt 
 antitypically, who under the Name of a Chri(i, 
 and in the Character of Prophet, fhall exercife 
 the Powers and Prerogatives of the Infernal 
 Magia, * (as above) and obfcrve, that however 
 it be folely the Former of thefe, who enjoying 
 thQ Temperature, may rightly be accounted of as 
 the Infpired from above ; yet inafmueh as we fe- 
 verally do, and fhall continue to ad, as infpired 
 from above, or as injligated from below, to the 
 Advancement of the common Caufe, and by a 
 
 , . given 
 
 f See Page 76. 
 
 • See Matt. xxiv. 24. compared with Revel xiii. 1 1 to 
 the End—- — 
 
 %, VtK, the Sixth Seal. 
 
( 19' ) 
 
 given Power, an univerial Infpiration § may in 
 this Senfe be infifted ,upon. 1| 
 
 And now in Order that the ever bleffed God 
 may at Length be dilcharged of that beavey Bur- 
 den, * which modren Divines be fo induftrioufly 
 concerned to honour him withal ; we proceed to 
 confider that highly important Diftindion, which 
 as intimated heretofore was meant by the Ap- 
 podles, and Prophets of old to have been couch- 
 ed in, or under thofe highly fignificant Expref- 
 fions, ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE. 
 
 ^EST. How did God purpofe the making 
 of Man ? It is anfwered, fuch his Purpofe was 
 purpofed according to the Council of his own 
 Will; was purpofed in himfelf, and was efFedbed 
 accordingly, ^eji. How did God purpofe the 
 Redemption of Man ? It is anfwered ' , 
 
 fuch his Purpofe was purpofed in the creaturaj 
 "Will: For as the unbeginning Will by a* FIAT 
 / of 
 
 § An unlverfal Infpiriting, or Animation at leaft, which 
 indeed is ab-origine the Gift of God : For in this Senfe it is 
 that we interpret that Scripture which was formerly appeal- 
 ed to. Page 12. With Jlamering Lips and another 1^ ongue ivill 
 HE /peak to his People. 
 
 II See Page 76. 
 
 • Were it indeed poflible that God fhould circumftanti- 
 ally have foreknown our Thoughts, Words, and Aftions 
 in the definite Senfe, then verily it is poffible that his 
 Mind ftiould have been burdened with a very great Burden 
 of Iniquit)- and Folly. 
 
.,( 192 ) 
 
 of its own had created, fo the creatural Will by 
 a FIAT of its own fhould regenerate. 
 
 BLUEST. How did God foreknow that in Adam 
 the Firlt the Humanity fliould fall^ It is an- 
 fweVed, this was perfedly foreknown in the ori- 
 ginal Make and ConTtiti-Jtion of his Frame, 
 with fuch Certainty as a Man may foreknow the 
 falling of a Leat, .or the Acorn from a Tree. 
 And ^ueii. How did God foreknow that it fhould 
 endeavour to rife again ? It is anfwered, this 
 he could not but foreknaw in like Manner; foi:* 
 as to fail was but Matter of Courfe, fo when 
 having tafted of the Mixture, that it fhould de- 
 fi;e to re-obtain^ was koreknown of the Creator 
 in jud fuch a Senfe as that when the S^cd is 
 fown, the Hufbandman expedeth that ' of 
 Courfe It will llryggle and flrive with the Cold- 
 neis and diftemperatureof the Earth, in .its En- 
 deavours to pur forth the Blade. 
 
 That rhe Humanity fhould have defired to 
 re-obtain, hath been inftanced I think, Gen, 
 xi Chapter. But obferve, that however the 
 Purpofe or Expedations of the Hufbandman 
 may in many Cafes fail, yet the Purpofe of God» 
 which is his Purpofe according to EleElion, fhall 
 ftand, Rom. ix. 1 1. For ^ery, Wh re fore 
 fhould the abfolute Fore-knowledge of Deity 
 have been canvalied thus folely on the Behal-'of 
 
 miferable 
 
C 193 ) 
 
 inirerableSinuers? It isanfwered the Angels an^ 
 Spirits of thejultmadeperfedl: in Heaven beallof^] 
 them at Home ; The Birds and Beads and creeps ^ 
 ing Things oF the Karthbe all of them at Home\ 
 Whili ot Men it is acknowledged that we are 
 Pilgrims and Sojourners upon Earth as in a 
 Strange Land : We do therefore enquire, and it 
 becomes us very well to enquire atter the abfo- 
 lute foreknowing of a Supreme Mind: Where 
 lies then Strefs of the Enquiry? Or, what is 
 that One only Point whereupon it muft inevita- 
 bly turn, or can be ever fatisfa£torily refblvedj? 
 It is anfwered con<;:lurively and finally that the 
 Matter, which concerns the fenfible neither is, 
 or ever was, how polfible, or by what Means 
 poflible with God, that the Inftantaneous Vi- 
 brations and Fiucluations, the Wiliings and. 
 Chufings oi my Mind and Thoughts fhould\ 
 have been a^bfolutely foreknown and foreordain- 
 ed from the Beginning of the World; as contin- 
 gx:nt and variable thefe as be the Adionsand 
 PaIIions,the Profperities and Adverfities of our 
 Brethren the Betijh oj the FielJ: But here lies 
 the Strefs of the Enquiry, doth God foreknow or^ 
 predeftinate the Polfihility of mine ever leing RE- 
 STORED to the" LAND qf PROMISE? The 
 Anfwer is conclufive, the Predeterminations of 
 Deity herein be mo(i abfolutely ABSOLUTE. 
 At Length here is therefore that fo Jntereftingj 
 (o principle J andC/7/;z>^/ A Point of DISTINC- 
 TION which we have [all along hadMn View. 
 God muft have abfolutely foreknown, and pre- 
 determined the Calling, and Redemption of the 
 typical IJrael out of Egypt, in (iich a Scnfe as a 
 Man may defign an Undertaking, and be at the 
 fame Time 9qnfcioiis of a Power to effcft his, 
 
 M b Defigq I 
 
( 194 ) 
 
 D zfign ] vvhilfl that really lie fhould ha ve fore- 
 ivnown whatfoever occurred in the Courfe of 
 their Journey through the Wildernefs. who 
 liioiild /lumbky who Jall^ znlwhoperfevere'm 
 the definite Senfej what confiderate Perfon 
 lliaU be tempted to ii"aagine that it was pol-: 
 flible? Such therefore is the M}'/?ery of his 
 Willy as vouched by our canonical Authori- 
 ties. Such his Foreknowing ACCORDING 
 TO THE PURPOSE. 
 
 ^ . Blejjed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jejus CJmfty who hath hlejfed us with allfpiri-. 
 ttial Bkjjings in heavenly Places inChrifi : 
 
 4. According as he hath ch)[en us in him before 
 the Foundatiou of the Worlds that wejhould be ho- 
 ly and without Blame before him in Love : 
 
 5 . Having PREDESTI MATED us unto the 
 Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift to hiinfclf 
 accordingto the good Pleafure of his WilU 
 
 6. To the Praife of the Glory of his Grace 
 wherein he hath made us accepted i?i the Beloved : 
 
 7. I7i whom we have Redemption through his 
 Bloody the Forgivenefs of SifiSy according to the 
 RichtsofhisGrace^ 
 
 8. JMberein he hath abounded towards usiii, 
 m all Wifdom a?id Prndencey 
 
 9. Havmg made known unto us thelsTY^TE- 
 .?^X ^/^-'^^ WILL, acciording to his pod Pleafure^^ 
 
 which 
 
( 195 ) 
 
 nohich he hath PURPOSED in himfelf: 
 
 10. That in the Difpenfation of the Fulnefs of 
 Times, he might gather together in one ALL 
 TPIINGS in Chrtfi, both which are in Heaven^ 
 and which are on Earth, even in him : 
 
 11. In whom alfo we have obtained an Inheri- 
 tance, being PREDESTINATED ACCORD- 
 ING TO THE PURPOSE of him who, worketh 
 
 alt Things after ihe Council of his own M^ill.— - 
 
 Ep. I Chap. 
 
 Thus we fee that God's Purpofe in onr Re- 
 demption muil commence in a Few, but is 
 purpofed in ALL iiniveiTally. ^eft. How is it 
 purpofed ? I anfwer it was and is purpofed in 
 the CREATURAL WILL, as aforefaid, as in 
 due Courfe of Time it Ihall be a6lually fulfilled 
 in the Name Chrijl Jefus. Where lies then the 
 Abfolutenefs oi t\\t ^uxT^ok'^. It is anfwered, in 
 mine own Hearts Blood ; — fmce we do individu- 
 ally inherit from Adam, that abfolute Freedom 
 
 of Will which he inherited from God. Shall I 
 therefore afcribe to myfelf, the Power of re- 
 deeming myfelf ? Not fo, God forbid, finre by 
 Grace are we faved, yet not of ourfelves ; it is ihg 
 Gift of God, Eph. ii. 8. that is to fay, Cj^ abfo-r 
 lute Purpofe which is given me, could not have 
 been tny Purpofe, unlefs prior to mine, it had 
 been, and ftill remains tp be the Purpofe of 
 God that it fhould be my Purpofe : And this is 
 
 B b 2 thai 
 
■ r 196 ) 
 
 that we mean, and have meant, by afTerting that 
 God's Purpofe in our Redemption was not pur- 
 polcd over my Head, but was purpofed i"^ 
 ME, or in jny Purpofe ; feein'g that however for 
 the Prefent I may prefer the JMcfs of Pottage, 
 fuch neverthelefs is God's Purpofe in me^ that at 
 one Time or another when made fertfihle of the 
 Evil, I fhall be reduced to the NecefTity of pray- 
 ing a Z)^/;'i;^^;?f^ therefrom : Matt.\\. 13. 
 
 Thus it largely appears how effcncially evangeli- 
 cal the propofed D-iftindion. 
 
 As individually affuming the T'/ijWi?, andclaim- 
 ina Relationfhip to a Chriji^ no Adtion is indif- 
 ferent ; but whatfoever we do, is either for, or 
 againji. He that is not with me is againfi me : And 
 he that gathertth not with me fcattereth abroad ; 
 Matt. xii. 30. and our Reader who may hither- 
 to have been in Sufpenfe, concerning whether 
 he may, or may not have been particularly^ and 
 unchangeably deftgned^ is at all Events forewarned 
 that whenfoever made fenfiblc of the Counter- 
 ftrivings of iV^/»r^ and, Gr^f^, fuch the ahfolute 
 Prefcience of Deity, however it be really ordain- 
 ed that he either fhall rife, ov fall; yet that 
 tFhen he Ihall rife, or Whether he Ihall fall, is 
 comparable to the white Stone, and in the Stone a 
 new Name written, which no Man kncweth faving 
 
 he thatreceiveth it. Revel, ii. 17. 
 
 It 
 
' ( 197 ) 
 
 It has been over and again objeAed, and 
 tliat to very little purpofe, that to impute to the 
 abfolute Fore- knowledge, and Pre-ordination of 
 God, our Condud in the deHnite Senfe^ can by 
 no Means be otherwife explained, than that it is 
 a charging him with both the Burden and the 
 Guilt of our pardcular Enormities. We have 
 Ihewn the Ablurdity at large, and might add, 
 that not only is that thus he Jhould fore-know, 
 compleatly impoflible, but that thus he fhould 
 indeed foreknow, there appears not fo much as 
 a Pretence for a Decency in fuppofing. 
 
 We may remember that Balam''s Afs is re- 
 corded to have fpoken with an human Voice ; 
 the Occafion was indeed extraordinary, and 
 ^luery^ Where is the Necejftty of believing, or a 
 Dtcency in fuppofing, that from certain unknown 
 Diftances of Time, or (according to the ordi- 
 nary Phr/ife) from all Eternity, there was that 
 Partiality in God, that in Preference to all 
 others, he (hould particularly^ and unchange. 
 ably have defigned that individual Afs to fuch a 
 Servife, when at the fame Time any other Aft 
 might have pertormed to as good Purpofe ? 
 
 When God at firft defigned fuch an Animal 
 
 as that of the Afs in particular, fuch his Pur- 
 
 ,pofe, or Defign, muft indeed have been abfolute ; 
 
 for if not, then the Afs either might, or might 
 
 not 
 
( ipS ) 
 
 not have had an avflual Exiflance. In admitting 
 God's PuqxDle or Intention to create to hi'.-^ 
 been thus abfolute, it may by no Means be ar- 
 gued as a Confequence thence, that he there- 
 fore muft particularly and unchaniejhly have di- 
 fegned^ whatfoever fliould be feen, heard, felt, 
 or underllood by the Ajs^ and by every indivi- 
 dual of its Offspring throughout all Ages, from 
 the Beginning to the End of the World. 
 
 To create, was the Work of God, the Bli- 
 finefs and Imployment of the unhsginnlng U^tll\ 
 but when cteated the Creature is intided to a fe- 
 perate Will of its own ; and is at Liberty to tbinky 
 and to ac*, to ^'/.V, and to chuft^ to fee^ beoTy 
 feel, and underjiand for itfdf, even fuch is the 
 DisTiNCTiox as above. The Purpofe of God 
 in the Creation of Man was ahfolute, as was ef- 
 fected accordingly upon the Eve of the fixth 
 Day : So his Purpofe in our Redemption is ah- 
 foliUe ; yet neither docs the cy,e, or the other in- 
 volve the abfolute Fore-knowledge of the Wil- 
 lings and Chufings of our Minds in the d^finift 
 Senfe. " O Jerufakm Jerufakm, thou that kil- 
 " eft the Prophets, and ftoneft them that are 
 " fent unto thee, how often would I have ga- 
 " thered thyChUdren!" 
 
 The Offers of a M;ans from Time to Time, 
 is as the breaking of a Sea!^ or as the opening of 
 
 a Door, 
 
( 199 J 
 
 t Dccfy and the Language of prophetic Tes- 
 timony upon the Occafion, is cpme and fee^ 
 Revel, vi. And as the feverufold Proccfs in tiie 
 Beginning, was fore-known^ fo the TIMES of 
 the World, thus difcourfed as of the Opening of 
 a Booky vjritten zuitbin, and en the back Side fealei 
 Kviib SEVEN SEALS, Rez-el. v. i. was fore- 
 known and predetermined of God, ever fince 
 the Beginning, and before the Foundations of 
 the World. 
 
 To fuppor^ that God- could not have thus per- 
 fectly fore-known, and pre-ordained,' both the 
 Manner, and the Means, of our Callings, and 
 Election in general,- would be to fuppofe him 
 undertaking a Work- which he could not fore- 
 know whether he might be able to errect yea or 
 nay, when the Bock Sould be opened, the S£als 
 thereof fevcrally loofed in their Order, and the 
 Invitation extended, ante and fee, God muft 
 therefore have abfolutely fore-known, that of the 
 Many that Ihculd be called, a Fe^iv fhou'd be 
 chofen: .Yet that the Individuals ot the Many 
 or the Few, fhould have been abfolutely ancf 
 perfonally fore-known in the definite Senfe, as pre- 
 pofteroufly incongruous to EVERY Kind of 
 Scripture Authority, even fo, that the I^Iulti' 
 tuies, and Pecple, and Nations fhould fo generally 
 have concee<ied to fuch an ARTICLE of 
 FAITH (fo called) how mere, what lefs, or 
 itberwife (hall it be accounted of, than that it is 
 an Ihftance of the Powerful \Vorkings, and 
 univerfal Prevalency, of that which in Scrip- 
 ture is called the MTSTERT of INI^UlTr, 
 2 Tbefe. Vu 7. See the Chapter at large. 
 
 This 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 * This the Myfiery of Iniquity is the My fiery 
 of that mofl abominable Whoredom^ which in 
 the After-times (as wafS fore-known of the Apof- 
 tles) fhould be pra6tifed upon- the Scriptures, 
 hy the beflial^ unreformed, and unenlightened Ima- 
 gination : The fame by our rnodern Reformants, 
 hath been compared to a Nighty and called the 
 mght of our APOSTACY ; and as we pafs alonn 
 the Times of this Qur Night, to the Charafters qf 
 our leading Reformants, to caft the Blame of our 
 
 Erefent Calvinijlical Extremes upon Calvin, would 
 e .highly, injurious to our common Caufe; him 
 freely do we acknowledge to have been a CHILD 
 of the MORNING. HE,, according to the 
 Meafure of his Illumination, had moft undoub- 
 tedly a Senfe of the TRUTH in this Matter i It 
 was given him to know, that God's Purpofe, ac- 
 tording to Ele5iion, is, and ever ^2iS ahfolute : And 
 as we take the Matter right, and fo interpret the 
 'Scriptures herein, as that their Senfe fliould in- 
 deed correfpond, the fame how extremely 
 delightful! But the TIME o^?l full Revelation 
 was not as yet come, for as the Appoftacy was 
 gradual, fo alfo be' cur national Reformations 
 thereform, fee jy^z. xxv'iii. lo, 14. He had cer- 
 tain Appreh'enfions of the TRUTH I fay ; but 
 when the MAN of SIN, the Son of Perdition, 
 that is to fay, the Beast, who in the Character 
 o{ Reformer was feen to have arifen as out of the 
 Earth, Revel, xiii. 12. took the Scriptures in 
 Hand, in order to reduce this our newly arifen 
 darling Point of Dodrine to an ARTICLE of 
 FAITH, it was then, as is ufual iji all fuch Cafes, 
 
 that 
 
( 201 ) 
 
 that the Scriptures became prevertcd. " Let 
 
 " us, fay unto them that d'jvell upon the Earthy that 
 
 , « theyjhould ynake an IMAGE to the Beaji which 
 
 " had a Wound by a Sword and did live Revel. 
 
 « xiii. 14. Let us arbitrate between God and 
 " Man what be thofe Treafures of Darknefs^ 
 " thoCt hidden Riches of fecret Places^ Ifa. xlv. 3. 
 " that Garden enclofed, that Fountain fealed^ 
 " Cant. iv. 12. thofe hidden and more myjiical 
 " Truths of the Gofpel, which it is in cur Power 
 " to make all Men believe, whether able or 
 
 " willing, yea or nay, Let us impofe upon 
 
 *'^the People and Nations, the Knowledge of 
 "•' God and of his Chrift, whether able to bear 
 
 " or comprehend, yea or nay; And let us 
 
 " caufe that as many as will not worfhip fuch a 
 " God, as fhall be imaged, pourtrayed and fet 
 « up, by a Scripture Interpretation of our own, 
 « let us cauje that they fhould be killed. Revel. 
 " xiii. 15." 
 
 Here it was that the Scriptures became vio- 
 lated, preverted, and dragged as by the Hair of 
 the Head into a Conformity with the arbitrary 
 Contrivances of that Bea^t,, which was feen in 
 the Vifion to have had two Horns like a Lamh, 
 and yet fpake as a Dragon. 
 
 The Scriptures themfelves were exhi bitted 
 according to the Movements ©f the Wheel in tbi 
 
 C G Mddle 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 Middle of a Wheel-, but the Wheel of the exter- 
 nal Magia being at this Time in peculiar Moti- 
 on, J fiich the Appointment of God, the feven 
 Seals of the ETERNAL Magia could not have 
 been opened to the whole World at once, and 
 yet the Bead did long to comprehend the Depth 
 and the Height, and fo far as it was given to 
 our Proteflani ISiEBuchadnizzzar, to have been 
 unanimous in fetting up Syllems of Doftrines, 
 according to the Movements of the external Ma- 
 gia, viz. the /Fi//, and Afe^wns \ the Renfon^ 
 and Imagination of the Earthly Man, herein 
 was the Scripture fulfilled (as above) Let us 
 make an IMAGE to the Beajt, which had a 
 iVound by a Sword' and did live, * 
 
 And now as touching this particular Article 
 under Confideration, could our national Coun- 
 -cils have agreed in fubqpitting the ahfolute Fore- 
 knowledge of God, in the definite Senfe ; could 
 they have been fatisfied to have fufpended the 
 Aifertion PARTICULARLY, and UN> 
 
 CHANGE- 
 
 * 
 
 X At the Commercement of Protestantism, when 
 the People and Nations were io unanimous in fetting up 
 a Variety of ne-w motJelled Articles in Opofition to the for- 
 mer ; Whereas were our AfTimblies of Di-vines to hold 
 Con'veniions and Confultations now, upon the like Occafion, 
 it would not bs poiiible that of thefe mighty Architeds there 
 ihould be found two of one Mind, lee Gen. xi Chapter. 
 
 * Not but that pious, and'in Meafure regenerate Men 
 may have been concerned in thefe Affairs, however the Af- 
 ftijiis of the Beall were as yet to predominate. 
 
( 203 ) 
 
 CHANGEABLY defigned, and that the Num- 
 ber of the Man)\ or the Few fhould be fo certaia 
 and definite, (feeing that the like fhould be fo 
 entirely unfupported by our canonical Autho- 
 rities ;) and moreover, could they have beea 
 fatisfied with fufpending, or in fubmitting th© 
 Everlallingnefs of their eternal Damnation, then 
 in this particular Inftance (I fay ) the Beast as 
 above had not fpake as a Dragon -, or could he 
 at this Time have been thus publickly convided 
 of having opened his Mouth in B!afphemeing againjl 
 God^ Revel, xiii. 6, Whereas now, as our faid 
 national ConfefTionsof Faith do publickly declare 
 for themfelves, how abundantly verified herein 
 be thofe particular Scriptures, forefhewing that 
 unto the Beast was there to be given a Mouth 
 fpeaking great Things! And there was given unt» 
 him a Mouth fpeaking great Things, and Blafphe^ 
 mies : And Power was given him to continue forty 
 md two Months, Revel, xiii. 5. 
 
 As Matters now (land between CLERGY 
 and LAITY in general, there appears no abun- 
 dant Occafion that the People of other Denomi- 
 nations fhould prefume, that by our Brethren, 
 the Prefbyterians themfelves, the faiddiflinguifh- 
 ing Article is confidered as being already fo 
 obvious, as not to admit of any farther Illuflrati- 
 ons. It is however our Bufinefs to prefume, 
 
 C c 2 that 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 that by LAITY in general, as well Prclhyterian J 
 as others, the faidDifiinguifhing Article (what- 
 foever it may formerly have been) is at prefent 
 confidercd as a Matter in dchcte; or as the Sub- 
 jeift oi deliberate Enquiry. 
 
 After, what greater Attainment niisiht Mor- 
 tals afpire ? What Manner of iT^^o-iE;?//^, ox Know- 
 ledge more extraordinary might be afked of cur 
 Father which is in Heaven, than that fully and 
 fatisfaSiorily refolved might be our Enquiries to 
 this Effcd ? How doth God govern the UniverfeF 
 iiovj prejide over xh.Q Adions of Men? What^ 
 When, and How his prepurpo fed EkSion? What 
 doth God know? Qr Hov/ Foreknow, and 
 predetermine Things future ? THESE our prefent 
 Demands be indeed extraordinary ; it is there- 
 fore that we have coafidered them under 
 one Viev^, as in Page 1 7, an highly'and fupreme- 
 ^y Intereftlvg, and therefore a CAPITAL EN- 
 QUIRY: And whereas it is very abundantly be- 
 trayed, how diftant, how Extremely retncte be 
 the MINISTERS of our GOSPEL in the gene- 
 ral, from condefcending to aci^novvledge that as 
 yet they are but lacking herein, how far from 
 condefcendins to acknowledge the Article now 
 under Confideration (to inllance this the Article 
 of an everlallingly, and abfolutely fore-known 
 Reprobation in particular j to be an Article with 
 'he;ii that Hiould admit of Correftion, Revilal, 
 
 or 
 
( 205 ) 
 
 or Re-cxamination. Query, wherein fhall is 
 be prefumed was the Prophecy of the Scriptures 
 intended as a GUIDE to the Peoples of the after 
 Generations, if the fame be not a Means 
 whereby it is ordained as pofible, that we 
 fliould difcern and confider for ourfclves the 
 Signs of the Times? HEW DOWN the Tree, 
 f.nd cut off his Branches 5 Jhake of his Leaves^ and 
 
 fcatter his Fruit. 
 
 LET THE BEASTS GET 
 FROM UNDER IT, and 
 
 the Fowls from his Branches 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The OMNISCIENCE c/ Deity conp.dered, in Or^ 
 dcr to a more full Explanation of the antient Pro- 
 phecies, concerning th$ bringing forth of a MAN 
 CHILD. 
 
 '^"^KT'TE have touched, as at the Beginning 
 %^L/ of the foregoing Chapter, upon that 
 ^^ which is with MAN a Diftindion, 
 or Difference between Reafon and Perception; 
 and have feen that the one is diftinguilhablc 
 from the other, as the EYE of the Mind, the 
 anticipating Idea, is diftinguifhable from an ac^ 
 tiigl !ind prefnt Enjoy me nt^. 
 
 With 
 
( 206 ) 
 
 With the iitmoft Accuracy let us profccutc 
 the Enquiry, and confider what is that which 
 with God IS either, firjiy the anticipating Idea, or 
 Jecondly^ the intuitive^ the inftantly fcnfible and 
 ■perceptive Idea, The Former is his PRESCI- 
 ENCE, tlie Latter his OMNISCIENCE, dif- 
 tinguilhabfe each from the other, as is the 
 'Pow&r^ or latent Poflibility of Adtion from the 
 immediate Exercife of fuch Power; or when 
 Ipeaking of the creatural Will, as its Faith is 
 diftinguilhable from its Fiat. * 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 They that make 2i graven Image are all of 
 them Vanity. Who have formed a god, or 
 molten a graven Image, let them be gathered 
 together, let them Hand up, Ifa. xliv. 
 
 Cl 
 
 cc 
 
 " 12 The Smith with Tongs both work- 
 
 *' eth in Coals, and falliioneth it with Ham- 
 mers, and worketh it with the Strength of his 
 Arms : Yea he is hungry and his Strength 
 
 _" faileth ; he drinketh no Water and is faint. 
 "13 The Carpenter ftretcheth out his Rule : 
 
 " He marketh it out with a Line : He iitteth 
 it with Plains, and he marketh it out with the 
 Compafs, and maketh it after the Figure of 
 a Man, according to the Beauty of a Man i 
 
 " that it may remain in the Houfe. 
 
 " 14 He heweth him down Cedars, and 
 
 « taketji 
 * As the Will from the Desd*' m<m< .. 
 
 cc 
 cc 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 « taketh the Cyprefs and the Oak, which he 
 " ftrengthneth for himfelt among the Trees of 
 " the Foreft : He planteth an Alh, and the 
 " Rain doth nourifh it. 
 
 " 15 Then fhall it be for a Man to burn; 
 «' for he will take thereof and warm himlelf ; 
 " yea, he kindleth it, and baketh Bread ; yea, 
 *' lie maketh it a god, and worfhipeth it : He 
 *' maketh it a graven IMAGE, and falleth 
 " down thereto. 
 
 " 1 6 He burneth Part thereof in the Fire : 
 *' With Part thereof he eateth Flefli : He roaft- 
 " eth Roaft, and is fatisfied : Yea, he warmeth 
 «' himfelf, and faith, aha, I am warm^ I have 
 " feen the Fire. 
 
 17 And the Refidue thereof he maketh a 
 god, even his graven IMAGE he talleth 
 down unto it, and worfhipeth it, and prayeth 
 unto itj and faith, deliver me, for thou art 
 
 my god. 
 
 18 They have not known nor underftopd: 
 " And none confidereth in his Heart, neither 
 *' is there Knowledge nor Underftanding to fay, 
 *' I have burnt Part of it in the Fire, yea alfo 
 
 I have baked Bread upon the Coals thereof. 
 
 19 I have roafted FleQi and have eaten it, 
 
 '' and fhall I make the Refidue thereof an Abo- 
 
 " mination ? Shall I fall down and worfhip the 
 
 " Stock of a Tree ? 
 
 « 20 A 
 
 it 
 
 (C 
 
( 208 ) 
 
 t 
 
 
 20 A decieved Heart hath turned hitn afitle, 
 he cannot deliver his Soul, nor fay, is there 
 *' not a Lie in my right Hand. 
 
 It is fcarccly believed of the modren Profcf- 
 for, who writeth Syftems and Commentaries 
 upon iuch Parts of the Scriptures as were never 
 meant to have been unfealed before the TIME -, 
 or of thole chief Councellors and mighty Men, who 
 with abundant Induftry have been employed 
 froin Time to Time, in fitting, arad refitting a 
 Variety of Scriptures together, in compofing 
 one Set cf Articles after another, each particu- 
 lar Sydem mod undoubtedly Orthodox whilft in- 
 coniiltant wich itfelf, and with every other Syf- 
 tem, it is Icarcely beleived of fuch Profefibrs, 
 or thofe (Councils (I fay) that they are liable to 
 be arraigned and convi6led herein, of having 
 hammered up a god tp their liking : Or that they 
 arf! feverallv chargeable herein, with fuch a 
 Species of IdoUtry as might admit of Comparifon 
 with theirs, who firll ftretch out their Line up- 
 on the Image, theit mark* it with the Compafs, 
 and fit it with the Plain (^as above) and at 
 length fall down, and pray to the IMAGEa 
 deliver us we pray thee, for thou art our god. » 
 
 Let us confidcr Verfe 20 Revel, ix. " Yet 
 " repented they not of the Works of tlieir 
 ''• i lands, that they fhould not worfliip Devils, 
 
 " and 
 
( 209 ) 
 
 «« and Idols of Gold, and of Silver, of Brcifi, of 
 " Stone and of IVood, which neither fee, nor 
 ^' hear, nor walk. 
 
 It appears Mz/Z. 4 Chap, at large, that when 
 the Saviour was led up of the Spirit into the 
 Wildcrnefs to be tempted of the Devil, the 
 grand Point of Controverfy between Power and 
 Power was concerning who fhould WORSHIP : 
 Vcr. 9 and 10. and when the Devil petitioned 
 of his Lord that he fhould have caft himfelf 
 down, Ver. 6, his Prayer was mofl: unquefli- 
 onably ftncere \ yet the fame is not called a 
 Prayer, but a TEMPTING of God. Jefus 
 /aid unto him, it is written again, thou Jhalt not 
 temp the Lord thy God. Yer. 7. 
 
 There is but the Unbeginning and the crea- 
 tural Will, and at the Peril of my Life 
 was I to define what is Worship, according 
 to the evangelical Senle of the Word, I woulci 
 fay that for one Manner of Will, to fail down 
 and WORSHIP another, is for one Manner 
 of Will, to truckle, comply with, fuhmit to, or 
 yield itfelf up to the Obedience of another. 
 
 Whether any fuch a Form of Words had 
 ever been prefcribed or not, the evangelical 
 Player, is, Fathe^^ tJyy will he done, and fo faf 
 
 a4 
 
( 2 10 ) 
 
 as we do aft conformably, or conjijiantly herer 
 with, our ading thus rejignedly, or obediently 
 to thtfecret Indications of the divine good Plea- 
 iure, this only is THAT which properly is Wor- 
 pp, or the WORSHIP of GOD in the evan- 
 gd'ical Senfe of the Word. This is that which 
 by the Saviour was meant, when fpeaking up- 
 ow a certain Occafion of fuch a Worship, as 
 becaufe of its Independency upon the Inftitutions 
 or Qrdinatiofis of Men, was by him defined to be 
 a Worshiping of the Father in Spirit. John 
 iv. 22, 23 and 24. 
 
 On the Contrary, v/hat ever Form of Word3 
 we may take into our Mouths, under the Noti- 
 on of a Prayer, the unconverted Self- Will 
 continually prayeth, MY Will be done\ and 
 when believingly^ or ever fo ferioufly we do of- 
 fer up fuch a Prayer to God, — the Vanity of all 
 Vanities this ! 
 
 It appears that the lame is not rightly called a 
 Prayer ; but that ftridly it is THAT, which, 
 according to the univerfally concurning Tefti- 
 mony of the Scriptures, is called tempting of 
 God','' I fay a TEMPTING of God, as if 
 God fliould v/orfnip ME, or fliould conform to 
 MY IVill and Pleafure, in the ftead of my being 
 ib humble as to condefcend to worfhip HIM ; 
 
 and 
 
 * Ex. xvii. 7. Numb. xiv. 22. Deut. vi. ^6. Pfa. 
 ixxviii. t8. andxli. <;'\andxcv. 9. cxvi. 14. /if^. iii. 9. 
 l5<. too tedious to recite. 
 
( 211 ) 
 
 and here is t\\2Cifudam entail that GRAND Mif- 
 take^ where-upon do all, and all Manner of 
 Idolatries^ falfe Religions, ^nd falfe JVorJhips 
 fubfift, World without End. * 
 
 As confulting the Prophecy of the Scriptures 
 for the genuine Cbara5ierijiicks oi the Religit 
 ON and Worship of the latter Days, the fame 
 to a Tittle, how exadly defcribed Revela. xiii 
 Chap, at large ! 
 
 " And the Beajt which I faw, was like unto a 
 " Leopard, and his Feet were as the Feet of 
 " a Bear, and his Mouth as the Mouth of ^ 
 " Lion, and the Dragon him his POWER. 
 " and his SEAT, 2inA great Authority.''* Ver. 2. 
 
 Here is Nebuchadnezzer the King, ac- 
 cording to the Fundamentals and EJfentials of 
 his REAL Charafter, — 7^^ right Reverendy—r 
 and Right Worjhipful, — the Anti-Chp.ist 
 which was to come, whether it be His Graces- 
 ox: His Holinefs^—Prieji,— or Jefuity — the Epi- 
 fcopal Do^or,— or the Predejlinarian Divine. 
 
 " And they worihiped the DRAGON, which 
 " gave Power unto the Beast, and they wor- 
 ** fhiped the Beast, faying. Who is like unto 
 " the BEAST ? Who is able to make War 
 " withhim ? Ver. 4. The 
 
 * Whence thofe ftrong Temptations to Idolatry, fo pre- 
 valent in every Age ? that People fltculd be fo Urongly pro* 
 periled to the fetting up onmages.but for the Convenience 
 of having luch a god or gods as might be fuppofeu to b« 
 ever at our Call, ddi-ver uj "wefray iktii/QT thou art our guJ. 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 The Trayer of the Beast and of the DRA- 
 GON is as follows. 
 
 « Our Father wiiich art in Heavenj" PRO- 
 « PHANED and BLASPHEMED be thy 
 *' Name-. MY Kingdom come, MY Will 
 ** be done, — upon Earth as it is in HELL. 
 
 This being in Reality t,hat Prayer which the 
 Beaft prayeth, when repeating, according to 
 Cuftom, that Form of Words commonly called 
 ^he Lord's -Frayer.—hxi^ that the Peoples in 
 general fhould fo unanirpoufly have fallen into 
 a Concurrence with the SELF-JViird Worfhip- 
 'ngs and Prayings of the Be asTj and of the Dra- 
 gon, which giveth POWER unto the Beast, 
 this is not worjhiping the Father in Spirit and 
 in Truth ; but this is that which is called a 
 WORSHIPING the Beaft, and WORSHIP- 
 ING of the Dragon which giveth Po\^er unto 
 the Beaft. 
 
 ** And there was given him a Mouth fpeak- 
 '-' Jng great Things, and Blafphemies ; and Fow- 
 *' ER was given him to continue Forty and two, 
 «' Months. Ver. 5. 
 
 Here the Forty and two Months be anfwera- 
 lo the like Number of Months, mentioned 
 Chap. xi. 2. during which Time the outward 
 Court was to be given to the Gentiles ; they 
 are Prophetick Months, and (as hereafter) it 
 fliall be reiolved. 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 to the full SatisfafKon of whomfoever it may 
 concern, do at this Time admit of an Interprc" 
 tation fuch as may be depended upon as valid in 
 Point of Time. 
 « 
 
 " And all that dwell on the Earth fhall 
 " WORSHIP him whofc Names are not writ- 
 •* ten in the Book of Life, of the Lamb flain 
 *• from the Foundation of the World." Ver. 8, 
 
 Here is the UNIVERSALITY of that 
 Night called the Night of our Apoftacy : Such 
 the Appointment of God, (for 1 would not be 
 underftood as if fpeaking by way of Complaint) 
 It is the Part of thi^ Beast to counfel and re- 
 folve upon whatfoever Set of Articles, or religi- 
 ous Performances, to the Dragon, that Serpenc 
 called the Devil and SaVan, from Time to Time 
 it is given to inftigate him withal, and then to 
 ENFORCE them by the Means of an humai^ 
 Legislature; and as chearfully fubmitting 
 to thefe the Injlitutions and Ordinations of the 
 Beast •, THIS is that which, as above, is ti'^ 
 ihcr ffcondarily our worfhipping the Beast, or 
 primarily our worfhipping the Dragon which 
 givcth Power unto.the Beast. 
 
 But (in brief) as I would draw towards the 
 Matter in hand, the Beast which was feen to 
 havearifen as out of the Earth, Ver. ii, repre- 
 fenteth the Prtteftant Nebuchadnezzar ; 
 Dan. iv. i, 2, 3, 4. And that Protestani- 
 ISM in general Ihould have been icharafterized 
 as it is, Ver. 14 and 15, by our worfhipping the 
 IMAGE of the Beast, here is that which by 
 
 £ e ouJT 
 
( 2^4 ) 
 
 our modern B'mnes, (miftaltenly fo called) h 
 termed Syfiematical Divinity \ a rambling and 
 fiditious trifling with divine Things— Here are 
 tne hrokcn Cifterns, thofe volumniousTreafuriei 
 wherewith all Europe is at length became cloy- 
 ed ; the fupernumerary Produdtions of Profeji- 
 
 nntU?ii'uerfiti€s. And that Laity in general 
 
 (hould have taken it for granted, when conr- 
 forming to the ordinary Rounds of a family ot* 
 congregational Devotion, in the nature of a ^ajk^ 
 6r Duty^ and as prefcribed and recom'mended' by 
 the fuperrn tend ant Beast, that in To doing we 
 do actually fcrve or i^orjhip God -, mod dire6tJy 
 here is that which th'e "i^rophet hid in View 
 wherifpe^.kingof the IMAGE, V>er. I4a'nd 15, 
 and ot .vjrlliipping the IMx^GE of the Beast; 
 
 ^ In fad:, it is worfhi-'pping the Beaif : But 
 
 in'refped of the DECEPTION which h 
 Wrought upon the Minds of thfc People herein, 
 k is v/ordiipping the liMx^GE of the BzASt ^ 
 the very Suiumit and Perfcdlion of that moft cOn*- 
 fumate and capital CRISIS, w hereunto it was 
 ordal^ied Us .pofiible that the Idolatriss of the 
 Latter Days ihould tver have arrived. 
 
 And nov/ to the Matter , in Hand: ^ery. 
 
 What fhall we make of the 'Three Perfcns in One 
 tyubii'mce? 'Or, V/hat is chat Subftance? Whe- 
 tiler is iLG<7/i, or is it i^/Zi'^r ? \s\z '^r^fs^ Jron, 
 MWd, oV Ss'QJtc ? I anfvver. An imagtTii'.ry God, 
 the IMAGE of tte Reast. 
 
 'Uril- Idef of Perfons fo univerfally adapted 
 howcbmpl'eatly abfurd. One needs not to fay.; 
 it is iiitirely unfcriptural. — The Trinity of Deky, 
 
 ; * .as 
 
as already difeourfed, is a ^hree in One, or ^ 
 thffefold Form or Condition of Life\ the Reve-; 
 lation or Manifeftation of Deity in 1'rinity, be^ 
 ingas really the^ttai/iiment of a Believer upoa 
 Earth, as it is adtually that State cf Enjoyment 
 wherein confifteth the Bleflednefs and Sandiftca- 
 tion of the Juft made perfed in Heaven. 
 
 But farther: If to worfhip fuch ^god, or 
 gods, as do neither fee, bear, or walk, be a 
 Matter to be repented of, who is there thac 
 fhali be able to ftifle their Demands, who 
 would willingly be informed, concerning whe- 
 ther do the Three Perfons in One Suhfiance, fee, 
 hear, or walk ? They either do, or do not ; 
 if they do, then let it be refolved while the 
 Matter is in hand, WHEN, WHERE, and 
 HOW? For the Matter propofed is clearly 
 and fundamentally to diftinguifh the anticipating 
 IDEA, from the perceptive IDEA. 
 
 Query ; What fhall be done ? The People 
 are become weary of the Perfons ; they would 
 almoft as foon throw their Money away as pur- 
 chafe another Le6bure upon the Subjefl ; and it 
 feems as if there was a Danger, left by one 
 Means or another the Ambaffadorjhip flioulci at 
 Jength be brought into Contempt. — Enough of 
 xhe Perfons, — let us difcourfe of their Employ* 
 
 pient, their bearing of Record Surprifing^ 
 
 that lb often as we have been commemorating 
 the Perfons, we fhould fo ftrangely haveneglcd- 
 ed to fpeak of their Employment! Yes, their 
 
 Ee 2 (rearing 
 
( 2i6 ) 
 
 ^'earinp of Record in Heaven^ John v. 7. Is not 
 this the Matter which we have been propofing 
 to take in hand ? Moft undoubtedly this is that 
 vaft Underciking propofed at the very firft Start. 
 
 Now I would willingly apprehend that by a 
 Hf earing cf Record^ the Apoftle might be under. 
 
 flood to have meant the perceptive Idea 
 
 What think you ? — If really it might be given us 
 fundamentally to refolve concerning this hearing 
 of Record in Heaven, in Anfwerablenefs to that 
 Other kind of jB^^r;;;^, which in the next Verfc 
 is called a hearing of f^itnefs upon Earthy the 
 Peoples might not then be fo extremely inclined 
 to fufped our Amhafjadorjhip : For if WIT- 
 NESSES of the TRUTH upon Earth, then 
 certainly it is poffible, and at the fame Time 
 highly becoming that great ProfefTion which fo 
 pniverfilly we do affume, nothing lefs than an 
 AmhaffadQrJbip from above, that we do adminif- 
 ter to the Peoples fomewhat more than prohahle 
 Conje^ure^ concerning what is that which by 
 the Apoftle fhould have been intended by a hear^ 
 in^ of Record in Heaven.— r-TrMth is Truth, whe- 
 ther m Heaven or upon Earth. 
 
 QuEKYj Whether doth GOD hear the 
 Prayers of the Hypocrite? 1'hcy think (faid our 
 Lord upon a certain Occafionj that they flmll he 
 heard for their much fpeaking- He laid not that 
 they iitlually 'upere heard. — Shall God be oblig- 
 ed to hear whatfoever the Idolater is pleafed to 
 call a Prayer ? - In Ihort, I am very much in- 
 clined to prefume, that the Matter will bear a 
 Conirpverfy, But whatfoever the Manner of 
 
 Gqd's 
 
( 217 ) 
 
 Go D*s Hearing, the Matter in hand is to dif- 
 tinguifh the anticipating IDEA from the percep" 
 five IDEA: For, as formerly obfervcd, the one 
 is his PRESCIENCE, the other his OMNI- 
 SCIENCE. 
 
 There are, as it (hould fecm, with whom 
 it is cuftomary to pronounce that ftupidy which 
 they cannot underftand; and there are who 
 would loudly domineer over the Heads of the 
 Simple, as if we indeed were incapable of giv- 
 ing an Account of our Principles j and feeing 
 that the Beast cannot receive, it is prefumed 
 that we are deftitute of REASON. Here is 
 therefore a Queftion, a Theological PRO- 
 BLEM ; an highly and fupremely CAPITAL 
 
 E N QJJ I R Y. And is it fuch a one as 
 
 above all others, fhould have efcaped our No- 
 tice ? An Inftance of STUPIDITY this, al- 
 moft unparalelled by the more palpable Idola- 
 tries of the darker Ages of the World ! 
 
 It is recorded of the Prophets oi Baal, that 
 when concerned upon a certain Occafion to call 
 upon the Name of their gods, they were not 
 facisfied with praying UNHEARD j but fin- 
 cerely were they anxious, whether pojjible or 
 probable, that their Petitions fhould have been 
 a6iually heard. Kings the i8th Chapter at large, 
 ** O Baal hear us." And when there was no 
 Voice, nor any that anfwered, they leaped upon the 
 Altar which was made, Verfe 26. And when 
 -B/(/^;?> bid them cry, Verfe 27, thty cried aloud^ 
 and that with fuch a Vehemency of Zeal, they 
 cut themselves with Knives and Lancets, until 
 
 the 
 
d :ii 8 ) 
 
 ^p- BM it^ed'ouf.-^ But ftrange to tell ! Let 
 a-Child, or Tome ignorant Pcrlbn^ but afk of 
 the Image-wor/bipphiig /Pro]^htt of a more mo- 
 dern JSaaly whether it ihould be poflible, or m 
 any wife likely, that his Prayers fhould be a^u- 
 ally heard, and the Queftion furprifes and dif- 
 gufts him : For, with all his Enchantment s, 
 he never did fo much as once take it upon him 
 to confider, is it poffible, or whether is it rea- 
 fonabJe, to prefume that God fiiould at once 
 hear and comply with fo many of his Infinities, 
 ai Infinitum,' of lying, contrary and contradi6iory 
 
 Prayers. " A deceived Heart hath turned 
 
 " him afidc, and he cannot deliver his Soul, 
 '> nor fay, is there not a Lie in my right Hand ? 
 
 To proceed, as was propofed, in our Endea- 
 vours to contemplate the AU-Knowingnefs of a 
 fupreme Mind :— •. ^ 
 
 When there was an Enquiry propounded 
 upon a certain Occafion, by the Sadducees of old, 
 ** Jesus anfwcrcd and faid unto them. Ye do 
 ** err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the 
 " Power of God ; for in the Refurreflion they 
 ^* do neither marry, or are given in Marriage, 
 " but are as the Angels of G o d in Heaven : .— 
 But as touching the RefurredionoftheDead, 
 have yq not read that which was fpoken unto 
 you by God, I am the God of Abraham, 
 *' and the God of Jfaac, and the God of Jacob : 
 " God is not the God of the jD<r^^, but of the 
 " Living,*' Vcrfe 32. Here is the bearing of 
 Record. GOD is not the God of the DEA D, but 
 hf the LIVING. Atrahamy Jfaac and Jacobs 
 
 generated 
 
 f 
 
{ 219 ) 
 
 generated each oF tht other, did reprcfent thfe 
 Trinity of LIFE. God is not the God of 
 Abraham, IJhmad and Efai^ that is to fay, 
 of Saturn, JupiUr and Mars, according to 
 the Trinity t>i DEA TUi but according to the 
 Trinity of their Illumination in the Tranfmuta- 
 
 tion of the fourth Form. But why fpakeour 
 
 LoRD thus on this particular Occafion? It is 
 anfwered, Thefe Sayings were meant of the 
 Kefurrcftion in general ; as well the Refurre^lion 
 of the Internal Man, that Newnefs of Ufe, 
 Kom. vi. 4, 5, as the After Kefurredion, dii- 
 courfed by the Apoftk, i Cor. xv. And iince, 
 \vith refped to a Diftin^ion of Sexes, tlie Hu^ 
 manity in general, fhould thus have been com- 
 pared with the Angels: — Then what of thefe 
 Angels? Be they MafcuUne^ or Feminine? — 
 Our Lord faid not that they be either : But it 
 is anfwered, neverthelefs, that if either, they 
 be all of them Feminine ; MafcuHne in Ejfence^ 
 but Feminine in Suhftance. The Trinity of 5p/- 
 rtt [SaSurn, JupiUr and MarsJ .is Mafculine, 
 but according to the Trinity of Lf^lff., [VyeMUis^y 
 Mercury and Luna, in the ^ranfoautatian] they 
 be all of them Feminine. And if thus it may 
 be admitted that the Souls of the Juft, upon 
 their entering >into Glory &t the igeneral Jte&r- 
 fedion, ihahl coitimeaice Femmne, then whiac 
 %as our firft Parent Ada M, t:"*re fleeping to 
 Life and Immortality, he awoke to that Flejh of 
 \\\%FleJh, and Bone of his Bone, called WO- 
 MAN? It is anfwered, our Scriptures, as 
 cited heretofore, be entirely explicit herein; 
 that as created in the Image of God, and after 
 
 his 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 his LJkencfs, he was both Male and Female, * 
 for it appears (however it was the Woman who 
 at the firft Ihould have partaken of the earthly 
 Tree) that the Lapfe was moft undoubtedly 
 commenced, e're properly it could have been 
 faid, that it was not good that the Man Jhould be 
 alone. 
 
 Compare we now the Beginning with the 
 Endings the feven-fold Procefs of the creating 
 Fiat J was as the laying a Foundation^ or as the 
 ftrikiq^ out of a firfi Draughty and did refer to 
 the feven-fold Procefs of the regeneraring Fiat, 
 Viz. the TIMES of the World, f 
 
 Here 
 
 • Gen. i. 27. Mat. x\x. 14. Mark x. 6. Male and 
 Feviale created he therriy and blejfed them, and called their 
 Ifame Adam. Gen. v. 2. 
 
 + For be not ignorant of this one Thing , that according 
 to fuch the feven-fold Procefs of the regenerating Fiat, 
 one Day is vntk the Lord as a thoufand Tears, and a thou- 
 fund Tears as one Day. 2 Pet. iii. 8. 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 It however appears, in the Openings of the 
 Myftery (confute me who can) that Ine of Ufe^ 
 in the Midji of. the Garden^ Gen. i. 9. was by no 
 Means meant to have been fignix'ied a fingle or 
 individual Tree, but the vegitab.le Kingdom in 
 general, as partaking of Life and immortality 
 according to the Myftery ot a Wheels as it ii^ere 
 in the Middle of a Wheel: And for the Iree of 
 Knowledge^ to admit that it could have been a 
 feperate^ feveral^ or individual Tree, would be 
 altogether inconfiftenc with the Letter, both of 
 the Text and Context : For Firft^ by the Letter 
 of the Text, Gen ii. 9. • two feveral Trees of 
 fuch different Natures could not both of them at 
 once have grown in the Midft : And Secondly^ 
 by the Context it appears, Ver. 29 of the pre- 
 ceeding Chapter, and again Verfe 16 of the 
 fame Chapter, that inf^ead of a Prohibitation 
 here was a free and univerfal Toleration of 
 EVERY ^ree of the Garden thou mayefl freely eat. 
 The Tree of Knowledge we do therefore by no 
 Means prefume to interpret a feperate^ feveral^ 
 or fingle and individual Tree i but by the Jr-e 
 of Knowledge of Good and Evil, it is given us to 
 apprehend was meant the very lame Tree,, or 
 Trees of the Garden whereof they [our fird 
 
 Parents] 
 
 ■ferve by tlie Bye, tliat there is not a"ny Charafter iipon 
 Earth pofTefed of fuch "an Eminency-or Superiority of 
 Pover, as may be likely to exempt or fecure them fiom the 
 Terrors and Alarms of a Vox Popun. 
 
 y^ 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 Parents] might freely cat : The very fame Tree^ 
 orTrees oi xht Garden (as hereafter may appear 
 more at large) that is to fay the Vegetable 
 Kingdom in general, as partaking of a Liable- 
 nefs to become fcver'd, or feperated from its 
 primitive Union with Life and Immortality, 
 according to the Myftery of a Wheel as it were 
 in the Middle of a Wheel, fee the Figure as be- 
 fore, Letters D. E. F. Curfed is the ground for 
 thy Sake -, in Sorrow fhalt thou eat of it all the 
 Days of thy Life^ Gen. iii. 1 7. 
 
 Such the Condition of ouTfrefent Eating, and 
 it feems that the Promife is to him that over- 
 cometh. To him that overcometh will I give to 
 eat of the HIDDEN MANNA, Revel, ii. 17. 
 And again ; to him that overcometh will I give to 
 eat of the TREE of LIFE which groweth in the 
 Midjl of the Paradife of God, Ver. 7. 
 
 Here are three feveral States, or Conditions- 
 of Eating, each different from the other, and yet 
 each of them ftridly analogous to the other. 
 
 It appears that the Manna in the Wildernefs^ 
 Exod. xvi. 15. was not as pronounced by the 
 Pfalmift in Reality the Food of Angels, but that 
 after a fliadowy or Typical Way, it did prefi- 
 gure that Manna which is the MANNA of our 
 Gof-pel Difpenfation, Verily verily I fay unto you, 
 
 Mofes 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 Mofes gave you not that Bread from Heaven ; 
 hut my Father giveth you the true Bread from 
 Heaven, John vi. 31, 32. . 
 
 Here are three feveral Conditions of Eating 
 I fay, viz, 
 
 FIRST, A partaking of the Cursed 
 Earth, the unleavened Bread and bitter Herh^ 
 to the Support of the terreftrial Body. 
 
 SECONDLT, A partaking of the hid- 
 den Manna, our Bread from Heaven, the F/jod 
 cf Angels y Pfalms Ixxviii. 24, 25. And 
 
 LASTLT, That Condition cf Eating 
 which was promifed to him that overcometh as 
 above. To him that overcometh will I give to eat 
 of the Tree of Life which is in the Midjl of the Pa- 
 radife of God, each different from the other I fay, 
 and yet each of them flridly analogous to the 
 other. 
 
 Here let it be remembered that when God 
 would make a World, a Man, or an Angel, he 
 goeth not to work as a Man who would make 
 unto himfelf an Idol god: But whatfoever he 
 doth, whatfoever is, hath been, or ever can be 
 done, is by the Word of his Power; the ex- 
 fr effing and reexpreffivi Word. 
 
 FIRST, 
 
( 224 ) 
 
 FIRST, The Jgency^o? God, as prior to 
 the Af^ency of Creatures is the Fiat, or let it 
 he of Deity the verbum Fiat. And ■ 
 
 SECONDLT, The Speakings of God by tb^ 
 Agency of the Creatures in a fecondary Wayj 
 is the /peaking or reexprejfive Word, the Verbum 
 Domini, as was inltai)ced of old, the V/ord of, 
 thi Lord came unto me faying* 
 
 Thus far the Word is the Agent or CAUSE, 
 but it feems that according to a certain propriety 
 of Speech, not the Agtncy only, or moving Caufe, 
 but whatfoever is produced the EFFECT, ot 
 Thing caufed, is likewife called the Wordj 
 Matt. IV. 4. and in this Senfe it is that, 
 
 FIRST, The Creation and Creatures in general 
 may be called the exprejfed or outfpoken Word 5 
 and 
 
 SECONDLT', In this Senfe it is that th'e 
 Scriptures have been called, and rightly are con- 
 fidercd the IVord^ or Word of Prophecy. 
 
 Thus the /peaking and reexprejfive Word is 
 the AGENT or CAUSE, but the out/poken^ 
 t:ie exTirejJed avid reexprejfed Word is the OUT- 
 FLOWN, the PRODUCED, or CAUSE:D. 
 
 These Diflin6tions are thus premifed, as 
 hereafter we may have Occafion to experience 
 
 how 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 . how eflentially ufcfful in this the Courfe of our 
 Endeavours to make all Aien fee. 
 
 It appears that the Called in Chrift .be enti« 
 tied to an mmsdiaie Participation of that MAN- 
 NA, which in the Courfe of cfur Advances to- 
 wards the fpiritual • Canaan is found to be an 
 HIDDEN MANNA, %at which -ivas from the 
 Beginnings which we have heard^ zvhich we have 
 feen with our Eyes, which we have locked upon^ 
 and our Hands have handled of the Word ^t/" Life 
 declare zve unto you, i John i. i. It is thit daily 
 Bread for which the Difciples were inflru.cled to 
 
 pray \ It is called Life, John i. 4. and in 
 
 Refped of our gradual Advances from the In- 
 fant State, towards that of a psrfe^ Man, the 
 fame hath been coir.pared to Milk, Ifa. Ixvi. 1 1% 
 and Milk of the Word, i Pet. ii. 2. 
 
 Let us diligently attend to the fubje6t Mat* 
 ter of the Sixth of the Evangelift John. 
 
 That the Multitudes fnould have been mi- 
 raculoufly fed v/ith the five Barley Loaves and 
 two fmall Fifhes pleafed them well, but when 
 jefus made Mention of a Believyig on him 
 whom the Father had fent -, what 'fign jh&weji 
 thou (faid they) Ver. 30. 
 
 And as proceeding to difcourfe of that Br^nd 
 •which Cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life 
 
 F f iint& 
 
{ 226 ) 
 
 mio the Worldy the Jews Murmured at him, bc- 
 caufe he faid I am that Breads Ver. 41. How 
 can this Man give us his Flcjh to eat^ Ver. 52. 
 Jelus faid unto them, verily verily I fay unto you-, 
 except you eat the Flejh of the Son of Man, and 
 drink his Blood, you have no Life in you, Ver. ^2' 
 
 This was not an Occafion whereupon it was 
 meet.that our Lord fhould have entered upon 
 any accurate Diftindtions concerning a two-fold 
 Subfiftence : Whereas it appears in the Ope- 
 nings of the Myjlery, that could Adam the firji 
 have maintained the Equilihium of that State 
 wherein did confift his ignorance of Evil, he 
 had partaken of Immortality according to the 
 Myftery of a twofold Man as before; but that 
 under the Curfe, and during the Continuance of 
 the prefcnt Life, the Called are called to no 
 higher an Enjoyment, than that it is given them 
 to eat of the HIDDEN MANNA : It is there- 
 fore that our Lord fpake partly in the prefent,^ 
 and partly in xht future Tenfe^ as appears Ver. 
 40, 51 and 54. 
 
 The faid hidden Manna is our Bread from 
 Heaven in the Condition of Sojourners ; but that 
 Mention is made of a being raifed up at the lafi 
 Day, Ver. 54. here was meant the Refurre5fion 
 Body, whofe Eating fhall not be of the Curfe^ 
 
 but 
 
( 227 ) 
 
 but as heretofore obferved, of the Tree of Life 
 which groweth in the Mtdjl of the Paradife of God. 
 
 And as confulting the Scriptures for a farther 
 Infight into this Myflery^ we do find, that were- 
 as our perifhable Bread is not barely a Symbol^ 
 but as really compofcd of the idential Samenefs 
 of Matter, which in the Renovation, or Refti- 
 tution of all Things, fhall become tranffuhfian. 
 tiated into the Body and Blood of Chrift, even fo 
 that this BREAD hath been made Choice of as 
 a Figure whereby thefe Myfteries might be ap- 
 prehended. 
 
 It appears that the Manna in the Wtldernefs 
 * (as aforefaid) did prefigure the hidden Manna i. 
 and again, that the Inftitution of the SHEW- 
 BREAD, was meant*as a Type of a Correfpoa- 
 dent, or collateral Signification, Levit. xxiv. 5, 
 9. But as venturing to appeal to the Types on 
 Behalf of this the Dodrine of a Tranffuhfiantia- 
 tion^ we do app«al to the Inftitution of the 
 PASSOVER, Exci.xii. 13. Here the Sacrifife 
 •of a hamh did prefigure the all availing Sacrifife : 
 And that the People fhould have been com- 
 manded to eat the Lamb with bitter Herbs, here- 
 by was reprefented our PRESENT Relation- 
 fliip to the Vegetabls Kingdom: And that 
 the Feaji fhould have been kept with unleavened 
 Bread, hereby was reprefented the Curfe of our 
 prcfent Dift:emperatures. Seven Days JJjaU thou 
 
 F f 2 fat 
 
. ( 228 ) 
 
 eat unleavened Bread \ and in the Seventh Jhall he » 
 Feajl unto the Lord, " lixod. xiii. 6. 
 
 Compare thefe the Words of the ancient 
 Inftitiition with the ever memorable Sentences 
 which were fpoken by our Saviour when partak- 
 ing of the P.-?^z;tT. at Even in the Prefence of 
 the Twelve, Alatt. xxvi. from Ver. 26 to ^o. 
 concluding as follows, hit I fay unto you I will 
 not drink of this Fruit of the Vine, until that Bay 
 when I drink it 'new with you in my Fathers King- 
 dom. 
 
 There are none who enterpret the Expref- 
 lions, this Fruit of the Vine^ as having been, 
 otherwife intended than as if it had been faid, 
 THIS the Fruit of the Herrefrial Vine. And 
 what would the Peoples that our Saviour fhould 
 have meant by the Exprefiions . THIS Breads 
 THIS Gu^? 
 
 Let them afk of their P^y?^r/, the Superin- 
 tendents of Society, and it fliall be exprefly de-- 
 clared that hereby was meant whatfoever tlie 
 Bread, whatfoever the Cup, whereupon the 
 Ambaffadors of Chrift upon certain Occafions 
 fhould be pleafed in the After-times to vouch- 
 fafe their Prayers ; and indeed it is univerfally 
 preached that the Expreffions take, eat, this is 
 my Body^ fliould have been fpoken with fome Re- 
 
 latipn 
 
C 229 ) 
 
 latlon or Reference to our feeding upon Chrlft 
 by Faith our prefent Subfiftence fpiritually up- 
 on that Bread tvhicb cometh down from Heaven : 
 And that the Peoples fhould have been prevailed 
 upon, to believe that when partaking upon cer- 
 tain Occafions of the unleavened Bread, they 
 at fuch Times, more than at any other Time> 
 fhould have* Tupped upon the Fkflj and Blood of 
 Chriji theirSaviour ; here is one of thofe Miracles, 
 Revel, xix. 20! How fhall it be accounted for? 
 
 Why it feems that it is a Mifapprehenfion 
 whereinto we are fallen for the Want of an Ac- 
 quaintance with the Do<5trine of a two-fold Man^ 
 and a two-fold Manner of Eating..- — I dare ap- 
 peal to the Experiences of one and all, whomfo- 
 ever they be, who ever did partake of the Or- 
 dinance called a Sacrament, that when return- 
 ing frorh fuch their Supper, tlicy have not been 
 otherwife refrefhcd thereby than as they mii^ht 
 have been at any other Time : For admit that 
 one might venti^re to enquire what the Saviour 
 fhould have meant by the Exprefiions THIS 
 Breads THIS Cup. It is anfwered in a Word 
 (and that as we are thus at the Pains of having 
 opened, and relblved at Large) upon a good 
 and fufiicient Ground, that the Breaking of the 
 unleavened Breads and communicating thereof to 
 the Difciples then prefent, did barely refer to 
 the animal or Bejiial Life. This is my Body which 
 
 is 
 
( 230 ) 
 
 is I>roken for you. Thefe Sentences (I fay)" were 
 by no Means meant with iveference to our 
 prefent Subfiftence fpiritually. upon that Bread 
 which cometh down from Heaven ; (the Manna and 
 the Shew- bread, as aforefaid, be the Types 
 whereunto it is fufficient that in this Cafe we do 
 appeal) but they did barely refer to our prefeni 
 and future Relationfhip to the Vegetable 
 Kingdom, and were fpoken by Way of Expla- 
 nation, as touching the genuine Significancy or 
 do5frinal Senfe^ which till then had been couched 
 under the Ordinance of the antient Passover. 
 And here is the Do6lrine of a ^ranffuhjlantiationj 
 the Type was fulfilled upon him the Anointed, 
 fo far as refering to him as an individual Perfon, 
 when rifing from the Dead by the Glory of the 
 Father^ whereas -it (liall remain to be unful- 
 filled upon the Church until the Iranffuhdanti- 
 ation univerfal at the winding up of our Times. 
 The Type was thus fulfilled upon him the 
 Anointed (I fay) but remains to be fulfilled upon 
 HIS, at his coming, feeing that he himfclf was 
 not thenceforth to drink of this the Fruit of 
 our Vine^ the terreftrial Vine^ until that Day 
 when he fhould drink it new with them the la- 
 dividuals then prefent in his Fathers Kingdom. 
 
 So often as ye do eat this Breads and drink this 
 Cup^ ye dofhew forth the Lord's Death till he 
 eome, i Cor. xi. 26. • 
 
 Our 
 
C 231 ) 
 
 Our holy Communion fays one -, a Means 
 §f Grace fays another-, ; ■ 
 
 •\ , : and a c^cai, of the Co- 
 
 "jenant of Grace fays the mighty Man : While fo 
 willingly forfaking the Idea of Supper and Pass- 
 over do thefe think what a Supper is at Hand? 
 And he cried with a loud Foice, faying to all the 
 Fowls of Heaven, come and gather yourf elves toge- 
 ther unto the Supper of the great God, that ye may 
 eat the Flefh of Kings, and the Flefh of Captains^ 
 and the Flefh of mighty Men, and the Flefh ofHorfes, 
 find of them that fit on them, and the Flefh of all 
 Men, both free and bond, both fmall and great^ 
 Revel, xix. 17, 18. Such the Fulfilling of the 
 Type, which to the Senjible it is given to expert 
 at the winding up of our Times. * Let us call 
 our Obfervations backward upon the ancient In* 
 ftitution of the Pafsover. 
 
 In thefirfi Month, on the fourteenth Day of the 
 Month at Even, ye fhall eat unleavened Bread until 
 the one and twentieth Day of the Month at Even. 
 
 * Seven 
 
 • And would the Inquifitive the Nature of the Paflb- 
 ver ? It is here, Ver. 9. And he /aid unto me, ivrite hlejjid 
 are they ivhich are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 
 • Here to feed upon the Lamb antitypically, is to feed upon 
 and be doathed with Immortality according to the Myftery 
 of a two-fold Man. Such the Prefervation of their Fh^, 
 while the Fkjh of the Beaft Ihall be torn from off his Bqne* 
 a Prey to the hnuger Fire of an unrecdhciUd MARS : Ic 
 is hence that the Supper is diftinguifhed in Anfwerablenefs 
 to the flaying of the firft Born in Egypt ; the one is called 
 the marriage Supper of the Lami, and thc Olhcr is called 
 the Supptr of the great Cad, 
 
( 23^ ) 
 
 Seveh B'ys JbaU then hi no Lea-cfn faurJ In 
 your Hcufis ; jcr 'xhofoe^jer eatetb ihat wbich is 
 leader.,- J, e^at that Soul JhaU he cut off from the 
 
 Ccngregation cf Ifrael ; 'xbiiher he he 4 Strat^tr, 
 cr horn in the Land, Exod. xii. iS, 19. fee the 
 Chapter at large. 
 
 That the Eating Giould thus have been rc- 
 ftricled within the Limitations of the myfiical 
 Sez'en, to begin and expire at Even, how an- 
 iVerable to our Dofbrine of the TIMES, i-iz, 
 the TFeek of the World ! Srjen Daysjkali tbou. 
 iat unleavened Breads and in the Seventh Jk all he a 
 Feajl unto the Lord. Wherefore unleavened ? 
 It is anfwered as before, becaule intended as % 
 P^i'^^y poartraying and figni^'ing our prefent 
 Relationfhip to the Vegetable Kingdom ; our* 
 prefent ^ubfiilenc^ upon that Earth which was 
 
 • curfed for our Sakes. It is hence that our Lord 
 
 firft brake of the unleavened Bread, and then 
 
 \ blef^ed it -, for had the Bread been already blcf- 
 
 Ved, the Evangelifts might have fpared the 
 Commemoration of this particular Circumftance. 
 
 Now query of what great Service or Impor- 
 tance to the Almi^htinefs of God were the Or- 
 dinances of old, that from Evrn to Even whom- 
 foever fhould be found to have eaten but a Mor- 
 fel of leavened Bread, that Soul fhould be cut 
 off from the Congregation of i/r^^/ ? It is an- 
 fwered 
 
( 233 ) 
 
 twered the Services be on our Part. And where^ 
 in Ihall it be prefumed that we ourfelves, the 
 Churchy or Mankind in general have known, or 
 hereafter fhall experience a being benefited by 
 thefe the Ceremonials of the former Adminiftra- 
 tion ? It is anfwered, that fo far as the fame (as 
 might be inftanccd in this the faid Feaft of un- 
 leavened Bread in particular) ought by us to be 
 confidered as a Means of Grace, it is becaufe of 
 their doftrinal Significancy, feeing that not one 
 Jot or rink (hould pafs from the Law till all be, 
 fulfilled. The faid anual Feaft as aforefaid was 
 ordained a Figure, holding forth the Nature and 
 Condition of the outward Table. Let their 
 Table become a Snare before them, arJ that ivhicb 
 Jhculd have been for their IVellfare let it become a. 
 'Trap, Plalms. Ixii. 22. or according to the after 
 Citation of the Apoftle, let their Table become a 
 Snare, a'nd a Tray, and a flumbling Blocks and 
 a Recompejtce unto them, Rom. ii. 9. 
 
 We have mentioned three feveral Conditions 
 of Eating : To eat of the Tree of Life is peculiar 
 to the Refurrecfion Body : Whereas it is the ex- 
 perience of the faithful Difciple, that fo fax as 
 partaking of the hidden hlanr.a, the otJtward 
 Table is to him a Eleffing. 
 
 Upon this Ground it is that there is found in 
 theTeftaments the mention of a TabU and Tables, 
 
 O g The 
 
. ( 234 ) 
 
 The Surfeiting and Drunkenncfs of the Berjt 
 is at that "Table which may either be a BleJJing or 
 a Snare ; it being impoflible that we fhould not 
 mifpurfue the Enjoyments of Time, any other- 
 wife than as condu6led by the Movements of a 
 Wheel as it were in the Middle of a Wheel. 
 
 The Feafl: of unleavened Bread was annually 
 obferved, and had its Beginning and Ending at 
 Even : Hereby it was Ihewn that our Jahle, 
 the Table of our prcient Relationihip to the ve- 
 getable Kingdom is tranfitory \ that it continu- 
 cth but for the Space oi /even Days; * v/hereas 
 the Inflitution of the Shezv-hread was otherwifc : 
 Ihou Jhalt fet upon the Table Shew -bread before 
 me alway^ Exod. xxv. 30. Hereby it was fnewn 
 that our eating by Faith is continual : For this is 
 that Bread which Cometh down from Heaven (faid 
 the Saviour) that a Man mcvy eat thereof and net 
 die, John vi. 50. 
 
 I will now fuppofe that it is demanded, is 
 there nothing that might be alledged in Vindi- 
 cation of .certain of our religious FerfcrmanceSy 
 T\(yN authorized by a Cuftom of a long Continu- 
 ance, that might exempt us from the Imputa- 
 tions of Idolitry herein, particularly the Article 
 of a Formale now under Confideration ? For me 
 I am willing to confefs that fuch hath been my 
 
 Ignorance. 
 
 • Seven Thoufand Years, 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 Ignorance and inadvertency even until the pre- 
 fent Juncture, I have all a long taken it for 
 granted that the Supper had been aftually re- 
 tained and approved of by the primitive Church, 
 and in the Tinne of the Apoftles in the Nature 
 
 of a Sigfty or Ceremony. But I have now to 
 
 declare,, and do hereby give it forth to the 
 World for the Edification and Information of 
 "whomfoever it may concern, as a plaiu and mod 
 indubitable Certainty, that this was by no Means 
 the Cafe : For a full and fufficient Demonilrati- 
 on I do appeal to the Kpiftles of the Apoftle§, 
 particularly the lo and ii Chapters of the. firft 
 Epiflle to the Corinthians, 
 
 It appears that when difcourfing of a Cup, 
 and Bread, i Cor. x. i6. the Apoftle was not 
 fpeaking of" a Ceremony, but of their eating and 
 drinking at large in the Capacity of Chrijiians, 
 feeing that the Aim' and Defign of the Admoni- 
 tions here recorded, was on Behalf of the Scru- 
 pious about partaking of fuch Meats as were 
 offered in Sacrifice to Idols. 
 
 16 The Cup of Bleffing which we blefs, is it 
 not the Communion of the Blood of Chrift ? 
 The Bread which we breafe, is it not the Com- 
 munion of the Body of Chrift ? 
 
 1 7 For we being many are one Bread', , and one 
 Body : For we are all Partakers ot -that one Bread. 
 
 G g 2 i.8 Beholi 
 
( 236 ) 
 
 1 8 Behold Ifrael after the Flefh : Arc not 
 they which eat of the Sacrifices, partakers of 
 the Altar ? 
 
 19 What fay I then ? That the Idol is any 
 Thing, or that which is offered in Sacrifice to 
 Idols is any Thing ? 
 
 20 But I fay, that the Thing? which the 
 Gentiles facrifice, they facrifice to Devils, and 
 not to God : And I would not - that ye Ihould 
 have Fellowlhip with Devils. 
 
 2 1 Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord, and 
 the Cup of Devils : Ye cannot be partakers of 
 the Lord's Table, and of the Table of Devils. 
 
 22 Do we provoke the Lord to Jealoufy ? 
 Are we flronger than he ? 
 
 23 All Things are lawful for me, but all 
 Things are not expedient ; All Things are law- 
 ful for me, but all Things edify not. 
 
 Here the CUP, and the TABLE I fay, 
 were mentioned according to the Indefinite Senfe^ 
 in which, as we have thus been endeavourina: 
 to maintain, the Cup and the Bread had been 
 
 preached by our Lord at Supper. And query 
 
 how ftandeth the Controverfy which is already 
 
 begun, and is likely to fubfift between the IVor- 
 
 fjiper in Spirit^ and the Advocates and Admnijira- 
 
 HTK^ that holy Ordinance called a Sacrament ? 
 
 Why 
 
( 237 ) 
 
 Why it feems that the Latter will not ac- 
 knowledge the Former to be a ("hrillian, for 
 that it is his Duty to lift up the Banner againft 
 Prieji-craft, to contribute his Endeavours to- 
 •w^xAs hearing up the Ark of the Tejiimony againft 
 Superstition and Idolitry : The One may 
 have an Intereft in affirming, the Other in deny- 
 ing, is conflrained toadtupon Principles of Du- 
 ty i but he fliall not be accounted of as worthy 
 of the Na.mc of Chriji^ an (li'd-y) becaufe he will 
 not bow down to the Imagery of the Beast ; be- 
 caufe he will not comply, or encourage in others 
 a Compliance with fuch Pradlices as by him 
 were never experienced to a Means of Grace. 
 
 The F(?n«^r is lefs rigid ; he is fenlible that 
 however the flrong Holds of natio7ial Idolitry 
 mufl at length be pulled down, yet that the 
 Work is of God, and mufl be accomplilhed in 
 Time, and Order, and Manner, and by fuch 
 feveral Gradations,- as from Time to Time hath 
 been, and fball continue to be conducted by 
 him of whom ic is written, that he morketh all 
 Things according to the Council of his own IVill, 
 and therefore that during the TIMES of our 
 Captivity, and until the £i-77 becomes openly de- 
 tedled, there is a Poflibility that a Man either 
 may or may not be a Chriflian, horwever partak- 
 ing or not partaking ot the Ordinances fo called ; 
 \o\i\m2iXtainhings lawful ^ but all Things are 
 
 not 
 
( 238 ) 
 
 not expedient : He cannot be at once a Partaker 
 of the Lords Table and at the Table of Devils ; 
 he rejeds the accurfed Dinner^ not becaufe of 
 any Defilement that fhould peculiarize the Ma- 
 terials which are ufed upon the Occafion : The 
 Idol is not any Thing -, the Bread, or the Cup is 
 not either the more or lefs holy, or unholy, for 
 Matter of any Enchantment which the Adminjtra- 
 tor is capable of beftowing upon it, yet the 
 Word of the Lord is on this Wife : 
 
 Wherefore if ye he dead with Chrifl from thd 
 Rudiments of the World, why, as though living in 
 the World, are ye fubje5f to Ordinances {touch nof, 
 tafle not, handle not: Which all ar^ to perifh with 
 the ujing) after the Commandments and J)o5irines of 
 Men? Col. ii. 20, 21, 22. 
 
 '-\ 
 
 -For had we really the Signs, how grofs, how 
 notorioully abominable the Dodrines o^ 2ifacra- 
 mcntal Union, as tho' the Tnftitution of the Feafi 
 of unleavened Bread had been defigned a Type of 
 OMv feeding upon Chrifl by Faith, when meant of 
 no other than the Bread of our fallen Eflatel 
 What a MIRACLE oi Priefl-craft, that by the 
 Dint of that Superiority of Underftanding, 
 which everfince the Beginning of the Apoftacjr 
 the feveral Orders and Degrees of Clergy have 
 affamfd to have been poffefTed of comparitively 
 with the Underllandings of other Men, we 
 
 fhould 
 
( 239 ) 
 
 (hould have been fo far catechized out of our 
 Underjlandings^ as that when it is exprefly de- 
 manded, we are incapable of holding forth for 
 ourfelves, whether any more benefited by the 
 Materials adminiftered by the Pried under the 
 Notion of a Means^ than by our eating and 
 drinking in ordinary, of other Materials, and 
 at other Times. 
 
 The 0}C kmweth his Owner ^ and the A[s his 
 MaJlersCrib: Could either of thefe but fpeak, 
 one might reafonably exped: of them a perti- 
 nent, or at lead an intelligible Account of their 
 Appetites and Enjoyments : Whereas do but 
 afk of the modern Communicant, when return- 
 ing from Supper, concerning the Nature^ End, 
 and Excellency of the facramental Fare, and he is 
 not able to hold forth a Confijiency concerning 
 whether he may have been fupping upon that 
 Meat and Dririk which cometh down from God 
 out of Heaven, or whether he may have beea 
 eating and drinking like a Bead upon a pitiable 
 and mod contemptible Formak of his own fet- 
 ting up. 
 
 Had the Ceremony been derived fcom the 
 Jpoliles, or primitive Belieiters^ then it might 
 have fufficed that we only might have had to 
 haveinfided upon the Certainty of its having been 
 fophifticated j whereas it is now held forth, and 
 
 publickly 
 
( 240 ) 
 
 piiblickly declared to be no otherwife than 
 ftridly of a Piece with the feven Sacraments of 
 the CI:nirch of Rome. That by no Means may 
 it rightly be deemed (as by many it may hither- 
 to have been) fuch an Ordinance as had been re- 
 ally authorized by the Saviour, and which during 
 the Times of the Apoftacy Ihould have been vi- 
 tiated or fophifticated by the Inventions of Men, 
 but that from firfl to lall it is wholly and entirely 
 an Ordinance which by the Beaji hath been 
 fet up. 
 
 By Adam the firft the Curfe came, through 
 his lufiing ox longing after that State or Condition 
 of eating which we do now experience to be 
 ours : We are fenfible that it is a State of Sur- 
 feiting and Drunkennefs. By the Intermediation 
 of a fecond Adam fhould this CURSE be deftroy- 
 ed, vanquifhed or done away. It is therefore 
 that the Leflbn thus recorded as before, MaU>. 
 xxvi. 26 to 30. was intended a full and fuffici- 
 ent Directory (fo far as any verbal or dodtrinal 
 Rule could at this Time have been given) I fay 
 a full and fufficient Bire^fory to the future 
 Church Militant, for a temperate and or- 
 derly CEconomy in its eating and drinking of 
 theprefent Vegetable Kingdom : For where- 
 as we are by Nature and Inilind inclined to dif- 
 approve of an indecent or unmannerly Behavi- 
 our at Table ; here we find it fufiiciently refolv- 
 
 cd 
 
( 241 ) 
 
 fed upon what Manner of Bafis we ought as 
 Chriftians to approve, or difapprove herein. 
 
 Upon the Occafions of our eating and drink- 
 ing together, fo far as agreeing to partake at 
 ihtfame Table, the Feople of all Conditions, 
 Degrees, or Denominations, of all Nations and 
 Complexions, Friends or Enemies, be unani- 
 moufly addi(5ted to the Exercife of an equitable 
 and uniform Complaifancy towards each other : 
 Here, in our faid LefTon, vouchfafed by the 
 Saviour to his Dilciples at Table, we find ic 
 fuiiiciently intimated upon what Manner of Bafis 
 thefe our Decencies and Complaifancies be origi- 
 nally founded, and (hall finally terminate. 
 
 15 And he faid unto them, with Defire have 
 I defired to eat this PafTover with you before I 
 fufFer. 
 
 16 For I fay unto you, I will not any more 
 cat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom 
 of God. 
 
 1 7 And he took the Cup and gave Thanks, 
 and faid, take this, and divide it among your- 
 felves. 
 
 1 8 For I fay tmto you, I will not drink of the 
 Fruit of the Vine, until the Kingdom of God 
 fhall come. 
 
 H h 1^ And 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 19 And he took Bread, and gave Thanks, 
 and brake it, and gave unto them, faying, this 
 is my Body which is given for you j this do'^in 
 Remembrance of me. 
 
 And according to the After-citation of the 
 Apoftle, ke took the Cup when he had fupped^ fay- 
 ing^ this Cup is the New Tejiament in my Blood: 
 This do ye^ as oft as ye drink it, in Remembrance 
 oj me, Luke xx. and i Cor. ii. 25. 
 
 Had the Perpetuity of a C(?r(?;«(7;;7 been here 
 intended, then by Way of Diftinftion from the 
 whole of the other Ceremonies, the Feaft of un- 
 leavened Bread had been intended hereby to have 
 been thus perpetuated : But as we interpret 
 thefe Sayings to have been meant of our feaft- 
 ing upon the unleavened Bread, not according to 
 the TYPE, but according to the MORAL of 
 the Type, as we do hereby declare it molt indu- 
 bitably was, the Interpretation is as follows. " I 
 " would that {o often as partaking together at 
 ** the Table oi youv unleavened Bread, the pre- 
 " fent Condition of your fcalling upon the pe- 
 *' rijhahle Earth, fr.ch your eating and drinking 
 " together lliould be according to the Example 
 *' which is now fet before you ; that as my Dif- 
 " ciples ye do henceforth partake of THIS Bread, 
 " and drink of THIS Cup, in Remembrance of 
 ^' him whofe Body is hoken J or yQU^\ 
 
 For. 
 
( 243 ) 
 
 For however the Saviour was not thenceforth 
 to drink of the Fruit of our Vine, the terreftrial 
 Vine, yet the Feafting of the Church was dur- 
 ing its nnihtant Condition upon Earth, to be up- 
 on the unleavened Bread of the CURSE : It is 
 therefore that lo often as the Chriftians Ihould 
 partalce of that Breads whofe crude, unholy and 
 unleavened Condition was in him become broken, 
 fuch the Eating and Drinking of the Faithful 
 upon Earth was to Jhew forth the Lord's Death 
 till he come. 
 
 Here the Myftery fo worthy of having been 
 till this Time concealed under the Shadow of a 
 former Ceremonial was in Meafure unvailed, and 
 when the Hand Writing of Ordinances became 
 nailed to the Crofs, Col. ii. 1 4. here was an End 
 of the MosAiCAL Administration. But in 
 what Senfe were the former Ceremonials naw 
 caufed to ceafe ? It is anfwered, by no Means 
 
 as if they were palTed away, or might now, be 
 no longer remembered. The hand Writing of 
 Ordinances became nailed to the Crofs, yet no- 
 thing was there paffed away, or fhouM pafs un- 
 fulfilled. The Time is yet to come wherein the 
 hitherto untried and little thought of Deftina- 
 tion of the Types fhall but begin to be revealed* 
 
 The Scriptures indeed have been called the 
 RULE ; to the Beajl they are abundantly difco- 
 
 H h 2 vered 
 
( 244 ) 
 
 vered to have been fuch a Rule, as by the unfla- 
 hie have been wrejied to their own Dijiru5lion : 
 By the Called they are however experienced ta 
 be an excellent Rule, if not fuch a Rule as can be 
 applied to our extempore Condu6l in the Nature 
 of penal Law as the Beaft would fo willingly 
 have it, or that in any Shape will fuffice in the 
 Stead of a vital and more extempore Rule, yet 
 ^n -excellent Means, and entirely becoming the 
 Wifdom and Providence of God, whereby Light 
 fhould communicate with Light, to the Convic- 
 tion, the Edification, and ftrengthning of one 
 another. 
 
 There is a Poflibility of an Acquaintance 
 with the Myfleries without being concerned 
 with the Scriptures, yet to prophecy of the 
 Things which are to come with the Peoples of 
 our latter Days might pafs for a prefumptuous, a 
 vain, and but an ipfe dixit Unde- ca .ng, were 
 it not for that fo it is ordered ; there are the 
 Types, there are the Tejlaments, the Records of 
 former TranfaSlions whereunto it is ordamed that 
 our Appeal Ihould lie. It is hence the Poflibi- 
 lity of an UNIVERSAL OVERTURNING; 
 for by the Means of a Scripture Interpretation it is 
 pofllble (as hath been inftanced in Times pad) 
 that the Overflowings of fudden Convidion 
 fhould be poured upon whole Nations and 
 Societies of People at once, -when otherwife 
 
 it 
 
( 245 ) 
 
 it could not have been that Light fhoiild commu* 
 nicate with L^'^^ and F^//^ with Faith in any 
 fo efFddual a Manner. 
 
 The feven Forms of a RIGHT UNDER- 
 STANDING (as hinted already, and as hereaf- 
 ter fhall more fully and circumftantially be re- 
 folved at large) do play as in a Circle : And it 
 pever was ordained that the important 1 ruth% 
 which do relate to the Concerns of an Hereafter^ 
 Ihould have been opened and communicared by 
 the Way of an Appeal to the UnderftanJiiig of 
 the na.ural Man, until the myjlical Circle Ihould 
 be clofed upon the ENDS OF THE EAR IH. 
 
 There are Charaflers who are welcome to 
 hold it forth as their Opinion, that moll: un- 
 doubtedly the Fathers are fallen qjleep, and there- 
 fore that all 1 hings continue as they were from the 
 Beginning of the Creation. ^ That for a long Suc- 
 ceflion of Ages the V-.lion hath been fcaled, and 
 therefore that forever it (hall remain fo to be. 
 Let them abide by their Opinion fo long as they 
 afe able : I would not that all fnould believe at 
 once, becaufe it never was ordained to bepoflible. 
 
 Who have Ears to hear let them hear ! The 
 Bay which is opening is a DAY whereof the 
 like was never known, ever fince the Day 
 wherein God firft breathed into our Nojlrils the 
 
 Breath 
 
( 246 ) 
 
 Breath of Life: It is that Day v/hcrein all the 
 Prophets have gloried and rejoiced ever fince 
 the Beginning of the World. It is a Day 
 
 whereunto whatfoever is recorded in the Tefta- 
 ments to have been tranfadled betv/een God and 
 his Church ever fince the Beginning of Times, 
 fhall be found to have been but Preliminary, or 
 as it were fubfervient : Its' diftinguifliing and 
 fpecific Tranfcendency confifteth herein, name- 
 ly, that it is the TIME wherein, according to 
 St. John.) they that dwell on the Earth fhall won- 
 der (whofe Natnes were not written in the Book of 
 Life from the Foundation of the JVorld) when they 
 behold the Beaji that was, and is not, and yet is. 
 
 Lo the fuperintendent P^east, whofe Part it is 
 to fit as upon the Mount of the Congregation ^cc. Ifa. 
 xiv. 13. The Minifters, which now are called the 
 Miniflers of Gofpel, have ceafed from the Vanity of 
 pretending to hold forth the TRUTH; and when 
 fighting with Infidels and Fanaticks, in Vindica- 
 tion of their efpoufedCaufe, are contenting them- 
 felvcs with holding forth the Truth-of-Chrif- 
 tianity. And what fnall we fay ? Is it pofiible 
 that the Truth-of-Chriftianity itfelf fliould be 
 fo held forth, as that when it is preached it is 
 very little better than an Incoaffency? An In- 
 confiftency confutes and condemns itfelf: And . 
 an Incongruity or Inconjijlsncy of Doflrine is that 
 
 which 
 
C H7 ) 
 
 which in the Language of the Teftaments, and 
 in the evangelical Senfe, when mentioned com- 
 paritivcly with Truth, is always mentioned by 
 Way of Contradiftinftion therefrom, as being 
 diretflly oppofcd thereunto, and is therefore 
 called a Lie. And who fhall fay how unwar- 
 rantable in me might one venture a litde beyond 
 .the ordinary Boundaries of an infidel good 
 Breading, in prefixing the Idea of a Lie to the 
 Truth of Chrijlianity ? I would forbear to offend 
 the Delicate by a diredl Application of the 
 Word ; the Truth of Chrifiianity is fufiiciently 
 extant, let it fpeak for itfelf. 
 
 But hear me, you whofe particular Unhapi- 
 nefs it may be that you cannot believe ! Shall 
 we therefore be out of Conceit with Religion ? 
 Not fo, God forbid. It is our Bufinefs at 
 Times to expofe, but never to enveigh againft 
 the aflual Being of Error. The Antichriflia- 
 nifm, which tor fo confiderable a SuccelTion of 
 Ages may have hitherto prevailed, hath been, 
 and remains to be that flrong Belujion whereby 
 the Peoples fhould have been induced to believe 
 a Lie, 2 Thef. ii. 11. Shall we enveigh againfl 
 this Jirong Delujion, as being that which ought 
 never to have been ? Not fo, God forbid j it is 
 A Myjlery ; it is no other than thsit Jircng De/uji- 
 ifi which Codjhould ftr4» Whence the Know- 
 ledge 
 
( 248 ) 
 
 ledge of Truths withotit the Poffibility of Error f 
 Whence our Ideas cf Right, v/ithout a Poffibi- 
 lity of Wrong ? .Or a Senfe of Good^ without any 
 Poffibility of Evil? Let U5 remember the 
 Parable of the Tares, Matt. xiii. Without any 
 Contradidlion, no Argiment. Without any 
 Conflid, no Victory, and according to the Doc- 
 trine of a certain plain fpoken Dii'ciple of the 
 latter Days, no Crojs^ no Crown. Wherefore 
 fhould the Lord have hardened the Heart of 
 Pharaoh? The Lord /aid unto Mofes, Pharoah 
 fijali not hearken unto you ; that my IVonders may 
 be multiplied in the Land, Exod. xi. 9. We read. 
 Matt. m. In thofe Days came John the Baptift^ 
 &c. Whence the Energy of Stile, and Excellency 
 of Dodrine ? That plain fpoken magefterial 
 Air fo becoming the Dignity and Charader of 
 a Prophet, from Verfe 7 to 13. were it not that^ 
 there were then in Being, towards whom his 
 Difcourfe fhould have thus been direded. And 
 when the Saviour at firfl made his Appearance 
 among Men, had there nothing been lacking^ 
 and nothing <?«/ c/Or^^r, then it had not been 
 known that he was capable of inflruBing, or re- 
 prehending. He would have had no News to 
 tell, or would any have given heed to whatio- 
 evcr he might have had to fay : For, fays the 
 Saviour himfclf, they that are whole have no need 
 
 of the Phijician. So now, of what avail that 
 
 there fhould be any fuch Thing as a Knowledge 
 
 of. 
 
C H9 ) 
 
 l^ftheTruthuponthQ Earth, had itnot been 
 that according to the antienc Predidions 
 there Ihould jfiany A?itkhrifls:,^ndiniany falfe 
 ProphetshzvQ arifen? The Reader may ba 
 pleafed to obierve by the Whole of our pre- 
 sent Difcourfe, that Truth and Error is con- 
 tinually brought into a Contraft or Compari- 
 Ion* Had there never been a Wrongs who 
 is there that Ihould ever have been able to 
 declare what is Right'^ Or were it not that 
 many have erred, whence the Pleafure arid 
 Satisfaction whether of the Writer and Spea- 
 ker, or to the Reader and H earer, of the one 
 indeclaring, and to the other in rightlyap- 
 prehending, and in duely confidering the 
 Truth. 
 
 The Deceiver and the Deceived are his. 
 Job, xii. i6» 
 
 That Good and Evil, Fire and Water ^ 
 (hould have thus been let before us, it is 
 all a Mystery*, it is as the fallow Ground 
 of our probationary State. The Compli^ 
 cated Multiplicity of all our Evils, whether 
 Natural or Moral confifteth in a Distfm- 
 tERATURE ; or may one rather fay, a com- 
 plicated Variety of many Diftmiperatures ; 
 the want of ^nHarmofiy or due Proportion ^^ 
 fehe mutually agreeing together of manydi- 
 verfities to thcConftitutingofafer/eJ/, thd 
 naturally Perfect or moral whole. 
 
 And as by theAgency of the Creatures 
 
 thefQ 
 
< 250 ) 
 
 fhcfe our fevcral Difiemperatures do at the 
 iirft Commence, liich the Wonderful Oe- 
 cdnomy of the Divine Procedure, it is or^ 
 Bai ned, that throughout the Wrefllings and 
 Jofllings, the Turnings andoverturnjngs, 
 the Travellings and Groanings of all Things 
 together in Pain , the Birth fnould at length 
 be brought forth, no otherwife than in the 
 W"ay of a Sacrafice or Vohmtary Oblation, the 
 iaji Ejiemy that /ball be dejiroyed is Death. 
 X Cor. 15, \6. 
 
 And now as Returning p our Matter^ 
 I would willingly forbear toafliime, (be the 
 Glory unto God) but give me leave to de- 
 
 ^claimc how Wonderful! that while, 
 it is the Pari: of a well known Chara6fer to 
 
 , f reach and Perform by a Ride while P reach^. 
 ing the Kingdom, and laying within himfelf, 
 is not this theKiNGDOM isnot this our City 
 the City which I have built ^ is not this for 
 the Hoiife ofthelii^GDOM^ the Scriptures cal- 
 led the Rlxe fhould thus fuddenly, thus for- 
 
 .cibly have been Wrefted from out of his 
 Hands, the Arbitrary Jurif diction of this 
 our faid well-known CharaBery whilft un- 
 able to fay within himfelf upon the Occafi- 
 pn, My Soul is my own! Thus forcibly 
 Wreflcd, not from out of the Hands, 
 or from under the Arbitrary Juris- 
 diQion of a Ma?i^ not fingly of a Peo- 
 
 pl^j a Councils or Society of Men? or 
 
 '^ ■ ■■^- ■' • ■ ^-^ - ■ - of 
 
( 251 ) 
 
 of Peoples with Peoples enleagued and combin- 
 ed together, but from out of the Hands, and 
 from under the arbitrary Jurifdidion of a 
 Chara^er, I fay a CHARACTER unirfrJaMy 
 from the rifing of the Sun, to the going '!'>'" 
 of the fame. 
 
 That however confufed may have bee.; ' :'-: 
 Diverfities and VariabiHties of our fcverai Opi^ 
 nions, in this the Article of a Sacfamenr ni;f- 
 talcenly fo called) there fhould have been the Pof- 
 fibility of a future UNANIMITY in Rc'ervc, 
 by a Means fo unexpefted an APPEAL to the 
 Types of the former Adminiftration. 
 
 Are there any who when conde- 
 fcendino; to account of themfelves as bcins 
 thoroughly interefted in the Right or the JVrong 
 of the Matter, who when having confidered, 
 ihall not inftantly acknowledge to the Validity of 
 our Scripture Interpretations ? No nor when ac- 
 tually convinced is there that Cajaphas^ or that 
 Pilate upon Earth fo cunning or fo powerful as 
 to fucceed in their Endeavours, whether to 
 preach or to menace them out of their Judgment. 
 
 Here is therefore the Opening of the two ^ 
 
 leu'ved Gates, Thus faith the Lord to his anoint- 
 ed CYRUS, wkefe Ri^ht-Hand I have holden to 
 juhdtie Nations before him, and 1 will loofe the 
 Loins of Kings, to open before him the two leav^ 
 £d Gates, and the Gates J}:all not be fhut, He. 
 Ijaiah xlv. i, 2, 3. SILENCE 1. 
 
( 232 ) 
 
 SILENCE ! Get thsc irJo Barknefs, O 
 
 Daughter of the Chaldeans j (moft alTurcdly if 
 ever, it may now be faid unto thee, that) no 
 more Jhalt thou he called the Lady of Kingdoms, 
 Ifaiah xlvii. 5. 
 
 For as the Lightning cometh out of the 
 Eaji^ and fhineth unto the Wefl^ fiKh the 
 UNANIMITY of the Faithful in this the 
 Day of God's POWER. Ihy People fhall be a 
 willing People^ in the Day of thy Povoer^ from 
 the "^OM^ of the MOW^mQ. P films ex. 3. 
 
 I would willingly forbear to afiume, it may 
 be that as yet I am but toiling under the Pre- 
 dominancy of an enfiamed Mars ; or in the 
 Language of a Charafter, an Over-heatednefs 
 of the Imagination -, be that as it may, it is the 
 TIME that fpcaketh, it is the Finger oi God 
 that pointeth, faying there is the TABLE, an 
 ABOMINATION, a Table which by the 
 Beast hath been fet up. 
 
 How fares it with the Woman ? (in- 
 deed who could have believed it,) " The Pre- 
 " sent" (faith fhe) " is the iERA, wherein the 
 " Heathen fhall be added unto mine Inheri- 
 •" tance, and wherein the Difperfed of that 
 " House which was once the favoured of Na- 
 " tions, fhall be caufed to dwell in in mv Tents. 
 
 Her Opinions herein be unfupported by the 
 Teftimony of the Scriptures. For 
 
( 253 ) 
 
 " For the Lord will have Mercy on Jacolf^ 
 ** and will yet choofe Ifiaelt and fet them in 
 " their own Land : And the Strangers fhall be 
 " joined with them, and they fliall cleave to the 
 " Houfe of Jacob. And the People Ihall take 
 "them, and bring them to their Place: And 
 " the Houfe of Jfrael fhall poflefs them in the 
 " Land of the Lord, for Servants and Hand- 
 « maids: and they fhall take THEM Cap- 
 ^* tives, whofe Captives they were, and they 
 fhall RULE OVER their Oppreffors. And 
 it fhall come to pals in the Day that the Lord 
 fhall give thee Reft from thy Sorrow, and 
 from thy Fear, and from the liard Bondage 
 " wherein thou waft made to ferve, Tiiat thou 
 *' fhalt take up this Proverb againft the King 
 " of Babylon, and fay, How hath the OpprefTor 
 " ceafed ! The golden City cealed ! " See Ifa^ 
 xiv Chap, to the End. 
 
 The Types of the former Adminiftrationhave 
 feverally and individually a like pregnant and 
 powerfuU Unfolding : The Prefent is but barely 
 an Inftance, fuch as may ferve to the Enquirer 
 as an Inftance, whereby it may be given him to 
 apprehend in what Manner it is ordained that 
 the Myftery of Iniquity fhall be found to have 
 been fubfervient and fubordinate to the Myjlery 
 
 of our future ZiON. 
 
 T9 
 
 <( 
 
( 254 ) 
 
 To proceed as' was propofed in makino- cSur 
 Appeal to the faid liicceeding Chapter, the Ele- 
 venth of the EpiflJe to the Corinthians. 
 
 f T appears at the very firft Glimpfe, that 
 when the Apoftfe introduces the Commemorati- 
 on of the Lejfon, which as aforefaid was pro- 
 fiiLilged by the Saviour at Supper, the fame is 
 introduced in the Way of holden forth a Piece 
 of News. For I have received of the Lord &c. 
 Ver. 23, 24, 25, 26. Whereas had the Sup- 
 per^ wherewith thefe Ccrinthiaiis were fo mighti^ 
 \y taken, been no more than z formal Supper, 
 how impertinent that the Inftitution of this Sup- 
 per fhould have been thus related by Way of 
 Narrative, when furely it muft have been fuHi- 
 cicntly well known before ! 
 
 The Word Supper, as here occuring (in fhort) 
 was thus^ made Choice of by the Apoftle no 
 otherwife than according to the MORAL of ths 
 Supper, as the fame hath been already declared 
 and rcfolved at large. 
 
 We have mentioned three fcveral Conditions 
 of Eating, each different from the other, and 
 yet each of them ftridly analogous to the other. 
 And here give me Leave to obferve that the 
 Reafonings of our modern Reafoners, as touching 
 the Myftery of a two-fold Manaer and Condition 
 
 of 
 
( ^ss ) ' 
 
 . pf Eating, be no otherwife than ftridllyofa 
 Piece with the ReaJo7iin^s of certain of thq 
 former Reckoners, We read Mark viii, 
 ■^sfbllowi. 
 
 1 5" And he charged them, faying, take 
 heed, beware of the Leaven of the Vbarifees^ 
 and oi the Leaven of //^roi|. 
 
 1 6 And they reafoned ainong ^hemfelves^ , 
 faying, it is becaufe we havenoEread. 
 
 17 And when Jefus knew it, he faith unto 
 theni, why rcafbn ye, becaufe ye have no 
 Bread? Perceive ye not yet, neither undert 
 (land ? Have ycyour Heart yet hardened ? 
 
 18 Haying Eyes, feeycnot? Andhaving 
 Ears, hear ye not ? And do ye not rememberr 
 
 19 When I brake tlie five Loaves among 
 Five Thoufand, how many Baskets full of 
 fragmenns took ye up ? ' 1 hey lay uma 
 Him, Twelve. 
 
 10 And when t;he Seven among Four 
 Thoalandj how many Baskets full of Frag- 
 ments took ye up ? And they faid Seven. 
 
 2 1 And he laid unto them, how is it that- 
 ye do not underlbnd? 
 
 The Scripture thus cited, is dire^lly a Pa- 
 rallel to the other under Confidcrationp^ 
 I Qar, xi. 
 
 17 Now in this that I declare unto you, 
 Ipraifcyounot, that you come together, not 
 ior the Better; but for the Worfe, iS ' 
 
( i^6 ) 
 
 ig Forfirftof all, when you come toge- 
 ther in the Church, I hear that there be Di- 
 Vifions among you , and 1 j)artiy believe ic. 
 
 1 9 For there muft be alfo Herefies among \ 
 you, that they which are approved, may be \ 
 manifeft among you. 
 
 20 When ye come together therefore 
 into one Place, this is not to eat the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 21. For in eating, everyone taketh be- 
 fore other his own Supper: And one is 
 hungry, and another is drunken. 
 
 Here is moft manifeftly the Annalogy 
 whereof we have been Ipeaking. It was 
 not poilible that the Apoftle fhould have 
 reprefented to thefe Corinthians^ the Nature 
 of Schifm and Di[Je?itio?i among Brethren, 
 in any fo apt, ib direQ-, or [Multum t7i 
 Parvo) in any fo fundamental or fo full 
 and expreffivea Manner in any other Way, 
 or Manner of Speaking than fuchasishere 
 made Choice of. 
 
 The DoQrine of the Supper, as already 
 It hath explained, did moft directly and im- 
 mediately refer to an .orderly and coni- 
 mendable 
 
 Unanimity 
 
( 257 ) 
 
 Unanimity and Decorum, irt partaking at the 
 ■ Table of our prefentRelationO^p to the vegc"ta- 
 ble Kingdom. But as when fpeaking of a 
 Leaven^ iht Leaven of the '?\\mkQ%^ by' the Sa- 
 viour was intended the Manners^ Principles^ and 
 Doftrines 'of the Pbarifees, the Prcfent is direftly 
 Hl parallel Cafe': And it is hence that we -do ac- 
 count for fo (hort and fudden a Tranfition from 
 the Mention of Herefy and Divifton^ to the Men-» 
 tion of an Hungering and Drunkennefs^ Ver. 2i» 
 
 ' So intimately acquainted was this great Apof- 
 tle with the Nature of Scbifm and Diffenfion 
 among Brethren, he knew that the one Kind of 
 Dilorder was mod diredtly of a Piece with the 
 .other; for as Vnaniity"\% the fure Charafleriilick 
 of real Chriftians, and as this Unanimity is 
 maintained by the Means of a fallow Feeding 
 iipon the Unity or Onenefs of Deity, fo the Na- 
 ture and Manner oi Schifra and DiJ/enJion miong 
 
 • 
 
 Brethren could not have been fo apdy pourtray- 
 ed, any othcrwife than as thus it is fhewn to 
 have been ftriftly of a Piece with ati ill condi- 
 tioned and unmannerly Behaviour at Table. 
 
 The Mind of the Spirit, or as I may fay^ the 
 E?2d and Aim of the Writer was to enforce the 
 Do£lrine of a* Brotherly Unamiiy: Herefy and 
 Schifm was that which he had firft and princi- 
 pally in View j but as every Kind of Unanimity, 
 
 K k ' ■ \yhethgi: 
 
( 25§ ) 
 
 whether in Spirituals or in Temporals^ proceedcik 
 from our intimate Relationfhip to God in .Chrijty 
 fb, whether thefe Corinthians^ to whom the 
 EpiRie is written, might, or might not have 
 been aduaHy addidled to the Diforders of fuch 
 an Hunger and Drunkennefs as is thus defcrib- 
 ed, {o pregnant the Senfe of the Writer in this 
 particular Portion ot Sci ipture, the utmoft that: 
 could have been faid, is here advanced, for the 
 Natiire and Extent of Chrlfiiqn UNANIMITY 
 in every Senfe. 
 
 For as we enter a little deeper into the Mat- 
 ter, the ever memorable Sentances, this is my 
 
 Body^ this is my Bloody This do^ &c. Do not 
 
 barely and fuperficially refpedl the CEconomy of 
 the Table, in Manner and in Form ; there is 
 always more than we are able at once to com- 
 prehend in whatfoever did proceed from his 
 Mouth of him whom it is written that he f^ake 
 as never Man fpoke. 
 
 For as is the CEconomy or Condition of mine 
 Affeftions, the AfFeftions of a two-fold Man, 
 fuch is the Condition of mine eating and drink- 
 ing at the outward Table j and as is the State 
 or Condition of my partaking at the outward 
 Table, fuch the Condition of my'Blood and Spi- 
 rits, the animal CEconomy, or nervous Syftem ; 
 and as is the Stated Situation of fuch the ani- 
 mal 
 
( 259 ') 
 
 mal GEconomy, fuch my Behaviour and Con- 
 verfation at large: And it is hence the 
 Tranfition from Herefy, or party Animofity to 
 •the Mention of an Hunger and Drunkennefs, 
 and thence to the Mention of the Cup and the 
 Bread. 
 
 It is abundantly obvious now, and extremely 
 open to the fevereft Reprehenfions among Cer- 
 tain that I could name, that upon our having 
 heard the Sound of the glad Tidings of Gofpel, 
 or when havino; been touched and delighted up- 
 on the hearin.'^ of a valuable Difcourfe, or fuch 
 as might be accounted of a living Teflimon^^ we. 
 can but hardly forbear holding forth an idle 
 JPrate upon the Occafion when Meeting is 
 over. And we may take it for granted, that of 
 thefe hungry and drunken Cori nt hi ans ^ xht tdivXy 
 Frqfelytes to the Chriftian Faith, there v/ere un- 
 difciplincd and unreformed Perfons among 
 them, who, when aflemb ling together- into one 
 Place, were addicted to an undue and undifci- 
 plined Talking about Chrifi and the Kingdotn^ 
 and the Things of God, to the annoying and 
 burdening of their more fenfible Brethren. For 
 whereas we do here meet with fo binding and 
 reftridlive a Caution, that they fiiould be aware 
 of their Unworthinefs : It is impofiible that any 
 other (hould hav^ been here intended than a 
 Snub to fuch Perfons as thefe. We may well 
 
 K k 2 take 
 
( 26o ) 
 
 take It home to onrfelves •/ for let him that trnmeih 
 the Name of Chriji depart from Iniquity ; The 
 Name oi^Gody or of Chriji^ in the Mouth of the 
 unconverted, u nre f ormcd Beafl (Let the* pray- 
 ing FormaHft take it home to him.felf) is always 
 dilguftful and burdenfome to fenfible Minds •,--.- 
 perhaps rnore fo in the Mouth of the formal Be- 
 votee, when praying to the Image of the Beaft, 
 than in the Mouth of a very different (^harader: 
 And here is the UNWORTHINESS which 
 the Apoftle was at this Time concerned to re- 
 prehend, 
 
 An inconfiderate, licentious, or nndifciplined 
 Talking, h more than a fimilar or comparitive 
 Evil: It i^ MORh than fimHar to an Hunger- 
 ing and Drunkennefs, luch as is here difcribed : 
 It is in StridRefs no other than a different Shew 
 or Manifcftaiion of the very SAMIl Evil. • 
 
 .At otir Eatings and Drinkings together it 
 is impofitble that we fhould commune in the 
 Capacity of Chriftians, fo long as the diftempe- 
 yatures of the beftial AfFedions do predominate} 
 ^nd it is impoiTiblc, that as touching tlie Things 
 pf God in our Preachings, Prayings and Con- 
 verfations, we fhould not burden and offend 
 oneanother, fo long as the Diftemperatures of 
 the beftial AficdioA* do predotnin^te. 
 
 And 
 
( 26l ) 
 
 And here is the nnworthinefs I fay, which 
 the Apoftle was at this Time concerned to re- 
 prehend. 
 
 " Wherefore, whofoever fnall eat this 
 " Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord un- 
 " worthily, fnall be guilty of the Body and 
 ^' Blood of the Lord. But let a Man examine 
 " himfelf, apd fo let him eat of that Bread, and 
 " drink of that Cup. For he that eateth and 
 " drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh 
 ** Damnation to himfelf, not difcerning the 
 ** Lord's Body." Ver. 27, 2R, 29. 
 
 Not for their Drunkennefs at the celebrat- 
 ing of an holy Ordinance were thefe the early 
 Bc-lievers in the Name of a Chrift thus dealt 
 with J for Ages and Generations the Idea of 
 Sacrament was as yet unborn : But fevereiy they 
 are taken to do for the Diftemperatures of their 
 Affedtions. It feems there was a Caufe in that 
 their coming together was not for the Better^ hut 
 fcrtheWorfe, Ver. 17. The Lefibn under Con- 
 fideration, is more excellent than as if the Apof- 
 tle had faid you are at prefent Wrong, and I 
 would have you be at Rights; for it appears 
 , that he endeavours to make them acquainted 
 with the Nature and Condition of thefe their 
 Diftemperatures, in Order that they might know 
 and be afliamed of fuch their Situation, and of 
 Confequence judge and reform themfelves. 
 
 Th5 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 The Church did at this Time confift partly 
 of fuch Members as lived feperate at we do now 
 and partly of fuch as had their Eatings and 
 Drinkings in common ; and when communing 
 together, whether by Night or by Day, whe- 
 ther eating or drinking, or whatfoever they did 
 m the Capacity of Chriftians,- it was recom^ 
 mended that all fliould be done to the Glory of 
 God : Such their Communion might not have 
 been called a Supper in the ordinary Way of 
 fpeaking, yet how properly was it called a Su^p- 
 per (as is inftanced upon the prefcnc Occafion) 
 in a doof final Way ! 
 
 When Adam was forewarned of the Know- 
 ledge of Good and Evil, he was forewai*ned of 
 the Dijlemperatures that might arile through Luji: 
 He was forewarned of the Predominancy of the 
 beftial AfFe<5bions •, and if criminal in Adam the 
 Firil, that he fliould have lulled after that State 
 or Condition of Eating, which in common with 
 the Beafts of the Earth we cio now experience 
 to be ours, it was highly unwarrahtable in thefe 
 'the early Difciples and Followers of the Lamht 
 whether in the Way of eating and drinking, or 
 otherwife, that they fhould have communicated 
 together in the Name of their Lord, whilft peace 
 ably enjoying the undifciplined, unmodified Af- 
 fedtions of their fallen Eftate. What, have you 
 not Houfes to eat and to drink in ? Or d^pfi y^ ti)$ 
 
 Church 
 
C 263 ) 
 
 Church of God^ and Jhame them that have net ? 
 What phalli {ay to you? Shall I praife you in this? 
 I praife you mt^ Ver. 22. Upon this Ground 
 it is that he proceeds as before. For I have re^ 
 ceived of the Lord, &c. Ver. 23, 24, 25, 26, 
 27, 28, .2:>, and concludes, For this Caufe mairf 
 ere weak and fickly among you, and many Jleep* 
 For if we would judge ourjelves, we fhould not bt 
 judged, &C. See to the End of the Chapter. 
 
 It was meet that a nervous and forcible Per* 
 jpicuity of Language fliould thus have been 
 inade choice of upon the Occafion, for that the 
 Paflage compares withG^w. ii. 16, 17. And the 
 Lord God comr/ianded the Man, faying, of every 
 Tree of the Garden thou mayefi freely cat : But of 
 the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou 
 Jhalt not eat of it : For in the Day that thou eateji 
 thereof, thou fhalt furely die. Here is a free and 
 univerfal Toleration of EVE:,RY Tree of the 
 Garden thou mayefi freely eat. He is not fo 
 much as commanded not to lull ; for that God 
 well knew that he would luft : God doth know 
 (faid the Serpent, Gen. iii. 5) that in the Day 
 that ye eat thereof your Eyes ffjdll be opened, and ye 
 Jhall be as Godsj knowing Good and Evil. God 
 knew that the Humanity would luft (I fay) and 
 that by fuch Means the Curfe fhould be awaken- 
 ed in the Elements of the outward Dominion : 
 So here the Apoftle does not abfolutely forbid 
 
 the 
 
( i64 ) 
 
 the Corinthians that they fhould not tat \ biiC 
 they are feverely reproved, and at the fame 
 Time tenderly admoniihed that they fhould not 
 luft. IFhen we are judged (fays he) we are chajied 
 of the Lord^ that we fidoidd not be condemned with 
 the World. Wherefore my Brethren^ when ye come 
 together to eat^ tarry one for another. And if any 
 Man hunger^ let him eat at Home ; that ye come 
 not together unto Condemnation. Here was a Lef- 
 fon becoming the Dignity of an Apoftle, for 
 that'in fuch Degree, as afTuming to commuhi- 
 Cate in Publick, upon pretence of their being 
 theDifciples and Followers of the Lamb in the 
 imreformed Nat?.ire, ^s it had fared with our 
 firft Parents in the Beginning, fo now with t\\d^ 
 they Ihould be found eating and drinking unto 
 themfclves their OAvn Damnation. 
 
 Thus far by the Way of a Re- promulgation 
 9f genuine Gofpel, on the Behalf of that Myfiery 
 which by the Saviour was at firft promulgedj 
 when partaking (as aforefaid) of the Paftover itl 
 the prefence of the Twelve. 
 
 Let us now return, as it is but Matter of 
 Courfe, and revifit the paradifacal EJiate of him 
 by whom came Death : ' Ldt us confider more 
 dircinftly the Myftery of his unbroken Virgini- 
 ty, or the Myftery of that UNION, which un- 
 der the Idea of a Covenant is held to have fub- 
 
 filled 
 
(26s ); 
 
 filled between Deity and the unfallen Humanity. 
 Let us endeavour fundamentally and circum- 
 (lantially to corfider luhcn. how^ and by what 
 fevcral Gradations the DISUNION did at firft 
 b'^gin, v/as by Degrees continued, and at 
 Length compleated by the'Mcans of his partak- 
 ing of the earthly Tree. 
 
 a 
 
 \nd then appeared a great Wonder in 
 '' Fkaven •, a Woman cloathed with the Sun, 
 *' and t]-.e Moon under her Feet, and upon her 
 " Head a Crown of twelve Stars. And fiie be- 
 *'" ing with Child, cried, travailing in Birth, 
 " and pained to be delivered," Re-uei. x'n. i. 2. 
 
 Mere is the Church universal, the Mo- 
 ther of- us all^ Gal iv. 26. And in Order to 
 obtain, * we muft return and begin at ABC: 
 We muft begin with Adam at Alfha^ and pafs 
 along the Circle, until it be clofed upon the 
 Ends of the Earth -, for that i-t is not till then 
 that fhe obtaineth the Crown of twelve Stars as 
 above. 
 
 " And there appeared another Wonder irj 
 " Heaven, and behold a great red Dragon, 
 " having feven Heads and ten Horns, and fe- 
 *' yen Crowns upon his Heads. And his Tail 
 
 LI " drew 
 
 • To obtain thofe cleat and fatisfaSiory Apprchfnflon:, 
 and as was propofed in the Beginnig ; fo f"- obtain,, is now 
 defered to foms other Opportunity. 
 
cc 
 
 ( 2^6 ) 
 
 "J'drew a third Part of the Stars of Heaven, 
 
 '* and did caft them to the Earth : And the 
 
 *' Dragon flood before the Woman which was 
 
 ready to be delivered, for to devour her Child 
 
 as foon as it was born," Ver. 3, 4. 
 
 The Dragon may not be underftood of any 
 fingle or individual Perfon, whether upon the 
 Earth, or in the IVaters under the Earth ; but 
 the Dragon, as thus mentioned, reprefenteth the 
 dark Power: It is PHARAOH the Opprejor 
 univerfally: It is the Trinity of D^^/^ and Helt 
 upon F.arth, as manifefted in the A6lings and 
 Speakings of Men : it is the Tongue of the Egyp- 
 tian Sea, Ifa. xi. i^. 
 
 « And fhp brought forth a MAN CHILD, 
 " who was to rule all Nations with a Rod of 
 " Iron," Ver. 5. 
 
 r- 
 
 Let me juft obferve, that here is 
 thaPCharaSier which cometh in the Name of the 
 Lord, as mentioned in the Beginning, P. 4. 
 Behsld, your Houfe is left unto you defolate. For I 
 fay unto you, ye fhall not fee me hencefonh, until ye 
 Jhallfay, hleffed is he that cometh in the Name of 
 the Lord, Matt, xxiii. 38, 39. 
 
 The Man Child Is -a C!iara6ler, that is to fay, 
 it is a Prophst', it is to be underilood of the 
 
 Internal 
 
( 267 ) 
 
 Internal Birth-, with God it is a Characlet^ 
 a Prophet , bated by all his Brethren is he ; a 
 very great Suffertr^ becaufe ordained to be a 
 very grcMt Conqueror. 
 
 With God it is that Chara^er of whona 
 there was formerly a Dream, as follows. And 
 he dreamed yet another Dream, and told it his Bre- 
 thren, and /aid, hehdd I have dreamed a Dream 
 more, and behold the Sun and the Moon, " and the 
 eleven Stars made Obeifance to me. Gen. xxxvii. 9. 
 
 With God it is a Character (I fay) for ac- 
 cording to the Myftery of a two-fold Man, he is 
 caught up into the Myftery <?/^2 Wheele as it were 
 in the Middle of a Wheele ; or according to the 
 Letter of the Text, he is caught up unto God^ and 
 to his Ihrone, Revel, xii, 5. 
 
 With God, it is ■s.CharaSler, and with Meo, 
 the ASS is that Charamr, Matt. xxi. 5. That 
 the Afs (hould have been tied where two Pl^ays 
 met, Mark xi. 4. hereby was reprefentcd the 
 
 prefent Condition o( our Aifairs. The tied Afs 
 
 did reprefent the prefent Condition of the ITHperf- 
 
 ed of the Antient Israel : The Afs, and a 
 
 Colt the Fole of an /Ifs, Matt. xxi. 2. did pre- 
 figure that Relation which henceforward there is 
 to fubfift between the Rejlorsd of the Jev/s, and 
 the Redeemed of the Gentile Church. Tell y? 
 
 L 1 2 the 
 
( 268 ) 
 
 f he Daughter * of Zion, behold, thy Kino cr^n'th 
 unto thee, meek, and fitting upon an yijj^ <,nu a 
 Colt' the Fole of an Afs, Matt. xxi. 5. '^ God 
 **-. fhall enlarge Japhet, and he lliall dwell in the 
 " Tents of S hem," 'Gen. ix. 27. 
 
 The ass reprelenteth the outwai'd Man^ a 
 patient Drudge and a great Burden Beaar; — rs 
 being loofed without the Permiflion or C^^nlent of 
 the Owner, did forefhew the Intervention of a 
 fingular Providence, on the Bthaif of the 
 Rejiored and Redeeimd, without the exprcfs Ap- 
 probation of the Taskmaster. Loofe them, 
 and bring them unto me (faid the Saviour) ]iii::t. 
 xxi. 2. And if any Man fay ought unto you, ye 
 Jhallfay, the Lord hath Need oj him, Ver. 3. 
 
 That the then Jham KING fliould have fal 
 upon the ASS, hereby it was rep^-efented that 
 the Prophet, our Character (as diorefaid) is not 
 himfelf the Origin and^'ountain of that Kingly 
 Power, under which he afteth ; but that he is 
 adluated and conduded by a Power which is 
 Jrom above. 
 
 The Acclamations of the People, Matt. xxi. 
 '9. Luke xix. 37, 38. being moved thereunto 
 fo ftrangely, and by a fudden Inftigation, which 
 themfelves could not account for, did befpeak 
 
 the 
 
 « 
 
( 269 ) 
 
 the VOX POPULI of the Time which is juft 
 commencing. Blejfed be the King which cometb 
 in the Name of the Lord : Peace hi Heaven^ and 
 Glory in the Highejl^ Luke xix. 3H. 
 
 And fome of the Pharifees from among the Mul- 
 titude faid unto him, Majier, rebuke thefe thy Dif- 
 ciples, Ver. 39. 
 
 Jefus anfivered and [aid unto them^ I tell you^ 
 that if thefe fljould hold their Peace, the Stones 
 would immediately cry out, Ver. 40. 
 
 His entering the Temple in Type, is the 
 EMM AnUEL God with us of our Latter Days ., 
 it is 'God made manifeil in Man, the Temple noz 
 made with Hands. 
 
 And Jefus went into the Temple of God, and cafl 
 out all them that fold and bought in the. Temple, 
 and overthrew the Tables of the Money Chan;ers, 
 and the Seats of them that fold Doves, Ver. 12. or 
 according to th- Evaqgehft John. 
 
 He found in the Temple thofe that _ fold Oxen, and 
 Sheep, and Doves, and the Changers^ of Money fit- 
 ting, John ii. 14. 
 
 And when he had made a Scourge of fmall Cords, 
 he drove them all out of the Temple, and the Sheep, 
 and the Oxen ; and poured out th: Changers Money,- 
 mtd overthrew the Tables, Ver. 15. 
 
 Here 
 
( 270 ) 
 
 Here the Scourging of the Temple did typi- 
 fy that ^r<?<2/ and UNIVERSAL Ov4:rturninc., 
 which is inftantly at Hand. Babylon is fallen, 
 is fallen ; and all thegra'uen Images of her Gods HE 
 hath broken unto the Ground, Ifa. xxi. 9. 
 
 It is to be effected by the Movements of the 
 Eternal Providence, conjunftly and coopera- 
 tively with the External Pr&TvW*?^^*?. Here is 
 that Zeal againfi: Zeal, John ii. ly. See the 
 Ninth of the Book of the Prophecy of Jfaiah, 
 Ver. 5, 6. The Zeal of the Lord of Hofis will per- 
 form this, Ver. 7. 
 
 Such the Huxterings, and Barterings,^ and 
 Money Changings, between Ghara6ler and Cha- 
 radler in general, fuch fhe prefent Crijis of our 
 Affairs, however it may formerly have been 
 written of God's Houfe, my Uoitfe fhall be called 
 the Houfe of Prayer, to us the Peoples of thefe 
 our latter Days, it is become a Den of Thieves, 
 Matt. xxi. 13. 
 
 The Tables are now turned, for the Hour 
 cometh, and novv i*;, wherein h.c, in whofe 
 Right Hand be the feven-foid Movements of the 
 eternal Providence, doth lift up an Erfr^n to the 
 Nations, and here is tl;e /rilEOCR AC Y, 
 '* The feventh Ang;el for.nded, and there vere 
 " great Voices in PJeaven, faying, the King- 
 " doms of this WorLi are become the King- 
 
 *' aoins 
 
( 271 ) 
 
 ** doms of our Lord, and of his.Chrifl:, and he 
 " fiiall reign for ever and ever.'* Revel, xi. 15. 
 The Angel is here to be underftood of the inter- 
 nal Birth as before •, our Character, as aforefaid, 
 being a Seventh in the Order of the Myjiery. 
 The Tables are now turned I fay; the Prophet 
 fpeaketh Peace and Reconciliation to the Dif- 
 perced of the Former^ \yhilft the WOE of that 
 violent Leflbn, Matt. 23 Chapter, is denounc- 
 ed upon the Scribes and Pharifees, Hypocrites of 
 the prefent Adminiftration. 
 
 Thus the MYSTERY becomes revealed in 
 its Time, to the preaching of this the Gofpel of 
 the Kingdom, for a Witnefs unto all Nations. 
 Here is an higher Difpenfation than ever was 
 hitherto known. It feems as if the People of 
 God fhould now make a very confiderable Fi- 
 gure. Behold the People fljall rife up as a great 
 Lion, and lift up himfelf as a young Lion ; he Jhdlt 
 not lie doi9n until he eat the Prey^ and drink the 
 Blood oj the Slain. J 
 
 It is the Forty and Second Encampment, a.', 
 by the Tenor of our whole Difcourfej it is even 
 the laft Encampment upon this Side JOR- 
 DON: * And it appears, I fay, that the Ifnn; 
 
 «!! 
 
 X Numb, xxlii. 24. 
 
 • Let the Hdreiv original be ccnfultcd for the Meirang 
 of the Word Jerdun. 
 
( 272 ) 
 
 of God (hall be at this Time very confiderable 
 
 among the Nations; yet the Encampment is 
 
 but an Encampment, for in Jr'roportion to the 
 Excellency of fo glorious a Manifeftation the 
 Myfiery becomes preverted. This is that which 
 fcems to be intimated by the Words of the Text^ 
 in that the Gofpel is to be preached for a Witnefs, 
 Then (hall this Gofpel of the Kingdom he preached in 
 all the JVcrldfor a Witnejs unto all Nations^ and 
 ■then Jhall the End come, Ver. 14. There was 
 prcfendy a Changing of their Tune; To-day an 
 Hofanna to the Son of David, and To-morrow, 
 or within but a Day or two afterwards, away 
 with him, crucify him ; fo now the Gofpel is t(^ 
 be preached for a IVitnefs, but there is prefently 
 a Changing of the Tune, the Myftery becomes 
 preverted, the Bead gets an Aflendency, the 
 falfe Prophef, the antitypical Baalam, convicted 
 of- the Truth at the Mouth of the Afs, our Cha- 
 fafter as aforcfaid, preverteth the Myfiery to 
 the df'ceiving of Thoufands. And here is that 
 fo memorable a Trefpafs, the fo inglorious and fo 
 lamentable a Trefpxifs againji the Lord at Baal 
 Peer : -f For here is that Character which fhew- 
 eth Si ens and great f Fenders, infomuch, that were 
 it pofjihle, he fhall dccei've the very EleSi. 
 
 When 
 
 f Numb. XXV. and 31, 15, 16. "Ltt \.\vt Hehrevo origi- 
 nal be conluiiea for the Meaning of the Word Bael Peor, 
 
Whin you therefore (fays -the 5aviour) 
 fialljee the Abomination of Dejblutionfpoke^i 
 of by Daniel the I'rophetj Jianding wuere it 
 ought not: Whojoever read'ith it let him uur 
 derftand,. 
 
 Then let them which he in Judea^e^ un» 
 to the Mountains. Ver, i^, 17, iS, i9) 2,0, 
 
 . -It is now that the Prophet who teacheth. 
 «nd preacheth in the Name of a Chrift^ as 
 did jefiis at thel'empie, Matt,xxl 145 1 5, 
 lo. fhall be again betrayed into the Hands 
 of Sinners: And here is the S ACRli:* ICE at 
 Bo%rah^ anuniverfal Betraying, and putt- 
 ing to Death over the whole World, 
 
 For here is that Sacrifise at Bozrah 
 which fncceeds to the Scourgifig of the 
 Temple. " The Sword of the Lord is 
 " filled with Blood, it is made fat with 
 ^^ jFatnefs; and with the Blood of Lam.bs 
 <,^ and of Goats, with the Fat of theKid- 
 ^^ neysofRams: For the Lord hath vS^cri- 
 « fice ^tBozrahymid a GREAT SLAUGH- 
 " TER in the Land of ldumea'\ 
 
 " The Enthufiail: is a Poet in ' earned".* 
 Howunufualfoev^er it may be withfome of 
 usjto be in earnelt gbout the iruth-ofChrifti- 
 
 *' Say die Criticks^ 
 
 . anityt^ 
 
( ^74) 
 (inhy^ Men arc apt to be in earnefl: at Times, 
 
 after one Sort or another- -Let them 
 
 Criticife upon the Doctrines thus reveal- 
 ed in the the Openings o£ tiie Myftcry. 
 
 N.B, I would not be underjlood by 
 thole Figures P. ii6, as if really it were 
 pofJible that herebyfhould havebeenpour- 
 trayed to the Life the Matters thus intend* 
 ed; the Reader is however at Liberty to 
 CRITICISE for how near or remote fo- 
 ever (this remains to be confidered at our 
 Leafure) it may be that fo high a Mani- 
 feftation belongech to a T IME or Difp^jA 
 Jat'mi proportionab' y Severe: 
 
 The Snn and the Meon^ P. r. as like- 
 "ivife the Rivers-, and Streams of Waters 
 upon the Mountains and upon the Hills, 
 are to be underflood in the Aliffical Senfe. 
 
 * '^^ And there fliall be upon every high 
 ^- Mountain and upon every high Hill Ri- 
 ^'- vers-, i^nd Strea7Hs of Water Sj in the Day 
 *^ of the GREAT SLAUGHTER when 
 '■• the Towers faU, Moreover the Light 
 -'- of the Moo?2 fliall be as the Light of the 
 '•• SiLfh and the Light of the Sun fhall be 
 "-^ Seveii-fold-i '^s th^Uight of Seven Days., 
 '•'• in the Day that the Lord bindethupthe 
 ' Breach of his People, and healeth the 
 ^ Ltroke of their AYound."- — The Saviour 
 
 provcs-ds 
 
( vs ) 
 
 proceeds, Ver. 23, 24. For as the Lightning 
 Cometh out of thi Eajl, ani Jhineth even tinto the 
 Wejl, fi /ball aJfo the coming of the Son of Man he^ 
 Ver. 25, 26. 
 
 " Come near, ye Nations, to hear, and hear- 
 " kea, ye People: Let the Earth hear, and all 
 " thnt is therein i the World, and all Things 
 "that come forth of it. For the Indignation 
 ''' of the Lord is Upon all Nations, and his Fury 
 " upon all their Armies: He hath utterly d«- 
 " ftroyed tliem, he hath delivered them to the 
 " Slaughter. Their Slain alfo iliall be cull out, 
 " and their Stinic fhall come up out of their 
 *' Carcafes, ajid the Mountains fliall be melted 
 " with their Blood. And all the Hoft of Hea- 
 " ven fliall be diffolved, and the Heavens fliall 
 " be rolled together as a Scroll: And all their 
 " Hoilfhall fall down as the Leaf falleth oii^ 
 " from the Vine, and as a falling Fig from the- 
 " Fig-Tree. For my Sword fliall be bathed in 
 " Heaven: Behold it iliall come down upon 
 " Iduniea., and upon the People of my Curfe to 
 '* Tudg-ment. The Sword of the Lord is filled 
 " v/ith Blood, it is made fat with Fatnefs, and 
 " with the Blood of Lambs and Goats, with 
 " the Fat of the Plidneys of Rams: For the 
 " Lord hath a Sacrlace in Bozrah, and a great 
 " Slaughter in the Land of Idumea. And the 
 " Unicorn Iliall come down with them, and the 
 
 M m 2 " B%rj locks 
 
( 276 ) 
 
 ^- Bullocks with the Bulb, and their. Land xl'ial! . 
 "'• be foked with Blood, and their Duil n 
 «' fat with Fatnefs. For it is the Day of the 
 " Lord's Vengeance, and the Year of Ii'jc -^r.!- 
 " pences for the Controverfy of Z/c;/," Ifaiah 
 xxxiv. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 
 
 The Saviour p.-oceeds to malce Mention of 
 ihe Comhig of the Sen of Man, Ver. 30. and' that 
 the End of the World Ihould thus have been dif- 
 courfed as it is, as if our Lord had all alone; 
 been fpeaking of the Defolations of the City and 
 Temple, however it may have perplexed the 
 Orthodoxy of the Times : That Speaker had been 
 Unworthy of being calied a Prophet, who lliould 
 have fpoken otherwife upon A^z OccafiOii than 
 as the Saviour here hath done. As' a Suite rer he 
 did belong to the Typical Jdr/iinljirati:n ; and it 
 is hence that whatfoever tranlacled in the. 
 
 "Way of a fnlnliing the former Predictions eon- 
 cerning him, as were all the material Circum- 
 ftances of his Birth, his Life, Crucifixion, R'jj.r-^ 
 re^iion. Sec. were tranfaclcd in lype, as by the 
 Tenor of our prefent Difcourfe. And if this his 
 lafi Prophecy, did bare a doul^Ie Afpcd, or was 
 fpoken with a /W£' /y/i Meaning j or is it fuch 
 as doth require a ^i?*x<^/^ Interpretation ? Lvcn fo,, 
 as refering to the Times of. the Gentile 
 Church, were the Predidions of the former 
 A.d.ir.iniftra!ion univerfally. They do all of 
 
 them 
 
( VI ) 
 
 them bear a DouhU Afpe5l I fay, and particularly 
 thcie upon the Subjed nov/ under Confideration, 
 the Dejuiatious of the Gentile Church, fee the 
 Plate, it is as plain as 12 3 4 5^7' ^'^^^ ^'^^• 
 Firj:, Second and Third Forms are in black, and 
 ihc F/flb, SL^ib ^nd Seventh are in white; the 
 One is the Type o# Shadow, the Other is the 
 . Antitype LAW and GOSPEL.--— The Rebelli- 
 Gin and Hcartsdnefs of the Jews did terminate in 
 the Deftruction and Defolation of their City and' 
 Temple, the mod tragical arid terrible Cataftro- ' 
 phe that ever befj:l a People or Nation ever 
 {\i-\ct the Beorinninf? of the World : And by how 
 much the Difpcnfation of GOSPEL is more ex- 
 cellent than was that of the LAW, and ' by how 
 much more abundantly it is abufcd, by fo much 
 the more terrible the DESOLATIONS which 
 are determined upon the ENDS OF THE 
 EARTH. 
 
 "^ It is hence that our Lord fhould have declar- 
 ed, Ver. 3,3. This Generation Jhall fwi pafs until all 
 
 thefe Things jhall he fulfilled: And it is hence that 
 fo manifeflly there belongeth a Double Interpre- 
 tation to thofe remarkable Sentanccs, Luke xxiii. 
 2S, 29, 30, 31. 
 
 Above all Things let us be av/are of com- 
 mitting Trcfipafis againjt the Lord at RA.\r, Pzo". ; 
 
 of 
 
( =78 ) 
 
 of tampering with the Myjlery, for -hov/ever de- 
 lighted and in Love with the Truth, the Out- 
 goings of our Thoughts mud be continually 
 fupprcifed until luch Time? as th? Beflial Affec- 
 tions ht fubdued. *^ ' ' v 
 " ; the Iiilie and Conkquencc i,; v- 
 of how terrible ! Nu?nb. xxv. Ver. 3 to 9. and 
 again, Chap. xxxi. 15, 16. and Rom. i. 21, 
 22, 23, 24. Let us watch aj^ainft the Outeo- 
 ings of our Thoughts, for when brought into 
 the Faith there needs no iludying or flriving to 
 ipeculate at all : And however a leafonable Con- 
 verfation, and in a feled Way, as touching the 
 Mylleries of the Kingdom, neither may, or 
 ought to be entirely prohibited, yet in gene^rai 
 the Maxim fpeak not of Religion^ J is worthy 
 of our ftridleft Obfervation ; he that ofe?:de(h nci 
 in Word the fame is a perfeSl Man. There needs 
 not be a great deal faid ; but fo far as Pafo^ts 
 or Authors are conlulted, let fuch be prefered as 
 do not confider the Work of Converfion and R.e- 
 generation, a fudden and miraculous Thing, 
 but as confiding of an orderly and gradual Ivla- 
 nifellation of one Evil after another. The 
 Light fjjtneth in Barknefs, and the Darknefs cc:n~ 
 pehendeth it not, 
 
 I 
 
 X W. Pcnn, whether it is the Time that bringeth it to 
 
 fafs, cr whether it is the Turn of my own Ob'"ervations, 
 cannot fay, but it fseitis to me as if the Peoples more, 
 than ufual, are at prefcr.j addidcd to a Blameabienefs herein. 
 
( ^79 ) 
 I do abfolutely forbid a Formal FrayeVi 
 it is merely a Device of die Whore • 2i filthy 
 In?iovatio72y peculiar to thefe our latter 
 Days; condemnable in itfelf, and moft 
 abominable ixi its whole Nature. 
 
 It is expresfly forbidden by the Saviour. 
 A?idwhe?i thouprayejlj thoujhalt ?iot be as 
 the Hypocrites are ; for they love to pray, fla?id' 
 JTig, &c. Matt. vi. Verily, I fay unto you, they 
 have their Reward, hut thou,whe?i thouprayejf, 
 e?iter into thy Clofet, aiidwhen thouhafijbui 
 thy Door, pray to thy Father which is in Secret-^ 
 and thy Father which feeth iii Secret Jhall re- 
 ward thee openly. The Prayer which is herq 
 iDropofed, was by no Means intended a 
 Formale of Words, but it was recommend- 
 ed as being that Condition or State of the 
 Will and AfFeaions which diftinguifheth 
 a real Chrifiiaji from an Hypocrite in all 
 Places, and at all Times, "^ It is how- 
 ever acknowledged that there are Times 
 and Occafions when the Chriflian is con- 
 fiderably benefitted by Retirenmit: but 
 this Retirement confiftech more immedia- 
 tely in the AbdractenCfs or Retirement of 
 the Mind, fuch as may be exercifedwhen 
 about one daily Bufinefs, than in the Advan- 
 tages of a Clofet Devotion, according to 
 the more literal Acceptation of the Word. 
 Not often are there Occafions for vocal 
 Prayer in private, norcver in Public, anv 
 echerwifechan in the way of an acceptable 
 
 l?Jce?ife, 
 
( T-^o )! 
 
 Inccfifcy ^Jwset Savour unto the Lard,. 
 Numb. xvi. 7. 
 
 ■* The Beajls of the Field do enjoy the 
 Pleafiires of Life witnout ttiQ Imputations 
 of SIN; when behold theHEASTieis near- 
 ly allied to the perilhable Earth, is found 
 to be a compound of mo/^taltonilhing Ii- 
 tonfijiaricies-, — —What Man upon the Larth 
 who (without the Aliffance whether of 
 Preacbingy or o£ Prieft-craft^is notSen(ib[e 
 at one T ime or another that he is a SIN- 
 NER ? Here is therefore that ib incompre- 
 henfible a Relation Subfifting between 
 DEITY, and the fallen Hummity: Whence 
 this €ojifciouf7jefy of Sm or what riiay it be. 
 called ? With fome it is REASON ] and with 
 others it is CONSCIENCE: few beino" able 
 to explain thenifelves upon the Occaiion. 
 Here is that which however in the Lan- 
 guage of the Teflaments Ipiritually is cal- 
 led the LIGHT. All 'Ihiiigs that are Re- 
 proved are made i/wiifefl by the Light for 
 whatfoever doth make majiifeft is Light Eph. 
 J, 13, Whatfoever EVIL jis uppermoft, 
 that isitv/hichmuft beat the Hrfl: forfaken, 
 and it is not altogether likely that itfliould 
 be forfaken at onc^, or as tho' I were able 
 to forfake it of myfelf; not Va'mly for 
 die Lucre of a future Reward on die One 
 Hand, or fuperftitioujiy for the Fearful- 
 nefs of Hell upon the other, for in the 
 Way of a SACRIFICE only can it ever 
 be effectual forfaken, thy Will begone; 
 ' ' the 
 
( ^81 :) 
 
 The £i?i/which ina national ^ndfodetf 
 Way (cemsac prcient to uppermod, is thac 
 of an heedleis blind and mofl idolitrous 
 Profanation of '1 HAT NAME which by 
 Chriflians ought never to be takeii in vain^ 
 in our Freachings^ Frayi?igs and Si?igmgs^t 
 our weekly Allemblies. 
 
 The foregoing is but barely Treli7ni7ia7y 
 to what is yet behind, it is but the 
 firft Fruitso{ our travailing m Pain^ and 
 for the Explanations propoled, the Reader 
 isretered to Ibme other Opportunity. . 
 
 This our frft EJJay may not be fo con- 
 fiderable as thr:t the Lnem y fhculd be under 
 Apprehenhons upon the preient Gc* 
 
 cai:on: Be that as it may, it is the 
 
 TIME that fpeaketh, and the lixpknations 
 by one Means or another fliall be carried on* 
 
 It will be objeGcd 'by feme, that 
 
 a Stile, and Way of^peaking his forward, 
 lefs inlblently daring, and imipcricus, mighc 
 better have became lounoiperiencedaler- 
 Ibn, I anfwer, the Work is a lery Jircfj^s 
 Work-, Ifa, xxviii,'zj, and whether I may 
 have been conducted by the Motion of a 
 Wheely or whether by the Movements of 
 a VVhsel as it were in the??iiddIeofa Whedi 
 is now fubmittedto the Peoples whcmXo-- 
 ever it may coccerni. 
 
Pi S, The Pqftcript 7?ie Jit ions d 171 the Table 
 of CojitentSy confift'mg of iz Pages 'm a 
 Jmall Character ; at the hiftance of a 
 ■ "^^ Friend J is "^ for the prefe?it fet a fide. 
 
 
r> 
 
 -» -->- -^ r 
 
 / 
 
»*" 
 
 :.*■ 
 
 % *' 
 
 <- A 
 
 *#& 
 
 ,♦ H 
 
 
 ff 
 
 V 
 
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