Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

and he says, in John, 16th chapter, 7---13th verses.-"That he would send the Comforter to rest on man, and reprove the world of sin; and shew them things to come; and testify of the seed of the woman, that it had become the tabernacle of the liv ing God; which was to be at the fulness of times, and that the same Spirit should cause the bodies of Israel to be made like unto it: and it is said by the Prophet Hosea, 9th chapter and the 7th verse. at that day, "Israel shall know it."

And it is said by the Apostle Paul, in the 1st Epistle to the Thessalonians, 5th chap. 4th verse. ---"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

66

[ocr errors]

It is written by the Apostle Paul to the Romans, 8th chapter, 11th verse.---" But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

This testifieth of the text: that the fulness of the Spirit of God dwelleth not in blood, neither can blood inherit the kingdom of God, which is the Spirit of life that dwelleth in light; but fulfils the words of the Prophet Isaiah, 44th chapter 3rd verse.---"I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed." And it will rest on Israel, until it has done the work; afterwards it will live within them, according to the words of the Prophet Ezekiel, 36th chapter, 27th verse.---"I will put my Spirit within you;" testifying of the words of the text, that there is a birth not from the womb of the mother of the old world, which are the bones of the seed of the first Eve; but of the life of the latter Eve, which is of God; making God the father, and the life given to Israel the mother of the new creation; which fulfils the words of the Psalmist, 104th Psalm, 30th verse,

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

..." Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth." This is that birth which the text testifies of, which is not of the blood of the fall of the first Adam, but of the fulness of the Spirit of the latter Adam, which is prophesied of by Isaiah, 11th chapter 11th verse.---" And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand a second time, to recover the remnant of his people." And it will be given unto Israel; and he that asks for the fulness of the Spirit will do the work, and the body will gain eternal life.

[ocr errors]

It is written in Ephesians, 4th chapter, 3rd verse.--- Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Which is by seeking for the fulness of the Spirit, with an evening and morning sacrifice, that it may not leave them in all things, till they have obeyed the husband's commands; and ventured their lives, as Queen Esther did; Esther, 4th chapter, part of 16th verse; and 5th chap. 2ud verse; and 7th chap. 2nd and 3rd verses. Esther sent unto Mordecai, saying,---" Fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night nor day: (a) I also and my maidens will fast likewise and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish. I perish. And it was so; when the king saw Esther the queen, standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. And the king said, What is thy petition Queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee; and what is thy request? and it shall be performed; even to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered, Let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request." (a) Which is set typical of three generations.

ye

(a) And Jesus said in the Gospel according to John, 17th chapter, 15th verse; and 14th chapter, 2nd and 3rd verses." I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." "I I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there may be also." This was all done typical of the kingdom, when it should be revealed; that whomsoever should venture their lives, as Esther the queen, should gain the life of which the text testifies; But the road appearing narrow to the unbe lieving world, they refuse to venture into this narrow gate, which is wrote of in the 7th chapter of Matthew, and the 14th verse." Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." But, can a man enter in at a door which is closed, or drink of a fountain which is sealed, until the door is opened, and the fountain is unsealed? So it is evident from Solomon's Song, 4th chapter, 12th verse, that it has been as "a garden enclosed," and "a fountain sealed;" which agrees with the words of the Prophet Ezekiel, 44th chapter, 2nd verse.

[ocr errors]

This gate shall be sliut, it shall not be opened, no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut." (b) And in the Prophet Daniel, 12th chapter, 7th verse, is shewn how long it was to be shut; till "a time and times." Then will, the old world, in blood, serve the new one, which is not born of blood," as it is written in the text,

(u) This is the interpretation of the parable: the life of Christ, and the House of Israel, that a bone of them should not be broken, nor their bodies see corruption.

(b) Which was Christ, when he put off the nature of the first Adam and entered into the life of the latter Adam, and the door was then closed.

to

=

0

[ocr errors]

the "half time," which is a thousand years. years. For strait is the gate to enter to the birth of God, that life eternal might be given to he that would venture. And the Lord shews by the Prophet Hosea, the time wherein the birth mentioned in the text will take place, 6th chapter, 2nd verse." After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. And Jesus said in the Gospel according to Luke, 13th chapter, 32nd verse.---" Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." And in Matthew, 13th chapter, 33rd verse.---"The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." The three days which are spoken of by Queen Esther, and the three days which are spoken of by Hosea; and the three days, and the three measures of meal, which are spoken of by Jesus, which were parables to the world, are the type of the three generations, two thousand years in each generation, which are six thousand years and within the third generation the sons of God will be manifested, which are "born not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God:" being the fulness of times.

It is written in the Gospel according to Luke, 7th chapter, 28th verse." For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women, there is not a greater Prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God, is greater than he."

This also testifies of the new birth, which is wrote of in the text. Though John the Baptist, and the rest of the martyrs obtained not, because the fulness of times was not come; but their bodies died in full faith of these promises, by seeing it at a distance; and though they are, as it is said

E

in Revelation, 6th chapter 10 verse, crying under the altar for their blood to be judged and avenged on them that dwell on the earth; and though they are, as it is written in Revelation, 20th chap. 5th and 6th verses, waiting for the first resurrection, yet it is evident, by the text, that they have come short of the glory of God, seeing their temples are marred; which is according to the words of the Prophet Jeremiah, 18th chap. 3rd and 4th verses. ---" Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay, was inarred in the hands of the potter; (a) so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it. And at the first resurrection, they will receive bodies. as the angels, according to the words of Jesus in Matthew, 22nd chap. 30th ver.---" In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels of God in heaven. Though Jesus testified that there was not a prophet born that was greaterthan John the Baptist; yet those whose bodies are born of the Spirit, and enters into the kingdom of which the text testifies, will be greater

than he.

600

[ocr errors]

It is written by the Prophet Hosea, 1st chap. 10th verse. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.'

The people here mentioned, that shall be called the sons of the living God, are the same as those mentioned in the text, which are "not born of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God." And though it is said they shall be as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbered; Their bodies have seen corruption.

a

« ÎnapoiContinuă »