Truth vindicated against all heresies shewing how the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent is distinguished : the woman cloathed with the sun discoverd, she having the moon under her feet : the Old and New Testament made to agree and God's justice and mercy magnified.

XIII. Concerning being Born again. (Book 13)

WHereas Christ said to Nicodemus, John 3.3. I say unto thee, except a Man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Here Christ doth not say every Man must be born again that seeth the Kingdom of God; but such a Man, or Men, as Nicodemus, that had em∣braced this present World, and valued the praise of Men, and so ashamed to own Christ, and therefore came to him by Night; such must be born again, or brought off from the World, or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. But whereas the Lord saith, vers. 5. Except a Man be born of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. In this Verse he doth not say that all that enter into the Kingdom of God must be born again, altho all that enters, must be born of the Spirit: For some were born after the Spirit from their Mother's Womb, as John Baptist, Luke 1.41,44. and Jeremiah, Jer. 1.5. And the Pro∣phet David says, God made him hope when he was upon his Mothers Breast, Psal. 22.9. And Saint Paul was sepa∣rated from his Mother's Womb, Gal. 1.15. Acts 26.5. And all the Children of Believers are said to be Holy, 1 Cor. 7.14. that is before they commit actual Sin. Likewise Christ saith, Suffer the little Children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of God, Mark 10.14. Mat. 18.10,3,4. Therefore no need of their being born again: But as the Lord had a Figurative mean∣ing in his saying, a man must be born after the Spirit; So it was here but a Figurative Speech, in that he said, a Man must be born again; for the Lord had here no

reference to the natural Birth; for first, those that are Religiously brought up, and walk all along in Integri∣ty, and do not wilfully corrupt their way, such are born after the Spirit, and those that like the Prodigal, wan∣der from home, thereby they become born after the Flesh; such must be regenerated, that is to say, born again, or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And tho' there is original defilement in all Children; so the best of Saints are not here without Sin, but Christ will take away Original Sin from both, Ezek. 18.20. And whereas Christ saith, John 3.8. The Wind bloweth where it listeth. The Lord had here his more peculiar refe∣rence to the time when the Elect were to be brought home by the inward touch of the Spirit upon the heart, which then in a more wonderful manner the Spirit like the Wind blew where it listeth. Now Nicodemus being one of the Rulers of the Jews, unto whom Christ always spake in dark Sentences and Parables; And with∣out a Parable he spake not unto them, Mat. 13.34. And all that Christ here said to him, was so Mystical that it appeared to him as a Paradox. But no doubt after the Lord's Ascension, but those Rulers that desired the knowledge of the Lord before he suffered, believed on him when the Gospel was taught, and the Scriptures opened. But before these Mystical Sayings of Christ were opened, they seemed to contradict what before they had received, and therefore they could not be∣lieve. And it is said, Psal. 53.2,3. God looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one. From these words, it is plain that they might have sought God, and God did expect better from them, but they were gone backward, and became filthy through their own de∣fault. But with these that were gone back, the Elect Remnant were not reckoned▪ For at that time God

said of them that were gone back, that they did eat up his People as they eat Bread, vers. 4. And God's People in Scripture are termed the Sons of God, and there∣fore not reckoned with the Children of Men. And tho' God has concluded all under Sin, so as none can be saved without the Imputation of Christ's Righteous∣ness, Rom. 3. But whereas St. Paul saith in the 10th and 11th Verse; Wherein he could have no reference to the Remnant. For he saith, There was none Righteous, no not one. There was none that sought after God. For if he did here include the Remnant, he did not herein speak agreeable to what is written; for God in the Psalm saith the contrary. Therefore St. Paul's meaning here, was of the Jewish Nation, and not of the Elect Rem∣nant. But after the Lord came, there doth appear by Scripture, to be a larger number of Israel in this Election of Grace then was before; which was sinful, and had corrupted their way, as well as the Gentiles, but to all that feared God in Israel, was the Word of this Salvation sent, Acts 13.26. From whence it is clear, there was then some of them in Israel that then also feared God. And Christ by the Parable of the Ninety Nine Sheep, from whence is made appear they were safe by the Promise of God, Psal. 15. Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle, &c. And to all that order their Conversati•…•… aright, he will shew his Salvotion, Psal 50.23. And there∣fore Christ saith, He came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance, Luke 5.32. For they were not then to be called home, for such were his Father's be∣fore. As for that one Sheep that went astray, we are to take notice, that the nature of Sheep is not wilfully from their Companions to wander away; but the Prodigal that wilfully left his Father's House, first look•• home, before his Father lookt on him, Luke 15.18. Now what St. Paul goes to prove from the Prophets, Rom. 3.20,21,22,23. was to prove their Justificatio•• from their past Sins, through the Blood of Christ▪ 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉

vers. 24.25. Without their before performing the deeds of the law; for had not God then justified them by the alone Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in the be∣lief of the Truth, they could not then have been saved; for then not only the Gentile World lay in Wickedness, but the elect also that was chosen from among them lay in Wickedness. Therefore God at the then time, to declare his Righteousness, verse 26. which was in his being just to his Promise made to Abraham, in bringing in the Gen∣tile Nations to be Heirs with Israel. And therefore at the then time, at their first calling in they were justified from their past Sins by believing in Jesus accor∣ding to the word, and Faith in his Blood, verse 22.25. That they and their Children might be brought in Heirs with Israel according to the Promise, Gen. 17.4. And as Abraham after God had called him, was commanded to walk before him in a perfect and upright way, verse 1. which accordingly he did, and so became Heir to the Promises, verse 2.7. And so the Lord ordered his Disciples to go and teach and baptize all Nations, that they should teach them to observe all things whatsoe∣ver he commanded them, Matth. 28.19,20. And whilst they so did they were Heirs to the Promises. And these things, as St. Paul saith, were witnessed by the Law and the Prophers, verse 21. For Moses wrote concerning it. And in Isaiah 55. The tender of the common Salvation was Prophesied of that all that were a thirst might come, buy and eat without Money, and without Price, that is, tho there was nothing then in them to render them acceptable, but a thirsting after the Lord with a weariness of their Sins, Matth. 11.28. And if they did hearken diligently unto the Lord, and eat that which is good, and let their soul delight it self in fatness, and incline their ear and come unto him and bear, and their souls shall live, verse 23 Here we are to take notice that they were to thirst when they heard of

the offered Mercy, and then they were to incline their ear, and come unto him, and when they were come they were to hear, that is, all that he by his word commanded them, Matth. 28.20. And if they did hear, and eat that which is good, then upon the per∣formance of these Conditions, the Lord will make an everlasting Covenant with them the sure Mercies of David, The which will be when the Lord again comes, at which time God will establish his promised everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his Seed, together in their Generations, Gen. 17.7. And God also by the Pro∣phet declares the pouring forth of his Spirit, not only at the second coming, but also at the first coming of Christ, Joel 2.28,29. And St. Paul concerning the then fore-mentioned time, Rom. 3.26. mentions Isaiah 49.8. applying these words of Isaiah to the then time, as in 2 Cor. 6.2. I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee. Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of Salvation. But afterwards when the Gentiles came to have no love to the Truth, for which they were given up to Delusion, 2 Thess. 2.10. Then it was not the great day of Salvation, which falling away was al∣so fore prophesied of Psalm 2.2,3. And in divers other places; for those that God calls will not be accepted when the times of refreshing shall come from the pre∣sence of the Lord, without their now improving in this time their day of Grace under the call of the Gospel; for when the Lord comes, we that have the knowledge of him must appear before the judgment Seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad, 2 Cor. 5.10. For God-without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.17. And the promised reward was to them that held out to the end, Rev. 2.10.

That they should receive a Crown of Life; that is, be saved with an everlasting Salvation, as Israel will be when the Lord again comes, who then shall not be ashamed, world without end, Isaiah 45 17. And this is the world to come, of which all the Apostles speak of, and which is to be put in subjection unto Christ in time to come, Heb. 2.5. But as St. Peter saith, God before shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled, Acts 3.18. Whom the heavens must receive until the times of the resti∣tution of all things. Which he likewise saith, God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the world began, verse 21. Which beginning of the world was Israel, unto whom Moses declared it, verse 22. And they will be the world without end, when the Lord hath established his new everlasting Covenant with them that they shall not sin against him, and then they will never more fall under Condemnation; therefore said to be world without end. And unto this Promise the Gentile Christians conditionally were brought in Heirs with Israel.