of fallible Men. They will proceed in this Way of deluding the Multitude and themfelves, because they defpife the few Children of Wisdom, who can teach them a better Way. And we are affured by an Authority fuperior to a thousand Expofitors of Scripture, that none fhall (i) reign with Chrift, unless they fuffer with him, partake of his Baptifm, of his (k) Cross and (1) Death, which make the (m) Fellowfhip of his Sufferings to be filled up in his Members. In this State of being conformed to the Death of Christ, the Lord is known and revealed in that double Character, feemingly repugnant to each other, (n) I kill, and I make alive; I wound and I heal; which Words contain the whole daily miniftry of the Law, and explain the darkeft Sayings and Parables of the Prophets. And yet, even under this Chaftifement, (0) He loveth those whom he fcourgeth, with the utmoft Tenderness, however abfurd it appears to the Eye and Reason

G 2

(m)

* (i) II. Tim. ii. 12. (k) Matt. x. 38. Luke xiv. (1) Luke ix. 23. I. Cor. xv. 31. Phil. iii, 10. (n) Deut. xxxii. 39. (0) Heb. xii. 6,

27

1

Reafon of the natural Man, that Sufferings and Afflictions fhould be Marks of Love in the fovereign Father of all to his chofen Sons. This Mystery of Providence was revealed in Chrift, the first-born among many Brethren, who was made (p) perfect by Sufferings; perfect in Obedience and Self-renunciation to the Father; perfect in all Virtue and Goodness, in Faith, Patience and Refignation, and perfect in Love and Mercy to Mankind And when this great Shepherd leads his Sheep to be killed daily by his fpiritual Sword, the Fire of his inner Altar which burns away the (q)ftrange Bloods, and clothes them with the one Blood of God: he then loves them, as his Father loved him, while he was fuffering on the Crofs, the Malice and Wrath of the Powers of Darkness, the Devils and wicked Men, their Inftruments and Co-adjutors. Thrice bleffed will they be, the chofen few who are (r) written in the Lamb's Book of Life, that is, those who are defigned to enjoy his peculiar and exalted

(p) Heb. ii. 10. -v. 7, 8, 9. (9) Ifai. iv. 4. John i. 13. Acts xx. 28. (r) Rev. xxi. 27.

exalted Glory; who make that Part of the Law diftinguished by the * First-born and

*The Apoftle Paul, (in whom are Things ‡ hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unftable, wreft as they do alfo other Scriptures, unto their own Destruction;) this highly enlightened Servant fpeaks thus in Rom. viii. 28, 29, 30 v. We know that all Things work together for good to them, that love God; to them who are called according to his Fore-defign. For whom he did fore-know, he did also predeftinate, to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the First-born among many Brethren: Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he alfo glorified. This Predeftination is plainly the Council and Purpofe of a First-born and First-fruits, which was the Election and Portion of the Lord under the Law, and was typified by the First-born, and by their peculiar Festival at the Paffover, the firft under that Oeconomy. But beyond this Election and Pre-eminence of a Firft-born and First-fruits, the Council of God muft not be extended to the Reprobation and everlasting Damnation of the Reft of Mankind. This Purpofe of God is confirmed in the extraordinary Revelation of Myfteries given to St. John, in which the One Hundred and Forty and Four Thousand fealed in their Foreheads appear to be thofe only, who shall have the Glory and Power of Kings

*

Firf-fruits from among Jews and Gentiles; who have the double Portion; who ( follow the LAMB whitherfoever he goeth, and (t) fit down in the Throne, and are fafe from being hurt by the (u) fecond

Death.

Kings and Priefts above and over all others. They are to enjoy a Kingdom and Priesthood by Fire and Blood, after the heavenly Form of the great elder Brother, the Lord Jefus Chrift. And in this Pre-dilection of fome to peculiar and more exalted Powers, the divine Goodness is juftified, whether the Election to this Lot and Portion of the Lord be from Faith and Obedience forefeen, as the Disciples of Arminius, and in particular Epifcopius and Curcellæus, two moft excellent Writers maintain; or from Free-Grace, without any Conditions or Terms, but the Sovereignty of the Divine Will, as Calvin and his Followers after St. Auflin, the Father of this moft hard and cruel Belief contend. For God is Lord of his own Gifts, and every Gift is free on his Part, and no Debt. Yet even this Election of a Free-born and Firft-fruits will produce the greatest Good to the younger Children, and the Latter-fruits. Every other Opinion concerning this Election and Predestination, (which has kindled Flames of Perfecution and bitter Contentions in former Times, and is now the chief Pillar of that great Popularity affected by many Preachers, is as prophane and repugnant to the Goodness of God, and the Glory

() Rev. xiv. 4. (†) Rev. iii, 21. xx. 6.

of

(u) Rev.

Death. While the Many, the great Multitude which no Man could Number, after the coming out of great Tribulation in the fecond

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of the Gofpel, as it is falfe and heretical. This Truth is well defended and explained in a Book called the EVERLASTING GOSPEL, written in German by Paul Seigvolk of Philadelphia, and tranflated into English in 1753. which was fent to me a few Weeks paft by a good Friend and Believer in the fame Gofpel, from that Province: it contains more Truth, and more real Grounds of the Redemption and Salvation by Jefus Chrift, than whole Libraries of Commentators.

It is to the First-born alone that belongs Chrift's "Promife of the celeftial Kingdom and Priesthood in

the future World, with all the unspeakable Prero"gatives and Glories which God in his Word pro"miles. We find the high Prerogative of the fpiri"tual Birth-right prefigured in the Old Tefta"ment in general by all the First-born and Firstfruits both of clean Beafts and of the Fruits of the Earth, which God would have fanctified unto him in a special Manner." The First-born to Salvation are thofe few, who in their Life-time find the narrow Way to eternal Life, and enter the ftrait Gate; whereas "Such as go in the broad Way

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of the Flefh leading to Perdition, are Many, yea the

greatest Number. The Firfl-born are the few Elect "compared with the Many who are called, but, on "account of their Unbelief, after the Example of "Efau, are rejected from the Enjoyment of the in"expreffible