GO S P E L OF THE OF THE GENTILE, hended in these fix Branches; away the Aspes of the Altar ; the Oblation of ordained for his mediatorial Kingdoms. Subject are pointed out, and the Design of the whole By the Rev.Mr.RICHARD CLARKE, CURATE of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Excepe ye eat the Flesh of the Son, and drink bis Blood, ye have no Bebold, He cometb with Clouds, and every Eye Thall see bim. LONDON': Mark Lane, 1767. Price 6 s. in Boards. 1 T shall be my Endeavour in this Preface I'to remove the several Objections, which will in all Probability be made to the Work; and also in the second place, to give à few Directions for the more easy understanding of my Writings, and all other Books in the spiritual Way. The greatest Enemies to this kind of Interpretation, both in the inner and spiritual Ground, and in the Extent and Fulness of the Redemption maintained in it, will arise from the Predeftinarians of every Seet and Community; from the rational Divines, as they are called; and from ignorant Zealots in every Church. To the First, it ought to be only necessary to obferve, that as the Elect cannot fail of Salvation, nor be deceived by any false Prophets, or Interpreters of Scripture; or in whatever Sense, they understand the word Prophet: They ought to be easy and unconcerned above all other Believers, for no false Dextrine can make void the eternal Decrees of Almighty God.---And as for the Univerfality of the Redemption ; if it be an unTruth, it can no Way be their Lofs. The Number of the Elect can neither be leffened or increased, according to their own Prinçiples and Opinions. Therefore, if they would act consistently, they ought to be neutral, or rather unmoved at any Kind of Doctrines taught in the World. They have a Right to fit quiet and happy under their own Vine and Fig-tree, because they must be saved by the pre-determined Council of that God, whom no Power can refif or frustrate his Will.--- Secondly, in Respect to the rational Divines : They have no just Title to this proud Diftin&tion. For they, who never understood or explained the physical Ground of Redemption, cannot be called rational: This character belongs only to the mystical 1:17 Writers, ili Writers, or the Spiritualizers of the Law and Gospel. The first may inculcate the moral Precepts of the Scripture, and the (a) Word of Exhortation : They are useful. against false Pretences to divine Illumination, and in their Line and Spbere may teach the relative Duties enjoined by the Gospel. - But they have bay no Means the Gift of Prophefying, and of fulfilling the Part of (b) Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, wbö are always necessary for the several Classes of Babes, young Men and Elders in Christ, to divide the Word of Truth according to their Growth in the Knowledge of Jesus, their Lord. And it has been too much their vain and bold Attempt to measure Revelation and divine Things by their own Reason, as if it was equal to the Heighth and Depth of all Truth. Hence these Ram tionalisis, like the Men of Babel, disperse different Ways, and make use of different Tongues. Arminius, Episcopius and Curcellæus take one Road; Socinus and the Fratres Poloni another, which Lother and Calvin had done before: While the spiritual Writers a 2 |