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phecies from the LORD, they stand on record. And now I will tell thee why I ordered thee to put thy parables in print of the same likeness-to bring men to their Bibles, and to shew there is no variableness, nor the shadow of turning in ME. For the parable thou hast put in print of the adulterous lady, is like the parables placed by the prophet *. And now let the worldly wise men answer ME, which appeareth most prudent to their wisdom, to bring a parable of an adulterous woman, or to order the prophet to take an adulterous woman? But thou sayest in thy heart, it seems to thee more right, to bring the parable of an adulterous woman, than for a man, that was a prophet of the Lord, to be ordered to take one. To this I answer-I ordered the prophet to take a woman of whoredom; but here is a depth beyond thy understanding, when I bring all things to the End for as a woman of whoredom departs from her husband, so did the Jews depart from ME. But know what is said in Chap. ii, 2-She is not my wife, neither am I her husband. Now mark what follows though she is compared to an adulterous woman, following after every lover; yet know it is said-I will hedge up her way with thorns, so that her lovers shall not come near her. Then in her distress she saith-I will return to my first husband, for then was it better with me, than now. Now I shall ask mankind, what way could I lay out their iniquities and transgressions before them, in departing from ME, than by comparing it to a woman's departing from her husband? And what way could I point out clearer to mankind, that I would receive a people that was wandering from ME, than by ordering the prophet to take a woman that was wandering after other men? But do men vainly imagine, these types and shadows, that were set in the prophets, alluded to their days only? I tell thee, no. Had they alluded to their days only, and not de⚫ See page 89 of the book printed by Mr. Foley, in 1804.

signed for a future day, they would never have been penned to stand upon record. The prophets never understood what they wrote; nor in what manner they would be all fulfilled; nor for what ends they were designed. Now I tell thee, as the prophet was ordered to take a woman of whoredom to be his wife, just so did I take people of whoredom, to call them in by the Gospel. Now consider what the Gentiles were, but a people of whoredom, having no husband: and such were the people that I called in. But know the reason why I ordered the prophet to take to himself a wife of whoredom; because I said the land was filled with whoredom, and they were departing from ME. Now here stands the type of the Gentiles, and the departing of the Jews: For when I called in the people that was filled with whoredom, having no husband, so I cast out them that were my people, professing that I was their husband. But now mark further in the chapter, and I will answer thee what appeareth so puzzling to thy head.-After I had ordered the prophet to take the wife of whoredoms, and the children of whoredoms, because they were departed from me, I said they should cease to have the kingdom of the house of Israel; for I would break the bow of Israel, and no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I would have mercy upon the house of Judah. Now come to my Gospel, and see how the Jews were entirely cut off; how the kingdom was taken from them; in what manner they were scattered! The people that were first my own chosen people, as a wife is chosen by her husband, so were the Jews chosen by ME; but see how they were perfectly cast out, by wandering from ME, when I came amongst them. But know, as it was said of the house of Judah, that I would have mercy on them; so it was with many of the Jews, and they were inixed with the Gentiles, which were the people of whoredom, as having no husband; that meaneth, they had no God like the Jews to trust

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to, in power to protect them. Here the thoughts of whoredom may go deep: as there is no bond to protect, nor any power to defend; so it is with an adulterous woman; and so it is with an adulterous nation, that have no God to look unto for protection, and for direction: this was the state of the Gentiles, when I called them in to be a people, that were not a people; to be a beloved, that was not a beloved; for I called them in to be a husband unto them, that they might bear sons and daughters unto ME. Now mark the name I said he should call the son: Jezreel; and I would avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and would cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. Here thou art stumbled in thy mind. But now remember what Jehu did, after I had anointed him king; how he departed from ME, and followed the golden calves that were in Bethel: he took no heed to walk in the laws of the Lord God of Israel; neither departed he from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin then how dost thou marvel, that I said, I would avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and take the kingdom from them? and this befel the Jews; and in this state they now stand, having no kingdom, nor a nation of their own; but are a scattered people, while they see an adulterous nation called in to be a people; and they stand a proverb of my just displeasure-But from their proverb let all men take care, and know what is said in the end: though I cast out Israel as a people, and would no more have mercy on them then; yet, I said, the number of Israel should be as the sands of the sea, that could not be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it is said unto them, ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, ye are the sons of the LIVING GOD. Here are mysteries too deep for the learned; words that no man can understand: how the children of Judah, and the children of Israel should be gathered together in one HEAD. Here thou

hast looked to the remarks of men, whose remarks, as men, I will not condemn; but I will tell thee the remarks that must be made here: Ephesians 1. 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Chrift; both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him; ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory. Let the Let the eyes of your understanding be enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling.

But

Now I shall answer thee of these words. Know the hope of a thing is not the fulfilment of a thing; so if you weigh my Gospel through, you will see from my own words, and from the words of my disciples, they had many things to hope for, that should be fulfilled in their time, that were not then fulfilled. Now mark from the words I told thee to compare with the words of the prophet: in the fulness of times to gather all in one, in Christ, which are in heaven, and which are in earth. Now if all things be gathered together in Christ, that are on earth, let men answer ME, how they must remain for ever in the power of the devil? For know, it is written-the world lieth in the power of the wicked one. know from my Gospel, the apostles were assured, that that wicked one would be destroyed: And this was the hope they taught men to wait for-the fulness of times. Now I shall tell thee the fulness of times from the apostle's words. Before the foundation of the world, God had chosen man, that he should be holy and without blame before him, in love: We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Then let men observe, though they had received the power of the Holy Ghost, they had not that perfection they were looking for-the powers of darkness were still pursuing them. So if men would open their eyes, and get understanding, they would see the ANCIENT OF DAYS must come, to make

JEWS CAST OFF AND GENTILES CALLED. 407 that perfection in man, that he ordained before the foundation of the world; then cometh the fulfilment of the prophet's words-the children of Israel shall be as the sands of the sea, that cannot be numbered; and the place where it was said, ye are not of my people, there shall it be said, ye are the sons of the LIVING GOD. Now mark the Law and the Gospel together; what was spoken by the prophets, and what was spoken by the apostles; then first come to the Gentiles they were not my people, as the children of Israel were; yet the children of Israel were turned out, and the Gentiles were taken in. Now mark what is said by the apostle : If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Hear these words, ye men of learning, and ye that boast of your understanding: doth not my Bible affirm, that the fulfilment thereof is called the restoration of the Jews? But what restoration doth that mean? Not a Jew outwardly by form or name; but a Jew inwardly by faith and know by faith the promise was made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now when that promise is fulfilled, and my Gospel is fulfilled, know it is said-a LIFE from the dead: then if it be a life from the dead; that is, the restoration of faith; know, by faith they must be restored from that death, which was pronounced on man in the Fall; and renewed by the POWER of GOD, who is able to make you whole, through the death of his Son. Mark further the apostle's words: Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written-there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer. Now let men look deep and tell ME, what that Deliverer means? Is it God, or is it man, that shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob? O, ye blind guides, read your Bibles, and weigh them together; and know, that Israel shall be saved in the day of my power;