A Discovery of the New Creation

Behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth.

THis Scripture propounded, is a satisfying reason of some propheticall Gospel-truths, formerly discovered. Wherein we may take notice, First, of the grace of the Gospel, verse 1. I was found of them that sought me not, &c. Wherein you may note, that persons not seeking after grace, are made partakers of grace; or that persons seek and finde grace, from their being sought out and found by grace.

Men participate of Gospel grace, not because there is either desert or desire in themselves, but from the everlasting love & free bounty of a gratious God, who is the fountain of Grace and Love; see this testified, Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore in loving p. 2kindenesse have I drawn thee. As this was a truth to the naturall Israel, much more is it a truth to the spiritual Israel. Whence was it that God shewed mercy to Mary, out of whom was cast seven Devils (that is, a perfection of wickednesse was in her) but Free-Grace and Love? see Luke 7. latter end, with Chap. 8. 2. with those, Acts 2. who were the betrayers and murderers of Christ, made partakers of Grace by Christ. Saul, Acts 9. 1, 2, 3. who persecuted Christ, received mercy by Christ.

Vse 1. How might this incourage sinners, yea, and the worst of sinners too, to expect not only the Declarations, but the Communications of Grace from the Almighty? Hast been a filthy polluted creature? so was Mary: hast been an enemy to Christ, a persecutor of christians? so were those, Acts ◊, and Saul, Chap. 9. Yet he obtained mercy, 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14. And this is written for thy incouragement, that thou likewise maiest expect mercy.

Vse 2. To raise up the spirits of Persons made partakers of Grace, to admire God who is the fountain, and to cry Grace, Grace, unto it.

p. 3Secondly, here is the disposition of man naturally, verse 2. which is to oppose Grace; notwithstanding, God spreads forth his hand unto them in the tenders of mercy, yet they walk after their own thoughts.

p. 3A second Gospel-Truth by the Prophet discovered, is Gods exaltation of his own Name and People in the latter dayes, ver. 9. with the ruine of all enemies, both within them, and likewise without them: within them that ignorance and darknesse in the things of God, that carnalnesse and fleshlinesse that naturally dwels in them, that unsatisfiednesse at all times and in all conditions, with the will of God▪ all enemies without must be spiritually slain, verse 12. See what the slaughter is, verse 13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drinke, but ye shall be thirsty: that is, my servants who live in me, shall dwel on high. Isa. 33. 1. Bread shall be given them to eat, their waters shall be sure, they shall feed on that feast made of fat things. Isat. 25. which is, God in the spirit; when Formallists and Legallists, who live p. 4on things without them, shall be hungry and thirsty, nothing to feed on, when the glorious appearance of truth, discovers the emptinesse, and destroyes the beeing of that wherein they lived. Behold my servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit; they shall be ashamed, because that wherein they trusted, their spirituall life and livelyhood, is taken from them: but ye (to wit the Saints who live in the spirit) shall rejoyce, shall sing for joy of heart. Isai. 35. 10. Then shall the redeemed of the Lord return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladnesse, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. This shall be, and is the life of Saints who live in the fountain, or rather in whom the fountain lives.

In a word, these two things are here presented, First, The rejection, or rather the subjection under feet of the enemies of God. Secondly, The exaltation, glory and joy of the Saints. ver. 15. Ye shall leave your name for a curse to my chosen: p. 5for the Lord God will slay thee, and call his people by another name. That is, whereas the name (viz.) the power of the wicked hath been exceeding high, the Lord will slay that name, bring down their power and glory, and lay it in the dust, make it a reproach: but he will call his servants by another name, whereas formerly they had a name of reproach, accounted the off-scouring of all things, a reproach and proverb amongst men; and so that word of truth hath been verified, behold, I and the children whom God hath given me, are set for signes and wonders in Israel. Oh beloved! How have the Saints been set for signes and wonders, even amongst those who pretend themselves to be the Lords Israel? Its true, in this and other Nations called Christian, it's looked upon as an exceeding contemptible thing, not to be a Christian, to be a Heathen, an Infidel, this is an evil thing: But 2. It's accounted a far more contemptible thing, to be a Christian indeed; not to be a Christian in form & profession, is a cōtemptible thing, but to be a Christian indeed, is a more contemptible thing; a sad word indeed, and it behoves those who are the causers p. 6of it to look about themselves, for the leaders of my people cause them to erre, and God is now casting reproach upon them, but he will call his people by another name.

p. 6Object. But how shall this be effected may some say, it is exceeding unlikely; wickednesse prevailes both within and without, in high and low, it seemes to be very unlikely?