544 ARevelationof the Apoealypfe. CAP.16. zanne of this people alotie,is here put for the men themfelves. But what need have they tohave a way prepared for them ? Whar,fhall they return to lerwJàletn againe? There is nothing more certaine,the Prophets do every where diref ly confirme it andbeat upon ir. Yet they (hall not come thither to have their ceremonial! worfhip raft.- red, but to make the goodneffeof God Thine forth to all the world, when they í}a11 fee him give to that nation (which is now, and hath been for many Ages fcattered throughout the whole world,and inha- biteth no where but by leave & intreaty)their own habitations where their, Fathers dwelt,wherin they fhal worfhip Chrift purely,and fin- cerely,according to his wil &Commandement alone.Which is a mat- ter that was commonly fpoken ofby the ancient ieWs,which they un- derflood out of the Prophets,but yet lightly,and as it were through a lattice glancingly,whence it came to paffe that it hathbeen defiled with many old wives fables,among the ancient ieWs, as it is alto now at this day.That fame. counterfeit Efdrae,faw fome fmall pieces of this truth, which he overwhelmed with fo many and fo great forgeries ofhis own,that that reader had need to be wary and attentive, and to be not a little judicious, that would gather fome.goodgold.out of that confufed heap of his. He ihtreating of the ten Tribes that arc carried away Captives, faith thus; They entred in by the narrow paffages ofthe River Euphrates,for the molt high didWerke Wonders at that time,ftopping the conrfeofthe flood,till they hadpaff edover,ßook4 chap.i3.43,44Which is a Jewifh fable. That commethnigher truth, The molt high dothonce againe flay the flood, that they may paffe o- ver, &c. In the fame ch. v.47. which agreeth indeed with this place, .may be underflood Metaphorically; and yet nothing hindemeth, but that Gods pleafiire may be to put his ancient power in ure of drying up the waters extraordinarily. Seeing then it is certaine that this Nation !hall come at laft withfpeed, and earneftnefle, to receive the Gofpcll,and that in the !aft times, as `Paul teachethRom. 11.25. And that the Vials are poured out in the laft Period of all things, and that it is not likely, that all mention of fo wonderful! a matter, that ilia!! aftonilh men with beholding ir, fhoulá be let paffe in this molt evident Prophecie.of the New Teftamenr;to all which we may add the proper Markto know this Nation by, which is fet down ih this place, as who are the onely people of the world, for whole fake we reade both the Seaand the River to have beene dried up: having thefe reafons to induceme, 1 donot rafhly and on a fudden fuppofe, that this thingonely is treated of in this place, which mull either finde
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