they did not understand his meaning, that he spoke of HIS Second Coming, that the serpent's head should be bruised; and that he should be cast out at his SECOND COMING, if HIS HEEL was bruised at the FIRST. Therefore our Saviour spoke of the Comforter that must first come, and the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all truths, when the prince of this world should be judged; but he said to his disciples he had many things to tell them, which they could not bear then.-. And how could they have borne to have known all mysteries revealed? for what ends Christ would die-not to bring in a present redemption, as they at first were in hopes of, and which was proved by their words, when they were going to Emmaus conversing together, and not knowing it was the Lord that was with them, who had been crucified; therefore they said, we verily thought it was HE that would have delivered Israel. And after our Saviour made himself known, their enquiry was, in Acts i. 6-" Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? They did not understand, at that time what our Saviour meant of the prince of this world's being cast out, before that deliverance could come; but had they known the whole, it would have been an additional grief to the disciples, to have seen the suffering of their dying Lord, and to know what they had to go through; and yet the mystery of his death is not completed before the PROMISE made in the Fall is fulfilled; and this would have been their eager desire, prayers, and petitions-that the prince of this world should then receive his doom, to be judged and cast Therefore our Lord did not then encourage them to make these petitions; because he was not willing to grieve them, by refusing their petitions. This appears clear, why the mystery was concealed from them; because the years were not expired to fulfil them; but now the mystery is made clear: This is the long-wished-for REVOLUTION, to have them to destruction. must have in our hearts, against his power and his devices, and plead the promises of God, who hath been the Author of our Faith, to rely upon his Words, trusting that HE will be the finisher thereof; and the Lord will consume him with the brightness of his coming, when HE cometh with might, majesty, and glory, to bring in his kingdom, which was promised to man before the foundation of the world; then will the earth be filled with his goodness, and man will be filled with his praises, and David's words will be completed— And this is the revolution we Then shall the teeming ground A large increase afford, And all the listening nations round And now I shall come to the Scriptures which speak of those times: some I have mentioned already, which allude to the fulfilment of the scripture prophecies. St. John, xii. 31, 32-" Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto ME." -Chap. xvi. 7-13.-" If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you; and when HE is come, HE will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on ME; of righteousness, because I go to my FATHER; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Howbeit, when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truths." Now these Scriptures plainly speak of the END; for the prince of this world was not then cast out; neither were all men drawn to the Lord; neither are they to this day. Here our Saviour was speaking to his disciples what they theirselves did not understand; therefore they judged that he spoke these words, signifying what death he should die; for they did not understand his meaning, that he spoke of HIS Second Coming, that the serpent's head should be bruised; and that he should be cast out at his SECOND COMING, if HIS HEEL was bruised at the FIRST. Therefore our Saviour spoke of the Comforter that must first come, and the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all truths, when the prince of this world should be judged; but he said to his disciples he had many things to tell them, which they could not bear then.-And how could they have borne to have known all mysteries revealed? for what ends Christ would die-not to bring in a present redemption, as they at first were in hopes of, and which was proved by their words, when they were going to Emmaus conversing together, and not knowing it was the Lord that was with them, who had been crucified; therefore they said, we verily thought it was HE that would have delivered Israel. And after our Saviour made himself known, their enquiry was, in Acts i. 6-" Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? They did not understand, at that time what our Saviour meant of the prince of this world's being cast out, before that deliverance could come; but had they known the whole, it would have been an additional grief to the disciples, to have seen the suffering of their dying Lord, and to know what they had to go through; and yet the mystery of his death is not completed before the PROMISE made in the Fall is fulfilled; and this would have been their eager desire, prayers, and petitions-that the prince of this world should then receive his doom, to be judged and cast Therefore our Lord did not then encourage them to make these petitions; because he was not willing to grieve them, by refusing their petitions. This appears clear, why the mystery was concealed from them; because the years were not expired to fulfil them; but now the mystery is made clear: This is the long-wished-for REVOLUTION, to have the prince of this world judged and cast out; that the kingdom of Christ may be established; that he may draw all men unto him; and fulfil the words of the prophets-To have the government upon his shoulders; and to be the desire of every nation, as it is written, The Desire of Nations shall come. But how can this be fulfilled, before men's hearts revolt against the prince of this world, as the powers of darkness are so called, who reign and rule in the hearts of the children of disobedience? But the apostle Paul tells us, that the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God. Now, it is by the Spirit of God, and not of man, that we must be led, to have a faith to be made the children of God. The apostle adds"Then if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies; for we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it; the Spirit also helping our infirmities." So we may see, from the apostle, it is the Spirit of God, working with our spirits, that makes us the children of God, to resist the power of Satan, and revolt against his evil, being filled with the Spirit of God," Speaking in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making meledy in our hearts unto the Lord,. that we may be sincere, and without offence, till the day of Christ." Here the apostle tells us, all through his epistles, it is the Spirit of God that must fit and prepare us for the coming of our Lord, who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself: and our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us; that, through death, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil: for we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end: for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Here we are taught from the apostle, and from our Saviour's words, that the time should come, when Satan's power should be destroyed: and this is the long-wished-for revolution, to have the time come, when every heart is united to the Lord, and Satan's power wholly destroyed. So let us hold fast our faith with sted fastness, that no man take the crown from us:" Rev. ii. 26—“ For unto him that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:" chap. iii. 12. 13.20 -"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God; and the name of the city, which is the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, from my God; and I will write upon him my NEW NAME. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with ME." To him that overcometh, all these promises are made.—But what is man to overcome? He can overcome nothing in himself, neither by power, nor by might; but it is by faith in the SON of God, who died to redeem us with his blood, that we must resist the devil, so that he fly from us, by a revolution against him, and draw nigh to Christ, who hath promised to draw nigh to us; and so we shall overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb, who was slain for us, to redeem us to God, out of every kindred, tongue, and people, and nation, and made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and |