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A Demonstration to the Christians in Name, Without the Nature of it.

How they hinder the Conversion of the Jews. With an exhortation to them to come into the true Nature and Life of Christianity, which the Apostles and Primitive Christians were in, who converted many of the Jews. Which Nature and Life of Christianity is herein declared of according to the Scriptures, and by which alone the Jews may now be convinced and converted also.-By G. F.

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THE usual saying of the Jews is, when the Messiah is come, he will make all things new,' according to Isa. xliii. which also is testified unto in 2 Cor. v. 17. and Rev. xxi. 5.

But the Jews say, 'most of Christendom (so called,) are in the old things, like the heathens, as their life and practice doth demonstrate, whose conversations, many of them, are like unto Sodom and Egypt.'

And therefore they say, 'how do the christians think we should turn to them, whose conversations, many of them, are in cursing, swearing, drunkenness, and uncleanness, which the law of Moses forbids, and the prophets; by which law of God, we Jews are not to swear by the creatures, but by the Lord; though many of our forefathers did swear by the temple and other things, yet it was when they were degenerated from the law of God, and then some of them sware by Baal, and other heathenish gods, all which was forbidden by the law of God and his prophets: and therefore, seeing many of them that call themselves christians, swear wickedly, and vainly, and by creatures, and books, the Old and New Testament, which the law of God forbids; and therefore, as our prophets say, when the Messiah is come, he will make all things new in the new covenant, which is not according to the old and if, therefore, we now should turn to you christians, we should turn again but into the practice of those old things which our law forbids; for the new covenant, which God promised to make, doth exceed the old: and therefore, if we should turn to you christians, and practise those things which the heathens do below the old covenant, we should bring ourselves under the judgment of the law of God and the prophets, and beneath what was commanded in our law.'

And therefore, all christians are to lay away all swearing and oaths, as Christ commanded, and cursing, drunkenness, fornication and uncleanness: for all christians' conversations should preach, as well as their tongues, a new life, and a new heart in the new covenant.

For, Christ said, 'except your righteousness (to wit, the christians, in the new covenant,) doth exceed the righteousness of the scribes and

pharisees,' (in the old covenant,) Christ, the Messiah saith, 'ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of God.'

But, if the christians' unrighteousness and ungodliness, their swearing, cursing, whoring, and profaneness, &c. doth exceed the transgressing Jews, and many of the heathens, how can they then think to enter into the kingdom of God, seeing if they do enter into the kingdom of God their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, the Jews in the old covenant.

And therefore, this is a great stumbling to the Jews, which profess the old covenant, and hold that the Messiah is not come, because they seeing the bad lives and conversations of the christians, who profess the Messiah is come, and that they are children of the new covenant and yet live in the old nature and old things, like the heathen, as they manifest in their lives and conversations, below the Jews law in the old covenant.

For they should shew forth a new life, and a new spirit, according as God hath promised, and as the Jews believe, that when the Messiah is come, he would make all things new, as in Jer. xxxi. and Ezek. xi. 19. it is said, 'I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take away the stony heart.'

But do not we see this stony heart, and old spirit, in most of them called christians?

'And therefore, if the Messiah be come, as you profess, you are in the transgression of the new covenant, as our forefathers were of the old covenant: and you cannot find fault with us,' say the Jews. And in Ezek. xviii. 31. they were commanded to cast away their transgressions, that they might have a new heart and a new spirit; for why will you die, saith the Lord? for I have no pleasure, saith he, in the death of him that dieth.'

And therefore, if the Jews remain in this old transgressing heart and spirit, in the death, from Christ the life, in which God hath no pleasure; should not the christians, which profess the new covenant, cast away their transgressions, swearing, whoring, lying, and drunkenness, theft, murder, and all uncleanness; that they might put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, and so have a new heart and spirit, and a new life, serving God in the new and living way, manifesting that they are children of the new covenant, and not of the old, and so shew forth the fruits of the Messiah's being come, and of their being in the new covenant in their lives and conversations: for the apostle said, 'their conversation was in heaven.' And now let Christendom see where their conversation is now, and hath been these many hundred

years.

And also, in Exek. xxxvi. he there speaks of the blessings of the kingdom of Christ, by way of prophecy, where the Lord saith, he will make

in them a new heart, and put his spirit within his people, and give them a heart of flesh, and sprinkle clean water upon them, that they may be cleansed from their filthiness, and from their idols, and take away the stony heart,' &c.

And now let all which profess christianity consider; how do they think to convert the Jews with their stony heart, from one stony heart to another, and from one old spirit to another old spirit? nay, if they be converted, it must be from the old to the new, from the old covenant to the new and living way.

And do you think the Jews can be converted to images, and idols? they will tell you, the law of God throughout the Old Testament forbids them, and their prophets, and their forefathers; making and worshipping images brought all those dreadful judgments upon them, and upon all their forefathers, because they went a whoring after images.' And now to see what multitudes of images and idols are set up amongst christians, that profess the new covenant, and that the Messiah is come, who will make all things new.

And the owners and receivers of this new covenant, their righteousness was to exceed the righteousness of the professors of the old covenant; and yet to see so many of those called christians to make molten images, and idols, which is below the law of Moses, and forbidden: therefore, do the Jews say, how do you think we should be converted unto you.'

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Wherefore, it is good for all who profess christianity, to lay away all images and idols, and making of them, or bowing before them, and mind the image of God, which Christ in his new covenant renews his people up into, that you may shew forth the effects of the new heart and new spirit, being wrought in you; and that you do abhor images and idols, shewing forth that you are cleansed from them, and that your hearts are sprinkled with the pure water by the word; and that you are not grievers nor quenchers of the pure spirit of God, nor rebellers against this new spirit, nor haters of the light, which Christ doth enlighten you and every one that cometh into the world withal; for if you do, and quench this spirit, would you have people to be converted to darkness, and the old spirit, and stony heart, that thus grieves the new and therefore, as the apostle saith, forsake the evil, and cleave to the good,' all you who are called christians.

And that all who profess themselves christians may come to wear the badge or livery of Christ, the heavenly man, and to have your old filthy garments put off, and to be clothed with the new garment, the righteousness of Christ: for all are clothed with the filthy garments, that are covered with the old spirit, whilst they are in transgression of the new covenant of light and life.

VOL. V.-47

And they that seek to convert, or bring people to them, whilst they are in that old spirit, and old heart, and to be covered with that old filthy garment, they bring them but into woe, where themselves are: for the prophet Isaiah saith, woe unto them that are covered, but not with my spirit, saith the Lord.'

And they that are the true converts to Christ and God, they have the new spirit, new heart, and new mind, and walk in the new way, in the new and everlasting covenant, and their garments are made white with the blood of the life of the spotless Lamb, ordained before the foundation of the world. And these are the children of the new covenant, and do shew forth in their lives and conversations the fruits of the new covenant.

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And Jeremiah speaks of the new covenant after this wise, 'behold this is the new covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,' &c. and therefore, he saith, behold the day is come, that I will make a new covenant;' and so bids them behold, or take notice of his prophecy. So this was after the days of the old covenant had done its service; for the law served till Christ the seed came. And so when this new covenant came, the old was to be abolished, which did wax old, and was to decay and vanish away; so Christ came with his new covenant, to take away the first, that he might establish the second covenant. And now in the new covenant the Lord saith, I will put my law in your inward parts, and I will write them in your hearts; I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and they shall not need to teach every man his neighbour, and brother, to say, know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will be merciful to their iniquity, &c. and I will remember their sins

no more.'

And now, consider this, all ye that profess yourselves christians, how the Jews will say, 'they do not see these fruits amongst you called christians, who profess the new covenant to be come, because your lives do not shew forth this new spiritual law, written in your hearts and inward parts; but like people running into sin and iniquity, and drinking it up as the ox drinketh up the water,' which the Jews' forefathers were reproved for. And many teachers and professors plead for sin and a body of death to the grave, which is contrary to the law of God; for the old covenant commanded people to be holy: and the Lord commanded father Abraham, saying, walk before me, and be thou perfect.'

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And therefore, how can you think to convert the Jews, that plead for a body of sin and death, that profess the new covenant, that takes away sin and iniquity?

And as for the papists; the Jews say, 'they tell them, they must have a purgatory, when they are dead, to cleanse them in; and set up nun

neries and monasteries for men and women, that vow chastity, to live in: and this (the Jews will tell them,) they have no precedent for, in their old covenant or law.' And they are not in the practice of them that gave forth the new covenant; they neither preached, nor left upon record, any thing of a purgatory for people to be cleansed in after they are dead: for the blood of the old covenant, that was the life of clean beasts and creatures, did cleanse in the time of the law: but Christ, who makes all things new, in his new covenant, a Lamb ordained before the corruptible world was, or man was corrupted; he with his blood (his life,) cleanses from all sin, and makes an end of sin, and finishes transgression, and brings in everlasting righteousness, according to Daniel's prophecy, who said, this is the work of the Messiah.'

And now, the Jews not seeing this new work, and new life and conversation amongst those who profess Christ and the new covenant, instead of converting them, it rather hardens than softens them to their conversion to Christ, by the ungodly and unrighteous lives of the christians, who on the contrary, should exceed them in godliness, righteousness, and holiness, and in virtue, temperance, and soberness, and purity in life and conversation; and that would be the way to win them, and convert the Jews, and make them believe the Messiah is come, and hath made all things new. For to see the fruits of the new covenant, from a new heart and a new spirit, and you walking in the new and living way, where God and Christ hath pleasure in them that so walk and live; this would preach to the Jews: and if they could not be won by the preaching of the word, yet they might, by seeing the good and new life; for the apostle said, 'follow us as we follow Christ;' and every one that receives Christ, is to walk in him, who was without sin and guile.

And the Jews say, 'in our old covenant we had our law in tables of stone, and in books; but in the new covenant, in the days of the Messiah, God writes his law in their hearts, and puts it in their inward parts; and shall no more teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know him, from the least unto the greatest,' &c.

And now, the Jews may tell the christians, if you were in this new covenant, then why do you set up so many schools and colleges to make priests in, and to learn so many languages, and then to give them such titles, as bachelors, and masters of arts, and doctors of divinity? and then you say, when they have learned Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, they have the original; which was not so accounted amongst us Jews in the old covenant; for Moses told us, the many languages began at Babel; and therefore, we cannot set up Latin and Greek to be the original: for Moses gives a relation from the beginning of things of the old world, all along to Noah's time, and to the time of the law, and he no where speaks

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