The Catechism of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, To all Christians
The General PREFACE To all Chriſtians.
I Know it will be ſaid with Plauſibleneſs againſt this Following Catechiſm; We had rather Preach, and Hear of the Plain, Safe, Fundamental Points of Faith, and Repentance, of the Reſurrection of the Dead, and of Eternal Judgment, in the Ordinary way of Diſcourſe; The Old Wine we have Taſted is Better; We will not, as it were, Ask a Sign, and Tempt God inIſay. c. 7. ſeeking to underſtand Prophecies, and Myſteries.
But is it not enough for you to weary Men, but will ye weary my God alſo, who hath given you Prophecy to ſearch it, and the Strong meat of Scripture, and not only the Milk, as to Children unskillfull in the word of Righteouſneſs? He hath commanded you to leave (not by way of Forſaking) the Word of the Beginning of Chriſt, but to Go on to perfection; not diſhonourably ſtaying in Foundations without a Superſtructure; He hath given you the Example of ſteddy Reſolution herein; This we Heb. c. 5. 11. c. 6. 1.will do, if God permit. He hath in a Figure Repreſented to you the Primitive Chriſtian Church, not doing thus, though it was ſo plentiful a Partaker of mighty effuſions of*Wonderful Gifts. the Holy Spirit, had a Liberal Taſte of the Good word of God; They Taſted of the*Miracles. mighty Powers of the World to come, viz The Kingdom of Chriſt; Yet through Reſting in Principles, not Loving Truth, not Going on to Perfection, They Dwindled away, and fell into the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy, and came to Crucify in that Spiritual Sodom, and Egypt (even Rome, Call'd Catholick Church now, where alſo Our Lord was Crucified, viz. under its Dominion) the Son of God afreſh in his Witneſſes, and have put him to an open Shame; And through the Impoſſibility of Repentance, as ſuch an Antichriſtian Church, as we ſee Rev. 16. 9. It cannot be Renewed; But under all the Droppings of the Reformation upon it, it is a Ground over-grown with Briars and Thorns, and is very nigh now to a Curſe, whoſe End is to be Burn'd, Rev. 18. But of Reformed Churches, and Chriſtians we Hope Better Things, and Things, that have Hold of that Great Salvation of the Kingdom, though we thus ſpeak; The Lord therefore ſhall give you a Sign, a Mahar-Schalal-Haſh-Baz, a Sign of his making Iſay c. 6. c. 9. 9.haſte to the Prey. For as ſoon as the Child now Born ſhall by a ſeven years Age know to chuſe the Good, and Refuſe the Evil; That Great City ſhall be Forſaken of its Ten Kings, who have ſo long given their Kingdom to the Beaſt; and ſo its Tenth ſhall Fall, and the Witneſſes ſhall Riſe; And this, as it were, New Song, ſhall be Sung, and the Everlaſting Goſpel Rev. 14. 1.Preached, and we ſhall be as New Bottles fill'd with the New Wine of the Kingdom: And theſe Truths ſhall be no longer call'd Novelties, Whimſies, and Intoxications; nor men ſay any longer; We like the Old Wine Better. For Chriſtians ſhall be foreign, Purſuers of Truth in Love, Epheſ. 4. 13. &c. as of perfect Age, Growing up to the Fullneſs of Chriſt; and Strong Meat ſhall belong to them, as Having Senſes exercis'd to diſcern Good and Evil. For then the Apoſtacy ſhall go off, and the mighty Gifts that were but Taſted at firſt as to length of Time, ſhall Reeurn with Miraculous Powers of the World to come. Becauſe it ſhall then be drawn near, and it ſhall never End; Now the miſtake is Great, that Theſe miraculous Powers ceas'd, becauſe the Canon of Scripture was ſufficiently Seal'd; The Myſtery of Iniquity growing up to the Apoſtacy caus'd the Ceſſation; when That Ends, Theſe ſhall Return. Let us therefore in our Earneſteſt Going on to Perfection, wait upon Chriſt till be Riſes upon this Glorious mount of Prey, in the Succeſſion of his Kingdom, when the Light of one Day then, ſhall be as the Light of ſeven now. Even the Sun ſhall be aſham'd, and the Moon Confounded, when He Comes to Reign before his Ancients Gloriouſly. And now His going forth is Prepared as the Morning, we ſhall know, if we Follow on to know the Lord. But if Any will be Ignorant, It muſt be ſo; If Any one Aggrieved, Scripture is open, Let him Implead what's Written; I ſtand on the Juſtification by Divine Help.