AM the Church it felf; for then the Church had no form; Part 2. The had no Paftors, no Priests, no Flocks, no Affemblies, no Solemn days appointed, no Sacraments, no Holy Scripture, no Difcipline, no Cenfures. Every bead of a family was both Prophet and Prieft of his own house. Here was an Idolatrous family; there just by was another family where God was worhipt. It was a true Chaos; fo the Jews fay well, that the Church was two thousand years, be thohou, in the Chaos, and two thousand years under the Law. The Patriarchs made their Feafts as they thought fit, on what day they pleafed, and invited whom they pleased. 7. God made the diftinction between the Night and the Day. Hefeparated the Light from the Darkness; for he is the Author of that diftinction that is between the World and the Church, between the good and bad; yet 'tis not faid that he made the night, because God is not the Author of Evil. 8. He made this diftinction from the first day; becaufe from the beginning of the World and in all ages. there is a feparation be tween those who are of God, and those who are of the Devil. 9. He made that feparation of that Light and Darkness, of the Night and the Day, but he bleffed it not; he faith not, and He faw that it was good. In like manner, God doth not blefs and approve the feparation of the World from the Clch, tho he hath made that diftinction,because it carries with it in refpect of theWorld,curfes,crimes, and miferies. 10. He began with the Evening,which belongs to the Night, and is apart of it, because he drawslight out of darkness,& begins the compofition of the Church by fome degrees of imperfection. In the fecond day God made the Firmament, or ries of the Expanfum, that it might separate the waters from the first dithe waters. Here begins the fecond Period of the vifion of Church, The Myste fecond day; the People. Part 2. Church, which lafted from Abraham untill Moses: let it be remembered that Waters alway fignify People, 'tis neceffary it fhould be fo, that the Spirit of God may be uniform and like unto it felf. If the Waters are People, the work of feparating the Waters muft fignify the divifion of the People 1. In the first day the Waters were mixt and con founded both among themselves and with the Earth fo in the firft Period from Adam untill Abraham, the People were confufed and mixt one with another. God had not yet made choice of any certain peculiar People. Among all Nations there were fome Holy, and fome who were Enemies of God, were to be found every where. 2. But in the fecond day, God began the work of the fèparation of the Waters, i. e. that in the fecond Period fhould begin the diftinction of the People. He took Abraham, drew him out of his own Country, fet him apart, and gave him the feal of his Cove 3. But this work of the divifion of the waters was effected in two days, this work of the divifion of the People is also accomplisht in two Pe riods; from Abraham unto Mofes, from Mofes unto Chrift. 4. The feparation of the Waters made on the fecond day was but imperfect, God only feparated the Waters which were above, i. e. the Clouds, from the Waters which were beneath, i.e. the Seas. The diftinction of People in tl fecond Period, from Abraham unto Mofes, was but imperfect; for we muft not imagine but that God did preferve fome Elect from Abraham unto Mases, befides those in the family of the Patriarchs, to think he did not is injurious to the mercy and wifdom of God. There were then at that time fome of the faithfull scattered in all places. But as the family of Iacob became a great People, fo by little and and little the Spirit of God withdrew from other Partz Nations. From the time of Mofes there was yet fome little remainder of that Spirit among other Nations as is evident by Balaam, who was, 'tis true, a very wicked man, but yet was not a falfe Prophet. But when the race of Abraham became i great People, and had a Country apart to themfelves, then the Spirit of God withdrew altogether from the other Nations, and then was made a perfect divifion of the People. 5. In the fepara tion of the Waters that was made on the fecond day, the Waters which were above, i. e. the Clouds, were nothing in comparison with thofe beneath, i. e. the Seas. So in the fecond Period, wherein was a divifion of the People, the fuperior Waters, which were the family of the Patriarchs, were nothing in comparison with the rest of mankind. And hereby we have the reason why in that' great work of the Creation God would make fo much account of fo fmall a matter as the Clouds are in nature, even.to affign a perticular day for their creation. 'Tis because they were the Image of the families of the Patriarchs,who were very inconfiderable for their number, but yet were to make fo great a figure in the History of the Church. 6. The fuperior Waters were little or nothing as to their extenfion, but had this advantage above the waters which were beneath, that they were nearer Heaven fo the families of the Patriarchs little in number had this advantage, to be admitted to fecret and fpecial communion with God. He converfed with the Patriarchs, as a man with his intimate friend. 7. The Clouds are lifted up to fo high a place by the rays of e Sun, and the attra ction of Heaven the families of the Patriarchs were advanc't to that glory of being distinguisht from Part 2. from all others, by the mercy of God. 8. The Clouds are the fruitfull fprings, whence proceed the rain, the fruitfullness and bleffing of the Earth: God would make the Patriarchs the fprings of bleffing to the Church, In thy feed shall all the Nations of the Earth be bleffed. Therefore the Iews did always in their prayers make mention of the Covenant made with Abraham, Ifaac, and Iacob. 9. God put the Firmament, or Expanfum, between the upper and lower Waters; 'tis that large vacuity of Mifery and fin, which fèparates the World from the Church. 10. From the Clouds 'tis eafy to fall into the lower Waters, but the Waters which are beneath rife with difficulty to the Clouds. The fall is eafy from the Church to the world and fin, but 'tis difficult to pass from the world to the Church. In the third day was made a perfect feparation of the waters, i.e. that work of the feparation of the Waters was finifht, and this is the reason why God bleffed not the work of the fecond day. We must not look for a Mystery in that, or imagine that on that account the waters muft needs fignify fin. God bleffed not the work which he had not yet finifht. We find no Benediction in the fecond day, but to make amends we meet with two in the third: for thofe words, and God saw that it was good, are repeated twice; 'tis because in that third day we find two works, the compleating the feparation of the waters is one, and the Creation of Plants another; and God faid, Let the waters that be under the Heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry Land appear. Tis an image of a perfect feparation of People into one place, e, into the World, which is a great and vast abyss, full of darkness and impurity: into that I fay, let the 1 the Waters run, there let the reprobate People Parta, gather together. 2. And let the dry Land uppear: the holy People who till now had appeared mixt with the men of the World; let them ap pear feperate from all other People. 3. The World is reprefented by the Sea, the Church by the Earth and dry Land, fo fince that time in the ftile of the Prophets, and of Preachers, the Sea hath always been an image of the World. The Ark of Noah, which floated on the waters of the Deluge, is the Emblem of the Church beaten by the waters of this world. Jefus Chrift fleeping in the Ship which was toft by a Tempeft, is the Image of the Church, where Christ seems to be afleep while the is beaten and afflicted by the World. 4. The Sea is the habitation of Monsters, the world is the refidence of the wicked, where we may fee Monfrers of covetoufnefs, of Ambition, of Impurity, and violence. The greatest Ammals upon Earth are not to be compared with those which live in the waters. There are diforders to be found in the Church, 'tis true; but they are nothing in comparison with thofe which are in the world. 5. The face of the Waters is barren, and produceth nothing, whereas the fuperficies of the Earth is fruitfull. The World doth inwardly nourish Monsters, and in its outfide produceth no folid good, or true vertue. 6. The Earth is the Synagogue of the ancient Church, the is incompast with waters on allfides, the People and Nations of the World. 7. She is continually afflicted by them; and if we regard the violence of the waves, one would think the fhould be overwhelmed. 8. Nevertheless fhe ftands her ground, and remains victorious. 9. The waters of the Sea have no fetled foundation; they are always in motion, but the Earth is fixt, the People of the world Qq 2 are |