and life again answerable unto but yet much exceeding that state they were in here the Ox shall still continue strong to labour yet all Labour as to the weariness thereof shall be done away both with Men and Beasts when these times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts. 3. 19. The Holy Ghost hereby signifying that they being then more nearly and immediately in the presence of God where is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore all Refreshing Content Satisfaction yea all Happiness doth arise from Him as Waters do flow from the Fountain Light doth proceed from the Sun or as Heat doth issue forth from burning fire to the things that are next unto it And therefore we should not so much learn for the general belief and apprehension thereof is already ingraffed into the Minds of all Men as practise this great Diversity That this Life and Earth is the place where we must meet with Labour and Weariness But only in the succeeding State and Heaven there is an utter exemption and perfect freedom from these and the like evil things From hence we should observe diligently that when any thing in the Service of God or in our Way to Heaven seems harsh uncouth or aukward and we are much against it yet we should thence in no wise refrain neglect or omit it because it is not only a Temptation to hinder and keep off from the best things but also there is some irksomness and labour in the very nature thereof which we must resolutely strive against and do it for all There is the greatest Opposition against and Temptation annexed to the best Works either to neglect or desist or be idle therein For except we had lingered surely we had now returned this second time Gen. 43. 10. And so except we had loitered or been slothful so much might have been done as that such a thing had been performed or finished by this time or long before Now the best of Works is the bringing forth and making known of divine Truths For Satan hath the greatest wrath and sheweth forth the most letting against this He who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way 2 Thess 2. 17. For the Truth doth teach us how we may please God and obtain his Favour It doth point and direct us certainly in the several things of this Life where and how to walk that we may be all along in the way to Heaven without going aside to the right hand or to the left It is like a Pillar on a Road with written Directions on it which tell us exactly the way from place to place as also whither such a By-road or turning aside leads or like a sure Compass by which those who go down to the Sea in Ships and occupy their Business in great Waters do steer their course Like the Sun by Day or the Moon by Night or as a Light shining in a dark place keeps our feet from stumbling and by this we are enabled to go whither we intend and would be So this Beam or Ray of heavenly Light doth conduct us through this dark Vale and perplex Wilderness of this World unto the heavenly Canaan And thine Ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn aside to the right hand and when ye turn to the left Isai 30. 21. Which Word speaks to the Heart that it receives and conceives thereof in clear and distinct Thoughts which again may be spoken forth or written So that as God directeth such a Saint or Servant in all his Ways he may be able to direct others which are in doubt and perplexity by the same Word of Instruction wherewith themselves are directed of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. And so by the same Word themselves are persuaded they may persuade others We should retire inward and get within and give diligent attentive heed unto what God doth reveal and make known there either concerning his Law which he would have us to obey or concerning his Will which he would have us to do what are our best true substantial and most significative Thoughts as they are abstracted from Sin and Passion and separated from the Cloud of Ignorance Now because Thoughts are infinite and Words many therefore we are not to write down and publish forth every one that doth arise and proceed forth from the Heart and Tongue but only such as are new Isai 42. 9. and true more than is clearly known already or throughly understood And this should be constantly observed in writing of Books for if all was printed which Thoughts could imagine or Words diversifie I suppose that the whole World would not contain the Books which should be written and they would be all without Good or Benefit It should be a constant Rule when we write or publish concerning any subject not to repeat and insert again what hath been already said And so what new and useful Thoughts do arise concerning this future and endless Life the same are to be made known But what doth make us to shrug and be afraid thereat is the vast importance of the thing it being a decision for everlasting Happiness or Misery and then because we have not so lived as we shall wish that we had done yea and if it was so done we shall again desire with unexpressible anguish and earnestness that we had done better in the several Instances For we shall then perceive our particular failings wherein and how we came short of what God required of us and what we might have done If we have sinned and done evil we shall wish that we had never come forth into being O what self-indignation and bitter reflection will there then be if we were not imploy'd whilst in life about what was proper for us to have done And when things have in some measure been done rightly then also will be desires that it had been better and that we had been more diligent and abounding in the same To appear before the Great God and to fly out into the unknown parts of the World to be launched forth into the vast Regions of Air and if they are not entred into yet to have a clearer and nearer prospect of the highest Heavens and then to find that change and diversity upon it self in all things over what it was with her in the Body All this seems fearful and astonishing Though I had all Knowledge and all Faith whereby I could remove Mountains which now intercept and hinder the sight of Eternity yet I could not deliver the thousandth part thereof that it may be conceived and apprehended as it shall be then known and experienced Now the Soul is in Prison and holden under Fetters and Chains of Flesh but when the Angel of Death knocks them off then she breaks forth as Lightning out of a Cloud and is altogether as quick in her motion This we may know
as much exceed the other's who is a Creature and by him made as the whole Ocean doth a single Drop of Water In the 1st and 2d Chapter of Job in the 3d. of Zechariah and in Rev. 12. 10. we see and understand God's superlative and over-ruling Goodness and Equity how he doth moderate the matter and affirm it by the way of Favour and Mercy on the side of Mankind And this is but as talking a little before the Day of Assize an Emblem and Forerunner how he will determine it eternally on their side at the last and great Day of Judgment notwithstanding all the Informations Accusations and Aggravations of Satan And now if there should be any of his Ministers transformed into Ministers of Righteousness alike unto Satan in this who draw up more heavy and false Indictments than the true and very nature of the thing doth require and will bear Or if the Conscience it self which is yet more pressed with Sin and Guilt should fore-cast too grievous things all this will not do one joâ— of harm in the Day of the Lord for he who hath prepared his Throne for Judgment knows all things in the World He shall judge the World in righteousness he shall minister Judgment to the People in uprightness Psal 9. 8. In the new Translation it is said He shall minister true Judgment to the People Who weighs the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance He will make things to hang even exact and equal Judgment will I lay to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet Isai 28. 17. He shall judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Psal 96. 13. With Righteousness shall he judge the World and the People with equity Psal 98. 9. Now Equity is a mild thing which doth state moderate and adjust a matter And then after all God doth reserve Mercy even after Judgment and Condemnation for that is its proper place At the last Day Mercy shall rejoice against Judgment in such a signal eminent great and universal a manner even as to swallow up all Judgment in Victory When I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God Ezek. 16. 63. When this Song shall be sung Thou hast taken away all thy Wrath thou hast turn'd thy self from the fierceness of thine Anger Psal 85. 3. God is more merciful than ever it entred into the Heart to conceive or the Ear hath heard that as it is written at the first Creation The Morning-Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Job 38. 7. Now compare this with Isai 14. â—2 Lucifer is there called Son of the Morning so that if ever he sang for joy it was before he fell from Heaven And it is both possible and probable that for joy when he was first brought forth into being he might sing a Song of Praise and Acknowledgment unto the great Creator of all Things And so if we look back to Gen. 6. 2 4. There we find the wicked and ungodly of the World styled The Sons of God for so they are by Creation and Workmanship This was fresh and soon after the Creation for we never as I know of find them so called again throughout all Scripture So that by what may be gathered from Psal 104. 30 31. Thou renewest the face of the Earth The Lord shall rejoice in his Works So at the very last upshot and end of all things Goodness Equity and Mercy will display and manifest that that if so be the Morning Stars may not again sing together and all the Sons of God observe that Particle all including both the Sons by Creation as well as those by Grace and Adoption may not shout together for joy yet at least it may be somewhat more tolerable than that certain fearful looking for of Judgment and the fiery Indignation Heb. 10. 27. or when they did believe and tremble Jam. 2. 19. They must indeed undergo the devouring Fire for all Scripture must be fulfilled and they must see and suffer also which in probability will be throughout a much longer duration than the time was in which the Mosaical Institutions did last which were said to be a Statute for ever or as it is written That the Ordinances of Day and Night shall not cease while the Earth remaineth Gen. 8. 23. Which Earth in the Book of Psalms is said to be established for ever Psal 78. 69. Again it is written If those Ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever Jer. 31. 36. And yet the Seed of Israel doth at this day seem to cease to be a Nation as it is yet more certain that this Earth at last shall pass away and the Ordinances of Day and Night shall then also cease and come to an utter end But God only knows what may succeed after all this when those miserable Creatures have lain under condemnation and punishment a much longer space of duration than six or seven thousand Years now within which time all this lower Creation and the Works thereof in probability will be determined and finished God will look down from the height of his Sanctuary when the Psalmist spoke thus by the Spirit it was then to come from Heaven will the Lord behold the Earth yea and who knows whether he will behold yet lower If I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there To hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Psal 102. 19 20. In the Margin there it is Children of Death This one portion of Scripture is of more worth than ten thousand Worlds If any thing of good or mitigation is intended to them it will come in upon this account That they are the Creatures of God and his Workmanship The Lord shall rejoice in his Works and they shall reciprocally rejoice in the Lord their God If those very Creatures who seem rejected Heb. 12. 17. and hated Rom. 9. 13. by him can but then call upon him by the Name of the Lord and lay hold on him as Esau did with his Father Isaac compare Gen. 27. 34 38. with Heb. 12. 16 17. And when Esau heard the Words of his Father he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry and said unto his Father Bless me even me O my Father Here he continues and keeps up and puts in mind of the Relation After his Excuse and Answer had still he doth continue and repeat and again double the Words of his Relation Hast thou but one Blessing Bless me even me also O my Father and Esau lift up his voice and wept So it may be conceived of those condemned forlorn and miserable Creatures that after they have been long in wailing and gnashing of Teeth with howling and great crying if they can but then call upon Him by the Name of Creator and remember and lay it before
Character is given unto him who is greater than Moses with a transversal of the same Words Jesus of Nazareth a Prophet mighty in deed and in word before God and before all the People Luke 24. 19. The Holy Ghost hereby signifying that he did actually more good than himself talked of and herein he did exceed Moses and all the Children of God For with them their Thoughts and Words do rise higher than their Actions For none ever did nor yet can obey and do more for God than he doth think or speak of But their Performances and Doings come short of their Words as both Words and Actions do come short of their Thoughts for many good excellent high great and glorious Things are thought of which are never spoken out But this is Man's fault and infirmity for every thing that is good and true ought to be spoken out and if possible the same is to be put into practice But where power is wanting or opportunity is not to be had there it should come forth into will and real endeavour so that in good and duty we should still go as far as we can If we seek out of the Book of the Lord and read we shall there find that the whole of Mankind is distinguished not into such Names as we give one another of Papist Protestant Church-of-England-man Presbyterian Independent Anabaptist Quaker Sabbatarian Socinian Dissenter or such-like but into Righteous and Wicked they that serve God and they that serve him not Mal. 3. 18. This serving of God is not calling him their God nor yet styling themselves the Children of Abraham nor yet the ranking themselves among the Members of a pure Church at this Day nor yet paying unto God Acts of Worship every morning and evening for whosoever keeps all the parts and times of Worship and yet will not obey one point of the Law of God when he doth all the rest he is guilty of all and an ungodly Man for all that But this is the Service of God to do all his Will and Pleasure for as to our matters according to the Flesh it is not the bare calling him Master or living in his Family or paying unto him outward Respect all this will not make them to be Servants indeed But it is the constant doing of their Business according to what they are bid and commanded from time to time The Spirit of God doth foresee there is a sort of People who goon in that Deceit of calling themselves of the Holy City and staying upon the God of Israel of worshipping God and speaking honourably of his Name These would take it ill if any one should say they did not serve God As indeed they do not tho' they serve with an Offering and weary themselves with Incense Isai 43. 23. Tho' they spend never so much time in outward Worship and take all the Opportunities and Seasons for it yet in the meaning and requiring of the Holy Ghost they do not properly and truly serve God unless they do confirm all the Words of his Law to do them The same Spirit doth caution us hereof and give us to understand as much by what is written Ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Psal 103. 21. Hereby intimating that there are such who think themselves and are called by the World Ministers and Servants of God who yet do not his Pleasure Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Luke 6. 46. And yet more plainly this is signified by what the Spirit saith His Servants shall serve him Rev. 22. 3 This is brought in upon describing the manner of the New Jerusalem above which herein is opposite and different from that on Earth for many here are called Servants of God who do not in deed and in truth serve him Whereas such only who do in deed and in truth serve him shall be admitted there Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works and I will profess unto them I never knew ye depart from me ye that work Iniquity Mat. 7. 21 22 23. These things I have written not that I had ought as of my self to accuse my Nation of but to manifest from the Word which flatters none but declares unto all Men what his thoughts and ways are that though a form of Godliness is spread and diffused throughout the several Congregations and Places of this Island yet they all come short of the Power and substance thereof And as we do all look for the appearance of the Great GOD who shall render to every Man according to his Work both ye and my self are to be diligent that we may be found of Him without spot and blameless I speak not these things as a Man but they do proceed forth from the Word and Spirit of the Lord and from Him that gives Man Knowledge who sees all this and much more and is displeased As Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores are launced in order to a cure so these things are laid open before all the Churches which they may at least come to the sight hearing or rumour of that they may know such things have been written that according to the Commandment of the God of Israel they amend their Ways and their Doings Jer. 7. 3. if they intend to have the Favour of God now be accepted of Him at last and if they would dwell with him in the highest Heavens for evermore Amen saith my Soul come Lord Jesus come quickly FINIS