2 Kings 9. 11. A short question and exactly agreeable to the Language of the proud men of these dayes Again we read of one who sent Letters unto all the People who are at Jerusalem and to Zepheniah the Son of Masaiah the Priest and to all the Priests to put them in mind whereas they were Officers in the House of the Lord for every man that is mad and maketh himself a Prophet that thou shouldst put him in Prison and in the Stocks Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anâ—thoth which maketh himself a Prophet to you Jer. 29. 25 26 27. But it may be afterwards seen in the following Verses what is pronounced on Shemaiah the Nehelamite because he thus taught Rebellion against the Lord. Again it is written The Prophet is a fool The Spiritual Man is mad for the multitude of thine Iniquity and the great Hatred Hos 9. 7. Here is added the very reason of throwing out such a false Reproach viz. Multitude of Iniquity and Great Hatred for sin when it is committed doth leave guilt behind And when it comes to be reproved and manifested that is stirred up And then there is Conviction Shame Fear and Anguish of Spirit all which are very troublesome and disquieting and thence doth arise an hatred and enmity against such who do this Office Saith our Lord and Saviour The World hateth me because I Testifie of it that the Works thereof are evil Joh. 7. 7. But they deserve more to be hated who do the evil then Christ who Testifieth of it Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall reproach you and cast out your Name as evil for the Son of Mans sake for doing so as we have him and them for an Example In the like manner did their Fathers unto the Prophets Luk. 6. 22. 23. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Mat. 5. 10 11. for being faithful in that Ministry to which he hath called us Here it is most comprehensively expressed and extends unto all manner of evil and falshood which the utmost wit and malice of limited Creatures can invent and speak forth And therefore if such an one it of a sound mind and clear understanding I speak of my self and of the Things which I have written touching the King It is a contradiction and abominable lie to say he is non compos Mentis But yet a malicious and false imputation may be cast and endeavoured to be fastened on any one And also what is a little new or unusual or doth somewhat exceed common apprehension may seem to the vulgar sort yea and be called by them madness but this is so trivial that it is sufficient answer only to take notice of such an Ignorant Calumny I am liable to be represented as one of different Notions because of a different shape by reason of my personal Deformity and Lameness whereby I do vary somewhat from the rest of mankind But the Lord is the Maker of us all And he who fashioned me in the Womb and took me out of my Mother's Bowels might have so formed them who either have already or shall reproach me in this wise They are to remember that themselves also are in the Body subject to sickness from within to Hurt and Casualty from without I was not born so for mine own Sin nor for my Parents but that the Works of God should be madâ— manifest And it may be the more remembred I hope not for a Witness and Testimony against them that such an one came down to the place of the whole Assembly of this Nation with the Truth which God bad shewed unto his Servant and with his Staff in his Hand He had no other Gen. 32. 10. Weapon and would not have had that but he went Halting as did the Patriarke whose words are here made use off And this will be a further sign and token that they cannot pretend Ignorance of the man or his business in the day of Recapitulation of all things But the greater strangeness is imagined to be within me I have written the great things of thy Law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8. 12. said the Prophet in his time and within the compass of this year the like imputation hath been cast upon my particular Person for what I have brought out of the same Book of Scripture But to cause the Reproach offered by them to cease and to turn their own reproach upon them Dan. 11. 18. I will tell any one that thinks so where the strangeness of all lieth even in Mans Transgression Either the not observance of what is commanded or doing those things which are contrary to the Laws of God and Truth In Transgressing and Lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the Heart words of falshood By not doing of Righteousness but forsaking the Ordinance of their God nor taking heed to the Ordinances of Justice It is Mens strange kind of actions which do draw and necessitate from my Tongue and Pen what may seem strange kind of expressions For I do only speak of them according to their very nature and as they are done But more especially when the Thoughts of their Heart come to be revealed and those secret imaginations are made known by that Word which is a discernes of the Thoughts and intents of the Heart there must be yet more strange kind of expressions odd pastages uncouth uncommon they know not what to make off or term them If one should mention how they fret themselves and are apt to curse their God and their King It would pass for an hard saying when all this is far worse in them that do it then in those who only take notice thereof in order to admonish them to stand in aw and Sin not All the strangeness is in themselves and accordingly the Spirit who searches all things and speaks the very Truth calls them strange Children Psal 144. 11. For nothing can be more strange then that Man should be Disobedient to his God that the Children which the Lord hath brought up should rebel against him But further they must be known and also spoken forth in order to the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ When these Imaginations and Thoughts are clearly and truly brought out to publick view they quite fall to the Ground and never rise again I appeal to any one who knows Truth and can apprehend common sence that in the several things I have published to the World I have all along delivered my self in plain common obvious familiar and intelligible Expressions I have spoken
is the alone Prerogative of God for He knoweth all things and searcheth the Heart that not the least Thing can be hid or concealed from him Whereas we only perceive a little according to the exact Truth but much more in a false and imperfect manner by doubtful Report and mistaken Observation And then we cannot throughly apprehend a thing wherein many are concerned so we can give no perfect Judgment and Determination God hath taken the like method for the exercise and administration of his Kingdom and Dominion over Men as our Kings and Governours over their several Countries And he hath a Book for his Government over all the Nations and Families of the Earth high and low rich and poor together as our Statute and Common Law is for England and their civil canon or municipal Laws for other Nations His Word is given unto Mankind to be a Rule for their Actions and a Law for them to live and be governed by and from that we are allowed and commanded to Reprove all manner of Sin and Transgression as any one now doth Lev. 19. 17. take notice or speak of what is done contrary to the Government and Laws of this Nation which is esteemed no fault but rather commendable and a Duty The same is and ought much more to be in things pertaining to God and so likewise would be if there was amongst us the like Zeal for and Knowledge of him that is invisible who fills Heaven and Earth with his Presence as now there is regard for the Son of Man whom we see to be little and to fade as a Leaf But this is to be understood for the Fear and Instruction of some and for the Comfort of others That God is not confined to the Imaginations and Sayings of Men If some speak smooth things and prophesie Deceits and others too hard Speeches and mistaken Applications The Judge himself will not ratifie what they say but condemns whom man absolves as again acquit whom man condemns For he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth He shall judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Psal 96. 13. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those Things which were written in the Books according to their Works Rev. 20. 12. This according to the Decree of the Eternal and unchangeable God is as certain and True as if it were already past and fulfilled As Judges and Justices of Gaol delivery do try Prisoners by the statute Book of this Realm at those Assizes which are holden twice a year so at this general Grave delivery which is to be kept once for all The dead Bodies of all People of every Place and Generation since Man was Created on the Earth shall arise and we shall all be judged by Christ and his Saints according to those Words written in the Bible And this according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same Words Behold in this they are not just I will answer all mine Accusers and Enemies that God is greater than Man and so much do his Laws exceed theirs Wherefore do I mention that God is greater than Man In comparison of him the Nations are as a drop of a Bucker and are counted as the small dust of the Balance It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers We shall find and know that He bringeth the Princes to nothing He maketh the Judges of the Earth as Vanity Notwithstanding the People have more regard to them because they are seen and their utmost Power is known then they have to Almighty God who is not seen and whose Punishment is threatned But though God is not seen yet his Works are And how Great must He be who built this vast House of the World and created all things therein What is the Wrath of a Worm of five or six foot long to the * Isa 59. 15. Displeasure of Him who hath Heaven for his Throne and the Earth for his Footstool What is a single Individual or an Assembly of Men who dwell in Houses of Clay that they should when met in Council as yet exalt themselves to do according to their own will notwithstanding Gods Commandment to the contrary If not to speak Exod 9. 17. out because they profess that they know God but in Works deny him yet to think and act Marvellous things against the God of Gods Dan. 11. 36. And in this they are worse then him here spoken of or Pharoah for he knew not who was the Lord that he should obey him What is abomination of Heart they imagine to be bravery of mind that they can and are for doing things otherwise and as it were hinder that his will be not done here on Earth Which argues the exceeding sinfulness of sin with the infinite guilt and demerit thereof and it shall be punished with proportionable Condemnation Misery They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression They speak loftily They set their Mouth against the Heavens their Tongue walketh through the Earth therefore his People return hither and Waters of a full Cup are wring out to them Psal 73. 8 9 10. By the height and breadth and depth of such kind of Transgression we may judge of the length of future Torments Whose Thoughts were thus exalted to Heaven their Souls shall be thrust down to Hell Shall not God search this Luk. 10. 15. out for He knoweth the secrets of the Heart the innermost Thoughts and most hidden Imaginations Even now he looks down from the Habitation of his Holiness and is not far from every one of us for at this very moment He both sees and hears all that we are talking of or doing in our Houses and several places of abode And so He hath done all along of this Generation of Men now living as He did of those before we were born We read of Him in his Word for the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a Mighty and a Terrible which regardeth not Persons nor taketh Reward Deut. 10. 17. We have a sence and aw and dread of Him upon our minds we may know and perceive his Laws written in our Hearts and inward Parts by laying open our Conscience as in his sight and by communing with our own spirit when we are for a little while silent in our Chamber and somewhat freed and separated from the Things of this World All these wayes God doth shew and manifest himself unto Mankind so that they are without excuse This may be thought proper to instruct and convert Heathens or the neighbouring Nations which do grovel in the darkness of Popish ignorance but doth not seem so applicable to our own Countrey where the Scriptures are read and preached in a known
Tongue and they boast of their understanding thereof But yet the Prophet saith peremptorily of his time when they had the same priviledges Therefore my Pâ—ople are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge Isa 5. 13. He doth elegantly hint of the sottish ignorance of former his own aâ—â—â—â—ccessive Generations Have ye not krown Have ye not heard Hath it not been 〈◊〉 you from the beginning Have ye not understood from the Foundations of the Earth Isa 40. 21. And then doth as it were point him out in the following verse It is He c. So it is said further down There is no knowledge of God in the Land Hos 4. 1. And what Paul witnesseth of his time Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. The same is affirmed at this very day The chief and who call themselves the wise Men of this Nation in this they are found wanting They have not the knowledge of God This is the manner of the People of England that dwell carelesly that say in their Hearts We are and none besides us Here is a secret disowning of God above Or if they acknowledge him by a few acts of outward Worship yet they confine all to that But they have not to do with him in common actions and general course of their Life Here they conclude they are lest to themselves who is Lord over us some others will have respect unto God in little trivial concerns But for those of Greater Moment They do not take counsel of him that walk to go down into Egypt and have not asked at my Mouth Isa 30. 1 2. They have first invaded this Nation which occasioned and raised Wars in the Neighbouring Kingdoms But they did not seek out of the Book of the Lord whether such enterprises at first were just and lawful Why Ramoth in Gilead was ours before 1. Kings 22. 2. and under the subjection of the same King of this Nation And though now it be in danger to fall into the hands of the King of Syria yet they should have done well at the very beginning of all to have enquired at the Word of the Lord. verse 5. and then all this might have been prevented at the very first rise And now the Land is moved and divided and by reason of the sores thereof it shaketh yet it may be made up and healed by our God Now Vrim and Thummim are ceased neither have we Warrant for additional Immediate Revelation But God hath given us his standing Word in the Bible which was confirmed by Signs and Miracles and divers Giffts of the Holy Ghost whereby God himself did bear witness to it and did enact and confirm it as a Law and Direction to our fore-Fathers and to us their Children and to our Posterity for evermore He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love Mercy Mic. 6. 8. By this way and method of Righteous and prudent accomodation Ireland might be sooner recovered and utterly disentangled from out of the hands of the French King then by all the Multitude of Men and Horses Ships and Carriages the several Instruments of Death and Cruelty all which only make a meer noise and outward shew but there is nothing more in it besides Destruction and Mischief But our Goâ—ernoâ—â—â—ate not Governed by the Law of the most High God and so they do not walk Humbly with him They do not consider that in the Thing wherein they deal Proudly he is above them they do not consult aright for his Glory nor will they obey him so far that he may direct their work in Truth They have set up Kings but not by me They have made Princes but I knew it not Hos 8. 4. which hath been particularly shewed with such Evidence and Demonstration of Divine Truth that the sinners resort only to their old accustomed method of stubbornness despising and bare contradiction but still it remains firm and unanswerable And this hath been already done in two distinct Sessions of Parliament in two short Printed Festimonies of Truth the first entituled a Supplemental Tract of Government c. bearing date Jan. 4. 1689 90. The second Things Plain and Weighty referred to the consideration of both Houses March 25. 1690. That peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established among us for all Generations For themselves 〈◊〉 â—ay in the same words in the place where they are assembled every morning before their solemn consultations and therefore it may seem strange unless an unseen Enemy did blind their Eyes and Hearts or hinder from discerning or turn them aside from the Truth that when God hath shewed them a way in his Word and left the means in their Power yet they did not go the right way to preserve make better and perpetuate the Government nor to Restore Peace nor make Wars to cease all which by the direction of Gods Word will be done to the end of time and to the ends of the Earth when they sball fear the Name of the Lord from the West Isa 59. 19. and other Nations will also do the same as they have from this understanding People a right example And further there is the Promise of God that future Generations shall * Psal 102. 28. â—ct â—2 5. Continue what we have happily begun It is only to order things and to establish them with Judgment and with Justice from hence forth even for ever To observe and do according to those Laws Rules and Directions which the Lord hath shewed and appointed in his Word and then there would be continued peace and firm settlement throughout these three Kingdoms which are united one to another and the like might be successively estaâ—lished throughout the whole Earth Let us â—â—â—e come and fix upon the sure Foundation of Righteousness But otherwise there will be confusion disturbance and unsetledness of Times with the manifold evils and Inconveniences thereof now in this place besides the Wrath of God which hereafter cometh upon the Children of Disobedience If People will go on still in their own Wayes and according to their own Thoughts this is Sin Iniquity and Transgression all which the Lord God of Recompences shall surely requite None calleth for Justice nor any pleadeth for Truth they trust in vanity and speak lies They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity they hath Cockatrice Eggs and See Isa 59. throughout weave the Spiders Web. He that eateth of their Eggs dieth and that which is crashed breaketh out into a Viper What is done by way of Violence Humour and Stubâ—ornness will recoyl with greater force and smart upon themselves notwithstanding they die as other men and we see nothing as yet to befall them Again sometimes it is here seen that what they would suppress doth rise up with greater strength and danger against them Or if with much subtlety and contrivance
many But whoever had first appeared to cry aloud and spare not Lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet to shew the People of England their Transgressions and their Sins The same Reproaches and false Suggestions would have been against them also For when People have no mind to receive and obey the Message it is easie to take exceptions at the Post or Officer who brings it But the all-knowing and all-wise God will not be trifled with nor deceived The Great King of all the Earth will find and bring out those his Enemies who would not have him Reign over them but do speak against and evil intreat the Messengers whom he hath sent And now to manifest unto the World that I am sent and to make evident my Câ—mmission I do declare as I will answer it before him who is appointed Judge of the quick and dead that it is contained in the twenty third Chapter of Mathew and the thirty fourth Verse where Christ promises to the several Generations Behold I send Acts 2. 39 unto you Prophets and Wisemen Scribes And I do affirm according to Truth without boasting of my self that I do come under the last denomination of a Scribe I may just observe that the Prophetical Office was chiefly to reprove Sin and Transgression and also they did fore-tell some future events which were not presently fulfilled The first hath been done without Partiality and Respect of Persons and also some things have been spoken of which are yet to come Moreover if there have been any Words of Knowledge and Wisdom delivered let others judge But a Scribe is such an one who is instructed in and reasons out of the Law which is the very same what I have done as to National Affairs For the several things which I have published to the World are an opening and alledging and reasoning out of the Scriptures the Law of the Most high God I have been educated at the School of the Prophets for I was six Years at Magdalen Hall in Oxford and took one degree I was there twice sworn the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy And now it comes to pass that the same Oath which such a vast multitude of Priests and People have despised hath taken hold of me and hath obliged me to act after this manner For I did Swear twice in the Reign of Charles the second Him and them innuendo his Heirs and Successors under which his Brother is comprised will I defend according to the utmost of my Power Now the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual and no other ought to be used according to the right Christian Religion For these last six Years I have been at several times resident in and about the City of London I was entred into the Society of the Middle Temple and observed the Customs of the House for several successive Terms and I did for a while study the Statute and Common Laws of this Nation So that I came all along in a regular way and was furnished from the Laws of God and Man to have pleaded the Cause of the Oppressed King And for my part being assured only of the Protection of the invisible God and trusting to that Promise His Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Psal 91. 4. I was not afraid to speak openly and boldly as I ought to speak Though both Houses of Parliament by reason of contrary Practice as may be understood from Jer. 2. 26. Mark 8. 38. were ashamed to hear such Words which would have reproved and set in order before them their Sin and Transgression in the very same place where it was committed And so they may still if they are willing to run the danger of rising up to everlasting Shame and Contempt and have the Son of man be ashamed of them when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angâ—ls saith the Lord And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken to my Words which he shall speak in my Name I will require it of him Deut. 18. 19. Now that Prophet was Christ who hath conveyed down to others the same Authority and Commission He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10. 16. For such would not hear Christ himself if they had lived in the same Generation with him Neither would they be perswaded if Christ should come once again into the World after the same manner as he did But his next coming is unto Judgment Peradventure our Lords and Counsellors did go upon Error and Deceit of their own Heart and did therefore refuse to hear the Law of their God because they might think that if the Word was not proclaimed and spoken out viva voce They might then more safely contemn God's Word and Commandment and have such aâ— excuse for their Sin not considering the God with whom we have to do Who understands our Thoughts afar off Psal 139. 2. and knows that themselves only hindred and would not suffer his Word to be spoken out For I delivered in Printed Cases and also sent a written Petition to the same purpose And when I could not have it delivered in and read I ordered my Petition to be printed and given to the Members severally if perhaps any would move thereon though I knew before this was contrary to Custom and Usage and therefore I was at first unwilling so to do but this kind of necessity and urgency did press me forward For my part I would leave no means undone to discharge my Conscience fully towards God But He knows that I was directed and put in mind long before That this is a rebellious People lying Children Children that will not hear the Law of the Lord Isa 30. 9. And thereupon according to what is said in the foregoing Verse and also I was shewed the same in the Light of God's Spirit Now go and get it printed in a Book which I accordingly did and delivered to the several Members on April 2. 1690. for which I was committed to Custody it being by them called a Seditious Pamphlet and so I remained under confinement for four Weeks and afterwards was with great care sent down into the Country to be remote from London I gave away about an hundred of those stitcht Books and would have more ready if I had been permitted for I ordered a thousand which were more then sufficient for all the Representatives of the whole Nation But however they had sufficient to notifie it unto the residue of the Members and they may yet understand and be instructed aright that the Word which God sends through a contemptible earthen Vessel spoken or written for that longer remains is stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience shall receive a just recompence of Reward As they do all profess themselves to be Members of the Church of England so they are to be advertised of somewhat out of her
mightest be justified in thy Sayings and overcome when thou art judged We are sure that all Scripture came by Inspiration from God and therefore all is Truth what that saith And whatever the Practices of others are to keep their places or to make a gain of Godliness so called but rather Hypocrisie or procure and retain the favour of the great Ones yet such will be the greatest losers in the end for there is a real Truth and Signification in these Words Blessed are they that keep Judgment and He that doth Righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. And though at this present short time There is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked to him that sweareth or he that feareth an Oath Yet it will be certainly better with those who have continued whole and stedfast in the Covenant of their God and have preserved a good Conscience in all things So it will be seen and experienced when of this and every day of our Life after years of discretion we shall be called to Account which will also extend to every Idle and false word that men do now speak The time place circumstances and aggravations of such wilful Sins and deliberate Acts of Disobedience will be manifested as they were day by day committed And then it will be no excuse to have justified the wicked for Reward or for fashion or because they had the greatest number of their side or out of any wrong or indirect Principle They act foolishly and are ignorant who flourish over and vindicate the Violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province for they may now Read and Understand that the Most Highest regardeth the Matter and there is Higher than they who will set things at right again That wo which is now denounced against them who call Evil good and Good evil shall at length terminate in execution and misery It is a sad Thing to consider that any People for profit and advantage for pride and pleasure to get or keep the good will of their superiour fellow Creatures should whilst they live do those things for which after Death they shall suffer punishment And they should be more careful fearful to humor and comply with a parcel of Dying Men whose Gifts perish with them and their Fury vanisheth into nothing then they are to please an Almighty Father and Everliving God Do ye think the Scripture saith in vain Trust in him at all times ye People pour out your Heart before him God is a Refuge for us Selah Surely Men of Low degree are Vanity and Men of High degree are a Lye To be laid in the Ballance they are altogether lighter then Vanity Trust not in Oppression and become not vain in Robbery If Riches increase set not your Heart upon them God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that Power belongeth unto God Also unto thee O Lord belongeth Mercy for thou rendrest to every Man according to his Work Psal 62. 8 9 10 11. God hath wisely established things for a Life of Tryal and an Obedience of Faith and to exercise our Trust on him He hath given us the Law and the Testimony and the Light that is in them to discern and know Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Right and Wrong Substance and Vanity And the Salvation which we expect from our God should always keep us in that stedfast purpose of mind as not to commit any deliberate Sin nor to continue in any known Transgression nor to practice Hypocrisie nor to leave Duty undone for to accomplish present things If men did not talk of it as a Word of Course but do really desire to get to Heaven as now they see the outside and they must certainly go off from this Earth then they must not do those things that lead a contrary way as that Word which reveals the invisible things within and the necessary means to obtain doth expresly declare It is no jesting matter but rather a sad sign that the Curse of God which is a fore-runner of his punishment is fallen upon people when they add Iniquity to their Iniquity and not come into thy Righteousness Psal 69. 27. For the next thing which succeeds is to be blottâ—d out of the Book of the living and not be written with the Righteous Vers 28. and that is ten thousand times worse then to lose their Lives Liberties and Estates And whereas it is further surmised our pure Reformed Religion is more dear and that would be endangered It is here deliberately and advisedly affirmed That the Doctrines and Practices of these corrupt Times are more dangerous and prejudicial to Souls than all the Errors and Superstiâ—ions of Popery for that same Word which instructs in the way of Salvation and makes known what is the pure and undefiled Religion before God doth speak much more against Perjury Lying Unrighteousness Disobedience to Parents Revenge false Accusation Hipocrisie and an Hypocritical Nation and such like then it doth against Idolatry Superstition and false Worship But the Will of God is which we must also do if we would be saved that we abstain from them all Thou declarest upon Oath that the Pope cannot depose Heretical Princes and that neither he nor any Person whatsoever hath Power to absolve thee of this Oath or any part thereof but what if God should judge that Protestant Lay-men cannot absolve subjects from their Oath and Allegiance to a Popish King In Truth neither can one do it nor yet the other The same God who commands that we keep from Idols doth likewise enjoyn that we do no wrong and that we abstain from all appearance of evil It is both folly and Wickedness to run from one unlawful extream to another and God will shew and manifest that there is no necessity to proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the Lord Jer. 9. 3. It is impertinent and irk some to explain things so every particularly but People are dull of apprehension fears and jealousies are endless and more especially a consciousness of guilt and wrong is not easily satisfied for it hopes to have this excuse for their Sin a surmise of Danger and they venture upon these doubtful things to make more sure against it for so they call such things which are as evidently a breach of the Law as Adultery and Fornication are against the seventh Commandment and are more certainly Sins then Drunkenness is one as themselves may know for compare their Actions with the Law and their own Thoughts will accuse them When the Soul hath departed from the Law of the most High she seeks out for this or that Imagination to pacifie but it cannot satisfie the grumblings with in at this present time and which she vainly and falsly hopes will save harmless as to the future But notwithstanding all the Deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness strong Delusions and human Allegations Yet Gods Glory is not nor can be advanced by sinful means For The just Lord is
60. 12. The Lord executeth Righteousness and Judgment for all that are oppressed Psal 103. 6. How is this true for many are oppressed throughout their Life and dye so But it is to be understood from the words following He made known his ways unto Moses Vers 7. He hath commanded and shewed in his Word how it should be done And if People will not do it freely and willingly we his Servants have no more to say but we leave it to God himself to perform fulfil and execute his Word They may believe and tremble that the same Almighty God who spake the World into Being and commanded his Word to a thousand Generations will also give forth the executive Sentence And I will punish the World for their evil and the Wicked for their Iniquity and I will cause the A rogancy of the Prondro cease and will lay low the Haughtiness of the Terrible Isa 13. 11. which last hath been already fulfilled in foregoing Generations and there is a fearful expectation of the other The like doth haste to be accomplished and determined upon the present Generation unless they agree with their Adversary quickly whilst they are now in the way Consider of it seriously Had ye rather die in your Sins and utterly Perish in your own corruption then be told thereof and be put in a way how you may escape Now it is high time to look about your selves for now ye are nearer to Death and Immortality then ever ye were yet and so ye approach nearer from Day to Day till one drop away after another into the future state And then do appear forth the things contained in Scripture out of which I have spoken all along and are manifested to our separated Spirits all one as the Things we now here in the Flesh do see handle and converse withal God will take care that what he hath said shall come to pass And those who are now so stout and disdainful to value his Words as an empty sound or a dead impertinent letter which may be laid aside and not minded suppose there is not much more in it then waste Paper with some impressions of Ink Or if it is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged Sword then out of the Spirit of opposition and revenge they may do as Jehudi did Jer. 36. 23. Cut it with a Pen-Knife or cast it into the Fire or some other way embezil and lose it such People may at length find and be sensible of an hideous lamentation in themselves and that it is become a Savour of Death unto Death As the words in a statute Book do now cause several te suffer loss of Liberty Life or Member and other wayes of punishment and that aforementioned is as silly a device as for a guilty offender to tear the Record or Statute by which he is to be judged for this doth only argue a greater contempt and provocation to God who did send forth his Word to bring them to Repentance that he might forgive Jer. 36. 3. and Pardon them And it remains still the same in the purpose and determination and Book of the Lord From Scripture all that is truly inferred will be in like manner fulfilled Let there go about never so many like Elymas the Sorcerer to defeat what is here said or as Jannes and Jambres of old time So do too many now resist the Truth 1 Tim. â— 8. or disregard it still that remains And however in the mean while stifled or prevaricated nevertheless it will rise up at the Judgment of the great Day Whether they will hear or forbear whether they will read or not these Words are laid before them that they might have turned from Iniquity unto Righteousness And not in Hypocrisie or outward shew but in sincerity and Truth seek their God daily and delight to know his Wayes The Compilers Defence for himself And now methinks I hear the whispering and secret Counsel of those which may arise yet higher and it shall be done in a solemn Judiciary proceeding Away with this turbulent Fellow it is not fit he should live for he doth exceedingly disquiet this Nation we will send him away before to prove whether the words he hath here laid together be true or else do it according to the subtlety of the old Serpent in the luâ—king Places of the Villages and Murder the Innocent in secret Places or by administring some deadly thing for this will not make much noise and we shall be thus happily rid of one who doth and will continue to Torment the Inhabitants of the Earth and therefore one way or another let him be Slain Ye may indeed Kill my Body but ye cannot Kill me for there is an Immortality Resurrection of the Dead and eternal Judgment If that should be which God forbid and yet it may be supposed for the like hath been fulfilled in our Brethren who were Slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held Rev. 6. 9. yet I shall see again and meet with my Murderers But the safer way is to forewarn you all of these things Hear my Voice O God in my Prayer Preserve my Life from fear of the Enemy hide me from the secret counsel of the Wicked and from the Insurrection of the Workers of Iniquity fear was on every side while they took counsel together against me they devised to take away my Life But yet with all their secresie violence and consultations they cannot do it in that place and after that manner where God may not see it and know it And the Lord will find it out when he maketh Inquisition for Blood this and that man was put to Death after such a manner by the Hands of such Persons and for such a cause God sends me as a Messenger to his Subjects to acquaint them of their Violation of his Laws and to testifie against them to turn them to God and Righteousness And I put them in mind to live under his Government and to obey his Laws for the future But for doing of this they seek to Kill me Help me O Lord my God O save me according to thy Mercy that they may know that this is thy Hand That thou Lord hast done it If they should send me before there is no calling of me back again and so no Restitution nor yet will the Crocodiles Tears afterwards wash away the guilt of my Blood The building the Tombs of the Prophets and garnishing the Sepulchers of the Righteous will not make an attonement for the Sin of killing them And moreover it will be but a very small advantage and short respite for your Spirits also in a little time will fly out one after another And if they are so impatient now that they cannot endure a single Troubler of Israel how then will ye endure to meet with the whole Company of Prophets and Apostles who were the very same to their Age and Country what I am accused of now