commands to set them in right order again But that remains in a dead letter and it is not faithfully handled nor universally applyed for the Priests have been partial in the Law They have kept back some part of it and have not made known the whole counsel of God unto the People And also according to the marginal reading of Mal. 2. 9. They have accepted Faces by applying it superficially and favourably to the higher sort of People As they have done and do not cease to justifie the Wicked for Reward for some Place or preferment either already bestowed or in hope and expectation to be given And so it comes to pass that Gods faithful Messengers who have appeared in their several Generations as singular are persecuted and prosecuted Now God doth lie still and hide himself to see what the Children of Men will do Though it is the secret continued Prayer of his Elect and Servants Arise O God Judge the Earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations Psal 82. 8. Yet He will not before the appointed time But his Law is given in the mean while and he doth prove the doings of the Children of Men. There hath been a long and continued controversie in the World throughout former Generations and in all Nations and the same continues at this day not only amongst Heathens Mahometans Papists but to our greater shame even in the more pure reformed Churches and at this very instant is in the Land of our own Nativity the Substance whereof is to this following effect Whether the Laws of God or man shall have the superiority and take place Whether his Light is to be extinguished and his Truth stifled which he would send out Psal 43. 3. if it should reprove the Darkness and Wickedness that is in Palaces and great Houses or manifest the Error of their corrupt ways But mention is made vers 1. of an ungodly Nation and a deceitful and unjust Man They would ungod him if they could reach up and pull down the High and Lofty One or lead away captive as hath been done with dumb Idols the living and Almighty God But because that is not in their Power They will do as far as is suffered They act in opposition to the Father of Lights James 1. 17. and do what lieth in them to prevent the rising of the Sun of Righteousness and afterwards stop out the shining Thereof When he that dwelleth between the Cherubims would shine forth Psal 80. 1. They will hinder it what they can But God doth suffer it so far for the next thing is he will stir up his strength vers 2. and then poor Creatures who now provoke the Lord to Jealousie will find that they are not stronger then he in this their short time they will not bear that word which convinces of Sin and Unrighteousness But how then will they endure his Indignation and Punishment which that was to warn them of and put them in a way how they might escape Even thy Truth O my God Psal 71. 22. is called a false and feigned libel if it doth discover their own Falshood and Hypocrisie And it must skulk about in Corners or be conveyed in a secret place though there is stampt upon it the Image and superscription of the Great and Invisible King but they are fearful Rev. 21. 8. to own and confess it before the World for they fear the Displeasure of Men more then the Displeasure of God They would have Gods service be brought down to Mans purposes and be so modelled as to be made consistent with the foolish policy and misapprehended welfare of a Nation These things are strange to mention but themselves know that their inward Thought Pride and Rebellion of Heart is that though they will acknowledge with their Tongue and Lips that the Most high ruleth over the Kingdoms of Men and his Dominion is above and over all yet they would have it so far come under theirs That if Gods Laws are contrary and not agreeable to humane constitutions They must not be spoken of Amos 7. 13. nor laid before our Princes and our Priests our Lords and Counsellers for fear of Punishment and being prosecuted as one against the Government when themselves in this very thing are against the Government of their God Alas How do a small Number of Grashoppers here on the Earth think of and would do towards the great Lord of the World How do men that shall die and must appear before him in judgment demean themselves towards him now they are but a little while in the way Arise O Lord let not man prevail let the Heathen be judged in thy sight Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to be but men Psal 9. 19 20. Again thus much is signified by what is written He ruleth by his Power for ever his Eyes behold the Nations let not the Rebellious exalt themselves Psal 66. 7. And though the Nations be never so angry yet now is the time come that God shall take to himself Psal â—â—â—â— Great Power and Reign A little opening and appearance thereof doth now begin in this place and Nation which will be likewise followed in the Habitable parts of the Earth For the matter of contention is not so much between the two Kings who are both Pot-sherds of the Earth and shall each of them severall be brought down to the bars of the Pit although now they have their Armies and cause their Terrour in the Land of the Living Cease ye from man whose Breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of We ought utterly to draw off from the Persons of each and not to have them in admiration and not name them more then needs must for by so doing men do forget and lose the knowledge and fear of the Lord and are not so sensible of the Glory of his Majesty and infinite Greatness But the thing which the Lord doth require of our Land is that she do not depart from and for sake his Eternal and Immutable Rules of Judgment and Righteousness and that his People be very couragious to keep and to do all that is written in the Law of Moses that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left Josh 23. 6. So whatever is further commanded in the Book of Psalms the Writings of the Prophets and the Gospel of Christ declared by the Evangelists and Apostles All things are to be done according to his revealed Will now a little before he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth for the Word of the Lord is right and all his Works are done in truth he loveth Righteousness and Judgment Psal 33. 4. 5. Righteousness shall go before him and shall set us in the way of his Steps Psal 85. 13. Gods Work ought to bâ— done in his own prescribed method according to what is written which is so plain and easie to be understood that wayfaring men though Fools
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
They weave the Spiders Web yet these VVebs shall not become Garments neither shall they cover themselves with their VVorks It may just skin a thing over which nevertheless will be seen through And it doth not answer the ends of Government as to give real peace and assured Preservation Indeed it is a little better then nothing for it is somewhat cast over which doth neither hide nakedness nor keep warm And then it is a long time in transacting and making but it is all suddenly swept away and profits nothing at all afterwards We have an example and instance hereof in the late Reign when the King not observing the Rules of Mercy Judgment and Righteousness was not Established in his Isa 16. 5. Throne but hath been since removed It is observable of those arbitrary and illegal Acts which he did That he was two or three years in bringing them to pass but they were undone again in two or three dayes or less than a week And he did offer to do all things for the future as became a Good King God knows the secrets and intents of his Heart and whether it was not more out of apprehension of danger than real Repentance but that might have brought him to a sight of his Sin and Errour and then it would have been real and unfeigned for affliction and fear are such a beginning of Repentance as God will accept of and therefore we may allow the same to one another in things that they have trespassed against us But it was not done according to Righteousness Equity Truth or Christian Forgiveness In the great National Revolution was that fulfilled They proceed from Evil to Evil and they know not me saith the Lord Jer. 9. 3. One unlawful extream doth not excuse and justifie another of despising the Oath of God breaking his Covenant and transgressing the Laws of Righteousness There are many Particulars and Circumstances of Sin and Evil of both sides which no man knoweth nor considereth the utmost Evil and Abomination of But the Lord shall rehearse it when he writeth up his People He hath a Book of all Nations Families and single Persons with an account of the Time and Place they stand here on the Earth As likewise he notes the things that they have already done his all-knowing Spirit will bring out the very truth of all things Though he now keeps silence yet he will reprove the several Persons concerned herein and set the things they have done before their Eyes For there is no respect of Persons with God for as many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom 2. 11 12. But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of Persons Col. 3. 25. But alledge as much as you will of this it is Scripture and Cant and is not minded so may a common Thief or Murderer or any Transgressor of man's Laws for a time despise and not regard them yet Justice will at length apprehend and Zech. 1. 6. overcome him In like manner the Words and Statutes of the Lord will take hold of men of every Generation and Country and as to each part of their Life after they are come to the knowledge of good and evil Some do imagine that they shall escape because they have the chief of the People and the Multitude and the fashion and the Course of the World on their side They have Armies and Fleetes and such an one is driven away and oppressed and of declining Years He may be taken captive or Killed or his day come to dye What then We have to do with an Almighty and Everliving God Our selves and all the many Inhabitants of the Earth are but a parcel of dying Men and Women and so take them altogether notwithstanding their number they are all contemptible and of small Power And those who in this time of Tryal will follow a Multitude to do Evil or side with the course of the World in their Transgression and Unrighteousness As sure as God hath given a Law to mankind and his Word is true this is the ready way to be condemned with the World Let men in the mean while make what alterations they will all is but as a company of Worms of the Earth who vainly think to change Times Laws and Ordinances But they are all just like so many Ants which are a long time bringing little Sticks and Straws together which is all suddenly blown away with one single blast of Wind much less will it stand until or at that day when our God shall come and it shall be very tempestuous round about him Psal 50. 3. There can be no such thing as a Law unless it be sounded on Divine Right and Eternal Truth And therefore it was a foolish and wicked Imagination of such who know not God and did conclude it impertinent to bring Scripture to manifest that in the late Revolution of putting down one King and setting up another the Nation of England hath not done Righteousness for how could this be known otherwise than by Scripture the highest Law which God himself hath given to mankind of every Nation Country and Language Every thing is to be tryed and judged by this supream Rule of good and evil truth and falshood right and wrong We are to be accountable to God for â—ll our Actions and must receive according to what we have done It is God who establisheth Kingdoms and Property and his Dominion over us is above all man's Government for this is inferior and ought only to be in subordination under God from whom men receive authority to make National Laws and to exercise their own Rule and Dominion The great Law-giver hath kept this in his own Power for his Word and Commandment is left for Admonition and Reproof that the Kings and Judges of the Earth do only that which is just and lawful but if they do not they are warned to amend otherwise they will be condemned God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the Gods Psal 82. 1. There is an assertion of his own Government over all Kings and Magistrates unto whom he vouchsafes to give his own Name And then comes in afterwards by way of Reproof How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the Persons of the Wicked selap Vers 2. Then succeeds his Command Defend the Poor and Fatherless To Justice to the Afflicted and Needy Deliver the Poor and Needy rid them out of the Hand of the Wicked Vers 3. 4. And as all Scripture is profitable for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness so in order to that it doth take notice of what is amiss they know not neither will They understand they walk â—â— iâ— darkness all the Foundations of the Earth are out of course vers 5. and throughout Gods Word and Law there are directions and
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
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
forth the Words of Truth and Soberness though it is hard to express the mad and foolish Actions of mankind to the very Life and Reality and not to be reputed so ones self All those that fear God and those that have known his Testimonies Psal 119. 79. can also judge of these things And though what I have more lately done in opposing the High and Universal Corruption of this present Time hath met with Strife and Contention Sâ—ubbornness and despising all kinds of Reproach and contrary Usage yet the Reason of all is because People are Contentions and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Rom. 2. 8. They have made void God's Law Psal 119. 126. and his Commandments of none effect Therefore the Law is slacked and Judgment doth never go forth for the Wicked doth compass about the Righteous therefore wrong Judgment proceedeth Hab. 1. 4. For they have indeed acted contrary to what the Law commands and requires Nevertheless all knowing People may yet judge of whatever I have here said or in the two forecited Treatises concerning our Great National Sin and Transgression by this certain and infallible Rule of the Prophet That we might turn from our Iniquities and understand thy Truth Dan. 9. 13. Then it will appear unto them as clear and evident as the most plain and simple proposition now doth If People will not do this but go on still with all deceiveableness of Unrighteousness there is no Remedy but they shall perish Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had Pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. All which Words are observable and very terrible To unfold the Mystery of Iniquity a little and somewhat to lay open the working of Satan with all deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness It will be necessary to observe with what kind of words he tempted our Parent in the first Transgression and hath all along and doth yet continually set himself against God's ways to keep up the mist of Ignorance and Unbellef to hold people in their Perplexity and Confusion of Disobedience and Transgression and he doth use all means to hinder men from coming to Repentance and the Knowledge of the Truth And as God would accomplish that by right Words so he doth endeavour to imitate in like things by tempring Mankind to do after their own Thoughts and after the Imaginations of their own Evil and Corrupt Heart And also his Emissaries go about subverting People with false corrupt and deceitful Words which are and may be published with Licence and Authority But the Inhabitants of his Earth are ashamed or afraid to receive the Truth of him who is Lord and Governour of the World who filleth all Places and all Things with his presence Poor Creatures Your Hour will quickly be at an end and the Power of Darkness will be suddenly gone off and then ye shall remember and discern which Master it was better to have served God or the World As the Man of Sin doth so mightily beat off People from the Scriptures because his own Ways and Corruption are so much condemned therein So do others at this day for the very same Reason put an opprobrious term upon the Language of the holy Ghost or it is not so gentile and fashionable nor agreeable with the Humor of the Age. They cry it out for impertinent and foolish yea there are an hundred kind of Surmises and like sayings whereby the Word of the Lord is made a Reproach to me and a Derision daily Jer 20. 8. They reject and will have none of it But what saith the answer of God unto them Hear O Earth Behold I will bring Evil on this People even the Fruit of their own Thoughts because they have not hearkened to my Words nor to my Law but rejected it Jer 6. 19. All their other Religion is vain their Worship and Devotion is to no purpose for it doth not please God Your burnt-Offerings are not acceptable nor your Sacrifices sweet unto me Vers 20. He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be abomination Prov. 28. 9. Even at this day and in this Nation The Wise Men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 9. It would be Nonsence and a Lye to say if one heard a Lawyer cite several express Acts of Parliament according to the very Sence and the plain and common Understanding of the same Words yet such an one did not argue to the Purpose for all is forreign and impertinent besides what is thence alledged And so our Great Lawmakers and Counsellors are very fond of theâ—â— own Constitutions to do all things exactly according to the form and direction thereof But they did not attend how in the late Revolution they did at once strike at all the Statute and common Laws of this Kingdom which are said to be vested in Scrinio Regis and also they did unhinge those very Laws which do give and adjust to themselves their own respective Honours and Estates and establish Property And therefore they should do well to lift the right Door again upon the Hinges This is Truth though is may seem a kind of Human Reasoning but yet doth shew how Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off and Equity cannot enter If our Proud Men think themselves too good to be Subjects and Jer. 13. 1â— Servants unto God yet whether they will or not they are his Creatures He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords There is no removing the Government off from his Shoulders nor getting themselves from under it as may and hath been done to the Son of Man And whosoever are so stout as not to mind Scripture God's revealed Law are at this time Transgressors against the same and shall be at the last day condemned by it This would be alike sensible if we had the same knowledge of him that is invisible and consideration of Futurity as we have now regard to our Kings and Governours after the Flesh and take care for the present time for as before intimated the Law of our God is written in a Book and may in like manner be understood as the Laws Customs and Manners of this or that Country we live in There are many Words in the World and none of them is without Signification for they have respect unto Things and what expresses things as they are the very Nature and Connexion of them together That is Truth Now because many of them are hidden afar off unseen and not heard it is the office of Reason to search them out and to bring them near by Probability and Witnesses So there may be many Words and a long course of Reasoning to bring