Unfaithfull is called to Repentance yea the Back-sliders is called to Repentance to do their first works to be watchfull to strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye c. Now they who do take this heavenly Counsel they do the will of God and in so doing they stand approved in his sight The diligent Watchers who have and do put on and keep on the whole Armour of God as aforesaid they do NOT FALL but do grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ more and more of such the Psalmist speaketh saying Blessed is the man that walketh not in the Way of the Vngodly he shall be like a Tree that is planted by the Rivers of Water c. but upon the Wicked who repent not who forsake not their Wickedness God will rain Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest as the holy Ghost hath said and there is no Peace to the Wicked saith my God but the Righteous hath said in Truth thou Lord wilt ordain Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works IN US And the holy Apostle said We are Gods workmanship CREATED IN Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS which God before ORDAINED that we should walk IN THEM Isa 26. 12. Ephes 2. 10. The Apostle Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Turth I perceive that God is NO Respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth HIM and worketh Righteousness is ACCEPTED with HIM the Word that God sent unto the Children of Israel Preaching PEACE by Jesus Christ he is Lord of ALL c. Acts 10. 34 35. Note Reader He by whom all were and are Created and he who according to the flesh DYED for all who enlighteneth the EYES of the UNDERSTANDINGS of ALL in some degree whose will is that all men may be saved he is Lord of all as saith the Apostle he is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation ALL those who fear him work Righteousness they are accepted with HIM Here God shews that he loves and delights in Righteousness but HATES the contrary and therefore he calls ALL Men to Repent EVERY WHERE as saith the holy Apostle God's condiditions of ELECTION and Salvation is Faith in him and unfeigned Repentance and he doth freely tender yea GIVE the true and real CAUSE of Faith and Repentance unto all the Ungodly and Impenitent to wit Visitations by the Spirit Word of Truth which doth convince the World of sin in which the Grace Love or Favour of God is held forth to all mankind in enlightening their Understandings giving them thereby to know Good FROM Evil by which he also MOVES upon the Soul to CHUSE the Good and REFUSE the Evil which spirit or word is of ABILITY to beget faith to work unfeigned Repentance doth IT in all where the stubborn will of man doth not withstand the Day of Gods tender Visitation given thereby but IT IS possible man in his STUBBORN SELF-WILL may so long resist that God will strive NO LONGER with him for his salvation for he hath said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man God said to the Wicked with whom he had long striven to gather them out of their wickedness UNTO himself WO unto them when I DEÌ„PART FROM THEM Hos 9. 12. I HATED them for the WICKEDNESS of their doings saith God V. 15. The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But WHAT saith it The WORD is NIGH thee even in thy MOUTH and in thy HEART that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 6 7 8. But I say have they not heard Yes verily their Sound went into all the Earth and their Words to the ends of the World but they have not all obeyed the Gospel But to Israel he saith All day long have I stretched forth my Hands unto a Disobedient and Gain-saying People Ver. 18 16 21. Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. Moreover God set Adam in a glorious state in Paradise and he willed that he should obey him as he commanded him and he put him in a condition that he might have continued in obedience unto him so it was possible that he might have continued in obedience unto him and so have stood and it was NOT impossible that he should FALL as the event hath proved and his Fall is NOT to be charged or placed upon God but upon himself for want of a due and full improvement of all that God gave him to keep him from falling God is able to keep his Creatures Man and Woman from falling his Name his pure holy Power is a strong Tower and in it IS Everlasting Safety Man and Womans being kept from falling consists in their constant diligent dependence upon him who made them he ONLY is able to keep them from falling Jude 24. God is mercifull slow to Anger and abundant in compassion towards mankind as he hath signified by the holy Ghost in his holy Prophets and Apostles he is full of compassion and tender pity he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Christ Jesus hath commanded his Disciples to be mercifull saying Be ye merciful as your Father is merciful he is KIND unto the UNTHANKFUL to the EVIL and he causeth his Light to shine upon the EVIL upon the Good and sendeth his Rain upon the Just and the UNJUST Luke 36. 37. Mat. 5. 45. The Prophet David saith The Lord is good to ALL and his tender Mercies are over all his WORKS c. Psal 145. ver 8 9 And he said to his Son Solomon If thou seek him he will be FOUND of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off forever take heed c. 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Moreover the holy Ghost saith Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Isa 55. 6. Again Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without MONEY and without Price wherefore do you SPEND Money for that which is NOT Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth NOT hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Encline your Ear and come unto me HEAR and your Soul shall live c. Isa 55. 1 2 3. Moreover the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever WILL let him take the Water of Life freely Rev. 22. 17 c. Note Reader Here is a general comortable Proclamation of the favour good will of God to all people every one hath a T me or
righteous in the sight of men For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against ALL Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men c. Because that which may be known of God IS manifest IN them for God hath SHEWED it unto them For the Invisible things OF HIM from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and GODHEAD so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE Rom. 1. 18 19 20. Mark the WRATH of God is against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men for one and the same cause namely because that which may be known of God is manifest IN THEM here the holy just merciful God shews that he is not PARTIAL Reader it is certain that the Spirit of Truth which doth Convince the World of Sin and leaves those without Excuse justly to be punished who do not believe Repent and Forsake their Sins and turn to God the same IS sufficient to GIVE Faith unto ALL men and Women But God said Israel would have none of ME. And Christ said to the Jews Ye will NOT come to ME that ye might have Life And Christ in pity and tender compassion WEPT over the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and said I would have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would NOT. He did NOT say Ye could not for he KNEW that it was possible that they might have come unto him while the day of their Visitation lasted but after that time was ended they could not he said O that thou hadst known or experienced and enjoyed in this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Now your House is left unto you Desolate Now those that would not and will not have God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Grace and Truth which God hath given to lead out of the Sin of Unbelief c. these WILL NOT have Faith For they in their stubborn corrupt Self-will refuse God and Christ the Author of it and the holy Spirit which is given to lead into the true Faith which purifieth the Heart the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience as saith the holy Apostle Those who are so hardened by the Devil that great hardener of Hearts that they will not have God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Grace and Truth nor Faith this their refusing of God and Christ the Spirit Faith c. is NOT according to the WILL and mind of God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Truth but according to the cursed Will and Mind of the old Deceiver who led Adam and Eve to Sin against God and against their own Souls and according to their own cursed will and mind which he the old Deceiver and Destroyer hath begotten in them against God Christ the Spirit of Truth c. And such hardened ONES Perish whose Destruction is of themselves and the Lord God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth is clear which hath Convinced them of their Sin and Reproved them for the same in secret and hath waited and long striven to lead them out of the same into Faith INTO love and pure obedience to the pure holy God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Christ pronounced Wo against the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for OMITTING Faith see Matth. 23. 23. Note Reader here he pronounceth Wo against them because they had not Faith or were not in the true Faith here the just God shews that he did not with-hold the true and real means and cause of Faith from them but they in their corrupt wicked WILL did resist the working of the same till God ceased to strive with them for their Salvation So their being without Faith and perishing for want of it was of themselves and the Lord God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth was and is clear of them and all such It would be blasphemous to say that it was God's will that they should have no Faith though he cryed Wo against them because they omitted it and condemned them for not being found in it But it is no very strange thing that all men have not Faith seeing many in former Ages and divers in this have made SHIPWRACK of the true Faith which they ONCE HAD The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to Hold FAITH and a GOOD CONSCIENCE which some having put AWAY concerning Faith have made Shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. Moreover Paul said to Timothy The Spirit speaks expresly that in the latter Times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared with a hot iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats c. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Moreover Paul told Timothy that Hymaeneus and Philetus had erred c. who had overthrown the Faith of some see 1 Tim. 2. 18. Again Paul said to Timothy Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in FAITH and Love this thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me 2 Tim. 1. 13. 15. Again O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy TRUST avoiding prophane and vain Bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called which some professing have enred concerning the Faith 1 Tim. 6. 20 21. Reader thus it doth plainly appear that those who once had the true Faith did depart from it and fell into Apostacy and so made Shipwrack of that Faith which the Spirit of Truth had begotten in them and such became as Trees twice Dead plucked up by the Roots c. and as wandring Stars or wandring restless Spirits for whom is reserved the mist of Darkness forever as it s written in the holy Scriptures the Hearts and Consciences of such were grown very hard benumed and greatly insensible eyen answering in a Spiritual sense that saying viz. Having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron such are forward and bold to commit Sin with pleasure and greediness and to make a mock at true Tenderness holy Fear and true Watchfulness and at the godly Sorrow and unfeigned Repentance of those whose Hearts God hath broken by his Righteous Judgments through the effectual operation of the Word of FAITH which is to be known nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth which Word is as a Hammer to break the hard Heart and as an Ax or Sword to cut down the Lust and Wickedness thereof and as a Fire to burn up the same and as a strong Wind to drive away the Ashes thereof Wo wo to the Ranters and Atheists who have sold themselves to work Wickedness with greediness who make a Mock at God at his Works in Judgment and in Mercy unto the Children of men who sport themselves in their Devilish prophane Conversations wo to them it had been better for them that they had not been Born And wo to all Apostates who are departed from the true
in his own Spirit and Power feed the Flock of God and Christ Secondly That they did and do take the over-sight of the Flock not by Constraint but willingly God makes them willing by his heavenly power they are NOT made willing by Gold or Silver Corn or Cattel or any earthly thing neither do they AFFECT Titles of Eldership in Pride or Vain Glory but the False Teachers and Elders are made willing to Preach for Gold and Slver Corn and Cattel and Earthly things how such affect Titles Earthly things more then the true Elders WORK is known to God and it is discerned by many in this Morning of his heavenly Day which is dawned in this our Age glory to the Lord God for the same Such who feed with the Fat and cloath with the Wooll and make a PREY upon the People are in Balaams Way and Error who covet the Wages of Unrighteousness yea many in Cains way in Envy Persecuting about these things some even to Death and for these things they strive one against another the strife is who shall have the fattest Benefice The TRUE Elders and Ministers did not nor do not take the oversight of the flock of God for FILTHY LUCRE but of a ready mind which God begetteth in them by his good Spirit FILTHY Lucre is Earthly gain ILL GOTTEN Christ Jesus commanded his Disciples whom he made Elders to watch over his Church saying Freely ye have received freely give Those who esteem themselves Christs Ministers yet take the over-sight of their Flocks and watch over them and teach them for Gold Silver Corn Hay c. this their Gain is ungodly it is Ill gotten because in the getting of it they break Christs Command whose Servants they pretend to be and in so doing they greatly dishonour him Yet still the Ministers of Christ have power to eat such as is set before them freely but not to force or compel by Persecution those who did or do receive Spiritual things from them the Spirit of God makes such willing there is no use for outward Force and Persecution in this concern so then to be sure they had not power by outward Force to compel those who did not believe nor receive their Testimony or to pay them for preaching though the true Apostles and Elders had power to eat c. and where they did sow Spiritual things to reap Carnal yet they laboured with their own hands that they might make the Gospel without charge so far were they from desiring or receiving any outward thing for preaching from Unbelievers that they laboured with their own hands that they might not be chargeable to the Believers No the Ministers and Elders who were and are made by Christ were and are men of nobbler Spirits then to do so The true Elders and Ministers were not nor are not Lords over God's Heritage but were and are good Ensamples and true Servants to the Flock And their Exhortation was and is to walk as they had and have them for Ensamples Glory to the Lord for the same The faithful Elder and Apostle Paul by the holy Ghost exhorted Timothy saying Be thou an Example of the Believers in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity Neglect not the Gift that is in thee c. take heed unto thy self and unto the Doctrine continue in them for in so doing thou shalt save both thy self and them that hear thee see 1 Tim. 4. 12. to the end Again Chap. 5. 22. Lay Hand suddenly on NO man neither be partaker of other mens Sins KEEP thy self PURE c. They are blessed who follow the blessed Example of the Lord Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles and the Elders made by him who abide in his Doctrine and in the Faith which he is the Author and Finisher of and in the love which reacheth to all People both Friends and Enemies which Love thinketh no Evil neither doth any Wrong or Evil which Love is stronger than Death it is not puffed up it doth not behave it self unseemly This Love is the fulfilling of the holy Law of God as saith the holy Apostle All who keep therein are PLEASANT to the Lord and honoured by him with a truly tendred Heart and lowly mind and with the pure Patience in and through all Tribulation Trials and Affliction which cometh upon them for Christ's sake in which they possess their Souls in peace and quietness being kept by the mighty Power of God through the precious Faith and Love which is shed abroad in them BY and in Christ Jesus He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked see 1 John 2. 6. Concerning Original Sin IN page 10. J. B. takes upon him to say something concerning Original Sin he saith to his Neighbour I understand by you that its contrary to the Doctrine you teach c. Answ The Original or first cause of Sin is the Devil who abode not in the Truth as Christ said The Apostle saith He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose was the Son of God made manifest that he might Destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. Jesus said Whosoever committeth sin is the Servant of sin Joh. 8. 34. J. B. saith to his Neighbour in the aforesaid page You told me you questioned not at all but all those Infants that dyed without actual Sin were received into Heaven having nothing to be laid to their Condemnation Answ J. B's Neighbour hath spoken very Soberly and Charitably and Scripturally and Soundly in this matter though J. B. doth ignorantly Cavil against him for it the Dark Rebellious Apostized Jews were like unto this J. B. they said The Fathers have eaten sowr Grapes and the Childrens Teeth are s t on edge c. These Dark sayings displeased the Lord and he Rebuked them for them by the Mouth of his Servant Ezekiel saying The Soul that sinneth it shall dye the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the Iniquity of the Son see Ezek. 18. 2 20. read the Chapter through Moreover the Lord said by the Mouth of the Prophet Jeremiah They shall say no more the Fathers have eat a sowr Grape and the Childrens Teeth are set on edge but every one shall dye for his own Iniquity every man that eateth the sowr Grape his Teeth shall be set on edge Jer. 31. 29 30. Thus it plainly appears that little Infants who never acted or committed Sin must not be cast into Hell for their Fathers Sins but dying without actual Sin must inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus called a little Child unto him and set it in the midst of them and said Verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18. 2 3. Mark 10. 15. Luke 18. 17. Jesus said Suffer little Children and forbid them