Repent and turn to the Lord from these abominable things that so they might not be forever shut out of the Kingdom of God! O that the Inhabitants of England and all Nations would believe in God that made them who is spiritual Light who is a holy pure Spirit who is Omnipresent or present every where who said Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stool c. see Isa 66. 1. read the Chapter through 1 King 8. 27. his pure Spirit lighteth every one that cometh into the World O that the great multitudes in England and all Nations who are in Strife and Contention Hatred and Envying Murthering and Killing one another about Religion and about Earthly things WOULD BELIEVE in this Heavenly Spirit that enlightneth them which giveth them to understand in some measure or degree what is Good and also what is Evil O that they would bow down unto it and become subject unto the leadings and teachings of it then would it teach them to love one another NOT to be like Cain who slew his Brother because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous but it would teach them to do to all men as they would be done unto as God hath commanded yea it would teach them as it did good Joseph who was kind unto his Brethren who was cruel to him who sold him to the Ishmalites yea it would teach them to overcome the evil with the good as Joseph did and as God commandeth But because Multitudes and Nations believe not in this holy pure peaceable loving and long-suffering Spirit therefore it is that they are as the raging Sea that casts up Mire and Dirt and many are as the cruel merciless Beasts of Prey destroying one another yea many oppressing and seeking to destroy Gods tender People who have true love to all and desire the temporal and eternal good of all who Worship him in his holy Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth the faithful followers of it and because that Vengeance is not executed speedily or suddenly for these crying Abominations therefore are the Hearts of the Sons of men fully set in them to do Evil as it was of Old see Eccles 8. 11. and because it is thus that many have given up themselves to Unbelief and hardness of Heart who have closed their Eyes and stopped their Ears against the Convictions and Reproofs of this pure meek merciful and compassionate Spirit of God and Christ whom he hath sent and have given up themselves to work Wickedness with greediness therefore there is great cause to take up a dolefull Lamentation and Mourning and those whom God hath made skilfull in Mourning who greatly desire the Salvation of the Multitudes Tongues Languages and People these have Mourned and do Mourn to see Multitudes running on swiftly toward the Pit of everlasting Destruction suddenly to be sunk into it Thus as of Old many say in their Hearts unto the Almighty God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Thus they hate the knowledge of God they do not chuse his holy fear which is the beginning of the pure peaceable Wisdom which cometh from above as saith the holy Scriptures see Job 21. 14. read the Chapter through see Prov. 1. 4 7 22 29. read the Chapter through Well said the Apostle Peter Our beloved Brother Paul in all his Epistles writes things which are hard to be understood which they who are Vnlearned Vnstable wrest as they do the other Scriptures unto their own DESTRUCTION Peter was an Illiterate man and so an Unlearned man in Natural or Artificial Learning of Tongues and Languages but he was a man of great Learning in the Heavenly Spiritual School of Christ all who come to learn of Christ Paul and Peters heavenly Master they are taught by to understand their Words and to have unity with them and such are of one mind concerning them But they who are not yet come to learn of Christ as he is the Light of the World they are not come to a right understanding of the holy mens Words which are Recorded in the holy Scriptures and this is the cause that they are not of one mind concerning them but in very many contrary minds and in tumultuous Controversies about the meanings of them Paul doth say as is shewed before that God's Will is that ALL men should know the Truth and be SAVED This have I written in the love of God concerning Election and Reprobation for the Comfort and Encouragement of all those who are weary of and heavy laden with their Sins who hunger and thirst after Righteousness that they may come to Christ Jesus who dyed for them and rose again and ascended as it is written of him in the Scriptures of Truth who hath promised that he will give them Rest see Matth. 11. 28 29 30. This is also written as a Warning unto those who are at ease in their Sins flattering themselves speaking Peace unto themselves in their Unchristian Conversations and pleading for a necessity of continuing in the act of Sin unto the end of their dayes upon Earth and yet vainly imagin that they are the Elect and Chosen of God Jesus said I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but he shall have the Light of Life The Pharisees therefore said unto him Thou bearest Record of thy self and thy Record is NOT true But Jesus said unto these Unbelieving Jews If ye believe NOT that I am he ye shall die in your Sins whither I go ye CANNOT come see John 8. 12 24. Note Reader These great professing Pharisees Opposed Christ Jesus and denyed him to be the Light of the World Too like these Pharisees are many Teachers high Professors of Christ in Words in our Age who though they will talk much of Christ as he was born and dyed and rose again according to the Flesh yet can they not endure to hear him preached as he preached himself and as the holy Apostles preached him to wit the Light of the World the true Light which lighteth every one that cometh into the World This is the Stone which all the Builders do reject and set at nought who build up their VAIN Religions Faiths and Worships in the Serpentine Earthly Devilish Wisdom in Murther Cruelty Oppression and Idolatry but when this Stone falls on them in Judgment it will grind them all to Powder see Luke 20. 17. Psal 118. 22. Mat. 21. 24. O Blessed will all they be who come unto and believe in this Living Stone their hard Hearts shall be broken by it and made soft and tender and thereby be made fit to enter into the Kingdom of God into which nothing that is Unclean can enter and their sins that are past though they be many God will freely Pardon Remit and Forgive them in his tender Mercy and forbearance in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself a Ransom for
What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much Long-suffering on the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction Now mark God suffered them long and his Long-suffering was to lead them to Repentance as the Apostle saith in another place Dispisest thou the Riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after the hardness and Impenitency of thy Heart treasure stup unto thy self wrath against the Day of wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgments of God who will render to every man according to his Deeds Rom. 2. 4 5 6. Now they not Repenting but in the hardness of their Hearts going on till they grew ripe in Wickedness their ripe Age in Wickedness fitted them for Destruction which Wickedness not God but the Devil led them into In Proverbs God called to Fools and Scorners to turn at his Reproof but they did not return and God said Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no man regardeth but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof I also will Laugh at your Calamity c. when your Destruction cometh as a Whirl-wind then shall you call upon me but I will not answer and they shall seek me but they shall not find me for that they hated Knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 22. to the end of the Chapter Here its clear that God calls Fools and Scorners to Repent he wills that they should Repent and he puts them into a condition that they may Repent he puts them into a condition that they may Turn at his Reproof from the Evil which he doth Reprove them for he puts them into a condition that they may take his Counsel and chuse the Fear of the Lord. It were horrible Blasphemy to say That though God called them to turn at his Reproof yet he did not Will or Intend that they should turn at his Reproof chuse his Fear or take his Counsel or to say he knew they could not do it is likewise Blasphemy And it is Blasphemy to say or think that God who commands people to be Holy FORCETH CONSTRAINETH them to be wicked and ungodly by WITH-HOLDING his Spirit of Grace and Truth from them which should enable them to turn at his Reproof to receive his Counsel chuse his Fear without the Spirit of Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus Christ who is the true Light who lighteth every man that cometh into the world NO Man or Woman can turn from sin take Gods Counsel nor chuse his Fear but that all the Wicked might Repent and Turn from their Evil Wayes while the Day of their Visitation lasteth The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to All Men as the holy Apostle saith Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live godly in this present World The Grace of God appears unto all people for one and the same Cause Purpose or End even to teach all to deny Ungodliness and to live godly in this present World but as Jude the Servant of Christ saith The Wicked not being Obedient unto it turn into Wantonness and as it s else-where writ The Wicked do despite unto the Spirit of Grace Isaiah saith That the Jews Rebelled and Vexed Gods holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their Enemy and Faught against them Isa 63. 10. Now for any person to say or think That it was the Will of God that they should Rebell against him and Vex his holy Spirit this is horrible Blasphemy Mark these had the Spirit and did Rebell against it and thereby did grieve or vex it for which cause he became their Enemy and Fought against them Mark he did not become their Enemy nor Fight against them until by their Rebellion they vexed his holy Spirit so these Rebells being Reprobated from Rest and Peace with God their Destruction was of themselves and the Lord God is clear Nehemiah in his 9th Chapter saith concerning the Children of Israel Lord thou gavest thy good Spirit to Instruct them but they Rebelled against thee Now for any person to say or think that it was Gods Will that they should Rebell against him this is horrible Blasphemy as I said before or for any person to say or think that God gives his good Spirit to some persons on purpose that they may Rebell against it and thereby cause him to become their Enemy and to Fight against them this is no less then Blasphemy The Apostle saith With whom was God grieved forty Years was it not with them that had sinned whose Carkases fell in the Wilderness to whom sware he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of Vnbelief let us labour to enter into that Rest lest any man FALL after the same example of Vnbelief Heb. 3. 17 18 19 4. 11 1. Note here Reader the Apostle doth not place the Fall of these rebellious Jews who came out of Egypt with Moses upon the decree or will or fore-appointment of God BUT upon their Unbelief Rebellion and Apostacy which the Devil NOT GOD was the author of for they might have entred if they had improved that help and ability which God gave them Nehemiah said God gave them his good Spirit to instruct them but they rebelled against it they were disobedient and rebelled against thee saith he and cast thy Law behind their Backs and slew thy Prophets WHICH TESTIFIED AGAINST THEM TO TURN THEM UNTO THEE and they wrought great provocation c. And Nehemiah said unto the Lord God of Heaven and Earth Thou art JUST in all that thou hast brought upon us for thou hast done RIGHT but we have done wickedly Nehem. 9. 20 26 33. read the Chapter through Reader by this it appears plainly that God had not reprobated these Rebels from all Eternity or ordained them before they were Born to slay his Prophets For saith Nehemiah Thou sent thy Prophets whom they slew to turn them unto thee It were horrible Blasphemy to say that Gods will and purpose and fore-determination was that they should slay his Prophets which he sent unto them to turn them unto him And it were horrible Blasphemy to say that God did not will or intend that they should be turned unto him but only told them so and it would be no less Blasphemy to say that God both sent the Prophets to turn them to him and also sent them to slay the Prophets this would render God to be the author of Confusion which cannot be for he is the God of good and holy order not of Confusion as saith the holy Apostle nay it would render him the author of Murder and so make him contradict his own holy Law which he hath given unto the Sons and Daughters of
Revellings and Dancings Whisperings and Back-biteings Lying and Slandring evil Imaginations and Thoughts and abominable Idolatries The BARE Name of Christian will not profit you any thing while you are out of the true Christian Faith and Obedience in Rebellion against Christ O that you would consider your latter end O that you would seek after God! O that you would unfeignedly seek Repentance there is Mercy with God that he may be feared and sought after BY YOU while the Day of your Visitation lasteth before the Door of Mercy be FOREVER shut against you but if you will STILL go on in your Wickedness you will in a very little TIME grow RIPE for Vengeance and the Lord will CERTAINLY be TOO strong for you and will cut you down as in a moment and will bring you into everlasting Punishment as the just reward of your wicked ungodly Works Words Imaginations and Thoughts For the holy Ghost saith by the Mouth of the holy Apostle Paul Be NOT deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap he that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting If you live after the Flesh you shall DYE but if you through the Spirit mortifie the Deeds of the Body then shall you LIVE His Servants you are to whom you yield your selves Servants to OBEY whether it be of SIN unto Death or of OBEDIENCE unto Righteousness Gal. 6. 7 8. Rom. 6. 16. and 8. 13. Moreover mortifie your Members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry for which THINGS SAKE the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of Disobedience in the which ye also walked SOME TIME when ye lived IN them but now ye also put off ALL these Anger Wrath MALICE BLASPHEMY filthy Communication out of your Mouth Lye NOT one to another c. Put on CHARITY which is the bond of PERFECTNESS and let the PEACE of God rule in your Hearts to the which YOU are also called in one Body and be ye thankful c. Col. 3. 5 6 7 8 9 14 15. Read the Chapter through Again Be ye therefore Followers of God as dear Children and walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour but Fornication and ALL Uncleanness or Covetousness let it NOT ONCE be named among ye c. neither Filthiness nor foolish TALKING nor JESTING which are not convenient but rather giving of Thanks For this you KNOW THAT NO Whoremonger NOR Unclean Persons NOR Covetous man which is an Idolater hath ANY Inheritance IN the Kingdom of Christ and of God Let no Man deceive you with VAIN Words for because of these things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience be NOT ye therefore partakers with them for ye were SOMETIMES DARKNESS but NOW ARE YE LIGHT IN THE LORD walk as CHILDREN of the LIGHT for the FRUIT of the Spirit IS IN ALL GOODNESS and Righteousness and Truth and have NO fellowship with the unfruitful WORKS of Darkness BUT rather reprove them For it is a SHAME even to SPEAK of those things which are done of them IN SECRET but ALL things that are reproved are made manifest BY the LIGHT for WHATSOEVER DOTH make manifest IS LIGHT Wherefore he saith AWAKE thou that SLEEPEST and arise from the DEAD and Christ shall give thee LIGHT Ephes 5. to the 14. Read the Chapter through Moreover the Author to the Hebrews saith by the holy Ghost or Spirit Follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God or FALL from IT As in the Margin before Lest any Root of bitterness spiringing up trouble you and THEREBY many be defiled lest there be any Fornicator or PROPHANE Person as Esau WHO for one morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right Heb. 12. 14 â—5 16. Note Reader this is WORTHY of thy observation that Esau SOLD his Birth-right and the following words of the Apostle are these viz. You know saith he that afterward WHEN he would have inherited the BLESSING he was REJECTED c. ver 17. Note here the holy Ghost renders Esau a Prophane Person and rendereth the SELLING and despising of his Birth-right as a proof of his Prophaneness for which he was rejected of God and could not inherit the Blessing though he Afterwards sought it c. The holy Ghost or Spirit said by Moses Thus Esau despised his Birth-right Gen. 25. 34. God did not fore-appoint Esau to be a prophane or wicked man he did not fore-appoint him to serve and obey the Devil the Original and first cause of all Prophaneness and Wickedness It is written that Ahab SOLD HIMSELF to work Wickedness in the sight of the Lord 1 Kings 21. 25 20. So Wickedness and Prophaneness alwayes proceeded from the Devil and CORRUPT SELF but all Purity and Holiness proceeds from God who is everlasting Holy his command unto all People is Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord as saith the holy Ghost and also saith Holiness becomes the Lords House forever God DID NOT SELL Esau to work Wickedness but he sold himself or gave up himself to the Original of wickedness the Devil for after he was corrupted by him who is the Original of all Prophaneness and Wickedness he despised his Birth-right and sold it for a Mess of Pottage and after he had done this God rejected him but before this he had a day or time of Visitation in which he might have entred into Rest and Peace with God In the Prophecy of Obediah there is much said concerning Esau and his House Family or Off-spring the Edomites as I have shewed before in this Book God said to Esau IN HIS Generation The Pride of thine Heart hath deceived thee how are the things of Esau searched out how are his hidden things sought up c. For the Violence against thy Brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever Thou shouldst NOT have rejoyced over the Children of Judah in the day of their Destruction NEITHER shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of Distress thou shouldst NOT have entred into the Gate of my People in the day of their Calamity c. NOR have laid hand on their SUBSTANCE in the day of their Calamity NEITHER shouldst thou have STOOD in the cross way to CUT OFF those of him that did escape NEITHER shouldst thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of Distress AS thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy REWARD shall turn upon thy own Head c. And the House of Jacob shall be a Fire and the House of Joseph a Flame and the House