if she would cast her self into the bosome of their Church as they perswaded her to do And it appeared by her own expressions that a secret spiritual pride made her to glory in those voluntary sufferings as more to be depended on then Christs But I hope this spirit of delusion will be cast out of her when she is better informed for by trusting to false lights and by admitting a self-merit of being divinely illuminated and called to the highest Form of Sanctity not onely produceth a melancholly madness and many wicked fooleries to the scandalizing of Piety with the sincere professors thereof and to the advancement of the mystery of Iniquity whose abetters do secretly sowe and cherish the seeds of Impostures every where to that end 15. Nevertheless we must not exclude these out of our charitable hope and care nor disaffect their persons though we approve not their follies For even the Apostles misapprehended the nature of Christs Kingdom until they were perfectly inlightned and affected vain superiority as it seems by the Sons of Zebedeus when they got their good old Mother to intreat their Master that one of them might sit at his right hand and the other at his left yea they were tempted by the spirit of persecution when they would have had fire called down from Heaven and God doth now as heretofore permit errors and vouchsafe signal cautionary dispensations as the sins and errors of the times require to be sometimes personated by his servants in such manner that they seem ridiculous and offensive to good men and are in the Kingdom of this world reputed Fools and Phanaticks These things I have so well considered that I am afraid to indulge my own will so far forth as to pray absolutely for those lawful things which are most pleasing to my flesh and seem very pertinent to my natural well-being because I finde not my self wise enough to know how much either of sufferings or ease are best for me or what I might well use or abuse if I should be mine own chuser Therefore I pray absolutely for nothing save Gods Grace but bound my Petitions with this Clause Thy Will be done And this is now made easie because as I have often professed I want nothing with a repining sence of want so long as God is pleased to with-hold it from me in regard I am sure he knows what is best for me and hath love enough to vouchsafe it in that measure and at that time wherein it shall so be I naturally feel pains and desire ease as much as other men I perceive as well as they when my Field wants Rain or fair weather am as desirous of those good gifts whereby I might benefit my self or others and cannot root out of my heart a natural desire of desirable Objects yet I permit not my desire to be further inclinable thereto then shall consist with Gods Will and am assured it is then more acceptable then when we have no temptation or desire to the contrary For what obedience is there in him who shuns those forbidden things which he naturally abhors to do or in him who is constantly obedient to those commands onely which he is most inclinable to do There is more submission due to Gods Will then this even an absolute submission in that whereto our natural will is most violently prone And God hath so far forth freed the will of every Man born of a Woman ever since it was promised That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head That by his promised assisting Grace which never shall be wanting to them who ask it in Faith he may not withstanding any permissive power in the Devil or any irresistible defect in himself conform to the Will of God when by his VVord and Spirit the choice of good or evil death or life is to him offered For if it be not so man can have in him no more sin or righteousness then a stone This I believe and all they who believe this are in a good forwardness toward submitting their will to Gods 16. How Gods will may be done by us on earth as it is in heaven according to our measure I wil endeavour to demonstrate as well as I can We may collect from his holy VVord being interpreted by his holy Spirit which makes no part repugnant to the whole and main scope thereof that when the Kingdom of Christ is come to a perfect manifestation upon Earth the VVill of God will be there as perfectly fulfilled as in heaven because all the Subjects of that Kingdom being One with the King thereof and the whole extent of it with all therein though infinite being seen in him and fully known to all the will of every Creature shall be swallowed up in his and he be all in all This superintelligible Mystery cannot be fully demonstrated to our apprehension as we now are So much onely we are capable of as that we may know the deficiencies of our own will with the hazzards of adhering thereto and become thereby inclinable to resigne our selves to God at first perhaps through fear and at last for love But when that manifestation comes they who are of his houshold and Kingdom will abhor every thing how pretious soever it hath been that may divide or take up any part of that love which is due to their heavenly Father hate all who love him not as perfectly as natural men hate their personal Enemies renounce all things even themselves if cause be for his sake with whatsoever may not consist with the purity and glory of that Kingdom They being all of one Minde there will be no disputes as now about Doctrines and Disciplines no arrogating an exorbitant judging power over persons and Causes whereof they have neither perfect cognizance nor lawful jurisdiction no such unnecessary arguings as are here concerning Faith and Works or whether Repentance be before Faith with such like trifling Questions as have not a little disturbed the Peace and Concord which ought to be preserved For though Spiritual Graces appear to have precedency in time one before the other in regard we cannot take notice of such Objects one view or in what order they are wrought within us Yet all that which is by degrees manifested in time as pertinent to our Spiritual well-being is in one moment conceived in us by the Holy Ghost as the Soul is together with the Body in the womb of a Woman When the Kingdom we look for is come upon Earth there will be no such distinct Interests as are now here All things will be common in a more excellent manner then in the times of the Apostles and no such Self-seekings and Hypocrisie as was then discovered in Ananias and Saphira because as it is mystically expressed in the Revelation of St. John the very pavement of the City of our King will be pure and transparent gold which presignified as I conceive that all mens walkings will be then perfectly
those little innocent Children to whom Christ said the Kingdom of Heaven appertains 11. And whereas we hear many such sayings as these or to the like effect The way is broad that leadeth to destruction and the Gate so streight which gives admittance to Salvation that few enter in thereat That many are called but few chosen That though the People were as the sands of the Sea a small number should be saved That the Righteous in respect of the Wicked were but as here and there an Olive-berry upon the boughs after gathering-time or as a few Grapes after the Vintage with such-like asseverations These I acknowledge to be true yet my belief is notwithstanding all this that a far greater number shall be saved then condemned at the last Judgement For I cannot believe these expressions have respect to all Mankinde dispersed throughout the world from the beginning to the end thereof but as relating comparatively to those onely who are and were Members of those visible Churches and Provinces of Christs visible Kingdom upon earth to whom the ordinary means of Salvation were and are dispensed whether Jews or Christians the greatest number of whom for their wilful neglect of that means for their turning the Grace of God into wantonness for their seeking gain by pretended Godliness and for their meer formality and hypocrisie shall be shut out of that Kingdom whereof they judged themselves to be sole Inheritors and all the rest of the world to be cast-aways So did many Jews believe of themselves heretofore and so do many Christians now who will at last finde it to be a spirit of self-love which possessed them producing no better fruit then the Apples of Sodom are said to be These as I conceive are those of whom the sayings in holy Scripture aforementioned shall be verified and of whom onely they were intended These reputing themselves the onely Children of the Kingdom boast of their Priviledges such as the having Abraham to their Father The Temple of the Lord or the Word and Sacraments of the Gospel among them how much soever abused or neglected and these alone are concerned in those places of holy Scripture which declare the paucity of that number who shall be chosen in comparison of them who are called and the paucity of those among them who shall be saved in respect of their numerousness who shall perish by their neglecting or abusing those advantages which were put into their hands I conceive to be thereby meant For I cannot think that such sayings had a purposed relation to them unto whose knowledge that means neither came nor was likely to come whilst they lived after they were born into the World Such in particular as are many millions of Heathens in the remotest parts of the world As also little Children dying before they are capable of understanding what they hear and who must inavoydably and everlastingly perish if God hath provided no other means of their Salvation by Christ then such a way of preaching it as is vouchsafed to us 12. Therefore in my judgement they should have little hope of pardon for their many actual transgressions who knowing God hath provided means of life and nourishment for Children in the Mothers Womb when they can neither breath nor eat as when they are born if they shall not believe that God who is infinite in Mercy hath not provided as sufficient a means to nourish their Souls and Bodies to eternal Life who by Death in their infancy or otherways are without their personal default incapable of the ordinary means It is in my understanding so great an injury to the Goodness and Mercy of God to affirm he hath exposed to everlasting destruction all those Innocents by leaving them totally without remedy that they seem to me incapable of Forgiveness through Gods Mercy to them until they repent of their blasphemous mis-belief of his Fatherly compassion who hath given them no just cause to imagine he neglects to make provision for the wellfare of all his impotent Children Therefore that we may not obstruct the Forgiveness of our Debts and Trespasses which we pray for or charge God with so much cruelty as to expose his own Children by Creation at least to be a prey to the Devil and which is more abominable to teach other men to believe be hath eternally decreed the Reprobation of all Mankinde except a very few in comparison of the rest I will endeavour to make it more evident though I have alledged much to this purpose already that a very few shall be everlastingly damned in respect of them who shall be saved by the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ and that this is sufficiently provided for by GODS eternal Decree of Election and Reprobation which hath by many been misunderstood to the dishonour of his Divine Justice contrary to the light of Reason renewed and santified by Grace and to that illumination which is added thereunto by Gods Word and Spirit And though to make odious that Doctrine which I assert it is called Heresie Arminianism Popery and what else they please who oppose it I hope it shall be so generally received that all good Christians will ere long be ashamed of it and make it appear so wicked that it will hardly be believed by many in future times if there were not so many great Volumes written to uphold their error For who in Reason can believe that he who created all things in Love by Love and to be beloved of his Creatures for whose good he created them did fore-intend to make the greatest number of them everlastingly miserable and design them to that unhappiness before they had being or possibility to do good or evil yea that he necessitated them to do that evil for which they should be condemned what love was there in this or what love could be expect from those who should be taught thus to believe or what Truth is in such Teachers who incourage their Disciples to think so of him who hath said and sworn he desired not the Death of sinners but that they should repent and live Verily if there be any madness in Bedlam more extravagant then this I am greatly deceived 13. It is true that God hath absolutely predestinated some to Salvation and ordained some to condemnation of old with respect to their Qualifications in time and to a Covenant between him and them but none absolutely to condemnation nor either with respect or disrespect to their persons before time or before they had a temporary being though he fore-knew what the one and the other would be David tell us in his fourth Psalm who they are whom God Elected even the GODLY that is such as he fore-saw would hear heed and be conformable to the dictates of his Word and Spirit and who when he had inlightned their understanding and renewed their wills would endeavour perseverance to the end according to the power he gave them not trusting to that obedience or to any
that which he cannot By gentle allurements we may by degrees bring it to change Nature and become serviceable to our Desires God in like manner Draweth us by the Cords of a Man he forceth not our Nature into a change but wooeth our will unto a conformity with his by such means as may secretly and naturally thereto incline the heart using no other force but such Fatherly chastisements onely as may remove the perverseness which we have gotten by evil Custoâ—â—â—s to augment our natural indisposition which we got by hearkning to his and our Enemies It is an unquestionable Cruelty to compel and necessitate men to that which we know makes them everlastingly miserable but doubtless it were no wrong to a Madman to pull him out of the fire whereinto he had thrown himself nor injustice in a Father to use the Rod to fright his Children from that which may destroy them when they will neither do it for love to him or themselves God afflicteth none but for their good until they become obstinately Rebellious he requireth no more of any man then he hath given Reprobates none finally unless they are finally unpenitent and never willed the destruction of any one who submitted to his will 3. No man I think endeavours to teach Beasts to write and read though some teach Birds to speak which can talk with as much understanding of humane words as they have of the Mysteries of saving Faith who discourse and preach the Word literally without the Spirit therefore God hath vouchsafed means of instruction by offering both and if their concurrence hath not a sufficiency to effect for every man that which was intended and promised to all who despise not his offer but earnestly seek for it Why are we commanded to make intercession for all men Why doth the Gospel injoyn all to believe in Christ Jesus if there had not been a possibility that all might have been saved unless by their own default To what purpose hath God sworn he desireth not the death of a sinner and give his onely Son for a general Redemption that all men might be saved Why are so many promises and threatnings cast away upon them who are said to be irrecoverably predestinated both to condemnation and to do all that evil which may bring it upon them as certainly as the Righteous are predestinated to their Salvation and to the means thereof Wherefore do men so quarrel about Doctrines and Disciplines putting themselves and others to so much Labour Cost and Suffering as we see they do imposing the same duties upon all without exceptions if the greatest number of men are Reprobates without hope I know what is or may be said by some to those questionings and that they are delusive or dissatisfactory answers For if we shall teach men to believe that God hath absolutely willed and fore-determined as they suppose very few will be thereby incouraged to pray that his Will may be done But God hath necessitated none to be miserable or wicked he hath provided means whereby both Sin and Miserie may be prevented or else removed if it be timely embraced and if that by neglect thereof men seeming righteous fall not away from their Righteousness For by the common outward means prescribed to them unto whom it is preached together with those extraordinary and supernatural Mediums which God vouchsafeth where they are not preached as with us by the Spirit which bloweth when and where it listeth the Will is by degrees set at liberty form its natural Bondage and rendred active in the works of Regeneration by proposing Gods promises of Supply and Assistance by shewing their dangers and remedies and by intermingling Mercies and Judgments and if these prevail not it is not by any bar fore-determined by God both because their own wilfulness and negligence hath lulled them asleep in security until they are hardned into a final impenitency 4. Many men who are sick have no will to take such Physical ingredients as are wholsome and necessary for recovery of their healths but naturally abhor them with such a detestation that they will not be perswaded or inforced to receive them by those who have most power over them though they are likely to loose their lives by that wilfulness yet by the prudence and gentle perswasions of a wise and loving Physitian taking away their nauseousness by other corrective Ingredients and assuring them of health they are won at last to accept thereof and recover So it fares with us who are naturally averse from the means which the Holy Ghost prescribeth to correct our depraved will when we are not finally obstinate and have made our selves worse and more miserable by evil Customs ripened into an Habitual wickeness then we were by a depraved Nature Christ bewailed Jerusalem with tears not because she could not but because she would not embrace the means of her preservation and prosperity through that wilfulness which she had contracted by her own default else his bewailings had not proceeded from true compassion which it were a Capital sin to affirm And they who deny what God hath done and continues to do for them or affirm that he hath not given them ability whereby they may co-operate with him in doing what he commands and in avoiding that which he hath forbidden are ingrateful Blasphemers and Lyars For the contrary not only evidenced in his Word but is also demonstrable by that whereof we have or may have an experiment If a Drunkard or a Thief or an Adulterer or any other gross sinner who hath most accustomed himself to prevaricate were told by him whom he knew to have both power and will to inflict what he threatens that the next time he was drunk or committed any of the sins aforementioned he should be immediately tormented to death and if this man knew and still saw one watching him night and day in publick and in secret at home and abroad ready to execute him immediately for that transgression I am confident that Drunkard Thief or Adulterer who was most tempted to act those sins would forbear them so long as he had such an Attendant unless he were grown so distracted that he knew not what he did And if this be so whereof I think no reasonable man doubts then whosoever sayes it is not in his power to forbear those sins which he actually commits I dare say unto him it is not altogether through want of ability to perform so much as God requires but because he neglects the Grace offered or that watchfulness over himself which is necessary and possible or because he believes not Gods promises and threatnings or forgets or heeds not that he sees him in all places at all times and will severely punish his carelesness and presumption and this is that which renders every cast-away liable to Reprobation and no fore-determination of God necessitating him thereunto More might be said to this purpose but I hope this shall suffice to preserve a
set before us unless we shall be likewise preserved in all temptations from those evils which may else ensue when we abuse external benefits and saving means to the dishonor of the Giver either by neglect or employing them to fulfill our wicked lusts or by turning his spiritual Graces into wantonness Giving and Forgiving Pardons and Protections must go together in compleating our happiness for flesh and blood is so frail that without Gods preventing Grace and perpetual co-assistance we are sometimes prone to make even the forgiveness of our sins an introduction to a returning with the Dog to his vomit and with the Swine to wallowing in the mire as appears by the impudence of that Harlot mentioned by Solomon who made the payment of her vowes a motive to allure her lascivious companions to be partners in her uncleanness And it hath been too often seen that many young persons especially who are perswaded they are sanctified by a formal communicating at the Lords Table about the time of Easter do take more liberty that day to fulfill their vain lusts then on any one day in the year and yet some of these are none of those who make least conscience of Moral or Divine Duties 2. That Word in the Original which is translated DEBTS signifies Trespasses or sins also Omissions and Commissions leaving that undone which we ought to do and doing that which we ought not to do There is also in this Petition a Condition implyed beside that which is expressed touching our forgiving them who are indebted or offensive to us which condition includeth Contrition Confession Repentance and Amendment making up one fourfold Duty without performance whereof in will at least we cannot justly ask that pardon here prayed for Forgiveness of our Debts and Trespasses is not precarious but on condition we forgive them who Trespass against us And if it be so they ought seriously to consider how far they are from performing it as they ought to do who persecute their brethren or others to the ruining of their estates and the destruction of their lives who seek their weal and never did or intended them evil especially they who persecute others for differing from them in judgement and practice onely in things relating to their consciencious serving of God whereof none but he himself is a competent Judge These are far from imitating God in his free Acts of Grace as are they also who make shewes of Reconciliation and forgiveness to get the more power and opportunity to execute their Vengeance upon those whom they hate without just cause But I return to the forementioned conditional Duty He that says he hath no sin is a lyar and hath no truth in him He that hides his sin shall not prosper He that is not sorry for it cannot truly Repent He that Repents not is uncapable of Remission and if he might obtain it without Repentance no Amendment would follow but he would every day wax so much worse rather then better that at last he would fall into a final obduracy rendring him impenitent for ever This fourfold Duty I make to be but one because if one be sincere all the rest are so truly performed together in one moment effectually though it be in the last hour of life that they will be accepted of as if actually done from the VVomb to the Grave as appears by our Saviours gracious words to the Thief upon the Cross and by him who received the whole dayes wages for one hours work for though our sins are so many and unknown that we cannot confess be sorry for them or repent them all in particular yet their being so many may and ought to make us to repent them in general with the more hearty sorrow and confession and then our willingness to amend shall be accepted for the deed through that satisfaction which was made for all our transgressions by him who hath satisfied to the plenary Remission of all our Debts and Trespasses who shall ask it in his Name with Faith and Love 3. That this Faith and Love may be attained unto we must with David earnestly desire and endeavour to have our hearts and Reins searched that out secret sins may be discovered unto us as much is as possible and consider from what â—osome Serpents we are delivered by the sacrificing of that Lamb which taketh away the sins of the World for in the heart lies the root of all Transgressions which though mortified by Christs taking upon him our Nature is in every unregenerate man soon quickned again by the spirit of the Devil and the evil seed by him injected is conceived nourished and delighted in by filthy contemplations until it comes forth into deeds and though never perhaps brought forth into Act defiles as much if not more then actual Adulteries and Murthers because spiritual wickednesses occasioning no outward shame or punishment bringing us to heed and repent them as open gross sins do are by so much the more dangerous and mortal To kindle and inflame our Love to Christ and that our Faith may take the faster hold on him we might to take notice that he hath Redeemed us and all mankinde from every sin whatsoever lest by denying him the honour of that Mercy which is the greatest illustration of his Love we commit a greater sin then all those that we desire should be forgiven and let us be wary that we charge not the humane Nature with a sin wherewith God charges it not in such a manner as some do under a pretence of doing him honour thereby Thus ignorantly they do at least if not Hypocritically who impute the guilt of Original sin to all Mankind For I cannot understand to what end they should impute the guilt of our first Parents transgression to all except it be to lay un to Gods charge the chief cause and greatest blame of all our Prevarications according to their câ—vil who said The Childrens teeth were set on edge by their Fathers eating of sowre grapes whereof they tasted not and were made liable to everlasting death by their transgressions before they had any sin of their own This is the effect of those words and this misimputation to God is continued though he hath said yea sworn the contrary and reproved the Jews whose imitators and parallels we have been in all their sins for many have the very same evil opinion of Gods Justice and Mercy This makes me think when I hear what some say to this purpose in their confessions that they do but complement with God in their Prayers as they do who being suiters to a great person say to this effect Sir we are your poor humble servants who have often offended your honour and are so unworthy that we can justly expect nothing but of your meer favour c. yet when they come to speak of this person to others say He is a hard man reaping where he sowed not gathering where he strowed not making him pay for that