lies slain in the Streets of the Ungodly World spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt that his got a place in man's Heart since the Fall The Foundation of this wicked World that is in Sin Polution that has so corrupted the Earth and filled it with Violence was laid by Transgression whereby Death came over all men But as by the Disobedience of one Man All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God so by the Obedience of one Man the Man Christ Jesus we come to be made alive again And as the Creature comes to joyn with the Manifestation of the Light of Christ Jesus the free Gift of the Father's Love who is full of Grace and Truth they come to know and feel his quickening Spirit which sets free from the Law of Sin and Death And keeping to the Light which discovers all the Deeds of Darkness they come to see their Way out of the old Adam to Christ the second Adam and how to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good according as in the Light it is made manifest for as saith the Apostle All things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Ephes 5.13 Now mind that in your own Hearts which reproveth in secret when no mortal Eye sees nor Ear hears the small still Voice which calls unto you when you are running to do Evil which grieves the Spirit of the Lord in you Return return hearken unto the Voice of Wisdom for she uttereth her Voice in the Streets of the World and in the midst of the Concourse of the People How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity and Scorners delight in their Scorning and Fools hate Knowledge Turn ye at my Reproofs c. Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched forth my Hand and none regarded but ye have despised all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I will also laugh at your Calamity when your Fear cometh like a Desolation and when Affliction and Anguish shall come upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me because they hated Knowledge and did not chuse the Fear of the Lord But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely Prov. 1.22 23 24. Here the Wise Man in the Wisdom of God shews what is to be turned from and the Safety Peace and Consolation of those that turn at the Reproofs and hearken to the Voice of this pure Wisdom as also the Calamity and Distress of such as will not give ear to the Reproofs of Instruction which as one said is the Way to Life nor be obedient to the Measure of Light and Life in their Hearts such must reap the Fruit of their own Devices Job speaking excellently and experimentally of this Wisdom saith on this wise Where is Wisdom to be found and where is the place of Understanding Man knoweth not the Price thereof The Depth saith It is not in me and the Sea saith It is not in me It cannot be gotten for Gold neither shall Silver be weighed for the Price thereof But THE FEAR OF THE LORD that is Wisdom and TO DEPART FROM INIQUITY that is a good Understanding Death and Destruction have heard of the Fame of Wisdom and many can talk of it but they are Aliens to it and their Hearts remote from it Oh! the pure holy Fear of the Lord God it keeps the Heart clean it preserveth out of all Evil and delivers from the Snares of Death it is a precious Pearl indeed a matchless Jewel Where is the Man that is furnished with Eloquence to unfold the Excellency of this Wisdom or who knows the Worth of it but those who have digged and searched the Deep for it and when they have found it sold all their Treasure that they have been heaping up in their Notional and Artificial Wisdom which is from below and made a Purchase of this precious Treasure and Riches which endures forever such have made a blessed exchange never to be repented of the Thief cannot break through and steal nor Moth corrupt neither can Canker rust or eat this Treasure But this is not to be found or attained unto in the Path where the Lyons Whelp hath trodden the fierce angry Nature or the fierce Lyon has passed by no Vultures Eye nor Beast of Prey can walk therein And though the Lyons may suffer Hunger yet those that fearthe Lord shall want no good thing a blessed Priviledge indeed It was the Fear of the Lord that preserved Joseph in his tender Years when he was in Egypt and when the Egyptian Woman his Mistress tempted him How can I said he do this great Wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 The Dread and Fear of offending the Lord was before his Eyes whereby he was preserved out of that Snare Oh that people would lay these things to heart and consider what they are a doing and search their Hearts in the Light and Fear of the Lord and humble themselves before him to whom they must give a just and final Account of the Deeds done in the Body that they may receive Mercy at his Hand before the Door be shut and there be none to open For saith the Lord by the Mouth of his holy Prophet I saith wash you make you clean put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes cease to do Evil learn to do well then come and let us reason together though your Sins were as Crimson they shall be made white as Snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as Wool If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and be rebellious ye shall be devoured with the Sword c. And the Son of God saith Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden with your Sins and Iniquities and know not whither to go and I will give you Rest This is Glad Tidings of an Acceptable Rest indeed unto all who are weary with travelling in the By Wayes and Crooked Pathes which lead to the Chambers of Death And this Rest remains for all the People of God who have been willing to come unto Christ by his Light in their own Hearts and to bow to his Appearance And all you who are in want of this Rest and desire the attainment of it but are ignorant of the Way that leads to it my Exhortation and Advice unto you is to come unto him who said Come unto me all you that are weary c. of whom it was testified That when he should come he should reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment and cease from seeking and striving in your own Wills which is not according to the Will of God and rest from your own Labours as God did from his mind that which discovers Sin and reproves in secret for it and turn at the Reproofs of it
and the Fountains of Water who formed the Mountains and created the Winds and declares unto man what his Thoughts are Amos 4.13 the Lord of Hosts is his Name He is making himself known in the Hearts of people by his great Power who will overturn and remove all Mountains and Hills that may be shaken or removed that that alone which cannot be shaken may remain then shall the Loftiness of the Heart of Man be brought down and the Haughtiness thereof laid low that all Flesh may fear and tremble before the Lord who gives unto all Life Breath and Being And as Man and Woman comes to believe in the Light of Christ Jesus which discovers and makes manifest unto them the most secret Thoughts and intents of their Hearts that they are continually Evil in the unregenerate state for as the Lord said Every Imagination of the Heart of Man was only continually Gen 6.5 and the Prophet saith The Heart is Deceitful above all things and desperately Wicked who can know it I the Lord search the Heart and try the Reins to give unto every Man according to his Wayes This Light I say being believed in kept to and obeyed is able work a Change and to cleanse the Heart that was corrupted by Sin and Transgression and to beget good Thoughts and good Desires and to judge down the contrary even all the Corrupt Wayes that man in his own Inventions has involved himself into and forsaken his Maker But this is not of our selves nor by any Acquirement of our own but is the free Gift of God the Giver of all good things which he has given us to believe in and to him alone not unto any thing of our selves we ascribe the Glory and Honour to whom it is due forever Now forasmuch as all men have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God it pleased God out of his infinite Love and Compassion towards the Sons and Daughters of Men to send his only begotten Son Christ Jesus a Light into the World that all through him might be saved and have Everlasting Life who gave his Life a Ransom for all that he might purchase them by his precious Blood He is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for our Sins only but also for the Sins of the whole World 1 John 2.2 And as man comes to believe in his Name which is his Power he comes to know Reconciliation through his Death and Blood and by it Redemption up unto God again And the Everlasting Gospel which is the great Power of God unto Salvation to all that believe in it and obey the same comes here to be witnessed which is that Gospel which Christ commanded his Disciples to preach throughout the World to every Creature under Heaven Mark 16.15 And If any man preach any other Gospel then that which is already preached and declared let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 But if this Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Now this Everlasting Gospel is preached again in the same Power and Demonstration of the Spirit as in times past by virtue whereof Life and Immortality is again brought to Light so that the Prisoner of Hope comes to receive the acceptable Tidings of Liberty and Freedom out of spiritual Bondage and Captivity And the Lord is arising and appearing in the Hearts and Consciences of the Sons and Daughters of men by the bright shinings of the Beams of his Glory to give unto them the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus 2 Corinth 4.6 Now the Reason why people have been erring and wandring every one after their own Wayes and in the dark Imaginations of their own Hearts is for want of the Knowledge of the only true God and Christ Jesus whom he hath sent whom to know is Life Eternal and the Reason why People come short of this Knowledge is because they will not believe in and yield Obedience unto the Light of Christ Jesus manifested in their Hearts to give them the glorious Knowledge of the Lord and of his Way of Life and Salvation and to lead them from under Satan's power who hath held people in Ignorance through Unbelief and hath kept them under the Region of the Shadow of Death For Christ Jesus who said I am the Light of the World also said Except ye believe that I AM HE ye shall dye in your Sins and whither I go ye cannot come So that Unbelief in the Light was and is the Cause why people dye in their Sins and come short of the Knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom to know is Life Eternal But Christ Jesus who is that Word that was in the Beginning by which all things were made that were made in whom was and is Life and the Life was and is the Light of Men John 1.4 he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World by which lost man comes to see his Way to God again out of his miserable Estate and undone Condition where all Flesh hath corrupted its way before the Immortal God in which way of Corruption by reason of Sin and Transgression there is none that doth good no not one And in this fallen Estate and deplorable Condition hath the Lord God beheld the Sons and Daughters of fallen Adam and with an Eye of Pity and in the Bowels of Compassion hath he looked down from the Habitation of his Holiness and hath sent forth the Son of his Love who by his Light and Grace appears in the Hearts of all Mankind his Light and his Grace and good Spirit is universal and freely extended unto all that as they mind it believe in it and are obediene to it they come to witness Salvation by it according to the Testimony of the holy Apostle The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live soberly and godly c. Titus 2.11 12. Now there is none excluded from the Appearance of this free Grace of God nor any to be excused who receive it not and resit the Teachings of it But as many as are obedient to the Teachings of it in their own Hearts they come to witness Freedom and Liberty by it and Power in it to resist the Temptations and many Snares that be in the Ungodly World And those that hate the Reproofs of its Instruction which is the Way of Life and turn from it into Lasciviousness and Vanity they will find it to be their Condemnation and those are they that crucifie unto themselves afresh the Lord of Glory and put him to open shame and trample the Blood of the Covenant under foot as a thing of no value And here the Lamb
Observations Dayes and Times and who shall have the greatest Wages as did those whom Christ called into the Vineyard who gives Liberally without upbraiding a Reward answerable to every ones Desert he is just and righteous in giving true Measure and full Weight and will reckon truly with every one and will bring all thy Deeds and Actions into thy Remembrance If his Witness in thy Conscience justifie thee then may'st thou with Courage Boldness and Joy appear before him but if it condemn thee then God is greater who will in no wise hold thee guiltless in his sight And the sluggish idle and negligent Servants shall be clothed with the Rags of old Adam and their Nakedness and Poverty will appear unto all For when Adam and Eve had sinned they saw their Nakedness and not before for then they were naked and strip'd of that Garment and Covering of Innocency wherewith the Lord had clothed them at the first and then they went to work and made for themselves Coverings of Fig-leaves which was but a mean Covering instead of the Garments of Innocency and Holiness which the Lord had put upon them And how insident is it unto fallen Man and Woman to make Unrighteous Coverings for Sin and as Adam after Transgression did to hide themselves under the Thickets and Shades of Excuses and Pretences But the Lord will rip off all such Coverings and Pretences and We from him is pronounced against such as are covered and not with his Spirit that they may add Sin unto Sin Isa 30.1 But now is the Everlasting Comforter come the Spirit of Truth which leads the Believers and the Obedient into all Truth of whom it is written on this wise as a signal Token and to give full Assurance that it is he who was promised When he is come he will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment of Sin because they believe not in me of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged John 16.8 9 10 11. Therefore arise stand up and make haste you who have been idle and come into the Vineyard and Work of the Lord who gives Light unto all whereby they may see what is the Work of the Day and what is required of them for when the Night comes no man can work for God Therefore follow Christ the Anointed of God who is given for a Leader and a Commander unto the People who is Jesus the Peaceable Saviour who leads his People out of and saves them from their Sins he has been sleighted despised and set at nought by the Wise Master Builders but unto a Remnant is he become the Head Stone of the Corner Chosen of God Elect and Precious unto all those who have received him and believed on him He is that Stone which Daniel saw cut out of the Mountain without Hands and is now growing great and shall fill the whole Earth and is striking at the Feet of the great Image and Images and the power of the Dragon Beast False Prophet is coming down apace and Mystery Bobylon the Great Whore and Mother of Harlots is now discovered who has ridden upon the Beast which by his power has defended her and has made the Nations drunk with the Wine of her Fornication which she had hold forth in her Golden Cup who hath this Inscription written in her Fore-head Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Rev. 17.5 This Whore the False Church has gone a Whoring from the Life and Power of God and from Christ Jesus the Ground the Apostles and primitive Church of God was built And this false Church is that great Whore which John saw sit upon the Waters which are Nations Multitudes Tongues and People who are not mis-parallel'd to Waters because through the drinking of the Whore's Cup they are become unstable and wavering in their Minds and Judgments and hence did arise Confusion like a troubled Sea and great Combustions which ended in Bloodshed and Murder and the Beast upon which John saw the Woman sit became Scarlet coloured and he saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus that has been shed from Age to Age and cryes in the Ears of the Lord for Vengeance who will judge and avenge the Righteous Cause of the Faithful Followers of the Lamb with whom the Dragon Beast and False Prophet have made War because they have kept the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus But they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their Lives unto Death These are they who are not defiled with Women but have come through great Tribulation and have made white their Garments in the Blood of Jesus And we know the Lamb shall have the Victory And he will overturn overturn until he come to reign whose Right it is whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and whose Dominion endures throughout all Generations and the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign forever and ever Rev. 11.15 And Desolation and sudden Destruction is coming upon Babylon the great City of Confusion and all her Inhabitants and Merchants who have enriched themselves by trading in her Wares and with her Costliness shall weep and wail because no man buyeth them any more and they shall stand afar off for fear of her Torment and east Dust on their Heads and say Alas alas the Great City wherein were made Rich all that had Ships on the Sea by her Costliness for in one Hour she is made desolate Rev. 18.15 19. And the Lord will dry up the Tongue of the Aegyptian Sea and all the goodly Buildings and pleasant Pictures which men in their fallen Wisdom and sensual Inventions have been erecting and setting up must now be broken down and demolished by those Weapons which are not Carnal but Spiritual and mighty through God to the bringing down the strong Holds of Satan the Prince of Darkness And those whom the Lord has deliver'd out of this spiritual bondage and from under the Aegyptian Task-masters and has open'd their Eyes to behold their miserable Estate and the great Desolation that is coming upon them who are yet in this City whose rotten Foundation is tottering and ready to fall They cannot but call unto them and cry Haste haste and escape for your Lives out of Babylon and flee to the City of Refuge as just Lot did at the Warning and Call of the Angel of the Lord to haste out of Sodom and flee to the little City Zoar and how soon after was Sodom destroyed with Fire and Brimstone and how eminently was the Arm and Power of the Lord manifested in preserving his People to wit Lot and his Family in that day who smote the Sodomites which pursued his