of good and evil Again though it is said It was a Tree to be desired to make one wise yet you may know that the soul of Eve was not of a desiring nature after wisdom in her creation because she was all divine satisfaction in her self therefore that desire of tasting of the fruit of a Tree to make her wise as Gods to know both good and evil proceeded onely from the rational nature of an unsatisfied spirit of the Angelical Serpent for this I would have you to understand that at that time when Eve was tempted to evil by the Serpent she was wholly left to her own strength it was the seeming glory of his Angelical language that over-topped her present light and begot that desire in her understanding through which her soul was moved with a powerful desire to make tryal of his Serpentine counsel and to taste of his spiritual meat so highly exalted by him Why because to her received new thoughts she had not heard so glorious a language before Also the Tree was pleasant for sight yet before that glittering Serpent appeared Eve wanted no satisfaction in beholding the man Adam but she looking a little too long upon the comliness of his form through his infused Witchcraft her soul was ravisht through his Angelical person Again it was a Tree whose fruit was to be desired to make one wise as Gods to know both good and evil Now minde the pretended meaning of the serpent in those words was this If she did but taste of the fruit of that Tree it was so full of divine vertue that she could not only be like unto God but she would be as a God to her self also to know all that was to be known whether good or evil within her own soul but the truth is the Serpents secret intent was this that when she had tasted of that forbidden fruit she should with him both know and feel in her own spirit the difference between light and darkness life and death love and envy peace and war good and evil or God and devil likewise observe since Eve the natural mother of all man-kinde was overcome by lust through the subtilty of the Serpent hath not many a poor innocent virgin or virgin-wife in like maner been deceived through the comeliness of mens persons and their Serpentine languages by perswading them that they loved them above their own lives and of giving them such content they know not of or if they deny them it will be their death yea telling them All men are but one man and all women are but one woman and therefore it is purity to be free unto all and that they are in the greatest bondage which are united unto one onely I say hath not these and such like cursed counsels occasioned many innocent soul to betray their virginity or virgin-bed unto their perpetual sorrow and shame afterwards Just thus was it with the virgin-wife Eve though it may seem strange at the first unto many that shall read this Epistle yet you know the Scripture saith That she seeing the Tree good for meat and pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise took of the fruit thereof and did eat that is When the innocent soul of Eve was over-powered with the Serpents subtile language as beforesaid her spirit did consent unto him to come in unto her and take full possession of her to be her God and guide in stead of her Creator Truly in this case the Virgin Eve's condition may fitly be compared unto the Virgin Mary for you know after the Angel had told her that without knowing of man she should be with childe through the power of the most High overshadowing of her how easily was she intreated not onely to have it so but also how exceedingly did her soul rejoyce with the very tidings thereof Again if men look with a spiritual eye between their Angelical salutations you may see more seeming glorious injoyments in the unclean angel greeting of Eve then in the holy Angels saluting of Mary Again though men or Angels should gainsay it from the spirit of truth it self I shall declare the very sense of this secret in plainness of speech which was this As soon as ever Eves innocent soul through the permissive power of God was overcome to consent to the Serpents cursed councel his Angelical person entered into her womb through her secret parts and being united to her soul and body his serpentine nature dissolved it self into her pure seed and defiled her throughout and so became essentially one with her through which naturally she conceived a Serpent Dragon devil into a man child of flesh blood and bone and brought forth her first begotten son of the Devil yea the very Dragon serpent devil himself and called his name according to his nature Cain or cursed though ignorantly she said she had received a man from the Lord So likewise on the contrary the womb of the Virgin-wife Mary was honored with the onely wise Angelical God himself through which her polluted nature was not onely cleansed whilst he was in her womb but also by vertue of the Divine power she was enabled to conceive his glorious majesty of her seed into a holy Babe of unspotted flesh blood and bone and in his season to bring forth her first begotten Son of God and call his name according to his nature Emmanuel Jesus or Blessed so that you which are truely and inwardly baptized with the true knowledge of the holy One of Israel may see in some measure what is meant by the two Scripture-seeds the Angelical devil first became a man-child and the Angelical God afterwards became a man-child thus the most holy God abased himself in the very womb of a woman that he might first or last destroy the power of that serpentine reason or lying imagination in all his elect Israelites Thus if you be not stone-blind you may clearly see that the serpentine angel when he tempted Eve was no homely beast as men vainly imagine from their beastly reason but he was a spiritual body and appeared unto Eve in form like unto a glorious God or man Now if you be unsatisfied as touching the Angelical serpent consisting of as large a compass as the person of a man and yet could enter into the womb of Eve through so narrow a passage as is declared by me I shall answer thee in those sayings of Nicodemus to Christ John the third where he saith How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born again As our Lord answered Nicodemus unto his fleshly question so likewise from his own light in like maner I shall make answer unto this Though the body of the Angelical Serpent in his length or breadth was as a man is yet you may know it was not of a gross substance as man is but it was a spiritual body created in another
in that Chapter that treats of the seed of Cain his education or bringing up Again It is by the Seed of Cain believed man is not the devil in that saith thou the devil can transform himself into any form and appear how where and when he pleaseth Answer If this were true as it is not it were nothing advantagious unto thee in that I can in truth and reality instance one remarkable Devil-man now living whose name is John Robins that did more devilish exployts then any conceited devil without thee Sometimes he did present the form of his person riding upon the wings of the winde like unto a flame of fire also he did present unto some in their beds a great light like unto a flame of fire over all the room that they have been compelled to hide their faces in their beds fearing they should be burned but when they hid their faces in their beds the light did appear more brighter then before also he would present unto them Half-moons and Stars and sometimes thick Darkness darker then any natural darkness whatsoever also he did present in the day time his head onely without a body to a Gentlewoman in her chamber presenting unto her to deceive her the forms of strange beasts as namely dragons and such like much more might be spoken of his deceits in this kind how many great lying signs and wonders this prince of devils was acted forthfar beyond all his cursed seed though a great many more hath assumed to raise various appearances yet notwithstanding all this the fundamental was in themselves as thus A real devil within them but an imagined devil without them and thus their consciences being seared they seek to make others in faith with them that they can raise a devil without them which at the great day they shall finde it to be a cheat that shall burn in their souls and bodies more hotter then any fire and brimstone Again thou sayest The devil is in hell tormented and torments all that he can captivate in his bounds but we are on the earth not tormented c. Answ This thy plea thou hast received from others as wise as thy self that knows no more of a hell without man then of a heaven within man for alas poor deceived soul thou apprehendst a devil thou knows not what and a hell thou knows not where for the learned or the proudest of his seed little think or can believe that their body shall be their hell and their spirit or soul shall be their devil shut up close prisoners on this earth tormented to all eternity neither shall you the seed of Cain believe that your cheats oppression adultery swearing drunkenness and persecuting this infallible truth with all other of your filthiness shall be that fuel that shall burn more hotter then any natural fire in this world And as touching that whereas thou saith We are upon the earth not tormented Alas pititous soul though all the seed of Cain are not tormented alike by reason of long habit and custom through which thy conscience is seared that no small sin will torment thee but there are thousands of thy brood that have an earnest peny of that they shall be hereafter otherwise what causeth the hideous doleful sighs groans and cries of many of your seed in health but much more on thy bed of sickness concluding in thy self I am damned I am damned to all eternity finding in thy self no peace in that thou knows not the God of peace neither hast thou walked uprightly in doing to others as thou would they should do to thee but have either publickly or privately transgressed the Law by which thy sin is strengthened for the strength of sin is the law and so death which is the sting of sin arraigns thee at the bar of thy own conscience reading within thy own soul all thy private evils against God and man nay from my seed-spring I speak it many of this cursed seed are seemingly Saints and do live as a people that doth righteous things and in gifts of nature heaven-like praying and preaching to the admiration of all that hears them and yet they find in themselves if they would speak the truth what sad torments they undergo while they live on this earth yea so great in some that their torment cannot cease till the soul make away it self As touching this I shall remind you of one remarkable accident which many in London this day can witness the truth of what I write Thomas Gun by name was the man who for gifts and parts in the Ministry as also for a civil life did equalize all the teachers of the Baptists if not excell them and yet at that very same instant was guilty of adultery and that for a long time deceived his own soul and the poor woman his torment for which could not be satisfied till he took a Pistol and shot himself to death thus it was with him and so with many more little or much are in hell yea on this earth tormented though nothing comparable to what thou shalt be at the day of Christs next appearance Again thou sayest The devil is a wicked cursed blasphemer against God and all that is good yea the devil is a lying murthering persecutor of the people of God therefore man is not the devil because he is a true worshipper of God c. Ans If thou understoodst what thou sayest I could set to my seal that whosoever is a true worshipper of God is no devil for indeed none can worship him or be reverent of his name but those that are of the seed of Faith those that are eternally preserved in peace here and glory hereafter for it is life eternal to know thee the onely true God without which knowledge none can worship him or be reverent of his name thus far I agree and set to my seal that this man is no devil but alas how many of these are in this perishing world though millions of thousand thousands make a show and a talk of a God yet very few there are that knows him as he is a glorious personal God so that true was that saying from the Lord in Isaiah 10. 22. For though my people be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant of them shal be saved Fear not my little flock it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom One of a tribe two of a City so few are those that knows the true God that they are but a handful to them that knows him not But now to the Query in hand The devil saith thou is a wicked cursed blasphemer against God and all that is good from whence thou concludes man cannot be this devil in that man is not so wicked as to curse and blaspheme God what if I can find out such men that hath and at this day will curse God to his face is not this sufficient to convince thee there is no other devil but what is
me for their pattern and as for the riches here make as good shift as thou canst provided thou doth as thou would be done to Oh saith the rich soul This is a hard saying indeed for let me be of what Art or Calling soever if in that Art or Calling I do righteous things I shall be poor enough in this world for I finde in my Art and Trading that all men that grows rich hath got it by cheat and deceiving those they have to deal with for if a man deal justly he shall have much ado to maintain his family therefore well might the God of all knowledge say Not many rich not many noble but the poor shall enter in at the straight gate for the way the path the gate to the possession of the real durable truth is so narrow that the soul with its body must enter in pure and undefiled not laden with cheats and deceits as thousands at this day strives to enter in and are not able for want of their certificate that golden Rule In doing to others as thou would others should do to thee Now if thou say Where is that man or how is it possible for any man to perform this I answer I can both show thee the man and affirm it is possible for since I have known the true God and been made obedient to the rule thereof mark what I say I have not to my knowledge done that to another which I would not the same party should do to me and for the possibility thereof it lieth in thy power to do minde what I say It is as possible for thee to do justly as unjustly As instance thou having a friend that reposeth confidence in thee and declareth the truth of his business unto thee concerning which he entrusteth thee to do for him as if occasion require thou would have him do the like for thee now the occasion upon which thou art imployed is a business of great advantage as a bargain of Land Merchandize or otherways which if thou deal with him as for thy self sufficient benefit will acrue thereby but now in the managing of this his affairs thou findst thou canst gain for thy self twenty pound more or less and yet thy friend shall accomplish his desire cheaper then if he had aggitated the business himself and as touching this thy pretended plain-dealing and seeming honesty thou hast contrived a way that he shall never know of it but account himself as much obliged to thee for this thy great kindness and just dealing with him as if it were really so Now speak for thy self was it not in thy power to give him all or no and deal plainly was this any kindeness or just dealing in the least or hath it any relation to that Golden saying of Christ Matth. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this the Law and the Prophets No no thou wouldst never imploy him more but judge him and so look upon him as the ungratefullest man living upon the earth therefore look to thy own soul how it stands related to that golden rule aforesaid that whether thou finds in thy self a desire of revenge towards him or if ever occasion of such an account be tendered to thee thou wilt serve him the like I say be thou what thou wilt thou maist shake hands like Simeon and Levi brethren in cheat and deceit as thou may call to minde one remarkable cursed rule betwixt buyer and seller as thus Suppose thou be the seller and I the buyer I come for such a Commodity which thou hast I ask thee the price that thou canst afford it to live by thou doth protest as thou intends to be saved it cost thee so much I having no experience and believing thee gives thee thy price when thou knows thou hast cheated me both in the goodness of the Commodity and the price now judge thou if this be as thou would have another serve thee or dost thou think for all thy long prayers and heaven-like carriage that these ill gotten riches by which thou art grown great on the earth that such as thou shalt enter the straight gate or that thou shalt rise a rich glorious Saint at the day of judgement then I may say in vain was it for me to forsake a hundredth pound a year and expose my self and children to strayts because I couldnot cheat for I tell thee if to do just and unjust be all one then I say with Paul Of all men we are most miserable when we might be rich to live poor here and be damned hereafter Oh no no as sure as God is God thou shalt know that so continuing and so dying as a cheat shall have all thy heaven here and everlasting torment hereafter therefore wonder not why it is a hard thing for Kings or great men to be saved but rather wonder that any is saved As take account from Saul the first King of Israel to the coming of Christ and observe seriously how many of them shall arise Saints also take notice from Christ to the raign of the Lord Protector thou shalt find it is a hard thing to deal justly and be rich in this world certain it is from experience I find it so far different yea so contradictory that from the seed of Faith I speak it to deal justly thou cannot be rich but poor in this world and yet what striving here is to be rich yea wise and great in this perishing world not in the least laying to heart that saying of James 5. 1. c. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you your riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together for the last dayes ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter ye have condemned and killed the just and he doth not resist you Now look about you the seed of Cain and tell me to whom was this spoken or whom doth this concern if not the great men of the earth or rich men of this world and yet how few of you do consider that destruction will be the end of this thy fleshly perishing glory Alas what though thou live thirty fourty fifty or eighty years this know thy glass is a running thy brave time will have an end and to thy bed of sickness thou must be brought when then all thy rich robes and precious Jewels may hange by thee but thou canst not make use of them and in room of them death prepares a garment for thee O then even then is a believers joy which now is thy sorrow for in stead of speaking peace to thee they will be a witness against thee yea a
read but 1 Cor. 2. 4 5 and 6 verses and there you shall hear Paul shew the vast difference of the wisdom of Faith from the wisdom of flesh for the wisdom of Cain is a meer cheat yea leads him forth to nothing but pride oppression and cruelty for by that wisdom they put the Lord of Life to death as in the eighth verse therefore you that have eyes may see what this learning and knowledge is the seed of Cain are tutored in that it is no other but the wisdom of this world which is foolishness with God and that is the cause they come to tempt or dispute with the Seed of Faith whose wisdom is given him by inspiration or revelation in the demonstration of the Spirit I say because the wisdom of Cain cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God given this precious soul O how they rayl with tearms of a fool an ass a dunce a coxcomb a heretical blasphemer an ignoramus one that hath no sense these and such like tearms this cursed Brood will brand the Seed of Faith with the onely wise men in Christ for which cause the Lord in 1 Cor. 1. 19. saith I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world and all because the foolishness of God in the Seed of Faith is wiser then that great knowledge in the seed of Cain for take this infallible truth along with you which is this that the Scriptures in the life and power of them were never given to the wise learned men in those days For saith Christ to you it is given to know the mystery to you my Disciples or elected Seed of Faith to you and for your sakes did I speak this and therefore it was the wise learned Priests and Rulers did imprison and put to death not onely the Disciples but Christ also as Blasphemers for publishing this Scripture which now their wise children do make a Trade of and will not onely imprison but if possible put to death the onely Witnesses and true Interpreters of this Holy Writ which was given by inspiration for the proper use of his blessed Seed of Faith Again the seed of Cain are educated in the fulness and plenty of this world insomuch that there is no novelty delicate or dainty that by the spirit of reason can be invented but for their belly it is prepared as also no new antick fashion can be imagined either of silk gold or silver but their backs are adorned with it nay there is no attendance of men and maid-servants that this their kingdom can afford but the seed of Cain enjoys it yea they are so tenderly and princely brought up at home and abroad and so hurried in their Coaches and Sedans that if possible the cold wind should not blow on them nor the glorious Sun with his beams should scorch them so careful are they of their beauty and comely streight proper persons that if possible there shall not be a wrinckle on their hands nor a spot on their faces unless it be of their own making for the more grace of their comely persons thus what by art in their wisdom can be invented shall not in the least be wanting if it can be had for gold or silver and whatever Science Pastime or Pleasure their soul can desire as Hawking Hunting Bowling Shooting Gaming at Dice Cards or Tables or any other delight of Musick Dancing Courting of Ladies with the satisfaction of their greatest lust and that with the greatest pomp and state this their heaven can afford and then in the last place for carriage and behavior none in this world like unto them as observe how proud and Lucifer-like their father they carry their heads insomuch that they know not what fashion or coloured Perriwig to hang upon it and when they meet any of their brethren O what congeying and bowing with Cap in hand to the ground saluting each other with these and such like complementary tearms as Your servant Sir or Your servants servant Sir or Madam and fair Lady I am yours to command by night or by day and that with so much stateliness and comely behavior that I wonder thou shouldest be affrighted at the name or person of the devil considering what a glorious proud majestical creature the devil is as aforesaid But now if you ask me Are all the seed of Cain thus educated Answ No for you may understand some are brought up to one Calling or another that some of them do undergo hard labor and great pains to maintain themselves with their families in this their perishing kingdom so that they have neither gold nor silver the dust of this earth to mannage such a fleshly glorious education as aforesaid And others there are that are educated yea brought up servants yea slaves to the great Rabbies of their seed which none of them have that attendance fulness delights pleasures as aforesaid but on the contrary are deprived of all that their happiness the other enjoy insomuch that in stead of giving relief they beg relief in stead of a Bed of Doun they lye on a bed of straw in stead of being clothed with silk they are clad with rags yea many times ready to starve for want of food so that you may behold there is not onely rich but poor miserable ragged devils that shall rise at the day of our eternal Gods appearance so that I say these of all the tribe or generation are to be pitied if pity did belong to them to consider what affliction they undergo in this their heaven and yet be eternally damned hereafter Question But now you may say unto me and that seemingly affirm both from my writing and the Scripture in that I have before treated much of the rich men of this world how hard a thing it is for them to walk in the ways of God they being so educated in the pomp and glory of this world which I say and your experience findes it is the greatest thief that steals away the heart of man and so makes that soul as difficult as a woman in travail to enter into the life and power of the Gospel therefore we being poor and the Scripture saith the poor receives the Gospel we much marvel how your writing will be found truth in Scripture that any poor should rise devils when the Scripture saith it is onely the poor that receives the Gospel Answer From this thy curious Query I shall answer thee in those words of James 2. 5. where it is thus written Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him Now if you intend these poor I affirm what you say yea from my Seed-spring I declare not one of these
it as the onely truth saying It is not I but the Lord in me of my self I can do nothing and he is all in all with many such like Scriptures they will produce for to satisfie their devilish lust perswading themselves that God is an infinite formless Spirit an infinite Nothing or an infinite All in this their beastly reason so that well comes in that saying of David Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done and kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self as if he should have said Thou thoughtest it was I that committed adultery that did cozen and lye with the innocent thou thoughtest it was I in thee that moved thee to swear whore and cheat thy fellow mortals but thou shalt know that I am a God that is not an infinite nothing for out of nothing comes nothing as also thou shalt know that I am not an infinite All in thy filthiness for the day is at hand that I will reprove thee and that god in thee as in Romans 1. thou hast changed the truth of God into a lye in supposing there is no other God but what is in thee and so worship me as a God filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murther debate deceit an inventer of all evil things Thus in part you have heard how this ranting devil is qualified and acted forth and that not onely to all maner of women but man burning in lust with man and women with women as before related and the more it is to be observed that what they do in this nature they affirm it to be just yea to do as they would be done unto for you that knows them as much as I shall finde their tongues tipt with these and such like words but in their actions as you have heard they have sold themselves to commit wickedness and that with greediness never finding themselves more happy then when they are a whoring or drinking which to them is a pure truth as any sentence in Holy Writ for they do not esteem that sin which the Scripture records for sin in that they do not know what to make of that glorious personal God nor his writing looking upon it as a History of mans invention for say they the Scripture is a meer Map of Contradiction so that such devils of this kinde in their hearts do not believe it no more then another writing onely for fear of the Law they will say as you say for what do they affirm A lye and a truth is all one to us and so whatsoever we do is righteous just and good and when we die we shall be swallowed up into the infinite Spirit as a drop into the Ocean and so be as we were and if ever we be raised again we shall rise a horse a cow a root a flower and such like and so turn the world round as before as for hell or damnation it is all here so if they can but escape prison sickness and want of money they fear no other hell or torment hereafter whatsoever Now let any sober man consider the devils quality that acts forth this sort of this cursed seed and as for their language if there were a devil without man that had any dealings with man if possible they would curse and swear that devil out of his name and wits for some of this sort when they are in company with their cursed tribe what oath or oathes was ever heard by the ear of man but they have it and that with authority from their father Cain they maintain it and that seemingly from Scripture and so will take oath against any one they have a revenge to if their false oath will prevail they will do it Thus much of the white light ranting devil 2. The next sort of this cursed seed are qualited and acted forth in most wickedness like unto the first onely the difference is the white ranting devil doth approve of all his wickedness to be righteousness when this black ranting devil doth judge it a sin and yet though his tongue will rayl on the white ranting devil and in what company soever he comes he will speak against these cursed actions and that because he doth not onely know them to be evil but he is afraid his wife husband children or parents should know of it and not onely that but he is afraid the Law will take hold of him and so punish him if not put him to death for it these and such like are the motives inducing him to speak against that with his tongue which his heart burneth and lusteth after but however all these outward fears attend him yet this lust or devil is so desiring after a beautiful maid or another mans wife that though he will say it is a sin and hath read the wrath of God due for it yet he will hazard not onely his credit in this world but the loss of his soul in the world to come and the ground of this his dangerous attempt ariseth from these and such like thoughts I may escape as well as others and I will be sure that none shall see me lye with any woman neither doth any of my neighbors suspect me so that before I will lose the society of such a rare creature in whom my soul is wholly ravisht with the thoughts of what pleasures and delights I shall have with her I will hazard both soul and body for what saith such a sort of devil as this as for the world I will play may cards so wisely that none shall hear or know of it and though it be a sin it is not the greatest neither am I the first or shall be the last and therefore I shall make as good shift as another and besides that I know that God is a merciful God and though in my strength and youth of my body I do now and then break forth a little I hope the Lord if I do but on my death-bed cry him mercy he will forgive me Ah poor dark deluded soul dost thou think that when the righteous just upright heart hath much ado to finde mercy and yet thou wicked ungodly man thinkest it is easie for such as thou no no thou shalt finde that as in the strength of nature and health of body thou hast spent thy time in satisfaction of thy lust when all that thy pleasure is at an end then in a small measure shall be presented unto thee what thou shalt be at the day of resurrection for alas poor heart thou thinkest the God of Truth is like thee a man of lies and by thy corrupt petition to turn the will of God as with a petition thou canst turn the will of man but then to thy cost thou shalt finde he is a God that changes not which in the last Chapter I shall shew thee at large Now to the matter in hand as touching thy quality and acting forth in thy Carriage and Language that
thou abhor a drunkard or any that is given to hospitality and that because his quality is quite contrary to thine for thou art all for toyling and moyling rising early and lying down late neglecting no opportunity wherein thou mayest enrich thy self when as the other riseth up early and lyeth down late in drunkenness spending and making away that portion which was given thee so that thou being covetous he is no companion for thee for thou hast so much care in thee and upon thee how to make thy self great on this earth that unless thou canst advantage thy self thou wilt not spend a penny but when thou hast got five pounds or more or less then whatsoever shift thou and thy family shall make that shall not be diminished in the least but to usury it must go and then thou pinchest thy belly and the bellies of thy poor wife and children by living so long upon small Beer and flet Cheese and such like stuff that thou increasest thy estate to a vast sum at last that now the greatest care and thought of thy heart is how thou shalt secure thy riches from some of thy seed that if they should break into thy house they may not plunder thee of it and to that end thou inventest all maner of subtilty to deceive the deceived that thou hidest some in the earth and some on the house-top and some in hollow trees one place or another that thy brother serpent may not steal it from thee or the Law of this thy kingdom impose great Taxes upon thee I say thy care is so much upon this thy perishing earthly treasure that thy heart thy soul is wholly wrapt up in it insomuch that thy sleep and meat goes from thee that now having what thy heart desireth after thou art more tormented now then when thou hadst little or nothing therefore remember that of Christ Luke 12. 15. where he saith Beware of covetousness for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth and where thy treasure is thy heart will be also so that what will all this thy greatness in this world and plenty of gold or silver avail thee when the tears of the poor are laid naked before thee and starved for want of bread which thou hadst in abundance and not onely this but it is read in thy soul that thou hast enriched thy self in the ruine of others and thy conscience tells thee thou never got this justly but by fraud and deceit by grinding the faces of the poor and keeping back the hire of the laborers As touching this look about you ye Tradesmen of all sorts yea from the highest to the lowest examine your own consciences how often ye have cheated and remember this ye Landlords that oppress the poor Tenents as also ye Brokers that grinde the faces of the poor in lending upon usury or commodities and that after forty or fifty pound in the Hundred I say remember this that no cheater oppressor nor extortioner shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven and therefore against you I cry wo wo wo for this shall rise up a witness against thee and shall eat thy flesh as if it were fire as it is in James the fifth the first second third and fourth verses and then even then when thou thinkest all is well and that thou hast setled thy estate to thy hearts content that now thou fearest no want but canst without trouble cherish up thy soul with the fruits of thy wits and endeavors and to take thy pleasure for the time to come then comes the messenger Death and deprives thee of all the happiness of thy riches and saith unto thee Ah fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Luke 12. 20. Now thou hast brought thy covetous heart to perfect what it longed after and now must thou leave all and knowest not what will become of thy soul on the other side of death and so in terror and fear of death thou diest and in torment thou shalt rise at the great day as in the next Chapter thou shalt hear and read at large So that I cannot but admire the wonderful wisdom of my God that notwithstanding the pleasure and pomp of this world belongs onely to the seed of Cain yet he gives them a bitter cup to drink at last which potion makes the devil afraid and to tremble at the thought of that day by which they are not onely bridled from their great cruelty and tyranny they would iâ—â—ose upon the Seed of Faith but also the thought of death doth in some measure out-top their pleasures and greatness so that their life in this their onely heaven is not much better then our life in this our onely hell for though they have fulness and such as we have want yet we have peace and they have war yea oftentimes sad torment to think what will become of their souls when as the Seed of Faith knoweth what he is here what he shall be in the grave and what he shall be at the resurrection even glorified with his Savior So if you seriously lay to heart the vast difference of the Seed of Faith and the seed of Cain upon their bed of sickness or hour of death it would cause admiration as thus The departure of the seed of Cain out of this world is as much as if a Prince should depart not onely from his loving wife and pretty children but be banisht from his Crown and Kingdom never to enjoy it more and also where he is banisht he is shut up prisoner all the the time of his life even so is â—â— death in this world he must leave not onely all his society but the pleasure of this his kingdom where he had delight as much as heart could wish and in the grave his soul and body lyeth uncapable of either joy or sorrow and then at the great day of our Saviors appearance thou shalt be raised up thy body thy hell thy soul thy devil shut up close prisoner world without end Now death is unto the Seed of Faith as a Messenger of glad tidings in that it frees him from the cruelty and oppression of the devill the seed of Cain and take him from all his hardship and wants that he hath undergone by living uprightly in this strange kingdom and then he knowing that all the time he is in the grave there is no remembrance of good or evil and as soone as ever his God comes he shall be raised to meet him in the aire with his mighty angels where he shall have a kingdom that one hours enjoyment of that will be more then ten thousand times ten thousand the greatest substance of glory could be attained unto for ten millions of years in this perishing world Thus in brief you have the difference of the two Seeds what triumph the Seed of Faith have in death over the seed of