question Is the Iudgement-Day known unto any or no Paulus None but unto God as I suppose Evangelus Thou sayst right for neither Men nor Angels know this day but God himself Matth. 4. And thus friend I have shewed you these Points of Divinity to be believed of all that seek after an eternal life of Felicity being these as follows 1. God or the Trinity 2. The Creation of the World 3. The hypostatical Vnion or Christs assuming the humane Nature 4 The Resurrection 5. Iudgement I come now to ask you how and by what means you may come to know God Paulus By the Holy Bible Evangelus It is true friend the Scriptures conteined in the Old and New Testament is the only Rule by which we may come to know God and serve him 〈◊〉 but tell me what thou doest understanâ— by the Old and New Testament Paulus By the Old Testament I understanâ— the Writings of Moses and the Prophets and by the New Testament thâ— Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles Evangelus Your Answer as you should do But are the Scriptures sufficient of themselves to work faith in us or no Paulus Truly I am not able to determine of that Evangelus Why then I will tell you the Scriâ—tures of themselves cannot work faith â—n us but by Gods Spirit cooperating â—ith them and hence it is that the â—ord is called a dead letter not but â—hat the Word is quickning but beâ—ause the Word of it self without the Spirit cannot so much as work any â—race in us Paulus This I do believe Evangelus Then I hope you do believe the Scriptures to he so Canonical as that â—t is Blasphemy to esteem of any other Writings to be of equal Authority with the same and so consequentially â—hose are to be blamed who annex the â—pocrypha to the Bible and do freâ—ently take out certain verses conteined therein as their texts whenas the Scriptures and only the Scriptures are for a standing Rule in Gods Church Paulus But is not the Apocrypha the Word of God Evangelus No for they were not written in the Hebrew Tongue nor acknowledged aâ— Canonical by the Iews of old to whom the keeping of the Oracles of God was committed Paulus I am now convinc'd of that which I thought I should never have been perswaded to the contrary Evangelus Again if you do grant the Scriptures to be infallible you must then grant that the Scriptures are not to be ruled by the Church but the Church by the Scriptures Paulus If so be the Scriptures do not depend upon the Church for the Truth and Authority thereof how then can we be assured that it is the Word of God Evangelus Friend herein you are grossly mistaken for we may be assured of the Scriptures being the Word of God which may be prov'd from several Testimonies and Arguments divine and humane from Testimonies Divine being two internal and â—xternal One is the Testimony of the Spirit who sometimes by special Râ—vâ—laâ—ion and Power do declare the 〈◊〉 thereof upon the Hearts and Câ—nscâ—enâ—es of Men and Women and thâ—â— is the divine internal Testimony The dâ—vine external Testimony is the Scriptures testifying of themselves and hence it is many times that they do run in this Order Thus saith the Lord Thus saith God Now the Arguments to prove the same are deduced and taken from 1. The efficient causes of the Scriptures viz. Men tâ—e Calling Missâ—â—â— and Insperation of whom was divine Secondly the Scope and End of the Scriptures being the glory of God and the eternal salvation of our souls Thirdly the subject-matter of the Scriptures which is so full of Majesty and Divâ—nity as that it is far beyond humane capacity to comprehend This is sufficient to shew the Authority of the Scriptures without depending upon the Church Thus is the truth of the Scriptures and the Authority of them evidenced without the help of the Church Paulus Is not the Testimony of the Church then of some use Evangelus Yes that I deny not but the thing which I aim at is to shew that the Authority and Truth of the Scriptures can be made apparent from Gods Spirit and from themselves without the help of the Church which assertion does contradict the Papist who does audaciously affirm that the Authority of the Scriptures do absolutely depend upon the Church the absurd consequences of which opinion are these 1. Of all to hold that the Scriptures has no more Authority but what the Vniversal consent of the Church gives unto it is to make the Scriptures no otherwise but a Nose of Wax yea it is to make the eternal and inviolable truth of God rest upon the pleasure of men verily the matter and scope of the Scriptures is to be denied and to be of no use at all if this opinion is right these and such like are the Absurdities that must of necessity be held by retaining opinions of this kind Paulus But did not Austin say that he would not believe the Gospel save that the Authority of the Church moved him thereto Evangelus The Papist do give a false interpretation upon his words if we do but consider the whole tenor of his writing For as Calvin well Observes Austin had then to do with the Manichees who arguing with them spoke thus I my self would not beleeve the Gospel save that the Authority of the Church moved me thereto Meaning that he himself when he was a stranger from the faith could not otherwise be brought to embrace the Gospel for the assured truth of God but by this that he was overcome with the Authority of the Church And what marvel is it if a man not yet knowing Christ have regard to men therefore Austin does not there teach that the faith of the godly is grounded upon the Authority of the Church Paulus I am very well pleased and satisfied in what has been said have you any more Questions to ask me Evangelus Yes friend I have many Questions to ask you still How do you prove that Salvation is only to be had through Christ Paulus How do I prove it I prove it from Acts 4.12 where it is thus written Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Evangelus Thou hast given the right Scripture but now if salvation is only to be had in and through Christ does it not do you think concern you to have an interest in this Christ Paulus Yea certainly that it does Evangelus Are you then interested in him Paulus Truly I question it but how may I come to have an interest in him Evangelus That must be by faith Paulus What is faith Evangelus Faith is a receiving of Iesus Christ into the Heart as he is Priest Prophet and King with a fiducial dependance upon him being fully satisfied that there is salvation in through and by none but him Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence
days of your Youth Consider I pray you these following things First Consider your Youth God requires Eccl. 12.1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth Secondly it is a Question whether you may live to an old Age which if not what will become of you Thirdly grant that you live to an old Age it is a Question whether the day of grace may last so long Fourthly if the day of grace should last so long it is a question whether you will not through the pains and imbecilities of old Age be rendred incapable to serve God Fifthâ—y Consider you may serve God when it is too late but you can never serve him too soon Paulus Verily this is true I cannot deny it but do you not think that God is more glorified by an old Convert then by a young Evangelus When you have such suggestions as these endeavor to make them abortive at their birth for any will tell you that there is nothing more acceptable unto God then when a young man offers up the Flower of his Age unto him yea and what does conduce more unto Gods glory then the same Paulus Well I am now convinc'd of my folly especially of confiding in good works for salvation Evangelus Well bless God for it and now seeing through infinite mercy an insufficiency in good works to save you what think you of God Paulus Why I think that he is a Spirit Evangelus He is so my friend and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Paulus This I knew a great while ago Evangelus Very good are there more Gods then one Paulus Yâ—a surely there must be three Gods God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Evangelus Know Friend that thou art wofully ignorant for though there be three Persons in the Godhead yet thâ—se three are but one in substance all this while there is but one individual Deity as the Fire does contain in it three Properties 1. It s self 2. Heat 3. Light So though there be but three ways of subsisting in the Godhead yet all this while it is but individual Paulus Pray Sir is there any Scripture for this Evangelus Yea Scripture enough see Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Isa. 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God Isa. 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none else So 2 Cor. 8.4 5 6. and Eph. 4.5 1 Tim. 2.5 Paulus I confess these Scriptures do hit me for how many times have I read the Bible over and yet do not remember these places Evangelus You minded then well what you read for certainly if you had read diligently and with a desire to know you would have given a more pertinent Answer to such a Fundamental and Practical Point of Divinity as this But this is not all our Souls are spirits Angels are spirits and the Dâ—vils are spirits what difference is thâ—â—â— then between God and these Paulus Why I suppose he is bigger then all of them Evangelus Bigger then all of them this is no solid Answer God he is an increated Spirit all others are created God he is an infinite Spirit all others are finite Paulus Nay this is very good Evangelus Well I am glad you like it but what difference is there between the Devils and the Angels Paulus Why I suppose they are both Spirits and both Angels only the Angels in Heaven are the good Angels and the Devils are the evil ones Evangelus Thou sayest right the Devils thâ—â— are now in Hell were once righteous Angels but through pride and malice they are now become of all creatures the most miserable but where do the Devils inhabit Paulus I suppose the Devils do dwell in Hell it being a Place prepared for them and the wicked Evangelus The habitation of the Devils is partly in Hell and partly in the Air The Devils do dwell in the Air unto the Day of Iudgement and usurping the same on purpose that they might rule in the hearts of men But what difference is there between the spirits and our souls for our souls you know are spirits Paulus Nay I believe now you ask me that which you cannot answer your self Evangelus Think not so friend for the Angels were the firsâ— Creatures that God made whereas our souls are not the Angels are not covered with flesh but our souls are the Angels are perfect spirits but our souls through union with their bodies are imperfect and impure but enough of this what think you now of Iesus Christ Paulus Who is Jesus Christ why he is the Son of God Evangelus It is true my friend he is so for God the Father testifies it Mat. 3.17 The Chuâ—ch acknowledgeth it Matth. 16.16 And the Devils confess it Luke 4.41 But who do you think of these were first God the Father or God the Son Paulus There is a question indeed surely the Father must be before the Son Evangelus Yea friend that is true it is so in natural generation but here it is not for Christ Iesus is co-eternal with his Father and equal with him in Power and Glory Paulus This will not stand by reason Evangelus Divine Mysteries are not to be apprehended by carnal reason for he who would see by an eye of Faith must shuâ— out the eye of Reason and what think you now of the Holy Ghost Paulus Why I suppose he is God too is he not Evangelus Yes he is so see 1 John 5.7 For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father Word and Holy Ghost and these three are one Paulus Nay this is very evident you bring Scripture I say to prove what you say Evangelus Well if so be you do believe what I have said concerning the blessed Trinity say with me God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and these three are one Paulus God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and these three are one Evangelus Right what think you now of the Creation of the World did God make the World of somthing or of nothing Paulus Of somthing surely for out of nothing nothing can be made Evangelus Friend what do you think Creation signifies Paulus Truly I know not very well Evangelus Why it signifies a making all things of nothing Paulus Say you so Evangelus Yea and have you not read that the World was made only by the especial word of his Power not that we should understand that any word did really proceed from God but only that he will'd it Paulus Did God do you say only speakâ— thâ— word and was this World made I cannot believe this except you bring me Scripture Evangelus If Scriptures will convince you I 'le bring you Scriptures enough See Psal. 33.9 For he spake and it was done he commanded and it
there are by which I am bound to look after you viz. I am a dying Creature and therefore whilst I have life I must act for God because when I am in the Grave I cannot write unto you My Preaching-Work then will be over And hâ—nce it is that I do think it meet whilst I am in this earthly Tabernacle to put you in mind of these things and to stirr you up to the doing thereof And as the consideration of my Mortality should move me to do what I can for God and you see likewise the consideration of yours should make you more willing to hear and receive what I and others do both Preach and write unto you And now Sirs what remains but that you would follow those Practical things which the good Spirit of God may by these Lines put you in minde of Consider you must one day render an Account for all the good Sermons that you have heard the Word will either prove a savour of life or of death you will either be the better for Sermons or the worse and therefore to you now I speak that have often heard the vociferation of the Gospel but are not as yet reformed Consider after Death comes Iudgment and then what will you do will you not wish that you had taken the good Counsel of God given by his Ministers will you not then remember these Sermons which once you forgot as soon as ever you went out out of the Church and will not the remembrance thereof be as a Worm gnawing of your Consciences in Hell Oh with what shame and confusion will ye then be cloathed when all those secret sins which you thought were impossible to be brought to light shall be made manifest before the Lord Iesus who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light it self Moreover consider that without you have an Advocate theâ—e is no standing at this Tribunal and who is this Advocate but Iesus Christ will plead to the utmost for you if you can but make sure of him for without him nothing can be done in order to your being sheltred from that wrath of God which then shall be revealed on all those who have slighted this Advocate and have accounted Sermons of no worth further believe and consider that if you have not the Lord Iesus to stand as your friend you must be thrust down into Hell and there howl with the damned for ever And what think you now of these things do you stedfastly believe them if you do not search the Scriptures and there you will finde what I have said to be true if you do believe them why then do some of you live as if there were neither God Heaven Hell or Iudgement if these things are sincerely believed by you stir up then and lay hold upon God and claim of him deliverance from wrath to come for it is hastning apace and wâ— unto you if you lay up nothing against this burning wrath of God for the time to come is as sure as the time that is present why therefore are you all for the present time assure your selves that the walking in repulse against these Considerations and the sweet motions of the Spirit will make you smart one day But Finally if you will all observe these things to do them what a blessed Meeting shall we have how wide will the Gates of Heaven stand open for uâ— what a Welcom will God the Father give us the very thoughts of it doth glad my very heart and soul Suffer therefore the good Word of God to take Impression upon you Endeavor to live a life of Grace here that so you may live a Life of Glory hereafter Persevere in all good hold out to the end for the Crown will make amends for all Be constant in the use of means Follow Peace with all men be useful in your several Vocations that in all things â—u may be fit for the being received 〈◊〉 into the Heaven of Heavens â—hich is and ever shall be the desire â—d Prayer of him Who is SIRS Your Souls Friend THO. POWELL PAULUS in his Unconverted state AEtatis suae 12. Evangelus WELL met Friend Whither are you going Paulus I am going to see a Play for they say it is very well worth ones observation Evangelus How to see a Play I would not have you for a World could I but hinder you I would for there is nothing but wickedness and Profaneness for your Contemplation and if this is worth your observation judge you Paulus You talk more like a Phanatick then a Civil and honest man for I verily believe there may be as much good gather'd from the observation of such a sight as somtimes hearing of a good Sermon Evangelus Oh what Prodigious and black ignorance is this to think that more benefit may be received from open Profâ—neness then from hearing the Word of God Have you not yet known the difference between evil and good Paulus There are some I believe as good and as wise as your self that goes to such places and certainly if it be lawful for them it is lawful for me Evangelus That is true friend if lawful for them then it is for you but it is not lawful for them and therefore let such be never so wise yet if they go to such Places as you plead for they do in that fall short of being wise men And moreover herein is shewed much of your folly in grounding lawfulness for the same on no other Foundation but because such and such do so whereas we that are Christians should endeavour to make our lives congruous with the Sacred Writ yea that which the Prophets and Apostles have built upon should be our Foundation Paulus Pray Sir keep your breath to cool your own Pottage for every Tub must stand upon its own bottom therefore catechise not me for I will not be catechised by you and as long as I have a mind to go I will go Evangelus Friend be not so touchy for I mean you no hurt nothing I am â—o you it is true and that every Tub must stand upon its own bottom I know yet considering that â—very one was not made for himself but for the Glory of God â—he good and benefit of each other therefore it does behove us to be giving one another good Counsel If you know any thing more then me I 'll learn of you and if I know any thing more then you you shall learn of me if you please Paulus Nay this is very fair I must needs confess Evangelus Well then my friend if it may sâ— please you to deny your self of going tâ— that Place first intended by you I wiâ—â— then tell you what we will do in steaâ— thereof Paulus I don't much care if I do foâ— once Evangelus What think you then of going tâ— yonder Grove where we may sit down in the shade and discourse concerning Soul-Affairs Paulus With all my
seem'd to be somwhat penitent but I am afraid now God has stricken thee with a judicial hardness and blindness Note in this Discourse comes Demas who interrupts and speaks as followeth Demas I wonder Sir you would urge him to renounce that which he hath seal'd to by his own blood and calling God as a witness to the same Paulus O stop thy mouth false thou hast been to me for as to paper yea and also blood I do deny and therefore say no such word Evangelus Is this he my Child whom thou call'st Demas if so then that thou didst not enter into any combination with him and his Comrague the Devil by blood return Praise to God and matter not what they say And wherfore dost thou O Demas impute that to my Lamb which he was never guilty of Demas Pray who be you that you rage so much at me as if I was engaged to the Devil and as if I was the cause of troubling your friend both of which I deny and pray speak no more but what you can prove Evangelus Thou art a Liar being like the Devil thy father for we fear not thee nor any of thine and it shall be prov'd that thou wert the great Instrument which the Devil made use of to destroy my Child but the God whom we serve has deceived thee Glory be ascrib'd unto him for ever Demas Know you friend I will not be thâ—â— taunted at by you and did I bâ— bring the God whom I serve yoâ— would tremble meerly through a fight of him Evangelus We care not for you nor your God and if you should bring him hither we would not stir out of our Places Demas I shall ere long make trial of that and until then farewell Evangelus And farewel yâ—u Paulus How glad am I that he is gone Evangelus Ha Child walk as long as you live in the sense of this mercy of agracious God unto you in restreining you from doing what you was tempted to And now for the glory of this God I do desire you to make a brief Confession of your being first acquainâ—ed with this Person and so with the Devil and what it was he required of you thaâ— these things may be left as a Narraâ—tive of Gods dealings with you untâ—â— succeeding Generations The CONFESSION of PAVLVS When I first began to be troubled this Person Demas being aâ— ancient Acquaintance of mine whâ— at first seem'd mighty zealous in the ways of Godliness did of late visit me very often and perceiving of mâ— to be somwhat unsatisfied he demanded the Reasons thereof and aâ— last understanding somthing of it he told me that he had experienc'd the God whom I serv'd not to be the true God producing substantial Reasons as I thought for the proof thereof which winn'd so upon me and being likewise perceiv'd by him it did make him somwhat prevalent with me to grant leave that he might bring the Gentleman unto me i.e. Devil which being granted and concealing it from you together with many temptatious that attended me I did meet him at a certain time and place appointed and so in process of time he got me to deny these three things 1. To deny the God whom I serv'd 2. To abstain from the Ministers I frequented 3. To believe whatsoever be should say unto me which after these were granted he then made me to promise my soul unto him in form as aforesaid and as soon as I had set Pen to paper and writ this word For I could not go any further which being perceived by him he cursed me and withal told me that if I did not write it was all one and I was his as long as I had set Pen to Paper only this he added If I would write all then he would be more merciful unto me at the expiration of my time but if I did not he then would use me â—o much the more cruel the saying of which does at this present time trouble my soul very much 〈◊〉 â—hinking that I am his And therefore I pray Sir what think you of it Evangelus Child that was only a temptation fram'd by himself to draw you aside 〈◊〉 set Pen to Paper Paulus Say you so but what shall I 〈◊〉 then with your God which I onâ— worshipped he I suppose will bâ— never recounted unto me because have disowned him and all his Commandments Evangelus Truly my Child if so be it is aâ— things are Presented to me I musâ— needs say then If your Head was 〈◊〉 fountain of tears and your Hands streams thereof you could not sufficiently mourn for what you have done and moreover if God had damn'd you longere this had been committed he would have been justified therein but much more now when you are guilty of that which I thought you would never have been guilty of Nevertheless from hence gather Hope viz. Gods restraining of you to do what was intended it being an infallible sign that God is willing to save thee Paulus O that I had but assurance of it Evangelus Nay no doubt it may be a long time before God will give you an assurance of his love in regard that you have by exceeding Provocations forfeited it Paulus Ha but I am one that can never be at peace unless God doth immediately tell me that all my sins are forgiven nay I am afraid I shall kill my self if God does not cast some favourable aspect upon me Evangelus How do you talk have you not provoked God enough already and will you provoke him still have a care lest you do thereby augment your misery Paulus Alas I am damn'd I am damn'd do not then blame me for speaking so Evangelus I must needs confess your case is desperate but yet notwithstanding this if you will go to God in his own way you may find mercy Paulus I have without doubt commited the sin against the holy Ghost in regard of those several aggravations which do attend my Sins for did you ever hear of any sav'd who sin'd after their Baptism and acknowledgment of the truth Evangelus Yea surely for what think you of David Manasse Peter and the Church of the Galatians when called in by Paul to repentance Paulus If I had but access to the Throne of grace it would be something but I have been for a year and an half through sin debarr'd there from how think you therefore that I can go without Blushing Evangelus If thou wouldest have God to take any notice of thee thou must go to the Throne of grace in great shame and confusion Paulus What if I can't lift up so much as my eyes unto him Evangelus Yes for have you not read of the Publicans demeanour before God Paulus This is true and therefore my dear friend I am much oblidg'd to you for all your love and pains with me and if you will be pleas'd to tell me what I must do when I come home I shall thereby be