THE Absolute Truth and Utmost Certainty OF THE Word of God AND That all Things which are contained in the Scriptures yea to every Tittle and Iota thereof will be fulfilled Demonstrated in a Discourse on Rom. IX 6. By RICHARD STAFFORD formerly of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford Isa 55. 10 11. For as the Rain cometh down and the Snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the Earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the Thing whereto I sent it London Printed and are to be Sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIX ROM IX 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect ONE of the Greatest Prejudices against the Preaching and Publishing of the Word of God is in that so very few are converted by it and do Obey it Let Men Preach till their Hearts ake as the common Proverbial Speech is and tire out their Lungs spend their strength yea Seek out acceptable Words as Ecclesiastes did and do all that ever they can in the work of the Ministry both by studying in Gods Statutes as Davids Practice was and also by Prayer and Diligent Labour yet still the World will not be Reformed nor brought off from their lees of Corruption and Iniquity They will go on in their old former ways Ungodliness and Wickedness let the Ministers and Servants of God say and do whatever they can Therefore it is that the Word is called the Weakness of God 1 Cor. 1. 25. In that it is deemed to be unable and insufficient to effect the very thing it doth intend at that is to bring People over unto the obedience of the Law of God and to Regulate their lives and manners The Commandment is Holy Just and Good in it self Thy Precepts concerning all things are Right Yet here lies the great stumbling Block and Rock of offence which quite keeps off the ungodly and mixt Multitude from getting over it and the steps of Good and Faithful People do well nigh slip thereat In that Notwithstanding it is so little obeyed and so very little heed is given unto them by the Generality of People They will indeed talk of the Commandments of God and make a shew as if they had performed 1 Sam. 15. 13. And were guided thereby but all along and in the mean while They do walk in a way that is not good after their own thoughts Isa 65. 2. And according to their own Will Humour Inclination and Imaginations It is a common saying that People will have their Will whatever it cost them And it is to be feared as there is real Ground for this Surmise from the Word of God that too many are bent and resolved upon their own Will though they should be damned or condemned for it at the Day of Judgment and it cost them no less than the Loss of their precious Immortal Souls VVe read in the Old Testament of the Lords Controversie with his people and this is the Controversie which he hath with the Inhabitants of the Earth VVhether they shall do according to his VVord and Commandments and be led by the silent and inward Dictates of his Spirit Or they think speak and practice for the heart of every one of them is deep Our Lips are our own VVho is Lord over us Thoughts are free according to their own Supposal and Imagination And so it is of the Words and Actions in the Children of Disobedience They speak and do as they list This is a Controvercy which at the last will be decided to the Creatures Punishment and Misery The Psalmist doth speak further of the people of his Generation They corrupt others and speak of Wicked Blasphemy Their Talking is against the Most High There is indeed that Knowledge and Outward Worship and inward Reverential Esteem Universally received amongst the people of this Nation that hardly any unless some very few Debauch'd and Ignorant Young Men of the Richer sort do talk directly and immediately against God himself For this would be so odious and detestable that even the Common Multitude would not bear it But if they do not speak out because that they profess that they know God but in Works they deny him But they think and Act to the very same purpose God sees and knows the thoughts all one as if they were wrote in Great Letters upon the Foreheads of those who did conceive them And he doth make alike construction of their Actions as if they did speak out the same what those Actions do Import Things are confused and seem perplex through the doings of Sinners and Hypocrites By the former of which I mean those who are open Barefaced and Manifestly Sinners Who will own that they Commit Sin and Transgression and make excuses for it and cry out Lord have mercy upon us or the like By Hypocrites I intend such who observe all the Parts and seasons of the Worship of God and other things pertaining to Religion and yet they live in the Breach and Neglect of some of the Commandments of God But whilst they seem to be Righteous and Religious when they are not And they justify themselves before Men whereas God knoweth the heart And what is highly esteemed amongst Men is an Abomination in his sight Whilst they commend themselves and call themselves Godly and Lean on the Lord Micah 3. 11. As Counterfeit Gold doth sometimes Shine and Glister more then true So they Profess more Honour and Obedience to God then perhaps his very Elect and Real Servants Hence our way is the more intricate to trace and find them out then those who are downright Sinners and Ungodly Whatever are the doings of all the Children of Men the Word of God doth find them out And however the Rebellious and Disobedient would render it ineffectual and useless that is not binding and obligatory to them and that it should be rather falsified then fulfilled when it speaks of Mens obedience unto Righteousness for as for their Part they will not yield it As we see and observe these things in the World we are not thence to doubt in our own Mind But it these and such like things still we may have Recourse to this great Assertion of the Apostle Not as tho the Word of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel which are of Israel That is They are nor all the Servants of God who have the Name and pretend to be so or do herd themselves in their Number I did therefore choose and thought Good to insist upon these Words chiefly if not for the Removal for it will still abide and remain yet for the right understanding of that first Prejudice which in the very beginning lies against the Word of
all the Reproof and Admonition of Christian Friends and Acquaintance And what is yet more and nearer and closer unto them Notwithstanding all the Accusings and Dictates of their own Conscience which is Gods Witness in Man or Woman yet still There are a People in the World who will not hearken unto the Voice of all these Tho' it must be carefully said as to Temporal Judgments that they therefore Refuse and Disobey because the Lord would slay them But as to futurity The Lord is not willing that any should Perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. However He affording them the means thereof after continued and repeated Provocation as to that he gives them up at length to themselves to their own Hearts Lusts and to walk after their own Counsels in which they going on will Perish Everlastingly God hath suffered it so to be That Satan works with all Deceivableness in them that Perish which comes upon them through his continued Temptations and Suggestions I have oftentimes thought that People would never do so of themselves as now they do in Offending Displeasing Despising and Provoking of God but that an unseen Enemy doth stir them up Like as it is recorded But there was none like unto Ahab which did sell himself to work Wickedness in the sight of the Lord whom Jesabel his Wife did stir up 1 Kings 21. 25. In the Margent it is Incited So tho' there is a great deal of Wickedness in the Heart of Man by Reason of original and inbred Corruption for Flesh and Blood will Imagine and Practice Evil Yet this Corrupt Nature would never proceed and tend so far especially in immediate Rebellion against and Provocation or Despising of God for what is shewed forth against his Word is against God himself as it will be found by his Interpretation and Judgment at the last tho' perhaps this may be now besides and out of the Mind and Intention of the Creatures unless this Infernal Jesabel whose Right Name is Belzebub did stir and incite them up Now the Serpent was more subtle then any Beast of the Field which the Lord God had made Gen. 3. 1 He is more cunning then all or any of the Sons or Daughters of Men as they are merely such without the assistance and direction of Gods Word and Spirit He tempts suggests and doth whatever He can that each one in particular may lose Heaven and fall into Hell He walketh about seeking whom He may devour It is his continued Business and Employment So that it is not altogether so much to be wondred at tho' indeed it is a matter of Horrour and Grief Psal 119. 53 158. and Sighing Ezek. 9. 4. That when God hath made such very severe Declarations from Heaven against all manner of Sin and Transgression and against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men. Which also will be Executed upon and sensibly felt by them after that their Breath is out of their Nostrils and their Souls are departed from their Bodies Yet Nevertheless in this Time of Provocation and in this Day of Temptation or Trial in this Wilderness of the Earth still People go on therein and do the same Yea rather more Greedily and Earnestly then they would have done if God had revealed no wrath and future Punishment against the same I knew a Man who after he had been convinced of the Sin of Unrighteousness and after He had heard the Word of God declared against it Yet the next opportunity afterwards He would more eagerly Practice the same And so when the like hath been done to Harlots and Unclean Persons the Sin and Danger of their course hath been laid open and made known unto them by my Ministry of â—…e Word it hath been told unto me that at the very â—…e moment they would for all Practice the lesser Acts of Lasciviousness This sheweth after what manner the Spirit of Disobedience doth work in the Children thereof And when they will of set Purpose Transgress yet more and more in plain and downright opposition to the Word of God and to the Preaching and Ministration thereof When they will run greedily after the Errour of Balaam for Reward Jude 11. Or to the Errour of any of their own ways any Law or Ordinance of God to the contrary Notwithstanding VVhen they will break these Bands asunder and cast away these Cords from them And they will do it the rather because the Lord by his Word and Ministers hath forbidden it This and such like in the very Truth seems to be that Sin of Presumption or that Sinning with an high hand whereof it is written The Soul which doth Presumptuously shall be cut off from my People saith the Lord. Ay But the People of the World do not value nor fear that Threatning for such Persons who do Presumptuously and Sin with an high hand do commonly live out their appointed Time in Health Strength Wealth and Prosperity as other People do Yet Alas In this they are Ignorant or Unmindful that God hath another Place besides this Earth and another time besides this Life wherein He will fulfil and make true his Word For tho' a Sinner doth Evil an Hundred Times and his Days be Prolonged yet it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him Ecles 8. 12. But the sinner being an Hundred Years Old shall be Accursed Isa 65. 20. By which Phrase of Accursed we are given to understand that the Word of God doth speak Evil of him now for so Maledictio the Latin Word for a Curse doth signify and it shall go Evil with him at the last VVhen all the Curses that are written in this Book shall be upon him Deu. 29. 20. And shall be also Excuted and the Lord also shall Blot out his Name from under Heaven so that Himself shall not go there This is to be cut off from Gods People when they shall be Blotted out of the Book of the Living and not written with the Righteous Psal 69. 28. So that tho' when He heard the Words of the former Threatning He blessed himself in his Heart saying I may live as long as other Men and VVomen tho' I walk in the Imagination of my Heart to add sin to my Lawful desires For that is Adding Drunkenness to Thirst â—…asmuch as Thirst is a Lawful and Necessary desire whâ—…as Drunkenness is a Sin So the Course of the World goes on that whereas such and such Thoughts Words and Actions are Lawful and Necessary People go on to graft and add thereto Vain Thoughts False Words and Sinful Actions of their own whereof there is no need For as Thirst may altogether as well or rather be better quenched and satisfied without Annexing Drunkenness to it So People might think speak and Act altogether as well yea better then by conceiving Vanity speaking forth Falsehood or Acting of Evil. It is yet seven timeâ— a greater Sin and will make the Oven or Furnace seven Times
think and object the Gospel imports good tidings and talks of great yea the greatest things in the World and nothing hereof is seen to them nor presently had That Reason which Paul gives in Rom. 1. 16. Seems to Answer all this to two sorts of People the Jews and Gentiles I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Observe and Attend well to that To the Jew first and also to the Greek It is therefore said To be the Power of God unto Salvation unto the Jew first This was to instruct and rightly inform him who did expect Salvation by Moses and the Prophets as to which they did both come short which the Gospel of Christ doth supply and make up The Jews were not so much Ignorant in Part as Unbelievers in Part But the Greeks or Gentiles were altogether Unbelievers in the whole And take them as such they can no more understand what this Power of God unto Salvation is then if you talk the same unto a Brute Beast And therefore it is fitly put before To every one that believeth For put the case you should talk of Salvation to an Infant or to a Child of a twelvemonth old Will He understand what thou sayest In no wise So it is if you talk to a Savage Indian who knows nothing of God or Futurity and when such an one is in good Plight and Health and hath none but Friends about him then talk to him concerning Salvation which signifies Safety and Preservation from Danger whereas he sees and perceives no danger at all And He will think that the Man is Idle or Mocketh or is Foolish who talk and discourses thereof It would be near the same to acquaint some Poor Ungodly Beggars about Salvation If they are Healthy Lusty and Strong if they have before them a Meal of Good Victuals and they know where to have another they do not apprehend much more or besides this But they think such an one speaks Parables or Nonsensical things unto them It is very observable how it is Ushered and brought in A Brutish Man knoweth not neither doth a Fool understand this When the Wicked Spring as the Grass and when all the Workers of Iniquity do flourish It is that they shall be destroyed for Ever Psal 92. 6 7. So it is though it be besides their Opinion and Expectation In like manner when any of the other Truths of God or of the things pertaining to his Kingdom come to be declared and spoken of the same Preface may be used and put before A Brutish Man knoweth not neither doth a Fool understand this So it will be of the things whereof we shall by and by speak A Brutish Man knoweth not neither doth a Fool understand this It being usual with the Holy Ghost when He comes to make known things which will hardly meet with Credibility and Reception to Anticipate and take notice of the same before-hand As Isaiah 53. Begins after this manner Who hath believed our Report Importing that very few or none would until afterward they should see it fulfilled It is properly and truly expressed when such are Termed Brutish Men and Fools For tho' they have the shape of Men yet they understand no more of the things of God And thereby also we are given to apprehend for 't is the Wisdom and Knowledge of God which gives them this Character that if they do not use that Image of God which he had Implanted in them towards the Knowledge of God and of the things pertaining to his Kingdom They lose it again and Notwithstanding they retain the same outward shape with his Saints and Servants yet in inward likeness they are very Brutes And so whatever or how much they know besides if they have not this knowledge also they are in very deed Fools because hereby and for want thereof they become Subject and Liable unto Loss and Punishment Now if I had altogether to do with Brutes and Fools I should be ashamed of Preaching the Gospel unless there were some Spiritual People who know of the things whereof we speak Or unless their understandings were somewhat opened that they could a little conceive thereof But if the Mystery of the Gospel be a little opened and made known unto ye then neither will ye object shame nor yet shall I incur shame in the Preaching thereof And in the mean while this is no running away or besides from the Text but it shews and confirms all along that the Word of God hath some effect and reality For whereas People are commonly ashamed of that whereof a great clutter and stir is made and nothing comes of it But the Gospel is in Word and that is not so much as in things But yet the Gospel come not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance 2 Thes 1. 5. It is much more then in other Words for thus much is evident and sensible that they have not so much Power over the Hearts and Consciences of Men as this Gospel hath Neither were any other Words under Heaven Accompanied with so many Signs and Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost whereby God himself did bear Witness to the certainty and reality of the things contained in this Everlasting Gospel And then it is in much Assurance that it shall be all fulfilled and found true This is the very Reason why things so go on as they have and do now in the World That the Scriptures might be fulfilled And therein the Word of God hath its effect Which speaks of things exactly as they are But here this is to be attended unto that the Things and Words of God are to be performed and fulfilled in their Season Luke 1. 20. That is according to the Order and Succession of Time some have been already fulfilled others are now at this Day fulfilling But the greatest and most things of all are yet to be fulfilled as in the future State the Resurrection of the Dead the Day of Judgment and the Succeeding Eternity The thing is certain tho' the time appointed for it is long For the Vision is yet for an Appointed Time but at the End it shall speak and not lie tho' it Tarry Wait for it Because it will surely Come it will not Tarry Hab. 2. 3. Gods work as to the Inhabitants of the Earth is a work of six or seven Thousand Years continuance which is a going and carrying on ever since He first Created Man on the Earth during all the while He who hath called the Generations from the beginning hath ordered them to pass through all which is but a short time in respect to God to whom a Thousand Years are but as one Day tho' it be long to us And accordingly the Scripture speaks of it thus differently both these manner of 〈◊〉 That is It is short as to God and long as to us
hath ordained strength Psal 8. 2. He that maketh the Dumb Exod. 4. 11. And the Stammering Lips Isa 28. 11. to serve for his own Glory doth appoint such a weak Vessel and Unworthy Instrument for the Ministration of his Word and Truth Although the Person himself cannot effect any thing yet the Word and Truth of God which appears forth through him will have its effect one way or another either to Salvation or Condemnation either to make People partakers of the Mercy of God or to Load them with more Guilt and Ill deserving if they will not obey the Word of Life And tho' this last seems to be an hard saying yet it is grounded on those Words of the great Preacher of Righteousness If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no Cloke for their sin John 15. 22. And so the Apostle Paul Witnesseth in behalf of himself and of the other Ministers of the Gospel For we are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ in them that are Saved and in them that Perish To the one are we the Savour of Death unto Death and to the other the Savour of Life unto Life and VVho is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. As himself doth Answer this last in the fifth Verse of the following Chapter Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God And if we are not sufficient to think neither are we sufficient to speak or to do We are meer Creatures in the hands of God As in him we live and move and have our Being So whatever Good Words and True Words do proceed forth from any one It is what before he had put into our Heart It is agreeable unto his method and manner of Dispensation to Publish and make known his word and will unto the Inhabitants of the Earth By Men of the like Passions and of the same Flesh and Blood with our selves And it hath so came to pass that who have been the greatest Instruments of his Glory and have received most from God of any in their several Generations The World hath not known them but despised them Which hath happened not only as to the Ungodly and common sort But even so it hath been with the Multitude of outward Worshippers and who called themselves the Servants of God The truth of this observation appears from the History of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and of his Faithful Ministers ever since who have been Workmen approved of God and not Men pleasers That is to say such who have Fashioned the Word of God according to the Will and Lust of the Rich and Mighty People Which if they had been indeed the Servants of Christ they would not have so Learned of him their Master For as the Rain cometh down and the Snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but Watereth the Earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater so shall my Word be that goeth out of my Mouth It shall not return unto me Void but it shall Accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it Isa 55. 10 11. It shall Accomplish either the Salvation or Condemnation of People It shall thus Prosper in the thing whereto God sends and intends it That if it doth not reform them it will leave them more without excuse The same Word which now warns them of both will pass upon their several and respective Lives and Deaths for all Eternity Tho' when the Word of God is laid before People and they obey it not nor do accordingly then it is thought to be vain weak and ineffectual Yet God Himself here saith It shall not return to him Void But whither they will hear or whither they will forbear it shall be known that there hath been a Prophet among them Ezek. 2. Such Words have been made known or such things have been Written That they might have turned from their Iniquities and from the Evil of their doings which however they were Stifled or Disregarded in the mean while shall rise up again at the Judgment of the Great Day They were warned and testified against and his Laws were set before them but when they would not take warning nor yet yield unto him who by his Word Spirit and Ministers testified against them to bring them again to his Law All these and such like are Signs and Prognosticks that such People will Perish It here so comes to pass As when Paul expounded and testified the Kingdom of God some believed the things which were speketh and some believed not Acts 28. 23 24. So it is of Preaching every Sermon out of the Word of God or hearing forth every Testimony of Divine Truth Some obey and give heed unto it and some do not Then Zerubbabel the Son of Shealtiel and Joshua the Son of Josedech the High Priest with all the Remnant of the People obeyed the Voice of the Lord their God and the Words of Haggai the Prophet as the Lord had sent him and the People did fear before the Lord Hag. 1. 12. And so we read in Ezra 10. They did obey the Commandment of the Lord in Putting away the strange VVives But we Read more often in the Book of Kings Chronicles Isaiah Jeremiah and in the Evangelists That the Chief and Multitude of the People did not obey then that they did obey And yet it was the Word of God which was Preached unto them also But it so came to pass that the Scriptures might be fulfilled which speak of their Destruction When the Prophet came to Ananiah with Words from the Lord and met with a rough Answer from Ananiah He said I know that the Lord hath Determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkened unto my Counsel 2 Chron. 25. 16. And so it was remarkably Noted of those that came out against the Children of Israel to Battel For it was of the Lord to harden their Hearts that they should come against Israel in Battel that He might destroy them utterly and that they might have no favour but that He might destroy them as the Lord Commanded Moses Josh 11. 20. And so it was Emphatically remarked after that gentle Reproof of Eli unto his Sons Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the Voice of their Father because the Lord would stay them 1 Sam. 2. 25. It is just the same after all the Preaching and Good Admonition and Counsel warning after warning Line upon Line Line upon Line Precept upon Precept Precept upon Precept here a little and there a little Notwithstanding all the things which are contained in the standing written Word of God in the Bible Notwithstanding all that is Preached and Alledged out from thence every Sabbath and Week Day throughout the several Congregations and Places of this Island Notwithstanding
know That when the Dead small and great shall stand before God They shall remember and find that it was matter of Duty for them to have heard and not as a thing of Indifferency which carries along with it a Contempt and Neglect of the things pertaining to his Kingdom It will be then seen which way doth most please and shall find Acceptance with God as also whither the Presumptuous sinner doth not yet more displease and provoke him by those his Imaginations But even in those who are most Ignorant and keep away from the sight and hearing of his Word Nevertheless God hath not left himself without Witness for they have a certain Rumour and Notion or rather an apprehension of the things contained in the Bible They have many silent and serious thoughts within themselves and when these do reprove warn and Testify they do in like manner Presumptously against them as others do immediately against the word Preached But where is that degree of the Spirit of Contradiction and that utmost Height of Disobedience To do after their own Lust and Will any Law or Ordinance of God to the contrary Notwithstanding For the Language of Stubbornness speaks on this wise I have Loved strangers and after them I will go This makes their sin to be exceeding sinful in the mean while and such shall be beaten with more stripes and Inherit a greater Condemnation at the last The Prophet doth intend somewhat alike to what it afore mentioned when he useth that Phrase and kind of words Hearken unto mee ye Stouthearted that are far from Righteousness Isa 46. 12. Stout-hearted such as will not submit as it were out of a Piece of Pride and Bravery and they do of set purpose keep off I bring near my Righteousness it shall not be far off and my Salvation shall not tarry Vers 13. But they will go further off and stand more at a distance and delay yet more that they may not see it A perverse and contrary manner of Acting which God doth behold and will recompense upon them There are some who let God do what He will send forth his Light and make further Manifestations of his Truth give more Pressing Motives and Arguments send his several sorts of Judgments yet they will not return unto the Lord. And so Notwithstanding all his methods of Mercy and Truth when there are Great Multitudes already brought over and Converted yet they reckon it as it were a greater Piece of Gallantry and Honour that for all this they will not be perswaded Who in the Land of uprightness will deal Vnjustly and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord Isa 26. 10. In that exceeding Glory of the Church by the vast Multitude of the Gentiles coming in yet still some will be Rebellious yea and refuse to come And therefore is that Denunciation and Threatning put as it were just in the middle of all those Blessings and Promises For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall Perish Yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Isa 60. 12. If that be their Humour and Resolution so it may be to kick against the Pricks to run their Head violently against a Brass Wall to set themselves as it were against their God When He hath Prophesied and Foretold of such an Universal Reformation they will what lieth in them make God a Liar for themselves will still refuse to be reformed O Wicked Fools Poor Ignorant Souls This ye cannot do but confirm his Word the more for his Holy Spirit doth foresee this Stubbornness and Refractinoriness of Yours and speaks of it some Thousand Years before your selves Practice it That the Purpose of God might stand And what Himself hath said shall be fulfilled Nevertheless for your Evil Intent and Malice of Heart you shall smart and be Punished for the same They shall Perish and be utterly wasted And then themselves shall know whither it would not have been better for them to have served God then as they did to have went on in their own Perverseness and Opposition After all What shall I say God hath spoken thus and himself shall do accordingly I shall go softly all my Years in the Bitterness of my Soul As often as I do seriously and throughly reflect thereon I have great heaviness and continual Sorrow of Heart I do not speak this in Words of Course or only in Scripture Phrase But from an inward feeling of the same and from the very Truth of the matter For tho' I could never wish my self Accursed from Christ rather then that my Brethren and Kinsmen according to the Flesh should Perish I have had yet a much greater concern for my nearest Kindred according to the Flesh Altho' herein They have Rewarded me Evil for Good and Hatred for my Love Psal 109. 10. Then for the rest of my Brethren and Sisters of the common stock of Mankind Yet herein I say the Truth in Christ I lie not my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost that I have several times wished that my self had never came forth into Being rather then I should know and see so many of my fellow Creatures who are Flesh of my Flesh and Bone of my Bone go away into Everlasting Punishment and Misery I have had that greatest Compassion and most Earnest sensible concern for them For as it is Proverbially spoken of very ill weather That one would not then have a Dog abide out of Doors So Eternal Damnation is such a Terrible and Miserable thing to them who believe and apprehend it throughly that one would not wish it to the greatest Enemy one had I must confess again that this great Compassion and Earnest concern which I have formerly had for others doth now go off and lessen with me And what may seem yet more strange It doth so even as I behold their continued Provocation and Repeated evil doing which will more certainly seal them over unto the Day of their Destruction In this Temper of Mind I come yet more near to that of the Spirit which saith on this wise Yet behold therein shall be left a Remnant that shall be brought forth both Sons and Daughters Behold they shall come forth unto you and ye shall see their way and their doings And ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem even concerning all that I have brought upon it And they shall comfort you when ye see their ways and their doings And ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it saith the Lord God Ezek. 14. 22 23. There is so very much Malignity and Evil deserving in Sin that when God Himself which the Ministers of his Word do very faintly and imperfectly now shall lay it open before his Saints and Servants As that they shall see their ways and their doings As we behold Dirt and Mire now even they shall be Comforted concerning all the Punishment and Misery