Disciples What I say unto one I say unto all Watch WATCH and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation The holy Prophet said I will hear what the Lord will say for he will speak Peace to his Saints but let them not turn again to Folly In pag. 17. J. B. quotes the words which God spake to Moses saying I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy these words Paul repeated in Rom. 9. and he added these words viz. whom he will he heardneth To the first I Answer Paul speaking to the Geutiles or Heathens concerning the Jews said God hath concluded them All in Vnbelief that he might have MERCY UPON ALL. Mark that upon ALL Rom. 11. 32. And Vers 26. he saith All Israel shall be saved Vers 27. This is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins To the second I Answer God's Grace hath appeared and is a free Gift of God given unto all men to teach all men to deny Ungodliness and to live Godly in this present World he gives all a time also in which they may turn unto him from their Evil Wayes and if they turn not to him in the Day of their Visitation the Lord doth cease to strive with them for their Salvation who regard not the Day of their Visitation Luke 19. 44. As he did with the People of Jerusalem of old who WEPT over them and said O that thou hadst known in this Day the things which belong to thy Peace But now they are hid from thy Eyes now your House is left unto you desolate c. Mat. 23. 28 29. Luk. 13. 34 35. Thus it plainly appears that there was a time in which they might have known the things which did belong to their Peace but they neglecting that time God ceased to strive with them and shut the Door of Mercy against them So when God ceased to strive with them then they hardned SWIFTLY for then the Devil had them at his pleasure Soit was and is he that doth hearden peoples Hearts against God by leading them into sin and this the Apostle well knew and therefore Exhorted the Saints To Watchfullness and Faithfullness lost said he any of you be hardened through the Deceitfullness of Sin Heb. 3. 13. And though it s said God hardened Pharaoh 's Heart yet I say as the Apostle saith God's Will is that All Men may know the Truth and be saved and I say there was a time when God would have softned his Heart and have made him a good man but he withstanding the Day of God's tender Visitation which was in order to have made him a Tender hearted good Man God ceased to strive with him for his Salvation and th en the Devil That great Hardier of Hearts had his Will of him And though God said to Pharaoh I have raised thee up to make my Power known in thee yet God did not say to him I Created thee on purpose that thou shouldst be a Wicked Cruel and Hard hearted Man NO it were great Blasphemy to say or think so though after he was hardened God suffered him for a time to oppress his People yea to rise higher and higher in his Oppression yet afterwards God's Power was known in his Destruction and in the deliverance of his own People Pharaoh said unto Moses and Aaron I have sinned the Lord is Righteous and I and my People are wicked Exod. 9. 27. Again he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you forgive I pray thee my Sin Chap. 10. ver 26 27. Again When Pharaoh saw there was Respite he hardned his Heart Chap. 8. ver 15. Again Pharaoh hardned his Heart this time also ver 32. Thus it plainly appears that Pharaoh justifieth the Lord God in his Righteous Judgments which he brought upon him and his People for their Sins and condemneth himself and his People saying I and my People are wicked It is certain that it was the Devil NOT GOD who led Pharaoh and his People into Sin by which their Hearts were hardned against God and his People The holy Apostle John saith He that committeth Sin is of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Jam. 1. 13 14 15. And God's command is unto man kind that they should not harden their Hearts and it s written That he was grieved with those who did harden their Hearts Psalm 95. 8 10. Heb. 3. 10. and God hath promised That he will take away the Stony or hard Heart which the Devil hath made hard and that he will give them a Heart of Flesh or a soft heart c. Ezek. 11. 19. And David saith Psal 51. 17. The Sacrifice of God is a broken Heart And God said by the Prophet to the People Joel 2. 13. Rent your Hearts c. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken Heart and saveth such as are of a contrite Spirit Psalm 34. 18. Christ Jesus said The Men of Nineveh shall rise up in Judgment with this Generation and shall condemn it because they Repented at the preaching of Jonas And behold a greater then Jonas is here Matth. 12. 41. Jesus upbraided yea condemned the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they Repented not see Matth. 11. 20. to the end God commandeth all men to Repent every where Act. 17. 30. Jesus said Suppose ye that those Galileans mentioned Luk. 13. 1 2 3. and those eighteen men on whom the Tower of Siloam fell ver 4. were sinners above all the Gallileans and above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem I tell ye nay but except ye Repent ye shall ALL likewise PERISH And Christ told his Disciples after he was risen from the Dead That Repentance Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name unto all Nations or in all Nations mark that Luk. 24. 47. Many times did Jesus call unto the Rebellious amongst the seven Churches of Asia to Repent as may be seen in the second third Chapters of the Revelations at large Christs Parables concerning the stray Sheep and the prodigal Son in Luk. 15. 7. doth much hold forth the Universal Love of God to man-kind he said I say unto you that Joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth more than over ninety nine just Persons which need no Repentance Again There is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth Luke 15. 10. John the Baptist called the Pharisees and the Sadduces who came unto his Baptism A Generation of Vipers yet these he called to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Matth. 3. 7. 12. 23. Luk. 3. 7. In Rom. 9. 32. Paul saith
righteous in the sight of men For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against ALL Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men c. Because that which may be known of God IS manifest IN them for God hath SHEWED it unto them For the Invisible things OF HIM from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and GODHEAD so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE Rom. 1. 18 19 20. Mark the WRATH of God is against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men for one and the same cause namely because that which may be known of God is manifest IN THEM here the holy just merciful God shews that he is not PARTIAL Reader it is certain that the Spirit of Truth which doth Convince the World of Sin and leaves those without Excuse justly to be punished who do not believe Repent and Forsake their Sins and turn to God the same IS sufficient to GIVE Faith unto ALL men and Women But God said Israel would have none of ME. And Christ said to the Jews Ye will NOT come to ME that ye might have Life And Christ in pity and tender compassion WEPT over the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and said I would have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would NOT. He did NOT say Ye could not for he KNEW that it was possible that they might have come unto him while the day of their Visitation lasted but after that time was ended they could not he said O that thou hadst known or experienced and enjoyed in this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Now your House is left unto you Desolate Now those that would not and will not have God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Grace and Truth which God hath given to lead out of the Sin of Unbelief c. these WILL NOT have Faith For they in their stubborn corrupt Self-will refuse God and Christ the Author of it and the holy Spirit which is given to lead into the true Faith which purifieth the Heart the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience as saith the holy Apostle Those who are so hardened by the Devil that great hardener of Hearts that they will not have God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Grace and Truth nor Faith this their refusing of God and Christ the Spirit Faith c. is NOT according to the WILL and mind of God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Truth but according to the cursed Will and Mind of the old Deceiver who led Adam and Eve to Sin against God and against their own Souls and according to their own cursed will and mind which he the old Deceiver and Destroyer hath begotten in them against God Christ the Spirit of Truth c. And such hardened ONES Perish whose Destruction is of themselves and the Lord God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth is clear which hath Convinced them of their Sin and Reproved them for the same in secret and hath waited and long striven to lead them out of the same into Faith INTO love and pure obedience to the pure holy God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Christ pronounced Wo against the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for OMITTING Faith see Matth. 23. 23. Note Reader here he pronounceth Wo against them because they had not Faith or were not in the true Faith here the just God shews that he did not with-hold the true and real means and cause of Faith from them but they in their corrupt wicked WILL did resist the working of the same till God ceased to strive with them for their Salvation So their being without Faith and perishing for want of it was of themselves and the Lord God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth was and is clear of them and all such It would be blasphemous to say that it was God's will that they should have no Faith though he cryed Wo against them because they omitted it and condemned them for not being found in it But it is no very strange thing that all men have not Faith seeing many in former Ages and divers in this have made SHIPWRACK of the true Faith which they ONCE HAD The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to Hold FAITH and a GOOD CONSCIENCE which some having put AWAY concerning Faith have made Shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. Moreover Paul said to Timothy The Spirit speaks expresly that in the latter Times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared with a hot iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats c. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Moreover Paul told Timothy that Hymaeneus and Philetus had erred c. who had overthrown the Faith of some see 1 Tim. 2. 18. Again Paul said to Timothy Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in FAITH and Love this thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me 2 Tim. 1. 13. 15. Again O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy TRUST avoiding prophane and vain Bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called which some professing have enred concerning the Faith 1 Tim. 6. 20 21. Reader thus it doth plainly appear that those who once had the true Faith did depart from it and fell into Apostacy and so made Shipwrack of that Faith which the Spirit of Truth had begotten in them and such became as Trees twice Dead plucked up by the Roots c. and as wandring Stars or wandring restless Spirits for whom is reserved the mist of Darkness forever as it s written in the holy Scriptures the Hearts and Consciences of such were grown very hard benumed and greatly insensible eyen answering in a Spiritual sense that saying viz. Having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron such are forward and bold to commit Sin with pleasure and greediness and to make a mock at true Tenderness holy Fear and true Watchfulness and at the godly Sorrow and unfeigned Repentance of those whose Hearts God hath broken by his Righteous Judgments through the effectual operation of the Word of FAITH which is to be known nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth which Word is as a Hammer to break the hard Heart and as an Ax or Sword to cut down the Lust and Wickedness thereof and as a Fire to burn up the same and as a strong Wind to drive away the Ashes thereof Wo wo to the Ranters and Atheists who have sold themselves to work Wickedness with greediness who make a Mock at God at his Works in Judgment and in Mercy unto the Children of men who sport themselves in their Devilish prophane Conversations wo to them it had been better for them that they had not been Born And wo to all Apostates who are departed from the true
Faith which they once had who have sinned out the Day of Gods tender Visitation to them who are the Trees twice dead pluckt up by the Roots whose end is to be burned it had been better for them that they had not had Faith then after they had it to depart from it Therefore let all People who have not sinned out the day of God's tender Visitation HEAR and Fear the mighty God who is a consuming Fire unto the Wicked as it s written and let all such bow their Hearts and Minds unto God's searching Spirit and Word nigh in their Hearts and that will work true Faith and encrease the same and will preserve them from making Shipwrack of Faith and it will beget a good tender Conscience and it will continue and uphold the same in all those who continue to HEAR and Fear the living God who as the Apostle saith Is the Saviour of all men but especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. His Sun shines upon the Evil and the Good and his Rain falls upon the Just and the Unjust he is good unto the Unthankful and to the Evil as is shewed before So God sends and gives his Mercies unto the Wicked and Rebellious in some degree not only in things Temporal but also in things Spiritual as is largely shewed in this Book so that in the day of Gods Visitation unto them he is a Saviour unto them and saves and preserves them from Destruction and he doth suffer long to lead the Wicked to Repentance who saith As I live I have no pleasure in the Death or Damnation or Destruction of the Wicked but that the Wicked should turn and live But when they will not turn unto him in the day of his Long-suffering and tender Visitation he casts them out of his favour forever as Christ hath said unto the Goats set on the Left Hand Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil his Angels The Counsel of the holy Ghost is Seek ye the Lord while he MAY be found call upon him while he is NEAR Isa 55. 6. Again They hated Knowledge and did NOT CHUSE the fear of the Lord they would NONE of my Counsel they despised all my Reproof therefore shall they eat of the Fruit of their own wayes and be filled with their own Devices For the turning AWAY of the Simple shall SLAY them and the Prophecying of Fools shall DESTROY them But whoso hearkeneth unto ME shall dwell SAFELY and shall be QUIET from FEAR of Evil Prov. 1. 29 30 31 32 33. In Romans the first Chapter the Apostle Paul speaks largely concerning some who When they knew God they did NOT glorisie him AS God neither were THANKFUL but became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish Hearts were darkened they changed the Glory of the Incorruptible God into an IMAGE made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and Fore-footed Beasts and Creeping things wherefore God gave them up to Vncleaness Who changed the Truth of God into a Lye or rather for a Lye and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed forever Amen And they became HATERS of God and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them up to a Reprobate mind c. Such become like the deaf Adder that stopeth his Ear which will not hearken to the Voice of Charmers Charming never so wisely see Psalm 58. 4 5. The Apostle Paul saith Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doth Evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile for there is NO respect of PERSONS with God Rom. 2. 9 11. but Glory Honour and Peace to every man that WORKETH Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile ver 10. Christ said concerning the Wicked This Peoples Heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their Eyes THEY have closed c. Note Reader by what is above written it doth plainly appear that there is a time when man may seek after God and find him and have eternal Salvation given by him yea there is a time when HE is near and then he being call'd upon will hear and answer But if man IN his SELF-WILL carelesness and negligence REFUSE this seasonable time then he may seek and NOT find call and NOT be answered Therefore blessed are all they who prize and imbrace the time and day of Gods tender Visitation who said TO day if ye will hear my Voice HARDEN NOT your Hearts c. Again They that hated Knowledge who did NOT CHUSE his fear these did harden their Hearts contrary to the will and mind of God they set at naught ALL his Counsel and would have NONE of his Reproof Therefore saith God they shall eat the Fruit of their own wayes c. For the turning away of the Simple shall slay or destroy them c. But saith God whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil O blessed happy are all they who INCLINE their Ears diligently hearken unto his Voice and obey the same with such he will make an everlasting Covenant and will give unto them the sure Mercies of David he will give them unfeigned Repentance as he gave unto him and forgiveness of their Sins as he did unto him yea he will remove their Sins as far from them as the East is from the West Psal 103. 12. Isa 55. 3. Object It s written some are sensual not having the Spirit and they who have not the Spirit cannot have Faith for faith is the fruit of the Spirit and those who have not the Spirit they have not faith and those who have not faith cannot be saved Therefore all such God did ordain or fore-appoint to be damned before they were Born Answ I have before largely and clearly proved that Gods will is that all men might be saved he calls to all the ends of the Earth to look unto him saying Look unto me and be ye saved He giveth all a Day and Time of Visitation wherein they may all seek him and find him call upon him and be heard and answered by him and receive in his tender Mercy everlasting Salvation It is true that the holy Man of God hath said that some of Old did I say many now do separate themselves Sensual not having the Spirit but this doth NOT at all prove that such never had the Spirit in any measure but the Scriptures of Truth do clearly prove the contrary For the Lord gave his Spirit unto Saul but because of his Disobedience and Rebellion against the Lord the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil Spirit troubled him c. see 1 Chron. 16. 14. And Saul said The Lord is departed from me Chap. 28. 15. When David had sinned against God in the case of Vriah he greatly lamented and unfeignedly Repented of his Sin and prayed unto the Lord saying Cast me not