the Younger that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth So then of him that calleth it is where the purpose of God as to Election stands of him that witnesses that moves to God-ward in man not of that which goeth another way not of that which worketh All the endeavours of man from that or that is not of that which calleth in man the Election will not avail the purpose of God is not there Esau the Hunter hath not the blessing the first state Prospers not it cannot inherit it must serve the younger to whom the blessing is Pharaoh the hard-hearted which will not let Israel go when God calleth him the Election is hated of God is for Destruction and all that are in it the purpose of God is as to the Other the Election the Power of God is shewn here and it is raised up for that purpose even that his Name may be declared throughout the earth Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction all that are in it all in whom it is whom he hath endured with much long-suffering What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction v. 22. So man hath a day and God calleth upon man to turn and live and man heareth not so as to turn and live and the Lord endures with much long suffering whilst he calls whilst he speaks And man's day is over and long suffering is at an end and God calls no more and waites no longer and the Election is withdrawn Christ the Seed of the Promise that which calls that which seeks that which waites that which bears that which endures with much long suffering Those whom wrath fills whom the first Exercises the State in the Fall in the Transgression the state of Vnbelief the state of Reprobation the Lord makes known his Power God shews his wrath after long-suffering hath an end On the Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Those in whom destruction hath had its course and will now end Even for this cause have I raised thee up that I might shew my Power in thee and that my Name might be declared in all the Earth So God is not unrighteous What shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion as the Apostle saith in the same case Rom. 9. 15. He found all men in the fall He found all men in the state of wrath in the state of Reprobation in the state of Vnbelief He concluded all in Vnbelief that he might have mercy upon all and herein is his mercy manifest in that he calleth man in this state who seeks not after God in that he waites on Man in that he seeks him who is lost In that there is something of himself in man that stands at the Corners of the Streets in the chief place of Concourse in the openings of the Gate and calleth upon him â—o Return the Voice of Wisdom Now if man will not come hither if he will not be drawn here if he will not return but go on in his own way and follow after the counsel of his own heart and not the Lords his destruction is of himself the Lord is clear if he give over calling after him If he let him alone If he seek after him no more and shut up his day upon him The day of his Visitation the Lord is clear and that which called upon man in man which man would not hear that of him in man which sought man and man would not return would not be gathered will witness for God in the day that he will render unto every man according to his deeds So Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated the Elder shall serve the Younger the Children being not yet born neither having done any good nor evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth for this purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee and that my Name may be declared throughout all the Earth The Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction the Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 9. 22 23. Are the two Seeds the two States and those that stand in them according as they stand in them according as they are found in them are they determined to Life or Death to Salvation or Destruction to the one that the purpose of God according to Election might stand to the other that he might shew his power in them and that his Name may be declared throughout all the Earth even for this same purpose have I raised thee up Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Whom he will he inclines the Ear to hear that which calleth and they are gathered into it the Election that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth Whom he wills their day is shut up and he calleth no more who hath been long rejected and these are hardned as was Pharaohs who refused to let Israel go and the more the wonders of the Lord were shewn and he called upon by Moses to let the people go the more he hardned his heart till he bad Moses see his face no more for in the day that he did it he should surely die look to this all ye who resist the Motions of the Spirit the movings of the good Spirit of the Lord in you that which calleth on you in you to return and live And do not against it but be led by it least you come to hate it and though Wonders have been shewn to the Dead that which is in the state of Death in you and lies in the Grave by reason of Transgression be reached and it hear the Voice of the Son of God that which calleth in you and you know it You come yet to rebel against the Lord and that which calleth on you be an abomination unto you Wilt thou shew Wonders to the Dead shall the dead arise and praise thee Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the Grave and thy Faithfulness in destruction Shall thy Wonders be known in the dark And thy Righteousness in the Land of Forgetfulness but unto thee have I cryed O Lord Psal 88. 10 11 12 13. Then is your day like to be at an end and your evening is at hand when you come to hate him that reproves in the Gate and that which calls on you must no more come neer you least it die Moses that which works the Wonders which shews them to the Dead which calls upon you and you hear its Voice For then your first born is like to be slain and Israel shall come out of
and see Life Now this is mercy and the Lord might have chosen whether he would have done this to his creature whom he made upright but had turned from him for he was not bound to his Creature and have let him remain in that state for ever Nevertheless herein the love of God was made manifest to Man that he gave him something of himself that had never sinned nor consented to sin and placed it in him to call upon him to turn unto the Lord and that whilest we were yet sinners saith the Apostle Christ died for the Vngodly and herein the greatness of his love is shewn that he continues this in man which waits upon man and calls upon him and seeks him and entreats him to turn unto the Lord. Now man resisting this and disobeying this and not believing in this which suffers which bears which waits which seeks and the day of his visitation this suffering this waiting this seeking this bearing coming to an end Man comes to be unredeemed to God to be a vessel of wrath a vessel of dishonour fitted to destruction and so his destruction is of himself but man coming to heed this to retain this that calleth to believe in it to be guided by it he comes to be redeemed unto God out of the hands of him who had him in captivity to be a vessel of mercy a vessel of honour prepared unto Glory and so his help is in God So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour Man cannot plead with God in this case for as I have said he is not bound unto his Creature he might make it as he pleased even of the same lump one vessel to Honour another to Dishonour he hath power over man as the Potter hath over the Clay so man may not plead man may not reason with God in this Particular stood the Case only here had he been made so at first the Lord would have been clear and who durst to have opened his mouth seeing the Lord had power over man to have made him as he pleased But the Case stands not here it lies further the Lord made not man so he did not so forme him nor with an intent that he should be so did the Lord make Man but he formed him a vessel of Honour He planted him a noble Vine wholy a right Seed He made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him though he be not far from any of us for in him we live and move and have our being as certain of your own Poets have said for we are his off-spring said the Apostle to the Athenians Acts 17. 26 27 28. Jer. 2. 21. He made him upright after the Image of God made he man but man as I have said found out many Inventions and having turned aside and proved the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine even a vessel oâ— Dishonour bearing the image of the Devil who was made after the Image of God It was the loving kindness of God to visit man again and to call upon him to turn unto him to place something of him-thing of himself in him to call upon him to shew him where he is and what he hath been doing and to turn unto the Lord. Now he that will not hear this Prophet which the Lord hath raised up like unto me said Moses who gave the Law without which was the Similitude of the Law within Christ Jesus the fear in the Inward parts that which calls that which makes manifest that which reproves that which judges that which makes the heart tender to God and to fear before him shall be destroyed from among the people Acts 3. 22 23. For if the word spoken by the Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Hebrews 2. 2 3. So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy he visiteth whom he will and he waits on whom he will and he calls on whom he will and he suffers as he will and as long and whilest he will and whom he will he hardens he suffers iniquity to go over which the more it turns from God the more it hardens man against him on whom he calls long and they will not turn unto the Lord and so the more he calls the more they turn from him and the more they turn from him the more they are hardned against him and the movings of his Spirit and the more they are hardned against him and the movings of his Spirit the less his Spirit strives with them and therefore it is said O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and heardned our hearts from thy fear Return for thy Servants sake the Tribes of thy Inheritance Isa 63. 17. The Lord was withdrawn that of him ceased to call which they had transgressed against they grew cold to the Lord whilst that strove not with them that made their hearts tender to him they began to grow hard as that turned from them that turn'd them to him they began to go astray as that removed which led them to him O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our hearts from thy fear Return here was the matter the Lord was withdrawn the Lord was removed that of him turn'd from them as they had turned from it that was the cause and of this they grew sensible Return â—ay they for thy Servants sake the Tribes of thy Inheritance So whom he will he hardens as they withdraw from that of him which calls on them to turn to him he withdraws that in them of him which turns unto him as they let not in that of him in them that calls upon them to turn unto the Lord which makes them tender they grow hard So Pharaoh the more he withstood Moses that called upon him to let Israel go the more hard Pharaoh was and even for the same purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth So when the Lord calls and man will not hear when he stretcheth out his arms long and man will not come when he strives and yet man will not be gathered who is turned from God It 's just with God to withdraw from man to turn that of him that turns
Egypt that which suffered in you and you made to serve with an Out-stretched Arm and be delivered in your destruction it is the Word of the Lord. He that hath an Ear let him hear what it speaketh Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproofe I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as Desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you then shall they call on me saith Wisdom who cryeth without and uttereth her Voice in the Streets she cryeth in the chief places of Concourse in the openings of the Gates in the City she uttereth her Voice saying how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the Scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate Knowledge Turn ye at my Reproofe behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my Words unto you then shall they call on me saith Wisdom But I will not answer They shall seek me early but they shall not find me For that they hated Knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord they would none of my Counsel they despised all my Reproof therefore shall they eat of their own way and be filled with their own devices for the turning away see you here of the Simple shall slay them and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them But whoso hearkneth unto Me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1. 20. to the end So the Vessels of Wrath and the Vessels of Mercy are hear Those who stand in the one 〈◊〉 are found in the other which is the Election and Reprobation according to the purpose of him that calleth And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up Both his purpose they who are found in either his purpose is according to the state of either in which they are found Vessels of Wrath Vessels of Mercy What if God be willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction he doth not say ordained to destruction and all Eternity but fitted to destruction which Iniquity doth and destruction is the end when it hath finished its course sin when it is finished brings for Death Jam. 1. 15. Destruction is the end when Iniquity finishes its course and that he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of Gentiles Rom. 9. 22 23 24. So fitted for destruction vessels of wrath iniquity fits to destruction as I have said the creature in that state the state of the fall the state of Reprobation vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction on whom he will he makes his power known after he hath endured with much long-suffering see you here after he hath waited after he hath called after he hath sought after he hath endured with much long-suffering and man will not hear man will not turn If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors Psal 7. 12 13. God is willing what if God willing to shew his Wrath to make his Power known even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my Power in thee endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath whom Reprobation Iniquity Vnbelief hath filled up whom it hath contained in whom it hath long lodg'd who would not be emptied would not have it cast out on which the wrath of God abides Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction made ready for that purpose by Iniquity Iniquity fits to destruction that 's all the profit of it if so be it may be called so to fit to destruction for God to shew his wrath to make known his power upon after he hath endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath. And the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory Here 's both as I have said Vessels of Wrath Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory That which receives that which calls which shews mercy I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy That the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth Vessels of Mercy they receive mercy contain mercy retain that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election Even as they did not like to Retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprebate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness c Rom. 1. 28 29. I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy afore prepared unto Glory Mercy that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election not of Works but of him that calleth prepares unto Glory where it is received that which calleth Mercy afore prepared unto Glory As Iniquity that which hardens the heart shuts the ear maketh to refuse mercy not to retain that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election fits to destruction Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory What if God be willing to shew his wrath and to make his Power known And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory So God is not Vnrighteous he made not man to destroy him Neither hath he concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction But he made man Upright and after his own Image and therein man was kept as he kept therein but man turning from that in which he was made to another thing Death came over all because all in Adam had sinned and in the state of Death every man stood and was concluded because in Adam every man had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God Now in this state as I have said the Lord finding every man his compassion wrought to man and his bowels earned towards him whom he had made in his Image which now man had lost and was fallen from and Death was come over therefore as he concluded all in this state because all had sinned and come short of his glory so he had mercy upon all he concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and this is his mercy that there is something of himself in man which shews him where he is and what he doth as he hearkens to it believes in it and obeys it and his enemy and sin and transgression by reason of which death came over and judges it and calls upon man to return to the Lord that he may be redeemed from Death and ransomed from the power of the Grave
man to God from man to withdraw that which sought to gather him to remove that which was near to him which strove with him to bring him back again to God and so to let him erre from his wayes and to hearden his heart from his fear Which in a sence may be called a making man err from his wayes and a hardning of his heart from his fear because that 's withdrawn from man that 's removed that led man in his wayes and caused man to fear before him Man still turning from that which would have turned him to God and withdrawing from that which would have made his heart tender to him And so I have done with this Particular Lastly And to that why doth he yet find fault For who hath resisted his will I answer That is spoken as to the Omnipotent Power of God by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself which makes the Devils tremble though they love him not and to obey him though they fear not before him But there is a difference between the consideration of this Omnipotent Power of God which can make every thing bow as he pleases and that Power which he hath placed in man which yet is Omnipotent too to bring him to God For in the One the Lord deals as a Dread Soveraign who at his beck lays all things at his see In the Other as a Father as a Redeemer as a Woer as an Intreater as a Beseecher for man to be reconciled to God Now as to this Latter it is the Gospel of Reconciliation the Ministry of Reconciliation is that which he sends forth to turn man unto God God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation And all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation And now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. As to the other it is the Ministry of Wrath or of Condemnation The Savour of Death unto Death and of Life unto Life For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and to them that perish To the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. And To YOV that are troubled rest with Vs when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction From the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe because our Testymony among you was believed in that day 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 10. So here 's the difference The Ministry of Reconciliation is the Power of God Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God that beseeches that prays that that woes that intreats man to be reconciled to God who hath made him sin for us who knew no sin and so the burden of sin is upon him and the suffering who takes it on him and bears and suffers the just for the unjust that he might bring us all to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him And this is Gentle it works with the understanding of man it opens the understanding of man the Eyes of his understanding The Eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places far above all Principalities and Power and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes 1. 18. to the end And this is that which waits on man to reconcile him to God and bears the sins So that those who receive him in whom God is reconciling the World unto himself he imputeth not their trespasses unto them so makes him sin who knew no sin He bears it he suffers it the just for the unjust that we might be made the righteousness of God in him that he might bring us all to God And this is his Will and this is resisted Ye have condemned and kiled the just and he doth not resist you Jam. 5. 6. this is gain sayed They perished in the gainsaying of Core Jud. 11. This is evil intreated and scoffed There shall come in the last day scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. 4 5. And. the remnant took his servants and intreated them spitefully and slew them Those whom the King sent to invite to the Wedding Mat. 22. 6. This is mocked and spit upon struck and blindfolded crowned with Thornes and scourged this is put to death when it hath cried out My God my God why hast uhou forsaken me Mat. 27. 28 29 30 31. For the same that was done without to him in that day is done to the measure of him within in this who is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Whose witnesses John saw should prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloathed in sack-cloath Rev. 11. 3. Against whom when they shall have finished their testimony John saw also that the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit should make war against them and should overcome them and kill them and that their dead bodies should lie in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom where also our Lord was crucified and that they of the People and Kindreds and Tongues and Nations should see their dead bodies three dayes and a half and should not suffer their dead bodies to be put in Graves and that they that dwell on the Earth should rejoyce over them and should make merry and send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the Earth Rev. 11. 7 8 9 10. And as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so he was brought
so he openeth not his mouth saith Isaiah of him he was Oppressed and he was Afflicted read this every one in his own particular who afflict the just in you and cause it to suffer to be pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves And so cause the Lord to cry Ah! I will ease me of mine enemies and avenge of mine adversaries Isa 1. 24. Amos 2. 13. 5. 12. Yet he opened not his mouth read this ye that make hight of that which witnesses in you which ye cause to suffer which resists you not which openeth not its mouth which as a Lamb is in you when it is brought to the slaughter when you suffer the unjust to slay and murder it that which moves in you unto God and against evil and waites to bring you unto God You little think what you are a doing and whom you suffer to be put to death so far as the motion of that comes to be extinguished and so may be said to be slain even the Lord of Glory Whom none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory that which witnessed in them unto God there they slew him first behold the Kingdom of God is within you said he to the Pharisees who demanded of him when the Kingdom of God should come they looked for it without and a King and a Kingdom without but he answered them and said The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation neither shall they say loe here or loe there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you as Luke saâ—es Chap. 17. v. 20 21. and then put him to death without that which slays the witness within will kill him that bears it withort as it hath opportunity Cain slew his brother in his heart and then with his hand he that oppresses it within will oppress that which testifies to it without he that afflicts it within will afflict it without First the thing in themselves then the same in another for that which slayes in the particular carries forth that particular to slay as it can the same in all others the murderer is on top whose itch is at all those in whom the same Spirit lives which he hath slain in the particular And here all Persecutors may see their face and what is in them and how 't is with them and what it is that makes them cause the just to suffer even that which hath slain the just in their particulars and what it is that they slay and is slain that they persecute and is persecuted but the Lord of Glory even them that bear it in whom it lives unto God and brings forth fruit to him what ever they may think even in themselves and others as Saul did Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and he said who art thou Lord And the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Acts 9. 4 5. Whom none of the Princes of this World knew whom Saul knew not for had they known it had Saul known it and after he knew it he did it not after the light had shone about him and he was struck down and he heard the voice that which called the voice behind him when he turned to the right hand and to the left when he persecuted for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory T is that which suffers in the flesh that is meek and lowly that seeks to bring unto God Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Zach. 9. 9. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly Mat. 11. 29. So take heed of this all ye that persecute the just in your selves or others and cause it to suffer for it will not resist you you may resist his will in this Particular in such a sence as this that which is meek and lowly in you that speaks in you and seeks to bring you to God But as to the other which is not in the long-suffering in the waiting which rules over all in Heaven and earth which doth whatsoever he will in Heaven and in earth and who shall say unto him what dost thou who is Lord of all who made the Heavens and the earth and all that is therein that holdeth the waters of the deep in his fist and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure the Lord of Hosts is his Name who removeth the mountains and they know not who overturneth them in his anger who shaketh the earth out of her place and the Pillars thereof tremble who commandeth the Sun and it riseth not and sealeth up the Stars who alone spreadeth out the Heavens and treadeth upon the Waves of the Sea who maketh Oriturus Orion and Pleiades and the Chambers of the South who doth great things yea and past finding out who hath measured the Waters in the hollow of his hand and meeted out Heaven with the Span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance who hath directed his Spirit or being his Counsellor hath taught him With whom took he Counsel and who Instructed him and taught him in the Path of Judgement and taught him Knowledge and shewed to him the way of Understanding Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing and Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for t a burnt-offering All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less then nothing and vanity He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardned his heart against him and prospered Who hath resisted his Will for he formeth the breath of man and sheweth man his thoughts he bringeth Summer and Winter and Seed time and Harvest and Createth the Grass of the Field He maketh Night and Day and withdraweth the Wind into his Cloysters He spreadeth forth the light of the morning as a sheet and causeth darkness to cover the face of the earth He is Great in Wisdom Wonderful in Counsel his Way is past finding out No man went after him nor shall any man come to him in the knowledge of this his understanding which is unsearchable So here all men must be at a stop there 's no finding of him out there 's no resisting of him who beats the mountains like dust and rends the Rocks to pieces all men must bow before him and the most up right among men make their supplication to their Judge for he breaketh and and carrieth away and there is no resisting of him who hath resisted his Will And yet in his dealings
with man in his long-suffering to man in his seeking man who is lost in his gathering man who is scatered he is far otherwise he woes intreats prayes beseeches as I have said he waits to be gracious The Gospel the Power of God Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God that seeketh man that calleth man is as I have said the Gospel of Reconciliation His Ministers are the Ministers of Reconciliation God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself not rending from himself and hath committed to us the Ministry of Reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you We pray you in Christ stead be reconciled unto God as aforesaid And here 's the Will and here 's the Power and here 's that which can be resisted and this is that which man resisteth which waiteth upon man which seeketh man and here the Lord and his Will and his Power is to be understood and no otherwise So all are to be silent and every mouth is to be stop't before the Lord for who can complain of him who hath placed something of himself in man Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God a measure of him in every man to gather him to the Lord and to bring him again to him who is gone from him which is that which witnesses which shews which judges which reproves which makes manifest and this waits on man after that man hath turned from him the Seed of the woman which he promised man after he was fallen should bruise the Serpents Head which bruises the Serpents head in all who are gathered to it believe in it and are guided by it Now they who are gathered unto this receive mercy become vessels of Honour fit for the Masters use vessels of mercy afore prepared unto Glory from him who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion on whom he will have compassion as he said to Moses who hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and holds forth this unto all and hath placed this in all For as in Adam all die so in Christ all are made alive the Plaister is as broad as the Sore the Medicine as comprehensive as the Disease Those who are not gathered to it reject the Counsel of God against themselves as it was said of the Pharisees and Lawyers who came not to the Baptism of John being not baptized of him Luk. 7 30. and so become vessels of dishonor vessels in whom there is no pleasure unfit for the Masters use by reason of sin and that which defiles which he can have no fellowship with nor can it come near him vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And so all men are left without excuse and will be found so in the day of the Lord wherein he will render unto every man according to his Deeds for this of him which he hath placed in every man which calls upon every man which seeks every man that in every man which witnesses doth it which reproves which judges which shews man what he should do which makes manifest will then witness for God in every man and how the Lord hath sought every man and waited for him and all its sufferings and being rejected and its sighings and oppressions and afflictions and heavy loadings and groanings whilst the long-suffering of God waited will it bring up fresh in man which shall judge man and leave him without excuse You will not be able then to battail it against the Lord your reasonings will be stopt your great Arguments will be at an end No trifling it then as now wherein man is bold by reason of the Instigation of the Devil and the Ignorance that is in him and reasons with the Lord as if he were stronger then the Lord as if the Lord needed man as if he alwayes would wait on man No no before your Judge you will be silent and you shall confess to the Lord that his judgement is just So Friends ye all who are here heed whilst ye have time take heed of pleading with your Maker and reasoning it out with him Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour and yet he made not you so nor no man so he made all Nations on the earth of one blood and appointed the bounds of their habitations if happily they might seek after God So he hath concluded no Nation under reprobation from all eternity He Created man after his own Image In the Image of God created he them Male and Female and so he made none to Dishonour none to Reprobation He might have made man otherwise and who could have said to him what dost thou for he hath Power as the Potter over the Clay and yet when he hath made no man so why doth man complain for who hath resisted his Will why doth he find fault It is sufficient and riches of mercy that he hath had compassion on man and visited him again with the day spring from on high who sat in darkness and in the Region of the shadow of death which is the light which shews him whatsoever he doth Is not this the Christ if Man will not be gathered to this if he will neglect so great Salvation if he will trifle out his precious time and do despight unto the Spirit of Truth and trample under foot the blood of the Everlasting Covenant and reject mercy and loving kindness and that which waits upon him and hath compassion on him and his day have an end and so he be hardned and that which called withdraws and that which strove ceases and so he errs from his wayes and his heart is hardned from his fear and the Lord shew his Power in him that which he refused and did reject which is the Power of God unto Salvation and declare his Name throughout all the earth in his destruction Man hath nothing then to reason with the Lord and all men will find it so it is the Word of the Lord. And whereas the Apostle saith What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction that he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory He doth but put the Question If he were willing to do so and if he had done so what hath man to do to complain Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus If the matter were only there it stood well against man but the Lord hath done otherwise as I have shewed he made man otherwise and the Lord hath otherwise done by man since he marr'd himself as hath been declared so the Lord is true and every man here a liar Rom. 3. 4.
Fatherless and that turn aside the Stranger I was a Stranger and ye took me not in saith he that witnesseth the Faithful and True Witness who is come whose right it is to Rule who witnesseth to God who is turned aside from his right when he is not suffered to rule from his right And fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts for I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3. 1. to the 7th For a man to say that he is chosen when he is not in holiness and that he is sanctified in Christ Jesus when he is unholy this is to overthrow the work of him who came to Redeem to Purifie to Cleanse man and so to bring him back again unto God And is the highest blasphemy that can be Imagined and the greatest deceit For it is to make God as such a one is and to render the blood of the Covenant by which those which are Sanctified are cleansed of none effect and where 's the effect if it purgeth not And where 's the purging where the sin remaines And doth it not remain where yet it is And is it not yet where it abides to death And are such redeemed Are such washed Are such sanctified Are such justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God as were they of whom the Apostle speaks But such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified So washed sanctified being otherwise then they were when in sin and such were some of you but ye are washed in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God There 's the matter And as an unholy thing For He that is joyned to an Harlot is one body for two saith he shall be one flesh but he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. So Friends all ye that are here take heed of being mistaken take heed of a mistaken state take heed of abiding in a state that is mistaken for this will not hold you will find it so in the end and I desire it may not be when it is too late so I am clear of you also for whose sake or the Seed's sake in you which is Immortal in the movings of the Lord I have written for the day is near wherein you will find this to be so It is the Word of the Lord and therefore hath he moved me to write that you may see it in time before it be too late before your day is over which is very short however ye may account it or value what I have said the thing is so and as I have said you will find it and then ye will remember that ye were told of it before that ye might not trust on a mistaken thing which will prove as a broaken Reed to you in the day of Tryal and the time of need for the Lord is drawing near to judgement and he will be a swift Witness as hath been said and then wo will be to all them in whom that which witnessed to life and was not heard will arise and witness to Eternal Condemnation and be a Worm that will never die and a Fire that shall never go out and this will be the state of all them that have not obeyed unto life that have not hearkened to nor believed that which witnessed in them against whom then it will witness a judgement that 's eternal for ever and ever For there 's no mocking in things of this nature no jesting no trifling To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the Provocation the day of temptation in the Wilderness Obey his witness believe in it heed it least time be no more and ye be concluded with the God whom ye serve For except ye believe that I am he said Christ to the Pharisees ye shall die in your sins and except ye believe that that which witnesseth for God in you which came from God which whatsoever it seeth the Father do it doth and speaketh what it heareth him say unto whom the Father beareth witness and of whom the Scriptures testifie John 5. 36 37 38 39. Christ the Light ye shall die in your sins It is the Word of the Lord I am the light of the world saith he he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of ltfe Joh. 8. 12. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that which reproves that which makes manifest that shineth in darkness though the darkness comprehendeth it not Thou art my Lamp O Lord thou wilt lighten my darkness Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my Path the Word which endures for ever For ever O Lord thy Word is settled in Heaven Thy faithfulness unto all Generations said David Psal 119. 89. to 10. 5. 2 Sam. 22. 29. John 1. 5. 9. So Friends all that are here take heed hereunto least the day be cloased into night and ere ye be aware the shadow of death close up the hour of your Visitation and it be too late for to you hath the Lord often spoken as I have said and do now say it again in and by the same Spirit of the Lord and he hath often sought you and that by me I am Witness for the Lord for ever how his Bowels have yearned towards you and how he would have gathered you as a Hen doth her Chicken under her Wings and he indeed yet seeks you hearken to his Voice withstand not him that calleth in you that calleth to you that seeks to gather you least your day have an end and there be no more You will remember me in that day but I would you did it sooner before it be too late The bowels of the Lord move in me to you he would not have you perish he would have you hear that your souls may live he would have ye convinced and turned to the truth he would have you in the truth that the truth may make you free I am the Way the Truth and the Life said Christ the Son he that witnesseth If the Son make ye free saith he again then are you free indeed John 8. 36. 14. 6. And so farewell I have finished what I have to say to you from the Lord. Look ye to it I am clear Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble on the dark Mountaines and and while ye look for light he turn into the shaddow of death and make it gross darkness Jer. 13. 16. And this hour is neer The Lord God Eternal open your eyes that in this your day which is now neer to an end you may know the things that belong to your Peace least they be hid from your eyes The Lord will not alwayes wait on you his Spirit will not alwayes strive with you It hath
and to many people long and to you it hath been so but it is near an end and O t is but a very little time and you will find it so who shall not be gathered to the Lord after all his seeking you wherein you shall be concluded with the God whom you serve and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord who hath long sought to gather you who yet seeks you who will not seek you alwayes who are not gathered to him who will be glorified in what he shall do unto you who are not gathered unto him in the day wherein he shall render unto every man according to his deeds And this is no jesting matter you will find it so who yet shall be hardned who yet shall refuse to hear who yet are disobedient who yet are rebellously who yet will not hear who yet harden your hearts who yet set your faces as a flint who will not return who are proud and high minded and disobedient and unthank-ful and unholy and who smite your fellow Servants and do eat and drink with the drunken and say your Lord delayes his coming The Lord will come upon you in a day that you think not of it and in an hour of which you are not aware and cut you assunder and give you your portion with Hypocrâ—tes and Sinners It is the Word of the Lord there will be no dallying you will find it so when your day is over no jesting no sporting no living in pleasures no having to morrow as to day and much more abundant as your thoughts of pleasures leads you to imagine those things will have an end when your day is over and when he that hath sought you comes to be your Judge even that which witnesses in you which is privy to all your actions the thoughts and intents of your hearts who hath lain down with you and rose with you and hath suffered and knows all the bowels of the Lord to you and his seeking of you and is witness how you have neglected and slighted and chose his and your enemy and how you have had a name that you were alive and others have thought you to be so and you have said so of your selves but yet are dead The bowels of the Lord God Eternal yet move in me to you who would not have you die but rather that ye may return and live and be gathered with his chosen into his everlasting rest where is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And so I have done with you also in the Word of the Lord and so I shall proceed Neither is it so in the will of man that if he will he shall be saved and if he will he shall be damned That were to overturn the Foundation of God which standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his but in a great â—ouse there are not only Vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth and some to Honour and some to Dishonour 2 Tim. 2. 19. And my Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand my Father that gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my hand I and my Father are one John 27. 29 30. And those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfiled John 17. 12. And Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. And so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy For the Scriptures saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my Power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. 16 17 18. And the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the Wise that they are Vanity Psal 9. 4. 11. And O Lord I know the way of man is not in himself it is not in him that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10. 33. And God saw that the wickedness of man was very great in the Earth and that the Imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. And can the Ethiopean change his skin or the Leopard his spot Then may ye also do good that are accustomed do evil Jer. 13. 23. And work out your own salvation with Fear and Trembling For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 12. So Friends ye who are called by the name of Free-willers you see how the matter lies and how Inconsistant to the Scriptures of Truth and of the Life which gave it forth Your Position is who think to fathom God with your own Line and reach to him who is Immortal with that which perishes and because you cannot make it out or understand in your dark and narrow thoughts how it can be otherwise you limit the Lord and make him such a one as your selves or as your narrow dark and Shalow thoughts can apprehend of him who is unfathomable whose way is in the Sea and his footsteps in the mighty Waters who declareth unto man his thought and therefore the thought of man or that which proceedeth from the will of man cannot comprehend God nor know what he is or how he worketh or the reason of his working who is unsearchable How unsearchful are his Judgements and his wayes past finding out O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and the Knowledge of God! For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Councellor Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen said the Apostle Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. Now because you cannot reach the depth of his Counsel nor find him out and the reason of his working who is unsearchable who are in the fall You think that your will in the fall is the ground of his working who being in the fall can think of nothing higher then your selves For though God is above and you think and speak of God as you think yet you understand God no more in the mind that is in the fall then the fall can understand him Whom even the natural man cannot know nor the things of him for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them for they are spiritually descerned as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 3. 14. And think not this strange that I say unto you For a man can see no further nor otherwise then is
chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he may give it you If ye were of the world the world would love its own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen ye out of the World therefore the World hateth you v. 11 12. 13 14 15 16 19. So here 's the Election as I have said Christ the Seed which God hath blessed but the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned and as every man is found in him as he is accepted of the Lord in that which witnesses to God which shews which makes manifest which judges which reproves in man Every man as he is found in him in this is accepted of the Lord This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith the Lord Who hath accepted us in the beloved saith the Apostle This is he by whom we have accesse unto the Throne of Grace Who is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world The Mediator if any man would know who he is and what that is that witnesses that searches the heart that tries the Reines the Candle of the Lord that searches all the inwards parts of the belly that reproves that makes manifest that shews a man what he should do between God and man that comes between to stop his wrath that it break not forth as a floud then who can quench it and wooes man to turn unto the Lord whilst his wrath is not broke forth and the fire of his wrath is not kindled which will burn to the lowest Hell It s ever and anone between the Enemy and man shewing man his enemy and what man should do near with his power to help man and deliver him It s always between the Fathers wrath and man for the movings of this is the Visitation of the Lord and his long-suffering for he waits whilst this is whilst this strives with man whilst this tries if I may so say and I speak after the manner of men what it can do So this stops all whilst its time of working is whilst its a Trying a seeing whether man will be reconciled to God This will not let God alone let me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under Heaven as the Lord said to Moses Deut. 9. 14. Whilst its day of working is to spare his people but steps between and shews and makes manifest and tries and judges and speaks to the Lord and saith Lord let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and dung it and if it bear fruit well and if not then after thou shalt cut it down when the Lord saith behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this Fig tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground As the Parable of the Man and his Vinyard and his Vinedresser hath it which was spoken by the Lord by him who is it That which digs about and dungs that waites that speaks that calls that 's ready to remove iniquity to open the heart to God-wards to visit the Plant of the Lord that lies in death that it may spring and bring forth fruit that man may not be cut down in whom it is and made to cease to cumber the ground That is ready with every good Motion with every good Thought with every good Opportunity to incline man to the Lord to bring him to rest to bring him to God that watches all approaches of evil that shews the appearance of it encounters with it is ready to assist man against it and to overcome it which hath turned man from God and the Lord from man if man would let God arise that his enemies might be scattered and thus follows after man from year to year and interceeds and mediates and comes between whilest as I have said the day of long-suffering is of mans visitation which is the day of mans visitation Therefore to day whilst it is called to day harden not your hearts as in the Provocation in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness as the Apostle expresseth it Heb. 3. 7 8. Me thinks every man should hear what I have I said in himself and turning his eye within should see this and inclining his ear should hear all this and all the wooing and entreatings and the seekings of him to turn man unto the Lord and waitings and bearings and sufferings for that purpose every man that doth but this must needs hear it and see it and be sensible of it and this as he lets it work will affect his heart and break him to pieces that ever he hath resisted it that he hath been an enemy to his own peace Me thinks I hear such bemoaning themselves I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confunded because I did bear the reproach of my youth and see what follows hereupon and how the bowels of the Lord turn to that which thus turns to him and see how ready the Lord is to receive such and his tenderness unto such and bow as it were if I may so speak after the manner of men I have too the Scripture for it which will bear me out in what I say the Lord is in an Agony for such and in a distress of love Is Ephraim my dear Son what can be more breaking and near Is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord Jer. 31. 20. See the Heart of the Father to the Prodigal that returns whom he goes forth to meet and runs and even while he is yet a great way off sees and hath compassion on him and falls upon his neck kisseth him and puteth on him the best robe the covering of his Son and a Ring on his Hand the band of Love and Shoes on his Feet the preparation of the Gospel of Peace for this is the way to it coming to that which witnesseth in him that gives him to see his state and where he is that brings to himself and when he came to himself see what it is that brings a man to himself that which shews him his state that gives him a sence of his condition that is it and how a man is from himself in an extasie as it were out of his wits in a sown from the sence of his understanding as a man from that which should guide him as one in another world as they use