God's Will for himself is more than all the Generations of Mankind and so more than all that are now living He is more than ten thousand times ten thousand kind of Creatures which are any where in the World above the Firmament or in the vast and spacious Air in the habitable parts of the Earth or any where underneath and without the visible World for all things were created by him whether Visible or Invisible Thrones or Dominions Principalities and Powers Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Matt. 6. 10. So it is more Universally as Heaven is greater than Earth which is but a part and next to nothing The Innumerable Company of Angels Heb. 12. 22. Those many sorts of Creatures whether Animate or Inanimate Those ten thousand of his Saints whereof Enoch prophesieth Jude 14. The hundred and fourty four thousand of all the Tribes of the Children of Israel and that great Multitude which no Man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues Rev. 7. 4 9. All these obey and fulfil the Word of God and they do his Pleasure And those are many more than all those Rebels now living upon the Earth or those Generations of sinful Men since the World began Whom the Lord hath carried away as with a Flood Psal 90. 5. to be delivered over to the Lake of filth and stink or like the Grass which in the Evening is cut down and withereth Verse 6. and is to be burnt with unquenchable Fire And so it will be of all those which are yet to succeed until there be an End made of Transgression and the Sinners be consumed out of the Earth and the Wicked be no more Psal 104. 35. A little after the Creation All Flesh had corrupted its way upon the Earth Gen. 6. 12. which caused the Flood whereby the World that then was being over-flowed with Water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Vngodly Men 2 Pet. 3. 6 7. As certainly as the Flood came upon those in the days of Noah so certainly shall the whole World be consumed by Fire The Punishment and Vengeance of God are executed by Fire and Water which do drown and consume many as well as few And Death that consigns them over unto it hath reigned from Adam ever since Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their Glory and their Multitude and their Pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it Isa 5. 14. which hath been and continues unto this day to be fulfilled So it is a vain Shelter and foolish Safety to think to escape with the Many for God can and doth as easily deal with them as with few We sensibly know that within seventy or eighty Years within the compass of the Age of a Man he doth quite empty the Earth of all its Inhabitants and causeth others to spring up in their stead whom again he takes away in his own order And though now they assemble themselves in Companies to commit Wickedness and gather by Troops to do Mischief Yet they drop away one by one into the Bars of the Pit and he scatters them that they fall severally until they all die away and come to nothing He doth now give his express Command by his Servant Moses Thou shalt not follow a Multitude to do Evil Exod. 23. 2. and forewarns us by the Son of his Love whom he sent to Redeem and Preserve us from it Wide is the Gate and Broad is the Way which leadeth unto Destruction and many there be which go in thereat Matt. 7. 13. So that who is for being amongst the Multitude He will be amongst them also and so he will miss of that narrow way which leadeth unto Life Nor will he be one of those few who find it Indeed there is an Inclination in Man to do as the rest of his Brethren do but then he hath some seeming Reason for it or he is void of Understanding as to have no set and inward Principle of Action and then he can just conceive what others do and order himself to do according Example is a sensible and visible thing and thereupon it hath such a strong Prevalency over most and it is yet stronger over those who know not what it is to live by Faith nor act by hope of unseen things But they are most led on thereby who least think within themselves A Multitude is made up of several distinct Persons which conspire in one thing or near the same But it was received of one or few before it is made known unto and embraced by many and then the like Disadvantage lay against it as now they conceive on the other side But it is said now it hath the more general Acceptation Why the most do swallow it without Examination And who admit thereof must have some Rule Then which God hath given none other unto Men besides his Word which is to try Good and Evil Duty and Transgression as also what may be discerned from the Truth and Reality of things There is no other way under Heaven whereby we may be Happy but this only Now every one desires to be Happy that is To enjoy what Good he can and to avoid Evil. Even those have that Wish and Intention who turn aside every one to his own Way Who live as their Neighbours and Acquaintance and as the rest of the World do why this hath a shew of Peace and Good Will and they do hereby avoid the odious thing of Singularity and the Irksomness of Reproach But they should do well to consider in the first place of Glory to God in the Highest How is that annexed to their kind of Peace on Earth and Good Will towards Men. Their Hearts should be lifted up with Angels and the Heavenly Host towards him who sitteth above and remaineth King for ever And how is he honoured by such a kind of Life as the Inhabitants of the Earth lead which is made up of Forgetfulness of their Maker Sin and Sloth How are his Statutes kept and his Laws observed Are Peace and Truth met together as in the days of Hezekiah see Isa 39. 8. Or is it like the Hills of the Robbers the Assemblies of the Ungodly and Wicked an Agreement together to preserve their old accustomed Ignorance Corruption and Error And then those who would teach Knowledge and guide into Truth shall be reputed Enemies to Civil Society and Troublers of Israel the Church of God And what is the commonly called Good Will but to let every one do what is right in his own Eyes Not to meddle with their Sins and Transgressions To avoid Sound Doctrine Reproof Correction Instruction in Righteousness for all this hath a shew of Disturbance It is said to spoil Family-Peace and good Neighbourhood Even in this Antichristian Age wherein things are
all this long Fight and Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Earth wherein the Lord did Fight against them with the Sword of his Mouth even that two edged Sword which is called the Word of God And these Rebels did again fight with him with all their Vngodly deeds which they have Vngodly committed and with all their hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. Yet after all God hath the better and upper Hand Though they did as it were Murder his own Divine Majesty in putting to Death his Prophets Son and Servants God hath raised up his Son already and he will also raise up all them again and bring them along with him Alive to Judgment when When he will tread down his Enemies in his Anger and Trample them in his Fury Isa 63. 3. and He will slay them Luke 19. 27. serving them as they did his Anointed and his Chosen ones Still the Lord liveth and Blessed be my Rock and let the God of my Salvation be Exalted The Psalmist goes on to speak in the Person of Christ who must Reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his Feet It is God that avengeth me and subdueth the People under me He delivereth me from mine Enemies yea thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me Which was eminently fulfilled when those that rose up against him lifted him up upon the Cross and afterwards God lifted him up from the Grave wherein they had put him into the highest Heavens in his Ascension and sitting now at his Right hand where he is now lifted up infinitely above all his Enemies Thou hast delivered me from the violent Man who is as contrary to the Meckness and Gentleness of Christ as a Wolf is to a Lamb. But here God the Everlasting Shepherd who brought again the Lord Jesus from the Dead did deliver and restore this Lamb of God safe again from out of their Mouth after they had taken him and with wicked Hands Crucified him Therefore will I give thanks unto thee O Lord among the Heathen and sing Praise unto thy Name Great deliverance giveth he to his King who in that day in reality and very deed shall be King both of the Jews and also of the Gentiles yea of all the Earth and to his Anointed which is the very Christ to David and to his Seed for evermore By which last word the Son of David is included of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came and also all the Seed and Children whom the Lord hath given him from the Beginning from thenceforth and for evermore in the most Universal comprehensive and extensive Signification throughout all the Earth and to the end of Time from thenceforth throughout all Eternity Which is here so expressed for our Understanding and Apprehension For there is no passing throughout all Eternity for into that is an entrance and in that is a continuance but no going through any part of what is without Succession of days or ending of time but like God himself the Ancient of days abideth continually the same And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and open the Seals thereof for thou wast slaâ—n and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on the Earth Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing And every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that is in them heard I saying Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5. 9 10 12 13. After this I beheld and lo a great Multitude which no Man could number of all Nationt and Kindred and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their Hands and cried with a loud Voice saying Salvation unto our God which sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be to our God for ever and ever Amen Rev. 7 9 10 12. FINIS Practical Books Written and Published by Richard Stafford OF Happiness Wherein it is fully and particularly manifested That the greatest Happiness of this Life consisteth in the Fear of God and keeping his Commandments in opposition to the Pleasures of Sin or the pretended conveniency of Disobedience Rules and Directions for the prevention of and Recovery out of Sickness A Discourse against Partial Obedience Or that dangerous Deceit so universal amongst them who call themselves Christians of keeping some of the Commandments of God and neglecting others Some Thoughts of the Life to Come With a brief account of the state of Religion as it 〈◊〉 now in the World The great Benefits of Christ to all that Believe on and Obey him Being a Treatise on Hebrews 2. 15. VVherein it is shewed and made known how People may be freed and delivered from that slavish fear of Death whereby they are subject to Bondage throughout their Life-time And also how they may be saved and preserved from the Evil and Danger of Death when it shall approach nigh and come actually upon them An earnest Call to all the Inhabitants of the Earth to Turn immediately to the Lord their God
had upon foregoing means Here it behoves to learn diligently and to know exactly what are the true and right means for want of which so many do miscarry in their Designs and Enterprises as our selves do perceive afterwards which if throughly known before the thing might have been accomplished And also we must understand what means are Just or not lawful or unlawful for we are to confine our selves only unto the first and avoid the other For I the Lord love Judgment I hate Robbery for Burnt-offering and I will direct their work in Truth Isa 61. 8. His work is perfect for all his ways are Judgment a God of Truth and without Iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32. 4. And therefore we are to refrain from all manner of sin nor to use any indirect Art or Guile But if any such is offered or suggested it is to be looked upon as a Temptation of Satan to hinder or delay the Work and to make us part with our Integrity There is near the same Connexion and Establishment of all things throughout the whole Creation and as we see the good things of the Earth are had by Wisdom honest Labour and Diligence So we are to have Grace and Knowledge that we may obtain the heavenly good things and so seek diligently after them The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the violent take it by force Only he who now letteth will let untill he be taken out of the Way 2 Thess 2. 7. And as he hinders all that he can so we should watchfully observe his Devices in order to frustrate and defeat them When we have fully heard what promotes and helps us forward to eternal Happiness this we are to do with all our Might and Power and also we should decline what hinders or resolutely work contrary to that Even from the Resistances of Satan we may get Strength and advance further It may be so over-ruled and ordered that the Light which he would seek to put out may shine yet more abroad that the Truth which he would stifle or wrap up may be yet more displayed that all his Devices may fall back upon himself and he may lose by what he thought would promote his Kingdom So they shall make their own Tongue to fall upon themselves all that see them shall flee away Psal 64. 8. for it would be a strange and marvellous thing that if People were fully sensible that such an in visible Enemy who acts by visible Instruments would deprive and hinder them of so much good and deceive into Evil and Misery and yet they should give way unto him Is there an Instance of this to be found in common Life That Men should hate their Friends and love their Enemies especially when the last appear barefaced as such Indeed when there is Disguise Flattery and concealing it may be after that Manner but it cannot so be when they openly design nothing but Death and Destruction and to defeat them of such an exceeding Good and Reward And yet such are all the Methods of Satan of whatever Nature and Kind they be whether direct Opposition or keeping back whether it be by way of Excuse or Imagination as indeed all Excuses might at first be suspected by Christian Knowledge and discerning because we are forewarned in the Word of God that they keep off from coming unto him and into the Way of his Commandments Those invited to the great Supper did all with one Consent begin to make Excuse Luke 14. 18. Now it is plain and obvious and understood by any one that where People shift and would excuse themselves there is an Unwillingness But the Phrase of the obedient Servant is I will run the Way of thy Commandments Psal 114. 32. which denotes Readiness and Speed in the same The several Actions and Passages of our Life do either lead towards Heaven they are a standing still or a going backwards They either increase our Reward or they do nothing towards it or they render us liable to Punishment Now the standing still and doing nothing sinks down to the place of unprofitable Servants for it is contrary to the Will of our Master who would have us to be trading to his use He seems to be gone afar off that he may require an Account though even now he standeth at the door and is near to every one of us He hath withdrawn himself out of our sight and yet he beholds what we do though we do not so much regard him because we see him not In all things pertaining to God it is left to us whether we will freely and willingly do the same or leave them undone The Law given us was ordered to be written in a Book and now it may be seen whether Men will take notice and do thereafter As for that Law engraven in the Heart it may be either stifled through Sloth or Negligence or it may be cherished and furthered by giving heed thereunto and acting accordingly and seeking further into it God might have put into Man as strong an inclination to Read in his Book as he hath a Natural Desire to behold the Light of the Sun and the same constant steadiness to observe the Words of his Law as to Eat Drink and Sleep and observe the common Rules and Measures of Life He might have given such a lively Sense of his Promises and Threatnings as any King now doth of his Rewards and Punishments so that all People should have been equally yea infinitely more concerned to have the one and eschew the other He might have so inculcated and enforced his Commands that they should be had in continual remembrance and there should have been the like constant Care and Caution to keep them as to preserve our selves in Health and as we avoid bodily Hurt or Sickness The like watchfulness might have been in all as is now in some peculiar People Even the Multitude and Generality might be led with the same bent and inclination to live always according to his Statutes as now they have to follow their own ways His Laws are set before us by his Servants the Prophets Dan. 9. 10. And in the phrase of another who spake by the same Divine Spirit Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Ezek. 2. 5. which denotes liberty and freedom of Obedience or Refusal As God did formerly suffer all Nations to walk in their own ways so now having made known his Mind and Will they are further proved whether they will receive the knowledge of it and do thereafter He hath discovered himself so far to the World by what is already revealed and made known that they should seek after him yet further His Truth is thus far manifest to the generality of Mankind that they also should learn and enquire after it That the residue of Men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called saith the Lord who doth all these things Acts 15. 17. Still there
must be some act and endeavour in Man There must be both a willingness and compliance in him to accept of what God hath done for him Agreeable hereunto is the whole Divine Revelation and that form of Speech our Saviour makes use of in reference to himself and his Disciples He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Mat. 10. 40. And he that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10. 10. The one is a willing Act and the other a wilful Refusal So his Servant John speaketh unto the World He which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is Righteous let him be Righteous still Rev. 22. 11. Not that it is the Mind of God that any one should continue in his wickedness for he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he turn and live But after former Calls there comes this kind of Speech That such an one may choose he may do what he will for God seems to cast him off and this makes People the more willing to come as we have an Example hereof in Judges 10. 13 14 15. As on the other hand when things are proffered and seem to be made easie they contemn it and do keep off The whole History of the Church ever since the World began and also the Method of his Spiritual Dispensation doth plainly shew that all Men are left to their free Liberty and Choice whether they will serve God or not And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord Joshua 24. 15. If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted and if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door Gen. 4. 7. Truly God is the great King over all the Earth and he hath Right to Rule over all its Inhabitants He is the Lord and Governour of the World and it is meet that he should exercise Authority and receive Homage from all things which he hath made How much more from such a small spot and little part of his Creation as the Earth is Every one who doth in the least consider must acknowledge God's Dominion most just and due in the general for our selves assent unto that Honour and Obedience which are given to those several Relations of King Father and Master Whereas those according to the flesh and our own Fellow-Creatures are not so much in comparison of the high and lofty One as a single dust of the Ballance is to the whole Fabrick of the World or as a drop of a Bucket to the Sea or as a single Grashopper is to all the Creatures that have Life and Breath So there should not be the least grudging at his Superiority and Regining over us And as our selves like to have things done readily and chearfully so likewise it is reasonable that God should expect the same of us Thy People shall be willing in the day of thy Power Psal 110. 3. God is the same from all Eternity and hath at all times the very same Power for he can do all things and whatsoever he pleases But as it is said in another place Many a time turned he his Anger away and did not stir up all his Wrath Psal 78. 38. So likewise he hath not yet in this Earth nor doth now exert all his Power and Might Indeed sometimes he doth make a little more then ordinary manifestation thereof as in those Signs and Wonders which he wrought of Old Time and then we hear what effect they had for they did cause an impression upon the Minds of People and they were for the time Reverent Submissive and Obedient towards God He might have continued the like tokens among them and have given them a succession of more which also should have spoken as sensibly unto them as out of the Cloudy Pillar That it was because they kept not his Laws which he gave them These things were done once or twice in the several Generations that passed through here not to every Generation but to those in former time that they might tell their Children to come to see if they would be perswaded to keep his Statutes and observe his Laws by what they heard God visibly did amongst their Forefathers Those Miracles were soon over and did not remain long among them To prove whether the Remembrance would have the like effect as when they were present and before the Faces of People Who were over-aw'd by the sight of such dreadful Things might still call to mind the same and perform a free and ready Service And so as they did look back and had heard of the things done heretofore so we now living may likewise reflect on the same And we who now stand in these latter days on the Earth may look forward to what may be in our time and in the Generations following When God shall yet in a more extraordinary manner than since the beginning of the World or Man was Created on the Earth Bow the Heavens and come down declare his Power and Presence in a much more visible and eminent manner than ever of old time when the Lord God shall dwell amongst us and Reign before his Ancients Gloriously Who would not fear and obey thee O King of Nations forasmuch as thou containest all the good and excellency which is any where to be found amongst the best and wisest of the Sons of Men. For thou first gavest unto them what is now loved and honoured in them And therefore more Reverence and Love and Thanksgiving and good Will belong unto thee of whom are all things Thou didst therefore communicate a light and imperfect measure of Good unto the best of Men lest they should draw off from looking on thee who art All in all When God himself shall come and appear even the Rebellious also shall submit unto him for they shall be over-awed with his Majesty and Greatness and they shall be likewise perswaded thereunto by his Goodness and Truth The desire of all Nations shall come and he shall so clearly manifest himself to be indeed what he hath revealed himself Loving unto every Man He doth good and filleth our Souls with Food and Gladness when this is throughly known then all former Prejudices and Aversation against him shall vanish and be utterly done away In that day shall this Song be Sung by his Elect and peculiar People This is the Lord whom we have waited for and others shall be astonished and confounded within themselves how it came to pass that they should either despise or conceive evil Thoughts against him They shall bite their Tongues for Indignation which did utter hard Speeches against his Majesty The Lord and his Saints shall convince them of their ungodly deeds Jude 15. and they shall be so vexed within themselves that they would even of their own accord cut off both
do Iniquity shall be cast immediately thereupon into a Furnance of Fire and then the boldest worker thereof would fear tremble and refrain He could stir up those terrible ones from under the Earth Devils and infernal Spirits the Executioners of his VVrath who should over-awe poor Mortals all one as a mighty King with his Armies doth now make them do this or that thing at his pleasure For hath he not the same power as Man to whom he gave being and hath before committed unto him the Power of doing whatever he doth Cannot he who sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers do as much or rather more than any two-footed Creature that now walks thereon Cannot the High and Lofty One who sitteth upon his Throne and commandeth over the Armies in Heaven who are greater in power and might as that wide place above is bigger than this spot of ground here where we dwell send forth his Authority and execute the same here Is this too far off when it is his Footstool for he filleth all places and all things even those under the Earth with his presence If I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there Psal 139. 8. Even now he sends sorth his Lightning unto the Ends of the Earth and his Arrows go throughout the World But because God doth not yet manifest his Power and shew forth all his Might a thought doth arise in them who know not God as if he cannot do this They who have a little more knowledge are sometimes apt to imagine That because he acts here by outward means which are but little and small that by reason of them is the Defect and they are unable to atchieve such great and mighty things whereas his infinite Wisdom and Glory are here to be seen in ordaining strength out of weakness VVho first made he will also enable them to perform what he would have them to do He can send forth his Angels or other Instruments whom we have not known nor heard of as yet A Temptation doth arise that though God can yet he will not do thus for so we have heard in Old Time and in our days over and over and yet all things continue as they were since the Creation But the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. 5 6. answers this by what God did of Old both by Creation of and Drowning the VVorld For this they are willingly ignorant of That by the Word of God the Heavens were of Old and the Earth stamding out of the Water and in the Water whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of Vngodly Men. That same VVord which spake them first into Being acquainted Noah Gen 6. of the intended Flood and afterwards this same word brought the VVaters for God Commanded them The same VVord hath likewise said that it shall be thus in the latter days to which we now haste Thus it is determined upon all those who in the mean time have been Ungodly or are or shall hereafter not give regard to the great God above or are disobedient to him for all such are ungodly without God in the VVorld who do not live in sense of Submission and Duty under him These might even now conceive that as in the beginning the Lord laid the Foundations of the Earth and it abideth as they find by moving and dwelling thereon As they see the gathering of the VVaters which is called Sea and as we behold the Heavens upheld and the Stars in their Courses and Places So surely doth the threatning lye against such and will be fulfilled when these things shall be so changed as we are further foretold of As before it was observed of the stedfastness and immutability of the Promise from Isa 45. So from 2 Pet. 3. it may be gathered of the utmost certainty of the Evil and Good things there spoken of They seem therefore to be out of sight and to come to prove how we in the mean while will be concerned and affected towards them There is a little imperfect Good in the One at present and a lesser Evil and Harm in the other but God will so add further that the one shall be perfected in Reward and Happiness the other shall end in Punishment and Misery My Son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments for Length of Days and long Life and Peace shall they add unto you Prov. 3. 1 2. and when the first is ended there shall succeed Immortality and Glory And the Peace here shall go out in Ravishment Extasie and unutterable Rejoycing So again Sin which now hurts for a moment doth bring on Torment for ever What occasions Sorrow and Vexation doth deliver over to the VVorm which shall never die VVhat occasions Sickness and Pain doth likewise bring forth Death and the Vengeance of Eternal Fire All that is seen or had here is but an earnest of like and worse things to come The less do fore-run and give notice of the greater And as in the former case by the comfort and satisfaction of the one we should much more desire and pray after that which exceedeth So by the sensible inconvenience and trouble of the latter way we should much more abhor and dread the End thereof which is Death As we now taste and feel it is thus so we may believe and be fully assured it shall be so hereafter as the faithful and true VVitness saith Behold I have told you before By the real Good of one way we may well depend further upon the substance of things hoped for By the hurt and deceitfulness of the other we may be sufficiently forewarned of the Destruction and Misery in that way The Nature of Rewards and Punishments Exhortation and Dehortation Promises and Threatnings do denote that Man is left to his Liberty and Freedom All these do inform and acquaint him how things stand pertaining to him That he might partake of the Good and avoid the Evil. God hath thus established the Connexion and Order of things They are set before Mankind and placed so near that they are become as closely appendant to him as his Flesh and Spirit so they must have the one or the other His trial is appointed in things absolutely necessary which he cannot be without as Meat Drink and Rayment to the Body and in Thoughts as to the Soul which are the very Essence of it for the Soul will cease to be when it shall cease to think And lest the Soul should degenerate into Sloth and Bruitishness of that we are rouzed up to take heed by the Parable of the unprofitable Servant whose Doom was Cast him into outer Darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth VVho would not receive and ascend up towards the Light but walked all his days in
now live is continually hastning towards its Period so we should at all times make Provision against this shall fail to be received up into the other that we may there continually partake of somewhat which we have done here Indeed the Fruits of the Earth do spring up and are ripe at such certain Seasons of the Year according to the Climate or Countrey but still the Husbandman hath some Employment all the Year round The Kingdom of God over the Souls of Men is not confined to Times and Seasons as in such an Age or Part of Life to such a Month or Day of the Year But this Work may be carrying on at all Times and Seasons The Word may be preached in Season and out of Season at Summer or VVinter Spring or Autumn Sabbath or VVeek-day in the Day-time or at Mid-night as they are journeying or sitting still in the Closet Family or Congregation Truth shall spring out of the Earth Psal 85. 11. at what time it shall please the Lord to open the Fountains of the great Depth And as the VVind bloweth when and where it listeth so he shall give his Spirit to search it out So again Righteousness shall look down from Heaven when the Lord shall pour down his Spirit from on high which as he hath done several Times already so it may acquaint us further of the things there He may instruct his Servants as those of old in what Disposition of Body and Soul they must be in for to receive it To get the foregoing Qualifications of Faith Knowledge Love of God Obedience Holiness Humility convenient Retirement and separating from their Brethren that they may the more approach unto God These things do not so much depend upon the outward Circumstances of set and definite Times of the Year but they come to pass at what Time pleaseth the Father and we receive the Grace and use the Means to be Partakers thereof Known unto God are the great things he will do for his Church for they are fixed in his eternal Purpose and Determination it is not for us to know the Times and Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power Acts 1. 7. Perhaps the very Reason why these are not clearly revealed and manifested unto us is least in the mean while we should neglect our own Concern Our Minds might so run upon what things are to be done in the Generations following that we should leave undone what ought to be done in this Generation wherein we now live As the VVoman of Samaria saith When the Messias is come he will tell us all things John 8. 25. so we might be apt to apprehend it as to refuse to learn any thing in the mean while And when it is promised The Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 9. VVe might content our selves with our former Ignorance and reject any further Knowledge and Instruction in the mean while Even those great things of old time have been transacted by outward Means and we ought still to use those Means which are in our Power to put them forth with all our Skill and Might and then let the Lord do what seemeth him good We know not at first what a Blessing and Success he may give unto them but we may somewhat perceive it afterwards Then things may rise up beyond our Expectations when in the Beginning we are apt to distrust and faint in our Mind Had our selves done nothing or after we had undertaken it then let it fall then it was our own Refusal that we were not Instruments in carrying on the Work of the Lord or he might take it from us and make choice of and give it unto others who should throughly perform his Will If the Way is shewed unto us and we are put in such a Capacity we have also an Impulse and Pressing of Mind to the same and the VVork is right and good as appears evidently from his VVord and the Examples of old there we may and indeed ought to walk in that VVay and actually do according to the Power given us and also comply with the Dictates of a rectified and truly informed Conscience If God may be glorified by such an Action and Good may be done unto others this should be indeed performed And seeing it should be done by some one why not by thee to whom he hath given the Knowledge thereof endued with Ability and is stirring thee up by his Spirit We may learn from Exodus 4. 10 11 12 13. that God is not pleased with Excuses or Delays or with alledging our own Imperfections for he made us at first and can also mend and increase what he hath begun He sent forth further Strength and Ability according as the thing requires The stammering Lips may at length speak plain as in the Beginning of Speech The Voice which was hasty and confused may become clear and distinct And who acquaints at first in general with the Errand that he should go to such a Place and do such a thing will afterwards according to his own divine Method in Acts 9. 6. teach particularly what he shall say And put the very Words into our Mouth a little before or in the very same Hour Mat. 10. 19. just as they are to be uttered forth Remembring still that we are but Instruments in the Hands of God We are to receive the Thoughts he puts into our Heart and to speak them out with our Lips but we can say no more nor think of pertaining to him than what he suggests and puts into our Mind We are to execute what he puts into the Power of our Hands but we can do no more Our God doth not require more than he hath given Those Talents are to be exercised and traded withal which he hath committed unto us but he will never call us to Account for more than we have received So we are to use Diligence and Labour according to what we can In the first Place we should pray unto God O learn me true Vnderstanding and Knowledge that I may keep thy Commandments Now these are either things to be abstained from or things to be done The first are properly Prohibitions or Forbiddings but the Word Commandment imports Duty which is to be done That must be discerned and known before it can be begun and because there may be Hindrances and Oppositions those also are to be seen and overcome that it may be accomplished In the Way to Heaven there are many Turnings aside which we are to be acquainted withal and avoid that we may keep on still in the right Way for if we go out there is so much Time and Labour lost to no purpose which might have set so far on The best Use hereof is to be more careful for the future to keep on right In every worldly Business and Design there are such foregoing Means And if they do at first hit upon those which are
vile and poor Many such like things might be objected against us if we came in our own Name or if we did promise them by our own Merit Excellency and Power But seeing we come in the Name of the Lord who hath created and ordained all things who will do nothing but he will reveal it to his Servants the Prophets Whatever his eternal Purpose and Decree is concerning Mankind he will some way make it known unto them by acquainting it to some who are to publish it unto others He hath so ordered that it might be known They do all hear the Rumour and they might seek after Acts 15. 17. and find it Salvation and the good things of God are forced upon none They may be brought nearer and pressed more urgently upon some than upon others yet still there is Liberty of Refusal Again they are not so far off from any but they may come near and receive them and to whom it is most inculcated and offered yet it is not all done to their Hand For Trial is had whether they will seek yet further There must be somewhat of Man's own Act and willing God doth manifest himself to be friendly and loving unto us by that constant Provision of temporal Mercies and also by doing all that lies on his Part for spiritual good things It is expected what we will do reciprocally as to what he doth require of us Saith the Son of God As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you Continue ye in my Love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Father's Commandments and abide in his Love John 15. 9 10. Here we have Assurance of the divine Favour to us and we are instructed how we may continue and express our good Will towards him viz. by keeping his Commandments God is no Respecter of Persons but whosoever of the Children of Men doth this he is accepted with him Whosoever doth the Works of Abraham he is a Friend of God as Abraham was James 2. 23. which Word Friend imports that we do a thing presently and readily at his requiring By much Importunity we we may get a Kindness from a common Neighbour which he will do not out of Affection and Esteem towards us but to be freed from the Trouble which we give him by our Importunity But where is real Love and Friendship there is constant Readiness to do mutual Offices even before the other asks or upon the least Intimation that such a thing would be acceptable unto him Now to apply the Case as it stands between God and Mankind As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me Psal 18. 44. Nothing can be more just and reasonable than that he should require Obedience of his Creatures Is he not more to all of them and to each singly than one Man is to another He is infinitely more kind than Father or Mother Husband Friend or Brother for even he ordained these Relations and stirs up what he first put in those Bowels of Mercy and Compassion one to another Of God are all things and now he ordereth them as it pleaseth him So he is the Author of all good we ever received and as he made he doth now sustain us and loadeth us with Benefits May he not expect something from us even all that we can render unto him To acknowledge him in all things and to walk always in the Way he shews unto us and to observe those Commandments he gives us Lord How strange is it that a Creature should make any Dispute or Controversie concerning it As we live by him so it is meet we should live as he would have us Both the Members of Body and Faculties of Soul should do according as he made and designed them Therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's 1 Cor. 6. 20. The Potter makes Vessels to serve for those Uses he intended them and other Artificers which frame moving Instruments make them turn or go as they please Hath not the Lord the same Power and Understanding who hath given such Skill and Capacity to others And he who fashioned every Part of us might also have ordained that all within us should necessarily have so moved according to his Command and Will as the Pulse continually beats to keep Life and Motion Who formed the Heart to turn either way to Good or Evil he might have determined it only to the first who enabled us to think this or that he might have confined us to good only and he might have kept out from thence Wickedness and Vanity all one as we now remain ignorant of many hidden and unsearchable things If we had a right Knowledge of God we might discern how he is the Creator of us and of all things who made my single Person he hath made Millions of the same Sort And who created Mankind he hath also Ten Thousand times ten Thousand several Sorts of Creatures both living and inanimate all which are for his own Glory and to minister unto him Who hath called the Generations from the Beginning Isa 41. 4. and ordained them to succeed one another after that Manner as we see they now do And shall a single Atom an individual Dust and Ashes refuse one Moment to comply with his Will Nay if several do so besides yet it is thine and the other 's single Disobedience which make up and encourage the Corruption of many But let their Number be never so great they are but as a Swarm of Flies and Locusts And if they do mutter forth hard Speeches or commit ungodly Deeds it is but in very little and sudden Acts. And what is all this Sin and Wickedness to the whole World of Creatures which declare the Glory of God and shew forth all his Praise What are the refractory and stubborn Worms of the Earth to those Armies of Heaven which fulfil all the Pleasure of the Almighty When he commands the Children of Men to do after this or that manner they go on frowardly in the Way of their Heart yet his Throne is for ever established above the Circuit of Heaven and there he sits governing the World and for ought we know a Thousand others God exercises the supream and alone Authority over all Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flaming Fire The Spirits are for the sudden and quick Dispatch of what he would have done and for the effectual Performance of the same And the flaming Fire is to burn up and consume all that lets or hinders and so make way for his Purpose He hath already fixed and ordained things in their appointed Courses and Places He hath appointed those several Motions and Bounds He hath sent forth his Word and given a Law He garnished out the Heavens by his Wisdom and laid out the Foundations of the Earth by his Understanding And we see it abideth according to his Ordinance for all things serve
Contempt and cast them into a bottomless Pit to suffer the Vegeance of eternal Fire In God is first contained and from him is derived every good and perfect thing even what is enjoyed or can be further desired by the Sons of Men. O Lord the Hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from me shall be written in the Earth because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters Jer. 17. 13. God sendeth Rain upon the just and the unjust He giveth common Mercies promiscuously and indifferently to all but there is somewhat more and greater in being the Hope of Israel Somewhat is hidden and reserved there only for those who come unto him as again who forsake him miss thereof And when this shall be opened and actually given then Shame Vexation and Anguish will possess those who by their former demerits and provocation have lost their share and portion in this matter They that depart from me shall be written in the Earth When they have left and gone aside from him above they must cleave unto and pursue after somewhat And they cannot follow after any thing but what is in this place where they live And seeing they have chosen the Earth either the Men or Things therein let them make the most thereof But what will they do when the Earth and all the Works thereof shall be burnt up When themselves and others who inhabit here shall die And if they thought themselves well enough because tho' the things herein are perishing yet themselves are perishing likewise and they serve for their Time Nevertheless they must remain elsewhere for they have immortal Souls and returning Bodies And what shall they do throughout the Length and Space of Eternity when all the things wherein they before trusted are utterly gone and removed from them Even the Men of this World which have their Portion in this Life Psal 17. 14. might thus know and conclude As they thought it worth their while to secure this Place and Time who were for getting the best and fattest things that they might live happily and comfortably who were for the greatest and wisest Company in the whole Country of their Abode they might have looked up and have learned to be acquainted with thee O King of Nations for as much as among all the wise Men of the Earth and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee They might understand and seek after the Lord whose is not only the Earth but the whole World and all that is therein for he made Heaven and Earth and all things Who whilst they lived did bless their own Soul Psal 49. 18. did so hug themselves with the Comforts and Conveniencies of this short Time they might much more hope for and endeavour after the good things of Eternity and take a more diligent and greater Care how themselves might live blessed for ever They might have further trusted unto him who as they experimentally found did good giving them Rain from Heaven filling their Souls with Food and Gladness So the Lord will perfect that wich concerneth them Psal 138. 8. Those perishing and fading Comforts were an Earnest and Assurance that he would give the true and enduring Happiness for such who should endeavour to be found worthy for to receive the same If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your Trust the true Riches Luke 16. 11. As he provided them with the meat which perisheth which was had by Labour Dressing and other forgoing Means and that did preserve Health and Life for the Time so likewise he afforded the Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life which also was to he had by using such Means of Grace And as many as did receive and comply with the Workings of that Grace they shall be crowned and actually invested with the other to which it did tend and grow up As he is the God of the Earth so of the Heavens also And as he hath determined our Dwelling and Abode here for a Space so he will take us up unto the Heavens for evermore Here we have no continuing City but now we desire that which would continue and that must be an heavenly Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 16. which like himself must remain for ever He took us out of our Mothers Womb and doth hold us up from the Cradle unto the Grave In the mean while he reneweth his Mercies and Preservation every Morning and there is still something more than all this Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with Benefits even the God of our Salvation He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the Issues from Death Psal 68. 19 20. In that Word Salvation is comprised more than can be possibly had in this World Salvation imports to be free from all Evil Fear and Danger which none is in this World For consider of those who are in the most safe Condition and think themselves so yet the last Enemy waits for them which is Death and thence is Fear and Doubt But we have Assurance from our God who brought us into Being who carrieth us thro' here who is Lord of Life and hath Power over Death that he will give a Rising and Deliverance from that Now we have the most doubtful Apprehensions concerning Death and the future State For though on this Earth we are encompassed about with Fear Pit and the Snare yet we know what is the utmost of things here and what usually happens unto others So we are contented and freed from Terror and Amazement But further on if we did consider rightly we have more Hope and Security from the Lord being our Hope and the God of our Salvation And there he declares beforehand that neither he nor we shall be ashamed For hereby he will do more for us than we can ask or conceive and we shall find it to be infinitely more than we could expect and which will make an abundant Compensation for whatever Difficulty Loss or Trouble we did sustain in coming to be Partaker thereof And though our God shall cause us to inherit high Places Isa 58. 12. yet we shall not be in the least Danger or Suspicion of falling Thou shalt be far from Terror for it shall not come near thee Isa 54. 11. We shall be more strongly secured from every Evil or Misery and be wholly exempt from the Thought and Apprehension thereof as we shall be let into the Possession and Enjoyment of all Good and Excellency so the Continuance thereof to everlasting that we shall never lose nor be deprived of it will be made so sure and ratified unto us as they are certain of that Moment wherein they have it or as we are at present sensible that we live and breath or that we have what we grasp at this Instant
above I am contented to act or suffer any thing so I may be received up into Abraham's Bosom And he saw that Rest was good and the Land that it was pleasant Gen. 49. 15. Seeing that there is such an exceeding Good set before us shew us any way that we may come at it What shall I do to be Saved I am for looking out whether there is any thing more And I am still for giving Diligence how I may make my Calling and Election more sure for such an infinite and eternal Good cannot possibly be made too sure of and this should stir up all Labour Earnestness and Care till we be actually invested therewith Be Sober be Vigilant for your Adversary the Devil walketh about seeking whom he may devour He watcheth for an Opportunity to turn you aside and if possible to deprive you of your Acceptation and Reward but however of such a part and degree thereof that you may lose somewhat of the Things you have wrought 2 John 8. and so you miss of that fullness of Reward which otherwise you might have been a partaker thereof And therefore know and make void his Devices that you may be nothing hindred or deceived by him There is that in the Christian Life which will exercise all our Time and Labour As Servants are employed all the day in the Work of their Master and as a Maid doth continually attend upon the Business of her Mistress so we are to wait on the Lord all the day Psal 25. 5. and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23. 17. When the Child Jesus was carefully sought by his Parents according to the Flesh he replies to their Admiration Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business Luke 2. 49. and in another place he saith I have Meat to eat that ye know not of John 4. 32. And when they understood not the Saying he explains it My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his Work Verse 34. So likewise as we have him for our Lord we are to obey his Will and as we have him for our Example we are to do as he did as he laid the Foundation so we are to build thereon As Jesus Christ himself doth say in reference to him who is the Great Lord over all My God and your God My Father and your Father So likewise he hath committed to every one of us as Servants and Children some work to do for the Glory of our Master and Father which is in Heaven The great King hath committed to every one of us some Gifts and Talents to be occupied in the mean while till he shall come to require an Account Obedience to his Laws and Improvement of our Grace and Knowledge to the utmost Advantage will take up what Time and Leisure we have here if it were more than reaâ—ly it is To keep the Heart with all Diligence To receive all God's Words into it To have them appear forth and be sensible that the Man may always do accordingly To bring them forth for the Edifying and Instruction of others To grow in Grace and Knowledge till the Man of God is throughly furnished for every Good Word and Work and many other things of like nature will take up that space here on Earth which is lent unto Man to understand and seek after his God And the time thus expended will turn to better account than any thing which can be thought of or named under the Sun Make thou thy Servant to delight in that which is Good Which is accordingly granted by Custom and Continuance in the same That Self-sufficiency and Contentedness doth arise from God and Duty The Meditation of him is Sweet and there is Joy and Satisfaction in doing his Will So that the Man who is exercised therein doth not envy nor is troubled for the seeming Prosperous Condition of others but he is rather grieved that they also do not come and taste and see that the Lord is Good Blessed is the Man that trusteth in him Psal 34. 8. Our selves the Lord is Witness who knoweth all that is in the Hearts of all the Children of Men are chiefly grieved because People do always err in their Heart Heb. 3. 10. That whilst they desire and seek for it in every thing besides they will not be perswaded nor trust accordingly that this Happiness is to be had in God only That they will not come over to partake of his Goodness When they have at any time right inclinations and dispositions to Obedience this one thing is needful that they would but continue the same O that there was such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it may be well with them and with their Children for ever Deut. 5. 19. To keep all his Commandments always doth begin their Happiness here which is continued as long as they are on this Earth it is derived down to their Posterity and is for ever consummated in the Heavens This seems to be a plain and positive Assertion of the Holy Ghost that it shall be well with Mankind to keep all his Commandments always But it is contrary to our Thoughts for we often think it expedient to break and not to give heed unto them but yet God is True tho every Man is Wicked and Disobedient What he hath said he will perform and it shall be fulfilled tho we are apt to distrust and Murmur Those Irregular thoughts and our other Sins do hinder that it is not so well with us as it would be otherwise If we did wait on th Lord and keep his way Psal 37. 34. Do his will and Trust in him at all times Psal 62. 8. Believe in him without wavering and doubt how contentedly and cheerfully might we go on in the execution of those things he doth command us If we did resolutely and vigorously put forth using the right and good means we might behold Satan falling from Heaven as Lightning and the Spirits would be subject unto us This would be no small Comfort for they do hinder and defeat our good Purposes But then we should further rejoice that our Names are written in Heaven That we are Servants of Almighty God That we fulfil all his will and do his pleasure What pleaseth our God to command or direct us in that we are likewise pleased to do when we have a frame and temper of Spirit Subject to his Will when our Hearts are once conformed to his Word and Commandments we may serve him with joyfulness and gladness of mind When we consider diligently what he doth already give and provide for us When we believe firmly what he hath further promised when we observe narrowly the secret and hidden ways of his overruling Providence how that all things so work that we may just perform our Duty and be comforted in the mean while So that it is well and better with
of the Law either going over and beyond it or doing otherwise than that hath prescribed or not doing what that hath enjoyned So that those stubborn Souls who will not live according to Words are convinced as transgressors and offenders of the Law of the most high God and they shall be dealt with accordingly for now they are under the Threatning and Curse and they shall hereafter be sensible of the Punishment and Misery Who is he that saith he will not obey the Law of God If any should do so as to the Laws of the King and our Country judgment would be executed upon him of Death or Banishment or loss of Liberty or Member according to the several sorts of Punishment among us And albeit our God doth keep Silence for a while and doth not execute Sentence speedily upon the Sons of Men yet it will be far worse with them who shall thus behave themselves towards the great King of all the Earth the Lord God Almighty It is near the same thing whether they speak out with a loud voice or say so in their Heart or practice it in their Life and Manners that They will not have God to reign over them see Luke 19. 14. Who set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us Psal 2. 2 3. For they will not be holden in by invisible Restraints nor be kept away from their own doings by sense of any Divine Law and Obligation Our lips are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12. 4 But those who think and act after this manner are the worst sort of Sinners who do presumptuously and sin with an high Hand Few will own as much though more do so The general course of Transgression is by way of Excuse and Delusion and these do take up the forementioned Plea That because of the multitude of Words and the falshood Vanity and Evil of many of them therefore they do not live according to Words But as the Apostle saith There are it may be so many kinds of Voices in the World and none of them is without signification 1 Cor. 14. 10. So a Word is but as it were a Voice expressed and articulated And every word if it be proper and taken singly is significative but when they are connected together in a Sentence and are to shew forth the sense and meaning of somewhat then they are to be judged of and discerned There is Truth and Fulshood right Words and wrong But we should in no wise reject the Truth and Right because there are of the other worse sort for if we do that we certainly run into the other and so out of a shew to avoid Falshood and Wrong it is so managed by the cunning delusion of Satan that we do hereby fall into it The World and all the things we have to do with here are made up of Intermixture and Contraries where is Right and Wrong Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Apparent and Real So that if we have not the one we must have the other If we have not the better we shall meet with the worse And therefore if we would indeed have the better we must know and choose it accordingly but not despise and set at naught the more excellent things for this is submitting unto the worse According hereunto the Wisdom of God teacheth If thou shalt learn to put a difference between the Holy and Prophane the Clean and the Vnclean then shall ye be meet to come into mine House Such shall be meet to partake of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light who can thus seek out and discern things in this place of Darkness They shall be fit for Heaven who can and also do escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust and thus order their Conversation aright here on Earth The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net that was cast into the Sea and gathered of every kind which when it was full they drew to shoar and sat down and gathered the good into Vessels but cast the bad away Matt. 13. 47 48. And so whatever thoughts arise or are suggested to our mind we are to entertain and nourish the Good but to extinguish cast forth and not admit the Evil. In like manner it should be of the words we hear or read we are to gather and receive the good words into our Hearts but to cast the bad away The Wheat is to be gathered and laid up in the Treasure of our Heart but the Chaff is to be blown away Knowledge and Truth are to be sought after and received but Imagination and Falshood are to be thrown out They are both mixed together for as by Learning and by right Consequences we come to the knowledge of the Truth so a false and deceitful kind of Reasoning will present it self and fallacious and mistaken Consequences will arise through the Sephistry of Satan and his Instruments which we are likewise to discern before we pronounce Judgment and try before we Believe Now every Man hath either the right and true Promises or others which are not And because all People pretend unto and would have the first through Pride and Self-conceit they mistake which they have already for them and so they will have no more nor better The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge but Fools despise Wisdom and Instruction Prov. 1. 7. VVhen our Heart and Understanding is first lifted up towards God and then looks down and sees things as he sees them which must be in their very Nature for certainly he knows them who made and Establish'd them VVhen the Apprehensive Faculty is enlightned from above and endued with that which cometh down from the Father of Lights we do first know and consider of the Great God over all and then how all other things were Created by him but now they are under him to Govern and Rule according to his good Pleasure both the things in Heaven the things in the Earth and the things under the Earth Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your Shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. Neither have they the understanding of his Law this is to their worse deserving And whatever they pretend unto others or seem to themselves to know it is separated from them both That is they discern somewhat of the Creatures without the Creator And because they understand not his Law neither do they perceive that Obligation they are under and the true connexion of things one to another So they are destitute of the true and useful Knowledge and in the Language of the Holy Ghost they are direct Fools Vnderstand ye Brutish among the People and ye Fools when will ye be wise Psal 94. 8. VVhich it is impossible they should be as long as they despise and reject the means of Being so VVhat is real VVisdom and Instruction may seem to them as Folly and
Isa 65. 5. which he could not endure and would have behind or a far off from him Indeed the infinite Holiness and Uprightness of God is in no wise reconcileable to Man's Sin and Corruption and he doth the more abominate and loath it when he beholds it covered with the Mask and Visour of Hypocrisie Who is all-Wise and all Knowing he doth pity and despise our Folly and Ignorance but it is a further Aggravation so that he cannot or rather will not endure therewith when Worms of the Earth would be wise beyond their Maker or pretend to know otherwise than he knoweth and hath decreed or purposed It doth provoke him justly to Anger That when the Sun Moon and Stars and the whole Family in Heaven so much Greater and more Excellent Creatures than we do observe the Law which he hath made And seeing he hath given unto Men Laws which are Holy Righteous and Good he hath shewed unto us strait ways yet stubborn and disobedient Man will not keep and walk in them but every one is for walking after the Imagination of his own evil Heart And as they live and are joined together in Civil Society so this carries on the course of the World and each Person doth make a part of and contribute unto the universal Sin and Wickedness The word Imagination doth import no set Rule of Action but it is a Wandring or Guess Now it thinks it may be thus but is afterward mistaken And this is so much the worse as the End is more excellent which it aims at Now that End is Good and Happiness Every Soul as aforesaid is in pursuit thereof and his several Actions are intended accordingly There is One God over all One rule of Action in his Word One End of everlasting Happiness or Misery and all the deeds done in the Body are as so many Steps to one or the other This is actually so though too many perceive it not nor consider thereof in the time of Probation and Tryal To walk all along in a vain and false Imagination and be deceived at last when this is but once for all Eternity when there is no possible Redress of this Errour must very much enhanse the Folly and Misery of such a Man The first Errour and Evil is in having departed from God and casting away his Fear and exempting himself from his Obedience For though it is so suffered in this Life to prove Mankind more perfectly that it may be seen It is possible for him to run out his days here without having due regard and respect to his Maker and Preserver yet it is known unto God and also Revealed unto us how he will be pleased to deal further with them Even according as we order our Conversation and as our doings are That Word by which we are to Live be Judged and receive accordingly doth now forewarn and acquaint us that things will be otherwise or contrary to what they appear now For that which is highly esteemed amongst Men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. And so what is universally received and fashionable among us will be rejected and even loathed by him He hath left another Rule to follow than the Multitude or the meer Example of others An Holy Man of God doth speak on this wise Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. But no otherwise for Christ had done no Violence neither was any deceit found in his Mouth He was the Holy one of God and in him was found no Sin So that if we do the same which he did we may be assured that it is not Sinful Again his Meat and Drink was to do the will of God and he did always the things which pleased his Heavenly Father So that if therein we follow his Steps as we have him for an Example and do the like things that he did we may hereby know that we do the will of God also and what is pleasing and acceptable in his Sight But every Man besides is a Liar for they have all both Saint and Sinner none excepted varied and gone aside either in some single transient Instances or in many continued ones from the Word of Truth and from the right way It is Written And thou shalt not go aside from any of the Words which I command thee this day to the right hand or to the left Deut. 28. 14. That is neither to one Extream nor yet to the other But where is the Man or Woman who have not gone aside from any of the words wich the Lord God hath Commanded in the Bible both as it comprehends all that is written in the Old and New Testament Both Jews and Gentiles yea all Mankind of every Generation and Country are under Sin and have come short of what God requied in his Law So that whoever doth follow any of these Examples in all things even of the most Perfect and Upright among the meer Sons of Men he will go aside with them even unto the Transgression So that the word of God is to be our Rule and not the Example of others However prone and subject the People of the World are to follow the Examples of their Fellow Creatures and to do what others do of near the same Age Condition and Circumstances of Life yet in these times of the Universal Reformation of the World which is now drawing on in these latter days we must labour and endeavour Mightily to beat off and dissuade People from acting according to that dangerous and mistaken Principle of following the Multitude and being led by the Example of others For besides that to follow the Multitude is a sure token that such are amongst those many which go in the Broad way which leads unto Dsstruction and they are not amongst those few in the Narrow way which leadeth unto Life Matt. 7. 13 14. This seems to lye as the greatest Prejudice against the ways of God That though all his Commandments are Just Holy and Good And it is meet and right for all People at all times to observe the same Yet still nevertheless very few People do observe them When the Scripture speaks of those glorious times Thy People also shall be all Righteous Isa 60. 21. And how that the Sinners will be consumed out of the Earth and the wicked will be no more Psal 104. 35. For in what Prayer the Spirit of Truth doth Dictate is included a Promise that so it shall be As we read these and alike Places what in the Prophet's Phrase is a very lovely Song Ezek. 33. 32. And Peter reciteth from the faying of others As if the Scriptures were a cunningly devised Fable So in our way of speaking those Scriptures seem to be as a pleasant Romance which contain things that were to be indeed wished and desired but at first sight they do not seem to be grounded on Truth for the thing neither as yet is so and there is no
Righteousness and Holiness were ingrafted into the Hearts of all Men so that they did live and were led by it at all times and in all places The Spirit of God would dwell in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. As God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People And I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. VVhat is requisite to all this we may read in the first Verse of the following Chapter Having therefore these Promises both those aforementioned are included for it is expressed in the plural number let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Be ye clean ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. And from what is written Thou hast taken Captivity Captive VVe learn that God hath taken even Sin and Corruption Captive which heretofore did hold the Children of Men in Slavery and Captivity But when every Thought in them also is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ God will plant somewhat else in the room thereof Thou hast received Gifts for Men even the qualifications of his Grace and the fruits of his Spirit Yea for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Psal 68. 18. So that though Men and Women have been Rebellious and Disobedient formerly yet when those Rebellious Thoughts and Imaginations are brought into Captivity when the Gifts of God are first lodged in the Soul to make it ready and meet beforehand the Lord God himself will come and dwell amongst them also So that whereas it was before mentioned And the Lord said My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is Flesh Gen. 6. 3. And the reason hereof was assigned because the Flesh did so very often overcome the Spirit when the Children of Men did Rebel and Vex and Grieve and Quench the Spirit yet the Blessing and Saying of Gad is made good and herein is found true A Troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at last Gen. 49. 19. So a Troop of Lusts and a Legion for they are many of Temptations have overcome the Spirit but the Spirt shall overcome them at last And the Spirit shall have that Dominion and Prevalency in the hearts of all Men that all its Dictates and Motions shall be so willingly and immediately obeyed and complied withal that there shall be no striving of the Spirit with Man for he shall forthwith and presently go as that commands him to go and come as that bids him to come and do this or that according as the Spirit saith without any such thing as Reasoning and Perswasion or striving in the Heart for there will not be the least Reluctancy or Unwillingness God who sees and knows the things afar off doth foresee this also that even Flesh will become so Spiritual that they shall obey all his Commands and execute his Statutes without any striving of the Spirit but only upon the first motion and making of it known unto their Hearts CHAP. VIII Towards the end of Time and in the latter days All the Inhabitants of the Earth will be turned and brought over unto God Which will be done and accomplished by the Pouring out of the Spirit upon us from on High IF it be asked But when shall these things be I Answer Tho there may be some tendency and preparation thereto in the mean while yet we must not expect nor look for it absolutely and fully Vntil the Spirit be poured down upon us from on High Isa 32. 15. Which shall acquaint us with the things of God and of Heaven in a most wonderful and plentiful manner that we shall then know them as clearly distinctly and truly as now we do the common things of this Earth which are now visible and present before us My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain My Speech shall distill as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the showers upon the Grass Deut. 32. 2. After that very manner hath the Word and Spirit of the Lord came to the several Men and Women of the former Generations by Droppings and Distillings like small Rain and as the Dew or Showers But this pouring forth of the Spirit upon us from on High will be like great Drops running on continually together or raining down Bucket fulls at once as the common proverbial Speech is When all the Fountains of the great Deep shall be broken up and the windows of Heaven shall be opened Gen. 7. 11. In this sence also So that all the things that are in the Earth or Sea or in the Hearts of the Children of Men shall be openly disclosed and made known And the windows of Heaven shall be opened so that we shall as clearly see and perceive the things there as now by looking through the Window thereof we see the things that are in such a Room of an House as when we are in it and look through the Casement we see the things in the next adjoining Court And that it will be all thus made known Universally at once we are given to understand by what is Written Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Skies pour down Righteousness Let the Earth open and let them bring forth Salvation and let Righteousness spring up together I the Lord have Created it Isa 45. 8. God hath made and ordained that it shall be so that the Heavens shall drop down the things contained therein They shall be so made known unto and had by us as if they were actually dropped down and next to us The Earth also shall open and bring forth the things contained in her which heretofore lay underneath and hidden All this shall be done together And it is observable how they are all expressed by these two VVords Righteousness and Salvation By the first is shewn forth the nature of them as they are fixed and connected together after the Image of him who Created them that is in eternal and immutable Righteousness And because that in the Earth those things are which now hurt and destroy therefore God who causeth Light to shine out of Darkness and by his own way of working Which is marvellous in our eyes will cause that both Heavens and Earth do open and let them It is expressed in the Plural Number and therefore both of them shall have an hand and part in it As to bring forth Salvation and Righteousness is to spring up together with it Intimating that besides that Righteousness which the Skies shall pour down another Righteousness shall spring up together with it By the Phrase of Springing up we learn that this will proceed out of the Earth Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Plal. 85. 11. That is both
from out of the Hearts of the Inhabitants of the Earth as also from the Element it self And Righteousness shall look down from Heaven more clearly and visibly than ever it hath done yet But wherefore is it that we hear so very much that in the last days of all God will pour out his Spirit upon us from on High Isa 32. 15. For I will pour Water upon him that is Thirsty and Floods upon the dry Ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Off-spring Isa 44. 3. And it shall come to pass afterward in the last days saith God Acts 2. 17. that I will pour out out my Spirit upon all Flesh Joel 2. 28. And there is not altogether so much mention made of the Word then For after Jesus Christ who was the Word and the Word was God was taken away in his Bodily Presence from among Men he ordered that his Disciples should tarry at Jerusalem until they had received the promise of the Father and were endued with Power from on High And so in the beginning was the Word and all things were Created by it that were Made And during all this mean while they are upheld by the word of his Power And whilst these Generations pass through here the Word is to them all in all towards the making them a People prepared for the Lord and to give them an Inheritance amongst all them which are Sanctified But at the very ending Conclusion and shutting up of all things The Spirit is to do the main and principal Office But we read not altogether so much of the VVord then as aforetime Besides that the VVord is in Order and Succession of Time before the Spirit for Jesus Christ came first into the Flesh and then afterward the Holy Ghost was given according to that Emphatical Remark of one of the Inspired VVriters for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet Glorified Another great Reason hereof may be assigned That as the Angel sware by him that liveth for ever and ever who created Heaven and the things that therein are and the Earth and the things that therein are and the Sea and the things which are therein that there should be Time no longer Rev. 10. 16. For Time will be lost and swallow'd up in Eternity as a River or Brook is now lost when it empties it self into the wide Ocean So we may easily gather and understand that when all these things here mentioned shall be so perfectly and wholly made known and seen face to face when what is now afar off and Future shall be Present and just before us when Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Fruition when Prophesies shall fail Tongues cease and Knowledge shall vanish away VVhen the whole Creation of God shall be new and changed from material and sensible things into Spiritual then we may conclude also That WORDS shall be NO LONGER But the things themselves heretofore expressed and apprehended by them shall succeed and be given unto the Creatures God doth all things in his own Order He first made known unto his Creatures the Words of Eternal Life and then afterwards he invests them with the thing it self of Eternal Life and then it is consequent that the words thereof should cease and fail as the Scaffold falls down or is taken away when the Building is Perfected and quite Finished Like as now in common Life there is great talk of such a Person 's coming as of the Messiah among the Ancient Jews but when he is come indeed then all that talk perisheth which did relate thereto For since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear neither hath the Eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64. 4. But when that great and enduring thing shall be actually given to the Creature by that God whom he hath waited for then all the thoughts of Heart and words of Mouth that were before concerning it will cease and come to an utter end VVhat Truth we now see written in a dead Letter or we hear in an outward Airy Sound or we conceive in our Mind will one day appear as a shining Ray of Light For Whatever doth make manifest is Light Eph. 5. 13. And all things then will appear in the Light of the Lord. And so this great Matter which we are contending for all along and perswading People unto shall be instantly and altogether done by the Spirit So that Jesus Christ the Son of God shall be delivered from the Strivings of the People and be made the Head of the Heathen and a People whom he hath not known shall serve him As soon as they hear of him they shall Obey him So that there is not need of many more words to enforce the Exhortation But by VVords Knowledge or Notice hath been given that one day so it shall be for all things which are written in the Scriptures of Truth must be fulfilled And also there is this further benefit and use of words that we are hereby taught and put in mind to be in a Readiness and Preparation for the same The VVord doth convert Sinners from the Error of their way like the droppings of Rain or the distillings of Dew that is it doth now and then bring in some individual Persons and that also is done by degrees and in succession of time But the pouring out of the Spirit from on High shall bring them in by shoals and multitudes and do the VVork Instantly and Immediately As soon as they hear of me they shall Obey me Then thou shalt see and flow together and thine Heart shall fear and be enlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee the Forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee The Multitude of Camels shall cover thee All the Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows Isa 60. 5 6 7 8. By all which kinds of Speech we are given to understand that very many in number shall flow and come over and be Converted unto God And the Sons of Strangers shall build up thy Walls This is near to the same purport and meaning as what is said in our great Scripture out of which I have here opened and alledged things all along The Strangert shall submit themselves unto thee The Strangers shall fade away and be afraid out of their close Places Those are Strangers who before had not known God nor Christ For although known unto God are all Men and Women as they are his Creatures yet God and Christ doth not know them as to be in Covenant with them I never knew ye depart from me ye that work Iniquity Matt. 7. 23. But they remain Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel who are without Hope without God in the World And yet here is