One as ever any Son or Servant did serve his Father or Master according to the Flesh whom he saw every day and was almost continually with him An Obedience of Faith must needs be accepted because it is such an Obedience as God himself hath Ordained and Established and the reasonable Creature in this State cannot render any other But I do believe and conceive that as it is written The Lord will come down in the sight of all the People upon Mount Sinah Exod. 19. 11. And it is afâ—erwards said And Mount Sinah was altogether on a Smoke because the Lord descended upon it in â—ire And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinah on the â—op of the Mount Vâ—r. 18 20. Which Lord in Acts 7. 38. is said to be the Angel Supposed to be the Son of God even Jesus Christ We Read there Verse 16. and Exod. 20. 18 19. Heb. 12. 21. What effect it had upon Moses and upon all the People as to cast a very great Awe Terrour and Trembling â—pon them The like is not to be expected again in this World But this I do believe and conceive that when the Inhabitants of the Earth of all Generations and Countreys from the Creation of the World unto the End thereof shall be Summoned to meet with God by Death and Judgment at the last Trump For the Trumpet shall Sound then they shall have a sensible and more lasting Apprehension of the Great and Infinite God himself in Person then the Israelites had for the time of his Angel on Mount Sinah For that particular Place the whole Mount Quaked greatly but then the Heavens and the Earth and the whole Creation will quake and be dissolved to be changed and Created a new This also I do apprehend and conceive that in the mean while after the several respective Deaths of particular Persons until this great Day as it is written The Devils Believe and Tremble So the Souls of such Men and Women who in the Days of their Flesh were Disobedient and Provoking to God will also Believe and Tremble Yea they will be Magor Missabib Fear round about Jer. 20. 3. Because that in the Invisible World they will have nothing to harden themselves or to forget the sence of their approaching Condemnation and Misery as now they have as also because they will be nearer unto and know more of God unto whom all Flesh shall come The Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. makes the Use and Application of all this to our Hand for he speaking there of the very same admonishes Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness Wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace without Spot and Blameless Seeing that the Dispensation of the Kingdom and Dominion of God over Men stands on this wise What can be a more forcible Motive and Persuasion then the Knowledge and Consideration hereof for ye to be stedfast Vnmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. For as much as ye haste unto and draw nearer and must be let into these continuing things the inference here is Reasonable and Natural Wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such continuing Things be diligent that your selves continue in the Service of the Lord. I say ye look for continuing things which is opposite unto perishing things as such are all present things and things of this World I hope that none of ye do serve God for any visible present Recompence as to thrive better in your Trades or Callings and that ye are not in hopes to grow more Rich hereby and come to a place where his lively Word is declared and his Spiritual Worship used out of any sinister Respects and present Ends. If there was any thing to be got by it what a Throng would be here If ye do this or the â—ike ye will be mistaken For the Just shall Live by Faith He will seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and trust that all these things shall be added unto it The Terms we are to enter upon Gods Service is Grace here and Glory hereafter necessary Accommodations for our Pilgrimage and the true Rest to come the Patriark Jacob's Request Bread to Eat and Raiment to put on and all this is to be had only by Labour and Honest means and no others But when People come to serve the Lord if they have thoughts of any more and they do not find their Ends and Expectations answered then they leave off the Service of the Lord which they would not have done if they had known the Nature of God's Kingdom and the Way of his dealings towards the Children of Men. If there was a present Profit and Gain to be made by Religion by every one that would try after it then none would Fear God for nought Job 1. 9. nor yet serve him for the alone Hope and Expectation of unseen things But People would traffick for Heaven as they do to Jamaica or the Jndies and all still for the Love of themselves and not out of any Love to the Lord of that Countrey What a Company of Mercenary Souls should we have Then the places of Worship or Hearing the Word of God would be Flocked unto even upon Week Days as the Exchange or as Country People go to Fairs and Markets to Buy and Sell and get Gain Then Worldly Minded Men would become the best Christians Those who are all for themselves use Religion only now and then to serve a turn or for a reserve But if there was any thing to be got at present by so doing such would do most therein and still do nothing only for God's Sake There would be then no Work of Faith nor Labour of Love bâ—t all Selfishness But now God hath most wisely ordered it as it is that the Trial of Faith might be had that the Excellency of Obedience may be seen But yet more clearly it will appear how the right Understanding of the Nature of God's Kingdom and Dominion over Men helps to make a continuing Work from this Remarkable Scripture Because they have no changes therefore they Fear not God Psal 55. 19. My Soul hath much Meditated upon this Scripture it being so very Applicable and Suitable to the People abroad in the World for is not this the very Reason of the want of the Fear of God or when they talk of it in a General Way yet still there is not that real Awe and Dread of God upon their Hearts but there is a secret Contempt of him aâ—d a froward going on in the Way of their Hearts as also a turning back from the Ministration of his Word And all is because they have no changes they see no odds whither they do or do not Sometimes in mine own private Prayer every Morning and Evening I have performed the same in a Perâ—unctory Hasty and Careless manner and sometimes I have done it again more Solemnly Awefully and Attentively But I have observed no great matter of difference about the succeeding of my Actions the following day whither I performed them in a due manner or not Nay Perhaps It went more cross and thwart when I was in the Morning before in â—ervent Prayer then when I was remiss or negligent And hereupon an evil Heart oâ— Unbelief hath arose in me as if Prayers did signifie nothing and there would be no great matter of difference if they were said meerly out of custom or not at all Is not this the very same as to other things pertaining to Religion For do we see any odds or difference outwardly between him that Sacrificeth or him that Sacrificeth not Between them that go into the Sanctuary or them that do not Between them who are constant hearers of the Word or who despise the Word of the Lord and refuse to come to the place where it is holden forth or Preached Themselves sometimes make a trial of both and they find no changes and therefore they are Confirmed more and more in their Ungodliness Moab hath been at ease from his Youth and he hath been setled on his Lees and hath not been empâ—ied from Vessel to Vessel neither hath he gone into Captivity therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed Jer. 48. 11. Even that Taste and Scent of the Old Corrupt and Ungodly Nature Now as to all this and such like Imaginations in the Hearts of Men for by Thoughts or Imaginations every One is led guided and doth accordingly Here a right Understanding of the Nature of God's Kingdom and Dominion over us Men How by the Ordering of things so as they are he doth prove us to know what is in our Hearts whither we will keep his Commandments or no. By the way any one may choose whither he will keep the Commandments or not but then they must not choose unto themselves that Eternal Life which God hath Promised to the keeping of them nor yet may they choose or refuse to avoid that Eternal Death which is annexed to the Contempt Disobedience and Transgression of them God hath also Ordained an Obedience of Faith hath Permitted all things to happen alike unto all an Hour of the Wicked and the Power of Darkness Luke 22. 53. Prosperity to the Sinners Adversity to the Righteous But above all the Knowledge and Understanding that all things shall be exactly so as they are spoken of in the Scriptures this will engage and oblige People to continue in the Fear of the Lord whither they have any changes or no whither they be at ease from their Youth or empâ—â—ed from Vessel to Vessel even however it is with People in this Life and on this Earth They that know and understand all these things they will continue yet more fixedly firmly and constantly in the â—ear of the Lord and that so much the more as they see the day Approaching FINIS ERRATA Page 23. Line 36. for somirk Read Irksom
after it Then they Cried unto the Lord in their Trouble and he delivered them out of their Distresses This Trouble and Distress is that same Bondage of Corruption and that Groaning and Travelling in Pain spoken of Rom. 8. 21 22. Which the present State of the Creation is under And we being a part of it this should be our Business all our Life long to Cry unto the Lord and to call upon the Name of the Lord to be delivered and saved from it And that amidst all the Wandering of others or of our selves he would lead us forth through this Earth by the Right Way there is a great deal in that and when God doth lead be you sure to follow and take notice so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him Deut. 32. 12. Neither Idolatry nor Covetousness nor Sensuality for these are kinds of Idolatry nor no strange Lust nor no Sin for in the Judgment of our Creator any Sin is a strange God or a strange Thing which should not be there viz. in any of his Creatures Take these two Directions along with you and observe them viz. to follow when he leads and that the Lord alone may lead thee that there be no strange God with thee and I will warrant my Life for yours that he will lead you and also bring you by the Right Way unto a City of Habitation which is Heaven the Habitation of his Holiness for the same Power that sent us here will translate us up to that High and Lofâ—y Place if we shall be found meet and worthy where we shall be no longer Travellers Pilgrims or Strangers but in a proper and true Sence Fellow-Citizens and Inhabitants for ever to abide He led them forth by the Right Way As for my self in my Journeying and Travelling I have mistook the Way but by enquiry and going forward I always arrived at the place at last where I would be It is the very same in our way to Heaven People may yea and they do often mistake the Right Way but if they will keep on in the Way of Holiness which the Vnclean shall not pass over Isa 35. 8. if they will seek out of the Book of the Lord and Read in the sure Word of Prophesie if they will take â—eed to the Day Dawn and the Day Star in their Hearts and do according to the Light which that shews them If they will confer Experiences with the Saints that are on the Earth for they that â—eared the Lord spake often â—â—e to another But above all if they will be sure to be Travelling on and in motion and always making towards it though perhaps in Twenty Miles we may go half a Mile or more about though in Sailing over the Sea of this Life sometimes we cannot go directly forwards by reason of contrary Winds yet we may Sail this way and that way to make towards it and at last God bringeth them to their desired Haven Psal 107. 30. We Read in the Acts of the Apostles of the Fair Haven Put one Letter more in and Haven spells Heaven which indeed is the Fair Haven for it is all Fair and Clear there it being above all Winds and Storms This is our desired Haven or the Haven where we would be More need not to be said to Paralel our Condition here on Earth for Threescore Years and Ten or Fourscore Years with that of the Wilderness for Fourty Years In the Text it is said To Humble thee And this seems to be the very Reason of those several seveâ—e and harsh Dispensations of his Providence as in sending upon us Afflictions Poverty Sickness and such like As also why he made us thus and placed us in such vile Bodies Phil. 3. 21. In the vulgar Latin there for it is Corpus Humilitatis which signifies the Body of our Humiliation or such a Body as God hath prepared ordered and thought fit for this our present State of Humiliation and Imperfection To Humble us We are as it were Men and Women in Carcases And truly if we know our selves and particularly our own outward Frame there is all the reason in the World as God in making us thus and cloathing us with such Garments of Flesh which are so course if I may so express it filthy and weak and little did it on purpose and design to Humble us So we should be indeed Humbled For wherefore is Earth and Ashes Proud Consider what were we whilst in the Womb from thence we were cast out to the loathing of our Person in the Day that we were Born Ezek. 16. 5. What are we now A Breathing Cold of Clay A sink of Flegm and Excrements What shall we be Meat for Worms Ghastliness stink and Corruption Canst thou throughly think upon this and not be Humbled However to such as will be Obedient the Language of Truth speaks on this wise It is the Will of our Heavenly Father and Creator that during this short time we are in this Wilderness of the Earth we should be very Low Trembling and Poor in Spirit Even by thine own Frame and Constitution He hath shewed thee O Man from within thy self what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee to walk humbly with thy God Micah 6. 8. And see that thou comply with his Mind herein The Text goes on to add to prove thee to know what is in thine Heart whither thou wouldest keep his Commandments or no. Here is the Principal Intent Specified and under this is comprised the Reason of almost all his doings towards the Children of Men from the Day he first Created them on the Earth until the End of time He proved our first Parents Adam and Eve to know what was in their Hearts whither they would keep his Commandments or no and they did not keep them And so he did afterward Prove Abraham Isaac and Jacob who did keep them according to the Covenant and Measure as he did accept of For I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the Way of the Lord Gesi 18. â—9 And so it is of all the Descendants from Abraham ever since some did keep his Commandments and some did not Besides that constant and continued Proving them throughout their Life God doth sometimes Prove his Children in an extraordinary manner as he did tempt Abraham to offer up his Son Isaac which was a great Instance of his Faith and whereby he did know that he Fâ—ared God Seeng thou hast not witholden thy Son thine only Son from me even the Best and dearest thing and all that he had of that Nature It is a Wonderful thing to Consider how he doth Prove all the Generations and Persons of Mankind one after this manner and another after that according to their different Circumstances and Condition of Life to know what is in their Hearts whither they will keep his Commandments or no. The whole History
Assurance that all things are indeed so as they are spoken of in Scripture And I do through this which hath been a Cloud and Stumbling Block to some see clearly and apprehend plainly the Nature of God's Kingdom and Dominion over Men to be on this wise viz. As about the time of Forty Years he suffered the manners of the Israelites in the Wilderness Acts 13. 18. saith our Text To prove them In like manner for about the time of Threescore Years and Ten or Fourscore Years he doth suffer the manners of all the several Persons of Men and Women of all Countreys in this Wilderness of the Earth letting them go on as they will to see what they will do and what their End will bâ— This is his Eternal Decree which seems to be Establiâ—â—eâ— upon great Wisdom for hereby â—e doth Effectuaâ—â—y prove them to know what is in their Heart whither tâ—ey will keep his Commandments or no. This very same Order and Dispensation of the things of God towards us Men may be understood from that of the Apostle as indeed the whole Series Design of Scripture hath a Relation and Tendency to what he hath written For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive for the things done in the Body according to that he hath done whither it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. Whereby it is clearly shewn forth and intimated that People do not receive in this Life according to the things that they have here done in the Body but they will receive for them in the Day of Judgment and in the succeeding Eternity There will be nothing done of this until these Bodies are laid in the Graves and an Hour is coming after that in the which all that are in their Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 28 29 God will make one Work and Reckoning of it altogether according to Mat. 25. 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations c. And the Destruction of the Sinners and Transgressors shall be together Isa 1. 28. Even of all Generations and Countries although now they Live out their appointed time and Dye as other Men. The Spirit of God saith by the same Isaiah The Sinner being an Hundred Years Old shall be accursed Isa 65. 20. The Word of God doth Speak Evil of him now and Evil shall befal him hereafter although as yet he hath felt nothing of outward Harm or Evil. Good Men have been offended at the present Prosperity and Impunity of the Wicked We hear frequently thereof in the Old Testament but not altogether so much in the New Those who had chiefly Temporal Promises to encourage them to Obedience might well Startle and Stumble when the Disobedient received the same in Effect Verily I have cleansed my Heart in vain Psal 73. 13. There was not then so clear a Revelation of the Judgment to come and of the succeeding Eternity which is to make a wide Decision and vast Difference between the Righteous and the Wicked This would have instantly satisfied all their doubts But now Christians who are assured of all this have no Reason to be Envious at the Foolish when they see the Prosperity of the Wicked Yet Do ye think the Scripture saith in vain The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy Jam. 4. 5. The difference between the Sins of the Regenerate and Unregenerate is the Regenerate have little motions and tendencies towards the same Sins which they crush and keep short but the others suffer them to break forth into opâ—n Act. And so there are at this Day in sincere good People some little Inclinations or Lustings to Envy They are apt to be Grieved that they who Provoke or Despise God should Flourish and seem outwardly in better Plight then themselves There is a carnal Intermixture something for themselves when they Cry out O Lord How long shall the Wicked Triumph How long wilt thou suffer them to do on this wise Perhaps they have their Portion in this Life Psal 17. 14. As Augustine did observe that was the Reason of the long Prosperity and Continuance of the Roman Empire for their Exercise of Moral Vertues Like as we Read in One of the Prophets That God did give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar for Wages in serving him with his Army in such a Work as he would have done And this same is the very Reason why many People have Health and Prosperity Riches and long Life who will yet never go to Heaven but they are Rewarded here for that little good they have done And therefore the Psalmist Prays by the Spirit Deliver my Soul from Men which are thy Hand O Lord from Men of the World which have their Portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy hid Treasure They are full of Children and leave the rest of their Substance to their Babes This would not content and satisfy him but he was rather afraid of it As for me By which kind of Speech he would Distinguish and Exempt himself from them I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satiâ—fied when I awake in thy Likeness I have Read of a certain Godly Man who when he was Exalted to great Perfeâ—ment and Revenues he did very much fear least thereby God meant to give him his Portion in this Life and thereupon he was doubtful whither he should accept of it yet afterwards he did However we are to let God alone with the Ways of his Providence for he and not we poor Wretches knoweth what he hath to do How he deals with others what is that to us We may rest fully satisfied and most certainly assured with what the Wise Man saith Though a Sinner do Evil an Hundred times and his Days be Prolonged yet surely I know it shall be well with them which Fear God which Fear before him Eccles 8. 12. God cannot be Unrighteous and if he deals more Bountifully with the Wicked in this Life then with you certainly you will fare better then they in that Life which is to come It will be better for those who in the Days of their Flesh Lived before him in Righteousness and true Holiness then with those who in the same Days of their Flesh did Despise God or Lived in some Transgression or Disobedience the same while Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do Right Yea He shall do Right and make an exact Distribution Judgment will I lay to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet to every Man according as his Work hath been Doth any wise or knowing Man envy Oxen or Sheep as he sees them Feeding in good Pastures but he rather Pities the poor Creatures because he apprehends what it is for to Fat them for the Shamblâ—s This is the very case as to the Prosperity of the Wicked