made by hands that at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of Partition between us having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of Commandements conteined in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby and came and proached peace unto you which were a far off and to them which were nigh for through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father Now therefore ye are no more strangers and Forreyners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone in whom all the building fitly framed togather groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. In whom ye also are builded togather for an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephesians 2. So then here 's the Matter all must come to that in them which witnesseth to God to the Son to be Purged to be Purified to be Washed to be cleansed that they may be joyned to God again from whom they are are gone through transgression and through transgression are defiled and this is the Will of God and none are saved but who come here neither willeth God the Salvation of any but of such as come here who come to the Son to that which reproves to that which makes manifest in them the measure of him in every one that which cleanseth that which purifies that they may be fit vessels for the Masters use and be found to praise and honour and be Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy whose Temple ye are 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. And what agremeent hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of God as God hath saith I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. So a coming out there must be a being separate or a separation a Not touching of the unclean thing that which defiles there must be a seperation from a coming out of it must not be touch't and all sin defiles it must be come out of seperated from not touch't the unclean thing sin must not be touck't ere the Lord saith I will receive you and be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters A coming out from among them there must be a seperation from such a Not touching of that which defiles that which is unclean sin the unclean thing ere any becomes the Temple of God for the Temple of God is Holy saith he to the Saints who were washed who were cleansed who once were as others and such were some of you saith he but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of Our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of Our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. whose Temple are ye and if any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for ye are the Temple of God 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 what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols as aforesaid So no Temple of God that is to say No walking of God in any no dwelling of God in any no being the People of God No being of God unto a People no agreement Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee which imagines mischief by a Law For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee And thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on Iniquity with Idols It s the Word of the Lord. And this is the Will of God That every one come to the Son to that in them which shews them evil and obey it and believe in it that they may be purified that they may feel the Power that sanctifies which is the Power of God to Salvation Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God the Gospel I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek for therein the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith as it is Written The Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1. 16. And of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. So to the Power every one must come in them to that which purifies to that which cleanses to that which Sanctifies the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God who of God is made unto Vs Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption saith the Apostle as aforesaid that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. So he to whom Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God is made Wisdom and Righteousness and Redemption he is made Sanctification and they who of God are in him he is made so unto them and they that are not so that are not made so of him are not in him it is the Word of the Lord For they that are in him are new Creatures as I have often said and do now again speak by the Spirit of the Lord Old things are passed away behold all things are become New Now behold all things are made new And this is the state of Regeneration of a man in Christ Jesus And this is the Work of Christ in the World to make all things new Renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him him that is the New man that maketh new Created in him unto good works as he hath before ordained that we should walk in them said the Apostle as aforesaid and so we are his Workmanship And this is his work to make all things new And so it was with the Collossians they
be saved it is the Word of the Lord. Now in the Son there is Life He hath life in himself and he quickeneth whom he will For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to Life Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of man John 5. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And he is the wel-spring of Life Vnderstanding is a wel-spring of Life to him that hath it but the instruction of fools is folly saith the wise man Prov. 26. 22. And whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept from the fouls of the Air Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil that is understanding Job 28. 20 21. And I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty Inventions The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Pride and Arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice Be me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me Riches and Honour are with me yea dureable Riches and Righteousness My fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and my revenue then choice silver I lead in the way of Righteousness in the midst of the Paths of Judgement that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning ere ever the earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth when there was no fountain abounding with water before the Mountains were stetled before the Hills was I brought forth whils't as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World when he prepared the Heavens I was there when he set a compass on the face of the depth when he established the Clouds above when he strengthened the Fountains of the deep when he gave to the Sea his degree that the Waters should not pass his commdements When he appointed the foundation of the earth then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing allwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keep my wayes Hear inâ—truction and be wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my door For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Prov. 8. 13. to the end And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his Commandements his praise endureth for ever Psal 111. 10. And the fear of the Lord is Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Holy is understanding Proverbs 9. 10. And this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8 10 11 12. And this shall be the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every one his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquities and I will remember their sins no more Jer. 31. 33 34. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul Jer. 32. 40 41. And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People crying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgements is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of Waters Rev. 14. 6 7. And except the God of my Fathers the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaack had been with me thou hadst sent me away now empty God hath seen my affliction and the labour of my hand and rebuked thee yester-night Gen. 31. 42. And Laban said to Jacob behold this heap and behold this Pillar which I cast up between me and the this Heap and this Pillar be witnesse that I not pass over this Heap to thee and thou shalt not pass over this Heap and this Pillar unto me for harm the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor and their Father Judge between us and Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaack v. 51 52 53. Thus saith the Scripture and the Scripture cannot be broken John 10. 35. And in him was life and the life was the light of men that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 3. 9. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men loved darkness rather then light
A TREATISE CONCERNING Election Reprobation AND The things appertaining thereunto Am I moved of the Lord to Write for the Satisfaction of all who desire to know the Truth as it is in Jesus and the Confusion of that abominable Principle viz. That God hath Reprobated some Men from all Eternity and therefore it is that they cannot be otherwise Written in the fear and at the Movings of the Lord By his Servant Geo. Bishop For whom he did fore know he also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first born among many Brethren Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also Glorified Rom. 8. 29 30. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and Live Turn ye Turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Therefore thou Son of Man Say unto the children of thy People The Righteousness of the Righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his Transgression as for the wickedness of the Wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness neither shall the Righteous be able to live for his Righteousness in the day that he sinneth Ezek. 33. 11 12 13. O Israel Thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hos 13. 9. Printed in the Year 1663. A TREATISE Concerning Election Reprobation c. COncerning those two great Points viz. Election and Reprobation for the confusion of that abominable Principle viz. That God hath Reprobated some men from all Eternity and therefore it is that they cannot be otherwise And the satisfaction of all such as desire to know the Truth as it is Jesus this I have to say from the Lord and as moved of him and in his fear do I write The Lord made not Man to destory him neither hath he concluded any man from all Eternity to Destruction That were to think most abominable of God who hath no pleasure in the death of a Sinner but that the Wicked turn from his way and Live and to overthrow the end of his Coming into the World whom the Father hath sent to redeem Man and to bring him back again unto God Ezek. 33. 11. Hos 13. 14. Tit. 2. 14. As is the Opinion of those who hold Reprobation from all Eternity Whether they be called by the Name of Presbyters or Calvinists or Fathers of the Church or Doctors or Ministers of the Gospel or Lay Elders or People or Offieers whether in England Scotland or Ireland or any other parts of the World to all such I am moved of the Lord to write even to all those whosoever they be or wheresoever they are and this I have to say unto you from the Lord. You are mistaken in this whole Matter not knowing the Lord nor the Power of his working who doth unto every man according to the pleasure of his Will and who hath resisted his Will and this is his Will yea he hath sworn it that he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but that the Wicked turn from his way and Live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel So said the Lord by the Prophet Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel And saith he further and t is to be minded what he saith Therefore thou Son of Man Say unto the children of thy People The Righteousness of the Righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his Transgression as for the wickedness of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness neither shall the Righteous be able to live for his Righteousness in the day that he sinneth When I shall say to the Righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit iniquity all his Righteousness shall not be remembred but for his iniquity which he hath committed he shall die for it Again when I say unto the wicked Thou shalt surely die If he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right if the wicked restore the Pledge give again that that he hath robbed walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity he shall surely live he shall not die none of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawful and right he shall surely live Yet the children of thy people say The way of the Lord is not equal but as for them their way is not equal When the Righteous turneth from his Righteousness and committeth iniquity he shall even die thereby but if the wicked turn from his wickedness and do that which is lawful and right he shall live thereby Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equal O ye house of Israel I will judge you every one after his wayes And the ground of what the Lord so speaketh is in the words before and it is the very same with you in this matter which they had then to say against the Lord as you have now upon which account the Lord pleaded with them then who said The way of the Lord is not equal as he doth with you now for so your conclusion speaks as I shall shew by and by though you will not speak so openly in words Therefore saith he O thou Son of Man speak unto the house of Israel thus ye speak saying If our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked man turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel Therefore thou Son of Man Say unto the children of thy People c. as aforesaid Ezek. 33. 10. and so forwards Read the Chapter Now if the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel and you see he hath Sworn it and if the Righteousness of the Righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression and if as for the wickedness of the Wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness and if the Righteous shall not be able to live for his Righteousness in the day that he sinneth and you see the Lord hath spoken it and that if the Lord say to the
to ly We might have strong Consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope set before us which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the Vail Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchesidec Heb. 6. 16 17 18 19 20. Now he hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live as hath been said and he having sworn it Impossible it is for him to lie it is Immutable but possible it is for him to lie and he must be Mutable and Vary With whom there is no Variableness nor shaddow of turning Jam. 1. 17. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3. 6. If he hath concluded man to destruction from all Eternity and then saith unto them turn and live If he hath determined some to Reprobation and yet swears he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel and O Israel thy destruction is of thy self but thy help is in me with whom is no Variableness nor Shaddow of turning For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jaeob are not consumed as aforesaid So Friends all you who are here take heed how ye impose upon the Lord in things of this Nature Or take upon ye to meddle with his Decrees who understand not the Lord nor the Counsel of his Decree whose way is in the Deep and his Foot-steps in the Mighty waters least he dash you to pieces For who are you that you should place such a thing upon the Lord which among men is the most horrid and Abominable much more as to the Lord if one can say more who is far above man as the Heavens are above the Earth whom man cannot reach He hath given something of himself to you and placed it within you by which you may know him and understand his counsel to you-wards and his thoughts of old even from the beginning which have been good to you which is that which Invites you that which draws you that which inclines you to God which shews you evil and is with you to resist it which watches evil and shews you the very approach of it and the appearance of evil and is near to deliver you which judges evil and reproves it in you and you for evil when you have joyned to it This testifies for the Lord that he hath no pleasure in your death This is a living witness that he hath not concluded you to destruction from all Eternity but that he seeks you that he desires your welfare that he would not have you die but live and is a living testimony even in you against this Opinion which you hold and such your conclusion as aforesaid who know not the Lord nor the way of his working who impose upon him and place that on the Lord which never was in his heart and this of him in you as I have said that seeks to gather you that makes your heart tender to God and to fear before him is in and to you and all men a living witness Therefore lay down such your Opinions and come to that of himself in you and believe in that which shews you which makes manifest which reproves that you may find his counsels of good to you that have been of old even from the beginning which seeks to gather you And if you say He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Rom. 9. 18. And who hath resisted his Will v. 19. And so Why doth he yet find fault And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up speaking of Pharaoh that I might shew my Power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth and so he sheweth mercy on whom he will shew mercy and whom he will he hardneth And Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated and the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her unto Rebecca the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated v. 11 12. 13 17 18. And so it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy v. 16. and so I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion As he said to Moses v. 15. and as the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my Power in thee c. as aforesaid I answer The Lord hath shut up no man in Vnbelief that he might have mercy on no man but he hath concluded all in Vnbelief that he might have mercy on all as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11. 32. that is to say he hath concluded no man to Damnation that he should be Damned irreversible but he finding all men in the fall in the state of Vnbelief in the state of Damnation in the state of Reprobation he concluded all men in Vnbelief in that state What that he might Damn them that they might be Reprobated for ever that they might be destroyed that they might be damned No but that he might have mercy on all that is to say that they might come to life whom death was over How is that you may say Why thus the state of all men in the fall is the state of Reprobation in this state there is no being no believing in God the state is concluded in Vnbelief and all that are in it their eyes are darkned that they cannot see their ears are stopt that they cannot hear God hath given them the Spirit of slumber Eyes that they should not see Ears that they should not hear unto this day saith the Apostle of Israel that abided not in the Election Israel saith he hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded according saith he as it is written God hath given them the Spirit of slumber Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear unto this day and David saith Let their Table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling-block and a recompence unto them Let their eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their back always Rom. 11. 7 8 9 10. So then the state of Reprobation being a state of Vnbelief and the state of Vnbelief being a state of Reprobation the Lord hath concluded all in the state of Vnbelief in the state of Reprobation that he might
and his mouth must be stopt and he must make supplication to his Judge whom though I were righteous saith Job yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Judge Job 9. 15. And this becomes man and not to argue it with the Lord and to wrangle with him as if God were unrighteous as if his Ways were not equal Who measures the Lord by his shallow understanding who cannot be searched out O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and the Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Judgements and his Wayes past finding out for who hath known the mind of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellor Or who hath first given unto him and it shall be given unto him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen Rom. 9. 33 34 35. 36. So every man's mouth here must be stopt and before his Judge he must be silent as I have said and not lay unrighteousness on God or charge him that his Wayes are not equal For man himself shall conclude it otherwise in the day wherein the Lord will render unto him according to his deeds and therefore it is in vain to stand it out with the Lord. It is but the artifice of the Enemy that works this in you he knows you will otherwise say when it is too late therefore be not deceived by him least when 't is too late you blame your folly Moved of the Lord I am to write this to you in bowels of love that you may see your state and how this matter stands and that ye may be delivered And if ye yet say The Children being not yet born neither having yet done any good or evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated I answer as I did before this is spoken of the two Seeds the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent of which these two were Figures in which as the Knowledge of the Lord foresaw they would be so he loved so he hated For he loveth and hateth no man but as they are in these and it was after the fall that this was spoken both the promise that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head and the Elder shall serve the Younger Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated For before there is nothing spoken of this for all stood well and as the same in the first Adam whilst he stood and there was no need of the Promise nor was there two as to man the one whereof was the Object of Love and the other of Hatred the Elder serving the Younger but man was one spirit from the Root Eternal and in the Root Eternal which God hath blessed And the two or that which made two the seed of the Serpent which entered into man came out afterwards For man receiving the Serpent and obeying his voice after he was made against the Command of God there came to be two things in man two Roots two which strugled the Seed of the Woman the seed of Promise and the seed of the Serpent the seed of the Curse as the Promise came to take place and that seed came to move in man to bring him back to God which the Lord hath promised as the Children strove in Rebecca's womb when she came to be delivered so do these as the time cometh wherein as I have said the promise of God cometh to be fulfilled The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one unto the other So that ye cannot do the things that ye would As the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. 17. And which the Apostle found in himself when the Promise came to be fulfilled in him I see saith he another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity â—o the law of sin which is in my members And he cries out there as Rebecca did concerning the Children If it be so why am I thus And she went to enquire of the Lord Gen. 25. 22. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death Rom. 7. 23 24. So the Children strugled in the Womb of Rebecca which was the Figure Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy bowels and theone people shall be stronger then the other people and the Elder shall serve the Younger said the Lord unto her of whom she went to enquire when it was so with her as aforesaid And when her dayes to be delivered were to be fulfilled behold there were Twins in her womb and the first came out Red all over like an hary Garment and they called his Name Esau and after that came his brother out and his hand took hold on Esau's heel and his Name was called Jacob â— 24 25 26. So the Law of the Spirit of Life which was in Christ Jesus strugled with the law of Sin and of Death In Paul which though the law of sin and of death the law in his members strugled with and came out first When I would do good the law of his mind evil is present with me the law in his members the good that I would I do not the evil which I would not that do I Yet it took hold of its heel and supplanted it as the Name of Jacob the true Seed siignifies Is he not said Esau rightly named Jacob For he hath supplanted me these two times he took away my birth-right and behold now he hath taken away my blessing and Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his Father blessed him And Esau said in his heart the days of mourn-for my Father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob Gen. 27. 36 37. 41. It came after and supplanted overthrew the other I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death For what the Law could not do for that it is weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace vers 21. chap. 8. 2 3 4 5 6. So there is the first and the second the first man Adam and the second the Law of Sin and Death and the Law of the Spirit of Life the Law of the
Fatherless and that turn aside the Stranger I was a Stranger and ye took me not in saith he that witnesseth the Faithful and True Witness who is come whose right it is to Rule who witnesseth to God who is turned aside from his right when he is not suffered to rule from his right And fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts for I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3. 1. to the 7th For a man to say that he is chosen when he is not in holiness and that he is sanctified in Christ Jesus when he is unholy this is to overthrow the work of him who came to Redeem to Purifie to Cleanse man and so to bring him back again unto God And is the highest blasphemy that can be Imagined and the greatest deceit For it is to make God as such a one is and to render the blood of the Covenant by which those which are Sanctified are cleansed of none effect and where 's the effect if it purgeth not And where 's the purging where the sin remaines And doth it not remain where yet it is And is it not yet where it abides to death And are such redeemed Are such washed Are such sanctified Are such justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God as were they of whom the Apostle speaks But such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified So washed sanctified being otherwise then they were when in sin and such were some of you but ye are washed in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God There 's the matter And as an unholy thing For He that is joyned to an Harlot is one body for two saith he shall be one flesh but he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. So Friends all ye that are here take heed of being mistaken take heed of a mistaken state take heed of abiding in a state that is mistaken for this will not hold you will find it so in the end and I desire it may not be when it is too late so I am clear of you also for whose sake or the Seed's sake in you which is Immortal in the movings of the Lord I have written for the day is near wherein you will find this to be so It is the Word of the Lord and therefore hath he moved me to write that you may see it in time before it be too late before your day is over which is very short however ye may account it or value what I have said the thing is so and as I have said you will find it and then ye will remember that ye were told of it before that ye might not trust on a mistaken thing which will prove as a broaken Reed to you in the day of Tryal and the time of need for the Lord is drawing near to judgement and he will be a swift Witness as hath been said and then wo will be to all them in whom that which witnessed to life and was not heard will arise and witness to Eternal Condemnation and be a Worm that will never die and a Fire that shall never go out and this will be the state of all them that have not obeyed unto life that have not hearkened to nor believed that which witnessed in them against whom then it will witness a judgement that 's eternal for ever and ever For there 's no mocking in things of this nature no jesting no trifling To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the Provocation the day of temptation in the Wilderness Obey his witness believe in it heed it least time be no more and ye be concluded with the God whom ye serve For except ye believe that I am he said Christ to the Pharisees ye shall die in your sins and except ye believe that that which witnesseth for God in you which came from God which whatsoever it seeth the Father do it doth and speaketh what it heareth him say unto whom the Father beareth witness and of whom the Scriptures testifie John 5. 36 37 38 39. Christ the Light ye shall die in your sins It is the Word of the Lord I am the light of the world saith he he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of ltfe Joh. 8. 12. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that which reproves that which makes manifest that shineth in darkness though the darkness comprehendeth it not Thou art my Lamp O Lord thou wilt lighten my darkness Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my Path the Word which endures for ever For ever O Lord thy Word is settled in Heaven Thy faithfulness unto all Generations said David Psal 119. 89. to 10. 5. 2 Sam. 22. 29. John 1. 5. 9. So Friends all that are here take heed hereunto least the day be cloased into night and ere ye be aware the shadow of death close up the hour of your Visitation and it be too late for to you hath the Lord often spoken as I have said and do now say it again in and by the same Spirit of the Lord and he hath often sought you and that by me I am Witness for the Lord for ever how his Bowels have yearned towards you and how he would have gathered you as a Hen doth her Chicken under her Wings and he indeed yet seeks you hearken to his Voice withstand not him that calleth in you that calleth to you that seeks to gather you least your day have an end and there be no more You will remember me in that day but I would you did it sooner before it be too late The bowels of the Lord move in me to you he would not have you perish he would have you hear that your souls may live he would have ye convinced and turned to the truth he would have you in the truth that the truth may make you free I am the Way the Truth and the Life said Christ the Son he that witnesseth If the Son make ye free saith he again then are you free indeed John 8. 36. 14. 6. And so farewell I have finished what I have to say to you from the Lord. Look ye to it I am clear Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble on the dark Mountaines and and while ye look for light he turn into the shaddow of death and make it gross darkness Jer. 13. 16. And this hour is neer The Lord God Eternal open your eyes that in this your day which is now neer to an end you may know the things that belong to your Peace least they be hid from your eyes The Lord will not alwayes wait on you his Spirit will not alwayes strive with you It hath
waited long it hath striven long be gathered to him ere darkness come over you and the night cover you which shall never have end If ye shall never be gathered which I hope will not be as to some of you at least for the Lord hath a Seed among you which he will gather and lead into his rest And therefore am I moved of the Lord to write and these my Travails shall have an end and I shall see of the Travel of my soul in this particular and the time is neer the Lord hath spoken it and therefore speak I unto you because the time is neer think you what ye will yet my reward shall be with the Lord and my Prayer shall return into mine own bosome and he will testifie for me that I have sought you this his Testimony I am that you he hath sought And as sometime the Prophet said so say I in the same Spirit Though Israel be not gathered yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength Isa 49. 5. And this shall be my peace in the day of your trouble who shall not hear who shall not be gathered to that which convinces the World of sin that which reproves that which makes manifest the Comforter that I have stood in the will of God and in his Counsel have done whatsoever he hath required at my hands as to you whether you will hear or whether you will forbear and whether you will hear or whether you will forbear you shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst ye Or one that hath spoken to you from the Lord. So be not stiff-necked nor uncircumcised in heart and ear for I am pressed in spirit to speak unto you because the hour is neer Yea very neer wherein this you shall witness For the Master of the house is neer rising up and will shut to the Door and then it will be too late when ye shall begin to stand without without your hour without your day your day your hour being passed over wherein he will shew he will tender mercy wherein he will strive with you wherein he will wait on you to be gracious wherein he will stretch out his Arms to gather you wherein he will open his bosome to you I say your hour and day being over The day and hour of your Visitation wherein ye may know the things that concern your Peace and they are not hid from your eyes when ye shall begin to stand without and to knock at the door and to say Lord Lord open unto us He will answer and say unto you as I have said I know you not whence ye are Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity So be not deceived nor mistaken for this hour is neer and this you shall see in the day when the Son of Man shall come in hts Glory and all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall seperate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats and he shall set the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left and the King shall say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And to them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into life Eternal So I am clear of your blood and the Lord God Eternal laid this upon me to speak unto you because the time is very neer wherein this will be wherein you will see this to be therefore I say again unto you In this your day know the things that belong unto your peace There is somewhat in all this that I am thus moved to Ingiminate to Press upon you the Lord is coming behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them and this will be a sore convictment indeed when he shall rise in them as Lord and King and kindle in them the fire that shall never go out and raise in them the Worm that shall never die whom they have refused whom they have rejected whom they have dispised whom they have spoken against whom they have done against Of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him As Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these and this time is neer So consider and bethink your selves whilst you have a very little time whilst the door is yet open and 't is open yet I testifie it to you in the Name of the Lord whilst he waites to be gracious that so an entrance may be administred unto you into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be glory and power and dominion everlasting who cometh in Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wait because of him even so Amen And so the Lord open your understandings in all things and give you to see these things and what I have spoken that it may never rise up in Judgement against you which certainly it will if you heed it not and the day is neer It is the Word of the Lord and so I have finished what I have to say unto you in the Name of the Lord. Thus far as to those who hold Free Grace or a Justification in Christ though they are found sinners and being once chosen such as are so can never be removed from that state who are called Antenomians Have not I chosen you Twelve and one of you is a Devil He spake of Judas Iscariot the Son of Simon for he it was that should betray him being one of the Twelve John 6. 70 71. And whilst I was with them in the World I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled John 17. 12. And they went out from us for they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 John 2. 19. And there must be heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 1 Cor. 11. 19. And so much for this particular Now as to those who hold General Redemption or are so understood I have something also to say unto you in the Name of the Lord. As the Lord hath not made man to destroy him neither concluded any man from all Eternity to Destruction as he hath not so made man as that it is impossible for him
hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath Ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17. 31. And who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. And who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead who only hath Immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see to whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen 2 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Who is The Judge of all Heb. 12. 23. The Mediator of the New Covenant v. 24. of a better Covenant Heb. 6. which was established on better promises for if that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second but finding fault with the first he saith Behold the day is come saith the Lord when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their father in the day that I took them by the Hand to lead them out of the land of Aegypt c. But this is the Covenant c. that I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts c. He that speaketh from Heaven v. 29. The Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 26. The blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth only but also Heaven and this Word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things that cannot be shaken may remain wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear For our God is a consuming fire vers 26 27 28 29. So then the Way that leads to Life being strait narrow and few there being that find it or walk therein and his Flock being a little flock to whom it is the Fathers pleasure to give the Kingdom And those of Israel that shall return being but a Remnant and seeing that without are the Doggs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie and these shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life eternal it follows that all are not redeemed for though his life be given a ransom for all that whosoever cometh unto him may have Life and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life yet all are not redeemed all are not Ransomed all enter not into Life all are not saved and the Reason is plain because all come not to him who is the Ordinance of God to Salvatiâ—n which is Christ in them the Hope of glory the Mistery hid from ages and generations but now made manifest to his Saints the Wisdom of God and the Power of God that which witnesses that which reproves that which makes manifest in them and so they are not saved they are not redeemed they are not ransomed they are not delivered for how can it be that they should be delivered ransomed redeemed saved who come not to him though he be in them a measure of him in every one that which reproves that whick makes manifest that which shews a man all that ever he hath done that searcheth the heart that trieth the reins is not this the Christ nor believe in him and so lay not hold of him to deliver them from death to ransom them from the Power of the grave to redeem them from destruction to save them from wrath to come Nor obey him who shews them wrath and destruction and the grave and death For he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obeyed him Heb. 5. 9. And as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name John 1. 12. And Fight the good fight of Faith lay hold on Eeernal Life 1 Tim. 6. 12. And ye will not come to me that ye might have Life said he to the Pharisees as aforesaid John 5. 40. Now if people believe not on him that of him in them that witness to God if they obey him not if they do not receive him who stands at the door and knocks that which witnesses that which moves to God the Voice of Wisdom which cryeth without which uttereth her voice in the streets which cryeth in the chief places of concourse in the opening of the gates which uttereth her words in the City saying How long ye simple Ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as cometh a whirl wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not chose the fear of the Lord they would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof therefore shall they eat of the Fruit of their way and be filled with their own devices for the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the properity of Fools shall destroy them but who so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1. 20. to the end If they lay not hold on him if they come not to him how can they know his power how can he be to them the Author of eternal Salvation and this is manifest Now if any man say in the words of the Apostle as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. And who gave himself a ranson for all to be testified in due season 1 Tim. 2. 6. And God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 16 17. I Answer that was not the end of the Lord in sending of his Son into the world to condemn the world as I have shewed at large before but that the world through him might be saved as are the words of Christ as aforesaid but it is through him so that
witness These things saith the Amen the faithful and true Witness writes John to the Laodeceans who were grown neither hot nor cold and therefore he would spue them out of his mouth I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot neither quite dead nor quite alive neither being without sence nor having much I would thou wert cold or hot So then because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Rev. 3. 15 16. A sore word to be cast out as salt that hath lost its savour and is good for nothing but to be cast to the Dunghil If the salt hath lost its savour where with shall it be salted It is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden under foot of men saith Christ Mat. 5. 13. And shameful spueing shall be on thy Glory Hab. 2. 16. And Moab also shall wallow in his Vomit Jer. 48. 16. And it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. This is the condition of all that are in this state whom the Lord spues out I say He that beleiveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3. 36. And here 's the state of all men by nature the nature that is in the fall in the Transgression they are without God the sence of God the life of God the Son of God without God in the World without Christ the Son of God Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Strangers from the covenants of Promise having no hope as aforesaid and the reason is because they believe not on the Son on that which witnesses to God in them Which Judges and reproves them when they do evil and shews them what they should do Is not this the Christ John 4. 21. That which tells them all that ever they have done that searcheth their hearts and trieth their Reigns and knoweth the compass and end of all their Actions and sitteth down with them and risieth up with them and follows them wheresoever they go They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. Which speaks to them in secret and convinceth them of evil which they know they should not go against which is the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation that hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World of which the Apostle speaketh Tit. 2. 11 12. The Comforter which reproves rhe World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgement of Sin because they believe not in me saith Christ John 1. 6. 8 9. of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged vers 10 11. So that which reproves and judges is the Spirit the Spirit of the Son the Comforter that which reproves gives comfort and hope to Godward that he will shew mercy It is his Arm that opens to gather It is his Crook by which he brings back O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathers her chicken under her wings and ye would not Mat. 23. 27. Now that which gathers is that which brings together that which is astray that is out of its place out of its way and that which so gathers corrects or it is a correction or a reproof to that which is astray and the voice of that which gathers is a reproof to that which is astray the very calling to come together reproves that which was not so Now this comforts this is the Comforter that calls to man who is out of the way to turn him to bring him out of the wrong to the right way and that which tells a man that he is in the wrong way judges the wrong way reproves it And that which reproves the wrong gives comfort to a man as he receives it and lets it judge the wrong in him that he is regarded and shall be brought into the right And so thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me Psal 23. 3. It gives a man to see that its like to be well with him As a man that is travelling hard and he hath a long way to go and night will come and he fears least having mist his way he shall come short of home and then great perils will attend him and he happily may miscarry and be undone for ever If any man meet him and tell him how he is out of his way and that the other is his way and if he will go with him he will bring him in safety to his journeys end and deliver him from all his enemies and the sad event of a miscarriage this will revive the heart of the man that is in sence of his condition and instead of repining at or resisting or slighting his friend or persisting in the wrong way in which he was or rising against his friend and his admonition and reproof he will gladly go with him and accept the offer and he will say pray let me go with thee and I am glad I have met with thee and what a thing is it that I have met with thee that I should meet with thee and what a providence was it and his heart will be light and rejoyce that he hath met with the right and be comforted that now he shall come home and miss his dangers and be out of fear of miscarriage So his trouble is gone and all the way along he will be talking to his friend and telling him what a thing it was that he met with him Even so it is as to that which is Eternal man that is out of his way and comes to be in sence by that which calls upon him and tells him he is out of the way lying is out of the way swearing is out of the way deceit is out of the way the form of godliness without the Power is out of the way Profession without the prossession of that which is profest a Name that one lives and yet is dead as to the life of God a circumcision without when there is no circumcision within a walking as to the Law blameless and yet without law to Christ a Jew without and no Jew within a cover of Righteousness without and yet within a rotten Sepulcher full of dead mens bones an open Sepulcher a man that comes to be in the sence of this through that which calls upon him and thereby to be awakned to see the danger in which he was and so to be apprehensive of his deliverance will rejoyce at this and be comforted in this that so reprov'd
from all eternity to destruction but man comes to be destroyed and to suffer as he is found in the state of Reprobation the state of Destruction the state of which he is chief who is the Devil who as I have shewed is Reprobated from God for ever and ever and so shall be all those who are found in him when their day is over who shall partake of his plagues as they are found in him and he in them working as their Head and King And so I have finished what I have to say in this Particular Now in this state the Lord finding man whom he had made after his Image even in Righteousness and True Holiness thus lost thus degenerated thus formed into the Image of the Devil whom he had planted a Noble Vine wholy a Right Seed and Created in his Image the Lord finding man in this state of Reprobation in this state of Destruction in this state of Alienation from God without Christ and God in the World and having no hope The Bowels of his compassion yearned towards him whom he had so made and in a capacity to know him who is true and to be in him who is True this is true God and Eternal Life and to have fellowship with him and to live in him for ever and ever whom now another thing had taken up and possessed whom the Lord at first had taken up and possessed as he said Thou art he that took me out of the Womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts by thee have I been holden up from the Womb Thou art he that took me out of my Mothers bowels Thou hast possessed my Reins Thou hast covered me in my Mothers Womb I am fearfully and Wonderfully made Marvelous are thy works and that my Soul knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lower part of the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Psal 139. 13 14 15. I say the Lord finding man in this state and the bowels of his compassion yearning towards him whom be had made as aforesaid and seeing it impossible that ever he should he recovered again to the state in the which he was made without being delivered from the state in the which now he was and that he could not be delivered from the state in the which now he was unless he were delivered from the hands of him who had him in this state and that he could not be delivered from the hands of him who had him in this state and possessed him unless the eyes of man came to be opened to see the state in the which now he was and him who thus had man in possession and that he could never come to have his eyes opened to see the state in the which now he was and who it was that had him in possession but by a power which was greater then that which had now possessed man and taken him up which it was not in the power of that which had taken up man and possessed him to hinder that power which was greater from shewing unto man the state in the which now he was and who had possessed him he placed something of this power of himself in man to open the eyes of mans understanding and to shew him all this to the end that every man having something a measure of this power in him Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God which is greater then that which is of this World which had now possessed man and taken him up every man might have in himself though not of himself or of flesh and blood or of the will of man or this world a direction or something in him which might shew him in the Particular where he was and who it was that had him in possession and taken him up and so might be delivered And this Power is Christ Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God The Gospel of the Power of God unto Salvation The stronger â—â—en the strong man armed that held the Possession The Prince of Peace the Redeemer The Captain of our Salvation The Head of Principalities and Powers and of the body of the Church and of every man The Name then the which there is no other Name given under Heaven among men whereby we must be saved The Seed The Seed of the Kingdom The Son of God The Prince of Life who onely hath immortality and Eternal Life to whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen And here 's the Election Christ the Seed the Seed which the Lord hath blessed but the Seed of evil doers shall never be renewed in whom or in the which as man is found Christ the Election the Seed and as it grows up in him and he in it so is he accounted of by the Lord and is acceptable in his sight Let the words of my Mouth and the Meditation of my Heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Psalm 19. 14. I say here is the acceptance here 's the welbeloved the wel beloved Son in whom he is wel pleased and with every one as they are found in him as they are found answering to that of him in them the measure of him that which shews thae which makes manifest that which reproves that which judges and abiding in it Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me John 15. 4. I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing if a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned If ye abide in me and my word s abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you v. 5 6 7. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love if ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love v. 9 10. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full This is my Commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you You have not
chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he may give it you If ye were of the world the world would love its own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen ye out of the World therefore the World hateth you v. 11 12. 13 14 15 16 19. So here 's the Election as I have said Christ the Seed which God hath blessed but the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned and as every man is found in him as he is accepted of the Lord in that which witnesses to God which shews which makes manifest which judges which reproves in man Every man as he is found in him in this is accepted of the Lord This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith the Lord Who hath accepted us in the beloved saith the Apostle This is he by whom we have accesse unto the Throne of Grace Who is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world The Mediator if any man would know who he is and what that is that witnesses that searches the heart that tries the Reines the Candle of the Lord that searches all the inwards parts of the belly that reproves that makes manifest that shews a man what he should do between God and man that comes between to stop his wrath that it break not forth as a floud then who can quench it and wooes man to turn unto the Lord whilst his wrath is not broke forth and the fire of his wrath is not kindled which will burn to the lowest Hell It s ever and anone between the Enemy and man shewing man his enemy and what man should do near with his power to help man and deliver him It s always between the Fathers wrath and man for the movings of this is the Visitation of the Lord and his long-suffering for he waits whilst this is whilst this strives with man whilst this tries if I may so say and I speak after the manner of men what it can do So this stops all whilst its time of working is whilst its a Trying a seeing whether man will be reconciled to God This will not let God alone let me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under Heaven as the Lord said to Moses Deut. 9. 14. Whilst its day of working is to spare his people but steps between and shews and makes manifest and tries and judges and speaks to the Lord and saith Lord let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and dung it and if it bear fruit well and if not then after thou shalt cut it down when the Lord saith behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this Fig tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground As the Parable of the Man and his Vinyard and his Vinedresser hath it which was spoken by the Lord by him who is it That which digs about and dungs that waites that speaks that calls that 's ready to remove iniquity to open the heart to God-wards to visit the Plant of the Lord that lies in death that it may spring and bring forth fruit that man may not be cut down in whom it is and made to cease to cumber the ground That is ready with every good Motion with every good Thought with every good Opportunity to incline man to the Lord to bring him to rest to bring him to God that watches all approaches of evil that shews the appearance of it encounters with it is ready to assist man against it and to overcome it which hath turned man from God and the Lord from man if man would let God arise that his enemies might be scattered and thus follows after man from year to year and interceeds and mediates and comes between whilest as I have said the day of long-suffering is of mans visitation which is the day of mans visitation Therefore to day whilst it is called to day harden not your hearts as in the Provocation in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness as the Apostle expresseth it Heb. 3. 7 8. Me thinks every man should hear what I have I said in himself and turning his eye within should see this and inclining his ear should hear all this and all the wooing and entreatings and the seekings of him to turn man unto the Lord and waitings and bearings and sufferings for that purpose every man that doth but this must needs hear it and see it and be sensible of it and this as he lets it work will affect his heart and break him to pieces that ever he hath resisted it that he hath been an enemy to his own peace Me thinks I hear such bemoaning themselves I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confunded because I did bear the reproach of my youth and see what follows hereupon and how the bowels of the Lord turn to that which thus turns to him and see how ready the Lord is to receive such and his tenderness unto such and bow as it were if I may so speak after the manner of men I have too the Scripture for it which will bear me out in what I say the Lord is in an Agony for such and in a distress of love Is Ephraim my dear Son what can be more breaking and near Is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord Jer. 31. 20. See the Heart of the Father to the Prodigal that returns whom he goes forth to meet and runs and even while he is yet a great way off sees and hath compassion on him and falls upon his neck kisseth him and puteth on him the best robe the covering of his Son and a Ring on his Hand the band of Love and Shoes on his Feet the preparation of the Gospel of Peace for this is the way to it coming to that which witnesseth in him that gives him to see his state and where he is that brings to himself and when he came to himself see what it is that brings a man to himself that which shews him his state that gives him a sence of his condition that is it and how a man is from himself in an extasie as it were out of his wits in a sown from the sence of his understanding as a man from that which should guide him as one in another world as they use