in good works and such as sin walk not in good works are not his Workmanship and those that are not his workmanship which is unto good works the fruit of Faith which is not dead but living by which those of old though dead yet speak the Vertue in them which brought forth the works the fruit unto Holiness unto Eternal life are not created in Christ Jesus So see your state all you that are here and be no longer deceived It is the Word of the Lord and so I have done with this Particular which for the sake of you I am moved to write to open their understandings because the time is neer wherein these things will be made manifest that they are so and the Door will be shut and then it will be too late to say Lord Lord open unto us For he will say depart from me I know ye not ye workers of iniquity for when once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the Door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the Door saying Lord Lord open unto us And he shall answer and say unto you I know ye not whence ye are Then shall ye begin to say we have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he shall say I tell you I know ye not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out And they shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God and behold there are last which shall be first and there are first which shall be last Luke 13. 25. to the 31. And so I am clear of your blood whether ye will hear or whether you will forbear The Word of the Lord hath been often to you and his tender bowels through me and he would not have you die but live and it is the third time that I have particularly wrote to you in the movings of the Lord and my travail and my sufferings I speak of that which is not of this world have been great for you that your eyes might be opened and that ye might see where you are ere it be too late For the Lord hath known you and you have known something in you that hath given you the sence of his presence which is Christ Jesus the measure of him in you which reproves which makes manifest that draws ye to God-ward though ye have not believed that it is he and therefore have risen against the Corner Stone which ye builders have refused which is made Head of the Corner but there is no other way to God but by him Christ the Light God that quickneth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were for that is not natural that shews Nature in the transgression and that is not of the evil one that shews evil and that is not of man in whom it is not to direct his way that leads unto God but it is of God the love of God that sent his Son into the world to redeem man and to bring him back again unto God And his work it is to deliver to set free the Captive that which is bound under sin and he that sinneth is bound to sin and to purifie and to cleanse and to make white and to break down the Partition that which is gotten between by reason of Transgression and to bring to God that so man may feel his Maker again and be joyned to him with whom nothing that is defiled can have any fellowship and sin desiles For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 13. last Now to hold that a man being chosen can never be removed from that state unto which he is chosen and that a man is justified when he is found a sinner and that he is in Christ when he is not a new Creature and he is not a new Creature whilst he is in sin old things are not past away the old man is there remaining with his lusts and deeds whose lust and deeds are sin all things are not become new and that a man is in God when he is not purged when he is not made clean and he is not made clean he is not purged that sinneth whilst he sinneth whosoever sinneth hath neither seen him neither known him John 3. 6. whilst he knoweth not nor believeth in nor is joyned to the Word of Life which dwelleth in the Saints which witnessed to God the Word that endures for ever The Word which by the Spirit is Preached unto you the Word that purifies 1 Pet. 1. last the Word that endures for ever and ye have not his Word abiding in you For whom he hath sent him ye believe not John 5. 38. The Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart which is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 8. For the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascend c. But what saith it the Word is nigh thee c. vers 6. 7. So that is the Word the Word of Faith the living Word that endures for ever that cleanseth that purifies which is that which witnesses to God which abides Now are ye clean through the Word And now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you abide in me ye have not his Word abiding in you said he to the Pharisees 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 in him that witnesses the Word of Life John 15. 3 4. And saith the Prophet he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto him an offering in Righteousness then shall the offerings of Judah Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old and as in the former years and I will come neer to you in Judgement and I will be a swift witness here 's the Messenger that prepares his Way before him the Messenger of the Covenant that he saith he will send whom he saith they delighted in behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts But who may abide the day of his coming And who shall stand when he appeareth For he shall be as Refiners fire and as Fullers soap I will be a swift Witness this is he who is the Judge of all that comes nere to Judgement that witnesseth that saith I will be a swift witness I will come neer to you to Judgement against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that oppresse the Hireling in his wages the Widdow and the
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
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
if people come not to him nor believe on him nor receive him nor are in him how can they through him be saved for that which comes through must come to and be in or it can never come through there is no Salvation but through Christ Jesus and as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but it is in Christ and that which believes not on him is not in him and that which is not in him cannot be made alive by him and he gave himself a ransom for all but if all will not come to him who ransometh he doth not become a ransom for all And so I have finished what I have also to say unto you in the Name of the Lord whose word it is of whom I am moved to write unto you also that you may see who are here how the case stands with you for I bear you Record there is a zeal in many of you as to God but you are mistaken as to the main thing on which Salvation dependeth and by which you must come if ever it be so to be saved For If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins said he to the Pharises John 8. 24. and if ye belive not in that which witnesseth unto God in you which reproves you which checks you for evil which judgeth it If ye believe not that this is he the measure of him in you he who is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God you will die in your sins all your Notions will not save you how strong so ever in your Imaginations they will come short of the Power which is the Power of God to Salvation and this you will find in the day of the Lord wherein this shall be witnessed and you shall witness unto me in that day as many as so abide that my testimony is true For the Lord hath spoken to me and his Word is in my mouth and he hath said unto me what I shall say and I have spoken what he hath said If you believe not that that is he which witnesses to God which reproves which judges which makes manifest evil in you you shall die in your sins It is the Word of the Lord. Therefore dream not of any other Jesus to save from wrath to come to deliver you then he in you who also is without you that shews you when you do amiss that reproves you that judges you for evil for this is the Judge of all the Man Christ Jesus And so I am clear of you also in the presence of the Lord who hath moved me to write thus to you and to take the stumbling blocks out of your way also that you may see and be saved for the day is near wherein you also will be concluded with the God whom you serve for the Lord is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation and among every people he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and the proud he beholdeth a far off and 't is not saying Lord Lord Open to us have we not prayed have we not prophesied and in thy Name cast out Devils have we not eat and drank in thy presence and hast thou not taught in our streets will suffice when he shall say Depart from me I know ye not ye workers of Iniquity So deceive not your selves God is not mocked as men sow so shall they reap if you sow unto the flesh of the flesh ye shall reap corruption and if you sow unto the Spirit of the Spirit you will reap Life and take heed how you be mistaken in a thing of this nature which hath that weight least ye perish for ever The Lord is not willing you should die but rather that you turn unto that in you which is of him which is near you in your mouth and your heart and obey it and believe in it that ye may know his vertue who redeems and that so ye may be redeemed least whilst ye hold forth a Notion to all of the Redemption of all you come short of it in your own Particulars and so be cast out with the fearful and the unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whore-mongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyers into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death The Bowels of the Lord are to you because the fear of him hath been before many of you and there is that in you that truly desires after him though you yet know him not therefore hath he moved me to write that you may know him after whom you desire that Salvation may be the Portion of your Cup and your Lot for ever If you hear it will be well for you if you will not the stone that is refused of the Builders is made the Head of the Corner and a Rock of Offence it will be and a Stone of stumbling till you be broken to pieces and your dayes be cut off from the earth and in darkness which is everlasting you languish for ever For the Lord will not alwayes wait on man nor his Spirit strive A day of conclusion there will be as there hath been a day of beginning and the hour of your visitation being over in what case are you when no offering can be accepted for you who have refused him who speaks from Heaven and rejected the Son of God made manifest in your mortal flesh to redeem you to God and so farewel I have done with you also in the movings of the Lord and to those who remain I must yet proceed to speak because time is short and this lay upon me to write to you all that all may be warned and that the stumbling blocks may be taken out of the way of all and that all may be left without excuse because the Day is nere wherein all must witness what I have said either to their everlasting wo or to Life eternal and however you may think of these things yet so it will be and the time is near Our God shall come and shall not keep silence A fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him he shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth that he may judge his People and the Heavens shall declare his righteousness for God is Judge himself Selah Psal 50. 3 4 6. So let all be warned that all may be left without excuse for there is a day as I have said and it still presseth upon me to speak the same thing from the Spirit of the Lord and to repeat it often that so you may hear ere it be too late I say there is a day very near wherein you will witness this to be true to whom this shall come and because the day is very near therefore hath the Lord laid it upon me to speak â—t often that you may hear ere it be too late for hours of visitation have been
Word of God the Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart that calls upon man that speaks to man to turn unto the Lord that we are begotten of his own will and with the Word of Truth this is first that which calls on man to turn unto the Lord is that which begets and that which begets you know is first and if it begets you know in Nature it is another thing a seed of its own each Body it s own Seed the Seed of God that 's his Seed that 's of him which begets his own will something of himself with the Word of Truth that which calls on man which is not man nor of the will of man but of God which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the Will of man but of God John 1. 13. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth v. 14. And so man hath nothing to do in this thing the first moving and rise and step to this thing is the Will of God with the Word of Truth that which witnesseth something that is not of man nor the will of man nor of the flesh though it be in man that begets to God This reacheth to it 's own that lies in death by reason of Transgression that 's got between and quickens it to God then that moving in man turns him to God So the first and the last the beginning and the ending the whole of the work of Regeneration of begetting man to God is the Lord his Will his Word of Truth his Power his Arm that of him in man being reached by his Omnipotent Power which lies in death by reason of the fall that in which man was made being reached again thorough death moves to God and as this is abided in and kept to it works out the old man the old nature and brings forth the Image of God in man again that which man was made in at first and causeth it to reign over all for ever And here 's the Redemption and here 's the Restauration the bringing man back again to God from whence he is gone the beginning and the finishing Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. He that begins he performs it Here'â— no second here 's not another here 's not man in the beginning and God in the end man willing and then God working but God working both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12. 2. Looking to Jesus Jesus the Author Jesus the Finisher looking to him who is the Author who is the Finisher wher 's room then for the will of man Jesus begins the Word of Truth that which speaks that which witnesses that which calls this begets the beginning the ending this as it is heeded and abided in finishes he that begins his own will with the Word of Truth performs forms through finishes The Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending I am saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Rev. 1. 8. The Alpha the Omega he that first made remakes he that made man in his Image renews man into his Image or renews his Image in man he from whom man is gone brings man to God again he that made him at first in his Image â—eaching to his Image that of him in man in which man was made from which man is fallen which witnesses to God raiseth it up and this begets man unto God or a will in man to turn unto the Lord or is the will or the mind that turns unto the Lord Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth as aforesaid and this performs this finishes as it is abided in and no other So that were it not for his Seed for that in which man was made the Breath of Life which God breathed into man and man became a living Soul which suffers and lies under by reason of Transgression which is over man in the fall and hath the possession of him were it not that God visiteth or reacheth to this his Seed in man in which man was made which so lies under and suffers in man by reason of Transgression and so causeth it to spring through man again man would never think of God or move to him which Seed the Lord reaching and visiting in man with the day spring from on high shews man where he is and what hath him in possession and where he hath been and so begets it's own Mind and Will and Image in man and brings him to the Lord. Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted Isa 31. 6. and man heeding it is turned unto the Lord and abiding in it is preserved unto God Here 's the beginning and the ending and the whole sum of this matter and the ground of the mistake that is in men concerning it which I have opened for the satisfaction of the simple in the movings of the Lord because the time is nere wherein these things will be seen as they are when it will be too late and men will be concluded with the God whom they serve So the bowels of the Lord have moved in me to you wards that your eyes may be open and that you may see this great mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations but is now made manifest to his Saints which is Christ in you the Hope of glory and that you may not place the will of man to be it and so mistake in this thing of weight unto all eternity And so I am clear of you also in the sight of the Lord who hath moved me to write and which I have written in his Counsel and as I have received of him whose word it is and which shall be fulfilled and your eyes shall see it and in that day I shall be witnessed in you to whom this shall come by that which witnesses to God for ever and ever and your judgement will be just you that do not hear who will not obey who will not see who will not hear who stop your ears as the the deafe Adder refusing to hear the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely The day I say is near wherein these things you will see and witness wherein it will be too late Therefore you also Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shaddow of death and make it gross darkness Jer. 13. 16. My Bowels are turned within me for you that so you may not be mistaken and undone for ever For this know that the Lord's Spirit will
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
so as by fire vers 14 15. And upon this must all be built upon him who is the Corner Stone the tried Stone the sure Foundation the Foundation of many Generations the Restorer of Paths to dwell in the Builder of the old waste Places the Repairer of the breach And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste Places thou shalt raise up the Foundation of many Generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the breach the Restorer of Paths to dwell in Isa 58. 11. The Reconciler The Maker of Atonement The Offering The Sacrifice The Altar The Sanctuary The maker of Twain one New man so making peace The Blotter out of the hand writing of Ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us The Taker of it out of the Way The Nailer of it to his Cross The Spoiler of Principalities and Powers The maker of a shew of them openly The Triumpher over them in it The maker of both one who is our Peace The breaker down of the Middle wall of Partition between us The Abolisher of the enmity in his flesh even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances The Preacher of Peace to them that were afar off and to them that were nigh through whom we both Jew and Gentile have an access by one Spirit unto the Futher The Saviour of the body the Church The Saviour of all men especially of them that believe The Saviour of the World whom God hath sent into the World so to be The destroyer of the works of the Devil The Atonement The New Covenant The Law written in the heart The fear put into the inward parts The Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart The Word of Faith which the Apostles preached The Light of the World The true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World who was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not Who came unto his own and his own received him not Who as many as received him to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God even to them who believe in his Name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God The Light in whom whosoever believeth shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of Life The Condemnation of all that believe not in the light In whom whosoever believeth shall not be condemned The Judge of all The Judge of the quick and the dead Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and coming The King Immortal The second Adam The Lord from Heaven The quickning Spirit The Hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble The man Christ Jesus is he that witnesses that shews that judges that reproves that makes manifest it is the Word of the Lord. Into him into this Seed which is Christ the Election that which reproves that which makes manifest that which shews that which judges must all come and grow up therein who are redeemed unto God And the Word of the Lord unto every man whether he will hear or whether he will forbear The measure of him in every man which he hath placed in every man the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withal that in every man it may grow and that every man growing up in it and abideing may be blessed of the Lord the Seed of the blessed of the Lord and their Off-spring with them That they may be of the Root that 's holy of the true Olive in which being ingrafted though a wild Olive contrary to Nature the fatness of the true Olive he may come to be a partaker of which brings forth fruit unto God unto Holiness unto Life Eternal And this unto all is the Word of the Lord of whom I am moved to write that all may know the Root that is in them what it is that brings forth fruit unto God unto Life which the Lord hath blessed unto which being â— joyned and in which continuing a growâ—â—g up will be witnessed in that which is Eternal which never fadeth away but endures for ever And so I have cleared this Matter as I have received it of the Lord whether men will hear or whether they will forbear they all shall witness it in the day of the Lord which is neer wherein he will render unto every man according to his deeds It is the Word of the Lord. And so I have finished this Matter even the Word of the Lord in me to this Generation To whom I am known by the Name of G. Bishop Bristol the 20th of the 6th Moneth 1663. Printed In the beginning of the Second Moneth 1664. THE END
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 that he hath committed he shall surely die for it and if he say to the wicked thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right none of the sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned to him he hath done that which is lawful and right he shall surely live and that the Lord will judge every one after his wayes Then it follows that there is no such thing as the Decreeing some men to Destruction or the Reprobating of some from all Eternity for if it were so then indeed their transgressions and their sinnes would lie upon them and they would pine away in them and should surely die as they spake in that day as aforesaid and that the way of the Lord was not equal as your conclusion speaks now for if Men are decreed to destruction from the beginning and if they are Reprobated from God from all Eternity for ever how can they choose but be so how can they turn and live how can they live for then there would be a necessity an Omnipotent necessity if I may so say or a necessity laid upon them of an Omnipotent decree or the absolute determination of an Omnipotent God upon them to the contrary and what creature can work it off Nay how can God if with Reverence as a Man I may so speak do otherwise then conclude them so for ever when he hath so determin'd them how can he reverse it when the word is so gone forth of his mouth in Righteousness unto whom every knee must bow and tongue confess who is a God of faithfulness and truth blessed are all they that wait upon him This indeed were most abominable to think of God and to judge the Way of the Lord unequal and to lay a necessity from the Lord upon Man to destruction which let me go further and say is the highest blasphemy and the most gross abuse of God as is Immaginable For if it were lawful to think for still I am in dread of the thought of this Opinion that God should say to Men Turn and live I have no pleasure in your death Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die And if the wicked man turn so and if the Righteous man do so so and yet hath so afore concluded them and laid the Necessity of his Decree and Counsel so upon them that they can neither be so nor so and such a necessity must needs be upon them if they be so concluded what a mock would it be if it were lawful in a manner so to speak it and I abhor even the very thoughts thereof otherwise then to express what such a conclusion doth speak in God to Man his Creature who made not himself who cannot make himself much less alter the Decree of him that made him to bid him turn and live and if he turn he shall live when he hath concluded him otherwise and resolv'd him to die by a Decree Irreversible by an Omnipotent necessity as I have said of Death upon him which he can never come from under Now know ye all who are of this Opinion whose conclusion so speaks The Lord hath laid no necessity upon his Creature nor did he at first lay any to turn from him who made him after his own Image there was nothing of the Lord either of his Counsel or Decree or in order to the bringing about of his work of Salvation or the making of his Arm glorious in the Salvation of Man I say again there was nothing of the Lord or any necessity as of him in the fall of Man no not the least withdrawing of the Lord from man then it must of necessity have been for man could not preserve himself or his turning from him I must clear the Lord from this before all the World and to all men the Lord withdrew not that from man in which man was made which made man in which he was safe in which he was secure had he abided in had he not gone out from that But man turned from that in which he was made which made him which gave him his being in which he might have been preserved in which he was where he was safe and so went to another thing The Lord made man upright that in which he was made which made him would have kept him so had he abided with him had he kept in him but man hath found out many Inventions so it was not of God no influence of his no withdrawing of his Power no letting fall if I may so express my self after the manner of and unto man of any thing that he had set to support him and here came mans fall the destruction of Israel of himself O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hos 13. 9. So then the destruction of Israel is of himself not of the Lord but in the Lord is his help and his help being in the Lord and his destruction of himself there is nothing of the Lord as to his destruction and there being nothing of the Lord as to his destruction then there 's no influence of his either as to the bringing about of any of his Counsels or the making of his Arm more glorious in accomplishing a Restauration or the withdrawing from man his Power or the letting that fall in which man was made and by which he was preserved Or in any other thing of Determination or Decree which of necessity must be if from all Eternity he hath Reprobated some and so sealed them under a condition or state â—f destruction never to be redeem'd never to be delivered The Lord then would seem to be a very hard Master to enjoyn a man to things which without him he was not able to do and yet to withdraw his Power by which he must be enabled to do them if ever they were done by him Yea to resolve that man should never do them and this as to that which is Eternal as to his well being for ever and ever to bid a man turn and live And yet in his Counsel to have decreed him never to return but to be destroyed for ever No no the Lord is no such hard Master he hath put no man so When he speaks his heart is the same When he swears it is by his own Life which is sure and certain and as certain and sure it is that the thing is so as it is that he hath Life by which he swears who lives for ever For men verily saith the Apostle swear by the greater and an Oath for Confirmation is to them an end of all strife wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God
have mercy upon all that is to say that their Eyes being darkned in that state that they may not see and their Ears being stopt that they may not hear and their Backs being bowed down always that which shews them mercy that opens their Eyes and causeth them to see which that state closes that unstops their Ears that boareth them and makes them to hear that which takes of the burden from the shoulder which bowed them down may appear to be of the Lord for in that state there 's no hearing no seeing no standing upright God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber Eyes that they should not see as aforesaid And David the Seed prayes Let their Table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling-block and a recompence to them Let their eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their backs alwayes So how can they arise how can they hear how can they see in this state which the Seed hath prayed may not see and that their back may be bowed down alwayes and whom the Lord hath given the Spirit of Slumber eyes that they should not see ears that they should not hear Now that which gives eyes to see ears to hear that takes off the burden that lifts up that awakes out of the slumber is another thing the Election the Seed the Election which obtains where the rest are blinded who continue or are in the state of Reprobation of Vnbelief though Israel once the chosen of the Lord Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded So that which gives to see and to hear that awakens unto God is another thing the Election which sheweth mercy unto whom he will shew mercy and whom he will he hardens that is to say Opens the eyes of those whom it wills to open and whom it wills it shuts that is to say Concludes in Vnbelief that it may have mercy upon them Concludes never to see never to hear never to go upright in that state but in another he hath concluded all in unbelief that he may have mercy upon all not that he may destroy all that he may bring them to see the well-spring of Life which is near them which hath dam'd up the Way to Life by any other way then Christ the Life that which witnesses in them who is the Way the Truth and the Life I am saith he and there 's no other way to life the state of Reprobation of Vnbelief cannot shew it it is uncapable of it it cannot comprehend it cannot see it even the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirt of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 3. 14. So that which gives to see is another thing that which gives to receive is from another state the hearing ear the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them saith the wise man Prov. 20. 12. but he made not Reprobation he made not unbelief or the state thereof that is to say He is not the cause of its being Man â—an into that man brought that O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help the hearing ear the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them and he hath closed the eye and shut the ear of the other that there is no seeing there no hearing unto life in that state It can never see God nor hear his voice it hath neither seen him nor known him Whosoever sinneth hath neither seen him neither known him 1 John 3. 6. It is in another state the seeing and knowing of God In the state which is immortal that never dies nor changes which is that which witnesses and here 's the seeing and here 's the hearing and no where else it is the Word of the Lord and this you will find in the day that he will render unto every man according to his deeds wherein every tongue shall be silent and every mouth shall be stopt and all shall confess that his judgements are just and there will be no covering for man nothing to hide him but he shall be naked and bare before him with whom he hath to do and shall see himself so to be in the day wherein the books shall be opened all that which witnessed shall be remembred and man shall be judged according to what is written in the books And I saw the dead small and great stand before God the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Rev. 20. 12. All that which witnesses speaks is written in a book and this book shall be opened not a book of Ink and Paper but of Conscience written with the Spirit of the living God that which speaks in Conscience and every man shall be judged out of that and by that which in Conscience witnesses which gives to receive the things of God and nothing else So the Lord hath shut up hath concluded the state of the one in unbelief given them the Spirit of Slumber eyes that they should not see ears that they should not hear that he might have mercy in the other that gives the eye to see and the ear to hear Here 's the two seeds here 's Election and Reprobation here 's the seeing eye and the hearing ear which God hath made even both of them here 's the eye that they should not see the ear that they should not hear which God hath given here 's the conclusion of all in unbelief he hath concluded all in unbelief here 's the end of it that he may have mercy upon all not that he may condemn all and so I have opened this Particular Then as to that Even for this cause have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth which is spoken of Pharaoh I answer This is meant of states So is that viz. Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated as it is written and the Elder shall serve the younger as it was said unto her unto Rebecca before the children were 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 the Elder shall serve the Younger as aforesaid The Elder Esau which was first in the tran gression that state that was brought forth first after the fall the state of Wrath the state of Reprobation the state of Vnbelief in which all are concluded And were by Nature the children of Wrath even as others saith the Apostle Ephes 2. 3. The first born Esau have I hated but Jacob have I loved before the children were born neither having done any good or evil the Elder shall serve
Egypt that which suffered in you and you made to serve with an Out-stretched Arm and be delivered in your destruction it is the Word of the Lord. He that hath an Ear let him hear what it speaketh Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproofe I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as Desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you then shall they call on me saith Wisdom who cryeth without and uttereth her Voice in the Streets she cryeth in the chief places of Concourse in the openings of the Gates in the City she uttereth her Voice saying how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the Scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate Knowledge Turn ye at my Reproofe behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my Words unto you then shall they call on me saith Wisdom But I will not answer They shall seek me early but they shall not find me For that they hated Knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord they would none of my Counsel they despised all my Reproof therefore shall they eat of their own way and be filled with their own devices for the turning away see you here of the Simple shall slay them and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them But whoso hearkneth unto Me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1. 20. to the end So the Vessels of Wrath and the Vessels of Mercy are hear Those who stand in the one 〈◊〉 are found in the other which is the Election and Reprobation according to the purpose of him that calleth And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up Both his purpose they who are found in either his purpose is according to the state of either in which they are found Vessels of Wrath Vessels of Mercy What if God be willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction he doth not say ordained to destruction and all Eternity but fitted to destruction which Iniquity doth and destruction is the end when it hath finished its course sin when it is finished brings for Death Jam. 1. 15. Destruction is the end when Iniquity finishes its course and that he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of Gentiles Rom. 9. 22 23 24. So fitted for destruction vessels of wrath iniquity fits to destruction as I have said the creature in that state the state of the fall the state of Reprobation vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction on whom he will he makes his power known after he hath endured with much long-suffering see you here after he hath waited after he hath called after he hath sought after he hath endured with much long-suffering and man will not hear man will not turn If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors Psal 7. 12 13. God is willing what if God willing to shew his Wrath to make his Power known even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my Power in thee endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath whom Reprobation Iniquity Vnbelief hath filled up whom it hath contained in whom it hath long lodg'd who would not be emptied would not have it cast out on which the wrath of God abides Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction made ready for that purpose by Iniquity Iniquity fits to destruction that 's all the profit of it if so be it may be called so to fit to destruction for God to shew his wrath to make known his power upon after he hath endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath. And the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory Here 's both as I have said Vessels of Wrath Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory That which receives that which calls which shews mercy I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy That the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth Vessels of Mercy they receive mercy contain mercy retain that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election Even as they did not like to Retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprebate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness c Rom. 1. 28 29. I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy afore prepared unto Glory Mercy that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election not of Works but of him that calleth prepares unto Glory where it is received that which calleth Mercy afore prepared unto Glory As Iniquity that which hardens the heart shuts the ear maketh to refuse mercy not to retain that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election fits to destruction Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory What if God be willing to shew his wrath and to make his Power known And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory So God is not Vnrighteous he made not man to destroy him Neither hath he concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction But he made man Upright and after his own Image and therein man was kept as he kept therein but man turning from that in which he was made to another thing Death came over all because all in Adam had sinned and in the state of Death every man stood and was concluded because in Adam every man had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God Now in this state as I have said the Lord finding every man his compassion wrought to man and his bowels earned towards him whom he had made in his Image which now man had lost and was fallen from and Death was come over therefore as he concluded all in this state because all had sinned and come short of his glory so he had mercy upon all he concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and this is his mercy that there is something of himself in man which shews him where he is and what he doth as he hearkens to it believes in it and obeys it and his enemy and sin and transgression by reason of which death came over and judges it and calls upon man to return to the Lord that he may be redeemed from Death and ransomed from the power of the Grave
and see Life Now this is mercy and the Lord might have chosen whether he would have done this to his creature whom he made upright but had turned from him for he was not bound to his Creature and have let him remain in that state for ever Nevertheless herein the love of God was made manifest to Man that he gave him something of himself that had never sinned nor consented to sin and placed it in him to call upon him to turn unto the Lord and that whilest we were yet sinners saith the Apostle Christ died for the Vngodly and herein the greatness of his love is shewn that he continues this in man which waits upon man and calls upon him and seeks him and entreats him to turn unto the Lord. Now man resisting this and disobeying this and not believing in this which suffers which bears which waits which seeks and the day of his visitation this suffering this waiting this seeking this bearing coming to an end Man comes to be unredeemed to God to be a vessel of wrath a vessel of dishonour fitted to destruction and so his destruction is of himself but man coming to heed this to retain this that calleth to believe in it to be guided by it he comes to be redeemed unto God out of the hands of him who had him in captivity to be a vessel of mercy a vessel of honour prepared unto Glory and so his help is in God So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour Man cannot plead with God in this case for as I have said he is not bound unto his Creature he might make it as he pleased even of the same lump one vessel to Honour another to Dishonour he hath power over man as the Potter hath over the Clay so man may not plead man may not reason with God in this Particular stood the Case only here had he been made so at first the Lord would have been clear and who durst to have opened his mouth seeing the Lord had power over man to have made him as he pleased But the Case stands not here it lies further the Lord made not man so he did not so forme him nor with an intent that he should be so did the Lord make Man but he formed him a vessel of Honour He planted him a noble Vine wholy a right Seed He made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him though he be not far from any of us for in him we live and move and have our being as certain of your own Poets have said for we are his off-spring said the Apostle to the Athenians Acts 17. 26 27 28. Jer. 2. 21. He made him upright after the Image of God made he man but man as I have said found out many Inventions and having turned aside and proved the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine even a vessel oâ— Dishonour bearing the image of the Devil who was made after the Image of God It was the loving kindness of God to visit man again and to call upon him to turn unto him to place something of him-thing of himself in him to call upon him to shew him where he is and what he hath been doing and to turn unto the Lord. Now he that will not hear this Prophet which the Lord hath raised up like unto me said Moses who gave the Law without which was the Similitude of the Law within Christ Jesus the fear in the Inward parts that which calls that which makes manifest that which reproves that which judges that which makes the heart tender to God and to fear before him shall be destroyed from among the people Acts 3. 22 23. For if the word spoken by the Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Hebrews 2. 2 3. So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy he visiteth whom he will and he waits on whom he will and he calls on whom he will and he suffers as he will and as long and whilest he will and whom he will he hardens he suffers iniquity to go over which the more it turns from God the more it hardens man against him on whom he calls long and they will not turn unto the Lord and so the more he calls the more they turn from him and the more they turn from him the more they are hardned against him and the movings of his Spirit and the more they are hardned against him and the movings of his Spirit the less his Spirit strives with them and therefore it is said O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and heardned our hearts from thy fear Return for thy Servants sake the Tribes of thy Inheritance Isa 63. 17. The Lord was withdrawn that of him ceased to call which they had transgressed against they grew cold to the Lord whilst that strove not with them that made their hearts tender to him they began to grow hard as that turned from them that turn'd them to him they began to go astray as that removed which led them to him O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our hearts from thy fear Return here was the matter the Lord was withdrawn the Lord was removed that of him turn'd from them as they had turned from it that was the cause and of this they grew sensible Return â—ay they for thy Servants sake the Tribes of thy Inheritance So whom he will he hardens as they withdraw from that of him which calls on them to turn to him he withdraws that in them of him which turns unto him as they let not in that of him in them that calls upon them to turn unto the Lord which makes them tender they grow hard So Pharaoh the more he withstood Moses that called upon him to let Israel go the more hard Pharaoh was and even for the same purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth So when the Lord calls and man will not hear when he stretcheth out his arms long and man will not come when he strives and yet man will not be gathered who is turned from God It 's just with God to withdraw from man to turn that of him that turns
with man in his long-suffering to man in his seeking man who is lost in his gathering man who is scatered he is far otherwise he woes intreats prayes beseeches as I have said he waits to be gracious The Gospel the Power of God Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God that seeketh man that calleth man is as I have said the Gospel of Reconciliation His Ministers are the Ministers of Reconciliation God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself not rending from himself and hath committed to us the Ministry of Reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you We pray you in Christ stead be reconciled unto God as aforesaid And here 's the Will and here 's the Power and here 's that which can be resisted and this is that which man resisteth which waiteth upon man which seeketh man and here the Lord and his Will and his Power is to be understood and no otherwise So all are to be silent and every mouth is to be stop't before the Lord for who can complain of him who hath placed something of himself in man Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God a measure of him in every man to gather him to the Lord and to bring him again to him who is gone from him which is that which witnesses which shews which judges which reproves which makes manifest and this waits on man after that man hath turned from him the Seed of the woman which he promised man after he was fallen should bruise the Serpents Head which bruises the Serpents head in all who are gathered to it believe in it and are guided by it Now they who are gathered unto this receive mercy become vessels of Honour fit for the Masters use vessels of mercy afore prepared unto Glory from him who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion on whom he will have compassion as he said to Moses who hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and holds forth this unto all and hath placed this in all For as in Adam all die so in Christ all are made alive the Plaister is as broad as the Sore the Medicine as comprehensive as the Disease Those who are not gathered to it reject the Counsel of God against themselves as it was said of the Pharisees and Lawyers who came not to the Baptism of John being not baptized of him Luk. 7 30. and so become vessels of dishonor vessels in whom there is no pleasure unfit for the Masters use by reason of sin and that which defiles which he can have no fellowship with nor can it come near him vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And so all men are left without excuse and will be found so in the day of the Lord wherein he will render unto every man according to his Deeds for this of him which he hath placed in every man which calls upon every man which seeks every man that in every man which witnesses doth it which reproves which judges which shews man what he should do which makes manifest will then witness for God in every man and how the Lord hath sought every man and waited for him and all its sufferings and being rejected and its sighings and oppressions and afflictions and heavy loadings and groanings whilst the long-suffering of God waited will it bring up fresh in man which shall judge man and leave him without excuse You will not be able then to battail it against the Lord your reasonings will be stopt your great Arguments will be at an end No trifling it then as now wherein man is bold by reason of the Instigation of the Devil and the Ignorance that is in him and reasons with the Lord as if he were stronger then the Lord as if the Lord needed man as if he alwayes would wait on man No no before your Judge you will be silent and you shall confess to the Lord that his judgement is just So Friends ye all who are here heed whilst ye have time take heed of pleading with your Maker and reasoning it out with him Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour and yet he made not you so nor no man so he made all Nations on the earth of one blood and appointed the bounds of their habitations if happily they might seek after God So he hath concluded no Nation under reprobation from all eternity He Created man after his own Image In the Image of God created he them Male and Female and so he made none to Dishonour none to Reprobation He might have made man otherwise and who could have said to him what dost thou for he hath Power as the Potter over the Clay and yet when he hath made no man so why doth man complain for who hath resisted his Will why doth he find fault It is sufficient and riches of mercy that he hath had compassion on man and visited him again with the day spring from on high who sat in darkness and in the Region of the shadow of death which is the light which shews him whatsoever he doth Is not this the Christ if Man will not be gathered to this if he will neglect so great Salvation if he will trifle out his precious time and do despight unto the Spirit of Truth and trample under foot the blood of the Everlasting Covenant and reject mercy and loving kindness and that which waits upon him and hath compassion on him and his day have an end and so he be hardned and that which called withdraws and that which strove ceases and so he errs from his wayes and his heart is hardned from his fear and the Lord shew his Power in him that which he refused and did reject which is the Power of God unto Salvation and declare his Name throughout all the earth in his destruction Man hath nothing then to reason with the Lord and all men will find it so it is the Word of the Lord. And whereas the Apostle saith What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction that he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory He doth but put the Question If he were willing to do so and if he had done so what hath man to do to complain Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus If the matter were only there it stood well against man but the Lord hath done otherwise as I have shewed he made man otherwise and the Lord hath otherwise done by man since he marr'd himself as hath been declared so the Lord is true and every man here a liar Rom. 3. 4.
Mind and the Law in the Members the Flesh and the Spirit the Son of God in the likeness of sinful flesh condemning sin in the flesh and the body of sin and death Two Nations two manner of People the one stronger then the other the strong man armed the stronger then he The Elder as to man in the state of the fall that came out first the Younger which was before the Elder though it came out in the World after This is he said John of whom I said after me cometh a Man which is preferred before me for he was before me John 1. 30. The Younger who comes after the fall the seed of the Woman to redeem out of the fall to bruise the Serpents head which the Elder must serve which taketh hold of the heel of the Elder and supplants it and makes it to serve the Elder shall serve the Younger And so the Apostle speaketh They are not all Israel who are of Israel Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called That is they that are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seed For this is the word of Promise at this time will I come and Sara shall have a son And not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one even by our Father Isaac for 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 the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated as aforesaid Rom. 9. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. And here is the whole matter as it lies together and as the Scriptures testifie and are the Explanation of one another in the Spirit of the Lord from whom I have written and who hath shewn me these things that I might write them unto you that your understandings might be opened and that ye might come to see the Truth as it is in Jesus and be brought to the Knowledge of the Truth And so I have finished this particular The Lord God Eternal open your eyes that in this your day you may know the things that belong unto your Peace And so I shall proceed As the Lord made not man to destroy him and as he hath not concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction So neither hath he so made man as that it is impossible for him to fall from the state in the which he was made or to miscarry so as to fall from life for ever and ever That were to put man in another state then that in the which he was made who was made in a Dependance on God for his being and Subsistance in the state in the which he was made and to render him as God knowing both good and evil that is to set him as do he good or do he evil he shall never be finally removed from the state in the which he was made that is from Life but shall remain as God The Judgement of the Ranters whom the Serpent hath taken with that which was his first bait with which he took Eve at first and with which they are taken at this day who hold That do they what they will they shall never be finally â—emoved from the state in the which they were made that is from Life Ye shall not surely die for God knoweth that in the day that ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Gen. 3. 4 5. This the Serpent laid before Evè viz. a state beyond that in the which she was made Ye shall not surely die a state at the pleasure of him that made you and at his Commandmen who gave you your being Yea hath God said ye shall not eat of every Tree in the garden v. 1. hath he put you are ye under such a dependency on him and at his command Nay ye shall not surely die it is not so ye shall be as Gods a state beyond that in which ye were made ye shall not need to stand in such awe and dread Ye are not necessitated to such a dependency upon God as that doing contrary to his Command ye shall die your state shall be changed nay your state shall not be so changed but eating of the Tree doing of that which he hath said ye shall not doe which signifies a Subjection and Subordination a Creature state of Variation and Change at the Will of Him that made you Nay the doing of this will enter you into another state that 's more high more fixed more certain a state wherein God is who changeth not nor is moved nor doth alter or varie from that wherein he is and this God knoweth for God doth known this is the Reason that God hath set you under such a command in such dread in such awe as of death a loosing of the state in the which ye are and a coming into a quite contrary or another this he knows and therefore hath laid this Command upon ye to keep ye from this to prevent your attaining unto this to be as he is setled and unchangeable do ye what ye will ye shall not surely die Nay it shall enter you into that state wherein there is no such thing as death but only a death unto that in which ye are as you are passing to it as through death to life ye shall not need thus to be put to it ye shall be as Gods without change without alteration without fear or dread or a necessary dependance upon another to keep you in the state in the which ye are Ye shall not need thus to be put to it at every turn to be under this Rod under this reproof under this check under such a manifestation as this and who would be so when he may be otherwise This God knoweth therefore hath he laid this Bar upon you this Precept this Bond to keep ye under that in the day that ye eat thereof ye do otherwise then he hath ordained you and so put your selves out of a state of dependance upon him or of being Creatures so to be disposed of and ordered by him so taking your selves into your own Power your own disposal as he doth himself and you whilst it is thus with you that you dare do nothing but what he requires you and that ye dare not do that which he forbids you which is a Creature state of alteration and change of Subjection and Subordination you will be as he is you will be as Gods unalterable unchangeable insubjectible insubordinate and this God knoweth that in the day that ye eat thereof that ye so put your selves that ye so take your selves into your own order and not stand under his Order and Rule who hath so
open their eyes that they may see and be saved and come unto the Knowledge of the Truth For the Lord hath not pleasure in their death but would have them turn and live For which cause I have written because the time is nere wherein the Door will be shut and then it will be too late and the place of Repentance will not be found When Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be said to the Goats on the left hand by the King when he shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him and he shall divide between them as a Shepherd doth his Sheep And so I have done with this Particular and am clear of their blood in this day of the Lord wherein he is coming to render unto every man according to his deeds But to proceed Neither hath the Lord so chosen man since the fall as that he can never be removed from the state unto which he is chosen That were to render the Blood of Christ of none effect and to make void the Everlasting Covenant the Law writ in the heart and the fear put in the inward parts the Word of Life the Power of God by which we are kept Who are kept said Peter writing to the Saints by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. And this is the Doctrine of them who hold Free Grace or that are called by the name of Antinomians that is to say those who hold that he that is once chosen cannot fall from that state Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them to the end John 13. 1. Say they and though they are sinners yet they are justified by Christ and have Redemption by his Blood even the Remission of sins and this is imputed to them though not inherent in them as they speak and they hope to be saved by him because they are sinners and yet are justified by him though they are sinners And with such thin Garments as these they seek to cover themselves and to rest satisfied whilst they are ignorant of and know not him who saveth from their sins all they who put their trust in him Who having loved his own but they are his own which he loved and none else he loved them to the end he went thorough the work which was appointed him for them to do and flinched not which was to lay down his life for them For this was spoken of his suffering John 13. 1. As the Scriptures testifie and that of John in Particular and the Scripture cannot be broken which thus speaks Now before the feast of the Passeover when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father Having loved his own said John which were in the World he loved them unto the end And supper being ended the Devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simons son to betray him Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God He riseth from Supper and laid aside his Garments and took a Towel and girded himself after that he poureth Water into a Bason and began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with the Towel with which he was girded Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Simon saith unto him Lord doest thou wash my feet Jesus answered and said unto him what I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt hereafter Peter answereth and saith unto him Thou shalt never wash my feet Jesus answered if I wash thee not thou hast no part with me v. 2. to the 9. Simon Peter saith unto him not my feet only but my hands and my head Jesus saith unto him he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit and ye are clean but not all for he knew who should betray him Therefore said he ye are not all clean v. 9 10 11. This said Christ Jesus So it is his own that he having once loved he loved them to the end And they were such whom he washed If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me So not to be washed is to have no part with Christ and this was said to Peter a Disciple And said he unto the Disciples them whom he had chosen ye are clean but not all for he knew who should betray him and yet he was chosen Have not I chosen you Twelve and yet one of you is a Devil John 6. 70. The plain English or summe of the Matter is this Men must be born again of Water and of the Spirit or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God as he said to Nicodemus Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. 5. They must be regenerated Old things must passe away all things must become New if they are in Christ Jesus the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness and they that are not so in vain do they talk of Christ they have no part with him for he is Holy and every one that is in him is as he is As he is so are we in this world 1 John 4. 17. And be ye holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. And Holiness becomes thy House for ever Psal 93. 5. And an high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of Holiness the unclean shall not passe over it Isa 35. 8. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh Abomination or maketh a lie but they that are written in the Lambs book of Life Rev. 21. last Otherwise to say is to dishoner Christ and to blasphem him to make him such a one as such are as live in Transgression and sin who came to redeem from sin and to deliver from Iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works that we might be to his Praise and Honour Now sin is a reproach to any people Righteousness it is that exalteth a Nation Prov. 14. 34. And for any to say they are in him and yet are found sinners they reproach and blasphem him as if he were so that Iniquity had fellowship with him or that Iniquity would be in him or have part with him Can the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by a Law Psal 49. 20. Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee Psal 5. 4. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ
things is God And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a Servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after but Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Heb. 3. 1. to the 8. And make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fail for so an entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 9 10. Thus saith the Scriptures I say where there is no calling and what that calling is I have signified it is unto Holiness there is no justification and where there is no justification there is no glorification and this is in Christ Jesus And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Therefore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together Rom. 8. 10. to the 18. And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you who by him do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Seeing that you have purified your souls in the obeying of the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently being borne again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For all flesh is grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof fadeth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is Preached unto you 1 Pet. 1. 17. to the end So this is the calling and this is the word and this is the hope and this is the Predestination and this is the fore-knowledge and this is the Justification and this is the Glorification viz. Christ Jesus and as men are for him and are found in him not having their own Righteousness which is through the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3. 9. And where men are not here they are mistaken to talk of these things or to think them theirs They appertain to another state then Transgression which delivers out of it and maketh men indeed the Sons of God and so are Heirs of the Blessing that came on Abraham who believed and it was counted to him for Righteousness of whom God saith I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the Way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Gen. 18. 19. And who raised up the Righteous man from the East called him to his foot gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings He gave them as dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow Isa 41. 2. And art not thou our God who didst drive out the Inhabitants of this Land before thy People Israel and gavest it to the Seed of Abraham thy friend for ever 2 Chron. 20. 7. And if ye were Abrahams Children ye would do the Works of Abraham but now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told ye the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham you do the deeds of your Father Then said they to him we be not born of Fornication we have one Father even God Jesus said unto them if God were your Father you would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me Why do ye not understand my speech Even because ye cannot hear my Word Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it John 8. 39. to the 45. v. So here 's an end to all this matter Those that the Father hath chosen unto himself it is unto good works which he hath before ordained that they should walk in them We are his work manship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them saith the Apostle Ephes 2. 10. And shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Faith without works is dead Jam. 2. 18. 20. And the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Tit. 2. 11. to the end And those that are not redeemed from all Iniquity he hath not given himself to save And those that are not zealous of good Works he hath not purified unto himself a peculiar people And those that deny not Vngodliness and Worldly lusts and live not soberly and righteously and godly in this present World are not such as look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And those that have not works their faith is dead and they that walk not
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
and to many people long and to you it hath been so but it is near an end and O t is but a very little time and you will find it so who shall not be gathered to the Lord after all his seeking you wherein you shall be concluded with the God whom you serve and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord who hath long sought to gather you who yet seeks you who will not seek you alwayes who are not gathered to him who will be glorified in what he shall do unto you who are not gathered unto him in the day wherein he shall render unto every man according to his deeds And this is no jesting matter you will find it so who yet shall be hardned who yet shall refuse to hear who yet are disobedient who yet are rebellously who yet will not hear who yet harden your hearts who yet set your faces as a flint who will not return who are proud and high minded and disobedient and unthank-ful and unholy and who smite your fellow Servants and do eat and drink with the drunken and say your Lord delayes his coming The Lord will come upon you in a day that you think not of it and in an hour of which you are not aware and cut you assunder and give you your portion with Hypocrâ—tes and Sinners It is the Word of the Lord there will be no dallying you will find it so when your day is over no jesting no sporting no living in pleasures no having to morrow as to day and much more abundant as your thoughts of pleasures leads you to imagine those things will have an end when your day is over and when he that hath sought you comes to be your Judge even that which witnesses in you which is privy to all your actions the thoughts and intents of your hearts who hath lain down with you and rose with you and hath suffered and knows all the bowels of the Lord to you and his seeking of you and is witness how you have neglected and slighted and chose his and your enemy and how you have had a name that you were alive and others have thought you to be so and you have said so of your selves but yet are dead The bowels of the Lord God Eternal yet move in me to you who would not have you die but rather that ye may return and live and be gathered with his chosen into his everlasting rest where is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And so I have done with you also in the Word of the Lord and so I shall proceed Neither is it so in the will of man that if he will he shall be saved and if he will he shall be damned That were to overturn the Foundation of God which standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his but in a great â—ouse there are not only Vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth and some to Honour and some to Dishonour 2 Tim. 2. 19. And my Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand my Father that gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my hand I and my Father are one John 27. 29 30. And those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfiled John 17. 12. And Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. And so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy For the Scriptures saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my Power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. 16 17 18. And the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the Wise that they are Vanity Psal 9. 4. 11. And O Lord I know the way of man is not in himself it is not in him that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10. 33. And God saw that the wickedness of man was very great in the Earth and that the Imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. And can the Ethiopean change his skin or the Leopard his spot Then may ye also do good that are accustomed do evil Jer. 13. 23. And work out your own salvation with Fear and Trembling For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 12. So Friends ye who are called by the name of Free-willers you see how the matter lies and how Inconsistant to the Scriptures of Truth and of the Life which gave it forth Your Position is who think to fathom God with your own Line and reach to him who is Immortal with that which perishes and because you cannot make it out or understand in your dark and narrow thoughts how it can be otherwise you limit the Lord and make him such a one as your selves or as your narrow dark and Shalow thoughts can apprehend of him who is unfathomable whose way is in the Sea and his footsteps in the mighty Waters who declareth unto man his thought and therefore the thought of man or that which proceedeth from the will of man cannot comprehend God nor know what he is or how he worketh or the reason of his working who is unsearchable How unsearchful are his Judgements and his wayes past finding out O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and the Knowledge of God! For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Councellor Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen said the Apostle Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. Now because you cannot reach the depth of his Counsel nor find him out and the reason of his working who is unsearchable who are in the fall You think that your will in the fall is the ground of his working who being in the fall can think of nothing higher then your selves For though God is above and you think and speak of God as you think yet you understand God no more in the mind that is in the fall then the fall can understand him Whom even the natural man cannot know nor the things of him for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them for they are spiritually descerned as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 3. 14. And think not this strange that I say unto you For a man can see no further nor otherwise then is
the principle in which he is and by which he sees All wisemen I suppose will grant me this Now you being in the fall and your principle being that which rules in the fall which is the principle of darkness which never knew him nor saw him nor can comprehend him who is Light and the light shined in the darkness here 's the two Principles and the darkness comprehended it not saith John Chap. 1. 5. How can you comprehend him How can ye think of him above or further or otherwise then that in which you are which knows him not nor hath seen him and so see how you are befooled in the point by the Prince of darkness who leads you to lay your dark unstable tottering wills which are very vanity led about by the Prince of the Air who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience and such were some of you said the Apostle to the Saints 1 Cor. 6. 11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God as the ground of his Foundation which remaineth sure as aforesaid but yours in the dust and as a thing of nought For who shall say unto him what doest thou And yet if you will so it shall be so and if you will not so it shall not be so saith your Opinion who think of God as your selves who think him such a one as your selves Nay you place your broken wills higher then his and as the foundation of his for if your will say you shall be damned and so to liberty you go and take your swinge as you please where 's the Will of God I speak as to men and after the manner of men and with Reverence unto God as the thing speaks which the Apostle saith to the Saints is your sanctification This is the Will of God even your sanctification that you should abstain from Fornication 1 Thes 4. 3. Nay saith your Opinion we will be unholy we will be profane we will be unclean If we shall be saved we shall be saved and if we shall be damned we shall be damned We have time enough and if we will turn to the Lord we shall turn and it will be well enough as if the matter lay there and the whole stress of the Salvation of man and his Reprobation stood in the will of man But Friends you must consider that though the Lord hath given man an understanding to know him who is true and this understanding is that of him in you which gives you to know him who is true and which leads into him who is true this is true God and Eternal Life Yet if you are not turned to this if you are not guided by this if by this you are not led you cannot turn to God Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spot Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13. 23. as aforesaid So this must draw you this must lead you to the voice of this you must hearken where the Power of God is which is the Power of God whose verie voice is Power which shakes the Wilderness the Wilderness of Kadesh the voice of the Lord that which calleth on you to return doth it It maketh the Hinds to calve and discovereth the Forrests and divideth the flames of fire and breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon and maketh them to skip like a Calf Lebanon and Shirion like a Young Vnicorn which is powerful and full of Majestie Ps 29. That so you may be turned unto God So then It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie whose kindness it is that hath placed something of himself in you to call upon you to shew you your Enemy to lead you unto himself which is of such power that it speaketh through the strength of darkness and you hear it that which reproves you that which judges you for evil that which shews you the verie appearance of evil and tells you what you should do which all the strength of darkness cannot hinder if it could you should never hear it speak which judges darkness Now this is the Visitation of the Lord this is his long-suffering this is that which seeks to gather this is that which would have the death of none of you this desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he may return and live And in this is Power as I have said it is the Power of God Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the the Power of God which is that which must turn you if ever you be turned to God which calls upon you to turn which God hath placed in you to call upon you and to turn you unto God So it is not in him that willeth as I have said nor in him that runneth but it is God that sheweth mercie and this is the Visitation of his love as hath been said that you may be gathered that you may be saved that you may be turned He never put it otherwise not in your wills nor never laid he the stress there but that you should hearken to that of him in you which knows and speaks and doth his will which lies in his bosome which is the Son of his bosome in whom he hath ordained Eternal life and to all that come to believe on and abide in him So here 's the thing at which you have stumbled so long which you would know but have not known it because you have not known nor come to nor believed in that by which you might know it which is that which witnessess and so have not known the Power of God which delivers which saves in which is the Way to Life which is the Way to Life in whom the Lord is well pleased that in you that calls upon you to turn not your Wills to turn is the Power of God and the Way to Life We Preach no such Doctrine but we lead every man to the Power of God that which calls on man to turn and live that so he may turn and live Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Renew our dayes as of old Lam. 5. 21. So then it is not in the will of man but in the good will of him that speaks in man in which is the power to turn him to God as he joyns to this as he comes to this as he is governed by this and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord. For though the destruction of Israel is of himself yet in the Lord is his help here 's the help the help laid on him that is Mighty the Power of God in you which is that which witnesses not in the Will of man there 's the mistake for man cannot Will to God in the state in the fall We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God said the
Apostle as aforesaid and were it not that the Lord first touched man that of him in him which lies in death and by reason of the fall is buried in the Grave so that it cannot move to God man never would look after God nor know the state in the which he is for the enemy having him and holding him and compassing him about would never suffer him so to see nor so to understand Now herein is the love of God manifest and his great loving kindness that when man whom he made upright and in his Image and breathed into him the Breath of Life and he became a living Soul turned away from the Lord and from that in which he was made which kept and would have preserved him had he kept to it and let in the enemy and so death came over him in the Transgression over that in which he was made that it moved not but lay as dead Free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand Psal 88. 6. I say that the Lord should then visit man and reach to that of himself in man which lay in the grave free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave and so give man to see the state in the which he is and his enemy and to cause a moving after God a Will to God this is the Lords great loving kindness and his free mercy and this the Apostle reckoned when he cast up the sum and minded the great love of God to man in this state In this saith he as hath been said was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is the love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 4. 9 10. And when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly Rom. 5. 6. So then man cannot move to God unless God reach him that of him in him that lies in death by reason of Transgression and quicken him then it moves to God again not that we loved God see in what state the will of man is in the fall where all men are found when God comes to them when God visits them when he speaks to them when his voice reacheth them that shaketh the Wilderness when that moves in them which shews them sin and evil and judges it not that we loved God saith he before whilst we were in this state the state in the fall we loved not God before God reached to that of himself in us that lay in death Free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more saith he also as aforesaid but he loved us and sent his Son that of himself in us to be a propitiation an atonement for our sin and herein is love and in this was manifested the love of God towards us that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him We who were dead in trespasses and sins who were without sence or feeling of God over whom death was gotten who had no mind nor will to God nor moving to him who could never have moved to him nor minded nor willed him in the state in which we were in the fall in the Transgression when we were from that of him which gives the sence and feeling of him and willing to and moving after him because of death which was got between us and that of him in which we were made from which we fell which came under by reason of Death by reason of the fall and so were at that time without Christ Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World that we who were in this state might live through him through that which speaks in us which in us moves to God So that it is not in the will of man in the fall for so man as to this particular is to be considered for that which restores him brings him to God is another thing being brought to God is another state of which I speak not now but of the state in which man is before he is brought thither I say it is not in the Will of man considered in the fall to will to God or to move to him that which moves him to God and makes him will to God is another thing as I have shewed and there being no will in man as to God in this state wherein every man is found when God comes to him as hath been instanced where then is free will or the freedom of his will to God for where there is no such thing as a thing there cannot be said to be the freedom of such a thing because there is a non entity as I may so speak if so be it be proper so to speak and yet how shall I otherwise speak to give a demonstration of the thing of which I speak there is no such thing in being of which the freedom or the freedom of which is pretended there is no such thing in being therefore there cannot be said to be the freedom of such a thing For again of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures saith the Apostle Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will then it is not of man's will that man is begotten to God that he is delivered for two wills cannot consist in this Particular no more can it consist then two Fathers in the Generation of man or for a man to beget himself which is incongruous to Nature to say as it is to reason to think it and it being not of man's wil then man hath no freedom of will to be begotten to beget himself to God And this is manifest for it is by the Word or with the Word of Truth too that he is begotten to God So man hath nothing to do in the matter of his own will With the Word of Truth hath he begotten us the Word of Truth the Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart the Word of Faith which we preach said the Apostle The Word of the Lord which endures for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is Preached unto you saith Peter 1 Epist 1. 25. The Word which is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged Sword piercing even to the dividing assunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 12 13. So it is by this Word the Word of Truth the
him in the wrong way and shewed him the right and with gladness of heart walks on with his Friend who so shew'd him who so judged him and his heart is now easie and his fears are over and he cares not at what pains he is or what it costs him or what he looses or parts with to walk along with his friend and to keep to his foot step by step with him because he will-bring him to his journeys end Friends and People all who are not yet come hither who yet are not turned at the voice of your friend at that which calls on you which reproves which judges the way you are in Resist no longer but be gathered unto it that so into the sence of your state you may come and be led along and keep company with that which followed after you and called upon you for many years as you were travelling to destruction that you might turn and live which now will go before you as you turn to it and keep with it and lead you to rest O who would not be here who is in any sence of the Eternal state which he must pass through to and which he must abide for ever who would reject the tender love of so dear a friend Who would not be at ease at hearts ease as we use to say when any ones burthen is taken off in a matter of this weight as to that which is Eternal that it is well with one as to that which is Eternal here the heart is at rest and all that is within a man is at peace and his thoughts of his going to his long home is secure when he is in the certainty of this and who would not be in the certainty of this that his heart might be at ease and his soul at rest at hearts ease at true rest which never is at true ease nor rest till it come hither till it be at this and that it may come hither is the end of the Lord in that which gathers which opens which seeks which would not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live So people all the Bowels of the Lords love are to you in this in that which gathers in that which seeks in that which calls in that which witnesses in that which follows after you in that which judges you in that which reproves your goings astray in that which shews you are out of the way the Rod and the Staff this comforts this is a comfort Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Psal 119. 67. And blessed is the man whom thou chastnests O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Psal 94. 12. And I know O Lord that thy Judgements are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me Psal 119. 75. And it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes the law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of Gold and Silver ver 71. 72. And if you are without chastisement of which all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Heb. 12. 12. If ye endure chasming God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the Father chastneth not ver 7. Furthermore we have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live For they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holinesse vers 8 9. So that which chastens that which corrects that which reproves that which judges that which seeks that which gathers that which calls that which woes that which intreats that which follows the voice behind which saith This is the right way walk in it when you turn to the right hand or to the left the Promise which the Lord made of old in the time of the Law which was without to lead to that which was within which was blotted out by reason of Transgression for which cause the Law was added some thing that was not before by reason of Transgression to lead to that within which Transgression was got over the Word nigh even in thy mouth and in thy heart this Word of Faith which we preach said the Apostle the righteousness of Faith which saith on this wise saith he Rom. 10. 6. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying this is the Way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn unto the left Isa 20. 21. This comforts this is of a comforting nature this shews the Lords regard this seeks to gather this seeks to save be ye gathered unto it to that which reproves to that which judges to that which calls to that which follows to that which speaks behind to that which witnesses the Word behind ye when ye are turned to the right hand or to the left which calls on you which judges your being out of the way which you are before when you are turned to the right hand or to the left which goes not before you to evil which shews you evil the evil which leads you out of the way which follows after you when you are led away to evil which saith this is the way that which shews ye are gone to the right hand or to the left walk ye in it this is the Promise this the Lord hath fulfiled this your ears have heard this you know walk ye in it be gathered to it There 's no cloak now left you know now it is so the times of this ignorance God winked at now he commands men every where to repent because they know this and that they should be guided by this and not go against this but turn at the voice of this the Word behind that when they turn to the right hand or the left saing This is the way walk in it because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness by this by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given asurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead That that lives that shews men evil this shall judge the world in Righteousness by this he will judge the world in Righteousness This he hath raised from the dead to that it witnesses that he may judge the world in Righteousness and this is the asurance that he will so judge the World in Righteousness in that he hath raised this up from the dead in that this witnesses and as certainly as it witnesses shall it judge will he Judge the world in Righteousness So People all take heed what you do in running against this in opposing this in not being gathered unto this it is the way to God it is the way to Life and there is no other It is that which shall judge you it is that which must save you if ever ye
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