or glory at all and hell or misery must be essentially distinct from heaven or glory or else there can be no certain hell or misery at all 40 Moreover the glorious person of the divine Majesty himself must of necessity be essentially distinct from men angels heaven earth and all in them or elâ—e it were impossible that there should be any God or angels men or devils heaven or hell or any thing else besides but accidental things proceeding from those four elements of earth air water and fire as all filthy Atheists vainly and blindly imagine 41 But my beloved spiritual brethren you have not so learned Christ or received the truth of the ever-living Jesus into your innocent souls to abide in any such foolish darkness 42 Wherefore for your confirmation chiefly is this Epistle written that you may be enabled to discern the lying notions and fleshly voluntary wilâ—-worship in man contending against the secret decrees of the Holy One of Israel 43 Furthermoâ—e because many of the elect of God are as yet in bonds by the exceeding subtilty of many silver-roule merchants of this perishing world therefore I shall endeavor to confirm what is written from a cloâ—d of un-erring Witnesses my spiritual Brethren the foâ—mer true Prophets and Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ wherefore it was saiâ— by our God which is Christ Jesus the Lord that heaven and eaâ—th shall pass away but his words shall not pass away 44 Again it is written That he made all things for his own glory and the wicked for the day of wrath Also it is written That Jacob was loved and Esau was hated before they had done good or evil that the purpose of God might remain according to election For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and will have compassion on whom I will have compassion So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Further it is written But O man who art thou which pleadest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it whâ— hast thou made me thus hath not the Potter power over the clay to make of the same lamp one vessel to honour and another to dishonour what if God would to shew his wrath and to make his power known suffer with long paâ—ience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which he hath pâ—epared unto glory Rom 9. And in Rom. 8. it is thus written Also we know that all things work togeâ—her for the bâ—st unto them that love God even to them that are called of his purpose for those which he knew before he also predestinated to be made lâ—ke to the image of his Son moreovâ—r whom he predestinated thâ—m also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified Again in the first Epistle of Peter it is thus written Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone elect and precious and he that believeth therein shall not be ashamed unto you therefore which believe it is precious but unto them that be disobedient the stone which the builders dâ—salowed the same is made the head of the corner and a stone to stumble at and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained But ye are a chosen Generation a royal Friesthood an holy Nation a People set at liberty that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous lâ—ght Moreover in the Epistle of Jude are these word For there are certain men crept in whâ—ch were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men they are whiâ—h turn the grace of God into wantoness and deny God the onely Lord and our Lâ—rd Jesus Christ they are the raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame they are wandring stars â—o whâ—m is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Again For if God spared not the angels that had sinned but cast them down to hell and delâ—vered them into chains of darkness to be kept unto dâ—mâ—ation what will become of all those angâ—lical fleshly hypocrâ—tes which bless themselves in their unrighteousness and cursedly contend for it even against the holy God elect men and angels and their own consciences which will become their eternal chief Accomptant in the great day 45 Again as a conclusion unto what is written aforesaid I shall write something concerning the Scriptures themselves 46 My spiritual brethren can you possibly think that those men as yet have received the spiritual truth of the true God which idolize the visible Records and worship them in stead of that holy Spirit in our Lord Jesus Christ which spake them 47 Again did ever any man attain to a true understanding of that Holy One of Israel by any endeavor whatsoever from the bare letter of the Scripture 48 It is written The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Again it is written That the Scriptures are sufficient to make the man of God wise unto salvation 49 My brethren can any man be a godly man or a man of God unless he hath the spiritual light of life eternal to enable him to understand the minde of God in the Records and so believe unto immortality CHAP. VI. 1 Of the Scripture Records 2 Of the ignorance of men that deifie or villifie them 3 The Prophets Prayer in the conâ—lusion IS there any testimony in Scâ—iptures that ever any man of God received the true faith of the spiritual Jesus in him from the letter of the Scripture or could possibly know whether those literal Records proceeded from the wisdom of God or from the wisdom of prudent men onely unless he were inspired from that spirit which spake them In the third of the Galatians it is thus written O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth This onely would I learn of you Received ye the spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith preached Are ye so foolish that after ye have begun in the spirit ye would now be made perfect by the flesh 2 My spiritual brethren is it not a work of the flesh in man which studies day and night in the letter of the Scripture to finde out the spirit of God in the letter 3 Is it not a work of the flesh in man which labours to reconcile Scriptures of seeming contradiction without a divine gift of the spirit 4 Is not that man in the depth of spiritual darkness which perswadeth his hearers that the Scriptures are easie and plain in the very letter of them unto that mans reason that is laborious to know them 5 Are not the Scriptures all matters of faith and very misterious for
capable of a divine throne then he which sate thereon 12 Furthermore he began to imagine a new creation of his own for he thought if he had bin the Creator by a word speaking he could have formed more glorious creatures then those angels were without any dust or any other matter whatsoever 13 Or if he must have had some materials to form things withal he imagined by his word speaking or thinking onely he could have produced matter of a more excellent nature for creation then a little dry dust out of which he conceited he could have created creatures all glorious and yet have retained his divine glory within himself distinct from them all 14 Furthermore he imagined that he could have created as many spirits as he saw fit without any bodies at all 15 Or if he saw good he could have formed spiritual bodies that might be transformed into any other nature or form after he had created them and not to continue onely in one nature and form always 16 For he thought it want of wisdom or power in a Creator yea and a veyling of his infinite glory over the things which he had made if they might not be transmuted into any condition whatsoever at his pleasure that formed them 17 Wherefore in the midst of these and such lâ—ke creative conâ—usions his irrational wiâ—dom of imaginary impossibilities so elevated his out-cast spirit that secretly he utterly abhorred that the Creator or any other creatures should remain in being unless he onely might bear rule over them all 18 Wherefore when the secret pride and envy of this angelical reprobate was at that height of unthroning the Creator or else a dissolution of all then the most wise God revealed his spiritual cruelties unto his holy angels and answerable unto what he would have done for a Creators throne in the visible sight of his elect angels he condemned him to be cast out of his personal presence and heavenly throne or kingdom for everlasting 19 And immediately like unto lightning he was thrown down into this perishing world where his desired kingdom of godlike government was prepared for him and his lineal angels in another way 20 And so having left their first estate they are reserved in everlasting chaines of darkness or unbeleef untill the judgement of the great day then to give an eternal account of their divellish government over God elect righteous Abels on this earth which was so exalted by him in the highest heavens beforesaid 21 My beloved spiritual brethren you may know that then and not till then all the elect angels in glory were filled with variety of new spiritual praises in their mouths of honour power praises glory majesty wisdom councel dominion faith love mercy patience peace meekness justice righteousness or any divine excellency that can be named to their glorious Creator for his electing free love unto them eternally to abide in their created purity to behold his glorious face 22 And for his wonderful wisdom in creating such angelical perfection unto an everlasting rejection of desperate burning envy in utter shame 23 Moâ—eover you which expect crowns of immortal gloâ—y may know that in the downfal of the angelical reprobate his spiritual form remained 24 But the nature of his spirit was onely changed as beforesaid and so after our first parents were deceived by him answerable unto his filthy nâ—ture of impure reason or lying imagination 25 In Scripture Records you know the Lord is pleased to call him by such like titles as these namely Devil a Dragon an Enemy a Wicked one a Murderer a Liar a Theef an Envious man an Hypocrite a Lucifer a Beelzebub or a Prince of the Air or Satan or Reprobate and such like 26 O ye blessed ones of the most nigh God! with astonishing admiration it behoveth you not to flight but seriously to ponder Gods wonderful wisdom in the creating of angels and man why because in it is hid all spiritual secrets which are appointed to be revealed to elect men and angels unto eternity 27 Again I humbly beseech you which have really been possessed with that spiritual new birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory is there any light or life or love or any kind of divine excellency in the glorious spirit of our Creator 28 Again had he any power over himself or over any creature which he had formed either to fill them with glimpses of his most excellent glory or wholly to retain them to himself 29 If you grant him this his royal prerogative the which no spiritual one can possibly deny then without all controversie unless the most wise and holy Creator had formed two vessels of several spirits to remain onely for a season in their created purity 30 And at the decreed time leave them both to their own created strength and so withholding that heavenly Manna of divine inspiration from them both by which they stood that in order to their charge they might unite their spirits and bodies unlawfully together for producing of two several generations of mankind on this earth for the manifestation of his ravishing glories unto the one and retaining the heavenly splendor of his divine excellencies wholly from the other for the demonstration of his divine justice will or pleasure 31 Would not all his heavenly wisdom divine power or ravishing glory have been vailed from men and angels And must they not either have been all Creators or creatures like unto sensless stocks or stones to all eternity in reference of any knowledge of the various wisdom power and glory of the Creator as abundantly beforesaid 32 Again in that pure distinguishing spirit of all divine truth I humbly beseech you which are delivered from the power of all natural notional or literal witchcraft and in the room thereof are endued with a good measure of spiritual undersâ—anding in the things of eternity can there possibly be any distinction between the unchangeable Creator and changeable creatures without variety of distinct natures and names to manifest the difference between them 33 As namely since the outcast condition of the angelical reprobate and fallen estate of the man Adam 34 Can there now be any Creator or God at all unless there be a devil or devils also 35 Or can there be any light or life and no darkness in death 36 Or can there be any eternal immortal glory for some men and no eternal shame and misery for other 37 Again can any man from any kind of faith or truth possibly imagin or think that any one of these can be without the other 38 Doth not the one give an absolute being unto the other Can any man therefore think that if one of them should be dissolved that the other could continue to be 39 Thus you which enjoys that true distinguishing light of eternal life in you may cleerly see that immortal heaven or glory must of necessity be essentially distinct from hell or shame or else there can be no perfect heaven
fulness onely do we not all receive and grace for grace if we have any grace at all ruling in us 3 And is he not the Redeemer of his beloved people with his own blood and is he not the Judge of quick dead and was not all things made by him and for him and was there any thing made that was made without him and was he not before all things and do not all things consist in him and are not all things upheld by that Almighty word of his holy Spirit onely 4 Seeing these are undeniable words of Truth it self do not all those men that own any other God or Father or Creator above before or besides our Lord Jesus Christ deny the Holy One of Israel and imagine a cursed lie and bow down to that cursed Idol of their own invented words onely utterly denying that honor and glory due unto Jesus Christ the Creator himself 5 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is that Christ the same is that Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father he that hath the Son hath that life and he that hath not that Son of God hath not that life he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believes not God hath made him a liar because he believed not the record that God witnessed of that his Son and this is the record to wit that God hath given unto us eternal life and this life is in that his Son But ye have anointment from that Holy One and know all things These literal words of truth are in the Epistles by St. John All things are given unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 6 Some deceived persons ignorantly hold forth a false God or Trinity which say that the infinite Majesty is a vast bodiless spirit also they call their God by a twofold name or spirits a Spirit Father and a Spirit Son and these spirits they say are in their spirits and so these three spirits being one essence make up their imaginary Trinity in Unity 7 These are those which affirm that there is no other God or Father or Creator bâ—t what is invisibly living in the Creation or in the creatures onely and if you soberly ask them whether there be a Creator and concerning the true knowledge of any such Creator you shall receive such like answers as this is 8 The Creator is an infinite incomprehensible Spirit essentially filling all things and places or they will say that a creature is utterly uncapable of any knowledge of the Creator himself but within the creatures onely or else they will tell you that not to know the Creator is the greatest knowledge of a Creator 9 Again you shall have such confusion as this from some of these high flown Atheists the Creator is all things and yet he is nothing at all and is every where and yet he is no where at all 10 If a man shall reply and say Nothing is nothing but if you grant a Creator he must be something as well as his creatures or else there can be no Creator at all 11 Further if a man shall say the Creator must of necessity be some glorious thing which is infinite in it self and distinct from all creatures as well as the creatures are distinct from one another or else you utterly deny a Creator 12 Then these men will say What is your Creator you pretend to know and where is his residence did you ever see him or such like 13 If a man shall reply That the Creator is an incomprehensible glorious person in the form of a man and that by vertue of his brightness he fills heaven and earth angels and men spiritually or naturally onely his ever blessed person is resident on a throne of infinite glory in but one place at once as the person of a man is in this world 14 Then these men are ready to villifie such a Creator as a simple weak thing or else they will say this is to confine an unknown infiniteness into a creaturely substance and such a God of a bodily appearance any way like unto themselves in the least they utterly abhor but as beforesaid a wonderful God which is uncapable of ever being seen or known by the creatures such a non-sensible infinite nothing all vain-glorious men delight to own who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil 15 Another sort there are of these men which appear more angelical then the rest these are those which are full of expressions of heavenly Raptures through a supposed union with a Father and Son within them onely and various Songs which they call Spiritual breakings forth in them unto which hymns or natural songs mixt with many spiritual expressions in meeter or otherways they bow down their souls and ignorantly say it is the Father breathing forth those fleshly ballads through their mouthes Moreover if these notional flashes shall see any of their own fancies lying under a wounded spirit and through some extraordinary guilt crying out they have that fire of hell burning in them and are those devils which are under eternal damnation already 16 Further though their condition be like unto Cain through the eternal absence of the spirit of God speaking peace unto their outcast condition yet when these notional flashes shall come to visit their friend in this his horrid unutterable pain and shame they will speak such like empty speeches are these Come come it is very good for you that you should be thus afflicted it is a token of the fathers love unto you he will bring all men and women into your condition more or less that the glory of his mercy might shine over all or else they will say 't is the Fathers love in darkness appearing unto you if you could but see it Further they will say unto their hopeless friend wherefore do you thus torment your own soul there is but one pure being and all our spirits came forth from this Father of Spirits and in the end we shall all be swallowed up into the eternal being again wherefore then do you talk so much of eternal damnation or call your self a devil making such lamentation for your sins as if you could possibly be divided from your Fathers love or cast out of his glorious presence I boldly affirm unto you it is no such matter for there are no such devils or damnation or sins at all but in the esteem of men deceived so to think by their fellow creatures which ignorantly lord one over another from some blinde opinion in them wherefore our counsel is that you would hearken no more unto vain thoughts or motions or imaginations within you or words from any creature without you as to become so weak or foolish
is with elect men and Angels for though that inshining light and life be of the very same nature of God himself yet if his spirit should wholly retain its glorious brightness within his own body all its former light or life would either be subject to be defiled as Adams was or else it would perish for want of the renewing presence of his glorious spirit 8 Again through that consolation flowing from the inshining light of the Sun you know in all sensible or rational creatures there is a desire to behold that bright shining face from whence their joys proceed 9 So likewise through that spiritual joy and hopes of glory flowing from the inspiring light of the Son of God there is as strong desire in those that enjoy this light to behold that glorious face from whence it proceeded 10 Again if the Sun had not a distinct body or face to give forth his light into the Creation you know there could be no sun-shine at all 11 So likewise you may also know that if the God of glory had not a person or immortal face to display the sun-beams of his heavenly glory into elect men and Angels there could be no God all all 12 Therefore you that are truly spiritual may know that all that light life or glory shining in the spirits of elect men or Angels doth not proceed from a God or Christ within them but from an eternal spirit of a God or a Christ without them too transcendent glorious to be possessed by Heaven Earth Angels or men as beforesaid 13 Again though the natural life of created beings by the decree of the most high God be continued by vertue of the inshining light of the Sun yet you may know that what ever joy the creatures are possest thereby it doth neither adde nor diminish unto the glory of the Sun in the least 14 So likewise though the spiritual light of elect men and Angels be everlastingly continued by vertue of the inshining light of the eternal spirit yet you may also understand that what joy or glory soever the creatures are possest withal that it doth neither adde nor diminish the Creators glory in the least therefore you which are truly spiritual may understand that if any man or Angel could be possessed with the indwelling essence of the eternal spirit it could not possibly be avoided but he must become infinite immortal unchangeable and eternal even as the Creator himself is 15 Again whether creatures are possessed with joy or sorrow life or death by an extraordinary light proceeding from the Sun yet you may know that according to his understanding he glories in himself equally in reference unto what was effected by him so likewise whether creatures are possessed with spiritual joy or sorrow eternal life oâ— death by a more then ordinary presence or absence of the eternal spirit yet you may also understand that the most glorious God equally rejoyceth in himself in relation unto what was produced 16 Again though the nature of the Sun through it s cretaed brightness is so exceedingly glorious that it is utterly uncapable of natural polution from any creatures within its orb yet you know that things which are not by vertue of his power in measure qualified with a suitable capacity to receive his in shining light are rather hardned or destroyed by his appearance then any way comforted or revived in the least witness the fire or any thing else of an adamantine nature 17 So likewise it is with the Son of God the everlasting Creator for though his eternal spirit in its own nature is so infinitely pure that if it be his divine pleasure it destroyeth all impurity immediately and wholly converts a polluted creature into its own divine likeness you may also know that if the spirits of men or Angels by his power be not in some measure qualified to receive his glorious in-comes instead of dissolving their spirits into a soft and sweet pleasantness it hardens their legal spirits with envy against the Creator like unto brass or the nether-milstone according to that of Paul where he said they were a sweet savour unto God of life unto life in them that are saved and of death unto death in them that perish CHAP. XVII 1 No mans salvation or damnation lyeth in his own will but in the prerogative of God 2 Divers absurdities which follow from the opinion that Christ is onely within men 3 A Question and Answer concerning a two-fold presence of God in the creature 4 If the essential Spirit were united unto creatures it could not be infinite THis I would gladly have men and women to understand which were elected unto glory that the eternal salvation or damnation of created beings lieth not in the will power or desire of men or Angels or in any divine light received from the holy spirit that made them but onely within the glorious breast of the divine Majesty himself 2 That neither elect men nor Angels may glory in themselves or render praise honor power wisdom or salvation unto any spiritual light joy or glory whatsoever why because that is but the Sun beames of life eternal shining in them but as most due is by vertue of that light they may return all praise and glory unto that infinite Majesty upon the Throne of glory without them 3 Wherefore you know it is written That it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Also it is written To will is present but how to perform I know not Also it is written Every branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away and every one that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life 4 I would fain know of any man whether the spirit of Christ were not in his own body when he spake those words unto his Apostles or Disciples 5 If it be granted it was which none can deny but reprobates then that light of Christ in men or Angels cannot be the essential spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ but a spiritual word proceeding through his mouth from the throne of his infinite glory as it did formerly on this earth the footstool of his divine Majesty 6 If there should be no other spiritual God or Christ but what dwelleth in the spirits of men or Angels then of necessity this must follow that every man and Angels is a God or Christ to himself 7 It is not to be wondred at that many thousands should be so easily perswaded of attaining to a perfection in this mortality if they be possessed with the God of heaven and earth 8 If there be no other God oâ— Creator but within men onely I would fain know for what end men so mighâ—ily contend with one another about a God or worship due unto him 9 Or why they vex
simple in aw under their Rulers but if it were not for fear of men if they could have their wills they would burn all the Scriptures in the world to ashes and in stead of fearing any fiery vengeance following them their unbelieving seared spirits would greatly rejoyce at it as a most noble or profitable act to the whole world for preventing all literal contestations concerning a God or glory or misery to come 10 Some men would imagine these Witnesses to be the Magistrates and the Ministers 11 Now you may know that cannot be because both Magistrates and Ministers are either chosen by one another or by the voice of the people in stead of being chosen by the voice of God himself or a true Prophet sent forth by his eternal spirit for that purpose 12 'T is written that the witnesses had a powerful gift of prophesie now you know that since God became flesh instead of the Magistrates or Ministers owning themselves to be commissionated witnesses or Prophets of the divine Majesty for the most part if men have appeared upon that account they have persecuted them by imprisonment stripes banishment or death it self 13 Again it is written the witnesses were cloathed in sackcloth therefore they cannot be the Magistrates or the Ministers because you know that for the most part they are rather clothed in Satin or other costly garments then Sack-cloth or mean apparrel Wherefore seeing all Magistrates with their Ministers are chosen by men onely through the secret decree of the most high God and it being apparent that instead of honoring the Lord of life and glory or shewing mercy unto his Prophets for the most part they seek the honor of one another and persecute his messengers and rejoyce in feasting one another through the fastings of others 14 It is as clear as the light unto any man whose heart is not stone blind that they are none of the witnesses prophesied of by St. John in the eleventh of the Revelation 14 Another sort of Atheistical people there are that would imagine themselves to imply the two witnesses there spoken of saying the two witnesses are within them or every mens soul and body are those two witnesses and such like 15 Now you may know that this is so far from any spiritual truth that there is no sence or reason in it why though a man be called soul body and spirit yet he being but one person onely you know he can be no more then one witness upon what account soever 16 Again the invisible witness of mens consciences concerns mens own particular onely between God and man or between man and man and God onely wise perfectly seeth that witness always and not men therefore that cannot be the Witnesses here spoken of because you know that the Witnesses or Prophets of the Lord were always visible whilest they had a being in this world 17 Thus it is as clear as the light that none of all these are those two witnesses spoken of by St. John but meet imaginary fancies of mens own brains for want of a divine Light in them to distinguish between the true witnesses sent forth by the Creator himself and the false ones that went before they were sent 18 Again it is written But I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie My spiritual brethren you may know that when John spake those words that the two Witnesses were to come into the world to bear testimony unto the truth of the two past witnesses of the Lord because the Text saith but I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie 19 And you know according to the truth of unerring Scriptures the two former witnesses had power given them from the Lord and they did prophesie in their times 20 So that you may understand that the Lord did purpose to raise two men in this Atheistical Age out of the very ashes of the two former witnesses not onely for discovery of all lying appearances in his name as they did in their times but also for a more clearer manifestation of the deep things of God then ever was since this world began 21 You that are spiritual may know that since the Lords two former witnesses fell asleep in the dust of the earth not a man have powerfully appeared to bear witness unto one distinct personal Creator as they did until we came forth in the latter end of the year 1651. in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by voice of words spoken unto me by his eternal spirit three mornings together to the hearing of the ear as a man speaks to his friend 22 Again the Scriptures call them by the name of two witnesses onely wherefore if any man addeth to their number or despiseth them because they appear not like a God to bring fire down from heaven or turn waters into blood or such like natural plagues or miracles as hath been acted already if there be any truth in the Scriptures can that man scape the Plagues of God in the life to come threatned in such a call 23 Again you know it is said the Lord gave power unto the two witnesses to prophesie Is not this answerable unto the word of the Lord when he said unto me that he had given me understanding above all the men in the world and that he had chosen me as his last messenger for a great work unto this bloody unbelieving world and had gived me Lodowick Mugleton to be my mouth 24 You know that the witnesses are said to be two Olive Trees and two Candlesticks standing before the God of the whole earth my beloved spiritual brethren hath not the glorious God of Heaven and Earth both by speaking and writing manifested through our earthly Candlesticks or mortal mouths more divine Oyl or golden Truth then in any men in the world besides 25 Again you know it is said the witnesses were cloathed with sackcloth I humbly beseech you that have truly tasted of the glory of eternity did any men upon the face of the earth since the time of the Apostles upon an account as sent forth from the eternal spirit suffer persecution for bearing witness unto the man Christ Jesus glorified to be the onely wise God and alone everlasting Father but we two onely 26 Again you know it is written if any man will hurt them fire proceedâ—th out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies My spiritual friends is not this answerable unto the word of the Lord when he said unto me I have put the two edged sword of my spirit into thy mouth that whoever I pronounce blessed through thy mouth is blessed to eternity and whoever I pronounce cursed through thy mouth is cursed to eternity 27 Who ever thou art that shalt see these passages and be offended with me because of them be it known unto thee and all men else that I of all men neither do nor can expect any mercy from the glorious God to
and salvation without them and despised the invisible breathings of his Holy Spirit in his innocent people as delusion blasphemy and such like shall be full of unspeakable burning pain and shame through their inability of bearing the fiery brightness of the Son of Man that most high and mighty God with his elect men and Angels as abundantly beforesaid 23 Moreover you know it is said As it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot so it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed 24 Furthermore you know the Scripture saith They were eating and drinking and marrying of wives and planting and building unto the day that Noah entred into the Ark but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all 25 Again you know the whole old world and Sodomites a little before their final dissolution were not onely possessed with all variety of natural comforts but they were also given up to all maner of unnatural filthiness and so continued to the day of their total destruction 26 Moreover you know it is recorded of the men of Sodom that they were haters of God and turned the truth of God unto a lie and worshipped and served the creature forsaking the Creator which is blessed for evermore Amen 27 Furthermore While the meat of the unsatiable Jews were in their mouths you know there was a plague brake out among them These final dissolutions you know were not onely invisible but visible also 28 Moreover if the personal appearing of Christ in his Glory shall be like unto that of Noah and Lot and the final dissolution of the old world and that of Sodom and Gomorrah when it was in the midst of the height of all their fleshly filthiness and exceeding fulness of bread which included all good things and in their more then ordinary planting building putting the evil day far from them is it not thus in these out days also was there ever more glorying in all maner of Sodomitical unnatural filthiness then now there is 29 Did men ever deifie carnal creatures as now they do Moreover was there ever such a babling about a God or Christ in mens consciences onely as now there is notwithstanding many of those cursed Serpents villifie the very name of a personal God in a Throne of Glory above the Stars more then the greatest theeving whoring murderer in the land 31 Furthermore was there ever such talk of pure love without envy upon a spiritual account as in these our days and in stead of mercy towards one another since the world began under pretence of conscience and an art of lamb-like words do not men like roaring Lyons lie lurking in every quarter seeking whom they may devour 32 Again notwithstanding such varieties of breaking forth in declaring the sudden appearing of the Lord of Hosts to recompence vengeance upon all sorts of bloody-minded covetous men whatsoever can any man living ever remember such purchasing such buildâ—ng such planting and plenty of all natural comforts as now there is 33 Moreover was there in any mans memory such changes in Government and marvelous transactions in them as in these our days 34 Furthermore was there ever such variety of witchcraft voices visions signs and wonders acted as in these our days from a pretended spiritual God Christ or power within men onely 35 Besides all this hath not the God of Glory by poor and contemptable means discovered the Serpentine subtilties of the honorable artificial Priests and Astrologian Sorcerers in this age and land more then ever he did since the Apostles times and hath there not been many signs in the heavens and in the earth and in the creatures in a marvelous maner since our civil dissentions with many bloody massacres at home and abroad and doth these things presage nothing or did they come to pass by chance or fortune onely 36 O ye Hypocritical minded sign-mongers and cursed despisers of the Son of God who is the Lord your maker remember what effect those wonderful signs in Egypt took upon Pharaoh his Counsellors and people and what effect Eliah the Prophets signs took upon Ahab Jezebel and her four hundred Idolatrous Priests besides your forefathers that murdered the Lord of Glory his Prophets Apostles and innocent people for the truths sake onely though they had the gift of tongues and miracles by calling all their miracles languages or spiritual truths delusions to deceive the people against the very light of their own consciences through a secret fear of losing their gain and glory among men that perish CHAP. XLVII 1 Further signs of the approaching day of Christs coming to judgement 2 The Prophet writes by inspiration 3 And giveth the interpretation of several Scriptures tending thereunto AS the old world and Sodom were blinded by abundance of prosperity and plenty of all things to the very day of their final overthrow so likewise what ever men shall declare to the contrary it shall be with this bloody-minded world until the Son of Man come in his glory If you ask me the reason the main ground of it is this because the God of Glory that cannot possibly lie hath said that they day of his appearing shall be like unto that of Noah and Lot 2 Moreover another reason of it is this not onely to prevent mans wisdom to be prepared for the day of his glorious and dreadful appearing but also to catch those men with their own craft that counted them children or fools that expected any such thing 3 Furthermore another reason is this for the deeper condemnation of all those men that heard the declarations of this personal appearing in his glory but laught it to scorn or put the evil day far from them because of the present fleshly gain and glory they lived in 4 Again you know it is written That in the day Lot departed out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all behold what a dreadful and sudden desolation fire maketh in a mortal world even within a dayes compass 5 So likewise it shall be when the Son of man appears in his glory for within the compass of a day or twelve hours after mans account the heavens without the body of man shall be melted with fervent heat and in stead of the former and latter showers of water to nourish the earth and rejoyce mans heart as a flood of fire and brimstone it shall pour it self upon the whole world and burn all the beauty vertue or glory thereof to dust or powder as beforesaid 6 I write not against the truths of the Scriptures but by inspiration from the Holy Spirit I bear record to the mind of God in them in opposition of all pretended spiritual lights under heaven 7 Wherefore as an eternal witness against all sorts of men that wrest the Scriptures to their own hurt give me leave to recite that threefold testimony of Peter as a seal to this