Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	believe_v	faith_n	unbelief_n	3,235	5	10.7449	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91475	Good tydings for sinners, great ioy for saints; or, A word to the world, and two to those that are chosen out of the world. Wherein is held forth, first, the sweet tenders of grace from the father through the son to all dejected sinners; he invites them, he woes them, he intreats them, nay, he beseecheth them to accept of mercy. In the second part of this book, called, Two words to those chosen out of the world, is spoken to the saints under their severall forms, taking notice first of the things commendable in them: and in the second place reproving them for things amisse among them. With a short prophesie of the downfall of presbyterie, independencie, anabaptismie, vaine notions, free-will. With a brief description of a true church-state, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevaile; it being founded upon a rock, it will stand against all waves and storms, that either men or devils can raise against it. I will give you all one heart, and one way. Then the Lord shall be one, and his name one. / Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.; Parnell, Robert, attributed name.	1649 (1649)	Wing P542; Wing P4234; Thomason E557_12; ESTC R27528	60,728	77

spoken of the things that you must lay aside or forsake Give me leave as briefly as I may to lay before you a few things that you ought immediatly to practise I say immediatly because it is high time if you have not staid too long First If you be the Ministers of Christ observe your Commission given you Mark 6.15 and Matth. 28.19 The summe of which is this Go yee to all the world and Preach the Gospel to every creature And Paul elswhere gives an account of his commission and saith Christ sent him to preach the Gospel and so he went Preaching peace by Jesus Christ Seeing God in these latter dayes speaks unto us by his Son Heb. 1.2 Why do you speak so much by Moses you say Moses must prepare us for Christ sure that is not in Your Commission Me think I hear you saying with Peter Master let us build here three tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and one for thee and there appeared a bright cloud upon the appearance of which Moses and Elias which was John Baptist vanished away And God answered Peter from heaven and told him This is my beloved sonne heare him Why do you then build a tabernacle for Moses and another for Elias seeing the bright cloud hath expelled the dark administrations of them both O then follow the advise of Christ and keep close to your commission and into whatsoever house you enter let your first words be Peace to this house Luke 10.5 Why doe you teach repentance before Faith seeing true and unfeigned repentance is a fruit of Faith not a preparation for Faith The Ninevites believed God before they proclaimed a Fast and thou must first look upon Christ whom thou hast peirced by Faith before thou canst mourn as one mourneth for his onely Son The goodnesse of God will lead thee to repentance Rom. 2.4 And the grace of God will teach thee to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts 2 Tit. 11. vers 12. Faith is a notable ground-work in a sence of true repentance without this Faith it is in vain to think to build up our selves in sanctity of life and sincerity of conversation For he that commeth to God must first believe that God is Heb. 11.6 And without this Faith it is impossible to please God and whatsoever is not of this Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 My friends is not faith the first stone in the spirituall building the first step in a Christian race the first linke in our golden chain of Christianity the first act of our new life the first degree in our holy conversation the first round in your Jacobs ladder wherby you ascend up into the presence of your Lord Should you not acquaint your hearers first with the doctrinall part of Divinity before you presse the practicall part endeavour to have them truly principled and then presse obedience as the fruit of those principles I have heard some of you say that whatsoever obedience doth flow from any man if it flow not from good principles that obedience is in a sence disobedience See what Christ commands Matth. 12 33 Make the tree good and his fruit will be good and good reason for Matth. 7.18 a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Now here is the reason why you see so little fruit of all your labours you preach so much yet doe so little good you do not doe Gods work in his own way you preach and contend for order and scarce are any in the kingdome more out of your order than your selves In a word you require good fruit from a corrupt tree and Christ tels you it cannot bee When David taught his son Solomon 1 Chron. 28 9. He instructs him first in the doctrinall part before the practicall part He must first know the God of his Fathers before he is prest to serve him This was Pauls advise Titus 3.8 Again our blessed Lord Christ Joh. 15.4 exhorts the people first to abide in him and being in him by Faith then bids them bring forth fruit saying as the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the Vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee So Paul dealt with the Collossians 1 Coll. 9.10 He prays and desires first that they might be filled with the knowledge of Gods will and then vers 10. as the fruit of that knowledge that they might walke worthy of the Lord being fruit full in every good work 2. The next thing that you should practice after you have exalted Christ alone to be the onely King Priest and Prophet not in word only but in power in expecting the teachings of God the father to your soules by and through him have recourse to his rules in the Gospell for your practice and then you will not look so much upon Synods and not be ashamed to confesse him before men If you have been in the Pulpit delivering his message why are you so afraid to have your doctrine questioned why will you not give your hearers that liberty that Christ hath given them to judge of what you have said are you ashamed to own Christ when his doctrine is examined Or else do you finde your selves unable by sound doctrine to convince the gain-sayers But you will say If any be not satisfied let him come to us in private let me ask you where have you a rule for that do you not deliver your things publiquely And do not the scriptures tell you that a publique evill must have a publique reproof But you will say we have done no evill we have preached Christ according to our commission Then my friends never fear to have it qu●stioned but I beseech you if any can object against what you have taught so he do it in the spirit of meeknes rather to finde out truth then to carp at truth And seeing Christ hath given him that liberty 1 Cor. 14. Do not you deprive him of it If you would but make tryall of this I will assure you you might gain many priviledges by it In particular I will shew your two or three 1. You will take away all just occasions for any to cavill at your doctrine or speak evill of you in private 2. You will increase your own knowledge for there are some Aquila's and Priscillas doe heare you and you also may bee more inabled to instruct 3. It will make the lustre of the truths which you assert the more beautifull if you vindicate them 4. It will make all your sayings seem the more worthy serious and sober consideration O that I could see the ministers of England as willing to be taught as they are to be teachers as swift to hear as to speak Truly this were a way to untie the greatest things we want in our kingdome 3. When you have exalted Christ alone and diligently observed his Commission next I beseech you be tender of his Lambs and feed them and so much the rather because they are yet standing in the streets of Sodom and

and seest it too hard a thing for thee yet consider that nothing is too hard for God who hath undertaken to work it Ob. It I could see a promise wherein God had promised to work it that were something Quest What art thou A Jew or a Gentile Scythian or Barbarian Ans I am a Gentile a sinner Chr. Thou these are promises for thee see Matt. 12.21 Rom. 15.12 In him shall the Gentiles trust in him shall the Gentiles trust Sin But all Gentiles doe not neither shall they believe therefore if I could see my name written in Scripture and a promise made to me in reference to that name then there were hope indeed Chr. Thou art just like Thomas Joh. 20.25 Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Well saith Christ thou shalt see the print of the nailes reach hither thine hand c. Wilt thou see thy name inscripture indeed Sin Yea with all my heart But I fear it is not there Chr. Why dost thou doubt all things are possible to him that believes wilt thou see thy name Then what is thy state How is it with thee Sin My state is miserable I am full of blindenes and ignorance and can understand nothing in a spirituall way Chr. Here is thy name then recorded Isa 50.10 Who so walketh in darknes and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon God Sin But I am dead almost my heart and my flesh do faile me Chr. Why canst thou read the beginning of the verse with David and not the latter end of it and God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 7● 26 Sin But I am weak faith another poore soule where is my name Chr. The weak shall be as David there is thy name Sin But saith another distressed soule I am quite dead where is my name Chr. Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light There is thy name Sin But I have not ears to hear Christ voice nor strength to arise if I could hear Chr. But Christ can give strength with his voice as to Lazarus come forth and he came forth Sin Here is comfort for these indeed But oh that you could shew me my name in scripture and God speaking to me by name Then I should believe and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Chr. Well What is thy name Sin Rebell That is my name for I have rebelled against the Lord ever since I was born I have lived in a continuall breach of every command Chr. Yet behold thy name Psal 68.18 Christ hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious that the Lord God might dwell among them Read thy name in every promise endeavour to see thy name enrolled in the book of Life where all the Devils in Hell and all the wicked men in the world can never blot it out Sin Oh! saith another poore distressed soule I have no minde nor heart to seek after God Where is my name Chr. Isa 65.1 I am found of them that sought me not There is thy name though thou wilt not seek for him yet he will seek and finde thee Sin But I cannot believe Where is my name saith another Chr. 2 Tim. 2 13. If we believe not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himself Sin But I have called and cryed for mercy and that often yet God would not answer me Where is my name 2. Saith another others have prayed for me and the Lord gave them an answer he was not sent to save me Where is my name 3. A third poore soul steps in and saith I spake with the Lord as it were and he told me I was a Dog and that Dogs have nothing to doe with Childrens bread oh where is my name Chr. Will you see all your three names together Sin Oh that it might be so faith the troubled soule Chr. Then read and well consider that 15. Matt. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David But he answered her not a word There was the first step of his deniall Secondly His Disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she cryeth after us But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house Israel There is the second branch of his deniall Thirdly Then came shee and worshipped him saying Lord help me But he answered and said it is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs There is the third branch of his deniall And she said truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their Masters table Then Jesus answered and said unto her ô woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Oh the unsearchable love of a tender father to a prodigall Son To summe up all in a word Search diligently in what state thou standest examine well thy present condition what it is and when thou hast found out the true temper of thy soul that thou canst truly say thus and thus it is with me Then search the Scriptures for they were written for thy learning and thou shalt finde upon serious consideration that some one or other of the Saints gone before the hath been in the same condition and yet hath found mercy Then thou wilt break forth with Paul and say There is no tentation hath befaln me but such as is common to all men and the Lord will deliver mee 1 Cor. 10 13. c. Are thy sins so many that thou canst not look up so it was with that pretious saint David Psal 40.12 Psal 38.4 Deare friend who ever thou art that readest these words let me tell thee I speak by experience I have been in so sad a condition even as it were in despaire And when I have read or heard these words that such and such of the Lords own children were in the same condition my heart hath begun to revive and say well The Lord hath dealt no otherwise with me than he hath with such a Saint left upon record now I see I am not alone in this heavines I cannot now say Was ever sorrow like unto my sorrow Lam. 1.12 But I can now say with Ieremiah Lam. 3 32. Though he cause griefe yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies I remember that sweet place of Scripture 2 Cor. 1 3 4. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulations that saith he we may be able to comfort them that be in trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selves are comforted of God Here by the way wee may take notice that it is

a duty well becoming the Saints to endeavour as instruments in Gods hands to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith the Lord hath comforted them Come saith David I will tell thee what the Lord hath done for my soule Againe Oh thou drooping sinner listen a little unto the voyce of Christ and thou shalt heare him calling to thee and saying Come come unto mee all yee that bee weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Hee cals thee hee invites thee hee entreates thee hee beseecheth thee to come in and to bee reconciled unto the Lord thy God See and consider well that Scripture 2. Cor. 5 20. Now then wee are ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christ stead bee you reconciled unto God you see hee is willing to have sinners reconciled to him and that hee doth manifest by many demonstrations or evidences First His patience towards thee all this while he is long suffering not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3 9. Rom. 2.4 The goodnesse of God or the patience of God doth or should lead thee to repentance Secondly Hee doth manifest his willingnesse in that hee hath made this the master-piece of all his works to provide a Saviour for us in sending his Son and making him a curse for us in this great worke the Lord doth proclaime to all the world Oh all you people of the world if I had not beene willing to bee reconciled to you or rather to have you reconciled to mee as I have for ever beene I would never have sent my dearest Sonne from the bosome of my love to die for you So that this is the greatest worke all my other workes are subordinate to this In this was the love of God manifested to us that he sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we should live through him 1 Joh. 4.9 Thirdly The Lord doth professe this to the people That there is no one thing wherein hee doth more glory than to shew mercy to poore sinners yea to his enemies Micah 7.18 Hee delighteh in mercy Exod. 34. The Lords glory passed by and what was that The Lord the Lord most mercifull and gratious long suffering c. Pardoning iniquity transgressions and sinne Here is my glory Hence it is exprest Isa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord waite that hee may bee gratious and therefore will hee bee exalted that hee may have mercy upon you So then the Lord doth accompt himselfe an exalted God when hee hath brought in a sinner to accept of mercy Fourthly The Lord doth expresse his willingnesse even with a sigh as it were which doth much denote his willingnesse Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would feare my Name and keepe my Commands and that for one good too for so the words follow that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Now these people had said before whatsoever the Lord hath spoken wee will doe Oh that there were such an heart in them saith the Lord. Fifthly The Lord doth expresse his willingnesse with an oath too and that the greatest that ever hee tooke That sinners shall not dye Ezek. 33.10 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live Turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will you die oh house of Israell c. Sixthly God doth manifest his willingnesse in this that above all other workes this worke of beleeving on him is most pleasing to him and our not beleeving is the greatest offence that wee can give to God Joh. 6.29 This is the worke of God that you beleeve on him whom he hath sent as if the Lord had said This doth please mee better than any other worke Let a poore soule come in and rowle himselfe upon the love of God in Christ for reconciliation This is a more glorious worke than the conquering of a whole world If you give all your goods to the poore and your bodies to be burnt all is nothing if this be wanting Joh. 3.19 This is condemnation that light is come unto the world and men love darknesse more then light In a word binde all your sinnes together in a bundle except this sin of unbeliefe and put them in a ballance together And put this sin of unbeliefe in the other ballance you shall finde that unbeliefe will weigh downe all the rest and from this unbeliefe as the roote springs all other evils as the branches Seventhly Consider further God doth seeke to sinners first Therefore it is said The Lord Christ came to seeke and to save them that were lost Isa 45.22 Looke unto me and be you saved all yee ends of the earth the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that is a thirst come and take of the waters of life freely Eightly Consider the Lord sends forth his grace to allure thee and to entice thee a sinner to come to him Hee doth with cords of love draw the heart to come Hee sends forth his mercy to stand before the soule and tender its service as it were to the sinfull soule Hosea 2.14 Therefore will I allure them saith the Lord. There was a great breach betweene this people and God as you may see at large in this chapter And yet saith the Lord I will allure them Hosea 11.4 I will draw them with the cords of men with the bands of love Ninthly The Lord is so yeelding unto his creatures th●t to keepe his owne honour and glory he cannot yeeld further At first wee are all going astray the Lord cals us backe 2. Wee were going to prison The Lord steps in saying I will provide a surety The Covenant of workes requires satisfaction saith the Lord I am contented to take this in a surety Wee are like a Beggar begging an almes of one that passeth by to whom it is answered I will give thee oh Beggar that which thou desirest but thou must come and fetch it I cannot come saith the Beggar I want legs I will give thee legs saith the giver that thou mayest come But saith the Beggar when I am come I have no hands to receive that which you will give me I will give thee hands also Oh! But I want wisedome to make use of that gift I will give thee wisedome saith the Lord. Oh that ever so glorious a God should so farre stoope and yeeld to his poore creatures as to answer all questions cleare all doubts and take away all scruples Tenthly He yet comes nearer to a sinner as it were and doth professe that the greatest sins that ever they have committed against him shall not hinder them from comming to him nor him from pardoning them Isa 1.18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord. though your sins be as Scarlet they shal be as white as Snow Oh here the Lord

it shall melt with fervent heat then if the rocks and mountains might fall on thee thou wouldest think it a favour to hide thee from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall abide it Rev. 6.16 17 c. Then shalt thou hear that dreadfull sentence passe on thee Matth. 25.41 Depart from me yee Cursed into Everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Consider a little this dolefull sentence 1. Thou must depart from the presence of the Lord. 2. Thou departest not blessed but a cursed wretch Depart from me yee cursed 3. Not onely into fire but into everlasting fire no hope of returning 4. The companions that thou shalt have there are the Devill and his Angels Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels And this dreadfull day will come as a thiefe in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 In which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat and the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up c. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse Oh! then take heed Watch and pray for you know not how near the time is Mark 13.33 The day of the Lord commeth as a thiefe in the night 1 Thess 5.2 Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2. Pet. 3.14 Thirdly consider if it should be a few moneths or years before this great and terrible day come yet it may not for ought that thou knowest be many dayes no not so much as many houres or minutes before thy particular end come in which thou shalt be gasping for life and breathing out thy last breath If then thou look up God will appear as an angry Judge if thou look down the bottomlesse Pit will strike terrour into thee on thy right hand thy sins stand accusing thee on thy left hand the Devill is ready to execute Gods eternall sentence upon thee within thee thy conscience gnawing without thee thy friends bewailing So that look which way thou wilt above thee beneath thee within thee without thee every object will adde to thy miserie Therefore Oh remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth before these evill daies come Eccles 12.1 Intreat the Lord as David did Psal 39.4 Lord make mee to know mine end and the measure of my daies what it is That I may know how fraile I am And wilt thou know how fraile thou art oh vaine man then consider One scripture saith of thy dayes it is as water spilt upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14 Another scripture saith Our dayes are like a shaddow Psal 102.11 And as if that were too long Job saith Job 7.7 My life is but a winde Psal 102.3 Our daies consume like smoak Wee all doe fade as a leafe Isa 64 6. All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of the grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away 1 Pet. 1.24 And as if all these resemblances signified too much length to hold forth the shortnes of our life the holy Ghost doth contract it shorter Psal 39 5. Thou hast made my dayes as an hand breadth And as if that resemblance also were too long he saith in the same verse Mine age is as nothing Well then doth the scripture in many places say We are like a buble of the brooke a tale that is told or a dream Oh how should the serious consideration hereof teach thee so to number thy dayes that thou mightest apply thine heart to true and perfect wisdome Or as the wise man saith Eccles 12.6 Remember thy creator before the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowle be broken for as death leaves thee so Judgement will finde thee c. In a word it is a point of high wisdome to be often thinking and meditating of out latter end for the Lord himself faith Deut. 32.29 That they were wise that they understood this to consider their latter end So he that made thee teach and perfect thee Two Words to those chosen out of the World NOw I shall come to speak two words to those that are chosen out of the World First Generally to all the Saints Secondly More particularly to the Saints under those titles or forms by which they are most commonly known 1 The word in generall To all that are truly godly for now to you I speak even to you my fellow members and brethren in Christ Awake awake Put on t●y strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Ierusalem thou holy City Isa 52.1 Arise my beloved and come away 2 Can. 10.13 For the day is dawning and the day-star arising in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 Oh Saints Consider a little upon what ground you stand upon what foundation you are built doest thou believe there was such a Christ as the scriptures mention Doest thou believe that this Christ took thy nature and also thy sins Doest thou believe that in this thy nature he fulfilled the law took it away nailed it to the Crosse and so is become the end of the law to all that believe also freed thee from sin past present and to come and so from death the wages thereof doest thou conceive that God will make good his gracious promises in particular these Isa 25.7 8 c. He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all nations He will swallow up death in victory And the Lord God will wipe away tears from of all faces And the rebuke of his people shall bee taken away from off all the earth Doest thou believe that the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters the Sea and that We shall all know him from the greatest to the least Jer. 31.34 Doest thou believe those words which the Lord spake to Daniel chap. 7.27 And the kingdome and the dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome under the whole heavens mark this word under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints for their kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey them Doest thou believe those words Isa 30.26 Moreover the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold Doest thou believe that the Lord will wipe away all tears from off all faces and that there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain Revel 21.4 Doest thou believe what the Lord saith in Isa 35.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with songs and everlasting

take you aside and teach you the way of God more perfectly c. A Word to those that hold Free-Will and General-Redemption MY Friends some things I have observed from you by my being among you which I desire to learn of you and for which I commend you I have seen you bearing one anothers burthens relieving one anothers necessities according to your abilities often visiting one another with many outward expressions of that inward love which you bear one to another these things ought to be done and there are other things which you ought not to leave undone as also to love those that are not under your form These Principles also do you hold First That Jesus Christ gave himself a ransome for all and you prove it by Scriptures 1 Tim. 2. v. 6. 1 John 29. 1 John 2. v. 2. 2 Cor. 1.15 Secondly That remission of Sins ought to be preached to every creature which proves the first that Christ gave himself a ransom for all and therefore remission of sins must be preacht to all and that you prove by these and the like Scriptures Luke 24.47 Mark 16.15 Luke 10.5 Isa 45.22 Thirdly That every one is to believe the forgivenesse of his sins for if Christ died for all and the Gospel ought to believe and that all are called upon to believe you bring these and the like Scriptures John 1.7 John 17.21 Now if your principles drawn from these or the like Scriptures be according to the spirituall sence of them you doe well So much for the things worthy of commendation in you But my friends there are many faults among you for which I have at present a few things against you The first is your abuse of Scriptures first in taking them in a literall sence secondly looking into and speaking of onely those scriptures that seemingly in the letter doe confirm your principles Whereas if you rightly understood them you would finde the sence of one scripture to stand with the sence of another As to instance a little in the forenamed things First you say That Jesus Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all and remission of sins is to be preached to all Now compare those scriptures with Rom. 8.30 where he speakes of particular not of generall predestination So when he speakes of election to the Ephesians he points at a particular not at a generall election And when Christ prayes John 17. hee prayes not for the world but onely for those whom the Lord had given him out of the world And Joh. 6.44 There can none come to him but whom the father draweth Read and well consider that one Scripture which all of you are not able to answer Acts 13.48 And as many as were ordayned to eternall life believed I know what false glosse you put upon this text through your ignorance you say the originall saith thus As many as believed were ordayned to eternall life And with this false sence you deceived me for a few dayes but when I searched the originall I found you lyars for that word is truly translated and I have spoken with many poore soules that you have deluded with these and the like things You say election depends upon qualifications and bring these or the like Scriptures The Lord chooseth to himselfe the man that is righteous never minding that other text which saith there is none righteous no not one So then if he chooseth none but the righteous and there are no righteous not one then he chooseth none Oh you simple ones how long will you love simplicity Scorners delight in scorning and Fooles hate knowledge If this text doth speak to any such in England this day It speaks to and concerns you chiefly Did you never reade with understanding that text which saith that wee and all the Nations of the World are in the hands or God as clay in the hands of the potter who maketh one vessell to honour another to dishonour as he pleaseth And if there bee any man so impudent to say as I have heard some of you say that then God is partiall See how Paul checks such Rom. 9.19.20 Oh man who are thou that replyest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus If thou wilt know a reason why the Lord doth elect some to life and to passe by others he is pleased to give thee no other accompt than this Exod. 33.19 I will be gratious to whom I will be gratious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy and whom he will he hardeneth If thou wilt also know a reason why he will cast some into the pit of destruction and give to others life everlasting I answer God hath no rule to act by but his owne will so that for him to doe what he willeth is just and it is just for no other reason nor upon any other ground but this viz. because it is his will to doe it and this is the justnes of mans actions to doe what God hath commanded or declared that he will have man to doe Now I say this is the reason why he will cast some to destruction viz. to magnifie his justice or perform his will determined upon such as doe transgresse the law given them and for this cause is such destruction just because it is that which the eternall will or decree hath appointed to follow upon transgression And after the very same sort doth he exalt the attribute of his mercy in the salvation of others Reade the 9. of the Romans and thou wilt finde most of that chapter spent in disputing this very thing Another grosse error that you hold contrary to the scripture is this That the soule is mortall as well as the body Againe you hold and teach That if God commanded the Gospel to be preached to all and Christ dyed onely for some then God commands a lye to be preached to the most part of men and that is blasphemy to say that God commands a lye to be preached Againe You ground your owne particular faith upon that generall redemption and if your ground be false your faith must needes be so for no good fruit proceeds from a corrupt tree and wherein doth such faith exceede that of the Devils that beleive and tremble You say there is a power in every man to doe whatsoever is commanded a power to choose and a power to refuse you cite that of Joshuah and the like scriptures Behold I have set before you this day life and death choose you whether c. Ergo say you the people have power to choose and to refuse You say also that upon your doing or not doing depends your eternall blessing or everlasting cursing and yet unlesse it be in some few things which I have fore-spoken in your commendation you are the most unfruitfull people that ever I came amongst except our new upstart wantons or new Notionists to whom I shall speake next You spend the most of your

formes neither Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Free-willers nor those up-start men of vanitie and emptie notions last mentioned I say They walk not nor keep company with any of these but a distance And these are of two sorts The first is a precious sweet moderate sort of men and women looking after and enquiring into the power and glory of truth and godlinesse more than the forme They clearly see all those to whom I have spoken before to be in extreams either towards the right hand or towards the left and for the most part knowing Christ after the flesh yet this sort not under forms look on those that are under forms for many of them to be as indeed they are members of the same bodie whereof Christ is the head These men desire to know no man after the flesh they love not any man because he is a Presbyterian neither do they hate another because he is an Independent They desire to have their moderation known unto all men seeing the Lord is at hand As these mens hearts are tender to all so their Purses are open to all They desire to be good more than to be thought of others to be so and esteem the power of godlinesse more than the form But secondly there are another company and these are the greatest part that are under none of the aforesaid forms who look upon all the rest and count it strange that they run not with them to the same excesse of ryot speaking evill of them all The greatest piece of these mens Religon is to watch for the haltings of the rest These men and women spend their time for the most part in gaming drinking back-biting railing at all others that will not doe as they doe These will not joyn themselves with the Presbyterians because they will not love them They will not come among the Independents because there they shall meet with reproof they esteem their liberty more than their Religion therefore they keep company with those where they may have their liberty A few Words by way of Prophesie of the downfall of Presbyterie Independence Anabaptisme Antinominisme Free-Willers Vain-Notionists and all other Sects now extant in England A word in generall to all the Saints who are under any of the aforesaid Forms OH all you servants of the most high and mighty God heires of Promise and Sons of Sion look for great alterations and mighty changes see what desolations God will make in the earth and looke for nothing but the Lord to be revealed from Heaven which will be mighty in his dispensation and exceeding glorious in revelation strong and powerfull in operation He will bring to passe his determination that is he will destroy in this Mountaine the face of this covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations Isa 25.7 If you aske what this vaile is that shall be taken away I answer There are many vailes whereof this is one thy knowing of Christ and Christians after the flesh As soone as ever the Lord tooke this vaile of our deare brother Pauls eyes see what a change it wrought immediately upon him 2 Cor. 5.16 Henceforth know Ino man after the flesh yea though I have knowne Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more Our looking upon men and loving them because they are under this or that forme is a knowing them after the flesh Presbyterians looke upon others of the same judgement worshiping God in the same forme and therefore love them But let these speake never so little against their forme and presently they cast them out of their affections and also the Independents they know men after the flesh much after the same manner And likewise the Anabaptists and Free-willers they are vailed with the same vaile And therefore what I say to one Sect I say to you all you shall speedily receive a totall rout You have gathered your selves together but you shall be seattered yea you shall be broken in peices Lo here is Christ the Presbyterian saith in the publique ordinances therefore highly esteeme the publique preaching and frequent the publique assemblies Then comes in the Independent and taking a strict view of the Presbyteriall Way sees many disorders amongst them and so seperates himselfe from them and joynes himselfe to those o● his owne judgement and so meet in private saying in effect Lo here is Christ Lo here is Christ Then stands up the Anabaptist in opposition to both and saith Christ is not with you in publique nor with the Independent in private But Christ is with us in the baptisme of John Lo lo here is Christ Then comes in he that holds generall redemption and free-will and saith Christ is among none of you all for you doe eclipse his free-grace and limit his unlimited mercie for he dyed for all but you say it was but for some 2. The Gospel is to be preached to all but yon say though he preached it to all yet he intended it only to some 3. Whereas we hold that all should beleeve the remission of their sins you say none can beleeve but a few that are elected But we hold that as in the first Adam all dyed so in the second Adam all are made alive So that if any perish let him thanke himselfe for upon his obedience or disobedience depends his weale or woe and so God doth neither elect one nor reprobate another before he hath done good or evill Lo here is Christ here is Christ say the Free-willers And so all other Sects Lo here is Christ saith one Lo there is Christ saith another wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the Desart Goe not forth Behold he is in the secret Chambers Beleeve it not You all have built your outward house of externall discipline upon the sand and it must fall because it is not grounded upon the rock Christ you have made your communion the ground of your union and that must fall because it is not the Lords but mans building Quest But how doe you know that Presbytery must downe and Independency Anabaptisme and the rest of the Sects must downe Answ I answer Christ told the Jewes John 8.56 that Abraham saw his day and was glade Now if Abraham by faith did see the day of Christ comming in the flesh many yeares before he came why may not I and others see the day of christ comming in the Spirit to destroy all fleshly formes some few yeares before it be finished But if thou askest How shall I know that thou prophesiest true concerning the downfall of all these I answer thee in this case as the Lord himselfe answered his people in another case Deut. 18.21.22 If thou shalt say in thine heart How shall we know the word that the Lord hath spoken from the word that he hath not spoken The Lord there answereth When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing come to passe it is

sandy foundations I shall then shut up all with one word of advice to all Oh ye sons of Sion Behold your union with God consider also that yee are one not with some onely but with all the Saints under whatsoever forme they be Wherefore love them all pitty them all doe good to them all and as you are united in one spirit so let the the word and spirit be your rule When you have gathered your selves together according to the order of the Gospell choose to your selves Pastors and Teachers Elders and Deacons make use of all Gods ordinances but rest upon none looke upon them all but as Pipes and Organs through which he conveyes himselfe to the soule c. Quest But me thinkes I heare some say What religion or at least opinion is he himselfe off that hath written this Treatise He can be no Presbyterian for he writes against them He is no Independent for he reproves them No Anabaptist for he dislikes them No Free-willer for he writes directly against them What then is he Answ I answer I am a Christian You will say So are all the people of England Christians But that I deny For though there are many Christians of mans making yet there are few yea very few of Gods making But you will say What are they then if not Christians I answer There are many Heathens and Turkes Jews and Infidels many Canaanites and Amorites Perrizzites c. But I am a Christian This name was given first to the disciples in Antioch I beleeve in one God Father of all and in one Lord Jesus Christ redeemer of all and in one sanctifying Spirit of Grace I beleeve that it is the office of the Father to elect the office of the Sonne to redeeme and the office of the Holy Ghost to Sanctifie those and onely those whom the Father hath elected and the Sonne redeemed And I doe beleeve my owne interest in all these without which the knowledge of it is nothing the Father loves me freely the Son manifests that love to me and the Spirit doth evidence it in me The Father loveth me as redeemed by his Sonne The Son lookes upon me and loves me as being given by the Father for him too redeeme And the Holy Ghost seeing the love of the Father in choosing me and the love of the Sonne in redeeming me he also sets his love upon me and manifests this unto me which is the earnest of my inheritance I beleeve that God hath his being in himselfe and gives being to all other creatures and the cause why he made mee was for his owne glory and the end why he elected me in Christ was that I should bring forth fruit to him I know I am not my own I am bought with a price wherfore I desire to glorifie God with my body and my soule which are the Lords I endeavour as to love God so also to love his people not some but all and to love my enemies desiring to become all things to all that I might in my place gaine 〈◊〉 I doe bel●●ve that I 〈◊〉 to give no just offence to the Jew nor the Gentile 〈◊〉 the Church of Christ wherfore as much as in me lieth I endeavour to keepe a conscience voide of offence both towards God and towards man I love all and yet I desire to withdraw my selfe from every brother that walketh disorderly I doe beleive that I am a Servant of Christ I doe beleeve I am a Friend of Christ John 15.15 I doe beleeve that I am a Brother of the Lord Christ Heb 2.11 I doe beleeve that I am in as neare relation to Christ as the wife is to the husband Rev. 1.9 I doe beleeve that I am a Member of his owne body 1 Cor. 12. verse 12. I do beleeve that I am a Joynt-heire with Christ Rom. 8.17 I doe beleeve that I am joyned to the Lord and so one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 I doe beleeve that the Lord takes all the evill done to me as done to himself Zac. 2.8 Mat. 25.45 I doe beleeve that I have everlasting life already according to that John 3.36 1. In the promise feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome 2. In the first fruites for what is heaven hereafter but a more full enjoyment of what is begun here 3. I have everlasting life already in possession by my head Christ I doe beleeve that all this is but a taste of what I shall be according to that 1 John 3.1 2. Now are yee the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what you shall be But when he shall appeare yee shall be like him The serious consideration of which I doubt not will draw up my conversation more and more to be in heaven even whil'st I remaine here on earth I doe beelve that my sinnes by Christ are taken out of the sight of God I doe beleeve that the designe of Christ was to take it away out of my Conscience that there might be no more conscience of sinne Heb. 9.14 I doe beleeve that as Christ hath taken away sinne out of the sight of God and out of my owne Conscience so in due time he will take away sin out of my conversation according to that scripture 1 Pet. 1.15 and Luke 1.75 In a word I doe beleeve my sinnes past present and to come are all laid upon and done away by Christ Isa 53.6 I doe beleve that as there was no good fore-seene in me that did cause the Lord to set his love upon me so there is no evill that can be done by me that can cause him to hate me A Word to the Parliament the Representative body of the Kingdome I Cannot put a period to this little Volume without one word to you who are Members of the High Court of Parliament Honoured Worthies you have begun well go on that we may finde in England that that was so earnestly sought for in Jerusalem Jer 5.1 Men executing judgement and speaking the truth And then why may we not expect to be partakers of the mercy there promised a pardoning of the sin and a healing of the Land Eye the Lord Jesus in all your actings and advance his Kingdome as much as in you lyeth honour him and hee will honour you and endeavour with David to deliver his Lambs out of the Lyons mouths for they are tender in your Fathers eyes let them be so in yours Your undaunted courage in not fearing the faces of men and your executing of justice upon all offenders without respect of Persons or partiality as it is very acceptable in the sight of God so the sound of it is very sweet in the ears of his People And as the Saints in England have put up many Petitions at the Throne of Grace that God would give you undaunted Spirits and having by experience found God answering their request by your late actings as touching the King and Lords they are now