Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	benefit_n	bless_v	lord_n	4,603	5	5.2098	4	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

joy upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladnes and sorrows and sighing shall flie away Doest thou believe the Lord will heal all our backslidings all our distractions and compose all our differences and give all his people one heart and one way Jer. 32.39 Read understandingly that 11. Isa 6.7 8 9 The Woolfe also shaell dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the fatling together and the Cow and the Beare shall feed their young and lie down together And the Lion shall eate straw like the Oxe and the sucking childe shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned childe shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all mine holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Light is sown for the righteous and gladnes for the upright in heart Isa 79 11.12 Therefore rejoyce in the Lord yee righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holines These and many scriptures more which for brevity I omit doe shew thee ô most noble overcomming Saint that glorious times are comming wherefore gird up the loins of thy minde be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 And when he is revealed amongst many mercies which thou shalt receive I will onely mention two First he shall appear without sin and thou shalt appear so in him Hebr. 9 the last Secondly Thou shalt be like him for thou shalt see him as he is 1 John 3.2 c. Then when thy soule apprehends this it will even break forth into praises and songs of deliverance as once David God let in a light whereby he saw his sins pardoned Psal 103. 1 2 3 4. Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases Who redeemeth thy life from death who crowneth thee with loving kindnes and tender mercies If thou ask why I doe ci●e so many scriptures and not explain them I answer Remember to whom I speak that is to the chosen generation to the Saints enlightened and they have the sum of them opened to them already or at reast they have the spirit of God in them which is the truest Key to unfold or unlock the mysterie of them unto them Object 2. But I suppose that many of these forementioned promises were made unto particular Saints as to the Jews or the like And so have been fulfilled to them And if so Then what matter of comfort can they administer unto me Answer Suppose it were so That they bee fulfilled already which I know most doe say yet in some measure through Gods goodnes I doe know the contrary they are wholly or for the greatest part yet to be fulfilled as I could prove by scripture but I forbear because I would not be tedious But suppose they were made to some particular Saints and fulfilled to them yet they are in whole or in part appliable to thee as to instance in one scripture for all Josh 1.5 The Lord promised Joshua that he would never leave him nor forsake him And the Apostle in Heb. 13.5 presseth the Saints to make use of and to lay hold on that promise as made to them though it was made to Joshua many hundred yeares before Object 3. If they be yet to bee fulfilled it is a great question whether I shall live to see any of them fulfilled and then what comfort doe they hold forth to mee Answ If thou doest not live to see them fulfilled with thy bodily eyes yet with the eye of Faith which is the evidence of things not seen with naturall eyes Heb. 11.1 Thou mayest see them fulfilled to thee as the Saints Hebr. 11.13 They all dyed in the Faith not having received the promises but having seen them a farre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them that is They lived in the enjoyment of them in the Spirit Again 1 Thess 4.16.17 There are promises made one That the dead in Christ shall rise first and another That we shall ever be with the Lord. And in the 18. vers He commands the Saints that they should comfort one another with these words Then in one word this is the summe to be learned from hence that we should not onely rejoyce in the present enjoyments but live in a full expectation of and comfort in what wee shall shortly enjoy and comfort one another with these words Is not that time drawing neare which is prophesied of Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in Heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Sonne Christ and hee shall reigne for evermore Wherefore most noble over-comming Saints Servants of the most high and mighty God looke for great alterations and mighty changes See what desolations God will make in the earth when he hath accomplished his worke upon mount Sion then hee will Judge the Mountaine of Esau that is when God hath fully brought up his people to enjoy nothing but himselfe then he will declare himselfe to be a God taking vengeance on his and our enemies Wherefore rejoyce O you Saints for the time of your singing is come The day of our redemption is appearing Howle oh Babylon Mourne oh thou proud opposer of Christ thy pride is falling thy end is comming Who will mourne for thee Then shall all thy lovers stand a farre off for feare of thy torments they stand farre off they will not come neare to comfort thee Bee silent then oh all flesh for the Lord is risen out of his holy habitation Then wilt thou break forth as in Isa 25.9 And it shall be said in that day This is our God wee have waited for him This is our Lord wee have waited for him we will bee glad and rejoyce in his salvation Then by this glorious appearing hee will destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all nations and hee will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Isa 25.7 8. Oh Saints lift up your heads your redemption draws nigh and now will our God make good to us that which is written Zephe 3.9 I will turne to the people of pure Language and they shall serve me with one consent This pure Language is the Language of the Spirit Is appointed by God to put an end to these divisions not till then shall the envy of Ephraim depart and the enemies of Judah be cut off Ephraim not

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

proclaimes that all thy sinnes past shall bee done away Thy continuance in sinne will be thy undoing if any thing Eleventhly Againe Consider The Lord doth in his Word use very powerfull arguments to draw the heart to bee reconciled to him Hee doth not onely offer mercy and set it before the soule but he doth labour with strong reasons and arguments and motives to draw the soule to himselfe and doth use these arguments that will take the heart most Sometimes hee doth draw arguments from his equity Ezekiel 18. ●5 Are not my wayes equall saith the Lord. Sometimes from our nec●ssity Joh. 3.36 Hee that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Sometimes from the benefit and profit we shall have if we do come in Prov. 1.23 Turn yee at my reproof and behold I will powre out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Oh blessed promise one would think this should break the heart of Devils as if the Lord had said well though thou hast been a great sinner and though thou hast rebelled against me ever since thou wast born yet if thou wilt but turn at my reproof or say to thy God Turn us and we shal be turned for I must doe it I will powre out my Spirit upon thee I will give grace and ●●ory a House a City a Kingdome Light Life and all things The Lord doth seem to out-bid all other comforts that we have in sin therefore he doth tell us of honey milk raiment such things as do most take with our hearts that so he might gain us to come in and be at one with him Now I shall appeal to your consciences that have felt this in some measure Doth not the Devill come with strong arguments The World with the like And wicked men with strong perswasions The corruptions within you with strong motives And yet doth not the Lord out-bid them all and so win the Soule to himself Twelfth Consider further The Lord comes and answers all objections that lye in the hearts of sinners Ob. 1. Saith one I am unworthy I have nothing in me that good is Ans The Lord saith Isa 55. Come and buy milk and wine without money and without price three times it is spoken in one or two verses So that God doth set forth his kingdome by milke wine and bread things usefull for the body sometimes by a marriage sometimes by a supper wherein are all kindes of dainties sometime he doth invite them to the supper and to the marriage of his Sonne and sometimes doth compell them to come in Then the Devil working with our corrupt nature doth what he can to make the Soule slight the Gospel and to look upon the blood of the Covenant as a mean thing When the soul doth begin indeed to apprehend the greatnes and sweetnes of the Gospel of glad tidings then steps in Sathan What such a one as thou have such mercy Fellow sinners mark the policy of the subtle Devil he doth at first labor to set at naught the Gospel accounting it as a mean thing But when the Lord doth shine through that mist and shew the soul the excellency of his son and the glory of the Gospel Then comes the devil the other way saying with thee these be great things indeed But thou art vile and base both in thy principles practice and canst thou think that God ever intended these things to thee What to such a one as thou art Then the Lord answereth for thee Come without money and without price as if he had said though thou hast no ability to doe any thing yet come I will make thee rich enough thou hast no money that is no self righteousnes let not that hinder Revel 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that bears come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Ob. It may be saith the Soule though the Lord doth require nothing before hand yet when I am come he will require hard things of me I must live so strictly and abandon all my pleasures what shall I leave all those pleasant wayes and have nothing but according to the word and according to conscience Then farewell all the comfort and joy of all our life if we come to this once Ans I appeale to you whether your hearts have not been kept of by such things as these But now ó fellow sinners mark how Christ doth take off these objections Matth. 11. Come unto me and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and mark what follows my yoke is easie and my burthen light As if Christ should say I will lay no yoak upon you but what is easie nor any burthen but what is light And this I affirme though this may seem to be hard to you at first you will finde the wayes of God more easie than ever you found the wayes of sin Do but ask them that have any experience of the love of God to them and they will tell thee that they have found more sweetnesse in one day in following of God than they found in the wayes of sin many years Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peaceable paths Now if you will believe the spirit of God you see there is more peace more joy more sweetnesse more comfort than ever you had before 13. Again consider The Lord doth not onely use strong arguments and answer all objections But he is importunate too as first He doth cry out after sinners Prov. 1. Wisdome cryeth in the streets and so Prov. 9. and Isa 55. He doth make Proclamation Ho every one that thirsteth come He doth importune and bid come over and over again and again Come come come three times together So that God doth seek more earnestly to sinners than they doe to him It may be thou wilt seek to God once for a mercy thou wantest and give over But behold God cals to thee again and again come come come 14. If all this will not prevaile with sinners to come in yet the Lord leaves them not but appeals to the very Consciences of sinners deals with them that way If you were in great distresse concerning your estate or life and you go to a man that hath both wisdom and power to help you and open the case to him but cannot prevaile then you bring strong arguments and they do not move then you take away all objections but yet prevaile not then you importune him and urge your arguments againe and again and all this doth not prevaile then you appeale to his own conscience whether you have not spoken right to him saying I will even leave this to your own conscience to judge of it and this many times doth prevaile when no●hing else will even thus of all the world doth God deal with sinners and appeals to their own consciences Isa 43.26 Put me in

that will not serve the Lords turn if a sinner will but go towards the Lord mercy will not go a foot-pace but runs to meet him yea mercy draws him and puts him upon comming at first-step The sonnes pace is he arose and came he came walking towards his father this is the fathers pace he ran the sonne most needed to have run his belly was pinched with hunger yet hee onely walkes but his father runs bowels full of mercy out-pace bowels pinched with hunger 5. I see him falling upon his necke that is he hugg'd and embraced him How fall on his necke Who would not have beene loath to have touched him yea to come neare him Is he not in his loathsome stinking rags Smels he not of the Swine hee kept Could a man come neare him without stopping his Nose Would not a man bee ready to cast up his Stomach upon such an embracement Mercy is not nice and dainty will God thus embrace a Prodigall in his loathsome rags Oh sinner be encouraged to draw neare to God for the worst of all wickednesse and basenesse in the world cannot make him rejct thee Ezekiel 16.4 5 6. 6. But yet behold a greater wonder than all the rest I see him kissing his Sorne who could have brooked to have imbraced a person in so futhy a pickle Much lesse would any one kisse such a one what kisse those lips that had beene so lately lapping in the Hogs-Trough Those lips that had so often kiss'd those base and beggerly Harlots Kisse him A man would rather have thought he would have kick'd him and yet his Father kisseth him There is a passage somewhat like this Gen. 33.4 And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his Neck and kissed him A strang and wonderfull thing that hee that had threatned to kill him and came now upon that errand to kill him and all his That his heart should bee so strangely altered by God that killing should bee turned into kissing It was very strange that Esau should kisse Jacoh but it is more strange here that this Father should kisse this Prodigall Read and consider well these Scriptures Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the World Luke 2.10.11 Behold I bring you good tydings of great joy that shall bee to all people That is That unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son to this end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but have life everlasting John 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe Heb. 13.12 Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate 1 John 2.1 2. If any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also the sinnes of the whole world Rev. 5.8 Thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred tongue and people Psalm 145.19 Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Zach. 13.1 The Lord hath opened a Fountaine for sinne and for uncleannesse He every one that thirsteth come then Isaiah 55.1 Blessed are they that bunger and thirst for they shall be filled Math. 5.6 If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke John 7. ver 37 38. And hee that commeth to me I will in no wise cast off oh marke I will in no wise cast him off John 6.37 that is there is no corruption in thee nor all thy enemies without thee that shall so farre prevaile with mee as that I shall forsake thee Oh then come unto mee come unto mee all you that are heavy laden and I will undoubtedly give you rest 1. Consider Hee that hath made these promises is able to make them good 2. Hee is not onely able to doe it but hee is willing to doe it hee delights in it 3. Hee is not only able and willing but he is faithfull too in keeping promise In so much that not one title shall faile of all that he hath promised He never saith Seeke yee me in vaine 1. Take notice the Lord keepes open house Rev. 22.17 Let him that will come and take of the water of life freely 2. Because of our backwardnesse to come he invites Isa 55.1 He every one that thirsteth come 3. Hee answereth objections and taketh away all excuses in these words come without money and without price though thou hast not righteousnesse to commend thee to mee yet come without money and without price 4. He assures thee thou shalt be welcome John 6.37 Him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast off 5. Hee tels thee that if thou come thou shalt not loose thy labour He will give thee rest Mat. 11.28 Hee will give thee rest from thine owne righteousnesse that thou shalt see thy acceptance in the righteousnesse of another and so cease from thine owne Hee will give thee rest that is hee will still those troubles that arise in thine heart and take off those veiles from thine eyes and the bondage that lay upon thy heart and shew thee that he hath set the free from hell death law sinne past present and to come and so gives thee faith which is the evidence of things not seene which will evidence this to thy soule Thy soule no sooner apprehends this but presently it wil be ready to break forth in these words of Mary Luke 1.46 47 48. My Soule doth magnifie the Lord my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaid c. And now to draw to a conclusion for as I said in the beginning I have but a Word to the World 1 He gives free liberty to come 2. Hee invites thee 3. He will bid thee welcome 4. He will case thee of all thy troubles Object But thou wilt say Heare are indeed sweet rules and blessed promises amongst these things that you have layd downe But I have no abillity to walke in the one nor heart to embrace or beleeve the other and I finde it written Jer. 10.23 The way of man is not in himselfe It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Answ But consider hee requires nothing of thee but what he hath promised hee will inable thee to doe For instance Isa 1.16 He requires thee and saith wash thee and make thee cleane put away the evill of thy doings cease to doe evill Learne to doe well Here is his precept and thy duty Now turne from this precept to that promise Jer. 3● 8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee Now

when thou goest about that duty required and findest thy selfe unable then looke to that same promise And in the apprehension thereof thy soule shall looke up and goe about the worke in the strength not of thy selfe but of the mighty God of grace who hath spoken and will doe it for thee So for Repentance He commands thee to repent Acts 17. ●0 Thou goest about it but findest the worke of Repentance true and unfayned too hard for thee to performe Then turne from this precept to that promise Acts 5.31 And when thou there seest that hee that hath commanded thee to repent even the God of power and truth and that cannot lye hath engaged himselfe to enable thee to the performance thereof wilt thou not bee encouraged Againe He commands thee not to let sin reigne in thee Rom. 6.12 And is not the promise nigh thee ver 14. that it shall not reigne in thee Object Thou wilt say These promises indeed are made to the Elect and to Saints Answ Let that bee granted Yet art thou excluded Canst thou say thou art not elected How wilt thou prove it wilt thou dive into the secret Counsell of God It is too deepe for thee to fathome Doest thou complain that thy wicked life doth evidence it Well Consider then hast thou denyed Christ So did Peter hast thou persecuted Christ did not Paul so And yet for all this were not they elected In a word There is not a man or woman under the whole Heavens can justly or truly say he or shee is not elected of this many reasons and testimonies might be given but I would not be tedious Hee commands thee to love him with all thy heart with all thy strength and with all thy soul Deu. 10.12 and Deut. 30.6 The Lord comes in with his promise saying I wil circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest live He commands Col. 3 5. To mortifie thy earthly members which are upon the earth c. And Micah 7 19. he undertakes the worke Hee will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea 2 Cor. 15.2 The Lord saith by Paul Thou must keepe in memory what is preached unto thee But thou wilt say as most doe thou canst not remember then have recourse to that promise John 14 26. There the Lord undertakes and promiseth to thee saying Hee will teach thee all things and bring all things to thy remembrance whatsoever he hath said unto thee So David Psal 25 5. intreates the Lord to teach him and instruct him in his way And in Psal 25.12 The Lord undertakes the worke and Psal 32.8 The Lord saith to him I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt goe I will guide thee with mine eye And so for all things whatsoever the Lord thy God requireth of thee in any Scripture In the same or another Scripture hee comes in with his sweet and blessed promises of assistance to enable thee unto it He knows right well as saith Jeremiah chap. 10.23 Ehe way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps In a word consider There bee many of the greatest promises amidst the greatest precepts So Deut. 10.20 Hee commands thee to feare him and Jer. 32.39 Hee comes with a sweet promise saying I will give thee an heart to feare mee and in another Scripture I will put my feare into your hearts Truly friend the consideration of this will sweeten all the commands of the Lord unto thee and it will cause thee to set about what is required in the strength not of thy selfe but of the Lord then goe on and bee strong in him and in the power of his might Now to draw to a conclusion consider these particulars First That if after all these sweete encouragements invitations entreatings perswasions beseechings thou continue still in unbeliefe and will not come to him that thou mayest have life although hee doth protest that him that doth come to him hee will in no wise cast out John 6.37 It is the greatest of thy sinnes and it may be thou shalt heare the Lords voyce changed and telling thee the axe is laid to the root of the tree and hee that brings not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire Or suppose thou shouldest heare him saying to thee as once he was to Jerusalem Mat. 23.37 Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but yee would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate Prov. 1.24 25. Because I have called and yee refused I have stretched out my ha●d and no man regarded verse 26. I also will laugh at your calamity and mocke when your feare commeth Reade and well consider that in Heb. 12.16 17. Esau having slighted and undervalued his birth-right would afterwards have repented but could not though hee sought it with teares Therefore to day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Secondly Consider The day is at hand in which all the Nations of the world all the Tribes Kindreds and Tongues under the heavens that now are ever were or shall be I say all both small and great shall be gathered together before the judgement Seat of Christ Math. 25.32.33 34. c. Yea the Sea shall give up her dead and the Grave shall give up her dead Death and Hell shall give up their dead Rev. 20.12 13 14. In another place wee reade that we shall all appeare before the judgement Seat of Christ and all that ever thou hast done good or evill shall be laid open before all the world all thy sins secret and open shall be brought to light and thou shalt bee judged according to thy workes Math. 25.32 33 34 35. Rev. 20.12 13. Then when the secrets of all hearts are laid open if thou art found a beleever in the Lord Jesus Christ and that thou hast made him thy confidence then thou shalt in that terrible day stand up with boldnesse 1 John 4.17 And thy Judge which is thy Saviour shall say to thee as in Matth. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my Father inherit yee the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world then shall all teares bee wiped from thine eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flye away there shall bee ease without payne beauty without blemish credit without disgrace in a word thy priviledges and enjoyments shall be so great as the heart of man cannot conceive much lesse his tongue report for thou shalt be like him 1 John 3.2 But if thy name be not writen in the Lambs book if thou continuest still in unbelief and endest thy days with an evill life Oh what a terrible day will this be unto thee 2 Pet. 3.12 The heavens shall be on fire and dissolve the earth also

thou be filled with all the fulnesse of God verse 19. My thinks I see many of the Saints even breaking forth in the language of Mary Luke 46 47.48 My soule doth magnifie the Lord my Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour and then gives occasion of this Joy for he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maid The tongue of the dumbe doth begin to sing the eyes of the blind to be opened and the eares of the deafe to heare Reade the 35. of Isaiah that whole chapter briefly and plainly layes downe by way of prophesie that he our tender father is bringing downe the mighty from their seat and exalting them of low legree yea he rebuketh Kings for your sakes your God is no respecter of persons If Kings and Princes rebell against him and his chosen ones hee will bring downe their heads as low as the block and if these great ones endeavour to seperate God and his people God will seperate their heads from their bodies you see these dayes of ours doe witnesse to this in a word He is pulling downe the Kingdomes of men and setting up the Kingdome of his deare Sonne And how doth the brutish Malignant rage and the poor blind Presbyterian murmure at the going on of Gods worke let mee say to both as Prov. 1.22 How long you simple ones will you love simplicity What doe you not know that God hath an attribute of justice that he will magnifie as well as that of his mercy If he afflict his own dear children whom he so loves will he not execute vengeance on his adversaries Be silent then all flesh before him for the Lord will bring to passe his work yea his strange work True Justice hath no respect of persons wherefore turn your murmuring and repining into rejoycing and thanksgiving for the just judgements of God upon the enemies of his truth O you most noble overcomming Saints servants of the most high God you shall judge Angels as well as earthly Kings Your Father loves you and therefore he will honour you nay he doth honour thee already Th●s● that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. First 1. He cals thee his servant and that is a great honour to be a servant to so heavenly a Prince but as if that were too little 2. He cals you his chosen ones his friends Joh 15.15 3. He cals you his brethren and sisters Heb. 2.11 4. He cals you his sonnes and daughters a more near relation yet as if that were a stile too low to expresse his tender love unto you 5. He cals you his chosen Spouse and Wife Rev. 21.9 6. He cals you members of his own body 1 Cor. 12.12 7. Hee tels you yee are coheires with himself Rom. 8.17 8. He tels you that the glory that the Father gave to him he hath given to you that you may be one as the Father and he are one 9. He tels you that you are not onely one in the body but one in the spirit also 1 Cor. 6.17 10. And lastly He tels you that this is but a short taste of what you shall be 1 Joh. 3.1.2 How will the consideration of these near relations cause you to break forth with the holy Ghost 1 Joh. 4.17 As he is so are we in this present world Or as in Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one again Hence it is that the Lord saith He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of mine eye In a word the Lord takes all the wrongs done to any of his as done to himself Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee I was an hungred and yee gave me no meat I was thirsty and you gave me no drink I was a stranger and you took me not in naked and yee cloathed me not Sick and in Prison and you visited me not In asmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these you did it not to mee Again consider As thy most wise God turns all things to his own glory so likewise he turns them to thy good To instance in a few things as first The very fall of Adam wherein the Devill thought to have wrought thy ruine God in his wisdome hath turned it to thy greatest good And in the same thing wherein the Devill thought to cast thee thy God appointed to recover thee Adam fell through unbelief thou rifest again by Faith and the state in which thou standest in the second Adam is a more firme and glorious state than that of the first Adam So that thou hast gotten many priviledges by his fall For instance 1. Adam though made without sin yet might sin Now it is impossible for thee as thou art made a new creature by Christ to sin 1 Ioh. 3.6 9 2. The first Adam was made inferiour to Angels but the second Adam hath made thee equall with if not above the Angels Luk. 22.36 Matth. 22 30. 3. The first Adam had power over visible creatures of the earth but thou being restored by the second Adam hast power over principalities and spirituall wickednesses in high places Ephes 6.12 2 Cor. 10.4 4. Adam was made righteous and that was a glorious state but the second Adam hath made thee the righteousnes of God in him 2 Corin. 5. vers 21. 5. The first Adam in his best estate was subject to fall by the temptation of evil Angels But nothing can make a separation between thee and thy God Rom. 8.35 6. Adam had but a temporall paradise at the best but the sonnes of Sion by virtue of their second Adam have a spirituall Paradise Heb. 12.22 23. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledgeoff God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Well doth John say Ioh. 3.36 Hee that believeth on the soune hath everlasting life mark he doth not say he shall have everlasting life but he hath it already And particularly he hath it thus 1. He hath everlasting life in the promise Feare not little flock it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome 2. He hath it in the first fruits for what is heaven but a more full enjoyment hereafter of what is begun here 3. He hath it even now in possession by Christ his head for Christ his head is entred in already Oh then you servants of God! If you be entred into heaven if you have received a kingdome that cannot be moved Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear So having spoken a word in generall to all the sons of Zion give me leave to speak a word in particular to each of them under their severall forms and herein I shall somwhat differ from the practice of most men I shall first take notice of those things that are commendable in the Saints to whom I write to cherish and commend that And Secondly Reprove them sharpely but yet in the Spirit of love and meeknes for the evill among them So

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

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