the Hyssop on the Wall from the greatest to the smallest for his Providence and Government of things is comprehensive of and extensive even unto sparrows and the hairs of our head the more inconsiderable Creatures and every least thing that belongs to us All one as to Angels or Men or to the yet greater Works of the Creation So as that same Word in Scripture doth speak of all things that are done on this Earth So Reciprocally whatever is done or comes to pass or happens here it is all a fulfilling of the same Word There is hardly any thing whatever be it of greater or less moment but some Places in the Book of the Lord do speak thereof either in express Words or near to the same purpose There shall the great Owl make her Nest and lay and hatch and gather under her shadow There shall the Vultures also be gathered every one with her Mate Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord and Read No one of these shall fail no one shall want her Mate for my mouth it hath Commanded and his Spirit it hath gathered them Isa 34. 15 16. As the Apostle saith Doth God take care for Oxen So doth his Word speak of Cormorants and Bitterns and Ravens Wild Beasts and Satyrs Schreech Owls and Great Owls and Vultures and Thorns and Nettles and Brambles Yes verily it doth and of all the things in the Earth and even of the very Times and Seasons of the Year How Grass doth grow upon the Mountains and Herb for the use of Man Observe this last which leads again towards our Subject and Intended matter For as the same Apostle Paul goes on to add Saith He it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is VVritten 1 Cor. 9. 10. So as there is a certain Connexion and Linking on together of all the Creatures and Works of God whither Living or Inanimate So they have each severally and all together a yet greater Connexion Tendency and Relation to us Men and Women It is so Written of them and so Gods speaks of them in his word for our sakes in order to us as they are somewhat concerned and do belong unto the Exercise and Administration of his Kingdom and Dominion over Men He being the God unto whom we and all the other Creatures besides have to do It is but a small matter as to these outward visible present things But the Kingdom of God is within you And the chief and only matter is as each stands in Subordination Subserviency and Tendency to the invisible and future State of things and that is Branched out only one of these two ways Salvation or Condemnation Happiness or Misery The Word of God hath its effect upon all Men and Women of every Countrey Nation and Language from the beginning of their Generations unto the End thereof one of these two ways Go ye into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved and He that believeth not shall be Damned Mark 16. 15 16. He that obeyeth all the whole Word of God shall be saved but He that obeyeth not the Word of God shall be Damned He that observes all things whatsoever Christ hath Commanded Christ will be a Saviour unto him But He that doth not observe all things whatsoever Christ hath Commanded He is without the Covenant and Benefit of a Saviour and He shall Perish For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Who shall be Punished with Everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power It is Reported of Chrysostome who was in his Generation a Preacher unto a very Numerous Auditory in the City of Antioch Where the Disciples were first called Christians And I would to God they had never been called any thing else since that He should say that if He was to Preach before all the Men and Women living upon the Earth and such a thing were possible for them all to be gathered together and his Voice could reach them all as such a thing might be now effected by Printing and an Universal Publication of the several Copies which would be a very good work if it were so done He would choose for his Text these Words O ye Sons of Men How long will ye turn my Glory into shame How long will ye Love Vanity and seek after leasing Selab Psal 4. 2. So if the like was here to be supposed as indeed it might be of good effect if it were so done there could not be a more proper Subject chosen then what hath been here insisted on To shew How that the Word of God will have its effect upon those Multitudes Multitudes in the Valley of Decision Joel 3. 14. So as to decide their future State and Condition one way or another As the Proverb is among the Latins Ye may guess at the Bigness of Hercules by his Foot So we may make some estimate of this Generation of Men and Women now living upon the Earth by such a mixt Multitude Assembled together of Saints and Sinners As there are probably of both sorts so it is abroad in all Parishes of this Nation and also in all the other Habitable Parts of the Earth Some will believe the things that have been spoken and some will believe them not Some will obey these Words and some will obey them not And Perhaps of this latter sort some will be found who will sin yet more Violently and Earnestly and Greedily because such Words of Soberness and Truth have been declared unto them They will make if they can the Preacher a Liar and what lies in them the Word of God of none effect As if it was not able and sufficient to Convert Sinners from the Errour of their ways in that themselves are resolved not to be Converted by it There be those abroad in the World who do not Hear or Read this and if they do not altogether so perversely and obstinately against the Word Preached for they hear little or none at all and it may be out of a secret Consciousness that their own Lives are not Answerable thereunto nor yet will they Regulate their Life and Manners according to it and they imagine that then to Hear or Read the Word of God will but so much the more increase their Sin and Guilt These do not consider how that the Height and Abomination of Iniquity is set forth throughout the Old Testament In refusing to Hear Gods Words The Spirit it self calleth them This Evil People which refuse to hear my Words Jer. 13. 10. Which I would were more attended unto even by the very Worshippers of God that when an opportunity is given or Door is open to hear the Word Preached they count it a matter indifferent they may hear or let it alone But let such
THE Absolute Truth and Utmost Certainty OF THE Word of God AND That all Things which are contained in the Scriptures yea to every Tittle and Iota thereof will be fulfilled Demonstrated in a Discourse on Rom. IX 6. By RICHARD STAFFORD formerly of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford Isa 55. 10 11. For as the Rain cometh down and the Snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the Earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the Thing whereto I sent it London Printed and are to be Sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIX ROM IX 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect ONE of the Greatest Prejudices against the Preaching and Publishing of the Word of God is in that so very few are converted by it and do Obey it Let Men Preach till their Hearts ake as the common Proverbial Speech is and tire out their Lungs spend their strength yea Seek out acceptable Words as Ecclesiastes did and do all that ever they can in the work of the Ministry both by studying in Gods Statutes as Davids Practice was and also by Prayer and Diligent Labour yet still the World will not be Reformed nor brought off from their lees of Corruption and Iniquity They will go on in their old former ways Ungodliness and Wickedness let the Ministers and Servants of God say and do whatever they can Therefore it is that the Word is called the Weakness of God 1 Cor. 1. 25. In that it is deemed to be unable and insufficient to effect the very thing it doth intend at that is to bring People over unto the obedience of the Law of God and to Regulate their lives and manners The Commandment is Holy Just and Good in it self Thy Precepts concerning all things are Right Yet here lies the great stumbling Block and Rock of offence which quite keeps off the ungodly and mixt Multitude from getting over it and the steps of Good and Faithful People do well nigh slip thereat In that Notwithstanding it is so little obeyed and so very little heed is given unto them by the Generality of People They will indeed talk of the Commandments of God and make a shew as if they had performed 1 Sam. 15. 13. And were guided thereby but all along and in the mean while They do walk in a way that is not good after their own thoughts Isa 65. 2. And according to their own Will Humour Inclination and Imaginations It is a common saying that People will have their Will whatever it cost them And it is to be feared as there is real Ground for this Surmise from the Word of God that too many are bent and resolved upon their own Will though they should be damned or condemned for it at the Day of Judgment and it cost them no less than the Loss of their precious Immortal Souls VVe read in the Old Testament of the Lords Controversie with his people and this is the Controversie which he hath with the Inhabitants of the Earth VVhether they shall do according to his VVord and Commandments and be led by the silent and inward Dictates of his Spirit Or they think speak and practice for the heart of every one of them is deep Our Lips are our own VVho is Lord over us Thoughts are free according to their own Supposal and Imagination And so it is of the Words and Actions in the Children of Disobedience They speak and do as they list This is a Controvercy which at the last will be decided to the Creatures Punishment and Misery The Psalmist doth speak further of the people of his Generation They corrupt others and speak of Wicked Blasphemy Their Talking is against the Most High There is indeed that Knowledge and Outward Worship and inward Reverential Esteem Universally received amongst the people of this Nation that hardly any unless some very few Debauch'd and Ignorant Young Men of the Richer sort do talk directly and immediately against God himself For this would be so odious and detestable that even the Common Multitude would not bear it But if they do not speak out because that they profess that they know God but in Works they deny him But they think and Act to the very same purpose God sees and knows the thoughts all one as if they were wrote in Great Letters upon the Foreheads of those who did conceive them And he doth make alike construction of their Actions as if they did speak out the same what those Actions do Import Things are confused and seem perplex through the doings of Sinners and Hypocrites By the former of which I mean those who are open Barefaced and Manifestly Sinners Who will own that they Commit Sin and Transgression and make excuses for it and cry out Lord have mercy upon us or the like By Hypocrites I intend such who observe all the Parts and seasons of the Worship of God and other things pertaining to Religion and yet they live in the Breach and Neglect of some of the Commandments of God But whilst they seem to be Righteous and Religious when they are not And they justify themselves before Men whereas God knoweth the heart And what is highly esteemed amongst Men is an Abomination in his sight Whilst they commend themselves and call themselves Godly and Lean on the Lord Micah 3. 11. As Counterfeit Gold doth sometimes Shine and Glister more then true So they Profess more Honour and Obedience to God then perhaps his very Elect and Real Servants Hence our way is the more intricate to trace and find them out then those who are downright Sinners and Ungodly Whatever are the doings of all the Children of Men the Word of God doth find them out And however the Rebellious and Disobedient would render it ineffectual and useless that is not binding and obligatory to them and that it should be rather falsified then fulfilled when it speaks of Mens obedience unto Righteousness for as for their Part they will not yield it As we see and observe these things in the World we are not thence to doubt in our own Mind But it these and such like things still we may have Recourse to this great Assertion of the Apostle Not as tho the Word of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel which are of Israel That is They are nor all the Servants of God who have the Name and pretend to be so or do herd themselves in their Number I did therefore choose and thought Good to insist upon these Words chiefly if not for the Removal for it will still abide and remain yet for the right understanding of that first Prejudice which in the very beginning lies against the Word of
yet hotter which shall be for their Punishmentâ— when they Tag or Link on an Oath or Speech of Vain Swearing to an Expression when the sentence which they speak would be more perfect and entire without it Or if to their Actions and Doings they Annex Iniquity and Transgression Nevertheless so it hath been so it is and so it will be during the Time of this Generation Altho at length there will be an End of Transgression And the Wicked shall be no more Psal 104. 35. For in what Prayer the Spirit of Truth doth dictate is included a Promise that so it shall be Yet until these latter Days and that Time is come the World will go on in Sinning let what will be spoken or declared against it Herein the VVord of God hath its Effect For hereby it is confirmed I had almost said seen but I am sure it is perceived that there is a Devil VVho deceiveth the Nations and deceiveth the whole World Rev. 12. 9. For these be the Days of Vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled Luke 21. 22. So it is as to the foregoing Sin and Transgression which bring these Judgments on the Earth It must needs go on in its course that the Scriptures might be fulfilled which say in Mat. 7. 13. and Mat. 25. That some yea and the greater part of Mankind shall go away into Everlasting Punishment But as our Lord said concerning offences It must needs be that offences come But Wo unto that Man by whom the offence cometh Mat. 18. 7. So in like manner it may be here applyed that the Scriptures might be fulfilled It must needs be that the greater Part of Mankind shall go away into Everlasting Punishment But Wo unto those Particular Souls who shall have their Lot and Portion in this matter For they can no more cease to be miserable then they can cease to be This is as certain tho' as yet it is not altogether so evident and visible then that there is a World which we behold or an Earth which we tread on For saith the same Word by the which the Heavens and the Earth were Created and the same Truth by the which they are now upheld and the things therein are Connected together Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my VVords shall not pass away Tho' it is imagined and said that seeing is believing It is an improper Expression For faith is the evidence of things not seen And that which a Man seeth He doth not so much believe as know yet for my Part when I think of Heat or Read the 25th Chapter of Matthew How that all Nations shall be Gathered and Christ shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the Goats and he shall set the Sheep on the Right hand and the Goats on the left and shall say to the one Come ye Blessed c. And to the other Go ye Cursed I say All this is as evident and manifest to me as iâ— I did now see that Great and Terrible sight with my outward Bodily Eyes And truly if we did see that vast and doleful herd of Condemned Criminals as they are going to the Place of Everlasting Punishment we should fear For it is a thing Infinitely more to be Pitied then now a little Commiseration doth arise as we behold Sheep or Cattle going to the Shambles and Slaughter House What God hath said by his Son Jesus Christ shall certainly come to pass So that this will as certainly be as if we now saw it with our Eyes For it will as certainly be in the appointed Time as that we now present were once living on the Earth What can be more forcible to make us take the utmost heed that our selves be not among them It would be an hard Case if there was not one in such a Parish or Neighbourhood who should go to Heaven But I trust that several will as I am assured from the Scriptures of Truth That all those will who have a Good Conscience and are willing to live honestly in all things Heb. 13. 18. So it would be Melancholly and Dismal to suppose But yet it is justly and truly to be feared that some in this Neighbourhood I do not know one of them but the Lord knows who the very Persons be that are in such a place now Who shall be found amongst those Goats at the very last Day But either to convince them thereof or to make it known unto them would make their Life hang in doubt and fill them with a fearful Expectation and give them a trembling heart So to point them out by their Names and Distinct Persons it would make all Christians Note that Man or Woman and have no Conversation with them If he or she should prove certainly a cast away or a Condemned Creature at that Day But every one would be afraid or shy of them in the mean while as now they are of a Man that is to be hanged or put to Death I do here somewhat allude to those Words of the Apostle If any Man obey not the Word of this Epistle Note that Man and have no Conversation with him that he be ashamed So if any Man or Woman amongst ye do not obey those things which have been here alledged unto ye from the Word of the Lord If there be any who will despise and go frow ardly in the way of their heart And further if there be any who shall do Presumptuously and Sin with an high hand as of set Purpose to Sin and Transgress more and more because such things have been spoken against that and all manner of Sin and Transgression Truly my Brethren Partakers of the same Flesh and Blood these and such like are sad Signs and Prognosticks that such very Persons will be indeed found among that Number of Goats at the last Day and to them I am now sent with heavy Tidings It would be good for them if they had never been Born And upon them this Word Preached and Published will have its effect like the Sun which doth melt Wax but harden Clay for Evil but not for Good And here People should not so much as keep Company with such so as to Encourage them in their Evil Deeds or so much as barely to Countenance them in their Rebellion Transgression or even in their Contempt of the Lord God But only to warn exhort and testify that they seeing themselves as it were cut off from the Society of Mankind by perceiving the Inconvenience and Misery thereof may understand the ten Thousand Times greater Misery to be cut off and deprived from the General Assembly and Church of the first Born which are Written in Heaven And from God the Judge of all and the Spirits of just Men made Perfect And this would be some means for them to turn out of the wrong way which leads unto Destruction And they may be ashamed of Transgressing without a cause Psal 25.
all the Reproof and Admonition of Christian Friends and Acquaintance And what is yet more and nearer and closer unto them Notwithstanding all the Accusings and Dictates of their own Conscience which is Gods Witness in Man or Woman yet still There are a People in the World who will not hearken unto the Voice of all these Tho' it must be carefully said as to Temporal Judgments that they therefore Refuse and Disobey because the Lord would slay them But as to futurity The Lord is not willing that any should Perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. However He affording them the means thereof after continued and repeated Provocation as to that he gives them up at length to themselves to their own Hearts Lusts and to walk after their own Counsels in which they going on will Perish Everlastingly God hath suffered it so to be That Satan works with all Deceivableness in them that Perish which comes upon them through his continued Temptations and Suggestions I have oftentimes thought that People would never do so of themselves as now they do in Offending Displeasing Despising and Provoking of God but that an unseen Enemy doth stir them up Like as it is recorded But there was none like unto Ahab which did sell himself to work Wickedness in the sight of the Lord whom Jesabel his Wife did stir up 1 Kings 21. 25. In the Margent it is Incited So tho' there is a great deal of Wickedness in the Heart of Man by Reason of original and inbred Corruption for Flesh and Blood will Imagine and Practice Evil Yet this Corrupt Nature would never proceed and tend so far especially in immediate Rebellion against and Provocation or Despising of God for what is shewed forth against his Word is against God himself as it will be found by his Interpretation and Judgment at the last tho' perhaps this may be now besides and out of the Mind and Intention of the Creatures unless this Infernal Jesabel whose Right Name is Belzebub did stir and incite them up Now the Serpent was more subtle then any Beast of the Field which the Lord God had made Gen. 3. 1 He is more cunning then all or any of the Sons or Daughters of Men as they are merely such without the assistance and direction of Gods Word and Spirit He tempts suggests and doth whatever He can that each one in particular may lose Heaven and fall into Hell He walketh about seeking whom He may devour It is his continued Business and Employment So that it is not altogether so much to be wondred at tho' indeed it is a matter of Horrour and Grief Psal 119. 53 158. and Sighing Ezek. 9. 4. That when God hath made such very severe Declarations from Heaven against all manner of Sin and Transgression and against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men. Which also will be Executed upon and sensibly felt by them after that their Breath is out of their Nostrils and their Souls are departed from their Bodies Yet Nevertheless in this Time of Provocation and in this Day of Temptation or Trial in this Wilderness of the Earth still People go on therein and do the same Yea rather more Greedily and Earnestly then they would have done if God had revealed no wrath and future Punishment against the same I knew a Man who after he had been convinced of the Sin of Unrighteousness and after He had heard the Word of God declared against it Yet the next opportunity afterwards He would more eagerly Practice the same And so when the like hath been done to Harlots and Unclean Persons the Sin and Danger of their course hath been laid open and made known unto them by my Ministry of â—…e Word it hath been told unto me that at the very â—…e moment they would for all Practice the lesser Acts of Lasciviousness This sheweth after what manner the Spirit of Disobedience doth work in the Children thereof And when they will of set Purpose Transgress yet more and more in plain and downright opposition to the Word of God and to the Preaching and Ministration thereof When they will run greedily after the Errour of Balaam for Reward Jude 11. Or to the Errour of any of their own ways any Law or Ordinance of God to the contrary Notwithstanding VVhen they will break these Bands asunder and cast away these Cords from them And they will do it the rather because the Lord by his Word and Ministers hath forbidden it This and such like in the very Truth seems to be that Sin of Presumption or that Sinning with an high hand whereof it is written The Soul which doth Presumptuously shall be cut off from my People saith the Lord. Ay But the People of the World do not value nor fear that Threatning for such Persons who do Presumptuously and Sin with an high hand do commonly live out their appointed Time in Health Strength Wealth and Prosperity as other People do Yet Alas In this they are Ignorant or Unmindful that God hath another Place besides this Earth and another time besides this Life wherein He will fulfil and make true his Word For tho' a Sinner doth Evil an Hundred Times and his Days be Prolonged yet it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him Ecles 8. 12. But the sinner being an Hundred Years Old shall be Accursed Isa 65. 20. By which Phrase of Accursed we are given to understand that the Word of God doth speak Evil of him now for so Maledictio the Latin Word for a Curse doth signify and it shall go Evil with him at the last VVhen all the Curses that are written in this Book shall be upon him Deu. 29. 20. And shall be also Excuted and the Lord also shall Blot out his Name from under Heaven so that Himself shall not go there This is to be cut off from Gods People when they shall be Blotted out of the Book of the Living and not written with the Righteous Psal 69. 28. So that tho' when He heard the Words of the former Threatning He blessed himself in his Heart saying I may live as long as other Men and VVomen tho' I walk in the Imagination of my Heart to add sin to my Lawful desires For that is Adding Drunkenness to Thirst â—…asmuch as Thirst is a Lawful and Necessary desire whâ—…as Drunkenness is a Sin So the Course of the World goes on that whereas such and such Thoughts Words and Actions are Lawful and Necessary People go on to graft and add thereto Vain Thoughts False Words and Sinful Actions of their own whereof there is no need For as Thirst may altogether as well or rather be better quenched and satisfied without Annexing Drunkenness to it So People might think speak and Act altogether as well yea better then by conceiving Vanity speaking forth Falsehood or Acting of Evil. It is yet seven timeâ— a greater Sin and will make the Oven or Furnace seven Times