forth the Words of Truth and Soberness though it is hard to express the mad and foolish Actions of mankind to the very Life and Reality and not to be reputed so ones self All those that fear God and those that have known his Testimonies Psal 119. 79. can also judge of these things And though what I have more lately done in opposing the High and Universal Corruption of this present Time hath met with Strife and Contention Sâ—ubbornness and despising all kinds of Reproach and contrary Usage yet the Reason of all is because People are Contentions and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Rom. 2. 8. They have made void God's Law Psal 119. 126. and his Commandments of none effect Therefore the Law is slacked and Judgment doth never go forth for the Wicked doth compass about the Righteous therefore wrong Judgment proceedeth Hab. 1. 4. For they have indeed acted contrary to what the Law commands and requires Nevertheless all knowing People may yet judge of whatever I have here said or in the two forecited Treatises concerning our Great National Sin and Transgression by this certain and infallible Rule of the Prophet That we might turn from our Iniquities and understand thy Truth Dan. 9. 13. Then it will appear unto them as clear and evident as the most plain and simple proposition now doth If People will not do this but go on still with all deceiveableness of Unrighteousness there is no Remedy but they shall perish Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had Pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. All which Words are observable and very terrible To unfold the Mystery of Iniquity a little and somewhat to lay open the working of Satan with all deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness It will be necessary to observe with what kind of words he tempted our Parent in the first Transgression and hath all along and doth yet continually set himself against God's ways to keep up the mist of Ignorance and Unbellef to hold people in their Perplexity and Confusion of Disobedience and Transgression and he doth use all means to hinder men from coming to Repentance and the Knowledge of the Truth And as God would accomplish that by right Words so he doth endeavour to imitate in like things by tempring Mankind to do after their own Thoughts and after the Imaginations of their own Evil and Corrupt Heart And also his Emissaries go about subverting People with false corrupt and deceitful Words which are and may be published with Licence and Authority But the Inhabitants of his Earth are ashamed or afraid to receive the Truth of him who is Lord and Governour of the World who filleth all Places and all Things with his presence Poor Creatures Your Hour will quickly be at an end and the Power of Darkness will be suddenly gone off and then ye shall remember and discern which Master it was better to have served God or the World As the Man of Sin doth so mightily beat off People from the Scriptures because his own Ways and Corruption are so much condemned therein So do others at this day for the very same Reason put an opprobrious term upon the Language of the holy Ghost or it is not so gentile and fashionable nor agreeable with the Humor of the Age. They cry it out for impertinent and foolish yea there are an hundred kind of Surmises and like sayings whereby the Word of the Lord is made a Reproach to me and a Derision daily Jer 20. 8. They reject and will have none of it But what saith the answer of God unto them Hear O Earth Behold I will bring Evil on this People even the Fruit of their own Thoughts because they have not hearkened to my Words nor to my Law but rejected it Jer 6. 19. All their other Religion is vain their Worship and Devotion is to no purpose for it doth not please God Your burnt-Offerings are not acceptable nor your Sacrifices sweet unto me Vers 20. He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be abomination Prov. 28. 9. Even at this day and in this Nation The Wise Men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 9. It would be Nonsence and a Lye to say if one heard a Lawyer cite several express Acts of Parliament according to the very Sence and the plain and common Understanding of the same Words yet such an one did not argue to the Purpose for all is forreign and impertinent besides what is thence alledged And so our Great Lawmakers and Counsellors are very fond of theâ—â— own Constitutions to do all things exactly according to the form and direction thereof But they did not attend how in the late Revolution they did at once strike at all the Statute and common Laws of this Kingdom which are said to be vested in Scrinio Regis and also they did unhinge those very Laws which do give and adjust to themselves their own respective Honours and Estates and establish Property And therefore they should do well to lift the right Door again upon the Hinges This is Truth though is may seem a kind of Human Reasoning but yet doth shew how Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off and Equity cannot enter If our Proud Men think themselves too good to be Subjects and Jer. 13. 1â— Servants unto God yet whether they will or not they are his Creatures He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords There is no removing the Government off from his Shoulders nor getting themselves from under it as may and hath been done to the Son of Man And whosoever are so stout as not to mind Scripture God's revealed Law are at this time Transgressors against the same and shall be at the last day condemned by it This would be alike sensible if we had the same knowledge of him that is invisible and consideration of Futurity as we have now regard to our Kings and Governours after the Flesh and take care for the present time for as before intimated the Law of our God is written in a Book and may in like manner be understood as the Laws Customs and Manners of this or that Country we live in There are many Words in the World and none of them is without Signification for they have respect unto Things and what expresses things as they are the very Nature and Connexion of them together That is Truth Now because many of them are hidden afar off unseen and not heard it is the office of Reason to search them out and to bring them near by Probability and Witnesses So there may be many Words and a long course of Reasoning to bring
one another And though in these days of Wickedness and Ignorance there is such trusting in the Arm of Flesh and Children do rise up against their Parents to cause them to be put to Death and sanctifie it with a Fast and then again after the Turkish manner conclude of the Righteousness of their Cause by the Success and event thereof Or think to escape because they fulfill the Scriptures whereas Judas did the same But the same Word saith It would have been good for him if he had never been born We are not to be surprized or doubtful as to this for it was the Question of old time Wherefore doth the way of the wickâ—d Prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit Jer. 12. 1. 2. And they keep for a while what they obtain by lying Flatteries Dan. 11. 21. Dissimulation Carnal Policy and Wisdom But if these were detected the other would not stand and endure As may be gathered let him that readeth understand from what is spoken of in the Prophet Daniel It cast down the Truth to the Ground and it practised and prospered Dan. 8. 12. And then indeed Transgression may prevail and spread abroad But if Truth were not fallen in the Street and Equity could enter if Truth might once maintain its Ground and Righteousness take place if as soon as the Lord gave the Word great would be the company of those that published it Psal 68. 11. The next immediate consequence is Kings of Armies did flee apace Vers 12. And in a little process of Time it would be fulfilled all the World over for lo the Kings were assembled they passed by together they saw it and so they marvelled They were troubled and hasted away Fear took hold upon them there and Pain as of a Woman in Travail Psal 48. 4. 5. 6. And though now the Kings set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed yet his single Word and Truth if it had a free course and universal spreading would scatter them all As of old Time when the Lord looked into the Host of the Egytians through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud he troubled the Host of the Egyptians so it is now at this very day When he sends forth a Manifestation of his Word and displayes a Banner of Truth which is always done by some outward Instrument it doth cause Disturbance in the Minds of Men and is thought to break their Peace because it doth somewhat interrupt their security and ignorance in Sin It doth fill their Souls with fear and doubt and there is a worse restlesness within then Swords and Staves do cause among the multitude And this is but a flight and transient forerunner of that Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish which shall be upon those who are Contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indeed such may be mad or foolish and inconsiderate but they can never be truly couragious unless they are stupefied and made blind by Drunkenness Pride Unbelief gross Ignorance And when this last a little wears off they are furnished with strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye They receive in false and mistake Notions or they are feared by the close hidden acts of Hypocrisie For they cannot endure to consider of throughly what is commanded That no man of whatever rank or degree go beyond and defraud his Brother muchless a Father in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we have also fore warned you and testified 1 Thes 4. 6. now this third time And they being upon the brink to appear before that God and as we are here told subject to Evils from the World to come It is a marvellous Policy and destructive Mischief so to beguile that they fall in before they took any care to prevent or were throughly put in mind and truly informed hereof It must be barbarous and a fiding with the Deceiver of mankind to contrive on set purpose to keep People ignorant and as they think for the better accomplishment of a present Design to suffer so many to fall into the future misery and to let them perish and be destroyed for want of the right knowledge of things A report and glimps of Eternity will more startle than the flashing and noise of Guns and the doubtful uncertainty of what kind of endless Life they are just entring upon will cause great Thought and searching of Heart which is more sensible than Wounds and Blows to the outward Man For it is at their Peril without foolish Jesting or meer outward Laughter or a proud contemptuous Smile if the Kings of the Earth and the Great Men and the Rich Men and the Chief Captains and the Mighty Men should not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ for such will hide and fear as much as they brave it out and seem resolute now But if they would indeed be preserved from the Wrath of the Lamb they must yield Obedience unto what He hath commanded in the Gospel Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. Render therefore to all their Dues Rom. 13. 7. All fair and honest means ought to be used first to prevent those mischievous effects of Bloodshed Poverty Sickness continual Fears which may terminate in temporal Desolation and eternal Destruction And even now these Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores are broke out they may yet be closed and bound up and mollified with Oyntment instead of the long severe and destructive Remedies And if men will not do according to the Will of God and of Christ take heed lest that also come upon you which is spoken of in the following Verse Your Country is desolate your Cities are burnt with Fire your Land strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate as overthrown by Strangers Isa 1. 7. When a Fire or Plague is begun People do endeavour to extinguish and stop it as soon as they can The drawn Sword may be put up in its Sheath and the grievousness of War might cease and as aforesaid Things should be done by way of just Treaty and prudent Accomodation I am for Peace but when I speak they are for War Nay They will do purposely and more violently against what is here said because These things are laid together by a small and despicable Person whose Spirit God hath stirred and raised him up as an Instrument to convey forth his Truth unto Men for I speak nothing of my self but from his Word only And therefore their Murmuring and Despising and Rebellion are against the Lord. This ought to be done by some one yea and by
they shall justly suffer as Evil-doers Then they will wish they had done otherwise when it is too late for such Repentance is the same with that of Judas or Esau and the damned in Hell who when they come to be fully sensible of what they have lost and are to suffer then only they would have done otherwise when before they were proved the same thing but did it not It would be looked upon as vain Arrogancy and Proud Boasting if I should repeat at length and apply what is written and afferted thrice Psal 119. 98 99 100. Yet it is thankfulness to God the given to speak out and acknowledge the same and also it is a benefit and instruction Eccles 9. 15. 16. to others to assign the very reason how such an one came to that Wisdom and Understanding And likewise great heed is to be taken all along that this is confined within the bounds of God's Law I am doubtful whether I shall not Transgress my Commission to insert one Human saying Inter detiria senum et prejudicia juvenum cadit Respublica but sometimes we are allowed to speak the words of Man's Wisdom 1 Kings 12. 8. and common observation And notwithstanding the contempt prejudice and disdain which may arise against me because of my Youth 1 Sam. 17. 28 29. 1. Tim. 4. 12. and seeming forwardness I will add this yet further and do here take Liberty to make a publick and solemn Protestation that according to the Grace Knowledge God shall be pleased to continue and further endue me withal I will as soon stand in the gap to prevent the coming in and overflowing of Popery with my Life Liberty and younger Brothers Portion as now I expose them all against falshood and unrighteousness If at any time either now or hereafter I should recede and draw back from this deliberate Resolution of mine here made then let me be made an object of the utmost fury of the Multitude I would undergo all Ravilliacs Torments and quietly submit to the most cruel and lingring death that ever yet man endured since the World began This is here published and recordâ—â— to stand against and be executed upon me and that it may be done with me according to mine own words I am as it were necessitated to use this confidence of Boasting for it hath been surmised against me as if I plead for Baal and his false Worshippers that I have displayed a banner for Antichrist in this Kingdom and that I am a Minister of Satan transformed into a Minister of Righteousness which last is more supposed of me because I do discover Iniquity to turn away our Captivity Lam. 2. 14. and that other threatning manifested under the Gospel And also in order to turn away Iniquity from Jacob it is necessary to lay open the full aggravation and sinfulness of Sin and also to cite the Scriptures but for doing these things I am thought to be like him that accuses our Brethren before God day and night Rom. 11. 2. 3. But then this charge must also fall upon Elias and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and all faithful Teachers down ever since and at this day for they according to their Duty and Office did the very same We cannot inform God of any thing nor make the Sins of Men known unto him nor recorded before him for he knows much more himself The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and Graven with a point of a Diamond though no mortal Man did in the least Speak or Write thereof But our God commands that they be shewed and told thereof in order to which it is necessary to do both We have no way to convince of Sin and turn unto Righteousness but by the Scriptures And when the Devil quotes them as we read that once he did he leaves out the material Words To keep thee in all thy Wayes which is in Psal 91. 11. but quite omitted Mat. 4. 6. and in Luke 4. 10. to keep thee is added but the last Words are again omitted So that the Allegation is the more subtle and fallacious But our Lord did confront Scripture to Scripture and let this be shewed and done by my Adversaries and not think it sufficient barely to object the same against me Let the Learned but Vnstable of our days shew where the Scriptures have been any where wrested for there have been cited those places which are easie to be understood according to the plain and common signification But when there is a Comment added to hinder from coming into the way of Righteousness then this Imputation will truly fall back upon themselves as God will judge and determine at last the now they justifie themselves before Men and have the fashion and multitude on their side If Satan doth once cite Scripture not in generals or by halfs but particularly and fully to turn People from Iniquity unto Righteousness then He doth rise up against himself and is divided He cannot stand and hath an end And if my self have done that under all as I can think of the principal heads of â—ood and Evil as may be seen in the Book of Happiness c. to which I have prefixed my Name then it may be judged whether I am a true Minister of Righteousness tho' by the Impositions and Restraints of Men I am as yet debarred from the publick and outward Administration of that Office by reason of contradictory Oaths and to me doubtful Subscriptions And if my self have wrote against Popery more than my Equals as may be seen in the above-cited Book page 75 120 121 160 190 212 243 253 411 460 461 462 487 586 618 691 700. And yet am a Papist then also Popery is divided against it self and that hath an end and cannot stand I shall never be able to do any thing to advance the Cause but subject my self to present shame eternal confusion If I do once speak or act contradictory to mine own printed words in the least considerable instance then I am a Lyar Deceiver false Prophet Traytour heady and high-minded and then I may be justly and safely proceeded against as such That Book was indeed compiled in the late King's Reign but came out of the Press after his departure And there is one single page therein viz. the hundred sixty second which if he had been put in mind of and throughly observed the Truth contained therein would have preserved him in his Throne to this day and the enemies of our reformed Church had got no advantage over us And also that Sin Disturbance Confusion the bloody doubful events of War might have been prevented which we have been since involved in If I have spoken the Truth it ought to be believed and received if I am all along consonant and agreeable to my self which others may examine as strictly as they will then it is Truth And if my only drift and design is to teach transgressors thy