ELECTION AND REPROBATION Scripturally and Experimentally Witnessed unto c. Wherein the Love of God in Christ is Freely and Clearly held forth to all Mankind Given forth in tender Love for a general Good but more particularly for the Comfort of all who in Sincerity seek after the pure God with Desires to walk in his Holy Undefiled Way Also Divers other weighty things needful to be duely considered and rightly understood witnessed unto as aforesaid By one who travails in Spirit for the gathering of the scattered Nations who are like troubled Waters out of their Sins home unto God by Christ Jesus the good Shepherd William Gibson Look unto me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none else a mighty God a Saviour c. Isa 45. 22. God's Will is that all men might be saved Christ gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 4 6. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after the hardness and Impenitency of thy Heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the Day of wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgments of God who will render to every man according to his Deeds Rom. 2. 4 5 6. Printed in the Year 1678. An Epistle to the Reader Reader REmember the Command and Example of Christ Jesus and obey and follow the same who said Learn of me I am Meek and Lowly and ye shall find Rest to your Souls if thou takest his counsel and followst his example then thou wilt read in meekness and lowliness of Mind and if thou so read I question not but what I have writ in this following Testimony will meet with an answer in thy Conscience and some benefit may come to thee thereby and if so it come to pass it will be matter of true rejoycing to me for I do take great pleasure in the Well-being of the Sons and Daughters of men every way both in Soul and Body It is certain that the Holy Glorious Lord God of Heaven Earth doth give Life and a Being upon Earth unto all mankind for one and the same purpose even that all should serve him with their Souls and with their Bodies which are his it is equitable in God to require this service therefore saith the holy Apostle This is your reasonable service at this the Law of God directly pointed given by Moses unto the Family of Abraham after through sin man-kind was fallen from God saying Hear O Israel Thou shalt have no other Gods but me thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind this is the first and greatest Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Christ Jesus in the days of his Flesh did not only ratifie and confirm this and commend the same to his Disciples and to the Multitude but also opened or expounded the latter yea enlarged the same unto his Disciples saying Love your Enemies do good to those who do despightfully use you and persecute you Christ said to the Jews Think ye I came to destroy the Law I tell ye nay I came not to destroy but to fulfill those who did believe in him and receive him he did endue with power to love God with all their Heart Soul and Mind and their Neighbours as themselves yea to love and pray for their Enemies and it s written as many as receiv'd him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God and those Believers in him who received him into their hearts by Faith were not born of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God these were born of the Spirit and led by it and they are the Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God as the Apostle saith Christ Jesus through the Grace Favour and tender Mercy of God the Father tasted death for Every man as saith the holy Apostle and Christ saith I am the Light of the World mark that he is not only the Life and Light of his Disciples whom he hath gathered out of the World who are not of the world as he saith and therefore the world doth hate them but he is also the Light of the World which lieth in wickedness and by his light shining in their dark hearts he lets them see their sins and reproves them thereby and calls of them thereby to Repent Christ saith Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light and will not bring their deeds unto it but every one that doth Truth bringeth his deeds unto the Light that they may be made man fest that they are wrought in God who is LIHGT as saith the holy Apostle John and he saith Christ is the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD mark that he is the common and universal Saviour who died for all lighteth all and is the propitiation or Intercessor provided for all but none can have the benefit of his Death or Life or his Light or of his Mediatorship unto their Eternal Salvation without Faith in him Abraham saw his day and believed in him and was glad and the Fathers under the Law and before the Law believed God and his Promises which are all yea and amen in him the Gentiles who had not the Law in the outward Letter did the things contained in the Law shewing the deeds of the Law written in their hearts as saith the Apostle by vertue of his enlightning enlivening presence they were naturalliz'd or made naturally to do the things contained in the Law and so were made partakers of that nature which is Divine of which nature the true Believers were and are made partakers as the holy Apostle saith here take notice that nature or the nature of man considered as he is in the fall from God man in and by this nature fallen corrupted and degenerated into a plant of a strange Vine unto God in this estate in this nature he cannot do the things contained in the Law of God but contrariwise as the Apostle saith the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him therefore those who without the Law in the outward Letter do the things contained in it these deeds are done by the verture of the heavenly and divine nature or spirit of the Lamb of God who as John Baptist saith cometh to take away the sins of the World Mark the sins of the World So it is certainly true which Christ Jesus saith without me ye can do nothing and this of old was and now is as true in and among the Gentiles as among the Jews there is not Salvation in any other there is no name given under Heaven by which any can be saved but by him whom the Father hath given to be
whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the People for a Light to the Gentiles to open the blind Eyes to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in Darkness out of the Prison-house Isa 42. 1 6 7. He is the blessed Seed in whom the blessing is to whom the Promise is That he shall bruise the Serpents Head who brought in the Curse and Reprobation He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. he is ordained of the Father to put an end to Sin to finish Transgression and bring in everlasting Righteouâ—ness He is the Lamb of God who takâ—th away the Sin of the World he is â—the Author of eternal Saltation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Mark here obedience unto Christ is required in order to Salvation this is a Gospel-truth The Apostle Peter said unto the Jews God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities Acts 3. 26. Mark those who are blessed by Jesus Christ and Elect in him they are turned away from their Iniquities by him and in vain do they profess him and to be his Elect who continue in their sins and plead for their continuance therein for term of Life God said by the Mouth of his holy Prophet Isaiah Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none else Isa 45. 22. read the Chapter through God doth largely therein express by plain words his Universal Love to Man-kind Observe Reader he calls to the Heathen even to all the Ends of the Earth to look to him for Salvation Mark that for which one man is called to look to him for the same all Man-kind is called to look to him every one in the Day of their Visitation viz. for Salvation Christ is the true Light who lighteth every man that cometh into the World according to John 1 9. he is the Light of the World as he said John 8 12. 12. 46 He said Believe in the Light that ye may be Children of the Light So all being onlightned by Chr st in the Light they may look unto God and be saved if they believe in it but if they believe not in the Light but hate it they cannot have Salvation Joh. 3. 19 20. 1 Joh. 1 5. and such Perish whose Destruction is of themselves and the Lord God is clear for the Unbelief and the Disobedience of those who Perish is not of God but of the wicked One. God said by the Mouth of David â—y People would not hearken to my Voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own wayes O that my People had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my wayes Psal 81. 11 12 13. God spake by the Mouth of Hosea unto Israel saying O Israel thou destroyest thy self but in me is thy help Hosea 13. 9. God said by the Mouth of the Apostle Peter That the Wicked bring Destruction upon themselves 2 Pet. 2. 1. Read the Chapter through Christ Jesus said O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them who are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 13. â—4 Reader when Christ would have garnered the Inhabitants of Jerusalem unto their Immortal Souls Rest they rejected him And he did not tell them that they could not come to him for they might have come to him or else it had been vain Words for him to tell them that he would have gathered them But he told them they WOULD NOT come to him So it was their own Self-will which did hinder them from coming to Christ and not Gods holy Will for his will is that all might be saved God said by the Mouth of Solomon That the Wicked would have none of his Counsel And he said they dispised all his Reproof Therefore said God they shall eat the Fruit of their own way c. Prov. 1. 30 31. Christ is the true Light who lighteth every man that cometh into the World as I have shewed before and he hath tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2. 9. The Apostle John said Christ is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World 1 John 2. 2. And he further said We have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 John 4. 14. The Apostle Paul said There is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for ALL mark for all And he said God's will is that ALL MEN might be saved mark that 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. Reader by what I have cited and writ in the holy Scripture words and according to them it doth plainly appear that God hath not Created nor Fore-ordained any Man or Woman on purpose that they should be Wicked so to be Damned or Destroyed or cast into Hell but he doth give to all People a Day or Time of Visitation by his Grace Light and Spirit by the same to lead them out of the broad way that leads to Destruction all those that continue therein till the Lord cease to strive with them for their Salvation such perishing their Destruction is of themselves and the Lord God is clear I have no pleasure in the Death of him that dieth saith the Lord wherefore turn your selves and live ye Ezek. 18. 32. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the WICKED but that the Wicked turn from his evil way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil Wayes for why will ye die O House of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. The Apostle Peter Exhorted those who had believed in Christ saying Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure giving all diligence add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity For if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is Blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins For if you do these things YE SHALL NEVER FALL for so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Reader here thou mayst see that the Apostle took great care of those who had believed in Christ that they might make their Calling and Election sure So it appears that
diligence in attending upon his Grace by which they were saved was required of them in which diligence they being found the Spirit of Grace did make them Fruitful in those good things before mentioned and the diligent did not fall but made their Calling and Election sure the same Apostle Exhorted the Saints saying Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness but grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. Here again the Apostle sheweth not only his great care that the Saints might make their Calling and Election sure and so STAND but also sheweth that it was possible that they might be led away with the Error of the Wicked and so FALL if they did not diligently attend upon the Spirit of Grace which teacheth to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Godly in this present World The Author to the Hebrews saith Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the Living God lest any of you be hardened through the Deceitfulness of sin Here again the Apostle doth not only shew his great care that those Believers might not depart from the Living God but doth also shew that they might depart from him if they did not diligently wait upon him as aforesaid Thus it doth plainly appear that Faith Obedience are Gods conditions upon which God doth Elect that is Chuse People to inherit Eternal Life And the conditions upon which God doth Reject Reprobate and Turn people into Hell is Unbelief Rebellion Departing from him into Apostacy The Apostle writ of some who knew God who when they knew him glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish Hearts were darkened and as they did not like to RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE God gave them up to a REPROBATE MIND Rom. 1. 21 28. Now these knew God and he gave them a time of Visitation to the end they might have been Everlastingly happy So it was their own Self-will and unthankful Evil hearts which did draw back from the Living God which did deprive them of Eternal Rest and Peace God did not will that they should draw back and depart from him For Gods will is that all People may be Holy and as the Apostle saith God's Will is that all men may know the Truth and be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. vers 5 6. He saith There is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for ALL to be testified in due time Mark Reader Christ gave himself a Ransom for All here is none shut out by him here is none Reprobated by him from this RANSOM he is God's free gift to the Gentiles or Heathens as well as to the Jews yea to be God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth he is the Shilow the peaceable Saviour unto whom the gathering of all Nations must be even as God hath promised I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Psal 2. 8 9. He tasted Death for every man Heb. 2. 9. He is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 9. 8. 12. 12. 46. He is the Propitiation not for our Sins only said the Apostle but also for the Sins of the whole World 1 John 2. 2. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 John 1. 4. The Apostle Peter saith God is Long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should Perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Note Reader the holy Apostles and the rest of the faithful Christians were come to Repentance and were Regenerated and Born of God and so were new Creatures in Christ Jesus But the Long-suffering of God is exercised towards the Ungodly who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance and he gives them time to repent and doth visit them with his good Spirit in tender Love to enable them to Repent but many reject his tender Love herein and will not obey his Voice as he said Israel would have none of me and as Christ said to the Jews Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life Christ Jesus the Son of God said unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira That he gave the Woman Jezabel space to repent of her Fornications and she repented not Rev. 2. 18 21. Mark Reader though God gave her Space that is Time to Repent yet she Repented now her not Repenting proceeded from her own Self willfullness and not from God's holy Will for inasmuch as God gave her time to Repent she was put into a condition by him to Repent and therefore might have Repented within the time he gave her to Repent though afterwards it might be hid from her Eyes as it was in the Case of Esau The Author to the Hebrews Exhorted the Believers in Christ to Follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which NO MAN shall see the Lord looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God or fall from it lest any Root of Bitterness spring up and trouble you and thereby many be defiled Heb. 12. 14 15 16 17. Here the holy Man labours to keep them to the Grace of God which doth bring Salvation which did teach them to deny Ungodliness and to live Soberly and Godly in the present World For he knew that the Devil who did and doth go about the Saints ever seeking which of them he may Devour would seek to draw them from the Grace of God and he knew that it was possible that he might prevail upon them and might lead them to do Despite against the Spirit of Grace if they did not Watch deligently against him and he knew if once they were drawn from the Grace of God then the Root of Bitterness would spring up speedily by which many might be Defiled but as a provision against this Evil he Exhorted them to Watch as afore-said in which Watch they being found the Grace of God was sufficient to preserve and uphold them even as the Lord said unto Paul that diligent Watcher My Grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in Weakness The Apostle Paul told the Galatians saying Whosoever of you are Justified by the Law or seek to be Justified by it ye are fallen from Grace Gal. 5. 4. The Author to the Hebrews saith He that despised Moses 's Law dyed without Mercy under two or three Witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall they be thought worthy who have troden under Foot the Son
of God and have counted the Blood of the Covenant WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED AN UNHOLY THING and hath done Despite unto the Spirit of GRACE Heb. 10. 28 29. Reader here take notice that the holy Man of God who writ this Epistle speaks of some who was Sanctified by the Blood of the Covenant who afterwards did tread under Foot the Son of God and counted the Blood of the Covenant by which he was Sanctified an Unholy thing and did Despite unto the Spirit of Grace Now he that did so did fall from the Grace as the holy Man said to the Galatians To the same purpose the said author speaks in Heb. 6. 4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned have tasted of the heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto Repentance seeing they crucifie unto themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Heb. 10. 26 27. These mentioned by the Apostle are Apostates grown old in Iniquity grown ripe for Vengeance grown past feeling their Consciences seared with a hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. But note Reader there may be some sliping and sliding in the Spiritual Journey after Man or Woman is come to know the Truth and a place in it this I say may come through want of watchfulness on the Creatures part and yet through the tender Mercy of the Lord snch may be renewed into savour with God again through his righteous Judgments and the Creatures unfeigned Repentance And this Repentance renewing into favour with God is wrought by the vertue of the Mediator and Advocate Christ Jesus At this the Apostle points saying Mylittle Children these things write I unto you that ye Sin not and if any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2. 1. But let all who knows the Truth and hath a Place or a Habitation in it keep in the holy fear of the Lord God stedfast and lowly in mind and let none by what is here said take liberty to Sin that Grace or Favour may abound no God for-bid as saith the holy Apostle Rom. 6. 1. The Apostle Peter saith For if after they have escaped the Polutions of the World through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again Entangled therein and OVERCOME the latter end with them is worse than the beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment DELIVERED UNTO THEM But it is happened or come to pass unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. Here the Apostle plainly sheweth that some had escaped the Polutions of the World through the Knowledge of Christ Jesus they had the holy Commandment delivered to them and they turned from it and they turned like the Dog to his own Vomit or like the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire God did not will that they should turn from the holy Commandment which he had delivered unto them nor that they should turn into the Polutions of the World again out of which they had escaped through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for God who is unchangeable hath said If any man draw back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. The Apostle Paul said We then â—â— Workers together beseech you also that ye receive not the Grace of God IN VAIN 2 Cor. 1. 6. Note Reader here the Apostle sheweth his Godly Jealousie over these Corinthians though they had received the Grace of God lest their receiving of it should be in Vain unto them this shews that the Apostle saw that men might receive the Grace of God and through their own Neglect Sloth and Unwatchfulness might fall from it and Perish and certainly some did so as Jude doth shew in his Epistle and Paul in his Epistle unto the Galatians he said unto them O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you and he said unto them Whosoever of you are Justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Gal. 5. 4. and 3. 1. Note Reader their falling from Grace was not because the Grace was not sufficient to uphold them but because of their Sloth Negligence and Unwatchfullness the Apostle Peter Exhorted those he writ to To be good Stewards of the manifold GRACE of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. those who were good Stewards did grow in Grace and were saved by it as the holy Apostle saith By Grace ye are saved through Faith and he saith It is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace It hath appeared to all men as he saith Titus 12. 11. Ephesians 2. 5 and 8. Hebrews 13. 9. and its appearance unto all men is for one and the same Cause Purpose or End even to bring Salvation unto all the good Stewards of the Grace have Salvation by it But the Evil and Unjust Stewards do despite unto the Spirit of Grace read Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29 30. and such are the Idle Stewards wh o are spoken of by Christ in his Parables saying Take that Vnjust and Idle Servant who hath hid his Lord's Money in the Earth and Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into utter Darkness where there is Weeping and Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth By this it doth appear that the holy Apostles did believe and know that the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto all men is sufficient to bring and give Salvation unto all men And those who have not Salvation by it the Fault is not in God or Christ or the Grace but in themselves The Sluggard is cloathed with Rags and the Rebellious shall dwell in a dry Land the Backslider God hath no pleasure in he shall be filled with his own Evil Wayes and Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft but the diligent hand maketh Rich and he that is faithfull in a little shall be made Ruler over much God rejects the Proud but he teacheth the Humble he gives encrease of Grace and of Faith unto them The holy Apostles great Labour and Care was to bring people to the Grace of God and to keep them to it they knew the sufficiency of it yet also knew that the Serpent who drew Adam and Eve from God to sin against him would labour to keep people in Rebellion against the Grace of God and also would labour to draw those into Rebellion against it who were come into Obedience to it and they knew the Serpent might readily prevail if a diligent Watch were not kept and this our Lord Jesus well knew and therefore said unto his
those who had not that SALVATION but perished Eternally their Destruction was of themselves as God said unto Israel O Israel thou destroyest thy self but in me is thy help The Angels which fell had a State of Rest and Peace with God this was their first state which Jude here speaks of but they kept not this First STATE and Habitation but LEFT IT yea Lost it through Presumption Irreverence and Neglect of their Duty whom God in his Righteous Judgments hath reserved in Everlasting CHAINS under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Jude 6. the keeping and preservation of Angels and Men from falling is in their Humble Lowly Constant depending upon God in the diligent improvement of all that God hath given them for his Glory and their Preservation Moreover Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after STRANGE FLESH are set forth for Example suffering the Vengance of ETERNAL FIRE c. Jude 7. The holy Apostle Peter also sheweth that God did not spare the Angels that SINNED but cast them down to HELL and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Judgment neither did he spare the old World nor Sodom nor Gomorah but by Fire and Water did he overthrow them making them an Ensample unto those that after should LIVE UNGODLY 2 Pet. 2. 4 5 6. Note Reader Here these holy Men shew that God spared not the Angels which sinned but cast them down to Hell It would be horrible Blasphemy to say that God ordained willed and purposed that they should sin against him that so he might cast them down to Hell this is not only Unscriptural and Unreasonable but it s wholly contrary to the nature of the holy glorious Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is LOVE as the Apostle saith yea a pure Fountain of Divine Love who made all things good yea VERY GOOD in the beginning who is of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity either in Men or Angels with approbation thereof delight therein or love thereto He said Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy for he made all things good and he CERTAINLY WILLED that ALL Angels and Men should be Good Holy and Clean according as he made Man and Angels in the beginning but for want of DUE REVERENCE DILIGENT WATCHFULNESS AND A TRUE AND FULL IMPROVEMENT of all that God gave them for his own Glory and their own PRESERVATION both Angels and Men have SINNED and the holy pure God NOT DELIGHTING IN THEIR SIN but on the contrary being DISPLEASED AT IT yea grieved WITH IT therefore doth God bring his Righteous Judgments upon the Angels who FELL and upon Ungodly Wicked Impenitent Men and Women who do not turn unto him by Unfeigned Repentance while the day or time of their Visitation lasteth As it s written God is Angry with the Wicked every day Psal 7. 11. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Psal 9. 17. God tryeth the Righteous but the wicked and him that loveth VIOLENCE HIS SOUL HATETH Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an herrible Tempest For the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness his countenance doth behold the Vpright Psalm 11. 5 6 7. He that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just even they both are ABOMINATION to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. To the Wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant inthy Mouth SEEING THOU HATEST INSTRUCTION AND CASTEST MY WORDS BEHIND THEE when thou sawest a THIEF thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with the Adulterer thou givest thy Mouth to Evil and thy Tongue frameth Deceit Now consider this ye that FORGET GOD lest I TEAR YOU IN PIECES c. whoso offereth Praises glorifieth me and to him that ordereth HIS CONVERSATION ARIGHT will I shew the Salvation OF GOD The holy just equal merciful Lord God doth not WILLINGLY AFFLICT NOR GRIEVE the Children of men Out of the Mouth of the most high proceedeth NOT EVIL and Good as saith the holy Prophet Lamen 3. 33. 38. Reader thus it doth clearly appear that the Damnation of the Angels that fell and the Damnation and Destruction of all Impenitent men and women IS OF THEMSELVES and the Lord God is clear who saith As I live I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live Ezek. 33. 11. 18. 32. The Apostle Paul said unto the Galatians who had erred from the Truth O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth c. are ye so foolish having BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT are ye now made perfect BY THE FLESH ye did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the Truth This perswasion COMETH NOT of him that CALLETH you a little Leaven leaveneth a whole Lump Gal 3. 1. 3. Chap. 5. vers 7 8 9. Reader by these Scriptures it doth clearly and abundantly appear that God did not predestinate or fore-ordain that Angels or Men should Sin against him and so be damned Oh nay he loves and delights in Holiness but all Sin is abominable unto him yea Sin is of the Devil as the holy Ghost or Spirit hath spoken by the Mouth of the holy Apostle John And because it is of the Devil as it is signified by the holy Ghost through the holy Man Righteousness exalts a Nation but Sin is a Reproach unto any People Prov. 14. 34. And therefore the cry of the holy Ghost WAS AND IS unto the fallen Sons and Daughters of Adam Cleanse your Hands ye sinners and purifie your Hearts ye double-minded c. James 4. 8. Let the Wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his Thoughts Let him turn nnto the Lord and he will have mercy on him unto our God and he will abundantly PARDON Isa 55. 7. God said unto the Prophet Son of man when the Land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously then will I stretch forth mine Hand upon it and will break their Staff of Bread c. and ye shall know that I have not done WITHOVT CAVSE all that I have done in it saith the Lord God Ezek. 14. 13 23. Note Reader in as much as the JUST EQUAL Lord God of Heaven and Earth will not bring a temporal Judgment upon a Nation or Person untill they have given him JUST CAUSE by their great Sin Rebellion and Impenitency much less will HE Condemn or Damn or cast any Nation or Person into Hell or endless Misery untill they have given him Just Cause by their Sins and hardned Impenitency which Sin Hardness and Impenitency the Devil not God is the author of and Sin and the Impenitency of all such who Perish is according to the ordination will pleasure of the Devil the old Deceiver Destroyer and so is ABSOLUTELY
of Esau for Stubble c. Obed. 3. 6 10 12 13 14 15 18. This Prophecy of Obediah is but one Chapter read it through Note Reader here God plainly tells Esau in his Seed and Generation of the many acts of Pride and Cruelty which he did which he should not have done and because he did them God was angry with him and therefore rejected him and cut him off and returned a reward upon him according to his evil works So Esau's ruin misery and destruction was of himself the effect and reward of his own rebellious evil Works which the Devil not God was the Original and cause of and God was and is just in his righteous Judgments that he brought upon him and which he brings upon all such Moreover concerning striving to enter into the Kingdom c. Paul in the holy Ghost saith And if a man also strive for mastery yet is he not crowned or gaineth not Victory except he strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2. 5. Now all who strive lawfully to enter the Kingdom of God they must strive ONLY in the divine heavenly Spirit or Word of God whereby every one that cometh into the World are enlightned in some measure or degree to know Good from Evil according to John 1. 9 8 12. 12. 46. Psalm 27. 1. 2 Sam. 22. 29. Isa 60. 20. Luke 2. 32. Acts 13. 47. John 3. 19 20. Ephes 5. 8 13. 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. Ephes 1. 18. Christ saith God is a Spirit and they who Worship him must Worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth for such the Father seeketh to Worship him c. John 4. 23 24. God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we Lye and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. Christ saith I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but he shall have the Light of Life John 8. 12. The Apostle Peter by the holy Ghost gave a true Relation of the Voice which he others heard from the excellent Glory concerning Christ Jesus saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased c. After he had given this true Relation he further said We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shines in a dark place untill the Day dawn and the Day Star arise in your Hearts 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made in him was Life and the Life was the Light of men and the Light shineth in Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not Take notice Reader God is Light God is a Spirit Christ is the Light of the World as he saith yea the true Light that lighteth everyone that cometh into the World There was a Man sent from God whose Name was John the same came for a Witness to bear witness of the Light that ALL MEN through him might believe he to wit John was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light which was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not he came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God c. which were Born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of man but of God 1 John 1. to vers 14. Note Reader Christ in his Divinity as he is the Word which was in the beginning by whom all things was made he is the true divine Light who lighteth every man that cometh into World He said unto the World whom he enlightneth Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light The Children of the Light are the Children of God for God is Light as is shewed before This holy Apostle John said The Light shined in Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not Therefore was John the Baptist sent from God to bear witness to that Light which shineth in Darkness that all men through him might believe mark all being enlightned by Christ who is given for a Light to the Gentiles and to be Gods Salvation to the ends of the Earth for so it is written of him by the Holy man therefore Gods will is that all People Male and Female may believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned them this Light being believed in giveth to see Christ and leads to him the giver of it and to God the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning or changing as saith the holy Apostle Mankind in the fall and alienation from God in their Sin are darkened by the God of the World who hath blinded their minds Man in that state is said to be Darkness The Apostle Paul saith For ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord walk as Children of the Light for the Fruits of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Ephes 5. 8 9. And so here the Light and Spirit are joyned together by the Apostle whose Fruits are one their Testimony and Work one and they are one as God who is Light and Spirit is one and not divided For God being a Spirit and Light and Christ as he is the divine Word is God is Light is a quickening Spirit so the Light and Spirit floweth from the Father in and through his Son and thereby are all men enlightned to know Good from Evil in some degree or measure this Light is the Condemnation of all them that hate it Christ saith This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds were Evil for every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his deed should be reproved but every one that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. 19 20 21. To be turned to this Light is the great and weighty concern of the fallen darkened Sons Daughters of Adam and therefore was that great and faithful Prophet John the Baptist sent to bear witness of the Light that all men might believe here is none fore-ordained of God to be Unbelievers here none is Reprobated by him before they were Born Christ according to the Flesh dyed for all yea his Soul was made an Offering for Sin by his
divine Life and Spirit he enlightneth all He is the Propitiation saith the Apostle John not for our Sins only but for the Sins of the whole World Reader this is the COMMON Salvation that Jude speaketh of in the beginning of his Epistle to believe in the Light as aforesaid is true Belief or true Faith which the Apostle Paul speaketh of to Titus saying Titus My own Son after the COMMON Faith Grace Mercy Peace from God the Father c. Titus 1. 4. Of this Faith Jude speaketh in his Epistle this was and is the common Faith For this Faith the true Christians stood or contended against all the false Faiths among the Jews and Heathens and Apostate Christians for this Faith do the true Christians now stand against them all and in this Faith is the Victory over all false Faiths and evil things see 1 John 5. 4. This is the true and living Faith which is attended with Works of Righteousness a Godly Holy Conversation c. according to the Testimony of the Apostle James This is the Faith which worketh by Love which purisieth the Heart the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience see 1 Tim. 3. 9. In this Faith is the command of God kept who saith Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy In this is the Doctrine of the holy Apostle fulfilled who exhorted saying As he who hath called you is Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. The Apostle Paul saith by the holy Ghost God hath made of one Blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the buonds of their Habitation that they should seek the Lord c. because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead It is rendred in the Margin He hath offered faith unto all men see Acts 27. 26 31. Again Paul saith to Timothy Now the end of the Commandment is Charity or Love out of a PURE HEART and of a GOOD Conscience and of Faith UNFEIGNED from which some having swarved have turned aside unto vain Jangling 1 Tim 1. 5 6. Again Paul saith to the Galatians For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but FAITH which worketh by LOVE see Gal. 5. 6. The Apostle Peter by the holy Ghost saith That God put NO difference between the Jews and Gentiles but PURIFIED both their Hearts by Faith see Acts 15. 6. Again Paul said to the believing Thessalonians Your Faith GROWETH exceedingly see 2 Thes 1. 3. Again to the Galatians The FRUIT of the Spirit IS Faith c. see Gal. 5. 22. The Apostle James signified by the holy Ghost unto the twelve Tribes of the Jews the UNIVERSAL LOVE of God saying If any of you lack Wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to ALL MEN LIBERALLY and obraideth NOT and it shall be given him let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and tossed c. A double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes James 1. 5 6 8. Again the Author to the Hebrews saith Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience c. Heb. 10. 22. Again the same Author saith Now Faith is the Substance of things hoped for the evidence of things NOT seen for by IT the Elders obtained a good report through Faith WE UNDERSTAND that the World was framed by the WORD of God So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear by Faith Abel offered unto God a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain c. by Faith Noah being warned of God of things NOT seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by the which he condemned the World and became HEIR of Righteousness which is by Faith by Faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which after he should receive for an Inheritance obeyed c. for he looked for a City which hath a Foundation whose Builder and MAKER is God through Faith also Sarah received strength to conceive Seed and was delivered of a Child when she was past Age BECAUSE she judged him faithful who had promised therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the Stars of the Skey in multitude c. These ALL dyed IN the FAITH c. by Faith Abraham when he was TRYED offered up Isaac and he that had received the Promises offered up his only begotten Son of whom it was said In Isaac shall the Seed be called accounting that God was ABLE to raise him up even from the DEAD from whence also he in a Figure received him by Faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come by Faith Jacob when he was dying blessed both the Sons of Joseph by Faith Moses when he was Born was hid c. by Faith Moses when he was come to YEARS refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter CHUSING rather to SUFFER Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the PLEASURES of Sin for a SEASON esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater RICHES than the TREASURES in Aegypt for he had a RESPECT unto the Recompence of REWARD by Faith he forsook Aegypt NOT fearing the Wrath of the King for he endured as SEEING him who is INVISIBLE by Faith Israel passed through the Sea as by dry Land c. by Faith the Walls of Jericho fell down c. by Faith the People of God LIVED unto HIM through ALL Ages in all Afflictions Persecution Tortures and Punishments whatsoever see Heb. 11. read it through Abraham believed in God and it was counted unto him for Righteousness know ye therefore saith the Apostle that they which are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham Note Reader God fore-determining to justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed So that they which be of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham see Gal. 3. 6 7 8 9. Gen. 12. 3. Again Now to Abraham and his Seed was the Promises made He saith not and to Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seed which is Christ see Gal. 3. 16. Which Christ who was of the Seed of David and Abraham according to the Flesh as he is the eternal word he is the true spiritual and divine Light who lighteth every one that cometh into the World according to John 1. 9. 8. 12. 12. 46. as is shewed before The Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father John 15. 26. and 16. 8 9 10 11 13. which doth Convince the World of
is the Devil as Christ said these are the REPROBATES this Birth of the Serpents Seed is the Prophane Esau which God Hates this Birth is Cursed in its first Conception in its Youth and in its Old Age. Jesus said unto the Rebellious Jews The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruit thereof see Mat. 21. 45. And to such Unbelieving Rebellious ones he said Ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and ye your selves thrust out see Luke 13. 28. Again Christ said Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in see Matth. 23. â—3 read the Chapter through See Luke 11. 52. Take notice of this all ye Loose and Prophane Livers who call your selves Christians your Un-God-like and Un-Christ-like Conversations bring a Scandal and Reproach upon the Name of Christianity you cause the honourable Name of Christ and Christianity to be Blasphemed against by Jews Turks and Indian Heathens O that the deep Sence of this your great Sin might fall upon you and that your Hearts might be truly broke in the Sence thereof O that you would yet Unfeignedly seek Repentance before the Door of Mercy be forever shut against you there is yet Mercy with God for multitudes therefore his holy Will is that they should seek after him Unfeignedly Repent and Turn unto him from all their Abominations but those who will not but go on stubbornly in Rebellion against him he will cut down suddainly in his Righteous Judgments SWIFTLY even as a Mower cuts down Grass therefore Fear Tremble and Bow before him all ye Workers of Iniquity And more particularly consider of these things O all ye several sorts of TEACHERS whose EVIL WORK it hath been and is to draw out and keep out Peoples Minds from the Spirit of God and Christ by which alone their Hearts are SEARCHED and their EVIL Thoughts Words and Actions shewed unto them this is the swift Witness by which the Living God doth Reprove them and Condemn them for the same This is the Faithfull and True Witness which neither BRIBES nor FLATTERY nor THREATNINGS can Corrupt Destroy nor Stop ITS inward Convictions Rebukes or Reproofs from those who Rebel against it and as it is faithfull in witnessing against all the Rebellious so is it faithfull in bearing witness to and with the Spirits of all the Obedient that they are the Children of God And of this the holy Apostles were Living True Witnesses who said Whatsoever is Reproved is made manifest by the Light and also said The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God And also said He that believeth in the Son of God hath a witness within himself and hath set to his seal that God is True As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are Sons of God and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his as saith the holy Apostle Those who believe not in the Spirit of God and Christ they are not governed by it they are NOT the real Possessors and Enjoyers of it and such have it not to save and deliver them out of sin because they believe not in it yet this Spirit of Truth doth convince the whole World which lieth in Wickedness of their sins and doth in secret condemn them for the same every one in the Day of Gods Visitation unto them So the Spirit of Truth which is the Saints Comforter which leads them into all Truth the same is the Reprover Condemner Judger and Tormentor of the Unbelieving Wicked Rebellious World see John 16. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Ephes 5. 13. Jer. 17. 10. Psal 7. 9. Mal. 3. 5. 1 John 5. 10. Isa 55. 4. John 3. 33. Rom. 8. 14 16. Psal 50. 21 22. Amos 4. 13. John 1. 9. and 8. 12. and 3. 19 20. Acts 13. 47. and 26. 17 18. 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. The Apostle saith What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth NO man but the Spirit of God the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God see 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. This was and is the KEY of all heavenly saving knowledge by this is mans Heart opened to understand and know those things which belongs to his Immortal Souls Rest and Peace and he that believeth therein is enabled thereby to do those things which are well-pleasing to the Lord God and keep out of those things which are displeasing to him And of this the holy Apostle was a Living true Witness who prayed for the Believers saying I pray God strengthen you by his Spirit in the INNER MAN see Ephes 3. 16. Col. 1. 11. Christ said unto the Rebellious Jews who made their boast of the Law yet wrested the Sayings thereof and brake it Wo unto ye Lawyers for ye have taken away the Key of Knowledge ye entered NOT in your selves and them that were entering in ye hindered see Luke 11. 52. Nehemiah said Lord thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them c. Nevertheless they were Disobedient and Rebelled against thee and cast thy Law behind their Backs and SLEW thy Prophets which testified against them to turn them unto thee see Nehem. 9. 20. 26. Remember this all YE that hate and Persecute those who Worship God who is a Spirit in the Spirit and in the Truth and Repent and cease from your Ungodly Works if you will not God will cut you off and vex you in his sore displeasure in rewarding you justly according to the Wickedness of your doings We to the Rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with a Covering but NOT OF MY SPIRIT that they may add Sin unto Sin see Isa 30. 1. This Spirit was and is the Covering UNDER which man and woman is blessed is in safety out of the reach of that evil hurtful Spirit which worketh in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience who also goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour as saith the Apostle whom the true Believers did and do resist in the living Faith and by the virtue of the good Spirit of God with which they were ARE covered and in it had have Victory over him such did do experience to their great Comfort the saying of the holy man fulfilled who said Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the WORLD see 1 John 4. 4. O that the Haters of and Mockers at this holy pure Spirit would seriously consider what they are doing O that they would consider their latter end and the account that they must give to God for these things O that it were in their Hearts unfeignedly to
and justifie themselves in their Ranterism and Debauched Wicked Conversations the State also of the latter is greatly to be Lamented and it is the earnest desire of my Soul with many more that those might come to Unfeigned Repentance for this their great EVIL that so they might come to a true and godly use Esteem of the holy Scriptures and so to have profit by them and comfort in them as the true Believers had in Primitive Times and such now have Glory to the Lord God for the same it is the Spirit or Light of Truth which leads the true Believers into all Truth and convinceth the World of sin that giveth a right Understanding and leadeth to a right use of the Scripâ—â—â—es this Spirit was mans Guide before the Scriptures were written by it men were made holy before they gave forth the holy Scriptures this is the Key which openeth them and leadeth to a right use and application of them but they whose Minds are gone ASTRAY from this Spirit who have not do not LEARN of it those do WREST the Scriptures to their own Destruction as some did in the Apostle Peter's Dayes against whom he testified Christ told some amongst the earthy Wise Jews Ye neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God yet those were great Talkers of them and even as they knew them not not owning the Key that openeth them so many in our day knoweth them NOT because they believe not in the Spirit of Truth which ONLY openeth them Concerning Good Example CHrist suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who did not Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth 1 Pet. â— 21 22. Here the holy Apostle shews that it is the Duty and Practice of all true Christians to follow the Example and the holy clean Steps of the holy man Christ Jesus who did not Sin But those who do continue in Sin and plead for a continuance in the same all their dayes upon Earth who Sin as they say in their most Holy Duties these are very far from the holy Faith and holy Conversation of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ and all true Christians and very far from following his pure Examples and his holy clean Steps The Apostle John saith concerning Christ Hereby do we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar But whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked 1 John 2. 3 4 5 6. Reader see how these holy men of God agree in their Testimony in this weighty matter these holy men did abide in Christ and Christ in them they by virtue of his divine spiritual dwelling in them were strengthned and enabled in their Lives and Conversations to follow that holy Example which he gave them in the dayes of his Flesh who went about doing Good who never did Evil and though they had sinned he redeemed them from it and from the Devil the Author or Original of it And so many came to behold their good Conversation in Christ COUPLED WITH FEAR as the Apostle exhorteth 1 Pet. 3. 2. John saith We know that whosoever is Born of God sinneth NOT And we know that we are of God and the whole World lieth IN WICKEDNESS And we know that the Son of God is come and hath give us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and Life eternal Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen 1 John 5. 18 19 20 21. Here the Apostle shews plainly who are true Christians and who are not the true Christians are in Christ who hath redeemed them out of the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God and such have the Spirit of Christ bearing witness with or unto their Spirits that they are the Children of God according to the promise of God Rom. 8. 16 21. And they are NOT TRUE Christians who Lye or continue all their dayes in Sin and Wickedness these are the World as John saith Certain it is those who go on in Sin who plead a necessity to continue in it all their days they live or abide upon Earth these are NOT the Bride the Lambs Wife the true Church whom HE presents to the Father a glorious Church WITHOUT spot or wrinkle or any such thing Holy and without Blemish as in Ephes 5. 27. But those pleaders for and continuers in Sin all their dayes these are the Harlot these are the World that lieth in Wickedness whom the cursed One is the God of who hath BLINDED THEIR MINDS these are in the broad way that leads to Destruction IN VAIN DO these call Jesus Lord who do not believe his Commands who are not governed by him who do not that which he saith he said Learn of me I AM MEEK AND LOWLY and ye shall find rest to your Souls A Remnant hath learned of him in this Age and hath found his Promise true Glory to the Lord God for the same they have found Rest and Peace to their Souls in him THEIR PRINCE of PEACE though they have Trouble Oppression in the World for his SAKE yet these can truly say as the holy Apostles said of the faithful followers of Christ of Old GREATER IS HE that is in you then he that is in them to wit the World by whom we overcome them they are of the World therefore speak they of the World the World heareth them We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth NOT US hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and Spirit of Error 1 John 4. 4 5 6. The Apostle Paul said unto the the Philippians Brethren be followers together of me and mark them who walk so as ye have VS for an ENSAMPLE for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even WEEPING that they are Enemies of the Cross of Christ Phil. 3. 17 18. to the end of the Chapter The same Apostle said to the Corinthians Be ye followers of ME even as I also am of Christ 1 Cor 11. 1. The Apostle Peter writ unto the Elders of the Church of Christ saying Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof NOT by constraint but willingly NOT for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind NEITHER as being LORDS over Gods Heritage but as ENSAMPLES TO THE FLOCK 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Reader there are several things worthy of thy serious and weighty Consideration in these words of the holy Apostle Peter the first is that the Elders of the Church of God and Christ did and do as Instruments in â—od's Hand Ministring that is Serving
concerning Christs putting an End to the Work of the Law we do NOT believe that Christ has put an end to the Command of God who said Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and thy Neighbour as thy self Thou shalt do no Murther Thou shalt not Steal nor Covet any thing that is thy Neighbours Thou shalt not bear False Witness nor remove the Antient Land-mark c. But we believe that Christ fulfills these Commands in all them that through Faith and Obedience grow up in him who is the true Vine by leading them to do those before-mentioned things which God Commands so the true Christians cease from the Shadows and in Christ by his Vertue and Power do Love God with all their Hearts and their Neighbour as themselves on which Commands as Christ saith hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22. 40. Concerning Perfection IN page 24. J. B. saith speaking to the People called Quakers You hold that Perfection in degree is attainable in this Life Answ We do own the command of God who said unto Abraham I am God all-sufficient walk thou before me and be thou Perfect We say God was sufficient to enable him to keep his command and we believe he did so And we do believe the Command of Christ who said Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect And we do believe it is possible to keep this command of Christ by and through the Virtuous spiritual Presence of Christ in and with the believing DILIGENT SOUL And we do believe that the Gifts which were and are given for the PERFECTING of the Saints did and do accomplish that for which they were and are GIVEN The Apostle said We Labour that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus And we do believe that many were perfected in Christ Jesus though some Crucified Christ unto themselves afresh and put him to open shame as the Apostle saith We do believe the holy Apostle who said Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is Born of God Now as to J. B's Charge That we hold forth and own that Perfection in degree is attainable in this Life I Answer The Word Degree concerning Perfection is neither our Word nor did I ever read it in the Scriptures of Truth as used by him concerning Perfection But this word Degree he hath thrust into his Charge against us thinking no doubt thereby to make it the more strong but all his labour is in vain He doth not declare what he meaneth by the word DEGREE but if by Degree he mean a freedom from acting or committing Sin such a Perfection we do believe is attainable in this Life by and through the mighty working of God and Christ in men and women and this is according to the command of God Christ the Doctrine and Experience of the holy Apostles But if by the word Degree J. B. mean a Perfection of Glory in the HIGHEST attainment of Glory that can EVER be enjoyed then we DEEM that such a Perfection is attainable in this Life or while we dwell here upon Earth For WE are of the same Faith the holy Apostle was of who when he was near to depart out of this World said I have fought a good fight I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the Righteous Judge shall give unto me at that day and not to me only but to all those that love his appearance J. B. hath taken upon him to interpret the Apostle John's words who saith Whosoever is Born of God doth not commit Sin he cannot Sin c. J. B. saith The meaning of these Words can be but this Whosoever is Born of God doth not make it his practice to Sin Answ What Confusion Falsness and Nonsence is this to say that he who commits Sin doth not practise Sin this is horrible abuse and wresting the holy Scriptures which God will bring him to Judgment for and if he do not Repent and cease from such Ungodly silly work as this he will bring Destruction upon himself As I do understand this J. B. is one of that sort of men who do in their Confessions tell the Lord God that they do Sin in their most holy Duties Now if their most holy Duties have Sin in them then there is Sin in all those other things which they call Duties and consequently in their Actions which they do not account Holy Duties and so they make it their Practice to Sin and so according to his own Argument Such who make it their Practice to Sin are not born of God But to speak his mind more fully I do apprehend his meaning is that the Children of God do not commit so much Sin as the Children of the Devil do Answ When the Apostle saith He that is Born of God doth not commit Sin he also saith He that commits Sin is of the Devil In the next verse he saith In this is the Children of God manifest and the Children of the Devil c. 1 John 3. 10. J. B. I ask thee dost not thou believe that God is GREATER then the Devil why then must Sin needs be in those who are Born of God as thou wouldst have it Oh that thou saw thy Blasphemy herein it would surely make thee ashamed and bring Sorrow upon thee But if in thy judgment those whom God BEGETS who are BORN of him must commit Sin and live in it all their dayes and Sin in their most Holy Duties I ask what DIFFERENCE dost thou put between God's Children and the Devil's Children whom he begets and who are Born of him for the Devil hath a Generation of whom he is the Father as Christ said see John 8. 44. For we believe that he that is Born of God is REGENERATED that is washed and cleansed through the virtue of the holy Spirit of Christ which is shed abroad abundantly in the Hearts Souls of the true Believers by virtue of this growing up in it as the Branches in the living Vine are they redeemed out of the ACT of Sin and have dominion given them in and by Christ over IT and the Devil who is the Author of it and such can say as the Apostle said Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World to wit the Wicked BY WHOM we overcome them and such can say as the Apostle said Of my self I can do nothing but I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me and such can say as the Apostle said We are CONQUERORS and more than Conquerors through him that hath loved us and such do know Satan BRUISED under their Feet BY CHRIST the blessed Seed whom God promised should bruise his HEAD and the Apostle told the Believers in Christ That God whom they waited for should suddainly come and
the Light of the Gentiles to open the blind Eyes to bring the Prisoner out of the Prison house as it s written in the Scriptures of Truth he is the Eternal Word who was in the beginning by whom God made all things as it s written Joh. 1. God created all things by Jesus Christ as saith the holy Apostle Paul he is the Rock that followed Israel of which Rock they drank and of which they did eat they all eat the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink they eat and drank of the Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ By Faith in this Rock Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain by Faith in this Rock Abraham offered up his Isaac believed God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness by Faith in him all the Just lives to God through all Ages he is the Rock on which the true Church is builded against which the Gates of Hell can never prevail let them open as wide as they can It is as true in all man-kind as it was in the holy Apostle he said of my self I can do nothing but he also said I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me he is the blessed Seed who bruiseth the Serpents head in all who believe in and follow him in him the Election stands Gods will is that all men may know him and believe in him and be saved as the holy Apostle saith and God who cannot Lye said by the Mouth of his holy Prophet Isaiah Look unto me O all ye ends of the Earth and be ye saved the Apostle John saith that we have seen and do testifie that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World and the Apostle Paul saith Christ gave himself a Ransom for All mark that here is none Reprobated by him from this Ransom The holy Ghost spake by the mouth of the holy Prophet God doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the Children of men Lament 3. 33. read the Chapter through and the will of God is the Sanctification of man-kind as saith the holy Apostle holiness becomes man-kind through all Generations but sin is a Reproach unto any people as it s written but more especially to the Professors of Christianity The holy fear of the Lord God is the beginning of true pure heavenly Wisdom and the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him as saith the holy man of God let this holy fear have place in thy heart and then the pure peaceable wisdom of God will over-shadow thee So unto the Grace of God which doth appear to thee to teach thee to deny all Vngodliness I do commend thee W. G. London the 8th day of the 10th Moneth ELECTION AND REPROBATION Scripturally Experimentally Witnessed unto c. Concerning Election and Reprobation IOhn Blaneh Hath taken upon him to speak concerning Jacob and Esau pag. 157. of his Manuscript he saith Before the Children knew good or evil Jacob have I Loved and Esau have I hated Answ Reader J. B. no doubt would have us take these words as words of the holy Scriptures but the Scriptures do not say that God said he Hated Esau before he knew Good or Evil but when the Woman felt the Children strugling in her Womb she did enquire of the Lord saying How is it that it is thus with me and the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy Bowels and the Elder should serve the Younger But he did not say when the Children were in the Womb that he hated Esau though many Professors in England Scotland and else-where have so taken it but their mistake herein hath been great and greatly Hurtfull and destructive unto many Reader take notice that after the Apostle in the 9th Chapter to the Romans hath repeated what God said to the Woman while the Children were in her Womb he brings the following words As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated out of the first Chapter of Malachi where the Lord said to Israel by Malachi Was not Esau Jacob 's Brother yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau and I laid his Mountains waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness These words were spoken by the Lord through the Prophet Malachi unto the Off-spring of Jacob long after Jacob and Esau had finished their Dayes upon Earth Jacob was a plain faithfull Man made so and kept so by the Spirit of the Lord whom he loved Esau was a prophane Man who relected the Counsel of God in Disobeying his good Spirit which he gave him to Instruct him by which he was lighted to know Good from Evil and therein Power was freely tendred to him and Time to believe and obey so it was possible that he might believe and obey so that his Unbelief and Disobedience was not of God but of the Devil not according to the Will of God who would have all Men and Women saved but according to the Will of the Devil who would have all Men and Women destroyed whom that prophane Spirit the Prince of the power of the Air did Defile Corrupt and brought into Prophaneness so he that was the False Teacher to Adam and Eve who led them to break the holy Law of God and sin against him the same led Esau into his Prophaneness because of which he was hated of God and the same Evil teacher led Cain to Kill his Righteous Brother Abel whose Sacrifice was accepted of the pure God because it was offered up with a Clean Right and Harmless Mind into which Mind he was brought and in the same kept by God his Maker out of the Evil Spirit which corrupted his Brother Cain and his God who never slumbers nor sleeps kept him yea he gave him Dominion over the Evil Hurtfull Spirit and he is Eternally blessed though he was slain by his Ungodly Brother And God said unto Cain before he killed his Brother Why art thou Wroth And why is thy Countenance fallen If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou dost not well sin lieth at thy Door Gen. 4. 6 7. God who said unto Cain If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted did not Limit or hinder him from doing well nor did God fore-appoint him to do Evil neither did he limit nor hinder Esau from doing well neither did he fore-appoint himself to do Evil. Edom the Generation of Esau said We are impoverished we will return and build the Desolate places The Lord said They shall build but I will throw down and they shall call them the border of Wickedness against whom the Lord hath Indignation c. This Generation of Esau were rejected of God because of their Wickedness which not God but the Devil was the Author of and so their Destruction was of themselves who rejected the Counsel of God who as the holy Apostle saith Would have all men to be saved
for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for All Mark that for All 1 Tim. 3. 4 5 6. In the Prophecy of Obediah there is much said concerning Esau and his Generation of the just Judgments of God against them for their Wickedness Verse 6. its said thus How are the things of Esau searched out how are his hidden things sought up Verse 9 10. God threatned to cut off every one of the Mount of Esau for said God For thy Violence against thy Brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever Vers 18. And the House of Jacob shall be a Fire and the House of Joseph a Flame and the House of Esau for Stubble c. Reader here observe God by his holy Prophet shews the Cause why his hatred was kindled against Esau and his Generation House Family or Off-spring and why he would cut off or destroy them even because of their Wickedness and Rebellion The Apostle Paul saith The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of men who hold the Truth in Vnrighteonsness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them and because when they knew God they glorified him not as God and even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to a Reprobate Mind c. Rom. 1. 18 19 21 28. And again he speaks against those who did not know the Long-suffering and Goodness of God to lead them to Repentance and he saith God will render to every man according to their deeds and he also saith There is no respect of Persons with God c. Rom. 2. 4 6 11. And the same Paul puts the Question saying What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his power known endured with much Long-suffering on the Vessel of Wrath fitted to Destruction Rom. 9. 22. Thus it appears that God waited long upon the Evil-doers to lead them to Repentance But when they knew God they did not Glorifie him as God neither did they like to retain God in their Knowledge and after God had suffered and waited long to lead them to Repentance and they did not turn at his Call and Reproof then he gave them up to a Reprobate Mind They had a time in which they might have been made of an Heavenly Spiritual Mind in which they might have had Life and Peace The Prophet Jeremiah saith of the Apostatized Jews who were the Children of Jacob according to the Flesh Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6. 30. Reader the People of God called Quakers do own Election and Reprobation but do utterly deny That God hath ordained that some men should be Wicked or that he WITH-HOLDS his Light Grace or Spirit from them and so puts them UPON A FORCE to be Wicked for want of the gift of his Spirit Grace and Light and afterwards casts them into Hell for not obeying him when they had no power offered or given to them by him to enable them to obey No God's Way is Equal as his Servants of old have testified Where he gives much he requires of man accordingly and where he gives less he requires accordingly and he that is faithfull in a little he will make Ruler over much The Apostle Peter said The Saints were Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience c. 1 Pet. 1. 2. And we do deny that any Man or Woman is Elect of God that is Chosen of God without the Sanctification of or by the Spirit of Truth and Obedience unto it The Apostle Paul saith unto the Saints at Rome Those whom God did fore-know them he did predestinate that is fore-ordain to be conformed to the Image of his Son that is to the Likeness of his Son Rom. 8. 29. But it is certain that none can be made Conformable to the Likeness of his Son without he be Sanctified by the Spirit of Truth and none can be so Sanctified by the Spirit of Truth but those who believein and obey the same Spirit for that is it which Christ promised should lead the Saints into all Truth The Apostle Paul writ to the Church of Christ at Ephesus saying Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly Places in Christ according as he hath chosen us that is Elected us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy without blame before him in Love c. Ephes 1. 3 4. We do believe that God doth fore-know those who become his while they are ignorant of him And we do believe that he hath chosen them in his Son before the Foundation of the World Christ the Son of God is the Light of the World he lighteth every one that cometh into World for one the same Cause Purpose or End even that all might believe in him obey him through Faith and Obedience might be Chosen or Elect in him and so have Eternal Life in him He that believes in the Son of God hath Everlasting Life he that doth not believe in the Son of God shall not see Life John 38. Again the first Epistle of John 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life and such are not Elect in him but are under condemnation because of their Unbelief which Unbelief the Devil not God iâ— the Author of Reader thus we own Election and Reprobation as did the holy Men of old but we deny that those who continue in sin and plead for it term of Life are in that state chosen of God we do deny an UNCONDITIONAL Election Reprobation as held forth by many of the Professors in our time for the condition of Election is Faith in God and Christ and Obedience unto the Spirit of Truth which is given to lead the Saints into all Truth and to conviuce the World of sin And the condition of Reprobation and Damnation is Unbelief in God and Christ and Disobedience unto and Rebellion against the Spirit of Truth The Apostle Paul saith to the Saints at Rome If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 13 14. And further the same Apostle saith His Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6. 16. So here the holy Apostle declares the GOSPEL conditions of Election and Reprobation or chusing to Eternal Life and casting off unto Eternal Damnation Christ is the Elect the Chosen of God Behold saith God my Servant
What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much Long-suffering on the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction Now mark God suffered them long and his Long-suffering was to lead them to Repentance as the Apostle saith in another place Dispisest thou the Riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after the hardness and Impenitency of thy Heart treasure stup unto thy self wrath against the Day of wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgments of God who will render to every man according to his Deeds Rom. 2. 4 5 6. Now they not Repenting but in the hardness of their Hearts going on till they grew ripe in Wickedness their ripe Age in Wickedness fitted them for Destruction which Wickedness not God but the Devil led them into In Proverbs God called to Fools and Scorners to turn at his Reproof but they did not return and God said Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no man regardeth but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof I also will Laugh at your Calamity c. when your Destruction cometh as a Whirl-wind then shall you call upon me but I will not answer and they shall seek me but they shall not find me for that they hated Knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 22. to the end of the Chapter Here its clear that God calls Fools and Scorners to Repent he wills that they should Repent and he puts them into a condition that they may Repent he puts them into a condition that they may Turn at his Reproof from the Evil which he doth Reprove them for he puts them into a condition that they may take his Counsel and chuse the Fear of the Lord. It were horrible Blasphemy to say That though God called them to turn at his Reproof yet he did not Will or Intend that they should turn at his Reproof chuse his Fear or take his Counsel or to say he knew they could not do it is likewise Blasphemy And it is Blasphemy to say or think that God who commands people to be Holy FORCETH CONSTRAINETH them to be wicked and ungodly by WITH-HOLDING his Spirit of Grace and Truth from them which should enable them to turn at his Reproof to receive his Counsel chuse his Fear without the Spirit of Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus Christ who is the true Light who lighteth every man that cometh into the world NO Man or Woman can turn from sin take Gods Counsel nor chuse his Fear but that all the Wicked might Repent and Turn from their Evil Wayes while the Day of their Visitation lasteth The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to All Men as the holy Apostle saith Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live godly in this present World The Grace of God appears unto all people for one and the same Cause Purpose or End even to teach all to deny Ungodliness and to live godly in this present World but as Jude the Servant of Christ saith The Wicked not being Obedient unto it turn into Wantonness and as it s else-where writ The Wicked do despite unto the Spirit of Grace Isaiah saith That the Jews Rebelled and Vexed Gods holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their Enemy and Faught against them Isa 63. 10. Now for any person to say or think That it was the Will of God that they should Rebell against him and Vex his holy Spirit this is horrible Blasphemy Mark these had the Spirit and did Rebell against it and thereby did grieve or vex it for which cause he became their Enemy and Fought against them Mark he did not become their Enemy nor Fight against them until by their Rebellion they vexed his holy Spirit so these Rebells being Reprobated from Rest and Peace with God their Destruction was of themselves and the Lord God is clear Nehemiah in his 9th Chapter saith concerning the Children of Israel Lord thou gavest thy good Spirit to Instruct them but they Rebelled against thee Now for any person to say or think that it was Gods Will that they should Rebell against him this is horrible Blasphemy as I said before or for any person to say or think that God gives his good Spirit to some persons on purpose that they may Rebell against it and thereby cause him to become their Enemy and to Fight against them this is no less then Blasphemy The Apostle saith With whom was God grieved forty Years was it not with them that had sinned whose Carkases fell in the Wilderness to whom sware he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of Vnbelief let us labour to enter into that Rest lest any man FALL after the same example of Vnbelief Heb. 3. 17 18 19 4. 11 1. Note here Reader the Apostle doth not place the Fall of these rebellious Jews who came out of Egypt with Moses upon the decree or will or fore-appointment of God BUT upon their Unbelief Rebellion and Apostacy which the Devil NOT GOD was the author of for they might have entred if they had improved that help and ability which God gave them Nehemiah said God gave them his good Spirit to instruct them but they rebelled against it they were disobedient and rebelled against thee saith he and cast thy Law behind their Backs and slew thy Prophets WHICH TESTIFIED AGAINST THEM TO TURN THEM UNTO THEE and they wrought great provocation c. And Nehemiah said unto the Lord God of Heaven and Earth Thou art JUST in all that thou hast brought upon us for thou hast done RIGHT but we have done wickedly Nehem. 9. 20 26 33. read the Chapter through Reader by this it appears plainly that God had not reprobated these Rebels from all Eternity or ordained them before they were Born to slay his Prophets For saith Nehemiah Thou sent thy Prophets whom they slew to turn them unto thee It were horrible Blasphemy to say that Gods will and purpose and fore-determination was that they should slay his Prophets which he sent unto them to turn them unto him And it were horrible Blasphemy to say that God did not will or intend that they should be turned unto him but only told them so and it would be no less Blasphemy to say that God both sent the Prophets to turn them to him and also sent them to slay the Prophets this would render God to be the author of Confusion which cannot be for he is the God of good and holy order not of Confusion as saith the holy Apostle nay it would render him the author of Murder and so make him contradict his own holy Law which he hath given unto the Sons and Daughters of
Unfaithfull is called to Repentance yea the Back-sliders is called to Repentance to do their first works to be watchfull to strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye c. Now they who do take this heavenly Counsel they do the will of God and in so doing they stand approved in his sight The diligent Watchers who have and do put on and keep on the whole Armour of God as aforesaid they do NOT FALL but do grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ more and more of such the Psalmist speaketh saying Blessed is the man that walketh not in the Way of the Vngodly he shall be like a Tree that is planted by the Rivers of Water c. but upon the Wicked who repent not who forsake not their Wickedness God will rain Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest as the holy Ghost hath said and there is no Peace to the Wicked saith my God but the Righteous hath said in Truth thou Lord wilt ordain Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works IN US And the holy Apostle said We are Gods workmanship CREATED IN Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS which God before ORDAINED that we should walk IN THEM Isa 26. 12. Ephes 2. 10. The Apostle Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Turth I perceive that God is NO Respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth HIM and worketh Righteousness is ACCEPTED with HIM the Word that God sent unto the Children of Israel Preaching PEACE by Jesus Christ he is Lord of ALL c. Acts 10. 34 35. Note Reader He by whom all were and are Created and he who according to the flesh DYED for all who enlighteneth the EYES of the UNDERSTANDINGS of ALL in some degree whose will is that all men may be saved he is Lord of all as saith the Apostle he is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation ALL those who fear him work Righteousness they are accepted with HIM Here God shews that he loves and delights in Righteousness but HATES the contrary and therefore he calls ALL Men to Repent EVERY WHERE as saith the holy Apostle God's condiditions of ELECTION and Salvation is Faith in him and unfeigned Repentance and he doth freely tender yea GIVE the true and real CAUSE of Faith and Repentance unto all the Ungodly and Impenitent to wit Visitations by the Spirit Word of Truth which doth convince the World of sin in which the Grace Love or Favour of God is held forth to all mankind in enlightening their Understandings giving them thereby to know Good FROM Evil by which he also MOVES upon the Soul to CHUSE the Good and REFUSE the Evil which spirit or word is of ABILITY to beget faith to work unfeigned Repentance doth IT in all where the stubborn will of man doth not withstand the Day of Gods tender Visitation given thereby but IT IS possible man in his STUBBORN SELF-WILL may so long resist that God will strive NO LONGER with him for his salvation for he hath said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man God said to the Wicked with whom he had long striven to gather them out of their wickedness UNTO himself WO unto them when I DEÌ„PART FROM THEM Hos 9. 12. I HATED them for the WICKEDNESS of their doings saith God V. 15. The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But WHAT saith it The WORD is NIGH thee even in thy MOUTH and in thy HEART that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 6 7 8. But I say have they not heard Yes verily their Sound went into all the Earth and their Words to the ends of the World but they have not all obeyed the Gospel But to Israel he saith All day long have I stretched forth my Hands unto a Disobedient and Gain-saying People Ver. 18 16 21. Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. Moreover God set Adam in a glorious state in Paradise and he willed that he should obey him as he commanded him and he put him in a condition that he might have continued in obedience unto him so it was possible that he might have continued in obedience unto him and so have stood and it was NOT impossible that he should FALL as the event hath proved and his Fall is NOT to be charged or placed upon God but upon himself for want of a due and full improvement of all that God gave him to keep him from falling God is able to keep his Creatures Man and Woman from falling his Name his pure holy Power is a strong Tower and in it IS Everlasting Safety Man and Womans being kept from falling consists in their constant diligent dependence upon him who made them he ONLY is able to keep them from falling Jude 24. God is mercifull slow to Anger and abundant in compassion towards mankind as he hath signified by the holy Ghost in his holy Prophets and Apostles he is full of compassion and tender pity he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Christ Jesus hath commanded his Disciples to be mercifull saying Be ye merciful as your Father is merciful he is KIND unto the UNTHANKFUL to the EVIL and he causeth his Light to shine upon the EVIL upon the Good and sendeth his Rain upon the Just and the UNJUST Luke 36. 37. Mat. 5. 45. The Prophet David saith The Lord is good to ALL and his tender Mercies are over all his WORKS c. Psal 145. ver 8 9 And he said to his Son Solomon If thou seek him he will be FOUND of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off forever take heed c. 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Moreover the holy Ghost saith Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Isa 55. 6. Again Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without MONEY and without Price wherefore do you SPEND Money for that which is NOT Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth NOT hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Encline your Ear and come unto me HEAR and your Soul shall live c. Isa 55. 1 2 3. Moreover the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever WILL let him take the Water of Life freely Rev. 22. 17 c. Note Reader Here is a general comortable Proclamation of the favour good will of God to all people every one hath a T me or
Day of Visitation given unto them by their mercifull Creator to turn unto him from their sin to eat that which is good he saith Whosoever WILL let him come and take of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely So it plainly appeareth by this that God would have all people eat of his Bread and drink of his Milk and Wine which he hath mingled and if they do not eat and drink thereof and so live to God by the vertue of the same it is not because God fore-appointed that they should NOT do so but it is because they have given up their Minds and Ears to the Whisperings and Lyes of that old Deceiver which first led Man and Woman from God and so he hath corrupted their Wills so hath led them to love sin and to chuse to abide in it all their Dayes so the Selfish-corrupt-will which the Devil hath begotten in fallen Man this WILL doth not chuse Christ nor the Cross which his true Disciples bear nor the Bread of Life or Water of Life nor Wine nor Milk which they eat and drink of abundantly to their immortal Souls strength joy and comfort and the Glory of the Lord. So it is true which Christ said Ye will not come to me that you may have Life Moreover he wept over the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and said I would have gathered thy Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would NOT. Mark He did NOT say that they could not but that they would not and this his Testimony is true Gods Spirit which convinceth the World of sin MOVETH upon the hearts of sinners to purifie their Wills that so they may chuse the good and refuse the evil and his Spirit doth EFFECT this in all that do not withstand his tender Visitation therein and thereby till the day of their Visitation be over or ended when God moveth by his Spirit upon the Soul of man in Transgression to lead him out of his Transgression he requireth a YIELDING on the Creatures part according to the saying of the holy Ghost through the holy Apostle who said As ye have yielded your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity even so now yield your Members Servants unto Righteousness unto Holiness Rom. 6. 19. Note Reader the merciful God hath made the Creature able so to yield and therefore he doth not require Imposibilities of him who requireth him SO to yield and if man prove so hard and desperate as not to yield to serve God as aforesaid this his Hardy boldness and Self-willfulness and desperate Uugodliness is the cause of his Ruin and Destruction and so man destroyeth himself as God hath said O Israel thou destroyeth thy self but in me is thy help Note Reader the fallen corrupt will of man cannot chuse the good and refuse the evil but the Spirit of Truth doth visit man in this estate to PURIFIE his WILL and so to enable andlead him to chuse the Good and refuse the Evil But Man in this fallen corrupt ungodly bold WILL may yea many do with-stand the tender Visitation of God's Spirit yea grieve and vex it and do despight unto it and so cause God to be their Enemy and to fight against them as saith the Prophet God complained and said Israel would have none of me He did not say I would have none of them but he sent his Prophets to turn them unto him and they evil-intreated them yea slew them for which his Wrath was kindled against them who commanded them saying Touch not mine anointed do my Prophets no harm And he said WO unto the rebellious Children who take Counsel but not of me that COVER with a Covering but NOT of my Spirit that they may add Sin unto Sin Isa 30. 1. And he said concerning such rebellious Ones They have set at naught all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof c. Such Rebels as these said unto God Depart from us we desire not the Knowledge of thy ways Such did not take the Counsel of the holy Ghost which saith Seek the Lord while he MAY be found call upon him while he is NEAR Isa 55. 6. So as the Apostle Peter said God is NO Respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that fears God and works Righteousness is accepted of him God doth NOT Partially or IN dis-respect to SOME Persons foreordain that they shall be wicked and so to be damned and cast into the Lake of everlasting Misery NO that is contrary to his tender love who gave his only begotten Son for the Redemption of the World which lieth in Wickedness We have all sinned as saith the Apostle and God hath Mercy upon all as HE saith and wills that all may be saved He sent his Son to seek and save that which was lost and to bring back again to himself that which hath been driven away God saith concerning him Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles A BRUISED Reed shall he NOT break the smoking Flax shall he not QUENCH he shall bring forth Judgment unto Truth he shall not fail c. And the Isles shall wait for his Law Isa 42. 1 3 4. Matth. 12. 18 20. Objection It s written that without Faith it is impossible to please God and that the Just shall live by Faith But it s also written that all men have not Faith therefore those who have not Faith or never have or NEVER had Faith God did ordain to be damned before they were Born Answ This is a great Mistake for God who cannot LYE saith Look unto me and BE YE SAVED ALL the ends of the Earth Isa 45. 22. Gods Will is that all men might be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. Again As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live c. Ezek. 33. 11. and 18. 31 32 33. The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men the Spirit of Truth which doth lead the Saints into all Truth the same doth Convince the World of Sin By this Visitation and CONVICTION they are brought into a condition that they may believe that which convinteth them of sin leaves them without Excuse justly to be punished for their Sin IN the SAME is the true and effectual means cause and ground of Faith freely tendered to them that thereby they might be led out of the Sin of Unbelief by the Lord God yea it is his free gift unto them given to beget and work Faith in them and if they STILL continue in Unbelief this gift will condemn them and God justly will punish them for their Rebellion Hard-heartedness Unbelief c. and it convinceth them of Righteousness in some degree that thereby they might be led to do that which is just and righteous in the sight of God who is
Repent and turn to the Lord from these abominable things that so they might not be forever shut out of the Kingdom of God! O that the Inhabitants of England and all Nations would believe in God that made them who is spiritual Light who is a holy pure Spirit who is Omnipresent or present every where who said Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stool c. see Isa 66. 1. read the Chapter through 1 King 8. 27. his pure Spirit lighteth every one that cometh into the World O that the great multitudes in England and all Nations who are in Strife and Contention Hatred and Envying Murthering and Killing one another about Religion and about Earthly things WOULD BELIEVE in this Heavenly Spirit that enlightneth them which giveth them to understand in some measure or degree what is Good and also what is Evil O that they would bow down unto it and become subject unto the leadings and teachings of it then would it teach them to love one another NOT to be like Cain who slew his Brother because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous but it would teach them to do to all men as they would be done unto as God hath commanded yea it would teach them as it did good Joseph who was kind unto his Brethren who was cruel to him who sold him to the Ishmalites yea it would teach them to overcome the evil with the good as Joseph did and as God commandeth But because Multitudes and Nations believe not in this holy pure peaceable loving and long-suffering Spirit therefore it is that they are as the raging Sea that casts up Mire and Dirt and many are as the cruel merciless Beasts of Prey destroying one another yea many oppressing and seeking to destroy Gods tender People who have true love to all and desire the temporal and eternal good of all who Worship him in his holy Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth the faithful followers of it and because that Vengeance is not executed speedily or suddenly for these crying Abominations therefore are the Hearts of the Sons of men fully set in them to do Evil as it was of Old see Eccles 8. 11. and because it is thus that many have given up themselves to Unbelief and hardness of Heart who have closed their Eyes and stopped their Ears against the Convictions and Reproofs of this pure meek merciful and compassionate Spirit of God and Christ whom he hath sent and have given up themselves to work Wickedness with greediness therefore there is great cause to take up a dolefull Lamentation and Mourning and those whom God hath made skilfull in Mourning who greatly desire the Salvation of the Multitudes Tongues Languages and People these have Mourned and do Mourn to see Multitudes running on swiftly toward the Pit of everlasting Destruction suddenly to be sunk into it Thus as of Old many say in their Hearts unto the Almighty God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Thus they hate the knowledge of God they do not chuse his holy fear which is the beginning of the pure peaceable Wisdom which cometh from above as saith the holy Scriptures see Job 21. 14. read the Chapter through see Prov. 1. 4 7 22 29. read the Chapter through Well said the Apostle Peter Our beloved Brother Paul in all his Epistles writes things which are hard to be understood which they who are Vnlearned Vnstable wrest as they do the other Scriptures unto their own DESTRUCTION Peter was an Illiterate man and so an Unlearned man in Natural or Artificial Learning of Tongues and Languages but he was a man of great Learning in the Heavenly Spiritual School of Christ all who come to learn of Christ Paul and Peters heavenly Master they are taught by to understand their Words and to have unity with them and such are of one mind concerning them But they who are not yet come to learn of Christ as he is the Light of the World they are not come to a right understanding of the holy mens Words which are Recorded in the holy Scriptures and this is the cause that they are not of one mind concerning them but in very many contrary minds and in tumultuous Controversies about the meanings of them Paul doth say as is shewed before that God's Will is that ALL men should know the Truth and be SAVED This have I written in the love of God concerning Election and Reprobation for the Comfort and Encouragement of all those who are weary of and heavy laden with their Sins who hunger and thirst after Righteousness that they may come to Christ Jesus who dyed for them and rose again and ascended as it is written of him in the Scriptures of Truth who hath promised that he will give them Rest see Matth. 11. 28 29 30. This is also written as a Warning unto those who are at ease in their Sins flattering themselves speaking Peace unto themselves in their Unchristian Conversations and pleading for a necessity of continuing in the act of Sin unto the end of their dayes upon Earth and yet vainly imagin that they are the Elect and Chosen of God Jesus said I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but he shall have the Light of Life The Pharisees therefore said unto him Thou bearest Record of thy self and thy Record is NOT true But Jesus said unto these Unbelieving Jews If ye believe NOT that I am he ye shall die in your Sins whither I go ye CANNOT come see John 8. 12 24. Note Reader These great professing Pharisees Opposed Christ Jesus and denyed him to be the Light of the World Too like these Pharisees are many Teachers high Professors of Christ in Words in our Age who though they will talk much of Christ as he was born and dyed and rose again according to the Flesh yet can they not endure to hear him preached as he preached himself and as the holy Apostles preached him to wit the Light of the World the true Light which lighteth every one that cometh into the World This is the Stone which all the Builders do reject and set at nought who build up their VAIN Religions Faiths and Worships in the Serpentine Earthly Devilish Wisdom in Murther Cruelty Oppression and Idolatry but when this Stone falls on them in Judgment it will grind them all to Powder see Luke 20. 17. Psal 118. 22. Mat. 21. 24. O Blessed will all they be who come unto and believe in this Living Stone their hard Hearts shall be broken by it and made soft and tender and thereby be made fit to enter into the Kingdom of God into which nothing that is Unclean can enter and their sins that are past though they be many God will freely Pardon Remit and Forgive them in his tender Mercy and forbearance in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself a Ransom for
said God is Love he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him mark God in him and the Apostle John said We know that the Son of God is come hath given us an under standing that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is the true God and Life eternal 1 Joh. 5. 19 20. And it 's written He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath the Son hath the Father also Christ in his Prayer to the Father said of his Disciples I in them and thou in me John 17. 21. to the end of the Chapter Thus it plainly appears that the Christians did and do enjoy God and Christ within God is a Spirit as Christ said and the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit as the Apostle saith So God and Christ within is sufficient to lead unto Salvation being obeyed and thus to own God and Christ within did not nor doth not lead the Christians to justifie themselves or as J. B. phrases it To bear a part in their own Justification nor to give the Apostle the Lye who saith Ye are saved by Grace through Faith Now mark the great Ignorance of this J. B. he grants that People are saved by Grace through Faith I ask J. B. then must not they who are so saved have this Grace this Faith within them would he have them to be saved by Grace through Faith and yet have neither Grace nor Faith in them Oh gross Ignorance The Martyr Stephen was a man full of Faith and of the Holy Ghost or Spirit And the Apostle exhorted saying Be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but be ye filled with the Spirit The Apostle saith It is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace And sure this Grace must be in their Hearts with which their Hearts were to be established The Apostle exhorted the Saints to teach and admonish c. with Grace in their Hearts Col. 3. 16. And the Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience as it s written in the holy Scriptures The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men as saith the Apostle Tit. 2. 11. And the appearance of it is within Man and Woman as I have proved by the Scriptures and the Lord said unto the Apostle My Grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakness They who do believe in the Grace do know the sufficiency of it yea of the least measure of it to their comfort to preserve save them but those who do despight unto it and continue in Unbelief shall come to know the sufficiency of it to condemn them And by this Grace which hath appeared to all men the Lord will be clear of all the Wicked who perish in their Wickedness yea he will overcome them all when he brings his Righteous Judgments upon them for their Rebellion Happy are all they who do believe and continue stedfast in obedience unto the Grace of God but Wo to the Wicked who continue in Rebellion against it The People of God in scorn called Quakers do believe and say as the holy Apostle did who said We are not able to think a good Thought of our selves of our selves we can do nothing that is good But we do believe that its possible to grow to such a stature in Christ Jesus by virtue of his spiritual presence WITHIN as that by virtue thereof the TRUE BELIEVER may be ENABLED to do all things which God doth require of HIM and of this belief was the Apostle who said I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Through the tender Mercy of God we are made sensible that as Christ said so it is Without him we can do nothing And the Apostle said We are God's Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God before ordained that we should walk in them And it is God that worketh all our Works in us And so said the Prophet and so say WE see Isa 20. 12. Ephes 2. 10. Postscript Being a Scriptural Testimony to the perfect Works of God in his People COme out from amongst them and be ye seperate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be your Father and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty see Isa 52. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. read the Chapter through The holy Apostle saith God forbid that I should glory SAVE or except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World For IN Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but A NEW CREATURE and as many as WALK according TO THIS RULE PEACE be on them c. Gal. 6. 14 15 16. Note Reader they that come out from amongst the unclean who touch no unclean thing these are the Elect of God these are his Sons and Daughters Servants and Hand-maids these are new Creatures in Christ Jesus these are Crucified with Christ these are in and through him Crucified to the World and the World is Crucified to them and as many as WALK according to these new Creatures RULE they walk according to the commands of God and Christ expressed in the holy Scriptures of Truth who saith Be Perfect be Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy And God is perfect and his way is perfect and his work is perfect as it is written 2 Sam. 22. 31. Psal 18. 30. Deut. 32. 4. Christ saith Except a man be Born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. 5. Matth. 19. 28. Tit. 3. 5. Those who are Born again are new Creatures these Worship God in the newness of the Spirit of God and of Christ in which they come to see the Promises of God and Christ fulfilled who said I will walk in them c. I will teach my People my self I will write my Law in their Heart c. Ephes 46. Levit. 26. 12. Rev. 21. 3. Jer. 31. 33. Christ said I and my Father we will come and make our ABODE with you The Conversations of all such are sweet and clean according to the commands of God and Christ and the Doctrines and Examples of Christ and his holy Apostles and such are the true owners and lovers and esteemers of the holy Scriptures And NOT those who make their bost of their love to God and Christ and to them and yet in their EVIL Lives and Conversations denyboth God and Christ and them living in and loving and pleading for a continuance in Sin to the end of their dayes all which is directly contrary to the commands of God and Christ plainly laid down in the Scriptures And God said unto Rebellious Israel O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandments then had thy Peace have been as a River thy Righteousness as the Waves of the Sea
Isa 48. 18. Blessed are they who do his Commandment that they may have right to the Tree of Life may enter in through the Gate into the City for WITHOUT are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a LYE Rev. 22. 14. Christ prayed for his Disciples saying I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou shouldst PRESERVE them FROM the EVIL John 17. 15. Again when he taught them to Pray he said Pray thus Deliver us FROM ALL EVIL c. And Jesus said Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son John 14. 13. The Apostle John saith And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight c. And he that keepeth his Commandments DWELLETH IN HIM and he IN him And hereby we know that he abideth IN US by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 3. 22 24. see also John â—â— 23. Again Jesus said All things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive Matth. 21. 22. Christ said If ye abide IN ME c. ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be given unto you John 15. 7. Jesus who saith Be perfect c. also saith If a man love me he WILL keep my words and my Father will love him and WE will COME unto him and make OUR ABODE with him he that loveth me NOT keepeth NOT my Sayings c. John 14. 23 24. Again He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them HE it is that LOVETH ME and he that loveth ME shall he beloved of my Father see verse 21. Again Jesus said If ye KEEP my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his Love Chap. 15. verse 10. Again the holy Apostle John saith By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and KEEP HIS Commandments For this is the love of God that we KEEP his Commandment and his Commandments are NOT GRIEVOUS 1 John 5. 2 3. Again Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the KEEPING the commands of God 1 Cor. 7. 19. God who said unto Abraham I am God All sufficieâ—â— walk thou before me and be thou perfect He said Abraham obeyed my Voice and kept my Charge my Commandments my Statutes and my Laws Gen. 26. 5. And Christ said unto the Rebellious Jews If ye were Abraham's Children ye would do the Works of Abraham Christ saith Every one that is perfect shall be as his Master Luke 6. 4. The Apostle Peter prayed for the Believers that God would make them perfect 1 Pet. 5. 10. Jesus said unto the Rich Young-man If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come and follow me see Matth. 19 21. Again he prayed to the Father for his Disciples he said The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as WE are one I IN them and thou in me that they may be made PERFECT in one see John 17. 22 23. And Jesus said Neither Pray I for these ALONE but for them ALSO that shall believe on me c. verse 21. Note Reader this blessed Prayer of Christ Jesus was and is for or on the behalf of ALL who truly believe in him t his is truly comfortable to all true Believers in this age glory to the Lord God for the same The Apostle said We speak Wisdom among them that are PERFECT not the Wisdom of this world c. but the wisdom of God in a Mystery c. see 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. Again Paul exhorted saying Be PERFECT 2 Cor. 13. 11. The Apostles laboured that they might present every man PERFECT IN Christ Jesus see Col. 1. 28. Paul preached Christ WITHIN the Colossians the hope of Glory verse 27. Again Epaphras who is one of you a Servant of Christ saluteth you alwayes labouring for you fervently in PRAYERS that ye may stand PERFECT and Compleat in ALL the will of God see Chap. 4. verse 12. Again the Apostle gives Testimony to the Inspiration of God which giveth a right understanding of the things of God and to the holy Scriptures c. saying These Gifts are given that the man of God may be PERFECT THROUGHLY furnished unto ALL GOOD WORKS 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Again the Author to the Hebrews prayed for them That God would make them PERFECT in every good Work to do his Will Heb. 13. 21. Again Strong Meat belongeth to them that are PERFECT so it is rendred in the Margin who by Reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil Chap. 4. 14. Moses the Man of God said Give ear O ye Heavens and I will speak and Hear O Earth the words of my Mouth My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain my speech shall distil as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the Showers upon the Grass because I will publish the Name of the Lord ascribe ye greatness unto our God he is the ROCK his Work is PERFECT c. a God of Truth and without Iniquity Just and Right is he THEY have Corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children c. Do you thus requite the Lord O Foolish People Deut. 32. 1 2 3 4 5 6. read the Chapter through see Chap. 31. 27. to the end Reader Many Sweet Heavenly and Comfortable Sayings I have Collected out of the holy Scriptures whereby Gods Love unto all Men and Women is clearly held forth IN CHRIST Jesus the blessed Seed whom God hath promised shall bruise the Serpents Head who brought in the Curse Death and Reprobation by leading Man and Woman into sin Your Sins saith God have with-holden good things from you Jer. 5. 25. Christ is God's free Gift as I have plainly shewed before both unto Jews and Gentiles to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth he tasted Death for every man as the Apostle saith He is the true Light who lighteth every one that cometh into the World he saith I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but he shall have the Light of Life He said Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light as is shewed before The Children of Light are the Children of God for God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all as saith the Apostle 1 John 1. 5. Again Chap. 3. Vers 5 6. John saith unto the Saints concerning Christ Ye know that he was manifest to TAKE AWAY our Sins whosoabideth in him sinneth NOT. Again He is able to save them to the uttermost them that come to God by him Heb. 7. 25. O blessed are all they