Gen. 6.5 and the punishment of death which sore-threatn'd his Rebellion in these terms Gen 2 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die was justly inflicted on him Whereby as he fell from that dignity he was placed in Ephes 4.24 from that Righteousness Knowledge and true Holiness he was Primitively endued with in disobedience to God Col. 3.10 listned to Satanical delusions and from thence Polluted Tainted and Defiled that pure integer and Divine Nature which God had Inspired him with So all his Posterity partaking of that corrupt Seed and Nature became disabled from succeeding him in those blessed Priviledges he enjoyed in his State of Integrity and not only so Isa 64.5 but also subject to the dismal effect and consequences of that corruption which are death and disability to perform the primary end of Man's Creation Rom. 5.12 Wherefore saith St. Paul as by one Man Sin entred the World and Death by Sin so Death passed upon all Men for that all have Sinned He likewise proved that all under Sin And again Rom. 3.9 Rom. 5.18.19 Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to condemnation For as by one Man's disobedience many were made Sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous Thus the cause of that Natural alienation from and repugnance to any thing of good is easily discover'd Adam became alienated in his mind and in like manner all his posterity by reason of wicked works and uncapable to render a due Reverence Honour and Glory to the great Creator But the condemnation is not because Adam sinned therefore as a Punishment due to that particular Sin all his posterity save a few peculiarly respected shall be punish'd The Text says Death pass'd upon all for that all have Sinned Which leads me to meditate on First The the cause of this universal deluge of Death Secondly The means of restoration to such a condition as to be capable of fulfilling our duties to God and Man Then first The cause that Death has come upon all being already in a great measure evinc'd I yet further prosecute to see more clearly the manner of it which will more evidently discover the reason of those innate inclinations to evil which naturally sway our minds As by one Man saith the Scripture before hinted Sin entred the World and Death by Sin Rom. 5.12 so Death pass'd upon all Men for that all have Sinned here 't is manifest that Sin entr'd the World by Adam's transgression and Death was the consequence unto him even a dying from God and the reason that Death came upon all his Progeny Rom. 6.23 is because all have Sinned and the reason that all have Sinned is because they partook of Psal 51.5 and are conceived in that Seed and Nature of fallen Adam which was of alienation from any thing of good so that all the natural affections are deviating from God and good all are by Nature Children of wrath and propense to evil and consequently all have Sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23.9 and become the Objects of his wrath 8.7 and so in a condition incapable to glorifie their maker which leads me to think of Secondly the means of restoration As our Protoparent by a transgression so damnable as not only deserving his own destruction Gen. 3.17 but the Earth was justly cursed for it did incur his Makers wrath and was punish'd by deduction of his former felicity and a corporal Death which some are ready to think he had else been never cursed with but more greivously by the danger of an eternal woe which was made the inevitable effect of unrepented Sin and as his posterity by Sinning tho' not after the same similitude Rom. 5.14 are justly expos'd to the same Misery and liable to undergo it So the Lord in infinite compassion to the Works of his Hands and in order to restore the whole Creation into that Glorious Liberty which Adam before his fall enjoyed Rom. 8.21 provided a means to be reconciled to poor lost and miserable Souls that do nothing naturally but offend their Maker and whose Sins and enormities are so encensive to divine Justice that nothing but an immense mercy can expiate A promise was made in love to Mankind even inexpressible in odium to the Serpent who had almost ruin'd the Master-peice of God's Handy Work and a just Damnation to fallen Lucifer and all his followers who not content with the station which God had set them in aspir'd to a greater place and so for them as a Punishment for their presumptuous Pride are chains of darkness for ever reserved which was Gen. 3.15 the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head Man was captivated by Ephes 2.1 2 3. and became subject to the Prince of the power of the Air who rules in the Hearts of the Children of disobedience and worthy of an eternal deprivation from all bliss But the promise was given forth a redemption from the power of Satan and a restoration to the lost felicity Righteousness Knowledg and true Holiness and moreover to the Glory of the all-wise Creator and Redeemer be it said Man was upon performing his part in the Covenant entitled to an inheritance of a never ending Joy The assurance and earnest of which may cause all to Magnifie Praise Honour and for ever adore that most imense clemency of God as will the Condemnation to eternal woe cause a most deplorable reflection to those Souls that have willfully slighted the means of Caelestial Bliss 1 Pet. 3.18 which is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ the Son of his Love the Seed of the Woman who as he was God became also Man making a complete Saviour 1 John 2.2 Heb. 9.28 and laid down his Life for Sinners and became a propitiation for them even for all that beleive in his Name he procur'd for them a pardon by his Death and Salvation by his Life as 't is said reconciled by his Death Rom. 5.10 Ephes 1.4 Rom. 8.29 30. 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.18 and saved by his Life The Creator fore-seeing all things that should come to pass in time fore-provided a Saviour for those Creatures which were the principal part of his Workmanship even for all Mankind the mystery of this contrivance Natural Reason cannot fathom for as the Scripture testifies 1 Cor 2.14 the Natural Man perceives not the things of God neither indeed can he for they are Spiritualy discerned so no carnal comprehension can conceive or dive into this mystical redemption In Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 in Christ all are made alive in the original nature the nature of fallen Adam Ephes 2.1 all the Children of men are Dead in reference to the things of God As a corporal Death deprives of the use of all the outward senses the sight is lost notwithstanding
Again Let us hear we that have large possessions that be Rich in the Earth we that are fill'd with Worldly enjoyments that as it were have the World at our beck we that are at ease in our pleasure that command the World with our Wealth we that flatter our selves with hopes of perpetual bliss and some of us that think this false Joy will never come to an end be ye advis'd and consider 1 Kin. 10.17 I have had most boundless possessions and made Silver as plentiful as stones in the street yet I see the vanity of all these empty enjoyments how short they be in yeilding true and lasting Peace Could they so have done I should have been bless'd above all but now rest sensible of the insufficiency and uncertainty of them Riches make themselveâ— wings and flie away they cannoâ— deliver in a day of Trouble therefore let them be no longer as strong hold in your imaginationâ— neither take them for the upholder of a lasting Peace for I know how little safety can be repos'd in them and further 1 Tim. 6.7.10 that they are more oâ—ten Snares by which Men are entangl'd than they be useful or conducing to their good Let such thoughts and considerations say the Preacher incline ye to say with me Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter c. Eccles 12.1 Our excellent Preacher having in the precedent part of the Chapter given some tender admonition to the younger People none concludes to all with so full a compendium of Humane duty as nothing in such a relation is excluded wherein appear'd not only hiâ— great and spacious Knowledge buâ— also his reform'd apprehension of the future estate of Men as well â—s a sensible demonstration of his â—esubmition to his great Creator against whom he had transgress'd by his subjection to the Power of concupiscence But this as 't is beleiv'd being of a posteriour edition proves him a partaker of the promised respite of affliction justly â—aid upon him I will for this afflict the Seed of David but not for ever I will chastise him in Judgment 2 Sam. 12 16. Psal 89.30.36 but my loving kindness shall not be taken away and therefore I doubt not but he by resignation and repentance was blest with a restoration of his unparrallel'd Wisdom because the meekness humility and charity compris'd herein seems no other than the ejaculation of a Spiritualliz'd Man the effect of divine mercy alone to which also must be imputed the efficient cause of all attention to this conclusion of the whole matter which is to Fear God and keep his Commandments A Reverend and Holy Fear an entire and Godly awe a meek and submissive dread of Spirit is required Fear God keep his commands let no Worldly considerations let no mean and Earthly cogitations be restrictive but remember that the great and most excellent Creator whose presence fills Heaven and Earth 1 Kings 8.27 2 Chron. 2.6.6.18 the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him of Justice is worthy to be feared reverenc'd and submitted to He is the Fountain of all our good from whom all our mercies flow whose Loving Kindness never fails whose Truth and Goodness sustains the World whose secret and most wise providence orders and disposes of all Vacat exiguis rebus adesse nostrâ— Jovi Curat noster Deus sui alieni He is not only a far off but a God near at hand to support the weak and to comfort the afflicted to give Joy for Mourning Isa 61.3 the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness Beauty for Ashes Peace and Tranquillity for trouble and sorrow of mind 2 Chron. 6.18 He is an omnipresent being nothing can be hid from his Eyes he beholds the secret actions of all the private deceipts of Men be not unknown unto him the dark workers of Iniquity cannot conceal themselves He is most boundless in power all Nations are but as the dust in the ballance in his Hand Isa 40. â—2 17 he that by his powerful Wisdom produc'd this worldly frame into a being can by the same consume it into nothing let the Wisdom of this World deny its production out of nothing let it be employ'd in searching for Prima materia and causa Vniversalis We know that our God is Omnipotent that as he was able out of nothing to constitute all things so can he reduce all things into nothing again the fallen Wisdom of Man Arestotle not apprehending divine Wisdom conceiv'd the world Eternal and shall we render our selves as weak by dis-believing the omnipotency of our great Creator Oh! no but let us with chearful Hearts yeild honour and reverence to his Glorious Name who as all have plentifully received of his favours and mercies so requires a faithful and grateful acknowledgment thereof by fearing him and obeying his commands whereby is perform'd through the assistance of divine Grace that only acceptable Sacrifice of pure and hearty Obedience First by fearing is render'd our private worship and adoration of God and Secondly by obeying him or an active observance of his righteous Law our duty in respect to our Neighbours which is to love them as our selves Rom. 13 9 10. Gal. 5.14 herein is contain'd as saith the Preacher the whole duty of Man But seeing our sad experience gives us to know the great aversion there is lodg'd in our hearts to the desires of and much more seeking after our good which is to fear God and keep his Commands how carfully then should we seek for the means of extirpating this so powerful an inclination to evil and declination from any thing that may be in the least conducing to our chiefest good and of attaining to such a frame and estate of mind as that we may be in a capacity to perform the duties required of us May we not sorrowfully remember how that our first Father Adam the master-piece of the whole Creation an Epitome of the World in whom was center'd an Abreviation of all things and who was constituted Lord of all the Creatures Gen. 1.26 27. as being endued with Righteousness Knowledge and true Holiness yet by Transgression to the Righteous Law of God by disobeying his Holy precepts Gen. 3. Rom. 8.20 2 Cor. 11.3 Eccles 25 24. by reason of vain hope by harkning to the Allurements of the Woman by yeilding to the Seducements of the Serpent and by Eating of the prohibited Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of go d and evil Gen. 3.14 to the end became deprived of his serene and pure Felicity lost the gracious benefit of a sweet and immediat communion with his Maker together with his Soveraignity over the whole Creation Rom. 5.12 Yea Sin and death by Sin entred the world thereby and the faculties of his soul being infected and depraved Darkness and Corruption seized his guilty Conscience the pure Image of the Deity was defaced its passions and affections perverted
the Eyes remain so hearing and the other senses are taken away altho' their proper organs are remaining So is it with respect to the Soul of Man 't is depraved in its senses having Eyes it sees not having Ears it doth not hear and tho' 't is Life to the Body yet it lives not because resting in Adam where all die and under subjection to the principle of disobedience 'T is a most noble truth that as the Soul of man animates the Body so the Spirit of God gives Life to the Soul the Soul is Life to the Body and the Holy Spirit quickens the Soul and as the Body without the Soul is Dead and unable to perform any office so is the Soul of man not enliven'd by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 15 45 47. the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven Dead and unable to perform its office to God which is to fear and obey him To retreive and remedy this disability of the Soul is the Son of God manifest 1 John 3.5.8 even to destroy the works of the Devil which have filled the Soul and bruised the heel of the Womans Seed to bring it from under captivity to Sin and Satan Rom. 8.21 into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God which is incomprehensible to the carnal in Heart which the Natural and unrenewed man cannot perceive but to the Spiritually minded man to the Heavenly attracted Soul to the Soul enflamed with a Celestial love with aspiring desires with noble and heroick affections how conâ—enting how ravishing how sweetly consolating is the sensible enjoyment of a restoration to this Glorious Liberty to this unconceivable joy peculiar to the redeemed Souls when the morning Stars sing together and all the Sons of God adopted Children pure peaceable and reconciled in Herrt and Soul do sing for Joy So that 't is not for the carnal mind to pry into these Divine secrets which are disclosed to none but the Spiritually inclin'd to those whose affections are set on things above whose conversation is in Heaven Mat. 6.21 whose treasures and hearts are there these alone shall not only know the means but feel the power of redemption the Blood of Jesus to purge their Consciences from dead works Heb. 9.14 to serve the living God these will know that they must die unto Sin and live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24.3.18 that the Redeemer came to deliver them from this present evil World and that they are saved according to his mercy Gal. 1.4 Tit. 3.5 6 7. by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost that being Justified by his Grace they may be made heirs of eternal Life Further that they must not live to themselves 1 Cor. 5.15 Ephes 5.25.26 but to him which died for them that he might sanctifie and cleanse them with the washing of Water by the Word to present them to his Father Holy and without Blemish that he might redeem them from all Iniquity Tit. â— 23 2â— and purifie to himself a peculiar people Zealous of good works And that Love Peace Ephes 5.22 Joy Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against which there is no Law may abound amongst them and wherein they that are Christs having Crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts do live and walk Now would'st thou know the means of redemption and would'st thou be blest with the same hearken and hear and thy soul shall Live Thou hast been or still art by Nature a Child of Wrath and thy affections are joyned to Earthly things to Transitory and Perishing objects that disagree to the pure Nature of thy soul but above all that capital Lust of Pride which as t' was most prevalent in the first Man Adam takes up the greatest part of thy heart so that not being yet acquainted with that power of Jesus which redeems from sin thou art Exalted and Puffed up in thy Fleshly mind which covets after this world and thereby art become wholly estranged from any good to thee in this desperate condition Mat. 11.28 29 30 does the Son of God cry Come unto me learn of me I am meek and lowly in heart and if thou wilt be humble I 'le teach thee of my ways my Doctrine shall be as the Diew it shall inspire Life into thy soul man lives not by Bread alone Mat. 4.4 but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Joh. 6.48.63 the words that I speak unto thee they are Spirit Mt â— 18.11 and they are Life I am come to seek and to save I am come to abase the Proud and to exalt the Humble in soul he that exalts himself shall be abased but he that abases himself will I exalt Take my Yoke upon thee saith Jesus for thou'lt soon find it easie and my burthen to be light and follow me in the way of self-denyal and of Regeneration tho' thou art Blind I will restore thy sight tho' thou art Darkness I 'le make thee light nay tho' thou art dead I will give thee Life It shall come to pass that the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and those that hear shall live Oh blessed promise God is speaking from Heaven by his Son who is Infusing Life even his own Spirit into the Souls and making it to live Then the Dead cannot praise thee neither can they that go down to the grave celebrate thy Name but the living the living can praise thee and magnifie thy Glorious Name who hast redeemed them by thy mighty Power from Death and destruction from Sin and Satan by thy precious Blood by thy virifying Life by that word of eternal Life by which the World was made Man was created and Man is redeemed again through whom to the alwise and almighty Creator be sounded never ending Anthems and Hallelujah's Glory and everlasting Praise Amen Thus is the redeemed Soul engag'd to fear and obey the great restorer of breaches and of paths to walk in John 13.15 who as he left an example for us to follow his steps not assuming Glory to himself but submitting in all things to his Fathers will and at length laid down his Life for his greatest enemies so 1 Pet. 2.21 must we thereby learn to walk in self denial and newness of Life in meekness and in humiliation in submision and pure obedience to the internal revelation of the Divine word which teaches to love enemies to do good to them which hate us to bless them that curse and dispitefully use us Heb. 12.1 2 3. and to take him for our pattern who endured the Cross and despised the shame for the joy that was set before him who being without Sin bore the punishment due for Sin that Man might Sin no more but be restored by means of that Grace which came by Jesus Joh. 1.17 to such a state of Righteousness and perfection as to be enabled to fear
shed for me there was no need of any thing for me to doe so that whatsoever Fruits of Piety and Holiness should through thy power be produced by me would be of no regard Therefore relying upon thee trusting in thee and believeing that thou would'st not look upon me as I am in a state of uncleanness and corruption but through Christ as I am in him I cast my self upon thee and trust wholy in the merit 's of a crucified Saviour who came into the World to save Sinners But to such an exclamation what will the Righteous God reply Surely he will not say I have chosen you respectively in my good will and pleasure that you may Glorifie me World without end and have ordained to Destruction the greatest part of your fellow Creatures not by reason they are worse or you more worthy but that they may Glorifie me in Hell and you in Heaven and as I have mercy on you so will avenge my self on them that have in the Loins of Adam Sinned against me Mat. 25.12.41 But he will say in that day to those that have not fear'd and obey'd him Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity I know ye not with what confidence can you look for admittance into my Kingdom when you know your selves unworthy and unfit for such a Glorious place Rev. 21 27. where no unclean thing can enter or nothing that is defiled how can you expect that I should hear your Cries when you would not hear mine no no. Prov. 1.24.30 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would hear none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirl-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Then dismal and terrible will it be at that time shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me And mark the just occasion of it For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would hear none of my counsel and despised all my reproof Thus will the Righteous God plead with the workers of Iniquity who are covering themselves Isa 30.1 and not with the Spirit of the Lord that presume to say we are cover'd with the Righteousness of the Lamb justified by the Blood of Christ when they are inwardly ravening Wolfes corrupted and in a state of abomination and have not come so far nay have not Faith to beleive they ever can be able as to know the Blood of Christ to purge their corrupt and defiled Consciences from dead works perform'd without a renewed Heart to serve the living God in pure and hearty obedience to all his holy Laws Such are ready to forget or at least don 't solidly think that they must be called before the Judgment seat of God there to give an exact and strict account of the deeds done in the Body 2 Cor. 5.10 and to receive a reward according to them for every secret Action for every hidden Thought must they reckon And all that cannot stand this fiery Trial must be consumed by it Therefore came the word of the Lord to the Prophet after this manner Isa 33.13 16. Hear ye that are a far off what I have done and ye that are near acknowledge my might The Sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring Fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting Burnings He that walketh Righteously and speaketh uprightly He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks Bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Oh the Blessed estate of the Righteous who is it will not cry Oh that I might die the death of the Righteous Oh that my latter end may be like unto his He shall lay down his Head in Peace and nothing shall make him affraid in a peaceable and quiet Conscience shall he leave the world no terrours of Soul shall assail him But in a certain assurance of endless Peace his Soul is sweetly resign'd to the will of his merciful God he takes his leave of the world without reluctance or trouble in Spirit and why so Oh who can declare that comfort and sweet consolation that he feels to abound in his Soul He is ready to lanch forth into that boundless Ocean of never ending joy Rev. 7. where the Wicked cease from troubling and all sorrow is done away Such a Man overcomes that unwillingness to die which is inherent to our Nature and how so He is sure that when his Earthly Tabernacle is dissolved 2 Cor. 5.1 there 's an Habitation provided for him eternally in the Heavens for this he grones earnestly and desires to be clothed with that Mortality may be swallowed up of Life 1 Cor. 15.55 then can he say Oh Death where is thy sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory whilst he is at home in the Body is absent from the Lord from the full and boundless enjoyment of his Love and Light and walking by Faith not by sight is willing to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord. But with the Wicked it is not so he has spent his days in contempt to the Lord in despight to his holy Laws but the time of his departure is at hand and now he begins to remember how he hath provoked a just and merciful God who would have had mercy upon him and would have reclaim'd him from the evil of his ways but he slighted his Visitations set at nought his counsel would none of his reproof persever'd in his impious courses and did not consider his latter end wherefore has terrour and torture already seised his Soul the Judgments of a Righteous God begin to take hold upon him now his Conscience more then a Thousand witnesses doth condemn him and God who is greater doth condemn him also Now he feels an Hell upon Earth that once had his Heaven here Now he that had as much of Heaven as he desired hath more of Hell than he can bear now he begins that work of repentance which here should have had end Now he cries for a longer time that has so greivously spent his own now I 'le part with all to have peace to my tormented Soul that would not once part with the least of my pleasures for it But ah remember thou in thy Life time Luke 16.25 how did the Lord strive to do thee good how many years did he call unto thee before he gave thee over to a reprobate mind he called and thou would'st not hear now he will not hear thy woful cries but will execute his terrible Judgments upon thee and none shall be able to deliver Destruction comes as a Whirl-wind desolation and misery surrounds on every side now the sight of his Friends that once rejoyc'd help to aggravate the greif of his Soul he spent his time in jollitry with them and forgot the Lord his maker and now he sorrowfully warns them that as he must to all Eternity be cursed with an inevitable woe so must they beware Luke 16.28 lest they come into this place of Torment now Hell is no longer feign'd to deterr him but dismally felt to damn him now Religion is no longer a Poâ—iâ—ick design but the neglect proves perpetual Damnation now ther 's an overruling God that will bring all into Judgment for he feels the weight thereof sinking his Soul down into everlasting pangs now he that enjoy'd the unbouaded pleasures of this world is enjoyn'd to bear the never ended plagues of another The thoughts of which may lay us low and humble and cause us to seek him that will secure us from such a deplorable condition of which too many are insensible but 't is to be fear'd will undergoe at last What else can the Wicked look for but the fearful Judgments of a revenging Fire which will burn up all the proud and workers of Iniquity they shall be all as stubble in this terrible day of the Lord Mal. 4.1 2. But to you that fear my name behold the repeated promises of joy to them that fear God shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings c. And we know that he is risen according to his promise and by the brightness of his appearance hath dissipated the darkness of our Hearts and discover'd the corruption of them and by the vertue of this his arising is healing administer'd to our diseased Souls he hath cured us of our Infirmities and made us strong in the Lord and in the power of his might So that we who have embraced him in this Spiritual appearance are enabled to run the way of his Commandment with great delight having open'd to him who brings refreshment with him Spiritual food and nourishmâ—â—â— will sup with him hath he â—â—â—mis'd and he with me Rev. 3.20 and we encourag'd in this our travel to 〈◊〉 on our course and keep our Faitâ— because we are assured that a crowâ— of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 will the Lord to Righteous Judge give to all the that love his appearing And wâ— can without presumption glory 〈◊〉 God in the highest bear an experâ—mental testimony to the words 〈◊〉 the Holy Psalmist Psalm 1.1 2 3. Blessed is the Man that walketâ— not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of Sinner nor sitteth in the seat of the Scornfuâ— But his delight is in the Law of tâ—â— Lord and in his Law doth he medâ—tate day and night And he shall 〈◊〉 like a Tree planted by the Rivers 〈◊〉 water that bringeth forth his Fruâ—â— in his Season his Leaf also shall nâ—â— wither and whatsoever he doeth shall Prosper THE END