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
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
Disciples What I say unto one I say unto all Watch WATCH and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation The holy Prophet said I will hear what the Lord will say for he will speak Peace to his Saints but let them not turn again to Folly In pag. 17. J. B. quotes the words which God spake to Moses saying I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy these words Paul repeated in Rom. 9. and he added these words viz. whom he will he heardneth To the first I Answer Paul speaking to the Geutiles or Heathens concerning the Jews said God hath concluded them All in Vnbelief that he might have MERCY UPON ALL. Mark that upon ALL Rom. 11. 32. And Vers 26. he saith All Israel shall be saved Vers 27. This is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins To the second I Answer God's Grace hath appeared and is a free Gift of God given unto all men to teach all men to deny Ungodliness and to live Godly in this present World he gives all a time also in which they may turn unto him from their Evil Wayes and if they turn not to him in the Day of their Visitation the Lord doth cease to strive with them for their Salvation who regard not the Day of their Visitation Luke 19. 44. As he did with the People of Jerusalem of old who WEPT over them and said O that thou hadst known in this Day the things which belong to thy Peace But now they are hid from thy Eyes now your House is left unto you desolate c. Mat. 23. 28 29. Luk. 13. 34 35. Thus it plainly appears that there was a time in which they might have known the things which did belong to their Peace but they neglecting that time God ceased to strive with them and shut the Door of Mercy against them So when God ceased to strive with them then they hardned SWIFTLY for then the Devil had them at his pleasure Soit was and is he that doth hearden peoples Hearts against God by leading them into sin and this the Apostle well knew and therefore Exhorted the Saints To Watchfullness and Faithfullness lost said he any of you be hardened through the Deceitfullness of Sin Heb. 3. 13. And though it s said God hardened Pharaoh 's Heart yet I say as the Apostle saith God's Will is that All Men may know the Truth and be saved and I say there was a time when God would have softned his Heart and have made him a good man but he withstanding the Day of God's tender Visitation which was in order to have made him a Tender hearted good Man God ceased to strive with him for his Salvation and th en the Devil That great Hardier of Hearts had his Will of him And though God said to Pharaoh I have raised thee up to make my Power known in thee yet God did not say to him I Created thee on purpose that thou shouldst be a Wicked Cruel and Hard hearted Man NO it were great Blasphemy to say or think so though after he was hardened God suffered him for a time to oppress his People yea to rise higher and higher in his Oppression yet afterwards God's Power was known in his Destruction and in the deliverance of his own People Pharaoh said unto Moses and Aaron I have sinned the Lord is Righteous and I and my People are wicked Exod. 9. 27. Again he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you forgive I pray thee my Sin Chap. 10. ver 26 27. Again When Pharaoh saw there was Respite he hardned his Heart Chap. 8. ver 15. Again Pharaoh hardned his Heart this time also ver 32. Thus it plainly appears that Pharaoh justifieth the Lord God in his Righteous Judgments which he brought upon him and his People for their Sins and condemneth himself and his People saying I and my People are wicked It is certain that it was the Devil NOT GOD who led Pharaoh and his People into Sin by which their Hearts were hardned against God and his People The holy Apostle John saith He that committeth Sin is of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Jam. 1. 13 14 15. And God's command is unto man kind that they should not harden their Hearts and it s written That he was grieved with those who did harden their Hearts Psalm 95. 8 10. Heb. 3. 10. and God hath promised That he will take away the Stony or hard Heart which the Devil hath made hard and that he will give them a Heart of Flesh or a soft heart c. Ezek. 11. 19. And David saith Psal 51. 17. The Sacrifice of God is a broken Heart And God said by the Prophet to the People Joel 2. 13. Rent your Hearts c. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken Heart and saveth such as are of a contrite Spirit Psalm 34. 18. Christ Jesus said The Men of Nineveh shall rise up in Judgment with this Generation and shall condemn it because they Repented at the preaching of Jonas And behold a greater then Jonas is here Matth. 12. 41. Jesus upbraided yea condemned the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they Repented not see Matth. 11. 20. to the end God commandeth all men to Repent every where Act. 17. 30. Jesus said Suppose ye that those Galileans mentioned Luk. 13. 1 2 3. and those eighteen men on whom the Tower of Siloam fell ver 4. were sinners above all the Gallileans and above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem I tell ye nay but except ye Repent ye shall ALL likewise PERISH And Christ told his Disciples after he was risen from the Dead That Repentance Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name unto all Nations or in all Nations mark that Luk. 24. 47. Many times did Jesus call unto the Rebellious amongst the seven Churches of Asia to Repent as may be seen in the second third Chapters of the Revelations at large Christs Parables concerning the stray Sheep and the prodigal Son in Luk. 15. 7. doth much hold forth the Universal Love of God to man-kind he said I say unto you that Joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that Repenteth more than over ninety nine just Persons which need no Repentance Again There is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that Repenteth Luke 15. 10. John the Baptist called the Pharisees and the Sadduces who came unto his Baptism A Generation of Vipers yet these he called to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Matth. 3. 7. 12. 23. Luk. 3. 7. In Rom. 9. 32. Paul saith
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
righteous in the sight of men For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against ALL Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men c. Because that which may be known of God IS manifest IN them for God hath SHEWED it unto them For the Invisible things OF HIM from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and GODHEAD so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE Rom. 1. 18 19 20. Mark the WRATH of God is against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men for one and the same cause namely because that which may be known of God is manifest IN THEM here the holy just merciful God shews that he is not PARTIAL Reader it is certain that the Spirit of Truth which doth Convince the World of Sin and leaves those without Excuse justly to be punished who do not believe Repent and Forsake their Sins and turn to God the same IS sufficient to GIVE Faith unto ALL men and Women But God said Israel would have none of ME. And Christ said to the Jews Ye will NOT come to ME that ye might have Life And Christ in pity and tender compassion WEPT over the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and said I would have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would NOT. He did NOT say Ye could not for he KNEW that it was possible that they might have come unto him while the day of their Visitation lasted but after that time was ended they could not he said O that thou hadst known or experienced and enjoyed in this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Now your House is left unto you Desolate Now those that would not and will not have God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Grace and Truth which God hath given to lead out of the Sin of Unbelief c. these WILL NOT have Faith For they in their stubborn corrupt Self-will refuse God and Christ the Author of it and the holy Spirit which is given to lead into the true Faith which purifieth the Heart the Mystery of which is held in a pure Conscience as saith the holy Apostle Those who are so hardened by the Devil that great hardener of Hearts that they will not have God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Grace and Truth nor Faith this their refusing of God and Christ the Spirit Faith c. is NOT according to the WILL and mind of God nor Christ nor the Spirit of Truth but according to the cursed Will and Mind of the old Deceiver who led Adam and Eve to Sin against God and against their own Souls and according to their own cursed will and mind which he the old Deceiver and Destroyer hath begotten in them against God Christ the Spirit of Truth c. And such hardened ONES Perish whose Destruction is of themselves and the Lord God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth is clear which hath Convinced them of their Sin and Reproved them for the same in secret and hath waited and long striven to lead them out of the same into Faith INTO love and pure obedience to the pure holy God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Christ pronounced Wo against the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for OMITTING Faith see Matth. 23. 23. Note Reader here he pronounceth Wo against them because they had not Faith or were not in the true Faith here the just God shews that he did not with-hold the true and real means and cause of Faith from them but they in their corrupt wicked WILL did resist the working of the same till God ceased to strive with them for their Salvation So their being without Faith and perishing for want of it was of themselves and the Lord God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth was and is clear of them and all such It would be blasphemous to say that it was God's will that they should have no Faith though he cryed Wo against them because they omitted it and condemned them for not being found in it But it is no very strange thing that all men have not Faith seeing many in former Ages and divers in this have made SHIPWRACK of the true Faith which they ONCE HAD The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to Hold FAITH and a GOOD CONSCIENCE which some having put AWAY concerning Faith have made Shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. Moreover Paul said to Timothy The Spirit speaks expresly that in the latter Times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared with a hot iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats c. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Moreover Paul told Timothy that Hymaeneus and Philetus had erred c. who had overthrown the Faith of some see 1 Tim. 2. 18. Again Paul said to Timothy Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in FAITH and Love this thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me 2 Tim. 1. 13. 15. Again O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy TRUST avoiding prophane and vain Bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called which some professing have enred concerning the Faith 1 Tim. 6. 20 21. Reader thus it doth plainly appear that those who once had the true Faith did depart from it and fell into Apostacy and so made Shipwrack of that Faith which the Spirit of Truth had begotten in them and such became as Trees twice Dead plucked up by the Roots c. and as wandring Stars or wandring restless Spirits for whom is reserved the mist of Darkness forever as it s written in the holy Scriptures the Hearts and Consciences of such were grown very hard benumed and greatly insensible eyen answering in a Spiritual sense that saying viz. Having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron such are forward and bold to commit Sin with pleasure and greediness and to make a mock at true Tenderness holy Fear and true Watchfulness and at the godly Sorrow and unfeigned Repentance of those whose Hearts God hath broken by his Righteous Judgments through the effectual operation of the Word of FAITH which is to be known nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth which Word is as a Hammer to break the hard Heart and as an Ax or Sword to cut down the Lust and Wickedness thereof and as a Fire to burn up the same and as a strong Wind to drive away the Ashes thereof Wo wo to the Ranters and Atheists who have sold themselves to work Wickedness with greediness who make a Mock at God at his Works in Judgment and in Mercy unto the Children of men who sport themselves in their Devilish prophane Conversations wo to them it had been better for them that they had not been Born And wo to all Apostates who are departed from the true