are into which he would not have you come that 's his own he would not have you as himself as he is and therefore he forbids you he tells you of death to skare and fright you least by eating of the Fruit of that Tree c. touching it you should be as it is with him and have no secret hid from you True it is you will by eating of it die to the state in which you are viz. a Creaturely dependency upon him a capability of changing but then you will live to another which is more high which changeth not which God doth not and this is that which he would keep ye from Yea hath God said ye shall not eat of every Tree in the Garden And the woman said unto the Serpent We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden but of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye toutch it least ye die And the Serpent said unto the woman Ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day that ye eat thereof then your eys shall be opened ye shal come to see this secâ—et it was a mischievous seeing indeed which is not off her Posterity to this day and ye shall be as Gods knowing both good and evil Here was the eating of the forbidden fruit the temptation of the Serpent and the great encounter the woman had by which she fell she reach't at this the Serpent was too hard for her whilst she was from her Life from that in the which she was made which witnessed in her he entred her and so his Spirit lead and guided her to do that which was contrary to the Lord as he had done and not the good Spirit of the Lord and so she steer'd another course as she saw with another eye and came to be deceived And when the woman saw that the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the Fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her Husband with her and he did eat and the eyes of them both were opened a sore opening indeed see how she was deceived but how were they opened and what did they see Did they see as Gods Came they to a more permanent state to a state that changed not to be as Gods to have no secret hid from them as the Serpent suggested and by such temptations as these had drawn them to eat nay they knew that they were naked stript off their covering Innocency was lost in them a sad condition they were now in and they knew it their eves were opened and they saw this a most unhappy sight which as I have said is not off their Posterity to this day this was that the Serpent lead them to in the end and this they came to see and their eyes were opened to see this to know this to know that they were naked and they sewed Fig leaves together a miserable shift who were cloathed with the Spirit of God with his Image in the which they were made which now they had lost which now they had slain the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world as hath been said and see what a garment they had got what a covering in what a pittiful condition they were in who had Rule over the Creation and Dominion was given them over it they take of the poorest of the Creation a company of fig leaves poor thin inconsiderable things indeed for a covering who were cloathed with the Lord and whom he spread over and filled and replenished of whom he was the Root and made themselves Aprons And thus Adam was not deceived the man that was first formed into whom God breathed the Breath of Life and man became a living Soul the first man Adam was made a living Soul but the woman that was took out of man that proceeded from man that the man was not Created for the woman that is of the man as the man is by the woman being deceived was in the Transgression 1 Tim. 2. 13 14. He that readeth as I have said let him understand And thus the Serpent beguiled Eve as the Apostle speaks But I fear said ho least by any means this was to them whom he had espoused to one Husband that he might present them as a chast Virgin to Christ of which he speaks in the verse before as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. And this was his temptation and this was that which the Woman catcht after who was made in the Image of God viz. A pretended state beyond that in which she was made and this was the end and this came of it which as I have said her Posterity is not clear off to this day and this is the particular thing of the Ranters and the temptation wherewith they are carried Who hold that there is no such thing as evil in it self or devil but to mans apprehension and that the sence of evil is but the weakness of man and that they are at a distance from God who are under fear and that all things are Gods And that this is but a slavish spirit to stand in fear and dread and that all things are good and that to fear and dread is on this side Perfection and that to do the greatest evil with the least remorse is to be nearest Perfection Which is to know good and evil Which is to touch and to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil that is in the midst of the Garden which God hath forbidden to be tasted of or touch't which Eve eating and touching came thereby to fall and her Posterity to this day which in plain English is to be out of command out of subjection out of the state of the Creature and to be as God out of a true dependency on God out of a possibility of change for if there be no state of obedience there is no state of a dependency do they what they will they shall never be otherwise and so be reaching at that which they can never come to by reaching after which they come to fall as did Eve who thus reached but fell and it is not yet recovered and as did the Devil himself and is fallen for ever and there endeavours to bring and keep man even in a disobedient state of rebellion against God as that which is most suitable to man in which God is himself That is to say without Law to himself or from any other Whether the Devil as I have said climbed himself but fell and would bring man thither And this is the summe of this matter the state of the Ranters which the Lord hath thus opened in me for their sakes to let them understand and to
to ly We might have strong Consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope set before us which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the Vail Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchesidec Heb. 6. 16 17 18 19 20. Now he hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live as hath been said and he having sworn it Impossible it is for him to lie it is Immutable but possible it is for him to lie and he must be Mutable and Vary With whom there is no Variableness nor shaddow of turning Jam. 1. 17. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3. 6. If he hath concluded man to destruction from all Eternity and then saith unto them turn and live If he hath determined some to Reprobation and yet swears he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel and O Israel thy destruction is of thy self but thy help is in me with whom is no Variableness nor Shaddow of turning For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jaeob are not consumed as aforesaid So Friends all you who are here take heed how ye impose upon the Lord in things of this Nature Or take upon ye to meddle with his Decrees who understand not the Lord nor the Counsel of his Decree whose way is in the Deep and his Foot-steps in the Mighty waters least he dash you to pieces For who are you that you should place such a thing upon the Lord which among men is the most horrid and Abominable much more as to the Lord if one can say more who is far above man as the Heavens are above the Earth whom man cannot reach He hath given something of himself to you and placed it within you by which you may know him and understand his counsel to you-wards and his thoughts of old even from the beginning which have been good to you which is that which Invites you that which draws you that which inclines you to God which shews you evil and is with you to resist it which watches evil and shews you the very approach of it and the appearance of evil and is near to deliver you which judges evil and reproves it in you and you for evil when you have joyned to it This testifies for the Lord that he hath no pleasure in your death This is a living witness that he hath not concluded you to destruction from all Eternity but that he seeks you that he desires your welfare that he would not have you die but live and is a living testimony even in you against this Opinion which you hold and such your conclusion as aforesaid who know not the Lord nor the way of his working who impose upon him and place that on the Lord which never was in his heart and this of him in you as I have said that seeks to gather you that makes your heart tender to God and to fear before him is in and to you and all men a living witness Therefore lay down such your Opinions and come to that of himself in you and believe in that which shews you which makes manifest which reproves that you may find his counsels of good to you that have been of old even from the beginning which seeks to gather you And if you say He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Rom. 9. 18. And who hath resisted his Will v. 19. And so Why doth he yet find fault And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up speaking of Pharaoh that I might shew my Power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth and so he sheweth mercy on whom he will shew mercy and whom he will he hardneth And Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated and the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her unto Rebecca the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated v. 11 12. 13 17 18. And so it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy v. 16. and so I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion As he said to Moses v. 15. and as the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my Power in thee c. as aforesaid I answer The Lord hath shut up no man in Vnbelief that he might have mercy on no man but he hath concluded all in Vnbelief that he might have mercy on all as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11. 32. that is to say he hath concluded no man to Damnation that he should be Damned irreversible but he finding all men in the fall in the state of Vnbelief in the state of Damnation in the state of Reprobation he concluded all men in Vnbelief in that state What that he might Damn them that they might be Reprobated for ever that they might be destroyed that they might be damned No but that he might have mercy on all that is to say that they might come to life whom death was over How is that you may say Why thus the state of all men in the fall is the state of Reprobation in this state there is no being no believing in God the state is concluded in Vnbelief and all that are in it their eyes are darkned that they cannot see their ears are stopt that they cannot hear God hath given them the Spirit of slumber Eyes that they should not see Ears that they should not hear unto this day saith the Apostle of Israel that abided not in the Election Israel saith he hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded according saith he as it is written God hath given them the Spirit of slumber Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear unto this day and David saith Let their Table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling-block and a recompence unto them Let their eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their back always Rom. 11. 7 8 9 10. So then the state of Reprobation being a state of Vnbelief and the state of Vnbelief being a state of Reprobation the Lord hath concluded all in the state of Vnbelief in the state of Reprobation that he might
Mind and the Law in the Members the Flesh and the Spirit the Son of God in the likeness of sinful flesh condemning sin in the flesh and the body of sin and death Two Nations two manner of People the one stronger then the other the strong man armed the stronger then he The Elder as to man in the state of the fall that came out first the Younger which was before the Elder though it came out in the World after This is he said John of whom I said after me cometh a Man which is preferred before me for he was before me John 1. 30. The Younger who comes after the fall the seed of the Woman to redeem out of the fall to bruise the Serpents head which the Elder must serve which taketh hold of the heel of the Elder and supplants it and makes it to serve the Elder shall serve the Younger And so the Apostle speaketh They are not all Israel who are of Israel Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called That is they that are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seed For this is the word of Promise at this time will I come and Sara shall have a son And not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one even by our Father Isaac for the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated as aforesaid Rom. 9. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. And here is the whole matter as it lies together and as the Scriptures testifie and are the Explanation of one another in the Spirit of the Lord from whom I have written and who hath shewn me these things that I might write them unto you that your understandings might be opened and that ye might come to see the Truth as it is in Jesus and be brought to the Knowledge of the Truth And so I have finished this particular The Lord God Eternal open your eyes that in this your day you may know the things that belong unto your Peace And so I shall proceed As the Lord made not man to destroy him and as he hath not concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction So neither hath he so made man as that it is impossible for him to fall from the state in the which he was made or to miscarry so as to fall from life for ever and ever That were to put man in another state then that in the which he was made who was made in a Dependance on God for his being and Subsistance in the state in the which he was made and to render him as God knowing both good and evil that is to set him as do he good or do he evil he shall never be finally removed from the state in the which he was made that is from Life but shall remain as God The Judgement of the Ranters whom the Serpent hath taken with that which was his first bait with which he took Eve at first and with which they are taken at this day who hold That do they what they will they shall never be finally â—emoved from the state in the which they were made that is from Life Ye shall not surely die for God knoweth that in the day that ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Gen. 3. 4 5. This the Serpent laid before Evè viz. a state beyond that in the which she was made Ye shall not surely die a state at the pleasure of him that made you and at his Commandmen who gave you your being Yea hath God said ye shall not eat of every Tree in the garden v. 1. hath he put you are ye under such a dependency on him and at his command Nay ye shall not surely die it is not so ye shall be as Gods a state beyond that in which ye were made ye shall not need to stand in such awe and dread Ye are not necessitated to such a dependency upon God as that doing contrary to his Command ye shall die your state shall be changed nay your state shall not be so changed but eating of the Tree doing of that which he hath said ye shall not doe which signifies a Subjection and Subordination a Creature state of Variation and Change at the Will of Him that made you Nay the doing of this will enter you into another state that 's more high more fixed more certain a state wherein God is who changeth not nor is moved nor doth alter or varie from that wherein he is and this God knoweth for God doth known this is the Reason that God hath set you under such a command in such dread in such awe as of death a loosing of the state in the which ye are and a coming into a quite contrary or another this he knows and therefore hath laid this Command upon ye to keep ye from this to prevent your attaining unto this to be as he is setled and unchangeable do ye what ye will ye shall not surely die Nay it shall enter you into that state wherein there is no such thing as death but only a death unto that in which ye are as you are passing to it as through death to life ye shall not need thus to be put to it ye shall be as Gods without change without alteration without fear or dread or a necessary dependance upon another to keep you in the state in the which ye are Ye shall not need thus to be put to it at every turn to be under this Rod under this reproof under this check under such a manifestation as this and who would be so when he may be otherwise This God knoweth therefore hath he laid this Bar upon you this Precept this Bond to keep ye under that in the day that ye eat thereof ye do otherwise then he hath ordained you and so put your selves out of a state of dependance upon him or of being Creatures so to be disposed of and ordered by him so taking your selves into your own Power your own disposal as he doth himself and you whilst it is thus with you that you dare do nothing but what he requires you and that ye dare not do that which he forbids you which is a Creature state of alteration and change of Subjection and Subordination you will be as he is you will be as Gods unalterable unchangeable insubjectible insubordinate and this God knoweth that in the day that ye eat thereof that ye so put your selves that ye so take your selves into your own order and not stand under his Order and Rule who hath so
and his mouth must be stopt and he must make supplication to his Judge whom though I were righteous saith Job yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Judge Job 9. 15. And this becomes man and not to argue it with the Lord and to wrangle with him as if God were unrighteous as if his Ways were not equal Who measures the Lord by his shallow understanding who cannot be searched out O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and the Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Judgements and his Wayes past finding out for who hath known the mind of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellor Or who hath first given unto him and it shall be given unto him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen Rom. 9. 33 34 35. 36. So every man's mouth here must be stopt and before his Judge he must be silent as I have said and not lay unrighteousness on God or charge him that his Wayes are not equal For man himself shall conclude it otherwise in the day wherein the Lord will render unto him according to his deeds and therefore it is in vain to stand it out with the Lord. It is but the artifice of the Enemy that works this in you he knows you will otherwise say when it is too late therefore be not deceived by him least when 't is too late you blame your folly Moved of the Lord I am to write this to you in bowels of love that you may see your state and how this matter stands and that ye may be delivered And if ye yet say The Children being not yet born neither having yet done any good or evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated I answer as I did before this is spoken of the two Seeds the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent of which these two were Figures in which as the Knowledge of the Lord foresaw they would be so he loved so he hated For he loveth and hateth no man but as they are in these and it was after the fall that this was spoken both the promise that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head and the Elder shall serve the Younger Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated For before there is nothing spoken of this for all stood well and as the same in the first Adam whilst he stood and there was no need of the Promise nor was there two as to man the one whereof was the Object of Love and the other of Hatred the Elder serving the Younger but man was one spirit from the Root Eternal and in the Root Eternal which God hath blessed And the two or that which made two the seed of the Serpent which entered into man came out afterwards For man receiving the Serpent and obeying his voice after he was made against the Command of God there came to be two things in man two Roots two which strugled the Seed of the Woman the seed of Promise and the seed of the Serpent the seed of the Curse as the Promise came to take place and that seed came to move in man to bring him back to God which the Lord hath promised as the Children strove in Rebecca's womb when she came to be delivered so do these as the time cometh wherein as I have said the promise of God cometh to be fulfilled The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one unto the other So that ye cannot do the things that ye would As the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. 17. And which the Apostle found in himself when the Promise came to be fulfilled in him I see saith he another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity â—o the law of sin which is in my members And he cries out there as Rebecca did concerning the Children If it be so why am I thus And she went to enquire of the Lord Gen. 25. 22. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death Rom. 7. 23 24. So the Children strugled in the Womb of Rebecca which was the Figure Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy bowels and theone people shall be stronger then the other people and the Elder shall serve the Younger said the Lord unto her of whom she went to enquire when it was so with her as aforesaid And when her dayes to be delivered were to be fulfilled behold there were Twins in her womb and the first came out Red all over like an hary Garment and they called his Name Esau and after that came his brother out and his hand took hold on Esau's heel and his Name was called Jacob â— 24 25 26. So the Law of the Spirit of Life which was in Christ Jesus strugled with the law of Sin and of Death In Paul which though the law of sin and of death the law in his members strugled with and came out first When I would do good the law of his mind evil is present with me the law in his members the good that I would I do not the evil which I would not that do I Yet it took hold of its heel and supplanted it as the Name of Jacob the true Seed siignifies Is he not said Esau rightly named Jacob For he hath supplanted me these two times he took away my birth-right and behold now he hath taken away my blessing and Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his Father blessed him And Esau said in his heart the days of mourn-for my Father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob Gen. 27. 36 37. 41. It came after and supplanted overthrew the other I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death For what the Law could not do for that it is weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace vers 21. chap. 8. 2 3 4 5 6. So there is the first and the second the first man Adam and the second the Law of Sin and Death and the Law of the Spirit of Life the Law of the
you And lastly Neither hath he redeemed all since the fall that were to give the lie to what Christ saith Strive to enter into the strait Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Enter ye in at the strait Gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction and many there be that go in thereat because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it Luke 13. 14. And fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Luke 12. 32. And they are not all Israel which are of Israel Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children for in Isaac shall thy Seed be called That is they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are accounted for the seed For this is the word of Promise At this time will I come and Sara shall have a Son and not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one even our Father Isaac for the children being not yet born neither having yet done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Eâ—au have I hated Rom. 9. 6. to the 14. And though thy people Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them shall return Isa 10. 22. And when the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats and he shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on his left Mat. 25. 21 22 23. And without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whore-mongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Rev. 22. 15. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lambs book of Life Rev. 21. last And come hither and I will shew unto thee the Judgement of the great Whore that sitteth on many waters with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the Earth have been made drunk with the Wine of her Fornication Rev. 17. 12. And the beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit and go into Perdition And they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder whose Names are not written in the book of life from the Foundation of the World when they behold the beast which was and is not and yet is v. 8. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Rev. 20. 12. And who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law for not the hearers of the Law shall be justified before God but the doers of the Law but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2. 6. to the 14. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and be admired in all them that believe because our Testimony among you was received in that day Wherefore also we pray alwayes for you that our God will count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with Power that the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him to the grace of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 7. to the end And receiving the end of your Faith is even the salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1 7. And it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And work out your Salvation with fear and trembling v. 12. And unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities Acts 3. last And the Lord is my Portion saith my soul Lam. 3. 25. And upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest this shall be the portiou of their cup Psal 11. 6. And these shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. And the grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world Looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of that great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a Peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 11 12 13. And ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of darkness to his marlous light which in times past were not a people but are now the People of God which had not obtained Mercy but now have obtained Mercy Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly luâ—â—s which war against the Soul having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good woorks which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation 1 Pet. 2. 9 10 11 12. And their Consciences also bearing witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2. 15 16. And because he
be saved it is the Word of the Lord. Now in the Son there is Life He hath life in himself and he quickeneth whom he will For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to Life Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of man John 5. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And he is the wel-spring of Life Vnderstanding is a wel-spring of Life to him that hath it but the instruction of fools is folly saith the wise man Prov. 26. 22. And whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept from the fouls of the Air Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil that is understanding Job 28. 20 21. And I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty Inventions The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Pride and Arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice Be me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me Riches and Honour are with me yea dureable Riches and Righteousness My fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and my revenue then choice silver I lead in the way of Righteousness in the midst of the Paths of Judgement that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning ere ever the earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth when there was no fountain abounding with water before the Mountains were stetled before the Hills was I brought forth whils't as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World when he prepared the Heavens I was there when he set a compass on the face of the depth when he established the Clouds above when he strengthened the Fountains of the deep when he gave to the Sea his degree that the Waters should not pass his commdements When he appointed the foundation of the earth then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing allwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keep my wayes Hear inâ—truction and be wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my door For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Prov. 8. 13. to the end And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his Commandements his praise endureth for ever Psal 111. 10. And the fear of the Lord is Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Holy is understanding Proverbs 9. 10. And this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8 10 11 12. And this shall be the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every one his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquities and I will remember their sins no more Jer. 31. 33 34. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul Jer. 32. 40 41. And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People crying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgements is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of Waters Rev. 14. 6 7. And except the God of my Fathers the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaack had been with me thou hadst sent me away now empty God hath seen my affliction and the labour of my hand and rebuked thee yester-night Gen. 31. 42. And Laban said to Jacob behold this heap and behold this Pillar which I cast up between me and the this Heap and this Pillar be witnesse that I not pass over this Heap to thee and thou shalt not pass over this Heap and this Pillar unto me for harm the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor and their Father Judge between us and Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaack v. 51 52 53. Thus saith the Scripture and the Scripture cannot be broken John 10. 35. And in him was life and the life was the light of men that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 3. 9. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men loved darkness rather then light