and did sing fince I came hither and my Grounds why I did insert it p. 133-138 22. A little brief Account of my Imprisonments with the sorrows and censures that do attend me in these Sufferings p. 138-140 23. Some Account of my Imprisonment in the Tower and of my being brought before the King and the business relating to his Fathers Will left with me p. 140-142 24. The Grounds of my Willingness to go beyond Sea if I might p. 143-147 25. A Letter from a Friend and my Answer p. 148-151 ERRATA Reader IN regard of the Authors condition distance from the Press some Faults have escaped the greatest whereof is the Title over the heads of the pages viz. INNOCENCY though under a Cloud cleared which relates onely to some parts of the Book the proper Titles for each matter being through the misunderstanding of some who put it to the Press omitted The rest of the Faults are more obvious which thou art desired to correct as followeth Page 15. line 16. reade no ground P. 28. l. 18. for fear 1. tear P. 34. l. 17. f. worth r. watch P. 42. l. 28. f. passionate r. patient P. 50. l. 1. r. In a word P. 86. l. 7. f. 10. r. 18. P. 101. l. 28. f. Phil. r. Ephes P. 111. l. 7. f. Proviso r. Prophecy P. 136. l. 16. f. And r. May. Ebenezer Ebenezer The Lord Jehovah is my strength Christ alone is the Foundation of all my Consolation in this day of my trouble and sad rebuke IT was the eleventh day after my Imprisonment before I attained this Book And I rejoyce I have it that the daily Supports I have from God's Promises and his Presence may be by me recorded that if I live I may look over them and remember Prison-Mercies as others who faithfully love the Lord and wait for his Appearance may see and bless God and not fear 〈◊〉 Prison but trust God upon his Word for 〈◊〉 is faithful and to be trusted The first day and night that I came in I was in a maze 〈◊〉 well knowing where I was and â—â—king within I found my heart like Ephraim Jer. 31.18 but I had not long moaned my self but God appeared 〈◊〉 in the 20. verse of that chapter and 〈◊〉 next day after I had for some time sought â—â—d and searched my own heart and â—nd as to Men I was innocent and did judge God would not have called me here but he had some work for me to do For Affliction cometh not out of the dust Job 5.6 At last God moving the people of the house to lend me a Bible the first Scripture I cast mine eye upon just as I opened the Bible was Jer. 18.12 to the latter part of the 18th vers at which the Lord did exceedingly appear to refresh my Soul especially for what I saw in the 12 13 14 17. and 18th verse 't is too long to insert it only upon the 12th verse I set it down in my Concordance O let all that fear the Lord bless him for his Scripture much more for its life which God keeps and lets down to whom and when he pleases Parts may draw and observe good teachings from them to serve othersâ— but not its own Soul unless God give in that Light Life and Spirit that first penned them What Parts can draw may serve Profession but not a Prison and the sights of Death But O when God unlocks the Scriptures and says to the Soul Behold what 's herâ— there 's Life there 's Love there 's a feast all good things And now see the difference between being brought by common gifts 〈◊〉 the Truth and the promised Spirit leading us into Truth as our Lord promised Joâ—â— 15.26 chap. 16.13 And I must say a witness to this that God's way to accompliâ—â— this is by causing the Soul to stand in God's Fear and out of its own wisdom and as to its own state in it self to shrink down into its own emptiness hating all listings up but that by the Son of God in the pure single Wisdom Love and Grace of the Father O had not this Foundation been laid I must have been left being a man of sorrows surrounded on every side and every window is shut but this of the Lord's Love O blessed 〈◊〉 his Name O all you Saints that love and fear the Lord bless him and seek no Foundation but what God hath laid But more of this hereafter The next Scripture by which God did appear to refresh my heart was in John 18.11 't is the words of Christ in answer to Peter who in his mistaken Love tenders Christ's Person more than God's Pleasure and in answer to that Christ lets him know that is Fathers Pleasure was by him higher priâ—ed than his own preservation and saith The Cup which my Father giveth me shall I not â—â—ink it He doth not say the Cup my Father lays upon me but that the Father gives â—â—e All suffering Cups to Christ or his â—embers are Kindnesses they are God's â—ifts Phil. 1.29 they are not to be rejected â—â—t prized and esteemed David in the 118th â—sal takes the Cup blessing God But some will say that was not the Cup of Suffering but of Salvation and 't is true but it was through the Cup of Christ's Sufferings But all the Cups of Suffering to the Saints in the Primitive Times behold how chearfully they imbraced them Acts 5. with Heb. 11. and Rom. 5.1 2 c. Therefore Christ doth not tell Peter I must be forced to take it or drink it but saith Shall I not 〈◊〉 he doth not in propounding this inquire if he should or should not but it is to shew his resolution that he should do it and would do it judging it a higher honour and duty to imbrace God's Pleasure than to seek and imbrace self-preservation contrary to God's Pleasure That made those in Heb. 11.35 not accepting deliverance that was on terms wherein God's Pleasure and Honour should be crossed In this case it waâ— Christ's and it ought to be the generous spirit of all the Sons of Zion to slight nay loath nay hate their own lives when it thus comes in competition with the will of God's now to do God's Will in many wayes Hypocrites in Imitating-Grace may delight fully do it Isa 2.58 Mat. 13.20 21. But the chiefest Testimony of true Grace is to live in the Will of God so that if a Cup of Crosses comes the very sight and sencâ— that the Fathers hand presents it and that his heart is in it so that his Purpose and Pleasure is to be accomplished by it no sooner say is this seen but the heart is silently satisfied and cries out not only like old Eli â—t's the Lord let him do it but as Christ in the Text It is my Fathers Cup and his Gift I am contentably willing to imbrace it O the very sight and sence of this Truth â—â—om this place in John 18.11 God made so refreshing that the
everlasting Life Now that the Comfort of these words may be discovered I shall first observe this general Truth from these words God So loved The word So is so unexpressible so admirable so matchless so that Observe Doct. The Love of God in giving Christ is a rich admirable and unexpressible Love For the opening of this mind 1. Scriptures to prove it 2. We shall by way of illustration lay down many things to make good this Truth As for Scriptures mind these Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for us Ephes 2.4 But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in sins c. chap. 3.19 And to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God In 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! chap. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him verse 10. Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our Sins See John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me And you may see what is said of Christs Love in that sence Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Joh. 13.14 Greater Love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his Friend Now for Illustration mind 1. Consider in what relation Christ stood with God when God gave Christ 2. Consider to what God gave him 3. How God gave him 4. For whom God gave him 5. God's Ends in that work Lastly The Improvements 1. In what relation Christ stood with God there was the bond of nature in the highest degree for he was his Son Psal 2.7 I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee Heb. 5.5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but Him that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee 2. There was the tye of singularity and peculiarity his Son nay his only Son as in this 3d of John had God had another Son in that sence though the giving up had been 〈◊〉 high token of Love yet not so much as in â—his sence his only Son 3. As there was such an high Affinity in Nature so there was an unexpressable heighth 〈◊〉 Unity of Affection See upon God's â—â—de in Mat. 3.17 And loe a Voice from Heaâ—â—en saying This is my beloved Son in whom 〈◊〉 am well pleased and chap. 12.18 Behold â—y Servant whom I have chosen my Beloved in whom my soul is well pleased I will put my Spiâ—it upon him and he shall shew Judgement to the Gentiles and chap. 17.5 While he yet speak â—ehold a bright Cloud overshadowed them and â—ehold a Voice out of the Cloud which said This 〈◊〉 my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased â—ear ye him and in Mark 1.11 And there â—ame a Voice from Heaven saying Thou art my â—eloved Son in whom I am well pleased and in 2 Pet. 1.17 For he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a Voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased So you may see in Christ what a high unexpressable Love he had to his Father his Fathers Will was his Will and to answer his Fathers Pleasure was so great a pleasure to him that Life and all must go as little enough to speak out his Love Now consider all this and you will see that the one might have restrained God and have tyed up his hands from giving up his Son and Christ might have pleaded on the other side Why me Father why me that am thy only Son c. but God looks over all in this act 4. There were bonds of Honour both on one Throne in one Glory It might seem in the eye of carnal reason to be below God thus to abase Christ and that in relation to a point of Honour O what Love must there be to over-look this 5. He stood related to God as the chief est and eminentest object of his Delight Prov. 8.30 Then I was by him as one brough up with him and I was dayly his Delight rejoycing alwayes before him Isa 42.1 Behol my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him and He shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles O now reason from all and you will not be able to express this Love of God in giving the Lord Jesus Christ as he did O admirable Love Secondly Consider to what God gave him 1. To Death Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross O could not he have given him to suffering and not to death O what Love must that be that did and could cause God thus to overlook as it were the Love and care of Christ's Life and thus to give him to death 2. The Death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross and Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree the most contemptible Death that could be a cursed Death a shameful dishonourable Death O see what blessed Love was here shewed in this cursed and shameful Death 3. Not only to death and the death of the Cross but to all the Aggravations that could possibly accompany either As thus 1. He suffered as a Sinner in the highest sence 1 Cor. 15.3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received How that Christ dyed for our Sins according to the Scriptures and in the 2 Cor. 5.21 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Sins make suffering unsufferable else it is but a chastisment if sin be not in it but if it be then it is a punishment yet even so must our dear Christ suffer as a fruit of the Fathers Love 2d Aggravation was the exercise of God's Rage Fury and Wrath in the Law against Sin this O this in the highest of
it was Christ given up to in his Death Isa 63.3 I have trodden the Wine-Press alone and there was none to help for I will tread them in mine Anger and trample them in my Fury and their Blood shall be sprinkled upon my Garments and I will stain all my rayment 3. It was to and by the worst of Executors For First They were his Enemies Secondly Their envy was in them as Professors under the Notion of Religion Wrath covered with Zeal is implacable and such are the worst of Enemies that Envy is the worst and where that is there is no pitty no more had they of our dear Saviour Isa 50.6 I gave my back to the Smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting Apply Mat. 27. 4. In the highest of his Sufferings when he was on the Cross in the sence of his Sufferings God did appear to forsake him Mat. 27.46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cryed with a loud voice Eli Eli lamasabachthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me O to lose sight and sence of Presence is sad Suffering in it self is sufficient to sink down a soul but to lose Presence in the midst and heighth of Sufferings doth sadly aggravate it yet this must dear Christ be given up to O what Love is there in God! O unspeakable Love to poor Sinners that to accomplish their good and safety his Son must thus suffer and be thus forsaken The third thing in order is How God gave him up 1. Freely for he was not sought to by any for Christ thus to be given up nor no purchase should have been given if he had been so offered but God doth it freely In Isa 50.2 Wherefore when I came there was no man when I called there was none to answer Is my hand shortned at all that it cannot redeem or have I no power to deliver c. And chap. 63.5 And I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that there was none to uphold therefore mine own Arm brought Salvation unto me and my Fury it upheld me Besides all his Tearms in his Tenders of this dear Christ are free 2. As he did it freely as to us so he did it with the greatest severity as to him and that you will see if you consider these Scriptures Isa 53.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. applyed with Mat. 27. from the 29 to the 50 verse and Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And in that 8th of the Romans consider what it is for God not to spare his Son as the Word is He Spared not his Son 1st Not to Spare implies or signifies the highest Severity of Justice Deut. 13.8 Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pitty him neither shalt thou Spare neither shalt thou conceal him Isa 13.18 Their Bowes also shall dash the young men to pieces and they shall have no pitty on the Fruit of the Womb their eyes shall not spare Children 2dly It 's to let out Justice upon one without the least exercise of pitty or any reluctancy or roulings of bowels of compassion See Jer. 13.14 And I will dash them one against another even the Father and the Sons together I will not pitty nor Spare nor have mercy but destroy them Ezek. 7.4 8 9. In the 4th verse And mine eye shall not Spare thee neither will I have pitty but I will recompence thy wayes upon thee and thine abomination shall be in the midst of thee and ye shall know that I am the Lord. In 〈…〉 Now will I shortly pour out 〈…〉 and accomplish mine Anger upon 〈…〉 â—â—dge thee according to thy wayes and will recompence thee for all thy abominations In the 9th verse And mine eye shall not Spare thee neither will I pitty thee I will recompence thee according to thy wayes and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth And in Ezek. 9.5 And to the others he said in mine hearing Go ye after them through the City and smite let not your eye Spare neither have ye pitty 3dly It implies a laying aside all regard or respect to the party suffering See this word so exprest Job 30.10 They abhor me they flee far from me they Spare not to spit in my face And as it was there with Job so it was with Christ Isa 50.6 I gave my back to the Sâ—â—irters and ny cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hâ—â— not my face from shame and spitting Apply to this Mat. 27. From all this if you consider it you will see it was from God upon Christ with the greatest Severity that could be 3. God did not only give him unto us freely as to Christ with the greatest severity but he did it delightfully Isa 53.10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his Seed he shall prolong his dayes and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand 〈…〉 to give up the Son 〈…〉 death to accomplish 〈…〉 Life for poor Sinners 4. He did it self 〈◊〉 〈…〉 himself and to Christ and he did it so as admitting of no reasoning from himself or any way of repining or minding the loss of his Sons Life and as to Christ he might have said as David O my Son my only Son O shall I give my Son for Sinners my Friend for my Enemies he never seems to give way to any such discourse or reasoning but denies all to accomplish his Love for lost Creatures Nay Christ might have said to his Father What dost thou find in me word 〈◊〉 Death if not how can it stan◠〈…〉 24.16 The Fathers 〈…〉 Death for the Children neither shall 〈…〉 put to Death for the Fathers every 〈◊〉 shall he put to Death for his own sin 2 Kings 14.6 But the Children of the Muâ—â—◠〈…〉 according unto that which is wâ—◠〈…〉 of the Law of Moses wherein 〈…〉 â—â—â—ded saying The Father sâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 for the Children nor thâ—â—◠〈…〉 death for their Fathers but every man shall be put to death for his own sin Besides Father there is rouling of thy Bowels to others as in Hos 11.8 How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together And in Jer. 31.20 21. Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Verse 21. Set thee up way-marks make thee high heaps set thine
heart toward the High-way even the Way which thou wentest turn again O Virgin of Israel turn again to these thy Cities What! is there none for me None of this is mentioned but all laid aside to accomplish this rich admirable and unexpressible Love so it was done self-denyingly The fourth thing is For whom he gave him 1. He gave him for Sinners Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for us And in 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am the chief 2. Ungodly Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but beleiveth on him that justifieth the Ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness 3. For Enemies Rom. 5.10 For if while we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life 4. The worst of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief 5. It was for the Rebellious and Blasphemers and such as caused others to blaspheme Psal 68.18 Acts 26.1 8.1 Tim. 1.13 O this heightens God's Love O rich Love God loves them that hate him The fifth thing is God's End in giving his Son 1. It was to reconcile poor lost Sinners to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 20. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation Verse 20. Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God And in Col. 1.20 And having made Peace through the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Surely God doth highly prize this that he doth purchase it at so high a rate O see see poor Sinner it was not only to accomplish Reconciliation with him but us to him it was not his gain but our gain and his loss O what rich Love is here God seeks a way for us and then seeks to us 2. His End was to overcome and conquer that or them that would have destroyed us As first Sin Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and in verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin Secondly The Law Gal. 2.19 For through the Law I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Thirdly Death 1 Cor. 15.55 56. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law Fourthly The World John 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in Me ye might have peace in the World ye shall have tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World Fifthly The Devil In 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil O what an End is that O reckon every End and they all end in one End for us poor Sinners 3. His End was To bring up poor Souls as into Union so into Communion with himself and Son in all their Light Life Love and Glory John 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent Me ver 22. And the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as We are one verse 23. I in Them and Thou in Me that They may be made perfect in One and that the World may know that Thou hast sent Me and hast loved Them as thou hast loved Me. Apply 1 John 1.3 and 1 Pet. 1.3 4 c. 4. His End was That we might have nothing to hinder our Faith and Confidence in Him in our appeals and approaches to him Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need And in Ephes 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him O mind these Scriptures poor Soul if thou wantest Faith go O go in the Faith of Jesus It is and was God's great care that poor souls though never so poor might come to him with boldness without fear If any should demand the Reasons why God takes this way to manifest his rich Love by Answer For these Reasons 1st Reason There was an absolute necessity lay upon it for there was not another way to accomplish Salvation for Sinners and satisfie divine Justice Isa 63.5 And I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that there was none to uphold therefore mine own Arm shall bring Salvation c. And by this Free-Grace is displayed gloriously 2d Reason That it might appear as to be an act of God's Wisdom so singularly an act of Love which other wayes could not have been had not all other things in the world have been lost and overlooked 3d. Reason That all flesh may be silent and brought to lye down and confess it to be a work only of God in that none but God could have done it See Rom. 3. at large and see chapt 4. at large where this rich Work of Love is fully related and debated and this as a Reason asserted Now for the Improvements of this rich Soul-supporting Truth mind in these Uses 1st Use To inform us of the great Wisdom Love and Grace of God to poor Sinners which is so fully made out in this Act of God in giving his Son in this manner O go over all the Particulars and you must say with the Apostle O the heighth and depth of God's Love Ephes 3.18 19. Rom. 11.33 2dly To inform us what poor Man had been had God left him in his lost estate or left him to have found out a way to have saved himself 3dly If this be so as hath been fully proved of this rich admirable and unexpressible Love of God in giving his Son then this may assure us in general That God cannot nor will not withhold any good thing from us but with Christ will give us all things It 's the very use Paul makes of this Truth in Rom. 8.32 where he saith He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things O poor souls consider this and mind it
continued sailes of Love Delight is Love in rest or acquiescing in the â—â—ssession of it Delight is the Sabbath of Love Fear is Love in awe of the beloved Hope is Love in expectation Zeal is Love in fire or flame And so Zeal is most properly attributed to God This was a good Friends description of Love And now mind True Love never dies to what it truly loves for it never so loves but where it lives it lives in union and communion with the Good it loves Now that you may the better see the Nature and undeceivable Properties of true Love or Charity see 1 Cor. 13.4 to the 8th vers see the 4th vers Charity or Love suffers long that is it is not easily provoked or a better reading is It 's slow to anger so that a heart truly inriched with this Grace of Love is a mild and meek heart not full of fire and fury but if occasions be offered it is drawn as the God of Love is to afflict but not willingly 2. Not only slow to anger but kind the word may be read Bountiful that is the heart thus loving is not only bound up from fury of one hand but it 's on the other hand at that season full of Kindness or Bounty that is to say it 's not only backward to answer evil with anger but to conquer it with Kindness and readiness to do good against evil 3. It envies not that is to say it doth not only cease from acts of fury shewing it self passionate but at that time it doth not so much inwardly envy or wish hurt to any oâ— grude or repine or envy the good of others though it self may want that good in that sence it 's quietly contented with its own portion and God's dispose to enemies and friends 4. Love vaunteth not it self that is as you may see in the Margent of your Books it 's not inconsiderate but weigheth all things and is serious and considerate in doing and loving and saying it doth not do things rashly 5. It 's not puffed up that is it is not the property of a heart inriched with true Love to swell to be frothyly fil'd with the wind of it 's own conceits as bear gifts or imitating-grace upon every occasion of its own advance will be 6. In the 5th verse It doth not behave it self unseemly This may as an antient Father well observed be taken two wayes As First Love will not suffer a soul to do unseemly or uncomely things So Secondly It accounts no service unseemly wherein it is to serve the party beloved though it be below it self as to men therefore God imbrates an opportunity to love and serve his when in their blood and loathed by others â—e he then washes and binds them up So Christ washed his Disciples feet and counts â—t no way unseemly 7. Love seeks not her own a true Property of Love indeed for it 's the nature of true â—ove delightfully to seek the good of what or of that it loves The word imports as if it were dim-sighted as to self-interest or self-seeking and its great pursuit is delightfully to do good and seek the good of others as if that only practice were its proper posture O this is God-like and Christ-like all self-love and false-love is quite of another nature 8. It is not easily provoked Some read it is not easily imbittered or sharp that is to say it 's not full of biting and cutting words but manifesteth it self smoothly and sweetly though it meets with provocations 9. It thinks no evil that is it is not imagining or contriving evil against any nor easily drawn to think evil of others but as it lives in a harmless way it self so it is ready to judge others do so too not like the spirit of jealousie and the eye of gilt which is alwayes either imagining evil against others or judging others and yet for jealousie it will tell you love makes it do so but true Love is of another nature than either 10. From the 6th verse It rejoyces not is iniquity Some reade and its most properly to be read Rejoyces not in injustice but in the Truth as the words follow or with the Truth that is it cannot rejoyce in any unjust proceeding in afflicting any but its delight is to have the Truth heard and vindicated and Justice to be done justly and for none to suffer without just cause quite contrary to Hypocrites love which if it hath a prejudice against one or if one stands in its way of profit or honour how ready are they to asperse and cast dirt in their faces and if any other cast dirt upon them and bring unjust reproaches or suffering upon one that so stands in their way O how they rejoyce O sad property of professing Love in this day 11. In verse the 9th Love beareth all things Now if we will believe the best Grecians in the reading of these words it is not then so to be read but it covers all things that is if it meets with some evil usage or if it seeth a brother fall into some evil it is so far from being prone to blaze it and report it that its naturally prone to cover and with al lawful-wise wayes to hide it with one hand whilst it helps the fallen soul with the other quite contrary to the way of some in this day though they profess and that highly to Love yet so soon as they hear of an infirmity or that a brother or a sister is fallen they are presently on fire to devulge it even so hasty and greedy that they cannot spare time to search and see whether the report be true or no but as the Prophet saith Jer. 20.10 Report and we will report these Souls in this work do rather think to make themselves Saints than judg themselves to fin but alas though they profess Love they know it not in the day of God they will see themselves mistaken 12. It believes all things that is it is ready to believe all good and good of all though there be some evil in others or against it self yet Love is very dark-sighted as to aggravate it and is very hardly brought to believe it but is ready to think all is like it self 13. It hopes all things that is it is very hardly brought off from expecting of good where good should be or is professed to be and though some contrary evil ariseth yet a heart filled with Love is still hoping the best and making the best of it 14. It endures all things In this much is to be minded it endures any hardships to serve what or that it loves it will and doth indure very harsh and hard dealings from others for its loving one censures and another frowns and another throws dirt in its face as they did in the face of Christ for loving of poor souls And again it will endure much hardship and hard usage from that or them it loves before it will
of Spirits and live and Mat. 22.31 32. But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I Am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Now mind the words There you see a great difference between the Father of Spirits and the father of bodies or flesh Now if the Spirit or Soul in this sense were as the body then the fathers of the body or flesh were also Fathers of the Soul or Spirit besides you may see two distinct properties father of the fleshly part and Father of the Spirit or Soul the same is seen in this also Mat. 22.31 32. Now take a few Natural Reasons Reason 1. Without this there can be no Resurrection for though God works by his mighty Power in that yet the Mean is thus The Spirit of the body is that which revives and quickens the body as in all seeds so in this 't is the very Reason the Apostle useth in 1 Cor. 15.38 Now that seed that is cast into the ground if the seed so dyes as that its life and spirit dies it never comes up nor nothing of it but though the body dyes and rots yet if the vertue and life abides it springs up again and receives its own body so here though the power by which 't is done is the Power of God Reas 2. That which at no time in its being desires or stands in need of rest or cessation from motion doth not in its being admit of alteration or cessation as to being but the Soul or Spirit that we minde at no time stands in need of rest or cessation from motion Ergo c. Object The mind cannot alwayes be attentive on one thing but requires alteration Answ Though it doth yet it is not from motion but from one object to another as sometimes from Religion to exercise it self in Physick and from that sometime to Musick and so from one to another to be imployed in something but it never desires or stands in need of a cessation from motion so that though the body sleeps yet even then there is some moving and motion that is kept on foot which tells us there is an unwearied part in man that is of a nature different from the dying part of man Reas 3. Whatsoever is in man not comprehended by man is above and so far beyond man that it is not of that nature that is dying Now this Spirit or Soul of a man that lives in the Mind and is truly the mind of a man is not nor cannot be comprehended by man but the mind of a man reacheth to Heaven when he is upon the Earth and to the uttermost part of the World when the body is but in one part And the minde of man though it may apprehend yet it cannot comprehend it self Now this mind or spirit of the mind is that part that never dies Paul calls this Rom. 7.25 his Mind and Rom. 1.9 he calls that his Spirit which in chap. 7. v. 25. he calls his mind this is that which is in a man and lives when the body dyes Rea. 4. When the body sleeps it is in asence as dead yet at that time there is something in man that is capable of receiving Instruction as in Job 33.15 16. In a Dream in the Visions of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their Instruction Now mind did all sleep or cease from motion or a living capacity alike then when one ceases sleeps or dyes all would dye too but you see from thence that there is some part capable of Instruction Ergo. Quest If any should enquire and say Is not this Soul or Spirit something that came from God and is really part of God and so goes to God again Answ No Though it came from God yet it is no part of God If you cast your eye on those words of Christ Mat. 10. 28. you will have an answer 1. Were it God it could not be capable to be cast by God into Hell c. Answ 2. If that in man which is immortal were part of God it needed not to be sanctified but not only the body but the soul and also the spirit stands in need of being sanctified and kept blameless see 1 Thess 5.23 Let me adde one thing more and that is this I mean as to the immortality of the Soul Answ 3. There is nothing in the world that is of a dying nature doth or can satisfy the soul or spirit of a man Now every thing naturally is satisfied with its like Now were the soul of man or all in man of one nature dying contents would satisfie it but it cannot Ergo. I would have you but a little mind the sad consequences that must and doth attend the owning and holding the Soul to be mortal and dye with the body 1st If the Soul be mortal Then as its Nature is so is its Property or Quality and Ability in its movings and natural motions and so it cannot move towards Immortality but quite contrary Now though we do hold That man hath not power savingly to act God-ward and Heaven-ward but by the help of Grace yet we know there is principles in every man to act God-ward and to seek after Immortality even in very Heathens Now were there not somthing of that nature there would be no such enquiries nor movings neither would nay could God judge the Heathens Rom. 2.14 15. by a Law that is in their natures were not this so 2dly As we said before The Resurrection is denied upon the ground before expressed 3dly It naturally tends to make men Epicures see Isa 22.12 4ly It takes off the great expectation of Saints in their longing and groaning for their departure as Paul did 2 Cor. 5.6 8 for what need they groan for a departure if nothing at the departure were to be enjoyed 5ly It denies God to be the Father of Spirits a Prerogative proper to God distinct from men Heb. 12. 6ly It denies that dear and near Affinity and Communion of Spirits which is the Joy of Saints the Rejoycing of Angels Heb. 12.22 23 24. In the next place we would shew you in part what are the Priviledges souls enjoy after they are departed Mind a few of the Priviledges that Saints enjoy when departed from the body 1. They are present with God 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2. We are by it freed from our House or sad rotten Tabernacle 3. We shall be freed from our Groanings 2 Cor. 5.2 4. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burthened not for that we would
5thly Wheresoever I did or do live it hath been and is my desire to be doing any service or office of love for any and to be bound up from that is death to my very natural disposition But as the case stands with me under this sort of suffering by professing friends whatever I do is converted to evil improvements as witness since I came into this place though I had no allowance yet by the solicitation of a Kinsman â—n Order was procured for my walking sometimes iâ— the Tower with my Keeper I being sickly Prâ—sently these People gave it forth that I had Liberty to do what go where I would so affirmed it as an evidence that my being here was but a cover and yet having this liberty I could 〈◊〉 but improve it to do any service of love for 〈◊〉 of the Prisoners that were in want or sick and that not to my pain but loss as is well knower although not weâ—abâ—â— to bear it yet did takâ— great delight in it when they that did and dâ— carry on this Reproach against me saw it they daily sent in Messages and Messengers to those Prisoners To take care of me and to have nothing to do with me as they told me themselves And so though I see some in want of that Help which I can afford and do delight in the doing of it the Lord knows yet I must forbear doing of it or else in doing I must have my ears filled with such sad sinful Reproaches the sence of which â—ends not only to break my heart but bind up my bands from doing that which is life for me to do 〈◊〉 I am not only made sensible of these 〈◊〉 dangers but senbsile of this present day that 〈◊〉 the time the Scriptures of Truth have to 〈…〉 at Brethren shall betray Brethren a◠〈…〉 â—â—port and we will report Jeâ—◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 Division now is not so much in Pâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—ut it 's as much and more in Spirit and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ple that to unite must be alone the Work 〈◊〉 Almighty God and that in an admirable 〈◊〉 But before this uniting there must and 〈◊〉 be a great of dividing and breaking And beâ—â—â—â— the promised Gathering there will be a greater Scattering in answer to what the Promises and Prophecies in the Scripture hold forth but I shall not enter into that lest I become a new object of somes Reproach but the sence of what I see makes me sensible that it is beyound the art and power of man to turn this stream and should it be by them turned out of one channel into another the Currant will be the same till the promised Power brings the matter into a new Model Till which I heartily wish That all the Sons of Sion would sit still and lie at rest in the Will of God And for my own part I am made so uncapable by these sad Reproaches to help forward the Work of Union that I am made a Cover for the dividing Spirit and to see the present Distractions and the unavoidable Ruine my soul is not able to bear it I had rather if my Father see it good to be enriched with a Jeremiah's frame of spirit to weep alone and to be as a Pelican in the Wilderness mourning away my dayes but in this as in all things I am at the Lords dispose And let him order them to dispose of me as they please So thy pleasure be done O Lord into whose hands I commit my Life and recommend all my Relations and those endeared Friends that faithfully fear thee Amen Amen P. H. A Letter from a Friend Dear Friend I Have heard of your Sufferings and Censures and have by the hand of some Faithful Friends seen something of your Vindication the truth of which I believed before I saw it Only in faithfulness I cannot but tell you that besides what is publickly reported there is something else that is some trouble to some that dearly love you and that is your appearance to withdraw your Affections from some of your Old Friends and your too much love to others which I pray you let me for my satisfaction before I go into the Country have an answer to and not only for my own satisfaction but also to enable me to satisfie any where I come I shall and do daily pray for and sympathize with you as a man of Sorrows for so you are But hoping you will not be troubled at my request I remain Sir yours in the Faith and Patience of Jesus E. D. March the 10. 1663. The Answer My Choice Friend YOurs I received and do rejoyce to see so much of Christian â—eâ—derness towards me and to the Name of Christ it is more than thousands have done that readily believe and readily report but never came to inform or to reform And as to what you say I have heard the same but if you will as candidly hear and consider as you have candidly writ I think you will be satisfied Now that I have forsaken my Old Friends it is in a measure true and I must needs forsake them that will not come near me nor suffer me to come near them and have been and are the chief Instruments in wounding my name and Christ's Name through me and will neither come near me nor suffer others to come but will cast dirt in their faces and must go with it abroad if they shew me any countenance or do me any service this is publickly known and by some felt Now consider and put your self in my condition to forsake where and with whom I am forsaken is no just crime the Righteous God will so judge and my tears for that will witness my Innocency before him to 〈…〉 leave my Cause And as for my too much love or too great to some which is so sadly censure 〈◊〉 answer and that in faithfulness before the Loâ—â— There were so few that did or still do either faithfully love me and in my state and straits faithfully tender or sympathize with me that where I did or do find it I am even overcome with it and t is with me towards them as it was with David's love to Jonathan for sure it was Jonathans sympathizing love which begat that endearedness between them and made them as one soul so it was and is with me 'T is true at first in my sad and unheard-of Sufferings and Censures I looked about me and saw as David did Psal 142.4 and then I was too ready to embrace love and shew love to some whose Principles I could not own when I came to see them but til then I fear I shewed too much love because they appeared to pitty me in my sad trials but God knows I was soon made sensible of that and if I sinned it was there and it hath cost me many tears For I desire to own none but such who live truly in the Life of that Love which lives in Jesus But as for that little Remnant whose soul did and still doth truly sympathize with me and with Tears and Prayers wait at God's Throne for me and for their love to me are Hated and Reproached for my sake I have not nor do not repent of my loving them and had I ten times more than I have it should freely go to reward them for their service and sufferings for me after my Relations were provided for and all is too little my Life cannot answer their love And I know God will not reprove it for as for their Innocency God knows and I know in their love to my soul and body This is a true account of my condition and Affections in this matter So desiring God may keep me and you and all that fear Him faithful owning God's Judging more than mans Censuring walking so that we my render up our Account with joy I Remain Sir Yours in the Truth Tribulation and Travel of Christ Jesus P. H. FINIS
a Soul or Spirit in man that lives though the body dyes and also give you a hint of some of the Priviledges that the Soul enjoys after its separation from the body and then make some improvement Now in the first place I shall let you have some Scriptures to prove that there is a separation betwixt Soul and Body according to the Doctrine and shew some Reasons for it the Scriptures to prove it are these Gen. 35.18 18. Job 34.14 15. to them apply Psal 22.26 Ezek. 12.7 Act. 7.59 60. Luke 16.21 and so much for Scriptures the Reasons follow The first Reason Is from God's Appointment The second Reason From the the very nature of Soul and Body the one Spirit the other Flesh and Dust As it is unnatural for a Spirit naturally to dye so it is as unnatural for dust and flesh for ever to live without being changed from a Natural to a Spiritual as in 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. If it be objected That by this Adam must have dyed if he had not sinned Answer It is a Question that the best cannot answer for there is more ground to believe that if he had not sinned yet his fleshly body must have had a time to have changed because it was dust and so natural and not of the nature of Eternity and to that end do not only mind the Natural Reason but this Scriptural Ground Whatever was a fruit of Sin Christ by his Death freed Saints from but Christ frees no soul from a Natural Death Ergo A Natural Death is not a bare and only fruit of sin if it were every Saint through believing in Christ would be freed from it but none are Ergo c. But this is a dispute amongst the greatest of the Learned and I shall enter no further into it Secondly I shall let you know in what sence the Scripture represents the Soul 1. Sometimes it is taken for the whole man as Gen. 17.14 c. Lev. 5.2 3. and chap. 7.19 2dly It is taken only for fleshly and natural blood and so the common life of man Gen. 46.26 3dly It 's taken for the affection of the soul as first for Love as 1 Sam. 18.1 Secondly for Grief and Sorrow Jer. 13.17 4thly It is taken figuratively for the Stomach Prov. 27.7 5thly It is taken for the breath of a man Jam. 2.26 6thly It is taken for the natural life distinct from the body and also from the soul or spirit of a man 7thly It is taken for that Soul or Spirit which was breathed by God into Adam by which he became a living Soul this is that that never dies And that there is such a Spirit or Soul that never dies I shall give you the Reasons and Scriptures to prove That there is something in a man that is part of man that lives and never dies and that I shall prove from these Scriptures and Reasons following and then shall give a brief Answer to the Scriptures and Reasons of such as are of a contrary mind The first Reason is grounded on Gen. 35.10 we reason thus Had there been nothing to have lived and gone to God it could not have been a departure but a cessation but it is said Her Soul departed and she dyed that is to say her body dyed But had her soul dyed there had been nothing to depart from the body The second Reason is from 1 Kings 17.21 22. And he stretched himself upon the Child three times and cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord my God I pray thee let this Child's soul come in to him again v. 22. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah and the soul of the Child came in to him again and he revived Had the Child's soul been dead the Prophet would not have prayed that it might return to the body but that it might live again But God heard him and returned the soul of the Child and then the body revived Had the soul been dead both must have revived but the one returns the other revives so they were not both in one capacity The third Reason is from Eccles 3.21 Who knoweth the spirit of a man that goeth upward and the spirit the of beast that goeth downward to the Earth The Reason lies clear did the soul of a man dye when the body dies it dyed as a beast but here is a distinction so that there is a difference And where lies it the Text tells you That dust goes to dust but the Spirit to God that gave it so that it is clear that there is a part of a man that departs and lives when the body dyes The fourth Reason is from Mat. 10.28 And fear not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell A good ground to prove this for Christ said Fear not them that can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Now if the soul dyed with the body then he that killed one must of necessity kill the other but Christ saith plainly they may kill the body but not the soul So there is a Soul or part of man that lives though the body dyes The fifth Reason is from Act. 7.59 And they Stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit If there had been nothing in Stephen but what was to dye his Prayer had been needless but when his body was to dye he prayes that God would receive his spirit so there was a spirit or soul to depart and be received though the body dyed The sixth Reason is from 2 Cor. 4.16 For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day From whence we reason thus If all in man that is one with man dyed when the body dyes then when the body had on it any part of death or decay all in the body that is its own must be so too but here you see there is something that increases and gets up when the body decreases and goes down The seventh Reason is from 2 Cor. 5.6 8. Therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord and in v. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. In which words you may see that there is some part of man which when the body dyes is absent from the body and at that present is present with the Lord now if all in man that is of man did dye with the body then there was nothing to be present with God but you may here see it is and it was that which the Apostle groaned for The Eighth Reason is from Heb. 12.9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverance shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father