Impertinency when that indeed is so with which they please and content themselves So that VVord doth pronounce which is to Judge and determine of every Man's State and Condition and according to which he is to receive We are but Creatures upon Trial and in that same word it is set down how God will be pleased to deal and add further with every one of us So that tho our different Thoughts and Apprehensions do not signifie much as to one another yet we must give Account to that God with whom we have to do who is Judge of all Men and of all Things and he hath expresly foretold us that we shall receive according to the Good or Evil we have done And tho in this wicked corrupt World they call Evil Good and Good Evil Isa 5. 20. Because they have the Multitude and Fashion to bear them along with it yet God is Judge himself Psal 50. 6. Who will sweep away the Refuge of Lies Isa 28. 17. and adjust all things according to Righteousness and Truth If Men do at present contemn and refuse what he doth command and esteem of and again they do honour and seek after what he hath forbidden and is an Abomination in his Sight But God's Thoughts are not as our Thoughts and his ways are not as our ways He is not beholding to his Creatures He is great and highly Exalted And what are a parcel of Worms of the Earth unto him But yet themselves shall know and feel what they get by this their opposition and contrariety to their Maker If there was not Stubbornness and Rebellion in their hearts they might understand For as the Eye doth discern Light from Darkness and the Taste doth perceive Sweet from Bitter So likewise in this diversity of things the Soul of Man can discern between Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Wisdom and Folly Every Scribe that is instructed into the Kingdom of God is like an Housholder who brings out of his Treasure things New and Old Both sorts are wholsome and good which were first received in and he produces forth upon occasion Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your Heart and your Soul Deut. 11. 18. He means the words of the Spirit of God and of Truth The greater number whereof the Mind is furnished withal so much the better That as the desire of the Righteous is only good Prov. 11. 13. Let him sincerely and diligently endeavour that all the thoughts of his Heart may be good true and significative at all times thereby shutting out Evil Falshood and Vanity A good Man out of the good treasure of the Heart bringeth forth good things Matt. 12. 35. which may spring up into suitable Words and Actions Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth John 17. 17. And People may discern what is rightly opened and alledged what is necessarily inferred from this Word of Truth for that also is true and will be fulfilled And tho many false Christs and false Prophets and Deceivers have and are gone out into the World as this same Word of Truth hath foretold and it hath been verified by the experience of every Age yet they deluded more by their Signs and Wonders by their forged Miracles and lying Legends as thereby hath increased the Roman Church more than by their Doctrin For that of our Saviour is Remarkable If it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect Matt. 24. 24. But it is not possible to deceive them for we have a standing Word which is as a Rule or Touch-stone to try the Doctrins whether they be of Men or no and by setting our Consciences in the sight of God and by the Spirit he hath given us we can search out and know the hidden things of Dishonesty and the practice of those who handle the Word of God Deceitfully But when the Truth is manifested it will appear so to us For great heed is to be taken lest under the pretence of avoiding Deceivers we do refuse and turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven and so we shall not escape Heb. 12. 25. But be in danger to be excluded from thence For this slanderous Report and false Imputation of a Deceiver was fastned on our Saviour Jesus Christ Matt. 27. 63. and his chosen Prophet Jer. 20. 7. and his Apostles 2 Cor. 6. 8. and upon almost all faithful Preachers and Writers ever since Such is the Subtlety of Satan and his Instruments by which he deceiveth the Nations That he will first throw out that Reproach and Calumny falsly on others to ward off divert and turn aside that Imputation which truly falleth back upon himself VVho are Deceivers indeed they will call those so who teach the way of God in Truth For these last being obliged in the course of their Ministry to lay open every thing that helps forward the Salvation of Mankind and to hinder their Destruction as much as possible they must also herein be like their great Master as to give a caution to People to take heed what they hear and to beware of those who are Men-pleasers more than the Servants of Christ Nay we must admonish of every thing which dishonours God and brings danger unto Men as unfaithful Teachers do both But these again through Pride and unwillingness to be Reformed seeing they hate Instruction Psal 50. 17. will endeavour to stop the way against the true handlers of the VVord of God for the former sort being secretly conscious of what may be proved and manifested against themselves they will try to be before-hand and falsly accuse or surmise such to be guilty of that which is truly their own Sin and Fault This is one cause of that Reproach which hath fallen on God's holy Prophets and People since the VVorld began As also it shews the perverseness and Disobedience of Mankind that they will as it were Reply against God Rom. 9. 20. In the Margin it is Answerest again and disputest with God which is to resist his will and it is a token of an unmannerly proud and disobedient Servant VVhen they break his Laws and God tells them thereof by his VVord and Spirit which he sends forth through some of their Fellow Creatures yet they are angry thereat and will retort upon them Again they have a mind to continue and go on still in Disobedience But this telling them is a kind of stop and interruption which they do not like and so they had rather remain Disobedient and have this for an excuse that they did not know it They would willingly be forgiven by God yet what they do in this manner is a further Sin and Provocation But God will search it out though we cannot so particularly and exactly discover it for he knoweth the very Secrets of the Heart Who is wise and he shall understand these things Prudent and he shall know them for the ways of the Lord are right and the Just shall walk in them but the Transgressors
accept of Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works Jam. 2. 18. Faith may be without Works but Works is a good Sign of Faith If they be right spiritual and Divine Works they must have Faith and Knowledge for Beginning and Performance of the same for wouldst thou know wherefore they are done by some and not by others Because some understand the Obligation they are under and the Encouragement they have to the same All People would alike do the Will of God if they have the like Thoughts and Apprehensions concerning the same There is one Faith and one Hope So they might equally believe and have the same Assurance of good things to come if they would study and seek diligently after them If they would suffer themselves to know their Duty and be in a Readiness to perform the same God would reveal it unto them Provided they do receive the Knowledge thereof and not put it off and stifle it He would incline them to do the same if they would yield unto and not resist his Motions He would give his Spirit if they would not grieve nor quench it and if they would preserve their Body in Holiness and Sobriety fit for its Habitation he would enlighten and rectifie their Understandings if they would draw off the thick Coverings of Ignorance and Disobedience which make that either the Mind cannot apprehend at all or it is full of Falshood and Delusions For the Transgressors having not observed but departed from the Law of the most High to save and defend themselves they seek out for Excuses and Imaginations and through the Perplexity and Maze of them the Sinner doth not so easily apprehend what is good and true A deceived Heart hath turned him aside Isa 44. 20. So it is always when one starts or goes out of the good Way And likewise the same hinders it from coming in as a secret Imagination that it is soon enough or pray have me excused for this and the like Reason There is an hundred Kind of Surmises or Imaginations But in Allusion to what our Saviour saith take heed how ye hear so let People take heed how they think for God discerns their innermost Thoughts as plainly as if they were wrote upon their Face or spoken out aloud in the Market-place However they keep them close and concealed from his faithful People and Ministers least they should find something in the Word of Truth to convince them of their Errors and Mistake so that they need not to go on therein yet in the mean while known to God are all of them and he will one Day spread them forth before their Faces in the Sight of Angels and Men and lay it all open and detect the whole by his eternal Truth They are so angry and vexed at present as if we could inform God who searches all things out and knows the very Secrets of the Heart or as if we did bring their Sins to Remembrance when himself hath declared that he considers all their Ways Though he doth now hold his Tongue Hab. 1. 13. yet our God shall come and shall not keep Silence Psal 50. 3. He shall rehearse the Thoughts Words and Actions of the whole Life These things hast thou done and I kept Silence Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine Eyes Psal 50. 21. The Time Place Circumstances and Aggravations will be all manifested and as they were Day by Day committed so they shall be reckoned up In the Midst of Transgression there was no such notice taken of them because God kept Silence but it might even then have been known that our God would reprove People for the same because even then he did sometimes do it a little by his Word and Servants and by the still Voice of his Spirit within them And though we know nothing of one another yet God is pleased to convey into our Mind some secret Intents and close Imaginations giving us thereby to understand that he knows them all for he gave us this Knowledge And if the World is now so enraged when only a few Thoughts of their Heart are revealed good God what Fear and Confusion will they be in What Terror and strange Amazement will possess them when all the Thoughts of all the Sons of Men since they have been created on the Earth shall be fully manifested For there is not a Word in my Tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether Psal 139. 4. And then all Evil corrupt Communications Lies vain Swearing false Oaths Blasphemies hard Speeches against God Jude 15. Reproaches of his People Slander and Backbitings with all the Sins of the Tongue which is a World of Iniquity shall be summed up So he who considereth all their Ways shall bring up all their ungodly Deeds wicked and unjust Actions the first whereof they did endeavour to hide from the Saints here on Earth and the latter even from their common Neighbours If they had but the Knowledge of God they would understand all this at the present Time for even now we live under him whose Eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth and are in every Place beholding the Evil and the Good He hath given his Word which is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart for that speaks out concerning them and declare them unto us Neither is any Creature that is not manifest in his Light but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 11. Not only divine Revelation but common Reason teacheth the very same For as our Lord argued to the Pharisees Ye Fools did not be that made that which is without make that which is within also Luke 11. 40. so he who fashioned every Part of us must likewise know all that is therein He that planted the Ear shall he not hear He that formed the Eye shall he not see So he who created the Soul with Powers to know must also much more know himself and also every thing which she thinks or doth The Scripture in sundry Places asserts this all-knowing Property of God There is no Darkness nor Shadow of Death where the Workers of Iniquity may hide themselves And they which would not commit Wickedness before such a Man who perhaps hath the faint Image of God within as to hate and loath Evil and therefore if such a Spy is in their Presence as they term him there is a Secret Awe and Restraint upon their Spirits But why might not these understand that there is one greater among them who sees and beholds all that they do Who is holy and hateth all Wickedness who is the Judge of all Men and will certainly call them to an Account for what they are now a doing Yet the Sense of him doth not keep them off from evil-doing Which happens only from
that vast and wide Place to which the great and wide Sea is not so much as a small single Pool of Water is now to the whole Ocean Every thing above is so astonishing that all the Wonders of the Deep are not so much as the purling of a little Brook or Stream To see the King in his Beauty and to behold the Land that is very far off Isa 33. 17. is infinitely more delightful than the Gaudiness of Eastern Emperors or all the pleasant Places of all the Earth Our Souls shall mount up there after they have for some time dwelt in this earthly Cottage They now are weary of and get above all things here and do apprehend the other by Faith which will be revealed in Sight and Enjoyment God doth all things in his own Order O that thou wouldst rent the Heavens that thou wouldst come down Isa 64. 1. He might open and display his own Majesty and make himself seen in his Glory or he might infuse his Word and Spirit immediately into the Hearts of every Soul of every Nation under Heaven to give them Knowledge and Assurance that these things are so But he hath spoken to the World by the Prophets his Son and Apostles who lived in the Land of Judea and others are to receive it from them and to publish it forth throughout the World Thus our Lord and Saviour gave Commission and Direction And accordingly his Apostles did travel about on Horses and Ships unto the Places afar off to make known these things and so their Words went out unto the End of the World But we according to his good and gracious Promises do expect a more universal preaching of his Word and sending of his Spirit As He is the Confidence of all the Ends of the Earth and of them that are are afar off upon the Sea Psal 65. 5. So he will manifest and make himself fully known unto them Our selves as yet know him by Faith we hear of him with the Hearing of the Ear we see it written of him we understand and perceive from within but the Words of Life and Knowledge may be sent and published unto others By the Help of Ink and Paper we may speak to those whom we have not seen and to the Nations afar off Men and Brethren of every Country of the Earth let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried Whilst he lived he ruled over one single Nation of small Extent and he was likely to have been thrust from that by his Son Absolom but the Lord sustained him He had no forreign and new Conquests nor did he enlarge Territories Himself was not made the Head of the Heathen nor did People whom he knew not serve him Therefore being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an Oath to him that of the Fruit of his Loins according to the Flesh God would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne He seeing this before spake of the Kingdom of Christ that it should extend over all He shall have Dominion also from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the Ends of the Earth and so as is further said in the Seventy Second and Eightieth Psalms Thou hast delivered me from the Strivings of the People It is the general Stile of Prophecies to run in the Present or Preterpefect Tense which saith things are ready or have been when it speaks of things to come which denotes the great Truth and Certainty thereof that it will as really be as if it was at this present Moment or had been already fulfilled It is the Word and Promise of the high and lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity to whom all things are present and before him Who sits above and hath in his Power the Times and Seasons He is above all Difference and Distinction of Times but according to our Capacity and Understanding he expresseth himself in this wise Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession Psal 2. 6 8. God hath established his Worship and Kingdom by little and little and ordained that those who submit unto it should do it freely It was a considerable Time before he brought his first Begotten Son into the World and then he endued him with such Power and Excellency that others might believe on him as sent from God and come to serve and honour him for whoso doth honour the Son he doth honour the Father also All People had sufficient Reason and Invitation to come unto him yet none is forced His Throne was set up in the appointed Place for the Law shall go forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Micah 4. 2. Every Man or Woman that will may be obedient to it We are to fear the Name of the Lord whom we have heard of and we are to comply with his Will which is made known unto us Herein is the Kingdom of God superiour and different from that of Men for we ought to obey him that is invisible before those whom our Eyes see And it was never known nor heard of among the Children of Men that those did exercise Authority whom none of their Subjects ever saw God is a Spirit and is manifested unto and in our Spirits and he is also evident to the outward Eye for this sees the things which his Hands hath made Our selves do inhabit in and discern the Temple wherein also he dwells and which he fills with his Presence Heaven is his Throne and the Earth is his Footstool So that we have as great Assurance that the Lord is King as that there are Governours over such particular Nations or as a Son is assured that he had a Father or a Servant that he hath a Master And there should arise the same continued Obligation of Duty towards our God as is actually given to those earthly Relations according to what is written Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Servants look unto the Hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the Hand of her Mistress So our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have Mercy upon us Psal 123. 1 2. A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine Honour and if I be a Master where is my Fear saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 1. 6. which is the most reasonable and natural thing in the World for in him we live and move and have our Being as certain also of your own Poets have said for we are also his Offspring For as much then as we are the Offspring of God we ought in all Times and in all Places to give all Honour and Obedience unto him And so accordingly we should if we had the Knowledge and did not forget God
the Mist of Ignorance He shall be thrust down to the lowest Dungeon and be confined unto utter Darkness For the former seeming Ease and Stupidity there will succeed continued self-indignation His Soul was then employed about somewhat and if not about that Talent intrusted with him by the God of the Spirits of all Flesh yet he had some little Thought or seeming excuse for his Refusal and Disobedience The knowledge was conveyed in the Obligation and Necessity thereof was considered in the Mind and there was a willing delay and putting it off In those debates and reasonings within there is a manifest thinking this or that way Now the Scale turns on this side and then on that And as there is a capacity to think freely so there is a power to do accordingly or a contrary froward going on in his way or a wretched doing nothing at all The Lord knoweth our frame Psal 103. 14. the disposal and tendency of each part of our Nature and accordingly in his VVord and Truth application is made to the Children of Men. To this end are those several kinds of Expostulation in the Psalms Prophets and throughout the Old and New Testament Some things are to inform and teach the Understanding others are to subdue and bring over the VVill and the several Affections are particularly spoken unto So that read where you will you may find some part of your Soul moved And then there is the example of Saints recorded who were Men of like Passions and Infirmities with our selves that we also might do the same which others have done before us God addresseth himself to us as we are Men to judge of the equality of his ways and of what he saith and commandeth us He bringeth us up and implants a capacity to know the Good and refuse the Evil. He giveth Senses to discern between one and the other He acquaints us over and over with the very Nature of things at present and also forewarns us of things to come Survey the whole Dispensation and Exercise of God's Dominion over us Consider each part and method thereof Look into the mystery of the Kingdom Remember his doings of Old Time Think upon what he doth now and also take in the Consummation of all what he hath said and sworn he will yet perform Then thou mayest understand that as he made People free so he would govern them as such He would have them serve him with joyfulness and gladness of Heart and what they do it should be with a willing and ready Mind for the Lord loves the answer of such a Soul when he saith Seek ye my Face Thy Face Lord will I seek That comes at first as soon as he is called and afterwards is in a continual readiness to receive further Direction and Command and then is in an actual and speedy performance of the same VVhere is a willing Mind there is no seeking out Excuses and Delays There is no shifting and trying to put it off There is no Controversie or Dispute of Mind whether I should serve God presently or not For if there is a right Knowledge of him and of the Terms upon which we are to enter into his Service we come as readily to him as one that was hired to the best of Masters according to the Flesh who will give the greatest VVages and most kind Usage Saith our Saviour unto his Disciples and Followers Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth But I have called you Friends John 15. 15. Here is yet a nearer Relation and Honour to be admitted into Friendship with him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Faith apprehends this exceeding Priviledge and esteems of it more than to have for assured Friends the King all the Nobility and Gentry of this or the Neighbour Nations Or if Love is lessened when it is divided into so many Particulars it is better than to have two three or a few only of the greatest and wisest Personages on Earth Christ unto the Believers Soul is the chiefest of Ten Thousand nay he is more to her than all the Persons and Things in the VVorld Now where is an intimate Love and Union as we expect his Grace and Benefits and hope for Gifts from him so likewise we must do the things he saith and whatever he doth require Our Voice and Desire is Come Lord Jesus come quickly and his Answer is again to the Church And behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every Man according as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. And seeing the time allotted for that VVork is short though it was spoken to the Traytor Judas it may be also applied to his faithful Disciples and Followers What thou hast to do do quickly VVe have his own Example and Words for it I must work the Works of him that sent me while it is Day The Night cometh when no Man can work John 9. 4. Accordingly he did go about doing good and preaching the Kingdom of God making known all things he had heard from his Father The Wise Man calleth upon us Whatsoever thy Hand findeth thee to do do it with all thy Might For there is no Work nor Device nor Knowledge nor Wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest Eccles 9. 10. So whatever God and his Christ commandeth and requireth of thee do it with all convenient Speed and as soon as thou canst before the Opportunity slip from thee or the Means be taken away or thy self be cut off for thou art but Flesh and always dying After this is done God may have more for thee He will proportion thy Reward according to thy Labour If thou diminishest ought from that thou wilt lose so much of a greater Recompence The more thou dost at this present the more thou wilt receive for all Eternity What is done each Day or Hour is laying up a Treasure for many Ages There may be somewhat of this signified in the Words of our Saviour who speaketh the same to us as he did to the Disciples Ye say that there are Four Months and then cometh Harvest Lift up your Eyes for the Fields even now are white unto Harvest John 4. 35. And he that reapeth gathereth Fruit unto everlasting Life We may think and deceive our selves that such a Work is to be done hereafter when if we consider throughly all things are now ready for the Performance of the same But admitting it were not to be done until then yet such good Acts may be done in the mean while which are preparatory to that as the Husbandman fits all things in the mean while or we may in the Space between serve God to some other End and Purpose That no Day pass over our Head without doing some thing to the Glory of God and to the Benefit of Souls Every thing here is in order to eternal Life and as we are here always going towards that and the Life we
hitherto hidden from some because they would not search the Scriptures for there they might have found it so and accordingly have prepared to have given up their Accounts The good may be hence quickned to do more to take hold of every Opportunity to lay up a greater Foundation against the Time to come to seek and do the Work of the Lord diligently and to improve every Talent to the utmost And the evil might presently have ceased to do wickedly turn and be more zealous in the other Way Faith apprehends so of things future as Memory and Recollection is to the past Herein appears the Excellency of the Understanding and reasonable Soul that she sees things afar off and remembers those behind But those things here are scarce worth our Remembrance but what things we are further told of they are all Wonder and Astonishment because they are so exceeding great and enduring Which will fill the Soul though opened wide and to the utmost and satisfie every Wish and Desire and these things are always to remain When these things shall be present before us we shall admire and be vexed within our selves that we did not more towards the obtaining them Even thus it will be of those who considered and did most that usually Men do Our Fathers received the Promises and saw them afar off they now stand more abundantly confirmed unto us being so indubitably made known that we are more fully perswaded of them and do embrace them So the Exhortation runs yet more forcible to cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God and to do all things that we may be found accepted of him at the last Day Even thus much we may discern at present that the Lord sitteth above all his Creatures He hath revealed how we the Inhabitants of the Earth are to behave our selves towards him He hath prepared his Seat for Judgment and his Kingdom ruleth over all neither is any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight But all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do We cannot know him as he knoweth us for he seeth us and all our Ways clearly but we now see thro' a Glass darkly And as we are mere Creatures who have nothing but what we have received so we know nothing but what he first made known and revealed unto us Our Saviour abode on the Earth Forty Days after his Passion on the Cross and Resurrection from the Grave speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1. 3. very few of which are recorded And though many things are written which he made known in the Course of his Ministry yet the beloved Disciple John saith Many other things truly did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book John 20. 30. So before his coming into the World God discovered his Will by Prophets and holy Men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And there have been since further Manifestations of divine Knowledge and Truth And yet still the Skies will be more opened and Righteousness shall be poured down Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Skies pour down Righteousness Let the Earth open and let them bring forth Salvation and let Righteousness spring up together I the Lord have created it Isa 45. 8. He shall come down like Rain upon the mowen Grass as Showers that water the Earth Psal 72. 6. Truth shall spring out of the Eorth Psal 85. 11. Both as to the Element it self and also as to the Inhabitants thereof Let the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee Then shall the Earth yield her Increase and God even our own God shall bless us Psal 67. 5 6. He shall make known those Arts and Means that the Earth shall yield her Increase so abundantly that there shall be no hungry and empty Soul but there shall be more than sufficient for every Creature whatever He shall give such a plentiful Fleece on the Sheep and may discover those other Ways for cloathing as to cover all the naked in our Land Bring ye all the Tithes into the Store-House that there may be Meat in mine House and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts If I will not open the Windows of Heaven and pour ye out a Blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it Mal. 3. 10. Mankind hath been hitherto proved wihther they will obey and trust in their God The poor hath been a long while suffered among them to see whether they will will provide for and do them good and they have not yet been so obedient and trusted unto him as they should But let them once do so let all the People praise him and then prove him whether he will not do those great things for us Whether he will not deal yet more bountifully even in those things for the sake of which People now transgress against him The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof Psal 24. 1. The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts Hag. 2. 8. so he can disclose it whensoever he will perhaps more than hath been yet seen and talked of And I will give thee the Treasures of Darkness and hidden Riches of secret Places Isa 45. 3. He can shew us where are the several rich Mines and some way bring to our Knowledge whatever Worth and Excellency lies hid at present in the Bowels of the Earth So there may be sufficient yea and abundance for all And there may be such exceeding Plenty even of the formerly beloved Mammon that they shall even loath and not esteem it because there is no such intrinsick Goodness in it as was supposed And things will be as readily done without as heretofore they were greedy and eager after it The Nature and End of every thing relating to us shall be perfectly understood and how they conduce to our real Good and Happiness As things shall be fully made known which tend to the Use Well-being and Delight of the Body so the same will be discerned concerning the Soul The hidden Man of the Heart will come forth and as that even now doth clearly appear in the Sight of God so it will be yet more manifested to our View that we may also know what is in Man as we see his outward Face The Thoughts of many Hearts shall be revealed so we may as evidently perceive them as we behold the working of their Hands or their goings up and down upon bodily Feet The Lord saith behold all Souls are mine Ezek. 18. 4. He challengeth a peculiar Property in them and yet he hath sent forth a peremptory Decree The Soul that sinneth it shall die The Soul hath a Knowledge of this which cannot be shaken off so imprinted that though it may be somewhat defaced yet it cannot be worn out The Desire and Tendency
We now hear of the Name of God which is great wonderful and holy That is to the outward Ear but then is a Conception of him in the Mind and our Eyes are to publish forth his Name We see with our very Eyes his Works and the things which his Hand hath made and by the Dimension of them we may ascribe Greatness unto our God He is the same still who abides of old from everlasting to everlasting He is nothing the more for being published nor yet greater for our most ample and large Expressions concerning him which possibly can be spoken Even the holy Men of old have had diminutive and little Conceptions of him which have increased yet higher according as more Revelation came into the World as appears from the Order and Succession of Scripture They were surprized and amazed at the Presence of his Angel And what is one of them to Thousands of Angels Or what are they to the Lord of all which hath ten thousand Times ten thousand ministring Spirits before him David saith The Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psal 95. 3. which Gods may be the Princes of the Earth or Idols Jeremiah witnesseth Among all the wise Men of the Nations and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee Jer. 10. 7. The Prophet in Isa 40. declares somewhat more and so doth Daniel in his seventh Chapter And yet all these come exceeding short of his true Majesty and Greatness It being such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor entred into the Heart of Man to declare God as he is I am that I am He is known to himself and by his Name I AM. His only begotten Son who is the eternal WORD hath declared him And also he did before reveal himself by his Spirit but it was by condescending unto and helping our Infirmities And therefore the Spirit useth such Expressions as we can receive but withal giveth us to understand that the things of God are unutterable for the Tongue cannot speak forth that which our finite Understandings cannot apprehend because it is infinite and incomprehensible But yet so far as we know and apprehend we ought to set forth the same to the intent that our Children may shew forth the same unto their Children and to those which are yet unborn And God may so enlarge their Hearts that they may receive yet further Knowledge of him what they had from their Forefathers may grow up yet higher Obedience is the Follower of Knowledge And they that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them tbat seek thee Psal 9. 10. and so it is of all other Duties and if we may rely on God as to the past where he doth not assist much further than just to perform our Duties and that also through Difficulty and Temptation to exercise our Trust and Dependance on him much more may we do the same as to the future when we verily know and are assured that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him The things prepared for those that wait for him are described to be more and greater than Eye hath seen Ear hath heard or hath entred into the Heart of Man so that the greater Apprehension and more full Assurance we have of these things we also are the more quickned and stirred up to do whatever our God requires of us in the mean while Saith David I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart Psal 119. 32. which denotes Freedom and Speed I will that is his own Act. Run doth shut out all Delay and putting it off for it presently begins and pursues it with Strength and Vigour The Word Enlarge doth also signifie in the Original to perswade God shall enlarge in the Margent it is perswade Japheth Gen. 4. 27. for the Apprehension of those great things do incline and weigh down the Mind As before there was an high thing which did exalt it self against the Knowledge of God which was only a wrong Imagination but now there comes a real higher thing which leads and invites unto his Knowledge which is stronger and doth prevail In the Margent of 2 Cor. 10. 5. It is Reasonings opposite to the VVord Imaginations in the Text For let Men once come to this and the things of God will outreason with them People may sit down and stop under a sudden and false Thought or be held under Frowardness Humour and Inconsideration or only examine one Side the present seeming Pleasure and Advantage But if they would give their Thoughts full Scope and stay a little to see whether Truth will come in reflect whether in this he is not under the Command and Direction of the great Lord over all and then consult with his VVord and Spirit Take in the Consideration of future Judgment and Account when there shall be an exact Retribution to every Man according to his VVorks and the Matter of this or that Day shall be particularly discussed The more these things are understood and considered of they press yet more forcibly and what were heretofore rebellious and supposed to be in the Man 's own Power do fall and submit by degrees till every Thought is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ The Soul is first brought unto Obedience in the General and then the same Reason which brings in some Thoughts doth the other also till the whole doth come in and yield Conformity to it For the same God and Father who is in all and above all and through all he doth require to be loved with all the Heart with all the Soul with all the Strength and with all the Mind The same Lord Jesus Christ expects that we observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded Mat. 28. 20. And so whether this shall be done presently or hereafter there are so many Considerations for the present Performance of the same that whoso suffers them to be debated in his Mind they forthwith turn the Scale against all dilatory Pleas and Excuses For seeing we must all appear before God to give Account of our several Persons before him let our selves judge this one thing in the mean while whether God will not be better pleased with and sooner accept of those who make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord and who do not put it off from Day to Day or with them who trifle with and despise him in the mean time Or whether it will not be better for them whilst Time is before them and Opportunity is present so to employ that Opportunity in doing those things whereof is Hope and Expectation to which God hath annexed a Promise and a Reward Or to be still running after those things whereof they are ashamed in the Act which heighthens their Doubt and Fear of the divine Threatning and Punishment which is established by the same Word and Truth as the other So they are either
contemptuously But yet they do much worse and are worthy of sorer Punishment who are not contented to let God alone but they have a secret Purpose as it were to dishonour him If they think that God may be glorified by such a thing they will with a secret Imagination what lieth in them cross that Intent and Purpose VVho will endeavour to disannul what he hath said and try to defeat what he hath purposed and intends to bring to pass Whom God hath exalted they consult to cast him down from his Excellency They bless with their Mouth but they curse inwardly Psal 62. 4. VVho after the manner of Hypocrites talk of God and his Glory but at the same time they both think otherwise in their Hearts and also practise contrary in their Actions God hath vowed to punish such Iniquity He doth first defeat and then over-rule their wicked Imaginations and Practices to his own greater Glory He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in Derision Psal 2. 4. He doth behold all the cunning Contrivances and Actings of Men towards him For the Lord is a God of Knowledge and by him Actions are weighed 1 Sam. 2. 3. of whatever Kind they be whether good or Evil whether they please or provoke him He knows with what Heart and Intent each thing is done Strange That any of the Sons of Men who are but meer Creatures who are weak and dying subject to Pain here and Misery hereafter liable to Death here and Damnation hereafter so likewise they are capable of receiving Good and Happiness and these come from without or can be manifested from within yet they should not endeavour at all times to behave themselves rightly towards the great Lord and Disposer of all things in the whole World All that we have already is from God and he hath reserved more which he can dispense forth according to his own good Will and Pleasure His Favour and loving Kindness are most worthy to be sought after for it gives Peace and Assurance at present and is better than Life it self which doth relish and perceive all things and then transmits over to an eternal State of Blessedness Who would not partake of this For even the Desire and Enjoyment of Sensuality the Endeavours after being great and highly esteemed redounds all to this at last that he may be an happy Man To be so for all Eternity is rather to be chosen than to be so only for a short Time Nay an assured Hope and Expectation of that is to be preferred before the present Pleasure of Sin for as every one feels within himself and is sensible of there is a certain fearful Expectation of the End of that which is Death and Punishment Who will shew us any Good Psal 4. 6. is the Language of every one Where and how it may be had is the great Thought and searching of Heart yea and there is an actual Endeavour after it where it may be had with some little Pains and Labour as appears by the several Actions Ends and Designs of Mankind And though the Generality of the World hath been long settled on the Lees and they do still continue so They are sunk down into Earthliness and this present Life And they being wholly taken up with the Conveniences and small perishing Pleasures of this Life they do not care to rise and ascend up higher But yet they would do well to give heed unto those VVorkings and Movings of their Soul for that equally reaches after Happiness and covets after somewhat which is wanting in order to it as the Body desires Food and Health towards Preservation of its Life here This is only the Time of Trial and State of Preparation If we can shew our selves faithful and overcome but all our Acts here are in Order and Tendency to somewhat hereafter They are but Means towards the End and as a Scaffold towards the building up an House eternal in the Heavens Nothing here is compleat and for it self All we are still passing on and like wayfaring Men who have a Refreshment but no Abode who make some Stop but no continued sitting down And when we would as it were rest and fix up our Abode yet the very Succession Change Perishing and Weariness of our Acts teach us thus much The Times and Seasons instruct us in this the Four Quarters of the Year Spring Summer Autumn and Winter The constant Course of Day and Night also Infancy Childhood Youth Manhood and declining Age the Times of Labour Recreation Eating and Drinking all these pass on Too many are like Men amazed and astonied they know not what all this means They know not neither will they understand they walk on in Darkness all the Foundations of the Earth are out of course Psal 82. 5. Though the Light hath shined and manifested what their End is of being here and what is required of them yet they are willingly ignorant but go on as the rest do This is the Manner of the Inhabitants of the Earth that dwell carelesly that say in their Hearts We are and none besides us Zeph. 2. 15. There is a secret disowning of God above or if they acknowledge him by a few Acts of outward Worship yet they confine all to that but they have not to do with him in the common Actions and general Course of their Life Here they conclude that they are left to themselves and these things they imagine are in their own Power Some others will have Respect unto God in little trivial Concerns but for those of greater Moment they do not take Counsel of him nor yet are directed by his Law nor yet do they consider rightly for his Glory Were Men verily perswaded and did they act accordingly That God is to be obeyed in all things and at all Times not only in his Presence in the Sanctuary but also when they are more Apt to forget him at home and abroad in their going out and coming in Not only before his Saints and Servants as Paul did intimate concerning the Philippians but also when they are absent and afar off The Lord's Name is to be praised from the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof So in Man's going forth unto his Work and Labour until the Evening And then we are to lie down in Remembrance of him and to rise up again to glorifie him To think upon him whilst in Bed and awaking and as others Devise Iniquity in their Beds so our selves should forecast which Way we shall most serve and honour him If this were universally practised by all Persons in all Places we should see another kind of World than as yet hath been And do we not think it would be better and more happy with Mankind if they did thus then as now they do in living securely and negligently The Mistake and Errour is that they do not see the different and miserable Effects till it is come upon them So the Prophet
are in the way of certain Duty we have strong Consolation and Approbation of Mind as we may know by the direction of God's Word and sensibly by the Law written in our own Hearts But hereby we may know if we do those Things that are not required if they have no plain Footstep or Warrant from the Word as also there is a weariness and doubt of Soul A Man may run out of Breath in a wrong Road or in a blind furious Zeal but in keeping close and diligent to the Lines of known Duty there God gives Grace and Glory the first to enable and the other for Encouragement and Recompence And no good thing will he with-hold from them that always act obediently to his Will Indeed we may grow weary in Well-doing through some Unbelief or Distrust of the after Recompence and also at present we may somewhat fail and be discouraged in our Mind for want of that Success and Event to our Labours which we did before expect and desire for But we are only to put forth his Grace and use all the outward means and then commit the thing to God that he may bring it to pass We may Plant or Water but then we should Pray and leave it to God to give the Increase Neither is he that Planteth any thing nor he that Watereth but God that giveth the Increase 1 Cor. 3 7. He suffereth us as it were to labour in vain and to spend our Strength for nought and in vain that he may cut off all occasion of boasting from our selves that we should not ascribe to our selves in any thing as if we did it We do greatly err and mistake in reckoning upon Things being done more suddenly than they are for in Planting and Watering the growth and fruit are by degrees nay it first rots and sinks deeper before it rises up to springing and increase It may seem quite lost and perished until it appears forth visible and great Cast thy Bread upon the Waters for thou shalt find it after many days Eccles 11. 1. But in the mean while there may be sorrow vexation and murmuring for fear and distrust lest there should no good come of it God sees all things at once and knows the Things which are not yet but will be he speaks of them before they are yea and declares them whilest they are yet springing forth He doth give us gracious Promises and Assurance That there shall be a blessed Effect at last upon which we may even now Hope and Rely notwithstanding contrary things do happen which may even tempt us to cast away our confidence unless we were foretold by him whom we have all Reason to believe That it hath a great Recompence of Reward We do hardly guess aright at the things before us as to the very nature and reason of them but we know not at all of the things to come for most commonly they happen contrary but always otherwise than we did at first imagine And whilest we swell up big and high in expectation the vexation is yet greater by a Disappointment There are many things in common Life but much more in a Christian Course which raise the different Affections of Joy and Sorrow which make us now to be lifted up and then cast down Psal 102. 10. But between both extreams and variety of condition we may rub through and go on still we may have respect unto all God's Statutes observing all manner of Duty and avoid all sin of Omission or Commission and submit to our God for the Event of all Whatever pain doubt fear sorrow or any other manner of Evil we may meet with yet all is such that a Man armed with Grace may endure For God will suffer none to be tempted above that he is able Now for a season if need be ye are in Heaviness through manifold Temptations That the trial of your Faith being more precious than of Gold that perisheth might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. And so contrariwise whatever Comfort or Good we shall receive at any time we are to thank our God for it and to go on more chearfully and diligently in all Righteousness This is the way to Happiness which will be sooner thus attained than it can be had in pleasure or profit pride or humour in activity about unnecessary things or by giving way to sloth and ease And because the Reward shall be answerable and proportioned to the work use thy utmost diligence in the mean while to abound more in well-doing and lay up for thy self a greater degree and foundation of good Works against the time to come Cast about and consider throughly in thy mind which way thou shalt most glorifie God and do good to Mankind And when thou hast found out or art directed in the right manner then arise up and be doing thereafter Remember that thou dost serve and labour for thy God Whose Reward is with him and his Work before him Isa 40. 11. It shall be recompenced to thee much beyond what thou canst do though thou shouldest employ in his service every Hour and Minute of thy Life Be not careful or afraid how much Happiness thou shalt miss of in the mean while or what misery thou Mayest involve thy self in or art liable unto but trust thy God who shall abundantly make up for all Men may for there are found those which actually do go through the several changes and chances of this mortal life and yet they have no such expectation to come So that we may keep Innocency and take heed unto the thing which is right all along for it will give peace at the last which is further consummated in Eternal Glory We should not confer with Flesh and Blood which is for present ease and shrinks at the least seeming pain but immediately do the thing we are called unto Neither should we stand to examine the Events and Consequents to our selves but resolutely do our Duty come what will thereof And whatever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto Men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Col. 3. 23 24. In each single Action let the Intention be unto God Even those things which we do for one another may be ordered and stretched up that we may always consider how we shall Glorifie and Please God hereby As of Sin the Act is little and soon passeth over so the Act of Duty is somewhat longer but may be performed and then this also is passed by but of both the Guilt and Expectation doth stick and remain the Punishment or Reward are to come And also the present sensible Good or Evil do sooner go away than the Morning Dew and signifieth nothing at all afterwards So that it cannot be said or pronounced What Man is Happy or Miserable but he is only to be denominated and found
several Acts thereof as often as they were proved and tried They are a Rebellious People which walketh in a way that was not Good after their own Thoughts Isa 65. 2. and not according to the Directions of God's Word and the Dictates of his Spirit Unto which they did owe an Allegiance as soon as they were born and an Obedience as soon as ever they came to the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But casting off and giving no heed to that they are here truly and properly termed Rebellious Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the People Which strivings of the People are those Struglings and Doubts and givings back in the Heart of Man before he yields up himself unto the Obedience of God and of his Christ These Strivings would dethrone God and Christ out of the Soul And so they have strove and endeavoured for many Generations successively in the Hearts of the several People thereof To which the answer of the Lord is ever since the days of Noah unto this time My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is Flesh Gen. 6. 3. for himself hath heretofore and doth still strive with the Hearts and Consciences of Men. In which I will by no means so express it as to say That the Spirit of God hath been overcome But they have rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit Isa 63. 10. They have quenched the Spirit 1 Thess 5. 19. for that thing may and hath been done which we are there cautioned and commanded against so that God doth declare His Spirit shall not always strive with Man that is He will leave off Fighting and Contending with Man for to come to his Obedience but give him over for that he also is Flesh that is wholly given unto Evil and Corruption and to falling away and turning aside Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty Years and afterwards in the time of Moses it is reduced to threescore and ten and fourscore Years see Psal 90. whereby we are given to understand and it is as much as if God should say whether Man will obey me or not whether he will yield unto the strivings of my Spirit or provoke me to withdraw it yet his days shall be near the same he shall live out however the appointed Time according to the Age of a Man And though the Multitude of the People both Men and Women of all the former and present Generations have done thus perversly and contrariwise with God Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish People and unwise is he not thy Father that hath bought thee Hath he not made and established thee Yet as he had one good and godly Family in the midst of a whole ungodly and idolatrous Generation whom he was sure of and who were according to his Mind For I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Gen. 18. 19. So amongst so many rebellious and sinful Generations of Men and Women which have been successively one after another since the World began and the like is at this day and it may be a very few more are to succeed Yet after all these God who calls the Generations from the beginning Isa 41. 4. hath one peculiar Generation in his Eye all of which like Abraham their Father in all their Families and Places will take care that every one of them not one excepted shall keep the way of the Lord To do Justice and Judgment That the Lord may bring upon them all those things which he hath afore spoken of in his Word concerning the Times of Universal Reformation when Thy People shall be all Righteous The Sinners shall be no more When he will make an end of Transgression and bring in Everlasting Righteousness And that God hath such a Generation in his Eye and fore-knowledge is expressed in Psal 22. 30 31. on this wise A Seed shall serve him It shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation They shall come and shall declare his Righteousness unto a People that shall be born That he hath done this So that as it was said of Abraham He will command his Children and Houshold after him So they will teach their Children and Posterity They shall declare this unto a People that shall be born That the Lord hath done this VVhat is that VVhy when the whole Earth heretofore was Corrupt Evil and gone aside he hath brought them all to rights again as appears and is manifest by that Seed then living upon the Face of the Earth which shall serve him And whereas heretofore The People of some Generations and Countries did serve him for a spurt as we commonly express it Upon God's sending forth some Judgment The Inhabitants of the Earth did learn Righteousness or upon his doing some extraordinary and more than usual thing in the VVorld they would serve him earnestly and diligently for the present Season or for a few Days VVeeks Months or Years But here was the fault and failure that afterwards they would return again to their former Sin and Ungodliness and to their Formal Customary VVorship Though they did keep the Commandments indifferently well for a very little while yet they did again quickly go aside from the Commandments of God And so things have gone on after this rate and manner ever since the Creation But it will be better and otherwise when those Times of Universal Reformation shall come from the pouring out of the Spirit of the Lord. They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endureth throughout all Generations Psal 72. 5. That is during all their own Life-time and down forward during that of their Children and Posterity which shall ever succeed henceforward The Children of thy Servants shall continue and ther Seed shall be established before thee Psal 102. 28. This is in opposition to that common and true Saying heretofore and now That Grace doth not go by Inheritance for many Godly and Graâ—ious Persons have Ungodly and Graceless Children VVhereas the Promise here speaks The Children of the Servants of the Lord shall continue in the fear of the Lord all one as their Fathers did and their Seed that ir further down shall be Established before thee That is they shall be fixed and firm in the VVorship and Service in the Obedience and doing the VVork of the Lord as their Immediate Fathers and Grandfathers were CHAP. VI. It is made known in the general from the Scriptures of Truth without any Reflections on particular Nations Governments that at length there will be an end of all Wars THere is a time of War and a time of Peace Eccl. 3. 8. And so the course of the VVorld hath went on interchangeably sometimes one and sometimes another ever since that Battel we Read of in Gen. 14. VVhere Abraham