other and before I had finish'd what I came into this World for to do How many precious Truths of more latitude of greater concern and of more universal use to all Men and Women in the general which might be of instruction and edification for longer time and even for the Generations to come which do also more immediately respect the Church of God and his elect Servants might have been brought forth and published instead of a lesser matter of a National Revolution which was done by a few thereof And tho' their eternal Salvation was concerned herein that being to be obtain'd no other way than by keeping the Commandments of God yet it was not altogether so much relating to the great and common multitude whose Souls are as highly esteem'd of God as the Souls of the rich and mighty People And then for my laying of divine Truths before them they laid persecution upon our Loins which caused disturbance of Mind and loss of our precious Time Hereby I came to lose that lovely Awe and Dread and that sweet Sence of God which did formerly dwell and abide upon my Soul and Spirit O that I were as in the days of my youth when the Secret of God was upon my Tabernacle Hereby also I became insensible and unbelieving as to the invisible and future things of God which heretofore my Heart was always full with the expectation of I who have heard Words of God and knew the Knowledge of the Most High who was always looking after what I shall not see now and still beholding after what did draw nearer and nearer yet again there did as it were Scales come over the Eyes of my Understanding and I became as other ignorant ungodly People In the multitude hurry and confinement of the City I have not had those pure enlightnings and clear communications of God as I have had in mine own native Country and under my Father's Roof and I have several times desired that I might recover and return to that state again and not spend my life upon one thing only which is little more than a continued bringing forth unto trouble But as I do day by day approach nearer and nearer unto this future Life and Immortality so whether I sleep or wake am busie or idle my Thoughts may be always thereupon and be more lively concerning it and I may be still reaching forth after it Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3. 12. Whether we do think thereof or not we do continually run yea and fly towards it But hereby the Holy Ghost doth teach and instruct us That tho' we do move so fast towards it yet we should prevent it in our Thoughts so we should think more continually and earnestly as we come nearer in time and see the day approaching And this should not be a vain speculation nor a meer thought only but we should still be upon the inquiry and examination What we must do to be saved And that we give all diligence to make our calling and election sure that so an entrance may be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ still making Heaven sure unto our selves and endeavouring to make it yet more sure The Life which I now live is by faith in the Son of God and so when God and Christ do act altogether in us and our whole Business is to please and approve our selves unto them Religion and our future being is all in all of our Concern and all our Works and Doings are brought in subordination under that then we are Servants of God and Christians indeed Tho' I have known such after the flesh yet henceforth I know them no more nor yet will I walk after the manner of the flesh nor after the manner of the world nor yet after the way of childhood youth vanity or jesting We should renounce the things that savour of men nor make mention of them within our Lips The Holy Ghost saith by the mouth of Micah Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted chap. 2. 10. This expression is in allusion to Shepherds who after they have fed one place well and throughly with their Flocks and their feet have trodden spoiled or made the Pastures to smell then they remove to a fresh place and ground So after we have throughly done the Business of Life in such a thing we should not still stick in that but press further to the higher and greater Concern The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her they shall pitch their tents against her round about they shall feed every one in his place Jer. 6. 3. And when they have so done for some time they take up and remove to another It is said in the following Verse Wo unto us for the day goeth away for the shadows of the evening are stretched out If we have not done our task nor the work appointed for us whilst we were here on this Earth our Master in Heaven will call us to an account Doth the plowman plow all day to sow Isai 28. 24. This would be too laborious and tiresome for when tbe day is far spent as towards two or three of the clock he looks up to the Winter-Sun and concludes it is time to draw off Our God hereby doth instruct us to discretion and teach us that when a great deal of our life is spent and the day of immortality is at hand then let us make the three afore-cited Inferences Arise and depart for this is not your rest Which in the language of the Gospel that brings Immortality to light speaks on this wise The Bridegroom is at hand go forth to meet him Tho' future life and immortality is coming fast enough upon us yet we should run out before to prevent meet and anticipate it I want Words to express it according to the very meaning purport and requiring of the thing As the Soul is just breaking forth out of this Shell of the Body into endless life the Babe should leap in the Womb and move it self before yea and lift and ascend its self up desiring to be there And as the Plowman draws off at such a time of day so we should draw off our Desires not only from the sin and evil for we should be perfectly listless and dead as to them but our desires should be drawn off utterly even from the lawful necessary and indifferent things of this World We should be as if we used them not temperate in all things and get above them The reason of the different actings of Men is according to the diversity of the knowledge that is in them as our Saviour answer'd him who asked a good thing and was doubtful whether he should receive it or not According to thy Faith so be it unto theâ— So as to many future things we are doubtful in the dark or blind as towards them yet
unto Thus far hath Partiality blinded them who herein have took part with their own Errours and Corruption But amidst all thiâ— weakness and fault of Man the Word of God is very pure which doth not vary from her original purity by any thing that Men would do or by what they would fasten upon it from their own imaginations To hide our sin as Adam or to justifie or extenuate it doth make it yet worse and more provoking in the sight of God for it is better to lay our hands upon our mouth and to hold our peace and to submit unto the mercy and upright dealing of the Lord. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer secret communion with God before the worship of him in the Congregations of his People or as the manner of some is to relinquish them wholly in order to enjoy as they say more private and inward communion with their God for his publick Worship on his own holy Day doth take up but three or four hours of the Week and the residue of their time they might allot for that When both may stand consistent and be used successively one with another there is no need for one to jostle or thrust out the other And let my hand like Jeroboam's wither if I should go about to lay hold on or hinder the true Gospel-Priesthood in the ministration of their Office in the Temple For it must be in some place and it is better in such a place which is set a-part wholly for this and for no other use And let my tongue never hold a Pen more if I should in the least persuade or intimate unto People to neglect the assembling of themselves together My case is now somewhat like that of David when he was hunted up and down like a Partridge in the mountains As the hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come to appear before God! My tears have been my meat day and night while they say continually unto me Where is thy God When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me for I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude that kept holy-day Psal 42. 1 2 3 4. Then he remembred and call'd to mind what refreshings himself formerly had in the Assemblies and there it was that he met with God as God himself doth express it elsewhere appointing the manner of his Worship he saith to this purpose And there I will meet with thee and commune with thee Exod. 25. 22. In like manner my Soul doth pant and thirst earnestly that I being once saved and delivered from mine Enemies and from the hands of all that hate me might serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness before him all the days of my life Luk. 1. 74. For this do I desire to live that I may amongst his People worship God according to the mind of the Spirit that I may turn to the People of a pure language and we may all serve the Lord with one Consent And tho' there is left in the midst of us at this day an afflicted and poor People yet they have not that full measure and higher degrees of knowledge and understanding which were to be wish'd for and desired nor yet do they trust in the name of the Lord as his People or as themselves did of old time Where are the People now upon Earth who are as diligent and zealous in all the parts and seasons of the Service of God who do abound in good Works and are bold not fearing the face of Man as they were in former days Or such as those we read of in the Acts of the Apostles or in the three first Centuries immediately after those days Look down from Heaven and behold from the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory Where is thy zeal and thy strength and the sounding of thy bowels and thy mercies towards us are they restrained Isa 63. 15. The Prophet hereby seems to import as if God had turned his face another way and doth not now behold the Inhabitants of the Earth and thereupon he prays unto him to look down again upon them and as if God doth now with-hold his Communications â—nd imparting of Good unto his Creatures For â—hat which is of God in any of us it is if I may so â—xpress it but the conveying of so many Parâ—icles of the Divine Nature into us Every good â—ift and every perfect gift cometh down from above Upon the right improvement and good use of â—hose Seeds and Principles of Goodness God gives â—s more But by that kind of speech of Isaiah here â—ention'd and by what Ezekiel reciteth as the â—ying of others The Lord hath forsaken the Earth â—nd even his Spirit doth speak to the same purâ—ose by the mouth of Jeremiah Be instructed O â—erusalem lest my Soul depart from thee Jer. 6. 8. â—rom all which we gather that when the Inhabitants of the Earth are corrupt or when they are universally given to such a sin whatever it be as it is now one and then another according as the course and fashion of this World doth turn and lead unto or to such a thing which is besides or otherwise than the Law of God is When they know not nor will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the Earth are out of course Psal 82. 5. Like as it was soon after the Creation And God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually And it repented the Lord that he had made man upon the Earth and it grieved him at his heart And God looked upon the Earth and behold it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the Earth Gen. 6. 5 6. So it is at this day When he sees them in such a state he leaves them to themselves they will not come out of it nor learn and receive more knowledge And so it comes to pass that God doth not dwell amongst them For ye are not my people and I will not be your God Hos 1. 9. He is not slack or backward as some Men counâ— slackness or backwardness in giving his gifts oâ— conveying his goodness unto Men but they arâ— not qualified for the receiving thereof Be ye cleanâ— ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord for thereforâ— it is that he doth not pour in of his holy Spirit because the Man or Woman is not cleansed from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and from all unrighteousness God is before-hand with everâ— Man he gives to each a stock or talent and to him that hath shall be given and from him that hath not shall be taken away even what he seemeth to have that is
he shall have yet less for there must be somewhat or else that could not be taken away and then that is taken away from him that hath not that is to say that little which before he had There is some little left remaining to prove and try him still whether he will abuse or improve that very little The truth of all this is evident by experience for there is none so very ungodly and wicked but there are in them some small sparks or seeds of Goodness some principles of Righteousness and Truth do remain in them Tho' with many all this is in a very imperfect manner yet they have also some general Principles of God and of the things pertaining to his Kingdom and of future life and immortality By this little God doth prove them whether they will keep his Commandments or not and whether they will understand and seek after God Psal 14. 2. and follow on to know the Lord. By that tincture and conception and small knowledge they have of him already if they did once begin to do either then he would give them more grace and knowledge So it is with the indifferent middle-size of People yea and with the best sort of Christians at this day God is before-hand with all of them for even they do not live up nor act according to all and the utmost which God makes known unto and requires of them and also gives them strength to perform It is agreeable with the method and wisdom of God to do nothing which is superfluous or more than needs must nor yet is he wanting in what means are absolutely necessary I will cry unto God the most High unto God that performeth all things for me Psal 57. 2. Which he doth by little and little and by unexpected ways He sees where his own People for there is a fault and defect in them even in them do not obey those secret motions of the Spirit which he doth already instill into them and there he ceases to infuse further motions because the former were quenched 1 Thess 5. 19. despised or disobeyed and so they are forgotten by the person who had them as also God hath withdrawn them Whereas if they were cherished and obeyed and complied withal God would give them much more abundantly and they would have it in full measure and running over By doing the several acts of good and duty we are more enabled and strengthned to do so still and yet better and more abundantly in the kind So by performing acts of Zeal we grow more zealous for these things are kept up by the use and exercise as contrariwise upon the omission neglect they do languish and utterly wither away Agreeable hereunto the Spirit speaketh Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. Thus it is as to the several Graces and Gifts of the Spirit and as to the good Works which are wrought in us they are all to be acted and employed on their several objects and as every opportunity is to be had for by only keeping them within and folding up these Talents in a Napkin they serve as nothing they grow listless and subject to decay and perish As they said in Acts 19. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost so it is with many Men and Women at this day They do not so much as know and perceive whether there be any such thing as motions and workings of the Holy Spirit albeit God hath shewed it unto them by having put some measure of the Spirit in them For there is a residue of the Spirit Mal. 2. 15. and a measure of the Spirit John 3. 34. and there is a taking off of some of the Spirit and a giving or dividing of it unto others Numb 11. 25. For all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12. 11. Thus it is that where God doth put his Holy Spirit in Man and Woman there is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isai 64. 7. They do not stir up and actuate the Spirit that is in them What Advice Paul gives unto Timothy Neglect not the Gift that is in thee 1 Tim. 4. 14. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1. 6. is proper and necessary to every Christian Soul that they do not neglect any but stir up all the Gifts and Graces which are in them For want of which as it is a general failure amongst all Professions and sorts however they are distinguished or named it comes to pass that there are no such Christians now among us as was in the days of the Apostles and in the primitive Times Where is now that fervent burning zeal for God and Christ and for all the Commandments without exception or preferring of one thing before another Where is that diligence and constancy in his Worship Where is that lively Faith in God with that willing subjection of themselves to the Cross Persecution Suffering and Trouble for the Word and Truth 's sake Where are those now-a-days that are not afraid of the face of Men and of the blast of the terrible ones which with them of old Time was as a storm against the Wall Isai 25. 4. making no impression much less causing them to yield for they did remain unshaken and stood their ground still Or who is there now that doth not regard the Persons of Men Or if they do refrain from giving flattering Titles yet do they not secretly accept Persons By which Adverb Secretly the Holy Ghost doth find them out Who doth now come up to that unfeigned Love of the Brethren so as to love one another with a pure heart fervently Where is now that sounding of the Bowels and that most earnest sensible Compassion one to another which we read they then had Where is that laying down their Lives for the Brethren and the following them to Prisons and to Death They did formerly minister relief unto their Fellow-Christians tho' they were forbidden so to do by their Persecutors Where is now to be seen that selling of Lands and Possessions to distribute to every Man according as he has need as was in Acts 4. 34 35. What is now become of that plentiful Alms-giving and abundant liberality which was shewed forth in those first and purest Ages Is not that plainness and simplicity and godly sincerity which was then in the hearts and practices of all the faithful almost now gone off from the Earth but only here and there some imperfect footsteps thereof are to be seen in a very few Is that good Zeal of the ancient Jews now any where to be found who would hazard and lose their Lives rather than they would suffer Statues to be set up before the Gates of the Temple or eat Swines flesh