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
must be some act and endeavour in Man There must be both a willingness and compliance in him to accept of what God hath done for him Agreeable hereunto is the whole Divine Revelation and that form of Speech our Saviour makes use of in reference to himself and his Disciples He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Mat. 10. 40. And he that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10. 10. The one is a willing Act and the other a wilful Refusal So his Servant John speaketh unto the World He which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is Righteous let him be Righteous still Rev. 22. 11. Not that it is the Mind of God that any one should continue in his wickedness for he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he turn and live But after former Calls there comes this kind of Speech That such an one may choose he may do what he will for God seems to cast him off and this makes People the more willing to come as we have an Example hereof in Judges 10. 13 14 15. As on the other hand when things are proffered and seem to be made easie they contemn it and do keep off The whole History of the Church ever since the World began and also the Method of his Spiritual Dispensation doth plainly shew that all Men are left to their free Liberty and Choice whether they will serve God or not And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord Joshua 24. 15. If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted and if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door Gen. 4. 7. Truly God is the great King over all the Earth and he hath Right to Rule over all its Inhabitants He is the Lord and Governour of the World and it is meet that he should exercise Authority and receive Homage from all things which he hath made How much more from such a small spot and little part of his Creation as the Earth is Every one who doth in the least consider must acknowledge God's Dominion most just and due in the general for our selves assent unto that Honour and Obedience which are given to those several Relations of King Father and Master Whereas those according to the flesh and our own Fellow-Creatures are not so much in comparison of the high and lofty One as a single dust of the Ballance is to the whole Fabrick of the World or as a drop of a Bucket to the Sea or as a single Grashopper is to all the Creatures that have Life and Breath So there should not be the least grudging at his Superiority and Regining over us And as our selves like to have things done readily and chearfully so likewise it is reasonable that God should expect the same of us Thy People shall be willing in the day of thy Power Psal 110. 3. God is the same from all Eternity and hath at all times the very same Power for he can do all things and whatsoever he pleases But as it is said in another place Many a time turned he his Anger away and did not stir up all his Wrath Psal 78. 38. So likewise he hath not yet in this Earth nor doth now exert all his Power and Might Indeed sometimes he doth make a little more then ordinary manifestation thereof as in those Signs and Wonders which he wrought of Old Time and then we hear what effect they had for they did cause an impression upon the Minds of People and they were for the time Reverent Submissive and Obedient towards God He might have continued the like tokens among them and have given them a succession of more which also should have spoken as sensibly unto them as out of the Cloudy Pillar That it was because they kept not his Laws which he gave them These things were done once or twice in the several Generations that passed through here not to every Generation but to those in former time that they might tell their Children to come to see if they would be perswaded to keep his Statutes and observe his Laws by what they heard God visibly did amongst their Forefathers Those Miracles were soon over and did not remain long among them To prove whether the Remembrance would have the like effect as when they were present and before the Faces of People Who were over-aw'd by the sight of such dreadful Things might still call to mind the same and perform a free and ready Service And so as they did look back and had heard of the things done heretofore so we now living may likewise reflect on the same And we who now stand in these latter days on the Earth may look forward to what may be in our time and in the Generations following When God shall yet in a more extraordinary manner than since the beginning of the World or Man was Created on the Earth Bow the Heavens and come down declare his Power and Presence in a much more visible and eminent manner than ever of old time when the Lord God shall dwell amongst us and Reign before his Ancients Gloriously Who would not fear and obey thee O King of Nations forasmuch as thou containest all the good and excellency which is any where to be found amongst the best and wisest of the Sons of Men. For thou first gavest unto them what is now loved and honoured in them And therefore more Reverence and Love and Thanksgiving and good Will belong unto thee of whom are all things Thou didst therefore communicate a light and imperfect measure of Good unto the best of Men lest they should draw off from looking on thee who art All in all When God himself shall come and appear even the Rebellious also shall submit unto him for they shall be over-awed with his Majesty and Greatness and they shall be likewise perswaded thereunto by his Goodness and Truth The desire of all Nations shall come and he shall so clearly manifest himself to be indeed what he hath revealed himself Loving unto every Man He doth good and filleth our Souls with Food and Gladness when this is throughly known then all former Prejudices and Aversation against him shall vanish and be utterly done away In that day shall this Song be Sung by his Elect and peculiar People This is the Lord whom we have waited for and others shall be astonished and confounded within themselves how it came to pass that they should either despise or conceive evil Thoughts against him They shall bite their Tongues for Indignation which did utter hard Speeches against his Majesty The Lord and his Saints shall convince them of their ungodly deeds Jude 15. and they shall be so vexed within themselves that they would even of their own accord cut off both
do Iniquity shall be cast immediately thereupon into a Furnance of Fire and then the boldest worker thereof would fear tremble and refrain He could stir up those terrible ones from under the Earth Devils and infernal Spirits the Executioners of his VVrath who should over-awe poor Mortals all one as a mighty King with his Armies doth now make them do this or that thing at his pleasure For hath he not the same power as Man to whom he gave being and hath before committed unto him the Power of doing whatever he doth Cannot he who sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers do as much or rather more than any two-footed Creature that now walks thereon Cannot the High and Lofty One who sitteth upon his Throne and commandeth over the Armies in Heaven who are greater in power and might as that wide place above is bigger than this spot of ground here where we dwell send forth his Authority and execute the same here Is this too far off when it is his Footstool for he filleth all places and all things even those under the Earth with his presence If I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there Psal 139. 8. Even now he sends sorth his Lightning unto the Ends of the Earth and his Arrows go throughout the World But because God doth not yet manifest his Power and shew forth all his Might a thought doth arise in them who know not God as if he cannot do this They who have a little more knowledge are sometimes apt to imagine That because he acts here by outward means which are but little and small that by reason of them is the Defect and they are unable to atchieve such great and mighty things whereas his infinite Wisdom and Glory are here to be seen in ordaining strength out of weakness VVho first made he will also enable them to perform what he would have them to do He can send forth his Angels or other Instruments whom we have not known nor heard of as yet A Temptation doth arise that though God can yet he will not do thus for so we have heard in Old Time and in our days over and over and yet all things continue as they were since the Creation But the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. 5 6. answers this by what God did of Old both by Creation of and Drowning the VVorld For this they are willingly ignorant of That by the Word of God the Heavens were of Old and the Earth stamding out of the Water and in the Water whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of Vngodly Men. That same VVord which spake them first into Being acquainted Noah Gen 6. of the intended Flood and afterwards this same word brought the VVaters for God Commanded them The same VVord hath likewise said that it shall be thus in the latter days to which we now haste Thus it is determined upon all those who in the mean time have been Ungodly or are or shall hereafter not give regard to the great God above or are disobedient to him for all such are ungodly without God in the VVorld who do not live in sense of Submission and Duty under him These might even now conceive that as in the beginning the Lord laid the Foundations of the Earth and it abideth as they find by moving and dwelling thereon As they see the gathering of the VVaters which is called Sea and as we behold the Heavens upheld and the Stars in their Courses and Places So surely doth the threatning lye against such and will be fulfilled when these things shall be so changed as we are further foretold of As before it was observed of the stedfastness and immutability of the Promise from Isa 45. So from 2 Pet. 3. it may be gathered of the utmost certainty of the Evil and Good things there spoken of They seem therefore to be out of sight and to come to prove how we in the mean while will be concerned and affected towards them There is a little imperfect Good in the One at present and a lesser Evil and Harm in the other but God will so add further that the one shall be perfected in Reward and Happiness the other shall end in Punishment and Misery My Son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments for Length of Days and long Life and Peace shall they add unto you Prov. 3. 1 2. and when the first is ended there shall succeed Immortality and Glory And the Peace here shall go out in Ravishment Extasie and unutterable Rejoycing So again Sin which now hurts for a moment doth bring on Torment for ever What occasions Sorrow and Vexation doth deliver over to the VVorm which shall never die VVhat occasions Sickness and Pain doth likewise bring forth Death and the Vengeance of Eternal Fire All that is seen or had here is but an earnest of like and worse things to come The less do fore-run and give notice of the greater And as in the former case by the comfort and satisfaction of the one we should much more desire and pray after that which exceedeth So by the sensible inconvenience and trouble of the latter way we should much more abhor and dread the End thereof which is Death As we now taste and feel it is thus so we may believe and be fully assured it shall be so hereafter as the faithful and true VVitness saith Behold I have told you before By the real Good of one way we may well depend further upon the substance of things hoped for By the hurt and deceitfulness of the other we may be sufficiently forewarned of the Destruction and Misery in that way The Nature of Rewards and Punishments Exhortation and Dehortation Promises and Threatnings do denote that Man is left to his Liberty and Freedom All these do inform and acquaint him how things stand pertaining to him That he might partake of the Good and avoid the Evil. God hath thus established the Connexion and Order of things They are set before Mankind and placed so near that they are become as closely appendant to him as his Flesh and Spirit so they must have the one or the other His trial is appointed in things absolutely necessary which he cannot be without as Meat Drink and Rayment to the Body and in Thoughts as to the Soul which are the very Essence of it for the Soul will cease to be when it shall cease to think And lest the Soul should degenerate into Sloth and Bruitishness of that we are rouzed up to take heed by the Parable of the unprofitable Servant whose Doom was Cast him into outer Darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth VVho would not receive and ascend up towards the Light but walked all his days in
all this long Fight and Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Earth wherein the Lord did Fight against them with the Sword of his Mouth even that two edged Sword which is called the Word of God And these Rebels did again fight with him with all their Vngodly deeds which they have Vngodly committed and with all their hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. Yet after all God hath the better and upper Hand Though they did as it were Murder his own Divine Majesty in putting to Death his Prophets Son and Servants God hath raised up his Son already and he will also raise up all them again and bring them along with him Alive to Judgment when When he will tread down his Enemies in his Anger and Trample them in his Fury Isa 63. 3. and He will slay them Luke 19. 27. serving them as they did his Anointed and his Chosen ones Still the Lord liveth and Blessed be my Rock and let the God of my Salvation be Exalted The Psalmist goes on to speak in the Person of Christ who must Reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his Feet It is God that avengeth me and subdueth the People under me He delivereth me from mine Enemies yea thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me Which was eminently fulfilled when those that rose up against him lifted him up upon the Cross and afterwards God lifted him up from the Grave wherein they had put him into the highest Heavens in his Ascension and sitting now at his Right hand where he is now lifted up infinitely above all his Enemies Thou hast delivered me from the violent Man who is as contrary to the Meckness and Gentleness of Christ as a Wolf is to a Lamb. But here God the Everlasting Shepherd who brought again the Lord Jesus from the Dead did deliver and restore this Lamb of God safe again from out of their Mouth after they had taken him and with wicked Hands Crucified him Therefore will I give thanks unto thee O Lord among the Heathen and sing Praise unto thy Name Great deliverance giveth he to his King who in that day in reality and very deed shall be King both of the Jews and also of the Gentiles yea of all the Earth and to his Anointed which is the very Christ to David and to his Seed for evermore By which last word the Son of David is included of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came and also all the Seed and Children whom the Lord hath given him from the Beginning from thenceforth and for evermore in the most Universal comprehensive and extensive Signification throughout all the Earth and to the end of Time from thenceforth throughout all Eternity Which is here so expressed for our Understanding and Apprehension For there is no passing throughout all Eternity for into that is an entrance and in that is a continuance but no going through any part of what is without Succession of days or ending of time but like God himself the Ancient of days abideth continually the same And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and open the Seals thereof for thou wast slaâ—n and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on the Earth Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing And every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that is in them heard I saying Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5. 9 10 12 13. After this I beheld and lo a great Multitude which no Man could number of all Nationt and Kindred and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their Hands and cried with a loud Voice saying Salvation unto our God which sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be to our God for ever and ever Amen Rev. 7 9 10 12. FINIS Practical Books Written and Published by Richard Stafford OF Happiness Wherein it is fully and particularly manifested That the greatest Happiness of this Life consisteth in the Fear of God and keeping his Commandments in opposition to the Pleasures of Sin or the pretended conveniency of Disobedience Rules and Directions for the prevention of and Recovery out of Sickness A Discourse against Partial Obedience Or that dangerous Deceit so universal amongst them who call themselves Christians of keeping some of the Commandments of God and neglecting others Some Thoughts of the Life to Come With a brief account of the state of Religion as it 〈◊〉 now in the World The great Benefits of Christ to all that Believe on and Obey him Being a Treatise on Hebrews 2. 15. VVherein it is shewed and made known how People may be freed and delivered from that slavish fear of Death whereby they are subject to Bondage throughout their Life-time And also how they may be saved and preserved from the Evil and Danger of Death when it shall approach nigh and come actually upon them An earnest Call to all the Inhabitants of the Earth to Turn immediately to the Lord their God
the Sense of the Creator yet all these are made an Occasion to forget him the least conceiving or inward reasoning would instantly have led up to the Apprehension of him That it must be some one who made all these things for even as to the Houses which we inhabit we must conclude that some one did build them though it was before we were born And so this great House of the World must needs have been framed by him who built all things and he that built all things is God Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 11. 3. The Heavens continue standing as they were from the Days of the Creation yet that once was and must needs have been But then further the very Continuance and upholding of the things created doth most plainly demonstrate this eternal Power and Godhead For I lift up my Hand to Heaven and say I live for ever Deut. 32. 40. This may be clearly seen for the vast Roof of the Sky is kept up without any mighty Beams or Pillars He stretcheth forth the North over the empty Place and hangeth the Earth upon nothing but then it abides only by his Support He upholds all things by the Word of his Power He forms and gives Life and Breath to the several things therein They are born move a little between and then they die one after another Hereby giving us to signifie that himself alone is eternal and immortal without Beginning or any Ending They increase fade and decay which is a manifest Token of Difference from his own infinite Perfection Fullness and Unchangeableness They are divided and separated from one another which again distinguishes from him who is all in all whose Spirit filleth the World They are very little and small which is another Diversity from his infinite Greatness They are contemptible and weak wherefore to him alone belongs all Honour Glory Power and Strength He hath shewed himself to be the Lord and a jealous God by the very Frame of things which have been as it were of set Purpose so contrived that they should not draw off the least Glory Excellency and Admiration from the great Creator and supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth How all these have been abused and stifled by the most detestable Ignorance and Folly by the utmost Malice and Perverseness of Mankind and by the manifold Devices of Satan and by sundry other Ways will be one Day particularly disclosed when all things shall be reckoned up in order as they have been done and transacted in this Earth Things have been turned and perverted just contrary to what they were first intended O strange Sottishness and Blindness O wicked Folly There is a Rehearsal of it throughout the Thirty Second Chapter of Deuteronomy and the Reason of all may be somewhat understood from the Twentieth Verse And he said I will hide my Face from them I will see what their End shall be for they are a very froward Generation Children in whom is no Faith If God did not hide himself or if they had but Faith still to apprehend him it is impossible that Mankind should be so unmindful or negligent of the things pertaining to him For they who are thankful for common Mercies and daily Benefits and catch at every little thing if these did clearly apprehend how all things are God's and themselves have from him whatever they enjoy they would also give the same continual Thanks unto him and having this Earnest and Pledge they would seek diligently after the great things of God Who admire at every little Novelty they would much more be astonished at the Wonders of his Majesty Who are so careful to please their Superiours according to the Flesh least they should receive Injury or Oppression and also they are sincere and loving towards them if they receive Good and Benefits from them these same People would be alike obedient and fearful to displease the Lord their Maker unto whom the Inhabitants of the Earth are but as Grashoppers or a Compapany of creeping Worms If we were made alike throughly sensible that as God doth good so he can punish more than one Man doth to another there would be the like Reverence and Awe unto him It is certain that he doth give us already whatever we enjoy and is not that which we have constantly even from our Youth up more than those little Additions of Kindness we have now and then from another and consequently such do require greater Gratitude and Love And then what he is further pleased to promise doth not that infinitely exwhatever can be thought of or named or ceed had here May we not wisely and with Advantage renounce what now might be had if it doth hinder from the Hope and Expectation of that as that same Word which makes known the great Salvation and the Means how to obtain it doth expresly declare One might run over many Particulars which would manifestly shew That if the things of God were really believed and considered of there would be the same yea more earnest Care and Labour after them than after the things of this Earth And we should perform our Duty to him in all things which he requires of us as we give Honour and do Offices one to another But this hidden Mystery of the Kingdom of God and of the Divine Dispensation hath puzzled the Understandings and Actings of Men. Indeed Man hath a confused apprehension of things but he knows little distinctly and acts yet worse towards his Maker Either he doth not know or not believe or he is inconstant and imperfect as to both Or when he knows the hindrances he wilfully gives way and is kept off by them and when he sees the Temptations he doth yield unto them or an unseen Enemy fills him with imaginations and excuses and a deceived heart hath turned him aside Isa 44. 20. We should be exceeding careful about our Understanding to have it informed with true and right Thoughts If we may rightly apprehend the Dispensation of God's Kingdom and the Nature of things before us which pertain to us It is called the Mystery of the Kingdom and therefore we should Pray for the Spirit to search and unfold it to get it throughly known and revealed If we may use such a familiar comparison that as by the like Arts and Policy Men get a temporal Kingdom Preferment and Riches so we might endeavour after those things above Which is done by Knowledge Industry and a resolute putting forth The first instructs in the right way the others set a going and moving forwards We should first Pray and seek unto God That he would lead us forth by the right way that we may go to the City of Habitation Psal 107. 7. and so in all our Works and Labor in order thereto And then it may be observed how things are established and also to be
carnal Considerations or worldly Inducements no present Motive nor yet a like Danger and Inconvenience did hinder or excuse with him but he immediately went to Jerusalem Undoubtedly all these did for the best and God was well pleased with them He did accept and reward them more than those who seek out for Excuse and Delay or such who first refuse to hear his Gracious call or if they do at any Time hear or it is made known unto them yet they will not yield unto it The Word of Exhortation stands continually for all People both young and old to hear and read it The Spirit and the Bridegroom say always come There is one knocking at the Door of their Hearts for Admission God is ready at all Times to set up his Kingdom within us his Law is already written in our Heart and inward Parts He sends his Prophets rising up early and sitting down late Who being dead speak yet unto us in their Writings There are constant Dictates of Mind to serve and obey our Maker There are Examples of those who do it in our Age and Circumstances of Life There is hardly a Chapter or Verse throughout the whole Bible but some way or other calls and stirs us up The Scripture is opened and alledged The Word preached in the several Congregations throughout our Land and in all the Nations of the World are a Sermon to us also For we are the same Creatures and stand in the very same Relation to the great God over all as those several Persons who hear such and such Truths with their outward Ears We might also know and hear more than we do and those who hear and understand are to declare it unto us to acquaint their Neighbours and Kinsfolks and they to others So that the Word of God might dwell richly and have free Passage among us There is a sufficient Call and Warning to all People in their several Generations and Ages of Life God now commandeth all Men every where to repent because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead Acts 17. 31. As every one knows Christ to be a Saviour so there is the same Notice conveyed that he is to be our Judge And as God shall bring every secret thing into Judgment all the Actions of our Lives for each single Day will be called to account So it will be demanded why such and such did not come when they were called as they sensibly knew by a powerful Conviction over their Spirits when it was inculcated over and over to Day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Heart When they might have considered more and more and themselves did find that the more they did consider the more they were pressed instantly to close with Christ and therefore they did put off considering their Wayes They might at such an Opportunity have heard God's Word which would have urged them to have turned from their evil Ways and therefore they would not attend to them They might at such a Day and by such Means have learned the Knowledge and Fear of the Lord but they would not His Statutes were laid before them but they would not let the Ears hear which were made to hear nor the Eyes see which were ordained for that End And further when the Thoughts thereof did recur to the Mind they would put them far away When God rises up and enters into Judgment how shall Men answer for such things And whosoever now looketh upon or hears what is written in these Lines and he is convinced of the Truth and Sincerity of them but if he should go away and not comply with the Purport thereof or be willingly ignorant or take no notice for fear he should be brought over unto God more suddenly than he otherwise intended how will he give account to the Judge of all Men for the same Even to that God who knows all his Thoughts and Imaginations concerning this or any other matter who will reprove and set the things he hath done in order before him even from the Time he had the Beginning of the Knowledge of Good and Evil unto the Day of his Death God knows all things but we know not as God knoweth and therefore we are so puzzled and distracted in things pertaining to him He seeth all things in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth at one Sight and knoweth all things to the utmost as they are known But we now see one thing and then another in order and Succession of Time as he shews them unto us Those Things which are more hidden and invisible he reveals them by his Word and Spirit and still we know nothing perfectly and comprehensively And it may be all confined to things pertaining to us Men which is not the Ten Thousandth Part of the things to be known nor yet one Half of what doth immediately relate unto and concern us The Sum and Comprehension of all is to know God and his Law our Duty to him in each particular and when we do vary from it It may be observed that the whole Scripture which is called the Lord's Book may be all reduced to this Besides the natural imprinted Knowledge God is there more discoverd to us by the History of the Creation of the World his Manifestations unto his Servants that worshipped and feared him his wonderful Works that he did from Time to Time the Descriptions given of him in sundry Places and also the Commandments enjoyned to the Sons of Men. The Law was given by Moses unto which he added much Exhortation to the Observance thereof So did David and the Prophets whose Writings were to press People unto Obedience and a Reproof of Transgression Which last was an orderly Declaration of Matter of Fact and according to Truth how People did turn aside from the Commandments delivered unto them It was a Telling of or Declaration unto the House of Jacob their Sins and Transgressions Which was expressed in general or more particular Terms but yet so plainly that every Offender might understand himself was spoken of and called upon for to amend his Doings There is a strong Sense and Obligation upon the Heart of Man to keep the Law of his Creator and he is sensible of as much every Time he is put in Remembrance thereof As on the other hand he is troubled with Shame Regret and Condemnation when he thinks of and more especially when he is told of his Sin and Error This proceeds from the Consciousness of having offended God and from the Fear of his Anger and Judgment A secret Thought doth arise from Ignorance or Unbelief that either God doth not see or not take notice of such evil Deeds and will not require for them But such an one brings their Sin to Remembrance and makes it recorded before God which
otherwise might fall to the Ground and be forgotten by him Hence hath arose that Hatred and unkind Usage to the Prophets Ministers and Servants of God for speaking of and reproving the People of their several Generations of their Sin and Disobedience This alone did put some Check and Stop to Transgression and so the less was committed and consequently there was less to account for before God But in those Ages when all Flesh had corrupted its Way upon Earth and there was none to oppose the Torrent of Iniquity yet God who sits above both saw and knew the whole Course of Transgression all one as if Ten Thousand of his Saints did cry aloud against it This will be clearly manifested at the Day of Judgment when God will disclose and make known the several Steps and Degrees of Irreligion and Wickedness both of Generations and single Persons of Countries and Families whereof we knew and heard nothing at all When the Lord shall write and rehearse up all things as they were done from the Beginning of the World The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and graven with the Point of a Diamond and so it remains before God although no Man ever spoke thereof by Word of Mouth or committed it to Ink and Paper It may be that the several Acts are willingly forgotten by the Persons who committed the same but God will remember them to the impenitent and hard of Heart and he will renew the Memory of them to the Sinner's own Mind and Conscience As the Sinner doth now act and continue in the same he doth treasure up unto himself Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God who will render unto every Man according to his Deeds Rom. 2. 5 6. whether good or evil as is expressed in the following Verses Here again it appears that the several Actions of Life will come into judgment and Retribution shall be made to the Person accordingly So that in how many things he doth well he will be accepted and himself would have notice taken thereof If he sin that also lies at the Door Which will pass either into Examination and Condemnation or the utmost to be hoped thereof is Pardon and Forgiveness that God would not remember or not impute it But this is certain for the Scripture affirms positively thereof that many shall be actually punished for the same For Those that have done Iniquity shall be cast into a Furnace of Fire Mat. 13. 41 42. and They that have done evil shall arise unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 29. yet of those who escape by Repentance they certainly suffer this Loss It would be better for them throughout all Eternity if they had never committed such Acts of Sin Besides that the Time wherein they committed Iniquity might have been spent in well-doing and so they are deprived of the Recompence they might have had for that Though a Sinner do evil an hundred Times and his Days be prolonged yet it shall be well with them that fear the Lord that fear before him Both Manner of Ways will come into account and they will have a different End It will be certainly better for them who lived in Obedience and Holiness in those Days of their Flesh wherein others did and themselves might have lived in Sin and Wickedness That Son who said to his Father Lo these many Years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandment his Father answered him Son Thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine Luk. 15. 29 31. which was a larger and much better Portion and Provision than what was before or afterwards given unto the prodigal and disobedient Son Again though a Sinner should come to Repentance yet the sooner he doth it will be certainly better for him because he will be more sure of God's Favour and Acceptation and also he will sooner bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance and make a Way for his own Reward whereas All his former Days were consumed in Vanity and Trouble Psal 78. 33 They will not turn to good Account neither doth he desire that they should come into Judgment for it will stand in no stead and turn to no Benefit unto him but encrease the Anguish and Bitterness of Soul that he did not in those Days serve the Lord in Righteousness Holiness and doing good For these Works would follow him when the other things are absolutely perished and he wishes that he had never done them Here is a real Argument not to continue in Sin one Moment longer for notwithstanding the present Pleasure and Conveniency hereby he misses of so much more Happiness and Advantage Again he should not a Minute longer neglect Obedience and doing good for he loses so much of a full Reward Thus much is signified from the Words of the righteous Judgment of God who will render to every one according to his Deeds And so it is written Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 11 12 For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every Man according to his Works Mat. 16. 27. And every Man shall receive his own Reward according to his own Labour 1 Cor. 3. 8. Wo unto their Soul for they have rewarded Evil unto themselves Say ye to the Righteous that it shall be well with him For they shall eat the Fruit of their Doings Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him For the Reward of his Hands shall be given him Isa 3. 9 10 11. According to their Deeds accordingly he will repay Fury to his Adversaries Recompence to his Enemies to the Islands he will repay Recompence Isa 59. 18. The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the Fool and rewardeth Transgressors Prov. 26. 10. As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy Reward shall return upon thine own Head Obad. 15. Receiving in themselves that Recompence of their Errour that was meet Rom. 1. 27. Like as the Lord of Host thought to do unto us according to our Ways and according to our Doings so hath he dealt with us Zech. 1. 6. And all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the Reins and Hearts And I will give unto every one of you according to your Works Rev. 2. 13. There are sundry other like Places in Scripture which the more they are considered and looked into they do the more demonstate the present Doctrine how that the future Retribution and Recompence shall be proportioned and adjusted according to the Deeds of Men as it will be yet more clearly seen at the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God It shall be openly disclosed and shewed unto every one Though it hath been
tending towards Good or procuring Loss and Evil to themselves Every one Desires good to himself and would avoid evil Hurt and Inconveniency As he is a Man of Understanding and Prudence to let him Judge and do according to the most likely Way to obtain the one and avoid the other See I have set before thee this Day Life and Good and Death and Evil I call Heaven and Earth to record this Day against you that I have set before you Life and Death Blessing and Cursing Therefore choose Life that thou and thy Seed may live Deut. 30. 15. VVhoever reads or hears these Lines whether thou examinest them in thy Closet or by a casual View whether this Book be read to thee by another or few or many be present To each Man or VVoman singly I do apply my self and I call the Angels to witness that these things be set home to thy Heart that this doth not turn for a Testimony against thee and when such things were laid before thee thou wouldst not mind but refuse Thou Man or VVoman of whatever Rank or Degree of whatever Age State or Condition of Life young Men or Maidens yea and Children that can in the least apprehend what I say I speak to you all severally and joyntly even in this very Moment of Time in this very Instant now even in the same Day that this is declared unto you I speak to every one of you in the Prophet's Phrase BEHOLD YOVR GOD. And I do most humbly and earnestly intreat of his divine Majesty which he is more ready to do than I to ask him O Lord God Almighty behold thy Sons and Daughters that from this Hour and Day they may take thee for the Lord their God consecrate themselves entirely and universally unto thy Service improving this and all their remaining Days for every Opportunity to do good and carefully watch against and eschew all Occasions of evil Hence forward to mind nothing but God and the things pertaining to him how they may most please and be accepted with him If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Yea blessed is he that readeth or they that hear that they may know these VVords and immediately without any Delay keep and observe the things written therein CHAP. III. That Surmise and Imagination is spoken unto whereby some People think that they have so grievously offended God that they dare not come unto him THe second Hindrance which keeps People off and was proposed to be spoken unto in the Beginning of this Book is that some imagine that they have so grievously offended God that they dare not come unto him The first Example of this we have in our Father Adam And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou And he said I heard thy Voice in the Garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself Gen. 3. 9 10. A Consciousness of his Guilt and Disobedience did make him keep off yea and unwilling to approach unto God when he was called Perhaps he thought that God knew not his Transgression but would discern it by some outward Sign when he came somewhat nearer VVhereas God both saw and heard them talking under the Tree in the midst of the Garden and did more clearly discern their Temptation and Sin than he could inquire and be informed afterwards But he came and would examine the matter after the Manner of Men. Both to vindicate his Justice and also to manifest that he yet continued his Grace and Familiarity to our Nature For even in the Curse and Punishment pronounced Mercy is intermixed A most precious Promise is conveyed into what may seem a terrible Sentence It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Gen. 3. 15. Thus Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment and even overcometh it at last And whereas it is said I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception In Sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the Days of thy Life Vers 16 17. Here also is somewhat released of the pronounced Punishment for God who is sovereign doth not execute in so severe a Degree as his VVords did seem at first to import for though indeed there is Trouble Pain and Sorrow in our coming into and Continuance in this VVorld yet blessed be God it is not altogether so continually grievous as what might have been expected when the VVords first proceeded forth Thus is the Lord merciful and gracious even when he is righteous and just And as his Mercy is over all his VVorks so it comes in as a Balm to mollifie his Vengeance God first calls upon our sinful Parents to shew that he had not quite cast them off and that they should not languish under a perpetual Separation from their Maker He finds out a Method of Reconciliation and Accommodation Tho' withal he ordained them and us a Punishment yet we may truly say the Lord hath punished us less than our Iniquities do deserve Hence we may learn and be encouraged that if we have not heretofore obeyed the Voice of his Commandment yet still we ought to come when he calleth us and it shall not be worse but better for us Thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil against you and devise a Device Return ye now every one from his evil Way and make your Ways and your Doings good And they said there is no Hope but we will walk after our own Devices and we will every one do the Imagination of his evil Heart Jer. 18. 11 12. VVhen People have committed much already their Conscience is accused of Sin and they are sensible how that they are obnoxious to God's VVrath and Punishment and fearing they shall one Day suffer under it they think it the same if they suffer for much as for little and so they fall from one VVickedness to another Nay with some there is a most strange and horrid Imagination as Persecutors and such like who conceiving an Hatred and Enmity against God but dreading withal he will be stronger than they when they come to meet him and therefore they take Advantage in this Time of Trial and Forbearance as it were out of foregoing Revenge to act stubbornly rebelliously and contemptuously against him as eveâ— they can It is written in the Revelations of those who gnawed their Tongues for Pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their Pains and Sores and repented not of their Deeds Rev. 16. 10 11. Some again did give Glory to God for his Judgments The first Sort whilst they were yet in the VVay did provoke him yet more who at length was too hard for them and hath delivered them over unto the Tormentors Like as we have known or heard of some desperate condemned Rebels who might have their Pardon if they would sue and make Supplication for it but they would not through Stubbornness or a pretended Bravery and therefore they did all the Mischief they could before they died