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
better lay the Law before them and then themselves may consider their variation from it Sometimes they are at a stand and as it were amazed and they know not what to do they may first see and fully perceive and then acknowledge according to that Example in Ezra 10. 2. We have trespassed against our God and have taken strange Wives of the People of the Land yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing So of every Iniquity Transgression or Sin whether it is complicated or single whether many or few are concerned therein still there is hope that God will do what he declares which he also will as certainly as he is God For he is abundant in goodness and truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin But then they must make a Covenant with their God to forsake their sins for the time to come and hence forward to tremble at his Commandments and to do according to the Law But if they cover their sins if they keep and hold fast to them then they are still guilty whom the same Truth hath here said That he will by no means clear Exod. 34. 7. The word Forgiving respects what is past but doth not allow for the present or future What then Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid That God may shew the more mercy in our manifold and greater sins that we may love much when much is to us forgiven But this and such like is a perverse wicked proud and disdainful way of Reasoning Because God will forgive we will sin yet more because he is Gracious therefore we will provoke him because he is Good we will presume to offend him yet more because he will pass by the Transgression of the remnant of his Heritage and make it up again we will break and at no time continue stedfast in his Covenant And knowing that he will pass it over we will forget the Name of the Lord and hold up our hands to strange Gods we will idolize and labour to please Men without any regard had to him Shall not God search this out for he knows the secrets of the heart He doth see and discern all such kind of Imaginations which shoot forth into alike practices We should do well to consider with our selves Wherefore do we desire any forgiveness at God's hands Because we would partake of his Mercy and avoid his Wrath. We would be happy and are unwilling to be miserable Why know we not that the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him to such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandments to do them Psal 103. 17 18. And the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1. 18. and Disobedience Colos 3. 6. And therefore we must fear God if we would partake of his gracious Attribute and carefully eschew all the other that we do not fall under the severity of his Vengeance If we would be happy we must be holy and to prevent misery the only way is to sin not We are but meer Creatures All that we have is from God and so is all that we expect further We are but perishing and imperfect at present and we shall be yet somewhat more as our hopes and desires our fears and aversations give us notice of So that if we would have the good-will and love of God the consequent is natural and easie for our selves to shew love and good-will towards him in the mean while And then we must sin as little against him as possible Ye that love the Lord bate evil Psal 97. 10. And ye are to decline every false way we are to endeavour to set forth his glory and to honour him which shuts out all manner of stubbornness and the least despising of him Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. We have the Promise and Assurance of that Kingdom and to us is committed in the mean while what is preparatory to that The work and service is given and shewed that we may do it and as we are put in the condition of Servants to so great and honourable a Master as he is in Heaven so it is required of us that we be faithful and willing that is true in the management of what is committed unto us and ready in the performance of the same Another Character that belongs to a Servant is That he be Wise whereof our Saviour speaks and promises to set such over his Houshold Accordingly the Apostle intimates as much negatively See that ye be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5. 17. This must be in order to do the will of the Lord And also we are to be in a readiness against his time of coming to demand an account By doing of God's Will we learn to know it better and the performance is more easie we can correct what was amiss heretofore and perform it more exactly for the time to come From the quality of Servants we come to a more intimate Relation of Sons which the Scripture to assure us of God's Love and Familiarity to Mankind doth more often make use of than the other comparison of Servants I will spare them as a Man spareth his own Son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Now former miscarriages are passed over and forgotten when there is a sincere and actual service for the time to come where there is a constant desire to please and be accepted with God Agreeable hereunto is the stile of the promises and calls to Repentance Thus saith the Lord shall they fall and not arise shall he turn away and not return Why is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual back-sliding They hold fast deceit they refuse to return Jer. 8. 5. But if they do return they have forthwith assurance of Pardon and Forgiveness according to what is written But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Ezek. 18. 21. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. There are innumerable Promises scattered up and down in the Old Testament and also in the New to give hope and encouragement unto sinners to return unto the Lord their God which do answer all their particular doubts and fears Whatever be their multitude and aggravation If they have played the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord Jer. 3. 1. Or if their sins be as scarlet or crimson of the deepest die and guilt he will make them white as
that formed us nor receive in wrong Prejudices and false Apprehensions of his supreme and most excellent Being Our Ignorance Corruption and Satan's Temptation make us turn aside and then some strange Imaginations make us unwilling to return All which might be discovered to be Falshood Mistake and Error so soon as they are fully known Where God calls unto the Children of Men they struggle and give backwards and are not willing to come and this is the Strivings of the People This Manner of Speech is not intended of Heathens and such as have not known nor heard of God for they are expressed afterwards but it is meant of those who go under the Name of Israelites whom he vouchsafes to stile his own People These have some Faith and Knowledge but it is dark and imperfect they conceive somewhat of God but it is Error and Falshood they apprehend somewhat of his Law but not fully and thence comes to be in them an evil Heart of standing off from God The general Deceivableness of Heart which keeps them off for there is a Thousand Kind of little Surmises which may be answered in like manner is here reduced unto these Three Particulars 1. They think that themselves are as it were forced unto Obedience and they do not love to be compelled against their Will 2. Some imagine that they have so grievously offended God that they dare not to come 3. Which is the principal Reason of all the Generality of People think that if they submit presently unto the Obedience of God they shall be Losers and disappointed of so much Pleasure Profit and Conveniency in the mean while They shall miss of so much imagined Happiness and fall into Sowerness and Misery If these Three Points can be cleared and the Heart of Man throughly satisfied as to each of them then it is just and equal that he should not defer one Moment longer but turn immediately unto the Lord their God CHAP. II. Here that Proposition is at Large discussed That People are not forced and compelled to the Obedience of God but they are left herein to their own free Choice or Refusal FOR the first Cannot they imagine That if it was the Mind of God that any should be compelled to his Service could not he have brought the whole World unto his Obedience before this Time when they have continued for some Thousands of Years in their Iniquity and Transgression He who fashioneth their Hearts alike Psal 33. 15. and knoweth our Frame Psal 103. 14. could also have put into us the same instant Necessity and Inclination to his Worship and Service as to our Meat and Drink that without it we should grow faint and perish He could have determined the Powers of Soul only one Way as in Brutes and have moved them towards his Law and Will as they are carried by Instinct to natural and sensible things he could have implanted into every one that strong Desire of following the thing that good is as after Life and Breath and they should abhor and flee from Evil with the like Care and Earnestness as from Death and Destruction He could have so hedged up all our Ways that it were not possible to go from him if we were never so eagerly bent on Backsliding no more than we can now get out of a strong Prison He might have so compassed us in of every Side that we could not avoid fulfilling his Command no more than any one doth now escape from under a Guard Neither can we hide from him who is every where and in all Places He might give us as sensible Evidence of his taking Knowledge of all our Ways as a King doth of any Treason committed in his Presence for which we should incur his severe Wrath immediately Verily thou art art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Isa 45. 15. and so hast done ever since the World began to see what the Children of Men will do God hath discovered himself no more than what was necessary for to exercise our Faith and Trial. He hath just made known his Name and Power amongst Men but further it is left unto them how they will carry themselves towards the Lord their Strength and Redeemer It is a wonderful thing to consider how the God who made and filleth and is all things should yet be so little manifested unto Men That he who is all Brightness and Glory should not be seen among us That he who made and fashioned us in whom we live and move and have our Being should not be perceived by us That when he filleth Heaven and Earth with his Presence yet any should live without God in the World Surely Darkness hath covered the Earth and gross Darkness the People The Sun gives Light upon it by Day and the Moon by Night and yet there is a greater Darkness round about which the dull Element perceives not there is yet a worse and greater Obscurity in those who see and walk therein Strange that it should not be yet universally fulfilled in all People At that Day shall a Man look to his Maker and his Eyes shall have Respect unto the holy One of Israel Isa 17. 7. for he might see him with the Eyes of his Vnderstanding being enlightened all one as he doth with his bodily Eye see the Works of God and the Earth which we tread on By the Air which a Man breaths and moves in he might have a Sense and Resemblance of him who is invisible who doth also beset him behind and before and is with him in his going out and coming in and is acquainted with all his Ways There is no going from his Spirit and Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the Wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost Parts of the Sea even there shall thy Hand lead me and thy Right Hand shall hold me Psal 139. 8 9 10. And so he doth equally in the narrow Places of our Abode Whether we be on a Journey or a walking in our Chamber or in the lower Parts of our House whether we be alone or in Company God is all along present with us but through Imperfection the Soul is not well intent on several things together and his Creatures too often make us forget the Creator As we behold them we are unmindful of him that is invisible their Talk and Discourse too often make us not think of his Word and Law Nevertheless these Failings might be rectified and we might have a continual Sense of him and of his Commandments that we might not fall nor offend But here it is to be admired that when there are so many things to bring to the knowledge and Remembrance of our God yet Mankind for several Generations should be so sottishly ignorant and unmindful of him Every thing we see taste and handle is his Work and Creature which should renew
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
Thou tellest my Wandrings put thou my Tears into thy Bottle Are they not in thy Book Psal 56. 8. As he doth take Knowledge of every least Sin and Error so likewise will he make up abundantly to us for all the Sorrow and Hardship we have sustained for him A Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought on his Name Mal. 3. 16. in which is recorded all the Reproaches they endured from the wicked and also every right Work they have done with all the particular Circumstances thereof The Apostle advises Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full Reward 2 John 8. So the like Admonition may be given to those who are as yet unconverted and in a State of Sin that they defer not one Moment longer to turn unto the Lord their God For besides the Danger of being cut off in their Sins and the Doubtfulness of gaining God's Favour and Acceptation but if they should obtain yet they deprive themselves of a greater Reward Though the long and habituated Sinner may be saved that is only when he turns from all the Sins which he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right yet it will be as by Fire that is with Difficulty However he shall suffer Loss That is it would be better for him throughout all Eternity if he had never continued in such a Course of Sin What Fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. There is no Benefit and Advantage in them So likewise Time slides away such Opportunities are irrevocably lost which might be improved to a blessed Eterntiy So much might be done in the mean while towards building up a Mansion in the Heavens The Foundation may in due time be laid and upon this he may build Gold Silver precious Stones Wood Hay Stubble He may wisely contrive and do the best Works Every Man's Works shall be made manifest for the Day shall declare it 1 Cor. 3. 13. The Light shall shew of what Kind it is and how it hath been wrought all along even when it was in Beginning and so till the Finishing thereof It shall be strictly examined and surveyed as Gold in the Fire which purges away the Dross when the pure Metal remains and appears more excellent If any Man's Work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a Reward 1 Cor. 3. 14. If he hath been employed about enduring things here is another Promise and Confirmation hereof What Need of such abundant Mention and giving so full Assurance concerning a Reward Why have we not a good God who giveth us now all things richly to enjoy May we not do something for him by way of Gratitude and Thankfulness for former Mercies without Expectation of any thing more Where is our Love and Ingenuity that we cannot act by the Principles of an excellent Nature but must be led on by Mercenariness Our Want and imperfection call for something more than we have already But then we should desire somewhat which is worthy It is Narrowness of Spirit and Ignorance of Mind to run so greedily after worldly and present Recompence or to imagine more therein than really is It is base Selfishness to do nothing but for the Sake of Profit in Case we are somewhat sufficient before But seeing that most have not and they must live by Labour and the Blessing and the Promise is For thou shalt eat the Labour of thine Hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee Psal 128. 2. there it may be honestly sought after and had In every thing there is Trial What is Man that thou shouldst try him every Moment And nevertheless it is further so ordained that the Servant of God may approve himself therein and yet not be in Necessity of falling There are the Wages of Iniquity and Unrighteousness the Gifts of Satan which are offered and had upon unlawful Means if they will decline from the Law of the most High consent unto some Evil and so fall down and worship the Author thereof Whereas if they would keep their Integrity continue whole and stedfast in his Covenant God hath annexed further unto that a precious Promise and exceeding Reward Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced to him again For of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11. 35 36. He hath first furnished us with Means and enabled with Power to perform whatever we do He hath given Knowledge Strength Inclination and Impulse It is done by his assisting and working Grace and at his Command and Requiring If I may use such a plain and common Phrase least it should be said God is any thing beholden to his Creatures he doth give them such an overabundunt Requital even before we had done what was our Duty to do And what he is pleased to add further is infinitely-beyond our deserving neither could we have any Expectation thereof unless himself had foretold us By Faith Boasting is excluded for Faith is the Gift of God and also it apprehends things unutterable and so exceeding great that it is no more Vertue and Excellency to receive them than stooping down to the Ground to take up a Diamond or going half a Mile for a Bag of Gold and to have it for our Pains The Prize set befors us doth yet exceed our utmost Endeavour after it So that the having an Eye unto the Recompence of Reward doth quite stop our Mouth and take away all manner of Boasting For it is evident when such exceeding great and precious Promises will scarce move us to Obedience and where they do yet not to perform it continually much less should we have done such as is commanded if we had no Promises at all Even in those things which we think we need not do as in Free-will Offerings and what we would do of our own Accord There is a secret Hope and Expectation that God would take notice thereof And a Thought doth arise at least a Doubt and Staggering whether if we were assured that he would not requite it but yet accept and be well-pleased with it then the Tryal would be whether we would still do the same only out of Love and Thankfulness admitting it would further expose us to present Inconveniences and Trouble Our Nature is either averse or sluggish that we have need of something to conquer and stir us up first to bring us in and then to quicken us in the right way To move us to begin and then to keep us continually in doing Now to him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of Grace but of Debt Rom. 4. 4. So it is of one Man from another as may be gathered from Vers 2. For if Abraham be justified by Works he hath whereof to glory but not before God If one labours for another he is not beholden to him for Wages
for the Work is as profitable and beneficial to the one as Payment is to the other But the Case is otherstise between God and us for first he hath wrought all our Works in us he brought us into Being and hath fed us up hitherto And one Way or another he hath prevented assisted and directed in those things which more immediately relate unto him though we are heedless as not to discern it no more than we perceive how we live and move in him which yet we do all along that to him belongs all the Glory and Praise thereof The utmost in Man is his Liberty of acting and working together with the Grace of God but still he first implanted that Power and Ability and when it turns towards Good it was God and his Grace that weighed down the Scale and over-ruled it unto the right and true Way Alass We are such small and finite Creatures that the utmost we do is very little and next to nothing For if the best Performances of the greatest and most diligent Saints on Earth be considered what is their Righteousness unto him Or what receives he of their Hands Even they come short of what they might have done yet more for they might have further improved their Talent Therefore I say unto you the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof Mat. 21. 43. But since the preaching and Promulgation of the Gospel to the World no Nation hath yet brought forth such Fruits God knows what will be done in the latter Days as might be justly expected from it Nothing hath been done answerable to the precious Truths contained therein It was the Lord who gave the Word who planted the Trees but the Ground hath not brought forth suitable Increase thereof The Husbandmen have not manured and dressed it as they should have done And what Fruits have been or shall at length spring up from it Lord thou hast but what is thine own They are but living Instruments all one as the Spade or Pruning Hook in the Hands of the Gardiner and at last the Work suffers Loss and Disadvantoge by Reason of those employed therein If they do any thing rightly it is of God that they do so but the Weakness and Fault is of themselves only God worketh in us both to will and to do He hath shewed us how so that all things and all our Works are to be attributed to him only He sits above and Christ at his Right Hand expecting what his Servants will do for him in like manner as till his Enemies are made his Footstool Both which are consequent one to the other for by means of his Servants he will overcome the rebellious and make them submit under him The Lord looketh down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God Psal 14. 1. That did rightly apprehend the End of their Being in this World and did look after their Maker that by the things known already did ascend yet further That by what is known of God did seek out yet more if they could find out further Trace and Footsteps of this invisible Being As his Way is in the Waters he rideth upon the Wings of the Wind and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet so we may see God in every thing To behold him not only in the Sanctuary but in every Part of his Temple which is Heaven and Earth and in each Part and Corner thereof To behold him in his visible Works and to perceive him in his invisible things To understand that great Relation of the Creator and his Creatures But more especially how we are concerned with that God with whom we have all to do What he doth require of us and what we are to render unto him The Phrase of looking down to see doth plainly denote that they are left to their Freedom and Liberty The same is likewise signified in the Parable of the Vineyard Isa 5. and Mark 12. 1 2. where God hath done all things that were necessary and reasonable and looks what will come of it Whether those Powers of acting he hath endued the Sons of Men withal will be employed in the right way or in extravagant things or be folded up in Idleness and Sloth Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit he taketh away and every Branch that beareth Fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit John 15. 2. To all is committed at first some Grace and Power in order to spiritual things but who do not use it accordingly it is withdrawn from them But to them who manage aright is committed yet more that they should labour according to the Strength given them For whatever is in us is to be used and put forth Knowledge is to be communicated and still further Degrees and Increase thereof is to be sought after in order to impart that forth again Truth is to be declared and spoken out and this also is to be sought after and received for the aforesaid End and Purpose As the Blossom is to the Fruit so is Knowledge to Obedience and good Works The first is the Principle it goes before and gives Hope of the Fruit which is better and accordingly will end in that unless it be blasted and withered So this is the Beginning of our Duty for we cannot do any thing in order to God unless we know somewhat of him We cannot keep his Law till we apprehend what it is As there is an Unwillingness Aversation Forgetfulness of God and good things so there should be something to overcome that to stir up our Remembrance to keep this always in the Imagination of our Heart O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the Imagination of the Thoughts of the Heart of thy People and prepare their Heart unto thee 1 Chron. 29. 18. Nevertheless it is too often seen through the marvellous Subtilty of Satan who doth every way endeavour to beguile and to beat off that many have good and right Knowledge but it remains as it were blasted for it lies dead within and doth not shoot forth into well-doing Many times it drops off and Perishes having no Root or Stalk in them for taking no Delight and apprehending no Good therein they suffer it to pass through their Understanding as Water running through a Pipe which may wet and moisten a little for the Time but returns to its former Driness They may be a little affected for the Time but afterwards they do not mind nor give heed thereafter It makes a goodly Shew and Appearance without but it is meer Leaf and Colour and nothing worth unless it grows towards Fruit and Perfection God is not to be served by halves As he requires the whole Man so he would have his Work finished and compleat or else a tending towards it if it be such as he will
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
thus as it shall be with him in the things to come Envy thou not the Glory of a Sinner for thou knowest not what shall be his End Neither do thou Pity and be grieved at the poor and low Estate of God's Faithful People for thou dost not discern how Graciously he will be pleased to deal with them at the last When the Lord comes to rehearse up his People and to make Restitution and Dispensation of all things then this Man shall be pronounced Blessed and another Accursed though this last whilst he lived he counted himself an Happy Man and the other's Life was esteemed Madness and his End without Honour Our Reason and Understanding can fetch in things afar off and make them seem all one as if they were near We can conceive of things Future as if they were already Present That as we know we should do and as even then we shall verily and indeed wish we had done That we should so behave our selves in the midst of our Trial as we shall desire we had done when we come to an Account and it shall be rendred to every one according to his Deeds We are upon our Good Behaviour all this mean while And as it was said to Cain immediately before his Wicked Fact so it is told to every one of us before we enter upon the Actions of our Life If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou dost not well Sin lieth at the door Gen. 4. 7. Accordingly from Time to Time we are to lay hold of every Opportunity for well-doing and as carefully avoid the Occasions of all manner of Evil. This is repeated over again for indeed it had need be as often inculcated as Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy doth repeat over and over again to the Israelites God's Law for them to observe and do it To write the same things over again unto Good Minds is not Grievous but to them it is Safe And though it may seem nauseous and irksome to the Evil and Ungodly so it would be but once to mention what they have no Mind to know and no Heart to do All is comprised in the Observation of God's Law and it is of Absolute and Indispensable Necessity so that it can never be pressed or repeated too much We should have it always in our Remembrance and as it should be written and ingrafted in us so it should stir up and be continually sensible in our Minds that we may know how to act and have wherewithall to answer every Temptation and drawing aside to Evil and also have that which would quicken and actually stir us up unto Good The World makes enquiry and seems to be desirous after Good and when it is pointed out and shewed unto them they will not accept and imbrace it This is not the sort they would have or it is too High and Excellent for them through Ignorance they do not desire it They are for abundance of Corn and Wine or for Carnal and Sensual Pleasure but for the Light of God's Countenance for that Gladness he puts into the Heart for Spiritual Joy and Eternal Peace These things the Worldly Man knoweth not neither doth he apprehend the just Worth and Excellency in them But a little outward Mirth in the midst whereof the Heart is Sorrowful or sudden Flashes of Rejoycing which end in Darkness this is what he doth catch and seek after A Thousand or Ten thousand repeated Acts of this Nature do not make up the True Happiness for each is unsatisfactory at the very time it is interrupted and all determined at last In Truth None is to be blamed for endeavouring to make his Life as Comfortable as he can for passing on these few and evil Days of his Pilgrimage with the lesser Trouble and Sorrow But in the mean while great Heed and Care should be taken as to the Means whither Sinful or not and so whither several parts of Duty are not left undone upon this Pretext If we do fulfil all Righteousness and walk in all the Commandments of the Lord Blameless If we do take heed to our ways that we Offend or Sin not in God's Name let us rejoyce our selves as much as we will If we Sanctifie the days of our Feasting and use our utmost Watchfulness and Circumspection that we Sin not nor Curse God in our Hearts Job 1. 5. because he doth not allow it to be so with us always then we are to Praise our God and we may give way unto Honest Mirth and Cheerfulness And so in the other extream Condition If in Cold and Nakedness Hunger and Thirst we can Bless our God and be contented let us trust him further whither he will not bring us to True and Enduring Happiness Whilst others are busied and conversant only about the Present let us look out to the End Nay Let us secure that and then let the Present take care for the things of it self Shall we make it an Article or Doubt Whither we shall immediately set upon the keeping of God's Commandments for fear of losing so much Pleasure and Ease in the mean while and subjecting our selves to Pain and Irksomness Know we not that if it were so our God will abundantly make up for all by his Recompence at the last as he doth give an Earnest by the Sweetness and Comfort we perceive even now For if we consider that Approbation of Mind that strong Consolation and lively Hope and take in one thing with another we have more Good now than possibly could be attained by any Variation or Disobedience It is both agreeable and satisfactory to our Nature if we reflect upon it according to Truth and without its Corruption for God who made us and knoweth our Frame hath fitted his Laws and Commandments accordingly What the Apostle saith I had not known Sin but by the Law for I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet Rom. 7. 7. So in not a much unlike manner it may be applied That if we did throughly know the very Nature of Sin and Lust we should not so much give way or consent unto either for that which led our Forefathers into the Transgression is the same that doth entice us at this very day The Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food and that it was pleasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one Wise Gen. 3. 6. Here was an Imagination of Good Pleasure and of bettering ones present State and this prevailed to yield unto the Temptation Now if more of each sort of all these three were to be had by keeping within that Station and Bounds God hath set then a meer Selfish and Wise Man knoweth what he hath to do Nay there is each of this sort to be had in the other Trees of the Garden God hath already sufficiently provided for the well-being of Mankind in the lawful use of those things he hath given and it is
above I am contented to act or suffer any thing so I may be received up into Abraham's Bosom And he saw that Rest was good and the Land that it was pleasant Gen. 49. 15. Seeing that there is such an exceeding Good set before us shew us any way that we may come at it What shall I do to be Saved I am for looking out whether there is any thing more And I am still for giving Diligence how I may make my Calling and Election more sure for such an infinite and eternal Good cannot possibly be made too sure of and this should stir up all Labour Earnestness and Care till we be actually invested therewith Be Sober be Vigilant for your Adversary the Devil walketh about seeking whom he may devour He watcheth for an Opportunity to turn you aside and if possible to deprive you of your Acceptation and Reward but however of such a part and degree thereof that you may lose somewhat of the Things you have wrought 2 John 8. and so you miss of that fullness of Reward which otherwise you might have been a partaker thereof And therefore know and make void his Devices that you may be nothing hindred or deceived by him There is that in the Christian Life which will exercise all our Time and Labour As Servants are employed all the day in the Work of their Master and as a Maid doth continually attend upon the Business of her Mistress so we are to wait on the Lord all the day Psal 25. 5. and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23. 17. When the Child Jesus was carefully sought by his Parents according to the Flesh he replies to their Admiration Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business Luke 2. 49. and in another place he saith I have Meat to eat that ye know not of John 4. 32. And when they understood not the Saying he explains it My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his Work Verse 34. So likewise as we have him for our Lord we are to obey his Will and as we have him for our Example we are to do as he did as he laid the Foundation so we are to build thereon As Jesus Christ himself doth say in reference to him who is the Great Lord over all My God and your God My Father and your Father So likewise he hath committed to every one of us as Servants and Children some work to do for the Glory of our Master and Father which is in Heaven The great King hath committed to every one of us some Gifts and Talents to be occupied in the mean while till he shall come to require an Account Obedience to his Laws and Improvement of our Grace and Knowledge to the utmost Advantage will take up what Time and Leisure we have here if it were more than reaâ—ly it is To keep the Heart with all Diligence To receive all God's Words into it To have them appear forth and be sensible that the Man may always do accordingly To bring them forth for the Edifying and Instruction of others To grow in Grace and Knowledge till the Man of God is throughly furnished for every Good Word and Work and many other things of like nature will take up that space here on Earth which is lent unto Man to understand and seek after his God And the time thus expended will turn to better account than any thing which can be thought of or named under the Sun Make thou thy Servant to delight in that which is Good Which is accordingly granted by Custom and Continuance in the same That Self-sufficiency and Contentedness doth arise from God and Duty The Meditation of him is Sweet and there is Joy and Satisfaction in doing his Will So that the Man who is exercised therein doth not envy nor is troubled for the seeming Prosperous Condition of others but he is rather grieved that they also do not come and taste and see that the Lord is Good Blessed is the Man that trusteth in him Psal 34. 8. Our selves the Lord is Witness who knoweth all that is in the Hearts of all the Children of Men are chiefly grieved because People do always err in their Heart Heb. 3. 10. That whilst they desire and seek for it in every thing besides they will not be perswaded nor trust accordingly that this Happiness is to be had in God only That they will not come over to partake of his Goodness When they have at any time right inclinations and dispositions to Obedience this one thing is needful that they would but continue the same O that there was such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it may be well with them and with their Children for ever Deut. 5. 19. To keep all his Commandments always doth begin their Happiness here which is continued as long as they are on this Earth it is derived down to their Posterity and is for ever consummated in the Heavens This seems to be a plain and positive Assertion of the Holy Ghost that it shall be well with Mankind to keep all his Commandments always But it is contrary to our Thoughts for we often think it expedient to break and not to give heed unto them but yet God is True tho every Man is Wicked and Disobedient What he hath said he will perform and it shall be fulfilled tho we are apt to distrust and Murmur Those Irregular thoughts and our other Sins do hinder that it is not so well with us as it would be otherwise If we did wait on th Lord and keep his way Psal 37. 34. Do his will and Trust in him at all times Psal 62. 8. Believe in him without wavering and doubt how contentedly and cheerfully might we go on in the execution of those things he doth command us If we did resolutely and vigorously put forth using the right and good means we might behold Satan falling from Heaven as Lightning and the Spirits would be subject unto us This would be no small Comfort for they do hinder and defeat our good Purposes But then we should further rejoice that our Names are written in Heaven That we are Servants of Almighty God That we fulfil all his will and do his pleasure What pleaseth our God to command or direct us in that we are likewise pleased to do when we have a frame and temper of Spirit Subject to his Will when our Hearts are once conformed to his Word and Commandments we may serve him with joyfulness and gladness of mind When we consider diligently what he doth already give and provide for us When we believe firmly what he hath further promised when we observe narrowly the secret and hidden ways of his overruling Providence how that all things so work that we may just perform our Duty and be comforted in the mean while So that it is well and better with
of the Law either going over and beyond it or doing otherwise than that hath prescribed or not doing what that hath enjoyned So that those stubborn Souls who will not live according to Words are convinced as transgressors and offenders of the Law of the most high God and they shall be dealt with accordingly for now they are under the Threatning and Curse and they shall hereafter be sensible of the Punishment and Misery Who is he that saith he will not obey the Law of God If any should do so as to the Laws of the King and our Country judgment would be executed upon him of Death or Banishment or loss of Liberty or Member according to the several sorts of Punishment among us And albeit our God doth keep Silence for a while and doth not execute Sentence speedily upon the Sons of Men yet it will be far worse with them who shall thus behave themselves towards the great King of all the Earth the Lord God Almighty It is near the same thing whether they speak out with a loud voice or say so in their Heart or practice it in their Life and Manners that They will not have God to reign over them see Luke 19. 14. Who set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us Psal 2. 2 3. For they will not be holden in by invisible Restraints nor be kept away from their own doings by sense of any Divine Law and Obligation Our lips are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12. 4 But those who think and act after this manner are the worst sort of Sinners who do presumptuously and sin with an high Hand Few will own as much though more do so The general course of Transgression is by way of Excuse and Delusion and these do take up the forementioned Plea That because of the multitude of Words and the falshood Vanity and Evil of many of them therefore they do not live according to Words But as the Apostle saith There are it may be so many kinds of Voices in the World and none of them is without signification 1 Cor. 14. 10. So a Word is but as it were a Voice expressed and articulated And every word if it be proper and taken singly is significative but when they are connected together in a Sentence and are to shew forth the sense and meaning of somewhat then they are to be judged of and discerned There is Truth and Fulshood right Words and wrong But we should in no wise reject the Truth and Right because there are of the other worse sort for if we do that we certainly run into the other and so out of a shew to avoid Falshood and Wrong it is so managed by the cunning delusion of Satan that we do hereby fall into it The World and all the things we have to do with here are made up of Intermixture and Contraries where is Right and Wrong Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Apparent and Real So that if we have not the one we must have the other If we have not the better we shall meet with the worse And therefore if we would indeed have the better we must know and choose it accordingly but not despise and set at naught the more excellent things for this is submitting unto the worse According hereunto the Wisdom of God teacheth If thou shalt learn to put a difference between the Holy and Prophane the Clean and the Vnclean then shall ye be meet to come into mine House Such shall be meet to partake of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light who can thus seek out and discern things in this place of Darkness They shall be fit for Heaven who can and also do escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust and thus order their Conversation aright here on Earth The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net that was cast into the Sea and gathered of every kind which when it was full they drew to shoar and sat down and gathered the good into Vessels but cast the bad away Matt. 13. 47 48. And so whatever thoughts arise or are suggested to our mind we are to entertain and nourish the Good but to extinguish cast forth and not admit the Evil. In like manner it should be of the words we hear or read we are to gather and receive the good words into our Hearts but to cast the bad away The Wheat is to be gathered and laid up in the Treasure of our Heart but the Chaff is to be blown away Knowledge and Truth are to be sought after and received but Imagination and Falshood are to be thrown out They are both mixed together for as by Learning and by right Consequences we come to the knowledge of the Truth so a false and deceitful kind of Reasoning will present it self and fallacious and mistaken Consequences will arise through the Sephistry of Satan and his Instruments which we are likewise to discern before we pronounce Judgment and try before we Believe Now every Man hath either the right and true Promises or others which are not And because all People pretend unto and would have the first through Pride and Self-conceit they mistake which they have already for them and so they will have no more nor better The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge but Fools despise Wisdom and Instruction Prov. 1. 7. VVhen our Heart and Understanding is first lifted up towards God and then looks down and sees things as he sees them which must be in their very Nature for certainly he knows them who made and Establish'd them VVhen the Apprehensive Faculty is enlightned from above and endued with that which cometh down from the Father of Lights we do first know and consider of the Great God over all and then how all other things were Created by him but now they are under him to Govern and Rule according to his good Pleasure both the things in Heaven the things in the Earth and the things under the Earth Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your Shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. Neither have they the understanding of his Law this is to their worse deserving And whatever they pretend unto others or seem to themselves to know it is separated from them both That is they discern somewhat of the Creatures without the Creator And because they understand not his Law neither do they perceive that Obligation they are under and the true connexion of things one to another So they are destitute of the true and useful Knowledge and in the Language of the Holy Ghost they are direct Fools Vnderstand ye Brutish among the People and ye Fools when will ye be wise Psal 94. 8. VVhich it is impossible they should be as long as they despise and reject the means of Being so VVhat is real VVisdom and Instruction may seem to them as Folly and
Isa 65. 5. which he could not endure and would have behind or a far off from him Indeed the infinite Holiness and Uprightness of God is in no wise reconcileable to Man's Sin and Corruption and he doth the more abominate and loath it when he beholds it covered with the Mask and Visour of Hypocrisie Who is all-Wise and all Knowing he doth pity and despise our Folly and Ignorance but it is a further Aggravation so that he cannot or rather will not endure therewith when Worms of the Earth would be wise beyond their Maker or pretend to know otherwise than he knoweth and hath decreed or purposed It doth provoke him justly to Anger That when the Sun Moon and Stars and the whole Family in Heaven so much Greater and more Excellent Creatures than we do observe the Law which he hath made And seeing he hath given unto Men Laws which are Holy Righteous and Good he hath shewed unto us strait ways yet stubborn and disobedient Man will not keep and walk in them but every one is for walking after the Imagination of his own evil Heart And as they live and are joined together in Civil Society so this carries on the course of the World and each Person doth make a part of and contribute unto the universal Sin and Wickedness The word Imagination doth import no set Rule of Action but it is a Wandring or Guess Now it thinks it may be thus but is afterward mistaken And this is so much the worse as the End is more excellent which it aims at Now that End is Good and Happiness Every Soul as aforesaid is in pursuit thereof and his several Actions are intended accordingly There is One God over all One rule of Action in his Word One End of everlasting Happiness or Misery and all the deeds done in the Body are as so many Steps to one or the other This is actually so though too many perceive it not nor consider thereof in the time of Probation and Tryal To walk all along in a vain and false Imagination and be deceived at last when this is but once for all Eternity when there is no possible Redress of this Errour must very much enhanse the Folly and Misery of such a Man The first Errour and Evil is in having departed from God and casting away his Fear and exempting himself from his Obedience For though it is so suffered in this Life to prove Mankind more perfectly that it may be seen It is possible for him to run out his days here without having due regard and respect to his Maker and Preserver yet it is known unto God and also Revealed unto us how he will be pleased to deal further with them Even according as we order our Conversation and as our doings are That Word by which we are to Live be Judged and receive accordingly doth now forewarn and acquaint us that things will be otherwise or contrary to what they appear now For that which is highly esteemed amongst Men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. And so what is universally received and fashionable among us will be rejected and even loathed by him He hath left another Rule to follow than the Multitude or the meer Example of others An Holy Man of God doth speak on this wise Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. But no otherwise for Christ had done no Violence neither was any deceit found in his Mouth He was the Holy one of God and in him was found no Sin So that if we do the same which he did we may be assured that it is not Sinful Again his Meat and Drink was to do the will of God and he did always the things which pleased his Heavenly Father So that if therein we follow his Steps as we have him for an Example and do the like things that he did we may hereby know that we do the will of God also and what is pleasing and acceptable in his Sight But every Man besides is a Liar for they have all both Saint and Sinner none excepted varied and gone aside either in some single transient Instances or in many continued ones from the Word of Truth and from the right way It is Written And thou shalt not go aside from any of the Words which I command thee this day to the right hand or to the left Deut. 28. 14. That is neither to one Extream nor yet to the other But where is the Man or Woman who have not gone aside from any of the words wich the Lord God hath Commanded in the Bible both as it comprehends all that is written in the Old and New Testament Both Jews and Gentiles yea all Mankind of every Generation and Country are under Sin and have come short of what God requied in his Law So that whoever doth follow any of these Examples in all things even of the most Perfect and Upright among the meer Sons of Men he will go aside with them even unto the Transgression So that the word of God is to be our Rule and not the Example of others However prone and subject the People of the World are to follow the Examples of their Fellow Creatures and to do what others do of near the same Age Condition and Circumstances of Life yet in these times of the Universal Reformation of the World which is now drawing on in these latter days we must labour and endeavour Mightily to beat off and dissuade People from acting according to that dangerous and mistaken Principle of following the Multitude and being led by the Example of others For besides that to follow the Multitude is a sure token that such are amongst those many which go in the Broad way which leads unto Dsstruction and they are not amongst those few in the Narrow way which leadeth unto Life Matt. 7. 13 14. This seems to lye as the greatest Prejudice against the ways of God That though all his Commandments are Just Holy and Good And it is meet and right for all People at all times to observe the same Yet still nevertheless very few People do observe them When the Scripture speaks of those glorious times Thy People also shall be all Righteous Isa 60. 21. And how that the Sinners will be consumed out of the Earth and the wicked will be no more Psal 104. 35. For in what Prayer the Spirit of Truth doth Dictate is included a Promise that so it shall be As we read these and alike Places what in the Prophet's Phrase is a very lovely Song Ezek. 33. 32. And Peter reciteth from the faying of others As if the Scriptures were a cunningly devised Fable So in our way of speaking those Scriptures seem to be as a pleasant Romance which contain things that were to be indeed wished and desired but at first sight they do not seem to be grounded on Truth for the thing neither as yet is so and there is no