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. And who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. And who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead who only hath Immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see to whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen 2 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Who is The Judge of all Heb. 12. 23. The Mediator of the New Covenant v. 24. of a better Covenant Heb. 6. which was established on better promises for if that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second but finding fault with the first he saith Behold the day is come saith the Lord when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their father in the day that I took them by the Hand to lead them out of the land of Aegypt c. But this is the Covenant c. that I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts c. He that speaketh from Heaven v. 29. The Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 26. The blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth only but also Heaven and this Word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things that cannot be shaken may remain wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear For our God is a consuming fire vers 26 27 28 29. So then the Way that leads to Life being strait narrow and few there being that find it or walk therein and his Flock being a little flock to whom it is the Fathers pleasure to give the Kingdom And those of Israel that shall return being but a Remnant and seeing that without are the Doggs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie and these shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life eternal it follows that all are not redeemed for though his life be given a ransom for all that whosoever cometh unto him may have Life and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life yet all are not redeemed all are not Ransomed all enter not into Life all are not saved and the Reason is plain because all come not to him who is the Ordinance of God to Salvatiâ—n which is Christ in them the Hope of glory the Mistery hid from ages and generations but now made manifest to his Saints the Wisdom of God and the Power of God that which witnesses that which reproves that which makes manifest in them and so they are not saved they are not redeemed they are not ransomed they are not delivered for how can it be that they should be delivered ransomed redeemed saved who come not to him though he be in them a measure of him in every one that which reproves that whick makes manifest that which shews a man all that ever he hath done that searcheth the heart that trieth the reins is not this the Christ nor believe in him and so lay not hold of him to deliver them from death to ransom them from the Power of the grave to redeem them from destruction to save them from wrath to come Nor obey him who shews them wrath and destruction and the grave and death For he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obeyed him Heb. 5. 9. And as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name John 1. 12. And Fight the good fight of Faith lay hold on Eeernal Life 1 Tim. 6. 12. And ye will not come to me that ye might have Life said he to the Pharisees as aforesaid John 5. 40. Now if people believe not on him that of him in them that witness to God if they obey him not if they do not receive him who stands at the door and knocks that which witnesses that which moves to God the Voice of Wisdom which cryeth without which uttereth her voice in the streets which cryeth in the chief places of concourse in the opening of the gates which uttereth her words in the City saying How long ye simple Ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as cometh a whirl wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not chose the fear of the Lord they would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof therefore shall they eat of the Fruit of their way and be filled with their own devices for the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the properity of Fools shall destroy them but who so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1. 20. to the end If they lay not hold on him if they come not to him how can they know his power how can he be to them the Author of eternal Salvation and this is manifest Now if any man say in the words of the Apostle as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. And who gave himself a ranson for all to be testified in due season 1 Tim. 2. 6. And God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 16 17. I Answer that was not the end of the Lord in sending of his Son into the world to condemn the world as I have shewed at large before but that the world through him might be saved as are the words of Christ as aforesaid but it is through him so that
because their deeds were evil for every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. 19 20 21. And he that believeth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not believed on the Name of the only begotten Son of God John 3. 18. And God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the world through him might be saved for God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life v. 14 15 16 17. And I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life John 8. 12. I say they that are in the state of nature which is in the fall in the Transgression are without the sence of God or of his life or of his Son who is Life I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man saith he cometh unto the Father but by me if ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and hence forth ye know him and have seen him Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth Jesus saith unto him have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip be that hath seen me hath seen my Father and how sayst thou then shew us the Father belieâ—est thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the Works Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me Or believe me for the very work sake Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go to my Father and whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son If ye ask any thing in my Name I will do it If ye love me keep my Commandements and I will pray 〈◊〉 Father and he shall give you another Comforther that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be with you John 14. 6. to the eighteenth And being without the sence of God and his Life and his Son who is life they are in a state of Reprobation in the state of the Devil who is without any thing of this any thing of any true sence of God or of his Life or of the Son of God who is Life For verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. And they that are in this state can never see God whilst they are in this state nor know him nor his Son in the knowledge of whom is life eternal John 17. 3. and there is no coming out of this state without the knowledge of him who is Life eternal and there can be no knowledge of him who is Life eternal but in his Light In thy Light shall we see Light Psal 36. 9. And God who commanded the Light to shine out darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the light of knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. And this is the 〈◊〉 that which reproves that which makes manifest as the Apostle saith But all things saith he that are reproved are made manifest by the Ligtt for whatsoever doth make manifeâ—t is light wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give the Light Ephes 5. 13 14. And I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness and will hold thy Hand and will keep thee and will give thee for a Covenant of the People for a light of the Gentiles Isa 42. 6. And to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide our feet in the way of peace Luke 1. 78. And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust Mat. 12. 21. And the light shined in darkness but the darknesse comprehended it not That is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 5. 9. Now how can darkness shew it self And how can darkness reprove darkness And how can he that is in darkness see the light by the darkness And how can he that sees not the light come out of darkness And how can the light guide a man whilst darkness covers him And how can it be but that darknesse should cover a man whilst he is in the state of darkness And how can a man come out of darknesse but by the light Therefore is he called light because he sheweth darkness and brings out of darkness as many as are led by him whose darkness he lightneth Thou wilt light my Candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darknesse Psal 18. 28. that they may see the light of Life So that the light it is that sheweth darkness and darkness is comprehended by the light but darknesse cannot comprehend the light Therefore every one must heed the light that shineth in him in the darknesse that which reproves that which makes manifest the darknesse that he may come to the light of Life Yet a little while is the light with you walk while ye have the light least darknesse come upon you for he that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be children of the light John 12. 35 36. For if darkness cannot comprehend the light it cannot shew the light but the light it is that makes manifest the darknesse that which reproves that which makes manifest and shews it and if the darknesse cannot comprehend the light though it shine in it nor make manifest nor shew it self in what state then are all they who abide in darknesse and know not the light nor are guided by it Which way can they come out of darknesse who abide in darknesse And how can they be delivered without the help of another thing without the light which shews them their state which shews them darknesse which makes it manifest which shines in darknesse though the darknesse comprehendeth it not And this light is Christ as hath been often instanced who is the light of Life who is the Saviour of all those who believe in him and to him must all come to the light in them that which reproves that which makes
man to God from man to withdraw that which sought to gather him to remove that which was near to him which strove with him to bring him back again to God and so to let him erre from his wayes and to hearden his heart from his fear Which in a sence may be called a making man err from his wayes and a hardning of his heart from his fear because that 's withdrawn from man that 's removed that led man in his wayes and caused man to fear before him Man still turning from that which would have turned him to God and withdrawing from that which would have made his heart tender to him And so I have done with this Particular Lastly And to that why doth he yet find fault For who hath resisted his will I answer That is spoken as to the Omnipotent Power of God by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself which makes the Devils tremble though they love him not and to obey him though they fear not before him But there is a difference between the consideration of this Omnipotent Power of God which can make every thing bow as he pleases and that Power which he hath placed in man which yet is Omnipotent too to bring him to God For in the One the Lord deals as a Dread Soveraign who at his beck lays all things at his see In the Other as a Father as a Redeemer as a Woer as an Intreater as a Beseecher for man to be reconciled to God Now as to this Latter it is the Gospel of Reconciliation the Ministry of Reconciliation is that which he sends forth to turn man unto God God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation And all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation And now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. As to the other it is the Ministry of Wrath or of Condemnation The Savour of Death unto Death and of Life unto Life For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and to them that perish To the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. And To YOV that are troubled rest with Vs when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction From the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe because our Testymony among you was believed in that day 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 10. So here 's the difference The Ministry of Reconciliation is the Power of God Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the Power of God that beseeches that prays that that woes that intreats man to be reconciled to God who hath made him sin for us who knew no sin and so the burden of sin is upon him and the suffering who takes it on him and bears and suffers the just for the unjust that he might bring us all to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him And this is Gentle it works with the understanding of man it opens the understanding of man the Eyes of his understanding The Eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places far above all Principalities and Power and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes 1. 18. to the end And this is that which waits on man to reconcile him to God and bears the sins So that those who receive him in whom God is reconciling the World unto himself he imputeth not their trespasses unto them so makes him sin who knew no sin He bears it he suffers it the just for the unjust that we might be made the righteousness of God in him that he might bring us all to God And this is his Will and this is resisted Ye have condemned and kiled the just and he doth not resist you Jam. 5. 6. this is gain sayed They perished in the gainsaying of Core Jud. 11. This is evil intreated and scoffed There shall come in the last day scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. 4 5. And. the remnant took his servants and intreated them spitefully and slew them Those whom the King sent to invite to the Wedding Mat. 22. 6. This is mocked and spit upon struck and blindfolded crowned with Thornes and scourged this is put to death when it hath cried out My God my God why hast uhou forsaken me Mat. 27. 28 29 30 31. For the same that was done without to him in that day is done to the measure of him within in this who is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Whose witnesses John saw should prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloathed in sack-cloath Rev. 11. 3. Against whom when they shall have finished their testimony John saw also that the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit should make war against them and should overcome them and kill them and that their dead bodies should lie in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom where also our Lord was crucified and that they of the People and Kindreds and Tongues and Nations should see their dead bodies three dayes and a half and should not suffer their dead bodies to be put in Graves and that they that dwell on the Earth should rejoyce over them and should make merry and send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the Earth Rev. 11. 7 8 9 10. And as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so he was brought
in good works and such as sin walk not in good works are not his Workmanship and those that are not his workmanship which is unto good works the fruit of Faith which is not dead but living by which those of old though dead yet speak the Vertue in them which brought forth the works the fruit unto Holiness unto Eternal life are not created in Christ Jesus So see your state all you that are here and be no longer deceived It is the Word of the Lord and so I have done with this Particular which for the sake of you I am moved to write to open their understandings because the time is neer wherein these things will be made manifest that they are so and the Door will be shut and then it will be too late to say Lord Lord open unto us For he will say depart from me I know ye not ye workers of iniquity for when once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the Door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the Door saying Lord Lord open unto us And he shall answer and say unto you I know ye not whence ye are Then shall ye begin to say we have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he shall say I tell you I know ye not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out And they shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God and behold there are last which shall be first and there are first which shall be last Luke 13. 25. to the 31. And so I am clear of your blood whether ye will hear or whether you will forbear The Word of the Lord hath been often to you and his tender bowels through me and he would not have you die but live and it is the third time that I have particularly wrote to you in the movings of the Lord and my travail and my sufferings I speak of that which is not of this world have been great for you that your eyes might be opened and that ye might see where you are ere it be too late For the Lord hath known you and you have known something in you that hath given you the sence of his presence which is Christ Jesus the measure of him in you which reproves which makes manifest that draws ye to God-ward though ye have not believed that it is he and therefore have risen against the Corner Stone which ye builders have refused which is made Head of the Corner but there is no other way to God but by him Christ the Light God that quickneth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were for that is not natural that shews Nature in the transgression and that is not of the evil one that shews evil and that is not of man in whom it is not to direct his way that leads unto God but it is of God the love of God that sent his Son into the world to redeem man and to bring him back again unto God And his work it is to deliver to set free the Captive that which is bound under sin and he that sinneth is bound to sin and to purifie and to cleanse and to make white and to break down the Partition that which is gotten between by reason of Transgression and to bring to God that so man may feel his Maker again and be joyned to him with whom nothing that is defiled can have any fellowship and sin desiles For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 13. last Now to hold that a man being chosen can never be removed from that state unto which he is chosen and that a man is justified when he is found a sinner and that he is in Christ when he is not a new Creature and he is not a new Creature whilst he is in sin old things are not past away the old man is there remaining with his lusts and deeds whose lust and deeds are sin all things are not become new and that a man is in God when he is not purged when he is not made clean and he is not made clean he is not purged that sinneth whilst he sinneth whosoever sinneth hath neither seen him neither known him John 3. 6. whilst he knoweth not nor believeth in nor is joyned to the Word of Life which dwelleth in the Saints which witnessed to God the Word that endures for ever The Word which by the Spirit is Preached unto you the Word that purifies 1 Pet. 1. last the Word that endures for ever and ye have not his Word abiding in you For whom he hath sent him ye believe not John 5. 38. The Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart which is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10. 8. For the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascend c. But what saith it the Word is nigh thee c. vers 6. 7. So that is the Word the Word of Faith the living Word that endures for ever that cleanseth that purifies which is that which witnesses to God which abides Now are ye clean through the Word And now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you abide in me ye have not his Word abiding in you said he to the Pharisees and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me in him that witnesses the Word of Life John 15. 3 4. And saith the Prophet he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto him an offering in Righteousness then shall the offerings of Judah Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old and as in the former years and I will come neer to you in Judgement and I will be a swift witness here 's the Messenger that prepares his Way before him the Messenger of the Covenant that he saith he will send whom he saith they delighted in behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts But who may abide the day of his coming And who shall stand when he appeareth For he shall be as Refiners fire and as Fullers soap I will be a swift Witness this is he who is the Judge of all that comes nere to Judgement that witnesseth that saith I will be a swift witness I will come neer to you to Judgement against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that oppresse the Hireling in his wages the Widdow and the
to fall from the state in the which he was made And as he hath not so chosen man since the fall as that he can never be removed from the state unto which he was chosen so neither doth he so will the salvation of all as that all are saved This were to put by the work of Redemption for if he so willed them all should be saved for who hath resisted his Will And what need is there of such a work of Redemption if all by such a willing as this and such of such a willing as this mâ—st be the consequence are effectually saved For as I have said in his will there is Power and who hath resisted his Will And if his Will be not to be resisted what need is there of a work of such a work as Redemption is which cost the Blood of the Son of God and the Travail of his Soul and which cost the sufferings of the Seed the Seed which is Christ Christ in you the hope of Glory My little children of whom I travail in birth again till Christ be formed in you Galath 4. 13. And I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh is by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 19. and the Travail thereof ere it be accomplished Now what saith Christ Jesus All things are delivered me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Matth. 11. 25. And All things that the Father hath are mine John 16. 15. And as the Father raiseth up the Dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will Joh. 5. 21. And this is the Fathers will that hath sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 39 40. Where then is that thing of Salvation to all or that all are saved or that God willeth the Salvation of all This God willeth that all men come to the Son that which reproves that which makes manifest in them that they may have life that all men honor the Son as they honour the Father that they and no others that see the Son and believe on him should have everlasting life and that he should raise up such at the last day and that he should loose nothing of all that the Father hath given him but should raise it up again at the last day that he should quicken whom he will unto whom all things are delivered him of his Father whose are all things that are the Fathers whom no man knoweth but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will Reveal him Now here stands the case of all men in this particular they must come to the Son as I have said if they will be saved Ye will not come to me said he to the Pharisees that ye might have life John 5. 39. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out John 6. 37. And he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. So to him must all come that are saved to that in men which shewes them where they are the thoughts and intents of their hearts and judges them Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ John 4. 29. This is the way to God and no other neither is their salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 11. And they that are in him are new creatures Old things are passed away behold all things are become new as afore 2 Cor. 5. 17. And he is the Saviour of the body the Church Ephes 5. 23. Who loved the Church the Church which is in God 1 Thes 1. 1. and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word the Word which endures for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Vers 25. 26 27. So as through sin and transgression and by reason thereof all men come to be defiled for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. And all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all Isa 53. 6. so must all men come to Christ Jesus that which reproves sin that makes manifest transgression in them the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. to have their Conscience purged from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. I say to have their Conscience purged from dead works works that are not from the living Root that are not from Faith for she that lives in pleasure is dead whilst she lives 1 Tim. 5. 6. And sin is pleasure Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement because he wilâ—ngly walked after the commandement Hos 5. 11 and he that sinneth is carried away from that which manifests it And you hath he quickened who were dead in Trespases and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of Wrath even as others but God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and hath raised us up togather and made us sit togather in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus For by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Not of works least any man should boast for we are his workman-ship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcisiion by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh
if people come not to him nor believe on him nor receive him nor are in him how can they through him be saved for that which comes through must come to and be in or it can never come through there is no Salvation but through Christ Jesus and as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but it is in Christ and that which believes not on him is not in him and that which is not in him cannot be made alive by him and he gave himself a ransom for all but if all will not come to him who ransometh he doth not become a ransom for all And so I have finished what I have also to say unto you in the Name of the Lord whose word it is of whom I am moved to write unto you also that you may see who are here how the case stands with you for I bear you Record there is a zeal in many of you as to God but you are mistaken as to the main thing on which Salvation dependeth and by which you must come if ever it be so to be saved For If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins said he to the Pharises John 8. 24. and if ye belive not in that which witnesseth unto God in you which reproves you which checks you for evil which judgeth it If ye believe not that this is he the measure of him in you he who is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God you will die in your sins all your Notions will not save you how strong so ever in your Imaginations they will come short of the Power which is the Power of God to Salvation and this you will find in the day of the Lord wherein this shall be witnessed and you shall witness unto me in that day as many as so abide that my testimony is true For the Lord hath spoken to me and his Word is in my mouth and he hath said unto me what I shall say and I have spoken what he hath said If you believe not that that is he which witnesses to God which reproves which judges which makes manifest evil in you you shall die in your sins It is the Word of the Lord. Therefore dream not of any other Jesus to save from wrath to come to deliver you then he in you who also is without you that shews you when you do amiss that reproves you that judges you for evil for this is the Judge of all the Man Christ Jesus And so I am clear of you also in the presence of the Lord who hath moved me to write thus to you and to take the stumbling blocks out of your way also that you may see and be saved for the day is near wherein you also will be concluded with the God whom you serve for the Lord is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation and among every people he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and the proud he beholdeth a far off and 't is not saying Lord Lord Open to us have we not prayed have we not prophesied and in thy Name cast out Devils have we not eat and drank in thy presence and hast thou not taught in our streets will suffice when he shall say Depart from me I know ye not ye workers of Iniquity So deceive not your selves God is not mocked as men sow so shall they reap if you sow unto the flesh of the flesh ye shall reap corruption and if you sow unto the Spirit of the Spirit you will reap Life and take heed how you be mistaken in a thing of this nature which hath that weight least ye perish for ever The Lord is not willing you should die but rather that you turn unto that in you which is of him which is near you in your mouth and your heart and obey it and believe in it that ye may know his vertue who redeems and that so ye may be redeemed least whilst ye hold forth a Notion to all of the Redemption of all you come short of it in your own Particulars and so be cast out with the fearful and the unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whore-mongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyers into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death The Bowels of the Lord are to you because the fear of him hath been before many of you and there is that in you that truly desires after him though you yet know him not therefore hath he moved me to write that you may know him after whom you desire that Salvation may be the Portion of your Cup and your Lot for ever If you hear it will be well for you if you will not the stone that is refused of the Builders is made the Head of the Corner and a Rock of Offence it will be and a Stone of stumbling till you be broken to pieces and your dayes be cut off from the earth and in darkness which is everlasting you languish for ever For the Lord will not alwayes wait on man nor his Spirit strive A day of conclusion there will be as there hath been a day of beginning and the hour of your visitation being over in what case are you when no offering can be accepted for you who have refused him who speaks from Heaven and rejected the Son of God made manifest in your mortal flesh to redeem you to God and so farewel I have done with you also in the movings of the Lord and to those who remain I must yet proceed to speak because time is short and this lay upon me to write to you all that all may be warned and that the stumbling blocks may be taken out of the way of all and that all may be left without excuse because the Day is nere wherein all must witness what I have said either to their everlasting wo or to Life eternal and however you may think of these things yet so it will be and the time is near Our God shall come and shall not keep silence A fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him he shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth that he may judge his People and the Heavens shall declare his righteousness for God is Judge himself Selah Psal 50. 3 4 6. So let all be warned that all may be left without excuse for there is a day as I have said and it still presseth upon me to speak the same thing from the Spirit of the Lord and to repeat it often that so you may hear ere it be too late I say there is a day very near wherein you will witness this to be true to whom this shall come and because the day is very near therefore hath the Lord laid it upon me to speak â—t often that you may hear ere it be too late for hours of visitation have been
and to many people long and to you it hath been so but it is near an end and O t is but a very little time and you will find it so who shall not be gathered to the Lord after all his seeking you wherein you shall be concluded with the God whom you serve and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord who hath long sought to gather you who yet seeks you who will not seek you alwayes who are not gathered to him who will be glorified in what he shall do unto you who are not gathered unto him in the day wherein he shall render unto every man according to his deeds And this is no jesting matter you will find it so who yet shall be hardned who yet shall refuse to hear who yet are disobedient who yet are rebellously who yet will not hear who yet harden your hearts who yet set your faces as a flint who will not return who are proud and high minded and disobedient and unthank-ful and unholy and who smite your fellow Servants and do eat and drink with the drunken and say your Lord delayes his coming The Lord will come upon you in a day that you think not of it and in an hour of which you are not aware and cut you assunder and give you your portion with Hypocrâ—tes and Sinners It is the Word of the Lord there will be no dallying you will find it so when your day is over no jesting no sporting no living in pleasures no having to morrow as to day and much more abundant as your thoughts of pleasures leads you to imagine those things will have an end when your day is over and when he that hath sought you comes to be your Judge even that which witnesses in you which is privy to all your actions the thoughts and intents of your hearts who hath lain down with you and rose with you and hath suffered and knows all the bowels of the Lord to you and his seeking of you and is witness how you have neglected and slighted and chose his and your enemy and how you have had a name that you were alive and others have thought you to be so and you have said so of your selves but yet are dead The bowels of the Lord God Eternal yet move in me to you who would not have you die but rather that ye may return and live and be gathered with his chosen into his everlasting rest where is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore And so I have done with you also in the Word of the Lord and so I shall proceed Neither is it so in the will of man that if he will he shall be saved and if he will he shall be damned That were to overturn the Foundation of God which standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his but in a great â—ouse there are not only Vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth and some to Honour and some to Dishonour 2 Tim. 2. 19. And my Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand my Father that gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my hand I and my Father are one John 27. 29 30. And those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfiled John 17. 12. And Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. And so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy For the Scriptures saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my Power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. 16 17 18. And the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the Wise that they are Vanity Psal 9. 4. 11. And O Lord I know the way of man is not in himself it is not in him that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10. 33. And God saw that the wickedness of man was very great in the Earth and that the Imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. And can the Ethiopean change his skin or the Leopard his spot Then may ye also do good that are accustomed do evil Jer. 13. 23. And work out your own salvation with Fear and Trembling For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 12. So Friends ye who are called by the name of Free-willers you see how the matter lies and how Inconsistant to the Scriptures of Truth and of the Life which gave it forth Your Position is who think to fathom God with your own Line and reach to him who is Immortal with that which perishes and because you cannot make it out or understand in your dark and narrow thoughts how it can be otherwise you limit the Lord and make him such a one as your selves or as your narrow dark and Shalow thoughts can apprehend of him who is unfathomable whose way is in the Sea and his footsteps in the mighty Waters who declareth unto man his thought and therefore the thought of man or that which proceedeth from the will of man cannot comprehend God nor know what he is or how he worketh or the reason of his working who is unsearchable How unsearchful are his Judgements and his wayes past finding out O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and the Knowledge of God! For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Councellor Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen said the Apostle Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. Now because you cannot reach the depth of his Counsel nor find him out and the reason of his working who is unsearchable who are in the fall You think that your will in the fall is the ground of his working who being in the fall can think of nothing higher then your selves For though God is above and you think and speak of God as you think yet you understand God no more in the mind that is in the fall then the fall can understand him Whom even the natural man cannot know nor the things of him for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them for they are spiritually descerned as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 3. 14. And think not this strange that I say unto you For a man can see no further nor otherwise then is
the principle in which he is and by which he sees All wisemen I suppose will grant me this Now you being in the fall and your principle being that which rules in the fall which is the principle of darkness which never knew him nor saw him nor can comprehend him who is Light and the light shined in the darkness here 's the two Principles and the darkness comprehended it not saith John Chap. 1. 5. How can you comprehend him How can ye think of him above or further or otherwise then that in which you are which knows him not nor hath seen him and so see how you are befooled in the point by the Prince of darkness who leads you to lay your dark unstable tottering wills which are very vanity led about by the Prince of the Air who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience and such were some of you said the Apostle to the Saints 1 Cor. 6. 11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God as the ground of his Foundation which remaineth sure as aforesaid but yours in the dust and as a thing of nought For who shall say unto him what doest thou And yet if you will so it shall be so and if you will not so it shall not be so saith your Opinion who think of God as your selves who think him such a one as your selves Nay you place your broken wills higher then his and as the foundation of his for if your will say you shall be damned and so to liberty you go and take your swinge as you please where 's the Will of God I speak as to men and after the manner of men and with Reverence unto God as the thing speaks which the Apostle saith to the Saints is your sanctification This is the Will of God even your sanctification that you should abstain from Fornication 1 Thes 4. 3. Nay saith your Opinion we will be unholy we will be profane we will be unclean If we shall be saved we shall be saved and if we shall be damned we shall be damned We have time enough and if we will turn to the Lord we shall turn and it will be well enough as if the matter lay there and the whole stress of the Salvation of man and his Reprobation stood in the will of man But Friends you must consider that though the Lord hath given man an understanding to know him who is true and this understanding is that of him in you which gives you to know him who is true and which leads into him who is true this is true God and Eternal Life Yet if you are not turned to this if you are not guided by this if by this you are not led you cannot turn to God Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spot Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13. 23. as aforesaid So this must draw you this must lead you to the voice of this you must hearken where the Power of God is which is the Power of God whose verie voice is Power which shakes the Wilderness the Wilderness of Kadesh the voice of the Lord that which calleth on you to return doth it It maketh the Hinds to calve and discovereth the Forrests and divideth the flames of fire and breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon and maketh them to skip like a Calf Lebanon and Shirion like a Young Vnicorn which is powerful and full of Majestie Ps 29. That so you may be turned unto God So then It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie whose kindness it is that hath placed something of himself in you to call upon you to shew you your Enemy to lead you unto himself which is of such power that it speaketh through the strength of darkness and you hear it that which reproves you that which judges you for evil that which shews you the verie appearance of evil and tells you what you should do which all the strength of darkness cannot hinder if it could you should never hear it speak which judges darkness Now this is the Visitation of the Lord this is his long-suffering this is that which seeks to gather this is that which would have the death of none of you this desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he may return and live And in this is Power as I have said it is the Power of God Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God and the the Power of God which is that which must turn you if ever you be turned to God which calls upon you to turn which God hath placed in you to call upon you and to turn you unto God So it is not in him that willeth as I have said nor in him that runneth but it is God that sheweth mercie and this is the Visitation of his love as hath been said that you may be gathered that you may be saved that you may be turned He never put it otherwise not in your wills nor never laid he the stress there but that you should hearken to that of him in you which knows and speaks and doth his will which lies in his bosome which is the Son of his bosome in whom he hath ordained Eternal life and to all that come to believe on and abide in him So here 's the thing at which you have stumbled so long which you would know but have not known it because you have not known nor come to nor believed in that by which you might know it which is that which witnessess and so have not known the Power of God which delivers which saves in which is the Way to Life which is the Way to Life in whom the Lord is well pleased that in you that calls upon you to turn not your Wills to turn is the Power of God and the Way to Life We Preach no such Doctrine but we lead every man to the Power of God that which calls on man to turn and live that so he may turn and live Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Renew our dayes as of old Lam. 5. 21. So then it is not in the will of man but in the good will of him that speaks in man in which is the power to turn him to God as he joyns to this as he comes to this as he is governed by this and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord. For though the destruction of Israel is of himself yet in the Lord is his help here 's the help the help laid on him that is Mighty the Power of God in you which is that which witnesses not in the Will of man there 's the mistake for man cannot Will to God in the state in the fall We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God said the
witness These things saith the Amen the faithful and true Witness writes John to the Laodeceans who were grown neither hot nor cold and therefore he would spue them out of his mouth I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot neither quite dead nor quite alive neither being without sence nor having much I would thou wert cold or hot So then because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Rev. 3. 15 16. A sore word to be cast out as salt that hath lost its savour and is good for nothing but to be cast to the Dunghil If the salt hath lost its savour where with shall it be salted It is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden under foot of men saith Christ Mat. 5. 13. And shameful spueing shall be on thy Glory Hab. 2. 16. And Moab also shall wallow in his Vomit Jer. 48. 16. And it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. This is the condition of all that are in this state whom the Lord spues out I say He that beleiveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3. 36. And here 's the state of all men by nature the nature that is in the fall in the Transgression they are without God the sence of God the life of God the Son of God without God in the World without Christ the Son of God Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Strangers from the covenants of Promise having no hope as aforesaid and the reason is because they believe not on the Son on that which witnesses to God in them Which Judges and reproves them when they do evil and shews them what they should do Is not this the Christ John 4. 21. That which tells them all that ever they have done that searcheth their hearts and trieth their Reigns and knoweth the compass and end of all their Actions and sitteth down with them and risieth up with them and follows them wheresoever they go They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. Which speaks to them in secret and convinceth them of evil which they know they should not go against which is the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation that hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World of which the Apostle speaketh Tit. 2. 11 12. The Comforter which reproves rhe World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgement of Sin because they believe not in me saith Christ John 1. 6. 8 9. of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged vers 10 11. So that which reproves and judges is the Spirit the Spirit of the Son the Comforter that which reproves gives comfort and hope to Godward that he will shew mercy It is his Arm that opens to gather It is his Crook by which he brings back O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathers her chicken under her wings and ye would not Mat. 23. 27. Now that which gathers is that which brings together that which is astray that is out of its place out of its way and that which so gathers corrects or it is a correction or a reproof to that which is astray and the voice of that which gathers is a reproof to that which is astray the very calling to come together reproves that which was not so Now this comforts this is the Comforter that calls to man who is out of the way to turn him to bring him out of the wrong to the right way and that which tells a man that he is in the wrong way judges the wrong way reproves it And that which reproves the wrong gives comfort to a man as he receives it and lets it judge the wrong in him that he is regarded and shall be brought into the right And so thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me Psal 23. 3. It gives a man to see that its like to be well with him As a man that is travelling hard and he hath a long way to go and night will come and he fears least having mist his way he shall come short of home and then great perils will attend him and he happily may miscarry and be undone for ever If any man meet him and tell him how he is out of his way and that the other is his way and if he will go with him he will bring him in safety to his journeys end and deliver him from all his enemies and the sad event of a miscarriage this will revive the heart of the man that is in sence of his condition and instead of repining at or resisting or slighting his friend or persisting in the wrong way in which he was or rising against his friend and his admonition and reproof he will gladly go with him and accept the offer and he will say pray let me go with thee and I am glad I have met with thee and what a thing is it that I have met with thee that I should meet with thee and what a providence was it and his heart will be light and rejoyce that he hath met with the right and be comforted that now he shall come home and miss his dangers and be out of fear of miscarriage So his trouble is gone and all the way along he will be talking to his friend and telling him what a thing it was that he met with him Even so it is as to that which is Eternal man that is out of his way and comes to be in sence by that which calls upon him and tells him he is out of the way lying is out of the way swearing is out of the way deceit is out of the way the form of godliness without the Power is out of the way Profession without the prossession of that which is profest a Name that one lives and yet is dead as to the life of God a circumcision without when there is no circumcision within a walking as to the Law blameless and yet without law to Christ a Jew without and no Jew within a cover of Righteousness without and yet within a rotten Sepulcher full of dead mens bones an open Sepulcher a man that comes to be in the sence of this through that which calls upon him and thereby to be awakned to see the danger in which he was and so to be apprehensive of his deliverance will rejoyce at this and be comforted in this that so reprov'd
be saved it is the Word of the Lord. Now in the Son there is Life He hath life in himself and he quickeneth whom he will For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to Life Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of man John 5. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And he is the wel-spring of Life Vnderstanding is a wel-spring of Life to him that hath it but the instruction of fools is folly saith the wise man Prov. 26. 22. And whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept from the fouls of the Air Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil that is understanding Job 28. 20 21. And I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty Inventions The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Pride and Arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice Be me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me Riches and Honour are with me yea dureable Riches and Righteousness My fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and my revenue then choice silver I lead in the way of Righteousness in the midst of the Paths of Judgement that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning ere ever the earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth when there was no fountain abounding with water before the Mountains were stetled before the Hills was I brought forth whils't as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World when he prepared the Heavens I was there when he set a compass on the face of the depth when he established the Clouds above when he strengthened the Fountains of the deep when he gave to the Sea his degree that the Waters should not pass his commdements When he appointed the foundation of the earth then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing allwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keep my wayes Hear inâ—truction and be wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my door For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Prov. 8. 13. to the end And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his Commandements his praise endureth for ever Psal 111. 10. And the fear of the Lord is Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Holy is understanding Proverbs 9. 10. And this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8 10 11 12. And this shall be the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every one his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquities and I will remember their sins no more Jer. 31. 33 34. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul Jer. 32. 40 41. And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People crying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgements is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of Waters Rev. 14. 6 7. And except the God of my Fathers the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaack had been with me thou hadst sent me away now empty God hath seen my affliction and the labour of my hand and rebuked thee yester-night Gen. 31. 42. And Laban said to Jacob behold this heap and behold this Pillar which I cast up between me and the this Heap and this Pillar be witnesse that I not pass over this Heap to thee and thou shalt not pass over this Heap and this Pillar unto me for harm the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor and their Father Judge between us and Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaack v. 51 52 53. Thus saith the Scripture and the Scripture cannot be broken John 10. 35. And in him was life and the life was the light of men that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1. 3. 9. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men loved darkness rather then light
manifest to Christ the light and all must believe in him who is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and abide in him who is light or they shall never see life they can never be delivered and this is truth Now this is the state in the which man is in the fall in the transgression he sees not God nor hath seen him nor can see him in that state nor know him The state is without a proof a witnesse a feeling of God and being without a proof a witnesse a feeling of God in him How can he come to him whom he neither sees nor feels nor knows nor of him hath a proof or witness For Ignoti nulla Cupido as the Axiome is A man hath no desire to that which he knows not And a man knows not that which he doth not feel and a man feels not that which he doth not witness and a man cannot witness that which he hath not and a man hath not that which he doth not witness that is to say in his sence in his understanding though it may be in him And the reason is this because he being in a state which is void of that which gives the feeling the sence the witnesse the proof of God in him He in that state can have no proof of God nor witness nor sence nor feeling more then of wrath and eternal condemnation none of life nor of Salvation or that leads to it for Wrath and Eternal condemnation is the portion of that state and of all that are in it whilst they are in it And though the light be in man that which reproves that which makes manifest and God hath plac't it there a measure of himself in every man to bring him back again to God which calls on him to turn unto the Lord from whom he is gone that it may be well with him and man knows it and it often appears and shews and makes manifest and reproves and judges which is the love of God and his kindness unto man who seeks to gather him and therefore hath he placed this of himself in him to bring him to God yet the Spirit of Reprobation the Spirit which is without the living sence and feeling of God or proof or witness of him or the state of Reprobation or the Reprobated state or condition being that which hath man and holds him being that in which man is it keeps him from believing in that which reproves which makes manifest which shews which judges which witnesses to God and answers to him and so as this hath power over him he obeys it not Now being made perfect he became the Authour of Eternal Salvation to as many as obey him Heb. 5. 9. And man obeying it not he doth not receive it he doth not retain it Iniquity comes which he obeys and blots it out and so it is to him as if he had it not it is made of none effect to him he becomes not the Athoâ—r of Eternal Salvation to such Iniquity races it out as it were comes over it covers it and so man feels not the Power and Vertue of that which calls upon him so as to deliver him because he receives it not he doth not obey it and therefore it is that he is not delivered that to him he becomes not the Authour of Eternal Salvation who is it though it is Vertue and Power above the strength of darkness that shews it else it should never shew darkness and make manifest what darkness is Nor hath that man any other advantage by it then to know his Condemnation which is the state of the Devil the state of Reprobation the state of the Reprobates the Reprobated state who though they know God yea and though they also believe and tremble yet it is in a sence of Wrath and Judgement For he is over them and they know him to be Lord over all Principalities and Powers who is Head of the body the Church yet they obey him not nor receive him nor can they the state they are in and he is contradistinct and so their knowledge to him is but to Judgement What have I to do with thee Jesus and yet the Pharises would not confeâ—s him so to be thou Son of the most high God I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not cried the unclean spirit whose name was Legion when Jesus said unto him come out of the man thou unclean spirit Mark 5 8. And thou believest there is one God thou doest well the Devils also believe and tremble said James to the vain man concerning the Faith which was without works which he said was dead which obeyed not which received not his Vertue therefore it wrought not For as many as received him to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God even to them which believe in his Name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Who was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not who came unto his own but his own received him not Was not Abraham our Father said James justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Seest thou how Faith wrought with his works and by works was Faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfiled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness and he was called the Friend of God You see then saith he how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Likewise also was not Rahab the Harlot justified by works when she had received the Messengers and had sent them out another way For as the body without the spirit is dead so Faith without works is dead also This testified James and John also Jam. 2. 19. to the end John 1. 10 11 12 13. And the reason is this because as hath been hinted that spirit having man and possessing him man comes to be as that spirit is and that spirit being so man comes to be like it and man being like it or coming to be formed into the image of the Devil who was made after the Image of God he comes to be concluded with him and this is the state of the fall the state of Reprobation the state of him who is reprobated from God of the Reprobates they are such as are in him in the Devil he is their Root their Ground their Source and their Spring who is reprobated from God who feels him not who is without any thing of him in him that is the principle of him who doth not know him and therefore it is that they are called Reprobates And here I must end as to this Particular having spoken that which I have received of the Lord to communicate that all may see and understand this great mistery viz. how the Lord made not man to destroy him and that he hath concluded no man
so as by fire vers 14 15. And upon this must all be built upon him who is the Corner Stone the tried Stone the sure Foundation the Foundation of many Generations the Restorer of Paths to dwell in the Builder of the old waste Places the Repairer of the breach And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste Places thou shalt raise up the Foundation of many Generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the breach the Restorer of Paths to dwell in Isa 58. 11. The Reconciler The Maker of Atonement The Offering The Sacrifice The Altar The Sanctuary The maker of Twain one New man so making peace The Blotter out of the hand writing of Ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us The Taker of it out of the Way The Nailer of it to his Cross The Spoiler of Principalities and Powers The maker of a shew of them openly The Triumpher over them in it The maker of both one who is our Peace The breaker down of the Middle wall of Partition between us The Abolisher of the enmity in his flesh even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances The Preacher of Peace to them that were afar off and to them that were nigh through whom we both Jew and Gentile have an access by one Spirit unto the Futher The Saviour of the body the Church The Saviour of all men especially of them that believe The Saviour of the World whom God hath sent into the World so to be The destroyer of the works of the Devil The Atonement The New Covenant The Law written in the heart The fear put into the inward parts The Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart The Word of Faith which the Apostles preached The Light of the World The true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World who was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not Who came unto his own and his own received him not Who as many as received him to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God even to them who believe in his Name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God The Light in whom whosoever believeth shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of Life The Condemnation of all that believe not in the light In whom whosoever believeth shall not be condemned The Judge of all The Judge of the quick and the dead Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and coming The King Immortal The second Adam The Lord from Heaven The quickning Spirit The Hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble The man Christ Jesus is he that witnesses that shews that judges that reproves that makes manifest it is the Word of the Lord. Into him into this Seed which is Christ the Election that which reproves that which makes manifest that which shews that which judges must all come and grow up therein who are redeemed unto God And the Word of the Lord unto every man whether he will hear or whether he will forbear The measure of him in every man which he hath placed in every man the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withal that in every man it may grow and that every man growing up in it and abideing may be blessed of the Lord the Seed of the blessed of the Lord and their Off-spring with them That they may be of the Root that 's holy of the true Olive in which being ingrafted though a wild Olive contrary to Nature the fatness of the true Olive he may come to be a partaker of which brings forth fruit unto God unto Holiness unto Life Eternal And this unto all is the Word of the Lord of whom I am moved to write that all may know the Root that is in them what it is that brings forth fruit unto God unto Life which the Lord hath blessed unto which being â— joyned and in which continuing a growâ—â—g up will be witnessed in that which is Eternal which never fadeth away but endures for ever And so I have cleared this Matter as I have received it of the Lord whether men will hear or whether they will forbear they all shall witness it in the day of the Lord which is neer wherein he will render unto every man according to his deeds It is the Word of the Lord. And so I have finished this Matter even the Word of the Lord in me to this Generation To whom I am known by the Name of G. Bishop Bristol the 20th of the 6th Moneth 1663. Printed In the beginning of the Second Moneth 1664. THE END
Egypt that which suffered in you and you made to serve with an Out-stretched Arm and be delivered in your destruction it is the Word of the Lord. He that hath an Ear let him hear what it speaketh Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproofe I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as Desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you then shall they call on me saith Wisdom who cryeth without and uttereth her Voice in the Streets she cryeth in the chief places of Concourse in the openings of the Gates in the City she uttereth her Voice saying how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the Scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate Knowledge Turn ye at my Reproofe behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my Words unto you then shall they call on me saith Wisdom But I will not answer They shall seek me early but they shall not find me For that they hated Knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord they would none of my Counsel they despised all my Reproof therefore shall they eat of their own way and be filled with their own devices for the turning away see you here of the Simple shall slay them and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them But whoso hearkneth unto Me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1. 20. to the end So the Vessels of Wrath and the Vessels of Mercy are hear Those who stand in the one 〈◊〉 are found in the other which is the Election and Reprobation according to the purpose of him that calleth And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up Both his purpose they who are found in either his purpose is according to the state of either in which they are found Vessels of Wrath Vessels of Mercy What if God be willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction he doth not say ordained to destruction and all Eternity but fitted to destruction which Iniquity doth and destruction is the end when it hath finished its course sin when it is finished brings for Death Jam. 1. 15. Destruction is the end when Iniquity finishes its course and that he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of Gentiles Rom. 9. 22 23 24. So fitted for destruction vessels of wrath iniquity fits to destruction as I have said the creature in that state the state of the fall the state of Reprobation vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction on whom he will he makes his power known after he hath endured with much long-suffering see you here after he hath waited after he hath called after he hath sought after he hath endured with much long-suffering and man will not hear man will not turn If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors Psal 7. 12 13. God is willing what if God willing to shew his Wrath to make his Power known even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my Power in thee endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath whom Reprobation Iniquity Vnbelief hath filled up whom it hath contained in whom it hath long lodg'd who would not be emptied would not have it cast out on which the wrath of God abides Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction made ready for that purpose by Iniquity Iniquity fits to destruction that 's all the profit of it if so be it may be called so to fit to destruction for God to shew his wrath to make known his power upon after he hath endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath. And the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory Here 's both as I have said Vessels of Wrath Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory That which receives that which calls which shews mercy I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy That the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth Vessels of Mercy they receive mercy contain mercy retain that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election Even as they did not like to Retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprebate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness c Rom. 1. 28 29. I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy afore prepared unto Glory Mercy that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election not of Works but of him that calleth prepares unto Glory where it is received that which calleth Mercy afore prepared unto Glory As Iniquity that which hardens the heart shuts the ear maketh to refuse mercy not to retain that which calleth the Purpose of God according to Election fits to destruction Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory What if God be willing to shew his wrath and to make his Power known And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory So God is not Vnrighteous he made not man to destroy him Neither hath he concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction But he made man Upright and after his own Image and therein man was kept as he kept therein but man turning from that in which he was made to another thing Death came over all because all in Adam had sinned and in the state of Death every man stood and was concluded because in Adam every man had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God Now in this state as I have said the Lord finding every man his compassion wrought to man and his bowels earned towards him whom he had made in his Image which now man had lost and was fallen from and Death was come over therefore as he concluded all in this state because all had sinned and come short of his glory so he had mercy upon all he concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and this is his mercy that there is something of himself in man which shews him where he is and what he doth as he hearkens to it believes in it and obeys it and his enemy and sin and transgression by reason of which death came over and judges it and calls upon man to return to the Lord that he may be redeemed from Death and ransomed from the power of the Grave
and see Life Now this is mercy and the Lord might have chosen whether he would have done this to his creature whom he made upright but had turned from him for he was not bound to his Creature and have let him remain in that state for ever Nevertheless herein the love of God was made manifest to Man that he gave him something of himself that had never sinned nor consented to sin and placed it in him to call upon him to turn unto the Lord and that whilest we were yet sinners saith the Apostle Christ died for the Vngodly and herein the greatness of his love is shewn that he continues this in man which waits upon man and calls upon him and seeks him and entreats him to turn unto the Lord. Now man resisting this and disobeying this and not believing in this which suffers which bears which waits which seeks and the day of his visitation this suffering this waiting this seeking this bearing coming to an end Man comes to be unredeemed to God to be a vessel of wrath a vessel of dishonour fitted to destruction and so his destruction is of himself but man coming to heed this to retain this that calleth to believe in it to be guided by it he comes to be redeemed unto God out of the hands of him who had him in captivity to be a vessel of mercy a vessel of honour prepared unto Glory and so his help is in God So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour Man cannot plead with God in this case for as I have said he is not bound unto his Creature he might make it as he pleased even of the same lump one vessel to Honour another to Dishonour he hath power over man as the Potter hath over the Clay so man may not plead man may not reason with God in this Particular stood the Case only here had he been made so at first the Lord would have been clear and who durst to have opened his mouth seeing the Lord had power over man to have made him as he pleased But the Case stands not here it lies further the Lord made not man so he did not so forme him nor with an intent that he should be so did the Lord make Man but he formed him a vessel of Honour He planted him a noble Vine wholy a right Seed He made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him though he be not far from any of us for in him we live and move and have our being as certain of your own Poets have said for we are his off-spring said the Apostle to the Athenians Acts 17. 26 27 28. Jer. 2. 21. He made him upright after the Image of God made he man but man as I have said found out many Inventions and having turned aside and proved the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine even a vessel oâ— Dishonour bearing the image of the Devil who was made after the Image of God It was the loving kindness of God to visit man again and to call upon him to turn unto him to place something of him-thing of himself in him to call upon him to shew him where he is and what he hath been doing and to turn unto the Lord. Now he that will not hear this Prophet which the Lord hath raised up like unto me said Moses who gave the Law without which was the Similitude of the Law within Christ Jesus the fear in the Inward parts that which calls that which makes manifest that which reproves that which judges that which makes the heart tender to God and to fear before him shall be destroyed from among the people Acts 3. 22 23. For if the word spoken by the Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Hebrews 2. 2 3. So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy he visiteth whom he will and he waits on whom he will and he calls on whom he will and he suffers as he will and as long and whilest he will and whom he will he hardens he suffers iniquity to go over which the more it turns from God the more it hardens man against him on whom he calls long and they will not turn unto the Lord and so the more he calls the more they turn from him and the more they turn from him the more they are hardned against him and the movings of his Spirit and the more they are hardned against him and the movings of his Spirit the less his Spirit strives with them and therefore it is said O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and heardned our hearts from thy fear Return for thy Servants sake the Tribes of thy Inheritance Isa 63. 17. The Lord was withdrawn that of him ceased to call which they had transgressed against they grew cold to the Lord whilst that strove not with them that made their hearts tender to him they began to grow hard as that turned from them that turn'd them to him they began to go astray as that removed which led them to him O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our hearts from thy fear Return here was the matter the Lord was withdrawn the Lord was removed that of him turn'd from them as they had turned from it that was the cause and of this they grew sensible Return â—ay they for thy Servants sake the Tribes of thy Inheritance So whom he will he hardens as they withdraw from that of him which calls on them to turn to him he withdraws that in them of him which turns unto him as they let not in that of him in them that calls upon them to turn unto the Lord which makes them tender they grow hard So Pharaoh the more he withstood Moses that called upon him to let Israel go the more hard Pharaoh was and even for the same purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth So when the Lord calls and man will not hear when he stretcheth out his arms long and man will not come when he strives and yet man will not be gathered who is turned from God It 's just with God to withdraw from man to turn that of him that turns