Soul to Sin or be wanting in Duty Both which do now occasion Vexation of Spirit But they shall see and be ashamed for the Envy of the People Isa 26. 11. That is whereas heretofore the World did envy at the People of God from whence did spring up their Hatred and unkind usage of them thinking that such would be more Happy and Blessed than themselves in the end But when God shall also manifest unto them the Favour that even the Wicked had That even they might have learned Righteousness and beheld the Majesty of the Lord see the foregoing Verse They shall be so ashamed for ever having maligned and done despitefully against his Servants as they shall never do it more And whereas also heretofore the Churches had sometimes Rest from their Enemies and again at other Times they were made Havock of and Persecuted This did happen interchangeably and successively as was before observed that at some times some Countries would fear the Lord greatly and then remisly or negligently and not at all And as there was a time of War and a time of Peace among the Nations so likewise as to this we have the certain and assured Promise of the Lord. Also I will ordain a place for my People Israel and will plant them and they shall dwell in their place neither shall the Children of Wickedness waste them any more as at the beginning 1 Chron. 17. 9. He will make an utter end Affliction shall not rise up the second time Nahum 1. 9. This as may be seen from the two foregoing Verses is spoken as to that day of Trouble which hath come upon his Servants that trusted in the Lord their Strong-hold which was stirred up and occasioned unto them by the Enemies of the Lord emphatically and truly called his Enemies though they did shew themselves so to his Church that is his People And when as to many of his Prophets his Son Jesus Christ his Apostles Ministers and People Affliction did arise up not only the second time but even in Job's Phrase The Lord was with them even to seven Troubles Job 5. 19. Yea and to Seventy times seven for their whole Life was a continued Train and Series and Succession of Trouble and Affliction How then was this found true Affliction shall not rise up the second time And indeed it cannot be otherwise understood and believed but that God hath another day shortly coming in the which he will fulfil and make good this his Word when God will Return How long This question shews how impatient and desirous our Nature is of it How long O Lord Holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth Rev. 6. 10. And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Luke 18. 7 8. So that it will Repent him concerning his Servants O satisfie us early with thy Mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days and make us glad according to the days he hath afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen Evil Psal 90. 13 14 15. for the Lord shall judge his People and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their Power is gone and there is none shut up or left Deut. 32. 36. Like Sheep they are laid in the Grave Death shall feed on them and the Vpright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning Psal 49. 14. Now to make the like Application of all these Scriptures here laid together as Peter did in Acts 1. 16. Men and Brethren who shall read or hear this these Scriptures must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost spake by the Mouth of Moses David Isaiah and Jesus Christ hath spoken before concerning that poor afflicted and persecuted Condition of the People of God How they shall take them Captives whose Captives they were and they shall rule over their Oppressors Isa 14. 2. The Power of these Oppressors shall be utterly gone and the Vpright shall have Dominion over them God shall repent himself for that hard Condition he suffered his Servants to go through with and he will satisfie and make them glad for it Now it being manifest that all this good Word is not as yet performed on this Earth and in this Life from the like Reasoning which the same Apostle Peter makes use of Acts 2. 29 30 31. Acts 3. 21. We may assuredly gather and believe That in the Resurrection and Restitution of all things God will most certainly make good this his Word That all things which are written may be fulfilled And that there will be a beginning and entrance into this Blessed State towards the latter days here on the Earth when the Lord shall reign before his Ancients gloriously And all things shall exactly so come to pass according as he hath aforespoken of in his word When the Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb Isa 11. 6. and there shall be a Concordance and Agreement between the most fierce and devouring Natures of Men and Women with the most calm meek and peaceable Dispositions according to what is further written and confirmed The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain saith the Lord Isa 65. 25. To make way and prepare for this glorious day of universal Holiness and Righteousness is the end of all our Preaching and Writing and laying before Men and VVomen all the Words of Truth which we can The Lord saith I will come near to you to Judgment Mal. 3. 5. So according to the goings forth and Emanations of his Eternal Truth God doth come nearer to the Children of Men both for Good and Comfort to his Saints and Servants as also for Terror and Punishment to the Ungodly and Disobedient For that thy Name is near Thy wondrous Works declare Psal 75. 11. God in Scripture is sometimes said to be afar off and he is invisible So that he cannot be otherwise shewn forth and made known unto others but in his VVorks and by his Name Both which are declared by fit proper and true words So that the Reader need not to be offended at the multitude of them here used if they help to make the invisible God more known unto the Inhabitants of the Earth and render him as it were visible yea and sensible unto their Souls If we do not darken counsel by words without knowledge but according to the measure of the gift in us our words become instrumental that the things pertaining to God's Kingdom are rendred yet clearer and clearer that the Children of Men may more easily understand and perceive them than we do the VVork and VVill of God As I do this day the Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth Isa 38. 18. If
have not I do not say could not accomplished and brought to pass How it will be all done suddenly and at an instant by the pouring out of the Spirit upon us from on High may be seen in Page 295. As also that there will be an end of all Wars and of all Persecution is shewed in Page 285 288. which will be a very great Good to Mankind So that the â—…king known these things will tend â—…re to the real Benefit of Man than spending their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfieth not or consuming so much time in other and vain Things I need not say much more by way of Preface and Introduction But here I shall only add this further That according as God is now pleased to accompany and Seal these Truths with the droppings and distillings of that same Spirit which hereafter he will pour out And according as that self-same Spirit giveth Understanding for it is too common that the Works and Things of God are not understood Psal 106. 7. Acts 7. 25. for these things are Spiritually discerned As also there is a need of a distinguishing Judgment as to discern and know which are the real Truths of God from the Imaginations or Sayings of other meer Humane Writers Again According as the following Words of Truth do approve themselves to the Hearts and Consciences of the Real and Inward see Rom. 2. 29. and not so much to the Nominal and outward Christians And according as Care Endeavour Industry and Diligence are used in the publishing and making them known so accordingly they will meet with Acceptance or Rejection from the World THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Introduction to the following Book Page 1 CHAP. II. Wherein 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 p. 15 CHAP. III. That Surmise and Imagination is spoken unto whereby some People think that they have so Grievously offended God that they dare not come unto him p. 118 CHAP. IV. Therein it is discoursed of that false Thought in the Hearts of many People That if they should submit Presently unto the Obedience of God they shall be losers and disappointed of so much Pleasure and Conveniency in the mean while They shall miss of so much imagined Happiness and fall into Vexation Trouble and Misery p. 183 CHAP. V. Herein sundry things are written against them who will not be persuaded by nor live according to Words and also against following the Multitude p. 244 CHAP. VI. It is made known in the general from the Scriptures of Truth without any Reflections on Particular Nations or Governments that at length there will be an end of all Wars p. 285 CHAP. VII As also that there will be an end of all manner of Persecuting the Servants of God p. 288 CHAP. VIII Towards the end of Time and in the latter Days All the Inhabitants of the Earth will be turned and brought over unto God Which will be done and accomplished by the Pouring out of the Spirit upon us from on High p. 295 CHAP. IX A Paraphrase on some of the most Remarkable Verses of Psal 18. Shewing the Design and Connexion of that whole Psalm p. 310 Whereunto is subjoyned the shutting up and Conclusion of the whole Book p. 314 Practical Discourses OR AN Earnest Call to all the Inhabitants of the Earth to turn immediately unto the Lord their God As the same is opened and alledged from what is written Psal 18. 43 44 45. Thou hast delivered me from the Strivings of the People thou hast made me the Head of the Heathen A People whom I have not known shall serve me As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me The Strangers shall fade away and be afraid out of their close Places CHAP. I. The Introduction IF all Mankind of all Generations and Countries were now summoned together and there was a Voice that could reach them all as God will at the last Day gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there Joel 3. 2. By his own Power and uttering forth his Voice It would be proper to preach and make known these Words unto them But in the mean time he hath shewed the Way and he doth require it of us under the Danger and Penalty of Disobedience that all we should publish the Word Psal 68. 11. which he hath given us as far as we can And he hath so ordered that the still Voice of his Spirit should be sent forth into the Hearts of many People All things are to be done as far as he hath pointed out and put into our Power All we should help whatever we can towards the Furtherance thereof for the Work of the Lord is common and should be the joint Endeavour of all his Servants Ever since the World began and down until this Time and what futher remains on the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the violent take it by Force According to our Ability we ought severally to the utmost of yea and beyond our Power to be continually doing the Will of God bring Glory unto his Name to further and carry on with all our Might and Diligence the common Salvation to endeavour by all Means possible yea our selves are to act and suffer an holy Violence that People may be more brought over and added unto the Lord. As God is to be loved with all the Soul and with all the Strength and with all the Heart and with all the Mind So all things we have or can do are to be laid out and resolutely put forth without any more Intermission or Weariness than what is absolutely necessary and requisite in his Service and doing good unto others None are to be idle but as we are warned of so ought we to avoid to our utmost that we fall not under the Doom of the unprofitable Servant For behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every Man according as his Work shall be Rev. 22. 12. And we having but a short Time might learn this Wisdom from the Serpent to improve this our Time to the utmost Advantage to oppose and destroy his Kingdom to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God and to recover those that are already taken captive at his Will As he walketh about seeking whom he may devour so is the Will of the most high God that his Servants should run to and fro that knowledge may be increased Dan. 12. 4. that many may be converted and saved And when each Person is converted then he is to strengthen his Brethren and to endeavour what lieth in him that others may be converted also and so on The like Care and Endeavour is to be used and spread abroad that all Men may be saved and come to the
carnal Considerations or worldly Inducements no present Motive nor yet a like Danger and Inconvenience did hinder or excuse with him but he immediately went to Jerusalem Undoubtedly all these did for the best and God was well pleased with them He did accept and reward them more than those who seek out for Excuse and Delay or such who first refuse to hear his Gracious call or if they do at any Time hear or it is made known unto them yet they will not yield unto it The Word of Exhortation stands continually for all People both young and old to hear and read it The Spirit and the Bridegroom say always come There is one knocking at the Door of their Hearts for Admission God is ready at all Times to set up his Kingdom within us his Law is already written in our Heart and inward Parts He sends his Prophets rising up early and sitting down late Who being dead speak yet unto us in their Writings There are constant Dictates of Mind to serve and obey our Maker There are Examples of those who do it in our Age and Circumstances of Life There is hardly a Chapter or Verse throughout the whole Bible but some way or other calls and stirs us up The Scripture is opened and alledged The Word preached in the several Congregations throughout our Land and in all the Nations of the World are a Sermon to us also For we are the same Creatures and stand in the very same Relation to the great God over all as those several Persons who hear such and such Truths with their outward Ears We might also know and hear more than we do and those who hear and understand are to declare it unto us to acquaint their Neighbours and Kinsfolks and they to others So that the Word of God might dwell richly and have free Passage among us There is a sufficient Call and Warning to all People in their several Generations and Ages of Life God now commandeth all Men every where to repent because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead Acts 17. 31. As every one knows Christ to be a Saviour so there is the same Notice conveyed that he is to be our Judge And as God shall bring every secret thing into Judgment all the Actions of our Lives for each single Day will be called to account So it will be demanded why such and such did not come when they were called as they sensibly knew by a powerful Conviction over their Spirits when it was inculcated over and over to Day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Heart When they might have considered more and more and themselves did find that the more they did consider the more they were pressed instantly to close with Christ and therefore they did put off considering their Wayes They might at such an Opportunity have heard God's Word which would have urged them to have turned from their evil Ways and therefore they would not attend to them They might at such a Day and by such Means have learned the Knowledge and Fear of the Lord but they would not His Statutes were laid before them but they would not let the Ears hear which were made to hear nor the Eyes see which were ordained for that End And further when the Thoughts thereof did recur to the Mind they would put them far away When God rises up and enters into Judgment how shall Men answer for such things And whosoever now looketh upon or hears what is written in these Lines and he is convinced of the Truth and Sincerity of them but if he should go away and not comply with the Purport thereof or be willingly ignorant or take no notice for fear he should be brought over unto God more suddenly than he otherwise intended how will he give account to the Judge of all Men for the same Even to that God who knows all his Thoughts and Imaginations concerning this or any other matter who will reprove and set the things he hath done in order before him even from the Time he had the Beginning of the Knowledge of Good and Evil unto the Day of his Death God knows all things but we know not as God knoweth and therefore we are so puzzled and distracted in things pertaining to him He seeth all things in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth at one Sight and knoweth all things to the utmost as they are known But we now see one thing and then another in order and Succession of Time as he shews them unto us Those Things which are more hidden and invisible he reveals them by his Word and Spirit and still we know nothing perfectly and comprehensively And it may be all confined to things pertaining to us Men which is not the Ten Thousandth Part of the things to be known nor yet one Half of what doth immediately relate unto and concern us The Sum and Comprehension of all is to know God and his Law our Duty to him in each particular and when we do vary from it It may be observed that the whole Scripture which is called the Lord's Book may be all reduced to this Besides the natural imprinted Knowledge God is there more discoverd to us by the History of the Creation of the World his Manifestations unto his Servants that worshipped and feared him his wonderful Works that he did from Time to Time the Descriptions given of him in sundry Places and also the Commandments enjoyned to the Sons of Men. The Law was given by Moses unto which he added much Exhortation to the Observance thereof So did David and the Prophets whose Writings were to press People unto Obedience and a Reproof of Transgression Which last was an orderly Declaration of Matter of Fact and according to Truth how People did turn aside from the Commandments delivered unto them It was a Telling of or Declaration unto the House of Jacob their Sins and Transgressions Which was expressed in general or more particular Terms but yet so plainly that every Offender might understand himself was spoken of and called upon for to amend his Doings There is a strong Sense and Obligation upon the Heart of Man to keep the Law of his Creator and he is sensible of as much every Time he is put in Remembrance thereof As on the other hand he is troubled with Shame Regret and Condemnation when he thinks of and more especially when he is told of his Sin and Error This proceeds from the Consciousness of having offended God and from the Fear of his Anger and Judgment A secret Thought doth arise from Ignorance or Unbelief that either God doth not see or not take notice of such evil Deeds and will not require for them But such an one brings their Sin to Remembrance and makes it recorded before God which
otherwise might fall to the Ground and be forgotten by him Hence hath arose that Hatred and unkind Usage to the Prophets Ministers and Servants of God for speaking of and reproving the People of their several Generations of their Sin and Disobedience This alone did put some Check and Stop to Transgression and so the less was committed and consequently there was less to account for before God But in those Ages when all Flesh had corrupted its Way upon Earth and there was none to oppose the Torrent of Iniquity yet God who sits above both saw and knew the whole Course of Transgression all one as if Ten Thousand of his Saints did cry aloud against it This will be clearly manifested at the Day of Judgment when God will disclose and make known the several Steps and Degrees of Irreligion and Wickedness both of Generations and single Persons of Countries and Families whereof we knew and heard nothing at all When the Lord shall write and rehearse up all things as they were done from the Beginning of the World The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and graven with the Point of a Diamond and so it remains before God although no Man ever spoke thereof by Word of Mouth or committed it to Ink and Paper It may be that the several Acts are willingly forgotten by the Persons who committed the same but God will remember them to the impenitent and hard of Heart and he will renew the Memory of them to the Sinner's own Mind and Conscience As the Sinner doth now act and continue in the same he doth treasure up unto himself Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God who will render unto every Man according to his Deeds Rom. 2. 5 6. whether good or evil as is expressed in the following Verses Here again it appears that the several Actions of Life will come into judgment and Retribution shall be made to the Person accordingly So that in how many things he doth well he will be accepted and himself would have notice taken thereof If he sin that also lies at the Door Which will pass either into Examination and Condemnation or the utmost to be hoped thereof is Pardon and Forgiveness that God would not remember or not impute it But this is certain for the Scripture affirms positively thereof that many shall be actually punished for the same For Those that have done Iniquity shall be cast into a Furnace of Fire Mat. 13. 41 42. and They that have done evil shall arise unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 29. yet of those who escape by Repentance they certainly suffer this Loss It would be better for them throughout all Eternity if they had never committed such Acts of Sin Besides that the Time wherein they committed Iniquity might have been spent in well-doing and so they are deprived of the Recompence they might have had for that Though a Sinner do evil an hundred Times and his Days be prolonged yet it shall be well with them that fear the Lord that fear before him Both Manner of Ways will come into account and they will have a different End It will be certainly better for them who lived in Obedience and Holiness in those Days of their Flesh wherein others did and themselves might have lived in Sin and Wickedness That Son who said to his Father Lo these many Years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandment his Father answered him Son Thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine Luk. 15. 29 31. which was a larger and much better Portion and Provision than what was before or afterwards given unto the prodigal and disobedient Son Again though a Sinner should come to Repentance yet the sooner he doth it will be certainly better for him because he will be more sure of God's Favour and Acceptation and also he will sooner bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance and make a Way for his own Reward whereas All his former Days were consumed in Vanity and Trouble Psal 78. 33 They will not turn to good Account neither doth he desire that they should come into Judgment for it will stand in no stead and turn to no Benefit unto him but encrease the Anguish and Bitterness of Soul that he did not in those Days serve the Lord in Righteousness Holiness and doing good For these Works would follow him when the other things are absolutely perished and he wishes that he had never done them Here is a real Argument not to continue in Sin one Moment longer for notwithstanding the present Pleasure and Conveniency hereby he misses of so much more Happiness and Advantage Again he should not a Minute longer neglect Obedience and doing good for he loses so much of a full Reward Thus much is signified from the Words of the righteous Judgment of God who will render to every one according to his Deeds And so it is written Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 11 12 For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every Man according to his Works Mat. 16. 27. And every Man shall receive his own Reward according to his own Labour 1 Cor. 3. 8. Wo unto their Soul for they have rewarded Evil unto themselves Say ye to the Righteous that it shall be well with him For they shall eat the Fruit of their Doings Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him For the Reward of his Hands shall be given him Isa 3. 9 10 11. According to their Deeds accordingly he will repay Fury to his Adversaries Recompence to his Enemies to the Islands he will repay Recompence Isa 59. 18. The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the Fool and rewardeth Transgressors Prov. 26. 10. As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy Reward shall return upon thine own Head Obad. 15. Receiving in themselves that Recompence of their Errour that was meet Rom. 1. 27. Like as the Lord of Host thought to do unto us according to our Ways and according to our Doings so hath he dealt with us Zech. 1. 6. And all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the Reins and Hearts And I will give unto every one of you according to your Works Rev. 2. 13. There are sundry other like Places in Scripture which the more they are considered and looked into they do the more demonstate the present Doctrine how that the future Retribution and Recompence shall be proportioned and adjusted according to the Deeds of Men as it will be yet more clearly seen at the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God It shall be openly disclosed and shewed unto every one Though it hath been
We now hear of the Name of God which is great wonderful and holy That is to the outward Ear but then is a Conception of him in the Mind and our Eyes are to publish forth his Name We see with our very Eyes his Works and the things which his Hand hath made and by the Dimension of them we may ascribe Greatness unto our God He is the same still who abides of old from everlasting to everlasting He is nothing the more for being published nor yet greater for our most ample and large Expressions concerning him which possibly can be spoken Even the holy Men of old have had diminutive and little Conceptions of him which have increased yet higher according as more Revelation came into the World as appears from the Order and Succession of Scripture They were surprized and amazed at the Presence of his Angel And what is one of them to Thousands of Angels Or what are they to the Lord of all which hath ten thousand Times ten thousand ministring Spirits before him David saith The Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psal 95. 3. which Gods may be the Princes of the Earth or Idols Jeremiah witnesseth Among all the wise Men of the Nations and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee Jer. 10. 7. The Prophet in Isa 40. declares somewhat more and so doth Daniel in his seventh Chapter And yet all these come exceeding short of his true Majesty and Greatness It being such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor entred into the Heart of Man to declare God as he is I am that I am He is known to himself and by his Name I AM. His only begotten Son who is the eternal WORD hath declared him And also he did before reveal himself by his Spirit but it was by condescending unto and helping our Infirmities And therefore the Spirit useth such Expressions as we can receive but withal giveth us to understand that the things of God are unutterable for the Tongue cannot speak forth that which our finite Understandings cannot apprehend because it is infinite and incomprehensible But yet so far as we know and apprehend we ought to set forth the same to the intent that our Children may shew forth the same unto their Children and to those which are yet unborn And God may so enlarge their Hearts that they may receive yet further Knowledge of him what they had from their Forefathers may grow up yet higher Obedience is the Follower of Knowledge And they that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them tbat seek thee Psal 9. 10. and so it is of all other Duties and if we may rely on God as to the past where he doth not assist much further than just to perform our Duties and that also through Difficulty and Temptation to exercise our Trust and Dependance on him much more may we do the same as to the future when we verily know and are assured that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him The things prepared for those that wait for him are described to be more and greater than Eye hath seen Ear hath heard or hath entred into the Heart of Man so that the greater Apprehension and more full Assurance we have of these things we also are the more quickned and stirred up to do whatever our God requires of us in the mean while Saith David I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart Psal 119. 32. which denotes Freedom and Speed I will that is his own Act. Run doth shut out all Delay and putting it off for it presently begins and pursues it with Strength and Vigour The Word Enlarge doth also signifie in the Original to perswade God shall enlarge in the Margent it is perswade Japheth Gen. 4. 27. for the Apprehension of those great things do incline and weigh down the Mind As before there was an high thing which did exalt it self against the Knowledge of God which was only a wrong Imagination but now there comes a real higher thing which leads and invites unto his Knowledge which is stronger and doth prevail In the Margent of 2 Cor. 10. 5. It is Reasonings opposite to the VVord Imaginations in the Text For let Men once come to this and the things of God will outreason with them People may sit down and stop under a sudden and false Thought or be held under Frowardness Humour and Inconsideration or only examine one Side the present seeming Pleasure and Advantage But if they would give their Thoughts full Scope and stay a little to see whether Truth will come in reflect whether in this he is not under the Command and Direction of the great Lord over all and then consult with his VVord and Spirit Take in the Consideration of future Judgment and Account when there shall be an exact Retribution to every Man according to his VVorks and the Matter of this or that Day shall be particularly discussed The more these things are understood and considered of they press yet more forcibly and what were heretofore rebellious and supposed to be in the Man 's own Power do fall and submit by degrees till every Thought is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ The Soul is first brought unto Obedience in the General and then the same Reason which brings in some Thoughts doth the other also till the whole doth come in and yield Conformity to it For the same God and Father who is in all and above all and through all he doth require to be loved with all the Heart with all the Soul with all the Strength and with all the Mind The same Lord Jesus Christ expects that we observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded Mat. 28. 20. And so whether this shall be done presently or hereafter there are so many Considerations for the present Performance of the same that whoso suffers them to be debated in his Mind they forthwith turn the Scale against all dilatory Pleas and Excuses For seeing we must all appear before God to give Account of our several Persons before him let our selves judge this one thing in the mean while whether God will not be better pleased with and sooner accept of those who make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord and who do not put it off from Day to Day or with them who trifle with and despise him in the mean time Or whether it will not be better for them whilst Time is before them and Opportunity is present so to employ that Opportunity in doing those things whereof is Hope and Expectation to which God hath annexed a Promise and a Reward Or to be still running after those things whereof they are ashamed in the Act which heighthens their Doubt and Fear of the divine Threatning and Punishment which is established by the same Word and Truth as the other So they are either
and Knowledge of him to refrain from Transgression If we did see after the Manner of Men from the Example of an enraged Prince who hath the Power to be revenged on ungrateful Rebels and is constant to what he swears or saith God is angry with the wicked every day if he turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready Psal 7. 11 12. He is more and more displeased day by day and as the Creature continually provokes him God only forbears to execute his Vengeance to see whether he will turn or not The longer man puts it off it will be worse for him How grievous and abominable is it to stand as it were at defiance and opposition with God For a worm to contest with and to wriggle against its Maker for a Potsherd to strive with the Lord of the World He justly declares himself to be an Enemy to such wicked doers Ah! I will ease me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies Isa 1. 24. He only sends out his Word to give notice thereof to see if they will submit He sends out the Son of his Love with an Offer of Reconciliation to prove whether they will receive his Message and Counsel who saith Agree with thine Adversary quickly least the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verily thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the utmost Farthing Mat. 5. 25 26. The more quickly thou agreest with thine Adversary the more sure thou art to be reconciled unto him Thou must be reconciled to him first or last or thou wilt be eternally miserable The longer thou standest off thou dost the more provoke and enrage him And wouldst thou resist him in the mean while whom thou must at length submit unto Nay when thou art willing to be at Peace with him Even those who are now reconciled and were once afar off are vexed within themselves that ever they should have the least Enmity against so gracious and so good a God The Adversaries of the Lord shall be ashamed And if thy self dost come to be agreed with him thou wilt not only repent and be grieved for all thy former Ignorance strange Imaginations but even for this Opposition and Doubting whether thou shouldst presently come over unto thy God Consider he is stronger and mightier than thou He is all-wise and jealous of his Honour and also he will be glorified in his Creatures And shall they offend him now because they hope hereafter to please and pacifie him Or will they take Advantage over him also as some do over his Servants to affront them the more because they know beforehand such will forgive Is it good that God should search you out or as one man mocketh another do ye so mock him Job 13. 9. Thine hand shall find out all thine Enemies thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee Psal 21. 8. That is find them out to punish them and therefore God certainly knows them with the measure and degree of Hatred they conceive against him The sin is against him and also the pardon belongs to him and also he is the God to whom Vengeance belongeth Now what is the Reason why he doth spare some and punish others He will do according to what he hath said He shall Judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Psal 96. 13. And by that Truth he takes an estimate of People even now God who knows the hearts will put a difference between Infirmity and Perverseness between unavoidable and willing Ignorance what is to be allowed to the temptation and what is their own fault He doth apprehend all the meaning of his own Law and Word and also all the doings of all the Sons of Men every motion and thought of their Soul and all that is within them The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it I the Lord search the heart and try the reins even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17. 9 10. He takes exact account and cognizance of all things and here it is said that it is in order to give to every Man according to the fruit of his doings so that certainly it must be the better way to submit instantly For the present refusal and neglect doth provoke him in the mean while those strugglings and contests do displease him when he exhorts and admonishes if they rebel and vex his holy Spirit he will turn to be their enemy Isa 63. 10. and fight against them We know not when this will be and therefore People should be exceeding cautious how they do in the least displease him When the Scripture speaks of God being angry the same Word invites again to Reconciliation with him Can two walk together except they be agreed Amos 3. 3. Now God is continually with us though many are not sensible thereof for he is with us in our going out and coming in and he is with us in all our ways and this would be a continued fear and trouble to the mind unless we are at peace with him and then it is a comfort and an assurance And therefore those who are afar off do not think of God but forget him not knowing that they might have the thoughts of God and the remembrance of his Name be as familiar yea and as delightful as now they go on in their own darkness and imaginations for here is danger and continued doubt They might come to live under the continued sense of God with the same yea and more exceeding comfort than others do with the thoughts of any thing as the Bridegroom rejoyces over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Isa 62. 3. And reciprocally his people may live comfortably and rejoyce in the Lord their God He is a shadow from the Heat as a great Rock in a weary Land a shelter â—rom the Storm an house of Defence or strong Habitation whereunto we may continually resort Psal 71. 3. And many such like expressions the Holy Ghost makes use of As a woman takes care of her sucking Child and a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings so is the Lord God to his People to assure them of his continued Preservation Love and Familiarity towards them And any one may come over to be amongst his People as they that were not of his People do come to be of them so we do warn testifie and exhort all men every where of every age or condition of life whatever their past sins be and of whatever nature or multitude their present temptation and circumstances are yet still they are invited to partake of the loving kindness of the Lord. What hinders Let the thought imaginanation or excuse be what it will we could speak and give a sufficient answer unto it from the Grace and
returned from the Slaughter of the Kings But when God shall do that last and great Act as to cause that Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more Isa 2. 4. VVhich Scripture hath not been as yet fulfilled But is to be fulfilled according to that Divine Method and Dispensation The Word and things of God shall be fulfilled in their Season Luke 1. 20. Then the Lord bringeth forth the Chariot-Horse the Army and the Power They shall lye down together they shall not rise they ore Extinct they are quenched as Tow Isa 43. 17. God will bring them forth to shew only and not for Use and Service That this righteous and peaceable Generacion may just see what kinds of Instruments their Fore-Fathers a Rebellious and stubborn Generation did make use of to kill and destroy which they who shall feed like Lambs after their manner Isa 5. 17. will hardly believe without seeing them that ever so much Violence and Mischief should be in the Hearts of Men or that such Instruments of Cruelty and Destruction should be found in their Habitations But as the Lord commanded that a Pot full of Manna should be laid up before the Lord in their Generations that they may see the Bread wherewith I have fed you in the Wilderness when I brought you forth from the Land of Egypt Exod. 16. 32 33 34. So it is convenient and requisite that some of each sort of those Weapons and devices of VVar should be kept for a Testimony that the Generations following may just see how it was with the Earth when God Created the Smith that bloweth the Coals in the Fire and that bringeth forth an Instrument for his Work and that had created the Waster to destroy Isa 54. 16. When at thy Rebuke O God of Jacob the Chariot and Horse are cast into a dead Sleep Psal 76. 6. Never to awake out of it again For it is before said The stout hearted are spoiled they have slept their Sleep they are bereaved and stript of those Engines wherewith they did execute their Revenge and Terror in the Land of the Living And now they have slept their sleep they have done all their do which they must never do again What they did then do was as much at random and uncertainty from the true and proper ends of Man's Life which was intended for Preservation and not for the Destruction of others and at last of themselves by so doing as Sleep is now different from Waking for in Sleep we Dream and think confusedly without the use of Reason and Knowledge But they shall lye down together they shall not rise There is an utter end of all that they are extinct as Tow the Wrath of Man which did heretofore kindle all this God shall restrain Surely the Wrath of Man shall Praise thee the remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain Psal 76. 10. So as it shall go no further and then it will sink and come to nothing of it self They are quenched as Tow. If it would begin to smoak again God will take care to put it out that it shall burn no more Where his Prophet uses these kind of pertinent and significative Phrases he immediately adds Remember ye not the former things neither consider the things of old Behold I will do a new thing now it shall spring forth shall ye not know it Isa 43. 18 19. This is as much as if God should say Ye may just see and think of those former things but they are not worthy of your Remembrance and Consideration in comparison to that new thing which God will do which shall be both more pleasant Entertainment to the Minds of his Creatures and it shall be infinitely more satisfactory for them to be employ'd therein than heretofore in making Preparations for War or hearing tidings from the Camp I will even make a way in the Wilderness and Rivers in the Desert The Holy Ghost seems here to allude unto the March of an Army with their Power who being to pass through a Wilderness or Desarts send those before them to make way as by cutting down the Woods and Briars and making rough places plain and removing great Stones or Rubbish As also to guide and conduct them in the intricate way As also to seek out Forage Food and Water for Man and for Beast if they can find out Springs and Rivers in the Desert wherein is least likelihood of any and therein is most want of them But God will supply all this to his Creatures or make up unto them what is signified thereby The Beasts of the Field shall Honour me the Dragons and the Owls Because I give Waters in the Wilderness and Rivers in the Desert to give drink to my People my chosen V. 20. Besides that Satisfaction and Content which without doubt is in the irrational but sensible Creatures upon Gods being their Creator and Maker and also for his providing all things necessary and convenient for them Hereby also may be signified That when those ungodly Men and Women who have been transformed after the manner of Beasts and have those inward Qualities and likeness unto Dragons and Owls as to love Destruction and hate the Light do come to see and know what God doth for his Elect People They will come to Honour and have an inward reverential Esteem of him also This People have I formed for my self They shall shew forth my Praise Ver. 21. Here is the drift and design the End and Consummation of all that as God made Men and Women They should even now as in the latter days they shall be purely formed for himself They shall shew forth his Praise That is They shall have no other End but God and to lay out themselves for him and God shall be their All in All and nothing shall be heard amongst them but Praises Praises to the Lord. Then the World will be as it should be CHAP. VII There will be an End of all manner of Persecuting the Servants of God WHen the Earth shall be reformed and become Righteous this effect will also be seen and perceived There shall be no more Hatred of and Persecution against the Servants of God They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 9. It hath been always and in all places found That where is most of the Knowledge of the Lord that is such Knowledge as is true Saving and Sanctifying there hath been least Persecution as again where hath been most Ignorance and Darkness there the Persecuting work hath gone forward and abounded But when the World shall be thus universally replenished with the Knowledge of the Lord there will not be the least degree nor manner of it not so much as to hurt Body or Soul as to lay any hardship or restraint upon the first nor yet to tempt or cause the
from out of the Hearts of the Inhabitants of the Earth as also from the Element it self And Righteousness shall look down from Heaven more clearly and visibly than ever it hath done yet But wherefore is it that we hear so very much that in the last days of all God will pour out his Spirit upon us from on High Isa 32. 15. For I will pour Water upon him that is Thirsty and Floods upon the dry Ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Off-spring Isa 44. 3. And it shall come to pass afterward in the last days saith God Acts 2. 17. that I will pour out out my Spirit upon all Flesh Joel 2. 28. And there is not altogether so much mention made of the Word then For after Jesus Christ who was the Word and the Word was God was taken away in his Bodily Presence from among Men he ordered that his Disciples should tarry at Jerusalem until they had received the promise of the Father and were endued with Power from on High And so in the beginning was the Word and all things were Created by it that were Made And during all this mean while they are upheld by the word of his Power And whilst these Generations pass through here the Word is to them all in all towards the making them a People prepared for the Lord and to give them an Inheritance amongst all them which are Sanctified But at the very ending Conclusion and shutting up of all things The Spirit is to do the main and principal Office But we read not altogether so much of the VVord then as aforetime Besides that the VVord is in Order and Succession of Time before the Spirit for Jesus Christ came first into the Flesh and then afterward the Holy Ghost was given according to that Emphatical Remark of one of the Inspired VVriters for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet Glorified Another great Reason hereof may be assigned That as the Angel sware by him that liveth for ever and ever who created Heaven and the things that therein are and the Earth and the things that therein are and the Sea and the things which are therein that there should be Time no longer Rev. 10. 16. For Time will be lost and swallow'd up in Eternity as a River or Brook is now lost when it empties it self into the wide Ocean So we may easily gather and understand that when all these things here mentioned shall be so perfectly and wholly made known and seen face to face when what is now afar off and Future shall be Present and just before us when Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Fruition when Prophesies shall fail Tongues cease and Knowledge shall vanish away VVhen the whole Creation of God shall be new and changed from material and sensible things into Spiritual then we may conclude also That WORDS shall be NO LONGER But the things themselves heretofore expressed and apprehended by them shall succeed and be given unto the Creatures God doth all things in his own Order He first made known unto his Creatures the Words of Eternal Life and then afterwards he invests them with the thing it self of Eternal Life and then it is consequent that the words thereof should cease and fail as the Scaffold falls down or is taken away when the Building is Perfected and quite Finished Like as now in common Life there is great talk of such a Person 's coming as of the Messiah among the Ancient Jews but when he is come indeed then all that talk perisheth which did relate thereto For since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear neither hath the Eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64. 4. But when that great and enduring thing shall be actually given to the Creature by that God whom he hath waited for then all the thoughts of Heart and words of Mouth that were before concerning it will cease and come to an utter end VVhat Truth we now see written in a dead Letter or we hear in an outward Airy Sound or we conceive in our Mind will one day appear as a shining Ray of Light For Whatever doth make manifest is Light Eph. 5. 13. And all things then will appear in the Light of the Lord. And so this great Matter which we are contending for all along and perswading People unto shall be instantly and altogether done by the Spirit So that Jesus Christ the Son of God shall be delivered from the Strivings of the People and be made the Head of the Heathen and a People whom he hath not known shall serve him As soon as they hear of him they shall Obey him So that there is not need of many more words to enforce the Exhortation But by VVords Knowledge or Notice hath been given that one day so it shall be for all things which are written in the Scriptures of Truth must be fulfilled And also there is this further benefit and use of words that we are hereby taught and put in mind to be in a Readiness and Preparation for the same The VVord doth convert Sinners from the Error of their way like the droppings of Rain or the distillings of Dew that is it doth now and then bring in some individual Persons and that also is done by degrees and in succession of time But the pouring out of the Spirit from on High shall bring them in by shoals and multitudes and do the VVork Instantly and Immediately As soon as they hear of me they shall Obey me Then thou shalt see and flow together and thine Heart shall fear and be enlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee the Forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee The Multitude of Camels shall cover thee All the Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows Isa 60. 5 6 7 8. By all which kinds of Speech we are given to understand that very many in number shall flow and come over and be Converted unto God And the Sons of Strangers shall build up thy Walls This is near to the same purport and meaning as what is said in our great Scripture out of which I have here opened and alledged things all along The Strangert shall submit themselves unto thee The Strangers shall fade away and be afraid out of their close Places Those are Strangers who before had not known God nor Christ For although known unto God are all Men and Women as they are his Creatures yet God and Christ doth not know them as to be in Covenant with them I never knew ye depart from me ye that work Iniquity Matt. 7. 23. But they remain Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel who are without Hope without God in the World And yet here is
the assured Promise that these shall come to be acquainted and submit themselves that is to yield Obedience unto God and his Christ according to what he hath afore spoken of in another Scripture I will say to them which were not my People Thou art my People and they shall say Thou art my God Hos 2. 23. The Strangers shall fade away and be afraid out of their close Places Besides that abundant Conversion of them at last those which shall be converted before they shall so fade away and come off from their former Strangeness towards God as that it shall not be perceived Like Men Ashamed which Steal and flee from Battel so they shall be ashamed of their former Ungodliness and sinful doings So that they would rather seem on the contrary as if they had obeyed and served God from the very first When these come to be acquainted with and to believe a future State and condition of Happiness and Misery they shall look about how to make sure for themselves that they may be happy and sure therein And they shall be afraid out of their close Places or of those Imaginations and Deceits in which heretofore they trusted and built a false Hope on Thou puttest away all the wicked of the Earth observe the Particle All like Dross Psal 119. 119. As wax melteth before the Fire so let the Wicked perish at the presence of God Psal 68. 2. All this will be done more suddenly and as it were at an instant when the times of universal Reformation come on and God doth bow the Heavens and come down and he poureth out his Spirit upon all Flesh Then all VVickedness will so vanish and disappear that the place thereof shall know it no more and it will seem as if there had been never any such thing on the Earth All that gross Darkness and Error will be utterly and for ever gone off from the face of it when this true Light shall begin to shine universally and openly in all the habitable parts thereof The People shall then shew forth their Zeal for the Lord God of Hosts VVho is he that said but so much as in his Heart Shall the invisible God reign over me Or shall I obey his standing and written word Let these People be brought forth that the Saints of the most High may inflict some Punishment on them But they shall not do it in the least For Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord. And again The Lord shall judge his People Heb. 10. 30. Deut. 32. 35 36. And the Lord will not begin to execute it then presently when he is glorified in his Saints and had in Honour by all that are round about him As an unknown Malefactor amongst a great multitude of People when he is asked for who did such a Theft or Murther Which being known and evident must be concluded that some one did it he is sure to keep Silence and seem all one as the other innocent People lest he should be betrayed and discovered In like manner it will be when the Lord shall Plead with the Inhabitants of the Earth who will be a vast number gathered together of all Generations and Countries and he maketh Inquisition for so much Sin Iniquity Transgression and Wickedness as hath been actually done on the Earth So much hath been committed and it must have been by some Persons Who was it by Name that did it Then shall they be exceeding sorrowful and afraid and begin every one of them to say Lord is it I The particular Guilty themselves shall keep Silence and they shall be found Speechless Matt. 22. 12. Or if they are asked as concerning another Matter then they will perhaps speak out or deny hereby to wave and take of the suspicion of that also whereof they were indeed Guilty In that day there will hardly be found any who will own themselves to have been amongst the Enemies and Adversaries of the Lord. The Adversaries of the Lord shall be ashamed which as they shall be then conscious of themselves so they will endeavour to hide it as much as they can But they shall be afraid out of their close Places of shelter and absconding whether it be the Clefts of the Rocks or the Holes of the Mountains For though their Fellow Creatures would be puzled hereby end be at a loss and difficulty to whom to assign such hidden things of Dishonesty or many secret acts of Sin and Wickedness And when even the Persons themselves who committed the same shall make such a goodly outward shew of having Worshipped Honoured and served the Lord and they not knowing the limits of his Mercy nor the periods of Time of holding forth his Scepter of Grace nor yet discerning for the Heart of every one is deep the reality and sincerity of their Repentance it is hence impossible that they should either find out or judge Righteously and render accordingly to the several People But the Judge of all the Earth will do Right He is not as Man but a God of Knowledge by whom Actions are weighed 1 Som. 2. 3. Who sees Hearts as clearly as we see the outward Faces and he knows things long since past or yet to come as we do the present Moment In opposition to their Hiding Concealing and Dissembling Thine hand shall find out all thine Enemies Thy Right hand shall find out those that hate thee thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine Anger the Lord shall swallow them up in his Wrath and the Fire shall devour them Psal 21. 8 He will first find and set them out and then afterwards take his own time to punish them According to that Divine Method Having a mind to revenge all Disobedience when your Obedience is fulfilled So he will first have that Seed which shall serve him It shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation And when the days of their Obedience and Service are fulfilled then he will begin to call to account the former Generations For it is first said Zion shall be redeemed with Judgment and her Converts with Righteousnesness and then afterwards it follows And the destruction of the Transgressors and of the Sinners shall be together Isa 1. 27 28. And I will punish the World for their Evil and the Wicked for their Iniquity Isa 13. 11. But like as it is written I will leave a few Men of them from the Sword and from the Pestilence that they may declare all their Abominations among the Heathen whither they come and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 12. 16. So here it may be supposed that God will have one Righteous Generation after so many Rebellious and Sinful ones that by comparing both those Contraries together I do here speak after the manner of Men He may know how to proceed to Recompence and Punishment We read that when God saw that the wickedness of Man was great in the Earth it
hitherto hidden from some because they would not search the Scriptures for there they might have found it so and accordingly have prepared to have given up their Accounts The good may be hence quickned to do more to take hold of every Opportunity to lay up a greater Foundation against the Time to come to seek and do the Work of the Lord diligently and to improve every Talent to the utmost And the evil might presently have ceased to do wickedly turn and be more zealous in the other Way Faith apprehends so of things future as Memory and Recollection is to the past Herein appears the Excellency of the Understanding and reasonable Soul that she sees things afar off and remembers those behind But those things here are scarce worth our Remembrance but what things we are further told of they are all Wonder and Astonishment because they are so exceeding great and enduring Which will fill the Soul though opened wide and to the utmost and satisfie every Wish and Desire and these things are always to remain When these things shall be present before us we shall admire and be vexed within our selves that we did not more towards the obtaining them Even thus it will be of those who considered and did most that usually Men do Our Fathers received the Promises and saw them afar off they now stand more abundantly confirmed unto us being so indubitably made known that we are more fully perswaded of them and do embrace them So the Exhortation runs yet more forcible to cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God and to do all things that we may be found accepted of him at the last Day Even thus much we may discern at present that the Lord sitteth above all his Creatures He hath revealed how we the Inhabitants of the Earth are to behave our selves towards him He hath prepared his Seat for Judgment and his Kingdom ruleth over all neither is any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight But all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do We cannot know him as he knoweth us for he seeth us and all our Ways clearly but we now see thro' a Glass darkly And as we are mere Creatures who have nothing but what we have received so we know nothing but what he first made known and revealed unto us Our Saviour abode on the Earth Forty Days after his Passion on the Cross and Resurrection from the Grave speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1. 3. very few of which are recorded And though many things are written which he made known in the Course of his Ministry yet the beloved Disciple John saith Many other things truly did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book John 20. 30. So before his coming into the World God discovered his Will by Prophets and holy Men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And there have been since further Manifestations of divine Knowledge and Truth And yet still the Skies will be more opened and Righteousness shall be poured down Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Skies pour down Righteousness Let the Earth open and let them bring forth Salvation and let Righteousness spring up together I the Lord have created it Isa 45. 8. He shall come down like Rain upon the mowen Grass as Showers that water the Earth Psal 72. 6. Truth shall spring out of the Eorth Psal 85. 11. Both as to the Element it self and also as to the Inhabitants thereof Let the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee Then shall the Earth yield her Increase and God even our own God shall bless us Psal 67. 5 6. He shall make known those Arts and Means that the Earth shall yield her Increase so abundantly that there shall be no hungry and empty Soul but there shall be more than sufficient for every Creature whatever He shall give such a plentiful Fleece on the Sheep and may discover those other Ways for cloathing as to cover all the naked in our Land Bring ye all the Tithes into the Store-House that there may be Meat in mine House and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts If I will not open the Windows of Heaven and pour ye out a Blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it Mal. 3. 10. Mankind hath been hitherto proved wihther they will obey and trust in their God The poor hath been a long while suffered among them to see whether they will will provide for and do them good and they have not yet been so obedient and trusted unto him as they should But let them once do so let all the People praise him and then prove him whether he will not do those great things for us Whether he will not deal yet more bountifully even in those things for the sake of which People now transgress against him The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof Psal 24. 1. The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts Hag. 2. 8. so he can disclose it whensoever he will perhaps more than hath been yet seen and talked of And I will give thee the Treasures of Darkness and hidden Riches of secret Places Isa 45. 3. He can shew us where are the several rich Mines and some way bring to our Knowledge whatever Worth and Excellency lies hid at present in the Bowels of the Earth So there may be sufficient yea and abundance for all And there may be such exceeding Plenty even of the formerly beloved Mammon that they shall even loath and not esteem it because there is no such intrinsick Goodness in it as was supposed And things will be as readily done without as heretofore they were greedy and eager after it The Nature and End of every thing relating to us shall be perfectly understood and how they conduce to our real Good and Happiness As things shall be fully made known which tend to the Use Well-being and Delight of the Body so the same will be discerned concerning the Soul The hidden Man of the Heart will come forth and as that even now doth clearly appear in the Sight of God so it will be yet more manifested to our View that we may also know what is in Man as we see his outward Face The Thoughts of many Hearts shall be revealed so we may as evidently perceive them as we behold the working of their Hands or their goings up and down upon bodily Feet The Lord saith behold all Souls are mine Ezek. 18. 4. He challengeth a peculiar Property in them and yet he hath sent forth a peremptory Decree The Soul that sinneth it shall die The Soul hath a Knowledge of this which cannot be shaken off so imprinted that though it may be somewhat defaced yet it cannot be worn out The Desire and Tendency