that vast and wide Place to which the great and wide Sea is not so much as a small single Pool of Water is now to the whole Ocean Every thing above is so astonishing that all the Wonders of the Deep are not so much as the purling of a little Brook or Stream To see the King in his Beauty and to behold the Land that is very far off Isa 33. 17. is infinitely more delightful than the Gaudiness of Eastern Emperors or all the pleasant Places of all the Earth Our Souls shall mount up there after they have for some time dwelt in this earthly Cottage They now are weary of and get above all things here and do apprehend the other by Faith which will be revealed in Sight and Enjoyment God doth all things in his own Order O that thou wouldst rent the Heavens that thou wouldst come down Isa 64. 1. He might open and display his own Majesty and make himself seen in his Glory or he might infuse his Word and Spirit immediately into the Hearts of every Soul of every Nation under Heaven to give them Knowledge and Assurance that these things are so But he hath spoken to the World by the Prophets his Son and Apostles who lived in the Land of Judea and others are to receive it from them and to publish it forth throughout the World Thus our Lord and Saviour gave Commission and Direction And accordingly his Apostles did travel about on Horses and Ships unto the Places afar off to make known these things and so their Words went out unto the End of the World But we according to his good and gracious Promises do expect a more universal preaching of his Word and sending of his Spirit As He is the Confidence of all the Ends of the Earth and of them that are are afar off upon the Sea Psal 65. 5. So he will manifest and make himself fully known unto them Our selves as yet know him by Faith we hear of him with the Hearing of the Ear we see it written of him we understand and perceive from within but the Words of Life and Knowledge may be sent and published unto others By the Help of Ink and Paper we may speak to those whom we have not seen and to the Nations afar off Men and Brethren of every Country of the Earth let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried Whilst he lived he ruled over one single Nation of small Extent and he was likely to have been thrust from that by his Son Absolom but the Lord sustained him He had no forreign and new Conquests nor did he enlarge Territories Himself was not made the Head of the Heathen nor did People whom he knew not serve him Therefore being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an Oath to him that of the Fruit of his Loins according to the Flesh God would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne He seeing this before spake of the Kingdom of Christ that it should extend over all He shall have Dominion also from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the Ends of the Earth and so as is further said in the Seventy Second and Eightieth Psalms Thou hast delivered me from the Strivings of the People It is the general Stile of Prophecies to run in the Present or Preterpefect Tense which saith things are ready or have been when it speaks of things to come which denotes the great Truth and Certainty thereof that it will as really be as if it was at this present Moment or had been already fulfilled It is the Word and Promise of the high and lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity to whom all things are present and before him Who sits above and hath in his Power the Times and Seasons He is above all Difference and Distinction of Times but according to our Capacity and Understanding he expresseth himself in this wise Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession Psal 2. 6 8. God hath established his Worship and Kingdom by little and little and ordained that those who submit unto it should do it freely It was a considerable Time before he brought his first Begotten Son into the World and then he endued him with such Power and Excellency that others might believe on him as sent from God and come to serve and honour him for whoso doth honour the Son he doth honour the Father also All People had sufficient Reason and Invitation to come unto him yet none is forced His Throne was set up in the appointed Place for the Law shall go forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Micah 4. 2. Every Man or Woman that will may be obedient to it We are to fear the Name of the Lord whom we have heard of and we are to comply with his Will which is made known unto us Herein is the Kingdom of God superiour and different from that of Men for we ought to obey him that is invisible before those whom our Eyes see And it was never known nor heard of among the Children of Men that those did exercise Authority whom none of their Subjects ever saw God is a Spirit and is manifested unto and in our Spirits and he is also evident to the outward Eye for this sees the things which his Hands hath made Our selves do inhabit in and discern the Temple wherein also he dwells and which he fills with his Presence Heaven is his Throne and the Earth is his Footstool So that we have as great Assurance that the Lord is King as that there are Governours over such particular Nations or as a Son is assured that he had a Father or a Servant that he hath a Master And there should arise the same continued Obligation of Duty towards our God as is actually given to those earthly Relations according to what is written Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Servants look unto the Hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the Hand of her Mistress So our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have Mercy upon us Psal 123. 1 2. A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine Honour and if I be a Master where is my Fear saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 1. 6. which is the most reasonable and natural thing in the World for in him we live and move and have our Being as certain also of your own Poets have said for we are also his Offspring For as much then as we are the Offspring of God we ought in all Times and in all Places to give all Honour and Obedience unto him And so accordingly we should if we had the Knowledge and did not forget God
Righteousness and Holiness were ingrafted into the Hearts of all Men so that they did live and were led by it at all times and in all places The Spirit of God would dwell in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. As God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People And I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. VVhat is requisite to all this we may read in the first Verse of the following Chapter Having therefore these Promises both those aforementioned are included for it is expressed in the plural number let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Be ye clean ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11. And from what is written Thou hast taken Captivity Captive VVe learn that God hath taken even Sin and Corruption Captive which heretofore did hold the Children of Men in Slavery and Captivity But when every Thought in them also is brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ God will plant somewhat else in the room thereof Thou hast received Gifts for Men even the qualifications of his Grace and the fruits of his Spirit Yea for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Psal 68. 18. So that though Men and Women have been Rebellious and Disobedient formerly yet when those Rebellious Thoughts and Imaginations are brought into Captivity when the Gifts of God are first lodged in the Soul to make it ready and meet beforehand the Lord God himself will come and dwell amongst them also So that whereas it was before mentioned And the Lord said My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is Flesh Gen. 6. 3. And the reason hereof was assigned because the Flesh did so very often overcome the Spirit when the Children of Men did Rebel and Vex and Grieve and Quench the Spirit yet the Blessing and Saying of Gad is made good and herein is found true A Troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at last Gen. 49. 19. So a Troop of Lusts and a Legion for they are many of Temptations have overcome the Spirit but the Spirt shall overcome them at last And the Spirit shall have that Dominion and Prevalency in the hearts of all Men that all its Dictates and Motions shall be so willingly and immediately obeyed and complied withal that there shall be no striving of the Spirit with Man for he shall forthwith and presently go as that commands him to go and come as that bids him to come and do this or that according as the Spirit saith without any such thing as Reasoning and Perswasion or striving in the Heart for there will not be the least Reluctancy or Unwillingness God who sees and knows the things afar off doth foresee this also that even Flesh will become so Spiritual that they shall obey all his Commands and execute his Statutes without any striving of the Spirit but only upon the first motion and making of it known unto their Hearts 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 IF it be asked But when shall these things be I Answer Tho there may be some tendency and preparation thereto in the mean while yet we must not expect nor look for it absolutely and fully Vntil the Spirit be poured down upon us from on High Isa 32. 15. Which shall acquaint us with the things of God and of Heaven in a most wonderful and plentiful manner that we shall then know them as clearly distinctly and truly as now we do the common things of this Earth which are now visible and present before us My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain My Speech shall distill as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the showers upon the Grass Deut. 32. 2. After that very manner hath the Word and Spirit of the Lord came to the several Men and Women of the former Generations by Droppings and Distillings like small Rain and as the Dew or Showers But this pouring forth of the Spirit upon us from on High will be like great Drops running on continually together or raining down Bucket fulls at once as the common proverbial Speech is When all the Fountains of the great Deep shall be broken up and the windows of Heaven shall be opened Gen. 7. 11. In this sence also So that all the things that are in the Earth or Sea or in the Hearts of the Children of Men shall be openly disclosed and made known And the windows of Heaven shall be opened so that we shall as clearly see and perceive the things there as now by looking through the Window thereof we see the things that are in such a Room of an House as when we are in it and look through the Casement we see the things in the next adjoining Court And that it will be all thus made known Universally at once we are given to understand by what is Written 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. God hath made and ordained that it shall be so that the Heavens shall drop down the things contained therein They shall be so made known unto and had by us as if they were actually dropped down and next to us The Earth also shall open and bring forth the things contained in her which heretofore lay underneath and hidden All this shall be done together And it is observable how they are all expressed by these two VVords Righteousness and Salvation By the first is shewn forth the nature of them as they are fixed and connected together after the Image of him who Created them that is in eternal and immutable Righteousness And because that in the Earth those things are which now hurt and destroy therefore God who causeth Light to shine out of Darkness and by his own way of working Which is marvellous in our eyes will cause that both Heavens and Earth do open and let them It is expressed in the Plural Number and therefore both of them shall have an hand and part in it As to bring forth Salvation and Righteousness is to spring up together with it Intimating that besides that Righteousness which the Skies shall pour down another Righteousness shall spring up together with it By the Phrase of Springing up we learn that this will proceed out of the Earth Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Plal. 85. 11. That is both
or rather Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise Isa 26. 19. But we shall only be removed into another Place or stand here again in these later Days upon the Earth when both our selves and this Place also shall be changed into a more glorious and abiding Condition That very Knowledge and Desire implanted into our Nature of more than is perceived or can be had here doth most clearly demonstrate that there are real things to which it doth relate It being so firmly riveted and grafted in doth plainly shew that it came from the Author of our Nature Even he who made us hath so ordained us who created the Flesh did also form the Spirit And as that is established to have a Sense of things sensible so this hath a Knowledge and Conception of things spiritual As that tastes and sees the things present so the Soul doth as evidently perceive and apprehend things to come And this would equally appear in all People if they did in like manner put forth the Powers of their Soul towards divine and heavenly things as the Instruments and Members of Body are employed about the things of the Earth Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hos 6. 3. First know somewhat of his infinite and glorious Godhead and then how he hath created and established things Also in our selves is implanted a Power and Capacity to arrive at the Knowledge of them It is superfluous to bring many Arguments to prove the things which are true and real already but yet because they are concealed and hidden by searching they may be found out when the Evidence of things not seen is brought forth it makes as if they were seen So we find in ordinary Cases that in a matter of Fact done heretofore or in a distant Place it is as nothing to us but when it is declared and told unto us by certain faithful Witnesses it is in a manner present and as if we saw it with our Eyes Thus it is of historical Matters and common things done in the World So it is likewise of God's wonderful Acts done in former Generations the Miracles and Signs wrought by Christ and his Apostles which are conveyed down unto us aâ—…er the same manner as publick Records which are either written or one Generation tells to another Now the first is the more certain Way because that remains when the Voice and Sound of the Mouth perishes in the Utterance and many times is forgotten There is the express Order of Almighty God Isa 30. 8. that these things be written Hence his Word is called Scripture that is a Writing and is so noted in a Book that it may be for the Time to come for ever and ever In which is a Declaration of God's Will unto Men what he doth require of them with a Rehearsal and Promises of what he hath already and will yet do for them Our selves know what we intend to do such a Time hereafter if we have Life Power the same Mind and Circumstances continue alike Now he is the Everliving Almighty God with whom is no Shadow of turning who sits above and hath the Disposal of all Times and Seasons who governs and hath Power over all things who knows all the Hearts of all the Sons of Men the utmost which is or can be Before whom all things past present and to come are the same So what he hath said shall most certainly be For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disannul it Isa 14. 27. I will work and who shall let it Isa 43. 13. However for a while Satan and his Instruments are suffered to resist and to try what they can to hinder yet the Work of God cannot be utterly overthrown for notwithstanding all the Malice and Opposition of Men or Devils it will come to pass at the last Hath he said and shall it not come to pass Yes assuredly For that that is determined shall be done Dan. 11. 36. For the Vision is yet for an appointed Time but at the End it shall speak and not lie Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Hab. 2. 3. But in the mean while we are apt to stagger and distrust because we do not see it fulfilled in our Generations Whereas we are but of a short Time and to him a Thousand Years are but as one Day and he will have a suitable Space for fulfilling his great and glorious Work For even the lesser things are done gradually and in Succession of Time In this little Space and short Time we do not find all things to be so as we are told of yet nevertheless we are here so much ascertained of the less as to build up a sure Trust and Confidence for the greater And we shall be translated up thither where it shall be said As we have heard so have we seen Psal 48. 8. when Faith shall be turned into Vision the Substance of things not seen shall be the Remembrance how our God did promise and keep them out of Sight But now he doth perform the same and they are revealed with open Face Therefore were they ordered to be future and unseen to prove whether we would give Credence unto his Word If we would be diligent in the Work of the Lord expecting a Reward from him in his due Time But if his great and good things were now present before us and to be had as those things of this World now are what snatching and running would there be after them People would never think themselves too diligent and earnest They would make haste and not delay the Time to keep God's Commandments Had they a through and firm Perswasion of what he saith Every Man shall receive his own Reward according to his own Labour 1 Cor. 3. 8. Each Person would then try who shall most abound in the Work of the Lord. They would lay hold of every Opportunity for well-doing if they might partake of his Acceptation and Recompence They would call to mind what they had been heretofore a doing To what End or to what Good were all the past Actions they had taken under the Sun What am I at present better for having had or done this And is there Expectation of any thing more Will my heretofore serving divers Lusts and Pleasures make me happy now Wherefore then do they not satisfie at this Moment Why do they utterly vanish and disappear How comes it to pass that Day by Day they cease to delight and are less recreating Surely I have been mistaken all along It is Happiness and Satisfaction which I desire and they make a false Shew thereof It is Peace and Rest which I would endeavour at and they leave behind Craving and Trouble The sinful Profits of this World seem to be somewhat more enduring and real But let us reflect upon them either Way as Soul eat drink and be merry We will
true and prudent they do sooner perform the matter in hand but if they make use of false and foolish Means they go backward or round about and so they are further off or they wander And then either they do not accomplish or it is much a longer Time before they obtain what they would have Indeed there is another kind of Method in things pertaining to God than what is commonly made use of as to the things of this VVorld For though the same VVisdom Diligence and Activity are to be used towards the future and spiritual things as we see People do in their present Designs and Enterprises yet we ought not to venture upon all manner of Means For the Word of God is right and all his Works are done in Truth Psal 33. 4. That Word is to be made our Direction all along and we are to do nothing for God but what is holy and good So we learn manifestly from his revealed Will and also we find by the Success and Event thereof for if his own peculiar Servants do turn aside from the holy Commandment delivered unto them or do that which is sinful or doubtful not being of Faith and full Perswasion of Mind it doth not prosper unto them but they are most commonly defeated even the Wicked and Tansgressors which do most flourish and have the things they desire and endeavour after have not a comfortable Enjoyment thereof or they are given to vain Imaginations tormenting Desires continual Restlessness and Turmoil of Mind So they have plenty but no Satisfaction If there is but one Achan a single Babylonish Wedge this troubleth the whole Camp of Israel and the Israelites are smitten before their Enemies And this is many times a Reason not only of the common Afflictions of God's faithful People in their private Persons but also his Church hath laboured under long continued Persecutions and Adversities out of which they have attempted to redress themselves by unwarrantable and evil Means which have been frustrate and came to naught and then by giving occasion to the Enemy to think that they were not so holy as they pretended and thereupon they were kept faster in Bondage and tormented yet more We ought carefully to use the Means but we are in no wise to trust in them nor seek to the Arm of Flesh as to put any Reliance thereon God is exceeding jealous of his own Glory that as all things are of him so he would have all ascribed unto him And therefore he doth purposely make use of little outward Means that it may be known that they have not done it but he who sits above He acts in an invisible Manner He works and we see him not By the silent but effectual Operations of his Spirit Which the World receiveth not because it seeth him not John 14. 17. They do not understand but yet they are moved at the Presence of him in whom they imagine it dwells His Flesh is the same with theirs and yet they narrowly look on and consider him But if they had a spiritual Eye or if they had an inward Sense to perceive somewhat of the same Nature within themselves they would be much more over-awed with that And yet they would be inexpressibly more moved with the Presence of the God of the Spirits of all Flesh As Wax melteth before the Fire so let the Wicked perish at the Presence of God Psal 68. 2. which will be really fulfilled when himself shall bow the Heavens and come down Even now at the Manifestation of the Spirit of God Satan and his Legions do fly and disappear The Devils believe and tremble for they more quickly discern and fear than People in the Flesh and being more apprehensive of God's Power and also being conscious that they are liable to it they either make haste to get away or they lie under a more grievons Terror and Apprehension thereof against the Time it shall be executed upon them The Lord rideth upon a swift Cloud and shall come into Egypt and the Idols shall be moved at his Presence Isa 19. 1. As Light doth dispel Darkness one Beam or Ray of the Sun drives it away when it overspreads the Face of the whole Earth So it is of the spiritual Light and of the spiritual Darkness where the spiritual Light doth appear and shoot it self forth it makes all Ignorance and Error to utterly vanish away The Father of Lights doth sometimes send out a Ray and Communication of his own Nature O send out thy Light and thy Truth Psal 43. 3. Thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth Psal 80. 1. He now and then appears a little more and makes a Discovery of himself The God of all things who hideth himself if I may so express it behind the Skreen of his Creatures doth look out a little Who hath put a Vail on his Face he doth a little draw it aside Who hath dark Waters and thick Clouds to cover him yet he looks out from behind the Pillar and as he troubled the Egyptians of old so doth he even now seem to disturb the Inhabitants of the Earth for so they are disturbed when they have any Apprehension or spiritual Sight of him And therefore they avoid it and they shut their Eyes against him Lord when thy Hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see Isa 26. 11. As long as they can refuse the Knowledge of God they will refuse it As long as they can resist and despise his Righteousness and Truth they will do so But at length there shall such an abundant Measure thereof be poured down that they shall both know and consider tremble and be astonished do whatever they can By the Help of God one of his Saints who is the same with others shall put an hundred to Flight and Ten shall chase a Thousand And this shall not be done by Sword or Spear by outward Strength or Power of the Hands but with the weakest Member and lightest thing in Man viz. It shall be done by the Tongue and by the Breath of his Lips And he shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the Breath of his Lips shall he slay the Wicked Isa 11. 4. The Lord shall put Words into their Mouth that the Ears which hear thereof shall tingle And though they are backward to hear yet he shall cause them to hear Now Words are vain light and the Sound of them soon passeth away They may be slighted off when they come from a weak and helpless Man For doth he talk of great things who is little and contemptible himself Doth he speak of Power and Might who is but Flesh a feeble Creature and like a Reed shaken with the Wind Doth he preach of Rewards and Punishments in whose Power it is not either to do good or hurt For the utmost is a slight Pleasure or little Inconvenience Doth he talk of Kingdoms Glory and Riches when perhaps himself is abject
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
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
accept of Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works Jam. 2. 18. Faith may be without Works but Works is a good Sign of Faith If they be right spiritual and Divine Works they must have Faith and Knowledge for Beginning and Performance of the same for wouldst thou know wherefore they are done by some and not by others Because some understand the Obligation they are under and the Encouragement they have to the same All People would alike do the Will of God if they have the like Thoughts and Apprehensions concerning the same There is one Faith and one Hope So they might equally believe and have the same Assurance of good things to come if they would study and seek diligently after them If they would suffer themselves to know their Duty and be in a Readiness to perform the same God would reveal it unto them Provided they do receive the Knowledge thereof and not put it off and stifle it He would incline them to do the same if they would yield unto and not resist his Motions He would give his Spirit if they would not grieve nor quench it and if they would preserve their Body in Holiness and Sobriety fit for its Habitation he would enlighten and rectifie their Understandings if they would draw off the thick Coverings of Ignorance and Disobedience which make that either the Mind cannot apprehend at all or it is full of Falshood and Delusions For the Transgressors having not observed but departed from the Law of the most High to save and defend themselves they seek out for Excuses and Imaginations and through the Perplexity and Maze of them the Sinner doth not so easily apprehend what is good and true A deceived Heart hath turned him aside Isa 44. 20. So it is always when one starts or goes out of the good Way And likewise the same hinders it from coming in as a secret Imagination that it is soon enough or pray have me excused for this and the like Reason There is an hundred Kind of Surmises or Imaginations But in Allusion to what our Saviour saith take heed how ye hear so let People take heed how they think for God discerns their innermost Thoughts as plainly as if they were wrote upon their Face or spoken out aloud in the Market-place However they keep them close and concealed from his faithful People and Ministers least they should find something in the Word of Truth to convince them of their Errors and Mistake so that they need not to go on therein yet in the mean while known to God are all of them and he will one Day spread them forth before their Faces in the Sight of Angels and Men and lay it all open and detect the whole by his eternal Truth They are so angry and vexed at present as if we could inform God who searches all things out and knows the very Secrets of the Heart or as if we did bring their Sins to Remembrance when himself hath declared that he considers all their Ways Though he doth now hold his Tongue Hab. 1. 13. yet our God shall come and shall not keep Silence Psal 50. 3. He shall rehearse the Thoughts Words and Actions of the whole Life These things hast thou done and I kept Silence Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine Eyes Psal 50. 21. The Time Place Circumstances and Aggravations will be all manifested and as they were Day by Day committed so they shall be reckoned up In the Midst of Transgression there was no such notice taken of them because God kept Silence but it might even then have been known that our God would reprove People for the same because even then he did sometimes do it a little by his Word and Servants and by the still Voice of his Spirit within them And though we know nothing of one another yet God is pleased to convey into our Mind some secret Intents and close Imaginations giving us thereby to understand that he knows them all for he gave us this Knowledge And if the World is now so enraged when only a few Thoughts of their Heart are revealed good God what Fear and Confusion will they be in What Terror and strange Amazement will possess them when all the Thoughts of all the Sons of Men since they have been created on the Earth shall be fully manifested For there is not a Word in my Tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether Psal 139. 4. And then all Evil corrupt Communications Lies vain Swearing false Oaths Blasphemies hard Speeches against God Jude 15. Reproaches of his People Slander and Backbitings with all the Sins of the Tongue which is a World of Iniquity shall be summed up So he who considereth all their Ways shall bring up all their ungodly Deeds wicked and unjust Actions the first whereof they did endeavour to hide from the Saints here on Earth and the latter even from their common Neighbours If they had but the Knowledge of God they would understand all this at the present Time for even now we live under him whose Eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth and are in every Place beholding the Evil and the Good He hath given his Word which is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart for that speaks out concerning them and declare them unto us Neither is any Creature that is not manifest in his Light but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 11. Not only divine Revelation but common Reason teacheth the very same For as our Lord argued to the Pharisees Ye Fools did not be that made that which is without make that which is within also Luke 11. 40. so he who fashioned every Part of us must likewise know all that is therein He that planted the Ear shall he not hear He that formed the Eye shall he not see So he who created the Soul with Powers to know must also much more know himself and also every thing which she thinks or doth The Scripture in sundry Places asserts this all-knowing Property of God There is no Darkness nor Shadow of Death where the Workers of Iniquity may hide themselves And they which would not commit Wickedness before such a Man who perhaps hath the faint Image of God within as to hate and loath Evil and therefore if such a Spy is in their Presence as they term him there is a Secret Awe and Restraint upon their Spirits But why might not these understand that there is one greater among them who sees and beholds all that they do Who is holy and hateth all Wickedness who is the Judge of all Men and will certainly call them to an Account for what they are now a doing Yet the Sense of him doth not keep them off from evil-doing Which happens only from
do Iniquity shall be cast immediately thereupon into a Furnance of Fire and then the boldest worker thereof would fear tremble and refrain He could stir up those terrible ones from under the Earth Devils and infernal Spirits the Executioners of his VVrath who should over-awe poor Mortals all one as a mighty King with his Armies doth now make them do this or that thing at his pleasure For hath he not the same power as Man to whom he gave being and hath before committed unto him the Power of doing whatever he doth Cannot he who sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers do as much or rather more than any two-footed Creature that now walks thereon Cannot the High and Lofty One who sitteth upon his Throne and commandeth over the Armies in Heaven who are greater in power and might as that wide place above is bigger than this spot of ground here where we dwell send forth his Authority and execute the same here Is this too far off when it is his Footstool for he filleth all places and all things even those under the Earth with his presence If I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there Psal 139. 8. Even now he sends sorth his Lightning unto the Ends of the Earth and his Arrows go throughout the World But because God doth not yet manifest his Power and shew forth all his Might a thought doth arise in them who know not God as if he cannot do this They who have a little more knowledge are sometimes apt to imagine That because he acts here by outward means which are but little and small that by reason of them is the Defect and they are unable to atchieve such great and mighty things whereas his infinite Wisdom and Glory are here to be seen in ordaining strength out of weakness VVho first made he will also enable them to perform what he would have them to do He can send forth his Angels or other Instruments whom we have not known nor heard of as yet A Temptation doth arise that though God can yet he will not do thus for so we have heard in Old Time and in our days over and over and yet all things continue as they were since the Creation But the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. 5 6. answers this by what God did of Old both by Creation of and Drowning the VVorld For this they are willingly ignorant of That by the Word of God the Heavens were of Old and the Earth stamding out of the Water and in the Water whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of Vngodly Men. That same VVord which spake them first into Being acquainted Noah Gen 6. of the intended Flood and afterwards this same word brought the VVaters for God Commanded them The same VVord hath likewise said that it shall be thus in the latter days to which we now haste Thus it is determined upon all those who in the mean time have been Ungodly or are or shall hereafter not give regard to the great God above or are disobedient to him for all such are ungodly without God in the VVorld who do not live in sense of Submission and Duty under him These might even now conceive that as in the beginning the Lord laid the Foundations of the Earth and it abideth as they find by moving and dwelling thereon As they see the gathering of the VVaters which is called Sea and as we behold the Heavens upheld and the Stars in their Courses and Places So surely doth the threatning lye against such and will be fulfilled when these things shall be so changed as we are further foretold of As before it was observed of the stedfastness and immutability of the Promise from Isa 45. So from 2 Pet. 3. it may be gathered of the utmost certainty of the Evil and Good things there spoken of They seem therefore to be out of sight and to come to prove how we in the mean while will be concerned and affected towards them There is a little imperfect Good in the One at present and a lesser Evil and Harm in the other but God will so add further that the one shall be perfected in Reward and Happiness the other shall end in Punishment and Misery My Son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments for Length of Days and long Life and Peace shall they add unto you Prov. 3. 1 2. and when the first is ended there shall succeed Immortality and Glory And the Peace here shall go out in Ravishment Extasie and unutterable Rejoycing So again Sin which now hurts for a moment doth bring on Torment for ever What occasions Sorrow and Vexation doth deliver over to the VVorm which shall never die VVhat occasions Sickness and Pain doth likewise bring forth Death and the Vengeance of Eternal Fire All that is seen or had here is but an earnest of like and worse things to come The less do fore-run and give notice of the greater And as in the former case by the comfort and satisfaction of the one we should much more desire and pray after that which exceedeth So by the sensible inconvenience and trouble of the latter way we should much more abhor and dread the End thereof which is Death As we now taste and feel it is thus so we may believe and be fully assured it shall be so hereafter as the faithful and true VVitness saith Behold I have told you before By the real Good of one way we may well depend further upon the substance of things hoped for By the hurt and deceitfulness of the other we may be sufficiently forewarned of the Destruction and Misery in that way The Nature of Rewards and Punishments Exhortation and Dehortation Promises and Threatnings do denote that Man is left to his Liberty and Freedom All these do inform and acquaint him how things stand pertaining to him That he might partake of the Good and avoid the Evil. God hath thus established the Connexion and Order of things They are set before Mankind and placed so near that they are become as closely appendant to him as his Flesh and Spirit so they must have the one or the other His trial is appointed in things absolutely necessary which he cannot be without as Meat Drink and Rayment to the Body and in Thoughts as to the Soul which are the very Essence of it for the Soul will cease to be when it shall cease to think And lest the Soul should degenerate into Sloth and Bruitishness of that we are rouzed up to take heed by the Parable of the unprofitable Servant whose Doom was Cast him into outer Darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth VVho would not receive and ascend up towards the Light but walked all his days in
now live is continually hastning towards its Period so we should at all times make Provision against this shall fail to be received up into the other that we may there continually partake of somewhat which we have done here Indeed the Fruits of the Earth do spring up and are ripe at such certain Seasons of the Year according to the Climate or Countrey but still the Husbandman hath some Employment all the Year round The Kingdom of God over the Souls of Men is not confined to Times and Seasons as in such an Age or Part of Life to such a Month or Day of the Year But this Work may be carrying on at all Times and Seasons The Word may be preached in Season and out of Season at Summer or VVinter Spring or Autumn Sabbath or VVeek-day in the Day-time or at Mid-night as they are journeying or sitting still in the Closet Family or Congregation Truth shall spring out of the Earth Psal 85. 11. at what time it shall please the Lord to open the Fountains of the great Depth And as the VVind bloweth when and where it listeth so he shall give his Spirit to search it out So again Righteousness shall look down from Heaven when the Lord shall pour down his Spirit from on high which as he hath done several Times already so it may acquaint us further of the things there He may instruct his Servants as those of old in what Disposition of Body and Soul they must be in for to receive it To get the foregoing Qualifications of Faith Knowledge Love of God Obedience Holiness Humility convenient Retirement and separating from their Brethren that they may the more approach unto God These things do not so much depend upon the outward Circumstances of set and definite Times of the Year but they come to pass at what Time pleaseth the Father and we receive the Grace and use the Means to be Partakers thereof Known unto God are the great things he will do for his Church for they are fixed in his eternal Purpose and Determination it is not for us to know the Times and Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power Acts 1. 7. Perhaps the very Reason why these are not clearly revealed and manifested unto us is least in the mean while we should neglect our own Concern Our Minds might so run upon what things are to be done in the Generations following that we should leave undone what ought to be done in this Generation wherein we now live As the VVoman of Samaria saith When the Messias is come he will tell us all things John 8. 25. so we might be apt to apprehend it as to refuse to learn any thing in the mean while And when it is promised The Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 9. VVe might content our selves with our former Ignorance and reject any further Knowledge and Instruction in the mean while Even those great things of old time have been transacted by outward Means and we ought still to use those Means which are in our Power to put them forth with all our Skill and Might and then let the Lord do what seemeth him good We know not at first what a Blessing and Success he may give unto them but we may somewhat perceive it afterwards Then things may rise up beyond our Expectations when in the Beginning we are apt to distrust and faint in our Mind Had our selves done nothing or after we had undertaken it then let it fall then it was our own Refusal that we were not Instruments in carrying on the Work of the Lord or he might take it from us and make choice of and give it unto others who should throughly perform his Will If the Way is shewed unto us and we are put in such a Capacity we have also an Impulse and Pressing of Mind to the same and the VVork is right and good as appears evidently from his VVord and the Examples of old there we may and indeed ought to walk in that VVay and actually do according to the Power given us and also comply with the Dictates of a rectified and truly informed Conscience If God may be glorified by such an Action and Good may be done unto others this should be indeed performed And seeing it should be done by some one why not by thee to whom he hath given the Knowledge thereof endued with Ability and is stirring thee up by his Spirit We may learn from Exodus 4. 10 11 12 13. that God is not pleased with Excuses or Delays or with alledging our own Imperfections for he made us at first and can also mend and increase what he hath begun He sent forth further Strength and Ability according as the thing requires The stammering Lips may at length speak plain as in the Beginning of Speech The Voice which was hasty and confused may become clear and distinct And who acquaints at first in general with the Errand that he should go to such a Place and do such a thing will afterwards according to his own divine Method in Acts 9. 6. teach particularly what he shall say And put the very Words into our Mouth a little before or in the very same Hour Mat. 10. 19. just as they are to be uttered forth Remembring still that we are but Instruments in the Hands of God We are to receive the Thoughts he puts into our Heart and to speak them out with our Lips but we can say no more nor think of pertaining to him than what he suggests and puts into our Mind We are to execute what he puts into the Power of our Hands but we can do no more Our God doth not require more than he hath given Those Talents are to be exercised and traded withal which he hath committed unto us but he will never call us to Account for more than we have received So we are to use Diligence and Labour according to what we can In the first Place we should pray unto God O learn me true Vnderstanding and Knowledge that I may keep thy Commandments Now these are either things to be abstained from or things to be done The first are properly Prohibitions or Forbiddings but the Word Commandment imports Duty which is to be done That must be discerned and known before it can be begun and because there may be Hindrances and Oppositions those also are to be seen and overcome that it may be accomplished In the Way to Heaven there are many Turnings aside which we are to be acquainted withal and avoid that we may keep on still in the right Way for if we go out there is so much Time and Labour lost to no purpose which might have set so far on The best Use hereof is to be more careful for the future to keep on right In every worldly Business and Design there are such foregoing Means And if they do at first hit upon those which are
vile and poor Many such like things might be objected against us if we came in our own Name or if we did promise them by our own Merit Excellency and Power But seeing we come in the Name of the Lord who hath created and ordained all things who will do nothing but he will reveal it to his Servants the Prophets Whatever his eternal Purpose and Decree is concerning Mankind he will some way make it known unto them by acquainting it to some who are to publish it unto others He hath so ordered that it might be known They do all hear the Rumour and they might seek after Acts 15. 17. and find it Salvation and the good things of God are forced upon none They may be brought nearer and pressed more urgently upon some than upon others yet still there is Liberty of Refusal Again they are not so far off from any but they may come near and receive them and to whom it is most inculcated and offered yet it is not all done to their Hand For Trial is had whether they will seek yet further There must be somewhat of Man's own Act and willing God doth manifest himself to be friendly and loving unto us by that constant Provision of temporal Mercies and also by doing all that lies on his Part for spiritual good things It is expected what we will do reciprocally as to what he doth require of us Saith the Son of God As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you Continue ye in my Love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Father's Commandments and abide in his Love John 15. 9 10. Here we have Assurance of the divine Favour to us and we are instructed how we may continue and express our good Will towards him viz. by keeping his Commandments God is no Respecter of Persons but whosoever of the Children of Men doth this he is accepted with him Whosoever doth the Works of Abraham he is a Friend of God as Abraham was James 2. 23. which Word Friend imports that we do a thing presently and readily at his requiring By much Importunity we we may get a Kindness from a common Neighbour which he will do not out of Affection and Esteem towards us but to be freed from the Trouble which we give him by our Importunity But where is real Love and Friendship there is constant Readiness to do mutual Offices even before the other asks or upon the least Intimation that such a thing would be acceptable unto him Now to apply the Case as it stands between God and Mankind As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me Psal 18. 44. Nothing can be more just and reasonable than that he should require Obedience of his Creatures Is he not more to all of them and to each singly than one Man is to another He is infinitely more kind than Father or Mother Husband Friend or Brother for even he ordained these Relations and stirs up what he first put in those Bowels of Mercy and Compassion one to another Of God are all things and now he ordereth them as it pleaseth him So he is the Author of all good we ever received and as he made he doth now sustain us and loadeth us with Benefits May he not expect something from us even all that we can render unto him To acknowledge him in all things and to walk always in the Way he shews unto us and to observe those Commandments he gives us Lord How strange is it that a Creature should make any Dispute or Controversie concerning it As we live by him so it is meet we should live as he would have us Both the Members of Body and Faculties of Soul should do according as he made and designed them Therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's 1 Cor. 6. 20. The Potter makes Vessels to serve for those Uses he intended them and other Artificers which frame moving Instruments make them turn or go as they please Hath not the Lord the same Power and Understanding who hath given such Skill and Capacity to others And he who fashioned every Part of us might also have ordained that all within us should necessarily have so moved according to his Command and Will as the Pulse continually beats to keep Life and Motion Who formed the Heart to turn either way to Good or Evil he might have determined it only to the first who enabled us to think this or that he might have confined us to good only and he might have kept out from thence Wickedness and Vanity all one as we now remain ignorant of many hidden and unsearchable things If we had a right Knowledge of God we might discern how he is the Creator of us and of all things who made my single Person he hath made Millions of the same Sort And who created Mankind he hath also Ten Thousand times ten Thousand several Sorts of Creatures both living and inanimate all which are for his own Glory and to minister unto him Who hath called the Generations from the Beginning Isa 41. 4. and ordained them to succeed one another after that Manner as we see they now do And shall a single Atom an individual Dust and Ashes refuse one Moment to comply with his Will Nay if several do so besides yet it is thine and the other 's single Disobedience which make up and encourage the Corruption of many But let their Number be never so great they are but as a Swarm of Flies and Locusts And if they do mutter forth hard Speeches or commit ungodly Deeds it is but in very little and sudden Acts. And what is all this Sin and Wickedness to the whole World of Creatures which declare the Glory of God and shew forth all his Praise What are the refractory and stubborn Worms of the Earth to those Armies of Heaven which fulfil all the Pleasure of the Almighty When he commands the Children of Men to do after this or that manner they go on frowardly in the Way of their Heart yet his Throne is for ever established above the Circuit of Heaven and there he sits governing the World and for ought we know a Thousand others God exercises the supream and alone Authority over all Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flaming Fire The Spirits are for the sudden and quick Dispatch of what he would have done and for the effectual Performance of the same And the flaming Fire is to burn up and consume all that lets or hinders and so make way for his Purpose He hath already fixed and ordained things in their appointed Courses and Places He hath appointed those several Motions and Bounds He hath sent forth his Word and given a Law He garnished out the Heavens by his Wisdom and laid out the Foundations of the Earth by his Understanding And we see it abideth according to his Ordinance for all things serve
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
In this Case the more usual VVay is to try all Means to obtain a Reprieve or Forgiveness and if that cannot possibly be had then indeed the former Resolution was the more excusable But if it might have been obtained unless for such provoing Attempts or they would use them of set Purpose here it is the very Heighth of Folly and Madness For they wilfully bring upon themselves such Evil and Misery under which they smart only for a slight and sudden Humour which soon passeth away and for which they are condemned by all understanding Men. Thus it is as concerning Offences between Man and Man But yet it is ten Thousand times more unreasonable as to Sins against God For do we provoke the Lord to Jealousie Are we stronger than he If any are perversly resolved against him they will see and feel who will repent of it first God or themselves The Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoak against that Man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven Deut. 29. 20. All this may be done at this present time even when he knows not or is not sensible thereof But now it would be better if he were sensible of as much because then he might fear and tremble submit and then endeavour to be reconciled unto him in the mean while Lay hold of his Strength and make Peace with him who saith Fury is not in me Isa 27. 4. But if this be neglected what will the poor Creature do when the Anger and Jealousie of the Lord which before did smoak to give VVarning shall burn out with fiery Indignation to consume the Adversaries when all the Curses that are written in this Book and now lie against him shall be actually executed upon him For behold the Day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the Proud such as will not submit in the mean while yea and all that do wickedly shall be Stubble and the Day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall not leave them Root nor Branch Mal. 4. 1. Let them at present he never so great in their own Opinion or many for Number Yet when the Earth and all the Works thereof shall be burnt up they shall be likewise devoured in the general Conflagration What is a single Potsherd to stand before him when he shall sweep away with one Beesome of Destruction all the Generations of the wicked since the World began Thou carriest them away as with a Flood they are as asleep Psal 40. 5. Thus we evidently perceive of those Generations whereof one cometh another goeth and the single Persons flourish and grow up again They are cut down at any Time or wither And in the mean time By thy Wrath are we troubled Vers 7. It is now revealed from Heaven We now and then perceive some Glimpses thereof and we do startle and fear Those who are farthest off and most exempted from this Wrath yet they commonly have most Thought and Apprehension thereof As again to whom it is most due and threatned by reason of their evil Deeds they do what they can to shut out the Sense and Knowledge thereof For otherwise it would press in so hard and close upon them that then they must not continue in Sin Even in those who fence and harden themselves most yet ever and anon a sudden Flash of divine Vengeance darts into their Minds which strikes them with Dread and Horror and by the trembling and Astonishment it gives it doth sufficiently convince there is one mightier than they Our God indeed now keeps Silence and is out of Sight as also he forbears in this Time of Tryal yet he hath declared and made known that he is angry with the wicked every Day Psal 7. 11. who again Day by Day transgress against him For they speak and do those things against God which they dare not do against their fellow-Creature But when Man hath finished his Time of sinning the Number of the Days of Transgression are accomplished and God comes to reckon for them altogether For the Destruction of the Transgressors and of the Sinners shall be together Isa 1. 28. Then whatever he thought or did as concerning this almighty Judge when the things concerning him have an End then the most mad and prophane Wretch that ever trod on the Earth will be forced to take up Julian's Confession and Acknowledgment Vicisti Galilee and in another Sense then the Prophet spake in O Lord thou art stronger than I and hast prevailed Jer. 20. 7. Why thus much may be clearly discerned in the mean while for let Man consider himself or who made him his Flesh is as Grass which grows up towards withering His Breath is in his Nostrils and who breathed it in he can take it out whensoever he will His Strength is confined to such a Degree beyond which he cannot do more His Stature bodily Dimension and every thing he hath is limited to such a Size And certainly he who hath determined him on every Side hath Power over him Who made all Men he can do more to such a single Person than one Man or Thousands can do to another There is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy As he doth good so he can punish He can do both in a greater Degree and more eminent Manner than any of the Sons of Men can do one to another Even to the utmost that we are capable to receive and to endure For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my Ways higher than your Ways and my Thoughts than your Thoughts Isa 55. 9. This is brought in to confirm his Promise of Pardon and Acceptation Vers 7. So again is his Punishment and Requital He can contend and be wroth so long even just till the Spirits shall fail before him and the Souls which he hath made Which also he can uphold and continue yet longer to sustain his Vengeance as long as himself is pleased to inflict the same His Loving Kindness is better than Life for it extends yet further so likewise the Power of his Anger is more to be dreaded than Death for it is even beyond that Upon all Respects God's Displeasure and Punishment doth exceed Man's Displeasure and Punishment and consequently it is more to be feared and more Care ought to be taken that it be avoided The several Actings and Obligations towards God rise greater and higher than to the best and greatest of Men for God is more than all So neither is that Rebellion and Contempt to be used towards him which Men will not admit of from one another God is greater than Man Yea all Nations before him are as the Drop of the Bucket He will keep the Feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in Darkness for by Strength shall no Man prevail
repented the Lord that he had made Man upon the Earth and it grieved him at his Heart Gen. 6. 5 6. But after that the Lord smelled a sweet Savour and the Lord said in his Heart I will not again curse the Ground any more for Man's sake for the Imagination of Man's Heart is evil from his Youth neither will I again smite any more every thing Living as I have done Gen. 8. 21. This was said upon Noah a Righteous and Perfect Man his building an Altar unto the Lord and offering burnt Offerings on that Altar So that we see and find that it fares better with the wicked World for the sake of the Righteous And after the same similitude of things we may conceive that when the Lord hath been long and sore displeased with the Heathen of former Generations who were at Ease under which word Heathen are comprised all those who know not or who obey not the Lord when the Earth was much corrupâ—ed by reason of their Transgression which did sit heavy â—pon it so that it became as a Smoak or Stink in his Nostrils When the House of Israel dwelt in their own Land they defiled it by their Ways and by their doings Their way was before me as the uncleanness of a Removed Woman Ezek. 30. 17. After God hath born with this a long time then comes and succeeds the Righteous Generation who build an Altar and offer Burnt Offerings on that Altar which like Frankinsence and Myrrh doth take away all the former Stink that the Lord doth smell a sweet Savour from them whereupon he doth abate and mitigate somewhat from that intended Punishment which he had before thought to lay and inflict on the wicked World That he will not stir up all his Wrath nor yet pour on them all and the utmost Evil which he had before purposed to have done Though withal by seeing the exceeding Goodness of the one compared with the Exceeding Sinfulness Evil and Provocation of former Generations it is necessary that some Punishment and Vengeance be actually inflicted on them For the day of Vengeance is in mine Heart Hereby is denoted the futurity thereof and that it is to succeed after the other and the Year of my Redeemed is come Isa 63. 4. Which being expressed in the Present Tense though it is spoken of after the other yet in order of time it will be before that to which agrees the Gospel And the Dead in Christ shall rise first Thess 4. 16. For it is the day of the Lord's Vengeance and the Year of Recompences for the controversie of Sion Isa 34. 8. What is this controversie of Sion It is even the Lord's Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Earth That all both Jew and Gentile Heathen and all other People of every Nation Country and Language and of every Generation should obey him the Lord their God And here it comes to pass that some do Obey him and some do not from whence it is appositely stiled Recompences in the Plural Number there being two sorts of them that is to say a Recompence of Good to those that shall be found to have Obeyed him and a Recompence of Evil to such who have not Obeyed him For the Lord God of Recompences shall surely requite Jer. 51. 56. To all People of every Country Kindred and time one of these two ways So that in short if People do not Obey God it is a Controversie which will be decided to their own Misery as themselves will find in the day of the Lord's Vengeance But if they do obey him unto which knowing the Terrors of the Lord we perswade Men it will be abundantly made up to them in the Resurrection of the Just in the Year of Recompences for the controversie of Sion This Controversie the Lord hath been pleading with Men and Women by his Word and Spirit by his Prophets Son Jesus Christ Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers Ministers and Servants ever since Man was first Created on the Earth The same lot hath fallen unto me from the Forty third Forty fourth and Forty fifth Verses of the Eighteenth Psalm which I have here endeavoured to Handle Faithfully and Truly according to the Grace and Knowledge according to the Ability and Measure which the Lord hath given and committed unto me according to the proportion of Faith and according to that distribution of Spiritual Qualifications and Endowments which was allotted and here I stand in my Lot Dan. 12 13. to me a single Creature What I write unto others I write unto my self also that I may be found obedient in all those things whereunto I exhort others And whilst the desire of my Soul is to this and the same is the endeavour of my Hands it is a well-grounded hope and assurance that both my self and my Works may be accepted of the Lord. If the Lord who hath the residue of the Spirit Mal. 2. 15. doth stir up others also in like manner as he hath done mine This may somewhat prepare and make way for the Vniversal Reformation of the Lives and Manners of Men. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as Stars for ever and ever But thou O Daniel shut up the Words and seal the Book even to the time of the End Many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12. 3. 4. So that after all these Words also may be shut up and this Book may be Sealed until the appointed time draws near and is actually come when God will indeed bring the same to pass even at the time of the End in the very last days and shutting up of all When Christ the Son of David the root and off-spring of David the Bright and Morning Star shall be delivered from the hands of all his Enemies and from the strivings of the People when his Enemies shall be made his Foot-stool and shall be cast out as the dirt in the Street when all his Members Disciples and Followers shall be delivered from the Hand of Saul See the Title of Psalm 18. that is in a Spiritual Signification from the Devil that like as Christ their Head was preserved from and not overcome by his Temptations so he stall see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied for in that himself hath suffered being Tempted he is able to Succour them that are Tempted Heb. 2. â—8 Whom he doth accordingly so Succour and Preserve in the hour of Temptation and in the day of Trial till at length they become Conquerors and they are delivered from the hand of all their Enemies and from the hand of the Tempter CHAP. IX A Paraphrase on some of the most Remarkable Verses of Psalm 18. Shewing the Design and Connexion of this Psalm Whereunto is Sub-joined the shutting up and the Conclusion of this whole Book SO that in that day the words of this Song may be spoken unto the Lord I will
Practical Discourses On Sundry TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE Wherein is shewed and made known The absolute Necessity for all People TO Turn Immediately Unto the Lord their GOD. By RICHARD STAFFORD formerly a Batchelor of Arts of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-yard 1695. To the Courteous READER THE Subject of this ensuing Book A Call to all the Inhabitants of the Earth to turn immediately to the Lord their God is Great and Good Even what all the Words and Preaching that have ever came forth into the World in all the several Generations and Countries have endeavoured at For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins the Just for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 8. Besides the Sufferings of Christ The End and Intent of all the Words which Christ spake or made known and so it is the same of all the Transactions which have ever passed between God and Man are that he might bring us to Himself who is God Though this hath been indeed effected of some few Peculiar People of the several Generations yet it hath not been of the Multitude and Generality of Mankind Notwithstanding God was manifested in the Flesh and put to Death in the Flesh but quickned in the Spirit for this alone End and Purpose How can it then be expected that one who is born out of due Time and the least of all in the Kingdom of God can by publishing a few words more accomplish so great a thing when all the Books and Preaching in the World have not yet done it Especially when the Word it self which was made Flesh and dwelt among us Full of Grace and Truth who spake as never Man spake did not so bring it to pass that all should though some did believe on him Far be it therefore from me to expect or imagine That this little Book or Treatise of mine will ever have so great an Effect But it is only offered as another Mile to be thrown into the Treasury of Divine Truths It is the Thoughts of one single Creature which have arose in his Mind whereby himself is actually perswaded to God and good things and to turn unto the Lord Immediately Luke 12. 36. As Paul conferred not with Flesh and Blood but immediately went to Jerusalem So for my part I would utterly lay aside all Carnal and Worldly Considerations and immediately give up my self to the Guidance of the Lord as he leads me in the way to Jerusalem that is above whithersoever that way goes And I do desire that these same Thoughts may be published and made known abroad Out of this Hope and Expectation If Peradventure the God of all Truth who perswadeth us throughout our Life in all the several Circumstances and Conditions thereof That we may be able to perswade other Men and Women by the very same Thoughts wherewith our selves are perswaded of God He fashioneth the Hearts of the Sons of Men alike Psal 33. 15. and it is commonly seen That by what one is perswaded another under the like Thoughts and Circumstances is Perswaded also And if the like things were made known unto and believed by the mixt Multitude and generality of Mankind as is to the elect People and real Servants of God in all outward Likelihood and Probability They would also be brought over unto God To this alone End and Purpose are these Words laid before Men that whosoever will may read And for such who will not read the Saying among the Latins is Pertinaciae nullum Remedium Posuit Deus So we the Ministers of his Word cannot tell what to say to it Nor do we know how to help and remedy it though we would never so fain But we can only warn such Behold ye Despisers and Wonder and Perish Such are in real danger to fall under the same Doom as the Sons of Eli and Amaziah did Notwithstanding they bearkned not unto the Voice of their Father Because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2. 25. But Amaziah would not hear for it came of God that he might deliver them into the hand of their Enemies 2 Chron. 25. 20. And so it is They that will not Hear Read and Receive the Words of Instruction Knowledge and Reproof It is a certain foregoing sign that such will be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power It is commonly alledged that there is no new thing under the Sun and there is nothing said especially in Books but what hath been said before for my part I would endeavour somewhat further in what I publish to the World which as yet is not so clearly made known in other Books and Sermons or otherwise I would not publish at all Or at least I would seek out acceptable Words and that which is written may be upright even Words of Truth Eccles 12. 10. If Words or rather Sentences of Truth are indeed brought forth Although they be without Method and Connexion as there are very many of this sort in the following Treatise yet they are never the less worth for want of that All one as pieces of Gold or so many Pearls are not the less valuable although they be not linked and chained together Again Although my writing here is not with enticing words of Mans Wisdom nor yet according to the exact Rules of Oratory But things are expressed so plainly that they may be understood by the meanest Capacity Nevertheless God is more glorified and the Reader may be more edified hereby then in what is called more Learned and Polite Discourses It was both a puzling and also a sudden Question of Pilate What is Truth To me it seems to be the expressing forth the Nature of things as they are with the Connexion between themselves and how they pertain to us Men. Things are again divided into Visible and Invisible Present or Future Now the present and visible things soon pass away and are but little But the great Object of what is commonly called Divine Truth which is the subject of the ensuing Book is only invisible and future things which are the only thing needful even the greatest and nearest Concern All things are Gods for he created them and the principal Matter here insisted on throughout the whole is what God requires of Man with a Word of Exhortation to enforce him the more to the Obedience and Observance of the same and more especially what God will do unto us Men and Women the reasonable Inhabitants of this Earth both hereon in the latter days and also after that they are gone off from this Stage of the middle part of the World As to that great Controversie which the Lord hath had for so many Generations past and foregoing concerning their universal Obedience to Himself their God Psal 50. 7. which all the words that ever came forth and were made known in the World heretofore
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
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