A TREATISE CONCERNING Election & Reprobation, AND The things appertaining thereunto. Am I moved of the Lord, to Write for the Satisfaction of all who desire to know the Truth, as it is in Jesus, and the Confusion of that abominable Principle, viz. That God hath Reprobated some Men from all Eternity; and therefore it is that they cannot be otherwise.  
Written in the fear, and at the Move of the Lord, By his Servant Geo. Bishop.  
For whom he did fore know, he also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many Brethren. Moreover, whom he did Predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also Justified; and whom he Justified, them he also Glorified, Rom. 8. 29, 30.  
Say unto them, As I live saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and Live: Turn ye, Turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Therefore thou Son of Man, Say unto the children of thy People, The Righteousness of the Righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his Transgression; as for the wickedness of the Wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the Righteous be able to live for his Righteousness in the day that he sinneth, Ezek. 33. 11, 12, 13. O Israel! Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help, Hos. 13. 9  
Printed in the Year, 1663.   

A TREATISE Concerning Election & Reprobation, etc.  
COncerning those two great Points, viz. Election and Reprobation, for the confusion of that abominable Principle, viz. That God hath Reprobated some men from all Eternity, and therefore it is that they cannot be otherwise: And the satisfaction of all such as desire to know the Truth, as it is Jesus, this I have to say from the Lord, and as moved of him, and in his fear do I write.  
The Lord made not Man to destroy him, neither hath he concluded any man from all Eternity to Destruction; That were to think most abominable of God, who hath no pleasure in the death of a Sinner, but that the Wicked turn from his way and Live; and to overthrow the end of his Coming into the World, whom the Father hath sent to redeem Man, and to bring him back again unto God, Ezek. 33. 11. Hos. 13. 14. Tit. 2. 14. As is the Opinion of those who hold Reprobation from all Eternity; Whether they be called by the Name of Presbyters, or Calvinists, or Fathers of the Church, or Doctors, or Ministers of the Gospel, or Lay Elders, or People, or Offieers, whether in England, Scotland, or Ireland, or any other parts of the World; to all such I am moved of the Lord to write, even to all those whosoever they be, or wheresoever they are, and this I have to say unto you from the Lord.  
You are mistaken in this whole Matter, not knowing the Lord, nor the Power of his working, who doth unto every man according to the pleasure of his Will; and who hath resisted his Will? and this is his Will, yea, he hath sworn it, that he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but that the Wicked turn from his way and Live: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die O house of Israel? So said the Lord by the Prophet, Say unto them, as I live saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die O house of Israel? And saith he further, and 'tis to be minded what he saith, Therefore thou Son of Man, Say unto the children of thy People, The Righteousness of the Righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his Transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the Righteous be able to live for his Righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the Righteous that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit iniquity, all his Righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity which he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; If he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the Pledge, give again that, that he hath rob, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die; none of his sins that he hath committed, shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live: Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal; but as for them their way is not equal; When the Righteous turneth from his Righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby; but if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal; O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. And the ground of what the Lord so speaketh, is in the words before, and it is the very same with you in this matter, which they had then to say against the Lord as you have now; upon which account the Lord pleaded with them then (who said, The way of the Lord is not equal) as he doth with you now; for so your conclusion speaks (as I shall show by and by) though you will not speak so openly in words. Therefore (saith he) O thou Son of Man, speak unto the house of Israel, thus ye speak saying, If our transgressions, and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked man turn from his way and live; Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Therefore thou Son of Man, Say unto the children of thy People, etc. as aforesaid, Ezek. 33. 10. and so forwards; Read the Chapter.  
Now if the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? and you see he hath Sworn it; and if the Righteousness of the Righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and if as for the wickedness of the Wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; and if the Righteous shall not be able to live for his Righteousness in the day that he sinneth, and you see the Lord hath spoken it; and that if the Lord say to the Righteous that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own Righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his Righteousness shall not be remembered, but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall surely die for it; and if he say to the wicked thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right, none of the sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned to him; he hath done that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live; and that the Lord will judge every one after his ways; Then it follows that there is no such thing as the Decreeing some men to Destruction, or the Reprobating of some from all Eternity; for if it were so then indeed, their transgressions and their sins would lie upon them, and they would pine away in them, and should surely die; as they spoke in that day (as aforesaid) and that the way of the Lord was not equal; as your conclusion speaks now; for if Men are decreed to destruction from the beginning, and if they are Reprobated from God, from all Eternity for ever; how can they choose but be so? how can they turn and live? how can they live? for then there would be a necessity, an Omnipotent necessity (if I may so say) or a necessity laid upon them of an Omnipotent decree, or the absolute determination of an Omnipotent God upon them to the contrary, and what creature can work it off? Nay, how can God (if with Reverence as a Man I may so speak) do otherwise then conclude them so for ever; when he hath so determined them, how can he reverse it, when the word is so gone forth of his mouth in Righteousness, unto whom every knee must bow, and tongue confess; who is a God of faithfulness, and truth, blessed are all they that wait upon him?  
This, indeed, were most abominable to think of God, and to judge the Way of the Lord unequal, and to lay a necessity from the Lord upon Man to destruction; which let me go further and say, is the highest blasphemy, and the most gross abuse of God as is Immaginable. For, (if it were lawful to think (for still I am in dread of the thought of this Opinion) that God should say to Men, Turn and live, I have no pleasure in your death; Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? And if the wicked man turn so; and if the Righteous man do so, so; and yet hath so afore concluded them, and laid the Necessity of his Decree and Counsel so upon them, that they can neither be so, nor so, and such a necessity must needs be upon them, if they be so concluded, what a mock would it be (if it were lawful in a manner so to speak it; and I abhor even the very thoughts thereof, otherwise then to express what such a conclusion doth speak) in God to Man his Creature (who made not himself, who cannot make himself, much less alter the Decree of him that made him) to bid him turn, and live, and if he turn, he shall live; when he hath concluded him otherwise, and resolved him to die by a Decree Irreversible, by an Omnipotent necessity (as I have said) of Death upon him; which he can never come from under.  
Now know ye all who are of this Opinion, whose conclusion so speaks; The Lord hath laid, no necessity upon his Creature; (nor did he at first lay any) to turn from him who made him after his own Image; there was nothing of the Lord either of his Counsel, or Decree, or in order to the bringing about of his work of Salvation, or the making of his Arm glorious in the Salvation of Man; I say again, there was nothing of the Lord or any necessity as of him, in the fall of Man (no not the least withdrawing of the Lord from man, than it must of necessity have been, for man could not preserve himself) or his turning from him; I must clear the Lord from this before all the World, and to all men; the Lord withdrew not that from man in which man was made, which made man, in which he was safe, in which he was secure had he abided in, had he not gone out from that; But man turned from that in which he was made, which made him, which gave him his being, in which he might have been preserved, in which he was, where he was safe, and so went to another thing; The Lord made man upright (that in which he was made, which made him would have kept him so, had he abided with him, had he kept in him) but man hath found out many Inventions (so it was not of God, no influence of his, no withdrawing of his Power, no letting fall (if I may so express my self after the manner of, and unto man) of any thing that he had set to support him) and here came man's fall, the destruction of Israel of himself. O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help, Hos. 13. 9  
So then, the destruction of Israel is of himself, not of the Lord, but in the Lord is his help; and his help being in the Lord, and his destruction of himself, there is nothing of the Lord as to his destruction, and there being nothing of the Lord as to his destruction, then there's no influence of his either as to the bringing about of any of his Counsels, or the making of his Arm more glorious in accomplishing a Restauration, or the withdrawing from man his Power, or the letting that fall in which man was made, and by which he was preserved; Or in any other thing of Determination or Decree, which of necessity must be, if from all Eternity he hath Reprobated some, and so sealed them under a condition, or state ●f destruction, never to be redeemed, never to be delivered. The Lord then would seem to be a very hard Master to enjoin a man to things which without him he was not able to do, and yet to withdraw his Power by which he must be enabled to do them if ever they were done by him; Yea, to resolve that man should never do them, and this as to that which is Eternal, as to his well being for ever and ever, to bid a man turn, and live; And yet in his Counsel to have decreed him never to return, but to be destroyed for ever. No, no, the Lord is no such hard Master, he hath put no man so; When he speaks, his heart is the same; When he swears, it is by his own Life, which is sure and certain, and as certain and sure it is that the thing is so, as it is that he hath Life by which he swears, who lives for ever. For men verily (saith the Apostle) swear by the greater, and an Oath for Confirmation is [to them] an end of all strife, wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel, confirmed it by an Oath, that by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie; We might have strong Consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope set before us, which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the Veil; Wither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made an high Priest for ever, after the Order of Melchesidec, Heb. 6. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.  
Now he hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live; (as hath been said) and he having sworn it; Impossible it is for him to lie, it is Immutable, but possible it is for him to lie, and he must be Mutable, and Vary, (With whom there is no Variableness, nor shadow of turning, Jam. 1. 17. For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed, Mal. 3. 6.) If he hath concluded man to destruction from all Eternity, and then saith unto them turn and live; If he hath determined some to Reprobation, and yet swears he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live; Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel, and O Israel thy destruction is of thy self, but thy help is in me, with whom is no Variableness, nor Shadow of turning; For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye Sons of Jaeob are not consumed, as aforesaid.  
So, Friends, all you who are here, take heed how ye impose upon the Lord in things of this Nature; Or take upon ye to meddle with his Decrees, who understand not the Lord, nor the Counsel of his Decree whose way is in the Deep, and his Footsteps in the Mighty waters, lest he dash you to pieces; For who are you that you should place such a thing upon the Lord, which among men is the most horrid, and Abominable, much more as to the Lord (if one can say more) who is far above man, as the Heavens are above the Earth, whom man cannot reach; He hath given something of himself to you, and placed it within you by which you may know him, and understand his counsel to you-wards, and his thoughts of old even from the beginning which have been good to you; which is that which Invites you, that which draws you, that which inclines you to God; which shows you evil, and is with you to resist it, which watches evil, and shows you the very approach of it, and the appearance of evil, and is near to deliver you, which judges evil and reproves it in you, and you for evil when you have joined to it; This testifies for the Lord that he hath no pleasure in your death; This is a living witness that he hath not concluded you to destruction from all Eternity, but that he seeks you, that he desires your welfare, that he would not have you die, but live; and is a living testimony even in you, against this Opinion which you hold; and such your conclusion as aforesaid, who know not the Lord, nor the way of his working; who impose upon him, and place that on the Lord which never was in his heart, and this of him in you, as I have said, that seeks to gather you, that makes your heart tender to God, and to fear before him, is in and to you, and all men a living witness; Therefore lay down such your Opinions, and come to that of himself in you; and believe in that which shows you, which makes manifest, which reproves, that you may find his counsels of good to you that have been of old, even from the beginning, which seeks to gather you.  
And if you say, He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9 18. And, who hath resisted his Will? v. 19 And so, Why doth he yet find fault? And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up (speaking of Pharaoh) that I might show my Power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth: and so he showeth mercy on whom he will show mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. And, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated; and, the children being not yet born, neither having done any good, or evil, that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her (unto Rebecca) the Elder shall serve the Younger; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, v. 11, 12. 13, 17, 18. And, so it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy, v. 16. and so, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. As he said to Moses, v. 15. and as the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my Power in thee, etc. as aforesaid.  
I answer, The Lord hath shut up no man in Unbelief, that he might have mercy on no man, but he hath concluded all in Unbelief, that he might have mercy on all, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 11. 32. that is to say, he hath concluded no man to Damnation; that he should be Damned irreversible, but he finding all men in the fall, in the state of Unbelief, in the state of Damnation, in the state of Reprobation; he concluded all men in Unbelief in that state. What? that he might Damn them, that they might be Reprobated for ever, that they might be destroyed, that they might be damned. No, but that he might have mercy on all; that is to say, that they might come to life, whom death was over. How is that you may say? Why thus, the state of all men in the fall, is the state of Reprobation, in this state there is no being, no believing in God; the state is concluded in Unbelief, and all that are in it, their eyes are darkened that they cannot see, their ears are stopped that they cannot hear; God hath given them the Spirit of slumber, Eyes that they should not see, Ears that they should not hear unto this day (saith the Apostle of Israel, that abided not in the Election) Israel (saith he) hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the Election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded; according (saith he) as it is written, God hath given them the Spirit of slumber, Eyes that they should not see, and Ears that they should not hear unto this day, and David saith, Let their Table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense unto them; Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always, Rom. 11. 7, 8, 9, 10.  
So then, the state of Reprobation being a state of Unbelief; and the state of Unbelief being a state of Reprobation; the Lord hath concluded all, in the state of Unbelief, in the state of Reprobation, that he might have mercy upon all; that is to say, that their Eyes being darkened in that state that they may not see, and their Ears being stopped that they may not hear, and their Backs being bowed down always, that which shows them mercy, that opens their Eyes, and causeth them to see, which that state closes; that unstops their Ears, that boareth them, and makes them to hear; that which takes of the burden from the shoulder, which bowed them down, may appear to be of the Lord; for in that state there's no hearing, no seeing, no standing upright. God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber, Eyes that they should not see, as aforesaid. And David (the Seed) prays, Let their Table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense to them; Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their backs always. So how can they arise, how can they hear, how can they see in this state which the Seed hath prayed may not see, and that their back may be bowed down always, and whom the Lord hath given the Spirit of Slumber, eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear? Now that which gives eyes to see, ears to hear, that takes off the burden, that lifts up, that awakes out of the slumber, is another thing; the Election, the Seed, the Election which obtains, where the rest are blinded, who continue, or are in the state of Reprobation, of Unbelief, though Israel once the chosen of the Lord: Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the Election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. So that which gives to see, and to hear, that awakens unto God, is another thing, the Election which showeth mercy unto whom he will show mercy, and whom he will he hardens; that is to say, Opens the eyes of those whom it wills to open, and whom it wills it shuts; that is to say, Concludes in Unbelief, that it may have mercy upon them; Concludes never to see, never to hear, never to go upright in that state, but in another, he hath concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy upon all, not that he may destroy all, that he may bring them to see the wellspring of Life which is near them; which hath damned up the Way to Life by any other way than Christ the Life that which witnesses in them; who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I am, saith he, and there's no other way to life! the state of Reprobation, of Unbelief, cannot show it, it is uncapable of it, it cannot comprehend it, cannot see it; even the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 3. 14. So that which gives to see is another thing, that which gives to receive is from another state; the hearing ear, the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them, saith the wise man, Prov. 20. 12. but he made not Reprobation, he made not unbelief, or the state thereof, that is to say, He is not the cause of its being; Man ●an into that, man brought that. O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help; the hearing ear, the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them, and he hath closed the eye, and shut the ear of the other; that there is no seeing there, no hearing unto life in that state. It can never see God, nor hear his voice, it hath neither seen him nor known him; Whosoever sinneth, hath neither seen him, neither known him, 1 John 3. 6. It is in another state, the seeing, and knowing of God. In the state which is immortal, that never dies nor changes, which is that which witnesses; and here's the seeing, and here's the hearing, and no where else, it is the Word of the Lord, and this you will find in the day that he will render unto every man according to his deeds, wherein every tongue shall be silent, and every mouth shall be stopped; and all shall confess that his judgements are just, and there will be no covering for man, nothing to hid him; but he shall be naked, and bare before him with whom he hath to do, and shall see himself so to be in the day wherein the books shall be opened; all that which witnessed shall be remembered, and man shall be judged according to what is written in the books. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, & the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works, Rev. 20. 12. All that which witnesses speaks is written in a book, and this book shall be opened, not a book of Ink and Paper, but of Conscience, written with the Spirit of the living God, that which speaks in Conscience, and every man shall be judged out of that, and by that which in Conscience witnesses, which gives to receive the things of God, and nothing else.  
So the Lord hath shut up, hath concluded the state of the one in unbelief, given them the Spirit of Slumber, eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear, that he might have mercy in the other, that gives the eye to see, and the ear to hear; Here's the two seeds, here's Election and Reprobation; here's the seeing eye, and the hearing ear which God hath made even both of them; here's the eye that they should not see, the ear that they should not hear, which God hath given; here's the conclusion of all in unbelief, he hath concluded all in unbelief; here's the end of it; that he may have mercy upon all, not that he may condemn all, and so I have opened this Particular.  
Then as to that, Even for this cause have I raised thee up, that I may show my power in thee, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth, which is spoken of Pharaoh.  
I answer, This is meant of states; So is that (viz.) Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, as it is written, and the Elder shall serve the younger, as it was said unto her (unto Rebecca) before the children were born, neither having done any good, or evil, that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, the Elder shall serve the Younger, as aforesaid. The Elder Esau, which was first in the tran gression, that state that was brought forth first after the fall, the state of Wrath, the state of Reprobation, the state of Unbelief, in which all are concluded; And were by Nature the children of Wrath, even as others, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2. 3. The first born Esau have I hated, but Jacob have I loved, before the children were born, neither having done any good, or evil, the Elder shall serve the Younger; that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.  
So then of him that calleth it is where the purpose of God as to Election stands, of him that witnesses, that moves to God-ward in man; not of that which goeth another way, not of that which worketh. All the endeavours of man from that, or that is not of that which calleth in man the Election, will not avail; the purpose of God is not there Esau the Hunter, hath not the blessing, the first state Prospers not, it cannot inherit, it must serve the younger to whom the blessing is. Pharaoh the hardhearted, which will not let Israel go, when God calleth him the Election, is hated of God, is for Destruction, and all that are in it; the purpose of God is as to the Other, the Election, the Power of God is shown here, and it is raised up for that purpose, even that his Name may be declared throughout the earth. Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction, all that are in it; all in whom it is, whom he hath endured with much long-suffering. What if God willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, v. 22.  
So man hath a day, and God calleth upon man to turn and live, and man heareth not so as to turn, and live, and the Lord endures with much long suffering whilst he calls, whilst he speaks; And man's day is over, and long suffering is at an end, and God calls no more, and waits no longer, and the Election is withdrawn; Christ, the Seed of the Promise, that which calls, that which seeks, that which waits, that which bears, that which endures with much long suffering; Those whom wrath fills; whom the first Exercises, the State in the Fall, in the Transgression, the state of Unbelief, the state of Reprobation, the Lord makes known his Power; God shows his wrath, after long-suffering hath an end; On the Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; Those in whom destruction hath had its course, and will now end; Even for this cause have I raised thee up▪ that I might show my Power in thee, and that my Name might be declared in all the Earth.  
So God is not unrighteous; What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbidden; For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy, on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion, on whom I will have compassion, as the Apostle saith in the same case, Rom. 9 15. He found all men in the fall; He found all men in the state of wrath, in the state of Reprobation, in the state of Unbelief; He concluded all in Unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all; and herein is his mercy manifest in that he calleth man in this state who seeks not after God, in that he waits on Man, in that he seeks him who is lost; In that there is something of himself in man, that stands at the Corners of the Streets in the chief place of Concourse, in the openings of the Gate, and calleth upon him ●o Return, the Voice of Wisdom; Now if man will not come hither, if he will not be drawn here, if he will not return, but go on in his own way, and follow after the counsel of his own heart, and not the Lords, his destruction is of himself, the Lord is clear, if he give over calling after him; If he let him alone; If he seek after him no more, and shut up his day upon him; The day of his Visitation, the Lord is clear, and that which called upon man in man, which man would not hear, that of him in man which sought man, and man would not return, would not be gathered will witness for God in the day that he will render unto every man according to his deeds.  
So Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, the Elder shall serve the Younger, the Children being not yet born, neither having done any good, nor evil, that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, for this purpose have I raised thee up that I may show my power in thee, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the Earth; The Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction, the Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory, of which the Apostle speaks, Rom. 9 22, 23. Are the two Seeds, the two States, and those that stand in them according as they stand in them, according as they are found in them, are they determined to Life, or Death, to Salvation, or Destruction; to the one, that the purpose of God according to Election might stand to the other, that he might show his power in them, and that his Name may be declared throughout all the Earth, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up; Therefore hath he mercy, on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth; Whom he will he inclines the Ear to hear that which calleth, and they are gathered into it, the Election, that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of Works, but of him that calleth; Whom he wills, their day is shut up, and he calleth no more, who hath been long rejected, and these are hardened as was Pharaohs, who refused to let Israel go; and the more the wonders of the Lord were shown, and he called upon by Moses to let the people go, the more he hardened his heart, till he bade Moses see his face no more, for in the day that he did it he should surely die (look to this all ye who resist the Motions of the Spirit, the movings of the good Spirit of the Lord in you, that which calleth on you in you, to return, and live; And do not against it, but be led by it, lest you come to hate it; and though Wonders have been shown to the Dead, that which is in the state of Death in you, and lies in the Grave by reason of Transgression, be reached, and it hear the Voice of the Son of God, that which calleth in you, and you know it; You come yet to rebel against the Lord; and that which calleth on you be an abomination unto you. Wilt thou show Wonders to the Dead, shall the dead arise and praise thee? Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the Grave, and thy Faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy Wonders be known in the dark? And thy Righteousness in the Land of Forgetfulness? but unto thee have I cried, O Lord! Psal. 88 10, 11, 12, 13. Then is your day like to be at an end, and your evening is at hand, when you come to hate him that reproves in the Gate; and that which calls on you must no more come near you lest it die; Moses, that which works the Wonders, which shows them to the Dead; which calls upon you, and you hear its Voice; For than your first born is like to be slain, and Israel shall come out of Egypt, that which suffered in you, and you made to serve, with an Outstretched Arm, and be delivered in your destruction, it is the Word of the Lord. He that hath an Ear, let him hear, what it speaketh. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my Hand▪ and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought all my Counsel, and would none of my Reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh, when your fear cometh as Desolation; and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind; when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call on me (saith Wisdom who cryeth without, and uttereth her Voice in the Streets, she cryeth in the chief places of Concourse, in the openings of the Gates, in the City she uttereth her Voice, saying, how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and the Scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate Knowledge? Turn ye at my Reproof, behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make known my Words unto you, then shall they call on me saith Wisdom) But I will not answer; They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; For that they hated Knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my Counsel, they despised all my Reproof; therefore shall they eat of their own way, and be filled with their own devices, for the turning away (see you here) of the Simple shall slay them, and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them; But whoso hearkneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from the fear of evil, Prov. 1. 20. to the end.  
So the Vessels of Wrath, and the Vessels of Mercy are hear; Those who stand in the one, 〈◊〉 are found in the other, which is the Election and Reprobation, according to the purpose of him that calleth; And even for this same purpose have I raised thee up; Both his purpose, they who are found in either, his purpose is according to the state of either, in which they are found, Vessels of Wrath, Vessels of Mercy. What if God be willing to show his Wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction (he doth not say ordained to destruction and all Eternity, but fitted to destruction, which Iniquity doth, and destruction is the end when it hath finished its course, sin when it is finished brings for Death, Jam. 1. 15. Destruction is the end when Iniquity finishes its course) and that he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory? Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of Gentiles, Rom. 9 22, 23, 24.  
So fitted for destruction, vessels of wrath, iniquity fits to destruction (as I have said) the creature in that state, the state of the fall, the state of Reprobation, vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction; on whom he will he makes his power known, after he hath endured with much long-suffering (see you here) after he hath waited, after he hath called, after he hath sought, after he hath endured with much long-suffering, and man will not hear, man will not turn; If he turn not, he will whet his sword, he hath bend his bow, and made it ready: he hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death; he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors, Psal. 7. 12, 13. God is willing, what if God willing to show his Wrath, to make his Power known (even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I may show my Power in thee) endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath (whom Reprobation, Iniquity, Unbelief, hath filled up, whom it hath contained, in whom it hath long lodged, who would not be emptied, would not have it cast out, on which the wrath of God abides, Vessels of Wrath) fitted to destruction, made ready for that purpose by Iniquity; Iniquity fits to destruction, that's all the profit of it (if so be it may be called so) to fit to destruction, for God to show his wrath, to make known his power upon, after he hath endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath. (And the Vessels of Mercy, which he had afore prepared unto Glory; Here's both (as I have said) Vessels of Wrath, Vessels of Mercy: Vessels of Wrath, fitted to destruction; Vessels of Mercy, afore, prepared unto Glory; That which receives, that which calls, which shows mercy; I will show mercy, on whom I will show mercy; That the Purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of Works, but of him that calleth, Vessels of Mercy, they receive mercy, contain mercy, retain that which calleth, the Purpose of God according to Election; Even as they did not like to [Retain] God in their Knowledge, God gave them over to a Reprebate mind, to do those things which are not convenient: being filled with all unrighteousness, &c, Rom. 1. 28, 29. I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy, afore prepared unto Glory. Mercy that which calleth, the Purpose of God according to Election, not of Works, but of him that calleth, prepares unto Glory where it is received (that which calleth) Mercy afore prepared unto Glory; As Iniquity that which hardens the heart, shuts the ear, maketh to refuse mercy, not to retain that which calleth, the Purpose of God according to Election, fits to destruction; Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction; Vessels of Mercy afore prepared unto Glory. What if God be willing to show his wrath, and to make his Power known? And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory.  
So God is not Unrighteous, he made not man to destroy him; Neither hath he concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction; But he made man Upright, and after his own Image, and therein man was kept as he kept therein; but man turning from that in which he was made, to another thing, Death came over all, because all (in Adam) had sinned; and in the state of Death every man stood, and was concluded, because in Adam every man had sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. Now in this state (as I have said) the Lord finding every man, his compassion wrought to man, and his bowels earned towards him, whom he had made in his Image, which now man had lost, and was fallen from, and Death was come over; therefore as he concluded all in this state, because all had sinned and come short of his glory; so he had mercy upon all, he concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all; and this is his mercy that there is something of himself in man, which shows him where he is, and what he doth (as he hearkens to it, believes in it, and obeys it) and his enemy, and sin, and transgression, by reason of which death came over, and judges it, and calls upon man to return to the Lord, that he may be redeemed from Death, and ransomed from the power of the Grave, and see Life. Now this is mercy, and the Lord might have chosen whether he would have done this to his creature whom he made upright, but had turned from him, for he was not bound to his Creature, and have let him remain in that state for ever: Nevertheless herein the love of God was made manifest to Man, that he gave him something of himself that had never sinned, nor consented to sin, and placed it in him, to call upon him to turn unto the Lord; and that whilst we were yet sinners (saith the Apostle) Christ died for the ; and herein the greatness of his love is shown, that he continues this in man, which waits upon man, and calls upon him, and seeks him, and entreats him to turn unto the Lord. Now man resisting this, and disobeying this, and not believing in this, which suffers, which bears, which waits, which seeks, and the day of his visitation, this suffering, this waiting, this seeking, this bearing coming to an end; Man comes to be unredeemed to God, to be a vessel of wrath, a vessel of dishonour fitted to destruction, and so his destruction is of himself; but man coming to heed this, to retain this that calleth, to believe in it, to be guided by it, he comes to be redeemed unto God out of the hands of him, who had him in captivity, to be a vessel of mercy, a vessel of honour prepared unto Glory, and so his help is in God.  
So, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth? Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing form, say unto him that form it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump, to make one vessel unto Honour, and another unto Dishonour? Man cannot plead with God in this case, for (as I have said) he is not bound unto his Creature, he might make it as he pleased; even of the same lump, one vessel to Honour, another to Dishonour; he hath power over man, as the Potter hath over the Clay; so man may not plead, man may not reason with God in this Particular, stood the Case only here, had he been made so at first, the Lord would have been clear, and who durst to have opened his mouth, seeing the Lord had power over man to have made him as he pleased; But the Case stands not here, it lies further; the Lord made not man so, he did not so form him, nor with an intent that he should be so did the Lord make Man; but he form him a vessel of Honour, He planted him a noble Vine, wholly a right Seed: He made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their Habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him, though he be not far from any of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain of your own Poets have said; for we are his offspring, said the Apostle to the Athenians, Acts 17. 26, 27, 28. Jer. 2. 21. He made him upright, after the Image of God made he man, but man (as I have said) found out many Inventions, and having turned aside, and proved the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine; even a vessel o● Dishonour, bearing the image of the Devil, who was made after the Image of God; It was the loving kindness of God to visit man again, and to call upon him to turn unto him, to place something of him-thing of himself in him to call upon him; to show him where he is, and what he hath been doing, and to turn unto the Lord. Now he that will not hear this Prophet, which the Lord hath raised up like unto me (said Moses, who gave the Law without, which was the Similitude of the Law within, Christ Jesus, the fear in the Inward parts, that which calls, that which makes manifest, that which reproves, that which judges, that which makes the heart tender to God, and to fear before him) shall be destroyed from among the people, Acts 3. 22, 23. For, if the word spoken by the Angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, Hebrews 2. 2, 3.  
So he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, he visiteth whom he will, and he waits on whom he will, and he calls on whom he will; and he suffers as he will, and as long, and whilst he will; and whom he will he hardens; he suffers iniquity to go over, which the more it turns from God, the more it hardens man against him, on whom he calls long, and they will not turn unto the Lord; and so the more he calls, the more they turn from him, and the more they turn from him, the more they are hardened against him, and the movings of his Spirit; and the more they are hardened against him, and the movings of his Spirit, the less his Spirit strives with them, and therefore it is said, O Lord! why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and heardned our hearts from thy fear? Return for thy Servants sake, the Tribes of thy Inheritance, Isa. 63. 17. The Lord was withdrawn, that of him ceased to call, which they had transgressed against; they grew cold to the Lord whilst that strove not with them, that made their hearts tender to him; they began to grow hard as that turned from them that turned them to him; they began to go astray, as that removed which led them to him. O Lord! why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear? Return (here was the matter, the Lord was withdrawn, the Lord was removed, that of him turned from them as they had turned from it, that was the cause, and of this they grew sensible; Return ●ay they) for thy Servants sake, the Tribes of thy Inheritance.  
So, whom he will he hardens, as they withdraw from that of him which calls on them to turn to him, he withdraws that in them of him, which turns unto him, as they let not in that of him in them that calls upon them to turn unto the Lord, which makes them tender, they grow hard. So Pharaoh, the more he withstood Moses that called upon him to let Israel go, the more hard Pharaoh was, and even for the same purpose have I raised thee up, that I may show my power in thee, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth.  
So when the Lord calls, and man will not hear; when he stretcheth out his arms long, and man will not come when he strives, and yet man will not be gathered, who is turned from God. It's just with God to withdraw from man, to turn that of him that turns man to God, from man, to withdraw that which sought to gather him, to remove that which was near to him which strove with him to bring him back again to God, and so to let him err from his ways, and to hearden his heart from his fear; Which in a sense may be called, a making man err from his ways, and a hardening of his heart from his fear, because that's withdrawn from man; that's removed that led man in his ways, and caused man to fear before him; Man still turning from that which would have turned him to God, and withdrawing from that which would have made his heart tender to him. And so I have done with this Particular.  
Lastly, And to that, why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?  
I answer, That is spoken as to the Omnipotent Power of God, by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself, which makes the Devils tremble, though they love him not, and to obey him, though they fear not before him; But there is a difference between the consideration of this Omnipotent Power of God, which can make every thing bow as he pleases▪ and that Power which he hath placed in man (which yet is Omnipotent too) to bring him to God. For, in the One, the Lord deals as a Dread Sovereign, who at his beck lays all things at his see; In the Other, as a Father, as a Redeemer, as a Wooer, as an Entreater, as a Beseecher, for man to be reconciled to God. Now as to this Latter, it is the Gospel of Reconciliation, the Ministry of Reconciliation, is that which he sends forth to turn man unto God. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation; And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation. And, now than we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God; For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20, 21.  
As to the other, it is the Ministry of Wrath, or of Condemnation. The Savour of Death unto Death, and of Life unto Life; For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and to them that perish; To the one, we are the savour of death unto death, and to the other, the savour of life unto life, 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. And, To YOU that are troubled rest with Us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction; From the presence of the Lord, and the Glory of his Power, when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day, 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10.  
So, here's the difference; The Ministry of Reconciliation, is the Power of God; Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, that beseeches, that prays, that that woes, that entreats man to be reconciled to God; who hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin (and so the burden of sin is upon him, and the suffering, who takes it on him, and bears, and suffers the just for the unjust, that he might bring us all to God, 1 Pet. 3. 18.) that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him; And this is Gentle, it works with the understanding of man, it opens the understanding of man, the Eyes of his understanding. The Eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward, who believe according to the working of his mighty Power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places, far above all Principalities, and Power, and Might, and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet; and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church; which is his Body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all, Ephes. 1. 18. to the end. And this is that which waits on man to reconcile him to God, and bears the sins; So that those who receive him, in whom God is reconciling the World unto himself, he imputeth not their trespasses unto them, so makes him sin, who knew no sin; He bears it, he suffers it, the just for the unjust; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, that he might bring us all to God; And this is his Will, and this is resisted, Ye have condemned and kiled the just, and he doth not resist you, Jam. 5. 6. this is gain said. They perished in the gainsaying of Core, Jud. 11. This is evil entreated, and scoffed, There shall come in the last day scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. 4, 5. And. the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them; Those whom the King sent to invite to the Wedding, Mat. 22. 6. This is mocked and spit upon, struck and blindfolded, crowned with Thorns, and scourged, this is put to death, when it hath cried out, My God, my God, why hast uhou forsaken me, Mat. 27. 28, 29, 30, 31. For the same that was done without to him, in that day; is done to the measure of him within, in this; who is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World, Rev. 13. 8. Whose witnesses John saw should prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth, Rev. 11. 3. Against whom, when they shall have finished their testimony, John saw also that the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit, should make war against them, and should overcome them, and kill them, and that their dead bodies should lie in the streets of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom, where also our Lord was crucified; and that they of the People, and Kindred's, and Tongues, and Nations, should see their dead bodies three days and a half, and should not suffer their dead bodies to be put in Graves, and that they that dwell on the Earth, should rejoice over them, and should make merry, and send gifts one to another, because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelled upon the Earth, Rev. 11. 7, 8, 9, 10. And, as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he was brought, so he openeth not his mouth, saith Isaiah of him, he was Oppressed, and he was Afflicted (read this every one in his own particular, who afflict the just in you, and cause it to suffer, to be pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves; And so cause the Lord to cry. Ah! I will ease me▪ of mine enemies, and avenge of mine adversaries, Isa. 1. 24. Amos 2. 13. 5. 12.) Yet he opened not his mouth (read this ye that make height of that which witnesses in you, which ye cause to suffer, which resists you not, which openeth not its mouth) which as a Lamb is in you: when it is brought to the slaughter, when you suffer the unjust to slay and murder it, that which moves in you unto God, and against evil, and waits to bring you unto God; You little think what you are a doing, and whom you suffer to be put to death (so far as the motion of that comes to be extinguished, and so may be said to be slain) even the Lord of Glory. Whom none of the Princes of this World knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory, that which witnessed in them unto God; there they slew him first; behold the Kingdom of God is within you (said he to the Pharisees, who demanded of him when the Kingdom of God should come, they looked for it without, and a King and a Kingdom without, but he answered them and said, The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation; neither shall they say, lo here, or lo there▪ for behold the Kingdom of God is within you, as Luke sa●es, Chap. 17. v. 20, 21.) and then put him to death without, that which slays the witness within, will kill him that bears it withort, as it hath opportunity; Cain slew his brother in his heart, and then with his hand; he that oppresses it within, will oppress that which testifies to it without; he that afflicts it within, will afflict it without. First, the thing in themselves, than the same in another, for that which slays in the particular, carries forth that particular to slay as it can the same in all others; the murderer is on top whose itch is at all those in whom the same Spirit lives, which he hath slain in the particular; And here all Persecutors may see their face, and what is in them, and how 'tis with them, and what it is that makes them cause the just to suffer, even that which hath slain the just in their particulars, and what it is that they slay, and is slain, that they persecute and is persecuted, but the Lord of Glory; even them that bear it, in whom it lives unto God and brings forth fruit to him, what ever they may think even in themselves and others, as Saul did; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me, and he said, who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks, Acts 9 4, 5. Whom none of the Princes of this World knew (whom Saul knew not) for had they known it (had Saul known it, and after he knew it he did it not) after the light had shone about him, and he was struck down; and he heard the voice, that which called, the voice behind him, when he turned to the right hand, and to the left, when he persecuted, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. 'tis that which suffers in the flesh, that is meek, and lowly; that seeks to bring unto God. Rejoice greatly O Daughter of Zion, shout O Daughter of Jerusalem. Behold thy King cometh unto thee, he is just, and having Salvation, lowly, and riding upon an Ass, and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass, Zach. 9 9 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly, Mat. 11. 29. So take heed of this all ye that persecute the just in your selves, or others, and cause it to suffer, for it will not resist you, you may resist his will in this Particular, in such a sense as this, that which is meek and lowly in you, that speaks in you, and seeks to bring you to God.  
But as to the other, which is not in the long-suffering, in the waiting, which rules over all in Heaven and earth, which doth whatsoever he will in Heaven and in earth; and who shall say unto him, what dost thou? who is Lord of all, who made the Heavens and the earth, and all that is therein; that holdeth the waters of the deep in his fist, and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure; the Lord of Hosts is his Name, who removeth the mountains, and they know not who overturneth them in his anger; who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the Pillars thereof tremble; who commandeth the Sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the Stars, who alone spreadeth out the Heavens, and treadeth upon the Waves of the Sea; who maketh Oriturus, Orion, and Pleyades, and the Chambers of the South; who doth great things, yea, and past finding out; who hath measured the Waters in the hollow of his hand, and meeted out Heaven with the Span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance; who hath directed his Spirit, or being, his Counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he Counsel, and who Instructed him, and taught him in the Path of Judgement, and taught him Knowledge, and shown to him the way of Understanding? Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing, and Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for't a burnt-offering. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, who hath hardened his heart against him and prospered? Who hath resisted his Will? for he formeth the breath of man, and sheweth man his thoughts; he bringeth Summer and Winter, and Seed time, and Harvest, and Createth the Grass of the Field; He maketh Night and Day, and withdraweth the Wind into his Cloisters; He spreadeth forth the light of the morning as a sheet, and causeth darkness to cover the face of the earth. He is Great in Wisdom, Wonderful in Counsel, his Way is passed finding out: No man went after him, nor shall any man come to him in the knowledge of this his understanding which is unsearchable.  
So here all men must be at a stop, there's no finding of him out; there's no resisting of him, who beats the mountains like dust, and rends the Rocks to pieces; all men must bow before him, and the most up right among men make their supplication to their Judge; for he breaketh and, and carrieth away, and there is no resisting of him who hath resisted his Will?  
And yet in his deal with man, in his long-suffering to man, in his seeking man who is lost, in his gathering man who is scattered; he is far otherwise, he woes, intreats, prays, beseeches (as I have said) he waits to be gracious: The Gospel the Power of God, Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God that seeketh man, that calleth man is (as I have said) the Gospel of Reconciliation; His Ministers are the Ministers of Reconciliation. God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself (not rending from himself) and hath committed to us the Ministry of Reconciliation. Now than we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you; We pray you in Christ stead be reconciled unto God, as aforesaid. And here's the Will, and here's the Power, and here's that which can be resisted; and this is that which man resisteth, which waiteth upon man, which seeketh man; and here the Lord, and his Will, and his Power is to be understood, and no otherwise.  
So all are to be silent, and every mouth is to be stopped before the Lord; for who can complain of him, who hath placed something of himself in man, Christ Jesus, the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, a measure of him in every man, to gather him to the Lord, and to bring him again to him who is gone from him, which is that which witnesses, which shows, which judges, which reproves, which makes manifest; and this waits on man after that man hath turned from him; the Seed of the woman, which he promised man after he was fallen, should bruise the Serpent's Head, which bruises the Serpent's head in all who are gathered to it, believe in it, and are guided by it. Now they who are gathered unto this receive mercy, become vessels of Honour fit for the Master's use; vessels of mercy afore prepared unto Glory, from him who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion, as he said to Moses, who hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all, and holds forth this unto all, and hath placed this in all. For as in Adam all die, so [in] Christ all are made alive; the Plaster is as broad as the Sore, the Medicine as comprehensive as the Disease; Those who are not gathered to it, reject the Counsel of God against themselves, as it was said of the Pharisees, and Lawyers who came not to the Baptism of John, being not baptised of him, Luk. 7 30. and so become vessels of dishonour, vessels in whom there is no pleasure, unfit for the Master's use by reason of sin, and that which defiles, which he can have no fellowship with, nor can it come near him, vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.  
And so all men are left without excuse, and will be found so in the day of the Lord, wherein he will render unto every man according to his Deeds; for this of him which he hath placed in every man, which calls upon every man, which seeks every man, that in every man which witnesses doth it, which reproves, which judges, which shows man what he should do, which makes manifest, will then witness for God in every man, and how the Lord hath sought every man, and waited for him, and all its sufferings, and being rejected, and its sigh, and oppressions, and afflictions, and heavy loadings, and groan, whilst the long-suffering of God waited, will it bring up fresh in man, which shall judge man, and leave him without excuse.  
You will not be able then to battle it against the Lord; your reasonings will be stopped; your great Arguments will be at an end; No trifling it then as now, wherein man is bold by reason of the Instigation of the Devil, and the Ignorance that is in him, and reasons with the Lord, as if he were stronger than the Lord; as if the Lord needed man, as if he always would wait on man. No, no, before your Judge you will be silent, and you shall confess to the Lord, that his judgement is just.  
So, Friends, ye all who are here; heed whilst ye have time, take heed of pleading with your Maker, and reasoning it out with him, Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? and yet he made not you so, nor no man so, he made all Nations on the earth of one blood, and appointed the bounds of their habitations, if happily they might seek after God; So he hath concluded no Nation under reprobation, from all eternity; He Created man after his own Image; In the Image of God created he them, Male and Female, and so he made none to Dishonour, none to Reprobation; He might have made man otherwise, and who could have said to him, what dost thou? for he hath Power, as the Potter over the Clay, and yet when he hath made no man so; why doth man complain, for who hath resisted his Will? why doth he find fault? It is sufficient, and riches of mercy, that he hath had compassion on man, and visited him again with the day spring from on high, who sat in darkness, and in the Region of the shadow of death; which is the light which shows him whatsoever he doth; Is not this the Christ? if Man will not be gathered to this if he will neglect so great Salvation; if he will trifle out his precious time, and do despite unto the Spirit of Truth, and trample under foot, the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, and reject mercy, and loving kindness, and that which waits upon him, and hath compassion on him, and his day have an end; and so he be hardened, and that which called withdraws, and that which strove ceases, and so he errs from his ways, and his heart is hardened from his fear, and the Lord show his Power in him; that which he refused, and did reject, which is the Power of God unto Salvation, and declare his Name throughout all the earth in his destruction; Man hath nothing then to reason with the Lord, and all men will find it so, it is the Word of the Lord.  
And whereas the Apostle saith, What if God willing to show his wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction, that he might make known the riches of his Glory, on the Vessels of Mercy, which he had afore prepared unto Glory? He doth but put the Question. If he were willing to do so, and if he had done so; what, hath man to do to complain. Nay, but O man! who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing form, say unto him that form it, why hast thou made me thus? If the matter were only there, it stood well against man, but the Lord hath done otherwise, (as I have showed) he made man otherwise; and the Lord hath otherwise done by man since he marred himself, as hath been declared, so the Lord is true, and every man (here) a liar, Rom. 3. 4. and his mouth must be stopped, and he must make supplication to his Judge, whom though I were righteous (saith Job) yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge, Job. 9 15. And this becomes man, and not to argue it with the Lord, and to wrangle with him; as if God were unrighteous, as if his Ways were not equal; Who measures the Lord? by his shallow understanding, who cannot be searched out. O the depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom, and the Knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his Judgements and his Ways, past finding out; for who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his Counsellor? Or, who hath first given unto him, and it shall be given unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be Glory for ever, Amen. Rom. 9 33, 34, 35. 36.  
So, every man's mouth here must be stopped, and before his Judge he must be silent (as I have said) and not lay unrighteousness on God, or charge him that his Ways are not equal; For man himself shall conclude it otherwise, in the day wherein the Lord will render unto him according to his deeds; and therefore it is in vain to stand it out with the Lord. It is but the artifice of the Enemy, that works this in you, he knows you will otherwise say when it is too late therefore be not deceived by him, lest when 'tis too late you blame your folly. Moved of the Lord I am to write this to you in bowels of love, that you may see your state, and how this matter stands, and that ye may be delivered.  
And if ye yet say; The Children being not yet born, neither having yet done any good, or evil; that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of Works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, the Elder shall serve the Younger, as it is written; Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.  
I answer, as I did before, this is spoken of the two Seeds, the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, of which these two were Figures, in which as the Knowledge of the Lord foresaw they would be, so he loved, so he hated; For he loveth, and hateth no man, but as they are in these; and it was after the fall that this was spoken; both the promise that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's head; and the Elder shall serve the Younger. Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. For before there is nothing spoken of this, for all stood well, and as the same in the first Adam, whilst he stood, and there was no need of the Promise, nor was there two (as to man) the one whereof was the Object of Love, and the other of Hatred, the Elder serving the Younger; but man was one spirit from the Root Eternal, and in the Root Eternal, which God hath blessed; And the two, or that which made two, the seed of the Serpent, which entered into man came out afterwards. For man receiving the Serpent, and obeying his voice, after he was made, against the Command of God, there came to be two things in man, two Roots; two which struggled, the Seed of the Woman, the seed of Promise, and the seed of the Serpent, the seed of the Curse, as the Promise came to take place, and that seed came to move in man, to bring him back to God, which the Lord hath promised as the Children strove in Rebecca's womb, when she came to be delivered; so do these as the time cometh wherein (as I have said) the promise of God cometh to be fulfilled; The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these are contrary the one unto the other, So that ye cannot do the things that ye would; As the Apostle speaks, Gal. 5. 17. And which the Apostle found in himself, when the Promise came to be fulfilled in him. I see (saith he) another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into Captivity ●o the law of sin, which is in my members; And he cries out there (as Rebecca did concerning the Children; If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord, Gen. 25. 22.) O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this Death, Rom. 7. 23, 24.  
So the Children struggled in the Womb of Rebecca, which was the Figure. Two Nations are in thy Womb; and two manner of People shall be separated from thy bowels; and theone people shall be stronger than the other people, and the Elder shall serve the Younger; (said the Lord unto her, of whom she went to inquire, when it was so with her (as aforesaid) And when her days to be delivered were to be fulfilled, behold there were Twins in her womb, and the first came out Red all over like an harry Garment, and they called his Name Esau; and after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel, and his Name was called Jacob, ●. 24, 25, 26. So, the Law of the Spirit of Life which was in Christ Jesus, struggled with the law of Sin, and of Death. In Paul, which, though the law of sin and of death, the law in his members struggled with, and came out first; When I would do good, (the law of his mind) evil is present with me, (the law in his members) the good that I would I do not, the evil which I would not, that do I; Yet it took hold of its heel, and supplanted it as the Name of Jacob the true Seed, siignifies; Is he not (said Esau) rightly named Jacob? For he hath supplanted me these two times; he took away my birthright, and behold now he hath taken away my blessing, and Esau hated Jacob, because of the blessing wherewith his Father blessed him; And Esau said in his heart, the days of mourn-for my Father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob, Gen. 27. 36, 37. 41. It came after, and supplanted, overthrew the other. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord▪ the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death; For what the Law could not do, for that it is weak through the flesh; God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit; for they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life, and peace, vers. 21. chap. 8. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  
So there is the first, and the second; the first man Adam, and the second; the Law of Sin and Death, and the Law of the Spirit of Life; the Law of the Mind, and the Law in the Members; the Flesh and the Spirit; the Son of God in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemning sin in the flesh, and the body of sin and death. Two Nations, two manner of People, the one stronger than the other; the strong man armed, the stronger than he. The Elder as to man in the state of the fall, that came out first, the Younger, which was before the Elder, though it came out in the World after; This is he (said John) of whom I said, after me cometh a Man, which is preferred before me, for he was before me, John 1. 30. The Younger who comes after the fall, the seed of the Woman to redeem out of the fall, to bruise the Serpent's head, which the Elder must serve; which taketh hold of the heel of the Elder, and supplants it, and makes it to serve; the Elder shall serve the Younger.  
And so the Apostle speaketh; They are not all Israel who are of Israel; Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all Children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called; That is, they that are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the Promise are counted for the seed; For this is the word of Promise, at this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son; And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our Father Isaac, (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good, or evil, that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.) It was said unto her, the Elder shall serve the Younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (as aforesaid) Rom. 9 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  
And here is the whole matter as it lies together, and as the Scriptures testify, and are the Explanation of one another in the Spirit of the Lord from whom I have written, and who hath shown me these things, that I might write them unto you, that your understandings might be opened▪ and that ye might come to see the Truth as it is in Jesus, and be brought to the Knowledge of the Truth; And so I have finished this particular. The Lord God Eternal open your eyes, that in this your day you may know the things that belong unto your Peace. And so I shall proceed.  
As the Lord made not man to destroy him, and as he hath not concluded any man from all Eternity to destruction. So, neither hath he so made man, as that it is impossible for him to fall from the state in the which he was made, or to miscarry so as to fall from life for ever and ever.  
That were to put man in another state than that in the which he was made, who was made in a Dependence on God for his being, and Subsistance in the state in the which he was made, and to render him as God, knowing both good and evil, that is to set him, as do he good, or do he evil; he shall never be finally removed from the state in the which he was made, that is from Life, but shall remain as God. The Judgement of the Ranters whom the Serpent hath taken with that which was his first bait, with which he took Eve at first, and with which they are taken at this day; who hold. That do they what they will, they shall never be finally removed from the state in the which they were made; that is, from Life—  
Ye shall not surely die, for God knoweth that in the day that ye eat thereof, than your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil, Gen. 3. 4, 5.  
This the Serpent laid before Euè, viz. a state beyond that in the which she was made. Ye shall not surely die (a state at the pleasure of him that made you, and at his Commandmen who gave you your being) Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every Tree in the garden? v. 1. (hath he put you, are ye under such a dependency on him, and at his command? Nay) ye shall not surely die (it is not so) ye shall be as Gods (a state beyond that in which ye were made; ye shall not need to stand in such awe, and dread; Ye are not necessitated to such a dependency upon God, as that doing contrary to his Command, ye shall die; your state shall be changed, nay, your state shall not be so changed, but eating of the Tree, doing of that which he hath said ye shall not do, which signifies a Subjection, and Subordination, a Creature state of Variation, and Change at the Will of Him that made you; Nay, the doing of this will enter you into another state, that's more high, more fixed, more certain; a state wherein God is, who changeth not, nor is moved, nor doth alter or  from that wherein he is, and this God knoweth) for God doth known (this is the Reason that God hath set you under such a command, in such dread, in such awe as of death; a losing of the state in the which ye are, and a coming into a quite contrary, or another, this he knows, and therefore hath laid this Command upon ye, to keep ye from this; to prevent your attaining unto this, to be as he is, settled, and unchangeable do ye what ye will, ye shall not surely die; Nay, it shall enter you into that state wherein there is no such thing as death, but only a death unto that in which ye are as you are passing to it, as through death to life; ye shall not need thus to be put to it, ye shall be as Gods, without change, without alteration, without fear, or dread, or a necessary dependence upon another to keep you in the state in the which ye are; Ye shall not need thus to be put to it at every turn, to be under this Rod, under this reproof, under this check; under such a manifestation as this, and who would be so when he may be otherwise? This God knoweth, therefore hath he laid this Bar upon you, this Precept, this Bond to keep ye under) that in the day that ye eat thereof (ye do otherwise then he hath ordained you, and so put your selves out of a state of dependence upon him, or of being Creatures, so to be disposed of, and ordered by him; so taking yourselves into your own Power, your own disposal, as he doth himself, and you whilst it is thus with you, that you dare do nothing but what he requires you; and that ye dare not do that which he forbids you, which is a Creature state of alteration, and change, of Subjection, and Subordination, you will be as he is, you will be as Gods, unalterable, unchangeable, insubjectible, insubordinate; and this God knoweth that in the day that ye eat thereof, that ye so put your selves, that ye so take your selves into your own order, and not stand under his Order, and Rule, who hath so said unto you, Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every Tree in the Garden? Yea, is it so? We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden (said the Woman, who was first in the Transgression; Adam was not deceived, (the first man Adam was made a living Soul, 1 Cor. 15. 45. that was not deceived; which was made a living Soul, after the Image of God) being the Image of God, or, the Image of God in man; Christ Jesus the Son of God, the new man, And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, nor free; but Christ is all, and in all, Col. 3. 10, 11. Who is the Image of the Invisible God, the first born of every Creature, Col. 1. 15. Who being the brightness of his Glory, and the express Image of his Person, and upholding all things by the Word of his Power (in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; All things were made by him, & without him was not any thing made, that was made, 1 Joh. 1. 1. 3. Heb. 1. 3. For a man indeed, ought not to cover his head; forasmuch as he is the Image and Glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man: For the man i● not of the woman, but the woman of the man; Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man (he that reads, let him understand) for this cause ought the woman to have Power over her head, because of the Angels. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord; for as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God, 1 Cor. 11. 7. to the 13. And as we have borne the Image of the Earthly, we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. 49. and this is Christ) but the woman being deceived, was in the transgression (the woman, that man wa● not Created for, but the woman for the man; the woman by whom also the man is, as the woman is of the man; the woman without whom neither is the man, neither the man without the woman in the Lord, being deceived was in the Transgression, the Creature that was made, not the Soul of the Creature, the living Soul; that of God, the Image of God, in which the Creature was made; God breathed into man the Breath of Life, and man became a living Soul; the first man Adam was made a living Soul: I say the Creature that was made in the Image of God, the living Soul, that man became after God had breathed into man the Breath of Life, and man became a living Soul; the first man Adam, the Creature, that was so made, the woman, not Adam, the living Soul, which by this came into death, and death came over it, and there he remains till the second Adam, the quickening Spirit, the Lord from Heaven, raise it up, and de●iver it) being deceived (mistaking the thing) was in the Transgression; went from the Commandment, in the which Adam was not deceived, for that testified in the woman; that which was taken out of man, which proceeded from man, for which the man was not Created, but that for man, without which the man is not, nor that without the man in the Lord; We may eat of the Trees of the Garden, (said the woman to the Serpent, whilst she stood in the man; the Image of God, the living Soul, the first man Adam, into whom God breathed the Breath of Life, and man became a living Soul, this said she) but of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden, (the Eternal state of which the Creature is, and by which it is preserved, from a dependency on which the Creature cannot be, that is to say, to be as it is, without dependency, change, or alteration; which the Lord alone only is, and the Creature can be never, viz. in a state of Independency on God, on another, nor shall be ever, no eating, no touching of this fruit of this Tree that groweth in the midst of the Garden; no coming to this state by man for ever; no coming at it though the Serpent climbing up to it missed, and so keeping not his first state, drew man thither to fall also) God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die, v. 2, 3.  
Thus said the woman, whilst she stood in the man, in that in which she was made, out of which she was took from, which she proceeded; thus she answered, the living Soul, that was not yet under, that death was not yet over, for she had not yet let it in, the first man Adam, into whom God breathed the Breath of Life, and man became a living Soul; the Image of God, Righteousness, and true holiness, the new man, which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created him, as aforesaid; Christ Jesus the Lord from Heaven, the quickening Spirit, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as if they were; the amen the true & faithful Witness, the beginning of the Creation of God, that was dead, and is alive, and behold I am a live for ever more, Amen. And have the Keys of Hell, he that is Holy, he that is true, he that hath the Key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth; the first, and the last, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Behold he cometh in Clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which piereed him, and all Kindred's of the Earth shall wail because of him, even so, Amen, Rom. 4. 17. Rev. 1. 7, 8, 18. Rev. 2. 14. Rev. 3. 7. He was not yet slain, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World, Rev. 13. 8. So she was not yet deceived. He yet spoke in her, as aforesaid. Adam who was not deceived, who was not in the Transgression, but shown the Transgression, who said in her, God hath said, and she spoke after him, God hath said (said she) etc. Now she spoke right, now she was not deceived, whilst she spoke after him in her who witnessed, who was the Son of Adam, who was the Son of God, Luke 3. 38. The Seed of the Woman which God said should bruise the Serpent's head, Gen. 3. 15. who lives for Ever, the Root and Offspring of David; whilst she heard him speaking in her, and kept there she said; God hath said, Ye shall not eat thereof, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  
Yea, (said the Serpent) hath God said ye shall not eat of every Tree in the Garden? there's somewhat in the matter, i'll tell you a secret; tush, there's a state beyond that in the which you are, into which he would not have you come; that's his own, he would not have you, as himself, as he is, and therefore he forbids you, he tells you of death to scare, and fright you, lest by eating of the Fruit of that Tree, etc. touching it, you should be as it is with him, and have no secret hid from you. True it is, you will by eating of it die to the state in which you are, viz. a Creaturely dependency upon him; a capability of changing, but than you will live to another, which is more high, which changeth not, which God doth not, and this is that which he would keep ye from. Yea, hath God said ye shall not eat of every Tree in the Garden? And the woman said unto the Serpent, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden, but of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the Serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die, for God doth know that in the day that ye eat thereof, than your eyes shall be opened (ye shall come to see this secret; & it was a mischievous seeing indeed, which is not off her Posterity to this day) and ye shall be as Gods, knowing both good and evil.  
Here was the eating of the forbidden fruit, the temptation of the Serpent, and the great encounter the woman had, by which she fell; she reached at this, the Serpent was too hard for her, whilst she was from her Life, from that in the which she was made, which witnessed in her, he entered her; and so his Spirit lead, and guided her to do that which was contrary to the Lord, as he had done, and not the good Spirit of the Lord, and so she steered another course, as she saw with another eye, and came to be deceived. And when the woman saw that the Tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise; she took of the Fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her Husband with her, and he did eat, and the eyes of them both were opened (a sore opening indeed; see how she was deceived, but how were they opened, and what did they see? Did they see as Gods? Came they to a more permanent state, to a state that changed not, to be as Gods to have no secret hid from them? as the Serpent suggested, and by such temptations as these had drawn them to eat? nay) & they knew that they were naked (stripped off their covering; Innocency was lost in them, a sad condition they were now in; and they knew it, their eves were opened, and they saw this, a most unhappy sight) which (as I have said) is not off their Posterity to this day; this was that the Serpent lead them to in the end, and this they came to see, and their eyes were opened to see this, to know this, to know that they were naked) and they sewed Fig leaves together (a miserable shift, who were clothed with the Spirit of God, with his Image, in the which they were made, which now they had lost, which now they had slain, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (as hath been said) and see what a garment they had got, what a covering; in what a pitiful condition they were in, who had Rule over the Creation, and Dominion was given them over it, they take of the poorest of the Creation, a company of fig leaves, poor, thin, inconsiderable things indeed for a covering, who were clothed with the Lord; and whom he spread over, and filled, and replenished, of whom he was the Root) and made themselves Aprons. And thus Adam was not deceived, the man that was first form, into whom God breathed the Breath of Life, and man became a living Soul, the first man Adam was made a living Soul, but the woman that was took out of man, that proceeded from man, that the man was not Created for, the woman, that is of the man, as the man is by the woman, being deceived was in the Transgression, 1 Tim. 2. 13, 14. He that readeth (as I have said) let him understand.  
And thus the Serpent beguiled Eve, as the Apostle speaks; But I fear (said ho) lest by any means (this was to them whom he had espoused to one Husband, that he might present them as a chaste Virgin to Christ, of which he speaks in the verse before) as the Serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 2, 3.  
And this was his temptation, and this was that which the Woman catcht after, who was made in the Image of God, viz. A pretended state beyond that in which she was made; and this was the end, and this came of it, which (as I have said) her Posterity is not clear off to this day; and this is the particular thing of the Ranters, and the temptation wherewith they are carried; Who hold, that there is no such thing as evil in itself, or devil, but to man's apprehension, and that the sense of evil, is but the weakness of man, and that they are at a distance from God who are under fear, and that all things are Gods. And that, this is but a slavish spirit to stand in fear, and dread, and that all things are good; and that to fear and dread, is on this side Perfection; and that to do the greatest evil with the least remorse, is to be nearest Perfection. Which is to know good and evil? Which is to touch, and to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil that is in the midst of the Garden, which God hath forbidden to be tasted of, or touched, which Eve eating and touching, came thereby to fall, and her Posterity to this day, which in plain English, is to be out of command, out of subjection, out of the state of the Creature, and to be as God, out of a true dependency on God, out of a possibility of change, for if there be no state of obedience, there is no state of a dependency, do they what they will, they shall never be otherwise, and so be reaching at that which they can never come to; by reaching after which they come to fall, as did Eve who thus reached, but fell, and it is not yet recovered; and as did the Devil himself, and is fallen for ever, and there endeavours to bring and keep man even in a disobedient state of rebellion against God, as that which is most suitable to man, in which God is himself; That is to say without Law to himself, or from any other; Whether the Devil (as I have said) climbed himself, but fell, and would bring man thither.  
And this is the sum of this matter, the state of the Ranters, which the Lord hath thus opened in me for their sakes to let them understand, and to open their eyes, that they may see, and be saved, and come unto the Knowledge of the Truth; For the Lord hath not pleasure in their death, but would have them turn, and live▪ For which cause I have written, because the time is ne'er, wherein the Door will be shut, and then it will be too late, and the place of Repentance will not be found. When, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, shall be said to the Goats on the left hand, by the King, when he shall come in his Glory, and all the Holy Angels with him, and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory, and all Nations shall be gathered before him, and he shall divide between them. as a Shepherd doth his Sheep. And so I have done with this Particular, and am clear of their blood, in this day of the Lord, wherein he is coming to render unto every man according to his deeds.  
But to proceed.  
Neither hath the Lord so chosen man since the fall, as that he can never be removed from the state unto which he is chosen; That were to render the Blood of Christ of none effect, and to make void the Everlasting Covenant the Law writ in the heart, and the fear put in the inward parts, the Word of Life, the Power of God by which we are kept. Who are kept (said Peter writing to the Saints) by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5.  
And this is the Doctrine of them who hold Free Grace, or that are called by the name of Antinomians; that is to say, those who hold, that he that is once chosen, cannot fall from that state; Having loved his own which were in the World, he loved them to the end, John 13. 1. Say they, and though they are sinners, yet they are justified by Christ, and have Redemption by his Blood, even the Remission of sins; and this is imputed to them, though not inherent in them (as they speak) and they hope to be saved by him because they are sinners, and yet are justified by him though they are sinners. And with such thin Garments, as these they seek to cover themselves, and to rest satisfied; whilst they are ignorant of, and know not him who saveth from their sins, all they who put their trust in him: Who having loved his own (but they are his own which he loved, and none else) he loved them to the end, (he went through the work which was appointed him for them to do, and flinched not, which was to lay down his life for them; For this was spoken of his suffering, John 13. 1. As the Scriptures testify, and that of John in Particular, and the Scripture cannot be broken, which thus speaks. Now before the feast of the Passeover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should departed out of this World, unto the Father; Having loved his own (said John) which were in the World, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended (the Devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simons son to betray him) Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from Supper, and laid aside his Garments, and took a Towel, and girded himself; after that, he poureth Water into a Basin, and began to wash his Disciples feet, and to wipe them with the Towel with which he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Simon saith unto him; Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt hereafter; Peter answereth, and saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet, Jesus answered, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me, v. 2. to the 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, not my feet only, but my hands and my head; Jesus saith unto him, he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean but not all, for he knew who should betray him; Therefore said he, ye are not all clean, v. 9, 10, 11. This said Christ Jesus.  
So it is his own that he having once loved, he loved them to the end; And they were such whom he washed; If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me; So, not to be washed is to have no part with Christ, and this was said to Peter a Disciple. And said he unto the Disciples, them whom he had chosen, ye are clean, but not all, for he knew who should betray him, and yet he was chosen. Have not I chosen you Twelve, and yet one of you is a Devil? John 6. 70.  
The plain English, or sum of the Matter is this; Men must be born again of Water, and of the Spirit, or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; as he said to Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of Water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, John 3. 5. They must be regenerated; Old things must pass away, all things must become New, if they are in Christ Jesus the New Man, which after God is created in Righteousness, and true Holiness; and they that are not so, in vain do they talk of Christ; they have no part with him, for he is Holy, and every one that is in him, is as he is; As he is so are we in this world, 1 John 4. 17. And be ye holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. And Holiness becomes thy House for ever, Psal. 93. 5. And, an high way shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of Holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it, Isa. 35. 8. And, there shall in no wise enter into it, any thing that defileth neither, whatsoever worketh Abomination, or maketh a lie, but they that are written in the Lamb's book of Life, Rev. 21. last. Otherwise to say is to dishonour Christ, and to blaspheme him, to make him such a one as such are as live in Transgression, and sin; who came to redeem from sin, and to deliver from Iniquity, and to purify unto himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works, that we might be to his Praise and Honour. Now sin is a reproach to any people, Righteousness it is that exalteth a Nation, Prov. 14. 34. And for any to say they are in him, and yet are found sinners, they reproach, and blaspheme him, as if he were so, that Iniquity had fellowship with him, or that Iniquity would be in him, or have part with him; Can the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a Law, Psal. 49. 20. Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evil, and canst not look on Iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee, Psal. 5. 4. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners; is therefore Christ the Minister of sin? God forbidden; For if I build again the things that I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor, Gal. 2. 17, 18, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his Son, that he might be the first born of many brethren; Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified, Rom. 8. 29, 30.  
So then there is no Predestination, where there is not first a Foreknowledge; and this Predestination is to be conformed to the Image of his Son, and his Image is Righteousness and true Holiness, and where Righteousness and true Holiness are not, there is not the Image of his Son, and where the Image of his Son is not, there is no Conformity to the Image of his Son, and where there is no conformity to the Image of his Son, there is no Predestination; And where sin is, there is no Conformity to the Image of his Son; And so no Predestination, no Calling that abides, no Justification, no Glorification, no Foreknowledge to Life Eternal; Whom he did Predestinate, them he also Called; and whom he also called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also Glorified; and whom he foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many Brethren, Rom. 8. 27.  
And here is the sum of the whole matter; No foreknowledge to life Eternal, no predestination, no calling that abides, no justification, no glorification, but in conformity, and to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he may be the first born of many brethren. The Brethren of whom he is the first born, are such as are conformed to his Image, which is Righteousness, and true Holiness; and he hath predestinated none but to this, nor fore-known any to predestination, but to this; and where this is not, there is no foreknowledge, no predestination to life Eternal; none of the Brotherhood of which he is the first born, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to what? to be conformed unto what? to the Image of his Son. So where conformity is not to the Image of his Son, there is no predestination; there is no calling that abides (as I have said) and the Scripture speaks it plain, For the Gifts and calling of God are without Repentance, saith the Apostle, as to Election; and that of the Jews, who (saith he) as concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the Election, they are beloved for the Father's sake, for the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance, Rom. 11. 28, 29. And the gifts and calling of God that are without Repentance, are unto Eternal Life, and Eternal Life is in his Son, John 5. 11. and he that is in Christ Jesus, is a new Creature; Old things are passed away, behold all things are made new, 2 Cor. 5. 17. And (saith he) have put on the new man, which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him, where there is neither Greek, nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond▪ nor free, but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore (as the Elect of God) bowels of Mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man hath a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye, Col. 3. 10, 11, 12, 13. And where there is no calling (which is unto Holiness) there is no justification, For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto Holiness, 1 Thes. 4. 7. and Holiness becomes thy House, O Lord, for ever, Psal. 93. 5. And who hath saved us, and called us with an Holy calling, not according to our Works, but according to his own purpose and Grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Chri●t, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life, and immortality to light, through the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 9, 10. And the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling; and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints; and what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward, who believe according to the working of his Mighty Power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, in the Heavenly places, far above all Principality and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all, Ephes. 1. 18. to the end. And there is one Body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, Ephes. 4. 4, 5, 6. And, we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of Faith with Power, that the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the Grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1. 11, 12. And, you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not to bring to nought the things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence. But, of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption. That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, 1 Cor. 1. 26. to the end. And, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3. 14, 15. And, Holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the Apostle, and high Priest of our Profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he that hath builded the house, hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a Servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a Son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, Heb. 3. 1. to the 8. And, make your calling, and election sure, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail, for so an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 9, 10.  
Thus saith the Scriptures, I say where there is no calling (and what that calling is I have signified) it is unto Holiness, there is no justification, and where there is, no justification, there is no glorification; and this is in Christ Jesus. And, if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh; for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of God. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God; and if Children, than Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together, Rom. 8. 10. to the 18. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot; who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God who raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing that you have purified your souls in the obeying of the Truth, through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren. See that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently, being borne again, not of corruptible Seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man, as the flower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower thereof fadeth away; but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is Preached unto you, 1 Pet. 1. 17. to the end.  
So this is the calling, and this is the word, and this is the hope, and this is the Predestination; and this is the foreknowledge, and this is the Justification, and this is the Glorification, viz. Christ Jesus, and as men are for him, and are found in him, not having their own Righteousness, which is through the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. 3. 9 And where men are not here, they are mistaken to talk of these things, or to think them theirs; They appertain to another state than Transgression, which delivers out of it, and maketh men indeed the Sons of God, and so are Heirs of the Blessing that came on Abraham, who believed, and it was counted to him for Righteousness, of whom God saith, I know him that he will command his Children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the Way of the Lord, to do justice, and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him, Gen. 18. 19 And, who raised up the Righteous man from the East, called him to his foot, gave the Nations before him, and made him rule over Kings? He gave them as dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow, Isa. 41. 2. And, art not thou our God, who didst drive out the Inhabitants of this Land before thy People Israel▪ and gavest it to the Seed of Abraham thy friend for ever, 2 Chron. 20. 7. And, if ye were Abraham's Children, ye would do the Works of Abraham; but now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told ye the truth, which I have heard of God, this did not Abraham. you do the deeds of your Father; Then said they to him, we be not born of Fornication, we have one Father, even God; Jesus said unto them, if God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded forth, and came from God, neither came I of myself, but he sent me; Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my Word. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do; He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him, when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it, John. 8. 39 to the 45. v.  
So here's an end to all this matter; Those that the Father hath chosen unto himself, it is unto good works, which he hath before ordained, that they should walk in them. We are his work manship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2. 10. And, show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Faith without works is dead, Jam. 2. 18. 20. And, the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present World, looking for that blessed Hope, and the glorious Appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from [all] Iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works, Tit. 2. 11. to the end. And, those that are not redeemed from all Iniquity, he hath not given himself to save; And those that are not zealous of good Works, he hath not purified unto himself a peculiar people; And those that deny not Ungodliness, and Worldly lusts, and live not soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present World, are not such as look for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; And those that have not works, their faith is dead; and they that walk not in good works, (and such as sin walk not in good works) are not his Workmanship, and those that are not his workmanship (which is unto good works the fruit of Faith, which is not dead but living, by which those of old though dead, yet speak, the Virtue in them which brought forth the works the fruit unto Holiness, unto Eternal life) are not created in Christ Jesus.  
So, see your state all you that are here, and be no longer deceived; It is the Word of the Lord, and so I have done with this Particular, which for the sake of you, I am moved to write to open their understandings because the time is near wherein these things will be made manifest, that they are so; and the Door will be shut, and then it will be too late to say, Lord, Lord, open unto us; For he will say, depart from me, I know ye not, ye workers of iniquity, for when once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the Door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the Door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; And he shall answer and say unto you, I know ye not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; but he shall say, I tell you I know ye not whence ye are, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out; And they shall come from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God, and behold, there are last, which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last, Luke 13. 25. to the 31.  
And so I am clear of your blood, whether ye will hear, or whether you will forbear; The Word of the Lord hath been often to you, and his tender bowels through me, and he would not have you die but live, and it is the third time that I have particularly wrote to you in the move of the Lord, and my travail, and my sufferings (I speak of that which is not of this world) have been great for you, that your eyes might be opened, and that ye might see where you are, ere it be too late. For the Lord hath known you, and you have known something in you that hath given you the sense of his presence, which is Christ Jesus, the measure of him in you; which reproves, which makes manifest, that draws ye to God-ward, though ye have not believed that it is he, and therefore have risen against the Corner Stone, which ye bvilders have refused, which is made Head of the Corner, but there is no other way to God but by him, Christ the Light; God that quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not as if they were, for that is not natural, that shows Nature in the transgression, and that is not of the evil one that shows evil, and that is not of man (in whom it is not to direct his way) that leads unto God, but it is of God; the love of God that sent his Son into the world to redeem man, and to bring him back again unto God; And his work it is to deliver, to set free the Captive that which is bound under sin (and he that sinneth is bound to sin) and to purify and to cleanse, and to make white, and to break down the Partition, that which is gotten between by reason of Transgression, and to bring to God, that so man may feel his Maker again, and be joined to him, with whom nothing that is defiled can have any fellowship, and sin desiles; For our God is a consuming fire, Heb. 13. last.  
Now to hold that a man being chosen, can never be removed from that state unto which he is chosen; and that a man is justified when he is found a sinner, and that he is in Christ when he is not a new Creature (and he is not a new Creature whilst he is in sin, old things are not passed away, the old man is there remaining with his lusts and deeds, whose lust and deeds are sin) all things are not become new) and that a man is in God, when he is not purged, when he is not made clean (and he is not made clean, he is not purged that sinneth, whilst he sinneth (whosoever sinneth, hath neither seen him, neither known him, John 3. 6.) whilst he knoweth not, nor believeth in, nor is joined to the Word of Life, which dwelleth in the Saints, which witnessed to God, the Word that endures for ever; The Word which by the Spirit is Preached unto you, the Word that purifies, 1 Pet. 1. last. the Word that endures for ever, (and ye have not his Word abiding in you) For, whom he hath sent, him ye believe not, John 5. 38. The Word nigh in the mouth, and in the heart, which is the Word of Faith which we preach, Rom. 10. 8. For the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise. Say not in thy heart, who shall ascend, etc. But what saith it, the Word is nigh thee, etc. vers. 6. 7. So, that is the Word, the Word of Faith, the living Word that endures for ever, that cleanseth, that purifies, which is that which witnesses to God which abides, Now are ye clean through the Word.) And, now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you, abide in me (ye have not his Word abiding in you, said he to the Pharisees) and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me (in him that witnesss the Word of Life) John 15. 3, 4. And, saith the Prophet, he shall sit as a Refiner, and Purifier of Silver, and he shall purify the Sons of Levi, and purge them as Gold, and Silver, that they may offer unto him an offering in Righteousness then shall the offerings of Judah, & Jerusalem, be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old, and as in the former years, and I will come near to you in Judgement, and I will be a swift witness (here's the Messenger that prepares his Way before him, the Messenger of the Covenant that he saith he will send, whom he saith they delighted in; behold, he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts; But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he shall be as Refiners fire, and as Fuller's soap, I will be a swift Witness (this is he who is the Judge of all that comes ne'er to Judgement, that witnesseth, that saith, I will be a swift witness, I will come near to you to Judgement) against the Sorcerers, and against the Adulterers, and against false Swearers, and against those that oppress the Hireling in his wages, the Widow and the Fatherless, and that turn aside the Stranger (I was a Stranger, and ye took me not in, saith he that witnesseth, the Faithful and True Witness, who is come, whose right it is to Rule, who witnesseth to God; who is turned aside from his right, when he is not suffered to rule) from his right; And fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts, for I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed, Mal. 3. 1. to the 7th.) For a man to say that he is chosen, when he is not in holiness, and that he is sanctified in Christ Jesus, when he is unholy; this is to overthrow the work of him who came to Redeem, to Purify, to Cleanse man, and so to bring him back again unto God; And is the highest blasphemy that can be Imagined, and the greatest deceit. For it is to make God as such a one is, and to render the blood of the Covenant by which those which are Sanctified are cleansed, of none effect (and where's the effect if it purgeth not? And where's the purging where the sin remains? And doth it not remain where yet it is? And is it not yet where it abides to death? And are such redeemed? Are such washed? Are such sanctified? Are such justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, as were they of whom the Apostle speaks. But such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified; So washed, sanctified (being otherwise then they were when in sin; and such were some of you, but ye are washed in the Name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; There's the matter) And as an unholy thing. For, He that is joined to an Harlot, is one body, for two (saith he) shall be one flesh; but he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 15, 16.  
So Friends, all ye that are here, take heed of being mistaken, take heed of a mistaken state, take heed of abiding in a state that is mistaken; for this will not hold, you will find it so in the end, and I desire it may not be when it is too late; & so I am clear of you also, for whose sake, or the Seed's sake in you which is Immortal, in the move of the Lord, I have written; for the day is near wherein you will find this to be so. It is the Word of the Lord, and therefore hath he moved me to write that you may see it in time, before it be too late, before your day is over, which is very short however ye may account it, or value what I have said; the thing is so, and (as I have said) you will find it; and than ye will remember that ye were told of it before, that ye might not trust on a mistaken thing, which will prove as a broken Reed to you, in the day of Trial, and the time of need; for the Lord is drawing near to judgement, and he will be a swift Witness, (as hath been said) and then woe will be to all them in whom that which witnessed to life, and was not heard, will arise, and witness to Eternal Condemnation, and be a Worm that will never die, and a Fire that shall never go out; and this will be the state of all them that have not obeyed unto life, that have not harkened to, nor believed that which witnessed in them, against whom then it will witness a judgement that's eternal, for ever and ever.  
For there's no mocking in things of this nature, no jesting, no trifling; To day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the Provocation; the day of temptation in the Wilderness; Obey his witness, believe in it, heed it, least time be no more, and ye be concluded with the God whom ye serve. For except ye believe that I am he (said Christ to the Pharisees) ye shall die in your sins; and except ye believe that that which witnesseth for God in you, which came from God, which whatsoever it seethe the Father do, it doth, and speaketh what it heareth him say, unto whom the Father beareth witness; and of whom the Scriptures testify, John 5. 36, 37, 38, 39 Christ the Light, ye shall die in your sins. It is the Word of the Lord, I am the light of the world (saith he) he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of ltfe, Joh. 8. 12. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (that which reproves, that which makes manifest) that shineth in darkness, though the darkness comprehendeth it not; Thou art my Lamp, O Lord, thou wilt lighten my darkness; Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my Path (the Word which endures for ever) For ever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in Heaven. Thy faithfulness unto all Generations, said David, Psal. 119. 89. to 10. 5. 2 Sam. 22. 29. John 1. 5. 9  
So Friends, all that are here, take heed hereunto, lest the day be closed into night; and ere ye be ware, the shadow of death, close up the hour of your Visitation, and it be too late; for to you hath the Lord often spoken (as I have said, and do now say it again in, and by the same Spirit of the Lord) and he hath often sought you, and that by me. I am Witness for the Lord for ever, how his Bowels have yearned towards you; and how he would have gathered you, as a Hen doth her Chicken under her Wings; and he indeed yet seeks you; harken to his Voice, withstand not him that calleth in you, that calleth to you, that seeks to gather you, lest your day have an end, and there be no more. You will remember me in that day, but I would you did it sooner before it be too late. The bowels of the Lord move in me to you, he would not have you perish, he would have you hear that your souls may live; he would have ye convinced, and turned to the truth; he would have you in the truth, that the truth may make you free; I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, said Christ the Son, he that witnesseth; If the Son make ye free (saith he again) then are you free indeed, John 8. 36. 14. 6.  
And so farewell, I have finished what I have to say to you from the Lord. Look ye to it, I am clear: Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark Mountains, and and while ye look for light, he turn into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness, Jer. 13. 16. And this hour is near. The Lord God Eternal open your eyes, that in this your day (which is now near to an end) you may know the things that belong to your Peace, lest they be hid from your eyes; The Lord will not always wait on you, his Spirit will not always strive with you: It hath waited long, it hath striven long, be gathered to him ere darkness come over you, and the night cover you, which shall never have end. If ye shall never be gathered; (which I hope will not be (as to some of you at least) for the Lord hath a Seed among you which he will gather, and lead into his rest; And therefore am I moved of the Lord to write, and these my Travails shall have an end, and I shall see of the Travel of my soul in this particular; and the time is near, the Lord hath spoken it, and therefore speak I unto you because the time is near; think you what ye will) yet my reward shall be with the Lord, and my Prayer shall return into mine own bosom, and he will testify for me that I have sought you, this his Testimony I am, that you he hath sought; And as sometime the Prophet said, so say I in the same Spirit, Though Israel be not gathered, yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength, Isa. 49. 5. And, this shall be my peace in the day of your trouble who shall not hear, who shall not be gathered to that which convinces the World of sin (that which reproves, that which makes manifest, the Comforter) that I have stood in the will of God, and in his Counsel, have done whatsoever he hath required at my hands as to you, whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear; and whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, you shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst ye; Or, one that hath spoken to you from the Lord.  
So, be not stiffnecked, nor uncircumcised in heart and ear, for I am pressed in spirit to speak unto you, because the hour is near; Yea, very near, wherein this you shall witness; For the Master of the house is near rising up, and will shut to the Door, and then it will be too late when ye shall begin to stand without (without your hour, [without] your day, your day, your hour being passed over wherein he will show, he will tender mercy, wherein he will strive with you, wherein he will wait on you, to be gracious, wherein he will stretch out his Arms to gather you, wherein he will open his bosom to you, I say your hour and day being over; The day and hour of your Visitation, wherein ye may know the things that concern your Peace; and they are not hid from your eyes, when ye shall begin to stand without) and to knock at the door, and to say, Lord, Lord, open unto us; He will answer and say unto you (as I have said) I know you not whence ye are; Depart from me, all ye workers of Iniquity.  
So, be not deceived, nor mistaken, for this hour is near, and this you shall see in the day when the Son of Man shall come in hts Glory, and all the holy Angels with him, and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory; And before him shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats; and he shall set the Sheep on his right hand, and the Goats on his left; and the King shall say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World; And to them on his left hand, depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous into life Eternal.  
So, I am clear of your blood, and the Lord God Eternal laid this upon me to speak unto you, because the time is very near wherein this will be, wherein you will see this to be; therefore I say again unto you. In this your day, know the things that belong unto your peace. There is somewhat in all this, that I am thus moved to Ingiminate, to Press upon you; the Lord is coming, behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them (and this will be a sore convictment indeed, when he shall rise in them as Lord and King, and kindle in them the fire that shall never go out, and raise in them the Worm that shall never die) whom they have refused, whom they have rejected, whom they have despised, whom they have spoken against, whom they have done against.) Of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him,; As Enoch also, the seventh from Adam prophesied of these, and this time is near.  
So, consider, and bethink your selves, whilst you have a very little time, whilst the door is yet open (and 'tis open yet I testify it to you in the Name of the Lord) whilst he waits to be gracious, that so an entrance may be administered unto you, into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom be glory, and power, and dominion everlasting, who cometh in Clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all Kindred's of the Earth shall wait because of him, even so. Amen.  
And so the Lord open your understandings in all things, and give you to see these things and what I have spoken. that it may never rise up in Judgement against you, which certainly it will, if you heed it not, and the day is near; It is the Word of the Lord, and so I have finished what I have to say unto you, in the Name of the Lord.  
Thus far as to those who hold Free Grace, or a Justification in Christ, though they are found sinners, and being once chosen, such as are so, can never be removed from that state, who are called Antenomians. Have not I chosen you Twelve, and one of you is a Devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot the Son of Simon, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the Twelve, John 6. 70, 71. And, whilst I was with them in the World, I kept them in thy Name, those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the Son of Perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, John 17. 12. And, they went out from us, for they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us, 1 John 2. 19 And, there must be heresies, that they which are approved, may be made manifest among you, 1 Cor. 11. 19 And so much for this particular.  
Now as to those who hold General Redemption, or are so understood; I have something also to say unto you in the Name of the Lord.  
As the Lord hath not made man to destroy him, neither concluded any man from all Eternity to Destruction; as he hath not so made man, as that it is impossible for him to fall from the state in the which he was made: And as he hath not so chosen man since the fall, as that he can never be removed from the state unto which he was chosen; so, neither doth he so will the salvation of all, as that all are saved: This were to put by the work of Redemption; for if he so willed them all should be saved, for who hath resisted his Will? And what need is there of such a work of Redemption, if all by such a willing as this (and such of such a willing as this m●st be the consequence) are effectually saved? For (as I have said) in his will there is Power, and who hath resisted his Will? And if his Will be not to be resisted, what need is there of a work, of such a work as Redemption is, which cost the Blood of the Son of God, and the Travail of his Soul, and which cost the sufferings of the Seed, the Seed which is Christ: Christ in you the hope of Glory. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again till Christ be form in you, Galath. 4. 13. And, I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, is by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me, Gal. 2. 19) and the Travail thereof ere it be accomplished.  
Now, what saith Christ Jesus, [Alderman] things are delivered me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him, Matth. 11. 25. And [All] things that the Father hath are mine, John 16. 15. And as the Father raiseth up the Dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom [he] will, Joh. 5. 21. And this is the Father's will that hath sent me, that of [all] that he hath given me, I should lose [nothing,] but should raise it up again at the last day: And this is the [will] of [him] that sent me, that every one that [seethe] the Son, and [believeth] on [him] may have [everlasting] Life; and [I] will raise [him] up at the last day, John 6. 39, 40.  
Where then is that thing of Salvation to all, or that all are saved, or that God willeth the Salvation of all? This God willeth that all men come to the Son, (that which reproves, that which makes manifest in them) that they may have life; that all men honour the Son, as they honour the Father; that they (and no others) that see the Son, and believe on him, should have everlasting life; and that he should raise up such at the last day; and that he should lose nothing of all that the Father hath given him, but should raise it up again at the last day; that he should quicken whom he will, unto whom all things are delivered him of his Father, whose are all things that are the Fathers; whom no man knoweth but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will Reveal him.  
Now here stands the case of all men in this particular, they must come to the Son (as I have said) if they will be saved. Ye will not come to me (said he to the Pharisees) that ye might have life, John 5. 39 All that the Father giveth me, shall come unto me; and he that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out, John 6. 37. And he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, Heb. 7. 25.  
So to him must all come that are saved, to that in men which shows them where they are, the thoughts and intents of their hearts, and judges them. Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ? John 4. 29. This is the way to God, and no other; neither is their salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, Acts 4. 11. And they that are in him are new creatures; Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new (as afore) 2 Cor. 5. 17. And he is the Saviour of the body, the Church, Ephes. 5. 23. Who loved the Church; (the Church which is in God, 1 Thes. 1. 1.) and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, (the Word which endures for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 25.) that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish, Vers. 25. 26, 27.  
So as through sin and transgression, and by reason thereof all men come to be defiled (for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3. 23. And, all we like sheep have gone astray▪ we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all, Isa. 53. 6.) so must all men come to Christ Jesus (that which reproves sin, that makes manifest transgression in them the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel, Heb. 12. 24.) to have their Conscience purged from dead works, to serve the living God, Heb. 9 14.) I say, to have their Conscience purged from dead works, (works that are not from the living Root, that are not from Faith; for she that lives in pleasure is dead whilst she lives, 1 Tim. 5. 6. And sin is pleasure, Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgement, because he wil●ngly walked after the commandment, Hos. 5. 11) and he that sinneth is carried away from that which manifests it. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times passed in the lusts of our flesh; fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature the children of Wrath even as others; but God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus. For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh; who are called uncircumcisiion by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time ye were without Christ, being Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of Promise, having no hope, and without God in the World. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of Partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make [in] himself of twain one new man so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross, having [slain] the enmity thereby; and came and proached peace unto you which were a far off, and to them▪ which were nigh, for through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers, and Foreigners, but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone, [in] whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the lord [In] whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God [through] the Spirit, Ephesians 2.  
So then here's the Matter, all must come to that in them which witnesseth to God, to the Son, to be Purged, to be Purified, to be Washed, to be cleansed, that they may be joined to God again, from whom they are are gone through transgression, and through transgression are defiled; and this is the Will of God, and none are saved, but who come here, neither willeth God the Salvation of any, but of such as come here; who come to the Son, to that which reproves, to that which makes manifest in them; the measure of him in every one, that which cleanseth, that which purifies; that they may be fit vessels for the Master's use, and be found to praise, and honour; and be Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in. Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy, for the Temple of God is holy, whose Temple ye are, 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. And what agremeent hath the Temple of God with Idols? For ye are the Temple of God, as God hath saith; I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my People. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you; and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters, saith the Lord, 2 Cor. 6. 16, 17, 18.  
So a coming out there must be a being separate, or a separation; a Not touching of the unclean thing (that which defiles there must be a separation from: a coming out of it must not be touched, and all sin defiles, it must be come out of; separated from, not touched the unclean thing, sin must not be toucked) ere the Lord saith. I will receive you, and be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my Sons, and Daughters; A coming out from among them, there must be a separation from such, a Not touching of that which defiles, that which is unclean; sin, the unclean thing, ere any becomes the Temple of God; for the Temple of God is Holy (saith he to the Saints who were washed, who were cleansed; who once were as others, and such were some of you, saith he, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of Our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of Our God, 1 Cor. 6. 11.) whose Temple are ye, and if any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for ye are the Temple of God, 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, what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? as aforesaid. So no Temple of God, that is to say; No walking of God in any, no dwelling of God in any, no being the People of God; No being of God unto a People; no agreement. (Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee, which imagines mischief by a Law? For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee: And, thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canst not look on Iniquity) with Idols. It's the Word of the Lord.  
And this is the Will of God, That every one come to the Son, to that in them which shows them evil, and obey it, and believe in it, that they may be purified, that they may feel the Power that sanctifies, which is the Power of God to Salvation Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, the Gospel. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek; for therein the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith, as it is Written, The Just shall live by Faith, Rom. 1. 16. And, of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, 1 Cor. 1. 30, 31.  
So to the Power every one must come in them, to that which purifies, to that which cleanses, to that which Sanctifies, the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel; Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God; who of God is made unto Us, Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption, (saith the Apostle as aforesaid) that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. So he to whom Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, is made Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Redemption, he is made Sanctification, and they who of God are in him; he is made so unto them, and they that are not so, that are not made so of him, are not in him, it is the Word of the Lord; For they that are in him, are new Creatures (as I have often said, and do now again speak by the Spirit of the Lord) Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become New. Now behold all things [are] made new; And this is the state of Regeneration of a man in Christ Jesus. And this is the Work of Christ in the World, to make all things new: Renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him, him that is the New man, that maketh new; Created in him unto good works, as he hath before ordained that we should walk in them (said the Apostle as aforesaid) and so we are his Workmanship; And this is his work to make all things new. And so it was with the Collossians, they had put off the Old man (seeing that ye have put off the Old man (saith he to them, Col. 3. 10. with his deeds) and had put on the New man, Which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him (as hath been said) v. 11.  
So, People must be created again, must be renewed; must be put into another temper, into another mould, into another stock, into another nature, who are in the Transgression, they must be born again or they can never enter into the Kingdom of God. The Old must be marred, must be broken down, must be done away, must be put off; The Old man with his deeds, and the New man must be put on, ere Salvation can be witnessed by Christ Jesus, The Old building must be thrown down, and the New must be raised. Ye also as lively Stones are built up a Spiritual House, an holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are God Husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the Grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise Master builder I have laid the Foundation, and another buildeth thereon; but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon, for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this Foundation, Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, Wood, Hay, Stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest; For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is; If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward; If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you; If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the Temple of God is holy, whose Temple ye are, 1 Cor. 3. 9 to the 18. And, rooted, and built up in him, and established in the Faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with Thanksgiving, Col. 2. 17. In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord, in whom ye are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit, Ephes. 2. 21, 22.  
Now the Temple of God is holy (as hath been said) whose Temple ye are (said the Apostle to the Saints) and Holiness becomes thy House for ever; and without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whore Mongers, and Murders, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth, and maketh a lie, Rev. 22. 15. And, there shall in no wise enter into it (the holy City) any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life, Rev. 21. 27.  
And these things he testifies, who is faithful and true, who is the Root and Offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star. And, the Spirit and the Bride say come; and let him that heareth say come, and let him that is a thirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the Water of life freely. For this I testify unto every man that heareth the Words of the Prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall take his part out of the book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things which are written in this book. He that testifies these thing, saith, surely I come quickly, Amen, even so come Lord Jesus, Rev. 22. 17, 18, 19, 20.  
And so unto all this I speak in the Name of the Lord, and in the Power of God, that the hour is very nigh, wherein these things shall be proved so to be in the hearts of all, even of them that oppose themselves; And then they will see that these things are so, and that they have been mistaken otherwise to think, and that the Enemy was in it to deceive them, when they came to this great thing Christ Jesus, the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God, that which reproved them, that which made manifest, which is in them, in which they should have believed that so they might have felt his Power which redeems, which cleanses, which purifies, which brings back to God again, which Moulds, which Forms, which I eavens all into its own lump, which works up all into himself; and makes holy as he is holy, and builds up all that so believe, and abide, and obey into an holy habitation of God through the Spirit, and so saves, which is the Will of God; This is the Will of God, even your Sanctification, that ye should abstain from Fornication, saith the Apostle, 1 Thes. 4. 3. And, by the which Will ye are Sanctified, by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, Heb. 10. 10. And, by one offering, he hath for ever perfected them that are Sanctified, Heb. 10. 14. And, both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are of one, therefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren, Heb. 2. 11. And, being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost, Rom. 15. 16. And, to them that are Sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Saints, 1 Cor. 1. 2.  
Now, the Enemy hath turned people another way, and they have suffered it to be so, viz. To believe that they shall be saved, because the Lord desireth not the death of a sinner; And so be they what they will, the Lord looks not to that, he is a free Agent, the Lord wills it, and they shall be saved; For in his will there is Power. And so people are deceived by Satan, the old deceiver, which deceiveth the whole World, whose time is near, wherein he must be cast out; therefore worketh he as he can to save himself from being cast out, and in some after this sort, and in others after that, according as he can prevail with the understandings of any, and deceiving them, there lead them aside. And so I have done with you also; For this is the Will of the Lord as to me in this thing, that I should clear up this thing to the understandings of all, that all might have a living savour of these things in themselves, and come out of that in which they have been led Captive, and the Enemy hath deceived them, that they may be his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, as he hath before ordained, that we should live in them who are the first fruits of his Spirit; who he is coming to try, and to suffer the Enemy to come forth to try, that ye may have a living sense (I say) of these things in your selves (as many as to whom these things shall reach) and be drawn unto God, when you shall see us lifted up, and our constant abiding in our Testimony, and sufferings, shall let y●u see that God is with us, and draw you to us. And, so (as I have said) I have finished what I have to say unto you.  
And lastly, Neither hath he redeemed all since the fall, that were to give the lie; to what Christ saith; Strive to enter into the straight Gate, for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able; Enter ye in at the straight Gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction, and many there be that go in thereat; because straight is the Gate, and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it, Luke 13. 14. And, fear not little Flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, Luke 12. 32. And, they are not all Israel, which are of Israel; Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children, for in Isaac shall thy Seed be called; That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the Promise are accounted for the seed; For this is the word of Promise. At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a Son, and not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived, by one, even our Father Isaac, (for the children being not yet born, neither having yet done any good or evil; that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works, but of him that calleth) it was said unto her, the Elder shall serve the Younger, as it is written; Jacob have I loved, but E●au have I hated, Rom. 9 6. to the 14. And, though thy people Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet a Remnant of them shall return, Isa. 10. 22. And, when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the Sheep on his right hand, but the Goats on his left, Mat. 25. 21, 22, 23. And, without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whore-mongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth, and maketh a lie, Rev. 22. 15. And, there shall in no wise enter into it, any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie▪ but they which are written in the Lamb's book of Life, Rev. 21. last. And, come hither, and I will show unto thee the Judgement of the great Whore that sitteth on many waters, with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication, and the Inhabitants of the Earth, have been made drunk with the Wine of her Fornication, Rev. 17. 12. And, the beast that thou sawest, was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit, and go into Perdition; And they that dwell on the Earth, shall wonder (whose Names are not written in the book of life, from the Foundation of the World) when they behold the beast which was, and is not, and yet is, v. 8. And, I saw the dead small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of Life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works, Rev. 20. 12. And, who will render to every man according to his deeds, to them who by patiented continuance in well doing, seek for Glory, and Honour, and Immortality, Eternal Life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish, upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also to the Gentile, for there is no respect of persons with God; For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law, for not the hearers of the Law, shall be justified before God, but the doers of the Law, but the doers of the Law, shall be justified, Rom. 2. 6. to the 14. And, to you who are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his Power, when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and be admired in all them that believe, (because our Testimony among you was received) in that day; Wherefore also, we pray always for you, that our God will count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of Faith with Power, that the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, to the grace of our God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1. 7. to the end. And, receiving the end of your Faith, is even the salvation of your Souls, 1 Pet. 1 7. And▪ it is God that worketh in you to will and to do, of his good pleasure, Phil. 2. 13. And, work out your Salvation with fear and trembling, v. 12. And, unto you first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities, Acts 3. last. And, the Lord is my Portion, saith my soul, Lam. 3. 25. And, upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest; this shall be the portiou of their cup, Psal. 11. 6. And, these shall go into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous into Life Eternal, Mat. 25. 46. And the grace of God which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts, we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of that great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himself a Peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13. And, ye are a chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, that ye should show forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of darkness to his marlous light, which in times past were not a people, but are now the People of God, which had not obtained Mercy, but now have obtained Mercy. Dear beloved, I beseech you as Strangers, and Pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lu●●s, which war against the Soul; having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold; glorify God in the day of Visitation, 1 Pet. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12. And, their Consciences also bearing witness, and their Thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel, Rom. 2. 15, 16. And, 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. And, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4. 1. And, who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead; who only hath Immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can see; to whom be Honour, and Power everlasting, Amen, 2 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Who is, The Judge of all, Heb. 12. 23. The Mediator of the New Covenant, v. 24. of a better Covenant, Heb. 6. which was established on better promises, for if that first Covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second, but finding fault with the first, he saith, Behold the day is come, (saith the Lord) when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel, and the House of Judah, not according to the Covenant that I made with their father in the day that I took them by the Hand, to lead them out of the land of Egypt, etc. But this is the Covenant, etc. that I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, etc. He that speaketh from Heaven, v. 29. The Lord from Heaven, 1 Cor. 15. 26. The blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel, whose voice then shook the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also Heaven, and this Word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things that cannot be shaken, may remain; wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence, and Godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire, vers. 26, 27, 28, 29.  
So then the Way that leads to Life being straight & narrow, and few there being that find it, or walk therein; and his Flock being a little flock, to whom it is the Father's pleasure to give the Kingdom; And those of Israel that shall return, being but a Remnant; and seeing that without are the Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth, and maketh a lie; and, these shall go into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous into Life eternal; it follows, that all are not redeemed, for though his life be given a ransom for all, that whosoever cometh unto him may have Life, and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life, yet all are not redeemed, all are not Ransomed, all enter not into Life, all are not saved; and the Reason is plain, because all come not to him who is the Ordinance of God to Salvation, which is Christ in them the Hope of glory, the Mystery hid from ages and generations, but now made manifest to his Saints, the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, that which witnesses, that which reproves, that which makes manifest in them; and so they are not saved, they are not redeemed, they are not ransomed, they are not delivered; for how can it be that they should be delivered, ransomed, redeemed, saved, who come not to him, though he be in them (a measure of him in every one that which reproves, that whick makes manifest; that which shows a man all that ever he hath done, that searcheth the heart, that trieth the reins, is not this the Christ?) nor believe in him, and so lay not hold of him to deliver them from death, to ransom them from the Power of the grave, to redeem them from destruction, to save them from wrath to come? Nor obey him, who shows them wrath, and destruction, and the grave, and death? For he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obeyed him, Heb. 5. 9 And, as many as received him to them, gave he Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name, John 1. 12. And, Fight the good fight of Faith, lay hold on Eeernal Life, 1 Tim. 6. 12. And, ye will not come to me that ye might have Life, said he to the Pharisees, as aforesaid, John 5. 40.  
Now if people believe not on him (that of him in them that witness to God) if they obey him not; if they do not receive him (who stands at the door and knocks (that which witnesses, that which moves to God, the Voice of Wisdom which cryeth without, which uttereth her voice in the streets, which cryeth in the chief places of concourse, in the opening of the gates, which uttereth her words in the City) saying, How long ye simple Ones will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof, behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you) because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh, when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction as cometh a whirl wind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you; then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, for that they hated knowledge, and did not chose the fear of the Lord, they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof, therefore shall they eat of the Fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices, for the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the properity of Fools shall destroy them, but who so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from the fear of evil, Prov. 1. 20. to the end,) If they lay not hold on him; if they come not to him; how can they know his power? how can he be to them the Author of eternal Salvation? and this is manifest.  
Now if any man say in the words of the Apostle, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, 1 Cor. 15. 22. And, who gave himself a ranson for all to be testified in due season, 1 Tim. 2. 6. And, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; for God sent not his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, John 3. 16, 17.  
I Answer, that was not the end of the Lord in sending of his Son into the world to condemn the world (as I have showed at large before) but that the world through him might be saved; as are the words of Christ, as aforesaid, but it is [through] him; so that if people come not to him, nor believe on him, nor receive him, nor are in him, how can they [through] him be saved? for that which comes through, must come to, and be in, or it can never come through; there is no Salvation but through Christ Jesus; and as in Adam all die, even so [in] Christ shall all be made alive; but it is [in] Christ, and that which believes not on him, is not in him; and that which is not [in] him, cannot be made alive by him, and he gave himself a ransom for all; but if all will not come to him who ransometh; he doth not become a ransom for all. And so I have finished what I have also to say unto you in the Name of the Lord, whose word it is; of whom I am moved to write unto you also, that you may see (who are here) how the case stands with you, for I bear you Record there is a zeal in many of you as to God, but you are mistaken as to the main thing on which Salvation dependeth; and by which you must come (if ever it be so) to be saved: For, If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins, (said he to the Pharises) John 8. 24. and if ye believe not in that which witnesseth unto God in you; which reproves you, which checks you for evil; which judgeth it, If ye believe not that this is he, the measure of him in you, he who is the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God, you will die in your sins; all your Notions will not save you, how strong so ever in your Imaginations; they will come short of the Power, which is the Power of God to Salvation; and this you will find in the day of the Lord, wherein this shall be witnessed, and you shall witness unto me in that day (as many as so abide) that my testimony is true. For, the Lord hath spoken to me, and his Word is in my mouth; and he hath said unto me what I shall say, and I have spoken what he hath said. If you believe not that that is he which witnesses to God, which reproves, which judges, which makes manifest evil in you, you shall die in your sins; It is the Word of the Lord.  
Therefore dream not of any other Jesus to save from wrath to come, to deliver you, than he in you (who also is without you) that shows you when you do amiss, that reproves you, that judges you for evil, for this is the Judge of all, the Man Christ Jesus.  
And so I am clear of you also in the presence of the Lord, who hath moved me to write thus to you, and to take the stumbling blocks out of your way also that you may see, and be saved, for the day is near wherein you also will be concluded with the God whom you serve; for the Lord is no respecter of Persons, but in every Nation, and among every people, he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is accepted of him, and the proud he beholdeth a far off; and 'tis not saying, Lord, Lord, Open to us; have we not prayed, have we not prophesied, and in thy Name cast out Devils? have we not eat, and drank in thy presence, and hast thou not taught in our streets? will suffice when he shall say, Depart from me, I know ye not ye workers of Iniquity.  
So deceive not your selves; God is not mocked, as men sow, so shall they reap; if you sow unto the flesh, of the flesh ye shall reap corruption, and if you sow unto the Spirit, of the Spirit you will reap Life; and take heed how you be mistaken in a thing of this nature, which hath that weight, lest ye perish for ever. The Lord is not willing you should die, but rather that you turn unto that in you which is of him, which is near you in your mouth, and your heart; and obey it, and believe in it, that ye may know his virtue who redeems; and that so ye may be redeemed, lest whilst ye hold forth a Notion to all of the Redemption of all you come short of it in your own Particulars, and so be cast out with the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and Murderers, and Whore-mongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death.  
The Bowels of the Lord are to you, because the fear of him hath been before many of you, and there is that in you that truly desires after him, though you yet know him not; therefore hath he moved me to write that you may know him after whom you desire, that Salvation may be the Portion, of your Cup and your Lot for ever. If you hear it will be well for you, if you will not; the stone that is refused of the Builders, is made the Head of the Corner, and a Rock of Offence it will be, and a Stone of stumbling, till you be broken to pieces, and your days be cut off from the earth, and in darkness which is everlasting you languish for ever.  
For the Lord will not always wait on man, nor his Spirit strive. A day of conclusion there will be, as there hath been a day of beginning, and the hour of your visitation being over in what case are you, when no offering can be accepted for you, who have refused him, who speaks from Heaven, and rejected the Son of God, made manifest in your mortal flesh to redeem you to God, and so farewell; I have done with you also; in the move of the Lord; and to those who remain, I must yet proceed to speak, because time is short; and this lay upon me to write to you all, that all may be warned, and that the stumbling blocks may be taken out of the way of all, and that all may be left without excuse, because the Day is ne'er wherein all must witness what I have said, either to their everlasting woe, or to Life eternal, and however you may think of these things, yet so it will be, and the time is near. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; A fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him; he shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his People; and the Heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God is Judge himself. Selah, Psal. 50. 3, 4, 6.  
So let all be warned, that all may be left without excuse; for there is a day (as I have said, and it still presseth upon me to speak the same thing from the Spirit of the Lord; and to repeat it often, that so you may hear ere it be too late) I say, there is a day very near, wherein you will witness this to be true to whom this shall come, and because the day is very near; therefore hath the Lord laid it upon me, to speak ●t often, that you may hear ere it be too late, for hours of visitation have been, and to many people long, and to you it hath been so, but it is near an end, and O 'tis but a very little time, and you will find it so who shall not be gathered to the Lord, after all his seeking you, wherein you shall be concluded with the God whom you serve, and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord, who hath long sought to gather you, who yet seeks you; who will not seek you always, who are not gathered to him, who will be glorified in what he shall do unto you who are not gathered unto him in the day wherein he shall render unto every man according to his deeds.  
And this is no jesting matter you will find it so who yet shall be hardened, who yet shall refuse to hear; who yet are disobedient, who yet are rebellously, who yet will not hear, who yet harden your hearts, who yet set your faces as a flint, who will not return, who are proud, and high minded, and disobedient, and unthank-ful, and unholy; and who smite your fellow Servants, and do eat and drink with the drunken, and say your Lord delays his coming. The Lord will come upon you in a day that you think not of it, and in an hour of which you are not ware, and cut you asunder, and give you your portion with Hypocr●tes and Sinners. It is the Word of the Lord, there will be no dallying, you will find it so when your day is over, no jesting, no sporting, no living in pleasures, no having to morrow as to day, and much more abundant, as your thoughts of pleasures leads you to imagine; those things will have an end, when your day is over, and when he that hath sought you, comes to be your Judge, even that which witnesses in you, which is privy to all your actions, the thoughts, and intents of your hearts, who hath lain down with you, and rose with you, and hath suffered, and knows all the bowels of the Lord to you, and his seeking of you, and is witness how you have neglected, and slighted, and chose his and your enemy, and how you have had a name that you were alive, and others have thought you to be so, and you have said so of your selves, but yet are dead. The bowels of the Lord God Eternal yet move in me to you, who would not have you die, but rather that ye may return, and live, and be gathered with his chosen into his everlasting rest, where is fullness of joy, and pleasure for evermore. And so I have done with you also in the Word of the Lord, and so I shall proceed.  
Neither is it so in the will of man, that if he will he shall be saved, and if he will, he shall be damned. That were to overturn the Foundation of God, which standeth sure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth who are his; but in a greathouse ●ouse, there are not only Vessels of Gold, and of Silver, but also of Wood, and of Earth, and some to Honour, and some to Dishonour, 2 Tim. 2. 19 And, my Sheep hear my Voice and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them Eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand; my Father that gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my hand; I, and my Father are one, John. 27. 29, 30. And, those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the Son of Perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, John 17. 12. And, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. And, so than it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy; For the Scriptures saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my Power in thee; and that my Name might be declared throughout all the Earth, therefore hath he mercy, on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9 16, 17, 18. And, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the Wise, that they are Vanity, Psal. 9 4. 11. And, O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself, it is not in him that walketh, to direct his steps, Jer. 10. 33. And, God saw that the wickedness of man was very great in the Earth; and that the Imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil, and that continually, Gen. 6. 5. And, can the Ethiopean change his skin, or the Leopard his spot? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed do evil, Jer. 13. 23. And, work out your own salvation, with Fear and Trembling; For it is God that worketh in you, to will, and to do, of his good pleasure, Phil. 2. 12.  
So Friends, ye who are called by the name of Free-willers, you see how the matter lies, and how Inconsistent to the Scriptures of Truth, and of the Life which gave it forth; Your Position is, who think to fathom God with your own Line, and reach to him who is Immortal with that which perishes; and because you cannot make it out, or understand in your dark, and narrow thoughts how it can be otherwise, you limit the Lord, and make him such a one as your selves, or as your narrow, dark, and Shallow thoughts can apprehend of him, who is unfathomable: whose way is in the Sea, and his footsteps in the mighty Waters; who declareth unto man his thought, and therefore the thought of man, or that which proceedeth from the will of man cannot comprehend God nor know what he is, or how he worketh, or the reason of his working, who is unsearchable. How unsearchful are his Judgements, and his ways past finding out? O the depth of the riches, both of the Wisdom, and the Knowledge of God For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Councillor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen; said the Apostle, Rom. 11. 33, 34, 35, 36.  
Now, because you cannot reach the depth of his Counsel, nor find him out, and the reason of his working, who is unsearchable, who are in the fall; You think that your will in the fall, is the ground of his working, who being in the fall, can think of nothing higher than your selves; For though God is above, and you think, and speak of God as you think, yet you understand God no more in the mind that is in the fall, than the fall can understand him; Whom even the natural man cannot know, nor the things of him, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned, as the Apostle testifies, 1 Cor. 3. 14.  
And think not this strange that I say unto you; For a man can see no further, nor otherwise then is the principle in which he is, and by which he sees. All wisemen (I suppose) will grant me this; Now you being in the fall, and your principle being that which rules in the fall, which is the principle of darkness, which never knew him, nor saw him, nor can comprehend him, who is Light; and the light shined in the darkness (here's the two Principles) and the darkness comprehended it not, saith John, Chap. 1. 5.) How can you comprehend him? How can ye think of him above, or further, or otherwise then that in which you are, which knows him not, nor hath seen him; and so see how you are befooled in the point, by the Prince of darkness, who leads you to lay your dark, unstable, tottering wills, which are very vanity, led about by the Prince of the Air, who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience; and such were some of you, (said the Apostle to the Saints, 1 Cor. 6. 11▪ But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God) as the ground of his Foundation, which remaineth sure as aforesaid, but yours in the dust, and as a thing of nought; For who shall say unto him, what dost thou? And yet if you will so, it shall be so, and if you will not so, it shall not be so, saith your Opinion, who think of God, as your selves, who think him such a one as your selves; Nay, you place your broken wills, higher than his, and as the foundation of his; for if your will say, you shall be damned, and so to liberty you go, and take your swinge as you please; where's the Will of God (I speak as to men, and after the manner of men; and with Reverence unto God as the thing speaks) which the Apostle saith to the Saints, is your sanctification. This is the Will of God even your sanctification, that you should abstain from Fornication, 1 Thes. 4. 3. Nay, saith your Opinion, we will be unholy; we will be profane, we will be unclean; If we shall be saved, we shall be saved, and if we shall be damned, we shall be damned; We have time enough, and if we will turn to the Lord, we shall turn, and it will be well enough, as if the matter lay there, and the whole stress of the Salvation of man, and his Reprobation stood in the will of man.  
But, Friends, you must consider, that though the Lord hath given man an understanding to know him who is true, and this understanding is that of him in you, which gives you to know him who is true, and which leads into him, who is true, this is true God, and Eternal Life; Yet if you are not turned to this, if you are not guided by this, if by this you are not led, you cannot turn to God; Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spot? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil, Jer. 13. 23. as aforesaid. So, this must draw you, this must lead you, to the voice of this you must hearken where the Power of God is, which is the Power of God; whose very voice is Power, which shakes the Wilderness, the Wilderness of Kadesh (the voice of the Lord, that which calleth on you to return, doth it,) It maketh the Hinds to calve, and discovereth the Forests, and divideth the flames of fire, and breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon, and maketh them to skip like a Calf, Lebanon and Shirion like a Young Unicorn, which is powerful, and full of Majesty, Ps. 29. That so you may be turned unto God.  
So then, It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy; whose kindness it is that hath placed something of himself in you, to call upon you, to show you your Enemy, to lead you unto himself, which is of such power that it speaketh through the strength of darkness, and you hear it; that which reproves you, that which judges you for evil, that which shows you the very appearance of evil, and tells you what you should do, which all the strength of darkness cannot hinder, if it could, you should never hear it speak, which judges darkness. Now this is the Visitation of the Lord, this is his long-suffering, this is that which seeks to gather, this is that which would have the death of none of you, this desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may return and live; And in this is Power (as I have said) it is the Power of God, Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the the Power of God, which is that which must turn you, if ever you be turned to God, which calls upon you to turn, which God hath placed in you to call upon you, and to turn you unto God; So it is not in him that willeth, (as I have said) nor in him that runneth, but it is God that showeth mercy; and this is the Visitation of his love (as hath been said) that you may be gathered, that you may be saved, that you may be turned; He never put it otherwise, not in your wills, nor never laid he the stress there, but that you should hearken to that of him in you, which knows, and speaks, and doth his will, which lies in his bosom, which is the Son of his bosom, in whom he hath ordained Eternal life, and to all that come to, believe on, and abide in him.  
So here's the thing at which you have stumbled so long, which you would know, but have not known it, because you have not known, nor come to, nor believed in that by which you might know it, which is that which witness, and so have not known the Power of God, which delivers, which saves, in which is the Way to Life, which is the Way to Life, in whom the Lord is well pleased; that in you, that calls upon you to turn, not your Wills to turn, is the Power of God, and the Way to Life; We Preach no such Doctrine, but we lead every man to the Power of God, that which calls on man to turn and live, that so he may turn and live; Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old, Lam. 5. 21. So than it is not in the will of man, but in the good will of him that speaks in man, in which is the power to turn him to God, as he joins to this, as he comes to this, as he is governed by this; and this unto you all is the Word of the Lord.  
For though the destruction of Israel is of himself, yet in the Lord is his help; here's the help, the help laid on him that is Mighty, the Power of God in you, which is that which witnesses; not in the Will of man, there's the mistake; for man cannot Will to God in the state in the fall, We are not sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, said the Apostle as aforesaid; and were it not that the Lord first touched man, that of him in him which lies in death, and by reason of the fall is buried in the Grave; so that it cannot move to God; man never would look after God, nor know the state in the which he is; for the enemy having him, and holding him, and compassing him about, would never suffer him so to see, nor so to understand; Now herein is the love of God manifest, and his great loving kindness; that when man whom he made upright, and in his Image, and breathed into him the Breath of Life, and he became a living Soul, turned away from the Lord, and from that in which he was made, (which kept, and would have preserved him, had he kept to it) and let in the enemy, and so death came over him in the Transgression, over that in which he was made, that it moved not, but lay as dead; Free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou remember'st no more, and they are cut off from thy hand, Psal. 88 6. I say that the Lord should then visit man, and reach to that of himself in man which lay in the grave, free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, and so give man to see the state in the which he is, and his enemy, and to cause a moving after God, a Will to God, this is the Lords great loving kindness, and his free mercy; and this the Apostle reckoned when he cast up the sum, and minded the great love of God to man in this state. In this (saith he as hath been said) was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him; Herein is the love [not] that [we] [loved] God, but that [he] loved us, and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins, 1 John 4. 9, 10. And, when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. 6.  
So then man cannot move to God, unless God reach him, that of him in him that lies in death by reason of Transgression, and quicken him; than it moves to God again, not that we loved God; see in what state the will of man is in the fall, where all men are found, when God comes to them; when God visits them, when he speaks to them, when his voice reacheth them that shaketh the Wilderness; when that moves in them which shows them sin and evil, and judges it; not that we loved God (saith he) before whilst we were in this state, the state in the fall we loved not God; before God reached to that of himself in us that lay in death. Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou remember'st no more (saith he also as aforesaid) but he loved us, and sent his Son (that of himself in us) to be a propitiation (an atonement) for our sin; and herein is love, and in this was manifested the love of God towards us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. We, who were dead in trespasses, and sins, who were without sense or feeling of God, over whom death was gotten, who had no mind, nor will to God, nor moving to him; who could never have moved to him, nor minded nor willed him in the state in which we were in the fall, in the Transgression, when we were from that of him, which gives the sense and feeling of him, and willing to and moving after him, because of death, which was got between us, and that of him in which we were made, from which we fell, which came under by reason of Death, by reason of the fall; and so were at that time without Christ; Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of Promise, having no hope, and without God in the World, that we who were in this state might live through him, through that which speaks in us, which in us moves to God.  
So that it is not in the will of man in the fall (for so man as to this particular, is to be considered, for that which restores him, & brings him to God is another thing, & being brought to God is another state, of which I speak not now; but of the state in which man is before he is brought thither) I say, it is not in the Will of man; considered in the fall, to will to God, or to move to him (that which moves him to God, and makes him will to God is another thing, as I have showed) and there being no will in man as to God in this state wherein every man is found, when God comes to him (as hath been instanced) where then is free will; or the freedom of his will to God? for where there is no such thing as a thing, there cannot be said to be the freedom of such a thing; because there is a non entity; (as I may so speak, if so be it be proper so to speak, and yet how shall I otherwise speak to give a demonstration of the thing of which I speak) there is no such thing in being, of which the freedom, or the freedom of which is pretended; there is no such thing in being, therefore there cannot be said to be the freedom of such a thing. For (again) of his [own] will, begat he us, with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures, saith the Apostle, Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will, than it is not of man's will that man is begotten to God; that he is delivered for two wills cannot consist in this Particular, no more can it consist, than two Fathers in the Generation of man, or for a man to beget himself, which is incongruous to Nature to say, as it is to reason to think it, and it being not of man's will, than man hath no freedom of will to be begotten to beget himself too God.  
And this is manifest, for it is by the Word, or with the Word of Truth too, that he is begotten to God. So man hath nothing to do in the matter of his own will, With the Word of Truth hath he begotten us; the Word of Truth, the Word nigh in the mouth, and in the heart, the Word of Faith which we preach; (said the Apostle.) The Word of the Lord which endures for ever, and this is the Word which by the Gospel is Preached unto you, saith Peter, 1 Epist. 1. 25. The Word which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and is a discerner of the Thoughts and intents of the heart; neither is there 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, Heb. 4. 12, 13. So it is by this Word, the Word of Truth, the Word of God, the Word nigh in the mouth, and in the heart, that calls upon man, that speaks to man to turn unto the Lord, that we are begotten of his own will, and with the Word of Truth; this is first, that which calls on man to turn unto the Lord, is that which begets; and that which begets (you know) is first, and if it begets, (you know in Nature) it is another thing, a seed of its own, each Body it's own Seed, the Seed of God; that's his Seed that's of him, which begets his own will, something of himself, with the Word of Truth, that which calls on man, which is not man, nor of the will of man, but of God, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the Will of man, but of God, John 1. 13. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace, and Truth, v. 14. And so man hath nothing to do in this thing; the first moving, and rise, and step to this thing, is the Will of God with the Word of Truth; that which witnesseth, something that is not of man, nor the will of man, nor of the flesh, though it be in man that begets to God; This reacheth to it's own, that lies in death by reason of Transgression, that's got between, and quickens it to God; then that moving in man turns him to God. So the first, and the last, the beginning and the ending, the whole of the work of Regeneration, of begetting man to God, is the Lord; his Will his Word of Truth, his Power, his Arm, that of him in man, being reached by his Omnipotent Power, which lies in death by reason of the fall, that in which man was made, being reached again through death, moves to God; and as this is abided in, and kept to, it works out the old man, the old nature; and brings forth the Image of God in man again, that which man was made in at first, and causeth it to reign over all for ever.  
And here's the Redemption, and here's the Restauration, the bringing man back again to God from whence he is gone, the beginning, and the finishing; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1. 6. He that gins, he performs it; Here'● no second, here's not another, here's not man in the beginning, and God in the end; man willing, and then God working, but God working both to will, and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. 2. 13. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Heb. 12. 2. Looking to Jesus, Jesus the Author, Jesus the Finisher; looking to him, who is the Author, who is the Finisher, where's room then for the will of man; Jesus gins, the Word of Truth, that which speaks, that which witnesses, that which calls, this begets, the beginning; the ending this as it is heeded, and abided in, finishes; he that gins, his own will with the Word of Truth, performs, forms through, finishes. The Alpha, and Omega, the beginning, and ending, I am saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, Rev. 1. 8. The Alpha, the Omega; he that first made remakes, he that made man in his Image, renews man into his Image, or renews his Image in man; he from whom man is gone, brings man to God again; he that made him at first in his Image, ●eaching to his Image (that of him in man in which man was made from which man is fallen, which witnesses to God) raiseth it up; and this begets man unto God, or a will in man to turn unto the Lord; or, is the will, or the mind that turns unto the Lord; Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth, as aforesaid; and this performs, this finishes, as it is abided in, and no other.  
So that were it not for his Seed, for that in which man was made; the Breath of Life which God breathed into man, and man became a living Soul; which suffers and lies under by reason of Transgression which is over man in the fall, and hath the possession of him, were it not that God visiteth or reacheth to this his Seed in man, in which man was made which so lies under, and suffers in man by reason of Transgression, and so causeth it to spring through man again, man would never think of God, or move to him, which Seed the Lord reaching, and visiting in man with the day spring from on high, shows man where he is, and what hath him in possession, and where he hath been, and so begets its own Mind, and Will, and Image in man, and brings him to the Lord. Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted, Isa. 31. 6. and man heeding it, is turned unto the Lord, and abiding in it, is preserved unto God. Here's the beginning, and the ending, and the whole sum of this matter, and the ground of the mistake that is in men concerning it, which I have opened for the satisfaction of the simple in the move of the Lord, because the time is ne'er wherein these things will be seen as they are, when it will be too late, and men will be concluded with the God whom they serve.  
So the bowels of the Lord have moved in me to you wards, that your eyes may be open, and that you may see this great mystery, which hath been hid from ages and generations, but is now made manifest to his Saints, which is Christ in you the Hope of glory, and that you may not place the will of man to be it, and so mistake in this thing of weight unto all eternity. And so I am clear of you also in the sight of the Lord, who hath moved me to write, and which I have written in his Counsel, and as I have received of him whose word it is; and which shall be fulfilled, and your eyes shall see it, and in that day I shall be witnessed in you (to whom this shall come) by that which witnesses to God for ever, and ever, and your judgement will be just; you that do not hear, who will not obey, who will not see, who will not hear, who stop your ears as the the deaf Adder, refusing to hear the voice of the Charmer charm, he never so wisely. The day (I say) is near wherein these things you will see, and witness wherein it will be too late. Therefore you also, Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness, Jer. 13. 16. My Bowels are turned within me for you, that so you may not be mistaken, and undone for ever.  
For this know that the Lord's Spirit will not always strive with you, nor will he always have mercy, for if he still call, and you refuse, and the day of your visitation pass over, you will also be concluded with the God whom you serve. Then shall I be a good savour unto the Lord, and my reward shall be with him when he shall render unto you according to your deeds.  
And so I shall proceed to what I have further to say in this weighty matter, as I am moved of the Lord.  
I say as before, God made not man to destroy him, neither hath he concluded any man from all eternity to destruction; neither hath he so made man, as that it is impossible for him to fall from the state in the which he was made; neither hath he so chosen man since the fall, as that he can never be removed from the state unto which he was chosen. Neither doth he so will the Salvation of all, as that all are saved; neither hath he redeemed all since the fall; neither is it so in the will of man, that if he will he shall be saved, and if he will he shall be damned; that were to do as hath been said, and proved at large, as to the Particular of each in their Place and Order; but this the Lord hath done; He made man upright (as hath been said) after the Image of God made he man in Righteousness, and true Holiness; but man hath found out many Inventions, and hath let in the enemy, and is wrought into his Image, who hath sought to destroy him, and is gone astray from him who made him, who made him not to destroy him (as hath been again, and again said) and hath not been guided by his Counsel, and would have none of his reproof, who found him out after he had sinned, and shown him what he had done, neither would he turn, and live, but turned to his own way, and followed the direction of his own Paths, and his way turned unto Hell, and his Paths unto destruction; so that there is none (in this state) that doth good, no not one; They [all] are gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, their foolish heart was darkened, destruction, and misery is in their ways, and the Way of Peace they have not known; and according to the Prince of this world have they walked, after the course of this World, according to the power of the Prince of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedince, which is the Spirit of Reprobation, which hath no sense or feeling of God, which God hath shut out, or Reprobated from his Presence to all eternity, which hath neither seen him, nor known him, nor shall ever come to feel his Life, nor shall any that are joined to him whilst they are in that state and witness not Redemption from the Lord.  
For whilst men are upon this Root which God hath cursed, and are found in him whom he hath reprobated, who is without any true sense of God, or his life, those who are so found, and do so stand are as he is; and as it is said of the other Seed, the Seed of God, they that are in it, and are born of it, viz. As he is so are we in this world,— (that is) in the true Sense of God, and his life; as the Seed is which God hath blessed; so is it with them, and so may it be said of them that are found on this Root which God hath cursed. As he is, so are they in this world, that is to say, without any true sense of God (whilst they grow on that Root) or of his life.  
And therefore is it said, That at that time ye (speaking to the Saints, who once were in, but were then delivered from that state, and this was the state, which at that time, of which he speaketh, they were in out of which they then were delivered, viz. the state of Reprobation) at that time (saith the Apostle) ye were [without] Christ, being Aliens from the Common Wealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of Promise, having no hope, and [without] God in the World (without the true sense and feeling of God which quickens and refreshes them that feel him, and are in him, and he in them, and are made partakers of his life, which quickens, and refreshes, and makes alive to God, and delivers from tresp●sses and sins, where is death, and the alienation▪ and the estrangement, and the being without God in the World, without the sense and quickening presence God, for he otherwise 〈◊〉 all things; Whether shall I go from thy Presence? etc. and so may be said to be in them. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things, Ephes. 4. 10. And, hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all; far above all Principalities, Powers, and Might, and Dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but in that which is to come, Ephes. 1. 21, 22, 23.  
And saith the same Apostle of them, whose day is over, and who are found in this state of Reprobation in that day. Who shall be punished (saith he) with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his Power, when he shall be glorified in his Saints, and admired in them that believe, 2 Thes. 1. 9, 10. And, Reprobate silver (saith the Prophet, silver that is without a true touch, the virtue is gone) shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them, Jer. 6. 30. And, to every good work Reprobate, Tit. 1. 16. And, Reprobate concerning the Faith, 2 Tim. 3. 8. And, even as they liked not to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a Reprobate mind, Rom. 1. 28. A mind without a proof (as the Latin word Reprobate, compounded of re and probo (is) to prove backwards, or to be without a proof, without a sense, a feeling of God, of that which witnesses, which gives the feeling of God) signifies. And saith the Apostle, Examine yourselves whether ye be in the Faith (this he spoke to the Corinthians, the Church that was in God, which were washed, which were sanctified, which were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; Who had a Proof, a Sense, a Feeling of him in them; Examine yourselves, saith he to them, whether ye be in the Faith) prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates, 2 Cor. 13. 5. But I trust (saith he in the next verse.) that we are not Reprobates. And saith he further; Now I pray to God that ye do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as Reprobates, vers. 7. And, he that believeth on the Son (on him who witnesses, the faithful and true witness. These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, writes John to the Laodeceans, who were grown neither hot, nor cold, and therefore he would spew them out of his mouth. I know thy works that thou art neither cold, nor hot, (neither quite dead, nor quite alive, neither being without sense, nor having much) I would thou wert cold, or hot; So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, Rev. 3. 15, 16. (A sore word, to be cast out as salt that hath lost its savour, and is good for nothing, but to be cast to the Dunghill. If the salt hath lost its savour, where with shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men, saith Christ, Mat. 5. 13.) And, shameful spueing shall be on thy Glory, Hab. 2. 16. And, Moab also shall wallow in his Vomit, Jer. 48. 16. And, it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb. The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again, and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire, 2 Pet. 2. 22. This is the condition of all that are in this state, whom the Lord spews out) I say, He that beleiveth on the Son, hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, John 3. 36.  
And here's the state of all men by nature (the nature that is in the fall, in the Transgression) they are without God, the sense of God, the life of God, the Son of God, without God in the World, without Christ the Son of God, Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, Strangers from the covenants of Promise, having no hope (as aforesaid) and the reason is, because they believe not on the Son (on that which witnesses to God in them. Which Judges, and reproves them when they do evil, and shows them what they should do; Is not this the Christ, John 4. 21. That which tells them all that ever they have done, that searcheth their hearts, and trieth their Reigns; and knoweth the compass and end of all their Actions, and sitteth down with them, and risieth up with them, and follows them wheresoever they go; They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 4. Which speaks to them in secret, and convinceth them of evil, which they know they should not go against, which is the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, that hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live Soberly, and Righteously, and Godly in this present World, of which the Apostle speaketh, Tit. 2. 11, 12. The Comforter which reproves the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgement, of Sin, because they believe not in me, saith Christ, John 1. 6. 8, 9 of Righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of Judgement, because the Prince of this World is judged, vers. 10, 11. So, that which reproves, and judges, is the Spirit, the Spirit of the Son, the Comforter, that which reproves, gives comfort, and hope to Godward, that he will show mercy; It is his Arm that opens to gather; It is his Crook by which he brings back. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a Hen gathers her chicken under her wings, and ye would not, Mat. 23. 27. Now that which gathers, is that which brings together, that which is astray, that is out of its place, out of its way; and that which so gathers, corrects, or it is a correction, or a reproof to that which is astray; and the voice of that which gathers, is a reproof to that which is astray, the very calling to come together, reproves that which was not so. Now this comforts, this is the Comforter that calls to man, who is out of the way, to turn him, to bring him out of the wrong, to the right way, and that which tells a man that he is in the wrong way, judges the wrong way, reproves it; And that which reproves the wrong, gives comfort to a man as he receives it, and lets it judge the wrong in him, that he is regarded, and shall be brought into the right. And so thy Rod, and thy Staff they comfort me, Psal. 23. 3. It gives a man to see that its like to be well with him; As a man that is travelling hard, and he hath a long way to go, and night will come, and he fears least having missed his way he shall come short of home, and then great perils will attend him, and he happily may miscarry, and be undone for ever; If any man meet him, and tell him how he is out of his way, and that the other is his way, and if he will go with him, he will bring him in safety to his journey's end, and deliver him from all his enemies, and the sad event of a miscarriage; this will revive the heart of the man, that is in sense of his condition, and instead of repining at, or resisting, or slighting his friend, or persisting in the wrong way, in which he was, or rising against his friend, and his admonition, and reproof, he will gladly go with him, and accept the offer; and he will say, pray let me go with thee, and I am glad I have met with thee, and what a thing is it that I have met with thee, that I should meet with thee; and what a providence was it, and his heart will be light, and rejoice that he hath met with the right; and be comforted that now he shall come home and miss his dangers, and be out of fear of miscarriage. So, his trouble is gone, and all the way along he will be talking to his friend and telling him, what a thing it was that he met with him.  
Even so it is as to that which is Eternal, man that is out of his way, and comes to be in sense by that which calls upon him, and tells him he is out of the way, lying is out of the way, swearing is out of the way, deceit is out of the way; the form of godliness without the Power, is out of the way; Profession without the prossession of that which is professed, a Name that one lives, and yet is dead as to the life of God; a circumcision without, when there is no circumcision within, a walking as to the Law blameless, and yet without law to Christ; a Jew without, and no Jew within; a cover of Righteousness without, and yet within a rotten Sepulchre, full of dead men's bones, (an open Sepulchre) a man that comes to be in the sense of this through that which calls upon him, and thereby to be awakened to see the danger in which he was, and so to be apprehensive of his deliverance, will rejoice at this, and be comforted in this, that so reproved him in the wrong way, and shown him the right; and with gladness of heart, walks on with his Friend, who so showed him, who so judged him; and his heart is now easy, and his fears are over, and he cares not at what pains he is, or what it costs him, or what he loses, or parts with, to walk along with his friend, and to keep to his foot, step by step with him, because he will-bring him to his journey's end.  
Friends, and People all, who are not yet come hither, who yet are not turned at the voice of your friend, at that which calls on you, which reproves, which judges, the way you are in; Resist no longer, but be gathered unto it, that so into the sense of your state you may come, and be led along, and keep company with that which followed after you, and called upon you for many years as you were travelling to destruction, that you might turn and live; which now will go before you, as you turn to it, and keep with it, and lead you to rest. O who would not be here, who is in any sense of the Eternal state which he must pass through to, and which he must abide for ever! who would reject the tender love of so dear a friend? Who would not be at ease, at heart's ease (as we use to say, when any one's burden is taken off) in a matter of this weight as to that which is Eternal, that it is well with one, as to that which is Eternal; here the heart is at rest, and all that is within a man is at peace, and his thoughts of his going to his long home is secure, when he is in the certainty of this, and who would not be in the certainty of this, that his heart might be at ease, and his soul at rest, at heart's ease, at true rest, which never is at true ease, nor rest till it come hither, till it be at this, and that it may come hither, is the end of the Lord in that which gathers, which opens, which seeks, which would not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live.  
So people all the Bowels of the Lords love are to you in this, in that which gathers, in that which seeks, in that which calls, in that which witnesses, in that which follows after you, in that which judges you, in that which reproves your go astray, in that which shows you are out of the way, the Rod, and the Staff, this comforts, this is a comfort. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept thy Word, Psal. 119. 67. And, blessed is the man whom thou chastnests, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law, Psal. 94. 12. And, I know, O Lord, that thy Judgements are right, and that thou in faithfulness, hast afflicted me, Psal. 119. 75. And, it is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes, the law of thy mouth is better to me, than thousands of Gold and Silver, ver. 71. 72. And, if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons, Heb. 12. 12. If ye endure chasming, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not, ver. 7. Furthermore, we have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? For, they verily for a few days, chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holiness, vers. 8, 9  
So that which chastens, that which corrects, that which reproves, that which judges, that which seeks, that which gathers, that which calls, that which woes, that which entreats, that which follows, the voice behind which saith, This is the right way walk in it, when you turn to the right hand, or to the left (the Promise which the Lord made of old, in the time of the Law, which was without, to lead to that which was within, which was blotted out by reason of Transgression, for which cause the Law was added (some thing that was not before) by reason of Transgression, to lead to that within, which Transgression was got over, the Word nigh, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart) this Word of Faith which we preach (said the Apostle) the righteousness of Faith, which saith on this wise, saith he, Rom. 10. 6. And, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn unto the left, Isa. 20. 21.) This comforts, this is of a comforting nature, this shows the Lords regard, this seeks to gather, this seeks to save; be ye gathered unto it, to that which reproves, to that which judges, to that which calls, to that which follows, to that which speaks behind, to that which witnesses, the Word behind ye when ye are turned to the right hand, or to the left, which calls on you, which judges your being out of the way, which you are before, when you are turned to the right hand, or to the left; which goes not before you to evil, which shows you evil, the evil which leads you out of the way, which follows after you, when you are led away to evil; which saith, this is the way, (that which shows ye are gone to the right hand, or to the left) walk ye in it; this is the Promise, this the Lord hath fulfilled; this your ears have heard; this you know, walk ye in it, be gathered to it. There's no cloak now left, you know now it is so, the times of this ignorance God winked at, now he commands men every where to repent, because they know this, and that they should be guided by this, and not go against this, but turn at the voice of this, the Word behind, that when they turn to the right hand, or the left; saying, This is the way, walk in it, because he hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness, by this, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given asurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead; That, that lives, that shows men evil, this shall judge the world in Righteousness, by this he will judge the world in Righteousness; This he hath raised from the dead, to that it witnesses, that he may judge the world in Righteousness, and this is the asurance that he will so judge the World in Righteousness, in that he hath raised this up from the dead, in that this witnesses; and as certainly as it witnesses, shall it judge, will he Judge the world in Righteousness.  
So People all, take heed what you do in running against this, in opposing this, in not being gathered unto this, it is the way to God, it is the way to Life, and there is no other; It is that which shall judge you, it is that which must save you, if ever, ye be saved, it is the Word of the Lord.  
Now, in the Son there is Life; He hath life in himself, and he quickeneth whom he will. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to Life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live; for as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute Judgement also, because he is the Son of man, John 5. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.  
And he is the wellspring of Life. Understanding is a wellspring of Life to him that hath it; but the instruction of fools is folly, saith the wise man, Prov. 26. 22. And, whence then cometh wisdom, and where is the place of understanding, seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept from the fouls of the Air? Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom, and to departed from evil that is understanding, Job 28. 20, 21. And, I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty Inventions; The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil, Pride, and Arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate; Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom, [I] am [understanding] I have strength. By me King's reign, and Princes decree justice; Be me Princes Rule, and Nobles, even all the Judges of the earth. I love them that love me, and those that seek me early, shall find me; Riches and Honour are with me, yea durable Riches, and Righteousness; My fruit is better than gold, yea then fine gold, and my revenue then choice silver; I lead in the way of Righteousness, in the midst of the Paths of Judgement, that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their Treasures; The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old; I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, ere ever the earth was; when there was no depths, I was brought forth when there was no fountain abounding with water, before the Mountains were stetled, before the Hills was I brought forth; whilsed as yet he had not made the Earth, nor the Fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the World; when he prepared the Heavens, I was there; when he set a compass on the face of the depth; when he established the Clouds above, when he strengthened the Fountains of the deep; when he gave to the Sea his degree that the Waters should not pass his commdements; When he appointed the foundation of the earth, than I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, Rejoicing in the habitable part of his Earth; and my delights were with the Sons of Men. Now, therefore harken unto me O ye Children, for blessed are they that keep my ways; Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not; Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my Gates, waiting at the posts of my door: For who so findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord; but he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death, Prov. 8. 13. to the end. And the fear of the Lord, is the beginning of Wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments; his praise endureth for ever, Psal. 111. 10. And, the fear of the Lord is Wisdom, and the Knowledge of the Holy is understanding, Proverbs 9 10.  
And, this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days saith the Lord, I will put my Laws in their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People, and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying know the Lord, for all shall know me, from the least unto the greatest; for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and their Iniquities will I remember no more, Heb. 8 10, 11, 12. And this shall be the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days saith the Lord, I will put my Law in their Inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my People, and they shall teach no more every one his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying, know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their Iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more, Jer. 31. 33, 34.  
And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, and I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts; and they shall not departed from me; yea I will rejoice over them to do them good; and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul, Jer. 32. 40, 41.  
And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth; and to every Nation, and Kindred, and Tongue, and People, crying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgements is come; and worship him that made Heaven, and Earth, and the Sea, and the Fountains of Waters, Rev. 14. 6, 7. And except the God of my Fathers, the God of Abraham, and the [fear] of Isaac had been with me, thou hadst sent me away now empty; God hath seen my affliction, and the labour of my hand, and rebuked thee yesternight, Gen. 31. 42. And Laban said to Jacob, behold this heap, and behold this Pillar which I cast up between me, and the, this Heap, and this Pillar be witness that I not pass over this Heap to thee, and thou shalt not pass over this Heap, and this Pillar unto me for harm; the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and their Father Judge between us; and Jacob swore by the [fear] of his Father Isaac, v. 51, 52, 53. Thus saith the Scripture, and the Scripture cannot be broken, John 10. 35.  
And in him was life, and the life was the light of men, that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, John 1. 3. 9 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the World, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil, for every one that doth evil, hateth the light; neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be reproved, but he that doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God, John 3. 19, 20, 21. And, he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the Name of the only begotten Son of God, John 3. 18. And, God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World, but that the world through him might be saved; for God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. And, as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life, v. 14, 15, 16, 17. And, I am the Light of the World, he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of Life, John 8. 12.  
I say, they that are in the state of nature which is in the fall in the Transgression, are without the sense of God, or of his life, or of his Son who is Life. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; No man (saith he) cometh unto the Father, but by me; if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and hence forth ye know him, and have seen him: Philip saith unto him, Lord show us the Father, and it sufficeth. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me? Philip, be that hath seen me, hath seen my Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the Works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; Or, believe me for the very work sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth me, the works that I do, shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my Father, and whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If ye ask any thing in my Name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my Commandments, and I will pray 〈◊〉 Father, and he shall give you another Comforther, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seethe him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth in you, and shall be with you, John 14. 6. to the eighteenth.  
And being without the sense of God, and his Life, and his Son who is life, they are in a state of Reprobation, in the state of the Devil, who is without any thing of this, any thing of any true sense of God, or of his Life, or of the Son of God who is Life; For verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the Seed of Abraham, Heb. 2. 16. And they that are in this state, can never see God, (whilst they are in this state) nor know him, nor his Son in the knowledge of whom is life eternal, John 17. 3. and there is no coming out of this state, without the knowledge of him who is Life eternal; and there can be no knowledge of him who is Life eternal, but in his Light. In thy Light shall we see Light, Psal. 36. 9 And God who commanded the Light to shine out darkness, hath shined in our Hearts to give the light of knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4. 6. And this is the 〈◊〉 that which reproves, that which makes manifest, as the Apostle saith. But all things (saith he) that are reproved, are made manifest by the Ligtt; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light; wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give the Light, Ephes. 5. 13, 14. And, I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness, and will hold thy Hand, and will keep thee, and will give thee for a Covenant of the People, for a light of the Gentiles, Isa. 42. 6. And, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace, Luke 1. 78. And, in his Name shall the Gentiles trust, Mat. 12. 21. And, the light shined in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not; That is the true Light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, John 1. 5. 9  
Now how can darkness show itself? And how can darkness reprove darkness? And how can he that is in darkness, see the light, by the darkness? And how can he that sees not the light come out of darkness? And how can the light guide a man, whilst darkness covers him? And how can it be but that darkness should cover a man whilst he is in the state of darkness? And how can a man come out of darkness, but by the light? Therefore is he called light, because he showeth darkness, and brings out of darkness as many as are led by him, whose darkness he lighteneth (Thou wilt light my Candle, the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness, Psal. 18. 28.) that they may see the light of Life.  
So that the light, it is that showeth darkness, and darkness is comprehended by the light, but darkness cannot comprehend the light; Therefore every one must heed the light, that shineth in him in the darkness (that which reproves, that which makes manifest the darkness) that he may come to the light of Life. Yet a little while is the light with you, walk while ye have the light, least darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness, knoweth not whither he goeth; While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of the light, John 12. 35, 36.  
For, if darkness cannot comprehend the light, it cannot show the light; but the light it is that makes manifest the darkness (that which reproves, that which makes manifest) and shows it; and if the darkness cannot comprehend the light though it shine in it, nor make manifest, nor show itself; in what state then are all they who abide in darkness, and know not the light, nor are guided by it? Which way can they come out of darkness, who abide in darkness? And how can they be delivered without the help of another thing, without the light, which shows them their state, which shows them darkness, which makes it manifest, which shines in darkness, though the darkness comprehendeth it not? And this light is Christ (as hath been often instanced) who is the light of Life; who is the Saviour of all those who believe in him, and to him must all come, to the light in them (that which reproves, that which makes manifest) to Christ the light, and all must believe in him who is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, and abide in him who is light, or they shall never see life, they can never be delivered; and this is truth.  
Now this is the state in the which man is in the fall, in the transgression, he sees not God, nor hath seen him, nor can see him in that state, nor know him. The state is without a proof, a witness, a feeling of God, and being without a proof, a witness, a feeling of God in him; How can he come to him whom he neither sees nor feels, nor knows, nor of him hath a proof or witness? For, Ignoti nulla Cupido, as the Axiom is; A man hath no desire to that which he knows not. And a man knows not that which he doth not feel, and a man feels not that which he doth not witness; and a man cannot witness that which he hath not, and a man hath not that which he doth not witness; that is to say, in his sense, in his understanding, though it may be in him.  
And the reason is this, because he being in a state which is void of that which gives the feeling, the sense, the witness, the proof, of God in him; He in that state, can have no proof of God, nor witness, nor sense, nor feeling more than of wrath, and eternal condemnation, none of life, nor of Salvation, or that leads to it; for Wrath, and Eternal condemnation is the portion of that state, and of all that are in it, whilst they are in it; And though the light be in man (that which reproves, that which makes manifest) and God hath placed it there, a measure of himself in every man, to bring him back again to God, which calls on him to turn unto the Lord; from whom he is gone, that it may be well with him; and man knows it, and it often appears, and shows, and makes manifest, and reproves, and judges, which is the love of God, and his kindness unto man, who seeks to gather him, and therefore hath he placed this of himself in him, to bring him to God; yet the Spirit of Reprobation, the Spirit which is without the living sense, and feeling of God, or proof, or witness of him, or the state of Reprobation; or the Reprobated state or condition, being that which hath man, and holds him, being that in which man is, it keeps him from believing in that which reproves, which makes manifest, which shows, which judges, which witnesses to God, and answers to him, and so as this hath power over him, he obeys it not.  
Now, being made perfect, he became the Author of Eternal Salvation, to as many as obey him, Heb. 5. 9 And man obeying it not, he doth not receive it, he doth not retain it; Iniquity comes (which he obeys) and blots it out; and so it is to him, as if he had it not, it is made of none effect to him, he becomes not the Atho●r of Eternal Salvation to such; Iniquity races it out as it were, comes over it, covers it, and so man feels not the Power and Virtue of that which calls upon him, so as to deliver him, because he receives it not, he doth not obey it, and therefore it is that he is not delivered that to him, he becomes not the Author of Eternal Salvation who is it, though it is Virtue, and Power above the strength of darkness, that shows it, else it should never show darkness, and make manifest what darkness is. Nor hath that man any other advantage by it, then to know his Condemnation, which is the state of the Devil, the state of Reprobation, the state of the Reprobates, the Reprobated state; who though they know God, yea, and though they also believe, and tremble, yet it is in a sense of Wrath, and Judgement; For he is over them, and they know him to be Lord over all Principalities and Powers, who is Head of the body the Church; yet they obey him not, nor receive him, nor can they, the state they are in, and he is contradistinct, and so their knowledge to him is but to Judgement; What have I to do with thee Jesus (and yet the Pharises would not confe●s him so to be) thou Son of the most high God, I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not; cried the unclean spirit, whose name was Legion, when Jesus said unto him, come out of the man thou unclean spirit, Mark 5▪ 8. And, thou believest there is one God, thou dost well, the Devils also believe, and tremble, said James to the vain man, concerning the Faith which was without works, which he said was dead; which obeyed not, which received not his Virtue, therefore it wrought not; For, as many as received him, to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God, even to them which believe in his Name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; Who was in the World, and the World was made by him, and the World knew him not, who came unto his own, but his own received him not; Was not Abraham our Father (said James) justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar? Seest thou how Faith wrought with his works, and by works, was Faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for Righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God. You see then (saith he) how that by works a man is justified, and not by Faith only; Likewise, also was not Rahab the Harlot justified by works, when she had received the Messengers, and had sent them out another way. For, as the body without the spirit, is dead, so Faith without works, is dead also; This testified James and John also, Jam. 2. 19 to the end, John 1. 10, 11, 12, 13.  
And the reason is this, because (as hath been hinted) that spirit having man, and possessing him, man comes to be as that spirit is, and that spirit being so, man comes to be like it; and man being like it, or coming to be form into the image of the Devil, who was made after the Image of God, he comes to be concluded with him; and this is the state of the fall; the state of Reprobation, the state of him who is reprobated from God; of the Reprobates, they are such as are in him in the Devil, he is their Root, their Ground, their Source, and their Spring, who is reprobated from God, who feels him not, who is without any thing of him in him, that is the principle of him, who doth not know him; and therefore it is that they are called Reprobates.  
And here I must end as to this Particular, having spoken that which I have received of the Lord, to communicate that all may see, and understand this great mystery, viz. how the Lord made not man to destroy him, and that he hath concluded no man from all eternity to destruction, but man comes to be destroyed, and to suffer as he is found in the state of Reprobation, the state of Destruction, the state of which he is chief, who is the Devil, who (as I have showed) is Reprobated from God for ever and ever, and so shall be all those who are found in him when their day is over, who shall partake of his plagues, as they are found in him, and he in them working as their Head, and King. And so I have finished what I have to say in this Particular.  
Now in this state the Lord finding man, whom he had made after his Image, even in Righteousness, and True Holiness, thus lost, thus degenerated, thus form into the Image of the Devil; whom he had planted a Noble Vine, wholly a Right Seed; and Created in his Image; the Lord finding man in this state of Reprobation, in this state of Destruction, in this state of Alienation from God, without Christ; and God in the World, and having no hope; The Bowels of his compassion yearned towards him whom he had so made, and in a capacity to know him who is true, and to be in him who is True; this is true God, and Eternal Life, and to have fellowship with him, and to live in him for ever and ever, whom now another thing had taken up and possessed, whom the Lord at first had taken up and possessed as he said, Thou art he that took me out of the Womb; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts; by thee have I been holden up from the Womb; Thou art he that took me out of my Mother's bowels; Thou hast possessed my Reins; Thou hast covered me in my Mother's Womb; I am fearfully, and Wonderfully made; Marvellous are thy works, and that my Soul knoweth right well: My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lower part of the earth; Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book all my Members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them, Psal. 139. 13, 14, 15. I say, the Lord finding man in this state, and the bowels of his compassion yearning towards him whom be had made, as aforesaid, and seeing it impossible that ever he should he recovered again to the state in the which he was made, without being delivered from the state in the which now he was, and that he could not be delivered from the state in the which now he was, unless he were delivered from the hands of him who had him in this state, and that he could not be delivered from the hands of him who had him in this state, and possessed him, unless the eyes of man came to be opened to see the state in the which now he was, and him who thus had man in possession, and that he could never come to have his eyes opened to see the state in the which now he was, and who it was that had him in possession; but by a power which was greater than that which had now possessed man, and taken him up, which it was not in the power of that which had taken up man, and possessed him to hinder (that power which was greater) from showing unto man the state in the which now he was, and who had possessed him; he placed something of this power, of himself, in man to open the eyes of man's understanding, and to show him all this, to the end that every man having something, a measure of this power in him, (Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God) which is greater than that which is of this World, which had now possessed man and taken him up; every man might have in himself though not of himself or of flesh and blood, or, of the will of man, or this world, a direction, or something in him which might show him in the Particular where he was, and who it was that had him in possession, and taken him up, and so might be delivered.  
And this Power is Christ, Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God. The Gospel of the Power of God unto Salvation. The stronger ●●en the strong man armed that held the Possession. The Prince of Peace, the Redeemer. The Captain of our Salvation. The Head of Principalities, and Powers, and of the body of the Church, and of every man. The Name then, the which there is no other Name given under Heaven among men, whereby we must be saved. The Seed. The Seed of the Kingdom. The Son of God. The Prince of Life, who only hath immortality, and Eternal Life; to whom be Honour, and Power everlasting, Amen.  
And here's the Election; Christ, the Seed, the Seed which the Lord hath blessed, but the Seed of evil doers shall never be renewed; in whom, or in the which as man is found, Christ the Election, the Seed; and as it grows up in him, and he in it, so is he accounted of by the Lord, and is acceptable in his sight. Let the words of my Mouth, and the Meditation of my Heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer, Psalm. 19 14. I say, here is the acceptance, here's the well-beloved; the well beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased, and with every one as they are found in him, as they are found answering to that of him in them, the measure of him that which shows, that which makes manifest, that which reproves, that which judges, and abiding in it. Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the Vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me, John 15. 4. I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing; if a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my word▪ s abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you, v. 5, 6, 7. 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, v. 9, 10. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my Commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you; greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends; Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not Servants, for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth, but I have called you Friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you; You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, he may give it you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen ye out of the World, therefore the World hateth you, v. 11, 12. 13, 14, 15, 16, 19  
So, here's the Election (as I have said) Christ the Seed, which God hath blessed, but the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned; and as every man is found in him as he is accepted of the Lord, in that which witnesses to God, which shows, which makes manifest, which judges, which reproves in man; Every man as he is found in him, in this, is accepted of the Lord; This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, saith the Lord; Who hath accepted us in the beloved, saith the Apostle. This is he by whom we have access unto the Throne of Grace; Who is the Propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. The Mediator (if any man would know who he is, and what that is that witnesses, that searches the heart, that tries the Reins, the Candle of the Lord, that searches all the inwards parts of the belly, that reproves, that makes manifest, that shows a man what he should do) between God and man, that comes between, to stop his wrath, that it break not forth as a flood, & then who can quench it, and woos man to turn unto the Lord, whilst his wrath is not broke forth, and the fire of his wrath is not kindled, which will burn to the lowest Hell. It's ever and anon between the Enemy and man, showing man his enemy, and what man should do; near with his power to help man, and deliver him. It's always between the Father's wrath and man; for the move of this is the Visitation of the Lord, and his long-suffering, for he waits whilst this is, whilst this strives with man, whilst this tries (if I may so say, and I speak after the manner of men) what it can do; So, this stops all whilst its time of working is, whilst its a Trying, a seeing whether man will be reconciled to God: This will not let God alone (let me alone that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under Heaven, as the Lord said to Moses, Deut. 9 14.) Whilst its day of working is, to spare his people, but steps between, and shows, and makes manifest, and tries, and judges, and speaks to the Lord; and saith, Lord let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it, and if it bear fruit well, and if not, then after thou shalt cut it down; when the Lord saith, behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this Fig tree, and find none, cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground; As the Parable of the Man, and his Vinyard, and his Vinedresser hath it, which was spoken by the Lord; by him, who is it? That which digs about, and dungs, that waits, that speaks, that calls, that's ready to remove iniquity, to open the heart to God-wards, to visit the Plant, of the Lord that lies in death, that it may spring, and bring forth fruit, that man may not be cut down, in whom it is, and made to cease to cumber the ground; That is ready with every good Motion, with every good Thought, with every good Opportunity to incline man to the Lord, to bring him to rest, to bring him to God; that watches all approaches of evil, that shows the appearance of it, encounters with it, is ready to assist man against it, and to overcome it, which hath turned man from God, and the Lord from man; if man would let God arise that his enemies might be scattered, and thus follows after man from year to year, and intercedes, and mediates, and comes between; whilst (as I have said) the day of long-suffering is, of man's visitation, which is the day of man's visitation. Therefore to day whilst it is called to day, harden not your hearts, as in the Provocation, in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness, as the Apostle expresseth it, Heb. 3. 7, 8.  
Me thinks every man should hear what I have, I said in himself, and turning his eye within should see this, and inclining his ear should hear all this, and all the wooing and entreat, and the seekings of him to turn man unto the Lord, and waitings, and bearings, and sufferings for that purpose; every man that doth but this, must needs hear it, and see it, and be sensible of it; and this as he lets it work, will affect his heart, and break him to pieces, that ever he hath resisted it, that he hath been an enemy to his own peace; Me thinks I hear such bemoaning themselves. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God; Surely after that I was turned, I repent, and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth; and see what follows hereupon, and how the bowels of the Lord turn to that which thus turns to him, and see how ready the Lord is to receive such, and his tenderness unto such, and bow as it were, if I may so speak after the manner of men, & I have too, the Scripture for it, which will bear me out in what I say, the Lord is in an Agony for such, and in a distress of love. Is Ephraim my dear Son? (what can be more breaking and near?) Is he a pleasant Child? for since I spoke against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord, Jer. 31. 20. See the Heart of the Father to the Prodigal that returns; whom he goes forth to meet, and runs, and even while he is yet a great way off, sees, and hath compassion on him, and falls upon his neck & kisseth him, and putteth on him the best robe, (the covering of his Son) and a Ring on his Hand (the band of Love) and Shoes on his Feet (the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, for this is the way to it, coming to that which witnesseth in him, that gives him to see his state; and where he is, that brings to himself, and when he came to himself (see what it is that brings a man to himself, that which shows him his state, that gives him a sense of his condition, that is it; and how a man is from himself, in an ecstasy (as it were) out of his wits, in a swoon, from the sense of his understanding, as a man from that which should guide him as one in another world, as they use to say, when he is from this, when he came to himself) he came to sense, to understanding, to the right thing that he should have been guided by, which was in him, but he went from it, he went forth, and spent his Portion on Harlots, and wasted his substance on riotous living, minded not how he dealt with that which should have kept him; when he came to this he said, How many hired Servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger; I will arise, and go to my Father, and will say unto him Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired Servants, Luke 15. 13. to the 24.  
So he is the Mediator (that which witnesses is, that which shows, that Judges, that makes manifest) between God, and man as the Apostle saith. For there is one God (saith he) and one Mediator between God, and man the Man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time, 1 Tim. 2. 5, 6. And to him must every man come, to this of him in every man must every knee bow, and tongue confess, that he is, it is Lord of all; whether of things in Heaven, or things in Earth, or things, under the earth, to the glory of God the Father, Phil. 2. 10, 11. for being in the form of God he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross; therefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name above every Name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, etc. as a foresaid, v. 6, 7, 8, 9  
So here is the sum of all; this same Jesus (that which shows which reproves, which judges, which makes manifest in man) is the well-beloved Son, he whom the Father is wel-pleased; the beloved, in whom we are accepted, by whom we have access by faith unto this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the Glory of God; Who is (as I have said) the propitiation, for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole World. The Mediator between God and man. The Intercedor, who maketh intercession for us; the spirit itself maketh intercercession for us, with groan (see what it is that is weighed, that's oppressed, that's heavy laden in man, that sighs often in man, and groans to God) which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8. 26. And, he that searcheth the hearts (see the thing) knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints, according to the Will of God. And, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose, vers. 27. 28. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth (that which reproves, that which judges in man, that which shows him what he should do ever lives) to make intercession for them, Heb. 7. 25. It intercedes, it comes between, it speaketh to God for man, that which doth it Judges, that reproves evil in man, and would bring him to God, that which searcheth the Hearts, that shows a man the end, and compass of all his actions, that trieth the Reins, and knoweth the mind of the Spirit, makes intercession, comes between, prays, intreats, woos, beseeches, keeps off the wrath, waits, long suffers to bring man to God; and he ever lives that does so, that makes intercession, that is able to save to the uttermost, those that come to God by him, that which searches, that which tries, that which judges, that which reproves. And so he is the Judge of all, that saves all that come to God by him, that is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him, by him that judges; the Lawgiver, there is one Lawgiver who is able to save, and to destroy, Jam. 4. 12. And, ye are come to God the Judge of all, Heb. 12. 22, 23.  
So that which judges, intercedes, and that which intercedes, searches, and that which searches, saves, and that which saves, destroys, and that which destroys, shows, and this is the Lawgiver, the one Lawgiver, the one Lawgiver who is able to save & to destroy, who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him, who searches the Heart, and knows the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God; who ever lives to make intercession for them; the Spirit itself which maketh intercession for us with groan that cannot be uttered; This is that which Witnesses, which shows, which judges, which makes manifest.  
And unto this must all come; To whom coming (saith the Apostle) as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of man, but chosen of God, and Precious, ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual House, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture; Behold I lay in Zion a chief Corner Stone, Elect, Precious, and he that believeth on him, shall not be confounded; Unto you therefore, who believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the bvilders disallowed, the same is made the Head of the Corner, and a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, even unto them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient, unto which also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, that you should show forth the praises of him which hath called you out of darkness, to his marvellous Light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy, 1 Pet. 2. 4. to the 11.  
So (I say) to this must all come, unto this must all be subject; who is Lord of all; the Foundation of the Prophets, and the Apostles, as the Apostle also saith. And are built (saith he to the Saints) upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone, Ephes. 2. 20. The Foundation other then which can no man lay; For, other Foundation (saith he again) can not man lay, then that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 3. 11. Upon which, if any man build Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, Wood, Hay, Stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is, vers. 12, 13. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward; If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire, vers. 14, 15.  
And upon this must all be built, upon him who is the Corner Stone, the tried Stone, the sure Foundation, the Foundation of many Generations, the Restorer of Paths to dwell in, the Builder of the old waste Places, the Repairer of the breach. And, they that shall be of thee, shall build the old waste Places, thou shalt raise up the Foundation of many Generations, and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the breach, the Restorer of Paths to dwell in, Isa. 58. 11. The Reconciler. The Maker of Atonement. The Offering. The Sacrifice. The Altar. The Sanctuary. The maker of Twain, one New man, so making peace. The Blotter out of the hand writing of Ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us. The Taker of it out of the Way. The Nailer of it to his Cross. The Spoiler of Principalities and Powers. The maker of a show of them openly. The Triumpher over them in it. The maker of both, one who is our Peace. The breaker down of the Middle wall of Partition between us. The Abolisher of the enmity in his flesh, even the Law of Commandments, contained in Ordinances. The Preacher of Peace to them that were afar off, and to them that were nigh, through whom we both (Jew, and Gentile) have an access by one Spirit unto the Further. The Saviour of the body, the Church. The Saviour of all men, especially of them that believe. The Saviour of the World, whom God hath sent into the World so to be. The destroyer of the works of the Devil. The Atonement. The New Covenant. The Law written in the heart. The fear put into the inward parts. The Word nigh in the mouth, and in the heart. The Word of Faith, which the Apostles preached. The Light of the World. The true Light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, who was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. Who came unto his own, and his own received him not. Who, as many as received him, to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God, even to them who believe in his Name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The Light in whom whosoever believeth, shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of Life. The Condemnation of all that believe not in the light. In whom whosoever believeth, shall not be condemned. The Judge of all. The Judge of the quick and the dead. Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and coming. The King Immortal. The second Adam. The Lord from Heaven. The quickening Spirit. The Hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble. The man Christ Jesus, is he that witnesses, that shows, that judges, that reproves, that makes manifest, it is the Word of the Lord.  
Into him, into this Seed which is Christ, the Election (that which reproves, that which makes manifest, that which shows, that which judges) must all come, and grow up therein who are redeemed unto God; And the Word of the Lord unto every man, whether he will hear, or whether he will forbear. The measure of him in every man, which he hath placed in every man, the manifestation of the Spirit, which is given to every man to profit withal, that in every man it may grow; and that every man growing up in it, and abideing, may be blessed of the Lord, the Seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their Offspring with them. That they may be of the Root that's holy, of the true Olive, in which being engrafted, though a wild Olive contrary to Nature, the fatness of the true Olive, he may come to be a partaker of, which brings forth fruit unto God, unto Holiness, unto Life Eternal.  
And this unto all is the Word of the Lord, of whom I am moved to write, that all may know the Root that is in them, what it is, that brings forth fruit unto God, unto Life, which the Lord hath blessed; unto which being ● joined; and in which continuing, a growing up will be witnessed in that which is Eternal, which never fadeth away, but endures for ever.  
And so I have cleared this Matter, as I have received it of the Lord, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear, they all shall witness it in the day of the Lord, which is near, wherein he will render unto every man according to his deeds. It is the Word of the Lord. And so I have finished this Matter, even the Word of the Lord in me, to this Generation; To whom I am known, by the Name of,  
G. Bishop. Bristol. the 20th. of the 6th. Month. 1663.   

Printed, In the beginning of the Second Month. 1664.   
THE END.