AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST DESPERATION AND PRESUMPTION.  
OR, A Consideration of that most Solemn Oath of the Lord God in Ezek. XXXIII. 11.  
By CHARLES PHELPES.  For the Breach of the Daughter of my People am I broken, I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no Balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there? Why then is not the health of the Daughter of my People recovered? Jer. 8. 21, 22. Cast away from you all your Transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O House of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn, and live ye; Ezek. 18. 31, 32. 
LONDON, Printed by T. I. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercer's Chapel, 1680.   


E. Libris Biblioth. Eccles. Cathedr Petribur●   bookplate   

TO THE READER.  
Christian Reader,  
THere are two very great and most dangerous Rocks in the Sea of this World, which ought to be most carefully and heedfully avoided and escaped by us, that we may at last safely arrive at that blessed Haven of Rest; I mean, Heaven and eternal Happiness: That is to say, Desperation on the one hand, and Presumption on the other: On one of which the most of the Sons of Men, even in the Professed Church also, do split their souls; and thereby drown themselves in endless and everlasting misery and sorrows. And ofttimes when they are convinced of the evil, and would endeavour to secure themselves from the danger of the one, they fall foul upon, and make shipwreck of their souls upon the other. Somewhat like unto our Types in former times, who by listening unto the evil Report of the many discouraging Spies, were first greatly discouraged, and even Despaired of ever getting to Canaan: And all the Congregation lifted up their Voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses, and against Aaron: And the whole Congregation said unto them, would God that we had died in the Land of Egypt; or would God we had died in the Wilderness, etc. Numb. 13. 28-33. and ch. 14. 14. But when they were convinced of that provoking Iniquity of theirs, and confessed they had sinned by their unbelief; Then, as is related in the same Chapter, they fell into the other extreme of Presumption: And before the time, and against the Commandment of the LORD, they presumed to go up unto the hill: By means whereof, their enemies smote and discomfited them; Numb. 14. 40-45. Deut. 1. 27-32. with ver. 41-44. Now all these things happened unto them for Types, or Ensamples, and they are written for our Admonition, upon whom the ends of the World are come; 1 Cor. 10. 10-12. To the end we should not fall, or miscarry, after the same Example of Unbelief and Disobedience; as, Heb. 4. 11.  
And as the Scriptures are excellently useful and powerful in general, to deliver us from erring in mind or way, on the right hand, or on the left; and to make us wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus; as Isa. 30. 20, 21. 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16. So is this Scripture in particular (which is the subject of the following Treatise; in which is contained the most Solemn Oath of the Lord God;) an excellent Light and Pilot, to discover unto us, and deliver our souls from the danger and peril of the two  Rocks: And to cause us to sail most safely and securely in the middle way: and at last to bring us into the Bosom, or Bay of Abraham (as Luke 16. 22. with Act. 27. 39) For,  
I. The former part of it is a most powerful Antidote against the mortal and malign Disease of Desperation; In that the Lord God swears by his life, that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, indefinitely considered: Is not this Balm of Gilead, and this supremely excellent Physician there, most virtuous and powerful to heal this deadly Distemper? Why then is not the health of the Daughter of God's people recovered? (as Jer. 8. 21, 22.) If any say, There are many able, conscientious, and experienced Doctors, who maintain, and earnestly contend for, such Opinions as are inconsistent herewith, and opposite hereto: As to say, That the greatest part of Mankind was Reprobated, or passed by, before they were Born: And that God hath therefore some secret Pleasure in their Destruction: That Christ did not taste death, by the Grace of God, for every Man; but for the fewest of Mankind, for the Elect only: As they speak. That God doth not give that Grace to all, whereby they may be saved; etc. To this, and all the rest of this nature that can be said, I may give answer, and say as Elihu did to Job; God, the Almighty God, is greater than Man, then sorry, sinful Man, Job 33. 12. And, shall any teach God knowledge, seeing he judgeth those that are high? Job 21. 22. And besides, where are those Doctors, who plead for these strange and spurious Notions, that dare swear, as the Lord God here doth, and say; As the Lord liveth, these Doctrines are true and sound; and the Lord God hath pleasure in the Death of the greatest part of the wicked? Surely, how daring and adventurous soever they are in asserting or pleading for their divers and strange Doctrines, there are none, that I have heard of, that are so confident of the verity of them, as most solemnly to swear, They are the undoubted Truths of God. Or if any should so be, whether is it meet in the sight of God to hearken unto them, or unto the Lord God of Truth, judge ye? for without controversy, the witness of God is greater than the witness of any man, or men whatsoever; 1 John 5. 9, 10, 11.  
And indeed, it is a matter of great and weighty moment and concernment unto men, to know, and hearty believe, the kindness and love of God our Saviour to manward, and to the greatest sinners thereof, whilst it is called to day; and how unwilling he is with their Destruction; To the end they may be preserved, or delivered from Desperation: And that both,  
1. Because there is in men, at sometimes however, or in some cases, to wit, when their sins are set in order before them, and judgements are feared, or felt by them; a too great propensity and readiness to fall thereinto: As is strongly intimated to us herein: In that when the Lord charges the Prophet to acquaint his people, That at what instant he should speak concerning a Nation, or concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy: If that Nation against whom he hath pronounced, turn from their evil, he will repent of the evil that he thought to do unto them.— Now therefore, saith the Lord, Go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD, behold I frame evil, and devise a device against you: Return ye now every one from his way, and make your ways and your do good. And they said, There is no hope, etc. Jer. 18. 5. 12. Here was nothing propounded to cause them to make such an evil conclusion, but that which might rationally have preserved them therefrom: yet we see how presently they cry out, their case was hopeless. But how much sooner will men do so, when evil Teachers insinuate into them in their corrupt and discouraging Doctrines, That God hath no cordial desire, or delight, in the salvation of the most of men, but a secret pleasure in their endless sorrow and calamity! And also,  
2. It is highly behooveful for men to be delivered from Desperation; because when they fall thereinto, they thereby are prepared to become desperately wicked (as, Jer. 17. 9) and to rush themselves into any, or all iniquity and wickedness, as the horse rusheth into the battle; to wit, without fear or consideration: As they said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination, obstinacy, or stubbornness of his evil heart; Jer. 18. 12. So again, Thou saidst, there is no hope, no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go; Jer. 2. 25. When men hearty entertain despairing thoughts, and confidently believe there is no mercy for them, they then cast off the fear of God, and all care thereto relating; and commit all abomination with greediness; as believing they of necessity must and can but perish in conclusion. O that therefore, those that are Teachers of others, would take heed and beware of all such pernicious Doctrines as tend to engulf the souls of men in the Bottomless Pit. Again,  
II. The Latter Part of this most Solemn Oath of the Lord God, is a most proper and powerful Antidote against that other Mortal or Immortal Disease and Distemper, to wit, Presumption: In that he therein also swears, that he hath pleasure that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Wherein he plainly gives us to understand, That though he hath no pleasure in the eternal destruction of the wicked, yet that will be their Portion certainly, and they cannot possibly live, if they continue in their evil ways, and turn not therefrom; while he is in abling them thereto by his gracious aid and divine assistance: that so none may abuse the goodness of God, and say, We shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our hearts, to add Drunkenness to Thirst, etc. Deut. 29. 18-24. with Heb. 12. 15, 16-29. And the Lord, who is a God of knowledge, hath seen it needful, usually to assure men of his hatred of sin: and of the necessity of their repenting and turning therefrom unto him, when he is proclaiming his mercy and grace towards sinners, and his unwillingness with their perdition; as is largely shown in the following Discourse. To the end that none might presume of enjoying life, persisting in their sins and abominations. And he doth oftentimes give his people warning, not to hearken to those Prophets who daubed them up with untempered mortar, and spoke smooth things, and prophesied deceits unto them; telling them, that they spoke a Vision of their own heart, not out of the mouth of the Lord; Jer. 14. 13-16. and ch. 23. 9-16-18. Ezek. 13, etc. And the holy Spirit, by the Apostle Peter, hath expressly spoken, that as there were false Prophets among the People (of the Jews) so there would be false Teachers amongst us (Christians) who would privily bring in heresies of destruction, denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many would follow their pernicious ways, etc. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Matth. 7. 13-15.  
To the end than that none of us may be presumptuous, take we heed and beware of such Doctrines as these are, to wit, That all that Christ died for, shall be eternally saved. That all that belong to the Election of Grace (as they speak) shall, when God's time comes, be converted by an  power, will they, nill they. That once in Christ, and ever in Christ. That all that live and die in Communion with such or such a Visible Church, shall partake of eternal life in conclusion; with other strange Doctrines of a like complexion: For they directly tend to lead men into Presumption.  
And because men are very inclinable to flatter themselves in their evil ways, until their Iniquity be found to be hateful; and are very apt to presume that God will be merciful to them, though they indulge themselves in their evil courses: needful therefore it is, that those that have the lip of knowledge, should so use it, as to speak the things which become sound Doctrine; as Tit. 2. 1, 11-15. And, as the Apostle saith to Timothy, preach the Word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort; with all long-suffering and Doctrine: 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2-4. that so they may be pure from the blood of all men; as Act. 20. 21-26, 27.  
I shall add no more at this present, but refer thee to the ensuing Treatise, desiring it may be seriously considered by thee; and the Scriptures therein quoted searched into: And that we may all of us prove all things, and hold fast what is good; and abstain from every kind of Evil.  
I desire to be Thy Servant for Jesus sake, C. P. March 20. 1678/ 9   

AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST DESPERATION AND PRESUMPTION.  EZEK. xxxiii. Say unto them, As I live, saith the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked, but that the Wicked turn from his way, and live. 
THese Words in general contain in them a Charge which the LORD GOD gives to the Prophet to say, or speak to the House of Israel: Wherein let us consider,  
1. The Occasion of these Words, or of this Charge given to the Prophet.  
2. The Words themselves which he charges, or commands the Prophet to speak.  
1. The Occasion of these Words, or of this Charge given to the Prophet: And that is laid down and declared before, in the foregoing part of this Chapter; where, first, By way of Parable; and then more plainly and openly the Lord acquaints the Prophet, That he had set him a Watchman to the House of Israel: And what his Work and Office was; with the great Danger to himself upon his neglecting, or being unfaithful in the discharge of ●●at Office: As it is said, Son of Man, I have set thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the Word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say to the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die: If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity: but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked from his way, to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity: but thou hast delivered thy Soul. Verse 1-7-9. Like that also, Chap. 3. 17, 18. whereto is added, Therefore, O thou Son of Man, speak unto the House of Israel; thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, (namely, in the guilt and punishment of them; as Num. 15. 30, 31. Ezek. 18. 20. (If there be no forgiveness of them, or deliverance from them;) and we pine away in them, how then should we live? (How should we be justified from them, enjoy God's Favour, or be made Partakers of Eternal Life?)  
In which words, especially as compared with Verse 11. is signified to us; That there are in men, especially when God is reproving, threatening, and judging them, evil and hard thoughts of God, as if he had some secret Will or Pleasure in their eternal ruin and destruction: The heart (of Man) is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Jer. 17. 9 From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, wickedness, blasphemies, etc. Matth. 15. 19, 20. Mark 7. 20-23. They are then ready to conclude against themselves, that their case is desperate, and that there is no hope for them: Jer. 2. 25. and 18. 11, 12. They are then ready to say with Cain, Our iniquities are greater than can be forgiven: Gen. 4. 13. That God hath no love toward them: Or, that there is no forgiveness with him that he may be feared, and returned to by them: that he hath no hands: That he hath so tied up himself by his Decree, that he cannot help, save, deliver, or redeem them from that miserable condition they have brought themselves into: Isa. 45. 9 and 50. 14. This is the fruit and product of Sin, that it makes Sinners afraid of God, and even despair of his Mercy and Goodness. Thus it was with our first Father Adam, when he had sinned, and eaten of the Tree whereof God had commanded him he should not eat; he then said unto God when he called him, I heard thy Voice in the Garden, and was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself; Gen. 3. 8-11. Yea through infirmity, good men by listening to their own hearts, have questioned God's love toward them, when they have been under the afflicting hand of God. Thus it was with Asaph, Will the Lord cast off for ever? saith he, and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And I said, this is mine Infirmity, etc. Psal. 77. and Psal. 13, etc.  
1. Needful therefore it is for us to hate thoughts, our own evil and naughty thoughts, and to love God's Law and Doctrine: so shall we have great peace, and nothing shall offend us: Psal. 119. 113. with Verse 165. To wash our hearts from wickedness, that we may be saved; and not to suffer vain thoughts to lodge within us: for God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor our ways his ways: But as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are his ways higher than our ways; and his thoughts than our thoughts: Jer. 4. 14. with Isa. 55. ver. 9 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: Prov. 28. 26.  
2. Seeing also when God is denouncing Judgements against, or executing Judgements upon evil Doers, they are ready to despond, and to conclude, God delights in their Ruin and Misery: Therefore it appears that they do a very bad work, and are very injurious to the Souls of Men, who strengthen them in such evil and despairing thoughts: as they do, who say, The most of men were reprobated before they were born; And that there is no possibility of their escaping the vengeance of Eternal Fire. These discourage the hearts of men, and hinder them from returning unto God from their Iniquity, (as Num. 13. 32. with Deut. 1. 28.) Truly men need not be strengthened by the evil Doctrines of others, in such hard Conceptions and wicked Imaginations of God: for their thoughts are an abomination to the LORD: Prov. 15. 26. When God intimates, That the end of his framing Evil, and devising a Device against them, was, not their Ruin and Destruction, but, that they should return every one from his evil way, and make their ways and do good. Yet than they said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, etc. Jer. 18. 7, 8. 11, 12. How much rather would they so conclude, when they are strengthened in their evil Imaginations of God, by such Doctrines as are too too rife among us, in which men insinuate, that there is no hope for the greatest part of Mankind: 2 Pet. 2. 1. But we shall here add no more unto the Occasion of these Words we have propounded to speak unto. But  
2. We have the Words themselves to mind and consider: In which we may take notice in general, How the Lord, by this Prophet, doth Answer them; and, contrary to their wrong and evil thoughts and say, gives a gracious Discovery of himself unto them: And therein he doth not simply speak good and gracious words to them; But in and by them makes known the Graciousness of his Heart unto them, And that he hath no pleasure in their Destruction, but that they turn from their wicked ways and do; Jer. 18. 1-11. When none can stand before his indignation, none is able to abide in the fierceness of his wrath; his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. Yet the LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him: Nah. 1. 2-7. Joel 2. 1-11-13. Rev. 3. 16-19, 20.  
But we shall desire to look a little particularly into the Words themselves: wherein we hvae to consider,  
1. The Person that saith these Words, and chargeth the Prophet to acquaint Israel herewith : [saith the LORD GOD.]  
2. The Confirmation of what he saith by an Oath, [As I live.]  
3. The Subject Matter thus spoken and confirmed by this most excellent Person: And that is laid down and propounded,  
1. Negatively, [I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.]  
2. Affirmatively and Positively: [But that the wicked turn from his way and live.]  
1. The Person that saith these words, and who Commands and Charges the Prophet to Acquaint Israel herewith; And that is, The Lord, [Say, saith the LORD GOD.]  
Now as these Words contain in them a Charge given to the Prophet thus to speak; so it shows unto us, That the Holy Prophets in former times, spoke not, nor came in their own Name, or with their own Words; but in the Lords Name, and with his Words: He doth not Command the Prophets to say, Thus saith Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel: No, but thus saith the Lord God of the holy Prophets: Rev. 22. 6. The Prophets have spoken to us in the Name of the Lord: Jam. 5. 10. And they have spoken to us the Word of God: Hebr. 13. 7. These holy men spoke not by the will of man, but they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost: 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. And so the holy Apostles have delivered to us that which also they received of the Lord: And that, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost taught: 1 Cor. 15. 13. with Chap. 11. 23. and Ch. 2. 12, 13. And the things which they wrote unto us, they are the Commandments of the Lord: 1 Cor. 14. 36, 37. Thus the Apostle John was commanded to write to the Seven Churches in Asia; These things saith, not John, but, the Lord Jesus Christ, in those several Descriptions he there gives of himself; as may be seen in Rev. 2. 1, 8, 12, 18. and Ch. 3. 1, 7, 14. And as the Consideration of the Infinite Excellency of the Person that thus chargeth the Prophet to say, might encourage him against all his Discouragements to speak what he was Commanded by him to speak, and to walk in the strength of the LORD GOD; as Psal. 71. 16. As it is said, The LORD GOD hath spoken, who can but Prophecy? Amos. 3. 7, 8. So also it is powerful to engage us, to give most earnest heed unto, and to believe the Words of the holy Prophets and Apostles, because they are the Words of the Lord God: And to receive them, not as the words of man, but as they are in truth, the word of God. And in so doing, they will work effectually in us: 1 Thes. 2. 13. Ezek. 6. 3. Mica 6. 1.  
But we may speak a little more particularly to the Person that Commands and Charges the Prophet thus to say in his Name and Words, unto the House of Israel.  
1. It is the LORD GOD that speaks so graciously concerning sinful and wicked Ones: to wit, He who is the Creator and Former of all things; And who hath made all Nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined before the times appointed, and the bounds of their habitations, that they should seek him: Gen. 2. 4, 7, 18, 21, 22. with Acts 17. 26, 28. He who made all things at the first, and made all things very good: And who made man in his own Image, after his own likeness. And who intended not our destruction and ruin, but our good and welfare: He it is who thus speaks to sinful and unworthy Ones: He hath a desire to the Works of his own hands: Job. 14. 15. Psal. 138. 8. It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves:— Enter into his Gates with thanksgiving, and into his Courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his Name. For the LORD is good, his mercy is everlasting, etc. Psal. 100 Rev. 4. 11.  
2. It is the LORD GOD, who when we had sinned against him, and treacherously departed from him, and were become enemies to him, yet did not turn an enemy to us; but was still merciful and gracious towards vain sinful Mankind, even to Admiration; as the Psalmist intimates, saying, LORD! what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? the Son of man, that thou makest account of him? Man is like to vanity: Psal. 144. 3, 4. and and 8. 4-6. with Heb. 2. 6-9. And who, in the greatest of his love and pity, promised from the beginning, That the Seed of the Woman should break the Head of the Serpent: Gen. 3. 14, 15. And therein, and thereby virtually, the LORD GOD laid for a foundation (of Faith and Hope for Mankind) a Stone, an elect, precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation: Isa. 28. 16. and 50. 2-5. He is the Lord, he changeth not, therefore we are not consumed : Matth. 3. 6. with Lam. 3. 22. And who in the fullness of the time, performed that Promise which he formerly made, in raising up a Saviour, the Saviour of the world. This is he that Commands his Prophet thus to speak unto the House of Israel. To which we may speak more afterwards.  
3. It is One who is abundant in truth, that charges his Prophet to speak these gracious words; He is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he: Exod. 34. 6. Deut. 32. 4. He is the Lord God of truth: Psal. 31. 5. Whose mouth speaketh truth, and wickedness is the abomination of his Lips: All the words of his mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing froward or perverse in them; as Prov. 8. 4-6-8. Who hath written to us excellent things in counsels and knowledge; that he might make us know the certainty of the words of truth, etc. Prov. 22, 20-21. We ought therefore to bow down our Ears, and hear the Words of this most Excellent One; and firmly, and with all our hearts to believe them : Prov. 22. 17-20. For he is not a man that he should lie : God forbidden; yea, let God be true, but every man a liar: As it is written, That thou mayest be justified in thy say, etc. Rom. 3. 3-5.  
4. It is the holy LORD GOD, who gives this Command to his Prophet: As they say, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? 1 Sam. 6. 20. He is not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with him: The foolish shall not stand in his sight: He hateth (as with a respect to a love of delight) all the workers of iniquity: Psal. 5. 4-6. He is one that is a perfect hater of Sin; One that loveth righteousness, and hateth iniquity; as Heb. 1. 8, 9 One who is Holiness itself: And though he be merciful and gracious, and abundant in goodness,— yet he will by no means clear the guilty: Exod. 34. 6, 7. Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine holy One? Saith the Prophet :— Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity, etc. Hab. 1. 12, 13. Sin is the abominable thing which he hates: Jer. 44. 4. And therefore whatever he here speaks, or charges his Prophet to say in his Name concerning his Graciousness towards Sinners, he speaks not at all in favour to their sins, or to encourage them to go on and continue therein; as afterwards may be shown more largely; but in love and pity to the Souls of poor Sinners, that they might turn from their Iniquity, that it might not be their Ruin.  
This is the Person who commandeth his Prophet thus to say unto the House of Israel.  
2. We have nextly to consider, the assured Confirmation he gives of the truth of what he saith, and which he assures and confirms by his Oath, [(As) I live:] For these words are an Oath, and so oft used; as the Lord saith elsewhere : But as truly [as I live] they shall not see the Land which I swore unto their Fathers, etc. And again, Say unto them, as truly [as I live] saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do unto you, etc. Which is thus expressed elsewhere : So I swore in my wrath, that they should not enter into my Rest. Compare Num. 14. 21-23. 27, 28. with Psal. 95. 10, 11. and Heb. 3. 10. 18. He lifts up his hand to Heaven, and saith, I live for ever; Deut. 32. 40. And thus also men in former times did swear. As it is said, Saul swore, as the LORD liveth he shall not be slain; 1 Sam. 19 6. And, Thou shalt swear, the LORD liveth, in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness, etc. Jer. 4. 2. And in many other places; so here we are to understand it: The Lord God assures us of the truth of his saying, and confirms it by his Oath: Say unto them [I live] saith the LORD GOD. ... Now in this Oath let us diligently mind,  

1. The Oath itself.  
2. The Reason and end of it.   
1. The Oath itself, [I live] saith the LORD GOD. He here swears to the truth of what he saith, By his life, that is to say, By himself: For so this Oath is explicated to us: Hence whereas it is said in one place [I live] saith the Lord; It is in another thus rendered; I have sworn by [my self:] Compare Rom. 14. 11. with Isa. 45. 23. So here we may understand it, because he could not swear by a Greater, he swore by Himself, by his Life: Heb. 6. 13. As he hath Life in and of himself, and lives for ever. And here, that which he swears by, is without Controversy, or confessedly true; and unquestionable with all but gross Atheists: For he is the living God, and an everlasting King: Jer. 10. 10. Indeed sometimes he swears by that which he doth, or may abhor; as it is said in one place, The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob. Whereas in another place it is said; Thus saith the LORD, the God of Hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his Palaces, etc. Compare Amos 8. 7. with Chap. 6. 8. Nah. 2. 2. And when he so swears, it might be questioned by some, whether he, in such an Oath, swears as he thinks; because he swears by that which he saith, he abhors and hates. Sometimes he swears by his right hand: As it is said, The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength: Isa. 62. 8. But that may not sometimes, or in some Cases, be exerted, but cease from acting, as it were: As the Psalmist intimates, saying, Why withdrawest thou thine hand, even thy Right hand? pluck it out of thy Bosom: Psal. 74. 11. And so his Arm, the Arm of his Strength, may be sometimes, as it were, asleep, and feeble therethrough: As it is intimated, when it is said; Awake, awake, put on strength, O Arm of the LORD, awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old, etc. Isa. 51. 9 And when he swears by this Oath, it might be supposed what he swears to, is not duly regarded, while his Right hand is in his Bosom, and the Arm of his Strength asleep, and laid to rest. Sometimes he swears by his Name: As it is said, Behold, I have sworn by my Great Name, saith the LORD: Jer. 44. 26. But of that many are too too ignorant : Who hath known his Name, or his Son's Name? Prov. 30. 4. Psalm 9 10. And therefore when he so swears, many might be ready to say, Alas, why should we set our hearts hereto, or give credit unto what he swears by his Name? for we do not know what his Name is, or what it means. Sometimes he swears by his Holiness: As it is written, The LORD GOD hath sworn by his Holiness, &c, Amos 4. 2. But such may be his Providences, as that sometimes his holy Ones have been put to a stand, how to reconcile his Providential Government with his Holiness: (Though yet, without all peradventure, he is infinitely Holy; yea Holiness itself: Compare Amos 4. 2. with Chap. 6. 8.) Thus the Prophet intimates, in his expostulation with God, saying, Art not thou from everlasting, O Lord, my God, mine holy One?— Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he: And makest men as the fishes of the Sea, as the creeping things that have no Ruler over them? etc. Hab. 1. 12, 13, 14-17. and Ch. 2. 14. Thus also the Psalmist, relates God's Oath in this manner; Once have I sworn by my Holiness, if I lie unto David : his Seed shall endure for ever, and his Throne as the Sun before me.— But thou hast cast off, and abhorred: thou hast been wroth with thine Anointed. Thou hast made void the Covenant of thy Servant: thou hast profaned his Crown, by casting it to the ground, etc. Psal. 89. 34-39, etc. But now here he swears by a most unquestionable, and undubitable Oath; he swears by himself, by his life, which is from everlasting to everlasting: As 'tis said, The Angel lifted up his hand to Heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created Heaven, and the things that therein are; etc. Rev. 10. 5, 6. he swears by his Being, by his Eternal Power and Godhead, which he hath manifested unto all men by the Works of his Creation and Providence: as Rom. 1. 20. Let this be seriously considered by us.  
2. Mind we also, the Reason and End of his Oath; and that is,  
1. On his Part: For the Confirmation of the Truth of what he saith, and swears to: and so it is called by the Apostle, An Oath of Confirmation: Heb. 6. 16. to ascertain the Truth of what is so assured and confirmed. So also the Covenant which God made with Abraham, to wit, That in his Seed all the Families of the earth should be blessed: And at the making whereof, he swore by himself, is said, to be confirmed of God in Christ: Gal. 3. 15-17. and Act. 3. 25. with Gen. 22. 16-18. As also, God is said to swear by himself, to evidence unto others the unchangeableness of his purpose: As the Apostle saith, God willing to show more abundantly— the immutability of his Counsel, interposed himself by an Oath; which is also immediately called, An immutable thing: Heb. 6. 17, 18. So here we may say, The LORD swore, and will not repent: as, Ps. 110. 4. He hath herein sworn in truth, and will not turn from it: as, Psal. 132. 11. To assure us of the Immutability of his Counsel, he therefore swore by his life: And we may therefore know and be confident, that his Thoughts and Pleasure are the same toward wicked Ones now, as than they were : For he is Jehovah, he changeth not: with him is no variableness, nor shadow of turning: Mat. 3. 6. Jam. 1. 17. He is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever: Heb. 13. 8.  
2. The Lord God also swears by himself, for the Confirmation of his Word, and to show the Immutability of his Counsel, on our part; or as with respect to us; because we are so slow to believe him on his Word: As he saith concerning his people in former times, How long will it be ere they believe me? Num. 14. 11. So it may be extended more generally; we are too ready and apt to doubt of, or be unbelieving concerning what he speaks unto us; and therefore, because of our backwardness and unaptness to believe, he confirms his Saying with his Oath. Our Saviour saith to his Disciples, Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil: or, is from, or, out of evil. Not that he hereby condemns all swearing; but instructs his Disciples, that Oaths, though in some Cases useful and needful, are yet out of evil: And so amongst other things, men's unbelief, or doubting of the truth of what is affirmed by a bare Word, occasions an Oath for the Confirmation of it. So, warily understanding it, we may say, as with respect to Gods swearing; it is at sometimes out of, or, from evil: Matth. 5. 37. And so here particularly; The House of Israel being convinced of their evil, and Judgement being threatened against them therefore, thus they spoke, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how then should we live? Ezek. 33. 10. They were ready to despond and despair of God's mercy towards them: Now than God thus swears unto them, because of their slowness of heart, to believe him on his Word. Thus also it is said, An Oath of Confirmation is an end of all strife, gainsaying, or contradiction: Heb. 6. 16. So here, God, because of their readiness to contradict and gainsay, in their hearts at least, swears by himself: As also to the end they might not gainsay any more, but firmly believe the truth of that so Affirmed and Confirmed, he interposeth himself by an Oath, Exod. 17. 15, 16. And that he might lift up their hands which hanged down, and they might have strong Consolation, in returning to him from their evil and wicked ways. And as God interposed himself by an Oath to Abraham, to the end, that the Heirs of his Promise might, by this Immutable thing also, assuredly know and believe the truth of that so confirmed; and might have strong consolation; Heb. 6. 16-18. So here also, God hath sworn by himself, that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked: That men might give glory to him in believing, and have solid Consolation in this great Encouragement set before them; to the truth whereof he hath as it were bound himself, or, his soul, with the Bond of this most Indubitable Oath: as (Num. 30. 2-4. Acts 23. 12-14.)  
3. We have in the next place to consider, and speak unto, the subject-matter thus Affirmed and Confirmed, by this most excellent Person: And by this undeniable Oath: And that is laid down and propounded to us,  
1. Negatively, [I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.]  
Now hereto we may speak in this Order; to wit,  

1. By way of Explication, or explaining the words.  
2. We shall give some further Evidences of the Truth hereof.  
3. We shall note some Instructions here-from.   
1. By way of Explication, let us inquire into, and consider these things:  

1. What [Death] is that here spoken of and intended?  
2. Who are [the wicked] in the Scripture account?  
3. What are we to understand by this Phrase, [no pleasure?]  
4. What time is that in which he hath no Pleasure? [I have.]   
1. What is [the Death] here spoken of and intended, when he saith, I have no Pleasure in [the Death] of the wicked, etc.  
Now in Answer thereto, we may say, The Scripture speaks only of two Deaths in General; As, the Wages of Sin: In one of which all lesser Deaths are contained and comprehended: namely,  
1. There is that Death which is intimately called, the first Death; which was threatened unto the First Man, Adam, Male and Female, in case they should eat of the forbidden Fruit: As it is said, Of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, in dying thou shalt die: Gen. 2. 17. And under the Sentence whereof, Adam and all his Posterity fell; upon his eating of that Tree, whereof God commanded him he should not eat: As the Apostle saith, By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men; for that, or, in whom, all have sinned: Rom. 5. 12. By Man, (even by the first public man, came Death; for in Adam all die: 1 Cor. 15. 21, 22. And this First Death had been an Eternal Death, had not our Lord Jesus Christ, by the Grace of God, tasted it for every man, and overcome and abolished it: 2 Tim. 1. 9, 10. And he will in due time destroy it: 1 Cor. 15. 26. It is a strange, unreasonable, and dangerous mistake of some, who say, that Christ died not for this first Oflence, or the necessary Branches thereof: or that he tasted not this first Death for men: For if so, how then came he to be promised of God, before he passed the Sentence upon our First Parents? Gen. 3. 15-19. Or how shall men be Raised out of this First Death, but by him who was delivered for our Offences, and raised again for our Justification? By Man came the Resurrection of the Dead: for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. To wit, Quickened and Raised out of the First Death: 1 Cor. 15. 21, 22. God hath given Christ authority to execute judgement: And by his Voice to Bring forth all Men out of their Graves, Because he is the Son of Man: John 5. 27, 28, 29.  
2. There is another and worse Death, which is several times called expressly, The second Death: To wit, as with respect to Men; into which such will be cast for their own personal transgressions, after they are raised out of the first Death, and judged by Christ; who remained in their Impenitency, Unbelief, and Disobedience, till the Day of Grace and Patience was ended, and died therein: Mark 16. 16. 2 Thes. 1. 8, 9 This Death was not prepared for Men, for, or by reason of their sinning in the first Public Man simply; but for the Devil and his Angels: But they must go into it, and be hurt by it, who personally and voluntarily listened to, and were led by Satan, and followed after him, and did his Lusts, and died the first Death in such transgression: Mat. 25. 31-41-46. Of which second Death they shall not be hurt, who overcome their spiritual enemies: On such the second Death shall have no power: Rev. 2. 11. and Chap. 20. 6. But whosoever shall not be found written in the book of life, will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death: Rev. 20. 14, 15. The fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death: Rev 21. 7, 8. This second Death is called, the wrath to come; because it will fully seize on none, until they be brought out of the first Death, and judged by him who died for all, and rose again; and whom God hath ordained the Judge of quick and dead: Mat. 3. 7. 1 Thes. 1. 10. Rev. 11. 18.  
There are some indeed, and too many, that talk of a third Death, but in so doing, they speak not according to the Word contained in the Law and Testimony of God: And therefore therein, there is no light in them. And that in speaking of a third Death, as the wages of sin, they consent not to wholesome words, may easily appear to themselves who use this groundless Distinction: for some of them, to prove that there is such a third Death, do, weakly enough, bring the Scriptures which speak of the second, for the proof thereof. But it is a very evil and dangerous thing, to make such a Distinction, where the Scripture makes none, but plainly enough opposes and rejects it, and may do more harm than they are ware of, who make use of it; rather, I conceive, out of ignorance and custom, than judgement and consideration. It is good for us to hear what the Scripture faith, and to receive that. But no more to this at present.  
But now the Enquiry is, Of which of the two Death's , are we here to understand these words to mean? And to that we say, not of the first, which is now abolished.  
1. Because it is Gods Will and Appointment that all men should die the first Death; (Though not that all should sleep, or abide in it: 1 Cor. 15. 51, 52.) It is appointed to men once to die: Heb. 9 27. I know, saith Job, Thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living: To wit, the Grave, which is called Man's long home: Job 30. 23. with Eccles. 12. 5. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. Psal. 89. 48. with Eccles. 7. 2. and Chap. 8. 8.  
2. Because the Death here spoken of, is called, [the Death of the wicked;] as being their proper and only Death: Ezek. 18. 23. And therefore it appears, hereby is meant directly and fully, the second Death, or Hell-fire. For the wicked (so abiding) shall be turned into Hell: Psal. 9 17. whereas in the first Death there is no difference, but all die that, good and bad, wise, and unwise: How dieth the wise man? as the fool: Eccles. 2. 16. There is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not. As is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath: Eccles. 9 1, 2-10. The most holy and righteous men generally have died this first Death; And some of them have said, They were going the way of all the earth: meaning thereby; they were going to die the first Death : Josh. 23. 14. 1 Kin. 2. 2. But none of them shall be hurt of the second Death: Rev. 2. 11.  
3. It also plainly appears, that by the Death here spoken of, we are to understand the second Death, directly and fully; because this Death may, while it is called to Day, be escaped and avoided: as it is here signified in saying, [I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live.] Men may now in this day of his Grace and Patience, flee from, and be delivered from, the wrath to come: Matth. 3. 7. 1 Thes. 10. But now, no man can by any turning from evil, or exercising himself unto, and following after Godliness and Goodness, escape, or be delivered from the first Death: As hath been said, No man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war: Eccles. 8. 8. By all which it doth plainly and fully appear, the Death here spoken of and intended, is directly, and most properly and fully, the second Death; as hath been said before.  
Object. If any one should object against what hath been said, and say, That though by the Death here spoken of; the first Death, as it was appointed to fallen Man after the Promise of Christ by God, cannot be meant; yet it may mean it of that Death, as it is judicially executed upon some for their voluntary and personal Iniquities and Transgressions; for so it was not appointed to all men to die it. To this I say,  
Ans. 1. By way of Grant; God did not at first appoint that Men in a Personal Consideration, or as fallen in Adam: or because of their sins of weakness and unadvisedness simply, should die this first Death judicially. But,  
2. When Men are become wicked, and have sinned with an high hand against God, he may, notwithstanding their turning from their evils, order the first Death to them judicially; and they may not die the common Death of all men, or not die it, as commonly and ordinarily men die it: But in testimony of wrath for their former personal evils, it may be executed upon them; Num. 14. 28, 29. Isa. 22. 12-14. And sometimes for the evils of others; As upon the little Ones in the old World: And of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. So that still, I say, By the Death here spoken of, is meant directly and fully, the second Death. And so we are to understand it, That God hath no pleasure in the Death, that is, in the Eternal Destruction of the wicked: Or that they should perish in that Everlasting Fire which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels, who sinned without a Tempter. But we shall add no more to that.  
2. Who are [the wicked] in the Scripture account, in whose Death the Lord God hath no pleasure?  
Answ. To that we may say; Those who are called Wicked, in Scripture, are not such simply, as have sinned in the first Public Man, and come forth into the World polluted and defiled, as all do who partake of the Nature of Man by an ordinary way of Generation? For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one: Job. 14. 4. and 25. 4. Psal. 51. 5. Nor are they such as have sin in them simply; as all while here, have: Rom. 7. 17. 20. 1 Joh. 1. 8. Or that sin through infirmity and weakness, or through unadvisedness; as all do: For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good, and sinneth not: 1 Kin. 8. 46. Eccles. 8. 20. And yet all are not therefore wicked. Good men who have acknowledged themselves to have sinned, have yet truly acquitted themselves of being wicked: As Job thus acknowledgeth, I have sinned, etc. Job 7. 20. And yet he appealeth to God, and saith, Thou knowest (or, it is upon thy knowledge) that I am not wicked: Job 7. 20. And God himself saith of him, That he was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil: Job 1. 1-8. and Chap. 2, 3. And in affirming him to be a Perfect Man, he denies him to be Wicked; for perfect and wicked are contrary, and opposed the One to the Other: Job 9 22. So certainly David was guilty of many evils, and saith, Mine iniquities are more than the hairs of my head: And prays to the Lord, not to remember against him the sins of his youth, or his transgressions, etc. Psal. 25. 7. and 32. 4. 5. and 40. 12. And yet elsewhere he saith, I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not [wickedly] departed from my God: Psal. 18. 21. But, as is usual in Scripture, the wicked are such as are opposed to the righteous: And who they are we may a little more particularly show in what followeth: That is to say,  
1. They are wicked men in Scripture account, who hate the light, which comes to discover and reprove their evil deeds, and to save them there from; and rebel against the light: as Joh. 3. 19, 20. with Job. 24. 6-13-17. Such as say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways: What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? Job 21. 7-15. and 22. 15-17. They are such as are Servants of Corruption, and led captive by Satan; and who stop their Ears, and harden their hearts from God's fear : they are like to the deaf Adder which stoppeth her ears, which will not hearken to the voice of Charmers, charm they never so wisely: Psal. 58. 3-5. They are such as hate instruction, (or, to be reform) and cast God's words behind their backs: Psal. 50. 16, 17. who will not seek after God, or the knowledge of him; and whose ways are always grievous: Psal. 10 2-5. Such as contemn God, and harden their faces against him, and the fear of him: Psal. 10. 13. with Prov. 21. 29. And hate and persecute his People, who desire to fear his Name: Psal. 10. 2, 3. Mat. 4. 13. In short, the whole World lieth in wickedness; or, in the wicked One: even all such as are not taught and led of God: 2 Thes. 3. 3. with 1 Joh. 5. 19 And indeed the word here translated, wicked, signifies unquiet, restless, turbulent sinners; such as are like the raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame, and know no quietness in their belly. As it is said, The wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast out mire and dirt: There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked: Judas 13. and Job 20. 12-20. with Isa. 57 20, 21. And there are such manner of persons, not only without the Pale of the Church, but even amongst God's professed People: there are too many Sinners and Hypocrites in Zion: Isa. 33. 14. As the Lord saith, Among my people are found wicked men; yea, and such as over-pass the deeds of the wicked among the Heathen: Jer. 5. 23-26-29. they may be wicked ones, that come and go from the place of the holy: Eccl. 8. 10. As here also appears in this Prophecy of Ezekiel in many places, and in this Chapter; a part whereof we are considering: as is signified in what the Lord saith to the Prophet, to wit, Son of Man, I have set thee a Watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand, etc. Ezek. 33. 7, 8, 9 14, 15, 16-19.  
2. By [the wicked] also we may understand, such persons as have once received the Grace of God to purpose, and turned unto him from their sins and Idols, to serve the living and true God: And yet have afterwards treacherously departed from him; as a Wife treacherously departeth from her Husband, and played the Harlot with other Lovers, after they have known God, or rather been known of him. These are also called wicked in Scripture; and are so in an higher degree, than such as have always abidden Servants of sin, and so in the state and fellowship, and ways of the World. So it is said of some who are called wicked, They have left off to be wise, and to do good: Psal. 36. 13. Thus the Lord saith, Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee: Know therefore and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts.— Yet I had planted thee a noble Vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto me? Jer. 2. 2, 3-13-19-21. Hos. 9 15. So that incestuous Believer that turned to unheard of Fornication, in having his Father's Wife, is called, that wicked person: 1 Cor. 5. 1-5-11-13. To which I shall not further enlarge.  
Now concerning such wicked Ones, in both the forenamed Considerations, he here saith and sweareth, He hath no pleasure in the death of them. And it is observable, that it is not here said; He hath no pleasure in the Death of you wicked Ones; or, of some wicked Ones; or▪ of such wicked Ones as are Elect, or belong to the Election of Grace: For indeed, there are no wicked ones of the Elect, while they abide wicked; but the Elect of God are holy and beloved: Col. 3. 12. And such as unto whom there is no condemnation from God, as there is unto all wicked Ones: Rom. 8. 33, 34. with verse 1. Prov. 17. 15. And it is therefore a very erroneous and dangerous mistake, to suppose that any wicked, while they are such, are elected of God to Salvation. But here the Lord swears, he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked; indefinitely considered: And as is usually said, Indefinite Expressions are equivalent to general or universal ones; and so he hath no pleasure in the Death of any wicked ones. And though the Lord commands and charges the Prophet to speak these words, unto the house of Israel; yet not only of the house of Israel: for then, of what use would they be unto the sinners of the Gentiles? When the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, That God will have all men to be saved. Though that be written to one man, yet it is matter of concernment unto all, and written for the good of all, in their respective Ages and Generations: 1 Tim. 2. 4-7. When Peter saith to the dispersed Believers, The Lord is willing that all should come to repentance: He intends not these words concerning them only, but more largely and extensively, without all peradventure, 2 Pet. 3. 9 And the like may be said here: Though the Lord commanded the Prophet to say these words unto the house of Israel, yet they are written for the sake of others also : The Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, indefinitely considered; not in the death of any wicked Ones: for he is one with whom is no respect of persons. And indeed, if he had any pleasure in the death of any wicked ones, it might reasonably be conceived and concluded, That he hath pleasure in the death of the wicked in his Church; Because their wickedness is greater, and more inexcusable than that of others: Because they have more excellent and choice Advantages, Means, and gracious Assistances, than others have, to wash their hearts and feet from wickedness, that they may be saved. And therefore if they continue sinners, or treacherously departed from him, he is more highly displeased with them, and severe toward them: As it is said, You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities: Amos 3. 2. Though indignation & wrath, tribulation and anguish, will be upon every Soul of man that doth evil, yet it will be upon the Jew first, because he hath much more advantage than the Gentile to be, and do better: And to whom much is given, of them will much be required: Rom. 2. 8-11. and Chap. 3. 1, 2. Luke 12. 47, 48. When in the times of ignorance God winks; his eyes are upon all their ways, (who have choice means of knowledge vouchsafed to them) they are not hid from his face, neither is their iniquity hid from his eyes: And first he will recompense their iniquity, and their sin double, because they have defiled his land, etc. Acts 17. 30. with Jer. 16. 16-18. So that these words being directly spoken unto, though not confined unto the house of Israel; do more powerfully ascertain, that he hath no pleasure in the death of any other: And are, as it were, a powerful Argument to evince the truth thereof. He who hath no pleasure in the everlasting Ruin and Destruction of such as sin against the clearest Light, greatest Grace, and choicest Advantages; to be sure he hath none in their eternal Perdition, who have not such Means and Advantages for knowing and serving him: Matth. 11. 20-24. If he be so compassionate towards the greatest Transgressor's, and be altogether unwilling that they should die; how can we suppose but that he is loath and unwilling they should perish, who are not such heinous Offenders? even as the Apostle signifies to us, that he, who was the chief of sinners, obtained mercy, that in him first, Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a Pattern, (to such as were not such great sinners) even to them that should delay to believe on him unto life everlasting: 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14, 15, 16. So we may also here understand it. But what is said may suffice to the second Inquiry; and we shall desire to proceed unto the next, namely,  
3. What are we to understand by this Phrase, [no pleasure?] And to that we say, hereby is meant and signified, That it is not at all delightful, or wellpleasing unto him, that such as are wicked Ones should be destroyed with an everlasting Destruction: As he is a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with him: Psal. 5. 4-6. And as he hath no pleasure in fools, or wicked ones: Eccl. 5. 4. So also, he hath no delight, or pleasure in the death of the wicked; As he here swears unto us, he hath no pleasure, none at all: That is to say,  
1. He hath not Revealed Pleasure in the Death of the wicked; that Revelation he hath given of his heart and mind in the holy Scriptures, declares no such will, or wellpleasedness in him, or affection to any such thing; but the contrary thereto: As plainly appears in that Scripture we are considering.  
2. Nor hath he any secret pleasure, will, or delight therein: As appears by this Revelation of his Will which he hath given forth to the Sons of Men: He speaks thus to us, and by his Oath assures us of the truth of it, who only perfectly knows himself, which we do not: for we cannot by searching find out God, we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection: Job 11. 7-9. But he who is perfect in the knowledge of himself, and all things, (as Job 36. 4.) And perfectly knows his own Mind and Will, saith, and swears, that he hath no pleasure: And his mouth herein, & in all things, speaks truth; for it is impossible for him to lie : Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. Yea, let God be true, and every man a liar: Rom. 3. 4. And indeed, the word here translated [Pleasure] signifies inward intention, delight, affection, well pleasedness. And oh! let us not be faithless, but believing; let us give glory to him, in believing him when he thus solemnly swears, I live, saith the Lord God, if I will, or be well-pleased in the Death of the wicked. That is, as it is rendered with us, and suitable to such like manner of speakings in other places; I have no pleasure in their death. So what is thus expressed in one place, I swore in my wrath, if they should enter into my rest: Is thus expressed and explained in another by the holy Spirit; He swore that they should not enter into his rest. Compare Psal 95. 11. and Heb. 3. 11. with verse 18. Mark 8. 12. with Mat. 16. 4.  
And what hath been now said, may in some measure, deliver us from entertaining a very corrupt and pernicious Gloss, which too many have put upon this Scripture, and others that are like unto it; namely,  
Some say, It is true indeed, God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked: That is, say they, He hath not Revealed Will or Pleasure therein; his Revealed Will is, That all men should be saved: But his Secret Pleasure, or the Will of his good Pleasure is, that the most of men should perish, and be eternally miserable; and therefore he reprobated them, or past them by, before they were born; so as in conclusion, they must unavoidably have their Portion in that everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And in thus speaking, they plainly signify, That his Revealed and Secret Will, are contrary the one to the other.  
Answ. Now for Answer thereto, and to discover a little the Evil and Perniciousness of that Distinction, or Division rather, of the Will of God; consider we diligently these things: To wit,  
1. It savours of high Presumption, and Daringness of Spirit, to give out that God hath a Secret Will contrary to his Revealed Will: For if his Will be Secret, how come they to know it, or ro know that it is contrary to that Revelation of his Mind and Will he hath vouchsafed to us? Or why may not others as well know that secret Will they speak of, as themselves? For in truth none knows what his Will is, any further than it is Revealed; nor doth it appertain to any to know it: And they who would be prying there-into, intrude into things they have not seen, being vainly puffed up with their fleshly mind: as Col. 2. 18, 19 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed unto us, and to our Children for ever; that we may do all the words of this Law: Deut. 29. 29. It is a very sinful and dangerous thing for us, to be peeping into things that God hath kept secret. We may remember how severely God dealt with Fifty thousand threescore and ten men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into the Ark of the Lord: 1 Sam. 6. 19, 20. And that is written for our Admonition; to the intent our hearts might not be haughty, nor our eyes lofty: And that we should not exercise ourselves in great Matters, or in things too wonderful for us: 1 Cor. 10. 6-11. with Psal. 131. Who hath ascended up into Heaven, or descended? Prov. 30. 4. The Angel shown his dislike of Manoah's Question, when he asked him, What is thy Name? And said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my Name, seeing it is Secret, or Wonderful? Judg. 13. 18. And our Saviour reproves his Apostles for their curiosity, in demanding of him, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom unto Israel? It is not for you, saith he, to know the times, or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power: Acts 1. 6, 7. And if it be Reprovable to inquire into, or after, Secret Things, much more Condemnable is it to presume to know and declare, what Gods Secret Will is: And more still, to give out that it is contrary to his Revealed; as may be after shown. As with respect to Secret and Wonderful things, it is good and safe for us to say, as sometimes David doth, when he is speaking of the Omniscience and Prescience of God; Such knowledge is too wonderful, or secret for me, it is high, I cannot attain unto it. As if he should say, It is such as is impossible for me to comprehend, such as mine Understanding cannot reach unto: Psal. 39 1-6.  
2. Time was, when that which is now Revealed and made known to us, was Secret and hidden also: It was hid in God: as Isa. 48. 6. Ephes. 3. 9 And if his Revealed Will be contrary to his Secret; Time was when he had two Secret Wills, one inconsistent with, or contrary to the other: One having no Pleasure in the Death of the wicked; and the other having Pleasure in the Death of the greatest part of Mankind. And how unworthily and wickedly do they herein speak of of God,: yea, as it were say, There are two Gods: Whereas, the Lord our God, is one Lord? Deut. 6. 4, 5. Or that he is divided from himself; or one Secret Will divided from the other? Whereas he is One : Gal. 3. 20. Or, in one Mind and Will, and who can turn him? Job 23. 13. He is Jehovah, he changeth not: Mal. 3. 6. Do not err, my beloved brethren; every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning: Jam. 1. 16-18. And our Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever: Heb. 13. 7, 8.  
3. This wicked Distinction of the Will or Wills of God, makes him guilty of Dissimulation and Hypocrisy, which are most hateful and abominable to him in others; and without all doubt, he is most clear thereof himself: for it makes him to speak one thing, and mean another: And though his Lips drop as the Honeycomb, and his Mouth be smother than Oil, yet war is in his heart toward the most of men, toward whom he professeth so much love: (as Psal. 55. 21.) Burning Lips, (such as speak kindly, and pretend fervent love:) And a wicked heart, (which is full of hatred) are like a Potsheard covered with silver-dross: he that hateth, dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him: when he maketh his voice gracious, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart; whose hatred is covered by deceit; his wickedness shall be showed before the whole Congregation: Prov. 26. 23-26. And God forbidden that we should suppose, that He who hath pleasure in uprightness, 1 Chron. 29. 17. And who is the most upright: Isa. 26. 7. should be guilty of that which is so hateful and abominable to him in others. Our Lord Jesus, who is the Brightness of his Father's Glory, and the Express Character of his Person, in seeing whom we see the Father also: Though he hated all Iniquity, yet most severely enveighed against, and denounced Woes upon those who were guilty of Dissimulation and Hypocrisy: Matth. 23. And therefore, without controversy, this is most hateful unto the Divine Majesty; and so hateful, that an Hypocrite shall not come before him: Job 13. 16. And for such, so remaining, the Blackness of Darkness, as it were, is reserved : Mat. 24. 51. But now, if God were guilty hereof, (which is most abominable to conceive) than we might also be safely guilty thereof; for we are exhorted to be followers of God, as dear children: Eph. 5. 1. And our Saviour instructs and commands his Disciples to be Children of their father which is in Heaven, in loving their enemies: Not to have a mouth full of Love, and an heart full of Hatred towards them: But sincerely and cordially to love them; adding presently, Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect: And then presently cautions them that they should not be, or do as the Hypocrites: But in all their love, and expressions of kindness towards their Enemies, and others, should be hearty; and have their Conversation in the world, and one toward another in simplicity, and in the sincerity of God: Mat. 5. 44-48. and Chap. 6. 1, 2. etc. with 2 Cor. 1. 12. Oh! take we heed we attribute not Lying, or Dissimulation to him, who though he can do all things which are Acts of Power or Potency, for he is the Almighty; yet cannot possibly Lie, or be guilty of Hypocrisy; for that is an Act of Infirmity and Impotency : Heb. 6. 18. The four living Creatures thus give Glory to God, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. To assure us, that he is holily Almighty, and Almightily holy. And such an One he was, and is to come; even from Everlasting to Everlasting : Rev. 4. 8, 9  
4. This ungodly Distinction is justly chargeable with Nonsense: for while some speak of Gods Revealed Will; what do they mean thereby, but that it is the Revelation of his Will, which is more hidden: or the manifesting, or making known of his Will which is secret? Now how can that be rationally called his Revealed Will, or the Revelation of his Will, which is disagreeing with, and contrary to, his Secret Will? But indeed, as evil men, who have not the faith of Christ, are unreasonable and absurd: As the Apostle gives us to understand: 2 Thes. 3. 3. So are also all those corrupt Notions and Distinctions which consent not to wholesome words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness: 1 Tim 6. 3, 4, 5.  
5. This unworthy and unreasonable Distinction tends to overthrow the Faith, and gives men ground to believe God in nothing he Asserts or Promises: For if he hath a Secret Will, and a Revealed Will, in one thing Repugnant the one to the other, then why not in every thing? And whatever be propounded to us ftom the Scriptures, to encourage us to believe and hope in God, may presently be repelled and rejected with this Distinction: As to say, when with the Apostle we say, God our Saviour will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: 1 Tim. 2. 3, 4. Yes, say some, He wills this with his Revealed Will, but not with his Secret. And why may not others make use of this Distinction elsewhere? As when our Saviour saith, He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned. May not this Distinction of Gods two Wills be here brought in by some, as rationally as where it is? And may they not say, This is his Revealed Will, but his Secret Will agrees not therewith : Mark 16. 16. Or where our Saviour saith, 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. 40. Very true, may some also here say, This is his Revealed Will; but this is not his Secret Will: And by this latter, such may perish, and not have everlasting life▪ were this Distinction good and right▪ Whereas indeed, it is most corrupt and pernicious, and to be abominated by us; for it makes the Pen of the Scribe in vain: By this Tradition the Word of God is made of none effect, as to all therein Asserted, or Assured: as Jer. 8. 8, 9 Mark 7. 9-13.  
Object. If any should say: But God hath engaged himself by his Oath unto the Heirs of Promise; to wit, to all hearty Believers, that they shall be happy and blessed for ever; to the end they might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them: as Heb. 6. 17, 18.  
Answ. To that I say, Doth not God here also bind himself with an Oath of Confirmation, as is before said; that he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked? And is not his Oath as valid and authentic here as there? Yes doubtless: and if by the force of the Distinction we are disproving and opposing, his Oath may be frustrated in one place, why may it not also be so in another, and in a third; and in all those places and cases wherein he hath interposed himself by his Oath? Let this be duly minded and considered by us.  
6. And lastly as to this; Our Lord Jesus, who is in the Bosom of the Father, and who knows the Father, as the Father knows him; who knows his Mind and Will, and hath declared him and it to us in these last Ages, more plainly than he was made known in former times: He, I say, doth assure us, That his Father's Secret Will is a Gracious Will toward the worst of men, while it is to day; And that as he hath said and sworn, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked: which is, as they speak, his Revealed Will: So also his Secret Will perfectly accords therewith; and by this also he is not willing that any should perish. To this purpose our Lord spoke while he was on the Earth : The Son of Man, saith he, is come to save that which was lost: How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray,; doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Which Parable, our Lord in another Evangelist speaks, concerning the Publicans and Sinners; who were, and were looked upon to be notorious sinners. And then it is added, (as the Application of the former;) Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is ●●●m Heaven, that one of these little Ones, (called before lost) should perish. Or rather, as the words should be read; Even so, there is not a will before your Father which is in the Heavens, that one of these little Ones should perish. Which is in substance the same, as to have said, Your Father hath no secret will or pleasure in the death of lost Ones, of Publicans, of notorious sinners. Nay, he hath no secret will in their death, not only as indefinitely and generally considered; but also, he hath no pleasure in their death individually considered: I mean, not in the death of any One of them : There is not a Will before him that One of them should be lost. Let this be seriously considered, Matth. 18. 11-14. with Luke 15. 1-7-24. Now here our Saviour, who perfectly knows what his Father's Secret Will is, and who only doth so; for none knows the Father, save the Son: Matt. 11. 27. Luke 10. 24. plainly assures us, that God's Secret Will, or that Will which is before him in the Heavens, is goodwill towards every sinful lost Creature of Mankind: as Luke 2. 10-14. And we are required, to hear him in all things whatsoever he speaks unto us. And, saith the Apostle Peter, It shall come to pass, that every Soul which will not hear this Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people: Matth. 17. 5. with 2 Pet. 1. 17. Acts 3. 22, 23. Oh! let us then give this Honour to our Lord Jesus, and unto his Father, to hear his Word, and believe on him that sent him: According to that Revelation he hath given of his Father; and so we shall have everlasting life, and not come into condemnation, etc. John 5. 23, 24. And in so doing, we shall be led to reject and abominate this ungodly Distinction: and be assured, That God's Secret Will is as Gracious towards sinful wicked Ones, as is his Revealed Will: Yea let me say, his Secret Will is more Gracious than is contained in any Revelation of it: For as his Power, Wisdom, Truth, and Holiness, are infinite and unsearchable, so as they are not fully Revealed and manifested to us in any Revelation vouchsafed : Rom. 11. 33. 1 Cor. 13. 9 So his Merciful-kindness is greater toward poor sinners, than is expressed in any Revelation given to us: Or then that it can be conceived, much more expressed by finite Creatures : The Love of Christ, who is One with the Father, passeth knowledge: Eph. 3. 18, 19 Hence we see how the Psalmist magnifies the Mercy of God, and saith, It is great unto the Heavens: Psal. 57 10. In the Heavens, Psal 36. 15. Nay, It is above the Heavens, great above the Heavens: And therefore he resolved to sing Praises unto him among the people, and among the heathen: Psalm 108. 3, 4. And when he thus saith; Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains, or, Mountains of God, thy Judgements are a great deep: He presently adds thereto by way of Admiration, How excellent is thy Lovingkindness, O God To wit, toward the Children of Men: As if he would intimate to us, and to our shallow Capacities, That though he could compare God's Righteousness and Judgements to somewhat; yet his Mercy, or Merciful-kindness, is admirably, inconceivably, incomparably Great; so as he knew not what to compare that unto: Psal. 36. 6, 7. and 144. 3, 4. and 145. 8, 9 And doth not our Blessed Saviour speak also after such a rate, when he saith, So God loved the World, etc. John 3. 16. 1 John 4. 11. So that from what hath been said, we do and may safely conclude, That the LORD GOD hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, none at all: Not only, no Revealed pleasure therein: But also no Secret, or hidden Will or Pleasure therein; as he swears unto us.  
And what hath been said about this Third Enquiry meets with, and giveth Answer unto another evil Distinction, and Opposition of some, against the Current of the Gospel: Namely, say some, It is true indeed, God hath no delight or pleasure in the death of the wicked, simply considered: But he hath pleasure therein Respectively; to wit, in order to the manifestation of the Glory of his Justice.  
Answer, Now to this I say briefly, If he hath pleasure in their Death, or in the Death of some of them, in order to the manifestation of the Glory of his Righteousness, or Justice; then he hath some pleasure in their Death: for as is usually said, He that wills the End, wills the Means conducing thereto. And so also it is in this particular, if their evil Distinction were true, as indeed it is not: But in their so saying, they contradict this Text, and deny the truth of God's Oath, who swears by himself, by his life, That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked. And besides, God needs not the Destruction of any of Mankind for the Glory of his Justice; for the Glory of his Righteousness is manifested in giving to every One according to his works: And so in Acts of Grace and Mercy toward men, that they might Repent; and towards such as do turn to him from their Iniquities: Gracious is the Lord and righteous, yea our God is merciful: Ps. 116. 5. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness: 1 Joh. 1. 9 2 Thes. 1. 5. And his Mercy is magnified in destroying implacable and impenitent sinners: As it is said, He overthrew, or shaked off Pharaoh and his Host in the Red-Sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.— Who smote great Kings, for his mercy endureth for ever. And slew famous Kings, for his mercy endureth for ever: Psal. 136. 15-20. But we shall add no more unto the Third Enquiry, but consider the next; namely,  
4. When, or during what time, hath he no pleasure, none at all, neither Revealed, nor Secret, in the Death and everlasting Destruction of the wicked, Indefinitely considered?  
And to that we may say, It is plainly intimated to us in the Words as they are rendered with us; During what time he hath no Will, Pleasure, or Delight in their Death; namely, Now, in this present Day of his Grace and Patience: As it is here expressed, [I have] no pleasure, etc. To wit, while it is called to Day: As the Holy Ghost saith, To Day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, etc. Heb. 3. 7, 8. and Ch. 4. 7. All the time Christ is interceding for Transgressor's in Heaven; and that is, while he is vouchsafing Gracious Means to them on Earth : Behold, now is the accepted time; Behold, now is the day of salvation: 2 Cor. 5. 20. with Chap, 6. 1, 2. According to what the Apostle Peter saith, The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance: 2 Pet. 3. 9 Indeed this time or season will not last always; his Spirit will not always strive with men: as Gen. 6. 3. When once the Day of Grace is fully ended, he that now swears he hath no pleasure in their Death, will swear in his wrath, that they shall not enter into his rest: as Heb. 3. 7-11, He will then have pleasure in their Destruction: As it is said, Because ye have set at naught 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 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 choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel, they depised all my reproof: Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices: Prov. 1. 24-26-31. Then, He that made them will not have mercy upon them, and he that form them, will show them no favour: as Isa. 27. 11. And when he pleases, he can put an end to that Day, and to men's Lives; for their times are in his Hand; to continue, or cut off, as is good before him. The Consideration whereof is proper and powerful to excite us all, to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near: Isa. 55. 6. To make haste, and not delay to keep God's Commandments: For, if he cut off, or shut up, or gather together, than who can hinder him? No man hath power over the Spirit, (his own, or God's) to retain the Spirit, neither hath he power in the day of Death: And there is no casting of Weapons in that War; neither shall wickedness deliver them that are given to it: Eccl. 8. 8. Now therefore in the opportune season▪ turn we from our Iniquities, that we may understand his truth, For in the Grave whither we are a going, there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom: Eccles. 9 10. Then there will be a great Gulf fixed, so as there will be no possibility of passing from one state to another :  our hand therefore finds to do, let us do it with our might; in the present opportunity. To this purpose, and upon this account, our Lord thus instructs and counsels : Strive (saith he, to wit, in the present time) to enter in at the straight gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in; (namely when it is too late) and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and 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 you not whence you are, etc. Luke 13. 24-29. Mat. 25. 10-13. But now, I say, while God is waiting that he may be gracious unto sinners, he hath no pleasure, none at all in their eternal Ruin and Perdition : Isa. 30. 8-18. And so, surely to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope: Eccl. 9 4. The very end of Christ in so loving all men, as to die for them, was, That they which live, (who are still continued in the land of, and joined to all the living) might no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again: 2. Cor. 5. 14, 15. Yea though Sinners and ungodly Ones have long persisted in their folly and disobedience, yet while he is long-suffering, it is a Day of Salvation: 2 Pet. 3. 9-15. And unto such Wisdom utters 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, etc. Prov. 1. 21, 22, 23. Isa. 50. 1, 2. Even as our Lord Jesus speaks, and saith, If any man here my words, and believe not, I judge him not. (To wit, now he doth not judge him, as that is opposed to saving: he doth not say, he will never judge him, for he will hereafter judge all, and yield Vengeance unto all that know not God, and obey not his Gospel; who will be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power: as 2 Thes. 1, 7, 8, 9 Acts 10. 40, 41. But now during the Day of God's Grace and Patience, he saith, I judge him not:) John 12. 47-49. Hence the Wisdom of God thus speaks unto men, and unto the Sons of Adam, Indefinitely considered; and saith, They that seek me early, (to wit, while it is called to Day) shall find me: And thus exhorts them, Now therefore, (to wit, in the opportune season) harken unto me: for blessed are they that observe my ways: Prov. 8. 14, 5. 17. 32, 33. And thus also we have given some Answer unto this Enquiry; and have shown how long or during what time the Lord God hath no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked That is to say, While he is exercising long-suffering towards them, and they are joined unto all the living.  
And thus we have spoken unto the Explication, or explaining of those four things we propounded to Inquire into which we desire may be duly minded and diligently considered: And shall now proceed on unto the next considerable; to wit,  
2. We come nextly, to give some further Evidence and Proof of the Truth of what the Lord God here so solemnly swears to, namely, That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked. Though indeed, his Word and Oath here given us, are such Immutable Things, and Infallible Proofs, as may sufficiently assure us of the Verity of what is so Affirmed and Confirmed. But we have not only this Scripture speaking such gracious Words, but others also, much-what to the same purpose. Thus it is said, Have I any pleasure at all, (either Revealed, or Secret) in the Death of the wicked, saith the Lord God? Indeed, this is propounded by way of Question, or Interrogation: But, as is usually observed, is a vehement Denial of that questioned about. And to put all out of doubt, he who propounds the Question, and best, and only perfectly knows his own Will and Pleasure, gives Answer hereto in the same Chapter, and saith positively, I have no pleasure in the Death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, etc. Ezek. 18. 23. with verse 32. And we have the two famous Apostles, the Apostle of the Uncircumcision, and the Apostle of the Circumcision, speaking after the same rate: The former saith thus, God our Saviour will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: 1 Tim. 2. 3, 4. The latter thus, The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance? 2 Pet. 3. 9 And these Scriptures considered together, more confirm the truth of this Doctrine: And, this threefold Cord is not quickly broken. But I shall desire to add some other Proofs and Evidences to Assure us of the Truth hereof: Namely,  
1. It appears Evidently, That God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked, nor of any sinful Creature of Mankind, while it is called to Day; in that, according to his Promise, he hath actually raised up a Saviour, even Jesus: This Purpose and Grace was given us in Christ Jesus, before the secular times; but is now manifested by the appearing of our Saviour, etc. 2 Tim. 1. 9, 10. When the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law; to redeem them that were under the Law: Gal. 4, 4, 5. Which was an high Act, Evidence, and Expression of the Love of God towards the Sons of Men: As our Saviour saith, So God loved the World, (to wit, of Mankind) that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World, but that the World thorough him might be saved: John 3. 16. 7. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners: Indefinitely considered; 1 Tim. 1. 15. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live thorough him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son the Propitiation for our sins; he sent the Son the Saviour of the World: 1 John 4. 8, 9, 10-14. And Jesus Christ, by the will of God his Father, came into the World, not to destroy men's Souls, but to save them: Luk. 9 55, 56. To which end, He in the Greatness of his Love, died for all, even for all of Mankind that were dead: 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. And, God crowned him with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man: Heb. 2. 9 And, he risen again for their justification: Rom. 4. 15. and Ch. 3. 23, 24. and Ch. 5. 6-8. 12. 18.  
Now herein is clearly and undoubtedly evidenced, That God hath no pleasure in the Death of any of Mankind, while it is called to Day; In that he hath devised such a Device, and done what he devised, that his Banished might not be expelled from him: as 2 Sam. 14. 14. When Christ was born into the World, one Angel saith unto the Shepherds, Behold, I bring you glad-tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you (Men, and not unto the Angels, Heb. 2. 9 16.) is born this day a Saviour, etc. — And the multitude of the heavenly host praised God, and said, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men: Luke 2. 10, 11-14. And hereby the Apostle Paul doth prove and demonstrate, That God our Saviour will have all men to be saved; (And therefore hath no pleasure in the Destruction of any of them;) Because there is one Mediator of God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a Ranson, or Price of Redemption for all: 1 Tim. 2. 4, 5, 6. And upon this ground, the worst of sinners are exhorted and excited to turn to the Lord : Behold, saith the Lord, I have given him for a Witness to the People, (even Christ, as delivered for our Offences, and raised again for our Justification:) There called, The sure mercies of David: Isa. 55. 3, 4. with Acts 13. 34. And then presently after, and upon that account, he calleth Sinners to Repentance : Seek ye the LORD, while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will multiply to pardon: Isa. 55. 3, 4-6, 7. This blessed Doctrine the Apostle preached unto the Corinthians, when they were carried away unto dumb Idols, and were notorious sinners; to wit, Fornicators, Idolaters, Adulterers, Effeminate, Abusers of themselves with Mankind, etc. To assure them, that God hath no pleasure in their Death: And to the end they might be saved, He delivered unto them first of all, that which he also received, How that Christ died for their sins, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he risen again the third day, according to the Scriptures, etc. 1 Cor. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4. with Chap. 6. 9, 10, 11. and Chap. 12. 2. Yea, the love of Christ, in dying for All, and rising again, known and believed by his Ambassadors, did constrain them to persuade men; and wherever they came, thus to pray in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled unto God: 2 Cor. 5. 11-14, 15-19, 20, 21. and Chap. 6. 1, 2. And this is one evident and fundamental Demonstration of the truth of what God here swears; to wit, That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked. Christ is the Amen, the faithful and true Witness hereof: Rev. 1. 5. and Chap. 3. 14. And as God's commanding Moses to set a Serpent of brass upon a Pole, that those who were stung with the fiery Serpents, for their despising the Manna, might look unto it, and live: Did plainly evince, that it was not his Mind or Will, that they should die of their stings: Num. 21. Even so, God hath herein more brightly manifested, That he is not willing that any should perish; In that the Son of Man hath been lifted up from the Earth for them; and lifted up from the gates of death, etc. For so God loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son: John 3. 14, 15, 16, 17.  
2. It is further evident, That God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked, in this; In that Christ by his Death, in the virtue whereof he is raised again, is become the Deliverer from the wrath to come: 1 Thes. 1. 10. for thereby he hath obtained the forgiveness of those sins which deserve, and bring men under the sentence of Condemnation to the wrath to come: Luke 2. 30, 31. He who descended into the lower parts of the Earth; and who is ascended up on high, and hath led captivity captive; hath received gifts in the man, even for the rebellious also; that the Lord God might dwell among them: Psal. 68 18. without blood shedding there is no remission of sins; to wit, without the Bloodshedding of the Son of God : For it was not possible that the blood of Goats and Calves should take away sin. If Righteousness could have come by the Law, than Christ died in vain: Heb 9 22. and Chap. 10. 14, 5-9. Gal. 2. 21. And unless he who died for our sins had been raised again for our justification; we must have remained necessarily in our sins: 1 Cor. 15. 17. But now, he who bore our sins in his own Body on the Tree, is raised again, and saw no corruption: Therefore in him is prepared for sinners, and in his Name preached to them, the forgiveness of those sins from which men could not be justified by the Law of Moses: Acts 13. 32-37-39. He hath obtained eternal Redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins by his blood, according to the riches of God's grace: Heb. 9 12. with Ephes. 1. 7. forgiveness of the greatest sins, and sinners, while it is the Day of God's Grace and Patience: And therefore he saith to his Apostles, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead the third day: And that Repentance and Forgiveness of sins should be preached in his Name, unto all Nations, beginning at Jerusalem; which had killed the Prophets, and stoned them which were sent unto them; And were afterwards the Betrayers and Murderers of the Lord of Glory: Luke 24. 46-48. with Chap. 13. 34. Acts 7. 53. Otherwise, indeed, I mean, If there were no Forgiveness of sins with God in Christ for wicked Ones, he might be said to have Pleasure in their Death and Destruction: And the House of Israel had rightly supposed what they did; as the Words may be read in the Verse immediately preceding that which we are considering; to wit, O thou Son of Man, speak unto the House of Israel, rightly, ye speak, saying, If our iniquities and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them: (If there be no Atonement for them, no Forgiveness of them; see Num. 15. 30, 31. with verse 27, 28, 29.) How should we then live? Ezek. 33. 10. Or as the Psamist saith, If thou, LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness, (or as the Septuagint renders it, There is a propitiation) with thee, that thou mayst be feared. And thence incourages the House of Israel, notwithstanding their great and manifold Transgressions, yet to hope in his Mercy : Let Israel, saith he, hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption: Psal. 130. 3, 4-7. The Lord hath proclaimed himself to be gracious and merciful, abundant in goodness— keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin: Exod. 34. 6, 7. He hath a great Name for pardoning great iniquities; Psal. 25. 11. For he hath found out a Ransom for our souls; an Atonement for our sins: Job 33. 24. He hath accepted a sacrifice, even that of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the greatness of his love towards us, gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice unto God, for a sweet smelling savour: Eph. 5. 2. And in whom, by means thereof, we have redemption thorough his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Col. 1. 14. As also, to the end we may be justified from, and receive the forgiveness of our sins: God hath put his Spirit upon him, that he might bring forth Judgement to us, and give Repentance to us from them; namely, That Grace and Power whereby we may Repent, that he may forgive our iniquity, and our sin: as Jer. 36. 3. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, a Prince, and a Saviour, for to give Repentance to us also, and forgiveness of sins: Acts 5. 31. and Chap. 26. 18. Isa. 42. 1. Luke 24. 46, 47, 48.  
3. The truth of this also, That God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked; further appears, and is evident hereby: In that he is vouchsafing Means of Grace unto them; and giving gracious Aid and Assistance in and with the Means, to the end, that the wicked may Repent, and turn from their evil ways, that iniquity may not be their ruin: He doth not only call them to Repentance with an outward Call; but he also stretcheth forth his hand, his Power and Spirit with his Calls, that such may turn at his Reproofs: Prov. 1. 21, 22-24. Our Lord Jesus is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world: John 1. 9 He is the light of the world, which lieth in wickedness; or, in the wicked One : Joh. 8. 12. with 1 Joh. 5. 19 To open the eyes of the blind, and to bring forth the prisoners out of prison, and them that fit in darkness out of the prisonhouse: Isa. 42. 6, 7. To open the eyes of Jews and Gentiles. and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith in Christ Jesus: Acts 26. 17. 18. And he is therefore the Light unto the Gentiles also, the light of the World, that he might be for salvation unto All, even unto the ends of the earth; that through him they might be saved : Isa. 49. 6. with Acts. 13. 47. And as it is the nature and property of the Light to manifest and discover all things unto men in their true and proper colours; For whatsoever doth make manifest, is light: Ephes. 5. 13. So our Lord Jesus Christ, doth in and by his Testimony and Testimonis of his Goodness, manifest himself, and God's Grace in himself, to the Sons of Men; He makes himself manifest unto them that asked not after him. And as in former times, Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness, that the stung Israelites might look unto, and behold it, and live; Even so the Son of Man is lifted up by the Spirit in the Gospel, that sinners may look unto and believe in him: And, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life: Rom. 10. 18-20. John 3. 14-16. Hence he who is a just God and a Saviour, and there is none besides him, calleth unto men, and saith, Look unto me all the ends of the earth, and be ye saved; for I am God, and there is none else: Isa. 45. 2-1, 22, 23. with Phil. 2. 8, 9, 10. And Christ, as the Light, doth also manifest the odiousness and vileness of our sins; and what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord, and that his fear is not in men: as Jer. 2. 19 And the necessity of their being turned therefrom, without which they must all necessarily perish; as afterwards we may show more largely: All things that are reproved, are made manifest by the Light;— wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light: Eph. 5. 13, 14. And this most Excellent One, doth also, as is before said; Open the blind Eyes of the Souls of Men, to see what he is manifesting to them: God hath given him for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, etc. Isa. 42. 6, 7. And herein he excels the Light of this World, for though that doth manifest the things here below, yet it will not give Sight unto those that are blind, to behold what it doth manifest and discover; it will not open the eyes of those that want their bodily sight. But now, our Lord Jesus is the true light, the most excellent light, who gives both light and sight: he lightens every man that cometh into the world: John 1. 6-9. And not only so, but he gives grace unto all, even that Aid and Assistance, whereby they may turn from their evil and pernicious ways, and live. The grace of God brings salvation, or is saving unto all men: Tit. 2. 11. The goodness of God leadeth men to repentance; even such also as are not led by it, but after their own hardness and impenitent hearts, treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God: Rom. 2. 4, 5. It is true indeed, No man can turn from his iniquities, and come unto Jesus Christ, unless it be given unto him of the Father; unless he draw him: John 6. 44, 45. But it is as true also, that God in due time doth draw all men by Jesus Christ, even such also as refuse to return: Hos 11. 4, 5. with John 12. 31, 32. Though the Spirit that dwells in us (naturally) lusteth to envy; yet he giveth more grace; That we might not follow after our own Spirit: Jam. 4. 5, 6. As Christ is exalted with God's right hand a Prince and Saviour, to give repentance, etc. So he is faithful in giving it in due season. And there is good reason for us to believe he is so; forasmuch as he was faithful to him that appointed him, in that difficult work of humbling himself, and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross: Acts. 5. 30, 31. with Heb. 3. 1, 2. Isa. 50. 5-8-10. Doutbless God doth not only afford outward Means, and calls wicked Ones with an outward Call to Repentance: But he is dispensing to them his Grace and Spirit, to enable them to turn from their Iniquities, and to exercise themselves to Godliness; especially he doth so to us, who have the Name of Christ called upon us, and the Gospel and Scriptures continued with us: (And to none other can I speak.) And to signify to us, that the holy Spirit doth accompany the Gospel, to work in men both to will and to do, of good pleasure, what God requires of them: Therefore is the Gospel called, the ministration of the Spirit: Yea it is called, the Spirit: 2 Cor. 3. 6-8. And the words which Christ spoke unto them that did not believe, are said to be Spirit and Life: John 6. 63, 64. And when our Lord enlarges the Commission of his Apostles, and commands them to go into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature; to wit, of all the Nations: This is that than which he promises to them, and assures them of; that he would go along, and work with them; to wit, by his Spirit: Lo, saith he, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. And to assure us that he was as good as his word unto his Apostles; it is therefore also said, They went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, etc. Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. with Mark 16. 15-20. He therefore that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who hath also given his holy Spirit, unto the Ministers of his Word, to accompany them: 1 Thes. 4. 8. And this also shows, he hath no pleasure, none at all, in the death of the wicked, while it is called to Day. But to this particular, I shall not here further enlarge, because we shall have apt Occasion to speak somewhat further unto this and the former particulars, in what followeth.  
4. That he is not willing that wicked Ones should perish, appears also, and is evident hereby; In that our Lord Jesus Christ doth, by the will of God, make Intercession for Transgressor's: Isa. 53. 12. to speak good for them, and to turn away God's wrath from them: (as Jer. 18. 20. with Chap. 27. 18.) He is the Propitiation for their sins, who through Grace believe; and not for their sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world: 1 John 2. 2. The Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the World: That Judgement may not speedily be executed upon it: John 1. 29. And hereby the Apostle doth prove and demonstrate, That God will have all men to be saved: (And therefore hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked;) Because there is One Mediator between God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a Ransom for all: 1 Tim. 2. 4, 5, 6. And while he Intercedes for Sinners and Transgressor's, God hears him: And, Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the Day of Salvation: 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. He doth by his powerful Intercession prevail as a Prince with God his Father, that further Patience and Forbearance might be exercised toward such as deserve to be cut off in their Trespasses. And this is an Evidence, that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance; Because he is long-suffering to them. And the Apostle exhorts the Believers; to Account, or Reckon, that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation: To wit, toward them to whom it is exexercised. Their accounting his long-suffering Salvation, doth not make it so to be: But his Long-suffering being Salvation, gives them good ground so to account it; for his Long-suffering is a Fruit of his Love and Charity toward them to whom it is vouchsafed: 2 Pet. 3. 9 15. with 1 Cor. 13. 4. while God waits, he waits that he may be gracious, even towards Rebellious Ones also : Isa. 30. 8-18. that they might be brought unto God: 1 Pet. 3. 18. 20. As it is said concerning God's professed People in former times, many whereof were disobedient and rebellious: Yea many years didst thou forbear them,— that thou mightest bring them again to thy Law: Neh. 9 29, 30. And hence also, when the Lord is said to be Long-suffering, or slow to Anger, than very frequently, he is affirmed to be merciful and gracious, or of great kindness. To signify to us, That his Long-suffering is an Evidence and Expression of his Mercy, Grace, and kindness towards the Sons of Men : Exod. 34. 6. Num. 14. 18. Neh. 9 17. Psal. 86. 15. and 145. 8. Joel 2. 13. Jona. 4. 2. Rom. 2. 4.  
Object. But against what we are now considering, some may object, and say, Christ would not vouchsafe to pray for the World; And then to be sure he did not die for it: Nor is it the Will of God that the World should be saved; but he hath pleasure in their destruction: John 17. 9  
Answ. This saying of our Saviour's is much abused and wrested by many, who are Enemies to the Grace of God in Christ to Mankind; And his words are altered, to make them serve their evil Design: For,  
1. Our Saviour doth not say, He would not pray for the World; or, that he never did, or will pray for it: But his words are, I pray not, (to wit, at that present time) for the World, etc. Now that doth not at all deny that he might pray for the World at another time: As may appear in other say of like nature. As where our Saviour saith concerning his Apostles, I speak not of you all: John 13. 18. It would be very false from hence to infer, That he would not, nor never did speak of them all: for otherwhere it is very evident he did so: Matth. 10. 1. John 6. 67. So also he thus speaks in another place concerning his faithful Disciples; I do not say, that I will pray the Father for you: John 16. 26. Now, would not those men who so pervert John 17. 9 exceedingly blame any that should infer herefrom, and say, Our Saviour never said, he would pray for his own Disciples; Because he there saith, I do not say, that I will pray the Father for you? And indeed, such an Inference would be most untrue, and exceedingly condemnable: for though he did not there say, he would pray the Father for them, yet elsewhere he doth so say; for in John 14. 16. he thus assures them, I will pray the Father for you, etc. And the same we may apply to this Scripture objected, as will further appear by and by.  
2. There is this good Reason why the World should then be excluded from his Prayer in that place, because he is putting up Requests to his Father for the then Actual Believers, and which were only proper to be petitioned for them, and not for the World, while in that state: to wit, That they might be kept in God's Name: that they might be one; that they might be sanctified through the truth: and sent into the World as Christ was; to wit, to preach the Gospel, etc. John 17. 9-19. Now, how could our Saviour pray for the World, while of the World, in these Petitions, which were not proper to be presented for them? Can he pray, That they might be kept in God's Name, that were not in it? Or, that they might be one, in their evil Ways and Designs? Or, that they might be sent into the World to preach the Gospel, who did not believe the Gospel? No surely. But this doth no more deny that our Saviour ever prayed for the World, than Abraham's praying for his Son Ishmael, or Isaac, denies he ever prayed for Sodom▪ That is to say, not in the least; for at several times, and in divers Petitions he prayed both for the former and the latter.  
3. Nay, it evidently appears in Joh● 17. That our Saviour prayed for the world▪ though not in verse 9-19. Or, the good of the World was one great thing aimed at, and designed, in his praying for them who were chosen out of the World: for that Prayer may be divided into four Parts. First, Our Saviour prays for himself; and therein prays not for the World, nor for the Believers directly: John 17. 15. than he prays for such as were then actual Believers; having an especial and most full Aim therein at his Apostles, and not for the World; nor directly, and fully for such as should after believe, verse 6-19. Nextly, he prays for future Believers, even for all such as should, after that time, believe on him thorough the Apostles word, verse 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. And lastly, The end of his Prayer for the Apostles and other Believers, was, for the good of the World. As it is said, That all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: [That the World may believe that thou didst send me.] Which was that the Believers did believe; and in the belief whereof they were rendered and accounted true Believers: John 17. 8. And again, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one: [And that the World may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them.) to wit, the sincere Believers) as thou hast loved me:] John 17. 21-23. Like that, God be merciful unto us, and bl●ss us, and cause his face to shine with us: That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health, or salvation, among all Nations, etc. Isal. 67. 1, 2, 3. 1 King. 8. 59, 60. So that this Objection is wholly groundless, false, and of no force against what hath been said.  
5. It is also hereby evidenced, That God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked. In that he sends his Servants to them to testify against them, and to warn them of their sins, and of the danger they expose themselves unto thereby. As it is said, The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by the hand of his Messengers, rising up betimes, and sending: Because he had compassion on his people: 2 Chron. 36. 15. And in this Ezek 33. The Lord saith, Son of Man, I have set thee a Watch man unto the House of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die: If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand: Nevertheless if thou warn the wicked of his way, to turn from it: If he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy Soul: verse 1-9. whereto he presently adds in the next verse but one, I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; verse 11. To give us to understand, That his sending his Servants, to warn the wicked of their evil ways, is an Evidence, that he delights not in their destruction: But that they might take warning & live. See also Ezek. 3. 17-21. So that good man saith, Thou testifiedst against them, who were disobedient and rebellious; that thou mightest bring them again to thy Law: Neh. 9 26-29. And the Apostle saith, We preach Christ, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Col. 1. 28. And when he thus sends his Servants to warn the wicked, he doth not send them alone, but accompanies them with the Light and Influence of his blessed Spirit. Thus it is said, Many years didst thou forbear them, and (all this while) testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in the hand of thy Prophets, etc. Neh. 9 29, 30. And the Prophet Micah saith, Truly, I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to the House of Israel his sin: Micah 3. 8. with Chap. 2. 7. Zech. 7. 12. 1 Thes. 4. 1-8. Acts 7. 51. When the Lord is so highly provoked against any, as to cast them off, than he threatens; He will come on them as a thief, and they shall not know what hour he will come upon them. He will then forbear to give them warning; but when they are secure, when they say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape: Rev. 3. 3. 1 Thes. 5. 2, 3. But while he doth admonish and fore-warn them of their wicked ways, and cries unto them, O do not this abominable thing that I hate: And shows unto them, That their continuing in the paths of darkness will be bitterness in the end; he doth evidence, that he is not willing with their Perdition, but would that they should consider their ways and do, and turn therefrom unto him, who is ready to pardon them, and receive them to his mercy: Psal. 50. 17-21. He doth fore-warn them, that they might turn from their wicked ways, and so flee from the wrath to come: as Mat. 3. 7. 8. Heb. 11. 7.  
6. That the Lord God hath no pleasure in the eternal Destruction of the Wicked, while they are joined to all the living, appears, by his Expostulations and Plead with them: As, What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Jer. 2. 5-8. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion, we will come no more unto thee? Verse 29-31. Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die, O House of Israel? Ezek. 33. 11. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away: Hos. 6. 3-7. Jer 9 7. O thou that art named the House of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his do? Micah 2. 7. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherewith have I wearied thee? testify against me, etc. Micah 6. 2-5. Surely he doth not thus speak, to insult over them in their misery, or while he secretly delights in their eternal ruin: But to signify, he is not pleased they should perish. As he saith, Why will ye die, O House of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God? wherefore turn and live ye: Ezek. 18. 30, 31, 32. The truth hereof is also further manifested, by his pathetical and breathing Votes and Desires concerning them: As, O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my Commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their Children for ever! Deut. 5. 29. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! Deut. 32. 28, 29. O that my people had harkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways: Psal. 81. 13, 14. O that thou hadst harkened unto my Commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: Isa. 48. 17, 18. Wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? Jer 13. 27. If, or, O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace: Luke 19 42. As also the truth of what the Lord swears to, appears in that he speaks as one grieved at the very heart, that men have turned a deaf ear to him, and scattered their ways unto strangers, and obeyed not his Voice. As it is said by himself, Forty years longer was I grieved with this generation, and said, it is a people that do err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways: Psal. 95. 10. So he speaks as one grieved in Spirit, and saith, My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me: Psal. 81. 8-11. And of our Lord Jesus, who is the Image of the Invisible God; it is said, When he beheld the City, he wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, etc. Luke 19 41, 42. John 13. 21. The truth hereof also is evidenced, In his slowness to Anger, and loathness to give them up, who refused to return unto him, but were Idolaters, and bend to back-sliding from the Lord. As, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I delivar thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Seboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God, and not man; the holy One in the midst of thee: And I will not enter into the City: Hos. 11. 2-8, 9 Mal. 3. 6. And lastly, As to this particular, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, is evident, and evidenced in his Readiness to Repent him of the Evil threatened by him, and justly deserved by them, upon their turning to him: And readiness to receive unto his Mercy great sinners, though their wickedness hath been very great, and long continued in: Though their wickedness hath been like unto Sodom and Gomorrah, and though their sins have been as Scarlet, and red like Crimson; yea though they have spoken and done evil things as they could: As Isa. 1. 10-18. Jer. 3. 15. So the Lord saith, Turn unto the Lord your God: And to move them so to do, he adds, For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil: Joel 2. 12, 13. Thus he dealt with Nineveh, when he saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, God repent him of the evil that he said he would do unto them, and he did it not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry,— and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying when I was yet in my Country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil: Jonah 3. 8-10. and 4. 1. 2. So when Ephraim repent, and smote upon the thigh; the Lord saith, Is Ephraim my dear son? 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 upon him, saith the Lord; Jer. 31. 18-20. How ready and forward was the Father in the Parable to be reconciled unto, and with joy to receive and give entertainment unto his prodigal Son, when through his necessity and indigency he though of returning, and began so to do? When he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and fell on his neck and kissed him, etc. And I say unto you, saith our Saviour, That joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance: Luke 15. 2-7-12-32.  
Nay, when some such have not turned to him with the whole heart, but feignedly, how ready hath he been to spare them? As it is said, Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouths, and they lied unto him with their tongues: for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant: But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not. Yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. And the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation: Psalm 78. 34-36-38. 1 King. 21. 27-29.  
Now all these things considered, and put together, do clearly evince and evidence to us, That the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth. How can it once enter into our hearts, or be entertained by us, That he who so expostulates with wicked Ones, and saith, Why will ye die? That so pathetically desires desires their good; that is so grieved at the heart for the hardness of their hearts: as Mark 3. 5. That is so loath to give up such as have highly provoked him to anger: That is so ready to repent him of the evil; and to receive with joy and gladness such as repent and turn unto him from their Iniquities; and to spare them who feignedly turn unto him; that they might consider their ways, and turn their feet unto his Testimonies: That he mean time doth secretly delight in, and desire their Eternal Ruin! O my Soul, come not thou into the Secret of them who suffer such wicked thoughts of God to lodge within them: Unto their Assembly mine Honour be not thou united: as Gen. 49. 5, 6.  
7. As also it appears, That the Lord hath no pleasure in the Eternal Ruin of the Wicked, while it is the Day of his Grace and Patience: Because he doth not delight in severely correcting here in this World. He doth not willingly, or from the heart afflict, or grieve the children of men. To crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth,— the Lord approveth it not: Or, fee it not; to wit, with delight : Lam. 3. 33-36. He doth indeed afflict, and execute judgements in the Earth on those who contemn his Counsels: But he doth not take Pleasure therein; nor doth he punish them but when their need requires it: for he is slow to anger; and his Soul is grieved for their misery who have greatly sinned against him : Judg. 10. 16. It is not pleasing to him now to plead with wicked Ones in his furious Rebukes. Hence it is said, The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the Valley of Gibeon : that he may do his work, his strange work; (so called, because it is an unpleasant work to him: As Job's breath is said to be strange, unpleasant, & undelightful, to his Wife: Job 19 13-17.) And bring to pass his Act, his strange Act: Isa. 28. 21. And therefore he doth not bring to pass his strange Act, till there be a necessity for it, as it were: And all more gracious and favourable means and methods have proved unsuccessful and ineffectual: Hence the Lord saith, I will melt them, and try them, (to wit, throw them into the Furnace of affliction: as Isa. 48. 10.) For how shall I do for the daughter of my people? As if he should say, What other course can I take for the reclaiming them from their evil ways? All those more-mild means he had been making use of, had proved in vain toward them; and therefore he would thus proceed against them, in doing this strange and undelightful work amongst them: Jer. 9 7. Unto Acts of Mercy and Grace he is very forward, and exercises himself therein preventingly without and before men's desires: And notwithstanding their demerits, He giveth liberally to all men, and upbraideth not: John 3. 16, 17. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Jam. 1. 5. But unto Acts of severity towards wicked Ones he is very backward, while it is to Day. And some of his holy Servants have seemed to think him too backward and unready thereto; and therefore have they earnestly imprecated Judgements upon great Offenders, before he hath executed them: Jer. 11. 20-23. and Chap. 18. 20-23. And thus pleaded with him, Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look upon Iniquity, or Grievance: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? And makest men as the fishes of the sea, etc. Ha. 1. 2-4. 13-17. Ps. 35. 17. Yea when that eminent Prophet Elijah made intercession to God against Israel, saying, They have killed thy Prophets, and digged down thine Altars, etc. So gracious was the Lord, and so slow to anger, that he excepts against the Prophet's Charge, and, as it were pleads for them : Rom. 11. 2, 3, 4.  
Now then, to Argue from the Less to the Greater, and from the Shorter to that which is Perpetual: If God had no Pleasure to inflict tolerable and comparavely light Afflictions upon evil men; surely then much rather we may conceive and conclude, That he doth not delight in laying upon them such Judgements and Torments as are even intolerable, and unsupportable. And again, if it be not pleasing to him that Sinners and evil Doers should be severely afflicted in this life with momentany and short Afflictions; much more unwilling is he that they should go into that everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; and therein he destroyed with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his power. And doth not the Lord himself lead us thus to Reason? for the holy Spirit directs the Prophets thus to Assert, and say, The Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. But what doth he bring to prove and evince, that he will not cast off for ever? It presently follows, For he doth not willingly afflict, etc. As if he should say, He who now doth not from his heart, or with delight, afflict for a moment, is more unwilling to cast off to all eternity: Lam. 3. 31, 32, 33. Thou shalt consider in thy heart, saith Moses, that as a man chasteneth his Son, the Lord thy God chasteneth thee: Deut. 8. 5. Now, how doth a tenderhearted Parent chasten his froward and stubborn Son? Surely with a great deal of loathness and reluctancy: It is not the Work of his Delight so to do. Even so our Gracious Father, (who is so pitiful and of such tender mercies, that the most prudently indulgent Parent here, is but evil, in comparison of him; as our Saviour gives us to understand : Matth. 7. 11.) doth not delight to afflict his Sons and Daughters, (as all men are by Creation and Redemption: Mal. 2. 10. Deut. 32. 6. 19) when they provoke him to anger, but is very slow and backward thereto. And as we may be confident, and safely conclude, that no tenderhearted Parent, who hath no Pleasure to whip his Son, hath much less any Pleasure to kill him, and to bereave himself of him for ever. So likewise we may more confidently persuade ourselves, That the God and Father of all, who now chastens not Sinners for his Pleasure; hath much more no Pleasure to cast them into Hell-fire, where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched: Heb. 12. 10. And they that will entertain and hold fast such thoughts of God as these, That though he doth not willingly afflict the Sons of Men, yet he hath a secret Delight or Pleasure in their endless and eternal Ruin and Misery; must turn their Reason out of the Doors of their Souls, that they may keep their unreasonable, groundless and absurd Opinion in possession. But the Apostle tells us, That such as consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ— they are fools, knowing nothing, (as they ought to know) but doting about Questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, rail, evil surmisings, etc. And he therefore thus counsels, from such withdraw thyself: 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5.  
8. And lastly, It also appears, and is hereby evidenced, That the Lord God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked; By the Afflictions and Judgements which he now executes and infflicts upon them: for though he doth not willingly afflict, as hath been said before; yet he doth afflict; Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth: He forms the Light, and creates Darkness: He makes Peace, and creates Evil: To wit, Evil of Affliction and Judgement : Isa. 45. 7. Amos. 3. 8. And this doth evince and evidence to us, That he hath no delight in their destruction, in that he makes use of such Methods for their Amendment as are strange and grievous to him: which will yet further also appear, if we duly consider these two things: Namely,  
1. The Reason or Motive of his Afflicting and Judging them: and that is, His love and merciful kindness towards them, towards their Immortal Souls. Indeed we are apt to look upon Afflictions as Tokens and Testimonies of his hatred towards us: But in so doing, we judge according to outward Appearance, and do not judge righteous Judgement: for his love moves him to correct us, when our need requires it; and so it doth towards the righteous. And his trying them is opposed to his hatred: Psal. 11. 5. Hence the Apostle saith, My Son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth: Prov. 3. 11, 12. with Heb. 12. 5-7. Yea and it is out of love towards men generally, that he doth try them, and correct them for their Faults and Follies. Hence Job breaks forth into Admiration, and saith, What is man that thou shouldst magnify him! that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him! (to wit, thy love and affection:) that thou shouldst visit him! (to wit, with Afflictions and Corrections: as Ps. 89. 32.) every morning? and try him every moment? Job 7. 17-19. And when the Angel and Church of Laodicea were become lukewarm, and so loathsome and offensive to Christ, as that he threatens to spew them out of his mouth: yet than he sends this Message to them, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: Rev. 3. 15-19. And indeed, hereby also it appears, that while he is judging men in this World, he loves them: And that his Corrections proceed from his Love; because he signifies it to be a most high Expression of severe Displeasure, when he threatens to cease, or forbear taking any longer such pains with them, because they have been incorrigible under his Afflicting-hand. To this purpose he many times speaks; as, Why should ye▪ be smitten any more? Isa. 1. 5. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whoredom, nor your Spouses when they commit Adultery: Hos. 4. 14. Ephraim is joined to Idols: let him alone, ver. 17. And that he doth Correct and Chastise the Sons of Men, while it is called to Day, out of Love; and therefore is not willing with their Perdition; will yet further appear, if we consider,  
2. The end of the Lord in his Rebuking and Judging of them; yea of his threaten and judgements; and that is, Their eternal good and welfare; that is the thing ultimately designed by him therein: As Elihu saith, Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with Man, to bring back his Soul from the Pit; to be enlightened with the light of the living. Mark well, O Job, saith Elihu, Harken unto me, etc. Job 33. 27-29-31.  
The end of the Lord in the liftings up of his hand, and threaten, is, that men might cease to do evil, and learn to do well; That he may repent him of the evil threatened to them, and be gracious unto them. At what instant, saith the Lord, I shall speak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy. If that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, (which is the thing designed therein by him) I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord, behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return you now every one from his evil way, and make your ways, and your do good: Jer. 18. 7-11. And to the same purpose, the Lord commands the same Prophet, To take a Roll of a Book, and write therein all the words that he had spoken unto him against Israel, and against Judah, etc. And then adds, It may be that the House of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity, and their sin: Jer. 36. 2, 3. Ezek. 12. 2, 3. Jonah. 3. 4-9, 10. and Chap. 4. 1, 2. Psal. 7. 12, 13.  
And so also his Design and end in executing Jugments in the Earth, while it is called to Day, is, not the Destruction of Evil-doers, but the Correction and Amendment of them : That when his judgements are in the earth, the Inhabitants of the world might learn righteousness: Isa. 26. 9 He therefore orders occasions of sadness and heaviness to them, that by the sadness of their countenances their hearts might be made better: Eccl. 7. 2, 3. And therefore, he looketh upon men; and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, he will deliver his Soul from going down into the pit, and his life shall see the light: Job 33. 27-30. When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world: 1 Cor. 11. 32. And that he doth aim at, and design the good of men, in his Correcting and Punishing them, appears from what hath been said immediately before: Namely, That he doth chasten them out of love : For love worketh no ill to another, but designs his good and benefit : Ro. 13. 9 And he that charges Parents not to withhold Correction from their Children, — but to beat them with the Rod, and so deliver their Souls from Hell: Doubtless, he intends the same in his Judge of Men, while they are joined to all the living : Prov. 23. 13, 14. with Job 33. 29, 30. and Psal. 94. 10-12.  
And not only is this his Gracious End in those Chastisements and Afflictions, which are more moderate and common to Man: But also in his more severe and furious Judgements and Rebukes, when he causes men to sit in darkness, and in the shadow of Death; being bound in affliction and iron: Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the Counsel of the most High, etc. And whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord: Psal. 107. 10-22-39-43. When none can stand before his indignation, and none can abide in the fierceness of his anger: his fury being poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. Yet than the Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, etc. Nah. 1. 2-6, 7. So the Apostle signifies, That the heavy and spiritual Judgements executed upon the unbelieving and disobedient Israelites, according to those Imprecations of the Psalmist against them, were not inflicted upon them for their destruction, but for the amendment of them, while it was the Day of God's Grace towards them: According as it is written, God hath given them the Spirit of slumber, or remorse, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear. 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. These were most severe Judgements, in which God, in some measure, gave them up to a Reprobate Mind: And it might therefore be readily concluded by some, That God by inflicting these upon them, designed their Eternal Ruin: But the Apostle gives us cause otherwise to believe and judge; for he immediately subjoins to the former, I say then, have they not stumbled that they might fall? God forbidden: (far be it from us so to conceive;) but through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them (these Jews) to jealousy: Rom. 11. 8, 9, 10, 11. And again he saith, God hath concluded them all in unbelief; (taken away his Gospel and Kingdom from them, and deprived them of those choice and spiritual Privileges and Advantages they were formerly favoured with;) that he might have mercy upon all: That he might have mercy upon us Gentiles; for through their unbelief and rejection, the Gospel and its Privileges were vouchsafed unto us; And that he might this way have mercy upon them also: That through our mercy, they might also obtain mercy. The Consideration whereof caused the Apostle to break forth into Admiration, and say, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! Rom. 11. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. The Consideration whereof might preserve us from being censorious, or rashly judging any, when. God is inflicting his most severe Judgements upon them : For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his Counsellor? Verse 34, 35. Yea he sometimes gives up wicked Ones in his Church unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that they might learn not to blaspheme: And that their Spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord: 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5-13. with 1 Tim. 1. 19, 20.  
And this is not only his End in those severe and dismal Judgements, which he executes upon them that were in his Church, and of his people professedly: But also as with respect to such as were never joined thereto, or of the number thereof. Hence the Psalmist thus Imprecates, as with respect to such as were without the Pale of the Church: O my God, make them like a wheel, as the stubble before the wind: So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm: Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy Name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever: (to wit, in their evil Designs and Erterprises;) yea, let them be put to shame and perish: That they may know that thou, whose Name alone is Jehovah, art the most High over all the Earth: Ps. 83. 13-16-18. And hereby also it appears, That God is not willing that any should perish, in that he doth Afflict and Judge the Sons of Men, though not willingly, or delightfully so: And doth in all the Afflictions and Chastisements which he is inflicting on them, and chastening them withal, even in the greatest and more severe also; Design their purging from their Iniquity, and Conformity to his Mind and Will: And so, their Eternal Good and Benefit. And as is also said before, the two Particulars under this last-mentioned Head, do mutually evidence the truth of each other: That is to say, In that he Chastens and Corrects out of love; this shows, That his End in all his Rebuking is good towards men: And in that his Design and End is good and gracious towards Men, in his now Judge of them; therein we may see, that his Love towards them moves and prevails with him to make use of the Rod of Correction, that he might thereby purge out of the Hearts of the Children of Men that Folly that is bound up in them: 2 Chron. 33. 10, 11, 12, 13. Isa. 9 12, 13. His judgements are as the light that goeth forth: for he desireth mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings: Hos. 5. 14, 15▪ and Chap. 6. 15, 6. Amos 4. 6-9-12. Jer. 4. 13, 14. Psal. 9 19, 20.  
3. But now having, I conceive, sufficiently evidenced and demonstrated the truth of what the Lord God here swears to; namely, That he hath no pleasure, none at all, neither Revealed nor Secret, in the Death of the wicked; in the Eternal Destruction of him that dieth; according to the Explication forgiven. I shall now, with the Assistance of the good Spirit of God, note and infer from what hath been said, some Instructions that may be of usefulness unto us. As to say.  
1. If the Lord God hath no pleasure in the Death, and Eternal misery of the Wicked; Then we may be confident that he had no Pleasure in the Death of the Righteous; as all Men were as they were Created of God in the first Public Man: And, before he did eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, whereof God commanded him he should not eat: For All were then Innocent and Righteous. God created Man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him: To wit, In Knowledge, Righteousness, and Holiness of Truth: Gen. 1. 26, 27 with Eph. 4. 23, 24. Col. 3. 10. God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good: Gen. 1. 31. This only have I found, saith the Preacher, that God made Man upright: Eccl. 7. 29. Yet some there are that say, The greatest part of Mankind was Reprobated of God before the World had a beginning; and while all Men were Righteous, and in the pure mass. This is so directly contrary to what we have said, and to the whole Current of the Holy Scriptures; that nothing can lightly be invented, or devised by the wit of man, more blasphemously opposite thereto; and is therefore to be abominated by us: For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness: and therefore also, he loveth the righteous, his Countenance doth behold the upright: Psal. 11. 7. and 146. 8. The righteous shall never be removed: Prov. 10. 30. Behold, saith Bildad, God will not cast away, (Reject or Reprobate, as the word signifies) a perfect man: Job 8. 20. He will not doom them to everlasting Destruction; that is far from him : Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? as Abraham saith, Gen. 18. 25. God forbidden, that we should entertain, or suffer to lodge within us, such vain and wicked thoughts of him, who hath now no pleasure in the death of the wicked; that he should hate the righteous! And yet after this rate they speak, who say, That he Reprobated the most of men before the Fall, for the manifestation of the Glory of his Justice. For Reprobation in Scripture always signifies an Act of Hatred in God towards the Persons Reprobated; a Judicial Act of Hatred for some Iniquity committed, and continued in, by those who are so Reprobated: Jer. 6. 16-30. Rom. 1. 23, 24-28. But the naming this dreadful and ungodly Opinion, is sufficient to discover its odiousness unto those that give Glory to God, in believing the Truth of what he Affirms by his Word, and Confirms by his most solemn and Indubitable Oath: And therefore I shall add no more to that.  
2. If the Lord God hath no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked; Then we may assuredly know, believe and conclude, that he hath no Pleasure in the Everlasting Destruction of such as are only necessarily polluted and defiled; as all men since the Fall are, in partaking of the Nature of Man, Christ only excepted, who was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, and so knew no sin: But as with respect unto all others, in partaking of the Nature of Man, they unavoidably partake of the filth of sin; They are shapen in iniquity, and in sin did their Mother warm them: Psal. 51. 5. How can Man be justified with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman? Job 14. 4. and 25. 4. Now I say, If God hath no Pleasure in the Death of them, who add rebellion to their sin: (as Job. 34. 37.) And in whose filthiness is lewdness: as Ezek. 24. 13. We may be confident he hath none in their Ruin and Perdition; who could no more prevent their being sinners in this respect, than they could prevent their being Creatures, or the Offspring of fallen, degenerate Mankind: for they are naturally unclean, even as the sparks fly upwards. And that he had, and hath no Pleasure in the Death of such as are necessarily unclean, appears plainly and evidently, In that he hath devised such a blessed Means, that his banished Ones might not be banished: 2 Sam. 14. 14. And in due season, Sent forth his Son made of a Woman, made under the Law, etc. Gal. 4. 4, 5. And, Jesus Christ, by the Grace of God, tasted death for every man: Heb. 2. 9 And risen again for their Justification: Rom. 4. 25. As the Apostle signifies, when he saith, All have sinned; (to wit, in the First Public Man: Rom. 5. 12. And as they come into the World, come forth unclean and filthy: Rom. 5. 19) and come short of the Glory of God: Being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Rom. 3. 23, 24. and Chap. 5. 18. And our Lord Jesus hath through death overcome and abolished this first Death: As we have before said; 2 Tim. 1. 10. And will, in due season, destroy it: 1 Cor. 15. 16. And hath destroyed him that had the power of Death, that is, the Devil: Heb. 2. 9 14. And he himself hath now the keys of Hell and Death: Rev. 1. 18. And will in the proper season raise All out of it, and no man shall perish for ever therein: 1 Cor. 15. 21, 22. And in the Eternal Judgement which follows after the Resurrection of the Dead, no man shall perish in the Second Death for this first sin and sinfulness simply; but for their own personal and voluntary Iniquities committed, and continued in, till the Day of God's Grace and Patience was ended. This is the condemnation, (saith our Saviour; the cause of men's Condemnation, or that for which men shall be condemned hereafter,) that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light: John 3. 19 Rom. 1. 18. and Chap. 2. 4, 5-11. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 2 Thes. 1. 7-9. Suitable to what the Lord swears to, saying, I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any m●●e to use this Proverb in Israel: (to wit, The Fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and the children's Teeth are set on edge.) Behold, all Souls are mine, as the Soul of the Father, so also the Soul of the Son is mine. The Soul that sinneth, (to wit, voluntarily and impenitently) it shall die: Ezek. 18. 2, 3, 4. with Jer. 31. 29, 30. And therefore, without peradventure, All Infants, and such as have died before they come to the use of understanding, shall be raised to the enjoyment of Eternal Life; and none such shall perish in the Second Death. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward: Psal. 127. 3. And according to what hath been said before; He that is now so pitiful and compassionate towards those persons, that cannot discern between their right-hand and their lefthand: As that he is not forward to execute upon them a temporal Judgement for their Father's Iniquities, though they were not of his Church; he hath no Pleasure to doom them to the Vengeance of eternal Fire: Considering also, That Christ hath given himself a Ransom for them, as he hath done for all men : Jonah 4. 10, 11. Jer. 49. 7-11. 1 Tim. ●▪ 4, 5, 6. Certainly he hath not: But he will have a desire to the work of his hands, and to the Price of the precious blood of his dear Son : Job 14. 15. Ezek. 18. 4.  
Object But against what we are now considering, some may object and say, That before Esau was born, or had done good or evil, God hated and reprobated him: And therefore he may hate them also in their Infancy, and reprobate them before they were born; and hereafter destroy them for ever for the sin of their first Parents.  
Answ. To this Objection we may give several Answers, and say;  
1. Suppose what is contained in this Objection were verily true, as it is indeed very false and untrue: What ground of Comfort can they have concerning their own Children, who die in Infancy, that make this Objection, and believe it to be true? If they say, they are themselves hearty Believers in Christ, and so Abraham's Seed, and Heirs of the Promise, and therefore their Children are in the Covenant: If all this should be granted, yet may not as much at least be, without any scruple affirmed of Isaac, the Father of Jacob and Esau; and yet they believe the one half of his Children was hated and reprobated before born: And why may it not be so with theirs also? See Gen. 26. 3, 4, 5. And methinks were this considered by them, it might fill their own hearts with continual sorrow and heaviness; unless this dismal Decree of Reprobation, they plead for, hath made them perfectly like unto the Ostrich, which is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labour is in vain without fear: Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding: Job 39 13-17. But,  
2. I further say, That there is nothing of truth at all in this Objection; and therefore it is like unto the rest of their Tenets, in which they oppose the Doctrine of the Grace of God in Christ to all Mankind: For,  
1. There is no reason to believe, That God hated Esau before he was born; seeing God gave him to Isaac, in answer to his Entreaty and Prayer: And so he might say, as his Son Jacob did afterwards concerning his Children; to wit, That he was one that God graciously gave unto him: Gen. 33. 5. For it is said, Isaac entreated the Lord for his Wife, because she was barren: And the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his Wife conceived: Gen. 25. 21. Now what a Return of Prayer, and Encouragement to a like Prayer, was here, if God in answer to his Prayer gives him two Sons; and one of them was hated and reprobated before he was born? Our Saviour saith, What man is there of you, whom if his Son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? But how much beneath evil Parents, doth this Objection render our Gracious God, who infinitely exceeds in Goodness and Kindness to his Children all earthly Parents: For here his Child Isaac begs a Boon of him, and he gives him one piece of bread, and one stone; one fish, and one serpent or scorpion; if this Objection would hold water : Mat. 7. 9-11.  
2. There is not a word spoken of Gods hating Esau before he was born, or of Gods hating Esau personally considered, at any time: what was spoken before the Children were born, or had done good or evil, was this only, The elder shall serve the younger; as may be plainly seen in Gen. 25. 23. with Rom. 9 11, 12. Nor was this spoken of his Person, but of his Posterity: As evidently appears in Gen. 15. 23. Two Nations are in thy Womb, and two manner of People shall be separated from thy Bowels, etc. And though in Rom. 9 11. those words [the Children] are put in, yet they are not the words of God, but added by the Translators, and therefore faithfully put in a different Character.  
3. This serving Jacob Nationally considered, by Esau Nationally considered, was not looked upon, nor was out of positive hatred; or as a Curse ordered to Esau. It was not looked upon by Isaac as a Testimony of God's positive hatred towards Esau; for Isaac loved him: Nay, it was a part of Esau's Blessing to serve his Brother, Nationally considered; (for personally he never so did:) and so signified to be; for this was a part of that Blessing wherewith his Father Isaac blessed him: to wit, Thou shalt serve thy brother: Yea and in that he did bless him, and bless him by Faith, concerning things to come. It very plainly appears, that Esau was not positively hated of God : Gen. 27. 39, 40. with Heb. 11. 20. Indeed, in that Oracle was signified, that Jacob Nationally considered, should in former Ages be preferred in Choice Privileges and Advantages: they were the Church of God, and had his Oracles committed to them, etc. Rom. 3. 1, 2. and Chap. 9 4, 5. And of them, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. But this was no hatred of Esau, in their sense: for in Christ there was, and is Blessing for all the Nations and Families of the earth: Gen. 22. 16-18. and Ch. 26. 3, 4. & 28. 13, 14. And any of them might have become Proselytes, and so have partaken of their Advantages also: And doubtless there were good men descended from Esau, as Job, Eliphaz, etc. Deut. 23. 7, 8.  
4. And as with respect to that saying, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated: That was not spoken before these two persons were born, but long after they were dead: And therefore also it was not spoken of their persons, but of their Posterities, which still retained their Name: And that hatred toward Esau spoken of, was expressed, not in excluding him, or any of that Nation out of Heaven, in a personal consideration; but in laying his Mountains, and his Heritage waste, for the Dragons of the Wilderness. And if this was an Act of Hatred towards Esau, Nationally considered: Then certainly, it was an Act of Love in God to give him formerly these Mountains, and that Heritage. And the reason why Esau was thus hated and punished, was, because he did not serve his Brother with these Mountains, but was an Enemy to him : Esau was hated, not before he had done good or evil; But because of the wickedness of Esau, Nationally considered, towards his Brother Jacob Nationally considered: As it is said, For thy violence against thy Brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodst on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them, etc. Compare, Mal. 1, 2, 3. with Ezek. 35. and Obad. 9 16. And the same Prophet that mentions these words; to wit, Esau have I hated; signifies what the reason of his being hated was, to wit, because of his wickedness: for so he saith, They shall call them the Border of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. Esau was the People of God's Indignation, as he was the Border of wickedness: And is not any other People so also? Mal. 1. 3. with ver. 4. So that by all we have said, it evidently may appear unto any considering person, That Esau Personally considered, was not positively hated, or reprobated of God before he was born; nor is any other so. And I have been the longer in giving Answer to this Objection, because it is as usually, as unreasonably urged, to prove, That Esau was, and so others may be, Reprobated of God, before they have done good, or evil: Whereas indeed, There is not the least colour or ground for such a conclusion from the Scriptures in any one place: And so, notwithstanding this Objection, which is altogether groundless and sandy, we conclude, as we have before said; That God hath no pleasure, none at all, in the Death of those who are only necessarily and unavoidably polluted: Nor shall any such be cast into the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second Death; Psal. 9 17. Rev. 21. 8. and Chap. 22. 15.  
3. In that the Lord God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked, while they are joined to all the living, as he here swears: Then it appears evidently and manifestly, That such as do die and perish eternally, are the Authors or Procurers of their own eternal Misery and Ruin: And that their destruction is of themselves wholly, as with respect to God: As the Lord saith to some of his professed People in former times; O Israel, thy corruption, or destruction, is of thyself: Hos. 13. 9 It is true indeed, God is the Judge of all, and will execute judgement upon all: Judas 15. And such as impenitently persist in their unbelief of the Gospel, and disobedience to God, shall be destroyed with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. He will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses: Psal. 68 18-21. But in so doing, he will but make them eat of the fruit of their own way: Prov. 1. 24-31. And give them the wages of their own unrighteousness and iniquity: Rom. 6. 23. Their ways and their do procure these things to themselves: this will be their wickedness, even the fruit and reward thereof: as Jer. 4. 17, 18. And it may then be Righteously said to such as eternally perish; Have ye not procured these things unto yourselves, in that ye forsook, or rejected the Lord? Their own wickedness will correct them, and their back-slidings reprove them: as Jer. 2. 17, 18, 19 They that observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercies: Jonah 2. 8. They that love the World, and serve the Creature more than the Creator, lose their own Souls, and bring upon themselves swift destruction▪ Math. 16. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Who so sinneth against me, saith Wisdom, wrongeth his own Soul: All they that hate me love death: Prov. 8. 36. Num. 16. 38. He that refuseth instruction, to wit, God's Instruction, despiseth his own Soul: Prov. 15. 32. And therefore will be destroyed, Prov. 13. 15. Such, as when the goodness of God leadeth them to Repentance, do walk after their own hardness and impenitent hearts, they treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God; who will render unto every man according to his deeds. And so, To them who are contentious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, he will render Indignation and wrath, tribulation, and anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile:— for there is no respect of persons with God: Rom. 2. 14, 5-11. There will be no good reason, or just cause, to blame the Almighty, as if he were the Author of their endless misery: And if any shall so do, He will be justified in his say, and overcome when he is judged. Rom. 3. 3, 4. And all ●●at are incensed against him shall be ashamed, when they shall appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ: for than they shall know and confess, That he had no Pleasure during the Day of his Grace, in their Perdition, but willed that they should be saved: And therefore thus called unto All, Look unto me, all the ends of the earth, and be ye saved: for I am a just God, and a Saviour, and there is none besides me: Isa. 45. 21, 22, 23, 24. And specially such as continue wicked amongst God's Professed People, will be inexcusable in that day, and will be even speechless: Matth. 22. 12, 13, 14. They will not have to plead for themselves, That Christ never died for them; for he gave his flesh for the life of the world: John 6. 51. Died for all, even for All of Mankind that were dead, and rose again for their justification: To the end they might have lived unto him who so dearly bought them: 2 Cor. 5. 14, 25. They will have no just cause to say, That there was no saving Grace vouchsafed to them, that they might have been saved from their wickedness: For this is very false, as afterwards also we may show more fully: And as is intimated in this Oath; for without question, he that so solemnly swears that he hath now no Pleasure in their Destruction, will not be wanting in giving such Grace to them, as whereby they may escape that place of Torment: The grace of God that bringeth salvation, or is saving unto all men, hath appeared: Tit. 2. 11, 12. Or if they should think to excuse themselves, or extenuate their wickedness, with saying, God had reprobated them, or past them by before they were born: And by virtue hereof, they were left under a necessity of perishing, and must in conclusion be unavoidably miserable. Hereby they will nothing advantage themselves, for they do but make lies their refuge, and under falsehood seek to hid themselves: And when God lays Judgement to the Line, and Righteousness to the Plummet, the hail will sweep away their refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow their hiding place: As Isa. 28. 15-17. For there is no such dreadful and dismal Decree of Reprobation of any of Mankind, in a Personal Consideration, as some earnestly and zealously contend for; as appears plainly and evidently in what we have said before. Nor is the Lord now willing that any should perish; as he hath both said and sworn, and given his Son to be a Witness of the truth hereof. And therefore this will be the Worm that will gnaw upon them for ever, That God so loved them when fallen, as to give his only begotten Son to be their Saviour, that thorough him they might be saved: That Christ by the free Love and Charity of God, and by his own Grace, tasted Death for them, and rose again for their Justification; and ascended up on high, and led Captivity Captive, and received gifts in the Man, even for the Rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them: That when they came to years of understanding, God made known the love of the truth to them, to the end they might have been saved; and assisted them, in order thereunto, with his Grace, and strove with them by his Spirit, to convince them of, and convert them from their sins and vanities, to serve the living and true God: That yet, notwithstanding all this, they rewarded him evil for good, and hatred for his love: That they trampled under foot the precious blood of Christ, the blood of the Covenant: And resisted and offered despite unto the Spirit of Grace: Heb. 10. 29. And despised all the riches of God's goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering vouchsafed to them: Rom. 2. 4-6. Oh! this, I say, being reflected on, will fill them with desperate Grief, and Vexation of Spirit; That when it was Gods will they should be saved, they would not so be : That when Christ would have gathered them, as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, they would not be gathered. Then they will blame themselves only, and even say, How have we hated instruction, and our heart despised reproof! we have not obeyed the voice of our teachers, nor inclined our ears to them that instructed us: Prov. 5. 7-13. Wisdom 5. 2-8. Then they will be ashamed, and cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit; That when God called them they did not answer; That when he spoke, they did not hear, but did evil before his eyes, and chose that wherein he delighted not; when they might have chosen the things that pleased him; And which would have been eternally profitable to themselves: for if they had been wise, they should have been wise for themselves: But having been Scorners, they alone must bear it : Isa. 65. 11-15. Prov. 9 12. Had their Ruin and eternal Perdition been unavoidable, it would be more tolerable: And there would have been no good Reason for them to have blamed themselves: But when they shall consider they wilfully sinned, and brought upon themselves eternal Destruction, when God was not willing they should perish; and swore, As he lives, he had no pleasure therein. Oh! this will aggravate their misery : how can their hearts endure the thoughts hereof? Or, how can their hands be strong? Ezek. 22. 13, 14. And yet thus it must needs be: I mean, Man's Perdition will be, and appear to be, wholly of himself: And none shall be Damned hereafter, but such as might have been saved; and yet did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved: 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11, 12. And this is evident from what the Lord God here swears to, namely, That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked.  
Object. But against what hath been even now said, some may object, and say, It evidently appears, that some Persons were personally elected to salvation before they were born, yea before the foundation of the World: Eph. 1. 4. And therefore also it necessarily follows, that some were then also personally reprobated, and must needs perish hereafter.  
Answ. To this Objection I shall more briefly give Answer, because I have elsewhere largely considered it; and shown some men's great mistake concerning it: And therefore I shall here only say,  
1. If it should be granted, that the Apostle speaks there directly of some men's being elected to Salvation, before the Dejection, or foundation of the World: Yet it appears evidently, that they were not chosen thereto in a personal consideration; but as considered in Christ; and so as Believers in him: for the words are, He hath chosen us [in him] before the Dejection, or foundation of the World, etc. Ephes. 1. 4. After some such consideration as Levi paid Tithes in Abraham: Heb. 7. 9 It would be most absurd and ridiculous to suppose, that that Individual person Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedech before he was born; but he did it in Abraham. So here no person is elected in a personal consideration, before he is born; nor otherwise elected to Salvation but in Christ; to wit, as considered in him, who is the Root of Election, and the Prime Elect: That is to say, God in choosing Christ before the Dejection of the World, did therein choose all those who should in their several Generations through Grace believe, as Believers in him, and no otherwise. So that the same Person who to day doth not believe, and so is not in Christ, nor elected; yet to morrow believing, is then chosen in Christ, and made of that Generation, or Species, chosen in Christ before the Dejection of the World. He is now of the elect Generation, who, before he believed, was not of it: as Rom. 9 24-26. 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5-9, 10. But,  
2. I further say, That Eph. 14. speaks not of men's being chosen to salvation; but of s●me men's being chosen in Christ to an excellent ministration, or service: And to a more excellent One than any before: Nor were they chosen thereto in a personal consideration, but as considered in Christ, and as Trusters' in him; and as first Trusters' in him: as Ephes. 1. 12. as plainly appears by the change of the persons. In the two first Verses of Ephes. 1. The Apostle speaks to the believing Ephesians, and saith unto them, Grace unto you, etc. But then from verse 3. to verse 12. he speaks not of them, but changes the persons; never saith [You] but always [We] and [Us;] to assure us, he speaks of some others, and not of them: And having so done, then in ver. 13. he again returns to, and speaks of them, and saith, In whom ye also trusted, or believed, after ye heard the word of truth, etc. So that all contained from ver. 3. to v. 12. respects those that trusted in Christ before the Ephesians were in Christ, and so, before they were chosen: And ver. 4. particularly speaks also of the Apostles, as Believers in Chri●t, and Apostles, being chosen to the ministration, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit: as 2 Cor. 3. 5-10. That is to say in short, God before the Dejection, or Foundation of the World, chose Christ to be the Mediator, Saviour, and great Apostle; and purposed to send him in the end of the World, actually to make peace for us, and to preach it to us, and reserved this honour for him, That the mystery which was hid from former Ages and Generations, should by him be opened: He then also in Christ chose the first Trusters' in him, to be Instruments in this choice Service and Ministration, to preach the Gospel according to the revelation of the mystery: Eph. 1. 8-10, 11. As the Apostle elsewhere saith, We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world, or ages, unto our glory; to wit, for the Glory of the Apostles of the Lamb: which place is very suitable to the other, 1 Cor. 2. 7. with Ephes 1. 4. And this is the proper and direct meaning of Ephes. 1. 3, 4-12.  
Now this Election doth not suppose, that all others, besides the Apostles, were reprobated to eternal Destruction; God forbidden: But the very end of Gods choosing them in Christ, to this excellent Ministration, was, That the world therethrough might be saved: Joh. 3. 17. with Chap. 17, 18. As Paul saith, Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the Commandment of the everlasting God, made known [to all Nations, for the obedience of Faith:] Rom 1. 5. and Chap. 16. 25, 26. So that this Election was intended for the good of the whole world: And we still conclude, That God is not willing that any should perish. And because he hath no Pleasure in the Death of him that dieth, it necessarily follows, as hath been showed, That their Destruction who perish, is wholly of themselves, he hath no hand therein, nor heart thereto, while it is the day of his Grace and Patience.  
4. And lastly, as to this, seeing God swears, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, in the death of him that dieth; as is before explained: Then hereby we may see and know who are like to God, and Children of him; and who they are that are not so.  
1. They are not therein born of God, who privily bring in Heresies of Destruction, or destructive Errors and Doctrines, such as tend to the perdition of men; as those certainly do, who teach men to deny the Lord that bought them: 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2. And do not these evil Doctrines do so, which teach, That Christ died not for all, nor tasted death by the Grace of God for every man, but only for the Elect; as they speak : That though God with his revealed Will would have all men to be saved, yet not so with his secret Will. That though he commands all men every where to Repent, yet he doth not vouchsafe such sufficient, or saving Grace, whereby they may so do. In short, That there is a certain determinate number of Mankind elected in a personal consideration, before the World was; and these shall be brought in to believe, in due season, irresistibly; and so preserved, that they shall not possibly fail of the Grace of God, however they demean themselves: and all the rest are reprobated, and must necessarily, or shall infallibly perish in conclusion; how much soever they endeavour to fly from the wrath to come, etc.  
These, and such like Doctrines; yea All such as consent not to wholesome Words, the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the Doctrine according to Godliness, are not of God: Nor are such of God therefore who plead for, or preach them: I mean, therein they are not of God▪ as the Apostle John signifies, in that Rule he gives the Believers, whereby they might know which Prophets are of God, and which are not : We are of God, (saith he, namely, the holy Apostles were so, in their Word and Doctrine; for Christ gave unto them the Words which the Father gave him : John 17. 7, 8.) He that knoweth God heareth us: He that is not of God heareth us not: hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the Spirit of error: 1 John 4. 6. with John 8. 47. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ, hath not God: 2 John 9-11. And our Saviour when he denounceth Woes against the Scribes, and Pharisees, Hypocrites; the first of all is, Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, nor suffer them that are entering to go in: Matth, 23. 13. Oh! take we heed of divers and strange Doctrines, and Teachers, otherwise they will make us vain; for they speak a Vision of their own hearts, not out of the mouth of the Lord: Heb. 13. 7, 8, 9 Jer. 23. 16.  
2. As also they are not of God, nor like unto him, who practically err from the way of truth: such as profess to know God, and yet in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient: Tit. 1. 16. And so they are not of God, who unduly, or sinfully use, or abuse their liberty in indifferent things, to the scandalising and offending others; for thereby they cause their weak Brother to perish, for whom Christ died: Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8, 9-13. As also such as believe the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ, and yet hold the truth in unrighteousness, and believe in vain, and receive not the love of the truth, to be saved thereby from the pollutions of the World; but walk in crooked ways and paths: Such give occasion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully of the Doctrine according to Godliness, and hinder men from receiving it, or from giving hearty and unfeigned obedience to it. They lay a stumbling-block in the way of others, and scandalise them: And woe to the World because of offences: But woe will be to that man especially by whom the offence cometh: Rom. 2. 17-24. Tit. 2. 10-12▪ 14. Matth. 18. 7. hence the Apostle Peter thus exhorts and beseeches the Believers, who had received the Gospel, and did stand in the true Grace of God : Dear beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the Soul. To wit, against their own Souls, and against the Souls of others amongst whom they lived: 1 Pet. 2. 9-11, 12. And the Apostle Paul signifies, that if the Believers did not, without murmuring and dispute, do what God was working in them both to will and to do of good pleasure; they would not be harmless, but would be injurious unto, and do harm and hurt to the Souls of others also : Phil. 2. 13-15. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump: 1 Cor. 5. 6, 7. And bad Examples have an evil Influence upon, and are very destructive unto many: It is very good and requisite therefore for those who have received the form of sound words, to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them; Eph. 5. 11, 12-14. To come out from amongst evil Workers, and be separate, and touch no unclean thing; For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. 6. 14-17. How unsuitabl● to their Principles do they act, and how unlike to God are they, who while they profess to believe God▪ is not willing that any should perish, yet strengthen the hands of evil Doers, that none doth return unto God Hereby they even destroy, damn, and cause to perish, such whom they profess to believe God would not have to perish: And their Iniquity appears to be a greater than theirs who therein oppose the Doctrine of Christ; inasmuch as they, by their evil walkings, strengthen them in their Oppositions of his Doctrine, and give them occasion to call it a Doctrine of looseness and licentiousness: And in that they sin more against the knowledge of their Masters Will, which they know to be a good One towards All men; and such an one as whereby he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked. And he that knows his Master's Will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes: As our Saviour saith, Luke 12. 47, 48. To be sure, neither vain Talkers, nor vain Walkers are of God, but of the evil One: yea, and the vain Walkers speak with their Feet, what the vain Talkers do with their Tongues: namely, That God hath Pleasure in the Death of th● Wicked.  
But they are of God who have received, and do retain the Doctrine of Christ, and so the Lord Jesus therein: 2 John 9 And walk in him as they have received him; And so endeavour the Good and Salvation of all, both in Word and Deed, as much as they can: who give none offence to Jew or Gentile, or to the Church of God; but please all men in all things, (for their good: Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3.) not seeking their own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. They are herein Followers of Christ, and of his holy Apostles: 1 Cor. 10. 31, 32, 33, and Chap. 11. 1. Who let their light so shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father which is in Heaven: Matth. 5. 13, 14-16. 1 Pet. 2. 11, 12. And whose hearts desire and Prayer to God for others is, that they may be saved. Yea who hearty pray for, and desire and endeavour, as they have opportunity, the Good of All, even of such also as are injurious to them: According to what our Saviour saith to his Disciples; I say unto you, saith he, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you: That you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven: for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust; and is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil: Matth. 5. 44, 45-48. with Luke 6. 27, 28-35, 36. Jesus Christ was the Son of the Father in truth and love: 2 John 3. And he knew, as we have said before, That God had no Will that any sinful Creature of Mankind should perish: And he therefore came not to destroy men's Souls, but to save them: Luke 9 55, 56. He came to save the World; John 12. 47. And spoke unto his Enenemies, that they might be saved: And he made intercession for transgressors, who rewarded him evil for good, and hatred for his love: John 5. 34. Luke 23. 33, 34. Psal. 109. 2, 3. Matth. 23. 37. And those who are  after his example, they are certainly of God; even such as endeavour to save others from their sins, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God: And to that end also, make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men; And lift up holy hands unto God for them, without wrath, and doubtings; As believing God our Saviour will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: 1 Tim. 2. 1-4-6-8. Acts 26. 28, 29. And who have their conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ: And so have it honest in the midst of them amongst whom they live. He that doth good is of God: Phil. 2. 12-15, 16. 3 John 11. Yea and that forbear to do what they may lawfully do, if it be not expedient and profitable to others, but may cause them to perish, whom God would not have perish. As that Godly, and Godlike Apostle saith,; If meat make my Brother offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my Brother to offend: 1 Cor. 8. 9-13. and Chap. 10. 23. 33. But having spoken so largely unto what the Lord God swears to Negatively; namely, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked. I shall add no more thereto: But God enabling me, shall proceed unto the next thing to be considered by us: That is to say,  
Mind we also, what the Lord God swears to Affirmatively, to wit, [But (I have Pleasure) that the wicked turn from his way, and live.] Which is like unto that which he intimates concerning himself, and is Affirmed of him in other places of holy Scripture: So the Lord saith, Have I not pleasure that the wicked should return from his ways, and live? Ezek. 18. 23. To this purpose also the Apostle Paul Asserts of him, saying, God our Saviour will have all men to be saved; to wit, from their sins: 1 Tim. 2. 4. with Matth. 1. 21. And the Apostle Peter saith, The Lord is willing that all should come to repentance: 2 Pet. 3. 9 And therefore now he commandeth all men ev●ry where to repent: Acts 17. 30. Isa. 45. 21, 22.  
Now then, in this Branch of the Subject-matter of what the Lord God also swears to, there is plainly signified to us;  
1. That as he hath no pleasure in the death and eternal destruction of the wicked: So also he hath no Pleasure in Sin, or in men's evil, sinful, and wicked ways; He is not a God that h●t● pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with him: Psal. 5. 4, 5. He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity: To wit, With approbation, or wellpleasedness: Hab. 1. 13. Sin is the most loathsome and odious thing to him that is: It is a detestable thing : Ezek. 11. 18. 21. As the Lord himself signifies, saying, Howbeit I sent unto you all my Servants the Prophets, rising early, and sending, saying, [O do not this abominable thing that I hate!] Jer. 44. 4. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.— Do not err, my beloved Brethren, saith James 1. 13, 14, 15, 16.  
Indeed, too too many there are, who take occasion by his goodness, lenity, and forbearance, to think and conclude, That God is well-pleased with their evil and wicked ways: According to that, These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself: Psal. 50. 16-21. Ye have wearied the Lord with your words, saith the Prophet, yet ye say, wherein have we wearied him? when ye say, every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or where is the God of judgement? Or, as it is rendered in a former Translation, Where is the God that punisheth? Mal. 2. 17. That is to say, Because God was long-suffering toward evil Doers, and did not presently, or severely judge them, therefore some abused his slowness to anger, and concluded, That he was not such an Hater of sin as indeed he is: Or, as the Preacher saith, Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil: Eccl. 8. 11.  
Nay indeed, because God is so slow to anger towards evil Doers, and so bountiful towards them, in filling their houses with good things: Some holy men of God, though they have ascribed Righteousness and Holiness to their Maker, have yet been put to a stand, or to seek, how to reconcile such like Providences with his Purity and Holiness; for, or at some time: So the Prophet Jeremy saith, Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea they take root; they grow, yea they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins: Psal. 73. Jer. 12. 1, 2. So another Prophet saith, Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine holy One?— Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy Tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? etc. Hab. 1. 12, 13-17. and Chap. 2. 14. Job 10. 3.  
But whatever evil use wicked men make of his Goodness and Forbearance, and how painful or difficult soever it hath been, or may be, to good men, to reconcile these things with his Purity and Holiness; as Psal. 73. 16. yet without all doubt, or peradventure, he is an holy Lord God: And there is none holy as the Lord, for there is none besides him: as 1 Sam. 2. 2. And the way of the wicked is an abomination to him: Prov. 15. 9 He is a most perfect and eternal Hater of sin, as plainly appears in his Word, and in many Instances of his severity, that are therein propounded to us : He spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell, delivering them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement. And spared not the old World— but brought in the Flood upon the World of the ungodly: And turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly: 2 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6, 9, 10. He spared not the natural branches, but cut them off from the good Olive-tree, because of their unbelief: Rom. 11. 17-24, Yea if his own People sin against him, he will visit their transgressions with the Rod, and their iniquity with stripes: Psal. 89. 30-32. If I sin against thee, saith that perfect and upright man, than thou markest me, and will not acquit me from mine iniquity: Job 10. 14, 15. Nay he will not spare the most eminent amongst his People, but will punish them for their Iniquity, if they sin against him; Moses and Aaron among his Priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name. They called upon the Lord, and he answered them:— Thou answeredst them, O Lord, our God, thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their Inventions. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy: Psal. 99 6. 9  
Nay, when God laid upon his dear Son the Iniquities of us all: as Isa. 53. 6. Though he was the man, his fellow, higher than all mere Creatures whatever; his Son by Nature: And though he was beloved of him with an higher degree of Love than all Saints and Angels in Heaven or on Earth; his beloved Son, in whom he was well-pleased, and one whom he loved before the Foundation of the World: Yea, and though also, he was the Holy One of God, one who knew no sin, who did no sin, neither was Guile found in his mouth: One that never displeased his Father at any time, but always did those things that pleased him: yet notwithstanding all this, when he himself bore our sins in his own Body on the Tree, he was wounded, or tormented, for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him.— Yea, it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he put him to grief: Isa. 53. 3-5, 6-10. When God made him sin for us, who knew no sin; God spared not his own, his proper Son, but delivered him up for us all: Rom. 8. 32. And though he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? God spared him not, but brought him into the dust of death. He did not spare him for his crying, as it were; or though he offered up Prayers and Supplications, with strong crying and tears: as Heb. 5. 7. But whence came this to pass, that God dealt thus with his Son? Was it because he loved him not? No, that could not possibly be; but surely it was, because of his infinite Purity and Holiness, and hatred of our sin, which was laid upon him. And so much our Lord plainly signifies, when he saith, O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not, etc. — But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the Praises of Israel. As if he should say, Thou art such a perfect Hater of Sin, that thou must punish it, wherever thou findest it. Yea though it be laid upon One who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, etc. Psal. 22. 1, 2, 3, 14, 15. Though he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot, yet our Iniquities being caused to meet together on him, he suffered for them, the just for the unjust,— being put to death in the flesh, etc. 1 Pet. 2. 24. and Chap. 3. 18. Though he prayed, O my Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass, etc. Yet in that it did not pass from him, we may behold most clearly, and most comfortably, God's severity against sin: for that was the day of the vengeance of our God; In which he took vengeance of our Inventions, in the flesh of that most innocent and spotless One; and which Day of Vengeance is now proclaimed in the Gospel, to comfort all that mourn: as Isa 61. 1, 2. According to what the Apostle saith, what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, or by a Sacrifice for sin, condemned sin, our sin in the flesh; to wit, of his own dear and most innocent Son: Rom. 8. 3. with 1 Pet. 3. 18. Herein than we may most plainly behold the infinite Holiness of the Lord God; and the hatefulness and abominableness of Sin to his Majesty, even in the Cross and Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ: and that he can never be reconciled thereto. Nor doth he hate it because he hath forbidden it simply; But he therefore forbade it, because it is so detestable and loathsome to his Infinitely Pure Nature; for he is Holiness itself, Holiness essentially: Amos 4. 2. with Chap. 6. 8.  
Oh then! when we read in the Holy Scriptures, or here therefrom, of the Graciousness of the Holy God towards us Sinners, of Mankind; And how loath he is with our Destruction, when we have propounded, or proclaimed to us this good News, That God swears, that as he lives, he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Let us not then pervert what is right, or imagine he thus swears in favour to men's sinful ways and do. No, far be it from us to make such a wicked use of such a Blessed Doctrine : For there is no meat for our lust in the Glad-tydings of the Glorious Gospel. Let us not then say and conclude, That because God is good to All, therefore we shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination, or stubbornness of our heart, to add drunkenness to thirst; for then the Lord will not spare us: But then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoak against us, etc. Deut. 29. 19-25. But let us wisely consider, That his Goodness leadeth to Repentance: Rom 2. 4. And his long-suffering is, and is to be accounted Salvation: The very end and design of God in the very exercise thereof, is, That we might receive the love of the truth, so as to be saved thereby from our sins and vanities: 2 Pet. 3. 9, 15. Rom. 2. 4. The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men, teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire: Tit. 2. 11, 12. Heb. 12. 28, 29. Look we then unto Jesus Christ the Great and Fundamental Witness of God's kindness and pity to sinful Mankind; And yet also the clear Testimony of God's Infinite Purity and hatred of Sin: And be we saved. And to that end, wash we our hearts from wickedness: Isa. 45. 21, 22. Jer. 4. 14. Look into the Clefts of this Rock: Remember and consider how this holy and just One humbled himself, and became obedient unto Death, the death of the Cross; that shameful, painful, and accursed Death, for our sins, to the end, that we being dead to sin, might live to righteousness. And therein we shall see the vileness and odiousness of sin; that we may flee therefrom as from that which is most pernicious and destructive to us.  
Indeed we are all naturally very prone and apt to turn the Grace of our God into lasciviousness, and to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, by occasion of the riches of God's goodness displayed in the Gospel. Hence the Apostle, when he had been largely declaring the love of God to Sinners, in that while we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. And that God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And that where sin abounded, there grace abounded much more, etc. Rom. 5. He than sees in needful to give Answer unto an Objection, which he judged some would make, or did make, against that Doctrine he had preached: Or to refute and remove an evil Inference some would draw from his right and good Say; and therefore thus proceeds, What say we then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Whereby he gives us to understand, That too many would be ready thus to abuse the words of God's Grace fore-declared by him: But he rejects such a Conclusion with greatest Detestation, God forbidden, saith he, far be it from us, or from any, thus to turn the truth of God into a lie, as we are too forward to do. How shall we that are dead to sin, to wit, by the Death of Christ, live any longer therein? Rom. 6. 1, 2, 3. See also Rom. 3. 3-8. Gal. 5. 13. But now, to the end we may not think that what God swears to the truth of, is in favour to our sins, but in love to our Souls: Therefore he not only swears Negatively, I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But also Affirmatively, But (I have pleasure) that the wicked turn from his way, and live. In which he plainly intimates to us his Abhorrency of Sin, while he assures us of his love to Sinners, and of his no-pleasure in their everlasting misery and perdition: That none of us should wrest his Say to our own destruction: as 2 Pet. 3. 16. But to this we may have further occasion to speak somewhat in what follows; and therefore shall here add no more to it.  
2. In that this is also contained in what the Lord God swears to, to wit, That the wicked turn from his way, and live. Herein is also intimated to us, That the wicked may tur●▪ while it is called to Day, from his wicked ways, and live. He may turn therefrom possibly, and successfully. This is also implied and supposed in this Oath: For we cannot reasonably believe, that this most Excellent One would so solemnly swear, that he hath pleasure in that which is utterly impossible for his Creatures to do; or which he doth not render or make possible unto them: as we may afterwards further show. But that such may turn, appears,  
1. In that he hath opened a Door of Repentance for poor sinful wicked Ones, in and by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. We were indeed Gods banished Ones: 2 Sam. 14. 14. And no man could by any means redeem his Brother, nor give to God a Ransom for him: Psal. 49. 7. But God hath prepared himself a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering, and hath accepted a Sacrifice; He that was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation; without controversy, or confessedly, Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh. God's own Son was made of a Woman, and so became our Go●, our Kinsman and Redeemer: Thereby the Right of Redemption appertained to him: Leu. 25: 48, 49. And He by the Charity of God, tasted death for every man, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures; and gave himself a Ransom, or Price of Redemption for all men; whereby he hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us: And hath opened away for our being brought back to God. He hath broken the Gates of Brass, and cut the Bars of Iron asunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Psal. 107. 15, 16. Christ once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Pet. 3. 18. The Law opened no Door of Repentance, but it clapped the Curse upon every one that did not perfectly and constantly keep and observe it: As the Apostle saith, As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them: Gal. 3. 10. But Christ hath opened a way, and is the way by which any sinful One may come unto God: John 14. 6. He is the Door, by which any one may enter into the Fold; because he died for All, yea rather, is risen again, without which we had been necessarily left in our sins; there had been no Repentance from them, nor Forgiveness of them : John 10. 9 1 Cor. 15. 15-17. Heb. 9 22.  
And in his Name there is preached Repentance unto all Nations, even unto the greatest and most notorious Sinners, while men are joined to all the living. And our Lord Jesus was sent, and came, not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. And answerably did so, even the greatest Sinners, while he was upon the Earth. Matth. 9 11-13. Mark 1. 14, 15: And sent forth his Apostles to preach, not the Law, but the Gospel, that men might repent: Matth. 10. 7. with Mark 6. 12. So when he was Raised again from the Dead, he enlarged their Commission, and commanded them to go into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature of all the Nations of Mankind, and therewith to call to Repentance; to repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentanee: Mark 16. 15. with Luke 24. 46, 47, 48. Acts 26. 17, 18-20-23. God now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness, by that Man whom he hath ordained, having given, or exhibited faith unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead: Acts 17. 30, 31. Rev. 14. 6, 7. And upon this ground, the Wicked and Ungodly are expressly called upon to turn from their Iniquities, because Christ, who was delivered for their Offences, is raised again: As it is said, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thought, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him: Isa. 55. 3, 4-7. with Acts 13. 34.  
2. It further appears also, That the wicked may turn from their evil and wicked ways, while it is to day; not only because they are called to Repentance, and commanded to Repent, as is said; But also because he who thus calls and commands them, doth also enable them so to do; especially where the Scriptures are vouchsafed, and the Gospel is plainly preached to men: The wisdom of God doth not only call unto such as have long loved simplicity, delighted in scorning, and hated knowledge; and saith, Turn ye at my reproof: But to encourage and enable them so to do, she adds, Behold (mind and consider this well) I will pour out my spirit unto you; (to wit, to strengthen them to what she requires of them:) she doth not call them to repentance simply, but also stretcheth forth her hand, to help their Infirmity and relieve their Impotency; Prov. 1. 22, 23, 24. In saying, That the wicked may turn from their wicked ways, we do not suppose, nor believe, that they have any sufficiency of themselves so to do, as of themselves; or that they have naturally any freedom of will, or power, to turn themselves: for in them there dwelleth no good thing: but they are carnal, and sold under sin; Rom. 7. 14. But we are assured from the testimony of the Lord, that he who sent his Son into the world, to be the Saviour of the world, hath also exalted him to his right hand, a Prince and Saviour; for to give repentance to rebellious ones: to wit, to give unto them, in and with his Call, that Grace and divine Assistance, whereby they may come to repentance; Acts 5. 31. for the grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared; Tit. 2. 11, 12. Our Lord Jesus did promise, that he would be with his Gospel, and the declarers of it, unto the end of the world: to open the eyes of Jews and Gentiles, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God: That they might turn from the evil of their thoughts and ways: And faithful is he that promised, who also will do it; Mat. 28. 20. with Mar. 16. 15. 20. Act. 26. 17, 18, 23. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; for it is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus; Psal. 19 7. with Rom. 8. 2. The Gospel is the ministration of the spirit, yea it is called, the spirit: Because is was given forth by the spirit. And the Holy Spirit doth accompany it, to make it powerful for the turning men unto God; 2 Cor. 3. 6-8. And they that resist the Gospel, resist not man, but God, who also hath given the Preachers of it his holy Spirit, to accompany them, and work together with them; whereby they are able Ministers. And hence also Stephen saith to the Jews, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do ye: 1 Thes. 4. 8. Acts 7. 51. In God's hand is power and might, and in his hand it is— to give strength unto all; 1 Chron. 29. 12. And he giveth unto all men liberally, and upbraideth not; Jam. 1. 5. with chap. 4. 5. 6.  
And indeed, That the wicked may possibly turn from their wicked ways and live: I mean, That God doth give unto them sufficient Grace and Power so to do, while he calls upon them so to do; is clearly implied in his Oath: In that he so solemnly swears that he hath pleasure that they turn from their ways and live; as is before said: For how can he be said to have pleasure in their conversion, who knows they cannot possibly convert themselves; and yet, though he hath power in his hand to in able them thereto, doth not exert it, or give them so much as whereby they might be converted and turned therefrom unto him? If we should see a man ready to fall into some deep ditch or pit, in which he will unavoidably perish; and know he cannot possibly keep himself out of it, but must fall into it necessarily, unless some other preserve him from that imminent danger: And some one or more of us should seriously assure the man, That we are not pleased that he should fall into that dangerous place: Nay, we swear most solemnly to the truth hereof also. If notwithstanding all this, we never put forth our hand to keep him back from thus falling, no not so much as a fingar, which might preserve him from that destruction, can it be reasonably believed that we swore what we thought: And not rather, that we insulted over that piteous person in that his miserable condition? So also it is here: Our good and gracious, and infinitely wise God, knows what a sad state wicked ones are in: That they are even at the brink of the pit of eternal ruin and perdition; and that they have no power at all to deliver themselves : That they cannot deliver their souls, nor say, is there not a lie in our right hands? As Isa. 44. 20. now he interposes himself by an Oath, and swears, he hath pleasure they should be kept from that everlasting destruction: And if he now afford them no power at all that they might be delivered therefrom, what may we think of such an Oath, or of him who thus Sweareth? Can we believe he speaks as he thinks, or thinks as he swears? No surely. Our Saviour signifies, that he who doth not save life, when it is in the Power of his hand, and he hath opportunity so to do, doth destroy; though he never swears he hath no pleasure in such a destruction, but that he should be saved : Mark 3. 4. See jam. 4. 17. Much rather may he be said so to do, who binds his soul with an Oath, That it is his good pleasure that such an one should be cured and delivered from his destructive distemper; and yet withholds all help from him, in order thereto, which he might with the greatest ease reach forth unto him. Indeed, if such an one doth give the dying person a plaster to heal him, and helps him to apply it, if then the perishing person refuses, his blood will justly be upon his own head: But otherwise, he is to be pitied; and the swearing and potent person to be blamed: But let all such thoughts of God, who is love itself to man-ward, be rejected by us: He that had so much love in his heart, as to move him to swear with his lips, That he hath pleasure that the wicked should turn, doth doubtless in able them, though not force them, so to do.  
If any should say (as it is frequently urged by some) That God gave men power in Adam, in the state of Innocency, to obey his will, and keep his commands: And therefore he may still command them to turn, though they have no power, because they lost it themselves: But he lost not his Authority over them. To this I say,  
1. We are not now considering what Authority he hath to command, but what Affection and  he signifies to be in his heart toward wicked ones by his Oath, both negatively and positively propounded; and from thence conclude, That he who so swears, will certainly not be wanting to afford that to wicked ones, whereby they may be preserved from Death; and may turn from their wicked ways and live. But  
2. We utterly deny, That God ever gave wicked ones power in the first Adam, to turn from their wicked ways and live. For,  
1. There were no wicked ones in Adam before he fell: for God made man righteous, to wit, Adam, and all in him; Eccl. 7. 29. God made man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him; male and female created he them: Gen. 1. 26, 27. Nor did any, nor could any sin while in Adam's loins, before he sinned: For by that one man sin entered into the world, etc. Rom. 5. 12-18.  
2. When Adam had eaten of the forbidden fruit, he had no power to convert himself; which he would have had, had God given him power so to do : The first Adam was indeed made a living soul; and so might and should have conveyed life to his Posterity, had he abode in that honourable state in which he was created of God: But he was not made a Quickening spirit to Quicken himself, or his offspring when he was fallen from God, and become dead thereby: It is the last Adam and not the first, that was made a quickening spirit; 1 Cor. 15. 45. And how ridiculous is it to suppose, That God gave sinner's power in the first Adam to repent, when they were not sinners, and so needed no repentance; and devested them of it, when they had sinned, and so needed it: and yet still commands them to repent, when he gives them no power so to do, nor ever did, when they needed repentance: as the Objectors themselves believe.  
3. Nor is any man in Scripture ever called wicked, because he sinned in the first Adam, or was necessarily polluted from him simply; as hath been formerly said: What Adam himself might be, we dispute not: but none of his posterity were so, upon the account of that sin and sinfulness, of which they unavoidably partook: But men are so called and reckoned, because of their own personal and voluntary transgressions. And therefore to be sure, the wicked had never power given them in the first Public man, to repent and turn from their wickedness; so that this is but a lying and groundless Refuge. And if God doth not now give them power to repent, he never gave them power to repent; but when once they become wicked, such must perish avoidable who do perish; because they never had power given to them to turn from their wickedness and live: and yet still God swears he hath pleasure that they should turn and live. Would to God those persons who thus object, would seriously consider these things; That they might not speak thus wickedly for God, and talk so deceitfully for him, as Job 13. 6, 7, 8.  
Nay, That God doth give power to wicked ones also to repent, while it is the day of his Grace and Patience, is not only strongly and undeniably intimated in this Oath we are now considering: but also very plainly and evidently assured us in another Oath, which God swore to out Father Abraham; mentioned thus by Zacharias, who was filled with the Holy Ghost when he spoke : The Oath, saith he, which he swore to our father Abraham, That he would grant, or give, unto us; That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear; in holiness and righteousness, before him all the days of our lives: Luke 1. 73, 74, 75.  
Now in this Oath, There are two things mainly contained, and which are necessary to our turning to God from our iniquities, to serve the living and true God; and which God swore to Abraham in that Oath : Gen. 22. 16 18. referred to by Zacharias, to wit,  
1. That he would in and by Christ. that Horn of Salvation, deliver us out of the hands, or power, of our enemies. This is contained in that Oath, Gen. 22. 17. Thy seed, to wit, Christ, (for of him it is principally meant, Gal. 3. 16.) shall possess the gate of his enemies: to wit, their power and strength; as Matth. 16. 18. And for this purpose hath the Son of God been now manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil: 1 Joh. 3. 8. And he hath bound the strong man, Matth. 12. 29. he hath thorough death destroyed him that had the power of death: that is, the Devil: Heb. 2. 9, 14, 15. he hath spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in himself: Col. 2. 15. he hath devested our spiritual enemies of their power, and he possesses the power over us : Joh. 12. 30, 31. And worthy is the Lamb, that was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength, etc. Rev. 5. 11, 12. Matth. 28. 18. so that we are not now necessarily under the power of Satan, or any of the enemies of our souls: For Christ hath broken the head of the Serpent, spoiled his Plot, and devested him of his principality and power over us▪ And the Tidings hereof are Glad-tidings of great joy unto all people: Hence all people are called upon to clap hands: Because God, the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, is gone up with a shout, (in token of Mastery and Triumph : Exod. 32. 18.) The LORD with the sound of a Trumpet: Sing praises to our God, sing praises, sing praises to our King sing praises: for God is the King of all the earth, etc. Psal. 47. 1-7. O sing unto the LORD a new song, for he hath done marvellous things; his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.— Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: Make a loud noise, and rejoice and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the hatp, with the harp and the voice of a Psalm, etc. Psal. 98. 1-4-6. with Psal. 68 18. Satan is not now our Lord, as otherwise he would have been, but Christ is Lord of all: Acts 10. 36. for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might Lord it over the quick and dead: Rom. 14. 9 So that that part of the Oath is now actually fulfilled by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ; who hath abolished death; and so saved us before he called us; even delivered us out of the hands of our enemies: 2 Tim. 1. 10. with. ver. 9, And who therefore died for all, and rose again, That they which live (in their several ages and generations) might no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again: 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. But  
2. God moreover swore, or there was further contained in that Oath which he swore to our father Abraham, That he would give, or grant, unto us: Namely, That he would Gran● unto us that Grace, power, aid and assistance, whereby we, being delivered, as aforesaid, might serve him. See Rom. 15. 5. Eph. 3. 16. Rev. 11. 3. He not only swore that we should be delivered out of the power of them that hated us: but also, that he would give, or grant, unto us that whereby we migbt, not must, serve him. And indeed, this is needful to our being converted unto him, and that we should serve him acceptably; namely, that grace be given unto us: as Heb. 12. 28. And therefore also God swore, that he would grant unto us: which part of his Oath, as mentioned by Zacharias, respects that in Gen. 22. 18. to wit, And in thy seed (namely, Christ, as is said) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed: In which Branch of the Oath, these two things are contained:  
1. That he would give, or grant, unto us, in Christ, as in a Treasury, all grace and blessing: even in him who died for All, and rose again from the dead for their Justification; and obtained a complete victory over all our enemies: suitable to that, Thou hast ascended up on high (even thou Lord jesus, who didst descend into the lower parts of the Earth;) thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts in the man, or for men; yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord God migbt dwell among them: Psal. 68 10, 18. And he is full of Grace and Truth, that out of his fullness we might receive: Joh. 1. 14. In him it hath pleased all the fullness to dwell: In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily: And in him are we complete, who is the head of all principality and power: Col. 1. 18, 19 and Ch. 2. 9, 10. This is the record, that God hath given to us (mankind) eternal life, and this life is in his Son: 1 Joh. 5. 10, 11, 12. And in that he hath received Gifts of Grace and Blessing, even for the wicked and rebellious ones also, we need not fear, or doubt, but that he, who had so great love towards the worst of men, as to die for them while they were ungodly and wicked ones: Rom. 5. 6. will also give grace unto them in due season preventingly, to turn them from the evil of their ways and do: for he is good and upright, therefore will he teach sinners in the way; Psal. 25. 8. Isa. 42. 1, 6, 7. But yet further,  
2. There is also contained in this Branch of the Oath, which God swore to Abraham, That in his seed, to wit, in Christ, sinful ones should be blessed; that is, that grace should be given unto them, in and by Chrst, to turn them from their sinful ways; or as here Zacharias explains it, That be would grant unto them. And so also the Apostle Peter explicates this branch of the Covenant, or Oath— made to Abraham, saying to the Jews, ye are the children of — the Covenant which God made with our fathers, namely, with — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: saying unto Abraham (to wit, in Gen. 22. 18) And in thy seed shall all the kindreds— of the earth be— blessed. But what is meant by, or contained in that Covenant, or Oath? The Apostle shows us in the next words, namely, That he would grant unto all, however where the Gospel and Scriptures are vouchsafed, Grace and Power, that they may repent and turn from their Iniquities: for so much the Apostle plainly signifies in what immediately follows, saying, 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. Which evidently shows unto us what is contained in that Oath, as also it is explained by Zacharias, as is said: That is, that God therein swore, That he would grant that grace and blessing, to turn them preventingly, that they might turn thereby, and so receive further and following grace and blessing : Act. 3. 25, 26. Jam. 4. 5, 6. Yea, let this also be considered, That the Apostle propounds this as a further Argument, to move and persuade them, who had crucified the Lord of Glory, to repent; whereto he had exhorted them : Act. 3. 19 Repent, saith he, and be converted: And using other Motives to enforce that Exhortation in ver. 19-24. he then, I say, to excite and prevail with them to repent, assures them, That God had sworn to Abraham, That he would give them grace so to do: and now sent Christ in the Gospel to bless them, in turning them by his grace: ver. 25, 26. Let the scope of the place be considered.  
If any should say, That though it should be granted, That God did in that Oath swear, That he would grant grace and power for turning; yet this must not be so extended, as to reach unto all: For Zacharias saith, That he would grant unto [us] etc. To this I answer,  
Ans. That the oath respects all, however all to whom the Gospel should be plainly preached, and who are within the pale of the Church; as they speak: And we can speak to none other: for it is thus made, In thy seed shall [all the nations of the earth be blessed.] Gen. 22. 18. and 26. 4. [All the families of the earth,] Gen. 28. 14. [All the kindreds of the earth,] Act. 3. 25. And Peter saith not, [unto you, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, etc.] But, unto you [first,] etc. First unto the Jews, to turn every one of them: and secondly, to the Gentiles, to turn every one of them: According to that saying, Delivering thee from the people (to wit, of Israel) and the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee: To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God: that they may receive forgiveness of sins, etc. In pursuance whereof, saith the Apostle, I shown first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the Coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance: Act. 3. 26. with Chap. 26. 17, 18, 20-23. So that by what hath been noted from the Scriptures, it doth very plainlyappear, That while God gives the wicked space of repentance, and calls them thereto, he also gives unto them, yea he hath sworn, that he will give unto them, sufficient grace: whereby they may turn from their evil ways and live. And I have the longer insisted upon the evidencing the truth hereof, because there are many zealous ones, who affirm, That God doth indeed call all to repentance with an outward call; but they deny that he gives sufficient, or saving grace, unto all so called thus to do: And so they render his Commandments, which are easy, Matth. 11. 30. to be grievous, yea impossible to be observed by the most of men: and as if he required them to make brick without straw: Whereas, his commandments are not grievous: 1 Joh. 5. 3. He is no hard or austere Master, to reap where he hath not sown, or gather where he hath not strown: Though some wicked and slothful servants render him so to do, or represent him so to be: Matth. 25. 24-28. But I shall speak no more unto this particular.  
3. As the wicked may possibly turn from their evil ways, so also they may turn therefrom hopefully and successfully: They may turn and live: For he who calls and enables them to repent, is, A God pardoning iniquity and sin and transgression: Exod. 34 5, 6. Psal. 25. 11. If thou, LORD, shouldest mark in quities, saith the Psalmist, O LORD, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared; Pal. 130. 3, 4. Yea, with him is plenteous redemption, even forgiveness of sins: because he hath found out an Atonement: Psal. 130. 7. with Eph. 1. 7. Job 33. 24. Because Jesus Christ died for All, and rose again▪ and saw no corruption: therefore thorough him is preached, unto them that do not belive, the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe, are justified from all things, from which men could not be justified by the law of Moses : Acts 13. 37, 38, 39 And God having accepted his sacrifice (Heb. 9 22. Job 33. 24.) is a God of Pardons: Neh. 9 17. And sets this before wicked ones, That he will assuredly forgive them, upon their sincere turning to him: As he saith, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will multiply to pardon: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways; saith the LORD: for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts: Isa. 55. 6, 7, 8, 9 If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die: All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him; in his righteousness that he hath done, he shall live. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive: because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die: Ezek. 18. 21, 22-26, 27. Again, the Lord saith, When I say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right— 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: Ezek. 33. 14-16, 19 Thus also he assured Solomon, when he answered his Prayer made at the Dedication of the Temple, which was a Type of Christ; Joh. 2. 21. If, saith he, my people upon whom my name is called, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, etc. 2 Chron. 7. 12-14-16. Nay, thus the Lord speaks unto them whom he calls Rulers of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah, and whose hands were fu●l of blood: Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, etc. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isa. 1. 4▪ 6-10, 15-16-19. 1 Kings 8. 47-49. Though evil ones have played the Harlot with many Lovers, and spoken and done evil things as they could: yet in returning unto him, he will take away all their Iniquities, and receive them graciously; he will heal all their Backslidings, and will love them freely; Jer. 3. Hos. 14. 14. And so much is also signified in this Oath of the Lords we are speaking unto, namely, That wicked ones may turn successfully; for he doth not only swear, That he hath pleasure that they should turn, But, That they should turn from their evil ways and live; to wit, Be forgiven their sins, and received into his favour, in whose Favour is Life; Hose. 14. 2. Psal. 30. 5. In returning and rest they shall be saved, though formerly they have been rebellious People, lying Children, Children that would not hear the Law of the Lord; as Isa. 30. 8, 9, 10, 11-15-18. But I shall add no more to this Observation, only I shall desire to add somewhat briefly, by way of usefulness therefrom: As to say,  
1. In that the wicked may, while it is called to day, possibly and successfully turn from their evil ways. We may learn from hence, as is before said, That the Lord God hath no pleasure in their Eternal Ruin and Destruction: for therefore he commands and inables them to turn from that, in continuing wherein they will wrong and destroy their own Souls. And hereby the Lord himself doth signify to us, That he is not willing the wicked should perish: In that he encourages and capacitates them to turn from their pernicious ways : But if the Wicked will turn, saith he, from all his sins that he hath committed,— and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his Transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him; in his Righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the Wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD, Ezek. 18. 21-23. plainly giving us to understand, That it is hereby manifested that he hath no pleasure in their Death: In that he makes it possible to them to turn from the way of Death, and propounds such Encouragements and Motives to prevail with them so to do.  
2. In that the wicked ones may possibly and successfully, even with Encouragement, turn from their destructive ways; herein appears, and hereby we may behold, That the ways of the LORD are equal and righteous, in the Administration of his Government. Thus the Lord evinceth, and evidenceth the Equalness and Righteousness of his ways unto the Jews, who charged them with Injustice; or Inequality: Ye say, the way of the LORD is not equal: Hear now, O House of Israel, is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal?— When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his Soul alive: Because he considereth and turneth away from all his Transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the House of Israel, the way of the LORD is not equal: O House of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Ezek. 18. 21-25-27-29. and ch. 33. 14-17-20. If he should doom them to the vengeance of Eternal Fire, for not doing what they cannot do, and he gives them not Grace to do: or if they should turn from their evil ways, and yet not be forgiven, and received graciously; his ways would not appear to be Just and Equal: whereas the Justice and Equalness of them herein clearly appears, in that he so empowers and encourages them to forsake their unrighteous ways and thoughts: As hath been said before.  
3. We may from hence also learn, That those who continue in their sinful and wicked ways, and will not turn therefrom, until sin be finished, and brings forth Death, will have none to blame for it but themselves; or however, they will have no just cause to blame God for it : Jam. 1. 13-15. But their sin will appear to be inexcusable; and therefore also their Judgement will be very severe and terrible. They will be inexcusable, who are not led to repentance; seeing the goodness of God leadeth them there-unto: as, Rom. 2. 1, 2, 3-5. If they had this to plead for themselves, That they could not turn themselves from their iniquity and vanities, and God gave them no grace so to do; this would be a good excuse for themselves. But this Plea will not avail them, because one part is false: For though we have no power of ourselves to turn ourselves, yet God giveth more grace (that we might not follow our own spirit, or obey it in the lusts thereof :) Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud (who receive not, or receive not to purpose; that more grace, so as to be saved thereby;) but giveth grace (to wit, following and more abundant grace) to the humble: Jam. 4. 5, 6. with 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11, 12. But to this somewhat hath been spoken before, and therefore I shall add no more to it.  
4. Seeing the wicked may turn from their evil ways and live, and it is Gods good will and pleasure they should so do; whereto also he is enabling them by his grace and spirit: Let such then be encouraged, moved, and prevailed withal, to repent and turn from all their transgressions. As Samuel saith unto the people of Israel, Ye have done all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart: and turn ye not aside, for than should ye go after vain things; which cannot proflt, nor deliver, because they are vain: 1 Sam. 12. 20, 21. Though you have played the Harlot with many Lovers, and though your tongue and your do have been against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory; yet in returning to him from your ransgressions, he will have mercy upon you. O then say as they did, when they were called to repentance, and put your words into Act: Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the LORD our God: Jer. 3. 22-25. But to this also we may speak somewhat further; and therefore shall not enlarge to it here.  
3. And Lastly, From the Affirmative Branch of the Oath of the Lord GOD, in which he swears, That he hath pleasure that the wicked turn from his way, and live, We may note, That the wicked must turn or perish: There is an absolute necessity for their turning, that they may live; for without holiness no man shall see the Lord: Heb. 12. 14. If they will still do wickedly, they will be consumed, as, 1 Sam. 12. 25. Or as our Saviour saith, Except they repent, they will all perish; Luk. 13. 3, 5. Though God hath manifested his love to manward, and manifested himself to be Love and Charity itself, in sending his Son the Saviour of the World; yet he sent him not, nor did he come to save men in their sins, but from their sins: 1 Joh. 4. 8-14. with 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God: 1 Pet. 3. 18. he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works: Gal. 1. 4. Tit. 2. 14. And if we could have been happy, or lived, abiding in our sins, what, needed Christ to die for All, and rise again? And God hath exalted him with, and to, his right hand, a Prince and Saviour, for to give repentance and forgiveness of sins; not to give forgiveness before or without repentance: But to give the former, that they might receive, and be made partakers of the latter : Act. 5. 31. and Ch. 26. 18. Jer. 36. 3. And though God daily loadeth us with his benefits, and be a God of Salvation, even the Saviour of all men, yet he will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses. His hand will find out all his enemies, his right hand will find out them that hate him: And he will make them as a fiery oven in the time of his anger: Psal. 68 18-21. and 21. 8, 9 If the wicked man turn not, he will whet his Sword, he hath bend his Bow and made it ready; be hath also prepared for him the Instruments of Death, etc. Psal. 7. 11-13. And he who now assures us, That he hath no pleasure, none at all, neither revealed, nor secret, in the death of the wicked; he at the same time, assures us, That he hath pleasure that they turn from their sinful ways, and live: And thus speaks unto the wicked, Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be, your ruin: (plainly intimating to us, That if they turn not, iniquity will be their ruin.) Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn, and live ye: Ezek. 18. 23-30, 32. The wicked may live, there is life prepared for mankind in Christ; 1 Joh. 5. 11. And by the Gospel life and immortality is brought to light, and shined forth: 2 Tim. 1. 10. And the Bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto, or quickeneth, the World; to wit, preventingly : Joh. 6. 32, 33. But still, if men as thus prevented, do not repent and believe the Gospel, they have no life in them, Joh. 6. 51-53. But he who now is their Saviour, will hereafter in flaming fire yield vengeance to them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Thess. 1. 7-10. Notwithstanding all God hath done for sinners, and made known to them, yet if the wicked turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity: Ezek. 3. 19 and Ch. 33. 9, 11. God is not indeed willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; and he is as willing with the latter, as unwilling with the former: 2 Pet. 3. 9 And if they do not come to repentance, they must go into perdition: (as Rev. 17. 8.) for though God doth create the fruit of his lips peace, peace, to him that is far off (far off from righteousness: as, Isa. 46. 12.) yet, There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked; Jsa. 57 19, 21. There is no other way for wicked ones to flee from the wrath to come, but by repentance unto salvation, not to be repent of, Matth. 3. 7, 8. 1 Thess. 1. 9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God: Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind: nor thiefs, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God: Namely, Abiding such, and not being washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God: 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. and Ch. 6. 7, 8. Eph. 5. 3-7. Col. 3. 5, 6. Rev. 21. 8, 27. and Chap. 22. 15. Consider we seriously, that he who so solemnly swears, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked: swears also, That he hath pleasure that the wicked turn from his way, and live; or otherwise the wicked will certainly die: And God will swear in his wrath, That they shall not enter into his Rest, unless a separation be made between them and their sins, they will die in their sins, and they and them will perish together for ever: Ezek. 24. 6-13, 14.  
1. Oh then, as the Use of all we have been saying, give me leave to say, Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?  
Why will we die, may some say? We have no power of ourselves to turn; and God doth not give us power so to do: And therefore we cannot turn, but must necessarily perish in our sins.  
Ans. To this Answer hath been given before abundantly, in which we have sufficiently shown the falseness of what is here objected: And do therefore refer to what hath been forewritten.  
But to fortify their Objection, these persons may say, There are many sober and zealous Divines, who have been great searchers into the holy Scriptures; and they assure us, That God doth not give sufficient grace unto all, whereby they may turn from their evil ways. And the number of these diligent searchers is also very considerable; they are five, who so assure us, to one sober Minister that speaks otherwise: and therefore we have most reason to believe them.  
Answ. If it should be granted what these Objectors affirm, That there are five to one who thus Teach; yet it is not good for us to have our faith standing in men's wisdom, or number, or appearing zeal and holiness, but in the power of God; even in the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth: 1 Cor. 2. 15. with Rom. 1. 16. We are directed to have recourse to the law, and to the testimony: And if any man or number of men speak not according to this Word, be we well assured, it is because there is no light in them; Isa. 8. 20. Let these Objectors remember former things, Moses by God's Command, sends forth twelve men to search the land of Canaan, and to bring a true account of it: they, after they had made a diligent search, return again, and agree herein, That the land was a good land, flowing with milk and honey: But then as to the possessing of it, they disagree, ten of the twelve propound such difficulties, that they discouraged the hearts of their brethren: Deut. 1. 28. They tell the People, That the Cities of the inhabitants of the land were walled, and very great; and there they saw the children of Anak: And they said, we be not able to go up, etc. The other two sav, We are well able to overcome all difficulties; and yet they were no free-willers, for their meaning was, as they afterwards explained it, that God was with them, to enable them. Did the people of Israel well in harkening to those discouraging spies, or searchers, who, for aught is said of them, might be otherwise sober persons, because they were five to one odds? I trow not, for they smarted most severely for so doing; as may be seen in Numb. 13. and Ch. 14. And surely we are instructed to behold Israel after the flesh, whose miscarriages are written for our admonition and warning; 1 Cor. 10. 1-6-11-18. Take we heed then of such discouraging searchers, how great soever their number be, or how zealous, holy, or sober soever they appear to be: Harken not to the words of these Prophets, who tell you, That though God swears, he hath pleasure that the wicked should turn and live; yet he gives the most of them no true saving, or effectual grace so to do; for herein they speak a vision of their own heart, not out of the mouth of the LORD. It was a right saying which dropped from the pen of a zealous Opposer of the grace of God in Christ to all mankind, I mean Mr. Perkins, in his Golden Chain, touching , Pag. 915. [When, saith he, God in the Gospel commands men to repent, and to believe, at the same time he enableth them both to will or desire to believe and repent; as also actually to repent and believe.]  
2. Let me say again, Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?  
Why will we die? May others say. Why we have committed that unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost, spoken of in Matth. 12. 31, 32. Mark 3. 28, 29. Luk. 12. 10. or, We have been guilty of that great iniquity of falling away and sinning wilfully, after the knowledge of the truth was received by us; mentiened, Heb. 6. 4-6. and Ch. 10. 26-29. or, We have sinned that sin unto death, in 1 Joh. 5. 16. And therefore our case is hopeless, and it is impossible we should be recovered again; yea we are not to be prayed for: and therefore though God give grace to others, he will give none to us; but our state and condition is desperate, and there is no hope at all for us.  
Ans. Now in answer hereto, and for the sakes of some who conclude their case to be wholly hopeless, and utterly remediless, when it is not so, I shall desire, with what brevity I may, to consider, and speak something to those several Scriptures  : viz.  
1. As to that Sin, or Blasphemy, against the Holy Ghost, set down in Mat. 12. 31, 32, etc. Mind we these things, to wit,  
1. The nature of this heinous sin: And that is, It is a sinning against the evident and convincing Demonstration of the Holy Spirit, in his glorifying Christ; as may be seen in the Evangelists, however in Matthew and Mark. Thus it is expressed in the former, Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man (namely, as I conceive, against him, as one that had no form nor comeliness; who appeared as a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people; and so spoke against him through ignorance, and as carried an end by the common stream of others) it shall be forgiven him: But whosoever speaketh (or blasphemeth, Luk. 12. 10.) against the Holy Ghost (that is to say, against the clear evidence and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, in his bearing witness of Christ) it shall not be forgiven him, etc. Now, that this is the nature of this Sin, or Blasphemy, doth plainly appear by the occasion of our Saviour's thus speaking; which was this, Our Saviour had wrought a very great miracle in healing one that was possessed with a Devil, blind and dumb; Matth. 12. 22. whereat all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the Son of David? They were by this miraculous cure convinced that he was the Messiah, But when the Pharisees (and some Scribes, Mark 3. 22.) beard it, they said (as persons that would not see, when God's hand was so highly lifted up) This fellow doth not cast out Devils, but by Beelzebub, etc. Now upon this occasion our Saviour speaks the words fore-expressed, and so shows what the heinous nature of their sin was; namely, an attributing that to the work of the Devil, which was evidently wrought by the spirit (and finger, Luk. 11. 20.) of God: The which is also clearly signified by St. Mark, thus, He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. Which words Christ spoke unto them, Because they said, he hath an unclean spirit; Mark 3. 28-30. And in this their blasphemy they acted, or spoke worse than the Egyptian Magicians, Exod. 8. 19 And hereby also they scattered abroad others from Christ, who were gathering to him by these mighty works wrought by the Holy Spirit. See Matth. 12. 30, 31. and Luke 11. 23. And so this may be called the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, as the Holy Ghost signifies, as oft it doth, the miraculous works, or extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit; Joh. 7. 39 Act. 10. 44, 46. and Ch. 19 1. 6, etc.  
2. Consider we this heinous sin, as to the continuance of it: This Blasphemy, which our Saviour declares to be unpardonable, is not one word, or act, only, against the Holy Spirit, but a persisting therein, until this sin be finished: And therefore in St. Matthew, and Luke, this sin is expressed in the Present-tense, [whosoever speaketh, Matth. 12. 32. or Blasphemeth, Luk. 12. 10.] And words of the Present time usually denote the duration or continuance of any act; as, Believeth, cometh, eateth, abideth, followeth, etc. Joh. 3. 15, 16, 18. and ch. 6. 35. 37, 54-58. and ch. 8. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 6. And this may further appear more evidently, in that this Blasphemy is expressed in Mark 3. 29. in the Future time, He that shall blaspheme, etc. to wit, shall go on so to do, till this sin hath brought forth Death: And this will yet further appear, if we diligently consider that our Saviour prayed for these Blasphemers also, when he was upon the Cross, Luk. 23. 33, 34. And when raised again, was sent to bless them, in turning away every one of them from his iniquities; Act. 2. 22, 23-8. and ch. 3. 13-15, 19, 26. 1 Tim. 1. 13-16. with Act. 26. 10, 11. So that what our Saviour speaks of this Blasphemy, is no discouragement unto any man's returning from his wicked ways, nor denial of a possibility so to do hopefully, while it is the day of God's grace and patience; though it be a powerful Antidote to preserve and deter men from this heinous sin.  
2. In the next place consider we also what the Apostle saith in Heb. 6. 4-6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, etc. If they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance, etc. Likewhereto is that other Scripture in the same Epistle; namely, Heb. 10. 26, 27, 28, 29.  
Now for our better understanding hereof, mind we these things.  
1. From whence, or after what, they fell away; and that is, as it is expressed in Heb. 10. 26. after the knowledge, or acknowledgement, of the truth received: And after they were sanctified thereby, ver. 29. And as it appears in this Heb. 6. 4, 5. they fell from an high degree of Christianity, and after they had received true and excellent operations of the Spirit, answering unto, as hath been observed by some, the forenamed Principles in ver. 1. 2. As to say,  
1. They were once enlightened, as ch. 10. 32. that is, by the Holy Spirit their eyes were opened, and they were convinced of the vileness of their Sins, and vanity of their Idols; and so had effected in them Repentance from dead works, as ver. 1. with Heb. 9 14. Act. 26. 18-20-23.  
2. They had tasted of the heavenly gift: That is to say, as answering to the second Principle in ver. 1. they were made partakers of Faith towards God, and so of that Faith, which is of the operation of God, Col. 2. 12. by which they had discerned and proved the graciousness of the heavenly gift, even of our Lord Jesus, as, 1 Pet. 2. 3, 4. of his flesh, which was given for the life of the world, and of his precious blood, which is the Blood of the new Covenant, and Testament, shed for the remission of our sins, Joh. 6. 33-58. Matth. 26. 28. whereby they were inlivened and quickened.  
3. And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost: This Answers to the Doctrine of Baptisms, in ver. 2. and shows that these, by the several mediums of Baptism, were, by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit, Baptised into the death of Christ; as Rom. 6. 3. And were also risen again with him, by the faith of the operation of God, who raised Christ from the dead, as Col. 2. 12. Phil. 3. 10. And also they were endued with the Excellent and Spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, whereby they were enabled to praise and serve God acceptably, and to be profitable unto Men and Brethren: Yea, they might be made partakers of some extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 4-12-23.  
4. And have tasted the good Word of God: which Answers unto the fourth Principle in ver. 2. to wit, the Doctrine of the laying on of hands: In which Doctrine is taught us, That God had graciously promised to hear the Prayers presented in the Name of Christ, and to give gracious returns thereto: And that, where two or three were gathered together in Christ's name, he would be in the midst of them; namely, in such Assembling, Matth. 18. 19, 20. Of this good Word of God, in the performance of his gracious Promises, they had tasted: They had proved his Graciousness and Faithfulness in hearing their Prayers, and granting their Requests, and in manifesting his Presence with them, and Blessing upon them, in their watching at his gates, and waiting at the posts of his doors; as Prov 8. 34, 35▪ Heb. 10. 19-23-25. Which laid great engagements upon them, to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart; and to call upon him as long as they lived, as Psal. 116. 1-7.  
5, and 6. Have tasted of the Powers of the world to come: which Answer unto the two last Principles in ver. 2. to wit, the Resurrection of the Dead, and eternal Judgement; which follows after the Resurrection of the Dead. And of the Powers, in the Doctrine of both, these had tasted also, namely, proved, and in some measure experimented, the mighty Power of God, exerted in the Resurrection, Eph. 1. 19, 20. in quickening them to a lively hope; in raising them to seek after, and mind the things above, Col. 3. 1, 2. In giving them some knowledge of the terror of the Lord, in the day of Wrath, against impenitent ones, 2 Cor. 5. 10, 11. And of the Glory to be revealed on them that, in a patiented continuance in well-doing, seek for immortal Honour and Glory, 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10. 1 Pet. 5. 1. To which I shall no further enlarge. [See Mr. Thomas Moor Senior, in his Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ, Page 585— 591.]  
But by what hath been said, it appears, they were eminent Believers, and fell from an high degree of Christianity; higher than most attain unto who fill themselves with needless fears, as if they were guilty of the grand Miscarriage of these; and so in an hopeless condition.  
2. Consider we nextly, the Depth of their Fall; and so the abominable heinousness of their Transgression; and that is such as in which they were guilty of high Apostasy, and revolt; or there was in them an evil heart of unbelief, in Apostatising from the living God; as Heb. 3. 12, 13. And their Apostasy was first more inward and particular; and then more open and general.  
1. More inward and particular; and so it is thus expressed by the Apostle, they crucify [to themselves] the Son of God afresh, Heb. 6. 6. That is, by an evil heart of unbelief they inwardly look upon Christ as an Impostor and Deceiver, as an Accursed one, (as, 1 Cor. 12. 3.) from whom they expect no salvation; and on his Gospel as a cheat and imposture: or as the Apostle in Heb. 10. 29. expresses it, they tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the Covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, a profane; polluted thing: Thus they account it in their evil and revolting hearts, and so inwardly turn from him that speaketh; Heb. 12. 25.  
2. More outwardly and generally to others, [they put him to an open shame,] namely they disgrace and vilify him publicly, and unto others, and make him a public example, as the same word is rendered in Matth. 1. 19 or they render him to others as an infamous and accursed person, as one that was such a Malefactor and Deceiver, as that he justly suffered that shameful, painful, and accursed Death for his own Demerit; and hereby, (as we have noted before on Matth. 12. 30, 31.) they scatter others abroad from Christ, who were gatheted unto him; and so are highly injurious to their souls. And this same expression here rendered, they put him to an open shame, is made use of by the Septuagint in Numb. 25. 4. where we read, [hang them up before the Lord, etc.] They read it, [make them a public example, or put them to an open shame, etc.] And so answerably in Heb. 10. 29. it is said, they offer despite unto, or rail upon, the Spirit of Grace; even the Gospel of Christ, (as answering unto Moses Law, ver. 28.) and so, the holy Spirit; for the Gospel was with the holy Spirit sent down from heaven, 1 Pet. 1. 12. And so they railed upon, and reviled Christ, who is the sum and subject matter of the Gospel, and of whom the Spirit of Grace bears witness: And one Branch of, or step unto this heinous iniquity and revolt is, the forsaking of the public Assemblies of Christians; Heb. 10. 25, 26-29. By the greatness and depth then of their Fall and Revolt, many who wrongfully charge themselves with this transgression, may assuredly know they are not guilty of it; for than others might know it as well as they.  
3. When the Apostle saith, It is impossible to renew them, etc. he speaks not as to God, but as to themselves, in their ministration of the Gospel, whether by word or writing: And so these words are the reason of what the Apostle had been fore-saying, in ver. 1. viz. Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation, etc. — For it is impossible, etc. As if he should say, It will be a needless business for us, to be always declaring and insisting upon the first principles of the Oracles of God, as with respect to these Apostates; for that way they will not be renewed again to repentance: and so not by their preaching or writing always these things. And therefore they would proceed on in speaking of, or propounding in Writing, the more high and mysterious things of the Gospel, for the sakes of those believers who still held fast to the Lord. But yet, the things which were impossible with men, are possible with God: Luk. 18. 27. And therefore, while these Apostates were joined to all the living, the Believers might pray for them, That God would fill their faces with shame, that they might seek his name; as Psal. 83. 15, 16. and 69. 22, 23. with Rom. 11. 8-11, 32, 33. But to this we shall have apt occasion to speak further in the next Scripture, which is now in order to be considered by us: Namely,  
3. For as to 1 Joh. 5. 16. many conceive that the Apostle there forbids that such as sin the sin unto death, should be prayed for.  
Ans. 1. Suppose God should have said in that Scripture, to wit, 1 Joh. 5. 16. Pray not for that person that sinneth the sin unto death; might not such an one have been prayed for any more, had there been such a prohibition? We may see that God commands Jeremiah once, and a second time, thus, Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry, nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee; Jer. 7. 16. and Ch. 11. 14. And yet the Prophet, knowing that God was gracious and merciful, prays for them again; Ch. 14. 7, 8, 9 Then the Lord a third time saith to the Prophet, Pray not for this people for their good; Ch. 14. 11, 12. But notwithstanding all this, the Prophet again lifts up his heart with his hands to God in the heavens for them; Jer. 14. 19, 20-22. And surely God is as gracious to sinners now, and to the chief of sinners, as he was then; yea, in these last days, his grace hath been more largely expressed, and more brightly manifested, than in former times, in that he hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live thorough him: 1 Joh. 4. 8, 9, 10-14. But,  
2. That Scripture we are now considering, 1 Joh. 5. 16. is by many much mistaken; for the Apostle there doth not forbid us to pray for the person that sinneth unto death. It is not there said, There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for [him;] but, [for, or, concerning it;] to wit, the sin: On which God may take vengeance as long as the person guilty thereof lived; yea and after his death long: and yet the soul of that sinning person may be saved in the day of the Lord. God said to Eli, yea he swore unto the house of Eli, that his, and their iniquity should not be purged with sacrifice, nor offering for ever; 1 Sam. 3. 13, 14. And it was punished long after Eli▪ s death, 1 King. 2. 27. And the same may be said of the sins of Manasses, 2 King. 24. 3, 4. and yet their souls were surely saved. See also 2 Sam. 12. 10. Psal. 99 8. Isa. 22. 12, 14. Act. 8. 22, 23. So that, though the sin might not be prayed for, yet the person so sinning, might (notwithstanding any thing there said) while he was joined to all the living; for so long there is hope for men : Eccl. 9 4. Nay,  
3. The Apostle John doth not forbid the believers to pray for, or concerning the sin unto death; for the words are not [I do say that he shall not pray for it,] but [I do not say that he shall pray for it: That is, he doth not direct or enjoin it, upon them so to do; which, notwithstanding any thing there said, may yet be done: 1 Joh. 5. 16. Joh. 16. 26.  
Now what hath been said to this Objection, is not said, That men might continue in sin, that grace may abound: God forbidden. But to the end, That such as conclude against themselves that there is no hope for them, might not be discouraged from turning from their evil ways unto God: For when God saith, in any place of Scripture, to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, etc. he shall surely live, he shall not die: Ezek. 33. 11-13-16. Nay, when the Lord said unto Jeremiah, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, my mind could not be toward this people, etc. Jer. 15. 13. and Ch. 16. And, The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a Diamond, etc. — for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever: Chap. 17. 1, 2, 3. Yet after all this, he thus commands the Prophet, Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Behold, I frame evil, and devise a device against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your do good: Jer. 18. 1-6-8-11. Oh then! however you have sinned, do not say as Cain did, that your iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven: Gen. 4. 13. Do not so dishonour the Father of Mercies, as to conclude he cannot redeem you from your iniquities, or deliver you from your transgressions; as, Isa. 50. 1, 2, 3, 4. but return unto him, and he will return unto you: Mal. 3. 7. And consider thereto, that God hath reserved this to himself as his Prerogative, To show mercy to such sinners as unto whom men cannot lawfully show mercy. They say, if a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? Shall not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again unto me, saith the LORD: Jer. 3. 1. Oh then! though thou art in the belly of hell, as it were, yet cry unto the God of Mercy. Though thou sayest thou art cast out of his sight, yet look again toward his holy Temple: And when thy soul faints within thee, then remember the LORD, and let thy prayer come in unto him, into his holy Temple; even Christ, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily: and who came into the world to save sinners, sinners indefinitely, and the chief and most notorious sinners: Jonah 2. 2-4-7, 8. with Col. 2. 9, 10. and 1 Tim. 1. 13-15. And him that cometh unto him (in this day of grace) he will in no wise cast out;  he hath been or done: Joh. 6. 37. Matth. 11. 27, 28.  
3. Let me proceed on and say, Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? Why will we die? May another generation say. Why, the pleasures of sin are so sweet and delightful to us, that we know not how, on that Account, to turn from them. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecies is pleasant. We cannot deny but that God calleth us to repentance, and therewith inables us to turn from our iniquities. But the ways of sin are so grateful and pleasing, that it is as the cutting off our right hand, or the plucking out of our right eye; to bid adieu thereto, and turn our backs thereon. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Or the Leopard his spots? Then may we also do good, that are accustomed to do evil: Jer. 13. 23.  
Answ. Now to this generation I might say many things, but having much exceeded mine intention at first already, shall therefore be the briefer; and propound to these Objectors that saying of the Apostle, Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed; for the end, or reward, of those things is death. Here the Apostle propounds three weighty Considerations to take men off from their sinful courses, namely, They are unfruitful, shameful, and eternally hurtful and pernicious.  
1. What fruit had ye then? Even when you did commit sin, and were servants of it: And so, what fruit have you now therein, who sow to the flesh, and serve sin? What fruit? may you say. We have said already, Sin is most sweet and delightful to us: Well, but yet let me say to you,  
1. Though the ways of sin are delightful, or, as the Apostle expresses it, though you count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; 2 Pet. 2. 13. yet sin is not delightful and satisfactory to the whole man: It may appear so to the Body, and to the Brutish and Sensual Appetite; but not so to the Superior Eaculties of the Soul, which are not delighted with these low and carnal things: 1 Joh. 2. 16. They will not satisfy men's souls,— for they are the stumbling-blocks of their iniquity; Ezek. 7. 19 The most noble part of man (as Psal. 22. 20.) is not delighted herewith, but contrariwise sadned, and filled with horror and dread thereby, while men's Consciences are not so seared, as to be past feeling; and when they consider and lay these things to heart. To this purpose speaks the holy Scripture; Though wickedness, saith Zophar, be sweet in his mouth, though he hid it under his tongue; though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still in the midst of his palate: yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of Asps within him. (That is, Wickedness is the very quintessence of bitterness to his soul, how sweet soever it be, o● appear to be, in his mouth.) Surely he shall not know, or feel, quietness in his belly; to wit, in the spirit of his mind : Job. 20. 12, 13, 14-20. The wicked man traveleth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor; a sound of fears is in his ears: In prosperity, or peace, the destroyer shall come upon him.— Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail against him, as a King ready to the battle; because he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty: Joh. 15. 20-25, etc. And though such may appear very merry and jocund, yet as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools: Eccl. 2. 2. and Chap. 7. 6. Nay even in their laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness; however to the soul. Their soul within them shall mourn, Prov▪ 14. 13. with Joh 14. 22. How oft do terrors make them afraid on every side, and even drive them to their feet? as Job 18. 11. and Ch. 20. 23-25. How doth their heart smite them! 2 Sam. 24 10. And how are they pricked in their reins, when God is reproving them, and setting their sins in order before them! Now how can any considerate and sober-minded person call, or count that truly delightful, which doth so wound and torment the most excellent part of him, and tends to its great disquietment and disturbance! This is like the pleasing a finger for displeasing the whole body; or rather like a man in a Consumption, who takes delight in nourishing the excrement of his hair, and is hugely pleased with the great length of it, while mean time this tends to the discomfort and destruction of his vital parts. Did those persons who thus speak, but seriously commune with their heart upon their bed; as Psal. 4. 2-4. they would soon find that they are in a great distemper, who count wickedness sweet. They call evil good, and good evil; put darkness for light, and light for darkness: put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter: for the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt: There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked; Isa. 5▪ 20. and Ch. 57 20, 21. And are not sinners therefore rightly called fools in Scripture? And is not their folly herein manifest, in that they labour so much to gratify the vile and mortal sheath of their body, while thereby they rust and canker the precious and immortal sword of their spirit? (as, Dan. 7. 15.)  
2. If the ways of sin and iniquity were never so delightful in themselves (as in truth they are not) yet in as much as they are most hateful and abominable unto him, in whom thou livest and movest, and hast thy being; and who hath so loved thee, as not to spare his only begotten Son; but hath delivered him up for thee, and for all mankind; and raised him again: and thorough him is so rich in goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering towards thee: they should be loathed and detested by thee. Remember him who said, How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Gen. 39 9 What! wilt thou reward him evil for good, and hatred for his love? If thou shalt so do, know, evil will never departed from thy house: Psal. 109. 3-5. with Prov. 17. 13. It is true indeed, fury is not in him; but who would therefore be so unreasonable and disingenuous, as to set the briers and thorns against him in battle? He will go thorough them, he will burn them up together: as Isa. 27. 4. wouldst thou deal thus with a gracious Prince or Governor? (as Mal. 1. 8.) Wouldst thou rebel against such an one, who hath always obliged thee by his goodness, because it is pleasing and delightful to thee so to do? And say, I will provoke him to anger, who is so good to me; because it pleaseth me so to do? Would not this be an high aggravation of thine iniquity towards an Earthly Ruler or Parent? Is this thy kindness to thy Friend? 2 Sam. 16. 17. But God is greater than man, infinitely greater. Thou hast thy being from him, and continual dependence upon him; he is thy God, in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways: and shouldst thou not then glorify him? as Dan. 5. 23. Considering also, That he is not, he will not, he cannot be reconciled unto iniquity, nor be well-pleased with the workers thereof : Psal. 5. 4, 5. And mind we this well, that though he love his creatures, and is not willing that any of mankind should perish; Tit. 3. 4. yet he can sooner hate his creatures, even the most excellent of them also, than love the Devil's creature, to wit, Sin: As may be seen in the Angels that sinned, and kept not their principality, but left their propor habitation, Judas 6. and in the natural Branches; and in many other instances of his severity mentioned in the holy Scriptures. He may hate his creatures for their wickedness, whom he loved before, and love them no more; as Hos. 9 15. But he can never possibly love sin, but hates that with a perfect, and perpetual hatred: Hab. 1. 13. Heb. 6. 18. Jam. 1. 13. Do we then provoke the Lord to Jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 1 Cor. 10. 22.  
3. If thou art so taken with pleasure and sweetness, that thou pursuest and pleadest for sin, and knowest not how to part with it, when it is not indeed, but in appearance only, delightful and pleasurable; and not so much as appearingly so to the most noble part of man: why dost thou not abandon those really unfruitful works of darkness; and come unto and walk in the ways of holiness and righteousness? For the ways of wisdom are indeed ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, Prov. 3. 16, 17. My son, saith Wisdom, eat thou honey, because it is good, and the honey comb, which is sweet upon thy palate: so shall the knowledge of wisdom be [unto thy soul, when thou hast found it,] etc. Prov. 24. 4. 13, 14. Where let us diligently consider,  
1. It shall be so [to thy soul] to thine Inner man especially, to thy most noble, excellent, and supreme part, in which thou art preferred before, and art above, all bruit creatures; and even equal to the Angels: For God giveth to the man that is good before him wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travel, etc. Eccl. 2. 26. This is the Argument our Lord propounds unto the Drudges of Sin and Satan, to engage them to departed from evil, and to come unto, and follow him: Come unto me, saith he, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.— And ye shall find rest to your souls; Matth. 11. 27, 28. Jer. 6. 16. And though such shall meet with outward trouble and tribulation in the world in the world, yet they shall have a merry heart, and therewith a continual feast; Prov. 15. 15. Joh. 16. 33. Their soul shall dwell at ease, whatever outward disquietness they meet withal; Psal. 25. 12-14. And even then when, as need is, they are in heaviness thorough manifold temptations, yet they greatly rejoice: Their heart shall rejoice in Christ, and their joy none taketh away from them: 1 Pet. 1. 6-8. Rom. 15. 13. And is it not better to have a cheerful merry spirit, and a sad countenance, than outward pleasure and vexation of spirit? Yes doubtless; Eccl. 7. 3. The spirit of a man (when it is whole and at ease) w●ll sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Prov. 18. 14. And  
2. The knowledge of wisdom will be sweet to thy soul [when thou hast found it] not while thou art a stranger to it; for a stranger doth not intermeddle with this joy: Prov. 14. 10. Thou may'st say, Did I indeed perceive greater delight and pleasure in the way of wisdom and goodness than in the ways of folly and iniquity, I would then embrace the former, and departed from, and relinquish the latter: but it is not so with me. I answer, No, it is very true indeed, how shouldst thou perceive the sweetness of honey, while thy mouth is full of the gall of asps? How shouldst thou know what pleasure is in wisdoms ways, whilst thou remainest a stranger and enemy thereto? But instead of listening to thine own deceived, deceitful, and desperately wicked heart, harken what God the Lord saith unto thee; for his mouth speaketh truth, and wickedness is the abomination of his lips: He tells thee that in harkening diligently unto him, thy soul shall delight itself in fatness; Isa. 55. 1, 2, 3. and mind well what account the holy on●● of God have given of the sweetness of the ways of uprightness, who have walked therein: and they will teach thee and tell thee, that a day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere: that, Blessed are the undefiled in the way: that, Great peace have they which love God's law, and nothing shall offend them. Oh then! Taste and see that the LORD is gracious: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him: Psal. 34. 8 Come, eat of wisdom's bread, and drink of the wine she hath mingled: forsake the foolish and live, and go in the way of understanding: for he that cometh unto Christ, the bread of life, shall never hunger; and he that believeth on him shall never thirst: Prov. 9 1-6. with Joh. 4. 14. and Chap. 6. 32-35. Thus saith the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: Jer. 6. 16.  
2. But not only are the ways of sin and wickedness unfruitful, but also they are shameful in themselves, and unto them who judge righteous judgement: And that consideration might somewhat take men off from continuing therein: Eph. 5. 11, 12. Indeed thorough men's continuance in them, and hardening their hearts from God's fear, they make themselves in an high degree shameless; the unjust knoweth no shame: Jer. 6. 15. and Ch. 8. 12. Zeph. 3. 5. Yea some there are, that glory in their shame: Pnil. 3. 19 But however, sin is a loathsome, shameful thing; and when God reproves sinners, and sets their sins in order before them, they shall then see and be ashamed thereof: Psal. 50. 21. with Isa. 26. 11. Ezek. 43. 10, 11. Yea indeed persons, who walk in evil ways, do signify them to be shameful, in that they walk in them in the dark: And the light is unto them as the shadow of death: Job. 24. 13-17. Joh. 3. 20. And even such as walk in crooked ways themselves will laugh at, and shame their companions in evil, for committing the same wickedness which their own heart knows they themselves are guilty of : Rom. 2. 1, 2, 3. which shows unto us, that they, when they consider things, cannot but acknowledge, that wickedness is a filthy detestable thing: Prov. 13. 5. And the consideration thereof is very powerful to cause men to relinquish that whereof they are ashamed, Shame hath this effect upon many men too frequently, as with respect to that which is not shameful, but truly honourable, and highly valuable; how many turn their backs upon Christ, and his Gospel ways, and people, because of the reproach of men! Isa. 51. 7, 8. Mark 8. 38. yea such like effect it had like to have had upon some pillars in the Church, as to their making mention of God's righteousness: Hence the Prophet saith, I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me: And again, The word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily: Then I said I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, etc. Jer. 20. 7, 8, 9 10. Psal. 39 1, 2, 3. But would men but come to the light, by which all things that are reproved are made manifest, in their right and proper colours; and would they thereby commune with their own hearts upon their beds, and be still; how would the loathsomeness and shamefulness of iniquity appear to them, so as to cause them to loathe themselves in their own sight, and even to abhor themselves, and repent in dust and ashes: that they have so oft, and so much polluted themselves with that filthy nasty thing : Eph. 5. 11-13-15, etc. Ezek. 20. 43.  
3. Yea not only are the ways of impiety and profaneness unfruitful and shameful, but also destructive and deadly; yea endlessly and eternally so, if still continued in: the end of those things is death; Rom. 6. 21, 23. And therefore were sin at present never so delightful and pleasurable (as in truth it is not, as hath been shown;) yet seeing it will be bitterness in the end, and that without end; who would for the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, be cast into the lake hereafter, where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched: Mark 9 43-48. Knowest thou not this, saith Job, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment; Job. 20. 4, 5. But the doleful and dismal reward of wickedness will be eternal, 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 from the glory of his power; 2 Thess. 1. 7, 8, 9 The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, etc. Rev. 14. 9-11. He that despised Moses law, died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be counted worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, & c? Why, what sorer punishment shall such an one undergo, than to die without mercy? He shall live without mercy in endless torment, and that is unconceivably greater Punishment than to die without mercy; Heb. 10. 28-31. Now consider this, ye that forget God Is it not the greatest folly and madness imaginable, for the enjoyment of the seeming sweetness of a moment, to deprive one's self of the real pleasure; and to undergo the unmixed torture and torment of Eternity? What man in his right mind, would buy imaginary contentment and delight at so dear a rate! Surely, Did men seriously ponder this, that the things that are seen, and sensibly enjoyed,, are temporal; but the things that are not seen, both the glory and wrath, to be revealed, are eternal: it would embitter that which appears so sweet and grateful to them; and cause them to give no rest to their eyes, nor slumber to their eyelids, until they turned themselves unto God from their vanities, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead: even Jesus, who is the deliverer from the wrath to come: as, 1 Thess. 1. 9, 10.  
And though through thy custom in sin it be very difficult, yea impossible for thee to leave thine evils, in any strength of thine own; and like to the making a Blackamoor white: yet the grace of God is sufficient for thee, which he affords, while he calls upon thee to turn unto him. And therefore though he saith in one place, Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Or the Leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil. Yet presently after he saith unto the same persons, Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be? Jer. 13. 23. with ver. 27: To signify to us, that though with them it is impossible, yet with God all things are possible; as, Matth. 19 26. Mark 12. 27.  
4. Let me yet add and say, Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? Why will we die? may other Excuse makers say. It is not our will so to ●o, but we are unwilling to perish for ever bereafter; nor do we resolve or purpose to continue always in a course of sin and iniquity; but it is our intention and resolution to flee therefrom hereafter: but there is time enough for that yet, we are young, or we are strong and healthful, and the evil day shall not yet overtake or prevent us: We know not yet how to be serious, Old Age is the most proper season for that; and when that comes, we are then fully minded to leave the ways we now walk in, and to exercise ourselves to godliness, and to apply our hearts unto, and earnestly pursue those things which belong to our eternal peace and welfare.  
Now to these persons I may answer and say,  
1. How knowest thou that thou shalt live to Old age? Thy times are not in thine own, but in Gods; and when he pleases, he can, and will set his heart upon thee, and gather unto himself thy spirit and thy breath, and then thou must perish, and shalt turn again unto dust: as Job 34. 14, 15. for no man hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war: neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it: Eccl. 8. 8. It is appointed to men once to die, and after that the Judgdment. But when that once will be, is hidden from the eyes of all living. It is laid up with God, Heb. 9 27. and therefore it is most dangerous to delay the time : for in the grave whither thou goest, there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom: Eccl. 9 10. Thou hast certainly seen some others removed out of the Land of the Living, in the prime and flower of their age, that were as likely to have lived to Old Age, as those that are lest behind: for some die in their full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet; whose breasts are full of milk, and their bones are moistened with marrow: Job 21. 22-24. And why then mayest not thou also be cut off before thou arrivest at Old Age? For all Flesh is as grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field. Nay indeed, when men put off their conversion and turning to the Lord, upon this presumption, That they shall be here long continued, and that hereafter will be time enough: God is many times thereby provoked to cut them off before their time. If that servant, saith our Saviour, shall say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the Men Servants and Maidens, and to eat and drink with the drunken: The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not ware; and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers; Luke 12. 45, 46. When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape: 1 Thess 5. 1, 2, 3. Oh then! Boast not thyself of to morrow-day; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth; or what will be on the morrow: for what is our life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away; Prov. 27. 1. with Jam. 4. 14-17. And if thou art cut off, and diest in thy sins, thy state and condition will be miserable for ever. Awake than thou that sleepest, arise from the dead: and Christ will give thee light. Childhood and youth are vanity, yea every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Oh then! seek the Lord, while he may be found; and call upon him while he is near at hand; Eccl. 11. 10. and Ch. 12. 1. Psal. 39 5, 11. Do not so number thy days, as to apply thine heart to folly and vanity; but beg of God to teach thee rightly to number thy days, that thou mayst cause thine heart to come to wisdom: Psal. 90. 11, 12.  
2. If thy days should be prolonged, and thou shouldst be here continued, it will hereafter be more difficult and hard for thee to turn from thine evil ways, and to apply thine heart to sound wisdom, than now it is; as hath been said before. Indeed with God all things are possible, but by thy continuing in evil, thou wilt be more averse from turning unto God, than now thou art; thine heart will he hardened thorough the deceitfulness of sin; Heb. 3. 12. And when the evil days come, and years draw nigh, in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them: Thine afflictions and infirmities will be so many, and frequent, and thy natural powers will be so impaired and weakened, that thou wilt be more and more indisposed thereby for what is of eternal concernment to thee : Remember therefore thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them: while the Sun, or the Light, or the Moon, or the Stars, be not darkened; nor the Clouds return after the Rain, etc. Eccl. 12. 1, 2, 3, 4-7. Exod. 6. 9  
3. But why wilt thou not now turn from thine iniquities unto God? Is it because the ways of sin are so delightful, that thou canst not leave them yet? This hath been spoken to before, and shown to be a mere mistake. Certainly, it can be no real good, or desirable thing, to be in slavery and bondage; and it is the most miserable and dreadful bondage of all, to be the servant and vassal of Sin and Corruption; and to be led captive by Satan, the Murderer of Mankind, at his pleasure, Joh. 8. 32-34. 2 Pet. 2. 19, 20, 21. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Is it because Sin and Satan have so greatly obliged thee, that thou canst not therefore forsake them, or be unkind to them? If thou so thinkest, thou art strangely deluded and bewitched: A Debtor indeed thou art, but not to the flesh, or carnal mind, to live after the flesh. It hath laid no such engagements upon thee, that thou shouldest yield up thy Mind, or Members to the service thereof; nor canst thou reasonably expect any such reward therefrom, or advantage thereby, as might cause thee to undertake, or continue in, its Service and Vassalage : for if thou livest after the flesh, thou shalt die: Rom. 8. 12, 13. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap: for he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption: Gal. 6. 7, 8. But thou art indeed a Debtor to God and Christ : Christ hath given himself a ransom for thee and for all men; 1 Tim. 2. 6. And thou art not thine own, for thou art bought with a price: therefore thou oughtest to glorify God both in thy body and spirit, which are Gods: Namely, To live to him who died for thee, and rose again: 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. with 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the quick and dead: Rom. 14. 9 Or art thou yet unwilling to forsake Sin and Satan, Because thou hast bound thyself by a vow, or covenant, to be their servant? If this be thine inward thought, thou art herein also deceived; for thou hast entered into a solemn Vow, to forsake the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Or if since, thou hast made a covenant with death and hell? as, Isa. 28. 15-18. It is infinitely better for thee to break and disannul it, than to keep it; and the sooner thou dost so, the better. Or is it the difficulty, or appearing uneasiness of Christ's yoke, that causes thee to bear Satan's, and discourages thee from taking his upon thee? If this be the stick with thee, it proceeds only from thine ignorance and unacquaintedness with Christ's yoke, for his yoke is indeed easy, sweet, and gracious; and his Burden is light: as hath also been before said: Matth. 11. 28-30. Oh let nothing whatsoever hinder thee, or be an impediment to thy turning from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; but to day, while it is yet called to day, hear God's voice, and harden not thine heart.  
5. And lastly, Once more let me say, Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? Why will we die, may too many erroneous ones say? Alas our states were determined of God, before we were born: And if we belong to the election of Grace, we shall not, we cannot die eternally; but when God's time comes he will overcome us, and turn us from our sins unto himself, by an  and invincible Power: And if not, but we be reprobated, there is then no hope for us, but we must die, and perish for ever hereafter, let us do what we can; and it is but a vain thing for us to strive against God's Decree, for in so doing, we do but labour in vain, and spend our strength for naught, and in vain.  
Answ. Now to these who thus reason with unprofitable and pernicious talk, there hath, in several places, been so much spoken, as may discover their great and dangerous mistake: But yet, because they are strengthened herein by many zealous and popular ones, I shall desire to say somewhat again; though it be but what hath been already spoken: And so,  
1. If there were any truth in their Say, than indeed there would be no good reason to propound such an Inquiry, or to demand of the most of wicked ones, and say, Why will ye die? For if there were such a dismal and dreadful Decree, as many zealous ones plead for, there were then no possibility of their Avoiding Eternal Destruction, who were Reprobated, or passed by, before they were born. But surely herein also they attribute folly to the Almighty (as Job 1. 22.) or render his Demand unsavoury, who is infinite in wisdom, when he saith to the wicked ones, Why will ye die? For they, or most of them, might readily and truly reply, were this Opinion Orthodox, we cannot possibly avoid death; we are doomed thereto by thy Decree: And why then dost thou ask us such an unreasonable Question? But be that will reprove God, and attribute folly unto him, who charged his Angels with folly, let him answer it; Job. 40. 2. But,  
2. There is no truth at all in this fatal Decree, some speak of and contend for : There is no man elected to eternal salvation, in a personal consideration, before he was born, nor until he be in Christ, and so is become a New Creature: 2 Cor. 5. 17. There is no condemnation to God's Elect: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God, Rom. 8. 1, 33, 34. with Joh. 3. 18, 19, 36. Gods elect are holy and beloved; and not such as are the servants of sin and corruption, Col. 3. 12. God's elect can hardly be deceived, Matth. 24. 24. But all men, while they abide in their natural estate, are already deceived; and may be easily further deceived by the evil one : Tit. 3. 3. Rev. 12. 9 Therefore no unbelivers, unholy, and deceived ones, while such, are of the number of Gods elect; nor is any one reprobated to eternal destruction, before he was born, or as he comes into the world: nor while the day of God's grace and patience is continued to him; as hath been said before : Ecccl. 9 4. but during that time 'tis Gods good will that all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, that they may be saved: 1 Tim. 2. 4 6. 2 Pet. 3. 9, 15. And those who at present are not, may hereafter be made of the chosen generation; and so be of the number of Gods elect, while it is called to day: as it is said with respect unto both Jews and Gentiles: I will call them my people which were not my peopie, and her beloved that was not beloved: And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there shall ye be called (to wit, be) the children of the living God: Rom. 9 24, 25, 26. To the same purpose also the Apostle Peter speaks, saying, Ye are an elect generation, a Royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People;— which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but have now obtained mercy: 1 Pet. 2. 9, 10. And not only may those who are not at present of the Elect Generation, be made of it, through the grace of God: But also our Saviour shows how such shall certainly so be, when he saith, 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 out of death into life: Joh. 5. 24. with Rom. 8. 33, 34.  
3. And though God doth exert and put forth a mighty power in the Gospel, to convert the Soul unto himself; yet he doth not ordinarily, if ever, put it forth irresistably, for the saving of the Soul: Now in this day, It is God tha● worketh in Men both to will and to do, o● good pleasure: But yet to signify to us, That he doth not work irresistably, it is presently added; Do all things without Murmuring, or Anger, and Dispute: That ●● may be blameless and harmless, etc. Phil. 2. 12, 13, 14, 15. And we read of many that have resisted the Truth, to wit, Christ in the Gospel, 2 Tim. 3. 8. That have resisted the Holy Ghost, Act. 7. 51. That have refused to return, when God drew them with the Cords of a Man, with Bands of Love, Hose. 11. 4, 5. That were not gathered, when Christ would have gathered them, Matth. 23. 37. That would not come unto Christ, that they might have Life, though Christ spoke unto them that they might be saved, Joh. 5. 34, 39, 40. And indeed, the pleading for this  Power, doth tend to render the Gospel, and the Preaching of it, foolishness, and makes the Requirings, Exhortations, and the Cautions thereof, useless things: and leaves no room for Obedience, or Disobedience; nor for Rewards or Punishments: And therefore such an Apprehension, or Misapprehension, rather, is to be abhorred and abominated by us: for it openeth a wide Gap to all Spiritual Slothfulness, yea, to all Profaneness and Licentiousness whatsoever: And makes them that hearty entertain it desperate, or careless, in seeking after the things which belong to their Eternal Peace and Welfare: Because they conclude, That when God's time comes, he will overcome, and bring them to believe, if they be of the Elect number, will they, nill they: And otherwise, there is but one Decree for them all (as Dan. 2. 9) They must notwithstanding all their Endeavours to the contrary, receive this from God's Hand, to wit, lie down in dreadful and endless Misery and Sorrow hereafter. Oh reject we and abominate all such Instructions or Doctrines, which cause to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. 19 27. And consider we, That while God calls Men, he enables them to turn unto him from their evil ways; but doth not so force them, but that still they may and aught to comply with that Grace given: or they may possibly reject the Grace of God, or receive it in vain, even ineffectually and unprofitably, 2. Cor. 6. 1.  
And though the Apostle Paul was converted in an extraordinary way, or after an unusual manner; yet it appears that he was not converted irresistably, in that he saith, I was not disobedient to the Heavenly Vision: He doth not say, nor intimate, as many do, That he could not possibly have so been; but the contrary is rather signified in his so saying, Act. 26. 19 As also plainly appears in that Caution and Warning our Lord setteth before him at the very time of his Conversion, in saying unto him, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the Pricks, Act. 9 4, 5. And though he was so extraordinarily, not irresistably converted; yet still he passed the time of his sojourning in fear: And did not conclude he could not fail of, or fall from, the Grace of God: But he kept under his Body, and brought it into subjection, lest that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a Reprobate, or cast away, 1 Cor 9 26, 27. and Chap 11. 32. Phil. 3. 8. 11-14.  
Oh then! Let no Man deceive you with vain Words or idle Dreams, and Visions of their own Heart: but set your Hearts unto those words confirmed with the Oath of the unchangeable God, the only living and true God, which we have been somewhat largely considering; and which he commands his Prophet to speak unto the house of Israel: Namely, say unto them, (As) I live, saith the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live: Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  
18 April 1679.  
THE END.   

ERRATA.  
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