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11, 1  B  R  A^  I^  Y 

(■»    1  Hi: 

Theological     Seminary, 

PRINCETON,     N.    J. 
Casr       30CL  ^'^'^  ■--:• 


BoiA 


N». 


T    H  VE 

RESTORATION 

OF' 

All  Things: 

OR,      A 

VINDICATION 

O    F 

The  GOODNESS  and  GRACE  of  GOD, 

TO    BE    MANIFESTED    AT    LAST, 

In  the  RECOVERY  of  His  WHOLE  CREATION- 
OUT  OF  THEIR  FALL, 

By    JEREMIAH     JV  H I  "T  E. 

Chaplain   to  Oliver  Cromwell. 


THE      THIRD      EDITION. 

WITH   AN   ADDITIONAL  PREFACE;    CONTAINING    OyOTATIONS 

FROM   DIVERS  OTHER   AUTHORS,    NOT    MENTIONED  IN  THE 

FIRST  PREFACE,  WHO  HAVE  WROTE  IN  CONFIRMATION 

OF  THE   ABOVE  DOCTRINE. 


ylnd  1  Jaw  ajicther  Aigelfie  in  the  piidfi  of  Heaven, 
^  having  the  Everlajiing  Go/pel  to  Preach  unto  them 

i- •  that  divell  on  the  Earth,  and  unto  every  Nation,  and 

Kindred,  and  "tongue,  and  People.     Rev.  xiv.  6. 

LONDON: 

Printed  for  and  fold  by  John  Denis  6c  Son,  Bookfellena 

N°  2,  in  Bridge-Street,  near  ihe  Obelilk^  Fleet -Strict, 

MDCCLXXIX. 


The    PREFACE. 


^^^•J(  HERE  may  poffibly  need  fomething  by  way 
^  'p  ?^  of  Apology,  for  putting  out  a  Book  of  this 
w'^^w  kind,  efpecially  in  an  Age  fo profligate;  and 
it  may.by  fome  be  look'd  upon  as  a  Defign 
to  promote  Lihertinifmy  and  concur  with  the  Aim  and 
End  of  too  many  Writers  of  thefe  Times,  under  pre- 
tence of  Religion  to  undermine  it  at  the  Root :  But  I 
doubt  not  hjut.the  Serioufnefs  and  Solidity,  with  which 
this  Syrbjeft  is  managed,  the  Zeal  for  the  Glory  of  God, 
the  Vindication  of  his  moft  Glorious  Attributes.^ 
and  the  earneft  Endeavours  for  promoting  the  Love  of 
God  and  Charity  to  all  Mankind,  which  all  along  ap- 
pear fo  Confpicuous  in  this  Work,  will  foon  convince 
the  Readers  that  there  is  a  Defign  of  the  utmoft  Service 
to  Religion  at  the  bottom  j  and  that  rather  by  a  New 
Topic  of  Perfuafion  to  bring  in  Profelites  to  the  King- 
dom of  Grace,  than  to  drive  any  from  it. 

With  relation  to  God,  it  cannot  but  be  an  acccepta- 
ble  Service  to  reprefent  him  in  his  moft  amiable  Excel- 
lencies, and  vindicate  the  Supereminence  of  his  Loviy 
which  is  his  Nature,  and  the  full  Latitude  of  his  Mer- 
cy  and  Gooducfs  towards  his  Creatures,  which  has  had 
a  Cloud  or  Pcil  of  Darknefs  drawn  over  it  in  the  Mind^ 
of  the  generality  of  Mankind  ;  fo  that  it  has  fhone  out 
lefs  amiably,  and  lefs  powerfully  convincing  and  com- 
a  ?■  mandine 


il  The     PREFACE. 

manding  the  Hearts  and  Affections  of  Men,  and  giving 
occafion  to  many  that  have  been  ftrong  in  the  Faculty 
of  Reafoning,  and  have  taken  their  Notions  of  God 
rather  from  thence  than  from  the  Scriptures,  as  tranf- 
lated  and  glofs'd  upon,  and  reprefented  according  to 
the  Schemes  and  Syftems  of  thefe  latter  Ages,  by  rea- 
fon  of  the  many  Inconfiftencies  therein,  to  throve  off 
all  Revealed  Religion,  and  own  only  a  God  in  fuch 
manner  as  can  be  proved  by  Human  Reafon  ;  and  others 
that  have  lefs  Confideration  and  Ufe  of  that  Talent, 
thro*  their  Immerfion  into  Senfc,  have  hence  had  too 
great  Encouragement  and  too  great  Arguments  for 
Atheifm  and  Libertinifm  itfeif.  And  thofe  that  would 
convince  them  upon  the  Common  Hypothefes  have 
wanted  alfo  their  grcatell  Arguments  to  prevail  upon 
them.  One  Inftance  I  fhall  give,  which  1  have  been 
well  informed  of,  and  thatis  in  the  late£«>7  of  Rochcjler^ 
in  the  midft  of  all  his  Extravagancies,  both  of  Opinion 
and  Pradlice,  he  was  once  in  Company  with  the  Au- 
thor of  this  Treatife,  who  difcourfing  with  him  about 
Religion  and  the  Being  of  a  God,  took  the  Opportuni- 
ty to  difplay  the  Goodnefs  of  God  in  its  full  Latitude, 
according  to  the  Scheme  laid  down  in  this  his  prefent 
Work  ;  upon  which  the  Earl  returned  him  Anfwer, 
That  he  could  approve  of  and  like  fuch  a  God  as  he  had  repre- 
fented. So  far  was  he  from  drawing  any  Encourage- 
ment for  his  loofc  Principles  from  hence,  that  on  this 
Suppofition  he  gave  up  the  Caufe.  And  thus  we  may 
fee  how,  with  relation  to  Mankind,  if  God  were  truly 
reprefented  in  the  Infinity  of  his  Grace  and  Goodnefs, 
and  the  Authority  of  thofe  other  Schemes  which  give 
his  Juftice  fo  great  a  Prevalency  over  his  Mercy,  were 

rebate^ 


The     PREFACE.  ill 

rebated  or  taken  off,  many  that  can  ftand  the  Shock  or 
Terrors  of  the  Common  Preaching  of  Eternal  Wrath 
and  Damnation^  or  a"  Hell-iFire  without  End,  rnight 
yet  be  reclaimed  by  the  Manifeftationof  the  Goodnefs 
of  God  when  they  fliould  come  to  fee,  or  uriderfland  it 
as  it  is.  For  Love  is  firongej}^  and  in  its  own  Nature 
moft  Powerfiiil  to  attradi  and  to  perfwade.  And  there- 
fore wheh  tis  obje'(El:ed,  This  Doftrine'ought  not  to  be 
broach'd  in  a  Licentious  Agc^  apt  to  take  hold  of  all 
Occafions  of  Encouragement  :  we  muft  turn  back  the 
Arguntentiiponthe  Objectors,  and  tell  them.  Therefore 
there  is  need  of  greater  Strength  and  Argument  for 
Perfuafion  ;  that  the  beft  Wine  at  laft  fhould  be  drawn 
but,  and  the  full  Strength  of  the  Love  iii  its  Turn  and 
Seafonlhould  be  fuper-added  to  the  Strength  of  juft- 
ice  and  Judgment  for  Influence  upon  the  Minds  of 
Men. 

It  may  be  yet  faid,  *'  Suppoling  this  Do£lrine  to  be 
true,  that  in  the  Opinion  of  feveral  that  have  held  it, 
it.oughtto  be  kept  as  a  Secret,  among  fuch  as  may  be  fit 
to  receive  it,  and  not  publicklyexpofed  f"  To  this  I 
Anfwer, 

1.  'Tis  true,  Origcn  himfelf  fays  fo :  But  this  is  not 
to  be  underftood  of  Writing  upon  the  Subjedl:,  for  that 
he  did  himfelf  moft  freely  ;  but  rather  of  the  general 
Condu6l  of  our  Converfation,  not  to  expofe  the  Myfte- 
ries  of  Religion  to  fuch  as  could  not  receive  them.  But, 

2.  -There  is  a  Time  for  all  Things.  There  is  a  Time 
when,  all  Secrets  are  to  be  Revealed  and  Proclaimed 
upon  the  Houfe  Tops.  And  this  is  in  the  Latter  Day, 
in  which  WISDOM  is  to  manifeft  herfeif,  and  Know- 
ledo-e  to  increafe  as  the  Waters   that  cover  the  Sea: 

a  3  Ifa. 


iv  The     P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

Ifa.'ix.  II.  St^alCo  Dan.  ult.iv.  lo.  Yea,  this  very 
Secret  has  its  proper  Time  to  be  revealed  ;  as  i  Tim. 
ii.  6.  i.  e.  To  be  teJiifUd  in  due  Time. — And  when  is  it,, 
that  this  pouring  out  of  Knowledge  is  expedled  to  be, 
and  the  Manifeftations  of  the  hidden  Wifdom  of  God, 
but  in  the  Preparation  or  Entrances  of  the  Blefled 
times  di  Refreftimcnt  from  the  Prefence  of  the  Lord, 
in  his  next  or  Latter  Day  Advent,  /.  e.  to  his  Millen- 
nial Kingdom  j  of  which  we  hear  the  Alarms  at  this 
very  Day,  from  all  Quarters  and  all  Parties  ;  from 
fuch  as  have  been  Students  of  the  Prophetic  Writers, 
or  heedful  Obfervers  of  the  Signs  of  the  Times.  As 
then  in  this  Very  Age,  we  have  found  many  running 
to  and  fro,  and  Knowledge  increafed,  fo  we  may  «x- 
pe£l  jt  will  be  yet  much  more  fo. 

The  Occafion  of  our  Author's  writing  upon  this 
Subjeft  is  fo  very  fingular,  that  I  believe  fome  Account 
thereof  will  be  both  Acceptable  and  Ufeful  to  fuch  as 
fhall  incline  to  look  into'  it.  When  he  was  at  the  U- 
niverfity,  and  had  (Vudiedall  the  Schemes  of  Divinity, 
he  could  not  find  from  any,  or  from  all  of  them  toge- 
ther, that  God  was  Good,  that  God  was  Love,  as  the 
Scriptures  declare  of  him.  This  put  him  into  a  great 
DifTatisfaclion  and  Perpjexity  of  Mind,  from  which  he 
could  no  >vay  extricate  himfelf ;  but  it  grew  upon  him 
more  and  more,  till  it  threw  him  into  a  Fit  of  Sick- 
nefs,  and  that  fo  dangerous  at  there  was  no  Hopes  of 
his  Recovery ;  but  in  it,  at  the  worft,  he  had  a  Beam 
of  Divine  Grace  darted  upon  his  Intelle£t,  with  afud- 
den,warm,  and  lively  I/npreffion  ;  which  gave  him  im- 
mediately a  New  Set  of  Thoughts  concerning  Go<i 
and  his  Works,  and  the  Way  of  his  dealing  with  his 

Offend -^ 


The    PREFACE.  v 

Offending  Creatures,  which,  as  they  became  the  Rule 
and  Standard  of  all  his  Thoughts  and  Meafures  of 
Things  afterwards,  as  I  have  heard  him  declare,  fo 
they  gave  in  particular,  the  Ground  and  Occafion  of 
this  prefent  Defign.  And  upon  this  he  prefently  Re- 
covered. This,  as  reafonably  may  be  fuppofed,  might 
give  Occafion  to  an  Expreflion  of  greater  Freedom  in 
his  Title,  as  he  at  firft  intended  it ;  which  we  have  ta- 
ken the  Liberty  to  omit,  left  any  might  ftumble  at  it  j 
yet  the  Reader  will  find  it  mentioned  by  him  in  the 
Book. 

He  had  wrote  at  firft  more  Voluminoufly,  but  to- 
wards the  latter  end  of  his  Life  he  was  bufied  in  con* 
trailing  and  preparing  it  for  the  Public  Service ;  in 
which  he  was  more  particularly  taken  up,  and  fo 
brought  it  to  a  Conclufion,  a  little  before  his  Death. 

His  Chara^ier  is  Great,  and  has  been  more  than  once 
given  to  the  World  in  Print ;  tho*  on  Account  of  the 
Offence  many  will  be  apt  to  take  at  the  Subjedt,  it  has 
been  thought  fit  here  to  conceal  his  Name. 

He  goes  indeed  upon  tht  PrcdeJIlnarian  Hypothcjis,  as 
will  appear  in  feveral  PafTages  of  his  Work  j  but  by 
his  Additional  Scheme  makes  it  quite  another  thing, 
and  entirely  evacuates  it  as  to  the  feverer  Part.  But  if 
any  inur'd  to  other  Schemes  of  Divinity  are  yet  unfatis- 
fied  in  this,  they  may  take  his  General  Hypothefis  of 
the  Reftoration,  and  graft  it  upon  their  own,  and  it 
will  fuitas  well ;  and  ferve  to  Redify  and  Improve  it, 
as  it  has  done  this. 

There  are  many  indeed  that  run  fo  far  in  Magnifying 
the  Method  God  has  taken  for  Manifeftation  of  his 
Grace  and  Mercy  towards  his  fallen  Creatures,  as  to 

imagine^ 


vi  The     PREFACE. 

imagine  their  Fall  was  netdful  in  order  to  the  perfect 
Difplay  of  the  Wonders  of  his  Goodnefs.    Indeed  there 
IS  fomething  of  a  particular  and  partial  Manifeftation 
accidentally  made  thro'  the  objeds  of  Mercy,  render'd 
fo  by  their  Sin  and  Folly  :  But  furely  God  needed  not 
this  Accident  to  fhcw  that  Grace  which  was  contained 
in,  and  but  as  a  part  of  his  Eflential  Goodnefs ;  and 
which  might  by  the  enlightened  Eye  be  contemplated 
therein  ;  or  by  the  Works  of  God,  and  Manifeftation  of' 
Himfelf,  be  exhibited  to  full  view  by  the  diredl  Pencil 
of  the  Divine  Wifdom,   which  operates  all  in  perfed 
Unity  and  Harmony,  and  wants  not  the  Breach  or  Di 
vifion  of  the  Properties  of  Nature  in  any    degree  of 
Difproportion  and  Difharmony,  or  of  real  Contrariety 
in  order  to  its  own  perfedl  Produd.     And  the  Acci- 
dental Illuftration  of  Grace   by   Sin   and  Sufferings, 
fcems  to  be  chiefly  in  the  Paflagc  thro'  the  vale  of  Mi- 
fery,  or  the  firft  Senfations  of  thofc  that  are  admitted 
to  the  Heavenly  Enjoyments,  which  without  thefe  Ex- 
traneous 2nd  Acceflbry  Excitements,  go  on  Increafing 
and  Multiplying  without  Bound  or  End,  from  their 
own  Eternal  Motives  and  Incentives  ;  from  the  ground 
of  the  Eternal  and  Infinite  Fullnefs  and  Perfe<Slion  of 
the  Godhead,  as  moving  in  its  own  Harmonious  Uni- 
ty, proccding  and  manifeftiirg  itfelf,  of  itfelf,  and  by 
itfcif,   in   all  harmonious  Variety  ;   and   that  without 
any  fuch  thing  as  a  defcftivc  foil ;   which  has  rather 
been  an  Offence  or  Impediment  of  its  Glory,  only  as 
this  has,  and  flill  does^  like  the  Sun,  break  thro'  the 
Fo2  and  difcovcr  itfcif. 

Tn  this  ^^''ork  the  x'Vuthor  has  gone  only  upon  Scrip- 
tiu'c  Grounds  j   and  yet  from  the  Scriptures  which  he 

has 


The    PREFACE.  vil 

lias  produc'd  and  difcours'd  at  large  upon,  he  has  fuffi- 
ciently  abfolv'd  the  Rational  Part.  And  for  further 
Confirmation,  it  has  been  thought  fit  here  to  add  fome 
Teftimonies  both  Ancient  and  Modern  to  this  great 
Point }   and  they  are  as  follow. 

Origen  is  well  known  to  be  the  great  I'ropagator  ojf' 
this  Dodlrine,  fo  that  it  might  feem  fcarce  needful  to 
make  Citation  from  him  to  this  purpofe,  yet  as  a  Lea- 
der of  others,  I  (hall  here  fet  him  in  the  Front,  with 
a  Teftimony  or  two.  We  find  then,  this  learned  Fa- 
ther, Origen  171  fine  Lib.  Svi.  Explanat  in  Epijl.  ad  Rom. 
declaring  himfelf  after  this  manner  : 

*  Qui  vero  verbi  Dei  et  Doclrinae  Evangelics  Puri- 

*  ficationes  fpreverit,  triflibus  et  Poenalibus  Purificati- 

*  onibus  femetipfum  refervat  :  ut  ignis  Gehennse  in 
'  Cruciatibus  purget,  quern  nee  Apoftolica  Doctrina, 
'  nee  Evangelieus  Sernio  purgaverit ;   fecundum  illud 

*  quod  fcriptum  eft  J  Et  purificaho  te  Igne^  ad  purification 

*  Item.  Verumhaec  ipfaPurgatio  quae  per  pcenam  Ig- 
'  nis  adhibetur  quantis  temporibus,  quantifve  feeulis 

*  de  Peccatoribus  exigat  Cruciatus,   folus  fcire  poteft 

*  ille  cui  Pater  omne  Judicium  tradidit.'    i.  e.    '  But 

*  he  that  defpifes  the  Purifications  of  the  Word  of  God,  and 

*  the  DoBrine  of  the  Gofpely  is  referved  fr  ihofe  dreadful 

*  and  penal  Purifications  afterwards  ;    that  fo  he   may  he 

*  purged  by  the  Fire  and  Torment  of  Hcllj  who  zuould  not 
'  receive  Purgation  from  the  Jpofiolicai  DoSirine  and  E- 

*  vangelical  Word,   according  to   that  which  is  written  of 

*  being  purified  by  Fire.     Biit  how  long  this  Purification 

*  which  is  wrought  out  by  Penal  Fire  flmll  endure,   or  for 

*  hovj  many  Periods  or  /^ges    itjhall  detain  Sinful  Souls  in 

*  Torment, 


vili  The    PREFACE. 

*  lormentj  He  only  knows  to  whom  all  'Judgment  is  com' 

*  m'ltted  hy  the  Father,* 

And  then,  upon  the  fame  Place  and  Subjeft,  he  adds  : 

*  Veruntamen  meminifle  femper  debemus  quod  prac- 

*  fentem  locum  Apoftolus  quafi  Myfterium  habere  vo- 

*  luit ;  quo  fcilicet  hujufmodi  fenfus  Fideles  quique 
'  et  Perfe6li  intra  femetipfos  velut  Myfterium  Dei  fi- 

*  lentio  tegant,  nee  paflim  Imperfeftis  et  minus  capa- 
'  cibus  proferant.'  i.  c.  *  But  we  mujljlill  remember 
*■  that  the  Apoftle  would  have  this  Text  accounted  as  a  Myf- 

*  tery^  fo  as  that  the  Faithful  and  FerfeB  ones  may  keep  its 

*  Secret  Senfe  among  themfelves^  and  not  ordinarily  Divulge 
'  it  to  the  Imperfe£l  and  lefs  capable  of  receiving  it.* 

The  next  I  fhall  cite,  (and  indeed  who  might  have 
difputed  Precedency  with  the  former,  as  being  Origen's 
Mafter,  tho'  lefs  noted  on  this  Account)  is  Clemens 
Alexandrinus  ;  Jdumbrat.  in  Ep.  i.  Johan.  Printed 
at  the  end  of  his  Treatife,  ^is  Dives  Sahetur  j  where 
he  has  thefe  Words  : —  *  Non  folum  autem  [inquit^  v. 
'  2.)  pro  noftris  peccatis  Dominus  Propitiator  eft,  hoc 

*  eft  Fidelium,   fed  etiam  pro  toto  Mundo :     proinde 

*  Univerfos  quidem  Salvat,  fed  alios  per  Supplicia 
'  convertens;   alios  autem  Spontanea  aflequentes  Vo- 

*  lurrtate :  et  cum  Honoris  Dignitate,  ut  omne  Genu 
'  fle£latur,  ei,  Celeftium,  Terreftrium,  et  Infernorum  : 
'  hoc  eft,  Angeli,  Homines,  et  Animas  qua;  ante  Ad  • 

*  ventum  ejus  de  hac  Vita  migravcre  temporali.'    i.  e. 

*  T}?e  Lordis  not  (fays  he.  v.  2.)  a  Prcpi'.iaiicn  for  cur 

*  Sins  only  f    that  is^  of  the  Faithful,   but  alfo  for  the  whole 

*  fVorld.      Therefore  he  indeed  faves  all  Univerfally  \     but 

*  fomc  a;  converted  by  Funijhmenis^  others  by  Foluntary  Sub- 

*  miff  on.     And  hence  he  obtains  the  Honour  and  Dignity, 

*  that 


The   PREFACE.  ix 

*  that  To  Him  every  Kneejhall  bow,  both  of  things  in  Hea- 

*  ven^  and  things  on  Earth,    and  things  under  the  Earth 

*  that  is.  Angels,  and  Men,   and  Souls  departed  this  Life 

*  before  his  coming  into  the  PPorld, 

Another  is  Gregory  Nazianzen.  He  tells  us, 
Paris  Edit.  1630.  Orat.  ^adrag.  Pag.  66^,  66^, — 
'OtJ^a,  nat  TTvp  K  x«t3-*pT«c/9»',  aAAa  KO\A^npiov,  e.Ti  aai  2o- 

J\0UITIK0V       •  —&iTi   TO     i.T 0 1 [J.(t>T u'iV OV    70)  •f'letC'oKiC HTi   0 

<B-po  '^^(7U'7r\i  KupjK  CTOpeo«T<K/,     KAt  TUTUV   iTl  It'-C-.^lT'^Vy     0 

TU  AKotmna  (rKe^hy\Ki  cvvTiTctySJut,  ^ri  c^iv.CjAV'.v^   ci?.\d 
J^istiavii^ov  7oii  TOVrtfoii*     UcLtfja.  y)  ijidLuTct  i'pa.vi^iMi   ir/ 

J^VVa^^iUi,     it  y.»  T«  I^CLlKOV  HO-VTctV^a.   vouv  7aT0  ^ihAl/d-pw 

ToTi^i',  Kctt  TK  mKcl/^ov}©"  i'TTci^'iui*     1.  c.   '  IJjere  isano- 

*  ther  Fire,    not  for  Purging  hut  for  Puwfhing  ;   -whether 

*  it  he  of  that  kind  hy  which  Sodom  was  dcjlroyed,  or  whe- 

*  ther  that  prepared  for  the  Devil,    or  that  which  proceeds 

*  before  the  Face  of  the  Lord  [at  his  laft  Advent],  or  lafi^ 

*  ly,  which  is  mof  Formidable  of  all,  that  xvhich  is  catijoincd 
'  with  the  JVorm  that  never  dieth,   which  is  not  quenched, 

*  but  burns  perpetually  upon  the  Wicked.     All  thefe  are  of  a 
'  DefruBive  Nature.     If  yet  we  are  not  even  here  [in  the 

*  laft  kind  of  Fire]  to  undcrjiand  it  more  mildly  [or  with 

*  greater  Philanthropy  or  Love  to  Mankind]  and  more 

*  tvorthy  of  [or,  fuitable  to  the  Nature  of  ]   Him  that 

*  Punifhes: 

We  have  for  another  Teftimony,  from  Gregory 
Nyssknus.  In  Dial,  de  Anima  l^  RefurreB.  Paris  Edit, 
1659.     Xpn  }S  TraKTH  KUi  rretvlwi  £^£t/p«-3-nm/  -ttotI  il  ko.- 

iiyeci  i^vTiv  «x.  iX-'i  orety  Treia'A  'Ts^^aifian  cv  tw  '^-'.oj  ykvi' 
i-eti,  i]i  TavTikii  <lipetvt<ry.ov  «  KctyJitt  fxri  •)^cdpmit,  lo  uaiJ'Iv 
a  J]t)<  d'TToKiif'S^nvAi  J^ox'^'iov ;  Et  in  Catechet.  Orat. 
Cap,  xxvi.  fol.  517,  Chriftus  dicitur,    loy  ri  clyd-^aToir 


X  The    P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

i.  e.  '  For  iis  wholly  and  abfolutely  needful  that  Eviljhould 

*  he  removed  out  of  the  Circle  of  Being,     Forfince  Evilis 

*  of  that  Nature,   that  it  cannot   be  ivithout  a  Will  and 

*  Purpofe  of  its  oivn  ;  andfince  all  Will  and  Arbitrement 
'  is  in  [and  of  Right  belongs  to}  God^   How  can  it  be 

*  otherwifej  but  that  the  Evil  mufl  be  entirely  abolijbed,  fd 

*  that  nothing  Jhall  remain  that  can  be  a  Receptacle  ofit.^ 
And  again  in  his  Catechetical  Ofations,'  Chap.  xxvi. 
p.  517.     '"Tis  faid  of  Chrift,   *  JVho  is  He  that  delivers 

*  Ji^an  from  Evil,  and  who  Heals  the  Inventor  [or  Au- 
*.  thor]  of  Evil  himfelf. 

SuLPicius  ServePvUS,  De  P^ita  B"".  Martini,  />.  488. 
Edit.  Lugd.  Bat.  1647.  *  Si  tu  ipfe,  O  Miferabilis, 
'  ab  Hominum  Infeftatione  defifteres,  et  teFadtorum 

*  tuorum  vel  hoc  tempore  cum  dies  Judicii  in  proxi- 

*  mo  eft,  peniteret.   Ego  tibi  vere  Confifus  in  Domino 

*  Chrifti  Mifericordiam  pollicerer.'    i.e.     *  If  thou,  O 

*  Miferable  one,  {^fpeaking  to  the  Devil]  would  ccafefrom 
*■  thy  'Temptation  and  Pcrfecution   of  Jlfan,    and  Repent 

*  thee  of  thy  Fa^s,    even  at   this  time  of  Day  when  the 

*  Judgment  isfo  near  at  hand;   I  my felf  could  with  true 

*  JJfurance   [or  Confidence]  in  God,   Promifc  thee  the 
<  the  Mercy  of  Chrifi: 

This  Teftimony,  if  it  does  not  abfolutely  conclude 
for  the  Point,  yet  it  does  againft  the  fo  great  Difficulty 
and  Impoflibility  of  it,  which  is  by  fome  fuppos'd  j  and 
Vindicates  the  good  will  of  God,  as  all  being  ready, 
and  nothing  wanting  on  his  Part  for  the  Salvation  of 
all  his  Creatures.  That  which  follov/s  may  likewife 
be  of  ufe  to  fhow  the  gentlenefs  and  tenderncfs  where- 
with the  Propagators  of  this  Doctrine  have  been  re- 
ceived ^ 


The     P  R  E  F  A  C  E.  xi 

reived,  and  ferye  to  open  the  narrownefs,  and  allay  the 
Severity  and  Rigidnefs  of  Spirit,  with  which  they  are 
treated  by  many  at  this  Day  :  As  alfo  to  fhew  that  in 
the  times  of  the  latter,  as  well  as  elder  Fathers,  there 
was  ftilla  Referve  in  the  Church,  of  Vindicators  of  the 
great  Love  of  God  and  Latitude  of  his  Grace.  'Tis 
from  St.  Austin,  as  follows. 

AwGUSTiN.  De  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  xxi.  cap.  17.    '  Nunc 

*  jam  cum  Mifericordibus  noftris  agendum  efle  video, 

*  et  pacifice  Difputandum  ;    qui  vel  omnibus  illis  Ho- 

*  minibus  quosjuftiflimus  Judex  dignos  Gehennaefup- 

*  plicio  judicabit,  vel  quibufdam  eorum,  nolunt  cre- 
'  dere  poenam  fempiternam  futuram,  (t^  poft  certi 
,'  temporis  metam  pro  cujufque  peccati  quantitate  lon- 

*  gioris  five  brevioris  eos  inde  Exiflimant  Liberandos.' 
i.  e.      *  udnd  no-w  J  fee  I  mvjiha've  to  do  zvitb  our  Merciful 

*  Meri^  and  mifl  difpute  with  them  Gently  and  Peaceably, 

*  ivho  either  iviil  not  believe  Everlafing  Funifhmcnts  to  be 
,*  infUBedon  thofe  zuhom  thejufl  fudge Jhall  condemn  to  the 
,*  Pains  of  Hell ;  or  at  leaf  not  on  all  of  them  :     But  that 

*  afer  certain  Periods  of  Time,  longer  or  fhorter,  according 
'  to  the  proportion  of  their  crimes,  they  fhall  be  delivered. 
'  out  of  that  State.'' 

St.  Jerome,  at  the  End  of  his  Comment  on  Ifaiahy 
fpeaks  thus,  concerning  the  Opinion  that  Hell  Tor- 
ments fliall  have  an  End  ;  tho'  he  himfelf  was  perfuad- 
ed  in  and  believed  the  Eternity  of  the  Torments  of 
pevils  and  Atheifts.  *  Quod  nos  Dei  folius  debemus 
'  Scientije  derelinquere  cujus  non  folum  Mifericordias 

*  fed  &  tormenta  in  pondere  funt :  &  novit  quern,  quo- 
f  modo  &  quamdiu,  debet  Judicare.'  i.  e.  *  IVhich 
f   {^Matter)  '-j.'c  GUgJi^  to  leave  to  the  fV if dom  of  God  alone, 

'  ivhore 


xii  The     PREFACE. 

*  whofe  Judgments  as  well  as  his  Mercies  are   in  fVeight 

*  and  Mcafure,  and  who  well  knows  whom,  or  how^  or  for 

*  how  long  he  ought  to  Judge  them.* 

I  fhall  conclude  thefe  Teftimonies  of  the  Fathers 
with  that  out  of  Facukdus,  Epifcop.  Hcrmienjis,  lib,  iv. 
cap.  4.  pag.  62.  Edit.  Pari/.   iSjg.     *  In  Libello  quern 

*  DoMiTiANUS  Ancyrenjis  Epifcopus  ad  Pi^ilium  fcrip^ 

*  fit,  conquerens  de  his  qui  contradicebant  Dogmati- 

*  tibus  Origems  aflerentis  animas  Humanas  ante  Cor- 

*  pora   in  quadam  bdata  Vita  praeextitifle  \    &  omnes 

*  quae  fuerint  etcrno  fupplicio  dcftinatae  in  priftinam 

*  Beatitudinem  cum  Diaboloet  Angcliscjus  Reftitui  j 

*  dicit  etiam  hsec  ;    Profiluerunt  ad  anathematizandos 

*  fandli/Iimos  &  gloriofiffimos  Doclores   fub  occafione 

*  corum   quae  de  Prx-cxiftentia  &  Reftitutione  mota 

*  funt  Dogmatum  ;   fub  fpecie  quidem    Origems,  om^ 

*  nes  autem  qui  ante  cum  &  poft  eum  fuerant  fandlos 

*  anathematizantes.'    i.e.    *  In  the  Book  which  Domi^ 

*  TiAN  Bijhop  of  Ancyra  wrote  to  Vigilius,  he  is  found 

*  complaining  of  thrfe  that  contradiBed  the  Do£irines  of 

*  Origin,   which  maintained  that  the  Souls  of  Ale n   Pre- 
'  cxified  in  a  State  of  Happinefs  before  they  came  into  Bo- 

*  dies  ;    and  that  all  thofe  that  were  Doom'd  to  the  Eternal 

*  Punifhmentyfhall,  together  with  the  Devil  and  his  Angels, 

*  be  RcJ}or''d  to   their   former  State  of  Bleffcdmfs.     And 

*  after  this  he  adds.  They  have  rafhly  run  out  to  Anathe- 
'  matize  the  moft  holy  and moji  glorious  Dolors,  {or  Teach- 

*  crs  of  the  Church)  on  occafion  of  thofe  DoElrines  that  have 

*  been  advanced  concerning  the  Pre-exijlencc,  and  the  Refti~ 
*■  tution  of  all  Things.       And  this  indeed  under  Pretext  of 

*  Origen,  but  thereby  Anathematizing  all  the  (great)  Saints 

*  which  were  before  him,  and  which  have  been  after  him.* 

Thus 


The    PREFACE.  xiii 

Thus  have  we  the  Declaration  and  Teftimonies  of 
Two  of  the" Ancient  Fathers  and  Bifliops  of  the  Church 
in  One. 

This  is  a  tafte  of  thofe  numerous  Teftimonies  of  the 
Ancients  to  the  Truth  of  this  Dodrine ;  and  thofe  of 
the  Moderns  are  yet  more  numerous.  There  have  been 
ieveral  Books  written  on  this  Subjeft  in  French,  in  the 
JTtgh  Dutch,  and  the  Lwj  Dutch  ;  and  particularly  in 
the  High  German  by  the  learned  Dr.  Jo.  W.  Peterfen, 
fometime  Superintendent  of  Lunenburgh,  at  large  in  Folio ; 
where  he  has  ftrenuoiifly  defended  this  Point,  and  col- 
le<3:ed  and  adopted  into  his  Work  the  Writings  of  fe- 
veral  others  upon  this  Subjeil  in  lefler  Trails  :  *tis 
called  AxojcttTctVracr/f  ntdtrm-,  or,  The  Rejlitution  cf  all 
Things,  There  is  alfo  an  Ingenious  Piece  written  in 
French  by  a  noble  eminent  Lord  and  Minifter  of  the 
Court  of  the  King  of  PruJJta,  intitled,  Entretiens  fur 
la  Rejlitution  Univerfelle  de  la  Creation  :  or,  A  Conference 
upon  the  Univerfal  Rejlitution  of  the  Creation,  Betwixt  Do- 
litheus  and  Theophilus,  But  to  collefl  Teftimonies 
from  all  thefe  would  make  a  Volume  inftead  of  a  Pre- 
face :  Therefore  I  fhall  content  myfelf  with  produc- 
ing a  few  Teftimonies  from  fome  of  the  Learned  or 
Curious  Enquirers  into  this  Subjeil,  fome  more,  fome 
lefs,  that  have  been  of  our  own  Nation, 

Gerard  WiNSTANLEY,  in  his  Book  OftheMyfiery 
of  God,  &c.  p.  9.  Printed  1649,  declares  thus.  '  There- 

*  fore  I  fay  the  Myftery  of  God  is  thus :  God  will  bruife 

*  this  Serpent's  Head,  and  caft  the  Murtherer  out  of 

*  Heaven,  [?.  e.of'\  the  Human  Nature  where  it  dwells 

*  in  Part. And  he  will  dwell  in  the  whole  Crea- 

*  tion  in  Time,  and  fo  deliver  whole  Mankind  out  of 
«  their  Fall.  There 


XIV  The    PREFACE. 

There  is  another  Treatife  call'd,  The  Church  Trium- 
phant :  or,  J  comfortable  Treatije  of  the  Amplitude  and 
Largenejs  of  Chrift's  Kingdom  ;  wherein  is  proved  by 
Scripture  and  Reafon,  that  the  number  of  the  Damned 
is  inferior  to  that  of  the  Ele£V.  By  Jofcph  Jlford,  M.  A. 
fometime  Fellow  of  Oriel  College,  Oxford.  Printed  An. 
1644.  The  Title-page  of  which  being  fo  full,  1  (hall 
omit  any  further  Quotation  from  the  Book. 

There  is  alfo  a  Book  written  by^.  Stafford,  Intitled, 
Some  Thoughts  of  the  Life  to  come,  he.  Printed  Jnno  1693, 
In  which  th's  Doctrine  is  notably  aflerted.  We  find 
here,  p.  52,  &c. '  So  that  let  Satan  do  his  worft, 

*  as  it  is  Proverbially  and  truly  faid,   God  is  above. the 
*•  Devil ;    fo  his  Knowledge  doth  as  much  exceed  the 

*  other,  (who  is  a  Creature  an(J  by  him  made)   as  the 

*  whole   Ocean  a  fingle  Drop  of  Water.      In  the  ift 

*  and  2d  chapters  of  Job,  in  the  3d  of  Zcchariah,   and 

*  in  Rev.  xii.  lo  ;    We  fee  and  underftand  God's  Su- 

*  perlative  and  Over-ruling  Goodnefs   and   Equity; 

*  how  he  doth  moderate  the  Matter,  and  Affirm  it  by 

*  the  way  of  Favour  and  Mercy  on  the  fide  of  Man- 

*  kind.     And   this  but  as  talking  a  little   before  the 

*  Day  of  Affize,    an  Emblem  and  Fore-runner,    how 

*  he  will   determine   it  eternally  on  their  fide,    at  the 

*  Laft  and  Great  Day  of  Judgment,  notwithfl:anding 
'  all  the  Informations,  Accufations  and  Aggravations 

*  of  Satan.     And  now  if  there  fhould  be  any 

*  who  draw  up  more  heavy  and  falfe  inditements  than 
^:  the  true  and  very  Nature  of  the  Thing  doth  require 

*  and  will  bear  :  Or  if  the  Confcience  itfclf  (which 
>;■  is  yet  more)  prefs'd  with;  Sin  and  Guilt,  fhould  fore- 
f  caft  too  grievous  Things ;    all  this  will  not  do  one 

jot 


the     PREFACE.  xv 

*  jOt  of  harm  in  the  Day  of  the  Lord  ;    for  He  who 

*  hath  prepar'd  his  Throne  for  Judgment  knows  all 

*  Things  -.—Wxth  Rlghteottfnefs  will  ke  Judge  the  Worlds 
'  and  the  People  with  Equity.  Pfalm  Ixxxix.  g.  Now 
'  Equity  is  a  mild  thing,  which  doth  State,  Moderate, 

*  and  Adjuft  a  Matter,  And  then  after  all,  God  doth 
'  referve  Mercy,  even  after  Judgment  and  Condemnation: 

*  For  that  is  its  proper  Place,' 

And  afterwards,  P.  55.  —  '  But  God  only  knows 
'  what  may  fucceed  after  all  this,  when  thofe  mifera- 
'  ble  Creatures  have  Iain  under   Condemnation   and 

*  Punifhment,  a  much  longer  fpace  of  Duration  than 

*  Six  or  Seven  Thoufand  Years,    [the  Ages  or  Evers 

*  of  this  lower  Creation]  now  God  will  look  down 
'  from  the  Heighth  of  his  San(£luary :  —  From  Heaven 

*  vjill  the  Lord  behold  the  Earthy   (yea,  and  who  knows 

*  whether  he  will  behold  yet  Lower  :  If  I  make  my  Bed 
'  in  Hell,  Behold,  Thou  art  there  /  ) — to  hear  the  Groaning 

*  of  the  Prifoncrs,  to  hofe  them  that  are  appointed  to  death, 

*  Pfa.  cii.  19,  20  ;  [In  the  Margin  there,  it  is  the  Chil- 

*  dren  of  Death.]  This  one  Scripture  is  of  more  Worth 

*  than  ten  thoufand  Worlds.  If  any  thing  of  Good 
'  or  Mitigation  is  intended  to  them,  it  will  come  in 
'  upon  this  Account ;  that  they  are  the  Creatures  of 

*  God  and  his  Workmanfhip  :  The  Lord  {hall  rejoice 

*  in  his  Works,  and  they  ftiall  reciprocally  rejoice  in 

*  the  Lord  their  God.      If  thofe  very  Creatures  who 

*  feem  Rejefted,  can  but  call  upon  Him  by  the  Name 

*  of   THE  Lord,   and   lay  hold  on  him  as  Efiu  did 

*  when  he  cried  with  a  great  and  exceeding  bitter  Cry, 
'  Blefs  Me,  even  Me,  O  my  Father  I  Hajl  thou  but  on^ 
'■  BJeJJingj  0  my  Father  ?  [ftill  putting  in  mind  of  the 

^  (■  Relation:] 


xvl  The    P  R  E  F  x-^  C  E. 

'  Relation]  Blefi  Me^  even  Mealfo^  O  my  Father!     Scr 

*  it  mav  be  conceived  of  thofc  conJemn'tl  Forlorn  and 
'  Mifcrable  Creatures — that  after  they  have  been  long 

*  in  wailing  and  gnafhing  of  Teeth — If  they  can  but 

*  call  upon  him  by  the  Name  of  Creator,  and  re- 
'  member  and  lay  it  before  him,  that  They  are  the 
'  Works  of  His  Hands  :  —  God  hath  more  than  one 

*  Bleffing  to  Saints   and  Jngch  ;    He  may  make  Devils 

*  and  condemn' d  Si ivicrs  Hewers  of  Wood  and  Drawers 
'  of  Water. For  I  ivill  not  contend  forever  (faith  the 

*  Lord  )  neither  will  F  be  alivays  wroth^  for  the  Spirit  tuould 

*  fail  before  mcy  and  the  Souls  which   F  have   made.     Ifa. 

*  Ivii.  1 8. For  God  hath  concluded  all  in  Unbelief  that 

*  he  might  have  Mercy  upon  all.    Rom.  xi.  32.' 

The  Learned  Dr.  Henry  More,  in  his  Divine  Di- 
alogues^ Printed  Anno  i668,  efpecially  that  Part  which 
relates  and  purfues  the  Vifion  of  Bathinous's  Silver  and 
Golden  Keys  ( the  Keys  of  Providence^ )  fpeaks  very  fa- 
vourabjyof  this,  yea  covertly  and  at  a  diftance  involves 
it ;  not  only  in  his  dirc£l  mantaining  the  Doctrine  of 
Pr^-exifence^  which  goes  hand  in  hand  with  it;  but 
laying  down  the  more  general  Principles  from  whence 
it  flows. 

We  find,  P.  47g,BATHYNOUS  fpcaking  thus  :  

*  I  was  not  content  to  think  of  God  in  the  grofs  only, 
'  but  began  to  confider  his  Nature  more  diflinclly  and 

*  accurately,  and  to  contemplate  and  compare  his  At- 

*  tributes. And  I   did  confidently  conclude,    that 

'  Fiifinitc  Poivcr^    If'ifdom^  and   Goodnefs,    thefe  Three, 

*  were  the  Chiefeft  and  moft  Comprehenfve  Attributes 

*  of  the  Divine  Nature  ;   and  that  the  i^oz/frr/g-w  of  thefe 

*  was  his  Goodnef,  the  Summity  and  Flower,  as  I  may 

'  fo 


The    PREFACE.  xvli 

*  fo  fpcak,    of  the    Diw'nity  ;  and    that    particularly 

*  whereby  the  Souls  of  Men  becotTie  Divine:  Whereas 

*  the  largeft  Coinmunication  of  the  other  without  this 

*  would  not  make  them  Divine,  but  Devils.  In  the 
'  mean  time  being  verfed  in  no  other  Natural  Philofo- 

*  phy  nor  Metaphyfics  but  the  Vulgar  j  and  expeding 

*  the  Laws  of  the  External  Creation,    cither   Vifible 

*  or  Invifible  fhould  be  fuitable  to  that  excellent  and 

*  ,Iov;ely  Idea  of  the  Godhead,  which  with  the  moft  fe- 
'  rious  Devotion   and   Affeiliohs  I  entertain'd  in  my 

'  own  Breaft  ;  my  Mind  Was  for  a  long  time  charged 

*  with  inextricable  Puzzles  and  Difficulties,  to  make 
'  the  Phenomena  of  the  World  and  the  vulgar  Opini- 
'  ens  of  Men  in  any  tolerable  way  to  Confort  or  Suit 
'  w;ith  thefe  two  chiefed  Attributes  of  God,  his  PPif- 

*  dom  and  his  Goodnefs* 

This  is  a  like  Plunge  with  that  in  which  our  Ad bor 
was  found,  as  before -mentioned,  viz.  To  make  out 
that  God  was  Good  :  And  for  the  extricating  of  Ba~ 
ihynous  [or  The  deep  Contempiator]  out  of  his  Labyrinth, 
the  Vifion  of  The  two  Keys  of  Providence  is'ingeni- 
oufly  feign'd  :  And  the  firft  Sentence  in  the  Scroll'dif- 
cover'd  by  the  Golden  Key,  written  in  Letters  of  Gold, 
IS  this  : 

*  The  Meafure  of  Providence  is  the  Divine  Good- 

*  nefs  :  Which  has  no  Bounds  but  itfelf ;  which  is 
'  Infinite.'  And  another  of  the  Sentences  aflerts,  the 
Pre-cxiftcnce  of  Souls.     Another,  viz.  5.  is,  *  In  Infi- 

*  nite  Myriads  of  free  Agents  which  were  ,the  Framers 

*  of  ,^heir  own  Fortunes,  it  had  been  a  Wonder  if  they 

*  all  of.  them  had  taken  the  fame  path  ;  and  therefore 
'  Sin  at  the  long  run,  fhook  hands  with  Opacity  [or, 

^  b2  *  the 


xvlli         The     P  R  E  F     ACE. 

'  the  Abyfs  of  Darknefs].'     And  the  6th,   is;    

*  As  much  as  the  Light  exceeds  the  Shadows,  (o  much 

*  do  the  Regions  of  Happinefs  exceed  thofe  of  Sin  and 

*  Mifery.' 

The  Author  of  thefe  Dialogues  would  not  go  to  the 
other  Six  Sentences,  towards  which  he  prepares  the 
way,  but  makes  Bathynous  to  be  fuddenly  waked  out  of 
his  Dream  by  the  Braying  of  two  Afles  ;  wittily  hint- 
ing the  Reafon  why  heconceal'd  the  other  part  of  what 
might  ferve  to  clear  up  the  Providence  of  God,  viz.  the 
Rudenefs  and  Clamour  oi  tiarrow  and  ignorant  Spirits. 

But  laftly  we  find  him  aflerting,  />.  515-  *  You  ac- 

*  knowledge  then  his  Goodnefs  the  leading  Attribute  in 

*  the  Creation  of  the  World,  and  his   Wifdom  and 

*  Power,   to  Contrive  and  Execute  what  his  Will  ac- 

*  tuated  by  his  Goodnefs  did  intend.— —But  this  is  a 

*  marvel  of  marvels  tome.  That  the  Goodnefs  of  God 

*  being  Infinite,  the  EfFedls  thereof  fhould  be  fo  Nar- 

*  row  and  Finite  as  commonly  Men  conceit;  if  there 

*  be  no  Incapacity  in  the  Things  themfelves  that  thus 

*  ftraitensthem.     That  one  fmall  fhare  of  the  Divine 

*  Goodnefs   fhould  be  Aftive,   but  that   Infinite  Re- 

*  mainder  thereof,  as  I  may  fo  fpeak,  Silent  and  Un- 

*  active,  is  a  Riddle,   a  Miracle   that  does  infinitely 

*  amaze  me  !  ' 

This  is  indeed  larger  than  what  may  be  applied  to 
the  particular  Occafion,  viz.  of  the  Time  and  Man- 
ner of  the  Creation  of  the  World  ;  but  here  the  Bray- 
ing comes  in  again,  exprefs'd  by  Sophroni us :  *'  0  Ba- 
thynous, my  very  Hcart-ftrhigs  are  fretted  with  Fear  and 
Anxiety,  zvhcn  you  plttnge  into  fttcb  profound  Dijquijitions 
us  thefe .'"     And  fo  Bathynous  keeps  ftill  to  the  firft  part 

of 


The    PREFACE,  xix 

of  the  Scroll,  in  which  he  Aflerts  Pre-exiftcnce  ;  but 
lays  the  Ground  for  its  Sifter  Tenet  or  Do£lrine,  viz. 
The  Rejlitiition  of  thofe  Spirits  which  had  their  De- 
fcent  into  Regions  of  Punifhment,  for  their  Defe<3: 
and  Lapfe  from  their  pre-exiftent  State  ;  which,  if 
not  prevented  by  the  Weaknefs  and  Incapacity  of  the 
Hearer,  had  been  difcovered  as  the  grand  Point  of  the 
Second  part  of  the  Scroll  ;  and  without  which  Ward, 
as  I  may  fay,  of  the  Golden  Key,  the  greateft  Objec- 
tions againft  Providence  are  yet  in  forcfe,  and  the 
Goodnefs  of  God,  which  he  undertakes  to  vindicate,  re- 
mains unafTerted  and  almoft  as  Dark  as  before.  But 
he  here  thought  a  Word  to  the  Wife  was  fufficient. 

That  great  and  good  Man,  Dr.  John  Tillotson, 
late  Archbi/hop  of  Canierbury^  in  his  4th  Volume  of 
Sermons,  Preach'd  1694,  writes  thus  favourably  upon 
the  Cafe,  as  with  Sufpence,  and  fufplclon  of  the  Pof- 
fibility  of  the  Truth  of  it,  P.  164  : 

*  The  Cafe  then  in  Jhort  JIands  thus :    Whenever  we 

*  break  the  Laws  of  God,  we  fall  into  his  Hands  and 

*  lie  at  his  Mercy,    and  he  may  without  Injuftice  in- 

*  flidt  what  Punifhment  upon  us  he  pleafeth  :  And 
'  confequently  to  fecure  his  Law  from  Violation,  he 
'  may  beforehand  threaten  what  Penalties  he    thinks 

*  fit  and  neceflary  to  deter  Men  from  the  Tranfgreflion 

*  of  it.     And  this  is  not  efteem'd  unjuft  among  Mai, 

*  to  punifli  Crimes  that  are  committed  in  an  inftant, 
'  with    the  perpetual  Lofs  of  Eftate,    or  Liberty,  or 

*  Life.     Secondly,  This  will  appear  yet  more  reafon- 

*  able,  when  we  confider,  that  after  all,  He  that  threa- 
'  tens  hath  ftill  thePower  of  JExecutionin  his  Hands. 

b  3  *^  For 


XX  The     P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 


'  For  there  is  this  remarkable  difference  between  Pro- 

*  mifes  and  Threatnings,    that  he   v/ho  promifeth, 

*  pafljeth  over  a  Rjght  to  another,   and  thereby  ftands 

*  obliged  to  him  in  Juftice  and  Faithful nefs  to  make 

*  good  his  Promifc  j  and  if  he  do  not,  the  Party  to 
'  whom  the  Promife  is  made  is  not  only  difappointcd, 
'  but  injurioufly  dealt  withal.     But  in  Threatnings  it 

*  is>  quite  otherwife.  He  that  threatens  keeps  the 
'  Right  of  Punifhing  in  his  own  Hand,  and  is  not 

*  oblieed  to  execute  what  he  hath  threatned  any  fur- 

*  ther  than  the  Reafons  and  Ends  of  Government  do 

*  require:    And  he  may  without  Injury   to  the  Party 

*  threatned.  Remit  zn6.  Abate  as  much  as  hcpleafeth  of 

*  the  Punifliment  that  he  hath  threatned  :  And  becaufe 

*  in  fo  doing  he  is  not  M'orfe  but  Better  than  his  fVofd, 

*  Nobody  can  find   fault,  or  complain  of  any  Wrong 

*  or  Injuftice  thereby  done  to  him. 

*  Nor  is  this  any  Impeachment  of  God's  Truth  and 

*  Faithfulnefs,  any  more  than  is  efteem'd  amohg  Men 

*  a  piece  of  Falfhood  not  to  do  what  they  have  threat- 

*  ned.  God  did  abfolutely  threaten  the  Deftru£lion 
'  oi  Nineveh,  and  his  peevifli  Prophet  did  underftand  the 
<  Threatnings  to  be  abfolute,  and  was  very  angry  with 

*  God  for  employing  him  in  a  MeHage  that  was  not 

*  made  good.     But  God  underftaod  his  own  Right, 

*  and  did  what  he  pleafed,  notwithftanding  the  THreat- 
'■  ning  he  had   denounc'd ;   and  for  all   yonah  w^s  fo 

*  touch'd  in  Honour  that  he  had  r:\ther    himfelf  had 

*  died  than  that  Nineveh  fhould  not  have  been  deftroy- 

*  ed,  only  to  have  verified  his  Mefiage.' 

Alfo,  P.  lyg,  he  fays  :  —  '  Origot,   I  know  not  for 
'  what. good  reafon,   is  faid  to  be  of  Opinion,    That 

*  the 


The    P  R  E  F  A  C  E.         xxi 

*  the  Punlfhment  of  the  Devils  and  Wicked  Men,  af- 
'  ter  the  Day  of  Judgment,  will  continue  but  for  a 

*  Thoufand  Years  ;  and  that  after  that  time  they  fhall 
'  all  be  finally  Saved.  I  can  hardly  perfwade  myfelf 
'  that  fo  wife  and  learned  a  Man  as  Origen  was,  fhould 
'  be  pofitive  in  an  Opinion  for  which  there  can  be  no 
'  certain  Ground  in  Reafon,   efpecially  for  the  punc- 

*  tual  and  precife  Term  of  a  Thoufand  Years.     But 

*  upon  the  whol^  Matter,  however  it  be  ;  be  it  for  a 
'  Thoufand  Years,  or  be  it  for  a  longer  and  unknown 
'  Term,  or  be  it  for  ever,  which  is  plainly  threatned 
'  in  the  Gofpel  ;  I  fay,  however  it  be,  this  is  certain, 
*•  that  it  is  infinitely  wifer  to  take  care  to  avoid  it,  than 
•^  to  dilpute  it,  and  to  run  the  final  hazard  of  it.  Put 
'  it  which  way  we  will,  efpecially  if  we  put  it  at  the 

*  worft,  as  in  all  Prudence  we  ought  to  do,  it  is  by  all 

*  poffible  means  to  be  provided  againft.  So  terrible, 
'  fo  intolerable  is  the  Thought,  yea  the  very  leaft 
'  Stifpiciofi  of  being  miferable  for  ever  !' 

This  has  been  look'd  upon  as  fo  open  ah  Intimation 
in  this  great  Man,  that  on  this  Account  he  has  been 
written  againft,  in  Vindication  of  the  Eternity  of 
.  Hell-Torments. 

But  the  moft  full  and  pregnant  Teftimony  to  this 
Doctrine,  we  fhall  colledl,  and  that  pretty  largely,  frorn 
that  ingenious  Later  of  Refolution  concer7iing  the  Opinions 
of  Origen,  printed  Anno  1661,  known  among  the 
Learned  to  have  been  written  by  a  Bifhop  of  the  Church 
of  England^  famous  for  his  excellent  TrajSl:,  DeVeri- 
tats.     We  find  him  declaring,  P.  71. 

*  I  come  now  to  the  Father's  Fifth  Opinion,  which 

*  is  this  ;   That  -^ft/r  tongP^nods  of  Times  ih^  Damned 

'  '^"'  *  pmll 


5cxli  The    PREFACE. 

*  Jhall  be  Delivered  from  their  Torments,  and  try  their  For- 

*  tunes  again  infuch  Regions  of  the  If  or  Id  as  their  Nature 

*  andprefcnt  Difpnfitionfts  them  for. — There  are  in  fomc 
'  Mens  Minds  wonderful  high  Reaches  at  great  and 

*  unufual  ObjetSls.     That  DiTpofition  of  Soul  whence 

*  fuch  extraordinary  Offers  proceed,  you  may  not  im- 

*  properly  call,  the  Magmficcnce  of  the  Intclled,  which 
'  often  hath  fomething  of  Temerity  in  it  j  as  theMo- 

*  ral  Virtue  of  that  Name  not  feldom  hath  fome  Touch 

*  of  Ambition.  But  as  we  are  very  favourable  to  this, 
'  and  apt  to  pardon  its  fmaller  Extravagancies  for  the 
'  fake  of  thofe  high  Defigns  and  erninent  Works  to 
'  which  they  adhere  :  So  by  the  fame  Reafon  and  Juf- 
'  tice  ought  that  other  to  be  candidly  Sentenc'd  by  us, 

*  when  it  feems  to  flip,  becaufe  of  thofe  raifed  and 
'  important  Difcoveries  it  ma^ces,  where  it  lights 
'  right  and  happily  ;  efpecialjy  where  it  feems  to  have 

*  been  betray'd  by  a  forward  and  pious  Endeavour  of 

*  doing  Honour  to  God.  Which  is  Origen's  Cafe  here  ; 
'■  of  whom   his  grcateft  Adverfaries  cannot   in  reafon 

*  but  confefs,  that  the  Error  they  conceive  him  fallen 
'  into  in  this  Opinion,  proceeded  from  his  over  great 
'  Solicitude  of  rendering  the  Ways  of  Providence  Clear, 
'  and  Righteous,  and  Benign.     Yet  this,  as  ftrange  as 

*  it  looks,  has  its  Probabilities  too  as  well  as  the  for- 
"  mer.   For  helook'd  upon  God  as  making  all  Things 

*  for  their  Good  and  Benefit ;  with  this  gracious  De- 
'  fign,  that  they  might  be  Happy,  according  to  their 

*  Place  and  Order  in  the  infinite  Orb  of  Beings. 
And  afterwards,  P.  72,  we  read,  — • —  *  That  Eter- 

*  7ml  Mind,    therefore,   making   all  Things  out  of  a 

*  Principle  of  Infinite  Love,  and   for  the  Good   and 

*  Happinefs 


The    PREFACE.  xxlii 

*  Happinefs  of  the  Things  themfelves,  and  feeing  what 
'  he  had  made,  and  how  he  had  made  them,  and  what 
'  was  likely  to  be  the  Lot  of  fome  6f  them,  from  the 

*  Neccflary  Unperfedlnefs  of  their  Natures,   if   their 

*  future  Ill-hap  was  like  to  be  infinitely  more  fharp 

*  and  dolorous,   than  all  the  Good  they  fhould  enjoy 

*  from  him,  till  that  Calamity  befel  them,    grateful 

*  and  pleafant ;  his  great  Compaflion  certainly  would 
'  have  perfwaded  him  quickly  to  Annihilate  them  ;  or 
'  rather  his  Wifdom  would  have  judged  it  more  de- 
'  corous  never  to  have  made  them.     But  we  fee  fuch 

*  mutable  Creatures  made,  and  hear  nothing  of  their 
'  Annihilation  : — Therefore  we  may  be  aflured,  there 
.*  are  fuch  Referves  in   his  moft  Wife  and  Gracious 

*  Providence,    as  will  both  vindicate   his  Sovereigri 

*  Goodnefs  and  Wifdom  from  all  jufl:  Difparagement, 
'  and  take  fuch  Gourfe  with,  and  fp  difpofe  of  all  his 
^  Creatures,  as  they  (hall  never  be  but  in  fuch  a  Con- 

*  dition,    whichj  all  things  confider'd,  will  be  more 

*  eligible  than  never  to  have  been.' 

Again,   fpeaking  of  Hell  Torments,  he  adds  :  —  '  A 

*  fad   and    pityable  State,    and  Torture  infufferable ! 

*  But  no  doubt  as  Juft  as  Great.  Juft,  I  fay,  not  on- 
^  ly  according  to  the  Eftimation  of  Modern  Theology^ 

*  (which,  from  an  excefs  of  Complement  to  the  Juf- 
'  tice  of  God,    becomes  almoft  as  rude  and  trouble- 

*  fome  as  the  Afs  in  the  Fable^  who  did  not  fawn  up- 
'  on  but  Invade  his  Mafter  ;  and  which  tragically 
'  pronounces,   that  the  leaft  Peccadillo  highly  deferves 

*  the  greateft  Punifhment  conceivable  J )  but  alfo  in 

*  the  Compute  and  Judgment  of  that  All-righteous 
>  Mind,   which  judges   and  orders  all  things  by   the 

'  Living 


xxlv        The     PREFACE. 

*  Liv4ng  Law  of  Equity.       But  what,  though  it  be  (o 

*  Great  atid  Juft ; — Is  it  therefore    fo  dljfcreut   from 

*  the  Reajhn  of  all  other  Punifhments  inflicted  by  God 
'  or  Man,  that  there  is  nothing  in  it  of  that  End  for 

*  which  they  are  inflifted  ?       They  are  Curcuive  for 
<  the  Emendation  of  the  Party  fufFering  ;  but  this,  if 

*  it  be  Eternal    in  the  Scholaflic    Senfe  of  the  Word, 
*^  leaves  no  Place  for  the  bettering  of  the   Sufferers, 

*  who  arc  never  to  get  out  of  this  inexplicable  Laby- 
'  rinth  of  Woe  and  Mifery. 

*  Now  to  think  thefe  Miferable   Souls  are  fo  far 
^  a'mifs,  as  to  be  beyond  the  Power  of  all  Redrefs  and 

*  Reftitutiort,   is  to  fuppofe   God   made   fome  of  his 
*"C features  very  untowardly  ;  and  that  when  he  pro- 

*  -nounc'd  them  all  very  good,  he  look'd  only  upon 
'  their  Primitive  State  : — For,  certainly,  if  he  had  caft 

*  his    Eyes  to  all  poffible  Conditions  they  might  af- 

*  terwards  fail  into,  and  feen  this  Never-to-be-ended 
'*  'Doom  of  intolerable  Pain  and  Anguifh  of  Body  and 
'  Mind,  the  Infinite  Compaflionatenefs  of  his  bleffed 

*  Nature  would  'fcarcely  have  given  fo  chearful  an 
'  Approbation  to  the  Works  of  his  Hands.         •  But 

*  then,  to  think  they  are  not  beyond  the  Power  of  Re- 
■*  drefs  and  Recovery,  and  that  that  great  Punifhment 

'  they  fhall  undergo  in  the  End  of  this   World    may 

*  contribute  thereto,  and  yet  to  imagine  they  (hall,  for 

*  all  this  their  Dtfpojition^  be  ftill  kept  in  it  for  ever 
'  and  ever,   is  to  fix  fo  harfh  a  Note  upon  the  Mercy 

*  and  Equity  of  the  Righteous  Judge  of  all  the  World, 
''  that  the  fame  Temper  in  a  Man  we  fliould  Execrate 

'^!^  and  Abominate.' 
^   ;,,  And 


TJic    PREFACE. 


XXV 


-  And  that  the  Damned  are  in  a  Probability,  and  even 
In  a  Way  of  being  betterM  or  difpos'd  for  Grace,  this 
learned  Bijhop  proceeds  to  fhew  from  the  Father ^  viz. 

*  That  tho*  the  Divine  Life  is.  extifigni/bcd  iji  them,   their 

*  Reafon  and  Conjtderation  remains  ;  and  that  their  hrutijh 

*  Dejftres  being Jlaclied  hy  the  tormenting  Pains,  and  the  Ideas 
,  *  of  their  Joys  in  Sin  con  fumed  or  become  dlfgujlful  to  them, 

*  any  Offer  of  Rckafc  would  he  welcome  to  them.'  And 
then  he  adds  :  '  What  is  it  then  thatfhould  make  the 

*  Merciful  Governor  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  Hell 

*  too,  the  Compaflionate  Father  of  Spirits,  either  for- 

*  cibly  to  keep  off  and  prevent  this  Natural  Courfe  of 

*  Things,   or  which  is  worfs,    fuff\ir   thofe  Offers  or 

*  Preparations  v^^hich  it  induces  for  the  bettering  the 
'  prefent  Condition  of  fo  great  and  fo  confiderable  a 
'  part  of  his  Creation,   and  for  the  putting  of   them 

*  into  a  way  of  Return  to  what  he  at  firft  made  them, 
'  to  come  to  Nought  ?  r-'Sb  that  whitherfoever  we 

*  look,  whether  to  the  gracious  Providence  of  God,  or 

*  the  Neceffity  of  the  Nature  of  Things,  we  find  fomc 
<  probable  Hope,  that  tfie  Piinifliment  of  the  Damned, 

*  as  it  implies  the  Senfe  of  Pain,  fliall  not  be  Eternal 

*  in  the  higheft  Senfe  of  the  Word. But  whether 

*  their  Releafc  be  by  any  Change  wrought  in  the  Dif- 

*  ppfition  of  their  Spirits,  but  without  Death  j  orwhe- 

*  ther  by  an  Efcape,  as  it  were,  by  dying,  to  the  Body 

*  fo  tortur'd  :  There  is  no  doubt  to  be  made,  but  that 
'  both  ways  they  may  come  into  Play  again,   and  try 

*  their  Fortunes  once '  rrtore  in  fuch  Regions  of  the 

*  World  as  Providence  judges  fit  for  them.* 

And  towards  the  end  ofthe  Book,  P.  130,  We  have 
upon  this  Head,  fomething  further,  very  confiderable : 
viz.  '  A^ainft 


xxvi  The     PREFACE. 

*  Againfl:  the  Fifth  [fuppofed  Error  of  the  Father'^ 
'  Eplphamus    fays  not  a   Syllable;    I  think    he  does 

*  not  fo  much  as  barely  Name  it  ;  and  I  remember 
'  nothing  in  St  Jerome  about  it,  but  fuch  Admirations 
'  as  thefe — That  the  Devils Jhould Ifecome  Angth  again! 

*■  and  Judzs   a  Saint! — And  fince  he  has  been  pleafed 

*  to  fay  no  more;  Ifhall  not  fay  much,  butonly,What 
'  Difference  is  there  between  a  Devil  made  an  Angel, 
'  and  an  Angel  made  a  Devil  ?    I  am  fure  the  Advantage 

*  lies  on  the  Afcending  Part,   rather  than  on  the  De- 

*  fcending;    for  the  Mercy  and    Compaffion  of  God 

*  to  all  other  Works  of  his  Hands,  may  reafonably  be 

*  fuppofed  to  help  them   up,   tho'    undef^rving;    but 

*  there  is  nothing  in  his  moft  Righteous  Nature,  which 

*  would  caft  them  down  without  their  high  Demerit. 

*  But  if  St  Jerome  wondred  at  this  Reftitution,  as  cer- 

*  tain,  or  eafy,  or  of  ftiort  Difpatch,  tis  his  own  Mif- 

*  take  he  wonder'd  at,  not  Ori^e«'s  Opinion,  at  leaft 
«  in  the  two  laft  Particulars, 

'  What  Methodius  difputes  from  the  Nature  and 
'  Reafon  of  Punifhment,  againft  OrigerCs  making  the 
'  Terreftrial  Body  J^i(r{j.ov  kai  -riJ^A?^  \_the  Bond  or  Con- 
'  Jincment  of  the  Soul']    if  it  be  applied  to  the  final  Pu- 

*  nifhment  which  God  will  infli£l  upon  all  the  obdu- 
'  rately  wicked  in  the  end  of  this  World,  will  as  much 

*  confirm  this  Fifth  Opinion,  as  he  imagin'd  through 
<  Miftake  of  the  Father's  Doctrine,  and  a  pedantic  Ac- 
'  curacy  in  the  ufe  of  a  Word,  it  would  weaken  the 
«  Third  ;  and  fo  he  really  gives  the  Father  as  much 
«  with  one  Hand  as  he  but  thinks  he  takes  from  him 
'  with  the  other.     For  he  very  largely  difputes  in  his 

*  Socratical 


The    PREFACE.         xxvil 

'  Socratkal  way,   that  all  Punifliment  is  Curative,  and 

*  for  the  Emehdation  of  the  Sufi'ering  Party.' 

*  Some  there  are  that  think  thofe  Phrafes  of  orCp  a/* 

*  w  lo'.y  and  Ko\ao-i;  ciia>>iQ-i  [i.  e.  Everlajiinv  Fire,  and 

*  EvcrlaJIing  Punjjhment'\  and  the  like,  cannot  be  re- 
'  concil'd  with  Origcii^s  Opinion.  Butthefe  Objedtors 
'  feem  to  take  the  Word  iiuvt©-  [render'd  Everlajiingi 

*  from  Scholaftic  Definitions,    rather   than  from    the 

*  True  and  Lawful  Mafters  of  Language,  or  the  Au- 
'  thentic  Rule  of  its  Popular  Ufe.     For  'tis  notorioufly 

*  known,  that  the  Jeivs^  whether  writing  in  Hehreio 
'  or  Greek,  do  by  Gnolam  and  */fcV  mean  any  remarka- 
'  ble  Period  of  Duration,   whether  it  be  of  Life,   or 

*  Difpenfation,  or  Polity.     Any  of  which  Periods,  if 

*  plainly  computable  by  a  known  Time,  they  do  then 

*  define   it  by  a  fet  Number  of  Years ;    but  others 

*  which  are  not  fo  known,  they  fimply  exprefs  by  Gno" 

*  lam,  and  ct/sJc,  leaving  the  Length  of  them  to  be  de- 

*  termined   according  to  the  fubjedt  Matter;  which, 

*  where  it  is  fuch  as  comprehends  more  than  a  fingle 

*  determinable  a,iuv,   they  exprefs  it  in  Hebrew  by  the 

*  Phrafe  of  Lagnolam  vagueJ,  in  Greek   by  ^irhvdiavA 

*  -AAt  in  or  eij  TaV  dtfuvcti,  and  «?  di^vAiTuv  attuvcov'  But 

*  by  none  of  thefe  do  they  mean  a  Scholajllc  Eternity  ; 

*  unlefs  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  then  exprefled  re- 

*  quire  fuch  interminable  Duration.     And  hence  the 

*  Period  of  this  World   is  call'd    aio^v  Zto^,  when  yet 

*  there  is  another  to  fucceed,   «fc/«jV  Iva^iv^j  •     And  as 

*  thefe  tlnvii  differ,  fo  would  alfo  the  meaning  o(  did- 

*  vi@-  be  different   according  as  it   was  applied  to  the 

*  one  or  the  other  of  them.       And   fo  in  the  Plural, 

*  Chriflr  is   faid  to  Appear  and  Suffer,   4t/  (TvyTi\iU 


;ixviil        The     PREFACE.. 

*  7^v  hk,mv,   when  yet  the  longefl:  */&>  qF  ^H  y^as  ngt 

*  then  come.     And  He  of  whom  it  is  faid^  Th^  Throne 

*  0  God  n,  \ii  Tov  «'«5';'«t  tb  iliZvQr  \_for  ever  end  ev^r'\  yet 

*  to  deliver  up  the  Kingdom  to  God  the  Father^    and  to  be 

*  Subjeci  himfclf  to  him,  %vho  did  Suhje£l  all  things  to  him. 

*  So  that  here  is  plainly  an  End  of  that  Reign  which 

*  is  faid  to  be  for  Ever  and  Ever.     Aod  as  «tV  eltuvjQ- 

*  does  not  in  Scripture  fignify  /r6»z  all  Eternity,  in  the 

*  Senfe  of  the  Schools,   fo  by  the  farne  Reafon    ought 

*  not  i]i  eliut'ct  to  fignify  to  all  Eternity,  in  the  fame  No- 

*  tion  :  And  is  not  In  dicova.,  and  diccviov,  all  one? 
'  Every  Lexicographer  and  Expofitor  will  furnifh  you 

*  with  Authorities   enough    to  confirm  what  I  haye 

*  faid  :  And  I  leave  you  to  judge,  whether  thewhoje 

*  SubjecSt  Matter  in  this  Periodical  Doom,    the  Nature 

*  of  that  Fire  and  its  Fuel,  the  Power  of  a  Spirit  in- 
'  corporate,  be  not  fuch  as  will  inforce  us  to  m^l^e  it 
'y7;o?-fi'r  than  'fome  Men  do;    who   having   got  eafy 

*  Ways  of  afTuring  themfelves  it  fhall  not   be  their 

*  Portion,  do  as  little  pity  thofe  Calamitous  Souls 
'  whofe  Lot  it  may  be,    as  they    darkly  fancy    God 

*  himfelf  does.  But  though  we  from  thp  Reafpn  of 
'  Things    and  Right  Ufe  of  the  Words,   do  make  it 

*  (horter  than  they  do  ;  yet  according  to  our  Hypothe- 
'  Jis,  the  whole  Punifliment  of  Pain  and  Death   will 

*  neceflarilybe  folong,  as  mayjuftly  be  call'd  cciaviQ-, 
'  in  a  very  high  Senfe  of  the  Wor^- 

'  But  i/ out  of  filial   Refpe<Sl    to  the  Authority  of 
'  our  Dear  Mother  the  Church  of  Eyigland,  you  are  yet 

*  fomething  backward  to  give  aflent  to  the  Probabili- 
'  ty  o?  Origen's  Dodlrine,  Lwould  have  you  firft  to 
'  confider,  that  all  thofe Jthat  Write  and  Preach  in  thi«^ 

'  Nation, 


The   P  R  E  t-  A  t  E.  x^ls: 

*  Natian,  are  not  her  SonSi,  ndftiorethan  they  of'(?^- 

*  het'a,  Scotland,  or  NAo^'Engidftd  arc.     Secnndly,   1 

*  Would  fain  know  Why  She,  who  in  her  xxxix  Ar- 

*  tides  does  fo  punctually  follow  the  Articles   agreed 

*  upon  in  King  Edward's  Days,   or  with  little  Varia- 

*  don,  fliduld  wholly  o;ft/V  that  Article  which  condemns 
'  the  Refiorers  of  this  Opinion^   if  fhe  had  thought  it 

*  ought  to  have  been  condemn'd.'  — • —  Thus  far  this 
excellent  and  ingenious  Author. 

This  Doctrine  has  been  cultivated  by  fcveral  others  : 
as,  Sadler,  in  his  O/Z'/t? ;  Peter  Sterry,  Author 
of  77j<?  Freedom  of  the  [fl/l;  the  Author  of  the  Emchian 
PFalks  imtb  GOD,  and  The  Revelation  of  the  Everlafilng 
Gofpel  Mcjfage,  to  which  an  excellent  Preface  is  pre- 
fixed, running  very  deep  into  the  Rationale  of  it ;  as 
alfo  by  a  Scotch  Gentleman,  Author  of  the  Caballjllcal 
Epiftle,  printed  in  the  Theofophical  Tranfaciions,  No,  5, 
where  he  brings  in  the  Teftimonies  of  the  Jewr/Jj  Rab- 
bis confpiring  alfo  to  the  Truth  of  this  great  Point, 
with  feveral  others.  But  I  muft  contain  myfelf ;  and 
hope  what  is  advanced  may  be  fufficient  to  fhow,  that 
this  Opinion  is  not  fo  ftrangeand  unufual,  nor  counted 
fo  abfurd  a  Tenet  by  the  Pious  and  Learned,  both  of 
elder  and  later  Times,  as  it  is  by  the  generality  ima- 
gined to  be. 

And  it  may  be  further  hoped,  that  feeing  upon  Ex- 
amination there  appears  fo  good  Ground  in  Scripture, 
fo  great  Strength  in  Reafon,  and  fuch  a  Cloud  of 
Witneffes  to  the  Truth  of  this  Dodlrine,  the  Defign 
and  Endeavours  of  the  Editor  of  this  Work  may  yet 

meet 


XXX  The    P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

meet  with  a  more  favourable  Reception,  as  in  a  Time 
when  the  broken  State  of  the  Church  obliges  all  to  be 
looking  towards  the  firft  Foundation  of  it  j  and  the  Re- 
vival of  Jpojlolical  Truths  as  well  as  Pra£iicCy  is  fo 
highly  needful. 

'  And  Lajlly,  If  there  be  any  thing  flipt  in  the  Editiort 
that  maybe  complained  of,  he  hopes  it  will  be  candid- 
ly cenfur'd,  not  having  enjoy'd  his  Health  for  fome 
time,  during  the  Attendance  upon  the  Prefs  ;  fo  that 
it  has  necefl'arily  been  fubjeft  to  various  Interruptions, 
and  alfo  Changes  from  one  Hand  to  another  ;  And  fo 
I  fhall  no  longer  detain  the  Reader  from  the  Body  of 
the  Work  itfelf ;  wifhing  him  the  Satisfadion  and 
Benefit  that  it  defigns,  and  is  alfo  capable  of  giving 
Him. 


End  of  the  Original  Preface. 


^ 


(      xxxi      ) 

^►^>>4<-^^-»^-5o,  ^>H«-5o»  4>^*^^-*^5o>  ^"^^^ 

P    R     E     F     A    G     E 

T      O 

THE   PRESENT    EDITION. 


^^^¥  H  E  Firft  Edition  of  this  Work  was  Printed 
^  'p  ?^  for  Ciife  znd  Jackfon,  at  the  Three  Crowns 
w^^w  in  the  Poultry,  17 12.  Another  Edition  was 
Printed  foirj.  PFoodward,  in  Scalding- Alley 
near  Stocks-Market,  and  J.  Morphcvo  near  Stationer's- 
Hall,  to  which  no  Date  was  prefixed  :  The  prefent  is 
printed  from  that  of  1712. — The  Writer  of  the  pre- 
ceding Preface  (for  fome  particular  Reafbn)  thought 
proper,  at  the  publifliing  the  Book,  to  conceal  the 
Name  of  the  Author. 

Neither  in  Bajlc^s  nor  in  the  Biographical  Dictiona-* 
ry,  is  there  any  mention  made  of  Jeremiah  White; 
— the  principal  Particulars  I  have  read  concerning 
.him,  are  to  be  found  in  Dr.  Calamy\  Account  ofEjeHed 
JUiniJiers,  printed  in  17 13.     Page  5,  he  fays, 

*  Mr.  Jeremiah  White,  M.  A,  was  Fellow  of 

*  Trinity    Colledge    in   Cambridge,    and    afterwards 

*  Preacher  to  the    Council  of  State,    and  Houfhold- 
'  Chaplain  to  Oliver  CromweiL     He  lived  privately  af- 

*  ter  the  Reftoration,  preaching  occafionally,  without 

*  ever  undertaking  any  Paftoral  Charge.     His  Con- 

c  verfatlon 


xxxii       The  Editor'^  PREFACE. 

*  verfation  was  very  facetious,  and   much  valued   by 

*  fome  Perfons  of  rank  and  figure  :     He  died,    Anno 

*  lyoy,  -^t,  78.  —  I  know  not  of  any  thing  of  his 

*  writing  being  printed  in  his  Life-time,  befidesaFu- 

*  neral    Sermon    for  Mr.  Francis  Fuller,  and  fince  his 

*  Death,  a  Treatife  of  his  has  been  publilhed  ia  Oc- 

*  tavo,  entitled,    J  Pcrfuajive  to  Afodcration  and  For- 
'  hearancehiLove,  among  the  Divided  Forms  of  Chrijlians, 

*  in  which  more  of  his  Works  are  promifed.' 

In  Dr.  Calamy'S  I  ft  Volume  of   the  Continuation, 
Page  85,  is  as  follows  : 

*  Mr.  Jeremiah  White,  had  with  a  great  deal  of 

*  Pains  and  Charge  made  aColleftionof  the  Sufferings 

*  of  the  DifTenters  by  the  Penal  Laws,  after  the  Refto- 

*  ration,  in  1660,  which  contain'd  an  account  of  the 
'  Ruin  of  many  Thoufand  Families  In  the  feveral  parts 

*  of  the  Kingdom,  by  the  Severities  of  thofe  Times; 

*  when  King  James  the   Second  came  to  the  Crt)wn 

*  and  gave  the  Diflenters  Liberty,   he  was  very  much 

*  importuned  by  feveral  to  print  this  Account.    Some 
'  Agents  of  King  James   were  with  him,  and    made 

*  him  very  confiderable  Offers  if  he  would  publifti  it ; 

*  but  as  CircumfVances  then  flood,   he  was  not  to  be 
'  prevailed  upon,    for  fear  of  ftrengthening  the  Popifh 

*  Intereft,  which  I  mention  in  Honour  to  his  Memory. 
'  A  Book  of  his  has  been  publifhed  fince  his  Death, 

*  intitled,  The  Refioration  of  all  Things  ;    or  a  Vindication 

*  of  the  Goodncfs  and  Grace  ofGody  to  be  mantfcjicd  at  lajl 

*  in  the  Recovery  of  his-'u.'hole  Creation  out  of  their  Fa//y 

*  Otftavo,  iyi2  ;  But  this  is  perfect  Origcntfm,  which 
. '  is  too  unfcriptural,  too  vcnturcfprne  an  Hypothefis, 


The  EditorV  preface.      xxxiii 

•  to  be  depended  on  with  Safety.' — So  far  Dr.  Calamy's 
*■  Account. 

But  there  was  a  Book  in  Quarto,  printed  1683,  en- 
titled. The  Rift:-)  Race^  and  Royalty  of  the  Kingdom  of  God 
in  the  Soul^  by  Peter  Sterry  ;  to  which  a  moft  ex- 
cellent Preface  was  wrote  by  Jeremiah  White. 

The  Author  of  the  preceding  Preface  having  infert- 
ed  fome  Quotations,  both  ancient  and  modern,  in  lup- 
port  of  the  Dcflrine  of  the  Rc/Iorr.ilon,  I  fhall  take  the 
Liberty  to  mention  a  few  other  Authors,  who  have 
written  upon  the  fame  Subjeil. 

Anno  1658,  a  fmall  Book,  entitled.  Of  the  Torments 
ef  Hell,  the  Foundation  Jhaken  and  removed',  with  many 
infallible  Proofs  that  there  is  not  to  be  a  Pimifhment  that 
Jhall  never  end :  Page  180,   the  Author  writes, — 

'  Such  Torments,  of  fuch  Continuance,  in  theleaft 

*  agree  not  to  the  gracious  Mind  and  merciful  Heart 

*  of  a  Saint — he  dellres  not  any  Man  or  Creature  to 
'  t>e  in  fuch  Torment  an  hour  j  therefore  it  doth  in  no 

*  Way  agree  to  the  Mind  of  God.  We  find,  the  more 
*■  the  Lord  manifefts  himfelf  in  any,  the  more  their 
'  Minds  and  Spirits  are  humbled,  the  more  loving  and 

*  merciful  they  are,  even  to  their  Enemies,  and  can  do 
'  them  Good  for  Evil.  Chrift  is  full  of  Love  and 
'  Mercy  to  the  worft  Men  :  It  was  truly  faid  of  Chrift, 
<  that  He  %vas  a  Friend  of  Public  ayis  and  Sinners.'- 

In  a  Quarto  Book,    printed  Anno  1653,   intitled. 
Cod's  Light  declared  in  Afyjeries,  Page  12,    he  fays, — 

*  Now,  what  is  Hell,  or  Darknefs  ?    'Tis  a  Separation 

*  from  an  Enjoyment  that  it  was  capable  of;  That  i^ 

c  2  •       iiell^ 


xxxlv      The  Editor'j  PREFACE. 

*  Hcll^  and  Devil,  and  Zwr,  and  Falfc  Prophet :    They 

*  fhall  not  come  forth  till  they  have  paid  the  utmoft 
*"  Farthing,  then  Ihall  they  receive  Mercy.  For  know, 
'  that  God  is  Good,  and  Jufl,  and  Merciful,  and  he 

*  will  not  punifh  a  Finite  Thing  Infinitely. 

Richard  CoppiN,  in  his  Boole  call'd  Trull/ sTcfii- 
many,  printed  1655,  fays,  '  God  hath  declared  in  Scrip- 
'  ture,  both  by  the  Mouths  of  his  Prophets  and  Apof- 
'  ties,  the  Salvation  of  all  Men  without    Refpcft  of 

*  Perfons,  i  Tim.  ii.4,  5,6.  He  will  have  all  Men  to 
'  befaved,  and  to  come  to  the  Knowledge  of  the  Truth  :  For 

*  there  is  One  God,   and  0ns  Afedlatcr  between  God  and 

*  A/an,  the  Man  Chrifl  Jefus  j  f'P'ho  gave  himfelf  a  Ran- 
^  fomfor  all,  to  be  teftified  in  due  time.  Then  may  we 
«  fay,  Lord,  Who  hath  rcjlftcd thy  Will?  Let  thy  Will  be 
'  done  !  Paul  fays.  That  as  by  one  Man  Death  came  to 
'  all,  fo  by  one  Life  and  Salvation  to  all ;  Elfe  ChriJI  were 
'  not  fufficient  to  fave  All  that  Jdam  loft.' 

William  Erbury,  Minifter  in  South  Wales,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Committee  in  Oliver  Cromwcirs  time, 
at  a  Salary  of  lool.  per  Annum,  preached  publickly 
the  Reftoration  of  all  Men,  and  is  charged  by  Mr.  Ed- 
wards, m  his  Gangrena,  P.  109,  with  holding  many 
grofs  Errors,  one  of  which  was  that  of  Univerfal  Re- 
demption, This  Erbury,  altho'  he  had  nothing  to  de- 
pend on  for  the  Support  of  himfelf  and  Family  but  his 
Salary,  was  obliged  to  throw  it  up,  his  Confciencc  ac- 
cufing  him  of  preaching  for  Hire  :  He  publiflied  a 
Trcatife  on  that  Account,  called,  The  Terror  offythes, 
alluding  to  the  Anxiety  of  his  Mind  whilft  he  received 
them. 

The 


The  Editor'j  preface.       xxxv 

The  late  Dr.  Cheyne  held  this  World  to  be  a  State 
of  Punifhment,  and  in  his  Difcourfes,  P.  27,  fays,  r— 

*  Some  Individuals  may  be  delivered  fooner,  fome  later, 

*  according  as  their  Expiation  and  Purification  is  per- 

*  fefted  ;  and  at  laft,  the  whole  Syftem  and  all  its  In- 
^  habitants,  muft  naturally  and  neceflarily,  but  harmo- 
'  nioufly  or  analogically,  and  according  to  general 
'  Laws,  undergo  fome  great  and  violent  Crife,  and  an 
'  univerfal  Gaol  Delivery  will  be  brought  about,  but 
'  when  and  how  this  will  be  accomplifhedj  is  beyond 
^  Conjedlure.' 

Dr  Thomas  Burnet,  Mafterof  the  Charter -Houfcy 
and  Author  of  a  Book  entitled,  The  'Theory  of  the  Earthy 
left  a  Treatife  in  Latin,  that  was  not  printed  in  Eng- 
lifti  before  his  Death,  entitled,  7he  State  of  departed  Souh-y 
Page  343,  he  fays, — '  The  Soul  flies  from  the  Thought 
'  and  abhors  the  Remembrance  of  everlafting  Mifery  : 

*  and  feveral  things  have  occurred  to  me,  while  I  have 
'  been  thinking  on  this  Subjedl,  by  which  I  am  fenli- 

*  ble  that  others  have  been  perfuaded,  as  well  as  my- 
'  felf.     That  God  neither  will   or    can    endure   the 

*  perpetual  Affliction  and  Torment  of  his  own  Crea-r ' 
'  tures.' —  P.  344.    <  That  God  (hould  condemn  his 
'  own  Creatures  to  a  State  of  Eternal  Mifery,    and 
'  fhould  retain  them  in  that  State,  feemsto  be  repug- 

*  nant  both  to  Divine  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs,   and  I 

*  may  add  likewife,  to  Jufl;ice.' 

The  2-d  Volume  of  The  World  Unma/k'd,  or  The  Phi- 
lofopher  the  greatejl  Cheat ^  tranflated  from  t\iQ  French,  is  a 
Series  of  Letters,  proving  from  Scripture  and  Reafon 
the  Reftoration  of  all  Men, 

The 


xxxvl       The  Editor'j  PREFACE. 

The  late  Rev.  William  Law,  fo  well  known  by 
many  pious  Divines,  in  his  Letters,  ift  Edit.  Odavo, 
•printed  in  1766,  fays,  Page  175,  _  '  As  for  the  Puri- 
'  fication  of  all  Human  Nature,  either  in  this  World 
*  or  fome  after  Ages,  I  fully  believe  it.' 

I  beg  leave  particularly  to  addrefs  myfelf  to  thofe 
Readers,  who  believe  in  God's  revealing  himfelf  to  his 
Creatures  woiv,  as  well  as  heretofore,  and  that  do  not 
agree  to  that  generally  adopted  Theory,  that  "  Revela- 
tion iscedfcd-"  To  fuch  I  will  quote  a  PafTage  from 
Mr.  Marsay,  2i  German-,  a  fmall  part  of  his  Works 
has  been  tranflated  into  Englijh,  and  printed  in  Scot- 
land, 1749,  and  is  intitled,  Difcourfes  on  SubjcBs  re- 
lating to  a  Spiritual  Life.  Page  165,  fpeaking  of  the 
Rejioration,  he  fays  :  —  '  Efait  and  Pharaoh  fhall  not  be 
"  excluded  from  this  A<£1  of  Grace,  Glory  be  to  God 
^  in  the  Higheft  !  For  all  the  Kingdoms  of  the  Earth, 
'  even  unto  the  moft  unfathomable  Depths,    (hall   be 

•  fubjedled  unto  our  God,  and  to  his  Chrift :     Thou 

♦  wilt  bring  back  all  into  thy  Sheep-fold,  there  fliall 

*  not  one  be  wanting.* 

Mr  Marsay,  in  different  Parts  of  his  Works,  fpeaks 
of  his  having  feveral  Revelations  made  to  him  of  Spiri- 
tual Tbings,  and  in  particular  mentions.  That  he  was 
under  a  Neceflity  to  affert  the  Univerfal  Rejioration  of  All 
things.  In  his  Comme?it  on  the  Revelations y  2  vols.  i2mo, 
in  French,  he  has  inferted  many  wonderful  and  extra- 
ordinary Things,  which  he  fays  were  manifefted  to 
him  by  Revelation.  The  firft  Treatife  that  was  prin- 
ted of  his,  was  not  wrote  till  the  Year  1735.  The 
Jate  Count  Zinzindorf  was  with  him  fome  time  where 


The  Editor^j  PREFACE,     xxxvli 

refided  :   and   'tis  but  a  few  Years  fince  Mx.  Mar  fay 

^ied. •  There  are  many  other  Authors  befides  the 

above,  who  have  wrote  on  the  Rejloration  of  all  Afcn  ; 
and  o-reat  numbers  of  Proteftants,  have  and  do  hold  the 
Dodlrine  of  a  Middle  State.  [See  Campbell's  Do^rifie 
efa  Middle  State,  Folio,  printed  Anno,  I721. 

I  doubt  not,  but  the  late  reverend  and  pious  Mr. 
Hervey,  was  he  alive,  and  charged  with  holding  the 
Doctrine  of  a  Middle  State,  would  be  ready  to  oppofe  it, 
left  it  (hould  have  any  the  leaft  Tendency  towards  the 
Romijh  Do£lrine  o{ Purgatory,  or  a  State  of  Purification, 
Yet,  Mr.  Hervey,  in  his  Letters,  vol.  2.  Page  240, 
fpeaking  of  Souls  departed,  fays,  —  '•  They  rejoice  in 

*  the  Profpeft,  the  Affiiring  and  Refrefhing  Profpedl 

*  of  4"eceivingall  the  Fulnefs  of  their  everlafting  Feli- 

*  city.     I  faid  Fulnefs ;  for  though  the  Felicity  of  the 

*  Soul  is  great,  yet  it  will  not  be  compleat  till  theBo- 

*  dy  is  re-united  unto  it.'  —  If  Mr.  Hervey's  Words 
are  true,  it  certainly  muft  be  allowed  they  are  placed  in 
Vi  Middle  State,  beyond  this  mortal  Wofld,  but  not  ar- 
rived to  fulnefs  of  Blifs.  Now  what  I  would  defire 
is  this.  That  thofe  Chriftians  that  have  fo  great  an  A- 
verfion  to  the  Word  Purgatory  would  only  change  It  to 
Purification,  and  admit  it  poffi^le  that  a  Soul  in  that 
middle  State  may,  for  ought  we  know,  have  a  Growth 
in  the  Spiritual  Life,  as  well  there  as  in  this  World, 
if  not  more  fo,  if  they  are  better  acquainted  with  the 
Certainty  of  Rewards  and  Punifhments  than  in  this 
Life.  It  is  certain,  the  Doftrine  of  Purgatory  as  held 
by  the  Romijh  Church  ought  j  uftly  to  be  exploded,  efpe- 
cially  that  part  of  it  by  which  they  reap  a  temporal 

Profit 


jfxxviii      The  Editor*j  PREFACE. 

Profit  from  the  Gifts  they  receive  for  praying  Souls  out 
of  it.  But  on  the  other  hand  it  is  alfo  certain,  that 
Praying  for  the  Dead  was  the  conftant  Pradice  of  the 
Church  for  many  Ages,  it  was  allowed  and  pradifed 
by  our  Firft  Reformers,  and  has  been  approved  of  by 
many  fmcere  Protcftants. 

As  to  thofe  that  aflcrt^  "  That  this  IVorld  is  the  only 
Fiacc  of  Probation^*  they  afiert  more  than  they  know, 
and  if  they  are  really  fincere  and  pious  Chriftians,  more 
than  they  ought ;  for,  as  every  real  Chriftian  allows 
thelnfpiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  as  fome  Chrif- 
tians  have  faid,  that  they  from  that  Spirit  aflcrt  the 
Rejioration,  thofe  that  oppofe  it  fo  ftrenuoufly,  might 
do  well  to  confider,  whether  or  not  it  is  not  poflible  for 
another  Perfon's  Spiritual  Knowledge  to  exceed  their's; 
and,  if  fo,  whether  the  AfTertion  may  not  be  a  Truth, 
altho'  not  apparent  to  them  ?  God  is  faicj  in  Scrip- 
ture to  be  no  RcfpeSJcr  cf  Perfons,  and  with  regard  to 
his  Almightinefs  need  be  no  Refpe6ler  of  Places :  And 
\i  Adam  could  'be  tempted  in  Paradife,  which  as  they 
tell  us,  was  a  place  of  Blifs  and  Excellency,  Why 
fhould  the  State  of  Souls  be  fixed  in  Futurity,  any 
more  than  it  was  in  Paradife  or  on  this  Earth  ?  We 
find,  in  Luke,  xviii.  27,  when  the  People  faid  to  Jesus 
Christ,  Who  then  can  be  faved  ?  Chrift  anfwered. 
The  Things  which  arc  impojjlbkwith  Men  are  pojjlble  with 
God.  If  we  believe  Chrift  really  fpoke  thofe  Words, 
Why  fliould  any  Man  fo  violently  oppofe  this  Doc- 
trine ; — more  cfpecially,  as  the  Scriptures  fo  often  tell 
us,  and  all  Men  naturally  agree  to  it,  that  GOD  is 
Love  J  that  Fury  is  not  in  Plun ;    that  His  tender  Afercies 

are 


The  Editor'A^REFACE. 


XXXIX 


<(re  over  oil  his  JVorhs.  ;  that  He  keepeth  not  his  j^n^cr for- 
ever ?  Yet,  In  diredl  Oppofition  to  thefe  gracious 
Characters  of  the  Ahiiighty,  the  DoiSlrine  o^  Eternal 
Damnation  aflerts  the  contrary.  I  would  afk.  Can  that 
Power  be  Merciful,  that  dooms  a  Creature  to  Eternal 
Mifery  ?  Can  it  be  faid,  He  keepeth  not  his  j^nger  forever^ 
whilft  any  Souls  are  continually  to  feel  it  ?  Can  his 
tender  Mercies  be  felt  by  thofe  that  are  condemn'd  to 
feel  for  ever  and  ever  the  utmoft  Pain  and  Torment  ? 
No,  certainly  it  cannot.  There  are  many  Thoufands 
would  gladly  embrace  the  Do6lrine  of  the  Rejioration, 
did  they  not  read  in  Scripture  that  of  Everlajling  Pii~ 
tnjhment  ;  altho'  it  is  allowed  by  all  the  Lfarned  in  the 
Languages,  that  the  Word  tranflated  Everlajling^  is  not 
fo,  but  only  j^ges.  How  long  or  fhort  a  time  thofe 
Ages  laft,  is  known  to  God  only.  And  here  T  cannot 
but  think  the  Words  of  Mr.  Pope,  in  his  Univerfal 
Prayer,  worthy  the  moft  cordial  Reception  : 

'*  Let  not  this  weak  and  erring  Hand 

'*  Prefume  thy  Bolts  to  throw, 
"  And  deal  Damnation  round  the  Land 

"  On  each  I  judge  thy  Foe. 

*'  If  I  am  right,  thy  Grace  impart 

*'  Still  in  the  right  to  ftay  ; 
"  If  I  am  wrong,   O  teach  my  Heart 

"  To  find  that  better  Way." 

Would  Men  but  reflecl  a  little  on  the  above  excellent 
Lines,  they  would  not  be  fo  hafty  in  their  Judgments. 

The  Rev.  Mr.   Richard  Clarke,   in.aBookof 
his,  publifhed  in  1763,  intitled,  A  Foice  of  glad  Tidings 

d  to 


xl  The  EDiTOR'i  PREFACE. 

to  y civs  and  Gent iksy  Page  134,  fays, *  Whatever 

*  tliofe  fpurious  Sainls  may  think,  who  write  their  own 
'  Names  in  the   Book  of  Life,  with  a  Creed  in  their 

*  Mouths  ever  babling  forth  its  Blafphcmies  and  Lies 

*  againft  God    and  his   Chrift,   They  indeed  make  it 

*  one  of  the  highefl:  Joys  in  Heaven,  to  viev/  the  Mi- 
'  feries,  and  to   hear   the  deep  Groans    and    dreadful 

*  Shrieks  of  the  Damned  in  the  never-endini-  Tor- 
'  ments  of  Hell  Fire.     It  is  of  no  Moment  v.-hcthcr 

*  they  are  their  Parents  or  Children  in  this  horrible  Si- 

*  tuation,    which  would  reverfe    Heaven  itfelf  to  any 

*  but  thcmfelves.     They  write  upon  this  Ground  with 

*  that  Abundance  out  of  which  the  Heart  fpeaketli, 
'   fo  rejoiced  do  they  feem  in  the  diftant  Idea  of  being 

*  Spectators  of  eternal  Wrath  and  Vengeance,  that  it 

*  would  darken  their  Joys  to  be  told,  that  the  Firft  in 
'  Salvation  are  to  be  kind  MiniHers  and  Inflruments  of 
'  faving  others  who  are  loft;  under  the  Lord,  the  Eldeft 

*  of  the  Elders,  who  according  to  the  royal  Law  ap- 
'  pointed  for  Princes,  (and  they  are  alfo  Kings  in  tha 
'  Heavenly  Worlds)  muft  be  Servants  to  the  later 
'  born,  though  thofe  arc  punifhed  for  a  while,  and  are 

*  under  a  very  juft  Rod  and  Chaftifement  for  their  wil- 
'  ful  Obftinacy  and  ftiff  Neck  in   Sin  and  Difobecji- 

*  once.' 

I  hope  the  candid  Reader  will  not  be  offended  at  the 
Paffages  here  quoted  from  thefe  Authors.  I  could  eafi- 
ly  have  enlarged  the  Number  of  them,  but  I  think  thefe 
are  fufficient  to  fliew,  that  Eternal  Damnation  Is  not  an 
Article  of  Faith  with  all  Men.  And  indeed  if  thofe 
that  oppofc  the  Dodtrine  of  Rcfioration  will  allow,  that 

GOD 


The  Editor^  PREFACE.  xll 

GOD  can  favc  all  Alankind^  If  he  -will^  I  am  at  a  lofs  to 
know  how  they  can  make  Damnation  an  Article  of 
Faith  at  all,  unlefs  they  attribute  the  fame  or  worfe 
Paflions  to  God  than  Man.  I  know  many  fay,  <'  The 
Glory  of  God  requires  it  ;"  but  I  am  led  to  think, 
that  God  can  neither  be  glorified  nor  debafedby  all  the 
Actions  of  Men.  Man  may  receive  from  God,  but 
cannot  give  to  him  :  Again  as  Mr.  Pope  well  expref- 
ies  it; 

"  What  Blefungs  thy  free  Bounty  gives 

*'  Let  me  not  caft  away  ; 
*'  For.  (jod   is  paid  u'hen  Man  receives  : — 

*'  To  Enjoy  is  to  Obey." 

,  I  beg  the  Reader's  Pardon  for  detaining  him  fo  long  ; 
but  knowing  many  People  are  unacquainted,  that  this 
Do61:rine  of  the  Rejloration  is  believed  in  and  efpoufed 
by  fuch  a  Variety  of  Authors,  and  at  fo  many  different 
Periods  of  Time,  v/as  the  Reafon,-  why  I  added  ano- 
ther Preface  to  this  Edition.  I  know  I  fhall  be  con- 
demned by  thofe  that  oppofe  the  Rejloration,  and  cen- 
fured  by  many  others  that  do  believe  in  it.  The  Firft 
will  call  it  "a  Damnable  Doctrine  ;"  the  others  will 
fay,  that "  Publifhingof  it,  opens  a  Door  to  all  manner 
of  Liccntloufncfs ;  for  if  they  are  fure  they  fhall  go  to 

Heaven,   it  is  no  matter  how  they  live  !" Of  the 

firft,  I  would  only  defire,  whenever  they  go  about  to 
condemn  me,  That  they  wouldbear  in  Mind  the  Words 
of  Chrift,  I  JUDGE  NO  MAN  : — If  they  regard  This,  I 
am  ^■a!:z  they  will-  not  proceed  to  Condemnation.  As 
fqr  the  lail,  I  would  beg  of  them  to  look  around,  and 
fee  if  the  Do6lrine  of  Eternal  Damnation  has  that  Ef- 
fect, to  make  Mankijid  a6l  as  if  they  believed  it  True  : 

Let 


xlii         The  Editor'j  PREFACE. 

Let  them  only  confider  the  general  Actions  of  Men, 
from  the  Prince  to  the  Peafant, — how  Pride,  Avarice, 
and  Cruelty,  is  the  Spring  of  almoft  all  their  Adions  ; 
and  then  let  them  fay  if  they  can.  They  really  think 
thofe  People  adling  in  that  Manner  do  believe  even  a 
Future  State  !  Sorry  I  am  to  fay  it,  but  I  have  obfer- 
ved  in  general,  amongft  thofe  that  make  little  or  no 
ProfeHion  of  Religion,  more  AHFability,  Generofity, 
and  Humanity  than  in  the  others.  If  this  is  really 
the  Cafe,  What  Harm  can  proceed  from  adopting  the 
Belief  of  a  General  Rcjloration,  when  all  thofe  that  do 
believe  it  unanimoufly  agree,  that  in  Proportion  to  the 
Wickednefs  of  their  Lives  will  be  their  Punifliment 
both  as  to  Pain  and  Duration?  For  myfelf  I  can  on- 
ly fay,  that  as  I  do  believe  God  has  the  Power  to  re- 
ftore  all  Mankind  from  their  Fallen  State  to  a  State  of 
Happinefs,  I  cannot  avoid  believing  he  has  the  Will 
(if  I  may  dare  to  fay  J  fill,  when  I  mention  God)  to 
do  it  j  and  that  in  God  is  neither  Anger,  Refentmcnt, 
or  any  of  thofe  Paffions  attributed  by  Man  to  Him. 
I  allow,  Man,  by  his  evil  Ways  may  bring  on  himfelf 
thofe  Racks  and  Pains  that  he  calls  Anger  from  God, 
but  furely  it  is  no  more  fo  in  itfelf  as  to  the  Creature, 
than  the  Surgeon's  Inftrument  is  to  the  Body  in  par- 
ticular Cafes.  I  could  rather  believe,  there  were  no 
God  at  all — than  to  fay  He  cannot  perfed  his  Work, 
or  that  He  could  defignedly  bring  into  Exiftence  Mil- 
lions of  Beings  to  be  in  Pains  and  Agonies  to   all  E- 

tcrnity  :     1  muft  fay,    I   deteft    the    Thouglit. 1 

hope  the  Readers     will   pardon    this  Digreflion,  and 

am  their  fincere  Weli-wifher, 

J.D. 

THE 


The    CONTENT  S. 


Ti 


Page. 


HE   Original  Preface.  i 

Preface  to  the  prefent  Edition.        xxxl 
^he  hitrodu^iion.  i 


Chap.  I.  The  fir /i  Proof  of  the  Hy pot  hefts  frcm 
Scripture :  '-The  Will  cf  God  that  MJiiall  be 
Saved  :    And  "the  Efficacy  ofiiiat  JVitl.  1 3 

Chap.  II.  Further  Evidence  for  this  Hypothejis, 
from  the  Confideration  of  the  Unity  of  God.      20 

Chap.  III.  Purfumg  the  fame  Text.  An  Argu- 
ment from  the  Unity  of  the  Mediator.  3 1 

Chap.  IV.  Chrift  a  Ranfomfor  All;  ATeftimo- 
ny  for  its  proper  Sealbn.  3  6 

Chap.  V.  An  Argument  from  r  Tim.  iv.  10  : 
God  a  Saviour  (f  All,  but  in  a  more  efpecial 
manner  of  them  that  believe  the  Gofpei.  40 

Chap.  VI.  Several  Objections  aga'mji  this  Hypo- 
thejis anfwered.  42 

Chap.  VII.  The  opening  of  that  Scripture ,  1  Pet. 
iii.  18,  19,  20,  for  the  further  Jllujirating  of 
this  Argument :  and  the  Anfwer  to  the  former 
Objeclion^  That  from  Hell  there  is  no  Redemp- 
tion.  48 

Chap.  VIII.  An  Argument  from  the  Mercy  promif- 
ed  to  the  Jews.  56 

Chap.  IX.  A  further  Argument  frcm  theVmyeT- 
fality  of  the  Subje^s  to  whom  the  Gofpei  is 
preached*  68 


The     CONTENTS. 

Chap.  X.  Of  the  Re-capitulation,  or  Re-union  of 
all  Things  under  Chrl^  their  Head.  78 

Chap.  XI.  'The  Objedion  grounded  on  EIev5^Ion 
and  Reprobation  anfwerd.  87 

Chap.  XII.  The  OhjeSlion  drawn  from  the  Unpar- 
donablenefs  ofihe  Sin  again/i  the  Holy  Ghoft.  110 

Chap.  XIII.  ^further  clearing  of  the  foregoing  Ar- 
gument, from  the  great  Advantages  Chrift  has 
to  accompUJh  this  PVork  in  his  Second  Ap- 
pearance.  1 1 9 

Chap.  XIV.  Further  Evidence  to  this  Hypothefis 
arifing  from  the  Relation  and  Proportion  the 
Firji-fruits  bear  to  the  deliverance  of  the  reft.  134 

Chap.  XV.  Jn  Argument  for  this  Hypcthefn  taken 
from  the  Nature  of  Man,  as  each  Individual  is 
a  Compendium  &  Abftra61  of  the  entire  Crea- 
tion, andfo  not  probable  to  be  caft  away  forever. 14^ 

Chap.  XVI.  Further  Evidence  of  this  Hypothefis, 
fromthe high  Eulogies  ofLovein  theScriptures^\ii^<) 

Chap.  XVII.  An  Argument  for  this  Hypothefis^ 
from  the  Oath  of  the  Angel,  Rev.  x.   i.to  6.  152 

Chap.  XVIII.  ^ he  Fruits  and  Advantages  of  this 
Hypothefis.  161 

Chap.  XIX.  ^he  Conf  deration  of  God  as  Love.  173 

Chap.  XX.  Shewing  that  Love  is  the  Univerfal 
Perfedion  of  the  Deity.  185 

Chap.  XXI. That  the  Will  of  God  is  Love.  1 99 

Chap.  XXII.  Shewing  that  the  very  Anger  of 
God  ;^  kindled  by  his  Love,  and  fubfcrvient  to 
it ;  ayid  cannot  therefore  finally  overpower  it, 
and  fubdue  it  into  Subordination  to  itfelf.    '      210 

Chap.  XXIII.  Being  a  IVarning  to  Sinners,         225 

Chap.  XXIV.  The  Conclufion.  23a 


(  I  ) 

THE 

RESTITUTION 

OF      ALL 

THINGS: 

O    R, 

A  VINDICATION  OF  the  NATURE 
0/  G  O  D  as  LOVE,     &c. 

INTRODUCTION. 

•^^^•^HE  Great  Jpojk  who  lay  in  the  Bo- 
5P  r^y  "^  ^om  of  his  Lord^  and  partook  of  his  In- 
A  1  A  timate  Favours,  as  the  Difciple  of  Love, 
A,§^.^^  and  confequently  moft  nearly  admitted 
into  the  Secrets  of  God  ;  and  the  Reve- 
lation of  his  Nature  and  Good-will  towards  Men  ; 
and  the  yet  further  Grace  and  Glories  to  be  mani- 
fefted  in  hisC^wrc^,  tells  us,  as  in  lingular  Expref- 
fion  of  the  Divine  Nature,  that  it  is  LO  TE.  i  John, 
iv.  8.  He  that  Lovcth  not,  knowcth  net  GOD :  For 
God  is  Love.  And  again,  ver.  16.  Andive  have  known 
and  Believed  the  Love  that  God  hath  to  us.  God  is  Love  ; 
and  he  that  Dwelleth  in  Love  Dwelleth  in  God,  and  God 
in  Him.  And  this  is  indeed  the  Greateft  of  all  the 
Revelations  given  thro'  this  great  Apoille.  God 
B  in 


(      2      ) 

in  the  ExprefTion  of  his  Nature  Is  not  falcl  to  be 
Jujlice^  to  be  Wifdom^  to  be  Power,  but  to  be  Jufli 
fVifcy  Povuerfitl,  &c.  Tho'  yet  in  a  more  Metaphy- 
fical  Senfe  it  may  be  faid,  God  is  Juftice  itfelf» 
Wifdom  itfelf,  and  Power  itlelf,  /.  e.  in  the  Ab- 
ftraft  ;  But  yet  fo  as  thcfe  and  all  his  other  Attri- 
butes and  Perfeftions  concur  together,  and  harmo- 
nize in  Unity,  to  make  up  the  Nature  of  God. 
And  thus  Love  is  All  :  And  God  is  Love.  And 
Love  is  a  Unityy  the  moft  perfeft  Unity,  which  is 
yf///;i  One.  And  it  is  a  Faricty,  all  Variety  difplay'd 
in  that  Unity,  in  moft  perfeft  Excellence  and  Beau- 
ty. Yea,  Love  is  a  Trinity  in  Unity  ^  this  is  in- 
volv'd  in  the  very  Idea  and  Nature  of  Love,  as  we 
muft  here  neceffarily  take  it  in  its  utmoft  Perfec- 
tion, and  its  Eternally  Triumphant  A£l.  In  God, 
or  Love,  as  the  Unity^  there  muft  be  the  Eternal 
Loving,  or  Lover ;  the  Eternally  Loved,  or  Beloved; 
and  the  Eternal  ProduSl,  or  Fruit,  of  that  Love,  or 
Love  in  its  Manifeftation,  which  as  it  is  brought 
forth  within  the  Bofom  of  its  Parent,  i.  e.  Love 
Derivative  in  the  Bofom  of  Love  Original,  which 
is  Infinite,  cannot  be  excluded,  or  Exift  in  a  Sepa- 
rated Ellence,  but  muft  Jbidc  forever  in  the  Womb 
of  its  Conception,  and  confequently  Re-aSl  Eter- 
nally in  Love  upon  its  Origmal. 

And  as  this  neceffary  Truth  of  the  Glorious 
Trinity  in  Lenity  in  the  Perfedl  Nature  of  God, 
has  been  perverted  and  denied  by  many,  thro'  the 
extravagant  Sallies  and  Prelumption  of  Human 
Realbn  in  Things  above  its  Line  and  Capacity; 
fo  the  general  Nature  of  God  alfo  as  Love,  has  been 
by  moft  of  the  Schemes  of  later  Orthodoxy  almoft 
as  much  injured  and  mifreprefcnted  to  tlic  World  ; 
and  a  Ibrt  of  Confufion  of  the  Divine  Attributes 
introduced,  derogatory  to  the  Unity,  Predominance 
and  Supremacy  of  Love  ;  which  is  the  Divine  Na- 
ture ;  in  giving  His  Juftice  as  Emanating  or  out- 
flowing in  its  Strange  Work,  or  Anger,  a  kind 
of  Co-Equality    and  Co-Eternity  with  his  Lovc» 

Hiy 


(     3     ) 

His  Original  Jujlice  is  indeed  Co-eternal  with  Him- 
felf,  as  the  Law  of  his  Divine  Nature,  and  the 
Harmonious  Movements  of  it ;  and  the  Glafs  or 
Pattern  of  Perfeft  Righteoufnefs  and  Excellence 
exhibited  for  Imitation  and  Refleftion  of  God  in 
and  from  his  Creatures  ;  But  his  Strange  Work 
and  Movement  in  Juftice,  /.  ^.  in  Indignation  a- 
gainft  Sin  and  Sinners,  as  it  was  in  Accommoda- 
tion to  a  Movement  of  the  Creature,  /.  e.  within 
the  Limits  of  Time  and  Accident ;  fo  as  Time  and 
Accident,  and  whatfoever  implies  a  Defeat  cannot 
be  Eternal,  neither  can  this  Strange  and  Accidental 
Movement  in  God  be  fo  ;  but  as  his  Juftice  is 
Subfcrvicnt  and  A£ls  to  the  End  of  his  Love  which 
is  Supreme,  the  kindled  Fire  in  the  Severity  of  the 
Divine  juftice  upon  the  Hay  and  Stubble,  or  the 
Defeft  of  Sin,  fo  Hateful  in  the  Eye  of  God,  mull 
burn  it  all  up  at  laft,  and  render  the  Creature  by 
fuch  due  Chaftifement  and  Preparation  capable  of 
the  Grace  and  Favour  of  God  ag-ain  ;  and  the  out- 
flowing  Anger  of  God  in  ftri£t  Vindiftive  Juftice, 
Vindiftive  of  the  Honour  of  the  Lefe  Majefty  of 
God,  and  of  his  Right  to  Rule  over  and  in  all  his 
Creatures  according  to  his  own  Eternal  Will  and 
Nature,  i.  e.  in  his  Love  having  done  its  Work 
muft  be  Refum'd  itfelf  at  laft  into  its  Primeval, 
Eternal  A^y  viz^  of  Original  Juftice,  as  moving  in 
the  Unity  of  the  Eternal  Nature  or  Love  of  God  ; 
and  here  according  to  its  particular  Nature  and  Of- 
fice, maintaining  and  keeping  all  the  Works  of 
God,  viz.  of  the  Original  and  Reftor'd  Creation, 
in  that  Eternal  Order  and  Harmonious  Movement, 
in  and  for  which  he  at  firft  delign'd  them,  and  in 
order  to  which  his  Anger  or  Zcai  of  Juftice  run  out 
after  them  as  Rebels,  to  Subdue  and  Reduce  them 
back  again  to  their  Obedience  to  the  Kingdom  of 
Love. 

I  fliall  endeavour  to  make  good  this  Hypothefis 

in  the  following  Work  ;  and  that  from  th&  Qroun4 

B2  of 


(     4     ) 

of  Holy  Scripture,  which  is  pregnant  of  Evidence 
td  this  great  Truth.  And  this  defign  I  fhall  pur- 
fue  with  all  Plainnefs  imaginable,  becaufe  all  Man- 
kind is  concerned  in  it,  and  therefore  it  is  both  rea- 
fonalile  and  nccefTary  my  Stile  fhould  defcend  as 
low,  and  reach  as  far  as  my  Defign,  and  be  as 
Univerfal  in  refpcft  of  the  Capacities  of  Men,  as 
it  is  for  their  Intereft. 

The  Apoftle  faith,  in  i  Cor.  xiii.  9.  Weknowbut 
In  part,  and  Prophecy  but  in  part.  They  that  affumc 
more  than  this,  exalt  themfelves  above  that  great 
Apoftle.  I  will,  at  prefent  take  it  for  granted, 
that  God  hath  given  forth  what  Scripturehe  intends, 
that  the  Canon  is  perfcft  and  Sealed,  but  as  God 
was  long  and  leifurely  in  giving  it  out,  as  the  Greek , 
fpeaks,  Hib.  i.  I.  So  the  Afind  of  God  therein  is  not 
undcrjlocd  but  by  Portions,  as  He  is  pleafed  to  give  it 
forth.  St.  Peter  tells  us,  the  Prophets  themfelves 
underftood  not  the  Accents  and  Imports  of  their 
own  Prophecies :  God  proportioning  his  Difcove- 
ries  with  a  kind  of  Equality  among  his  Children 
and  Favourites,  referving  fome  things  for  the  Laft 
and  Youngeft,  that  they  who  went  before  without 
us  fliould  not  be  made  perfeft.     Hcb,  xi.  40. 

That  which  occurs  to  me  in  my  obfervation,  as 
the  Dejidcrandum,  to  loofen  the  hard  Knots  and 
Difficulties  in  the  Cafe,  is  the  acknowledgement 
of  a  Common,  or  rather  Univerfal  Grace  and  Sal- 
vation, and  the  Reconciling  thereof,  with  Special 
and  Peculiar  Grace  and  Favour:  which  varieth 
not  much  from  that  which  the  Apoftle  fuggefts  to 
be  wanting,  as  that,  that  would  (when  added)  fup- 
ply  and  perfcft  both  our  difcovery,  and  our  living 
in  that  forementioned  Love,  i  Cor.  xiii ;  Which  is 
ever  fpoken  of  with  peculiar  Honour,  as  of  a  Per- 
fective Nature,  (i  John,'iv  18.)  and  is  called  the 
Bond  of  Pcrfeftnels,  Ccl.  iii.  14.  And,  in  John, 
jv.   19.   the  Apoftle  tells  us,   If  e  Love  God,  becaufe 

he 


(    5    ) 

hefirjl  Loved  Us.  Until  God's  Love  in  the  Heights 
and  Depths,  and  other  the  Dimenfions  of  it  be 
known,  the  Spring,  the  Seed,  the  producing  Caule 
of  our  Love  to  God,   and  our  Brother  is  wanting. 

But  this  will  appear  plainly  to  our  Experience, 
in  the  Inftance  of  the  Controverfy  between  the 
Orthodox^  as  they  are  vulgarly  called,  and  the 
Arminians^  in  which  fo  many  Learned  and  Pious 
Pens  on  both  fides  have  fweat  and  tired  themfelves 
and  their  Readers,  but  not  fatisfied  them  ;  for  all 
that  hath  been  hitherto  fuggefted  by  the  firft, 
doth  by  no  means  falve  thofe  harfh  Phenomena's  of 
an  appearing  Harlhnefs  in  God,  in  the  Exercife  of 
that  Sovereign  Prerogative  of  his,  which  they 
moft  rightly  allow  to  him,  and  which  is  necefTa- 
rily  veiled  in  him  as  Supreme;  but  thus exercifed 
with  the  irreparable  Damage  of  the  Creature,  juft- 
Jy  feems  fo  difagreeable  to  his  Goodnefs,  that 
from  hence  the  latter,  viz.  A-minians,  have  with 
(it  may  be)  a  pure  Intention  of  Mind,  run  into 
another  moft  abfurd  Extreme,  and  have  taken  oc- 
cafion  thereby  to  afcrlbe  a  Power  unto  Man,  and 
a  Freedom  of  Will  jabfolute  and  independent  as  to 
thofe  Afts  relating  to  a  future  State,  fetting  him 
up  in  a  Capacity  of  a  right  Conduft  of  himfelf, 
and  by  common  Grace,  to  the  making  void  and 
needlefs  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  the  Blood  of 
Chrift  himfelf  in  the  high  and  glorious  Ends  of  it. 
And  all  this  Market  for  Satan  hath  been  made,  by 
not  rightly  difcerning  and  ftating  the  Sovereign 
Prerogative  of  God,  and  the  qualified  and  righteous 
Exercife  thereof;  wherein,  altho'  he  fully  difplays 
the  Glory  of  his  Wlfdom,  Holinefs,  Juftice,  and 
Severity  in  the  fu|Fering  of  Man  to  make  a  full 
Difcovery  of  himfelf,  his  own  Defedibility,  Ver- 
tibility,  Mutability,  Vanity,  and  Pride,  and  alfo 
^punilhes  him  for  the  fame  according  to  his  Works  ; 
Yet  this  not  finally  and  irremediably  fo  as  to 
abandon  and  forget  his  Grace  and  Goodnefs  for- 
ever ;  Nay,  he  gives  fcope  to  thofe  Glorie?,   tliofe 

other 


(    6    ) 

other  Clones  of  his,  to  manifeft  themrdves  fo  ful- 
ly, in  order  to  that  fvveeteft,  fulleft,  and  moft  tri- 
\im])hant  glorious  Clol'e  he  will  make  at  laft,  when 
allfhall  meet  and  End  in  Grace  and  Love,  as  in  a 
Hately  Pyramid  or  Top  Stone,  they  being  all  but 
Steps  to  this  Throne,  and  Guarders  of  it.  And 
thus  alio,  all  the  Sin,  Vanity,  and  Inftability  of 
the  Creature  (which  is  the  matter  and  occalion 
about  which  thofe  I'ubordinate  Glories  are  employ- 
ed and  exercifed)  fhall  at  laft  iffue  and  break  up 
into  the  Wonderful  and  Glorious  Manifeftation  of 
the  Wifdoniand  Goodnefs  of  God,  into  an  admi- 
rable Foil  and  Set-off  to  his  Immutability  and  E- 
ternity.  And  if  Sin  and  Punifhment  be  but  In- 
ftrumental  in  God's  Defign,  and  fubordinate  to  an 
higher  and  more  ultimate  Projeft  and  End,  then  it 
muft  be  bounded  and  circumlcribed  within  a  cer- 
tain Space  and  Limit  of  Time,  how  great  foever 
that  be,  be  it  for  the  whole  Courfe  of  Time,  which 
may  be  therefore  termed  for  Ever  and  Everlafting, 
comprehending  this  World,  and  the  World  next  to 
come,  which  are  both  of  them  but  a  double  Paren- 
thefls  in  Eternity  ;  yet  as  it  had  a  beginning,  fo  it 
muft  have  an  end,  and  muft  lie  down  and  yield  up 
itfelf  in  that  Abyfs  of  boundlefs  and  endlefs  Love 
and  Grace  which  was  before  it,  and  let  it  come 
forth  for  its  own  Glory,  and  muft  fhine  forth  in 
the  perfeft  Conqueft|and  fubduing  of  it  to  the  Har- 
mony of  the  firft  All-comprehending  Defign,  as 
the  Sun  without  a  Cloud  forever. 

And  here  I  do,  in  the  fear  of  God,  moft  humbly 
proftrate  myfelf  before  his  Divine  Majefty,  and 
in  the  deepeft  Senfe  of  my  own  Darknefs  and  Dif- 
tance  from  him,  do  with  all  my  might  beg  of  that 
infinite  Goodnefs  I  am  endeavouring  to  reprefent 
to  others,  that  if  fomething  like  to  this  Platform 
and  Profpeft  of  Things,  be  not  agreeable  to  that 
revealed  and  natural  Light  He  hath  given  to  us, 
that    my   Undertaking  may  be  interrupted,    my 

De> 


(     7     ) 

Defign  fall,  and  that  the  Lord  would  pardon  my  at- 
tempt: and  I  know  he  will  do  fo,  for  he  hath  given 
me  to  have  no  further  Concern  for  this  Matter,  than 
as  I  apprehend  it  to  be  a  moft  glorious  Truth,  wit- 
neffed  to  both  by  the  Scriptures  of  Truth,  and  by 
the  moft  EiTential  Principles  of  our  own  Reafon, 
and  which  will  be  found  fo  at  the  laft  opening  of 
the  Everlaji'ing  Gofpel,  to  recover  in  that  opening 
a  degenerate  world.  But  if  this  be  a  true  Draught 
and  Reprefentation  of  the  glorious  Defignment  of 
the  ever  bleffed  Goodnefs  of  the  great  God,  who 
is  Goodnefs  itfelf,  and  if  the  Holy  Scriptures  and 
right  Reafon  do  bear  Witnefs  unto  it,  how  clear, 
how  fair,  how  open  lies  the  way  before  us  to  juf- 
tify  the  Sovereign  Power,  and  Difpofal  of  God, 
which  he  exercifes  by  Election  and  Reprobation 
too,  with  all  the  Methods  he  ufeth  in  his  Holy  and 
Glorious  Wifdom  and  Prudence,  in  giving  way 
to  the  Entrance  of  Sin,  and  then  inflaming  the 
Anguifh  of  it  by  the  Law,  that  he  may  thereby 
have  Occafion  to  glorify  his  Juftice  and  Wrath 
againft  it,  and  fo  make  his  Way  to  the  more  glori- 
ous Illullration  of  his  Grace  and  Love  in  the  clofe. 
And  how  appofite,  efFe£tual,  and  juftifiable  a  courfe 
of  Proceeding  will  the  way  of  God  now  appear 
in  humbling  poor,  proud  Man,  in  bringing  him  to 
his  Foot,  making  him  to  know  himfelf,  how  frail 
and  foolifh  a  thing  he  is,  how  unfit  for  the  conduft 
of  himfelf,  will  appear  from  the  Light  which  the 
End  and  Defign  of  God  therein  reflefts  upon  it, 
which  is  but  to  make  him  a  meet  and  fubjedt 
Spoufe  for  his  own  Embraces  at  laft,  having  no 
Will,  no  Wifdom,  nothing  of  his  own  to  rejoice 
or  glory  in,  but  to  be  wholly  given  up  as  a  paffive 
Subjeft  for  this  all-glorious  and  ever-pregnant 
Fulnefs  to  empty  and  pour  forth  himfelf  into  and 
upon  to  all  Eternity. 

In  a  word,    in  this  Account  and  Profpeft  there 

is,    as  we  fhall  fee  in  the  fequel  of  this  Difcourfe, 

nothing    omitted,     nothing    quarrelled,     nothing 

B  4  excluded 


C    8    ) 

excluded  of  all  the  Ways  and  Methods  of  God 
with  Men,  which  have  been  by  good  Minds  vavi- 
ouily  contended  for. 

Here  his  Univerfal  Grace  doth  no  longer  thruft 
out  his  fpecial  and  peculiar  Favour.  Reprobation 
here  will  be  found  confifting  with  Ele£lion,  yea. 
Damnation  itfelf  with  Salvation;  here  all  thole  knots 
which  the  other  Syftems  of  Divinity  have  hitherto 
tyed  fafter,  are  in  a  great  meaiure  loofened. 

Here  all  thofe  Difficulties  in  the  Chriftian  Reli- 
gion, which  have  fo  long  perplexed  the  more 
thinking  and  enquiring  Minds,  arc,  if  not  quite 
removed,  at  leaft  made  fo  eafy,  that  we  may  with 
fome  Contentment  and  Pleafure  wait  for  that 
State  which  can  alone  perfeftly  fatisfy  us.  And 
yet  all  this  while,  nothing  of  moment  in  Chrifti- 
anity  is  any  way  alTaulted  and  fliaken,  but  all  is 
much  better  eftablifhed  and  confirmed,  being  here- 
by made  one  entire  Piece,  moft  pure  and  plea- 
fant  from  the  higheft  Truth,  and  the  higheft 
Good,  meeting  both  in  one  throughout  the  whole 
Contrivance. 

Here  the  Freedom  and  Peculiarity  of  God's 
Grace  is  fully  reconciled  to  the  Amplitude  and  Ex- 
tent of  it.  Here  we  may  behold  the  Sovereignty, 
the  Abfolutenefs  of  God,  and  his  Goodnefs  embrac- 
ing each  other  with  the  greateft  Delight  to  him, 
and  to  us,  whilft  we  now  fee  this  Sovereignty  and 
Abfolutenefs  of  God  to  be  fovereignly  and  abfo- 
lutely  Good,  and  his  Goodnefs  alone  thus  Abfolute 
and  Sovereign.  Here  all  thole  falfe,  barbarous  and 
monftrous  Reprefentations  of  a  God  are  taken  away 
which  havehithertohindered  lb  many  Minds  (other- 
wife  ingenious)  from  owning  of  him,  for  fear  they 
fliould  at  the  fame  time  they  acknowledge  the  fu- 
preme  Being,  reproach  and  blafpheme  him,  by 
leaving  out  the  higheft  and  moft  Eflential  Perfefti- 
on  of  his  Deity,  which  is  Goodnefs,  or  at  leaft 
making  it  more  narrow,  limited,  and  contracted, 
than  that  of  a  finite  and  imperfeft  Creature. 

Here 


(     9     ) 

Here,  in  a  word,  all  the  Scenes  of  Time,  and  all 
Things  done  therein,  are  with  an  unfpeakable  Plea- 
iure  difcovered  and  fcen  to  be  environed,  encom- 
pafTed,  infolded  in  the  Arms  and  Embraces  of 
Eternity,  lying  down  and  refting  there,  as  in  the 
End  to  which  they  were  Eternally  ordained. 

He  is  not  a  Chriftian,  he  is  not  a  Man,  he  hath 
put  off  the  Tendernefs  and  Bowels  of  a  Man,  he 
hath  loft  Humanity  itfelf,  he  hath  not  fo  much 
Charity  as  Dives  expreffed  in  Hell,  that  cannot 
readily  cry  out,  This  is  good  News  if  it  be  true  ; 
that  will  not  fay  Amen  to  it,  provided  it  be  agree- 
able to  God,  and  what  his  Word  will  countenance 
and  own  ;  for  under  no  other  Law  or  Condition 
can  we  groundedly  rejoice  in  any  Doftrine,  than 
as  it  bears  the  Imprefs  and  Stamp  of  Divine  Au- 
thority, and  tends  to  his  Glory,  to  which  all  muft 
bow  :  for  Heaven  itfelf  muft  pafs  away,  rather 
tiian  the  Gofpel  be  innovated,  or  another  Gofpel 
broached,  how  gratifying  or  acceptable  foever  to 
our  fleflily  Minds,  Upon  this  Suppoiition  then,  I 
conclude  this  Doftrine  muft  be  acceptable  and 
welcome  to  every  good  Man. ' 

It  is  a  Fond  Self-Love  which  computes  the 
Riches  of  God's  Grace,  from  that  refpeft  it  hath 
to  a  Man's  Self;  but  wherever  a  true  and  gene- 
rous Spirit  of  Love  and  Goodnefs  doth  relide,  it 
will  account  that  raoft  rich  and  free  which  is  of 
the  largeft  Extent.  It  is  certainly  no  argument  of 
rejoicing  to  a  good  Man,  that  he  here  enjoys  more 
than  others  do,  for  he  would  be  better  pleafed  if 
they  were  as  happy  as  himfelf,  if  he  did  not  fee  or 
believe  fome  wife  and  good  Ends  why  it  is  not  fo;. 
but  none  fuch  can  be  found  out  for  fuch  a  diffe- 
rence of  Cafes  in  that  State  hereafter,  as  we  fhall 
fee  more  at  large  in  its  proper  place.  It  is  the  Na- 
ture of  every  good  Man  to  rejoice  in  the  good  of 
others,  to  take  Pleafure  in  being  Inftrumental 
thereto,  and  this  his  Temper  of  Mmd  is  a  partici- 
pation of  God,  a  Beam,  a  Ray,  a  Spark  of  the  divine 

Image 


(     10     )       • 

Image  and  Nature,  and  the  higlieft  Perfeftlon  that 
the  Soul  of  Man  is  capable  of.  If  then  we  will 
do  Honour  to  God,  and  pronounce,  according  to 
our  Faculties,  and  the  beft  Light  that  Heaven  hath 
given  us,  muft  we  not  conclude  that  God  is  infi- 
nitely belter,  more  loving,  more  tender,  more 
pitiful  and  companionate  in  all  Degrees  both  of 
Intention  and  Extenfion,  than  the  very  beft,  yea, 
than  all  the  Sons  of  Men  put  together  ? 

Now  in  the  Tryal  of  this  great  Concern  and 
Caufe,  I  fhall  firft  produce  the  Evidence  1  have  for 
this  Scheme,  and  then  anlwer  the  leveral  Objefti- 
ons  which  may  be  brought  againft  it,  and  fo  leave 
the  Impartial  Reader,  when  he  hath  perufed  and 
confidered  what  can  be  faid  on  both  fides,  to  pafs 
his  Judgment  upon  the  whole  matter.  And  here 
I  defire  again,  that  if  I  have  a  Truth  of  God  to 
manage,  and  this  be  the  due  Sealbn  for  the  publifh- 
ing  of  it,  that  he  would  throughout  this  whole 
Difcourfe,  prepare  and  affift  my  Mind  with  that 
Humility,  Purity,  Spirituality,  Light,  Love,  and 
Strength  from  his  Holy  Spirit,  as  may  enable  mo 
to  manifeft  it,  as  I  ought,  to  all  Perfons  intereft- 
ed  in  it,  and  to  maintain  it  againft  all  the  Oppo- 
sition I  expeft  to  meet  with  from  all  forts  of  Per- 
fons that  have  already  found  their  Satisfaction, 
and  taken  up  their  Reft  in  their  prefent  Meafures 
of  Underftanding.  But  if  otherwife  it  be  a  De- 
lufion,  a  Dream,  a  Fancy,  or  the  Vifion  of  my 
own  Brain,  I  do  unfeignedly  befeech  God  merci- 
fully to  flop  my  Pen,  that  I  may  neither  create 
trouble  to  myfelf,  or  to  the  Church  of  God,  which 
ought  to  be,  and  is  more  dear  to  me  than  my- 
felf. 

I  do  alfo  fincerely  declare  to  all  thofe  who 
are  Partakers  of  that  Spirit,  which  is  a  Spirit  of 
Meeknefs  and  Divine  Love,  as  well  as  of  Truth, 
that  they  cannot  do  any  thing  more  acceptable  to 
me,  than  in  that  Spirit  to  endeavour  to  con- 
vince me  of  the  Falfehood  and  Evil  of  this  Un- 
dertaking, 


(  "  ) 

dertaking,  for  as  no  man  willingly  takes  Coun- 
terfeits for  Realities,  or  afFefts  to  be  Couzened 
jn  the  Riches  of  this  World,  fo  much  lefs  can 
any  Reafonable  Being  chufe  to  be  deceived  in  the 
Belief  of  Truth,  or  difappointed  in  his  Expefl- 
ation  of  Good,  which  are  the  moft  peculiar 
Treafures  of  the  Mind,  fmce  that  which  lies 
within  me,  is  more  truly  mine  than  any  thing 
without  me  can  be  fuppofed  to  be;  nor  can  I 
be  fo  confidently  affured  of  any  thing  as  I  mo- 
deflly  am  of  this,  that  if  what  I  am  attempting 
to  make  out,  be  not  fome  part,  and  indeed  a 
principal  part  of  that  Truth  and  Goodnefs,  which 
all  intelle£lual  Nature  is  every  where  feeking 
after  and  muft  finally  reft  in.  This  difcovery 
from  what  Hand  foever  it  comes  will  be  more 
welcome  to  me,  than  the  greateft  Antidote  in 
the  World,  if  upon  a  miftake  I  had  drank  in 
the  worft  of  Poifons. 

And  if  after  this  ingenuous  acknowledgment, 
any  fhall  undertake  to  Anfwcr  this  Difcourfe  by 
Reviling  and  Reproaching  the  Author,  let  them 
daub  m&  as  much  as  they  pleafe  :  But  let  them 
take  heed  of  defiling,  and  wronging  themfelves 
by  fo  doing;  and  beware,  leaft  when  by 
their  rafh  Cenfures  they  run  upon  me,  they  do 
not  at  the  fame  time  blindly  rufh  upon  the  hid- 
ing of  Power,  which  the  Prophet  Habbakkuky 
fpeaking  of  Ciy^/57  in  the  Spirit,  tells  us,  is 
in  his  Hand,  Hab.  iii.  4.  viz.  In  thofe  Spiritual 
difcoveries  of  Chrljiy  which  are  as  Hands  of  Light 
by  which  he  puts  forth  Himfelf,  and  takes  hold 
of  the  World. 

For  my  own  part,  I  find  my  Mind  perfeflly 
Satisfied  by  this  Love  which  hath  fubdued  mc 
to  this  Undertaking,  quietly  to  leave  the  whole 
Matter  to  that  Day,  which  will  make  all  things 
manifeft,  and  declare  every  Man's  Work,  of  what 
fort  it  is;  for  my  Confcience  bears  me  Witnefs, 
that  no  particular  nor  felfifh  Intereft  of  any  kind, 

but 


(       12      ) 

but  a  lincere  aim  at  the  Glory  of  God,  by  a  right 
Reprefentation  of  Him  to  the  Children  of  Men, 
and  an  Univerfal  Charity  and  Good- will  to  all 
Mankind  ;  yea  to  all  my  fellow  Creatures  hath 
fet  me  on  Work,  and  after  many  btruglings  and 
Exercilesof  Mind  extorted  this  Dil'courfc  from  me. 

I  have  often  obferved  with  great  Admiration 
and  Plcafure,  thofe  moft  afFeftionate  Irruptions  of 
Spirit  and  flrongeft  pangs  of  Love  in  Mofcs  and 
Paw/,  Blot  me  out  of  thy  Book,  failh  one,  I  could 
be  accurfed  from  Chrtflj  faith  the  other,  for  the 
fake  of  My  Brethren.  I  fometimcs  feel  fo  much  of 
the  fame  Love  working  in  my  Soul,  that  I  can 
hardly  think  thofe  expreffions  were  Hyperboles, 
much  lefs  that  they  ought  to  have  fuch  lean  In- 
terpretations as  is  ufually  put  upon  them. 

It  was  a  noble  Speech  of  a  great  Perfon,  and 
I  fhould  think  muft  be  the  fenfe  of  every  good 
Man's  Soul,  *'  Might  it  be  Lawful  for  me  to  put 
forth  one  Adl  of  Omnipotence,  that  I  might  re- 
deem poor,  funk,  degenerate  Souls,  then  I  would 
be  content  to  be  Buried  in  the  Grave  of  an  Eter- 
nal Nothing." 

I  verily  believe,  that  a  Man  throughly  Afted 
by  a  Spirit  of  Goodnefs,  would  be  ever  content 
to  live  in  a  Banifhment  from  God,  I  mean 
from  the  Sweet  lUapfes  and  Touches  of  his  Love, 
fo  that  he  might  be  without  Sin,  rather  than 
any  of  God's  Creation  fhould  be  ever  unacquainted 
with  him,  and  therefore  he  thinks  it  would  be 
the  beft  Employment,  and  greateft  Happinefs  in 
the  World  to  be  ufed  as  an  Inftrument  to  fuch 
a  Univerfal  Good. 

And  whilft  I  fometimes  entertain  myfelf  with 
fuch  thoughts  as  thefe,  I  feel  a  Secret  Joy  fpringing 
in  my  Soul,  and  whifpering  to  me,  if  there  be 
{o  much  Love  in  a  Drop,  in  a  Beam,  in  aCreature, 
there  mufl  fure  be  infinitely  more  in  all  refpefts 
in  the  Ocean,  in  the  Sun,  in  God  Himfelf.  I  find 
dl  thefe  good  Defires,  and  Cares  in  myfelf  Swal- 
lowed 


(     13     ) 

lowed  up  by  the  Dlfcovery  of  an  Objedl  which 
is  all  Goodnefs  and  Omnipotence,  an  infinitely 
Wife  and  Almighty  Goodnefs ;  and  a  ravifhing 
light  of  all  things  already  lying  in  his  tender  Arms 
and  Sacred  Embraces;  who  in  his  Sovereign  and 
Incomprehenfible  Wifdom  hath  flill  been  conduct- 
ing them  thro'  all  their  various  Intricacies  for  a 
Greater  Good  and  Glory, 

I  Ihall  now  proceed  dire£lly  to  the  Proof  of 
this  great  Point  and  Hypothefis ;  and  fhow  the 
Certainty  and  Neceffity  of  it  from  the  Ground 
and  Foundation  of  Truth,  the  Holy  Scripture  it 
felf,  which  abounds  with  Confirmations  of  it,  and 
would  do  fo  much  more  if  exaftly  and  fairly  Tranf- 
lated. 

CHAP.    I. 

^he  Firjl  Proof  of  this    Hypoihefs  from 

Scripture,     The    IVill    of  God  that  all 

Jhall  he  Saved,  And  the  Efficacy  of  that 

mil. 

TH  E  Apoftle  Paul  exhorting  to  Prayers  for 
all  Men,  urgeth  and  backs  his  exhortation, 
tipon  this  Ground,  that  this  is  acceptable  in  the 
Sight  of  God  our  Saviour,  who  nvill  have  all  Men  to 
be  Saved  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Truth ^ 
I    Titn.  ii,   3. 

The  Letter  of  this  Text  is  full  and  exprefs,  God 
will  have  all  Men  to  be  Saved,  and  Ihould  we 
Prefs  it,  there  are  almofl  as  many  Arguments  as 
Words  in  it.     For 

I.  It  is  not  faid,  he  would  have  all  Men  to  be 
Saved,  by  iis   Good-Will,    but  he  Will  have  all 

Men 


(     14     ) 

Alen  to  be  Saved.    It  is  a  /F/7/  of  Authority  and 
Sovereignty,   oi  Supreme  Sovereignty. 

2.  It  is  an  Immanent^  Permanent^  a  Fixedy  a  De- 
terminate aft  [of  his  Will,  not  Tranjient  nor  Re~ 
vocable.  He  vjill  have  all  Men  to  be  Saved. 

3.  He  fo  wills  the  End  as  withal  he  wills  all 
necejjary  means  leading  to  it,  he  will  have  all  Men 
to  be  Saved  and  come  to  the  knoivledge  of  the  Truth, 
There  is  no  Man  is  or  can  be  fanftified  or  faved 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  Truth.  God  wills 
this  therefore  that  they  be  Saved,  and  that  this 
means  of  Salvation  fliall  pafs  upon  them. 

4.  This  Will  hath  its  Ground  in  the  Property 
of  God's  Nature,  this  is  Good  and  Acceptable  in 
the  Sight  of  God  our  Saviour.  Thence  it  de- 
rives it  felf,  where  thefe  Words  our  Saviour  are 
not  to  be  reftrained  to  the  EleSl^  for  that  would 
not  carry  forth  a  Will  to  Save  all  Men ;  this  there- 
fore is  to  be  taken  in  the  fame  Latitude  and  ex- 
tent with  other  Places  where  he  is  called  the 
Saviour  of  all  Men,  Chap.  iv.  10.  And  God  that 
^uickeneth  all  things.  Chap.  vi.  13.  And  our  Savi- 
our tells  us,  all  things  live  to  God,  Luke  20.  38. 
and  he  is  called  the  God  of  the  Spirits,  of  all  Flejh, 
Numb,  xvi.  22.  And  mark  you,  who  is  this  Savi- 
our ?  It  is  God,  not  only  Chrift,  for  of  him  he 
fpeaketh  diftinftly  afterwards ;  But  the  God  the 
Father  of  our  £or<^Jef\}s  Chrift. 

5.  Upon  this  account  he  faid,  This  Office  of 
Praying  for  all  Men,  is  acceptable  before  God  our 
Saviour,  which  is  not  meant  of  zjimple  acceptation, 
as  every  good  Work  is  acceptable,  but  by  luay  of 
Eminence,  this  compared  with  other  good  Works 
is  Singularly,  Eminently,  Peculiarly  acceptable. 
Now  things  are  fo  faid  to  be  acceptable  to  Men 
when  they  Suit  their  Inclinations,  and  Gratijy  their 
great  dcjign  that  they  are  intent  upon,  and  fall 
in  with  it:  So  doth  this  Office  of  Praying  for 
and  ieeking  the  Good,  the  Spiritual  Good,  the  E- 
ternal  Good  of  all  Men,     It  falls  in  with  God's 

great 


(     IS    ) 

great  defign,  and  tends  to  bring  it  forth  into 
Effeft.  When  Job  prayed  for  his  Friends,  that 
had  been  very  harfh  upon  him,  God  took  it  fo 
weU  that  he  turned  Job''s  Captivity  upon  it,  though 
God  was  purpofed  to  reftore  Job,  yet  he  takes 
the  very  nick  of  that  time  to  do  it,  when  Job 
Prayed  for  his  Friends.  I  know  what  Cahin  and 
other  Expolitors  generally  fay,  to  invalidate  this 
Argument,  De  hominum  generibus  non  Singulis  perfonis 
fermo  eji,  and  afterwards  upon  v.  6.  of  Chrift  giv- 
ing himfelf  a  Ranfom  for  all,  he  faid,  Particuia 
Univerfalis  femper  ad  hominum  genera  referri  debet 
non  ad perfonas,  viz.  That  this  Particle  of  Uni- 
Terfality  ought  always  to  be  underftood  of  all 
Ranks  or  Sort  of  Men,  not  of  all  Individuals  ; 
but  giving  no  reafon  for  it  but  his  own  Judg- 
ment, or  Ipfe  dixit,  I  need  not  further  concern 
my  felf  with  it,  yet  for  the  Honour  I  bear  the 
Author,  I  fhall  give  my  reafon  why  I  take  it  other- 
wife  which,    is  this. 

The  Apoflle  doth  not  exhort  to  Pray "  for  the 
Office  of  Magijlracy,  abftrafted  from  the  Perfons, 
but  for  the  Perfons  of  Rulers,  or  of  all  in  Emi- 
nency,  the  Perfons  in  Rule  at  that  time,  whether 
Nero,  or  any  other  as  bad  as  he,  and  the  Subordi- 
nates under  them  as  bad  Men  as  the  World  had 
any,  (fo  much  worfe  as  they  were  obliged  by 
him  whom  they  reprefented  to  have  been  better  ;) 
thefe  Perfons  of  Men  are  the  Objefts  defignedi 
upon  and  recommended  to  the  Prayers  of  the 
Churches ;  and  on  occafion  thereof  is  the  Will  of 
God  produced.  But  now  the  Reafon  holds  for 
all  Men,  as  well  as  for  thefe,  thefe  being  as  bad 
as  any,  and  the  very  words  of  the  Text  io  carry 
the  Intentions  :  It  is  under  the  Title  of  Man,  that 
Kings  muft  claim  the  Benefit  of  this  Recommen- 
dation to  the  Prayers  of  the  Church  for  all  Men, 
and  they  come  in  the  Crowd  of  all  Men  in  God's 
willing  their  Salvation  as  all,  ver.  4,  and  which  all 
Men  he  will  have  Saved. 

Now 


(     i6     ) 

Now  if  God  wills  the  Salvation  of  Nero,  and 
his  Subordinate  Minifters  which  might  be  as  bad  as 
he,  who  befides  the  common  Sins  of  inferior  Men, 
aljufe  that  Eminency  in  which  they  were  placed 
of  God,  let  us  then  bring  home  the  Argument. 
God  by  the  Apoftle  requires  Prayers  to  be  offered 
M^for  all  Men^  for  Kings  and  all  in  the  Eminency, 
or  as  the  Original  Word  is,  for  all  that  are  upper- 
moll,  whatever  their  Title  was ;  he  declares  he 
■will  have  all  Men  to  be  Saved  ;  the  Inftance  and 
Praftice  in  the  then  prefent  cafe,  falls  upon  very 
Notorious  Meriy  as  bad  as  any  time  ever  afforded. 

Now  how  is  it  fair  (the  State  of  the  Queflion 
being  thus  truly  put,  to  fay  that  by  thefe  all 
Men  God  intends  not  Singulos  generum,  but  gene^ 
ra  Singulorum,  that  he  intends  fome  of  all  Ranks 
only,  as  a  Garland  compofed  of  divers  forts  of 
Flowers  picked  here  and  there  ?  I  grant  when 
we  come  to  Eleftion,  God  chufes  oft-times  the 
worft  and  unworthiefl,  but  Eledlion,  or  the  Grace 
of  Eleftion,  is  never  lb  delivered  in  general  terms, 
but  exceeding  fpecial  and  reftrained  ;  Many  are 
called,  but  few  are  Chofen;  And,  You  fee  your 
Calling,  Brethren,  how  that  not  many  Wife  Men 
after  the  Flefh,  not  many  Mighty,  not  many  Noble 
are  called,  but  God  hath  chofen  the  Foolilh  things 
of  the  World  to  confound  the  Wife,  &c.  There- 
fore this  Salvation,  with  Reference  to  which  God 
is  called  generally  a  Saviour,  and  wills  that  all 
Men  be  Saved,  is  of  another  Sort,  and  upon  another 
Score,  than  that  whereof  the  Eleft  are  peculiarly 
Partakers,  as  we  fhall  fhow  in  the  fequel  of  this 
Difcourfe  ;  and  therefore  when  we  are  required 
here  to  pray  for  all  Men,  and  feek  their  good, 
even  their  Salvation,  it  is  not  in  Contradiftion  to 
this  Diftindtion  that  God  hath  made.  It  is  not  to 
reverfe  and  alter  God's  Decrees  whereby  he  hath 
given  fome  the  Pre-eminence,  and  double  Portion 
above  others,    but  it  is  a  feeking  that  Salvation  for 

alJ 


(     ^7     ) 

»11  which  God  hath  Prepared  for  them   In  his  ov^'n 
time  and  ivay. 

And  furely  if  there  were  no  Salvation  at  all  for 
fome  Men,  God  woukl  never  employ  his  People  to 
Pray  for  all,  for  if  the  Spirit  be  the  Framer,  and 
Intiiier  of  tlie  Saints  Prayers,  and  n^akes  Inter- 
ceiTion  in  them,  its  moft  confonant  to  the  Honour 
of  that  Spirit  to  apprehend,  that  he  knowing  and 
fcarching  the  deep  things  of  God,  will  make  In- 
terceilion  in  us  according  to  that  iviU  ;  and  fo  the 
Scripture  exprelly  acquaints  us,  and  that  God 
knows  i/jc  mind  of  the  Spirit  in  that  Intcrceffion, 
thatitclalhes  not  with  any  Council  of  his,  Rom,  8. 27. 
1  herefore  this  very  command  to  Pray  for  all  iVIen, 
efpecially  back'd  with  this  reafon  (for  God  wills 
that  all  Men  be  Saved)  is  a  ilrorig  argument  that 
there  is  a  Salvation  in  God  to  he  ijfucd  nut  fooner  or 
letter^  even  for  alt  Alcn ;  which  is  alto  more  than 
ftrongly  implied  in  the  afcribing  that  Title  ta 
God  of  being  our  Saviour,  which  I  have  fhewed 
beib're,  as  it  is  to  be  underftood  generally,  fo  alfo 
actually.  For  it  is  not  faid,  htpurpofcs^  or  inclines y  or 
rcfolves  to  be  a  Saviour,  but  is  a  Saviour  in  aB.  For 
indeed  all  his  works  are_^«i/^<,'i^  to  him  from  the 
P'oundation  of  the  World,  and  we  are  Saved  in  him 
before  the  notice  of  it  comes  to  i^s,  as  the  Apoflle 
faith,  tho'  it  was  a  myftery  and  was  hid  in  Gad  till 
it  was  manifeftcd  by  the  Gofpel.  So  the  Salvatiorj 
of  all  Men  is  a  done  thinzvjith  God..  thouo;h  it  hath 
Ks  proper  feafons  to  be  exhibited  to  the  view  and 
notice  of  Men.  I  cannot  imagine  what  can  be 
further  ol)je£ldd  againft  fo  plain  an  Evidence  as 
this  Text  affords,  but  ?^n  Exception  to  the  w/7/ where- 
by God  wills  that  all  IMen  be  Saved  ;  that  it  is 
voluntas  jmperantis  not  voluntas  agentis,  that  God 
wills,  that  is,  commands  all  Men  to  attend  the 
means  of  Salvation,  and  that  the  Gofpel  be  tendered 
to  all.  If  this  expolition  doth  not  retrieve  the 
Fvidence,  1  know  not  what  can,  but  it  inuft  ilaijd 
Lis  a  good  Proof  for  the  Hypothcfis,  '"   '•'^ 


•(     i8     ) 

Kow  for  Anfwer  to  this,  how  weak  a  prctencd 
luch  a  cold  defire  of  all  Men^s  Salvation  is  to  ground 
that  praifc  and  Eulogy  which  is  aicribed  to  God, 
when  he  is  recognized  as  the  Saviour  in  Connnon, 
that  luill  have  all  Alcn  to  he  faved,  may  appear  by 
Conlidering  thefe  particulars. 

1.  That  this  good-will  rejllng  here  and  proceed- 
ing no  further  than  the  Propounding  Salvation  to 
Men,  and  putting  them  on  the  ufe  of  the  means  to 
attain  the  fame,  never  -^Qt  favcd  any  one  Soul,  no 
not  of  the  Eleft  themfelves,     And 

2.  God  hath  not  been  Sparing  to  tell  and  inftruft 
Men,  in  this  that  they  are  Dead  in  TrcfpaJJes 
and  Sins,  that  without  Chrift  they  can  do  not  hi  no^, 
and  that  every  good    and  perfeft  Gift   comes  down 

from  above,  that  they  mufb  be  born  again,  born  of 
the  Spirit,  that  Faith  itfelf  Vvhereby  we  receive 
all,  is  the  ^//>  o/Goi^i  therefore  the  will  of  (iod 
that  all  Men  be  Saved  cannot  reft,  cannot  be  fliut 
"up  in  fuch  ftrait  powerlefs  Bounds  of  command- 
ing, and  fetting  them  upon  the  ufe  of  means  to 
open  their  own  blind  Eyes,  and  change  their  own 
naughty  Hearts.  Hear  what  St.  James  faith  of 
things  more  in  the  power  of  Men  themfelves  than 
thefe  things  are,  which  are  not  in  the  leaft,  nor 
ever  were  in  the  power  of  Creature,  Jam.  2.  15, 
16.  If  any  fee  a  Brother  or  Sijler  naked,  and  def~ 
titute  of  daily  food:  and  one  of  you  fay  to  them.  Depart 
in  peace,  be  ye  warmed,  and  filled :  notwithfanding 
ye  give  them  not  thofe  things  ivhich  are  needful  for  tbs 
Body ;  what  doth  it  profit  ?  Yet  Men  may  work, 
and  by  'their  Labour  in  fome  cafes  earn  what  they 
need  for  thefe  temporal  things,  but  there  is  no 
poffibility  of  recovering  ourfelves  to  Life^  and 
laving  our  own  Souls  by  any  Power  of  Nature, 
or  the  Law,  or  by  the  Letter  of  the  GofpcL 
Therefore  God's  will  that  all  Men  be  Saved,  refts 
pot  in  fuch  things  as  thefe,   in  pitying  Men,  and 

wifliins; 


(     19     ) 

wifhing  it  better  with  them,  this  is  not  a  Love 
for  OmrnpotencYy  this  is  not  a  Good-will  for  Him 
that  is  the  God  of  Grace,  that  is  Love  itfelf,  this 
were  lefs  than  the  Love  of  the  Samaritan  to  the 
wounded  Traveller  ;  nay,  for  ought  1  know,  than 
the  Love  of  the  Pricft,  or  the  Levite  that  pafled  by 
him  ;  they  had  as  much  Love  as  this.  God  is  aa 
Eternal  aoi  of  Goodnefs^  Love^  and  Sweetnefj.^  thai  car~ 
ties  hh  Effsd  mid  End  Eternally  in  hlmfelf,  and  tho' 
there  be  a  procefs  in  the  difcovery  of  this  Love  to 
■us,  yet  in  its  firji  and  Eteryial  emanation  and  motiayiy  (if 
we  may  fo  Ipeak)  he  is  in  the  term  of  his  motion. 
For  he  hath  and  poffeficth  the  term  Eternally  in 
himfelf,  and  whom  he  Loves,  he  Loves  to  the  end. 
Loves  fully,  perfedly,  furnifliing  and  fupply- 
ing  all  things  to  the  End  of  his  Love  richly, 
freely,  intirely,  out  of  himfelf,  tho'  he  inriches, 
imbellifhes  this  his  Work,  this  his  Love,  with  all 
the  riches,  the  fulnefs,  the  variety^  the  darkeft,  the 
fableft  contrariety  of  the  Fall,  the  Curfe,  and 
Wrath,  yet  thofe  contraries  tempered,  fubdued, 
reconciled,  all  to  a  mofl  delightful,  blifsful  Harmony 
in  the  clofe. 

3.  The  ff ill  of  God,  and  his  ^crk  are  »»^,  God 
wills  nothing  but  he  works  it,  who  ivorkeih  till 
Things  after  the  Counfel  of  his  own  fVilly  Eph.  i.  11. 
for  he  wills  nothing  but  with-Counfel,  though  he 
go  for  no  Counfel  out  of  himfelf,  but  his  own 
Will  is  his  Counfel ;  but  the  meaning  is,  that 
every  thing  that  God  wills,  Hands  upon  Grounds 
of  the  moft  abfolnte  Wifdom  and  Prudence  ;  that 
if  a  Council  were  called  of  all  Creatures,  nay  of 
all  the  Attributes  of  God,  better  Advice  could 
not  be  given  or  taken;  no  wonder  then  if  what  is 
fo  deliberated  and  refolved  be  accordingly  purfued 
to  effeft  and  put  in  Execution,  being  the  refult  of 
fuch  a  Couni'el,  even  the  Counfel  of  him  whofe 
Will  is  Coiafly  hath  all  Counfel  in  it,  that  is  ib 
perfeft  that  nothing  can  be  added  to  it;  therefore 
his  Word  is  his  Work,  he  fpake  and  it  was  done, 
C  2  he 


(       20       ) 

he  is  the  Rock,  and  his  If  ok  is  p^rfccl ;  for  all  hia 
Ways  arc  Judgment,  a  God  of 'fruth,  and  with- 
out Iniquity,  juft  and  right  is  he,  Dcut.  xxxii.  4. 
The  Sum  of  this  Evidence  is,  that  God  wills 
that  all  Men  be  faved,  this  Will  is  the  Will  of  an 
Om'nipotent  and  Sincere  Agent,  an  immanent  and 
eternal  Will,  eternally  inAfV,  that  hath  its  end 
in  its  own  Power,  yea  in  his  Arms  and  Embraces, 
and  neither  can,  nor  could  ever  be  rcfifted.  And 
upon  the  account  of  this  his  Will,  he  requires  us 
to  pray  for  and  feek  the  Spiritual '  and  Eternal 
Good  of  all,  which  we  cannot  do  as.  we  ought, 
without  the  help  of  his  Spirit,  who  fearcheth  the 
deep  Things  of  God,  and  maketh  Intercellion  in 
tis  according  to  that  Will,  and  therefore  would 
not  move  in  any  thing,  (and  fo  not  in  this  dclire 
of  the  Salvation  of  all  Men)  were  it  not  accord- 
ing to  the  Will  of  God,  nor  would  the  Saints 
find  acceptance  with  God  in  fuch  Requefts,  were 
they  otherwife  ;  which  yet  God  hath  declared  they 
do,  faying,  This  is  aueptablc  in  the  Sight  of  God  our 
Saviour,  who  upon  the  account  of  willing  the  Sal- 
vation of  all  Men,  is  recognized  by  this  Title  of 
Saviour,  the  common  Saviour.  So  much  for  this 
Text,  this  is  the  firil  Witnefs. 

►■»>•♦•>->■>->♦  v.>..>..y-y>.>>>">->->->"^  ••<■«<-<•■♦<•■•<■.<•■<»<•.<<■■«.<-♦  «-v«-v»<4-« 

CHAP.    ir. 

Farther  Kvidence  of  this  Hypoihefis^from 
theConfideratiGn  of  the  Unity  of  God. 

THE  following  Verfes  will  make  further  Evi- 
dence to  us  of  this  Truth,  for  there  is  one 
God,  and  one  Mediator  hctivcen  God  and  Alan, 
the  Man  Chrifl  fefus,  who  gave  himfelf  a  Ramjim 
for  ally  a  Teftiinony,  for  its  proper  limes,    for  fo 

the 


(      21      ) 

the  Words  arc  ratlicr  to  be  read,  than  as  in  our 
'I'ranflation. 

I  intended  firfl  to  produce  what  Evidence  might 
be  afforded  from  plain  Texts  and  Authorities,  be- 
fore I  came  to  the  Argumentative  Texts  and  De- 
du£lions,  and  to  liave  drawn  forth  my  Proofs  in 
this  order ;  firll:  to  lliew  how  God  the  Father  ftands 
engaged  and  afFciHied  in  this  Caufe,  and  then  Chrifl 
tlie  Son  and  Mediator.  But  for  as  much  as  thefe 
Verfes  follow  upon  the  former,  and  both  receive 
Luflre  from  them,  as  alio  refledt  back  a  Luftre 
upon  them,  let  us  without  adjourning  them  to 
another  Place  and  Time,  hear  their  Evidence 
prefently. 

I.  We  have  the  Unity  of  God  making  Evl~ 
dence  in  this  Caufe,  there  is  One  God,  for  there  is 
one  God. 

a.  The  Unity  of  the  Mediator  ;  and  there  is 
one  Afediator  hetv,'cen  God  and  Man^  ivho  gave  h'lm- 
felf,  l^c. 

3.  The  Extent  and  Univerfality  of  his  Ranfom  ; 
\\\\\Q!i\  v<-A.%  for  every  Af an. 

4.  A  tacit  Objeftion  obviated  and  prevented, 
from  the  apprehended  Novelty  of  this  Truth,  not 
apprehended  in  any  times  heretofore. 

I.  To  begin  wnth  the  flrft,  The  Unity  of  God  ; 
(/&r  there  is  one  God,)  Why  is  this  brought? 
'The  Queftion  may  be,  whether  to  engage  us  to 
pray  for  all  Men,  or  whether  to  prove  that  he  will 
have  all  Men  to  be  laved,  or  whether  for  both  thefe 
Ends  ? 

I  fhall  not  lofe  time  to  difpute  it,  but  if  it 
prove  the  latter,  viz.  for  that  God  will  have  all 
Men  to  be  faved,  then  it  exahundanti,  and  into 
the  Bargain  proves  and  engages  to  the  Duty  of 
Praying  for  all  Men.  Now  this  will  appear  in  the 
opening  the  Force  of  this  Argument,  for  there  is 
one  God,  which  we  may  get  fome  Knowledge  of 
from  other  Places  where  this  Argument  is  ufed, 
as  Rom.  iii.  29.  is  he  the  God  of  the  Jeif-'s  only» 
C  3  and 


(       22       ) 

and  not  of  the  Gentiles  P    yes  of  the  GcnilUs  alfo, 
feeing  it   is  one  God  that  jujiijieth  the    Circumcijion   by 
Faith)    and  the   Uncircumcijion    through  Faith,      We 
may  read  the  Words  thus.    Is  there  a  God  of  the 
yews  only,  or  have  ihcjcvus  only  a  God,  have  not 
the  Gentiles  a  God  alfo  r    yea  fure,    and  the   fame 
God:     and   therefore   the  Apoftle    concludes  the 
fame  Juftification  to  be   extended  to  the  one  as  to 
the  other.     So  likewife,  Gal.  iii.  20.  when  the  A- 
poftle  would  (hew  that  the  Law,  which  was   430 
Years  after  the  Promife,    cannot  dilannul  or  make 
void  the  Promife  made  fo  long  before,  ufeth  this 
Argument,  that   God  is  one.     Wherefore   then  ferv- 
eth   the   Law?    It    was    added  becaufe    of  Tranfgref- 
Jion^     untilL   the  feed  Jhould  come    to  whom    the  Pro- 
ntije    was  made,    and  it  was    ordained  by  Angels    in 
the   Hand  of  a    Afediator ;    now   a  Mediator   is  not 
a  Mediator  of  one,  but   God  is   one.     In  both   thefe 
Places  the  Apoftle  rifethup  to  a   Confideration  of 
God  in  his  fupreme  and  ■abfolute  Unity  above  Law 
or  Mediator,    or  any  Divifion  of  People  or  Seeds 
founded  thereon.     In  which   abfolutenefs  God  is 
not  obliged  to  give  any  Account  of  himfelf,  or 
any  of  his  Matters,  may  do  with   his  own  what 
he  will.     And  this  Abfolutenefs  and  Supremacy  of 
his  Will  is  fo  exercifed  by  him,  not  as  by  the  Ty- 
rants   of  this   World,  to  the   inthralling,  oppref- 
fing,  to  the  hurt   or  hindrance    of  his  Creatures, 
but  to  the  Relief  and  higheft  Security   of  them  ; 
and  cannot  be  otherwife,  from  his  Nature,   that  is 
Gcodnefs  itfelf,  and  is  ultimum  Refugium^  the  lajl 
andmoji  fure  Retreat  and  Refuge  of  the  Creature,  when 
it  feels  itfelf  loft  all  other  ways,  as  that  which  vAll  raifc  it 
again. 

When  I  fay  this  Unity  and  Abfolutenefs  of  God 
tranfcends  the  Conlideration  of  a  Mediator,  a$ 
well  as  the  Law,  I  deiire  to  be  undcrftood  in  no 
Other  Senfe  than  the  Scripture  itfelf  fpeaks,  which 
is  a  qualified  Senfe,  viz.  as  the  Mediator  iuppofes 
a  Breach  and  Dillance  between  God  and  Man,  by 

reafon 


(     23     } 

reafon  of  Sin  not  otherwife  ;  for  fo  the  Apoftle 
intimates,  when  he  faith  the  Law  was  fo  long  after 
the  Promife,  and  was  added  hecaufe  of  Tranigreffi- 
on,  and  ordained  in  the  Hand  of  a  Mediator. 
Now  a  Mediator  is  not  of  one,  but  God  in  the 
abfolutenefs  of  his  iirft  and  original  Grace  went 
forth  to  Man  in  Chrift,  as  Chrift  was  the  Head  of 
all  Men,  before  and  above  all  Conlideration  of 
Chrift,  as  a  Mediator  of  Atonement,  or  any  Need 
thereof;  and  there  the  Seed  was  but  one,  not -divid- 
ed; and  he,  even  God,  was  one,  and  alone  bearing 
the  fame  Relation,  the  fame  Love  to  all :  The 
fplitting  and  dividing  them,  making  fome  the  Vef- 
fcls  of  Mercy  by  Election,  others  of  Wrath  by 
Reprobation,  which  way  foever  Perfons  underftand 
it,  was  Subordinate  Counfel  and  Del;gn  for  the 
lliuftration  of  his  ultimate  Glory. 

To  clear  this,  let  us  coniider  the  Onenefs  of 
God,  v/hat  it  is,  and  vvhat  it  imports.  One  is 
pars  numeric  a  part  of  Number,  many  Units 
make  a  Number,  and  One  is  fons  numeri,  the 
Fountain  of  Number,  the  pnndpium  enumeratic- 
«/j,  the  beginning  of  Number.  God  is  not  only 
One  fo,  but  he  is  both  the  beginning  and  total 
Sum  of  all,  he  is  One  and  Alone,  and  there  is 
none  befides  him,  but  he  is  a  great  One,  he  is  the 
One  that  is  all,  that  gathers  and  takes  in  all,  that 
binds  up  all  in  one,  and  is  One  in  all,  and  makes 
all  one,  as  Love  doth,  which  is  called  the  Bond  of 
Perfeftnefs.  His  Onenefs  is  as  the  Soul  that  dif- 
fufeth  itfcif  through  the  whole,  through  all  the 
Parts,  and  is  totq  in  toto  i^  tota  in  quallbct  partCy 
intire  in  the  whole,  and  in  every  Part,  making 
thereby  many  Members  to  be  one  Body,  as  in  the 
God-head  there  are  three  Perfons,  yet  thefe  three 
are  One,  as  in  the  Divine  Fffence  there  are  feveral 
Attributes,  yet  they  are  all  one,  there  is  one  Mind, 
pne  Spirit  in  them  all:  So  inhisCounfels  and  Works 
this  Onenefs  is  a  Quintelience,  a  Refuli,  a  Spirit 
of, Glory  that  rifeth  out  of  them  all,  compre- 
C  4  hends 


(   H  ) 

bench  them  all,    is  ihc  Crown    and   Perfeftion   of 
them  all. 

1.  As  to  Inftance  in  thofe  Varieties  and  Teeming 
Contrarieties  that  arc  in  the  Ways  and  Works  of 
God,-  wherein  the  Scriptures  ihew  a  Harmony  and 
Unity  of  Counl'el  and  ])efign,  as  the  Law  and 
Grace,  what  more  differing,  what  more  contrary 
in  the  Apprcheniion  of  Man  r  The  Law  entered, 
faith  the  Apoftle,  that  Sin  might  abound,  but 
where  Sin  abounded,  Grace  did  much  more  abound, 
that  as  Sin  hath  reigned  unto  Death,  lb  might 
Grace  reign  through  Righteoulncis  unto  Eternal 
Life,  &c.     Rom.  v.   21. 

Here  are  three  pair  of  Contraries,  the  Law  and 
Grace,  Sin  and  Righteoufnefs,  Death  and  Life  ; 
here  are  two  contrary  Works^  Sin  abounding, 
Grace  fuperabounding ;  here  are  two  contrary 
Ends,  Sin  reigning  to  Death,  Grace  reigning 
through  Righteoufnefs  unto  Eternal  Life  ;  yet  be- 
hold here  the  Lenity  of  the  Counfel  and  Defign, 
the  dark  Scene  of  the  Law  and  Sin,  and  Death,  is 
fubordinate  to  the  Light,  and  for  the  llluftration 
of  it,  Grace  gets  above  the  Law,  Righteoufnefs 
rifcth  above  Sin,  eternal  Life  abolilhes  Death,  and 
fo  the  Delign  and  Counfel  of  Ciod  in  this  Confli(ft 
and  Combat,  clears  up  into  a  Delign  and  Counfel 
of  highcft  Love  and  Plealiire. 

You  will  fay  the  Fruit  and  Advantage  of  this 
Counfel  redounds  only  to  the  Elcft  ;  I  grant  it  as 
iirll:  Fruits  ;  we  fliall  reach  further  by  Degrees  ; 
this  being  but  a  part  of  the  whole  of  his  Counfels, 
yet  it  proves  the  Unity  of  the  Counfel  thus  far; 
for  you  may  remember  we  told  you  this  Lenity  is 
as  the  Soul,  that  is  intire  in  the  whole,  and  intire 
in  every  part ;  the  hitireneis  in  the  parts  were  no- 
thing, if  it  were  not  alfo  in  the  whole,  which  if  it 
be  a  '^Fruth,  will  appear  at  length. 

2.  The  next  Inftance  I  fliall  bring,  is  of  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  which  Divifion  takes  in  the 
whole   World,  all' either  being   Jems  ox  Gcnt'tlcs. 

God 


(       25       ) 

God  filft  appropriated  the  '^jcu.'s,  and  left  out  tbe 
Gtiit'/es ;  then  he  takes  in  xhe  Gtriti/es  and  calls 
off  the  Jews,  concluding'  tliem  in  Unbelief,  as 
the  Gentiles  had  been  concluded  in  Unbelief  be- 
fore. As  touching  the  Law  and  its  Privileges, 
whereby  God  had  iignalized  the  Jews,  and  carri- 
ed them  up  into  an  Eminency  and  Singularity  of 
Favour,  the  Gentiles  were  Enemies,  they  grudged 
and  grumbled  at  it,  and  envied  them. 

As  to  the  Gofpel,  whereby  the  Gentiles  got  the 
ilart  (the  laft  were  firft)  the  Jczvs  were  Enemies 
for  their  Sakes :  Thus  by  Turns,  all,  both  Jiwi 
and  Gentiles,  are  concluded  under  Sin  and  Unbe- 
lief, but  what  is  the  Deiign  of  all,  it  is  a  great 
Myftery  the  Apoftle  confeiles  when  he  opens  it, 
wherein  the  Depths  and  Riches  both  of  the  Wif- 
dom  and  Knowledge  of  God  lie  fair  to  be  feen, 
from  Rom.  xi.  25. 

1.  This  is  but  for  a  Time,  till  the  fulnefs  of  the 
G"c;/;//6S  be  come  in,  that  Blindnefs  is  happened  to 
Ifrael,  which  gives  Light,  to  all  the  Subordinate 
Wills,  Counfels,  and  Difpenfations  of  God  :  They 
are  bounded  and  limited  within  a  certain  Space 
and  Period;  nothing  runs  out  beyond  Time,  but 
that  which  is  God's  ultimate  Scope  and  higheft 
End,  the  End  of  the  whole,  as  fliall  be  fhewn  in 
its  Place  :  This  is  the  fivft  Qualification  of  this 
dark  Scene  of  the  Jezvs',  Reje£lion  is  but  for  a. 
Time,  and  when  that  Time  is  run  out,  then  all  Ij- 
rael  fliall  be  faved,  as  Verfe  26  :   and  tiien, 

2.  Verle  28.  Though  as  touching  this  Difpen- 
fation  of  the  Gofpel,  the  Jews  are  Enemies  upon 
the  Geni'tles'  Account,  yet   there  is  an  higher  and 

.more  original  Grace,  within  the  Verge  whereof 
they  are,  and  that  is  the  Election,  as  touching 
which,  they  are  beloved  for  their  Father's  Sake: 
which  by  the  way  acquaints  us,  that  the  preient 
Difpcnfation  of  the  Gofpel  meafures  not  out  to  us 
all  the  Grace  that  is  in  God  :  there  is  a  Surplufagc, 
a  Referve  behind  to  be  manifefted  in  its  own  proper 

Time, 


C     "6     ) 

Time,   as  the  Apoille  fpeaks  in  this  Place  oiTlrm^ 
thy  which  we  arc  upon. 

3.  The  Apoftle  proceeds,  for  the  Gifts  and  Cal- 
lings of  God  arc  "Jiithout  Repentance.  The  Jews  had 
fufficiently  forfeited  all,  but  God  will  be  like  him- 
felf,  he  loved  the  Fathers,  and  he  Will  not  cut  off 
the  Children  for  ever.  And  was  not  ^dam  the  Son 
of  God  ;  and  are  not  all  Men  Adam\  Children  ? 
did  not  God  make  Adam  in  his  own  Image,  make 
Paradife  for  Adam,  and  gave  him  Dominion  over 
all  the  Works  of  his  Hands  ?  Did  God  begin  thus, 
with  Adam,  as  well  as  ever  he  did  with  Abraham, 
and  fliall  he  not  End  as  fvveetly  ?  Shall  not  the 
Gifts  and  Callings  of  God  here  be  without  Repen- 
tance, as  well  as  in  the  cafe  of  the  Jrjus  ? 

4.  The  Apoflle  rifes  yet  higher,  and  makes  the 
prefent  Unbelief  of  the  Jews  an  Argument  for 
their  future  Reftoration,  ver.  30,  31.  IFbereas  the 
Gentiles  in  Times  pajl  have  not  believed,  yet  have 
TiQvj  obtained  Mercy  through  their  Unbeliefs  even  fo 
have  thcfe  alfo  noiv  not  believed,  that  through  your 
Mercy  they  afo  may  obtain  Mercy.  What  a  Soul 
or  Spirit  of  Unity  is  this,  running  through  all  the 
Difpenfations  and  Works  of  God,  that  out  of  fuch 
Contraries  as  Faith  and  Unbelief,  Mercy  and  Re- 
jeftion  works  out  the  fame  end  of  Mercy,  Mercy 
to  the  Gt'?z///f5  through  x\\tjews^  Unbelief,  Mercy 
to  the  Jcj:s  through  tlie  Faith  and  Mercy  of  the 
Gentiles^ 

5.  The  beft  is  behind,  which  is  the  light  of  the 
whole  Piece,  refulting  from  the  feveral  Varieties 
in  it,  \^r.  32.  For  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in 
Unbelief,  that  he  might  have  Mercy  upon  all,  where 
the  All  that  are  the  Lump  in  Unbelief  are  not  the 
Jeu,'5  only,  but  both  People ;  for  of  the  Jews  he  had 
laid,  Elindncfs  i}f  part  is  happened  to  Ifracl,  i.  e.  the 
Two  Tribes  and  fome  fcattcrcd  Parcels  of  the 
reft  ;  for  the  generality  of  the  Ten  Tribes  were 
never  tried  with  the  Gofpel ;  therefore  in  the  lat- 
ter Place  the  nil  are  both  fcws  and  GeniUes ;    God 

will 


(    27     ) 

will  have  Mercy  upon  them  all  when  Cod  re" 
members  his  Afcrcy  and  Truth  to  the  Hoitfc  of  Ifrael^ 
then  all  the  Ends  of  the  Earth  Jhcdl  fee  the  Salvation 
of  God,  Pf.  xcviii.  3.  If  this  reach  not  to  our  grand 
Purpofe  as  the  former  Inllance  it  proves  it  by- 
Parts. 

III.  My  third  Inftance  may  carry  us  a  little  fur- 
ther, it  is   of  Vcffels  to    Honour  and  Veflels  to 
Difhonour.     Contrarier  things  cannot  well  be  ima- 
gined.  2  Tim.  ii.  20.    But  in   a   great  Houfe  there 
arc  not  only  Fcjfcls  of  'Gold  and  of  Silver^    hut    alfo    of 
fVood  and  of  Earthy  and  fame  to  Honour    and  fome  to 
Difhonour,     The  Apoftle  before  refleils  on  dange- 
rous Doflrines,  and  the  Broachersof  them,   teach- 
ing that  the  Refurre£lion   is    paft  already  to   the 
overthrowing  of  the  Faith  of  fome.     What  a  Jar 
is  this  in  the  Church  of  God  ?    how  Ihall  this  be 
i-educed,  reconciled,  fubdued,  to  any  good  Concord 
and  Harmony.     The  Apoftle  is  larger  than  to  give 
out  at  this  Difficulty  :    There  is  an  expedient  for 
this,  and  that  is,  there  is  a  great  Houfe  hath  divei-s 
and  differing  Veffels  for  Worth  and  Ufe.  But  were 
it  not  better  there   were   but  one  Sort  ?    confider 
the  Allufion,  and  then    anfwer    it.     While  there 
are  mean  offices  to  be  done,  dirty  hands   are   for 
dirty  work,  and  thefe  Scullions  make  the  Vell'cls  of 
Gold  and  Silver  bright,  thcfe  Wooden  and  Earth- 
en Veflels  carry  out  the  Dirt,  and  excufe  the  Vef- 
fels  of  Gold   and   Silver;     but  when   all  the  dirty 
Work  is   over,  and  all  the  Filth    carried    out    and 
purged,  then  it  will  be  time  to  lind  fault  with  the 
VelFels  of  Wood  and  Earth,   that  all  may  become 
Veflels  of  Gold  and  Silver,   and  not  before. 

We  fee  by  this  Scripture,  That  the  Houfe  of 
God  is  very  great,  and  tliere  are  in  it  Veflels  of 
feveral  Values  and  Ufes,  Veflels  of  Gold  and  Sil- 
ver, Wood  and  Earth  ;  the  VeflTels  of  Wood  and 
Earth  are  Veflels  of  the  Houfe,  of  the  great  Houfe, 
as  well  as  thofc  of  Gold  and  Silver,  though  not 
alike  precious,  nor  to  Ufes  fo  honourable  ;    but 

they 


(     ^^3     ) 

they  have  an  Unity  in  relation  to  the  Houfe,  which 
is  all  the  ftrefs  1  put  this  Place  to. 

But  if  we  rife  licnce  to  the  Unity  of  the  Mafter 
of  this  groat  Houfe,  it  will  give  more  Countenance 
lo  our  Argument. 

God  is  One.  All  Men,  Reprobates  as  they  arc, 
Called  as  well  as  Eleft,  fhare  in  relation  to  this 
one  God,  have  one  and  the  fclf-fame  God;  the  E- 
lc£t  have  not  one  Ciod,  and  the  Reprobate  ano- 
ther, but  one  God  is  God  of  them  both.  It  is  an  Ar- 
t;umcnt  Cjod  ufcs  in  Mai.  ii.  lo.  againft  Opprcf- 
fion  of  one  another  :  Have  not  ivc  all  one  Father  ? 
hath  not  one  God  created  us  ?  17a,  the  fame  good,  and 
I'ind,  and  merciful  God  and  Father  made  all ;  fo  the 
Apoftle  to  the  Ephefians,  chap.  iv.  6.  to  conclude 
the  Arjrument  to  Unitv,  brin"-s  in  this  one  God  and 
Father  of  all,  which  though  applied  there  to  Be- 
lievers, as  the  former  Place  in  Malachy  is  to  the 
'Jrxs,  yet  it  is  true  of  all  Men,  God  is  the  God 
;nid  Father  of  all  Men.  And  doth  that  afford  no 
Comfort  and  Hope  to  Men  ?  It  is  the  great  and 
Crowning  Joy  of  the  l^seu)  Jeri'falem,  that  God 
liimlclf  Ihall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God, 
and  I -ivill  be  your  God,  in  the  New  Covenant,  and 
yonjhail  he  my  People.  I  grant  God  is  efpccially 
and  peculiarly  the  God  of  Believers,  yet  he. is  the 
God  of  all  Men,  Believers  eminently  have  the 
jirefcnt  aftual  Fruit  and  Comfprt  of  it;  but  is 
(7od  the  Cjod  of  any,  and  is  there  not  a  Comfort 
and  Hope  in  it,  fini:  or  lafc  ?  le  are  of  your  Father 
the  Devil,  fiiith  Chrill  to  the  Je^jcs,  that  fought 
to  kill  him  in  that  Image,  in  that  Spirit  they  were 
of  the  Devil,  yet  God's  Right  in  them  cannot  be 
loft,  God  is  not  the  Father  of  Sin,  though  of  the 
Sinner,  he  is  the  God  and  Father  of  Sinners, 
though  not  as  Sinners,  but  as  his  Creatures,  and 
in  that  Rank  of  Creatures  Men  :  {ivho  made  of 
one  Blood  all  Nations  of  Aien,  as  Afts  xvii.  26.) 
And  the  very  Heathen  by  the  Light  of  Nature,-  did 
lay  claim  to  him  as  his  Offspring:    And  the  Holv 

Ghoft 


(     29     ) 

Hhoft  allows  it,  .faying,  Moreover  he  is  vet  far  from 
every  one  vf  us ;  though  we  be  far  in  our  Minds  from 
him,  yet  there  is  fuch  a  rooted  Hope  towards 
God  in  the  very  worft  of  Men,  except  fuch  who 
7.rc  \inder  the  Judicial  Stroke  of  Dcfpair,  which  is 
alfo  in  its  Time  to  vanifli,  that  they  promife  them- 
felvcs  Mercy  from  him,  though  they  know  not 
whv,  nor  are  fenliblc,  as  they  Ihould  be  of  their 
Forfeiture. 

2.  The  Relation  that  this  one  God  bears  to 
Men,  was  Original  and  antecedent  to  Sin,  there 
was  a  Relation  between  God  and  Man  before  Sin 
entered,  Sin  is  of  a  later  Date  than  that  Relation. 
You  read  in  Gcnejis  i.  that  God  made  Man  and  all 
things  elie  Good,  exceeding  Cjood  ;  when  God  re- 
viewed everv  Day's  Work,  he  faw  it  good.  Good 
then  hath  the  Start  of  Evil,  the  Precedence  of  it,  it 
is  the  Elder,  and  though  God  made  but  one  Man, 
yet  that  one  Man  was  ail,  as  we  all  linned  and  fell 
in  him,  fo  we  all  were  made  in  the  Image  of  God 
in  him,  we  were  all  crowned  with'  Glory  and  Ho- 
nour in  him,  vvith  the  Favour  and  Love  of  God. 
This  is  no  Strain  ;  the  Scripture  faith,  Zf^'/ paid 
Tithes  to  Jllelchi'zedeck^  though  then  in  his  Fa- 
ther Jbraharri^s  Loins,  and  not  brought  forth  of 
feveral  Aaes  afterwards.  Now  therefore  turn 
your  Eye,  and  fee  how  God  begun  with  Man, 
how  concerned  for  him,  calling  a  Council  about 
making  him :  Let  us  make  J\4an.  With  what  a 
Hand  of  Art  and  Skill  he  formed  him  curioufly, 
fearfully,  wonderfully,  how  being  fo  formed,  he 
breathed  into  him  the  Breath  of  Life,  the  Lives  of 
all  the  Creatures,  vegetative,  feniitive,  rational, 
and  angelical,  making  him  truly  an  Abilraft  and 
Compendium  of  the  whole,  a  Mierocofm  ;  how 
he  ilampt  his  own  Image  upon  him,  and  fealed 
him  for  himfelf,  for  his  own  Gonverfe  and  Socie- 
ty :  How  he  arrayed  him  wi.th  the  Robes  of  his 
own  Sovereignty,  making  him  next  hiiplelf,  Lord 

of 


(     30     ) 

of  all  his  Works  in  tiie  lower  World :  how  he 
nccomniodated  him,  and  made  a  Garden  of  Plea- 
lure  for  him,  ilorcd  with  all  delicious  Fruits,  and 
ib  tender  of  his  full  Satisfaction  and  Content,  that 
he  confidercd  his  l>eing  alone,  before  he  confidered 
it  himfelf,  and  that  nothing  might  be  wanting, 
made  him  a  Helpmeet  for  him,  giving  him  Pow- 
er by  that  Meansto  Increafe  and  propagate  himfelf 
into  a  Multitude,  as  ample  as  might  ballance  all 
other  Species. 

Now  was  there  Love  in  all  this  or  no?  This  was 
not  to  y^dam  alone,  but  to  every  one  of  us  in  him ;  I 
fay,  were  thefe  Afts  of  Love,  or  did  God  only 
make  a  Flourilh,  and  lay  a  Snare  for  Man,  that 
forfeiting  all  thefe,  he  might  be  more  miferable 
than  if  he  had  never  been  ?  If  you  fay  it  \<'as 
Love,  as  I  fee  not  how  it  can  be  avoided,  then  did 
you  think  God  began  thus  with  Man  to  end  in  a 
Tempeft  ?  A  Tcmpeft  enfued,  I  grant,  and  lies 
ilill  upon  the  greateft  part  of  Mankind,  and  a 
worfe  is  referved  for  them,  as  a  juft  Recompence 
of  their  Deeds,  even  a  fiery  Indignation,  which 
lliall  deftroy  the  Adverfary,  as  the  Apoflle  fpeaks, 
and  make  an  end  of  the  Flefh,  and  fo  of  Sin, 
which  what  it  means  may  be  fhewed  in  its  Place. 

But  fhall  that  bright  Sun  of  Favour  and  Love, 
that  arofe  fofplendidly  on  Man,  fet  in  an  everlaft- 
ing  Cloud  ?  (Pf.  Ixxvii.  8,  9,  lO.)  fhall  all  thofe 
Thoughts  of  God,  whereof  he  gave  an  earneft  to 
Man  in  hisiirft  Creation,  perifli  ?  Shall  the  Lord 
lofe  his  everlalling  Poffeffion  for  ever?  The  fame 
that  is  fald  of  Chrift^  may  be  faid  of  Man  in  his 
Root,  and  foof  all  Men.  The  Lord  pofleired  them 
in  the  beginning  of  his  Ways,  the  Lord  had  Livery 
and  Seijtn  of  them  when  thei-e  was  no  ftrange  God 
among  them,  before  ever  Sin,  or  Law,  whereby 
Sin  is  imputed,  did  enter,  j4(^am  was  lirft  form- 
ed, faith  the  Apoftle,  then  Eve^  and  the  Man 
was  not  deceived,  but  the  Woman  being  deceived 
was  in  the  Tranfgreliion.     The  Woman  ftands  in 

Scripture 


(    3'     ) 

Scripture  for  the  Natural  Principle,  or  fleflily 
Image.  Sin  therefore,  where  it  is  founded,  there 
it  is  alfo  confounded,  condemned  in  the  Flefh, 
and  fo  alone  poor  flefhly  Man  comes  to  know  Sal- 
vation through  the  Sorrow  of  Child-bearing,  ei- 
ther born  by  Chrift  for  us,  which  is  the  Privilege 
of  Believers,  or  bearing  their  own  Iniquity  as  all 
others  muft  do^  to  the  Deftruftion  of  the  Flelh, 
that  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Seed,  may  rife.  But 
before  the  Woman  was  thus  deceived,  upon  what 
amicable  Terms  was  God  and  Adam?  How  fweetly, 
as  Two  that  were  perfectly  agreed,  did  they  walk 
together?  Now  God  is  One,  and  in  one  Mind, 
though  he  may  change  his  Way,  and  ufe  a  fuita- 
ble  Variety  in  that,  yet  if  he  begin  in  Love,  as 
here  he  did,  furely  he  will  not  end  in  Wrath  ; 
though  the  Creature  may  apprehend  God  hath 
done  with  him,  and  will  be  merciful  no  more; 
yet  it  is  not  fo,  for  as  he  is  Alpha,  fo  is  he  Omega  ; 
if  his  Love  were  the  Firft,  certain  it  fliall  be  Lalt 
alfo :  For  who  fliall  get  the  upper  hand  of  that 
Love  which  is  God  himfelf  ? 

3.  This  Onenefs  of  God  Imports,  that  his 
Wrath  and  Love  is  one,  but  of  this  when  we  come 
to  that  Scripture  where  God  is  recognized  by  the 
Name  of  Love, 


CHAP     III. 

Purfuhtg  the  fame  Text,     An  Argument 
from  the  Unity  of  the  Mediator, 

WE  come  to  the  next  Words,  which  afford 
further   Evidence.     One  Mediator  between 
God  and  Aian^  the  Man  Chrijl  Jefus.     Here  again 

Men 


(     32     ) 

Men  are  Recapitulated  and  Headed  in  One,  wh-^ 
is  the  Mediator  of  Reconciliation,  and  of  all 
Communication  of  good  from  God  to  Man, 
in  whom,  as  fuch,  all  Men  have  joint  and  equal 
Intereft.  And  the  Apoflle  faymg  there  is  one  Medi- 
ator of  God  and  Man^  fecmeth  to  import,  that 
Originally  the  caie  is  alike  with  all  Men,  and  fo 
it  is,  all  are  Children  of  Wrath  by  nature,  one 
as  well  as  another,  and  he  that  pleads  the  Caufe 
oftheElc£l,  and  the  Propitiation  for  their  Sins, 
he  is  the  Advocate  of  the  Reft  alfo  :  And  there- 
fore if  the  Caufe  of  the  Eleft  fucceeds  and  goes 
fo  well  in  his  Hands,  it  affords  Grounds  of  hope 
for  the  other  alfo.  This  Unity  of  the  JVIediator 
3s  often  refledled  on,  though  in  other  Words,  as 
one  Lard ^  Eph.  iv.  5.  And  one  Head,  Eph.  i.  10. 
As  was  hinted  before,  touching  which,  this  efpeci- 
ally  is  to  be  further  noted;  that  the  fe  f?// things 
here  recapitulated,  are  diftributively  reflefted  on; 
both  which  are  in  Heaven  and  which  are  on  Earth; 
which  is  not  a  local  Diftribution,  or  a  Diftrihution 
of  Place,  but  of  Quality  and  Condition.  All  the 
Eleft,  and  called  Ones  are  Heavenly  Ones,  1  Cor. 
XV.  The  reft  are  Earthly  in  this  prefent  State,  yet 
thefe,  as  well  as  the  others,  are  recapitulated  or 
re-headed  again  in  Chrift,  which  rehires  to  theiirft 
Heading  of  them  ;  which  muft  alfo  have  been  in 
Him^  for  there  was  no  other  Head  of  Angels,  or 
Men  Originally,  but  He  ;  He  was  that  Arche^ 
that  Head,  which  the  Fallen  Angels  kept  not, 
which  our  Tianflators  render  their  firft  State, 
but  it  may  as  well  be  rendered  their  Beginning  or 
Head,  from  which  they  departed  by  Dilobedience, 
and  fell. 

Now  mark  here  two  things  : 

1.  The  Argument  the  ApoHle  is   upon.     And, 

2.  The  Aptnefs  of  the  terms  of  the  medium  by 
which  he  would  evince  it.  The  Argument  is  here 
praying  for  all  Men,   the  Ground,   God  will  have 

*  all 


(     33     ) 

all  Men  to  be  Saved,  the  Terms  are  general,  all 
Men  are  to  be  prayed  for,  not  the  Eleft  only,  but 
all  Men,  none  excepted  in  this  Place,  nor  in  r  John 
V.  i6,  only  the  Sin  unto  Death,  which  is  not  en- 
joined to  be  prayed  for.     Of  that  more  hereafter. 

2.  Obferve  the  validity  of  the  Terms  of  the  me- 
dium, there  is  one  God  that  is  unto  all  Men  ftill,  all 
Men  have  one  God,  an  Intereft  in  this  one  God, 
and  one  Mediator  between  God  and  Man;  not  be- 
tween God  and  the  Ele£V,  but  between  God  and 
Men.  All  that  are  Men,  (he  is  one,  the  Mediator 
between  God  and  Men)  and, 

Lajily,  In  the  Mediator-fhip  of  our  Saviour,  not 
the  God-head,  but  the  Man -hood  is  reflefted  on,  to 
Suit  the  Argument  to  pray  for  all  Men;  the  Maa 
Chrift  Jefus,  this  one  Mediator  engages  us  to  it. 

The  Argument  arifing  from  the  whole  to  the 
Point  in  hand  is  this,  that  through  the  Unity  of 
the  Mediator,  all  Men  are  under  a  gracious  Coun- 
fel  and  Defign  of  Salvation.  We  have  fcen  before, 
how  they  all  ftand  related  to  one  God,  as  the  Crea- 
tures of  that  one  God.  God  is  the  God  of  all  Men, 
but  novv  they  are  nearer  related,  God  is  in  Chrift, 
become  in  perfonal  Union  with  the  Nature  of  Man, 
in  which  all  Men  have  a  common  and  joint  Inte- 
reft, and  fo  the  perfons  of  Men,  of  all  Men,  are 
in  this  their  common  Reprefentative,  Married  to 
Cjod;  this  is  made  out  by  thefe  Particulars. 

I.  God  in  Chrift,  hath  Efpoufed  the  Nature  of 
Man,  not  the  Perfon  of  any  Man,  but  the  Nature, 
the  Seed  of  the  Woman  :  This  refleds  honour  and 
privilege  upon  all  that  have  Intereft  in  that  Nature, 
Gen.  ix.  6.  We  read,  IKbofopcddetb  Alan's  Blood, 
by  Manjhall  his  Blood  bejhcd,  for  in  the  Image  of  God 
made  he  Man.  This  is  faid  after  Man  was  fallen,  . 
after  that  Image  was  defaced,  after  that  the  Old 
World  was  deftroyed  by  the  t  lood,  for  the  Lewd- 
nefs  and  Wickednefs  of  it ;  yet  chat  Image  of  God, 
ftampt  on  Man  in  his  Creation,  tho'  but  one  Man 
ever  wore  it  in  its  Frefhnefs  and  Beauty,  pleads  a 
D  Privilege^ 


(     34     ) 

Privilege,  becomes  a  Security  to  all  his  Fallen 
Race,  agalnft  violence  tO  be  offered  to  them. 
Sure  then  this  Relation,  this  Union  of  our  Na- 
ture with  God  Hypoftatically  in  Chrift,  can  never 
lofe  its  Force,  its  Efficacy,  but  muft  ftand  in  Force 
for  a  higher  Security.  The  Death  of  the  Body  is 
but  a  prick  of  a  Pin  to  Eternal  Death  ;  fhall  God 
be  fo  tender  of  Man,  to  fecure  him  from  the  Lefs, 
and  fhall  he  not  fecure  him  much  rather  from  the 
Greater  Evil  ?  Shall  the  firl!  Confideration  and  the 
Relation  of  a  Creature,  and  the  created  Image  ope- 
rate fo  far,  and  fhall  not  this  farther  and  higher 
relation  of  the  Eflential  Image  to  our  Conjugal 
Union,  operate  much  flronger  to  the  advantage  of 
all  the  Seed  ? 

CoL  i.  15.    Next  to  the  Image  of  God,  we  read 
the  Firft-born  of  every  Creature,   or  of  the  whole 
Creation,   which  muft  neceffarily  at  leaft  take  in 
all   Men  ;    the  other  Creatures   being  vertually  in 
Man.    But  I  fay  they  are  put  together,  the  Image 
of  the  invilible  God  and  the  Firji-born  of  every 
Creature,  that   the  Glory  of  the  latter  may   fhine 
forth   by  the   former,    and   might   refle6l    Glory 
on  the    whole   Creation    round    about :     So    that 
there  is    no  Man  but  this  Firft-born  is  in  him,  for 
every  Creature  by  that   Scripture  hath   his  Firft- 
born,  and  that  Firft-born  is  Chrift,    the  Image  of 
the  inviftble  God,     The  Firft-born  of  every  Crea- 
ture, is  not  only  the  Firft-born  of  new  Creatures  ; 
the  new  Creature  implies  a  firft  Creation  before, 
and  this  firft  Creature,    Nature,    was  found  firft  in 
Chrift,  and  he  is   the  firft-born  in  it,   as   well    as 
the  firft  Begotten  from  the  Dead,  and  by  his  Me- 
diation other  Creatures  are  brought  forth  ;    fo  that 
Chrift  is  the  Mediator  of  the  Creation,  the  Firft 
Creation  as   well  as  the  New  Creation  ;    and  all 
Men  in  their  firft  Creation,  ftand  related  to  Chrift 
as  Brethren  :    the   Firft-born  is  the  moft  Worthy, 
and  hath  the  double  Portion,  is  the  excellency  of 
Dignity    and    of  Power,  opens  the   Womb,  but 

they 


(     35    ) 

they  that  come  after  have  the  fame  Father,  and  If- 
fue  out  of  the  fame  Womb. 

The  Firfu-born  in  tlic  iirft  place,  the  other  af- 
terwards, which  Order  of  Succeffion  in  the  fame 
Progeny,  infers  not  fuch  a  Privilege  and  Dignity 
to  the  Firft,  as  leaves  the  following  Race  wholly 
abandoned  and  reje£lcd,  but  at  leaft  in  the  Families 
of  Men  who  have  not  enough  to  maintain  the  Ho- 
nour of  their  Name  ;  they  muft  be  recommended 
to  the  Kindnefs  and  Care  of  the  Firft-born,  w^hich 
in  this  Cafe,  we  may  be  fecure  of,  tho'  the  Fa- 
ther of  this  Firfu-born  is  able  to  blefs  and  provide 
moft  bountifully  for  his  latter  Children,  which  all 
Men  you  fee  are  by  their  Firft  Creation,  for  we  are 
alfo  his  Offsprhigf  as  lings  the  Poet,  and  the  Apoftle 
difallows  it  not. 

But  it  will  be  faid  this  Title  fails,  and  this  re- 
lation is  diflblved  and  pall  away  in  Chrift  j  Men 
can  claim  nothing  by  it. 

Anfwer.    It  is  rather  changed  and  fwallowed  up 
of  a  better   to   them    that    are  new    Creatures   in 
Chrift,  which  is  the  truelt  Senfe  of  thofe  Words,  If 
any  Alan  he  in  Chriji^  he   is  a  Nevj  Creature^  all  old 
"Things  are  paji  away^  as  the   Law  is  paft   away  to 
thofe  that  are  under  Grace  ;  '  but  tlie  Relation  of 
Creatures  remains  between  God  and  all  Men,    and 
will  do  fo  Eternally ;  Believers  are  tlierefore  faid  to 
be  a  kind  of  iirft  Fruits  of  his  Creatures,    which  is 
in  Comparifon  with  other  Men  that    are  not  Be- 
lievers ;    and   we  know  what   the  Apoftle  faith.  If 
the    Firft- Fruit    be  Holy,  the  Lump  alfo  is  Holy,  and  ' 
as  the  Relation  holds  to  God,  fo  to  Chrift,   if  he 
be  the  Firft-Born  of  every  Creature,  all  Men  are 
upon    that    Account  related  unto  Chrift,  and  tho' 
there   be  a  great  Difference  between    the    Firft- 
Fruits    and  other    Men,  much  more  between  the 
Firft-Born  and  Unregencrate  Men ;  yet  there  can- 
not be  any  Privilege   growing   from  hence,  even 
to  the  worft  of  Men,  though  while   they  are  in 
Unbelief  and  Unregeneracy,  they  have  no  Know- 
D  2  ledge 


(     36    .) 

ledge  or  Senfe  of  it.  If  this  Kindred,  as  I  may 
call  it,  operates  nothing,  why  doth  the  Lord  own 
a  Philanthropy  ?  How  is  it  that  the  Lord  lays  fuch 
Laws  upon  Men,  as  on  Ifrael  for  their  poor  Brother, 
and  under  the  Nczv-Teftament,  'That  he  that  provides 
not  for  his  Family  (not  rcftraining  it  to  Believers) 
hath  denied  the  Faith,  and  is  worfc  than  an  Infidel. 
The  new  Creation  is  a  Deiign,  an  Improvement, 
advanced  upon  the  firft  Creation,  it  is  the  firft 
Title  improved  by  a  better,  not  deftroyed  but 
cloathed  upon,  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks,  as  the  Ta- 
bernacle was  houfed  in  the  Temple  ;  and  fo  it  mull 
be  in  whomioever  arc  faved.  Thus  we  fee  what 
Light  thefe  Words  afford  to  our  prefent  Inquiry, 
There  is  one  Mediator, 

*'y^">'>'*>'>'*'*-»'>'>">''»">  ■♦-»'>>'^-<"<  •«■♦•<-♦■♦•<-♦•«•<•■«-<••♦•<•<"♦•«•♦•<»  «t4* 

CHAP.      IV. 

Chrlft  a  Ranfom  for  All,  a  Tejiimony  for 
its  Proper  Seafon. 

WE  come  to  the  next,  which  relates  to  a 
New  Creation^  luho  gave  himfelf  a  Ranfom 
for  all.  In  this  Place,  and  upon  this  Argument,  to 
engage  us  to  pray  for  all  Men,  and  that  upon  the 
following  Grounds,  that  God  will  have  all  Men 
to  be  faved  (can  lignify  no  lefs  than  general  Re- 
demption) fo  far  as  that  the  Price  is  laid  down  for 
all  Men,  fuch  a  Price  as  Juftice  required,  fuch  as 
God  accepted  :  For  it  is  an  aftual  Ranfom,  which 
it  could  not  have  been  called  if  the  Creditor  had 
not  been  agreed,  and  declared  himfelf  fatisfied 
therewith  (a  Tellimony  for  its  proper  Time  to  be 
declared  for  all).  This  Ranfom  for  all,  is  that 
vvliich  the  Myftical  Jeivs  can  no  more  bear  now  ; 
than  the  literal  Jews  could  bear  of  the  Gentiles  to 
be  taken  into   the  Covenant  of  Abraham,  which 

might 


(     37     ) 

might  be  the  Reafon  that  the  Apoftle  clofely  Jnii- 
nuates  in  thole  Words,  (a  Teftimony  for  its  own 
proper  Times)  as  if  he  forefaw  by  the  Spirit, 
how  the  elder  Brother  would  grudge  that  the 
Prodigal,  after  all  his  rambling,  fliould  find  at  laft 
fuch  a  welcome  Entertainment ;  but  yet  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  New  Tejlament  are  not  wholly  lilent 
in  other  Places  touching  this^  Tit.  ii.  ix.  chap, 
iii.  iv.  I  Tim.  ili.  lo.  Rom.  v.  i8.  i  John  ii.  2. 
If  any  Man  Jin  %ve  have  an  Advocate  ivith  the  Father y 
Jcfus  Chrijl  the  Righteous,  ivho  is  the  Propitiation  for 
our  Sins y  and  tiot  for  ours  only\  hut  for  the  Sins  of  the 
ivhoie  pf^orld.  A  Text  fo  worded,  with  a  not  only ^ 
^nA  the  whole  World,  as  if  the  Spirit  had  purpolely 
confulted  to  obviate  and  prevent  all  clippings  of  it. 

But  to  come  to  the  Argument;  From  hence  it 
win  be  faid,  What,  tho'  Chrifc  gives  himfelf  a 
Ranfom  for  all,  we  fee  yet  all  Men,  nay,  the 
greateft  Part  of  Men,  have  no  Benefit  by  it,  but 
live  and  die  Unreconciled  to  God  ?  It  isconfelTed, 
and  it  is  moreover  certain,  there  is  no  other  Name 
given  under  Heaven  for  Men  to  be  faved  by  :  but 
becaufe  this  Redemption,  this  Ranfom  operates 
not  in  the  prefent  Time,  have  we  Authority  ta 
fay  it  never  fliall  ?  The  Blood  of  Chrift  never  lofes 
its  Virtue.  The  Covenant  with  Abraham  hath  Iain 
dead  this  Seventeen  Hundred  Years  and  more, 
with  the  Body  of  that  Nation,  but  yet  it  fhall  a- 
wake  and  work  afrefh,  for  the  Apoftle  faith,  they 
are  beloved  for  their  Father's  fake,  and  Chrift 
faith,  though  Ifrael  be  not  gathered,  i.  e.  in  the 
prefent  Time,  yet  a  Time  is  coming,  as  if  he 
Ihould  fay,  When  I  Iball  be  glorious  in  the  Eyes 
of  the  Lord.  If.  xlix.  5.  He  had  faid  in  the  Nq^{q 
before,  by  way  of  Objeftion,  I  have  laboured  in 
vain,  I  have  fpent  my  Strength  in  vain,  and  for 
nought,  but  he  anl'wers  himfelf,  Tet  furely  my 
fudgmcnt  is  with  the  Lord,  and  my  Work  with  my 
God.  The  Apoftle  upon  the  Argument  of  the 
D  3  Refur- 


(     38     ) 

Refurrcftion,  which  he  extends  to  all  Men,  tho' 
not  to  all  at  fnft,  but  eacji  in  their  Order,  and 
that  making  alive  would  be  fmall  Comfort,  if  it 
were  only  a  railing  them  to  Judgment,  looks  on  it 
as  fo  harfh  a  Conlequence,  that  Clirifc  fliould  die 
In  vain,  that  he  makes  an  Argument  of  it :  And  1 
confeCs  it  is  lb  harfli  an  Hypothefis,  that  Chrift 
fliould  give  himfelf  aRaniom  tor  all,  and  that  nei- 
ther firft  nor  lafl,  the  grcatefl  part  of  Men  fhould 
have  the  Fruit  of  it,  that  is,  be  fet  free  by  it,  that 
without  better  Rcafon  than  I  yet  fee,  I  cannot  ad- 
mit it.  He  that  forbids  Ifrael  to  detain  the  Wages 
of  the  Hireling  ])ail  the  end  of  the  Day,  will  not 
furely  deny  Chrift  the  Price  of  his  Blood  :  But  be- 
fore he  give  up  the  Kingdom,  which  is  the  end  ot 
his  Day,  as  Mediator,  he  lliall  lee  the  full  Tra- 
vail of  his  Soul,  and  be  fatisfied.  So  that  here  we 
fee  Man  Indefinitely  defigned  for  the  Advantages  of 
this  Mediation,  which  is  inftituted  between  God 
and  Man,  not  between  God  and  the  Eleft,  but  be-  ■ 
tween  God  and  Man,  now  an  Indefinite  is  equal 
to  an  Univerfal.     Then, 

4.  We  lee  in  executing  this  Mediation,  Chrifl 
gave  himfelf  a  Ranfom  for  all,  not  reftraining  it  to 
a  part. 

There  are  Two  more  Particulars  w-hich  lie 
couched  in  this  Text. 

I.  That  this  Ranfom  is  that  which  all  Men  have 
a  Share  and  Intereft  in  ;  for  he  gave  himfelf,  who 
was  a  public  Perfon,  that  took  the  Nature  of 
Man;  in  which  all  Men  have  joint  Intereft;  not 
the  Perfon  of  any  Man,  not  the  Propriety  of  any 
Man ;  fo  that  it  was  the  Life  of  the  World  that 
was  offered  up  in  Sacrifice,  the  Life  of  Man  in  the 
Perfon  of  the  ^on  of  God,  enobled  and  made  va- 
luable by  the  Union,  to  be  a  Ranfom  ior  all  Men  ; 
therefore^  faith  the  Apofrle,  if  one  died  for  all^  then 
were  all  dead;  they  were  dead  cnW«rt//y  in  Adam^ 
they  were  dead  penally  in  Chrift,  elfe  how  could 

Relievers 


(     39    )     ' 

Believers  reckon  themfelvcs  dead  in  him,  if  his 
Death  were  not  their  Death,  Sacramentally,  as  I 
may  fay,  and  fo  the  Death  of  all,  though  all  re- 
ceive it  not,  apprehend  it  not  :  Therefore  Chrill 
faith.  The  Bread  which  1  will  give  is  my  Fle/b,  which  I 
will  give  for  the  Life  of  the  fVorld. 

2.  The  fecond  thing  is  the  EfFeft  of  this  Tranf- 
aftion,  and  gave  himfclf  a  Ranfom  for  all ',  which  is 
an  Advantage  and  Benefit  fo  large,  foextenlive,  as 
is  too  great  for  the  prefent  Faith  of  Men  :  There- 
fore it  is  faid  to  be  a  Tcftimony  for  its  proper  Times 
or  Seafons,  and  what  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  but 
although  this  Extent  of  the  Ranfom  appear  not 
now,  and  fo  the  Teftimony  of  it  cannot  be  receiv- 
ed, which  may  be  the  Reafon  why  we  have  been  fo 
dark  in  it,  yet  there  fliall  be  Times  wherein  itfhall 
appear;  and  then,  as  is  faid  of  the  Vilion,  it 
Ihall  be  made  plam  upon  Tables,  that  he  may  rian 
that  reads  it,  in  the  mean  time  it  is  a  Myflery  feal- 
ed  up  with  a  Seal  of  Secrecy,  as  that  which  the 
Seven  Thunders  uttered  was,  till  the  founding  of 
the  Seven  Trumpets ;  and  as  the  Vilion  of  Chrift's 
Glory  in  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  which  was 
enjoined  to  be  told  to  no  Man  till  Chrift  fhould  be 
rifen  from  the  Dead,  becaufe  Chrift  was  yet  in  a 
State  of  Humiliation  :  So  the  World  is  yet  in  an 
unreconciled  State,  and  the  Time  for  this  Recon- 
ciliation to  operate  upon  all,  is  not  yet  come,  but 
only  upon  the  Eleft,  the  reft  as  we  fhall  fee  will 
follow  in  their  Order, 


D  4  CHAP. 


(     4<5     ) 

CHAP     V. 

yfrz  Argument  from  i  Tim.  I  v.  ro.  God 
a  Saviour  of  all,  hut  in  a  more  efpeciitl 
Manlier  of  them  that  Believe  the  Gof- 
peL 

MY  feconc!  Proof  Is  from  i  Tim.  iv.  lo.  where 
God  is  faid  to  be  the  Saviour  of  all  Men, 
elpecially  of  them  that  believe.  The  Words  are 
thefe  ;  Fx)r  therefore  we  both  labour  and  fufer  Re- 
proach becaufe  ive  trujl  in  the  Living  God,  who  is 
the  Saviour  of  all  Men,  i^c.  I  thought  to  have  paft 
by  this  Scripture,  for  that  it  may  be  apprehended 
to  refer  only  to  Temporal  Salvation,  but  the  Con- 
text carries  it  further,  for  ver.  vin.  he  fpeaks  of 
the  Promife  of  this  Life,  and  that  which  is  to  come, 
which  is  annexed  to  Godlinefs,  and  then  ver.  ix. 
faith,  7hts  is  a  faithful  Saying,  and  worthy  of  all  Ac' 
ccptation,  which  is  the  fame  Eulogy  that  he  ufhers 
in  the  Gofpel  with,  Chap.  i.  15.  This  a  Faithful 
Saying,  and  worthy  of  all  Acceptation,  fhat  fefus- 
Chrifi  came  into  the  JVorld  to  fave  Sinners,  whereof 
I  apn  Chief;  where  undoubtedly  he  fpeaks  of  Eter- 
nal Salvation.  The  Q^ieftion  is,  what  this  {j-dki^a, 
imports,  chiefly  of  them  that  believe  ;  wherein 
it  is,  that  fome,  even  thofe  that  believe,  have 
the  Advantage  of  the  reft  of  Men.  Before  we 
look  farther,  let  us  take  what  the  Place  affords : 
We  read,  ver.  8.  that  (lodlinefs  hath  the  Promife 
of  this  Life,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come;  this  is 
the  Advantage  of  Believers  above  other  Men  that 
arefaved  which  is  commonly  taken  for  the  Advan- 
tages of  this  World,  but  without  Ground;  for  the 
Text  contradidls  this  Exception;  for  then  what 
ineianis  the  Labour  of  the  Apoilles,  and  their  fuf- 

fcring 


(     41     ) 

fering  Reproach  if  they  had  the  Promife  of  this 
Life  in  that  Senfe?  it  was  a  Promife  not  perform- 
ed to  them  who  yet  were  eminent  in  Godlinefs ; 
therefore  the  Promife  of  the  Life  (now)  is  fuch  as 
Chrift  prom.iies  to  them  that  forfake  Father  and 
Mother,  Houfe  and  Lands  for  his  fake,  that  they 
iliall  have  an  hundred  fold  in  the  prefent  time  with. 
Perfecution.  This  hundred  fold  with  Perfecution 
is  in  the  Spirit,  and  can  be  no  otherwife,  Mark 
X.  30.  This  Promife  they  that  believe  not  are  de- 
prived of,  which  is  fufficlent  to  ground  that  diffe- 
rence which  the  Greek  Word  fj-ciAig-ct  imports,  in 
God's  being  the  Saviour  chiefly  of  them  that  be- 
lieve that  he  is  their  Saviour. 

They  have  the  Promife  of  the  Life  that  now  is, 
the  others  muil  ftay  for  it ;  but  they  that  believe 
are  faved  already,  as  Unbelievers  are  condemned 
already,  John  iii.  18.  yet  God  is  the  Saviour  of  all 
Men;  how  this  is,  cannot  be  better  expreil  than  by 
the  Apoftle,  i  Cor.  xv.  22.  where  he  fpeaking  of 
the  Refurreftlon,  Js  in  Jdam  all  die,  fo  in  Chriji 
Jhali  all  be  made  alive,  hut  ever j  one  in  his  own  Or- 
der, Chrifl  the  FirJI-Fruits,  afterivards  they  that  are 
Chrijl^s  at  his  coming,  then  cometh  the  End.  Where 
we  have  three  Seafonsln  which  the  Refurreftionis 
accomplifhed  :  Firfl  in  the  rifmg  of  Chrifl  the 
Firft  Fruits  of  the  Eleft  or  Believers :  Secondly 
in  the  Refurreftion  of  Believers ;  that  are,  as 
James  faith,  a  kind  of  Firft- Fruits  of  his  Crea- 
tures..    Then, 

Thirdly  and  Laftly,  in  the  Refurreftlon  of  the 
reft  of  Men,  for  fo  and  in  this  Order  fhall  the 
Refurreftion  proceed  :  The  dead  in  Chrift  fliall 
Rife  lii-ft,  and  thofe  that  fleep  in  Jefus  fhall  God 
bring  with  him,  not  all  the  dead,  but  thofe  that 
ilecp  in  Jefus,  fo  that  great  is  the  Odds  for  Be- 
lievers above  other  Men,  for  they  are  faved  in  the 
prefent  Time,  or  have  the  Promife  of  the  Life 
that  now  is;  that  Life  in  the  Spirit  which  is  an 
.hundred -fold  beyond  all  the  Pleafur^s  of  Sin,   or 

bare 


(      42      ) 

bare  Temporal  Enjoyments  of  natural  Men.  Then 
when  they  die  they  ficep  in  Jefus,  in  his  Bofom, 
until  the  Rerurre^lion  ;  not  that  their  Souls  fleep, 
or  arc  fcaled  up  in  an  Inadlivity,  as  their  Bodies  in 
their  Graves ;  but  they  refi:  fweetly,  as  in  the  fweet- 
eft  Sleep  from  all  that  niolcfted  them  here,  both 
Sin  and  Sorrow,  and  are  with  Chrift  in  Paradife. 

And  then  Thirdly,  at  Chrift's  coming  their  Bo- 
dies are  raifcd  too,  and  they  enjoy  the  Kingdom 
with  hirn  during  his  whole  Reign,  which  the  reft 
of  Men  are  excluded  from,  being  not  raifed,  as  the 
Creation  is  not  delivered  till  the  Sons  of  God  are 
nianifefled,  Rom.  viii.  19^  21,  but  anfwerably  in  a 
way  of  Oppoiition  and  Contradiftindion  ;  the  reft 
of  Men  they  are  dead  while  they  live,  they  go  to 
Hell  when  they  die,  and  are  not  favcd  or  made  a- 
live  till  Chrifc's  Kingdom  on  Earth  hath  its  Accom- 
*plifliment,  which  is  called  the  End;  Then  cometh  the 
^v  Endy  when  he  Jhall  have  delivered  up  the  Kingdom  to 
God,  even  the  Father. 

P  rom  all  that  hath  been  faid,  it  appears,  that 
this  Term  UciKi^a.  is  not  quiefcent,  idle,  or  inlig- 
nificant,  but  importing  a  great  Difference  between 
Believers  and  others ;  yet  not  excluding  the  reft 
altogether,  or  for  ever  from  Salvation ;  nay,  it 
ftrongly  implies  the  contrary,  it  implies,  that  all 
-ere  or  muft  be  faved  in  one  degree  or  another,  at 
one  Time  or  another. 

CHAP.      VI. 

Several  Objediions   agalnji  this  Hypothejis 
anjwered, 

BUT  this  Truth  (if  foit  fhall  prove  after  all  con- 
fidered  that  may  be  alledged  in  the  Cafe)  will 
pafs  the  more  current  when  we  fhall  have  folved  all 

thole 


(     43     ) 

tliofe  havfli  Phaenomena,  which  this  AlTertlon 
appears  to  be  attended  with ;  which  Province 
therefore  might  leem  juftly  to  challenge  the  Prece- 
dency in  this  Dilquifition.     I  fhall  begin, 

Obje^.  I.  Shall  all  Men  be  faved  ?  What  will  be- 
come of  the  Juiliice  of  God  and  his  Wrath  againft 
Sin  ?  This  Doftrine  will  take  off  all  Reflraint  from 
Sinners,  all  Encouragement  to  flridl  Walking,  if  all 
fhould  be  faved,  who  would  deny  his  Flefh  its 
Cravings,  its  fenfual  Satisfaftion  ? 

Anfvjcr^  I.  This  Objeftion  proceeds  upon  a  grand 
Miflake,  if  it  be  not  wilful,  vi%.  That  the  Grace 
of  God  is  a  blind  Injudicious  Softnefs  :  Which  is  a 
Weaknefs  in  Men,  and  is  not  once  to  be  imagined 
of  God,  who  is  Wifdom,  Truth,  and  Holinels  it- 
felf,  and  all  thefe  in  higheft  Coniiftency  and  Har- 
mony with  Grace  and  Love,  and  even  in  the  run-  • 
ning  over  of  his  Heart  to  his  fpecial  Favourites,  all 
is  under  the  Conduft  and  Management  of  higheft 
Prudence  and  Wifdom,  Eph.  i.  8. 

2.  The  Scriptures  are  not  only  plentiful  in 
Threatning,  and  denouncing  Death  and  Wrath 
againft  Sin,  but  in  demonftrating  to  us, 

1.  The  Juftice  of  this  Way  of  dealing  with 
Men,  as  Wages  is  to  a  Servant,  Ihe  Wages  of  Sin  is 
Death. 

2.  The  Naturalnefs  and  Inevitablenefs  of  it, 
that  which  a  Alan  foweth^  that  Jhall  he  alfo  reap  ;  he 
that  foweth  to  the  Flejh,  fhall  of  the  Flcjh  reap  Cor- 
ruption^ &c.  if  ye  live  after  the  Flejh  ye  Jhall  die. 
Yea, 

3-  The  Co-incidence  of  Sin  and  Punifhment 
in  the  fame  Term  of  Death,  to  be  carnally  Minded 
is  Death, 

That  there  is  an  Hell  after  this  Life,  is  clear  by 
the  Doftrine  of  our  Saviour  himfelf  in  the  Para- 
ble of  Dives  and  Lazarus,  Luke  xvi.  23.  Matth, 
V.  22,  29.    ch.  X.  28.  ch.  xviii.  9.  and  that  from 

Chrift's 


(     44     ) 

Ch rift's  Tribunal  all  Alen  Jhdll  receive  the  Things 
done  in  their  Bodies^  whether  good  or  bad.  Tlie  Apof- 
tle  Paul,  without  any  Heiitancy  affirms,  2  Cor. 
V.  lo.  and  tliat  there  fliall  be  an  exa£l  Propor- 
tion in  the  Punifliment  to  the  Sin,  manv  Places  of 
the  New  Te/iament  pro\e J  Matth.  x.  15.  xi.  21,  24. 
Rev.  XX.   12,  13. 

Ob/e^.  But  you  will  fay,  If  Hell  be  admitted 
you  give  tip  the  Caufe.  How  are  they  faved  that 
arc  caft  into  Hell,  which  is  a  Fire  thatjhall  never  be 
quenched,  Mark  ix,  43,  48,  and  called  Everlajiing 
Fire  in  many  Places  ? 

Anfivcr.  Let  him  that  denies  Hell  take  heed  left 
it  be  verified  upon  himfelf ;  we  have  as  much  for 
Hell  as  vvc  have  for  Heaven,  only  it  may  be  quef- 
tioned  whether  we  underftand  thofe  Terms  for 
ever,  yea  for  ever  and  ever,  and  everlajiing,  and  never 
to  be  quenched,  aright,  for  as  much  as  thefe  Terms 
are  ufed  of  Things  that  have  an  end,  as  of  the 
Ordinances  of  the  Law,  this  is  an  Ordinance  for 
ever,  Exod.  xxvii.  laft,  and  divers  other  Places, 
which  yet  had  an  end  in  Chrift,  (o  the  Lord  threat- 
ens, That  his  Fury  Jhall  hum  upon  Jerufalem,  andjlmll 
not  he  quenched.  Jer.  vii.  20.  Yet  what  fvveet  Pro- 
mifes  were  made  to  jerufalem,  and  to  that  People 
afterwards ;  and  after  this  long-  Rejeftion  they  are 
tinder  the  Promife  of  a  gracious  Return  ftill,  there- 
fore thefe  Terms  are  to  be  underftood  in  a  limited 
or  qualified  Senfe  ;  and  if  the  everlafting  Duration 
of  Hell  without  end  have  no  other  Ground  but 
thofe  Terms,  it  is  too  weak  a  Foundation  to  build 
fuch  an  Affertion  upon,  as  concludes  and  fliuts  up 
God  for  ever  in  Wrath,  never  to  come  forth  in 
tke  exercife  of  Mercy  to  far  the  greateft  part  of  his 
Creatures. 

It  is  granted,  thofe  Terms,  for  ever  and  ever- 
kfiing,  import  a  long  Time,  as  Jfracl^s  Ordinances 

lafted 


(    45    ). 

lafted  till  Chrlft  came,  which  was  Two  Thoufand 
Years. 

2.  That  may  be  faid  for  ever,  whofe  Term  of 
endinp;  is  not  revealed  when  it  fhall  be. 

3.  What  is  after  this  Life  in  anotlier  World, 
may  be  faid  to  be  for  ever. 

4.  What  is  commenfurate  vi^ith  the  Duration 
of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Son  as  Mediator,  till  he 
gives  up  the  Kingdom,  may  be  faid  to  be  for  ever ; 
fo  the  Servants  of  God  and  the  Lamb  fliall  reign 
for  ever  and  ever  in  the  New  yerufalem,.  Rev.  xxii. 
5.  Which  yet  is  to  be  given  up  to  the  Father  when 
all  Enemies  are  put  down  under  the  Feet  of 
Chrift. 

5.  Eternal  Judgment  may  be  fo  faid  in  three 
other  Refpedls.  i.  Of  God  the  Infiidler.  2.  On 
the  Soul  on  which  it  is  infli£led,  which  is  Immor- 
tal. 3.  Of  the  full  Accompliihment  of  its  End, 
the  full  Declaration  of  his  Jullice,  and  the  final 
Extermination  and  making  an  End  of  Sin,  Jer. 
xxiii.  19,  and  lait ;  Behold  the  Whirlwind  of  the 
Lord  goes  forth  with  Fury,  a  continual  M^hirlwindy  it 

Jhallfall  with  Pain  upon  the  Head  of  the  fVicked ;  the 
fierce  Anger  of  the  Lordfhall  not  return  until  he  hath  done 
ity  and  until  he  hath  performed  the  Intents  of  his  Hearty 
l^c.  Soj  verily  thou  fkalt  not  come  out  thence  until  thou 
hafi  paid  the  utmofi  Farthing. 

I  know  what  is  commonly  pleaded,  that  Sin 
being  againft  an  infinite  Majefty,  Satisfa6lion  can- 
not be  made,  but  by  a  Punilliment  infinite  in  Du- 
ration. 

But  this  ftrikes  at  the  Sufficiency  of  Chrift's  Sa- 
tisfaftion,  in  which  God  hath  fhewed  there  is  a 
mean  of  Satisfaction,  without  infinite  Duration, 
and  God  is  fatisfied  by  that  one  Sacrifice  for  the 
Sin  of  the  whole  World,  fo  that  God  wants  not 
Satisfaction  ;  befides  that,  if  he  did,  he  fliould  by 
this  Principle,  be  ever  fatisfving,  but  never  Satis- 
fied, 

It 


C     46     ) 

It  is  moft  certain,  though  Chrift  hath  laid  down 
a  fufficient  Ranfom  for  the  whole  World  (and  ib 
intended  by  him)  wherein  God's  Jufcice  is  made 
amends  for  all  the  Breach  of  his  Law,  and  he  may 
now  be  juft  in  forgiving  the  greatell:  Sins  and  Sin- 
ners, yea  the  whole  World  \yithout  Exception, 
yet  they  that  are  not  by  fpecial  Grace  drawn  to  be- 
lieve and  receive  this  Atonement,  that  are  not  In- 
fluenced by  this  Grace  to  deny  Ungodlinefs,  that 
are  not  regenerated  and  born  anew  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  ;  they  have  not  the  Benefit  and  Advantage  of 
this  Ranfom,  but  muft  bear  their  own  Iniquity, 
Ihall  die  in  their  Sins,  and  be  caft  into  Hell,  where 
Body  and  Soul  fliall  fuffer  in  Proportion  to  their 
Demerits,  and  not  come  out  thence  untill  they  have 
paid  the  utmoft  Farthing. 

But  by  our  Saviour's  own  Mouth, there  will  be 
a  great  Difference  between  fome  and  others,  even 
in  thofe  that  perifh  ;  and  if  it  be   more  tolerable 
for  fome  than  others,  then  we  may  draw  an   Ar- 
gument from  hence,  for  the  bounding,  the  Dura- 
tion of  the  Punifliment  of  the  Damned,  by  the 
fame  Rule  of  Juilice  as  proportions    the  Degrees 
of  Punifliment  to  the  Sin  ;    for  if  the  Infinitenefs 
of  the  Majefly  offended,  requires  the  Punifhment 
af  the   Offender,  infinite  in^  Duration,  doth  it  not 
require  itfhouldbe  intenfely  Exquifite  alfo;  there- 
fore that  Infinitenefs    of  the  Majefty  offended  is 
not  the  Rule  ;    but  the  Reception  of  the  Light  of 
this  Divine  Majefty,  where  it  hath  been  more  or 
lefs,  that  is   the  Rule ;  for,   fo  faith  the  Apoftle, 
they  that  have  Jinned  without    Lazv,  Jhall  he  judged 
without  Law,  and  they  that  have  Jinned  under  the  Law 
Jhall  he  judged  by  the  Law,  and  they  that  Jinned  un- 
■  der  the    Gofpel,    and  agmnjl  the    Gofpel,  Jloall   have  the 
hottcjl  Judgment  of  all,  fee  Heb.  x.  26,  30.     To  iTiut 
up   this  Matter    there  are  two   Things    in  Judg- 
ment that  make  it  more  or  lefs  tolerable  ;  the  In- 
tenfenefs  of  it,  and  the  Extent  or  Duration  of  it. 
The  Furnace  was  commanded  to  be  heated  Seven 

Times 


(     47     ) 

Times  hotter  than  ordinary,  for  the    three  Chil- 
dren ;    that  was  the  Intenfenefs  of  the  Torment ; 
now  one    or    both  of  thcfe  muft  of  Neceffity    be 
underftood    in  the    Tolerablenefs  of  T^re    and  4S/- 
dorC%    Judgment   before    Capernaum  and  Bethfaida; 
and  if  you  fay  the  former,  that  the  heat  of   their 
Fire  is  not  fo  intenfe,  you  then    yield  the  Caufe, 
for  their  Sins  were  againft  an    infinite   Majefty, 
therefore  if  that  were   the  Rule    and  Meafure    of 
the  Punifliment,  their  Punifliment  muft  be  as  in- 
tolerable as  any  others ;    yea,  indeed  as  intolera- 
ble as  an  Infinite  God  could  make   it ;    but  the 
Creature   is  not   capable  of   fuch  a   Wrath  ;     for 
quicqu'id  recipitiir^    recip'itur    ad  modum    rccipientis^  a 
Finite  Thing  cannot  hold    an  Infinite,  therefore 
they  which  are   moft  Enlightened,  are   capable  of 
moft  Wrath;  which  is  the  meaning  of  that  PalTage, 
Pf.  xc.  II.  according  to  thy  Fear,  lb  is  thy  Wrath. 
A   poor  dull   Heathen  who  was   never  awakened 
to  a  Senfe  of  Ood,  is   not  capable  of  that  Wrath 
that  thofe  are  who  have  lived  under  the  Sun-fhine 
of  the  Gofpel.     Therefore  Chrift   took  in   more 
of  4:hc   Wrath  of   God  than   all  Men  and   Angels 
put  together    could  have   done,  becaufe   he   took 
in  the  folnels  of  his  Love.     He  lay  in   his  Bolbm 
and  therefore  he  had  a  quicker  and  more  exquifite 
Senfe  of  his  Wrath,  and  .lb   they  that   Sin   Wil- 
fully after  they  have  received   the   Knowledge  of 
Truth,  O  !  what  a  fiery  Judgment  is  that  which 
awaits  them  !    for  they  have  come  near  to   God, 
they  have  tafted  tlie  good  Word  of  God,  they  have 
felt  the  Sweetnefs  of  Communion  with  God,  (next 
to   New-covenant   Communion)   they  have  eaten 
and  drank  in  his    Prefence;    how  terrible  will , the 
Senfe  of  Rejeftion  be  to  fuch  !     Indeed,  they  that 
have  the  coldeft  Hell  will  find  it  hot  enough,  yea, 
hotter  than  they  can  bear,  without  moft  great  and 
extreme  Senfe  of  Torment,  double  to  all  the  Plea- 
furesofSin,  and  of  their  own  Will,    whickhave 
brought  this  Torment  on  them  ;    for  this  is   the 

Proportion 


(     48     ) 

Proportion  and  Meafure,  Ex.  xx.  4,  5.  Jer.  xvl. 
18 — xvii.  18.  Rev.  xviii.  6.  and  as  for  Punifh- 
ment,  fo  for  Reward,  If.  xl.  2 — Ixi.  7.  To  con- 
clucle,  in  vain  is  it  faid,  Men  fhall  be  judged  accord- 
ing to  their  IForksy  and  it  fliall  be  more  tolerable 
,  for  fome  than  others,  if  the  utmofl  Wrath,  as  an 
infinite  God  can  inflift,  fliall  be  poured  upon  all 
the  Puniflied  Ones  ;  and  if  not  utmoft,  in  refpeft 
of  Intention,  then  not  Endlefs,  in  refpeft  of  Ex- 
tenfion,  but  proportionable  to  their  IVorks. 

CHAP.     VII. 

.  The  opening  of  that  Scripture,  i  Pet.  iii, 
18,  19,  20.  for  the  further  illujirating 
of  this  Argument,  and  the  Anfwer  unto 
the  former  ObjeSiion,  that  from  Hell 
there  is  no  Redempteon. 

THE  Words  of  the  Text,  i  Pet.  iii.  i^c.  arc 
thefe.  For  Chrijl  alfo  hath  once  fuffered  for 
Sins,  the  jujl  for  the'unjufi^  {that  he  might  bring  us 
to  God)  being  put  to  death  in  the  Flefh,  but  made  alive 
in  the  Spirit :  in  which  alfo  going  forth,  he  preached 
to  the  fpirits  in  prif'on ;  which  Tometime^  were  difo- 
bcdienty  zvhen  once  the  long-fuffering  of  God  waited 
in  the  Days  of  Noah,  tvhile  the  Ark  was  in  pre- 
paring, wherein  few,  that  is,  eight  fouls  were 
faved  by  fVater,  l^c.  Compare  this  Scripture 
with  that  which  you  will  find  chap.  iv.  ver.  6, 
For  this  caifc  was  the  Gofpel  preached  alfo  (or  even) 
to  them  that  are  dead,  that  they  might  be  judged  ac- 
cording to  men  in  the  flefh,  hut  live  according  to  God 
in  the  Spirit.     And  if  it  be  found  that  the  Gofpel  is 

preached 


(    49    ) 

i7renchecl  to  the  Damned,  and  for  this  end,  that 
tlirough  a  Judgment. adminiftered  on  the  fleili,  they 
muft  be  brought  f'ii*rh  to  a  Life  in  the  Spirit,  as 
thefe  Scriptures  feem  to  hold  forth  ;  then  not  only 
is  this  Objeftion  anfwered,  but  the  main '  Affer- 
tion  of  Univerlal  Grace  is  juftiiied  ;  for  there  can 
be  no  queftion  of  the  poffibility  or  probability  of 
the  Salvation  of  other  Sinners,  if  the  Sinners  of 
the  Old  World  be  Saved,  and  of  Sinners  in  the 
Flefh,  if  the  Damned  in  Hell  be  redeemed  and 
fetched  out  from  thence.  For  of  thefe  doth  both 
of  thefe  Texts  fpeak  :  The  former  is  without 
Queftion,  and  the  latter  Text  being  but  Six  or 
Seven  Verfes  removed  from  the  former,  may  be 
prefumed  not  to  be  alien  in  Senfe.  But  befides,  it 
is  clear  the  Difcourfe  is  continued  throughout  tbefc 
Verfes,  and  the  argument  not  altered  or  changed, 
and  therefore  I  fhall  fpend  no  time  to  clear  that 
which  is  fo  clear. to  any  one  that  reads  the  Text. 
All  the  queftion  will  be,  what  time  this  going 
forth  of  Chrift  to  preach  to  the  Old  World  (who 
were  now  gone  off  the  Stage,  and  were  only  Spirits 
uncloathed  of  their  Mortal  Bodies  and  in  Prifon) 
was  ?  whether  while  on  Earth  before  the  Flood 
came  upon  them  and  fwept  them  away,  or  whether 
it  vsrere  after  our  Saviour's  Death  or  Refurreflion, 
rather  during  thofe  Forty  Days  before  his  Afcen- 
iion,  anfwering  the  Forty  Days  and  Forty  Nights 
that  it  rained  upon  the  Earth  :  viz.  whether  this 
Preaching  was  the  Preaching  of  Noah  in  his  time, 
who  is  called  the  Preacher  of  Righteoufnefs  by  this 
Apoftle,  in  his  fecond  Epiftle,  Chap.  ii.  5.  or  of 
our  Saviour  in  Perfon  ?  I  confefs  I  have  formerly 
endeavoured  to  perfuade  myfelf  upon  that  ground, 
zii"^.  that  Noah  is  fo  recognized,  that  it  was  Chrift, 
in  the  fpirit  of  his  Mediatory  Perfon  and  Office, 
going  forth  in  Noah,  in  the  Days  of  Warning 
before  the  Flood,  that  was  meant  in  the  firft  Quo- 
tation of  this  Apoftle,  Chap,  iii,  19,  byt  there  are 
E  feverftl 


(     50     ) 

■feveral  Particulars  in  that  I'ext,  bcfides  the  co- 
gent Arguments  in  the  latter  Text,  Chap.'\\.  6, 
which  have  a  nianifeft  Conncivion  and  Dependency 
with  the  former,  and  Relation  to  it,  which  fways 
me  to  the  contrary,  and  being  in  Harmony  with 
fo  many  other  Texts  of  Scripture,  makes  it  more 
than  probable,  that  Chrift  carried  the  Gofpel  in 
Perfon,  to  the  Spirits  of  the  Old  World,  after 
his  Refurreftion,  to  Judge  and  to  Save  them :  Let 
us coniider  the  Particulars  diftin6tly  in  both  Texts : 
I,  It  cannot  be  Noahy  or  his  Preaching,  that  is 
there  meant,  or  Chrift  preaching  in  AW; ;  for  the 
Time,  the  State,  the  Place,  the  Auditory,  the 
Succefs,  and  other  Circumftances,  all  forbid  fuch 
an  Interpretation. 

1.  The  Time  was  after  our  Saviour's  SufFering, 
tliat  is  plain,  ver.  i8,  for  Chrift  hath  once  fuffered 
for  Sin,  being  put  to  Death  in  the  Flelh,  &c.  It 
was  after  the  Days  of  our  Saviour's  Flefh,  but 
Noah's  Preaching  was  before  his  coming  in  the 
Flefh,  this  is  the  firft  Argument. 

2.  It  was  in  the  State  the  Life  that  he  took  up 
from  the  dead  by  the  Refurre£lion  that  be  went 
forth  and  preached,  which  is  called  Spirit  in  the 
cndoivcr.  i8,  in  which  he  is  faid  to  go  forth  in 
ver.  19,  which  is  not  that  State  of  Spirit  in  which 
Chrift  was  before  he  was  Incarnate ;  but  it  is  the 
Spiritual  State  of  his  Humanity  in  the  Refurrec- 
tion,  that's  a  fecond  Argument.  To  which  add, 
if  the  Apoftle  had  here  made  it  his  Defign  to  fhew, 
that  Chrift  went  forth  in  Spirit  before  he  took 
Flefh,  he  might  have  inftanced  in  all  the  Prophets, 
and  needed  not  to  have  taken,  fuch  a  Leap  over  all 
their  Heads  to  the  Old  World  :  he  miG:ht  have  been 
furnilhed  w'ith  Inftances  nearer  hand  than  Noah, 
Therefore  this  is  a  Miniftry  of  the  Perfon  of 
Chrift,  of  the  Spiritual  State  of  his  Perfon  in  the 
Refurrcdion  ;  this  is  the  Preacher, 

3.  The 


(     51     ) 

3-  The   Place.       The   Greek   words    import    a 
Travel   or  Journey   to  fome  diftant  Place   or  Re- 
gion, being  ufed  afterwards,  ver.  22,  of  this  Chap- 
ter,   for  his  afcending  to  Heaven.     This  here  is  a 
Travel  to  the  Place   of  the  Damned,    where  they 
are    in  Prifon,    wherever   that   is.     Whether  that 
Plaec  of  his  defcending   to  the  utmoft  Parts  of  the 
Earth,  Eph.  iv.  g,  make  any  thing  to  this  Purpofe, 
1  fhall  not  determine,    but  leave  to  be  conlidered  ; 
but   if  this  be  fo  that  Chrift  did  withdraw  from 
the   Converfe   of  the  Living,   to  the  Place  of  the 
Dead,  then  we  have  an   Account   of  our  Saviour's 
Time,    from  the  Refurredlion    to  his   Alcenlion, 
whereof   lb  little  was   beflowed   in   Viiits   on  his 
Difciples,    the  Time  being  taken  up  in  Evangeli- 
zing or  Preaching   the    Gofpel   to  the  Dead,   as 
Chap,  iv.  6.    that  which    is   called  only  Preaching 
in  the  firft  Place,  Chap,  iii.  19,  is  in  the  latter  cal- 
led   Preaching  the   Gofpel ;    in    the  firft  Place  a 
Preaching  to  the  Spirits  in  Prifon,    in  the   latter 
Evangelizing  to   the    Dead.     This  was    not    the 
Preaching  of  Noah  in  the  Flefh. 

4.  The  Auditors,  who  are  not  Men  in  the 
Flefh,  but  the  Dead  in  the  latter  Place  :  and  leafl 
that  fliould  be  taken  Metaphorically  or  Myftically 
for  the  Dead  in  Trefpalfes  and  Sins  only,  it  is 
over-ruled  in  the  former  Place  by  the  Appellation  of 
■  Spirits,  that  is  fuch  as  had  laid  down  the  Body, 
and  were  then  thofe  Spirits  in  Prifon,  fuch  as  were 
Defcended  and  fent  to  their  own  Place,  thereto  be 
kept  in  Prifon  to  the  Day  of  their  Judgment, 
which  here  feems  to  be  the  Time  of  Chrift's  Re- 
furreftion,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the  Day  of 
Judgment.  For  Chrift's  Refurre£tion  was  the  No- 
tice and  Affurance  that  was  given  to  all  Men,  of 
his  being  appointed  to  judge  the  World  in  Righ-- 
teoufnefs,  and  of  that  Day  being  come,  AcJs  xvii, 
31.  Heb,  ix.  27,    which   may   anfwer  the  Objec- 

£  2  tioa 


(     52     ) 

tion  of  the  Day  of  Judgment,  being  one  conti- 
nued Day,  which  Hcb.  vi.  2,  is  called  the  eternal 
Judgment.  So  foon  as  Men  die  they  come  to 
judgment,  but  there  are  fpecial  Seafons  for  lignal 
and  eminent  Judgments.  Yet  all  one  Judgment 
continued,  and  Eternal  in  the  Spirit,  though  not 
alike  manifeft  always,  Rev.  xv.  4.  The  time  from 
Chrift's  Refurreflion  to  his  Afcenfion,  was  the 
time  for  the  Judgment  of  the  Old  World  ;  the 
Appoiitenefs  of  which  Time  may  appear  from 
hence,  becaufe  now  was  the  New  World  brought 
to  light  aftually,  which  began  from  finifliing  of  the 
Judgment  of  the  Flood.  That  Judgment  was  ab- 
lolv'd  in  Forty  Days  from  the  Refurredion  ofChrift* 
Now  this  Preaching  being  to  the  Dead  properly, 
not  metaphorically,  not  to  Men  in  the  Flefh,  but 
to  Spirits  in  Prifon,  cannot  be  the  Preaching  of 
Noah,  but  muft  be  the  Preaching  of  Chrifl  to  a 
World  of  Men  that  were  gone  off  the  Stage  of  this 
World.     This  is  a  Fourth  Argument. 

5.  The  Succefs;  iVo^/^i's  Preaching  was  Fruit* 
lefs,  the  Old  World  was  difobedient,  and  perifhed 
under  his  Preaching,  but  there  is  a  flrong  Intima- 
tion, as  if  the  Preaching  of  Chrifl  had  better  Suc- 
cefs, becaufe  it  is  faid  of  this  Auditory,  that  they 
were  fome  time  difobedient,  and  as  if  now  they 
were  not ;  but  this  is  not  all,  the  Fruit  is  plainly 
exprefs'd  in  the  latter  place  ;  for  this  caufe  the  Gol- 
pel  was  preached  even  to  them  that  were  dead, 
that  they  might  be  Judged  according  to  Men  in 
the  Flefli,  but  that  they  might  Live  according  to 
God  in  the. Spirit.  That  Work  which  the  Gofpel 
prevails  for  where  it  is  received  by  Faith,  Chrift 
in  his  rifen  State  effeds  that  by  new  Acceffion  of 
Power  he  had  received  according  to  his  own  Ac- 
knowledgment in  feveral  Places,  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 
John  xvii.  2. 

And 


(    53     ) 

And  whether  the  leading  Captivity  Captive,  fpo-» 
ken  of  Eph.  iv.  at  his  Afcenfion,  and  giving  Gifts 
to  McHy  even  to  the  Rebellious,  thofe  Rebels  of 
the  Old  World,  thofe  Giants  that  made  War  with 
Heaven,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them^ 
Pf.  Ixviii.  may  not  look  this  w^ay,  I  fhall  leave  to 
be  confidered.  It  is  ufual  among  Men,  when 
Kings  are  Inaugurated  or  Inftalled  in  their  King- 
doms, to  open  the  Prifon  Doors,  and  fct  free  the 
Captives.  This  is  a  Fifth  Argument,  concluding 
againft  the  Preaching  of  Noah,  to  be  the  Intent  of 
the  Apoftle,  which  is  yet  made  ftronger  by  the 
Apoftle  in  the  firft  Quotation  of  Peter ^  w^here 
jpeaking  of  the  Flood,  as  a  Baptifm  oi  Salvation  in 
the  Light  Side  of  it,  though  a  Baptifm  of  Judg' 
ment  to  the  greater  part,  there  being  few  but  only 
Eight  Souls  faved  by  Water,  lie  makes  the  Anti- 
type to  be  the  Refurreftion  of  Chrift  from  the 
Dead  :  Who  therefore  muft  in  a  correfpondent 
Way  Save^^  well  as  Judge,  and  efpecially  we  may 
be  bold  to  conclude  fo,  when  the  Scripture  goes 
before  us,  and  acquaints  us  with  the  Miniftry  he 
exercifed  in  Perfon,  in  this  Rifen  State,  and  the 
Subjeds  to  whom  he  Preached,  and  alfo  the  End 
of  it,  that  they  might  not  only  be  Judged  accord- 
ing to  Men  in  the  Flefli,  but  might  Live  accord- 
ing to  God  in  the  Spirit.  The  Salvation  now  by 
this  Baptifm,  is  an  Earneft  of  the  Univerfal  Salva- 
tion, according  to  the  Commiffion  given  him,  or 
that  he  fees  ready  to  be  given  him  upon  his  Suf- 
fering, at  his  Refurreftion,  which  is  by  himfelf 
faid  to  be  a  Poiver  over  all  Flefh,  John  xvii,  2.  a 
Term  excluding  all,  or  any  Exception  or  Limita- 
tion. The  Place  we  fliall  refleft  upon  more  par= 
tlcularly  hereafter, 

6.  There  are  two  or  three  other  Circumllan- 
ces  that  will  add  to  the  clearing  of  this  Expofiti- 
on,  and  take  away  fome  Objeflions  that  may  pof- 
iihly  lie  in  fome  Minds  againft  what  hath  been  de- 
clared.    As, 

£  3  Firft, 


(    54    ) 

Firft,  the  Adverb,  tot*,  or  Sometimes,  appli- 
ed to  the  Dlfobcdience  of  the  Old  World,  which 
fhevvs  their  Dilbbedience,  and  this  Preaching  to 
them,  not  to  be  of  the  fame  Time,  and  fo  not  to 
be  the  Preaching  of  Noah. 

Again,  the  Adverb  lixa,^,  or  once,  that  is  appli- 
ed to  the  Expe^ation  of  the  Lord's  Long-Suffer- 
ing,  flievvs  the  Expeftation  to  have  been  of  a  former 
Time  antecedent  to  this  Preaching  ;  and  fo  it 
could  not  be  the  Preaching  of  Noah,  which  did 
conrtemporate  with  thatExpcftation  again. 

Thirdly,  while  Noah  Preached,  and  this  Long- 
Suffenng  of  God  expcflcd  them,  they  were  not 
Spirits,  but  Men  in  the  Body  ;  and  not  in  Prifon, 
but  at  Liberty  in  this  World ;  not  Dead,  but  Alive 
in  the  Flefli. 

Fourthly,  and  fo  to  obviate  an  objcflion,  if 
ihe  meaning  had  been,  that  Noah  preached  then 
to  Men  in  the  Flefb,  who  iincc  that  are  now  Spi- 
rits in  Prifon,  would  he  not  have  as  accurately 
diflinguifhed  the  Times  of  the  one  and  the  other, 
and  have  made  it  clear  that  they  were  not  Spirits 
in  Prifon  then,  as  he  doth  in  the  Two  Places  to 
diflinguifh  their  Difobedience,  and  God's  expeft- 
ing  their  Compliance  from  that  Time  of  this 
Preaching,  of  which  he  treats,  by  the  Adverbs /of^ 
and  apnx. 

Fifthly,  that  Particle  {alfo)  Chap.  Iv.  6,  For 
this  Cauje  tvas  the  Gofpel  preached  alfo  to  them  that 
are  dead,  mufl  needs  mean  the  Dead  properly ;  be- 
ing fo  over-ruled  by  the  Senfe  of  the  Terms  in 
the  Vcrfe  immediately  preceding,  where  he  fpeaks 
of  Chrifl  Ready,  viz.  noiv  from  his  KeJurrcBion  ready 
to  judge  the  ^tick  and  the  Dead;  and  then, 

Laflly,  What  fliould  the  Apoftle  mean  by  fay- 
ing, the  Gofpel  was  preached  in  the  Preter-Tcnfc, 
if  it  were  not  that  he  fpake  of  an  Aftion  paft, 
vi%.  in  that  Forty  Days  from  the  Refurreftion  of 
our  Saviour,  to  his  Afcenfion ;  for  if  he  had  intend- 
ed and  fpake  of  the  Preaching  of  the  Gofpel  to  the 

Myftical 


(    55    ) 

Myftical  Dead,  that  are  living  on  Eartli,  by  the 
Minifters  of  Chrift,  he  would  moft  probably,  be- 
caufe  moll  properly,  have  fj)oken  in  the  Prefent 
Time  (it  is  preached)  for  fo  then  it  was  when  he 
wrote,  and  continues  to  this  Day,  more  or  lefs  : 
therefore  it  is  moft  probable  he  fpake  of  an  A^ion 
that  was  paft,  even  the  fame  that  he  had  written  of 
in  the  former  Chapter,  which  adds  fome  further 
Light  and  Evidence  to  this  Expolition,  and  under- 
ftanding  of  the  Text. 

To  conclude  this  Text,  and  the  Evidence  from 
it,  let  it  be  obferved  againft  the  flighting  of  Sin, 
and  the  Judgment  it  brings  on  the  Sinner,  that  it 
was  above  Two  Thoufand  Years,  by  the  Compu- 
tation of  the  beft  Chronologers,  that  fpeak  leaft, 
from  the  P'lood  to  the  Times  of  our  Saviour  ;  and 
all  that  Time  were  the  Spirits  of  the  Old  World  in 
Prifon.  What  profit  had  they  of  fix  or  {twen  hun- 
dred Years  fpent  in  Vanity,  to  lie  three  Thou- 
fand Years  for  it,  as  fome  of  the  earlieft  of  them 
did,  if  they  were  delivered  at  the  Refurreftion  of 
Chrift,  or  by  the  Efficacy  of  his  Preaching  to  them, 
That  Forty  Days  after  it  before  his  Afcenfion  ? 
And  it  is  Seventeen  Hundred  Years  and  more 
fince  that  time,  that  the  Sinners  of  the  New 
World  have  expefted  the  fiery  Indignation  ;  which 
how  long  it  fliall  burn  upon  them  in  and  during 
the  Reign  of  Chrift  in  his  Kingdom.  I  fee  not 
how  to  determine  :  but  the  Duration  already,  and 
the  Certainty  of  every  one*s  receiving  according  to 
his  Work,  by  unimaginable  Degrees  exceed  the 
Shortnefs  and  Momentarinefs  of  the  Pleafures  of 
Sin_,  that  are  but  for  a  Seafon. 


CHA  P. 


(    56    ) 

CHAP.     VIII. 

^n  j^rgument  drawn  from  the  Mercy  pro- 
mifedthe  Jews. 

NEXT  to  the  Damned  in  Hell  is  the  cafe  of  the 
Jews  on  Earth,  for  deplorahlenefs  botli  in  re- 
fped  of  Sin  and  Mifery.  The  Depth  of  their  Mi- 
fcry  is  eflimated  by  the  Height  of  their  Privileges, 
being  once  the  only  Church  and  People  of  God, 
but  now  the  moft  forlorn  and  wretched  People  on 
Earth,  and  fo  have  been  1700  Years  and  more  ; 
lying  under  Rejection  for  that  great  Sin  of  Cruci- 
4  fying  and  rejecting  Chrift,  which  was  done  bv 
their  Fathers,  and  is  owned  and  not  repented  of 
by  their  Children  to  this  Day ;  not  to  fpeak.  of  the 
Ten  Tribes,  which  from  the  Days  of  Salmanczar 
were  carried  Captive,  and  remain  an  unknown 
Nation,  without  Prince  or  Government  to  this 
Day;  yet  what  gracious  and  full  Promifes  arc 
made  to  this  People,  both  to  Ifracl  and  Jiidah^  not 
only  of  gathering  and  raifing  them  again,  as  under 
David  znd  Solomofj,  and  bringing  them  back  to  their 
own  Land  ;  but  Spiritual  Promifes  of  Life  and  Sal- 
vation, and  fuch  an  incorruptible  Glory  in  the  glo- 
rious State  of  Chrifl's  Kingdom  at  his  return  in 
his  fecond  Appearance,  as  Ihall  make  that  Time 
exceed  any  Time  that  the  Gentile  Churches  have  yet 
linown,  as  much  as  the  Light  of  the  Sun  exceeds 
that  of  the  Moon. 

Having  glanced  at  this  Argument  already,  upon 
Occafion  given  before  by  the  Argument  drawn 
from  the  Harmony  that  is  in  God's  Counfel  and 
Defign,  I  fliall  be  the  briefer  on  it,  and  fhall  only 
gleaa  a  few  Refleftions  that  remain  on  fome  Paf- 
Tages  in  Rom.  xi.  where  tlie   Apoftle  fpends  the 

whole 


(     57     ) 

whole  Chapter'  on  this  Argument,  that  God  hath 
not  finally  call  ofF  the  Jnvs,  but  upon  Defign  for  a 
7ime  to  receive  them  again  with  greater  Kindnefs 
than  ever  before. 

I  fliali  begin,  Verfe  ti  ;  I  fay  then,  faith  the  A- 
poftle,  have  they  fumbled  that  they  Jhould  fall? 
God  forbid,  but  rather  through  their  Fall,  Salvation 
is  come  to  the  Gentiles  to  provoke  them  to  Jealoufy, 
O  Eagle-eyed  Apoftle  !  how  were  thine  Eyes  a- 
nointed  witli  the  Divine  Eye-Salve,  to  efpy  any- 
good,  to  difcern  fo  great  a  Counfel  of  Good,  in 
and  thro'  fo  dark  a  Scene  as  this  of  the  y^zw  re- 
jefting  of  Chrift,  and  their  being  for  that  rejefted 
by  God  !  it  was  as  great  a  Sin,  as  great  a  Fall  as 
ever  Men  were  guilty  of.  Indeed  all  v\^ere  but 
Peccadillos  to  this  Sin  of  their  Denying  and  Cru- 
cifying of  their  own  yl-i^'Z/Zir?/^ ;  yet  this  Stumble 
the  Apoftle  will  not  have  to  be  that  they  might 
fall.  What  a  full,  what  a  pregnant  Teftimony  is 
this  to  what  we  faid  before,  that  the  defign  of 
Wrath  is  intermediate,  not  ultimate ;  God  hath  a 
Defign  of  Grace  beyond  his  defign  of  Wrath,  and 
that  not  to  the  Gentiles  only,  to  whom  through 
their  Fall,  Salvation,  he  faith,  is  come,  but  to  the 
'fezi's  themfelves,  after  that,  to  provoke  them  to 
Jealoufy,  to  make  them  come  in  with  a  Stomach 
to  Chrift.  Yea,  this  is  not  the  whole  of  the  Pro- 
ject neither,  but  there  is  a  further  part  of  it 
reacheth  beyond  this  receiving  in  again,  and  there 
the  Gentiles  are  to  reap  the  Advantage ;  for.  If  the 
Fall  of  them  be  the  Riches  of  the  pp'orld,  and  the  dimi- 
mjhing  of  them  the  Riches  ef  the  Gentiles,  hoiu 
vmch  more  their  Fulnefs?  So  again,  ver.  15,  If  the 
cafiing  avjay  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the  Tforldy 
\vhat fhall  the  receiving  of  them  be  but  Life  from  the 
Dead.P  O  how  full  of  Light  is  this  part  of  God's 
Counrd  !  which  otherwife,  take  it  alone,  is  as 
dark  as  anv  Text  to  the  State  of  the  Damn- 
ed in  Hell  !  How  doth  this  Cloud  clear  up  ! 
What  ah  Innocency,  \Vhat  a  Serenity  appears  in 

the 


(    58    ) 

tJie  Original  plot  nnd  Conclu£l  of  all  this  Dark- 
nefs  that  is  to  end  l"o  Elefledly,  both  to  Jcji's  and 
Gentiles ! 

The  Apoflle  hath  not  done  with  it  yet,  but 
is  at  it  again,  ver.  22.  and  I  cannot  blame  him,  it 
is  fo  full,  andfuch  a  pleafing  wonder.  Behold  there- 
fore, faith  he,  the  Goodnefs  and  Severity  of  God; 
on  them  which  fell  Severity  ;  but  towards  Thee 
Goodnefs,  &c.  The  Apoftle  James  idWh,  out  of 
the  fame  Fountain  proceeds  not  fvcect  PPatcr  and  bitter^ 
yet  here  is  Severity  and  Goodnefs  exerclfed  by 
the  fame  God.  What  niuft  we  conclude  then  ? 
that  his  Severity  is  not  without  Goodnefs,  nor 
contrary  to  it;  not  incompatible  with  it;  his 
Goodnefs  can  admit  Severity  and  yet  rem:\in 
Goodnefs  notvvithftanding;  how  doth  this  flill 
arride,  and  confirm  that  Account  before  given 
of  a  Love  Dcjign,  or  projefl,  a  majk  of  Love,  a 
Love  Dance?  We  have  here  Divine  Love  takes 
cut  the  JczL's  alone,  and  leads  them  about  for  the 
fpace  of  TwoThoufand  Years  from  Abraham,  then 
lie  loofeth  Hands  with  them,  and  takes  the  Gentiles 
for  near  as  long,  and  the^fxci  fit  by.  Here  Severity 
comes  in  and  a£l:s  its  part  to  make  that  Scene  full 
and  glorious.  Severity  zvaits  upon  Goodnefs,  The 
yeivsy  the  blefl'ed  Seed  of  Abraham  his  Friend 
are  fliut  cut,  and  their  Reje£Vion  muft  be  a  foil 
to  fet  off  the  Favour  of  thefe  AViv  Efpoufals  to  the 
Gentiles:  but  the  Gr^r/Za  aifo  are  corrupt  and  be- 
come an  earthly  ferufalem,  and  they  are  turned  off; 
and  therefore  there  is  another  Scene  at  laft  to  be 
prefented,  and  that  is,  the  Fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  the  FuUnefs  of  thefe-ius,  which  are  both  to  come 
in  together,  ver.  25.  Here  now  both  the  Beloveds 
are  taken  in  and  made  one,  never  to  be  caft  off 
more,  and  fo  all  i/rrtf/ fliall  be  faved,  ver.  26.  But 
this  is  not  all  neither  ;  the  Apoftle  hath  another 
Effay  at  it  in  order  to  fhew  the  peculiar  Tarn  of 
Art  and  Skill  of  the  Great  Contriver,  ver.  30,  31. 
and  that  is  to  prefcnt  the  part  that  Unbelief  bears, 

ia 


(     59     ) 

in  this  Scene,  and  how  the  Unbelief  of  the  Jews 
commends  the  Mercy  the  Gentiles  found,  who  ob- 
tained Mercy  through  their  Unbelief.  That  the  Unbe- 
lief of  one  People  fliould  be  the  Believing  of  ano- 
ther, admits  great  allay  in  the  Severity  ;  but  that 
the  Mercy  of  the  latter  People,  the  GentileSy  (liould 
at  laft  iffue  in  the  Mercy  of  the  Elder  People, 
the  Jews,  who  through  our  Mercy Jljall  receive  Mercy  ; 
This  wholly  excufes  and  abfolves  God's  Contri- 
vance of  all  Cruelty  and  Injuftice,  and  fliews  it  to 
be  only  the  Ingenuity  and  IVifdom  of  Love.  But  tliere 
is  one  flrain  more,  ver.  36,  the  lafl  of  this  Chap- 
ter, where  the  Apoftle  having  admired  the 
Depths  of  the  Riches  both  of  the  Wifdom  and 
Knowledge  of  God,  the  Unfearchablenefs  of  his 
Judgments,  and  ihe  Infcrutablenefs  of  his  Ways, 
concludes,  that  of  him,  and  thrf  him,  and  unto  'him 
(ire  all  Things,  the  Rejc£iion  as  well  as  the  Embracing^ 
the  JudgmcYit  as  vjcll  as  the  Mercy  ;  the  Severity  as  well 
as  the  Goodnefs  ;  and  therefore,  faith  he,  to  him  be 
glory  for  ever.  This  makes  all  Good,  all  Glory; 
all  to  be  but  a  Projeft  of  Love  and  of  Glory.  Evil 
proceeds  from  Evil,  as  Abigail  faith  to  David^ 
but  from  God  who  is  Light,  Pure,  unmixt  Light, 
in  whom  is  no  Darknefs  ;  from  God  who  is  Love, 
Love  without  Allay,  nothing  can  proceed  but 
what  is  like  himfelf,  all  is  here  but  the  Seat  of 
the  Variegation,  the  pleafant  Difports  and  gar- 
nilhing  of  a  Projeft  and  Delign  of  Love  ;  which 
in  the  clofe,  and  not  till  then,  will  prefent  itfelf 
unfpeakably  Beautiful  and  Glorious,  through  all 
theie  interchangeable  courfes  of  Lights  and  Shades, 
fo  Ikilfully  and  advantageoufly  difplaying  them- 
felves  into  one  intire  Light  of  Glory,  where  the 
darknefs  itfelf  fliall  in  the  delign  become  a  L.".:;ht, 
and  every  Spot  a  Beauty,  to  and  in  the  whole 
piece. 

C'hj.  But  how  doth  fuch  an  account  ci  things 
comport  with  the  Wrath  of  God,  expreffed  all 
manner  of  ways,  through  all  the  Scriptures,  thro* 

all 


(    6o    ) 

all  Times  nnd  Ages  againfl  Sin;  forbidding  of  it, 
threatningoi  it,  complaining  of  it,  Judging  andPu- 
nifliing  Men  for  it,  with  fuch  fiercenefs,  with  fuch 
feriouineis  ?  Doth  not  the  Apoftle  fay.  We  knowing 
the  Terrors  of  the  Lord  perfuadeMen,  and  it  is  as 
fearful  to  fall  into  the  Hands  of  the  Living  God, 
yea  when  he  fpeaks  to  Believers  themfelves,  dotH 
he  not  tell  them,  our  God  is  a  confuming  Fire  ? 
But  by  this  account  of  your's,  God  fhall  feem  pcr- 
fonam  induere,  to  aft  the  Part,  and  not  to  be  in  ear- 
nefl,  to  put  on  a  difguife  only  for  a  time  ;  doth  not 
this  invalidate  all  his  Threats  and  Denuntiations  a- 
gainft  Sin  ? 

Jri fiver,  I  fhall  anfv/er  with  a  God  forbid  !  I^ow 
then  fhall  God  Judge  the  World?  what  fliall  he 
ground  his  Judgment  upon  in  fending  Men  to 
Hell  and  holding  them  there,  for  fo  long  continu- 
ance under  fuch  exquifite  Wrath  and  Torment,  if 
Sin  be  not  a  real  Evil  and  Demerit  ?  And  as  for 
^Vrath,  Men  under  terror  of  Confcience  feel  it 
real  ;  and  would  God  fport  himfelf  with  the  Suf- 
fering and  Smart  of  his  Creature,  if  he  was  not 
really  concerned  in  his  Jullice  to  deal  fo  with 
them  ? 

This  courfe  of  things  therefore  hath  its  Place  in 
the  firft  and  natural  Relation,  wherein  God  and 
the  Creatures  fland  opart  fingly  and  at  a  diftance, 
upon  a  diftinft  Bottom  and  Interell ;  but  there 
is  another  Day,  another  Light  of  things  brought 
forth  in  Chrift,  vvherein  God  and  the  Creature 
meet  and  are  one,  and  wherein  God  immutably 
relieves  and  fixes  the  Creature's  Mutability,  and 
Waveringnefs;  his  Rightecufnefs  cloaths,  covers, 
fmilesupon  the  Creature's  Nakednefs,  Unrighteouf- 
nefs  and  Sin ;  here  Mercy  and  Truth  meet  together, 
Righteoufnefs  and  Peace  kifs  each  other ;  yea, 
Mercy  rejoices  againfl;  Judgement,  and  in  this 
Light  of  Things  it  is,  God  fpeaks  fo  lightly  of  Sin,  , 
and  lighter  than  we  durft  do,  did  not  he  go  be- 
fore us  in  it,  Ifa,   i.    18,  I'hough  ymw  Sins   be   as 

fcarkt 


(     61     ) 

Scarlet  the^  Jhall  he  as  White  as  SiioWf  thij  they  he 
red  as  Crimfon  they  Jhall  be  as  JVool,  the  Septuagint 
is  more  emphatical,  making  it  the  Ail  of  God 
cleanfing  them ;  KivzavS. 

More  is  not  faid  of  the  Saints'  Robes,  than  is 
here  faid  of  their  Sins,  they  have  wa/hed  their  robes 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  R£V.  vii, 
14,  what  is  whiter  than  Snow,  what  is  fofter  than 
Wool,  yet  what  is  blacker  than  Sin,  and  what 
harder  than  Iniquity  ;  what  a  Power  therefore  of 
Love,  of  Life,  of  Righteoufnefs,  muft  that  be, 
that  can  make  fuch  a  Change  ?  this  is  that  which  in 
Pfalm  cxviii.  23,  24,  is  celebrated  with  fuch  Praife, 
this  is  the  Lord^s  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  Eyes^ 
ibis  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made,  we  will  be 
glad  and  rejoice  therein. 

For  the  further  Account  hereof  take  thefe  fol- 
lowing particulars. 

I.  It   muft  be  true,    God  doth  put  on  another 

Per/on  in  Chrift,   and  fits  Vi'^on  another  Throne;  the 

yudge  is  changed,  and  his  Throne  is  changed  from 

a  Tribunal  of  Juftice,    to  a  Throne  of  Grace; 

but  this  change  of  his   Perfon   and   AfpeB,  tnakes 

not  his  firft   Appearance  under  the  Law,  and  in 

Wrath  feigned  as  Paffions  in  a  Play  are.     For  Sin 

and   Righteoufnefs   are    as    Light    and   Darknefs  ? 

The  Holy  Nature  of  God,  and  the  Fallen  Nature 

of  the  Creature,  remaining  fo  at  an  irreconcileable 

diftance.      Ahd   upon   this  Account  we   hear   of 

Eternal  "Judgment,    everlafting   and    unquenchable 

Fire,  becaufe  this  Judgment,  this  Fire  never  ceafes 

burning   upon    Sin,    and  upon  the  Sinner,  while 

he    remains  in  his  own  Life,   which  is  Enmity  to 

God;    in  which  Senfe  the  Law  is    faid    to   have 

Dominion  over  a  Man   fo  long  as  he  liveth,  ^'^z. 

«ntil  he  be  myftically  flain,    and  then  that  Domi- 

aion  determines.     And  therefore, 

2.  In  the  fecond  Place,  it  is  not  without  great  and 
good  Caufe,   that  the  Lord  puts  on  another  Perfon^ 
that  we  find  his  Perfon,  .his  Afpeft,  his  Appear- 
ance, 


(      62      ) 

ance,  fo  quite  different  from  what  it  was,  his 
Frowns  turned  into  Smiles,  his  Rebukes  into  Em- 
braces; that  he  changes  his  Voice,  and  fpeaks  fo 
calmly,  fo  undifturbed  of  the  great  Provocations 
of  his  People.  It  is  that  vaji  Improvement  which 
God  makes  to  the  Glory  of  all  his  Attributes,  and 
his  Grace  eminently  and  ultimately  by  occafion 
of  the  Fall,  through  the  means  of  Chrift,  who  is 
his  Arm  in  his  Delign  and  Counfel ;  it  is  the  plea- 
fure  of  this  Game,  or  Divine  Projeft,  that  doth  fo 
pleafe,  and  influence  the  Lord,  as  the  Prophet 
faith,  the  Lord  is  well  plea  fed  for  his  Righteoufnefs 
fake;  for  in  this  way  of  Chrift  he  hath  not  only 
a  full  amends  made  for  the  Breach  of  his  Law, 
and  for  all  the  Sin  and  Difobedience  of  Men, 
(and  that  both  by  the  fulfilling  of  it,  and  fatis- 
fying  the  Penalty)  but  the  Old  Man  is  Crucified, 
and  the  Body  of  Sin  deftroyed,  and  the  State  of 
all  that  believe  Fundamentally  and  Subftantially 
changed  ;  and  they  made  a  clean  new  Creation  ; 
they  are  not  in  the  Flefli,  but  in  the  Spirit ;  they 
are  taken  up  out  of  the  firft  Adaniy  and  planted  in 
the  fecond  Adam,  and  are  as  him^  even  in  this  World. 
So  that  now  the  Wrath  of  God  having  difcharged 
itlelf  on  Chrift  in  his  Sufferings,  way  is  made 
for  that  Glory  which  is  deareji  to  God  of  all  his 
Names,  his  Grace,  which  all  his  other  Attributes  do 
attend  upon,  and  ferve  to  the  difplaying  itfelf  ia 
the  freeft  and  moft  unlimited,  uncontrouled  way 
that  his  Heart  can  defire.  Now  in  the  might  of  this 
Salvation  he  rejoices  over  his  poor  fmitten  Crea- 
tures with  Joy  ;  he  refts  in  his  Love;  yea  he  joys 
over  them  with  Singing,  Zep.  iii.  17.  and  calls  them 
to  rejoice  with  him.  This  Projefl  he  had  al- 
ways in  piofpeft,  which  made  the  Lord  Jefus  his 
Delight  in  Eiernity,  Prov.  viii.  upon  the  account  of 
his  Serviceablenefs  to  him  in  this  Defign  :  But  it 
was  fparingly  difcovered  unto  Men,  untill  thefe 
laft  times ;  for  though  the  Promife  was  before 
the  Law,  yet  the   Law  and  Wratli   muft  enter  to 

bs 


(    63    ) 

be  a  Foil  unto  it;  even  as  f.rji  is  that  which  is 
Natural,  and  afterwards  that  which  is  Spiritual, 
faith  the  Apoftle,  i  Cor.  xv.  46.  and  it  is  but 
darkly  we  yet  fee  this,  to  what  God  fees,  and  to 
what  we  fhall  fee  when  He,  even  the  Lordjefus 
fhall  appear,  when  we  lliall  fee  God  as  he  is,  Face 
to  Face. 

So  that  it  is  in   another   Light  than    the  Light 
of  Man,  that  thefe  things  are   feen  and  are    true; 
whoever  is   not  in    fome    uieafure    taken  into  this 
Light  abldctb    in    Death    and  IVrath  ahidclh  on  him. 
This  Glorious  Scope  and  Counfel  of  God,  the  A- 
poille  lays  open  at  large,  in  Rom.  v.  in  two  Inftan- 
ces,   as  two  gradual  Steps  of  it.     Firji,  In  the  En- 
trance of  Sin  by  Adam.  Secondly^  In  the  reviving  and 
abounding  of  Sin  by  th«  Law.     FirJ}^   for  Adam  he 
makes   a  Parallel  between  the  firft  and  the  lecond 
Adam,  flievving    wherein   they  agree,  and  wherein 
they  differ ;    they    agree  in  this,  that    Adam  \yas 
a   Head,    and  Reprefentative  to   all  his  Seed,    as 
Chrift  is ;    though  yfriWwi   was   but   a    Subordinate 
Head;    yet   he  was  the  figure  of  him  that  was  to 
come.      Secondly,     They    agree    in  this,    that    the 
Seed    of  both    Adams  were   to    be   Ruled   by   the 
fate     of    their    feveral   Heads    and   Reprcfentativcs,  ■ 
and  are   fo.     For   as,    the  firft  Adam   falling,  we 
were    all   reckoned   to   fall  in  him,  which   is  the 
meaning  of  that   ver.  12,  for  as  by  one  Man  Sin 
entered   into  the  World,  and  Death    by  Sin,  and 
fo   Death  palfed   upon  all    Men,  viz.  in  Adam   in 
whom  all  Sinned,  and  accordingly  Death  reigned, 
from  Adam  to   Mofes ;    he  bounds   it   there  ;    not 
that  it  Reigned  no   more,  or  did   not  reign  after- 
wards ;  but  he  diftinguifties,  as   I  faid  above,  be- 
tween the   Reign   of  Sin  before  the   Law,  which 
was  but  a  diminutive  Reign,  in   compaViibn  with 
the  Reign  of  Sin  by  the  Law;    when  Sin  abounded 
and  revived;    for  Sin  comparatively    v^as  not  im- 
puted, viz.    charged  upon  the   Confcieiice   befores 

the 


(     64     ) 

the  La\X',  as  it  was  afterwards  ;  the  redditlon  of 
this  Panallcl,  is  not  in  the  Text,  but  may  be  fup- 
plied  out  of  the  context,  viz.  that  even  foRighteouf- 
iicjs  entered  by  one,  and  Life  by  Righteouftufs. 

But  now  the  difference  between  thele  two  he 
brings  in  with  a  much  more,  ver.  15.  but  not  as  the 
Offence,  fo  alfo  is  the  Free  Gift,  for  if,  through 
the  Offence  of  one,  many  be  dead  ;  much  more  tlie 
Grace  of  God,  and  the  Gift  by  Grace  hath 
abounded  unto  many.  I  cannot  conceive  other 
meaning  of  it  than  this,  that  there  is  much  more 
in  the  heart  of  God  to  make  Men  righteous  by  thf 
Jecond  Adam  without  their  own  pcrfonaL  merit,  than 
to  make  Men  Sinners  by  the  firjl  Adam  without 
their  perfonal  demerit :  Where  you  fee  that  Grace 
hath  the  preference,  in  the  Plot,  God  hath  a  De- 
fign  to  fhew  his  Wrath,  and  to  make  his  Power 
known  but  much  more  to  glorify  his  Grace. 

2.  The  fecond  Difference,  is  in  the  comparifon 
inftituted  between  the  one  Sin  of  Adam  charged  upon 
all  his  Seed,  and  the  abundance  of  Chrift's  rigbtc- 
cufnefs  imputed  to  his  Seed.  It  was  but  one  Slip, 
one  Tranfgreflion,  and  that  was  the  eating  of  the 
Forbidden  Fruit,  that  all  Mankind  fmarts  for  to 
this  Day  ;  it  is  true  their  own  Sins  inflame  the 
Reckoning,  but  they  are  Dead  and  Condemned 
Men  in  Adamy  by  tliat  one  Sin,  had  he  or  we  never 
Sinned  more. 

But  now  Chrift  performed  many  Atts  of  Obedi- 
ence, yea,  he  was  all  Righteous,  and  therefore 
our  many  Offences  are  forgiven,  and  they  who 
receive  abundance  of  Grace,  and  the  Gift  of 
Righteoufnefs,  {hall  reign  in  Life  by  one  Man 
Jefus  Chrijl,  ver.  16,  17,  yea,  ver.  i8,  the  Apof- 
tie  extends  the  Refpeft  and  Relation  of  this  to  all 
Men  j  therefore,  faith  he,  as  by  the  Offence  cf  one 
yndgme>'t  came  upon  all  to  Condemnation,  even 
Jo  by  the  Righteoufnefs  of  one  the  free  gift  came 
KpQH-  all  Mm  unto  J  uf  if  cation  of  Life ;    which  is 

to 


(    65    ) 

to  my  general  Argunxent,  tho*  not  to  my  par- 
ticular Scope.  Here  I  grant  the  words  in  the  Greek 
are  defeftive,  yet  as  to  the  Parallel  they  are  full 
enough.  There  is  one  Offence  upon  all  Men  to 
Condemnation,  and  the  Righteoufnefs  of  one  upon 
all  Men  to  Juftification.  Though  it  is  true  none 
but  thofe  that  lay  hold  of  it  have  the  benefit  of 
it,  yet  it  was  a  Price  paid  for  all  ;  and  that  many 
other  Scriptures  do  atteft.  And  therefore  the  many 
in  the  next  verfe  is  not  a  Bounding,  a  Reftraint, 
or  Limitation  of  the  Scope  and  Intention  of  Chrifl's 
Death;  but  if  it  refpeft  That,  it  is  Equivalent  to 
the  all  before  ;  elfe  it  fhould  be  lefs  than  the 
Severity,  for  all  died  in  Adam,  and  therefore  the 
Apoftle,  1  Cor.  XV.  22,  faith.  In  Chrifi  Jhall  all  he 
made  alive.  For  as  the  Defign  for  the  manifefting 
of  Grace,  is  much  more  defigned  of  God,  and  the 
Grace  and  Righteoufnefs  of  the  fecond  Adam, 
is  much  more  than  the  Sin  of  the  firft,  fo  the 
extent  of  it,  with  refpeft  to  the  SubjeSi.  that  reaps 
the  benefit  of  it,  it  is  not  probable  fhould  be 
fewer  or  lefs.  For  though  many  are  not  always 
all,  yet  all  are  always  many;  but  if  it  be  to  be 
pnderftood  only  oi  fome,  not  all,  then  it  refpefts 
the  prefent  aftual  participation  of  the  Benefit  of 
the. Sacrifice,  by  the  wcMy  that  do  believe.  This 
ip  the  firft  inflance. 

2.  The  fecond,  is  of  the  reviving,  of  the  abound- 
ing of  Sin  by  the  Law,  for  fo  the  Apoftle,  fpeaking 
of  the  times  before  Law  in  his  own  perfon,  faith, 
I  'Mas  alive  once  without  the  Lau;,  tho',  as  a  worthy 
Author  lately  hath  writ,  it  may  be  carried  higher 
alfo,  even  to  Adam  in  Paradife,  viz.  Men  were 
comparatively  alive ;  Sin  fat  not  fo  heavy  on  the 
Conl'cience  before  the  Law,  but  when  the  Com- 
mandment came,.  Sin  revived  and  I  died ;  this 
iiB  the  abounding  of  Sin  by  the  Law,  whereof 
he  fpeaks,  ver.  20,  Thus  moreover,  (that  is  as  much 
as  to  fay,  I  have  done  with  Adam,  and  the  De- 
rivation of  Sin  and  Death  from  him  to  his  Pof- 
F  terity 


(    66    > 

terity,  before  the  Law;  but  the  Tide  is  not  at 
the  full  till  the  Law  entered,  Men  knew  not, 
felt  not  its  utmoft  Smart  and  Mifery  till  then) 
the  Law  entered  that  Sin  might  abound.  Is  this  a 
Counfel  for  the  good  God  to  own,  to  Exaggerate 
Sin  upon  the  Confciences  of  poor  Sinners  ?  Read 
on  and  you  will  fee ;  but  vjhere  Sin  abounded^ 
Grace  did  much  more  abound.  The  Law  wrought 
to  Grace,  and  Grace  reaped  the  Advantage  of  all 
the  Wrath  that  the  Law  wrouGrht :  that  as  Sin 
hath  reigned  unto  Death,  it  hath  Reigned,  viz.  it 
hathhad  its  Reign;  Sin  is  ferved,  it  hath  had  its 
Time  ;  therefore  now  it  muft  give  Place  to  Grace, 
fo  might  Grace  reign  through  Rightcoujnefs  to  Eternal 
Life,  through  Jfjus  Chrijl  our  Lord.  Grace  fweeps 
the  Stakes  of  all  you  lee  at  laft.  Now  if  Sin  and 
Wrath  had  not  been  real,  then  the  Glory  of  Grace 
liad  been  but  a  Pageant ;  therefore  let  us  take  heed 
of  that ;  it  was  as  real  as  the  Nature  of  God,  and 
the  Nature  of  the  Creature  in  his  firft  Make,  could 
make  it;  but  as  real. as  it  is,  God  hath  a  Power  to' 
deftroy,  and  null,  and  make  it  void,  as  if  it  had 
never  been;  and  will  do  fo,  which  makes  the 
Apoftle  ling,  0  Death,  inhere  is  thy  Sting  P  O  Grave^ 
where  is  thy  Vi^oryP  The  Stitig  oj  Death  is  Sin,  tfje 
Strength  of  Sin  is  the  Lazv,  but  thanks  be  to  God  who 
giveth  us  the  FiHory  through  fcfus  Cbrijl  our  Lord; 
who  hath  abolijhed  Death,  and  brought  Life  and  Immor- 
tality to  Light  through  the  Gofpcl,  beginning  iirft  with 
the  Law,  abolifhing  that  after  he  hzd  fulflied  it ; 
and  fo  deflroying  Sin  out  of  the  Confcience,  both 
from  reig-ning  there  by  Guilt  to  Condemnation, 
and  deflroying  the  Power  of  Lull  and  Corruption 
out  of  the  Heart  and  Members.  Now  as  this  is 
the  Counfel  of  God  in  the  Law  to  enhance  and  raife 
Grace  by  the  abounding  of  Sin,  fo  this  is  his  Coun- 
fel in  all  his  O^cwovy,  and  the  Government  of  his 
great  Family  in  the  whole  World,  in  all  his  Pro^ 
vidential  Difpcnfations  ;    and  therefore  we  find  how 

fweetly 


(    67    ) 

fweetly  he  clofes  after  all  his  Denunciations  of  Se- 
verity and  Judgment  to  the  People  of  the  Jews  by 
the  Prophets,  he  ends  with  Promifes  of  Mercy  and 
Grace,   and  thofe  exceeding  their   Puntjhmenty    as    it 
were  eafy  to  inftance  throughout  the  Prophets  ;  yea 
many  of  the  Nations  that  God  fent  his  Prophets  to 
threaten  and  to  Judge,  he  makes  Promifes  to  vifit 
them  with  Mercy   and  Deliverance    afterwards ; 
thus  to  Egypt,  Jer.  xlvi.  28,  to  Moab^  Chap,  xlviii. 
47,  to  Jmmon,  Chap.  xlix.  6,   to  Elaniy  Chap,  xlix, 
laft,  fo  Ifa.  xix.  iB,  and  ver.  25,  to  Sodom  and  Sa^ 
tnaria,  E%ek.  xvi.  53,  67,   and  to  Efau,  Gen.  xxvii» 
40.     Now  is  God  thus  Gracious,   and  doth  he  deal 
thus  in  the  way,    while  the  Nations  are  in  the  Heat 
of  their  Sins  and  Provocations,  while  the  Seafon  of 
Wrath  and  Judgment  properly  is,  and  while  Chrift 
hath  not   yet  adually  by  his  Life,    and  by  that 
Power  which  he  hath  given  him,  reigned  fo  pow- 
erfully,   as   to  bring  into  efFeft  all  thofe  glorious 
Advantages  of  his  Death,   as  he  will  before  the 
End  (for  he  muft  Reign  till  all  Enemies  be  put 
under  his  Feet)   and  will  not  that  End,  when  he 
ihall  deliver  up  the  Kingdom  to   God,  even  his 
Father,  when  he  fliall  have  deftroyed  all  the  Works 
of  the  Devil,  be  folemnized  and  celebrated  with  the 
Afts  of  the  greatefl:  and  mofl  univerfal  Grace  ? 
Conilder  of  it. 


F  2  CHAP. 


(    68     ) 

C  H  A  P.      IX. 

A  further  Argument  from  the  Univerfallty 
of  the  Suhjedi  to  whom  the  Gofpel  isfent 
forth  to  be  Preached, 

THE  Texts  that  fhew  this  are  CoL  i.  23,  Mat, 
xxviii.  19,  and  Marking  and  lall  ver.  Rev. 
xiv.  6,  Eph.  i.  10,  Chap.  iii.  9,  Col.  i.  20,  Tit.  ii. 
II.     The  firft  of  thcfe  Places,   To/,  i.  23,  fpeaking 
of  that  Gofpel  whereof  Paul  faith  he   zvas  made  a 
M'ln'ijier^   ajfRrms   it  was  preached  to  every  Creature 
under  Heaven^  a  Term  large  enough,  yet  no  larger 
than  the  Commifhon   and  Charge  was    from   our 
Saviour's  own   Mouth    in  the  two  next  Places  of 
Matthew  and  Mark  ;  in  the  firft  of  which  he  enjoins 
them    to  go  and  teach   all   Nations,     baptizing    them 
"jDith   this    Light   of  Salvation^    for  fo   it   is    called 
Sprinkling^  Ifa.  Iii.  15,    which  by  the  Words  fol- 
lowing is   interpreted   of  the   Rain  of  Knowledge, 
as  Knowledge    and   Doftrine   is  elfewhere  refem- 
bled  to  Rain  and  Dew,  Deia.  xxxii.  2.     With  this 
Light  they  were  to  baptize  all  Nations,  not  in  their 
own  Name,    or  of  their  own  Good-will  only,  but 
in   the   Name   of  the  Father,    Son,    and   Holy  Ghof^ 
a  Name   and  Authority   fufficient   to  bear  them 
out ;  and  in  the  latter  of  thefe  Two  Evangelifls  it 
is   more   emphatically  exprefs'd:    Go  yc  into  all  t/M; 
fforld,    and  preach  the   Go/pel  to  every  Creature  j  he 
that    b'elievcth   and  is    baptized,  Jhall   be  faved,    and 
he   that  lelieveth  not  fhall  be  damned.     I  expert   it 
will  be  here  faid,  the  Gofpel  carries  forth  Damna- 
tion as  well  as  Salvation  ;  which  is  moft  true,   and 
more  terrible  Damnation  than  the  Law:  but  this  op- 
pofeth  not  ivhat  we  fay,   nor  do  vve  deny  this, 

but 


(    69    ) 

but  more  of  this  in  its  Place.  Thefe  Scriptures 
fhew  Chrill's  Commifjion,  and  the  Apoftle's  Exe- 
cution. 

The  next  Scripture  fhews  it  to  be  fo  again  to- 
wards the  fall  of  Babylon.  The  Words  are  thefe  ; 
Ifaw  another  Angel  fly  in  the  midji  of  Heaven,  hav- 
ing the  Evcrlafling  Go/pel  to  preach  to  them  that 
dwell  on  the  Earth,  and  to  every  Nation  and  Kin- 
dred, and  Tongue,  and  People,  with  which  agrees 
that  in  Rev.  i.  Every  Eye  Jhall  fee  him,  and  ail  the 
Tribes  and  Kindreds  of  the  Earth,  Jhall  wail  bccaufe 
of  him,  which  in  Zachary  is  likened  to  the  Mourn- 
ing for  an  only  Son,  or  for  a  Firft-born,  which 
is  a  Mourning  of  CompunBion,  not  of  Defperation^ 
as  if  towards  the  end,  the  Gofpel,  which  had 
been  pinioned  and  ftreightened  by  the  churlifh 
Difpenfers  or  Monopolizers  rather  of  it,  zs  Ifaiah 
calls  them,  Chap,  xxxii.  5,  6,  7,  Ihould  recover 
its  Wings,  and  liy  abroad,  according  to  its  firji 
franknefs  and  Largenefs. 

Now  to  draiw  our  Argument  from  thefe  Scrip* 
tures,  before  we  come  to  the  others,  which  are  of 
another  Clafs,  the  Gofpel  is  fent  into  all  the  World, 
and  commanded  to  be  Preached  to  all  Nations,  to 
every  Creature  under  Heaven,  and  this  in  the  Name 
of  the  whole  Trinity.  What  is  this  Gofpel  ?  The 
Apoflle  gives  us  the  proper  Charafter  of  it,  Ai^s 
XX.  24,  calling  it  the  Gofpel  of  the  Grace  of  God,  and 
ib  in  feveral  other  Places,  tl^e  fVord  of  his  Grace, 
ver.  32,  of  this  Chapter,  and  Chapter  xiv.  3.  Bui 
what  is  the  Word,  what  are  the  Tidings,  the  good 
Tidings  of  this  Grace  ?  See  i  Tim.  i.  15,  that 
Chrifl  came  into  the  14' or  Id  to  fave  Sinners,  yea  the  chief 
of  Sinners',  this  is  a  faithful  Saying,  and  vjorthy  of 
all  ^Acceptation.  This  is  that  that  anfwers,  that 
B-allances  the  ill  Tidings  of  Adam's  Fall,  that  loll 
us  all ;  and  nothing  but  fuch  a  Thing  as  this  can 
anfwer  and  ballance  it.  This  is  to  be  preached  to 
all  the  World,  and  every  Creature,  So  God  loved 
ths  PVorld,  He  is  the  Propitiation  for  the  Sim  oftJje 
F  3  whole 


(    70    ) 

tvholc  World.  Ihe  Bread  that  I iv'ill give  is  my  Fle/h^ 
that  I  will  give  for  the  Life  of  the  IVorld.  He  that 
believes  not  this  fhall  be  damned.  This  is  the 
Sanftion  of  the  Holy  Gofpel,  it  is  to  be  believed 
on  the  Pain  of  Damnation.  Is  it  not  then  a  Truth 
that  Chrif  died  for  all  Men ^  (not  a  Truth  by  Infe- 
rence, but  by  the  exprcls  Affevtion  of  Scripture, 
2.  Cor.  V.  14,  15,)  and  gave  himfelf  a  Ranfom  for 
all  Men,  paid  the  Price  of  all  Mens'  Redemption, 
not  one  excepted  ?  Then  it  is  not  true  that  Chrifl 
died  only  for  the  Eleft,  and  that  the  Gofpel  is  only 
fent  to  them,  and  only  propounded  Indefinitely,  but 
intended  only  to  the  Ele^,  who  are  fecretly  guided 
to  lay  hold  upon  it,  and  to  believe  ;  for  it  is  true 
of  Judas,  and  of  the  verieft  Reprobate,  that  Chrifl 
died  for  him  Intentionally,  as  well  as  the  choiceft 
Saint ;  and  it  is  not  for  want  of  a  part  in  Chrift's 
Blood  allotted  him  of  Grace,  but  for'  not  believing 
it,  that  he  is  damned.  It  were  no  Ways  congru- 
ous or  agreeable  to  the  Righteoufnefs  and  Juftice 
of  a  Holy  God,  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth,  to 
damn  Men  for  not  believing  that  which  doth  not 
belong  to  them,  or  to  which  they  have  no  Right^ 
no  Claim,  no  Interefl:  lawfully  given  and  conferred 
upon  them  ;  for  not  believing  the  Gofpel,  which 
belongs  to  other  Men,  and  not  to  themfelvcs* 
Thereforfe  every  Man,  as  a  Man,  as  the  Son  of 
Adam,  Reprobate  as  well  as  EIclI,  hath  a  Share  and, 
Intereft  in  the  redeeming  Blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  may  aflume  and  fay  truly,  Chrijt  died  for  him>t 
and  is  the  Propitiation  for  his  Siit,  and  hath  borne  his 
Iniquity-,  and  the  Chajiifcment  of  his  Peace  was  upon 
Chrifi,  elfe  there  is  no  Gofpel  preached  to  every 
Creature.  Now  therefore  here  is  the  Aro-umcnt, 
If  Chrift  died  for  all  Men,  and  this  is  the  Gofpel, 
then  he  is  the  Saviour  of  all  Men  ;  and  if  he  be  the 
Saviour  of  all  Men,  then  there  is  no  Man  but  fzrll. 
or  laft  muft  partake  of  the  Fruits  and  Advantages 
of  this  Death,   othevwife  Chvift  died  in  vain ;  as  to 

ihs 


i    7^    ) 

the  mofl  of  Men  Chrift's  Travel  mifcan  ies.  Her 
died  for  all,  but  faves  but  few.  Yet  we  fay,  and 
it  is  moft  true,  that  his  Blood  is  fo  precious,  that; 
one  Drop  of  it  is  of  more  value  than  the  whole 
World,  being  the  Blood  of  God,  Acls  xx.  28. 
Therefore  we  conclude,  that  the  Damnation  of 
Men,  for  not  believing,  how  long,  how  grievous 
foever  (as  it  is  both)  and  that  which  is  unexpreffi- 
ble,  and  weighs  down  all  the  Pleafures  of  Sin. 
Yea  the  whole  World  is  not  worth,  nor  can  com- 
penfate  the  Lofs  of  a  Soul ;  yet  it  mull  not,  it  can- 
not  finally  vind  for  ever  prevent  them  of  partaking  of 
the  Benefit.  It  is  but  a  SanSilon  of  the  Gofpeh 
Now  the  Sanftion  of  a  Law,  is  a  Confirmation  of 
it,  not  the  Fruftration  of  it.  And  this  is  the  u't- 
mofi:  the  Apoille  fpeaks  of  the  worft  and  higheil 
Offenders  againft  the  Gofpel,  even  of  wilful  Sm- 
ners  and  Apoftates,  Hcb.  x.  26,  to  3.0.  He  that 
defpifed  Mojh's  Law,  died  without  Mercy  under 
Two  or  Three  Witnefles,  of  how  much  forer 
Punifhment  fuppofe  ye  fliall  he  be  thought  worthy 
who  hath  trodden  binder  Foot  the  Son  of  God,  l^c.  So 
that  when  this  Punifliment  hath  had  its  Courfe, 
(as  its  Courfe  it  muft  have,  and  it  is  bounded) 
Grace  fhall  return  to  its  Courfe,  as  the  Waters  of 
'Jordan  did  when  Jfrael  was  pafTed  over  ;  Elfe  Grace 
mould  be  fruftrated  after  great  Coft,  fuch  as  the 
whole  World  cannot  balance,  and  be  defeated  for 
ever :  Which  is  a  Confcquence  not  once  to  be 
imj^gined,  vi%.  that  Grace,  which  is  the  Choice, 
the  fupreme  Glory  of  God,  the  Word,  that  he  hath 
magnified  above  all  his  Names,  fiiould  be  thus 
muffled  up  and  difappointed.  Nay  rather,  this 
Damnation  of  thofe  that  believe  not,  is  for  the 
RatlficatloUy  the  Confirmation  of  this  Gofpel  and 
Grace  of  God,  and  the  lUuflration  of  the  Glory  of 
it;  being  the  Punifliment  of  not  believing  it;  it  is 
the  Vengeance  of  Grace  i  Grace  muft  not  therefore 
deftroy  itfelf  by  its  own  Vengeance  :  for  why  is 
the  Vengeance,  but  for  the  refilling  and  refufing  of 
F  4  Grace  ? 


(     72     ) 

Grace  ?  therefore  when  Grace  hath  taken  Venge- 
ance, it  muft   break   forth    again,   and   caji  up  the 
Cloud.     And  thus  the  Lord  gives  us  a  little  Model 
of  his  Plot   in   that  particular  Difpcnfation  of  his 
to  Ifrael,    Ifaiah  xxx.  15.   to  whom  he  faid,  ///  Re- 
turning and  Reji  Jhali  ye  he  faved^    in  ^lietnefs  and 
Confidence  Jha  I  I  be  your  Strength,    but  ye  would  not  ;  yet 
ye  faid  Noy  for   we  will  flee  upon   Horjh.       If  ill  ye  ^ 
faith  God,   and  yejhalljlce  till  ye  be  lift  as  a  Beacon 
vpon  the  top  of  a  Alountain,  and  as  an  Enjign  on  a  Hill ; 
defolate    enough,    and    this   for  not  believing.     But 
ihall  this  beyor  ever  P     Mark  the  next  Words,  And 
therefore  will  the  Lord  wait  that  be  may  be  gracious  unto 
you  ;    and  therefore  will  he  be  exalted,  that  he  may  have 
Jidercy  upon  you  ;  for  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  Judgment^ 
hlcjpd  are  all  they  that  wait  for  him.     The  Lord  is  a 
God  of  Judgment,    and  therefore  knows  when  to 
have  done  ;   he   waits  to  be  gracious,    he  longs  to 
be  at  that  Work.     Which  feems  to  be  the  mean- 
ing of  thofe   Words  we  meet  with,  Rom.   ix.  22. 
IVhat,  if  God,  willing  tofhew  his  IVrath,  and  make  his 
Power  known,    endured  with  much  Long -Suffering  the 
VcfJ'els  of  Wrath  fitted  to  DefiruBion,  &c.       As  if  the 
Sufpenlion  of  himfelf   from   the   Exercife   of  this 
Grace,  were  great  Long-Suffering.     For  this  En- 
during  the  Veffels  of  Wrath  with    much  Long- 
Suffering,  muft  be  underftood  either  of  God's  en- 
during them  before  he  firikes  them,  or  his  enduring  of 
them,    before   his    changing   and  returning  them. 
Novv  if  we  take  it  in  the  former  Senfe,  how  doth 
it  agree  with  or   anfwer  thefe  Two  Ends  :    P'irft, 
Of  lliewing  his  Wrath,    and    making   his    Power 
Icnown.     And  Secondly,  Making  known  the  Riches 
of  his  Glory  on  the  Veffels  of   Mercy,    for   thefe 
Ends  are  not  anfwered  thereby,   his  Wrath  is  con- 
cealed whilft  he  fparesthem,  and  the  Riches  of  his 
Glory  ro  the  Veffels  oi Mercy,  are  not  made  known  ; 
For  while  the  wicked  profper  they  fuffer  ;  but  in  the 
latter  Senfe  both  thefe   Ends   are   anfwered.     God 
fhews  his  Wrath  on  thofe  Veffels  of  Wratb,  while 

•ht 


(    73     ) 

lie  endures  tliem  as  fuch,    and  thereby  commends 
his  Love  to  the  Eleft,  the  Veffels  of  Mercy,  as  we 
may  fee  in  Mai.  i.  2,   where  God   thus   makes  out 
•his  Love  to  IJrad;  I  have  loved  you,   faith  the  Lord, 
yet  ye  fay,   ivhercin  haji  thou  loved  us  ?     Was  not  Efau 
Jacob's  Brother  ?     Jet  I  loved  Jacob  and  hated  Efau, 
and  laid  his  Mountains  and  his  Heritage  iuaj?e   for  the 
Dragons  of  the  Wildernefs,     O  poor  weak  Man,  that 
needs  fuch  a  Light  as  this  to  fee  the  Love  of  God  ! 
contraria  Juxta  fe  pojita  magis  illiuefcunt.     Therefore 
the  Wrath  on  the  Veffels  of  Wrath,    fecms  to  be 
ordained  for  this,   as  one  main   End  tofetoffthe 
Riches   of  Glory   towards  the  Veffels  of  Mercy  ; 
and  when  that  and  other  holy  Ends  of  it  are  attain- 
ed, then  will  the  Lord  be  at  Liberty  to  come  forth 
in   the    Manifeftation   of  that   Grace,    and   thofe 
Riches  of  Glory  which  arc  moft   natural  to  him. 
Then  his  Enduring,  his  Suffering,  his  Long-fuffer- 
ing  of  fo  dark  a  Scene  will  have  an  end.    Befides 
that  this   Senfe   fuits   and  agrees  bell  with  what  is 
faid  of  thofe  Veffels  of  Wrath,  that  they  are  fitted 
to  Deftruftion  ;     the  Greek  Word  lignifies,   made 
up,  which  relates  to  the  Aftion  of  the  Potter  upon 
his  Lump,  fpoken  of  before,  and  therefore  it  is  moft 
agreeable  to  him   to  have  fuch  an  end  upon  fuch 
Veffels  which  himfelf  hath  made  up  in  Judgment, 
(this  is  Wrath)  that  it  fhould  end  in  the  changing 
and  reftoring  of  them,    which  muft  be   indeed  by 
deftroying  and  breaking  them  in  their  firft  Form, 
wherein  they  are  made  up  for  Wrath,  as  the  Apof- 
tle  faith   in    the   cafe  of  the  incefluous  Corinthian, 
Deliver  fuch  a  one  to  Satan  for  the    I)eJlruBion    of  the 
Flefh,    that   the  Spirit  may  be  faved  in  the  Day  of  the 
Lord  Jefus.     And  laftly,   if  we  may  be  allowed  fo 
to  uriderftand  it,  that  there  is  herein  a  clofe  Intima- 
tion of  God's  taking  up  at  laft,  and  changing  and 
reftoring  thefe  Veffels  of  Wrath  in  thofe  Terms  of 
his  enduring   them  with  much  Long-fuffering,  as 
if  burthened  while  they  fo  remain.     Then  we  have 
a  Fuller  and  more   Satisfactory  Anfwer   to  that 

Object 


(     74    ) 

Objeflloni  which  the  Apoflle  raifes,  and  under- 
takes to  anfwer,  ver.  14.  What  fliall  we  fay  then  ? 
Is  there  Unrighteoufnels  with  God  !  (as  Arminians 
fay,  and  thereby  feek  to  overthrow  Predeftination  ; 
which  is  much  allayed,  if  to  the  Sovereignty  of 
Godj  and  his  Will,  we  add  this,  that  it  is  not 
dfimpiv  the  Exercife  of  his  Sovereignty,  hut  his  glo- 
rious Ends,  and  thofe  attained,  this  Scene  fliall  have 
an  end,  and  while  it  lafts.  Gad  himfelf  fuffers  and 
endures  as  well  as  they. 

This  I  fay  brings  him  off  fully  in  his  A£l  of 
Predeftination  or  Direll^llon ;  but  as  to  the  Execu- 
tion of  this  Decree,  it  is  not  without  the  Inter- 
vention of  the  Creature's  juft  Demerit,  viz.  their 
Unbelief;  wherein  is  not  a  fimple  Impotency, 
that  they  cannot  believe,  except  it  be  given  them  to 
believe;  for  God  tells  them  fo,  and  deals  moft  lin- 
cerely  with  them,  and  there  is  not  a  Man  at  the 
laft  Day,  in  the  face  of  that  great  AfTembly,  fhall 
be  able  to  fay  to  God,    '  I  came  to  thee  in  the 

*  Senfe  of  my  w^ant  of  Faith,  or   the  Spirit,  or 

*  any   Grace,  and  my  Inability  to  believe,  or  to 

*  give  myfelf  that  Grace,  and  thou  denyedft  me.' 
But  there  is  a  Malignity  in  the  Will  againil  be- 
lieving in  this  way  of  God  to  fave  Men  by  Grace, 

.  as  well  as  againft  the  changing  of  their  Hearts  and 
Natures  by  the  Spirit.  For  Afm  love  Darknefs  more 
than  Light,  they  love  their  Lufts  more  than  the 
Image  of  God,  and  they  love  and  think  highly  of 
their  own  Deeds,  which  Chrift  by  his  Light  fliews 
to  be  Evil ;  and  that  makes  them  to  be  ill  affefted 
to  the  Gofpel,  becaufe  it  edifies  them  not  in  their 
over-weening  Opinion  of  their  own  Righteouf- 
nefs,  not  knowing  or  believing  thofe  better  Works 
which  God  offers  them  in  exchange  :  They  are 
called  the  fVorks  wrought  in  God,  which  he  that 
doth  truly,  and  comes  to  the  Light,  fees  to  be  his 
Works,  and  fees  his  Work  to  be,  viz,  the  Work 
of  God  in    Chrift,    made    his    by   Imputation  : 

Chnft's 


(    75     ) 

Chrift's  Works,  fetto  his  Account ;  which  i«  his 
Righteoufnefs,  and  the  Spirit  and  Life  of  Chrifl: 
wor-king  all  his  Works  in  him,  and  for  him,  in 
God,  or  in  a  Divine  Principle  ;  which  is  his  Holi- 
nefsor  Sanftification.  Both  thefe  are  an  Abomi- 
nation to  a  Man  in  the  Flefli :  And  the  higher  part- 
ed and  the  more  moralized  he  is  (remaining  a 
Stranger  to  this  Light)  the  more  fierce  he  is,  and. 
the  bitterer  Enemy  to  it ;  as  may  be  read  in  the 
Scriks  and  Pbari/ecs,  and  the  Devout  Men  and. 
Women  of  that  Day;  and  it  is  fo  ftlll  to  this 
Day,  therefore  now,  there  being  a  Malignity  in 
the  Will  againft  believing,  this  makes  their  Suf- 
fering  and  Damnation  juft,  were  there  nothmg 
elie :  But  alas,  at  the  back  of  this  Unbelief  (as 
this  that  engages  the  Soul  therein)  Hand  all  thofe 
Lufts,  both  the  Luft  of  the  Flefli,  the  Luft  of  the 
Eye,  and  the  Pride  of  Life  :  Yet  how  long  and 
grievous  foever  the  Punifliment  of  this  Dilobedi- 
ence,  it  iliall  keep  within  the  Bounds  of  th^  due 
Proportion^  and  not  exceed  the  Demerit  beyond 
Juftice,  for  God  will  judge  all  Men  according  to 
their  Works,  and  fome  Ihall  find  it  eafier  than 
others ;  they  that  have  finned  without  Law,  they 
that  have  not  had  the  Means  that  others  have,  fhall 
not  have  To  hot  a  Hell. 

But  to  return  to  my  Argument,  which  to  be 
fure  will  determine  the  Senfe  of  this,  and  all  other 
like  Scriptures,  that  they  cannot  conclude  or.fliut 
up  the  Lord  for  ever  from  vifiting  thofe  with  For- 
givenefs  for  whom  Chrift  died.  For  if  this  be  the 
Gofpel,  that  Chrifl  came  into  the  World  to  fave 
Sinners,  that  he  gave  himfelf  a  Ranlbm  ;  and  this 
Gofpel  is  commanded  to  be  carried  out  into  the 
.  World,  and  preached  to  every  Creature,  and  they 
are  required  to  believe  it  on  pain  of  Damnation  ; 
and  if  L^nbelief  be  the  only  Sin,  that  makes  all 
otiier  Sins  damnable,  as  our  Saviour  liimfelf  im- 
plies, in  Johnxvi,  9,  where  fpeaking  of  the  Spirit 
convincing  the  World  of  Sin,   he  hides  all  under 

Unbelief, 


(     76     ) 

Unbelief,  becaufe  they  believe  not  on  me ;  then  Aire 
this  is  a  moft  certain  Truth,  that  Chrift  is  an  Ob- 
jeft  of  Confidence  for  every  Creature  ;  and  it  is  a 
mofl  undoubted  Truth,  that  Chrift  died  for  every 
Man,  and  if  fo,  his  Death  fhall  not  be  without 
€ffeft,^r/?or  laj}.  For  vre  fee  there  is  a  time  for 
giving  forth  the  Joy  and  Comfort  of  it  to  the  Eleft 
themfelves,  who  many  of  them  are  not  called  till 
late,  and  remain  Children  of  Wrath  in  Unbelief  a 
long  time  ;  as  alio  all  the  other  Fruits  and  Advan- 
tages of  Chrift's  Death,  and  of  his  Refurreftion 
alfo,  have  their  Seafons  differing,  wherein  they  are 
given  forth,  to  fome  fooner,  to  others  later,  as  the 
Refurre£tion  of  the  Body  itfelf ;  which  follows 
<iue  by  good  right  from  Chrift's  Refurreftion,  who 
arofe  again  the  Third  Day.  But  tho'  1700  Years 
and  more  are  elapfed  from  the  Refurreftion  of 
Chrift  from  the  Dead,  the  Dead  are  not  raifed. 
And  when  the  Refurreftion  fhall  come  there  will 
be  an  Order  in  it ;  they  that  are  Chriff s  Jhall  he  raifed 
at  his  coming,  viz.  They  that  came  into  Chrift  in 
this  Life-time,  by  believing,  they  are  thofe  the 
Apoftle  fpeaks  of,  when  he  faith,  fhey  that  are 
Chriji's  at  his  Coming ;  but  the  reft  lie  in  their  Graves 
till  the  End,  as  the  Apoftle  faith,  Then  cometh  the 
E?id,  when  he /hail  have  delivered  up  the  Kingdom,  Sec. 
And  that  is  the  Time  of  raifing  of  the  Reft  of  the 
Dead,  who  are  not  to  fee  nor  to  have  their  Part  in 
the  Bleffednefs  of  that  Time  of  Chrift's  Kingdom 
upon  the  Earth,  yet  I  fay  railed  muft  they  be,  and 
made  alive  they  muft  be  in  Chrift  the  Second  j^dam, 
as  they  died  in  Adam  ;  which  by  all  fair  Conftruc- 
tion  muft  be  taken  of  another  Life  than  meerly  the 
Bodily  Life,  becaufe  it  anfwers  to  the  Life  loft  in 
the  ^x&Jdami  but  of  that  more  in  its  proper 
Place. 

Wherefore,  if  Men  aftign  a  lefs  Purchafe  to 
Chrift's  Death,  when  he  died  for  all,  as  the  Scrip- 
ture exprefly  affirms,  than  the  "Juftification  of  Lifcy 
»s  the  Apoftle  calls  it,   Rom»  v.  18.    they  wrong 

aad 


(    77     ) 

and  injure  the  Blood  of  Chrift,  and  fet  too  low  a 
value  upon  it.  It  is  not  the  bringing  Men  upon  a 
new  Probation  and  Trial,  or  making  them  limply 
Save  able  through  the  letter  ufe  of  their  Free  ivill,  than 
j^damvmde  of  it,  and  the  purchafing  of  Means,,  and 
Space,  and  Opportunity,  as  fome  would  have  it, 
that  can  be  deemed  in  any  Righteous  Judgment  a. 
valuable  Consideration  for  Chrift^s  Blood ;  thefe 
might  have  been  obtained  at  a  cheaper  Rate  ;  it  is 
no  lefs  than  the  adtual  Saving  of  thofe  Perfons, 
every  one  of  them,  for  whom  Chrift  died,  that  caa 
compenfate  fo  great  a  Price  as  the  Blood  of  Chrift, 

Q.  Thu  will  fay  ^  Why  then  are  Men  Damned  ? 

A,  I  anfwer,  for  not  believing  and  obeying  the 
Gofpel:  Yet  as  their  Unbelief  cannot,  muft  not 
make  the  Faith  of  God  of  no  EffeB  ;  fo  their  Punifh- 
ment,  be  it  how  longfoever,  how  grievous  foever, 
cannot  extinguifh  the  Right  and  Claim  ofChrifs  Blood 
for  their  Deliverance^  be  it  after  Ages  and  Genera- 
tions ever  fo  many,  Chrift's  Blood  lofeth  not  its 
Virtue,  its  Value,  nor  can  be  fatisfied,  but  Cries 
till  all  for  whom  it  was  fhed  be  delivered  :  And  it 
was  llied  for  the  worft,  the  verieft  Backflider,  one 
of  the  worft  fort  of  Sinners,  elfe  how  can  they  be 
charged  with  counting  the  Blood  of  the  Covenant, 
whereby  they  were  fanftified,  an  unholy  thing,  as 
they  are^  Heb.  x,  29. 


^T^ 
^^^ 


CHAP, 


(    78    ) 

CHAP.     X. 

Of  the  Re'Caphulation,  or  Re-union  of  all 
Things  under  Chriji  their  Head* 

WE  come  now  to  another  clafs  of  Scriptures, 
the  firft  whereof  is,  Eph.  i.  lo.  That  in  the 
dijpcnfation  of  the  fulnefs  of  times,  he  might  gather  to- 
gether in  one,  all  things  in  Chrifi  both  uihich  are  in 
Heaven  andzvhich  are  on  Earth  even  in  him.  This  is 
the  Myfiery  of  his  Will  made  known  to  us  by  theGof- 
pel,  according  to  his  good  Pleafure  which  he  hath  purpof- 
edin  himfclf.  To  this  join  Col.  i.  20.  for  it  pleaf- 
ed  the  Father  that  in  him  fliould  all  Fulnefs  dweH, 
and  having  made  peace  thro'  the  blood  of  his  crofs,  by 
him  to  reconcile  all  things  to  himfelf,  by  him,  I  fay,  whe- 
ther they  be  things  on  Earth,  or  things  in  Heaven  ;  what 
thofe  things  are,  we  may  fee  more  hereafter. 

The  Words  dvAKZ  '^a.KAibxra.rr^tti  rendered  here  to 
gather 'together  in  one,  in  the  Original  fignifies  to 
Rally  or  Rc-head  routed  or  fcattered  Forces  or 
Members,  into  their  Place,  in  the  Body,  under 
their  own  Head,  into  the  Place  or  Rank  where 
they  were  before  :  And  the  Word  d^oz-ctrAKKoi^at 
which  is  here  rendered  to  Reconcile,  fignifies  to 
change  a  Thing  from  Enmity  or  Antipathy  to 
Harmony,  to  make  it  another  thing  from  what 
it  was.  It  hath  the  fame  force  with  the  other 
Word,  tho'  from  another  Metaphor;  they  both 
import.  That  all  Men,  all  Things  Originally  were 
made  by  Chrifi,  Hood  in  him,  were  headed  un- 
der him,  did  bear  a  Proportion  to  him,  com- 
ported dutifully  with  their  relation  to  him,  had 
no  Darknefs  or  Enmity,  no  Antipathy ;  there 
was  no  War,  no  Fighting,  no  Diforder;  all  which 

came 


(f   79    )^ 

came  in  by  Sin  ;  therefore  he  faith,  Ghrift  mai^ 
Peace  by  the  Blood  of  the  Crofs.  By  the  Fall' 
all  things  are  fallen  afunder,  and  disjointed,  and 
in  a  War,  not  knowing  their  Place  and  Subor- 
dination, they  juftle  one  another,  having  cqji  off 
their  Head  and  diflfolved  the  facred  Bond  that  held 
them  all  together;  they  move  in  no  Order,  no 
Harmony,  but  confufedly  like  Atoms  in  the  Sun : 
Heaven  and  Earth  are  mingled  together  as  in  the 
firft  Chaos.  This  face  of  Confufion  dwells  upon  all 
things,  even  the  Elecl  as  well  as  the  Reprobate, 
the  things  in  Heaven  as  well  as  the  things  on 
Earth,  they  are  Children  of  Wrath  by  Nature  as 
well  as  others;  they  are  without  Chrift,  Aliens 
■from  the  Common-Wealth  oi  Ifrael,  and  Strangers 
from  the  Covenants  of  Promife,  having  no  Hope,, 
and  without  God  in  the  World  ;  and  thus  they" 
continue  till  Chrift  appears,  whom  God  fends' 
forth  to  Recover  this  fhattered  and  disjointed  Crea- 
tion to  himfelf,  and  to  make  it  whole  again, 
one  new  Piece  in  him  ;  for  he  is  their  proper  place 
and  Habitation ;  which  the  Angels  that  fell  for- 
fook  firft,  and  ravifhed  Man  with  them,  and  Man 
carried  all  things  elfe  with  him ;  and  He  addrefling 
h-imfelf  to  this  Work  like  a  wife  Workman  falls 
upon  the  Root  of  the  Mifchief  and  Diforder  to 
remove  That,  which  there  was  no  other  way  to 
do,  but  by  his  own  Death ;  taking  all  upon  him- 
felf. For  they  were  all  His,  his  Body,  his  Full- 
nefs,  his  Members,  the  Ihadowy  Image  of  Him 
who  is  the  fubftantial  Image  of  God  ;  and  they 
■could  not  make  Satisfaftion  but  it  would  ruin  therar 
for  ever,  and  all  the  Enmity  v/as  on  their  part ;  it 
was  they  were  to  be  reconciled.  We  no  where 
read  of  reconciling  of  God,  but  God  reconciles 
the  World  to  himfelf  by  Chrift,  and  the  Love 
of  God  in  Chrift  bearing  their  Sins  and  Frovvard- 
nefs,  and  diforders  on  himfelf  in  his  own  Body 
on  the  Tree,  flaying  this  Enmity  and  recover-" 
ing  them  all  to   God  in  the  peribn  of  Chrift  ; 

makes 


(    8o    ) 

makes  them  all  return  again  to  their  places  ani 
to  ftand  firjl  in  a  Jlain  and  Cruafied  Image  in  hii 
Death.  Wherein  the  Love  of  God  beholding 
them  defcends  upon  them  with  the  greateft  Ardour, 
and  fo  quickens  them  and  carries  them  up  into  one 
glorious  Image  in  the  RefurreBiou  and  Afcenjion  of  our 
Lord  Jcfus.  And  this  he  doth  for  the  things  in 
Earth  as  well  as  in  Heaven,  for  Chrift  contains 
both  Earth  and  Heaven  in  him,  and  his  Kingdonv 
conlifts  of  both  a  Nczfj  Heaven  and  a  New  Earth. 

Now  the  Argument  drawn  from  thefe  Scrip- 
tures, lies  in  the  generality  and  Univerfality  of 
the  Subjeft  Matter,  upon  which  God  thus  de- 
figns,  which  is  not  only  expreft  generally  by  alt 
things,  but  diftributlvely  all  Things  which  are  in 
Earth,  and  which  are  in  Heaven.  Now  as  the 
Apoftle  argues  in  another  Cafe,  without  racking 
I.  Cor.  XV.  when  he  faith,  all  things  are  put  under 
him.  He  will  not  allow  it  to  be  a  Figurative 
Speech,  or  a  large  Speaking  only,  (but  faith  he) 
it  is  manifefl  that  nothing  is  excepted  that  is  not 
put  under  him.  So  if  all  Things  be  reconciled, 
there  is  nothing  but  is  reconciled,  and  if  reconciled 
and  that  by  his  Death,  we  know  what  follows, 
Rom.  V.  lo.  if  when  we  were  Enemies  we  were  recon- 
ciled to  God  by  the  Death  of  his  Son,  much  more  being 
reconciled  we  fhall  be  Saved  by  his  Life  :  And  fure 
there  is  power  in  his  Life  and  Reign  to  do  it ;  and 
being  brought  back  to  him,  as  their  Head,  and 
Handing  in  him  again  as  his  Members,  fure  none 
Ihall  tear  them  from  him.  If  they  were  but  in 
his  Har)ds,  as  his  Sheep  he  faith,  none  iliall  take 
them  ouf  of  his  Hands,  John  x.  28.  and  if  that 
be  not  enough,  he  adds,  his  Father  is  greater  than  all, 
and  none  fhall  pluck  them  out  of  his  Father'' s  Hands. 
Will  ye  yield  to  this  ?  Though  as  he  immc'. 
diately  fubjoins,  He  and  his  Father  are  one',  his 
Father  defigned  this  Recovery,  and  he  the  Son 
?xecute4  it. 

This 


(    8i     ) 

This  will  be  clearer,  if  we  take  In  tKe  other 
two   Scriptures,  Eph.  iii.    9.  to  make  all  Men  fee 
what,  is    the  fellow/hip    of  the  myjiery^  which  from  the 
beginning  of  the  Worlds  hath  been  hid  in   Gody  who 
Created  all  things    by   jefus  Chrifly  and    Tit.  ii.  ii,. 
%he  Grace    of   God    bringing    Salvation   to  all   Afen 
hath   appeared.     Here   in    both  Places,  the    Term, 
is  Univerfal,  ail  Men;  all  Men mu ft  fee   what    is 
the  Feilowfliip  of  the  Myftery.     What  Myftery  ? 
The  Myftery  of  the   Gofpel,   which  is  the  faving 
Myfiery,  or  the  Myftery  of  Salvation,  which  hath 
been  hid  and  cherifhed   in  the   Heart  of  God  al- 
ways from   Eternity,  during   this   dark    Scene  of 
Things,   from    the  beginning  of  the    World,  not 
only  from  the  Fall,  but   before.     The  firft  Crea- 
tion was   but  a  fhadowy  Image  of  it.     In  a  Sha- 
dow   there  is   Darknefs  as  well  as  Light ;     but 
Unce  the  Fall,   it  was  all,  dark.     Not  but  that  God 
did  beam  forth  fo  much  of  this  Myftery,  all  along 
into  the  Hearts  of  the   Eleft,    as   fufficed   to    his. 
End,  and  their  Salvation ;  yet  in  Comparifon,   it, 
was    not  revealed  till  Chrift  came,  which  is  called' 
the  Difpenfation,  Eph,  i.   10.  The  Difpenfation  of 
the  fulnefs  of  Time,  intimating  to  us,  that  there  was 
feveral  Difpenfations  of  this  Myftery  of  God's  will, 
and  feveral    Times  for  thofe  Difpenfations;    but 
that  this   gathering  up   of  all  things  into  one  in 
Chrift,  was  referved  for  the  Difpenfation  of  the 
Fulnefs  of  Times,  the  Times  of  Chrift.     All  the 
Times  before.  Things  lay  disjointed  as  they  were 
by  the   Fall,    things  were  finking  from  Adam  to 
Mofesy  and  Death  Reigned  openly:    Life  was  con- 
veyed but  Secretly  in  the  promifed    Seed,  and  then 
with  Mofes  came  the  Law,  when  Sin   and    Death 
grew  to  their  height,  as   the  Apoftle   fhevvs   to  the 
Romans ;  and   fo  the  Times  before  Chrift  were  the. 
Times  of  the  fulnefs  of  Sin,  (atleaft)of   Sins  un- 
der the  firft  Teftivmcntk     Now  as   Sin   and  Death 
grew  and  reigned   by  the   Law,  till    they  Came  to 
G  theif 


(       82       ) 

liieir  Fulnefs,  fo  now  Grace  and  Righteo  unefs 
muft  come  to  their  Fulnefs  under  Chrift,  which 
will  not  be  till  Chrift's  Second  coming.  For  fo  it 
isf'id,  we  fliall  be  Saved  by  his  Life;  when  Chrift 
who  is  our  Life  fhall  appear,  then  we  read  of  the 
Fulnefs  of  the  Jevus.  If  the  diminifhing  of  them 
be  the  Riches  of  the  World,  and  the  cafting  off 
them  the  Riches  of  the  Gentiles y  how  much  more 
their  Fulnefs  ?  And  in  the  fame  chapter,  we  read 
of  the  Fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  alfo  under  the  Law, 
God  took  only  the  ^ficj,  the  Seed  of  Abraham , 
for  his  People,  and  if  aay  Gentiles,  they  were  to 
be  Profely ted  and  ingrafted  into  that  Stock;  and 
he  took  not  all  of  them  neither  under  the  Times 
of  the  Gofpel.  Hitherto  he  hath  taken  his  Church 
indeed  out  of  all  Nations,  but  a  fprinkling  only  of 
the  Nations,  and  left  out  the  Body  of  the  Je%vijh 
Nation  :  But  under  the  Times  of  Chrift's  fecond 
Appearance  and  Reign,  the  Fulnefs  both  of  Jews 
and  Gentiles  are  to  be  united,  and  in  that  all  I)if- 
penfations  Ihall  end,  and  with  them  all  the  Times 
of  this  World,  and  Time  itfelf  is  faid  to  go  out, 
Rev.x.6.  Timejhallhe  no  longer^  which  is  another 
Proof  of  this  Point;  that  all  thofe  gradual  and  con- 
trafted  Difpenfations  that  fhared  the  former 
Times  between  Sin  and  Righteoufnefs,  Life  and 
Death,  are  bounded  by  Time,  according  to  that 
Ec.  jii.  I.  To  every  thing  there  is  a  Seajon  and  a  "Timey 
to  every  Purpofe  under  the  Heavens ,  as  he  there  In- 
ftances  at  large  for  Eight  Verfes  together.  But 
with  Time  thele  Viciflitudes  and  interchangeable- 
Courfes  pf  Good  and  Evil  go  out,  and  under  the 
Days  of  Chrift's  Glorious  and  Viiible  Reign  (or 
at  leaft  at  or  before  the  End  thereof)  enters  the 
Time  of  Everlajling  Love,  Healing,  and  Peace y 
which  ftiall  give  Place  to  the  contrary  no  more ; 
but  as  it  was  in  the  beginning  fo  (with  the  Addi- 
tion of  all  Spoils  gained  from  the  Kingdom  of 
Parknefs)  fhall  it  be  for  Ever.     Then  fhall  this 

Myftery 


(    83     ) 

Myftcry  of  Life  and  Salvation,  which  was  hid  in 
God,  be  manifefted  upon  all  Men,  to  make  all  Men 
know  the  Fellowfhip  of  it.  For  this  was  in  the 
Heart  and  Counfel  of  God  always  from  the  begin- 
ning, though  hid  there,  and  not  revealed  till  thele 
laft  Times  ;  and  there  is  a  ftrong  Reafon  for  it  in 
the  Text,  which  extends  it  to  every  Individual 
Man,  couched  in  thcfe  Words,  Who  created  all 
Things  by  Jefus  Chr'ijl ;  as  who  fhould  fay,  Chrift  is 
the  Rock  out  of  which  all  Things,  all  Men  were 
hew'd,  and  they  were  created  of  God  by  Jefus 
Chrijiy  therefore  (hall  be  returned  to  him  through 
the  fame  Jefus  Chr'ijl ;  they  muft  all  be  reconciled 
and  Headed  again  under  him.  This  is  but  juft, 
that  Chrift  fhould  be  Redintegrated  and  made 
whole  of  all  his  Members,  if  you  can  fay  any 
Man  was  not  created  by  Jefus  Chrift,  him  you 
may  except ;  but  the  Scripture  gives  no  Allowance 
to  fuch  an  Exception,  for  it  faith  God  Created  all 
Things  by  Jefus  Chriji. 

This  gradual  Revelation  of  Grace  fparing  at 
firft,  and  more  and  more  plentiful  as  the  Time 
grew  on,  is  prefigured  to  us  by  the  Waters  iffu- 
ing  from  the  Sanctuary,  Ezek.  xlvii.  which  at 
firft,  for  a  Thoufand  Cubits  are  very  Shallow,  but 
the  increafe  for  the  next  Thoufand  is  to  the  Knees, 
the  third  Thoufand  to  the  Loins,  the  Fourth 
Thoufand  a  River  to  fwim  in,  and  otherwife  un- 
paflable  :  Which  Four  Thoufand  Cubits,  if  they 
be  underftood  of  Years,  bring  us  to  the  Times 
of  Chrift,  when  as  Sin  had  before  abounded,  fo 
now  was  the  Time  come  for  Grace  to  Super^-. 
bound,  and  thofe  Waters  go  down  into  the  Defart, 
and  into  the  Sea,  and  being  brought  forth  into  the 
Sea,  it  is  fajd  the  Waters  fliall  be  healed,  ver.  viii. 
and  every  thing  wherefoever  the  River  fhall  come, 
Jhall  live,  and  Joel  iii.  i8,  it  is  faid  of  thefe  Wa- 
ters, a  Fountain  Jhall  come  forth  of  the  Houfe  of  the 
Lord,  and  Jhall  zi.'atcr  the  Valley  of  Shittim,  or  the- 
Valky  of  Seddim,  vjhich  is  the  Fallcy  of  Sodom^ 
G  2  n((H 


*    (     84     ) 

Mcm-  Jordan,  as  Mr.  An/worth  interprets  it  in  -his 
Annotations  on  Gen.  xiv.  3.  which  agreet  .with 
the  Prophet  Ezekiel,  Chap.  xvi.  of  giving  Sodom 
and  Samaria  for  Daughters  to  ycrufalem,  but  not  by 
their  Covenant.  Now  if  Sodom  fliall  be  healed, 
you  know  that  thofe  are  the  Cities  fet  forth  as 
an  Example,  fufFering  the  Vengeance  of  Eteirnal 
Fire. 

Obj.  If  you  fay.  but  we  fee  not  yet  all  Mep 
brought  to  the  K^nowledge  of  the  Myftery. 

An  fiver,  I  anfwer  as  our  Saviour  in  another 
Cafe,  the  end  is  not  yet.  There  were  Two  Thou- 
fand  Years  before  the  Law,  there  were  T\yp 
I'houfand  Years  under  the  Law.  .Chrift's  Times 
are  the  folnefs  of  Times,  but  the  Fulnefs  of  tliefe^ 
Tines  of  Chrift  are  not  till  the  Second  Jppearance 
in  his  glorious  and  vilible  Kingdom,  when  he  will 
take  to  himfelf  his  Great  Power,  and  Reign. 
Chrift  hath  not  yet  delivered  up  the  Kingdom  to 
the  Father.     But, 

2dly,  I  fhall  anfwer  this  Exception  in  the 
Words  of  the  Author  to  the  Hebrews  in  a  like 
•Cafe,  Chap.  ii.  8,  9.  But  tiow  we  fee  not  yet  all 
things  put  under  him  ;  but,  faith  the  Apoftle,  we 
fee  Jefus  who  for  a  little  Time  ( for  fo  the  Words 
'fhould  be  read)  was  made  lower  th/an  the  Angels, 
for  the  fuffering  of  Death  crowned  with  Glory  and 
■Honour^  that  he  by  the  Grace  of  Cod  Jliould  tafie 
Death  for  every  Man.  There  are  Two  Things 
in  this  Anfwer,  and  both  of  them  of  great  Satis- 
faftioh. 

Firft,  Thattho'  we  fee  not  the  whole  Race  of 
Men  thus  magnified  (as  the  Spirit  by  the  Mouth 
of  Davidi,  Pf.  viii,  imports,  there  fpeaking  of 
Tings  future,  as  done)  yet,  faith  the  Apoftle,- 
we  fee  Jcfus  thus  magnified  and  exalted  after  his 
•Humiliation  and  Abafement;  and  if  yoja  fay  what 
■  '     •  .  '    ■  ■      i« 


('  H'  y 

is-tiiat  to  us?  vir.  io.  Shews  you  he  is  the  Captain' 
and  Reprefentative  of  the  "jihole^  and  what  is  done  to 
him^  is  don€  to  theirij  and  fhall  be  done  to  therti ; 
foj  both  tbdt  he  thai  San£iijieth,  and  they  that  arc  SanSii- 
fad  are  both  of  one,  for  luhich  Cavfe  he  is  not  ajhamed  to 
ccdl  thim  Brethren. 

2dly,  The  Foundation  of  this  Exaltation  of  eve- 
ry Man  is  laid  in  ChrijYs  [offering  Death  for  every 
Man  ;  which  by  the  Grace  and  Favour  of  God  he 
did;  he  tailed  Death  for  every  Man,  therefore  if 
thiat  can  work  out  any  Glory  for  Men,  we  are 
iure  of  that ;  every  Man  hath  a  fhare  and  Inte- 
veft  in  his  Sufferings,  in  his  Death  ;  and  this  is  af- 
fured  fo  perfeftly,  that  the  ApofUe  doth  not  ulc 
a  general  Word,  that  he  tailed  Death  for  the 
World,  nor  the  plr^ral  Number,  for  all  Men,  which 
might  have  been  looked  upon  as  intimating  a  Uni- 
verfalnefs,  but  not  fo  ftrift  a  Univerfahty  ;  but 
OVgp  'TTAVTOi,  for  every  Man,  as  if  the  Apoftle  had 
fludied  to  obviate  and  prevent  any  fuch  Subterfuge 
or  Evalion.  And  it  is  but  according  to  the  firft 
Defign  which  Objefted  itfelf  upon  Man,  as  Man, 
and  therefore  every  one  that  hath  the  Nature  of 
Man  is  under  that  gracious  Counfel  and  Deiign  ; 
which  Sin  breaking  in  to  crofs,  Chrift  hath  again 
takeji  but  of  the  way  by  his  Death,  be  tailing 
Death  for  every  Man,  not  a  Man,  but  his  Death 
had  an  Eye  unto ;  and  every  Man,  as  a  Man,  hath 
a  part  in  it  by  the  Defignation  even  of  the  Father 
alfo,  or  the  Grace  of  God,  and  indeed  the  Death 
of  Chrift  being  by  God's  Ordination,  the  fole  fuf- 
ficient  Means  of  the  Reconciliation  of  Men  to 
God,  if  God  bear  a  Good-will  to  all  Men  (as  if  it 
be  Good-will  to  Men,  as  Men,  it  muft  be  to  all) 
then  this  Means  muft  be  intended  for  all ;  and  if 
intended  for  all,  it  muft  bp  fome  time  or  other  ap- 
plied to  all.  For  the  Intention  of  God  as  well  as 
his  Word,  muft  not  be  vain,  nor  return  unto  him 
empty,  without  effefting  the  thing  intended. 
Therefore  as  it  is  the  fole-fufficicnt,  fo  it  muft  be 
G  3  :in 


(    86    ) 

an  All-fufficient  Means,  and  efFcftua!  to  the  bring- 
ing in  of  all  Men  to  God  firft  or  laft;  and  to  make 
all  Men  fee  what  is  the  Fellowlhip  of  this  Saving 
Myflery.  And  for  this,  among  other  Reafons, 
might  the  Refurreftion  of  our  Saviour,  which  was 
his  Reft  and  Difcharge  from  the  painful  Work  of 
our  Redemption,  be  caft,  to  be  upon  the  firft 
Day  of  the  Week,  as  to  take  in  all  the  Works  of 
God  before  him.  How  fhall  this  make  us  admire 
the  Lord  !  This  is  the  ufe  the  Apoftle  makes  of  it, 
Rom.  xi.  33.  After  that  rifcourfe  of  the  Counfel 
of  God  in  the  Rejeftion  of  the  Jcivs,  and  after  a 
Profpeft  taken  of  the  gracious  and  glorious  iffuing 
thereof,  in  having  Mercy  upon  all,  he  breaks  out, 
O  the  Depths  of  the  Riches  both  of  the  Wifdom  and 
Knoivkdge  of  Gody  honv  unfcarchablc  arc  his  'judgmentSy 
and  his  PVays  paji  finding  out :  and  concludes,  that  of 
bim,  and  through  him^  and  to  hi  mare  all  Things.  And 
mark  what  he  inftances  in,  not  in  his  Mercies, 
they  arc  plain,  but  in  his  fudgments  \  hc"M  unfearch- 
able  arc  his  Judgments^  viz.  Who  would  look  to  find 
Mercy  in  judgment  ?  yet  fo  it  is,  the  richcft  Mer- 
cf  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  fevereft  Judgments ; 
this  makes  yl^rryfuch  a  Myftery. 

How  fhould  this  bring  us  m  Love  with  God, 
who  is  Love,  who  is  fuch  a  Good  throughout  ? 
What  a  Ground  of  Confidence  is  this  to  the  Ele6l, 
to  Believers,  if  God  loves  all  his  Creatures,  all 
Men  ;  fure  then  thofe  that  he  hath  chofen  to  be 
the  Firft  Fruits  of  his  Creatures,  are  upon  a  great 
and  happy  Advantage  and  Security.  This  feems 
to  be  in  David^  when  he  fo  often  refle£ls  upon  the 
Goodncfs  of  (iod  to  all,  Pf.  cxlv.  g.  The  Lord 
is  good  to  all,  and  bis  tender  Mercies  arc  over  all  his 
IVorks :  and  again,  Pf".  xxxvi.  5,  6.  Thy  Mercy, 
O  Lord,  is  in  the  Heavens,  and  thy  Faithfulnefs 
rcachcth  to  the  Clouds,  viz.  it  fills  the  whole  Space 
l-ictween  Heaven  and  Earth.  Thy  Righteoujneji 
is  like  the  great  A'ktmtains,  thy  Judgments  arc  a 
yycat  d^t,  thou  prfferveji  AUn  and  BeaJ}.. 
"  And 


(     8?     ) 

And  doth   God   take   care  of  Oxen  ?    faith  the 

Apoftle,  Ye  are  of  much  more  value  than  many 
Sparrows,  faith  our  Lord.  He  that  preferveth  Beqfls, 
as  who  Ihould  iay,  will  not  lofe  Maity  will  not 
lofe  fo  many  Souls ;  every  one  of  which  is  more 
Worth  than  the  whole  World  of  inferior  Crea- 
tures. What  a  ftrengthening  might  it  be  to  ih: 
Faith  of  Abraham.  Is  the  Covenant  grounded  on 
Chnft,  that  Righteous  one,  and  his  perfeft  obe- 
dience ?  When  if  there  had  been  but  ten  righteous 
Perfom  in  Sodom.  God  vyould  have  fpared  Sodom, 
What  a  hope  may  this  yield  us  for  all  Men  ;  when 
God  hath  not  the  Righteoufnefs  of  ten  righteous 
Perfons  to  fuftain  him  in  his  (hewing  Mercy  to 
them,  but  hath  the  per fc^  Obedience  and  great  Sacri- 
fice of  his  own  Son.  That  fpotlefs  Lamb,  his  own 
Righteoufnefs,  which  is  more  than  ten  Thoufand  of 
«9  oifered  up  for  them  ;  which  may  bring  him  ofF 
with  Indemnity  to  his  Juftice  as  engaged  by  the 
Law,  tho'  otherwife  Man  is  the  fubjeit  alone  that 
needs  to  be  reconciled. 

C  H  A  P.     XL 

The  Obje^iion  grounded  on  Ele^lion   and 
Reprobation  Confidered, 

THIS  Doflrlne  may  be  judged  to  dcflroy  Elec- 
tion and  Reprobation,  butunjuftly.  If  it  juf- 
:1p  with  any  clear  Truth  of  the  Gofpel,  the  Con- 
troveify  is  decided,  tliis  Doftrine  cannot  be  Truth. 
£It£lion  and  Reprobation  is  as  clear  a  Truth  of 
i.hf  Gofpel,  as  Redemption  by  Chrift  is ;  not  an 
Elci^ion  of  polities  and  Principles  (as  fome) 
b'u'  vf  Prr/cn^  ;  ndi  ccnd/tional  hul  ah  flute  and 
G4  f-- 


(    88     ) 

fifei\  not  Suhfequcrtt  of  Works  or  Ihclinatloris,  'b\ft 
jintecedent.  and  Eternal  before  any  good  or  evil 
done  by  them  ;  this  is  my  Faith  wherein  I  ftand, 
and  this  Decree  of  Election  is  definite^  certain^  and 
irrevocable',  fo  that  they  are  known  by  Name  and 
have  great  and  certain  prhilegcs  and  Immunities  ; 
as  not  only  certain  and  cverlafting  .Srt/'z/<3?/&;/,  pre- 
iently  bcgumx.  their  calling  and  perfeBed  at  Deuthy 
and'  at  the  Refurreflion  of  the  Dead  ;  but  alfo 
certain  prefervation  from  all  Damnable  Errors 
of  Seducing  Spirits,  and  the  contagious  or  deadly 
touchy  or  contagion  of  the  Evil  one,  and  the  Sm 
vnto  Death. 

Yet  all  this  doth  no  more  deny  the  Salvation 
of  the  reft  of  Men,  in  their  order  or  due  Times, 
than  the  Refurre£lion  of  Chrift,  the  Firft- fruits, 
doth  hinder -the  Refurreftion  of  all  that  Sleep  in 
him  ;  whereof  it  is  indeed  the  Earneji  and  Pledge. 
For  as  Chrift  is  in  his  Refurreftion  become  the 
Firft-fruits  of  them  that  Sleep,  and  afturance  that 
they  fhall  Rife  alfo  :  So  are  the  Eleft  in  their 
Sanftification  and  Salvation,  the  Firjl-fruits  of  his 
Creatures,  and  the  pledge  and  affurance  of  their 
Sanftification  and  Salvation ;  and  that  as  the 
Firft-fruits  of  the  Jewijh  Church,  the  Seed  of 
Abraham  doth  not  deny  the  lump  alfo  of  that  Nation 
to  be  vifited  with  faving  and  Effeflual  Grace  in  due 
tifne,  but  is  a  pledge  and  affurance  of  it ;  as  the 
Apoftle  ar'gueth,  Rom.  xi.  i6.  for  if  the  Firfl-fruits 
he  holy  the  Lump  alfo  is  holy,  and  if  the  Root  be  ho- 
ly fo  are  the  Branches.  Now  as  Chrift  is  called  the 
Firft-fruits  of  the  Ele£l,  and  the  Primitive  Church 
of  the  Jews  were  the  Firft-fruits  of  that  Nation  : 
So  the  EleSion  among  Je^^'s  and  Gentiles  are  called  a 
kind  of  Firfi- fruits  of  his  Creatures.  Jam,  i.  i8,  fo 
alfo,  Jer.  ii.  3.  Rev.  xiv.  4. 

Now  the  ordinance  of  the  Firft-fruits  as  you 
may  fee  in  the  Law,  was  this,  they  were  to  bring 
of  the  Seven  Fruits  of  Canaan,  mentioned  Dcut. 
y.iii.  8.  (in  which  Number  is  a  Myftery  aUb  :)  and 

the 


(    89    ) 

the  defign  of  it  was  to  acknowledge  the  Lora'l  ri^ht 
to  the  -whole  Land  and  all  the  Fruits  thereof,  as 
by  the  form  they  ufed  at  the  Solemnity  may  be 
feen,  Deui.  xvi.  i6,  17,  which  is  the  meaning  of 
what  the  Apoftle  faith,  if  the  Firft-fruits  be  Holy, 
vi'z.  If  it  be  the  Lord's,  and  given  to  the  Lord,  the 
Lump  is  alfo  Holy  :  The  Lump  is  the  Lord's,  and 
fhall  be  given  to  him,  or  taken  by  him  in  due  time, 
\yhen  he  takes  to  himfelf  his  great  Power  and 
Reigns. 

Now  apply  this  Firft-fruits  to  Men  ;  for  what 
arc  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth  to  God  ?  vj'ill  he  eat 
the  ficjh  of  Bulls,  and  drink  the  blood  of  Goats? 
doth  he  feed  on  Wheat,  or  Barley,  or  Pome- 
granates, Figs,  or  Dates,  which  were  the  Firft- 
fruits  under  the  Law  ?  The  Lord's  portion  is  his 
People  ;  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  Inheritance.  Ifrael  was 
the  Firft-fruits  of  the  Nation  till  Chrift  came. 
The  EleSion  is  now  the  Firft-fruits  of  his  Crea- 
tures ;  who  are  all  to  be  gathered  in  at  Ch rift's 
Second  Appearance,  before  he  delivers  up  the  King- 
dom to  the  Father. 

What  is  there  in  Eleftion  againft  this  ?  but 
rather  an  Argument  for  it,  and  a  Confirmation  of 
it ;  efpecialiy  if  we  confider  the  Form  ufed  at  the 
Firft-fruits,  where  the  Ifradites  confefs'd  themfelves 
to  be  as  ahjed  an  intcrefi  as  any  of  the  NationSj  till 
God  look'd  upon  them.  An  AJfyrian  ready  to  Ferifh 
was  my  Father^  referring  to  J-acob,  ferving  Laban^ 
and  keeping  his  Sheep  for  Twenty  Years ;  and 
then  oppreffed  and  made  Bonds-Men  in  Egypt  j  of 
the  fame  Lump  with  the  meaaieft  of  the  Nations, 
till  God  exalted  them  to  that  privilege  by  Grace, 
even  as  the  Eleft  are  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath, 
even  as  others ;  therefore  by  Grace  may  others 
be  Railed  as  well  as  they.  I^or  as  all  the  Fruits 
of  Canaan  were  the  Lord's,  as  well  as  the  Firft- 
fruits  :  So  doth  he  not  fay,  all  Souls  are  mine,  the 
boul  of  the  Son,  as  well  as  the  Father  ;  the  Souls 

that 


(    90    ) 

that  Sin   and  die,    as  well  as  the  Souls  that  arc 
righteous  and  live  ? 

But  let  us  confider  thefe  degrees  under  thofe 
other  Notions  we  meet  with  in  Scripture  of  P'^eJJels, 
Veflels  of //o7/wrand  Diflionour,  Y t^th  oi  fVrath'y 
and  Veffels  of  .Mrr;-.  The  Apoftle,  2  Tim.  ii.  20.^ 
fpcaking  of  fome  opinions  and  Doftrincs  which  he 
calls  prophane  and  vain  Babblings,  that  were  very- 
dangerous  and  contagious,  eating  as  doth  a  Canker, 
and  overthrowing  the  Faith  of  fome,  making  the 
State  of  them  that  held  and  broached  them  dan- 
gerous enough  ;  having  fhewed  us  the  dark  fide  of 
this  Cloud,  yet  to  quiet  us  in  the  Work  of  God 
in  it  gives  us  this  placid  account  of  it,  which  we 
may  call  the  light  fide  of  the  Cloud,  (for  fo  is 
every  Difpenfation  of  God,  a  dark,  and  a  light  and 
hopeful  Side,  that  the  Saint  may  in  nothing  forrovv 
as  thofe  without  Hope)  the  Account  he  delivers 
thus.  But  in  a  great  Houfe  there  are  not  only  J  ejpls 
of  Gold  and  of  Silver y  but  alfo  of  Mood  and  of  Earthy 
and  fome  to  Honour  and  fome  to  Difhomur.  Mark 
you  how  the  Veflels  to  Difhonour  arc  Vefjeh,  as 
well  as  the  Veflels  '  to  Honour.  For  all  Veffels 
are  tfcful,  and  for  ufe;  no  Man  makes  a  Veffel 
meerly  for  Deftruftion,  but  for  ufe ;  though  a  dif- 
honourable  ufe,  yet  it  is  a  neccflary  ufe  ;  and  there 
is  fome  Honour  in  that,  with  the  Diilionour :  Yea, 
it  is  of  ufe  to  the  Houfe,  it  is  a  Veflel  of  the  Houfe, 
the  great  Houfe.  This  great  Houfe  is  the  great 
World,  which  is  the  Houfe  of  God,  as  even  the 
Bodies  as  well  as  Souls  of  Men  are  (aid  to  be  the 
Lord*s,  and  tobe  made  by  him,  and  their  Mem- 
bers to  be  his ;  Members  of  Chrifl,  tho'  they  nriake 
them  Members  of  an  Harlot,  both  Myftically  and 
Literally  ;  and  theiy  are  faid  to  have  their  Bodies  of 
him,  and  to  be  the  Temples  of  the  Holy  Ghojl,  and  not 
to  be  their  own.'  And  the  reafon  following  car- 
ries it  for  the  Bodies  of  all  Men  ;  for  ye  are  bought 
with  a  Price ;  all  thefe  are  to  be  found  in  f  Cor.  vi. 
from  ver-.  16,  to  the  end. 

But 


C    9»     ) 

But  this  will  appear  more  fully,   if  we  confidcr 
what  is  the  ufe   of  thofe  Veffels    to  Diihonour., 
We  have  it  in   part  before,    the  Veffels  of  Wrath 
are  to  commend  the  Grace  of  God  to  the  Veffels  of 
Mercy  :  As  Mifery  fets  off  Mercy,  fo  Wrath  com- 
mends Grace;    Grace  would  have  been  Grace  if 
Wrath  had  never  been,  but  Grace  would  not  have 
fo  appeared  Grace  ;  as  the  Apolllc  faith,  Sin  would 
not  have   been  fo  exceeding  Jinfiil^    if   it   had    not 
been  for  the  Law.     Light  would  have  been  Light 
had  there  been  no  Night,  no  Darknefs ;  but  Light 
would  not  have  fo  appeared  Light,    nor  have  been 
fo   commended  to  us,    who  need   the    Help  of   one 
contrary   to   illuftrate  another  ;    and  fo  I  may  fay- 
is  Sin  and  Righteoufnefs,  ChriJI  and  Belial.     There- 
fore  God  that  made  the  Day  to  confift  of  Evening 
and  Morning,    a  light  Part  and  a  dark  ;    he   alfd 
ordained  the  Law  as  a  Foil  to  Grace,  Wrath  as  a 
Set-off  to  Love. 

Now  then,  if  this  be  the  End  of  Wrath,  when 
this  End  is  attained  and  perfected,  (as  God's  End 
muft  be  fooner  or  later)  elfe  he  fhould  never  reft, 
which  is  not  to  be  imagined  of  Omnipotency,  then 
muft  Wrath  end,  in  its  End  thus  obtained. 

But  the  further  ufe  of  thefe  Veffels  to  Difho- 
nour,  I  Cor.  xi.  19,  For  there  muji  alfo  be  Hercjies 
mmong  you,  that  they  which  are  approved,  may  hi 
made  manifcji  among  you.  The  Light  manifeftg 
Errors,  and  Hereiies  manifeft  the  Truth,  as  Con- 
traries illuftrate  one  another.  God  hath  built 
this  World  for  thefe  Contrarieties  to  difplay  thcm- 
fclves  :  For  this  Caufe,  faith  God  to  Pharaoh,  have 
J  raifed  thee  up  ( to  this  Eminency  of  Subtlety  and  Power  ) 
that  I  might Jheiv  my  Power.  Thus  the  Lord  hath 
appointed  ail  Things  for  himfelf,  even  the  wicked 
for  the  Day  of  Evil.  The  fVickcd  and  his  Day  ton 
are  both  for  the  Lord  himfelf.  The  Wicked  for  the 
Day,  and  the  Day  for  the  Lord;  and  when  the 
Wicked  and  jiis  Day  have  both  ferved  their  End, 

then 


(     92     ) 

th6n  there  is  another  Day  wherein  God  will  ap- 
pear as  he  is  ;  and  he  is  Love.  This  is  the  Meffage 
that  we  have  heard  of  himy  that  God  is  Light,  and  in 
him  is  no  Darknefs  at  all.     Then, 

3.  Gonfider  whofe  Work  it  is,  this  difference 
of  Veflels  and  Work  ;  it  is  the  Lord's  ;  he  owns 
it ;  he  hath  Mercy  on  whom  he  vAll  have  Mercy,  and 
whom  he  will  he  hardcneth.  The  hardening  proceed- 
eth  from  the  fame  Will  as  the  Mercy.  Now  the 
Will  or  Plealure  of  God  is  the  Source  or  Foun- 
tain of  the  highe^ft  Pleafurs.  Man's  Will  is  called 
his  Pleafure,  but  Man  may  have  Pleafure  in  Un* 
righteoufnefs,  and  in  the  Mifery  and  Slavery  of 
others,  as  Tyrants  have  ;  but  God,  who  is  not 
divided  from  his  Creatures  and  Works,  though 
he  have  the  Liberty  to  De^fign  and  PraBife  rtpon  them- 
for  the  lUuftration  of  his  Glory  ;  yet  he  feeks  not,' 
ferves  not  himfelf  ultimately,  but  in  and  by  the'. 
Profit,  the  Jldvaritagc  of  the  Creature.  It  is  faid 
in  yude  4,  There  are  certain  Men  crept  in  unawares^ 
that  is,  unawares  to  the  Church,  but  not  to  God  ; 
for  they  were  before  of  old  ordained  to  this  Condem- 
jiation,  ungodly  Men,  turning  the  Grace  of  God 
into  Lafcivioufnefs,  and  denying  the  only  Lord 
God,  and  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift.  The  Word  is 
'afoyzy^auiAvit,  and  it  Signifies  confcripti,  fore-writ- 
ten, or  lifted,  as  Soldiers  in  a  Company.  Anfwer-. 
able  hereunto  we  meet  with  a  Word  before, 
v.tt7i)fTtiiJ.ivot  t'li  ob'TTuhHitLv ,  made  up,  or  fitted  to  De- 
ftruftion*  It  is  a  dreadful  Deftiny,  but  let  us 
confider  whofe  Will  and  Ordination  this  is,  who 
it  is  that  pricks  down  every  Name  in  this  black 
RolL  It  is  infinite  Goodnefs,  infinite  Sweetnefs 
doth  it,  and  this  brings  in  fome  Light  into  this 
dark  Shade.  If  you  look  on  the  Ways  of  God 
towards  his  deareft  Children,  and  wait  not  for  the 
End,  you  may  fee  fuch  dark  Shades,  as  in  the 
Cafe  oi  Job  ;    which  therefore  the  Apoftle  holds 

forth 


(    93     ) 

forth  to  us  in  the  Light  of  the  End.  You  have 
heard  of  the  Patience  of  Job,  and  the  End  of  the 
Lord.  Finis  coronat  opus.  If  you  fay  God  doth 
not  declare  or  reveal  this  End,  I  grant  it  is  but 
fpar'tngly  hinted,  becaufe  this  Scene  of  Wrath, 
and  of  the  conflift  of  Contraries  is  not  yet  over, 
and  we  are  blinded  with  the  Duft  of  it;  but  wc 
fee  this  end,  though  darkly  in  the  Nature  of  Godj 
who  is  Love  ;  we  fee  it  in  the  Mediation  of  Chriji, 
who  gave  himfelf  a  Ranfom  for  all,  who  is  the 
Propitiation  for  the  Sins  of  the  whole  World  ; 
yea,  for  thefe  very  Men  ordained  to  this  Con- 
demnation, and  that  do  certainly  bring  upon  them- 
felves  fwift  Deftru^tion,  2Pct.n.  i.  he  bought 
even  them  that  deny  him,  and  bring  in  thofe  dam- 
nable Herelies. 

Ohj^  But  you  will  fay,  Doth  not  this  make  God 
the  Author  of  Sin,  that  he  ordains  Men  to  Conr 
<lemnation  and  Punifhment  ? 

Anfmx^  G,od  is  not  tempted  of  Evil,  neither 
^oth  he  tempt  any  Man  ;  he  puts  no  Evil  into 
Man,  doth  not  pofitively  influence  him  to  Evil ; 
he  needs  not  do  that,  defign  he  never  fo  much  on 
the  Evil  of  the  Creature  to  draw  forth  Good  out 
of  it ;  for  the  Creature  as  a  Creature,  is  mutable, 
corruptible,  hath  a  Defe£libility,  without  confirm- 
ing Grace ;  but  God  with-holds,  accoi-ding  to  the 
Counfel  of  his  Will,  that  Grace  from  the  Repro- 
bate ;  and  this  is  that  which  he  may  lawfully  do  for 
the  Illuftration  of  his  own  Holinefs,  Purity^  Immuta- 
bility;  that  the  Creature  fhewing  himfelf  to  be  a 
Creature,  a  meer  Dependency,  God  may  appear  to 
be  G.od.  Thus  he  made  all  Things  for  himfelf,  faith 
Solomon,  but  where  doth  he  find  himfelf  in  the 
winding  up,  but  in  caftingout  this  Enemy  that  is 
gotten  into  Man,  and  in  reftoring  him  to  his  own 
^nage,  and  Embrace  as  at  iirft.  But  to  clear  up 
.        .         .-.UaiitJw;  tliii 


(     94     ) 

this,  I  will  (hew  in  two  inftances,  the  Pr-erogativtf 
that  God  exercifeth  juftly  and  righteoufly  in  with- 
holding Grace  from  Men. 

1.  In  with-holding  the  Means. 

2.  In  with-holding  the  blefling  upon  the  Means; 

1.  The  Means  :  Not  that  God  hath  left  any  of 
his  Creatures  wholly  without  Means,  for  whofo- 
ever  he  brings  forth  into  the  light  of  this  World, 
he  furnifhes  them  with  the  Means  of  knowing, 
him,  as  the  Apoftle  faid,  Rom.  ii.  20,  &c.  and  in 
u^^i  xiv.  17.  Such  and  fo  fufficient  Means  as  fhall 
leave  them  Inexcufable^  and  flop  their  Mouths  at 
that  great  Tribunal.  But  comparatively  with  the 
Means  he  affords  to  others,  he  denies  the  Means  to 
the  grcateft  part  of  the  World.  He  hath  not  dealt 
fo  with  every  Nation,  faith  the  Pfalmijl,  when 
he  contemplates  and  furveys  the  Goodnefs  of  the 
Lord  to  Ifraely  to  whom  he  gave  his  Statutes  and 
his  Judgments.  So  faith  our  Saviour  to  the  Jnvs 
of  Corazin  and  Bethfaiday  If  the  mighty  fi^o'^'^s 
which  have  been  done  in  thce^  had  been  done  in  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long  ago  in  face- 
cloth and  qpjcs.  Matth.  xi.  21.  And  fo  he  faith  to 
Capernaum,  If  the  mighty  works  which  have  been  done 
in  thee,  had  been  done  in  Sodomy  it  would  have  remained 
to  this  day. 

2.  But  now  the  Jews  had  all  thefe  means  and 
mighty  Works,  yet  repented  not :  Here  therefore 
the  Lord  denies  not  the  means,  but  Deut.  xxix.  4, 
with-holds  of  BleJJingy  yea  more  than  this,  he  owns  to- 
hlind  their  Eyes  and  harden  their  HeartSy  and  gives 
the  means  a  Commiflion  to  a  quite  contrary  Effeft 
than  their  Converlion,  even  to  make  their  Hearts 
fat,  and  their  Ears  heavy,  left  they  fhould  fee 
and  be  Converted,  and  he  fliould  heal  them,  John 
xii.40,  ^om,  xi.8.  God  hath  given  them  the  Spirit 
of  Slumber,  Eyes  that  they  fhould  not  fee,  and 
ivsrs  that  they  ihouUl  not  hear,  to  this  Day;  mark 

th^C 


(     95     ) 

that,  (unto  this  Day)  That  qualifies  it :  That  day 
iafts  dill  on  the  generality  of  the  People  ;  but  it 
is  not  faid  it  Ihall  laft  for  ever,  and  that  they 
Ihall  never  fee  nor  hear  ;  nay,  there  are  plenti- 
ful Promifes  to  th-e  contrary,  and  in  verfe  ii,  the 
Apoftlc  takes  them  up  again,  and  fhews  the  candid 
delign  God  hath  in  this  ;  Have  they  Jlumblcd  that 
they  Jhould  jail  ?  God  forbid!  bu*  rather,  through  their 
Fall  Salvation  is  come  to  the  Gentiles.  This  is  the 
light  fide  of  the  defign,  which  makes  amends  for 
the  other  at  prefcnt ;  but  the  other  and  further 
purpofes  he  breaks  open  afterwards,  from  ver.  52 
to  the  end  of  the  Chapter  which  I  have  pointed  at 
before. 

Obj.  But  you  may  fay,  if  God  hath  fuch  aCoun- 
fel,  and  it  is  his  Pleafure  thus  to  illullrate  his 
Glory;  the  Glory  of  all  his  Attributes  in  fuch 
a  way,  to  with-hold  his  Grace  from  the  greateft 
part  of  his  Creatures  :  Yet  how  can  we  reconcile 
fuch  fevere  Punifhing  of  them,,  (not  only  with 
Temporal,  but  efpecially  with  Eternal  Damnation) 
I  fay,  how  can  this  be  reconciled  to  fuch  an 
Univerfal  SweetnefsandGoodnefs  as  you  hold  forth 
in  God  ? 

Anfwer.  One  would  think  this  was  the  Objec- 
tion that  croft  the  way  to  this  Apoftle  in  his 
Difcourfe  of  tliis  very  Point,  Rom.  ix.  19,  ^hou  wil: 
fay  then  unto  me.  If  by  doth  he  yet  find  fault,  for 
who  hath  refifled  his  will?  and  then  1  pray  take 
his  Anfwer.  ISlay,  but  O  Man  !  who  art  thou  that 
repliefl  againfi  God :  Shall  the  thing  formed  fay  un- 
to him  that  formed  ity  IVhy  hajl  thou  made  me '  thui  F 
Hath  not  the  Potter  power  over  the  Clayy  &c.-  But 
my  Anfwer  is,  that  in  fome  refpc£l  this  is  that: 
Objeftion,  but  in  another  rerpe<ft  it  is. not;  for 
the  Objeftionas  it  is  here  urged,  lies  agaiail  the 
Goodncfsof'God,  but  as  it  is  tak?n  up  by  the 
Apoftle,  tidies  only  againfi  his  Jufnce-,  .and  ib  in 
.         "  Rom, 


(    96    ) 

Rom,  iii.  5,  Is  God  Unrighteous  that  taketh  Ven- 
geance ?  Where  the  Apoftle  makes  his  Apology 
for  naming  it.  I  /peak  as  a  Alan,  faith  he,  as 
who  would  fay,  I  have  Learned  otherwife  as  a 
Chriftian  than  to  mention  fuch  a  thing  in  a  way 
of  Queftioning,  as  whether  God  be  Righteous  or 
no  :  Nay  it  puts  him  into  an  Extafy,  as  the  next 
Words  fliew  ;  God  forbid,  for  how  then Jhail  God 
Judge  the  World?  And  this  may  be  the  reafon 
why  he  is  fo  (liort  in  the  Anfwer  of  it,  in  both 
places,  becaufe  it  was  a  Queftion  not  fit  to  be 
made,  or  an  Objeftion  not  fit  to  be  brought  in  a 
Captious  way  by  Men;  and  therefore  he  minds 
themof  themfelvesand  their  mean  Extraftion,  they 
are  but  as  Clay  before  the  Potter ;  as  Things 
formed  :  For  whom  to  arraign  the  Former^  the 
Former  of  all  things,,  is  not  only  very  uncomely, 
but  moft  abfurd.  ^Thus  it  is  not  the  fame  Objec- 
tion, yet  as  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  is  concerned 
to  make  all  his  Ways  agree  and  comport  with  his 
Goodnefs,  fo  it  i^  in  that  refpe£t  alfo  an  Objeftion 
that  touches  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  :  For  he 
mufl  be  juft  to  himfelf  as  well  as  to  his  Creatures, 
he  mufl  not  Eternally,  no  not  for  a  Moment,  ap- 
pear in  any  Aft  or  Difpenfation  that  conftfts  not 
yea,  that  is  not  in  moft  full  and  perfedt  Harmony 
with  his  Infinite  and  Eternal  Sweetnefs,  Love, 
Grace,  and  Goodnefs  in  a  right  and  true  difcerning 
of  it  in  a  true  Light. 

And  therefore  tho'  the  Apoftle  be  fo  fhort  and 
round  with  thefe  Objeftions  in  both  thefe  places ; 
it  is  not,  I  conceive,  that  he  had  not  more  to  fay 
upon  them,  but  to  that  proud  and  petulant  Spirit, 
that  would  arraign  the  Juftice  and  Righteoufnefs 
of  God,  he  thinks  them  worthy  of  no  further 
Anfwers;  but  to  Ihake  them  off  as  he  did  th^  Viper 
into  the  Fire. 

But  as  the  Day  comes  on  for  the  Manifeftatlon 
of  Things,    the  Divine  Light  may  enabje  to  give 

furthef 


(    97    )         " 

further  Anfvver,  as  the  feafon  and  occafion  may 
require.  Ic  is  faid,  know  ye  not  that  the  Saints  Jhali 
Judge  the  Wwld?  And  if  God  will  Judge  the 
oecrets  of  all  Hearts  according  to  the  Gojpcl,  if  we 
fee  it,  whereby  every  Mouth  may  hzjlopped.-,  and 
we  have  the  hopes  left  upon  Record  by  the  fame 
Apoftle,  That  howfoever  we  now  fee  through  a 
(jlafs  darkly  ;  yet,  zve  Jhall  fee  Face  to  Face  and 
know  as  we  are  known  ;  and  fince  the  time  is  very 
pear  this  of  Judgment,  and  therefore  we  may  expeft 
that  this  Light  of  Things  promifed,  fliould  be  o- 
pened  upon  us  ;  as  indeed  this  Light  doth  open 
upon  us,  which  turns  to  us  for  a  Teftimony  that 
(the  Day  draws  near  ;  then  we  may  proceed  to  a 
more  full  Solution. 

I.  Therefore,  to  thofe  that  acknowledge  the 
Righteoufnefs  of  God,  that  he  cannot  be  Unrigh- 
teous, for  he  is  the  Former  of  all  Things  ;  he  may- 
do  with  his  own  what  he  pleafes ;  whatfoever  he . 
doth,  is  and  muft  needs  be  Righteous,  becaufe  he 
doth  it;  for  who  fhould  give  Law  to  him  ?  to 
thofe  that  can  fay  thus,  yet  are  not  furniflied  with 
an  Anfvver  to  check  every  rifing  in  their  own 
Heart,  or  the  Objeftions  they  hear  from  perverfe 
Men  ;  nor  to  flop  their  Mouths,  though  they  al- 
low them  not  at  all,  we  Ihall  offer  a  Supply  of 
Argument,  and  proceed  to  examine  this  Plea  a- 
gainft  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth,  He. hath  Juftified 
us ;  let  us  fee  if  in  his  Light  w^e  are  able  to  do  any 
Service  for  him.  I  have  faid  before,  that  God  is 
not  the  Author  of  any  Man's  Sin  by  Pojitlve  Influ- 
ence, or  inftilling  Evil  into  him.  Nor  is  he  the 
Inflifter  of  the  Icv^fl  Punifhment,  much  lefs  of 
their  Damnation  in  Hell,  without  jujl  Cavfe  of  their 
Sin:  So  that  every  Man's  Deilruition  is  ofhim- 
felf,  and  his  own  Concupifcence,  God  with-hokls 
Grace,  that  muft  be  granted,  that  is,  fuch  Grace  as 
he  grants  to  fome ;  though  he  affords  Means  to 
pll,  and  that  fufficient  to  render  them  inexcufable, 
though  not  effe5iUal^  to  fave  thern  prgfently,  or  in- 
H  ■  thf 


C   98    ) 

the  pre fent  Time.  For  he  hath  not  only  given- 
them  the  Book  of  the  Creatures,  wherein  to  read 
his  Goodnefs  and  their  oven  Beings^  with  all  the  Mer- 
cies and  Comforts  of  them,  as  the  Apoftle  faith, 
yf^s  xvii.  28,  Rom.  i.  20.  Jcis  xiv.  17.  Rom.  x.  18, 
19,  taken  out  of  Pfa.'m  xix,  which  gathers  and  binds 
xip  the  Books  of  (jod,  both  the  Book  of  the  World, 
and  the  Book  of  the  Word,  or  the  Scriptures,  into 
one  Volume;  but  which  is  more,  God  hath  done 
more  for  the  World,  than  the  greateft  part  of  them 
know  or  will  know  ;  he  hath  given  his  Son  for  thcm^ 
to  die  for  them,  and  reconcile  them,  by  bearmg  their 
Iniquities;  and  tho' they  have  loft  or  forgotten  their 
Benefit,  or  thruft  it  away  from  them,  the  Lord  took 
care  that  this  Cjofpel  ihould  be  carried  into  all  the 
World,  ancf  preached  to  every  Creature  under  Heaven  ; 
and  the  Apoflle  Paul  faith  it  was  fo,  as  we  have  not- 
ed before,  and  therefore  God  may  juftly  require  an 
Account  of  it,  as  he  will  do  :  This  is  the  firft  thing 
to  clear  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God.     But, 

2.  Though  God  doth  with-hold  that  Grace  from 
Men,  whereby  they  miglit  have  been  kept  from 
Sinning,  and  from  their  Contempt  of  his  Goodnefs, 
and  thrufting  it  away  from  them  ;  yet  therein  his 
Throne  is  guiltlefs,  as  may  convincingly  appear  if 
we  conflder, 

ift.  That  God  hath  dealt  as  candidly  with  Men 
as  poffibly  can  be  delued,  and  hath  told  them  over 
and  over  in  his  Word,  that  they  are  dead  in  Trcfpaf- 
fes  and  Sins,  and  that  without  him  thev  can  do  no- 
thing truly  or  I'piritually  good  ;  that  he  loves  Jir/l, 
and  that  from  him  is  all  their  Fruit  found  ;  and 
this  is  the  Language,  not  of  Scripture  only,  but  of 
Nature  ;  for  every  Man  feels  himfelf  to  be  a  mere 
Dependency,  and  to  have  his  Being  of  Grace  from 
God,  not  of  himfelf;  and  the  Light  of  Reafon, 
which  Men  can  improve  in  other  Things,  tells 
them,  that  unde  effe  inde  operari ;  whence  Men's 
Beings  are,  theace  muft  their  working  be  ;  if  we 
live,  move,  and  have  our  Being  in  God   (not  only 

.  froui 


(     99     ) 

from  him,  "but  in  him)  as  to  this  Life  of  Nature; 
Then  fure  we  cannot  live  nor  move  in  any  Spiritual 
Life  or  Aftion,  without  his  immediate  quickening 
Prefence  and  Influence, 

2dly,  The  Lord  hath  left  a  Promife  large 
enough,  to  give  the  Spirit  to  every  one  that  afks  it, 
Mai.  vii.  7,  Luke  xi.  9.  Where  the  Spirit,  and 
all  the  good  Things  of  the  Spirit  are  promifed  to 
everyone  that  aiketh  in  Faith,   and  with  the  fame 

food  Earneft  as  a  Child  afks  Bread  when  he  is 
lungry,  or  as  Men  fcek  for  Treafure,  as  Solomon 
fpeaks,  Prov.  ii.  4.  Upon  which  Account  I  fliall 
be  bold  to  fay.  There  is  not  a  Man  at  the  laft 
Day  fliall   be  able  to  fay  to  God,    *  I  fought  of 

*  thee  the  Spirit  in  the  Senfe  of  my  indifpenfable 
^  need  of  it,  as  being  undone  without  it.  I  fought 
'  it  as  a  hungry  Man    feeks   Bread,    or  with    the 

*  fame  Serioufnefs,   Sincerity,    or  Earneftnefs,   as 

*  Men  feek  Treafure,   or  the  Things  of  this  Life, 

*  and  thou  denyedft  me.'  For  to  fuch  a  Seeking 
is  the  Promife  made,  and  to  fuch  a  Seeking  are 
Men  inftituted,  if  they  take  heed  thereto.  What 
Man  regards  an  indifferent,  cold,  carelefs  Suitor, 
that  feeks  without  Concern,  not  mattering  wha? 
becomes  of  his  Suit  ? 

3dly,  Now  fo  far  are  Men  from  this  (all  Men 
that  are  not  bowed,  perfuaded,  drawn  of  God, 
of  his  fpecial  Grace  and  Favour)  that  they  have  an 
Enmity,  Antipathy,  Contrariety  to  the  Gofpel,  and 
this  way  of  Salvation  by  Grace  ;  yea,  it  is  Foolijh^ 
ncfs^  it  is  an  Abomination  to  them.  So  is  Man's  Na- 
ture corrupted  and  Fly-blown  with  Pride  and  Con-! 
ceit,  by  Satan  that  grand  Enemy  of  the  Grace  of 
God  ;  For  what  Man  ever  yet  hated  his  ozvn  Flefn^  as 
the  Apoftle  faith  in  another  Cafe,  hut  murijhe%  and 
cherijhei  it  (as  here  in  Corrupt  Nature)  cigainJI  the 
Lord?  And  if  a  Man  clofe  with  Chrift,  he  mull 
|iate  his  own  Life  comparatively,  that  is,  he  mull 
bring  under  his  Body,  even  the  Body  of  all  natural 
3nd  le^al  Righteoufnefsand  Perfeftionj  cgpntingaU 
H  %  TbiPgl 


(      100      ) 

Tilings  Dung  in  Comparifon  of  Chrift,  attd  tKe 
Rigliteou fuels  of  God.  I  might  be  copious  upon 
this,  hut  I  do  but  touch  it,  which  is  iufficient  in  the 
purluit  of  my  Argument. 

4thly,  Thcle  ufes  of  Diflionour  that  the  Vefltls 
of  Dishonour  are  employed  in,  are  of  their  own 
chufing,  io  that  tliey  have  no  wrong  therein,  or  if 
they  have,  they  do  themfclves  the  Wrong.  I  fpeak 
net  heie  of  Sin  in  general^  which  is  Men's  own 
Choice,  and  all  their  fenfual  Lufts  and  Appetites, 
but  of  thofe  Works  wherein  God  employs  both 
the  Evil  Spirits  and  wicked  Men.  In  doing  of 
which  they  Sin,  as  not  doing  God's  Will,  nor  hav- 
ing any  regard  to  his  Commijion^  and  the  Bounds 
thereof,  but  executing  their  own  Luft  and  Malice, 
as  may  be  inftanced,  Jirjl  in  the  Devil  and  his  y/«- 
gels.  You  read  of  a'feducing  Spirit  commiflioned 
againfl  Jhab,  to  draw  him  to  his  own  Deftruftion 
at  Ratnoth  Gilcad^  the  Spirit  that  did  it,  offered 
himfelf\  and  fo  in  the  cafe  oi  Job^  the  Devil  dejt- 
red  the  Work  to  afflift  and  prove  Job.  Thefe  were 
both  Righteous  Works  in  God.  j^hab  had  for- 
feited this  Life  by  his  Wickednefs  before,  and  it 
was  an  Aft  of  Juftice  in  God  to  bring  him  to  Pu- 
nifhment ;  and  the  making  the  Patience  of  Job- 
confpicuous,  and  fetting  him  up  as  an  Example, 
was  likcwife  an  honourable  Counfel  and  W^ork, 
as  it  was  the  Counfel  and  Work  of  God  ;  But  Sa- 
tan in  both  thefe  was  a  f'cjfel  to  Di/honour,  and  it 
was  a  dirty  Work,  as  performed  by  him  in  his 
own  Spirit,  and  yet  it  was  the  Work  of  his  own 
feeking,  not  of  G ocV s  impo/ing ;  and  fo  for  Men 
that  are  the  Inftruments  of  God's  Vensreance  on 
one  another,  or  of  his  Punimments  on  his  own 
People,  Pharaoh,  Senacherib,  and  Nebuchadnezzary 
they  were  all  raifed  and  employed  by  God  to  hum- 
ble Ifracl,  yet  they  all  did  their  own  fflsrkj  and 
fatisfied  their  own  Will  and  Lufts  therein,  and 
therefore  the  Lord  brings  in  their  Charge  againft 
them.     I  was  a  link  difpleafed  and  they  (xlped  for. - 

"Vjard 


(     loi     ) 

"joard  the  AffliBlon^  Zech.  i.  15.  and  it  is  a  Work 
they  needed  not  to  be  fet  upon  ;  they  have  a  Pro- 
penlity  to  it  of  their  own  Accord,  and  cannot  be 
kept  back  from  it  without  Force,  as  a  Grey-hound 
if  a  Hare  be  ftarted  before  hinn,  and  the  Grey- 
hound be  at  Liberty,  he  makes  at  her  without  fet- 
ting  on.  So  we  might  obfcrve  of  Judas,  he  was 
ordained  of  God  to  that  Work,  as  the  Work  it- 
felf  was  predetermined  and  foretold,  that  Chrift 
lliould  be  fold,  and  that  by  a  Familiar.  Yet  Judos 
did  it  out  of  his  own  Wicked  and  Covetous 
Heart,  for  fo  Jaith  the  Scripture,  Satcm  having  put 
into  Jadns's  Heart  to  betray  liis  Mafter,  he  went 
and  drovq  the  bargain  ;  and  fo  Gog  and  Afagog^ 
Ji/.ek.  xxxviii.  10,  Things  /hall  conie  inlo  thy  .Mindy 
and  thou  Jhait  think  an  evil  Thought y  &;c.  Yet  the 
Work  is  God's  Work,  io  bring  the  laft  Trial 
upon  the  Church,  after  which  fliall  be  no  more, 
yet  the  Inftruments  are  Evil  in  it,  and  fet  them- 
felves  on  work,  and  fhall  be  rewarded  accord- 
ingly ;  Fire  from  God,  from  out  of  Heaven  Ihall 
feed  upon  them  ;  and  is  it  not  jufl  it  Ihould  be 
fo? 

5thly,  Efpecially  if  we  confidcr,  that  the  Re- 
ward of  every  Man  fhall  be  according  to  his  fVorh. 
God  will  obferve  a  moft  Righteous  Proportion 
therein ;  therefore  our  Saviour  faith  it  fliall  be  ea- 
fier  in  the  Day  of  Judgment  for  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
than  for  Corazin  and  Bethfaida,  ea^er  for  Sodom 
than  for  Capernaum^  becaufe  they  had  not  the 
Means  that  others  had.  Upon  which  Account,  if 
a  Man  vyas  fure  he  was  a  Reprobate,  and  muj^  go 
to  Hell,  it  were  his  Concern  to  keep  off  front  as 
much  Sin  as  he  could,  for  by  that  Means  his  Punifh- 
ment  would  be  the  lefs.  He  thai  kncvj  not  his , Maf- 
ter" s  If' ill  ill  all  be  beaten,  but  w\\\\  few  Stripes,  in 
Comparifon  of  him  that  knew  and  did  it  not.  Thy 
cavelefs  and  wretched  negled\  of  Means  of  Know- 
ledge tendered,  w-ill  not  excufe  (as  Ignorance) 
but  fuch  lliall  be  rcckon.ed,  as  knowing  what  they 
H  3  might 


(      102     ) 

might  have  knowHy  had  it  not  been   for  their  owrt 
Negleft. 

This  is  but  a  little  of  what  God  hath  to  bring  of 
his  own  Juftice  and  RiQhteoufnefs  at  that  great 
Day;  Yet  this  is  more  than  I  can  fee  how  any 
Man  can  anfwer.  But  if  1  am  fhort  in  what 
might  be  pleaded  under  this  Head  of  the  Juflice 
and  Righteoufnefs  of  God,  properly  fo  called,  as 
it  relates  to  Sin  and  Sinners,  you  may  perhaps  find 
it  made  up  in  this  other  Head  of  his  Goodnefs  ; 
for  he  hath  a  Juftice  to  thnt^  he  muft  not,  he  can- 
not deny  himfelf;  he  that  is  true  to  everything, 
niufl  not  be  tinjuft  to  himfelf,  and  to  his  highejl 
and  dear ejl  Glory,  \\\\\c\\  is  his  Grate,  that  Word 
that  he  hath  magnified  above  all  his  Names  ;  for 
God  is  Love.  Love  is  Himl'clf  moft  adequately 
and  properly,  and  all  his  other  Glories  and  Attri- 
butes ferve  and  minifler  to  this  ;  as  the  Gofpel 
abundantly  teftifies.  Therefore  now,  as  1  faid  be- 
fore, he  muft  not,  he  cannot  by  any  one  Aft  or 
i\dmini{t ration,  much  lels  by  a  Courfe,  an  endlcfs 
Courfe  of  IVrath  and  Judgment,  for  ever  cover 
this  Face  of  his  Love,  fo  bright  and  amiable. 
Therefore  having  premifed  this,  I  come  to  anfwer 
that  Objeftion  : 

Ohj.  How  this  way  of  withdrawing  and  {hut- 
ting up  himfelf  from  his  Creature  Man  (the  great- 
eft  part  of  Men)  whereby  they  miicarry  (not- 
withftanding  all  he  hath  done  for  them  by  Chrift, 
whom  he  gave  to  bear  their  Sins,  and  die  for 
them)  and  do  both  Sin  and  fail  of  this  Grace  of 
God,  and  perifh  and  fall  into  Hell,  can  ftand  with 
his  being  one  eternal  A£i  cf  Sv.'cctnejs  and  Goodnefs  in 
himfelf y  and  unto  alU 

Anfvjer.  To  which  I  anfwer,  that  in  feeking 
this  Sweetnefs  of  God,  we  muft  not  look  for  a 
lingle  Sweetnefs,  ftanding  alone  from  all  his  other 
Glories  and  Attributes,   but  for  a  Sweetnefs  arif- 

incr 


(     »03     ) 

ing  from  them  all  in  their  harmonious  Trmpera- 
*«rf  and  Compofure;  a  Svveetnefs  that  g\\t%  free 
Scope  and  Liberty  to  them  all ;  wherein  their  d'lf- 
tinci  Sounds  are  given  and  heard,  as  in  Mufick  ; 
yet  all  {o  excellent  zn^JkilfuUy  fuhdued  to  Harmo- 
7iy^  that  the  greateft  and  moft  Ravifhing  Swcet- 
nel's,  is  the  Refult  and  effed  of  all  thole  Notes  both 
open  and  Jlopt^  both  Sharps  and  fiats,  both  i^n- 
cords  and  Difcordsy  both  Trebles,  Bafes,  and  AJeans, 
or  whatfoever  elfe  Varieties  or  Contrarieties  might 
be  inftanced.  And  without  this,  and  in  cnmparilbn 
with  this,  the  fweeteft  Chords  or  notes  Shigle,  tho* 
very  Sweet  in  ihemfelves,  (as  there  is  a  great 
difference  in  Strings,  Notes,  and  Stops)  yet  alone 
they  are  dull  and  Hat,  and  barren  of  the  Delight 
and  Satisfa£l]on  to  the  Hearers. 

Now  in  making  out  this  Swectnefs,  this  Har- 
mony, we  mult  know  that  God  is  the  Supreme, 
the  Greateft,  the  moft  Abfolute,  the  moj\  perfect 
Unity,  comprehending  in  himfelf  all  Varuty,  not 
only  the  variety  of  Diverjity,  but  of  Contrariety, 
for  fo  it  is  faid,  he  calleth  Things  that  are  not  (fvich 
are  Sin  and  Unrighteoufnefs,  which  are  Privations, 
and  have  no  Pojltive  Being  ;  yet  in  his  Couafel 
about  them,  and  deliga  upon  them,  he  gives  them 
Being,  and  calls  them)  as  tho'  they  were,  and  makes 
them  an  Illuftration  of  Being,  an  Illuft ration  of 
Things  that  are,  of  his  own  Wifdom  and  Righ- 
teoul'nefs. 

2.  The  Sweetnefs  and  Harmony  in  this  Variety 
of  Diverfity  and  Contrariety,  is  the  Defcending  of 
this  Unity  and  Svveetnefs  to  the  utmojl point,  and 
diffulingitlelf  thro' ail  this  variety,  this  contrariety, 
imparting  to  it,  in  all  its  paffing  thro'  it,  the  Sweet- 
nei's  of  his  own  glorious  Counfel  and  Deiign  ;  and 
in  the  clolV  Jlelting  upon  it,  in  a  moft  Magni- 
ficent, open,  and  full  Revelation  of  itielf  in  the 
whole,  and  in  every  part  as  it  is  m  the  whole.  This 
is  the  fweeinefs  of  the  Face  and  Heart  of  God,  in 
H  4  all 


C     104    ) 

all  tile  dark  tempeftuous  fcenes  of  Sin  and  Wrath, 
during  the  times  of  this  World. 

This  might  he  demonftrated  both  in  the /)«rfi 
and  in  the  whole,  there  being  a  particular  Beauty 
in  every  particular  aft  of  this  Tragi-Comick  Scene, 
as  Solomon  faith,  every  thing  being  beautiful  in 
its  Seafon  ;  there  being  nothing  Jingle  or  alone  in 
the  work  of  God,  but  bearing  an  Harmonious 
Relation  to  other  parts  and  to  the  whole  ♦  whence 
refult  the  Beauty  of  the  whole.  Sharp  Trials,  and 
the  reward  of  Iweeteft  joys  being  in  conjunftion, 
and  by  a  mutual,  reciprocal  Projeftion  of  their 
ray,  toward^and  upon  each  other,  fetting  off  and 
iliuftrating  one  another:  And  fo  fweet  Sin,  and 
bitter  Punifliinent  ;  Dives  in  his  Life-time  re- 
ceiving his  good  Things,  while  Ln%ariis  receives 
Evil:  And  fo  in  the  other  Life  Za::r/)7(r5  is  com- 
forted while  Dives  is  tormented.  The  Vcffels  to 
Difhonour  have  moft  generally  the  Praife,  honour, 
and  advantage  of  this  World,  while  the  poor  in 
this  World  are  rich  in  Faith  and  Heirs  of  the 
Kingdom.^ 

Ohj.  All  this  will  pafs  well  enough,  but  ftiU  you 
will  fay  the  Contrariety  remains,  and  thefe  arc 
Happy  Ones  and  miferable  Ones,  fome  feemingly 
happy  and  really  Miferable,  others  really  Happy 
and  feemingly  Miferable  ;  fome  only  happy  in  this 
World,  but  Miferable  in  the  next,  others  Mifera- 
ble in  this  World,  and  Happy  in  the  next  ? 

Anfwer^  The  Grace,  the  Sweetnefs,  that  rells 
upon  every  part  in  this  Catholick  and  Univerfal 
Scene,  is  that  which  arifethyrow  the  light  of  the 
whole,  which  to  the  Eye  of  Eternity  appears  in 
every  Hep  of  his  way  ;  yea  to  him  appeared  from 
Eternity,  before  the  aftual  produftion  of  any  Crea- 
ture, but  to  lis  who  are  Creatures  will  not  vifi- 
bly  appear  but  in  the  End,  or  Confummation,  when 
the  Myflery  of  God  fliall  be  liniihed,   when  the 

Body 


(    I05    ) 

Body  of  Sin  and  Righteoufnefs  fhall  both  have  re» 
ceived  their  complete  Form  and  Aftuation,  the 
fulnefs  of  all  their  integral  parts  and  members.  Thus 
iliall  they  reft,  as  it  were,  and  lie  down  together  in 
the  harmonious  Bofom  of  that  glorious  and  Mutch- 
Icfl  CounJiI.a.rA  defign,  that  calls  up  both  the  Things 
that  are  not,  and  the  Things  that  are  upon  the 
Stage  of  this  World,  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  to  dif- 
play  themfelves  in  their  feveral  Shapes  and  Co- 
lours, for  the  Glory  of  that  great  Architedtonick 
Wifdom  and  Love,  that  deligned  them  all ;  and 
deligned  upon  them  all  the  lUuftrations  of  that  lait 
and  fweeteft  Clofe,  that  overcoming,  that  ravifli- 
ing  I>ove  and  Goodnefs,  which  is  the  End  of  thenx 
all. 

Now  for  the  further  clearing  of  this,  we  are  pre- 
fented  with  three  Scenes  in  this  great  delign,  uhlch 
have  their  diftin<^  and  particular  .S^afons  allotted 
them. 

The  firft  is  the  Scene  of  this  World,  wherein 
Light  and  Darknefs,  Life  and  Death,  are  brought 
upon  the  Stage,  with  thefe  limited  and  bounded 
Miffions,  to  difplay  themfelves  in  their  Contraries 
and  Antipathies,  and  this  Scene  takes  up  all  the 
Times  of  this  World. 

The  fecond  Scene  is  the  Reconciliation  of  all 
thefe  Antipathies  and  Contraries,  a  fubduing  them 
to  the  Harmony  of  the  Defign  and  Council  of 
God,  which  is  the  Work  of  Chrift  and  his  Crofs 
to  begin,  and  his  Life  and  Kingly  Power  to  per- 
feft.  And  this  is  begun  in  the  Ele£t  in  this  World, 
perfe^ed  at  Death,  and  in  the  Refurreflion  of  the 
Dead;  they  being  the  Firft-fruits.unto  God  and 
the  Lamb  of  the  reft  of  the  Creation,  in  whom  this 
Work  is  not  begun  till  the  World  to  come,  or 
Chrift's  Kingdom  is  glorioufly  revealed  on  Earth  : 
and  then  (hall  it  (before  Chrift  hath  done,  and  fee- 
fore,  or  at  his  Refignation  of  the  Kingdom  to  the 
Father)  be  finifhed  upon  the  whole  Nature  of 
Mankind,  and  everv  Individual  Perion, 

The 


(     io6    ) 

The  third  Scene  is,  The  glorious  Fruit  and  Tn- 

\jmph  of  the  whole,  thus  iinifhed  and  perfefted 
in  the  Kingdom  of  the  Father;  whence  both  thele 
other  Scenes  fhall  be  fvvallowed  up,  and  yet  fliall 
remain  as  a  Landikip  of  Glory  to  all  Eternity  : 
Where  both  the  Ele£l  and  Reprobate  having  a£ted 
their  Parts  in  this  defign,  iljall  Eternally  with 
higheft  joy  and  thankfulnefs,  contemplate  and  re- 
view the  depth  of  the  Riches,  both  of  the  Wildom 
and  Knowledge  of  God,  that  governed  and  manag- 
ed luch  Contrarieties,  reconciled  luch  Antipathies, 
and  brought  forth  at  laft  ib  glorious  an  liTue  out 
of  them  all ,  where  Sinners  of  all  lorts  and  fizes 
fliall  fee  all  their  SufFerings,  Temptations,  De- 
fertions ;  but  Iball  he  Afflided  with  them  no  more. 
They  fhall  look  on  all  indeed  as  Dangers  they 
have  palled,  as  Deaths  they  are  Delivered  out  of; 
Yea,  lb  fhall  the  Damned  rejoice  over  that  Hell 
they  have  been  in.  I'hey  fhall  refleft  on  that  Fire 
out  of  which  they  are  Delivered  ;  and  it  Ihall  be 
the  food  of  their  Joy  :  So  that  the  Defign  of  God 
being  now  accomplifhed  and  opening  itlelf,  fhall 
fwallow  up  all  the  Pal!ions  of  Grief  and  Sorrow 
that  accompanid  thele  Scenes  of  Troubles,  while 
they  were  in  afting;  and  his  Righteoufnels,  which 
is  this  glorious  End,  fliall  fwallow  up  the  Crea- 
ture's Unrighteoufnefs  whereby  he  has  ferved  and 
wrought  unto  this  End,  as  he  was  ordained,  but 
knew  it  not,  which  was  both  his  Sin  and  Pain  ; 
and  the  Creature  will  lee  that  this  glorious  "Jefm 
was  no  thanks  to  him,  but  to  that  glorious  Coun- 
fel  and  Wil'dom,  that  brought  Good  out  of  Evil 
in  this  New  Creation,  as  he  commanded  Light  to 
fliine  out  of  Darknefs  in  the  Firft  Creation.  For 
ye  d'td  it  to  evil,  faith  Jofeph  to  his  Brethren,  but  Gcd 
turned  it  to  good. 

Thefe  are  the  three  Scenes :  and  if  we  allow  the 
Firfl'  and  not  the  Second,  we  muft  keep  God 
and  his  Word  at  a  Diftance  for  ever,  we  muft 
deny   Chrlft  to  have  fullilled  the  End,   he  was  fent 

and 


(    107    ) 

ftfid  ordained  for,  or  to  do  it  but  in  part  ;  yea,  we 
TTiufl:  make  God  or  his  Work,  which  is  all  one,  (for 
God's  Win  and  Counfel  is  Himfelf,  and  his  Work 
is  the  Will  and  Counfel  executed  and  brought 
forth,  and  all  things  are  this  Will  and  Counfel) 
but  a  part  and  not  the  whole,  and  to  whom,-  or  to 
what  fliall  we  caft  the  other  part,  unlefs  with  the 
Manichees  We  make  two  Eternal  Principles,  one  of 
Good,  the  other  of  Evil,  which  is  all  one  as  to 
make  two  Gods. 

And  if  we  allow  this  Second  Scene,  as  if  we  deny- 
not  the  Scripture  we  muft,  for  hemuft  Reign,   and 
by  the  Power  of  his  Life  and  Kingdom  finifh  th^ 
Woik   he   laid   the    Foundation   of   in   his  Death 
and  Reign,  untill  all  his   Enemies   are  put  under 
his  Feet,  until  Death  he  dcftroycd,   called  the  laft 
Enemy  :     And    is    it  only   temporal  Death  think 
you  ?    What  Glory  would   be  in  that,  to  deftroy 
temporal  Death,  and  to  leave  Eternal  Death  ram- 
pant over  the  grcateft  part  of  Mankind  ?    There- 
fore   Death,  however,  in   that   Place,   i  Cor.  xv. 
relating  to  bodily  Death  in  that  Argument,   yet  it 
implies  the  other  with  a  multo  m^^gisf   much  more  : 
then  I  fay,  This  being  allowed,  the  third  Scene  will 
neceffarily  follow.     For  when  the  Law  hath  loji  its 
Strength,  and  Death  its  Sting,  and  Sin  its  ForcCy  what 
fhould    hinder,   that    the   whole  Quire   of  every 
Creature,  which  is   in  Heaven    and  on  the  Earth, 
and  fuch  as  are  in  the  Sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them 
fhould  join  Hallelujahs,   and   celebrate  that  Grace, 
that  Wifdom,   that  delivered  and  refcued  them  out 
■  of  the  Jaws  of  Death,  the  Second  Death.     Then 
every  Sin,  that  Sinners  have  comrnitted,  and  every 
aggravation  of  their  Sins,  the  Root  of  Sin   being 
now  Slain  by  this  gracious,    this   glorious   Coun- 
fel of  God,  (in  the  winding  up  of  all,  Shining 
forth   upon  them)    fhall  be   the    oil   and   fuel  of 
their  Joy  and  Triumph,  making  the  Flame  thereof 
afcend  the  hi^rher  and  flronjrer:  Yea  the  remem- 
brance  of  the  bitter  Tvvingesj  and  Pangs,  and  Tor- 
ments 


(    io8    ) 

merits  they  have  Suffered  for  tliem,  fliall  increafe 
their  Pleafure,  and  give  them  the  fuller,  the  fweet- 
er  relifhes  of  their  prefent  Endlefs  Eafe  and  Deli- 
verance. 

Thus  we  fee  liow  all  thefe  conflicting  Scenes  of 
light  and  darknefs,  good  and  evil,  are  bounded  with- 
in the  times  of  this  World ;  and  that  the  Recon- 
ciliation of  them,  the  fubduing  the  enmity  and 
vanquifhing  the  Darknefs  totally  is  the  Work  of 
the  next  JVorld,  and  muft  receive  its  Accomplifh- 
ment  then,  before  that  World  ends,  before  that 
Kingdom  be  delivered  up  to  the  Father.  And  we 
4'ee  alfo  that  the  World  to  come  hath  an  end,  and 
what  that  End  is,  even  the  glorious  Kingdom  of 
the  Father,  the  Kingdom  of  Eternitv,  and  that 
nothing  muft  laft  or  endure  beyond  the  times  of 
thefe  two  Worlds,  (whicli  are  bounded  with  Time) 
but  that  which  was  before  them,  in  which  Sin  nor 
Hell  neither  of  them  were  :  But  together  with 
which  thefe  Worlds,  which  are  but  as  a  double 
Parenthejts  in  Eternity,  or  between  both,  (that  a 
parte  ante  2in^  xh?iX.  a  parte  pofl)  muft  receive  their 
Determination  at  laft  ;  and  fo  Spotkfs  Eternity, 
tliat  Light  in  which  is  no  Darknefs  at  all  muft  re- 
cover its  loft  Beauty  and  Glory,  and  fhine  forth 
^gain  Univerfally  with  open  Face,  with  the  Spoils 
and  Trophies  of  Conquered  time,  and  all  its  Births 
for  ever. 

Let  no  Man  fay  how  can  thefe  Things  be  :  For 
all  things  have  an  End,  and  pafs  away,  and  fail 
but  Love  ;  even  the  fainter  and  weaker  diverfities 
of  Light  and  Grace ;  as  we  may  fee  in  Paradife, 
and  the  Old  World,  and  the  Law,  and  the  Tem- 
ple, and  that  Firft  Covenant,  yea  the  Day  of  Chrift's 
iirft  Appearance,  the  fcven  Churches  oi  JJia,  with 
the  Glory  of  the  Primitive  Times.  Much  more 
hath  the  Lord  fet  an  end  to  Darknefs,  to  the  times 
of  Sin^  and  the  Man  of  Sin,  and  the  reign  of  Dcatii, 
and  the  Kingdom  of  Wrath;  which  being  now  Old 
and  ready  to  vanifl),  and  the  Power  arifing  where- 

by 


(     109     ) 

by  it  fhall  be  done  away  ;  which  is  the  breaking 
forth  of  the  Light  of  this  bright  and  glorious  Coun- 
fel  and  Deiign  ;  which  being  backed  and  affifted 
with  the  Life  and  glorious  Appearance  and  Reign 
of  the  Prince  of  Life,  who  is  ordained  for  this  end, 
to  vanquifh  and  abolifli  Death,  and  bring  Light 
and  Immortality  to  Light,  and  doth  it  by  the  Gof- 
pel;  fhall  make  it  impoffible  for  Death  and  Hell 
to  hold,  Or  keep  back  thefe  Prifoners  any  longer; 
even  as  the  Light  arifing  upon  the  Heaven,  fets 
free  the  Prifoners  of  Night.  Our  Saviour  when 
he  was  Lock'd  up  in  the  Grave  for  Sin,  made  it 
too  hard  a  Work  for  the  Pams  of  Death  to  detain 
Him,  after  the  Third  Day,  the  Day  of  his  glorri^ 
ous  Light  was  rifen  upon  him  ;  which  was  as  great 
a  Work  as  to  releafe  the  Damned  out  of  Hell  :  for 
he  had  the  Sins  of  the  whole  World  upon  him. 
Yea,  I  will  fay,  That  if  this  Light  did  once  fhine 
out  upon  the  Damned,  and  that  after  that,  they 
fhould  continue  in  a  local  Hell :  yet  Hell  would 
be  no  more  Hell  unto  them ;  nay,  it  would  tura 
Hell  itfelf  into  a  Heaven,  and  make  very  Darknefs 
itfelf  to  be  all  Light  about  them,  as  David  fpeaks 
of  the  Light  of  God's  gracious  Prefence,  Pfalm 
cxxxix,  from  verfe  8,  to  13. 


CHAP. 


C    ."o     ) 

CHAP.        XII. 

^he  Objedflon  drawn  from  the  Unpardon- 
ablenefi  of  the  Sin  againji  the  Holy 
Ghoji, 

I  Shall  fet  down  the  Argument  in  the  Words  of 
our  Saviour  himfelf,  Mark\\\,  1%.  Verily  I fa^ 
unto  yoUy  All  Sins  Jhali  be  forgwen  unto  the  fom  of 
meny  and  blnjphemics  zvherczvith  foever  they  Jhall  blaf- 
j}herre  :  But  he  that  Jhall  blafpheme  againjl  the  Holy 
Ghojiy  hath  never  forpvcnefsy  but  is  in  clanger  of  eternal 
damnation. 

This  {never)  is  expreffed  Diftributively,  Matth, 
xii.  31.  neither  in  this  world ,  nor  in  the  ivorld  to  come.. 
So  alio  Luke  xii.  10,  you  have  the  fame  words 
recordedj  as  to  the  Subftance,  befides  many  other 
Scriptures  which  hold  forth  the  Deplorablenefs  and 
the  Irrecoverablenefe  of  falling  away  after  being 
once  enlightened,  and  tafting  the  good  Word  of 
God,  and  the  Powers  of  the  World  to  come,  as 
Hib,  vi.  that  it  is  impoffihle  to  renew  fuch  to  Repent- 
ance i  with  the  Dcmonftration  and  Illuftration  of 
it,  for  that  they  Crucify  to  themfelves  the  Son  of  God 
afrejhy  and  put  him  to  an  openjhame ;  and  therefore 
as  the  Ground  that  after  all  Culture  brings  forth 
Briers  and  Thorns  is  nigh  to  Curling  :  So  their 
End  is  to  be  burned.  So  alfo  the  Apoftle  fpcaks 
of  wilful  Sinning  after  Men  had  received  the 
knowledge  of  the  Truth  ;  that  there  remains  no  more 
a  Sacrifice  for  Si^iy    but   a  certain  fearful  looking  for  0, 


/• 


Judgment  and  fiery  Indignation,  which  Jhall  devour  the 
Jdverfary,  Heb.  x.  Which  he  illuftrates  by  a 
coniparilbn  with  fuch  as  defpifed  Mofes\  Law,  and 
the  reniedilels  of  their  Condition  who  diedwith^- 

put 


(  "I  ) 

out  Mercy  ;  of  hoiv  much  forer  Punijhmentjuppofeye^ 
(hall  he  he  thought  worthy^  that  hath  trodden  under  font 
the  Son  of  Godf  find  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  Cove- 
nant vjherewith  he  was  Sanilifed  an  unholy  things  and 
hath  done  defpite  to  tfx  Spirit  of  Grace  P  Where  it  is 
put  to  Men  thcmfelves  to  Judge  of  the  Equity  of 
this  Proceeding.  There  are  many  other  places,  as 
in  Peter  and  Jude^  that  fpealc  of  Trees  twice  Dead, 
pluck'd  up  by  the  Roots,  and  of  fuch  whole  latter 
End  is  worfe  than  their  Beginning ;  and  John  that 
fweet  Apoftle,  that  is  fo  full  of  Love,  he  tells  us  of 
a  Sin  unto  Death,  of  which  he  faith,  I  fay  not  that 
ye  fhall  pray  for  it. 

Now  the  Argument  is  plain,  if  any  be  excepted, 
be  it  but  one  Man,  one  Sinner  in  the  World,  all 
that  we  have  faid  falls  to  the  ground,  that's  clear. 

Before  I  come  to  anfwer  this  Obje£tion,  I  muft 
enter  this  Caution,  That  what  I  have  faid,  and 
(hall  now  fay,  is  not  to  plead  the  Caufe  of  fuch 
wilful,  defperate,  and  defpitcful  Sinners  :  God  for- 
bid any  Man  fliould  take  that  Taik  on  him,  where 
the  Spirit  of  God  doth  not  command  us  to  Pray, 
that  we  fhould  be  bold  to  Plead  ;  they  are  not 
tjualified  for  any  fuch  Favour,  nor  are  they  capa- 
ble of  being  Qualified  or  Softened  by  it ;  if  the 
Blood  of  Chrift  will  not  mollify  them,  nothing 
will ;  it  were  loft,  loft  Labour  upon  thciii,  as  to 
make  a  Black-a-more  white  :  And  it  is  againft 
the  Courfe  of  God's  Juftice,  for  Men  to  endeavour 
it. 

But  yet  this  lays  no  reftraint  upon  us,  but  that 
for  God  and  for  the  Truth's  fake,  the  Truth  may 
and  ought  to  be  Ipoken  :  What  therefore  I  here 
fhall  fay,  is  for  the  making  good  the  Argument  [ 
have  in  hand,  and  for  |he  Glory  of  God  and  his 
rich  Grace,  which  is  concerned  therein. 

I  anfwer  therefore  not  by  Denying  any  thing 
of  the  Antecedent,  but  the  Sequel,  and  fo  I  deny 
the  Argument;  the  Antecedent  is  moft  true,  fome 
Sinners  have   never   forgivenefs,    but  the  Illation 

is 


(       ^2       ) 

is  falfe,  that  therefore  they  fhall  never  be  Saved* 
And  fo  the  ObjeftJon  lies  equally  agalnft  all  that 
go  to  Hell,  they  arc  not  forgiven  ;  yet  after  all 
th-cy  may  be  Saved,  tho'  I  grant  there  is  a  great 
ciiftcrence  between  the  Sin  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft 
and  all  other  Sins;  for  there  is  not  any  befides, 
but  Men  that  have  committed  it  may  be  brought 
to  repent  of  it,  ^ni  fo  may  be  faved  ;  but  this  Sin 
precludes  Repentance  j  and  therefore  as  there  is 
alfo  a  great  difference  in  the  degrees  of  Punilh- 
ment  even  in  Hell,  fo  thefe  fhall  have  the  loweft 
and  hotteft  Place  in  that  Lake  of  fire  :  yet  this 
militates  not  at  all  againft  our  Hypothefis,  that 
they  as  well  as  others,  I  fay  not  as  foon  as  others, 
but  as  certainly  may  fome  time  or  other  be  Saved, 
and  plucked  out  of  that  Burning. 

For  let  us  confider  our  Saviour's  Words  :     They 
Jhall  not  he  Forgiven  :   Ihey  are  mt  forgiven,  that  arc  cajl 
into  Hell  for  their  Sim, 

Obj.  But  their  Damnation  is  faid  to  be  Eternal^ 
and  it  is  faid,  they  neither  fhall  be  Forgiven  in 
this  World  nor  in  that  virhich  is  to  come. 

Jnfiver.  But  both  this  World  and  the  World 
to  come  have  an  End.  The  End  of  this  World  is 
at  hand  ;  how  long  the  next  fhall  laft  is  uncertain ; 
but  it  is  probable  it  fhall  laft  longer  than  any 
Man  living  upon  Earth  ;  which  you  know  in  the 
Old  World  was  almoft  to  a  Thoufand  Years  ; 
nay,  longer  than  any  of  the  Monarchies  everlafted: 
if  it  be  meant  that  during  all  that  fpace  they  fhall 
lie  under  this  fiery  Indignation,  it  is  a  great  while. 
The  meaning  1  conceive  muft  either  be  that ;  or 
elfe  to  fhew  that  tho'  ,in  the  World  to  come  in 
Chrlft's  plorious  and  vifible  Reio;n  on  Earth,  when 
he  fliall  \>c  a  Prieft  upon  his  Tiirone,  there  inall 
be  the  exercifc  and  demonftration  of  crreater  Grace 
than  ever  was  in  this  World,  (as  many  Scriptures 
il^cw    there  Ihall,    for  he  will  clcanfe  their  Blood  that 

be 


(     ti3    ) 

he  had  not  ckaufed:  And  a  fountain  Jljall  go  forth 
from  the  Houfe  of  the  Lord^  and  Jhail  water  the 
valley  of  Shitt'im)  yet  the  Grace  how  immenfe  Ib- 
ever  (as  the  Waters  of  the  Sanftuary  when  they 
were  grown  to  a  River  unpafTable)  all  that  Water 
will  not  wafh  away  the  Guilt  of  this  Sin  ;  I  fay, 
cither  of  thefe  Senfes  gives  no  Hopes  of  Forgive- 
nefs  to  this  Sin,  which  bars  all  poffibility  of  Re- 
pentance in  him  that  commits  it.  You  will  fay 
then,  how  fhall  they  be  Pardoned  ?  I  fay,  they  are 
not  Pardoned,  but  muft  bear  their  Sin  during  this 
World  and  the  World  to  come.  But  unlets  any 
Scripture  holds  forth  that  they  or  any  other  Sin- 
ners, (and  if  not  they,  fure  not  any  others)  fhall 
bear  their  Sin  beyond  the  term  or  period  of  the 
World  to  come,  then  their  Punifhment  muft  end, 
where  the  World  to  come  ends,  viz.  when  Chrill 
gives  np  the  Kingdom  to  the  Father;  for  the  World 
to  come  is  the  glorious  State  of  Chrift's  Medi- 
atory Kingdom,  Hcb.  ii.  5.  And  if  the  continuance 
of  it  be  fo  long  and  until  then,  I  fee  not  but 
this  may  give  us  the  Account  and  the  meaning 
of  that  Never-forgivenefs,  and  that  Eternal  Dam- 
nation which  is  denounced  againft  this  Sin;  the 
word  Eternal  being  the  fame  (as  all  Grammarians 
know)  that  is  ufed  for  this  World  or  Age,  and 
efpecially  if  we  take  in  another  Notation,  viz.  That 
this  Fire  is  kindled  by  the  breath  of  the  Eternal 
God  who  liveth  for  ever,  as  the  Prophet  faith  of 
Topbct, 

Ohj.  But  you  may  yet  fay,  if  they  have  never 
Forgivenefs,  nor  are  ever  Pardoned,  how  Ihall  they 
ever  be  Saved,  efpecially  when  they  lie  out  of  the 
reach  of  Repentance  ? 

Anfi/.'er.  You    muft    anfwer  with   our   Saviour, 

when. he  had  faid,    it  was  a.t  eafy  for  a  Camel  to  go 

through  the  eye  of  a  needle    (which   fome  fay   was   a 

Gate  in   Jerufalem    called  the  Needless-eye,  being  of 

I  a  nar- 


(     "4     ) 

a  narrow  oblong  figure)  yet  faith  he,  ivbat  is  hn- 
pojjible  with  man  is  poffible  with  Gcd'y  efpecially  if  we 
take  in  that  Conficleration  that  he  hath  the  Times 
and  Seafons  in  his  own  Power,  and  hath  appointed 
and  fet  them.     And  therefore, 

2dly,  When  the  fet  time  is  come  for  the  deter- 
mining of  Wrath  and  Punifliment,  it  then  feafes  of 
Courfe.     But  yet, 

3dly,  There  muft  he  a  legal  Publilhlng  and  Pro- 
claiming thereof  as  by  the  Trumpets  in  the  Year 
of  Jubikey  which  is  the  reafon  of  that  Language 
ufed  by  the  Spirit  in  many  places  of  the  Pro- 
phets, and  in  the  New  Teftament,  as  i  Cor.  xv. 
for  the  Trumpet Jhall found,  which  is  the  publifhing 
of  this  gracious,  this  glorious  Countel  of  God. 
The  Year  of  Jubilee  began  the  firfl  Day  of  the 
feventh  Month,  which  was  the  beginning  of  their 
Year  ;  and  therefore  from  that  day  the  Servants 
did  eat,  and  drink,  and  rejoice,  and  wore  Crowns 
or  Garlands  in  token  of  their  Freedom  :  Yet  they 
went  not  out  aftually  from  under  the  Hands  of 
their  Matters,  until  the  Trumpet  founded,  which 
was  the  tenth  Day  of  that  Month,  then  was  their 
Univerfal  Freedom  publiflied,  as  Mr.  Ainfv:orth  ob- 
ferves,  and  interprets  this  founding  of  the  Trum- 
pet, of  the  preaching  of  the  Gofpel.  This  Trum- 
pet was  founded,  fay  the  Rabbinsy  firfl  by  the 
Sanhedrim,  and  after  that  every  Mafler  was  to 
found  throughout  the  Land,  to  publifli  that  Liberty 
to  his  Servants.  This  was  done  on  the  tenth  Day, 
becaufe  that  was  the  Day  of  Atonement,  fignify- 
ing  their  Liberty  owed  itfelf  to  the  Atonement, 
which  our  Redeemer  hath  made  for  us,  and  he  is 
the  great  Publifher  of  it ;  and  therefore  we  find 
the  Trumpet  at  his  Mouth,  Ifa.  Ixi,  proclaiming 
this  acceptable  ymr  of  the  Lord. 

Obj.  But  it  will  be  yet  objeftcd  :  Thefe  wilful 
Sinners,  and  thofe  that  have  finned  againfl  the 
Holy  Ghoft,  have  forfeited  the  benefit  of  Chrifl's 
Redemption  ;  why  elfe  is  it  laid,  there  remains  no 
more,  Sacrifice  for  Sin  }  Anjwer* 


( ^rs    ) 

Atifwcr.  It  is  Trcre,  and  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to 
fall  into  the  Hands   of  the  living  God,  to  be  de- 
livered up   from  the  tender  Hands  of  a  Crucified 
Saviour,    into  the  Hands  of  the  living  God  ;  yet 
this  living  God   is   the  fame  Jefus,  tho'  in  another 
appearance ;  fot  God  even  the  Father  hath  commit-^ 
ted  all  judgment  to  the  Son,   and  therefore  we  read  of 
the  PVrath  of  the  Lamb,   and   the   Wrath  of  God  who 
liveth  for  ever  and  ever.  Rev.  xv.  7,  and  our  God  is  a 
confuming  fire,  and  the  Lordfefusfhall  he  revealed  from 
Heaven   in  flaming  fire.     The  other   Scriptures  as 
lyell  as  this  lafl,  do  all  intend  Chrift,  and  they  in- 
tend Chrift  not  dealing  with  Men,  now  in  this  ap- 
pearance, as  in  his  Firft,  when  he  came  as  a  Pried 
to  pour  out  his  Blood  for  them  with  wooings  and 
intreaties,  but  avenging  the  flighting  thereof  as  a 
King,  therefore  he  now  dies  not  for  them  any  more, 
he  did  that  once  ;    but  he  lives  for  ever  and  ever, 
and  by  the  Power  of  his  Life  he  judges  and  brings 
them  under ;    but  ftill   I  fay  it  is  the  fame  fefus. 
That's  one  thing.     And, 

adly,  They  are  ftill  faid  to  be  his  People  even 
under  this  Judgment,  Heh.  x.  30.  Immediately 
before  the  Apoftle  founds  that  terrible  Note  in 
their  Ear,  that  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God\  he  prefaceth  it  with  this, 
'the  Lord  fh  all  judge  his  People,  which  was  fpoken  to, 
and  of  IJracl,  Deut.  xxxii,  36.  And  good  reafon,  he 
ought  to  have  a  title  to  them,  for  he  bought  them 
with  his  precious  Blood.  Now  though  they  mq^ 
forfeit  their  own  Intereft,  yet  they  cannot  extin- 
guifli  his  Right.  So  the  Lord  faith  in  Ezekiel,  all 
Souls  are  mine ;  where  yet  he  fpeaks  of  fouls  that  ^ 
Uie  by  their  Iniquity.     Therefore, 

3dly,  The  cafe  of  thefe  Sinners  feems  to  be  the 
fame  with  thofe  Servants  that  went  not  out  free 
the  fcventh  year,  whereof  we  read,  Ex,  xxi.  It 
was  the  firft  Law  that  was  given  after  the  Ten 
Commandments  almoft,  that  every  Hebrew  Servant 
fhould  go  forth  free  the  Seventh  year,  but  if  he 
I  2  defpifed 


(     »i6    ) 

defplfed  his  Liberty,  (that  is  in  effect  the  Lan- 
guage, of  his  loving  his  Mafter  better  than  his 
Freedom)  he  was  to  be  brought  to  the  Elders  and 
to  be  bored  through'  the  Ears  witli  an  Awl,  to  the 
Poft  of  the  Door  of  his  Mailer's  Houfe,  and  was 
not  to  go  forth  the  next  feventh  year,  nor  the  next, 
till  the  year  of  Jubilee ;  and  then  he  w^as  to  go 
forth  notwithftanding.  And  the  Reafon  given  i?, 
becaufe  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  be  they  bond  or 
free,  were  the  Lord's  Servants,  and  therefore  mull 
know  a  time  of  Liberty,  let  them  fell  themfelves 
away  how  far  foever  ;  and  fo  the  Land  mujl  not  bt 
fold  for  ever:  for  the  land  is  mine,  faith  the  Lord, 
Lev.  xw.  23,  and  ye  are  grangers  andfojoumers  ivith 
me;  yet  their  Servitude  to  the  year  of  ^wZ^z'/t'?  is 
called,  a  ferving  for  ever.  Upon  which  Mr.  Ainf- 
ivorth  hath  this  note  on  the  place  :  **  That  as  their 
Ever  ended  then  at  the  'Juhilee ;  fo  the  other 
legal  Ordinances,  which  are  commanded  to  be 
kept  for  ever,  had  alfo  their  End  at  the  Jubilee 
of  the  Gofpel,  and  the  Jev.'s  who  urge  the  Ob- 
fervation  of  them,  may  be  anfwered  from  their 
own  Writings,  as  he  quotes  Rabbi  Menachem  on 
the  place,  faying,  it  is  a  known  .thing  that  this 
word  [Legnolam)  for  ever,  is  fometime  Ipoken  of 
a  determined  time,  as  Exo.  xxi.  6,  he  fhall  ferve 
him  for  ever,  vi'z.  unto  the  year  of  Jubilee,  and 
fometimes  it  is  fpoken  of  length  of  days  without 
knowledge  of  their  Limit,  but  yet  they  have  a 
Limit  and  End,  as  when  they  laid.  Let  King 
David  live  for  ever." 
If  it  be  faid,  the  cafe  of  the  Jews  was  lingular,  all 
Men  are  not  upon  that  Advantage.  They  were  the 
People  of  God.  Nationally  by  the  exprefs  Choice 
and  Covenant  of  God  with  their  Fathers.  I  an- 
fwer,  that  therein  tliey  were  but  a  typical  Firft- 
fruits  of  the  Nation,  and  their  Land,  'of  the  whole 
•Earth  ;  and  therefore  it  is  faid,  the  Godoftheijuholt 
'Earthjhallhc  be  called. 

Now 


(    117    ) 

Now  let  us  Confider,  if  all  Souls  be  the  Lord's, 
and  U]x)n  that  Account  are  not  to  be  Servants  for 
ever,  then  none  are  to  be  excepted.  And  indeed 
conlider  but  the  value  both  God  and  Chrift  puts 
but  upon  one  Soul,  preferring  it  to  the  whole 
World  :  And  what  fball  be  given  to  the  Lord  in 
exchange  for  fo  many  Millions  of  Souls  loft  to  him 
for  ever  ;  as  the  vulgar  opinion  holds.  Beiides 
that  it  is  Sin  and  not  Man,  (not  the  Creature  of 
God,  the  Soul  of  Man)  that  is  God's  Enemy,  the 
Apoftle  ftating  it  fo.  Col.  \,  21.  Enemies  by  ivlcked 
JJ'orks,  Sinners  as  Sinners;  not  as  Men,  but  as 
Committers  or  Lovers  of  wicked  Works.  There- 
fore the  fiery  indignation  fliall  devour  the  Adver- 
faiies,  quatenHs  Adverfaries,  not  as  the  Creatures 
of  God  ;  and  if  Sin  could  be  dealt  with,  out  of 
Man,  it  were  another  cafe,  but  it  being  in  itfelf  a 
Privation,  it  muft  be  judged  and  punifhed  in  the 
Subjeft,  as  you  cannot  bury  Death  out  of  your 
light,  but  by  burying  the  Carcafe,  fo  Sin  is  con- 
demned in  the  Flelli,  and  the  Flefh  is  judged  in 
Man  :  If  God  fliould  fuffer  Sin  ever  to  embondage 
Man,  where  were  his  Love  ?  Man  were  for  ever 
loft.  But  if  in  the  deftroying  of  Sin,  God  fliould 
for  ever  abandon  Man,  what  difference  is  there  ? 
If  Hell  never  have  end,  Sin  can  never  have  end  ; 
For  if  they  live  under  Wrath  endlefsly,  Sin  is 
thereby  perpetuated,  but  if  Sin  be  dcftroyed,  the 
fame  moment  Man  is  faved.  So  that  if  God  hatli 
a  mind,  as  he  hath,  (his  Holinefs  carrying  Him 
to  it)  to  exterminate  Sin,  it  muft  be  the  Salvation 
of  the  Sinner.  Therefore  it  feems  to  me,  that  if 
the  Lord  do  not  annihilate  all  wicked  Men,  they 
muft  be  allowed  a  Return  fometimcs,  (though  at 
what  time  I  determinate  not;  lave  at  or  before 
tiie  delivering  up  the  Kingdom  to  the  Father)  to 
their  firft  State  which  they  had  in  the  fore-know- 
ledge of  God,  and  in  their  firft  Parents  before  Sin 
entered. 

I  3  Thefe 


(    ii8    ) 

Thcfe  arc  but  the  foft  and  low  Whifpcrs  of 
that  Trumpet,  which  in  due  time  our  great  high 
Prieft  the  Lord  Jejiis  fhall  fet  to  his  Mouth,  and 
with  a  loud  and  Inrill  found  fhall  puhlifh  through 
the  Earth  and  Heavens  ;  yea,  and  through  all  thofe 
dark  Regions  of  Death  and  Hell  wherefoever  this 
Jubilee^  and  with  it  the  power  of  his  endlefs  Life, 
the  Spirit  of  Life  fhall  go  forth  from  him,  to 
quicken  thofe  Inhabitants  of  Death  and  Hell,  not 
to  Torment  them  any  longer,  as  it  hath  done  at 
firfl,  and  will  to  the  lafl,  avenging  on  them  the 
defpifing  of  his  Grace  ;  but  then  comforting  them 
with  the  opening  and  difclofing  the  whole  Counfel 
of  that  Grace,  that  was  fhut  up  in  this  Womb  of 
Wrath  and  Darknefs,  and  fealed  up  in  Death. 
This  is  the  Interpreter,  one  of  a  Thouiand,  that 
will  fhew  unto  man  His  Righteoufnefs,  as  the 
Strength  of  his  Plea,  not  only  from  the  Nature  of 
God  who  is  Love,  but  from  and  by  Reafon  of  the 
Counfel  and  the  Will  of  God,  and  this  delightful 
projedl  which  will  anfwer  and  refolve  all  the 
HarfhnefTes  and  Difficulties  that  feem  to  be  in  it, 
through  our  not  looking  to  the  end  thereof.  We 
lee  now  but  thro'  a  Glafs  darkly,  we  know  but  in 
part ;  but  Chrift  knows  the  whole  of  the  Cafe  and 
will  argue  it,  and  plead  it  with  fuch  ftrength  and 
advantage  for  every  lofl  Soul,  that  he  will  carry 
the  Day,  and  all  thofe  whom  he  reconciled  by  his 
Death,  will  he  firft  or  lafl  fave  by  his  Life. 
Therefore  as  this  is  terror  to  fall  into  the  Hands  of 
the  living  God,  this  ever-living  Jefus ;  fo  after 
the  Judgments  finifhed  and  the  Wrath  executed, 
there  is  Mercy  in  the  liTue,  and  as  it  is  faid  to 
JJrael,  there  is  hopes  in  thy  End  ;  that  all  the  loft 
Children  oi  j^dam  fhall  again  return  to  their  bor- 
der, to  their  Eilate,  in  the  Favour  and  Love  of 
God,  thro'  the  Death  and  thro'  the  Life  of  the 
Lord  Jefui  who  was  dead,  and  that  for  them  ;  and 
is  now  alive,  and  that  alfo  for  them  ;  and  behold 
he  lives  for  evermore  to  make  effeftual  the  whole 

Intention 


(     119    ) 

Intention  of  his  Death,  (however  Devils  and  Men 
themfelves  againft  themfelves,  have  done  their  ut- 
termoft  to  fruftrate  it)  and  with  and  above  this, 
his  own  concern,  fully  to  uncover  and  declare  his 
Father  to  be  Love  throughout,  and  to  be  that  Light 
in  whom  is  no  Darknefs  at  all. 

•^^  ■>-»•♦•♦■♦•♦->">->•>•♦•♦•>•♦•■>->•♦••>-» -^•♦^•♦•i^*.*  <"*.«•«■■<  •♦•♦^■i~i.«-«~«.<4^ 

CHAP.     XIII. 

A  further  clearing  of  the  foregoing  Argu- 
menty  from  the  great  advantages  Chrijl 
has  to  accomplijh  this  JVork  in  hisfecond 
Appearance, 

THIS  will  be  much  clearer  if  we  conCder  that 
Chrift  hath  a  Second  part  of  his  Mediatory 
Office  to  perfe£l  at  his  next  coming ;  which  is 
the  greater  part,  vi%.  the  moft  Powerful,  though 
not  the  moft  coftly  or  painful  to  himfelf :  For 
fo  the  Firft  part  was,  being  performed  thro'  great 
Sufferings  and  Death,  in  a  State  of  Humiliations : 
But  now  he  comes  as  a  King,  not  to  intreat  but 
to  Command,  and  to  put  Life  into  his  commands 
by  that  All-fufficiency  of  Power  he  is  invefted 
with. 

That  this  is  the  greateft  part  even  towards  his 
own  faved  ones,  viz.  the  Ele£V,  that  are  the  Firft- 
fruits  of  his  Creatures,  appears,  becaufe  even  they 
are  Saved  in  hope  till  then,  as  the  Apoftle  fhews, 
Rom.  viii.  and  hope  that  is  fcen  is  not  hope,  there- 
fore faith  the  Apoftle,  Gal,  v.  5,  JVe  thrtf  the  Spirit 
wait  for  the  hope  of  Rightcoufnefs  thro'  faith  :  Tho'  we 
be  Juftified  Perfons  in  the  prefent  Time;  yet  the 
gloiious  Fruits  of  our  juftified  State  appear  but 
I  4  .  in 


C      120      ) 

part  and  darkly,  and  we  are  faved,  but  in  a  Myf* 
tery.  Full  many,  and  thofe  great  and  glorious 
Things  are  fpoken  of  the  City  of  the  Living  God, 
of  an  abfolute  Immunity  and  Freedom  from  the 
guilt  and  power  of  Sin,  and  all  the  confcquents 
of  it;  but  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  fhall 
be  :  Therefore  Chrift's  interceffion  in  Heaven  and 
the  intercefTion  of  his  Spirit  in  our  Hearts  re^. 
lieves  and  helps  us  in  this  State  of  Infirmity, 
watching  over  thofe  Enemies  which  yet  remain 
in  the  Land  ;  Over-ruling  them,  and  Bounding 
them,  and  turning  that  to  Good,  which  they  at- 
tempt and  praftife  to  Evil.  And  thus  it  will 
be  till  Chrift's  fecond  and  glorious  appearing;  and 
whether  that  of  the  Apoftlc  fpoken  of  the  ■  Pro- 
phets and  Worthies  of  the  Old  time,  that  looked 
iiito  the  glorious  Promii'es  made  to  the  time  of 
the  Gofpel,  but  law  not  the  Accomplifliment  of 
them  (God  having  provided  fome  better  things 
for  us,  that  they  without  us  fliould  not  be  made 
Perfeft)  may  not  be  applied  here,  z'h.  that  it  is 
not  the  will  of  God  that  we  fliould  be  Perfeft, 
^till  that  better  thing,  relating  to  the  whole  Crea- 
tion in  Chrift's  fecond  Appearance  be  ready,  1  leave 
to  Conlideration. 

But  if  it  be  fo  that  the  perfefting  of  the  Saints  by 
the  actuating  their  complete  Form,  and  adluali- 
ling  of  all  thefe  Privileges  and  Glory  confirmed 
and  fealed  up  to  them  in  the  Blood  of  Chrlft 
awaits  another  Seafon  ;  even  this  fecond  Appear- 
ance of  Chrift,  what  marvel  is  it,  if  the  reft  of 
Men  be  deferred  to  that  Seafon,  for  the  reaping 
the  Fruit?  and  Advantages  of  his  Death  :  Wherein 
clfe  have  the  Firft-fruits  the  pre-eminence,  the 
World  enjoys  their  good  things  here,  whilft  the 
Saints  receive  their  evil  Things. 

Now  that  this  is  fo,  that  the  Saints  are  ad- 
journed to  this  Seafon  for  the  perfefting  of  their 
but  Inchoate  Salvation,  is  clear  from  many  Scrip, 
•£U»es,  Col.  iii.  3.  F./^b.  i.  10.  Chap.  iii.  3.   Rofn,  v. 

10. 


(      t2t      ) 

50.  Ueb.  9,  laft.  I  Pet,  i.  13.  i  Cor.  xv.  49.  iTheJJl 
i.  6,  7,  &c.  vvitli  many  other,  belidcs  what  was 
named  before. 

2dly,  The  fecond  thirtg  to  be  fhewn  is  the  great 
Advantages  our  Lord  Jefus  is  upon  for  this  great 
Work  in  his  Second  Appearance,  over  what  he 
was  in  his  Firft,  which  lies  in  fuch  particulars 
as  thefe, 

1.  He  comes  as  a  Kin"". 

o 

2.  As  a  Heavenly  Man. 

3.  As  a  quickning  Spirit. 

'4.  In  the  full  Revelation  of  the  Father. 

I  fliall  gather  them  up  into  two  Heads. 

1.  His  Office  which  he  comes  to  difcharge.     And 

2.  His  Qualitications  for  it. 

I  ft.  He  comes  as  a  Klnv^  jn  tbe  full  exercife  of 
his  Kingly  Office  on  Eairth,  which  he  hath  exer- 
cifed  only  Myftically  and  in  Heaven  hitherto. 
Remarkable  is  that  word  of  our  Saviour,  my  King- 
dom is  not  now  from  hence  ;  implying  that  now  is 
not  the  Seafon  of  it,  but  it  is  to  be  fhewn  in  its 
proper  times,  as  i  Tim,  vi.  16,  viz.  At  his  Second 
coming.  Not  but  that  he  comes  then  as  a  Piieft 
too,  for  he  fliall  be  a  Prieft  upon  his  Throne,  it  is 
faid,  Zech.  vi.  13.  But  the  Office  he  comes  emi- 
nently to  difcharge,  is  his  Kingly  Office,  which  iS 
to  enforce  his  other  Offices :  For  where  the  fVord  of 
a  King  is,  there  is  Power,  faith  Solomon :  Therefore  it 
is  faid,  thy  People  fhall  be  Willingnefles  in  the 
Day  of  thy  Power,  Pf.  ex.  4.  As  who  would  fay, 
no  fooner  fhall  Chrift  fpeak  and  intimate  his  Will, 
but  it  fhall  be  complied  with. 

Yea,  he  comes  not  only  as  a  King,  but  as  God's 
King;  not  in  his  own  intereft  and  behalf  only,  but 
his  Father's,  to  bring  hack  his  Creatures  to  him. 
'^"ht  reform, 

2.  It 


(    tiz    ) 

2.  It  being  his  Father's  Work,  he  fetshim  forth 

and  fends  him  with  a  mod  fplendid  Equipage  in 

his  own  Glory,   and  the  Glory  of  all  the  Holy 

Angels  which  attend  him  in  this  expedition  from 

Heaven.     Chrift  hath  a  Glory  of  his  own   which 

is  furpafllngly  Refplendent,  but  when  to  this  fball 

be  joined  his  Father's  Glory  and  the  Holy  Angels', 

how  great  will  this  Three-fold  Glory  be  !      You 

have  them  altogether  mentioned  in  this  coming, 

Luke  ix.  26.     Firft  he  comes  in  his  own  Heavenly 

Glory  as  the  Lord  from  Heaven,  as  much  exceeding 

the  Glory  of  the   Firft  jt^dam    in  Innocency,   as 

Heaven  exceeds  Earth.     The  firft  Man  was  of  the 

Earth  Earthly,    (tho'  fine  Earth,   yet  Earth)   but 

the  fecond  Man  is  the  Lord  from  Heaven.     And 

therefore   this  Second  Man's  World  and  Paradife 

ll>all  as  much  exceed  the  firft,  as  Heaven  exceeds 

Earth.     Well  may  it  then  be  called  a  New  Earth. 

You  read  how  Chrift's  Face  in  the  Transfiguration 

Ihone  as  the  Sun,    and  his  very  Garments  were 

White  as  the  Light,    whiter  than  any   Fuller  on 

Earth  could  make  them  :    This  was  but  a  Scheme 

in  the  Days  of  his  Flefh,  a  Scheme  of  his  Glory 

during  his  Humiliation.     Now  that  Glory  itfelf 

will  prefent  itfelf,  and  that  not  for  a  Moment,  but 

for  Continuance. 

2.  He  comes  as  a  Quickning  Spirit;  the  firft 
Man  j^dam  was  made  a  Living  Soul,  the  laft  j4dam 
a  Quickning  Spirit :  called  Laft,  not  Second  as 
before  j  becaufe  this  will  chiefly  appear  in  his  Laft 
coming.  Now  the  Spirit  is  Life,  faith  our  Saviour, 
and  it  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth.  This  is  that 
Life  we  fliall  be  raifed  by,  fo  afluredly  that  the 
Apoftle  brings  it  with  a  much  more,  Rom.  v.  10. 
If  when  ive  were  Enemies,  ive  were  reconciled  to  God 
hyAhe  Death  of  his  Son,  much  more  being  reconcile^ 
fball  we  be  faved  by  his  Life,  Now  this  is  that  which 
cone  but  the  Eleft  have  tafted  the  Power  of  'till 
this  time,  and  they  but  tafted  it.  Indeed  Tem- 
pc^rary  Believers  may  tafte  the  good  Word  of  God, 

and 


(123     ) 

and  the  Powers  of  the  World  to  come,  and  be  made 
Partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  viz.  in  Gifts  and 
common  Graces,  but  they  never  tafled  of  this  Life, 
for  if  they  had  they  could  never  have  fallen  away  ; 
this  is  that  the  Tree  of  Life  in  Paradife  was  a  Fi- 
gure of,  which  if  Adam  had  eaten  of,  he  had  lived 
for  ever  ;  the  Antitype  itlelf  appears  in  the  New  Je- 
rufakm,  and  there,  with  a  River  of  Water  of  Life, 
both  which  are  prophefied  of  before  by  Ezekiel  i 
the  Leaves  of  the  Trees  are  for  Medicine  for  the 
healing  of  the  Nations,  the  Fruit  for  Food.  Chrift 
this  Tree  of  Life  hath  Leaves  as  well  as  Fruit. 
Leaves  are  the  rich  Cloathing  or  Ornament 
of  a  Tree,  and  preferves  and  Ihades  the  Fruit, 
and  thofe  that  come  to  the  Fruit.  Chrift  will  not. 
confound  but  heal  the  Nations,  and  by  thefe  leaves 
cJirpofe,  purge,  and  prepare  them  for  the  Fruit;  So 
the  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  is  promifed  to  arife  with 
healing  in  his  wings.  Not  but  that  Chrift  will  con- 
found his  Enemies  at  the  beginning  of  his  fecond 
coming,  thofe  efpecially  that  he  Ihall  find  in  aftual 
Hoftility  againft  him ;  but  when  that  Work  is  over, 
then  he  will  addrefs  himfelf  to  healing,  even  thofe 
whom  he  hath  wounded,  and  to  make  alive  thofe 
whom  he  hath  killed.  So  likewife  the  River  of 
Life,  fpoken  of  in  Ezck.  xlvii.  8,  9.  It  is  faid,  that 
thefe  Waters  went  down  into  the  Defert,  &c.  and 
being  brought  forth  into  the  Sea,  the  Waters  (even 
the  Waters  of  the  Sea)  Ihall  be  healed,  and  every 
thing  Ihall  live  whither  the  River  cometh  :  What 
more  barren  than  the  Defert  ?  And  the  Sea  is  an 
Emblem  of  the  Wicked,  but  what  cannot  Eternal 
Life  do,  the  Life  of  God,  when  he  Ihall  no  more 
ftand  at  the  Door  and  knock,  but  fhall  work  with- 
in, fhall  be  a  vis  intus  agens  as  the  Plaftick  or  For- 
mative Virtue,  or  as  the  Soul  actuating  or  forming 
the  Body  ?  Such  is  the  force  of  that  Word,  Epb^ 
iii.  20.  which  fpeaks  but  of  that  which  is  the  Saint's 
Experience  in  this  dark  time,  yet  they  feel  an  En- 
ergy  quod  Jign'ificat  intimam  prcfcntiani^    vim  ^  effi- 

cacitatem 


f      124      ) 

cacitaiem  qua  Deus  intlme  omnia  operatur,    fay  the 
Criticks  upon  thefe  words. 

In  this  Day  of  his  fecond  appearing  he  will  be  all 
Life.  The  Denomination  is  of  the  jrreater  and  bet- 
tcrpart;  but  here  the  whole  throughout  is  all  life. 
Col.  iii.  4.  When  Chrift  who  is  our  Life  (hall  ap- 
pear, &c.  and  that  Life  is  Spirit,  all  of  him  is  Spirity 
from  his  Incarnation,  his  Conception,  his  Birth,  to 
his  Crofs,  his  Obedience  unto  Death,  it  is  all  Spirit, 
and  leavens  the  whole  Mafs  of  Human  Nature ;  and 
fo  his  Refurre£lion,  his  Exaltation  and  Glory,  it  is 
all  Spirit,  and  fhall  now  fo  appear,  there's  the  ac- 
cent ;  he  hath  been  fo  all  along  before  a  few,  in  an 
Enigmatick  dark  way,  but  he  will  be  fo  now  mani- 
feftly,  openly,  univerfally  ;  therefore  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  fo  in  Chrill  iball  all  be  made  alive,  for  he 
is  the  Lord,  the  Spirit ;  his  Words  are  Spirit  and 
Life,  he  faid  it  in  the  days  of  his  Flefli ;  but  now  it 
ihall  appear  ;  his  Flefh  was  then  Meat  indeed,  and 
his  Blood  Drink  indeed,  but  now  it  Ihall  be  juftified 
in  his  Spiritual  Body.  This  is  that  great  Tranf- 
mutation,  the  true  Philofophers  Stone,  which  Men 
have  been  hunting  after ;  the  Tranfmuter,  the 
Transformer  that  hath  given  a  Tafte  of  his  Virtue 
and  Power  in  the  Eleft  all  along,  and  but  a  Tafte, 
to  what  fhall  then  appear  ;  therefore  we  read  of 
that  Change  in  a  JWoment^  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
Eye.  Spirits  have  Power  over  Matter  and  work  in 
an  inftant.  I  fay  not  This  fliall  appear  in  all  pre- 
fently,  but  in  every  Man  in  their  Order  ;  firftin 
the  Firft-fruits,  then  after  Judgment  hath  had  its 
Courfe  (which,  how  long  that  will  be,  I  cannot  de- 
termine) but  before  the  delivering  up  the  Kingdom 
by  the  Son  to  the  Father,  he  will  manifeft  this 
Power  upon  the  whole  Human  Nature  :  This  I  am 
led  to  apprehend  and  believe  from  plentiful  Evi- 
dence.    But, 

Thirdly^  And  laftly,  he  fhall  appear  then  in  the 
Glory  of  the  Father  alfo  ;  not  only  as  a  quickning 
Spirit  (which  as  a  Man  and  Mediator  he  is  made) 

but 


(      125      ) 

but  as  God  Co-effentialwith  the  Father,  exerclling 
the  fame  Creating  Power  as  God  that  quickneth  all 
Things,  and  to  whom  all  Things  live,  as  our  Sa- 
viour himlelf  laith  ;  as  the  Son  of  Man  he  hath  all 
Power  given  him  in  Heaven  and  in  Earth,  Power 
over  all  Flefli,  and  toiquicken  whom  he  will,  which 
is  a  larger  Power  than  he  did  own  or  exercile  in  the 
Days  of  his  Flefh,  but  fhall  then  come  into  the  full 
cxercife  of  it ;  but  as  God,  he  comes  forth  in  the 
Original  Right  of  that  Power  with  the  Father  ;  and 
fo  he  fpeaks  and  'tis  Created.  As  Man  he  is  anoint- 
ed with  the  Name,  the  Vertue  of  the  Father,  but 
as  God  he  is  the  very  Name  and  Anointing  itfelf, 
and  the  Power  to  declare  and  manifeft  this  Name, 
this  Vertue  to  the  full ;  to  fhew  all  Men  plainly 
and  fully  of  the  Father,  and  to  exhibit  and  Ihew 
himfelf  fli  he  is ;  and  fo  fhall  every  eye  fee  him,  for 
he  will  be  both  Light  and  Eye,  and  Objeft  to  every 
Man  ;  in  this  Light  we  fhall  fee  Light,  yea  they 
alfo  that  have  pierced  him,  which  of  all  Sinners  lliould 
moft  likely  be  debarr'd  this  chearing  Sight;  and 
left  we  fhould  think  it  reftrained  to  the  Jews,  it  is 
added,  that  all  the  Tribes  of  the  Earth  Jhall  Mourn  hc^ 
caufe  of  him  ;  which  is  an  Expreffion  of  a  mourning 
of  Compunction  from  a  Spirit  of  Grace,  not  from 
Defpair,  but  as  in  Zachary,  for  an  only  Son,  and  a 
Firft-born,  and  this  fhall  all  the  Tribes  of  the 
Earth  do. 

And  that  which  fhall  influence  them  to  this,  and 
thus  melt  them  down,  is  that  Glorious  Revelation, 
that  clear  Exhibition  he  fhall  make  of  himfelf  an^i 
of  his  Father.  This  is  the  Mellage,  faith  the  A- 
poftle,  that  we  have  heard  of  him,  that  God  is  Light, 
and  in  Him  is  no  darknefs  at  all,  and  in  another 
place,  God  is  Love ;  but  tjien  he  fhall  deliver  it 
not  as  a  MelTage,  but  reveal  it  as  a  Light  of  (ilory 
within  us,  and  round  about  us,  taking  ofFthe  Yaii 
both  from  the  Face  of  the  Father  and  his  ozvn  Face, 
and  from  off  our  Hearts,  that  which  we  have  not 
heard  fhall  be  told  us,  that  which  we  have  not  iceu 

fliall 


(       126      ) 

fhall  we  confider;  this  is  implied  in  that  Promife 
of  feeing  him  as  he  is,  Ifa.  lii.  19.  intimating  a 
difguife  hath  been  upon  him  hitherto,  which  fhall 
then  be  caft  off,  and  the  defign  of  the  whole  fhall 
break  forth  and  beautify  every  Part,  every  Step  in 
this  Glorious  Projeft. 

Obj.  But  it  will  be  objefted  ;  We  make  Chrift 
kinder  than  he  makes  himfelf  in  his  next  appear- 
ing, for  he  faith  in  that  place  before  quoted,  Luke 
ix.  26.  JVbofoever Jhall  be  ajhamed  of  Me  and  of  my 
TVords,  of  himjhall  the  Son  of  man  be  ajhamed^  when 
■  hej]}all  come  in  his  own  glory  and  in  his  Father's  and  of 
the  holy  Angeh» 

Anfiv.  This  is  not  deny'd,  but  that  Chrifl's  ap- 
pearing will  be  to  the  Shame  of  Enemies  and  Apof- 
tates ;  and  many  fhall  Rife,  not  only  in  that  Meta- 
phorical Rcfurreftion   in  Daniel,  but  in  the  proper 
Refurfeftion  of  the  Body,  to  Shame  and  Contempt, 
and  that  cverlafting  in  the  Senfe  we  have  opened 
before,  and  to  the  Refurreftion  of  Damnation,  as 
our  Saviour  himfelf  witneffeth,  John  v.  29.  but  all 
this  hinders  not,  but  'ere  Chrift  hath   finifhed  his 
Work  he  will  bting  things  to  another  pafs ;  that 
he  will  not  be    afhamed  and  confounded   World 
without  End  ;    this  feems  to  be  the  Cafe  fpoken  to 
Jfa,  xlix.  wherein  the  Lord  Jcfus  Chrift  is  brought 
in  as  bewailing  his  loft   Labour  upon   the  Jevjs^ 
Verfe  4.  I  have  laboured  in  vain,  I  have  [pent  my  Strength 
for   nought  and  in  vain,  as  he  himfelf  tells  them, 
weeping  over  Jcrufalem,  How  often  would  I  have  ga- 
thered thee,    as  a  Hen  gathers  her   Chickens   under  her 
/fingy  but  ye  would  not  P     Well,  this  hath  coft  them 
dear,  Ifa.  xxix.  22,  23.  Chap.  xlix.  18,  24.  Chap, 
liii.  10,  II,  12.    Tour  Houfc  is  left  unto  you  defo'atc  ; 
and  henceforth  you  fhall  not  fee  me  (as  for  above  feven- 
teen  hundred  years  hath  been  verified  upon  them) 
untill  yeJJoall  fay,    Bleffcd  is  he  that  tometh  in  the  Name 
of  the  Lord.     Is  here  not  a  Revolution  of  Grace  :\n4 

Favour 


i 


(     127     ) 

iFavour  intimated  to  them  ?  fo  in  this  Text,   Jj'a, 
xlix.  4.  after  that  bemoaning  of  himfelf,   I  have  Iw 
boured  in  vain,  he  takes  heart  again  in  thefe  Words, 
let  ftirely  my  'Judgment  is  with  the  Lord,   and  my  Work 
with  my  God.     What  Judgment  is  that  ?   Why  the 
fame  Prophet  tells  us,  not  only  in  the  fequel  of  the 
Chapter,  where  the  Gentiles  are  promifed  to  make 
up  the  Lofs  of  the/tftyi,  but  Chap,  liii  10.  Hejhall 
fee  his  Seed,  hejhall  prolong  his  Days,  he  Jhallfce  of  the 
Travail  ojhis  Soul  and  he  fatisjied:    And  is  not  every 
Man  the  Travail  of  his  Soul  ?     Did  not  he  pour 
out  his  Soul  to  Death  for  the  whole  World  ?    And 
can  he  be  fatisfy'd  with  lefs  than  the  Salvation  of 
all  that  he  thus  travailed  of  ?     And  if  the  reproach, 
of  the  Church  is  promifed   to  be  done  away  from 
off  all  the  Earth,  Ifa.  xxiv.   and  this  is  part  of  the 
reproach,  and  a  great  part  {We  have  travaif  d,    ive 
ifave  been  in  pain,    we  have  brought  forth   nothing  but 
Wind  I  neither  are  the  Inhabitants  of  the  World  fallen^ 
Ifa.  xxvi.)  then  fure  the  reproach  of  the  Head  of 
the  Church,  yea  of  the  Grace  of  God   who  gave 
Chrift  to  die  for  all  Men,  muft  much  more  be  done 
away  ;  fhall  that  bring  forth  nothing  but  Wind,  or 
that  which  is  worfe  to  the  greateft    part  of  Man- 
kind ?   Shall  that  always  be  under  the  reproach  of 
Barrennefs  and  Weaknefs  ?  Is  there  not  the  Wonjb 
that  is  called  upon  to  rejoice  above  Hagar  or  the 
Law  ?  Shall  Chrift  fail  'Or  be  difcouraged   in  his 
Enterprize,  of  abolifhing  Death  and  bringing  Life 
and  Immortality  to  Light  ?      Or  fhall   he  do  his 
Work  but  in  part,  when  God  hath  given  him  Pow- 
er over  all  Flefli,   that  all  that  he  hath   given  him 
(for  fo  the  Words  are  to  be  rendered,  or  the  whole, 
vi%.  the  whole  Mafs  or  Lump  of  Human  Nature) 
he  fhall  give  Eternal  Life  unto  them  ?   Firft  indeed, 
to  the  Firft-fruits  only,  which  are  the  Eleft,   but 
in  due  time  to  the  reft,  one  as  well  as  the  other,  as 
the  Lord  promifed  to  the  Land   of  Ifrael  in  their 
time  of  Reftitutlon,   Ezek.  xWn.  i^.     Twjhali  in- 
habit it  one  as  well  as  another.   fHhen  is  tbe  day  when 

Jacob 


(     128     ) 

Jacob  Pmll  mt  be  afhamcd^  neither  Jhall  his  Fcue  ivaxi 
pale,  but  zuhcn  he  fceth  his  (JhiUren,  the  fi'ork.  of  my 
Hands  in  the  mid/}  of  him,  iocy  Jhall  fanBify  my  Name, 
Sec.  and  ^.  xxix.  22,  23.  J'^ca,  they  Jhall  fee  and jlow 
together,  nnd  their  Heart  Jhall  fear  and  be  enlarged,  be- 
caufe  the  ahmidancc  of  the  Sea  Jhall  be  converted  to  thee, 
he.  Ifa.  Ix.  5.  which  places  have  a  beginning  of 
fulfilling  in  the  reftoiing  of  the  Jevjs,  but  fliall  have 
a  further  fulfilling  ere  the  clole  of  that  glorious 
Day  of  Chrift's  Reign. 

To  conclude  this  Evidence  from  Chrift's  Glori- 
ous Capacity,  to  make  this  Univerfal  and  Wonder- 
ful Change,  even  to  make  all  things  new  upon  his 
Throne  ;  he  fhall  therefore  be  faid  to  come  in  the 
Glory  of  the  Father  (the  Original  Glory)  becaufe 
he  fliall  let  in  the  Light  of  Eternity  upon  Men,  and 
fliall  fo  uncover  his  Father,  as  he  was  never  yet  un- 
covered, and  exhibit  and  prefent  him,  fo  as  he  was 
never  yet  fecn,  but  by  himfelf,  who  lay  eternally 
in  his  Bofom  ;  at  which  brightnefs  all  the  light  \tc 
have  hitherto  rejoyced  and  refted  in,  fliall  be  done 
away,  as  being  but  in  part,  and  all  thofe  Difpen- 
fations  that  we  have  thought  fo  bright  fhall  pafs 
like  thick  Clouds  ;  thofe  Difcoveries  that  we  have 
taken  for  the  Face  of  God,  fhall  be  lliewn  to  be 
d^'i/vigs^  and  all  times  and  Difpenfations  of  times 
of  this  World,  which  have  like  Peterh  Sheet  been  let 
down  from  Heaven  for  us  to  look  upon,  having 
ferved  their  Seafon,  Ihall  be  taken  up  into  Heaven, 
and  Time  itfelf  Ihall  pafs  into  Eternity  ;  and  no- 
thing fliall  enter  or  remain  there  but  that  which 
was  before  this  corrupted  World,  for  all  things  were 
good  in  the  beginning. 

I  fhall  clofe  this  Sedion  with  that  of  the  Apof- 
tle,  I  Cor.  u.  7.  to  ver.  10.  which  takes  aw, the  Sub- 
liance  of  all  that  hath  been  faid  upon- this  Head; 
the  Words  are  thefe  ;  But  tve  f peak  the  H'''ifdom  of 
Cod  in  a  Myftcry,  even  the  hidden  If'ifdom  ivhich  God 
ordained  before  the  ITorld  unto  oar  Glory,  luhicb  none 
ijf  the  Princes  of  this  tforld  knew,  for  had  thry  knoivn, 

they 


(     129     ) 

they  would  not  have  Crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory ^  6cc. 
in  which  lafl  Words  the  Apoftle  drops  an  Apology 
or  Excufe  for  the  Princes  of  this  World  not  re- 
ceiving Chrifl,  though  it  be  not  the  Scope  or  Drift 
of  the  Apoftle,  I  grant,  for  that  is  another  thing, 
neither  doth  it  excufe  them  a  toto,  as  they  fay, 
either  Guilt  or  Punifliment,  but  a  tanto  only  ; 
the  excufe  is  the  fame  as  the  Apoftle  grants  elfc- 
where,  in  the  cafe  of  the  Je-ivsj  A£ls  iii.  17.  and 
that  is  Ignorance.  I  ivot  Brethren,  thro*  Ignorance  ye 
did  it,  as  did  a!fo  your  Rulers  ;  and  yet  it  is  the 
Judgement  of  many,  and  thofe  Men  of  note,  that 
the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  that  purfued  Chrift  to  his 
Death,  were  guilty  of  the  Sin  againft  the  Holy 
Ghoft ;  therefore  it  was  not  limple  or  total  Igno- 
rance, but  the  want  of  fuch  a  Knowledge  of  him, 
as  is  given  to  the  Eledlby  efteftual  calling,  and  we 
are  told  in  this  Text  what  it  was ;  it  was  an  Igno- 
rance of  the  Lord  of  Glory,  and  the  occation  of 
this  their  Miftake,  and  not  difcerning,  was  the 
veil'd  appearance  in  which  he  then  was,  during  the 
State  of  his  Humiliation,  his  Glory  but  fparingly 
then  fhining  forth  ;  it  not  being  the  Seafon  of  it ; 
as  it  is  not  for  the  Saints,  yet  to  fliine  forth 
until  Chrift's  fecond  appearance.  And  therefore 
faith  St.  John,  i.  Chap.  iii.  2.  The  TVorld  knowith 
ifs  not,  bccaufe  it  knew  not  him  ;  only  the  Spirit  re- 
veals him  to  the  Ele£t  in  the  prelent  time.  But 
then  in  his  fecond  coming  the  Cafe  Ihall  be  other- 
wife,  as  ye  have  heard,  and  this  will  be  not  only 
a  Ipiritual  Revelation  of  him,  as  never  yet  was  to 
the  eminenteft  Saint  for  fulnefs  and  perfeftion,  but 
his  Pcrfon  lliall  be  revealed  in  a  vifible  Glory,  be^ 
yond  any  created  Glory  of  the  Sun,  (or  if  any  thing 
€lfe  were  more  glorious)  and  this  bodily  or  vifible 
Glory  fhall  be  aifo  all  fpiritual,  yea  all  Spirit ;  fhajj 
then  imprefs  the  Mind  as  well  as  the  Senfes,  and 
fhall  work,  with  his  Spirit  to  the  caufing  a  Submif- 
lion  to  him,  and  a  reception  of  him.  And  until  fuch 
vecemion,  it  will  be  a  torment  intolerable  to  every 
K  Creatur© 


(130   ) 

Creature  that  (lands  out  ap;^inft  him,  or  is  not  in 
tinion  with  him.  So  the  Cirace  and  Sw'^etnefs  ot 
Chrift  in  his  divine  Excellency,  which  lliall  then 
fhine  forth  in  its  Ibength,  and  ihall  pierce  even  to 
Hell  itielf,  will  be  the  Torment  of  the  Damned  in 
Hell,  while  they  abide  there,  and  when  the  Lord 
hath  liniflied  that  Work,  then  will  he  turn  the  other 
fide  of  this  Glory  upon  them.  For  as  the  Pil/ar  0/ 
Cloud  and  Fire,  it  hath  a  light  and  a  dark  lide,  and 
thatfliall  revive  and  comfort  thofe  whom  the  other 
lide  did  cruciate  and  afflift  ;  and  fo  fliall  there  the 
higheft  Proof  be  given  of  the  Truth  of  that  Word, 
Deiit.  xxxii.  29,  /,  even  I  am  he,  and  there  is  no  God 
like  me,  I  kill,  and  I  make  alive,  I  wound,  and  I  heal ^ 
i^c.  The  fame  God,  even  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrill, 
God  Man,  by  the  fame  Life  and  Glory  of  his  fe- 
cond  appearance  and  laft  coming,  fhall  both  wound 
and  heal,  firft  kill  and  then  make  alive. 

The  Punifliment  of  the  Damned  is  diftinguifli- 
ed  into  Pixna  Damni  ^  Pcena  Senfus  ;  and  this  Pun- 
ifhment  of  Lofs,  the  Senfe  of  it  (for  that  they  Ihall 
have)  is  as  great  as  the  Senfe  of  Pain ;  therefore  our 
Saviour  tells  the  yeivs,  as  an  aggravation,  that  ma- 
ny fliall  come  from  the  Eajl  and  ^Pc/i,  and  lit 
down  with  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob  in  the  king- 
dpm  of  Heaven,  and  the  Children  of  the  Kingdom 
fhall  be  call  out,  Alatth.  viii.  12.  And  O  !  IVhat 
weeping  and  gna/Jying  of  leeth  zvill  this  cccajion ! 
Thus  Dives  lifted  up  his  Eyes  in  Hell,  and  favv  La- 
zarus in  Abraham's  Bofom.  Now,  to  make  this 
Punifhment  of  Lofs  exquifite,  they  muft  have  a 
Knowledge  and  Senfe  of  the  Glory  and  Felicity  of 
the  faved  ones,  fuch  as  they  had  not  while  in  the 
Body  here.  Therefore  they  fliall  be  enlightened 
by  this  Glory,  in  which  Chrift  fliall  appear  to  a 
Jienie  of  what  they  have  loft,  and  therefore  this 
Glory  fliall  appear  otherwlfe  to  them  than  while  on 
Earth  ;  then  they  defpifed  it,  chufing  their  own 
Will  and  Pleafure  before  it,  nay  lookmg  on  God 
,aiKl  Chrift  as  the  darkeft  and  moft  melancholy 
t7c-^  r:  .  Objedts 


(     131     ) 

Obje£ls  in  the  World,  and  as   feeking  themfelves, 
and  tying  up  Poor   Man  from  the  beft  Enjoyment 
of  himfelf,  as  the  Tyrantsof  this  World;  but  when 
God  fhall    appear  in   this  Glorious    Revelation  of 
himfelf  in  Chrift,    in  this  time,  all  Love  all  Light 
without  Darknefs  !     O  how   unfpcakable  will  the 
Torment  be,  to  be  jliut  out  of  this  Bofom,   thefe 
Embraces  !  to  want  an  Interefl  in  this  Life,  in  this 
Pleafure  !   in  this  Joy  !   O  how  will  this  fet  them  a 
Weeping  and  Wailing  !   As  on  the  other  hand  it  is 
faid,  the  Saints   and  the  faved  ones,  to   commiend 
their  own  Mercy,  fhall  go  forth  and  look  on  the 
Garcafes  of  the  Men  that  have  tranfgrefled,  whofe 
Worm   fhall   not  die,  neither   fhall  their  Fire  be 
quenched.    And  this  is  one  Reafon  of  the  Punifh- 
ment  both  of  Devils  and  wicked  Men,  being  deferred 
to  this  time,  becaufe  this  Prefence  and  Appearance 
of  Chrift  with  the  Church  on  Earth,  is  a  main  In- 
gredient and  Aggravation  of  their  Torment,  there- 
fore  they  are  faid  to  he  punljhed  volth  ever  la/ling  De- 
JlruElion  from  the  Prefence  of  the  Lord  and  the  Glory  of 
his  Power,  2  Thef.  i.  9.   (as  the  times  of  refrefhing 
alfo  are  faid  to  be  from  the  Prefence  of  the  Lord, 
A£ls  iii.)    the  Prefence  and  Glory  of  Chrift  being 
the  inflifting  Caufe  of  tlieir  Punifliment ;    there- 
fore they  cry  to  the  Rocks  and  Mountains  to  hide 
them  from   the  Face  of  him  that  fitteth  upon  the 
Throne,  Rev.  vr.  16.  which  if  fo  terrible   in  that 
Change  he  made  in  the  Roman  Empire  at  the  cafting 
down  the  Heathen   Dragon   in   Confantine's  Time, 
what  will  it  be  in  that  time,  when  he  fliall  put  down 
all  Rule,   Authority  and  Power,  and  take  all  into 
his  own  Hand,  and  appeat  on  his   Throne  in  the 
Glory  of  his  Father. 

All  this  will  down  ;  but  the  Revolution,  the 
turning  the  other  fide  of  this  Glory,  and  revealing 
to  chenj  and  giving  themanlntereft  in  it  is  incredi- 
ble. Yet  it  having  a  Power  to  heal  and  reftore,  as 
well  AS.  to  Torment,  yea,  healing  bcirig  the  proper 
WoTkand  Efficiency  of.it,.  and  the  other  but  occa- 
K  2  fionally 


(       132      ) 

fionally  or  accldentallyj  who  fhall  for  ever  Seal  up 
this  Power  and  Virtue  of  it,  when  the  Nature  of 
God,  who  is  Love,  doth  not  do  it  ?  We  fay,  that 
Power  is  in  vain  that  is  never  reduced  into  AifV,  and 
therefore  when  the  great  Gulf  or  Space  of  Time 
which  God  hath  fee  for  the  Declaration  of  his 
Juftice  in  the  Puniflinient  of  the  Damned  is  filled 
lip,  and  that  the  piercing  Beams  of  this  Glory  that 
hath  fhinedinto  Hell  itfelf,  thro'  i\).t\r  Kon-interefz 
therein,  hath  fulfilled  the  afBi£ting  and  punifhing 
part;  then  how  eafy,  how  agreeable  is  it  to  the 
Lord  to  take  ofFthofe  Chains  of  Darknefs  that  hold 
them  from  any  part  in  it,  and  to  take  off  that  Veil, 
and  to  let  them  into  the  Apprehenfion  of  this 
Great  and  Glorious  Counfel  of  imparting  it  to  them 
alfo,  and  letting  them  forth  into  the  Participation 
of  it  ?  I  will  not  fay  I  have  an  exprefs  Text  for  it ; 
but  there  is  a  Text  which  favours  fuch  an  Appre- 
henfion, If.  xxiv.  21.  to  the  end.  Jnd  itjhall  come 
topafs  in  that  Day^  that  the  Lord  of  Hojisjhall  pun'ijh  the 
Hoji  of  the  high  ones  that  are  on  high,  and  the  Kings  of 
the  Earth  upon  the  Earth,  and  they  fhcU  be  gathered  to- 
gether as  Prifoners  are  gathered  in  the  Pit,  and  fhall 
he  fhut  up  in  the  Prifon,  and  after  many  Days  they 
fhall  be  vifited.  What  Day  is  this  ?  It  is  the  Day  of 
the  Lord's  Reign  on  the  Earth,  that  is  mani felled 
from  the  next  verfe ;  Then  the  AhoyifJmll be  confound- 
ed, and  the  Sun  afhamed,  %vhen  the  Lord  of  Ho/is  fhall 
Reign  in  Mount  Sion  andin  Jerufalem,  and  before  his 
Ayitients  Glorioufly.  Well  then,  what  is  the  Pit  or 
Prifon,  but  Tophet  or  Hell,  chap.  iii.  33.  (which  is 
called  a  Prifon,  a  Place  ofCuftody,  i  Pet.  iii.  19.) 
Tophet  is  ordained  of  old,  yea^  for  the  Ki?ig  it  is  prepar- 
ed, he  hath  made  it  deep  and  large,  the  Pile  thereof  is 
Fire  and  much  pp'ood,  the  Breath  of  the  Lord,  f  this 
Life,  this  Spirit,  this  Glory  of  the  Man  Chrift 
Jefus)  like  a  Stream  of  Brimfione,  doth  kindle  it.  But 
that  which  I  bring  the  Place  for  \%,  that  after  many 
Days  thefe  Prifoners  fliallbe  vifited  or  found  want- 
ing, which  Sounds  to  our  purpofe,  that  thro'  a 
■     '  Vifitation 


C    133    ) 

Vilitatlon  of  Grace,  they  Ihall  be  delivered,  when 
their  Punilhment  is  fultilled. 

To  lumupall;  this  Three-fold  quality  of  Glory, 
as  a  Heavenly  Man,  as  a  Quickning  Spirit,  and 
as  the  Moft  High  God,  all  Ipeak  out  Love  and 
Grace  ;  for  what  is  the  Glory  of  Heaven  but  its 
Amplitude,  its  Clarity,  its  Beneficence  and  its  pow- 
erful Influence,  which  are  all  the  lignal  Names, 
Virtues,  and  Properties  of  Love,  which  as  the  Hea- 
vens are  large,  enfolding,  encompafling  all  Things, 
and  taking  thisGlobe  into  its  cherifliing  Boibm  and 
Embraces,  quickning,  cliearingand  nounlhing  eve- 
ry Plant,  every  Creature,  with  its  comfortable 
Warming,  fertilizing  Beams  and  Influences,  yea  the 
binding  Influence  of  Orioti,  is  for  the  Advantage  of 
the  Earth  and  Plants,  and  of  the  Bodies  of  Crea- 
tures, digefling  the  cold  raw  Humours,  and  by  an 
/bitlpe-iiftajh  making  the  innate  Heat  more  intenfe, 
andkillino;  Worms  and  Weeds  that  would  deftrov 
the  Seed;  and  the  clarity  the  lightfomnefs  of  the 
Heavens,  is  a  Figure  of  this  Light  and  Serenity  of 
Love,  and  the  Power  and  Rule  of  the  Heavens 
which  thefe  fublunary  things  can  by  no  Endeavours 
turn  from  or  refift,  is  the  all-charming,  all-con- 
quering, refiftlefs  Power  of  Love,  which  can  pre- 
vail when  Law  and  Threatnings  can  do  nothing. 
So  likcwife,  he  is  that  Spirit,  that  quickning  Spirit. 
Spirits  in  bodily  things  are  the  apex^  the  Unity  of 
Power,  the  QuintefTence  of  Extradlibn,  the  Com- 
bination of  all  the  fhattered  Forces  and  Virtues 
thro'  the  whole  cxtenfion  of  a  Vegetable;  fo  in  A- 
nimals,  the  Spirits  are  the  fineft,  the  pureft,  the 
fweeteft,  and  brighteft  Blood  :  and  fo  in  God  him- 
felf,  his  Love  is  the  Spirit  of  his  God-head  ;  there 
are  Spirits  many,  the  Spirit  of  Bondage  and  Fear, 
but  the  Spirit  eminently  is  Love,  therefore  the  New 
Teftament  which  lows  this  Love,  is  called  the  Mi- 
niftration  of  the  Spirit.  This  was  a  Seal  of  Love  I 
received  from  a  dying  Saint,  who,  for  Weaknels, 
could  noi  ipeak  much,  but  left  this  with  me,    that 

the 


(     134    ) 

the  Spirit  is  Love,  which  I  undert^ood  not  at  that 
time,  fo  well  as  I  blefs  God  I  have  done  fince.  And 
then, 

Laftly,  God  hath  recognized  himfelf  exprefsy  by 
the  Name  of  Love.  God  is  he  from  whom  all  things 
flow  as  their  original  Fountain,  and  as  they  come 
from  him  they  are  all  lovely  ;  in  him  we  all  live, 
and  move,  and  have  our  Being,  and  all  our  plea- 
fan  r  and  delightfome  Motions.  And  the  very  Dif- 
order  and  Evil  that  is  broke  in,  he  turns  it  to  Good  ; 
fo  that  Chrift  coming  in  the  Glory  of  the  Father, 
comes  in  the  Glory  of  Love,  which  tenders  all  his 
Births  as  a  Father  does  his  Children,  and  having  a 
Power,  cures  their  Difcal'es,  and  cafts  none  away, 
for  if  the  Man  Chrift  "^(fus  be  Heavenly,  large, 
pure,  beneficent,  if  his  Spirit  be  the  Mower  of 
Love,  what  is  God  his  Father,  who  is  the  Heaven 
of  Heavens  ? 

CHAP.     XIV. 

A  further  evidence  to  this  Hypothejis,  arlf- 
ingfrom  the  Relation  and  Proportion^ 
the  Redemption  of  the  Flrfi-frults  bears 
f&'the  deliverance  of  the  refl. 

THIS  Argument  we  have,  Rom.viii.  19.  tover. 
23,  with   which,   other  places   alfo  join   in 
Teftimony,  as  Rom.  xi.  16,  and  31  vcr. 

The  Words  in    the  former    Place  are  thefe,  For 

the  earnejl  expeHation  of  t'hc  Creature  ivaiteth  for  the 
manifejlaiion  of  the  Sons-  of  God,  for  the  Creature  ivm 
madefubjecl  to  Vanity ,  not  zvillingly  (or  not  by  choice) 
hut  by  reafon  of  him  who  fubjeFled  the  fame,  in  hope  ; 
hecaufe  the  Creature  Jhail  he  dc liver ed  from  the  Bon- 
dage  of  Corruption,  into   the   Glorious   Liberty  of  the 

ChiUhcH 


(    '35    ) 

Children  of  God.  For  we  know  that  the  whole 
Creation  groanetH  apd  travaileth  in  Pain  together 
until  now. 

The  Words  contain  an  argument  of  the  greatnefs 
of  that  Glory  that  fliall  be  revealed  in  Believers, 
the  Argument  arileth  from  the  expe<^ation,  that 
the  whole  Creation  hath  of  that  time,  and  the  glo- 
rious Fruits  and  Advantage  that  fhall  redound  from 
thence  to  the  whole  Creation,  which  is.  no  lefs 
than  the  Deliverance  of  the  ivhole  Crcationy  into  the 
glorious  Liberty  of  the  Children  of  God. 

The  Force  of  this  Argument  rcfts  upon  two 
Terms. 

Firjl,  What  is  meant  by  the  Creature  itfelf,  and 
the  whole  Creation. 

Secondly^  What  is  meant  by  their  being  delivered 
from  the  Bondage  of  Corruption  into  the  glorious 
Liberty  of  the  Children  of  God. 

By  the  iirftTerm  (the  Creature)  fome  underftand 
the  creation  below  man,  the  fenfitive  and  vegetative 
Creature,  Plants  and  Animals,  that  thefc  Ihall  be 
made  incorruptible.  If  the  Text  reach  thefe  Crea- 
tures (which  I  fliall  not  now  diiputCj  it  being  not  to 
my  Argument)  it  ftrengthensour  Argument,  and  is 
itfelf  an  Argument  a  fortiori  for  us.  For  my  part, 
I  take  the  Creature  and  the  whole  Creation  here, 
primarily  and  principally,  if  not  wholly,  to  intend 
Alan,  the  Human  nature  and  kind,  and  that  for 
thefe  Reafong,  to  omit  others. 

ill.  For  that  the  Creature  in  ver,  19,  20,  21, 
where  the  Apoftlc  fpeaks  of  the  expeftation  of  the 
Creature,  the  Subjcftion  of  the  Creature  to  Vanity, 
and  the  Deliverance  of  the  Creature  muft  either  be 
taken  indefinitely,  which  is  equal  to  an  Univerfal, 
or  at  Icaft  eminently,  for  that  rank  of  Creatures, 
and  for  all  in  that  rank,  of  which  the  Apoftle  was 
difcourfing,  which  was  of  Men,  for  fuch  are  the 
Sons  of  God  ;  who  are  to  be  manifefted,  and  in 
whom  fuch  eminent  Glory  is  to  be  revealed  ;  it 
B  4  being 


(     136    ) 

being  no  way  congruous  to  leave  out  the  nobleft 
Creature,  and  to  give  the  Title  of  the  Creature  to 
Brutes  and  Plants,  as  if  they  only  cxpefted  this 
Manifcflation,  &c.  but, 

2.  This  is  put  out  of  dov.bt  by  vcr.  22,  where  it 
is  faid,  the  whole  Creation  gronncth^  it  being  no  way 
congriious  nor  true,  to  call  Beafts  and  Plants 
(which  are  but  a  parr,  and  that  lefs  principal) 
the  whole  Creation.  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  the 
whole  Creation,  as  by  way  of  Eminence,  contain- 
ing in  himfelf  the  excellencies  and  perfeftions  ot 
all  the  Creatures  below  him,  and  being  their  im- 
mediate and  next  End  to  which  they  are  ordained 
to  ferve  ;  but  to  give  this  Title  of  the  whole  Crea- 
tion to  the  inferior  Creatures,  and  leave  out  Men, 
or  the  grcatefl:  part  of  jVIen,  is  fuch  a  iolecifm  and 
crime  againft  the  Dignity  of  human  Nature,  and 
againft  all  Order  and  Reafon  itfelf,  as  no  Man  can 
undertake  the  Patronage  of.     Nor, 

3dly,  Can  thefe  Actions,  Pafiions,  Hopes,  that 
are  afcribed  to  the  Creature  be  otherwife  than  im- 
properly applied,  or  attributed  to  the  inferior 
Creatures,  fuch  as  waiting  with  earneft  expectation, 
or  with  an  out-ftretch'd  Neck,  being  made  fubjeft 
to  Vanity,  not  willingly  ?  what  Will  or  Choice  is 
there  in  the  dumb  Creatures  ?  but  thefe  things  do 
properly  agree  to  human  Nature,  which  is  in- 
dued with  thefe  faculties  of  foul,  Underftanding 
and  Will,  though  milerably  vitiated,  tainted,  and 
corrupted. 

4thly,  There  is  another  Reafon  in  the  Context 
which  lies  deeper  and  cloi'er ;  fhcwing  what  the 
Apoftle  means  by  the  Creature,  and  the  whole 
Creation,  vi%.  AH  that  part  of  Men  that  lie  Ihort 
of  that  glorious  Privilege  which  Believers  at  the 
prefent  partake  of,  vh.  The  Firjl-fruits  of  the 
Spirit,  for  fo  he  opens  himfelf,  ijer.  23.  and  not  on- 
ly they,  but  ourftlvts  a/Jo,  which  have  the  Firjl -fruits 
of  the  Spirit,  even  we  our  [elves  groan  within  our/elva:, 
ivaitin^  for    the    Jdoption,    to    wit,     the    Redemption 

of 


'      (    137    ) 

%f  our  bodies.  Wherein  he  fhcws  that  this  Manl- 
tcftation  of  the  Sons  of  God,  this  Cilory  to  be  re- 
vealed in  us,  is  a  ^rffi/tr  thing  than  the  FirJI-frtdts 
of  tlie  Spirit :  And  therefore  as  well  we  that  have 
the  Firft-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  as  thofe  that  have 
not  the  lame,  even  fVe  Groan.  Now  how  incon- 
£:,ruous  and  ablurd  a  Negation,  would  this  feclu- 
hon  of  the  irrational  Creatures  from  the  Firft- 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  be,  who  muft  iirft  be  capable 
of  Reafon,  before  they  are  capable  of  the  Spirit. 
Therefore  the  Apoftle  cannot,  in  propriety  of 
Speech,  Senfe  or  Argument,  be  thought  to  intend 
(at  leaft  Primarily)  the  inferior  Creation  ;  tho' 
what  advantage  they  may  have  by  the  ReJiitHtJon  of 
all  Things  as  1  deny  not,  fo  it  is  not  my  bulinefs  here 
cither,  to  difpute  or  define. 

Thus  have  we  gained  the  firft  Point,  which  is 
the  main,  that  by  the  Creation  is  meant  Man, 
(primarily  at  leaft)  then  by  the  whole  Creation 
muft  be  meant  all  Men,  every  Man, 

Ohj.  If  you  fay,  how  do  IJlcked  Men  groan,  they 
concern  not  themfelves  about  thefe  Matters,  they 
ai-e  not  exercifed  about  them,  and  when  they  hear 
of  them  they  defire  them  not,  they  rather  deftrc 
this  World  might  laft  for  ever,  for  they  have  their 
ijood  Thinjis  here  ? 

JnJ\va\  They  that  have  their  good  Things  here 
no  doubt  delire  rather  the  Continuance  of  the  En- 
joyment of  them,  than  to  be  ft  ripped  of  them  and 
go  to  Hell ;  but  how  few  are  thofe  that  enjoy  fuch 
a  Life  of  Pleafure  that  do  not  Groan  ? 

But  2dly,  Tell  me  how  the  dumb  Creatures, 
and  how  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth  do  groan, 
as  Tome  do  interpret  this  Place,  and  after  the  fame 
Manner  will  I  fbew  you.  That  wicked  Men  even 
in  their  Sins  and  Pleafuresdo  ffroan,  findins:  fhort- 
nelsand  vanity  in  them.  It  was  a  Motto  which 
a  Noble-Man  wrote  over  his  Summer- Houfe  in  his 

Garden 


(     138    ) 

Garden.  There  is  a  ivearhufs  in  Pleafure,  oi  well' 
as  in  Labour.  But  to  Anfwer  fully  :  In  that  Spirit 
that  brought  forth  the  whole  Creation,  in  that 
Spirit  doth  Univerfal  Nature,  which  flands  in  tliat 
Spirit,  Groan,  with  gvoanings,  in  a  Senfe  Unutter- 
able, or  by  the  ear  imperceptible. 

The  reft  is  eafy,  the  Deliverance  ofvchole  Nature, 
of  every  Creature  in  it,  into  the  glorious  Liberty 
of  the  children  of  God.  I  fhall  not  enquire  how 
far,  or  into  what  degree,  but  delivered  they  arc 
to  be,  and  that  from  the  Bondage  of  Corruption, 
and  that  as  a  Mercy,  a  Privilege,  as  the  objeft  and 
fruit  of  this  Hope,  and  furethat  implies  more  than 
the  railing  of  their  Bodies  to  Judgment,  and  the 
Immortalizing  of  them  for  Punifliment ;  for  who 
would  not,  might  he  have  his  choice  granted  him, 
defire  rather  to  be  Annihilated  ? 

But  what  may  be  further  deftred  upon  this  Point 
may.  be  cleaver,  when  wc  have  flrengthened  and 
eftabliflied  this  Doftrine  upon  its  true  bafis  and 
grounds,  which  is  couched  in  thofe  Words  of  the 
Creature's  earneji  expc£lation  of  the  Aumifcjlation 
of  the  Sons  of  God,  implying  that  the  Manifeftation 
of  the  Sons  of  God,  bears  the  fame  Relation  to 
the  deliverance  of  the  reft  of  Men,  as  the  Mani- 
feftation of  Chrift  in  Glory,  doth  to  our  Mani- 
feftation in  Glory,  who  believe  in  him,  as  the 
Apoftle  faith.  Col.  iii.  3.  Which  not  only  leads 
the  Way,  but  hath  a  Cafual  Influence  like  wife 
tliereto. 

And  tho'  this  may  feem  ftrange,  yet  how  to  un- 
derftand  the  Apoftle  without  this  Suppoiition  I  fee 
not,  and  we  are  not  without  other  Scriptures  con- 
curring with  us. 

For  firft,  we  find  the  yews  under  the  Promife 
and  hope  of  obtaining  Mtrcy  through  our  Mercy, 
as  the  Apoftle  writes  to  the  Romans,  chap.  xi.  31, 
Which  implies  not  only  an  order  of  Time,  but 
of  Cafualty  ;  when  the  Jews  ftiall  fee  in  the  Gentile 
Chriftians   recovered  from  under   that  Apoftacy, 

they 


(  ^39  y 

they  have  lain  under  during  the  Reign  of  ^nti^- 
CJjriJli  when  they  fhall  lee  Chrijl  by  the  bright- 
nefs  of  his  Appearing  to  have  deftroyed  the  Man 
of  Sin,  to  have  Deftroyed  the  Face  of  the  cover- 
ing caft  over  all  People,  and  the  Veil  fpread  over 
all  Nations,  and  the  Churches  of  the  Gentiles  clari- 
fy into  the  brightnefs  of  this  Appearance  ;  this  will 
provoke  the  Jews  lo  Jealoufy :  I  fay,  when  they 
fhall  fee  their  Mcfftas  in  the  Arms  of  the  Gentilesy 
or  the  Gentiles  rather  in  his  Arms,  thus  Beloved, 
thus  Reftored  and  Beautified,  this  will  have  a  Cafn- 
al  Influence  into  their  recovery  ;  for  I  can  by  no 
means  think  but  it  muft  be  fome  more  eminent 
Mercy  than  the  Gentiles  have  yet  found,  it  muft  be 
the  Rejiitntion  of  the  Gentiles  that  muft  operate  upon 
the  Je-ivs. 

a.  We  fipd  the  JrMs  recovering  themfelves  into 
their  antient  Place  and  State  in  the  favour  of  God, 
will  conduce  likewife  to  the  opening  of  the  Eyes 
of  thofe  Nations  that  yet  fit  out  of  the  Light  of 
the  Gofpel  ;  as  well  as  it  will  be  the  advantage 
of  them  that  have  received  Chrift  before  them  ; 
fee  for  this,  Ezek.  xvi.  6i.  Where  Soeiom  and  5^- 
maria  are  promifed  to  be  given  to  yerufalem  for 
Daughters,  when  God  remembers  his  Covenant 
with  her,  as  in  the  Days  of  her  Youth,  and  efta- 
bliflics  unto  her  an  Everlajling  Covenant ;  which 
proves  clearly  it  cannot  be  meant  of  any  tiniie  yet 
paft,  but  is  to  come. 

3dly,  Tliis  will  further  atnd  clearer  appear  to  us 
if  we  confider,  that  the  Elc£t  and  thofe  which  are 
Saved  in  this  prefent  time,  bear  the  relation  of  the 
Firjl-fruits  to  the  reft  of  Men  ;  and  how  the  Apof- 
tle  argues  from  that  notion  in  the  cafe  of  the  Jews, 
And  it  is  as  true  here  if  the  Firji-fruits  be  Holy, 
the  Lump  is  alfo  Holy,  and  not  for  ever  to  be 
caft  away.  If  the  Root  be  Holy  fo  are  the 
Branches. 

4rhly,  This  would  not  at  all  be  Strange  to  us,  if 
we  did  well  ponder  and  confider,  that  Order  and 

Sub- 


(     140    ) 

Subordination  that  God  hath  cftabllfhed  and  re- 
vealed, whereby  as  God  hath  made  Chrift  the 
only  Mediator  between  him  and  Men ;  Chrift 
hath  in  a  lort,  made  thcfc  Firjl-fruits  of  the  Crea- 
tion taken  from  amongft  Men,  Subordinate  Mtdi- 
ators  between  him  and  the  reft  of  Men.  Chrift 
Ihares  the  Honour  of  his  own  Work  and  Office, 
with  his  Miniftcrs  and  Servants,  making  them 
Sub-CommiJJtoncrs,  Vice-y^mbaJJadors  under  him  and 
in  his  Stead,  Co-ivorkcrs,  Co-builders  with  God 
and  Chrift,  and  the  Lord  puts  his  Words  into  their 
Mouths,  to  plant  the  Heavens,  •  and  lay  the  Foun- 
dation of  the  Earth.  Makes  them  his  Voice  in  the 
New  Creation,  and  calls  them  Saviours  in  Obadiab, 
Afinlflcrs  of  the  Spirit,  his  Battle-ax,  his  IVcapons  of 
/Far  to  beat  down,  to  demolifli  the  Old  Frame  and 
to  Jifdge  the  J'Vorld,  ytz.  Jngels  ;  gives  Nations 
for  them,  and  for  their  Sakcs  fends  to  Babyjon  and 
brings  down  the  Nobles  thereof,  and  the  Houfe  of 
Judah  as  his  goodly  Horfe  in  the  Battle,  out  of 
whom  comes  the  Corner,  the  Nail,  the  Battle-Bow  ; 
and  her  Governors,  like  to  a  hearth  of  fire  in  a 
Wood,  and  like  a  Torch  of  Fire  in  a  Sheaf.  And 
as  thus  for  Judgment,  fo  likewife  for  Salvation. 
Therefore  faid  our  Saviour,  as  thou  hafl  fent  me  into 
the  World ;  So  have  I  fent  them  into  the.  World ; 
Upon  a  like  Errand,  with  the  like  Commifflon  and 
Power.  And  as  their  Miniftry  fwttr^^M^/i  is  Blefled 
to  the  Eleil,  fo  their  Glory  hath  a  Miniftry  of 
Power  committed  to  it  which  fliall  Work  upon  the 
Ref},  Whereby  it  is  that  they  fhall  be  enabled 
to  do  greater  Works  than  Chrift  did  in  the  Flefh  : 
Which  what  can  it  be,  but  the  giving  of  the  Spirit 
Minifierially,  as  Chrift  himfelf  expounds  it,  John 
vii.  38.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath 
faid,  out  of  his  belly  fhall  flo-w  rivers  of  living  fj'ater. 
This  he  fpake  of  the  Spirit  which  they  that  be- 
lieved on  him  fliould  receive:  For  the  Holy  Ghoft 
was  not  yet  given,  becaufe  that  Jcfus  was  not  yet 
Glorili.ed  ;    but  being  glorified   this  Promife   was 

in 


(    HI     ) 

in  Beginning,  and  the  F'lrji-fruits  fliecl  down  on 
the  Apoftles,  but  the  Harveft  and  full  Crop  of  it 
awaits  Chrift's  mxt  coming  and  the  Saints  with 
him,  when  they  Ihall  not  only  Minifterially  give 
gifts  of  the  Spirit^  as  then  was  done,  even  to  unlanfli- 
fied  Men,  (Grace  being  only  given  by  their  Mini- 
ftry  to  them,  who  were  ordained  to  Eternal  Life  a- 
mong  the  Firft- fruits)  hutfhall  build  the  old  ivafie 
Places^  and  raife  up  the  Foundations  of  many  Ge- 
nerations, repair  Breaches  and  reftore  Paths  to 
dwell  in  ;  not  in  the  Letter,  for  that  Strangers  Jh all 
do  for  them,  but  in  the  Spirit,  as  the  Words  follow- 
ing do  fhew,  where  it  is  faid  they  fhail  be  named 
Priefls  of  the  Lord,  and  Men  fliall  call  you  the  Mini- 
Jiers  of  our  God^  If.  Ixi.  4,  5,  6,  with  chap.  Iviii.  12. 
This  giving  of  the  Spirit  by  Chrift  as  a  Lord,  and 
that  full  Revelation  of  Times  and  the  Works  and 
Myfieries  of  God,  was  that  greater  Thing  that 
Chrift  obtained  by  going  to  his  Father.,  which  was 
his  Glorification,  and  from  this  his  exalted  State, 
he  is  faid,  now  to  fpeak  from  Heaven,  Heb.  xii.  25. 
In  like  manner  when  the  Eleft  fliall  appear  or  be 
Manifefted  with  him  in  Glory,  (as  the  Word  pro- 
perly is  to  be  rendered)  they  fliall  then  have  un- 
der Chrift,  that  full  and  open  Vilion  and  Revelation 
of  God  to  carry  forth  to  Men.  And  v/ithal  fhall 
be  Inftances,  and  Examples  of  the  glorious  Truth 
and  Efficacy  of  it  in  their  own  Perfons  and  Spirits, 
which  fliall  add  great  Force  and  Authority  to  their 
Words,  that  with  a  Spiritual  Energy,  as  Spirits, 
they  fhall  enter  the  Hearts  and  Confciences  of 
Men  ;  thus  fpeaking  in  a  fort  from  Heaven,  from 
the  very  experience  of  it  in  themfclves,  which  fliall 
be  I'ijible  alfo  to  every  Eye,  and  fliall  be  able  alfo 
to  give  an  Eye  minifterially  to  thofe  that  have  it 
not ;  whereby  through  \\\oicfharp  arroius  the  Kings 
Enemies  fliall  fall  under  them;  yea,  as  Ifaiah  faith, 
fhall  fall  doivn  before  them  ;  yea,  make  Supplication, 
(they  are  the  Words  in  the  Prophet)  zs  Nebu.- 
chadnezzar  fell    down  to  Da7iiel,  faying,  fure/y  God 

is 


(     142     ) 

is  in  thee.  They  fliall  he  fenfible  of  Divine  Pre- 
lence  and  virtue  in  them,  which  fliall  bring  them 
over.  For  the  Saints  fliall  then  appear  and  Work 
as  one  Spirit  with  Chrijl  their  Head,  who  is  one 
Spirit  with  the  Father  his  Head,  who  is  Love, 
who  as  Rivers  of  Living  Water  fhall  fill  them  and 
out  of  their  Bellies,  as  pipes  of  Conveyance,  next 
under  Chrift,  fliall  ifTuc  forth  to  the  barren  Places 
and  Seas,  that  have  been  lb  to  that  Time  :  Tho' 
in  this  with  a  difference  of  time  and  order  for  fome, 
z'/z.  The  Survivors  to  Chiifl's  coming,  that  have 
cfcaped  of  the  Nations,  tliofe  fweeping  Judgments 
which  fliall  carry  off  Multitudes,  fliall  be  delivered 
into  this  glorious  Liberty,  or  Liberty  of  Glory  of 
the  Church,  at  the  beginning  or  commencement 
of  this  Manifeftation  of  the  Sons  of  God,  (or  at 
leaft  in  the  courfe  of  their  Reign  with  Chrifl) 
and  thefe  other  Nations  fhall  be  given  to  them  as 
Daughters.  Perhaps  after  a  Time  in  which  they 
have  been  Jirji  Savants y  but  the  reft,  viz.  "Thoic 
that  were  cut  off  before  that  Time,  they  may  yet 
be  brought  back  afterwards,  before  or  at  Chrift's 
deliverinc;  the  Kinirdom  to  the  Father. 

If  this  yet  ftlck,  and  will  not  go  down,  let  it  be 
confidcred,  that  God  in  all  the  Difpenfations  of  his 
(jrace,  hath  had  refpe£l  to  the  Relations  of  the  Elc^y 
though  but  Natural,  yea  tho'  remote,  as  to  Noah's 
ivhole  Familvy  tho'  Ham  was  one  of  them,  and  to 
Ifhmaely  becaufe  he  was  of  the  Flefli  of  Abraham^ 
and  Lot'' sSon-hi- Law  \\.7idi  the  Offer  of  Prefcrvation. 
Yea,  had  there  been  Ten  Righteous  Perfons  in 
Sodom,  all  Sodom  had  been  fpared  for  thofe  Ten's 
lake.  And  in  the  New  Teftament,  when  the  Heads 
of  Families  received  the  Gofpel,  the  ivbole  Hcuf- 
mldwzs  Baptized.  Now  the  Eleft  being  the  Firft- 
fruits  of  Men,  the  reft  are  the  Lump  of  this  Firft- 
fruits,  and  in  fome  fort  are  their  Body  and  Fuincjs. 
.And  therefore  as  they  wait  for  the  Adoption,  to  wit, 
-the  Redemption  of  their  Bodies ;  fg  they  cannot 

but 


(     143    ) 

but  have  a  Longing  for  the  Redemption  of  this  their  . 
Body  Mvjiical^  even  all  Men,  And  as  Chrift  will  be 
a  Prieft  upon  his  Throne,  fo  thefe  in  their  Out- 
goings of  Heart  (being  like  to  Chrift)  unto  all  their 
Gvju  kind.  And  as  God  often  hath  heard  one  Pro- 
phet intercede  for  a  whole  Nation,  (as  Mofei  and 
others  for  Ifrael)  how  can  he  deny  the  Blood,  the 
Interceflion  of  his  own  Son,  with  all  his  Myftical 
Members  filled  with  the  Love  of  God,  and  having 
a  perfeft  Knowledge  of  it,  able  to  Plead  and 
Extend  it  to  the  uttermoft.  And  as  the  Pofterity 
of  the  yevjs  are  Beloved  for  their  Father's  fake  ;  fo 
there  is  the  fame  Reafon  for  the  whole  Human 
kind  to  be  Beloved  for  the  EleSTsfake,  who  are  the 
Firft-fruits  and  Fathers  of  the  reft.  And  as  God 
appearing  to  us  and  Ihewing  himfelf  as  he  is  in 
Chrift,  makes  us  like  Chrijly  i  John  iii.  2.  So  Chrift's 
appearing  in  his  own  peculiar  Body  of  the  Ele£t, 
and  Firft-fruits,  may  Congruoufly  be  judged  to  be 
Ordained  to  have  the  farme  Fruits  and  EfFefts 
upon  the  refl  of  Men,  Though  whether  he  call 
them  up  to  the  fame  degree  of  Glory  I  deter- 
mine not :  For  as  the  Apoftle  faith.  That  there  is 
one  GXary  of  the  Sun  ^  and  another  of  the  Moon^  ano- 
ther of  the  Stars,  and  one  Star  differs  from  ano- 
ther Star  in  Glory;  fo  alfo  he  faith,  /V  the  Re- 
furretlion  of  the  Dead,  Yet  all  fhall  be  rendered 
Glorious,  thtre{oie  Delivered ^nd  Saved -y  yea,  every 
Eye  fhall  fee  him,  and  fhall  fee  his  Body  myftically 
glorified  :  j^nd  nothing  fo  pozverfil,  fo  operative  as 
Glory,  the  Glory  of  God  :  Therefore  they  hiuft  be 
transformed  by  it,  the  Sight  and  Change  are 
Reciprocal,  Catifi  and  EffeB  to  each  other,  they 
cannot  fee  except  they  be  changed,  as  they  can- 
not be  changed  except  they  fee,  They  may  fee 
to  be  confounded  and  fhall  fo,  till  they  have  horn 
their  Shame :  But  the  operation  of  Glory  refts  not 
there.  This  glory  being  the  glory  of  Love  whofe 
proper  Work  is  to  Save  and  Heal,  and  to  Wound 
only  in  order  to  a  Judicious  and   orderly  Healing. 

There- 


(     H4     ) 

Therefore  as  Chrift  is  the  Firft-frults  of  the  Eleft, 
and  God's  going  forth  in  Chrift  isfirft  and  immedi- 
ately in  order  to  their  Reftoration  :  So  the  Eleft 
are  the  Firfl-fruits  of  the  Creation,  and  God'sgoing 
forth  through  Chrift,  to  heal  and  reftore  them,  is  ia 
order  to  the  faving  and  reftoring  of  the  ivhole^ 
which  are  to  be  delivered  into  the  Liberty  of  this 
Glory.  Chrift  immediately  takes  hold  of  the  feed 
of  Abraham^  but  through  the  Seed  of  Abraham 
he  takes  hold  of  all  the  Nations,  all  the  Families  of 
the  Ei^rth  and  Bleffeth  them.  Let  no  Man  think  to 
avoid  the  Dint  of  this  by  carrying  a  Synechdoche^ 
a  pars  pro  toto,  I  know  not  then  how  any  argument 
can  be  fafely  grounded  on  any  Scripture,  as  the 
Apoftle  doth  from  a  like  Phrafe,  i  Cor.  xv.  27. 
from  the  Word  All,  Pf.  viii.  6.  he  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  Feet,  who  might  not  have  found 
a  Syncchdoche  there  ?  But  they  muft  then  be  quicker 
fcented  than  the  Apoftle,  for  he  takes  it  Plainly 
and  Honeftly,  that  then  nothing  is  excepted.  So  in 
the  prefent  cafe  the  Eleft  are  the  Firft-fruits  of  his 
Creatures :  If  the  Firft-fruits  be  holy  the  Lump 
is  Holy  ;  I  fay  fince  the  Lump  is  not  all  but  a  great 
Part ;  why  then,  if  it  be  but  a  Part  be  it  never  fo 
great  a  Part,  tis  not  the  Lump  :  The  Lump  is  that 
which  remains.  It  is  but  a  larger  Firft-fruits  if  it 
take  not  in  all,  the  Lump  is  all ;  and  fo  the  Branches 
take  in  all,  if  the  Root  be  Holy  fo  are  the  Branches, 
if  they  be  of  the  Humane  kind  they  are  Branches, 
though  they  are  not  the  Root. 

But  that  which  will  decide  all  is  the  Apoftle's  own 
Application  of  this,  where  he  ufes  the  Metaphor 
with  a  particular  aim  at  the  Jeius ;  Where  he  makes 
the  Father  the  Root,  and  the  fuccceding  Offspring, 
until  their  glorious  Rcftitution,  the  Branches.  He 
doth  not  lay  many  of  them,  or  the  greater  part  ot 
them  fliall  be  reftorcd  and  faved,  as  ver.  26,  but 
all  Ifraeljhall  be  faved,  and  fo  verfe  22,  God  hr.th 
concluded  them  all  in  Unbelief  th^t  he  might  have 
Merf/  u^ion  all.     In  the  like  Senle  are  the  Eleft 

thfi 


(     I4S     ) 

the  Firft- fruits  of  the  whole  Creation,  and  there- 
fore do  infer  the  Sanftification  and  Salvation  of 
every  Individual  of  the  human  Nature. 

C  H  A  P.     XV. 

An  Argument  for  this  Hypothejis  drawn 
from  the  Nature  of  Man,  as  each  In' 
dividual  is  a  Compendium  and  Abjlradl 
cf  the  intire  Creation ;  and  fo  not  proba- 
ble  to  be  cajl  away  for  ever, 

IN  every  individual  Man  is,  not  only  by  a  figure 
in  Rhetorical  Speech,  but  in  true  propriety  of 
I'peaking  ;  a  Microcofm,  comprehending  in  him  all 
the  parts  of  the  Microcofm  ;  and  that  not  only  whe- 
ther we  coniider  him  apart  in  the  two  Conflitutives 
of  him,  his  Soul  and  Body  :  But  in  the  whole  Corn- 
flex  or  rcfult  of  his  Perfon  confifting  of  both.  For 
lirfl  in  his  Body  he  contains  all  Vegetative  and  Sen- 
fitive  Nature^  and  in  his  Soul  or  Spirit  all  Rational 
and  IntelleBual  Nature,  with  all  the  Virtues,  Excel- 
lencies, and  Perfe^ions  of  both  :  In  which  refpedt 
it  is  faid,  God  breathed  into  Man  at  his  Creation, 
the  Breaths  or  Spirits  of  Lives,  in  the  plural  Number, 
that  is  of  all  Lives,  Vegetative,  Senfitive,  Rational, 
IntelleAual. 

adly,  Solomon  faith,  God  hath  placed  or  fet  the 
World  in  Man's  Heart,  as  a  Flower  in  its  Bed  or 
Principle  in  which  it  grows.     And, 

3dly,  From  hence  it  was  that  Adam  gave  Names 
to  all  the  Creatures  ;  and  whatfoever  he  called 
them,  that  was  the  Name  thereof;  the  reafon  of 
Man  being  the  formal  determination  of  tljeir  Specijiek 
Natures,  Differences,  and  Kinds.     And, 


(     H6     ) 

4thly,  Our  Saviour  prefers  upon  this  juft  Ac- 
count, the  Soul  of  Man  (of  one  Man  and  of  every 
Individual)  before  the  whole  World  of  Things 
below  the  Soul :  Saying,  IVkatJhall  \t  profit  a  Man 
to  gain  the  whole  fVorld^  and  loje  his  Soul ;  or  what 
Ihall  a  Man  give  in  Exchange  for  his  Soul  ?  and 
therefore  the  redemption  of  the  Soul  is  precious. 

But  this  will  much  more  appear  if  we  confider 
the  Pcrfon  of  Man  conlifting  of  Soul  and  Body  ; 
that  it  is  a  Unityy  Perfona  qiia/i  per  fe  una ;  now 
a  Unity  is  the  Jpcx,  the  confpiration  of  a  Mul- 
titude, or  Variety  into  on£  ppint ;  in  which  Point 
all  lines  do  meet,  and  take  mutual  hold  of  it, 
as  in  a  Spire,  or  Pyramid,  or  in  a  centre  of  a 
Globe. 

None  but  lntelle£lual  Nature  are  or  can  be  cal- 
led Perfons,  God,  Angels,  and  Men  ;  and  it  is  by 
and  for  this  Spiritual  Nature  th?,t  they  are  thus 
called,  and  qualified  for  this  Appellation.  AniJ 
therefore  in  every  perfon,  eo  nomine,  as  he  is  a 
Pcrfon,  the  fupreme  ifftityy  which  is  God ;  who 
comprehends  all  things :  (all  Being  being  in  him- 
felf  in  one)  fhadows  and  figures  forth  himfelf,  and 
prefents  and  feats  himfelf,  as  in  a  glafs  or  mirrou^r 
to  be  feca  and  reflefted  on,  in  which  refpedl,  and 
for  which  Caufe,  Man  is  faid  to  be  made  in  the 
Image  of  God. 

Now  to  bring  home  the  Argument ;  Can  we 
think  lb  many  Afiliions  of  fuch  precious  fouls, 
each  of  which  is  an  entire  World,  each  of  which 
is  more  worth  than  the  whole  W^orld  of  Inferior 
beings,  fliould  be  deemed  fuch  vile  and  abjeft 
things  as  to  he  eternally  abandoned  of  God,  and  loft 
for  ever,  never  to  be  vifited,  never  to  be  recovered 
to  the  glory  of  the  Creator  that  made  them  ?  See 
how  pallionately  the  Lord  refledVs  on  Souls  eo  nomi- 
ne^ as  made  by  him,  preCcinding  from  Redemption, 
(which  is  a  New  Creation)  but  merely  with  rela- 
tion   to  their   firft   make,  i/??.  Ivii.   i6,    I  will  not 

tontend 


(     147    ) 

contend  for  ever^  ntither  will  I  he  always  ivfath :  for  fo 
the  fpiriu  Jhoiild  fail  before  me^  and  the  fouls  which  I 
have  made,  A  Confequence  not  to  be  admitted,  or 
allowed  ;  nay  not  once  to  be  imagined. 

For  if  each  Soul  be  a  Unity,    a  Figure,   a  Sha- 
d^dW  of  the  Supreme  Unity  (not  a  dead  but  a  living 
Shadow)   and  that  all  Lines  of  Being  and  Beauty 
meet  mthis  Jpex^  and  unity  of  the  intelleftual  Spi- 
rit; no  fucii  individual  Soul  can  be  for  ever  aban- 
doned ;    but   the  whole  nature  of  things   muft  fuffer 
therein,  as  itdid  W'hen  Chrift  was  crucified  :  which 
made  a   Heathen   fhat  taw  that  deliquium  upon  the 
Sun,  fay,  aut  natura  fdvitur  aut  Dcus  nature patitur. 
If  lb  many  millions  of  thefe  intelleftual  Subftances 
be  nevjer  look'd  upon,  or  vilited  with  Redemption, 
not  one  .Saint  is  completely  Saved,    for  if  each  Spirit 
be  an  entire  world,    all  Spirits  are  in  each  Spirit; 
as  the  Soul  is  in  every  part  of  the  Body.     And 
therefore  as  it  is  faid  of  the  Body,  through  the  one 
Spirit  in  all  the  Members,   that  zuhether'one  Member 
fuffer,  all  the  Members  fuffer  with  it ;  or  one  Member 
be  honoured,  all  the  Members  rejoice  with  it :  So 
is  it  in  the  Myfical  Body,  which  is  in  Union  (thro' 
this  Union  of  the    ixitelk£lual  Spirit)  "with  all  Spi- 
rits, and  tjie  whole  Nature  of  things,  and  therefore: 
thofe  which  have  the  Firft-fruits  of  the  Spirit,   do 
with  the  Creation  groan  within  thcmfelves,   wait- 
ing for  the  Adoption,  not  Redemptionof  their  own 
particular   Bodies    only,     but  tiie  Redemption  of 
the  Univerfal  Body ;    elfe  they  fhould  come  fhort  of 
the  Creation,    and  thofe   that  have  not  the  Firft- 
Jfruits  of  the  Spirit,   for  they  wait /or  the  manifefia" 
tiori  of  the  Sons  of  God,      Whence  is  it  that  natural 
M^n  wait  for  the   Manifeftation  of  the  Sons  of 
God  ?  but  for  their,  intereft  therein  ;  Becaufe  they 
as  feeds  ^\z\\  fpring  up  in    that  Manifejiation ;     for 
as  Believers  are  Chriffs  feds,   (the  feed  of  his  pe» 
culiar  myftical  Body   Immediately   born  to  him) 
fe  are  the  reft  of  Men    their  feed  ami  fullnefs ;  and 
h  ^  therefore 


(     148     ) 

therefore  they  have  an  intereft  and  concern  like- 
wife  immediately  in  the  quickning  of  thefe  Seeds 
in  due  time,  till  which  be  done  they  are  not  full 
and  perfeft.  This  is  moftconcifcly,  yet  fully  held 
forth  in  that  fcale  of  the  Apoftle.  The  Head  of 
the  Woman,  (that  is  in  the  Myftery,  the  natupl 
Creation,  is  the  Man^  the  Head  oi  every  Man) 
every  fpiritual  Man  is  Chrijl ;  7 he  head  of  Chrijl  is 
God\  which  fhews  the  linking  and  concatenation, 
the  mutual  Intereft  and  Combination,  the  enter- 
ing of  one  link  of  this  golden  Chain  into  the  other^ 
making  all  one ;  all  a  Unity,  each  running  into  all, 
and  being  all,  and  all  being  in  each  one..  Which 
proves  what  I  faid  before,  that  the  Saints  are  not 
fully  glorified  without  the  reft  of  Mankind.  Nay, 
that  Chrift  is  not  full  without  them,  nor  the  mani- 
feftative  Glory  of  God  himfelf  full  and  perfect 
without  the  recovering  the  whole.  For  further 
fatisfaftion  in  this  Argument,  I  Ihali  refer  the 
Reader  to  that  incomparable  and  learned  Pen  of 
Mr.  Peter  Sterry^  in  his  difcourfe  of  the  Soul,  in 
that  excellent  Treatife  of  his,  upon  the  Freedom 
of  the  Will.  Though  I  have  yet  more  to  add 
upon  this  Head  of  Man's  being  the  fullnefs  of  the 
Creation  of  God. 


CHAP. 


(     149    ) 

CHAP.     XVI. 

A  further  Evidence  of  this  Hypothefis^from 
the  high  Rulogies  of  Love  in  the  Scrip" 
ttires 

WHATSOEVER  the  Lord  commends  to  the. 
Creature,  he  ftands  forth  himfelf  as  the 
higheft  Image  and  Example  in  it  to  the  Creature  : 
This  being  the  higheft  and  moil  efFedual  way  fof 
Qommending  any  thing  to  another,  (efpecially 
to  an  Inferior)  and  the  higher  the  Superior  is,  fo 
much  the  more  forcible  is  his  own  Pra£lice  and 
Example  to  commend  it.  God  is  not  as  the  Scrihes 
and  Pbarifees  that  laid  heavy  burthens  upon  others^ 
fuch  as  they  would  not  touch  with  one  of  their  owa 
Fingers :  But  when  he  bids  us  be  Holy,  he  givca 
us  this  Reafon,  For  I  the  Lord  your  God  am  .Holy  \ 
when  he  calls  us  to  be  Perfeft,  he  doth  the  fame  j 
Be  you  Perfeft  as  ycur  Heavenly  Father  is  perjc£i. 
Now  there  is  nothing  the  Lord  commends  to  Men 
fo  much  as  Love ;  yea,  it  is  Love  that  Commends 
ali  to  God  himfelf ,  Ephef.  i.  4.  That  we  (hould  be 
holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  Love,  Love  is 
as  the  Sparkle  in  the  Diamond,  even  in  Holinefs 
and  Unblameablenefs  itfelf:  As  if  Holinefs  and 
Unblameablenefs  had  all  its  Beauty,  all  its  accept- 
ance in  Love,  as  indeed  it  hath,  for,  i  Cor.  xiii. 
the  Apoftle,  after  a  large  enumeration  of  choiceft 
Gifts  and  Excellencies,  as  Tongues,  Prophclies, 
underftandlng  all  Myileries,  all  Knowledge,  all 
Faith,  yea  all  afts  otVCharity,  and  laftly  giving 
our  Bodice  to  be  burned,  faith,  that  Without  Love 
all  is  Nothing  :  But  Love  is  all,  and  where  Loye 
is,  npthipg  is  vyanting,  if' that  Love  Be  perfe!^  in 
L  3  "  kindj 


(    15©    ) 

kind,  there  is  Long-fufFering,  there  is  Kindnefs, 
there  is  no  Envy,  no  Vaunting,  no  Puffing  up,  no 
unfeemly  Behaviour,  no  Self-lecklng  ;  Love  is  not 
eafiJy  provoked,  thinketh  no  Evil,  rejoiceth  not  in 
Iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  Truth,  beareth  all 
Things,  bclleveth  all  Things,  hopeth  all  Things, 
endiireth  all  Things,  (vi^hich  I  would  rather  inter- 
pret, comprehendeth  all  Things,  for  Reafons  here- 
after mentioned)  never  failcth,  when  Prophecies 
Ihall  fail,  when  Tongues  fhall  ceafe,  when  Know- 
ledge fhall  vanifh  away.  In  a  Word,  it  is  greater 
than  Faith  and  Hope  ;  and,  Rom.  xiii.  lO.  Love  is  the 
fulfAUng  of  the  LaWy  as  the  Apoftle  fhews  by  an  In- 
duflion  of  feveral  particulars,  with  a  general  Claufe 
in  the  End  of  all  ;  if  there  be  any  other  Com- 
mandnient  it  is  all  comprehended  in  this.  Thou  Jhalt 
Love  thy  Neighbour  as  thyfelf.  For  Love  worketh  no 
III  to  his  Neighbour,  therefore  he  concludes,  Love' 
is  the  fulfilling  of  the  Law.  So  the  Apoftle  to 
Timothyy  i  Tim.  i.  5.  faith,  Love  is  the  very  Scope, 
the  End  of  the  Commandment ;  which  is  as  much  as  to 
fay,  the  Fruit,  the  Flower,  the  Perfe<flion  of  it  ; 
yea,  fo  doth  the  Lord  ftudy  Love,  fo  doth  he  de- 
light to  fee  Love  in  his  Creatures,  that  he  defigns 
this  Image  to  be  brought  forth  upon  the  very  Brute 
Creatures,  and  the  fierccft  of  them  in  the  Reftora- 
tion,  Ifa.  xi.  6.  The  Wolfjhall  d'-xell  with  the  Laml>, 
and  the  Leopard  ^all  lie  down  lUith  the  Kid ',  and  the 
Calf,  an4  the  young  Liotty  and  the  Suckling  together y  and 
if  little  Child jhall  lead  them;  and  the  Cow  and  Bear 
fhall  feed  them,  their  young  ones  fhall  lie  down 
together,  and  the  Lion  Jhall  eat  Straw  like  tlx  0.v, 
and  they  Jhall  not  hurt  nor  dcfuoy  in  all  my  holy  Afoun- 
fain. 

Now  as  the  Pfalmift  argueth,  He  that  made  the 
T-yCy  Jhall  not  He  Sec  ?  fo  may  we  in  this  cafe.  He 
that  teacheth  Love  to  all  his  Creatures,  and  works 
it  in  them,  Jhall  fiot  He  Love  ^  Yea,  why  doth  he 
lay  it  as  a  Law  upon  all  his  Creatures  ;  But  be- 
caufe  it  i$  the  Law  of  his  own  Nature  and  Being  ^ 

tor 


(    151     ) 

for  fq  faith  the  Apoftle,  God  is  Love.  Not  only 
that  he  hath  Love,  nor  only  that  he  doth  Love,  but 
that  He  is  Love^  And  you  can  no  more  fej>aratc 
Love  from  him,  than  you  can  feparate  his  Elfence 
or  his  Nature  from  him.  Doth  God  require  Love 
of  all,  yea  Love  to  all  Men  ;  yea,  and  that  we  fhould 
abound  in  it ;  not  only  Saints  one  towards  ano- 
ther, but  towards  all  Men,  i  Theff.  iii.  is.  Yea, 
that  we  Ihould  Love  not  only  our  Neighbours^  but 
our  Enemies  ;  Blefs  them  that  Curfe  us,  do  Good 
to  them  that  Hate  us,  and  Pray  for  them  that  de- 
IpitefuUy  ufe  and  Perfecute  us ;  and  though  we 
cannot  delight  in  them,  yet  to  forgive  them,  and 
not  to  be  overcome  of  their  Evil,  But  to  overcome 
Evil  with  Good  ?  i^nd  fhall  the  Evil,  yea,  the  De- 
fpitc  of  the  Creaturt,  fet  the  Creator,  who  is  the  very 
Omnipotemy  of  Qoodmfs,  Jo  hard,  that  He  Jhall  never 
overcome  it,  never  recover  it  into  the  Arms  of  his  Good- 
nejs  and  Love  P  Are  all  Gifts  and  Excellencies  in 
the  Creature,  or  the  Creature  in  thofe  Gifts  and 
Excellencies  nothing  without  Love  ?  Is  Love  the 
Diamond,  the  Sparkle  of  the  Diamond,  even  ia 
Holinefs  and  Unblameablenefs  itfelf  ?  O  then  let 
us  fear  to  fet  up  a  Wifdom,  a  Power,  a  Juftice,  a 
Holinefs,  a  Greatnefs  in  God,  without  Love  ! 
Without  Love  as  its  Ground,  its  Root,  its  Effence, 
its  Defign^  its  Fruit,  its  Image,  its  End.  Is  Love 
the  fulfilling  of  the  Law  ?  Is  aU  Obedience  to  a 
Letter,  without  Love,  lank,  lean,  and  poor  ?  Is 
it  the  Scope,  the  End  of  the  Commandment  given 
unto  Man,  and  is  it  not  Godh  End  F  The  Scope  of 
all  his  Ways  and  Works,  of  all  his  Difpenfations 
and  Adminiftrations  ?  Can  he  be  faid  to  have  at- 
tained his  end,  to  have  reached  his  Mark,  and  to 
be  at  reft,  till  he  hath  brought  forth,  and  mani- 
fefted  Love  to  all;  to  all  his  Offspring,  the  Oif- 
fpring  of  his  own  Bowels ;  as  the  Nature  of  Man 
h  faid  to  be  ?  Is  it  the  Nature  of  Love  to  bear  all 
Thing?,  to  endure  all  Things,  and  is  there  any 
*hing  that  God  whofe  Name  and  Nature  is  Love 
L  4  fluH 


(     152     ) 

iTiall  not  bear,  hath  not  born  and  endured  for  us,  for 
and  from  the  worft,  the  chiefeft  Sinner  ?  Is  it  the 
nature  of  Love  not  to  feek  its  own,  and  fliall  God 
who  is  Love  feek  his  own  otherwife,  than  in  the 
Good,  the  Salvation,  the  Happinefs  of  his  Crea- 
ture ?  Doth  Love  never  fail  ?  fhall  it  furvive  and 
over  live  Prophecies,  Tongues,  Knowledge  ?  and 
Ihall  the  Wrath  and  Severity  of  God  outlive,  out- 
laft  his  Love,  his  Grace,  his  Sweetnefs  ?  Is  Love 
greater  than  Faith  ?  than  Hope  ?  and  Is  PVrath 
greater  than  Lffue  ?  or  is  Wrath  that  Word  which 
God  hath  magnified  above  all  his  Name  ;  or  rather  is 
it  any  other  than  his  Loving-kindncfs  and  his  Truth^ 
which  is  all  one  with  Love,  Pfa.  cxxxviii.  2»  or  his 
Mercy,  Gen.mvyi.  19.  Which  upon  this  account 
may  be  faid  to  rejoice  againft  Judgment,  Jam.  ii. 
13.  Yea,  fhall  every  Creature  lie  down  in  Love, 
though  their  former  courfe  hath  been  Rapine  and 
Cruelty,  and  fhall  God  alone  fet  and  lie  down  in 
Wrath  with  the  greateft  part  of  the  Work  of  his 
Hand  ?  If  Love  be  his  EfTence,  his  Nature,  how 
can  this  be  ?  Nature  will  have  its  courfe  ;  expellas 
furca  licet. 

»^>>->->'*-»-*'*'*->-»->''»'*->->-»'>->->"^-*-*'*'<-<"»-<'<"^"»'<«»'<"»<-<-4-y»»'itf« 


CHAP     XVIL 

u4n  Argument  for  this  Hypothejis^   drawn 
from  the  Oath  of  the  JngeU  Rev.  x. 
from  ver.  i.  to  6. 

THIS  other  mighty  Angel  is  fo  ftiled,  cither 
with  Relation  to  the  Angel  employed  before 
in  delivering  this  Revelation  to  John^  or  in  Comr^ 
parifon  with  all  the  Angels  of  the  Trumpets  prefented 
in   Vifioji  before,    and  it  mufl  needs  be  Chriji ; 

becauf* 


(    153    ) 

becaufe  the  Chara£lers  which  are  given  to  this  An- 
gel are  given  to  none  but  Chrill  in  this  Prophefy, 
nor  any  where  elfe.  And  mod  probably  'tis  to  be 
underftood  of  Chrift's  coming  in  his  Father's  Pow- 
er of  Dominion  and  Kingdom,  in  order  to  Reigtr* 
with  his  Saints.     His  Chara£leis  are  thefe  :         '     , 

1.  ykT/^g-^/y  as  a  diftinguifhing  Epithet,  we  fee  no' 
difference  put  between  the  Angels  of  Miniflry  in 
the  other  parts  of  this  Revelation,  but  here  and  in 
chap,  xviii.  ver.  i,  and  21,  where  therefore  Chrifl 
is  intended. 

2.  His  coming  doivn  from  Heaven^  which  fignifies 
bis  Place  properly  to  be  in  Heaven,  and  this  to  be 
a  condefcenjion  which  is  not  obferved  of  the  other 
Angels,  whofe  Office  is  to  be  {^v\X.  forth  for  the  good 
of  the  Heirs  of  Salvation. 

3.  His  being  clothed  nvith  a  Chad,  which  lignl-- 
ftes  his  Confideration  of  us,  for  his  excefs  of  Glory  y 
for  though  the  Angels  are  in  excels  of  Glory  to  us 
Mortals,  yet  they  are  not  prefented  to  us  in  that^ 
excefsj  as  to  need  a  Cloud,  but  only  Chrift. 

4.  The  Rainbow  on  his  Head,  which  is  an  Em- 
blem of  the  Covenant  whereof  he  is  head,  no  Angel 
but  Chrift  hath  the  Rainbow  on  his  Head. 

5.  But  this  is  more,  his  Face  is  z&  it  were  the  Sun,'' 
this  ties  this  expreffion  to  Chrift,  whofe  Charafter' 
it  properly  and  only  is.  Rev.  i.  16.  where  we  have 
him  fo  firft  defcribed  in  this  Prophecy,  as  leading 
to  the  underftanding  of  every  particular  mentioned 
as  they  fliould  occur  through  the  Book,  and  teach- 
ing us  how  to  apply  them. 

,  6.  His  Feet  as  Pillars  of  Fire,  This  alfo  is  the  fame 
with  what  is  given  to  Chrift,  chap.  i.  15,  and  to 
none  elfe  in  this  Prophecy. 

7.  The  open  Book  in  his  Hand  was  his  own  lin- 
gular Acqueft,  chap.  v.  7. 

8.  His  pofture,  his  prevailing Poflure  on  the  Earth 
and  Sea,  the  Principles  and  Seats  of  his  tiuo  grand 
fLncmies,  both  the  Beafts ;    is  the  fame   with  that 

Dan, 


(     154    ) 

DaH,  xii.   as  is  the  Oath  and  the  Matter  confirmed 
thereby,  as  Interpreters  do  accord. 

9.  The  Voice  as  of  a  roaring  Lion,  agrees  moil 
properly  to  him,  the  Lion  of  the  Tribe  of  Judahy 
and  is  often  applied  to  him  by  the  Prophets,  And, 

10.  The  Seven  Thunders  that  utter  their  Voices 
hereupon,  are  never  mentioned  but  as  proceeding 
from  him  and  from  the  Throne  of  God^  which  Throne 
is  he,  or  the  Temple  of  God^  which  he  likewife  is,  and 
the  Seventh  Angel  which  he  likewife  is,  or  at  the 
Heels  of,  chap.  xl.  19.  chap.  xvi.  18.  chap.  iv.  5. 
Thus  much  for  the  Perfon  and  his  Defcription. 

The  next  thing  is  the  Contents  of  the  Seven 
Thunders,  which  John  is  forbid  to  write,  accord- 
ing to  the  Command  given  to  Daniel^  chap.  xii. 
ver.  4,  But  thou,  O  Daniel,  pjut  up  tlte  Word  andfeal 
the  Book,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end.  Many  Ihall  run 
to  and  fro,  and  Knowledge  (hall  be  encreafed. 
What  thefe  things  were,  more  than  the  Wonders 
that  were  to  be  accomplifhed,  and  the  Myfery  de- 
clared to  the  Prophets,  which  fhould  be  accomplifhed 
in  its  Seafon,  and  till  then,  (tho'  Men  fhould  be 
getting  a  little  Light,  time  after  time,  there  would 
not  be  yet  a  full  Underftanding  until  I  the  time  of 
the  end)  we  cannot  Divine,  unlefs  it  were  the  ter- 
riblenefs  of  thofe  Trials  that  Ihall  ufher  in  this 
Bleffed  State  of  Reft,  which  are  fuch,  as  the  Crea- 
tion never  knew,  as  both  Daniel  and  our  Saviour 
fay,  and  therefore  fhall  pafs  quickly,  and  fo  are 
forbidden  to  be  written,  Matt,  xxiv.  21.  22. 

But  the  next  Words  which  acquaint  vis  with  the 
Jilion  of  the  Angel  that  flood  upon  the  Sea  and  the 
Earth,  who  lifted  up  his  Hand  to  Heaven,  and 
fwore  there  fhould  he  Time  no  longer,  acquaints  us 
wnth  a  great  Myftery,  vi%.  that  the  whole  Myfte- 
ry  of  God,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his  Servants  the 
Prophets,  Ihall  be  finifhed  at  the  Seventh  Trum- 
pet, and  with  the  finifliing  thereof,  Time  itfelf 
Ihall  expire  and  go  out. 

Here 


(     i5S    ) 

Here  are  two  things,  and  here  are  Two  Exprcf-' 
(ions  of  thofc  Things, 

I .  That  timejhall  be  no  ittorti.  The  word  ufed  for 
time  is  Chronosy  which  fignifies  Protraftion  of 
Time,  until  fuch  a  Period,  and  differs  from  Kairos^ 
which  (ignifies  the  fit  Juncture  for  every  Purpofe, 
The  meaning  of  Time  fhall  be  no  more,  is, 

I.  That  there  fhall  be  no  longer  protraftioti  of 
thofe  things,  which  God  hath  declared  by  the 
Prophets ;  but  that  they  fhall  receive  their  Accom- 
plifliment:  this  is  the  direft  meaning,  which  is  the 
lame  with  what  follows,  ver.  7.  But  there  artt 
two  things  more  implied  therein. 

1.  That  Time  is  God's  Hour-glafs,  which  he 
turns  up,  and  meafures  the  fpace  and  order  in 
which  his  purpofes  are  to  be  brought  about ;  accor- 
ding to  that  in  Eccle/iajhs,  There  is  a  time  appointed  to 
every  purpofe  under  Heaven. 

2.  With  the  Accomplifliment  of  thofe  purpofes 
under  Heaven,  Time itfelf  expires;  not  that  there 
fhall  be  no  duration  of  thofe  purpofes,  or  works  after 
they  are  accomplifhed  ;  but  that  duration  fhall  not 
be  meafured  by  the  Sun  or  Moon*  There  is  dura- 
tion in  Eternity,  which  always  was,  and  will  be 
for  ever;  but  there  is  no  meafure  of  the  duration  of 
Eternity,  becaufe  things  are  there  perfedl  at  their 
full  groivth ;  as  the  Body  of  Man,  which  was 
brought  forth  immediately  by  the  Eternity,  was  at 
full  growth  ;  and  fo  were  the  Trees  in  Paradife^ 
and  fo  fhall  it  be  at  the  Reftitution  of  all  Things, 
when  that  is  abfolved  and  perfected,  there  fiiall  be 
no  more  growth^  though  an  endlefs  variety  and  frefh- 
nefs  in  the  Joys  of  the  Saints. 

2.  That  all  the  wonders  which  God  hath  de- 
termined to  bring  up  upon  the  Stage  of  this  World, 
is  the  declaring  the  fulnefs  of  his  Glory,  they  are 
all  bounded  zfithin  time.  It  hath  been  the  confident 
aircrrion  of  fome,  that  there  is  not  any  thing  that 
rhe  Prophets  have  propheiied  of,  but  it  is  to -re- 
ceive 


C     t56    ) 

ceive  its  Accomplifhment  before  Chrift  dcliversiip 
the  Kingdom  to  the  Father;  and  I  add  only  this  to 
it,  that  all  that  begun  with  Time  muft  end  with 
Time.  Now  all  the  Qucftion  will  be,  whether  Hell 
and  Damnation  be  included  in  the  M'orki  of  Time. 
'Tis  clear  they  begun  in  time;  for  before  there  was 
Sin,  there  was  no  Death,  and  before  there  were 
Wicked  Spirits,  there  were  no  Hell  and  Damnation. 
Now  before  Creation  there  were  no  wicked  Men, 
nor  Dcvih  ;  nay,  all  was  good  by  Creation.  The 
Devils  were  Angels  of  Light,  they  were  not  Creat- 
ed Devils,  nor  were  Wicked  Men  created  Wicked 
and  Evil ;  therefore  it  is  clear,  Sin  and  Death,  Hell 
and  Damnation  had  a  beginning,  therefore  by  the 
fame  Rule  they  fliall  have  an  end. 

Obj.  It  will  be  faid  by  the  fame  Rule,  Angels 
and  Men  will  have  an  end,  for  they  are  not  from 
Eternity, 

Anfwer.  Creation  puts  not  things  dc  novo  into 
Being,  but  gives  them  a  new  manner  of  Being.  There 
is  an  Eternal  Glafs  of  all  things  in  God,  in  the  E- 
ternal  fVordy  Creation  only  gives  them  a  Temporary 
State.  So  that  it  is  only  a  State  of  Men  and  Angels 
by  Creation,  that  is  Temporary,  not  the  Stibjlratum^ 
or  ground  Matter  of  the  Being  of  Men  and  Angels. 
Now  this  Temporary  State  of  Men  and  Angels, 
as  well  as  of  all  things  elfe,  fhall  end  with  Time.  This 
Temporary  State  is  their  Subjeftion  or  Obnoxi- 
oufnefs  to  Change  and  Corruption,  by  which  they, 
with  the  whole  Creation  were  made  Subject  upon 
Defign,  as  the  Words  import,  Rom,\'n\. 

For  the  Subjeftor,  which  is  God  or  Chrift,  in 
hope  for  the  Creature,  chofe  it  not  as  thole  Words 
import. 

Which  affords  us  a  ftrong  reafon  for  the  hope 
and  expectation  they  have  of  Deliverance  by  the 
expiration  of  their  Bondage  ;  becaufe  God  ferves 
himfelf  of  them,   and  his  Glory  of  their  State  and 

Con- 


C    157    ) 

Condition,  and  their  Pain  and  Suffering  in  it.  And 
having  finifhed  and  wrought  off  this  piece  of  Glory, 
having  raanifefted  his  Wrath  againft  Sin,  having 
fet  off  his  own  Immutability  and  Eternity,  by  the 
fading  and  corrupt  State  of  all  Created  Beings,  he 
will  reft  in  his  end,  and  take  off  this  hard  Law  and 
Condition  from  his  Creature,  and  reftore  the  Crea- 
ture to  that  placid  and  quiet  reft,  it  had  in  his  Bo- 
fom  before  it  went  forth  from  thence. 

Now  having  propounded  this  Senfe  of  Time  Jhail 
he  no  more,  let  us  fee  what  evidence  and  confirma- 
tion we  can  find  for  it  in  the  Text.     And, 

I.  Let  us  confider  the  Oath  that  is  here  taken, 
and  who  it  is  that  taketh  it.  An  Oath  is  for  Con- 
firmatioriy  and  therefore  it  is  brought  in  as  ratifying 
the  New  Covenant,  Heb,  vi.  17,  18,  and  it  is  not  to 
be  ufed  but  in  cafes  of  moment  that  require  it,  as  is 
the  cafe  before  us ;  for  it  is  a  great  matter,  and 
hard  to  be  believed,  that  all  thefe  grievous  Births  of 
Time  which  have  continued  fo  \ox\g^  Jhould  have  an 
endy  therefore  the  Lord  fwears  it.  And  let  us  mark 
how  he  is  defcribed  in  the  Aftion. 

I.  The  Capacity  of  the  Perlbn  fwearing.  2.  The 
Name  or  Power  by  which  he  fwears. 

1.  The  P^rfon  fwearing,  is  the  Angel  which  we 
have  proved  to  be  Chrift,  by  Ten  Particulars  in 
hisDefcription:  but  his  Capacity  and  Qualification 
which  gives  value  to  his  Oath,  is  his  full  Conqueji 
and  Viftory  over  the  Earth  and  Sea,  which  imme- 
diately refers  to  the  Seat  and  Principles  of  the  two 
Beafls.  But  they  may  be  taken  more  largely  for 
the  Principle  of  all  Mutability  and  Corruption  which 
Chrifl  their  Angel  hath  under  his  Feet  and  tramples 
upon,  and  can  bind  and  difpofe  of  it  at  his  Plea- 
fure,  and  can  fay  unto  it  appear  no  more, 

2.  The  Name  and  Power  by  which  he  fwears,  is 
by  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  viz.  the  Eter- 
nity of  the  Father.  This  is  that  Name  and  Power 
that  muft  remove  and  difplace  Time  and  all  the  dif- 
<irdcrs  of  it.   This  is  his  Name,  Jah.  Pf.  Ixviii.  4.  y/ 

Father 


(     158    ) 

FcitheroftheFatherlcfs,  Oitd  a  Judge- of  the  Widow,  a* 
Contraftion  of  that  Name  by  which  he  makes- 
known  himfelf  to  Ifrael  hy  Moftsy  when 'l»e' fetit 
him  to  deliver  them  from  Egypt.^  ^  type  of  our 
Redemption  by  Chrift.  But  tliere  is  more  than  this 
in  the  Text,  there  is  a  Rcafon  couched  for  this  Pe- 
riod, which  God  will  put  to  Time  and  all  the  dif- 
treffes  thereof,  in  thefe  Words  which  refleft  on 
the  Creation  of  Heaven,  and  Earth,  and  Sea,  and  all 
things  therein  by  him  ;  as  who  fliould  fay,  he  that 
made  them,  may  rightfully  difpofe  of  them,  and 
knows  how  to  do  it,  hath  Power  enough,  and  like- 
wife  hath  Love  enough  to  his  Creature,  that  will 
carry  him  forth  to  make  an  end  of  its  Mifery  and 
Suffering,  as  it  is  faid  of  the  Leviathan,  that  no  Man 
can  tame.  Job,  xl.  19.  He  that  made  him  can  make  his 
S-ivord  to  approach  unto  him.  God  can  deal  with  Satan 
himfelf,  and  change  him  from  a  Devil  to  an  Angel 
of  Light  again,  as  he  can  make  the  Wolf,  and  the 
Lion,  and  the  Bear  to  lay  down  their  fierce  and  ra- 
venous Natures,  and  will  do  it  in  the  Kingdom  of 
Chrift.     And  then, 

Laftly,  we  have  the  time  fct  for  this  Great  and 
Glorious  Change,  and  that  is  in  the  Days  of  the 
P'oice  of  the  Seventh.  Angel,  when  he  fhall  begin  to 
found,  then  fliall  the  Myftery  of  God  befinifliedy 
as  he  hath  declared  by  his  Servants  the  Prophets  i 
not  all  at  once  poffibly,  but  in  order,  for  we  are  told 
the  Trumpet  fhall  found,  that  is,  probably,  it  fhall 
continue  ;  as  it  did  at  Mmmt  Sinai,  and  wax  loude? 
and  louder,  till  it  hath  founded  out  Time  and  all 
the  difbrders  of  it,  and  founded  into  Eternity  and 
its  blelTed  and  joyful  Reft. 

Thus  we  fee  Eternity  like  the  Waters  of  Jordan, 
ftanding  upon  a  heap  very  far  from  the  City  Adam 
for  time  to  enter,  and  thole  that  came  down  to- 
wards the  Salt  Sea  failed  till  time  had  its  courfe, 
and  then  fhall  thefe  Waters  of  Eternity  return  unto 
their  Strength,  and  overflow  all  their  Banks  again  ; 
which   might   be  Allegorically    intended   in  that 

paifage 


(    159    ) 

paffage  from  the  Name  of  the  City  Jdam,  which 
is  the  Name  of  the  firft  Man,  which  City  is  faid  to  • 
te  befide,  or  by  the  ilde  of  Zoretan,  which  fignifies 
Tribulation,  and  the  Waters  came  down  towards 
the  Salt  Sea,  which  was  the  Sea  of  Sodom,  thefe 
failed  to  give  i/rf?^/ paffage.  Thus  as  Eternity  was, 
as  I  may  fay,  fufpended  to  give  way  to  Time  :  So 
noiv  time  mu/i  give  way  to  Eternity ;  as  it  is  faid,  the 
Heavens  mull  be  rowled  up  as  a  Scrowl,  and  Day 
and  Night  muji  come  to  an  end,  by  which  the  Tor- 
ments of  the  Beafts'worfhippers  is  meafured,^f'y.xiv 
And  fo  poffibly,  the  Punilhmentof  all  the  ungodly, 
which  is  for  ever,  or  everlaftingnefs  intended  by 
thofe  Exprefliofis^  not  abfolute  Eternity,  but  an 
^vitermty.  But  the  matter  bound  by  this  Oath 
is  yet  behind,  \vhich  is  the  main  of  all ;  and  that  is, 
that  the  MyJieryefGodJhall  bejinijhed,  at  the  found- 
ing of  the  fev^nth  Trumpet.  What  is  this  Myftery 
of  God  ?  the  Word  Myftery  comes  from  a  Word 
that  lignifiesy^M«/M^,  ox  mewing,  or  clofing  up  ;  lb 
that  Manifeftatioh  of  God^  which  hath  filled  all 
times  hitherto,  is  a  vailed  Manifejlation,  glorious 
wkhin,  but  with  a  Vail  upon  it,  and  coarfe  uncouth 
Covering  Upon  it,  as  was  upon  the  Tabernacle,  yea 
a  dlfguife^  a  Parabolical  and  Enigmatical  Revelati- 
on of  God.  The  Light  of  all  times,  of  every  Dif- 
penlktion,  hath  been  the  drawing  back  fomething 
of  this -Curtain  :  The  lifting  up  of  fome  part  of  this 
Vail  which  is  promifed  to  be  quite  done  away  in 
the  mount  of  Chriji's  fecond  or  Heavenly  appearance, 
and  that  then  we  fhall  fee  Eye  to  Eye,  Face  to 
Face,   and  that  is  finilhing  of  this  Myftery, 

There  are  two  things  in  it.  The  Light  fhall  be 
perfefted.  The  Darknefs  that  was  upon  it  and 
mixt  with  it,  Ihall  be  abolilhed  and  done  away, 
for  elfe  how  is  the  Myftery  finiflied  ?  The  linijhing 
of  a  thing  leaves  nothing  remaining,  fo  that  by  the 
Seventh  Trumpet,  or  before  it  hadadone  founding, 
the  Lord  will  have  made  a  perfect  revelation  of  his 
fVrath  andjujiice  againji  Sin-y  a  perfedl  difcovei^y  6^ 

the 


(     i6o    ) 

the  Weaknefs  and  Vanity  of  the  Creature,  and  will 
be  rifen  to  the  meridian  of  the  glorious  Manifefta- 
tion  of  himfelf.  The  times  of  this  World  are  as  a. 
Parenthefis  between  Eternity  a  parte  ante,  and  Eter- 
nity a  parte  poji,  rcplenifhed  with  Wonders  for  the 
Illuftration  of  Eternity ;  but  thefe  are  Ihut  up  with- 
in two  Semi-circles,  and  having  ferved  their  Sea- 
Jon,  Eternity  takes  its  place  again ;  and  as  the  Senfe 
is  not  broken  by  a  parenthefis,  which  is  read  over  in 
a  breath,  lo,  and  not  more  confiderable,  is  Time  to 
Eternity. 

We  read  of  many  Signs  and  Wonders  in  this 
Rook  of  the  Revelations,  and  many  Myfteries;  the 
Myftery  of  the  Seven  Stars  and  the  Seven  Golden 
Candlefticks,  and  the  Myftery  of  the  Woman, 
even  Babylon^  and  all  thefe  Signs,  thefe  Wonders, 
thcfc  Myfteries,  even  the  giving  Scope  to  the  Myl- 
tery  of  Iniquity,  and  the  Revelation  of  the  wicked 
one,  the  Man  of  Sin,  are  all  fubfcrvimt  to  the  Re- 
velation of  Jefus  Chriji.  And  therefore  the  Book 
takes  its  Denomination  from  thence,  and  is  called 
the  Revelation  of  Jefus  Chriji,  that  being  the  Scope 
thereof,  and  when  they  have  ferved  their  end,  then 
they  lie  down  and  appear  no  more.  And  this  is  the 
Law  of  all  things  that  are  not  the  Eternal  Glory  it- 
felf,  they  lye  down  into  their  Ideas,  which  are  in  the 
Eternal  Glory ;  but  there  they  are  as  Beauty  Spots, 
not  as  contending  Images,  but  as  Eternal  fVitneJps 
between  God  and  the  Creature,  between  Time  and 
Eternity,  as  flain  Images,  as  Spoils  and  Trophies  of 
Almighty  and  Unchangeable  Eternity,  which  will 
give  the  Spirit  of  God  exercife  and  trouble  no  more, 
but  will  caft  the  Creature  into  the  Arms  and  Bofom 
of  its  only  fafety,  and  hold  it  in  the  firmeft  and  moft 
continual  dependance  on  his  keeping,  without  fear 
2nd  fulpicion  of  ever  being  abandoned  to  change 
more,  and  will  prefent  everlafting  occafion  of  Joy 
and  Triumph  to  the  All-conquering  Power  oi  Di- 
vine Love  and  Glory,  that  hath  prevailed  againft  all 
this  fftaknefs  and  Enmity  in  the  Creature,  and  yet 

not- 


(     i6i     ) 

rotwithftanding,  hath  recovered  it  to  his  own  Era- 
braces,  and  fixed  it  in  the  Immutability  of  his  own 
Bleflednefs. 

CHAP.    XVIII. 

The  Fruits  and  Advantages  of  this  Hypo- 

thejis. 

A  Nether  Scripture  that  gives  feme  Light  to 
our  Hypothefis,  is  in  John  xvi.  ^3,  where  our 
Saviour  tells  us  he  hath  overcome  the  World.  \i 
the  matter,  the  manner,  the  feal  and  the  reaion  of 
this  Vi£lory  be  rightly  opened  and  underftood,  it 
will  not  only  prove  Chrift's  Conquellof  the  World, 
but  contribute  alfo  to  our  prelent  Service;  for  he 
conquers  not  as  other  Princes  do,  to  deftroy  and 
ferve  their  Ambition,  but  to  recover,  bring  back, 
and  fave  all  that  he  hath  conquered. 

I.  Then  the  matter  of  this  Vi£tory  is  the  whole 
World.  The  World  confifts  of  two'  Parts,  a  Light 
and  a  Dark  part,  Chrift  hath  conquered  both. 

I.  The  light  part  of  the  World,  is  the  firft  mat:- 
ter  of  Chrift's  Conqueft,  God  at  the  beginning  fet 
the  Image  of  his  own  Beauty  in  the  Creation.  This 
Image  at  the  Fall  was  defaced  and  fet  up  by  Man 
inftead  of  the  true  Beauty,  fo  it  became  of  an /m*?^* 
an  Idol^  of  a  Reprefentation  a  Rebellion.  Our  Lord 
the  true  Light,  the  Effential,  Subftantial,  Original 
Image  breaks  forth  upon  it,  and  breaks  it  in  pieces, 
fo  in  Col.  ii.  he  is  faid  to  fpoil  Principalities  and 
Powers  upon  his  Crofs. 

5rtw^« laying  hold  upon  thePillarsof  the  Houfe, 

pulling  down    the  Houfe  upon    the  Philijlines  and 

himfclf,  was  a  fair  Type  of  our  dying  Saviour  j  for 

M  thus 


(      162      ) 

thus  he  falling,  takes  hold  of  the  Pillars,  Principles 
and  Powers,  the  invifible  Strengths,  Glories  of  this 
World  :  So  he  pulls  them,  the  World  and  his  own 
flefhly  part  into  one  common  ruin.  Chrift  on  the 
Crofs  uncrowned  and  uncloathed  the  light  part  of 
the  World.  The  Scripture  tells  us,  that  he  was 
the  Firft  Born  of  the  whole  Creation,  the  Head  of 
every  Creature,  he  was  cloathed  with  the  Suprema- 
cy and  Eminency  of  all  natural  Strength  and  Glory  ; 
but  he  takes  not  up  his  Reft  here,  neither  doth  ap- 
ply himTelf  to  build  up  and  heighten  this  natural 
Beauty  :  But  he  chufes  another  Title,  the  Firft-born 
from  the  Dead,  to  Crucify  the  whole  Creation  in 
himlelf,  as  it  flood  in  its  Natural  Glory;  that  he 
might  as  theFlrft-born  from  them,  the  Dead,  become 
the  Head,  the  Foundation  of  a  New  Creation. 

2.  The  dark  part  of  this  World.  This  is  the  fe- 
cond  matter  of  Chrift's  Conqueft  and  Viftory,  i 
Tim.  i.  10.  it  is  faid  Chrift  by  his  Appearance  hath 
aboliflied  Death  and  brought  Life  and  Immortality 
to  Light.  I  will  fay  no  more  of  this  here,  becaufe 
I  referve  it  for  a  particular  Difcourfe  upon  that 
Scripture.          .  , 

There  are  two  forts  of  Darknefs,  the  diark  things 
of  Earth,  and  the  dark  things  of  HcU,  both  thefe 
are  in  Scripture  comprehended  under  one  Name  of 
Death.  The  Lord  Jefus  hath  taken  away  both 
thefe  Deaths  out  of  the  nature  of  Things  in  his 
own  Perfon.  The  whole  World  in  both  parts  of  it, 
in  the  light,  and  in  the  dark  parts,  this  Wprld  in 
all  its  tempting  and  tormenting  Forms. 

2.  My  fecond  general  Head  is  the  Manner  of 
Chrifl's  Conqueft.  This  is  Four-fold,  Chrift  con- 
quered by  refifting,  by  fuffering,  by  fubmiffion, 
by  Divine  Union. 

I.  Chrift  conquered  by  rcJlfling,  our  Saviour 
overcame  by  fighting,  according  to  the  Rule,  rejiji 
the  Devil  and  he  iJjill  fly  from  yon. 

The  Devil  made  two  principal  Onfets  upon 
Chrift.     The  one  by  the  Light,   the  other   by  the 

dark 


(     »63    ) 

dark  part  of  this  World.  The  firft  was  after  hit 
Baptifm,  then  the  Devil  came  armed  with  the 
light  part  of  this  World.  The  Beauties  of  the  Earth, 
a  lempky  in  the  Letter,  a  Rcprcfentation  of  Divinity,  if 
thou  heeji  the  Son  of  God,  i^c.  He  prefented  and  tempt- 
ed our  Saviour  at  once  with  all  the  Kingdoms  of 
this  World  and  their  Glory;  but  our  Saviour  re- 
iifted  and  beat  him  off,  get  thee  behind  me  Satan  :  im-^ 
mediately  upon  this  All-conquering  Word,  King- 
doms, Glory,  Satan,  and  all  vanilhed  into  another 
Appearance. 

The  fecond  Onfet  was  at  Chrift's  Death,  of  this 
our  Saviour  fpeaks  afore-hand,  John  xiv.  30,  the 
Prince  of  this  World  cometh,  but  he  finds  nothing 
in  me. 

The  Devil  poflfeiTeth  the  Principles  of  Nature, 
by  thefe  he  conveys  himfelf  into  us,  and  makes  us 
bis  own.  But  Jefus  Chrift  was  not  born  in  the 
way  of  Nature,  but  after  a  fupernatural  manner. 
A  Divine  Principle  clothed  itfelf  with  the  Virgin's 
Subftance,  grew  up  in  it,  made  it  to  fubfift  in  it- 
felf, and  to  be  wholly  in  a  Divine  Perfon;  the  De- 
vil now  had  nothing  of  his  own  in  Chrift  to  com- 
ply with  him,  when  therefore  he  came  armed  with 
the  dark  part  of  the  World,  having  called  about 
him  all  the  black  Powers  of  Terror  and  Wrath 
from  Earth,  Hell,  Heaven  itfelf,  he  meets  with  a 
full  and  ftrong  refiftance  from  Jefus  Chrift,  by 
which  he  is  beaten  down  into  his  depth  of  Dark- 
ness below;  which  he  confumed  and  fired  about 
his  Head.     In  this  Chrift  overcame  by  refiftin^. 

2.  The  Second  Manner  was  by  Si/fering,  This 
World  as  now  it  is  fince  the  Fall,  (as  it  is  called 
in  Scripture  this  prefentEvil  World)  is  compound- 
ed of  three  Principles.  The  guilt  of  Sin.  The 
power  of  Wrath.  The  ficailty  of  the  Flefh.  Thefe 
three  Chrift  hath  overcome  by  Suff^erings. 

I.  The  guilt  of  Sin,  2  Ccr»  v.  and  laft.  Chrift  is 

made  Sin  in  a,  flame  of  Wrath  in  our  Stead,  (or 

M  2  a  Sa- 


(     i64     ) 

.a  Sacrifice  for  Sin)  for  us.     Chrlft  hath  made  Sa- 
lisfaflion  to  divine  Juftice  :  and  lb  taken  away  the 
whole  guilt  of  Sin  in  his  own  Perlbn,   he  is  called 
Lutron,  a   RaMfom,   a  ballance  to  the  guilt  of  Sin, 
which  makes  the  fcale  of  fuftice  even  again.     The 
Suffcrincfs  of  our  Saviour  have  wondertullv    redu- 
ced  the  difordcr  of   Sin    into   order   in  the  eternal 
Judgment  of  God,  as  tlic  God-head  was  clouded  by 
Sin  in  the  Nature  of  Man  :     So   now  it  falls  in  a 
cloud  of  Vengeance  upon  the  Head  of  all  Man- 
kind :    Man  afpired  by  Sin  to  the  top  of  all  things; 
Man  by  Sufferings  is  thrown  down  btlow  all  things 
to  the  utmoft  depths  of  Woe.,    The  Image  of  God 
was  fwallowed  up  into  the  darknefs  of  Sin  in  Man. 
The  Image  of  God  now  conlumes   the  Image  of 
Man,  comprehends  it,  magnifies,    and  m.akes  Cjlo- 
rious  itfclf  in  it,  by  the  Suffering  of  Jefus  Chnft  ; 
thus  Chrifl  overcame  the  guilt  of  Sin  by  Suffering. 
2.    The  power  of  Wrath.     The  Prince  of  this 
World  reigns  by  Wrath.     Chrifl  draws  the  whole 
force  of  Wrath  upon  himfelf.     To  fpend  itfelf  on 
him  the  Devil  now   is  made  a  Drone^   having  Ihot 
Jiis  Sting  into  our  Saviour  and   loft  it  there;   thus 
Chrifl  by  Death  dcflroys  him  who  had  the  power 
of  Death  ;    Heb.  ii.      The  Pfalmifl  faith,    Deep  calls 
to  Deep  ;  the  deep  of  Wiath  touches  upon  the  deep 
of  Love  and  Glory.      God  is  the    Beginning  and 
End,  the  Top  and  Bottom  of  all  Things,    as  the 
Earth  is  faid  to  fland  in  the  Water,    nor  as  to  all 
his  Saints  that  are  faved,'  as  the  Firfl-fruits  being 
Love,   fo  this  World  flands  in   a  Sea  of  Wrath  ; 
what  meer  Man  foever  falls  into  this  Sea,    can  ne- 
ver come  to  the  bottom,   but  is  eternally'  Sinking. 
Chrifl  more  than  a  many  times  call  himiclf  into  it, 
immediately  reached  the  utmoft  depths,  and  reach- 
ed through  it  to  the  (jlory  below  it,  difcovercd  the 
foundations  of  it  all  in  Glory  ;    upon  this  difcove- 
ry  the  Sea  of  Wrath  difappears  for  ever  in  the  Per- 
fon  of  Chrifl,    and  is  feen  no  more.     He  was  made 
a  Curfe  for  us.     He  did  in   Death   for  our  Sakes 

and 


(     i65     ) 

find  in  our  (lead  receive  immediately  into  his  owrl 
Perfon,  into  his  own  Breail  and  Heart,  the  whole 
Curfe  and  Wrath. 

3.  The  frailty  of  Fle/h.  Fiefh  is  not  Sin,  but  it  is 
the  ground,  feat,  and  occalion  of  Sin  :  It  is  faid 
the  Law  could  not  give  Righteoufnefs  and  Life 
through  the  weaknefs  of  the  Flefh,  Rom.  viii.  Now 
we  read,  i  Pet.  iii.  18.  That  Chrift  was  put  to 
Death  in  the  Flefli,  but  quickned  in  the  Spirit,  fo 
we  read  it  by  the  Spirit :  But  in  Greek  the  Flefh 
and  Spirit  do  fo  exactly  anfvver  one  another,  in  the 
connexion  and  manner  of  Expreffion,  that  one 
would  think  nothing  to  be  plainer  than  the  Inten- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  to  fignify  that  the  Flefh 
and  the  Spirit  had  both  the  fame  relation  to  the 
Perfon  of  Chrift,  in  thofe  different  States  of  his 
dying  and  riling  again  ;  that  by  his  change  the  Spi- 
rit came  in  the  place  of  the  Flefh,  and  that  the 
Flelh  was  changed  into  a  Spirit  as  by  a  natural 
Generation,  that,  that  which  was  Water  or  Air  is 
made  Fire  :  The  words  are  thefe,  i  Pet,  iii.  18. 
For  Chrijl  alfo  hath  once  fuffered  for  Jin^  the  jujl  for  the 
unjuji,  (that  he  might  bring  us  to  God)  being  put  to  death 
in  the  fJeJJj,  but  quickned  by  the  Spirit.  In  the  fame 
Senfe  in  which  he  dyed  in  Flefli  or  to  the  Flefli,  fo 
he  rifes  again  in  the  Spirit  or  to  the  Spirit.  That 
fame  Body  which  dyed  a  iieflily,  compounded,  mor- 
tal Subftance,  rifes  again  a  Simple,  Pure,  immortal 
Spirit :  As  a  fmall,  folitary,  perifliing  Seed  dies  'n\ 
the  Earth,  that  it  may  rife  again  a  fair,  flourifliing, 
laftlng  Tree  ;  fo  jefus  Chrift  crucified  the  Flefli, 
in  its  frail  and  fading  Form,  that  he  might  bring  it 
forth  again  in  a  Spiritual  Glory,  this  is  the  Con- 
queft  by  Suffering, 

3.  The  Third  manner  '\%hy  Submiffon,  Chrift 
overcame  by  being  overcome,  by  giving  up  his 
Will  as  a  captive  of  Love  to  his  Father's  Will ; 
Not  my  I'Vill^  b>ut  thine  be  done. 

It  is  an  approved  Principle  that  every  thing  un- 

cheek'd  in  its  ccuric,  carries  that  which  it  lays  hold 

M  3  on. 


C    166    ) 

on,  all  along  with  it  to  its  own  primitive  State. 
The  Will  of  God  in  its  proper  and  eternal  State  is 
Love  and  Joy.  This  Will  meeting  with  a  yielding 
Subjeft  in  Chrift,  firft  works  him  into  Flefh  and 
Blood,  then  into  Shames  and  Pains :  But  it  (lays 
no  longer  'till  it  hath  wrought  him  up  again  into 
its  own  higheftform  of  Love  and  Joy. 

4.  The  Fourth  manner  is  by  a  Divine  Union.. 
This  indeed,  if  I  may  fo  fpeak,  is  the  fleight  and 
Ikill  by  which  Chrift  overcome  in  the  other  three 
Stratagems,  viz.  The  Divine  Union.  This  is  Two- 
fold. 

1.  The  bringing  down  of  a  Divine  Life  to  be 
Incarnate,  to  dwell  in  Flefli  ;  Chrift  founded  this 
L^nion  in  his  Birth,  John  i.  The  Word  was  made  ficjh 
and  dwelt  among  us.  The  Original  Word  is,  Krfl  0 
Koyoi  (Tctpl  iyivijo,  &c.  St.  John  fpeaks  of  this  U- 
nion,  when  he  faid.  He  that  denies  Chrift  to  be 
come  in  the  Flefh,  he  is  Anti-Chrijl. 

^  But  how  doth  this  Union  tend  to  the  con- 
quering of  the  World  ? 

A.  I  anfwer,  two  Ways.  i.  By  his  Union  the 
whole  World  is  now  tranfplanted  and  taken  off 
from  its  own  root,  and  ingrafted  upon  a  Divine 
Principle  \vhich  poflefTeth  and  afts  it. 

2.  This  Divine  Principle  is  a  Fire  in  the  Flefii 
of  Chrift,  in  his  worldly  Perlbn  facrificing  and 
confuming  it.  /  come,  faith  Chriji,  to  fend  a  Fire  into 
the  World,  a>id  what  ivill  /,  if  it  he  already  kindled? 
Jt  was  already  begun  in  hie  own  Flefh,  and  it  is 
every  where  fuch  a  Fire  in  our  Flefh,  and  in  all 
Flefli. 

Fire  with  us  is  a  light  from  the  Heavenly  Bodies, 
fecretly  conveyed  to  take  hold  of  dark  matter  here 
below,  where  it  contefts  with  the  darknefs  till  it 
confume  it  and  appear  again  in  its  own  pure  Flame 
of  Light,  fuch  a  Fire  is  the  Divine  Life  in  Flefli, 

It 


(    J67    ) 

It  coifies  riot  to  tarry  here,   but  to  kindle  us  and 
carry  us  back  with  itlelf,  this  is  the  firft  Union. 

2.  The  fecond  Union  is  the  bringing  up  of  Flefh 
into  the  Glory  of  a  Divine  Life,  as  Chrift  founded 
the  former  at  his  Birth,  fo  he  founded  this  Union 
in  his  RefurreBion.  Wihen  Chrift  was  rifen,  he  was 
ftill  Flefh  and  Bones,  but  he  was  Flefh  fubdued  and 
heightened  to  a  Divine  Principle,  therefore  when  it 
pleafed  it  could  retreat  into  the  Glory  of  that  Prin- 
ciple, and  become  inviljble,  living  after  the  Fafh- 
ion  of  an  Angel.  When  it  pleafed  it  could  come 
forth  again  in  what  manner  it  liked  beft,  and  live 
as  Men  on  earth,  fo  it  was,  as  I  may  humbly  fpeak, 
a  blefTed  Jmpbibiony  living  both  in  Heaven  and 
Earth  at  Pleafure,  as  fome  Creatures  do  on  tha 
Waters,  and  on  dry  Land  ;  fome  believe  that  at  the 
end  of  the  World,  thofe  glorious  Lights  over  our 
Heads,  fhall  flame  forth  with  an  unwonted  force 
upon  all  earthly  things,  and  fo  fliall  not  fo  much 
confume  as  refine  them,  heightening  and  uniting 
them  to  their  own  pure  Beams  to  fubfifl  together 
with  themfelves,  and  appear  fj-om  thence  after  a 
new  manner.  Thus  the  Heavenly  Glory  in  the 
Perfon  of  Chrifl,  breaks  forth  upon  the  Flefh,  glo- 
rifies it,  gives  it  a  Spring  and  a  Seat  in  itfelf. 

It  is  one  great  and  comprehenfive  Article  of  our 
Faith,  that  Jefus  Chriji  the  Immortal  Word,  by, 
in,  and  for  whom  all  things  were  Created,  Vifibl& 
and  Invifible,  hath  defcended  into  Flefh  ;  by  and 
through  his  Crofs,  JlefurredVion  and  Afcenfion,  put 
olFFlefli,  returns  to  his  Father  in  our  Nature, 
which  he  hath  changed  from  Flefh  into  Spirit, 
making  it  in  Soul  and  Body  one  Spirit  with  God, 
and  yet  keeping  it  in  its  own  Propriety,  a  dif- 
tinft  Spirit  from  him.  This  fame  Jefus,  as  the 
Lord  from  Heaven,  as  a  quickening  Spirit  is  flill 
defcending  into  the  Souls  of  his  Saints,  revealing 
himfelf,  and  the  Father  there  forming  himfelf  in 
them,  conforming  them  to  himfelf,  purging  them 
M  4  by 


(     i6S     ) 

by  degrees  from  all  Pollution  of  Flefh  and  Spirit, 
carrying  on  the  fellowfliip  of  his  Death  and  Suffer- 
ings, Death  and  Rci"urre£lion  in  them,  until  he 
compleatly  makes  them  Spirit  of  his  Spirit,  one 
Spirit  with  himfelf  and  the  Father,  tirft  in  Soul, 
finally  at  laft  in  Body  alfo.  Then  will  be  brought 
forth  that  Adoption  of  the  body  of  the  Natural  man, 
the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of,  Rom.  viii.  23,  u-nithtz  for  the 
Adoption y  viz.  the  Redemption  of  the  Bodvy  he  had 
fpolccn  before  of  an  Adoption  of  the  Spiritual  Man, 
in  ver.  15,  where  he  faith,  you  have  received  the  Spi- 
rit of  Adaption.  Jefu%  Chriji  and  the  Spiritual  Man 
are  already  both  one  Spirit,  we  have  already  re- 
ceived him  by  our  Spiritual  Man,  into  our  earthly 
part,  but  it  is  as  LiQ;ht  into  a  candleftick,  or  Liquor 
into  a  veffel  ;  the  Candleftick  Jhines  by  the  Light 
of  the  Candle,  but  it  is  ftill  dark  in  itfelf,  the  Vaf- 
fel  may  contain  the  Tafte  and  Savour  of  the  Liquor, 
but  is  not  changed  into  one  fubftance  and  nature 
with  it;  fo  the  Natural  Man  receives  fome  Light, 
feme  Impreffions  and  fwcet  Qualifications  from  the 
Prefcnce  of  the  Spiritual  Man,  but  it  remains  natu- 
rally in  its  own  dark  and  four  principle;  but  then 
the  Divine  Life  and  Glory  fhall  fo  fhine  thro'  the 
whole  Natural  Man,  that  the  Natural  Man  itfelf 
fliall  be  altogether  Spiritual.  This  is  the  Adoption 
nf  the  Body^  the  fpiritualizing  of  it,  the  bringmg  it 
out  of  the  Earthly  into  the  Heavenly  Image,  and 
now  the  Natural  Man  fliall  live  together  with  the 
Spiritvval  Man,  in  one  divine  Principle,  and  Power 
and  Glory  to  God  the  Father,  of  both  thefe  are  the 
four  feveral  manners  by  which  Chrift  overcame 
the  Wo'i'ld. 

3.  The- third  part,  which  comes  nearer  to  our 
Point,  is  the  reafon  oi  \\\\%  Conquelf  ;  which  is  not, 
as  I  faid  before,  toenllavehisConqueft,  hisConquer- 
ed,  like  other  Conquerors,  but  to  rellore  and  bring 
them  back,  nor  hath  he  truly  conquered  them  un- 
til then*  This  rcafon  df  his  Conqueft  is  four-fold. 
'I'he  Si^lvAtion  ofMa^.     The  Reftoration  of  the 

Crea- 


(     i69     ) 

Creature.     The  exaltation  of  Chrlft  lilinfclf.    Anr^ 
the  Manifcftation  of  God  to  be  all  in  all. 

1.  The  firft  reaibn  is  the  Snivatjon  of  ALni^  Hcb. 
iii.  We  read,  feeing  the  Children  were  Partakers 
of  Flefli  and  Blood,  he  alio  took  part  of  the  fame^  &c. 
We  read  in  that  Scripture  alio,  that  the  Work 
of  Chvift  was  to  bring  many  Sous  to  Glory.  Theib 
Sons  were  lent  forth  into  F'lcfli  and  Blood  ;  united 
with  their  Clods  of  Flefli;  they  were  lurpriztd 
with  the  Devil,  and  made  Prilbners,  f.iil  to  the 
fear  of  Death,  and  then  to  Death  itlelf.  J'p's 
Chiji  over  -ran  and  overcame  all  thefe,  Satan,  Death, 
Fear,  FleHi,  and  Blood,  1"o  he  laved  us  from  them, 
fohc  brought  the  Sons  of  God  to  Glory,  As  tlie 
Body  mail  hrft  be  cracked  and  fall  in  pieces  be- 
fore the  Soul  can  be  gloritied  ;  lb  muft  this  World 
fall,  before  good  Men  can  grow  to  their  proper 
greatnefs  and  height.  The  Body,  and  the  World 
are  dark  Shadows,  with  which  our  Spirits  are  overf 
call,  Chrift,  the  true  Light  fcattcring  himlelf  into 
thefe  Shadows,  dilFolves  them,  and  lb  we  appear 
together  with  him  in  the  open  Sun-fliine  of  Glory. 
This  feems  to  refer  only  to  the  Eled,  but  it  refers 
to  them  as  the  Firjl-fntits,  for  if  he  had  deftroyed 
him  that  had  the  Power  of  Death,  and  all  what: 
hath  been  laid  before,  they  are  not  conquered,  if  he 
leaves  them  at  laft  reigning  over  any,  for  they 
were  all  re-headed  in  him. 

2.  Thefccond  reafon  is,  the  R.cfi.rjrationrjf  the  Crea- 
ture^ I  John  iii.S.  It  is  faid  Chrift  came  to  deflroy 
the  Works  of  the  Devil.  The  Vanity  and  Vexa- 
tion of  the  Creature  are  the  Devil's  W^orks.  Every 
Creature  hath  in  God  a  Divine  Principle,  a  Di- 
vine Appearance,  as  they  came  forth  from  God, 
they  were  in  Paradife,  all  the  Creatures  conlpired 
into  one  Image  of  the  Eternal  Beauty  ;  each  Crea- 
ture was  the  fame  Image  in  lefs,  Detts  mP.kimus  in 
minimOf  every  fingle  Creature  was  an  Image  of  the 
great  God  in  a  little  Frame.  When  Sin  came,  the 
JDevii  f^jread  a  lecret  Poiion  upon  the  l-^ace  of  the 

Crca- 


(     170    ) 

Creation.  The  whole  was  now  become  a  cohfufed 
piece  of  Deformity,  and  every  particular  an  ill- 
fliaped  Monftcr,  cui  lumen  ademptum.  The  light 
of  the  divine  Image  being  withdrawn,  ycfus  ChriJ?, 
the  brightnefsof  his  Feather's  glory,  the  unchangea- 
ble Image  of  Things,  bathed  the  Creatures  in  their 
Blood  and  in  his  own,  he  broke  them  in  pieces,  and 
now  cafts  them  up  in  himfelf ;  thus  he  reftores  them 
to  their  Principles,  Shape,  and  State.  Our  Saviour 
proclaims  of  himfelf,  I  make  all  things  new.  Life 
hath  a  depth  in  it,  faid  a  Philofopher  of  old.  The 
Life  is  the  only  newnefs  and  frelhnefs  of  things. 
This  is  ftill  that,  which  draws  forth  from  its  depths 
a  variety  and  fucceffion  of  fair  Appearances,  as 
plants  in  the  Spring.  This  World,  as  it  is  now, 
Ts  adefolate  dying  thing  :  our  Saviour,  who  is  the 
iirfl:  Principle,  Pattern,  Root,  Head,  and  Spirit  of 
all  things,  by  his  Crofs  kills  it  outright,  that  he 
might  put  a  new  Spirit  and  Life  into  it.  Thus  the 
Apoltle  brings  in,  Rom.  viii,  all  the  Creatures  groan - 
ing  for  the  bringing  forth  of  this  State  in  them- 
felves,  which  is  already  brought  fortli  for  them  in 
the  Perfon  of  Chrift. 

3.  The  third  reafon  is  the  exaltation  of  Chrift.  in 
Phil,  ii,  it  is  faid  of  Chrift,  that  he  became  OhcdleKt  to 
Death^  there  you  have  the  Combat  and  Conquefl, 
the  end  follows,  Therefore  God  hath  exalted  hiniy 
and  given  him  a  Name  above  every  Name  ;  that  at 
the  Name  of  Je/us  every  Knee  Jljould  bow^  and  every 
Tongue  confefs'  that  Jefus  is  Lord.  Thefe  are  bor- 
rowed Expreflions  from  the  Prophet  Ifaiah^  with 
fpme  change,  Ifaiah  xlv.  that  which  the  Apoftle 
interprets  here  confeffing,  the  Prophet  there  calls 
fvvearing. 

^  But  what  manner  of  exaltation  is  this  ?  What 
Name  can  be  above  every  JSJ^me  ?  What  Knee  ? 
What  Tongue  ?  What  fwcaringof  things  in  Hea- 
ven, or  below  the  Earth  ? 


(    i7«     ) 

A,  I  anfwer,  this  Name  is  the  laft  and  full  Ex- 
preffion  of  the  firft  and  fupreme  Glory  in  the  Per- 
fon  of  Chrift.  The  Knee  is  the  Strength,  on  which 
Men  and  Beafts  fuftain  their  own  Weight,  and  raife 
themfelves  to  their  due  height.  The  Tongue  is 
that  Out-form,  in  which  every  thing  puts  forth  and 
declares  itfelf.  To  fwear,  is  to  acknowledge  the 
Omaipotence,  Omniprefence,  and  Sovereignty  of 
that  by  which  we  fwear,  together  with  the  fubfift- 
ence  of  all  things  in  it ;  therefore  God  fwcars  by 
Himfelf,  by  his  own  Life.  It  was  a  piece  of  Flat- 
tery among  the  Heathens  to  fwear  by  the  Life,  the 
Head,  the  Genius,  the  Fortune  of  their  Princes. 
Jofeph  had  learned  fomewhat  of  this  in  the  Court, 
when  he  fwore  by  the  Lifs  ofPharoah.  St.  Paul 
reckons  that  which  the  Prophet  calls  Swearing  to 
yefusy  is  confeffing  that  Jejus  is  the  Lord,  fo  then 
Chrill  was  exalted,  every  Knee  bows,  and  kneels, 
^nd  yields  itfelf  captive  to  Chrift,  every  Form  and 
Beauty  refigns  itfelf  to  have  its  Appearance  only  in 
his  Beams,  all  things  own  him  as  their  Strength, 
Light,  Life,  their  All. 

4.  The  4th  part  is  the  Seat  of  the  Viftory  :  this 
Three-fold.  The  Perfon  of  Chrift.  The  Perfon 
of  Saint-s  as  the  Firft-fruits,  and  the  Perfons  of  the 
whole  World. 

I.  The  firft  Seat,  EpL  i.  10,  we  read  that  God 
hath  gathered  up  ail  things  in  Heaven  and  Earth  in- 
to  one  in  himfelf.  Our  Saviour  hath,  as  we  may 
fee  more  elfewhere,  a  Comprchenjive  and  Rcprefen- 
tative  Perfon.  The  Lord  Jefus  hath  a  comprehen- 
five  Perfon  ;  he  contains  in  himfelf  the  Principles 
of  Time  and  Eternity,  this  World  and  that  which 
is  to  come,  when  he  died  in  our  flefhly  part  and 
Tofe  again  in  a  Spiritual  Glory,  then  was  Time  and 
Eternity  reconciled  in  him  in  their  radical  Princi- 
ple. The  Lord  Jefus  hath  alfo  a  reprefentative 
Perfon,  he  bears  in  his  Perfon  the  Image  of  God 
and  Man,  Heaven  and  Earth,  when  his  earthly 
Man  was  cruciiied>  then  was  the  whole  World  cru- 
cified 


(      172      ) 

rified  and  changed  in  Pifture.  This  is  the  firft 
Seat  of  this  Victory,  the  Perfonof  Chrift,  all  things 
arc,  as  I  laid  before,  tc-hcaded  in  him. 

2.  The  fccond  Seat,  the  Perfon  of  the  Siaint. 
The  Victory  of  Chrift  enlarges  itfelf  from  him  to 
every  Chriftian,  as  Paul  exprelTeth  it  in  his  own 
defign  and  defire^  Gal.  vi.  God  forbid  I  fhiould 
Glory,  fave  in  the  Crofs  of  Chrift,  hy  which  Crofs  of 
Chrift  I  am  crucified  to  tlie  World,  and  the  World 
to  me.  The  World  is  become  as  a  Carcafe  to  me, 
if  it  hath  loft  its  beauty  and  fweetnefs,  and  I  am 
become  as  a  dead  Perfon  to  the  World.  Every 
,<2;ood  Man  hath  in  his  Soul  a  living  Picture  of 
Chrift,  and  a  fmall  Landfcape  of  Mount  6'^/i^rtrv, 
Chrift  is  formed  in  him  through  F'alth,  and  fo  is  the 
Crofi  of  Chrift,  on  which  a  Chriftian  and  the  whole 
World  within  him  is  faftened,  an  Univerfal  Dark- 
nefs  breaks  forth,  when  Chrift  fuffered,  and  an  Ori- 
ental Light  encompafles  with  a  full  Univerfal  Glo- 
ry, where  the  World  and  a  Chriftian  are  feea 
again,  as  new  created  in  a  diviner  Shape.  This  is 
the  fecond  Seat  of  Chrift's  Victory. 

3.  The  third  and  iaft  Seat  is  general,  the  v:hole 
JVorld^  2  Pet.  iii.  7.  The  Heavens  and  Earth  which 
fiozv  tire,  lijfy  are  referved  for  Fire. 

^  What  Fire  Is  this,  or  who  kindles  it  ? 

-A.  I  fhall  Anfwer,  'tis  a  Sparkle  of  divine  Glory 
which  fends  forth  its  Objedls  in  the  Bofom  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  liying  through  the  World,  feeding  'itfelf 
upon  all  worldly  things  till  it  appear  a  clear  and 
univerfal  Flame  ;  1  come,  faith  Chrift,  to  fend  a 
Fire  upon  the  Earth,  and  what  will  I,  if  it  be  alrea- 
<!y  kindled  :  This  Fire  was  kindled  when  Chrift 
M  as  born,  and  burnt  out  firft  upon  the  green  Tree, 
the  Crofs  which  bears  the  goodlieft  Fruit  that  evei? 
the  World  brought  forth. 

All  th.ings  ftill  feel  theheat  of  this  Fire  in  Plagues, 
Diforders,  Wars,   all  forts  of  Mileries,    till  at  Iaft 


(     173    ) 

Day  is  turned  all  into  Flame  ;  yet  is  not  this  Fife 
fo  much  to  ruin,  as  refine  things,  therefore  when 
Chrift  hath  reduced  this  Old  World  to  Afhes,  as 
tlie  Phcnix,  out  of  her  Aihes  he  will  raife  new  Hea- 
vens and  new  Earth,  this  is  a  general  View  of  the 
Vi£lory  of  Chrift ;  and  if  the  Viftory  can  be  fub- 
mitted  to  Sin,  to  Death,  to  Hell,  and  Wrath, 
.where  (liall  we  find  Chrift  a  Conqueror?  but  there 
is  no  Vidory  to  be  fubmitted  to  Death,  Hell,  and 
Wrath,  and  therefore  I  conclude  that  all  thefe  muft 
ihbmit  to  the  Conqueft  of  Chrift,  or  he  hath  not 
overcome  the  whole  World. 


CHAP.     XIX. 

'J' he  Conjlderaiion  cfGod,  as  hove, 

MY  next  Scripture  fliall  be,  i  John  Iv.  i6.  G-od 
is  Lo've,  and  he  that  dwelletk  in  Love,  dwel- 
inh  in  God,  and  God  in  him.  From  this  Text  open- 
ed, we  fliall  find  (if  God  be  Love^  if  all  his  Saints 
dwell  in  that  Love,  and  they  dwell  in  God,  and 
(jod  dwelleth  in  them)  more  than  Prefumpti- 
ons  that  this  Text  is  not  true,  neither  as  to  God 
being  Love,  and  dwelling  in  God,  and  God  in 
them  ;  that  God  can  leave  the  greateft  part  of  his 
Offspring  to  be  eternally  miferable,  or  that  thofe 
that  dwell  in  one  Love  with  him,  can  be  happy 
eternally  without  them.  To  form  my  Argument 
from  hence,  1  will  take  notice  of  three  things  in 
this  Scripture. 

I.  We  have  a  moft  excellent  and  a  right  Dc- 
fcriptionof  God.  God  is  Love,  and  herein  a  moft 
fieep  and  rich  Ground  of  Divine  Love,  which  is 
the  God-head  itfelf.  The  Divine  Effence  is  the 
Glorious  Mine,  the  Divine  Bofom,  the  Blefled 
Mint  of  all  true  Love,  God  is  the  firft,  and  Foun- 
tain 


(     '74     ) 

tain  Love;  tKerc  is  no  true  Love  any  where  which 
is  not  frcm  this  firft  Love,  which  is  not  this  firft 
Love  itfelf ;  for  it  muft  be  a  Participation  of  it. 
In  this  Love  firft  lies,  as  in  its  Fountain,  and  from 
this  Love,  flows  all  the  true  Love  every  where  elfe 
to  be  found. 

2.  We  have  here  the  Bleffed  Charafter  of  a 
Saint,  he  is  one  that  dwcUeth  in  Love^  in  which 
Words  we  have  two  diftinguifhing  Properties  of 
the  true  Divine  Love. 

1.  The  Comprchenjivenefs  of  this  Divine  Love,  he 
that  dwelleth  in  Love,  in  hove  Jbfolutej  in  an  un- 
confined.  Unlimited  and  Univerfal  Love,  without 
refpeft  to  this  or  that,  or  to  any  particularizing  or 
limiting  Circumftance,  but  in  Love  itfelf,  abftraft- 
ed  from  all  exception  to  the  expreffion  of  that 
Love,  a  Love  fixed  upon  the  naked  Notion  of 
Good  and  Lovely. 

2.  We  have  here  the  Conjlancy  of  this  Divine 
Love,  he  that  dwelleth  in  Love,  a  Dwelling  is  a 
conftant  Abode.  Love  is  indeed  God's  Dwelling- 
place,  as  well  as  ours,  and  in  this  Love,  .God  and  all 
his  Saints  do  mutually  dwell  together,  one  in  ano- 
ther, for  fo  it  is  faid,  Zepb.  iii.  17,  that  God  rejls  in 
hisLove.  All  motion  in  all  intelleftual  Agents 
tends  to,  and  endeth  in  reft.  All  the  Motions, 
Works,  and  ways  of  God  tend  to,  and  end  in  Love, 
which  is  his  Reft  ;  God  in  all  other  Appearances 
and  Forms  of  things,  is  only  as  the  Schools  fpeak, 
in  tranfitUy  paffing  through  them  as  a  Way- faring 
Man,  till  he  comes  to  the  full  Expreffion  of  his 
Love,  and  this  is  his  Mount  5/o«,  his  Refting-placc 
for  ever.  Here  in  the  full  opening  of  the  Myftery 
of  this  Love,  which  is  himfelf,  he  cafteth  off  every 
Difguife,  he  lays  afide  every  Veil ;  here  he  is  feen 
Naked  in  the  fimplicity  and  brightnefs  of  his  own 
beautiful  Perfon  ;  and  as  he  is,  which  the  Apoftle 
faith  he  is  not  yet  our  prefent  Hapipinefs.  Here 
alfo  his  Saints  dwell,  feeing  God,  themfelves,  and 
all  things  in  their  eternal  Forms  of  Divine  Loveli- 

ncfs 


(    175    ) 

jraefs,  with  a  beatifical  Villon.  Here,  I  fay,  his 
Saints  dwell  and  reft  in  Love,  till  the  Perfeftion  of 
that  finifliing  Difcovery  of  God's  Love  :  This  is 
their  Heaven  upon  Earth,  their  Bed  of  Reft  ;  a 
Saint  in  this  Love  is  at  Home,  dwells  here  at  his 
Eafe,  in  Reft,  in  perfeft  Liberty,  unveiled  in  the 
free  difcovery  of  himfelf,  in  the  free  Exercife  and 
full  Enjoyment  of  his  own  Spirit,  at  the  height  of 
all  Power,  Pleafure,  and  Glory,  as  every  Man 
dwells  in  his  own  Houfe  or  like  a  Prince  in  his 
Palace:  A  Saint,  according  to  this  Scripture,  is 
never  at  Home  when  he  fteps  out  of  this  Love  ; 
he  then  is  out  of  his  Place,  and  carried  and  held 
preter-naturally.  God  is  Love,  a  Saint  is  a  Child 
.of  God,  a  Child  of  Love  ;  he  is  known  to  himfelf, 
and  to  others,  to  be  the  divine  Seed  of  the  Divine 
Love,  fhining  inhim,  and  lliining  forth  from  him, 
like  the  fountain  of  his  Love,  which  reacheth  all 
things  :  He  dwelleth  in  Love ;  Love  is  his  conftant 
Abode  ;  Love  is  his  Orb  and  Sphere,  in  which  he 
is  fixed,  in  which  he  dwells,  moves,  and  fhines.  It 
is  impoffible  with  all  Gifts,  with  all  Powers  of 
Miracles,  with  all  the  wonderful  Expreffions  of  a 
kindnefs  to  our  fellow-creatures,  with  an  under- 
ftanding  of  all  Myfterles,  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks, 
I  Cor.  xiii.  to  patch  up  a  Saint  ivithoiit  this  Love, 

3.  We  have  the  happinefs  of  this  Perfon,  this 
Saint,  and  the  Heavenlinefs  of  Divine  Love  :  He 
that  dwelleth  in  Love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God 
dwelleth  in  him.  This  Love  then  placeth  us  in 
Heaven  ;  for  while  we  dwell  in  this  Love,  we 
dvyell  in  God,  which  is  to  dwell  in  Heaven,  and 
more,  if  it  were  poffible  ;  and  it  is  fo,  for  it  is  God 
that  makes  Heaven,  and  therefore  he  is  more  than 
Heaven  ;  and  fure  I  am.  Heaven  without  him 
would  be  nothing  at  all. 

Love  makes  a  Saint  a  Heaven  in  himfelf;  he  that 
diwelleth  in  Love,  hath  God  dwelling  in  him  ;  to 
be  the  Dwelling-place  of  God  then,  as  was  faid  be- 
fore, is  Heaven  and  more :  and  he  dwelleth  in  God, 

This 


y 


i     176    ) 

This  again  muft  be  Heaven  ;  God  and  a  Saint  are 
two  Loves  mutually,  dwelling  one  in  the  other, 
-elTcntially,  not  by  a  Confufion,  but  by  a  Union  of 
Kliences. 

To  make  my  way  for  my  Strength  from  this 
Scripture  to  my  prefent  Argument,  I  begin  with 
the  iirft  :  The  excellent  and  the  right  Delcription 
of  God  in  thele  Words,  God  is  Love. 

He  who  was  the  Dilciple  of  Love,  who  lay  in 
the  Bofom  of  Love,  and  fo  bell  knew  what  God  is, 
declares  divine  Love  to  be  the  Nature  and  EfTence 
of  God  ;  God,  faith  he,  is  Lo«re,  and  he  that  dwel- 
leth  in  Love,  dwelleth  in  God. 

God  is  pure  Love,  all  I^ove,  a  God-head  of  Love, 
as  the  Sea  is  a  heap  of  Waters ;  the  gathering  i^'g^^- 
thcr  of  IVatcrs  he  called  the  Sea,  Gen.  i.  As  the  body 
of  the  Sun  is  a  pure  and  funple  .Li2,ht,  fo  is  God  a 
Colleftion  of  Loves,  a  o-atherin^  together  of  all 
Loves  mto  one  Spirit,  into  this  eternal  Spring,  and 
Jupreme  Form  ;  fo  is  God,  a  Sea  of  Love,  bound- 
lefs  and  bottomlefs,  without  Shore,  Bottom,  or  Sur- 
face ;  an  infinite  Ocean  of  Love  that  can  never 
run  itfelf  dry  :  So  is  God  a  Sun,  a  Source  of  Love 
that  can  never  fpend  all  its  Light  ;  all  the  Plea- 
iures  and  Joys  of  Love  meet  in  him,  are  his  ElTence 
and  Perfon,  hlling  all,  overflowing  all  with  an  inii- 
nite  fulnefs  and  endlefs  variety.  He  in  all  the  In- 
finitenefs  of  his  Divine  Nature,  is  nothing  but 
Lov^,  in  its  pareft,  mod  perfeft,  moft  plentiful 
»Sweetnefles,  with  all  the  vicheft,  the  numberlefs 
Beauties  and  Delights,  which  Love  itfelf,  in  the' 
Infinitenels  of  its  Godhead  is  capable  of. 

This  is  the  Divine  Nature,  a  perfcft  Lenity, 
Purity,  and  Simplicity  of  Love.  This  is  the  fa- 
cred  unfearchable  Unity  of  the  Divine  Majefty, 
the  moll  Sacred  and  Supreme  Love.  He  is,  1  fay, 
a'  perfeft  Uniiy  of  Love,  and  fo  by  a  necclliiry 
Confeouence,  an  Liiinite  Love  foraperfeft  Lenity, 
IS  pofitively  and  perfeiTtly  Liliuite.  Unity  and  \n- 
rinitenefs  in  Truth,  li^rnify  the  fame  thin<r:  the  one 

bv 


(     177     ) 

by  way  of  Affi.rm.ation^  the  otlier  of  Negation.  An 
entire  Unity  tranfcendeth  all  divifion,  all  Compo* 
tfition,  and  (o  all  Bounds  ;  that  which  is  bounded 
is  made  up  of  different  Part«,  fome  more  inward, 
as  nearer  to  the  Centre,  and  fome  more  Qutward, 
remote,  and  cxtream,  where  the  whole  is  bounded. 
An  abfolute  Unity  is  incapable  of  being  bounded 
from  within  or  from  without,  it  being  fimplc, 
pure,  unmixt,  it  is  every  where  itfelf,  and  the  fame 
^equality  withm  itfelf,  equally  remote  fiom  every 
thing  Foreign,  from  Jjny  ^iipit  of  Begmnlng  or 
End. 

I  could  caiily  fhew,  how  impoffible  it  is  for  an 
entire  Unity  to  be  bp-Jjidcd  from  any  thing  U7'r^/;r, 
for  then  it  muft  be  divided  into  different  Princi-» 
pies,  Powers  and  Forms,  or  Parts ;  fome  bounded, 
others  bounding,  and  fo  alfo  have  in  itfelf  Diver- 
iitics  and  Difjimllhudei,  in  its  Approximations  to, 
or  remotenefs  from  its  Limits.  I  m'gh''  alfo  go 
on,  and  fhew,  how  an  entire  Unity  is  incapable 
of  being  bounded  by  any  thing  without ;  for  an 
x^bfolute  Unity  comprehendeth  all  things  in  the 
^oft  Etninent  and  Tranfcendent  manner  within 
itfelf;  and  if  there  was  any  thing  without  this 
Unity,  there  would  then  be  an  Agreement  between 
this  Unity  and  that  Foreign  Being'in  Beings  inaf- 
much  as  both  are  ;  theie  would  be  ah'o  a  Deviation 
and  difference  between  them,  lo  f^r  ^s  they  are 
not  both  one,  and  one  lies  without  the  other,  and 
fo  in  this  State  there  would  be  of  nece0ity  a  Com- 
polition  of  differing  parts  in  the  Unity,  one  part  in 
•which  it  agrees  with  that  without  it,  and  the  othcf 
in  which  it  differeth  from  it  j  and  fo  ijt  were  qo 
raore  an  entire  Unity, 

I  could  run  out  at  large  upon  this  Mttaphvjical 
Notion,  to  prove  the  Unity  of  Love  muft  be  ar^ 
infinite  Love  ;  but  the  Age  we  lue  in,  doth  not 
relifli  A4ctnph\Jtral\aZzr\\\r.z.,  and  I  content  my-r 
felf  vv-rh  the  Pleafurc  of  it  to  myfelf. 

N  In 


(     178     ) 

In  God  then  is  an  Abfolute  Unity  of  Love,  and  fo 
if  I  am  right  in  my  reafoning,  as  I  believe  I  am,  he 
is  an  Abfolute,  Infinite  Love  by  its  Fjpntial  Form^ 
if  I  may  fo  fpcak,  every  way  one^  one  in  all  things, 
one  with  all  things,  one  infinitely  above,  beyond, 
and  beneath  all  things,  all  things  in  one  with  an 
equal  Propriety,  and  infinitely  more.  Thus  is  God 
a  perfeff:  Unity  of  Love ^  thus  is  God  an  Infinite 
"Love,  This  mofl  perfeft  Love,  with  all  its  Infi- 
nite, Eternal,  and  all-comprehending  Sweetnefs,  is 
the  only  true  God. 

Our  Divine  Apoflle  fpeaketh  here  of  Love,  as 
the  Effence  of  God,  and  as  Convertible  with  God ; 
he  that  dvvellcth  in  Love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and 
tjod  in  him  ;  that  is  in  plain  Englijh,  God  is  Love, 
Love  is  God,  God  is  Love  itfelf  j  the  firfl,  the 
fweetefl,  the  pureft,  the  fupreme,  the  Ibvereign 
Love,  the  moll  abfolute,  the  mofl  incomprehenfi- 
ble,  the  all-comprehending  Love,  Love  itfclf,  the 
EfTence  and  Subflance  of  Love  ;  Love  is  God  him- 
felf,  the  Effence  of  God,  convertible  with  God  ; 
for  fo  this  Scripture  fpeaks  of  God  and  of  Love,  as 
convertible  Terms ;  becaufe  we  know  nothing,  as 
hath  been  well  obferved,  which  fo  faithfully,  fo 
fully,  fo  formally,  effentially  expreffeth  the  God- 
head, the  Divine  Nature,  the  Divine  Perfons  in 
their  Diftinftions,  in  their  Unity,  as  this  Name  of 
Love  ;  Love  is  the  highefl  Difcovery  of  God  to 
our  Capacity,  as  he  is  in  the  Simplicity  of  his  Di- 
vine Effence  ;  Love  is  more  than  an  Attribute,  it 
is  the  very  Name  of  God,  it  is  God  himfelf  ;  an 
Attribute  is  an  imperfeft  and  a  partial  Expreflion 
of  God  to  us ;  But  Love  is  the  full  Expreflion  of 
him,  fo  far  as  God  can  be  exprelfed  and  conceived 
•by  us.  Love  is  the  highefl,  the  mofl  exalted  Name 
pf  God,  that  which  the  Scripture  calls  his  Glory, 
as  he  is  unveiled,  unclouded.  Love  istheUniver- 
ial  Pcrfe£lion  of  the  Deity,  that  Pcrfedlion  of  God 
from  which,  as  I  may  fo  fpeak,  all  his  other  Per- 
fc<5lions  are  derived,  and  to  which  they  are  all  fub- 

fervient. 


(     179    ) 

fervient,  all  the  Strengths,  the  SweetnelTes,  the 
Purities,  the  Powers,  the  Beauties  of  the  Divine 
Nature,  of  the  Divine  Perlbns,  they  are  all  con- 
cluded and  concentred  in  this  Love;  they  are  no 
other  than  this  Love  itfelf  in  lb  many  divine  Forms, 
Figures,  and  Shapes  of  Beauty  and  Bleflednefs, 
afting  thofe  Heavenly  Parts  which  make  all  the 
Joys  and  Glories  of  Love  complete  in  themfelves, 
and  in  us.  (lod  is  Love,  and  therefore  all  his 
Attributes  are  the  Attributes  of  his  Love.  The 
full  Number  of  all  the  Attributes,  Excellencies, 
and  Perfeftions  of  the  God-head,  like  the  Stars  in 
Heaven,  no  one  wantini;  in  their  full  Glory,  like 
the  Sun  in  its  ftrength,  never  waxing  dim,  waning, 
never  in  any  EclipCe  or  any  Cloud,  never  ri- 
fing  nor  fetting,  they  are  all  united  and  centred  in 
this  Love,  they  are  all  fo  many  feveral  Names, 
Expreflions,  Glories,  Vidlories,  and  Triumphs  of 
this  Love,  which  is  himfelf ;  or  if  you  will,  this 
Love  is  the  Predominant  Attribute  that  fet  all  the 
reft  on  work,  it  is  the  Triumphant  Attribute,  and 
the  efpecial  matter  of  God's  Glory.  For  although 
the  divine  Attributes  are  equal  as  they  are  in  God, 
for  one  Infinite  cannot  exceed  another,  yet  Love 
is  reprefented  to  us,  with  particular  Advantages 
above  the  reft,  it  is  God's  dear  Attribute,  as  I  may 
fo  fpeak,  and  all  his  other  Attributes  and  Perfe£tions 
are  the  dear  goings-forth  of  this  Love.  I  have 
more  to  fay  upon  this  matter,  to  fhew  particularly 
how  all  the  Attributes,  Excellencies,  and  Perfec- 
tions of  God  are  Love,  in  various  Forms  and 
Shapes,  but  of  that  hereafter  ;  only  before  I  pro•r^ 
ceed  to  the  full  opening  of  this,  I  would  conclude 
by  way  of  Anticipation  of  myfelf,  with  two  Cau- 
tions. 

1.  While  we  fpeak  of  God  as  Love,  let  us  take 
heed  that  we  bring  no  Strange  Fire  to  this  Golden 
Altar,  that  we  form  not  to  ourfelves  an  Image  of 
any  Human  or  Angelical  Loves  :  But  let  us  raife 
our  Spirits  upon  the  Wings  of  the  Chafte  and  Hea- 
N  a.  venly 


(     i8o    ) 

venly  Dove,  to.a  Love  wlihin  the  inneimofl  Veil, 
within  the  Wings  of  the  (joldcn  Cherubims,  to.a 
Love  pure  and  agreeable  to  the  Purity,  the  Majefty 
of  the  Divine  Nature,  infinitely  tranfcending  the 
pureft,  the  moft  Glorious  Flame  of  the  Seraphims 
themfelves.  They  lay,  there  arc  feme  Mountains 
in  this  World  lb  high,  and  the  Air  that  blows  upon 
them  is  fo  Pure,  that  a  Man  cannot  live  there  for 
the  Purity  of  it.  Sure  I  am  nothing  that  is  unclean 
can  enter  into  the  High  and  Holy  Place  of  this 
Love,  nothing  that  defileth,  can  enter  into  this 
Love,  no  filthy  thing  can  lye  in  the  Spiritual  and 
Chafte  Embraces  of  this  Love  ;  nor  can  this  Love 
I'uiFer  any  luch  thing  to  remain  in  us,  and  fure  I  am 
it  will  ceafe  to  be  this  Love,  if  it  doth  not  recover 
us  out  of  all  Filth  into  itfelf.  I'here  is  nothing  fo 
pure  as  this  Love  in  God  and  in  us ;  tlierefove  the 
Apoftle,  I  Tim.  i.  5,  puts  thefe  two  together,  Love 
and  a  pure  Heart,  Choice  Plants,  we  obferve,  grow 
and  profper  only  in  their  Native  S«i!,  if  they  be 
tranfplanted  into  a  different  Ground,  they  dege- 
nerate and  come  to  nothing;  afluredly  the  Love  of 
God  will  live  and  flourifli  no  where  but  in  a  pure 
Heart,  in  a  New  and  Divine  Nature :  if  our  Spirits 
be  impure,  unclean,  let  us  ufe  what  Diligence  we 
can  to  heighten  and  cherifli  the  Love  of  God  in  us, 
by  therichefl  Notions,  the  Iwcetcft  Entertainments 
of  it  in  the  moft  frequent,  the  mofl  Evangelical 
Duties,  this  divine  Plant  of  Spiritual  Love,  will  in 
the  midft  of  all  thefc  lofe  its  Beauty,  Sweetncfs, 
and  Virtue,  and  by  degrees  dye  away,  if  the  God 
of  Love  did  not  revive  ij. 

There  is  nothing  (ojlrin^  fo  exaft,  fofearching, 
fo  fevere,  as  this  Love,  nothing  can  efcape  this 
Lover's  eye  and  indignation,  that  is  contrary  to  it ; 
it  finds  out  every  look,  every  glance,  every  mo- 
tion of  our  Spirit  that  is  unchafte  to  it  j  Sin  and 
Divine  Love  cannot  lodge  quietly  together,  cannot 
divide  or  fharc  out  between  them  two  Dominioiis 
in  one  Soul,  Sinfliall  not  have  Dominion  over  you, 

for 


(  ifel  ) 

for  you  are  not  nncTer  the  Lmv,  b\3t  unc^er  Gracej 
Viz.  Love  ;  for  Grace  is  the  higlieft,  the  fweete^, 
the  moft  exalted  name  of  Love  ;  Divine  Love  will 
not  fnffer  any  other  Intereil  to  grow  up  by  it,  it 
will  be  Abfolure  wherever  it  comes,  fo  ?s  all  Love 
here  below,  tho''  never  {o  fond,  it  is  ft  ill  either  a 
Sovereign  or  a  Tyrant. 

There  is,  I  fay,  nothin.<^  ib  fevere,  fo  fearching 
as  Love,  it  is  compared  in  bcripture  to  Fire,  fo  the 
Baptifm  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  the  Spirit  of  the  (jofpel, 
the  Spirit  of  Grace  and  Love,  the  Spirit  whofc 
Name  is  Love  (as  the  Name  of  the  fccond  Ptrfon  in 
the  Trinity,  is  Wifdom,  or  the  "Word)  is  caHed  a 
Baptifm  with  Fire ;  Divine  Love  wherever  it  comes 
it  is  a  Refiner's  Fire,  feparating  every  where  be- 
tween Darknefs  and  Light,  between  Good  and  Evil, 
Gold  and  Drofs,  things  that  differ,  burning-  up  the 
Drofs  and  bringing  forth  the  pure  Gold  to  Ihine 
more  beautifully,  transforming  every  thing  into 
one  Glorious,  Heavenly,  Immortal  Nature  with  it- 
ielf,  melting  and  uniting  the  Gold  until  it  ali  run 
into  one  undivided  Mafs. 

Thus  again,  the  Love  of  the  Heavenly  Bride- 
groom, Cant.  viii.  6,  is  thus  defcribed,  Love  isjirong 
as  Death,  'Jeakvfy  is  hard,  cruel  as  the  Graven  the 
Coals  thereof  are  the  Coals  of  Fire,  which  have  a  moji 
vehement  Flame.  It  is  in  the  Hebrew,  Coals  of  the 
Flame  of  the  Lord,  of  a  Divine  Flame  :  There  are 
two  Expreffions  here  which  do  very  emphati- 
cally fct  forth  the  fearching  and  fevere  Nature  of 
Love. 

1.  Jealoufy,  which  may  rather  be  interpreted  the 
Zeal  of  Love,  it  is  faid  here  to  be  as  the  Coals  of 
Fire,  the  Coals  of  a  vehement  Flame,  of  the  Flame 
of  fah,  it  is  wherever  it  comes  as  the  Fire  of  God, 
a  Divine  Fire  burning  up  every  thing  that  is  hete- 
rogeneal,  it  is  to  every  thing  that  is  contrary  to  it, 
like  Fire,  dreadful,  irrelii^ible,  devouring,  torment- 
ing, till  it  hath  quite  confumed  the  whole  Body 
of  Death,  till  it  hath  confumed  the  whole  Frame 
N   3  of 


(     i82     ) 

of  this.  Creation  in  us,  feparating  us  from  every 
form  of  things,  and  transforming  us  into  its'  own 
fhinins;  and  flourifhins;  Form.  The  Divine  and 
Heavenly  Perlbn  of  our  Jefus,  the  primitive  and 
the  purefl  Love  and  Lovelinefs, 

2.  Jealoufy  (which  as  I  (aid  before  may  rather 
be  interpreted  the  Zeal  of  Love)  is  laid  htre  to  be 
as  ftrong  as  Death,  hard  and  cruel  as  the  Grave; 
Divine  Love,  the  Zeal  of  Divine  Love,  both  in 
God  and  in  us,  is  ftrong  as  Death,  liard  and  cruel 
as  the  Grave  ;  the  meaning,  1  conceive,  is  this. 
Death  is  hard,  inexorable,  irrefiftible,  it  devours, 
it  feeds  upon  it,  eateth  up  without  any  Mercy,  all 
things  Earthly,  Fleflily,  Mortal,  mixt,  until  it 
hath  confumed  the  Earthly,  the  Flcflily,  the  Mor- 
tal part,  and  changed  all  into  a  Pure,  Heavenly, 
Spiritual,  Immortal  Glory,  diffolving  and  refol- 
ving  all  mixtures  into  the  ever  Blelled  and  un- 
changeable Unity. 

Thus  Divine  Love  is  a  Divine  Death.,  hard  as 
Death,  cruel  as  the  Grave,  inexorable,  irreliftiblc, 
never  yielding  to  any  thing  corrupt,  carnal,  and 
earthly,  never  to  be  fubje£led  to  any  thing  impure, 
never  to  be  wrought  to  a  compliance  with  any- 
thing that  muft  die,  to  cherifli  that  or  to  lie  down 
in  the  Bofom  of  it ;  this  is  the  Treachery  and 
Adultery  of  unclean  Luft,  not  the  Truth  and  Puri- 
ty of  Heavenly  Love. 

Divine  Love  is  like  a  Leaven  which  over-fprcads, 
fubdues,  and  ferments  the  whole  Mafs  in  which  it 
is  wrapt  up ;  however  that  Rule,  touch  not,  tafte 
not,  handle  not,  be  abolilhed  as  to  Symbolical 
Rites,  yet  it  hath  in  it  an  immutable  Myftery  in 
this  Love.  Divine  Love  can  be  no  more  reconcil- 
ed to  Sin,  than  Day  and  Night,  Light  and  Dark- 
nefs,  Life  and  Death,  can  intermingle  or  comply 
one  with  another;  to  think  to  live  in  the  Love  of 
God  and  in  Sin,  is  to  endeavour  to  reconcile  Heaven 
and  Hell,  and  to  accommodate  matters  between 
God  and  the  Devil  as  fuch.     Love  is  the  Seed  of 

God, 


(     '83     ) 

God,  Sin  is  the  Seed  of  the  Serpent,  that  Seed 
which  is  the  very  Spirit  of  Hell  and  of  all  Devils, 
this  which  makes  Hell  to  be  Hell,  and  the  Devils 
there  to  be  Devils  ;  there  is  a  perpetual  enmity 
between  thefe  two  Seeds,  there  can  be  no  Peace, 
no  not  lb  much  as  a  Truce,  a  Cefl'ation  of  Arms, 
between  them,  one  muft  Conquer,  Kill,  and  De- 
llroy  the  other,  there  are  not  two  things  in  all  the 
World  more  irreconcileable  and  inconfiftent  than 
Divine  Love  and  Sin.  This  Love  is  hard  as  Death, 
cruel  as  the  Grave.  O  the  Sweet,  the  Heavenly 
Myftery  of  Divine  Love,  and  of  Death:  O  the 
Divinity,  the  divine  Depth  of  Love  and  of  Death  ! 
They  are  both  one  and  the  fame  Divine  Myftery, 
one  and  the  fame  way,  to  one  and  the  fame  Bleifed 
End  ;  Death  is  in  truth,  the  Divine  Love  in  the 
Form  of  Death.  The  fuprcmely  fweet,  the  fu- 
premely  glorious  Flame  of  the  higheft  Unity,  de- 
fcending  in  a  Cloud,  drawing  all  things  to  it- 
felf  within  that  Cloud.  Thus  at  once  feafting  it- 
felf  upon  them,  and  making  itfelf  a  Feaft  to  them, 
fo  feafting  together  with  them  ;  while  by  itsblefled 
burnings  upon  them,  it  converteth  them  into  one 
Flame,  one  Spirit  of  Glory  and  Majefty  with  it- 
felf. This  Cloud  too,  in  which  this  fupremc 
Unity,  this  fupreme  Love  defcendeth,  which  we 
call  Death,  is  a  Knot,  a  Chariot  of  Angels,  which 
are  indeed  a  Cloud  to  the  Natural  Senfes,  that  is, 
to  the  difappearing  Darknefs,  but  to  the  Spiritual 
Senfes,  tothe  fpringing  Light,  Angels,  Seraphims, 
Angels  of  Love,  Divine  Mmifters  of  Divine  Love, 
fliining  and  {inging  as  they  defcend  and  afcend  ; 
this  is  the  Myftery,  the  Divine  Myftery  of  Death  ; 
this  is  the  Myftery  of  Divine  Love  in  the  Form  of 
Death  ;  this  Death  is  a  Divine  Love  ;  thus  Love  is 
a  Death  to  every  thing  that  fliould  die.  O  hovr 
kind  is  the  cruelty  of  this  Death  !  O  how  faith- 
fully cruel  is  the  kindnefs  of  this  killing  Love  1 

2.  My  fecond  Caution  (having  fo  fully  vindica- 
ted the  purity  of  this  Love)  (hall  be  to  take  heed 
N  4  how 

( 


(     i84    ■; 

how  we  fct  any  bounds  to  this  infinite  Love  ;  ho\7 
we  iiint  that  Love  which  is  God,  that  Love,  that 
God  who  is  Love  ;  a  Love  which  hath  a  depth  in 
jt,  that  iwallows  up  the  capacious  Spirits  of  Men^ 
Saints,  and  Angels,  but  can  be  fathomed  by  none 
of  them  ;  but  only  by  that  Spirit  which  fcaicheth 
all  things,  even  the  deep  things  of  God, 

This  incomprehenfiblc  Love  is  made  up  of 
Dreadihs,  and  lengTh<^,  and  depths,  and  heights, 
which  pafs  all  UndeiTtanding  ;  here  is  a  depth  with- 
out any  bottom,  a  height  without  any  bound,  a 
breadihj  a  lersgih  without  any  meafure  ;  this  is  a 
Love  which  ftretcheth  forth  itielf  beneath,  above, 
through,  and  heyond  all  things  ;  a  Love  which  at 
once  ex  ends  and  exceeds  all  Underftandings  and 
C.ipaciiies;  a  Love  which  hath  in  it  all  the  lulnefs 
of  the  God-head,  an  inexhauftihle  Spring,  Foun- 
tain, O.e.in  of  Love  and  Goodnefs  without  begin- 
ning or  end,  without  bottom  or  bound,  a  Love  in 
which,  as  hath  bee^  faid,  where  Sin  hath  abound- 
ed, Grace  doth  much  more  fuper-abound.  O 
tel!  me  where  is  this  fuper-abounding  Grace,  and 
boa  is  this  Text  true,  if  it  leave  Sin  and  Death 
reigo'ng  arid  triumphing  over  the  greatcft  part  of 
M.mkind  ?  if  the  Evil  that  abound  in  the  Creature:* 
can  exeeed  the  Love  and  Goodnefs  in  God,  fliall 
Jntiii:tc'  and  Eteifnal  Love  fail,  fballthe  Soveieignty 
and  Wrath  of  God  out- live  his  Love,  his  Grace, 
li  s  Sv\(.etnefs  ?  Js,  this  Wrath  greater  and  {trongei: 
ihan  his  Love  ?  Is  it  not  a  Servant  to  it  ?  Do  not 
all  his  Attributes  ferve  his  Love  t  Can  there  be  any 
fupreme  Evil?  And  can  God  ceafe  to  be  God  ? 
"Which  he  mufl  do  wlien  he  ceafeth  to  be  Good. 
Let  us  then  take  heed  we  fct  no  bounds  to  that 
\vhich  is  unbounded.  How  wc  dare  to  fay  to  this 
Ocean  of  Love,  Thus  far  Ihalt  thou  go,  and  no 
further. 


CHAP, 


(     i85    ) 

C  H  A  P.    XX. 

Shewing  that  Love  is  the  Uni'Verfal  Fer>* 
jedlioH  of  the  'Deity. 

I  Have  already  fliewn  that  Love  is  the  Root,  the 
C'ricinal,  the  Meafure,  the  Flower,  the  Sum 
and  Subftance  of  all  Perfeftions  whatever.  Moral 
or  Evangelical,  Human  or  Divine  ;  that  there  are 
no  Moral  Perfedlions  we  are  acquainted  with,  and 
have  any  notion  of  in  ourlelves  or  any  where  elie  ; 
but  what  flow  from  and  are  contained  in  Love.  I 
nov,'  fnew  that  all  the  Perfe£lions  of  God,  all  the 
Moral  or  Divine  Perftflions  of  God  are  by  way  of 
eminence  and  tranfcendency  comprehended  in  this 
Love. 

There  are  ibme  Perfections  in  God  we  beft  un- 
derftand,  by  a  Participation  of  and  Acquaintance 
\vith  them  in  ourlelves,  by  a  Tranfcript  and  Copy 
of  them  in  our  Minds,  there  are  other  Perfections 
in  God  in  which  it  is  impoHible  for  us  to  commu- 
nicate with  him,  becaufe  they  are  inconfiftent 
with  the  very  Notion  of  a  Creature,  and  are  pe- 
culiar to  the  Deity,  but  yet  being  revealed  to  us 
concerning  God,  we  are  fure  of  them  becaufe  they 
are  conformable  to  the  moft  perfe<^  Ideas  we  can 
frame  of  him  ;  but  all  ftill  are  only  fo  far  Moral  and 
Divine  Perfeftions  as  they  fpring  from,  and  tend 
to  Love.  We  can  conceive  of  no  Moral  Excellen- 
ci<:s  either  in  God  or  in  ourlelves;  but  lb  far  as 
they  do  partake  of  and  are  lubfcrvient  to  this  Love. 
I  flull  give  you  leveral  Inftances  of  the  Perfeftions 
of"  God  to  make  this  aood,  and  I  fhall  bejiin  with 
tnole  which  we  would  think  in  their  own  Nature 
to  be  moft  remote  from  Love,  no  way  allied,  but 
contrary  to  it. 

The 


(    i86    ) 

The  firft  inflance  fliall  be  the  Juji'ice  of  God, 
Juftice  which  gives  to  every  one  his  right  and  duc^ 
this  is  only  fo  far  commendable  as  it  flows  froni 
Love  and  communicates  with  goodnefs,  for  other- 
wife,  as  we  fay,  Summumjus  is Jumma  injuria,  tooftrici 
yujiice  bears  upon  cruelty  •  it  is  no  perfe£lion  to  ex- 
a£l,  to  be  too  ftrift  and  fevere,  whereas  if  it  were 
in  its  own  Nature  and  Phyfically  good,  and  not 
gratia  alterius,  for  the  fake  of  fomcthing  elfe,  it 
would  be  univerfally  and  fo  intenfely  and  extenfely 
ib  ;  for  that  which  is  good  in  itfelf,  the  more  there 
is  of  it  ftill  the  better  ;  fo  that  Juftice  which  we 
think  in  its  own  Nature  to  be  moft  remote  from 
Love,  no  way  allied  but  contrary  to  it,  yet  this 
Juftice  is  only  fo  far  a  Moral  Perfeftion,  is  only 
io  far  commendable  as  it  flows  from  Love  and  com- 
municates vv'ith  goodnefs. 

There  are  two  forts  of  Juftice  Remutierajive,  and 
Vindi5iive,  or  Punitive  Juftice ;  of  the  firft,  I  need 
lay  nothing  to  prove  it ;  it  is  one  with  Love  and 
Goodnefs,  for  the  thing  fpeaks  itfelf. 

P'indiBive,  or  Punitive,  is  either  to  fatisfy  a  pee- 
vifh  Humour  which  pleafes  itfelf  in  the  Mifery  of 
thofe  by  whom  it  is  off^ended,  and  there  is  a  Spirit 
of  Revenge  and  Cruelty  in  it,  equally,  abfolutely 
evil  and  eternally  .abhorrent  from  the  Nature  of 
God  and  all  good  Men  ;  for  howfoever  fome  Men 
have  painted  God  in  their  own  Minds,  and  reprc- 
iented  him  to  the  World  as  a  cruel  Being,  as  one 
extending  himfelf  to  a  larger  Capacity  in  Severity 
and  Wrath,  than  Sweetnefies  and  Loves,  as  an  Ene- 
my to,  and  a  neglefter  of  the  Joys  and  Felicities 
of  his  Creatures,  as  one  that  waiteth  for  their 
haltings,  and  hath  rather  a  Pleafure  and  Delight  to 
himfelf  in  the  Shame  and  Ruin  of  his  own  Works. 
This  is  but  a  falfe  Image,  an  Idol  which  guilty, 
angry,  peevifli  Man  hath  fetup  within  itfelf  in  the 
place  of  God.     Or  further. 

If  we  conflder  well  the  feveral  Grounds  of  vin- 
dictive and  punitive  Juftice.      It  is   either  for  the 

good 


C    ^87    ) 

good  and  correction  of  thePerfon   that  is  pnnifhed 
OF  for  the  Example  and  Prefervation  of  others,  or 
to  repair  the  Honour   and  to  fecure   the  Right   of 
the  Party  offended .;  or  for  the  fafety  of  the  Com- 
munity in  which,  and  againft  which,   the  Crime  is 
committed  ;  or  it  is  to  rcftore    and  to  maintain  the 
Authority  of  the  Law ^  which  is  the  good,  the  fafety, 
the   welfare  of  all    thofe   that   live  under  it,    and 
which  is  vilified   and    weakned   by    every    willful 
Breach  of  it  to  the  danger  of  the  whole.     Now,  it 
the  end  of  the  Law  being  the  good,  -the  fafety,  the 
Welfare  of  all  thofe  that  live  under  it,    it  is  plain 
it  mull  be  the  end  of  the  punifhment  alfo.     Now 
is  plain,  that  in  all  thefe  Cafes,  Love  and  Goodnefs 
is  the  Principle  that  beflows  upon  Juftice  whatever 
it  hath  of  Pcrfedlion,    and  that  the  end  of  the  pu- 
nijhment  muft  be  the  end  of  the  La"jj\  which  is  the 
good  of  thewhde,  or  elfe  it  is  to  fhew  that  due  ha- 
tred  of,    and  difpleafure   againft  Sin,  which  is  in 
God,  and  which  alfo  ought  to  be  in  us;  but  this  is 
by  no  means  to  be  accompanied  with  any   ill  Will 
to  the  Sinner,  but  to  difcountenance  and  deftroy  the 
Sin,    and   fo  Love  and   Goodnefs    is  ftill  the  Root 
and  Fruit  of  it,  the  Bottom  and  Top  of  it.     A  right 
and  true  hatred  of  Evil  every  where  fprings  from  a 
Love  of  the  Perfon,  Wrath  and  Hatred  againft  Sin 
is  no  bitter  Zeal  againft  the  Sinner,  but  a  due  In- 
dignation of  Love   and   Goodnefs  againft  the  Sin, 
The  Deftrudion  of  Sin  and  Propagation  of  the  Di- 
vine Image,   is  ftill   the  principal  Intention  where 
the  Indignation  is  right.     The  Subjeft  fuffers  only 
as  it  is  in  conjunction  with  that  which   is  ruinons 
to  itfelf  and  one  another,  and  which  God    and  all 
good  Men  muft  hate  or  ceafe  to  be  themfelves.  For 
the  proper  place  which  Sin  hath  in  the   Univerfal 
Harmony  of  Things,    is  to  be  the  Obje£t  of  a  Di- 
vine hatred.     The  Mark  and  Butt,   againft  which 
God  flioots  his  burning  Arrows,    and  at  which  he 
cafts  his  firey  Darts. 

Or 


Or  It  is  for  Vhdication  of  that  Rigliteoufnefs, 
Re6tirude  and  Purity  that  is  abufed  and  wronged 
by  Sin,  and  ib  the  end  of  it  is  either  to  ftir  up  in 
the  Sinner,  or  to  encreafe  ia  others  an  high  Efteem, 
Keverence  and  Love  .of  thofe  Ptrfef^ions,  and  fo 
Goodnefs  is  ftill  its  Rife  and  Fountain,  and  its 
Stream.     Or^ 

Laitly,  It  ig,  as  one  faitli^  becaufe  Sin  and  Punifli* 
ment  arc  Terms  whicli  do  very  well  agree  one  with 
another,  and  that  Sin  being  the  worft  thing  in  the 
World,  it  is  very  meet  it  Ihould  fare  accordingly, 
and  this  is  no  more  than  tiie  Natural  Courl'e  of 
Things.  That  as  every  Principle  naturally  un- 
folds itfelf  into  all  the  Powers  and  Forms  contained 
in  it  :  So  the  Evil  of  Sin  which  is  the  root  of  all 
Evil,fhould  fpringiip  into  all  manner  of  Evils,  of 
Blame,  Shame,  Pain,  Sorrow  and  Torment,  which 
do  all  lie  wrapt  up  in  it;  all  this  is  no  more  than 
the  fenlible  Conncxic'tn  the  inviolable  Qrdcr  that 
muft  be  between  the  Evil  of  Sin,  and  the  Evil  of 
Suffering,  and  this  is  nothing  but  a  Branch  of  that 
Divine  Wifdom,  Goodnefs,  impartial  and  unbialTed 
Providence  which  takes  care  of  the  whole. 

Thus  whether  we  conlider  the  feveral  kinds  and 
forts  of  Juftice,  and  the  feveral  reafons  and  grounds 
of  punitive  Juftice,  it  is  mod  evident  that  Juflice, 
both  in  God  and  in  us,  is  nothing  elle  but  Love  and 
Goodnefs  in  another  Name  and  Drcfs,  is  nothing 
tl^t  but  the  Order  and  Harmonv  of  the  Divine 
Love  and  Goodnefs  :  from  all  the  Notions  of  Juft- 
ice before-mentioned,  it  is  imnoffible  to  draw  an 
Argument  for  Eternal  punitive  Juftice  ;  for  that 
can  be  neither  for  the  Corre6lion  of  the  Perfon  that 
IS  punifhed,  or  for  the  Prefervation  of  others,  or  to 
repair  the  Honour,  and  to  fecure  the  Right  of  the 
God  oftended,  whofe  Glory  is  above  all ;  or  for 
the  maintaining  of  the  Authority  of  the  Law,  which 
is  the  fafcty  and  welfare  of  thofe  that  live  under  it, 
and  which  is  vilified  a»d  weaken'd  by  every  wilful 

Breach  • 


C     »89     ) 

Breach  of  It.  For  the  Law  is  perfeftly  fulfilled 
and  abrogated  ;  fure  I  am,  therefore,  that  every 
thing,  even  Juftice  itfelf,  mufl  end  where  it  begins. 
Juftice  rlfcth  up  from  Love,  is  govenid  by  it,  and 
refohes  it  into  itfelf. 

As  for  vindiftive  and  punitive  Juftice,  when  it 
is,  not  for  the  reafon  before-mentioned  or  fucli 
like;  bui  to  fatisfy,  as  hath  been  faid,  a  peevifii 
proud  Humour  which  plcafeth  itfelf  in  the  Mifery 
of  thofe  !>y  whom  it  is  offended,  it  lofeth  the  Na- 
ture and  Nam.e  of  Juftice,  and  is  of  a  Spirit  of  Re- 
venge and  Cruelty^  as  hath  been  already  faid,  and  in 
itscjualitv  abfolutely  ^TvV,  and  abhorrent  from  the 
Nature  of  God  and  good  Men.  Sure  I  am  for  a 
Judge  here  below,  to  condemn  the  greatcil  Male- 
faftor  and  Murderer  with  Pleafure,  and  Delight 
in' the  Ruin  and  Deltruftion  of  his  Fellow-Crea- 
ture, is  to  make  himfelf  guilty  of  the  fame  OiTence^ 
the  fame  Murder  for  which  he  condemns  another 
to  Punifhment,  for  Punifliment  fake  ;  for  this  is. 
the  Lujl  of  the  Punillier,  and  cannot  be  the  Qua- 
lification of  any  good  Being.  The  true  Notion  of 
Juftice,  the  proper  Scope  and  Defign  of  it  is  not 
runifhment ;  but  the  prevention  of  thofe  Evils 
which  are  hurtful  to  ourfelves  and  others,  the  Vcn^- 
geance  that  is  taken  on  Wicked  Men  is  not  the 
defign  of  Juftice,  but  the  Necelfavy  Confequenccs 
of  it;  this  is  the  meaning  of  all  Divine  Laws,  of 
all  good  Laws  whatfoever,  a  Security  of  Right  and 
Equity,  this  is  the  meaning  of  all  the  Punifhment 
annexed  to  the  Breach  of  thofe  La'vvs,  to  prevent 
Tranfgreffion  ;  fo  that  it  is  the  Alaintenance  of 
that  Juftice  and  Right  which  governs  thefe  mat- 
ters which  is  the  Comm.on  C?ood  :  For  Juftice  is  a 
thing,  not  of  a  Private  and  Perfonal,  but  a  Pub- 
lick  and  Common  Nature.  All  is  to  be  prefer'd 
before  any  part  whatfoever  :  God,  and  no  good 
Man  puniihcs  any  out  of  a  Delight  in  Punifliment, 
or  in  the  Suft'erings  of  the  Punilhed  ;  but  all  right 
J*unifttmeiit  is  either  as  Phyfic  for  the  recovery  of 

the 


the  Patient,  or  for  the  good  of  the  whole  ;  as  a 
Man  confents  to  have  a  Member  of  his  own  Body- 
cut  off  to  prefeive  the  reft,  ne  pars  Jincera  irahatury 
fo  that  the  Source  and  P'ountain  of  all  punifliment 
is  Loz'e  and  Goodnrfs. 

It  is  plain,  from  all  this,  that  the  Attribute  of 
Juftice  doth  not  at  all  clalli  with  that  of  Goodnefs, 
at  being  indeed  but  a  Branch  or  particular  Modifi- 
cation of  it.  That  Juftice  is  an  eternal  Branch  of 
that  perfeft  Love  and  Goodneis  whvch  is  the  mea- 
fure  of  all  Things ;  which  is  the  Source,  the  Life, 
the  Soul  of  all  Morality,  Virtue  and  Excellency 
vvhatlbever  :  That  Love  and  Goodneis  beftows  up- 
on Juftice,  whatfoever  it  hath  of  a  moral  Perfec- 
tion and  Excellency,  Suppofe  now  all  thele  Cafes, 
for  the  Recovery  of  the  Ptrfon,  the  E^xample  to 
ethers,  i^c.  There  is  no  room  for  eternal  Punifh- 
ment  upon  thefe  accounts.  Take  in  all  the  other 
Arguments  for  the  vindicating  the  Honour  of  God 
and  his  Law,  there  is  no  Pretence  yet  for  eternal 
Punifliments ;  becaufe  nothing  more  runs  upon  the 
Honour  of  God  than  fuch  a  Notion  ;  and  if  God 
faves  any  one  in  the  World  with  a  Salvo  to  his 
Juftice,  his  Juftice  is  fecured  if  he  goes  on  and 
laves  all. 

Another  Inftance  is  the  Holinefs  of  God.  What 
Is  it  but  his  Lovelinefs  and  Love  ?  It  is  called  in 
Scripture  the  Beauties  of  Ho/inr/s  ;  and  it  is  fo  cal- 
led with  a  peculiar  rt  fped  to  God's  Mercy,  which 
is  one  of  the  fweeteft,  tendereft,  largcft,  and  moft 
condefcending  Names  of  his  Love:  So  z  Chrcn. 
XX.  21.  it  is  faid  Jchofapbat  appointed  Singers  unto 
the  Lord,  that  fhould  praife  the  Beauties  of  Holi- 
nefs, and  to  fay,  Praife  the  Lord^  for  his  Mercy  ck~ 
durethfor  ever.  We  are  too  apt  to  place  the  Beauty 
ot  our  Holinefs  in  a  ievere  and  rigid  and  fcornful 
Carriage  tow? •■u<  poor  Sinners;  but  Holinefs  in 
God  is  a  Spring  of  all  Sweetnefs,  Tendernefs,  Com- 
panions and  Bowels  towards  the  worft,  the  grcateft 
of  Sinners,    to  the  vileft  and  moft  loathfome  and 

lod 


\  191  ) 

ioft  Sinners.  God  pi^onounccth  one  of  his  fweetcft 
Promifes  to  poor  undone  Sinners,  in  the  greateft 
Pomp  and  Majefty  of  his  Holinefs,  Jfaiab  Ivii.  15. 
7  bus  faith  the  high  and  lofty  one,  that  inhabiteth  eta- 
nhy,  ivhofc  name  is  holy,  I  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy 
place,  ivith  him  alfo  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
Jpirit,  to  revive  the  fpirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive 
the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones.  It  is  becaufe  we  are  no 
more  holy,  that  we  underftand  not  this ;  that  where 
there  is  moft  Holinefs  there  is  moft  Meeknels, 
Pity,  Compaffion,  and  Condefcenfion  to  poor  Sin- 
ners, 'tis  a  fingular  Expreffion  of  God  to  this  pur- 
pofe  :  Hofea  xi.  9,  I  will  not  execute  the  fercenefs  of 
mine  anger:  I  will  not  return  to  defroy  Ephraim,  for 
I  am  God  and  not  man,  the  holy  one  in  the  midfl  of  thee, 
and  I  will  not  enter  into  the  City.  Such  an  High  Prieft, 
faith  the  Apollle,  Heb.  vii.  26,  became  us,  was 
necefjary  for  us,  who  is  holy,  harmlcfs,  undefiled, 
feparate  from  Sinners,  and  made  higher  than  the 
Heavens.  He  was  without  Sin,  and  the  greatcft 
Friend  to  Publicans  and  Sinners,  and  for  that 
very  reafon,  becaufe  he  was  without  Sin.  One 
great  reafon  why  we  have  no  more  Bowels  for 
Sinners,  why  we  are  fo  full  of  Bitternefs,  is, 
becaufe  we  hare  no  more  true  Holinefs,  1  Tim.  ii. 
8.  The  Apoftle  fo  puts  thefe  Two  together.  Lift- 
ing up  holy  hands  without  wrath;  as  if  Holinefs  and 
Wrath  were  two  things  that  were  inconiiftent. 
And  again,  the  Scripture  at  once  calls  God  the 
holy  one  of  Ifrael,  and  the  Saviour  thereof.  Sure 
I  am,  true  Holinefs  doth  not  exprefs  itfelf  in  a 
Sournefs  of  Temper  and  Behaviour  towards  others, 
but  in  the  greateft  fweetnefs,  kindnefs,  and  good- 
will to  them. 

We  are  thus  inftru£led.  Gal.  vi.  i.  Brethren,  if 
any  Man  be  overtaken  in  a  Fault,  ye  winch  are 
fpiritual,  refiore  fuch  a  one  in  the  fpirit  of  meeknefs  : 
It  is  a  Phrafe  borrowed  from  Chirurgeons,  who 
when  they  fet  a  broken  Bone,  handle  ifwith  all 

poffiblc 


(       '92      ) 

poffible  Tenclerners.  We  are  apt  to  think  our^ 
.  lelves  more  holy  than  others,  when  we  infult  over, 
amd  are  feveve  againft  a  poor  fallen  Brother  ;  But 
where  there  Is  moft  Splritunltty^  tht  re  is  moft  Tai^ 
derncfs  too,  and  the  greateft  Sympathy  with  fallen 
ones.  And  herein  we  greatly  provide  for  our  cwn 
jianding,  as  the  Apoftle  faith  in  the  following 
words  concerning  ourfelves,  /r/?  wc  aifo  Ic  tempted. 
It  is  an  obfervation  of  mine  that  God  \\Ti.i\\Jig7mnter, 
fignaily  left  Persons  to  full  thcmfelves  ;  btcaufe 
they  have  mifcarried  in  tbii  point.  Sure  I  am^ 
Holinefs  in  God  is  his  Beauty,  his  Sweetnefs,  his 
Goodnels,  his  Love,  and  therefore  this  is  ftill 
brought  in  as  the  Burthen  of  all  our  Songs  of 
Praife  to  ^im,  who  is  Glorious  in  Hotinefs,  this  i-s 
Cac  Ground,  the  Reafon  of  all  our  Salvations,  and 
jhould  be  the  Crown,  the  Glory,  the  End  of  them 
all. 

Another  Inftance  is  the  Faitkfulnefs  of  God  ;  i£" 
V/e  do  but  coniider  what  it  is,  we  inuft  confefs  it 
owes  its  moral  Perfeftion  to  Love  and  Good- 
ncfs.  Faithfulnefs,  as  hath  been  alreiady  faid,  is 
a  Conformity  of  the  Declarations  of  Purpofcs  and 
Intents,  to  their  IlTues  and  Performances.  And 
is  not  this  accounted  a  Perfeftion  according  to  the 
Diverfity  of  the  Subjeft,  about  which  it  is  con- 
verlant  ?  If  a  Promife  be  made  in  abfolute  Terms, 
and  afterwards  the  Performance  be  fufpended  oix 
a  Corldition  not  cxpreffed,  we  all  account  it  a 
Breach  of  Candour  and  Ingenuity,  and  complain 
cf  it  as  an  Abufe  and  Collufion  ;  but  if  a  threat- 
ening be  pronounced  with  the  lame  AbfoluteneA 
tjiat  upon  the  commiffion  of  fuch  a  Fault;  fuch  a 
Punifhment  lliall  certainly  follow  :  Yet  if  upon 
Repentance  and  Submiffion,  or  intervening  Deplo- 
ration  of  the  Offender,  or  Intercelnou  of  the 
Mediator  in  his  behalf,  the  Ofl'ender  be  remitted, 
Do  Vv'e  not  applaud  it  as  an  Aft  of  Grace  and  Cle- 
mency ?•  So  that  it  is  moft  evident,  that  it  is  only 
the  Partaking  or  not  Partaking   of  Goodnefs  that 

makes 


(     193     ) 

makes  thefe  Afts  undergo  divers  Cenfures.  We 
ihould  challenge  the  Faithfulnefs  of  God  and  Man, 
when  a  Good  promifed  is  not  performed  ;  but  we 
complain  not  of  the  want  of  Faithfulnefs,  when 
the  Evil  threatened  is  not  accomplifhed,  we  are 
angry  with  no  Man  that  is  not  fo  bad  as  his  Word, 
We  do  not  think  it  an  Imperfeftion,  but  a  Per- 
feftion  of  God  that  he  repents  him  of  the  Evil. 
Indeed  the  Prophet  Jonah  in  a  peevifli  and  male- 
content  humour,  and  preferring  his  own  Reputa- 
tion to  the  Honour  and  Glory  of  God,  was  dif- 
pleafed  and  very  angry  with  God,  becaufe  he  did 
not  deftroy  Nineveh  ;  and  yet  in  the  midft  of  his 
Apger  gives  this  Reafon  why  he  fled  from  the 
Command  of  God,  to  proclaim  the  Deflruftion  of 
that  great  City  :  I  know ^  faith  he,  that  thou  art  a 
gracious  God^  and  merciful^  Jlaw  to  anger,  and  of 
great  kindnefs,  ajid  repenteth  thee  of  the  Evil.  No 
Perfon  ever  yet  charged  God  with  Unfaithfulnefs 
to  his  Word  and  Command,  becaufe  he  did  not 
deftroy  Nineveh. 

We  may  inftance  again,  in  the  WifdormviA  Power 
of  God  ;  feparate  thefe  from  Love  and  Goodnefs, 
and  they  are,  as  a  great  Man  faith,  but  fubtle, 
cunning,  and  crafty  Mifchief,  and  armed  Wick- 
ednefs,  and  brutifh  force.  Let  us  imagine  a  Being, 
faith  he,  of  infinite  Subtlety  and  Cunning,  that 
can  conceive  Ways  and  Means  for  carrying  on 
any  Delign ;  and  let  this  Being  have  all  Power  to 
bring  to  pafs  whatfoever  it  projefts,  and  let-it  be, 
as  to  its  Subliftence,  immutable  and  immenfe,  yet 
if  you  add  to  this  Being  Principles  of  Envy,  Ma- 
lice, and  Cruelty,  it  would  be  fo  far  from  deferv- 
ing  the  Name  of  God,  that  it  would  be  a  worfe 
Devil  than  Hell  itfelf  can  fhew  ;  for  the  Prince  of 
Devils  there,  with  all  his  Cunning  and  Malice, 
is  fubordinate,  he  can  bring  nothing  to  pafs  with- 
out the  Permiflion,  the  Commiffion,  and  Autho- 
rity of  the  Supreme  Being.  Sure  I  am,  there  is 
nothing  wc  fliould  be  more  careful  of,  and  more 
O  afraid 


(     «94     ) 

afraid  to  do,  than  to  fet  up  a  Wlfdom,  a  Power, 
a  Holinefs,  a  Grcatnefs  in  God,  without  Love 
and  Goodnefs,  as  its  Ground,  its  Root,  its  Effence, 
its  Defign,  its  Fruit,  its  Image,  and  its  End. 
Give  me  leave  to  enlarge  a  little  more  upon  thefe 
Two  Inflances,  the  IVifdom  and  the  Povjcr  of  God; 
and  in  the  firft  place,  to  do  that  Right  to  the  Wif- 
dom  of  God  as  to  aiTert  it  is  all  Love.  The  un- 
fathomable Depths  of  the  Divine  Wifdom,  What 
are  they  but  the  Contrivances,  the  Plots,  the  Myf- 
teries,  the  Defigns,  the  Methods,  the  Condu£lsand 
Difcipline  of  his  Love  ?  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks,  Eph. 
I.  that  God  in  the  riches  of  his  grace  hath  abounded  to- 
wards us  in  all  Jflfdom  and  Prudc?ice. 

The  Divine  Wlidom  is  a  manifold  and  deep 
Channel,  which  the  full  Spring  of  eternal  Love 
niaketh  to  itfelf,  by  the  Force  of  which  it  ealily 
ilreams  through  all  things  in  various  Courfes  and 
Forms,  until  they  meet  again  in  the  Sea  of  Love, 
in  the  Bofom  of  God.  Divine  Wifdom  is  the 
Riches  of  Divine  Love,  fprcading  itfelf  into  an  in- 
finite Variety,  through  innumerable  Changes  and 
Windings,  and  brings  forth  itfelf  all  along,  and 
fully  in  the  clofe  into  a  moft  ravifhing  Harmony 
of  all  Divine  Beauties  and  joys.  Divine  Wifdom 
is  Love  itfelf,  forming  itlelf  into  rich  Defigns, 
moft  beautiful  Contrivances,  full  of  unexpected 
and  furprizing  Turns,  full  of  Depths,  paft  the 
Searches  of  every  created  Eye,  that  in  the  clofe  it 
may  difplay  its  blefled  Treafures  more  fully,  and 
that  it  may  fooner  or  later  raife  and  enlarge  every 
Spirit  to  take  in  its  Joys.  Thus,  as  was  faid  be- 
fore, the  Riches  of  Grace  hath  abounded  towards 
us  in  all  fVifdom  and  in  all  Prudence. 

The  Divine  Wifdom  in  all  its  Works  within  and 
without,  is  no  other  than  a  deep  delightful  God- 
like Conveyance  of  Love,  on  which  the  whole 
God-head  lays  itfelf  out,  to  the  utmoft  of  all  its 
bounded  Fulnefs  and  Treafures,    for  this  Love  to 

bring 


(     195     ) 

bring  forth  and  exprefs  itfelf  with  all  poflible  Ad- 
vant.ige,  with  all  Jleautifyings.  Sweetenings,  and 
Heightnings ;  as  in  the  whole  Contrivance,  fo  in 
each  part  and  point  of  it,  through  all  which  this 
Love  hy  this  Wifdom  condu(fted  itfelf  with  an  un- 
exprefll!)le  Force  and  Sweetnefs. 

The  Wifdom  of  God  is,  as  an  excellent  Perfon 
calls  it,  the  Divine  Art  of  Love,  the  Divine  Pru- 
dence, and  Prudence  is  the  Net  of  this  Love  to 
catch  Hearts  in,  fpread  through  the  Sea  of  this 
Creation.  O  how  bleffed  are  they  that  are  caught 
in  this  Net,  by  thh  FiJ/icr  of  Scuds,  the  Divine  Love 
and  Wifdom  ! 

The  WilQom  of  God,  v/hich  is  a  pure  aft  of 
Iiigheft  and  moft  uniycrfal  Harmony,  is  the  Mvjlch 
of  Divine  Love,  by  which  it  charmcth  Souls,  and 
^attrafts  them  to  itfelf.  Who  would  not  fubmit  to 
all  the  Methods  of  this  Wifdom,  which  is  Love, 
the'  he  doth  not  comprehend  its  Ways  ?  I  would 
further  fay  from  thePowfr  of  God,  his  Pcjoer,  Om^ 
nlpotcncy,  with  his  Liberty  to  do  whatever  he  pleaf- 
cth,  is  nothing  elfe  hut  the  Strength  of  his  Love -, 
the  Almightinefs  of  his  Gobdnefs,  which  being 
flronger  than  Evil,  can  never  be  overcome  nor  in- 
terrupted by  it;  but  powerfully  reaches  all  things, 
and  fweetly,  firft  or  lall,  fubdues  them  to  himfelf, 
irrefiftibly  imparting  itfelf  to  them,  according  to 
thofe  fcveral  Degrees  in  which  they  arc  capable  of 
it.  God  is  an  Infinite,  a  PerfeO:  Poiver,  Hole  Duna" 
mis,  as  one  calls  him,  a  whole  Intire  Pouier,  fuch 
hath  no  allay,  no  mixture  of  Impotcncy,  nor  any 
defeft  of  Power  mingled  with  it;  but  ftill  the 
Afoi-al  Perfeftion  of  his  Power,  is  his  Lr^-e  and 
Goodncfs.  God  cannot  with  all  his  power  do  any 
thing  that  is  Evil,  'his  Power  is  flill  guided,  go- 
verned, and  exerted  by  his  Will,  he  workeih  all 
things  after  the  Council  of  his  own  Will,  and  his 
Will  is  Love  itfelf,  Goodncfs  itfelf,  the  Firft,  the 
Supreme,  the  Eflential  Goodnefs,  the  unfearcha- 
ble  Treafure  of  all  SweetnelTcs  and  Joys.  His 
Q  a  Power 


(   196  )  ' 

Power  and  his  Gooclnefs  then  are  infcparablc,  are 
one  in  all ;  thofe  mighty  A£ls  in  which  he  difplays 
the  one,  he  alio  difcovers  the  other.  All  the  Afts 
of  his  Power  are  indeed  but  lb  many  various  Ex- 
prelTions  of  his  Love  and  Goodnels.  It  is  not 
rower  to  be  able  to  do  ones  lelf  a  Mifchief :  The 
RofA  of  all  P.owcr  is  Goodnefs  ;  the  Ttrmiofall 
Power  are  the  lame  Goodnefs.  All  true  Power 
begms  and  ends  in  Goodnefs;  Power  without 
Goodnefs  is  a  Monfter.  He  doth  a  Child  no  un- 
kindnefs  who  takes  from  it  a  Knife  or  any  thing 
mifchievous  to  it.  He  doth  a  Madman  no  Injury, 
that  holds  his  Hands  and  binds  him,  and  fo  hin- 
ders him  from  wronging  himfelf.  It  is  no  Ex- 
preflion  of  Health  and  Strength,  but  the  heighth  of 
a  Diflemper  and  Weaknefs,  for  a  Man  to  over- 
power all  that  are  about' him,  and  to  offer  violence 
to  himfelf  and  them.  "^Tis  a  Rule,  pojp  malum  ejl 
hon  pojje,  Pwjcr  to  Evil  is  Imbecility  :  it  is  not  pro- 
perly Power,  but  Impotency.  Power  and  Liberty 
to  Sin  is  a  Contradlftion  in  the  very  Terms ;  it  is 
as  if  one  Ihould  fay  Power  to  Weaknefs,  Power  to 
nothing,  or  to  that  which  is  worfe  than  nothing, 
or  Liberty  to  Slavery ;  for  Goodnefs  is  eflfential  and 
intrinfical  to  Power  and  Liberty.  All  Power  and 
Liberty  is  comprehended  in  the  Nature  of  Good 
alone ;  for  what  is  Power  and  Liberty,  but  an 
Exaltation  and  Enlargement  of  Being.  And  Being 
and  Goodnefs  are  but  one  :  and  therefore  there 
is  nothing  fo  inconfiflent  with  true  Power,  Liberty, 
and  Freedom,  as  Evil ;  which  is  in  its  very  forma- 
lity a  Deficiency,  a  Fault,  a  Nothing,  a  Privation 
of  Being.  Whatfoever  we  promife  to  ourfclves 
to  find  in  ways  of  Sin,  tljcre  is  nothing  but 
Impotency,  Weaknefs,  Narrownels,  Straitnefs, 
Confinement,  and  Slavery  in  all  Sm.  There  is 
only  true  Power,  Liberty,  and  Enlargement,  and 
Satisfaftion  in  Good.  We  may  think  Sin  an  Aft 
of  Power  and  Freedom  ;  but  it  is  indeed  Weak- 
,nefs,  Servitude,   Bondage,  and  Slavery  j  for  God 

who 


(19^  ) 
who  is  the  mightieft,  the  trueft  Agent,  cannot 
Sin.  We  may  think  it  an  A£l  of  Strength,  Cou- 
rage, Refolution,  Valour,  and  Bravery  ;  but  it  is 
the  greatcft  piece  of  Impotency,  Weaknefs,  Cow- 
ardice, and  Bafenefs  in  the  world  ;  for  God  who 
is  Omnipotent  cannot  do  it.  It  is  like  the  Paraly- 
tick  Motion,  it  pretends  to  Nimblenefs  and  Agi- 
lity, but  it  is  only  want  of  Strength.  The  Head 
fhakes  as  if  it  were  troubled  with  over  many 
Spirits,  but  we  know  it  proceeds  from  Weakjiefs, 
and  a  loofening  of  the  Powers  of  Nature  ;  fuch  a 
weak,  crazy,  lickly  thing  is  Sin*  Whatfoever 
this  deluded  World  fancies  towards  Evil,  it  is  Im- 
potent ;  for  Man's  greateft  Power  and  Perfeftion, 
before  the  Fall,  was,  that  he  did  not  k-now  Evil  ; 
he  was  byaffed  and  inclined  to  Good,  and  his 
Experience  of  Evil,  which  we  fondly  call  his  Li- 
berty to  Evil,  is  now  his  Weaknefs,  Slavery,  and 
Mifery. 

There  are  many  pofitive  Attributes  of  God, 
which  are  his  Honour,  as  to  be  Omnifcient,  Om- 
nipotent, Eternal,  and  the  like ;  and  fo  the  Ne- 
gation of  Power  in  God  to  do  amifs,  is  his  PerfeAi- 
on  too,  this  is  God's  Honour  that  he  cannot  Sin, 
he  cannot  lye,  he  cannot  do  any  wrong  ;  he  that 
hath  all  Power,  and  can  do  all  things,  cannot  do 
amifs ;  he  that  can  do  what  he  will,  cannot  will 
what  he  fliculd  not  do.  All  Evil  is  a  Defici- 
ency, a  Tendency  to  Annihilation,  and  Power 
cannot  produce  Weaknefs.  The  Aft  of  Omnipo- 
tency  cannot  terminate  to  nothing  ;  this  is  God's 
Perfeftion,  God's  Liberty,  that  he  is  a  Being  abfo- 
Jlutely  and  neceflarily  Good  ;  his  Power,  his  Free- 
dom, and  Perfeftion,  confifts  in  being  able  to  will 
only  that  which  is  Good,  Juft,  and  Holy,  and  in 
having  abfolute  Power  to  do  what  he  will.  Men 
and  Angels,  in  their  tiril  Creation,  had  an  Image 
^pf  his  Power,  Freedom,  and  Bleflednefs ;  and  this 
did  confift  in  a  Power  of  willing  only  fuch  things 
as  were  good  ^nd  pleaiing  to  God,  and  in  a  Power 
O  ^  of 


(     198    ) 

of  cntertaihlhg  all  thofe  inferior  Motions,  ac<*bnl- 
ing  to  the  Rectitude  of  this  Divine  Will  and 
Image  :  but  this  Power,  in  refpeft  of  willing  what 
they  Ihould,  and  doing  what  they  would,  was  mu- 
table, and  in  that  it  was,  fo  this  Power  and  Liber- 
ty fell  fhort. 

If  we  go  on  further,  and  take  a  View  of  the 
Almighty  Power  of  God  throughout,  we  fhall 
find  it  ftill  to  be  Love  and  Goodncfs  :  Let  us  view 
his  Almighty  Power  in  the  Works  of  Creation, 
we  fee  that  it  was  an  Ocean  of  Love  and  Goodncfs 
which  delights  to  overflow  its  Banks,-  to  diffufc  and 
communicate  itfelf,  that  moved  him  to  bring  the 
World  into  Being,  and  to  make  fo  many  Subje£i» 
capable  of  itfelf;  for  it  was  impollible  for  him  to 
-reap  any  Benefit  from  any,  or  all  his  Creatures, 
Men  and  Angels,  becaufc  nothing  can  be  added  to 
his  Perfeftion,  Jmor  divlnus  renim  omnium  eji  princi- 
pium,  as  a  great  Philofopher  fpeaks ;  it  was  then  to 
communicate  his  Goodnefs,  and  "by  that  Commu- 
nication to  take  up  his  Creation  into  a  Participa- 
tion of  his  own  Happinefs,  that  he  made  the  world. 

Take  a  View  again  of  his  Almighty  Power  in 
the  Works  of  Prcfervation  and  Providence,  which 
are  continued  Afts  of  Creation,  and  you  will  find 
all  here  to  be  a  conftant  Emanation  of  the  fame 
Love  and  Goodnefs,  to  be  from  the  Beginning  to 
the  End,  an  Emanation  of  that  Love  and  Good- 
nefs ;  which  is  but  a  natural  and  genuine  Notion 
of  God,  that  he  fhould  exert  the  fame  Goodnefs 
to  Beings  which  that  Goodnefs  produced.  Altho' 
as  a  great  Man  faith,  it  feems  becoming  the  Sim- 
plicity and  Majefty  of  God,  that  he  lliould  be 
alone  with  himfelf,  retired  into  the  not  approach- 
able Reccfies  of  his  own  Being,  yet  through  the 
Infinite  Dcfire  of  communicating  find  difFufing  his 
own  Love  and  Goodnefs,  he,  as  it  were,  lays  afids 
State,  and  goes  forth  of  himfelf,  and  by  his  tender 
Care  and  Providence,  is  ijitimately  prefent  with 

•'■;  bru/-  th& 


(     »99    ) 

ihe  lovvefl  Proje£tion  of  being.  The  fame  Love 
and  Goodnefs  is  that  tender  Mother  that  brought 
forth  and  bears  up  all  things,  that  holds  and  in- 
folds the  whole  Creation  continually  in  the  tender 
Bofom  of  its  loving  Embraces.  Thus  it  is  faid, 
he  fills  all  in  all,  and  comprehends  all  in  himfelf. 
If  you  view  his  whole  Providence  with  an  un- 
veiled Eye,  you  will  find  it  all  a  rich  contexture  of 
the  tenderell  Love  ;  eternal  Love  to  be  as  the  Soul 
of  it,  the  Spring,  the  Life,  the  Beauty,  the  Sweet- 
nefs  refiding  in  the  whole  Work  of  Providence,  and 
refting  intirely  on  each  Motion  of  it.  Take  a 
view  of  all  his  Power  in  the  Work  of  Redemption, 
which  a  great  Man  ca.\h  uitimus  Dlvinl  amorh  cona- 
ius,  7he  laji  Effort  ofQacfs  Love  ;  and  here  you  have 
throughout  the  exceeding  Greatnefs  of  his  Power, 
in  the  higheft  Exprefflon  of  his  Love  and  Good- 
nefs. Thus  the  Gpfpel,  which  is  a  Difcovery  and 
Communication  of  the  higheft  Gr^ce  and  Good- 
jiefs,   is  called  the  Povjer  i^God  to  Salvation, 


CHAP.     XXL 

Shewing  that  ihe  Will  of  God  is  Love. 

THIS  is  an  Univerfal  Truth,  that  in  every 
Spirit  Love  and  W  ill  are  one.  This  appears, 
faith  an  excellent  Perfon,  in  their  Nature,  th.eir 
Objeft,  and  their  Operation.  i.  The  Nature  of 
the  Will  and  Love  are  one  :  The  Will  is  defined  to 
be  ihe  Inclination  of  the  lutelleSlual  Spirit,  as  it  icndeth 
and  hendeih  itfelfto  this  or  that,  this  way  or  that  way. 
Love  is  ftilecl  the  Weight  of  the  Soul  j  a§  heavv  things 

O  4  '      ''^y 


C      200      ) 

by  their  PPVight,  fo  Souls  by  their  Love,  arc  carried 
to  their  proper  Centre. 

2.  The  Obje^  of  the  Will  and  Love  is  the  fame. 
It  is  a  Rule,  that  the  Power  and  Habits  in  Spirits 
are  divided  by  their  ObjeBs.  Every  Principle  and 
Faculty  is  the  Objeft  in  its  Seed,  the  Objeft  is  the 
Form  and  Perfection  of  the  Principle,  the  Objeft 
of  the  Will  is  Goodncfs  Real  or  Appearing.  The 
Will  is  never  moved  but  by  fonie  Reality  or  Ap- 
pearance of  Good.  And  what  is  the  Objefl  of 
Love  but  Lovelinefs  ?  Now  Lovelinefs  and  Good- 
nefs  both  confift  in  Suitnblenefs,  which  hath  its 
ground  In  Unity,  If  there  be  any  difference  be- 
tween Goodnefs  and  Lovelinefs,  it  is  this ;  that  as 
the  Flower  of  Light  is  the  Sunfhine,  and  as  Jefm 
Chrlji  is  the  EfFulgency,  the  Sliine  of  the  Godhead, 
the  Brightncfs  of  the  Glory  of  God  ;  fo  Loveli- 
nefs or  Beauty  is  Goodnefs  Jhining  out  to  attract  all' 
Hearts  to  it.  Thus  Lovelinefs,  the  Objeft  of  Love, 
and  Goodnefs,  real  or  appearing,  the  Objeft  of  the 
Will,   agree  entirely  in  one. 

3.  All  the  Operations  of  the  Will  and  Love  are 
the  fame.  The  AfFeftions  and  Paffions  are  the 
Motions  of  the  Will,  all  thefe  are  Loves,  Summer 
and  Winter.  Love  in  the  Seed  is  Delare,  Love  in 
the  ripe  Fruit  is  Joy  ;  for  Grief  and  Hatred  are 
Love  in  its  Opposition  to  its  Etiemy,  which  is  En- 
mity alone.  Love  flowing  from  or  contending  with 
that  which  ftands  in  its  way  to,  or  would  rob  it  of 
its  beloved  Objeft.  This,  faith  he,  is  the  general 
Notion  concernincT  the  Will  and  Love,  and  he  ccoes 
on  and  ihews,  m  particular,  how  the  Divine  Will 
and  Love  muft  more  tranfcendcntly  appear  to  be 
the  fame. 

The  Will  of  God,  faith  he,  is  divided  by  Di- 
vines into  the  ReveaUd  and  Secret  Will  of  (}od. 
The  one  is  the  Divine  Will  in  outward  ligns  only, 
the  other  is  the  good  Pleafure  in  his  Heart  and  in 
Eternity.  He  goes  on,  and  proves  tlie  Revealed 
Will  of  God   to   be    Love,  with    that    Scripture 

which 


(      201       ) 

which  was  my  firll  Text  to  prove  my  Hypofhcfis* 

*  I  T'im.  ii.  5.  And  that  the  Secret  Will  of  God  is 
Love  too,  he  proves  from  thofe  Words  :  Fury({?L\xh 
God )  is  not  in  me  :  But  who  vjouldfet  the  briars  and 
thorns  in  battle  array  againjl  me^  iivillgo  through  them, 
Iivould confume  them.  Wrath,  faith  he,  is  not  pro- 
perly in  God,  it  is  without  him  ;  it  is  only  as  a  Cloud 
upon  the  Sun.  The  Heart  of  God  is  Love,  Wrath, 
is  but  as  the  Work  of  his  Hands,  and  that  is   his: 

Jirange  M'^ork,  like  nothing  within,  a  difguife  only. 
The  Face  of  God,  and  the  proper  Light  oF  it  is 
Love,  Wrath  is  a  Vizard,  a  Mift  before  his  Face, 
and  no  more.  God's  Fury  is  Love,  by  theOppo- 
iition  heighten'd  to  a  Flame,  to  confume  all  Vanity 
and  Enmity,  rhat  fettleth  itfelf  before  it  or  againft 
it.  Thus  he  excellently  writes  in  his  ||  Rife,  Reign 
and  Royalty  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  the  Soul  of 
Man.  And  I  repeat  his  own  Words,  becaufe  T  can- 
not mend  them,  and  becaufe  every  one  hath  not  the 
Book,  and  becaufe  I  delight  upon  all  Occafions  to 
make  him  yet  fpeak,  tho'  he  be  dead.  And  he: 
concludes,  *  O  that  1  had  a  Voice  powerful  enouglx 

*  to  reach  all  the   Souls  wandering    through  this: 

*  whole  Creation,  and  to  call  them  together  to  take 

*  this  Cup  of  Salvation    into  the  Hand  of   their. 

*  Faith,  to  fet  it  to  the  Mouth  of  their  Faith  and 

*  drink  deeply  of  it  !  as  the  Wine  of  this  Cup  goes 
'  down  into  their  Spirits,  they  will  find  it  to  go 

*  down  right.  How  fweetly,  and  how  fully  will  it 
'  touch,  fatisfy,  and  fill  every  Faculty,  every  De- 

*  fire,  every  Seed  of  Life  with  its  proper  Food.  The 

*  Cup  of  Salvation  (faith  he)  which  I  hold  forth  to 

*  all,  is  this  Divine  Truth,  the  Sum  of  the  Gofpel 

*  preached  by  Angels  in  their  Song,  at  the  Birth 
*■  of  our  Jefus  :  The  Witt  of  God  is  Love. 

'  Hear  this  (faith  he)  and  believe  it,  O  ye  Souls  ! 

*  the  Inclination  of  God,   the  Supreme  Spirit,  and 

*  Fountain  of  Spirits  is  to  you,  the  Tendency  and 

'  Bent 

*  Mifiuotecl,  Ifuppofe,for  I  John  iv.  16. 
II  Wriiten  hy  Peter  Steny. 


(     20i     ) 

*  Bent  of  the  Divine  Nature,  is  to  make  your  Joys 

*  full  by  the  Pofleffion  of  all  good  in  itfelf,  and  to 

*  fulfill  his  own  Joys  in  you.     For  the  Will  is  the 

*  Inclination  of  every  Spirit,  and  the  Will  of  God 

*  is  Love.     The  Will  of  God,    in  the  Freedom, 

*  Abfolutenefs,  Infinitenefs  of  it  is  Love. 

Now  I  live,  faith  St.  Paul,  if  yc  Jiand  fajl  in  the 
Faith,  I  Their,  iii.  8.  (he  further  obferves)  St. 
Paul  fpeaks  not  this  in  his  own  Spirit,  but  in  the 
Spirit  of  God.  God  in  his  own  Spirit  then  fpeak- 
€th  it  with  greater  force  and  fuller  Senfe  to  every 
one  of  you.  If  you  believe  me,  and  take  in  my 
Love,  which  is  my  Life.  Now  I  have  a  new  Love, 
a  new  Life,  a  new  Joy,  and  Heaven  in  you.  If  you 
iland  faft  in  it,  my  Joy  and  Glory  is  as  firm  in 
your  Hearts  as  in  Heaven  itfelf. 

If  we  will  believe  (he  concludes)  all  the  Decla- 
rations of  God  from  Heaven.  The  revealed  W^ill 
of  God  is  Love.  If  we  have  any  inward  and  Di- 
vine Touch  of  the  Secret  Will  of  God,  all  the 
Breathings  of  his  Heart  are  Love.  O  then,  faith 
he,  let  us  take  in  the  Love  of  God,  that  his  Love 
may  become  a  Divine  Immortal  Seed  of  all  Love 
and  Lovelinefs  in  us. 

It  is  true,  the  Will  of  God  is  an  Ahfolute  SovereigHy 
without  any  Controul  or  Confinement,  his  Wifdom 
is  unalterable,  his  Power  is  unlimited  and  unboun- 
ded ;  and  in  all  his  Perfeftions  he  is  an  Arbitrary 
Being:  But  Arbitrary  Government  is  due  to  his 
Wifdom,  becaufe  nothmg  can  mend  it,  to  his  Pow- 
er, bccaufe  it  is  the  Power  of  his  Love  and  Good- 
nefs,  and  to  his  Will,  becaufe,  as  hath  been  faid,  it 
is  Love,  and  it  is  our  Intereft,  and  the  Intereft  of 
all  things  to  allow  this  Sovereignty  becaufe  it  is 
ever  attended  with  an  eternal  Goodnefs  to  meafure 
and  regulate  it ;  and  becaufe  it  can  do  nothing  but 
that  which  is  good,  and  whatever  is  befl  in  its  pro- 
per Seafon. 

And  fo  I  come  to  fhew  the  Sovereignty  and  Do- 
minion of  God  over  all  things,  hath  its  Foun- 
dation 


(  2<^3  ) 
Jatlon,  Virtue,  Perfe^lion,  and  Pre-eminence,  ia 
his  Love  and  Goodnefs.  It  is  founded  in  the  In- 
finite Excellencies  of  his  Nature,  and  on  this  ac- 
count he  claims  it,  Ifa.  xlvi.  9,  lO.  lam  God,  and 
there  is  none  like  me,  Iivill  do  all  my  Pleafure. 

The  whole  Exercife  of  this  Sovereignty  and 
Dominion  is  as  the  right,  fo  the  Difcovery  of  his 
Infinite  Love  and  Goodnefs.  Altho'  it  is  an  abfo- 
lute  Sovereignty  and  Dominion,  yet  there  is  no- 
thing of  Tyranny  in  it ;  for  it  is  throughout  ma- 
naged by  the  Rule  of  Wifdom,  Righteoufnefs, 
Love,  and  Goodnefs ;  his  Sweetnefs  is  a  Svveetnefs 
of  Grace,  Love,  and  that  Grace  is  the  higheft, 
fvveeteft,  and  mofl  exalted  Name  of  Love,  as  hath 
been  faid. 

If  we  take  a  View  of  his  Sovereignty  and  Do- 
minion in  the  Nature,  Tendency,  and  the  Deligii 
of  all  the  Laws  he  hath  given  us  in  the  Excellency 
and  Perfeftion  of  them.  We  Ihall  find  that  he  is 
not  here  mere  Arbitrary  Will,  fuch  Will  as  hath 
no  Reafon  befides  itfelf ;  but  that  his  Will  itfelf  is 
the  higheft  Law  of  all  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs,  all 
Equity  and  Fitnefs.  It  is  as  one  faith,  the  tj  •^s7oy 
itfelf  decreeing,  willing,  and  afting. 

All  his  Aforal  L^ws  flow  from  his  own  Nature, 
and  are  abfolutely  good,  for  what  hath  he  com- 
manded us  here  ;  but  that  we  fhould  giveourfelves 
to  him,  to  whom,  and  upon  whom  we  live  ;  ftill  to 
acknowledge  him,  by  whofe  Power  we  were,  and 
at  \yhofe  Pleafure  we  are  ;  and  always  to  depend 
upon  him,  which  is  the  very  Law,  State,  and  Ne- 
ceffity  of  our  Being,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  our 
Choice.  To  believe  the  God  of  Truth,  to  fear 
the  God  of  Power  and  Juftice,  to  Love  the  higheft 
Love  and  Lovelinefs  in  the  higheft  degree,  to  enter 
into  and  centre  our  Souls  upon  the  moft  unaltera- 
ble good,  to  take  up  our  ultimate  Satisfaction  ire 
Him  who  is  the  Beginning,  the  Way,  the  End  of 
idl  things^,  t^give  all  Glory,  and  to  attribute  all 

Good 


(      204      ) 

Good  to  our  Creator,  to  refign  ourfelves  and  tor 
ieek  our  reft  alone  in  him,  and  to  be  ftill  returning 
into  him,  into  his  Bofom,  who  is  our  Original 
Glory ;  to  obey  in  all  things  his  revealed  Will, 
which  is  the  Copy  of  the  Will,  which  is  in  himfelf, 
and  which  is  himfelf,  and  which  is  the  Rule  and 
Meafure  of  all  Goodnefs,  Reftitude,  and  Perfec- 
tion, to  converfe  with  him  as  the  Parent  of  our 
Beings,  as  the  Father  of  our  Spirits,  in  a  free  and 
chearful  manner,  as  one  in  whom  we  live,  move^ 
and  have  our  Being  $  perpetually  encompafs'd  by 
him,  and  never  moving  out  of  him ;  to  reftgn  all 
our  Ways  and  Lives  up  to  him,  with  an  equal  and 
indifferent  Mind,  as  knowing  that  he  guides  and 
governs  all  things  in  the  beft  manner,  according 
to  the  higheft  Rule  of  Goodnefs,  and  that  our  Part 
and  Portion  is  to  behold  and  admire  the  excellent 
Harmony  of  all  his  Works,  to  fink  ourfelves  as  low 
in  Humility  before  him  as  we  are  in  felf-Nothing- 
nefs ;  to  exprefs  a  Godlike  Spirit  and  Life  in  this 
World,  thrQughout  all  our  converfes  with  it,  taking 
from  him  the  continual  Pattern  of  our  Lives,  and 
being  throughout,  a  refembling  of  him  in  all  our 
Dealings  with  others  ;  to  do  Good,  Ihew  Mercy 
and  Compaffion,  adrainiftring  Juftice  and  Rightc- 
oufnefs  in  the  World,  being  always  full  of  Charity 
and  good  Works,  looking  upon  ourfelves  as  having 
nothing  to  do  In  this  World  but  to  difplay  the 
Glory  of  our  Original,  and  to  frame  our  Minds, 
our  Lives,  and  all  our  Actions  according  to  our 
firft  Pattern,  always  to  do  that  to  others  which  is 
Juft  and  Right  in  itfelf,  and  according  to  the  mea- 
sure we  would  have  them  do  with  us.  Thefe  and 
feveral  other  things  of  this  nature,  refpedling  God, 
ourfelves,  and  our  Neighbours,  which  are  the 
Branches  of  that  Mora,l  Righteoufncfs  God  re- 
quires from  us,  they  are  all  immutable,  unaltera- 
ble, true,  juft,  and  necefTary,  If  we  were  under  no 
Obligation  from  his  abfolute  Command. 
fc...   ,  In 


(    ^05    ) 

■~  In  a  Word,  he  hath  in  thefe  things  commanded 
us  only  to  be  cur  true  fclves,  for  all  this  is  no  more 
than  the  Nature,  Meafure  and  Weight  of  the  true 
Man,  as  Pktinus  calls  him  ;  yea  in  all  this,  he  hath 
only  commanded  us  to  be  happy,  and  it  is  our 
greateft  Offence  agai nil  him  not  to  be  fo,  we  are 
•wnder  a  natural  Obligation  to  all  thefe  things, 
there  is  no  need  of  the  Formality  of  a  Law  in  thefe 
Cafes ;  for  the&  things  are  all  publiflied  and  pro- 
claimed in  our  very  Beings ;  a  Man  mufl  ceafe  to 
be  what  God  made  him,  before  he  can  think  him- 
felf  exempted  here,  or  delire  to  be  fo.  We  are  in 
thefe  things  engaged  at  once  to  do  our  Duty,  and 
to  mind  our  Happinefs,  we  muft  wrong  ourfelves 
^s  well  as  offend  God  and  our  Neighbours  in  every 
Aft  of  difobedience  here.  Yea,  therefore  we  of- 
fend him  here,  becaufe  we  wron^  ourfelves  and  our 
Neighbours,  for  he  is  not  at  all  hurt  by  our  doing 
this,  and  we  cannot  ftrike  at  his  Authority  in  thefe 
Laws,  hut  we  muft  ftab  ourfelves,  and  endeavour 
as  far  as  in  us  lies  to  kill  all  our  Fellovv-Creatures, 
fo  foolifh,  fo  furious,  fo  implacable  a  thing  is  eve- 
ry Breach  of  this  Moral  Law  of  God. 

And  fb  alfo  for  his  pofitive  Laws,  they  are  all 
relatively  Good,  as  our  Saviotir  fpeaks  of  the  Sab- 
bath, made  for  the  good  of  Man,    and  do  ail  give 

*  place  when  they  juftle  with  any  other  Law  of  Mo- 
ral Duty,  or  Human  NeceHity.  God  gave  thefe 
Laws,  not  fo  much  to  raanifeft  his  abfolute  Domi- 
nion and  Sovereignty  as  fome  think,  but  for  the 
good  of  thofe '  that  were  enjoined   to  obey   them, 

*jfnd  as  an  Expreflion  throughout  of  the  Divine  Care 
and  Goodnefs,  as  well  as  Power  and  Authority  ; 
and  this  belief  Mofes  endeavours  almoft  throughoyr 
the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  to  ftrcngthen  the  IfracUtes 
in.  Yea,  his  very  Ceremonial  Laws,  they  were 
all  Types,  Figures,  Shadows,  of  the  good  things 
that  were  to  come :  there  is  in  fiiort  the  higheft 
'good  Philanthropy^  equality,  fitnefs  and  charity, 
•vunning  through  all  his^Lflw/i. 

If 


(      206      ) 

If  again  we  take  a  View  of  his  Sovereignty  and 
Dominion,  as  he  reigneth  over,  ruleth  and  rideth 
upon  all  Forms  of  Things,  and  doth  whatfoevcr  he 
pleafcth  in  Heaven  and  in  Earth,  we  fhall  find  it 
to  be  all  a  Sovereign  Love  and  Goodncfs.  . 

He  from  whom  all  Laws  take  their  rife  and  ema- 
nation, is  not  himfelf,  as  one  faith,  without  Law, 
nor  in  a  fober  fenfe  above  it,  for  the  primitive  Rule 
of  his  CEconomy  in  this  World,  arc  not  the  only 
and  fole  rcfults  of  an  abfolute  Will,  but  the  fa- 
crcd  decrees  of  the  higheft  Reafon,  Wifdom,  and 
Goodnels,  and  therefore  thole  Grandees  who  call 
therafelves  God's  Vicegerents  in  this  World,  have  as 
much  miftaken  the  true  notion  of  him  they  pretend 
to  reprefent,  as  they  have  forgotten  the  Intereft 
of  the  People  whofe  Truftees  they  are,  when  they 
liave  aflumed  a  Power  to  themfelves,  and  Sove- 
reignty above  Law.  The  Prerogative  of  God 
himfelf  is  nothing  elfe  but  an  abfolutenefs,  a  fo- 
vereignty,  a  tranfcendency  of  Goodnefs,  ftrongly 
taking  hold  of  all  things  at  Pleafure,  and  irrefifti- 
bly  imparting  itfelf  to  them.  That  Prerogative 
"•A-hich  is  eflential  to  God,  which  is  originally  in 
Jiim,  who  hath  no  dependency  upon  his  Creatures, 
and  can  derive  nothing  from  them,  it  isftill  exert- 
ed for  their  good,  and  is  a  Sovereignty  of  Goodnefs. 
It  is  not,  was  never  yet,  nor  will  be  laid  out  againft,. 
but  for  his  Creatures  in  the  refcuc,  fervicc,  defence^ 
and  recovery  of  them,  and  therefore  all  claim  to 
any  fuch  thing  on  Earth,  mufl:  be  of  the  fame 
Tiature,  a  fovereignty,  a  tranfcendency  of  Power 
for  the  Good  and  IVclfarc  of  the  wlyolfy  not  thc« 
M'lll  and  Pleafure  of  any  Particular ;  and  this  is 
plain,  whether  fuch  Prerogative  be  derived  from 
God  or  from  the  People;  for  if  it  be  from  God,  it 
ought  to  belike  God,  having  him  for  its  Original 
and  Pattern,  and  if  it  be  from  the  People,  it  ought 
certainly  to  be  for  them,  and  not  againft  them,  and 
to  be  interpreted  as  their  Letter  of  Attorney,  a 
Power  not  given  for  .their  hurt  but  advantage  ; 
•'■'"^-  ^  for 


(     ^o)     ) 

for  every  ihing  throughout  Nature  ends  where  it 
begins. 

And  that  no  Man  may  pretend  the  Public  Wel- 
fare, and  cover  his  private  and  corrupt  Intereft 
with  fuch  pretences  againft  the  general  Senfe  and 
Intereft  of  the  whole,  it  is  neceffary  that  all  Pre- 
rogative and  Claim  to  Power  here  below,  fhould 
be  directed  and  hounded  by  Lawj  for  as  a  Philo- 
fopher  faith,  The  Law  ought  to  govern  all,  or  elfe 
you  make  a  Gap  In  the  Hedge  of  Government  for 
all  manner  of  confufion  and  loofenefs  to  break  in  ; 
and  this  is  a  Principle  and  Law  in  Chriflianity, 
that  we  fhould  provide  things  honcjl  in  the  Jight  of  all ^ 
Rom.  xii.  17.  Things  honeft,  or  beautiful,  or  come- 
ly, as  the  Word  lignifies,  in  the  fight  of  all  Men. 
And  no  Man  is  in  his  Adminiftration  of  Human 
Affairs,  to  juftify  himfelf  from  within  only,  but 
from  thofe  other  Laws  he  is  under  without  him,  at 
leaft  from  the  true  reafon  and  Spirit  of  them  ;  for 
there  I  make  a  juft  exception.  Our  Saviour  was 
the  bed  Jew  that  ever  lived,  and  didmofl  perfeft- 
ly  fulfil  the  Jewifh  Law,  and  yet  as  thofe  Doftors 
•thought,  did  break  the  Letter  of  it,  when  he,  moft 
of  all,  fulfilled  the  Spirit  of  that  Law  :  This  is 
moft  certain,  that  all  Power,  Prerogative,  and 
Priviledge,  is  to  be  underftood  and  exerted  for 
Prefervation  and  not  toMifchief  5  thus  it  is  in  the 
X)ivine  Being,  and  much  more  mufl  be  in  all  limit- 
edBeings. 

It  is  true,  God,  and  He  only  is  an  abfolute  Sove- 
reign, without  any  limitation,  conftraint,  or  con- 
finement ;  his  Will  is  a  Law  to  himfelf  and  unto 
all  things  elfe.  Arbitrary  Government  is  his  right, 
his  due;  but  we  muft  not  for  all  this  think  he  is 
nothing  (at  leaft)  but  meer  Arbitrary. Will  in  our 
Senfes.  He  is  not  made  up  of  Will,  an  Authority 
and  Power,  without  any  efl^ential  Goodnefs  and 
Juftice  to  pieafure  and  regulate  them.  I  readily 
graat  the  Will  of  God  is  indetcrmined  by  any 
Jhing  but  itfelf,  but  yet  it  is  not  a  Will  abfolutely 

in- 


(      208      ) 

indifferent  to  all  things;  for  it  can  Will  nothing 
but  that  which  is  good.  And  although  this  Will 
be  tlic  very  Rule  or  Meafure  of  God's  Juftice  and 
Wifdom  iticlf ;  yet  it  is  alfo  true,  that  this  Will 
IS  ever  determined  by  a  Rule  or  Reafon  of  Good. 
The  truth  is  it  at  once,  it  makes  all  things  good  by 
Willing  them,  and  Wills  them  becaufe  they  are 
good  ;  it  is  at  once  Arbitrary,  and  in  its  Arbitrari- 
nefs  moft  highly  reafonable  and  defirable.  God  is 
Arbitrary  Will  and  Power,  not  in  our  corrupt 
Senfe  and  Praftice,  but  in  a  Divine  Notion  and 
Senfe;  Arbitrary  Will  and  Power  in  our  Senfe  and 
Praftice,  is  nothing  elie  butWeaknefs  and  Impo- 
tency,  a  brutifh  fury  and  madnefs,  meer  humour, 
an  irrational  appetite,  and  fo  far  from  upholding, 
that  it  deftroys  all  Government,  not  only  the  true 
Bleflings  of  it,  but  the  very  right  Notion  of  it : 
But  God  is  fo  in  a  Divine  Senfe,  his  Arbitrarinefs 
and  Abfolutencfs  wifely  and  juftly  difpofing  itfelf 
and  Omnipotency,  reaching  all  things,  an  irrefift- 
ible  Goodnefs,  Juftice,  and  Wifdom  ;  or  as  one 
faith,  decoroufnefs,  fitncfs,  and  as  was  faid  before, 
cf  itfelf,^  ilill  willing  and  afting  it,  fo,  as  that 
which  is  abfolutely  the  beft,  is  an  indifpenfable 
Law  to  it,  becaufe  its  his  very  Effence.  Not  that 
he  is  bound  or  obliged  to  do  the  beft,  in  our  poor 
fervile  Senfe  of  thele  Words  here  below,  or  by  any 
Command  or  Law  from  another  as  fuperior  ;  this 
would  deftroy  his  liberty,  -and  indeed  his  Being, 
this  would  be  a  contradiftion  to  the  perfections 
of  his  own  nature,  from  which  he  cannot  poffibly 
deviate,  no  more  than  ungod  himfclf ;  and  did  we 
rightly  underftand  this  matter,  we  fliould  no  more 
fbfpute  about  our  own  poor,  broken,  low  and  divid- 
ed Notions  of  it,  but  happily  be  delivered  from  all 
the  unneceflary  difputes  on  both  fides  about  it. 

And  now  as  an  excellent  Pcrfon  faith  very  well, 
what  Undei-ftanding  or  Will  of  Man,  or  an  Angel, 
mnft  not  with  an    une>cpvclliblc    Pleafure    refign 

them* 


(      209      ) 

thcmfelves,  and  all  to  this  ahfolute  Sovereign  Di- 
vine Will,  when  tills  Will  appears  to  us  in  nothing 
Arbitrary,  but  in  Goodnefs  itfelf,  its  own  Objedt 
Rule  and  Perfeftion,  a  goodnefs  which  is  eternally, 
unalterably  and  immoveably  the  Supreme  and  Uni- 
verfal  Goodnefs,  containing  in  itfelf  all  kinds  and 
degrees  of  Goodnefs  at  an  equal  height  with  itfelf; 
a  Goodnefs  to  which  every  Underftanding  and  Will 
by  its  own  Principle  and  moll  elTential  Activity 
and  Motion  is  carried  up  with  a  neceffity  and  irre- 
Hftiblenefs,  moft  rationally  and  moft  voluntarily, 
that  is,  moft  divinely,  harmonious  and  agreeable. 
What  Spirit,  endued  with  an  Underftanding  and  a 
Will,  can  forbear  from  cafting  itfelf  with  fweeteft 
tranfports,  into  the  Arms  and  Abfolute  Condudt 
of  this  moft  Abfolute  and  Arbitrary  Good,  viz, 
of  a  moft  Abfolute  and  Arbitrary  Goodnefs.  Think 
once  of  God  as  Wifdom,  Goodnefs,  Sweetnefs, 
Juftice,  Love  itfelf,  all  pure,  unmixt,  unconfined 
in  their  moft  abfolute  Eftences,  in  their  higheft  ex- 
altation, in  their  greateft  amplitude,  in  their  moft 
potent  Vigour,  and  when  you  havethefe  Thoughts 
tell  me,  if  all  things  within  you  do  not  with  the 
fulleft  concurrence  meet  in  this  one  only  moft  paf- 
iionate  deflre,  that  this  God,  this  bej?  Mmd,  as  the 
Stolcks  fpeak,  may  alone  condudl  you,  and  the  whole 
courfe  of  all  Things.  Tell  me.  Reader,  if  it  be 
not  thy  Intereft,  and  the  Intereft  of  all  things,  that 
this  God  fliould  be  Abfolute,  Arbitrary,  and  Un- 
controulable,  and  under  no  Law,  but  from  himfelf, 
and  what  himfelf  is  to  himfelf?  We  read  in  a  Sto- 
ry of  a  Barbarian  Ambaffador,  who  came  on  pur- 
pofe  to  the  Romans  of  old,  to  negotiate  for  leave  to 
becotne  their  Servants.  Sure  1  am,  it  cannot  be 
more  the  Duty  than  it  muft  be  the  Wifdom,  the 
Policy,  the  Intereft  of  every  Mind  to  be  ft  ill  in 
Obedience  and  Subjeftion  to  God,  under  the  Go- 
vernment and  Conduft  of  Infinite  Wifdom,  Power 
and  Goodnefs.  This  is  indeed  the  Safety  and  Se- 
curity of  all  Crcaiurcs,  that  God  fhould  be  /ibfolutc, 
P  Arbitrary 


(      210      ) 

Arbitrary  and  Uncontroulable  :  Who  can  delrre 
his  Wifdoni  fhould  be  altered  when  nothing  can 
amend  it,  his  Power  fliould  not  be  unlimited  and 
tinbounded  when  all  other  Power  wauld  be  ruinous, 
if  not  fubordinate  to  his  Power  ? 


CHAP.     XXII. 

Shewing  that  the  very  Anger  of  God  is 
kindled  and  a^ed  hy  his  Love,  a  moji 
pure  and  perfedl  Love,  and  fubfervient 
to  it,  and  therefore  cannot  finally  over- 
power  it,  and  fubdue  it  into  Subordina- 
tron  to  itfelf 

TO  make  this  plain,  I  would  give  a  more  ge- 
neral, and  then  a  more  particular  Explication 
of  this  Anger. 

That  1  would  fay  in  the  general  Explanation  of 
this  Anger  is  this. 

Anger  is  attributed  to  God  by  a  two-fold  Figure ; 
the  iirft  is  called  an  Anthropopathy ^  when  Paflions 
proper,  to  Men  are  applied  to  God,  while  by  the 
iuiting  of  the  Language  to  the  Capacities  of  the 
Hearers,  God  is  reprcfcnted  to  us  in  the  form,  and  in 
the  Faihion  of  a  Man.  The  other  Figure  is  a  Me- 
tonymy^ where  the  Caufe  is  fet  for  the  EfFeft,  and 
the  thing  fignified  in  the  place  of  the  Sign. 

It  is  a  Mctonymical  way  of  fpcalcing,  which  ex- 
prefTeth  the  Effeft  by  the  Caufe,  fo  the  Scripture 
Ipeaking  with  the  "Tongue  of  Man  (as  the  ^r^fi  exprefs 
it)  reprclenting  thole  cffcds  of  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence, by  the  Names  of  the  Anger  and  the  Wrath 
of  Gc^^,  which  aniwers  to  thofe  effefts  that  com- 
monly proceed  from  Anger  and  Wrath  in  Men. 
-  ,  .  Thus 


(       211       ) 

I'hus  by  this  two-fold  Figure,  thofe  changeable 
Pailions  in  created  Spirits,  which  bring  forth  and 
cxprels  themfelves  by  changes  of  Good  or  Evil, 
the  effects  and  ligns  of  thofe  Paflions  are  applied  to 
the  unchangeable  God,  when  he  brings  forth  the 
like  Paflions  in  his  Works ;  the  Holy  Scripture 
fpeaking  here  with  the  Tongue,  and  in  the  Lan- 
guage of  a  Man. 

But  all  fuch  figurative  Expreffions  concerning 
God,  arc  to  be  underflood  with  this  Caution  and 
Rule,  every  thing  indeed  in  the  Creature  is  a  Fi- 
gure, which  hath  its  original  Pattern  anfwering  to 
It  in  the  Divine  Nature;  but  all  Imperfeflions  at- 
tending the  Creature  are  to  be  removed,  all  perfec- 
tion In  the  uttermoft  heights  and  mofl  abfolute  ful- 
nefs,  are  to  be  attributed  to  the  original  Pattern, 
when  by  the  fliadowy  Figure  in  the  Creature,  you 
look  to  the  exemplary  and  primitive  Truth  in  God, 
and  fo  by  thofe  changeable  and  divers  Paflions  in. 
Man,  you  arc  to  reprefent  to  yourfelves  in  God,  a 
Goodncfs,  a  Power,  an  unfearchable  richnefs  of  va- 
riety, and  manifeflly  various  Wifdom,  andallthefe 
apart  and  together,  with  the  moft  ablblute  Simplici- 
ty and  higheft  Unity  in  the  Divine  Effence,  produc- 
ing all  diverfity  of  Accidents,  all  changes  of  Good 
and  Evil  in  thedefign,  which  cometh  forth  at  once 
as  one  piece  divinely  rich  in  all  variety  from  him, 
and  as  one  intire  Image  filled  with  the  Riches  of  all 
diflinft  Beauties  of  him,  who  is  unchangable,who  is 
unchangeably,  and  fo  nioft  perfeftly  one;  this  is 
my  general  Account  of  Anger  in  God,  Divine  An- 
ger, Anger  in  God,  is  called  by  the  aforefaid  Fi- 
gures, which.cxpreffes  things  in  God  after  the  man- 
ner of  Men. 

I  would  now  bring  this  matter  down  to  every 
Underflanding,  by  a  more  particular  Explanation  of 
this  Anger.  To  lift  up  then  the  Veil,  anc\  to  dif- 
cover  the  Divine  Mylleries  beneath  this  Figure, 
the  Divine  Secret  and  hidden  Glory  im  the  Divine 
Anger.  Anger  in  God  fhews  itfelf,  and  itJ  Inno-^ 
cency  in  theie  Particulars. 

Pa  1.  TherQ 


(       212       ) 

1.  There  is  In  God  a  Contrariety  to  every  thing 
that  is  Evil,  as  Light  and  Darknefs,  fo  is  the  Di- 
vine Nature  and  Sin  contrary  to  one  another.  The 
Divine  Love  and  Beauty  in  their  own  Nature,  are 
clfentially  and  eternally  contrary  to  Sin,  whofc  na- 
ture altogether  fuhfills  in  Deformity  and  Enmity  ; 
now  the  very  Principle  and  Eflence  of  Anger  lies 
in  this  contrariety  ;  fo  far  as  it  is  Innocent  and 
Divine.  God  is  eternally  the  fame  ;  when  you 
prefent  thofe  things  which  are  fuitable  to  him,  that 
are  Holy,  he  is  faid  to  be  well  pleafcd,  becaufe  there 
is  a  fuitablcnefs  between  him  and  that  which  is  pre- 
Icnted  to  him.  When  you  fet  Darknefs,  Evil,  and 
Sin  before  God;  now  he  is  faid  to  be  Angry,  be- 
caufe there  is  a  contrariety  between  that  Excellen- 
cy, which  is  God,  and  Sin. 

2.  The  fecond  Particular  in  Anger  is  this,  a 
Clouding  of  his  Countenance  :  then  we  fay  a  Father, 
a  Friend  is  Angry  with  us,  when  he  will  no  more 
fpcak  kindly  to  us  as  formerly  he  did  ;  when  his 
Countenance  is  fliut  towards  us,  then  we  fay,  God 
is' angry  with  Man,  when  he  withdraws  theDifco- 
veries  of  himfelf  from  Man,  when  the  Joys  that 
flow  from  him  are  ebbing,  and  return  back  upon 
himfelf  again,  when  he  hides  the  Light  of  his 
Countenance  from  us. 

3.  The  third  particular  of  Anger  in  God,  carries 
this  along  with  it,  that  it  is  a  rijzng  of  Spirit  feeking 
the  DcfiruHion  of  that  which  flands  in  the  way  of  its 
Content.  It  is  Anger  in  God  when  his  Spirit  is 
moved  and  breaks  forth  within  him,  to  deftroy  eve- 
ry thing  that  offends,  together  with  the  Principles 
of  it,  his  Spirit  ril'eth  to  deftroy  not  only  Sin,  but 
the  finning  Principle,  the.  natural  Man,  the  Fleih ; 
when  our  God  thus  comes  forth  as  a  confumins[ 
Fire  upon  us,  and  when  he  anlwers  by  terrible 
Things  in  Righteoufnefs,  he  is  then  our  God,  and 
the  Cod  of  our  SaivatioU. 

Moralifts  obferve,  that  the  Objeft  of  Anger  is 
that  which ftands  in  the  way  of  one's  Contentment, 
*^''"-'  ^■'  '■ and 

r::.lT    t 


(      213     ) 

"and  that  the  Workings  of  Anger  are  Paflages  to 
one's  Content ;  by  the  Deftruftion  of  that  Impedi- 
ment. We  fay  well  according  to  Man,  that  God  is 
angry,  when  he  rifeth  to  deftroy  and  burn  up  all 
the  Fuel  of  Sin,  that  he  may  make  way  to  the  fet- 
ing up  of  his  Glory  every  where.  Thus  God  ex- 
prefleth  his  own  Glory,  Ifa.  xxvii.  4.  Fury  is  not  in 
me,  but  ifyonfet  the  briars  and  thorns  againjl  me  in  bat- 
tle, I  would  go  through  them,  I  would  burn  them  toge" 
ther  ;  if  ye  put  the  Jiubblc  in  the  way,  Iwillpafs  through 
it  and  confume  it.  Thefe  are  the  Particulars  of  An- 
ger in  God, 

The  Divine  Love  and  Beauty  in  their  own  Na- 
ture are,  as  hath  been  faid,  elTentially  and  eternal- 
ly contrary  to  Sin,  whofe  Nature  altogether  fub- 
lilis  in  Deformity  and  Enmity.  The  very  En- 
trance of  Sin,  as  a  great  Man  obferves,  is  deiigned 
to  thia  End,  That  the  Supreme  Love  may  declare 
its  Supreme  Purity,  in  all  its  LovelineiTes  and 
Sweetnefles  by  the  Powers,  the  Heights,  the  L're- 
concileablenefs  of  its  Oppoiition  in  all  Forms  o£ 
Contrariety,  to  the  Enmity  and  Deformity  of  Sin, 
that  it  may  manifeft  its  Sovereign  Power  and 
Svveetnefs  in  fubduing  Sin  to  itfelf,  in  turning  its 
Evil  to  a  greater  Good,  a  more  glorious  and  Eternal 
Good,  that  by  its  Contrariety  to  Sin  it  may  render 
itfelf  more  amiable,  and  by  its  Conqueft  over  Sin, 
more  admirable  in  all  Eyes  and  Hearts. 

I  fhall  conclude  this  general  and  particular  Ex- 
planation of  Anger  in  God,  with  thefe  Two  uni- 
verfally  and  neceflarily  agreed  Notes. 

I.  The  Movement  of  this  Anger  is  a  Divine  Ex- 
cellency in  God,  it  damps  not  his  Love,  he  can  no 
more  ceafe  to  be  Love  when  he  is  angry,  than  he 
can  ceafe  to  be  God. 

When  God  is  angry  he  enjoys  himfelf  as  fweetly 
now  as  ever  he  did  before.  His  own  Love,  and  his 
own  Lovellncls,  and  the  Delights  that  flow  from 
them  are  nothing  at  all  troubled,  and  therefore  he 
faith.  Fury  is  not  in  me.  Fury  is  not  a  thing  that 
P  3  dwells 


(      214      ) 

dwells  among  his  Contents,  when  he  is  moft  angry 
then  is  he  in  the  lame  Joy  and  Glory  as  he  was  in 
before;  for  his  Anger  moves  as  in  a  Sphere  with- 
out. All  in  him  is  Love,  and  even  that  in  him,  on 
which  the  out-going;  Wrath  is  bottom'd  and  found  - 
cd,  is  llill  Love,  pure  Love,  or  a  variation  of  the 
Movements  of  Love. 

Again,  The  Anger  of  God  damps  not  the  Sweet- 
nefs  and  Love  of  God  towards  any  of  his  Saints. 
he  is  as  much  in  Love  with  them  when  he  is  an- 
gry with  them,  as  when  he  was  fmiling  upon 
them  ;  nay,  the  Anger  of  God  towards  his  own 
is  the  fruit  of  his  Love,  and  a  flrong  ExpreiTion  of 
it ;  as  a  Heathen  could  fay,  Thofe  whom  God  af- 
fiifls,  fortiter  illos  amat ^  he  loves  them  flrongly,  his 
Anger  hath  Love  flill  for  its  Spring  and  for  its 
End. 

God  hath,  as  I  may  fo  fpeak,  a  double  Content, 
the  Enjoyment  of  himfelf,  and  the  Enjoyment  of 
liis  Saints  in  himfelf.  When  he  is  angry,  it  is  fo 
far  from  weakening  this  Content,  that  Anger  from 
God  ever  flows  from  his  Love,  and  from  that  defire 
and  delight  that  he  hath  to  make  his  own  Joy,  and 
the  Joy  of  his  Saints  mutual,  in  the  full  Enjoyment 
one  of  another. 

Nor  doth  this  Anger  alter  or  change  the  Bowels, 
the  Tendernelfes  which,  as  he  is  the  Father  of  all, 
he  hath  to  all  his  Offspring,  Job  ix.  22.  we  read, 
he  dejlroys  the  peffeB  and  the  vcicked.  If  the  Scourge 
flay  fuddenly,  he  will  laugh  at  the  I'rial  of  the 
Innocent,  when  the  Scourge  falleth  alike  upon  the 
Innocent  and  the  Wicked,  God  laugheth  at  it. 
Wlien  Wicked  Men  fuffer  for  their  Sins,  when  In- 
nocent Perfons  are  refined  by  their  Sufferings,  the 
Eye  of  God  is  fixed  upon  his  own  Divine  Loveli- 
ncfs  and  Glory  alike  in  botii.  The  purefl  and  mofb 
perfect  Love  afteth  here  toward  this  moft  pure 
and  perfeft  Lovelinefs  and  Glory  in  both  ;  for  the 
meeting  and  blifsful  Embraces  of  thcfe  two,  thi^ 
Love  and  Lovelinefs  in  the  Divine  Nature,  his  Joy 

and 


(    215    ) 

ah'd  Complacency  is  alike  in  both  equally,  fully, 
equally  at  the  height.  As  Heat  and  Cold  which 
continually  fight  in  the  Elements  be4o\v  are  in  the 
Heavenly  Bodies;  but  after  fo  eminent  a  manner, 
that  they  meet  and  infold  each  other  with  a  moft 
harmonious  agreeablenefs :  Thus  Anger  and  Love, 
as  all  Forms  of  Things,  more  difcordant  in  the 
Creatures,  are  firft.  in  the  Divine  Nature  ;  but  they 
are  there  with  an  Eminence,  with  a  Tranfcenden- 
cy  in  which  they  are  refinjed,  Harmonized,  and 
heightened  far  above  all  Imperfeftion ;  here  they  all 
meet  as  a  moft  grateful  and  moft  agreeable  variety 
in  the  intireand  undivided  Unity  of  the  fame  Eter- 
nal Love,  of  the  fame  Eternal  God;  as  from  this 
height  of  a  moft  perfect  Unity  ;  thefe  Divine  Va- 
rieties bring  forth  various  EfFefts  in  a  Ihadowy 
refemblance  here  below  ;  they  make  the  Figures  of. 
the  whole  'Divinely  One,  and  divinely  Beautiful ; 
and  as  divine  Seals,  they  imprefs  the  Figure  of  their 
own  Divine  Unity  upon  each  fingle  EfFeft. 

Mv  fecond  Note  is  this,  the  Movement  of  this 
Anger  in  God  is  a  Divine  PVifdom.  Anger  in  God 
doth  not  darken  and  difturb  his  Wifdom,  it  is  not 
with  God  as  it  is  with  Man.  Let  Man  have  made 
it.the  Deiign  of  many  Years  to  make  a  Friend  hap- 
py, yet  if  any  variance  afterwards  happens,  now 
the  Counfelsand  Defigns  of  this  Man,  inftead  of 
making  him  Happy,  are  upon  Crofting  him,  when 
the  intent  of  his  Mind  at  firft,  was  to  raife  up  and 
make  him  Happy.  When  God  is  angry,  he  is  one 
even  in  that  Anger;  the  Contrivances  of  God  arc 
as  great  and  as  full  to  make  that  Saint  or  Perfon 
with  whom  he  is  Angry,  Blejpd  and  Glorious  as  ever 
it  was  before.  Anger  is  fo  far  from  difturbing  the 
Wifdom  of  God,  that  it  is  the  Inftrument  of  that 
Wifdom,  and  God  is  never  angry  but  upon  a  De- 
fign  to  make  his  Saints  and  his  Church  more  Blefied 
and  Glorious  by  his  Anger;  and  fo  may  we  fay  of 
his  Wifdom,  with  refpeft  to  all  his  other  Works, 
over  aud  above  whom  his  Mercy  extends.  God 
P  4  never 


(    2ti6    ) 

never  lofeth  nor  gives  over  his  grand  defign  of 
Love  in  his  Anger,  which  he  halh  locked  up  in  his 
own  Breaft  from  his  whole  Creation.  A  Pifture, 
as  one  I'peaks,  confifts  ot"  crooked  Lines  as  well  as 
ilrait,  and  of  Shades  as  well  as  of  Lights  and  Glo- 
ries. Divine  Love,  which  abounds  towards  us  in 
all  IVifdom  and  in  ail  Prudence^  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks 
Eph.  i.  Divine  Love,  whicli  infinitely  tranfcends 
all  the  Skill,  the  Art,  the  Wit,  the  Contrivance  of 
all  Men,  knows  how  to  make  every  thing  Beautiful 
in  itsScafon  and  Place,  and  every. Particular  in  his 
whole  Dcfign,  to  add  Sweetnefs  and  Luftre  to  the 
whole  Piece  ;  whether  he  lays  dark  or  bright  Co- 
lours, whether  he  makes  Shades  or  Lights,  crook- 
ed Lines  orftrait,  or  circular,  he  is  ftill  aftuated  by 
that  Idea  of  Beauty  and  Love,  which  he  hath  in 
his  ovvn  Mind,  he  is  flill  forming  the  fame  lovely 
Face,  carrying  on  the  fame  defign  in  every  Stroke 
and  Colour,  fometimes,  as  the  Perfon  before  cited 
fpeaks,  he  makes  a  Land  of  Egypt^  fometimes  a 
Pajfage  out  of  it ;  here  a  RedSea^  there  a  fVay  thro* 
it,  now  a  PVildemeJ],  then  a  Land  of  Canaan  ;  but 
ilill  in  all,  he  keeps  his  Eye  upon  the  fame  Divine 
Defign  of  Love  and  Glory,  and  is  ftill  forming  this 
Image  of  Love  and  Glory  in  every  E^pt,  RedSeay 
fVildernefs,  and  Canaan  ;  he  is  fliil  unchangeable 
and  the  fame,  tho*  in  a  varied  Form,  but  ever  e- 
qually  himfelf,  equally  living,  equally  beautiful, 
never  fading,  never  pafling  away.  According  to 
this  Account  of  Anger  and  Wrath  in  God,  I  can- 
not without  affronting  God  and  forfeiting  my  own 
Underftanding,  conceive  how  Anger  and  Wrath 
can  at  laft,  and  finally  prevail  in  the  Breaft  of  that 
Sweetnefs  and  Wifdom,  who  hath  told  us,  that 
jinger  rejicth  in  the  Bofom  of  Foohy  and  hath  com- 
manded us  not  to  let  the  Sun  godozvn  upon  our  If  rath. 

Anger  and  Wrath  in  us,  is  indeed  a  fond,  foolifh, 
rafh,  hair-brained  thing,  ejlbrevis  ira  furcr,  a  Ihort 
Diftraftion,  a  Frenzy,   and  our  Love  is  as  fond, 

as 


(      217      ) 

as  blind,  as  giddy  as  our  Anger,  but  there  is  no  fuch 
thing  as  ramnefs  or  fondnefs  in  God  ;  be  is  neither 
tranfported  beyond  bounds  in  his  difpleafure,  nor  in 
his  Love  ;  he  doth  not  correct  us  for  his  Pleafure 
but  for  our  Profit,  to  make  us  Partakers  of  his  own 
HoUncfsy  //i'Z'.  xii.  10.  and  on  the  other  hand,  if 
there  be  need,  we  fhall  be  fure  to  be  in  heavinefs 
for  a  Seafon^  as  Peter  tells  us,  i  Pet.  i.  6.  Anger 
in  God  is  but  a  particular  extraneous  Movement 
of  his  Juftice,  which  is  the  Purity,  the  Wifdom, 
the  Order,  the  Law  of  the  Divine  Nature,  oppoling 
the  Difcord,  the  Deformity,  the  Enmity  of  Sin. 
Anger  in  God  is  but  the  even  and  equal  ballance  of 
his  Goodnefs,  the  faithfulnels  and  exaftnefs  of  his 
Love  ;  it  is  his  Love  to  us  which  kindles  his  Anger 
againft  us,  which  puts  him  into  an  Indignatioa 
againft  Sin,  which  feparates  between  us  and  him, 
that  he  and  we  miirht  be  BrouQ-ht  tofrether.  This 
Anger  of  his  bums  until  it  hath  confumed  all  its 
own  proper  ObjeBs  ;  and  fo  by  lofing  them  comes 
to  iofi  itfclfy  and  to  be  fwallowed  up  into  the  Love 
which  firft  fent  it  forth  ;  thus  Anger  in  God  hath 
Love  for  its  Root  and  for  its  Fruit,  it  is  indeed  all 
but  Lovedifguifed,  Love  hiding  itfclf  in  order  to 
a  more  glorious  Difcovery.  It  is  all  but  Love, 
confuming,  burning  up  all  that  which  ftands  in  its 
way,  and  hinders  it  from  Ihining  out  in  its  full 
Glory,  that  fo  it  may  obtain  a  more  perfeft  Vic- 
tory and  Triumph. 

I  will  fhut  up  this  particular  Head,  with  a  few 
Words  to  Saints  and  to  Sinners,  and  to  both  raixt, 
for  fo  they  are  in  this  State. 

I.  Let  us  learn  from  hence,  how  good  and  fvveet 
a  God  the  Saints  have,  and  how  blefled  a  Portion 
is  their  God  ;  they  have  indeed  a  God  that  can  be 
Angry  with  them  when  they  fin  againft  him,  but 
fo  that  his  Anger  itfelf  is  Love,  is  a  defign  to  make 
them  more  Glorious  and  Bleffed  ;  what  Ihould  we 
fear  but  the  Anger  of  our  God  ?     But  even  here 

we 


(      2l8      ) 

we  have  caufe  to  be  comforted  ;  for  it  is  an  unchan- 
geable Love  he  works  by,  even  in  his  Anger  ;  yea, 
his  very  Anger  ittelf  flows  from  that  Love,  and  is 
the  faithful  purluit  of  it.  If  God  fmile  upon  you, 
Happy  are  you  :  But  you  are  happy  too  tho'  he  be 
Angry  with  you  and  frown  upon  you  :  He  forgets 
not  hh.Covenant  in  his  Anger,  Pfa,  Ixxxix.  What  can 
make  us  miferable  but  the  Anger  of  God  ?  and 
yet  in  this  he  carries  on  our  bleffednefs  as  entirely 
as  when  he  doth  in  fmiling.  This  is  the  Happinels 
of  a  Saint,  that  the  dreadfulleft  of  all  things,  the 
Anger  of  God  jtfelf  hath  ftill  a  Myftery  in  it  of 
Power,  Swectnefs  and  Wifdom  carrying  on  th/s 
Blcilednefs. 

2.  Let  us  learn  from  hence,  to  obferve  and  go- 
vern our  Anger  by  thele  two  Characters,  which 
liath;  been  given  of  the  Anper  in  God,  fo  Ihall  our 
Anger  be  not  Carnal  but  Divine. 

1.  Let  there  be  aPredominant  Principle  of  Sweet- 
nefs  and  Love  in  our  Anger  ;  we  are  allowed  a 
Zeal  for  God  ;  but  not  a  hitter  Zeal,  not  a  Zeal' 
that  fprings  from  a-  root  of  Bitternefs  within  ;  fo  as 
"James  fpeaks  of  that  Zeal,  condemns  it  immediate- 
ly to  that  Fountain,  which  as  it  blelTcth  God,  fo 
it  curfes  Man;  doth  thy  Anger  come  from  a  Spi- 
rit of  Holinefs,  from  a  Spirit  of  Bleffing,  canft  thou 
fay  when  thou  art  moft  angry  with  Man  in  any 
cafe,  that  yet  thou  loveft  him,  and  it  is  thy  Love  to 
him  makes  thee  angry  with  him,  and  in  the  Secret 
of  thy  Spirit  thou  could'ft  joy  to  receive  hmi  into 
the  I^ellowfhip  of  the  Glory  of  God  with  thyfelf  ? 
Now  thy  Anger  is  indeed  Divine,  if  thou  canft  en- 
joy a  fweetnefs  within  when  thou  art  outwardly 
Angry,  when  thy  Anger  is  only  the  faithfulnefs  of 
thy  Love,  hath  Love  for  its  root,  defign,  aim,  and 
end,  like  the  Anger,  as  hath  been  faid  of  God,  only 
ZfOve  difguifed. 

2,  What  is  the  aim  of  thy  Anger  ?  Doth  thy 
Anger  raife  a  Storm,  in  thy  Breaft,  where  all  things 
%re  in  a  tumultuous  Tempeft  and  Dilbrder  in  thv 

Ap- 


(      219      ) 

Apprehenlion  and  in  thy  AfFeftion  ;  and  doth  tl^e 
'bitter  Zeal  of  thy  Anger  interrupt  thy  due  purfuit 
of  the  general  Intereft  of  God  and  of  thy  Country  ? 
This  renders  thy  Anger  Sufpicious.  Is  thy  An- 
ger to  revenge  thyfelf  upon  the  Perlbn  with  whom 
thou  art  angry  ?  Or  is  it  to  make  way  for  the  Glory 
of  God  to  break  forth  to  deftroy  that  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  Spirit  of  God  in  that  Perfon  ?  He  that 
is  divinely  angry  diftinguilhes  always  between  the 
Glory  of  God,  and  a  compliance  with  his  own  Hu- 
mour ;  he  diftinguiflies  carefully  the  Objeft  of  his 
Anger,  between  the  Pirjhn  of  Man  and  the  Princi- 
ple of  Sin  in  the  Man,  his  Anger  tends  not  to  the 
hurt  of  the  Perfon  z\  all.  This  would  be  Hatred, 
which  is  no  where  allowed  :  but  his  Anger  is  alto- 
gether to  the  Deftiuftton  of  Sin  in  the  Man,  and 
to  tiie  favinjT  of  the  Sinner,  that  the  Flefli  may  be 
deftroyed.  And  he  diilinguilhes  as  carefully  be- 
tween the  Glory  of  (sod,  and  a  compliance  with 
his  own  Humour.  He  lits  down  in  the  calmnefs  of 
his  own  Spirit,  and  there  between  God  and  him- 
•felf  he  witnelFes,  it  is  not  to  give  way  to  his  Hu- 
mour, or  his  Opinion  which  is  crofs'd,  or  to  make 
way  for  that  his  Opinion,  but  only  for  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Glory  of  God,  and  for  a  clear  Paffage 
of  the  Gofpel ;  for  which  his  Anger  works.  Take 
this  for  a  Rule,  that  when  our  oivn  Perfons  are  the 
Caufe  of  our  Anger,  that  Self  is  the  Caufe  of  that 
Anger.  All  the  Devil's  rage  is  the  Love  ofhim- 
felf,  as  he  is  in  himfelf  and  not  in  God  ;  and  the 
Objcft  of  the  Devil's  rage  is  againft  the  Perfon  of 
Man  J  it  is  not  the  taking  away  of  his  Eftate,  or 
Liberty,  but  it  is  the  Deftrud\ion  of  his  Perfon, 
and  if  he  can  but  deftroy  that,  he  will  heap  upon 
him  all  the  Contents  of  the  World  to  bring  this  to 
pafs.  Let  your  Anger  then,  if  you  would  be  An- 
gry as  God  is,  every  where  diftinguifh  between 
the  Good  and  the  Evil,  Let  the  remaining  mix- 
ture in  yourfelves  inftruft  you  how  to  carry  it  to- 
war  .Is  one  another  in  al^  this  mixture.     Love  the 

Good, 


C      220      ) 

Good,  be  Angry  with  the  Evil,  advance  the  Good, 
oppofo  the  Evil.  But  ftill  with  all  your  Loving 
Embraces,  but  every  where  diftinguifh  with  all 
tendernefs  of  Spirit  between  the  Perfon  and  the  Evil 
of  the  Perfon,  difcern  the  Evil  with  a  quick  and 
piercing  Eye,  guard  yourfelves  with  all  your  might 
from  it,  maintain  an  irreconcilable  Averlion  and 
Enmity  to  it,  but  at  the  fame  time  Love  the  Per- 
fon, Mourn  over  and  Groan  for  the  Perfon  as  for 
your  Brother,  as  for  yourfelf,  as  for  a  lick  and 
wounded  Member  of  your  own  Body,  until  he  he 
recover'd  from  the  Evil  which  hath  captivated  hmi, 
into  a  Fellowfhip  with  you,  into  the  Purity  and 
Love  of  the  Divine  Nature,  when  God  fo  pleafes. 

3.  Let  us  learn  from  hence,  that  there  may  be 
Anger  in  God  towards  his  dearefl.  Children,  and 
yet  nothing  in  that  Anger  contrary  to  the  Myftery, 
to  the  Sweetnefs  and  to  the  Glory  of  the  Gofpel, 
What  fliould  hinder  God  from  being  angry  with 
his  own  People  ?  Is  there  not  an  Objeft  of  Anger 
in  them  while  they  are  in  the  Flefh,  and  whilft  Sin 
cleaves  to  their  Flefh  and  to  them  ?  Is  there  not  in 
God,  in  the  Excellencies  of  the  God-head,  a  con- 
trariety unto  this  Flefli  and  the  uncleannefs  of  it  ? 
Why  then  fhould  we  fcruple  to  fay  God  may  be 
Angry  with  his  own  People  for  their  Sins  ?  Doth 
not  God  frequently  carry  himfelf  towards  his  Saints 
as  Angry  Perfons  towards  their  Friends  with  whom 
they  are  difpleafed  ?  Doth  he  not  upon  our  Sin 
draw  in  his  Countenance  ?  Doth  not  the  Power  of 
God  frequently  put  forth  itfelf  on  the  Saints  to 
confume.Sin  in  them,  and  that  by  terrible  Methods 
in  Righteoufnefs  ?  Wbat  is  there  in  all  this  Anger 
of  God  towards  a  Saint  that  doth  at  all  contradift 
the  Sweetnefs  and  Glory  of  God  ?  Doth  he  Love 
ever  the  lefs  for  his  Anger  ?  Nay,  he  loves  fo  much 
the  more,  and  this  is  one  of  the  great  Myfteries  of 
the  Gofpel,  that  Light  and  Love  Works  in  Dark- 
nefs  and  Anger  itfelf.  Is  the  Wifdom  of  God  ever 
the  lefs   Beautiful  ?    No,   the  fame  Wifdom  that 

fowcd 


(       221       ) 

■fowed  Immortality  in  the  Grave,  and  that  made  the 
Crofs  to  afcend  up  to  Glory,  can  by  his  Anger 
purify  the  Air  of  a  Saint's  Spirit  that  it  may  re- 
ceive the  Divine  Influences  more  clearly  and  more 
fweetly ;  there  is  nothing  inconliftent  in  God's 
Anger  to  his  Saints  with  his  everlafting  and  un- 
changeable Love  to  them,  Jam.. i.  i^,20.  Every 
man  is  exhorted  to  hefwift  to  hear^Jlovj  tofpeak^Jlovj  to 
lurath ;  for  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteoiif- 
tiefi  of  God.  Let  it  not  be  a  digreffion,  if  I  fhew 
how  this  Scripture  Is  true  in  a  Three -fold  Senfe, 

1.  The  firft  Senfe  is  this :  The  Righteoufnefs 
of  God  is  not  the  Principle  that  worketh  in  the 
Wrath  of  Man;  all  Graces  are  called  Fruits  of 
Righteoufnefs  in  the  Scripture,  Jefus  Chrift  is  the 
Righteoufnefs  of  God,  and  he  is  our  God,  and  the 
Hoot  of  all  Righteoufnefs  in  us ;  Yea,  our  very 
Righteoufnefs.  Wherefoever  there  is  true  Spiritu- 
ality, the  Spirit  of  God  worketh  in  us,  but  this 
Righteoufnefs  worketh  not  in  the  Wrath  of  Man's 
Spirit;  it  was  not  in  the  great  and  ftrong  Winds 
which  rent  the  Mountains  and  brake  in  Pieces  the 
R.ocks,  nor  in  the  Earthquake,  nor  in  the  Fire,  that 
the  Lord  was ;  but  in  the  flill  and  fmall  Voice  ;  it 
is  not  in  a  precipitated  and  angry  Spirit  that  God 
works,  but  in  a  fimple,  and  calm,  and  waiting  Spi- 
rit, I  Kings^  xlx. 

2.  The  fecond  Senfe  is  this  :  That  the  Works  of 
Anger  are  not  righteousWorks,  they  are  not  Works 
approved  in  the  Eye  of  God.  You  may  in  your 
Anger  kill  Men  for  Religion -fake,  you  may  in  your 
angry  Zeal  forfeit  your  Eftate,  give  up  your  Bodies 
to  be  confumed  by  Fire  for  the  defence  of  Truth  : 
but  this  is  not  that  which  God  accounts  Holinefs, 
if  you  do  all  this  and  have  not  Charity,  the  fvveeteft 
the  higheft,  and  the  divinefb  Temper  of  Love. 

3.  The  third  Senfe  is,  this  Wrath  makes  nodif- 
covery  of  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  ;  he  that  makes 
a  Judgment  of  the  ablings  of  Providence,  or  any 
Sute  of  things  in  the  World,  in  his  Anger,    and 

in 


(      222      ) 

in  tlie  difcontent  of  his  own  Spirit,  this  Man  will 
never  difcover  the  Righteoulncfs  of  God  in  it. 
The  Secret  of  God  is  with  a  fubmitted  and  hum- 
l^le  Spirit,  unto  that  Man  will  God  difcover  the 
Myllcries  of  his  Works,  and  the  Beauty  and  Glory 
that  is  in  all  his  ways ;  hkjpd  arc  the  pure  in  fpirltfor 
they Jljalt fee  Gr.dy  a  pure  Spirit  is  a  calm  Spirit ;  there 
is  nothing  more  contrary  to  the  purity  of  the  Air 
than  the  dark  Clouds  and  foggy  Vapours ;  there  is 
nothing  more  contrary  to  the  purity  of  our  Spirits 
than  this  Anger  and  Wrath,  an  angry  Spirit  can 
never  fee  the  Glory  of  God,  v/hois  Love  through- 
out, nor  fliall  ever  the  Glory  of  God  break  forth  in 
any  of  his  ways  to  an  angry  Spirit,  until  that  Spirit 
is  fwallowed  up  in  the  Love  of  God  ;  but  the  quiet 
Spir/it  that  runs  like  the  Waters  of  5'/;//od',  that  Spi-. 
rit  doth  and  Ihall  fee  God,  that  Spirit  iTiall  fee  the' 
Righteoufnefs  of  God,  the  Excellencies  of  God, 
that  Spirit  fliall  fee  the  Counfel  of  God  in  all  his, 
ways,  in  all  his  Works,  and  fliU  cry  out,  O  my. 
God  !    O  Infinite  Love  ! 

4.  Let  us  learn  from  what  hath  been  fald  of 
Anger  in  God,  to  hate  and  fly  from  Sin,  which  is 
the  Fuel  to  that  Anger,  that  there  may  be  nothing 
between  God  and  us  but  Love. 

To  conclude.  There  would  be  no  end  in  fpeaking 
of  thefe  and  fome  other  Perfeftions  of  God,  and 
therefore  I  fliut  up  this  head  of  God's  being  Love, 
and  Love  being;  the  univerfal  Perfeftion  of  the  De- 
ity,  with  this  one  general  and  comprehenfive  one. 

The  unfearchablenefs,  the  incomprehenfiblenefs 
and  infinitenefs  of  God  is  an  unfearchable,  incom- 
prehenfible  and  infinite  Love  and  Goodnefs,  not 
only  all  that  which  we  know,  all  that  which  we 
can  take  in  of  God,  fo  far  as  he  hath  difcovered 
himfclf  to  us  and  given  us  a  capacity  to  know  him; 
but  all  that  which  we  cannot  undcrfland  of  him, 
we  reafonably  conclude  from  what  hath  been  faid, 
it  is  all  a  Depth,  a  Myftery,   an  Abyfs    of  Love," 

which 


(      223      ) 

which  ftlll  comprehends  us  and  all  things,  altho* 
we  and  all  things  can  never  comprehend  it.  A 
depth  which  fwallows  up  the  moft  Capacious  Spi- 
rits of  Men,  Saints  and  Angels,  but  can  never  be* 
fathomed  by  any  Spirit,  but  that  which  fcarcheth 
the  depths  of  God ;  this  incomprehenliblenefs  of 
God  is  made  up  of  thofe  lengths,  and  breadths,  and 
depths,  and  heights  of  Love,  which  pafleth  all  Un- 
derftanding,  as  we  read  Eph.  iii.  i8.  a  length, 
breadth,  height  and  depth,  which  at  once  extends 
and  exceeds  all  openings,  a  depth  without  bottom, 
a  height  without  any  bound,  a  breadth,  a  length 
without  any  meafure,  a  Love  which  paffeth  all 
Knowledge,  which  ftretcheth  forth  itfelf  beneath, 
above,  through  and  beyond  all  things,  an  unbound- 
ed Treafury  of  Divine  Love,  Goodnefs  and  Glory, 
an  inexhauftible  Spring  and  Ocean  of  Love  and 
Goodnefs,  and  Perfeftion  without  beginning  or 
end,  without  bottom  or  bound  ;  we  are  too  narrow 
to  meafure  its  compreheniion,  too  proud  to  under- 
ftand  its  condefcenfions,  itsftoopings,  too  low  to 
take  its  heights,  too  afpiring  to  fathom  its  depths, 
it  is  a  Love  which  hath  in  it  all  the  fulnefs  of  the 
Godhead;  thus  the  incomprehenliblenefs  andun- 
fearchablenefs  of  God,  arc  the  incomprehenfible  di- 
menfions  and  comprehenfions  of  his  Love. 

Thus  you  fee  how  Love  and  Goodnefs  is  the 
higheft,  the  moft  eflential  and  univerfal  Perfeftion 
of  the  Deity.  It  is  true  God  is  one,  the  fupreme 
Unity  abfolutely  undivided,  comprehending  all 
Excellencies,  all  things  within  himfclf,  in  thelim- 
plicity  of  his  own  Unity,  incomprehensibly  and 
infinitely  above  all  Diviflon  and  Compofition,  all 
things  divided  and  compounded  ;  he  is  perfeftly 
one,  and  hath  no  parts,  the  Juftice,  the  Holinefs, 
the  Power,  the  Wifdom,  the  Will,  the  Goodnefs 
of  God  are  all  one  ;  as  he  is  in  one  pure  Aft  of  all 
Excellencies  at  their  greateft  height  and  in  one,  fo 
is  he  Juflice,  Holinefs,  Power,  Wifdom,  Will, 
and  goodnefs  all  in  one,  and  this  Unity  of  God  is 

the 


(      224      ) 

the  higheft  and  pureft  Love,  for  as  I  have  been 
laying  all  along,  God  is  Love,  the  firft  and  fupremc 
Love,  is  the  Moft  High,  God  over  all  blelTed  for 
ever.  The  higheft,  pureft-,  and  moft  Spiritual 
P'orms  in  one  Eternal  Spirit.  This  is  the  Lo/e, 
this  is  God,  he  is  Power,  as  he  is  a  pure  Aft  of 
Almightinefs,  and  this  is  the  Strength  of  his  Love. 
He  is  Holinefs  as  he  is  feparate  from  all  mixtures 
and  compoiition  with  any  thing  of  the  Creature  ; 
and  this  Holinefs  as  I  have  Ihewn  you,  is  a  Spring 
of  all  Beauties,  Sweetnefl"es  and  Loves ;  he  is  Juf- 
ticeas  he  is  a  pure  Aft  of  intire  and  moft  perfeft 
Order,  and  this  is  the  impartial,  even,  and  equal 
ballance  of  his  Love,  he  is  Wifdom,  as  he  is  a  pure 
Aft  of  higheft  and  moft  perfeft  Harmony,  and  this 
is  the  Conduft,  the  Mufic  of  his  Love;  he  is  Will, 
as  he  is  a  pure  Aft  of  higheft  and  moft  diffuftve 
Goodnefs,  of  the  richeft,  fweeteft,  and  fullcft  Love, 
in  which  are  the  proper  Objefts,  and  fo  the  Perfec- 
tion of  the  Will,  as  hath  beenfaidj  he  is  Will,  as 
he  is  a  pure  Aft  of  moft  heightened  and  moft  com- 
preheniive  Love,  Joy  and  Complacency,  which,  as 
I  have  already  fhewn  you,  are  the  proper  and  moft 
perfeft  Operations  of  the  Will.  Thus,  as  hath  been 
laid  already,  his  Will  and  his  Love  are  one  in  their 
Nature,  Objeft  or  Operation,  he  is  Goodnefs  as  he 
is  eflentially,  and  fo  principally,  and  fo  perfeftly 
infinitely  Good;  Goodnefs  is  the  nature  of  God, 
but  ft  ill  this  Goodnefs  conlifts  in  his  Love,  and  the 
unchangeablenefs  of  it :  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord 
for  he  ii  good  and  his  mercy  endurctb  for  ever.  The 
Eftence  of  God  is  Goodnefs,  the  formal  reafon,  the 
EflTence  of  his  Goodnefs  is  Love.  Thus  his  Juftice, 
Holinefs,  Power,  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs,  do  all 
meet  in  one  in  his  Love,  at  their  pureft  heights, 
in  their  greateft  freedom,  in  their  moft  proper  and 
perfeft  Operations.  He  himfelf  is  all  thefe,  all 
thefe  are  himfelf  in  one  pure,  fimpie,  perfeft  Aft, 
aj;  the  heights  of  all  Aftivity,  and  this  is  called 
Love.     God  is  Love,  and  this  Love  is  God,    he  ii 

Love 


(      225      ) 

Love  multiplying  itfelf  into  innumerable  Repre- 
lentations  and  Reflections  of  itfelf,  that  it  may- 
contemplate,  pofl'efs  and  delight  itfelf  infinitely 
within  itfelf,  and  in  all  its  Works  there  is  no  Suc- 
ceflion  or  Dlvifion  of  A£ls  in  God,  in  him  one 
Aft  comprehends  all  Afts;  we  indeed  give  feveral 
Names  to  God's  Aft,  according  to  our  partial  and 
imperfeft  Confideration  of  him  ;  but  one  Aft  of 
his  fwallows  up  all  our  Words,  and  anfwers  to  all 
our  Names,  and  he  is  but  one  pure  and  perfeft  Aft, 
and  this  pure  and  perfeft  Aft  is  the  JuHice,  the 
Holinefs,  the  Power,  the  Wifdom,  the  Sovereignty, 
the  Onenefs,  the  Unchangeablenefs,  the  Purity, 
the  Simplicity,  the  Unity,  the  Infinitenefs  and 
Eternity  of  his  Love  ;  thus,  as  hath  been  faid,  all 
his  Attributes  are  the  Attributes  of  his  Love,  fo 
many  feveral  Names,  Expreffion?,  Glories,  and 
Triumphs  of  that  Love  which  is  himfelf.  Thus 
Love  is  the  Moral  Goodnefs  of  God  himfelf  and  all 
his  Excellencies,  the  Univerfal  Perfeftion  of  the 
Deity,  that  Perfeftion  in  which  all  his  other  Per- 
feftions  are  Ignited  and  concentred,  they  all  centre 
in  this  Divine  Love,  which  is  the  Band  of  Per- 
feftion, 


CHAP,   xxiir. 

Being  a  IVarning  to  Sinners. 

I  Cannot  leave  this  Difcourfc  without  an  Alarm 
to  Sinners.  Though  God  be  Love,  all  Love  to 
Saints  and  Sinners,  yet  he  can  never  love  Sin  nor 
take  the  Sinner  into  his  Bofom,  into  the  Eterftid 
Embraces  of  his  Love,  until  he  hath  confunaed 
Sin.    Do  not  then,  from  what  you  have  read,  %t 


(      226      ) 

encouraged  to  trifle  with,  and  flight  the  Anger 
of  aGod.  Thcie  is  no  An'rer  lb  S[reat,  lb  terrible 
as  that  which  flows  from  Love,  finally  abufed  and 
provoked  by  uf.  There  is  no  Anger  like  the  Anger 
of  the  Lamb,  the  meekeft  of  all  Creatures.  You 
may  read  the  terriblenefs  of  that  Anger,  Rev,  vi. 

It  is  dreadful  Scripture,  JSinncrs,  that  tells  you 
cxprefsly,  J'ihn  iii.  laft,  thot  tU  ffratb  <jf  God abid- 
eth  on  you.  i  believe,  through  the  Light  that  God 
hath  given  me,  and  the  Love  I  have  for  you,  it 
Ihall  not  always  abide  upon  you  ;  but  uhen  it  will 
ceafe  who  can  tell  ?  I  know  not  the  Seafon  of  the 
general  Vihtation,  tho*  1  believe  it ;  fure  I  am,  the 
Fire  of  that  Anger  and  Wrath  will  never  go  out 
until  the  Fuel  is  burnt  up.' 

That  it  fhall  at  laft  be  fo,  over  and  above  the 
rcafons  in  this  Difcourl'e,  I  conclude,  becaulc  we 
all,  one  as  well  as  another,  are  by  Nature  Children 
of  Wrath;  and  yet  the  Apoftle  faith  of  the  Firlt- 
fruits,  Eph,\\.  kVe  ivho  woe  fomctimes  Children  cf 
IVrath  hath  he  reconciled.  This  gives  a  firm  Hope 
that  the  fame  Love  and  Kindnefs  will  refcue  the 
Children  of  Wrath  in  the  whole  lump.  But  whilft 
1  am  writing  of  this  univerfal  Love,  let  me  admo- 
nifli  you  what  a  fearful  and  dreadful  State  it  is  to 
lie  v.nder  the  Wrath  of  God,  to  be  a  Child  of  thi^ 
Wrath,  which  \<  beyond  all  P^xprefiion  terrible. 
Mofci  cries  out,  P/C  xc.  ir.  Who  kmvcs  the  Poix'er 
of  thine  jdn^cr,  even  according  lo  thy  Fear,  fo  is  thy 
IVrath.  If  none  can  know  it,  who  can  tell  it,  who 
can  bear  it,  who  then  will  yet  dare  to  try  it  r^  Let 
me  give  thefctwo  hints  as  1  pafs  on. 

I.  The  Power  of  all  Evil  lies  in  the  W^rath  of 
GoU  as  in  its  Root.  The  Wrath  of  God  is  the 
Root,  the  Treafury,  the  Store-Houfe,  the  Povver 
of  all  Evils,  all  the  Evils  which  are  fcattcred  thro' 
the  Earth  and  Hell,  lie  wrap'd  and  fumm'd  up 
tngctiier  here.  Who  knows  the  Power  of  thy 
Wrath,  ■  vyhp   knows    thcfe   Evils    beyond   every 

Name 


(       227       ) 

Name  of  Evil,  that  is  named  in  this  Life  of  Sick- 
nels,  Melancholy,  and  Horrors,  which  the  anger 
of  God  is  able  to  bring  forth,  as  twenty  fcveral 
Shillings  lye  together  with  Advantage  in  one  twen- 
ty Shilling  Piece  of  Gold,  and  that  in  a  more  pre- 
cious Metal,  foall  particular  Evils  that  are  Icattered 
thro'  Earth  and  Hell,  they  all  lie  wrapt  up  toge- 
ther, lummM  up  in  one  Head,  in  the  Wrath  of 
God,  and  that  in  a  more  eminent  way,  in  an  high- 
er Nature. 

idly.  There  is  an  immediate,  a  naked  Prefence 
in  the  Wrath  of  God,  to  give  a  weight  to  it ;  Ibme 
Divines,  as  I  remember,  exprefs  Hell  after  this 
mi.nner,  all  Difeafes,  Pains,  Griefs;  here  are  Evils 
hy  a  weak  Tinfture  only  of  Divine  Wrath,  a  little 
Drop  of  Wrath  mingling  itlelf  with  them  ;  Hell 
is  pure  Wrath.  Hell  is  the  Abftraft  of  Wrath, 
the  Evilof  Difeafes,  Pains,  and  Griefs  abftra£led 
from  them  and  heightened  to  the  utmoft.  I  have 
no  Curiofity  about  this  Matter,  but  as  all  the 
Joys  in  the  Creatures  are  a  weak  Tin£lure,  a 
weak  glance  of  Divine  Love,  like  the  Sun  lliin- 
ing  upon  the  Water,  a  weak  touch  of  Divine 
Love,  like  the  Rays  of  the  Sun-Beams  reflefled  in 
a  burning  Glafs,  as  the  fame  Perfon  expreffes  it; 
but  in  God,  in  Chrift,  all  Good,  all  Beauty,  all 
Sweetnefs  is  to  be  found  in  an  Infinite  Purity 
without  being  alloyed,  or  limited  by  any  mixture. 
In  fuch  a  manner  may  all  Evil  be  in  the  Wrath  of 
God.  They  tell  us  again,  that  God  puts  forth  his 
Strength  to  uphold  the  miferable  Wretches  in  Hell 
under  their  Torments,  elfe  they  were  unable  to 
bear  them.  Admitting  the  one,  the  other  muft 
beirue.  That  God  himfelf  puts  forth  himfelf  im- 
mediately and  naked  upon  them,  at  once  to  tor- 
ment them,  and  alfo  to  fuftain  them  for  their  Tor- 
ments, I  underftood  no  more  of  this,  but  in  or<)er 
to  a  Refining,  and  let  God  tike  his  own  Methods 
for  doing  that,  I  am  furc  the  Almightinefs  of  Love 
and  Goodnefii  cannot  eternally  exaft  fuch  an  Infi- 
0^2  nits 


(      228      ) 

nite  Power  to  fuftain  his  own  Offspring  in  Eternal 
Torments. 

We  read,  If.  xxx.  33.  Tophct  is  prepared  of  old,  Kffc. 
The  Breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  Stream  of  Brimftone 
doth  kindle  it;  the  Breath  or  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
is  the  Lord  in  his  fpiritual  and  naked  Appearance, 
coming  forth  in  that  Appearance  to  torment  a 
Soul.  This  gives  me  a  purer  Notion  than  the  vulgar 
ones  of  thetorments  of  Hell;  and  this  gives  me  alfp 
a  Hope  that  that  Breath  which  kindles  that  Tor- 
ment will  blow  it  out.  When  an  Angel  only  ap- 
peared as  a  Friend  and  to  a  great  Prophet,  to  the 
Prophet  Darnel,  yet  he  was  not  able  to  bear  the 
Prefence.  O!  Whither,  Poor  Sinner,  wilt  thou 
link,  what  will  become  of  thee,  when  God  himfelf 
lliall  appear  nakedly,  and  immediately  upon  thee, 
in  the  fulnefs  of  his  Godhead,  and  that  as  an  Ene- 
my in  the  greateft  contrariety  to  thee,  at  the  high- 
ell  enmity  againft  thee  as  can  be  ?  O  !  Who  can 
exprefs  the  riches  of  the  Joy  and  Glory  of  thofe 
Spirits,  upon  whom  God  fball  appear  immediately 
and  nakedly  as  a  Friend,  as  a  Lover  in  Union  with 
them  ?  And  who  can  exprefs  thofe  Pangs,  thofe 
Horrors,  thofe  unfpeakable  and  namelels  things 
which  that  poor  Soul  muft  then  fink  under,  upon 
whom  the  fame  God  fhall  appear  with  the  fame 
nakednefs  of  his  God-head,  in  a  direct  contrariety 
to  it,  making  his  Glory  itfelf  a  Fire  upon  it.  The 
fame  Principle  and  Power  which  in  Heavenly  Bor 
dies  is  a  glorious  Light,  in  earthly  Bodies  is  a  rag- 
ing confuming  Fire  ;  fo  is  the  God-head  a  delight- 
ful Light  in  itfelf,  and  to  all  good  Spirits,  but  to 
linful  Man  a  devouring  Fire.  O  Sinner,  what 
will  become  of  thee,  when  God  lliall  ,thus  break 
forth  upon  thee  in  the  naked  appearance  of  his 
Wrath,  and  what  a  dreadful  Eftate  art  thou  in, 
whilft  in  thy  Natural  State ;  thou  art  but  as  fo 
much  Fuel,  fo  much  dry  Stubble  for  this  Wrath 
to  kindle  upon  thee,  and  confume  thee  ;  O  fly 
from  this  Wrath;  that  Love,  that  pure  Love  which 

kindles 


(      229      ) 

kindles  this  Wrath  at  laft  upon  thy  final  provoking 
it,  is  every  Moment  ready  to  receive  thee,  and 
prevent  it. 

Ohj.  But  Sinners  may  fay  to  me.  What  do  you 
mean  to  terrify  us  thus,  by  telling  us  we  are  in  a 
State  of  Wrath,  and  that  the  Wrath  of  God  abides 
in  us,  for  our  parts,  we  feel  nothing  of  all  this  you 
have  faid,  and  will  not  trouble  ourfelves  about  fuch 
Bugbears  and  Hobgoblins  as  you  have  been  endea- 
vouring to  fright  us  with.  And  indeed,  who  is 
there  among  all  the  Natural  and  Carnal  Men  in  the 
World  that  will  believe  this  Report  before  they 
feel  it,  and  how  few  are  there  that  feel  it  before  it 
be  too  late  ?  Take  therefore  thefe  few  Accounts  of 
their  infenfiblenefs. 

I.  You  read  in  i  Sam,  xvi.  23.  That  when  David 
took  his  Harp  and  played  upon  it,  Saul  had  fome 
eafe  from  that  Evil  Spirit  which  tormented  him. 
Thy  Life  in  this  World  is  an  Harp,  which,  while 
it  is  played  upon,  it  entertains  thee,  diverts  thee, 
and  takes  off  from  thee  the  Senfe  of  that  Wrath 
which  thou  liell  under,  and  which  abides  upon 
thy  Soul.  But  alas,  for  all  this,  thy  Condition  in 
this  reipeft  is  no  better  than  the  Devil's;  for  altho* 
he  be  bound  up  in  Chains  of  Darknefs,  yet  hath 
he  leave  to  go  up  and  dcv/n  upon  the  Face  of  this 
Earth,  carrying  his  Chains  with  him  :  He  hath 
Liberty  to  enjoy  the  Ligktof  this  World,  and  this 
is  fome  mitigation  to  his  Torment,  and  therefore 
in  the  Story  of  the  polTeiTed  Man,  when  Chrift 
came  to  difpoffefs  him,  the  Devil  firft  cries  out. 
Art  thou  come  to  torment  us  before  our  Time,  to  cajl  us 
from  the  Face  of  the  Earth,  "where-  v:e  have  fome  Relief 
to  our  Torments,  and  fo  fhut  us  up  in  the  Bottomlifs 
Pit,  Mat.  viii.  29.  before  the  great  and  the  laft 
Day  ;  and  the  fiame  Devil  befeeches  Jefus  ChriJ} 
that  he  would  not  fend  them  out  of  the  Country, 
but  that  he  would  let  them  enter  into  the  Swine, 
rather  than  not  live  upon  the  Earth  at  all.  Thus 
Q,  3  thou 


(       23<»       ) 

thou  and  the  Devil  arc  both  in  one  Co  ndition  in 
this  refpeft.  The  Noife  of  vain  Delights  in  this 
worldly  Life,  doth  for  a  while  drown  and  lay  a- 
flcep  the  mil'erable  fcnfe  of  the  Sorrows  of  that' 
State,  of  the  Sin  and  Wrath  under  which  thy  Soul 
lies,  and  this  is  a  great  Device  of  the  Devil  upon 
thee,  and  there  wants  nothing  bi>t  the  breaking  up 
of  the  Charms,  and  the  diliolving  of  the  Enchant- 
ment of  a  fceming  falfe  Life,  there  Vv'ants  nothing 
but  the  opening  of  thy  Eyes,  which  may  hapj^tn 
every  Moment,  and  thou  art  in  Hell,  as  is  laid  of 
Divfs,  the  Charmr,  the  Sorceries  of  a  falle  leem- 
ing  Life  fuffer  thee  not  to  have  any  Scnfe  of  this 
thy  Statej  that  as  a  Bird  df  "Wings  thou  mayeft  fly 
from  it ;  but  when  thy  Eyes  come  to  be  opened 
the  Charms  are  broken,  the  Sorceries  are  dilTolved, 
the  falfe  Teeming  Life  is  iled  away,  now  by  difmal 
experience  thou  findeft  Sin  to  be  a  Knot  of  Devils 
twining  about  thy  whole  Body  and  Spirit,  fixing 
in  every  part  t.^eir  venomous  and  burning  Stings 
filling  all  with  the  Fire  of  Hell. 

2diy,  Let  Wicked  Perlons  do  all  they  can  to  dif- 
femble  this  Matter,  yet  they  are  not  without  Iharp 
Pangs,  and  quick  feelings  of  their  dreadful  State. 
Sinner,  1  appeal  to  the  Secret  of  thy  own  Bofom, 
What  means  that  horrid  darknefs  which  furrounds 
thy  Soul  continually,  which  fliuts  out  from  thee 
the  Light  of  God,  and  a  comfortable  Eternity  ? 
What  means  that  Worm  of  Fear  and  Anxiety 
which  is  continually  at  thy  Heart  in  the  midfl  of  all 
thy  Pleafures?  What  means  thole  Struglings  and 
Agitations  of  Spirit,  thole  dividing  and  iinkings  of 
Souls,  as  on  a  tempefluous  Sea,  as  the  length  of  a 
bottomlcfs  Gulf  without  any  Harbour  to  receive 
thee,  without  any  Bed  in  thy  Spirits  on  which  thou 
iTiay'ft  cafl  thyfelf  and  reft  }  Art  iliou  not,  whether 
thou  wilt  or  not,  afraid  of  God  ?  And  is  there  not  a 
Terror  in  thy  Soul  as  often  as  thou  think'ft  of  him ; 
.  and  when  he  at  any  time  thrufts  himfclf  into  thy 
Thoughts,  is  it  not  with  thee  as  it  was  with  Felix^ 

Afts 


(  ^p   ) 

A6ts  xxJv.  25.  jfnd  0$  Paul  rcafancti  f^f  Righ:cc:?fntf%^ 
Temperance  and  Judgment  taconuy  FtUx  tvemhUd '^ 

God  himfelf,  who  beft  knows  the  Spirits  of  Poor 
Men,  tells  the  Wicked  Men,  (fa.  Ivii.  20,  21;  7 hat 
they  are  like  a  trctihkdSca  zcbkh  cannot  rej}^  and  there  Is 
HO  peace  to  tkc  zx-ickcd.  Let  WickecJ  Men  l)nve  never 
ib much  to  make  tbemiblves  Deaf  10  Conicience, 
Vet  it  is  not  ia  their  Power,  as  one  fpeaks,  to  make 
Confcience  dumb  to  them  ;  every  Sinner  hath  that 
in  his  own  Uread  which  is  ftiil  accufing,  convifting 
and  condemn] nrr  hin'i  :  for  there  is  in  every  Man  a 
Lighr,  either  ihining  or  burnings  refrelh).ng  or 
tormenting  him,  according  to  his  Actions,  a  Wit- 
nels  which  is  not  to  be  reproached  or  concradifted^ 
a  Judge  which  is  not  to  be  bribed,  an  Executioner 
which  cannot  be  refilled.  I  appeal  to  all  Sinners, 
whether  their  own  Spirits  are  not  as  a  Den  of  Li- 
ons, Bears,  and  Wolves,  within  the  midft  of  al!^ 
their  Jollity  without  }  I  appeal  to  them.  Whether 
their  Mirth  be  not  a  forced,  a  neceffitous  thing  to- 
prevent  and  anticipate  their  fad,  dark,  and  melan- 
choly Thoughts,  like  a  Poor  Man  that  is  not  eafy 
at  Home,  and  therefore  abandons  himfelf  to  ill 
Courfes  Abroad  ?  1  appeal  to  them,  Whetherthey 
are  not  often  afraid  of  theml'elves,  and  their  owa 
Shadows?  Whether  they  are  not  filled  with  Shame^ 
Confufion,  Griefs,  AfFvights,  Diftraftions  and  De- 
fpairs  ?  Whether  their  very  Rofe-buds  are  not  as 
ib  many  Briars  and  Thorns,  burning  their  Hearts^ 
their  Flefli,  their  Souls  ?  Whether  their  very  Joy* 
and  Pleafures,  are  not  fo  many  tormenting  as  welt 
as  tempting  Forms  of  Things  ?  Whether  in  the: 
heights  of  all  their  Delights,  they  are  without  their 
Jharp  Pangs  r  Are  not  thefe  things  irreliftible.- 
Symptoms  of  that  Senfe  which  Sinners  more  or  Icfs 
continually  carry  about  in  their  Bofoms  of  that, 
dreadful  State  of  Wrarh  which  they  do  feel  thcm- 
klves  to  b^t  in,  or  are  at  leaft  afraid  they  are  t 

CL4  y^^yy  ^« 


(      232      ) 

^dly^  In  the  1  Cor.  iv.  4.  St.  Paul  tells  ui;  If  his 
Cofpcl  be  hid  J  it  is  bid  from  them  which  are  lojl,  in  whom 
the  God  of  this  PVorld  hath  blinded  the  Minds  of  them 
that  believe  not^  left,  the  Light  of  the  Glorious  Gofpel  of 
Chrijiy  who  is  the  Image  of  God,  Jhouldjhine  unto  them. 
Thy  Infenfiblenefs  then  of  the  fearful  Condition 
thou  art  in,  is,  O  Sinner,  the  greatcft  p^rt  of  thy 
Mifery,  and  the  greatcft  defign  of  the  Devil  upon 
thee  is  to  blind  thine  Eyes,  and  harden  thy  Heart 
againfl  the  Sight  and  Scnfe  of  the  Light  of  the 
Divine  Beauty,  and  the  Glory  of  the  God-head, 
fhining  in  the  Heavenly  and  Eternal  Perfon  of 
Chrift.  He  blinds  thine  Eyes  and  hardens  thy 
Heart,  to  the  Sight  and  Senfe  of  that  Wrath  thou 
art  under,  that  lo  thou  may'fl  be  abfolutely  loft 
until  the  Final  Recovery. 

In  the  Valley  of  the  Sons  ofHinom,  that  Gehenna 
of  the  Jews,  that  Tophct,  you  read  that  the  Idola^ 
irons  Parents  came  and  put  their  Children  into  the 
Arms  of  the  Brafs  Image,  and  then  kindled  a  Fire 
upon  it  and  offered  them  up  as  a  Sacrifice  by  Fire 
to  Moloch  !  and  whilft  the  Poor  Infants  and  Chil- 
dren were  there  lamentably  confuming  in  the  Arms 
of  the  Idol  Image,  the  Drums  did  beat  perpetually 
to  drown  the  Noife  of  their  Scrcechings,  left  their 
Parents  hearing  their  Cries,  Ihould  be  moved  with 
Compaflion  and  fave  them  before  they  were  quite 
confumed.  Thus,  O  Sinner,  Satan  deals  with  thee; 
he  hath  fhut  up  thy  Soul  f aft  in  the  Brazen  Arms 
of  a  Spiritual  Death  and  Wrath,  but  whilft  thou 
art  in  this  World,  there  is  fame  poffibility,  lome 
hope  of  thy  being  faved  from  this  Death  and 
Wrath,  of  thy  flying  from  this  \\;rath,  and  efcap- 
jng  if  thou  art  once  made  fenfible  of  it.  The  De- 
vil to  prevent  this,  beats  up  the  Drums  of  all 
Worldly  Pleafure,  Pomps  and  Entertainments 
continually  upon  thee,  filling  all  thy  Senfes  with 
the  found  of  Vanity,  of  flefhly  Impreflions  and 
Pleafure,  that  fo  he  might  drown  in  thy  Spirit  the 
Senfe  of  that  Death  and  Wrath  in  which  thy  Soul 

is 


C    233    ) 

is  confuining  until  he  hath  hurried  thee  off  from 
the  Stage  of  this  World,  then  he  thinks  he  is  fure 
of  thee,  and  that  thou  art  loft  for  ever  :  But  he 
knows  not  the  After-Counfel  of  God,  and  not  only- 
he,  but  perhaps  the  Angels  in  Heaven  do  not  yet 
know  it.  And  now  as  Alatn  when  once  he  had  fal- 
len, had  his  eyes  open  to  fee  from  whence  and 
whether  he  was  fallen  :  fo  now  thy  Soul  is  loft  and 
paft  recovery,  as  the  blind  Devil  thinks,  the  Devil 
of  himfelf  makes  hafte  to  open  thine  Eyes,  and  give 
thee  tender  Senfes  that  thou  may'ft  inwardly  have 
the  fharpeft  feeling  of  that  Death  and  Wrath  which 
all  this  while  hath  lain  upon  thee. 

0  my  Friends,  think  of  this  dreadful  Scripture  ; 
If  our  Gofpel  is  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  loft, 
in  whom  the  God  of  this  World  hath  blinded  the 
Minds  of  them  that  believe  not,  left  the  Light  of 
the  Glorious  Gofpel  of  Chrift,  who  is  the  Imag^; 
of  God,  ihould  fhine  into  them. 

1  befeech  vou  here  to  take  notice  of  two  thinsis 
which  I  will  only  mention. 

1.  The  Devil's  grand  defign  and  end,  and  that  is 
to  blind  your  Mind.  To  what?  To  the  Image  of 
God.  To  what  Image  of  God  ?  To  the  Spiritual 
and  Heavenly  Image  of  God,  which  is  in  the  Per- 
fon  of  Chrift.  This  is  his  grand  Defign  and  End 
to  blind  your  Minds  that  you  fhould  not  fee  that 
Spiritual  Image  of  God  which  is  in  the  Perfon  of 
Chrift,  left  the  Light  of  the  Knowledge  of  the 
Glory  of  God  in  the  Face  or  Perfon  of  Chrift 
fnould  ftiine  into  your  Heart  and  deftroy  his  King- 
dom ;  for  there  needs  no  more  to  the  undoing  of  a 
Cheat  and  Impoftor  than  a  Difcovery. 

2.  Obferve  here  the  Devil's  Highway  to  accora- 
plifli  his  grand  Defign  and  End  ;  and  this  is  the 
World  ;  he  makes  ufe  of  his  Power  and  Preroga- 
tive, as  he  is  God  of  this  World.  There  is  then 
another  Inferior  Image  of  God  belide  this  Spiritual 
linage  of  God  in  Chrift,  and  this  is  the  World,  or 
the  Creation.     J^fus  Chrijl  is  the  eflential  increated 

Imase 


f   234  ) 

Im^flfc  of  Got!,  this  World  is  a  fliaJowy  and  ere- 
*recl  Image  of   him,  and  divides  iiltlf  into  flvcrat 

Tliere  is  t]y^.  Senfual  Image,  wliich  confifts  of 
the  Plt'a;ant,  tlie  IJeantiful,  the  Glorious  Things 
ot'the  Earrh  here  bclmv. 

There  is  the  ca;lc{lial  Image  which  is  made  up 
of  Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars,  and  their  bright  and  po- 
tent Bodies  above. 

There  is  the  Rational,  the  Intelledual,  the  An- 
gelical loagc  which  confirts  in  the  invillhle  Things, 
in  the  intellc£t:n.''l  Pleafures  and  Pcrt"c£lions  of  this 
World,  in  the  Principk.'^  and  Powers,  and  Suect- 
ifeties  of  this  Creation.  Now  the  Devil  makes  uic 
of  all  thcfe,  or  any  of  thelc,  to  fct  tliem  before 
your  Eyes  inftcad  of  J'J^a  Cht[fly  and  \'o  to  blind 
vou,  that  voil  fliould  never  look  farther  to  that 
Supreme  and  Heavenly  Image,  to  that  Original 
Glory  which  is  Jefus  Chrift  hmifelf. 

The  Devil,  as  the  God  of  this  World  and  the 
Father  of  Lies,  cloaths  himfelf  with  this  worldly 
in)age  of  Things,  either  in  the  Viiible,  in  the  Sen- 
i'lial,  in  the  Rational,  Intelledual,  or  Angelical 
Paris  of  it;  and  thus  he  bhnds  your  Mind,  draws 
your  Soul  down  into  his  own  foul  and  hellifh  Em- 
braces, and  (o  fills  your  Spirit  with  the  filthy  and 
polluted  Images  of  this  World,  that  you  are  infen- 
fibleof  your  own  wretched  Condition,  and  incapa- 
ble of  taking  in  the  Light  of  Heavenly  Beauties 
which  Ihincs  from  the  Face  or  Perfon  of  Chrift. 
Hefets  before  yourUnderllandingthe  fenfual  Image 
of  earthly  created  things  in  their  briglitefl  Beauty 
and  fweeteft  Plealure,  and  if  he  can  fix  this  upon 
your  Souls  inftead  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  make  you 
to'icttle  here,  he  fatisfies  himfelf,  he  deftroys  your 
Souls  with  the  lefs  Coft  and  Trouble.  But  if  you 
ate  yet  reftlefs  in  the  midft  of  all  the  Beauties  and 
Pleafures  of  Senfe,  he  will  cover  his  Hook  and 
each  vour  Souls  v/ith  a  Bait  of.  rational  and  in- 
tellectual   PleafurcSj   and    pcrfuade   you   to  think. 

thiit 


(    ^35    ) 

tliat  you  have  here  what  fhould  fatisfy  tlie  better 
inclination  of  your  Souls.  If  he  cannot  here  fto]> 
the  unquiet  and  reftlefs  Powers  of  your  Souls,  he 
will  then  carry  you  up  to  the  iriviiihle  Glories  of 
this  World,  he  will  make  you  tafte  of  the  invifible 
Powers  of  it,  in  all  the  Moral,  Literal,  and  An- 
gelical Powers  of  it,  and  now  he  will  perfuade  you 
that  ve  are  without  doubt  in  a  G;ood  Condition. 
lie  will  prefent  thofe  invifible  and  angelical  Images 
oi  this  World  before  you  in  fuch  a  Glory,  and 
counterfeit  refemblance  of  Jefus  Chrift,  that  if 
your  Pleart  be  taken  with  any  thijigof  the  Crea- 
tuie,  you  will  cafl  your  Souls  now  into  the  Arms 
of  it,  and  cry  out,  Certainly  the  Altar  of  the  Lord 
is  before,  us.  And  this  is  the  Devil's  ftrong  Delu- 
fion  ;  and  thus  are  ye  in  continual  Danger,  and 
under  the  Power  of  his  Delufion,  .  whilft  your 
Heart's  cleave  to  any  part  of  this  Creation  whatfo- 
ever  it  be. 

I  befeech  you,  according  to  this  Method  of  the 
Devil,  and  this  way  of  his  Delufion,  to  learn  the 
true  reafon  of  your  infenfiblenefs  of  your  own 
Condition,  and  of  the  Excellencies  of  Chrift,  it  is 
becaufe  the  God  of  this  World  hath  blinded  your 
Eyes,  that  you  fhould  not  lee  the  dreadfulnefs  of 
one,  and  the  Glory  of  the  other  ;  and  if  ye  conti- 
nue thus  in  this  blindnefs,  it  is  becaufe  you  are  to 
pcrifh  with  this  World  and  the  God  of  it.  Till 
the  God  of  this  World  and  the  Mafler  of  the  De- 
vil fave  it  and  him. 

God  at  the  beginning  did  fet  up  the  Image  of  his 
own  Beauties  in  the  Creation  ;  the  Devil  at  the 
Fall,  did  fet  up  this  Image  infteadof  the  true  Beau- 
ties, fo  it  became  of  an  Image  an  Idol,  a  Reprelen- 
tation,  a  Rebellion. 

Thus  the  Devil  hath  perfuaded  and  deluded  you 
to  fix  your  AfFcftions  upon  that  fiiadowy  Image, 
init.ad  of  Jefus  Chrift  the  true  Image,  and  fo  fight 
iBgainft  Chnft  in  the  Defence  of  that. 

Hear 


(    236    ) 

Hear  this  all  ye  Souls  that  have  any  Senfe  of 
your  wretched  Condition,  and  no  difcerning  of, 
no  defire  after  Chrift. 

The  Devil  as  the  God  of  this  World,  and  the 
Father  of  Lies,  hath  prel'ented  himfelf  before  you, 
in  all  the  delightful  Forms  and  Images  of  Things, 
making  you  believe  that  thefe  empty  flying  Sha- 
dows are  the  true  Riches,  the  only  Realities,  the 
only  Subftance,  and  that  Jcfus  Chrift  the  Heavenly 
Image  of  God,  is  but  a  pleafant  Fancy  and  Fiftion^ 
Through  this  created  Image  of  Things,  the  Devil 
pours  forth  himfelf,  his  filthy  Lufts,  his  falfe 
Loves :  thus  the  God  of  this  World  hath  wed  you 
in  acounterfeitShapeof  falfe  Beauties,  Sweetnelfes, 
Glories,  Powers,  and  Joys  :  Thus  the  Father  of 
Lies  hath  deceived  and  poflefled  your  Souls,  and 
made  them  his  Strumpets,  upon  which  he  conti- 
nually begets  young  Devils,  falfe  Forms  of  Things, 
"which  you  kifs  and  dandle  upon  your  Knee,  and 
Play  and  Sport  yourfelves  with.  Hopping  your 
Ears  to  all  the  Alarms  and  Muflc  of  the  Preacher^ 
who  would  waken  you  into  a  Senfe  of  your  mife- 
Table  Condition,  and  open  to  you,  that  by  thefe 
Dalliances  you  fuck  in  the  Poifon  and  Fire  of  Hell, 
and  of  all  the  Devils  into  all  your  Veins.  I  be- 
ieech  Sinners  to  confider  ferioufly  of  this  matter  in 
their  retirement,  and  to  think  affuredly,  as  often 
as  this  World  attrafts  you,  in  any  Image  of  it  in 
its  vifible  Excellencies,  and  in  its  inviflble  Powers, 
that  the  Devil  is  now  cafting  you  into  an  inchant- 
ing  Sleep,  and  in  your  Sleep  deluding  you  with 
falfe  Dreams.  That  as  often  as  this  World  pre- 
fents  itfelf  to  you  in  any  of  its  beautiful  and  plea- 
fant Forms,  you  are  as  a  Man  to  whom  this  pre- 
fent  World  prefents  herfelf,  as  a  Woman,  with  all 
the  Advantages  of  Wifdom,  Lovelinefs,  extraor- 
dinary Skill  and  Power  to  work  wonderful  Things, 
and  file  offers  herfelf  to  this  Man  to  be  his  Spoul'e; 
but  all  this  while  this  Woman  is  a  Witch,  a  Sor- 
eerefs,  an  Apparition  from  Hell ;   think  affuredly 

with 


(     237     ) 

with  yourfelf,  that  all  thefe  worldly  Images  of 
Things,  are  the  Cup  of  the  Devil,  that  all  the 
fleflily  Lufts,  the  falle  Loves  that  we  chink  in  (o 
greedily  from  this  Cup,  are  but  the  Poilbns  given 
us  from  the  Devil,  the  very  Spirit  of  Hell,  and  of 
all  the  Devils  ;  this  is  the  Spirit  which  makes  Hell 
to  be  Hell,  and  all  the  Evil  Spirits  to  be  Devils, 
Think  aflfuredly  with  yourfelves  that  this  World 
in  all  the  parts  of  it  is  the  Devil's  Mouth,  by 
which  he  wooes  and  folicits  you  into  his  Embraces, 
that  while  you  Court  and  Kifs  your  Harlots  and 
Strumpets,  your  Idols  of  Gold  and  Silver,  of 
worldly  Wifdom  and  Power,  thefe  earthly  and 
flefhly  Images  of  Things,  this  World  and  the 
Lufl-s  thereof,  the  delufive  Ob]e£l;s  of  this  World  in 
their  vain  and  vile  Pleafures,  Profits  and  Delights; 
you  kifs  the  Mouth  of  the  Devil  and  are  kifs'd  by 
him,  you  embrace  him  and  are  embraced  by  him, 
and  that  by  thefe  Kiffes  and  Embraces  he  invifi- 
bly  and  infenlibly  breathes  his  own  Spirit  intp 
you,  the  Spirit  of  Darknefs,  Ignorance,  Blindnefs, 
and  Unbelief ;  the  Spirit  of  Luft,  Paffions,  Wrath 
and  Uncleannels,  the  Spirit  of  vain,  falfe,  helllfli 
Loves,  lulling  you  thus  afleep,  and  benumbing  all 
your  Senfes,  that  you  apprehend  not  the  Danger 
you  are  in.  Think  afluredly  with  yourfelves,  that 
this  Spirit  is  indeed  a  Stream  of  Brimftone  of  de- 
vouring Flames,  of  Anguifh  and  Torment,  and 
your  Bodies  and  Spirits  will  burn  unquenchablyand 
endlefsly  while  this  Spirit  lafteth  in  you,  until 
God  refine  you  out  of  it. 

Think  with  yourfelves  how  foon  this  Bed  of 
Filth,  Shame,  and  Security,  into  which  the  Devil 
hath  allured  you,  will  be  changed  into  a  Bed  of 
Fire  and  Flame.  How  foon  the  Devil,  who  now 
wooes  you  as  a  great  Prince,  and  gains  you  as  the 
God  of  this  World,  in  thefe  counterfeit  Shapes  of 
falle  beauty  and  fweetnefsj  will  break  forth  upoa 
you  in  his  own  Shape,  as  bethinks,  of  endiefs  Ter- 
rors and  Horrors  ;  and  tho'  God  will  defeat  his 
Thoughts,  yet  do  not  you  venture  to  try.  Xou  arc 

novf 


(   238  ) 

now  fo  fondly  purluing  the    Joys  of  tlie  Creature, 
that  you  can  hear  and  think  of  nothing  elfe. 

But  the  time  will  quickly  come  when  all  the 
Joys  of  the  Creature  will  vanifh  in  the  Smoak  and 
Fire  of  the  bottomlefs  Pit,  and  the  God  of  this 
World,  who  is  now  pouring  out  his  falfe  Loves 
and  filthy  Lulls  into  your  Hearts  thro'  all  thefe 
Joys  of  the  Creature,  will  call  off  his  Angelical, 
his  God-like  Form,  and  appear  in  his  own  Form  to 
torment  you,  until  God,  which  God  knows  when, 
will  releafc  you  and  him. 

CHAP.     XXIV. 
The  Gonclufion. 

'The  lajl  Scripture  Ijhall  mention^  is  Rom. 
V  20,  2  1.  Moreover  the  Law  entered, 
that  the  Offence  might  ahouncl\  but 
ivhere  Sin  abounded,  Grace  did  much 
more  abound :  That  as  Sin  hath  reizned 
unto  Death,  evenfo  might  Grace  reign 
thro    Righteoufnefs  unto  Eternal  Lije, 

'    h  y^A^'  Chrijl  our  Lord. 

THE  very  face  and  complexion  of  this  Scripture, 
and  much  more  the  inward  Senfe  of  it,  gives 
me  very  comfortable  affurances  of  my  Hypothefis  : 
Every  Word  is  here  fraught  with  a  great  and  rich 
Treafure  of  Divine  Scnfe  and  Sweetnefs.  I  will  not 
enlarge  upon  this  Text,  but  only  take  notice  of  four 
Words  in  it,  and  leave  the  ingenuous  and  candid 
Reader  to  make  the  Application  of  it  in  my  ftcad. 

•  I.  The  firft  Word,  the  Lazu  came  in.  The 
Greek  Word  is  ■~ra.6it7'r\K^=Vy  the  Law  entered  fub- 
irm-iivli,-  h^  came  in   by  the  by,  in  tlie    way,  ^"d 

■^  -  I  under 


(     '^3^     ), 

r."n(3eT  fomething  elle  as  fubordinate  and  lubiervient 
to  ir. 

The  great,  the  principal,  the  univerfal  DefigT» 
in  the  Counfel  of  God,  which  runs  along  and 
fpreads  itfclt'ovcr  all,  through  all,  from  Eternity, 
is  Cj race  and  Love.  This  Divine  Grace  snd  Love, 
is  th'at  deiitzn  from  which  all  ihinf^s  areconflitimed, 
to  which  all  thiniTs  ferve,  in  which  (lod  be2;innctk 
and  endeth  all  his  Counicls,  all  his  Works,  and  m 
wiiich  he  eternally  refieth  :  In  the  Current  and 
StreaTii  of  this  Defign,  in  the  Coiiri'e  of  this  Con- 
trivance, the  Law  is  brouG"nt  in,  topether  with  Sin 
and  Death,  not  for  their  own  fakes,  but  to  fervc 
and  heighten  the  chief  Defjgn,  as  fubfervrent  to  it, 
to  fet  ofF  and  heighten  the  grand  Divine  Contri- 
vance of  Divine  Love  and  Grace,  to  be  to  it  like 
a  foil  well  placed  beneath  a  rich  Diatnond,  or  as 
a  black  Ground  IkilfuUy  laiJ  for  a  beautiftil  Pic- 
ture :  That  comes  in  like  that  part  in  a  Dramatic 
Poem  which  we  call  Z)^^^,  ihc  tying  of  the  Knot  j 
that  the  other  Part  v^hich  we  call  Lu/:),  the  unty- 
ing of  the  Knot,  may  be  more  iurprizing  and  de- 
Jightful. 

Sin  reigns  unto  Death,  but  Sin  and  Death  comcv 
in  by  the  Law.  The  Law.  together  with  thelc 
comes  in,  in  the  wav  and  paii'age  of  the  grand  De- 
lign,  which  is  the  reign  of  free  Grace,  of  Divine 
Love,  bv  that  Divine  Fvioihteoufnefi  unto  Eternal 
Life. 

2,  The  fecond  Wor^  htvhere ;  where  Sin  a- 
bounded,  Grace  did  fuperabound.  O,  what  a 
ground  of  Faith  to  the  moft  doubting  and  dcfpair- 
ing  Sinner  !  Q,  what  a  fwcct  Confolation  to  the 
iDoft  weary  and  heavy  laden  Soul!  O,  whata'hid- 
Jen  ground  of  Hope,  for  the  greateit,  the  worft, 
■the  mort  undone  Sinner  is  here  !  No  Prcfence,  no 
Prevalency,  or  Predominancy  of  any  Sin  can  be  ti 
bar  to  the  Grace  of  God  ;  yea,  rather  (bear  it  who 
run)  great  Sins  are  Arguments  of  greater  Grace. 
God  hiuiffchf. /aiih,  ^w'lierc  Sin  hath  aboundcti, 
•  '  ■"  vjiracc 


C     240     ) 

Grace  hath  much  more  abounded  ;  it  Is  no  matter 
what  thou  fayeft,  or  any  Sinner,  or  what  the  De- 
vil faith  againft  thee  and  them,  God  hath  faid 
thus  ;  fay  thou  alfo.  Here  in  this  Soul  of  mine  Sin 
hath  abounded,  then  draw  the  conclufion  into  the 
Form  of  a  Prayer,  and  fay,  Be  it  unto  me  accord- 
ing to  thy  Word,  here  in  this  Soul  of  mine  Sin  hath 
abounded,  let  thy  Grace  much  more  abound. 
Thou  canft  not  make  this  Prayer  unlefs  the  Spirit 
of  God  help  thee  :  Will  not  that  God,  that  Spirit, 
which  makes  this  Prayer  for  thee,  make  it  fooner 
or  later  for  all  his  poor  Creatures;  for  thoucouldft 
not  make  it  without  that  Spirit,  nor  can  they  do  it 
without  it :  So  we  read  the  Pfalmijl  faith,  O  thcu 
that  hcarcjl  the  Prayer,  unto  iheejhall  all  Flejh  come. 
When  did  you  make  a  prayer  that  you  could  call 
the  Prayer  above  all  other  :  I  then  fay  that  Chrifl 
is  the  Prayer  for  us  all,  as  the  Dutch  Annotations 
upon  the  Bible  do  render  that  Text ;  and  fo  he  is 
fooner  or  later,  the  Prayer  that  God  makes  for  us 
all  to  him,  that  he  might  fee  the  fruit  of  his  facri- 
fice  for  all  he  offered  up  himfelf  for. 

If  this  Text  be  true  that  I  am  upon,  it  gives  Ub 
hopes,  that  wherever  Sin  hath  abounded  moft, 
Grace  fliall  at  laft,  and  in  God's  due  Seafon,  fuper- 
abound. 

\  3.  And  there  is  the  third  word  in  this  Scripture 
I  would  take  notice  of,  Grace  h.2iX.\\  fuperabyunelcdy 
hath  abounded  much  more ;  it  is  a  compound 
Word  ;  the  iimple  Word  fignifies  to  exalt,  to  ex- 
cel, to  tranfcend,  to  abound,  to  overflow.  The 
Word  added  to  it  adds  a  tranfccndcncy  to  that 
tranfcendency,  a  vaft  admirable  fuper-abounding 
Grace,  as  one  expreifcth  it,  above  all  meafure,  a- 
bove  all  comparifon.  The  Grace  of  God  abounds 
above  all  Sin,  where  Sin  hath  moft  o-f  all  abound- 
ed, as  the  waters  in  the  deluge,  as  one  fpeaks,  in- 
creafed  untill  they  covered  the  tops  of  the  higheft 
Mountains.  The  Grace  of  God  abounds  above 
all  mcafurc  or  expreflion,  all  conception,   all  com- 

prehenlion  ; 


(       241       ) 

prehenfion,  it  abounds  above  all  Things,  above  all 
Names  and  Thoughts  of  Excellency,  or  Tranfcen- 
dency,  until  it  fwallow  up  all  with  a  moft  delightful 
Admiration  into  itfelf.  We  have  another  compound 
Word  to  this  purpofe,  i  Tirrii  i.  14^  15.  where  the 
Apoftle  faith,  The  grace  of  our  Lord  zvas  exceeding  ahim- 
dant  with  faith  and  love,,  which  ii  in  Chrijl  Jefus,  This 
is  a  faithful  Saying,  worthy  of  all  Acceptation^  that  Chriji 
came  into  the  world  to  fave  Sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief , 
Howbeit  for  this  canfe  1  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  fefus 
Chrijl  frfl  might  f))ew  forth  all  loHg-fuffering,  for  a  pat- 
tern to  them  which fhonld  come  after  to  believe  on  him  to 
everlajling  Life.  The  Grace  of  God  was  exceeding 
abundant,  i^tt^p  TMovcta-i,  and  I  obtained  Mercy,  that 
in  me  firft  Chrift  might  flievv  forth  all  long-fuffering. 
A  firft  fuppofes  a  fecond,  and  a  fecond  a  third,  and 
fo  on  without  Number  ;  and  whom  in  this  cafe  will 
not  God  firft  or  laft  take  in  ?  j^nd  I  obtained  Mercy, 
for  a  Pattern,  v'TrorvTreoffiv,  for  a  Type  ;  as  Paul  was 
here  Typical  of  the  chiefeft  of  Sinners  that  fhould 
come  after  him,  God  hath  in  his  cafe  provided  againft 
the  Defpair  of  the  greateft  Sinners  in  all  fucceding 
times :  It  is  as  if  he  had  faid.  Let  no  Sinner  after 
my  obtaining  Mercy  defpair  of  God's  Grace. 

Who  dare  ?  Who  can  fet  bounds  to  this  unboun- 
ded, this  unlimited,  this  uncontroulable,  this  fuper- 
abounding  Grace  ?  If  this  Grace  be  fuper-abounded 
by  the  Creature's  Sin  and  Mifery  ;  How  doth  this 
Grace  demand  the  Glory  of  fuper-abounding— ^and 
of  fuper-abounding  where  Sin  hath  abounded  !  If 
Sin  fuper-abounds  over  this  Grace; — if  this  Grace 
leave  Sin  and  Death  reigning  over  the  greateft  part 
of  Mankind,  where  is  it  fuper-abounding  ? 

Can  this  Ocean  of  Grace  run  itfelf  dry  ?  Can  this 
Sun  of  Grace  ever  fpend  all  its  Light  ?  Sliall  Infinite, 
Eternal  Love  ever  fail  ?  Shall  the  Wrath  and  Seve- 
rity of  God  out-live  his  Love,  his  Grace,  his  Sweet- 
nefs  ?  Is  his  Wrath  greater  than  his  Love  ?  Is  it 
not,  as  hath  been  faid,  a  Servant  to  it  ?  Shall  this 
Wrath  fet  and  lie  down  over  the  greateft  part  of  the 
R  Works 


('      242       ) 

Works  of  his  Hands  ?  Shall  He  who  commands  us 
riot  to  he  overcome  with  Evtl^  but  overcome  evil  with  Goodf 
not  overcome  atlaft  all  the  Evil  in  us  ?  Sure  1  am, 
Ciod  can  never  ceafe  to  he  good,  till  he  ceafes  to  be 
God.  To  this  Goodneis  1  have  Faith  to  refign  all 
Things. 

4.  The  fourth  Word  is,  as  Sin.  Here  vvchave  a 
Parallel  between  the  Reign  of  two  great  Kings ;  Js 
Sin  hath  reigned  unto  Death,  evenfojhall  Grace  reign  .' 
As,  here  makcth  it  not  a  Comparilon  in  the  propor- 
tion and  meafure  of  the  Ivcign  of  thcfe  two  Kings  j 
for  the  foregoing  Word  makes  it  plain  that  the  King- 
dom of  Grace  doth  tranfcend  the  Kingdom  of  Sin 
and  Death  in  the  height  of  Power  and  Sovereignty 
beyond  all  Comparifon  and  Proportion.  TheCom- 
parifon  then  is  in  the  Certainty  of  tlie  Reign  of  this 
King,  Grace,  to  all  its  Subjcfts,  and  then  muft  be 
over  all,  unlefs  a  greater  King  can  rife  up  againft  it 
and  fubdue  this  God  and  Grace. 

So  certain  as  the  Winter  in  its  Seafon  lies  upon 
us  with  its  chilling  Snows  and  killing  Frofts,  fo  cer- 
tain fliall  the  Summer,  in  its  Seafon,  fhine  andfmile 
Upon  us  with  its  golden  fky  and  funfhine,  with  its- 
Garden  of  Rofes  and  Fields  of  Corn.  The  Reign 
of  Sin  hath  and  doth  evidence  itfelf  to  us,  by  moft 
elTe6lual  Proofs  and  folid  Arguments  in  all  the  Pow- 
ers of  our  Souls  and  Parts  of  our  Bodies,  and  in  all 
things  round  about  us,  it  hath  fealed  itfelf  upon  us 
with  plain  and  deep  Characters  of  Darkncfs,  Defor- 
mity, Confulion,  incelTant  Pain,  endlcfs  Cares,  and 
woeful  Mortality.  Let  this  comfort  us,  that  as  cer- 
tain, in  its  Seafon,  the  Kingdom  of  Grace  Ihall  evi- 
dence itfelf  to  us,  with  fuch  divine  Proofs  and  glo- 
rious Demonftrations,  that  the  Kingdom  of  Sin  fliall 
vanifhand  be  feen  no  more.  The  Kingdom  of  Grace 
fhall  feat  itfelf  upon  all  the  Powers  of  our  Souls — 
the  fame  Parts  of  our  Bodies — the  fame  Face  of 
Things  round  about  us  ;  in  the  moft  lively,  the  moft 
lovely,  the  moft  deeply  delightful,  and  moft  delight- 
fully deep  Charadters  of  the  Divine  Righteoufnefs  ; 

witk 


(    243    ) 

with  all  the  ravifliing  and  pure  Beauties  of  the  Di- 
vine Nature  fliining  in  it — with  deep  and  lafting 
Charafters  of  the  Immortal  and  Eternal  Life,  with 
all  its  boundlefs,  endlefs  Joys — with  the  eternal  Cha- 
raflers  of  the  glorified  Humanity  of  Chrift — with 
all  his  transforming  Loves  and  Lovelinefs  upon  our 
Humanity,  making  it  like  his  own  glorious  Huma- 
nity. The  refult  of  this  Scripture  is  this  :  The 
Law  came  in  that  Sin  might  abound.  Sin  reigned 
unto  Death  ;  but  it  never  was  in  the  Defign  of  God, 
Or  in  the  Nature  of  the  Law,  as  the  Law  is  in  the 
Letter  and  Covenant  of  Works,  that  Righteoufnefs 
or  Life  fliould  he  by  the  Law.  No,  by  the  Law 
came  in  Sin,  not  from  any  evil  in  the  Law,  which  is 
Good,  Holy,  and  Spiritual,  but  through  the  Weak- 
nefs  of  the  Flefli  ;  by  the  Law,  Sin  being  come  in, 
is  increafed  and  heightened  through  Enmity  in  the 
Flefh.  The  Law  from  its  own  native  Purity, 
Power,  and  Spirituality,  difcovers,  fentences,  and 
condemns  Sin  ;  fo  the  Sinner  dies,  fo  Sin  by  the 
Law  reigned  unto  Death  ;  but  doth  that  God,  whofe 
Beauty  is  Holinefs,  whole  Effence  is  Love,  take 
Plcafure  in  Sin,  or  in  the  Death  of  a  Sinner  ?  By 
no  means.  The  Law  came  in  that  Sin  might  a- 
bound,  but  where  Sin  abounded,  Grace  did  much 
more  abound. 

Behold  then,  the  ultimate  EfFeft  of  the  Law  in  the 
Event ;  viz.  the  Super-abounding  of  Grace  !  See, 
in  the  following  Words,  This  ultimate  EfFccl  in  the 
Event,  to  be  aifo  the  ultimate  End  in  the  Defign  j 
that  j^s  Sin  hath  reigned  unto  Death,  So  might  Grace 
reign  through  Righteoufnefs  unto  Eternal  Life. 

This  then  is  the  ultimate  End  of  the  Law,  of  Sin, 
of  Death,  in  the  eternal  Delign,  and  in  the  eternal 
Event, — The  Super-ahounding  of  Grace.  Grace  is  the 
Beginning  of  the  Defign;  and  the  End  of  the  Work, 
a  Tranfcendencv  of  Grace.  Grace  lays  the  Scheme 
of  the  Laws,  of  Sin  and  Death,  that  through  thefe 
DarkncfTes,  Blacknefies,  ?nd  Contrarieties,  it  may 
bring  forth  itfelf  more  triumphantly,  with  a  more 
tranfcendent  Swe^tnefs  and  Glory  ;  That  it  may 
R  2  fwal- 


(     244     ) 

fvvallow  up  the  Deformity,  the  Guilt  of  Sin,  the 
Terrors  of  the  Law,  the  Horrors  of  Death,  into  the 
Beauties  of  a  Divine  Righteoufnefs,  into  the  Joys 
of  an  eternal  Life  in  the  Bofom  of  an  eternal  Love, 
overflowing  all  with  a  fuperabundant  boundlefs  ex- 
cefs.  Thus,  as  hath  been  faid.  Sin  reigns  unto 
Death,  but  Sin  and  Death  came  in  by  the  Law, 
The  Law,  together  with  thefe  are  brought  in,  in  the 
w^y  and  paflage  to  the  grand  Dciign,  which  is  the 
Reign  of  Free  Grace,  of  a  Divine  Love,  by  a  Di- 
vine Righteoulhefs,  unto  eternal  Life. 

In  the  Garden  of  the  Divine  Providences,  and  the 
Divine  Works,  every  Root,  every  Principle  hath 
its  free  fcope,  and  its  full  force  to  unfold  itfelf  in  all 
its  feveral  Virtues,  Forms,  and  Degrees,  until  it 
bring  forth  itfelf  in  its  laft  and  ripeft  Fruit. — Sin 
reigns  unto  Death. 

Thus  a  Divine  Wifdom  and  Power  fets  one  thing 
over  againfl  another,  diiplaying  itfelf  through  all 
Variety,  that  he  who  cometh  after  the  King  Im- 
mortal and  only  Wife,  may  find  nothing  to  add  to 
his  Work.  But  Grace^  the  incorruptible  Beauty  and 
pureft  Sweetnefs  of  the  Godhead  is  the  Beginning, 
the  V/ay,  and  the  End  of  the  whole  Work,  of  the 
whole  Defign.  Thus  Grace  runs  all  along  unde- 
filed,  unmixt,  irrefillible,  through  all  Variety  and 
Contrariety  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  ;  fweetly, 
wifely,  ftrongly  taking  hold  of  all  his  Works.  It  , 
bringeth  forth  itfelf  through  all,  it  giveth  Mcafure 
and  Weight  unto  all,  it  formeth  itfelf  upon  all,  it 
bindeth  up  all  at  laft,  into  one  moft  divine  harmony, 
into  one  moft  harmonious  Image  of  Itfelf  and  of  the 
Divine  Efience  ;  it  turneth  all  into  itfelf,  as  an  end-» 
lefs  Glory  to  itfelf. 

Who  then,  that  is  acquainted  with  God  and  know- 
cth  him  as  he  is  Love,  can  imagine,  that  God  hatli 
fet  up  Mutability,  Earthlinefs,  a  Capacity  of  fin- 
ning and  dying — that  He  hath  fuffered  any  thing  of 
Evil,  of  Sin,  of  Death,  to  come  in  upon  that  which 
is  earthly,  frail,  and  fading,  and  fo  leave  his  Crea- 
tion to  be  fwaliowed  up  and  devoured  by  Sin  and 

De^x\^^ 


(     245    ) 

Death  ?  No,  He  hath  permitted  all  this  ;  but  with 
a  Delign  to  ftamp  upon  it  the  Image  and  Impreffioa 
of  eternal  Love  and  Glory — to  bring  in  Jefus  Chrijiy 
and  Eternal  Life  by  him,  in  greater  Pomp  and  Glo- 
ry, with  greater  Power  and  Force,  with  greater  Joy 
and  Gladneis,  with  a  more  tranfcendent  Viftory  and 
Triumph. — As  Sin  and  Death  were  not  brought  ia 
at  firft,  io  it  is  as  certain  they  fhall  not  be  the  End  ; 
for  Grace  is  the  Beginning  of  all — and  the  End  muft 
be  Grace  alio. 

And  now  if  we  ftumble  at  any  part  of  this  Con- 
trivance, it  is  becaufe  we  cannot  in  one  view  behold 
the  Works  of  God,  from  its  Beginning,  in  its  whole 
Progrefs,  unto  its  End,  If  we  could  in  one  View 
behold  all  His  Methods^-How  full  of  heavenly  Har- 
mony are  they  ! — in  what  Divine  Order  are  the 
Links  of  the  Golden  Chain  of  His  Contrivance  of 
Grace  failned  one  to  another,  or  within  one  another ! 
All  is  Lovcy  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  ;  but  it 
proceeds  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  in  fo  Divine 
an  Order,  as  makes  a  pure  and  incorruptible  Beauty 
and  Majefty  to  fhine  forth  from  the  whole,  a  moll 
Heavenly  and  Divine  Melody  to  found  from  all  parts 
of  it,  charming  and  ravifliing  the  pure  Senfes  of  all 
Holy  and  Heavenly  Spirits  ! 

I  conclude  what  I  have  faid  from  this  Scripture, 
and  on  this  Subjeft,  with  this  moft  Humble  AddreCs 
to  GOD  ; 


p^>.-»'»>.>.>.>.».>.*..v>'V*.>->.>."»...«(^ijfe^©»..<-.+.*-<'*'<'-<-^-*'<-«>«<"<'<'<'«<«4i^ 

The    Author's    PRAYER. 

"pJRDON  mt,  O  my  GOD,  if  in  the  Contemplation 
and  Experience  ofthyfuper-abounding  Grace  to  myfelf, 
I  have  been  tranfported  in  my  Rcprefentation  of  thee  beyond 
thy  Alh'-Mance.  I  think  it  impojible  to  exceed,  when  lam 
admiring  that  Grace  of  thine,  which  is  the  higheji,  the 
fwceteji,  the  moji  exalted  Name  of  that  Love  which  is  THy-» 
§LLF^  and  the  eternal  Spring  of  all  Loves  and  Lovelinefs, 

I  prefumc 


(     246     ) 

Jprefume  not  to  pry  Into  the  Methodi  of  thy  J^ove  and  ifry 
$eaJom  for  the  full  Manifefiation  of  it :     i/ow  far  thy 
Thoughii  and  IVays,  "johicb  are  thy  Infinite  IVifdom,  do 
iranfcend^  I kncruf  not ;  hut  fhre  lam,  they  cannot  fallfhort 
of  the  limited  PerfeBlons  of  thy  Creatures,      Thou  hafi  in 
thy  ovjn  firjl  Make^  given  me  a  Nature  all  difpofed  to  Love. 
Thou  hafi  by  thy  Grace   heightned  and  enlarged  thai  Love 
to  all  thy  Offspring,  to  every  thing  that  bears  any  Image  or 
Stamp  of  ihyjelf  uprjU  it,       I  could  not,  as  I  ought  to  do^ 
love  thee,  if  I  did  not  dove  thee,  wherever  I  find  thee.   Thou 
hafi  comfnanded  me  and  all  tMnCy  to  overcome  all  the  Evil 
of  this  lower  IVorld  with  Good :  No  Evil,  no  hijury  I  have 
met  with  in  this  unkind  IVorld.  for  thy  Jake,  or  upon  afiy 
(xthcr  account  whdtfoever^   hath  yet  exceeded  my  Love  and 
Fargivenefs,      2ea^   Thou  hafi  made  it  one  of  my  highefi 
Pleafures  to  love  and  ferve  Emmies  ; — Can  1  tlxn  think 
,  any  Evil  in  any  of  thy  Creatures  can  overfet  thy  Goodnefs  ? 
Thou  art  the  h'lghfi  Example  to  them  of  all  the  Goodnefs 
thou  rcquirefi  us  tofhew  to  one  another : — /  mufi  believe, 
then,  thy  Grace  ivlllfooner  or  later  fuper-ahottndy  wherever 
Sin  hath  mofi  abounded  I  'till  f  can  think  a  Utile  Drop  of 
Being,,  and  but  one  remove  from  Nothing,  can  excel  in  Gctod- 
T&efs  that  Ocean  of  Gmdnefs  xvhich  Jfath  neither  Shore,  Bot- 
tom, nor  Surface. — Thou  art  Goodnefs  itfelf,  in  iheAbfiraBy 
in  its  firfi  Spring,  in  its  fupremc  and  univcrfcd  Form  and 
Spirits     ffe  mufi  believe  Thee  to  be  Infinitely  Good — ta.be 
Good  without  any  M'ecfure  or  Bound- — tr^be  Good  beyond  alt 
Mxpreffion  and  Conception  of  all  Qreatares,   oj  Alen  and 
u^ngels  ;   or  vje  mrfi  give  over  thinking  thee  to  he  at  all, — 
'All  the  Goodnefs  which  is  every  where  io  be  found  feat  tered 
f  among  tf?e  Creatures,  iy  fent  forth  from  thee,  the  Fountain, 
tlve  Sea  of  all  Goodnefs, — Into  this  Sea   of  all  Goodnefs   I 
deliver  myfelfandall  my  Fclloii'-Creatures  :  Thtii:  art  LcvCy 
and  canfi  no  more  ceafe  to  he  fo,  than  io  he  thyfelf :     Take 
thy  own  A'leihodswithusy    and  fubmit  ns  to  them.     Well 
may  we  fo  do,   in  an  jfffurance  that   ths  Beginning,  the 
}Vay,  and  the  End  of  them  all  is  Love^. 

7o  the  Inexhaufiible  Fountain  of  all  Grace  and  Goodnefs,, 
from  all  his  Creatures,  be  afcribcd  All  Glory  and  Praiji 
for  gtucr  and.&uxr.     Amen.     HallELUJAhI 

FINIS. 


c/?i :  irmc 

THOUGHTS  IN  PRISO' 

INFIVE     PARTS. 

VIZ. 

THE     IMPRISONMENT. 

THE     RETROSPECT. 

PUBLICK     PUNISHMENT. 

THE      TRIAL. 

FUTURITY. 

By  the  Rev,  WILLIAM  DODD,  L  L  D. 

1.  TO    WHICH    ARE    ADDED, 

HIS      LAST      PRAYER, 

Written  in  the  Night  before  his  Death  : 

AND 

OTHER  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 


•— Thefe  evils  I  deferve,  and  more  ; 

Acknowledge  them  nom  God  infiided  on  me 

Juftly ;  yet  defpair  not  of  his  final  p.irdon, 

Whofecar  is  ever  open,  and  his  eye 

Gracious  to  re-admit  the  Suppliant!  ALlton. 


LONDON: 

Printsd  for  Edward  and  Charles  Dilly,  in  the  Poultry 

and  G,  K^AasLTr  at  N'^'  46,  in  t^icrt- Street, 

MDCCLXXVII. 


I' 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


'  I  ^  H  E  following  Work,  as  the  dates  of 
the  '  refpedlive  Parts  evince,  was 
begun  by  its  unhappy  Author  in  his  apart- 
ments at  Newgate,  on  the  evening  of  the 
day  fubfequent  to  his  Trial  and  Convidion 
at  Juftice-hall;  and  was  finifhed,  amidfl 
various  neceffary  interruptions,  in  little  more 
than  the  fpace  of  two  months, 

**  Prefixed 


ii  A  D  V  E  R  T  I  S  E  IM  E  N  T. 

Prefixed  to  the  Manufcript  is  the  enfuing 

Note :  ....      ,^^ 


Jpril2  2y  1777. 
"  I  Began  thefe  Thoughts  merely  from 
'  the  imprefiion  of  my  mind,  v/ithout  plan, 

*  piirpofc,  or  motive,   more  than  the  fitua- 

*  tion  aiid  flate  of  my  Soul.     I  continued 

*  them  on  a  thoughtful  and  regular  plan : 

*  ard  I  have  been  enabled  wonderfully — in 
'  a  il.ate,  which  in  better  days  I  fhould  have 

*  fiippotcd  would  have  deftroyed   all  power 

*  of  Relicdion— -to  bring  them  nearly  to  a 

*  conclufion.     I  dedicate  them  to  God,  and 

*  to    the    rep^ing    Serious     amongfl    my 

*  Fellow-Creatures  j    and  I   blefs  the  Al- 

*  mighty  for    the    ability  to   go    through 

'  them,    arnidil   the   Terrors   of  this   dire 
5  "  Place, 


ADVERTISEM  ENT.  m 

•*  Place,  and  the  bitter  anguifh  of  my  diA 
"  confolate  Mind! 

•*  The  Thinking  will  eafily  pardon  all 
**  inaccuracies,  as  I  am  neither  ^Me  nor 
**  wi//mg  to  read  over  thefe  melancholy 
**  lines  with  a  curious  or  critical  eye !  They 
**  are  imperfedl,  but  the  Language  of  the 
"  Heart ;  and,  had  I  time  and  inclination, 
"  might  and  ihould   be  improved. 

«  But« 1 

W.  D.'* 

The   few  little   Pieces  fubjoin'd    to  the 
Thoughts^    and   the  Author's   Lajl  Prayer^ 
were  found  amongfthis  Papers.     Their  evi- 
dent connexion  with  the  Poem  was  the  in- 
ducement for  adding  them  to  the  Volume. 


*^*  In  a  Poftfcript  to  a  Friend,  the  Au- 
thor writes  thus  :  *'  I  forgot  to  requeft  my 
good  Friend  to  tell  Mr.  Hanway,  that  in 
one  of  my  little  melancholy  Poems,  writ- 
ten in  this  dreary  Place,  I  have  made  fuch 
mention  of  him  as  I  think  his  attention  to 
the  Improvement  of  Jails  demands  : — That 
I  earneflly  prefs  him,  as  a  Chriftian  and  a 
Man,  to  purfue  that  Improvement  with 
Zeal  : — That  much,  very  much  is  to  be 
done  : — And  that  while  theflate  of  Prifons 
remains  as  it  is,  the  Legiflature  has  feme 
reafon  tt)  charge  itfelf  with  the  greater  part  of 
ihe  Robberies,  &c.  committed.  For  the 
Offenders  for  petty  crimes  are  here  harden'd 
in  almoft  every  fpecies  of  Vice  -,  and  turn*d 
out,  neceflary  Plunderers  of  the  Publick, 
from  the  depravity  of  their  unalterd  difpoii- 
tion,  and  the  deficiency  of  proper  employ- 
ment. I  have  felt  much  on  this  fubjed;  fince 
I  have  been  here ;  and  exprelTed  fomething 
ofitinthe  Poem.  Week  the  Third."  See 
Page  6 1,  j:o,   6cc, 


[To  front  Page  206. 


i 


THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON -• 

Commenced  Sunday  Evening,  Eight  o'Clock*, 
Feb.  23,   1777. 


WEEK     THE     FIRST. 
THE     IMPRISONMENT. 

Y  Friends  are  gone  !  Harfh  on  its  fullen 
hinge 

Grates  the  dread  door :  the  mafly  bolts  refpond 
Tremendous  to  the  furly  Keeper's  touch. 
The  dire  keys  clang :  with  movement  dull  and  flow 
While  their  behefl  the  ponderous  locks  perform  : 
And,  faftened  firm,  the  objedt  of  their  care 
Is  left  to  Solitude, — to  Sorrow  left ! 

*  The  hour  when  they  lock  up  In  this  difmal  place, 

B  But 


THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.      WEEK  I. 


But  wherefore  faftened  ?  Oh  ftill  ftronger  bonds 
Than  bolts,  or  locks,  or  doors  of  molten  brafs. 
To  Solitude  and  Sorrow  would  confi^-n 
His  anguiih'd  Soul,  and  prifon  him,  tho'  free ! 
For,  whither  Ihould  he  fly,  or  where  produce 
In  open  day,  and  to  the  golden  Sun, 
His  haplefs  head  !  whence  every  laurel  torn, 
On  his  bald  brow  fits  grinning  Infamy; 
And  all  in  fportive  triumph  twines  around 
Tiie  keen,  the  dinging  Adders  of  Difgrace  ! 

Yet  what's  Difgrace  with  Man  ?  or  all  riie  ftings 
Of  pointed  Scorn  ?  What  the  tumultuous  voice 
Of  erring  Multitudes  ?  Or  what  the  fhafts 
Of  kceneil:  Malice,  levell'd  from  the  bow 
Of  human  Inquifition  ? — if  the  God 
Who  knovv's  the  lieart,    looks  with  complacence 

dov/n 
Upon  the  flruggling  viftim  ;  and  beholds 
Repentance  burRing  from  the  earth-bent  eye, 
And  Faith's  red  crofs  held  clofely  to  the  breaft  I 

Oh 


WEEK  I.     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.         3 

Oh  Author  of  my  being !  of  my  blifs 
Beneficent  Difpenfer  !  wond'rous  Power, 
Whofe  eye,  all-fearching,  thro'  this  dreary  gloom 
Difcerns  thedeepeft  fecrets  of  the  Soul ; 
Aflill  me  !— With  thy  ray  of  light  divine 
Illumine  my  dark  thoughts  ;  upraife  my  lowj 
And  g;ive  me  Wifdom's  g-uidance,  while  I  ftrive 
impartially  to  ftate  the  dread  account. 
And  call  mvself  to  trial  !   Trial  far 
Than  That  more  fearful-— tho'  how  fearful  That 
Which  trembling  late  I  prov'd  '  Oh  aid  my  hand 
To  hold  the  balance  equal,  and  allow 
The  few  fad  moments  of  remaining  life 
To  Retrofpedion  ufeful !  Make  my  End, 
As  my  firft  wifli  (thou  know'ft  the  heart)  has  been. 
To  make  my  whole  of  Being  to  my  Friends, 
My  fellow-pilgrims  thro'  this  world  of  woe, 
inftruftive  !— Oh  could  I  conuud  but  one^ 
One  only  with  me,  to  our  Canaan's  rcfi  ^ 
How  could  I  meet  my  fate,  nor  think  it  hard! 

B  2  Not 


4        THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      WEEK  I. 

Not  think  it  hard?-~-^ur^  into  tears,  my  Soul; 
Gufh  every  pore  of  my  difcrafted  frame, 
Gufli  into  drops  of  blood  '.—But  one ;  fave  one. 
Or  guide  to  Canaan'^s  rejl  F— when  all  thy  Views 
In  better  days  were  dedicate  alone 
To  guide,  perfuade  to  that  celeftial  rejl 
Souls,  which  have  liftened  with  Devotion's  ear 
To  Sion's  fongs  enchanting  from  thy  lips. 
And  tidings  fweet  of  Jefei's  pardoning  Love  ! 

But  one,  fave  one  /'— Oh,  what  a  ReJ}  is  this  ! 
Oh  what  a  Sahhath  in  this  dungeon's  gloom, 
This  prifon-houfe,  meet  emblem  of  the  realm 
Referv'd  for  the  ungodly  !  Hark,  methinks 
I  hear  the  chearful  melody  of  Praife 
And  penitential  Sweetnefs  *  !  'Tis  the  found. 
The  well-known  found,  tow^hich  my  Soul,  attun'd 
For  year  fucceeding  year,  hath  hearken'd  glad. 
And  Hill  with  frelh  delight :  while  all  my  powers 

*  Referring  more  immediately  to  the  Duty  o^i  ^^t  Ma gd akn- 
Chapel. 

C  In 


WEEK  I.       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.  5^ 

In  bleft  employ,  have  prefl  the  faving  truths 

Of   Grace   Divine,    and  Faith^s    all-conquering. 

might. 
On  the  fure  Rock  of  Ages  grounded  firm. 

Thofe  hours  are  gone  !  and  here,  from  Heaven 
fhut  our, 
And  heavenly  works  like  thefe,  on  this  lov'd  day, 
Reji  of  my  God,— I  only  hear  around 
The  difmal  clang  of  chains  ;  the  hoarfe  roua,h  fhout 
Of  diflbnant  Imprecation ;  and  the  cry 
Of  Mifery  and  Vice,   in  fearful  din 
Impetuous  mingled  -,  v/hile  my  frighted  mind 
Shrinks  back  in  horror  !    v/hiie  the  fcalding  tears 
Involuntary  flarting,  furrow  down 
My  fickly  cheeks  -,  and  whirling  thought  confus'd 
For  giddy  moments,   fcarce  allows  to  know 
Or  where,  or  who,  or  what  a  Wretch  I  am  ! 

Not  know  ?— Alas !  too  well  it  ftrikes  my  heart, 
Emphatical  it  fpeaks  j  while  dungeons,  chains. 

And 


6  THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.      WEEK    1. 

And  bars  and  bolts  proclaim  the  mournful  truth, 
*'  Ah  what  a  Wretch  thou  art  !  How  funk,  how 

"  fallen, 
"  *  From  what  high  Hate  of  blifs,  into  what  woe!'* 
Fallen  from  the  topmoft  bough  that  plays  in  air 
E*cn  of  the  talleft  cedar  •,  where  aloft 
Proud  Happinefs  her  towering  eyrie  built ; 
Built,  as  I  dreamt,  for  ages.     Idle  dream  ! 
And  yet,  amongft  the  millions  of  mankind, 
Y^ho  Jleep  like  me  ;  how  few,  like  me  deceiv'd. 
Do  not  indulge  the  fame  fantaftic  dream  1 

Give  me  the  Angel's  Clarion  !— Letme  found, 
I  oud  as  the  blafl  which  fhall  awake  the  dead ; 
Oh  let  me  found,  and  call  the  (lumberers  forth 
To  view  the  vifion,  which  delufive  charms  j 
To  iliake  the  potent  incantation  off; 
Or  ere  it  burft  in  luin  on  their  Souls, 
As  it  has  burft  on  w/;.r.-- Not  on  my  Soul! 
Retrad  the  dread  idea :  Righteous  God  I 
*  Mii-TON.    Par.  L.  B.   5.  540, 

Not 


WEEK  I.     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.  -i 

Not  on  my  Soul  !  Oh  Thou  art  gracious  all, 
And  with  an  eye  of  pity  from  thy  Throne 
Of  Majefty  Supernal,  Thou  behold'fl 
The  creatures  of  thy  hand,  thy  feeble  fons. 
Struggling  with  Sin,  with  Satan  and  the  World, 
Their  fworn  and  deadly  foes  :   and,   having  felt 
In  human  flefh  the  trials  of  our  kind, 
Know'fl  fympathetic  how  to  aid  the  tried  1 

Rock  of  my  hope  !   the  ralh,    rafh  phrafe  for-; 
give; 
Safe  is  my  Soul  ;  nor  can  it  know  one  fear. 
Grounded  on  Thee  Unchangeable !  Thee  firiV, 
Thee  laft,  great  Cleanfer  of  all  human  fm  ! 

But,  tho'  fecure  the  vefTel  rides  in  port, 
Held  firm  by  Faith's  ftrong  anchor,— well  it  fuits 
The  mariner  to  think,  by  what  flrange  means 
Thro'  perils  unconceivable  he  pafs'd  ; 
Thro'  rocks,  fands,  pirates,  ftorms,  and  boift'rous 

waves. 
And  happily  obtain'd  that  port  at  laft. 

On 


^  THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.     WEEK  I. 

On   these  my  thoughts  are  bent  :  nor  deem  it 

wrong, 
Minijlring  Angels !  whofe  ben  ignant  tafk 
Affign'd  by  Heav'n,  is  to  confole  Diflrefs, 
And  hold  up  human  hearts  amidft  the  toil 
Of  human  woe  *  !— Bleft  Spirits,  who  delight 
In  fweet,  fubmiflive  Refignatlon's  fmile. 
To  that  high  Will  you  know  for  ever  right  ;— 
Deem  it  not  wrong,  that  with  a  weeping  eye. 
Deem  it  not  wrong,  that  with  a  bleeding  heart, 
I  dwell  awhile, — unworthieft  of  my  race,— 
On  thofe  black  rocks,  thofe  quick-fands,  waves 

and  florms. 
Which  in  a  fea  of  trouble  have  engulph'd 
All,  all  my  earthly  comforts ;  and  have  left 
Me,  a  poor,  naked,  fhipwreck'd,  fuffering  wretch 
On  this  bleak  fliore,   in  this  confinement  drear ; 
At  fight  of  which,  in  better  days,  my  Soul 
Hath  ftarted  back  with  horror  !  while  my  Friend, 
My  bofom-partner  in  each  hour  of  pain, 

*  See  Pfalm  xxxiv.  7,     Heb.  i.  14. 

Widi 


WEEK  I.     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.  g 

With  antidotes  preventive  kindly  arm'd. 
Trembling  for  my  lov'd  health ;  when  chriflian 

calls. 
And  zeal  for  others  welfare,  haply  brought 
My  ftcps  attendant  on  this  Den  of  Death  ! 

Oh  difrnal  change  !  Now,  not  in  friendly  fort  . 
A  chriilian  Vifitorj  to  pour  the  balm 
Of  chriilian  comfort  in  fome  wretch's  ear,— 
i  am  that  Wretch  myfelf !  and  want,  much  wantj 
The  chriftian  confolation  I  beftow'd  -, 
So  chearfully  bellow'd !  want,  want,  my  God, 
From  Thee  the  mercy,  from  my  fellow-man 
The  lenient  mercy,  whichj— great  Judge  of  Hearts, 
To  Thee  I  make  the  folemn,  fad  appeal — 
That  mercy,  v;hich  Thou  know'fl  my  gladfoni* 

foul 
Ever  fprang  forth  with  tranfport  to  impart ! 

Why  then,  myfterious  Providence  !  purfued 
With  fuch  unfeeling  ardour  ?  why  purfued 

C  i'o 


THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.      WEEK  I. 


To  death's  dread  bourn,  by  men  to  me  unknown! 
Why Stop  the  deep  quellion  •,  it  o'erwhelms 

my  foul  -, 
It  reels,  it  ftaggers !— Earth  turns  round  !--my 

brain 
Whirls  in  corifufion !   my  impetuous  heart 
Throbs  with  pulfations  not  to  be  reflrain'd : 
Why? — where? — Oh  Chesterfield!    my  Ion, 

my  fon  ! 

Nay,  talk  not  of  compofure  !  I  had  thought 

In  olden  time,  that  my  weak  heart  was  fofr, 

i\nd  Pity's  felf  might  break  it.— I  had  thought 

That  marble-ey'd  Severity  would  crack 

The  flender  nerves  v/hich  guide  my  reins  of  fenfc. 

And  give  me  up  to  madnefs.     'Tis  not  fo : 

My  heart  is  callous,  and  my  nerves  are  tough  : 

It  will  not  break  ;  they  will  not  crack  ;  or  elfe 

What  more,  juft  Heaven!  was  wanting  to  the 

deed, 

Than 


WEEK  I.      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON,  u 

Than  to  behold— Oh  that  eternal  Night 
Had  in  that  moment  fcreen'd  me  from  myTelf  !--. 
My  Stanhope  to  behold,  whofc  filial  ear 
Drank  pleas'd  the  lore  of  v/ifdom  from  my  tongue. 
My  Stanhope  to  behold  !--Ah  piercing  fight ! 
Forget  it  J— 'tis  di[tra6tion  :— Speak  who  can! 

But,  I  am  lofl '    a  criminal  adjudg'd  ! 

A  guilty  mifcreant!---Canfl  thou  think,  my  Friend, 
Oh  Butler,  'midd  a  million  faithful  found  !— 
Oh  canft  thou  think,  who  know'ft,  wiio  long  haft 

known 
My  inmoft  foul ;   oh  canll:  thou  think  that  life. 
From  fuch  rude  outrage  for  a  moment  fav'd, 
And  fav'd  almod  by  miracle  *,    deferves 
The  languid  wifh,  or  e'er  can  be  fullain'd  ? 

*  Referring  to  the  cafe  referved  for  the  fclemn  dccifion  of 
the  i-ivel've  Judges  ;  and  which  gave  the  prifoner  a  much  longer 
fpace  than  his  moR  fanguine  friends  could  have  expelled,  from 
the  complexion  of  the  Procefs.  See  the  ^(^JJions  Paper  for 
Feb.  1777. 

C    2  It 


12  THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.     WEEK  I. 

It  can —It  muft  !    That  miracle  alone 
To  life  gives  confequence.     Oh  deem  it  not 
Prefumptuous,  that  my  grateful  foul  thus  rates 
The  prefent  high  deliverance  it  hath  found  ;— 
Sole  effort  of  thy  wifdom,  Sovereign  Power, 
Without  whofe  knowledge  not  a  fparrow  falls ! 
Oh  may  I  ceafe  to  live,  ere  ceafe  to  blefs 
That  interpofing  Hand,  which  turn'd  afide,— 
Nay,  to  my  life  and  prefervation  turn'd 
The  fatal  blow  precipitate,  ordain'd 
To  level  all  my  little  hopes  in  duft. 
And  give  me  to  the  grave  !   Rather,   rr.j  hand. 
Forget  thy  cunning  !   Kather  fhall  my  tongue 
In  gloomy  lilence  bury  every  note 
To  my  glad  heart  rcfpondent,    than  I  ceafe 
To  dedicate  to  Hi?n  who  fpar'd  my  life, 
Each  breath,  each   power,   while  he   vouclifafcs 

to  lend 
The  precious  boon  !---To  him  be  all  its  praife  ! 
To  Him  be  all  its  fervice  !    Long  or  iliort, 

The 


WEEK  I.      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.  15 

The  gift's  the  fame :  to  live  or  die  to  him. 

Is  gain  fufficient,  everlafting  gain  : 

And  may  that  gain  be  mine !— I  live,   I  live! 

Ye  hours,  ye  minutes,  bounty  of  his  grace. 

Fleet  not  away  v/ithout  improvement  due: 

Rich  on  your  wings  bear  Penitence  and  Prayer 

To  Heaven's  all-clement  Ruler ;   and  to  Man 

Bear  all  the  Retribution  Man  can  make ! 

Ye  precious   hours,   ye  moments  fnatch'd  from 

death, 
Replete  with  incenfe  rife ; — that  my  chear'd  foul. 
When  comes  the  folemn  call,  may  fpring  away- 
Delighted  to  the  bofom  of  its  God  ! 

Who  fhall-condemn  the  tru{l?--Proud  Rationals 
(That  deep  in  Speculation's  wildering  maze 
Be-mufe  themfclves  with  error,  and  confound 
The  Laws  of  Men,  of  Nature,  and  of  Keav'n) 
Prefumptuous  in  their  wifdom,  dare  dethrone 
Even  from  his  works  the  Maker ;  and  contend. 

That 


H         THOUGHTS    IN    P  R-I  S  O  N.     WEEK  L 

That  he  who  form'd  it,  governs  not  the  World: 

While,  (lecj/d  in  Senfe's  Lelhe,   Sons  of  Earth 

Fronrthe  World's  partial  piflure  gaily  draw 

Their  mad  conckifions.    Bold,  broad-ilarino- Vice, 

Luli'd  on  the  lap  of  every  miindane  biifs, 

At  meek-eyed  Virtue's  patient  fuffering  feoffs, 

And  dares  with  dauntlefs  infolence  the  God 

Reorardlefs  of  his  votaries  !— -Vain  and  blind  I 

Alike  thro'  Wifdom  or  thro'  Folly  blind — 

Whofe  dim  contra(5ted  view  the  petiy  round. 

The  mere  horizon  of  the  prefent  hour 

In  darknefs  terminates !    Oh  could  I  ope 

The  golden  portals  of  eternal  day  ; 

Four  on  your  fight  the  congregated  blaze 

Of  light,  of  wifdom,  burrting  from  the  Throne 

Of  Univerfal  Glory ;  on  the  round, 

The  boundlefs  cycle  of  His  moral  plan, 

V\ho,  hid  in  clouds,  terrific  Mafter  fits 

Of  fubje6l  Men  and  W^orlds  -,   and  fees  at  once 

The  ample  fcene  of  Prei'ent,  Future,  Pafl, 

All  naked  to  his  eye  of  Flame  :— ail  rang'd 

la 


WEEK  I.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.         15 

In  harmony  complete,  to  v/ork  His  will. 
And  finifh  with  the  plaudit  of  the  Skies ! 

But,— while  this   whelming  blazon   may   not 
burft 
On  the  weak  eyes  of  mortals  :  while  conhn'd 
Thro'  dark  dim  glafs,  with  dark  dim  fight  to  look 
All  trembling  to  the  Future,  and  collefl: 
The  fcatter'd  rays  of  Wifdom  ;   while  referred 
Our  infant  Reafon  to  the  2;uidino;  hand 
Of  Faith  ftrong  eyed,  which  never  quits  the  view 
Of  Jesus,  her  great  Pole-flar;  from  wh'jfe  Word, 
Irradiate  v/ith  the  luflre  of  his  love. 
She  learns  the  mighty  Mafter  to  explore 
In  all  his  works ;  and  from  the  meanell  taught 
Beholds  the  God,  the  Father ;- -Scorn  ye  not. 
My  fellow- pilgrims,  fellow  heirs  of  Death, 
And,  oh  triumphant  thought !— my  fellow-heirs 
Of  life  immortal;. -if,  not  fold  to  Senfe, 
And  Infidelity's  black  caufe,  you  caft 

Un- 


,6  THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  I. 

Ungracious  from  yourfclves  the  proffer*d  boon  : 
— Then  fcorn  not,  Oh  my  friends,  when  Heaveri 

vouchfafes 
To  teach  by  meaneft  objetfls,  reptiles,  birds,— ^ 
To  take  one  leflbn  from  a  Worm  like  me ! 

Proof  of  a  gracious  Providence  I  live  ;  -* 
To  Him  be  all  the  glory !    Of  his  care 
Paternal,  his  fupporting  fignal  love, 
I  live  each  hour  an  argument.     Away, 
The  fyftematic  duUneis  of  difpute  ! 
Away,  each  doating  Reafoner  !— I  feelj 
Feel  in  my  inmoll  heart  the  confcious  fenfc^ 
The  grateful  preflure  of  diftinguiHi'd  GracCj 
And  live,  and  only  wifh  for  life  to  praife  it ! 

For  fay,  my  foul,- -nor  midfl  this  filence  fad. 
This  midnight,  aweful,  melancholy  gloom. 
Nor  in  this  folemn  moment  of  account 
'Twixt  thee  and  Heav'n,— when  on  his  altar  lies 

A  fa- 
il 


WEEK  I.     T  II  O  U  G  H  T  S  I  N   PR  I  S  O  N.  17 

A  facrifice  thy  naked,    bleeding  heart ! 

Say,  nor,  felf- Mattering,  to  thy  confcience  hold 

The    mirror  of    Deceit  ;— could'il   thou     have 
thought 

Thy  Nerves,  thy  Head,  thy  Hea,rt;,    thy  Frame, 
thy  Senfe, 

SufBcient  to  fuftain  the  fudden  fhock. 

Rude  as  a  burflifig  earthquake,  which  at  onc^e 

Toppled  thy  happy  ediHce  adown, 
"Whelm'd  thee  and  thine  beneath  its  ruinous  crafh. 
And  buried  all  in  forrow  ?— Torn  avvay 
Impetuous    from   thy   Home,    thy    much-lov'd 

Home, 
Without  one  moment  to  refledtion  giv'n  ! 
By  foothing,  folemn  promife  led  to  place 
Ingenuous  all  thy  confidence  cf  life 
In  Men,  afiuming  gentle  Pity's  guife  ! 
Vain  confidence,  in  aught  beneath  the  Sun  ! 
Behold  the  Hour,  the  dreadful  Hour  arriv'd  : 
The  Prifon  opes  its  ruthlels  gates  upon  thee  ! 

D  Oh 


iS        Tiro  UGH  TS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  I. 

Oh  Horror!  But  what's  this,  this  frefh  attack  ? 
'Tis  fhc,  'tis  flie  !  my  weeping,  fainting  Wife  ! 
"  And   haft  Thou,    faithful,    found  me  ?    Has 

"  thy   love 
"  Thus  burft  thro'  every  barrier  ?— Haft  thou  trac'd 
"  — Depreft  in  health,  and  timid  as  thou  art--- 
"At  midnight  trac'd  thedefolate  wild  ftreets  -, 
"  Thus  in  a  Prifon's  gloom  to  throw  thy  arms 
"  Of  conjugal  endearment  round  the  neck 
"  Of  thy  loft  Huft^and  ?— Fate,  exad  thy  worft  ; 
"The  bitternefs  is  paft."— Tdea  vain  ! 
To  tenfold  bitternefs  drench'd  in  my  deep  cup 
Of  gall  the  morning  rifes  !     Statue-like, 
Inaniniate,  half-dead,  and  fainting  half. 
To  fiand  a  fpe5}ade  ! — the  Prstor  ftcrn 
Denying  to  my  pleading  tears  one  pang 
Of  human  fympathy  !     Condudled  forth, 
Amidft  th'  unfeeling  populace  ;  purfued 
Lik"  fome  poor  deer,  which  from  the  hunter's  aim 
Hathta'en  its  deadly  hurt  ;  and  glad  to  find-— 
Panting  with  woe,— my  refuge  in  a  Gaol  ! 
Can  Mifery  ftretch  more  tight  the  torturing  cord  ? 

I  But 


WEEK  I.      T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S    1  N   P  R  I  S  O  N.       19 

But  hence  this  foftnefs !    Wherefore  thus  lament 
Thefe  petty,  poor  efcutcheons  of  thy  fate. 

When  lies all  worthy  of  thyfelf  and  Life^ 

Cold  in  the  hearfe  of  Ruin  ?-— Rather  turn 
Grateful  thine  eyes,  and  raife,  tho'  red  with  tears. 
To  His  high  throne,  who  looks  on  thy  diftrcfs 
With  fatherly  companion;  kindly  throws 
Sweet  Comfort's  mixture  in  thy  cup  ;  and  foothcs 
With  Gilead's  balm  thy  death-wound.     Ke  it  is, 
Who,  'midil  the  fhock  difrupting,  holds  in  health 
Thy  fhatter'd  frame,  and  keeps  thy  Reafon  clear  : 
He,   He  it  is,  whofe  pitying  power  fupporrs 
Thy  humbled  foul,    deep  humbled  in  the  dull:,    . 
Beneath  the  fenle  of  guilty  the  mournful  fenfe 
Of  deep  tranlgrefiion  'gainfl:  thy  fellow-men. 
Of  fad  offence  'gainft  Him,   thy  Father-Goo  ; 
Who,  laviQi  in  his  bounties,  woo'd  thy  heart 
With  each  paternal  blefljng  ;— ah  ingrate. 
And    worthlefs  1      Yet — (His   mercies    v/ho   can 
count, 

D  2  Or 


20        THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.     WEEK  I. 

Or  truly  fpeak  his  praifc  ?)— Yet  thro'  this  gloom 
Of  felf-conviclion  lowly  He  vouchfafes 
To  dart  a  ray  cf  comfort,    like  the  Sun's 
All-chearing  thro'  a  fummer's-evening  fhower  ! 
Arch'd  in  his  gorgeous  fl^y,  I  v.c.vthe  Bow, 
Of  Grace  fix'd  emblem  !    'Tis  that  Grace  alone 
Which  gives  my  foul  its   firmnefs  ^---builds  my 

hope 
Beyond  the  gf are  i  and  bids  me  fpurn  the  earth  ! 

Firft  of  all  blefTings,  hail  !    Yet  Tkou,   from 
whom 
Both  nril  and  laft,  both   grciit:  and  fmall  proceed ; 
Exhauftlefs  Source  of  every  good  to  Man, 
Accept  for  all,   the  tribute  of  my  praife  -, 
For  all  are  thine  !— -Thine  the  ingenuous  Friends, 
Who  folace  v/ith  compaffion  fweet  my  woe ; 
Mingle  with  mine  their  fympathetic  tears  j 
IncefTant  and  difinterefted  toil 
To  v/ork  my  weal  •,  and,  delicately  kind. 

Watch 


WEEKI.     THO  UG  HTS  IN  PRIS  ON.         21 

Watch  every  keener  fenfibility 

That  lives  about  my  foul.  Oh,   more  thvin  Friends 

In  tendernefs  my  Childrm  /—Thine  are  too 

The  very  Keepers  of  the  rugged  Jail, 

— Ill  fchool  to  learn  Humanity's  foft  lore  ! — 

Yet  here  Humanity  tlieir  duty  pay.s, 

Refpearably  affefting  !     Whilft  they  tend 

My  little  wants,  officious  in  their  zeal. 

They  turn  av/ay,  and  fain  would  hide  the  tear 

That  gufhes  all  unbidden  from  their  eye. 

And  fanftifies  their  fervice.— On  their  heads 

Thy  bleffing,  Lord  of  Bounty  ! < 

■ But,  of  all. 


All  thy  choice  comfbrts  in  this  drear  difcrefs, 
God  of  our  iirfl;  young  love  !  Thine  is  the  Wife 
Who  with  affiduous  care,  from  night  to  morn, 
From  morn  to  night,  watches  my  every  need; 
And,  as  in  brighteft:  days  of  peace  and  joy, 
Smiles  on  my  anguifh,    while  her  own  poor  breait 
Is  full  almoft  to  burfling  !  Profcrate,   Lord, 

Before 


21         THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  I. 

Before    thy  /ootftool Thou,     whofe   higheft 

ftyle 
On  Earth,  in  Heav*n,  is  Loz'e  /—Thou,  who  haft 

breathed 
Thro*  human  hearts  the  tender  charities, 
The  focial  fond  affedtions  which  unite 
In  bonds  of  fweeteft  amity  thofe  hearts, 
And   <^uide    to    every     good  !-— Thou,     whofc 

Jcind  eye 
Complacent  muft  behold  the  rich,   ripe  fruit. 
Mature  and  mellow'd  on  the  generous  flock 
Of  thy  own  careful  planting  !--Low  on  earth, 
And  mingled  v/ith  my  native  dull,  I  cry  •, 
With  all  the  Hujhand's  anxious  fondnefs  cry  ; 
With  all  the  Friend's  folicitude  and  truth  i 
With    all    the    Teacher'^    fervour  j— "    God   of 

"  Love, 
*'  Vouchfafe  thy  choicefl  comforts  on  kcr  head  ! 
♦*  Be  thine  my  fate's  decifion  :  To  thy  Will 
"  With  Angel-ref)gnation,  lo  !   \vc  bend  !" 

But 


WEEK  I.    THOUGHTSINPRISON,  23 

But  hark  !    what  found,  wounding  the  Night's 
dull  ear, 
Burlls  fudden  on  my  fcnfe,  and  makes  more  hor- 
rible 

Thcfe  midnight  horrors  ? 'Tis  the  foiemn  Bdl^ 

Alarum  to  the   Prifoners   of  Death !  **-- 
Hark  !  what  a  groan,  refponfive  from  the  Cells 
Of  Condemnation,  calls  upon  my  heart. 
My  thrilling  heart,  for  intercefllon  ftrong. 
And  pleadings  in  the  Sufferer's  behalf — 
My  Fellow -Sufferers^  and  my  Fellow-Men  f 

Ceafe  thgn  awhile  the  ftrain,  my  plaintive  Soul, 
And  veil  thy  face  of  forrow  !  Lonely  hours 
Soon  will  return  thee  to  thy  midnight  tafK, 
For  m.uch  remains  to  fing  •,  Sad  themes,  unfung, 

*  This  alludes  to  a  very  (Iriking  and  aweful  circumftance. 
The  Bellman  of  St.  Sepulchre's,  near  the  Prifon,  is  by  long 
and  pious  cuftom  appointed  to  annoonce  at  Midnight  to  the 
condenxned  Criminals  in  their  Cells,  Tiaf  the  Hour  of  tlsir 
Depf'.rttire  is  at  Hand  ! 


As 


24        THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.      WEEK  I; 

As  deem'd  perchance  too  mournful  i— yet,  what 

elfe 
Than  themes  like  tlicfe,  can  fuit  a  Mufe  like  mine! 
—And  might  it  be,  that  while  ingenuous  woe 
Bleeds  thro'  my  verfe  ;  while  the  fucceeding  page 
Weaving  with  my  fad  ftory  the  detail 
Of  Crimes,  of  Punifhments,  of  Prifons   drear. 
Of  prefent  Life  and  future,— -fad  difcourfe 
And  ferious  fhali  contain  -,  Oh  might  it  be. 
That  human  hearts  may  lifhen  and  improve ! 
Oh  might  it  be,  that  benefit  to  Souls 
Flow  from  the  weeping  tablet :  tho'  the  A^n 
In  torture  die, the  Painter  ihall  rejoice ! 

Sunday,  March  2,    1777. 

END  OF   THE  FIRST   WEEK. 


t   ^s   ] 


THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON 


SUNDAY,    March  2,   1777= 


WEEK    THE    SECOND. 

THE    RETROSPECT. 

i/^H,  not  that  thou  goeft  hence — fweet,  droop- 
ing flower, 
Surcharg'd  with  Sorrow's  dew ! — Not  that  thou 

quitt'ft 
This  pent   and  feverifh   gloom ;    which  beams 

with  light, 
With  health,  with  comfort,  by  thy  prefence  chear'd 
Companion  of  my  life,  and  of  my  woes 

E  Blef^ 


t6        THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.     WEEK  IT. 

Bled  foothcr  !  Not  that  thou  gcefl  hence  to  d,rink 
A  purer  air,  and  gather  from  the  breath 
Cf  bahny  Spring  new  fuccour,  to  recruit 
Tliy  waning  health,  and  aid  thee  to  fuftain. 
With  more  than  manly  fortitude,  thy  own 
And  my  affiidbive  Trials !     Not  that  here, 
Amidft  the  glories  of  this  genial  day, 
Immur'd,  thro'  iron  bars  I  peep  at  Heaven, 
"With  dim,  lack-ludre  eye  !-— Oh,  'tis  not  ibis 
That   drives    the    poiibn'd    point   of    torturous 

Thouo-ht 
Deep  to  my  fpring  of  life  !    It  is  not  this 
That  proflrate  lays  me  weeping  in  the  duft. 
And  draws  in  fobs  the  life-blood  from  my  heart ! 

Well   could  I  bear  thy  Abfence :    well,   full 
well ; 
Tho'  Angel-comforts  in  thy  converfe  fmile. 
And  make  my  dungeon  Paradife  '.--Full  well 
Could  I  fuftain  thro'  iron  bars  to  view 
The  golden  Sun,  in  bridegroom-majefty 

4  Taking 


WEEK  II.     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        27 
Taking  benicrnant  Nature  to  his  love, 

DO  ' 

And    decking    her  with    bounties !    VN'eil,    very 

weil 
Could  I  forego  the  delicate  delight 
Of  tracing  Nature's  germens,  as  they  bud  j 
Of  viewing  Spring's  firfi:  children,   as  they  rife 
In  innocent  fweetnefs,  or  beneath  the  thorn 
In  rural  privacy  ;   or  on  gay  parterre 
More  artful,  lefs  enchanting  '.—Well,  very  well 
Could  I  forego  to  liften,-— in  this  houfe 
Of  unremitted  din,— and  nought  complain; 
To  lillen,   as  I  oft  have  ftood  with  Thee 
Liflening  in  fond  endearment  to  the  voice 
Of  Stock-dove,  thro'  the  filence  of  the  wood 
Hoarfe   murmuring  : — Well,   oh  well    could    I 

forego 
Thefe  innocent,  tho'  exquifite  delights, 
Still  new,  and  to  my  bofom  flili  attuned 
In  moral,  mental  melody  '---Sweet  Sprin'g  ! 
Well  could  1  bear  this  fad  exile  from  Thee, 

E  i  Nor 


28        THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  11; 

Nor  drop  one  tear  reludant :   for  my  foul, 

Strong  to  fuperior  feelings,  fears  aloft 

To  eminence  of  mifery  !— Confin*d 

On  this  blcfs'd  day— the  Sabbath  of  my  God  t 

—Not    from    his    Houfe   alone,    not   from   the 

power 
Of  joyful  worfhip  with  affembling  Crouds  *, 
But  from  the  labours  once  fo  amply  mine. 
The  labour's  of  his  love.     Now,  laid  afide, 
Cover'd  my  head  with  ignominious  dufV, 
My  voice  is  flopp'd  !  and  had  I  even  the  power^ 
Strong  fhame,  and  Itronger  grief  would  to  that 

voice 
Forbid  all  utterance  !— -Ah,  thrice  haplefs  voice, 
By  Heaven's  own  finger  all-indulgent  tuned 
To  touch  the  heart,  and  win  th*  attentive  foul 
To  love  of  Truth  Divine :  how  ufelefs  now, 

*  See  Pfalm  Ixxxiv, 

How 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        25 

How  diflbnant,  unflrung! — Like  Salem's  harps, 
Once  fraught  with  richert  harmony  of  praife. 
Hung  in  fad  filence  by  Euphrates^  ftream. 
Upon  the  mournful  willows  !    There  they  wept, 
Thy   captive    People   wept — O    God  ! — wheit 

Thouo;ht 
To  bitter  memory  recall'd  the  fongs. 
The  dulcet  fono;s  of  Ston!  Oh  bleft  fones, 
Tranfporting  chorus  of  united  hearts, 
In  chearful  mufic  m  unting  to  the  praife 
Of  Sion's  King  of  Glory  ! — Oh  the  joy 
Tranfcendant,  of  petitions  wing'd  aloft 
With  fervour  irrefiftible  from  throngs 
AlTembled  in  thy  earthly  Courts,  dread  Kino- 
Of  all-dependant  Nature  !— looking  up 
For  all  to  thee,  as  do  the  Servants'  eyes 
Up  to  their  foftering  Mafter  !  Joy  of  joys, 
Amidft  fuch  throng'd  affemblies  to  fland  forth, 
To  blow  the  Silver  Trumpet  of  thy  Grace; 
The  gladfome  year  of  Jubilee  to  proclaim. 

And 


jQ        THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  14, 

And  ofFer  to  the  aching  SInner*s  Keart 
Redemption's  healing  mercies  !    And  methinks 
(—Indulge  the  pleafing  reverie,  my  foul ! 
The  waking  dream,  which  in  oblivion  fweet 
l.vills  thy  o'erlabour'd  fenfe?)  methinks,  convcy'd 
To  Ham's  lov'd  fliades,— dear  favourite  fhades.^ 

by  Peace 
And  pure  Religion  fandified,— I  hear 
The  tuneful  bells  their  hallow'd  meflage  found 
To  Chriftian  hearts  fymphonious  !  Circling  Time 
Qnce  more  hath  happily  brought  round  the  day. 
Which  calls  us  to  the  Temple  of  our  God  : 
Then  let  us  hafte,  in  decent  neatnefs  clad. 
My  cheerful  little  Houfehold,  to  His  Courts, 
So  lov'd,  fo  truly  honour'd  !  There  we'll  mix 
In  meek,  ingenuous  Deprecation'^ s  cry  : 
There  we'll  unite  in  full  ^bank/giving^ s  choir. 
And  all  the  rich  melodioufnefs  of  praife. 

I  feci,  I  feel  the  rapture  \  David's  harp 
Concordant  with  a  thoufand  voices  founds : 

Prayer 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.        31 

Prayer  mounts  exulting  i  Man  afcends  the  fkie$ 
On  wings  of  Angel-fervour  !   Holy  writ 
Or  fpeaks  rhe  wonders  of  Jehovah's  power^ 
Or  tells,  in  more  than  mortal  majcfty, 
The  greater  wonders  of  his  I/Ove  to  Man] 
Proofs  of  ^that  love,  fee  where  the  my  flick  Signsj 
High  emblems  of  unutterable  Grace, 
Confirm  to  Man  the  zeal  of  Heaven  to  fave. 
And  call  to  Gratitude's  bell  office! 

Wife 

In  all  thy  facred  inflitutions.  Lord, 

Thy  Sabbaths  with  peculiar  wifdom  fliine; 

Firll  and  high  argument.  Creation  done, 

Of  thy  benign  folicitude  for  Man, 

Thy  chiefeft,  favourite  creature.     Time  is  thine  : 

How  juft  to  claim  a  part,  who  giv'fl  the  whole  ! 

But  oh,  how  gracious,  to  aflign  that  part 

To  Man's  fupreme  behoof,  his  foul's  beft  good  5 

His  moral  and  his  mental  benefit; 

His  body's  genial  comfort !    Savage  elfe, 

Un. 


3?        THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  It 

Untaught,  undifciplin'd,  in  Hiaggy  pride 

He'd  rov'd  the  wild,  amidfl  the  brutes  a  brute 

Ferocious  •,   to  the  foft  civilities 

Of  cultivated  iir:;,  Religion,   Truth, 

A  barbarous  flranger.     To  thy  Sabbaths  theri 

All  hail,  wife  Legiflator  I  'Tis  to  thefe 

We  owe  at  once  the  memory  of  thy  works. 

Thy  mighty  works  of  Nature  and  of  Grace ;—- . 

"We  owe  divine  Religion  ;  and  to  thefe 

The  decent  comelinefs  of  Social  Life, 

Revere,  ye  earthly  Magiitrates,  who  wield 
The  Sword  of  Heaven,— the  wifdom  of  Heaven's 

plan. 
And  fandify  the  Sabbaths  of  your  God  ! 
Religion's  all  :   With  that  or  ftands  or  falls 
Your  Country's  weal !  But  where  fhall  ftie  obtain 
. — Religion,  fainted  Pilgrim,- -fhelter  fafe. 
Or  honourable  greeting  j- -thro'  the  land, 
If  led  by  high  and  low,  in  giddy  dance, 

Mad 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.        33 

Mad  Prophanatton  on  the  facred  day 
Of  God's  appointed  refli,  her  revel-rout 
Infulting  heads,   and  leaves  the  Temple  void  ? 
—Oh,  my  lov'd  Country  !    oh,  ye   thoughtlefs 

Great, 
Intoxicate  with  draughts,  that  opium-like 
For  tranfient  moments  flupify  the  mind. 
To  wake  in  horrors,  and  confufion  wild  !— - 

But  foft,  and  knozv  thyfelfl  'Tis  not  for  Thee^ 
Poor  Dellitute  !  thus  groveling  in  the  duft 
Of  felf-annihilation,  to  aiTume 
The  Cenfor's  office,  and  reprove  mankind. 
Ah  vn.Q^—thy  day  of  duty  is  declin'd  ! 
Thou,   rather,    to  the  quick  probe    thine  own 

wounds ; 
And  plead  for  mercy  at  the  Judgment-feat, 
Where  Confcience  fmites  thee  for  th'  offence  de- 

plor'd. 

F  Ta 


J4        T  H  O  U  G  in  S    I  N   P  R  I  S  O  N.     WEEK  IF. 

Yet  not  prefumptuoiis  deem  it,  Arbiter 
Of  human  thouglits,   that  through  the  long,  long 

gloom 
Of  multiplied  tranfgreiTions,    I  behold 
Complacent  fmiling  on  my  fickening  Soul, 
"  Delight  in  thy   lov'd  Sabbaths  I"    Well  Thou. 

know'ft— 
For  Thou  know'il  all  things,  —that   the  chearful 

found 
Of  that  blefl  day's  return,  for  circling  weeks. 
For  months,  for  years,  for  more  than  thrice  feven 

years. 
Was  mufic  to  my  heart  f   My  feet  rejoic'd 
To  bear  me  to  thy  Temples,  haply  fraught 
With  Comfort's  tidings  ;  with  thy  Gofpel's  truth. 
The  Gofpel  of  thy  Peace  !  Oh,  well  Thou  know'ft, 
Who  knoweft  all  things,  with  what  welcome  toil. 
What  pleafing  afllduity  I  fearch'd 
Thy  heavenly  Word,  to  learn  thy  heavenly  Will  -, 
That  faithful  I  might  miniiler  its  truth, 

And 


WEEKJI.    THOUGHTS  IN    PRISON.         35 

And  of  the  high  CommifTion  nought  keep  back 
From    the    great    Congregation  *  !     "Well  Thou 

know'fl, 
— Sole,  facred  witnefs  of  my  private  hours,-— 
How  copioufly  I  bath'd  with  pleading  tears. 
How  earneftly  in  prayer  confign'd  to  Thee 
The  humble  efforts  of  my  trembling  pen  ; 
My  beft,  weak  efforts  in  my  Mailer's  caufe  ^ 
Weak  as  the  feather  'gainft  the  giant's  fhield, 
Light  as  the  gofmer  floating  on  the  wind, 
Without  thy  aid  omnipotent  !   Thou  know'u, 
How,  anxious  to  improve  in  every  grace. 
That  beft  to  Man's  attention  might  commend 
Th'  important  meffage,  ftudious  I  applied 
My  feeble  talents  to  the  holy  art 
Of  fuafive  Elocution  ;  emulous 
Of  every  acquilition  which  might  clothe 
In  pureft  dignity  the  purefl  work, 
Thefirft,  the  higheft  office  Man  can  bear  ^ 

*  Pfalm 

■       F  2  »^  The 


36        THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.     WEEK  IF. 

"  The  Messenger  of  God!"    And  well  Thou 

know'ft, 
— For  all  the  work^  as  all  the praife  is  Thine — 
What  fweet  fuccefs  accompanied  the  toil  j 
What  harvefts  blefs'd  the  feed-time  !    Well  Thou 

know'il, 
With  what  triumphant  gladnefs  my  rapt  Soul 
Wrought  in  the  vineyard  !   how  it  thankful  bore 
The  noon-day's  heat,  the  evening's  chilly  froft, 
Exulting  in  its  much-lov'd  Matter's  caule 
To  fpend,  and  to  be  /pent  I  and  bring  in  home 
From  triple  labours  of  the  v/ell-toil'd  day, 
A  body  by  fatigue  o'erborne ;  a  mind 
Replete  with  glad  emotions  to  its  God  ! 

Ah  my  lov'd  Houlliold  I   ah  my  little  round 
Of  focial  Friends  !  v/ell  do  ye  bear  in  mind 
Thofe  pleafing  evenings,  when,  on  my  return, 
Much-wifh'd  return— Serenity  the  mild, 
And  Chearfulnefs  the  innocent,  with  me 

Enter'd 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.       37 

Enter'd  the  happy  dwelling !  Thou,  my  Ernst, 
Ingenuous  Youth  !  whofe  early  fpring  befpoke 
Thy  fummer,  as  it  is,  with  richeft  crops 
Luxuriant  waving  -,  gentle  Youth,  canft  Thou 
Thofe  welcome  hours  forget  ?  Or  Tbou— oh  thou  ! 
^— How  ihall  I  utter  from  my  beating  heart 
Thy  name,  fo  mufical,  fo  heavenly  fweet 
Once  to  thefe  ears-diftradled  ?— Stanhope,  fay, 
Canfl  THOU  forget  thofe  hours,  when,  cloth'd  in 

fmiles 
Of  fond  refpeft.  Thou  and  thy  Friend  have  llrove 
fP^bofe  little  hands  fhould  readied  fupply 
My  willing  wants ;  officious  in  your  zeal 
To  make  the  Sabbath-evenings,  like  the  day, 
A  fcene  of  fweet  compofure  to  my  Soul  *  ! 

Oh  happy  Sabbaths  !  Oh  my  Soul's  delight ! 
Oh  days  of  matchlefs  mercy  !    matchlefs  praife  ! 
Gone,  gone,   for  ever  gone  !    How  dreadful  fpent 

*  Good-Friday,    Eajler,   &c.  once  fo  peculiarly  happy— yet 
how  ^z^htre! — Whac  a  fad  Want  of  die  Spirit  of  Reformation  i 

Ufelefs, 


33        T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S  I  N    PRISON.     WEEK  11. 

Ufelcfs,  in  tears,  and  groans,  and  bitter  woe. 
In  this  wild  place  of  horrors  *  !-— Oh,  return, 
Ye  happy  Sabbaths  /—-or  to  that  lov'd  realm 
Difmifs  me,  Father  of  Companions,   where 
Reigns  one  eternal  Sabbath  !    Tho'  my  voice. 
Feeble  at  belt,  be  damp'd,  and  cannot  foar 
Toftrains  fublime,   beneath  the  fcrrowing  knic 
Of  bafe  Ingratitude  to  thee,  my  God, 
?vly  Father,  Benefactor,  Saviour,  Friend  ; — 
Yet,  in  that  realm  of  reft,  'twill  quickly  catch 
Congenial  harmony  !  'twill  quickly  rife 
Even  from  Humility's  weak,  trembling  touch  ; 
Rife  with  the  glowing  Seraph  in  the  choir. 
And  drive  to  be  the  loudeft  in  thy  praife. 

Too  foaring  thought !   that,  in  a  moment  funk 
By  f:.d  refiedtion,  and  convicting  guilt, 

*  Boethius  hr.s  aRefieftion  highly  applicable  to  the  fenfe  of 

our  Author : "  Nee  inficiari  pofTum  profperitntis  mcae  ve- 

lodiniruin   curium.   Sed    hoc   eft,   quod   lecokntem  me  vehe- 

n-;t;iuia>  ccquic.     Nain   in  •.nni    adverntate   Foriunce,    infeli- 

ci:r:mini    Genus  eft   Inrortanii,  fuijle  felican.*^     De    Conrol. 

L.  I,  rr.f.  4, 

Falls 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.       3^ 

Falls  proftrate  on  the  earth. — So,  pois'd  in  air, 
And  warbling  his  wild  notes  above  the  clouds, 
Almoft  beyond  the  ken  of  human  fight ; 
Clapp'd  to  his  lide  his  plumy  fteerage,  down 
Drops— -inflantaneous  drops  the  filent  Lark  ! 
—  How  fhall  /  mount  to  Heav'n?  how  join  the 

choir 
Celeftial  of  bright  Seraphim  .'*     Depreft 
Beneath  the  burden  of  a  thoufand  fins, 
On  what  bled  dove-like  wing  fhall  I  arife. 
And  fiy  to  the  wiiVd  rejt  ? 

—Of  counfel  free. 
Some  to  my  aching  heart,  with  kind  intent. 
Offer  the  poifonous  balfam  of  defert ; 
"  Bid  me  take  comfort  from  the  chearing  view 
"  Of  deeds  benevolent,  and  active  life 
*'  Spent  for  the  weal  of  others  !"  Syren-fongs, 
Soon  hufh'd  by  bowlings  of  fevere  Reproach, 
Unfeeling,   uncompafTionate,  and  rude. 
Which  o'er  my  body,  panting  on  the  earth, 

z  With 


40       THOUGHTS   IN  PRISON.     WEEK  11, 

With  wounds  incurable  infulting  whirls 
Her  iron  fcourge  •,  accumulates  each  ill 
That  can  to  Man's  befl  fame  damnation  add  : 
Spies  not  one  mark  of  wl>ite  throughout  my  life  j 
And,  groaning  o'er  my  anguifh,  to  Defpair^ 
As  my  fole,  fad  refource,  indignant  points ! 

But  not  from  Tou,—dh.  cruel,  callous  Foes, 
Thus  to  exult,  and  prefs  a  fallen  Man  j — 
Nor  even  from  Tou,   tho'  kind,  miftaken  Friends, 
Admit  we  counfel  here.     Too  deep  the  flake. 
Too  awful  the  inquiry — how  the  Soul 
May  fmile  at  Death,  and  meet  its  God  in  peace— 
To  reft  the  anfwer  on  uncertain  Man  ! 
Alike  above  your  friendlhip  or  your  hate. 
Here,  here  I  tower  triumphant!  and  behold 
At  once  confirm'd  fecurity  and  joy. 
Beyond  the  reach  of  mortal  hand  to  Ihake, 

Or  for  a  moment  cloud. Hail,  bleeding  Lc^-u^  / 

In  thy  humiliation  deep  and  dread. 

Divine  Philanthropift,  my  ranfom'd  foul 

Beholds 


WEEK  ir.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.        41 

Beholds  its  triumph,  'and  avows  its  cure ! 
Its  perfed,  free  falvation  !    Knows  or  feels 
No  merit,  no  dependance,  but  thy  Faith, 
Thy  Hope  and  Love  confummate!   All  abjures  j 
Cafts  all,— each  care,  each  burden,    at  the  foojt 
■Of  thy  vidorious  Crofs :    Its  heart  and  life 
One  wifh,  one  word  uniting-— ever  may 
That  wifh  and  word  in  me,  Bleft  Lord,  unite  !-.- 
'*  Oh  ever  may  in  me  Thy  will  be  done !" 

Firm  and  unfhaken,  as  old  Sion's  Hill, 
Remains  this  fure  Foundation :  Who  on  Christ 
The  Corner-Stone,  build  faithful,  build  fecure : 
Eternity  is  theirs.     Then  talk  no  more, 
Ye  airy,  vague,   fantaftic  Reafoners, 
Of  the  light  ftubble,  crackling  in  the  fire 
Of  God's  inveftigation  ;   of  the  chaff 
Difpers'd  and  floating 'fore  the  Ilighteft  wind,— - 
The  chaff  of  human  merit!  Gracious  God  ! 
What  pride,  what  contradiction  in  the  term  ? 

G  Shall 


42.        THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.     WEEK  IL 

Shall  Man,  vain  Man,  dreft  in  a  little  power 
Deriv'd  from  Nature's  Author  i   and  that  pt)wei: 
Holding,  an  humble  tenant,  at  the  will 
Of  Him  who  freely  gave  it  -,   his  high  will, 
The  dread  Supreme  Difpofer :   Shall  poor  Man, 
A  beggar  indigent  and  vile, — enrich*d 
With  every  precious  faculty  of  foul, 
Of  Reafon,  intelledl  •,    with  every  gift 
Of  animal  life  luxuriant— from  the  itore 
Of  unexhaufled  bounty ;  fhall  he  turn 
That  bounty  to  abufe?  lavifh  defy 
The  Giver  with  his  gifts,— a  lebel  bafe  ! 
And  yet,  prefumptuous,  arrogant,  deceived, 
Aflume  a  pride  for  adions  not  his  own  j 
Or  boaft  of  merir,  when  his  All's  for  God, 
And  he  thac  All  has  fquander'd !    Purell  Saints, 
Brif^-htefl:  Archangels,  in  the  choir  of  Heaven, 
Fulfilling  all  complete  his  Holy  Will, 
"Who  plac'd  them  high  in  glory  as  they  ftand ; 
fulfill  but  Dniy !  Nay,  as  owing  more 

;  From 


WEEK  II.     THOUGHTS   IN  PRISON.  43 

From  love's  fupreme  diftindion,   readier  veil 
Their  radiant  faces  with  their  golden  plumes  j 
And  fall  more  humbled  'fore  the  Throne  they 

hymn 
With  gratitude  fuperior.    Could  bold  Pride 
One  Moment  whifper  to  their  lucid  fouls 
Defends  intolerable  Folly,— down 
\J\\^^  Lucifer^  the  Morning-flar,  they'd  fall 
From  their   bright  ftate  obfcur'd  !  Then,  proud 

poor  worm, 
Conceiv'd  in  fins,  offending  from  thy  youth. 
In  every  point  tranfgreflbr  of  the  Law 
Of  Righteoufnefs ;   of  merit  towards  God 
Dream,  if  thou  canft  j   or  madman  if  thou  art, 
Stand  on  that  plea  for  Heay'n,--and  be  undone! 

Bled  be  thy  tender  mercy,  God  pf  Grace  ! 
That'midft  the  terrors  of  this  trying  Hour, 
When  in  this  midnight,  lonely,  prifon-gloom. 
My  inmoft  foul  hangs  naked  to  thy  view ; 

G  2  When, 


44        THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.     WEEK  II. 

"When,  undifTembled  in  the  fearch,    1  fain 
WouM  know,  explore,  and  balance  every  thought 
(For  oh,  I  fee  Eternity's  dread  Gates 

Expand  before  me,  fooii  perhaps  to  clofe  !) 

Bleft  be  thy  Mercy,  that,  fubdued  to  Thee, 
Each  lofty  vain  imagination  bows  ; 
Each  high  idea  humbled  in  the  duft, 
Of  felf-fufficient  righteoufnefs  my  Soul 
Difclaims,  abhors,  with  Reprobation  full 
The  flighteft  apprehenfion  ! — Worthlefs,  Lord 
Even  of  the  meaneft  Crumb  beneath  thy  Board* 

Bleft  be  thy  Mercy,  that,  fo  far  from  due, 
I  own  thy  Bounties,  manifold  and  rich, 
Upon  my  Soul  have  laid  a  Debt  fo  deep. 
That  I  can  never  pay  !— And  oh  !  I  feel 
Compunction  inexpreflible,  to  think 
How  I  -have   us'd  thofe  Bounties  !     Sackcloth- 
clad, 
And  cover'd  o*er  with  afhes,  I  deplore 

My 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.        45 

My  utter  worthlefsnefs ;  and  trembling  own. 

Thy  Wrath  and  juft  Difpleafure  well  might  fink 

In  deeper  floods  than  theie,  that  o'er  my  head 

Roar  horrible,— in  fiery  floods  of  woe. 

That  know  nor  end  nor  refpite  !    But,   my  God, 

Blefi:  be  thy  Mercy  ever  !  Thou  'ft  not  left 

My  Soul  to  defperation's  dark  difmay  ! 

On  Calvary\  Hill  my  mourning  eye  difcerns 

With   Faith's  clear  view  that    SpeHacky    which 

wipes 
Each  tear  away,  and  bids  the  heart  exult ! 

There  hangs  the   Love  cf  God !  There  hangs  of 

Man 
The  RMfom  ;  there  the  Merit  •,  there  the  Cure 
Of   human  Griefs — The  fVay,   the  Tratby    the 

Life  I 

Oh  Thou,  for  fin  burnt-facrifice  complete ! 
Oh  Thou,  of  holy  Life  th'  exemplar  bright  I 
Perfe(5tion's  lucid  Mirrour  !  while  to  Thee 

Repentance 


46       THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.    VVfiEK  II. 

Repentance  fcarce  dare  lift  her  flowing  eyes. 
Though  in  his  ftrong  Arms  manly  Faith  fupports 
The  felf-convi<5led  mourner  !— Let  not  Love, 
Source  of  thy  matchlefs  Mercies,  aught  delay, 
Like  Mary-i  with  Humility's  meek  hand 
Her  precious  box  of  coftly  Nard  to  pour 
On  thy  dear  Feet :  diffufmg  thro*  the  Houfe 
The  odour  of  her  Unguents !     Let  not  Love, 
Looking  with  Gratitude's  full  Eye  to  Thee, 
Ceafe  with  the  hallow'd  fragrance  of  her  works 
To  cheer  thy  lowlieft  Members  ;  to  refrefli 
Thee  in  thy  5^/«/j  afflided  !     Let  not  Love 
Ceafe  with  each  fpiritual  Grace,   each  Temper 

mild, 
Fruits  of  thy  Holy  Spirit,— to  enrich. 
To  fill,  perfume  and  fandify  the  Soul, 
AfTimilate  to  Thee,  fweet  JESU  !   Thee 
That  Soul's  immortal  Habitant.    How  bleft 
How  beyond  value  rich   the  privilege, 
To  welcome  fuch  a  Gueft  !  How  doubly  bleft 
With  fuch  a  fignature,— the  Royal  Stamp 

Of 


WEEKir.      THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.        47 

Of  thy  RefemblancCj  Prince  of  Righteoufnefs, 
Of  Mercy,  Peace  and  Truth  !  Oh  more  and  more 
Transform  me  to  that  Image  !     More  and  more. 
Thou  New  Creation's  Author,    form,  complete 
In  me  the  Birth  divine  ;  the  heavenly  Mind, 
The  Love  confummate,— all-performing  Love, 
Which  dwelt  in  Thee,  its  Pattern  and  its  Sourcej 
And  is  to  Man,  happy  regenerate  Man, 
Heaven's  lureft  Foretajle,  and  its  Earnefi  too. 

The  thought    delights   and  chears,    tho'  not 
elates  : 

Through  penfive  Meditation's  fable  gloom 

It  darts  a  ray  of  foft,  well-temper'd  light, 

A  kind  of  lunar  radiance  on  my  Soul, 

Gentle,  not  dazzling  !  Thou,  who  knoweft  all, 

Know'fl  well,    thrice  gracious  Mafter  !  that  my 

heart 
Attun'd  to  thy  dear  Love,— howe'er  feduc'd 
By  worldly  adulation  from  its  Vows, 

And 


48        THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.     WEEK  II. 

And  for  a  few  contemptible,   ccntemnM 
Unhappy  moments  faithlefs  j  Well  thou  know'ft 
That  Heart  ne'er  knew  true  Peace,  but  in  thy 

Love :  • 

That  Heart  hath  in  thy  Love  known  thorough 

Peace  5 
Hath  frequent  panted  for  that  Love*s  full  growth  j 
And   fought  occafions  to  difplay  its  Warmth 
By  Deeds  of  Kindnefs,  mild  Humanity, 
And  pitying  Mercy  to  its  Fellow- Men  ! 

And  Thou  haft  bleft  me  !  and  I  will  rejoice 
That  Thou  haft  bleft  me  !     Thou  haft  giv'n  my 

Soul 
The  Luxury  of  Luxuries,  to  wipe 
The  tear  from  many  an  eye  •,  to  ftop  the  groan 
At    many   an    aching    heart.    And    Thou    wilt 

wipe 

The    tears    from   mine,    and    Thou  the  groan 

reprefs ; 

And 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON. 


49 


And  Thou for  oh,  this  beating  Heart  is  thinCj 

Fram'd  by  thy  Hand  to  Pity's  quickeft  touch, — ■ 
Thou  wilt  forgive  the  Sinner ;  and  bellow 
Mercy,  fweet  Mercy  !  which,  infpir'd  by  Thee, 
He  never  had  the  power,  and  ne'er  the  Will 
To  hold  from  others,  where  he  could  bellow  ! 

Shall  he  not  then  reft  happily  fecure 
Of  Mercy,  thrice-bleft  Mercy  from  Mankind  ? 
"Where  refts  it  ^—E.ejignation's  meek-ey'd  power 
Suftain  me  ftill !  Compofure  ftill  be  mine  : 
Where  refts  it  ?— Oh  myfterious  Providence  \ 
Silence  the  wild  Idea  :— -I  have  found 
No  Mercy  yet  j   no  mild  humanity : 

With  cruel  unrelenting  rigour  torn, 
And,   loft  in  Prifon,  wild  to  all  below  ! 

So  from  his  daily  toil  returning  late 
O'er  Grifon's  rugged  mountains,  clad  in  fnow. 
The  Peafant  with  aftonifh'd  eyes  beholds 
A  gaunt  Wolf,  from  the  pine-grove  howling  ruftif 
H  Chill 


^6  THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  If. 

Chill  horror  fcifFens  him,    alike  to  fly 
Unable,  or  refift  :    The  monfter  feeds 
Blood-happy,  growling,  on  his  quivering  heart  I 
Mean  while  light  blazes  in  his  lonely  Cott 
The  crackling  hearth ;  his  careful  wife  prepares 
Her  humble  cates  j  and  thro'  the  lattic'd  light 
His  little  ones,  expedling  his  return. 
Peep,  anxious  !  Ah  poor  viftim,  he  nor  hearth 
Bright  blazing,  nor  the  houfewife's  humble  cates. 
Nor  much-lov*d  children  henceforth  more  fnall 
fee! 

But  foft :  ^Tis  calm  Refledion's  midnight  hour ; 
'Tis  the  Soul's  folemn  inqueft.     Broods  a  thought 
Refentful  in  thy  bofom  ?  Art  thou  yet. 
Penitent  Pilgrim  on  Earth's  utmoft  Bourn, 
And  Candidate  for  Heaven,— art  thou  yet 
In  Love  imperfed  ?  and  has  Malice  place^ 
With  dark  Revenge,  and  unforgiving  Hate, 
Hell's  blackeft  offspring  ?— Glory  to  my  God  f 
With  triumph  let  me  fing,  and  clofe  my  Strain  j 

Abhorrent 


WEEK  II.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.  51 

Abhorrent  ever  from  my  earlieft  Youth 
Of  thefe  detefled  paffions,  in  this  Hour, 
This  trying  Hour  of  keen  oppreflive  Grief, 
My  foul  fuperior  rifes ;  nor  of  thefe 
Malevolent,  a  touch,  the  flightell  touch 
Feels,    or  fnall  ever  harbour  !      Tho'  it  feels 
In  all  their  amplitude,  with  all  their  weight, 
Ungentleft  treatment,  and  a  load  of  woe ; 
Heavy  as  that,  which  fabling  Poets  lay 
On  proud  Enceladus !  Tho'  life  be  drawn  * 
By  Cruelty's  fierce  hand  down  to  the  lees ; 
Yet  can  my  heart,  with  all  the  truth  of  Prayer, 
With  all  the  fervour  of  fmcere  defire. 
Looking  at    Thee,    thou    Love  of    God    and 

Man  !— 
Yet  can  my  heart  in  life  or  death  implore, 
"  Father,  forgive  Them,  as  Thou  pitiefl  me  ! 

Oh  where's  the  wonder,  when  thy  Crofs  is  feer.  ! 

Oh  where's  the  wonder,  when  thy  Vcice  is  heard  j 

H  2  Harmonious 


52  THOUGHTS   IN  PRISON.     WEEK  II. 

Harmonious  intercefllon  !  Son  of  God. 
Oh  where's  the  wonder— or  the  Aderit  where. 
Or  what's  the  Tajk  to  love-attuned  fouls- 
Poor  fellow-creatures  pitying,   to  implore 
Forgivenefs  for  them  ?   Oh  forgive  my  foes  1 
Bejl   Friends^  perchance,  for  they    may  bring  to 

Thee  !— 
Complete  forgivenefs  on  them,  God  of  Grace ! 
Complete  forgivenefs,    in  the  dreadful  hour. 
When  mod  they  need  forgivenefs  !   And  oh  fuch 
As,  in  that  dreadful  hour,  my  poor  Heart  wants. 
And  truRs,  great  Father  !  to  receive  from  Thee, 
Such  full  Forgivenefs  grant ;-— and  my  glad  foul 
Shall  fold  them  then,  7ny  Brethren,  in  thy  Floufe  ! 

Thus  do  I  foothe,  and  wile  away  with  fong 
My  lonely  hours ;  in  drear  confinement  pad. 
Like  thee,  oh  gallant  Raleigh  !--or  like  thee 
My  haplefs  Anceftor,  fam'd  Over  bury  !-— 
But  Oh,    in  this- hoy/  different  is  our  fate  ! 
Thou,  to  a  vengeful  Womian's  fubtle  wiles 

A  haplefs 


WEEK  II.    T H  O U  G  H  TS    IN    PRISON.  53 

A  haplefs  Victim  fall'fl ;   while  my  deep  gloom 
Brighten'ci  by  Female  Virtue,  and  the  light 
Of  conjugal  afFedion — leads  me  oft, ' 
X^ike  the  poor  prifon'd  Linnet,  to  forget 
Freedom,    and    tuneful   Friends,    and    rufTet 

Heath, 
Vocal  with  native  melody  •,    to  fwell 
The  feeble  throat,   and  chaunt  the  lowly  llrain ; 
As  in  the  feafon,  when  from  fpray  to  fpray 
Flew  Liberty  on  light  elaftic  wing. 
She  Hies  no  more :— Be  iiiute,  my  plaintive  Lyre ! 

March  15,   I777» 


END  OF  THE  SECOND  V/EEK. 


[    54    ] 


THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON: 


MARCH     18,     1777. 


WEEK    THE     THIRD. 
PUBLIC      PUNISHMENT. 

VAIN   are   thy   generous   efforts,    worthy 
Bull*, 
Thy  kind  compafiions  vain  !     The  hour  is  come  : 
Stern  Fate  demands  compliance:  I  muft  pafs 
Thro'  various  deaths,  keen  torturing,  to  arrive 

•  Frederick  Bull,  Efq.    Alderman   of  London  ;  to  whofe 
kindnefs  and  humanity  the  Aathor  has    expreiild  the  highell 


obligations. 


At 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      55 

At  That  my  heart  fo  fervently  implores  ; 
Yet  fruitlefs.     Ah  !  why  hides  He  his  fell  Front 
From  woe,  from  wretchednefs,  that  with  glad  fmiies 
Would  welcome  his  approach  j  and  Tyrant-like, 
Delights  to  dafh  the  jocund  rofeate  cup 
From  the  full  hand  of  gaudy  Luxury, 
And  unfufpeding  Eafe  !— Far  worfe  than  Death 
That  Prifon's  Entrance,  whofe  Idea  chills 
With  freezing  horror  all  my  curdling  Blood  ; 
Whofe  very  Name,   flamping  with  infamy, 
Makes  my  Soul  frighted  ftart,  in  phrenzy  whirPd, 
And  verging  near  to  Madnefs  !     See,  they  ope 
Their  iron  Jaws  !  See,  the  vaft  Gates  expand. 
Gate  after  Gate — and  in  an  inflant  twang, 
Clos'd  by  their  growling  Keepers  :— When  again, 
Myfterious  Powers  !— oh  when  to  open  on  me  .-* 
Mercy,    fweet  Heaven  !     Support  my  faltering 
fteps,  * 

Support  my  fickening  heart !  My  full  eyes  fwim  j 
O'er  all  my  frame  diftills  a  cold  damp  fweat. 

Hark— 


56       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  III, 

Hark — what  a  rattling  din.  I  On  every  fide 
The  congregated  chains  clankfrightful:— Throngs 
Tumultuous  prefs  around,  to  view,  to  gaze 
Upon  the  wretched  ftranger  •,  fcarce  believ'd 
Other  than  Vifitor  within  fuch  walls, 
With  Mercy,  and  with  Freedom  in  his  hands-. 
Alas,  how  chang'd  !— Sons  of  Confinement,  fee 
No  pitying  Deliverer  ;  but  a  Wretch 
0*erwhelm'd  with  Mifery ;  more  haplefs  far 

Than  the  moil  haplefs  'mongfl  ye;   loaded  hard 
With  Guilt's  opprefTive  Irons !     His  are  chains 
No  time  can  loolen,  and  no  hand  unbind  : 
Fetters,    which    gore    the    Soul.     Oh   Horror, 

Horror  ! 
Ye  maflive  bolts,  give  way  :  Ye  fullen  doors, 
Ah,  open  quick  !  and  from  this  clamorous  rout^ 
Clofe  in  my  difmal,  lone,  allotted  room 
Shrowd  me ;— for  ever  fhrowd  from  human  fight. 
And  make  it,  if  'tis  poffible,  my  Grave  !. 

How 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.       57 

How  truly  welcome,  then !  Then  would  I  greet 
With  hallow'd  joy  the  drear,  but  blefl  abode  ; 
And  deem  it  far  the  happieft  I  have  known. 
The  beft  I  e'er  inhabited.     But,  alas ! 
There's  no  fuch  mercy  for  me.     I  mud  run 
Mifery's  extremeft  round ;    and  this  mull  be 
A-while  my  living  grave  !  the  doleful  tomb. 
Sad  founding  with  my  unremitted  groans, 
And  moiflen'd  with  the  bitternefs  of  tears ! 

Ah,  mournful  dwelling !    dedin'd  ne'er  to  fee 
The  human  face  divine  in  placid  fmiles. 
And  innocent  gladnefs  cloath'd  :   deftin'd  to  hear 
No  founds  of  genial,  heart-reviving  Joy  1 
The  Sons  of  Sorrow  only  are  thy  guefts. 
And  thine  the  only  mufic  of  their  fighs. 
Thick  fobbing  from  the  temped  of  their  breads  ! 
Ah,  mournful  dwelling !  never  had  thou  feen, 
Amidd  the  numerous  wretched-ones  imimu'd 
Within  thy  done-girt  compafs.  Wretch  fo  funk. 
So  lod,  fo  ruin'd,   as  the  man  who  falls 

I        ^  .  Thus, 


58       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  III, 

Thus,  in  deep  anguilh,  on  thy  ruthlefs  floor. 
And  bathes  it  with  the  torrent  of  his  tears ! 

And  can  it  be  ?    or  is  it  all  a  dream  ? 
A  vapoTir  of  the  mind  ?— I  fcarce  believe 
Myfelf  awake  or  ading.     Sudden  thus 
Am  7--fo  compafs'd  round  with  comforts  late. 
Health,   Freedom,   Peace !     torn,  torn  from  all, 
and  loft  ! 

A  Prifoner  in ImpofTible  !   I  (leep  r" 

*Tis  Fancy's  coinage  ;  'tis  a  dream's  delufion. 

Vain  dream  !  vain  Fancy  !  Quickly  am  I  rous*d 
To  all  the  dire  realities  of  diftrefs  : 
I  tremble,  ftart,  and  feel  myfelf  awake, 
Dreadfully  awake  to  all  my  woes  j  and  roll 
From  wave  to  wave  on  Sorrow's  ocean  toil ! 

Oh  for  a  moment's  paufe,— a  moment's  reft. 
To  calm  my  hurried  fpirits  !  to  recall 
Refleftion's  ftaggering  pilot  to  the  helm, 
And  ftill  the  madd'ning  whirlwind  in  m.y  foul ! 

...It 


WEEKirr.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.       59 

— It  cannot  be  !  The  din  encreafes  round : 
Rough  voices  rage  difcordant ;  dreadful  Ihrieks ! 
Hoarfe  imprecations  dare  the  Thunderer's  ire, 
And  call  down  fwift  damnation !  Thoufand  chains 
In  difmal  notes  clink,  mirthful!  Roaring  burfts 
Of  loud  obllreperous  laughter,  and  Itrange  choirs 
Of  gutturals,  diflbnant  and  rueful,  vex 
E'en  the  dull  ear  of  Midnight !   Neither  reft. 
Nor  peaceful  calm,  nor  filence,  of  the  mind 
Refreihment  fweet !   nor  interval  or  paufe 
From  morn  to  eve,  from  eve  to  morn  is  found 
Amidft  the  iurges  of  this  troubled  fea  *  ! 

So,  from  the  Leman  Lake  th*  impetuous  Rhone 
His  blue  waves  pufties  rapid ;   and  bears  down 

*  It  is  but  a  jull  tribute  to  Mr.  Akermauy  the  Keeper  of 
this  difmal  place,  toobferve,  that  all  the  evils  here  enumerated 
are  the  immediate  confequences  of  promi/cuous  confinement, 
and  no  way  chargeable  to  Mr  A.'s  account.  It  is  from  the 
ftrifleft  obfervation  I  am  perfuaded,  that  no  man  could  do  more 
in  the  preient  circumllances.  His  attention  is  great,  and  his 
kindnefs  and  humanity  to  thofe  in  ficknefs  or  affliftions  pecu- 
liarly pleafing.  I  can  bear  teftimony  to  many  fignal  inftances, 
which  I  have  remarked  fince  my  fad  confinement. 

I  2  (Furiate 


6o       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  III. 

(Furiate  to  meet  fair  S.wne^s  pellucid  flrcim, 
With    roar    tremendous,    throu2,h    the    craggy 

ftreights 
Of  Alpine  rocks)  his  freight  of  waters  wild  ! 
Still  rufhing  in  perturbed  eddies  on  ; 
And  (till,  from  hour  to  hour,  from  age  to  age. 
In  conflux  vaft  and  unremitting,  pc^urs 
His  boiflerous  flood  to  old  Lugdtmum's  walls ! 

Oh  my  raek'd  brain  !— oh  my  diflra(5led  heart! 
The  tumult  thickens :  wild  diforder  grows 

More  painfully  confus'd  ! And  can  it  be  ? 

Is  this  the  manfion— /^/j  the  Houfe  ordain'd 
For  Recolle6bion's  folemn  purpofe  ^-—This 
The  place  from  whence  full  many  a  flitting  foul 
(The  work  of  deep  Repentance— mighty  work. 
Still,  fliill  to  be  perform'd)  mufl:  mount  to  God. 
And  give  its  dread  account !    Is  this  the  place 
Ordain'd  by  Juftice,  to  confine  a-while 
The  foe  to  civil  ord«r,  and  return 

Reform*d 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.       6i 

Reform'd  and  moraliz'd  to  focial  life ! 

This  Den  of  drear  confufion,  wild  uproar. 

Of  mingled  Riot,   and  unblulhing  Vice ! 

This  School  of  Infamy  !  from  whence,  improv'd 

In  every  hardy  villainy,  returns 

More  hardened,  more  a  foe  to  God  and  Man, 

The  mifcreant,  nurs'd  in  its  infectious  lap; 

All  covered  with  its  peftilential  fpots, 

And  breathing  death  and  poifon  wherefoe'er 

He  ftalks  contagious !    from  the  lion's  den 

A  lion  more  ferocious,  as  confin'd  ! 

Britons,  while  failing  in  the  golden  baro-e 
Of  giddy  Difllpation,  on  the  ftream. 
Smooth  filver  ftream  of  gorgeous  Luxury 
Boaft  gaily — and  for  Ages  may  they  boaft. 
And  truly  !    for  thro'  Ages  we  may  trufl 
'Twill  interpofe  between  our  crimes  and  God, 
And  turn  away  his  juft  avenging  fcourcre — 
"  The  national  humanity  !"  Hither  then, 

Ye 


62       THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON;    WEEK  III. 

Ye  Sons  of  Pity,  and  ye  Sons  of  Thought! — 
Whether  by  public  zeal,  and  patriot  love, 
Or  by  Compafiion's  gentle  flirrings  wrought ; 
Oh  hither  come,  and  find  fufEcient  fcope 
For  all  the  Patriofs^  all  the  Chriftian's  fearch ! 
Some  great,  fome  falutary  plan  to  frame, 
Turning  confinement's  curfes  into  good  ; 
And,  like  the  God  who  but  rebukes  to  fave, 
Extrading  comfort  from  Corredion's  ftrol?.?  ! 

Why  do  we  punijh  ?  Why  do  penal  laws 
Coercive,  by  tremendous  fanftions  bind 
Offending  Mortals  ?---Juftice  on  her  throne 
Kigid  on  this  hand  to  example  points ; 
More  mild  to  reformation  upon  that: 
«-She  balances,  and  finds  no  ends  but  thefc. 

Crowd  then,  along  with  yonder  revel-rout. 
To  EXEMPLARY  Punifhment!    and  mark 

The  language  of  the  multitude,  obfcene, 

Wild, 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      63 

Wild,  blafphcmous  and  cruel !  Tent  their  Looks 
Of  madding,  drunken,  thoughtlefs,  ruthlefs  gaze. 
Or  giddy  curiofity  and  vain  ! 
Their  Deeds  ftill  more  emphatic,  note  •,  and  fee, 
By  the  fad  fpeftacle  unimprefs'd,  they  dare 
Even  in  the  eye  of  death,  what  to  their  doom 
Brought  their  expiring  Fellows  !   Learn  we  hence, 
How  to  Example's  falutary  end 
Our  Juftice  fagely  miniflers  !  But  one, — 
Should  there  be  one— -thnce  haplefs, — of  a  mind 
By  guilt  unhardened,  and  above  the  throng 
Of  defperate  mifcreants,  thro'  repeated  crimes 
In  ftupor  luU'd,  and  loft  to  every  fenfe ; — 
Ah  me,  the  fad  reverfe  ! — Ihould  there  be  one  . 
Of  generous  feelings  -,  whom  remorfelefs  Fate, 
Pallid  Neceffity,  or  chill  Diftrefs, 
The  Family's  urgent  call,  or  juft  demand 
Of  honeft  Creditor,— (folicitudes 
To  recklefs,  pamper'd  worldlings  all  unknown) 
Should  there  be  one,  whofe  trembling,  frighted 
hand 

Caufes 


64      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  III. 

Caufes  like  thefe  in  temporary  guilt, 
Abhorrent  to  his  inmofl:  foul,  have  plung'd, 
And  made  obnoxious  to  the  rigid  Law ! 
Sentenc'd  to  pay, — and,  wearied  with  its  weight, 
Well-pleasM  to  pay  w\ih  life  that  Law's  demand! 
Aweful  Difpenfers  of  i\nt\  Juftice,  fay. 
Would  you  have  more  than  life  ?  or,  in  an  Age, 
A  Country,  where  Humanity  reverts  ♦ 

At  Torture's  bare  idea,  v/ould  you  tear 
Worfe  than  on  racking  wheels  a  Soul  like  This  ; 
And  make  him  to  the  il:upid  Crowd  a  gaze 
For  ling'ring  hours  ?— drag  him  along  to  death 
An  ufelefs  fpeClacle ;   and  more  than  flay 
Your  living  viflim  ?— Death  is  your  demand  : 
Death  your  Law's  fentence :  Then  his  Life  is  yours.. 
Take  the  jull  forfeit :   you  can  claim  no  more ! 

Foe  to  thy  Jfjfldeliiy, --^nd  griev'd 
That  He  avows  not,  from  the  Chriflian  fource, 
The  firft  great  Chriftian  Luty,  which  fo  v/ell, 

So 


WEEK  in.     THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.       65 

So  forcibly  He  paints  !— Yet  let  me  greet 

With  heart-felt  gratulations  thy  warm  zeal, 

Succefsfnl  in  that  facred  duty's  caufe. 

The  caufe  of  our  Humanity^  Voltaire  ! 

Torturers  vile  Agents  tremble  at  thy  pen  : 

Intolerance  and  Perfecution  gnafh 

Their  Teeth,  defpairing,  at  the  lucid  rays 

Of  Truth,  all  prevalent,  beaming  from  thy  page. 

The  Rack,  the  Wheel,  the  Dungeon,    and  the 

Flame, 
In  happier  Europe  ufelefs  and  unknown. 
Shall    foon,— oh    fpeed   the    hour,    Com^aJfiorCs 

God! 
Be  feen  no  more  ;  or  feen  as  prodigies 
Scarce  credited,  of  Gothic  barbarous  times. 

Ah   gallant    France  !    for    milder    manners 
fam*d ; 
How  wrung  it  my  fad  Soul,  to  view  expos'd 
On  inftruments  of  torture  mangled  limbs, 

K  And 


X6      T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S  1  N    P  R  I  S  O  N.    WEEK  IIF. 

And  bleeding  Carcafes,  befide  thy  roads. 

Thy    beauteous     woods    and   avenues  !    Fam'd 

works. 
And  worthy  well  the  grandeur  of  Old  Rome  ! 

We  too,  who  boafl  of  gentler  Laws,  reform'd 
And  civiliz'd  by  Liberty's  kind  hand ; 

Of  Mercy  boaft,  and  mildefl  punifhments ; 
Yet  punifhments  of  Torture  exquifite. 
And  idle  j — painful,  ruinous  parade  ! 
We  too,  with  Europe  humaniz'd,  fhall  drop 
The  barbarous  feverity  of  Death, 
Example^ s  Bane,    not  Profit ;— fhall  abridge 
The  fevage,  bafe  Ovation  •,  fhall  afTign 
The  Wretch,  •  whofe  Life  is  forfeit  to  the  Laws, 
*With  all  the  filent  dignity  of  woe. 
With  all  the  mournful  Majelly  of  Death, 
Retir'd  and  folemn,  to  his  awful  fate  ! 
Shall  to  the  dreadful  moment,  dreadful  ftill 
To  Souls  beft  fitted,  give  diflindtion  dliej 

Teach 


WEEKIlf.    THOUGHTS    I  N  P  R  I  S  O  N.      6.7 

Teach  the  v/ell-order*d  Sufferer  to  depart 
With  each  impreffion  ferious  5  nor  infult 
With  clamorous  Crowds,  and  exultations  bafe, 
A  Soul,  a  Fellow-Soul  -,  which  (lands  prepar'd  ' 
On  Time's   dread   verge  to  take   its  wond'rous- 

flight  : 

To  Realms  of  Immortality  !  Yes,  the  day 
—I  joy  in  the  idea,— will  arrive. 
When  Britons  philanthropic  fhall  rejedt 
The  cruel  cuftom,   to  the  Sufferer  cruel, 
Ufelefs  and  baneful  to  the  gaping  Crowd  ! 
The  day  will  come,  when  Life,  the  dearefl  Price 
Man  can  pay  down,  fufficient  forfeit  deem'd 
For  guilty  Man's  tranfgrefTion  of  the  Law, 
Shall  be  paid  down,  as  meet  for  fuch  a  Price, 
Kefpeftfu],  fad  •,  with  reverence  to  a  Soul's 
Departure  hence  ;  with  reverence  to  the  Soul's 
And  Body's  reparation,  much  lov'd  Friends ! 
W^ithout  a  torture  to  augment  its  lofs, 
"yVithout  an  inf.ilt  to  moleft  its  calm  ; 

K  2  Tq 


68      THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.     WEEK  III. 

To  the  demanded  debt  no  fell  account 
Of  curious,   hifTing  ignominy  annex'd  : 

Anguilh,  beyond  the  bittereft  torture  keen ; 
Unparallel'd  in  Realms  where  Bigotry 
Gives  to  the  furious  Sons  of  Dominic 
Her  fable  flag,  and  marks  their  way  with  Blood. 

Hail,  milder  Sons  of  Athens !  civiliz'd 
By  Arts  ingenuous,  by  the  'fuafive  power 
Of  humanizing  Science  !   Well  ye  thought. 
Like  you  may  Britons  think  !  that  'twas  enough. 
The  fentence  pafs'd,   a  Socrates  Ihall  die  ! 
The  Sage,  obedient  to  the  Law's  decree. 

Took  from  the  weeping  Executioner 

The  draught,    refign'd  :    Amidfb  his  forrowing 

friends, 
Full  of  immortal  hopes  convers'd  fublime  ; 
And,   half  in   Heav'n — compos'd    himfelf,    and 

died! 


Oh 


WEEK  III.     THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.       69 

Oh  envied  fate  !  oh  happinefs  fupreme  ! 
So  let  me  die  ;  fo,  midft  my  weeping  friends, 
Refign  my  Life  !   I  allc  not  the  delay 
Even  of  a  moment.     LaWy    thou'd'fl  have  thy 

due  ! 
Nor  Thou,  nor  Jufticecan  have  more  to  claim. 

But  equal  Laws,  on  Truth  and  Reafon  built, 
Look  to  Humanity  with  lenient  eye. 
And  temper  rigid  Juftice  with  the  claims 
Of  heaven-defcended  Mercy  !  to  condemn 
Sorrowing  and  flow  -,  while  ftudious  to  correft, 
Like  Man's  all-gracious  Parent,  with  the  view 
Benign  and  laudable,  of  moral  good. 
And  Reformatio?!  perfe(5l.     Hither  then. 
Ye  Sons  of  Sympathy,  of  Wifdom  ;  friends 
To  Order,  to  Compafllon,  to  the  State, 
And  to  your  Fellow  Beings  j  hither  come. 
To  this  wild  Realm  of  Uproar  !  hither  halle. 
And  fee  the  Reformation,  fee  the  good 
Wrought  by  Confinement  in  a  Den  like  this ! 

View 


70       T   H  OUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  III. 

View  with  unblulliing  front,  undaunted  heart, 
The  caiious  Harlot  in  the  open  day 
Adminifter  her  poifons,  'midft  a  rout 
•Scarcely  lefs  bold  orpoifon'd  than  herfelf ! 
View,  and  with  eyes  that  will  not  hold  the  tear 
Jn  gentle  pity  gufhing  for  fuch  griefs,— 
View  the  young  Wretch^  as  yet  unfledg'd  in  vice, 
Juft  Ihackled  here,  and  by  the  veteran  Throng, 
Jn  every  infamy  and  every  crime 
Grey  and  infulting,  quickly  taught  to  dare. 
Hardened  like  them  in  Guilt's  opprobrious  fchool ! 
Each  bafhful  fentiment,  incipient  grace. 
Each  yet  remorfeful  thought  of  Right  and  Wrong 
Murder'd  and  buried  in  his  darken'd  heart  \ 
r--Hear  how   thofe  Veterans  c-lank,— ev'n  jovial 

clank 

Such  is  obduracy  in  vice,— their  chains  *  ! 

*  This  circumftance  is  flightly  mentioned  Page  59  ;  and  al- 
ludes to  a  faft  equally  fingular  and  difguiKul  :  The  rattling  of 
their  fetters  is  frequently,  and  in  a  wanton  manner  pradlifed, 
amongfl  fome  pf  the  worft  offenders  ;  as  if  an  amufement,  or 
tofhew  their  infenfibility  to  fhame.  How  Ihocking  to  ict  Hu- 
7tian  Nature  thus  in  Kuias  !  Here  it  is  emphatically  fo  ;  worfe 
than  in  Bedlam,  as  Madnefs  ii-v//^  Reafcn,  is  more  dreadful 
than  n.';iihoiit  it  1 

Hear, 


WEEKIII.    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON/      71 

Hear,  how  with  Curfes  hoarfe,  and  Vauntings  bold^ 

Each  fpirits  up,  encourages  and  dares 

His  defperate  Fellow  to  more  defperate  Proofs 

Of  future  hardy  en terprize  -,  to  plans 

Of  Death  and  Ruin  !     Not  exulting  more 

Heroes  or  Chiefs  for  noble  A6ls  renown'd. 

Holding  high  converfe,  mutually  relate 

Gallant  Atchievements  worthy  •,  than  the  Sons 

Of  Plunder  and  of  Rapine  here  re,count 

On  peaceful  life  their  devaftations  wild ; 

Their  dangers,    hair-breadth   'fcapes,    atrocious 

Feats, 
Confederate,  and  confederating  ftill 
lo  fchemes  of  deathful  horror  !   Who,  furpris'd. 
Can  fuch  effefts  contemplate,  upon  minds 
Eftrang'dto  good;  fermenting  on  the  lees 
Of  pregnant  ill ;  aflbciate  and  combin'd 
In  intercourfe  infernal,  relllefs,  dire  •, 
And  goading  eonftant  each  the  other's  thoughts 
To  Deeds  of  Defperation  from  the  Tale 
Qf  Vaunted  Infamy  oft  told  ;  fad  fruit 

Of 


-jt    THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.       WEEK  III» 

Of  the  mind's  vacancy  ! And  to  that  Mind 

Employment  none  is  ofFer'd :  Not  an  hour 

To  fecret  recollection  is  aflign*d  ; 

No  feafonable  found  inflrudlion  brought, 

Food  for  their  thoughts,  felf-gnawing.     Not  the 

Day 
To  Refi  and  Duty  dedicate,  finds  here 
Or  Reft  or  Duty  •,  revel'd  off,  unmark'd  j 
Or  like  the  others  undiftinguifh'd,  fave 
By  Riot's  roar,  and  felf-confuming  floth ! 
For  ufeful  occupation  none  is  found. 
Benevolent  t'  employ  their  liftlefs  hands, 
With  indolence  fatigu'd  !     Thus  every  day 
Anew  they  gather  Guilt's  corrofive  ruft-. 
Each  wretched  day  accumulate  frelh  ills  ; 
And,  horribly  advanc'd,  flagitious  grown 
From  faulty^  they  go  forth,  tenfold  of  Hell 
More  the  devoted  Children  :  to  the  State 
Tenfold  more   dangerous  and  envenom'd  Foes 
Than  firft  they  enter'd  this  improving  School ! 

So 


WEEK  Ilf.    THdUGHtS    IMPRISON.       Si 

So,  cag'd  and  fcanty  fed,  or  taught  to  rage 
By  taunting  infults,  more  ferocious  burfts 
On  Man  the  tyger  or  hyaena  race 
From  fell  confinement  j  and,  with  hunger  urg'd, 
Gnafli  their  dire  fangs,   and  drench  themfelves  iri 
blood. 

But,  Ihould  the  Felon  fierce,  th'  abandoned  Train 
Whofe  inroads  on  the  human  peace  forbid, 
Almofl  forbid  Gompafilon's  mild  regard  -, 
(Yet,  ah  !    what  man  with  fellow-men  can  fall 
So  low,  as  not  to  claim  foft  Pity's  care  ?) 
Should  thefe  aught  juftify  the  rigid  voice. 
Which  to  fevere  confinement's  durance  dooms 
Infallible  the  body  and  the  foul 
To  bitterefl,  furefl:  ruin  :    Shall  we  not 
With  generous  indignation  execrate 
The  cruel,  indifcriminating  Law, 
Which  turns  Misfortune  into  guilt  and  curfe; 
And  with  the  Felon  harden'd  in  his  crimes, 

L  Rank§ 


g2       THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.    WEEK  III. 

Ranks  the  poor  haplefs  Debtor?-— Debt's  not j^«///. 

Alas  !   the  worthieft  may  incur  the  ftroke 

Of  worldly  infelicity  !    What  man, 

How  high  foe'er  he  builds  his  earthly  nefl, 

Can  claim  fecurity  from  Fortune's  change, 

Or  boaft  him  of  to-morrow  ?     Of  the  Eafl 

Greatefl  and  chief,  Lo  !   humbled  in  the  dull. 

Sits  Job— the  fport  of  Mifery  !    Weakhiefl:  late 

Of  all  bleft  Arahy's  mod  wealthy  fons. 

He  wants  a  potfherd  now  to  fcrape  his  wounds  •, 

He  wants  a  bed  to  Ihrowd  his  tortur'd  limbs. 

And  only  finds  a  dunghill  !    Creditor, 

Wou'd'ft  thou  add  forrows  to  this  forrowing  man  ? 

Tear  him  from  ev'n  his  dunghill,  and  confine 

*Midft  recreant /(?/^;/j  in  a  Britijh  Jail  ?— 

Oh  Britifh  inhumanity !    Ye  climes, 

Ye  foreign  climes- -Be  not  the  truth  proclaim'd 

Within  your  flreets,  nor  be  it  heard  or  told  j 

Left  ye  retort  the  cruelty  we  urge. 

And  fcorn  the  boafted  mildnefs  of  our  Laws  ! 

Bleft 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS  IN    PRISON.       8j 

Blefl:  be  the  hour, — amidft  my  depth  of  woe,* 
Amidfl:  this  perturbation  of  my  foul, 

God  of  my  life,  I  can,   I  will  exuk ! 

Bled:  be  the  hour,  that  to  my  humble  thought 
Thy  Spirit,  facred  fource  of  every  good, 
Brought  the  fublime  idea,   to  expand 
By  Charity,  the  Angel's  grace  divine. 
The  rude,  rekntlefs,  iron  prifon-gates,  • 
And  give  the  pining  Debtor  to  the  world. 
His  weeping  family,  and  humble  home ! 
Bleft  be  the  hour,  when,  heedful  to  my  voice 
Bearing  .the  Prifoners  fad  fighs  to  their  ears, 
Thoufands,  with  foft  commiferation  touch'd. 
Delighted  to  go  forth,  and  vifit  glad 
Thofe  Prifoners  in  their  woe,  and  fet  them  free  I 

God  of  tlie  Merciful !   Thou  haft  announc'd 
On  Mercy,  thy  fir  ft,  deareft  attribute, 
Chofen  beatitude  1   Oh  pour  the  dew. 
The  foftering  dew  of  Mercy  on  their  gifts, 

L  2  Their 


84       THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      WEEK  lit. 

Their  rich  donations  grateful !    May  the  prayers 
Of  thofe  enfranchisM  by  their  bounteous  zeal 
Arife  propicious  for  them  !   and,  when  hears'd 
In  Death's  cold  arms  this  haplefs  frame  fhall  lye, 
— The  generous  tear,  perchance,  not  quite  with- 
held;-^ 

When  friendly  Memory  to  reflecflion  brings, 
i"   y  humble  efforts,  and  my  mournful  fate; 
(  n  itable  bafis  founded,  rnay  the  work 
Diffufe  its  good  through  Ages  !    nor  with-hold 
Its  ref.uing  influence,  till  the  hour  arrives. 
When  Wants,   and  Debts,   and  Sicknefs  are  no 

more; 
And  univerfal  Freedom  blefleth  all ! 

But,  till  that  hour,  on  Reformation's  plan. 
Ye  generous  Sons  of  Sympathy,  intent. 
Boldly  fcand  forth  !   The  caufe  may  well  demanfl. 
And  juftify  full  well  your  nobleft  zeal. 
Religion,  Policy,  your  Country's  good, 

And 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.      85 

And  Chriftian  Pity  for  the  fouls  of  men 
Xo  Prisons  call  you  ;   call  to  cleanfe  away 
The  filth  of  theie  foul  dens  -,  to  purge  from  guilt. 
And  turn  theni  to  Morality's  fair  fchool. 

Nor  deem  impofTible  the  great  attempt, 
u4ug<£an  tho'  it  feem  :   yet  not  beyond 
The  ftrength  of  thofe,  that,  like  Jlddes,  aim 
High  to  be  rank'd  amidfl  the  godlike  Few, 
:Who  fhine  eternal  on  Fame's  amplefl  roll : 
Honour'd  with  Titles,  far  beyond  the  firft 
Which  proudeft  Monarchs  of  the  Globe  can  give ; 
'*'  Saviours  and  Benefactors  of  Mankind!" 

Hail,  generous  Hanway  !   To  thy  noble  plan, 
Sage,  fyrapathetic  *,  let  the  Mufe  fubfcribe 
Rejoicing  !    In  the  kind  purfuit,  good  luck 
She  w'ifheth  thee,  and  honour  !   Could  her  drain 
Embellifh  aught,  or  aught  afllit  thy  toils 

*    See   Mr.  Hanway's  Pamphlet,  intitled,    "  Solitude  in 
.*'  Imprifonmeiit." 

Benevolent, 


g6      THOtTGHTS  IN    PRISON,    WEEK  III. 

Benevolent,  'twould  chear  her  lonely  hours. 
And  make  the  dungeon  fmile.     But  toils   like 

thine 
Need  no  embellifhment ;  need  not  the  aid 
Of  Mufe  or  feeMe  Verfe.     Reafon-approv'd 
And  Charlty-fuftain'd,  firm  will  they  ftand. 
Under  His  fandlion,  who  on  Mercy's  works 
E'er  looks  complacent ;   and  his  fons  on  earth. 
His  chofen  fons,  with  angel-zeal  infpires 
To  plan,    and    to   fupport.      And   thine,   well- 

plann'd, 
Shall  be  fuppor ted.     Pity  for  thy  brow. 
With  Policy  the  fage,  fhall  fhortly  twine 
The  garland,  worthier  far  than  that  of  oak. 
So  fam'd  in  ancient  i^f?;^^— -the  meed  of  him 
'^Nho^^sr^da  Jingle  citizen.     More  blefs'd 
I^eligion  mild,  with  gentle  mercy  join'd, 
Shall  hail  thee- -for  the  Citizens,  the  Souls 
Inuume.ous  reflor'd  to  God,  the  State, 

Thern- 

4 


WjEEKIII.    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.      87 

Themfekes,  and  focial  life,  by  Solitude  ; 
Devotion's  parent,  RecoUedion's  nurfe. 
Source  of  Repentance  true  j  of  the  Mind's  wounds 
The  deepefl  prober,  but  the  fafell  cure  I  * 

Hail,   facred  Solitude  !   Thefe  are  thy  works, 
True  fource  of  good  fupreme  !    Thy  bleft  effeds 
Already  on  my  Mind's  delighted  eye 
Open  beneficent.    Ev'n  now  I  view 
The  revel-rout  difpers'd ;  each  to  his  cell 
Admitted,   filent !    The  obftreperous  cries, 

Worfe  than  infernal  yells  ;  the  clank  of  chains 

Opprobrious  chains,  to  Man  fevere  difgrace, 
Hufh'd  in  calm  order,  vex  the  ears  no  more  ! 
While,   in    their  ftead.   Reflexion's  deep-drawn 

fighs. 
And  prayers  of  humble  penitence  are  heard. 
To  Heaven  well  pleafing,  in  foft  whifpers  round! 

*  Vide  Taylor's  H.  L.  and  D.  Part  ii.  p.  42. 

No 


08       THOUGHTS    IK   P  R  I  S  O  N.    WEEK  ill. 

No  more,  'midft  wanton  idlene'fs,  the  Jiout'j 
Drag  weafifome  and  flow  :  Kind  Indujiry 
Gives  wings  and  weight  to  every  moment's  fpeed  j 
Each  minute  marking  with  a  golden  thread 
Of  moral  profit.     Harden'd  Vice  no  more 
Communicates  its  poifon  to  the  fouls 
Of  young  aflbciates,  nor  diffufes  wide 
A  peftiiential  taint.     Still  Thought  pervades 
The  inmoft  heart  :  Inftrudion  aids  the  Thought  -, 
And  bleft  Religion  with  life-giving  ray 
Shines  on  the  niind  fequefler'd  in  its  gloom ; 
Difclofing  glad  the  golden  gates,  thro'  which 
Repentance^  led  by  Faith^  may  tread  the  courts 
Of  Peace  and  Reformation !    Cheer'd  and  chang'd, 
.—His  happy  days  of  quarantine  perform'd--- 
Lo !  from  his  folitude  the  Captive  comes 
New-born,  and  opes  once  more  his  grateful  eyes 
On  day,  on  life,  on  man  !  a  fellow-man! 

Hail,  facred  Solitude  !    From  thee  alone 
plow  thefe  high  blefllngs.  Nor  be't  dccm'dfevere,— 

Such 


\7E£IC  Iir.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        89 

Such  [eqjueji ration  -,  deftiaM  to  retrieve 

The  mental  lapfe-,  and  to  its  powers  reftore 

The  Heaven-born  Soul,  cncrufted  with  foul  guilt: 

'Tis  tendereft  Mercy  ,  'tis  Humanity 

Yearning  with  kindlleft  foftnefs :  while  her  arm 

From  ruin  plucks,  effefluates  the  releafe, 

And  gives  a  ranfom'd  Man  to  Earth— to  Heaven ! 

To  the  Tick  Patient,  ftruggling  in  the  jaws 
Of  obftinate  Difeafe,  e'er  knew  we  yet 
Grateful  and  pleafmg  from  Phyfician's  hand 
The  rough,   but  falutary  Draught?— For  That 
Do  v/e  with-hold  the  Draught  ?  and,  falfely  kind^ 
Hang  fighing  o'er  our  Friend,— allow'd  to  tofs 
On  the  hot  Fever's  bed,  rave  on,  and  die, 
ljnmedicin*d,  unrelitv'd  ?— But,  Sages,  fay. 
Where  is  the  Medicine !  Who  will  prefcribe  a  cure. 
Or  adequate  to  this  corroding  ill. 
Or  in  its  op.^ation  milder  fojnd  ? 

M  See 


90       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  III. 

See,  old  Thames^s  waves  indignant  ride, 
In  fullen  terror,  yonder  fable  Bark, 
By  State-Phyficians  lately  launch'd,  and  highc 
JusTiTiA  *  I   Dove-ey'd  Pity,   if  thou  canfl, 
That  Bark  afcend  with  me  ;  and  let  us  learn 
How,   temper'd  with  her  Sifter  Mercy:,  there 
Reigns  Jufiice  •,   and,  efleflive,  to  the  ill 
Inveterate  grown,   her  lenient  aid  fupplies. 

And  rolls  this  Bark  onThames's  generous  FJood- 
Flood  that  wafts  Freedom,  wafts  the  high-born  Sons 
Of  gallant  Liberty  to  every  Land  ? 
See  the  chain'd  Britons,  fetter'd  Man  by  Man  ! 
See,  in  the  ftifled  Hold— excluded  whence 
Man's  common  blefling.  Air,  ne'er  freely  breathes— 
They  mingle,  crowded!  — -To  our  pamper'd  fteeds 
I-nferijor  how  in  Lodo-ins;  I    Tainted  food, 

*  The  Author  feems  chiefly  to  have  formed  his  idc3s  of  the 
TT^cde  oi^  treating  Convi'-ts  en  the  Tliamej.^  from  a  l^tc  Pamphlet 
publiflic-l  by  Dr,  Smith  :  But  '.\e  r.re  informed  that  the  evils 
bore  complained  <  f,  Jiave  been  al.eaJy,  in  a  g-eat  meafure, 
and  wc  ti;-urt  v/ill  foon  be,   wholly  removed. 

And 


WEEK  HI.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        91 

And   poifon'd    fumes  their  llfe-fprlngs  ftagnate 

rank  J 
They  reel  aloft  for  breath  :  Their  tottering  limbs 
Bend  weak  beneath  the  burden  of  a  frame 
Corrupted,    burning  •,  with  blue  feverous  fpots 
Contagious ;  and,  unequal  to  the  toil, 
Urg'd  by  Tafk-Mafters  vehement,  fevere, 
On  the  chill  Sand- bank  !— by  defpair  and  pain 
Worn  down  and  wearied.  Some  their  Being  curfe, 
And  die,   devoting  to  deftru6Vion*s  rage 
Society's  whole  race  detefted  !     SomCy 
More  mild,  gafp  out  in  agonies  of  foul 
Their  loath'd  exiftence  •,  which  nor  Phyfick's  aid. 
Nor  fweet  Religion's  interpofing  fmile 
Soothes  with  one  ray  of  comfort !   Gracious  God, 
And  This   is  Mercy  !— Thus,  from  fentenc'd 

death 
Britons  in  pity  refpite,  to  reflore 
And  moralize  Mankind  !     Corredlion  this, 
Juft  Heav'n  !  defign'd  for  Reformation's  end  ! 

M  2  Ye 


gz        THOUGHTSINPRISON.     WEEK  III, 

Ye  SUves,  that  bred  in  Tyranny's  Domains 
Toil  at  the  Gallies,  how  fupremely  bleft. 
How  exquifite  your  Lot  (fo  much  deplor'd 
By  haughty  Sons  of  Freedom)  to  the  fate 
Experienc'd  hourly  by  her  free-born  Sons, 
In  our  Briiannid's  vaunted  refidence  * ; 
Sole,  chofen  Refidence  of  Faith  refin'd. 

And  genuine  Liberty  ! -Ye  Senators, 

Ye  venerable  Sages  of  the  Law, 

In  juft  refentment  for  your  Country's  fame^ 

Wipe  off  this  con  trad  idory  reproach 

To  manners,  and  to  policy  like  yours  ! 

Correal,  but  to  amend  :  'Tis  God's  own  plan. 

Corred",  but  to  reform ;  then  give  to  Men 


*  There  is  a  thought  in  Lucan  to  the  fame  purpofe,    ele- 
gantly exprefled  : 

"  Felices  Arabes,   Medique,   Eoaquc  Telius, 

"  Quam  fub  peipetuis  temierunt  Fara  tyrannis. 

'•  Ex  populis,  quiRegna  ferunt,  Sors  iiitlma  noflra  eft, 

"  Quos  fervirc  pude;." 

PharHil,   Lib.  7. 

2  The 


WEEK  III.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON..       9 

The  means  of  Reformation  !  Then,  reftor*d 
To  Recolleftion,  to  Himfelf,  to  God, 
The  Criminal  will  blefs  your  laving  hand; 
A  nd,  brought  to  reafon,  to  Religion  brought. 

Will  own  that  Solitude,  as  folely  apt 

For  work  fo  folemn,  has  that  work  atchiev'd. 

Miraculous,   and  perfe6tofhis  cure. 

Ah  me  '---to  fentiments  like  thefe  eilrang'd, 
Eftrang'd,  as  ignorant,— and  never  pent 
Till  this  fad  chance  within  a  Prifon's  wall  j 
With  what  deep  force,   experienc'd,  can  I  urge 
The   truths  momentous  !    How   their   pow'r  I 

feel 
In  this  My  Solitude,   in  this  lone  hour, 
This  melancholy  midnight  hour  of  thought,. 
Encircled  with  th'  unhappy  !  firmly  clos'd 
Each  barricaded  door  -,  and  left,  ju ft  God  ! 
ph  Blcfling— left  to  penfivenefs  and  Thee  ! 


To 


94        THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.    WEEK  III, 

To  Me  how  high  a  blefling  !  Nor  contains 
SeclufiOn  aught  of  punifhment :  To  mix 
With  "Wretches  here  were  punilhment  indeed  ! 
How  dread  a  punifhment !— In  Life's  beft  days. 
Of  all  mofl  chofen,  valu'd  and  belov*d. 
Was   foft   Retirement's   feafon  I     From  Youth's 

dawn 
To  folitude  inur'd,  "  Ne'er  lefs  alone 
*'  Than  when  alone,"  with  Him  fo  truly  fam'd 
In  Wifdom's  School,  my  Heart  could  ever  beat 
Glad  unifon.    To  Meditation's  charms, 
Pleas'd  Votary,    how    have  pafs'd  my   fweetefl; 

Hours 
In  her  fecrete  and  calm  fociety  ! 
Still  Meditation  !  Solitude's  fair  Child, 
Man's  deareft  Friend  !— Oh  happy  be  the  time 
That  introduc'd  me  to  thy  hallow'd  Train  ; 
That  taught  me,  thro'  thy  genial  LefTons  fage. 
My  beft,  my  trueft  iDignity  to  place 
In  Thought,  Reflection  deep,  and  ftudious  fearch, 

Divineft: 


WEEK  IH.    THOUGHTS    I  K    PRISON. 


95 


Divinell  Recreations  of  the  Mind  ! 

Oh,  happy  be  the  Day,  which  gave  that  Mind 

Learning's   firft    tindure  !    Blefl    thy    foftering 

care. 
Thou  moil  belov'd  of  Parents,  worthicft  Sire  ! 
Which,  tafte-infpiring,    made  the  letter'd  Page 
My  favourite  companion ;  mofl  efteem'd, 
And  moll  improving  !     Almoll  from  the  Day 
Of  earliefl  Childhood,  to  the  prefent  Hour 
Of  gloomy,  black  misfortune.  Books,  dear  Books 
Have  been,  and   are,  my  comforts.     Morn  and 

Night,; 
Adverfity,  Profperity,  at  Home, 
Abroad,    Health,   Sicknefs,— good  or  ill  Report, 
The  fame  firm  Friends  ;    the  fame  refrefliment 

rich. 
And  fource  of  confolation  !  Nay,  even  here 
Their  magic  power  they  lofe  not :  Still  the  f;*me,  ■ 
Of  matchlefs  influence  in  this  Prifon-Hcufe, 
Unutterably  horrid  -,  in  an  Hour 
Of  Woe,  beyond  all  Fancy's  iiaions  drear  ! 

Drear 


96       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IIL 

Drear  Hour  !— What  is  it  ? — Loftin  poignant 
thought. 
Loft  in  the  Retrofpedion  manifold 
Of  thee,  lov'd  Study !— and  of  thee,   my  Sire, 
Who,   to  the  fountain  fair  of  Science  led 
My  infant  feet, — I  lofe  all  count  of  Tinie, 
I  lofemyfelf.  Lift  !   'Tis  dread  Midnight's  hour  1 
When  waking  Fancy  ("with  invention  wild 
By  Ages  hallow*dj   hath  to  Spirits  afllgn'd 
— Spirits  of  dear  departed  Friends— -to  walk 
The  filent  gloom  ;  and  bring  us  from  the  Dead 

Tales  harrowing  up   the  Soul   aghaft  ! And,, 

hark  ! 
Solemn  and  ftow  the  iron  tongue  of  Night 
Refounds  alarming  '—My  o'er-harrafs'd  Soul 
Confus'd,  is  loft  in  forrows  :  Down  mine  Eyes 
Stream  the  full  Tears  !  Diftrefs  is  all  alive. 
And  quick  Imagination's  pulfe  beats  high  ! 

*'  Dear  Father !  is  it  thou  ?"    Methought  Im 

ghoft- 

Glidcni 


WEEK  III.     T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S   I  N    PRISON. 


9; 


Glided  In  filence  by  me  !   Not  a  word, — 
While  mournfully  he  fhakes  his  dear  pale  face ! 
Oh  flay,    thou    much-lov'd   parent !    flay,   and 

give 
One  word  of  confolation  ;    if  allow'd 
To  Son,  like  whom  no  Son  hath  ever  lov'd, 
None  ever  fuffer'd  !    See,  it  comes  again  : 
Augull  it  fiits  acrofs  th'  aflonifh'd  room  ! 
I  know  thee  well,  thy  beauteous  image  know : 
Dear  Spirit !   flay  j   and  take  me  to  the  world 
Where  thou  art !  And  where  thou  art,  oh  iv.j  Fa- 
ther ! 
I  muft,  I  mufl  be  happy — Every  day 
Thou  know'fl,   remembrance  hath  embalm'd  thy 

love. 
And  wifh'd  thy  prefence.     Melancholy  thought ! 
At  lafl  to  meet  thee  in  a  place  like  this  : 
Ch  fcay,  and  waft  me  infta:::t— But,  'tis  gone, 
The  dear  delufion  :   He  nor  hears  my  words. 
My  filial  anxiety,   nor  regards 

N  Mv 


9?      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  III. 

My  pleading  tears.    *Twas  but  a  coinage  vain 
Of  the  diftemper'd  fancy  !   Gone,  *tis  gone  ! 
And  here  I'm  left  a  trembling  wretch,  to  weep 
Unheard,  unpitied  left,  to  weep  alone  ! 

Nor  thou,  Maria,  with  me  !    Oh,  my  Wife! 
And  is  this  bitter  with  the  bitterefl:  mix*d  ; 
That  I  muft  lofe  thy  heavenly  company. 
And  confolation  foothing  !   Yet,  'tis  beft : 
Thy  tendernefs,  thy  prefence  doth  but  wound 
And  ilab  to  the  keenefl  quick  my  burfting  heart! 
"  I  have  undone  thee !"     Can  I  then  fuflain 
Thy  killing  afpefl,  and  that  tender  tear. 
Which  fecret  fteals  a-down  thy  lovely  face, 
Diffembling   fmiles,   to  chear    me !— Chear   me^ 

Heav'ns  I 
Took  on  the  mighty  ruin  I  have  pluck'd, 
Pluck'd  inflant,  unruipe(5led,  in  the  hour 
Of  Peace  and  dear  Security  on  her  head  ! 
And    where--- Oh    Vvhsre    can    Chearfulnefs    be 

found  ? 

Mine 


WEEKIII.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.       99 

Mine  mud  be  Mourning  ever.     Oh  my  Wife, 
"  I  have  undone  thee  !"--- What  th'  infuriate  hand 
Of  foes  vindidive  could  not  have  atchiev'd. 
In   mercy  would   not,    /  have    wrought!     Thy 

Hufband ! 
Thy  Hufband,  lov'd  with  fuch  unfliaken  truth. 
Thy  Hufoand,  lov'd  with  fuch  a  fteady  flame. 
From  Youth's  firft  hour  !— Ev'n  He  hath  on  thee 

pluck'd, 
On  thee,  his  Soul's  Companion,  L  ife's  bed  Friend, 
Such  defolation,   as  to  view  would  draw 
From  the  wild  Savage  Pity's  deepeft  groan  I 

Yes,  yes,  thou  cov/ard  Mimic  I  pamper'd  Vice  ! 
High  praife  be  fure  is  thine  !  Thou  hall  obtain'd 
A  worthy  triumph!    Thou   haft   pierc'd   10  the 

quick 
A  weak,  an  amiable  female  heart, 
A  conjugal  heart  moft  faithful,  moft  aitach'd  : 
—Yet  can  1  pardon  thee  :  for,  poor  Buffoon  ! 

N  2  Thy 


100     THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.     WEEK  III. 

Thy  vices  muft  bt  fed  •,  and  thou  mufi  live, 

Luxurious  live,  a  foe  to  God  and  Man ; 

CommiJ/ion^d  live,  thy  poifon  to  diffufe. 

And  taint  the  Public  Virtue  with  thy  Crimes. 

Yes,  I  can  pardon  thee---\o\^  as  thou  art. 

And  far  too  mean  an  objeA  even  of  fcorn  : 

For  thou  her  merits  knsw'il  not.  Hadfl  thou  known. 

Thou,— -callous  as  thou  art  to  every  fenfe 

Of  human  feeling,   every  nobler  touch 

Of  generous  fenfibility  ^---even  thou 

Couldfc  not  have  wanton  pierc'd  her  gentle  breaft ; 

Bat  at  a  dillance  awful  wouldlt  have  flood  ; 

And,  like  thy  Prototype  of  oldeft  time, 

View'd  her  juft  virtues  pafs  in  triumph  by. 

And  ovvn'd,  howe'er  reluclant. 

March  30,   1777. 

END  OF   THE  THIRD   WEEK. 


E    »oi    ] 


THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON. 


WEEK    THE   FOURTH. 

THE       TRIAL. 

ipv  READ'ST  thou  an  earthly  bar  ?  Thou,  who 

^  fo  oft 

In  contemplation  ferious  haft  employ'd 

Thy  deareft  meditations  on  a  Bar 

Tremendoufly  decifive  !   who  fo  oft 

That  Bar's  important  terrors  haft  difplay'd 
To  crowds  attentive  j  with  the  folemn  theme 
Rapt  into  thought  profound  ? — And  beats  thy  heart 
With  throbs    tumultuous  -, — fail   thy  trembling 
knees. 

Now 


102    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  IV. 

Now  that  in  Judgment  thou  muft  ftand  before 
Weak  mortals,  like  thyfelf^  and  foon,  like  thee. 
Shivering  with  guilt  and  apprehenfions  dire, 
To  anfwer  in  dread  Judgment  'fore  their  God  ? 

What  gives  that  Judgment  terror  ?  Guilt,  pale 
Guilt; 
Confcience  accufing  ftern  ;  the  fiery  Law, 
The  terrible  hand  writing  on  the  wall ! 
But  vanifli  thefe,— that  mighty  Daf  s- Man  iound^ 
Who,  fmiling  on  Ccnfejfion^s  genuine  tear. 
The  meek  repentant  afped,  and  the  hand 
With  ready,  perfecfb  retribution  fraught. 
Urges  complete  his  ranfom,  and  fets  free 
Th'  immortal  prifoner.— But,  ah  me !   on  earth 
Such  golden  mercy  reigns  not :   here  is  found 
No  potent  Bafs-Man-,  here  no  ranfom  full, 
No  clement  Mediator.     Here  ftern  Law, 
With  vifage  all-unbending,  eyes  alone 
1  he  rigorous  Act.     ConfeJJion  here  is  Guilt, 

And 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     103 

And  Rejlitution  perfed,  perfed  lofs  I 
Ah  me  the  while,  here  men  the  Judges  are ; 
And   there    th'  Omnifcient,  Mercy^s  fource  and 
flream ! 

Triumphant  confolation  !   Firm  in  Faith, 
And  juftified  by  Him  whofe  precious  blood 
For  Man  flow'd  liberal,  the  Soul,  fecure 
Of  future  acceptation  at  that  Bar 
Of  trial  moft  momentous,  foars  above 
The  World's  fcvereft  trials  *  ;   and  can  view 

Serene 

*  The  Verfes  fubjolned  were  written  by  the  King  of 
Pruffia,  after  a  decifive  defeat,  when  one  of  his  General 
Officers  had  propofed  to  fet  him  the  example  of  felf-dellruc- 
tion. 

Dans  ces  jours,  plelns  d'alarmes, 
La  conftance  et  la  fermete 
Sont  les  boucliers  et  les  armes 
Que  j'oppofe  a  I'adverfite  : 

Que  le  Deftin  me  perfecute, 
Qu'il  prepare  ou  hate  ma  chute, 

u 


I04     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  IV. 

Serene  the  horrors  of  an  earthly  Bar, 

Though  far  than  death  more  horrid.     Yes,  kind 

Death, 
How  preferable  far  thy  fight  to  me  ! 
Oh  that,  without  this  tedious,  dread  detail 
Of  awful  circumllance,— this  long,  fad  pomp 

Le  danger  ne  peut  m'ebranler : 
Quand  le  vulgaire  efc  plein  de  crainte. 
Que  I'efperance  femble  eteinte, 
L'homme  fqrt  doit  fe  fignaler. 

A  Friend  having  given  Dr.  D.  in  prifon,  a  copy  of  thefe 
Lines,  he  was  much  pleafed  with  them,  and  immediately 
paraphrafed  them  as  follows : 

In  thefe  fad  moments  of  fevere  diflrefs. 

When  dangers  threaten,  and  when  forrows  prefs. 

For  my  defence  behold  what  arms  are  given 

Firmnefs  of  foul,  and  Confidence  in  Heaven  ! 

With  thefe,  tho'  Fortune  hunt  me  thro'  the  land, 

Tho'  inftant,  utter  ruin  feem  at  hand  ! 

Compos'd  and  felf-coUefted  I  remain, 

Nor  dart  at  perils,  nor  of  ills  complain  : 

To  mean  Defpair  the  low,  the  fervile  fly. 

When  Hope'i  bright  ftar  feems  darken'd  in  their  flcy : 

Then  fhines  the  Chriflian,  and  delights  to  prove 

His  Faith  unfhaken,  and  unchang'd  his  Love  ! 

^  Of 


WEEK  IV.    TH  O  U  G  H  T S  I  N  P  R  I  S  O  N.       105 

Of  miniftering  wretchednefs,   thy  friendly  fliaft 
Had   inftant   reach'd,    and  pierc'd  my   tortur'd 

Heart : 
How  had  I  blefs'd  the  ftroke,  and  been  at  peace  ! 
But,   thro'  a  dreary  avenue  of  woe, 
A  lengthen'd  vault  of  black  diilrefs  and  fhame, 
With  mournful  melancholy  fable  hung, 
Muft  I  be  led  *,— or  ere  I  can  receive 
Thine  icy  comforts  to  my  chill'd  Life's  Blood ! 

Welcome,  thrice  welcome  were  they  !  But  the 
call 
Of  Heaven's  dread  Arbiter  we  wait :  His  Will 
Is  redlitude  confummate.     'Tis  the  Will 
Parental  of  high  Wifdom  and  pure  Love  ! 
Then  to  that  Will  fubmifllve  bend,  my  Soul : 


*  Segnius  irritant  animos  demifla  per  aurem, 
Quam  quze  funt  oculis  fubjefla  fidelibus,  et  tjute 
Ipfe  fibi  tradit  Spectator  ! 

HOR. 

O  And, 


itO       THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.     WEEK  IV. 

And,  while  meek  Refigjiation  to  the  Rod 
Correflive  cf  his  Juftice  and  his  Love 
Obedient  bows,-— Oh  for  impartial  fearch  I 
Oh  for  a  Trial  ilrid,  to  trace  the  Canfe, 
The  fatal  Caufe,  whence  fprung  the  ill  deplor'd  f 
And  why— -fad  fpedlacle  of  Woe— we  (land 
Thus,  Sin  and  Sorrow-funk,  at  this  dread  Bar  I 

Return,  blefl  Hours  !  ye  peaceful  Days,  returx  I 
When  thro'  each  office  of  celeftial  Love 
Ennobling  Piety  my  glad  Feet  led 
Continual,  and  my  Head  each  Night  to  red 
Lull'd  on  the  downy  pillow  of  Content ! 
Dear  were   thy  Hiades,  O  Ham  !    and  dear  the 

Hours 
In  manly  mufmg  'midfl  thy  Forefls  pafs*d. 
And  antique  Woods  of  fober  Solitude, 
Oh  Epping  !  witnefs  to  my  lonely  v/alks 
By  Heaven-direfted  Contemplation  led  ! 

Ye  Days  of  Duty,  tranquil  Nights,  return  ! 

How 


WEEK  IV.    T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S  I  N  P  R  I  S  O  N.     107 

How  ill  exchanged  for  thofe,  which  bufier  fcenes 
To  the  World's  Follies  dedicate,  engrofs'd 
In  fpecious  trifling  ;  all  important  deem'd. 
While  o;ilt,  Oh  Chesterfield  !  with  feemine:  e^old 
Of  prime  refinement,  thro'  thy  foftering  fmile. 
And  patronage  aufpicious  ! 

Sought  by  Thee^ 
And  fmgled  out,  unpatroniz'd,   unknov/n  ; 
By  Thee,  whofe  tafte  confummate  was  applaufc, 
Whofe  approbation  merit ;  forth  I  came. 

And  with  me  to  the  tafk,    delighted,  brought 
The  upright  purpofe,  the  intention  firm 
To  fill  the  charge,  to  juftify  the  choice. 
Perchance  too  flattering  to  my  Heart ;    a  Heart 
Frank,   inexpert,  unhackney'd  in  the  World, 
And  yet  eflrang'd  to  guile  !  But  ye,  more  fidli'd 
In  that  World's  artful  flyie,  Judges  Icvere ; 
Say,  in  the  zenith  of  bright  Stanhope's  Sun, 
(Though  kt  that  Sun,   alas  !  in  mifly  clouds  -J 
O  2  Say, 


io8    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Say,  midfl;  his  luftre,  whom  would  not  that  choice 
Have   flatter'd  ?— And   flill  more,  when  urg'd, 

approv'd. 
And  blefs'd  by  Thee,  St.  David's  !    Honour'd 

Friend ; 
Alike  in  Wifdom's  and  in  Learning's  School 
Advanc'd  and  fage  !—— Short  paufe,   my  Mufe, 

and  fad 
Allow,  while  leaning  on  AfFedion's  arm 
Deep-fighing  Gratitude,  with  Tears  of  Truth, 
Bedews  the  Urn,  the  happy  Urn,  where  reft 
Mingled  thy  Alhes,  oh,   my  Friend  !  and  Her'^ 
Whofe  Life  bound  up  with  thine  in  amity 

Indiflblubly  firm,   felt  thy  laft  pang 

Difrupting  as  her  own  ;  gently  figh'd  forth 

The  precious  Boon  •,    while  fprung  her  faithful 

Soul, 
Indignant  without  Thee  to  reft  below, 
On  Wings  of  Love,  to  meet  Thee  in  the  Skies  ! 

Bleft 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON,      i 


09 


Blelt  pair  !  and  envied  !  Envied  and  embalm'd 
In  our  recording  memory,   my  Wife, 
My  Friend,   my  lov'd  Maria  !  Be  our  lot 

Like  their's  ! But   foft,-— ah   my   foreboding 

thoughts ! 
Reprefs  the  gufhing  Tear  j — return,  my  Song. 

Plac'd  thus,  and  fhelter'd  underneath  a  Tree^ 
Which  feem'd  like  that  in  Vifions  of  the  Night 
To  Babylonians  haughty  Prince  pourtray'd, 
Whofe  height  reach'd  ^Heaven,  and  whofe  ver- 
dant boughs 
Extended  wide  their  fuccour  and  their  fhade  ; 
How  did  I  truft,    too  confident !     How  dream 
That  Fortune's  fmiles  were  mine ;    and   how, 

deceived. 
By  gradual  declenfion  yield  my  truft. 
My  humble  happy  truft  on  Thee,  my  God  ! 
How  ill  exchang*d  for  confidence  in  Man, 
In  Chefierfields^  in  Princes  !— Wider  fcenes, 

5  Alps 


no      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Alps  ftiii  on  Alps  were  open'd  to  my  view ; 
And,  as  the  circle  in  the  Flood  enlarg'd,  . 
Enlarged  expences  call.     Fed  to  the  full 
With  Flattery's  light  food  *,  and  the  pufF'd  wind 

Of  promifes  delufive "  Onward  ftill ! 

"  Prefs  onward !"    cried  the  World's   alluring 

voice  i 
"  The  time  of  retribution  is  at  hand : 
"  See,  the  ripe  Vintage  waits  thee  !"     Fool,  and 

blind, 
Still  credulous  I  heard,  and  {till  purfu'd 
The  airy  meteor  glittering,    thro'  the  mire. 
Thro'  brake  and  bog,   till  more  and  more  in- 

gulph'd 


*  So  prayfen  Babes  the  Peacock's  ftarry  traine. 
And  wondren  at  bright  Jrgus^  blazing  eye  ; 
But  who  rewards  him  e'er  the  more  for-thy  ? 
Or  feeds  him  once  the  fuller  by  a  graine  ?        m 
Sike  praife  is  fmoke,  that  flieddeth  in  the  fkie, 
Sike  words  been  winde,  and  wailen  foone  in  vaine. 

Sfekser. 

In 


WEEKI7.    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON,      iij 

In  the  deceitful  quag,  floundering  I  lay. 

Nor  heard  was  then  the  World's  alluring  voice. 

Or  promifes  delufive :  Then  not  feen 

The  Tree  umbrageous,  with  its  ample  Ihade  : 

For  me,    alas,   that  Tree  had  lliade  no  more ! 

But,  ftruggling  in  the  gulph,  my  languid  Eye 

Saw  only  round  the  barren  rulhy  Moor, 

The  flat,  wide,  dreary  Defert :— Till  a  Hope, 

Drefs'd  by  the  Tempter  in  an  Angel's  form, 

Prefenting  its  fair  hand,— imagin'd  fair. 

Though  foul    as   murkiefl:  Hell, — to  drag  me 
forth, 

Down  to  the  center  plung'd  me,  dark  and  dire 
Of  howling  Ruin  •,— bottomlefs  Abyfs 
Of  defolating  Shame,  and  namelefs  Woe ! 

But,  witnefs  Heav'n    and   Earth,    'midft  this 
brief  ftage, 
Thisblafting  period  of  my  chequer'd  Life, 

Tho' 


JI2    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.      WEEK  IV, 

Tho'  by  the  World's  gay  vanities  allur*d, 
I  danc'd,  too  oft,   alas !  with  the  wild  rout 
Of  thoughtlefs  Fellow-Mortals,  to  the  found 
Of  Folly's  tinkling  Bells  ;  the'  oft,   too  oft 
Thofe  paftimes  Ihar'd  enervating,  which  ill 

Howe'er  by  fome  judg'd  innocent, — become 

Religion's  fober  character  and  garb  : 
Tho'  oft,  too  oft,  by  weak  compliance  led. 
External  feemings,  and  the  ruinous  bait 
Of  fmooth  politenefs,   what  my  Heart  condemn'd 
Unwife  it  pradlis'd  -,- -never  without  pang ! 
Tho'  too  much  influenc'd  by  the  pleafing  force 
Of  native  generofity,  uncurb'd 
And  unchaftis'd  fas  Reafon,   Duty  taught). 
Prudent  (Economy,  in  thy  fober  School 
Of  parfimonious  Ledure  ;  ufeful  lore,  • 
And  of  prime  moment  to  our  worldly  weal  -, 
— Yet,   witnefs  Heaven  and  Earth,  amidll  this 
Dream, 

This 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     113 

This  tranfient  Vifion,  ne'er  fo  flept  my  Soul, 
Or  facrific'd  my  Hands  at  Folly's  Shrine, 
As  to  forget  Religion's  publick  Toil, 

Study's  improvement,    or  the  pleading  caufe 
Of  fuffering  Humanity  /—Gracious  God, 
How  wonderful  a  compound,  mixture  ftrange. 
Incongruous,  inconfiftent,  is  frail  Man  ! 

Yes,  my  lov'd  Charlotte,    whofe  Top-flone 
with  joy 
My    careful  Hands   brought  forth,    what   time 

expell'd 
From  Ham's  loft  Paradife,  anddriv'n  to  feek 
Another  place  of  Reft  !     Yes,  beauteous  Fane  \ 
To  bright  Religion  dedicate.   Thou  well 
My  happy  publick  Labours  canft  atteft. 
Unwearied  and  fuccefsful  in  the  Caufe, 
The  glorious,  honour'd  Caufe  of  Him,  whofe  Love 
Bled  for  the  human  Race  !     Thou  canft  atteft 
The  Sabbath-Days  delightful,  when  the  throng 

P  Crowded 


s  14     T  H  O  U  G  HT  S  I  N   PRISON.    WEEK  IV, 

Crowded  thy  hallow*d  Walls  with  eager  joys 
To  htar  Truth  evangelical  ^  the  found 
Of  Gofpel  Comfort !  When  attentive  fate. 
Or  at  the  Holy  Altar  humbly  knelt, 
Perfuafive,  pleafmg  Patterns — Aibol's  Duke, 
The  polifh'd  Hervey^  Kingfton  the  humane, 
Aylefbury  and  Marchmont^  Romney  all-rever'd  j 
With  Numbers  more— by  fplendid  titles  lefs 
Than  Piety  diilinguifii'd,  and  pure  Zeal. 

« 
Nor,  'midft  this  -puUlc  Duty's  bleft  diftharge^ 
Pafs'd  idle,  unimproving,  unemploy*d 
My  other  Days ;— as  if,   the  Sabbath's  taflc 
FulfiU'd,  the  bufmefs  of  the  Week  was  dpne^ 
Or  felf-allow'd.     Witnefs,  thnctholy^Book! 
Pure  tranfcript  of  th'  Eternal's  Will  to  Man : 
Witnefs  with  what  afiiduous  care  I  turn'd 
Daily  thy  hallow'd  page  ;  with  what  deep  fearch 
Explor'd  thy  facred  meaning  •,  thro'  the  round 
Cf  learn'd  Expofitors  and  grave  trod  flow, 

And 


WEEK.  IV.    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.     115 

And  painfully  deliberating  ;  the  while 
My  labours  unrerriitting  to  the  World 
Convey'd  inftruflion  large  j— and  fhall  convey. 
When  moulders  in  the  Grave  the  feeble  Hand, 
The  Head,  the  Heart,  that  gave  thofe  Labours  * 
Birth. 

Oh  happy  Toil !  oh  Labours  well  employ'd  ! 
Oh  fweet  remembrance  to  my  fickening  Soul ! 
Bleft  Volumes  !  Nor,    thb'  levell'd  in  the  Dull 
Of  Self-annihilation,  fhall  my  Soul 
Ceafe  to  rejoice,  or  thy  preventive  grace 
Adoring  laudj  Fountain  of  every  good  ! 
For  that  no  lettered  poif on  ever  ftain*d 
My  page,  how  weak  foe'er  j  for  that  my  pen. 
However  humble,  ne'er  has  trac'd  a  line 
Of  tendency  immoral,  whofe  black  Guilt 


•  Alluding  to  «<  Commentary  on  the  Bible,"  in  three  Vd- 
liimes.  Folio. 

P   2  It 


ii6      THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

It  well  might  wifh  to  blot  with  Tears  of  Blood  i 

Dear  to  the  Chriftian  fhall  my  little  works, 

— EfFufions  of  a  Heart  fincere,  devote 

To  God  and  Duty,— happily  fur vive 

Their  wretched   Mailer ;    and  thro*  lengthen'd 

Years 
To  Souls  opprefb  Comforfs  fweet  balm  impart  j 
And  teach  the  penfive  Mourner  how  to  die  *! 

'Thou  too,  biefl  Charity  !  Vi^hofe  golden  Key 
So  liberal  unlocks  the  Prifon's  Gate 
At  the  poor  Debtor's  call ;  oh,  witnefs  Thou, 
To  cruel  taxers  of  my  Time  and  Thought, 
All  was  notloil,  ail  were  not  mifemploy'd, 
Nor  all  Hunmnity^s  fair  rights  forgot  : 
Since  thou,    fpontaneous  effort  of  the  laft, 

*  Referring- to  "  Comfort  for  the  Affliaed,''   and   *'   Reflec- 
tions on  Death ." 

My 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     117 

My  pity's  child,  and  by  the  firft  matur'd, 
Amidft  this  flattering,  fatal  ^ra  rofe  ; 
Rofe  into  Being,  to  perfecflion  rofe. 
Beneath  my  humble  foflering  !  And,  at  length 
Grown  into  publick  favour,  thou  llialt  li^e'; 
And  endlefs  good  diffufe,  when  deeps  in  dud; 
Thy  haplefs  Founder  ;  now,  by  direft  fate, 
Lock'd  in  a  Prifon,  whence  thy  bounty  fets. 
And  fhall,     oh    Comfort!    long  fet    thoufand^ 
free.  ., 

Happy,  thrice  happy,  had  my  active  zeal,— 
Already  deem'd  too  adtive  'chance,  by  fome, 
Whofe  frozen  Hearts,  in  icy  fetters  bound 
Of  fordid  felfilhnefs,  ne'er  felt  the  warmth. 
The  genial  warmth  of  pure  Benevolence, 
Love's     ardent     flame     afpiring ; — had    that 

Flame 
Kindled  my  glowing  zeal  into  efled. 

And 


ii8     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  IV. 

And  to  thy  Countcrparl*  exiilencegiv'n, 
Lov'd  Inftitution  ;  winh  its  guardian  aid 


Proteding^ 


*  He  IP  tended  to  have  eftablifhed  a  ''  Charity  far  the  Lean  of 
*'  Money,  nxlthout  Intere/l,  to  indujlrious  Trade/men.'"  NecefTary 
Paoers  for  that  end  were  colltfted  from  Dublin,  Src.  and  the 
following-  Addrefs,  which  he  wrote  and  inferted  in  the  Pub- 
lick  Ledger  of  the  ift.  January  1776,  will,  in  fome  meafure> 
explain  his  purpofe. 

"  To  the  Wealthy  in  the  Comma-cial  World. 
T  Have  often  wifhed  mofl  fincerely  to  fee  a  charitable  Fund 
eftabliftied  in  this  great  and  trading  City,  for  the  beneficent 
purpofe   of  "  lending    to  honeft  and   induftrious  Tradefmeri 
*'  fmall  fums  Without  intereft,  and  on  a  reafonable Security'*. 

The  benefits  which  would  arife  from  fuch  an  eflablifliment 
are  too  obvious  to  need  enumeration.  Almoft  every  News- 
paper tends  more  and  more  to  convince  me  of  the  neceflity  of 
fuch  a  plan  ;  for  in  almoft  every  News-paper  we  read  Adver. 
tifements  from  Tradefmen,  foliciting  little  fums  in  their  di- 
Ihefs ;  and  offering, — poor  unhappy  men  i  even  premiums  for 
thofe  little  fums. 

It  is  not  poffible  but  that  perfons  occupied  in  trade  and  com- 
merce mull  feel  for  the  difficulties  of  their  brethren,  and  be 
ready  to  promote  the  undertaking  1  would'  wiih  to  recom:- 
mend,  although  on  no  interefted  motives  ;  — for  I  am  no 
Tradefman,  nor  can  any  way  be  benefited  by  the  plan.  Pure 
good-will,  r.nd  a  ccmpaiTionate  refpeft  to  the  hardfhips  and 

diftrefles 


WEEKIY.    THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.      1:9 

I*rote£ling  from  the  Prifon's  ruinous  doors, 
Thofe  whom  thy  kindly  mercy  refcues  thence  ! 


diftrefles  of  my  fellow-creatures  alone  aflaate  my  heart :  And 
from  thefe  motives,  I  ITiail  be  happy  to  j^^roceed  upon,  and  pro- 
fccute  this  plan  v/ith  all  the  efforts  and  afliduiry  I  am  able,  if 
it  fhall  be  approved  by  the  benevolent,  and  they  will  teftify 
that  approbation,  and  defire  of  concurrence,  by  a  line  diredted 
to  D.  at  Anderton's  Coffee-houfe,  Fieet-ftreet.  In  coufe- 
quence  of  which,  fliould  a  probabiliiy  of  fuccefs  appear,  a 
meeting  fhall  fpeedily  be  advertifed  in  the  Papers  ;  and  all 
jtneafures  purfued,  to  put  the  good  defign  into  immediate 
execution,  which  on  fuch  a  meeting  may  be  judged  advifeable. 
It  may  be  proper  juft  to  obferve,  that  in  many  cities  abroad, — at 
Rome  in  particular,-  there  are  inftitutions  of  this  fore :  and. 
there  has  been  one  eftablilhed  for  m^ny  years  at  Dublin, 
which  is  found  proiuftive  of  the  happieft  confequences. 

It  is  made  in  Scripture  one  charafteriftic  of  the  good  man, 
**  that  he  is  merciful  and  Isndeth  ;"  and  a  very  fmall  fum,  thus 
given  to  a  permanent  eflablilhment,  may  enable  a  man  to 
lend  for  perpetuity ! 

How  can  we  better  begin  the  Nenv-Tear,  my  worthy  and 
homaae  countrymen  !  than  by  entering  on  a  work,  which  may 
draw  down  upon  us  God's  bleffing,  by  our  charitable  relief  to 
»any  fons  and  daughters  of  honell  and  laborious  induftry  ?— 

HUMANITY." 
Or, 


120       THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Or,    had  that  zeal,   on  firm  foundation  fix'd 
Like  thine,  my  favourite  Magdalen, — the  Plan 
Prefervative  of  tender  Female  Fame  *, 
Fair  Innocence  and  Virtue,  from  thofe  ills 
Deftruftive,  complicate,  which  only  find 
Relief  beneath  thy  hofpltable  roof; 

How  had  I  died  exulting ! But,  oh  raife, 

Infpire  fome  godlike  Spirit,  fome  great  Soul, 
Father  of  Mercies  !  of  all  Love,   all  Good 
Author  and  Finifher ;-— thefe,  and  every  work 
Beneficent,   with  Courage  to  purfue. 
With  Wifdom  to  complete  !   Oh  crown  his  zeal ; 
While  forrowing  human  nature,  by  his  Hand 
Cherifh'd  and  footh*d,  to  latell  times  fhall  tell, 
And  blefs  with  tears  of  gratitude  his  Name  ! 


*  "   AV\?in?OY  a  National  Female  Seiniuarj'^ fince  found 

amongft  the  Author's  Papers  ;  and  which  appears  to  have  un- 
dergone the  infpeflion,  and  received  the  approbation  of 
iome  very  dilUnguiflied  names. 

Mine 


WEEKIV.    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.        121 

Mine  is  a  difFerent  fate !— confcfs'd,  jufl  Judge, 
The  meed  of  human  mixture  in  my  works 
Imperfea,  frail;  and  needing,  even  the  befl:. 
Thy  pardon,  and  the  cleanfing  of  thy  blood ! 
Eife,  whence  the  frequent  retributions  bafe. 
Calumnious  and  ungrateful,  for  the  deeds 
Of  private  Pity  ?    Whence,  for  publx  Ads 
The  ftab  opprobrious,  and  the  llanders  vile  ? 
Or  whence,  at  this  dread  moment,— from  the  fight 
Shrowd  me  in  tenfold  darkneis !— Mercy,  Heavens ! 

And  is  it  he— th'  ingenuous  Youth,  fo  ofc 
Of  all  my  being,  fortune,  comfort  deem'd 
The  crenerous,  am.ple  fource?--And  u  it  he, 
In  whom,  thro'  drear  Misfortune's  da;kefl  night, 
1  faw  Hope's  day-ftar  rifing  ?-- Angel  of  Peace, 
Amidft  his  fucure  hours,  my  life's  fad  lofs 
Let  not  accufmg  Confcience  to  his  charge 
Irnpure,  diftrafling  !— to  My  crimfon'd  g'.ult 

Oh  let  him  lay  it,  as  the  forfeit  due, 

Q  And 


JJ2      THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

And  juftly  paid ! — Would  Heaven  that  it  were  paid  1 
Oh,  that  with  Rome's  firft  defar,  in  my  robe 
From  fight  fo  killing,  mantled  up  mine  eyes, 
I  might  receive  the  welcome  ftab ;  figh  forth, 
"  My  Philip,  my  lov'd  Stanhope,— Is  it  thou  ! — 
"  Then  let  me  die  !" 

Yet,  tho*  thus  wounded  at  this  Bar  I  ftand 
In  pangs  unutterable,  wit-nefs  Heaven, 
."With  deep  commiferation  do  I  view 
Their  fcdulous  anxiety  to  prove 
A  guilt,  my  heart,-— too  wounded  to  deny, 
Wounded  by  that  Guilt's  fenfe,  its  bittereft  part, — 
Inflant  avow*d.     What  need  then  all  this  toil  ? 
The  deed  is  done !  Wound  not  the  fallen  Hart, 
*Tis  cruel— that  lies  bleeding  at  your  feet ! 

*  I  own  the  whole ;  I  urge  no  legal  plea  ! 
'  On  dire  Neceflity's  imperious  call, 

*  (Sons  of    the  Robe,    of  Commerce,    Sons   of 

*  Men, 

**  That 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.       123 

*  That  call  imperious  hzvcyou  never  heard  ?) 

*  On  full  Intention  to  repay  the  whole, 

'  And  on  that  full  Intention's  perfed  work, 
'  Free  Refloration  and  complete :  on  wrong 

*  Or  injury  to  none,  deHgri'd  or  wrought, 

'  I  reft  my  claim ; — I  found  my  fole  defence.* 
*' Groundlefs — 'tis  thundered  in  my  ears— and 

«'  weak  ? 
"  For,  in  the  rigid  Courts  of  human  Law, 
"  No  Reftitution  wipes  away  th'  offence, 
*'  Nor  does  Intention  juftify."     So  fpoke 
(And  who  fhall  argue)  Judgment's  awful  voice  J 

Hafte  then,  ye  weeping  Jurymen,  and  paft 
Th'  awarded  fentence !  To  the  World,  to  Fame, 
To  Honour^  Fortune,  Peace,  and  Stanhope  loft. 
What  have  I  more  to  lofe  ?  or  can  I  think 
Death  were  an  evil  to  a  Wretch  like  me  1 

Yet,  oh  ye  fons  of  Juftice !— ere  we  quit 
This  awful  Court,  Expoftulatioo's  voice 

QL2  One 


i2f      THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

One  moment  hear  impartial.     Give  awhile 
Your  honeft  hearts  to  Nature's  touches  true, 
Her  fine  refentments  faithful !  Draw  afide 
That  veil  from  Reafon's  clear- refledling  view, 
Which  Practice  long,  and  Rectitude  fuppos'd 
Of  laws  eflablilli'd,  hath  obftruclive  hung  ! 
But,  pleads  or  time,  or  long  prefcription  aught 
In  favour  or  abatement  of  the  wrcng 
By  Folly  v/rought,  or  Er.or?  Hoary  grown, 
And  fanilify'd  by  Cu  it  mi's  habit  grey, 
Abfuriity  (talks  forth,  (till  more  abfurd, 
Arid  double  fliame  lefiedts  upon  an  age 
"Wife  and  enfghi en'd.     Should  not-equal  laws 
Their  punifnmients  proportionate  lo  crimes  * ; 
Nor,  all  Dracoriick,  even  to  blood  purfue 

*   ricracc's  precept  mull  for  ever  ftand  forth  as  irrcfragably 
juft. 

«  Adut  ' 

Regula  ;  peccatis  quae  pcEnas  irroget  asquas  : 
Ne  Scutica  tlignum  horribili  fedcre  fiagcHo.'' 

Sat.-^.  Lib.h 

Yindidlive 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        125 

Vindiaive,  where  tlie  venial  poor  oftence 
Crks  loud  for  mercy  ?  Death  's  the  laft  demand 
Law  can  exad  :   1  he  penalty  extreme 
Of  human  crime  !    And  fhall  the  petty  thief 
Succumb)  beneath  its  t.rrors,  when  no  more 
Pays  the  bold  murderer,  crimfon'd  o'er  with  guile  ? 

Few  are  the  crimes  againft  or  God  or  Man, 
—Confult  th'  Eternal  Code  of  Right  and  Wrong,— 
Which  e'er  can  juflify  this  laft  extreme  *, 
This  wanton  fporting  with  the  human  life, 
1  his  trade  in  blood  !   Ye  Sages,  then,  review, 

*  <'  He  had  fometimes  expreffed  his  thoughts  about  cur 
"^Pena!  Laws,  ih?.t  they  were  too  fanguinary  ;— that  they  were 
"  againll  not  only  the  laws  of  God,  but  of  Nature  ;- that 
«'  his  own  cafe  was  h.rd,  that  he  fhoald  die  for  an  Aft,  which 
*«  he  Hlways  declared  to  be  wrong,  but  by  which  he  never  in- 
"  tendei  to  injure  anyone  individual ;  and  that,  as  the  Public 
*'  had  forgiven  him,  he  thought  he  might  have  been  par- 
«'  doned.  But  now  [the  day  before  h's  execution]  he  laid  all 
"  thefe  thoughts  touching  himfelf  afide;  though  he  continued 
*'  to  think  in  the  fame  manner  of  the  Penal  Laws  to  his  end." 
^ee  Ordinary'' s  Account,  /.  14. 

Speedy 


i%6       THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Speedy  and  diligent,  the  Penal  Code, 
Humanity's  difgrace  ;   our  Nation's  firfl 
And  juft  reproach,  amidO:  its  vaunted  boafls 
Of  Eq  =ity  and    Mercy  1-— Shiver  not 
Fu'J  oit  your  inmoft  fouls,  when  from  the  Bench 
Y'-^u  deal  out  death  tremendous ;   and  proclaim 
1  h'  irrevocable  fenience  on  a  wretch 
Pluck'd  early  from  the  paths  of  Ibcial  life. 
And,  immature,  to  the  low  grave  conugn'd 
For  mifdemeanors  trivial  ?     Runs  not  back, 
Affrighted  to  its  fountain  your  chill'd  blood. 
When,  deck'd  in  all  the  horrid  pomp  of  death. 
And  Gothic  rage  furpafTing,  to  the  flames 
The:  weaker  fex,— incredible— you  doom; 
Denouncing  punirnments  the  more  fevere. 
As  Icfs  of  ftrength  is  found  to  bear  their  force? 
Shame  on  the  favage  pradice  !    Oh  fland  forth 
In  the  great  Caufe,— CompafTion's,  Equity's 
Your  Nation's,    Truth's,    Religion's,   Honour's 
Caufe,— 

Stand 


WEEKIV.    THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON,     is; 

Stand  forth,  refleaing  Eden  *  1  Well  thou'ft  toil'd 

Already  in  the  honourable  field  : 

Might  thy  young  labours  animate  !  The  hour 

Aufpicious  is  arrived.     Sages  efteem*d. 

And  venerably  learn'd,  as  in  the  School 

Of  Legal  Science,  fo  in  that  of  Worth 

And  Sentiment  exalted,  fill  the  Bench  : 

And  lo !   the  Imperial  Muscovite,  intent 

On  Public-weal,  a  bright  example  fhines 

Of  civilizing  Jufticc.     Sages,  rife  : 

The  Caufe,  the  animating  Pattern  calls ! 

Oh,  I  adjure  you,  with  my  parting  breath. 

By  all  your  hopes  of  Mercy  and  of  Peace, 

By  all  the  Blood  henceforth  unjuftly  fpilt. 

Or  wantonly !   By  all  the  Sorrows  deep. 

And  fcalding  Tears  fhed  for  that  blood  fo  fpilt  1 

In  God's  tremendous  Name,  Lo,  I  adjure. 

Without  procraftination  to  the  talk 

*  See  Mr.  Ed«n*s  admirable  book  on  Penal Laivs; 

ImportanI 


I2S      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Important  that  you  hafte !  With  equal  hand 

In  fcales  of  temperate  Juftice  balance  well 

The  claims  of  plending  Mercy  !  Unto  crimes 

Inflidions  juft  and  adequate  affign  ; 

On  Reformation  or  KxampU  fole, 

And  all  impartial,  conilantly  intent! 

Banifli  the  Rage  for  Blood  I  for  Tortures  fell. 

Savage,  reproachful :    Study  to  refcore 

Its  youn^,  its  ufcful  members  to  the  State, 

Weil  difciplin'd,  correded,  moraliz'd  \ 

Preferv'd  at  once  from  Shame,  fi'om  Death,  from 

Hell, 
Men,  Rationa-s,  Immorials,-— Sons  of  God. 
Oh,  profperous    be  your  labours,  crown'd  your 

zeal  ! 

So  fliall  the  annals  of  our  Sovereign's  Reicrn, 
DiPiinguifxi'd  by  your  Virtue,— noble  fruit 
Of  ihat  high  inderendance  he  beftow'd  * 

*  Referring  to  the  InP.rpendavce  of. 'he  Ji'Jges,  fettled  by  the 
Iving,    as  ahnoil  one  of  the  firll  Ads  of  his  Reign, 

3  So 


W£EK  IV.     THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.     129 

So  freely  from  the  Treafury  of  his  Love 
To  genuine  jufLice---down  to  future  Times 
Tranfmitting  the  rich  blefiing,  Ihine  renov/n'd 
With  trueil  glory  j  not  by  Her's  furpais'd, 
Th'  immortal  Legillatcr  of  the  Ncrlh  I 

Ah  me,  unhappy  !   to  that  Sovereign's  Ear 
Refolv'd  to  bring  thofe  Truths,  which  labouring 

long. 
Have  lain,  and  toil  upon  rr.v  anxious  thou9;hts  *: 
Thence  too  am  I  excluded  !   Fatal  Stroke, 
And  wounding  to  my  peace  !   Rigour  extreme 
Of  angry  vengeance  !   "  Nay,  it  recks  not  no-zv,'* 
Oft,  midft  the  tempefb  of  mygrief,  I  cried, 
"  It  recks  not  now  what   falls  me  !    From  the 

Houfe 
*'  Of  Him  I  honour'd,  ihut !    Him,  whofe  lov'd 
.    "  Sire 

*  See  my  Sermon  on  the  Injttjiics,  ijc.  of  Capital  Purrifh- 
ments. 

R  "  *'  My 


:  30     T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S    I  N  P  R  I  S  O  N.    WEEK  IV, 

"  My  Mufe  in  flrains  elegiac  weeping  fung  *, 
"  Mixing  her  tribute  with  a  Nation's  Tears  ! 
"  Him  to  whcfe  high-born  Race,— of  Liberty 
"  Firm  Friends    and    P'autors— -from    my    car- 

"  licit  Youth, 
"  My  Heart,  devoted,  willing  homage  paid, 
"  And  facred  reverence  :  So  parental  Love 
**  And  fo  my  College  taught,  delightful  Clare  !'* 
Dear  ever  to  my  Memory  for  Flours 
In  innocence  and  peaceful  fludy  pafl  ; 
Nor  lefs  for  Thee,  my  Friend,  my  Lancaster  ! 
Bleft  Youth,  in  early  Flour  from  this  Life's  woes 
In  richeit  Mercy  borne  !   Had  I  but  died. 
Oh  had  I  died  for  Thee,  how  had  I  fhunn'd 
This  harfn  feverity,— exclufion  fad 
From  my  lov'd  Royal  Mafter  !  how  efcap'd 

Its  ills  attendant  ! Reputation  dies. 

The  darling  of  my  Soul,  beneath  the  ftroke  ! 

*   See  my  "  Elegy  on  the  Death  of  Frederick  Prince  of 
"  Wales."     Poems,  p.  63. 

Wild 


WEEK  IV.    T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S  I  N    PRISON.      ;  31 

Wild,  wanton  curfes  tear  my  mangled  Fame  ! 
My  fphere  of  ufefulnefs  contra6led  (brinks  j 
And  Infamy  herfelf  v/ith  "  ghaftly  fmiles'* 
My  ruin  ridicules  !     Turn,  turn,  my  Brain  i 
Diilradled,  madden'd,  burn  !  of  Reafon  more. 
Religion,  Duty,  Eminence,  dream  not : 
The  Door  of  Mercy's  clos'd.     Thee— oft  from 

Thee 
Mercy,  fweet  Heaven  !  have  I  fought  and  found  •, 
From  Fellow-Mortals  feldom  could  I  End, 
HovN^  humbled  ere,  or  penitent,  for  faults  • 
— And  v.'ho  of   erring  Mortals  faultlefs  breathes  ? 
Mercy ,   that  gift  of  Thine,  which  moil  adorns 
The  Judge's  Veilment,  and  the  Monarch's  Crov/n. 

Adieu,  then,  to  its  hope ;  its  earthly  liope  ! 
Eife where  we'll  feek  it.    Forth — oh   forth,  my 

Friends  -, 
My  generous,  kind,  fupporting,  weeping  Friends  ! 
Forth' from  the  Bar  conducl  m.e.     It  is  past. 

R  2  Jufiice 


:  32      THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      WEEK  IV. 

Juftlcc  lias  done  lier  oiTice  !  Mercy's  fied  i 
Andfmillng,  lo  !  Pne  fits  upon  a  cloud 
Of  ficecy  -whltenefs,  ting'd  with  azur'd  gold, 
And  beams  ineffable  ccmpofure  on  me  ! 
Light  fits  my  bofom's  Mailer  on  his  throne; 
Airy  and  difcnciimber'd  feels  my  Soul ; 
And,  panting,  wlilies  to  fpririg  inilant  up 
T"©  that  white  cloud,— -the  golden  vehicle 
To  Realms  cf  llefc  immortal  !   In  my  Eyes, 
So  languid  late,    and  all  fuffus'd  v/itli  Tears, 
IVIethinks  1  fee  FIopc's  lamp  rekindle  bright ; 
A  living  luftre  •,   fhedding,  like  the  Sun, 

After  thick  m.ilis,    Illumination's  fmile 

O'er  all  m.y  countenance,  marr'd,  dimm'd,  and 

v/an. 

Checrly,    mjy  Friends,    ch  cheerly !    Look  not 
thus 
With  Pity's  melting  fofrnefs  I  That  alone 

Can 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     133 

Can  {hake  my  Fortitude.     All  is  not  ioil. 
Lo  !  I  have  gain'd,  on  this  important  Day, 

A  viftory  confummate— o'er  myfelf. 

And  o'er  this  Life  a  Viftory  :  On  this  Day,— 

My  Birth-Day  to  Eternity — I've  gain'd 

Difmiflion  from  a  World,  where  for  a  while 

Like  You,  like  All,  a  Pilgcim  pafnng  poor, 

A  Traveller,    a  Stranger,  I  have  met 

But    flranger   treatment,    rude    and   harfli  I    So 

much 
Tlie  dearer,  more  defir'd,   the  Home  I  feek 
Eternal  of  my  Father  and  my  God  ! 

Ah,  little  thought  ye,    Profccutors  prompt. 
To  do  me  good  lil^e  this !  Little  intend 
For  earthly  poverty  to  give  th'  exchange 
Of  wealth  eternal  !     Cheronea's  fage. 
Thy  Dogmas  here,  fo  paradoxal  dccm'd 
By  weak  Half-Thinkers*— fee,  how  amply  prov'd, 

*  See  Plutarch  "  On  the  Benefits  deducible  from  Enemies." 
Morals,  Vel.  I. 

Ho\y 


134    T  H  O  a  G  H  T  S  IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

How  verified  by  Men  I  judg'd  my  Foes ; — 
Friends   in    difguife,    Heaven's   Inflruments    of 

good  ! 
Freely,   triumphantly,   my  Soul  forgives 
Each  injury,  each  evil  they  have  v/rought. 
Each  tear  they've  drawn,  each  groan  they've  cofl 

my  Kcart, 
Guiitlefs  tov/'rds  Tbem,  iininjur'd.    Haplefs  Men  1 
Down  do  1  look,  with  pity  :  Fervent  beg, 
And  unrciTiitting  from  all-gracicus  Heaven 
Eternal  bleffings  on  you  !  Be  your  lives. 
Like  mine,  true  ccnvertites  to  Grace,  to  God  f 
And   be  your  deaths— ah,    there    all-  difference 

end.s 

Then  be  our  Deaths  like  bis,  th'  atoning  Just, 
Like  His,  t\\t  Only  Righteous,  oui' I ajl  End! 

But  oil,   oblivious  Memory  !  baneful  Woe, 
V»' hich  thus  in  dull  forgetfulnefs  can  ileep 
My  Faculties  •,-— forgetfulnefs  of  Iiu\ 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     .35 

My  better  felf ;  for  whom  alone  I  wifli, 

Thus  fallen,  to  remember  that  I  am  ! 

My  Wife,  my  Soul's  dear  Partner  in  diftrefs. 

Where   fits   fhe  ?    lives  fhe  ?— ah  not  lives^   but 

drags 
The  tedious,  torturing,  horrid,  anxious  Hours 
Of  this  dire  day  !— In  folemn  filence  wrapt, 
— Expreflive  filence,— motionlefs,  compos'd, 
The  melancholy  Mourner  meekly  v/aits 
The  aweful  iffue  !     From  her  lovely  Eyes 
Drops  not  a  tear  !  not  even  a  figh  is  heard 
From  her  deep-wounded   Heart :    Nor  thro'  her 

Lips, 
Unfever'd  from  the  luckiefs  morn  till  night, 
Mute  Sufferer,  ileals  a  murmur  *  !  Gentle  Dove 
So,   in  the  mournful  abfence  of  thy  Mate, 


*  "  I  fpeechlefs  fate  ;— nor  plaintive  word, 
"  Nor  murmur  from  my  Lips  was  heard." 

Merrick's  Pfalms,    p.  39. 

Perhaps 


136     THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Perhaps  or  leveird  by  the  Fowler's  art. 
Or  lur'd  in  net  infidious,  fitt'ft  thou  lone 
Upon  the  bared  bough  ;  thy  little  Head 
Neflling  beneath  thy  filvery  wings  ;  while  hang 
Thy  pennons,    late  fo  glofTy,  fhivering  down 
Unplum'd,  neglefted,  drooping  !    Thro'  the  Day 
So  tried,  my  tender  Friends,— another  tafk. 
And  heavier  yet,  remains  to  beperform'd. 
Oh,  with  the  balm  of  Comfort, — with  the  Voice 
Of  Toothing  Softnefs,  the  fad  truth  unfold  ! 
Approach  the  beauteous  Mourner,  all-rever'd'; 
And    tell    her,    "  that   her    Hiijband    triumphs, 

"  lives ; 

"  Lives,    tho'  condemn'd  ;  lives  to  a  nobler  life  ' 
**  Nor,  in  the  gladfome  view  of  that  high  life, 
"  Feels  he  to  Death  Reludance  :  Bled  with  her^ 
*'  Indifferent  in  his  choice  to  live  or  die!".  • 

Be  the  decifion  Thine,  Father  of  Life  \ 
Thou  gaveft,  Thou  haft  right  to  take  away  j 

2  In 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      i^j 

In  each  alike  beneficent !     If  Thou 
Haft  pleafure  in  me,  once  more  fhall  I  fhare 
Thy  hallow'd  Services,  my  Heart's  chief  Joy  % 
If  not,  with  happy  David— oh  like  his 
Could  my  Song  fiovv*  repentant— every  thought 
Uniting,  cries  with  Refignation's  voice, 
"  Do  with  me,    Lord,    as  it  fhall   feem    Thee 
Good*  ! 

Thus  fupplicating,  down  my  weary  Head 
To  ilumber  on  its  wretched  pillov/  funk, 
O'erpower'd,  opprefs'd.     Nor  on  the  main-maft 
high 

Rock'dby  the  bellowing  tempeft,  and  the  dafh 
Of  furious  furges,  the  poor  fhip-boy  fleeps 
More   foundly,    than   my    powers    o'erwrouoht, 

amidft 
The  din  of  defperate  Felons,  and  the  roar 
Of  harden'd  Guilt's  mad  midnight  orgies  loud  | 

•  2  Sam,  XV,  25,  35. 

S  But, 


338     THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON,    WEEK  IV. 

6ut,  Fancy  free,  the  bufy  Soul  was  wake  ♦, 
Anticipation  pleafing  of  its  ftate. 
When  lleeps  its  clayey  Prifon  in  the  Grave, 
And  forth  it  burfls  to  Liberty  !  Methbught 
—Such  was  the  vifion — in  a  lowly  vale 
Myfelf  I  found,  whofe  living  green  was  deck'd 
With  all  the  beauteous  family  of  Spring  •, 
Pale  Primrofe,  modeft  Violet,  Hare-bell  blue, 
Sweet-fcented  Eglantine  of  fragrance  rich. 
And  permanent  the  Rofe  :  Golden  Jonquil, 
And  Polyanthus  variegate  of  hue. 
With  Liilies  dale-deUghting.     Thro'  the  midft 
Meand'ring  of  pure  cryftal  flow'd  a  llream 
The  flowery  banks  reflefting  :  On  each  fide. 
With  homely  Cots  adorn'd,  whofe  Habitants 
When  forrow-funk,  my  voice  of  comfort  footh'd ; 
Vv^hen  ficknefs-worn,  my  hand  of  care  reliev'd. 
Tended,  and,  miniftring  to  all  their  wants, 
Inftrui^ed  in  t-he-Janguage  of  the  Skies  ! 

Dear 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.      13^ 

Dear  was  the  Office,  chearing  was  the  Toil, 
And  fomething  like  angelic  felt  my  Soul ! 

When  lur'd,  methought,  by  one  of  glittering 
hue, 
(Bright  gleam'dthe  coronet  upon  his  Brow, 
JRich    glow'd     his    robe    of   crimlbn,     erminei* 

deck'd) 
I  toil'd  to  gain  a  neighbouring  mountain's  top. 
Where    blaz'd    Preferment'^    Temple :    So   my 

Guide 
With  fmile  complacent  taught,  and  led  me  on. 
Softening  with  artful  fpeech  the  tedious  way, 
And  arduous  ever.     As  I  rofe,  the  view 
Still  gloomier  feem*d,  and  dreary  •,  the  ftrait  path 
Still    ftraiter  j    and    more    fharp    the    pointe4 

briars 

Entangling  !  With  infulting  fneers  the  croud, 

Prefling  the  fame  bad  road,  juftled  me  by. 

Or  threw  me  proftrate :  'Till  fatigued,  and  faint, 
S  2  With 


I40    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV; 

With  feeble  voice  exhaufled  quire,  I  cried, 
*'  Oh  to  iny  Vale  reftore  me !  to  my  Cots, 
"  Illuftrious  Guide  !   my  miniftrations  bleft, 
"  Angelical  and  bleffing  .'"-—With  a  look 
Of  killing  fcorn  he  ey*d  me  :  In (1  ant  down, 
Precipitate  dafh'd  o^er  me  craggy  rocks. 
Tumbling  tumultuous  j   and  in  dungeon  dark, 
Illumin'd  only  by  the  furious  glare 
Of  Lynx  and  Tygers'  eyes,  thro'  hunger  fierce. 
And  eager  to  devour,  trembling  I  lay  ! 

When,  in  a  moment,  thro'  the  dungeon's  gloom 
Burft  light  refplendenr  as  the  mid-day  Sun, 
From  adamantine  fhield  of  Heavenly  proof. 
Held  high  by  one  *,  of  more  than  human  port. 
Advancing  flow  j  while  on  his  tow'ring  crefl: 
Sat  Fortitude  unfhaken  :  At  his  feet 
Crouch'd  the  half-famifh'd  Savages !  From  earth 

^  Faith. 

He 


WEEK  IV.    THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.      141 

He  rais'd  me,  weeping,  and  with  look  of  Peace 

Benignant  pointed  to  a  crimfon'd  Crofs 

On  his  bright  Shield  pourtray'd.    A  milder  form. 

Yet  of  celeflial  iwe£tnefs,-Tfc-fuch  as  oft 

My  raptur'd  eyes  have  in  the  tablet  trac'd 

Of  imaffeded  Penitence  ;  oi  her 

Pleafing  fimilitude— the  weeping  Fair 

Early  from  royal,  but  unhallow'd  love, 

To  God's  fole  fervice  flying  *~-Fam'd  Le  Brun^ 

Thy  glowing  pencil's  Mafler-piece  !— Such  feem*d 

Repentance,  meek-approaching.    From  the  den, 

lUumin'd  and  defended  by  FaitJ/s  Ihield, 

My  trembling  feet  Ihe  led ;  and  having  borne 

Thro'  perils  infinite,  and  terrors  wild 

And  various, — fainting  almofl  my  fick  foul — 

She  left  me  at  a  gate  of  glittering  gold. 

Which  opened  inftantaneous  at  the  touch 

•  Madame  de   la  Valiere.     This    fine  PIdure  is  in  the 
Chapel  of  the  Carmelite  Nuns  at  Paris, 

I  Of 


342     THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

Of  homely  Porter  *,  clad  in  wolfey  grey ; 

And  ever  bending  lowly  to  the  ground 

His  modeft  countenance  !    But  what  a  fcenc, 

—Admitted  thro*  the  portal--on  my  fight 

Tranfported  rufh'd  !  High  on  a  fapphire  Throne, 

Amidfl:  a  flame  like  carbuncle,  fat  Love, 

Beaming  forth  living  rays  of  Light  and  Joy 

On  choral  crowds  of  Spirits  infinite, 

In  Immortality  and  Glory  cloath'd ; 

And  hymning  lofty  Strains  to  Minftrelfy 

Of  golden  Harps  accorded,  in  His  praife. 

Love,  uncreate,  effential  j  Love,  which  bled  ; 

"Which  bleeding  blanch'd  topureft  white  their  robe$^ 

And  with  eternal  gold  adorn'd  their  brows  ! 

Diflblv'd,  methought,  and  all  my  fenfes  rapt 
In  vifion  beatific,  to  a  bank 
Of  purple  Amaranthus  was  I  borne 

*  Humility. 


WEEKIV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     145 

By  a  fuperlor  Genius.    His  white  wings 
Diftilling  Panacea,  dove-like  fpread 
Refrefliing  fragrance  o'er  me  :  Firm  of  brow 
And  mafculine  he  feem'd,— th'  enn  bling  Power 
Angelic,  deftin'd  in  the  human  heart 
To  nourifh  Friendship's  flame !    Uprais'd  my 

eyes 
As  from  a  Trance  returning — "  Spirit  bclov'd, 
"  And  honour'd  ever  !'*  anxious  ftrait  I  cried, 
*'  Thrice  welcome  to  my  wilhes !  Oh  impart— 
'*  For  you  can  tell—in  thefe  delightful  Realms 
•^^  Of  happinefs  fupernal,  Ihall  we  know, — 
*'  Say,   fhall  we    meec  and    know  thofe  dearell 

*'  Friends, 
**  Thofe  tender  Relatives,  to  whofe  concerns 
**  You  minifter  appointed  ? — fhall  we  meet 
**  In  mutual  amity  ?  mutual  converfe  hold, 
"  And  live  in  Love  immortal  ? — Oh  relieve 
«  My  aching  heart's  folicitude  ;  and  fay, 

*'  Here  fhall  I  meet,  here  know,  in  boundlefs 
blifs, 

t'  Flere 


144    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.    WEEK  IV. 

«*  Here  view  tranfported,   her,  my  Life's  beft 

'*  Friend, 
•'  My  Sorrows*  faithful   Soother  ?" Gufliing 

tears 
Impetuous  ftopp'd  my  voice ;  and  I  awoke 
To  Earthy  to  Nighty  to  Darknefs^  and  a  J  ail  I 

April  14,  i777i 


END  OF  THE  FOURTH  WEEK. 


THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON: 

WEEK    THE     FIFTH. 


FUTURITY. 

«'  nr'O  Death  devote  !"   Thus  in  the  vernal 

-^  bloom 

Of  redolent  Youth  and  Beauty,  on  the  Crofs 
Hung  high  her  Motto  *  •, — She,  in  Name,  and 
choice 

*  Mifs  Mary  B-f--q--t  whofe  Motto,  encircling  a  Crofs, 
is,  '*  Devoted  to  DtATH."  From  fourteen  Years  of  Age 
fhe  dedicated  herfelf  to  fincere  Religion,  and  to  the  prefent 
IJoiir  has  perfevered  in  the  moft  exemplary  Line  of  Duty. 
Her  Letters  to  the  Author,  in- his  laft  Diftrefs,  afforded  him 
peculiar  comfort. 

T  ©f 


146        THOUGHTS  IN    PRISON.     WEEX V. 

Of  that  far  better  part ^   like  Her  fo  fam'd 
In  ftory  evangelical !—  Sweet  Saint, 
Friend  of  my  Soul,  and  foother  of  my  Grief  ! 
Shall  /  then  dread  in  age,  and  worn  with  woe. 
To  meet  the  King  of  Terrors  ?— Coward  Fear 

Of  what  we  all  muft  meet  :  The  primal  curfe      » 

Of  our  firll  Father  reds  on  all  his  Race, 

And  "  Dull  to  Duft,"  the  Charter  of  Mankind  ! 

But,  were  it  poflible,  oh  !  who  would  wilh 
To  flretch  the  narrow  fpan,  grown  tedious,  ftale. 
With  dull  recurrence  of  the  fame  dull  ads, 
Ev'n  in  its  happieft  ftate  !   a  toilfome  care, 
A    wearying  round  of  Cloathing,    Food,    and 

Sleep  : 
While  chequcr'd  over  with  a  thoufand  ills 

Inevitably  painful  ! In  our  Frame 

Dwell,    Death's  Artillery,  difeafes  dire. 
And  potent  to  diflodge  the  brittle  Life 
With  agonies  Heart-rending  !     In  the  Sottl 

Lurks 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.       1^7 

Lurks  Sin,  the  Serpent,  with  her  fiery  fling 
t  Of  forrow,  rankling  in  the  Confcience  deep. 
Source  of  all  mental  mifery  ! — From  without. 
In  clofe  battalion,  a  black  troop  of  ills 
Level  their  deep-drawn  Arrows  at  our  peace  ; 
And  fail  not,  as  we  pafs  through  Life's  bad  Road, 
To  wound  th'  unguarded  Traveller !     Witnefs 

You 
Who  groan  diftrefs'd  beneath  Oppreflion's  fcourge  5 
Ingratitude's  fharp  Tooth ;  the  canker'd  Tongue 
Of  Slander ;  Fortune's  lofs  ;  or,   bitterer  far. 
The  lofs  of  Fame,  and  foul-connefted  Friends  ! 

Thus   tax'd,  thus  wretched,   can  the  Man  be 
wife. 
Who  wilhes  to  retain  fo  poor  a  Boon  ? 
Who  fears  to  render  the  depofit  up 
To  his  bleft  Hands  who  gave  it  ?  And  who  thus 
Beneficent  hath  ranged  his  moral  pUn, 

T  2  Thus 


H8    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.    WEEK    V. 

Thus  good  with  evil  mix'd  •,  from  Earth's  poor 

Love, 
(School  of  probation  !)    fuffering  Man  to  wean, 
And  raife  his  hopes  to  Heaven  !     Silence  then 
The  whifper  of  complaint  j  low  in  the  duft 
Dilfatisfadion's  Daemons  growl  unheard  ! 
All,  all  is  good,  all  excellent  below  : 
Pain  is  a  biefling  -,  forrow  leads  to  joy, 
Joy  permanent  and  folid  !  Every  ill 
Bears  with  it  love  paternal :  Nay,  even  Death, 
Grim  Death  itfelf,  in  all  its  horrors  clad. 
Is  Man's  fupremeft  privilege  !     It  frees 
The  Soul  from  Prifon,  from  foul  Sin,  from  Woe, 
And  gives  it  back  to  Glory,  Reft,  and  God  ! 

When  will  its  welcome  meflage  lay  at  peace 
My  burden'd,  beating  Heart  ? — Oh  ftrange  !  to 

point 
Thy  Darts,  inexorable  Tyrant,  there y 

Where 


WEEK  V.     T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S  I  N   P  R  I  S  O  N.       149 

Where   Life  laughs  crown'd  with  rofes  ;    when 
thefe  arms. 
Familiar  to  thy  Sifter  Sorrow's  fold. 
Would  fo  delighted  hug  thee.     But  thou  lov'Il 
Full  oft  the  noblefl  quarry,  higheil  aim  : 
Lov'ft,  unfufpefted,   and  with  filent  ftep, 
To  fteal  on  the  fecure  :  Lov'fc  to  deal  round 
Tremendous  and  impartial  thy  ftern  ftrokes, 
AfTerting  terrible  o'er  human-kind 
Thy  empire  irrefiftible  :  And  nov/ 
At  Monarchsy  now  at  Mimicks,  grinning  fcorn. 
Thy  Hand  indifferent  hurls  the  twanging  Shaft. 

Ah,  what  a  groupe  of  primeft  Deer  lie  pierc'd. 
Thou  Hunter  all-vi6lorious,  at  thy  feet  j 
Since  to  thy  Empire  dedicate  I  fell 
From  Life's  bright  Hope,  and  languilh'd  in  this 

Grave, 
This  living,  doleful  Sepulchre  immur'd  ! 

Not 


sst       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.      WEEK  V. 

Not  all  thy  Gold  or  orient  Pearl  could  fa ve 
Thee,  Lufttania^s  Monarch,  from  the  ftroke 
Impending  long  and  dread  !     Nor  Terrick,  thee^ 
Thy  Mitre  and  thy  Rochet !  Enfigns  blefl, 
When  worn  with  fandlity  ;  then  furely  chang'd 
For  Crown  of  Gold,  and  Robe  of  fpotlefs  white  ! 

See,   neither  can  the  Coronet,   nor  Garb 
Of  ermin'd  pomp,  from  Temple  *  turn  afide 
The  level'd  Blow  -,  nor,  higher  far  in  price, 
Th*  uplifted  fhield  of  Janssen's  honeft  Heart  I 
Lo !  too,  as  if  in  Scorn  of  purpled  pride. 
And  all  Life's  glories,  in  this  high  parade 
Funereal  marches, — tragic- A6tor  now^ 
He  who  fo  late  light  on  the  comick  fock 
Trod  the  gay  ftage  j  and  bade  with  Laughter's 

burfl 
Involuntary  the  throng'd  Theatres  refound  ! 

•  CounttTs  of  Temple. 

Ah, 


WEEKV.      THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.      151 

Ah,    food  for  worms,  poor  Woodward  thou, 

no  lefs 
Than  Patriots,  Princes,  CountefTes  and  Priefts  \ 
Death  fcorns  diftindions :  But,  defpotic  power, 
Cloath'd  in  his  direft  terrors,  Hejre  he  reigns, 
Here    revels  !  Here,   with    bittereil  vengeance, 

jfhakes 
O'er  trembling  Convi^s  his  determin'd  Hiaft, 
And  gluts  himfelf  with  horror  !  See  him  lead 
From  yonder  darkfome  Cell,  all  pale  with  woe. 
That  Stranger  *  finking  !  who,  in  lucklefs  Hour, 
With  rafh  Hand  pierc'd  the  bofom  he  ador'd. 
Nor  drank  of  comfort  more  !     Half  in  his  Hearc 
The   black   lance   feftering  flicks  j    and   Death 

himfelf, 
Howe'er  relentlefs,  ere  !ie  drives  it  home. 


*  Alluding  to  Tolofa,  a  poor  unhappy  Spaniard,  lately  ex- 
ecuted for  the  murder  of  hi.  Female  Friend.  He  took  fcarce 
sny  fuftenance  from  the  time  of  tlie  fa>a,  and  v/a5  more  than 
halt   dead  wh«n  convey'd  to  the  place  of  execntlop.. 

Of 


T52      THG  J  GHTS    IN    PRISON.    •  WEEK  V. 

Of  ftrange  commiferation  feels  a  pan^, 

Reludlant  to  his  office  !  — 

But,  that  fhriek — 
Thrilling  with  dread — whence   is  it  !    'Tis   the 
voice 

Of  female  mifery  :  Burftmg  thro'  the  crowd 
To  the  lone  Dungeon,  view  that  lovely  form  *, 
Deck'd  in  the  neateft  white,— yet  not  fo  white 
And  wan  as  her  wild  vifage  :  "  Keep  me  not," 
Raving  flie  cries,   "  Keep  me  not,  cruel  !  from 

"  him. 
*'  lie  dies    this   morn  ;  I    know  it  :  He's  con- 
"   demn'd  -, 

*  This  alfo  alludes  to  a  iniferable  catalUophe,  whichjiop- 
pencd  here  on  the  morning  of  a  late  execution.  The  poor 
young  Woman  who  came  to  vifit  her  Hufband,  had  laln-in  but 
Jevrn  Days.  As  foon  as  the  Kufband's  fetters  were  knocked  ofJ, 
hertepp'd  alldc,  and  cut  his  tluoat  [in  a  difmal  mimner  ;  but 
not  quite  fufficlcntly  to  fiaifh  liis  exigence  : — And  in  that 
(hocking  (late — paid  his  debt  — at  thcdefliii'd  place! 

"  The 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.      i 


S3 


"  The  dreadful  Judge  has  done  it !  He  mufl  die, 
"  My  Hufband  !  and  I'm  come,  clad  in  my  bell, 
"  To  go  and  fufFer  with  him  !    I  have  brouo-ht 
"  Sweet  flowers  to  chear  him,  and  to  llrew  his  corfe, 
"  Pale,  pale,  and  fpeechlefs  lies  it !— Hufband, 

"  come  ! 
*'  The  little  infant,  fruit  of  our  glad  loves, 
"  Smil'd  on  me,  as  with  parting  breath  I  blefl, 
"  And  kifs'd  the  dear  babe  for  thee !   'Tis  but 

"  young ; 
"  'Tis  tender  yet;— feven  days  is  young  in  life : 
"  Angels  will  guard  my  little  innocent : 
"  They'll  feed  it,  tho'  thu  could'fl  not  find  it 

"  food, 
*^  And  it's  poor  Mother  too  !  —And  fo  rhou  dy'fl! 
"  For  me  and  it  thou  dy'fl !  But  not  alone, 
"  Thou  fhalt  not  go  alone ;  I  will  die  v/ith  thee : 
"  Sweet  Mercy  be  upon  us  !  Hence,  hence,  hence!" 
Impetuous  then,  her  white  arms  round  his  neck 
She  threw  j  and  with  deep  groans  would  pierce  a 
rock, 


154     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Sunk  fainting :  Oh  the  Hufband*s,  Father's  pangs, 
Stopping  all  utterance!    Up  to  Heaven  he  roU'd 
His  frantic  eyes;  and  flaring  wildly  round 
In  Dcfperation's  madnefs,  to  his  heart 

Drove  the  deflruflive  fieel! Fell  Death, 

Would'ft  thou  a  fuller  triumph  ? — Oh  my  Wife, 
How  difmal  to  our  ears  the  Ihrieks,  the  groans  !  — 
And  what  a  crowd  of  wild  ideas  prefs 
Diftrading  on  the  foul !     "  Merciful  Heav'n, 
'*  In  pity  fpare  us  !    Say,  It  is  enough, 
"  And  bid  the  avenging  Angel  flay  his  hand!" 

Death  bars  the  plea-,  and  with  his  thund'ring 
flalk 
Brufhing  befide  us,  calls,  in  folemn  found, 
Heed  to  F^is  dart  grief-pointed.     Its  keen  ftroke, 
Ah  gentle  Eleonora  *  !  gives  at  once 

*  Mrs.  Dodd's  fifter ;  who,  in  the  midft  of  our  forrows  did — • 
what  fhe  never  did  before— augment  them,  by  dying  of  a 
heart  broken  with  grief  for  our  calamity.     Oh  mifery  I 

Relief 


WEEKV.    THOUG  HTS    IN  PRISON.        155 

Relief  to  thy  o'er-burthen'd  breaft  •,  to  ours 
Angnifli  unutterable  !  'Tis  ours  he  wounds, 
Thou  amiable  friend  !— whofe  languid  eye 
Ne'er  rais'd  a  look  from  earth,  fince  that  fad  hour. 
When   funk  my  fun!   Thou,  who  from  earlieft 

' youth 
Haft  humbly  fought  thy  God,  thou  art  at  peace: 
Happy,  thrice  happy,  on  that  goldtn  fhore. 
Where  from  the  tolling  of  thcfe  troublous  waves 
We  foon  fhali  land.     Oh  (lay,  Affedionate, 
Oh  wait,  and  welcome  us !   Or,  if  in  Heaven 
Bleft  Saints  retain  concern  for  thofe  on  earth 
Held  in  the  deareft  amity,  become 
Thy  darling  lifter's  Guardian !   As  from  youth. 
From  childhood's  dawn,  her  dear  maternal  guide. 
Be  now,  lov'd  Spirit,  in  this  hour  of  woe 
Her  Angel-comfort,  her  fupport !    Alas, 
What  talk  I  of  fupport,  thou  Mercy's  God  ! 
Yvhen  all  her  condud,  by  thy  grace  infpir'd— 
When  all  her  patient  gentlenefs  and  love, 

U  2  Her 


156      THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

Her  fortitude  unparallel'd,  and  peace. 

Have  Thee  their  Author:  Be  the  glory  Thine! 

But  fay,  my  foul,  'mid ft  thefe  alarming  calls, 
This  dread  familiarity  with  Death  ; 
Our  common  debt,  from  infancy's  firfl  cry 
Denounc'd,  expeded,  iho'  its  fure  approach 
Lurks  in  Unceriainty's  obfcureft  night ;— - 
Our  common  debt,  which  Babes  and  palfied  Seers, 
Princes  and  pilgrims  equally  muft  pay-,-- 
Say,  canft  thou  feel  reluflance  to  difcharge 
7'he  claim  inevitable  ?  Senfelefs  he, 
"Who  in  Life's  gaudieft  moments  fondly  drives 
To  turn  his  eyes  unlieeding  from  the  view 
Jnilruflive.     'iMidfl:  thofe  moments,  deep  it  dwelt 
On  my  reflefling  mind  * -,  a  mind  which  llv'd 
More  in  the  future  than  the  prclent  world  ; 
AVhich,  frequent  cali'd  by  Duty's  folemn  voice 

*  Reflexions  on  Death.— Tiiouglits  on  Epiplinny.— Sei- 
aion  on  Alutual  KfsouL'ledge,  See- 

Froni 


WEEK  V.     THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.       i^y 

From  Earth's  low  fcenes,  on  thofe  fublimer  far 

Hath  ever  thought  delighted ;  and  thofe  thoughts 

Conveying  to  mankind,  in  them  defires 

Its  real  tranfcript,   its  refemblance  true 

May  be  furvey'd.— the  Pid:ure  of  itfelf. 

For,  whatfoe'er  may  be  our  earthly  State, 

The    Mind's   the    Man  :     My   humble    labours,' 

then, 
When  refls  my  part  corporeal  in  the  dull. 

Hang  up  my  living  pourtrait ! — And  to  give 
Thofe  labours  all  their  force,  fummon'd  I  (land 
By  awful  Providence,   to  realize 
The  theoretic  Leflbns  I  have  taught. 
And  lo  !  compos'd,  I  fix  my  dying  feal 
In  atteftation  to  their  Truth,  their  Power, 
Felt  at  my  heart,  my  imnoft  confcience  felt; 
Imparting  triumph  o'er  Life's  Love  ;  o'er  Death 
Confummate  exultation  !  while  my  foul 
Longs  to  go  forth,  and  pants  for  endlefs  day  1 


But 


158      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

But  who  can  wonder,  that  amidil  the  woes. 
Like  a  fv;oln  torrent,  which  with  frightful  roar 
Have  burl>  deftruclive  o'er  me;  'midll  the  lofs 
Of  all  things  dear,  Fame,  Honour,  Peace,  and  Reft-, 
Amidft  the  cruel  fpoiling  of  my  Goods, 
The  bittereft  rancour  of  envenom'd  Spite, 
And  Calumny  unfeeling  *  •,— what  furprize 
That  my  wean'd  foul,  above  this  v/orldly  v;reck. 
With  anxious  expedation  waits  the  call 
From  melancholy  Mourning,  and  dim  Grief, 
To  everlafting  Gladnefs  ?    Powerful  Hope, 
And  ail-fufficient  to  fuitain  the  foul, 
Tho'  walking  thro'  the  darkeft  vale  of  woe  ! 

Who  fnall  difprove  that  Hope  ?  or  who  pretend 
By  fubtle  fophiflry  that  foul  to  rob 

*  Numbcrlefs  letters,  of  a  moft  unchriftlan,  horrid,  and 
cruel  nature,  wore  continually  fent  to  hi.n  in  the  height  of  his 
dillrefTe?;.  Yet  fome  of  thcfe  letters  were  fubfcribed,  A  Lady^ 
A  Cbrijllan,  or  A  Chriplan  Brother. 

Of 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.       159 

Of  its  chief  anchor^  choiceft  privilege. 
And  noblefl:  confolation— "  Steadfaft  Faith 
"  In  great  Futurity's  extended  fcene  : 
"  Eternity  of  Being  ?"  All  things  round 
Arife  in  brighteft  proof:   I  fee  it,  feel  it, 
Thro'  all  my  faculties,  thro'  all  my  powers 
Pervading  irrefillible.     Each  groan 
Sent  from  my  forrowing  heart;  each  fcalding  tear 
From  my  convided  eyes ;  each  fervent, Prayer 
By  meek  Repentance  offer'd  up  to  Heaven, 
AiTerts  my  Immortality  !  proclaims 
A  pardoning. Deity,  and  future  world. 
Nor  lefs  the  thought,  chill,  comfortlefs,  abhorr'd 
Of  loath'd  Annihilatwn  /—From  the  view. 
Humiliating,  mean,  unworthy  Man, 
Almolt  unworthy  reptiles, --glad  I  turn. 
And  triumph  in  exiilence  !    Nay,  each  ill. 
And  every  mundane  trouble  preaches  loud 
The  fame  important  truth.     I  read  it  fair 
And  legibly  engrav'd  on  all  below : 

On 


i6o       THOU  G  HTS   IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

On  aH  the  inequalities  difcern'd 

In  this  perplexing,  mix'd  and  motley  fcene ; 

In  every  rank  and  order  of  Mankind  *  ; 

Nay,  in  the  v/ifeft  lyftem  of  our  laws. 

Inadequate,  imperfec%— and  full  oft 

Unjuft  and  cruel ;  in  this  difmal  Jaily 

And  in  the  proudeil  palaces  alike 

I  read,  and  glory  to  trace  out  the  marks 

Irrefragably  clear  of  future  Life  •, 

Of  Retribution's  juft  and  equal  flate. 

So  Reason  urges:  while  fair  Nature's  fclf. 
At  this  fweet  Seafon  -f- joyfully  throws  in 
Her  atteftation  lovely  :  bids  the  Sun, 
All-bounteous,  pour  his  vivifying  light 


*  See  Macleane's  Anfwer  to  Jenyns,  &c.  p.  52. 
-j-  Spring  :  See  my  Poem  on  the  Epiphany,  vcr.  131,  &:c.. 
I  would  have  that  Poem  confidered,  in  dependence  with  this, 
as  my  Serious  Thoughts  on  thcfe  aweful  iubjcfts,  in  an  early 
period  of  my  life  ;  and  wkich,  in  this  lall  and  dreadful  one,  I 
find  no  reafon  to  alter. 

To 


V/EEK  V.    THOU  G  HTS    IN    PRISON.      i6x 

To  roufe,   and  waken  from  their  wintry  death 
The  Vegetable  Tribe !  Frefh  from  their  Graves, 
At  his  refiftlefs  fummons  flart  they  forth, 
A  verdant  Refurreflion  !     In  each  Plant, 
Each  Flower,  each  Tree  to  blooming  Life  re- 

ftor'd, 
I  trace  the  pledge,   the  earneft,  and  the  type 
Of  Man's  Revival  ;  of  his  future  Rife 

And  Vidlory  o'er  the  Grave,— compelPd  to  yield 
Her  facred,  rich  depofit,  from  the  feed 
Corrupt  and  mortal,  an  immortal  frame 
Glorious  and  incorruptible  ;  like  His, 
The  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs,  whofe  living  power 
The  mighty    work   Ihall  operate  !     Yes,  bricrht 

fource 
Of  fpiritual  Life  !— the  immaterial  World 
Pervading,  quickening,  gladdening,— in  the  Ravs 
Full-orb'd  of  Revelation,  thy  prime  Gift 
I  view  difplay'd  magnificeni:  and  full 
What  Rcafon^  Nature^  in  dim  darknefs  teach, 

X  Thp» 


i62       THOUGHTS   IN   P  R  I  S  O  f .     WEEK  V^ 

Tho'  vifible,  not  diftincl :  I  read  with  joy 

Man's  high  Prerogative  ;  tranfported  read 

7  he  certain,    clear  Dilcovery  of  Life 

And  Imnicrtaiity,  announc'd  by  Thee, 

Parent  of   Truth,  celeftial  Vifitant, 

Fountain  of  all  intelligence  divine  ! 

Of  that  high  Immortalily  tlie  King, 

And  of  that  Life  the  Author  !   How  Man  mounts. 

Mounts  upon  Angel-Wings,  when  iief 'd,  fccur'd ' 

In  that  fublinie  Inheritance  •,  when  ^<ttn 

As  a  terreflrial  ftranger  here ;  a  god 

Coniin'd  a- while  in  Prilbn  of  the  flcfli. 

Scon,  foon  to  foar,  and  meet  Iiis  Rrother-gods, 

Ki3  Fellows,    in  Eternity  i How  creeps. 

Flow  grovels  Human  Nature  !   What  a  Worm, 
An  Infed  of   an  Flour,  poor,  finful,  fad  j 
Dcfpifed  and  defpicable,  reptile-like 
Crawls  Man,  his  moment  on  his  ant-liill  here; 
-—Marking-  his  little  Ihininp;  path  with  Slime,— 

kj  ox  ' 

If  limited  to  Earth,  and  Earth's  brief  round, 

•  •  His 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.       163 

His    painful,    narrow   views  !    Like    the    poor 

Motli, 
By  lights  delufive  to  dellrudion  led  ; 
Still  ftruggling  oft  its  horrors  to  evade. 
Still  more  and  more  involvM  •,  in  Flame  he  lives 
His  tranfient  toilfome  minute  ;  and  expires 
In  fuffocating  Smoak  1 

Hume,   thou  art  gone  ] 
Amidft  the  Catalogue  of  thofe  mow'd  down 
By  Time's   huge  Scythe,  late  noted  *  j  Thou,  be 

fare, 
Wafi:  not  forgotten  1     Author,  Thou  haftgain'd 
Thy  vaft  Ambition's  fummit  :  Fame  was  thine ; 
Wealth  too,  beyond  thy  ampleft  wiOi's  bound 
Encompafs'd  thee  :  And  lo,  the  pageant  ends  I 
For  who,  without  companion's  generous  tear 


*  Sec  Page  150.  and  Mr.  Hume's  Life^  written  hy  himfelf; 
with  a  Letter  by  pr.  Smith,  giving  an  account  of  his  Death. 

X  2  Thy 


164       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

Thy  Mind,  at  once  capacious  and  humane, 
Can  view,  to  Truth,  to  Hope  immortal  dead  ? 
Thy  penetrating  Reafon,  fubtle,  ftrong, 
Hoodwink'd  by  dark  Infatuation's  veil ; 
And  all  thy  fine  and  manly  fenfe  employ'd. 
Even  on  Eternity's  thrice-aweful  verge. 
To  trifle  with  the  wonders  of  a  State 
Refpeflably  alarrr.ing  !  Of  a  State 
Whcfe  Being  gives  to  A^an—hzd  given  to  Tbee, 
(Accepted  by  the  humble  hand  of  Faith) 
True  Glory,  folid  Fame,  and  boundlefs  Wealth  ! 
Treafures  that  wax  not  old. 

Oh  the  high  blefTings  of  Humility  I 
Man's  firftand  richeft  Grace  !  Of  Virtue,  Truth, 
Knowledge  and  Exaltation,   certain  Source, 
And  moil  abundant :  Pregnant  of  all  good  ; 
And,  poor  in  fhcv/,  to  treafures  infinite 
Infallibly  conducing  •,  her  lure  gift ! 
So,  when  old  Hyems  has  deform'd  the  Year, 

We 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.      165 

We  view,  on  fam'd  Burgundia's  craggy  cliffs. 
The   flow  vines,    fcarce  diftind:,  on  the  brown 

Earth 
Negleded  lye  and  grov'ling  i—promife  poor 
From  plane  fo  humble,  of  the  fwelling  grape 
In  glowing  ckifters  purpling  o'er  the  hills  :— 
"When  all  impregnating  rolls  forth  the  Sun, 
And  from  the  mean  ftalk  pours  a  lufcious  flood 
Of  juice  nedareous  thro'  the  laughing  land  ! 

Nervous  EfTayift  !  haply  had  thy  pen. 
Of  mafculine  abi'lity,   this  theme 
Purfu'd  intelligent ;  from  lowly  Heart 
Delineating  true  the  features  mild 
Of  genuine  Humility  ;  Mankind, 
Now  wilder'd  by  thy  fophiflry,  had  blcfs'd 
Andhonour'd  well  thy  teaching  :   Whiift  thyfelf 
Secure  had  fail'd  and  happy  •,  nor  been  caft 
On  Pride's  black  Rocks,  or  empty  Scorn's  bleak 
Shore ! 

Protid 


J "6    THOUGHTS    IN    P R  I  S  O  N.      WEEK  V. 

Proud  Scorn,  liow  poor  and   blind  !   How  it  at 
once 
Dcfrroys  the  fight,  and  makes  us  think  we  fee  ! 
While  defperate  Ridicule  in  Wit's  wild  hands 
Implants  a  dangerous  weapon  !     How  it  warps 
From  clear  difcernment,  and  conclufions  juft, 
Ev'n  captive  Reafon's  felf !     How  gay  foe'er— 
(Ah  milplac'd  gaiety,  on  fuch  a  theme. 
In  Life's  laft  Hour  !)— on  Charon's  crazy  Bark, 
On  'Tartarus  and  Elyfium,  and  the  Pomp 
Solemn  and  dreaded  of  dark  Pagans  Hell ; 
Thy  reafoning  powers  knew  well,  full  well    to 

draw 
Dedudions  true  from  Fables  grofs  as  thefe. 
By  Poet's  fancy  h-ighten'd  !     Well  thou  knew'ft 
The  deep  intelligence,  thefolid  truth 
Conceal'd  beneath  the  myflic  tale  ;  well  knew'il 
Fables  like  thcfc,  familiar  to  Mankind 
In  every  Nation,  every  Clime,  through  Earth 
Widely  difleminate,  through  Earth  proclaim'd 

In 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.        167 

In  language  ftrong,  intelligent  and  clear, 
"  A  future  State  retributive  :'*     Thou  knew'fV, 
That  in  each  Age  the  JVife  embrac'd  the  Truth, 
And  gloried  in  an  Hope,  how  dim  foe'er. 
Which   Thou,    amidft  the  Blaze,    the  Noon  day 

Blaze 
Of  Chriilian  information,  madly  fcomMft 
And  dy'dft  infuking  !     Hail,  of  ancient  Times, 
Worthies  and  fam'd  Believers  !   Phic,  hall! 
And  thou,  imm.ortal  SocroJss  I  of  Rome 
Prime  ornament  and  boaft,  my  Tully^  hail ! 
Friend  and  companion  of  my  ftudious  life, 
In  eloquence  and  found  philofophy 
Alike  fuperlative  !--Wiih  minds  enlarg'd. 
Yet  teachable  and  modefr,   how  ye  fought. 
You  and  your  kindred  fouls,-- -hvov/  daily  dug 
For  Wifdom,  as  the  Labourer  in  the  Mine^! 
llowgrop'd,  in  Fancy's  and  dark  Fable's  night. 
Your  way  afiiduous,  painful  !   Flow  dilceni'd. 
By  the  mind's  trembling,  unalTiiled  light,— 

(Or 
3 


i£8        THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

(Or,   haply,   aided  by  a  fcatter'd  ray 

0[ d'lHsint  Revelation,  half  extindj 

The  glimmer  of  a  dawn  j  the  twinkling  ftar 

Of  Day-light  far  remote  !  How  figh'd  fincere 

For  fuller  information  1  and  how  long'd. 

How  panted  for  admiffion  to  that  World 

O'er  which  hung  veils  impervious !   Sages,  yes. 

Your  fcarch  ingenuous  proves  it :  every  page 

Immortal  of  your  v/ritings  fpeaks  this  truth  ! 

Hear,  ye  minute  Philofophers  ;  ye  herd 

Of  mean  Half-thinkers,  who  chief  glory  place 

In  boldnefs  to  arraign  and  judge  your  God, 

And  think  that  fingularity  is  fenfe  ! 

Hear,  and  be  humbled  :    Socrates  himfelf  *--- 

And   kim  you   boail  your   Mq/ler^-— would   have 

fall'n 
In  humble,    thankful  reverence  at  the  Feet 
Of  Jesus— -and  drank  Wifdom  from  his  Tongue  \ 

*   Alluding  to  his  celebrated  X'i' ilL  oi    Divine   Ulumination 
from  (otnG  Jit/>ericr  Po-ivtr. 

Divineil: 


WEEK  V.    THOUG  HTS    IN   PRIS  ON.      169 

Dlvlneft  Fountain  !  From  tlie  copious  Stream 
Then  drink  we  freely,  gladly,  plenteous  draughts 
Of  ever-living  Wifdom  ;  Knowledge  clear. 
And  otherwife  attainlefs,  of  that  ftate 
Supernal,  glorious ;  where,  in  Angel-form 
And   Angel-blelTednefs  *,    from   Death's    dread 

power,  *■ 

From  Sin's  dominion,  and  from  Sorrov/'s  fenfe 
Emancipated  ever,  we  fhall  fliare 
Complete,   uninterrupted,  boundlefs  blifs ; 
Inceffant  flowing  forth  from  God's  right  hand. 
Well  of  perennial  joy  f  !    Our  moral  powers. 
By  perfedt  pure  Benevolence  enlarg'd. 
With  univerfal  Sympathy  {hall  glow 
Love's  flame  ethereal !   and  from  God  himfelf. 
Love's  primal  Source,  and  ever-blefTing  Sun, 
Receive,  and  round  communicate  ihs  warmth 
Of  Gladnefs  and  of  Glory  !    Then  fnali  rule, 

*  l7ccyyi\oi.  t  See  Pfalm  xlv.  12. 

Y  From 


1 70       T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S    1  N   P  R  I  S  O  N.    WEE^C  V, 

From  dregs  of  fordid  intereft  defecate. 
Immortal  Friendfljip.     Then  too  fhall  we  trace—- 
With  minds  congenial  and  athirfl  for  Tru'h 
Sincere  and  fimple,-— the  Creator's  works. 
Illumined  by  the  intelleclual  foul, 
Refin'd,  exalted  [—Animating  thought! 
To  talk  with  Plato-,  or  with  Newton  tread 
Thro'  Empyrean  fpace  the  boundlefs  track 
Of  flars  erratick,  or  the  comet  vague 
With  fiery  luftre  wandering  thro'  the  depths 
Of  the  blue  void^  exhauftlefs,  infinite-. 
While  all  its  wonders,  all  its  myftic  ufe 
Kxpand  themfelves  to  tlie  admiring  fight ! 

Defcendiiig  then  from  the  celeftial  rang5 
Of  planetary  worlds,  how  bkft  to  walk 
And  trace  \'?ith  thee,  Nature's  true  liOver,  Hale,- 

-— In  fcience  fao;e  and  venerable-— trace 
Thro'  Vegetation's  principle,  the  God  ! 
Head  in  each  tube,  capillary,  and  root, 

5  irt 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS  IN    PRISON.       171 

In  every  leaf  and  blofTom,  fruit  and  flower. 
Creative  Energy,  confummate  Art, 
Beauty  and  bounty  blended  and  complete  ? 
Oh  what  a  burfl:  of  wifdom  and  delight, 
Intelligence  and  pleafure,  to  engage 
Th' enraptur'd  mind  for  ages !  'Tvvere  too'^lliort 
Eternity  itfelf,  with  reafoning  queft 
To  fearch,  to  contemplate  great  Nature's  God 
'  Throuo-h  alliiis  Nature's  woiks !  Suns,  Stars,  and 
Skies, 
With  all  their  vail  and  elemental  ftore : 
Seas,  with  their  finny  myriads :   Birds,  that  wing 
With  glittering  pinions  the  clailic  air, 
(And  Jill  the  woods  with  mufic  :  Animals, 
That  feed,  that  clothe,  that  labour  for  their  Lord, 
Proud  Man  •,  and  half  up  to  his  reafon  climb 
By  inftind  marvellous  !  Fruits,  that  inlinite 
In  slow  and  tafle  refrefh  Creation's  toil  •, 
And  Flowers,  that  rich  in  fcent  their  incenfe  fwect, 
—-Delicious  offering  both  to  God  and  Man,— 

y  2  iJreatliTC 


172       THOU  GUTS    I  N   PRISON.      WEEK:  V. 

Breathe  free  from  velvet  variegated  hucr,. 

And  fpeak  celeftial  kindnefs  !  Then,  from  thefe 

His  lelTer  wonders— -Fam'd  Anatomijls^ 

Ye,  who  with  fcrupulous,  but  ftill  painful  fearch, 

Pore  doubtful  in  the  dark  reqpfs  of  Life  •^— 

Then  turn  we,  ChsfeUen^  to  Man  j  fo  form'd 

With  fear  and  v/onder  by  the  Mafbcr-hand  ! 

And  learn  we,  from  difcoveiy  of  the  fprings 

Of  this  divine  Automatcn  ;  the  blood 

In  nimble  currents  courfing  thro'  tlie  veins 

And  purple  arteries;  the  fibres  fine; 

The  tubal  nerves,  fo  ramified,  and  quick 

To  keen  fenfition  ;  all  the  various  parts 

So  complicate,  yet  diflinft;  adapted  each 

Its  functions  with  minutenefs  to  fulfill, 

"While  to  the  one  great  end  concurring  all 

With  harmony  unvarying! Learn  we  hence 

The  Wifdom  exquifite,  which  gave  to  life, 
To  motion,  this  his  prime,  his  chief  machine ! 
And  fuperadued,  in  liis  Loye's  difplay, 

T!ie 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.,    173 

The  foul's  fuperior,  intelle6lual  rule  •, 
Conncftion  wonderful !  and  till  that  hour 
Of  all-expanding  Knowledge,  to  Man's  mind 
Inexplicable  ftill,  and  ftill  unknown  ! 

How  rife  upon  the  thoijght,  to  truth  attent. 
Truths  new  and  interefting,  'midft  this  field 
Of  univerfal  Science !— Nor  fnall  then 
The  Spirit's  k;xt  and  influence  on  our  frame,, 
Grofs  and  material,  be  alone  evolv'd 
"To  our  aflonilli'd  view.     Spirit  itfelf. 
Its  nature,  properties,  difcinftions,  powers, 

Deep  fubjed  of  inveftigation  deep. 

And  chief  Refolver  of  Man's  anxious  doubtS; 
Tho'  to  his  fight  impoffible,  or  fearcl\, 
V/hile  darken'd  by  mortality- --fhall  rife. 
Soon  as  he  burfts  the  barrier  of  the  Grave, 
Clear  and  familiar  on  his  fight  enlarg'd : 
Seen  in  himfdf,  beatified,  and  cloath'd 
With  fpiritual  glory  :  in  the  Angelic  world 

Seen 


474     THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Seen  and  admir'd.     And,— oh  extatic  view, 
Whofc  fight  is  perfed  blifs,  transforming,  pure  *,- 
Seen  and  ador'd  ii]  Thee,  great  Firjl  and  Lajiy 
Sole,  felf-exiftent  Thou,  the  gracious  Caufe 
Of  all  exiftence  ;   Infinitely  bleft. 
Yet  pleas'd  with  life  and  being  to  impart 
That  bkfling  to  innumerous  creatures  round  ! 
Spirit  of  the  Univerfe,  thro'  all  diffus'd. 
And  animating  all  f  Dread  Triune  God  -f. 


*  There  muft  be  Sympathy  in  the  Future  State,  to  render  it 
uniformly  complete  and  perfeA.  We  can  have  no  pleafure  in 
God,  or  God  in  Us,  but  from  that  fympathy  arifing  from 
fimilitude.  We  mutl  be  made  like  God  to  enjoy  beatific  vifion. 
Bring  a  bad  man  to  Heaven,  with  a  foul  encrufled  and  hw^ 
faalised,  he  would  have  no  pleafure  in  it,  nor  could  he  endure 
ihs  li*ht  J  any  more  than  reptiles,  that  grovel  in  a  cave  amidft 
filth  and  daikacfs,  could  endure  the  fplendors  of  the  mid- 
d:iv  Sun.  Shakefpear's  defcription  is,  in  this  view,  highly 
animated  : 

*^'  For  Vice,  tho*  to  a  radiant  Angel  link'd^ 
"  Would  fate  itfjlf  in  a  celeflial  bed, 
"  And  prey  on  garbage," 

•{-  Sec  Maclean'*s  Anfv.er  to  Jenyns,  p.  72. 

With 


WEEKV,    THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.      175 

With  beams  exhauftlefs  of  Eternal  Love, 

Of  Life,   of  Glory,  from  thy  central  Throne 

Shining  beneficent  -,  and  kindling  warm 

In  every  Being  fubjed  to  thy  Rule, 

Thy  wonderous,  wide  Infinitude  of  Rule, 

Devotion's  Rapture  and  Thankfgiving's  S-ong; 

Mellifluous  Songs,  and  Hallelujahs  high  ! 

New  wonders  elevate  !    For  not  alone 
By  Contemplation  up  to  Nature's  God 
From  Nature's  works  afcending,  Ihall  the  Soul 
Beatified  receive  in  future  Blifs 
AcceiTions  of  Delight  through  endlefs  day  :-^. 
Lo,  what  a  fcene,  engaging  and  profound, 
Prefents  itfelf— the  darkening  curtain  drawn—; 
From  the  high  A6ls  oi  Providence,  difplay'd 
la.  one  clear  view  confident;  in  one  end 
Important,  grand,  concent'ring :  one  defign 
Superlatively  gracious,  through  the  whole 

Purfu'd  invariably  s  e'en  from  the  hour 

When 


176      THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.    WEEK  V-; 

When  pafs'd  the  fentence  on  die  Serpent's  head. 
To  that  thrice-awful  moment,  when  the  Son 
His  Viaor-Car  o'er  Death  and  Hell  Ihall  drive 
Triumphant,  and  bolt  faft  the  gates  of  Time ! 

XJnroU'd  the  myflic  Volume,  we  behold 
In  characters  of  wifdom  ftrong  pourtray'd 
The  Rife  and  Fall  of  Empires  -,  m  thy  hand 
Omnipotent,  or  inltruments  of  good. 
Of  of  thy  Juftice  punitive  and  dre^d 
Awful  difpenfers !  There,  of  Heroes,  Kings, 
Sages  and  Saints,  of  Prophets  and  of  Priefts, 
Thy  diftributions,  difficult  but  wife, 
Difcerning,  fhall  we  gratefully  adore  : 
And  in  the  long,  long  chain  of  feeming  Chance, 
And  Accidents  fortuitous,  lliall  trace 
Omnifcience  all-combining,  guiding  all ! 
No  difpenfations  then  will  feem  too  hard. 
Through  temporary  ills  to  blifsful  life 
Leading,  tho'  labyrinthal !  All  will  Ihine 
jn  open  day  :  all,  o'er  the  mighty  plan, 

Difcover 


WEEK  V.    T  PI  OUGHTS    IN    PRISON.         177 

Difcover  thee,  with  Wifdom  infinite 
Prefiding  glorious  :   All  thy  Itedfaft  truth. 
And  love  paternal,  manifeft  ;   while  falls 
The  proftrate  World  of  Spirits,  Angels,   Saints, 
In  Adoration's  homage  'fore  Jiy  throne  ! 

Noj'  to  our   Earth,  or  Earth's   poor  confines 
bound ; 
The  Soul  dilated,  glorified  and  free, 
On  Seraph's  wings  fhall  foar,  and  drink  in  glad, 
New  draughts  of  high  delight  from  each  lurvey 
Of  its  Creator's  Kingdoms !   Pleas'd  fliall  pafs 
From  flar  to  ftar ;   from  planetary  worlds. 
And  fyflems  far  remote,  to  fyftems,  worlds 
Remoter  ftill,  in  boundlefs  dep.  hs  of  Space ; 
Each  peopled  with  its  myriads :   and  Hi  all  learn 
The  wife  and  firiil  dependance  of  the  whole; 
Concatenation  flriking  of  Thy  work?, 
AU-perfe6t,  mighty  Mader  !    Wonder-loll 
Ip,  the  vail  view  of  Syftems  numberiefs, 

Z  All 


178       THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

All  regular,  in  one  eternal  round 
Of  beauteous  order  rolling  !    All  defign'd 
With  fkill  confummate  •,  tending  to  one  goal  j 
And  manifefting  all,  in  charaflers 
Tranfparent  as  the  diamond's  brilliant  blaze, 
Their  Sovereign  Ruler's  JJitity  of  Willy 
His  all-efficient  Wifdom,  and  his  Love^ 
Jn  Grace  and  Glory  infinite  -,  the  chain 
Connefling  firm,  and  through  its  every  link 
Transfufing  Life's  ineffable  delights ! 

Oh  Goodnefs  Providential !   lleeplefs  Care ! 
Intent,   as  ever  bleft,  to  blefs  the  whole  ! 
What  plaudits  from  that  Whole  are  due,  fhall  burft 
From  full  Creation's  Univerfal  Choir ! 

Then,    oh    tranfporting !    fhall    the    Scheme 
profound. 
Heaven's  labour,  and  of  Angels'  anxious  thought 
Sublimeft  meditation  ;— then  fhall  blaze 
In  fullefl  Glory  on  the  Race  redeem'd, 

Redemption's 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      179 

Redemption's    boundlefs    Mercy !- — High     in 

Heav'u, 
To  millions  bleft,  rejoicing  in  its  Grace, 
And  hymning  all  its  bounties,  Ihall  the  Crofs, 
Thy  Crofs,    i\ll-conquering   Saviour!    be  dif- 

play'd  ; 
While  Seraphs  veil  their  glories  j  and  while  men. 
Thronging  innumerable  proftrate  fall 
Before  thy  feet ;    and  to  the  bleeding  Lamb 
Afcribe  their  free  Salvation ! 

'Midil  that  throng 
Of  Spirits  juftified,  and  thro'  Thy  blood 
Cleans'd,  perfected  and  bleft,  might  I  be  found. 
To  fcenes  fo  high  exalted  ;  to  fuch  views 
Ennobling  brought,  fuch  intelleft  refin'd. 
Such  Light  and  Love,  fuch  Holinefs  and  Peace; 
Such  Spheres  of  Science,  and  fuch  Realms  of  Reft  ! 
Ah,  how  I'd  fcorn  the  pafTage  ftrait  of  Death, 
How  doleful  e'er,  and  horrid !   How  I'd  look 

Z  2  With 


I  So        THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

With  fteadfaftnels  iinfliuken  through  the  Grave, 
And  fmile  o'er  all  its  faunefs !    1  low  I'd  rife 
Exulting,  great  Forerunner,  o'er  the  waves 
And  bitternefs  of  Life!    How,  ilnil  ng,  court 
E'en  the  fell  hand  of  Horror,  to  difmifs 
From  Earth,  from.Darknefi,  my  delighted  foul 
To  Fleaven,  to  God,  and  everlafiing  Day  ! 

Teacher  of  Truth,  blefl  Jesu  !— On  the  throne 
Of  majefty  co  e  ;uai  Thou  who  fitt'ft 
From  all  Fternity  in  Glory's  blaze 
With  thy  Almighty  Farher !    Thou,  benign. 
From  bofom  of  that  Father  had  brought  down 
Inreliisence  to  Man  of  this  bkil  ftate 
Coniblatory,  rational  •,  and  fraught 
With  every  good  beyond  the  higheft  reach 
Of  Man's  fupreme  conception  !   How  Ihall  thea 
In  equal  language  Man  his  homage  pay. 
Or  grateful  laud  thy  goodnefs  !   Sons  of  Greece^ 
Or  ye,  who  in  old  Times,  of  fcvenfold  Nile, 

Proud 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        iSx 

Proud  'J'yber,  or  the  Ganges^  facred  flood 
Religious  drank,  and  to  your  dremons  dark 
Paid  Superftiiiop's  tribute;— tho' I  trace 
Delighted,  in  your  vifions  of  the  world 

Beyond  the  Grave,  your  dreams  of  Future  Life, 

Proofs  of  that  Life's  firm  credence,  of  your  Faith 

In  the  foul's  deathlefs  Nature  •,  -Yet  with  tears 

Of  human  Pity,  humbled  o'er  the  fenfe 

Of  human  Imbecillity,  I  read 

Your  futile  fables,  puerile  and  poor ; 

To  the  Soul's  life,  to  Virtue's  godlike  Love 

Unanimating,  ufelefs  ;   while  illum'd 

By  Gofpel-fplendor,—t\{Q,  no  doubt,  as  dark 

And  worthy  pity — owns  my  heart  rejoic'd, 

That  Gofpel's  eniinence  of  Wifdom,  Truth, 

And  heavenly  Emanation,  in  its  traits 

Of  future  Life  fuperlatively  drawn  ! 

And  who  could  paint  that  life,  that  fcene  defcribe 
Immortal,  and  All-glorious,— from  the  view 

Of 


iZz        THOUGHTS   IN  PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Of  mortals  fhrouded  ever,-fave  the  Son, 
Who  from  Eternity  that   life  enjoy'd; 
And  came  in  condefcenfion  to  reveal 
A  glimpfe  of  its  perfection  to  Mankind  ? 

Prefumption  vain  and  arrogant,  in  Man, 
To  think  of  flcetching  with  his  weak,  faint  line, 
A  fcene  To  much  above  him  !    And  behold 
That  vain  Prefumption  punilh'd  as  it  ought. 
In  Arahf^  Impojlor^  dark  and  lewd  j 
Who  dar'd,  with  temporary  follies  fraught. 
And  low  Self-intereft,  (talking  in  the  van 
Of  mad  Ambition's  route--to  cheat  his  train. 
Deluded  by  his  darings,  with  the  hope 
Of  fenfual  ravifhment,  and  carnal  joys 
Perpetual  in  the  Paradife  of  God  ; 
Referv'd— for  Sons  of  Murder  and  of  Luft ! 

« 
Shame  on  the  impious  madnefs !  Nor  Icfs  fhame 

Muft  Truth  indignant  dart  on  thofe,  who  boaft 

Exdufive 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.         183 

Exdujive  Chrijlianity  •,  yet  dare, 
Prefumptuous,  in  their  fancied  Penal  Fire 
To  fetter  the  free  Soul,  "  till  the  foul  fins 
*'  Done  in  its  days  of  nature  be  purged  out, 
"  And  burn'd  away  * ;"  unlefs  by  lucky  chance 
The  oft-repeated  mafs^  thro'  potent  gold, — 
AU'facred  influence  ! — gain'd,  unlocks  the  door 
Of  difmal  Prifon-houfe ;  and  gives  the  foul 
Enfranchis'd,  up  to  Peter's  better  care  ! 

Prepofterous,  weak  delufion  !   ftrange  reproach 
To  Chriftian  fapience,  and  to  manly  fenfe ! 
But  not  to  Christ's  true  Gofpel^  and  the  Code 
Of  Revelation  pure  ;  before  whofe  Light, 
Refplendently  informing.  Fables  old 
Like  thefe,  and  vain  (of  Ignorance  the  birth. 
Or  coinage  facerdotal,  in  an  age 
Of  grofs  Cimmerian  darknefs,)  growling  hide 
Their  ignominious  heads  :  As  birds  of  night, 

*  See  Hamlet. 

Reptiles 


i84       THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Reptiles,  and  beads  of  pr  y  before  the  Sun, 
Mounting  the  mifty  hills,  in  fplendor  rob'd,  J 
And  beaming  all  around  refulgent  Day  ! 

Other,  far  other,  from  that  luminous  Code 
Breaks  on  the  rational,  enlighten'd  mind 
In  T  erfe£l  Beauty  that  exalted  ftate. 
Of  v/hnfe  high  Excellence  our  fight  hath  dar'd, 
How  dim  f  c-'er,  to  take  an  humble  glimpfe; 
A  peep  into  its  wonders !-— But  what  tongue 
Of  Man  in  language  adequate  can  tell. 
What  mortal  pencil  worthily  pourtray 
That   Excellence,    thofe  Wonders?    where   nor 

Nor  5/.';,  re.  3?/;?  fhall  enter  ever  ;— where 
Each  111  excluded,  every  Good  fnail  reign; 
Where  Day  fhall  ne'er  decline  ^  but  ceafelefs  Light 
—The  Lamb's  eternal  luftre-blazing  blefs 
With  falut^'y  GJory !  where  fhall  fmile 
One    pring  unvarying  ;  and  glad  Nature  teem 

J  Spontaneous 


WEEKV.     THOUG  HTS  IN  PRISON.         185 

Spontaneous  with  exuberance  of  Bounty! 

Where,  in  immortal  health,  the  Frame  fublim'd, 

Refin'd,  exalted  thro'  the  chymick  Grave, 

In  union  with  the  Soul  made  perfeft,  pure, ' 

And  to  the  likenefs  of   its  God  transform'd  5 

Shall  find  for  every  fenfe  divine  employ, 

Gratification  ample,  exquifite. 

Angelical  and  holy  :  Chief  in  fight. 

In  vifion  beatific  of  its  God  ; 

In  blefi  communion  of  his  Love  ;  in  praife,        ' 

High  choral  praife,  ft  rung  to  the  golden  harp 

In  unifon  eternal,  with  the  throng, 

Thoufands     of   Thoufands    that    furround    the 

Throne, 
And  feel  his  praife  their  Glory  and  their  Blifs  ! 

There  too  his  Work*  conftantth'  adoring  Soul 
Shall  pleas'd  inveftigate  ;  and  conftant  find 
Frefh   well-fpring    of   delight ;     there    confiiant 
fliare 

A  a  The 


i86      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

,The  lov'd  Society  and  Converfe  high 

Of  all  the  Good,  the  Wife,  the  truly  Great 

Of  every  Age  and  Clime  ;  with  Saints  and  Seers 

Divine  communication  holding,  rapt 

Perpetually  in  new  and  deep  difplays 

Of  Wifdom  boundlefs,   and  of  perfed  Love. 

Then  too,  oh  Joy  !   amidft  this  blaze  of  good. 

This  confummation  rich  of  highefl  blifs  ; 

Then  ihall  we  meet,— meet  never  more  to  part, 

Dear,  dear,  departed  Friends  !   and  then  enjoy 

Eternal  Amity.     My  Parents  then. 

My  Touth^s  Companions* I From  mymoifien'd 

cheeks 
Dry  the  unv/orthy  Tear !  Where  art  Thou,  Death  ? 
Is  This  a  caufe  for  mourning  ?--What  a  date 
Of   Happinefs  exalted  lies  before  me  ! 
To,    my  bared    bofom     Strike: — I   court   the 

blow  : 

*  See  Thoughts  on  the  Epiphany,  v.  331,  &c. 

I  long, 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS    IN  PRISON.        iS; 

I  long,  I  pant  for  everlalling  Day, 
For  Glory,  Immortality,  and  God  ! 

But  ah  !  why  droops  my  Soul  ?  why  o'er  mc 
thus 
Comes  a  chill  cl©ud  ?  Such  triumph  well  befuits 
The  faiihful ChnH'mn  •,  Thee  had  fuited  well, 
If  haply  perfevering  in  the  Courfe, 
As  firil  thy  Race  exultingly  began. 
But  Thou  art  fallen,  fallen  !   Oh,  my  Heart, 
What  dire  compunftion  !— -funk  in  foul  offence, 
A  Prifoner,  and  condemn'd  :  An  outcall  vile  j 
Bye-word  and  fcorn  of  an  indignant  World, 
Who  reprobate  with  Horror  thy  ill  Deeds  ; 
Turn  from  thee  loath'd  ;  and  to  damnation  juil 
AfTign,  unpitying,  thy  devoted  Head, 
Loaded  with  every  Infamy  ! 

Diead  God 
Of  Juftlce  and  of  Mercy  !  wilt  Thou  too, 

A  a  2  In 


1 83      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     V/EEK  V. 

In  fearful  Indignation  on  my  Soul, 
My  anguifh'd  Soul,  the  door  of  pity  clofe, 
And  fliut  me  from  Thee  ever  ?— Lo  !   in  dufl, 
Humiliant,  proilrate,  weeping  'fore  thy  Throne- 
Before  thy  Crofs,  oh  dying  Friend  of  Man, 
Friend  of  repentant  Sinners,  I  confefs, 
And  mourn  my  deep  Tranfgreffions  ;  as  the  fand 
Innumerous,  as  the  glowing  crimfon  red  : 
With  every  Aggravation,  every  Guilt 
Accumulate  and  burden'd  !  Againft  Light, 
'Gainfb  Love  and  cleared  Knowldge  perpetrate  ! 
Stamp'd  with  Ingratitude^s  mod  odious  Ilain  j 
Ingratitude  to  Thee  -,  whofe  favouring  Love  • 
Had  blefs'd  m.e,  had  difiinguilh'd  me  with  Grace, 

With  Goodnefs  far  beyond  my  wifh  or  worth  ! 
Ingratitude  to  Man  ;  whofe  partial  Ear 
Attended  to  my  Doiftrine  with  delight ; 
And  from  my  Zeal  confpicuous  jufcly  claim'd 

Confpicuous  Example  ! Lord,  I  fink 

0'crv;helm'd  with  fclf- conviction,  with  difmay, 

With 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHTS   IN   PRISON.       189 

With  anguifh  and  confufion  paft  compare  ! 
And  could  I  weep  whole  Seas  of  briny  Tears 
In  painful  penitence  ;  could  I  deplore 
From   my   Heart's  aching  Fountain,   Drop    by 

Drop, 
My   Crimes  and   Follies ;    my  deep   Grief  and 

Shame,  > 

For  vile  difiionour  on  thy  Gofpel  brought  -, 
For  vile  difcredit  to  my  Order  done  ; 
For  deep  Offence  againft  my  Country's  Laws  -, 
For  deep  Offence  to  Piety  and  Man  -, 
A  patriarchal  Age  would  be  too  iliort 
To  fpeak  my  Sorrows,   and  lament  my  Sins  ; 
Chief,  as  I  am,  of  Sinners  !      Guiltier  far 
Than  He  who,  falling,  at  the  Cock's  ilirill  call 

Roie,   and  repented  weeping  :  Guiltier  far- 

I  dare  not  fay,  than  Judas  -,  for  my  Heart 
Hath  ever  Icv'd,— could  never  have  betray'd^ 
Oh  never,  never,  Thee,  dear  Lord  !  to  Death ; 

Tho'  cruelly,   unkindly  and  unwife. 

That 


190      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V, 

That  Heart  hath  facrific'd  its  Truth  and  Peace, 
—For  v/hat  a  Ihameful,  what  a  paltry  Price  !  — 
To  Sin,  detefted  Sin  •,  and  done  Thee  wrong, 
Oh  blefled  Source  of  all  its  Good,    its  Kope  ' 
For  tho',  thus  funk,  thus  finful,  forrowing  thus, 
It  dare  not,  cinno   Judas'  Crime  commit, 
Laft  Crime,— and  of  thy  Mercy,  Lord,  defpair ! 
But,  confciousof  its  Guilt-,  contrite  and  plung'd 
In  lowed  felf-abjedion,  in  the  depths 
Of  fad  compunftion,  of  repentance  due 
And  undiffembled,    to  thy  Cross  it  cleaves,'' 

And  cries  for ardent  cries  for  Mercy,  Lord  ! 

Mercy,  its  only  Refuge  !  Mercy,  Christ  ! 
By  the  Red  Drops  that  in  the  Garden  gufli'd 
'Midfl:  thy  Soul's  anguifh  from  Thee  !    By  the 

Drops 
That    down  thy    precious    Temples,    from   the 

Crown 
Of   Agony  diftill'd  !  By  thofe  that  flow'd 
From  thy  pierc'd  Hands,  and  blefled  Feet  fo  free  j 
By  all  thy  Blood,  thy  Sufferings,  and  th)    Death, 

Mercy, 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.        191 

Mercy,  oh  Mercy,  Jesus  '   Mercy,  Thou, 
Who  erft  on  David,  with  a  clement  Eye, 
When  mournh-ig  at  thy  Footftool,   deign'dft  to 

look  ! 
Thou,  who  th*  adulterous  Magdalen  forgav'ft. 
When  in  the  winning  garb  of  penitence 
ContHte  flie  knelt,  and  with  her  flowing  Tears 
Wafh'd  lowly  thy  lov'd  Feet!    Nor  Thou   the 

Thief, 
Even  in  the  laft,  the  bittereft  Hour  of  Pain, 
Refufed'ft,  gracious .!   Nor  wilt  Thou  refufe 
My  humble  fupplication  !  nor  rejed 
My  broken,   bleeding  Heart,  thus  ofFer'd  up 
On  true  Contrition's  Altar ;  while  thro'  Thee, 
Only  thro'  Thee  acceptance  do  I  hope. 
Thou  bleeding  Love  !  confum.mate  Advocate, 
Prevailing  Intercefibr,  great  High  Prieft, 
Almighty  Sufferer  !  Oh  look  pitying  down  ! 
On  thy  fufficient  Merits  I  depend  ; 
From  thy  unbounded  Mercies  I  implore 

I  The 


192       THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

Thie  Look  of  Pardon,  and  the  Voice  of  Grace,— 
Grace,  Grace  !— Victorious  Conqueror  over  Sin, 
O'er  Death,  o'er  Hell,  for  Me,  for  all  Mankind  -, 
For  Grace  I  plead  :  Repentant  at  thy  Feet 
I  throw  myfelf,  unworthy,  loft,  undone; 
Truiling  my  Soul,  and  all  its  dear  concerns 
"With  filial  refignation  to  thy  Will : 
Grace,-— ftill  on  Grace  my  whole  reliance  built ! 
Glory  to  Grace  triumphant !— and  to  Thee, 
Difpenfer  bounteous  of  that  fovereign  Grace  ! 
Jesus,  thou  King  of  Glory  !  At  thy  call 
I  come  obedient :  Lo,  the  future  World 
Expands  its  views  tranfporting  !   Lord,  T  come  j 
And  in  that  World  Eternal  truft  to  'plaud. 
With  all  Redemption's  Sons,  thy  glorious  Grace  ! 

Then  farewell,  oh,  my  Friends  !  light  o'er  my 
Grave 
The  green  fod  lay,  and  dew  it  with  the  Tear 
Of  Memory  affedlionate  !  And  l^'oti 

—The 


dsuk 


WEEKV.    THOUGHTS  IN  PRISON.       193 

—The  Curtain  dropt  decifive— oh,   my  Foes, 
Your  rancour  drop  •,  and,  candid,  as  I  am 
Speak  of  Me,   haplefs  !  Then  you'll  fpealc  of  one, 
Whofe  Bofom  beat  at  Pity's  gentled  touch 
From  earlieft  infancy  :  Whofe  boyifh  mind 
In  a6ls  humane  axd  tender  ever  joy'd  ; 
And  who,-— that  temper   by  his  inmoll  fcnCc 
Approv'd  and  cultivate  with  conftant  care,-— 
Melted  thro'  Life  at  Sorrow's  plaintive  tale ; 
And  urg'd,  companionate  with  pleafure'ran 
To  foothe  the  Sufferer,  and  relieve  the  Woe  ! 
Of  One,  who,  though  to  humble  Fortune  bred. 
With  fplendid  Generofity's  bright  form 
Too  ardently  enamour'd,  turn'd  his  fight 
Deluded,   from  Frugality's  juftcarc, 
And  Parfimony  needful !   One,  who  fcorn'd 
Mean    love  of  Gold,    yet  to  that  power, — his 

fcorn 
Retorting  vengeful,— a  mark'd  vidim  fell ! 
Of  ONE,  who,  iinfufpeding,  and  ill-form'd 

B  b  For 


194 


THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 


For  the  World's  fubtleties,  his  bare  bread  bore 

Unguarded,  open  •,  and  ingenuous   thought 

All  Men  ingenuous,  frank  and  open  too  ! 

Of  ONE,  who,  warm  with  human  paflions,  foft 

To  tendereil  imprefTions,  frequent  rufh'd 

Precipitate  into  tihe  tangling  m.aze 

Of  Error  ;— inftant  to  each  fault  alive  ! 

Who,  in  his  little  Journey  through  the  World — 

Mil-led,  deluded  oft,  miflook  his  way  -, 

Met  with  bad  Roads  and  Robbers,  for  his  fteps 

Infidious  lurking  :  And,  by  cunning  craft 

Of  Fellow-Travellers  fometimes  deceiv'd. 

Severely  felt  of  Cruelty  and  Scorn, 

Of  Envy,  Malice,  and  of  ill  Report  *, 

The 

*  The   following   is  a  ftriking  Inflance  ;    and  an  alarming 
proof,  that  Calumny  anJ  Slander  will  one  day  grievoufly  alflift 

the  confcious   minu. A  Clergyman,  with  whom  I  had  lived 

in  much    Friendlhip,    always  ready  to    fliew  him  every   proof 
of  civility,  and  for   when;  I  had  much  cileem  ;    after  an    ab- 


ence 


A 


WEEK  V.     THOUGHTS    IN   PRISON.      i 


95 


The  heavy  Hand  opprefTive  !  One,  who  brought 
— From  Ignorance,  from  Indifcretion  blind, — 

Ills  numerous  on  his  Head  ;   but  never  aim'd. 


fence  of  a  twelve-month  or  more,  fent  me  a  line,  that  he  was 
then  in  a  dangerous  ftate,  apprehenfive  of  fpeedy  death,  and 
very  anxious  to  fee  me  as  foon  as  pofiible.  I  flew  to  my 
Friend  with-  all  zeal  and  fpeed  j  and  found  him,  as  it  feemed, 
in  a  very  dangerous  way.  Almoft  as  foon  as  he  faw  me, 
he  hurft  into  tears,  and  clafping  my  hands  vehemently,  faid, 
"  Oh,  my  Dear  Dodor  !  1  could  not  die  in  peace  without 
'*  feeing  you,  and  earneftly  imploring  your  pardon.  For 
'*  amidft  all  the  feeming  friendlLip  I  iliewed,  1  have  been 
*'  your  bicter  Enemy  !  I  have  done  all  I  could  on  every  occa- 
*'  fion  to  traduce  and  leflen  you  !  Envy,  bafe  Envy  alone, 
*'  being  my  motive  ;  for  1  could  not  bear  the  brilliancy  of 
"  your  reputation,  and  the  fplendor  of  your  abilities.  Can 
'*  you  forgive  me  ?" 

I  was  fhocked  ;  but  with  great  truth  told  him  to  be  perfeftly 
at  peace  ;  that  he  had  my  moll:  finccre  forgivenefs  ;  —  I  did  all 
I  could  to  foothe  his  mind.  He  recovered  ;  and  furely  muft 
ever  be  my  Friend !  Would  to  God  what  he  then  fuftered 
may  be  a  warning  to  him,  and  to  all,  how  they  indulge  fuch  dia- 
bolical paifions  ;  which  as  being  moll  oppolite  to  the  God  who 
is  Love,  cannot  but  fooner  or  later  woelully  diftradl  the  Heart ! 

B  b  2  Nor 


,96     THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.      WEEK  V. 

Nor  wiili'd  an  111  or  Injary  to  Man  ! 
Injur'd,    with  chearful  read inefs  forgave  ; 
Nor  for  a  moment  in  his  happy  Heart 
Harbour'd  of  Malice  or  Revenge  a  Thought : 
Still  glad  and  bleft  to  avenge  his  Foes'  defpiti; 

By  Deeds  of  Love  benevolent  [ Of  one— 

Oh  painful  contradiction  '  who  in  God,. 
In  Duty,  plac'd  the  fummit  of  his  Joy  ; 
Yet  left  that  God,  that  blifsful  Duty  leftj 
Prepofterous,  vile  Deferter  !  and  receiv'd 
A  jufc  return--"  Defertion  from  his  God, 
^'  And  confequentiai  plunge  into  the  depth 
"  Of  all  his  prefent of  all  human  Woe  !" 

Then  hear  his  fufferings'!  Hear,  (if  found  too 

faint 
His  feeble  Sopg  to  win  attention)  1  l^s^v. 
And  heed  his  Dying  Cotinfd !     Cautious,  ihun 
The  Rocks  on  which  He  fplit.    Cleave  clofc   to 

God, 
Your  Father,  fure  Prote*51:or,  and  Defence  : 

Forfake 


^, 


WEEK  V.    THOUGHT.S  IN  PRISON. 


19? 


Forfake  not  his  lov'd  Service  -,  and  your  Caufe 
Be  fure  He'U  ne'er  forfake.     Initiate  once 
Happy  and  profperous,  in  Religion's  Courfe 
Oh  perfevere  unfainting  !  Nor  to  Vice 
Or  tempting  Folly  flighteft  parley  give  * 
Their  black  Tents  never  enter  :  On  the  watch 
Continue  unremitting,  nor  e'er  flack 
The  neceflary  guard.    Trivial  negleds, 
Smalleft  beginnings  *,  to  tlie  wakeful  Foe 
Open  the  door  of  danger;— and  down  finks, 
Thro'  the  minuteft  Leak  once  fprung,  the  Ship 
In  gayeft  and  moll  gallant  tackle  trim. 
By  fmall  neglefts  He  fell  !  — 

Oh  could  Ye  rife, 
Blest  Ministers  of  Peace,  by  his  fad  Fall  •, 

*  Principiis  obfla  :    fero  medicina  paratur. 
Cum  mala  per  longas  convaluere  moras. 
Sed  propera  ;  nee  te  venturas  differ  in  horas. 
Qui  non  ell  hodie,  eras  minus  aptus  erit. 

Ov.  R.  A.    Lib.  I,  Li  91,' 

Gathei' 


198    THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.     WEEK    V. 

Gather  increafe  of  caution  and  of  zeal ; 
And,  feeing  on  what  flippery  edge  ye  ftand, 
Of  foul  and  fatal  lapfe  take  the  more  heed  ;— 
With  deeper  thankfulnefs  He'd  bow  the  knee. 
While  thus  his  Fateprodudtive  prov'd  of  good 
To  You,  of  Truth  bleft  Heralds  !  whom  he  views 
With  heart-felt  anguifh  fcandaliz'd,  impugn'd 
By  his  atrocious  Follies  :  But  for  that 
Not  honour'd  lefs,  or  honourable,  if  rous'd, 
Ev'n  by  his  errors,  wifely  you  maintain 

Your  high  ProfeiTion's  dignity  -,  and  look 
With  fingle  Eye  intenron  the  great  w^ork 
Thrice  holy,  of  your  Calling  j   happieft  Work 
Of  Mortals  here,    "  Salvation  of  Men's  Souls." 

Oh  envied  Pastor,  who  thus  occupied 
Looks  down  -on  low  Preferment's  diftant  views 
Contemptible  ;  nor  e'er  his  plotting  Mind 
To  little^  mean  Servilities  enilaves  •, 
Forgetting  Duty's  exercife  fublime, 
And  his  attachments  heavenly  '  Who  nor  joins 

In 


WEEK  V.      T  H  O  U  G  H  T  S   I  N  P  R  I  S  O  N.      199 

In  frivolous  converfe  on  the  rife  of  this, 

Nor  profpefls  flattering  of  that  worldly  Clerk  \ 

Strange  inconfiflency  !     marching  aloft 

With  Hep  fuperior  and  Ambition's  paw 

To  Dignity's  wifli'd  Summit ! — Nor  allows 

Envious,  or  fpreads  malicious  the  low  Tales 

Dimini filing  of  Brethren^  who  by  zeal, 

Or  Eniinence  of  merit  in  the  Caufe, 

The  common  Caufe  of  CM}?,  diftinguifh'd  lliinc  : 

Of  futile  politicks  and  party  rage 

Who,  heediefs,   ever  for  the  Powers  that  be 

In  meek  fmcerity  implores  -,  and  lives 

Only  to  fpread  around  the  Good,  the  Peace, 

The  Truth,  the  Happinefs  his  open  Heart 

Innocuous  poiTefTes,  as  the  Gift 

Of  Him,  the  God  of  Peace  he  ferves  and  loves ! 

Much  envied  Pastor  !  Ah,  ye  Men  of  God, 
Who  crowd  the  Levee,  Theatre,   or  Court ; 
Foremoft  in  each  Amufement's  idle  walk ; 

Of 


ses      THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.     WEEK  V. 

Of  Vice  and  Vaniry  the  fportive  fcorn, 
The  vaunted  Pillars ;— ah,  that  ye  were  All 
Such  happy,  envied P^/tfrj /  How  Mankind' 
With  Eyes  of  Reverence  would  devoutly  look, 
How  would  yourfelves  with  ILyes  of  Pleafure  look 
On  Charafters  fo  uniform  '  while  nov/, 
What  view  is  found  lefs  pleafing  to  the  fight  ! 

Nor  wonderful,  my  aged  Friends  !  For  none 
Can  inward  look  complacent,  where  a  void 
Pj^fents  its  deiblations  drear  and'  dark. 
Hence 'tis  You  turn  (incapable  to  bear 
Rcfle(51;ion's  juflrefentment)  your  lull'd  minds 
To  Infantine  Amufements  •,  and  employ 
The  Hours,— ihort    Hours,    indulgent  Heav'n 

affords 
For  purpofes  mofc  folemn,  in  the  toil 
Uf  bufy  trifling  •,  of  diverfions  poor, 
^Yh!ch  irritate  as  often  as  amufe, 
Paffions  mofl  low  and  fordid  !  With  due  fliame, 

With 


WEEK  V.    THOUCi  HTS   IN  PRISON.        201 

With  Sorrow  I  regret — Oh  pardon  me 
This  mighty  wrong  ! — that  frequent  by  your  fide 
Silent  I've  fat,  and  with  a  pitying  eye 
.Your  follies  mark'd,  and  unadmonilh'd  left, 
*  Tho'  tenderly  lamenting  !    Yet,  at  laft, 
—If  haply  not  too  late  my  friendly  call 
Strike  on  dead  ears,  Oh  profit  by  that  call ! 
And,  to  the  Grave  approaching,  its  alarms 
Weigh  with  me  all-confiderate !   Brief  Thne 
Advances  quick  in  tread  -,  few  hours  and  dark 
Remain  :   Thofe  hours  in  frivolous  employ 
Wafte  not  impertinent ;  they  ne'er  return  ? 
Nor  deem  it  dulnefs  to  ftand  ftill  and  paufe. 
When  dread  Eternity  hath  claims  fo  high. 
Oh  be  thofe  claims  fulfill'd ! 

Nor,  my  Young  Friends, 
Whom  Life's  gay  Sunfhine  warms  with  laughing 

Pafs  YOU  thofe  claims  unheeding ! — In  the  bud 

Co  Of 


202       THOUGHTS   IN    PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Of  earlieft  Rofe  oft  have  I  forrowing  feen 
The  canker-worm  lurk  blighting ;  oft,  ere  noon. 
The  Tulip  have  beheld  drop  its  proud  head 
In  eminent  beauty  open'd  to  the  morn  ! 
In  Youth,  in  Beauty,  in  Life's  outward  charms 
Boafl  not  felf-flatrering  ;   Virtue  has  a  grace. 
Religion  has  a  power,  v/hich  will  preferve 
Immortal  your  true  Excellence  !    Oh  give 
Early  and  happy  your  young  hearts  to  God  ! 
And  God  will   fmile   in   countlefs   bleflings  on 

you  ! 
Nor,  captivate  by  Fafhion's  idle  glare, 
And    the  World's   Ihews    delufive,    dance    the 

maze. 
The  fame  dull  round,  fatiguing  and  fatigu'd  j 
Till,  difcontented,  down  in  Folly's  feat. 

And   Difappointment's,    worthlefs,    toil'd,    you 

fmk, 
Defpifmg  and  defpis'd  !  Your  gerjtle  hearts 
To  kind  imprefiions  yet  fufceptible. 

Will 


V/EEK  V.    THOUG  HTS    IN    PRISON.     103 

Will  amiably  hear  a  FriencTs  Advice  : 
And  if,  perchance,  amidft  the  giddy  whirl 
Of  circling  Folly,  his  unheeding  tongue 
Hath  whifper'd  Vanity,  or  not  announced 
Truth's  falutary  didlates  to  your  ears ; 
Forgive  the  injury^  my  Friends  belov'd  j 
And  fee  Me  now,  foUicitous  t'  atone 

That,   and  each  fault,    each  error;    with     full 
eyes 

Intreating  you,  by  all  your  Hopes  and  Fears^ 

By  all  your  dear  Anxieties  ;    by  all 

You  hold  in  Life  mofl  precious,  to  attend^ 

To  liften  to  his  Lore  !    to  feek  for  Blifs 

In  God,  in  Piety ;   in  hearts  devote 

To  Duty  and  to  Heav'n  !    And  feeking  thus. 

The  Treafure  is  your  own.     Angeh  on  earth. 

Thus  pure  and  good,  foon  will  ye  mount,  and 

live 
Eternal  Angels  with  your  Father—  God  ! 

Cci  Of 


264      THOUGHTS  IN   PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Of  admonition  due,  juft  felf-contempt, 
And  frank  Expoflulation's  honeft  charge. 

The  needful  Debt  thus  paidj    hafle   thou,  my 

Song, 
As  haftes  my  life,--- brief  fhadow,— to  its  clofe  ! 

Then  farewell,  oh  my  Friends,  moft  valued  ! 
bound 
By  Confanguinity's  endearing  tye,  '^ 
Or  Friendlhip's  noble  fervice,    manly  love. 
And  generous  obligations !    See,  in  All 
—And  fpare  the  Tear  of  Pity— Heav'n's  high 

Will 
Ordaining  wife  and  good.     /  fee,  I  own 
His  difpenfation,  howfoever  harfli, 
To  my  hard  Heart,  to  my  rebellious  Soul 
Needful  and  falutary  !    His  dread  Rod 
Paternal,  lo,  I  kifs  !    and  to  the  llroke 
Severe,  fubmifTive,  thankfully  refign  ! 

it 


WEEK  V.     THOUGHTS    I  N  P  R  I  S  O  N»       205 

It  weans  me  from  the  World-,    it  proves  how 
vain. 

How   poor   the   Life   of    erring    Man  !— — hath 

taught. 
Experimentally  hath  taught,  to  look 
With  Scorn,    with  Triumph  upon   Death  ;— to 

wifh 
The  moment  come ! — Oh  were   that   moment 

come; 
When,  launch'd  from  all  that's  fmful  here  below^ 
Securely  I  Ihall  fail  along  the  Tide 
Of  glorious  Eternity  !    My  friends, 
Belov'd     and     honour'd,     Oh    that    we    wer^ 

launch*d, 
And  failing  happy  there,  where  ihortly  all 
Muil  one  day  fail !  Oh  that  in  peaceful  Port 
We  all  were  landed  !  all  together  fafe 
In  everlafting  Amity  and  Love, 
With   God,    our    God;     our  Pilot  thro*   the 

Storms 

4  Of 


£o6        THOUGHTS    IN    PRISON.    WEEK  V. 

Of    this  Life's    Sea !— But,   why   the  frivolous 

wifh  ? 
Set  a  few  Suns,— a  few  more  days  decline ; 
And  I  fhall  meet  you, — oh  the  gladfome  hour ! 
Meet  you  in  Glory,— nor  with  flowing  tears, 
Afflitfted  drop  my  Pen,  and  figh.  Adieu  / 


END  OF  THE  FIFTH  WEEK. 


PIECES 


PIECES 


FOUND    AMONGST    THE 


author's   papers  in   PRISON, 


WITH 


HIS     LAST     PRAYER. 


t      20S»      3 

L 

THE 

ADMONITION. 

FFLICTED  Prifoner,  whofoe'er  thou  art,  ' 
To  this  lone  Room  unhappily  coniin'd  • 
Be  thy  firft  bufincfs  here  to  fcarch  thy  heart, 
And  probe  the  deep  corruptions  of  thy  mind  ! 

Struck  with  the    foul  TranfgrefTions  '  thou  haft  ! 
wrought. 

With  Sin,— the  fource  of  all  thy  worldly  woe  % 
To  Shame,  to  Sorrow,  to  Convidion  brought. 

Oh  fall  before  the  Throne  of  Mercy  low  ! 

With  true  Repentance  pour  thy  foul  in  Prayer, 

And   fervent    plead   the    Saviour's    cleanfing 

blood : 

FAtTH*s  ardent  Cry  will  pierce  the  Father's  Far, 

And  Christ's  a  Plea  which  cannot  be  with- 

Hood ! 

D  d  SCRIP- 


[      210      3 
II. 

SCRIPTURE-PENITENTS. 

(A   FRAGMENT.) 

XT' IRS  T  in  the  Lift  cf  Penitents  we  place 
"■^       The  Sinful  Parent  of  our  Sinful  Race  ; 
Who,  by  Temptation  foil'd,  and  Man's  lirft  Foe, 
^^  Brought  Death   into  the  World,  and  all  our 
'    "  woe  1" 

TranfgrefTion's  debt  how  deeply  does  he  pay  ! 
Depriv'd  of  Innocence  5  to  Death  a  prey ; 
From  Paradife  expell'd;  to  Toil  afTign'd,-- 
Toil  of  the  fainting  Frame,  and  fick'ning  Mind? 
And  doom'd  to  fhcd,  for  near  a  thoufand  years^ 
O'er  fall'n  defcendants^  penitential  Tears ! 

Thus  feiz'd  the  (riple  League  *  on  mortal  Man, 
And  thus,  Repentance,  thy  fad  Reign  begnn. 

*  Sin,  Sorroiv,  and  Death. 

.        .         Yet, 


SCRIPTURE. PENITENTS.        211 

Yet,  awful  Power,  how  blefl  beneath  thy  fway. 
Who  feel  Contrition's  ditlates,  and  obey; 
Their  vicious  deviations  who  deteft, 
And  hold  Faith's  Crofs,    all-humbled,   to  their 

brcaft ! 
From  God's  lov'd  prefence  then  they  need  not 

fly  • ; 
Nor  ope  in  Wrath  the  Flood-gates  of  the  Sky  : 
For  fince  to  Man  Perfedion  was  denied, 
By  Thee  his  deep  demerits  are  fupplied: 
And,  led  by  Thee  a  Suppliant  to  the  Throne, 
The  God  of  Mercy  looks  with  pity  down ; 
3miles  on  the  Mourner;   and  delights  to  prove 
How  free  is  Grace,  and  how  triumphant  Love  \ 


Eternal  Proof!  See,  bath'd  in  floods  of  tears, 
Where  David  foremoil  in  thy  train  appears  : 
How  deep  his  crime,  the  Prophet  pictures  well  j 
JIow  deep  his  penitence,  thofc  forrows  tell ! 

*  As  Cain,   Gen.  iv.    14,    16. 

D  d  a  That, 


212         S  C  R  I  P  T  U  R  E  -  P  E  N  IT  E  N  T  S. 

That,  whether  to  deplore  the  crime,  or  blefs. 
We  (land  fufpended  -,  fince  its  evil  lefs, 
Lefs  bright  his  Soul's  ingenuous  grief  had  flione, 
And  lefs  at  once  his  comfort,  and  our  own  ! 

Hear,  like  a  Torrent  how  his  Sorrows  roll ; 
Convidion's  tempeft  tearing  up  his  foul ! 
Hear,  fad  and  folemn,  to  the  mournful  firino-s. 
In  trembling  anguilh,  how  he  weeps  aqd  fings ! 

"  Mercy,  oh  Mercy,  Lord  !  with  humble  heart, 
*'  For  thy  known  pity's  fake,   mercy  I  pray  ! 

*'  Boiindlcfs  in  tender  mercies  as  Thou  art, 
**=  Takcj  Lord  I  oh  take  my  foul  offence  away  ' 

"•'  Ohj  from  my  loathfome  guilt,  wafli,  cleanfe  my 
*'  foul  J 
"  Remove,   dear  Father !   each  defiling  ftain  : 
*'  Guilty,  oh,  guilty,  Lord  !  I  ov/n  the  v/hole ; 
'■  i  fee.  I  feel  it  j   all  excufe  is  vain, 

*'  Againll 


SCRIPTURE-PENITENTS.  213 

^  Againft  Thee,  Lord,  ev'n  Thee,  have  I  tranf- 
*'  grefs'd  •, 
"  Lo,   felf-convided,  I  before  Thee  fall  ! 
•«•  Juft  are  thy  Words  •,   their  Trtah  is  thus  coa- 
fefs'd; 
"  J  nil  are  thy  Judgments  !  Sinners  are  we  all, 

-"  Prone  to  offend,  or  e'er  to  birth  I  came, 

"  My  Mother,  when  conceiving,  gave  me  guilt: 

*'  Shapen  in  Sin  was  my  corrupted  frame, 

"  When  in  the  Womb  that  wcnd'rous  frame 
"  was  built. 

"  But  Thou,  of  purer  Eyes  than  guilt  to  view, 
"  Thou  wilt  accept  the  Soul's  fincere  defire  -, 
'=  Pardon  the  pad,  the  humbled  Heart  renew, 
'*  And  Wifdom  by  thy  Secreu-One  infpire. 

^'  Then  liflen  to  my  cry ;  and  oh,  m.y  God  ! 

"  Purge  me  v/ith  HylTop,  and  I  pure  fhall  grow; 

*'  Wafli  me,  foul  Leper,   in  the  myftic  blood, 

"  And  whiter  I  ihall  be  than  whiteft  fnow 

o  "  Apain 


»I4  SC  RIPTURE-.PENITENTS» 

♦'  Again  the  voice  of  Gladnefs  let  mc  hear, 

"  Thy  voice  of  pard'ning  Love  •,  for  it  is  fweet : 

•'  The  Soul  dejeded  fo  fhalt  thou  uprear,— 

"  The  Wo.-m,  v/hich,  crulh'd^  lies  trembling 
"  at  thy  Feet. 

"  Hide  from  my  Sins,— the  obje6ls  of  thy  hate,— - 
"  Oh  hide  thy  face,  and  blot  them  from  thy 
"  view  : ' 

*^  A  clean  Heart,  God  of  Grace,  in  me  create, 
*'  And  a  right  Spirit  in  my  Soul  renew  ! 

"  From  thy  lov'd  Prefence  let  me  not  be  driv'n  i 
"  Let  me  not  lofe  thy  blefled  Spirit's  aid. 

*'  Again  the  joy  of  thy  Salvation  giv'n, 

"  L'^phold,  fupport,  fuilain  my  Heart  difmay'd, 

*',  Then,  of  thy  pardoning  Mercy  fatisfy'd, 

*'  Thy  pardoning  Mercy  loud  will  I  proclaim  : 

*'  So  ihall  TranfgrefTors,  taught  by  me,  confide 

**  In  thy  companions  i  turn,  andblefs  thy  Name, 

*'  Ah  ! 


SCRIPTURE-PENITENTS.         21^ 

'^  Ah!   my  Soul  fliudders  !---From  the  Guilt  of 

"  Blood, 

"  Oh,  from  blood-guiltinefs  deliver  me  \ 

**  Oh  God,  deliver— my  ialvation's  God  ! 
"  And  praife  unceafing  will  I  pay  to  Thee* 

*'  Permit  my  Lips,  now  clos'd  by  guilt  and  fliame^ 
"  Thy  pardoning  Love,  Jlhovahj  to  exprefs; 

"  Then  to  the  lift'ning  World  TU  tell  thy  Name, 
**  Proclaim  thy  Praife,  and  fmgthyRighteoufnefs- 

**  For  crinles  like  mine  no  offerings  can  atone  i 
"  The  gift  of  outward  Sacrifice  is  vain  : 

"  Could  thefe  avail,  before  thy  righteous  Throne 
*'  Whole  hecatombs  I  gladly  would  have  flaini 

"  The  contrite  fpirit,  and  the  fighs  fincere, 

"  Which  from  the  broken,  bleeding  Heart  arifc, 

•*  To  Thee  more  pleafing  facrifices  are  •, 
*'  Arc  Gifts, my  God,  which  thou  Vv'ilt  not  defpife. 

"  Plear 


zj6  SCRIPTURE-PENITENTS. 

*'  Hear  then,  and  fave  !   and  to  my  People,  Lcrd,- 
"  Thy  faving  Mercy  graciouily  extend  ! 

*'  Oh  let  our  Ziou  live  in  thy  regard  -, 
*'  The  walls  of  our  Jerufalem  defend ! 

"  So  Ihall  the  Righteous  to  thy  Temple  go, 
*'  And  joyful  bring  their  Off 'ring,  and  their 
"  Praife : 

*'  So  fhall  the  BI004  of  Lambs  in  plenty  flow, 
*'  And  Incenfe  on  thy  Altar  copious  blaze  *  !" 

With  Joy,  with  Grief,  the  Penitent  I  fee. 
Offending  Heav'n,  yet  Heav'n-abfolv'd,  for  Me ! 
Oh  while,  like  his,  I  feel  my  guilt  and  iliame. 
Be  my  Repentance  and  my  Grief  the  fame  ' 
Then  fliall   the  truth  which  cheer'd  his  Heart, 

be  mine  -, 
Thy  God  has  pardon'd  tliee,  and  Life  is  thine. 

But  hark,  my  .Soul !  what  melancholy  found 
Re-echoes  from  the  Du7igeojt''s  dark  profound  ! 

*  See  Pfalm  51.  and  Chriflian's  Magazine,  Vol.  3.  p.  134. 

Hear 


SCRIPTURE-PENITENTS.  217 

Hear,  fympathetic  hear  :  A  King  complains, 
Fall'n  from  his  Throne,  a  Prilbner,  and  in  chains  I 

"  God  of  the  World,  at  length  thy  Rule  I  own; 
"  And  proflrate  fall  before  thy  boundlefs  Throne  ; 
"  Thy  Power  refiftlefs  trembling  I  confcfs, 
**  In  threat*nings  awful,  but  in  love  no  lefs  1 

•*  Oh  what  a  bleffing  has  that  Love  aflign'd, 
"  By  penitence  to  heal  the  wounded  mind  ! 
"  By  penitence  to  Sinners,  who,  like  Me, 
'*  More  than    th'  unnumber'd  fands   that  Ihorc 

"  the  Sea, 
**  My  crimes   acknowledge-,    which,  of  crimfon 

"  dye, 
*'  In  all  their  fcarlet  Horrors  meet  my  Eye ! 

"  Oh  Eye,  unworthy  of  the  Light  of  Heav'n  ; 
"  Oh  Sins,  too  mountainous  to  be  forgiv'n  : 
"  Oh  Rebel  to  the  Law,  and  Love  divine, 
"  How  juitiy  God's  leverell  Vengeance  thjne  ! 

E  e       .  **  But 


ai8  SCRIPTURE. PENITENTS. 

*'  But  oh,  I  bend  my  Heart's  obedient  Knee, 
"  In  fnpplication.  Lord,  for  Grace  from  Thee  ! 
"  Yes,  I  have  fmn'd,  and  I  confefs  the  whole-- 
"  Forgive  me  then,  nor  cafl  away  my  Soul  I 
"  Save  me  from  evil,— from  thine  anger  fave, 
"  And  fnatch  me  from  the  dark,  untimely  Grave! 

.  *.'  Friend  of  the  contrite,  Thou  wilt  Pardon 
"  give; 
"  A  Monument  of  Mercy  I  Ihall  live  ( 
"  And  worthlefs  as  I  am,  for  ever  prove, 
"  That  true  Repentance  leads  to  faving  Love  ! 
*'  That  true  Repentance  tunes  to  praife  the  Heart, 
"  And  in  the  Choir  of  Heav*n  Ihall  bear  an  am- 
"  pie  part  *  ! 

Thus,  by  Affli6lion*s  deep  correction  taught, 
Manasseh  to  the  Lord  for  Mercy  fought  i 

*  See  Prayer  of  Manafich,  in  the  Apocrypha,  next  to  the  Firft 

Book  of  Maccabees ;  and  compare  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  v.  1 1,  ^c 

o  Brought 


REFLECTIONS.  219 

By  the  kind  chafteningof  a  Father's  Rod, 
Broughi  to  the  Knowledge  of  himfelf  and  God! 
Happy  affliftion,  for  fuch  knowledge  giv'n  ; 
And   bleft    the  Dungeon,    which    thus    led   to 
Heav'n ! 


III. 

REFLECTIONS. 

(UNFINISHED.) 

HERE,  feclufe  from  worldly  pleafure, 
In  this  doleful  place  confined. 
Come,  and  let's  improve  the  leifure : 
Meditate,  my  thoughtful  mind  ! 

Soul  alike  and  body  fharing. 

How  have  I  the  one  forgot ! 
While  for  t'other  only  caring, 

Lo  [  my  miferable  lot  ! 

E  e  2  Yet 


220 


REFLECTIONS. 


Yet  the  one  I  fo  much  cherifh, 

Doom'd  to  Death  when  giv'n  to  Life, 
Soon,  perhaps,  muft  fink  and  perilh, 

Duft  to  Dufl — muft  end  the  Strife  ! 

from  a  tedious  Tour  returning, 

Into  diflant  foreign  Land, 
How  my  anxious  Heart  is  burning 

News  of  Home  to  underftand  ! 

*******        #« 


To 


(      221       ) 

To    My     FRIENDS; 

E  SPECIALLY    OF  TH  E 

CHARITABLE    SOCIETIES^ 
ON    THEIR   SOLICITUDE. 

A  H,  my  lov*d  Friends  !  why  all  this  care  for 
■*■  ^  one 

To  Life  fo  loft,  fo  totally  undone  ; 
Whofe  Meat  and  Drink  are  only  bitter  Tears, 
Nights   pafs'd  in  Sorrow,   Mornings   wak'd    to 

Cares ; 
Whofe  deep  Offence  fits  heavy  on  his  Soul, 
And  thoughts  felf-torturing  in  deep  tumult  roll  ? 

Could  you,  by  all  your  Labours  fo  humane, 
-From  this  dread  Prifon  his  deliverance  gain ; 
Could  you,  by  kind  exertions  of  your  Lovqi 
To  generous  Pardon  Royal  Mercy  move  •, 

Where 


ziz     ADDRESS    TO    HIS    FRIENDS. 

Where  fhould  he  fly  ?    where  hide  his  wretched 

Head, 
With  Shame  fo  cover'd  •,  fo  to  Honour  dead  ? 

Spare  then  the  talk,  and,  as  he  longs  to  die,     1 
Set  free  the  Captive, — let  his  Spirit  fly,  >- 

! 

Enlarg'd  and  happy,  to  its  native  Sky  !  J 

Not  doubting  Mercy  from  His  Grace  to  find. 
Who  bled  upon  the  Crofs  for  all  Mankind. 

But  if  it  mufl:  not  be ; — if  Heav'n's  high  Will 
Ordains  him  yet  a  Duty  to  fulfil ; 
Oh  may  each  Breath,  while  God  that  Breath  Ihall 

fpare. 
Be  your's  in  Gratitude ;    be  Heav'n's  in  Prayer  ! 
Deep  as  his  Sin,  and  low  as  his  Offence, 
High  be  his  Rife  thro'  humblefl;  Penitence  ! 

While,  Life  or  Death, — Mankind  at  leafl:  ftiall 
learn 
From  his  fad  fliory,  and  your  kind  concern,         ^ 

That 


ADDRESS    TO    HIS    FRIENDS.      223 

That  Works  of  Mercy,  and  a  zeal  to  prove 
By  fympathetic  aid  the  Heart  of  Love, 
On  Earth  itfelf  a  fure  reward  obtain  ; 
Nor  e'er  fall  Pity's  kindly  drops  in  vain  ! 

Hive  a  proof !  and  dying,  round  my  Urn 
JjPi5iion*s  Family  will  crowd  and  mourn  : 
"  Here  refts  our  Friend^''     if  weeping  o'ot  my 

Grave 

They  cry— 'tis  aU  the  Epitaph  I  crave  ! 


HIS 


(      2H      ) 

HIS    LAST     PRAYER: 

Written  June  27,  in  the  Night  previous  to 
His  Suffering*. 

GREAT  and  glorious  Lord  God  !  Thou  Fa- 
ther  of  Mercies,  and  God  of  all  Comfort  I 
a  poor  and  humbled  Publican  Hands  trembling  in 
thy  aweful  Prefence  •,  and  under  the  deep  fenfe 
of  innumerable  TranfgrefTions,  fcarce  dares  fo 
much  as  to  lift  up  his  Eyes,  or  to  fay.  Lord, 
Be  merciful  to  ms^  a  Sitmer  / 

For  i  have  fmned,  oh  Lord  !  I  have  moft  griev-- 
oufly  fmned  againfl  Thee ;  linned  againll  Light, 
againft  Convidion  ;  and  by  a  thoufand,  thoufand 
Offences,  juftly  provoked  thy  Wrath  and  Indig- 
nation !  My  Sins  are  peculiarly  aggravated,  and 
their  burden  more  than  ordinarily  oppreiTive  to 
my  Soul,  from  the  fight  and  fenfe  I  have  had  of 
thy  Love,  and  from  the  high  and  folemn  obliga- 
tions of  my  ficred  Cbara^er ! 

&ut. 


HIS    LAST    PRAYER.  225 

But,  opprefs*d  with  cOinfcioufnefs,  and  broken 
In  Heart  under  the  Senfe  of  Guilt,  I  come,  oh  Lord ! 
with  earneft  Prayers  and  Tears,  fupplicating 
Thee,  of  thy  Mercy,  to  look  upon  me  ;  and  for- 
give me  for  his  precious  Merits  Sake,  which  are 
infinitely  more  unbounded  than  even  all  the  Sins 
of  a  whole  finful  World  I  By  his  Crofs  and  Paf-. 
fion  I  implore  Thee,  to  fpare  and  to  deliver  me^ 
O  Lord  f 

BlelTed  be  thy  unfpeakable  Goodnefs,  for  that 
wonderful  difplay  of  Divine  Love,  on  which 
alone  is  my  Hope  and  my  Confidence  f  Thou 
haft  invited,  oh  blefled  Redeemer !  the  burdened 
and  heavy-laden,  the  fick  in  Soul,  and  wearied 
with  Sin,  to  come  to  Thee,  and  receive  Reft, 
Lord,  /  come  I  Be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy 
infallible  Word!  Grant  me  thy  precious,  thy 
l^eftimableRfiST! 

F  f  Be 


226  HIS     LAST    PRAYER. 

Be  with  me,  thou  all-fufficient  God,  in  tht; 
dreadful  Trial  through  which  I  am  to  p^fs !  and 
gracioufly  vouchfafe  to  fulfil  in  mc  thofe  precious 
Pro7nifes,  which  Thou,  in  fuch  fatherly  kindnefs, 
haft  delivered  to  thy  afflift^d  Children  !  Enable 
me  to  fee  and  adore  thy  difpofmg  Hand,  in  this 
aweful,  but  mournful  Event ;  and  to  contemplate 
at  an  humble  diftance  Thy  great  Example ;  who 
didft  go  forth,  bearing  thy  Crofs,  and  enduring 
its  Shame,  under  the  confolatory  afTurance  of  the 
Joy  fet  before  Thee !  ^ 

And  oh,  my  Triumphant  Lord !  in  the  Mo- 
ment of  Death,  and  in  the  laft  Hour  of  Con- 
flid,  fuffer  me  not  to  want  thine  efpecial  aid  ! 

Suffer  me  not  to  doubt  or  defpond  !  But  fuftain 
me  in  thy  Arms  of  Love  -,  and  oh  receive  and 
prefent  faultlefs  to  thy  Father,  in  the  Robe  of  thy 
Righteoufnefs,  my  poor  and  unworthy  Soul, 
which  thou  haft  redeemed  with  thy  moft  precious 
Blood  ' 

A.  Thus 


HIS     LAST    PRAYER.  2.27 

Thus  commending  myfelf,  and  my  eternal 
concerns  into  thy  moft  faithful  Hands,  in  firm 
hope  of  a  happy  reception  into  thy  Kingdom ; 
Oh  my  God,  hear  me,  while  I  humbly  extend  my 
Supplications  for  others  -,  and  pray.  That 
thou  wouldefl  blefs  the  King  and  all  his 
Family  ;  That  Thou  wouldefl  preferve  the 
Crown  in  his  Houle  to  endlefs  Generations ; 
and  make  Him  the  happy  Minifler  of  Truths 
of  Peaccy  and  of  Profperity  to  his  People ! 
Blefs  that  People^  oh  Lord  !  and  Ihine,  as  Thou 

haft  done,  with  the  Light  of  thy  Favour  on  this 
little  portion  of  thy  boundlcfs  Creation.  DifFufe 
more  and  more  a  Spirit  of  Chriflian  Piety  amongft 
all  ranks  and  orders  of  Men  ;  and  in  particular 
fill  their  Hearts  with  univerfal  and  undifTembled 
1^0 vc  : — Love  to  Thee,  and  Love  to  each  other ! 

Amidll  the  manifold  Mercies    and    BlefTmgs 

vouchfafed   through  thy    gracious    Influence — 

F  f  2  Thou 


258  HIS     LAST     PRAYEfe. 

Thou  Sovereign  Ruler  of  all  hearts'!— to  fo  un- 
worthy a  Worm,  during  this  dark  day  of  my 
forrows  :  Enable  me  to  be  thankful ;  and  in  th# 
fmcerity  of  heart-felt  Gratitude  to  implore  thine 
efpecial  Bleffing  on  all  my  beloved  Fellow-creatures ^ 
who  have  by  any  means  interefled  themfelves 
in  my  prefervation  !  May  the  prayers  they  have 
offered  for  me,  return  in  mercies  on  their  own 
heads !  May  the  fympathy  they  have  Ihewn, 
refrelh  and  comfort  their  own  hearts  !  And  may 
all  their  good  endeavours  and  kindnefles  be 
amply  repaid  by  a  full  fupply  of  thy  Grace, 
and  abundant  afllftance  to  them  in  their  day 
of  diftrefs  ;---in  their  moft  anxious  hours  of 
need! 

To  the  more  particular  and  immediate  inftru- 
ments  of  thy  Providentialjove  and  goodnefs  to 
me.  Oh  vouchfafe  to  impart,— Author  of  all 
Good!— a  rich  fupply  of  thy  choiceft  comforts ! 

Fill 


HIS     LAST     PRAYEE.  429 

Fill  their  hearts  with  thy  love,  ^nd  their  lives  with 
thy  favour  !  Guard  them  in  every  danger:  foothc 
them  in  every  forrow  :  blefs  them  in  every  lau-r 
dabie  undertaking :  reftore  an  hundred-fold  all 
their  temporal  fupplies  to  me  and  mine :  and, 
after  a  courfe  of  cxtenfive  utility,  advance  them, 
through  the  merits  of  Jesus,  to  lives  of  eternal 
Blifs. 

jExtend,  great  Father  of  the  World  !  thy  more 
-cfpecial  care  and  kindnefs  to  my  nearer  and  mofl: 
dear  Connexions.  Blefs  with  thy  continual  pre- 
fence  and  protection  my  dear  Brother  and  Sifter, 
and  all  their  children  and  friends !  Hold  them 
in  thy  hand  of  tender  care  and  mercy ;  and  give 
them  to  experience,  that  in  Thee  there  is  infinite 

Loving-kindnefs    and   Truth! —— . — Look 

with  a  tender  eye  on  all  their  temporal  concerns  % 
and  after  Lives  of  Faithfulnefs  and  Truth,  oh. 
bear  them  to  thy  Bofom,  and  unite  us  together 
In  thy  Eternal  Love  ! 

Buj: 


53©  HIS     LAST     prayer; 

But  oh,  my  adorable  Lord  and  Hope !  fufFer 
me  in  a  more  particular  manner  to  offer  up 
to  thy  Sovereign  and  Gracious  care  my  long- 
t-ried  and  moft  affectionate  Wife !  Hufband  of  the 
WidoWy  be  thou  her  fupport  i  fuftain  and  con- 
folc  her  afHidled  mind !  enable  her  with  patient 
fubmiiiion  to  receive  all  thy  will :  --and  when, 
in  thy  good  time,  thou  haft  perfected  her  for 
thy  bleffed  Kingdom,  unite  again  our  happy 
and  immortal  Spirits  in  celeflial  love,  as  thou 
haft  been  pleafed  to  unite  us  in  flncere  earthly 
affedion  1  Lord  Jefus,  vouchfafe  unto  her  thy 
peculiar  Grace,  and  alt-fufficient  Confolation  ! 

If  I  have  any  enemies,  oh  Thou  who  diedft  for 
thy  enemies,  hear  my  prayers  for  them !  For- 
«rive   them   all  their  ill-will   to    me,     and    fill 

o 

their  hearts  with  thy  love !  And,  oh,  vouchfafe 
abundantly  to  blefs  and  to  fave  all  thofe,  who 
have  either  wiftied  or  done  me  evil !    Forgive 

met 


His   last    prayer.  231 

me^  Gracious  God  !  the  wrong  or  injury  I  have 
done  to  others  -,  and  fo  forgive  me  my  trefpafles, 
as  I  freely  and  fully  forgive  all  thofe,  who 
have  in  any  degree  trefpafled  againft  me.  I 
defire  thy  Grace  to  purify  my  foul  from  every 
taint  of  malevolence ;  and  to  fit  me,  by  perfed 
love,  for  the  Society  of  Spirits,  whofe  bufinefs 
and  happinefs  is  love ! 

Glory  be  to  thee,  Oh  God  !  for  all  the  bleflings 
thou  hail  granted  me  from  the  day  of  my  crea- 
tion until  the  prefent  hour!  I  feel  and  adore 
thy  exceeding  goodnefs  in  all ;  and  in  this  laji  and 
dofing  affli^fion  of  my  life,  I  acknowledge  moft 
humbly  the  juftice  of  thy  fatherly  correflionj 
and  bow  my  head  with  Thankfulnefs  for  thy 
rod  !  Great  and  good  in  all ! — I  adore  and 
magnify  thy  mercy :  I  behold  in  aU,  thy  Love 
manifeftly  difplayed ;  and  rejoice  that  I  am  at 
once  thy  Creature^  and  thy  Redeemed! 

As  fuch,  oh  Lord,  my  Creator  and  Redeemer, 
I  commit  my  foul  into  thy  faithful  hands !  Wafh 

It 


252  HIS    LAST    PI^AYEI^, 

it  and  purify  it  in  the  blood  of  thy  Son  from 
every  defiling  ftain :  perfed  what  is  wanting  m 
it :  and  grant  me,  poor,  returning,  weeping, 
wretched  prodigal — grant  me  the  loweft  place 
in  thy  Heavenly  Houfe  j  in  and  for  his  fole 
and  all-fufficient  merits — the  adorable  Jefus  ;— 
who,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghoft-, 
liveth  and  reigneth  ever,  one  God,  world  with«» 
out  end. 

Amen  and  Amen,  Lord  Jesus  I 
THE    END. 


ERRATA, 

Page  35,  Note,  read  Pfalm  xl.  ver,  lo, 
42,  Line  i6,  read  that^ 
52,  Line  15,  for  wile  read  while. 
58,  Line  12,  for  Realities  of,  read  Realitfs. 
68,  Line  11,  for  Jhall  read  Jhould* 
81,  Line  2,  for  hurjls  read  hurjl. 
90,  Line  i,  for  Scc^  oldy  read  «S^^,  on  okh 


The   following, 
Written  by  the  late  WILLIAM  DODD,  L  L  D. 

May  be  had  of  Edward  and  Charles  Dilly,  and 
G.   Kearsly.. 

Comfort  for  the  Affllicted  under  every 
Affliction,  with  fuitable  Devotions.  In  One 
Vol.  i2mo.  3s.  6d. 

Thoughts  on  the  Glorious  Epiphany,    as.  6d. 

Youth  dilTuaded  from  Vice,  a  Sermon, 
preached  at   Weft-Ham.     6d. 

A  Sermon  before  the  Humane  Society  for  the 
Recovery  of  Perfons  apparently  Drowned,     is. 

The  Prisoner  Released.  Preached  before 
the  Society  for  the  Relief  of  Perfons  confined  for 
Small  Debts,     is. 

The  Frequency  of  Capital  Punishments  in- 
confiftent  with  Juftice,  Sound  Policy,  and  Reli- 
gion. A  Sermon  intended  to  have  been  preached 
at  the  Chapel-Royal,  St.  James's.     6d. 

The  Convict's  Address,     is. 

The  Hymns  of  Callimachus,  tranflated  from 
the  Greek,  with  Notes,  i  vol.  4to.  los.  6d, 
fewed. 

Likewife  publiHied  by  Dr.  Dodd,  the  Visitor  : 
containing  Elfays  Moral  arid  Entertaining. 
2  vols.  1 2 mo.     6s, 


^ 


i