Page images
PDF
EPUB

which is burthened with good fruit, we praise it; but if not good fruit, we reject it. And so it is concerning man, if he is burthened or bears good fruit, then he shall be praised and shall wear a crown of glory. But if he be burthened with bad fruit, then he shall bear the pangs of eternal misery. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2 Thes. i, 9. Be ye obedient children, not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy. For remember we are not redeemed by corruptible things, bnt with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spots. 1 Peter, i, 14. Therefore, if we are in Christ, and love life, and wish to see good days, let us refrain our tongue from evil, and our lips that they speak no guile. Let us eschew evil, and do good; let us seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 1 Peter, iii, 10. Therefore, my son, be not led away by strange doctrine, which is not according to the commands and condition of thy God, for although Christ hath suffered and died for sinful men, and we are saved by Grace. But yet we cannot obtain nor realize this saving grace and faith as a truth and surety in our souls, except we repent of our sins, and forsake the same, and so become new creatures in Christ Jesus. For remember that all old things must be done away, and all things must become new, for Christ hath not died to the intent to save us in our sins, neither that we should indulge ourselves in sin. But he hath died to save us from our sins and to deliver us out of the miry pit of sin, in which we are all fallen, therefore be not deceived. God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap, corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. Gal. vi, 7. Therefore, whatsoever thy band findeth to do which is good, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest. Eccl. ix, 10. And for further instruction, my children, read all my books, even the Book of God, from the

beginning to the end. Even as much or more than I have done. And pray for grace, faith, and heavenly wisdom, so that you may be preserved from the snares of this sinful world and its lusts. And may God Almighty bring you all to bis holy mountain of love to praise him for ever, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

BOOK THE SECOND.

Man's Innocency by his Maker, and his fall by the subtility of the Devil.

You have in this little book an account of man's innocency by his Maker, and also his fall by that grand enemy the devil; and also a short argument upon it. It contains a short sketch of man's recovery through Christ, but this book hath an allusion to the great adversary of souls throughout, and ends with the Author's song of grief, and his confidence in Christ.

Now the wonderful work of Almighty God's Creation is great, and the fall of man is somewhat mysterious. But let us not seek after the things which are too hard for us. But let us trust in God, for what we know not, now we shall know hereafter if we love and serve God aright. But this we know that the soul of man came forth from that Almighty, and pure and holy being which is God, for God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him male and female, created he them, and God blssed them. Gen. i. 27, 28. But it is true man's body was formed of the dust of the ground, and then God breathed into his nostrils the breath of lite, and man became a living soul. C.ii. 7. So we see that the soul came immediately from God, and to him shall it return, Ohow pure and holy was man then in his first state, or condition as you see I have discribed in some of my other books. And now we must know that the soul of man was pure and holy at the first, because his maker is pure and holy, and for what wise and good purpose, and design, did God make his creature man for. Surely methinks that he made him to be holy and happy here, and so to be hereafter, for he made him pure aud holy, here on Earth, and blessed him. And so to be happy

E

on earth, and then to be happy in Heaven, for ever and ever. O my soul how can thou love thy God enough since he hath made thee to be happy here, and happy tor ever. And to enjoy the pleasures of Heaven, with him, for ever and ever. He will not enjoy his pleasures alone, but he made thee to share in the riches of his grace, and to drink of the Rivers of his pleasures. He made the to be his sons and daughters, and heirs of heaven to possess his holy mansions, and to feed upon the rich pasture of his love. He delighteth in the O man, and he hath set his heart upon thee, and his will is that they may inherit his everlasting glory. O how great is thy loving kindness! O Lord, for thou hath made us as its were to our thinking out of nothing, to enjoy life, being, and felicity with the for ever and ever. And as thy justice, love and mercy was at the beginning, so it is to day, and will be for ever. And there is not a shadow of thy changing, and when God first made man, the male and the female, he put them in the beautiful garden of Eden, and he gave them a law and a commandment to life, and forwarned them of the danger of death, and they were both pure and innocent. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Gen. ii, 25. They knew no shame becuase they knew no sin, and had they continued in that state, surely then their actions, works, and conceptions had been in pure love with each other, and holy to their God. But yet, it appears that it' was suffered that man should be proved, and tried, and that by the grand enemy of souls, and by his subtility he caused him to fall from the holy law and command of his God. And so that by his disobedience he lost the lovely image of God, out of his soul, and so became dead in trespasses and sin. But again, because the nature of that Almighty Being is so pure and holy, some people then may be ready to say, how is it then that his creature man was not kept pure and holy and that without any possibility of falling into sin. Why, it appears to me to be somewhat mysterious, yet some learned men will say that the cause of this was by the fallen Angels, of whom the devil was the first, and ringleader. But then if it be so yet, but why was it first suffered to be that he should tempt onr first parent, Adam, and that while he was in a pure and holy state in the Garden of Eden, and in his innocency, and knew no sin. Gen. ii, xxv. But how this was suffered to be at the first, it is not given me

23

to know, and I have searched the scripture and I cannot find that it saith but very little about it. See the 2nd Ep. of Peter, ii, 4; Jude, i, 6; Job,iv, 18; xv, 15; Rev. xii, 7. XX, 10. But still I believe that there was a first cause of these things, and a great and important cause, and it is such a mystery altogether which I believe was never fully reveiled unto man, neither are we commanded to search much into it, neither is it our duty so to do. And where we cannot trace the ways and works of Almighty God, we know that we are commanded to put our trust in him, for we are sure that the Judge of all the earth will do right. Because, he is righteous, just, and good. But for further satisfaction concerning these things see my book of Election on the danger of falling from Grace. But again, this we know, that is, we are fallen creatures and that we have been deceived by the enemy of souls, but yet God in his tender mercy hath provided for us a Saviour, and a most holy law to direct our souls to Heaven. Psal. xix, 7; Psal. exix, 97, 165. But, nevertheless, it may not be amiss for me to point out to my readers some of the most important passages of the word of God, relating to that old serpent which is the adversary of souls, and now we know how that he deceived our first parents. But bless God that there was grace provided sufficient for our recovery, but let us by the help of God, beware lest for fear that we should fall from this grace, because there is no other grace provided than that of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And bless God that there is a promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, although he should bruise his heel, and so it was. Christ was bruised or hurt on earth for us, and that by his sufferings and death, in which sin and Satan hath been the cause of it, but yet, suffered of God and all for our Salvation. Isaiah, liii, 10. And again, it appears to me that the devil would fain have bruised the head of our Lord in the wilderness, so if possible he may have completely overthrown his kingdom. Matt. 4th. But bless and praise the Lord he did not neither, can he ever do it now; because the head is in Heaven. It is true the devil may somewhat hurt or bruise the Church of Christ or the heel if I may so say which is on earth. But if we serve God aright then we know that he can never bruise nor hurt our holy head which is in heaven. But our blessed Lord

by his righteous and holy life and sufferings and death, and

« PreviousContinue »