his enemy, and giveth place and obedience to that which occasioned all his sufferings, viz. sin, and the author of it. This is to sit at the table of devils, eating of the forbidden fruit. In this state he hath no part in the precious promises, no right nor title in Christ nor his ordinances, much being to do before all things are prepared and made ready for the last supper. And before this titular Christian is made fit to sit at the table with him, or stand upright in his presence; and before he knows him to make his abode with him, and to sup with him, as he hath promised, and as the true Christian in former ages, and now in this age enjoyeth, who did and doth witness eternal life abiding in him; "for he that eateth his flesh, and drinketh his blood, hath eternal life, and dwelleth in him, and he in him," &c. Read John 6, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58.

This the titular Christian cannot receive nor understand, no more than the Jews did. This he stumbleth at, and goeth backward, murmureth and taketh offence, as some of old did, when Christ was speaking of the bread which came down from heaven, which, who eat of, should live for ever, many of his own disciples said, "this is a hard saying, who can hear it?" and so "murmured, and went backward, and walked no more with him." These, though they heard his many gracious words, and saw his mighty works and miracles wrought before their carnal eyes and ears, yet they saw not him, as he was the mighty power of God, nor heard him, as Peter did, who said, when he asked the twelve," will ye leave me also? Master, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life; and we believe and know, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." This knowledge, Christ said, was "revealed unto him, not by flesh and blood, but by his heavenly Father."

Now the titular Christian denies revelation, the only means of all true knowledge; and so in his carnal imaginations, and exalted mind above the cross of Christ, glories in the flesh, and prides himself with what flesh and blood hath taught him, and revealed unto him; and cries up natural bread, and natural wine, and a natural supper; which feeds the natural man; and remains a stranger to that bread which cometh down from heaven, and to the wine of the kingdom, and to the supper of the Lord; and to his table which is richly spread; and hates and derides the true Christian, who possesseth and enjoyeth these things. And this is the cause, that notwithstanding the titular Christian eats never so often of this outward bread, and drinks this outward cup, (which he in his ignorance calls, the supper of the Lord,) he hungers and thirsts again, even after the forbidden fruit, and after the wine of Sodom and Egypt, and drinks down iniquity as the ox drinketh water. And so, in the end, notwithstanding his notions and profession of the supper of the Lord, and eating at his table, his soul is hard be

!

stead with hunger, and pines for thirst, and labours for very vanity, soweth the wind, and reaps the whirlwind of the wrath of God. This is the state of all the titular Christians upon the face of the earth, of what name or sect soever,

X. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Universal Love of God towards all Mankind.

The true Christian believes, that the love of God is universal unto all mankind; and that his grace, which bringeth salvation, hath and doth appear unto all men; and that he hath given a manifestation of his spirit to every man to profit withal; and that he hath and doth give his good spirit and gifts to the rebellious; and that God so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten son, that whosoever* "believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life;" and that he is "the true light that lighteth every man coming into the world," and that this light is saving and sufficient to lead all mankind, that love it, and walk in it, to him from whence it comes, where they may inherit life and salvation. And God wills not the death of him that dies, neither doth he desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live; and his call is to all men every where to repent; and there is a possibility that all men may hear his voice and repent, and may partake of his universal love, and be saved by his grace, which hath appeared, and profit by the manifestation which he hath given, and be guided out of rebellion by his good spirit,† and to believe in him which saves from perishing, and gives everlasting life. These things are called for, and exhorted to throughout the holy scriptures; and there is a possibility to obey them; otherwise all is in vain. The call to all in vain, the appearance of grace to all in vain, the gift and manifestation of the spirit to every one in vain, and the shining of the light in vain, if men may not obey it and walk in it. So man's destruction is of himself, and his sores remain uncured, and his soul unredeemed; not because there is no balm in Gilead, or because the arm of the Lord is shortened, or his love abated; nor because he hath decreed any man's destruction from eternity; but because men will not make use of the balm, nor be gathered by his arm, that is stretched out all the day long, even to the rebellious, to save them; nor receive that love that daily is tendered. Their eye is blind, and

* None excluded from salvation in Christ by any decree.

†The gifts, graces, and spirit of God are given to all men, yea, to the rebellious, slothful, and disobedient, to lead them out of those things.

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their souls poor, miserable and naked: not because he hath not eyesalve, fine linen, and treasures of wisdom and knowledge to furnish them withal; but because men are taken up with other things, and have no mind to purchase gold tried in the fire, nor white raiment to be clothed. The forbidden fruit seems more beautiful and lovely to desire; the enemy having drawn out his mind to look after it, he turns his back upon the other. Then his eye is blinded, and his ear stopped. Then he cannot see the glory of God to surpass the beauty and glory of all things visible and invisible, nor delight in the hearing of his voice' and obeying it. But his stolen water is sweet, and the forbidden fruit is pleasant to man in his blind, deaf, and dead estate, wherein he walks in the broad way, and falls into every temptation, bait, and snare of the enemy, that old serpent, who having drawn him thus far, takes him captive at his pleasure. Thus entered sin in the beginning, and thus it increaseth, and thus the enemy prevaileth.

Now no man in this estate can open that eye which was blinded through transgression, nor unstop that ear, nor save and deliver himself out of the hand of his enemy, which holds him in sore captivity. Therefore, herein is the universal love of God manifest, that he hath laid help upon one that is mighty, that is able to save to the uttermost; that he hath appointed and prepared a seed that is able to bruise the serpent's head; and that he hath sown this good and powerful seed in the hearts of all men, in the bad ground as well as in the good; and that he hath caused his light to shine in the hearts of all, though in darkness, and his rain to fall upon all, just and unjust; and to call upon all men every where; and to follow mankind, (who is run from him by transgression, and hid himself among the trees, and covered himself with the fig-tree leaves,) and to meet with him in the cool of the day; and to reason with him, reprove, correct, and chastise him, in order to do him good, if he will hearken to his voice, and turn at his* reproof, and be gathered by his arm, which is stretched out to save him: which, if he doth, he shall not miss of salvation. But if he stops his ear, hardens his heart, and continues in rebellion, and refuseth to be reconciled, his destruction is of himself, and God will be just when he judgeth.

• Correction is grievous to him that forsakes the way; and he that hateth reproof, shall die. Prov. xv. 10.

XI. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation.

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Election and reprobation stands in the two seeds, called, "the seed of the woman," and "the seed of the serpent ;" and all mankind are partakers of the one or of the other, as either of these two seeds grows up in them, and as they grow up in the one, or in the other; or join to the one, or to the other; and are born of the one, which is incorruptible, or of the other, which is corruptible. And this seed which is incorruptible, and hath remained pure throughout all generations, is that in which all nations are blessed,* as they come to be born of it. And this is it unto which all the promises of God are yea and amen, which were not made "unto seeds, as of many," as Paul saith, speaking of the seed of Abraham,† " but of one seed, which is Christ's; and they that are Christ's, are Abraham's seed, and heirs by promise." And the election or choice of God stands in this seed, and all the heavenly blessings, and evangelical promises come to be enjoyed and inherited by mankind through faith in this seed, through the growing up of this seed in them, and through the knowing this seed to remain in them, and become the greatest of all seeds, stopping the growth of the seed of the serpent, bruising his head, and causing his whole body to languish and die; and through the knowing this seed become so powerful in them, as to possess the gates of his enemies. With this seed, and with all that are born of it, God's election stands sure, and his covenant is kept with it for ever. Whom he loves here, he loves to the end; and all that love this seed, he will be their God, and they shall be his people. And those are the elect which can never be deceived, nor the gates of hell prevail against.

And the true Christian, who is born of this incorruptible seed, obeys Peter's exhortation, "Giving diligence to make his calling and election sure; adding to his faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, charity," &c.† (Oh! that Christendom would obey this.) And as he doth these things he shall never fall; but have an entrance ministered abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of his Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. And he lays aside "all malice, and all guile and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings," and becomes " as a new-born babe, desiring the sincere milk of the word, that he may grow more and more, and increase with the increase of God thereby, until he grows up in the promised seed, in which his calling and election stands, " unto the

*Acts iii. 25.

† Gal. iii. 16. 29.

+ 2 Peter i.

unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, growing up in him in all things which is the head, even Christ." This is "the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus;" and these are the marks, tokens and signs, fruits and effects, which attend and accompany all those that are born of this incorruptible seed, in which their election stands, in, through, and by which their calling and election are made sure. And the true Christian, who is thus elected, and born of this seed, hath not only the witness in himself, and the spirit of God bearing witness, and sealing to his spirit that he is a child of it; but the fruit of this seed also shows itself forth, and appears, that men may see and behold it, and glorify his Father which is in heaven..

Now, the reprobation stands in the seed of the serpent, and all that are born of it are born of flesh and blood, and of the will of man, and not of the will of God, nor by promise; and in whomsoever this seed grows up, enmity increaseth in them against the seed of the woman, against the promised seed, and all the children of it. Hence arose Cain's envy, Ishmael's mocking, and Esau's rage, and are continued in that generation or birth, down to this age. This is that birth that is born after the flesh, which always did, and doth to this day persecute him that is born after the spirit. This is he that was grown a great dragon in John's day, which "persecuted the women that brought forth (the seed) the man-child," and that "went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus." And he is the same at this day, and his wrath, enmity, and work are the same in the hearts and hands of all mankind, in whom this seed of the old serpent hath taken root, and grows up. This is the seed of the wicked that shall be cut off, and of evil doers that shall never be renowned;"* and all that are joined to it, and become children of it, are reprobate to every good word and work, and go upon their bellies, and dust is their meat, and they dwell upon the earth, where the wo is, and where the devil is come down among them, and they walk upon that ground that is cursed, and inhabit the dark corners thereof; and they hate the light, and are reprobate from the presence of God, and from the glory of his power, children of disobedience and wrath, in whom the old serpent rules, and holds them in sore captivity.† And as in this state of reprobation they abide, they are children of the devil, and his lust they do, his servants and slaves they are, and cannot cease from sin, nor enjoy the many glorious promises made to the seed of the woman, nor know the serpent's head in them bruised by it, nor the great red dragon chained; being reprobate from that faith which gives victory over him.

* Psalms xxxvii. 28. Isa. xiv. 20.

+ Marks of reprobation.