CONSIDERATION I.
Touching God's Predeterminate Will, (Decree or Pur­pose) concerning Judgment on any Person, City, or Nation, although it be threatned most positively and expresly in Scripture, yet they always carry with them a secret or tacit Condition or Limi­tation, and are never to be understood as Irre­vocable.

MANY famous Instances hereof we have in SCRI­PTURE.

1. God seemed most positive, that he would drown the old World, repeating his purpose many times, without once expressing his Reso­lution, to spare them if they repented (at least that we read of) but plainly threatning to wait no longer than One hundred and twenty Years ( Gen. 6. 7, 15, 17. compared with ch. 7. 4.) and at the end of that period then to destroy them: Yet this had a secret Condition in it, with a Resolution to have spared them upon Repentance, and God's Patience and long-Suffering towards them in bearing and forbearing so long, had a direct tendency unto this great End, 1 Pet. 3. 20. com­pared with Rom. 2. 4.

2. God seems most positive for Pharaoh's Destruction; and several Texts plainly tell us, God hardned him [ Exod. 4. 21. 7. 3, 13, 14. 9. 12, 15, 16.] And S. Paul sets him forth as a famous Figure of that which we call Reprobation, Rom. 9. 17, &c.] Not that God is Active in hardning any Sinner, or in tempting any unto Evil (as Jam. 1. 13.) but only is pleased to deny to some his sanctifying Grace, for their [Page 16] abuse of the Strivings of the Spirit in his common Grace (or in a Word, for sinning unto high degrees against the Light and Conviction of their Illuminating Conscience.) And because this most just denyal, is the Antecedent of that Infallible Consequent, (viz. Hardness of Heart, and Impenitency) and bears such an Analogical resemblance of the Cause and it's Effect, therefore the Scripture so frequently expresseth it, as if God was Active in it, as the simple or Physical Cause of hard­ning wicked Men, which in reality is no other than his leaving those self-hardning Sinners, (who resolve to persist in Sin without fear and trembling, against the checks and wounds of their Enlightned Con­science) unto the Lusts and Corruptions of their own Hearts, which without his Sanctifying Grace, will assuredly arise daily unto greater and stronger Rebellions, and end in final Obduracy, Unbelief and Impenitency. Pharaoh was left by God to the liberty and freedom of his own Will, [for who questions, but he had the power to let Israel go,] (as appears plainly from Exod. 3. 19. Chap. 9. 30, 34.) but he first hardens his own Heart against God, before God in his Just Judgment left him to himself, [as Ex. 5. 3. 8. 15, 32. 9. 30, 34. And the (Heathen) Philistines had learnt so much Divinity, that the grand Cause of Pharaohs Destruction was to be layd at his own Door, and not at Gods, in that Famous Text of 1 Sam. 6. 6. God really de­sir'd Pharaoh should Obey him, and had rather he should have Turned and Lived for ever in his Favour, then to have perished in his Sin, (if we dare credit the Scripture, and take it in its own express words, without Mens Glosses and Coments) Exod. 4. 5, 8, 9. 6. 13, 29. 7. 1, 2, 8. 10. 9. 20. And Chap. 10. 3. puts it yet more clearly out of doubt, [ How long wilt thou yet refuse to humble thy self before me?] And to make it yet more evident, we are to consider that the First Threatning God sent him was, The Death of the First-born throughout Aegypt, and this Judgment was the same, that after all made him bow by force, [ Exod. 4. 23. compared with Ch. 11. 1, 4, 5.] Thus Gods Patience and Long-suffering waited on this self-destroyer, to bring him unto Repentance and Salvation, as 2 Pet. 3▪ 9. And thus it wait­eth at this day on the great Enemies or Oppressors of his Church.

3. What more positive than the Destruction of the Canaanites, seve­ral times Sentenced to be all cut off, ( Exod. 23. 24. Deut. 7. 2, 16, 20.) and if any of them remained, it's expresly forbid, to make any Covenant with them. (Exod. 23. 32, 34. 12. 15. Deut. 7. 2.) and yet repenting Rahab is preserved, and the crafty Gibeonites famous League with Josuah was such a Heavenly Mystery, that the Sun and Moon was [Page 17] made to stand still a whole Day, while Josuah fought for their de­fence, ( Josh. 9. 15. compared with Ch. 10. 12, 13, 14.) whereby all the World were invited to take Cognisance thereof.

4. What more plainly foretold and threatned than the Destru­ction of the Jews? Deut. 29. 28, 29. and of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, Ezech. 21. 7. 2 Kings 20. 17, 18. Ch. 23. 26, 27. The last Text telling us this should come to pass for the Sins of Manasse; Nor did Hezekiah and Josia, (the two most Pious Kings of Judah) prevail to alter Gods resolution herein, notwithstanding their great zeal in Reformation. And yet for all this, if Zedekiah had gone forth to meet the King of Babylons Princes, then he should have lived, and Je­rusalem had not been burnt, notwithstanding all the Predictions of the Prophets from God himself, threatning the same, as by an Irre­vocable Decree. Jer. 38. 17.

5. What looks more like a positive Decree for Destruction, than Gods Command to the Prophet, not to pray for that People? Jer. 17. 16. (as if they had Sinned that Sin unto Death, 1 Joh. 5. 16.) and yet we find Jeremy very affectionately drawn out from them, Jer. 9. 1. &c. and the effect was a farther time for tryal, ( v. 7.)

6. What Decree more Express and Irrevocable than that against Amalek, (Ex. 17.) The Lord hath Sworn, that he will utterly blot out all the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven. 1st. Moses is Com­manded to write it in a Book. 2d. And to rehearse it before Joshua. 3d. An Altar is built to perpetuate the Memory thereof, [called Je­hovah-Nissi] and Balaam rememembers their Tremendous Doom, ( Numb. 34. 20. His end shall be to perish for ever,) And yet they are a Nation many Hundred Years after this; and though one of the Con­federate Enemies of the Church, (for whom the Prophets are so much concerned to Lament, and moved thereto by God himself, as in the 5th. Consideration,) yet David prays that this Nation also, (with other of the Churches Enemies) might come to seek the Name of God, Psalm 83. 16.

7. What Doom more positive than Ninive's Destruction in Forty Days? (this was without an If) as to the Prophet, or any Man's present apprehension, when Jonah denounced that VVo, after he had escaped that Storm at Sea,) though he soon found it otherwise, and was made to understand, that God's most Severe and Positive Threat­nings, [Page 18] always presuppose a Tacite Condition of Final Obduracy and Impenitency, and that they are not otherwise to be under­stood.

8. What more plain and express than Babylon's Destruction? in Jer. 50. and yet God expected Repentance, that he might have healed her, or at least a deliberate Act of Reason, in her hearty desire for her own Salvation, [ VVe would have healed Babylon, but she would not be healed.] Jer. 51. 19.

9. Those Two famous Texts following are a Sacred Coment, to con­firm the Argument, and speak the same in Capital Letters, That in Jer. 18. 7. At what time, I say to a Nation or Kingdom to pluck it up, or to destroy it, yet if that Nation turn from their evil, and repent, they shall surely live. The other in, Zeph. 2. 2. Before the Decree bring forth, seek the Lord.

10. What can be more positively spoken of the certain and infal­lible Damnation of any, than Christ himself is pleased to express against the Scribes and Pharisees, who had wilfully and maliciously Blasphemed that Holy Spirit, by which they were convinced he did those great Miracles among them? In short, Isaiah is foreshewn, the Jews final rejection of Christ, by reason of that height of Impiety which should amount to no less than The Sin against the Holy Ghost, which the Prophet gives us very Emphatically, Isa. 6. 10. Make their Hearts fat, and their Ears heavy, and shut their Eyes, lest they see and hear, and understand, and convert and be healed. And our Saviour often reminds them of this Prophecy, telling them it was then fulfilled by their hei [...]t of wilful Impiety, which through Gods Righteous Judgment, rendred his Gospel, which he Preached unto them in his own Sacred Person The Savour of Death unto Death, although it came amongst them for this Primary End, that it might Enlighten and Convert. Now that these Jews had actually sinned The Sin against the Holy Ghost, [and so were given up afterwards unto that Judicial Blindness and Obduracy, as issu­ed in the Crucifixion of their Messias,] Christ expresly tells us in Mark. 3. 30. touching which, Matthew (Chap. 13. 32.) says, It shall never be forgiven and what can be a more positive Doom? And yet the Evangelist Mark, [ Chap. 3. 29.] renders it [...], which we Translate, Is in danger of Eternal Damnation; and this a­grees with Isaiah, who, expressing the most dangerous State which this Nation of the Jews could be in on this side Hell, [as in the Text before, [Page 19] and so remarkable, that each of the Four Evangelists quote it against them, Matth. 13. 14. Mark 4. 12. Luke 8. 10. John 12. 40. Besides, St. Paul also Acts 28. 27.] yet, leaves them not without a possibility of Salvation, [ lest they should Convert and be healed.] And if we com­pare the former Scriptures with Rom. 11. 7, 8. we may find that this Judicial Blindness is a Mark of their own Self-reprobation, and in Con­tradistinction from those other Jews, who were of the Peculiar Election of Grace. The Summary gathered from the whole Premises is this, that as on the one hand none can be encouraged to think, that any, living and dying in final Obduracy and final Unbelief, can have any possibility of Salvation, (being a flat contradiction in Terminis) so on the other hand there is no Scripture Ground for any Person, City or Nation, though lying under a Positive and seeming Irrevocable Decree of Wrath, to pass a Definitive Sentence against themselves. Which to do, is to enter into Gods most secret place of Thunder, into which he would not suffer any of his dearest Favourites, (no not the Holy Prophets or Penmen of his Word) to enter. And the reason is very plain. For that Discovery, who, (for certain) shall live and dye in Final Unbelief, (or in other words, who they are that will be Self-murderers) which is the true Cause and Ground of Gods Ʋnchangable and Irrevocable Decree for their Damnation,) would forthwith drive them into Final and Irrecoverable Desperation and Condemnation, and which is contrary to Gods Great End, in all his Severest Threatnings, (even in those Cases which seem most forlorn in Man's Eye,) the whole Scripture throughout all its parts, declaring that it is thereby, to raise them up to such an awakning sense of the exceeding great­ness of their danger, as thereby to provoke them to do their whole endeavour, and to continue therein to cry to God with great Impu­nity for Converting Grace, and to plead his Sacred Oath, who hath Sworn by himself. (As I live, saith the Lord, I delight not in the Death of a Sinner, but had rather he should live and not dye, Ezek. 33. 11.) And this most plainly appears yet farther, when we consider how unkind­ly God takes it from degenerated Judah and Jerusalem, that they con­cluded that their State was, such as was without hope, Jer. 2. 25. al­though the Prophet had just before told them their Sin was of a most deep dye, insomuch that much Nitre and Soap would not fetch it out, for that their Iniquity was marked before the Lord. (Jer. 2. 22.) nay and that their bruise was incurable, (Ch. 30. 12.) yet for all, there was Hope.

These things rightly apprehended, may not only be sufficient (if God please) to Silence and Shame those Two Presumptuous and [Page 20] most Confident Persons, (who call themselves The Witnesses, and who make it one chief Article of their Faith, (or Religion) to believe Eng­lands Immediate and Irrecoverable Destruction,) but likewise to confute that dangerous Muggletonian Heresie, and to condemn their horrid Impiety and Blasphemy, who pass their wicked Sentence of Irrevocable Damnation, on whom they please; so opposite to the End of Gods Se­verest Threatnings against the greatest Enemies of his Church, through­out the Scripture, making the Silly and Ignorant think They only, are Heavens Secretaries of State, and the Registers of Gods Ʋnalterable Decrees. These Considerations I hope, (through Gods Blessing) may Strengthen, Comfort and Establish many poor Self-condemning Christians, who un­der Hellish Suggestions and Temptations, do entertain very unworthy apprehensions of the Eternal, Infinite, Goodness, Mercy, Justice, Wis­dom, Truth and Love; [for God is Love, 1 John 4. 8.] And that we may rightly understand how his Irrevocable Decree for the Dam­nation of some, can consist with Vnlimited Goodness and Love, we are to consider that it is Grounded upon his Eternal Fore-knowledge of the wilful and final unbelief of all those from whom the most Just and Righ­teous Judge of all the Earth, (as Gen. 19.) is pleased for most wise reasons, (never to be understood by us in this World) to deny and withold Special Sanctifying Grace, whose Sovereign Will and Pleasure herein is not the Real or Physical Cause of their final Impenitency, or Damnation, but only the Antecedent to that Infallible Consequent, (as the withdrawment of the Sun is the Antecedent of Darkness) Jer. 2. 17. Hast thou not procured this unto thy self, v. 19. Thy own Iniquity shall Correct thee, Hos. 13. 9. O Israel thy Destruction is of thy self, but in me is thy help. Yet lest we mistake on the other hand, we are to know that Gods most Absolute and Sovereign Will, to deny Sanctifying Grace to some, which he gives to others, is the Causa sine qua non, (for without this Will, they had not perished,) but not the Physical or Na­tural Cause of their own Damnation, because it doth not Actually Com­pel or Influence, (no not that Debile part of Man's Free-will that yet remains since the Fall) unto any Sin; And this is that VVill of God to save some and pass by others, whom he pleaseth, of which the A­postle speaks in Rom. 9. 19, &c. which no Man ever did or ever can resist.

CONSIDERATION. II.
They to whom God was pleased to reveal most of his Secret Council throughout the Scripture, have been Men of extraordinary Holiness and Exemplary Pi­ety; such who were to do or suffer, beyond all, or most others, for the Testimony of the Word, or for the Name and Glory of God.

THIS is so clear, that it needs no words to confirm that where­in all Men are agreed; And perhaps our Two Witnesses might consider that the Ʋnbelieving Age we live in, would Question their Eminency for Sanctity, (coming only from their own Testimony of themselves,) and therefore may have endeavoured to persuade the World, that they have set themselves apart for Martyrs, speaking positively of their readiness to Sacrifice their Lives in the maintenance of this Article of their Christian Faith.

CONSIDERATION III.
As to the way and manner of Gods Discovery of Judg­ments, or Mercies, we find it various in Scripture, (viz. by Apparitions, Voices, Angels, Dreams, Vi­sions, &c.) But it is the Ʋnanimous Opinion of Di­vines, and other Solid and Ʋnderstanding Christians, that every of those ways are long since Ceased.

1. WHatever the Holy Prophets and Penmen of the Word speak in a way of Prediction, as it had immediate relation unto Judgments; yet what they foretold, was always most Congruous unto the Tenour of Gods Covenant; And here we might enlarge. But to be brief, we find throughout Sacred Writ, that the Conditions of the Covenant are these. 1st. Severe Chastisement in case of a long continu­ance [Page 22] and growth in Sin, and Obstinate Rebellion. 2d. Gods great­er readiness to return to be Gracious, (even in the greatest height and aggravations of their Sins, and under the, seeming, most Forlorn Circumstances) than we can be to Repent and turn to him; that so we all may be assur'd no State on this side Hell, with respect unto Gods severe Indignation threatned, is remediless, and wholly desperate. Now if our Two new Prophets are to be tryed by this Touchstone, we may easily per­ceive what Spirit moves them unto such Presumption, as to assure the World that our Nation (though God knows, a most wicked [...]nd Rebellious People) are past all Recovery; or that it is Impossible God can, or will give Repentance to us, [for so we are to conclude [...] Judgment is Immediately and Irresistibly to overtake us:] By what [...]pirit these Men are Acted, let all Judge.

2. The great End why God discovered himself by these Ways in his [...]acred Predictions, is now Ceased, and therefore all such ways of [...]iscovery since that time are Ceased, with respect to any matter of [...]ublick Prophecy, relating to a City or Kingdom. Now the great [...]nd of Sacred Visions in the days of Old were, 1st. To beget a Holy [...]we and Reverence in the Church towards those Persons, whom God Selected out from many, in and by whom to make an immedi­ [...]te discovery of his Mind and Will, not thereby to lift them up, (who were more humble, and more afflicted and less in their own and others Eyes than most good Men beside.) 2. That the Sacred Oracles of his VVord might be Sealed up thereby, both to that present Age, and to [...]ll future, even to the End of the World. But we are not to expect [...]nce the Evangelists and Apostles, any other Writings of the Immedi­ [...]te Inditement of the Holy Ghost, as all theirs were; And therefore to [...]tertain any Men as Prophets, raised up by his Immediate Inspiration, to [...]ublish any Predictions unto a City or Nation, of as Infallible Certainty as [...] written VVord, (and how much more then when the Matter [...]ey foretel is contrary to the Tenour of all Scripture Threatnings, [...]hich never excludes a Possibility of avoiding the Judgment by Repen­ [...]ce) is to offer high Indignity to God himself, and to his written [...]ord, and to all the Holy Prophets and Penmen thereof.

3. This written VVord, St. Peter makes to be a more sure and safe [...] for the Church to walk by, than that Voice of the Father which was [...]rd by him and Two more of Christs Disciples and Favourites, ( James [...] John) at our Saviours Transfiguration on the Mount, although it [...] from the most excellent Glory, and confirmed the Truth which was [Page 23] Testified throughout the whole Scripture, and is one of the most importa [...] Articles of our Faith, (viz. that Christ was the Father's beloved Son, a [...]sent among us, that we should Hear him preaching to us, 2 Pet. 1. 1 [...] 18, 19. [ But we have a more sure VVord of Prophecy, &c.] A famo [...] Text to assure us how eminently God hath honoured his written wor [...] Which confutes the pretended Authority of Rome's Tradition, and al [...] of any who would impose their Impulses and Impressions on the Worl [...] as if they were to be reverenced like the holy Scripture.

4. All that before hath been said, doth not gainsay but that God ma [...] discover several great things unto whom he pleaseth, and both ho [...] and when he sees best (and that also since the Scripture hath been th [...] sealed up) but then we must take these Co [...]siderations along with [...] 1. They are unto Men of Piety, and such whom he intends to mak [...] some way or other eminently instrumental for his Glory, &c. 2. An [...] of Modesty and Humility, who are not ambitious to expose themselv [...] as Prophets immediately sent by God. 3. And least of all do they spea [...] any thing for Publick Instruction, which doth contradict the whole [...]nor of the Scripture (of which before.) But These who call themselve [...] the Two VVitnesses, have not approved themselves to be immediatel [...] raised up by God, in any of the several respects aforesaid, nor yet [...] those which follow.

CONSIDERATION IV.
The Ratification of Sacred Predictions is of such a na [...]ture as carries its own self-Evidence, that they ca [...] be no other than from God, contrary to all pre [...]tended Revelations.

THE Confirmation of Sacred Predictions are to be con [...]sidered,

1. Affirmatively. And this,

Either as they have more immediate Relation to Private Persons o [...] Families, or to Publick Communitie: (as Cities and Nations:) As it con­cerns [Page 24] the first, so the Confirmation is of a more Private Considera­tion, as by particular Signs and Tokens; This also holds good in Pro­phecies of a more publick Nature, and are commonly granted for their sake whom the Prediction concerns (as a Revelation of the par­ticular Time, Place, Manner, Circumstances, with the Antecedents, Con­comitants and Consequences:) And this carries with it a Twofold Convi­ction, Natural and Moral; Natural, so far as these Circumstantials may, and have been sufficient to perswade Heathens and Infidels of the Transcendent Being, of a Supreme, Omniscient, Omnipotent God, the all­ [...]ise Fore-ordainer, Disposer and Predeterminer of all Events. Also of his Goodness, Wisdom and Love to his Creatures in his Government of them, [...]ccording to such Laws as establish his Praise and Glory, and his Crea­ [...]ures Felicity. A Moral Conviction also, so far as these Circumstan­ [...]ials have a great prevalency with those who profess their Subjection [...]ohis written Laws, to restrain them from further sin (the End of [...]ll) and to constrain them unto new Obedience, in order to avoid the Threatning, and obtain the promised Rewards. Or as they more [...]mmediately concern the Publick (as Cities, or Kingdoms, or Peo­ [...]le) so the Sacred Predictions are confirmed Two Ways. Either 1. By Renewed Appearances, or 2. By Signs and Miracles. The first runs much throughout the Scripture, and the reason is from God's [...]nfinite Goodness, endeavouring to fix man's serious Attention, and [...]o remove all grounds of diffidence: Also from infinite Mercy, Pati­ence and Long-suffering, who is never willing to strike before he warns [...]gain and again, to provoke to Repentance: And further also, for the greater Aggravation of the Sins of the wilfully obstinate; and hence [...]o many Prophets were sent to the Jews, (rising early and sitting up late) [...]nd so many Signs and Prodigies before their total Destruction. Or [...]. By Miracles, of which the Scripture is so full.

Now if we examin our Two Prophets, and try them by these things, [...] what particulars can we find them comporting with any of these [...]ings, which have Ratifyed the Sacred Predictions (and especi­ [...]y Threatnings of Desolation to a City or a whole Land) for Their [...]ry End seems contrary to God, in the Judgments he threatens; [...]o (to speak as a Man) is anxiously solicitous lest the wicked misun­ [...]rstand his Intention, and run away from him into final Desparation, [...] at large before.) But these Witnesses, on the contrary, labour to [...]ssess the World (who are otherwise apt to entertain too hard thoughts [...] God) that all his holy Attributes [yea his Love and Mercy) can­ [...]t have a more magnificent Exaltation and Triumph than in the [...]mediate and Irresistible Destruction of this Nation, or rather its Total [Page 25] Desolation [as their odd Phrase of Beginning and making an End at once, seems to import.]

As for Mr. Ward, he gives us no one collateral Sign or Token to con­vince any that he is sent of God, and raised up to be a Prophet, but toils hard to shew us after what manner he came to be Infallibly per­swaded into the good Opinion he hath of his Impulse, hoping that then we need no other Confirmation of the Doctrine (or Article of his Faith) but only his ipse dixit, whereas neither of them shew us any Antecedents, Concomitants or Circumstantials of Time, Place, or Manner when, where, or how they had this Revelation, &c.

But its worth our Consideration that Evans (the other Witness) will hardly own such an impulse as VVard avoucheth for him, honest­ly confessing he hath little or nothing more to say for the matter, than that he hath a firm Belief that VVard, (because he said so) had ob­tained this Article of his Faith by Divine Inspiration. If we follow him hence, we need not much question but he hath been taught to Be­lieve as the Church believes; and who can tell but Evans may in a little time slip his Neck out of the Collar, and leave Mr. VVard to witness alone; and then, Wo be to the Man that is alone! And touching Signs or Miracles, neither of them pretended thereunto.

2. Negatively.

God never, that yet I have observed, confirmed one Threatning touching the Ruin of any; Either,

1. By such an Absolute Oath as hath not in his own Breast the Condition of Reversing it upon the Sinners Repentance; nor doth his Oath hinder it, but serves rather to awake the guilty to a more serious Consideration of the great Danger they are in, and thereby to quicken up a speedy Conversion. One Standard Royal, or Sacred Test we have in Scripture whereby to understand Gods most positive Threatnings, and all such Comminations as seem to carry in them a most Absolute and Irrevo­cable Decree, and that is in Numb. 14. 21, 23. As truly as I live, sure­ly they shall not see the Land which I sware to their Fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. Which the Original both in the Old and New Testament renders Conditionally (if they see the Land) as we find in the Margin also observed, both in the fore-mentioned Text, and also in Psal. 95. 11. [ [...]V;nto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest] Agreeable to Heb. 3. 11. [ [...]] As much as to say, [Page 26] If they repent they may enter; for my Threatning (though confirmed with an Oath) doth not simply (in a Physical Sense) hinder them from repenting, and so from entring into the promised Land. The Jews account this Oath the most dreadful Ratification of their Doom in the whole Scripture, being denounced on that Day (as their Tradition is) for their Great Anniversary Fast, on the 10th of the 7th Month, or solemn Day of Attonement, Numb. 16. the only Fast in all their Year, and wherein the whole Congregation are strictly commanded to afflict their Souls, under the Penalty of being cut off, v. 29, 31. Here, by the way, observe, that most serious Fasting and Prayer, and Heart-Af­fliction and Contrition is God's Ordinance, by which to turn away even the severest Threatnings of his Wrath, most suitable to that Oath of God's in Ezek. 33. 11. As I live, saith the Lord, I delight not in the Death of any Sinner, but that they turn and live; Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die, O House of Israel?

2. Or, by that Seal or VVitness of the Holy Ghost in Believers, which testifies to all, more or less, that they are Justified by Faith, Adopted and Sanctified [called the [...], or full perswasion of Faith.

But Mr. VVard, (like a good Christian, shall we say?) hath Prosti­tuted his Faith and Hope in God, and all the Assurance of the Spirit's witness in him, and laid all at stake to maintain his strong Impression or Impulse, and tempts uncharitable Persons to think he hath no other Article of his Religion, or at least none that is more Sacred or Venerable in his Eye.

CONSIDERATION V.
The consequent Effects which the immediate Manife­station of God unto the Holy Prophets, (or Penmen of Scripture, or eminent Worthies of the Church) had upon themselves, were far differing from the ef­fects which seem to appear in our two late pretended Prophets.

MOre Generally we find in the Holy Men of Old,

1st. Humble and low thoughts of themselves, thus it was with Abraham that great Prophet, Gen 17. 3, 17, 18. Ch. 18. 3, 27. thus with Jacob, Chap. 28. 27. Chap. 33. 10. Moses, Exod. 3. 15. Gideon, Judg. 6. 15. Isaiah Ch. 6. 5.

2. Sweet, Courteous, Affable demeanour and Condescention to others: The Scriptures are full of this, particularly one Text for all, 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. The Servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all Men, apt to teach, patient (or forbearing) In Meekness inctructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth, (so opposite to Persecution, or the Muggleto­nian way of Damning, &c. compared with Tit. 3. 2. Speak evil of no Man; be not brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all Men. And how unsuitable to this Doctrin, is the Spirit of these Two Men, so presumptuously asserting that Satan had Transform'd himself into an Angel of Light in Mr. Baxter, who then detected by what Spirit these pretended Prophets were moved; This Meekness which we are in the consideration of, (so opposite to proud, railing, brawling, and un­christian demeanour) is one of the excellent Fruits of the Spirit, (Gal. 5. 23.) a Temper so amiable, that the British Saxons resolved this should be their Touchstone to try that Doctrin which Austin the Monk came over with, from Pope Gregory, (called the Great) even then, when they could not Argue the Point with him.

More Particularly,

The most severe and positive Threatnings to the greatest Sinners have always tended to stir up the Holy Prophets and VVorthies of Old unto an extraordinary Wrestling, Mourning and Prayer for them: And this,

[Page 28] 1. Whether we consider them as denounced against Gods backsliden Church, we see it most conspicuous, viz. in Moses, when they had made and Worshipped their Golden Calf, Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and Censure them, (and Deut. 9. 14. adds, that I may blot out their Name from under Heaven;) and yet at that time when Immediate and Irrevocable Destruction seemed to attend that whole Nation, how Sweetly and Excellently doth Moses Intercede for them? And Gods Wrath was pacified. So at other times also, ( Deut. 9. from verse 22. to the end, compared with Numb. 11. 10, 11.) Another Instance we have in Phineas, Numb. 25. 11. and in Samuel, 1 Sam. 12. 23. and in Jeremy chap 4. 19. chap. 9. [...], 10. Chap. 13 17. and in Isaiah, chap. 22. 4. and in Ezek. chap. 21. 6. and in Micah, chap. 1. 8. And God himself puts his backsliden Children (even them when lying under his severest and most posi­tive Threatnings) into the right way of preventing the desolation threatned, Jer. 4. 8. chap. 6. 26. chap. 7. 29.

2. Or whether considered as against the Grand Enemies of his Church; and here, N. B.

First, God puts them also into the right way of preventing their ruine Threatned, Isa. 13. 6. VVe would have healed Babylon, (what? Babylon, that cursed Nation, Sentenced to utter desolation! Yes this Baby­lon,) but she would not. Compare with Jer. 51. 9. Thus God stirs up Ni­nive to Repentance, Exhorting them to turn from their Violence, &c. Jonah 3. 2, 8. and Pharaoh also, even after that God had expresly told him he had raised him up to shew his wondrous Power, (or Justice) on him and his Kingdom, Exod. 9. 16. Compared with chap. 10. 3. A Text greatly to be Noted.

Secondly, God himself expresseth very enlarged Bowels towards these his Enemies, even then, when lying under his Severest Commi­natins. One great Instance take for all; Moab is threatned by Gods Oath to be made a Perpetual Desolation, (Zeph. 2. 9. yet his wonder­ful Bowels of Compassion yerned towards that great Enemy of his Church, Isaiah 15. 5. ch. 16. 9. Jer. 48. 31, 32, 36. Texts worthy to be Engraven in Letters of Gold and fixed in us.

Thirdly, God draws out the Prophets Heart to Mourn over them at the same time, when lying under his Severest Doom, that they may be taught how to mourn for their own Sins and Repent, and escape the Desolation threatned; thus for Tyre, Ezek. 27. 1, 31. for Egypt. Ezek. [...]2. 2, 18. and thus for Moab, Jer. 48. 20. (to Instance no more.)

[Page 29] NOW from the whole, it is not difficult for any considering Person to Conjecture by what Spirit Ward and Evans do Act in these re­spects, for they are far from stirring up themselves or others to Pray and Fast, and Wrestle for our poor sinful Land, (which they have thus un­mercifully Sentenced to unavoidable Destruction,) that they seem resolved to Pawn all the hopes and expectations they have of Salvation, (or all the Religion they have) as a certain Pledg, that God will not give Repentance to England, though they should seek it never so fer­vently; nay more, that his most Sacred Oath is gone forth, (without an If) that they may thereby Infallibly be assured God hath made an Irrevocable Decree for our Immediate Destruction. Now let any judge, Doth not these Mens Faith teach us all to cast our selves into a Hellish Plunge of Desperation, and thereby to become Seven-fold more the Children of the Devil than now we are? Doth not it teach flat Rebellion against God, and the whole Tenor of his VVord, who Commands us all to Trust in him at all Times, and to Pour out our Souls before him in the worst condition we can be in? Psal. 68. 8. And always to Pray and not faint, Luke 18. 1. compar'd with Job 35. 14. Judgment is before him, therefore trust thou in him, which Text is excellently explained Jer. 9. 24.

That Scripture in Ezek. 14. 14. may be Objected— Though Noah, Daniel or Job were in it, yet they should deliver but their own Souls. Answ. 1. We all know, God sometimes makes a plain discovery of a limited Period for his Mercy to a City or People with this Prov so, That if they Repent not in that time they shall be Destroyed. But where do any prove that this present Year is Englands last Period for continued Mercy? Conjectures are many, (perhaps) but we must not Build our Faith on Impressions or Impulses, and Idolize our own Apprehensions. Answ. 2. If we attentively consider the aforementioned Text, we may find how much we all lie under a Vulgar mistake, for that Scripture of­ten repeats it, that we might take a particular notice thereof, and not run into a dangerous Error. God there tells us plainly, (and no more that yet I learn) viz. That when he is so highly provoked with a Nation, as to Begin to bring his Desolating Judgments thereon, (or in the Scripture words, when his Decree hath begun to bring forth) it may sometimes so happen, [though it seems not to be a constant General and Infallible Rule, as in the Case of Phineas Intercession, when the Plague was begun, and other Instances] That he will not hear the Pray­ers of his greatest Favourites, but will proceed to destroy; And if not­withstanding that harder Text be Objected in Jer. 15. 1. It is as easily. [Page 30] Answer'd. For Jerusalems Destruction was thereby foretold in all the appearance of Irrevocable Judgment, and yet (as was before observ'd in the 4th. Note under the 1st. Consideration) notwithstanding all, if Zedekiah had gone forth to meet the King of Babylon's Princes, the City had certainly not been destroyed by the Babylonians.

Answ. 3. Our plain Rule is this, That none ought to conclude their con­dition, or the State of any Nation or People so desperate, as to be exempted from all hope of Mercy, or Salvation, no though God possibly Denounceth Destruction, and prefixeth a very speedy Time, or Day, without any Con­dition limited: As that Famous Instance in Ninive may serve once for all. There God had Twice declared it positively, that within Forty Days that City should be Destroyed, first to Jonah before his Storm, ( Jonah▪ 1. 2. compared with ch. 3. 2.) and afterwards:

It may be Asked, whether, if Immediate Destruction should come up­on England, will not this plainly Evidence these Two Men were Di­vinely Inspired, and sent by God? Answ. This will no more prove they have the Spirit of Prophesy, and are immediately sent by God, than it proves that any Minister hath that Divine Gift in an Extraor­dinary manner, because he publisheth he Verily Believes, (or is fully persuaded some sudden Judgment is coming upon us,) and yet I make not this an Article of my Faith, and least of all, to believe we are in a Remediless Condition, ( For with God all things shall be possible unto them that believe.) And how many Philonides are their amongst us, who need no Extraordinary Inspiration, to make them believe the same?

But to draw the Eyes of all Men upon them, as Extraordinary Prophets of God, raised up to denounce against England, a desolating Judgment Immediately and Irrevocably falling on us, is such a Secret, as if God intends to accomplish the same, yet perhaps he hath not revealed it to any Angel or Creature: And it is very evident, that se­veral great Evils are like to follow, if these Mens Impulses are taken for Oracular Truths. As 1st. their own Self-exaltation, Pride, Self- [...]onceit, as if the World must needs fix their Eyes in a singular man­ [...]er upon these Two Persons as the Two witnesses in the Revelation. They [...]re not Jealous of themselves (it seems,) how far Satan may become [...]ransform'd into the white Devil, and hold a Dominion in [...]eir Spirits. 2. It occasions Profane Men to deride Piety, and to [...]ontemn the Christian Religion, and the Seals of the Covenant, and to [...]ullifie and Ridicule that precious Faith of true Believers, by which [...]ey are Justified, Adopted, and Sanctified, and to think contemptibly of [Page 31] the Seal or Witness of the Spirit, by whose Infallible Light, Believers are (more or less) Divinely assured, that they are the Children of God. A more sure and safe Testimony, than all Visions and Revelations, than all Voices and Secret Impulses and Impressions. 3d. It serves ex­cellently for blowing up that Animosity, that still remains in a sort of Men amongst us, who so much desire, yea thirst after, and wait for Englands Calamity, and Imbrument in War, Blood and Confusion, and who will not want [...]absheka's fine-spun Argument to perpetrate their Mischief, as if they were sent out against our Land, to Exe­cute by Immediate Commission from GOD himself, his [...]revocable De­cree, (2 Kings 18. 25.)

Thus I have endeavoured to Answer yours, according to my Capaci­ty, and that strait of Time [...] was then in, when your Commands came to my knowledge. The Lord gives us all a right understanding of his Word, that we may not be tossed to and fro by every Wind of Do­ctrin, but Established in [...] and Holiness, and Comfort, and As­surance, with full perseverance unto the End, and that we may by this Divine Touchstone now presented before us, Try the Spirits of these and all such like Pretended Prophets, and Impostors, which are gone forth into the World, to deceive, (if possible) the Elect themselves, who shall all be kept by the mighty Power of God through Faith unto Sal­vation.

If real benefit may hereby redound to any single Person, (and more especially to Troubled Souls lying under a deep sense of their own Irrevocable Doom, &c.) I shall heartily bless God, who hath granted me my chiefest End in Publishing these few Leaves, and shall have cause to rejoyce, that no discouragements, (either from within my self, or from others &c.) have any longer detained this Epistle from your (genuine) Censure, tho [...]gh its prolixity may be sufficient Ground to ask your Pardon for so large a Trouble: But your Good­ness is such, as makes me depend upon the grant of this Request, who am,