CAP. I. The first descent and true Form of the right Devil, discovered.

FIrst, as touching the Devil, his rise and original, I shall infallibly make known unto thee, and from inspira­tion shew, that subtile beast or Ser­pent there spoken of, was no horned beast or creeping Serpent, as the Priests vainly teach; neither was it any Pippin or Pear­main, or any other sort of Apple that was so pleasant in Eves eye, or delightful to her taste: No, no, it was that reprobate glorious Angel, that was far more plea­sant and sweeter to Eves taste then the sweetest fruit whatsoever: therefore I shall demand of the proudest of his seed now living, what was, or which now of all creatures or things in this world, is most [Page 2] pleasant in thy eyes, or most in thy soul desiring to taste? Art thou a man, then is not a woman beautified and richly a­tired, most pleasant in thy eyes, and sweet­est to thy taste? Art thou a woman, what saith thou, is not a man beautified and richly atired with subtile and sophistical expressions, most pleasant in thy eyes, and soonest deceived by him?

Even so that reprobate Angelical man, was that subtile Serpent or beast of the field; minde what you read, that angel­man was so pleasant to her taste, that she took it, and did eat, which is no more then this, That proud, beautiful, glorious angel­man, did by his seeming divine wisdom and Angelical person, bewitch Eves inno­cent soul to hearken unto him, and her eyes to dote upon him, that she admitted him enterance into her body, in which, and by which she found so much delight (that after that) she inticed her husband, who had copulation with Eve, as man with woman in these days; so her innocent soul and body being defiled by that re­probate [Page 3] Dragon-angel, after which her husband Adam going in unto her, was also defiled, as a sound woman should receive into her body a diseased man, not onely her womb is defiled, but she pollutes her husband also; as the Pox or Gangreen doth eat throughout the whole man, so Eves soul and body being defiled, did pu­trifie the seed of Adam: From hence it was there came two seeds, the one pure, the other impure, the one righteous, the other wicked; Instance, from the womb of Rebecca came two seeds at one travel, blessed Jacob, and cursed Esau; thus in plainness of termes, I have in short writ to plain sober-hearted men.

But now from the words of the Scri­pture, I must speak to the seed of Faith, that innocent soul-saved generation, and that because the learned of this perishing world cannot believe, though an Angel should speak from heaven, as you the seed of the Lord shall hear that seed of this Serpent will hiss, yea, if possible, sting from his venemous tongue, this infal­lible [Page 4] interpretation of these ensuing words; But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely dye: Now if you look into the third of Genes, with an eye of Faith, then you may clearly see what that Tree of Knowledge of good and evil did signifie: The words are these, And the Serpent said to the Wo­man, ye shall not surely die, for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil: And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband, and he did eat. Oh my spiritual brethren, in that my soul desireth your perfection as my own, therefore I would gladly have you possessed with an infallible understanding between Michael and his Angels, and the Dragon and his Angels, or between the seed of the woman, and the seed of [Page 5] the Serpent: Why? because in the know­ledge of these two distinct seeds, sons or generations, depends a general under­standing of the spirit of the Scriptures; therefore let thy ear wait on thy eye, and thy heart on both, for now I shall unlock that secret Cabinet that hath not been opened since the creation till this last Witness; therefore attend and take notice that it is a general opinion amongst learned men, that the Serpent which ap­peared unto Eve, was one of the beasts of the field which the Lord God had made, and that the devil was an invisible spirit which entred into the body of the Ser­pent, and spake those subtile speeches through his mouth, and so caused the wo­man to eat of the fruit of the natural Tree which the Lord God had forbidden, and tempting her husband to eat of that fruit with her, it operated that venomous evil in them, and all mankinde. [Note] Oh the gross darkness that possesseth the learned men of this perishing world, you know that the Scriptures are generally ex­pressed [Page 6] in natural terms, for the mani­festation of spiritual things to the weak comprehension of sinful mortals, and yet notwithstanding, the natural wisdom of this world would perswade men to un­derstand them exactly in the letter, be­cause they measure the glorious things of eternity by their rational learning onely, as aforesaid; but to enlighten thy under­standing, minde Scripture-records, how that Christ is called a Lyon, a Lamb, a Stone, a Door, a Way, a Vine, a green Tree, and such like expressions in refe­rence unto spiritual meanings; also you may read evil-minded men are sometimes called by the names of Devils, Dragons, Vipers, Serpents, Dogs, Swines, fruitless Trees, and such like, according to that of John the Baptist, when he said, Now the ax is laid to the root of the Tree, every Tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire: So likewise you that are spiritual, may know that, yea, that Angelical re­probate, by whom Eve was deceived, [Page 7] was called a Dragon, an old Serpent, the Devil and Satan, a Deceiver, or the Tree of knowledge of good and evil; and such like names suteable unto his cursed nature; so that the naked truth is this, that Serpent that tempted Eve, was that Angelical Dragon-devil beforesaid, which the Lord God from the highest heavens cast down to the lowest earth, where there, as beforesaid, he bewitched Eves innocent soul; for if you know what you read, you shall finde three prevalent argu­ments perswading her to consent unto the Serpents language:

• 1. The Tree was good for meat.
• 2. It was pleasant to the eyes.
• 3. It was to be desired to make one wise.

But before I write of the three se­crets hid in the Angelical temptation, give me leave to speak a little of the dis­pensation of the secret wisdom of God to his chosen ones: You that are of the seed of Faith, and none but you, doth know that in the Divine will of the infinite Ma­jesty, there is a twofold operation, which [Page 8] is this, minde what thou readest, this is a great mystery, When the wisdom of God seeth fit to reveal a Divine secret to his own seed, then his holy Spirit is all active, and when he seeth fit to obscure it from them, then his Divine Spirit is all passive: Why? because for the manifestation of his infinite power and wisdom, that he can create light out of darkness, yea life out of death with a glorious advantage: For understand this, that if the glorious Creator, for the tryal of his creature, should leave the most experimental man that is, to his own inspired light, and suffer him to be tempted to that evil of murther or adultery, & overcome thereby, he must of necessity lose that former joy and peace of the divine light or love of God in him, and in the room thereof, both see and feel nothing but spiritual darkness, with a secret fear of eternal death, until the light of life appears again, with a new assurance of a glorious deliverance from that sinful darkness and fearful death, as aforesaid; truly whatever man shall ima­gine [Page 9] to the contrary, as sure as there is a God, this was the condition of both Adam and Eve when they were defiled with unlawful lust one towards another, by that subtile temptation of that Ser­pents counsel, called the Tree of know­ledge of good and evil.

Again, though it is said, It was a Tree to be desired to make one wise, yet you may know that the soul of Eve was not of a desiring nature after wisdom in her creation, because she was all divine satis­faction in her self, therefore that desire of tasting of the fruit of a Tree, to make her wise as Gods, to know both good and evil, proceeded onely from the rational nature of an unsatisfied spirit of the Ange­lical Serpent; for this I would have you to understand, that at that time when Eve was tempted to evil by the Serpent, she was wholly left to her own strength, & it was the seeming glory of his Angeli­cal language that over-topped her present light, and begot that desire in her under­standing, through which her soul was mo­ved [Page 10] with a powerful desire to make tryal of his Serpentine counsel, and to taste of his spiritual meat, so highly exalted by him: Why? because to her received new thoughts, she had not heard so glori­ous a language before. Also the Tree was pleasant for sight; yet before that glitter­ing Serpent appeared, Eve wanted no sa­tisfaction in beholding the man Adam, but she looking a little too long upon the comliness of his form, through his infused Witchcraft, her soul was ravisht through his Angelical person.

Again, it was a Tree whose fruit was to be desired to make one wise as Gods, to know both good and evil: Now minde the pretended meaning of the serpent in those words, was this, If she did but taste of the fruit of that Tree, it was so full of divine vertue, that she could not only be like un­to God, but she would be as a God to her self, also to know all that was to be known, whether good or evil, within her own soul; but the truth is, the Serpents se­cret intent was this, that when she had [Page 11] tasted of that forbidden fruit, she should with him both know and feel in her own spirit, the difference between light and darkness, life and death, love and envy, peace and war, good and evil, or God and devil; likewise observe since Eve, the natural mother of all man-kinde, was overcome by lust, through the subtilty of the Serpent, hath not many a poor inno­cent virgin, or virgin-wife in like maner been deceived through the comeliness of mens persons, and their Serpentine lan­guages, by perswading them that they loved them above their own lives, and of giving them such content they know not of; or if they deny them, it will be their death, yea, telling them, All men are but one man, and all women are but one woman, and therefore it is purity to be free unto all, and that they are in the greatest bondage which are united unto one onely; I say, hath not these, and such like cursed counsels, occasioned many innocent soul to betray their virginity, or virgin-bed unto their perpetual sorrow [Page 12] and shame afterwards; Just thus was it with the virgin-wife Eve, though it may seem strange at the first unto many that shall read this Epistle; yet you know the Scripture saith, That she seeing the Tree good for meat, and pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; that is, When the innocent soul of Eve was over­powered with the Serpents subtile lan­guage, as beforesaid, her spirit did consent unto him to come in unto her, and take full possession of her, to be her God and guide in stead of her Creator: Truly in this case the Virgin Eve's condition may fitly be compared unto the Virgin Mary, for you know after the Angel had told her, that without knowing of man, she should be with childe, through the power of the most High overshadowing of her, how easily was she intreated, not onely to have it so, but also how exceedingly did her soul rejoyce with the very tidings there­of? Again, if men look with a spiritual eye between their Angelical salutations, [Page 13] you may see more seeming glorious injoy­ments in the unclean angel greeting of Eve, then in the holy Angels saluting of Mary: Again, though men or Angels should gainsay it, from the spirit of truth it self, I shall declare the very sense of this secret in plainness of speech [which was this] As soon as ever Eves innocent soul, through the permissive power of God was overcome to consent to the Serpents cur­sed councel, his Angelical person entered into her womb through her secret parts, and being united to her soul and body, his serpentine nature dissolved it self into her pure seed, and defiled her throughout, and so became essentially one with her; through which naturally she conceived a Serpent Dragon devil, into a man child of flesh, blood and bone; and brought forth her first begotten son of the Devil, yea the very Dragon, serpent, devil himself, and called his name, according to his na­ture Cain, or cursed, though ignorantly she said she had received a man from the Lord: So likewise on the contrary, the [Page 14] womb of the Virgin-wife Mary was ho­nored with the onely wise Angelical God himself, through which her polluted na­ture was not onely cleansed whilst he was in her womb, but also by vertue of the Divine power, she was enabled to con­ceive his glorious majesty of her seed, in­to a holy Babe of unspotted flesh, blood and bone, and in his season to bring forth her first begotten Son of God, and call his name, according to his nature, Emmanuel, Jesus, or Blessed; so that you which are truely and inwardly baptized with the true knowledge of the holy One of Israel, may see in some measure what is meant by the two Scripture-seeds, the Angelical devil first became a man-child, and the Angelical God afterwards be­came a man-child: thus the most holy God abased himself in the very womb of a woman, that he might first or last de­stroy the power of that serpentine reason, or lying imagination in all his elect Is­raelites.

Thus, if you be not stone-blind, you may clearly see that the serpentine angel when he tempted Eve, was no homely beast, as men vainly imagine from their beastly reason, but he was a spiritual body, and appeared unto Eve in form like unto a glo­rious God or man. Now if you be unsa­tisfied as touching the Angelical serpent, consisting of as large a compass as the person of a man, and yet could enter into the womb of Eve through so narrow a passage, as is declared by me; I shall an­swer thee in those sayings of Nicodemus to Christ, John the third, where he saith, How can a man be born when he is old, can he enter the second time into his mothers womb, and be born again? As our Lord answered Nicodemus unto his fleshly que­stion, so likewise from his own light in like maner, I shall make answer unto this: Though the body of the Angelical Ser­pent in his length or breadth was as a man is, yet you may know it was not of a gross substance as man is, but it was a spiritual body created in another world, for though [Page 16] the bodies of the mighty Angels are in forms like men, yet you may know that they shine like unto the Sun or a flame of fire, being formed in a Region of a more higher nature then this, therefore they are of motion more swifter then thought, & of a pure, thin, or bright fiery nature; so that with great ease they pierce through a nar­row passage, at the divine pleasure of the Creator: So likewise it was with that Ser­pent-tree of knowledge of good and evil, for though his created purity was become all maner of imaginary impurities, through his outcast condition, yet you may know that his form was of a more fiery brightness then that of Adam, or else Eve could not possibly have been de­ceived by him, as aforesaid; also his bo­dy being spiritual, though his nature was carnal, there was no let to hinder this de­scending into her womb, to bring forth the Creators secret purpose of two gene­rations, coming through the loins of one woman, to make an everlasting distinction between the transcendent glory of re­spection, [Page 17] and shame of rejection.

Again, though the Angelical Serpent descended into the womb of Eve, yet you may know that his ascending nature was utterly lost; so that in stead of his ascending upward into that habitation of ravishing glory, from whence he was cast, he was ignorant of it, and of that God and his mighty Angels, as if he had never known them in the least; therefore he imagined his serpentine subtilty, to be the onely wisdom then in being, and this world to be the onely heaven: Thus all the seed of Faith may be satisfied, that the Devil that was, is, or at the resurrection shall so rise, is in the form of a man, and this Cain, man-devil, in process of time, married and begat sons and daughters, so that there shall not onely be a male, but female devils also; yea, since there hath been, and now is legions, yea millions of legions of his seed, in the forms of men and women, and that as comely persons as ever were born of a woman. O then ye seed of Cain look about you, and se­riously [Page 18] lay to heart, how rashly it hath, and now at this day is preached, and by you believed, that the devil was long be­fore man was created, as also that the de­vil had never the form or shape of a man, but as it pleased Master Painter to draw him forth in such a form, that when the devil knows himself to be a devil, thou wilt see the cheat of both the Limner and his Picture.

Notwithstanding it hath been infallibly proved, that there is no other devil but what is in men and women, yet it is made known unto me the various pleas and ex­cuses (why, or wherefore) the generation of Cain have endeavored to finde out a devil before, and without man: First, be­cause that which is a devil, is in antipathy to God, so a professed enemy to his glo­rious person; also the very name devil, is a frightful cursed name, a name that is a terror to all sober-minded men; there­fore to cloke their cursed devilish actions, and that they may not be noted by the righteous Abels to be devils, this de­vilish [Page 19] generation atribute it to a devil without them.

First, It is by them supposed, the devil is a deformed creature, of an ugly shape, with a cloven foot, &c. and therefore, say they, it cannot be a man or woman, for they are comely, beautiful creatures.

Secondly, It is by them believed, that the devil can transform himself into any form, and appear, where, how and when he pleaseth; therefore it cannot be that man should be the devil, in that man can do none of these things.

Thirdly, say they, The devil is in hell tormented, and torments all that he can captivate in his bounds, but we are upon the earth, not tormented, neither torment we any man.

Fourthly, say they, The devil is a wicked cursed blasphemer against God and all that is good, yea the devil is a ly­ing, murthering persecutor of the chil­dren of God; therefore it cannot be that man should be this devil, in that he is a true worshipper of God, and is reverent [Page 20] of his name, no blasphemer, or persecu­tor of his people.

Fifthly and lastly, The greatest Appeal the seed of Cain can make for himself, is this, If there be no other devil but what is in men and women, then, say they, Kings may be devils, Magistrates devils, Merchants devils, Lawyers devils, Soldiers devils, Doctors devils, and Preachers de­vils, and so in conclusion there may be few other in this world that at the day of judgement shall be raised, but devils.

From these and such like, hath that proud spirit of Reason in them corruptly imagined a Devil after their own fancy, and have christened him Devil, yea, and given him a place of abode, either under the earth, in the hollow of the earth, in the depth of the waters, or in the air, or some place they know not where; and all this is because they would not have God nor his people take notice that they are his seed: These and such like, are in some measure satisfactory to the spirit of Reason, that there is a devil without them, [Page 21] besides them, and contrary to mans form.

Notwithstanding, it hath been suffici­ently maintained, nay, against all Gain­sayers proved, what the first descent or rise of the Devil was, which never any since the foundation of the world could reveal till this Last Witness; yet for thy further satisfaction, I shall in short answer those thy frivolous Pleas and Excuses.

First thou pleadest, The devil is a de­formed creature, of an ugly shape, with a cloven foot, &c.

Answer. This is one of the imagined whimsies of the ignorant and learned in these days; this is one of the Scar-crows and Bug-bears believed, and so reported by his own seed, that the devil cannot be a man, in that he is a deformed beast; and yet not any of you dare avouch unto me where, when, and in what shape thou saw­est him, but in that thy soul is clothed with that ignorant dark devil within thee, thou apprehendest and imaginest strange appearances without thee, insomuch that an old Tree in the night is supposed a de­vil [Page 22] unto thee: where this ignorance of a true God and a right devil hath taken place, oh how fearful is that soul of some­thing without it, when the rise of thy fear is really within thee! As consider, what is the cause that a soul cries out, The de­vil, the devil stands before me, waiting to carry me away with him, and all that are with thee beholds nothing but thy self frighted and tormented by the devil within thee? for my seed spring declares unto thee, there is no such thing as is sup­posed by thee; but that devil that ever was, is, or shall be, is for the most part as comely a creature as walks in London streets, and hath as neat a foot and a a hand as any Lady in the land, which shall appear more at large in that Chapter that treats of the seed of Cain, his educa­tion or bringing up.

Again, It is by the Seed of Cain belie­ved man is not the devil, in that, saith thou, the devil can transform himself in­to any form, and appear how, where, and when he pleaseth.

Answer. If this were true, as it is not, it were nothing advantagious unto thee, in that I can in truth and reality instance one remarkable Devil-man now living, whose name is John Robins, that did more devilish exployts then any conceit­ed devil without thee: Sometimes he did present the form of his person riding upon the wings of the winde, like unto a flame of fire; also he did present unto some in their beds a great light, like unto a flame of fire over all the room, that they have been compelled to hide their faces in their beds, fearing they should be burn­ed; but when they hid their faces in their beds, the light did appear more brighter then before: also he would present unto them Half-moons and Stars, and some­times thick Darkness, darker then any na­tural darkness whatsoever: also he did present in the day time his head onely without a body, to a Gentlewoman in her chamber, presenting unto her, to deceive her, the forms of strange beasts, as namely dragons, and such like: much more might [Page 24] be spoken of his deceits in this kind, how many great lying signs and wonders this prince of devils was acted forthfar beyond all his cursed seed, though a great many more hath assumed to raise various ap­pearances, yet notwithstanding all this the fundamental was in themselves; as thus, A real devil within them, but an imagined devil without them; and thus their consciences being seared, they seek to make others in faith with them, that they can raise a devil without them, which at the great day they shall finde it to be a cheat that shall burn in their souls and bodies more hotter then any fire and brimstone.

Again, thou sayest, The devil is in hell tormented, and torments all that he can captivate in his bounds, but we are on the earth not tormented, &c.

Answ. This thy plea thou hast received from others as wise as thy self, that knows no more of a hell without man, then of a heaven within man; for alas poor de­ceived soul, thou apprehendst a devil thou [Page 25] knows not what, and a hell thou knows not where, for the learned or the proudest of his seed little think or can believe, that their body shall be their hell, and their spirit or soul shall be their devil, shut up close prisoners on this earth tormented to all eternity? neither shall you the seed of Cain believe that your cheats, oppression, adultery, swearing, drunkenness, and per­secuting this infallible truth, with all other of your filthiness, shall be that fuel that shall burn more hotter then any na­tural fire in this world? And as touching that, whereas thou saith, We are upon the earth not tormented. Alas pititous soul! though all the seed of Cain are not tor­mented alike, by reason of long habit and custom, through which thy conscience is seared, that no small sin will torment thee, but there are thousands of thy brood that have an earnest peny of that they shall be hereafter; otherwise what causeth the hide­ous, doleful sighs, groans and cries of ma­ny of your seed in health, but much more on thy bed of sickness, concluding in thy [Page 26] self, I am damned, I am damned to all eternity, finding in thy self no peace, in that thou knows not the God of peace, neither hast thou walked uprightly in do­ing to others as thou would they should do to thee, but have either publickly or privately transgressed the Law, by which thy sin is strengthened, for the strength of sin is the law; and so death which is the sting of sin, arraigns thee at the bar of thy own conscience, reading within thy own soul, all thy private evils against God and man, nay from my seed-spring I speak it, many of this cursed seed are seemingly Saints, and do live as a people that doth righteous things, and in gifts of na­ture, heaven-like praying and preaching, to the admiration of all that hears them, and yet they find in themselves, if they would speak the truth, what sad torments they undergo while they live on this earth, yea so great in some, that their tor­ment cannot cease till the soul make away it self: As touching this I shall remind you of one remarkable accident, which [Page 27] many in London this day can witness the truth of what I write, Thomas Gun by name was the man, who for gifts and parts in the Ministry, as also for a civil life, did equalize all the teachers of the Bap­tists, if not excell them, and yet at that very same instant was guilty of adultery, and that for a long time deceived his own soul and the poor woman, his tor­ment for which could not be satisfied till he took a Pistol and shot himself to death: thus it was with him, and so with many more little or much, are in hell, yea on this earth tormented, though nothing comparable to what thou shalt be at the day of Christs next appearance.

Again, thou sayest, The devil is a wick­ed cursed blasphemer against God and all that is good, yea the devil is a lying mur­thering persecutor of the people of God, therefore man is not the devil, because he is a true worshipper of God, &c.

Ans. If thou understoodst what thou sayest, I could set to my seal, that whoso­ever is a true worshipper of God, is no de­vil, [Page 28] for indeed none can worship him, or be reverent of his name, but those that are of the seed of Faith, those that are eternally preserved in peace here, and glo­ry hereafter; for it is life eternal to know thee the onely true God, without which knowledge, none can worship him, or be reverent of his name; thus far I agree and set to my seal, that this man is no devil: but alas, how many of these are in this perish­ing world, though millions of thousand thousands make a show and a talk of a God, yet very few there are that knows him as he is, a glorious personal God, so that true was that saying from the Lord in Isaiah 10. 22. For though my people be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shal be saved: Fear not my little flock, it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom: One of a tribe, two of a City; so few are those that knows the true God, that they are but a handful to them that knows him not. But now to the Query in hand, The devil, saith thou, is a wicked cursed blasphemer against God and all that [Page 29] is good; from whence thou concludes man cannot be this devil, in that man is not so wicked as to curse and blaspheme God; what if I can find out such men that hath, and at this day will curse God to his face? is not this sufficient to con­vince thee there is no other devil but what is in man? for I'le assure thee there is some this day in London, and Country also, that in my hearing hath said, God is a devil, and that he hath done that he can­not make good; that God is a tyrant, a Cock and a Bull, a Horse, and all such like cursed terms; also that devil-man hath said, That if God did damn him, he would damn God; nay, it hath been spoken, That God durst not damn him, and that God was more beholding to him, then he was to God; Also a man hath said, That the blood of Christ was of no more value then the blood of a dog, if these be not the seed of Cain, and at the great and terrible day shall be raysed devils, then let them say the Lord spoke not by me; nay, there is [Page 30] a swarm or brood of this cursed seed of Cain, that deny a God, or at least they make him a cloak for all their lascivious lust, running after the steps of their father Cain in all manner of wickedness: And what is their saying, If I can but have my Money-god, let it come right or wrong its all one to me, I will not put it forth to usury, but I will spend it freely upon my lust; and as for this glorious personal God, I own no such God, for what say they, Our God is an infinite formless spi­rit, or an infinite nothing, or an infinite all; that is to say, all in beasts, all in fish, all in fowls, all in herbs, trees, and plants, all in men and their wickedness too; even thus this cursed seed do believe that just, holy, glorious God, to be the Author of all their uncleanness, so that true is that saying. Psal. 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self; but at the mighty day of my account, thou shalt then have all thy sins set in order before thee, and the sentence of this de­spised God, pass upon thee.

And whereas thou saith, The devil is a murthering persecutor of Gods precious ones: Well, what devil was that, think you, that from the beginning to this day per­secuted the people of God? was it a de­vil without man or in man? Surely the Scripture with our experience, can to any sober man make it appear, it was no o­ther devil but man: As instance, who persecuted the Prophets of the Lord of old, was it not the Priests and Elders of Israel? Who was it that persecuted Christ Jesus? was it not their children the holy devout Jews, that murthered the Lord of glory? Who persecuted the Apostles? was it not the same generati­on of the cursed seed of Cain? Who put the Martyrs to the fire? was it a devil without a form, or was it not a devil in Queen Marys form? Who is it now that persecutes the substantial light or life of the seed of faith? is it not the devil in man, or man-devil? Nay had it not been for the late Lord Protector, whose soul was merciful to tender consciences: O [Page 32] had it not been that God had honored him before and above all, in wisdom to go in and out before Parliaments, and the Priests of this Nation; what a bloody persecuting day had here been in Eng­land? and yet you cry out of the devil for a persecutor, when it is the devil in you; so that you see there is no other devil but what is that cursed seed of Cain. O therefore look about you, for the devil that you fear, is in you.

Now to the last and greatest appeal the seed of Can can make for himself, is this, If there be no other Devil but what is in man or woman, then Kings may be devils, Magistrates devils, Lawyers de­vils, Merchants devils, Soldiers devils, Doctors devils, and Preachers devils, and so at the day of judgement, few other but devils shall arise.

Answ. What a Catalogue of great men is here recorded, thou supposing such men as these, its pity to damn them, or at least God will have more mercy on them, then on the poor ragged feed of [Page 33] Cain [and that because] of their greatnes: Surely, if possible, thou wouldst turn God from being God, and that because he saith, He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy: And with our God there is no re­spect of persons; So that mark what is said, What is a King? what is a Magi­strate? what is a Doctor? what is a Lawyer? what is a Soldier? what is a Merchant? what is a Preacher? though their houses be full of gold and silver, and their body richly clad with Jewels and raiment? What is all this to the Judge of Justice? its but as filthy raggs, no nor the persons of such men are no more esteemed then the dunghil begger; Nay, what doth the Lord say, Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble men shall be saved, but the poor persecuted for his names sake, are his beloved: Again, he saith, It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven: Do you hear, will ye believe, or understand that these sayings needs no interpretation, how­ever [Page 34] you may slight it, take notice that what I now say, you shall finde it, that since God became flesh, there is no pro­mise in Scripture to those that truly knows him, and so professeth him, shall be rich in this world; As find me out ten among ten thousand, from the first of Matthew, to the last of the Revelation, that were true believers, so living and so dying; I say thou canst not find out half that number that were really of the seed of faith, and rich in this would, so few they were then, and so few now, that I think it should make the rich of this world to tremble, for though you can pass the Scripture, with some evations of your own, and defer the application of them as concerning your selves, yet from my Seed-spring, this you shall know, that those sayings, It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enjoy in his own soul the eternal truth, there being such antipathy betwixt them, that they accord like two contrary elements, viz. fire and water, no society [Page 35] till one hath conquered the other: As in­stance, the riches and glory of this world, it elevates the soul beyond its bounds, it finds so much content here, that that truth that will not maintain this perishing fleshly glory, with all its lust and pride; Oh it is as hard a saying as that of Christ to the young man in the Gospel, when truth presents it self to a rich worldly man, and yet this man a great professor of the letter, and makes a great flutter in vain repetition to a God thou knows not; yet I say, when the eternal truth tenders it self to thy soul, in a poor persecuted distressed condition, and tells thee I the Lord of glory had not a bed to lay my head on; and those that will raign with me in that endles glory to come, must forsake all, & take me for their pattern; and as for the riches here, make as good shift as thou canst, provided thou doth as thou would be done to. Oh saith the rich soul, This is a hard saying indeed, for let me be of what Art or Calling soever, if in that Art or Calling I do righteous things, I shall [Page 36] be poor enough in this world, for I finde in my Art and Trading, that all men that grows rich, hath got it by cheat and de­ceiving those they have to deal with; for if a man deal justly, he shall have much a­do to maintain his family; therefore well might the God of all knowledge say, Not many rich, not many noble, but the poor shall enter in at the straight gate; for the way, the path, the gate, to the posses­sion of the real durable truth is so nar­row, that the soul with its body must en­ter in pure and undefiled, not laden with cheats and deceits, as thousands at this day strives to enter in, and are not able for want of their certificate, that golden Rule, In doing to others as thou would others should do to thee: Now if thou say, Where is that man, or how is it possible for any man to perform this? I answer, I can both show thee the man and affirm it is possible, for since I have known the true God, and been made obedient to the rule thereof, mark what I say, I have not to my knowledge, done that to another, [Page 37] which I would not the same party should do to me; and for the possibility thereof, it lieth in thy power to do, minde what I say, It is as possible for thee to do just­ly as unjustly: As instance, thou having a friend that reposeth confidence in thee, and declareth the truth of his business unto thee, concerning which he entrust­eth thee to do for him, as if occasion re­quire, thou would have him do the like for thee; now the occasion upon which thou art imployed, is a business of great advantage, as a bargain of Land, Mer­chandize or otherways, which if thou deal with him as for thy self, sufficient benefit will acrue thereby; but now in the managing of this his affairs, thou findst thou canst gain for thy self twenty pound more or less, and yet thy friend shall accomplish his desire, cheaper then if he had aggitated the business himself; and as touching this thy pretended plain­dealing, and seeming honesty, thou hast contrived a way that he shall never know of it, but account himself as much ob­liged [Page 38] to thee for this thy great kindness and just dealing with him, as if it were re­ally so. Now speak for thy self, was it not in thy power to give him all or no, and deal plainly? was this any kindeness or just dealing in the least? or hath it any relation to that Golden saying of Christ, Matth. 7. 12. Therefore all things what­soever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this the Law and the Prophets: No, no, thou wouldst ne­ver imploy him more, but judge him, and so look upon him as the ungratefullest man living upon the earth; therefore look to thy own soul, how it stands related to that golden rule aforesaid, that whe­ther thou finds in thy self a desire of re­venge towards him, or if ever occasion of such an account be tendered to thee, thou wilt serve him the like; I say be thou what thou wilt, thou maist shake hands like Simeon and Levi, brethren in cheat and deceit; as thou may call to minde one re­markable cursed rule betwixt buyer and seller, as thus, Suppose thou be the seller, [Page 39] and I the buyer, I come for such a Com­modity which thou hast, I ask thee the price that thou canst afford it to live by, thou doth protest, as thou intends to be saved, it cost thee so much, I having no experience, and believing thee, gives thee thy price, when thou knows, thou hast cheated me both in the goodness of the Commodity, and the price; now judge thou if this be as thou would have ano­ther serve thee? or dost thou think for all thy long prayers and heaven-like car­riage, that these ill gotten riches, by which thou art grown great on the earth, that such as thou shalt enter the straight gate, or that thou shalt rise a rich, glori­ous Saint at the day of judgement? then I may say in vain was it for me, to forsake a hundredth pound a year, and expose my self and children to strayts, because I couldnot cheat; for I tell thee, if to do just and unjust be all one, then I say with Paul, Of all men we are most miserable, when we might be rich, to live poor here, and be damned hereafter. Oh no, no, as sure [Page 40] as God is God, thou shalt know, that so continuing and so dying as a cheat, shall have all thy heaven here, and everlasting torment hereafter; therefore wonder not why it is a hard thing for Kings or great men to be saved, but rather wonder that any is saved: As take account from Saul the first King of Israel, to the coming of Christ, and observe seriously how many of them shall arise Saints; also take notice from Christ, to the raign of the Lord Pro­tector, thou shalt find it is a hard thing to deal justly and be rich in this world; cer­tain it is, from experience I find it so far different, yea, so contradictory, that from the seed of Faith I speak it, to deal justly thou cannot be rich, but poor in this world, and yet what striving here is to be rich, yea wise and great in this peri­shing world, not in the least laying to heart that saying of James 5. 1. &c. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you; your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten; your gold and silver is can­kered, [Page 41] and the rust of them shall be a wit­ness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire; ye have heaped treasure toge­ther for the last dayes; ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton, ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter, ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you.

Now look about you the seed of Cain, and tell me to whom was this spoken, or whom doth this concern, if not the great men of the earth, or rich men of this world; and yet how few of you do consider that destruction will be the end of this thy fleshly perishing glory? Alas, what though thou live thirty, fourty, fifty, or eighty years, this know, thy glass is a running, thy brave time will have an end, and to thy bed of sickness thou must be brought, when then all thy rich robes and precious Jewels may hange by thee, but thou canst not make use of them, and in room of them death prepares a garment for thee. O then, even then, is a believers joy, which now is thy sorrow; for in stead [Page 42] of speaking peace to thee, they will be a witness against thee, yea a declaration of dreadful things concerning thee, remind­ing thee of all thy proud thoughts and lofty looks; as also how thou hast spent thy time in pleasure on this earth, and been wanton in the day of judgement; yea, cruel in the day of mercy in con­demning, yea, killing the Just, that blessed seed of Faith; now if these men shall be saved, and if those works shall be justified, that is recorded in Mic 3. 11. viz. abhorring judgement, perverting all equity, judging for reward, teaching for hire, divining for mony, grinding the faces of the poor, enriching themselves in the ruine of others; I say, if such great men as these, that have here enjoyed all the pleasure and glory of this perishing world, shall enjoy that immortal ravish­ing glory in the world to come, then minde what will follow, then in vain were the Scriptures written, and to no purpose was those great sufferings of our Lord Jesus, who saith, Mat. 19. 29. [Page 43] And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my names sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life; and then in the same Chapter, Christ shews from the young mans going away sorrowful, How hard a thing it is for a rich man to enter, yea, saith Christ, A rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of glory: and in vers. 27. when Peter said, Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee, what shall we have therefore; now you may read his answer was this, That ye which have followed me in the regenera­tion, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, &c.

Now in all these words, expound, or interpret which way ye can to stile your fears of death, and your dreadful portion at the great day, I say from the Lord of glory you cannot find any colour or title in the least that doth encourage or give any admittance to a worldly minded rich [Page 44] man, for if you minde what you read, you shall find all the promises here, or in Scri­pture elsewhere, doth onely appertain to such that hath forsaken all false worships and false Christs, and hath renounced all unjust ways or means whereby he hath enriched himself, yea he that hath slight­ed a good name with the credit of this world, and is not onely ready to persecute, but be persecuted for that glorious, yet despised man Jesus; I say from the spirit of Faith, all the promises of the Lord in Scripture doth onely belong to these poor despised scum of the earth, as in these words, Thou Pe­ter, or ye my disciples, or any other of my precious ones, that hath lost all for me, you are those that shall have all gain by me, you shall have everlasting life, and be with me in my Kingdom, yea in glo­ry like my self, as mind that saying of James the second chapter and fifth verse, Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not Cod chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he [Page 45] hath promised to them that love him?

Now what can be said more, or what more wouldest thou have God do for thee? wouldst thou have him unjust, or contradict his own word? then be content with thy rich glory here, and let us have our glory with our God; we grudge not at thy greatness in this world, no nor thou shalt not hinder us, or detain us from our portion of glory to come, thine is almost at an end, ours is yet to come; and shall never end; therefore be not deceived, thou canst not live the life of the devil here, and live eternally with the Lord hereafter: then, as I said before, so against men and angels I should say again, that such as I had better never been born to deprive my self of such a livelihood, as I might not have been inferior to many, and all to live upright and justly in this my strange country, which now I am de­prived of all; Surely, if it were so as some of Cains cursed brood doth say, and binde it with an oath, That all shall be saved, then poor Paul, and the [Page 46] poor Prophets, and we in these days, have made a sad exchange, but as sure as God is God, whosoever thou art, be thou Ranter or Quaker, King or Beggar, thou shalt finde at the day of our Saviours ap­pearance, that thou so dying, shall never be saved; and then if it were possible, thou wouldst say what I here write, is truth, and such as thou art found lyers.

Now one word more to this last plea of the seed of Cain, and so as touching this point I have done, which is this: If there be no other devil but what is in man or woman, then thou sayest, Kings may rise devils, Magistrates devils, Lawyers devils, Soldiers devils, Merchants divels, Do­ctors devils, yea and Preachers Devils, these being for the most part the richest men of this world, and the Scripture in many places extends it language onely against such men, may cause not onely a supposition in the seed of faith, to judge according to the tenor of the inspired Writ; but also a terror upon the souls of rich men, in that Christ compareth riches [Page 47] to bryers and thorns, as in that parable of the sower, Mat. 13. 22. where he saith, And the cares of this world, and the de­ceitfulness of riches choak the word, and he becometh unfruitful, riches being such a snare and deceiver of the soul, may justly, and that not without suspition, cause a serious examination, whether riches be not the onely instrument, why or wherefore the true God nor his word doth not take root within thee, where there is so much fulness of the treasure of this world, there can be no admittance for the treasure of God, ye cannot serve two masters, and that because the riches of this world is in antipathy to the riches of heaven, in that one is perishing, the o­ther everlasting, the one clouds or draws the soul from God, the other expells mists, and draws the soul to God; so that Christ knowing it was the greatest tryal and snare to the soul, doth declare it a hard thing to enter, yea so difficult, that since he took upon him the form of flesh, there hath not, nor now is, not one of ten thou­sand [Page 48] knowing the true God, that shall be much troubled with the riches of this world; for where riches is, there must be a mighty power of faith keeping the soul in obedience to its God, and that because where there is riches, it requires the crea­tures whole attendance, to give all care and diligence that possible may be, to augment it, or at least to uphold the stock or principle, in so much that it makes him uncapable to cast his whole care upon the God of endless riches. Now to conclude, there is one thing more of great concernment to be seriously laid to heart by these rich men, which is this.

First, How thou camest to this thy greatness, whether it was by birthright, or inheritance, as the eldest son.

Secondly, Whether it came by thy ac­cute subtile wit and ripe ingenuity, in im­proving thy Art or Calling, by which thou wert capable of, by which fleshly wisdom of thine thou art possest in thy riches?

Ans. I shall from my seed-spring give thee the result of my thoughts as touching thee, and as sure as God is God, thou shalt finde what I write is truth.

1. For the first, Suppose in my condi­tion, as I am, kindered or friend, should unexpected by me, give me a thousand pound a year more or less, now it is just in me to receive it, and possibly as justly I improve it, onely here consists the dan­ger, that if by these riches my soul is drawn from God, and more delighted in the pleasure of my riches then God, so that I think my self a great man, and now am grown lofty, hard-hearted, and such like corruption attends me, in so much that not onely my self, but likewise my neighbors, takes notice that I am not like the man I was before.

So that now thou that hath thy great­ness successively, is not by Scripture con­demned, provided it prove not a snare or a thorn to choak thy soul, by having such a deep impression in thy heart, that the infallible truth cannot take root in [Page 50] thee, onely here is the hazard as aforesaid, if thou use it as though thou use it not, which is no easie thing, yet if thou canst make use of it to the glory of our God, by feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked in the name of a Prophet or a righ­teous man; so said, and so done, thou shalt have a Prophets or righteous mans reward, which is eternal life in the world to come; I say if these things, in the en­joyment of thy riches, are performed by them, then it may be thou art one of those few of the rich and noble that shall be sa­ved: But,

2. Thou that hast got thy riches by thy subtil wit, is much different from the o­ther, in that the first was freely given, so that he came justly by it; but as for thee, thou best knows how thou came to thy greatness; for thou hast heard, as afore­said, it is a wonder for a man to do just and upright things, and yet grow rich; therefore the Scripture calls thee to ac­count, and that the more thou mayest re­member not many years ago thou wast [Page 51] but a poor Journy-man of thy Trade, not worth a groat, but in debt, and now in these few years thou art worth thou­sands.

O friend, deal plainly with thy soul, though thou may hide it from man, thou canst not hide it from God, for thy ways are naked to his glorious piercing eye, that although thou may blind man with thy fair carriage and sugared pretences, seemingly gilt over with holiness and purity of life, yet for all this our glorious personal God doth know, and in thy con­science will read, how many thou hast cheated and murthered to make thy self great by undoing of others; in this thing are not most of your Doctors over shoes and boots in this crying sin, in taking a crown for that which cost but six pence, and not onely so, but for want of judge­ment and mercy, destroys the poor crea­ture, to the utter ruin of his family, so that thou art of that number that tread­eth in the broad way, that at last will lead thee to the destruction of thy soul eter­nally, [Page 52] yea world without end; and there­fore take notice, that God is not afraid to call thee to account, or that he will be more merciful to thee then a beggar, be­cause of thy greatness, or that thy white hand or fair face adorned with Silk, Gold or Silver, shall cause an eye of compas­sion more to thee because of that, then to a black deformed creature; No, no, our God thou shalt finde, seeth not as man seeth, neither is his thoughts as mans, if he were, then had the fair, neat, rich, proud daughters of Sion been respected, but in stead of a blessing, he blasted all their glory and their bravery, as you may read at large, Isaiah 3. from the 16 to the end, first repeating how they walked with stretched-out necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as you go, and making a tinkling with your feet, there­fore the Lord in stead of shewing mercy, did smit with a scab the crowns of the heads of the daughters of Sion, yea, the Lord did discover their secret parts, and took away all their bravery of tinkling or­naments [Page 53] about their feet, their cauls and round tires like the Moon, the chains, bracelets & mufflers, the bonnets, tablets, ear-rings, and nose-jewels, wimples, and crisping-pins, the glasses and fine linen, the vails, with the changeable suits of ap­parel.

O if God were a respecter of persons, here was invitations plenty: but you may read, that in stead of a sweet smell, he gave them a stink; and in stead of a girdle, a rent, in stead of well-set hair, baldness: in stead of beauty, burning; yea, and that with eternal burnings, shall all proud de­spisers of this infallible truth undergo, at the great and terrible day of our Saviors appearance; concerning which I shall o­pen at large in the last Chapter. Thus much in answer to your Pleas, now I shall prove from Scripture the seed of Cain to be of the devil.

CAP. II. The Seed ofCain his Education or bring­ing up, undeniably proved against any of his tribe that shall oppose it.

AS touching this I shall not need to spend much ink or paper, and that because not onely Scripture, but likewise experience doth confirm, that there is none of the Seed of Faith so honorably educated as the rich sort of the seed of Cain; for indeed to whom doth the wis­dom and government of this world be­long to, but to them? and therefore no­thing that in the bounds of reason can be [Page 82] attained unto, but his seed enjoys it, nay, they are so exactly educated in the affairs of this world, that by their reason they are able to comprehend all words whe­ther they are spoken in a Philosophical form, sense, or language; nay, many of them are not onely mighty in disputes as touching the Government of this their kingdom, but they are also able in dispute about the glorious things of Eternity, though they understand not the matter disputed of in the least; for as Paul saith, 1 Cor 2. 14. Neither can they know them because they are spiritually discerned; for their education in the greatest knowledge is but natural, and therein they are able to dictate unto the unlearned of their seed, laws and rules to preserve this their kingdom in peace among themselves; for you must understand what wisdom Lear­ning can teach them shall not be wanting, and the wisdom they attain unto, is not that spiritual or divine Wisdom, for this onely belongs to the Seed of Faith; As read but 1 Cor. 2. 4, 5, and 6 verses, and [Page 83] there you shall hear Paul shew the vast difference of the wisdom of Faith, from the wisdom of flesh; for the wisdom of Cain is a meer cheat, yea, leads him forth to nothing but pride, oppression and cru­elty, for by that wisdom they put the Lord of Life to death, as in the eighth verse: therefore you that have eyes may see what this learning and knowledge is the seed of Cain are tutored in, that it is no other but the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God, and that is the cause they come to tempt or dispute with the Seed of Faith, whose wisdom is given him by inspiration or revelation, in the demonstration of the Spirit; I say, because the wisdom of Cain cannot re­ceive the things of the Spirit of God gi­ven this precious soul, O how they rayl with tearms of a fool, an ass, a dunce, a coxcomb, a heretical blasphemer, an ig­noramus, one that hath no sense; these and such like tearms this cursed Brood will brand the Seed of Faith with, the onely wise men in Christ; for which cause [Page 84] the Lord in 1 Cor. 1. 19. saith, I will de­stroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the Wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the Disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wis­dom of this world? and all because the foolishness of God in the Seed of Faith, is wiser then that great knowledge in the seed of Cain: for take this infallible truth along with you, which is this, that the Scriptures in the life and power of them were never given to the wise learned men in those days; For, saith Christ, to you it is given to know the mystery, to you my Disciples, or elected Seed of Faith, to you, and for your sakes did I speak this: and therefore it was the wise, learned Priests and Rulers did imprison and put to death, not onely the Disciples, but Christ also, as Blasphemers, for publishing this Scripture, which now their wise chil­dren do make a Trade of, and will not onely imprison, but, if possible, put to death the onely Witnesses and true Inter­preters [Page 85] of this Holy Writ which was gi­ven by inspiration, for the proper use of his blessed Seed of Faith.

Again, the seed of Cain are educated in the fulness and plenty of this world, inso­much that there is no novelty, delicate or dainty, that by the spirit of reason can be invented, but for their belly it is prepared; as also no new antick fashion can be ima­gined, either of silk, gold, or silver, but their backs are adorned with it, nay, there is no attendance of men and maid-ser­vants that this their kingdom can afford, but the seed of Cain enjoys it; yea, they are so tenderly and princely brought up at home and abroad, and so hurried in their Coaches and Sedans, that if possible the cold wind should not blow on them, nor the glorious Sun with his beams should scorch them, so careful are they of their beauty and comely, streight, pro­per persons, that if possible, there shall not be a wrinckle on their hands, nor a spot on their faces, unless it be of their own making, for the more grace of their [Page 86] comely persons; thus what by art in their wisdom can be invented, shall not in the least be wanting, if it can be had for gold or silver; and whatever Science, Pastime or Pleasure their soul can desire, as Haw­king, Hunting, Bowling, Shooting, Ga­ming, at Dice, Cards, or Tables, or any other delight of Musick, Dancing, Cour­ting of Ladies, with the satisfaction of their greatest lust, and that with the grea­test pomp and state this their heaven can afford; and then in the last place for carriage and behavior none in this world like unto them, as observe how proud, and Lucifer-like, their father, they carry their heads, insomuch that they know not what fashion or coloured Perriwig to hang upon it: and when they meet any of their brethren, O what congeying and bowing with Cap in hand to the ground, saluting each other with these and such like complementary tearms, as, Your ser­vant, Sir, or, Your servants servant, Sir, or, Madam, and fair Lady, I am yours to command by night or by day, and that with [Page 87] so much stateliness and comely behavior, that I wonder thou shouldest be affright­ed at the name or person of the devil, considering what a glorious, proud, ma­jestical creature the devil is, as aforesaid.

But now if you ask me, Are all the seed of Cain thus educated?

Answ. No: for you may understand some are brought up to one Calling or another, that some of them do undergo hard labor and great pains, to maintain themselves with their families, in this their perishing kingdom, so that they have neither gold nor silver [the dust of this earth] to mannage such a fleshly glo­rious education, as aforesaid.

And others there are that are educated, yea, brought up servants, yea slaves, to the great Rabbies of their seed, which none of them have that attendance, ful­ness, delights & pleasures as aforesaid; but on the contrary, are deprived of all that their happiness the other enjoy, insomuch that in stead of giving relief, they beg re­lief; in stead of a Bed of Doun, they lye [Page 88] on a bed of straw; in stead of being clo­thed with silk, they are clad with rags, yea many times ready to starve for want of food; so that you may behold there is not onely rich, but poor, miserable, ragged devils, that shall rise at the day of our eternal Gods appearance, so that I say these of all the tribe or generation, are to be pitied, if pity did belong to them, to consider what affliction they undergo in this their heaven, and yet be eternally damned hereafter.

Question. But now you may say unto me, and that seemingly affirm, both from my writing and the Scripture, in that I have before treated much of the rich men of this world, how hard a thing it is for them to walk in the ways of God, they being so educated in the pomp and glory of this world; which I say, and your ex­perience findes it is the greatest thief that steals away the heart of man, and so makes that soul as difficult, as a woman in travail, to enter into the life and power of the Gospel; therefore we being poor, [Page 89] and the Scripture saith, the poor receives the Gospel, we much marvel how your writing will be found truth in Scripture, that any poor should rise devils, when the Scripture saith, it is onely the poor that receives the Gospel.

Answer. From this thy curious Query I shall answer thee in those words of James 2. 5. where it is thus written, Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in Faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Now if you intend these poor, I affirm what you say, yea, from my Seed-spring I declare, not one of these poor shall rise devils, in that these are the Seed of Faith, and educated in the knowledge of eternal Truth, yea, tutored by the spirit of divine Wisdom: But now tell me how many of these poor you can finde among the poor seed of Cain, for if thou understand­est what thou readest, thou shalt finde, though the Seed of Faith for the most part are but poor in this world, viz your [Page 90] kingdom, yet minde what the Holy Writ saith, though poor in estate, yet they are rich in faith, so that these poor by Faith receives the Gospel; therefore take no­tice of this, it is not poverty in the out­ward man that makes thee rich in the in­ward man; for if you could discern, by the spirit of Faith you shall finde, that the major part of the poor in this world, are as poor in faith, yea so poor, that they cannot give thee the least account what God is, or what a rich treasure it is to be­lieve in God, therefore in stead of loving God, they hate God; as if it were but re­corded how many times in a day at Bil­lings-gate, as also in all the Streets of London, thou shalt hear they are educa­ted in little else but to blaspheme the name of our glorious personal God, as shall be seen more at large in the devil his qualification; so that deceive not your selves, and that because of your beau­ty or greatness, no nor for your pover­ty, unless you be richly clad with that rich Jewel of Faith, for that will mani­fest [Page 91] who was thy tutor, and the nature of thy education.

CAP. III. The devil or seed ofCain his Qualifi­cation, and how he is acted forth.

FOr your better understanding of what I shall now write, you shall finde this matter ensuing divides it self into several branches, and not onely as touching his thoughts, words and actions, but there are several distinct actings forth of this wicked seed in matter of qualification, and yet all makes up but one seed as unto its original, even the seed of Cain their fa­ther: as,

First, some of this seed you shall hear are acted forth to all maner of unclean­ness, yea such as is spoken of in Romans the first, from verse 21. to the end of the Chapter, For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their wo­men did change their natural use into that [Page 92] which is against nature; and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the wo­man, burned in their lust one towards an­other, men with men working that which is unseemly: Of these sorts of devils we have among us at this day, and that not onely such that doth take shame for what they have done, but rather will maintain such gross, foul, filthy acts, and that be­cause, say they, there is nothing that I can think, speak, or do, but God is the Au­thor of it; so what if I lye with another mans wife, what harm can be in that? I know no evil in so doing, for to me all women are but one woman, and this wo­man, a man, and that man, I man eterni­ty; and therefore if I lye with twenty, they are but all one to me, and there be­ing a free consent, what fin can be in this? for what hath some in London said, that it is no more sin for a man to lye with any woman, then a Cock to tread a Hen, or a Bull to serve a Cowe? nay this ran­ting devil is qualified and acted forth, saying, till a man can act sin as no sin, he [Page 93] cannot be free from sin; for thinking this, it is impossible for any man to be free from these sins, unless he can steal, murther and commit adultery as no sin, then, and not till then, say they, thou hast no power over sin, and so thou encouragest thy self in all thy impurity, in that, saith thou, to the pure all things are pure, so that no­thing is unclean of it self, but to him that esteemeth it so, not in the least conside­ring as unto what the Apostle spake, that [to the pure all things are pure] from hence including all maner of filthy acts whatsoever: Now let any of the Seed of Faith judge, if thou art not given over to a reprobate minde to do those things that are not convenient? for as touching this, speak thy self, what convenience doth ap­pear in any of these thy destructive acti­ons? for indeed destructive they are, both to thy self, and them thou hast to deal with; witness the tears of many a poor virgin-wife, and the sad misery ma­ny an innocent virgin hath undergone by thy devilish temptation, to the loss of all [Page 94] her friends, the defilement of her own body, and the eternal hazard of her soul, yet all this is justifiable in thy reprobate minde, if thou canst but satisfie thy lust, and spend her money, that is all the love that she shall finde from thee; and when this pretty deluded creature comes and tells thee how the case is with her, I am with childe by thee, and thou hast spent all my money, what wilt thou do with me? wilt thou, according to thy promise, make me thy wife, and do thy best endea­vor to satisfie me for this wrong thou hast done to me?

What is his answer, think you? even this he will reply: Alas, what can I do for thee? marry thee I cannot, in that I have a wife; and to maintain thee I can­not, in that I have it not for my self, so thou must provide for thy self as well as thou canst: Now if this poor deceived creature [should reply, and say] thou tol­dest me thou wast single, and it was no­thing but pure love to me, and that thou lovedst me above all the world, so I did [Page 95] condescend to lie with thee, thinking thou wouldest make me thy wife, by which I have not onely brought my self to shame and beggery, but for ought I know, have damned my soul. Upon these words this Ranting devil breaks forth, saying, A pox take you for a whore, you are a dark de­vil indeed, to say thou shalt be damned for thy love, the Scripture commands us to love our neighbor as our self, and there­fore we are to love our neighbors wives, and how can our love be more exprest, then in kissing, sporting, and lying one with another? and thus they make Solo­mon and his writings their patern, nay, they will engage soul for soul that she shall not be damned, provided she do not look upon it as a sin; for say they, to lye with a maid, widow, or our neighbors wife, is no more then to lye with that woman you call my wife; for I know none lawfully married in this world, but those onely that are one in flesh and spirit, and she that you call my wife, though I have had many children by her, she is but a whore, [Page 96] and the children bastards, for we were not contracted in this light and purity aforesaid.

Now let any sober man judge the qua­lity of this kinde of devil, that his love and purity is to destroy and begger a poor innocent soul, and yet plead for it as the onely truth, saying, It is not I, but the Lord in me; of my self I can do nothing, and he is all in all, with many such like Scriptures they will produce, for to sa­tisfie their devilish lust, perswading them­selves that God is an infinite formless Spirit, an infinite Nothing, or an infinite All, in this their beastly reason, so that well comes in that saying of David, Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done, and kept silence, thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self; as if he should have said, Thou thoughtest it was I that committed adultery, that did co­zen and lye with the innocent, thou thoughtest it was I in thee that moved thee to swear, whore, and cheat thy fel­low mortals; but thou shalt know that I [Page 97] am a God, that is not an infinite nothing, for out of nothing, comes nothing; as al­so thou shalt know, that I am not an infi­nite All in thy filthiness, for the day is at hand that I will reprove thee, and that god in thee, as in Romans 1. thou hast changed the truth of God into a lye, in sup­posing there is no other God but what is in thee, and so worship me as a God filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wic­kedness, covetousness, maliciousness, en­vy, murther, debate, deceit, an inventer of all evil things.

Thus in part you have heard how this ranting devil is qualified and acted forth, and that not onely to all maner of wo­men, but man burning in lust with man, and women with women, as before rela­ted; and the more it is to be observed, that what they do in this nature, they af­firm it to be just, yea to do as they would be done unto, for you that knows them, as much as I, shall finde their tongues tipt with these and such like words, but in their actions, as you have heard, they have [Page 98] sold themselves to commit wickedness, and that with greediness, never finding themselves more happy then when they are a whoring or drinking, which to them is a pure truth as any sentence in Holy Writ; for they do not esteem that sin which the Scripture records for sin, in that they do not know what to make of that glorious personal God nor his writing, looking upon it as a History of mans in­vention; for, say they, the Scripture is a meer Map of Contradiction, so that such devils of this kinde in their hearts do not believe it no more then another writing, onely for fear of the Law they will say as you say, for what do they affirm, A lye and a truth is all one to us, and so whatso­ever we do, is righteous, just and good, and when we die, we shall be swallowed up into the infinite Spirit, as a drop into the Ocean, and so be as we were, and if ever we be raised again, we shall rise a horse, a cow, a root, a flower, and such like, and so turn the world round as be­fore; as for hell or damnation it is all here, [Page 99] so if they can but escape prison, sickness, and want of money, they fear no other hell or torment hereafter whatsoever.

Now let any sober man consider the devils quality that acts forth this sort of this cursed seed; and as for their language, if there were a devil without man, that had any dealings with man, if possible, they would curse and swear that devil out of his name and wits; for some of this sort when they are in company with their cur­sed tribe, what oath or oathes was ever heard by the ear of man, but they have it, and that with authority from their fa­ther Cain they maintain it, and that seem­ingly from Scripture, and so will take oath against any one they have a revenge to, if their false oath will prevail, they will do it. Thus much of the white, light, ranting devil.

2. The next sort of this cursed seed are qualited and acted forth in most wic­kedness like unto the first, onely the dif­ference is, the white ranting devil doth approve of all his wickedness to be righte­ousness, [Page 100] when this black ranting devil doth judge it a sin; and yet though his tongue will rayl on the white ranting de­vil, and in what company soever he comes he will speak against these cursed actions, and that because he doth not onely know them to be evil, but he is afraid his wife, husband, children, or parents should know of it, and not onely that, but he is afraid the Law will take hold of him, and so pu­nish him, if not put him to death for it; these and such like are the motives indu­cing him to speak against that with his tongue, which his heart burneth and lust­eth after: but however all these outward fears attend him, yet this lust or devil is so desiring after a beautiful maid, or an­other mans wife, that though he will say it is a sin, and hath read the wrath of God due for it, yet he will hazard not onely his credit in this world, but the loss of his soul in the world to come; and the ground of this his dangerous attempt, ariseth from these and such like thoughts, I may escape as well as others, and I will be sure [Page 101] that none shall see me lye with any wo­man, neither doth any of my neighbors suspect me, so that before I will lose the society of such a rare creature, in whom my soul is wholly ravisht with the thoughts of what pleasures and delights I shall have with her, I will hazard both soul and body; for what saith such a sort of devil as this? as for the world I will play may cards so wisely, that none shall hear or know of it; and though it be a sin, it is not the greatest, neither am I the first or shall be the last, and therefore I shall make as good shift as another, and besides that, I know that God is a merci­ful God, and though in my strength and youth of my body, I do now and then break forth a little, I hope the Lord, if I do but on my death-bed cry him mercy, he will forgive me.

Ah poor dark deluded soul, dost thou think, that when the righteous, just, up­right heart hath much ado to finde mer­cy, and yet thou wicked ungodly man thinkest it is easie for such as thou? no, [Page 102] no: thou shalt finde, that as in the strength of nature and health of body, thou hast spent thy time in satisfaction of thy lust, when all that thy pleasure is at an end, then in a small measure shall be pre­sented unto thee what thou shalt be at the day of resurrection: for alas poor heart, thou thinkest the God of Truth, is like thee, a man of lies, and by thy corrupt petition to turn the will of God, as with a petition thou canst turn the will of man, but then to thy cost thou shalt finde he is a God that changes not; which in the last Chapter I shall shew thee at large.

Now to the matter in hand, as touch­ing thy quality and acting forth, in thy Carriage and Language, that from my Seed-spring I speak it, if there were a de­vil without man, as there is not, that de­vil would tremble to behold thy carriage, and hear thy expressions; for pride doth so much attend thee, that thou knowest not how to fashion thy garment, nor which way to hang thy Cloak upon thee; now being richly clad, thou knowest not [Page 103] well what to think of thy self, that whe­ther thou be a god or a man, thy garments so glitter, and thy heart so proud, and carriest thy head so high, that the poorer sort of thy seed stands cap in hand to thee, yea, gazing after thee, that thou art so puffed up with the thought of this, that thou thinkest in thy self none in the world like unto thee for beauty and proper per­son, so richly adorned with jewels of gold and silver, that thou thinkest every one that looks upon thee, admires thee; from hence it is thy devil or soul is so ravisht with the vain glory of this perishing world, that thou art never better but when thou art abroad shewing thy brave­ry, with thy servants standing bare head before thee in the open streets; as also to your Church you go, and what is the load-stone drawing you thither? onely because you would be looked upon as good Church-men, and to have the praise of the world, also to shew your fine rags as aforesaid, and to see and be seen who outstrips thee in apparel, or what new fa­shion [Page 104] is invented, this, and onely this is the greatest load-stone inviting you; otherways if thou wentest to hear sin re­proved, and thereby become humble for that thy rude carriage and corrupt beha­vior, then it would appear in thy lan­guage, but thou art so much a stranger to sobriety of speech, that upon every occa­sion thou hast these and such like expres­sions, God damn me I will have my will, the devil take thee for thy pains, what are you mad you damn'd whore? I think the devil is in thee: the devil confound me body and soul if I be not revenged on thee: the devil rot thee, and the pox of God take thee for a pocky devilish whore, by his life, blood, heart and wounds, I will be the death of thee, with many such wretched blasphemous expressions, that the moderate devil doth even tremble to hear the language of this dark ranting de­vil: In these not excluding the light ran­ting devil, but as far over boots and shoes are they in these and such like cursed lan­guage, so that before I pass to the next [Page 105] sort of the seed of Cain, I shall parly a lit­tle with thee about these wicked tearms aforesaid.

Dost not thou desire to be saved? this I am sure thou wilt acknowledge, and yet thou callest upon God to damn thee, how canst thou think to be saved, when thy tongue will witness, that many times thou hast said, God damn me: and whereas thou saith, the devil take thee for thy pains, thou little thinkest that thou art that devil. Oh freind, time is coming that thou shalt finde, thou, and such as thou art, the onely devil, and therefore for the time remember when ever thou saith the devil take thee, then thou must take her, or take him, to whom thou utterest those words, it is thou devil-man, thy self must take them, and when thou saith thou art mad, I think the devil is in thee, thou speakest truth not knowing it, and so when thou saith, If I be not revenged of thee, the devil confound me soul and body, now if thou be not revenged, as many times thou art not, then thou art [Page 106] justly confounded, and if thou do revenge thy self, thou art also confounded, in that thou shouldest leave that to the Lord; For revenge is mine, saith the Lord [I will, not thou] I will as I see cause revenge it, so that in this thou hast sealed thy con­demnation; and whereas thou saith, the pox of God take thee: ah poor ignorant soul, thy tongue declares what a corupt ulcerated humor doth run in the veins of thy soul and body, that thou thinkest God like thy self, when he declares him­self a God all holiness and purity, glorious immortal, that no mortal corruption could in the least touch him; for it is writ­ten, Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption; and that such a devil as thou shalt say the pox of God, when it is really and truly the pox of thy devil lust within thee, as aforesaid: I told thee how thou wouldest hazard not thy credit and estate, but thy soul also, for a beautiful, yet poc­key creature in whom, and for whom, thou hast not onely beggered thy wife and children, but corrupted thy body, that [Page 107] thy nose or thy bowelts rot within thee, and yet thou so audaciously shalt say, the pox of God, when it is the pox of a who­ring lustful devil thy self, and then in all thy discourse thou must swear by his life, when thou hast nothing to do with it, in that his life is death in thee and to thee, for thou hatest in thy life to be con­formable to the life of Christ; and there­fore take notice thou hast no share nor benefit in his heart, blood or wounds, it was never spilt nor wounded for them that are far better qualified then thou, yet the blood or wounds of the Lord was not for any of the seed of Cain, but he was onely wounded, and spilt his hearts blood for the seed of Adam, or Abraham, that blessed Seed of Faith; therefore thou wretched soul, let this my short parley with thee, be for ever a Memento to look into thy soul, and there thou shalt finde the devil that tempts or infuseth thee to utter all this diabolical language; but true is that saying in John, from the blessed tongue of Christ, Ye are of your father [Page 108] the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do; for from him to you, comes cur­sing, oathes and lies, who is the father of it: As let but any sober man observe their quality in this, and you shall have them swear, and say, God forgive me whore, and cry, God forgive me: lye, and say, God forgive me; thus thou thinkest it is nothing, but with one and the same tongue say and unsay, to lye, cheat, whore, swear, and be drunk, and onely say, I have sinned, God forgive me, and so commit the like wickedness again and a­gain, and thinkest this will serve thy turn; but alas for thee, the portion prepared shall at the great day lie heavy upon thee, as read Matth. 12. 36, 37. verses, I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, for out of thy own mouth he will judge thee, as thou shalt read at large in the next Chapter, that shall shew the place and nature of the de­vils torment.

[Page 109] 3. The next sort of the seed of Cain, are qualited and acted forth to all maner of covetousness and worldly mindedness, insomuch that thou abhor a drunkard or any that is given to hospitality, and that because his quality is quite contrary to thine; for thou art all for toyling and moyling, rising early, and lying down late, neglecting no opportunity wherein thou mayest enrich thy self, when as the other riseth up early, and lyeth down late in drunkenness, spending and making a­way that portion which was given thee, so that thou being covetous, he is no com­panion for thee; for thou hast so much care in thee, and upon thee, how to make thy self great on this earth, that unless thou canst advantage thy self, thou wilt not spend a penny; but when thou hast got five pounds, or more, or less, then whatsoever shift thou and thy family shall make, that shall not be diminished in the least, but to usury it must go, and then thou pinchest thy belly, and the bellies of thy poor wife and children, by living so [Page 110] long upon small Beer and flet Cheese, and such like stuff, that thou increasest thy estate to a vast sum at last, that now the greatest care and thought of thy heart is, how thou shalt secure thy riches from some of thy seed, that if they should break into thy house, they may not plunder thee of it, and to that end thou inventest all maner of subtilty to deceive the decei­ved, that thou hidest some in the earth, and some on the house-top, and some in hollow trees, one place or another, that thy brother serpent may not steal it from thee, or the Law of this thy kingdom im­pose great Taxes upon thee; I say, thy care is so much upon this thy perishing earthly treasure, that thy heart, thy soul, is wholly wrapt up in it, insomuch that thy sleep and meat goes from thee; that now having what thy heart desireth after, thou art more tormented now then when thou hadst little or nothing; therefore remember that of Christ, Luke 12. 15. where he saith, Beware of covetousness, for a mans life consisteth not in the abun­dance [Page 111] of the things which he possesseth, and where thy treasure is, thy heart will be also; so that what will all this thy greatness in this world, and plenty of gold or silver avail thee, when the tears of the poor are laid naked before thee, and star­ved for want of bread, which thou hadst in abundance? and not onely this, but it is read in thy soul, that thou hast enrich­ed thy self in the ruine of others, and thy conscience tells thee, thou never got this justly, but by fraud and deceit, by grind­ing the faces of the poor, and keeping back the hire of the laborers. As touch­ing this, look about you, ye Tradesmen of all sorts, yea, from the highest to the lowest, examine your own consciences how often ye have cheated; and remem­ber this ye Landlords, that oppress the poor Tenents; as also ye Brokers that grinde the faces of the poor, in lending upon usury, or commodities, and that af­ter forty or fifty pound in the Hundred; I say, remember this, that no cheater, op­pressor, nor extortioner shall enter into [Page 112] the kingdom of Heaven, and therefore against you I cry wo, wo, wo; for this shall rise up a witness against thee, and shall eat thy flesh, as if it were fire, as it is in James the fifth, the first, second, third and fourth verses, and then, even then, when thou thinkest all is well, and that thou hast setled thy estate to thy hearts content, that now thou fearest no want, but canst without trouble cherish up thy soul with the fruits of thy wits and en­deavors, and to take thy pleasure for the time to come, then comes the messenger Death, and deprives thee of all the hap­piness of thy riches, and saith unto thee, Ah fool, this night thy soul shall be re­quired of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? Luke 12. 20. Now thou hast brought thy co­vetous heart to perfect what it longed af­ter, and now must thou leave all, and knowest not what will become of thy soul on the other side of death, and so in ter­ror and fear of death thou diest, and in torment thou shalt rise at the great day, [Page 113] as in the next Chapter thou shalt hear and read at large.

So that I cannot but admire the won­derful wisdom of my God, that notwith­standing the pleasure and pomp of this world belongs onely to the seed of Cain, yet he gives them a bitter cup to drink at last, which potion makes the devil afraid and to tremble at the thought of that day, by which they are not onely bridled from their great cruelty and tyranny they would i [...]ose upon the Seed of Faith, but also the thought of death doth in some measure out-top their pleasures and greatness, so that their life in this their onely heaven, is not much better then our life in this our onely hell; for though they have fulness, and such as we have want, yet we have peace, and they have war, yea oftentimes sad torment to think what will become of their souls, when as the Seed of Faith knoweth what he is here, what he shall be in the grave, and what he shall be at the resurrection, even glorified with his Savior.

So if you seriously lay to heart the vast difference of the Seed of Faith, and the seed of Cain, upon their bed of sickness or hour of death, it would cause admira­tion, as thus: The departure of the seed of Cain out of this world, is as much as if a Prince should depart, not onely from his loving wife and pretty children, but be banisht from his Crown and Kingdom, never to enjoy it more, and also where he is banisht, he is shut up prisoner all the the time of his life, even so is [...] death in this world; he must leave, not onely all his society, but the pleasure of this his kingdom, where he had delight as much as heart could wish, and in the grave his soul and body lyeth uncapable of either joy or sorrow, and then at the great day of our Saviors appearance, thou shalt be raised up thy body thy hell, thy soul thy devil, shut up close prisoner world with­out end.

Now death is unto the Seed of Faith as a Messenger of glad tidings, in that it frees him from the cruelty and oppres­sion [Page 115] of the devill the seed of Cain, and take him from all his hardship and wants that he hath undergone, by living up­rightly in this strange kingdom, and then he knowing, that all the time he is in the grave, there is no remembrance of good or evil, and as soone as ever his God comes, he shall be raised to meet him in the aire with his mighty angels, where he shall have a kingdom that one hours enjoyment of that, will be more then ten thousand times ten thousand the greatest substance of glory could be attained unto for ten millions of years in this perishing world. Thus in brief you have the dif­ference of the two Seeds, what triumph the Seed of Faith have in death over the seed of Cain: Now to the last sort of this people.

4. The next and last sort of this seed of Cain, you cannot easily, neither for carriage nor action, finde them much dif­ferent from the Seed of Faith, nay, in some things they outstrip some of the Seed of Faith, as by and by you shall [Page 116] hear: For carriage they are very sober, and much given to moderation, that they are very temperate both in meat and drink, and modest and decent in apparel, and you shall not hear an oath from them, unless some small petty oath, as they call it, by faith, or troth, and such like, and that very seldom, for thou art acted forth to be mindful of thy tongue, lest thou shouldest offend therewith; and for hospitality and benevolence, thou art no niggard, but free-hearted to them that thou respectest; and for private and pub­lique duties thou art very observant, and in prayer and singing of Psalms, thou wilt many times shed tears, and sigh and groan if thou commit some crime against the Law, and very vigilant thou art to edu­cate thy children in obedience to that God thou knowest, and for thy expres­sions, they are so seasoned with sugared heaven-like moderation, so affable and courteous, that thou wouldest, if possible, deceive God himself.

Now if you say unto me, How can this [Page 117] sort of people be any of the seed of Cain? I answer: The moderate, hypocritical, Saint-like devil, is of all devils most to be suspected; for of this sort was that man-devil that came to tempt Christ; he was not onely moderate, as you have him re­lated, but he was well read in the Scrip­ture, and seemingly holy he behaved him­self, otherwise he had not by the Priests and Rulers been sent to tempt Christ; so that I shall endeavor to satisfie thee in my Answer, both from experience and Scri­pture, which shall be made plain, that all that cryeth, Lord, Lord, shall not enter into the Knowledge of the onely Lord God; for of this sort of people are these, as is recorded Matthew 15. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, however you may think it strange, that such a one that will not swear, whore, nor be drunk, nor take the name of God in vaine, but in stead of spending his time idly, he will be reading the Scripture, & in conference [Page 118] with good men about the things of God, and in stead of walking in the fields on the Sabbath, he will be hearing the word preached, and then in the evening when others are sitting at door, to see and be seen, he will be in his chamber at pray­er, and with his whole family singing of Psalms, or some such like exhortation, becoming the day, and if thou be an Officer in thy parish, viz▪ Constable, or Churchwarden, in stead of tipling in the Ale-house in the Sermon time, thou wilt rather lose the benefit of that word prea­ched, and spend the time in searching and peeping into Ale-houses, to see if thou canst finde any of thy lewd brethren, to punish them for their drunken sins: this thou wilt do, and that with delight and pleasure.

This sort of people you may admire should be the seed of Cain, so rise a devil at the last day, [what must be, must be] the Lord knoweth who are his, which with their whole heart walk without hy­pocrisie before him; for as touching this, [Page 119] you shall finde thy brother before thee was as careful to serve the Lord, as thou canst be; as read Isaiah 58. 2. and so on, Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a Nation that did righteous­ness, and forsook not the Ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinance of justice, they take delight in approaching to God. Dost thou hear what a heaven-like character the God of Truth gives of thy brethren? and if thou dost but mind what thou readest, thou shalt finde five special remarkable notes of a true Belie­ver; and the first is, they seek me daily, not onely the Sabbath day, but every day. 2. and delight to know my ways, what my will and pleasure is. 3. they ask of me the ordinance of justice, as though they would do no unjust thing. 4. It was their pleasure and delight in approaching to God. 5. Neither would they forsake the outward Ordinance of God: But now one word cuts them out for hypocrites, and that because all this that they do [was but as a Nation] that did righteous things: [Page 120] in plain tearms, they were not in their heart what was shewed by their tongues; for if you read the antecedent verses, you shall finde all this was but to be taken no­tice of by God; for if you minde the third verse, you shall there read their hy­pocrisie at large: and in the fourth and fifth verses, the all-knowing God repro­ving them for their cheating and decei­ving in their hearts; and then in the sixth and seventh verses, tells them wherein their great error lay, saying, This is the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke, is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? that thou bring the poor that are cast out, to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him? and that thou hide not thy self from thy own flesh?

These are the qualities of a true Belie­ver, not to speak and prate, but to do; for behold, to obey is better then all thy hearing, praying and singing, as James [Page 121] saith, Shew me thy faith by thy works: Faith is of a doing and working nature; thou shalt not of such hear many vain boasting words, but many merciful acti­ons; for if you minde that all the judge­ments that God denounced against the house of Israel, was for the non-perfor­mance of charitable actions; as read all the prophets, and where ever you finde the Lord contesting with strict, great pro­fessors, it was for neglecting the works of mercy, and therefore he saith in Isa. 1. 15. When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you, yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: and what is the cause, think you? alas, your hands are full of blood, ye do not seek judgement, nor rescue the oppressed, nei­ther judge ye the fatherless, nor plead for the widow, with thousands of these and such like you shall finde, and yet thou makest no account of this: for what is thy thought? if I can but carry my self demure with a Saint like countenance, and go Saint-like in apparel, and carry a [Page 122] heaven-like outside to the world, beha­ving my self civil and moderate in my words, I shall do well enough, though I do not those works of mercy so much spoken of: I say such as thou, this is thy thought, and this is thy practice, so to conclude, I shall refer the moderate seed of Cain to the three and twentieth Chap­ter of Matthew, where thou shalt read thy inward turn'd outward, yea, the hypocri­sie and cheat of thy heart laid naked be­fore thee, for what ever woes thou their readest against them, that wo concerns thy self: As wo unto thee moderate, hea­ven-like Saint, for thou art like unto the whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within are full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness; even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypo­crisie and iniquity: wo unto thee, for now thou wilt make a trade of Christ, and his Apostles, yea, garnish the sepulchres of them as righteous men, and yet at this day will speak evil, imprison, if not put to [Page 123] death, the true prophets and righteous of the Lord, so that ye be witnesses to your selves, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Lord of glory. Ah wo, wo, as thou with the rest, in the next Chapter shalt hear thy doom and endless torment.

CAP. IV. The devil or seed ofCain, the place and nature of his torment.

IN that the face of the Creation is vail­ed with darkness and ignorance of Christs coming to judge both the quick and the dead, therefore I shall treat of this most needful point, from certain say­ings of himself, as read Matth. 24▪ where you shall finde, As the light cometh out of the east, and shineth even to the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be; and as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man, [Page 124] they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they married, and were given in mar­riage, until the day that Noah entred in­to the ark, and the flood came and destroy­ed them all: so in the days of Lot, they ate, they drank, &c. but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained down fire and brimstone from Heaven, and de­stroyed them all; So the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works tbat are therein shall be burnt up, then shall all the seed of Cain mourn, tremble and shake, when they see the Son of man in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory, yea, at the sound of his co­ming, the devil or seed of Cain will cry to the rocks and mountains, Fall on us, yea, ye will run into Caves and Cellars to hide your selves from the presence of that glorious personal God, whom in your life time ye despised and rejected, yea, scoffing and walking after your own [Page 125] lusts, saying, Where is the promise of his coming, for since the Fathers and the A­postles fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning? and so ye swear, whore and be drunk, yea, cheat, oppress, imprison and destroy the Seed of Faith, not in the least laying to heart that the day of Christ Jesus, that glorious God, is at hand, and will come as a thief in the night, yea, as swift as lightening in the air, insomuch that two shall be in the bed, two in the field, two in the mill, or wheresoever two or more are together, they shall not have time to separate them­selves, till the Lord of glory take to him­self the Seed of Faith from the seed of Cain.

As sure as the Lord liveth, thus it will be very suddenly with this proud, cove­tous, lustful, bloody world, that sport themselves about the resurrection of the dead, and the day of Judgement, saying it is already past, or there will never be any such day; I say, before ye be aware of it, Christ the King of Glory will open [Page 126] the firmament of Heaven, and stand in the air, with his mighty angels surrounding his person, and then by the power of his word speaking, as he raised Lazarus out of the grave, so will he raise all the Seed of Faith both dead and alive in the twink­ling of an eye, as he did Elias, yea in a moment, changing our mortal bodies to immortal, like himself; for you read in that day that Lot departed out of Sodom, the same day it rained down fire and brimstone, and destroyed them all. Oh what a dreadful and sudden desolation fire maketh in a mortal world in one day! so swift the Lord will appear, that he will make a quick dispatch, and after all the Seed of Faith, that handful or little flock, are safely arrived with him in the air, then the Man Jesus with a flood of fire, will burn all the beauty and glory of this world to ashes or dry sand, leaving behind the souls and bodies of the seed of Cain then living, with the souls and bodies of their dead seed raised up, burning toge­ther like fire and brimstone upon this [Page 127] earth, in utter darkness. Having in brief, by Reason, Faith and Scripture, proved to all sober-minded men, that a day of Judgement will come, the maner and na­ture of its coming, now I shall shew thee the place where that seed of Cain shall be tormented, which yet from the begin­ning, till this last Witness could never be found out, nor any true, infallible descri­ption given, as touching the place called Hell, though most of the Learned have attempted, yea stretched the line of rea­son to the utmost, yet all to no purpose▪ for thy father before thee, and thou his learned son, art not in the least satisfied, and that because thou hast not the seed of Faith, which is the evidence of things not seen, therefore being out of the bounds of reason, thou writest of it thou knowest not what, and so to finde it thou knowest not where; and therefore it is by thee re­corded, that place called Hell will be under the earth, in the sea, or in the bot­tom of it; if not, thou supposest Hell shall be in the air, or a place thou apprehendest [Page 128] not; therefore from my seed-spring I af­firm, and that thy own experience shall finde, that place of thy torment shall be even there where thou tookest thy plea­sure, that shall be the place of Hell, even here in this world, on this earth, where now thou walkest, shall be the place of thy endless misery.

For if you observe your own rule in the execution of your Law, when a malefa­ctor is apprehended for wilful murther, or some such hideous crime, when he is brought to his Tryal, and by your Law found guilty, then the Judge of the Law passeth Sentence, that his body shall be burned or hanged, even in that place where he committed his bloody, filthy act, and that justly where he spilt blood, his blood should be required again; even so the Lord of Glory, Christ Jesus the Judge of the quick and dead, when he comes to Judgement, all you that have been guilty in the blood of the Prophets, Christ Jesus, and his Disciples, that have put to death, imprisoned, or any way per­secuted [Page 129] the Witness and righteous of the Lord, that blessed Seed of Faith, I say, where you executed your oppression and cruelty against the sons of the most high God, even there will the righteous Judge execute his fury to take vengeance of all his bloody enemies in this world, in this earth, where thou committedst thy wic­kedness, thou shalt receive thy sad and dreadful portion, and that world without end; and therefore deceive not thy self with the vain imaginations of thy spirit of reason, that though it be as I affirm, yet thou hopest it doth not belong to thee: but what is the cause of thy hopes? thou art neither satisfied in thy self, nor doth it appear to any other, onely thou hopest with the rest of thy seed, but hast no as­surance in the least, and that because thou findest within thee that thou art guil­ty, if not of publick, yet of private filthi­ness; so that, mark what I say, believe it whether thou wilt or no, thou shalt by woful experience finde, that this beautiful world wherein now thou hast thy plea­sure, [Page 130] shall at the day of Christs next ap­pearance, be, as aforesaid, burnt to ashes or dry sand, where all the seed of Cain, which in his qualification I have branched forth into four particulars, shall not need to trouble themselves about Heaven, and how they shall come to it, for as sure as God is a chrystal, glorious, holy, righte­ous, personal God, thou that desirest with Balaam to die the death of the righteous, and not to live the life of the righteous, thou with all thy pretended holiness and unrighteousness, shalt be raised no higher then this earth that now thou treadest up­on; for as here thou hast taken thy plea­sure, so here shall be thy sorrow; as here thou hast been a persecutor of God and his people, so here thou shalt have the vengeance of God upon thee, and in thee; as here thou hast cheated, and burned in thy filthy lust towards woman, so here shall those lustful actions burn in thy soul and body for ever; as here thou hast sworn and been drunk, so here thou shalt have nothing to quench thy thirst, but [Page 131] even here upon this earth where now thou walkest, thou shalt howl, burn & fry to all eternity, when then none shall pity thee.

2. Having shewed thee the place where the seed of Cain shall be tormented, now I shall shew thee the maner and nature of thy torment, and therefore attend & give ear: That after our Redeemer hath called up the Seed of Faith, which are but few in comparison of what shal be left behind, yet I say, after he hath taken that little Flock to himself, then will our long look­ed for Christ Jesus, the God of Glory, immediately, yea in a few hours, burn all the riches, beauty and bravery of this world to dry sand, as aforesaid, insomuch that there shall not be left the least appea­rance of a house, herb, tree or plant; for the Stars, Moon and Sun that gave light and motion to the fruits of the earth, and moving of the sea, shall become nothing, yea, be put forth as the snuff of a Candle, and this world shall be as dark as the land of Egypt was for three days; for if you read Exodus 10. 22, 23. you shall finde [Page 132] there was a thick darkness in all the Land of E­gypt three days, they saw not one another, nei­ther rose any from his place for three days; so that after all is burnt to ashes, and that which gave life and motion to the earth and sea, is put forth, then shall the earth bring forth no more fruit, nor the waters run no more, but become a dark, standing, stinking pool, as it was in the beginning, and all the seed of Cain then both dead and living, shall be left behinde with bodies as heavy as lead, and as black as pitch, which then their bodies shall be their hell, and their spirits or souls shall be the devil, shut up close prisoner together for ever and ever without end; and that fire and brimstone that will burn, shall be those wicked thoughts, words and actions which in thy life time where now thou art, thou committedst against the Seed of Faith, yea with a great hand of pride acted against them, shall be the fuel, as wood and coal is fuel to the natural fire, so thy wicked lustful actions shall be the onely fuel that shall burn, yea flame more hotter then any na­tural fire in the hottest furnace whatsoever, and yet it shall give no light at all, but the flame thereof shall be of a durty, scalding, burning en­vious nature, which shall smoak and fry through thy mouth, thy nostrils, thy eyes, thy fundament, insomuch that there shall not from the crown of the head, to the sole of thy foot, be one part [Page 133] free, but tormented throughout thy whole soul and body. And no sooner hath our God caught up his blessed Seed of Faith, but this beautiful world becomes dark dust or sand, as aforesaid; but then, yea even then, begins thy kingdom of darkness, wherein thou must continue either sit­ting, lying, kneeling, or standing, not being able to move one foot from the place where thou art raised, but there being lockt up to all eternity, never to see thy own dreadful face, nor the frightful faces of others, their wailing and la­menting for ever: Considering,

First, as in relation, that thou hadst so many warnings by such poor despised ones as I, that hath hazared our estates, our liberty, yea life and all, by publishing such writings, and decla­rations from the Lord, that there was no other Devil but such as thou, as now to thy eternal wo, thou caust set to thy seal is too too true, that if thou hadst not shut thy eyes, and stopt thy ears, thou mightest have foreseen what now thou feelest, and not onely that, but thy remem­brance shall flame, in that thou didst not onely slight, scoff, and scorn such testimonies of truth, but thou persecutedst it to death, this is one thing that shall burn and never be put out.

Secondly, the remembrance how thou hast spent thy time in this perishing world, shall quicken, and rise afresh within thee, as though [Page 134] they were but then in doing, for from my seed-spring I speak it, as there is no remembrance of any thing in the dust, so there is no time to the dead in the grave, for the death of Adam to his resurrection, though it be thousands of years in respect to the living, yet to the dead, so long sleep, shall be but as one nights rest, I say when thou art awaked, it shall be unto thee as no time at all, for though thou hast lain in the grave a thousand years more or less, yet then it shall ap­pear unto thee as though it was but the last night, and as thou in relation to thy thoughts, words, and actions died here, so afresh they shall rise with thee either to thy condemnation, or justification.

O then thou light ranting Devil, that died in the living lust of thy soul, to deceive the poor innocent virgin, or virgin-wife, and was never better, then when thou hadst opportunities to de­ceive thy own soul, in the undoing of others, per­swading thy self and others it was no sin; but at this day thou shalt know it was a sin, and that personal God which thou in thy life time despi­sedst, will now leave thee to thy lustful dealing god within thee, where thou shalt be damned to all eternity.

O then thou dark ranting Devil, that died in the pride and ambition of thy heart, spending thy time in all wanton wicked sports and pa­stimes, [Page 135] thy eyes have stared with fatness of the earth, & thy belly swoln with drunken healths, yea thy tongue blisterd with cursed oaths, and yet thou knew it to be a sin, but would not leave it till it was too late, where now God hath left thee to be damned to all eternity.

O then thou coveteous worldly minded De­vil, that regarded no other God but thy bags of gold & silver, and so died in the love and delight of thy riches, not in the least laying to heart, how many thou hast beggered to enrich thy self, how many thou hast murthered to make thy self great, all this thy oppression, by deceit and extortion, shall rise afresh with thee, yea flame as a hot fiery furnace, and shall eat your flesh, as if it were fire, where nothing shall quench it, and that world without end, yea damned to all eternity.

O then thou moderate Saint-like Devil, that carried thy self so holy, and heaven-like, under which pretence, thou didst privately backbite, yea bear false witness against thy neighbor, through thy Pharasaical prayers, and large sup­plications, with reading and singing of Psalms, yea sighing, and groaning, and lifting up thy hands and eye to heaven, thou didst conzen cheat and defraud thy fellow creature, thinking by thy hypocrisie, to blind honest hearted simple souls, and so with thy cloak of Religion, thou didst [Page 136] privately and subtilly enrich thy self in this world and yet got a name for a good chapman, and a great professor, when all this while, thou art ignorant of a true Church: and that glori­ous personal God; nay if thou be a Priest, or a Ruler, thou wilt persecute both God and his People, that knows him as he is, therefore then, thou, with thy seeming holiness, shall be damned to all eternity.

So to conclude, Let all the seed of Cain look about them, and while it is called to day, seriously lay to heart, and that because as sure as he will come, it will be very suddenly, and that such an hour that thou knowest not, therefore watch and be ready for such an hour as you think not▪ for blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde well doing; which none shall be thus found, but onely the Seed of Faith: for as I have told you, all the seed of Cain shall be taken unawares, yea committing one sin or another, saying. This day will not be in my time, and therefore I will not leave the pleasure of this world, not the lusts of my flesh, but I will one year more refer it, so that Christ will take thee in thy wickedness, and give thee thy portion with the hypocrites on this earth, clothed with darkness, in which thy soul and body shall remain with thy sins, kindling and flaming more and more of a dark envious nature, through which it shall burn perpetually as aforesaid, cau­sing a howling, with hideous doleful sighs and groans, yea weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever­more, crying, Wo, wo, wo, that ever I was born to see this black tormenting day, of which there is no