only know but sollace my self in the fountain of this Eternal comfort did it not please the father out of infinite love and pitty to poor lost and undone wretcâ—es to find out a way for their Redemption not by the blood of Bulls and Goats whereby a yearly atonement was Typically made for the appeasing of his Wrath no but a full and satisfactory Redemption by the pretious blood of Jesus Christ as of a Lamb without blemish now what was this Lamb but a divine brance of Glory equal with the Father the dear son of his Love for whom it was his gratious pleasure to provide a body for a sacrifice that thereby poor man who had lost himself by disobedience in a sinful body of death might in the obedience of Jesus Christ in his body and blood and through his merrits find everlasting life such was the love and pitty of the great and holy God there being no other way for our restoration but to part with the dearly beloved of his soul and to bring him under his severest anger â—â— he paid to Justice the ulmost farthing and such was the gratious pleasure of our dear Redeemer who was content it shou'd be so Loâ—◠〈◊〉 to â—â— thy will O God O matchless goodnâ—ss methinks I sâ—e thâ— heart and affection of my dear Redeemer in this work putting the father in mind of his determinate will sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest noâ— but a body hast thou prepared or fitted me then said I loe I come In the volumn of this look is is written of me to do thy will O God in sacrifices and burnt offerings for sin thou hadst no pleasure but Lord thou hast spoken of me and fitted me for the full and compleat satisfaction to â—hy Justice and here I am loe I come to do thy will O my God I am ready to give my self a ransome for the good of poor Souls Poor Soul see what matter here is then of comfort in the application of this great transcendent love unto thy self it was not thy desents but his great mercy made him own thee O this constraining love let it work more upon thy heart to draw thy will to his he came to do and was obedient to his fathers will for thee and wilt thou not be subject unto him that hath done so much for thee Now the work for which Jesus Christ came into the world was to save sinners such as by faith lay hold upon him for Eternal life God was pleased to make man in his first Creation in a perfect state of Innocency gave him power in his own hands either to stand or fall but poor man that would be wise yea wiser then God himself soon lost hiâ— happiness for one poor temptation So having broken the Law lies liable to the curse of it to all eternity it being my possible that a finite creature should ever be able to make restitution to an infinite God by keeping that Law that Righteous law that pure law which in one very thought is broken the Lord therefore seeing the sad condition of poor fallen man being under the curse of the Law and wholly unable to make the least satisfaction to Divine Justice was infinitely pleased in Grace and Meâ—cy to look with pitty on them and to find out this way the only way for their deliverance so he was pleased to lay help upon one that was mighty and infinitely able to save unto the utmost those that come unto him Christ then by his sufferings and obedience hath finished the work his Father gave him to do hâ— hath paid the uttermost farthing his Fathers Justice can demand he hath answered the Law in taking upon himself the curse of the law so that he was made not only sin for us but the curse also but Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law in being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. v. Thus hath the Lord Jesus Christ regained Eternal Life which man had lost and to him hath the Father given this eternal life Even unto the Son whom he hath made heir of all things and it is by having a propriety in Christ this life is to be had 't is he that hath the son hath life this life eternal and he that hath not the son hath not life 1 Joh. 5. 12. v. Of the excellency of the knowledge of the mistery of Christ O What wonderful sweetness is there in this knowledge what Divine excellency is in it what does this import to me unless I know him to be mine this is the knowledge of him which brings eternal life when I can through grace have the witness of this in my Soul and that the father hath been pleased in his infinite grace to give me unto Christ as one for whom he hath shed his blood and taken into Covenant with himself Poor Soul whaâ— a mercy is it to come to the knowledge of what the Lord Jesus is and what he hath done for poor sinful Man this little comforteth till thou knowest what he hath done for thee it is the particular application of it to thy self that makes thee happy since thou art one whom he is pleased in infinite grace and mercy to make choice of and thus to set his Soul upon thee Thou mightest have heard of Christ yet have perished to all eternity it would have been smal comfort for thee when in a storm ready to be beaten in pieces with the waves though thou didst see a ship afar off saiâ—ing from thee what good would the â—ight of that do thee but it is those whom the Lord is pleased to take shut into the Ark Christ Jesus that are secure that are preserved from the storms tempests even unto eternal life O live still in his favour by paying thy vows to thy dear Redeemer grieve not the holy spirit of his Grace by which he hath thee unto the day of Redemption O consider him not only given of the Lord as Priest but also as King Prophet the Lord give thee a heart to own him in his Kingly Office and help thee by meditation to apply thy Soul in faith unto his soveraign power and hath the Lord redeemed thee poor Soul look up and see thy happiness thy debt is paid and thou art set at liberty God injoyed in mercies HOw sweet and comfortable is it to sit at mercies Gate and be fed by the bountiful hand of Graces Charity those who are full of imployments bless themselves in abundant of what they possess forgetting the God of mercies from whence they slow but those who receive their mercies daily from the Lord they are truly sweet to that Soul that sees how its whole life depends on mercy and every thing it hath or can in joy comes all from mercy this is sweet to it and the soul thus sensible of mercy will be serious in praises Then Lord if mercies be so sweet let me beg mercies still Oh let the Channels of
Grace hath experienced and that alone hath put me upon this according to the measure wherewith the Lord hath inabled me to desire the good and eternal welfare of the Souls of my dear Brothers and Sisters and as we are all one in flesh and blood oh that it were the will of the Lord that we might be all of one and the same spirit sanctified by faith through the blood of Jesus Christ and it may be as I hope it will a Sisters counsel which hath experimentally tasted the wonderful goodness of God may work yet more upon you through the operation of his good spirit therefore suffered me to say it is good to seek the Lord whilst he may be found to call upon him whilst be is near Oh that I could perswade you to lay hold on time whilst the day lasteth not to resist the tenders of Grace when they be offered to you least they be hid from your eyes it is only the infinite wisdom goodness and mercy of God which only causeth him to look upon such sad wretched rebellious creatures as we are who could of stones raise up Children to praise him he hath no need of us nor our services but the need we had of a Saviour hath caused him to look upon us when no eye pittâ—ed us and in his infinite wisdom found ouâ— a means of deliverance even the dear son of his love whom he hath given to be broken bruised suffer death and become a curse for poor sinners that he might redeem them from the curse of the Law but this priviledge doth not belong to all sinners in general but to such who by a lively faith lay hold upon this crucified Christ else they who are sinners will be sinners still they shall dye in their sins and the wrath of God will be upon them to all Eternity great is the misery of a Christless and gracâ—less soul being an enemy to God then how can God be otherwise then an enemy to it Oh how can a soul rest in such a condition as this what peace can they have Doth it not then behove every soul to be earnest in searc hing to find out the true estate of his soul knowing for a truth they being the words of our Saviour that unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven till they are regenerated become new creatures in Christ putting off the old man with his deeds and putting on the new man which is after the spirit in righteousness and true â—oliness and this is all to be done by an interest in Christ that so his righteousness may become ours and all those priviledges of grace and mercy which he hath purchased may be imputed to us through the blood of his Cross and so by being in Covenant with the Father through the Son we shall have all things Oh what a blessed state is it to be in Covenant with the great God of Heaven and Earth Oh what a depth of Love iâ— it and how great a comfort is it to a poor soul covered over with a leprosie to see a Phâ—sitian not only able but willing to cure him for a poor lost creature which sees himself undone in himself by reason of the vast guilt and debt which lies upon him the shame which lies upon his soul by reason thereof As not daring to lift up his eyes to heaven when he shall not see only his debts paid but also Christ his advocate pleading with the Father in his behalf oh here lies the Souls true happiness and here is a believers comfort that Christ died not only for sinners but for me a sinner what is this to me or what comfort can it bring me to have a notion as most of the World hath that Christ died for sinners and I am one amongst the rest and therefore I hope to be saved by Christ had I no greater evidence for heaven my condition would surely be ever miserable but blessed be God it is otherwise with me and certainly if it were not my soul would be in a very restless condition oh did but any of you know what it is to be in a state of Grace you would surely see a sweet change you would look over and lament the many pretious hours you have let go in seâ—king after vanity and in the mean while lost so much sweetness and comfort as is to be had in the knowledge of God ways which are the things only delightful having substance and reality and can only proffit the Soul All other things are meer shaddows empty husks which cannoâ— satisfie the Soul these things which appear so pleasing to you now would when bâ— Grace you come to see the evil of them be the objects of your hatred there is nothing so gloriâ—us so sweet and so lovely as is the Lord Jesus he is aâ—together lovely to a gratiouâ— Soul who has tasted of divine goodness and hath been refreshed with the sweet streams of his Love which had you once but tasted you would surely see all earthly injoyments but poor vain things and count them all as nothing yea worse then nothing in comparrison of that hidden treasure that unsearchable riches which is laid up in the Lord Jesus and shall â—e revealed in his Saints oh that the Lord would incline your hearts to consider and weigh these things in your mind which is it better that your bodies should for a moment of time injoy the deceitful pleasures in this World then that your immortal Soulâ—s should injoy those transcendant and certain pleasures which shall never fade those heavenly Mansions of eternal rest which those Souls shall find who are in Christ at the last day and shall live in the presence of their dear redeemer for ever where the Soul shall never find more trouble but be ever praising the Loâ—d and singing HALâ—LE-LUJAHS to the King of Sainâ—â— oh how glorious a time will this be who is it then that would not be content with Balaam to dye the death of the righteous but unless we live the life of the righteous our latter end would not be so if Christ be not in us we are reprobaâ—es we lye under the heavy Wrath of an angry God and as it were dropping into hell every moment there ro receive the just reward of our doings in eternal distruction from which there is no redemption in a Lake which burneth with brimstone and fire and never goeth out is not assurance better then suspence is it not good to have assurance aâ—ways about us that when we shall come to render up our Souls at what timesoever they are required of us we may have nothing to do but resign it unto our fathers bosom Oh presume not in thy own supposed goodness Nothing but Christs blood could purchase Redemption and if by a lively faith thou canst lay hold on him thou shalt be made partaker of Christ and his benefits his righteousness made over to thee Then mayest thou with
thy people perish and come to nothing and as for me dear Lord fit and prepare me for thy will O let my soul and heart be filled with looking and longings after thee O let me still be ever in thy presence and it shall be well with me for ever My further meditations on Death DEath is a Jaylor who unlocks the prison doors of a gratious soul and ushers it into the presence of his heavenly father who is a gratious and a merciful God there to be imbraced in the arms of a loving Saviour and to injoy a fulness of eternal glory by hearing the voice Come ye blessed of mâ— faâ—her receive the Kingdom prepared for you But the wicked Death arests and brings bound before the Tribunall Seat of God where he shall behold alone the frowns of an angry God before whose anger who is able to stand there shall he see Divine Justice eternally satisfying on him and never satisfied Satan on one side and his own conscience on the other accusing of him and Jesus Christ who would have him his Saviour now his judge pronouncing the dreadful sentence of that eternal damnation Go ye cursed of my father into everlasting destruction prepared for thc Devil and his Angels Blessed and for ever blessed are they who have the Lord for their God for whom Christ will say O death I will be thy deaâ—h ye through the power of his might will I not be afraid Christ hath over come Death he hath taken away the sting then in Christ I shall be through grace more then a Conquerer then Death I will bid thee welcome blessed Messenger when thou art sent to break my chains and unlock my Fetters Locks and Bolts which keeps me from the presence of my Lord which is a burden to my soul and hinder me of the most blessed prospect of mine eternal happiness and when thou shalt bring me into the presence of my redeemer there to behold his face in glory then shall my soul be satisfied when I wake I shall behold thy face in Righteousness O my God Now O my soul thou dost pretend to fear the Lord but dost thou really so examine thy self canst thou approve thy heart to God in all sincerity he hath done great things O and wonderful for thee what hast thou done for him hast thou demonstrated a return of Love to him that has bestowed so much Love on thee surely it is a day in which the Lord doth threaten an end of all flesh before him and art thou exempt from his ever ruliâ—g power t is time to make up thy accounts for how knowest thou how soon the Lord may call to reckon with thee O it will be sad to have a name to live and yet be dead to have thy portion among Hypocrites it is thy duty to be found serving the Lord with all fervency of spirit out of a pure mind giving glory unto him to walk holy and humbly with thy God to take delight in thine approaches before him to lye low at his foot-stool in the sence of what thou art and what thou hast received to have respect unto all his commands and do his will to submit thy self unto him in all obedience to live in a continual dependance upon him to take up thy Cross daiâ—y and follow him wilt thou be a wise child then understand the will of thy heavenly father O how hast thou fallen short of thy duty to thy gratious Lord who never yet was wanting unto thee Lord thou art my helper and unto thee I fly for my soul have had experience even of the truth of grace to thâ—e be glory my hope is still in thee my God who knowest the frailty of thy poor creatures and pittyes them under their infirmities because they are but dust O Lord it is free grace that must inable me to do what thou requirest and blessed be God for that glorious grâ—ce by which thou hast in abled me to find the sweet experience of spiritual in livenings to all or any of these things in any measure though but small In thee my well springs are this I can say O Lord my soul desires to do thy will make me such a one as thou wouldest have me be Lord I am thine do with me what soever pleaseth thee I could desire to live if by my living I might glorifie thy name yet allo wish to be dissolved to be with Christ to be disrobed of sin and câ—oathed upon with his eternal Righteousness to be freed from imperfection to be compleat in Christ in all perfection so to injoy a free Communion with my Lord in Glory to all eternity Meditations of a day of tryal or preparation for sufferings THe Soul that truly fears the Lord is happy and he that exercise th faith shall ever find him faithfull let what will come he shall not be afraid of evill tidings c. O happy Soul that is in such a case yea happy is he that hath the Lord for his God An interest in Christ in a day of trouble is help and succour what can come amiss to me if the Lord be my God t is true I may be spoiled of all I have but they that take it from cannot rob me of my glory in being a believer then come what will seeing my Crown is safe through grace will I receive T is no great honour to be trading in the paths of Christianity when there is none forbids it and when a change comes cast of any Religion because it is out of fashion and credit O remember that any who have once set their hand to the Plow and look back are not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven for they that are such draw back unto perdition and the Lord will take no pleasure in them no it is he and only he that indures to the end shall be saved But what if our Estates our liberties nay our very lives lye at the stake you must either part with these or submit unto humane invensions this is indeed a great but poor Soul be not thou disturbed But remember any former arguments and be not afraid to trust God with thy condition be it what it will for therein thou mayest deny the Soveraignty power and faithfulness of the great and holy God double the portion of the fearfulâ— and unbelieving But O my Soul for to come nearer to thee suppose the Lord should suffer thee particularly to come under this tryal unto the utmost extent for O who knows how soon that may happen and thou art not prepared to encounter with it therefore how needfull is it to be mindful of thy Lords commands watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation it will be a sad reward thou wilt meet with by entering into a temptation to save thy self and thereby loose thy God and thy Souls comfort Is not Christ to be esteemed more then all things besides what is he not made exceeding pretious to thy Soul and wilt thou canst
thou part with him on any terms surely thou hast not loved him for Loaves only but for that excellency the Father hath cloathed him with the fear of man brings a snare but he that trusteth in the Lord shall be safe man says thou shalt not doe this c. t is disobedience to commands of men and the Issue of it will be either prison Banishment or death but the spirit of God says pay thy vows though it come in competition with thy very life for he that loveth his Father Mother c. Ye his very life better then me is not worthy of me and he that taketh not up his Cross to follow me cannot be my disciple then surely t is better disobeying man on earth then to be found an offender of the Majesty on high the waies of Christ are still the same good waies in persecution and they were in peace nor are they a whit the less disowned by Christ for being disallowed of man the soul that truly is established in Gospel truths is upon a sure foundation and owning Christ to be his Lord and King gives the honour due unto his King his Lord and Law giver As thy redeemer as thy saviour as a mediator now in heaven interceeding for thee as thy Lord and King as one who being fully interested in the fathers love and in all the father is and hath also made thee through grace to perticipate thereof O the unbounded richeâ— of free love what love was ever like to that of Christs who loved not his life unto the death but gave it freely for thee that thou mayest thereby freely come out of that cursed damned estate thou else hadst lain in unto all eternity and into the glorious liberty of Sons O how sweetly sounds that word Sons and Daughters heirs of a Kingdom and Co-heirs with Christ Jesus this is a believers portion and a glorious portion through the lively exercise of faith for the Lord in the offers of his grace sayes come come freely without any worth in your selves or good of your own and take my Son and with him all that shall make you eternally happy the Lord Jesus he a lone is thy redeemer he a lone is thy Redeemer he alone hath perfected the work of thy Redemption And unto him be glory ye all glory for ever and for ever who still had been a glorious and a holy God though thou hadst perished to all eternity and now what hath he required of thee O my soul but to love him to own him and this love begits obedience to him and love unto his laws and from which if thou shouldest now draw back thou wilt deny thy love to him and through a slavish fear make Shipwrack of thy faith deny the power faithfullness soveranity and omnipotency of the great God and so be come a prey to Satan and loose thy soul thy God thy Christ and all thy heavenly treasures forever the Lord in his mercy prevent it and all this for a song a sinful compliance with the men of the worâ—d and for fear of there threats sin against such Light such Love such Convictions of Conscience as the Lord through rich grace hath manifested to thee then consider how the Lord speaks to his poor covenant people who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye when I am on thy side who hath power to do with all men whatsoever he will am not I your Father and cannot you trust me with your preservation though in suffering times there fore O my soul trust in the Lord let him bee all thy stay and â—â—e assured all shall be well with thee if suffering be thy Lot as it is all theirs that will live Godly â—â— Christ â—esus the Lord will give out strength proportionable for he hath said that he will lay no more upon thee then he will inable thee to bear then let thy sufferings be what they will they shall be crowned with a glorious Isue thy small moment of affliction shall work for thee an eternity of glory say they then vaunt over thee with reviling speeches and reproach the too with sedition Hypocriâ— Hereticks Schismaticks c. Better is it to bear the Reproach then be truly guilty but what is this when the Lord saith Blessed are ye when all men hate Reproach and speak all manner of evil against you for my sake shall the Disciples be abâ—vt his Lord for what can they do to thee that they have not done to him He suffered a vile and shamefull death without the camp for the bearing this reproach he was scoffed at made a scorn off reviled buffered spit upon and at lengt crucified and all for thy sake taking it patiently and quietly and can't thou be content to suffer some small thing for his sake who hath suffered such great things for thee therefore my soul fix thou thy faith on Jesus Christ who ever liveth to make intercession for his affiicted ones is ready at hand to give seasonable supplies for every condition O be found still walking in his wayes and full of love to his pretious Laws and trust him with thy condition who can deliver thee from trouble or else preserve thee and bear thee up under it Blessed David saith the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me and for thy sake I have borne reproach shame hath covered my face it was good Davids portion to fall under such reproaches as were even ready sometimes to have broken his heart yet for his help hath his recourse to God ye though the Lord is pleased seemingly to turn away his ear yet he will seek no other help I was a reproach to all mine enemies but especially among my Neighbours ye his very friends reproached him but says he As for me I will call upon God and he shall save me evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud he shall hear my voice O let this be thy work to approve thy integretie and sincerity unto God And so plead with thy God for mercy and deliverance for what matter is it how man Judgeth of thee so thy heart be right with God what disadvantage will reproaches bring unto thee Mâ—ses esteâ—med the reproaches of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt therefore says Paul I take pleasure in reproaches Yea if you be reproached for the name of Christ hâ—pâ— are ye for the spirit of glory and of God in a more eminent manner resteth upâ—n you the Church of God in all ages hath lain under such afflictions and the father hath so ordained it for the purging away of sin the purifying of man from his dross that so he might become as tryed silver resigned fit for holy use and therefore seeing the necessity of it saith the Apostle beloved think it not stâ—ange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you t is no new thing