thee and sent unto thee and put into thy hand even some of his rarest and choicest dainties from his banquetting house some flagons of his most excellent and richest wine which is full of spirit and life one taste is able to cheare and revive thy heart yea raise and ravish thy fainting soule with love into love yet drinke freely the more the better be filled with them there is enough Christs dainties are durable his fountain is bottomlesse and infinite it can never be exhausted or drawne dry therefore eate O friends and drinke abundantly and be drunke with them Here are means proposed with some Scriptures which tends to settle a troubled soule in the sweet enjoyment of the love of God if God please to blesse them they will be sweet and profitable to thee in stead of darknesse light shall shine clearly sweetly pleasantly it 's the Lord onely that can cause the soule to see this light and love so as to live in it being over-powered with it and to walke sutable unto it if the Lord shall please to blesse this to thy soule acknowledge his goodnesse with thankfulnesse and joy as some have done the Lord give thee wisdome to know the truth and to receive thy own portion without which nothing can doe thee good 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. Men may speake comfort but they cannot comfort it 's God that creates the fruit of the lips peace if he speake the word it 's done Gen. 1. 3. The Lord speake so to thee that thou maist profit by it and that thy joy may be full Also to you belong all the promises of this life and that to come Heb. 6. 17. Which rich treasure God hath imparted in severall parts that all the sonnes and daughters of truth might be comforted in and satisfied with the injoyment of God in them To this end here are comprized many principal promises that you may with more ease and speed finde them and suck sweetnesse from them our lives cannot be sweet without them in respect of the many miseries that attend us within and without but those that live by faith are not troubled in a world of troubles faith supplies all wants this life of faith is the highest therefore the best such as live it know it to be a sweet precious and powerfull life as appeares Heb. 11. Faith honours God most and God honours them most that live by faith by it the Saints wrought righteousnesse stopped the mouths of Lyons of weake were made strong By faith Jacob had power with God Hos 12. 3 4. By it Job could trust God though God should kill him Job 13. 15. By faith we live to God a life of joy in God our righteousnesse as if we had never sinned by faith we live above sin infirmities temptations desertions sense reason feares doubts c. It sweetens the sweetest mercies yea the bitterest miseries faith makes great afflictions to be as none it maintaines the soules strength and comfort Christ lives in our hearts by faith by it wee obey God faith makes Christs yoke easie and sweet the fruition of God is all the soule can desire faith helps the soule to this it puts the soule into possession of heaven while the body is on earth by it we view the glory of heaven to know its worth to enjoy the purchaser and purchase it selfe by faith we know our selves to be happie even then when to a carnall eye we seeme most miserable by faith we can part with the sweetest outward comforts and welcome death because wee know we leave the worst place and things and goe to better they that live by faith live upon God himselfe and are feasted in our Lord Jesus banquetting house where there is all the desirable dainties and enough Eate then O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved because it is the pleasure of our sweet Lord Jesus that his doe so it 's their portion duty and priviledge to digest refresh and make their soules merry with his dainties to enjoy himselfe in them that so their joy may be full And because it is the will of Christ that those who have found rest and peace in him should take his yoke upon them as appeares Mat. 11. 38 39. Here is added the Saints dutie and service to Christ and the rather for now is the time the love of many waxeth cold to God and man Religion is esteemed of many to be but a bare notion or a little speculation nothing of practise iniquitie abounds many depart from the faith to needlesse disputes and principles that destroy the foundation of Religion no law no transgression no sinne all alike as appeares Rom. 4. 15. So that many run the round began at nothing and end in nothing so that many in stead of submitting to the yoke of Christ cavill against it so that few will submit unto it notwithstanding it 's holy just light easie sweet and a law of love Call persons to obey Christ and men are apt to think it legall and slavish but if men were to worke for life it were so indeed we cannot doe any thing to procure the pardon of sinne we only desire such as have received mercy and life from Christ to act from the same life and power according to the word of Christ to Christ againe out of love and thankfulnesse surely such as have received mercy from him vehemently desire to obey him esteeming it a great priviledge to be imployed in his service also in keeping his cōmands there is great reward Psal 19. By nature we are prone to desire libertie and abuse it we need to be exhorted that we use not our libertie as an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. to sloath and ease c. Libertie to sinne is no libertie but the greatest bondage that can be to have a free heart to serve God and the lets outwardly removed is sweet libertie to enjoy God is libertie to be set free by Christ from sin Satan hell is to be freed indeed and though we have nothing to doe to be saved we have something to doe for his glory which is to be our meat and drinke therefore let no difficultie hinder thee in serving thy Lord say not it is impossible consider Luk. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 4. 13. 19. Presse after perfection the neerer the better watch and pray to prevent sinne to doe good make it thy businesse to keepe Christs commands Indeed all have not the like time to spend herein the necessitie of outward things hinders many that they cannot doe what otherwise they might and would one wants time another a heart another both we should consider whether we spare that time for these things we might we can and will spare time for what we list and love though they be things of lesse moment consider Song 8. 6 7. Were we so full of love wee could not but spare some time not onely from our recreation and idle visits but from our sleepe and callings wee would redeeme
for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143. 2. Dan. 9. 18. Tit. 3. 5. 7. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags c. Isai 64. 4. 6. God reveales to a soule Christs righteousnesse and the soules interest unto it Joh. 16. 14. To comfort the soule and cause the soule to love God againe he doth not comfort us in the sight of our own righteousnesse before he declares and comforts the soule in the righteousnesse of Christ Righteousnesse in him That righteousnesse which justifieth us before God as it is not ours so it is not in us but as it is Christs righteousnesse so it is in him In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength in me you shall have righteousnesse and strength Isa 45. 23 24 25. The cause or forme of our justification is by a reciprocall translation of our sin unto Christ and his righteousnesse unto us both which is done by God for us That we might be made Whatsoever Jesus Christ hath done and suffered was for those whose sinnes were laid upon him who are stated in him Ephes 1. 4. and are fully pardoned by him Rev. 1. 5. By the obedience of one man viz. Christ many are made righteous Rom. 5. 19. By his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. In him God considers his to be in Christ before they had a beeing in themselves Ephes 1. 4. and he never lookes upon his children out of him for they are never out of him They dwell in Christ Joh. 6. 56. and shall ever live Joh. 9. 25. and be found in him Phil. 3. 8. Christ and all true beleevers are so united together that they are but one one body one spirit bone of his bone oh what union is like to this that is so reall full and intire wonderfull glorious spirituall eternall and infinite 1 Cor. 6. 17. Gal. 5. 30. c. Joh. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22 23. If our faith in Christ were as strong as our union with Christ wee should ingrosse and possesse all that is in heaven and nothing in the earth could trouble us The state of a beleever in Christ as considered in him is an estate of perfection We are complete in him Col. 2. 9 10. 13. As Christ is so am I as I am so is Christ Joh. 1. 17. What is Christs is mine what is mine is his Christs righteousnesse is mine I am all righteous I need no more nor no other righteousnesse as I am in Christ I am as righteous and as acceptable as Christ God seeth no sin in me because there is none for I am all faire there is no spot in me Song 4. 7. Song 2. 10. Ephes 5. 25 26 27. For as he is even so are we in this world 1 Joh. 4. 17. Thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe Isa 38. 17. As far as the East in from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Psal 103. 12. Seventy weeks are determined upon the people and upon the holy Citie to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconviliation for iniquitie and to bring in an everlasting righteousnesse to seale up the vision and prophecy and to anoynt the most Holy Dan. 9. 24. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse Isa 61. 10. All Saints are alike clothed with Christs righteousnesse the meanest the weakest as the best and is as acceptable by it as the best oh they are all alike perfect righteous and glorious as they are in Christ oh here is strong consolation for thy fainting heart to refresh it selfe withall Drinke O friends and make yee merry O welbeloved yea drink drink abundantly in this fountaine that is bottomlesse and therefore can never be drawne dry Song 5. 1. In the most perfect Saints as they are in themselves there is much sin 1 Joh. 1. 10. and God doth see it yet God cannot condemne them to wrath for it no more then God can condemne Christ for it who shall appeare without sin Heb. 9. 28. They being in him who hath suffered for it and Justice neither will nor can exact the payment of a debt twice now it 's justice in God to justifie Rom. 3. 25. yea God is as just in pardoning a sinner by the bloud of Christ as he is just in condemning any and now thou hast a full pardon by justice as well as mercy therefore drinke freely Song 5. 1. For us That which is spoken in generall to beleevers every beleever is to apply it to himselfe in particular so Paul he loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. For us for me The word and promise of God that it is for me is that which my soule should fix its eye upon and by faith for ever relie upon and be a full satisfaction to my soule knowing that the word and promise of God is the onely ground of my faith and is securitie sufficient for my salvation As soone as the soule is convinced that Jesus Christ is made sin for me and that I am made the righteousnesse of God in him all the soules doubts feares objections vanish and Christ is beleeved in and lived upon with thankfulnesse and joy Jesus Christ being made sin for me is as good for me yea better for me then if I had never sinned as much better as a spirituall body is better then a naturall as much better as the image of the heavenly is better then the image of the earthly yea as much better as strength is better then weaknesse and as heaven is better then earth 1 Cor. 15. 43 44. to 55. But saith a discouraged soule I cannot beleeve the Lord Jesus was made sin for me Why not for thee Because my sins are greater then others be for my sins have all the aggravations upon them that can be For mine are many So were theirs in the second and third Chapter of Jeremiah yet notwithstanding God pardoned them all as appeares Jer. 3. 21. to 25. But my sins are great and hainous So were theirs and so were Manassehs as appeares 2 King 21. 4. 9. 11. 16. and so was the womans Luk. 7. 47. and so was Pauls 1 Tim. 1. 15. yet God pardoned them all as he hath done others But my sins are against the Gospel So was Pauls he persecuted them that professed the Gospel and made havock of the Church entring into every house haling men and women and committed them to prison Act. 8. 3. And Christ died for them that slew him Act. 2. 23. 38. But mine are afâ—er many mercies So was Solomons who sinned against God after the Lord appeared unto him twice 1 King 11. 9.
to the multitude of his loving kindnesses Psa 63. 7. Who is wise and be shall understand these things prudent and be shall know them Hosea 14. 9. THE Perfection and happinesse of a Beleever in Christ Some briefe Observations or Meditations on some part of the 16. Psal which Psalm is a Prophesie of Christ as appeares Acts 2. 25. to 35. verse Psalme 16. IN this Psalme appeareth the wonderfull goodnesse of God in Christ to all the sonnes and daughters of Christ and the exceeding great and happy estate of all that are in him Preserve me O God There is no preservation in any thing but God Preserve me Christ in the dayes of his flesh put up strong crys and supplications to his Father For in thee doe I put my trust there is no trust to be put in any thing but in God I put my trust Christ as he was man had faith and it was in God Thou art my Lord Christ honours the Father in acknowledging him onely yet Christ and he are one My goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth My goodnesse Christs goodnesse was from himselfe therefore his own Goodnesse Jesus Christ is full of goodnesse Col. 2. 3. Therefore all that Christ hath done is wonderfull excellent and meritorious in this is our happinesse and comfort Extendeth not to thee Viz. God God is perfect and infinite therefore he is not capable of any addition of goodnesse Oh admire his perfection But to the Saints c. Those who are Saints had no goodnesse of their own Their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord Isa 54. 17. Christs goodnesse was for the Saints they stood in need of it Extendeth It reacheth the Saints they shall injoy the fruit of it there is no place of the earth that is out of the reach of Christ This goodnesse of Christ was not for every person in the world but to the Saints that are in the earth Saints Christs goodnesse made them Saints Christ found them no Saints but wicked sinners Oh Saint admire the riches of Christ and his love to thee the Saints goodnesse is in Christ O soule rest satisfied in Christs goodnesse which is thine rejoyce in it and admire at it be thankfull for it walke sutably unto it and improve this goodnesse against all thy doubts and feares c. To the excellent The Saints are excellent to Christ yea all of them are alike excellent beautifull glorious unspeakeable infinite excellent with the excellent beauty of Christ Ezek. 16. 14. They are more excellent then the whole creation of heaven and earth Christ calls them excellent and he esteemes them so Eph. 5. 27. Oh Saint esteeme thy selfe as Christ doth to be excellent in his excellency for thy beauty it is perfect through my comelinesse I have put upon thee saith the Lord God Ezek. 16. 14. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse Isa 61. 10. O glorious Saint the world knows not thy worth therefore it esteemes thee not yet sleight not thy selfe because Christ hath made thee excellent In whom is all my delight Jesus Christ is fully pleased and contented with his All my delight an infinite delight Christ takes in his All One Saint is esteemed by Christ to be of more worth then the whole creation of heaven earth those things have none of his delight the Saints have it all the quintessence of all fulnesse All Infinite is the love and contentment that Christ takes and gives to them O precious Saint delight thy self in God rest satisfied with him in his love and the delight he takes in thee Their sorrowes shall be multiplied that hasten after another God their drink-offerings of bloud will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips As for the wicked it is not so with them they are not in so happy a condition they shall finde the contrary from Christ he will not once name their names to God nor offer their offerings to his Father Their offerings of bloud Their costly services shall be rejected they shall finde no entertainment no acceptāce from Christ they shall have no peace nor comfort no cessation of sorrow their sorrowes shall never have an end their sorrowes shall increase and be multiplied therefore they are in a miserable condition Mine inheritance and lot Christs lot and inheritance is his people The Lords portion is his people Deut. 32. 9. Mine Christ layeth claime to his people to have an interest in them Christ is not ashamed to own them to be his Heb. 2. 11. The Saints are not their owne but Christs 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. 1 Cor. 3. 23. Seeing the Saints are Christs they are to doe all for him to serve him to be at his disposing onely and not at their own Inheritance of my cup Christs people are his by purchase let this cup passe from me they cost a great price even the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 19. He that payd so much for his will not lose them nor leave them Heb. 13. 5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance The Saints have God for their portion The Lord is my portion saith my soule Lam. 3. 24. Thou art my portion O Lord Ps 119. 57. The portion of a childe of God is infinite because God is infinite God esteemes nothing too much for his in that he declares himselfe and all that is his to be theirs The Saints are infinitely happy in having such a portion Jer. 10. 16. Happy is that people that is in such a ease yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. A Saints portion can never be spent nor lost God is my portion for ever Psal 73. 26. None are so rich as a Saint the poorest Saint shall never want The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want Psal 23. 1. There is no want to them that feare him they shall not want any good thing Psal 34. 9 10. Oh rich and happy Saint admire free grace which doth abound to thee be content with thy portion and well thou maiest for more thou canst not have rejoyce in thy portion for it will be a full supply to thee They shall rejoyce in their portion Isa 61. 7. Be thankfull for thy portion for it was freely given thee Hos 14. 4. Esteeme not any thing too much for him who esteemes nothing too much for thee Be content if outwardly poore because richer thou canst not be in that thou art an heire of glory improve thy portion and live upon it richly Thou maintainest my lot God hath undertaken to preserve the Saints and he doth it Christs inheritance can never be lost because it is maintained by God The Saints safety and perseverance depends not upon themselves nor anything below God but upon God who maintaines