in their most holy faith Where is considered 1. What is meant by the Faith p. 128 129 the foundation to be built on The Doctrine of Christ and Christ as declared therein 2. Why it s called their faith p. 133 3. Why called the most holy faith p. 134 Wherein is shewed why it 's holy p. 134 Wherein is shewed why it 's most holy p. 139. 4. What that is that is to be built on it 1. Negatively not the faith p. 157 2. Affirmatively themselves p. 158 Wherein is implied 1. That believers are Gods building p. 158 2. That they are yet in themselves imperfect p. 159 3. That their perfection is to be sought in abiding in the faith p. 161 5. How the believer is to be built on the faith or wherein that building themselves consists in four particulars 162 6. What 's implied in saying actively Build up your selves p. 165. viz. 1. That their growth is gradual p. 165 2. That the believer is to be active p. 167 1. In a diligent minding the most holy faith p. 169 2. In a faithful exercise of spiritual gifts p 172 3. In exercising charity p. 175 4. In walking in all things as becomes the Gospel p. 176 7. How this tends to keep believers in the love of God p. 177 II. To pray in the Holy Ghost Wherein is considered 1. What it is to pray p. 179. in seven particulars 2. What to pray in the Holy Ghost p. 185. viz. To utter our words and desires to God 1. In the light direction and guidance of the Holy Ghost 1. In the things prayed for p. 186 2. In the manner of praying as to 1. The way of approaching and p 189 2. The expressions p 189 3. And the earnestness in praying p. 190 3. In the encouragements and motives to pray ib. in eight particulars 2. In the operation of the Holy Ghost through his testimony minded Considered 1. Negatively in eleven particulars p. 197 198 2. Affirmatively in seven particulars p. 199. to 204 3. What is implied in exhorting believers so to pray viz. 1. Their insufficiency of themselves to keep themselves in the love of God p. 204 2. That there is sufficient Grace in God and Christ for them p. 205 3. That God will be sought for it p. 206 and why in seven particulars to 209 4. That of themselves they know not how to pray as they ought ibid. 5. That God hath not left us to our selves but gives us his Spirit to help p. 210 6. That having done so he requires that we neglect not his gift p. 211. 7. That possibly believers may and do neglect it p 212 8. That praying in the Holy Ghost is a good means of edifying themselves in their most holy faith 213 4. How the praying in the Holy Ghost conduces to believers keeping themselves in the love of God p. 214 The use of the foregoing Observations and both its branches 1. By way of Reproof in eight particulars p. 218. Where yet there is omitted a reproof due to those that deny or deride the praying in the Spirit contrary to the Apostles Exhortation here and in Ephes 6â—8 As also of those that brag of so doing or think they do so when they do not which may be discerned by what is said of it herein 2. By way of Exhortation wherein is propounded 1. Motive From the ends of our being built up on the faith p. 225. and the fruits and consequents of it p. 226 2. Encouragements to it in five particulars p. 230 Vse We have the posture in which we are to do all this Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Wherein is considered 1. The posture it self of Waiting and what is therein included viz 1. Hoping p. 235. which implies 1. That the thing waited for is not yet accomplished ibid. 2. That yet there is good ground to expect it p. 236 237 2. Tarrying wherein is implied 1. That God exercises his people with want and delay p. 240 and that for divers reasons p. 211 which should be 241. in five particulars 2. That there ought to be a patient bearing that delay p. 214. or 244 3. An earnest desire and seeking p 215. 245 4. A waiting upon God and Christ p. 216 2. The object waited for 1. The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ as the means 2. Eternal life as the end p. 217. al. 247 1. Mercy c. where is considered 1. What 's meant by this mercy p. 219 220. and in that wherein God and Christ have shewed their mercy ib. 2. What this term Mercy implies both as to 1. The word Mercy p. 227. viz. 1. That believers yet need mercy p. 228. upon three accounts 2. That they do not deserve the love of God and his blessings p. 230 2. It s being the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that that speaks encouragement to expect it and wait for it p. 231. Because 1. He is the Lord p. 232 2. He is ours the believers Lord in special p. 233. 3. He is Jesus our Lord that is a Saviour ibid. 4. He is also Christ anointed of God to be our Saviour p. 234. al. 274 2. Eternal life Unto Eternal life signifies either 1. The end and tendency of his mercy p. 235 2. The term of our waiting p. 236 3. Or the end and issue of both p. 238. al. 278. Where are propounded 1. Some reasons of it or grounds to expect it in six particulars p. 238 2. What is in this Eternal life to be expected in seven particulars p. 242 The use of all 1. To commend the most holy faith p. 2â—6 2. To condemn the Unbelievers and Apostates folly p. 24â— 3. To shew the infinite happiness of the abiding Believer that obeys this counsel 250. â—â—ter with it concludes THE BEST EXERCISE FOR CHRISTIANS In the worst Times c. JUDE 20 21. But ye Beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God wayting for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life THE Apostle Jude writing this Epistle to them that were sanctified by God the Father ver 1. separated by him from the world unto himself through the prevalencie of his heavenly Call and preserved in Christ Jesus from the Apostacie and back slidings where-through many others had miscarried and called to his service and confession of his Truth after salutation of them in which he desired further mercy to them ver 2. and that peace and love both from Christ to them and from and in them toward one another might be multiplied informs them of the end of his writing this Epistle to them Namely to exhort them to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints ver 3. Namely that it might be kept pure and immolate amongst the Churches and that because of certain men ungodly persons forewritten to this Judgment as abusers of the Grace of God and
of God and Christ and of his unspeakable glory and glorious joys and satisfactions that shall be injoyed by all that are counted worthy thereof in the world to come according to that distinction or distribution of rewards promised by Christ to those that forsake all to follow him Mark 10.30 he shall receive an hundred fold in this time houses Brethren and Sisters Mothers and Children and fields with persecution and in the world to come everlasting life that is the full and perfect injoyment of God and Christ and all happiness without persecution for ever till when they are to wait for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ therein This is the great hope of the Believers as in Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie hath promised and Chap. 3.7 That being justified by his Grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life and therefore the great things hoped for are included therein because therein is contained all the fulness of the injoyment of God and Christ and their favour and blessing and so all happiness yea it is the great thing promised in Christ as 1 Iohn 2.25 and therefore it is to be waited for by the Believer all his time till he attain the injoyment of it yea even the Souls of those that have suffered death for the testimony of Christ and that be under the Altar though they rest quiet from all further sufferings and persecutions from men or temptations and oppressions from Sathan or whatever here annoyed theâ— yet they also still wait for the full accomplishment of that great promise the full injoyment of life everlasting yea and the mercy of the Lord Iesus Christ is that that is exercised toward and over them even his free Grace goodness and compassion until that be attained by them Rev. 6.11 3. And as all his Mercy tends unto the Believer so this also being waited for shall be the certain and sure issue of his Mercy they shall not fail of it but shall have and injoy eternal life when fully built up and fiâ—ted for it As they have his love and favour toward them here in which is life so their patienâ— expectation of the utmost Salvation and full recompence of reward shall in it's time also namely in the World to come without fail be given them for 1. It was the end and design of God in giving his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life as also it was of his exalting and lifting him up both to the Cross in his Death and out of the Grave being dead for us unto his own right hand and in the Doctrine of the Gospel by his Holy Spirit commending and glorifying him unto the hearts and consciences of men that so he might be and be represented as a fit and compleat Object of faith and hope for them and that so many as should believe and hope in him might live for ever John 3.14 15 16. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that so whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the World through him might be saved c. 2. It is the will and pleasure of God that Jesus Christ came down from Heaven to doe and is gone up to Heaven again to prosecute the thing to which he hath anointed and appointed him the work or pleasure of the Lord that lyes upon his hand to see done that whoso seeth and believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 6 40. And he is both alsufficient for accomplishing it having offered up himself a perfect and infinitely virtuous and precious Sacrifice and being filled with all the fulness of God and so able to doe all things and to subdue all things to himself and he is also faithful in all things to God who appointed him and therefore will not fail nor be discouraged till he bring forth judgment into victory and accomplish what he is ingaged in and hath undertaken to doe and accomplish Col. 2.9 10. Heb. 7.25 and 9.15 and 10.14 and 3.1 2. Isa 42.3 4. 3. It is the promise of God and his Covevenant made and ratified with mankinde in Jesus Christ that he will give eternal life to as many as do believe in and are subject to him 1 John 2.24 25 Tit. 1.2 and God that hath promised is true and faithful and cannot lye or break Covenant yea he hath also confirmed his promise and Covenant by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye they might have strong consolation who flee for refuge to Christ the hope set before them Heb. 6.18 19. 4. Yea whereas we are too prone to sin and break ouâ— Covenant with God or fail in what he requires of us to the injoyment of eternal life Christ hath undertaken as the surety and Mediator of it to see it performed to us and to that purpose to fit us for the performance of it to us taking away our sins imperfections and forfeitures by the vertue of his blood and Sacrifice pleaded with his Father for us so as with reference thereto God keeps Covenant and mercy with them that fear him and Christ effects in us by his Grace and Spirit what is required of us and necessary for us Writing the Law in our heart and putting his fear in our inward parts Heb. 2.17 18. and 7.22 25 and 8.2 3 9 10 11. and 9.15 and 10.15 16 17 18. 5. Yea Christ as the great King of Saints and Nations Shepheard and Bishop of the soul hath undertaken it to lead guide protect and keep his sheep or his Disciples that hear his voice and follow him to the injoyment of everlasting life and he hath the Presence and Oneness of the Father with him therein and so power wisdom and love to guide and keep them so as none can pluck them away from him as he saith John 10.27.28 29 30. My sheep hear my voice and I know or own them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father that gave me them is greater than all and none can pull them ouâ— of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one So that the Believer hath the greatest certainty of eternal life that may be in believing and cleaving unto Christ and so in building up himself and being built up on that most holy faith and foundation and praying in the Holy Ghost and so keeping himself in the love of God and waiting for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ having God and Christ so ingaged for his having it given to him and conferred upon himâ— to which we may also yet add 6. The earnest helpfulness
so long as I live 8. The experience of Gods goodness and mercy to other in former or present ages the cloud of witnesses that have gone before us and found God gracious to them in their crying to him as in Psal 22.4 5. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded To that puâ—â—se also the examples of Gods goodness to others are propounded by him to move men to taste and see by their trusting in and calling upon God how gracious God is Psal 34.4 5 6. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears they looked unto him and were inlightned and their faces were not ashamed This poor man cried and the Lord heard him c. Whatsoever things were written before-hand being written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 God being one and so the same for us in through his Son as he was for and to any others before us and there is no respect of persons with him He is rich to all that call upon him Rom. 10.12.13 Such the incouragements which the holy Ghost gives for praying he that prays in the holy Ghost prays not in the incouragement of his own parts wisdom works or the like but in such incouragements as these above-mentioned as to such purpose that fore-quoted from Dan. 9.18 is pertinent We doe not present our Supplications before for our righteousness but for thy great mercies So that in Psal 5.7 and 143.1 2. 4. To pray in the holy Ghost is to pray in the operation of the holy Ghost and so in such a frame and temper of Spirit as the holy Ghost being minded and yielded up to in his testimony frames the heart unto And so 1. Not in pride as the Pharisee despising his neighbour and lifâ—ing up himself in Gods presence 2. Nor in self-confidence and reliance on a mans own righteousness as he also did Luk. 18.10 11. 3. Nor in wrath and anger as the Disciples that would have called for fire from Heaven upon the Samaritanâ— that would not receive Christ pretending Elias for a warrant to them therein Luk. 9 54. for that was not in the holy Spirit of Christ for all that pretence for our Saviour tellâ— them They knew not what manner of Spirit they were of ver 55. 4. Nor in vain-glory as the Pharisees that prayed to be seen of men that they might have glory of them Matth 6.5 6. 5. Nor in ambition seeking great things to themselves and to be lifted up above their Brethren as the two Sons of Zebedee and their Mother did not knowing what they asked when they requested that they might sit the one at Christs right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdom Matth. 20 20 21 22. 6. Nor in strife and contention as those in Isa 58 2 3. who fasted and prayed for strife and debate ver 4. 7. Nor to establish to themselves a righteousness in their praying and so not submitting to the righteousness of God in Christ as the Jews that had a zeal of God and instantly served God day and night hoping by their works of that nature to attain the righteousness of the Law Act. 26 7. with Rom. 9.30 31. and 10.2 3. 8. Nor in Covetousness as they that howled upon their beds for corn and wine Hos 7.14 9. Nor in a doubtful distrustful frame of Spirit that is not fixed in Gods goodness and perswaded of his truth for such a man is like the wave of the Sea tossed to and fro double-minded and inconstant in all his ways and let not such an one think to receive any thing at Gods hands Jam. 1.6 7. 1 Tim. 2.8 10. Nor in an impatient unsubmmitted frame of Spirit to Gods Government frowardly hasting out of affliction such as Jonah was in when he having prophesied the destruction of Niniveh and God seeing their repentance spared it he was exceedingly displeased and very angry and prayed God to take away his life from him Jonas 4.1 2 3. 11. Nor in a flat cold formal temper of Spirit as they that draw nigh to God with their mouth and honor him with the lips but the heart is far away Isa 29 17. or the like but 1. In a believing frame of heart minding and giving credit to Gods word and testimony the Gospel of Christ and from the belief of that calling upon God and in that sense prayer in the Holy Ghost is the prayer of Faith Jam. 5.15 and prayer proceeding out of the belief of Gods sayings believing and not doubting about them as Jam. 1.6 But let him ask in faith nothing doubting speaking to God because they believe his word as in Psal 116.10 I believed therefore have I spoken which may have reference to speaking by prayer aswel as to speaking by preaching or confession thus David from a belief of Gods word to him by Nathan found it in his heart to pray unto him that prayer in 2 Sam. 7.18 27. for the holy Ghost is a Spirit of Faith as 2 Cor. 4.13 and therefore breaths faith into the heart where he hath the rule and makes it breath in faith yea in a full assurance of faith as believing verily the truth of God concerning Christ yea and Gods hearing and granting its petitions that he helps the Soul to breath forth Heb. 10.22 Mark 11.24 1 John 5. â—4 15. and a cleaving adhering frame of Spirit cleaving to and trusting in God for his hearing and helping it according to his will and the Souls needs as resolved and fixed to depend upon trust in and wait for God as Mic. 7.7 I will look to the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me as Jacob of old wrestling with God and resolved not to leave him till he had blessed him Gen. 32.26 So our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted in thee and were delivered they cried to thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Psal 22.4 5. such a frame of Spirit the holy Ghost leads to pray in a believing trusting frame And 2. With a fervent desire and frame of heart the Holy Ghost is compared to fire He sat on the Apostles like cloven tongues of fire Thence Quench not the Spirit and therefore when men pray in it it puts heat and life into them an earnest desire after those things which it directs absolutely to seek of God Thence it is said The effectual or operative fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5.16 They that onely say over prayers or pray luke-warmly coldly and formally pray not in the Holy Ghost though this fervour of Spirit in prayer stands not in the loud speaking and straining the voice or in much repetitions but in the earnestness of the Souls desires and ardencie of affection to the
and not those things that tend to the glory of Christ and furtherance of his Name praise and Kingdom in the world and in such an evil selfish peevish uncharitable proud passionate distemper of spirit as the wisdom or will of the flesh begets or produces in men and not in such a frame and efficacie as is of Gods spirit which kinde of praying is displeasing to God who being a Spirit will be worshipped by men in spirit and truth and cannot accept or like of that that is not of his holy spirit and therefore also is unprofitable to men and tends not to build them up in the most holy faith whence need for exhorting believers and for believers to accept the exhortation both to pray and to see that they doe it aright not in any spiritless formal way or in any carnal and unholy Spirit but in the holy Ghost 8. That this praying in the holy Ghost is a good means to edifie the believers in their most most holy Faith and so for keeping them in the love of God for therefore this clause is joyned with them and joyned with them in such a manner of speaking as clearly denotes and implies it to be a means to them For in saying Building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost he shews that the building up themselves on their most holy faith would not goe well on if trusting to their own power and skill therein they should neglect Gods help or neglect to pray and call upon God for it in such a way as he might accept them and send them help Therefore they were to doe that with the former action as a means to it and then in coupling the counsel to both those and that absolutely by a Verb or word of command or counsel Keep your selves in the love of God and mentioning both of those by a Participle as having reference to some further end namely that expressed in that following counsel he implies that they be both of them means to that great end or that such a building themselves on their most holy Faith as is exercised with praying in the Holy Ghost will much conduce to or is the means to preserve and keep themselves in the love of God Which leads us to the next enquiry namely 4. How the praying in the Holy Ghost conduces to the keeping our selves in the love of God To which it is to be minded as was noted above that the love or peculiar favour of God and his blessing is fixed upon the foundation or most holy faith in the first place It firstly fastens upon and imbraces Christ his beloved delightful one who is the great subject of the Gospel Doctrine and for his sake it is upon or with that Doctrine also as it sets forth and contains his name and is the means to glorifie him to men and to draw in men to him so as his eye and heart is thereupon as a most holy thing to him the slighters of which he will slight and punish with more intolerable judgements than those upon Sodom and Gomorrah as in Matth. 10.15 and those that receive and embrace that are imbraced and beloved of him so as to be rewarded with life everlasting John 5.24 He that heareth my words which he gave to his Apostles and they preached in his name and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life c. and Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized namely into Christ shall be saved c. Thence it follows that that which furthers mens being edified and built up on that most holy faith doth also further their being and abiding in that love and favour of God which he bears toward those that are thereupon for the sake thereof And so praying in the Holy Ghost conduces to the keeping men in the love of God as it is a means to keep them on their most holy Faith And a means thereto it is both 1. As there is no praying in the Holy Ghost but by and from the most holy Faith Jesus Christ and the Doctrineâ— of him taken heed unto and minded by men Praying in the H. Gh. then argues a being on the most holy Faith and exercises men to it even to the holding to and minding of it because the Holy Spirit is not otherwise to be met with to breath in us and frame our hearts to spiritual and right desires and prayers but on that most holy Faith for the Holy Spirit is onely that way ministred namely By the hearing of Faith and not by the works of the Law much less by any inventions and works in obedience to other Laws or in any lawless courses Gal 33.3 The Holy Spirit dwells and rests upon Christ and is sent forth in his name unto men Isa 42.1 6â— 1 11.12 John 14.26 and that to witness to Christ lead them to and unite them with him John 15.26 16.13 14. 1 Cor. 6. â—7 for he is so dwelling in Christ as not to be separated from him and therefore all that he dwells in must be one with Christ also for it is by vertue of Christ and in union with him that he that dwells and rests on Christ the head dwells in them as his members also And it is in the Name and Doctrine of Christ as Christ is therein named and set forth that the Holy Spirit breathes unto and in men therein and makes it a Ministration of Spirit or a means of conveying the light power presence and influence of the Spirit which is therefore no further abiding in men and leading and framing them than that Word and Doctrine of Christ in which he is ministred and Christ as held forth therein is received by and abides in men and they in them Whence that in 2 John 9. Whoso transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God to wit by his Holy Spirit in and with them for so God dwells in Believers namely by his Spirit as in Ephes 2.21 Whoso abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son namely in and by the influence and presence of the Spirit of both in and with them as well as in other considerations for them So then he that prayeth in the Holy Ghost being on the most holy Faith and so in Christ in whom and for whose sake God so loveth and favoureth men as we have shewed must needs be in the love of God and the praying in the Holy Ghost a means to keep men in the love of God because it is a way to keep men in Christ and a fruit of their keeping in him 2. Again it must needs be a means to preserve Believers in the love of God as it is a means to obtain further grace from God for more building up themselves on their most holy Faith where the love of God runs and is certainly enjoyed for what men ask of God believing in Christ and in the name of Christ as the Holy
in Christ and that mercy of Christ that is needful to bring us thereunto and so that we be not slothful nor take up content and satisfaction in what 's already attained as if we had enough and needed no more Laodicea-like but with our Souls be desiring after God and with our very spirits longing for him till he satisfie our souls with his goodness as was Davids posture of waiting for God expressed Psal 130.5 6. I wait for the Lord yea my Soul doth wait and in his word doe I hope My Soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning a waiting in which is also a watching for what is waited for yea a most diligent and desirous watching such as that is of those that being benighted and bewildred for want of light do long for the morning light And indeed such a waiting for Gods mercy becomes those that are building up themselves on their most holy faith and praying in the holy Ghost for men may pray formally or put their life and Religion in saying over prayers and yet have their hearts dead and void of any living desires of Gods presence and favour but the praying in the Holy Ghost cannot stand without it as may appear in what we have said thereabout yea this waiting may have in it further 4. A waiting upon God in Christ as well as a waiting for him or for something from him a patient attending to him and following after him whithersoever he goes and to be ordered and directed by him in what ever he requires as Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up my eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the eyes of servants are upon the hands of their Masters and the eye of the maiden unto the hand of her Mistress namely to be at their appointment and see and mind which way they direct them to run as well as to minde what they will give them so our eyes wait or are upon the Lord our God till he have mercy upon us in such a sense as that phrase in Prov. 27.18 He that waiteth upon his Master shall be honoured He that attends upon him to know his pleasure and to doe him service and this may be included also in this waiting for his mercy and in that seeking is therein implied though the other things seem to be more properly and directly signified 2. Now the Object to be waited for is expressed to be the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Eternal life is the end but necessary thereto as the way to bring us to it is the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ Mercy But not any or every kind of mercy There are the tender mercies of the wicked that are cruel Prov. 12.10 and there is the mercy or kindness of men that are not wicked but the best of men are but servants to this Lord whose mercy is to be expected It is the mercy of the Lord whose mercy will reach to more profit than those of a servant but yet it s not the mercy of every Lord neither but of him who is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ the anointed Saviour the only begotten Son of God whom he sent into the world for us made of a woman made under the Law that he might redeem us who were under the Law that we by the faith of him might receive the adoption of Sons who being anointed with the Holy Ghost and power went about doing good and obeyed his Father to the death the death of the Cross and therefore is again highly exalted and hath a Name an Authority and power given him far above every Name or power that at his Name every knee should bow both of things in Heaven and things in Earth c. and that every tongue should confess that he is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Philip 2.10 11. The Lord of all Act. 10 36. The Lord of men even of the dead and of the living by vertue of his Death Resurrection and living again Rom. 14.9 and the Lord of Angels for Angels and Principallities are made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 the Lord of Life and Glory Act. 3.15 1 Cor. 2.8 as having the Soveraign Power in and with his Father to quicken and give life to whom and as he pleases John 5.20 21 22. being upon the right hand of Majesty in the Highest filled with all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 the fulness the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost being resting and dwelling upon him and so anointing him and furnishing him with power and sufficiencie of wisdom understanding counsel strength c. for the managing the Government and Kingdom of God over men and over all Creatures so as in a way of saving mankinde from sin death devil and destruction being the Saviour of all men able willing and ready to save all of them upon submission to him yea and actually so saving them from manifold evils both within and without so that they are ingaged to and might submit to him but especially the Saviour of them that believe It is the mercy of this great Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ who being one with the Father and glorified with the Fathers own self upon the account of his obedience to his Father and love to and sufferings for us men is often joyned with the Father in the Object of the Apostles prayers foâ— and so in the dispensations of Grace and Mercy unto men as may be seen in the Salutations of the Churches in their Epistles to them Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.3 Ephes 1.2 Philip. 1.2 Coll. 1.2 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.2 Philem. 1.3 or Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Tim. 1.2 or Christ Iesus our Lord 2 Tim. 1.2 or the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 1.4 and surely his mercy must needs be of exceeding great concernement unto us above all things for it is the mercy of God so as that where he hath and exerciseth mercy God also even the Father exercises mercy in and by him And where he shews not mercy neither doth God the Father shew mercy nor can the pity and mercy of men be they never so great or mighty or many advantage a man any thing in comparison hereof the Sovereign power of life and death yea of everlasting life or death being in and with him So that whom he saves and blesses they are and shall be saved and blessed and whom he destroys or rejects from his mercy they shall perish everlastingly for his judgment is true and righteous and takes place and stands fast for ever His Mercy therefore is worthy the waiting for and most earnestly to be sought after as without which there is no salvation or happiness
when brought to own him for out Lord and to subject our selves to his Government over us as in believing on him we do and especially if we therein exercise our selves to more knowledge of him and obedience to him as in building up our selves on our most Holy saith If justified by his Blood much more will be save us from wrath in his Mercy towards us Rom. 5.9 2. And yet more in that he is our Lord as the Lord of all generally in a more common sense and relation so the believers Lord in a special sense and relation as exercising his Lordship peculiarly over and for them as one owned as their Lord and depended on for the exercise of his power for their help yea he is so the Lord of the Believers as the Husband is Lord of his wife as he is often stiled in the Scripture language as in Psal 45.10 Hearken O Daughter and consider incline thine eare also and hear forget also thine own people and thy Fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him And surely he that is specially the Lord owner Head Husband and disposer of his people is both worthy to be waited on by them â—nd will be more especially merciful to them He that is good and a merciful bountiful Lord over all and to all his Creatures so as to open his hand and liberally to satisfie the desire of every living thing will especially be rich in mercy to all that call upon him that call upon him in truth that pray in the Holy Ghost He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him He also will hear their cry and he will save them Psal 145.18 19. 3. 〈◊〉 that he is our Lord Iesus that is so our Lord as also our Saviour our Lord and Saviour the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 his name was therefore called Iesus because he was born into the woâ—ld and manifested to save his people from their sinâ— Matth. 1.21 and Believers in him who are brought to and built upon him are his people in a special sense his sheep his flock his Disciples yea his Body whereof he is both the Head and Saviour Ephes 5.23 and therefore he is both worthy their waiting on him for his mercy and they have good ground of incouragement to expect his Mercy in the pardon of their sins and saving and helping in out of all their sorrows afflictions and sufferings and supplying of their wants in their waiting for it from him especially seeing also 4. He is our Lord Iesus Christ that is our Lord that is anointed of God to be our Savior He is both appointed of God his Father thereto and furnished with the Holy Ghost and power to fit him thereto It is the will of the Father his designaâ—â—â—n choice and ordination of him that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life and that he should raise him up at the last day namely to the injoyment of that everlasting life And therefoâ—e he being faithful in all things to him that appointed him as well as merciful and loving to us that believe in him they that flee to him for shelter and refuge may comfortably expect and wait for his Mercy even unto eternal life put all these together As he is Lord it implâ—s him to have power and authority to shew us Mercy as our Lord relatioâ— and ingagement to exercise his power and authority for our good as our Saviour mercy toward us in his heart and as Christ or anointed to save us an Office and designation of God his Father to shew us mercy according to his great power and goodness all speak ingagement upon us and incouragement to us to wait for his mercy for his mercy in all our present case yea mercy unto everlasting life which is the next thing considerable Vnto eternal life Which denotes either the tendencie and issue of his mercy or the term of our waiting for his Mercy 1. The Mercy to be waited for desired and to be sought after by us is not only Mercy in this life or the Mercies or benefits of this life though they are also in his hand and dispose and he is ready to impart them to us as he sees good for us but such Mercy as conduces to and ends in eternal life such as be the forgiveness of our sins the giving of his Spirit and Grace to us his supporting us in all trials and afflictions his sanctifying us and conforming us to himself in all holiness and goodness his receiving our Spirits in Death and raising us up from the dead to eternal life and glory and the possessing us of it at the day of his appearance all which are the fruits and effects of his Mercy and his Mercy stands appears and is acted sorth in the gift of them to us they being not the procurements of our goodness services or sufferings or to be looked upon as our merits things any way deserved by us but the procurement of his Mercy in his Death and sufferings for us and his Mercy and compassion and riches of his Grace and bounty towards us yea eternal life it self is the gift of God through Iesus our Lord as the effect and fruit of his Mercy to us and therefore 2. We are to wait for his Mercy unto or until we arrive at eternal life till we have and attain to the full of that which his Grace and Mercy hath procured for us and he as our Lord and anointed Saviour is designed to give unto us and confer upon us which is included and contained in eternal life 1 Iohn 2.24 25. This is the promise which he hath promised us even everlasting life which although it be given us even mankinde in Iesus Christ inasmuch as he is given of God to us that he might be received by us whether we receive him or not and he is that eternal life that was with God in the beginning and in these last days was manifested to us 1 Iohn 5.11 and 1.1 2. and he hath in him all that will produce in us being received by us eternal life or an everlasting happy state and condition as remission of sins the Holy Spirit of life and power the presence favour and fulness of God and of all Grace and blessing yea and though the Believer is said now to have everlasting life inasmuch as he hath Christ in whom it is and so hath it by way of right title and interest and some beginnings and first fruits of it in that he hath the forgiveness of his sins the Holy Spirit the favour of God and his blessing in which is life Psal 30 5. and 133.4 Prov. 8.34 yet that which is most properly eternal life is that full perfect and everlasting freedom from all sin sorrow and evil and that full perfect and perpetual injoyment of the glorious presence and blessing
of the flesh to be honoured of God or will of this or that man hath any thing to do in or makes any difference in All that are in Christ being born thereto and therein of God and reckoned after Christ in whom they are as Gal. 3.28 29. with John 1 13. signifies and then from and as a consequent to this 4. God so loves them as to give them the Spirit of the Son both his Spirit to open the knowledge of Christ his Son to them and the disposition liberty boldness towards and affection to and affiance in him in some measure The same Spirit that dwelt in and yet dwells in Christ and led him as man in the dayes of his flesh to have confidence in and boldness towards his Father and so to go to him upon all occasions as to his Father he gives also to the believer in him to let him know Gods Fatherly love to and care of him upon the account of Christ and to lead him in hope and confidence to depend on and call upon him as also to guide instruct comfort strengthen and help him on all occasions To this purpose is that in Gal. 4.5 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and so many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and the Spirit it self helps our infirmities c. Rom. 8.15 16 26 27. and this he gives both as a pledge of his love and acceptance and as an earnest of the Inheritance Ephes 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 1.22 5. Yea and as he gives them the priviledge of Sons and the Spirit of his Son so also the respect of Sons so as that as he heard and helped Christ his only begotten Son in the dayes of his flesh in all that he called upon him for and took care of him to provide for and protect him so doth he also to those that believe in his Son The eyes of the Lord are open upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cryes and his face is set against the wicked that hate and oppress them 1 Peter 3.12 13. He is nigh unto his people in all that they call upon him for as our Saviour also promises John 15.7 Abide in me and let my words abide in you and ask what ye will it shall be given you and that as a testimony of his great love to them in which he imbraceth them in Christ his beloved one in whom they are accepted Ephes 1.16 See also John 14.13 14. Psal 145.17 18 19. as our Saviour testifies John 16.27 saying In that day ye shall ask the Father in my Name namely when they had received the promise of the holy Spirit to be a Spirit of grace and supplication in them and I do not say that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Yea 6. In his love he teacheth them by his holy Spirit and leads them into all truth as is good and needful for them John 14.17 26. Prov. 1.23 teacheth them how to walk and how to pray guides and leads them in the way that they should go makes known his words shews them his mind the Mysteries of his Kingdom c. So Psal 25 8 9 12 14. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners the way the meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way i. e. those that being convinced of their own poverty and emptiness do meekly receive his words The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant And Matth. 13.11 To you sayes Christ to his Disciples it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and I have called you not Servants but Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made known to you He takes care of them that they may not wander out of the way of life and righteousness yea he shews them those delights and pleasures of his wayes and gives them a glimpse too of the glory of the end of it even of the glory of his Kingdom so as that they are thereby made to love his way and walk in it comfortably and with great delight Prov. 3.17 Psal 119 32 165. 7. In love also he nurtures them as his Children giving them chastisement as he sees needful and good for them not leaving them to their own counsels wayes and wills as he doth those that coutemn his counsels and submit not to him He is faithfully reproving and warning them and timely châ—stening them with his afflictions that he might teach them his Law and they might keep his Statutes Psal 94 12. and 119 67 71. as a Father that loves his Child and therefore spares not his Rod Prov. 13.24 for he knows that a Child left to himself comes to misery and shame nor yet doth he in afflicting smite them as he smites these that smite them and are his and their enemies but as a Father chastens the Son in whom he delighteth Prov. 3.11 12 Isai 27.7 8. that is he doth it in measure and judgment not in fury so as he sees they may bear and as may be for their profit Isai 27.8 9. Heb. 12.10 He is faithful and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able but with the temptation or tryal will give an issue that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10 12. For he pities them as a Father pities his Child knowing their mold and temper and that they are but dust and therefore doth not deal with them after their sins nor reward them according to their iniquities but punisheth them less than they deserve is slow to wrath toward them and abundant in goodness and truth and doth not chide them alwayes nor retain his anger for ever Psal 103.9 10 11 12 13. yea and with his chastisements affords his supports and consolations to refresh their hearts Psal 94.18 19 yea and turns again and hath compassion according to the multitude of his tender mercies Lam. 3.32 Yea 8. He takes pleasure in them in them that fear him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal â—47 11 The Lord takes pleasure in his people Psal 49.4 It 's his design and delight to make them happy and to beautifie them with his Salvation to make them as a Crown of Glory and as a royal Diadem in his hand therefore he calls them Hepâ—zibah that is my delight or pleasure is in her owning them together in Christ as his royal Spouse and Consort as Isai 54 5. with 62 2 3 4. it rejoyceth his heart to see them thrive and prosper for he hath pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants Psal 35.27 Yea and though they have their failings weaknesses and spots that might render them unlovely yet having given Christ to
them to be their covering their righteousness and salvation they being in him he in him beholds them and through and in him rejoyces in his love toward them yea and will joy over or in behalf of them with singing Zeph. 3.17 though their goodness gives him not rest yet his love to them doth He shall rest in his love and in his love also he hath abundantly provided for their perfect cleansing and conforming to him that there may be no spot in them but they may be perfect and without blame before him Ephes â— 26 27. having appointed his only Son who is faithful to him in all things to wash and sanctifie them and conform them to his mind 9. Yea such is his love that he deals with them further as his Children in providing all things for them and taking care to supply all their wants to them and give them whatsoever he sees good for them through Jesus Christ both for the things of this life pertaining to their bodies and in the things of eternal life pertaining to their souls therefore also he would have them with carefulness as knowing that he takes care for them and as a Father knows and considers their needs both for food rayment and protection and so for gifts or comforts c. Your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things Matth. 6.32 33. and without covetousness as knowing and believing that he stands by them is at hand to help them and will never leave them nor forsake them so that we may boldly say The Lord is on our side or is our helper we will not fear what man can do unto us Heb. 13.5 6. He is a Sun and Shield and will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightlly with him Psal 84.11 10. Further yet He causeth all things to work together for their good Rom. 8.28 All his wayes are mercy and truth to them that love him and keep his Covenants and Testimonies and that think upon his Commandments to do them Psal 25.10 He is Lord of all things and rules in the Hosts of Heaven and Kingdoms of men and will and doth dispose of all Providences for the glory of his Son and so for the profit and advantage of all that are in him and do trust in and love him To this purpose it is that he sayes to Sion that he hath ingraven her upon the palmes of his hands and that her walls are continually before him as signifying that in all his works he hath respect to their commodity and advantage and his eyes are alwayes watching for them and spying out what may avail and profit them Isai 49.16 and that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or world or life or death things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods that Christ went away from his Disciples it was because it was expedient for them and that he takes away any outward comforts from us and orders any afflictions to us it is because he sees it good for us if we believe and walk with him John 16.7 Psal 119.71 For 11. They being in Christ they are his Elect in him his Elect and chosen One Chosen in him before the foundations of the world to be holy to him his holy Lot Portion Inheritance his Garden Vineyard c. Deut. 32 9. Jer. 10.16 Cant. 4 12. and 8.11 and to be blameless before him in love Ephes 1.4 they are his the people whom he hath fore-known in Christ that is fore-owned or purposed to own in all Ages and therefore also hath fore-ordained or predestinated to be confor med to the Image of his Son in sufferings and obedience to him therein and so in holiness and happiness and therefore orders all things so as may conduce to bring them thereto He hath fore-appointed them to sufferings but only so as may conduce to bring them into conformity with Christ to which therefore he calls them and therein justifies supports and owns them and will in due time glorifie them as he hath done to Christ and to those in all Ages that have believed in and loved him therefore they are pretious to him and honourable in his sight Isai 43.4 after the pattern and similitude of Christ the First born amongst many Brethren who is elect and pretious in the sight of God however rejected and despised of men 1 Pet. 2.4 yea and as he is the living Stone so are they in him and through him as he is the Priest the high Priest of God and his holy Foundation and Temple in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily A Priest after the order of Melchisedek who was both King and Priest so they also in him are built up a spiritual house an holy yea a royal or Kingly Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices to God acceptable to him by Jesus Christ in whom all they are built up an holy Temple an habitation for God by his Spirit 1 Pet. 3.5 9. Ephes 2.20 21. Yea and as God is delighted in Christ and tender over him so as whosoever is incensed against him shall be ashamed and those that rise up against him he will destroy so also they that believe in him are so dear to him that whose toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and do provoke Gods sore wrath against them to their destruction Psal 2.3 4.11 12. and 89.21 22 23. Zech. 2 8. Isai 43.4 12. And to conclude they are so in the love of God and beloved of him that he hath prepared for them gives unto them and will if they abide possess them of an everlasting and most glorious Kingdom and Inheritance He gives himself to Abraham and his Seed and such are all that are Christs Gal. 3.29 to be their God their Shield and their exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 and 17.1.7 as they are his portion so he also is theirs Jer 10.16 and all his infinite power greatness goodness is for their defence and helpfulness in their obeying him 2 Cor. 6.17 and he hath prepared a City for them a City that hath foundations whereof he himself in a peculiar sence is the Builder and Maker Heb. 11 10 16. Whence that of our Saviour Fear not little Flock it is my Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Luke 12.32 And I appoint unto you a Kingdom sâ— my Father hath appointed unto me c. for if Sons then Heirs Heirs of God joynt-Heirs with Christ if we suffer with him that we also may be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 the new and heavenly Jerusalem and therein to eat of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God and to drink of the River of the waters of Life pure and unmixed pleasures and to be free from all curse sorrows temptations cryings death and to be filled and satisfied with all fulness of Good
Judas falling from Heaven and becoming a Devil and as befel Ananias and Sapphira in part John 13.30 Act. 5.3 and as is threatned in 2 Thes 2.9 10 11 12. That God will send strong delusions to them that obey not the truth and they are said not to obey it that abide not in the obedience of it Gal. 3.1 and 5.10 but have pleasure in unrighteousness that so they might all be damned The wrath of God being very sore and hot against the abusers of his Grace in Christ that withhold it in unrighteousness as Rom. 1.18 and therefore there is 4. Danger of not entring into God's rest or coming into his righteousness and so into eternal life or the Kingdome of God into which no unclean thing can enter 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Eph. 5.3 4 5. thence those warnings to take heed lest we fail of the Grace of God or of the rest that yet remains for his people after the same example of unbelief as befel the Israelites that sinned in the wilderness Heb 4.1.11 Yea in a word 5. Danger of utter perdition and destruction from the presence of God and from the injoyment of his Glory and so of being cast out into everlasting misery and torment with the Devil and his angels for so much is implied by the Apostle in saying we are not of those that draw back to perdition but of those that believe c. where it is implied that perdition and destruction is the dangerous consequence of mens drawing back from God Oh unspeakable and unconceiveable misery and danger And this consideration in both branches of it affords a second and third motive to quicken up the believer to diligence in taking heed to the Grace of God and the instructions thereof and so to keep himself in the love of God seeing there is not only possibility but some danger of falling from it if he be careless therein by reason of his many enemies his own inability to deliver himself from them and Gods severity against the abusers of his goodness and neglectors of his Son and his salvation And great danger yea unspeakable misery in falling therefrom answerable to the greatness of the love abused and Grace slighted Great need to give great diligence to avoid such dangers yea to do it with all our might earnestness To incourage in and unto which here is also further signified Point 3. That there is no necessity that a Believer must fail of or fall out from the love of God He may through the Grace of God preserve himself and be preserved therein as well as at first brought thereunto This is evident in that the Apostle exhorts them to keep themselves in the love of God Sure as he would not exhort them to a work that could not be undone or to endeavour for that that they must necessarily inevitably have so much less would he exhort them to a thing impossible the love of God therefore may be kept or continued in as also our Saviour both implies in so often exhorting Believers to continue in his words and to abide in him and let his words abide in them John 8.32 and 15.4 5 6 7 and more plainly asserts that his sheep hear his voice and he knows that is approves and owns them and they follow him and he gives unto them eternal liâ—e and they shall never perish John â—0 27 28 29. and again As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall continue in my love as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and continue in his love Joh. 15 9 10. as to the same purpose is that in 1 John 2.24 25. Let that therefore which you have heard from the beginning abide in you If that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you ye shall continue in the Father and in the Son and this is the promise that he hath promised even Eternal life So Caleb and Joshuah kept in the favour of God all the way through the wilderness and entred into the land of Canaan So Paul fought the good fight of faith kept the faith to the finishing of his course 2 Tim. 4.8 And many other good men have through faith and patience inherited the promises Heb. 6.12 have lived and died in the faith and so in the love and favour of God and are at rest with Christ and God otherwise men should be never the better but the worse rather for believing and coming to partake of the Grace of God For better never to know it at all than to fall from it after the sweetness of it is once known and tasted The sin being then the greater and the misery incurred more dreadful and unbearable as in 2 Pet. 2 20 21 22. But now this possibility of being kept in the love of God is not from any strength wisdom or faithfulness in man as of himself no more than his being brought into the love of God was by his own fleshly wisdom or strength but both the one and the other are by and of the Grace of God It s true in both senses both of saving at the first from the state of sin and death into the state of life and righteousness by being brought into Christ and of saving in continuance in the love of God and being preserved from falling back again By Grace ye are saved Ephes 2.5 and ye are saved by Grace through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God verse 8. For in us though Believers that is in our flesh there dwells no good thing nor have we sufficiency in our selves as of our selves to think any thing Rom. 7.18 2 Cor. 3.5 We have before noted the inability in man even in Believers as men and so in and of themselves yea or in their inherent graces received to stand and maintain themselves against the power of their enemies but only in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.1 In the Lord and in the power of his might in the whole armour of God as Ephes 6.10 11 12. But such might power and sufficiency there is in the Grace of God afforded in and by Jesus Christ such fulness in Christ himself and in God in him and such a presence and power of God and his holy Spirit in and with his Doctrine and Gospel and such Armour of Righteousness given the Believer in him as that there through he may be kept in the love and favour of God maugre all the power malice and subtlety of the enemy and notwithstanding that great weakness and inability to keep himself or to vanquish the enemy that is in him self Thus the Apostle Paul confesses that he was not only furnished for and strengthned in his labours I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God that was with me and by the Grace of God I am that I am and his Grace that was bestowed upon me
Jesus in glory when that that is perfect being come that that is in part shall be done away and there shall be no more need of teaching or saying to one another Know the Lord for all shall know him from the least to the greatest therefore these are called the last times because no other change is to be made noâ— any thing added till faith be turned into sight and fruition and therefore the Apostle saith if not only any man or Angel from Heaven preach against or contrary to but if we or any man or Angel preach anything beside or different from or as adding somthing as matter of faith or foundation to what we have preached and ye received let him be Anathema Gal. 1.8 9. and the Apostle John to the same purpose If any come to you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not to house neither bid him God-speed for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker also of his evil deeds 2 John 10 11. Clearly implying that he that brings another Doctrine beside this faith once delivered to the Saints recorded in the Epistles and writings of the holy Apostles and Evangelists doth evil therein whatever works or deeds of zeal and piety he may do or seem to do with and in countenance of another Doctrine they are altogether evil deeds and not approved of God nor to be approved of men 3. And indeed the main reason why the Apostle calls the faith of these Believers the most holy faith was to commend it to them and move them to abide in it hold it fast and not suffer themselves by any pretences of Deceivers and false Apostles and Teachers to be waved therefrom For the false Apostles used that artifice to supplant the Believers from the belief of the truth and turn them aside from the faith that the Serpent used at the first with our first Parents to turn them from their belief of and obedience to Gods word to them as the Apostle so signifies in 2 Cor. 11.2 3 13 14. that is as the Serpent to beguile Evah pretended some want in their state that God had set them in and some great defect in that great provision or allowance that God afforded them even so the false Teachers as Messengers of Sathan did use to insinuate to the Believers of the Apostles Doctrine and so in and on Christ as set forth therein that there was some defect and want in that object of their faith and in the way in which they sought justification and the favour of God it was not a perfect and full way but would they listen to them they would shew them a more perfect faith or doctrine and so a more full and perfect object and ground of faith and confidence and way to happiness than Christs Apostles had done even as the Serpent perswaded Evah that there was some more excellent vertue and quality in the forbidden fruit to advance them make them likeâ— God than was in all the other injoyments that God afforded them in Paradise Therefore in opposition to that subtle and false insinuation and to fortifie the Believers mindes there against the Apostle there stiles it the most holy saith as implying the perfection of it that none can or may adde any thing to it to make it holier or better the adding to it is the corrupting marring and perverting of it so that whatsoever Doctrine should add to or alter it should be not the more but less holy nay indeed unholy even as the adding any thing to the holy Oyntment under the Law spoiled it and rendred it unclean This was an argument often made use of by the Apostles to arm the Believers against the false suggestions and canning slights of the false Apostles as may be seen in divers passages of their Epistle As so the Apostle Paul mindes the Colossians That in Christ and in the Mystery of God Father and Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and that in him dwells all the fulness of the God-head bodily to keep them from being seduced from the simplicity in Christ or from the said mystery of God and Christ which is the same that the Apostle calls the most holy faith here by any inticing words or vain Philosophy and deceit Col. 2.2 3 4 8 10. and the Apostle John tells the believers that that which they had heard from the beginning abiding in them they should abide in the Father and in the Son and so injoy the promise of eternal life and that they had received an Vnction from the Holy One which abiding in them they should not need that any should teach them but as that taught them of all things meaning that the Doctrine of Christ and the Spirit therein received were the onely sufficient and perfect guide so as no teaching disagreeing from that was needful or behooveful for them and this to arm them against those that seduced them 1 John 2.18 24 25 26 27. as also in Chapter 5.11 12 13. he there minds them that God hath given us eternal life and that this life is in his Son and that he that hath the Son hath eternal life and he that hath not the Son hath not that life to the end that the believers to whom he wrote might be assured or might know against all the subtle secret and lying suggestions of the false Apostles to the contrary perswading them that that Doctrine of Christ and that faith in him that they had would not suffice to eternal life but that it was needful that they should turn out to some new form of Doctrine and object of faith or adde something as the observation of Moses Law thereto if they desired to be saved I say contrary to this he tells them he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life that the believers might know that they have eternal life that they might know that they were in a sure and certain way to it and were at present by vertue of Christ believed in and had by them heirs of it and that in turning out from him and letting him go they would deprive themselves of it that so they might believe that is yet believe or continue to believe in the name of the onely begotten Son of God and not turn from him after any thing else that the false Teachers might propound to them as better for them and more full and certain that being the way to deprive themselves of the good they were in and of the life and happiness they were in Christ heirs of as also to the same purpose is that in 2 John 9. where having warned them of deceivers and wisht them to look to themselves he adds Whoso transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God but whosoever abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son yea whereas it was a false suggestion of the false Apostles that the Doctrine of Paul and
of other his Brethren and so Christ as held forth therein was not able to make the receivers thereof holy or perfect though it might do wel to enter them into the way of life yet something else was needful to be added to it and further observed by them to perfect them as is implied in that passage Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye made perfect by the flesh those passages before recited of letting that abide in them that they had heard from the beginning namely in the first preaching of the Gospel to them and their hearing it or what was delivered first of all or in the first things as Paul says 1 Cor. 15.2 3. and that therein they should have both Father and Son and eternal life as also this expression of the Apostle that the faith on which they were founded is the most holy Faith meets with and opposes that false conception of those deceivers and implies that there is nothing holier than this Doctrine or Christ as held forth in it nothing like it able to make them holy to sanctifie and devote them to God and render them his chosen and beloved people as the nature of holiness stands in being separated to God and so owned chosen of appropriated to him nothing comparable in those respects to this holy faith of theirs your most holy faith yea and as the Apostle having said to the Galatians If we or an Angel from Heaven preach unto you besides what we have preached let him he accursed adds in the next verse as I said before so say I again If any man preach any other Gospel than what ye have received let him be accursed least some false Apostles should say that they preacht no other Gospel or Doctrine than Paul and his fellow Apostles preacht only they gave them a better understanding of it than what they had received they had received the literal notion but they would tell them a more spiritual or ful understanding of it even so here he doth not say only the most holy faith but your most holy faith to signifie that the faith and Doctrine they had received and as yet retained was the most holy faith and compleat doctrine Such as would build them up to the inheritance as to that purpose Paul told the Elders at Ephesus Act. 20.32 and therefore no need for them to listen too or tamper with any additions to or pretended perfectings of the faith by any false Teachers 4. To imply and signifie to them that this Faith or Doctrine is not to be professed with an unholy unclean or prophane heart or practise it comes to require and effect the most perfect holiness in them that receive and profess it otherwise it is received and professed in vain and to no good purpose Let every one that names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity sayes God as a seal of the holiness and sureness of his foundation that he hath laid in Sion for us 2 Tim. 2.19 and therefore all those filthy practises of the false Teachers and their followers mentioned and reproved in this Epistle are to be fled from and avoided by the believers and confessors of the Name and Faith of Jesus as most unsuitable to the purity and cleanness of the faith professed by them and most unbecoming them and their profession suitable to that charge given prophetically in Isai 52.11 Depart ye depart ye namely from Babylon the World or pollutions of the worldly Church go ye out from thence touch no unclean thing go ye out of the midst of her be ye clean ye that bear the vessels of the Lord With which agrees that in 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and 7.1 Come out from amongst them and be ye separated namely from the pollutions of the world unto God and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you c. as also all those many exhortations to walk worthy of God and of his call wherewith he hath called us to his Kingdom and glory and to let our conversations be such as become the Gospel that as he who hath called us is holy so we may be holy in all manner of conversation and that as the Gospel and Faith we are called to and profess is the most holy clean and pure faith so we also may be the most holy clean and pure peculiar people to God Denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly righteously and godly â—â— his present world Ephes 4.1 2. Philip. 1.27 â— Peter 1.15 16 17. and 2.9 10. Titus 2.11 12 13 14. 5. To imply and signifie the very exceeding great danger of either corrupting or departing from this faith or dishonouring it by a contrary an unholy and unclean conversation or any way impugning or opposing it for in saying it is most holy he implyes as before that it is most tenderly and carefully respected of God so as he will by no means suffer it to be wronged or injured by any either by persecuting it he will surely retribute wrath to them that oppose it and disturb his Servants in their profession of it He that falls upon this stone shall be broken but upon whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder only where men do it in the ignorance of their unbelief they may upon conviction and repentance find mercy as Paul did or by corrupting it thence the blackness of darkness is as the portion of those Teachers who are as wandring stars and abide not in the faith of the Truth and their heresies are damnable and destructive They bring upon themselves swift destruction as well as also they occasion the destruction of all that receive their doctrine and follow their pernicious wayes or by dishonouring it crucifying Christ to themselves and putting him to an open shame by their prophane unclean unrighteous conversation in and with the profession of it which occasions God to cut men off from the faith and give them up to strong delusions yea and in a sort to send them strong delusions that they might believe a lye and be damned as in 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. or give them up to all unrighteousness to practice â—â—cleanness with greediness and to do things moâ—â— convenient and dishonourable and at last to destroy them everlastingly from his presence The sins and evils men do while ignorant of God and his Gospel and before the profession of it God can wink at and upon sight of his Truth and Goodness men repenting thereof he freely forgives yea and what men at unawares and through some sudden and violent temptation commit after but if we sin willingly or wilfully after the knowledge of the truth received if yet we go on in a course of sin and commit iniquity that 's most dangerous and renders a mans condition worse than if he had never known the truth provoking God more highly to execute vengeance and not spare as in Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Heb. 10.25 26 29. whence that
Son of God himself consecrated by an Oath for ever and ever living to make intercession for us in all which respects he is infinitely better and greater than the Priests under the Law abler to make us and our prayers acceptable to God c. 7. as also having an High Priest so merciful to us and so faithful both to God and us in all that concerns us one that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and can succour those that be tempted because he himself suffered and was tempted as Chapter 2.17 18. and 4.15 one that can pity and have compassion on those that are ignorant and â—ut of the way Heb. 5.1 2 3. Let us therefore draw near with true sincere hearts in full assurance of faith our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water In these incouragements the Holy Ghost moves and incourages us to draw nigh and to pray to God as also is shewed Rom. 8.34 in that Christ hath died for us yea rather is risen again who also is at Gods right hand and maketh intercession for us 3. The infinite power and alsufficiencie of God in Christ and of Christ in God to hear help save and satisfie us and to fulfil all our petitions that are according to his will power belongs unto God Psal 62.11 12. therefore trust in him at all times ye people pour out your hearts before him he is a refuge for us So in Job 5.8 9. I would seek to God to God would I commit my cause who doth great things c. I am God Almighty Gen. 17.1 this incouraged Christ in the days of his flesh to pour out strong cries and tears that his Father was able to save him all things were possible to him Heb 5.7 Mark 14.36 and this through the love he hath manifested in Christ and the greatness faithfulness and mercifulness of Christ as our High-Priest and the infinite virtuousness of his sacrifice for us for obtaining favour and acceptation for us with God is of great usefulness to incourage us also that he that so loves us and with whom we have such a Priest and Sacrifice to befriend us is able to help and save us as Psal 57.2 I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me this incouragement the Holy Ghost propounded to and by Paul as a motive to pray to him That the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is be of whom all the family in Heaven and earth is named and that in him are riches of Glory and that he is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all we ask and think Ephes 3.15 16 20. indeed this without the other would be little incouragement but rather terrifie us from him but with and through it it gives exceeding much incouragement to consider that he is able both in respect of wisdom and knowledge to discern our wants and in respect of Power and Authority to supply them 4. His Covenant and promises made and confirmed in Christ for hearing and helping those that come to him by Christ and for perfecting all that concerns them both as to salvation from evil and satisfaction with good It s his Covenant in Christ to write his Law in the heart and to put his fear into them and their iniquities and sins to remember no more c. and so it is to hear their prayers and to save them So Psal 50.14 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 91.14 15. He shall call upon me I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honor him with long life will I satisfie him shew him my salvation so by our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name I will give it you John 16.23 Godliness hath the promise of this life and of that that is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 to which add 5. His infinite truth and faithfulness through Christ to keep his Covenant and mercy for ever this incouragement is also propounded and was often made use of by the servants of God as the Apostle to move the Believer to draw nigh to God uses this amongst others Faithful is he that promised therefore let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering which is done as wel by our persevering in prayer and continuing to draw nigh to God Heb. 10 23. this was made use of and pleaded by Nehemiah c. 1.5 The great terrible God that keepeth Covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his Commandments so by those good Levites mentioned in Neh. 9 4 5. in Verse 32. and by Daniel Dan. 9.4 as also it is propounded as an incouragement to call upon God and to seek him and seek his face Psal 105.1.4 8. He hath remembred his Coâ—ont for ever c. 6. The Relations that they stand in to God and God to them that the Holy Spirit also makes use of to encourage to pray and to call upon God So in Matth. 7.11 If ye that are evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him So again in Luke 11.13 and this also the holy men of God have been encouraged by to pray to him as Isa 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us c. Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from everlasting c. So Jer. 14.8 O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble c. 〈◊〉 very often David makes use of this encouragement that God was his God and his King his Rock Refuge c. 7. The often proofs they have had of his Goodness and Power and Mercy in former times Call to mind says the Apostle amongst other motives and encouragements to draw nigh to God and to hold fast the Profession of the Faith the farmer days in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions And this is often made use of and found as an encouragement to the servants of God in former times as Psal 4.1 O God of my righteousness hear when I call Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distress have mercy upon me and hear my prayer and in Psal 18 3. we have David resolving to call upon the Lord worthy to be praised and assuring himself that so he should be delivered from his enemies And see what encouraged him to that assured expectation and so to that holy resolution Verse 4 5 6. The sorrows of death compassed me c. In my distress I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God he heard my voyce out of his Temple c. Like to which is that in Psal 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voyce and my supplication because he hath inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him
it may be said of it as in Jer. 17.12 A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary Glorious from the beginning or foundation of it from Christ who is the the beginning of the Creation especially of the new Creation of God Rev. 3.14 It hath all its glory and beauty in and from his beauty and comliness put upon it as it is said in Ezek. 16.14.15 and both these last mentioned fruits and consequents of Gods dwelling in and loving his people are spoken of Psal 132.13 14. c. where under the name of Sion it is thus spoken of the Church of God The Lord hath chosen Sion He hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it wherein is implied both his love of it and dwelling in it and then follow the benefits thereof I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread There 's his bounty and liberality as the great house keeper in or amongst them I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation with Christ the Salvation of God and his virtue and efficacie in and with them for saving others and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there 's his adorning her as also that which is the result of them all her exceeding joy and gladness yea 4. Honour and Dignity hence also accrews to them as his house and habitation beloved by him ver 17. There will he make the horn of David to bud that is the Kingdom and power of David or the Son of David Christ as to his power and Kingdom shall there spring forth and there shall be a lamp or light for his Anointed It is an honor for an house to be the Palace of the Prince and to a City to be the City of some great King this honor have the Saints by being Gods house City built up for him and inhabited by him whence also it is called the City of God the new Jerusalem as well as the house and Temple of God holy and honourable by its relation to him and his presence in it such the motives to this building up our selves on our most holy faith and to that purpose praying to God to help us therein 2. The incouragements to and in it are divers But I shall take notice especially of these in the Text viz. 1. That it is the holy yea the most holy faith that we are called to and built upon It s a right and good foundation so strong and steady that nothing can remove it therefore what is thereon built cannot be overthrown by any force or violence that may come against it that 's one incouragement in building to build on and go on in it with courage and cheerfulness when we know the foundation is so well laid so strong and steady that it cannot be moved and that it will keep up the building from falling if well laid upon it and cemented to it as it is a great discouragement and may weaken the hands to suspect the foundation not good and firm but here 's no cause to doubt of that The foundation of God stands firm having this Seal the Lord knows them that are his c. 2 Tim. 2.19 we may go on boldly to believe on him and to exercise faith and incourage our hearts in hope from the consideration of him For he that believeth and hopeth in him shall not be ashamed because he is a precious corner-stone a sure foundation Isa 28.16 His person is so great and honourable none may compare with him we cannot doubt his power and ability to save us his graciousness with his Father in all his addresses to him on our behalf to him because he is his only begotten Son yea and because he being such an one hath perfectly obeyed him and offered up himself in Sacrifice to him through the eternal Spirit wherein he hath so pleased God his Father made such an atonement for our sins obtained such a Redemption such forgiveness of sins is so powerful an High-Priest in the vertues of it with God for us and is so faithful and so merciful to us and what he hath in obeying his Father for us and minding our interest to the Death the Death of the Cross is so full of vertue and he 's so full of blessing upon the account thereof and so able and alsufficient to confer it upon us to the saving us from all evil and satisfying us with all good that there is great yea most perfect reason and ground for us to look too and close with him believe in him come to and rest upon him and so to go on listening to and obeying him and holding fast the profession of our Faith concerning him There cannot be a better surer and fuller foundation for us to build on no Rock like him our God none so able to save us none beside him provided for us and given to us 2. Yea He is not only the most sure foundation so perfect as nothing can be added to him to make him more sure and firm and so to add firmness to us from him but also the most holy most consecrated divine acceptable to God known and approved and beloved of God so holy as that he by and through the knowledge of himself in this Doctrine that sets him forth is most meet and fit to infuse holiness into us and devote us to God and make us to be owned and approved of also by him and to be delighted in and inhabited of him We have all the incouragement therefore here to build that a foundation can possibly give us we cannot have a surer stronger more blessed ground than this is therefore build we up our selves here on your most holy faith 3. Yea this also is a great incouragement to us that we have nothing to doe but to build up our selves on it we have not the foundation to lay a ransome for our Souls and Sacrifice to make atonement for our sins to get or seek for for our selves a Saviour to provide or procure it for us noâ— all things of that nature are done to our hands The dinner is prepared the oxen and fatlings are slain and all things are ready for our entertainment and nourishment the ransome is found out and given and accepted the Lamb for a burnt offering provided and offered up in sacrifice and accepted peace is made righteousness is wrought and Redemption even eternal Redemption is obtained for us yea all things pertaining to life and Godliness made ready and provided for us ready to be given us we have a Saviour and that a mighty and merciful one appointed and anointed for us perfectly furnished with all things that may render him every way able and sufficient to save us to the utmost able and furnished with the fulness of the Spirit of wisdom and understanding to teach us shew us the way to life Yea he is so become a quickning Spirit as
that he is able in calling us to him to inliven and quicken us from the dead make us hear his voice perceive the truth goodness of his instructions and close with him and his grace able and authorized as the great High Priest over the House of God and furnished with the Spirit of power and might all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily to subdue all our enemies and save us confer upon us the blessings he obtains for us yea to keep off dangers and mischiefs from us support us under tryals and sufferings raise us out of troubles and death both bodily and spiritually and advance us to glory and happiness None of these things have we to do or prepare for our selves The foundation a sure and firm foundation is laid for â— to our hands no nor yet have we it put upon â— to bring our selves to and lay our selves upon that foundation that also is Gods work to make us in Christ Jesus and thaâ— he hath done inasmuch as he hath brought us to know and believe in him through his Gospel preached to us and by his Spirit effectually in some measure woâ—king in and upon us but onely to build up our selves on that foundation on which he hath in some measure laid us Yea and also 4. This we have to encourage us therein that he hath not onely in and through the most holy saith given us some furniture of gifts understanding c. for the edifying our selves and one another thereon but also stands ready in and through his blessed Son further to assist direct and help us and to carry on the building in and for us by his own grace and power supplied to us Which we may also have and receive from him according to our needs upon seeking it of him and calling upon him by prayer and supplication for it according as our Lord hath said Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7.7 8. And if ye that are evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 5. Yea and whereas we are foolish and bruitish in and of our selves and not onely want ability to build up our selves of our selves but also skill to pray unto God for his help and holy Spirit as we ought he to help us there also in and through the foundation we are upon even the most holy faith gives us the Holy Ghost to help our infirmities and teach us how â—o pray yea and to make Intercessions in and for us according to the will of God with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 27. So that as we have him in his gifts and operations and vertues in us to inable us to build up our selves on our most holy faith so we have him also to help us to look unto and call upon God for further Dispensations of him and his assistance and help by him for building up our selves thereon and for blessing strengthning and confirming what we build So that what remains but that we up and be doing building up our selves on our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost and to keep our selves in the love of God To which the Apostle adds in the next place The manner how we are to do all this or the posture we are therein to stand in and that is waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life In a waiting posture for further mercy even the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Where we have 1. The Posture it self Waiting 2. The Object to be waited for Mercy Which is further declared what it is by 1. The Author of it or Fountain of it whose and whence it is viz. The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. The Tendency issue and end of it Vnto Eternal life 1. In that it is said Waiting it is implied and signified 1. That Believers so edifying themselves on their most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost may and should hope and look for the further grace mercy and helpfulness of Christ and God in Christ for waiting for a thing implies hoping for it as Rom. 8.24 25. If we hope for what we see not then do we with patience wait for it Believers are under the hope of good for Good is always the object of hope and waiting something that the soul looks upon as good for it and it is real good that the soul is instructed of God to look after and wait for Now hoping also implies 1. That what the soul waits for is not yet accomplished The soul hath not an enjoyment of all that is good for it though it be in the love of God the fountain of all good and mercy yet it hath not an actual enjoyment or possession of all the good that flows forth from that fountain Hope is of things future not yet seen or enjoyed for that that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Rom. 8 15. The Believer though in the love of God and his favour yet is not fully built up as we see before and therefore is not possessed all that he is building up for or that is intended to him when built up We are saved now by hope not by actual sight and enjoyment The hope of further good is that that bears up the soul against and under the sight feeling of present evils The condition of the Believer here is not to be above or beyond hope but to be in hope a lively or living hope by or through the Resurrection of Christ as 1 Pet. 1.3 not a dead empty hope that puts no activity into the soul Hope is the anchor of the soul that enters into the Mercy-seat and Glory within the vail that stays the soul now up from sinking under any discouragements in the building time from enemies within or without that oppose and threaten it or from any tryals or pressures that may lie upon it 2. It implies an apprehension of some good ground of the expectation of the good that it yet hath not but waits for and so it believes that good will come to it that it yet hath not And indeed the most holy faith affords it good ground for such an expectation of good for faith is the evidence of things not seen and the ground of things hoped for Hebr. 11.1 Therefore being on that ground it must needs see reason and cause to hope For therein is discovered and declared 1. That God so loved and pitied them while in and of the world as that he sent his onely begotten Son and delivered him up to death for us all even while ungodly sinners and enemies against him to the end that believing in
deserts but as the fruit of the mercy of Jesus Christ in what he hath done for them in his death and in what he further doth to and for them in his life pitying pleading for and succouring them all along as the Captain of their salvation a merciful and faithful Priest bearing them in his bosom making reconciliation for their sins and sending them relief and comfort in their temptations till having led them through and fed them in the wilderness the state of exercise and living by faith here he bring them safely in the taking them hence as to their spirits and in the Resurrection of the just as to their bodies reunited with their spirits to the enjoyment of this eternal life and happiness which is so great and so glorious a condition and enjoyment as passes and exceeds all expressions and conception For no man knows nor can enter into the heart to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him onely they are in some measure made understandable by the Revelation of the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 2 9 10 11 12. Vse Now both the love of God and the abiding in it and this which is the great issue and advantage of it being all the fruit and profit of the most holy faith built upon and abidden in It doth exceedingly commend that most holy faith to us even the Son of God that loved us and gave himself for us as he is in the Gospel preached and declared to us And therefore it may serve to move and provoke all persons to love and imbrace and close with it repenting of their neglects and slightings of it and of their running in their hearts and ways after vain and empty words and things to believe and take heed unto the Gospel and Christ crucified as therein displayed that so they may therein discern and be found in the love of God and be made heirs and enjoyers of this unfathomable endless happiness eternal life Ho every one that thirsteth come to these waters of the knowledge and doctrine of Christ and he that hath no money let him come and buy wine and milk without money and without price Why do you lay out your money for that that is not bread and labour for that that will not satisfie you when in enclining the ear and coming hither to the most holy faith and so to Jesus Christ you may eat that which is good and let your souls delight themselves in fatness Isa 55.1 2. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let every one that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst Come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely Rev. 22.17 even of the words of Christ whose words are the words of eternal life John 6.68 2. It shews the marvellous faultiness and wretched wickedness as of those that neglect so great a salvation such a most holy faith such a precious jewel and pearl of great price as the Gospel is such a feast as therein is declared and set before us to run after their Farms and Merchandize So much more of those that having embraced the Gospel and Christ as therein declared and having come to him and tasted of him and of his sweetness and graciousness do afterward turn away and fall off from him to some other way or doctrine or to some other object for delight stay or satisfaction crucifying him to themselves and making him and the grace in him of none effect They do most foolishly and madly for themselves putting away from them both the love and favour of God and that which is the product of it everlasting life and all that mercy and pity of Christ that leadeth thereunto and is necessary and was ready to be extended to them for their attainment thereof Oh foolish people and unwise that do not onely so badly requite God for all his love and mercy in Christ and grace extended to them by him but also reward evil to their own souls losing them for very vanities and trifles depriving them of such infinite mercy and happiness and plunging them into everlasting wo and miseries Who can express their folly and wretchedness to sell everlasting life and that after some good progress towards it for a mess of pottage It was a great folly in Esau so to â—ell his birth-right and in the Israelites when they were well on their way toward Canaan and in a great likelihood nay certainty of enjoying it in following Gods conduct yet then for a little meat to satisfie their lusts for leeks and cucumers c. for a little pleasure with the Moabitish daughters when arrived at the borders of it to forfeit their inheritance in and perish in the wilderness But no folly and madness like this of withdrawing from God and Christ to perdition after the tastes of his goodness and experience in some measure of the the powers of the world to come as Heb. 6.4 5 6. O therefore that we may receive admonition while it is yet called to day and avoid or break off from such practises as tend to such a loss and utter undoing for He that transgresses and abides not in the doctrine of Christ the most holy faith hath not God and he that hath not the Son hath not life 2 Jo. 9 11. Jo 5.12 3. It shews the infinite happiness of those that be and abide in Christ in the faith and obedience of Christ edifying themselves and one another on him praying in the Holy Ghost and so doe keep themselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life they have the love and favour of God now as a Sun and Shield unto them and they shall have in the world to come everlasting life they are in a happy and blessed state and condition whatever tryals and afflictions doe or may befal them Blessed are the people that are in such a case yea blessed and happy is he whose God is the Lord Psalm 33.12 and 144. last And therefore also 4. It may incourage and provoke all that do believe in Christ and are upon that precious and most excellent foundation to abide in him and beware of all those things that may indanger their falling and departure therefrom Looking diligently least they or any of them fail of the Grace of God and least any root of bitterness spring up and thereby many be defiled least there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau Heb. 12.15 16 17. least there be found an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God least any false Prophet or Antichrist deceive any of us or the love of this world or of the things of it stealing in upon us withdraw us from Christ and from the love of the Father which cannot consist with it and so we be choked and all the Grace of God bestowed upon us prove ineffectual to us But on the contrary Exhort we one another while it is called to day least any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Considering one another to provoke to love and to good works so running that we may obtain Laying hold on eternal life and suffering no man or corruption or evil spirit to deceive us deprive us thereof But let that which we heard from the 〈…〉 in us and then we shall 〈…〉 â—â— the Father and in the Son and not fail of the promise of eternal life seeing he is faithful that hath promised and will perform it and perfect what concerns us Let us not be slothful then but followers of them that through faith and patience have inherited the promises Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and not cast away our confidence in God by Jesus Christ which hath so great a recompence of reward only remember we have need of patience that we may bear and suffer injuries and temptations and not faint but yet hope in the Lord and quietly wait for his Salvation waiting for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal life that so when we have done the will of God we may receive the promise which yet for a little while is deferred but will not fail to be performed to those that keep Gods waâ— â—nd therein wait for it He that shall come wâ—ll come and will not tarry Now the good Lord the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus that Great Shepheard of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect with him in every good work to doe his will working in â—s that which is well-pleasing in his sight 〈…〉 Iesus Christ To whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen Amen March 26. 1664. FINIS