Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Spiritual Love amongst Brethren is an evidence of Spiritual Life as soon as we begin to Love we then begin to Live Such a love as was between David and Jonathan which was a Love of Union Complacency and Benevolence must be between all true Christians So it was in the Primitive times notwithstanding their diversities of Judgments in smaller matters the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul neither said any of them that any of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common in Charity neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were Possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the Prises of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet and distribution was made unto every Man according as he had need Were all our Doubtful Disputations laid aside and nothing but Faith and Faithfulness the Truth without Controversie Love without Dissimulation and Righteousness professed and practised amongst us nay were but this one grace and duty of Charity without which we are nothing truly Known Believed and fervently Exercised in the midst of us How soon might we all meet together in the Primitive Pattern and Practise if most of our Praying Preaching and Practising were of â—ods Charity towards the World and our Charity each to other the Love of God would be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that as touching Brotherly Love we our selves should be taught of God to love one another God who is love and the Love of God towards us well known would certainly beget Christian Love and Chaâ—ity These words of God deserve to be written in Characters of gold upon the posts of our Houses and on our Gates Oh that they were written upon the Tables of our hearts Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another No man hath seen God at any time if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Behold here the great Argument breeding and augmenting love in and among Christians by profession God is love known to be so in giving and sending his only begotten Son into the World This Charity of God to us is the Soul of our Souls Charity is the Soul of our Religion not Bodily only for though we bestow all our goods to feed the Poor and give our Bodies to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth nothing The true Charity the Chariâ—y that suffereth long and is kind that envieth not that vaunteth not it self or is not rash that is not puffed up that behaveth not it self unseemly that seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh not evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things that never faileth this Charity not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth for the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power would make these Kingdoms holy and happy Every grace of God is good great lovely and precious of infinite necessity As Faith Hope Meekness Temperance Patience c. but the greatest of these is Charity in sincerity Above all things we should have fervent Charity among our selves for Charity covereth a multitude of Sins and Love covereth all Sins saith Solomon All dilâ—gence must be given to add to our Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity Charity is the Bond of Perfectness We are bid above all things by St. Paul and St. Peter to put on Charity to follow Charity to be found in Charity to have fervent Charity to be examples in Charity Charity is the fulfilling of the Law both Moral and Evangelical it is the end of the Commandment yea of the whole Word of God Threatning Promising and Commanding all is but to bring back our Hearts and Lives to the Love of God and one another Oh if the Charity of every one of us all towards each other abounded but exceedingly What cause of Thanksgivings to God would this occasion to the Godly or Charitable There could not possibly be any want in these Kingdoms if there were no want of Charity Charity is all for doing good both to all Souls and Bodies of what quality rank and degree soever to high and low rich and poor together Charity is full of Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority or eminent place that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth By Charity God will every body should have food and raiment and every Soul its portion in due season Charity would have every Bishop and Minister as it were another Christ for going about doing good and Preaching this Kingdom of God and his Righteousness or another Paul who counted not his life dear unto himself so that he might finish his course with Joy and the Ministry which he received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Preaching the Kingdom of God not shunning to declare unto them all the counsel of God that he might be pure from the blood of all men charging also other Gospel Ministers to take heed unto themselves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers to feed the Church of God which he purchased with his own Blood setting them in himself an Example of unwearied diligence in Watching Fasting Praying Preaching not ceasing to warn every one night and day with Tears Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations not keeping back any thing that was profitable unto them but shewed and taught them publickly and from house to house besides ministring unto his own necessities with his own hands and to them that were with him If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily Food Charity saith not Depart in peace be you warmed and filled but giveth them those things which are needful to the Body What is Charity but a
overcometh that shall not be hurt of the second Death and he that is faithful unto death who will wear the Crown of Life to him that overcometh God will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whore-mongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Liars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death If the first Death the Separation only of Body and Soul be the King of Terrors What a King of Terrors and Horrors will the Second Death be which is an Eternal Separation both of the Body and the Soul from the Presence of God and his Glory and the enduring the Wrath of God in Body and Soul in Hell-fire through all Eternity Wherefore let us gird up the Loyns of our Minds and be sober and hope to the end for the Grace and Glory that is brought unto us at the Revelation of Jesus Christ Life and Death Eternal are set before us let us choose Life and cleave to him in our Wills who is our Life Let our Affections be set on things above Let our Conversation be in Heaven that our Commoration and Everlasting abode may be there also This is to seek the Kingdom of God with all our heart and with all our might It must be sought also with understanding the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Grace and of the Kingdom of Glory must be known It is our Heavenly Fathers good pleasure to give a Kingdom unto them and them only unto whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to others in Parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand The Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory is such a Mystery that none can heartily desire and endeavor after it but such as are acquainted with it Oh! were the Eternal worth and weight of Grace and Glory known to us would the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory give unto us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for the enlightening the eyes of our understanding that we might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints we could not chuse but be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labor in seeking first the Kingdom of God would not be in vain in the Lord. Verily this Kingdom is not sought as it ought to be because 't is not known as it should be seek therefore to understand it that you may seek it with understanding Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in the Mysteries of his Kingdom which must be sought also in a way of believing I Believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Life everlasting is the sum of our Christian Creed or Belief which whosoever confesseth with his mouth and believeth in his heart shall be saved for with the heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation for the Scripture saith whosoever believeth on the Lord Jesus shall not be ashamed or confounded Now Faith is the substance ground or confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God through Fâ—ith we understand or believe an unseen World where such things are prepared for them that love God that a Natural and Carnal eye hath not seen or can see nor ear heard or perceived neither ever entered into the heart of Man but God hath revealed them to and for Believers by his Spirit who look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal this is the victory that overcometh the World even our Faith it overcometh the good things of the World and the evil things of the World through Faith the reproach of or for Christ is esteemed greater riches than the Treasures of the World and the Honors thereof by Faith Moses refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter for it hath respect unto the recompence of the reward by Faith it is that true Christians chose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season as knowing their light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for them a far more exceâ—ding and eternal weight of glory Through Faith we resâ—st our adversary the Devil who as a roaring Lioâ— walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resisâ— stedfast in the Faith and he will flee from you for the Captain of your Salvation the Lord Jesus was made partaker of Flesh and Blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage for this purpose also the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy not only the Devil but the works of the Devil in us purifying our hearts from all sin by Faith Without this Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him his Kingdom and his Righteousness take we heed therefore lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God to provoke him to swear in his wrath we shall not enter into his rest for To whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not for they could not enter in because of unbelief This is the Sin that shutteth so many out of Heaven and shutteth up as many into Hell he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God True believers are the only true seekers of the Kingdom of God and will be the only enjoyers of it Oh were our Faith as reall as this Kingdom is substantial What manner of seekers would all of us be It is not heartily believed and therefore not heartily sought after were it sought believingly it would be sought faithfully Faith breeds faithfulness they are neer a kin What is Faithfulness but a fullness of Faith a stirring up the work of Faith with power to receive out of the fullness which is in Christ grace for grace grace to exercise grace so to walk even as he walked in faithfulness both to God and Man especially in transacting and negotiating the great Work of his Mediatory-Office in our Redemption and Reconciliation Jesus Christ the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession was faithful unto him that appointed him Such are all true Christians or Saints called faithful in
Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which passeth all understanding will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus that our conversation wiâ—l be without Pride in minding high things seeking great things for our selves or covetousness being content with such things as we have because God hath said He will never leave us nor forsake us and we are therefore to take heed and beware of covetousness for a Mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth having food and raiment we are therewith to be content for we brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out God his Kingdom of Grace and Glory with content is great gain What will it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose God his Kingdom and his Soul Men of corrupt Minds and destitute of the truth suppose that Gain is Godliness but the God of this World hath blinded the minds of these Men which believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them yet if God who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness would shine into their hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and the Excellencies of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus and the Righteousness which is of God by Faith those things which were gain to them they would count loss for Christ yea doubtless they would count all things but loss for the excellencies they see in God Christ Grace and Glory â—nd would willingly suffer the loss of all things and count them buâ— dâ—ng if by any means they might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead for the price of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus who hath called them out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light of Grace which hath made them meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in the light of Glory against they be translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son where they shall be ever with him to behold his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person for we shall see him as he is not through a Glass darkly but then face to face with open face beholding the Glory of the Lord we shall be changed into the same Image of Glory the Lord Jesus Christ shall change our vile Bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body now we are the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory and we shall be like him in our Souls for if we hâ—ve been planted together in the likeness of his death we shâ—ll be also in the likeness of his Resurrection which God the Father according to the working of his mighty Power wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own righ hâ—nd in the Heavenly places and hath raised us up together and mâ—de us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus and according to his abundant Mercy begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an Inheritance Incorruptible and Undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them who are kept by the Power of God to rejoyce indeed with Christ in joy unspeakable and full of Glory which all they who first seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness may assure themselves of But such as invert the Order of Christ that first seek the things of the World and the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness on the by that take Earthly things for their Home Heaven Portion and the Heavenly Glory for a Reserve they forfeit and will come short of this Glory which will be their greatest misery remaining the Children of the Devil they shall be like him in Deformity and Damnation Christ shall say to them on the left hand at the Great Day Depart from me ye Cursed into Everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels they who refused to be as happy as God would have had them shall be as miserable as he can make them the pain of loss and the pain of sense both which the Godly escape the Ungodly shall feell in Hell Eternally Who can imagine what a loss God and the Kingdom of Glory will be and Who can endure almost to hear of dwelling in Everlasting burnings they that are Enemies to the Cross of Christ whereby the World should he Crucified to them and they to the World whose God is their belly whose Glory is their shame who mind Earthly things their end is to be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power for the suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire How much better is it for every one of us in the fear of God to be obedient to this Heavenly Call Counsel Command and Proclamation of our dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness that we may be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man in his Glory otherwise How shall we escape the Damnation of Hell if we neglect so great Salvation See that we refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven Christ speaketh yet in his Word and by his Ministers who are his spokesmen he that heareth them heareth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him that sent them and they that despise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be lightly esteemed Be it far from us to put Christ upon complaining of us as against his Israel of old All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying People least we hear him say because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no Mâ—n regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Commands I also will laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall ye call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me my Kingdom of Grace and Glory but they shall not find me nor it they shall ask but they shall not have they shall knock but it shall not be opened unto them for that they would none of my Counsel they shall have none of me or my Kingdom but whoso hearkneth diligently unto this Word of Christ Seek ye first the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Grace shall dwell in them and they shall dwell in the Kingdom of Glory where they shall be for ever quiet from
live unto God in holiness to him in justice commutative and distributive to and with others Whatsoever we would that men should do to us do we even so to them In sobriety towards our â—elves in body soul and spirit Gird up the loins of your â—inds be sober Present your bodies a living sacrifice â—y acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service â—mperate in all things And all these things namely that concern the welfare of the â—ody which are temporal as Health Peace Honours Pleasures Riches Protection Provision Food Raiment c. Shall be added cast in upon the by without carking care in God's ordinary providence as in wisdom he thinks meet Casting our care upon him committing our selves and ways to him walking with him in our general and particular Callings painfully and faithfully Vnto you who in faith seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness This Verse is part of that famous Sermon that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preached to the Multitude in the Mount and therefore should command the greatest reverence The occasion of the words is first Christs observation of the worldliness of the World especially the Gentile world for after all these things namely the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life do the Gentiles seek 2. The fears and thereupon the cares which possessed the hearts of the weak in faith that if they became the hearers and followers of Christ indeed and in truth then what should they do for food and raiment Why Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you There is not one word in this Verse but is pregnant with matter of infinite unspâ—akable worth and weight and contains variety of Doctrines and Duties which for brevities sake I must pass over with bare naming them Oh that all the Kings and Kingdoms of the world did but know and well weigh the mind heart affections and bowels of Jesus Christ in this very Scripture the Kingdoms then of the world would certainly and suddenly become the Kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ which is the King of Kings desire Should not Kings and Kingdoms then desire it for each other Oh that the desires and endeavours of us all were as great as good as fervent and as faithful as here they should be in so momentous a matter as seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness But as it looks backward and forward contains these Doctrines 1. All men naturally are carnally minded 2. Weak Believers are even carnal too thoughtful and careful about temporal things 3. It is the will of Christ Jesus that they of little fâ—ith would not trouble their heads and hearts with fears and cares about things pertaining to the body 4. The best way to cure a carnal mind is first to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Seek 1. Every one by sin hath lost his right to spiritual and heavenly things 2. It is the duty of every one especially Believers to seek after grace and glory Ye The weakest true Believers may and must above all other persons and before other things seek God's Kingdom and his Righteousness First principally or chiefly 1. God's Kingdom and his Righteousness are the most substantial and principal things 2. These things are practically to be preferred before all other First early The best time of seeking God's Kingdom and his Righteousness is betimes in our age and betimes in the morning First earnestly We are to stir up our selves and others to seek spiritual things with greatest fervency and faithfulness The Kingdom of God 1. God hath a Kingdom of his own 2. He is the onely Author and Founder of it 3. He gives it to whom he will 4. This Kingdom is both grace and glory 5. This Kingdom hath an everlasting foundation And his Righteousness And. 1 Grace and glory are inseparable His. 2. The righteousness of Christ is God's Righteousness 3 The Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness is the onely way to glory 4. Christs righteousness is our Justification and Sanctification And all these things shall be added unto you And. 1. Temporal and Spiritual things are also inseparable 2. Believers have a right to all things 3. Heavenly and earthly things differ exceedingly All these things shall be added 1. True Believers may for a time want temporal mercies Having nothing yet possessing all things 2. God will in his good time relieve all their wants 3 God will give Believers convenient mercies without carking thoughts fears or cares Vnto you Of little faith The least degree of true faith entitles Christians to things Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Doct. The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory which is to be sought by all above and before all other things till it be obtained with all possible care and diâ—igence The God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory give unto me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the mysteries of his Kingdom the eyes of my understanding being enlightned I may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints that I may make it manifest as I ought That there is a Kingdom of grace and glory the whole Word of God the Twelve Articles in our Christian Apostolical Creed the Decalogue or Ten Commandments our Lords Prayer the Summaries of our Faith Desires and Practise the unanimous constant consent of the Universal Church the different state disposition and conversation of the Godly and Ungodly and God's various dispensations towards them do admirably abundantly and undeniably prove For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity For if ye do these things an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So run that ye may obtain There is a Kingdom of grace within us Luke 17.21 Behold the kingdom of God is within you There is a Kingdom of glory without us 1 Thess 2.12 That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory Not differing in nature but degree for grace is glory begun and glory is grace perfected Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same image from glory to glory that is from one degree of grace unto another until grace commence glory Every Kingdom presupposeth a King Laws and Subjects that are to be governed guided and protected Accordingly the Kingdom of God hath a King Laws and Subjects The Lord Jesus Christ is King himself the eternal Câ—uncels of God in his
dust and ashes It is a bemoaning of our selves that we have been unaccustomed to the yoke of obedience both active and pâ—ssive a following hard after an Incensed God by our Transgressions with strong cries sighs groans a smiting upon the thigh being ashamed yea even confounded that we have sinned an accepting of the punishment of our Iniquities and weeping between the Porch and the Altar an attentive and intentive hearkning to the Call of God O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast faln by thine iniquity with an eccho Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned for thou art the Lord our God spare thy people take away our Iniquity receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips This is after a godly manner to sorrow unto Repentance for godly sorrow worketh Repentance to â—alvation not to be repented of This sorrowing after a godly sort worketh Carefulness in us yea clearing of our selves indignation fear vehement desire zeal revenge in all things to approve our selves to be clear in the matter of sin that we sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us The times of former Ignoraâ—ce God wiâ—ked at but now Commandeth all Men every where to repent The Kingdom of Grace is at hand repent to get into it repent to keep in it repent to get out of it into a Kingdom of Glory repent or perish repent and be saved repent and believe the Gospel for the Kingdom of God is at hand He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned There is no entering into or abiding in this Kingdom of God but by a Living Faith in God and in his Son Jesus Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me As Christ is the Author of our â—alvation so he is also the Author and Finisher of our Faith No entring into the Kingdom of glory without it for we are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation As many as are ordained to eternal life are ordained to believe God hath from the beginning chosen us to Salvation through belief of the truth that so Christ might dwell in our hearts by Faith which is the Bond of our Union with him Christ Prayes for them which shall believe on him that all may be one in us by vertue of this Union through Faith are we born from above Whosoever Believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God as many as received him even to them that believe on his name were born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God We are Justified and Reconciled to God by Faith being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and trusting or believing in Christ we are made accepted in the Beloved in whom we have Redemption through Faith in his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins Adoption into the number and priviledge of God's children As many as received him to them gave he power right or priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name We are also sanctified by Faith that is in Christ God now puts no difference between Jew and Gentile purifying their hearts by Faith God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Now this saving Grace of Faith is the Almighty Work of the Spirit of God whereby with the heart we believe all that God hath spoken because he hath spoken it It is a believing this faithful saying and accounting of it worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners It is a believing the record that God gave of his Son and this is the record That God hath given to us Eternal Life and this life is in his Son This is he that came by Water and Blood even Jesus Christ not by Water only but Water and Blood and the rather are we to believe for there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one if we receive the witness of Men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son I say it is a believing that all things are or must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms and in the Gospel concerning Christ and his Kingdom not because of Mens saying or Testimony only but purely upon the bare Word of God and his Son and his Spirit for in the mouth of these three Witnesses every Word of God in the Holy Scriptures is establisht It is a confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believing with the heart that God hath raised him from the Dead It is an humble and thankful hearty receiving or accepting of Christ for Lord and Saviour and trusting in his Allsufficiency as our one and only Mediatour through the vertue value and power of his Prophetical Sacerdotal and Regal Offices to bring us through all hazards and difficulties in a way of Grace to Glory in season and safely He that thus believeth and continueth to live by Faith hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life This Faith by the Holy Ghost which is given to believers worketh Love and worketh by Love The Love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of true Believers by the Holy Spirit by knowing and believing the Love that God hath to us we come to love God Who can know and believe heartily that God is Love and not love him God is Love in this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins we love him because he first thus loved us All God's graces together constitute this Kingdom of grace but Love is the life and soul of it even Gods love to us and our love to him and our love to each other he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him There is a threefold love between God and the godly a love of Union a love of Communion and Complacency and a love of Benevolence or Communication 1. Like as was between David and Jonathan the Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David Jonathan loved him as his own Soul Jonathan delighted much in David then Jonathan and David made a Covenant because he loved him as his own Soul and Jonathan stript
up Treasure for himself not caring to be rich towards God O take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the Things which he possesseth And let our Conversation be without Covetousness content with such Things as we have seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these Things shall be added unto us for the Lord hath said I will never leave you nor forsake you Covetousness is but for Carnality it caters for the flesh making provision for it satisfying it in the Lust thereof The carnal mind is enmity against God not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes are great Eye-sores to Religion and great Impediments to our seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness If we would be spiritually minded in seeking those Things that are above we must not be carnally minded in seeking great Things for our selves here below We can never fight the good Fight of Faith or take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence without abstaining and flying from fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul Fleshly persons who live after the Flesh in the Lust of Uncleanness can never be valiant Volunteers to fight under the Banner of Christ for the conquering of Sin Satan and the World which must first be done before the Kingdom of Heaven be taken The Flesh doth lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are so contrary the one to the other that we cannot do the Things we should while we walk in the Flesh Let us not therefore walk according to the Flesh or War after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal Let not us be carnal but spiritual putting on the whole Armor of God which will be mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and mortifying the deeds of the Body namely fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul that in all Things we may be more than Conquerors through him who loves us even our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto us and we unto the World as also the Flesh for they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections Passions and Lusts by whom also we resist and overcome the Devil for he was made Partaker of Flesh and Blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil the Works of the Flesh which are manifest to be Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Pride Covetousness Hatred Variance Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings Now they which follow such Things can neither seek or ever hope to inherit the Kingdom of God Lying is another sin which in a special manner is to be hated and avoided by us if indeed we will set our selves heartily to seek the Kingdom of God which is the uttering of an untruth with an intent and purpose to deceive a sin that transforms men into Devils They who are given to Lying are of their Father the Devil who abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it A lying Tongue is one of the seven Things the Lord hates and is an abomination to him Lying Lips are an abomination to the Lord and therefore a righteous man hateth Lying but they that deal truly are Gods delight and God is their delight they that delight in the Lord he will give them the desire of their hearts for the prayers of the upright are his delight But they who delight in Lyes who bless with their mouth but curse inwardly without Repentance are to be cursed eternally The fearful and unbelieving and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death Let none who seek this Kingdom of God be like the Devil a Lyar but like God who cannot lye Let us fear to lye to the Holy Ghost or to lye of or to lye to one another by the example of Ananias and Saphira who were struck dead with a Lye in their mouth Wherefore with David Let us hate and abhor Lying and putting away Lying speak every man Truth with his Neighbour for he only that speaketh the Truth in his heart is of the Generation of them that first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness that seek and shall see the face of the God of Jacob. Take we heed also and beware of the Leaven of Hypocrisie professing what we mean not to practise pleasing our selves with a form of knowledge and godliness denying the power of it Hypocrites they say but do not they pray but practise not believe but live not as they believe they are Covenant makers but not Covenant keepers drawing near the Lord with their Mouths and honouring him with their Lips but removing their Heart far from him with fl ttering Lips and with a double Heart do they speak to God and man there can be no faithfulness in their Mouth for their inward part is very Wickedness the Prayers and other Duties of such wicked men are an abomination to the Lord. Whatsoever is done in the great business of Salvation is to be done heartily as to the Lord and not unto men If any man speak he is to speak as the Oracles of God not as pleasing men but God which tryeth the Hearts that God in all Things may be glorified through Jesus Christ able with the Holy Apostle to call God to Witness that neâ—ther at any time useth he flattering Words for a Cloak of Pride or Covetousness nor of men seeketh he Glory but whether he eats or drinks or whatsoever else he doth the Glory of God is sure to be at the end of it his own Salvation the pleasing of all men in all Things not seeking his own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved which no worldly fleshly Hypocrites can say who receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely so desirous are they of Vain-glory For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus but their own Belly and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the hearts of the simple but themselves most and worst of all while in opposition to the Glory of God which should be their highest and chiefest end and their onely aim the honouring pleasing and enriching themselves by unlawful wayes and means is their end and business These double-minded double-tongued and double-dealing Hypocrites are far from the Kingdom of God lay aside first Hypocrisie and desire Truth in your inward parts then first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness with desirous expectation to find it Be sure none of these forementioned Evils be your
peculiar bosome beloved sins search out your own sin keep your self from your iniquity if you would have good success in seeking first the Kingdom of God II. Let us put off and put away far from us these and all other sins in the fear of God or all our seeking the Kingdom of God will be but labour in vain Sinners God calls Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that he sets before you Life and Good Death and Evil Blessing and Cursing and desires you to choose Life even eternal Life O choose not Sin and Death before it Let my counsel be acceptable unto you break off your sins by righteousness and the iniquity of your covetousness by shewing mercy to the Poor lest God be wroth smite you and hide himself from you but rather seek good and not evil that ye may live be not faithless but believe God upon his Word Seek ye me saith God and ye shall live Their heart shall live that seek God his Kingdom and Righteousness in the use of all his holy means which I need but almost to name they are so often insisted upon but too seldom duely practised as namely 1. Hearing the Word preached in season and out of season instantly as Ministers are to preach it with solemn Preparation Intention Retention and a loving Affection in the hearing of it turning every Truth and Duty you hear into practice without delay for not the hearers of the Law but the doers are justified and blessed in their doing 2. Frequent Fasting frequent Praying and Watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all men that they may be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which is our striving to enter in at the strait Gate Strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it even of them who seek to enter in and are not able because not willing to be at the pains and patience which is necessary to the finding the narrow Way and walking in it till they be meet and worthy to enter in at the strait Gate there is no pulling down of strong Holds casting down Imaginations or Reasonings and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God or bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and the Laws of his Kingdom but by this good old way of Fasting Praying and watching to purpose every man that striveth for the mastery especially of spiritual enemies is to be temperate in all things some do it to obtain a corruptible Crown we an incorruptible If we would so run as to obtain so fight as to overcome we must keep under our body and bring it into subjection that our Old Man being crucified the body of sin may be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin lest that by any means when we have done all save this which is the main we our selves should be everlasting Cast-awayes better the body of the flesh and the body of sin be destroyed in the severest way of duty than the soul be for ever lost in a way of sin how pleasing soever to the flesh Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into Life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire by Fasting Praying and watching Heaven suffereth violence and onely the violent take it by force Holy Fasting especially alone and by our selves Prayer without ceasing keeping our Hearts Lips and Lives with all diligence by circumspect watchfulness from sin and all occasion and temptations thereunto are Gods gracious means appointed us for the obtaining of Grace and Glory 3. Reading searching and meditating of the Holy Scriptures day and night that the Word of Christ may dwell richly in us in all Wisdom with fervent and faithful Prayer before and after the duty for the Spirit of Truth to sanctifie us through the Truth duties much neglected both in Families and in our private communion with the Lord and I fear by too many of us slightly indifferently and indiligently done Were the Word of God read searched and meditated daily by us as it ought to be it would make us wiser for our selves in all respects than we are it is able to make even Children that exercise themselves therein wise unto salvation It is very great pity and a very great sin it is that every one that cannot doth not learn to read and every one that can doth not walk in Wisdom redeeming his time to search these Sacred Records day and night in which he thinks he hath eternal life I make no doubt but our most Gracious Sovereign the King and Governors will out of their Christian Wisdom Care Zeal and Charity which in many things they have manifested take order also that all who are capable both young and old in these Kingdoms may be diligently taught to read the Holy Scriptures that they perish not for want of knowledge that so the good Word of God may be daily read publickly in all Faimilies with Prayer and Praise to the Praise and Glory of God the Increase and Advancement of the Kingdom of Christ and their own immortal Honour Which I daily pray may come to pass and am in a longing expectation of as knowing there is Wisdom Wealth and Willingness Power and Prudence every way Ability and Opportunity in you our Governors and Counsellors for the accomplishing and effecting so great and good and necessary and pious a Work besides the many Thousands that wait for your Call Command Counsel Countenance and Encouragement to assist herein which labour of Love to so many perishing Souls will never be forgotten by the Lord and the administration of this Service will not only supply the want of Saints but will be abundant also by many Thanksgivings unto God Now the Lord make all Publick Persons in Church and State Publick spirited herein that the fruit of Righteousness may be sown in Peace by them that make Peace to the Glory of God and the Publick Good Were the Law and Gospel which is not to depart out of our mouth read and meditated therein day and night by us all high and low rich and poor c. that we might observe to do according to all that is written therein this would make our way prosperous then we should do wisely and have good success especially in seeking the Kingdom of Grace and Glory which is our best Wisdom to do every one for himself and each for other till we find it and attain it Whosoever delights in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate day and night shall be like a Tree planted by the Rivers of Water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper the universal faithful practice of these duties would through the blessing of
the unity of this faith and knowledge and the neglecting of this is the frustrating of the whole work of the Ministery for let us preach never so many Sermons to the People our labour is but lost as long as the foundation is uâ—laid and the first principles untaught upon which all other Doctrine must be builded Thus far the worthy Bishop in his Sermon before King James at Wansted 7. Often remembring and real renewing our Covenant with God whenever the Holy Sacraments are administred Baptism is but to be administred once but we are solemnly and frequently to remember and make use of our Baptismal Covenant upon all occasions especially in avoiding all occasions and temptations and motions to sin within or without in time of tribulation and desertion and at the point of death we are buried with Christ in Baptism wherein also we are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God that so many of us as are bâ—ptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his death therefore are we buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life By Baptism we are planted together in the likeness of his Death and also in the likeness of his Resurrection that our old man might be crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Covenant making and Covenant keeping is the sum of our Religion We are sworn in our Baptism to believe all the Articles of our Christian Creed and to live by faith to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless to pray according to the Lords Prayer without ceasing for Grace that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we may live soberly righteously and godly in this present World that so with comfort we may look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and as we have sworn so we are to perform it even in keeping all the righteous Judgments of the Lord so also the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper which if there be opportunity should often be received by us wherein we shew forth the death of Christ till he come is another excellent means appointed by God both to convey and assure to us the Kingdom of God as also to strengthen and confirm us in the Grace we have received that we draw not back to perdition but going from faith to faith from one degree of Grace unto another we may receive the end of our faith the salvation of our Souls Let us shew the Lords death till he come by often eating this Bread and drinking this Cup but let us examine our selves lest eating and drinking unworthily we be found guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and so eat and drink damnation to our selves III. All the Graces of the Holy Spirit must be had and exercised we must go to the God of all Grace for every Grace he will give Grace and Glory first Grace then Glory It is through Grace we have good hope the Grace of Regeneration according to his mercy he saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he sheds on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of eternal life there is no hope of eternal life without Grace It cannot be expected I should discourse of all the Graces these may suffice 1. The first Grace we are to labour for is Humility by which we come to know our vileness and unworthiness that we are no better than wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and have need of every thing and yet deserve nothing that we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God The way to be rich in Grace is to be poor in Spirit God will give Grace to the humble the more humble the more holy Saint Paul the chiefest of sinners less than the least of all Saints in his own account yet not a whit behind the very chiefest of the Apostles in Grace and Gifts labouring more abundantly than they all yet not I saith he but the Grace of God which was with me Be cloathed with humility walk humbly with God humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time God will save the humble person 2. Acquaint your selves with God know the God of your Fathers This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the principal part of the image of God is the knowledge of him If you would have his mercy and his favor you must have understanding for to a people of no understanding he that made them will not save them and he that formed them will shew them no favor they who like not to retain God in their knowledge are not like to go to Heaven that the Soul be without knowledge it is not good the Soul cannot be good without knowledge it is the image of God which makes the Soul good The new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness is renewed in knowledge we escape the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Grace also and Peace are multiplied unto us through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord yea all things that pertain unto life and godliness are given unto us through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue Therefore if you determine to go to Heaven determine not to know any thing so much as Jesus Christ and him Crucified Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get Wisdom and with all thy getting get Understanding get Wisdom get Understanding â—orget it not embrace her and she shall bring thee to Honour and Heaven She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her 3. Repent and believe the Gospel I put them together for brevity sake as I find them Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus are our very entrance into the Kingdom of God True Repentance which elsewhere I have described at large le ts the Kingdom of Sin and Satan out of the heart that Faith unfeigned may receive Christ and his Kingdom into it Repentance is a turning from Sin and Satan and the World and Faith is a coming to God by Christ a choosing and closing with him as our Lord and Saviour a receiving of his Fulness and Grace for Grace that we may glorifie God and be glorified with him in our Bodies Souls and Spirits which are Gods Seek first the Kingdom of God in a way of repenting and believing and you are sure to find it 4. The fear of God especially for
he forbids not walking in the Counsel of the ungodly nor standing in the way of sinners nor sitting in the seat of the scornful not walking after the Flesh according to the course of this World but walking after the Spirit doing the will of God from the heart doers of the word and not hearers onlâ— for not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word in obeying from the heart that form of Doctrine which is delivered to them shall be justified and blessed in his deed Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Let none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or as a Busie-body in other mens matters let them that suffer suffer as a Christian according to the will of God patiently for well-doing this is acceptable with God to whom we may commit the keeping of our Souls and Bodies also in well doing as unto a faithful Creator Whether our sufferings be from God immediately I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good or mediately from Men Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake such are to rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is their reward in Heaven All that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution hereunto they are appointed predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son as in Active so in Passive obedience even thereunto are we called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps for it became him in bringing many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings and his Soldiers also When was it that Christians Faith did grow so exceedingly and the Charity of every one of them all towards each others abounded their patience and their joy Was it not in their Persecutions and Tribulations which they endured The ground of Persecution is the best for Grace and Comfort to thrive and grow upon The Primitive Christian hearers were used to hear the Word in much affliction and joy of the Holy Ghost Christians therefore should reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in them even the glory of grace yea of one grace ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heâ—viness through manifold temptations that the trial of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ In time of great Persecutions and Tribulations St. Paul remembred without ceasing Christians work of Faith and labour of Love and Patience of Hope in the Lord Jesus There is a glory upon them which cannot enter into them they must enter into it If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you Peace of Conscience follows upon sound and sincere obedience to God and his Laws upon our Justification through Faith we have the Peace of Reconciliation with God The Kingdom of God within is a Kingdom of Peace as much grace and obedience as there is in the heart so much peace Grace and Peace be multiplied The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever It is not Gods peace that is not the peace of Obedience He that ordains peace for us works all our works in us Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace peace peace or abundance of peace whose mind thought or imagination is stâ—id on thee because he trusteth in thee Let us be true to the God of Peace the Prince of Peace the Spirit of Peace the Gospel of Peace and live our selves in Peace as much as in us lies with all men and that we study to be quiet and to do our own business not being busie-bodies in other Mens matters walking in the way of peace following peace with all Men and holiness casting all our cares on God being careful for nothing but committing our selves and wayes unto him and the very God of Peace will give us the Peace which passeth all understanding and will give us some understanding of it which will breed that Joy in the Holy Ghost and holy rejoycing which is unspeakable and full of glory which a stranger doth not intermeddle with and if God see it good for us we shall have with all men the Peace of Love and Unity when a Mans wayes please the Lord he will make his Enemies to be at peace with him however he will make him to love and be at peace with his Enemies which is much better this is to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect and merciful as he is merciful yea more when a many wayes please the Lord he will make all Creatures in League with him Thou shalt be in League with the stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at peace with thee And thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace or that peace is thy Tabernacle But there is no peace saith my God to the Wicked no true peace for they will not be at peace with God though he beseech them never so much to be reconciled to him that they might have all this peace they know not the way of peace they desire not the knowledge of his wayes or acquaintance with him that thereby they might be at peace with him And therefore when they shall say peace and safety which will be while the strong man armed keepeth his Palace and his goods are in peace but a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him and take from him all his Armor wherein he trusted then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a Woman with child and they shall not escape but the Godly shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace if they cannot have it in the World and from the World they can have it in Christ In the World ye shall have Tribulation but in me ye shall have peace peace within peace of Conscience if not outward peace from Man one way or other peace they will have It is peace they would have therefore it is they so earnestly seek it from God and pursue it with Men they Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem peace be within thy Walls that prosperity may be within thy Palaces for their Brethren and Companions sake they say peace be within thee Since Jesus Christ hath left this Legacy to â—he Church peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you they are at suit with God and Man for it
is our portion for ever All true believers must enter into the Joy of their Lord whâ—ch is so great and glorious that it cannot enter into them Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit here but will reveale them in us hereafter Which made S. Paul to reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And therefore though now for a season if need be the people of God are in heaviness through manifold temptations yet they greatly rejoyce and Joy in the God of their Salvation This is their time to weep lament and be sorrowful while the men of the World rejoyce but their sorrow shall be turned into Joy and Worldings Joy into weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever The weeping of the godly may endure for a night but Joy cometh in the morning for a short night of sorrow they shall have an everlasting day of Joy as a Woman when she is in travel hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for Joy that a Man is born into the World In like manner those little children of whom the faithful Ministers of Christ travel in birth with until Christ be formed in them What is their hope or Joy or Crown of Rejoycing but their New-born Babes through their Ministery come unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ these are their glory and joy in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming when they shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding Joy for when Christ who is their life shall appear then shâ—ll they also appear with him in glory and though in these last dayes there are Scoffers walking after their own lusts saying Where is the promise of Christs coming yet such as are born from above believe and wait for the promise of his coming because he hath said I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you The end of all things spoken by Christ in his Word is that his joy might remain in them and that their joy may be full The end of their fellowship and communion with Christ and one another is that their Joy may be full even here upon Earth Whatsoever you shall ask the Father saith he in my name he will give it you hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive that your Joy may be full That eternal life namely Jesus Christ which was with the Father and was manifested from the beginning which the Primitive Christians heard and saw with their eyes which they looked upon and their hands handled for this Life was manifested and they declared it that they might have fellowship one with another and truly their fellowship was with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ came into the World and lived in it to the end their Joy might be full If there be such a fulness of Joy in the Kingdom of grace What a fullness of Joy will there be in the Kingdom of glory But the triumphing of the Wicked is short and the Joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment at the longest his hopes and his joyes at death will give up their Ghost together while the righteous have hope in their death that will not leave them ashamed and the upright shall dwell in the presence of God where they shall shout aloud for joy he shall guide them with his eye and counsel unto death and afterwards receive them to glory and so shall they ever be with the Lord in whose presence there is fullness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore unto which happy state and place the good Lord bring the King and his Kingdoms Amen The Kingdom of God as it is a Kingdom of grace so also a Kingdom of glory A glorious Kingdom is the Kingdom of God infinitely transcending all the glory of all the Kingdoms of this World The tongues of Angels and the tongues of Men cannot sufficiently express or their understandings conceive the glory of this Kingdom of glory Since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him O how great is that goodness which he hath laid up for them that fear him which he hath wrought for them that trust in him before the Sons of Men O could we see and hear and taste as the Queen of Sheba did Solomon's the Wisdom of God the House namely the third heaven he hath built the Meat of his Table and the sitting of his Servants and the attendance of his Ministers and their Apparel their Words Works and Wages their Acclamations and shoutings with Joy there would be no more spirit in us than was in her The one half of the greatness of his Wisdom and of the greatness of this goodness cannot be told us it infinitely exceedeth all the fame of report happy are those Men happy are those Servants which stand continually before this God to hear and see and enjoy this his Wisdom and Goodness happy are the People in the account of the World that enjoy the honors and pleasures and riches of this World but in reality happy are they who have God for their God If St. Paul who was caught up into Pâ—radise heard unspeakable words which was not lawful or possible for a Man to utter Who am I that darkneth this Kingdom of Glory by words without knowledge who is able to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height of it which passeth knowledge This Kingdom is made up all of glory the three glorious persons namely God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are the glory in it and of it there dwells the God of glory the Lord of glory the Spirit of glory This Kingdom of glory is not Gods glory God is the glory of this kingdom of glory There is one glory of the Sun and another glory of the Moon and another glory of the Stars these derive their glory from the Sun there is one glory of the Sun of righteousness another glory of the Angels another glory of the Saints these also receive their glory from the glorious Sun of Righteousness there are Angels of glory Saints Vessels of glory Thrones of glory Crowns of glory no persons no manner of things to render this Kingdom of God inglorious God hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight he hateth all workers of iniquity There shall in no wise enter into it any thing
that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a Lie Sin Satan and Sinners must never more come there this Kingdom will have a happy riddance of them The everlasting presence of one only God is the heaven of heavens and the glory of this Kingdom of glory Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with thâ—m and they shall be his People and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neiâ—her shall be any more pain no more curse there will be nothing of Hell in Heaven no more then there will be of Heaven in Hell But the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in this Kingdom there will be no need of Sun Moon or Candle for the Glory of God will Lighten it and the Lamb is the Light of it Truly the Light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eye to behold the Sun in the firmament but with invisible eyes to see the invisible Sun of Righteousness in the firmament of glory Oh how sweet and plesaant will that be God is Light and in him is no darkness at all this Light shineth in darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not The blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality dwelleth in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see because he covereth himself with Light as with a Garment for now we see through a Glass darkly or in a Riddle God his Word his Works of Nature Grace and Glory every thing we see hear taste touch smell hath an inexplicable and unutterable mystery in it now we know but in part but in the kingdom of glory we shall know as we are known It doth not yet appear what we shall be it doth not yet appear to us what God is Who can tell what God is but we know that when God-man shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is not in a Glass darkly but then face to face which will be our blessedness Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God we walk by Faith and not by Sight here but in Heaven we walk by sight and not by faith perfectly to see God Father Son and Holy Ghost in heavenly glory and to understand the Mysteries of Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity and that great Mystery of Godliness without Controversy God manifested in the Flesh Justified in the Spirit seen of Angels believed on in the World received up into Glory Preached unto and among the Gentiles even the unsearchable Riches of Christ to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God to the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God which the Angels desire to look into to behold with understanding at once all the secrets of nature grace and glory according to our capacities and to live for ever in the perfect vision and knowledge of them all will be our life eternal This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent If to see the Face of Relations and Friends especially Saints be so desirous but we Brethren sâ—ith St. Paul being taken from you for a short time in presence not in heart endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire With what desire should every one of us desire to behold the Face of God in righteousness that we may be satisfied with his likeness and the faces of an innumerable company of Angels and the faces of the general Assembly and Church of the First born with the beauties and comliness of God and perfect Godliness put upon them to see also a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth nothing but righteous persons and righteousness to see the great City the holy Hierusalem having the Glory of God and her Light like unto a Stone most precious even like a Jasper Stone clear as Crystal and a Wall great and high and Twelve Gates and at the Gates Twelve Angels and Names written thereon which are the Names of the Twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel on the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates and the Wall of the City twelve Foundations and in them the Names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And the City lyeth four square and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal The Wall thereof an hundred and forty and four cubits according to the measure of a Man that is of the Angel and the building of the Wall of it of Jasper and the City pure Gold like unto clear glass and the Foundation of the Walls of the City garnished with all manner of precious stones the first foundation Jasper the second Saphire the third Chalcedony the fourth Emerauld the fifth Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacint the twelfth an Amethyst and the twelve Gates twelve Pearls every several Gate of one Pearl and the Street of the City pure Gold as it were transparent glass where there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God doth Lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there a pure River of water of Life clear as Chrystal therein proceedeth out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb In the midst of the Street of it and on either side of the River was there the Tree of Life bearing Twelve manner of fruits every Month which is in the midst of the Paradise of God which Jesus Christ will give to him that overcometh to eat of that he may live for ever Who is he that hath had from the Father of Lights the least saving glimpse of this glory that saith not it is good to be here Who hath had also the very least true sight of the vanity insufficiency brevity and certain uncertainty of all under the Sun that saith not Behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit my eye is not satisfied with seeing nor my ear with hearing nor my tast with eating and drinking or smell with smelling nor the hand with touching and handling Vanity of vanities all is vanity saith Solomon the Preacher A sight of the glory of all the Kingdoms of the World which the Devil gave Christ an opportunity to behold is but a glorious vanity compared with
of God hath the witness in himself the witness of God for this is the witness of God that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son and this is the Record That God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and he that hath believeth or receiveth Christ hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life so that our Eternal Life depends upon our faith or faithfulness in believing that is in the truth of our assent to the truth of the whole Word of God only upon the authority of Gods speaking it especially in believing or assenting to this faithful saying which is worthy of all acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners and consenting unfeignedly to have him for our Lord and Saviour trusting only upon the Merit of his death upon the Cross his Resurrection and Intercession for our acceptance with God our Justification an Glorification committing our selves and all our concernments wholly to his guidance and government cal ing all our care and burdens upon him as iudging him to be able and faithful to carry us through all the duties dangers and difficulties of this life unto life eternal all which is the nature and work of Faith which whosoever hath and liveth by it shall never perish but have everlasting life This is the â—aith that worketh love and worketh by love even to believe the love that God hath to us who is love God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him herein is love This love breeds love Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another much more ought we to love God and indeed if we do soundly believe this love of God towards us which passeth knowledge we shall answer this love with love again In loving God above all even with all the heart with all the Soul and with all the strength and with all the mind for he that loveth Father or Mother more than God is not worthy of him and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than God is not worthy of him and then love we him indeed when we love whom he loves and what he loves and hate what he hates Now God the Father loveth his only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ and he that loveth him loveth God and is loved of him And Oh What infinite reason have we to love both God and Christ when they have so loved us God the Father in sending his Son into the World to bless us and Christ in coming into it that he might give himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie us unto himself a peculiar People zeâ—lâ—us of good works Therefore if any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha As God loves his only Son by Eternal generation so he loveth his Adopted Sons by Spiritual Regeneration and they again love him I love them saith God that love me herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us we love him because he first loved us his love is the ground and cause of our love to him and to one another Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World Herein is love beloved if God so loved us we ought to love one another with a love of Union Complacency and Benevolence being of one Mind Will Way about one Work God-glorifying Delighting in each others Persons Communion and Communication Like David the Saints were all his delight as we have opportunity doing good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith for to do good and Communicate is a Sacrifice God is well pleased with but whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him the love of God dwelleth not in him at all nor doth he dwell in God for he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love and he that dwelleth not in God shall never dwell with him But he who loves God and Christ truly loves all Saints as God loves them with a special love and as God loves all Saints so he loves them alwayes even to the end so do all true lovers of God and his Saints as they love them all so they love them alwayes even to the end If we thus love the Brethren we may know that we are passed from death unto life Our love must extend to enemies even the worst of our enemies though we cannot love them with a love of Union and Complacency we must love them with a love of Benevolence because it is a Gospel-Command and therefore a Gospel-Duty to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us If we only love them that love us What do we more than others but if we love them that hate us we do more than others then are we the children of our Heavenly Father and are merciful as he is merciful and perfect as he is perfect And if we love not our enemies we are enemies to our enemies Gods enemies and our own To love heartily a professed practical enemy is a greater duty and difficulty than most professors are aware of How far are they from loving their enemies that do not love their brethren and without loving of their brethren and our enemies also and doing good to them that hate us there is no going to Heaven as we must love whom God loves so what God loves his Word Works Wayes Righteousness his Ordinances and Sanctuary c. God loves the Gates of Sion O how I love thy Law and I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honor dwelleth saith every one that is godly As we must love what God loves so must we hate what God hates and as God hates now God hates sin with a perfect hatred so must every one that loves the Lord hate sin and wickedness with a perfect hatred Ye that love the Lord hate evil because he hates it we cannot but sin while sin dwelleth in us but when it is acted it must be hated and is hated by every one that is godly What I hate that do I saith St. Paul We must abâ—tain from all appearance of evil hating even the garment spotted with the flesh if we will approve our selves to be the faithful and fervent lovers of the Lord let us seriously try the truth
which passâ—th all understanding and as theâ—r Minds and Wills and Consciâ—ncâ—s so their Memories are sanctified they hide the Word of God in their hearts or memories a repository for this heavenly Manna to be laid up and kept in for then are we saved if we keep or hold fast in memory what is Preached unto u and we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we hear lest at any time we should let them slip out of our memory or run out as leaking Vess l and whereas they that like not to retain God in their knowledge or to acknowlede God and therefore are given over to a reprobate mind void of judgment fulfilling the desires or wills of the flesh to do those things which are not convenient being convinced by their own defiled accusing Conscience forgetful hearers deceiving their own selves for which cause God gives them up unto vile affections yet the Sanctified Soul having crucified the Flesh and mortified the inordinate affections thereof set their affections on things above not on things on the earth having their conversation in heaven These are Israelites in whose Spirit Speech and Behaviour there is no guile for he is an Israelite which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the â—pirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God Behold the desire and delight of God is in truth in the inward parts the hidden Man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price these are the upright in heart and life who dwell in the presence of his grace here and in the presence of his glory hereafter those who are holy are just doing as they would be done by and if a Maâ— be just and do judgment and justice that which is lawful ind right hath not lift up his eyes to the Idols of the House of Israel neither hath defiled his neighbors Wife neither hath come near a menstruous Woman h th not oppressed any but hath restored to the Debtor his Pledge hath spoiled none by violence hath given his Bread to the hungry that hath taken off his hand from the poor and hath not given forth upon Usury neither taken any increase that hath withdrawn his hand from Iniquity hath executed true judgment between Man and Man hath walked in Gods statutes and hath kept his Judgments to deal truly he is just he shall surely live with the General Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written or inrolled in Heaven which are the Spirits of Just Men made perfect The Just are good also not good as God or good to God our goodness extendeth not unto him so there is none good but one that is God who is eternally essentially absolutely infinitely and originally good Every good and every perfect gift cometh from above from the â—ather of lights When God had made every thing he saw that it was good but when he had created Man in his own Image then it is said God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Man at first was made very good he was naturally good before he sinned he was very good through the Image of God upon him and before he is good again this Image of God must be in a supernatural way restored unto him which consists in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Nothing can make our Natures good but the Divine Nature the good work must be begun in us before we can think a good thought speak a good word or do a good work till then we are disobedient and unto every good work reprobate and void of judgment being sanctified we are meet for the Masters use and thereby prepared unto every good work yea throughly furnished unto all good works Let us examine our selves Are we holy as God and his Law are holy God is our only perfect pattern his Word or Law our rule to walk by His command is be ye holy for I am holy God is essentially holy and personally holy the Father is holy the Son is holy the Spirit is called the Holy Ghost The Law is holy the People of God are holy called holy Brethren and a holy Priesthood chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Redeemed and delivered out of the hands of our enemies to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life effectually called out of darkness into marvellous light to be holy in all manner of conversation presented a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Have we then this holiness in our hearts and lives the end of our Predestination new Creation effectual Calling and Glorification which is to love God and hate evil Godliness is Godlikeness Do we as God doth Love righteousness and hate wickedness Are our hearts sound sincere and perfect in his Statutes Have we respect unto all his Commandments Are we negatively and positively holy Do we deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Do we and are we fully and firmly resolved to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and to have our fruit unto holiness then shall our end be everlasting life Are we just both to the just and unjust Do we speak the truth in our heart and act accordingly Do we to all men as we would be done by or Do we go beyond and defraud our brother in any matter the Lord is the avenger of all such Do we desire we labour we to owe no Man any thing but love He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much Do we render to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honor to whom Honor Are you like God without respect of persons just in all your dealings to low and high small and great to the poor that want power to come by their own as well as to the rich Are you just and faithful in matters of Distributive and Commutative Justice to all men in all estates bond and free in all times good and bad prosperous and adverse and that alwayes then shall ye be recompenced at the Resurrection of the just while the unjust whose Damnation is just are reserved unto the day of Judgment to be punished for every transgression and disobedience shall receive a just recompence of reward Every Man according to his Deeds Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life to them who by patient continuance
so cloath the Grass of the Field Shall he not much more cloath you therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things do the Heathens seek but let Christians seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness even those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God and set their minds and affections on things above and not on things on the earth It is much below every Christian by profession only so to love the World as to seek the things that are in the World for all that is in the World the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World and therefore if any Man love the world the love of the Father is not in him What Jâ—remiah said to Baruch I say to thee O Christian Seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not seekest thou the Pleasures of the World to satisfie the lust of thy Flesh seek them not the pleasures of sin are but for a season the displeasures of God against thee for thy sin are endless easeless merciless and remediless A lover of and a liver in pleasure can never be a lover of God nor God a lover of him nor can he ever be a liver with him while such She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth and damned when she dieth Becâ—use she lived in Pleasure on the Earth and waxed wanton and nourished her heart as in a day of slaughter receiving the reward of unrighteousness as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time How much she lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow will God give unto her Seekest thou the honors of the World Art thou ambitious to be some body in the World in Name or high Place of Preferment seek them not if thou be godly it is thy honor as truly as thy end to honor the Lord and them that honor me saith God I will honor If thou be'st wicked or a fool which is all one the Wise Solomon will tell thee Honor is not seemly for a fool To receive honor one of another and not to seek the honor that cometh from God only is the sin and dishonor which every unbeliever is guilty of and a great let and impediment in the duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God Seekest thou to be rich in this World labor not to be rich yet if Riches increase set not thine heart upon them Wilt thou set thine eyes and heart upon that which is not for Riches certainly make themselves wings they flie away as an Eagle toward Heaven But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts especially the lust of the pride of Life in putting on of Apparel whose adorning is that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of Gold in erecting and furnishing stately Buildings and pampering and pâ—easing the flesh which drown Men in destruction and perdition for the love of these things is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle than for such a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World with all its honors pleasures and riches and lose his own Soul and his portion of grace and glory or What shall a Man give or take in exchange for his Soul Is not the Redemption of the Soul precious It was not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil World God never intended the whole World to be the portion of every Man God only is Mans Portion and Man is Gods portion Why should any Man then wrong that noble part within him his Soul as to seek pursue and follow after such beggarly things as Riches and Honors and Pleasures and take up with them as his only hope and happiness which every wicked worldling doth the mean while neglecting and making light of the one thing necessary seeking to enjoy God and Christ and Grace and Glory in whom and from whom alone they may infallibly have the true durable unsearchable satisfying everlasting riches honors and pleasures Oh! did but the great ones of this World consider and know what deceitful baits snares and temptations these worldly dignities pleasures and treasures through Gods permissive Providence and Satans Subtilties prove to their lustful and deceitful hearts Would they so eagerly hunt after them and undo their Bodies and Souls in the pursuit of them True there is no evil in them but through an evil unbelieving heart there is much evil by them Search the Scriptures and see how many rich and honorable and pleasurable persons are gone or will go to Heaven not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called God that hath chosen the poor of this World rich in faith hath not chosen the rich in this World to be poor in faith There is a sore evil under the Sun namely Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Did the Rich in this World in Scripture called the Men of the World which have their portion in this life well consider how little their Riches will profit them in the day of wrath they would not be so high-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches but in the living God who giveth them richly all things to enjoy they would do good be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate that they may lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life which is the worst I wish them and the best use they can put their uncertain riches unto Oh! How many are and will be undone for ever by a deceitful World a deceitful Devil and a deceitful heart from which I beseech the Lord to deliver our most Gracious Soveraign the King and his Kingdom that we may all as one Man with oneness and trueness of heart set our selves according to our Solemn Engagement in our Christian Covenant unfeignedly to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil which must first be done before we can obey this Heavenly Counsel Command and Proclamation of our Lord Jesus Christ in seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness which let every one of us account it our greatest duty choicest work chiefest interest and highest dignity to be exercised therein let us as we have opportunity exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of us be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin Satan and the World to make light
possessing it will more than recompence for all the pains and sufferings the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us and therefore this Kingdom of Grace and Glory is to be sought constantly that is without ceasing day and night or very frequently constantly that is perseveringly for God will render to every Man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life Be thou faithful herein O Christian unto Death and Christ will give unto thee in the Kingdom of God a Crown of Life for only he that shall thus endure seeking unto the end the same shall be saved Even he that doth seek this kingdom of God which is a kingdom of Grace and Glory with his whole heart understandingly believingly faithfully diligently fervently violently valiantly vigilantly early delightfully and constantly which is no more than God requires and the unconceivable excellencies of this kingdom deserves Is not the kingdom of Grace it self nay one Grace of this kingdom more worth than all the Glory of all the kingdoms of this World The very trial of our faith and so of every other Grace is more precious than Gold that perisheth How precious is Faith it self Who that hath the Faith of Gods elect in the least degree in his heart would part with it at any rate nothing in this World better than life skin for skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his life But How many have lost their lives to save their faith that they might believe to the saving of their Souls they have died for the Faith that they might die in Faith And as for Hope which is a patient waiting and looking for that blessed Hope and the Glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus when we shall appear with him in Glory at death but more Gloriously at the day of Judgment when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels to be Glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe who hath this good hope through Grace that would part with it for more than all this World were it Ten thousand times ten thousand better than it is Alass if in this life only we have hope we are of all Men most miserâ—ble but since we can and do rejoycâ— in hope of the G orâ— of God we are happy enough in our hope which 〈◊〉 laid up for us in Heaven Now abideth Faith Hopâ— Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Faith and Hope we shall leave behind us having no need of them in Heaven When we are at the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls there is an end of our Faith but Charity which is the bond of our perfection in Heaven never ceaseth What is our Eternal Life in Heaven but an Eternal Life of Love our dwelling in and with God will be a dwelling in Love and God who is Love dwelling in us There will be fervent Charity indeed between God Angels and Men here because Iniquity doth abound the love of many doth wax cold there will be neither Sin Satan or Sinners to quench the flames of Mutual Love and Charity if Charity have so many Gracious and wonderful effects and fruits here What glorious effects will it produce in Glory Thou hast ravished my heart thou hast ravished my heart sâ—ith Christ with one of thine eyes with one Chain of thy Neck a Chain of Mercy and Truth Doth Mercy and Truth and other Graces in his Spouse ravish the heart of Christ What ravishing Joy will there be when Mercy and Truth meet together in Heaven and Righteousness and Peace kiss each other when Grace shall be turned into Glory when Charity a Grace a Duty now shall be Charity a Duty also but our Glory and Reward Will not Christ say of his Spouse then How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights If the Created Glory of a Christian be so Glorious in the eyes of Christ How Glorious will the Increated Glory of God in Christ be to the beholders of it to all Eternity Let us therefore stick at no care and pains to make sure of a kingdom which God hath made so sure to us in his Everlasting purpose and preparation and is purchased for us at so dear a rate as the precious Blood of Christ and promised and preserved to us in his Everlasting Covenant Here have we no continuing City let us seek one to come with the heirs of Promise who look for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It is the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem where God himself an Innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly and Church of the First-born and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament and God the Holy Ghost the Comforter dwell all together Glorifying one another in an unspeakable manner for ever and Should not the Glory of this Kingdom of Glory and the Heavenly Society therein invite and constrain us all in these Kingdoms to look after such a state and place Is not every one infinitely obliged to seek this Kingdom not only for himself but for the Community if it were possible every moment Is there a Kingdom of Grace which may be had here in this World and a Kingdom of Glory hereafter in another World Is this a faithful saying and Is it not worth every ones acceptation Is not the Grace of God in truth and power the one thing needful here and Is not Glory in the Kingdom of God the one thing needful there Why are we then careful and troubled about many things when one thing is needful Why do we not all as one Man choose that good part which shall not be taken away from us There is nothing else in this World but either it will be taken from us or we from it Should we not labor to know in our selves that we have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us where we should lay up for our selves Treasures Honors and Pleasures that Moth and Rust do not corrupt and where Pride and Covetousness two notorious Theeves do not dare not cannot break through and steal that where our Treasure is there our hearts and hopes may be also But let us lay up for our selves Treasures upon Earth never so safely the Moth and Rust do and will corrupt them and these two Theeves will break through and steal the care of getting and keeping these Earthly Treasures and the fear of losing them put too many besides themselves and their duty in seeking those things which are above The only way is to be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving to make our request known unto God and the Kingdom of God which is not meat and drink but
one then that hath understanding sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our King sing praises for God is the King of all the earth and the King of glory sing we praises with understanding Our Tongue in Scripture is called our glory therewith bless we God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ which is the best use we can put it to If we be strangers to this heavenly duty of singing praises to God in our hearts and houses with our glory it is much to be feared that as our chief end is not the glory of God by our not glorifying God so our last end will not be glory with God without controversie it is the duty that is most pleasing to God as it is most commanded by him and practised instantly by the perfectest Saints The holier any man is the more in prayer and the most in praise evening and morning and at noon David prayes unto God seven times aday doth he praise him Hypocrites can pray Saints only do bless and praise the Lord. The good and old way of speaking to God our selves and one another in Psalms and spiritual Songs is much given over in these Kingdoms The good Lord give us Repentance that this sin be not laid to our charge We have lost very much of the special presence and providence of God by our neglect herein our Prayers are not heard and answer'd for want of our solemn Praises We obtain mercy by our Prayers and keep them by our Praises It were well if one in ten with a loud voice glorified God for those daily mercies they receive from God There are not found that return to give glory to God after mercies received from God save some few strangers What are our hearts and lips and lives good for else but to warble out in spiritual Songs the praises of him who hath called us out of marvellous darkness into his marvellous light The glad tydings of a Kingdom of grace and glory should open our hearts to pray to God to open our lips that our mouths may shew forth his praises which that all may do let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord and whatsoever we do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving Thanks to God and the Father by him and above all for himself and the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness For Counsel and Consolation and I conclude Our honourable Magistrates and reverend Ministers who are taught of God that are Counsellors themselves of Peace and seek the Peace and Prosperity of Church and State I neither need nor dare give them one Word of Advice in this matter only taking the liberty and boldness by way of Petition most humbly to desire them who have obtained so great mercy to be the heirs of grace and glory that they would according to the Power and Prudence Wisdom and Goodness which God hath graciously and liberally given them improve it to the very utmost that if it were possible our most gracious and excellent Majesties Three Kingdoms may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ not by Profession only but in very Deed and in Truth For the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power since God our Saviour would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth and because he can swear by no greater doth swear by himself As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his Way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil Wayes for why will ye dye and now commandeth all men everywhere to repent Why should not first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty which is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour and I also heartily believe wi l be well-pleasing to our most Gracious King and all in Authority having laid so lâ—rge and sure a foundation of Peace to build as large a Kingdom of godliness and honesty upon It is in your power to compel every capable Subject in these Kingdoms to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and to thrust Labourers into this Harvest for the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few for the turning of every one unto Righteousness the unlimited Love of God who hath so loved Mankind the general Redemption of the whole World bâ— the precious blood of Jesus Christ the promise of the universal Spirit of Christ the freeness and fulness of the Covenant of Grace which if the Lord please I shall have occasion fully to handle in my Book of Scriâ—tural Oracles and the express Command of Christ Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature the promise of his presence and assistance his own practice and the practice of the primitive Preachers in publishing through the World the glad Tydings of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God are motives and encouragements great enough to put Magistrates and Ministers upon endeavouring an universal Conversion Reformation and Salvation among all their People O could our King and Governors be instrumental to bring these Kingdoms so to seek till they find a Kingdom of grace and glory what an exceeding eternal weight of glory would the King of glory crown them withall for their labour of Love at the last and great day Hearken to a King speaking from the King of Kings Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord herein with fear and rejoyce with trembling Let the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together for the Lord and for his Anointed saying Let us break the bands of Wickedness and cast away the cords of our Iniquities from us Let us exalt the King of Kings upon his holy hill of Zion that the Heathen may be his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth may be his possession and all Nations whom he hath made may come and worship before thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name Let our most excellent King Solomon be first herein who is a King of Peace that came into his Kingdom in Peace rules in Peace will dye in Peace and enter into that Peace which passeth all understanding If he follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. His establishing a great Peace amongst us constrains me to believe he will be a means of raising a holy War through his Kingdoms and Dominions against Sin Satan and the World for the glory of
God and the everlasting good of many a poor yet precious Soul so that all our contentions and mutual devourings shall end in a holy amicable contending earnestly for the Faith of the Gospel that we may stand fast in one Spirit with one mind and one mouth glorifying God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ receiving one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God than which what can be more pleasing to God honourable to our selves creditable to Religion profitable and comfortable to His Majesties Three Kingdoms If there be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth what joy will there be in Heaven over all the Sinners in these Kingdoms that repent The Lord our God in the midst of us will be mighty to save us he will rejoyce over us with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over us with singing if as Brethren being called unto liberty we use not our liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another for all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self but if we bite and devour one another let us take heed that we be not consumed one of another And it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoyced over us to do us good so the Lord will rejoyce over us to destroy us and bring us to nought which will assuredly come to pass if we bless our selves in our hearts saying We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination or stubbornness of our hearts to add Iniquity to Iniquity the Lord will not spare but his anger and jealousie shall smoke against us and all the Curses written in his Book shall lie upon us and he will blot out our names from under Heaven Cursed also is every one that doth the Work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully But I am persuaded better Things of you and Things which accompany Salvation and that we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Let us take heed lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin looking also diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us and thereby many be defiled for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end and also of his Kingdom of glory for the securing whereof these plain Directions are absolutely necessary to be put in practice I. That all Sins be avoided and hated especially Unbelief Pride Covetousness Carnality Lying and Hypocrisie II. That all the Duties of Holiness be rightly zealously and constantly performed both publick and private III. That all the Graces of the Holy Spirit be had and exercised They who would set themselves in earnest to seek the Kingdom of God must heartily set themselves against all sins stand in awe and sin not while you are seeking if you would find this Kingdom Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near but then it follows Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous who is a man of Iniquity his Thoughts and let him return unto the Lord who will have mercy upon him but then he must have nothing to do with Sin who will have any thing to do with God and his kingdom otherwise God will have nothing to do with him the wages of Sin is not Heaven but hell every final impenitent unbelieving Sinner is to be shut out of Heaven and shut up in Hell to all eternity Sinners you must quit your state and course and way of sin before you can enter the state of Grace or walk in the way of Life Grace and Glory are inseparable so are Sin and Hell O have nothing to do with any the least yea the very appearance of evil as near as you can except to hate abhor leave and loath it and your selves for it as ever you hope to speed in this most important duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness more especially let Unbelief Pride Carnality Covetousness Lying and Hypocrisie be abandoned and abhorred as the root and source and spawn of all other abominations These are the Master evils that hinder men from being and doing good We must be negatively before we can be positively holy Wash ye make â—e clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes first cease to do evil then learn to do well c. If we would cease from evil we must take heed of the evil of Unbelief in the heart which is a sin that giveth every Truth of God the Lye Every one that believeth not goes about to make God a Lyar. The very Word of the Scripture is He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son as Faith is a coming to God by Jesus Christ so Unbelief is a departing from the living God O take heed of it as also of the sin of Pride which is a lifting and setting up our Wisdom and Will against the Wisdom Will Word Way and Work of God preferring our own Honor before Gods Glory Priâ—e was the first and worst sin that could be committed virtually and interpretatively it is all iniquity as all sinners were in one and came from one so all sins are summed up in this one namely Pride which is the Parent of all other abominations The onely sin that is so sinful This was the sin that made good Angels Devils and our first Parents and us evil like unto them yea only evil and that continually by it we have lost God our selves our knowledge of him all our righteousness and true holiness and all the happiness of Heaven it is so desperate a sin that it will not suffer any one to seek after God his Grace and Glory The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God he will be happy without God In seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness O seek first to be delivered from the pride of heart and life otherwise you may ask and not have seek and not find knock and it shall not be opened unto you Covetousness which is Adultery and Idolatry a loving and desiring after the World and the things of the World so inordinately and overcarefully as both to neglect and make light of the things of God which are above The Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth his prayer and practice is Lord Who will shew us any good his Labour is only for his mouth and therefore his laying up much Goods for many years is to take his ease eat drink and be merry he is one that layeth
God do Wonders among us 4. Examining our selves frequently and seriously by the Law and Gospel what effect they have had upon us as to the change of our state from sin to grace from death to life and whether our hearts and lives are so sound in Gods Statutes that we have respect to all his Commandments that we may never be ashamed Without this constant practice we cannot know our selves Know ye not your own selves saith the Apostle how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates How shall we know our selves to be elect or reprobate why examine your selves prove your own selves If we wholly neglect or negligently perform this duty we may then certainly conclude our selves to be Reprobates What are all the marks and signs for tryal of our everlasting state laid down in Scripture for but that we might know our selves by them whether we belong to God or the Devil and whether we are going to Heaven or Hell Without this careful constant examination trying and proving a man may think himself to be something when he is nothing and so deceive himself and others Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into Heaven Many will say to Christ on that great day of examination Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils And in thy Name done many wonderful Works To whom he will profess I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Let every man therefore examine himself and prove his own Work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another then shall he not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought in him to the Law and to the Testimony if he speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in him If every one that doth evil and he that doth truth would come to the light it would make manifest whether their deeds were wrought in God or no All things that are reproved or discovered are made manifest by this light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light were this duty well managed more would go to Heaven and fewer to Hell 5. Conferring talking communing and reasoning together in love concerning the things of the Kingdom of God would be a happy means to help one another in seeking to find it Too often our words in Preaching praying and praising to them that hear us seem but idle Tales and are not believed till this Christian duty of Communication be frequently exercised Here we have liberty to speak to one anothers capacities and necessities we could not hear one another reasoning of Righteousness Temperance Death Judgment Heaven and Hell to come but our hearts would burn within us for Christ himself would be one amongst us as with his Disciples at Emmaus talking with us and opening to us the Scriptures so that our coming and communing together would certainly be for the better and not for the worse for this end to revive the duty of Christian Conference I do fully purpose by the Grace of God as I have begun to bring the Holy Scriptures under such Heads that the Word of Christ may dwell richly in all wisdom in young and old that will exercise themselves herein with delight and meditation day and night for the accomplishing whereof the Prayers of all fearing God are again humbly and earnestly desired and expected 6. Teaching Children early to read and know the Holy Scripture Training them up or Catechising them in the first Principles of the Oracles of God and all others who have the like need that are but Children in knowledge is another excellent means to increase the Kingdom of Christ How many unprofitable dull Hearers are there in these Kingdoms which for their time ought to be Teachers have need that one teach them again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God that to their shame be it spoken have not the knowledge of God nay that say to God and their Teachers whose lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at their mouth for they are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes These have double necessity of counsel care and compassionate compulsion both from Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority to learn to know their duty danger and necessity if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken alive as captive by him at his will The Harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few pray we therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest such as will preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves the servants of all for Jesus sâ—ke servants that will not strive but be gentle unto alâ— men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves till their eyes be opened and turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ The work of Conversion and Reformation will never happily go on till the counsel of that most Reverend Learned and Godly Bishop Vsher be universâ—lly diligently zealously and constaâ—tly puâ— in practice both in Churches and Families which being apposite to my purpose I have here Transcribed Your Majesties care can never be sufficiently commended in taking order that the chief Heads of the Catechism should in the ordinary Ministery be diligently propâ—unded and explâ—ined unto the People throughout the Land which I wish were as duly executed everywhere as it was piously by you intended Great Scholars possibly may think that it standeth not so well with their credit to stoop thus low and to spend so much of their time in teaching these Rudiments and first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but they should consider that the laying of the foundation skilfully as it is a matter of the greatest importance in the whole Building so it is the very Master-piece of the whole Building 1 Cor. 3 10. According to the Grace of God which is given unto me as a wise Master Builder I have laid the foundation saith the great Apostle And let the Learnedst of us all try it whenever we please we shall find that to lay this Ground work rightly that is to apply our selves to the câ—pacities of the common Auditory and to make an â—gâ—orâ—nt man understand these mysteries in some good measure will put us to the tryal of our skill and trouble us a great deal more than if we were to discuss a Controversie or handle a subtle point of Learning in the Schools yet Christ did give as well his Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists as his ordinary Pastors and Teachers to bring us all both Learned and Unlearned unto
being poor in Spirit that you may be rich in Faith and Heirs of a Kingdom the comfort and content of a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The Kingdom of God is not meat and driâ—k but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Let your Conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have that your Conversation may be in Heaven Heavenly-mindedness is your duty let it be your delight to seek those thingâ— which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore for all thosâ— and onely those that have and exercise the Graces of the Spirit in truth and uprightness Labour therefore in the last place for the Grace of Sincerity which is not so much a Grace as that which makes Grace to be â—race If I may sâ—y so what is Faith but Fancy if it be not unfeigned Or Love but Lust except it be without dissimulation What is Obedience good for if it be not universal and constant Our hearts and lives are not sound if we have not respect unto all Gods Commandments to perform them alwayes unto the end Suppose our Gracious Majesty the King command nothing but what is holy just and good for His own Honour and Interest and the good of His Subjects will he judge those persons sincere to him that lives in open disobedience to any of his righteous Laws God and man would and should be served in sincerity and truth God is to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth he is rich in mercy but to whom to them that call upon him in Truth The good and the right way is only fear the Lord and serve him in Truth with all your heart God is for the heart and the whole heart man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart the heart and the sincerity of it is all in all with God Grace and Mercy is with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity with incorruption Sincerity is the Salt thâ—t keeps our Love and other Graces from corrupting and perishing it is the root of the matter which makes the hâ—art good and honest in bringing forth the fruit of rightâ—â—usness with patience unto perfection Whereas the seed sown in the heart where there is no root â—iâ—hers away the Word of the Truth of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit in them that hear it who knâ—w the Grace of God in Truth Do not my words saith God do good to him that walketh upright God is good to those that be good and to them that are upright in their hearts which David intimates in his Prayer None are good indeed but the upright and sincere their hearts are good their lives are good they are like Saul and Jonathan lovely and pleasant in their lives and their death is precious in the sight of the Lord. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace He shall enter into Peace that walketh before God in Truth and with a perfect heart doing that which is good in his sight uprightness integrity and sincerity in heart speech and behaviour is very pleasing to God Behold thou delightest in or desirest Truth in the inward parts They onely are the Sons of God who are blameless harmless or sincere speaking the Truth in love as being sincere which is all one speaking the Truth from the heart is a character of a Citizen of Zion and the property and duty of the true Ministers of the Gospel who are not as many which deal deceitfully with or corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak they in Christ his Doctrine shewing uncorruptness sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned ordering also their Conversations in the World by the grace of God in simplicity and godly sincerity that they may approve things that are excellent that they may be sincere and without offence toward God and toward man till the day of Christ They who are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel are even so to speak and live not as pleasing men but God which tryeth their hearts not at any time using flattering words for a cloak of covetousness whom St. Paul would have the Brethren to mark And I most humbly beseech His most peaceable Majesty for His own and His Kingdoms sake and safety He would also mark them who cause Divisions and Offences upon what pretences soever either in the State or Church or Families contrary to the Doctrine of Christ for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple walking in craftiness doing the work of the Lord deceitfully But such as would first seek the Kingdom of God with comfort must labour to be Israelites indeed in whom is no guile that they may grow in grace in every grace going from grace to grace from strength to strength for the pure in heart and he that hath clean hands and is sincere perfect and undefiled in the way shall be stronger and stronger till he be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus being strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man to exercise himself in all holy conversation and godliness in every condition in every relation for the truth and strength of grace lies much in relative religiousness None are really holy that are not relatively holy they who are not good loyal and sincere loving Subjects to His most Excellent Majesty the King are far from the true power of godliness and so in all other Relations which I leave to a fitter opportunity to handle What more plain in all the Word of God than that every Soul is to be subject unto the higher Powers How apt are men to forget it Put them in mind therefore saith St. Paul to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates What follows To be ready to every good Work Why for Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the evil He is a Minister of God to every one for good both to the good and to the evil to make evil men good and good men better The Supreme Power which is the Ordinance of God is not to be resisted upon pain of damnation but all Dues Duties Tribute Custom Fear Honour the rather to be rendered with all chearfulness and humble thankfulness for Magistrates are Gods Ministers attending continually on this very thing wherefore let every one of us as it is our bounden duty shew the truth and power of our godliness herein for we must needs be Subjects not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake to our Superiours in the Lord And that they may rule for God and for good let Supplications Prayers Intercessions and