this mistery among the Gentills which is Christ in you the hope of glory Eph. 2.7 That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus Fiftly WEE beleeve that the Church which hath beene redeemed by the pretious bloud of our Lord and Master that she hath received the spirit of Adoption Glory Sanctification and obsignation to the intent that she might be absolutely assured of everlasting glory of God the Father the pretious riches of grace in Jesus Christ and the promises which are in Christ yea and Amen Vnto the praise and glory of the Father Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glory of God 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Sixtly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ having paid an Eternall price and ransome to his Father in the behalfe of his Church and peculiar therefore the price in it selfe being eternall infinite and unmeasurable doth comprehend in it selfe a remedie for the miseries of All mankinde whatsoever Mat. 20.28 Even as the sonne of man came not to bee ministred unto but to mimister and to give a ransom his life for many 1. Tim. 2.6 Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time Seventhly WE beleeve that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel universall and is to be preached amongst all creatures whatsoever to the intent that the Father of eternall love and mercy might single out his people out of the world shew forth the dignity of his owne Son manifest the marvilous riches of his owne glory and leave the Creature without excuse Mat. 28.19 Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Col. 1.23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I am made a Minister Eph. 2.12 That at that time ye are without Christ being Aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of grace having no hope And without God in the world 1 John 5.10 He that beleeveth me the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that beleeveth not God hath made him a lier because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Sonne John 3.18.19 Hee that beleeveth one him is not condemned but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse more then light because their deeds were evill Eighthly VVE beleeve that the Church being called by the word of life and salvation to participate of the glorious riches of Christ is bound by an everlasting bond of love and favour to yeeld all loyall obedience and subjection to Jesus Christ her Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 12.1 2. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable sacrifice and be not conformed to this world but bee transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Ninthly VVEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ is presented glorious in the sight of God her heavenly Father through union with Jesus Christ and her interest in her royall robes of righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 And being found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Isay 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed me with he garments of Salvation hee hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrorme decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her Jewells Tenthly VVE beleeve that neither sin the Law nor Justice is any cause of her chastisement onely the free and deare love of her deere Father to the end that he might teach her the way to glory weaken the power of the flesh and make her live by faith and love before him all her dayes Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Psal 119.6 7. Then shall I not bee ashamed when I shall have respect to all thy commandements I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements 2 Cor. 12.7 And least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me least I should exalted above measure 1 Pet. 1.6 7. wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if neede be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious then of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ Eleventh WE beleeve that although her God and father is in every place and beholds all things and by consequence seeth sin as it is in the flesh not withstanding having presented her just by the act of Reconciliation through the blood of the Sonne of God Justified her through the none imputation of iniquitie and made her stand in Christ for ever through union with him hence she stands in his sight for ever without spot or wrinckle Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto him with whom we have to doe 2 Cor. 5.17 Therfore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature Old things things are past away behold all things are become new Col. 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy unblamable unreproveable in his sight Ephes 5.27 That he might present to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Twelfe VVE beleeve that though in the dayes of Adam we with Adam stood under the old Covenant yet that Covenant is wholy abolished and that now injoying the law of faith mercy peace we stand for ever under that covenant
in thy presence condemned by their injudiciall sentence to free them from condemnation I stood in the place of Manasseth that Idolater in the roome of Paul that Blasphemer in the stead of Peter that denier when mine could not beare the heate of thy burning wrath and indignation I stood and beare their iniquities when they could not tread the winepresse of thy fury I trode the winepresse for them thou laydst the sins of mine upon my shoulders thou didst cast thy darts through my sides I was wounded I was chastised I was broken to peeces for them being made sinne for them who being thy sonne knew no sinne that they might bee made the righteousnesse of God in mee Now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I have made death temporall a bed of downe a place of rest and a sweete passage to my glory did Israel passe through the red sea and the waters did not overwhelme them did Judah and Rheuben passe through the waters of Jordan those did not offend them and shall not mine passe through the gates of death and shall that destroy them no I have taken away the death of death spiritual I live in mine by hope I have made them to cast Ankor in the throne of my grace and dearest mercy in whom wee have an Ankor of the soule safe and firme entring into that which is within the vaile Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an Ankor of the soule both sure and steadfast and which entreth into that within the vaile I live in them by love I have made them live in Me by my love So that there love to me is above treasures riches and honours above Father Mother wife and children above bonds chaines and fetters above temptations anguish or tribulation above the malice of the Divell the terrours of the law the horrours of hell the darts of the world and the warres of the flesh I have made them to leave all thinges terrene and earthly and to pitch on those things which are high and heavenly My love to them in their value and estimation is above Rubies Saphires pretious gemmes carbuncles and pretious Iewels ten thousand mountaines of gold in their sight are undervalued I am the chiefest of ten thousand the loves of men and women are disaccounted sith my love to them is above the loves of Jonathan and David The freenesse of my love hath made them love me intirely and freely and the eternity of my love hath made them love Me eternally hence have I spoken of them John 17.28 And I have made knowne to them thy name and will make it knowne that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them I have made them live the life of faith though their faith overcoms the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the wold even your faith 1 Joh. 5.4 though their faith repulseth the fiery darts of Satan above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall bee able to quench the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 6.16 Though their faith is more pretious then gold that is tryed in the fire That the tryall of your faith being much more pretious then of gold that perisheth though it bee tryed with fire might bee found unto praise and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 Notwithstanding it is mine I make them to beleeve in my Father and in my selfe whom hee hath sent I made them my beloved injoyers of eternall life glorie and beatitude I made them to abide in me by faith whilst I abode in them by love the truth thereof is witnessed by my Apostle I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me I also have taken away death eternall for I have reconciled mine to the Father by an everlasting reconciliation I have brought with mee the everlasting robes of righteousnesse I have taken away all their sinnes iniquities and transgressions by my blood most pretious I have made them one by union that they might enjoy a being in Me and in my Father Hence the second death shall have no power of them I my selfe have spoken it Apoc. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests to God and of Christs and shall raigne with him a thousand yeares What hath the world to say to my people true it is they have beene drunkards persecuters blasphemes they have beene alienated from my glory estranged from my love and without my presence in the world but I have washed them in the purest fountaine I have made their scarlet die whiter then the snow their bloody crimson whiter then the wooll are they defiled like the Menstruous cloath no are they leprous as was Naaman the Assirian no they are purer then the purest Nazarene What hath the flesh to pleade against mine true it is before I came to live in them their minds were clouded with Egyptian darkenesse there wils resisted my words of reconciliation their affections were involved in things terrene and sublunarie their hearts harder then the rockes or milstone and their consciences were the habitation of the blacke fiends of darkenesse but since I tooke up my rest in them I appeared the glorious light of the Gospel of life and redemption I have removed their darkenesse I have made them conformable to my sacred and holy wil I have set their affections aloft in the heavenly places I have softened their obstinate and obdurate hearts and have clensed their consciences from sin by my blood most pretious Now old things are past away and all things are become new now they are my workmanship created in Me to good workes that they should walke in them Now my peace my joy my love my grace and my liberty dwells in them Am I not King and Lord commander in the soule Am I not prince and Lord defender of the conscience Am I not Master and governour of the affections yea though sinne is in their flesh yet my grace is in their spirits for I am in them both grace and glory therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit What can the world say against those that are my redeemed and reconciled They will take away their good name I suffer the Angels of light to bespot their garments I permit the legalists to defame to blemish their conversations but the servant is not greater then his Master nor the Disciple then his Lord. If they take away their name I have given them a name which is written in the booke of life charectered it upon my breast for
If mine groanes with sighes and groanes with unspeakable and unutterable it is by my Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and hee that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God If mine are consolated through consolation it is by Spirit of consolation 2 Cor. 1.4 5. who comforteth us in at our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Doe my people incounter with hell sinne the law death the Devill and all evills without my presence no doe my people Navigate upon the mighty seas of miserie doe they saile over the vast Ocean of calamity without my assistance no I am not onely their Lord victorer to triumph over hell by heaven over death by my life over sin by my blood over the law by the law of the Spirit of life over the flesh by my spirit over the Devill by my death over the world by my glorious and triumphous victorie I am not onely their Lord acquirer of glory by relinquishing of my glory of righteousnesse by fulfilling all righteousnesse of peace by the peace of my crosse of love by the losse of the sence of love but I am there Lord conducter and leader to my heavenly glory What morning starre conducts them to rest but I the morning starre what sonne of beauty leades them to the light of felicity but I the sonne of righteousnesse I am the sunne by day and the cloud by night I am the only captaine of my redeemed and purchased I am the day starre that alwais appeares in the hearts of mine Therefore there is no condemnation to them which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 A sweet Contemplation Oh the depth of the sweet love and mercy of my Lord that bought Mee what no condemnation to me No I am washed in the blood of the lambe immaculate I am presented spotlesse in spotlesse robes I am Redeemed from amongst the prisoners of no hope I am united to the sonne of God and injoy communion with him My soule who shall condemne thee shall death shall hell shall the law shall the Devill shall the world shall the flesh no for they are not in thy beloved what though London England and the whole world band themselves against thee what though Legallists the Angells of light the world and all the rable of hell shall beset thee on every side what though the nearest and them which should be dearest to thee raise lies slanders reproches rebukes ignominies and all evills against thee yet be not dismayed for there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Now thy thoughts shall be continually upon thy free redemption thy rich justification thy sollid sanctification thy glorious Adoption thy wonderfull union and thy eternall glorification now thy spirit is full of love of praise of glory saying with the Apostle Rom. 8.1 2. Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the law of sinne and death The Philosopher saith there is a hidden and secret vertue in the starres and planets not in consonant to Scripture canst thou restraine the sweet influences of Pleiades And that there is a hidden vertue in gemms and pretious jewells that none can understand but those that are skilfull lapidaries So there is a hidden and inclosed excellency in Christ the Lord of life and Prince of glory and who can restraine the influences of his goodnesse or who can understand the richnes of his love but those who have knowne him by experience who can speake of the glorious robes of righteousnesse but those that are cloathed with the glorious robes of righteousnesse who can make mention of the rarenesse of Adoption but those who have obtained inheritance immortall and immarcessable or who can declare concerning the liberty of grace and glory but those that have accesse to the throne of grace by the spirit of glory hence came the rare experience the blessed Apostle found in and through the hand of the Mediator who delivered him from the law of sinne and death by the glorious and indissoluble Law of life according to the Text. Rom. 8. 2. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death The law in Scripture is taken severall waies First Sometimes for the rule of mercy and peace because from it the Saints injoy Mercy from the bowels of mercy in God the Father from Jesus Christ Mediatour of the Law or Covenant Gal. 6.16 As many as walke according to this rule peace be unto them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Secondly sometimes it is taken for the law of faith sith in and by that wee doe not onely beleeve the pardon of sins through the blood of Christ the non Recordation of iniquity through the mercy of the Father and the free injoyment of God to be our God and heavenly Father in that Covenant of life peace and Adoption but also because that we by that Covenant are under the command of the Father the mind and will of the Lord Christ the gratious mediatour of the law of life reconciliation Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting excluded by the law of workes nay but by the law of faith Thirdly Sometimes it is called the New Testament not onely in opposition to the old but because the Father of dearest mercies hath beene pleased to reveale and testifie a more full fruition and Communion of his love in the remission or condonation of iniquity in the blood of his deare Sonne Luke 22.20 Likewise also he tooke the Cup after Supper saying this Cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you Fourthly Sometimes it is tearmed the new Covenant to denote that high dignity great Prerogative and wonderfull priviledge that is given to them under this Covenant sith in this he becomes their God and bountifull Father Remembreth their iniquities no more Writes his law in their hearts And teacheth them the high and deepe truths of the Gospel Jeremiah 31.31 32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my Covenant they breake although I was an husband unto
thee the life of faith faith is my guift Ephes 2.10.8 For we are his workemanship created in Jesus Christ unto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God I gave to thee the life of love when I gave the sonne of love Joh. 3.16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth one him should not perish but have everlasting lif I gave to thee the life of hope when I gave to thee the lively hope through the resurrection from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundance mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurection of Jesus Christ from the dead When I have made mine to walke in sheepe skins and Goates skins in dennes and caves of the earth for my names sake I gave them hope of everlasting righteousnesse raigning by grace unto eternall life Rom. 5. last For as sinne hath raigned unto death even so might grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. When I gave them neither favour Love nor Footsteps in or amongst the Creature I have given to them a Citie whose maker and builder is my selfe Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a bettter Country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Citie When I made them undergoe Shipwracks Stonings Defamie Reproach Disdaine Contempt Malice Wrath Envie Backbitings Slanderings Scornings by them that under the profession of my praise and glory are enemies to the throne of my praise and glory I gave them hope in the eternall waight of my glory 2 Cor. 4.17.18 For our light afflictions whcih is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal waight of glory while we looke not one things that are seen but one things that are not seen for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternall Hence they expect a new heaven a new earth in which is righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 We waite for a new heaven and a new earth in which is Righteousnesse Hence they expect the light of my presence and pleasures for evermore Psalm 16. last Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fullnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Hence they looke for the Crowne of glory the Crowne of life and the Crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 Hence forth is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing And not without cause sith I have not only given unto them my oath and promise but the law of the spirit of my life to free them from the law of sin and death Heb. 6.18 19. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Which hope wee have as an Ancor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vaile Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sin detah The Father hath given to Christ the highest sublimitie and shall I cease to mention so great a dignity as the plenitude of sentence to conceivemēt is misticall so Christs kingly dignitie is unutterable though the rationalls cannot behold the Sun with full spectation yet the Sun must not hinder them from beholding though of Christ the Lord of life we make no full dimention yet the excellencie of the law of life must not hinder us from declaring hence admirable hath beene the expression of life from the law of life sith by that wee are freed from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and death The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus It was said of Jonathan and Saul that they were lovely and amiable in their lifes were not devided in their deaths It may be said of Christ that he was Amiable lovely being the Lord of life and that his love was not seperated from his death for in his death he abolished sinne totally overcame the divell victoriously and stopped the mouth of the accusing law wonderfully in his life we injoy eternall life a life spirituall in the heavenly places Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and death The rarenesse or pretiousnesse of the covenant consists in three things First In the freenesse of the Covenant Secondly in the eternity of the Covenant Thirdly in the place or collocation of the Covenant The rarenesse of this Covenant or law of life in Christ is in that it is a free covenant or law of life in Christ The effects of my covenant are free I became a God freely to mine in covenant What beauty what glory what splendor what righteousnesse what holinesse what performances have I seene in them the best of their righteousnes were menstruous cloathes and defiled garments Isa 64 6. But wee are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away The purest of their robes are no better then rattered raggs of the old Adam the rarest of their purities impurities of their righteousnes unrighteousnesse and of their godlinesse ungodlinesse It was I that washed them from their blood in the bloud of my deare sonne when they were involved in their blood Apo. 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead the prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood It was I that cloathed them in the robes of pure righteousnesse when they were cast out naked to the shame of their faces Ezek. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sweare unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine It was I that looked upon mine in the daies of shame and reproach when neither men nor Angells did regard them Eze. 16.5.6 No eye pittied thee to doe any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne and when I
love and glory Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate councell and foreknowledge of God yea have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slaine Aaron dyed and another succeeded in his place but I live for ever to make attonement and entercession for my reconciled Heb. 7.2.5 wherefore he is able to the uttermost to save them which come unto God by him seeing he ever liueth to make intercession for them Aaron neither entred into the land of Canaan nor brought others into the land of Canaan But I have entred into my Fathers kingdome provided that for the children of the kingdome John 14.2 3. In my Fathers house are many mantions if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe receive you unto my selfe that where I am there you may be also Aaron had the names of the Children of Jsrael ingraven in pretious stones and wore them upon his breast that hee might present their names and cause in the presence of my Father I have the names of mine ingraven upon my breast that I may ever present the cause of the Israel of God in my Fathers presence hence it is said of of me that I might appeare in the presence of God for mine Heb. 9.24 For Christ it not entered into the holy places made with hands which are figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us ut supra Secondly The Father hath given Christ to be the object of Faith through the Covenantâ— according to that thy eye beholds so is thy mind affected according to that the eare heareth so is the spirit delighted according to that thou conceivest of Christ so thy soule imbraceth The lowest thoughts thou hast it as heigh as the heavenly mantion and the heighest thought thou hast is as heigh as Christ Lord and Mediatour thou knowest or no mercy no grace no bounty no pittie no love no joy no rest no hope no promise no glory nor no felicitie without Christ rest is no rest if Christ be not thy rest hope is no hope if Christ be not thy hope felicity should be no felicity If Christ be not thy felicity and all things are nothing if Christ be not all things If thou injoyest light diurnall is it not from the sun in the midst of the planets If thou injoyest raine from the clouds is it not from the raine therein contained If thou injoyest hope rest felicitie is it not because it is in Christ comprehended all the rivers of the vallie wants water but Christs river Psal 46.4 There is a river the streames thereof shall make glad the Citie of our God All the Fountains of the world are empty but Christs Fountain John 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to eternall life And all the springs upon the earth are vacant or void but Christs overflowing sprinsg Psal 36.9 10. For with thee is the fountain of life in thy light we shall see light Who from the beginning of the world ever heard of reconciliation but through him was not he the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world who amongst the prisoners of hope ever heard of deliverie without him was not he the promised deliverer Isaiah 59 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. Who amongst the poore and bruised of the Saints ever heard of riches and liberty of the Saints without him is hee not the anoynted of the Lord Luke 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anoynted me to preach the Gospel to the poore hee hath sent mee to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised Did Moses heare of mercy clemency bounty patiencie and of verity in the rocke and doe not we of the same in the rocke Christ yea he is the rarest object Doth the sunne draw the Comets and Meators from below above and the Loadstone draw the needle distant to it and doth not Christ the Sonne of beauty and the pretious stone of glory draw the soule in misery to his highest mercies Joh. 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men after me Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake comfortably unto her Not onely the savour of his oyntments allures us not onely his sweet distilling Myrrh affects us but his strength of operation drawes us Uertue and strength went from Christ whereby the woman was healed and the vertue and dignity of Christ is that whereby the soule is fixed Hence saith the Scripture John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Hence it doth not onely chuse Christ to be its Vine of sweetnesse its shepheard because of his tender care and pitty the Lord its rightousnesse because he alone wrought righteousnesse but also its object of delight and delectation sith he is the only object of delight and delectation Hence is the Churches delight and delectation Ostende faciem tuam sonet vox tua in auribus meis vox enim tua dulcis facies tua decora O my soule pitch thou alone upon the treasures of his wisedome the storehouse of his mercy the plenitude of heavenly blessings upon his abundant grace truth righteousnesse goodnesse clemency merit death and satisfaction upon his glory peace rest and reciliation upon his liberty from slavery his freedome from bondage and everlasting redemption upon his hope blisse felicity and eternall benediction If thou brayest as the hart brayeth after the rivers of water it shall be after Christ Psal 42.1 2. As the heart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee my God my soule thirsteth for God after the living God when shall I come and appeare before God If thou thirsteth as the thirsty land it shall be after Christ Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is If thou wishest after any in heaven above or in the earth below for him shalt thou wish Psal 73.24 25. Thou shalt guide me with thy councell and afterward receive me to thy glory Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Hee is thy meate thy drinke and thy all things thy water thy wine thy fire and all things thy being thy welbeing thy life and thy althings Hence shalt thou rejoyce
his account and computation are their deaths precious in his sight and are not their lives precious in his presence Is the vine tender ever its branches the King loving to his Subjects the spouse acceptable to the bridegroome and are not his flocke precious deare to the great shepheard of Israel neither the Foxes by their cunning the Wolves by their ravening the Lions by their roaring the Tigers by their devouring shall be able to plucke them out of his hand John 10.28.29 And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand As they have beene acquired by an eternall power purchased by an infinite value so they are conserved by an eternall power and omnipotencie to the Kingdome of blisse and felicitie 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Ephes 1.19 And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power O my soule be certainly assured that nothing shall befall thee but that which shall be good for thee If death the sting of that is removed if life thy life is written in the book of life If perill conservation by the hope in Christ If famine thou hast the bread of life if want of water thou hast the fountaine of living water if sicknes thou hast healing to the wings of Christ if temptation thy faith shall be to thee more precious then gold that is tried in the fire if want of freedome thou hast libertie through redemption if losse of the love of the nearest in thy bosome thy Lord shepheard is nere and deare to thee and if want of defence thy Mediatour will be thy sunne and sheild Psalme 84.11 For the Lord God is a sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with hold from them that walke uprightly Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to his purpose Oh! my soule if thou gloriest thou shalt glory in such a shepheard is he not the great shepheard able to make thee perfect in every good worke Heb. 13.20.21 Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepheard of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing to you through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen Hath he not fountaines above all fountains springs surpassing all springs and pastures more pleasant then all pastures Ezek. 34.23 And I will set up one shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David He shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard 14.15 verse I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high Mountains of Israel Shall their fold be there shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the Mountaines of Israel I will feed my flocke and I will cause them to ly down saith the Lord God His voice will I heare his word will I obey to his call I will subject I know the difference between his voice and the voice of strangers they set up mans inventions makeing linsey woolsy garments and set up mans posts by Christs posts they advance mans rightteousnesse set up legall doings and popish performances they throw the Lord Jesus Christ out of his thron and plucke him out of his chaire and set up the creature worse then nothing But the voice of Christ is to speake of the praise of his owne righteousnesse of the pretiousnesse of his own blood of the triumph of his owne death of his love to his beloved Church of the nearnesse of that union the saints have with his father and of the pitie he hath to the broken spirits Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest And of the gift of eternall life to his adopted John 17.2 And thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him Of the praise of the glory of the honour of the dominion of the power and of the love of his Father John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Of the revelation teaching direction convincement and comfort of the spirit John 15.26 But when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall testifie of me Therefore as thou givest praise because hee is thy mediatour thy King thy Bridegroome thy vine and thy beloved so thou shalt give praise sith hee is become thy eternall carefull deare and loving shepheard rejoycing in the law and covenant of life in Christ that is blessed yea a thousand times blessed for evermore Rehearsing the words concerning the Law of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sinne and death Secondly In respect of Eternity The Celestiall body is more excellent then other bodies in foure respects First Because it is a Cause Universall Secondly Because it is carried about with a circuler motion Thirdly Because of heavenly light and fourthly because it is incorruptible So the Covenant or law of free grace is not onely excellent because the light of the fathers countenance shines in that Covenant because it is conferred upon the sonnes of miserie and calamity because it is the cause of all divine graces and mercies given to the Saints but also sith it is everlasting and eternall My Covenant is not as the small dew upon the tender hearbs not as the fading leafe and withering hearb not as the fraile life of the sublunarie creatures I made the first Covenant with Adam and it was momentanie I have made the second in Christ and it is to perpetuity when I espoused mine to me to the praise of my glory I espoused them to me for ever through my mercy Isa 54.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee in a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnes will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Whence once I become their God I am their God to eternity when once I become their Father I am their Father to perpetuitie as there is no end of the blood of the covenant of
admiration of the times because of his wisedome and discretion Christ the wonder and admiration of his Churches because of his speeches and declaration My soule he that is thy peace thy rest thy love thy mercy he shall be thy cōmander he that is thy prince of glory thy Lord of life he is thy gratious protector hee that is thy vine thy head c thy bridegroome he shall be thy leader rule for grace and peace came by him when the Law came by Moses Ioh. 1.17 Redemptiō Justification and Reconciliation came by him when Condemnation adjudication came by Moses Consolations comforts joyes and springs of solace came by him when terrors horrors feares and servitude came by Moses Therefore thou shalt glory and expresse the praise of glory concerning the words of freedome and liberty Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death 2. The Law of the Spirit of life It hath beene said of Paradise that it was the rarest place in the habitable world in respect of Altitude in respect of Amaenetie in respect of Profunditude and in respect of Jucunditie the same may be spoken concerning the Spirit of life and glory it is extolled in respect of Altitude sith it is in Christ who was placed in the high and heavenly places of Amaenetie sith it is the delight of the beloved Saints and peculiar of Profunditude sith it soundeth the lowest and deepest misery of Jucunditie sith it makes the drooping soule most joyous and chearefull Therefore the same that was the joy and glory of the blessed Apostle is the joy and glory of the drooping soule joying and glorying in the words of the Apostle Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death The Law of the Spirit of life Pretious are the gifts and graces which come from the Father of everlasting light rare are the treasures which come from the Lord of life and peace rare and pretious is the Law of life which is from and of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus What is so jucundious what is so amaenious or what is so joyous as the spirit of Adoption which sealeth the soule up to the day of eternall Redemption or what can be so pleasant so delightsome or joyfull as the spirit that consolates the soule in the midst of all distresses or what can be so rare so wonderfull and admirable as the law of of the spirit of life that frees us from the law of sinne and death the seale of the spirit doth rejoyce thee in the day of thy Adoption the disconsolated are consolated in the day of Consolation the wanting vacuous are filled with joys in the day of impletion and the soule is filled with all fulnesse and sweetnesse in the day of liberation hence comes in our joyfullnesse and fullnesse that as we receive our peace from the Prince of peace our righteousnesse from the Lord of righteousnesse so we receive the law of life from the spirit of life in Christ Jesus If thou hast the revelation of the mistery of the Kingdome it is by the spirit Mat. 16.11 He answered and said unto them because it is given unto you to know the misteries of the Kingdome of Heaven but to them it is not given If to thee is given to know the deep and profound things of God it is by the spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God If to thee is given to know the mind of God before the world was it is by the spirit Ephes 4.7 But to every one of us is given grace according to the gifts of Christ Ephes 3.5 That to other Generations hath not been known to the sonnes of men is now revealed to the Apostles and prophets by the spirit So if there is a revelation of the mistery of glory to Babes and Sucklings and denied to the learned Doctors and Rabbies of the world it is by the spirit Mat. 11. 25.26.27 At that time Jesus answered and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hide these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes even so Father for so seemed good to thy sight All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the sonne and he to whom soever the sonne will reveale him None can write the law of God in the hearts of the Saints but the spirit of Christ as none can seale to the Conscience the everlasting love of God the Father and the precious treasures of Jesus Christ but the spirit of glory as none can give the spirit of oration to them that cannot pray the spirit of consolation to them that sit in mourning weeds but the spirit of Comfort so none can write the mind of God in the conscience or the will of Christ in the spirit of the Saints but the spirit of assurance or obsignation Hence it is recorded by the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.3 Yee are our Epistles written in our hearts which is known and read of all men manifest to be the epistle of Christ c. The same spirit that reveales unto the Saints the unsearchable riches of Christ that engraves the heavenly and gracious mind of the Father in the consciences of the Redeemed the same quickens the soule by the mighty power of life and vivification when we lay dead in sinnes and trespasses when wee were troden in our bloods by the Horsmen of Hell and Death when we were involved in the depth of the gulfe of miseries then by the same spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead we were quickned therefore not without cause is he called the spirit of life First In the respect of Christ Secondly In respect of the life that the Saints receive through uniō by the spirit Thirdly In respect of that life the Saints receive through Faith Love and hope by the spirit in the act of communion When our Lord was in the grave neither hell nor death nor law nor justice nor all the force of the creature could retaine him for he shewed himselfe the Lord of life by rising from the dead Apoc. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead I am alive forever more Amen and have the keyes of Hell and death Lord over sin by the blood of his crosse Col. 2.14.15 Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us and tooke it out of the way nailing it to his crosse and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them all Conquerer over the Divill by the power of his death Heb. 2.24 For as much then as the children are partakers of
Lord was my stay Out of my love I have loved them freely I regarded neither their righteousnesse their holynesse their performances neither their prayers their doings nor their excellencies neither their purity their innocency nor their integritie I have loved my redeemed and my justified freely I have respected my reconciled freely and I regarded my adopted and my glorified freely Though thousands should have presented to me the vertue of the sonne the moone and starres the riches of seas of mountaines and of the vallies or the free will of the freewillers notwithstanding I would refuse it If I lay downe my life for my sheep is it not out of the freenesse of my love John 10.11 I am the good shepheard the good shepheard giveth his life for his sheep If I give my life for my Church is it not out of my tender and deare affection Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it If I give to mine the riches of hidden treasures the glory of the heavenly mantions and the sure and firme mercies which are treasured in my breasts is it not love of my tenderest care and love Hence out of my love I expresse my dearest tenderest love given to mine which eye cannot see which eare cannot heare nor mind conceive 1 Cor. 2 9 But as it is written Eye hath not seen eare heard neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him I have loved them so dearely that I will be their glory in grace their eternall glory and their expression of glory who was their hope and glory Col. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mistery among the Gentils whsch is Christ in you the hope of glory Who makes them to rejoyce under the the hope of glory If not I. Rom. 5.1.2 Therefore being iustified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Who makes them passe one from glory to glory If not I. 2 Cor. 3. last But we all with open face behoulding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. Am I not their glory and crowne of life Am I not their glory and crowne of righteousnesse Am not I their glory and crowne of mercy Psal 103.3 4. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The glory of my love is tyed to the sweetnesse of my peace the glory of my grace to my acceptation Ephes 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved The praise of my glory to the choise of my election Ephes 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ The assurance and seale of my redemption to the praise of my glory Ephes 1.14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory The collocation in the heavenly places to the honour of my superemenent grace Ephes 2.6.7 And hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus What beatitude What communion What benediction What frution What felicitie Or what glory can any injoy without me the effulgencie the character and glory of my father hath the rivers waters without the fountaines No Hath the ayre light without the Sunne no or can any possesse glory without my glory no. Hence I have tould my choise and dearest ones John 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me J have given them that they may be one even as we are one And because I have given them this first glory they sing of my second glory worshipping me that lives for ever falling down be fore my throne of glory Apoc. And when those beasts gave glory honour thanks to him that sate on the throne who liveth for ever and ever The foure and twenty Elders fall downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crownes before the throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And they sing not onely of my love in word but also in deede Answering my command loving one another as I have loved them John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as J have loved you The Philosopher saith that the first moveable is moved by Angels and all secundarie motions are moved by the first motion or moveable it is affirmed by the spirit of glory that the love of the saints to God the Father and of each towards each other is from that love the Father hath shewed towards them Joh. 1.4.10.12 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propiciation for our sinnes No man hath seene God at any time if wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us If they are deare in affection is it not through my union they are deare members pretious branches and loving spouses sith I have joyned the members to mee their head I have ingrafted them into me their vine and I have espoused them to me their bridegroome if they injoy fellowship one with another it is not through my Covenant I have not only given them communion with my Father to injoy fellowship with my Father communion with my selfe â—o injoy an inheritance in my treasures but I have given mine communion fellowship one with another that they might have joy and delectation each with other 1 John 1.3 That which wee have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ Hath the aire light and not from the sunne hath the hand and foot motion and not from life and hath mine fellowship and not through my fellowship as I have given them the glory of eternall fruition the honour of perpetuall conservation John 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me that they may bee one as we are So I have given mine the glory of union hence I have made them one as I and the father are one John 17.22 And the glory which
will make thy windowes of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pretious stones Though they were left as a widow forsaken and as a virgin relinquist I have not left them nor forsaken them Isay 54.6.7 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit and a wife of youth when thou wast refused saith thy God For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee Though they were not accounted worthy of a being upon the face of the earth I have given them a heavenly habitation 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens And shall not mine love mine for ever I will not have my bruised quast I love the smoaking flax and the bruised reed I will not have my broken disesteemed my wounded despised my sicke neglected my prisoners not visited my feeble unrefreshed my poore begging bread and my distressed consciences uncomforted To what end doe I commit them to my Churches care to belie slander backbite and speake evill of my people No to frowne lowre and pet against my weake ones No that they might breake bruise and tread under foot my weakest servants No but that they should refresh comfort solace and refocilate my weake ones and my poorest servants as their names their lives their liberties their consciences are deare to me so I will have their names lives liberties and deaths pretious in my peoples sight What rarer then the influences of my grace from my superemenent grace Yet that have I bestowed upon my jewels what is purer then the garments of my salvation Yet that have I given to my choisest ones and what more pretious then my dearest blood yet that I give to my dearest saints As I cause the sweet influence of the Plejades to rest upon and in the plants of the feild so I cause the sweet influence of my grace to rest and abide in my peculiar people and shal not mine distribute their goods make known their gifts and spend their lives each for other 1 John 4.10.11 In this was manifest the love of God towards us bacause that God sent his only begotten sonne 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 sonne to be the propiciation for our sinnes Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another I have loved mine with a faithfull love am I not that faithfull witnesse I witnesse faithfully are my promises yea and Amen and am not I yea and Amen doe I sanctifie mine with my truth and am I not the truth it selfe If mine have infirmities and failings I tell it not in the gates of Gath nor in the streets of Askelon I carrie not the failings of my people from the throne of my grace to the barr of my justice but I free them from the barr of justice and accquite them before the throne of grace And shall not mine love mine with a faithfull love and an intire affection what in word in tongue in lookes in shadowes No But in sincerity of spirit and faithfullnesse of heart not speaking evill of mine as Doeg did of David not uncovering the shame of mine as Ham of Noah but speking gratiously of mine as Jonathan of the Lords anoynted Answering my Commission 1 John 3.18 My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth I have loved mine freely They were vessells of wrath bound under the chaines of hell death and darkenesse under the black clawes of that roaring Lyon the Devill not withstanding I looked upon them in mercy I regarded not the multitude of their performances the beauty of their righteousnesse the excellency of their gifts I made the beggar to sit amongst Princes 1 Sam. 2.9 He raiseth up the poore out of the dust lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them amongst Princes and to make them inherite the throne of glory For the pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them I make the ofscurings of the earth through my blood Kings and Priests to God my father Apoc. 1.5.6 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten from the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his father to him be glory dominion for ever ever Amen I made the distressed vallies of death and darkenesse to injoy an inheritance amongst my sanctified by faith that is in me Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive the forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith that is in me And shall mine not love mine in sheep skins goats skins as if they weare the cloth of gould beset with Diamonds if they were upō the dunghil as if they were the greatest the honourable the richest and the noble Shall they not eye the weake the meanest and the poore of my redeemed flocke as well as the fat lusty of my flocke beloved Jam. 2.3 4 5. And yee have respect to him that wearrch the gay cloathing and say unto him sit thou heare in a good place And say to the poore stand thou there or sit here under my footstoole are yee not partiall in your selves and are become judgers of evill thoughts Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him I have loved mine so dearely that I have layd down my life for mine I might have reasoned and said these are Rebels against my glory Traytours against the throne of my grace Transgressours of my divine and purest law they have undervalued my word of gratious reconciliation they have despised the word of my sanctification and they have disrespected the doctrine of free and plentious redemption Who have advanced their owne righteousnesse above my righteousnesse if not they Who hath set their posts by my posts if not they Who hath disesteemed the blood of my covenant if not they and shall not mine love mine to the death yea if I the great shepheard the tender Bridegroome the pleasant vine and King of my Church have layd down my life for my Church shall not the sheep the spouse the branches and subjects of my kingdome lay downe their lives for each other O my people I am the searcher of the hearts and tryer of the raines I walke in the midst of the golden Candlesticks to see what love is or should be in the midst of my
people I see my sick not visited my poore debased my naked unclothed my hungrie and thirsty not satisfied my dearest Jewells slandered my pretious servants defamed and those that speake the truth disdained In stead of patience prudence gentlenesse mildnesse and gratiousnesse of spirit there is backebiting lying crying and slandering in every corner of the City But have they not cause to tender one another dearly are they not fellow Citizens and of the houshould of of my father Ephes 2.19 Now therefore yee are no more strangers and forreners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the houshould of God Are they not my branches whom I esteeme most deerely John 15.5 I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing Are they not they that are called to communion with mee that am their deare Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom yee were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. They are not base but noble all the Kings and Monarches under heaven are not comparable to one of the Kings that I have made to God my Father through my blood most pretious They are Kings of earthly Kingdomes mine of heavenly and celestiall Kingdomes They are Kings by a Royall progenie mine are Kings through my blood undefiled they have crownes of pure gold pretious stones mine have crowns of life and righteousnesse they have guards of men to attend them mine guards of Angells the beloved saints Heb. 1 last Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heiers of Salvation Their cloth is better then the cloth of golâ— their riches better then the riches of jewells and their wealth more excellent then the wealth hid in the sands Though the devill would devoure them I will save them though the flesh make war with them I will support them though death would destroy them I will give them my salvation Haback 3.13 Thou wentest forth for the Salvation of the people even for Salvation with thine anoynted thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck Selah I am their King and shall not I command them their Bridegroome and shall not I will them their loving Mediatour and shall I not wish them to love on another I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure bounds chaines imprisonments for my sake that they will obey me I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure poverty for my poore penurie for my distressed miserie for my afflicted that they will subject to me My voice is as deare to them as heaven my commands as acceptable as my joyes and my wishes As my love my glory and my righteousnesse Therefore they will answere my command of love as it is recorded John 15.12 This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you A CONFESSION OF OVR FAITH According to the Order of the GOSPEL First WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Eternall Sonne of God who was with the Father before the world was Appointed by an Eternall Election Mediatour Redeemer and Reconciler of all those whom the Father out of his Eternall and free love had ordained unto Eternall Life John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in thy bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 17.3 And this is life Eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Secondly VVE beleeve that it was the Fathers divine pleasure to or daine Jesus Chr st to bee King over his Church peculiar and the sole only Prophet from which the Church should receive all her treasures of Divine rarest wisedome Ephes 1.21 22 23. Far above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him Col. 1.3 Wee give thnnkes to God and the Father of Jesus Christ our Lord praying alwaies for you Thirdly WEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ was freely chosen and selected out of the free and eternall love of the Father resting in the bosome of Jesus Christ to the end that it might be partaker of all the heavenly treasures of divine grace and righteousnesse made conformable to the will of God the heavenly Father and to the minde of Jesus Christ the blessed and glorious Redeemed Ephes 1.4 5. According as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Sonnes by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will 2 Pet. 1.4 Wherby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Rom. 8.27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because hee maketh intersession for the Saints according to the will of God Fourthly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ the Lord of life and salvation laid downe his life in speciall for her according to the absolute and divine appointment of the Father to the intent that hee might confirme upon her the supereminent riches of glory the exceeding riches of mercy and the marvilous dispensation of his marvilous Kindnesse which proceedes alone from his free and divine pleasure Acts 20.28 Take heede therefore unto your selves and to all the floâ—ke over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how should he not with him freely give us all things Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it Apoc. 5.9.10 And they sang a new song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred tongue and people and nation and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of