are over and wee make our returns from Heaven to Earth How much work have wee to keep our hearts by the Lord how do they slink away e're wee are aware and whilst wee are in his Presence how seldome do wee rejoyce in his Presence What hungry meals what jejune feasts do wee make before the Lord Wee relish not his Daintys his Wine is but lees his Marrow and his fat things are but leanness to our Souls a little love would sweeten every drop would season every morsel that comes from his Table would make our very Fasts to bee pleasant bread Wee feed upon the dish or the trencher and not the meat on the bone and not the marrow Ordinances and the external Exercises of Religion are but the bone or the shell or the dish it is God that is the Kernel the Marrow and Fatness How little Communion have wee with the Lord in our approaches to him and how little sweetness do wee finde in the little wee have Communion is the pleasure of Love and Love is the sweetness of Communion Now I am where I would bee O! how amiable are thy Tabernacles very pleasant art thou to mee O Lord that is the voice of Love Had wee more love wee should bee more spiritual and spiritual things would bee more grateful to spiritual hearts Divine Love is like the fire it rarifies and changes hearts into its own likeness and then there 's sweetness O we are carnal and that 's enough to evidence that there 's little of the love of God abiding in us Consider these things and you will see that love is a rarity there 's but little true love in the world O prize the love of God let its want make it prized shall it bee so rare and yet so cheap prize it and press on after it What do these hearts below are they not still below so cold such clods of clay and yet above so carnal so sensual and yet in Heaven so hungry and so greedy in sucking the juice of this earth in taking in its pleasures so busy in digging out the Wealth of the earth and searching for its treasures hearts so busy this way and yet not here how canst thou say I am walking with the God of Glory when thou art still worshipping the Gods of the Earth how canst thou say this heart is risen it is not here when it may bee said to thee behold the place where it lyes it is still in the field in the ridges and furrows thereof it is still in the Mines in the heart of the earth see the place where it lyes we sow our hearts with our seed we send them down to dig in the heart of the Earth But what do these hearts below sursum corda get you up get you up leave nothing but the Mantle here your carkasses Earth to Earth Dust to Dust Come heave these souls Heaven-ward let them take the wing and be gone O that I had the wings of a Dove that I might fly up and be at rest Be lower than ever by humility but let love be on high Behold those cords of love that are let down in every Ordinance in every Providence there 's a cord let down to gather up hearts hearken to those calls of love come up hither come up hither we come Lord thou bid'st us come O lend us thy hand and lift us up Come on Christians come let 's be happy if wee love wee are happy Come let 's rejoyce if wee love wee joy come let 's live wee dye wee dye while wee linger on this earth if wee love wee live let 's live and let our life bee love let our works bee labours of love our sufferings seals of love our sorrows the sorrows of love our wounds loves scars our prayers the cryes of love our praises love songs to our Lord and God Let every duty every exercise let every member every power let our bodies let our souls bee loves Sacrifices as we see in all his so let the Lord see love in all our waies Canst thou not love look till thou canst look up to thy God send up thy thoughts thither let thy Meditations bee of him these will not bee long before the Throne e're they fetch up thy heart Look on thy Jesus behold his hands and his feet come and put thy finger into the print of the Nails and thrust thine heart into his side and there let it lie till thou feel it warm Look up to thy Jesus lift up a prayer Lord let mee love thee if thou lovest let mee love thee I will seek till I can see let mee see till I can love What have I here Lord my all is with thee my help my hope my treasure my life is hid with Christ in God And yet behold this all is nothing to mee while mine heart is no more with thee take it Lord take it up where my treasure is there let mine heart bee also Doubting Christian who because thou lovest so little fearest thou lovest not at all cry for more but bee thankful for what thou hast bee ashamed thou lovest no more but bee not dismayed thou complainest thou canst not love God but dost thou love his Image his Saints his Word his Works his Waies Whilst thou sayest thou lovest not God dost thou love Godliness if thou canst not love can'st grieve can'st lament after him hast thou chosen dost thou hang upon trust in the Lord If thou canst not love can'st fear and follow the Lord If he be not sensibly in thy affection is he in thy thoughts in thy mouth in thine eye Is hee thy aim and thy scope doth thy course bend towards him Comfort thine heart in these things thou mayest see though thou canst not feel thou lovest CHAP. XIV An heart to fear the Lord. AN heart to fear the Lord Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me I shall proceed to the opening of this by these steps I shall shew 1. That the Lord God is a dreadful God 2. That the Lord hath put the dread of himself upon the hearts of all the earth 3. That yet by sin the heart of man is much hardned from the fear of the Lord. 4. That God will recover his Honour and again put his fear into the hearts of his people 5. What this fear of the Lord is that he will put into them 1. The Lord God is a dreadfull God he is dreadfull in the Excellency and Glory of his Majesty Job 13.11 Shall not his Excellency make you afraid and his dread fall upon you His Power is dreadfull Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence Which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot pass it and though the Waves thereof toss themselves yet they cannot prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it Fear ye not me saith
will you die Turn and live God may speak thus once and twice and ten times but is not regarded his words have no weight his counsels have no credit his warnings are of no value with hardned fearless hearts If the Devil speak but onâ—e he is heard if Lust speak but onâ—e 't is obeyed if a proud companion speak but once he is followed whilest the word of the God of glory is made a reproach and a scorn Oh the intollerable contempt that 's poured out upon the most High by men that fear not God! Make thy promises and give thy gifts to whom thou wilt give Grace and give Glory where thou pleasest the World for me my Pleasures mine Honours my Liberty for me this world for me look after the other who will Let the Lord threaten let the day of the Lord come let it hasten that we may see it let the Almighty do his worst I will not hearken nor turn This is the blasphemy of hardned fearless hearts 4. God will recover his Honour in the hearts of his people He will put his fear in their hearts whilest others are hardened they shall tremble whilest others kick they shall stoop who ever despise me of these will I be had in honour 5. What this fear of the Lord is that he will put into their hearts The fear of God is taken in Scripture 1. Sometimes more largely as it comprehends all Religion Job was said Chap. 1. to be a man fearing God that is a godly man but in this â—…nse I shall not here speak of it 2. Sometimes more Strictly as a distinct grace as distinguished from Faith Love Hope and other graces of the Spirit And being taken in this sense there are these two things included in it 1. A Reverence of God 2. An Abhorrence of evill for Gods sake 1. A Reverence of God To fear God is to have the awe of God abiding upon the heart to be under a sence of the Majesty and Glory of the Lord shining forth in all his Attributes especially in his Holiness and Omniscience the glory of his Holiness and the sence of such an holy eye upon the soul strikes it with dread and consternation This is exprest in Scripture by Sanctifying the Lord in the heart Levit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in them that draw nigh me Isa 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread There is mention in Scripture of a sanctifying of God and a justifying of God As God doth justifie and sanctifie his people so they are to justifie and sanctifie God These two the justifying and sanctifying of God though they be much the same yet there is some difference betwixt them To sanctifie God is to reverence him in our hearts and to represent him in the glory of his Holiness before men To justifie God supposeth a sinful judging and foolish charging of God in the hearts of men and is our vindicating of him from such charges Is God righteous How is it then that he is so partial in his dealings with the righteous and unrighteous that he deals worse with those that fear him then with those that fear him not Is God good How is it then that he is so hard not onely in imposing but inflicting such hard things upon his own Is God true How is it then that he fails his people so often when he hath said I will never fail them nor forsake them Our flesh hath failed and our heart hath failed yea and our God hath often failed us too we have often called and have had no answer we have often trusted and have had no deliverer Yet God is righteous yet God is good yet God is true he hath not been unrighteous he hath not been an hard Master he hath not failed nor forsaken this is to justifie God Our justifying of God hath some kindes of resemblance with Gods justifying of us Gods justification of us stands in his not imputing sin to us and accepting us as righteous and our justifying of God stands in our not imputing evill to him and our acknowledging him to be true just and good God hath justified me from my sins and that 's enough to proclaim him good and faithfull whatever his other dealings be Let him afflict me let him chastise me since he will not judge me nor condemn me with the world God hath justified himself in my Conscience I have found that the Lord is gracious I have found that God is faithfull he hath said he will not and I must say he hath not forsaken He hath not failed when he hath most failed me when he hath been farthest off from my help he hath even then been a present help in trouble He hath answered when he hath been most silent he hath been most good when he hath been most hard I have never found more sweet then in his bitter Cup I must judge my self not my God I have sinned I have sinned against him and therefore I must justifie him when he speaketh and clear him when he judgeth Hold thy peace querulous heart be silent all the Earth before the Lord for truly God is good to Israel and to them that are of a clean heart There be few among the worst of sinners but if Conscience might be suffered to speak it would justifie God 'T is Lust that quarrels not Conscience 'T is vain to serve the Lord and what profit is there to keep his Ordinances His waies are unequal and hard his promise failes take one time with another oftner then 't is made good Who is it that plagues and disappoints and crosseth and vexeth us This evill is of the Lord why should I wait on the Lord any longer Nay whom doth he punish moâ—e then those that are nearest him Who have sorrow who have trouble in the flesh Who are reproached scorn'd hunted up and down the world but these This they may thank God for and their following of him 'T is better being the servant of sin then the servant of Christ Thus Lust blasphemes but speak Conscience Is God unrighteous Is God false of his word Are the pleasures of sin better then the gain of godliness Have the children of this world made a wiser choise then the children of light Speak sinner let thy Conscience speak whether it be thus or no. God hath not left himself without witness in the hearts of sinners much more will his Saints when they do speak their hearts speak good of his name But this by the way To return to the matter in hand To sanctifie God is especially to reverence him in the heart to have such an high an holy and honourable esteem of him as commands an awe upon the heart and that 1. At all times My son be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long My son 'T is not only for Slaves but for Sons to fear Be thou in the fear of the Lord. 'T is not only
trust to it trust everlasting truth trust to everlasting strength Fear not for there shall not fail one word of all that I have spoken by all my servants the Prophets If you should hear the Lord speaking thus to you from Heaven what would you say Would not this satisfie you Why search the Scriptures that more sure word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 Read them diligently understond what thou readest and then say if thou doest not there finde the Lord speaking fully to thee the following words CHAP. XVII God speaking from Mount Gerizim Or the Gospel in a Map being a short view of the exceeding great and precious Promises * Mr. I. A. by another hand The voyce of the Herauld O All ye Inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the Earth Come see and hear gather your selves together unto the Proclamation of the great King Hear you that are farr off and you that are near He that hath an ear to hear let him hear I am the voyce of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Let every Valley be exalted and every Mountain made low for the glory of the Lord is to be revealed Go thorow go thorow the Gates prepare the way Cast up cast up the High-way gather out the Stones lift up the Standard for the people for the Lord proclaimeth salvation to the ends of the Earth Tydings tydings O ye Captives Hear all ye that look for salvation in Israel behold I bring you glad tydings of great joy which shall be unto all people Blessed newes Prepare your ears and hearts the Lord hath commanded me saying Go unto the people and sanctifie them lâ—t them waâ—h and be ready for the Lord is coming down upon Mount Sion in the sight of all the Nations Not in Earthquakes and Fire not in Clouds and Darkness not in Thundrings and Burnings rending the Mountains and breaking the Rock in pieces He speaks not to you out of the Blackness and Darkness and Tâ—mpest you shall say no more Let not God speak to us lest we dye He cometh peaceably he Law of kindness is in his mouth he preacheth Peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near Behold how he commeth leaping upon the Mountains he hath passed Mouth Ebal no more wrath or cursing he is come to Mount Gerizim where he standeth to bless the people As Mordecai to his Nation he writeth the words of truth and peace seeking the welâ—are of his people and speaking peace to all his Seed Behold how he cometh clothed with flames of Love with bowels of Compassion plenteous Redemption and multiplyed Pardons O how pregnant is his Love O the rollings of his Bowels Oh how full are his Breasts even aking till they are eased by the sucking of his hungry Children Hearken therefore O ye Children hearken to me To you it is commanded O People Nations and Languages that at what time you hear the joyful sound the Trump of Jubile the tydings of peace in the voyce of the everlasting Gospel that you fall down before the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever Arise and come away Prepare prepare you Hear not with an uncircumcised ear you are not upon a common thing Behold the Throne is set the Throne of grace where Majesty and Mercy dwell together from thence will the Lord meet you from thence will he commune with you from the Mercy-seat from between the Cherubims upon the Ark of the Testimony Lo the Lord cometh out of his Pavilion the mighty God from Sion Selah His glory covereth the Heavens the Earth is full of his praise A fire of love goeth before him mercy and truth are round about him righteousness and peace are the habitation of his Throne he rideth on his Horses and Chariots of Salvation the Covenant of life and peace is in his mouth Rejoyce ye Heavens make a joyful noise to the Lord all the Earth Let the Sea roar the Floods clap their hands and the multitudes of the Isles rejoyce Stand forth the Host of Heaven prepare your Harps cast down your Crowns be ready with your Trumps bring forth your golden Vials full of Odours for our voyces will jarr our strings will break we cannot we cannot reach the note of our Makers praise Yet let them that dwell in the dust arise and sing Bear your part in this glorious service but consider and attend Call out your souls and all that is within you Lift up your voyces fix your eyes enlarge your hearts intend all their Powers here is work for them all Be intent and serious you cannot strein too high Come forth ye graces beset the way be all in readiness Stand forth Faith and Hope flame O Love come ye warm desires and break with longing Let fear with all veneration do its Obeysance Joy prepare thy songs call up all the Daughters of Musick to salute the Lord as he passeth by Let the generations of the Saints appear and spread the way with Boughs and Garments of Salvation and songs of Deliverance Deut. 29.10 to the 13. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains your Elders your Officers with all the men of Israel your little Ones your Wives and the stranger that is within thy Camp from the hewer of Wood to the drawer of Water That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn I have done my errand The Messenger of the morning disappeareth when the Orient Sun cometh forth out of his Chambâ—rs I vanish I put my mouth in the dust The voice of the Lord The soft and still voice O my soul wrap thy face in the mantle and bow thy self to the ground and put thee in the clif of the Rock while Jehovah proclaimeth his Name and maketh all his goodness to pass before thee The voice of the LORD HEar O ye ends of the Earth The mighty God the Lord hath spoken Gather my Saints unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice a a Psal 50.1,5 Behold I establish my Covenant between me and you b b Gen. 17.7 By my holiness have I sworn that I will be your Covenant-friend I lift up my hands to heaven I swear I live for ever and because I live you shall live also c c Ioh. 14.19 I will be yours d d Jer. 32.38,40 Yours to all intents and purposes Your refuge and your rest e e Jer. 50.6 Psal 90.1 Psal 46.1 your Patron and your Portion f f Psal 73.26 Esay 25.4,5 your Heritage and your Hope your God and your Guide g g Psal 48.14 While I have you shall never want and
established in Heaven and in the Volume of the Book it is written of me My evidence cannot be lost It is recorded in the Court above and enrolled in the sacred leaves of the Word and entred upon the Book of my Conscience and herein I do and will rejoyce Now my soul wipe up thine eyes and go away with Hannah and be no more sad What though mine House be not so with God so happy so prosperous as I could wish What though they be encreased that trouble me and my temptations and afflictions be like the rolling Billows riding on one anothers backs for haste Yet shall my soul be as a rock unmoved and sit down satisfied in the security and amplitude of my portion For God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and herein is all my salvation and all my desire And now what remaineth O Lord but that I should spend the remainder of my daies in loving praising and admiring thee But wherewith shall I come before the Lord or bow my self to the most High God What shall I give thee to express my thankfulness though not to requite thy bounty Alas my poor little soul Alas that thou art so little How narrow are thy capacities How disproportionate are thy powers Alas that my voice can reach to no higher a note But shall I do nothing because I cannot do all Lord I resign to thee With the poor Widow I cast my two mites my soul and body into thy Treasury All my powers shall love and serve thee All my members shall be weapons of Righteousness for thee Here is my good will Behold my substance is thy stock mine interest is for thy service I lay all at thy feet There thou hast them they are thine My Children I enter as thy Servants My possessions I resign as thy right I will call nothing mine but thee All mine are thine I can say My Lord and my God and that is enough I thankfully quit my claim to all things else I will no more say My House is mine or my Estate mine I my self am not mine own Yet it is infinitely better for me to be thine then if I were mine own This is my happiness that I can say my own God my own Father And O what a blessed exchange hast thou made with me to give me thy Self who art an infinite Sum for my self who am but an insignificant Cypher And now Lord do thou accept and own my claim I am not worthy of any thing of thine much less of thee But sith I have a Deed to shew I bring thy Word in my hand and am bold to take possession Dost thou not know this hand wilt thou not own this name wilt thou not confirm thine own grant It were infidelity to doubt it I will not disparage the faithfulness of my Lord nor be afraid to averre and stand to what he hath said and sworn Hast thou said Thou art my God and shall I fear thou art mine enemy Hast thou told me Thou art my Father and shall I stand aloof as if I were a stranger I will believe Lord silence my fears and as thou hast given me the claim and title of a Child so give me the confidence of a Child Let my heart be daily kept alive by thy promises and with this staffe let me pass over Jordan May these be my undivided companions and comforters When I go let them lead me when I sleep let them keep me when I awake let them talk with me And do thou keep these things for ever upon the imaginations of the thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts unto thee And let the heart of thy Servant be the Ark of thy Testament wherein the sacred records of what hath passed between thee and my soul may for ever be preserved Amen Thus far my Friend So be it CHAP. XIX An Exhortation to Sinners O Earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord Ye men of this world ye spirits that are in Prison held captive to iniquity under the Prince of this world in a Covenant with Death at an agreement with Hell without Christ Alians from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope without God in the world who have said We will not have this man to rule over us let us break his Bonds asunder and cast his Cords from us who are joyned to Idols have chosen you other gods are following after other Lovers who walk after the course of this world according to the Prince of the Power of the Ayr the spirit that now worketh in the children of Disobedience having your conversation in the Lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and being still as you were by nature the children of Wrath in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity O ye sons of death ye children of the night and of darkness Hear and your souls shal live to you also is the word of this salvation sent even the strangers and those that are afar off that will lay hold on the Covenant and chuse the thing that pleaseth God these also shal have a name in his house even the glorious name of Sons and Daughters The Lord hath sent a word into Jacob and it shal light upon Edom and Amaleck and the uncircumcised Philistines even as many of them as the Lord our God shal call Act. 2.39 Hearken O people you that are polluted in your blood written in the Earth free among the dead come in let your Covenant with death be made void and your agreement with Hell be disanulled strike a League with the Almighty and your names also shal be written amongst the living in Jerusalem Stand ye before the Lord come and let us reason together Where are you What is your Portion and Inheritance Ye are cursed with a Curse Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of your cup Psal 11.6 What are you seeking whither are you travelling After a few years of your vanity are over where must your dwelling be Who can dwell with the devouring fire Who can dwell with everlasting burnings Look before you behold that smoaking Furnace that burning Lake that bottomless Pit that 's gaping for you and at your next step may swallow you up Escape for your lives why will ye dye Turn and live Do you believe the Resurrection from the dead the Judgment to come and the invisible World Is it to the spirit of a man as to the spirit of a beast Doth it perish with his carkase Dieth a Man as a Dogg dieth Dieth a wise man as a fool dieth Fall all things alike to all just and unjust good and bad after this life as well as in it Do you believe the Scriptures Are they but a Fable If you hope they are are you sure they are Dare you venture your souls upon it Whilest the Saints
I know thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to thee that madest it humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of my heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practice this my resolution through thy Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this World rather then to turn from thee to the wayes of sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity least they should withdraw my Heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield my self a Servant And because my own righteousness is but menstruous Rags I renounce all confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone creature without righteousness or strength The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most Graciously to me wretched sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God and with all possible veneration bowing the neck or my Soul under the feet of thy most sacred Majesty I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my portion and chief good and do give up my self body and soul for thy servant promising and vowing to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of my life The mediate terms are either principal or less principal The Principal is Christ the Mediator who must thus be embraced And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the onely means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the onely New and Living Way by which Sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in a marriage covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blinde and naked a most loathsome polluted wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory But sith such is thine unparallel'd love I do here with all my power accept thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all times and conditions to love honour and obey thee before all others and this to the death I embrace thee in all thine Offices I renounce mine own unworthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own wisdome and do here take thee for mine onely Guide I renounce mine own will and take thy Will for my Law And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign I do here covenant with thee to take my lot as it falls with thee and by thy grace assisting to run all hazards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me The less Principles are the Laws of Christ which must be thus accepted And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy Laws as the Rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdome I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoke and set my Shoulder to thy Burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty Onely because through the frailty of my flesh I am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest That unallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast said Now Almighty God searcher of hearts thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation bebeseeching thee that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood therein thou wouldest discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now glory be to thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father That ever thou shouldest find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to thee O God the holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty Power hast turned about my heart from sin to God O dreadful Jehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant-friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on earth let it be ratified in Heaven CHAP. XX and Last An exhortation to the Saints COme ye People beloved you that are highly favoured The Lord is with you Blessed are you amongst men and women The Likes are fallen to you in a pleasant place yea you have a goodly heritage Come and enter upon your Lot let your hearts be glad let your glory rejoyce but that your joy may be full hearken to these following counsels Make sure your interest in the Covenant Rejoyce not in that that 's none of thine Make sure all lies upon this Your life all the comforts and concernments of it both your eternal safety hereafter and your success in all the parts of your Christian course here depend on your interest in the Covenant VVhat have you if Christ be not yours and what have you in Christ if you be not in Covenant whence are your hopes either of mercy at last or of prospering in any thing at present but from the Covenant of Promise And what have you thence if your name be not in it Oh give not rest to your selves till this be put out of doubt what ever duties you perform what ever ease or hope you finde hereupon what ever transportation of affection you feel in your hearts in the midst of all enquiry But am I in Covenant How shall I know that you 'll say why make a strict and narrow enquiry whether those special graces already mentioned be wrought upon you Common mercies though even these be Covenant mercies to the Saints yet
their cups amongst their Harlots or in their houses It is good for mee to bee here No wonder Christians that carnal hearts are such strangers to the Word can so well fit out at Duties and can want Ordinances Preaching and Praying and Sabbaths they can spare and not feel their want what wonder What is Heaven to Earth what is God to flesh these Chariots would carry them away from their Gods carry them out of their own Country into a strange Land where they have neither possession nor acquaintance But oh what a sad wonder is it that Saints should go up so often into the Chariots and yet be gotten no nearer home that they should be still so much on the Earth that have been so often mounted for Heaven that those hearts should still bee on the dunghils whose feet are so often on the mountain of the Lord that the Wagons should bee so often sent down and go up empty scarce an heart sent up in them yea that they should be so far from God when God is among them Where 's your love Christians how is it that it is still below what have you here your City is above your home is above your God your Jesus your treasure is above oh how is it that where your treasure is your hearts bee not also hear from God and not God with the messenger send up to heaven your eyes your hands your prayers your complaints your promises and still leave your hearts below send up hearts to heaven and let them return again down to this earth remain earth and flesh and filth and vanity after so much converse or pretence to it with the holy God of spirits lovest thou God when thou canst so often go where hee is and not care to see him or if thou meet him canst let him go without a blessing or if he bless thee canst go presently and exchange thy Fathers blessing for a mess of pottage canst lose a duty in a dinner the comforts and revivings of a Sermon of a Sacrament of a Sabbath in an hours carnal converse in the world did wee love our God more certainly wee should bee more with him and to better purpose His meetings would bee more precious and the fruits of them more lasting Wee should neither go away without his blessing nor throw it away when wee had gotten it Thus much for the object of love 2. It s Act. Love is a natural Affection The love of God is the souls clasping or closing with the Lord. It is the expansion or going out of the heart in its strength after God the uniting or knitting of the soul vvith God vvith a complacency and acquiescence in him There are three things included in this love 1. The strength of the heart making out after God This is that vvhich is commonly called our amor desiderii or our love of desire the breathing or thirsting or panting of the heart after God Psal 42.1 The hearts vvorking God-vvards with its might loving him above all things desiring him above all things and that both Intensivè vvith the greatest vigour and intention and adaequatè as its compleat and adequate object God is its All. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee 2. The uniting of the soul with God Our cleaving to him By love heart cleaves to heart soul cleaves to soul It s said of Shechem Gen. 34.3 that his heart clave unto Dinah Hee loved her vvith his heart shee vvas gotten into his heart and there his heart holds her Acts 11.23 Barnabas exhorts the Church that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. It is the knitting of the soul vvith God Its said 1 Sam. 1.18 That the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul And of Jacob Gen. 44.30 to express his tender love to Benjamin 't is said his life was bound up in the lads life Of the multitude of believers wee read Act. 4.32 that they were all of one heart and of one soul Their love had knit them up all into one By love wee are one with God and hee with us It is the souls willing of God as I may so speak Willing of God to it self and willing it self and all to God All praises all honour all blessedness to him Bee thou mine Lord nothing less nothing else Bee thou mine I need no less I desire no more Let mee bee thine be to thee bee for thee thy servant thy sacrifice or what thou wilt and let all mine bee thine mine heart and my hand and my tongue and my time and mine interest Let all thine bee to thee thy heavens and thy earth with every person with every creature in them Let every heart every mouth every limb every creature bee a praise to the Lord. Let the Lord live and blessed bee my rock let the God of my salvation bee exalted Let every knee bow let every tongue confess unto God This is the amor unionis our love of union as 't is called And 't is the heart the very essence of saving love wherein are included both our accepting of God and our surrender or resignation of our selves unto God Amor non est nisi donum amantis in amaetum And our wishing and willing all glory dominion and blessedness to him And so here also is our amor benevolentiae our love of benevolence All these may bee included in that opening of the heart mention'd Acts 16.14 It s there said that the Lord opened Lydia's heart The heart is then savingly opened when it freely lets out it self upon God all its streams run in to the Lord and when it takes in and takes down God into the depth of the soul The heart thus opened to the Lord when God is come in will close upon him Abide with me thou hast entred upon thine habitation oh let this bee thy dwelling for ever Onely this must bee farther added that with God it takes in all the things of God his Word his Ordinances his waies and all his dispensations With his love his laws with his comforts his counsels with his counsels his corrections with thee I accept of all that 's thine both thy staff and thy rod both thy yoke and thy cross thy self Lord thy love Lord and what thou wilt with thee 3. The souls talking pleasure and taking up its rest in him This is call'd our Amor complacentiae Where wee love there will bee a delightful stay or immoration of the mind upon God Ubi amor ibi oculus The object dwells in the eye we are still looking where we love Anima est ubi amat When I awake I am still with thee there his thoughts are of him is his meditation all the day long My meditation of him shall bee sweet Hee that loves dwelleth in God I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever And why there why there his
Sabbaths were a delight the Word was a Treasure Sacraments were the clusters of Canaan But now now all 's dark and dry Ordinances are Wells without water Promises are Breasts without Milk Ministers are Stars without Light Oh the Stars are but Clods whilest the Sun is a Cloud to me wo is me I had a God I am pained I am pained my head is sick my heart is faint my bowels are turned my liver is poured out the light of mine eyes is gone from me I am weary of my groaning I am full of tossings and turnings there is no soundness in my flesh no rest in my bones while my soul saies daily to me Where is thy God And if the sence of this loss worketh such grief what wonder if the hazard of it worketh fear Now sin divides breaks the peace makes God and the soul two sin alienates breeds a distance and estrangement betwixt God and the soul That soul can either not see him at all or not as a friend whom sin hath drawn away Sin will either cloâ—d the face of God or clothe him with fury will cause him either to turn his back upon the soul or set his face against it He that knows what 't is to enjoy God will dread his loss he that hath seen his face will fear to see his back he loves and therefore would not lose 2. The ground and reason of this abhorrence that is Two-fold Gods Jealousie His Peoples Ingenuity 1. Gods Jealousie The Lord thy God is a jealous God Exod. 20. The same Arguments which the Lord useth to keep up and enforce his Authority upon the Consciences of his people the same Arguments they do and ought to make use of to press it upon themselves I am a jealous God saith the Lord 't is true saith Conscience the Lord is jealous and therefore take heed to thy self soul how thou fallest into his hands It 's a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God The Jealousie of the Lord includes in it His Tenderness of his Honour Terribleness in case of Dishonour 1. His tenderness of his Honour The Honour of God is very tender to him he will not lose a tittle of it Jer. 48.8 My glory will I not give to another nor my praise to graven Images I will not and look you to it that you do not give away my glory What was the reason that God dealt so severely with Eli and with Herod What was Elies sin Why that he gave away the Honour of God to his sons 1 Sam. 2.29 Thou Honourest thy sons above me He was so tender to his sons that though they were become sons of Belial and dealt so wickedly before the Lord yet they must be dealt gently with Nay my sons it is no good thing that I hear of you Such a slight reproof must serve in so dreadfull a case he was afraid to displease his sons by a sharper reproof this the Lord interprets an honouring of his sons above him Indulgent Parents stand and tremble you that can see your children sin and let them go out with a Nay my sons it is not good a slight or cold reproof this is no other but your honouring your sons above your God What was Herods sin Acts 12.22,23 that he gave not God the glory He made an Eloquent Oration and the people thereupon made him a God The voice of God and not of man and he accepted of the applause and thereupon the Angel of the Lord smote him that he dyed Eli sinned in giving the Honour of God to his sons and Herod in taking it to himself but God taught them both how dear his glory is to him 2. His Terribleness in case of his Dishonour The mentioned instances speak him both Tender and Terrible Deut. 4.24 The Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God The jealousie of a man is the rage of a man Prov. 6.34 and the jealousie of God is the rage and fury of a God Our God is a consuming fire that 's the fire of his jealousie The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon when the Lyon roareth the Beasts of the field tremble what then are the Terrors of the Lord The threatnings of the Lord are terrible Psal 50.22 Consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Hos 5.14 I even I will tear and go away Tearing and tearing in pieces the very expectation of it is enough to tear the heart in pieces I will tear them saith God I my self will do it I even I will tear It s terrible to be torn of men or of wilde Beasts but take heed of Gods tearing I will tear in pieces I will not tear off their Hair or their Garments or their Ornaments I 'll tear their flesh from their bones Limb from limb yea soul from body I 'll tear them in pieces I will tear them and go away tear them and leave them wound and not heal I will tear them and deliver them who can yea I will tear them and trample upon them Isa 62.3 I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury .. Trampling notes contempt and indignation I will make them as the dirt in the streets the mark of my scorn and fury His Judgments are terrible he doth terrible things in righteousness Go to Jerusalem and Mount Sion and behold the Monuments of his fury there Go to Shiloh saith God and see what I did to it Ier. 7.12 But if you go down to Sodâ—m or look down to Tophet and behold the terrors of the Lord there or if you look on particular Persons let Nadab and Abihu Corah Dathan and Abiram Uzzâ—h Uzziah Ananias and Sapphira Herod c. be for instances of his dreadfulness and severity This jealous God this terrible God is the God that his people fear and they therefore fear him because he is such a jealous God Who would not fear thee thou King of Nations Who can stand before thee when thou art angry My flesh trembles for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments Christians Let none say this fear is not the fear of his Children this be to his Enemies and Slaves not his Children Fear ye not their fear But are not all these things written for our learning Is this written onely for their sakes Or saith he not also for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written saith the Apostle in another case Consider that full Scripture to this purpose 1 Cor. 10.6 to the end of v. 12. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Neither be ye Idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people safe down to eat and drink and rose up to play Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand Neither let us
faith let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1.7 And can he think to receive any thing that neither believes nor prayes That neither prayes in faith nor prays at all Phil. 2.12,13 It 's God works in you both to will and to do What then Therefore sit you still and do nothing No such matter therefore work out your salvation with fear and trembling saith the Apostle The promise of God was never intended to make the command of God of none effect God in promising grace promises a power for duty and as he doth not give so we must not receive â—hat power or grace of God in vain Whilst he gives what he requires he still requires what he gives That promise of God ye shall be my people though he undertake to make it good yet it is also the matter of our stipulation And in this promise wherein the Lord assures us what de facto we shall be is included a Precept wherein we may understand what de jure we ought to be In undertaking to give us a new heart a tender and obedient a persevering heart the Lord doth promise both to make us what we should be and to help us in what we are bound to do and gives us at once a clear hint both of our mercy and our duty This is the sence and summ of that Promise The Lord will work all that in us and will help and cause us to perform all that which is required unto salvation and so the Promissum on Gods part doth not make void but establish the Debitum on ours Do we then make void the Law through Faith Nay we establish the Law Though it be certain as to the event that all that 's necessary to salvation shall be accomplished in us God hath undertaken that yet it is altogether as certain that God hath made our loving him fearing him obeying his whole will and our sincerity and perseverance herein so necessary that we cannot otherwise be saved Christians mistake not nor abuse the grace of the Gospel The Lord never meant your mercy should make void your Obligation to duty Redemption from sin was never intended as a toleration of sin He gives not his Spirit in favour of the flesh What he undetakes to work for you was never with a mind to maintain you in idleness Tit. 2.11,12 The grace of God that bringeth salvation teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Though you are saved by grace yet you are still in a sense debtors to do the whole Law Perfect Obedience to the whole Law even to the utmost Iota is still due from you and if it be not in your hearts to pay all that you owe that is if there be any duty commanded in the whole book of God that you must be dispensed with that you will not set your hearts to observe and obey if there be any one sin that you must be excused in and will not part with if there be any the highest pitch of holy Care Activity Industry Zeal for God and Holiness that you will not be perswaded to press hard after this is an evidence of such an unsound heart as hath no part in the Gospel or the salvation thereof Perfection is still due though sincerity will be accepted Sincerity shall be accepted but what is sincerity less then an hearty willingness to be perfect attested by a striving and pressing on to that mark which is set before us O admire and bless the Lord the Lord for grace but do not turn the grace of God into licentiousness Shall we continue in sin because grace that abounded Will ye thus requite the Lord Will ye thus deceive your selves O foolish people and unwise Will you slight him because he hath loved you Kick at him because he hath cared for you Shake off his Yoke because he hath secured you the Crown Will you serve his enemies because he hath saved you from them Will you nourish your diseases because he hath said he will cure you Will you live and not eat Reap and not Plough Will you not eat because he hath given you meat Will you not run because he hath given you Leggs Nor work because he hath given you hands Nor watch because he hath given you eyes Or will you tempt the Lord and call that your trust in him Awake from such madness Christians say not If God will I shall whether I take care or no believe or no repent or no be obedient or rebellious whether I wake or sleep work or be idle my unbelief my disobedience my negligence shall not make the faith of God of none effect But rather since God hath said you shall let thine heart answer I will walk in his statutes Arise O my soul up and be doing work out thy salvation because its God that worketh in thee to will and to do Shake off thy sloth set to thy work run out thy race since God hath said thou shalt not run nor labour in vain And look to it for however thy Idleness or greatest Unfaithfulness will not make void the Covenant of God yet will it make manifest that thou hast no part nor lot in it But to all these glorious things that have been spoken possibly some will reply O if all this be so then happy Saints indeed Happy are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. But will the Lord indeed do all these things for Mortals Will he take notice of Worms Shall such dry bones live Will he set such vile dust as the Apple of his eye Is not this too good to be true Too great to be believed Are we not all this while but in a Dream or a fools Paradise Oh that I were sure the one half were as it hath been told me Too great to be believed As if it must be questioned whether the Sun light because it dazles our eyes But what certainty would you have Is all this too great for the great and Almighty God to do who hath said Isa 55.9 As the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts Can he not do it who can do all things Will he not do it when he hath said he will Will the Lord mock Can God deceive Shall his Word yea and his Oath too those two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye can these fail If you should hear the Lord himself speaking to you from Heaven with audible voice My Covenant I make with thee and it is my intent and purpose to perform every word that is written in it according to the plain import and meaning thereof there shall not a tittle fail neither will I alter the thing that is gone forth of my lips Heaven and Earth shall fail but my word shall not fail
Å¿ Å¿ Prov. 2.3.4,5 and 8.38 Lu. 11.13 I am content to abate the rigour of the old terms t t Rom. 4.6 I shall not stand upon satisfaction u u Lu. 7.42 I have received a ransome and do onely expect your acceptance w w Rev. 22.17 1 Tim. 2.6 I shall not insist upon perfection x x 1 Joh. 1.8,9 Walk before me and be upright and sincerity shall carry the Crown y y Prov. 11.20 Gen. 17.1 Psa 97.11 Yea both the faith and obedience that I require of you are mine own gifts z z Eph. 2.8 Phil. 2.13 I require you to accept my Son by believing but I will give you an hand to take him a a Phi. 1.29 Joh. 6.65 and to submit to and obey him but I must and will guide your hands to write after him and cause you to walk in my statutes b b Ezek. 36 27. I will take you by the arms and teach you to go c c Hos 11.3,4 I will order your steps d d Psal 37. â—3,31 Yea those things will I accept of you as the conditions of Life which viewed in the strictness of my Justice would deserve eternal Death e e Eph. 3.8 with 1 Thess 3.10 Heb. 5.9 with Eccl. 7.20 Grace Grace The voice of the Redeemed AMen Hallelujah Be it to thy servants according to thy word But who are we and what is our Fathers House that thou hast brought us hitherto And now O Lord God what shal thy servant say unto thee for we are silenced with Wonder and must sit down in Astonishment for we cannot utter the least title of thy Praises What meaneth the heighth of this strange love And whence is this unto us that the Lord of Heaven and Earth should condescend to enter into Covenant with his Dust and take into his Bosom the viperous brood that have so often spit their venome in his face We are not worthy to be as the Hand-maids to wash the feet of the servants of our Lord how much less to be thy Sons and Heirs and to be made partakers of all these blessed Liberties and Priviledges which thou hast settled upon us But for thy goodness sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things Even so Father because so it seemed good in thy sight Wherefore thou art great O God for there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee Sam. 7.18 to the end And what Nation on Earth is like thy people whom God went to redeem for a people to himself and to make him a name and to do for them great things and terrible For thou hast confirmed them to thy self to be a people unto thee for ever and thou Lord art become their God Wonder O Heavens and be moved O Earth at this great thing Rev. 21.4 For behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Be astonished and ravished with wonder for the infinite breach is made up The Offender is received and God and man reconciled and a Covenant of peace entered and Heaven and Earth are all agreed upon the termes and have struck their hands and sealed the Indentures O happy Conclusion O blessed Conjunction Shall the stars dwell wtth the dust Or the wide distant Poles be brought to mutual embraces and cohabitation But here the distance of the termes is infinitely greater Rejoyce O Angels shout O Seraphims O all ye friends of the Bridegroom prepare an Epithalamium be ready with the Marriage song Lo here is the wonder of wonders For Jehovah hath betrothed himself for ever to his hopeless Captives and ownes the Marriage before all the world and is become one with us and we with him He hath bequeathed to us the precious things of Heaven above and the precious things of the Earth beneath with the fullness thereof and hath kept back nothing from us And now O Lord thou art that God and thy words be true and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servants and hast left us nothing to ask at thy hands but what thou hast already freely granted Onely the wâ—rd which thou hast spoken concerning thy servants establish it for ever and do as thou hast said and let thy Name be magnified for ever saying The Lord of Hosts he is the God of Israel Amen Hallelujah A SOLILOQUY Representing The Believers Triumph in Gods Covenant And the various Conflicts and glorious Conquests of Faith over Vnbelief By the same Authour CHAP. XVIII The soul taketh hold on Gods Covenant YEa Hath God said I will be a God unto thee Is it true indeed Will the Lord be mine Will he lay aside the Controversie and conclude a Peace Will he receive the Rebel to mercy and open his doors to his Prodigal I will surely go unto my Father I will take unto me words and bow my self before his Foot-stool and say Esay 56.4 O Lord I have heard thy words and do here lay hold on thy Covenant I accept the kindness of God and will adventure my self upon thy Fidelity and trust my whole happiness here and hereafter upon these thy Promises Farewel deceitful world get thee under my feet Too long have I feared thy vain threats too long have I been deluded with thy flattering Promises Canst thou promise me or deny me such things as God hath Covenanted to give me I know thou canst not and therefore I renounce thee for ever from being the Object of my Faith or Fear Nor longer will I lean to this rotten Reed no longer will I trust to this broken Idol Avoid Sathan with thy tempting Baits In vain dost thou dress the Harlot in her Paint and Bravery and tell me Matt. 4.8,9 ALL THIS WILL I GIVE THEE Canst thou shew me such a Crown such a kingdom as God hath promised to settle upon me Or that which will ballance the loss of an infinite God who here gives himself unto me Away deceitful Lusts and Pleasures get you hence I have enough in Christ and his Promises to give my soul full content These have I lodged in my heart and there is no longer room for such guests as you Never shall you have quiet entertainment more within these doors Thou God of Truth I here take thee at thy word Thou requirest but my acceptance and consent and here thou hast it Good is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken and as my Lord hath said so will thy servant do My soul catcheth hold of thy Promises These have I taken as my heritage for ever Let others carry the Preferments and Possessions of this world it shal be enough to me to be an Heir of thy Promises She maketh her boast in God O happy Soul how rich art thou What a Booty have I gotten It is all
mine own I have the Promises of this life and of that which is to come Oh what can I wish more How full a Charter is here Now my doubting Soul may boldly and believingly say with Thomas 1 Tim. 4.8 My Lord and my God! What need we any further witness We have heard his words He hath sworn by his Holiness that his Decree may not be changed and hath signed it with his own Signet Rejoyce ye Heavens strike up Celestial Quires Help Heaven and Earth Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his Bless the Lord O my Soul Oh had I the tongue of men and Angels all were too little for my single turn Had I as many tongues as hairs the whole Quire were not sufficient to utter my Creators praises Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am His. The Grant is clear and my claim is firm Who durst deny it when God himself doth own it Is it an hard adventure to speak after Christ himself Why this is the Message that he hath sent me I ascend to my Father and your Father Joh. 20.17 my God and your God He hath put words into my mouth and bid me to say OUR FATHER I believe Lord help mine unbelief O my God and my Father I accept thee with all humble thankfulness and am bold to take hold of thee O my King and my God I subject my soul and all its Powers to thee O my Glory in thee will I boast all the day Oh my Rock on thee will I build all my confidence and my hopes Cant. 2.3 O staff of my life and strength of my heart the life of my joyes and joy of my life I will sit and sing under thy shadow and glory in thy holy Name O my Soul arise and take possession Inherit thy blessedness and cast up thy riches Thine is the Kingdome thine is the Glory and thine is the Victory The whole Trinity is thine All the Persons in the Godhead all the Attributes in the Godhead are thine And behold here is the Evidence and these are the writings by which all is made sure to thee for ever Psal 116.7 Psal 16.6 And now return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Say if thy Lines be not fallen to thee in a pleasant place and if this be not a goodly Heritage She quelleth Discontent and reasoneth down unbelief in Sequentib Oh Blasphemous Discontent How absurd and unreasonable an evill art thou whom all the fulness of the Godhead cannot satisfie because thou art denyed in a petty comfort or crost in thy vain expectations from the world O my unthankful Soul shall not a Trinity content thee Shall not Allsufficiency suffice thee Silence you murmuring thoughts for ever I have enough I abound and am full Infiniteness and Eternity is mine and what more can I ask The Assaults of unbelief 1. It questions the truth of the Promise But methinks I feel some secret Damps upon my joy and when I would soar aloft and triumph in the riches of my Portion a secret diffidence plucks me back as the string doth the Bird and unbelief whispers in mine ear Sure this is too good to be true The Triumph of Faith in the certainty of Gods Truth But who art thou that disputest against God The Lord hath spoken it and shall not I believe him Will he be angry if I give my assent and speak it confidently upon the credit of his word Esay 54.5 Hos 2.19 Jer. 3.19 Psal 50.7 2 Cor. 6.18 O my Lord suffer me to spread the writing before thee Hast not thou said Thy Maker is thy Husband I will betroth thee unto me Thou shalt call me My Father I pray thee O Lord was not this thy saying I am God even thy God I will be a Father unto you and ye my Sons and Daughters Why then should I doubt Is not the truth of the living God sure-footing for my faith Esay 31.3 Prov. 23.5 Silence then O quarrelling Unbelief I know in whom I have believed Not in Friends though numerous and potent for they are men and not God Psal 146.3,4 Not in Riches for they make themselves wings Not in Princes for their breath is in their Nostrils But let God be true and every man a Lyar. In God have I put my trust in his word do I hope Matt. 7.25 2 Tim. 2.19 Oh sure word Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot nor tittle of this I have not built upon the sand of mortality Let the rain descend and the floods come and the winds blow nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure His everlasting Counsel and everlasting Covenant are my stay I am built upon his Promises and let Hell and Earth do their worst to blow up this Foundation Now shall my Faith triumph and my heart be glad and my glory rejoyce 1 Kin. 18.39 Heb. 11.16 I will shout with the exulting Multitude The Lord he is the God and he is not ashamed to be called My God He is not ashamed of my Raggs nor Poverty of my Parrentage not Pedigree and since his infinite condescention will own me will he take it ill if I own him 1 Cor. 1.29,31 Though I have nothing of my own to glory in unless I should glory in my shame yet I will glory in the Lord and bless my self in him Deut. 33.26 For who is like unto the God of Jeshurun Bring forth your gods O ye Nations Lift up now your eyes and behold who hath created all these things Can any do for their Favourites as the Lord can Or if he be angry who is that God that shal deliver out of his hands Will you set Dagon before the Ark Or shal Mammon contend with the Holy One O ambitious Haman where is now thine Idol-honour O rich Glutton that madest a god of Pleasure where is now the god whom thou hast served O sensual worldling that knewest not where nor how to bestow thy Goods Do riches profit thee Could Mammon save thee Deceived souls Go now to the gods that you have chosen Alas they cannot for ever administer a drop of water to cool your tongues Jer. 10.16 Psa 90.2 But the Portion of Jacob is not like them From everlasting to everlasting he is God His Power is my confidence his Goodness is my maintenance his Truth is my shield and my buckler 2. It confounds the soul with amazing Greatness and difficulty of the things But my clamourous unbelief hath many wiles and afresh assaults me with the difficulty of the things promised and labours to nonplus and confound me with their amazing greatness The Triumph of Faith in Gods Omnipotency and Veracity But why should I stagger at the Promise through unbelief robbing at once my Master of his glory and my soul of her comfort It is my great sin to doubt and dispute and yet
up your hearts with all your heart grudge not that the Lord requires but bless God that he will accept of an offering this hath a comfortable signification If the Lord had meant to destroy us he would not have accepted an offering at our hands Judg. 13.23 2. A Thank-offering Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High Offer up your selves in token of yuor thankfulness to the Lord. Be ye both the Priests and the Lambs for the sacrifice Present your selves to the Lord as the accomplishments of his Covenant as the fruits of the death of your Redeemer as the Trophies of his Victory as the spoils which he hath recovered from Death and Hell making a shew of them openly that it may be seen that the promise of God is not of none effect and that Christ did not die in vain Let your Lord Jesus when he comes down into his Garden where he left his blood reap his pleasant fruits and carry up your purified Souls as the signals of his glorious atchievement Offer up your sins to the Lord these unclean beasts will be an acceptable sacrifice There 's more real honour growing up to the Lord from one mortified Saint then from ten thousand Anthems from the most seraphick tongues Offer up your duties to the Lord your obedience for a sacrifice To obey is better then sacrifice then thousands of Rams and ten thousands of Rivers of Oyle Let your whole life be this sacrifice let every day be a Sabbath every duty an Eucharist every member a Cymbal sounding out the praises of God Offer up the calves of your lips unto the Lord. O let your souls be filled with wonder and your mouths with praise Whence in this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me Oh whence is this to us that the Lord our Father should come and come so near to us Oh whence is it That the Mighty God should indent and come into bond with sinful man that he who was free from all men should make himself debtor to any That the high and lofty One that inhabits Eternity should dwell in Houses of Clay and pitch his Tabernacle in the Dust That he who humbleth himself to behold the Heavens should come down into the earth and after what is he come down but after a dead Dog or a Flea that he should make a league with the stones of the gâ—ound with the beasts of the field and creeping things should espouse dust and ashes and gather up vile worms into his bosome should set his heart upon shadows and adopt the refuse of the earth for Sons and Daughters to himself should raise the poor out of the dust and the beggar from the Dunghil should do such great things and should choose the foolish and the weak and the base and the contemptible and bostow on them among all the world these high honors should make them the Head and the honourable whom the world hath made the Tail the filth and the off-scouring of all things should give himself to be the portion his Son to be the ransome his kingdome to be the heritage of bankrupts prisoners and captives Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him Soul what is God that thou shouldst be yet unmindful of him How is it that the tongue of the dumb is not yet loosened that the feet of the lame do not leap as an Hart Oh what is that love whence this strange thing hath broken forth This this is the womb that bare thee hence hath thy righteousness sprung forth hence have thy dignities thy astonishing hope and joys arisen to thee this is it that yearned upon thee in thy mercy that reprived thee from death redeemed thee from darkness rescued thee as a brand out of the burning that pitied thee in thy blood washed thee from thy blood spared thee pardoned thee reconciled thee and brought thee an enemy a rebel a traitor into a Covenant of peace with the God of glory Ah contemptible dust that ever there should be such compassionate contrivements and such astonishing condescentions of the eternal Deity towards so vile a thing O love the Lord all ye his Saints O bless the Lord ye beloved ye people near unto the Lord. Alas that our hearts should be so narrow that the waters should be so shallow with us where are our eyes if we be not yet filled with wonders what hearts have we if we have not yet filled our lips with praise Open all thy springs O my soul let them flow forth in streams of love and joy let every faculty be tuned and strained to the height let heart and hands and tongue and eyes lift up their voice be astonished O heavens be moved ye strong foundations of the earth fall down ye Elders strike up ye heavenly Quires lend poor mortals your Notes to sing forth the high praises of God who rideth on the heavens and hath caused us to ride on the high places of the earth and made us sit together in hevenly places shewing forth the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and Harps I my self wil awake right early My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he that is mighty hath done for me great things and holy is his Name Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his People who hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David who hath laid help on one who is mighty and exalted one chosen among the People and hath given him for a Covenant to them Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name who hath redeemed thy life from death and crowned thee with loving kindness and tender mercies Salvation to our God that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and glory and honour and blessing for thou livedst and wast dead and art alive for evermore Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us Kings and Priests unto our God for ever Hallelujah Hallelujah FINIS
HEAVEN OPENED OR A Brief and plain DISCOVERY OF THE RICHES OF Gods Covenant OF GRACE By R. A. London Printed Anno Dom. 1665. To The Reader Reader THe Providence of God hath led mee on to the publication of the ensuing Treatise much beyond my first intentions There came to my hands A Synopsis of the Covenant of Grace on Gods part with a Soliloquie annexed both penned by the worthy Authour of that form of Mans Covenanting with God inserted in my Vindiciae Pietatis attended with the Authours desires and of divers other Christians that this also might bee incorporated into the same book These desires neither being able to resist nor willing to deny I prepared some meditations to bee premised with a purpose to have put forth another Edition of that Book with this addition but finding it to grow into too great a bulk to bee there incerted both this on Gods part and the former on mans part come into thy hands in this distinct Treatise followed with my Prayers that the good Land whereof some Clusters are here presented to thee may be thine Inheritance See and take Thine because the Lords Covenant servant R. A. July 8. 1665. The Contents THe Introduction pag. 1 Chap. 1 God himself granted in the Covenant p. 3 To bee our Friend Portion Sun Shield Chap. 2. Christ in the Covenant 22 As The Light of life The Lord our righteousness Our Lord and King Our head and Husband Chap. 3. The Spirit in the Covenant 35 As a Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation Holiness and Sanctification Truth and Direction Comfort and Consolation Chap. 4 The earth in the Covenant 51 The good things of the Earth The evil things of the Earth 1. The Covenant hath its Cross 2. By vertue of the Convenant the Cross is a blessing The Blessing of the Cross stands 1. In its being separated from the earth 2. In its being sanctified to its ends 3. In its being proportioned to our needs and strength 4. In the special comforts annexed to it Chap. 5. The Angels of light in the Covenant 74 Chap. 6. The powers of darkness delivered over in the Covenant 78 Chap. 7. Death in the Covenant p. 84 Chap. 8. The Kingdome in the Covenant 87 Chap. 9. All the means of salvation in the Covenant 88 1. External means 2. Internal means In special a new heart Chap. 10. An heart to know the Lord. 96 Chap. 11. One heart 114 Chap. 12. An heart of flesh 141 Chap. 13. An heart to love the Lord. 166 Chap. 14. An heart to fear the Lord. 193 Chap. 15 An Obedient heart 221 Chap. 16. Perseverance in the Covenant 249 Chap. 17. A Synopsis of the Covenant of Grace on Gods part by another hand 262 Chap 18. A Soliloquie representing the Believers Tryumph in Gods Covenant and the various conflicts and glorious conquests of faith over unbelief 316 Chap. 19. An exhortation to sinners with directions for their entring into Covenant 342 Chap. 20. A form of words expressing mans covenanting with God 365 Chap. 21. An Exhortation to the Saints 369 Heaven Opened OR A brief and plain discovery of the Riches of Gods Covenant of GRACE The Introduction GOod news from Heaven the day-spring from on high hath visited this undone world after a Deluge of sin and misery behold the bow in the Cloud the Lord God hath made and established a new Covenant and this is it that hath cast the first beam on the dark state of lost and fallen man and hath brought life and immortality to light This Covenant is the hope of Sinners The riches of Saints the Magna Charta of the City of God The forfeited Lease of eternity renewed Gods Deed of Gift wherein hee hath on fair conditions granted sinners their lives and settled upon his Saints an everlasting Inheritance Hear O yee forlorn Captives who have sold your selves to eternal bondage spoiled your selves of all your glory sealed your selves up under everlasting misery you are dead in your sins guilty before God under wrath under a curse bound over to eternal vengeance But behold there is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing the Lord God hath taken compassion upon you hath opened a way for you to escape out of all this misery and bondage Lift up the hands that hang down comfort the trembling knees An Ark an Ark hath God prepared in which is salvation from the Flood A Covenant a new Covenant hath hee made and established which if you lay hold on it will recover all you have lost ransome you from death redeem you from Hell and advance you to a more sure and blessed condition than your original state from which you have fallen This is the hope of sinners This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Glorious tydings good news indeed but what is this Covenant or what is there that is given and granted therein Why in summe there 's all that Heaven and earth can afford all that can bee needed or desired and this by a firm and irrevokable Deed made over and made sure to all that will sincerely embrace it Particularly God hath in his Covenant granted and made over 1. Himself 2. His Son 3. His Spirit 4. The Earth 5. The Angels of Light 6. The Powers of Darkness 7. Death 8. The Kingdome 9. All the means of Salvation CHAP. I. God in the Covenant 1. THe Lord God hath made over himself in this Covenant That 's the great and comprehensive promise Jer. 31.33 I will be their God I am God and what I am 't is all theirs my self my glorious incomprehensible essence all my glorious attributes my omnipotence my omniscience my wisdome my righteousness my holiness mine all-sufficiency my faithfulness c. I will make over my self to them to be henceforth and for ever theirs Their Friend Portion Sun Shield 1. Their Friend I was angry but mine anger is turned away I was an adversary I had a controversie with them but I am reconciled I have found a ransome the quarrel is composed my wrath is appeased I am friends with them I will forgive their iniquity and their sin will I remember no more I will take away their iniquity and receive them graciously I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them Jer. 31.34 Hos 14.4 Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Fury is not now in me favour and friendship love and good will is all they may henceforth expect from me Sinners what is there to be feared what is there dreadful but an angry provoked God Thence is sorrow and anguish thence is famine and pestilence and sword thence is death and hell he doth not know what the wrath of God means that doth not see in the bowels of it all the plagues above ground and all the vengeance of eternal fire Whatever terrors or torments have seized upon thee upon thy body upon thy soul whatever losses crosses
vexations afflictions plague thee on this earth whatever horrour and anguish whatever amazing confounding torments are like to meet thee and feed upon thee in the lake beneath thou mayest say of all this This is the wrath of God That day the Lord sayes to thee Fury is not in me he faith also Fear shall be no more to thee That hour the Lord saith I am thy friend Death and Hell vanish The day is broken the shaddows fly away And this is one thing included in that promise I am their God I am their friend 2. Their Portion Fury cease Fears vanish Friendship favour life granted But what shall he have to live upon Man was never intended to be a self-sufficient he was created under a necessity of dependance on somthing without him not onely for the continuation of his being but of the comfort of his being he cannot live upon the aire though he hath scaped the fire the soul of man is too big for all the world like Noah's Dove it can finde no rest below and where shall it finde it or on what shall it subsist Why God will not starve his friends he that hath saved their lives will finde them a livelyhood because there is no other to be found he himself will be a livelyhood to them their portion their maintenance and their heritage for ever As their deliverance is from him so their dependance shall be on him he is their substance and on him is their subsistence Jer. 10.16 he writes himself the portion of Jacob and as such his Saints accept him Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance he is their bread and their water their stock and their store The Lord Gives portions to his enemies not onely the young Ravens but the old Lions and Tigers the worst of men do seek their meat from God Psal 17.14 they have their portion in this life whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasure they have their portion some of them have their portion in the City others a portion in the Field to some he gives a portion of gold to others a portion of worldly glory to others a portion of pleasures by all these he deals as the father of the prodigal he gives them their portion and sends them away But whilst he gives portions to these he is the portion of his Saints he makes over and settles himself upon them as their inheritance for ever they shall never be in want whilst there is in him to supply them they shall never be in straits whilst there is in him to relieve them all their wants be upon me The Lord is their Portion and he is a sufficient portion With thee is the fountain of life Psal 36. In thy presence is fulness Psal 16. The Lord God is all things to them enough and to spare In my Fathers house there is bread enough and to spare He that hath all things below God but not God hath nothing he that hath nothing besides God but hath God hath all things enough and to spare filling up and running over there 's still more to be had if more could be held the soul hath never enough till it hath more then enough is never full till it runs over while it can contain and measure and number all that it has this is its judgement of all Pauperis est numerare pecus In God is enough for filling up and running over enough there is in him to fill up all their faculties their understandings there are infinitely beautiful perfections where we may gaze and glut our eyes with unspeakable delight but when we have looked the farthest into them when the most searching eye the most greedy thoughts have searched and run their utmost they come not near the end they shall look and look and see and see and when they can reach no farther then they shall admire at those treasures of light and beauty that are still beyond them Admiration is the understanding full and running over when it s nonplust and can reach no further then it wonders at what it perceives still beyond it The Apostle tells us Eph. 3.18 that the Gospel which presents God in flesh hath in it an height and depth and length and bredth and I may tell you from him 't is an height without top a depth without bottome a length without limits a bredth without bounds in one word immensity unmeasurable and therefore unspeakable unsearchable glory Whilst the blind world deride and despise the portion of the Saints looking on God and all the things of God as shallow things that have no depth in them they will be found by those that search into them to be deep things that have no bottome in them 1 Cor. 2. the deep things of God All the raptures and extasies of glorious joyes of the Saints in the other world are the running over of their eyes upon their hearts and do break in upon them from their vision of God There 's enough to fill up their wills and affections there 's infinite goodness incomprehensible love marvellous loving kindness unspeakable delights glorious joyes Psal 31.19 Oh! how great is the goodness which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee Oh! how great is the goodness 'T is vox admirantis an admiring word great beyond expression great beyond imagination Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and 't is vox exultantis of an heart leaping for joy rejoycing in hope of the glory of God which is laid up for his Saints Laid up where Why laid up in himself that 's the fountain that 's the treasury there 's love there 's joy there 's satisfaction our life is hid with Christ in God Oh love the Lord all ye his Saints O bless the Lord all ye his Saints He that is mighty hath done for you great things since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen oh God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa 64.4 or as 't is in the margin There hath not been heard or seen a God besides thee which doth so for him that waiteth for him There 's enough to fill up our time there 's admiring work and praising work for ever there 's matter for love and joy to live and feed upon for ever endless praises eternal pleasures everlasting rejoycings Isa 35. Everlasting Joy Psal 16. pleasures for evermore There 's enough to reward all our labours and repay all our expences there 's a full reward Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abram I am thy shield and exceeding great reward Christian thou shalt not serve the Lord for nought he will reward thee and 't is little in his eyes that thou shouldest serve him for corn and for wine for sheep and for oxen yea for the crowns and kingdoms of
unto me look unto me and I will be thy Sun I le shew thee all that glory and the right way that will bring thee to it I promise thee I will trust me I will be a light unto thee 4. Their Shield Psal 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield The gods of the earth are so stiled Psal 47.9 The shields of the earth much more the God of glory Ephes 6.16 Faith is called a shield Above all taking the shield of Faith it signifies the same as God is a shield Faith is to the soul what-ever God is This is the grace that entitles the soul to God and applies God to the soul Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy shield What 's promised to the Father of the faithful stands sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 The state of Christians in this life is a militant state a state full of hardships and hazards By reason whereof as richly as they are provided for they are subject to fears of being undone and spoiled of all They are in fears about things eternal they have spiritual adversaries that lye in wait for their souls that fight against their souls that are tempting them and enticing them from their God that watch their opportunities to steal away their God by stealing away their hearts from him and such dangerous attempts of this kind they meet withall that they often are in great doubt what the issue may be They are in fears about things temporal their names are shot at their liberties are invaded their estates with all the comforts of their lives are in danger to be made a prey to day they are a praise to morrow a scorn to day they are full and abound but to morrow they may have nothing left they dye daily they are killed all the day long But what-ever their dangers and their fears thereupon are here 's sufficient provision made against all God is their shield Christian thou hast enough and all that thou hast is in safety Thou art compassed about with a shield secur'd on all hands there 's no coming at thee What-ever assaults are made thy God is a wall of partition betwixt thee and harm They are not shields of brass and iron thou are furnish'd with the strong God is thy defence Wherefore dost thou doubt O thou of little faith A Christian and yet afraid shifting for thy self taking care for the Asses and Oxen and Sheep vexing and loading and losing thy self in thy cares and fears from day to day Where is thy God man Doth not God take care for Oxen and Asses and all that thou hast But oh what meanest thou in this to be shifting thy self from danger by shrinking back from thy God securing thy self from affliction by taking sanctuary in Iniquity What art thou doing but throwing away thy shield to save thee from harm making a breach in thy wall to keep thee in safety Gen. 17.1 c. chap. 15.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect follow thou me stick to me and then Fear not Abraham I am thy shield This now is the first and great promise of the Covenant I am thy God and the second is like unto it CHAP. II. Christ in the Covenant 2. GOd hath put Christ into the Covenant and made over him to his people Isa 42.6 I will give thee for a Covenant He who is promised as the chief matter the Mediator Surety Scope of the Covenant is by a metonymy called the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant that is I covenant to give thee to the people Whatever glory and blessedness there is in the fruition of God wo is me there is a great gulfe fixed between me and it over which there is no passing there 's a partition-wall raised over which there 's no climbing there 's an hand-writing against me whilst that stands all that is in God is nothing to me Were this God mine I had enough Let me be put to labour or suffering let me dig or beg or starve and die whether I be rich or poor have somthing or nothing be a praise or a reproach it matters not so God were mine But oh how may I obtain Who shall bring me to God why the Lord God hath given thee his Son to undertake for thee and to be thy way unto the Father Heb. 11.19,20 Jesus Christ who is the morning star the Sun of righteousness the Image of the Invisible God the first-born of every creature by whom are all things who is before all things the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead In whom dwells all fulness even the fulness of the Godhead bodily who hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. and chap. 2. Whose Name is Wonderful Councellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 This Jesus is granted thee in the Covenant to bring thee to God To which blessed and glorious purpose he is exhibited 1. As the Light of Life 2. As the Lord our Righteousness 3. As our Lord and King 4. As our Head and Husband 1. As the light of Life A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Luk. 1.32 In him was life and the life was the light of men John 1.4 He that followeth me shall have the light of life John 8.12 there is a light that serves to kill and destroy to bring death and condemnation to light the light of the Law that killing letter concerning which the Apostle Rom. 7.9,10 When the commandment came sin revived and I died the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death But Christ brings life and immortality to light heaven glory the invisible God which are lost out of reach and out of ken are all discovered in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 To give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ He is the Image of the Invisible God the brightness of his Fathers glory the glass in which by reflection we see the Sun John 14.8,9 Shew us the Father and it suffices us Why sayes he Hast thou known me Philip and yet sayest shew us the Father He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and this is the light of life John 17.3 this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. As the Lord our righteousness This is his Name Jer. 23.6 He shall be called the Lord our righteousness To this end he is given to us 1. As our propitiatory Sacrifice 1 John 2. The propitiation for our sins 1 Cor. 5. Christ our Passover Rev. 13.8 A lamb slain from the beginning of the world Our price our ransome to satisfie Justice pacifie wrath discharge from the Curse to blot out the hand-writing break down the wall of partition to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for
upon his heart and upon his shoulders This is that Jesus who is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 3. As our Lord and King A King shall reigne in righteousness in him shall the Gentiles trust Zach. 9.9 Shout O daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh Isa 9.6 The Government shall be on his shoulder God hath more care of his Saints than to leave the government of them on their own shoulder Is not her King in her He is a King to gather them a King to govern them a King to defend and save them to save them from their temporal enemies the sons of violence the men of this evil world from their spiritual enemies to save them from their sins Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 'T is a mercy to be under government under government and under protection What would become of us were there no King in Israel Where there 's no King all are kings more kings than men Sathan will be king every lust will be a lord as many kings as there are devils and sins Whither would our unruly hearts carry us How easily would our wily and potent enemies ruine us What tyrannie would sin exercise within What cruelty should we suffer from without Whither should we wander where should we fix What peace what order what stability Whence should counsel and protection and salvation come were there no Lord over us 'T is a mercy to be under government but to be under such a government under a king and such a King such a wise and potent King such a meek and merciful King such an holy and a righteous King O what a wonder of mercy Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an asses colt c. Zach. 9.9 He is just having salvation as a Priest he hath purchased as a King he bestows his salvation He comes not to get but to give not to give Lawes only but to give Gifts unto men and he gives like a King Palmes Crowns and Thrones salvation to his people by the remission of their sins Oh how unthankful oh how foolish is this rebellious world Impatient of subjection shake off the yoke groan under duty under discipline We will not have this man to rule over us Who then shall save you hard to be a Christian strict laws severe discipline no liberty Is this thy complaint that is wo is me I am so limited and hedg'd in on all hands that there 's no liberty left me to be miserable if I will be his I must be happy Let fools inherit their own folly but let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory the Lord of hosts yea the Lord our righteousness he is the King of glory The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us Praise ye the Lord. Come all ye Nimrods ye mighty hunters on the earth come all ye sons of Anak ye seed of the Giants come all ye sons of Belial ye seed of the Adulterer and of the whore come all ye Ishmaelites and Ammonites ye Moabites and Hagarenes associate confederate take counsel together smite with the tongue bite with the teeth push with the horn kick with the heel come all ye gates of hell and powers of darkness thou dragon with all thy armies with all thy fiery darts and instruments of death come thou king of terrors with thy fatal dart the Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised you all she hath laughed you to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at you her King is in the midst of her the Lord is her King he will save her 4. As our head and husband He that is given to be head over all things to the Church is given to be the head of the Church Eph. 1.22,23 and of every member in particular 1 Cor. 11.3 Believers are all joyned to the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 United in Christ as fellow members united unto Christ as their common head From which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Coloss 2.19 they are married to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband From this Union follows 1. A Communication of Influences 2. A Complication of Interests 1. A Communication of Influences Having nourishment ministred Christ our head is our fountain of life Our head is our heart also out of it are the Issues of life from him we live and are nourished and maintained in life He is our Joseph all the treasures of the holy Land are with him In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge Coloss 2.3 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Coloss 1.19 He is the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth Here note 1. What grace there is in Christ The Schools tell us that in him there is a three-fold grace 1. Gratia Unionis The Grace of Union The humane Nature of Christ hath received the high grace or favour to be personally united to the second person in the God-head by vertue of which Union the fulness of the Godhead is said to dwell in him bodily Bodily that is personally or substantially in opposition to the types and shaddows of the Old Testament in which God in a figure is said to dwell God is said to dwell in the Tabernacle in the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple but in these he dwelt onely as figures and shaddows of the humane nature of Christ In Christ he dwells not in a figure but personally and substantially As Christ Coloss 2.17 is called the Body in opposition to the types of old which were but the shaddow so bodily here notes not a figurative but a personal inhabitation Christ is the body not a shaddow and God dwells in him bodily that is substantially and not in a shaddow 2. Gratia Habitualis Habitual Grace All those moral perfections wherein stands the holiness of his nature The love and fear of God his humility meekness patience in summe his perfect conformity to the Image and whole Will of God Such an high Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 3. Gratia Capitis or that honour which is given to him to be head of the Church 2. How Christ is said to be full of grace there is a twofold fulness of grace 1. Ex parte ipsius gratiae In respect of grace it self thus he is said to be full of grace that hath all grace and
hath it in the greatest excellency and perfection of it that doth pertingere ad summum gratiae Aquin. 2. Ex parte habentis gratiam in respect of the person that hath it and thus a person is said to be full of grace that hath as much grace as he is capable of Christ is full of grace in both respects that grace which is in him is grace in the highest perfection of it and as much as his vessel can hold 3. That this fulness of Christ is ours and for us John 1.16 Of his fulness do we receive grace for grace Coloss 3.3 Your life is hid with Christ in God Your life that is both your spiritual life grace and your eternal life glory 1 John 5.11 This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Our life is said to be in Christ in three respects 1. It s hid in Christ as the effect in the cause As the life of the branches is hid in the root so is the life of a Christian in Christ He is our root 2. It is deposited with Christ it is laid up with him committed to his trust and custody with him it is secured and put into safe hands 3. The dispensation of it is committed to him from him it is at his pleasure to be derived to us Of his fulness we receive The Son hath life in himself and he giveth it to whom when and in what measure soever he pleaseth Christian art thou nothing in thy self Thou hast enough in thy Jesus Art thou dark He 's a Fountain of light Art thou dead He 's a fountain of life Art thou poor and low weak in knowledge in faith in love in patience c He 's a treasure of all grace and what he is he is for thee Is he wise he is wise for thee Is he holy He is holy for thee Is he meek merciful humble patient He is so for thee Is he strong is he rich is he full 'T is for thy sake as he was empty for thee weak for thee poor for thee so for thee he is mighty he is rich and full Whilest thou bewailest thine own poverty and weakness Oh bless thy self in thy Lord in his riches righteousness and strength 2. A complication of interests As the head and body as the Husband and Wife so Christ and his Saints are mutually concerned are rich or poor must stand and fall live and die together As the husband conveyes to the wife a title to what he hath as the wife holds of the husband so is it betwixt Christ and his Church they have nothing but through him their whole tenure is in capite they hold of the Head they have nothing but through him and whatsoever is his is theirs His God is their God his Father is their Father his blood his bowels his merits his spirit his victories all the spoils he hath gotten all the revenue and income of his life and death all is theirs For them he obey'd suffered liv'd died rose ascended is set down in glory at the right hand of God He obeyed as their head died as their head rose ascended reigneth as their head and hath in their names taken possession of that inheritance which he purchased for them This is that Jesus which is given to us and thus is he granted and made over to all his Saints in this Covenant of God CHAP. III. The Spirit in the Covenant 3 GOd hath put his Spirit into the Covenant the Almighty the Eternal Spirit the Holy Spirit the spirit of Glory and of God This Holy and eternal Spirit is first poured forth on our head the Lord Jesus to annoint him our Redeemer to furnish and qualifie him for that great undertaking Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon mee because hee hath annointed mee to preach good tidings to the meek c. Isa 11.2,3,4 I will put my Spirit into him the spirit of Wisdome and Vnderstanding and of the fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 And hee is promised to each member Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you To all these hee is granted 1. As a Spirit of VVisdome and Revelation 2. As a Spirit of Holiness and Sanctification 3. As a Spirit of Truth and Direction 4. As a Spirit of Comfort and Consolation 1. As a Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation Ephes 1.17,18 To enlighten them to open their blinde eyes and to shine into their hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that they may know what the hope of his calling is and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints To counterwork the spirit of this world whose work is to blinde mens eyes lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4,5,6 This is hee by whom the Father hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 the light that the spitit brings in is a marvellous light and that in three respects 1. It is a marvellous thing that ever light should come into such dark souls That those that were born blinde and upon whom the god of this world had for many years together been trying his skill to thicken their darkness to encrease and seal them up under it that ever such eyes should bee opened and the light of life should shine in upon such hearts this is a marvellous thing When our Lord Jesus in the dayes of his flesh opened the eyes of those that had been born blinde the people ran together and wondred at the sight If you should see stones to live if you should see dead stocks or dry bones to walk up and down the streers if you should see Trees or Houses or Mountains full of eyes this were not more full of wonder than to behold blinde sinners receiving their sight Thou wert once darkness art thou now light in the Lord stand and wonder at thy cure 2. They are marveâ—lous things which this light discovers 'T is a wonder that such eyes should ever see and they see wonders The Gospel is a Mystery full of wonders There are heights and depths and lengths and breadths Wee have seen strange things to day Strange love strange grace wonderful wisdome wonderful pitty patience mercy wonderful providences wonderful deliverances incomprehensible excellencies unspeakable joy and glory 't is a wonder there should bee such things every day before our eyes and yet wee could not see them till now and 't is a wonder that when wee did not see them before wee should ever see them now that those things which wee despised derided mocked at stumbled at as meer foolishness and fancy wee should now see and admire even to astonishment that that Jesus which was to the Jews a stumbling block to the Greeks foolishness should bee to the same men when called the Wisdome of God and the Power of God O the deep things of God!
life of it bryers and thorns are with thee the Canaanite is yet in the Land thou sojournest in Mesech and hast thine habitation in the Tents of Kedar and thou hast a Mesech and Kedar within thee thou hast Armies within thee of fleshly lusts which fight against thy soul thou goest mourning daily because of the oppressour those spiritual wickednesses which lie in thine heart and warre in thy members thou often groanest and cryest out to thy God libertie libertie redemption redemption Oh this proud heart oh this vain heart oh this earthliness oh this fleshliness this sloathfulness this enmity and rebellion against the law of my minde and my God when I would do good evil is present with mee I cannot I cannot do the things that I would I can with no peace serve or enjoy my God and my soul my duties are either prevented or polluted my comforts are either wasted or made quite to vanish and disappear when I would serve my God I must away to serving my belly or my back or my friends when my soul is a little gotten upon the wing and soaring in the upper Region it is presently checked pulled down again to the earth O my pinioned imprisoned soul woe is mee wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the body of this death Why yet comfort thine heart the enemy flyes upon thee as a flood but the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him thou complainest thy Gold is become drosse thy wine is mixed with water yea with mudd and dirt yet hee will turne his hand upon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne Though these bryers and thornes bee set in battel against thee yea and against him also yet hee will go through go through them hee will burn them together Isa 27.4 Thou complainest that thy garments are defiled thy glory is stained thy beauty is marred the Image of thy God is so defaced that there 's but here and there a spot of it left upon thee thou art black but not comely whilst thy Lord sayes thou art all fair O my Love thou cryest out I am all foul O my Lord thou wouldest be holiness to thy Lord but thou art an offence to him holiness is still thy love and thy desire and thy longing but it flies from thee it is rather thy wish then thy hope thou canst weep over but thou canst not weep out thy deformity thine Iniquity is still marked before the Lord. If there bee a little Grace in thee yet there is such a weakness in its sinews such a paleness in its face that it is not like to live or if it live Oh! how little hope that ever it should thrive or flourish Thus thou complainest thus thou goest mourning and sighing and sinking and fainting in thy minde and now and then venturest out a desponding Prayer Lord pitty Lord look upon my sorrow and my sin Lord wash mee Lord help mee Why the Lord God hath sent thee his help out of his Sanctuary and his strength out of Zion The eternal spirit is come down on purpose to give battel to the flesh to subdue thine inquities and bring all those that rise up within thee under thy feet Thou mistakest thy self and thine enemies if thou thinkest they will bee conquered by one blow of thine arme this kinde goeth not out so not by might nor by power much less by weakness and by flesh by any weak attempts of thine own but by my spirit saith the Lord. 'T is work for a God to relieve and cleanse such an heart to turn such an Hell into an Heaven what thou canst not do being weak through the flesh behold hee comes down to do it for thee thou hast proved thine own weakness now try everlasting strength he stands at the door and knocks hear his voice at the door wilt thou bee made clean wilt thou bee made whole wilt thou bee delivered open to him and with him deliverance comes in he stands at the poole stirring the waâ—ers for thee put in thy Cripple soul and bee healed of all thy diseases say to him Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee clean and thou shalt soon have this answer I will bee thou clean 3. As a Spirit of Truth and Direction John 16.13 hee shall guide them by his Counsel he shall lead them in the way that they shall go Isa 30.21 They shall hear a word behinde them saying this is the way walk yee in it when they are turning to the right hand or to the left He shall lead them into all truth to prevent mistakes and into all righteousness to prevent miscarriages nay more hee shall not bee onely their Starre but their Strength too hee shall guide them on and help them on they shall bee led by the Spirit bound in the Spirit pressed in Spirit they shall bee excited assisted carried on in the power of the Spirit in the way that they should go he will cause them to walk in the Statutes of the Lord. Whatsoever thy way wardness and thy wandrings have been whatever thy feebleness and fickleness bee whatever false lights and false-waies are before thee whatever temptations thou meetest with to turn thee aside out of the right way whatever doubts hence arise in thine heart I shall one day or other perish from the way and bee a lost sheep at last yet his conduct shall bee prosperous and the event shall bee sure hee shall so guide thee by his Counsel that he shall bring thee to Glory Hee shall gather his Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and gently lead those that are with young 4. As a Spirit of Comfort and Consolation hee is so called John 16.7 The Comforter If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you He shall come unto them and abide with them to supply the absence of their Redeemer to support them under their affliction to witness their Adoption to seal them up unto the day of Redemption and to bee the earnest of their Inheritance Ephes 1.13,14 John 16.14 Hee shall take of mine and shew it unto you Hee shall take of mine that is not only of the Truths those treasures of Wisdome that are in mee though that bee specially intended but of my Love my Righteousness my Holiness and all those treasures of Grace and Mercy that are laid up in mee whatever there is in mee that may stand you in any stead yeild you any relief or support the Comforter which I will send you shall bring it down to you hee shall take my Blood and the Pardons it hath purchased for you my Bowels and the Compassions that are working in mee towards you my Prayers and Intercessions I am offering up for you hee shall take of all those treasures of Grace and everlasting Consolations which are laid up for you with mee hee shall take of
mine and shew it unto you As much as you have in the world to afflict and amaze you as little as you have of your own to comfort you either in your hearts or in your houses or among your friends hee shall shew what I have for you to refresh you O Christians a sight of Christ in our sorrows in our fears in our thickest darkness what day-light would it bring in When thou lookest into thine heart and art astonished and confounded at what thou findest there at the blindness and the hardness the poverty and the emptiness the guilt and the guile the pride and the peevishness the evil thoughts the vile affections the filthy lusts that are swarming and working in thee when thou lookest into the world and tremblest at what thou beholdest there the malice the craft the power that is engaged against thee the furious spirits the fiery tongues the fierce looks the violent hands that are flying upon thee and the little relief the earth will afford thee when thy heart faints and dies within thee at the sense of this thy woeful and forlorn state A sight of what thou hast in thy Lord presented to thee by his Spirit look thee here soul what thy Jesus hath sent thee down a glance from his eye a drop from his heart a messe from his table and all to tell thee yet I do not forget thee behold the care I take of thee the treasures I have for thee to encourage thy love and reward thy faithfulness Oh! how will this make all thy darkness to depart and turn the shadow of death into the morning Thus is the Holy Spirit given to the Saints to bee the light of their eyes the death of their sins the guide of their waies the stay of their hearts to up-hold their grace and to maintain their peace to subdue their enemies or their fears to secure them from temptations or succour them when tempted to wipe off their reproach or make it their crown to heal their diseases or make them their cure to help their infirmities to work their works to make their yoke easie and their burthens light to turn their sighs into songs to form their groans into prayers to send them up to their Lord and bring down their returns to comfort their hearts to establish strengthen settle them that they be neither offended at the chain nor moved from the hope of the Gospel CHAP. IV. The Earth in the Covenant 4. GOd hath put the earth into the Covenant Though the Saints have not their reward in this life their portion in this world yet this world also is theirs Mat. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth 1 Cor 3.22 Things present and things to come all are yours 1. The good things present 2. The evil things present 1. The good things present Mark 10.30 Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands now in this time Prov. 3.16 Length of daies are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Houses and Lands and Riches and Honours where are they who are the poor of this World the houseless harbourless and friendless who have wo and want and shame and sorrow who are Strangers and Pilgrims dwelling in tents driven into corners into dens and caves hunted up and down upon the mountains of the earth to whom is hunger and thirst cold and nakedness but to the meek of the earth Is this to inherit the earth All theirs when nothing theirs yet they do inherit the earth For 1. They shall ever have as much as will suffice them and that 's as much as all They shall not want any thing but what they may want Your Father knoweth that you have need of these things and he knows how much they need More than needs is more then enough and more then enough is a prejudice Many men have too much too much money too much esteem too many friends more than they can bear so much as to sink them and drown them in perdition and destruction Christians shall have enough they shall never be in such a needy state but whatever is necessary for them in all the earth they shall have it The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and he hath said That those that seek him shall not want any thing that is good Psal 34.10 if the whole world can supply them out of all its store they shall be supply'd 2. What they have they have a better and farther title to then any others in the world Though the dominion be not founded in grace yet by grace it is established What they have descends upon them not barely by providence but by promise Heb. 1.2 Christ is heir of all things and they are fellow-heirs with Christ A little coming from the promise hath more in it than the greatest abundance that 's only handed down by common providence that which comes in from the promise comes in with a blessing if thou hast but an handful thou hast a blessing in thy hand if thou hast but a corner thou hast a blessing in thy corner A little from love is a great blessing Thou hast God in every morsel thou eatest and in every drop that thou drinkest a drop from heaven will turn thy bran into the finest flower and thy Water into Wine O what serene and quiet lives how void of care distracting care might the Saints live in the world what are the burthens that do gall our backs what are the briars that tear our flesh what are the thorns that pierce through our hearts ordinarily but the cares of this life what shall I eat what shall I drink wherewith shall I be clothed where shall I dwell how little have I for to day what for to morrow what for hereafter how shall I secure what I have when this is gone whence shall I be supplyed thus do we go on piercing our selves through with many sorrows Our cares for supply eat up what we have our thoughts cut deeper than our wants we cannot at so cheap a rate fear as we often bear the want of all things And why take ye thought the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and he hath said All this is yours you shall want nothing You have not only your Deus providebit providence to live upon you have also your Deus promisit the promise before you and this hath all things in it all is yours What for to morrow what for hereafter why what saith the promise Thou shalt want nothing neither thou nor thine Never saw I the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging their bread Hast thou two worlds made sure to thee and canst thou want thou mayst as well whine and make a pittiful cry at a full table Oh where shall I have my next morsel as under such a full promise Oh where shall I have my next meal O how much beneath the spirit of Christianity are the carking anxious lives of too many
from falling by the presence of his Grace till he present them faultless before the presence of his Glory O its good being with Christ any where Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest and causest thy flocks to rest at noon Where thou feedest yea where thou art whether feeding or fasting whether rejoycing or mourning where thou causest thy flocks to rest at noon yea and where thou sufferest thy flocks to be scattered in the night Where thy flocks are thou art not far away tell mee where thou feedest tell mee where thou art My beloved that feedeth among the lillies feedeth sometimes among the thorns When his love is a lilly among thorns there hee feedeth Hee feedeth among the thorns he feedeth with his sheep he feedeth with his Lambs where ever they feed when darkness and desolation and devils and death feed upon them even then he feedeth them and takes his feeding with them O where ever my Lord is there let my lot fall Let me dwell amongst the thorns so my dwelling be with my Lord amongst the lillies Let me wander amongst the mountains whilest he is with me telling all my wandrings Let me be scourged so he will wash my stripes let me weep so he will wipe off my tears I would not want wounds whilest I have such oyl to pour in Come all yee thieves and robbers I fear you not my dear Samaritan comes by come yee bulls of Bashan yee boars of the forest let my beloved kiss mee with the kisses of his mouth and I regard it not though you kick me with the heel O my Lord bring me where thou feedest let me live in thy face let me feel thy smiles upon my heart let me love thee tell me thou lovest me remembrest pittiest acceptest takest care for me and then chuse my condition my dwelling and entertainment for me Fainting Christian lift up thine eyes comfort thine heart here 's that thou fearest and tormentest thy self withall Here is the inside of that formidable cross the light side of those dark clouds the sunny side of that shady thorny hedge that so wounds and afflicts thine heart Fear not bee strong and of a good courage Thou still sayest woe is me I can find no such thing Ah Lord God doth he not speak parables O that I were assured it might be thus with me why art thou in Covenant believe and all is thine I believe and therefore have I spoken believe and thou shalt see the salvation of God as sure as the cross is thine all the comforts of the cross are setled upon thee Read over all the gracious words thou hast before thine eyes view over all the instances of suffering Saints that have gone before thee on whom these good words have been made good in conspicuous increases of divine grace in the signal discoveries of divine love in the clearest and fullest revelation of divine glory in the intimate sense of the divine presence quickning enlarging encouraging supporting their spirits in the darkest dens in the sharpest conflicts with reproaches mockings bonds banishments torments and deaths and know that all these things are written for thy learning that thou through patience and comfort of the Scriptures maist have hope Read over Isa 51. Hearken to mee yee that follow after righteousness yee that seek the Lord look unto the Rock whence ye are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged for the Lord shall comfort Zion hee will comfort all her wast places hee will make her wildernesse like Eden and all her desarts like the Garden of the Lord joy and gladness shall bee found therein thanksgiving and the voice of melody lift up your eyes to the Heavens c. Verse 7 8 12 13. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear yee not the reproach of men neither bee ye afraid of their revilings for the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the worm shall eat them like wool but my Righteousness shall bee for ever and my salvation from Generation to Generation I even I am hee that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest bee afraid of a man that shall dye and of the Son of man which shall bee made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and layd the foundations of the earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour as if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the oppressour I even I am he c. and where is the fury of the oppressour where is the fury of the oppressour where is it not rather is it not in the house and in the field is it not in the City and in the Villages is it not upon my Cattel upon my Purse upon my body upon my Children upon my friends where is not the fury of the oppressour I but when thou remembrest the Lord thy maker the Oath the Promise and Covenant of God the Presence Protection and Comfort of thy God when thou remembrest this then where is the fury of the Oppressour CHAP. V. The Angels of Light in the Covenant 5. THe Angels of Light are in the Covenant Heb. 1.14 are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth for them who shall bee Heirs of Salvation Whilest our Lord himself was sent down to Minister behold his servants are to bee ministred unto the Angels are made their Ministers Psal 91.11 Hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies they have received a charge and they have great advantages for the keeping the charge of the Lord. 1. They are mighty Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord yee his Angels that excel in strength an Angel is more than an Armie what slaughters have the Angels made in the Armies of the Aliens an hundred fourscore and five thousand Assyrians are slain by one Angel of the Lord when encamped against Judah Isa 37.36 It is hard service indeed that is too hard for an Angel 2 They are numerous there are great multitudes of them Psal 68.17 Thousands of Angels a multitude of the Heavenly Host Luke 2.13 An Angel is more than an army but what then are an Army of Angels 3. They are faithful They can do much for the Saints but will they do it yes they are faithful They do the Commandements of God Psal 103.20 God bids them keep and they are faithful they will keep his sheep wee are taught to pray that the will of God may bee done on earth as it is in Heaven that men may bee faithful as the Angels of God 4. They are Favourites they behold the face of God they dwell in his presence they are admitted to stand before his Throne they can bee heard they have favour in Heaven and therefore such power on earth Mat. 18.10 Take heed yee despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in Heaven
their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Touch not mine annointed let alone my little ones take heed how you offend them their Angels are before my Father and are mighty with him to engage his power for their aid and deliverance O the great security of the least of Saints These Mighty ones these Multitudes these Faithful ones these Favourites of Heaven the Holy Angels of God have all received a charge from the Lord to preserve and defend them Lord open their eyes that they may see Behold the Mountains full of Chariots and Horses of fire round about Elisha 2 King 6.17 Should a mighty Prince commit any Subject of his to a potent and faithful Life-guard with this charge Look to this man keep him in safety see that hee come to no harm whoever offends do you defend him where-ever hee goes go you with him where-ever hee lodges stand you as a guard about the house while hee sleeps do you watch see that hee want for nothing nor hurt come to him If this were thy case in what great security wouldst thou count thy self But O! what is a life-guard of men to a guard of mighty Angels Fear not little flock in Heaven your Angels behold the face of God and in Earth have they pitched their Tents round about you CHAP. VI. The powers of darkness delivered over in the Covenant 6. THe powers of darkness are delivered over in the Covenant Satan and all his Instruments We are naturally in bondage to Satan held captive by him at his Will 2 Tim. 2.26 His Prisoners his Slaves his Vassals By the blood of the Covenant the Lord hath brought forth his Prisoners and redeemed his Captives Zach. 9.11 and also hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and led Captivity Captive In this Covenant there is deliverance of the Prisoners and a delivery over of them by whom they were held a Gaol-delivery and a delivery of the Jaylors too into their hands and they are delivered over bound the God of this world in Chains limited spoiled banished and cast out Mat. 16.18 The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Gates of Cities were antiently their special strength and in them were their great Councels held for the contriving and managing of all their concernments by Hell understand the whole Infernal Corporation all that belong to that dark Region Satan and all his Instruments the dragon with his armies the serpent and all his seed By the gates of hell understand the power and policy the combination and councels of Sathan and his whole party These gates of hell shall not prevail against it that is against the Church neither against head nor any member of it they shall not prevail that notes two things 1. They shall fight against it they are all combin'd and listed against the Church making a war upon it Raze it Raze it even to the foundation thereof Down with it root and branch let it not have a being let it not have so much as a name under heaven particular quarrels there may bee betwixt devil and devil Herod against Pilate and Pilate against Herod yet the tails of these smoaking fire-brands are united against the Lord and his anointed ones Against their profession against their Religion against the soul of every Saint What-ever vails or specious pretences they varnish their quarrel with this is it that lies at the bottom of all their counsels and machinations wherein all their aims are concentred to root out godliness and the professours of it out of the earth to deceive and destroy souls for ever 2. Though they shall fight against them yet they shall not overcome They shall not prevail against it that is not finally in the end the victory shall be the Saints Zach. 12.3 Jerusalem shall be a burthensom stone to all people 1. Such a stone that they shall not be able to lift or move it out of its place it shall stand as a rock against which the impetuous waves may dash themselves but they cannot move it 2. They shall not be able to bear it It shall crush them that burthen themselves with it those that shake the Church they are pulling an house about their ears a rock upon their loins it shall break the backs of all those that contend against it they shall bee cut in pieces saith the Text that burthen themselves with it though all the earth yea and hell too be gathered together against it It is a vain design that Sathan and his partakers are driving on Psal 2.1 Why do the heathens rage and the people imagine a vain thing it is a vain design and it is a fatal design to themselves Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel Gen. 3.15 In the first dawning of this glorious day light it 's promised that the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel John 12.31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out Cast out whence why cast out of his kingdome out of his hold cast down from his throne and dominion His prison is broken and now the prey is taken from the strong the captives of the mighty are taken away But how was this now done at the death of Christ to which these words referre Doth not Sathan still reign Is hee not still the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air Yea what hold hath hee yet of the Saints that are in the earth what a tyrant is hee to them how doth hee entangle and ensnare them what havock doth hee make in their consciences lording it over them leading them captive by lusts and temptations what a strong party hath he still within them bearing arms against their Lord fighting against their souls what sad spoil doth he make upon their grace upon their peace they cannot rest for him day nor night abroad nor at home alone nor in company hee 's ever following them whither ever they go the Devil is at their backs they cannot pray nor read nor spend a thought nor cast a look nor dispatch a sigh towards the Lord but Sathan stands by to resist and hinder them what a yoke hath he still upon their necks what clogs and weights hath he still upon their loins how do they mourn in their souls whilest he vexes them from day to day how do they groan and travel in pain sighing in themselves and waiting for their redemption How is it then said now is hee cast out why now hee hath received his judgment the prince of this world is judged Joh. 16. Now is the fatal blow given now is the serpents head broken though hee still may bruise and hang in the Saints heel The blow he levelled at our
thee to bee with thy Father in the bosome of thy bridegroom the presence chamber of thy Lord and Love would it bee a mercy to thee to weep no more fear no more suffer no more bee tempted no more sin no more to bee uncloathed of corruption and be cloathed upon with immortality and incorruption then bid death welcome Blessed souls when you come a shoare and see the light the love the joy the rest the glory that is on the other side you will then more fully understand what this meaneth Death is yours Hee knew something who said I cannot tell you what sweet pain and delightsome torments are in Christs love I often challenge time that holdeth us asunder I have for the present a sick life much pain and much love-sickness for Christ O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosome O when shall wee meet O how long is it to the dawning of the Marriage-day O sweet Lord Jesus take wide steps Come over the Mountains at one stride O my Beloved flee as a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of separation O if hee would fold the Heavens together like an old Cloak and shovel time and daies out of the way and come away CHAP. VIII The Kingdome in the Covenant 8. GOd hath put the Kingdome into this Covenant Matth. 5.3 Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 12.32 It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God I might here enlarge in describing the glory of this Kingdome but when I had said all I must at last leave it within the Vail and therefore shall only tell you from the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.9 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 c. Ephes 1.18 When by the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation the eyes of your understandings are opened yee shall know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints CHAP. IX All the means of salvation in the Covenant both outward and inward in special the blessing of a new heart LAstly God hath put into the Covenant all the means of salvation And all things on their parts necessary to the obtaining the everlasting kingdome 1. All the outward means of salvation Ordinances Word Sacraments and Prayer Officers Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Teachers Ephes 4.11,12 1 Cor. 3.22 2. All the inward means of salvation Every grace every duty their obtaining the one and performing the other and perseverance in both These are all comprehended in the second part of that great promise They shall be my people Which though it be properly the matter of their own stipulation yet for this also the Lord himself undertakes You shall be my people Two things are hereby signified 1. I will account you and reckon you for mine You shall have the priviledge and the blessing of my people I will set you apart and separate you to my self out of all the tribes and kindreds of the earth and will avouch you for my portion and peculiar possession I will set you as the apple of mine eye as a seal upon mine heart and upon mine arm I will mark you out for the people of my love of you will I take care for you will I provide with you are my delights over you will I rejoyce with you will I dwell and you shall dwell with me for ever 2. I will not only reckon you for my people but I will undertake for you that you shall consent to me accept of me own me follow me and cleave to me as my people I will not only separate you to my self but I will fashion you for my self I will sanctifie you and guide you and teach you and help you I will fulfill in you all the good pleasure of my will I will work all your works in you I will avouch you for my people and you shall avouch me for your God You shall love me fear me obey me I will keep you from falling and preserve you to my heavenly kingdome Particularly the Lord hath promised to give them 1. A new heart 2. An heart to know the Lord. 3. One heart 4. An heart of flesh 5. An heart to love the Lord. 6. An heart to fear the Lord. 7. An heart to obey the Lord. 8. An heart to persevere to the end 1. A new heart Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you This new heart I take it is the genus of all the following graces and therefore the less shall suffice to be spoken of it here A new heart that is not physically new in regard of substance but morally onely in regard of qualities This new heart signifies both another heart and a more excellent heart 'T is said of Caleb Numb 14.24 that he had another heart And this other heart is declared to be a more excellent heart than was in the rest of the people Whilest they either followed not the Lord or but haltingly hee followed the Lord fully Prov. 17.27 A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit There is another heart that is not a new heart Nebuchadnezzer had another but no new heart the heart of a beast for the heart of a man an evil heart grown worse is not a new heart but the old heart grown older We read 1 Sam. 10.9 that when Saul was anointed King God gave him another heart this was a more excellent heart than he had before and yet not the heart here promised He gave to him another heart that is the spirit of government the heart of a King for the heart of a private person a more publick raised heroick heart the heart of a King fitted to the station and office of a King The excellencies of this new heart are not natural but spiritual excellencies as will appear more in the handling of the particular graces promised and are such as fit them for their new state work reward 1. For their new state Christians are made the children of God vessels of honour a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people and God gives them an heart answering the dignity of their high calling 2. For their new Work a Christian hath other work to do than other men whilest their business lies all here below in this earth in their fields and vineyards c. Christians work lies above with their God and their Jesus and within about their nobler and immortal part their work is spiritual and such is the heart that 's given to them 3. For their new reward God intends better things to them a better portion a better hope better comforts joyes delights here and a better inheritance hereafter and he prepares them better hearts to receive these better things he will not put his new
it Rule till it hath put all thine Enemies under thy feet till every thought imagination every high thing be made low and brought into captivity to Christ Let not the light of the Lord help thee to do the Devil's Work Let it not bee fodder for thy flesh lest it bee fuel for thy flames Let it not repent thy God nor thee that ever thou hadst such a talent committed to thee Let it neither be loss to God nor the eternal loss of thine own soul Hee that hath appeared on earth in beams of light will bee revealed from Heaven in flames of fire rendering vengeance to all that Know God and obey not the Gospel of Christ Woe to those that neither know nor obey but Oh! what to those that obey not though they Know Christians know the Lord but know and fear know and serve know and honour thy God Know God and know thy self thy sinne and thy misery thy dangers and thy temptations Know and mourn know and bee ashamed know and fear and watch and fight and overcome Know God and know his Will thy duty and thy way thy priviledges and opportunities thy Race and thy Crown Know and do and run and suffer and wait and hope and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Know God but God in Christ God reconciled pardoning absolving accepting through him Know and believe accept adventure upon resign commit thy self to him Know thy God and behold him look upon thy God in his power in his wisdome in his holiness in his goodness in his loving-kindness in his mercy Behold him in his Word in his Works in his Providence in his Saints in thy Soul in his Son Set him before thine eyes look upon thy God and never leave looking till thou art changed into his Image and satisfied with his Visage and when thou art brought up to this then hee hath done for thee what he hath said I will give them an heart to know mee CHAP. XI One Heart 3. ONe Heart Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one Heart Wee read Hos 14.11 Ephraim is like a silly Dove without an Heart Hath no heart at all none for his God that 's as good as none and Psal 12.2 Wee read that Israel had a double Heart an Heart and an Heart more hearts than one but saies the Lord I will give them an Heart and it shall bee but one and no more For the opening of this to let passe the signification it hath as it respects Christians collectively as it respects each particular Christian This one Heart may bee taken as opposed To A wavering A divided A double Heart 1. As opposed to a wavering unstable Heart Jam. 1.6.8 VVavering minded men have almost as many hearts as they live daies or meet with cases An heart that changes with the weather and tacks about with every winde that resolves and repents that chuses and changes that like a wave of the Sea is tossed about with every VVinde This you may call either many hearts or no heart as you will Thus this one heart is a fixed established resolved heart Heb. 13.9 It is good that the heart bee established with grace Grace fixes and establishes the heart brings it to a consistency in it self which before was any thing or nothing 2. As opposed to a divided Heart Hos 10.2 An Heart cut in two as it were some talk that the Devil hath a cloven foot but what-ever the Devils foot bee to bee sure his Sons have a cloven heart one half for God the other for sin one half for Christ the other for this present World God hath a corner in it and the rest is for sin and the Devil Thus this one heart is an entire heart all the powers of it are united within it self and go the same way God hath the whole heart Psal 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name All its springs are in him and thither do all its streams bend their course 3. As opposed to a double heart or an hypocritical heart properly so called Psal 12.2,3 that 's it which is called an heart and an heart an heart in the breast and another in the tongue Our outside is presum'd to be an expression of our inside what wee speak wee pretend to bee our very hearts 'T is the heart in the tongue that speaks the heart in the eye that weeps the heart in the hand that works the heart in the foot that walks no 't is not so with the Hypocrite he shews another heart in his tongue in his waies than that which is within him He hath an heart and an heart one in his tongue or life and quite another in his breast His course speaks him another man than hee is and thus one heart signifies a single or a plain heart To summe up all together this one heart is such as 1. Pitches on one end 2. Has but one thing to do 3. Does what it does 1. Pitches on one end God is its end There it wholly bestows it self I am thine Psal 119. And there only it takes up its rest Psal 39.7 And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee God is both its work and its wages To please God this is its whole business and to enjoy God this is its happiness This is the mark it hath in its eye this is the scope of all its motions to honour and enjoy God This it wills this it loves this it desires designs hopes labours for that the Lord may possess and be the possession of it Particularly it gives God the place the power of the end 1. The place of the end God is its first and last Hee 's first in the eye and it looks no farther It makes him not onely the chief but in a sense its onely aim It will have no other God and therefore no other end but the Lord. It makes all things else not onely to stoop and stand by but to serve to him Get you hence stand off is its language to all that stands up in his room or stands in his way Evil men what-ever honour they pretend to have for the Lord they do but make him a servant to their other Gods Religion they will take up but 't is onely to serve their own turns to bring about their carnal ends they serve not the Lord but their own bellies saith the Apostle Rom. 16.18 Phil. 3.19 Nay they make the Lord their fellow-servant They serve and their Religion must serve their sensual appetites Hee that will have so much religion onely as he may live upon which is the measure of the most makes the Lord no longer his God but his servant A sincere Christian will set God upon the throne and makes all things else his servants or his foot-stool What-ever will not be serviceable must bee trodden in the dirt Nothing will bee loved and embraced but what will set God higher or bring God nearer to his
Word nor his rod neither his speaking nor his smiting will make any signe on such hearts 'T is the heart of flesh that hears and yields And with such hearts the Lord delights to bee dealing Acts 28. The heart of this people is waxed gross they will not hear they will not understand and the next word is away to the Gentiles they will hear Hee will no more write his Law on tables of stone hee 'l write in flesh there the impression will take and go the deeper and therefore where-ever hee intends to write hee prepares his table makes this stone flesh and then engraves upon it Particularly this tenderness admits of a double distinction 1. Respecting the object of it so there is a tenderness 1. Of Sin 2. Of Duty 3. Of Suffering 1. Of Sin and tha't 's twofold such as discovers it self ante factum post factum 1. Ante factum Or before the commissiion Whilest it is under a temptation or feels the first motion to sin A tender heart startles starts back at the sight of a sin as at the sight of a devil Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God the manner of the speech presents Joseph as a man in a fright startled at the ugliness of the motion So David when hee had an opportunity and a temptation to slay Saul 1 Sam. 26.11 rejects it with an absit God forbid The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lords anointed And that not onely at the higher and greater but it resists the little ones the smallest of sins Is it not a little one is no plea with it Little or great 't is a sin and that 's enough 2. Post factum After the Commission if it hath been brought on upon sin yet it cannot go out with it The skirt of Saul's garment was too heavy for David's heart to bear His heart smote him ptesently 1 Sam. 24.5 Sin in the review looks dreadfully It s pleasant flowers quickly turn to thorns it pricks the heart how much soever it pleas'd the eye It ordinarily enters by the eye and often runs out the same way it came in runs out in tears When hee thought thereon hee wept At least it warns and makes more watchful after Thou seest what 't is take heed take it for a warning and do no more The pain of sin if it do not force a tear 't will set a watch 2. Of duty A tender heart will neither slight a sin nor neglect a duty It 's loth to grieve and offend and careful to serve and please the Lord. It would not that he should suffer by it nor so much as lose his due It watches against sin and unto duty It cares how to please the Lord and its care is tender It would not displease by its neglects or performances all must bee done that ought and as it ought to be done It will neither stand out with its offering nor will it offer an unclean thing It considers not onely what but how Both matter and manner substance and circumstance all must bee right or 't is not at ease It will keep time and as much as may bee keep touch with the Lord in every point It is not satisfied that it prayes sometimes it would not lose a praying time God will not and it cannot lose a duty It would neither lose by non-performance nor lose what is performed It would neither leave undone nor do amiss any failing not onely in the matter but in the principle end affection intention any failing pains 3. In point of suffering A soft heart will not bee careful what or how much but why and upon what account hee suffers Will neither sinfully shun the cross nor run upon it unwarrantably He waits for a call and then follows Hee is patient under the hand of the Lord but not insensible can be touched with an affliction though not offended at it The hand of the Lord hath touched mee Hee suffers more than his own his brethrens sufferings His brethrens burthens all lie on his shoulders Hee weeps in their sorrows bleeds in their wounds his heart is bound in their chains As the care so the trouble of all the Churches come daily upon him Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not hee espouses all the sufferings of Christ as his own In all his afflictions hee is afflicted 2. Tenderness may bee distinguished in respect of the subject of it and so there is a tenderness of the conscience the will the affections 1. Tenderness of conscience stands in these three things 1. Clearness of Judgment 2. Quickness of sight 3. Uprightness or faithfulness 1. Clearness of judgment When it s well instructed and understands the rule and can thence discern betwixt good and evil Heb. 5.14 There is a tenderness that proceeds from cloudiness scrupulosity that fears every thing stumbles at straws starts at shaddows makes sins picks quarrels at duties and so sometimes dare not please for fear of offending God This is the sickness or soreness of conscience not its soundness 'T is the sound conscience that is truly tender 2. Quickness of sight and watchfulness I sleep but my heart waketh It can espie the least sins and smallest duties It can see sin in the very temptation it can discover the least sin under the fairest face and the least duty under the foulest vizor Call it singularity nicety cloud it with reproaches yet conscience can discover light shining through all the clouds duty within whatsoever unhandsom face it bee presented in the former stands in consciences understanding the rule as was said this in strait applying the rule to cases and distinguishing of them by it The truly tender hath his eyes in his head and his eyes open to discover and discern all that comes bee it good or evil little or great If but a thought comes in what comes there saies conscience what art thou a friend or an enemy whence art thou from God or from beneath 't will examine whatever knocks before any free admission O what a croud of evils do thrust into loose and careless hearts the devil comes in in the croud and is never discovered If the eye bee either dim or asleep there 's entrance for any thing Little do wee think oft-times who hath been with us what losses and mischiefs wee have sustained while our hearts have been asleep which had they been wakeful and watchful might have been prevented 3. Uprightness and faithfulness Which discovers it self 1. In giving charge concerning duty 2. In giving warning of sin 3. In giving check for sin when committed 1. In giving charge concerning duty look to it soul there 's a duty before thee which God calls thee to do not say 't is no great hurt to let it alone 't is no great hurt to do it it is questionable whether it bee a duty or no Many wiser than I think otherwise do not say
Prov. 22.3 The prudent man fore-seeth the evil but fools go on the snare is never nearer than to the secure bold venturous sinners never want woe the Devil may spare his cunning when hee hath to do with such nothing that looks like sin offers it self to a tender heart but hee presently suspects it every pleasant morsel every pleasant cup every pleasant companion that comes any thing that tickles and gratifies the flesh hee looks through it e're hee will touch with it least it betray his soul from God there may bee a snare in the dish a snare in my cup a snare in my company and what if there should he feeds himself with fear dwells walks converses works recreates himself vvith a trembling heart and jealous eye 2. In its Caution Fear is warie some Commanders have set their scout watches unarmed that fear might make them watchful a fearful Christian will take heed what and whom hee trusts hee dares not trust himself in such company as may bee a snare unto him hee dares not trust his heart among temptations hee 'l keep the Devil at a distance hee will not come near where his Nets do lye Blessed is hee that thus feareth alwaies O the unspeakable mischief O the multitudes of sins that wee run upon through our secure hearts I never thought of it I never dreamed of any such danger Oh I am undermined I am over-reach'd I am surprized my foot is in the Snare the grin hath taken mee by the heel my soul is among Lyons Sin hath gotten hold on mee mine heart is gone e're I was aware the enemy hath come in and carryed it away hath given it to lust to the world to pleasure to divide it amongst themselves my faith hath failed my conscience is defiled my love is grown cold my grace withered my comforts wasted my peace broken and my God O! where is hee become Woe is mee the evil that I feared not is come upon mee had I feared I had not fallen O that I had been wise had kept my watch had stood upon my guard had I thought had I thought I had escaped all this danger O Christians bee wise in season and take heed of the fools too late had I wist 3. There 's a tenderness of sorrow Sorrow is the melting of the heart the stone dissolved sorrow is the wound of the heart a wound is tender love is tender and therefore Godly sorrow which is the sorrow of love you may call it a love sickness love is both the pain and pleasure of a mourning heart 't is love that wounds and love that heals it is both the weapon and the oyle this sorrow hath its joy the melted is the most joyful heart 't is love that makes it sad it therefore weeps because it loves and 't is love that makes it glad too It therefore joyes because in its sorrows it sees it loves 'T is love that makes the wound the matter of this sorrow being love abus'd what hast thou done Soul who hast thou despised against whom hast thou lift up thy self thou hast sinned thou hast sinned and hast thereby smitten and grieved thy God that loves thee and whom thou lovest Thou hast but one friend in Heaven and earth and him thou hast abused to pleasure thy lust thou hast pierced thy Lord thou hast transgressed his Commandements and trampled upon his Compassions hast broken his Bonds and kick'd at his Bowels his greatness and his goodness his Law and his very Love hath been despised by thee him who loved thee hast thou smitten Is this thy kindness to thy Friend O vile ungratious unkinde unthankful unnatural heart what hast thou done Put all this now together and you have the heart of flesh which the Covenant promises a Tender Heart an heart that is tender of sin and duty that carefully shuns sin or is sure to smart for it that neither slights sin nor duty that sayes not of the one or the other 't is but a little one that can feel sufferings but not fret at them a Tender Conscience that will neither winck at sin nor excuse the sinner that will not hold the sinner guiltless nor say unto the wicked thou art righteous that will not bee smitten but it will smite again that will give due warning and due correction a flexible tractable heart that will not resist and rebel that sayes unto the Lord what wilt thou have mee to do and will not say of any thing hee will have any thing but this A willing ductile heart stiffe against nothing but sin that a word from Heaven will lead to any thing An Heart of Love that bears good will to the Lord and all that hee does or requires in which good will lies radically every good work that saies not of any duties or sufferings this is too great or of any sin this is nothing that would bee any thing or nothing So God may bee all That would rather bee displeased than displease that is not displeased where God is pleased A trembling Heart that fears more than it sees and flies from what it fears whom fear makes to beware A melting Heart a mourning heart that wounds it self in the wounds it hath given to the Lord and his Name that can grieve in love and can love and grieve where it cannot weep In summe 't is an heart that can feel that can bleed that can weep or at least that can yeild and stoop where it cannot weep nor feel but little that will easily bee commanded where it is not sensibly melted this is a soft heart this is the heart of flesh I will take away the stone and give them an heart of flesh Oh what a blessing is such an heart what a plague is an hard heart oh what prisoners are the men of this evil world in prison under Sathan in prison under sin bound under a curse shut up under unbelief and impenitence the hard heart is the iron-gate that shuts them in that they cannot get out Rom. 2. Oh what an hospital is this world become of blind and lame and sick and creeples and wounded creatures whence are all the calamities and distresses that befall them but from the hardness of their hearts the stone in their hearts breeds all their diseases brings all their calamities hath blinded their eyes and broken their bones and wasted their estates there is not one misery that befalls them but they may write up over it this is the hardness of my heart Oh what a Sodom is this world become for wickedness as well as for wrath what drunkenness what adulteries what oaths what blasphemies and all sorts of monstrous sins do every where abound whence is all this but from the hardness of mens hearts if you say 't is from other causes 't is from unbelief from ignorance from impotence from temptations let it bee granted yet still 't is from hardness of heart They are wilfully ignorant wilfully weak vvilfully run into
temptations they shut their eyes and stop their ears they wil not see they will not believe Oh what losses do they sustain how many Sabbaths are lost how many Sermons are lost how many reproofs counsels corrections are lost a Gospel lost and souls thereby like to bee lost for ever oh what prodigies are they become under all this sin and misery and yet merry jolly laughing and singing and sporting and feasting and braving it out as if nothing ail'd them Feeling nothing of all that is come upon them and fearing nothing of all that is coming Warn them reprove them beseech them 't is all but preaching to a stone It may bee you have sometimes wondred to see a company of thieves in prison to bee drinking and carousing and milking merry when they know that in a few daies they must bee brought out and hanged When thou wondrest at these wonder at thy self What bitter complaints do wee sometimes hear even from the best of Saints oh this hard heart oh this stubborn spirit I cannot mourn I cannot stoop I cannot submit Isa 63.17 Why hast thou hardned our heart from thy fear Or why hast thou left us or given us up to an hard heart why hast thou not softened and humbled and broken us thou hast humbled us and wee are not humbled broken us and wee are not broken thou hast broken our land broken our peace broken our backs but the stone is not yet broken oh for one breach more Lord our hearts our hearts let these bee once broken our streets mourn the Cities of our solemnities mourn the wayes of Sion mourn oh when wilt thou give us a mourning spirit Oh what sorrow-bitten souls are the Saints for want of sorrow I mourn Lord I lament I weep but 't is because I cannot mourn or lament as I should If I could mourn as I ought I could bee comforted if I could weep I could rejoyce if I could sigh I could sing if I could lament I could live I die I dye mine heart dies within mee because I cannot cry I cry Lord but not for sin but for tears for sin I cry Lord my calamities cry my bowels cry my bones cry my soul cries my sins cry Lord for a broken heart and behold yet I am not broken The Rocks rent the Earth quakes the Heavens drop the Clouds weep the Sun will blush the Moon bee ashamed the foundations of the earth will tremble at the presence of the Lord but this heart will neither break nor tremble O for a broken heart If this were once done might my soul have this wish thenceforth my God might have his Will what would bee hard if my heart were tender Labour would bee easie pains would bee a pleasure burthens would bee light Neither the Command nor the Cross would bee any longer grievous nothing would bee hard but sin Fear where art thou come and plough upon this Rock Love where art thou come and thaw this Ice come and warm this dead lump come and enlarge this straitned spirit then shall I run the way of his Commandements Oh Brethren how little how very little of this tenderness is there to bee found amongst the most of Christians The sacrifice of God is a broken heart Oh how far must the Lord go to finde himself such a Sacrifice wee do but cast stones up to Heaven when wee lift up our hearts 'T is a wonder that such hearts as wee carry do not break themselves that our marble weeps not that if nothing else will do it our hardness doth not make us relent that wee should so labour under and complain of and yet not bee sick of the Stone Broken hearts yeilding and relenting spirits tender consciences Oh where are they afraid of sin tender of transgressing or mourning under it when shall it once bee our lusts no more broken our pride our passion our envy our earthliness no more broken So venturous on temptation so bold on sin such liberty taken to transgress such mincing and palliating and excusing of sin as wee finde Is this our brokenness wee are tender 't is true but of what of dishonouring God of abusing Grace of neglecting Duty of defiling Conscience of vvounding of our Souls No 't is of our flesh that wee are so tender tender of labour tender of trouble tender of our carkasses of our credits of our Names and reputations a tender shoulder a tender hand a tender foot they can bear nothing nor do nothing nothing can touch our flesh nothing can touch our Idols our ease or our estates but wee shrink and smart and are put to pain God may bee smitten and wee feel it not the Gospel may bee smitten the Church may bee smitten conscience may bee smitten and it moves us not Wee can fear an affliction fear a reproach Oh did wee so much fear a temptation or a sin wee cannot want bread but wee feel it wee cannot want cloathes or an house or a friend but wee feel it Wee cannot want our sleep our quiet our pleasure our respects from men but wee feel it any thing that pinches upon our flesh pierces our hearts Wee cannot pine or languish in our bodies but wee feel it a feaver or an ague or a consumption or a dropsie or any bodily sickness Oh it makes us sick at heart a froward yoak-fellow an unthrifty servant an ill neighbour a scoffe a sleight cannot bee born but Oh! how much sin can bee born while our flesh will bear nothing Oh! how can conscience bear and never complain Christians consider when our flesh must be thus tendred what ever come of it must be tenderly fed must have soft rayment soft lodging soft usage deal gently with it though to maintain it Conscience must bee racked and wracked and wasted When our Wills cannot bee crossed our appetites cannot bee denied but a tumult follows the soul is in an uproar and conscience mean while must be denied rated and must go away in silence When the Word works no more when the prints of it are not received the power of it is resisted when the rod works no more when our stripes make no sign when the lashes on our backs fall all besides our hearts when wee remain so vain and so wanton so wilful and so carnal and so earthly after the Lord hath been preaching and whipping of us into a better frame when wee stand upon our terms keep our distances our animosities our heats and heighths of spirit our censurings our quarrellings one with another Christian with Christian Professour with Professour after the Lord hath been beating us together to make us friends and all to learn us more humility and charity Is this our brokenness is this our tenderness when upon any the Lords rougher dealing with us spitting in our faces throwing us on our backs trampling us in the dirt wee are yet no more brought on our knees Is this our brokenness when the Lord hath been awakening us out of sleep putting his
who are they that so run as if they would take God by force take Heaven by force The Kingdome of Heaven may offer violence if it will and take us by force but how little violence doth it suffer We say wee love God but is there not something else wee love more wee desire to be holy but is there not something else wee desire more Oh how few hearty friends hath Christ in the world and how little love from these few so little that we cannot tell our selves whether it be any thing or nothing how hard are we put to it what a narrow search must we make how many arguments must wee consult how many marks must we consider e're we can prove we love him and yet at last are still in doubt whether we love him or not When we love our carnal Friends our Wives our Children we can feel that we love them when we love our Ease or our Estates or our Liberties we can feel that we love them but our God we cannot tell whether we love him or no How few of us can boldly make our appeal to him Lord thou knowest that I love thee Oh! how many wounds doth Christ receive in the house of his Friends how many sleights must hee put up how often when hee hath sate down in his own in the highest room have we said to him give this man place give this friend or this business place and so made him take the lower room How hath hee when he hath come to our doors his love hath often brought him thither how often hath hee stood and knock'd and call'd open to mee my Love my Sister and there been made to stand and wait when strangers have been gotten in and taken up all the rooms The world can never come out of season but Christ is fain to wait his seasons when he can finde us at leisure if there bee any other guest with us our Lord must wait Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will send for thee how often have we agreed and appointed to meet the Lord at such an hour in our Chamber in our Closet to have converse and communion with him in Duty and if any thing come in â—o carry us another way then presently I pray thee have mee excused or if we do keep our time and shut in our selves with the Lord and sit down to Duty what a multitude of thoughts presently fall a knocking at our doors and away our hearts go presently with them to the ends of the earth and leaves nothing but our carkasses behind with the Lord O were our love stronger our cries would bee louder and would drown the noise of these knocking 's that they would not bee heard nor heeded it would command silence to every impertinent thought I charge you O Daughters that you stirre not that you disturb not my Beloved and my Soul more love would command their attendance upon the work of the Lord would gird up the loins of the mind and gather in all its scattered Messengers come all yee powers of my soul come and do your homage come and help in the service of my God Oh! at what distance are wee content to live from the Lord sometimes for many daies together Our souls and our God are grown strange and yet wee can bee merry and quiet wee can bee without the presence of God and yet never miss it not a smile from his face nor a look of love from us to him and yet no trouble follows the Sun may bee Ecclipsed or under a Cloud and yet no darkness upon our Spirits wee do not walk in darkness when wee have no light sorrow and sadness is as far from us as God is from us we can warm our selves at our own fires and rejoyce in the light of our own sparks as if these were the Sun wee can do as well in a Mist as in the Sun-shine day and night are both alike to us The Children of the Bride-chamber do not Fast but can Feast and make merry when the Bridegroom is taken from them their carnal contentments they can make a shift with to supply the room of their Lord. Can wee not sometimes go where our Lord feeds and never finde him go to pray or go to hear or go to a Sacrament and the Lord never meet us there and yet can return well enough satisfied When wee thus want communion with God and can want it where 's our love what love is that which can so well bear the absence of her Beloved Call mee no more Naomi pleasant but call mee Marah bitter I went out full but I return empty Full of Grace full of Joy because full of the Lord but behold all is gone my Husband is lost my God is departed from mee Call mee no more Naomi but call mee Marah for the Almighty hath dealt bitterly with me hath hid his face from me for these things I weep mine eyes mine eyes run down with tears because the Comforter that should relieve my soul is farre from mee such are the tears of Love for her absent Lord. Oh! how little Conscience is there made of bestowing that on the Lord which wee have bestowed on him wee give and take wee pretend to have given all to God but are wee not often taking away what wee have given and bestowing it elsewhere Love would have all we have running into God and would have nothing run besides but Oh! what waste is there made of our time of our parts and other Talents which were they well husbanded would come to much and bee given to the Lord when so many daies and hours run out and no account taken of them on what or on whom they are consumed when our eyes and our ears and hands and tongues which were made for God the Devil and Lust must so often have the using of them when back and belly and friends and companions must carry away what should bee spent on God and Souls when what should be allowed for Religion and Charity to have the spending of must bee at the disposure of Pride Prodigality and Gluttony when our Prayers our Fasting our Preaching and hearing all our Duties must become sacrifices to our Lust our Idols are suffered to devour the Sacrifices of the Lord when our pride and fleshly ends must have the offering and the eating of our Sacrifices this must make our Prayers and preach our Sermons and keep our Fasts and give our Almes and wear the credit and honour of them as its own Crown when God is thus robbed and wee let the thief run away with all and is never pursued or questioned Oh! where is our love Oh! how little pleasure do wee take in the Lord what a weariness is it to us to wait upon him how glad are wee when wee come back from the House of the Lord when wee come off our Knees come out of our Closets when the Sabbaths are gone and the new-Moons
the Lord He that did this what can he not do His wrath is a dread Jer. 10.10 At his wrath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Yea his Holiness his Truth his Righteousness and all his Name Deut 28.58 That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearfull Name the Lord thy God The Lord God is a dreadful God 2. The Lord God hath put the dread of himself upon the hearts of all the earth Not the best onely but the worst of the sons of men I am a great King saith the Lord and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen This dread of the Lord breaks forth upon them 1. From the impress of God upon the natures of all men As the Law so the being of God is written in their hearts he hath his witness in their Consciences If the Atheists of the Earth could answer all the Arguments from without proving that there is a God yet they can never confute their own Consciences If the works of God do not their Reins shall instruct them If they will not see whether they will or no they shall feel that there is a God and where ever God is felt he is feared Even when their mouth speaketh proud things their heart shall meditate terror and when nothing else is they shall be a terror to themselves 2. It is increased by the great works of God his Wonders that he doth in the world his Thunder and his Hail his Wind and his Waves and his Earth-quakes make an Earth-quake in hearts 3. It s further heightned by his Judgments which he executeth on the Earth The Judgements of God are God revealing himself from Heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and do then strike most terror 1. When he smites suddenly and makes quick work with sinners as when Herod was smote by an Angel of God Nadab and Abihu consumed by fire from God immediately upon their sin Sudden strokes shake secure hearts 2. When he executes strange judgments makes a new thing as in the case of Korah and his company he made the Earth to open her mouth upon them and swallow them up so he made the flies and the froggs and the lice c. to be the Executioners of his Wrath on Pharaoh 3. When he executes great Wrath for little Sins as men account them as in the case of Uzzah whom he struck dead for but touching the Ark when it shook 4. When he exercises great severity on his own on those that are near him If he spareth not his Sons what will he do with his Enemies If these things be done on the green Tree what shall be done on the dry 4. Yet further By their Conscience of guilt and their binding over to the judgment to come The sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon the tables of their heart The sin of Judah is written yea and the sin of the Gentile also Rom. 2.15 Their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing And where their sin is written there their judgment is written which even nature it self will teach doth inevitably follow upon sin and this is the great dread that is upon them The very mention of judgment to come made a Felix tremble at the face of a poor Prisoner This is the terror of the Lord mentioned by the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10,11 We must all appear before the Judgment-seat Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men Death is said to be the King of terrors and this is the terror of death after that the judgment All these the impress of God upon their hearts the wonders of God in the worâ—d the vengeance of God executed on sin the sence of guiâ—t and of a judgment to come do preach to the Consciences of sinners that It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God 3. Yet by sin the heart of man is much hardned from the fear of the Lord. Sin blinds the eye and hardens the heart brings into danger and puts out of fear Who in such danger and yet who so bold as the blind sinner When the understanding is darkned the next word we read is Past feeling Eph. 4.19 There is included in the very nature of sin a slighting of God and by once slighting we learn to slight him more Slight the Command and you will quickly slight the Curse Laugh at duty and 't will not be long ere you laugh at tear And when sin hath thus hardned God will also harden le ts the sinner alone suspends his judgments smites the sinner with judicial blindness and gives him up to a Reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 And when once they come to this then Hell is broke loose For what follows ver 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness malitiousness and what not Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart there is no fear of God before his eyes Gen 20 When Abraham had such a thought Surely the fear of God is not in this place what thought he was there then Murther Adultery Rapes all manner of villany What sawest thou amongst us that thou hast done this thing What hurt what evill didst thou see among us What evill Evill enough to make me afraid I thought the fear of God was not here and there needs no more to make me afraid Say of any Person The fear of God is not in this man and you therein say The Devil is in him here dwels sin and all manner of wickedness Say of any place The fear of God is not in this place and if you find it an Egypt or Sodom for abominations you will not wonder Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord is clean That is not only Formaliter but Effectivè it cleanseth Where this is not every unclean thing may dwell The reason why this world is such a world as 't is such a wicked world such a treacherous deceitful ungodly world why there is so little Faith or Truth or Mercy or Charity or Sobriety is because there is so little of the fear of God Sin hath cast out fear and this hath brought forth sin in abundance The Law is nothing Threatnings are nothing Conscience is nothing God is nothing to men because he is not their fear Wickedness is as righteousness villany as honesty prodigality debauchery as temperance and sobriety yea and hath gotten the start of it it faceth the Sun it lifts up the head it wears the Garland it paints it self Vertue Generosity Gallantry the beauty and ornament of the World where the fear of God is departed God may promise threaten command Hearken to my voice turn at my reproofs cast away your transgressions Awake from your wine be chaste sober be humble let your merriment be turned into mourning your jollity into heaviness Remember your Creator remember your souls why
Let the fear of the Lord be in thee habitually in thy heart but actuate and stir up this holy fear keep up an holy awe a deep sence of God alwaies upon thee let the fear of the Lord be before thine eyes be possessed and swallowed up of this fear all the day long where ever thou art with whomsoever thou hast to do remember thou hast still to do with God A Christian should stand alwaies pro tribunali every day should be as the last day the day of judgment to him So speak ye and so do as those that shall be judged Jam. 2.12 The Judge stands at the door yea and thou mayest see him through every window yea through every wall every wall is a window through which God may see and be seen A Christian when he is as he should be cannot wink God out of sight can look no where but he beholds that eye that strikes an awe upon his spirit This abiding reverence of God what an influence will it have upon the whole course we shall then serve God acceptably when we fear we shall please God That we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear We shall then serve God universally in every thing When we fear we shall watch unto every duty against every sin Gen. 42,18 This do and live for I fear God said Joseph to his brethren as if he should have said Do not you fear to find falshood or any evil dealing from me for I fear God I dare not be false to you you may trust me you may take my word for I fear God We shall then walk before the Lord steadily When we fear we shall fix and hold in an even frame and course Fear will be our Ballast whilest Love fills our Sails Fear will Ballast our Vessell How are slight and frothy spirits tossed up and down Whither do they wander How many hearts and faces and frames have they every day What contradictions are they to themselves The reverence of God upon them would fix them and hold them in a more even and equal poise We should then serve the Lord more Honourably When we fear we shall shew forth the vertues of God before the world so much of the reverence so much of the holiness of God upon us The presence of a Christian walking in the fear of the Lord is as the presence of God the reverence of God upon his heart casts a beam of Divine Majesty into his face and oftentimes begets an awe and reverence of him in the hearts of the worst of sinners they reverence even whilest they revile and persecute him Iohn Baptist who was a man of a just and holy and austere life 't is said of him Mark 6,20 That Herod feared him and observed him The austerity and holiness of his life commanded a respect from an Herods heart Such Christians their waies are a conviction and their very countenances are a rebuke to the wanton world they speak with authority they exhort with authority they reprove with authority and sin often hides it self from them even as from the face of God 2 Especially in our drawing nigh to God Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him I will be sanctified in them that draw nigh me He that fears God trembles at the word of God And God loves he should Isa 26.2 To this man will I look that trembles at my word That which makes him tremble is that he sees the Word carrying upon it The Holiness The Authority of God He reads the word as the Epistle of God sent down to the world his Epistle Commendatory that sets forth the Excellency and the Glory of God and his Letters Mandatory that charge subjection and obedience upon him he takes every word as comming from the mouth of the holy One of Israel he lies prostrate before the Lord his soul bowes the knee his heart falls down at the feet of the Almighty The word by how much the more it 's considered as the word of God by so much the more awe it works upon him Every look he casts upon his Bible is a looking into Heaven He that fears God fears when he comes to worship reverences his Sanctuary In thy fear will I worship Psal 5.7 That which works this fear is that he looks upon the Duties and Ordinances of worship as The Institutions of God His Application unto God This is that which the Lord hath sanctified behold his Image and Superscription here he hath appointed me to wait for him here he hath appointed to meet my soul now I am going up to the Mount of God the Mount of God is every where where the worship of God is My soul where art thou I am before the Lord of the whole Earth Put off thy shoes from off thy feet the place where thou standest is holy ground I am before the High and holy One the God of all the Earth and upon transactions of Eternal consequence to do my homage to the everlasting King to kneel before the Lord my maker to kiss the golden Scepter to begg my life at his hands to behold his goings in his Sanctuary his wisdom and his mercy and his goodness are all passing before me How dreadfull is this place This is none other but the House of God and the gate of Heaven Gen. 28.17 How dreadfull is this word This is none other but the word of God How dreadfull is this Ordinance This is no other but the door of glory Tremble thou heart at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. 2. Abhorrence of evill for the Lords sake Here we shall consider its Object Ground 1. The Object of this abhorrence in general is evill Rom. 12.9 Abhorre that which is evil cleave to that which is good Good is the Object of Love evill of Fear Evill is twofold Present or to come The former is the Object of Grief the latter of Fear Particularly the Object of this abhorrence is The wrong of God The loss of God 1. The wrong of God The great and onely wrong of God is sin Sin is the turning away of the heart from God The great thing in all the world which God respects and requires as his own is Hearts My son give me thiâ—e heart Keep thine heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 Keep thine heart that is Keep it for me keep it clean for God and keep it safe for God see that it be not defiled nor carried away When the heart 's gone all 's gone with it If the VVorld hath gotten hearts if Satan hath gotten hearts let them take all saith God let me have either an heart or nothing and all they are like to have that have the heart The heart where-ever it goes carries all with it VVhere we bestow our hearts we bestow all that we have Sin is the turning away
of the heart This is the very nature of sin The hearts departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 And therefore this is the great wrong of God There is but one thing in the world that God respects and this sin steals away Sin is the insurrection and rebellion of the heart against God it turns from him and turns against him it runs over to the camp of the enemy and there takes up arms against God Sin is a running from God and a fighting against God it would spoil the Lord of all the Jewels of his Crown It opposeth the Soveraignty of God A sinfull heart would set up it self in Gods Throne it would be King in his stead and have the command of all Sinners would be their own Gods Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us God shall not be God where sin is gotten up as Lord. It assaulteth the wisdom of God Vain man would be wise wiser then his Maker It charges the Lord with folly and proclaims it self the onely wise Sinners pretend to know how to choose for themselves and order themselves to their advantage better then God If God would let me alone to my self to be at mine own finding at mine own ordering it should quickly be better with me If every thing might be with me as I would have it my case would be well mended from what 't is now that every thing must go as God will have it All our quarrellings at Providence all our murmurings and discontents at our Lott are our hearts charging the Lord with folly It casts dirt on the holiness of God it disparages the goodness of God it abuseth mercy violates his Justice despises his Power In summe it disgraceth the Throne of his glory and layes his honour in the dust sets the Almighty below the lowest of his creatures Every companion shall be respected more then God every pleasure shall be loved more then God the Devil shall be feared more then God Where is his love VVhere is his fear VVhere is his Honour Nay where were the Lord might sin carry it Sin is the wrong of God and this wrong is the especial Object of this abhorrence A gracious heart would do no wrong he would not wrong his Neighbour he would not wrong his Servant his Enemy no not his Beast that he possesses But Oh should I wrong my God Hath he ever done me any wrong Hath he not been just to me Yea hath he not been ever good to me Kinde pityful patient bountiful Who hath fed me cloathed me kept me succoured me comforted me What friend have I in all the world What Father what Portion what Hope but the Lord What were I What had I but vanity but woe and misery had I not a God I cannot wrong my God but I wrong my self Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul But if I did not if my Arrowes would not recoil could I go out with all this injury and suffer nothing by it Yet he is God whom I wrong he is holy he is righteous he is good he is glorious he is excellent he onely is God and shall I be injurious to him He is worthy he is worthy of all that I have of all the service I can do of all the respect I can give of all the Praise I can offer up if I had a thousand tongues if I had a thousand hands if I had a thousand lives if I had a thousand soules if I had all the Earth for an offring to the Lord all would be nothing to shew forth the praise that is due to his Name as he is God and I his creature and when I owe so much and have nothing to pay shall I steal from him Shall I rise up against him Wast thou not afraid to lift up thy hand against the Lords Anointedi 2 Sam. 1. Shall I not be afraid to lift up mine hand against the Lord himself To kick against God to fight against God Oh the Lord forbid What art thou O my soul What servest thou for If thou canst not tremble if thou dost not turn within me if thou dost not start back at the very thought of so great wickedness 2. The loss of God As was said before He that finneth against God wrongeth his own soul His loss is thy loss and more thine then his though no thanks to thee the Lord will be no loser at last when sinners have done their worst he can get up his Honour out of Dishonour he can recover his spoils out of the ashes if he had lost all the world he had lost nothing he is all things in himself When Earth and Hell have spent all their malice God will be God Holy Wise Glorious blessed for ever Though such be the malignity of sin that it would not give over till God ceaseth to be God yet God is above too high for sin to reach its Darts fall short of its Mark God cannot God will not sit down a loser by all that sin can do But what dost thou suffer what dost thou lose that sinnest against God The carnal world understand not what nor would make much reckoning of it did they understand it The loss of two pence goes often nearer them then the loss of God But now a Christian knows no other fear fears no other loss let God be secure and all is well Sin will be the wrong of God and the loss of God it may be a total and eternal loss for ought he knows at least if not assured God lost is the soul lost the Kingdom lost this is Hell the loss of God Better have no being better be a Dog or Toad then a man without a God or if he be not utterly lost yet to his present sence 't will be all one as if he had no God his peace is lost his comfort is lost and his soul is often given for lost from whom God is departed though but for a season he can take pleasure in nothing he can find rest no where whose God is out of fight He knows not what a God means who can spare him till Death or Judgment A Christian cannot live a day without him 't is night 't is all dark he knows no day while the Sun is set upon him How grievous do they find this loss who have proved what it is What wilt thou do for me whilest I go childless What can be done for me whilest I go Fatherless Here is my house here are my friends and my lands but where is my God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now I see what this Earth is without an Heaven now I see what ease and pleasure and carnal friends are and how little they can do for me Yea what is prayer What are Sabbaths What are Sermons Sacraments Promises whilest God looks not down Oh I was wont to meet with God here these glasses were my Windows into Heaven and then how pleasant were they to me
firm belief of Scripture Revelation 3. It 's built on the highest and weightiest Reasons 4. It 's the result of the most mature and deep deliberation 1. A sincere resolution flowes from an inward rooted inclination Psal 119.112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes Our new purpose is from our new nature It is not produced by some sudden fright or sence of danger or meerly by a present force of Argument but by a Divine power working the heart to a suitableness to the will and waies of God and an habituall propension and inclination thereto Resolution for holiness without an holy inclination is a Blade without a Root as fresh and as green as it looks 't will wither and come to nothing no Ropt no Fruit nor lasting The heart is the root of action and grace is the life of the root When our Resolutions are the Blade sprouting forth of this living Root then they will abide and bring forth the Ear and an Harvest 2. A sincere resolution is bottomed on a firm Assent to the truth of Scripture Revelation A Christian resolves for godliness because he believes God that he is as he hath said the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him He is built on the Scriptures as his hopes so his purposes have the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles on which they stand Whatever Resolution hath not this Foundation is but as an house upon the Sands 3. A sincere Resolution is founded on the highest Reason Where we resolve without Reason we will quickly find a Reason to change Where we resolve we know not why we shall change we know not how soon To resolve we know not why and to resolve on we know not what will be alike unstable Though there be Reason for Religion yet Religion may be taken up without Reason Whatever Reason there be for it yet if it be not understood or considered 't is all one as if there were no Reason at all And if there seem some Reason for it yet if it be not the highest Reason when a stronger then it comes we quickly change our purpose The Reasons we have for our serving and following God are the highest of all Reasons and that whether we respect it as our duty or our happiness For 1. There 's none can lay such claim to us as God Whos 's am I Who hath made me Who hath bought me 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are his Psal 100.2,3 Serve the Lord with gladness For the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us not we our selves we are his people and the sheep of his Pasture What reason have you to serve men or to serve sin or the world Men think they have reason for it but what reason Are any of these Gods Are men your Gods Is sin or the world God Do you owe your selves to them It is he that hath made us and his we are As the Apostle concerning obedience to Parents much more may it be said here Children obey your God for this is right This is his due and your duty if any one can lay as good a claim to you let him carry you away for servants 2. There 's none can be better to us then God None can require and none can reward our obedience as he Where can you be better then with God Hee l require no more then that you serve him till you can find a better Master He that saith 't is best to serve sin and the world is a fool and hath said in his heart there is no God If God be God he is the chief yea the onely good If any thing in the world upon what account soever be thought better then the Lord that 's set up for a God in his room 3. Whomsoever we serve 't is God must pay us our Wages at last God is Judge he is the Rewarder both of the evill and the good both of those that serve him and those that serve him not If you receive the Lord he will be your reward if you serve him not he will reward you but what reward have you Those mine Enemies which will not have me to reign over them bring them and slay them before me There 's their reward Sin hath its rewards but what are they but vanity and vexation Or if they were better how long will they last But when sin hath paid the most it can Oh what a reward is there behinde that God hath to pay you This shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sorrow 4. The Wages which God will give shall certainly be blessed or dreadfull according to our Obedience or Disobedience The reward that God hath to give is an eternal reward Eternal salvation to them that obey him everlasting destruction to him that serveth him not I have a soul this carkass is the least part of me there 's another world a world to come a few years is the most I have to spend in this I must abide eternally eternally in the other world How inconsiderable is it what I have here whether little or more better or worse in a short time that will come all to one But oh my eternity what 's that like to be Why t is God that must determine it and he will certainly reward every man according to his works Rom. 2.6,7,8,9,10 Who will render to every man according to his deeds To them which by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life But to them that are contentious and obey not the truth tribulation and anguish c. There 's glory and shame mercy and wrath life and death set before me there 's no third state one of the two must be my lot and this is it that doth determine which If I obey I live if I disobey I die for ever Now when my resolution is founded on such Reasons as these then which none can be imagined higher and more weighty till eternity become of less regard then time and an immortall soul be set below a perishing body and when the question being put Shall I follow God or not God or the world God or my lust Speak soul give in thy Answer when this is the Answer it gives Why there 's none can lay such claim to me as God there 's none can be as good to me as God whomsoever I serve its God must be my Rewarder my everlasting blessedness or eternal ruine depends on him and must be infallibly determined according to my obedience or disobedience This is the plain case Obey and Live Obey or die for ever And therefore what can I say less or more but that I am the Lords and will be his Servant Let others chuse whom they will serve as for me O my soul serve thou the Lord. This resolution thus founded is like to stand 4. A sincere Resolution is the fruit of mature deliberation Deliberation gives Reason
hand crown you t t Rev. 2.10 and set you in Thrones u u Rev. 3.21 Mat. 19.28 and you shal judge men and Angels w w 1 Cor. â— 2,3 and you shal have power over the Nations x x Rev. 2.26,27 and you shall set your feet upon the necks of your enemies y y Psal 49.14 Lo I have set the very day for your enâ—aiment z z Acts 17.31 I have provided your Crowns a a 2 Tim. 4.8 I have prepared the Kingâ—om b b Mat. 25.34 Wherefore do you doubt O you of little faith These are the true sayings of God c c Rev. 19.9 Are you sure that you are now on Earth so surely shal you be shortly with me in Heaven Are you sure that you shal die so surely shal you rise again in glory Lo I have said it and who shal reverse it You shal see me face to face and be with me where I am and behold my glory d d 1 Cor. 13.12 Ioh. 17.24 For I will be glorified in my Saints and admired in all them that believe e e 2 Thess 1.10 and all flesh shal know that I have loved you f f Rev. 3 9. For I will make you the instances of my grace g g Eph. 1.5 6. and 2.7 in whom the whole world shal see how unutterably the Almighty God can advance the poor Worms-meat and dust of the ground And the despisers shal behold and wonder and perish h h Act. 13.41 for they shal be witnesses to the riches of my magnificence and exceeding greatness of my Power * * Luk. 16.23 They shal go away into everlasting punishment but you into life eternal i i Mat. 25.46 Our Triumphant Ascension into heaven For no sooner shal their doom be past but the Bench shal rise k k Mat. 25.41,46 and the Judge shal return with all his glorious Train with sound of trumpet and shouts incredible shal he ascend and shal lead you to your Fathers house l l Psal 45.14,15 Mat. 25.23 Joh. 14.2 with 2 Cor. 5.1 Then shal the triumphal Arches lift up their heads and the everlasting Gates stand open and the heavens shal receive you all and so shal you be ever with the Lord. m m Joh. 12.26 1 Th. 4.17 And now will I rejoyce over you with singing and rest in my love n n Zeph. 3.17 and Heaven shal ring with joyes and acclamations because I have received you safe and sound o o Luk. 15.10,23,25,27 And in that day you shal know that I am a Rewarder of them that diligently seek me p p Heb. 11.6 and that I did record your words q q Mal. 3.16 and bottle your tears and tell your wandrings r r Psal 56.8 and keep an account even to a cup of cold water of whatever you said or did for my Name Å¿ Å¿ Mat. 10.42 Blessed Eternity You shal surely finde that nothing shal be lost t t 1 Cor. 15.58 but you shal have full measure pressed down and running over thousands of years in Paradise for the least good thought and thousand thousands for the least good word and then the reckoning shal begin again till all Arithmatick be non-plust For you shal be swallowed up in a blessed Eternity and the doors of Heaven shal be shut upon you and there shall be no more going out u u Dan. 12.2,3 Rev. 3.12 Luk. 16.26 Glorious company The glorious Quire of mine holy Angels the goodly fellowship of my blessed Prophets the happy society of Triumphant Apostles the royal Hosts of victorious Martyrs these shal be your Companions for ever w w Mat. 8.11,12 Heb. 12.22,23 And you shal come in white Robes with Palmes in your hands every one having the Harps of God and golden Vials full of Odours and shal cast your Crowns before me and strike in with the multitude of the heavenly Hosts glorifying God and saying Hallelujah the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth x x Rev. 7.9,10,11,12 and 19 5.6 Blessing honour glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever y y Rev. 5.13 In short I will make you equal to the Angels z z Luk. 20.36 of God and you shal be the everlasting Trumpets of my praise a a Rev. 7.10,11,12,15 You shal be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of my House and I will make you drink of the Rivers of my pleasures b b Psal 36.8 You shal be an eternal Excellency c c Esay 60.15 and if God can die and Eternity run out then and not else shal your joyes expire Beatifical Vision For you shal see me as I am d d 1 Joh. 3.2 and know me as you are known e e 1 Cor. 13 12. and shal behold my face in righteousness and be satisfied with my likeness f f Psal 17.25 And you shal be the vessels of my Glory whose blessed use shall be to receive the overflowings of my Goodness and to have mine infinite Love and Glory poured out into you brimfull and running over for evermore g g Rom. 9 23. 2 Tim. 2,20 Rev. 22.1 And blessed is he that hath believed for there shall be a performance of the things that have been told him h h Lu. 1.45 The Lord hath spoken it you shall see my Face and my Name shall be written in your foreheads and you shall no more need the Sun nor the Moon for the Lord God shall give you light and you shall reign for ever and ever i i Rev. 22.3,4,5 He taketh us for his people And as I give my self to you for your God and all things with my self so I take you for my Covenant-people k k Heb 8.10 Esay 43 1. and you shall be mine in the Day when I make up my jewels saith the Lord of hosts and I will spare you as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him l l Mal 3.17 The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people Surely they are my children m m Psa 87 6 Esay 63.8 I do not onely require you to be mine if you would have me to be for you but I do promise to make you mine Lev. 20.26 Ezek. 36. 28. and to work in you the conditions which I require of you I will circumcise your hearts to love me o o Deu. 30.6 I will take out the heart of stone p p Ezek. 36.26 My Laws will I write within you q q Jâ—… 31.33 Yet you must know that I will be sought unto for these things r r Eze. 36,37 and as ever you expect to partake of the mercies I charge you to lie at the Pool and wait for my Spirit and be diligent in the use of the meanss
not thou have a little patience he for the fruits of the Earth but thou for the joyes of Heaven He upon meer probabilities but thou upon infallible certainties He for a Crop of Corn but thou for a Crown of Glory Were he but sure that every Corn would bear a Crow how plentifully would he sowe how joyfully would he wait Why such is thy harvest As sure as the Summer delights do follow the Winters severities as sure as the wisht-for Harvest doth follow the toilsome and costly Seeds-time so sure shall thy Lord return and bring thy reward with him Revel 22.12 Therefore my soul love and long for the approaching Jubile and wait all the daies of my appointed time until my change shall come O blessed state that my Lord hath translated me into O happy change that he hath made I was a stranger and he took me in and made me an heir and preferred me from the Dunghill to the Throne and from a Hewer of wood and Drawer of water to attend his Court and know his Counsels and do his pleasure Happy am I that ever I was born to partake of this endless dignity Hebr. 12.22,23,24 O my Lord it is no little thing thou hast given me in hand I am already come to mount Zion and the City of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born and to God the Judge of all and unto the Spirits of Just men made perfect and unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and unto the blood of sprinkling Gal. 4.6 Luke 5.20 My heart reviveth as Jacobs when I behold the tokens which thou hast sent me the spirit of Adoption the pardon of my sins my patent for Heaven the chain of thy Graces the Son of thy Bosome and the New Testament in his blood 1 Cor. 11.25 Luk. 12.32 Cant. 1.10 Joh. 3.16 Joh. 14.21,23 and the Letters of his love My Lord hath said that he will love me and manifest himself unto me and that the Father will love me and both will come unto me and make their abode in me But is it true indeed Will the Lord dwel on Earth Or if he will shal so foul a Stable so unclean a Stye as my heart hath been shal this be the place that the Lord of life will take up his lodging and keep his Court in Will he indeed come with all his Train of Graces and live and walk in me How can these things be But he hath said it and I do and I will believe it Psal 31.19 Yet all this is but the earnest of what is to come Oh how great is thy goodness laid up for them that fear thee Yet a little while and my warfare shal be accomplished and the Heavens must receive me till the time of the restitution of all things 2 Pet. 1.14 It is but for a short term that I shal dwel in this dirty flesh in an earthen Tabernacle Joh. 12.26 My Lord hath shewed me that where he is there shal his servant be Now the living is tyed to the dead and my Soul is a Stage of strife and a Field of war 1 Cor. 13.10 But t is but a little moment and that which is perfect shal come perfect Holiness and perfect Peace eternal Serenity and a Serene Eternity O my sins Rev. 21.27 I am going where you cannot come where no unclean thing shal enter nor any thing that defileth Methinks I see all my Afflictions and Temptations all mine infirmities and corruptions falling off me as Elijah's Mantle at his translation O my Soul dost thou not see the Chariots of fire and the Horses of fire come to take thee up Luk. 16.22 Be thou as poor as Lazarus yet God will not disdain to send a Party of Angels to conduct thee home How canst thou doubt of ready reception who hast such a friend in Court who will lead thee with boldness into his Fathers presence Gen. 45.16 If there were Joy in Pharaoh's Court when it was said Joseph's Brethren are come surely it will be welcom newes in Heaven when it s told Jesus his Brethren are come My Soul fear not to enter though the Lord be clothed with Terrour and Majesty For thy Redeemer will procure thee favour and plead thy right Joh. 16.27 I am sure of welcom for the Father himself loveth me I have tasted and tryed his love Luke 15. and when I had played the wicked Prodigal yet he despised not my Raggs but fell on my neck and kissed me and Heaven it self made merry over me Much more will he receive me gladly and let out his loves upon me when presented to him by his Son in his perfect likeness as a fit Object for his everlasting delight Fear not O my Soul as if thou wert going to a strange place Why Heaven is thy Countrey and thy home wilt thou doubt of leave or fear of welcome when it is thine own home Why my Soul thou wast born from above and here is thy Kindred and thy Fathers House and therefore thou shalt surely be admitted And then shall I see the glorious preparations of Eternal Love and the blissful Mansions of the Heavenly Inhabitants Doubtless it shal be thus These are not sick-mens Dreams or childrens hopes The living God cannot deceive me and may not I certainly promise my self what the Lord hath promised me I will sooner think that all my senses are deluded and what I see and feel and taste is but a fancy then think that the living God will deceive me or that his unchangeable Covenant will fail 1 Joh. 3.2 Now I am a son of God but it doth not yet appear what I shal be but this I know I shal be like him and see him as he is I know it shal be thus Why what security should I ask of God He hath given me all the assurance in the world And though the word of God be enough yet he willing to shew more abundantly to the Heits of Promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath Heb. 6.17 that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye I might have strong consolation O unreasonable Unbelief What shal not the Oath of a God put an end to thy strife O my God I am satisfied it is enough Now I may be bold without presumption and boast without Pride And will no more call my Duty Arrogance nor my Faith a Fancy O my Soul There is but a short life betwixt thee and Glory where holy Angels and glorified Saints shal be mine onely Associates and Love and Praise mine onely employment Job 38.7 Methinks I hear already how the Morning-stars sing together and all the sons of God shout for joy O that I could come in for one But it was said unto me I should rest yet for a little
season but I shal stand in the lot at the end of the daies Dan. 12.13 It is well Lord thy word is enough Thy Bond is as good as ready payment The holy Ghost tells me that life and glory abide me Luk. 23.43 that look what day I loose from the body the same day I shal be landed in Paradise Amen It is as I would have it But this is not all When my body hath slept a short Nap in the dust Christ will call to it Come up hither Ah true Yoke-fellow it will be hard parting but welcome meeting I could not leave thee but to live with Christ Col. 3.4 But he will raise thee a glorious Temple and when he shal appear will bring me with himself in glory and then I shal re-enter thee as a Royal Mansion wherein I shal abide with the Lord for ever For as we have served our Redeemer together so we must be glorified together with him And when the Lord hath married us both together again then will he marry us both unto himself For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shal stand at the last day over the Earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shal see God Whom I shal see for my self and mine eyes shal behold and not another though my Reines be consumed within me My Lord hath already told me how it shall be He hath set down the time and shewed me the Robes of immortality and the Crown of life that I must put on and the Throne of glory and the Seat of judgement that I must sit in He hath told me the manner in which I shal be presented to him and espoused by him He hath told me where he will set me and what he will say to me and how he will acknowledge my mean services and remember what I have forgotten Mat 25.35,37 how he will praise the works that I have been ashamed of and reward me openly for what I have buried in secrecy Mat. 6.4 and not forget the poorest Almes that I have given for his Name Then will he confess me before his Father and before the Angels of God Thus saith the true and faithful witness and we know that his Testimony is true 1 Joh. 5.10 Ah my Soul see that thou make not God a Lyar. O my God I have believed thy report and do look for all these things according to thy Promise I know thou intendest me but for a very little while for this lower Region This world is but the house of my Pilgrimage and my soul now is but like a Bird in the shel but when the shel is crackt then shal she take wings like a Dove and soar aloft to thee and flee away and be at rest Yet I doubt not thy care for my despicable dust I know that nothing will be lost Joh. 6.39 I know not where they will lay me but thy wakeful eye observeth and will not be to seeking at what door to knock nor at what grave to call for me I believe and am sure that I shal come a glorious piece out of thy hands fair as the Moon clear as the Sun crowned with honour and glory And when my Absolution is read and sentence past upon the world then must I be taken up to dwell with thee Let not my Lord be angry that thy dust and ashes speaketh thus unto thee Thou Lord hast raised my expectations and haste made me to look for all these great things from thee In vain haste thou written all these things unto me if I should not believe them and a distrustful diffidence would put a high dishonour upon thy Truth O Lord it repenteth me it repenteth me of my jealousies and my doubtful thoughts about thee I know thou lovest an humble confidence and delightest in nothing more then to see thy children trust thee I know the building of my hopes lies not an hairs breadth over the foundation of thy Promises yea 't is sure my expectations are infinitely short of what I shal find Joh. 3.33 Eph. 2.20 Mat 7.25 Psal 39.7 O my God my heart trusteth safely in thee and I here set to my seal that thou art true Christ is my Bottom in which I venture and the Corner-stone on which I build and therefore my fraught is ensured and my building shall challenge the winds and floods And now O Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee O my blessedness let me enjoy thee O my life let me possess thee O desire of mine eyes let me see thy face and hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is comely I ask but what thou hast promised Matth. 5.8 for thou hast told me that I shall see God and thou wilt speak to me mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of God shall I behold 1 Cor. 13.9 â—0 So shall my knowledge be perfected and I shall see the inaccessible light and my tender eye shall not water nor my sight dazle but I shall with open face look stedfastly on the Son of Righteousness and behold his glory Then shall Faith be turned into fruition and Hope into Possession and Love shall arise like the full Moon in her brightness and never wax nor wane more O thou God of my hopes I look for a new body and a new soul for new Heavens and for a new Earth according to thy promise when my whole soul shall be wholly taken up with thee and all mine affections strained to the highest Peg and all the Wheels of my raised powers set in most vigorous and perpetual motion towards thee still letting in and still laying out and thus shall there be an everlasting communication of joy and glory from thee and of love and praise from me O my soul thou art rich indeed and increased in goods Thou hast no reason to envy the glory nor grandeur of the mightiest on earth Psa 49.14,17 For their glory shall not descend after them like Sheep shall they be laid in their graves and Death shall feed upon them and there 's an eternal end of all their pomp and excellency But my Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome My Robes shall never wear my Crown shall never totter my Throne shall never be vacant My Bread shall never mold my Garland shall never wither my House shall never moulder my Wine shall never sowre but everlasting joy shall be upon my head and sorrow and sighing shall flie away O my God how happy hast thou made me It is better then I could have wished Thou hast done all things well Thou hast setled them for ever The whole Earth cannot shew any such heritage or Tenure The world can state out her possessions but for years nor can she make a good title for that neither But mine Inheritance is for ever and none can put me out of possession The thing is
Christ from henceforth unto death Thou wilt have Christ but when Shall this be the Marriage-day VVilt thou from henceforth be the Lords or when shall it be Must it be to morrow first or next moneth or next year or some time or other thou knowest not when May we not take thy promise as they did the Prophecy Ezek. 12. Is it not for many dayes to come is it not of the times that are afar off To morrow thou wilt hereafter thou wilt as good as thou hast said nothing As good thou hadst said never as not yet Speak Soul wilt give thy self to the Lord wilt presently if thou wilt how long wilt thou abide with him wilt thou not endorse on thy Deed of Gift a power of revocation wilt thou not repent not return again from Heaven to Earth wilt be chaste and play the Harlot no more wilt be faithful to the death obedient to the death Is this thy voice I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back As the Lord liveth nothing but death no not death it self shall part thee and me I am perswaded I am resolved that neither life nor death Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall separate me from the love of God or withdraw me from Jesus Christ my Lord. Now Soul gather up all this together stand thou before the Lord the God of all the Earth and this once more say Wilt thou have Jesus Christ for thy Husband dost thou choose him for thy Lord wilt thou cleave to him in love wilt thou lean upon him for righteousness and strength for righteousness to pay thy debts and for strength to pay thy vows wilt thou be subject to him thou knowest the commandments how holy how strict they be Wilt thou obey them in all things wilt exercise thy self to godliness in the strictness of it wilt be a thorow-pac'd Disciple wilt not content thy self with such a cold or lukewarm indifferency in Religion as thy lazy flesh will bear as thy credit thy safety or the temper of the times will bear wilt follow thy Lord fully Wilt thou take up thy lot with Christ be it better or worse shall his Father be thy Father his Inheritance be thy Inheritance yea and his Sufferings thy Sufferings his stripes his bonds his poverty be thine wilt thou espouse not his Crown onely but his Cross too whither ever he goes wilt thou go where he dwells wilt thou dwell wilt say where ever my Lord is there let his Servant be Wilt thou forsake all others all thy sins wilt thou be made clean wilt give up thy sores and thy ulcers thy filthy and fleshly lusts to be purged out does thine heart stand disengaged from every sin is there not any one iniquity concerning which thine heart sayes Let this stay with me wilt search out thy sins wilt accomplish a diligent search sweep every corner search every chamber of thine heart life wilt go down to the bottome of thy great deep to find out what lodges there wilt faithfully endeavour no more to allow thy self in any known iniquity wilt use all Gods means for the conquering and casting them out Wilt forsake the world wilt cast away thine Idols shall thy Mammon be no more a god nor a demy-god to thee shall it neither carry away thine heart from him nor so much as share with him in it wilt thou not bow down to this golden Image nor serve it wilt thou no longer serve thy greedy appetite shall thine heart no longer go after thy covetousness wilt thou abandon thine estate thy pleasures thine honours thy friends and companions so far forth as any of these divide or entice or steal away thine heart from thy Lord When ever they say Come away wilt thou say Get you hence VVilt forsake the Devil wilt fear and flie from and no longer hearken to his temptations wilt no longer regard his promises nor his threatnings his flatteries nor his frowns Coming off from the tents of all these wilt cleave unto thy Lord from henceforth from this day forward and not depart from him for ever Wilt hold on thy course wilt run out thy race wilt be faithful to the death wilt hope to the end for the grace that shall be brought unto thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ What sayest thou If thou sayest no as the Lord liveth thou speakest this word against thine own life If thou refusest to enter into this Covenant thou sayest I will not be the Lords I will none of him I will not live let death and wrath and chains and plagues be my portion for ever I will not be the Lords I will not leave my sins and my pleasures and my companions for his love that is I will be a Fool and a beast and a Devil I will die and will not see life Mistake not thy self be not deceived 't is a matter of life and death that is before thee 'T is whether Heaven or Hell a God or no God a Christ or no Christ a Soul or a lost Soul everlasting life or everlasting Fire shall be thy portion that stands now to be determined by thy consent or refusal look to it be wise this once for eternity Consent and thou art blessed consent and he is thine and with him the Kingdome Thy Lord hath given his consent already view the hand-writing the whole New Testament which is written in blood and sealed as 't is written there thou hast his I will in every line almost visible before thee put to thine and 't is done What sayest thou dost thou consent shall thine heart come in and put to thine hand and subscribe for thee I will Let that be done and then say after me A form of words expressing mans covenanting with God O Most Dreadful God for the Passion of thy Son I beseech Thee accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at thy Door I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my Wicked practice The Terms of our conversion are either from which or to which But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to thee with all my heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit my self to thy Mercy The Terms from which we must turn are Sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against thee I here from the bottome of my heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but Conscientiously to use all means that
lie fallow like the field of the Sluggard all overgrown with thorns and nettles when both thine heart and thine house are so much out of order when thy Wife and thy Children and thy Servants are left at randome to do all what 's right in their own eyes when more care is taken for the Asses then for thy Sons and Daughters when thy house is a very hospital of blind and lame and sick Souls ready to die for want of instruction and good discipline where is thy Conscience and if Conscience be not where is thy Covenant and if thy Covenant be not oh where is thy God and thy peace Ah Conscience where art thou become what is become of that good thing committed to thee yea what is become of thee Ah Soul where is thy peace how is the keeper of thy peace laid low and the covenant of thy peace broken what peace whilst no Conscience and what hast thou left whilst no peace Ah Lord thy treacherous dealers how treacherously have they dealt with thee thy Children have forgotten thee thy Servants are run-awayes from thee thou art our Father but where is thine honour thou art our Master but where is thy fear we are thy Servants but where is our faith Ah Lord we have dealt falsly in thy Covenant Return O Lord return repair thy watches recover thine honours reduce thy wanderers restore conscience revive our peace cause us to return and renew our covenant and remember break not thou thy covenant with us Christians let us bewail lost conscience and let it be recovered let us weep over our dead and let their souls return into them Let those of us that have obtained grace to be faithful and watchful and tender rejoyce and take heed let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Go on in the Name of the Lord Remember his counsels keep close by God keep hold on Christ keep touch with the Spirit keep in with Conscience keep thine heart keep thy garments keep up thy watch keep on thy way finish thy course keep the faith and then let the devil do his worst thy peace shall be extended to thee as a River and established as a Rock and thou shalt be able to say in the words and in the faith of the Apostle Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which God the righteous Judge shall give unto me at that day and not to me onely but to all that love his appearing 3. Adde to your covenant your sacrifice Psa 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice God hath made with you and he expects that you make covenant with him by sacrifice Sacrifices were seals of the Covenant As Gods part of the Covenant so our part also must be sealed and sealed with blood his with the blood of his Son ours with the blood of our sins Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God The sacrificing of our selves to the Lord conprehends in it three things Alienation Dedication Oblation 1. Alienation or the passing away of our selves from our selves Ye are not your own you are bought with a price Thus he hath said and he expects that we should say also True Lord I am not mine own 2. Dedication or the passing over our selves to the Lord 2 Chron. 29.35 Ye have consecrated your selves to the Lord. His we are by purchase but he expects that we be his also by donation his we are by conquest but he expects we should be his by consent also Though he may challenge us as his right yet the most acceptable claim is when he hath us by gift When our hearts say I am thine Lord then his heart will answer Soul thou art mine 3. Oblation or the actual surrender or offering up our selves to him In the offering this sacrifice is included the Immolation or slaying of it We must slay our selves in a spiritual sense be mortified be crucified with Christ and so offered up a sacrifice to him You will say How is it then required that we offer up our selves a living sacrifice Answ We are never truly alive till we are dead Col. 3.3 Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When our flesh is dead our spirit is life Rom. 8. As the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. that which thou sowest so that which thou sacrificest is not quickened except it die Mortificatio est mors viva Alapid 'T is onely the mortified Christian that is a living sacrifice Christians come and sacrifice your selves to the Lord. Come and slay your sacrifices and so offer them up Your sacrifice is then slain as before 't is intimaed when your carnal self your old man is crucified with Christ and the body of sin destroyed Rom. 6. when the wisdome of the flesh is crucified and made to vanish before the wisdome of God when the will of the flesh is subdued and swallowed up of the Will of God when the lusts of the flesh are vanquished and made captives by the Law of God Christians It may be you are willing to make your claim to the Covenant of God but have you made covenant with him you have entred into covenant with God but will you confirm your covenant by sacrifice you will give your selves a sacrifice to the Lord but is your sacrifice slain Is the wisdome of the flesh made foolishness How is it with your carnal wills Is the will of the flesh broken and brought into subjection yielding it self up to the Lord O for an exinanition of wills an emptying them into the Will of God! What wilt thou do What wilt thou have nothing but what God will What the Lord will have me do or avoid or suffer I can no longer say him nay Is this the Will of God my sanctification so 't is mine Is this the Will of God my humiliation so 't is mine Is this the Will of God my tribulation so 't is mine Is God for holiness through Grace so am I. Is God for his own Will so am I this is all the Will I have that the Lord may have his Will of me may be all to me have all from me rule all in me and dispose of all that concerns me How is it with your carnal affections and fleshly lusts are these slain Is your covetousness your sensuality your pride and envy are your carnal joyes and fears and worldly sorrows are these destroyed those wild-fires of passion and fury and rage are these quenched Come put the Knife to the throat of all these and then there 's a sacrifice for God Go and offer it up and let it be A Free-will-offering A Thank-offering 1. A Freewil-offering Offer your selves willingly to the Lord Psal 110. Thy people shal be willing in the day of thy Power O may that glorious day dawn upon us God loves a chearful giver offer