dust and ashes It is a bemoaning of our selves that we have been unaccustomed to the yoke of obedience both active and pâ—ssive a following hard after an Incensed God by our Transgressions with strong cries sighs groans a smiting upon the thigh being ashamed yea even confounded that we have sinned an accepting of the punishment of our Iniquities and weeping between the Porch and the Altar an attentive and intentive hearkning to the Call of God O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast faln by thine iniquity with an eccho Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned for thou art the Lord our God spare thy people take away our Iniquity receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips This is after a godly manner to sorrow unto Repentance for godly sorrow worketh Repentance to â—alvation not to be repented of This sorrowing after a godly sort worketh Carefulness in us yea clearing of our selves indignation fear vehement desire zeal revenge in all things to approve our selves to be clear in the matter of sin that we sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us The times of former Ignoraâ—ce God wiâ—ked at but now Commandeth all Men every where to repent The Kingdom of Grace is at hand repent to get into it repent to keep in it repent to get out of it into a Kingdom of Glory repent or perish repent and be saved repent and believe the Gospel for the Kingdom of God is at hand He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned There is no entering into or abiding in this Kingdom of God but by a Living Faith in God and in his Son Jesus Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me As Christ is the Author of our â—alvation so he is also the Author and Finisher of our Faith No entring into the Kingdom of glory without it for we are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation As many as are ordained to eternal life are ordained to believe God hath from the beginning chosen us to Salvation through belief of the truth that so Christ might dwell in our hearts by Faith which is the Bond of our Union with him Christ Prayes for them which shall believe on him that all may be one in us by vertue of this Union through Faith are we born from above Whosoever Believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God as many as received him even to them that believe on his name were born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God We are Justified and Reconciled to God by Faith being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and trusting or believing in Christ we are made accepted in the Beloved in whom we have Redemption through Faith in his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins Adoption into the number and priviledge of God's children As many as received him to them gave he power right or priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name We are also sanctified by Faith that is in Christ God now puts no difference between Jew and Gentile purifying their hearts by Faith God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Now this saving Grace of Faith is the Almighty Work of the Spirit of God whereby with the heart we believe all that God hath spoken because he hath spoken it It is a believing this faithful saying and accounting of it worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners It is a believing the record that God gave of his Son and this is the record That God hath given to us Eternal Life and this life is in his Son This is he that came by Water and Blood even Jesus Christ not by Water only but Water and Blood and the rather are we to believe for there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one if we receive the witness of Men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son I say it is a believing that all things are or must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms and in the Gospel concerning Christ and his Kingdom not because of Mens saying or Testimony only but purely upon the bare Word of God and his Son and his Spirit for in the mouth of these three Witnesses every Word of God in the Holy Scriptures is establisht It is a confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believing with the heart that God hath raised him from the Dead It is an humble and thankful hearty receiving or accepting of Christ for Lord and Saviour and trusting in his Allsufficiency as our one and only Mediatour through the vertue value and power of his Prophetical Sacerdotal and Regal Offices to bring us through all hazards and difficulties in a way of Grace to Glory in season and safely He that thus believeth and continueth to live by Faith hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life This Faith by the Holy Ghost which is given to believers worketh Love and worketh by Love The Love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of true Believers by the Holy Spirit by knowing and believing the Love that God hath to us we come to love God Who can know and believe heartily that God is Love and not love him God is Love in this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins we love him because he first thus loved us All God's graces together constitute this Kingdom of grace but Love is the life and soul of it even Gods love to us and our love to him and our love to each other he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him There is a threefold love between God and the godly a love of Union a love of Communion and Complacency and a love of Benevolence or Communication 1. Like as was between David and Jonathan the Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David Jonathan loved him as his own Soul Jonathan delighted much in David then Jonathan and David made a Covenant because he loved him as his own Soul and Jonathan stript
World What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul It is too good to be exchanged none besides the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier of Souls knows the worth of them They are invaluable our Souls are like unto Christs in divine glorious qualifications having the perfect Ideas or Image of God imprinted upon them consisting in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness Christ as God is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person and being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God in his incommunicable excellencies but as Man participates only of the Communicable properties of God in this different from mere Man that being God-man in one Person for ever God giveth not the Spirit the Gifs and Graces thereof by measure unto him but unto others the measure of the stature or Age of the fullness of Christ who is the head of the Body the Church who is the Beginning the First-born from the Dead that in or among all things he might have the preeminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell the fullness of the Godhead bodily to the end we might be compleat in him and of his fulness not only receive Grace for Grace but with open face beholding without a Glass the Glory of the Lord we might be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Even as by the Spirit of the Lord now we see through a Glass darkly in Heaven face to face now we know in part there we shall know even as we are known This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent we shall know him perfectly and perpetually perfectly not infinitely his Understanding is infinite his Essence incomprehensible we at our best estate but finite and therefore unable to comprehend so Infinite and Immense a being and whether we shall have the hâ—ppiness of knowing his Essence or Being not only of seeing him but of seeing into him and knowing what he is as well as thaâ— he is since it is so great a question with Divines and so much disputed and a greater mystery I shall not dare to pry into it but personally we shall know God Father Son and Holy Ghost we shall know him to be our God Every one in Heaven will be able to say Infallibly My God and my Lord for ever which is infinitely more than to say Heaven Angels and Saints are mine with all their Glory Every glorified Saint shall have the honor pleasure and treasure of having and enjoying one God for his everlasting Portion In the enjoyment of God and Heaven all hoâ—ors pleasures and riches are only enjoyed What honor God will put upon the glorified Saints in Heaven he only knows but honor them he hath said he will and with Titles so many great significant and noble as will give them the fullest satisfaction How empty unsatisfying and fading are all the Titles of honor which the Great ones of the World glory in in comparison of those wherewith Saints are dignifyed even in this World For the Sons of men to be called the Sons of God is a Title of honor that is to be expressed no other way but with a Behold what mâ—nner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God All the Titles of honor in the World together cannot make a Man so honorable as this one of being Servant to Jesus Christ To be an Emperor of the whole World to be King of all the Kingdoms of the World are Titles incomparably inferior to this Every Title given to Saints in Scripture hath so much honor pleasure and profit in it unto them as can never fully be set forth on this side heaven They are made Kings and Priests unto God their Father they are Prophets they are stiled The Children of God The Resurrection The Kingdom The Marriage Chamber The Beloved of God the dearly Beloved of his Soul and the Brethren of Christ with many more so full of excelâ—ency as the heart of Man cannot conceive It is made a Character of a Citizen of Zion That he honoureth them that fear the Lord. It will be the duty work and wages of Heaven for Angels and Saints to give the highest honors to each other It will be far from every one there to take away one anothers good Name which is so precious a thing Next to the admiring adoring loving reverencing praising honoring and glorifying the Name of God they will have each others Name in great veneration they will have a Name given them even an everlasting Name better than of Sons and Daughters which cannot be taken away He that hath a Name above every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come and gives them high and honorable Names will preserve them so through all Eternity If they are notwithstanding blessed when Men shall hate them and separate them from their company and reproach and cast out their Name as evil If they then are to rejoyce and leap for Joy for behold their reward is great in Heaven How happy will they be when they shall never hate or be hated more nor ever be separated from the Company and Communion of so blessed a Society as is in Heaven nor reproach or be reproached nor their Names cast out as evil nor ever be guilty of reflecting the least dishonor upon one another There will be nothing here to obstruct the fullest enjoyment of the fullest delight their delight will be in the Lord and he will be ever giving them the desires of their hearts they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his House and he will make them drink of the Rivers of his pleasures For with God is the fountain of Life In his light shall they see light The pleasure of beholding this Light of handling the word of Life and of living in the Love of God will yield everlasting Consolation to the glorified Light and Life and Love are things so glorious that the Essence of God is declared by them God is Light and in him is no darkness at all The Son of God even his Son Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal Life God is Love and he that dweâ—leth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him He that Loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love For Saints to be clothed with Light as with a Garment and to live in and with that Light to which the Sun being compared is darkness How pleasant and pleasing will it be both to the bodily and intellectual eye Never will any eye be satisfied with seeing till God who is Light be seen The pure in heart are blessed in seeing God the everlasting loss of the Beatifical Vision and fruition of God will be the Hell of the ungodly
of God hath the witness in himself the witness of God for this is the witness of God that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son and this is the Record That God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and he that hath believeth or receiveth Christ hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life so that our Eternal Life depends upon our faith or faithfulness in believing that is in the truth of our assent to the truth of the whole Word of God only upon the authority of Gods speaking it especially in believing or assenting to this faithful saying which is worthy of all acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners and consenting unfeignedly to have him for our Lord and Saviour trusting only upon the Merit of his death upon the Cross his Resurrection and Intercession for our acceptance with God our Justification an Glorification committing our selves and all our concernments wholly to his guidance and government cal ing all our care and burdens upon him as iudging him to be able and faithful to carry us through all the duties dangers and difficulties of this life unto life eternal all which is the nature and work of Faith which whosoever hath and liveth by it shall never perish but have everlasting life This is the â—aith that worketh love and worketh by love even to believe the love that God hath to us who is love God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him herein is love This love breeds love Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another much more ought we to love God and indeed if we do soundly believe this love of God towards us which passeth knowledge we shall answer this love with love again In loving God above all even with all the heart with all the Soul and with all the strength and with all the mind for he that loveth Father or Mother more than God is not worthy of him and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than God is not worthy of him and then love we him indeed when we love whom he loves and what he loves and hate what he hates Now God the Father loveth his only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ and he that loveth him loveth God and is loved of him And Oh What infinite reason have we to love both God and Christ when they have so loved us God the Father in sending his Son into the World to bless us and Christ in coming into it that he might give himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie us unto himself a peculiar People zeâ—lâ—us of good works Therefore if any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha As God loves his only Son by Eternal generation so he loveth his Adopted Sons by Spiritual Regeneration and they again love him I love them saith God that love me herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us we love him because he first loved us his love is the ground and cause of our love to him and to one another Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World Herein is love beloved if God so loved us we ought to love one another with a love of Union Complacency and Benevolence being of one Mind Will Way about one Work God-glorifying Delighting in each others Persons Communion and Communication Like David the Saints were all his delight as we have opportunity doing good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith for to do good and Communicate is a Sacrifice God is well pleased with but whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him the love of God dwelleth not in him at all nor doth he dwell in God for he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love and he that dwelleth not in God shall never dwell with him But he who loves God and Christ truly loves all Saints as God loves them with a special love and as God loves all Saints so he loves them alwayes even to the end so do all true lovers of God and his Saints as they love them all so they love them alwayes even to the end If we thus love the Brethren we may know that we are passed from death unto life Our love must extend to enemies even the worst of our enemies though we cannot love them with a love of Union and Complacency we must love them with a love of Benevolence because it is a Gospel-Command and therefore a Gospel-Duty to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us If we only love them that love us What do we more than others but if we love them that hate us we do more than others then are we the children of our Heavenly Father and are merciful as he is merciful and perfect as he is perfect And if we love not our enemies we are enemies to our enemies Gods enemies and our own To love heartily a professed practical enemy is a greater duty and difficulty than most professors are aware of How far are they from loving their enemies that do not love their brethren and without loving of their brethren and our enemies also and doing good to them that hate us there is no going to Heaven as we must love whom God loves so what God loves his Word Works Wayes Righteousness his Ordinances and Sanctuary c. God loves the Gates of Sion O how I love thy Law and I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honor dwelleth saith every one that is godly As we must love what God loves so must we hate what God hates and as God hates now God hates sin with a perfect hatred so must every one that loves the Lord hate sin and wickedness with a perfect hatred Ye that love the Lord hate evil because he hates it we cannot but sin while sin dwelleth in us but when it is acted it must be hated and is hated by every one that is godly What I hate that do I saith St. Paul We must abâ—tain from all appearance of evil hating even the garment spotted with the flesh if we will approve our selves to be the faithful and fervent lovers of the Lord let us seriously try the truth
his Son in sufferings and that we also as he must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh let us arm our selves likewise with the same mind by putting off the old man and putting on the new man he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the Lusts of Men but to the Will of God let us be followers of that which is good who is he then that will harm us but and if we suffer for Righteousness sake let us not be afraid of their terror neither be troubled Let them as Christ Jesus did that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator which is to walk worthy of God who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory and if we be faithful herein unto death will not be long ere he call us into his Kingdom of Glory where we shall receive the Crown of Life but then we must walk in the Spirit and the Spirit will walk in us which he promiseth to do if we keep our selves from Idols come out from among them and be separated and touch not the unclean thing if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit we cannot walk worthy of God his Kingdom of Grace and Glory without walking in the Spirit It is the Spirit and walking in the Spirit thâ—t makes us worthy or meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light it is only through the Spirit we do mortifie the deeds of the body that we may live a life of Grace and Peace and Joy we are carnally minded by nature and the carnal mind is enmity against God not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be which is death nor can we be spiritually minded which is Life and Peace if so be that the Spirit of God dwell not in us for as the body without the Spirit is dead so the Soul without the Spirit of Christ is dead also and they who are naturally or spiritually dead cannot walk we must be quickned and sanctified by the Spirit before we can live or walk in the Spirit To walk in the Spirit is to be spiritually minded or of the mind of the Spirit for as many as are led by the Spirit or they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit now the things of the Spirit are either spiritual or eternal Grace or Glory or what relates to it which the minds of spiritual persons are taken up with such are all holy duties commanded by the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit which is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance c. which constitute the divine nature in us whereby we lead the divine life which is our walking with God in the Spirit or glorifying God in our Body and in our Spirit which are Gods walk we then in the Spirit and we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes nor walk in pride To walk worthy of God his Kingdom and Glory is to walk in wisdom toward our selves if thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self and towards them that are without and to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming our time as we have opportunity to do good unto all men especially labouring to be so wise as to win Souls for they that be wise Teachers turn many to righteousness and shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars for ever and ever the wise shall inherit Glory To walk in Wisdom is to understand what the Will of the Lord is and to do thereafter for a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments it is to understand the way wherein we ought to walk and to walk therein The Wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way which is Gods way this was Davids prayer Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain â—ath cause me to know the way wherein I should walk lead me in the way everlasting and Gods promise I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye and his performance he led his people forth by the right way that they might go to a City of habitation Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory saith David his practical resolution I have chosen the way of Truth I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart It is to behave our selves wisely in a perfect way and to walk within our house with a perfect heart To understand also the Work of God his Work of Creation Redemption Providence and Grace and to do with all our might maugre all opposition whatsoever our hand findeth to do whatsoever Gods Providence layeth before us to go through with it considering there is no Work nor Device nor Knowledge nor Wisdom in the Grave whither we are all going That we may be alwayes so doing we had need to pray mightily to God so to teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom The Works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein they are honourable and glorious he hath made his wonderful Works to be remembred known taken notice of admired and praised God hath also ordained or prepared that we should walk in good Works then walk we in Wisdom indeed when we are prepared and ready unto and zealous to maintain every good Work To walk worthy of God is to walk in Faith we walk by Faith not by sight Faith is our sight the evidence of things not seen without which it is impossible to please God To walk in Faith is to live by the Faith of the Son of God the life which we now live in the flesh It is a continual coming to God in the Name of Jesus Christ till we come to God a believing that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him It is also a daily receiving the Lord Jesus and of his fulness receiving and Grace for Grace that we should shew forth the praises or virtues of him who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory To walk worthy of God is to walk in love as Christ hath also loved us to love God and one another as Christ hath set us an example and given us a Commandment This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son and love one another as he gave us Commandment Our walking in Faith is that we might walk in Love Faith worketh by Love Faith unfeigned worketh Love without dissimulation Let us not love in word neither in tongue but
Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Spiritual Love amongst Brethren is an evidence of Spiritual Life as soon as we begin to Love we then begin to Live Such a love as was between David and Jonathan which was a Love of Union Complacency and Benevolence must be between all true Christians So it was in the Primitive times notwithstanding their diversities of Judgments in smaller matters the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul neither said any of them that any of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common in Charity neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were Possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the Prises of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet and distribution was made unto every Man according as he had need Were all our Doubtful Disputations laid aside and nothing but Faith and Faithfulness the Truth without Controversie Love without Dissimulation and Righteousness professed and practised amongst us nay were but this one grace and duty of Charity without which we are nothing truly Known Believed and fervently Exercised in the midst of us How soon might we all meet together in the Primitive Pattern and Practise if most of our Praying Preaching and Practising were of â—ods Charity towards the World and our Charity each to other the Love of God would be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that as touching Brotherly Love we our selves should be taught of God to love one another God who is love and the Love of God towards us well known would certainly beget Christian Love and Chaâ—ity These words of God deserve to be written in Characters of gold upon the posts of our Houses and on our Gates Oh that they were written upon the Tables of our hearts Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another No man hath seen God at any time if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Behold here the great Argument breeding and augmenting love in and among Christians by profession God is love known to be so in giving and sending his only begotten Son into the World This Charity of God to us is the Soul of our Souls Charity is the Soul of our Religion not Bodily only for though we bestow all our goods to feed the Poor and give our Bodies to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth nothing The true Charity the Chariâ—y that suffereth long and is kind that envieth not that vaunteth not it self or is not rash that is not puffed up that behaveth not it self unseemly that seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh not evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things that never faileth this Charity not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth for the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power would make these Kingdoms holy and happy Every grace of God is good great lovely and precious of infinite necessity As Faith Hope Meekness Temperance Patience c. but the greatest of these is Charity in sincerity Above all things we should have fervent Charity among our selves for Charity covereth a multitude of Sins and Love covereth all Sins saith Solomon All dilâ—gence must be given to add to our Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity Charity is the Bond of Perfectness We are bid above all things by St. Paul and St. Peter to put on Charity to follow Charity to be found in Charity to have fervent Charity to be examples in Charity Charity is the fulfilling of the Law both Moral and Evangelical it is the end of the Commandment yea of the whole Word of God Threatning Promising and Commanding all is but to bring back our Hearts and Lives to the Love of God and one another Oh if the Charity of every one of us all towards each other abounded but exceedingly What cause of Thanksgivings to God would this occasion to the Godly or Charitable There could not possibly be any want in these Kingdoms if there were no want of Charity Charity is all for doing good both to all Souls and Bodies of what quality rank and degree soever to high and low rich and poor together Charity is full of Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority or eminent place that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth By Charity God will every body should have food and raiment and every Soul its portion in due season Charity would have every Bishop and Minister as it were another Christ for going about doing good and Preaching this Kingdom of God and his Righteousness or another Paul who counted not his life dear unto himself so that he might finish his course with Joy and the Ministry which he received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Preaching the Kingdom of God not shunning to declare unto them all the counsel of God that he might be pure from the blood of all men charging also other Gospel Ministers to take heed unto themselves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers to feed the Church of God which he purchased with his own Blood setting them in himself an Example of unwearied diligence in Watching Fasting Praying Preaching not ceasing to warn every one night and day with Tears Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations not keeping back any thing that was profitable unto them but shewed and taught them publickly and from house to house besides ministring unto his own necessities with his own hands and to them that were with him If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily Food Charity saith not Depart in peace be you warmed and filled but giveth them those things which are needful to the Body What is Charity but a
Work and Labour of Love which God will not be unrighteous to forget shewed unto his name in Ministring unto the Saints which every one is to do and shew with the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end But whoso hath this Worlds Good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him The love of God dwelleth not in him at all for this is the Commandment that he who loveth God love his Brother also and he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen How can he love God whom he hath not seen What is the reason and cause of Wars and rumors of Wars Nation rising against Nation and Kingdom agâ—inst Kingdom Of Mens delivering up one another to be afflicted of hating betraying biting devouring and killing one another and of the abounding of Iniquity but because the love of many shall wax cold Iniquity with the effects would soon be at an end were all our heads and hearts at work in promoting this duty and grace of Charity I verily hope still to see His Majesties Kingdoms flourish and abound in this grace of graces namely Charity I have Charity for all that they will be in Charity each with other save the proud and covetous The proud which are cursed will err from Gods Commandments especiaâ—ly from things of Châ—rity while proud I have no hope of such pride is for contention and division only by pride cometh contention Charity is for peace and unity against both The covetous whom the Lord abhorreth count their gain to be Godliness an heart they have exercised with covetous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and go astray because they love the wayes of unrighteousness these are for Use upon Use to swallow up the poor alive From these Persons and Practises the Good Lord deliver the King and his Kingdoms O my Soul come not thou into their secret unto the Assembly of Men proud and covetous mine honour be not thou united But Charity is humble and the humble are Charitable Charity is not puffed up with pride or knowledge not cruel but liberal and deviseth liberal things and by liberal things it shall stand It is manifest that these two cruel evils had a great hand in our late mutual devourings and except God by his wonderful Power and Providence interpose we are still in Eminent and Imminent danger of them The fear of God is another principal part of this Kingdom of God Indeed if we take it in the comprehensive sense it is the sum of Religion but take it as a Grace and the fear of God is to hate evil and depart from it the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death it is the way of life and this way of life is above to the Wise that he may depart from Hell beneath which can never be but by first departing from sin upon Earth Unto Man God saith Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from evil is Understanding This fear of God is bred in the heart by the love of God Ye that love the Lord hate evil perfect love casteth out the fear of bondage and lets in the fear of reverence for this we have Gods Promise The Children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes they honour the King best who fear God most Nothing like goodness to beget the fear of God and due and true honor to the King Love the Brotherhod fear God honor the King are linked together The fear of God is a fear to sin out of love and reverence to the Majesty of God he who truly fears God fears nothing but sin and none but G d and for God How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God saith he who is tempted to sin while he doth good he is not afraid of the Power because he is the Minister of God for good to him but when he doth evil he is afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil otherwise he is not afraid of him that can kill the Body and after that hath no more that he can do because he fears him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell This God he fears to sin against and therefore fears not to be cast by him into Hell While it is his care to cleanse himself from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in his fear and to work out his salvation with fear and trembling This fear is Filial and Reverential a Child-like fear afraid to dishonor God If I be a Father saith God Where is my honor An earthly Father expects and deserves honor from his child so doth our heavenly Father from his children The honor of reverence in carefulness to please him and fearfulness to offend him This is the fear of the Lord which tendeth to life and he that hath it shall abide satisfied he shall not be visited with evil in this fear of the Lord is strong confidence The love and fear of God together breeds the best obedience which is the best Sacrifice the fear of God restrains from siâ— which is a transgression of the Law of God and the love of God constrains yea helps to the fulfilling of it Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandment to break it shall be rewarded shall be in peace in keeping of them there is great reward Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them but unto them that are Contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth evil buâ— gâ—ory honour and Peace to every Man that worketh good even to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life This is the Love of God thâ—t we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous This is love that we walk after his Commandments The obedience which is of and pertains unto the Kingdom of God is universal and constant Then shall I not be ashamed when I shall have respect unto all thy Commandments I have inclined mine heart to perform thy Statutes alway even unto the end The Principles of new and true obedience are Faith and Love or Faith working by Love called in Scripture the obedience of Faith neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love The love of Christ constraineth us to live not unto our selves but unto him who for us died and rose again The obedience we owe to God in this Kingdom of Grace is Active and Passive Active not doing what
and having a righteous Judge who is King of Salem that is King of peace and a wonderful Counsellor both to hear and plead their cause the Spirit the Word of Promise and the Wise Pure and Peaceable to be their Witnesses doubt not but to carry it in Gods good time against Sathan and the World who are Enemies and Adversaries to the Peace and Prosperity of Sion That the fruits of Righteousness may be sown in peace of them that make peace is the end of their desires of peace that being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ all may live to the glory and praise of God for herein is our heavenly Father glorified when we bear much fruit The fruit of holiness to God the fruit of righteousness to Men for the fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousnes and Truth Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentleness Faith Faithfulness Meekness Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly-kindness Charity The best sowing-time for these Seeds of Holiness is in the fair weather of Peace though Persecution through Sanctification of the Spirit may be good to root them and make them grow where they are sown And therefore we should follow after the persons the things the means that make for peace follow peace with all men till we overtake and catch it as hunters without weariness till they have got their game Especially Magistrates and Ministers the great Peace-makers and keepers in Church and State are to follow it amain with and for each other who are Commanders of it and Counsellors to it they who Preach the Gospel of Peace should be for the Peace of the Gospel The best way to gain all to follow after Peace is for the Leaders to begin hold on and hold out Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another and the Lord of Peace himself give us Peace always by all means The way to be perfect to be of good comfort to be of one mind to have and to hold the God of Love and Peace in the midst of us is to live in peace he is not a Son of God nor a true Son of the Universal Church that is not a Son of Peace The Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace Righteousness and Peace is also a Kingdom of Joy in the Holy Ghost Every Grace hath Joy in it and being well exercised hath Joy accompanying it Joy is the flower of Grace rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of Glory is the effect of believing in and loving of the Lord Jesus Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance and Repentance Joy they that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing the seeds of Grace with the showers of Grace and the Influences of the Sun of Righteousness bring forth a crop of Joy they who walk in the fear of the Lord will live in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Joy or Rejoycing is a Duty a Grace a Blessing Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again rejoyce rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven they who are Justified by Faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus by whom they have access into the Grace wherein they stand rejoyce in hope of the glory of God The Lord is to be served with Joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things The Light of Gods countenance upon the Godly puts gladness in their hearts more than in theirs whose Corn and Wine encreaseth everlasting joy shall be upon the heads and in the hearts of the ransomed of the Lord they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away this Joy of the Lord is their strength it is strength to their outward man it is not only strength to but the very strength of the inward man A sound heart is the life of the flesh What is it that makes the heart sound and consequently the body but grace and joy exercised effectually David a man after God's own heart whose heart was sound in Gods statutes How often do we find him rejoycing in God in his Word delighting in the Godly and in their Communion Thou art the God of my strength saith he How O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles then will I go unto God my exceeding joy the gladness of my joy The God of his exceeding joy was the God of his strength they cannot want joy that make God their joy the God of hope the God they hope and trust in the God they hope to see face to face will fill them with all joy and peace in believing that they may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost By this spirit in the inner man the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-sufferings with joyfulness that they can do and suffer all things through Christ which strengthens them they know both how to be abased and how to abound every where in all things instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need to suffer for the name of Christ for the name and power of Godliness for all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but they rejoyce in as much as they are made partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed they may be glad also with exceeding Joy The great fight of Afflictions partly whilst they are made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst they become Companions of them that were so used and the spoiling of their Goods they take joyfully knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an induring substance What is Joy but the Exultation Dilatation and Enlargement of a holy heart running the wayes of Gods Commandments with delight power patience and perseverance working therein a fervent willingness to be and readiness to do and suffer any thing whereby God may be glorified a rejoycing in the way of Gods Testimonies as much as in all riches the unsearchable riches of Christ the riches of Grace and the riches of Glory are the matter of this Joy the beholding by faith as in a Glass this glory of God our relation to him and his dear Son and thereby our interest ingrace and right and title to glory are means both to beget encrease and perfect this joy which is the strength of the heart What is the ground of our hope and confidence when our flesh and our heart fails us but God our exceeding Joy who is the strength of our hearts because he
that Majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ and that excellent glory which the Apostles were eye-witnesses of for they beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth the glory of his people Israel were the Majesty Beauty Comliness and Loveliness of all the reasonable Creatures that ever were is or shall be contracted and comprised in one Man How Lovely would that person be to see to but Christ God-man is altogether lovely How great is his goodness and How great is his beauty who is the beauty of Zion the perfection of beauty No wonder that he is the desire of all Nations and that all true Saints have one thing to desire of the Lord namely To behold the beauty of the Lord and that their Soul desires him in the night and with their spirit within them do seek him early Even new-born Babes sincerely desire the Word Christ and the word of Christ that they may grow thereby having tasted that the Lord is gracious at his gracious Invitation O tast and see that the Lord is good not as still-born dead hypocrites who have onely tasted in a way of profession the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come and so fall away Crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh by not Crucifying their Lusts and being Crucified to the World and thereby put him to an open shame but by a lively Faith and Hope they have seen and viewed their Beloved from head to foot and can by experience say My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among Ten thousand his head is as the most fine Gold his Locks are bushy and black as a Raven his eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the Rivers of waters washed with Milk and fitly set his cheeks are as a Bed of Spices as sweet Flowers his lips like Lilies dropping sweet smelling Myrrh his hands are as Gold Rings set with the Beryl his Belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires his Legs are as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his Countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars his mouth is most sweet having kissed them with the kisses of his mouth and they at his command kissed him least he should be angry yea he is in the esteem of the poorest New-born Babe altogether lovely The believing Beloved Spouse is also Lovely to Christ Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves eyes within thy locks and thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse saith Christ thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck If the borrowed created beauty of a true Believer a Spouse yet imperfect be so really ravishing to Christ How ravishing will the beauty of the Creator of such beauty be to the glorified spectators of it in the State of Glory which Christ desires on the behalf of all Believers Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The beholding of this glory is our glory if Joy unspeakable and full of glory is to be had in a way of believing and loving of an unseen God and Christ and glory Oh what unspeakable unconceivable Joys will the perfect everlasting Vision of these afford to the glorified This is that they are Watching Working and Waiting and Hoping or Looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe for when Christ who is their Life shall appear then shall they also appear with him in glory Christ and his Church long to see each other not in a Glass darkly looking at one another at the Windows shewing himself through the Lattess but face to face The Spirit and the Bride say come Christ saith surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus saith all them that love his appearing This perfect beatifical Vision of God in Heavenly Glory will breed unutterable sweet fruition in the nearest Union Communion and Communication between God and the Godly as there is an Union in grace between Christ and every true Christian by Faith through the spirit which is inseparable So there is an Union in glory or a glorious Union between the glorious Trinity and all the glorified beyond all apprehension and expression now and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one not one in Essence with God in Christ but one by resemblance or similitude an oneness there will be betwixt God and all the Godly glorified infinitely surpassing all other unions here below The Mystery of Husband and Wife one Flesh of King and Subject one Kingdom Soul and Body one Person Root and Branches one Tree Foundation Corner-stone and Building one House are very great and Mysterious but this of Grace and Glory much greater and far more unconceivable those are as shadows and so pass away this substantial and eternal for Brethren to dwell even together in the unity of the Spirit in the unity of that Faith which worketh by Love in the bond of Peace Behold how good and how pleasant it is beyond all expression apprehension and approbation But for the General Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect to dwell even together in unity with Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity through all Eternity in that glory which God the Father gave unto Christ and Christ hath given unto them that they may be one even as the Father and his Son Jesus are one I in them saith Christ and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one How good and how pleasant a sight will this be to behold here and onely here will the Natural and Intellectual eye be satisfied with seeing the hearts of all knit together in Love and unto all Riches of the full assurance of Understanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ and that Mystery of Godliness which without controversie is so great God manifested in the Flesh becoming one with us in Nature that we might become one with him in Grace and Glory for by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body for the body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ for we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones as Head and Members make up but one Body so the Son of God who is also the Son of Man and the Sons of God which are as head and members make
which passâ—th all understanding and as theâ—r Minds and Wills and Consciâ—ncâ—s so their Memories are sanctified they hide the Word of God in their hearts or memories a repository for this heavenly Manna to be laid up and kept in for then are we saved if we keep or hold fast in memory what is Preached unto u and we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we hear lest at any time we should let them slip out of our memory or run out as leaking Vess l and whereas they that like not to retain God in their knowledge or to acknowlede God and therefore are given over to a reprobate mind void of judgment fulfilling the desires or wills of the flesh to do those things which are not convenient being convinced by their own defiled accusing Conscience forgetful hearers deceiving their own selves for which cause God gives them up unto vile affections yet the Sanctified Soul having crucified the Flesh and mortified the inordinate affections thereof set their affections on things above not on things on the earth having their conversation in heaven These are Israelites in whose Spirit Speech and Behaviour there is no guile for he is an Israelite which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the â—pirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God Behold the desire and delight of God is in truth in the inward parts the hidden Man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price these are the upright in heart and life who dwell in the presence of his grace here and in the presence of his glory hereafter those who are holy are just doing as they would be done by and if a Maâ— be just and do judgment and justice that which is lawful ind right hath not lift up his eyes to the Idols of the House of Israel neither hath defiled his neighbors Wife neither hath come near a menstruous Woman h th not oppressed any but hath restored to the Debtor his Pledge hath spoiled none by violence hath given his Bread to the hungry that hath taken off his hand from the poor and hath not given forth upon Usury neither taken any increase that hath withdrawn his hand from Iniquity hath executed true judgment between Man and Man hath walked in Gods statutes and hath kept his Judgments to deal truly he is just he shall surely live with the General Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written or inrolled in Heaven which are the Spirits of Just Men made perfect The Just are good also not good as God or good to God our goodness extendeth not unto him so there is none good but one that is God who is eternally essentially absolutely infinitely and originally good Every good and every perfect gift cometh from above from the â—ather of lights When God had made every thing he saw that it was good but when he had created Man in his own Image then it is said God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Man at first was made very good he was naturally good before he sinned he was very good through the Image of God upon him and before he is good again this Image of God must be in a supernatural way restored unto him which consists in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Nothing can make our Natures good but the Divine Nature the good work must be begun in us before we can think a good thought speak a good word or do a good work till then we are disobedient and unto every good work reprobate and void of judgment being sanctified we are meet for the Masters use and thereby prepared unto every good work yea throughly furnished unto all good works Let us examine our selves Are we holy as God and his Law are holy God is our only perfect pattern his Word or Law our rule to walk by His command is be ye holy for I am holy God is essentially holy and personally holy the Father is holy the Son is holy the Spirit is called the Holy Ghost The Law is holy the People of God are holy called holy Brethren and a holy Priesthood chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Redeemed and delivered out of the hands of our enemies to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life effectually called out of darkness into marvellous light to be holy in all manner of conversation presented a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Have we then this holiness in our hearts and lives the end of our Predestination new Creation effectual Calling and Glorification which is to love God and hate evil Godliness is Godlikeness Do we as God doth Love righteousness and hate wickedness Are our hearts sound sincere and perfect in his Statutes Have we respect unto all his Commandments Are we negatively and positively holy Do we deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Do we and are we fully and firmly resolved to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and to have our fruit unto holiness then shall our end be everlasting life Are we just both to the just and unjust Do we speak the truth in our heart and act accordingly Do we to all men as we would be done by or Do we go beyond and defraud our brother in any matter the Lord is the avenger of all such Do we desire we labour we to owe no Man any thing but love He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much Do we render to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honor to whom Honor Are you like God without respect of persons just in all your dealings to low and high small and great to the poor that want power to come by their own as well as to the rich Are you just and faithful in matters of Distributive and Commutative Justice to all men in all estates bond and free in all times good and bad prosperous and adverse and that alwayes then shall ye be recompenced at the Resurrection of the just while the unjust whose Damnation is just are reserved unto the day of Judgment to be punished for every transgression and disobedience shall receive a just recompence of reward Every Man according to his Deeds Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life to them who by patient continuance
attained let them walk by the same Rule mind the same thing and if in any thing any one be otherwise minded God shall reveal in this way only even this unto him that we may with one mind and one mouth Glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another who are to speak unto Men to Edification and Exhortation and Comfort no corrupt Communication should proceed out of our mouth who are Gods mouth to the People and the peoples mouth to God but sound speech that cannot be condemned which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister Grace unto our Hearers Our Speech and Preaching is not to be with the inticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that the Faith of our Hearers may not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God For this end are Ministers to beseech the Brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that they strive together with them in their prayers to God for them that he would open unto them a day of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ that they may make it manifest as they ought to speak not as pleasing men but God which trieth their hearts that so the Word of the Lord may have free course may run and be glorified and they may come unto their people in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ keeping back nothing that is profitable not shunning to declare unto them all the counsel of God that they may be pure from the blood of all men such an one was Tychicus a beloved Brother and faithful Minister in the Lord to make known all things And Paul I have shewed you all things Taking heed to themselves to their Doctrine and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers teaching them publickly and from house to house not ceasing to warn every one night and day with tears in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will Ministers by whom also they believe good Ministers of Jesus Christ nourishing up their Flock in the words of Faith and good Doctrine whereunto they have attained gentle among them cherishing them even as a Nurse cherisheth her children so labouring as to support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded studying to shew themselves approved unto God Workmen that need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth to give them their portion of meat in due season among whom they have gone preaching the Kingdom of God instant in season out of season reproving rebuking exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine making manifest the savor of the knowledge of Christ in every place unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one the savor of death and to the other the savor of life ruling them well over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers that they might remember and obey them who have the Rule over them submitting themselves for they watch for their Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for them These Elders that rule well especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine are well worthy of double honour both countenance and maintenance who feed the Flock of God which is among them as much as in them is taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over or over-ruling Gods Heritage but Ensamples to the Flock in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity blameless as the Steward of God a Lover of Hospitality apt to teach a Lover of good men and good things sober vigilant just holy temperate of good or modest behaviour patient toward all men one that ruleth well his own house having his wife and children in subjection with all gravity behaving themselves among them that believe holily and justly and unblameably whereof they are Witnesses and God also even then when they have cause to think that God hath set them forth as it were appointed to death and made them a spectacle or Theatre unto the World and to Angels and to Men because they are Fools for Christ's sake that others may be wise in Christ weak and despised that their people may be strong and honourable being also content both to hunger and thirst to be naked and buffeted reviled persecuted defamed and made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things and to have no certain dwelling place on Earth that they may have a certain dwelling place in Heaven for ever If Bonds and Afflictions abide or wait for the faithful Ministers of the Gospel none of these things move them neither do they count their life dear unto themselves so that they may finish their course and their Ministry which they have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God for what is their hope or joy or crown of rejoycing or glorifying is not the sound conversion and salvation of their Flock even in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Certainly they are their Crown and Joy what manner of persons then above all others ought Ministers to be who are workers together with Christ beseeching one another who preach the Grace of God to others that we receive not the Grace of God our selves in vain giving no offence in any thing that our Ministry be not blamed but in all things without vain-glory commending or approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distress in stripes in imprisonments in tumults and tossing to and fro in labours in watching in fasting by pureness by knowledge by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armor of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left by Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as Deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet alwayes rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things and whether we be through many Tribulations besides our selves it should be for God or whether we be sober it ought to be for our peoples sake we should give attendance to Reading Praying Studying Meditation Examination Exhortation giving our selves wholly to them
God and the everlasting good of many a poor yet precious Soul so that all our contentions and mutual devourings shall end in a holy amicable contending earnestly for the Faith of the Gospel that we may stand fast in one Spirit with one mind and one mouth glorifying God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ receiving one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God than which what can be more pleasing to God honourable to our selves creditable to Religion profitable and comfortable to His Majesties Three Kingdoms If there be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth what joy will there be in Heaven over all the Sinners in these Kingdoms that repent The Lord our God in the midst of us will be mighty to save us he will rejoyce over us with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over us with singing if as Brethren being called unto liberty we use not our liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another for all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self but if we bite and devour one another let us take heed that we be not consumed one of another And it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoyced over us to do us good so the Lord will rejoyce over us to destroy us and bring us to nought which will assuredly come to pass if we bless our selves in our hearts saying We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination or stubbornness of our hearts to add Iniquity to Iniquity the Lord will not spare but his anger and jealousie shall smoke against us and all the Curses written in his Book shall lie upon us and he will blot out our names from under Heaven Cursed also is every one that doth the Work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully But I am persuaded better Things of you and Things which accompany Salvation and that we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Let us take heed lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin looking also diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us and thereby many be defiled for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end and also of his Kingdom of glory for the securing whereof these plain Directions are absolutely necessary to be put in practice I. That all Sins be avoided and hated especially Unbelief Pride Covetousness Carnality Lying and Hypocrisie II. That all the Duties of Holiness be rightly zealously and constantly performed both publick and private III. That all the Graces of the Holy Spirit be had and exercised They who would set themselves in earnest to seek the Kingdom of God must heartily set themselves against all sins stand in awe and sin not while you are seeking if you would find this Kingdom Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near but then it follows Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous who is a man of Iniquity his Thoughts and let him return unto the Lord who will have mercy upon him but then he must have nothing to do with Sin who will have any thing to do with God and his kingdom otherwise God will have nothing to do with him the wages of Sin is not Heaven but hell every final impenitent unbelieving Sinner is to be shut out of Heaven and shut up in Hell to all eternity Sinners you must quit your state and course and way of sin before you can enter the state of Grace or walk in the way of Life Grace and Glory are inseparable so are Sin and Hell O have nothing to do with any the least yea the very appearance of evil as near as you can except to hate abhor leave and loath it and your selves for it as ever you hope to speed in this most important duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness more especially let Unbelief Pride Carnality Covetousness Lying and Hypocrisie be abandoned and abhorred as the root and source and spawn of all other abominations These are the Master evils that hinder men from being and doing good We must be negatively before we can be positively holy Wash ye make â—e clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes first cease to do evil then learn to do well c. If we would cease from evil we must take heed of the evil of Unbelief in the heart which is a sin that giveth every Truth of God the Lye Every one that believeth not goes about to make God a Lyar. The very Word of the Scripture is He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son as Faith is a coming to God by Jesus Christ so Unbelief is a departing from the living God O take heed of it as also of the sin of Pride which is a lifting and setting up our Wisdom and Will against the Wisdom Will Word Way and Work of God preferring our own Honor before Gods Glory Priâ—e was the first and worst sin that could be committed virtually and interpretatively it is all iniquity as all sinners were in one and came from one so all sins are summed up in this one namely Pride which is the Parent of all other abominations The onely sin that is so sinful This was the sin that made good Angels Devils and our first Parents and us evil like unto them yea only evil and that continually by it we have lost God our selves our knowledge of him all our righteousness and true holiness and all the happiness of Heaven it is so desperate a sin that it will not suffer any one to seek after God his Grace and Glory The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God he will be happy without God In seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness O seek first to be delivered from the pride of heart and life otherwise you may ask and not have seek and not find knock and it shall not be opened unto you Covetousness which is Adultery and Idolatry a loving and desiring after the World and the things of the World so inordinately and overcarefully as both to neglect and make light of the things of God which are above The Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth his prayer and practice is Lord Who will shew us any good his Labour is only for his mouth and therefore his laying up much Goods for many years is to take his ease eat drink and be merry he is one that layeth
his Goodness is another Grace to be desired and laboured after towards the attainment of the Kingdom of God Reverential filial fear of God is the first beginning of true Wisdom which is the principal thing to be looked after The fear of the Lord is the instruction of Wisdom What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose None are wise but fearers of God Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Understanding The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil and the evil way yea every false way which every prudent man is careful to do that he may walk in the way of Life which is above to the wise that he may depart from Hell beneath I know no greater or better wisdom than departing from Sin and Hell for fear of God to walk in wayes of holiness out of love to God for the obtaining a Kingdom of Glory whosoever would receive a Kingdom which cannot be moved let him have Grace whereby he may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear passing the time of his sojourning here in fear working out his own salvation with fear and trembling Above all put on Charity no Grace brings us more into favor with God and all good men yea even the worst of men sometimes than Charity A man that is truly charitable both to Body and Soul is a man almost by himself and that hath that Charity which suffereth long and is kind that envieth not that behaveth not it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh not evil with all the other properties is in a more excellent way to the Kingdom of Glory than any other and therefore my advice is that every one would strive to excel in this most excellent Gift Duty and Grace of Charity that he would follow after Charity till he be found in Charity an example in Charity fervent in Charity in that Charity that covereth a multitude of sins that the Charity of every one of us all towards each other abounding all our things may be done in Charity that so we may be in Charity one with another which is the end of the Commandments and the bond of our perfection O the unspeakable excellencies of Faith and Hope and other Graces but the greatest of them all is Charity Charity makes a man so good that when one will scarcely dye for a righteous or just man peradventure for a good or charitable man some would even dare to dye if not he dare dye for himself or for the Brethren which he ought to do when lawfully called thereunto None in so sure and safe a way to the Kingdom of Glory as a man of Charity Put on therefore as the Elect of God bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another as Christ forgave you but above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of perfâ—ction and besides being partakers of the Divine Nature and giving all diligence to add to faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness add Charity for so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 5. To Charity add also Chastity which is a virtue not only necessary and preparatory but essential to the Kingdom of God for there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye Having therefore promises for this end let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God that we who according to promise look for new Heâ—vens wherein dwelleth righteousness may be dâ—lâ—gent to be found of him in peace without spot and blâ—meless that we may then be presented as a chaste Virgin to Christ 6. Get Self-denial Live in the daily practice of it if you would not have God deny you himself his Kingdom Grace and Glory if any man will come after Christ let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow him He must go the same way that Christ went that means to come to Heaven he hath led us the way for he is our way he himself went every step to Heaven in a way of Self-denial his wisdom will way and work was wholly subjected to the wisdom will and pleasure of his heavenly Father I seek not saith he mine own Will but the Will of the Father which hath sent me and I do alwayes those things that please him every one of us is to please his Neighbour for his good to edification and the reason is for even Christ pleased not himself leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Our own wisdom will and way standing either in competition with or opposition unto the wisdom of God which seems foolishness to us is to be denied the world by wisdom knows neither God nor his Son Jesus Christ The hidden wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory is such a mystery that none of the Princes of this World knew and therefore they crucified the Lord of Glory Nor can any natural man receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Let no man therefore deceive himself if any man seem to be wise in this World let him deny himself become a Fool that he may be wise to deny his own Will as well as his own Wisdom that he may be willing in the day of Gods power to be what God would have him to be and to say not my Will but thine be done on Earth as it is in Heaven which is the highest Wisdom Self-love must also be denied Naturally men though they will not own it are Lovers of their own selves which makes them covetous and proud to be Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God The love of God for himself and love to our Neighbours without dissimulation is the cure of self-Self-love which is false love and therefore true hatred Self-love is Self-hatred The Times are perilous when men are Lovers of their own selves covetous proud Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof Hold fast the form of sound words with a sound mind by the Spirit of Faith and of Power and of Love that instead of denying the power of Godliness you may exercise your selves unto all Godliness in denying Ungodliness and worldly Lusts that you may live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World Learn in what state soever you are in therewith to be content Learn both how to be abased and know how to abound Be content to be poor in this World which is the true meaning of
being poor in Spirit that you may be rich in Faith and Heirs of a Kingdom the comfort and content of a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The Kingdom of God is not meat and driâ—k but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Let your Conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have that your Conversation may be in Heaven Heavenly-mindedness is your duty let it be your delight to seek those thingâ— which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore for all thosâ— and onely those that have and exercise the Graces of the Spirit in truth and uprightness Labour therefore in the last place for the Grace of Sincerity which is not so much a Grace as that which makes Grace to be â—race If I may sâ—y so what is Faith but Fancy if it be not unfeigned Or Love but Lust except it be without dissimulation What is Obedience good for if it be not universal and constant Our hearts and lives are not sound if we have not respect unto all Gods Commandments to perform them alwayes unto the end Suppose our Gracious Majesty the King command nothing but what is holy just and good for His own Honour and Interest and the good of His Subjects will he judge those persons sincere to him that lives in open disobedience to any of his righteous Laws God and man would and should be served in sincerity and truth God is to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth he is rich in mercy but to whom to them that call upon him in Truth The good and the right way is only fear the Lord and serve him in Truth with all your heart God is for the heart and the whole heart man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart the heart and the sincerity of it is all in all with God Grace and Mercy is with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity with incorruption Sincerity is the Salt thâ—t keeps our Love and other Graces from corrupting and perishing it is the root of the matter which makes the hâ—art good and honest in bringing forth the fruit of rightâ—â—usness with patience unto perfection Whereas the seed sown in the heart where there is no root â—iâ—hers away the Word of the Truth of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit in them that hear it who knâ—w the Grace of God in Truth Do not my words saith God do good to him that walketh upright God is good to those that be good and to them that are upright in their hearts which David intimates in his Prayer None are good indeed but the upright and sincere their hearts are good their lives are good they are like Saul and Jonathan lovely and pleasant in their lives and their death is precious in the sight of the Lord. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace He shall enter into Peace that walketh before God in Truth and with a perfect heart doing that which is good in his sight uprightness integrity and sincerity in heart speech and behaviour is very pleasing to God Behold thou delightest in or desirest Truth in the inward parts They onely are the Sons of God who are blameless harmless or sincere speaking the Truth in love as being sincere which is all one speaking the Truth from the heart is a character of a Citizen of Zion and the property and duty of the true Ministers of the Gospel who are not as many which deal deceitfully with or corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak they in Christ his Doctrine shewing uncorruptness sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned ordering also their Conversations in the World by the grace of God in simplicity and godly sincerity that they may approve things that are excellent that they may be sincere and without offence toward God and toward man till the day of Christ They who are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel are even so to speak and live not as pleasing men but God which tryeth their hearts not at any time using flattering words for a cloak of covetousness whom St. Paul would have the Brethren to mark And I most humbly beseech His most peaceable Majesty for His own and His Kingdoms sake and safety He would also mark them who cause Divisions and Offences upon what pretences soever either in the State or Church or Families contrary to the Doctrine of Christ for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple walking in craftiness doing the work of the Lord deceitfully But such as would first seek the Kingdom of God with comfort must labour to be Israelites indeed in whom is no guile that they may grow in grace in every grace going from grace to grace from strength to strength for the pure in heart and he that hath clean hands and is sincere perfect and undefiled in the way shall be stronger and stronger till he be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus being strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man to exercise himself in all holy conversation and godliness in every condition in every relation for the truth and strength of grace lies much in relative religiousness None are really holy that are not relatively holy they who are not good loyal and sincere loving Subjects to His most Excellent Majesty the King are far from the true power of godliness and so in all other Relations which I leave to a fitter opportunity to handle What more plain in all the Word of God than that every Soul is to be subject unto the higher Powers How apt are men to forget it Put them in mind therefore saith St. Paul to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates What follows To be ready to every good Work Why for Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the evil He is a Minister of God to every one for good both to the good and to the evil to make evil men good and good men better The Supreme Power which is the Ordinance of God is not to be resisted upon pain of damnation but all Dues Duties Tribute Custom Fear Honour the rather to be rendered with all chearfulness and humble thankfulness for Magistrates are Gods Ministers attending continually on this very thing wherefore let every one of us as it is our bounden duty shew the truth and power of our godliness herein for we must needs be Subjects not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake to our Superiours in the Lord And that they may rule for God and for good let Supplications Prayers Intercessions and