hence hath he left the Legacie of dearest and pretious love My peace I give unto you my peace I leave unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your hearts be troubled nor feare Therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The second voice of Christ is the voice of Adoption As our Justification our Redemption our Vnion our Reconciliation our vocation and Glorification are in Christ So our sonneship or Adoption is in Christ If the Father of glorious mercy account thee a branch it is because thou art in Christ the vine if hee account thee a member it is because thou art in Christ the head If hee account thee one of the espoused it is because thou art in Christ the Bridegroomed If he account thee a son it is because thou art in his deare and welbeloved Sonne hence I come to draw thy soule to me I make to thee thy priviledge According as I have related by my servant Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.1 Behold how great love the Father hath given to us that we should bee called the Sonnes of God That though thou wast a slave of hell a vessell of wrath a child of perdition a bondslave to the law and under the ridged and severe tyranny of the devill notwithstanding I have chosen thee to be one of mine by the covenant of my freest grace and bounty I have redeemed thee for my selfe and called thee by my name I have adopted thee to be one of my sonnes and children by adoption when I tooke up my rest in my beloved I preached peace to the peacelesse liberty to the bondmen grace to the gracelesse riches to the poore and assurance of sonship to them who are and have not beene my sonnes by adoption hence though no creature pitty thee though Angels shut their eyes against thee and all the sublunarie Creatures should bid thee adew and farwell notwithstanding I come to imbrace thee and to love and delight in thee for ever since the day that I adopted thee have I not filled the soule with the joyes comforts and solaces of my spirit have not I sealed thee to the day of Eternall redemption by the seale of Adoption have not I given thee the spirit of prayer and supplication have not I given thee the assurance of life and salvation Now then there is no condemnation to thy soule which art in Christ Jesus for thou walkest not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thirdly the voice of God in JustificatioÌ„ how in justificatioÌ„ yea beloved this is the Admirable worke of the spirit of glory that we are assured that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ imcomparable that wee are reconciled by the death of Christ unspeakable that wee are assured that wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ undeclarable I being justified in Christ how should I injoy any thing but salvation Am I not made compleate in him that is the head of all principalities and powers Am I not cloathed with the righteousnesse of the Sonne of righteousnesse more bright then ten thousand Sunnes Am I not washed purified and clensed in the purest rarest and most pretious fountaine which is in the Kingdome of the deare Sonne of God hence I shall enjoy the horne of salvation the great free and eternall salvation in Christ Now then there is no condemnation to me that am in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Moreover these three things preserves the Saints from death and condemnation 1. The love of Christ 2. The power of Christ 3. The glory of Christ What said I the Love of Christ yea search the hights above sound the depths beneath extend thy thoughts abroad to all the parts of the sublunarie Orbe and thou shalt finde no love like the love of Christ is the love of a mother so deare to her child is the love of a husband so deare to the wife of his bosome as Christs love is to his Church no with the same love wherewith the Father hath loved Christ with the same love hee hath loved the Church and chosen the Father loved Christ from eternity Christ hath loved the Church from eternity the Father through his tender love did not leave his beloved in the day of his Crosse when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 Loe the Lord Christ will not leave his poore servants his dearest jewels his pretious Saints in the dayes of greatest miserie and calamity Psal 9 10. The Lord is a refuge to the poore a refuge in due time in the day of trouble The Fathers love to the Lord Christ was so great that he set him above principalities above might above power and above all things that all things in heaven earth might bow bend before him Wherefore God hath exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven of things on earth and of things under the earth Phil. 2.9.10 The love of the Lord Christ is so deare to his that hee hath exalted them above all to him that overcommeth I will give to sit with me in my throne as I have overcome and sit with my Father in his throne Revel 3.21 The Father loved Christ so intirely that hee filled him with the riches of righteousnesse the treasures of wisedome and the plenitude of all heavenly excellencies Christ loves his Church so affectionately that hee fills her with heavenly joyes he enriches her with all spirituall and heavenly gifts blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ Eph. 1.3 therefore through my love there is no condemnation to mine they not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 Secondly Because of the power of Christ there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ His power is not onely the cause of our vivification from the dead of our Collocation in the heavenly places of our faith in his name But also of our conservation to eternall life and salvation John 17.2 He defends thee by an internall and efficatious power when thy spirit says that thou art overcome the spirit saith thou art more then a conquerer through him that loved thee every day thou art a conquerer through his blood a victoret through his death a tryumpher through his righteousnes neither the darts of hell the fire bales of the Devill the strength of the law the warres of the flesh nor the puissant strength of the world can vanquish thee for thou art defended by a strength invincible thou art protected by a power unconquerable thou art inviâ—oned by a might insuperable and thou art garded with a force
taken up my rest my contentment my acquiescence and complacencie through atonement If I have filled the sonne of my love with the treasures of hidden wisedome and science the treasures of pure and unspotted righteousnesse it is because thou mightest live by faith which is in me at that time thou maiest answer the words of my faithfull Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh is by the faith of the sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me If thou hadst beene with Noah in the Arke thou wouldest have lived above the waters If with Daniel in the Lyonsden thou would'st have lived by the strength of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah If with Shadrech Meshech and Abednego in the fierie furnace thou wouldest have lived by the fire of love and by my promise of deliverance out of the fire Isaiah 43.2 When thou passest thorough the waters I will bee with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Out of the eater comes meate and out of the strong comes sweetnesse from love comes love to Christ againe We love him because he loved vs first 1 Ioh. 4.19 and out of the strongnesse of Christ comes the pleasantnesse and sweetnesse of the Saints Ephes 3.20.21 Now unto him that is able to doe exceedingly and abundantly above all we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen Hence they are filled with glorious expressions expressing the love of Christ in their freedome and liberation according to the text Rom 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Till I appeard in the rare expression of my love thou lovedst the vanities the treasures the glory the riches and power of the Creature before me till I powred out the savour of my sweet oyntments and caused my frankincence to smell in thy nostrills thou lovest thy self above me till I let my fingers drop the myrhe the sweet distilling mirhe thou sattest at rest and soughtest not after me but in the day of the effusioÌ„ of my sweet oyntmeÌ„ts I made thee love me Cant. 1.2 3. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mohth for his love is better then wine because of the savour of thy good oyntments thy name is as oyntment poured forth therefore doe the virgins love thee in the time of the distillations of my mithe I made thee seeke after me Cant. 5.4 5 6. My beloved put in his hand into the hole of the doore and my bowells were moved for him I rose up to open to my Beloved and my hands dropped with Myrrh and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh upon the handles of the locks I opened unto my beloved but my beloved had with-drawne himselfe and was gone my soule failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer Assuredly thou didst account of the treasures of the mountaines above the riches of the heavenly places the riches of the seas above the riches of the sea of sure mercies thou didst value the riches of Kingdomes above the riches of my heavely kingdom and thou didst prize the earthly jewelâ—s above the jewell of jewells and the pretious jemmes above the pretious stone the foundation of my Redeemed when my love appeared above women then thou didst love me above women when my love appeared to thee above riches treasure honours kingdomes provinces then thou lovedst mee above Kingdomes and provinces above riches treasures and honours thou wast not sick of love till my love made thee sicke of love Cant. 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem if ye finde my beloved tell him that I am sicke of love Thou wast not overpowred with the overpowrings of my Love till I overpowred thee with my pretious love can the waters from below water the fruitfull and barren soile without me or can the raine droppe showers from the clouds without me or can the soule have the overflowings of love without my spirit no. Rom. 5.5 And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Canst thou know that supereminent love of my sonne without I shew my grace supereminent no. Ephes 2.6 7. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might shew forth the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus Ephes 3.19 And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God Or couldest thou have known the height the depth the length or breadth of my dearest faviour without my spirit No Ephes 3.16.17 18. That he would give you according to the riches of his glory to be strenghened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that yee being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Hence thy experience witnesseth that the spirit of life is thy life of love and freedome Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sinne and death What is the light of the Candle to the light of the Moone or the light of of the Moone to the light of the sonne or what is the light of the Sunne to Christ the sonne of glorious righteousnesse when by the light of his glorious countenance he shines upon the soule by giving to it the life of faith in God Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive the forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them which are sanctified through faith that is in me The life of love in Christ Ephes 1.15 Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints And the life of hope in the promise 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen nuto the glory of God by us Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene Hence we glory not only in the spirit of life but in the law of the spirit of life Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death I gave to
and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Your Majesties most humble subject and welwisher to your Royall Crowne and dignity As also to your Honorable Lords and Commmons sate in High Court of PARLIAMENT TIMOTHY BATT ⧠An Epistle to the Prisoners of Hope beloved of the Father and bought by the blood of Christ their blessed and deare Redeemer IS the knowledge of the vnsearchable riches of Christ made knowne to the Prisoners of miserie and shall not I direct my speech to them in the rarest Elegancie Are rare things spoken concerning the citie of God are excellent thing spoken concerning the streames that make glad the Citie of our God And are not rare and excellent things spoken concerning the Prisoners of our God J had rather my mind should forget its high conceivement J had rather my affection should loose it sweet contentment then J should forget my sentence concerning their solace and delightment How should J forget them whom our dearest Lord hath not forgotten Why should J not set them before mine eyes whom hee hath presented in his gratious presence For whom was he annoynted if not for his distressed flock For whom was hee wounded if not for wounded conciences and poore distressed catives For whom was his bloody Crosse his bitter Agonie if not for his dearest ones and Prisoners of great calamity Will our Lord leade his captives into captivity No Will he relinquish his gasping and gronings hearts No they are more pretious to him then the rarest gemms they are more beautifull in his eyes then the beautifull diadems and more choise to him then the choysest treasure Who are written betweene his breasts if not they who are charactered upon his heart if not they or who are counted or esteemed above all Terrene or Earthly treasures if not they For they are beloved of the Father from Eternitie they are bought by the Prince of grace and glory they are seale a by the spirit of life and liberty O ye Prisoners of Hope are you not as deare to your dearest Lord in the day of tribulation as in the day of salvation in the day of temptation as in the day of reconciliation in the day of affliction as in the day of Adoption J know you have bin wounded by the darts of Satan bin accused by the accuser of the brethren you have had warre with the flesh and corruption and have been bruised like the bruised reede and broken like the Potters vessell I know that the sunne should bee as darkenesse if that you should not behold the Sonne of righteousnesse that the morning starre should be obscure if the morning starre should not appeare in puritie and the face of ten thousand Angels should appeare as dimnesse if that you should not behold the face of the Angell of the Covenant in gratiousnesse Hence I am assured the word of grace of life of hope â—f peace of salvation of reconciliation â—f justification and of glorification will be as deare to you as the apple of your â—yes as pretious as your owne lives and â—s neare unto you as your owne soules â—herefore as the morning starre is to the travellers in the wildernesse as the orientall sunne to them that sit in darknesse as the rarest jewells to them that have no riches So will this message be to you his bleeding Prisoners Therefore J cease to crave acceptation sith these of you are lovingly accepted ever wishing you grace from your loving Father blessednesse and hope from your blessed Redeemer to whom bee given glory and honour in the Churches for ever and ever Amen T. B. VVHen I in blood involved was cast out to open shame His dearest love did then appeare to everlasting fame Before I saw the Sunne of light the sunne did shine one me Before the morning starre arose all darkenesse I did see But when the Sunne and morning star appeared in the day All darkenesse vanisht from my sight I saw a glorious way Of love of peace of grace of hope of rest and great glory Free from all wrath debate and jarres from malice and envie â—n love the Saints doe praises sing unto his glorious name The glorious riches of his grace in joys they doe declaime While they were chain'd in fetters stroÌ„g under the power of hell His riches bountie did appeare free mercy did excell For he redeemed them from chaines from fetters set them free By dearest love and pretious blood procuring liberty That they might have accesse by faith unto his highest grace And live by faith which is in him in his most holy place Hence are the gemmes of rarest worth appearing in his sight Beholding his most glorious face his everlasting light When clouds of darkenesse did beset their soules incompast round Overwhelm'd were they by hellish fiends they woe and sorrow found Then shin'd he forth in the sweet face of Christ the Prince of peace When he by death did reconcile all enmitie did cease That they might stand compleate in robes more pure then the gold More rich then gemmes and pretious stones a hundred thousand fould When they were naked and unrob'd impurest in his sight In vestments pure cloth'd he did in them he tooke delight Sith he presented them most pure compleat in Christ to be Whilst he gave them to be in Christ their great felicity When they were sons of wrath death shut out of hope most sure He gave to them inheritance amongst the Saints most pure That they might have a lott and hope amongst the Saints most deare All glorying hearts in praises high with Saints that doe in feare When they were fare from Christ the vine of peace and pretious love His gratious face on them did shine his bounty they did prove When they were made one with the vine to be in him for aye In-joying springs of pretious joyes in the eternall day When they were prisoners of his hope involv'd in dust below His throne of freest grace imbrast to hell he did not throw Their bleeding hearts and drooping minds involu'd and wrapt in blood By freest grace and dearest love bought to eternall good That they in love might prayses sing unto his glorious name Rich glorious praises of his grace they might to Saints declaime Shall they surcease exalting praise singing free grace for ever His bounty will they not record to Saints that faileth never Praise glory now perpetually from his abundant store Oh honour that most glorious name both now and evermore WHilst that my Muses upon high object bent High thoughts poss'd but to what intent Let Prisoners view and these sweet lines peruse Peruse in love and faultie lines excuse The piercing power of my intellect My lowest thoughts to highest did erect Memory Retaind thought of a subject rare Queene will consenting somewhat to declare Affection joynd with those in combination High thoughts conceiv'd in my contemplation And conscence paralells affection strong Its rarest plea I must my
If mine groanes with sighes and groanes with unspeakable and unutterable it is by my Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and hee that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God If mine are consolated through consolation it is by Spirit of consolation 2 Cor. 1.4 5. who comforteth us in at our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Doe my people incounter with hell sinne the law death the Devill and all evills without my presence no doe my people Navigate upon the mighty seas of miserie doe they saile over the vast Ocean of calamity without my assistance no I am not onely their Lord victorer to triumph over hell by heaven over death by my life over sin by my blood over the law by the law of the Spirit of life over the flesh by my spirit over the Devill by my death over the world by my glorious and triumphous victorie I am not onely their Lord acquirer of glory by relinquishing of my glory of righteousnesse by fulfilling all righteousnesse of peace by the peace of my crosse of love by the losse of the sence of love but I am there Lord conducter and leader to my heavenly glory What morning starre conducts them to rest but I the morning starre what sonne of beauty leades them to the light of felicity but I the sonne of righteousnesse I am the sunne by day and the cloud by night I am the only captaine of my redeemed and purchased I am the day starre that alwais appeares in the hearts of mine Therefore there is no condemnation to them which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 A sweet Contemplation Oh the depth of the sweet love and mercy of my Lord that bought Mee what no condemnation to me No I am washed in the blood of the lambe immaculate I am presented spotlesse in spotlesse robes I am Redeemed from amongst the prisoners of no hope I am united to the sonne of God and injoy communion with him My soule who shall condemne thee shall death shall hell shall the law shall the Devill shall the world shall the flesh no for they are not in thy beloved what though London England and the whole world band themselves against thee what though Legallists the Angells of light the world and all the rable of hell shall beset thee on every side what though the nearest and them which should be dearest to thee raise lies slanders reproches rebukes ignominies and all evills against thee yet be not dismayed for there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Now thy thoughts shall be continually upon thy free redemption thy rich justification thy sollid sanctification thy glorious Adoption thy wonderfull union and thy eternall glorification now thy spirit is full of love of praise of glory saying with the Apostle Rom. 8.1 2. Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the law of sinne and death The Philosopher saith there is a hidden and secret vertue in the starres and planets not in consonant to Scripture canst thou restraine the sweet influences of Pleiades And that there is a hidden vertue in gemms and pretious jewells that none can understand but those that are skilfull lapidaries So there is a hidden and inclosed excellency in Christ the Lord of life and Prince of glory and who can restraine the influences of his goodnesse or who can understand the richnes of his love but those who have knowne him by experience who can speake of the glorious robes of righteousnesse but those that are cloathed with the glorious robes of righteousnesse who can make mention of the rarenesse of Adoption but those who have obtained inheritance immortall and immarcessable or who can declare concerning the liberty of grace and glory but those that have accesse to the throne of grace by the spirit of glory hence came the rare experience the blessed Apostle found in and through the hand of the Mediator who delivered him from the law of sinne and death by the glorious and indissoluble Law of life according to the Text. Rom. 8. 2. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death The law in Scripture is taken severall waies First Sometimes for the rule of mercy and peace because from it the Saints injoy Mercy from the bowels of mercy in God the Father from Jesus Christ Mediatour of the Law or Covenant Gal. 6.16 As many as walke according to this rule peace be unto them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Secondly sometimes it is taken for the law of faith sith in and by that wee doe not onely beleeve the pardon of sins through the blood of Christ the non Recordation of iniquity through the mercy of the Father and the free injoyment of God to be our God and heavenly Father in that Covenant of life peace and Adoption but also because that we by that Covenant are under the command of the Father the mind and will of the Lord Christ the gratious mediatour of the law of life reconciliation Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting excluded by the law of workes nay but by the law of faith Thirdly Sometimes it is called the New Testament not onely in opposition to the old but because the Father of dearest mercies hath beene pleased to reveale and testifie a more full fruition and Communion of his love in the remission or condonation of iniquity in the blood of his deare Sonne Luke 22.20 Likewise also he tooke the Cup after Supper saying this Cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you Fourthly Sometimes it is tearmed the new Covenant to denote that high dignity great Prerogative and wonderfull priviledge that is given to them under this Covenant sith in this he becomes their God and bountifull Father Remembreth their iniquities no more Writes his law in their hearts And teacheth them the high and deepe truths of the Gospel Jeremiah 31.31 32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my Covenant they breake although I was an husband unto
my grace as there is no end of the death of the Covenant of my peace so there is no end of my loving kindnesse in the covenant of grace peace Though I have made a covenant it is not l ke the first covenant I made in mount Sinai Ier. 31.31 Behold the day is come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Jsrael and with the house of Judah Not according to that I made with their Fathers c. Hence my people may glory in my Covenant had I made a Covenant with them to be their God to day and their enemy to morrow to blot out their sinnes to day and to remember them to morrow to write my law in their hearts to day and blot it out to morrow to give righteousnesse peace rest grace truth hope joy peace love reconciliation redemption and Adoption to day and to take these away to morrow my people should not had cause of glorying in the eternity of my favor but now have they great cause of glorying in my covenant sith it is as fast as the day and the night though all things fade and waxe old as a garment though the heavens should depart as a scroule though the hills should flee and the mountaines be removed notwithstanding this covenant must needs stand for ever Jsay 54.10 For the mountaines shall depart and the hils shall be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord that hath mâ—rcy on thee Had I made the Sunne the Moone the Starres the planets like the fading herb grasse or trees where had beene their rarenesse If I had made the gold the gemms the pretious Jewels like the drosse of yron where had beene their richnesse If I had made my second covenant of peace of grace of love and mercy like the first of terrors of dreads of horrors and decaying where had beene the pretiousnesse But my people glory not only because I have made a Covenant but because I have made a covenant everlasting they glory not onely in righteousnesse but in everlasting righteousnesse not only in treasures but in eternall treasures not onely in life but in eternall life not only in peace but in perpetuall peace and attonement So they glory not only in the covenant of life and peace but also that it is the etarnal covenant of life peace Hence they glory with the Apostle Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and of death Thirdly Because it is placed in Christ. The Sunne is placed in the midst of the planets from whence all the planets receive their purest lights the heart is placed in the midst of man that all the parts from thence might receive their vitall motion the law of life and grace is placed in Christ Jesus that from thence the Churches might receive their happinesse Happie O thrice happie are the Churches tha they have such a Lord and such a law not of sin and death but of grace and life Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the law of sinne and death The earth was undecked and undorned till I adorned the earth with beauty the heavenly orbs were not beautified till I beautified them with the Splendor of the Sun of Moone and Planets The old law was inglorious by curse execration and condemnation but I have made a new glorious through life hope and benediction In whose hand is it blessed if not in the hand of the blessed mediatour in whose breast is it happiâ—â— if not in the breast of him that is a gratious Redeemer and in whom can that be glorious except in him that is King of Kings and Prince of glory It would not have stood with the glory of my wisedome If I should have made my covenant of life with the slaves of the devill bondslaves to hell and children of death it would not have stood with the honour of my wise disposement should I have placed my second covenant in them that brake my first and have shott their arrowes as farre distant from the throne of my grace as the highest place is from the lowest hell I should have lost the dignity of my grace had I made it with Angels who pittied not the prisoners of my hope neither could they answer the require and severity of my Justice As I have placed the purest light in the lightest Sunne and the rarest vertue in the purest gemmes so I have placed my law of absolute and intire purity in the Sonne of my rarest excellencie I have made my Covenant to Christ Gal. 3.16 Now to Abraham and his seede were the promises made he saith not and to seedes as of many but as of one and to thy seede which is Christ I have made my Covenant with Christ sith none could satisfie my justice or fulfill my righteousnesse but him alone I made my Covenant in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises are in him yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us I made him the Covenant of life and Salvation Isay 42.6 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousnesse and will hold thine hand and will keepe thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentils to open the blinde eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkenesse out of the prison house He was the Character of my person and the effulgencie of my glory hee was the appointed King and the Lord commander of my purchased and acquired the Mediatour to and for my Redeemerd and Reconciled the prince of the kings of the earth the first begotten from the dead and the only one and beloved of the bosom therefore my covenant is to him with him and in him I tooke up my habitation in him from eternity to eternity my dwelling and delectation is in him from the beginning to the ending hence my Covenant of eternity rests in the bosome of eternity from whence should the espoused have their Commands but from their bridegroome I have not married them to the law but to Christ Rom 7.4 Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God From whence should the subjects have their ordinance but from their King I have not made Mosâ—s their king but Christ King of his Church Psal 45.11 So shall thy King greatly desire thy beauty for hee is thy Lord and worship thou him From whence should the redeemed of the Lord have their rules precepts but from Christ I have not made Moses their Prophet but Christ their Prophet Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like
your hearts be troubled yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me Have not I wished them to rejoyce through exhortation Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alway and againe I say reioyce What is my bloody crosse my victorious death my comfortable resurrection and my powerfull mediation But joy to the drooping what is the covenant of my freest grace my highest love my richest mercy and tender compassions but comfort to the mourning What is the spirit of adoption whereby mine call my father Father the spirit of obsignatiō wherby mine injoy an inheritance among them which are sanctified the spirit of sanctification whereby mine are sanctified in the day of their Communion with mee their vine and royall bridegroome but consolation to the lamenting as my springs of grace are in the throne of my grace so I have filled them with the fruits of my grace as the fountaine of my love is in the throne of love so have I filled mine with my dearest love when I dwell in their hearts by faith which is in mee when I rule in their consciences by peace which is from mee when I shall lodge in their soules through my spirit of glory I shall change their garments of lamentation into garments of salvation their mourning weeds into glorying expression and their sighes and groanes unutterable into the sweetest oration For I will see them againe and their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them The rivers that flowed from paradice are not comparable to the streames that makes glad the city of our God those were water these welsprings of living water those flowed from the earthly paradice these from the heavenly and celestiall paradice by some of them was Bdelium and the Onix stone in these are eternall glory nearenesse of union and the fruition of eternall life and felicitie those were appointed to water the Garden of Eden these are ordained to water and refresh the Church of Christ beloved those were placed in paradice by the wisedome and love of God the Father these were placed and appointed in the Church of Christ redeemer therefore they admire at the love of God the Father and the superemenent grace of Christ Mediator Saying they shall heare the thing they never heard they shall see the things they never saw and they shall understand the things they never understood Their joy in that day shall not be from the influence of the starrs my influence excelleth the influence of all starrs they shall not injoy the comfort of the Moone but the comfort of mee whose glory is above Sunne and Moone What shall mine injoy in that day they shall fully see the throne of grace fully behold all the hidden unutterable and unsearchable excellencies that are in me What shall they possesse when they shall possesse me that filleth all in all things what shall they comprehend when they shall be comprehended and invironed with my glorious presence and the light of my countenance therefore though the heavens and the earth should bee silent the moutaines and the vallies should be still yet mine will glory in me their loving prince and effectionate bridegroome Sith I will see them againe their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them And your joy no man taketh from you O the love of our loving and glorious father O the kindnesse of our Lord our deare and gratious Redeemer if mine admire at my love my love is admirable love if mine contemplate of my grace my grace is superemenent grace when they were in the vast and roaring wildernesse I allured them and brought them into a wildernesse and there I spake comfortably unto them Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and spake comfortably unto her When mine were tossed like a ship with the roaring waves reeling like a drunken man were welneigh dashed in peeces by the craggie rockes and shelves I laid a foundation for them of pretious Stones and Saphires Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphirs When they wanted joyes I gave them joyes firmer then the earth upon its center more fixed then the fixed starres more stable then the sublunarie creatures Is my righteousnes everlasting righteousness is not my comfort everlasting is my deare hearts blood of an eternall value is not my consolations eternall is my communion and blessednesse for ever and ever and are not my joyes for ever and ever If mine have life their life is hid in me if mine have peace then their peace is treasured in me if mine have joy their joy is joy in me Hath the mists taken away the light of the Sunne No Hath the mortality of the body taken away the immortality of the soule No Or can any take away the consolation of my Redeemed No Had I not given to my Redeemed everlasting righteousnesse eternall life an inheritance immutable then their joy had beene momentanie and transitorie but because I have given them an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Seaventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy citie to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to seale up the vision and prophesie and to annoynt the most holy Eternall life John 10.28 And I give unto them eternall life they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of mine hands An inheritance immortall and immutable 1 Pet. 1.4 Therefore their joy is not transitory and momentanie After once I bring my redeemed to the inheritance immortall and incontaminate they shall sing nothing but praise honour glory power might truth mercy strength and thanksgiving to my Father blessed for ever and to me blessed for ever more They shall know of no sinne in the flesh they shall not heare the accusations of the law before the tribunall seate of justice they shall not hearken to the temptations of the devill they shall not feele the burden of sinne nor be affrighted at the feares of death and hell but they shall injoy an immediate communion and fruition of my glory to everlasting For I wil take away their heavines their heart shall rejoyce and their joy no man taketh from them JOHN 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you RAre is the Sunne in respect of beauty light and operation rare are the pretious jewells in respect of richnesse vertue and estimation so rare is the love of Christ to us through gifts graces and communication as the myrrh and the drops thereof as the sweet raine and the showers thereof as the bedewing dew and the overspreading thereof so is the influence of Christs freest grace and the expression of his dearest love according to the text John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another
Lord was my stay Out of my love I have loved them freely I regarded neither their righteousnesse their holynesse their performances neither their prayers their doings nor their excellencies neither their purity their innocency nor their integritie I have loved my redeemed and my justified freely I have respected my reconciled freely and I regarded my adopted and my glorified freely Though thousands should have presented to me the vertue of the sonne the moone and starres the riches of seas of mountaines and of the vallies or the free will of the freewillers notwithstanding I would refuse it If I lay downe my life for my sheep is it not out of the freenesse of my love John 10.11 I am the good shepheard the good shepheard giveth his life for his sheep If I give my life for my Church is it not out of my tender and deare affection Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it If I give to mine the riches of hidden treasures the glory of the heavenly mantions and the sure and firme mercies which are treasured in my breasts is it not love of my tenderest care and love Hence out of my love I expresse my dearest tenderest love given to mine which eye cannot see which eare cannot heare nor mind conceive 1 Cor. 2 9 But as it is written Eye hath not seen eare heard neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him I have loved them so dearely that I will be their glory in grace their eternall glory and their expression of glory who was their hope and glory Col. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mistery among the Gentils whsch is Christ in you the hope of glory Who makes them to rejoyce under the the hope of glory If not I. Rom. 5.1.2 Therefore being iustified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Who makes them passe one from glory to glory If not I. 2 Cor. 3. last But we all with open face behoulding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. Am I not their glory and crowne of life Am I not their glory and crowne of righteousnesse Am not I their glory and crowne of mercy Psal 103.3 4. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The glory of my love is tyed to the sweetnesse of my peace the glory of my grace to my acceptation Ephes 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved The praise of my glory to the choise of my election Ephes 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ The assurance and seale of my redemption to the praise of my glory Ephes 1.14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory The collocation in the heavenly places to the honour of my superemenent grace Ephes 2.6.7 And hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus What beatitude What communion What benediction What frution What felicitie Or what glory can any injoy without me the effulgencie the character and glory of my father hath the rivers waters without the fountaines No Hath the ayre light without the Sunne no or can any possesse glory without my glory no. Hence I have tould my choise and dearest ones John 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me J have given them that they may be one even as we are one And because I have given them this first glory they sing of my second glory worshipping me that lives for ever falling down be fore my throne of glory Apoc. And when those beasts gave glory honour thanks to him that sate on the throne who liveth for ever and ever The foure and twenty Elders fall downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crownes before the throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And they sing not onely of my love in word but also in deede Answering my command loving one another as I have loved them John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as J have loved you The Philosopher saith that the first moveable is moved by Angels and all secundarie motions are moved by the first motion or moveable it is affirmed by the spirit of glory that the love of the saints to God the Father and of each towards each other is from that love the Father hath shewed towards them Joh. 1.4.10.12 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propiciation for our sinnes No man hath seene God at any time if wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us If they are deare in affection is it not through my union they are deare members pretious branches and loving spouses sith I have joyned the members to mee their head I have ingrafted them into me their vine and I have espoused them to me their bridegroome if they injoy fellowship one with another it is not through my Covenant I have not only given them communion with my Father to injoy fellowship with my Father communion with my selfe â—o injoy an inheritance in my treasures but I have given mine communion fellowship one with another that they might have joy and delectation each with other 1 John 1.3 That which wee have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ Hath the aire light and not from the sunne hath the hand and foot motion and not from life and hath mine fellowship and not through my fellowship as I have given them the glory of eternall fruition the honour of perpetuall conservation John 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me that they may bee one as we are So I have given mine the glory of union hence I have made them one as I and the father are one John 17.22 And the glory which
people I see my sick not visited my poore debased my naked unclothed my hungrie and thirsty not satisfied my dearest Jewells slandered my pretious servants defamed and those that speake the truth disdained In stead of patience prudence gentlenesse mildnesse and gratiousnesse of spirit there is backebiting lying crying and slandering in every corner of the City But have they not cause to tender one another dearly are they not fellow Citizens and of the houshould of of my father Ephes 2.19 Now therefore yee are no more strangers and forreners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the houshould of God Are they not my branches whom I esteeme most deerely John 15.5 I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing Are they not they that are called to communion with mee that am their deare Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom yee were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. They are not base but noble all the Kings and Monarches under heaven are not comparable to one of the Kings that I have made to God my Father through my blood most pretious They are Kings of earthly Kingdomes mine of heavenly and celestiall Kingdomes They are Kings by a Royall progenie mine are Kings through my blood undefiled they have crownes of pure gold pretious stones mine have crowns of life and righteousnesse they have guards of men to attend them mine guards of Angells the beloved saints Heb. 1 last Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heiers of Salvation Their cloth is better then the cloth of golâ— their riches better then the riches of jewells and their wealth more excellent then the wealth hid in the sands Though the devill would devoure them I will save them though the flesh make war with them I will support them though death would destroy them I will give them my salvation Haback 3.13 Thou wentest forth for the Salvation of the people even for Salvation with thine anoynted thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck Selah I am their King and shall not I command them their Bridegroome and shall not I will them their loving Mediatour and shall I not wish them to love on another I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure bounds chaines imprisonments for my sake that they will obey me I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure poverty for my poore penurie for my distressed miserie for my afflicted that they will subject to me My voice is as deare to them as heaven my commands as acceptable as my joyes and my wishes As my love my glory and my righteousnesse Therefore they will answere my command of love as it is recorded John 15.12 This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you A CONFESSION OF OVR FAITH According to the Order of the GOSPEL First WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Eternall Sonne of God who was with the Father before the world was Appointed by an Eternall Election Mediatour Redeemer and Reconciler of all those whom the Father out of his Eternall and free love had ordained unto Eternall Life John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in thy bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 17.3 And this is life Eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Secondly VVE beleeve that it was the Fathers divine pleasure to or daine Jesus Chr st to bee King over his Church peculiar and the sole only Prophet from which the Church should receive all her treasures of Divine rarest wisedome Ephes 1.21 22 23. Far above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him Col. 1.3 Wee give thnnkes to God and the Father of Jesus Christ our Lord praying alwaies for you Thirdly WEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ was freely chosen and selected out of the free and eternall love of the Father resting in the bosome of Jesus Christ to the end that it might be partaker of all the heavenly treasures of divine grace and righteousnesse made conformable to the will of God the heavenly Father and to the minde of Jesus Christ the blessed and glorious Redeemed Ephes 1.4 5. According as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Sonnes by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will 2 Pet. 1.4 Wherby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Rom. 8.27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because hee maketh intersession for the Saints according to the will of God Fourthly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ the Lord of life and salvation laid downe his life in speciall for her according to the absolute and divine appointment of the Father to the intent that hee might confirme upon her the supereminent riches of glory the exceeding riches of mercy and the marvilous dispensation of his marvilous Kindnesse which proceedes alone from his free and divine pleasure Acts 20.28 Take heede therefore unto your selves and to all the floâ—ke over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how should he not with him freely give us all things Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it Apoc. 5.9.10 And they sang a new song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred tongue and people and nation and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of
as I have loved you Nothing is so pretious as Christs blood nothing so victorious as his death nothing is so pure as his righteousnesse so nothing is so tender as the love of our dearest Lord that bought us who hath left the highest throne of glory for the bondslaves of miseries but the prince of glory who hath stood betweene light and darkenesse betwixt heaven and hell betwixt eternall justice and the children of unrighteousnesse but the Lord our righteousnesse 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sinne the just for the uniust that hee might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit Who hath beene surety for mine in respect of the acquirie of Redemption to make up the breach of union to answer the righteousnesse for justification to atchieve glorious communion beatification bediction felicitie and the fruition of my presence but he that shall stand for ever mediatour and intercessour in my presence or who hath indured that mocking that buffeting that scorning that arraigning that condemning but he in whom there is no condemnation but eternall life and salvation Act. 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved He hath laid downe his life for them that were deprived of the hope of life hee spilt his dearest blood for them that were involved in their blood hee hath ventured his death for the lives of them that were the children of death had a child of wrath died for a child of wrath that should not have been excellent had a child of death dyed for a son of death that should not have beene superexcellent but for the beloved of the father to die for miserable catives and captives that is transcendent The death of mee the Lord of life is more then a thousand Lords the death of mee the prince of peace is more then the death of tenne thousand princes the death of mee who am King of Kings is more then the death of all the Kings and Monarches under heaven I looked and behold the Angels hid their faces all creatures hid their heads Sith none could make up the breach of union a glorious presentation in my fathers presence conquer death through death overcome the devill through power blot out impurity through righteousnesse remove sinne through blood make peace through atonement and by grace and glory bring the poore soule to eternall glory Isay 59.16 And he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessour therefore his arme brought salvation unto him and his righteousnesse it sustained him 2 Cor. 3. last But wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Out of my love I give rare gifts and graces to my Saints and servants Who hath opened the treasures of wisedome and knowledge if not I who hath broken open the treasure-house of heaven opened the throne of grace unlocked the mercy seate if not I who hath placed the heavenly minds in the heavenly places blessed the people delivered from the curse with spirituall blessings and made them that have tasted my love attaine to the height of my love but I. I powre my water upon the thirsty I give my bread to the hungry my cloath of righteousnesse to the naked and my dearest mercy and love to the lovelesse I power out my spirit upon my servants shew my visions to the young and give my dreames to the old Acts 2.17 And it shall come to passe in those dayes saith the Lord I will power out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie and your yong men shall see visions and your ould men shall dreame dreames My gifts are not of gold but of that which is more pretious then the gold of Ophir my gifts are not jewels gemmes and pretious stones But that which is more rich then jewels gemmes and pretious stones My gifts are not earthly treasures morrall righteousnesse worldly wealth and things terren and sublunarie but heavenly treasures and heavenly righteousnesse celestiall wealth and things sublime and heavenly Hence mine receive abundance from me the the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in me bodily Collosians 2.6 verse For in him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily Hence mine receive grace and truth from the fulnesse of grace and truth as I have spoken and mine confesse John 1.16 And of his fulnesse have wee all receiued and grace for grace Out of my love I will not forsake mine in the midst of all their tribulation and temptations though the heaven should frowne and the earth should lowre the conscience should terrifie justice should amaze death should trouble sinne should burden the Devill should roare the flesh should assault all evills should environ notwithstanding I will not forsake my peculiar though principalities though powers though death though famine though perill though sword though hell though law though sinne though the grave and all evills should beset mine yet will I not leave them I love them in wants as if they had abundance in tribulation as if they were free from tribulation in temptation as if they were free from temptation And in sheep skins and goats skins as if they had cloath of gold beset with the rarest jewels What if they are stoned for my name sake what if they be banished for my testimony what if they should be wracked for the witnesse of the word of my truth what if they had not a hole with the fox nor a nest with the birds yet I will not shut them out of my presence Have I not given a testimony concerning them Heb. 11.36 37 38 39. And others had triall of cruell mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandered about in sheep skins and goats skins being destitute afflictet tormented of whom the world was not worthy They wandered in the desarts and in mountains and denns and caves of the earth And all these have obtained a good report through faith receiued not the promise When Paul and Silas my servants were in prison did I not make them sing songs of my dearest love When Peter was in prison was not the Angel of my presence by him when my servant Steeven was stoned did I not make his face to shine as an Angel and when my servants were in the fire furnace have I not delivered them from the furnace of fiety afflictions I am the rock when there is no rocke I am the refuge when there is no refuge I am their hope and horne of salvation when there is neither hope nor horne of salvation Hence mine may conclude with my servant Psal 18.18 They prevented me in the day of my calamitie but the