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
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
The pain of sense will easilier be born than the pain of loss The Vision of God is the Heaven of the Godly O it is a blessed sight to see God and to be seen of him If a glympse here of his glorious Majesty be so joyous How glorious will a full and fixed sight of him be in Heavenly Glory May I be blind to all the glory in this World so I may live in a believing foresight and lively hope of beholding that inaccessible Light which is too glorious for Angels to behold without covering their faces This Light is Life it self the original of life to all whether of Nature Grace or Glory God in Scripture is said to be the true and Living God in opposition to false and dead Idols Life is his being he is because he Lives and our Life is hid with Christ in God even that of Nature of Grace and of Glory in him we Live and Move and have our Being Life in it self is a happiness O how precious a thing is Life Skin for skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his Life The Life of a Fly hath been thought to be more worth than the World The Life of a Man doubtless is more worth than many Worlds which are without Life but it is the Life of Grace which makes the Life of Man his comfort and the Life of sin to be a Living Death to him But the Life of Glory which is ever to be glorifying and enjoying God is the glory of Life To live with Life it self and for Life it self to live in us How infinitely satisfying will it be to them who are glorified That we shall be ever with this Lord of Life and Glory is the most comfortable word in all the Scriptures If any Man serve me saith Christ where I am there shall also my servant be 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 presence of Christ makes Heaven It is our Life eternal to live with him who is Life eternal and to live to him for none of us in Heaven liveth to himself we live there wholly unto the Lord. His Glory there is as truly our end as it is here he will give to every one glory enough but he will not give his glory to another None must glorifie himsâ—lf there God All-sufficient will glorifie every one sufficiently I will glorifie the House of my glory saith the Lord. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory will be the Heavenly Ditty and Duty Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created The main end of our Election or Predestination Redemption Justification Adoption Regeneration Sanctification Preservation and Glorification is to glorifie God in our Bodies and in our Spirits which are Gods Our vile Bodies are fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body so are our Souls transformed renewed sanctified and cleansed with the washing of Water by the Word that they might be presented to God himself glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that they should be holy and without blame before him in love to the Praise of the glory of his Grace God is Love as well as Life the Life which he lives is a life also of Love What lovely living will it be in Heaven to live with love it self To love and be beloved by God who is Love will be the Saints everlasting happiness God will for ever be in love with all the Glorified Angels and Saints and they again will for ever be in love with him I Love them that Love me saith God not only God Essentially but God Personally is Love The Father is love the Son is love the Holy Ghost is love The knowledge we shall have of the Trinity loving each other with the love of Unity in an infinite manner and measure will very much contribute to our heavenly happiness If the Union Communion and Communication of Love between Husband and Wife be so great a Mystery How much greater a Mystery is that which is between Christ and the Church But O how mysterious a secret are the Transactions of mutuâ—l love between Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity If God so loved the World in this was manifested â—he Love of God because he sent his only begotten Son iâ—to the World that we might live through him herein is love that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins I say if God so loved the World What manner of Love hath he bestowed upon his only begotten Son The Father loveth the Son and the Son loveth the Father and the Holy Spirit loveth both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost is loved of the Father and the Son and in their mutual loving and glorifying each other as they were happy infinitely from Everlasting so they would have been to everlasting though all persons and things had never been created Gods essential glory is neither capable of addition or diminution by reason of its infinite perfection God is not the happier for Angels or Men he needs neither their love or service but there is no being happy for any Creature save in the full enjoyment of God and his loving favour through all Eternity his loving kindness is life eternal We love him because he first loved us he loved us from all Eternity So God loved the World and by so doing hath engaged himself to love us to eternity whom he loves he loves to the end That which makes his love altogether lovely is That he set his love upon us because he loved us no Merit or Motive in us why he should love us there were Motives and Merits indeed why he should not love us when by wilful sin we had cast away the Mercies of our Creation he might have cast us off and cast us out to the loathing of our persons In the day we were born and lay polluted in our blood then he looked upon us and behold this time was the time of love he then said unto us when we were in our Blood Live His Love was our Life If God loved us so when we were sinful What manner of Love will he bestow upon us when sinless Our sin Original and Actual incapacitates us to receive the Mercies and enjoy the Love the Lord would willingly vouchsafe us But in Heaven we shall be able and perfectly capable and God infinitely willing to load us with all his Benefits God will never be weary of giving out his Loves nor we unwilling or weary in a Joyful and Thankful receiving of them and returning the same to our best Beloved It will be love of the nearest union the highest and holiest Communion and the freest and fullest
be and to do what God would have us to do upon which our endless state depends and therefore to be really Religious which is a living to God is no indifferent thing because the invisible things of eternity which Religion is concerned â—bout are the greatest realities and of the greatest moment to every Immortal Soul which is capable of being unspeakably happy or miserable in Heaven or Hell through all Eternity God and Christ and Grace and Glory must be had there is no living or dying in Peace without them Behold now is the accepted time to accept them and to be accepted Behold now is the day of Salvation which if it be neglected an eternal night of Damnation followeth There is also an excellency in Religion which appears in being conversant about matters of such transcendent worth and weight as namely the glorifying of God in wayes of Grace and Glory upon this account therefore it is the Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbor Religion is for Godliness which is profitable to all persons and things having promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Happy is the Man that in the way of Religion getteth Godliness for the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold she is more precious than Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Length of dayes is in her Right hand and in her Left hand Riches and Honor her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2. This Doctrine of the Kingdom of Grace and Glory speaks doleful and dreadful Tidings to the wicked and ungodly The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God No Whoremonger nor Unclean Person nor Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Let no Man therefore deceive himself with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience the loss of this Kingdom will be more intollerable to the Wicked than the enduring of the eternal torments of Hell because the loss is infinite God is lost and the Eternal weight of Glory is lost The pains of Hell are after a sort finite though infinite in duration and between finite misery and infinite glory there is an infinite inequality 3. If there be a Kingdom of Grace and Glory Are not they then besides themselves that think and say That a holy diligence and strictness in Religion and the Duties thereof in order to its attainment is more ado then needs that practically say It is vain to serve God and What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and Behold What a weariness c. When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and shall gather before him all Nations and shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the â—oats and shall set the Sheep on his Right hand but the Goats in the Left when the King shall say unto them on his Right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World When he shall say also unto them on his Left hand Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe when Christ shall reckon with his Servants about the improvement of their time and talents for we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad and shall say Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord and when he shall say to him that received one Talent and hid it in the earth Take the Talent from him and cast ye that wicked slothful and unprofitable Servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth then will the holy diligence of the Saints and Servants of the Lord be justified and the minds of them that judged diligent Godliness to be more ado than needed will be otherwise minded and wish too late they had been wise and faithful that by their Lord at his coming they might have been found so doing as those that were faithful unto death and receive the Crown of Life 4. That there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory speaks the dignity and happiness of the Saints Let their condition in this World as to the things of the World be never so bad be they poor and persecuted having nothing they possess all things things Temporal Spiritual and Eternal are their right all things are yours saith the Apostle Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and the reason is because Christ is yours he that hath Christ hath all things He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all How shall he not with him also freely give us all things They who have a true interest in God and Christ and Grace and Glory cannot want for real Treasures Honors and Pleasures either in this or the better World 5. That there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory speaks also the great love of God wherewith he hath loved us and the exceeding riches of his Grace That God of his free Mercy towards us in Christ Jesus should take any of us out of the state of Nature Sin and Misery to reinstate us into his Grace and Favour That from the presence of his Grace he might translate us into the presence and Kingdom of his Glory What manner of love hath God the Father bestowed upon us God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son into iâ— that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life this is love passing knowledge 2. The second Use is for trial and examination of our selves as to our right and title to glory The last Article in our Christian belief is the Life everlasting which every one will say he believes That there is a Kingdom of Glory is without controversie The great Question is To whom this Kingdom of Glory belongs I have before proved by Scripture That there is a purposed prepared purchased promised and preserved Kingdom of Glory and that there are certain persons
of our love It is that to the Soul which the pulse is to the Body a Symptome of Life Gods love is our life our love to God is our great evidence that he loveth us I love them that love me This is the Souls pulse which beats continually What is Spiritual life but Spiritual love to God as God and as our chief good Can we say that Gods beloved which is Christ is our only chief beloved If I can say I am my Beloveds I may be sure that my Beloved is mine Nothing makes persons so perfectly one as perfect love which is not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth A love to the Person beloved above the Portion enjoyed a love to every one and every thing the party beloved hath a kindness for and a hatred of aversion displicency and abhorrence of that which is contrary to love and the person beloved By this also we may know that we love God and the children of God when we keep his Commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and hereby we do know that we know him believe in him and love him if we keep his Commandments he that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the truth is not in him but whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the word of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him as our love to God is a sign of his love to us so the keeping of his Commandments is an evidence of the truth of our love to him according to our Lord Jesus his Question to Peter three times Lovest thou me more than these Lovest thou me Lovest thou me Thou knowest that I love thee saith he How Feed my Lambs feed my Sheep Do you think Christ would have believed Peter or Peter believed himself touching his love if he had disobeyed this Commandment Christ saith to all If ye love me keep my Commandments and he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Now the Commandments of God are both Moral and Evangelical Moral contained in Moses his Ten Words called the Decalogue or Ten Commandments Evangelical called the Law or Doctrine of Faith concerning the Salvation of Mankind by our Lord Jesus Christ come already in the flesh to be believed by all that will be saved neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved And therefore when any one doth Oh! that every one would ask this serious question seriously What must I do to be saved the only answer to it is Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved This is his Commandment That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment There is a Law of Love as well as of Faith Love is the sum of the Law and hath the Power and force of a Law in it All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Love To God above all Love thy Neighbor as thy self If there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Love to God and our Neighbor Love worketh none ill to his Neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law As love is the Fulfilling of the Law so sin is the Transgression of the Law of God The Moral and the Evangelical Law is against sin Sin not stand in awe and sin not is one great Command from God which we must live in continual obedience unto Our great fear desire care and endeavour must run out this way that we sin not Sin is the chiefest evil as it opposeth God the chiefest good therefore we are commanded to abhor that which is evil and abstain from all appearance of evil If we will enter into life we must keep this Commandment no entering into Heaven with Sin There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye For God hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him Sin and Sinners must be turned into Hell for ever The wages of sin is death we must be saved from sin before we can be saved from Hell Let us try what Conscience we make of this Command Do we fear to sin Can we say we fear none but God and nothing but Sin he that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded Do we live in no known sin either of Heart or Life of Omission or Commission When we are overtaken with sin are we sorry for it after a godly sort until by an humble confessing and an hearty forsaking it we are reconciled to God If we be unreconciled to sin in our hearts and to a way and course of sin in our life we may be sure God and we are reconciled When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Our Eternal State may be known by our dispositions and conversations towards sin as the very bent and by-ass of our hearts and lives are for or against sin habitually and practically so will God determine our Eternal condition for Heaven or Hell In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil Whosoever abideth in Christ sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin and he cannot sin because he is born of God Yet is there a truth in this if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make God a liar and his Word is not in us but he that committeth sin is of the Devil and whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother which is a Damnable sin for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death and not to love and to hate in Scripture is of the same signification Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him He that loveth not his Brother hath neither Spiritual Light Life or Love in him He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes This sin of not loving or hating a Brother is darkness that so blindeth the eyes that whosoever is guilty of it is under this Judgment he knoweth not whither he goeth I doubt not but everyone that loveth not his Brother thinks he doth love him because he loves him in Word and in Tongue and thinks he shall go to Heaven Alass What doth it profit if a brother or sister be naked or in prison and destitute of daily food and one say unto
being poor in Spirit that you may be rich in Faith and Heirs of a Kingdom the comfort and content of a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The Kingdom of God is not meat and driâ—k but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Let your Conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have that your Conversation may be in Heaven Heavenly-mindedness is your duty let it be your delight to seek those thingâ— which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore for all thosâ— and onely those that have and exercise the Graces of the Spirit in truth and uprightness Labour therefore in the last place for the Grace of Sincerity which is not so much a Grace as that which makes Grace to be â—race If I may sâ—y so what is Faith but Fancy if it be not unfeigned Or Love but Lust except it be without dissimulation What is Obedience good for if it be not universal and constant Our hearts and lives are not sound if we have not respect unto all Gods Commandments to perform them alwayes unto the end Suppose our Gracious Majesty the King command nothing but what is holy just and good for His own Honour and Interest and the good of His Subjects will he judge those persons sincere to him that lives in open disobedience to any of his righteous Laws God and man would and should be served in sincerity and truth God is to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth he is rich in mercy but to whom to them that call upon him in Truth The good and the right way is only fear the Lord and serve him in Truth with all your heart God is for the heart and the whole heart man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart the heart and the sincerity of it is all in all with God Grace and Mercy is with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity with incorruption Sincerity is the Salt thâ—t keeps our Love and other Graces from corrupting and perishing it is the root of the matter which makes the hâ—art good and honest in bringing forth the fruit of rightâ—â—usness with patience unto perfection Whereas the seed sown in the heart where there is no root â—iâ—hers away the Word of the Truth of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit in them that hear it who knâ—w the Grace of God in Truth Do not my words saith God do good to him that walketh upright God is good to those that be good and to them that are upright in their hearts which David intimates in his Prayer None are good indeed but the upright and sincere their hearts are good their lives are good they are like Saul and Jonathan lovely and pleasant in their lives and their death is precious in the sight of the Lord. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace He shall enter into Peace that walketh before God in Truth and with a perfect heart doing that which is good in his sight uprightness integrity and sincerity in heart speech and behaviour is very pleasing to God Behold thou delightest in or desirest Truth in the inward parts They onely are the Sons of God who are blameless harmless or sincere speaking the Truth in love as being sincere which is all one speaking the Truth from the heart is a character of a Citizen of Zion and the property and duty of the true Ministers of the Gospel who are not as many which deal deceitfully with or corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak they in Christ his Doctrine shewing uncorruptness sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned ordering also their Conversations in the World by the grace of God in simplicity and godly sincerity that they may approve things that are excellent that they may be sincere and without offence toward God and toward man till the day of Christ They who are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel are even so to speak and live not as pleasing men but God which tryeth their hearts not at any time using flattering words for a cloak of covetousness whom St. Paul would have the Brethren to mark And I most humbly beseech His most peaceable Majesty for His own and His Kingdoms sake and safety He would also mark them who cause Divisions and Offences upon what pretences soever either in the State or Church or Families contrary to the Doctrine of Christ for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple walking in craftiness doing the work of the Lord deceitfully But such as would first seek the Kingdom of God with comfort must labour to be Israelites indeed in whom is no guile that they may grow in grace in every grace going from grace to grace from strength to strength for the pure in heart and he that hath clean hands and is sincere perfect and undefiled in the way shall be stronger and stronger till he be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus being strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man to exercise himself in all holy conversation and godliness in every condition in every relation for the truth and strength of grace lies much in relative religiousness None are really holy that are not relatively holy they who are not good loyal and sincere loving Subjects to His most Excellent Majesty the King are far from the true power of godliness and so in all other Relations which I leave to a fitter opportunity to handle What more plain in all the Word of God than that every Soul is to be subject unto the higher Powers How apt are men to forget it Put them in mind therefore saith St. Paul to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates What follows To be ready to every good Work Why for Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the evil He is a Minister of God to every one for good both to the good and to the evil to make evil men good and good men better The Supreme Power which is the Ordinance of God is not to be resisted upon pain of damnation but all Dues Duties Tribute Custom Fear Honour the rather to be rendered with all chearfulness and humble thankfulness for Magistrates are Gods Ministers attending continually on this very thing wherefore let every one of us as it is our bounden duty shew the truth and power of our godliness herein for we must needs be Subjects not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake to our Superiours in the Lord And that they may rule for God and for good let Supplications Prayers Intercessions and
therefore your members purifying our hearts by Faith a Faith that worketh by love and worketh love in their souls who obey the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love not only of Brethren but Enemies so that they can love them with pure hearts fervently That we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil we wrestle not only against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the rulers of the darkness of this World against spiritual wickedness in high plâ—ces we must take unto our selves the whole armour of God having our loynes girt about with truth and having on the brest-plate of righteousness and our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace above all taking the shield of Faith wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and Hope the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and watching â—hereunto with all perseverance whereby we shall be more than Conquerors through him that loved us nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ not Tribulation though we must through much Tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers â—or things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord So that in this warfare though the way be not Peace yet the end of it is Peace it yieldeth the Peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby even that Peace which passeth all understanding and Joy which is unspeakable and full of glory The Kingdom of God whether the Kingdom of Satan will or no will be the kingdom of Righteousness of Peace and of Joy in the Holy Ghost to the seekers of it the fighters for it the kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force By Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we enter into the kingdom of God and this Kingdom of God enters into us by Repentance towards God we are delivered from the power of darkness by Faith we are traâ—slâ—ted into the kingdom of his dear Son Repentance turns Sin Satan and the World out â—f the heart that Faith may let Christ into it the voice of Faith is Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors that the King of Glory may come in Who is this King of Glory Christ who dwelleth in the heart by Faith and where Christ is he hath his kingdom of Grace As many as receive him or that believe on his Name of his fulness receive Grace for Grace Christ and his Grace are inseparable he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life our life is hid with Christ in God Christ is Gods first and greatest Gift himself tells us he is the Gift of God given to the World of Mankind before the foundation of the World in Gods everlasting Decree and with in and through him hath given all things pertaining to Life and Godliness even from the first Grace of Election to the last Gift of Eternal Life Election According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World Acceptation of our persons according to the good pleasure of his will he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Creation To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Redemption In him we have Redemption through his Blood according to the riches of his Grace A General Redemption we thus judge That if one died for all then were all dead dead in sins and trespasses dead in Law and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them by the Grace of God he tasted death for every man Regeneration The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature all things are past away behold all things are become new Justification By the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life in whom we have the forgiveness of our sins according to the riches of his Grace that they may receive forgiveness of sins by Faith that is in me saith Christ Reconciliation Being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ the Peace of Reconciliation God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and Christ in his Ministers beseeching us to be reconciled unto God We who sometimes were far off are in Christ Jesus made nigh by his Blood for he is our Peace that he might Reconcile us unto God in one Body by the Cross having slâ—in the enmity thereby and made both one having broken down the Middle-Wall of Partition between us abolishing in his flâ—sh the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinancâ—s for to make in himself of twain one New Man so making Peace Having thus made Peace by the Blood of his Cross God by him Reconciles all things unto himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven and we that were sometime alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death The Favour of God In whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace of Favour wherein we stand an unconceivable unspeakable mercy Jesus was in favour with God to bring us into favour with God whoso findeth Christ findeth Life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. In this Favour is our Life this Loving kindness is better thâ—n our Life next to the Glory of God I know nothing in comparison or competition to be minded regâ—rded sought made sure of and prized but having keeping and increasing in the favour of God It was the happiness of Christ as Man here on Earth to increase in favour with God David entreated this favour with his whole heart I know no chief good besides God and his favour the whole Benefits and Comforts of our Election Creation Redemption Regeneration Justification Reconciliation Adoption Sanctification and Glorification are summed up in Gods Face Countenance and Favour towards us in Christ Adoption The Son of God was made the Son of Man that we who are the Sons of Men might be made the Sons of God by Adoption when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth
himself of the Robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his Garments even to his Sword and to his Bow and to his Girdle and said moreover to David whatsoever thy Soul desireth I will even do it for thee There is between God and the goldly a love of Union My Beloved is mine and I am his The Bond on Gods part is his Spirit hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit The Bond on our part is Faith working by Love Christ dwelleth in the heart by Faith he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God This is the most intimate Union as near as Head and Members Root and Branch Man and Wife Corner-stone and the Building which may be severed cut off separated and disunited But this Vnion between God in Christ and Spiritual Believers is inseparable because wrought preserved and maintained by the Holy Ghost who is God 2. From whence followeth a near Communion Truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ Can two walk together except they be agreed There is an Agreement between God and all True Believers by Covenant the Covenant and Agreement that was once betwixt Them and Sin Satan and Hell and Death is disannulled and a Covenant made with God by Sacrifice by all the Saints and by means and vertue of this Holy Agreement it is that God and his People walk together in every Holy Duty and Ordnance there is a Holy Communion between them a Fellowship in Desires and Loves I am my Beloveds and his desire is towards me With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early He brought me into his Banquetting House and his Banner over me was Love Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair saith Christ to his Beloved Spouse Tell me oh thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest saith the Spouse to Christ Here is a Love-Communion nothing but expressions of Love between them and mutual Joy also Draw me We will run after thee The King hath brought me into his Chambers We will be glad and rejoyce over thee with Joy he will rest in his Love he will Joy over thee with Singing in our Prayers and Praises we hold up our Communion with him Oh my Dove that art in the cleft of the Rock in the secret place of the Stairs let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy Voice for sweet is thy Voice and thy Countenance is comely and doubtless he that calls upon us to Pray will vouchsafe his ear to hear and a heart to answer Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Pray and granteth our Request so he heareth our Praises and Thanksgivings for the Mercies obtained by Prayer we are to offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the Calves of our Lips giving Thanks or Confessing his Name This is to Glorifie God he that offereth Praise Glorifieth me There is an Active and Passive Praising of God an Actâ—ve when in heart tongue and life we shew forth his Glory Thus David Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my Soul And St. Paul Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ Our Tongue is called in Scripture our glory in nothing more than in Glorifying or Praising God therewith bless we God I will Sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will Sing Praise unto my God while I have my being is the purpose and practise of every faithful Christian Our Lives should praise the Lord then we praise God indeed when our Conversations are only as becometh the Gospel of Christ There is also a Pâ—ssive Praising of God All the Works of God Praise him his Saints only bless him our Bodies Souls and Spirits declare with all the rest of Gods Works his glory but when they are by Gods Spirit changed into the Im ge of God from glory to glory and the faculties of the one and the members of the others are Instruments in tune exercising Righteousness and true Holiness then they much more speak the Praise of God 3. There is also a Love of Communication and Benevolence which is Mutual between God and the Godly God is a Communicative Good he is never weary of giving We are too often weary of asking and receiving God is good and doth good He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things he that will give grace and glory will withhold nothing that is good If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him We have nothing to give to God but what we have from him the best thing we have to give him is our heart My Son give me thy heart Our whole Man and our whole duty is intirely to be presented to God as a living reasonable service and yet when we have done all we are but unprofitable servants Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself Good Lives is profitable to all things and persons but not unto God we cannot add any thing to God's Essential Perfections God is so good that a Cup of cold Water given to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall not lose its reward Our Love of Benevolence to God is by his gracious power a willing what God wills and a nilling what he nills a doing what he commands us as he commandeth us and a not doing what he forbids us because he forbids us when we are good our selves and good to our selves and do good to others when we forget not to do good and to Communicate as we have opportunity but do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith and remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being our selves also in the Body then are we if I may say good to God though our goodness extendeth not to him but to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent in whom we are to delight There is also a Real Union Communion and Communication between Christians in Love Every Saint loves all Saints By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another and by this we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the
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
so cloath the Grass of the Field Shall he not much more cloath you therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things do the Heathens seek but let Christians seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness even those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God and set their minds and affections on things above and not on things on the earth It is much below every Christian by profession only so to love the World as to seek the things that are in the World for all that is in the World the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World and therefore if any Man love the world the love of the Father is not in him What Jâ—remiah said to Baruch I say to thee O Christian Seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not seekest thou the Pleasures of the World to satisfie the lust of thy Flesh seek them not the pleasures of sin are but for a season the displeasures of God against thee for thy sin are endless easeless merciless and remediless A lover of and a liver in pleasure can never be a lover of God nor God a lover of him nor can he ever be a liver with him while such She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth and damned when she dieth Becâ—use she lived in Pleasure on the Earth and waxed wanton and nourished her heart as in a day of slaughter receiving the reward of unrighteousness as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time How much she lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow will God give unto her Seekest thou the honors of the World Art thou ambitious to be some body in the World in Name or high Place of Preferment seek them not if thou be godly it is thy honor as truly as thy end to honor the Lord and them that honor me saith God I will honor If thou be'st wicked or a fool which is all one the Wise Solomon will tell thee Honor is not seemly for a fool To receive honor one of another and not to seek the honor that cometh from God only is the sin and dishonor which every unbeliever is guilty of and a great let and impediment in the duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God Seekest thou to be rich in this World labor not to be rich yet if Riches increase set not thine heart upon them Wilt thou set thine eyes and heart upon that which is not for Riches certainly make themselves wings they flie away as an Eagle toward Heaven But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts especially the lust of the pride of Life in putting on of Apparel whose adorning is that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of Gold in erecting and furnishing stately Buildings and pampering and pâ—easing the flesh which drown Men in destruction and perdition for the love of these things is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle than for such a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World with all its honors pleasures and riches and lose his own Soul and his portion of grace and glory or What shall a Man give or take in exchange for his Soul Is not the Redemption of the Soul precious It was not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil World God never intended the whole World to be the portion of every Man God only is Mans Portion and Man is Gods portion Why should any Man then wrong that noble part within him his Soul as to seek pursue and follow after such beggarly things as Riches and Honors and Pleasures and take up with them as his only hope and happiness which every wicked worldling doth the mean while neglecting and making light of the one thing necessary seeking to enjoy God and Christ and Grace and Glory in whom and from whom alone they may infallibly have the true durable unsearchable satisfying everlasting riches honors and pleasures Oh! did but the great ones of this World consider and know what deceitful baits snares and temptations these worldly dignities pleasures and treasures through Gods permissive Providence and Satans Subtilties prove to their lustful and deceitful hearts Would they so eagerly hunt after them and undo their Bodies and Souls in the pursuit of them True there is no evil in them but through an evil unbelieving heart there is much evil by them Search the Scriptures and see how many rich and honorable and pleasurable persons are gone or will go to Heaven not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called God that hath chosen the poor of this World rich in faith hath not chosen the rich in this World to be poor in faith There is a sore evil under the Sun namely Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Did the Rich in this World in Scripture called the Men of the World which have their portion in this life well consider how little their Riches will profit them in the day of wrath they would not be so high-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches but in the living God who giveth them richly all things to enjoy they would do good be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate that they may lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life which is the worst I wish them and the best use they can put their uncertain riches unto Oh! How many are and will be undone for ever by a deceitful World a deceitful Devil and a deceitful heart from which I beseech the Lord to deliver our most Gracious Soveraign the King and his Kingdom that we may all as one Man with oneness and trueness of heart set our selves according to our Solemn Engagement in our Christian Covenant unfeignedly to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil which must first be done before we can obey this Heavenly Counsel Command and Proclamation of our Lord Jesus Christ in seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness which let every one of us account it our greatest duty choicest work chiefest interest and highest dignity to be exercised therein let us as we have opportunity exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of us be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin Satan and the World to make light
possessing it will more than recompence for all the pains and sufferings the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us and therefore this Kingdom of Grace and Glory is to be sought constantly that is without ceasing day and night or very frequently constantly that is perseveringly for God will render to every Man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life Be thou faithful herein O Christian unto Death and Christ will give unto thee in the Kingdom of God a Crown of Life for only he that shall thus endure seeking unto the end the same shall be saved Even he that doth seek this kingdom of God which is a kingdom of Grace and Glory with his whole heart understandingly believingly faithfully diligently fervently violently valiantly vigilantly early delightfully and constantly which is no more than God requires and the unconceivable excellencies of this kingdom deserves Is not the kingdom of Grace it self nay one Grace of this kingdom more worth than all the Glory of all the kingdoms of this World The very trial of our faith and so of every other Grace is more precious than Gold that perisheth How precious is Faith it self Who that hath the Faith of Gods elect in the least degree in his heart would part with it at any rate nothing in this World better than life skin for skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his life But How many have lost their lives to save their faith that they might believe to the saving of their Souls they have died for the Faith that they might die in Faith And as for Hope which is a patient waiting and looking for that blessed Hope and the Glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus when we shall appear with him in Glory at death but more Gloriously at the day of Judgment when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels to be Glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe who hath this good hope through Grace that would part with it for more than all this World were it Ten thousand times ten thousand better than it is Alass if in this life only we have hope we are of all Men most miserâ—ble but since we can and do rejoycâ— in hope of the G orâ— of God we are happy enough in our hope which 〈◊〉 laid up for us in Heaven Now abideth Faith Hopâ— Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Faith and Hope we shall leave behind us having no need of them in Heaven When we are at the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls there is an end of our Faith but Charity which is the bond of our perfection in Heaven never ceaseth What is our Eternal Life in Heaven but an Eternal Life of Love our dwelling in and with God will be a dwelling in Love and God who is Love dwelling in us There will be fervent Charity indeed between God Angels and Men here because Iniquity doth abound the love of many doth wax cold there will be neither Sin Satan or Sinners to quench the flames of Mutual Love and Charity if Charity have so many Gracious and wonderful effects and fruits here What glorious effects will it produce in Glory Thou hast ravished my heart thou hast ravished my heart sâ—ith Christ with one of thine eyes with one Chain of thy Neck a Chain of Mercy and Truth Doth Mercy and Truth and other Graces in his Spouse ravish the heart of Christ What ravishing Joy will there be when Mercy and Truth meet together in Heaven and Righteousness and Peace kiss each other when Grace shall be turned into Glory when Charity a Grace a Duty now shall be Charity a Duty also but our Glory and Reward Will not Christ say of his Spouse then How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights If the Created Glory of a Christian be so Glorious in the eyes of Christ How Glorious will the Increated Glory of God in Christ be to the beholders of it to all Eternity Let us therefore stick at no care and pains to make sure of a kingdom which God hath made so sure to us in his Everlasting purpose and preparation and is purchased for us at so dear a rate as the precious Blood of Christ and promised and preserved to us in his Everlasting Covenant Here have we no continuing City let us seek one to come with the heirs of Promise who look for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It is the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem where God himself an Innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly and Church of the First-born and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament and God the Holy Ghost the Comforter dwell all together Glorifying one another in an unspeakable manner for ever and Should not the Glory of this Kingdom of Glory and the Heavenly Society therein invite and constrain us all in these Kingdoms to look after such a state and place Is not every one infinitely obliged to seek this Kingdom not only for himself but for the Community if it were possible every moment Is there a Kingdom of Grace which may be had here in this World and a Kingdom of Glory hereafter in another World Is this a faithful saying and Is it not worth every ones acceptation Is not the Grace of God in truth and power the one thing needful here and Is not Glory in the Kingdom of God the one thing needful there Why are we then careful and troubled about many things when one thing is needful Why do we not all as one Man choose that good part which shall not be taken away from us There is nothing else in this World but either it will be taken from us or we from it Should we not labor to know in our selves that we have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us where we should lay up for our selves Treasures Honors and Pleasures that Moth and Rust do not corrupt and where Pride and Covetousness two notorious Theeves do not dare not cannot break through and steal that where our Treasure is there our hearts and hopes may be also But let us lay up for our selves Treasures upon Earth never so safely the Moth and Rust do and will corrupt them and these two Theeves will break through and steal the care of getting and keeping these Earthly Treasures and the fear of losing them put too many besides themselves and their duty in seeking those things which are above The only way is to be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving to make our request known unto God and the Kingdom of God which is not meat and drink but
giving of Thanks be made by us all for the KING and for all that are in Authority 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 first to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and come unto the knowledge and the acknowledging of the Truth which is after godliness that they may be saved for which end the Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord that hath called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature and the divine life The last direction for getting and growing in grace is to get well acquainted with every promise of grace and every promise unto grace to mâ—ke a believing lively application of them to your selves Turn these Promises into Prayers and God will turn them into Performances He hath purposely made them known unto you that he might make them over to you for all the Promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God and your salvation if having these Promises we cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flâ—sh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God The promises of God are the breasts of Consolation from whence new born Babes desire or suck sincere milk that they may grow thereby in grace unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ till they become such as have no need of milk for every one that useth milk is unsk lful hath no experience in the word of righteousness for he is a Babe but of strong meat which belongeth to them that are of full age of perfect even those who by reason of use habit or perfection have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil For Consolation to all the Sons and Saints and Servants of the Lord that hearken unto the counsel command and proclamation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness as you have heard that have this Kingdom and righteousness in you Look unto Jesus lift up your heads and hearts for your redemption draweth nigh when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Let us comfort one another with these words God and Christ and Grace and Glory are ours we are sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory all things are ours for we are Christs Paul Apollos Cephas the world life death things present things to come all are ours in possession and reversion This All should comfort us it is worth being a Son a Saint a Servant of God to be as rich as Heaven and Earth yea richer in having God for our portion Let not the Consolations of God seem small to us the promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come are all ours here are the unsearchable riches of Christ treasured up for the heirs of promise wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto them the immutability of his counsel confirmed them by an oath that by two immutable things in which it were impossible for God to lye we might have a strong Consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us which is Christ in us the hope of glory for we look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and they in him It s worth going through the Kingdom of grace all the way which many poor Christians are fain to do in a way of persecution and tribulation to the Kingdom of glory where they shall ever be with the Lord whose presence will make amends for all There God and Christ will be all and in all here Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith hope and love but when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory then shall we be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is then shall we be filled with all the fulness of God that will do for us exceeding abundantly above all that now we ask or think unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through grace comfort our hearts and establish us in every good Work to keep us from falling till we be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the onely wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever AMEN FINIS