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
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
knowledge is to know we know nothing For if any Man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Oh! How many wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Sinners are there in these Kingdoms that think that they have need of nothing especially the Rich that increase in Goods and others zealous of and with Spiritual Gifts but not according to knowledge â—now ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Unapproved or Reprobates who think of themselves more highly than they ought to think and that they are sufficient of themselves to think any thing as of themselves being ignorant of this that our sufficiency for good thoughts words and â—ctions is only from Gods allsufficiency who is the Author of every good gift and every perfect gâ—ft These are Sinners spiritually dead in St. Pauls Judgment Awake to Righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame and yet pretend and boast of the Spirit but not the true Spirit the Spirit of truth whom the World cannot receive Indeed they have the Spirit of the World visible by their love to the World and the things that are in the World but this Spirit of truth the World cannot receive All the Workers of Iniquity have no knowledge of God the World by wisdom knew not God nor Christ or Christians though they are the Sons of God therefore the World knoweth them not because it knew him not for if they had known him and them they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory and persecuted and put to death so many Sons Saints and Christians 15 John 20.16 33. Nor the Spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him nor his word but err not knowing the Scriptures Err in their Judgments call evil good and good evil put darkness for light and light for darkness bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter yet are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight Nor his Wayes They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one and the reason is there is none that understandeth The Holy Ghost saith they do alway err in their heart and they have not known my wayes nor works either of Creation or Providence They regard not the Work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands because they have no knowledge But they who have received the Spirit which is of God know him and the things that are freely given to them of God they know that the Son of God is come and hath given them an understanding that they may know him that is true This is Life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent By the Spirit of truth they know the Spirit of Truth and Error and therefore do not believe every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God they know the Truth and the Truth hath made them free They also know Christ the Truth if the Son shall make you free then shall you be free indeed which he doth by his Spirit When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth by the Word of Truth Sanctify them through thy truth thy Word is truth the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the Law of sin free from committing of it for he that committeth sin is of the Devil and whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether â—f sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God â—ollow not that then which is evil but that which is good he that doth good is of God but he that doth evil hath not seen â—od nor his Son Jesus for we know he was manifested to take away our sins whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him by his Word we come to the knowledge of God The entrance of thy Word giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple by the Ministers of Christ for the Priests lips should keep Knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth Thy Teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it When ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left they are sent to open Mens eyes and to turn them from darkness unto light The Work of the Ministry is for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more children in understanding tossed to and fro and carryed about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but in understanding being Men speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ This knowledge of God which is the first and chief part of the Image of God is a principal part of the Kingdom of God by which we are delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son Repentance towards God is also from Christ him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince for to give Repentaâ—ce to Israel which is not only our entrance into but part of this Kingdom of Grace even such a part as that without it the Kiâ—gâ—om of â—od cannot enter into us nor be carryed on to purpose with power to the Kingdom of Glory This Repentance is a turning from sin to God till we come to God it is a Confessing and forsaking of it till we sin no more that we may find mercy with God It is a Godly Sorrow for sin as sin for the evil that is in it against God as well as the evil that is by it against us it is a hating sin for it self especiâ—lly for that it is enmity to God and neither is nor can be subject to the Law of God for it is a transgressâ—on of the Law of God It is an abhorring of our selves for our sins through the knowledge of God and his mercy in Christ and a true sight of sin with full purpose of heart to sin no more but to live in obedience to all his Holy Just and Good Laws all our dayes I have heard of thee saith Job by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in
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
and having a righteous Judge who is King of Salem that is King of peace and a wonderful Counsellor both to hear and plead their cause the Spirit the Word of Promise and the Wise Pure and Peaceable to be their Witnesses doubt not but to carry it in Gods good time against Sathan and the World who are Enemies and Adversaries to the Peace and Prosperity of Sion That the fruits of Righteousness may be sown in peace of them that make peace is the end of their desires of peace that being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ all may live to the glory and praise of God for herein is our heavenly Father glorified when we bear much fruit The fruit of holiness to God the fruit of righteousness to Men for the fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousnes and Truth Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentleness Faith Faithfulness Meekness Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly-kindness Charity The best sowing-time for these Seeds of Holiness is in the fair weather of Peace though Persecution through Sanctification of the Spirit may be good to root them and make them grow where they are sown And therefore we should follow after the persons the things the means that make for peace follow peace with all men till we overtake and catch it as hunters without weariness till they have got their game Especially Magistrates and Ministers the great Peace-makers and keepers in Church and State are to follow it amain with and for each other who are Commanders of it and Counsellors to it they who Preach the Gospel of Peace should be for the Peace of the Gospel The best way to gain all to follow after Peace is for the Leaders to begin hold on and hold out Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another and the Lord of Peace himself give us Peace always by all means The way to be perfect to be of good comfort to be of one mind to have and to hold the God of Love and Peace in the midst of us is to live in peace he is not a Son of God nor a true Son of the Universal Church that is not a Son of Peace The Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace Righteousness and Peace is also a Kingdom of Joy in the Holy Ghost Every Grace hath Joy in it and being well exercised hath Joy accompanying it Joy is the flower of Grace rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of Glory is the effect of believing in and loving of the Lord Jesus Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance and Repentance Joy they that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing the seeds of Grace with the showers of Grace and the Influences of the Sun of Righteousness bring forth a crop of Joy they who walk in the fear of the Lord will live in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Joy or Rejoycing is a Duty a Grace a Blessing Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again rejoyce rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven they who are Justified by Faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus by whom they have access into the Grace wherein they stand rejoyce in hope of the glory of God The Lord is to be served with Joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things The Light of Gods countenance upon the Godly puts gladness in their hearts more than in theirs whose Corn and Wine encreaseth everlasting joy shall be upon the heads and in the hearts of the ransomed of the Lord they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away this Joy of the Lord is their strength it is strength to their outward man it is not only strength to but the very strength of the inward man A sound heart is the life of the flesh What is it that makes the heart sound and consequently the body but grace and joy exercised effectually David a man after God's own heart whose heart was sound in Gods statutes How often do we find him rejoycing in God in his Word delighting in the Godly and in their Communion Thou art the God of my strength saith he How O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles then will I go unto God my exceeding joy the gladness of my joy The God of his exceeding joy was the God of his strength they cannot want joy that make God their joy the God of hope the God they hope and trust in the God they hope to see face to face will fill them with all joy and peace in believing that they may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost By this spirit in the inner man the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-sufferings with joyfulness that they can do and suffer all things through Christ which strengthens them they know both how to be abased and how to abound every where in all things instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need to suffer for the name of Christ for the name and power of Godliness for all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but they rejoyce in as much as they are made partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed they may be glad also with exceeding Joy The great fight of Afflictions partly whilst they are made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst they become Companions of them that were so used and the spoiling of their Goods they take joyfully knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an induring substance What is Joy but the Exultation Dilatation and Enlargement of a holy heart running the wayes of Gods Commandments with delight power patience and perseverance working therein a fervent willingness to be and readiness to do and suffer any thing whereby God may be glorified a rejoycing in the way of Gods Testimonies as much as in all riches the unsearchable riches of Christ the riches of Grace and the riches of Glory are the matter of this Joy the beholding by faith as in a Glass this glory of God our relation to him and his dear Son and thereby our interest ingrace and right and title to glory are means both to beget encrease and perfect this joy which is the strength of the heart What is the ground of our hope and confidence when our flesh and our heart fails us but God our exceeding Joy who is the strength of our hearts because he
his Son in sufferings and that we also as he must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh let us arm our selves likewise with the same mind by putting off the old man and putting on the new man he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the Lusts of Men but to the Will of God let us be followers of that which is good who is he then that will harm us but and if we suffer for Righteousness sake let us not be afraid of their terror neither be troubled Let them as Christ Jesus did that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator which is to walk worthy of God who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory and if we be faithful herein unto death will not be long ere he call us into his Kingdom of Glory where we shall receive the Crown of Life but then we must walk in the Spirit and the Spirit will walk in us which he promiseth to do if we keep our selves from Idols come out from among them and be separated and touch not the unclean thing if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit we cannot walk worthy of God his Kingdom of Grace and Glory without walking in the Spirit It is the Spirit and walking in the Spirit thâ—t makes us worthy or meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light it is only through the Spirit we do mortifie the deeds of the body that we may live a life of Grace and Peace and Joy we are carnally minded by nature and the carnal mind is enmity against God not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be which is death nor can we be spiritually minded which is Life and Peace if so be that the Spirit of God dwell not in us for as the body without the Spirit is dead so the Soul without the Spirit of Christ is dead also and they who are naturally or spiritually dead cannot walk we must be quickned and sanctified by the Spirit before we can live or walk in the Spirit To walk in the Spirit is to be spiritually minded or of the mind of the Spirit for as many as are led by the Spirit or they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit now the things of the Spirit are either spiritual or eternal Grace or Glory or what relates to it which the minds of spiritual persons are taken up with such are all holy duties commanded by the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit which is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance c. which constitute the divine nature in us whereby we lead the divine life which is our walking with God in the Spirit or glorifying God in our Body and in our Spirit which are Gods walk we then in the Spirit and we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes nor walk in pride To walk worthy of God his Kingdom and Glory is to walk in wisdom toward our selves if thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self and towards them that are without and to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming our time as we have opportunity to do good unto all men especially labouring to be so wise as to win Souls for they that be wise Teachers turn many to righteousness and shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars for ever and ever the wise shall inherit Glory To walk in Wisdom is to understand what the Will of the Lord is and to do thereafter for a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments it is to understand the way wherein we ought to walk and to walk therein The Wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way which is Gods way this was Davids prayer Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain â—ath cause me to know the way wherein I should walk lead me in the way everlasting and Gods promise I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye and his performance he led his people forth by the right way that they might go to a City of habitation Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory saith David his practical resolution I have chosen the way of Truth I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart It is to behave our selves wisely in a perfect way and to walk within our house with a perfect heart To understand also the Work of God his Work of Creation Redemption Providence and Grace and to do with all our might maugre all opposition whatsoever our hand findeth to do whatsoever Gods Providence layeth before us to go through with it considering there is no Work nor Device nor Knowledge nor Wisdom in the Grave whither we are all going That we may be alwayes so doing we had need to pray mightily to God so to teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom The Works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein they are honourable and glorious he hath made his wonderful Works to be remembred known taken notice of admired and praised God hath also ordained or prepared that we should walk in good Works then walk we in Wisdom indeed when we are prepared and ready unto and zealous to maintain every good Work To walk worthy of God is to walk in Faith we walk by Faith not by sight Faith is our sight the evidence of things not seen without which it is impossible to please God To walk in Faith is to live by the Faith of the Son of God the life which we now live in the flesh It is a continual coming to God in the Name of Jesus Christ till we come to God a believing that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him It is also a daily receiving the Lord Jesus and of his fulness receiving and Grace for Grace that we should shew forth the praises or virtues of him who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory To walk worthy of God is to walk in love as Christ hath also loved us to love God and one another as Christ hath set us an example and given us a Commandment This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son and love one another as he gave us Commandment Our walking in Faith is that we might walk in Love Faith worketh by Love Faith unfeigned worketh Love without dissimulation Let us not love in word neither in tongue but