this mistery among the Gentills which is Christ in you the hope of glory Eph. 2.7 That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus Fiftly WEE beleeve that the Church which hath beene redeemed by the pretious bloud of our Lord and Master that she hath received the spirit of Adoption Glory Sanctification and obsignation to the intent that she might be absolutely assured of everlasting glory of God the Father the pretious riches of grace in Jesus Christ and the promises which are in Christ yea and Amen Vnto the praise and glory of the Father Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glory of God 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Sixtly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ having paid an Eternall price and ransome to his Father in the behalfe of his Church and peculiar therefore the price in it selfe being eternall infinite and unmeasurable doth comprehend in it selfe a remedie for the miseries of All mankinde whatsoever Mat. 20.28 Even as the sonne of man came not to bee ministred unto but to mimister and to give a ransom his life for many 1. Tim. 2.6 Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time Seventhly WE beleeve that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel universall and is to be preached amongst all creatures whatsoever to the intent that the Father of eternall love and mercy might single out his people out of the world shew forth the dignity of his owne Son manifest the marvilous riches of his owne glory and leave the Creature without excuse Mat. 28.19 Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Col. 1.23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I am made a Minister Eph. 2.12 That at that time ye are without Christ being Aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of grace having no hope And without God in the world 1 John 5.10 He that beleeveth me the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that beleeveth not God hath made him a lier because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Sonne John 3.18.19 Hee that beleeveth one him is not condemned but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse more then light because their deeds were evill Eighthly VVE beleeve that the Church being called by the word of life and salvation to participate of the glorious riches of Christ is bound by an everlasting bond of love and favour to yeeld all loyall obedience and subjection to Jesus Christ her Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 12.1 2. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable sacrifice and be not conformed to this world but bee transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Ninthly VVEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ is presented glorious in the sight of God her heavenly Father through union with Jesus Christ and her interest in her royall robes of righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 And being found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Isay 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed me with he garments of Salvation hee hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrorme decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her Jewells Tenthly VVE beleeve that neither sin the Law nor Justice is any cause of her chastisement onely the free and deare love of her deere Father to the end that he might teach her the way to glory weaken the power of the flesh and make her live by faith and love before him all her dayes Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Psal 119.6 7. Then shall I not bee ashamed when I shall have respect to all thy commandements I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements 2 Cor. 12.7 And least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me least I should exalted above measure 1 Pet. 1.6 7. wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if neede be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious then of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ Eleventh WE beleeve that although her God and father is in every place and beholds all things and by consequence seeth sin as it is in the flesh not withstanding having presented her just by the act of Reconciliation through the blood of the Sonne of God Justified her through the none imputation of iniquitie and made her stand in Christ for ever through union with him hence she stands in his sight for ever without spot or wrinckle Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto him with whom we have to doe 2 Cor. 5.17 Therfore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature Old things things are past away behold all things are become new Col. 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy unblamable unreproveable in his sight Ephes 5.27 That he might present to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Twelfe VVE beleeve that though in the dayes of Adam we with Adam stood under the old Covenant yet that Covenant is wholy abolished and that now injoying the law of faith mercy peace we stand for ever under that covenant
love and glory Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate councell and foreknowledge of God yea have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slaine Aaron dyed and another succeeded in his place but I live for ever to make attonement and entercession for my reconciled Heb. 7.2.5 wherefore he is able to the uttermost to save them which come unto God by him seeing he ever liueth to make intercession for them Aaron neither entred into the land of Canaan nor brought others into the land of Canaan But I have entred into my Fathers kingdome provided that for the children of the kingdome John 14.2 3. In my Fathers house are many mantions if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe receive you unto my selfe that where I am there you may be also Aaron had the names of the Children of Jsrael ingraven in pretious stones and wore them upon his breast that hee might present their names and cause in the presence of my Father I have the names of mine ingraven upon my breast that I may ever present the cause of the Israel of God in my Fathers presence hence it is said of of me that I might appeare in the presence of God for mine Heb. 9.24 For Christ it not entered into the holy places made with hands which are figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us ut supra Secondly The Father hath given Christ to be the object of Faith through the Covenantâ— according to that thy eye beholds so is thy mind affected according to that the eare heareth so is the spirit delighted according to that thou conceivest of Christ so thy soule imbraceth The lowest thoughts thou hast it as heigh as the heavenly mantion and the heighest thought thou hast is as heigh as Christ Lord and Mediatour thou knowest or no mercy no grace no bounty no pittie no love no joy no rest no hope no promise no glory nor no felicitie without Christ rest is no rest if Christ be not thy rest hope is no hope if Christ be not thy hope felicity should be no felicity If Christ be not thy felicity and all things are nothing if Christ be not all things If thou injoyest light diurnall is it not from the sun in the midst of the planets If thou injoyest raine from the clouds is it not from the raine therein contained If thou injoyest hope rest felicitie is it not because it is in Christ comprehended all the rivers of the vallie wants water but Christs river Psal 46.4 There is a river the streames thereof shall make glad the Citie of our God All the Fountains of the world are empty but Christs Fountain John 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to eternall life And all the springs upon the earth are vacant or void but Christs overflowing sprinsg Psal 36.9 10. For with thee is the fountain of life in thy light we shall see light Who from the beginning of the world ever heard of reconciliation but through him was not he the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world who amongst the prisoners of hope ever heard of deliverie without him was not he the promised deliverer Isaiah 59 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. Who amongst the poore and bruised of the Saints ever heard of riches and liberty of the Saints without him is hee not the anoynted of the Lord Luke 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anoynted me to preach the Gospel to the poore hee hath sent mee to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised Did Moses heare of mercy clemency bounty patiencie and of verity in the rocke and doe not we of the same in the rocke Christ yea he is the rarest object Doth the sunne draw the Comets and Meators from below above and the Loadstone draw the needle distant to it and doth not Christ the Sonne of beauty and the pretious stone of glory draw the soule in misery to his highest mercies Joh. 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men after me Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake comfortably unto her Not onely the savour of his oyntments allures us not onely his sweet distilling Myrrh affects us but his strength of operation drawes us Uertue and strength went from Christ whereby the woman was healed and the vertue and dignity of Christ is that whereby the soule is fixed Hence saith the Scripture John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Hence it doth not onely chuse Christ to be its Vine of sweetnesse its shepheard because of his tender care and pitty the Lord its rightousnesse because he alone wrought righteousnesse but also its object of delight and delectation sith he is the only object of delight and delectation Hence is the Churches delight and delectation Ostende faciem tuam sonet vox tua in auribus meis vox enim tua dulcis facies tua decora O my soule pitch thou alone upon the treasures of his wisedome the storehouse of his mercy the plenitude of heavenly blessings upon his abundant grace truth righteousnesse goodnesse clemency merit death and satisfaction upon his glory peace rest and reciliation upon his liberty from slavery his freedome from bondage and everlasting redemption upon his hope blisse felicity and eternall benediction If thou brayest as the hart brayeth after the rivers of water it shall be after Christ Psal 42.1 2. As the heart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee my God my soule thirsteth for God after the living God when shall I come and appeare before God If thou thirsteth as the thirsty land it shall be after Christ Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is If thou wishest after any in heaven above or in the earth below for him shalt thou wish Psal 73.24 25. Thou shalt guide me with thy councell and afterward receive me to thy glory Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Hee is thy meate thy drinke and thy all things thy water thy wine thy fire and all things thy being thy welbeing thy life and thy althings Hence shalt thou rejoyce
his account and computation are their deaths precious in his sight and are not their lives precious in his presence Is the vine tender ever its branches the King loving to his Subjects the spouse acceptable to the bridegroome and are not his flocke precious deare to the great shepheard of Israel neither the Foxes by their cunning the Wolves by their ravening the Lions by their roaring the Tigers by their devouring shall be able to plucke them out of his hand John 10.28.29 And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand As they have beene acquired by an eternall power purchased by an infinite value so they are conserved by an eternall power and omnipotencie to the Kingdome of blisse and felicitie 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Ephes 1.19 And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power O my soule be certainly assured that nothing shall befall thee but that which shall be good for thee If death the sting of that is removed if life thy life is written in the book of life If perill conservation by the hope in Christ If famine thou hast the bread of life if want of water thou hast the fountaine of living water if sicknes thou hast healing to the wings of Christ if temptation thy faith shall be to thee more precious then gold that is tried in the fire if want of freedome thou hast libertie through redemption if losse of the love of the nearest in thy bosome thy Lord shepheard is nere and deare to thee and if want of defence thy Mediatour will be thy sunne and sheild Psalme 84.11 For the Lord God is a sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with hold from them that walke uprightly Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to his purpose Oh! my soule if thou gloriest thou shalt glory in such a shepheard is he not the great shepheard able to make thee perfect in every good worke Heb. 13.20.21 Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepheard of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing to you through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen Hath he not fountaines above all fountains springs surpassing all springs and pastures more pleasant then all pastures Ezek. 34.23 And I will set up one shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David He shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard 14.15 verse I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high Mountains of Israel Shall their fold be there shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the Mountaines of Israel I will feed my flocke and I will cause them to ly down saith the Lord God His voice will I heare his word will I obey to his call I will subject I know the difference between his voice and the voice of strangers they set up mans inventions makeing linsey woolsy garments and set up mans posts by Christs posts they advance mans rightteousnesse set up legall doings and popish performances they throw the Lord Jesus Christ out of his thron and plucke him out of his chaire and set up the creature worse then nothing But the voice of Christ is to speake of the praise of his owne righteousnesse of the pretiousnesse of his own blood of the triumph of his owne death of his love to his beloved Church of the nearnesse of that union the saints have with his father and of the pitie he hath to the broken spirits Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest And of the gift of eternall life to his adopted John 17.2 And thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him Of the praise of the glory of the honour of the dominion of the power and of the love of his Father John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Of the revelation teaching direction convincement and comfort of the spirit John 15.26 But when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall testifie of me Therefore as thou givest praise because hee is thy mediatour thy King thy Bridegroome thy vine and thy beloved so thou shalt give praise sith hee is become thy eternall carefull deare and loving shepheard rejoycing in the law and covenant of life in Christ that is blessed yea a thousand times blessed for evermore Rehearsing the words concerning the Law of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sinne and death Secondly In respect of Eternity The Celestiall body is more excellent then other bodies in foure respects First Because it is a Cause Universall Secondly Because it is carried about with a circuler motion Thirdly Because of heavenly light and fourthly because it is incorruptible So the Covenant or law of free grace is not onely excellent because the light of the fathers countenance shines in that Covenant because it is conferred upon the sonnes of miserie and calamity because it is the cause of all divine graces and mercies given to the Saints but also sith it is everlasting and eternall My Covenant is not as the small dew upon the tender hearbs not as the fading leafe and withering hearb not as the fraile life of the sublunarie creatures I made the first Covenant with Adam and it was momentanie I have made the second in Christ and it is to perpetuity when I espoused mine to me to the praise of my glory I espoused them to me for ever through my mercy Isa 54.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee in a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnes will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Whence once I become their God I am their God to eternity when once I become their Father I am their Father to perpetuitie as there is no end of the blood of the covenant of