ever If they take away their liberty yet have they alwaies liberty to the throne of my hevenly grace and highest mercy if they take away their goods yet are they enriched by my heavenly grace and treasure of wisdome if they take away their vestments yet stand they cloathed with my garments of everlasting righteousnesse And if they take away their lives yet their lives are hid in me in my Father Therefore there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 There is a threefold ground why there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus The first ground is this sith the Eternall justice of the Father is satisfied I argue thus if the eternall justice of the Father in and by Christ is satisfied then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ But the Eternall justice of the Father is satisfied in by Christ therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ That the justice of the Father is satisfied in and by Christ is evident first upon denomination Christ is called the Sonne of the Father in whom the Father is well pleased so the holy Ghost hath related in the Evangelist Mat. 3. the last This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased As if the Father should speake thus to his people Let all my people know that I know of justice no more of wrath no more of indignation and vindication no more true it is my pleasure to hide my face my joy my peace my rest my glory and the rarenesse of my communion from mine notwithstanding such hath beene my divine and rarest pleasure that my delight alone is in the Sonne of my bosome my glory in the prince of grace and glory and my rest is in him whom I have constituted and appointed to bee Mediator of the Covenant of grace and bounty amongst the Saints triumphant none are accepted to dwell in my presence but in and through my beloved amongst my Saints and warriours Militant none are welpleasing in my sight but in and through the Son of my bosome hee is the sweet smelling sacrifice most gratious acceptable before Me I my selfe have spoken it Eph. 5.2 And walke in love as Christ hath loved us and given himselfe an offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour The Mirhe the Aloes and the Cassia are not sweet in my presence the sweetest gumes the frankinsence and pleasant oyntments are not pleasant in my nostrills nothing is pleasant before me but the first begotten frō the dead and prince of the Kings of the earth I have undervalued al my Angels respecting none but the Angels of the everlasting covenant though my pleasure was to give them a song of praise for ever counting them worthy of the light of my countenance dignifying them with the honour of messengers protectors notwithstanding they could not answer my purity nor satisfie my justice I have disesteemed the sonnes of men though I made them Lords over my creatures the noblest of my worekmanship and gave to them both purity and innocency notwithstanding they cannot answer my demands nor appease my wrath nor furie I have disaccounted of the bodies of bulls of beasts of goats and I have prepared a body by and for my selfe I my selfe have spoken it Wherefore when he commeth into the World he saith sacrifices and burnt offerings thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared Heb. 10.5 Hence I have accepted of the body of the Lord of life for my people of the blood of the prince of glory for the children of death and misery of the death of him that is the Mediatour of of the Covenant of life and promises for the curse and death of my peculiar Now then there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The second ground why there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Because the law is satisfied the law is satisfied actively and passively my beloved was to present my people compleat pure and holy without spot or wrinkle unblameable unreproveable and righteous to make of unrighteous righteous of unholy holy of impure and defiled pure and undefiled which in and by him was performed when hee fulfilled all righteousnesse when he answered every jot and title of my law required when hee was made sinne for mine that they might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. the last He answered my law passively for he was wounded bruised and broken to peeces who but your Lord was led as a Lambe to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer as dumbe who but your Lord cried out upon the Cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me who but your Lord sweat water and blood in the day of his passion beloved thou cammest short of the glory of God yet thy deare Lord bought thee the prince of glory sought thee the shepheard of the covenant came and performed all for thee hence he is the end of the law for righteousnesse sake Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse sake to every one that beleeves therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not aftert the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The third Ground why there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Because they are united to the Sonne of my love had they not beene united to the vine of rarest vertue the Lord of richest wisedome the bridegroome of sweetest love then might they have bin condemned but because of their union they injoy communion in him and with him by their union they injoy a threefold voice The first is the voice of Reconciliation The second the voice of Adoption The third the voice of Justification and Redemption Of the first to wit concerning the voyce of Atonement or reconciliation the day hath been that the wall of seperation hath beene betwixt thee and the Father the hand writing of ordinances against the conscience the blacknesse of darkenesse had overclouded the soule thy sinnes iniquities and transgressions had separated between me and thee and the whole heavens were overcast with the mists of dimnesse till I speake of rarest love in the Sonne of my love till I speake of peace in the reconciler of my Redeemed till I spake of Rest to all your restlesse soules under heaven because my Sonne hath reconciled mine through his pure and pretious blood hence I have nothing against them that are washed in his blood because I have made an attonement in and through him who hath beene my choise and beloved servant therefore I have no charge against them who have beene children of wrath and enemies against my Majesty As my love my grace my peace my glory rests in him so my peace abides in him
the Pitt Justifie one in thy presence bring one to the riches of Inheritance or to answer thy exact demands or requires but we all confesse the truth of him as it is written of him and not of us Psalm 40.7 8. Then said I loe I come in the volume of thy booke it is written of me I delight to doe thy will O God yea thy law is within my heart Fourthly It hath beene expedient that the Law of life should be placed in the Lord of Life as the old Covenant or the law of Death was placed in the Loines of Adam It was not convenient that the Law of Faith should be in the Children of Incredulitie that the Law of love and mercy should be in the Children of Wrath and Furie that the Testament of life and Reconciliation should be in the Sonnes of Death and Condemnation had this Covenant beene made with us as the old Covenant was made with Adam we had broken this Covenant as well as Adam Therefore such hath beene the eternall wisedome of the Father to establish the Covenant in Christ sith he was the sonne of Mercy the sonne of Love the sonne of Grace and Bountie He was he that was able to make us at once with the Father to naile our sinnes to the Crosse to burie them in his grave to cast our sinnes into the Sea of Oblivion he was he that was able being the mind of the Father to reveale the mind of the father being the sonne of the bosome to make knowne what hath beene in his Fathers bosome being the treasures of wisedome to manifest hidden Knowledge and Wisedome Hence the Law of the Spirit of life is said to be in Christ and not in us according to the Text. Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death Fiftly Why freed Me not only because of manifestation to the Churches of Christ that he had interest in the Liberty and Redemption by Jesus Christ but also that he might have great consolaion in the midst of all sorrowes and tribulations as if he had said though the Law hath made Warre against me hath slaine me hath found me polluted sinfull and defiled and made me cry out who shall deliver me from the body of this death notwithstanding from that I am rescued and delivered according to the text Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death Why saith hee from the law of sinne 〈…〉 some understand this to bee law ceremoniall but I understand this to bee the law morrall that it is not proper to call the law ceremoniall the law of sinne and death I prove it thus First That which was the only cause of death to the Beasts and the figurative imposition upon them to signifie eternall life to the redeemed and reconciled that is not properly called the law of sin and death to us but the law ceremoniall was the onely cause of death to the beasts and the figurative imposition to signifie eternall life to them that are reconciled and Redeemed Ergo. Secondly That which by the Holy Ghost is not called the law of sinne and death is not the law of sinne and death but the holy Ghost hath not called the law ceremoniall the law of sinne and death therefore it is not the law of sin nor death The Holy Ghost hath attributed this to the morrall law Rom. 7.11 For sinne taking occasion by the commandement deceived me and by it slew mee Rom. 3.20 21. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh bee justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sinne but not the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the law and the Prophets 1 Cor. 15.55 56. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law That law which figures out eternall life Redemption reconciliation that cannot bee the law of sinne and death but the law ceremoniall figured out eternall life Redemption and reconciliation therefore that cannot bee the law of sin and death the ground is this because the figure really answereth to the thing figured the end of Heave offerings signified the exaltation of our Lord upon the Crosse the peace offerings the reconciliation by Christ in the day of his Crosse the burnt offerings the satsfying of the justice of the Father to witt the appeasement of wrath in the time of his crosse If I should speake of the Cherubims they signifie nothing else but mercy in that they were covered with gold designes the riches of Christ in that they spread their wings one towards another denotes the faith of the Saints towards the throne of grace and mercy in that the mercy seate was placed above the arke of presence signifies that Christ the Lord of life and salvation is exalted above all things and that his presence extends it selfe to his poorest and meanest servants in that God answered from the mercy seat betweene the Cherubims mâ—kes knowne to the Saints Adopted that they are to receive answer of prayers from the breast of Christ to their poore soules The Law The gleanings of Ephraim was better then the vintage of Abiezer the law of life and reconciliation is better then the law of death and condemnation the one accuseth before the barre of Justice the other excuses before the thron of grace the one arraignes before the throne of Gods tribunall the other acquits before the mercy seate the one condemnes the soule and conscience of sinne iniquity and transgression the other frees the soule from sinne iniquity and transgression the one is the cause of curse and execration the other the cause of blisse and benediction the one affrights amazeth and consternateth the other comforteth refresheth and consolates one made the children of Israel flee from mount Sina the other makes us approach neare to Mount Sion Heb. 12. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. For ye are not come to the mountaine that might be touched and that burned with fire not unto blacknesse and darkenesse and tempest which voyce they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they could not indure that which was commanded and if so much as a beast touch the mountaine it shal be stoned or thrust through with a dart And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and tremble But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God and heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and God the judge of all and to spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then
in thy presence condemned by their injudiciall sentence to free them from condemnation I stood in the place of Manasseth that Idolater in the roome of Paul that Blasphemer in the stead of Peter that denier when mine could not beare the heate of thy burning wrath and indignation I stood and beare their iniquities when they could not tread the winepresse of thy fury I trode the winepresse for them thou laydst the sins of mine upon my shoulders thou didst cast thy darts through my sides I was wounded I was chastised I was broken to peeces for them being made sinne for them who being thy sonne knew no sinne that they might bee made the righteousnesse of God in mee Now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I have made death temporall a bed of downe a place of rest and a sweete passage to my glory did Israel passe through the red sea and the waters did not overwhelme them did Judah and Rheuben passe through the waters of Jordan those did not offend them and shall not mine passe through the gates of death and shall that destroy them no I have taken away the death of death spiritual I live in mine by hope I have made them to cast Ankor in the throne of my grace and dearest mercy in whom wee have an Ankor of the soule safe and firme entring into that which is within the vaile Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an Ankor of the soule both sure and steadfast and which entreth into that within the vaile I live in them by love I have made them live in Me by my love So that there love to me is above treasures riches and honours above Father Mother wife and children above bonds chaines and fetters above temptations anguish or tribulation above the malice of the Divell the terrours of the law the horrours of hell the darts of the world and the warres of the flesh I have made them to leave all thinges terrene and earthly and to pitch on those things which are high and heavenly My love to them in their value and estimation is above Rubies Saphires pretious gemmes carbuncles and pretious Iewels ten thousand mountaines of gold in their sight are undervalued I am the chiefest of ten thousand the loves of men and women are disaccounted sith my love to them is above the loves of Jonathan and David The freenesse of my love hath made them love me intirely and freely and the eternity of my love hath made them love Me eternally hence have I spoken of them John 17.28 And I have made knowne to them thy name and will make it knowne that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them I have made them live the life of faith though their faith overcoms the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the wold even your faith 1 Joh. 5.4 though their faith repulseth the fiery darts of Satan above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall bee able to quench the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 6.16 Though their faith is more pretious then gold that is tryed in the fire That the tryall of your faith being much more pretious then of gold that perisheth though it bee tryed with fire might bee found unto praise and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 Notwithstanding it is mine I make them to beleeve in my Father and in my selfe whom hee hath sent I made them my beloved injoyers of eternall life glorie and beatitude I made them to abide in me by faith whilst I abode in them by love the truth thereof is witnessed by my Apostle I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me I also have taken away death eternall for I have reconciled mine to the Father by an everlasting reconciliation I have brought with mee the everlasting robes of righteousnesse I have taken away all their sinnes iniquities and transgressions by my blood most pretious I have made them one by union that they might enjoy a being in Me and in my Father Hence the second death shall have no power of them I my selfe have spoken it Apoc. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests to God and of Christs and shall raigne with him a thousand yeares What hath the world to say to my people true it is they have beene drunkards persecuters blasphemes they have beene alienated from my glory estranged from my love and without my presence in the world but I have washed them in the purest fountaine I have made their scarlet die whiter then the snow their bloody crimson whiter then the wooll are they defiled like the Menstruous cloath no are they leprous as was Naaman the Assirian no they are purer then the purest Nazarene What hath the flesh to pleade against mine true it is before I came to live in them their minds were clouded with Egyptian darkenesse there wils resisted my words of reconciliation their affections were involved in things terrene and sublunarie their hearts harder then the rockes or milstone and their consciences were the habitation of the blacke fiends of darkenesse but since I tooke up my rest in them I appeared the glorious light of the Gospel of life and redemption I have removed their darkenesse I have made them conformable to my sacred and holy wil I have set their affections aloft in the heavenly places I have softened their obstinate and obdurate hearts and have clensed their consciences from sin by my blood most pretious Now old things are past away and all things are become new now they are my workmanship created in Me to good workes that they should walke in them Now my peace my joy my love my grace and my liberty dwells in them Am I not King and Lord commander in the soule Am I not prince and Lord defender of the conscience Am I not Master and governour of the affections yea though sinne is in their flesh yet my grace is in their spirits for I am in them both grace and glory therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit What can the world say against those that are my redeemed and reconciled They will take away their good name I suffer the Angels of light to bespot their garments I permit the legalists to defame to blemish their conversations but the servant is not greater then his Master nor the Disciple then his Lord. If they take away their name I have given them a name which is written in the booke of life charectered it upon my breast for
unto thee c. O my soule if I glory I will not glory in that which is written in tables of stone but in that which is written in the fleshly tables of thy heart not in that which is the ministry of death but in that which is the ministry of life not in the ministry of condemnation but in that which is the ministry of salvation not in that which gendreth to bondage but in that which tendeth to libertie not in that which hath a vaile and darkenesse but in that which hath light and glory not in that which disconsolates and discomforts the drooping conscience but in that which consolates comforts the drooping spirit Thou gloriest in the pretiousnesse of his riches in the rarenesse of his promises in the beauty of his righteousnesse and shalt thou not glory in the pretiousnesse rarenesse riches of the law of life in Christ did David desire the waters of Bethlehem above all waters did Abraham desire a sonne above the Land of Canaan and shalt thou not desire this law of life above all lawes if others pitch their tents by Sinai thou shalt pitch thy tent by Sion if others follow Moses thou shalt follow Christ if others delight in that which drives them from God thou shalt delight in that which drawes thee neere to God The law of sinne and death hath not freed thee from the law of sinne and death the law of curse or execration hath not freed thee from the law of death and condemnation the law of terrours and horrors hath not freed thee from the law of terror horrour but the law of life by which thou art dead to the law that thou mayest live unto God Gal. 2.19 For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Hence thou therefore shalt hearken to the Commission of the Father Mat. 17.5 While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the cloud which said this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare ye him Who hath the words of eternall life but he John 6.68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Into whose lips hath grace been infused but into his Psalme 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men grace is powred into thy lyps therefore God hath blessed thee forever Or who hath the words of peace and reconciliation but he Ephes 2.17 And came and preached peace to you which were affarre off and to them which were nigh Hence will I glory in the glorying expression of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sinne and death Hath freed me Israel had ten portions in the King when Judah Benjamen had but two but it cannot be spoken according to that tenour of the saints beloved for they have a like inheritance in God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent sith they are chosen by one Lord redeemed by one Christ sealed by one spirit of life injoying the law of life being freed from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and death Christ is then operative in the soule when by faith he is particularly applied The transcient passage of the beauty or splendor of an object is through the eye unto the mind the passing consolable delectation which is in Christ is through a Christians application to the soule in Christ are treasures passing the treasures hid in the sands the emenency and superemency of all heavenly and divine compassions passing the compassions of humaine generation the excelency yea the superexcellency of worth merit and value passing all the valuable things which are wrapt up in the breast of things terrestiall But what are those treasures passing treasures the eminency the superemency of those heavenly and divine compassions the excellency the superexcellency of that his merit worth and value without a speciall or particular applyment The comfort of the eye is in seeing of the eare in hearing of man in moving the comfort of the soule is in applying What joy is there to a Rebell to thinke there is a Kingdome and yet out of that he shall be banished what comfort is there to a man to know there are rich treasures wrapt in our mother earth and he of those shall be deprived or what joy or comfort can come to the soule or conscience though there are all excellencies wrapt within Christs bosome if they of him shall not be injoyed other creatures were before man was created light overspread the earth before light in the sun was placed but comfort to the faithfull doth not arise before that Christ by faith is applied Our sad houres our dolefull dayes our gloomsome times are then removed when the vertuall efficacy of Christ through faiths application is received our comfort till we come to heavens City our joy till we come to heavens felicity and our solid refreshment till we come to heavens glory is through faiths applying Christ ours all in all Though the waves of iniquitie doe roare the floods of transgression fall the wind of bitter affliction blow heard upon us yet if once by applying we cast anchor into Christ solid joy doth inviron the heart and conscience as light doth incompasse the body of a rationall then the terrible the dreadfull the iâ—efull God against sinne and transgression appeares most bounteous most benignous most clementious through his marvilous compassion then the covenant of eternall grace and mercy puts to repulse the law of death and miserie then the worth and merit of Christ pleads redemption from the foule black jawes of the Devill reconciliation between the God of infinite purity and man who through sinne hath procured an infinite miserie and justification in the sight of our heavenly and compassionate father Anchor being cast in Christ all becomes a Christians his wisedome his death his blood his power his spirit and his Kingdome If the Bridgroome be the Brides by combination then his lands his livings his jewels his gold his silver is hers If Christ be ours then his heavenly benedictions his spirituall blessings his superabundant and heavenly treasure are become ours also All are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.22 O my soule apply whole Christ particularly that thou mayest injoy him fully Was he deprived of all before Pilate accused of the Souldiers buffited of the high Priests disdained and not for thee he indured that which thou shouldest have sustained he suffered for that which hadst deserved Oh what did he sustaine Oh what hath he not sustained Oh what did he suffer Oh what hath he not suffered did he not undergoe the burthen of thy sinne which was insufferable by a strength and power invincible at what time the vaile of the temple rented
and tryalls afflictions calamities and miseries under penurie shame and reproach under bonds fetters and chaines under shipwrack death and tortures that their faith might be much more pretious then gould their love then the purest gould their patience answer my commmission concerning patience and that they might prize my deliverie and redemption when I shall deliver and redeeme them from tribulation For I will see them againe their heart shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them I will see you againe This was Josephs charge see my face no more unlesse you bring your yonger brother with you this was the charge of David to Abner thou shalt not see my face unlesse thou bringst with thee Micall Saules daughter This is the charge of the drooping spirits to the watchmen of Israell let us heare your voice no more let us see your face no more unlesse you tell us where we may behold the countenance of our beloved whilst the watchmen saith they see him not Christ saith he will see his own I will see them againe their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them Have I not looked upon you when no eye beheld you have not I respected you when none respected you when neither Levit nor Priest had compassion on you in the day of your wounds then I healed you by my death blood and righteousnesse I exalted you by my resurrection assention and mediation and I comforted you by my adoption union and justification as my father beheld his Israell in Egyptian tyrannie to give them delivery So I beheld you in bond-slaverie to give you my richest bountie As I have looked upon you being the morning starre that first rose in your hearts so I will shine upon you as the morning sunne that first appeared in your soules For I will see you againe your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you I will see you The face of Esau was deare in the eyes of Jacob he counted it as the face of an Angell the face of Jesus Christ is deare in the sight of the saints they count it more gratious then the countenance of all the Angels was there an acceptation of Jacobs presents a safety of the lambs the children and the aged through Esaus favour and is there not an acceptation of the offerings of the Saints and a deliry from death and destruction by the face and favour of Jesus Christ therefore they are ravished with the joy of my countenance saying O joy of joyes O solace of solaces O consolation of consolations that flowes from me their dearest Lord that brought them when I shall see them againe my countenance will be to them most deare and pretious What sun like me that am the sonne of righteousnesse what starre like me that am the morning starre the starres are darkenesse the sunne is dimnesse the moone is obscurity when I appeare in glory heaven should be no heaven if my countenance should not be in heaven the celestiall places should be a denn of Dragons if I had not beene in the celestiall places If glory be in the soule it is because I am the hope of glory if glory be in the heavenly place it is because I am the prince of glory What beauty hath the firmament without the sunne moone and starrs what ornament hath the earth without grasse hearbs trees and plants or what excellencies hath the soule without my gratious countenance therefore my dearest servants waite for the time of my appearings Is not my countenance more deare to them then the face of Esau was to Jacob sith in the sight thereof there are pleasures for evermore deliverie from the blacke chaines of darkenesse righteousnesse to eternall life hope of the fruition of my felicitie and praises from the beginning of my grace unto eternitie For I will see them againe and their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy no man shall take from them And your hearts shall rejoyce In the day of Tyre it was said of Tyre that she was the fame and glory of the world because her delights were the delights of paradice she walked in the midst of the stones of fire she had every precious stone as the Topaze the the Carbuncle the Saphire the Onix in the day of the Churches glory it may be said of the Church that her delights surpasseth the delights of paradice that she walkes triumphing in the midst of fierie tribulations and that Christ her precious stone is more to her then all pretious stones he that is to her the choysest stone of delightment is to her the streame of rare contentment O what citie like the citie of our God O what streames are like the streames that refresh the citie of our God as the fountaine is only delectable so the streames are absolutely delightfull for my joyes are the joyes of my people my rivers of solace their sole delight and my fountaine surpassing all the fountaines under heaven if they want comfort I make them rejoyce in the robes of purest righteousnesse Isai 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robes of righteousnesse as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her iewels If they want solace I make them to injoy the holy Ghost the comforter John 16.7 Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you If they are clothed with the garments of heavinesse I give to them the oyle of joy gladnesse Isa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anoynted me to preach good tydings unto the meeke To appoint unto them that mourne in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse that they might be called the trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified And if they are crowned with sorrow and lamentation I cause everlasting joy to spring out of the wells of salvation Isa 12.3 Therefore with ioy shall yee draw water out of the wells of salvation Shall my people hang down their heads like bulrushes lowre like the Hypocrites and wear sackcloth and mourning weeds No I would have my people dwell by my fountaines my waters are not bitter as the waters of Marah I would have mine refresh themselves with my rivers my waters passe the waters of Abanah Pharpar rivers of Damascus Have I not left to them the words of full consolation John 17.13 And now I come to thee and these things I speake in the world that they might have my ioy fulfilled in themselves Have I not removed their feares and perturbations John 14.1 Let not
your hearts be troubled yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me Have not I wished them to rejoyce through exhortation Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alway and againe I say reioyce What is my bloody crosse my victorious death my comfortable resurrection and my powerfull mediation But joy to the drooping what is the covenant of my freest grace my highest love my richest mercy and tender compassions but comfort to the mourning What is the spirit of adoption whereby mine call my father Father the spirit of obsignatiō wherby mine injoy an inheritance among them which are sanctified the spirit of sanctification whereby mine are sanctified in the day of their Communion with mee their vine and royall bridegroome but consolation to the lamenting as my springs of grace are in the throne of my grace so I have filled them with the fruits of my grace as the fountaine of my love is in the throne of love so have I filled mine with my dearest love when I dwell in their hearts by faith which is in mee when I rule in their consciences by peace which is from mee when I shall lodge in their soules through my spirit of glory I shall change their garments of lamentation into garments of salvation their mourning weeds into glorying expression and their sighes and groanes unutterable into the sweetest oration For I will see them againe and their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them The rivers that flowed from paradice are not comparable to the streames that makes glad the city of our God those were water these welsprings of living water those flowed from the earthly paradice these from the heavenly and celestiall paradice by some of them was Bdelium and the Onix stone in these are eternall glory nearenesse of union and the fruition of eternall life and felicitie those were appointed to water the Garden of Eden these are ordained to water and refresh the Church of Christ beloved those were placed in paradice by the wisedome and love of God the Father these were placed and appointed in the Church of Christ redeemer therefore they admire at the love of God the Father and the superemenent grace of Christ Mediator Saying they shall heare the thing they never heard they shall see the things they never saw and they shall understand the things they never understood Their joy in that day shall not be from the influence of the starrs my influence excelleth the influence of all starrs they shall not injoy the comfort of the Moone but the comfort of mee whose glory is above Sunne and Moone What shall mine injoy in that day they shall fully see the throne of grace fully behold all the hidden unutterable and unsearchable excellencies that are in me What shall they possesse when they shall possesse me that filleth all in all things what shall they comprehend when they shall be comprehended and invironed with my glorious presence and the light of my countenance therefore though the heavens and the earth should bee silent the moutaines and the vallies should be still yet mine will glory in me their loving prince and effectionate bridegroome Sith I will see them againe their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them And your joy no man taketh from you O the love of our loving and glorious father O the kindnesse of our Lord our deare and gratious Redeemer if mine admire at my love my love is admirable love if mine contemplate of my grace my grace is superemenent grace when they were in the vast and roaring wildernesse I allured them and brought them into a wildernesse and there I spake comfortably unto them Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and spake comfortably unto her When mine were tossed like a ship with the roaring waves reeling like a drunken man were welneigh dashed in peeces by the craggie rockes and shelves I laid a foundation for them of pretious Stones and Saphires Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphirs When they wanted joyes I gave them joyes firmer then the earth upon its center more fixed then the fixed starres more stable then the sublunarie creatures Is my righteousnes everlasting righteousness is not my comfort everlasting is my deare hearts blood of an eternall value is not my consolations eternall is my communion and blessednesse for ever and ever and are not my joyes for ever and ever If mine have life their life is hid in me if mine have peace then their peace is treasured in me if mine have joy their joy is joy in me Hath the mists taken away the light of the Sunne No Hath the mortality of the body taken away the immortality of the soule No Or can any take away the consolation of my Redeemed No Had I not given to my Redeemed everlasting righteousnesse eternall life an inheritance immutable then their joy had beene momentanie and transitorie but because I have given them an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Seaventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy citie to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to seale up the vision and prophesie and to annoynt the most holy Eternall life John 10.28 And I give unto them eternall life they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of mine hands An inheritance immortall and immutable 1 Pet. 1.4 Therefore their joy is not transitory and momentanie After once I bring my redeemed to the inheritance immortall and incontaminate they shall sing nothing but praise honour glory power might truth mercy strength and thanksgiving to my Father blessed for ever and to me blessed for ever more They shall know of no sinne in the flesh they shall not heare the accusations of the law before the tribunall seate of justice they shall not hearken to the temptations of the devill they shall not feele the burden of sinne nor be affrighted at the feares of death and hell but they shall injoy an immediate communion and fruition of my glory to everlasting For I wil take away their heavines their heart shall rejoyce and their joy no man taketh from them JOHN 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you RAre is the Sunne in respect of beauty light and operation rare are the pretious jewells in respect of richnesse vertue and estimation so rare is the love of Christ to us through gifts graces and communication as the myrrh and the drops thereof as the sweet raine and the showers thereof as the bedewing dew and the overspreading thereof so is the influence of Christs freest grace and the expression of his dearest love according to the text John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another
thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as wee are one I am not only glorified in mine by faith that is in mee by hope which is by mee by affection towards me but also by their love towards my choisest people John 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them When I sit Lord and King of the conscience is there not peace and sweetnesse when I sit Lord commander of the will is there not peace and lowlinesse when I sit onely overswayer over the affection is there not the tenderest and dearest delectation so when I throw out the black King of death and darkenesse is there not love delight and delectation when I raigne king of peace and love in the spirit I remove envie hatred malice wrath furie debate strife backbiting slanderings whisperings grudgings repinings murmurings for when I fill mine with joyes above all sorrow with loves above all loves and with my rest above all rests are they not amiable when they apprehend my death victorious my resurrection triumphous my mediation efficatious and my crosse glorious are they not peaceable my Father dwelleth in them his love abides in them and rules in them doth not his free love remaine in the conscience doth not his rich love abide in the heart and his strong love in the affections hence comes in the witnesse of the spirit 1 John 4.17 Herein is our love made perâ—â—ct that wee may have boldnesse in the day of Judgement because as hee is so are wee in this world Therefore my people are a quiet people for they are of the kingdome of my peace and patience Apoc. 1.9 I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimonie of Jesus Christ I turne Lyons into Lambs Tygers into Sheepe Woolves into Doves and Serpents and Ravenous Beasts into Turtles therefore they feede together without killing and slaying one another Isay 35.9.10 No Lyon shall bee there nor no ravenous beast shall goe up thereon it shall not be found there And the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads They shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isay 65.25 The Wolfe and the Lambe shall feede together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the bullocke and the dust shall bee the Serpents meate they shall not hurt nor destoy in all my holy Mountaine saith the Lord. I will neither admit of wolves of Tygers or ravenous beasts of Lyons or devouring dogges to joyne with my people and peculiar Mine shall not fight with sword or speare with shield nor buckler with Helmet nor Habergion they shall not overcome hell death the devill and all evills with the heeles of great horses but with my dearest blood and the word of my Testimony Apoc. 12.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death I know the power of my love binds them the power of my grace constraines them the power of my mercy leades them to learne meeknesse of me their Lord and master Mat. 11.29 Take my yoake upon you and learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall find rest unto your soules As my kingdome is not meate drinke or cloth but joy peace love by the holy Ghost so my people the inhabitants and dwellers in my kingdome are not discordious contentious quarrelous but loving peaceable and joyous Rom. 14.17 For the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace joy in the Holy Ghost I have redeemed them from the earth and made them the first fruits to my Father I have set them in the heavenly places have I taken away all enmitie betwixt my Father them that they should not live in wrath discention It is my gratious pleasure that mine should love one another as I have loved them I would have their affections so deere their loves so tender that they should out of their dearest affection and tenderest love live one with another What shall the Citizens of my heavenly Jerusalem bee as strangers what shall they that are of my Fathers family be as Alians or they that bee so neare to me as members to the body branches to the vine as the espoused to the bridegroome live as a people Alienated and estranged No. Where is their care over each other where is their glorying in each other when they neither see nor behold the sweet and gratious disposition of each other wherein am I glorified whilst their affections are as farre remote as their habitations and their loves as farre distant as their dwellings What breaches what discontents ariseth when the world makes warre the legalists slanders and the Angels of light casts false and bitter aspersions my love hath been so deare and tender towards them that I have made them temples of the Spirit of glory in which I might expresse my glory Did my father fill the Temple with his glory and doe not I fill mine with my glory whilst I in them am the hope of glory Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the mistery of this glory among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory I have made them a dwelling place a habitation of dwelling by my spirit Ephes 2.21 22. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit I have made them Tabernacles fit for my love and favour John 17. last And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may bee in them and I in them And shall not mine live as my choysest dearest ones what difference between the children of Sinai the childreÌ„ of Sion what difference between the daughters of the bondwoman and the daughters of Jerusalem if they live not as my Saints at Jerusalem Oh what honour what glory have mine attained and grace have they atchieved whilst of them in record it is recorded Acts 2.44 And all that beleeved were together and had all things common the last verse Praiseing God and having favour with all the people and the Lord added to the church dayly such as should be saved I have loved mine with an everlasting love hence I passe by their sins their weaknes their infirmities and all their evills Though they were tossed like the lofty and roaring waves of the sea I gave to them a rich and sure foundation Isaiah 54.11.10 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundations with Saphirs and I
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