it may be said of it as in Jer. 17.12 A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary Glorious from the beginning or foundation of it from Christ who is the the beginning of the Creation especially of the new Creation of God Rev. 3.14 It hath all its glory and beauty in and from his beauty and comliness put upon it as it is said in Ezek. 16.14.15 and both these last mentioned fruits and consequents of Gods dwelling in and loving his people are spoken of Psal 132.13 14. c. where under the name of Sion it is thus spoken of the Church of God The Lord hath chosen Sion He hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it wherein is implied both his love of it and dwelling in it and then follow the benefits thereof I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread There 's his bounty and liberality as the great house keeper in or amongst them I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation with Christ the Salvation of God and his virtue and efficacie in and with them for saving others and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there 's his adorning her as also that which is the result of them all her exceeding joy and gladness yea 4. Honour and Dignity hence also accrews to them as his house and habitation beloved by him ver 17. There will he make the horn of David to bud that is the Kingdom and power of David or the Son of David Christ as to his power and Kingdom shall there spring forth and there shall be a lamp or light for his Anointed It is an honor for an house to be the Palace of the Prince and to a City to be the City of some great King this honor have the Saints by being Gods house City built up for him and inhabited by him whence also it is called the City of God the new Jerusalem as well as the house and Temple of God holy and honourable by its relation to him and his presence in it such the motives to this building up our selves on our most holy faith and to that purpose praying to God to help us therein 2. The incouragements to and in it are divers But I shall take notice especially of these in the Text viz. 1. That it is the holy yea the most holy faith that we are called to and built upon It s a right and good foundation so strong and steady that nothing can remove it therefore what is thereon built cannot be overthrown by any force or violence that may come against it that 's one incouragement in building to build on and go on in it with courage and cheerfulness when we know the foundation is so well laid so strong and steady that it cannot be moved and that it will keep up the building from falling if well laid upon it and cemented to it as it is a great discouragement and may weaken the hands to suspect the foundation not good and firm but here 's no cause to doubt of that The foundation of God stands firm having this Seal the Lord knows them that are his c. 2 Tim. 2.19 we may go on boldly to believe on him and to exercise faith and incourage our hearts in hope from the consideration of him For he that believeth and hopeth in him shall not be ashamed because he is a precious corner-stone a sure foundation Isa 28.16 His person is so great and honourable none may compare with him we cannot doubt his power and ability to save us his graciousness with his Father in all his addresses to him on our behalf to him because he is his only begotten Son yea and because he being such an one hath perfectly obeyed him and offered up himself in Sacrifice to him through the eternal Spirit wherein he hath so pleased God his Father made such an atonement for our sins obtained such a Redemption such forgiveness of sins is so powerful an High-Priest in the vertues of it with God for us and is so faithful and so merciful to us and what he hath in obeying his Father for us and minding our interest to the Death the Death of the Cross is so full of vertue and he 's so full of blessing upon the account thereof and so able and alsufficient to confer it upon us to the saving us from all evil and satisfying us with all good that there is great yea most perfect reason and ground for us to look too and close with him believe in him come to and rest upon him and so to go on listening to and obeying him and holding fast the profession of our Faith concerning him There cannot be a better surer and fuller foundation for us to build on no Rock like him our God none so able to save us none beside him provided for us and given to us 2. Yea He is not only the most sure foundation so perfect as nothing can be added to him to make him more sure and firm and so to add firmness to us from him but also the most holy most consecrated divine acceptable to God known and approved and beloved of God so holy as that he by and through the knowledge of himself in this Doctrine that sets him forth is most meet and fit to infuse holiness into us and devote us to God and make us to be owned and approved of also by him and to be delighted in and inhabited of him We have all the incouragement therefore here to build that a foundation can possibly give us we cannot have a surer stronger more blessed ground than this is therefore build we up our selves here on your most holy faith 3. Yea this also is a great incouragement to us that we have nothing to doe but to build up our selves on it we have not the foundation to lay a ransome for our Souls and Sacrifice to make atonement for our sins to get or seek for for our selves a Saviour to provide or procure it for us noâ— all things of that nature are done to our hands The dinner is prepared the oxen and fatlings are slain and all things are ready for our entertainment and nourishment the ransome is found out and given and accepted the Lamb for a burnt offering provided and offered up in sacrifice and accepted peace is made righteousness is wrought and Redemption even eternal Redemption is obtained for us yea all things pertaining to life and Godliness made ready and provided for us ready to be given us we have a Saviour and that a mighty and merciful one appointed and anointed for us perfectly furnished with all things that may render him every way able and sufficient to save us to the utmost able and furnished with the fulness of the Spirit of wisdom and understanding to teach us shew us the way to life Yea he is so become a quickning Spirit as
give light to all that come into the house In a word he doth nothing he gives nothing to us in vain but for use and service And to what better use or of greater concernment can we imploy what he gives us than to keep our selves and one another in the love of God seeing therein lies our welfare and happiness and out of that nothing but wo and misery can befal us It is true that it is his work to keep us safe but in our hearing and following him and his Counsels and so in keeping to him as it 's the Castle and strong hold that keeps the man that flies to it but it is in his keeping within it and not departing out of it because of any assaults made against it or flatteries of the enemy that would intice him out of it Yea it is the goodness strength and every way commodiousness of the strong hold considered by him that is in it that arms him also against those fears or inticements from without that endeavour to make him leave it Even so it is only Christ abid in by men that every way secures the Soul against all assaults it from men or Devils and it is the diligent consideration of Christ as the great Saviour and means yea Author of safety and happiness provided for us of God and the infinite excellencies and preciousness of him as delivered up for our offences and raised again for our justification and glorified at Gods right hand as Lord and Christ that being considered by us prevails with the Soul to abide in him whence to that purpose the Apostles every where make it their business to set forth the fulness and faithfulness of Christ the infinite abiding vertues of his Sacrifice with God and for men his wonderful mercy and compassionateness the fulness and compleatness oâ— the righteousness and the abundance of the Redemption in him the infiniteness of his power and wisdome c. to move and perswade believers to abide him and not listen to the enemy or wander out of him after any other way name thing or person in whole or in part from him Col. 2.1 ver 3.4 8 9.10 Gal. 3 7 9 13 14 26 27 28 29 as also to that purpose they exhort us to consider him and the excellencies in him as Heb. 3.1 and 12.2 Consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ who was faithful in all things to him that appointed him as Moses also was and consider him who endured such contradictions of sinners least ye be weary and faint in your mindes So Heb. 4.14 15 16. and 10 14 15 19 20 21 35 36 37 c. the want of which or slothfulness in it lays open the Soul to the power of Sathans temptations and false Teachers seducements It is his work to keep us then but in his way to be sought for and waited for by us which being our work though that also in his power and strength we may well be exhorted to keep our selves that the wicked one touch us not According to that in Prov. 4.6 Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee Wisdome will keep us in our cleaving to her and depending upon her to keep us she will preserve us in our loving her and observing her instructions to which also her goodness and the goodness of her instructions will allure us if considered by us and if proved and tryed by us in our listning to and obeying her Counsels It s his work in our looking to and obeying him it s our work in the strength and helpfulness afforded to us by him and in his keeping us He keeps those that trust in him as a hen that defends from the Kite the Chickens running under her wings but as there if the chickens straggle and come not not when she clocks they may be catched up and devoured so unless we come and stay under the wings in the Doctrine and obedience of Christ or at his clock or call return again to him from our strayings from him we may be devoured by the adversary of our Salvation Vse All which things being duly considered by us may both confute and admonish us of divers vain evil and false conceptions that betray mens Souls into the snares of death and may awaken and provoke us to diligence in taking heed to our standings and taking to us and making use of the whole armour of God to resist our Adversaries as 1. It reprehends and shews the falshood of that conception that if a man be once in the love and Grace of God he must of necessity abide so always no possibility of his falling therefrom Once a Son and alway so no sin can un-son him that is once a Son of God whomsoever God loves once he loves for ever and the like for which they usually quote that in John 13.1 which is but That Christ having so loved his own that were in the world loved them to the end that is he loved his Disciples to the end of the time of his being in the world with them He loved that is took all occasions to testifie also his love and accordingly even till his death testified it in his words and works to them yet so as he bids them abide in him and continue in his love Take heed least any deceive them as implying that for all this his great love toward them they were not out of all possibility of being deceived or departing from him if they should be careless as conceiting such a thing impossible they might be circumvented and not continue in his love Yea he tells Peter that except he wash him he should have no part in him John 13.8 and sure all his exhorting them to keep his Commandments and abide in him c. imply at least a possibility of their doing otherwise â— no need to have been so earnest to exhort them to such things Again we have seen before what the Apostle said to and of the Galathians whom he asserts to have been Sons and known of God what fear he had of them what warnings he gives them and what he supposes might yea and affirms would befal them if they went on to follow after the false Apostles who had begun to seduce them Indeed all the Scriptures do shew sufficiently the certain attainment of eternal life by those that are careful to wait upon God and look diligently to him by Jesus Christ for his supplying keeping and saving of them that wait upon him and keep his way that hear Christs voice and follow him and do not presume to turn away from him or sit loose from his instructions by which they may and should be kept close to him but though the just do live by faith yet if he draw back the Soul of God shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.39 2. Again such conceptions and sayings as import that God works so altogether and irresistibly in the believer as that he
and so 1. Prayer is an exercise of the heart thence When God said seek ye my face my heart says David said thy face Lord will I seek Psa 27.9 and a man is said in prayer to pour out his heart as in Psa 62.8 Trust in God at all times ye people pour out your hearts unto him He is a refuge for â—â— So 2 Sam. 7.17 David says He found in his heart to pray this prayer to God It is true the heart may be exercised in reading or saying a prayer so as to joyn in the words of it heartily as what it sees it needs and desires be and the exercise of the heart so in reading or saying a prayer may be and is a praying but whether men read or say or frame and compose prayers by their parts if their hearts be not engaged therein but onely their lips and tongue or brains it s not a praying there may be the carkass or form of a prayer but the inside of it is wanting and it s but a dead image But when the heart is exercised though there be nothing read or said outwardly and audibly to the ear of man yet it may be a right and fervent praying as in the case of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 who spake in her heart and only her lips moved the heart may do well enough in prayer without the voice of the lips and tongue but they without it signifie nothing in Gods reckonings It s a vain worship when men draw nigh to God with the lips and honour him with the tongue but the heart is removed far from him Isa 29.17 It 's an exercise of the heart that 's the first thing 2. It 's an exercise of the heart in which the heart minds the needs of it self or others indeed this alone may be without praying but yet praying cannot be without this in one branch of it as it is for it self it mindes its own needs or wants and as it is for others it mindes their needs either more generally or in particular for there can be no hearty desire of supplies where there is no heart-minding of the needs to be supplied The heart first gathers and takes into it self by its consideration or mindfulness the needs to be supplied before it can pour them out in expressing them to God or desiring supplies for them And this is one thing in the preparation of the heart to pray to God mentioned Psal 10.19 that God brings to minde and makes it sensible and apprehensive of the needs or wants of it self or others and helps it to consider or lay them to heart an inconsiderate heart can never be a good praying heart thence also Solomon thus expresses himself 2 Chron. 6.37 If they shall bethink themselves and turn and pray c. yea thence also prayer is sometime called a Meditation of the heart as in Psal 5.1 Consider my Meditation That 's the second 3. It 's an exercise of the heart uttering and pouring out its needs which it may doe either by the mouth and lips also imployed as hear the prayer that proceeds not out of feigned lips 17.1 and again I cried unto him with my mouth and he was extolled with my tongue And I cryed unto God with my voice unto God with my voice did I cry c. Psal 66.17 and 77.1 or it may be without the voice as was noted above of Hannah for the heart hath a secret speech and cry too audible to God when yet men hear nothing thereof But whether with audible voice or without this pouring out or uttering the needs from or by the heart is essential to prayer which therefore is called the pouring out of the heart as Psal 62.8 before noted and the pouring out of the Soul 1 Sam. 1.15 or of the complaint Psal 142.2 4. It is an uttering the needs and desires of the heart and that 's it which most properly renders it prayer the breathing forth desires by way of petition request or humble supplication for the supply of our needs It is not only this I need or want which may be without prayer properly so called But Lord give or grant me this or that the need whereof I am sensible of as in Solomons prayer for Wisdome 1 King 3.7 8. O Lord my God Thou hast made me thy servant King in stead of David my Father and I am but a little Child I know not how to go out or come in there 's the uttering his need and then ver 9. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people c. So in Psal 60.11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man yea sometimes the goodness of the thing may be more in the praying begetting desires of it than simply the want of it as he that askes a thing that he hath tasted the sweetness of more out of delight in it than need of it thence prayer is exprest by asking seeking knocking making known our requests c. as Matth. 7.7 8. Philip. 4.6 It 's an uttering or powring out desires that 's the fourth thing 5. It 's an exercise of the heart pouring out its needs and desires unto God that 's the praying here required and to be spoken too for though there may be prayers and petitions made to men Kings or Magistrates or others as in Dan. 6.7 a Decree was made against asking a petition of any God or man except of King Darius for thirty days space and so we read of Jeremiahs presenting his supplication to the King Jerem. 37.20 and 38.26 yea and there were prayers made by the Heathens to their Idols as is said Isa 44.17 He falleth down and worshippeth it and prayeth to it and saith Deliver me for thou art my Godâ— yet these kinde of civil or Idolatrous prayers fall not under our consideration as prayers to which the Scripture exhorteth us much less under the name and notion of prayer as when it saith pray continually pray without ceasing watch unto prayer or the like It s a Divine exercise of the heart breathing forth the desires to God the onely true God as God hath said Call upon me in the time of trouble Psal 50.14 15. Let us goe and pray before the Lord Zech. 8.21 He is the object to whom our prayers desires or requests are to be made known c. as Philip. 4.6 make your requests known unto God c. It must be to God that 's the fifth particular 6. Through Jesus Christ as the Mediator of God and men the way of approach to God It is not God as absolutely in himself considered and immediately lookt upon that we are to direct our prayers to by our selves but God as in Christ as he hath in him been reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses and as he hath prepared in him for us by his Death and Sacrifice forgiveness of sins and appointed him as the great High Priest to present our suits for us and
things prayed for begetting importunity in asking like that of Jacob in which was both faith and fervencie I will not let thee go unless thou bless me or that of the widow to the unjust Judge and the Elect crying day and night unto God Luc. 18.1 7. or of the Syrophaenician woman that followed after Christ against all discouragements till he granted her Petition Matth. 15 22 28. 3. With love and charity without wrath as well as without doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 the Holy Ghost being a Spirit of love 2 Tim. 1.7 and discovering the love of God in Christ to us and therefore not despising others as the Pharisee the Publicane in our Prayers nor being quick to take notice of mens offences to seek revenge for them or aggravate them to God against them but making intercession for the passing of them by yet exercising goodness and mercy towards them to overcome their evils and bring them to repent of them as Christ did even for his crucifiers Luc. 23.34 and Stephen for his persecutors Act. 7.60 praying for them that hate us and despiteâ—â—lly use us as our Saviour teaches in Matth. 5.44 45. yet especially exercising love in our prayers to those that are beloved of God and when other mens welfare cannot consist with their safety and welfare then praying for the peace of Jerusalem with confusion to their enemies yea preferring the welfare of the Church of God before our own private concernments yea and the good of the world before any advantages of ours in the world 4. In a holy pure heart and Spirit breathing after holiness and after those things conducing thereto rather than what conduces to the ease and liberty of the flesh not making provision for that in our prayers to fulfil the lusts thereof nor seeking any where or in dependance on any thing but only God and Christ making him and his Glory the end of what we ask all which may be included in that phrase Heb. 10.22 Let us draw nigh with a true heart not double or guileful in the object of our trust or running out from the designs of God and Christ and what may conduce to his Glory and praise nor with a heart set toward or for something besides God Christ so as to be set in competition with him The Spirit of God is the Holy Ghost an Holy breath in and from God discovering in the Gospel Gods perfect hatred and abhorrencie of sin and therefore breaths after and for God and what may be for Gods Glory and in an holy pure and chaste disposition of heart 5. In an humble lowly frame of spirit for the spirit of God is not proud nor lofty nor loves pride haughtiness It s one of the seven things that are an abomination to God Prov. 6 17. and 16.7 He resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble Pro. 3.32 therefore a proud haughty heart or frame of Spirit is not of him and they that pray therein vaunting themselves of their excellencies pray not in the holy Ghost The holy Ghost in glorifying Christ setting forth to us his great love towards us discovers the great humility of Christ yea and of God in Christ to humble himself to take notice of the things in Heaven and in earth to raise up the poor from the dust and the needy from the dung-hill to set them on the Throne with Princes Psal 113.5 6 7 8. especially as manifested in the person of Christ who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but emptied himself humbled himself and made himself of no reputation but took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man humbled himself to the death the death of the Cross in which he also discovered the great cause we have to be humbled low and little in our own eyes for in testifying the love of Christ to us that he died for all he testifies also of us all that we were dead dead at Law and such as deserved to have died and were thereto condemned so that had not Christ died for us we should have perished Our misery was such that no lesser price could ransome us therefrom no lesser Sacrifice could make an expiation for us He that prays in the mindefulness sense of these things will be abased and laid low in the presence of God as knowing not only the great disproportion between God and him as his creature dust ashes as Abraham had the sense of that with him in his speaking to God when he said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but dust ashes Gen. 18.27 but also the wretchednes and sinfulness of our natures and that what we are or have that is good we are and have it only and wholly of his Grace In us in our flesh there dwells no good thing nothing worthy of Gods acceptance yea that all our righteousnesses are but as filthy rags Isa 64.6 And so he that prays in the Holy Ghost prays in all lowliness of minde and such reverence of the outward man as becomes God's height and goodness and his own vileness confessing his own sins and sinfulness though yet with confidence in Gods mercy through Christ Jesus as above 6. Yea He that prays in the Holy Ghost prays in an acknowledgment of the Grace and goodness of God towards mankinde and towards himself in particular with thankfulness and so joyns thanksgiving for his mercies and benefits with his prayers and Petitions for further mercies that he wants and doth not so pore upon his wants and troubles and desire freedom from them as to set nothing by all Gods benefits before conferred So the Apostles as was also noted above exhort to joyn thanksgiving with our prayers as most clear to that purpose is that in Philip. 4 6 7. In nothing be careful but in all things by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God An unthankful murmuring complaining temper is not of the Holy Ghost 7. In a submissive frame of Spirit which also also is a fruit of humility before spoken of in which though the heart be filled with earnestness and confidence in God for what he sees needful and good for it self and others yet it resignes it self to Gods will as for time and way yea and in things not absolutely needful for Gods granting or withholding them even as Christ though earnest in praying that the Cup might pass from him yet submitted his will to his Fathers Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me yet not my will but thy will be done Matth. 26 39. to which we may also refers a patient tarrying the Lords leasure and not making haste or turning away from God or ceasing to pray to him if we have not presently granted the thing that we ask For as the Spirit of God is a spirit
of God and Christ and of his unspeakable glory and glorious joys and satisfactions that shall be injoyed by all that are counted worthy thereof in the world to come according to that distinction or distribution of rewards promised by Christ to those that forsake all to follow him Mark 10.30 he shall receive an hundred fold in this time houses Brethren and Sisters Mothers and Children and fields with persecution and in the world to come everlasting life that is the full and perfect injoyment of God and Christ and all happiness without persecution for ever till when they are to wait for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ therein This is the great hope of the Believers as in Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie hath promised and Chap. 3.7 That being justified by his Grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life and therefore the great things hoped for are included therein because therein is contained all the fulness of the injoyment of God and Christ and their favour and blessing and so all happiness yea it is the great thing promised in Christ as 1 Iohn 2.25 and therefore it is to be waited for by the Believer all his time till he attain the injoyment of it yea even the Souls of those that have suffered death for the testimony of Christ and that be under the Altar though they rest quiet from all further sufferings and persecutions from men or temptations and oppressions from Sathan or whatever here annoyed theâ— yet they also still wait for the full accomplishment of that great promise the full injoyment of life everlasting yea and the mercy of the Lord Iesus Christ is that that is exercised toward and over them even his free Grace goodness and compassion until that be attained by them Rev. 6.11 3. And as all his Mercy tends unto the Believer so this also being waited for shall be the certain and sure issue of his Mercy they shall not fail of it but shall have and injoy eternal life when fully built up and fiâ—ted for it As they have his love and favour toward them here in which is life so their patienâ— expectation of the utmost Salvation and full recompence of reward shall in it's time also namely in the World to come without fail be given them for 1. It was the end and design of God in giving his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life as also it was of his exalting and lifting him up both to the Cross in his Death and out of the Grave being dead for us unto his own right hand and in the Doctrine of the Gospel by his Holy Spirit commending and glorifying him unto the hearts and consciences of men that so he might be and be represented as a fit and compleat Object of faith and hope for them and that so many as should believe and hope in him might live for ever John 3.14 15 16. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that so whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the World through him might be saved c. 2. It is the will and pleasure of God that Jesus Christ came down from Heaven to doe and is gone up to Heaven again to prosecute the thing to which he hath anointed and appointed him the work or pleasure of the Lord that lyes upon his hand to see done that whoso seeth and believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 6 40. And he is both alsufficient for accomplishing it having offered up himself a perfect and infinitely virtuous and precious Sacrifice and being filled with all the fulness of God and so able to doe all things and to subdue all things to himself and he is also faithful in all things to God who appointed him and therefore will not fail nor be discouraged till he bring forth judgment into victory and accomplish what he is ingaged in and hath undertaken to doe and accomplish Col. 2.9 10. Heb. 7.25 and 9.15 and 10.14 and 3.1 2. Isa 42.3 4. 3. It is the promise of God and his Covevenant made and ratified with mankinde in Jesus Christ that he will give eternal life to as many as do believe in and are subject to him 1 John 2.24 25 Tit. 1.2 and God that hath promised is true and faithful and cannot lye or break Covenant yea he hath also confirmed his promise and Covenant by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye they might have strong consolation who flee for refuge to Christ the hope set before them Heb. 6.18 19. 4. Yea whereas we are too prone to sin and break ouâ— Covenant with God or fail in what he requires of us to the injoyment of eternal life Christ hath undertaken as the surety and Mediator of it to see it performed to us and to that purpose to fit us for the performance of it to us taking away our sins imperfections and forfeitures by the vertue of his blood and Sacrifice pleaded with his Father for us so as with reference thereto God keeps Covenant and mercy with them that fear him and Christ effects in us by his Grace and Spirit what is required of us and necessary for us Writing the Law in our heart and putting his fear in our inward parts Heb. 2.17 18. and 7.22 25 and 8.2 3 9 10 11. and 9.15 and 10.15 16 17 18. 5. Yea Christ as the great King of Saints and Nations Shepheard and Bishop of the soul hath undertaken it to lead guide protect and keep his sheep or his Disciples that hear his voice and follow him to the injoyment of everlasting life and he hath the Presence and Oneness of the Father with him therein and so power wisdom and love to guide and keep them so as none can pluck them away from him as he saith John 10.27.28 29 30. My sheep hear my voice and I know or own them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father that gave me them is greater than all and none can pull them ouâ— of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one So that the Believer hath the greatest certainty of eternal life that may be in believing and cleaving unto Christ and so in building up himself and being built up on that most holy faith and foundation and praying in the Holy Ghost and so keeping himself in the love of God and waiting for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ having God and Christ so ingaged for his having it given to him and conferred upon himâ— to which we may also yet add 6. The earnest helpfulness
and guidance of the Holy Spirit given as a pledge or earnest of the full injoyment of the eternal inheritance and as the Guide Governour Leader Conductor and Keeper of his Servants that listen to him and harden not their hearts obstinately against him to the possession of it So Eph. 1.13 14. and 4.30 Believing in Christ saith the Apostle to those Believers ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his Glory and the like in 2 Cor. 1.21 22. He that establisheth us with you in Christ and anointeth us â—â— God who also hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts c. And he is a good holy powerful Spirit and will guide the Believer into all truth as he sees it good for him and will lead him into the land of uprightness Iohn 16.13 Psal 143.10 So that as the Believer in Christ hath great incouragement to wait for the Mercy of the Lord Iesus his Lord and Saviour as is fore-noted so also hath he good ground to expect and shall assuredly in waiting receive his mercy to everlasting life so as to the possession and actual injoyments thereof Unto which it is necessary and that also is here implied that he be raised up again from Death and all the consequents of it seeing those things also are allotted to believers and they die as certainly and oft more grievously in respect of their outward sufferings than other men and this Resurection of them Christ often asserts saying I will â—ise him up again at the last day Iohn 6.40 44 c. yea they shall be raised first and unto life 1 Thes 4.15 16. Iohn 5.29 even unto life eternal Matth. 25.46 In which they shall injoy 1. A total full and everlasting release of and discharge from all their sins both as to the guilt of them they shall be fully and for ever then blotted out of Gods remembrance Acts 3.19 so as they shall be remembred no more Hebr. 8.12 10.17 and therefore also as to all punishments chastisements or sufferings for them The inhabitant of Zion shall not then say I am sick for their sins shall be forgiven them Isa 33.24 2. A full and perfect deliverance from the inherency and defilement of sin in a full perfect and everlasting conformity unto Christ When we see him we shall be like him saith 1 John 3.2 for we shall see him as he is Then shall it be given to the Bride the Lambs wife to be cloathed in fine linnen white and clean Rev. 19.8 and to be presented by Christ to himself altogether glorious and holy not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes 5.26 27. 3. A full perfect and everlasting peace and freedom from all trouble sorrow crying pain temptations death either natural or violent For the bodies of the just being raised shall be raised incorruptible and immortal made like unto the glorious body of the Lord Jesus Death and Grave and all things pertaining or tending thereto being swallowed up into an everlasting victory 1 Cor. 15 53 54 55 56. Phil. 3.20 and all Enemies and Oppressors whether men or Devils being wholly subdued and thrust out so as they never more have power to molest or trouble There shall be no more any Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts nor any wicked ones to pass through their land nor any to waste or destroy in all Gods mountain Zech. 14.21 Nah. 1.13 Isa 11.9 65.25 The Devil shall be shut up for ever in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone and all his Angels and followers the Instruments of his malice and mischief with him and shall be there in everlasting torments utterly and everlastingly deprived of all power to hurt or injury any of those that here have followed the Lamb. So that all inward causes as sin mortality and diseases and all outward causes of trouble as Satan and his Angels and all evil men and all curse and wrath from God being for ever removed there must of necessity be a perfect freedom therefrom No more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things shall be then wholly passed away Rev. 21.4.5 22.3 4. A full perfect and everlasting enjoyment of Christ and God in Christ evermore present with them as 1 Thess 4 16. We shall be all caught up together to meet the Lord in the ayr and then we shall be ever with the Lord Rev. 21.3 then shall the Tabernacle of God be with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them their God yea the throne of God and the Lamb shall be amongst them and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads openly and manifestly upon them and held forth by them Rev. 22 3 4. 5. Full perfect and everlasting sight and knowledge of God and of the whole mysterie of God They shall see as they are seen and know as they are known 1 Cor. 13.12 no night of ignorance and alienation from God no candle light no dim imperfect fading knowledge there no nor any mediate light or knowledge but an immediate clear and constant light and knowledge shall they have of and from God Rev. 22.5 6. Full perfect and everlasting joy and gladness in the presence knowledge and enjoyment of God and Christ for in his presence is fulness of joy and pleasures at his right hand for evermore Psal 16.11 then they shall enter into their Lords or Masters joy and that shall be perfectly fulfilled spoken of in Isa 35.10 51 11. They shall have everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away for they shall be then everlastingly and abundantly satisfied with the presence of God and Christ so as there shall be no want defect or mixture in their joys and rejoycings nor any thing to be added to them the want whereof should at any time abate them for ever 7. Full perfect and everlasting glory being Kings and Priests unto God and filled full with the glory of Christ and of God and reigning with him for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 their bodies all glorious like the glorious body of Christ and their spirits all glorious like the Soul or Spirit of Christ for they shall be like him enjoying even that eternal glory to which they are now called in and by the Gospel glory unutterable and beyond all conception 2 Thess 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 5.10 This is the portion and inheritance of those that are built up on the most holy faith and praying in the Holy Ghost keep themselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ thereunto a portion not merited by them as a due reward of their