O the unsearchable Riches of Christ that hee that searcheth all things reveals unto the Saints O the hidden treasures they now discover in this deep Mine To you that beleeve hee is pretious a Praise an Honour all Fair all Glorious and you have seen his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of God full of Grace and Truth Again there are marvellous evils as well as good things that by this light are brought to light Sin with all the hidden things of darkness that lay below in those chambers of death the secrets of the evill heart of man Sin appears a wonder to the savingly enlightened soul Exceeding sinful a world of wickedness There 's Death and Hell and the Devil in every sin unkindness unthankfulness folly enmity rebellion spite and the blackness of darkness What once appeared as a pleasure a delight a beauty or at least if an evill yet but a trifle a matter of nothing is become a plague a terrour a burthen a bondage bitterness shame sorrow and such an high provocation that whereas once hee swell'd and murmur'd and cryed out of rigour feverity cruelty in the least punishment of it now hee wonders at the clemency and patience and forbearance of God that such an affront and provocation had not long since turned the whole earth into an Hell Christian thou complainest thou canst not see thou canst not feel thou canst not mourn thou canst not break under all the guilt that lies upon thee thine heart is hard thine eyes are dry not a tear not a groan scarce a sigh will all this evill fetch out from thee O this blinde and sottish minde O this dead and senseless heart what shall I do what would I not do to get mee a melting mourning broken spirit but I cannot I cannot I cannot see I cannot bleed nor break O beg the light of this Holy Spirit and if the sight that that will present thee with of this wonderfull evill do not rend thy heart and turn thy stomack and open all thy sluces and let out thy soul in sighs and groans in shame and sorrow thou mayest then well be a wonder to thy self But be nor discouraged bee not dismayed do not say this Rock will never break this Iron will never melt I may go sighing for sighs mourning after tears groaning after groans but all in vain it will never bee past feeling past feeling sorrow flies still from mee repentance is hid from mine eyes do not thus discourage thy self wait for this spirit open to it and thou shalt see flowing in such streames of self-shaming self-confounding light as shall flow forth in self-abasing self-abhorring streames of tears 3. These marvellous things are revealed with marvellous clearness That is in comparison of what they are to the purblinde world and in comparison of what they themselves once saw They come to see the glory and the beauty and the reality of the wonderful things of God Wee have seen his glory saith the Apostle Joh. 1. The kindness of God our Saviour appeared But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor 3.18 Out of Zion hath hee appeared in perfect beauty It 's Prophesied Isa 53. of the unbeleeving world that when they should see Christ they should see no beauty in him Strange though hee were all beauty yet they should see him and yet see no beauty That is they shall see him and yet not see him They see not wood for trees What is thy Beloved more than other beloveds VVhat is Christ more than an ordinary man VVhat is the Gospel more than an ordinary Story VVhat is the Spirit What is Truth VVhat is there in this Faith and Love in this Holiness and Righteousness in this Peace of Conscience and Joy of the Holy Ghost VVhat substance is there in them VVhere 's the Glory and wherein is the Excellency of them Which way came the Spirit of the Lord from mee to thee Thou shalt know in that day when thou shalt call to the Mountains to fall on thee and the Rocks to hide thee from the face of God and the Lamb. Wee know whom wee have beleeved Wee know that wee know him Wee speak that which wee know and testify what wee have seen Wee have an Vnction from the Holy one wee know all things God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Now wee have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God VVee have a clear and certain sight VVee do not see men as Trees walking with our eyes half open wee see men as men Christ as Christ Truth as Truth in its naked lustre and evidence This wee have seen and do testify neither deceiving nor being deceived VVee thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes And as they see Truth and Holiness and Goodness in their wonderful Glory and Beauty so also Folly and Falshood and Sin in its wonderful uglâ—ness and deformiâ—y Sin appears to bee sin to them Rom. 7. Folly to bee folly falshood to bee falshood they see men as men Christ as Christ Truth as Truth Holiness as Holiness and they see beasts as beasts fools as fools sin as sin devils as devils hell as hell They see all things as they are temptations as they are delusions as they are they see what 's under them the hook under the bait the sting in the Locust's tail the warre in the Devils heart carried on under his fawning face Wee are not ignorant of his Devices Sinners cease your wondring at the Saints let them bee no longer for signs and for wonders in Israel cease your wondring at the Saints come and wonder with them Wonder not that they say not as you live not as you run not with you after the same follies and vanities Oh! if ye once come to see what they see you will bee a wonder to your selves Mock not at their blessedness Blessed are their eyes for they see The blinde envy but do not disdain the seeing Say not these men are in a dream or drunken or mad take heed blaspheme not the Holy Spirit call not his light darkneâ—s put not your darkness for light Would you know when these men testifie what they have seen and heard whether they are sober or beside themselves Come and see I say not stand and see you cannot see at that distance you stand come near come in and you shall see see your blindness first if ever you will see the light Oh! bewail your darkness and seek light seek and you shall see it Son of David have Mercy on mee Why what wilt thou man Lord that I may receive my sight Shall that bee thy cry O pitty thy blinde soul O pray
for eyes They that see pitty the blinde Wee have a little Sister that hath no breasts wee have a poor Brother yea a world of them that have no eyes What shall we do for our poor brethren in the day that they shall bee spoken for Oh! bee eyes to thy blinde bee a light to thy dark souls let them that dwell in darkness see thy great light Sinners those whom you persecute do thus pitty do thus pray for you Lord that their eyes might bee opened will you say Amen to their prayers or will you say Lord regard not their word wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Christians bee marvels You that have seen marvellous things bee marvellous persons set the world a wondring for some thing Let your light shine let the light which hath shined into your hearts shine forth in all your paths let the Spirit of Light within you bee a Spirit of Glory resting upon you Once you were darkness but now are yee light in the Lord Walk as Children of the light Bee yee holy harmless the Children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked Generation amongst whom yee shine as lights in the World Beclouded Christian thou goest on bemoaning and bewailing thy self complaining that thou art still blinde the light hath shined into thy darkness but thy darkness comprehendeth it not thine eye is yet but tender at least and thou canst see but little but little of Christ the Sun is but as a sparke to thee but little of sin that Mountain looks yet but as a Mole hill It is neither clear nor dark neither night nor perfect day thou hopeedst that long e're this thy scales would have fallen off the vail would have been removed but they abide upon thee thou waitest for light but behold obscurity for brightness but thou walkest in darkness thou goest on adding darkness to darkness the darkness of sorrow to the dimness of sight Thou fearest that the Gospel is hid from thee thou doubtest 't is still night because 't is not yet noon with thee But hearken as little as thou seest of Christ doest thou see so much that thou prizest and lovest and cleavest to him above all as little as thou seest of sin doest thou see so much that thou loathest and shunnest it above all things doest thou walke in that little light thou hast dost thou love long wait cry for the light Send forth thy light and thy truth lift up the light of thy countenance Sun of Righteousness shine upon mee why are the wheels of thy Chariots so long a coming when Lord Make haste my Beloved O might I once see thy face as the Sun looking over the Mountains Is this thy voice are these the breathings of thy soul Bee of good comfort these are the glimmerings and groanings of that Holy Spirit within thee which hath already delivered thee from darkness and will bring thee forth into his marvellous light thou shalt know if thou follow on to know the Lord. Arise shine thy light is come the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Though yet as to thy sense it bee neither clear nor dark neither night nor perfect day in the evening there shall bee light 2 As a Spirit of Holiness and Sanctification hee is given as an Holy Spirit and as a Sanctifying Spirit therefore Sanctification is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 he comes to change us into his own nature to make us partakers of his holiness hee is a Refiner's fire and Fullers sope Mal. 3.2 to purge and work and wash off the filth and corruption of our natures What it is said hee shall bee to the Church Isa 4.4 A Spirit of Judgement and a Spirit of Burning to wash away the filth of the Daughters of Zion and to purge the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof a Spirit of Judgement that is in the Rulers of Israel stirring them up to do Justice and execute Judgement that so the guilt of blood may bee taken away Isa 32.15,16 and a Spirit of Burning that is in the hearts of the people of Israel to consume and destroying the inward lusts of their hearts that no more such wickedness bee committed amongst them This hee is to every Saint A Spirit of Judgement to give Sentence against their Lusts to condemn them to the fire these must bee cast out to the fire with them away with them get yee hence yee Sons of the Bond-woman you may not bee Heirs with the Sons of the Free-woman The Spirit of the Lord first discovers and convinces of sin judges betwixt light and darkness grace and sin and then gives sentence away with these Lusts they may not bee suffered to live A Spirit of Burning to execute the sentence to consume them in the fire The Spirit of Sanctification is a spirit of Mortification Rom. 8.13 If yee through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body It is the Spirit that kills the Flesh profiteth nothing The Spirit implants the Soul into Christ gives it an Interest in his death brings it under the influence of his death Christus crucifixus est Christus crucifigens 'T is the death of Christ that is the death of sin these Theeves are Crucified with him Rom. 6.6 Our old man is Crucified with Christ that the body of sin might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should no longer serve sin Hell knew not what they did when they Crucified Christ Death with all its Armies were put to death with him The Spirit raises up another party in the soul a party against a party an army against an army brings Grace in to take up arms against sin Grace doth not onely fight against sinne but is in the very nature of it the death of sinne as the Generation of a new is the Corruption of the old form Humility is pride dead meekness is sinful passion and frowardnesse dead patience is impatience slain The Spirit excites and stirs up the soul against sin sets it a praying against it the Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Supplication fetches down Hail-stones and Thunder bolts from Heaven to destroy these Amorites sets a watch against it presses the soul to deal wisely with it to keep it low by cutting off all provision from the flesh restraining and keeping it short of all those fleshly objects which would keep it in heart and so it 's starved to death It is true our greatest wisdome watchfulness abstinence self-denial and all external means alone will fall short of killing one lust it is the Spirit that killeth without it the flesh profiteth nothing all external attempts for the mortification of the flesh are but a fleshly mortification but if yee through the Spirit do mortifie pray in the Spirit watch in the Spirit curbe and keep short and keep under this body still taking in the assistance of the Spirit then it shall dye Christian thou livest in a weary Land and thou hast but a weary
Lord hath rebounded on his own head Though hee be as Gad a serpent in the way yet you may now tread upon this serpent and it shall not hurt you The strong man is now bound if hee be a god still hee 's a God in chains a prince in fetters he must ask leave of your father ere he can touch one hair of your heads Hee cannot tempt you nor cast a bank against you nor shoot an arrow at you without a commission from heaven The devils are subject to you He is cast out and in your Lords name you may cast him out In my name shall ye cast out devils out of possessed bodies out of possessed souls you may be instruments to bring many a soul to repentance that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil who are held captive by him at his will Every sinner that is converted by you you have cast out a devil out of that soul Though he be an adversary still yet such an adversary as may be resisted whom resist stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5.9 And if you will resist hee shall flee from you James 4.17 Stand and your enemy runs Nay more hee is not only a conquer'd enemy but made your servant This viper shall yield you medicine against his own poyson His smitings shall be an excellent oyl his messengers he sends to buffet you his thorns he sticks in your flesh shall be a prevention of greater evils The very destruction he intends to bring upon you shall promote your salvation 1 Cor. 5.5 Deliver such an one to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Behold the devil is the Churches servant and such a servant as in their present state they cannot well want The executioner of their censures A Common-wealth may as well want a Jaylour or an Hang-man as the Church a Devil Behold Sathan divided against Sathan the devil without against the devil within the destroyer of souls become the destroyer of sin Deliver such an one to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Though much against his mind his hand is against his own party Hee 's made to kill his own friends which otherwise would kill the soul Whether he will or no the very tormentour is made a saviour that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christians as much as you feel of the devils malice you could ill want his service there 's many a soul lost and undone by a sleeping that might have been recovered and rouzed by a raging devil His winds shall blow off your chaff his floods shall wash away your filth his earth-quakes shall open your prison-doors his tempests shall drive you to harbour Some men want a tempest to save them from a wrack Nay once more he is not low enough yet he shall be yet brought lower You have assurance of his total and final overthrow Rom. 16.20 The god of peace shall tread Sathan under your feet shortly Rev. 20.10 The devil shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone 'T is but a little while and when he hath done his work he shall be sent to his place where he shall be shut up and a seal set upon him whence he shall come out no more for ever He shall tempt no more vex no more deceive no more destroy no more torment you no more he shall be thrust out he shall be chain'd up the tormentour shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Stand Christians stand your ground a little while follow your work hold up your holy profession hold on your holy course keep your hearts keep your garments keep on your armour keep under corruption resist temptation bear your affliction hold out faith and patience fight against your adversaries watch with your Lord this one hour and behold hee that shall come will come he cometh quickly and hee that is in the world shall bee consumed with the breath of his mouth and destroyed with the brightness of his appearing Hee shall bee cast out hee shall bee cast down and rise no more for ever CHAP. VII Death in the Covenant 7. GOd hath put Death into the Covenant 1 Cor. 3.21 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or DEATH all are yours Death there is a great purchase you 'l say what advantage is that yes death is advantage To dye is gain For 1. The Commission of Death is changed 'T was once take him Jaylour away with him carry him down to Prison with him there to bee reserved to the Judgement of the great day It is now take him Janitour take him Porter take him in give him an entrance into his Master's joy Death doth but take the Bride when shee is ready and lodges her in the Chamber of the Bride-groom this made death the Apostles desire Philip. 1.23 I desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is far better 2. Death is conquered What does this mean Your enemie is yours other than this your enemy is conquered to you a conquered enemy is made a Tributary death is dis-armed it hath lost its sting when a Serpent hath lost its sting you may take it into your bosome Hee that can say Death where is thy sting may go on and add Thankes bee to God which hath given me the victory A Signet sent from Heaven with a Death's head is a precious token Come Christians bee of good courage set your feet on the neck of this King of terrours 3. Death is at once The destruction of all their enemies when once death hath done its office upon them then farewel Edom and Ammon and Amaleck and Aegypt fare-well the pricking bryer and the grieving thorne then farewel sin and sorrow for ever the Egyptians they have seen and fear'd and felt to day they shall never see again for ever It destroys it self their last enemy by destroying them it hath its welcome and farewell the same moment it is but welcome death and farewel death for ever Death dies with them once dead they dye no more for ever mortality is swallowed up of life death is cast into the lake of fire that is its Region there there they die and dye and dye again over and over for ever and ever but for the Saints it doth but set them on the banks of that good Land whether it cannot follow them our Lord by death by ours as well as his own hath delivered those who for fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Christians you may now not onely with patience but with desire expect the assault of this King of terrours What shall tribulation and persecution and famine and nakedness and peril and sword shall sorrows and fears and mortality dye with mee yea shall sin dye with mee then welcome death Lord strengthen me this once let mee dye with the Philistines Would it bee good for
the latter dayes But how can goodness be the Object of fear We fear evill and not good The meaning is they shall fear to wrong or abuse goodness They shall fear to wrong the Lord because he is good in the latter dayes These latter dayes that this Promise refers to shall be dayes of more grace wherein there shall be not onely a more clear revelation of the goodness of God they shall know the Lord and his goodness But a more plentifull communication and diffusion of the goodness of God they shall love the Lord and his goodness They shall see themselves both more obliged by goodness and shall feel themselves more seasoned with goodness By grace they shall be better natured Religion doth not make morose but more generous free and ingenuous There 's nothing more abhorrent to an ingenuous spirit then to be base and unworthy Abuse of goodness is an unworthiness which an ingenuous nature abhors as death to be guilty of 't is its destruction 't is disingenuity The abuse of the goodness of God is great unthankfulness and unthankfulness is great disingenuity Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris Call me unthankfull and you call me all that 's naught Call me any thing else but unthankfull Indeed were I all thanks I should still be unthankfull I should still be behind-hand with the goodness of the Lord my debt is greater then I can pay yea greater then I can acknowledge but shall I return evil for his good If I cannot pay should I deny my Debt He that is unthankfull whatever God requires of him saies wickedly this is more then I owe thee God I owe thee nothing I care not for thee Oh this is dreadfull to a gratious heart If this be in sin for all sin is unthankfulness if this be in sin if this be the signification of all my neglects of God and my duty to him then the Lord forbid what ever I suffer that I should yeeld to sin How shall I do this wickedness How shall I neglect this duty and sin against God How should I look my God or my own soul in the face should I be so unworthy For thy sake Lord let me not sin against thee thou art good thou art kind thou art gracious thou art holy O let me not be a Devil what heart where a Devill is not but such goodness will charm it into love Shall I sin Shall I rebell For thy sake Lord I will not do it I will not for mine own sake for where then shall I appear In sinning against God I sin against mine own soul I dare not for my life sin and Death sin and Hell are link'd together but were it not so might I sin and escape sin and not die yet for thy sake Lord I will not do it Thou art good good in thy self good to me thou att my God thou art my Father love care tenderness compassion kindness is all that is in thine heart towards me what I am what I have what I hope for that I breathe that I live all is thy goodness thy bounty to me Oh let me not rise up against the Womb that bare me and the Paps that give me suck I would not to my childe to my servant to my friend but Oh let me never to my Father to my God return evill for good and hatred for his good will Let not this evill which I fear ever come upon me put thy fear into mine heart O Lord that I may not sin against thee CHAP. XV. Obedience in the Covenant 7. OBedience Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Obedience is either of the Heart or of the Life In this Scripture God undertakes for both 1. For the obedience of the Heart he undertakes in the former words I will put my Spirit in your heart where the Spirit dwells be rules Where Satan dwells he rules and where the Spirit of the Lord dwells there God rules the Spirit in the heart is the Law in the heart Those two Promises I will put my Spirit in your hearts and I will write my Law in your hearts signifie the same thing The Law in the heart is the will of man melted into the will of God The Law of God may be in the mouth and the heart a Rebel its reception into the heart notes the hearts subjection to it The Obedience of the heart includes two things 1. The opening of the heart to the Word 2. The resolution of the heart for the Work of the Lord. 1. The opening of the heart to the Word What wilt thou have me to do Lord That 's the voice of an obedient heart Veniat verbum submittemus Speak Lord command Lord what wilt thou And when he speaks whatever it be the word is embraced and accepted of the heart Dan. 4.27 Let my counsel be acceptable to thee The acceptance of the word in the heart is signified by its hearkening to it To hearken is more then to hear though they sometimes note the same thing yet ordinarily hearing is of the ear hearkening of the heart Psal 81.11 Israel would not hearken my people would none of me They heard what the Lord spake but they would not hearken that is as t is there interpreted they would none of the Lord. They rejected the word of the Lord which he spake unto them When the word is let come in with Authority suffered to rule in the soul when the heart gives up it self unto it then it is accepted there 's its hearkening to it 2 The resolution of the heart for the work of the Lord Psal 110.106 I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments I have vowed and I will perform I have covenanted and I am determined to keep thy statutes The word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not do that 's the rebellious Whatsoever the Lord shall speak we will do that 's the obedient heart Where the heart is thus resolved to obey this is that obedience which shall be accepted unto salvation Where this resolution is as there is opportunity there will be practice and where there 's not opportunity in Gods account this is it This is Praying this is Hearing this is giving and feeding and cloathing and visiting this is walking circumspectly working righteousness shewing mercy exercising Faith and Patience and Repentance this is our keeping the Commandments of God and walking in his Statutes an heart to obey is our obeying an heart to do is our doing an heart to suffer in Gods account is our suffering for his Name But here it must be carefully noted that though sincere resolution for Obedience be Obedience yet every resolution is not that resolution Resolution for Obedience is then sincere where 1. It flowes from an inward and rooted inclination 2. It 's bottomed on a
venture on the Truth dare you venture your souls on the Falshood of it Dare you stand forth and say If this word be not a lye let me be damned for ever I am content that the everlasting worm shal gnaw my heart that the infernal fire shal burn my flesh and bones and soul for ever and ever if it prove not at last a meer Forgery and Imposture Do you believe the Scriptures to be true indeed If you do what do they preach to you Do they speak any thing if not this That there is another life and death besides that which is within the kenn of mortal eyes that the other life and the other death are Eternal that upon your being found within or without the Covenant of God hangs your eternal judgment either for life or death that whilst you are in a Covenant with death and in a course of iniquity you are without the Covenant of God and can have no benefit by it that under sin and out of Covenant out of Covenant and out of Christ out of Christ and under Condemnation Are there any things which that word which you profess to believe to be as true and to stand as sure as Heaven and Earth are there any things that this speaks more plainly then these things and such like What and yet secure in a state of sin Aliens from God enemies of all Righteousness and yet in quiet Are you resolved to sell Eternity for time life for death a soul for the pleasures of sin Is this the choice you have made and are you resolved to stand to it Let me have this world my Portion here my good things here and then let me be damned in the other world Let me sin here and suffer hereafter let me laugh here and lament hereafter let me flourish and prosper and live at ease and in honour and in pleasure and at liberty here and let my Prison and my Pain and my Anguish and my Plagues be beneath there let me be torn let me burn let me roar let me die so I may be rich and be merry and rejoyce a while here let time be my Heaven and eternity be my Hell speak in earnest is this your choice or that you may not be put to it to make a new choice will you take upon you to make a new Gospel And dividing what God hath joyned together will you joyn what he hath divided Will you write this for Gospel Holiness and Hell sin and glory Christ and the Curse the Devil and the Crown Let the wicked hold on his way and the unrighteous his thoughts let him still run away from the Lord and be shall have mercy and from his God and he will abundantly pardon Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto death and few there be that finde it but broad is the gate and wide is the way that leadeth unto life and the whole world are going in thereat Blessed are the proud in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that laugh now blessed are the froward the merciless the impure in heart the persecutors for Righteousness sake for great is their reward in Heaven Within shal be the Doggs and the Swine the Whoremongers the Sorcerers the Drunkards the Ruffians the Blasphemers the Gallants the Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye And without shall be the Lambs and the Doves the Holy and the Humble and the Meek and the Merciful and the Upight in heart and the Poor in spirit and Peace-makers the persecuted for Righteousness sake and whosoever loveth truth and maketh God his trust these shal go into everlasting fire but the ungodly into life Eternal Are these the Articles of your Creed Is this your Gospel if it be O what is your Heaven If it be not if the old Gospel must stand Oh where are your souls Are your souls lost and are they not worth the recovery Why will ye dye turn and live Oh when shal it once be As an Embassadour for Christ to whom is committed the word of Reconciliation having hinted to you what 's Law so in the name of the Eternal God I publish to you the everlasting Gospel The Lord God having entred into a Covenant of life with the first Adam for himself and all mankinde in him this Covenant being broken whereby sin hath entred and death by sin and all the world is now becom guilty before God bound over to the vengeance of eternal Fire and under an utter impossibility of recovery by ought that that Covenant can do hath out of his abundant grace made a new Covenant on which whosoever shal lay hold shal be delivered out of the state of Death and Wrath into a state of Life and Blessedness Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do being weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and with him this gracious grant that whosoever believeth in him shal not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3.16 And this is the Covenant that hath been declared unto you This new Covenant is a Marriage-Covenant Hos 2.10 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee to me in righteousness and in loving-kindness and in mercies In it the Lord makes offer and invites you to accept of an Husband and a Dower The Husband is the Kings son the Lord Jesus Christ and with him the lost Kingdom and all that belongs to the Kingdom of God for a Dower Liberty for the Captives the opening of the Prison to them that are bound riches to the poor eyes to the blinde feet to the lame healing to the diseased and life to the dead And whoever among you all who are persons under the Law held by the cords of your sins whose souls are fast bound in fetters of Iron who are willing that your Covenant with death be made void and your agreement with Hell be disannulled and will joyn your selves to the Lord and be brought within the bonds of this Covenant all the blessings of this Covenant are made over and stand sure unto you The Grant is made the Deed is drawn and sealed the Lord hath set to his Seal come you in and seal the Counter-part set to your seal and the Match is made up Christ and with him all things are yours and you are his Accept and live refuse and dye for ever Come on then sinner what sayest thou Dost thou consent Dost thou accept Or as Laban to Rebekah Wilt thou go with this man Let me espouse thee to this one Husband onely let me first tell thee The matter is solemn and thou must be serious 'T is for life 't is for Eternity Consider therefore and let thine heart lying prostrate before the Almighty come in and make answer to these demands which from him and in his great and dreadful Name I make unto thee 1. Wilt thou have Jesus for thine Husband Understand before thou answer The taking
this world these shall not be thine hire the everlasting God will be thy reward thine exceeding great reward exceeding not thy work only but thy very thoughts also A little is too much for thy earnings but the whole world is too little for his bounty less than nothing might satisfie for thy labours but less than himself will not satisfie for his love the eternal God will be thy reward Oh the unsearchable riches of the poorest of Saints Onimium foelices bona si sua nôrint Poor what and yet hast a God! In want what and yet hast all things Is he a God that is thine and art thou still in straits Would a few sheep and oxen vineyards and olive-yards make thee a rich man and can a God leave thee a beggar Is not a pearl more than pebbles Milk and wine than mud and water Men use to say Money is all things meat and drink and clothes and friends and lands virtually all things And is not God more than money Sure he hath said to his Gold thou art my god that cannot say Let God be mine and then go thou thy way Hast thou a God and yet poor Nay farther would the fatness of the earth and the fulness of heaven if thou hadst both be enough for thee Would corn and wine and houses and lands and pleasures here and eternal life hereafter suffice thee And is not God alone as much as all this Dost thou want Star-light when thou hast the Sun Is the Ocean more full for the Rivers that run into it Or would there be any want there if all these were stopp'd and dry Can they contribute to it which have their rise from it Hath the almighty God a self-sufficiency and hath he not enough to satisfie a poor worm Is he blessed in himself and mayest not thou be blessed in him He that thinks any thing less then God will suffice understands not a soul and he that wants any thing more understands not God God alone is as much as God and all the world and this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord God is their portion If enough be not yet said look a while and consider whence thou art taken up into this blessedness What hast thou left What an exchange hast thou made Thou wert taken with the Prodigal from the trough with the beggar from the dunghil yea as a brand out of the burning there thy lot was fallen Oh where hast thou left the rest of the world Blessing themselves in vanity pleasing themselves with shaddows and apparitions feeding on ashes warming themselves at their painted fires sporting themselves with the wind rejoycing in a thing of nought their crackling thorns their glozing pleasures their drinkings and dancings and riotings their horses and their dogs and their hawks and their harlots making a shift a while to make merry with these whilst they are hasting to the pit To that fire and brimstone which is the portion of their cup. Consider man what is the chaffe to the wheat What is a Comet to the Sun What is the night to the day What are bubbles and childrens toyes to â—…e durable riches What are things that are noâ— to hâ—m whose name is I am But oh what is death and wrath and the curse which was once all thine heritage to that life and love and peace and joy and glory which thou now possessest in that God that is thy portion What a poor wretch wert thou once when thou hadst nothing but sin and shame and misery that thou couldst call thine own these thou mightest call thine sin was thine woe was thine death and the grave and the curse and the pit were thine own but that was all thou hadst thy good things thou livedst upon had they been of never so great value were none of thine thine house and thy lands are none of thine thy gold and thy silver and thy substance are none of thine they are all but borrowed or committed to thee as a Steward and all to be given up upon demand and what thou hast spent of them thou must be brought to a reckoning for a poor wretch thou wert and hadst just nothing all that thou hadst was none of thine But now God is thine own all that he is all that he has is thine never couldest thou lay such a claim to any thing thou possessedst to house or wife or childe or body or soul as now thou mayest to thy God God is as surely thine as thou art thy self as sure as thou art a man thou hast a God Come Christian here 's now thy poâ—tion the light of thine eyes the lifting up of thinehead the joy of thine heart the strength of thy bones thy stock thy treasure thy life thy health thy peace thy rest thy all Whom have I in heaven but thee and in the earth there is none that I desire besides thee My flesh and mine heart faileth but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for ever Psal 73.25,26 Here is thy portion know it for thy good take it for thine own live upon it and live up to it 1. Live upon thy portion Here thou mayest feed herein thou mayest rejoyce herein thou mayest bless thy self for ever Let him that blesseth himself on the earth bless himself in the God of Truth Let him that rejoyceth in the earth rejoyce in the God of truth Let the strong man live upon his strength let the wise man live upon his wits let the rich man live upon his lands come thou live upon thy God come enjoy God and thy soul enjoy God in thy soul enjoy thy soul in God Thou hast possession what should hinder thy fruition In fruition the Schools tells us there are three things which go to the making it up Cognitio Delectatio Quietatio 1. Knowledge according to the clearness or cloudiness of our apprehensions of any good we more or less take the pleasure or comfort of it and therefore the full fruition of God is not till at last when we shall know as we are known Here we see but as in a glass and darkly we know but in part and while we know but in part we love but in part and joy but in part the dimness of our sight makes an abatement upon our joy When the vail shall be taken away when we shall come to see face to face then we shall fully feel what it is to have a God Christian know thou the God of thy Fathers the more thou knowest the more thou hast The carnal world enjoy not God at all God is not known in their Tabernacles In Jewry is God known his Name is great in Israel at Salem is his Tabernacle and his Dwelling in Zion But what of God in Edom or Ammon or Amaleck or Aegypt those dark Regions wherein neither Sun nor Star appears Leave them to their dunghil gods to the gardens which they have desired and the Oaks which they have chosen The
unto me look unto me and I will be thy Sun I le shew thee all that glory and the right way that will bring thee to it I promise thee I will trust me I will be a light unto thee 4. Their Shield Psal 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield The gods of the earth are so stiled Psal 47.9 The shields of the earth much more the God of glory Ephes 6.16 Faith is called a shield Above all taking the shield of Faith it signifies the same as God is a shield Faith is to the soul what-ever God is This is the grace that entitles the soul to God and applies God to the soul Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy shield What 's promised to the Father of the faithful stands sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 The state of Christians in this life is a militant state a state full of hardships and hazards By reason whereof as richly as they are provided for they are subject to fears of being undone and spoiled of all They are in fears about things eternal they have spiritual adversaries that lye in wait for their souls that fight against their souls that are tempting them and enticing them from their God that watch their opportunities to steal away their God by stealing away their hearts from him and such dangerous attempts of this kind they meet withall that they often are in great doubt what the issue may be They are in fears about things temporal their names are shot at their liberties are invaded their estates with all the comforts of their lives are in danger to be made a prey to day they are a praise to morrow a scorn to day they are full and abound but to morrow they may have nothing left they dye daily they are killed all the day long But what-ever their dangers and their fears thereupon are here 's sufficient provision made against all God is their shield Christian thou hast enough and all that thou hast is in safety Thou art compassed about with a shield secur'd on all hands there 's no coming at thee What-ever assaults are made thy God is a wall of partition betwixt thee and harm They are not shields of brass and iron thou are furnish'd with the strong God is thy defence Wherefore dost thou doubt O thou of little faith A Christian and yet afraid shifting for thy self taking care for the Asses and Oxen and Sheep vexing and loading and losing thy self in thy cares and fears from day to day Where is thy God man Doth not God take care for Oxen and Asses and all that thou hast But oh what meanest thou in this to be shifting thy self from danger by shrinking back from thy God securing thy self from affliction by taking sanctuary in Iniquity What art thou doing but throwing away thy shield to save thee from harm making a breach in thy wall to keep thee in safety Gen. 17.1 c. chap. 15.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect follow thou me stick to me and then Fear not Abraham I am thy shield This now is the first and great promise of the Covenant I am thy God and the second is like unto it CHAP. II. Christ in the Covenant 2. GOd hath put Christ into the Covenant and made over him to his people Isa 42.6 I will give thee for a Covenant He who is promised as the chief matter the Mediator Surety Scope of the Covenant is by a metonymy called the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant that is I covenant to give thee to the people Whatever glory and blessedness there is in the fruition of God wo is me there is a great gulfe fixed between me and it over which there is no passing there 's a partition-wall raised over which there 's no climbing there 's an hand-writing against me whilst that stands all that is in God is nothing to me Were this God mine I had enough Let me be put to labour or suffering let me dig or beg or starve and die whether I be rich or poor have somthing or nothing be a praise or a reproach it matters not so God were mine But oh how may I obtain Who shall bring me to God why the Lord God hath given thee his Son to undertake for thee and to be thy way unto the Father Heb. 11.19,20 Jesus Christ who is the morning star the Sun of righteousness the Image of the Invisible God the first-born of every creature by whom are all things who is before all things the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead In whom dwells all fulness even the fulness of the Godhead bodily who hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. and chap. 2. Whose Name is Wonderful Councellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 This Jesus is granted thee in the Covenant to bring thee to God To which blessed and glorious purpose he is exhibited 1. As the Light of Life 2. As the Lord our Righteousness 3. As our Lord and King 4. As our Head and Husband 1. As the light of Life A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Luk. 1.32 In him was life and the life was the light of men John 1.4 He that followeth me shall have the light of life John 8.12 there is a light that serves to kill and destroy to bring death and condemnation to light the light of the Law that killing letter concerning which the Apostle Rom. 7.9,10 When the commandment came sin revived and I died the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death But Christ brings life and immortality to light heaven glory the invisible God which are lost out of reach and out of ken are all discovered in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 To give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ He is the Image of the Invisible God the brightness of his Fathers glory the glass in which by reflection we see the Sun John 14.8,9 Shew us the Father and it suffices us Why sayes he Hast thou known me Philip and yet sayest shew us the Father He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and this is the light of life John 17.3 this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. As the Lord our righteousness This is his Name Jer. 23.6 He shall be called the Lord our righteousness To this end he is given to us 1. As our propitiatory Sacrifice 1 John 2. The propitiation for our sins 1 Cor. 5. Christ our Passover Rev. 13.8 A lamb slain from the beginning of the world Our price our ransome to satisfie Justice pacifie wrath discharge from the Curse to blot out the hand-writing break down the wall of partition to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for
head never so many stars appear nor with such lustre as in a frosty night grind the spices and their fragrancy flows out Saints are never more Saints than in the house of bondage or the Land of their pilgrimage our Winter-weather makes us warm at heart As our outward man perishes our inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 Persecution is the time of life We are delivered to death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.11 Decayed soul comfort thine heart the cross comes now thou shalt live now thou shalt recover This weakness will strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Now faith and love and patience and courage that have so long hung the wing now lift up the head the day of your redemption draweth nigh this night is your day of hope 2. A more clear revelation of special Love Lovest thou me Lord there 's enough Let me hear thy voice let me see thy face Kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth Thy loving kindness is better than life send forth thy light and thy truth let these tell me thou lovest me Thy love-sick Spouse is sick for love O when wilt thou say Thou knowest that I love thee Why come up with me on the cross that withered tree bears more blossomes of love than all the green trees of the field The whole Gospel is hung upon the cross Where our Lord hung there 's sin nail'd the curse vacated death vanquished pardon peace joy glory shewed forth in open sight There 's love with all its tokens go up and take Fear not to be baptized with thy Lords Baptism nor to drink of his cup this cup also is the communion of the blood of Christ Come with me into the wilderness there will I speak comfortably to thee When thou most wantest it where thou wilt most value it there will I shew thee my loves Our Lord loves not to have love slighted the full soul loathes the honey-comb thou hast yet too many Lovers to bid thy Lord welcome he keeps his best Wine till all thine own be sowred then it will relish and then thou shalt have it His oyl is for thy wounds The Childe never knows so much of the Parents heart and bowels as when 't is sick or in distress then every look is love every word is pity and compassion O the soundings of Christs bowels towards his swooning children when thou knowest hatred then look to know love When thou art persecuted when thou art cast out and trodden under foot of men then will he take thee in and cherish thee 3. A more full manifestation of glory There 's not a prison into which the Saints are cast but hath a window into the palace Calvary becomes a Tabor where they have a sight of their Lord in his glory Golgotha becomes a Pisgah where they may look over Jordan into the land of promise Hast thou known little of heaven thou hast not yet been in the deep Of Stephen the first Gospel-Martyr its said Acts 7.55 He looked up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And Chap. 6.15 All that sate in the Council saw his face as the face of an Angel Such an admirable splendor and serenity in his countenance as spake him rather an Angel then a man O what an heaven was there within that cast out such a divine lustre on his face His joy was too big for his heart his face must have its share yea his very adversaries at second hand beheld the glory of God He looked up and saw heaven opened Looking down he might see hell opened all his tormentors about him the jaws of death ready to devour and swallow him up but looking up he saw heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God O there he is for whose sake is all this My beloved my beloved is yonder Behold the region of light whither this dark tempest is wasting me his hell and his heaven meets but the light swallows up the dark Hell ceases to be hell where heaven appears to bee heaven This is the portion of suffering Saints When you read what 's written of those armies of Martyrs that have gone before of their unspeakable joys their undaunted courage their admirable boldness of their chearing their friends confounding their foes their rejoycing in their stripes singing in their stocks leaping in their chains boasting of their bonds kissing their stakes embracing the flames riding up in triumph in their chariots of fire not repenting of their Faith nor accepting of deliverance what doth this speak but that their eyes as well as their anchor are within the vail whither Christ their fore-runner is gone before them Oh who would not be with them who would fear sufferings Soul what art afraid of whither art thou running from what art thou hiding thy self what is thine ease or thy liberty or thy quiet why so loth to loose from this shore lanch forth into the deep Fear not transportation into thine house of bondage when thou art once there 't is but look up and thou art in Paradise Such are the sufferings of Christ This is the cross of the Covenant 4. In summe as that which comprehends all the rest a more manifest exhibition of Christs special presence Jer. 30.11 I am with thee to save thee Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Through fire and water thou must go we went through fire and water into a wealthy place but whither ever thou goest he will go with thee When the bush was on fire the Lord was in the bush when the three children were in the furnace the Son of God was there with them Isa 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted he saved them by the Angel of his presence in his love and his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old Though all men forsook me the Lord stood with me and strengthened me 2 Tim. 4.16,17 The Saints shall never have this to charge upon the Lord I was in prison and thou visitedst me not He is ever with them to bear their burthens and ease their shoulders to plead their cause and maintain their innocence to wash their stripes to wipe off their tears to heal their wounds to bind up their broken bones to revive their weary spirits to perfume their prisons to lighten their dungeons to lead them in their wandrings to converse with them in their solitudes to give down from above in divine smiles in illapses of spiritual joys assurances of dearest love tenderest care melting sympathie gracious acceptance to give down from above what-ever is wanting beneath In fine to preserve them
the nostrils feel and smell So knowledge is involved in every grace Faith knows and believes Charity knows and loves temperance knows and abstains patience knows and suffers humility knows and stoops repentance knows and mourns obedience knows and does compassion knows and pitties hope knows and expects confidence knows and rejoyces And therefore wee believe and love and obey and hope and rejoyce because we know God gives us this knowledge as the eye of our souls and by that eye hee enters with all his power and Glory Ephes 3.19 That ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and bee filled with all the fulness of God Day-light is not that light wee receive by reflection from the Moon and Stars at second hand when the Sun is risen and come in among us then it is day When the Sun of Righteousness is risen in the heart there 's the light of life God is and God dwells in this light and where God dwells every unclean thing vanishes can Darkness dwell with the Sun can Death dwell with Life according to the measure of the manifestation of God in us so far forth is sin necessarily vanished Thou art but the carkasse of a Christian the light that is in thee is darkness the life that is in thee is death if thou bee not in the whole man renewed after the Image of him that Created thee If Christ bee not formed in thy heart if the Love the humility the meeknesse the patience the compassion the holiness of the Lord Jesus be not begotten in thee whatever thou knowest thou knowest nothing as thou oughtest to know if thou hast all knowledge and hast not charity and so if thou hast all knowledge and hast not humility meekness holiness thou art nothing thou art but as sounding brass or a tinkling Cimbal Doubting Christian that complainest of and bewailest thine ignorance and fearest that thou knowest not God look upwards where his Glory dwells lift up thine eyes and see or if thou canst not see lift up thy heart for eyes Lord where dwellest thou let mee see thy Face shew mee thy Glory pitty thy blinde let the eyes of this blinde bee opened and the tongue of this dumb shall bee loosed and speak forth thy praise Look upward and if yet thou seest not thy God look inward canst thou see his Face in thy soul canst thou see his Image on thy heart canst thou behold in this Glasse the Glory of the Lord and finde thy self changed into his Image Comfort thine heart how short sighted soever thou seemest to bee how dimme soever thy Candle burns how weak soever in the Knowledge of God thou complainest thou art thou hast seen God thou hast seen his Face in peace God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into thine heart and given thee the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ 2. A Fructifying Power this Sun-shine makes a fruitful soil Colos 1.9,10 my desire for you saith the Apostle is that you may bee filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdome and Spiritual understanding That yee might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful unto every good work and encreasing in the Knowledge of God Strengthened with all might according to his glorious Power unto all Patience and long suffering with joyfulness and Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the Glory and praise of God Full of Light and full of Love of Faith of Patience of Humility and fruitful in every good work Mat. 12.35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things A good man hath a good treasure within him a treasure of Heavenly Wisdome of Divine Truth a treasure of Light God hath shined into his heart Hee 's filled with all the fulness of God And what is laid up within hee brings forth without An evil man hath an evil treasure Satan hath been filling his heart Act. 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thine heart the treasures of darkness are there a treasure of lust and lies Falshood and folly are found with him these treasures of darkness within bring forth darkness dark souls lead dark lives their way is dark their deeds are darkness O how fruitful are sinners in their unfruitful works filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickednesse covetousness maliciousnesse envy murther debate deceit malignity c. Rom. 1.29,30 Their hearts are full and thereupon their mouths full their eyes full their hands full mouths full of cursing eyes full of adultery hands full of violence filled with all unrighteousness O Generation of Vipers how can yee being evil having such hearts speak good things all is evil that comes from you and how can it bee otherwise Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks And in like manner O Generation of Believers How can yee being good but bring forth good things Or how can you say or think there is a treasure of Grace a fountain of light within when no streams spring forth Penury in the life speaks no great plenty in the heart the Truths of God within you are the Seed of God the good seed that hee sows in his fields where there 's good seed sown in good ground you will expect a fruitful Harvest a barren crop speaks a barren soil or no good seed sown there 1 John 2.3 Hereby we do know that wee know him if wee keep his Commandements We know God but are you sure of it are you not mistaken No wee are not mistaken wee know that wee know him But how do you know it Why how are trees known By their fruits ye shall know them How do yee know that this is indeed the Tree of Knowledge Why see what fruits are hanging upon it wee keep the Commandements Here 's Obedience growing here 's Holiness and Righteousness and Mercy Doubtless this is the right Tree for behold all the Commandements the two Tables hanging upon the boughs of it and not broken but kept and observed Wee may as well say Obedience is no Obedience Duty is no Duty Faith and Love and Humility and Patience are not what they are as that the Tree that brings forth this fruit is not the Tree of Knowledge Wee know that wee know him because wee keep his Commandements Yea and the Tree of Life too both in one a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her Prov. 3.18 Where these fruits are not found where are nothing but shews and sounds painted fruits where are nothing but the fruits of unrighteousness contention strife covetousness sensuality and the like he 's very ignorant indeed that is not able to say what ever I am ignorant of this one thing I know that I know not God Christian boast not of what thou hast but consider what thou doest try thy head by thine heart and thy
't is a nicety 't is but a punctilio 't is meere folly and preciseness and there will bee no end of standing upon such small matters see to it 't is thy duty beware thou neglect it not the baulking of the least duty is the neglecting of the great God of Glory 2. In giving warning of Sin Take heed to thy self sin lyes at the door thou art under a temptation the Devil is entring upon thee do not say 't is but a little sin as little as 't is there 's Death and Hell in the bowels of it look to it 't is sin have thou nothing to do with it keep thy self pure and though it run upon thee shake it off 3. After commission it gives check for it reproving judging and lashing the soul for it where hast thou been Gehazi say not thou hast been no where went not this heart with thee and saw thee running out after thy covetousnesse gadding after thy pleasures feeding thy pride dandling thy lusts playing the Hypocrite playing the Harlot from thy God pampring thy flesh pleasing thine appetite and where hast thou been What hast thou done soul think not to excuse or mince the matter it cannot be excused thou hast sinned against thy God and now bear thy shame This is our heart smiting of us 2 Sam. 24. Our hearts condemning of us 1 John 3.20 If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 2. Tendernesse of the Will that stands in its flexiblenesse and pliableness unto the Will of God And this is that tenderness wherein chiefly stands the blessing of a soft heart an hard heart is stubborn and obstinate thy neck is as an Iron sinew and thy brow Brasse Thou wilt not bee rul'd there 's no bending thee or turning thee out of thy course thy Iron is too hard for the fire it will not bee melted and for the Hammer it will not bee broken there 's no dealing with thee thou art an untractable piece thou wilt go neither led nor driven thine heart is set in thee to do evil thy will is set upon sin and thou art set upon thine own will The word which thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord wee will not do but wee will do whatever proceeds out of our own mouth Jer. 44.16,17 Wee will do what we will do who is Lord over us Psal 12. and Jer. 2.25 Thou saidst there is no hope no for wee have loved strangers and after them we will go come what will of it say what thou wilt against it Be silent Scriptures hold thy peace Conscience 't is to no purpose to speak more there is no hope of prevailing wee are at a point wee will take our own course These are hard hearts stubborn obstinate hearts When the Iron sinew is broken when the rebellion and stubbornnesse of the Spirit is subdued and tamed and made gentle and pliable then it becomes a tender heart There may bee some tenderness in the Conscience and yet the will bee a very stone and as long as the will stands out there is no broken heart Conscience may bee scared and frighted Conscience may fly upon the Sinner what dost thou mean soul whither are thy rebellions carrying thee look to thy self hearken or thou wilt bee lost e're thou art aware But however God hath gotten conscience on his side yet the Devil still rides the Will and there sin takes up its rest There 's a double resting of sin in the soul In Peace In Power 1. In Peace when it dwells and rules in the soul without disturbance or contradiction when it carries all smoothly before it when God lets it alone and conscience speaks not a word against it When notwithstanding those Armies of lusts fighting against the soul there 's not so much as one weapon lift up against them not a prayer nor a tear nor a wish for freedome nor the least fear concerning the issue this is the most dreadful hardness 2. In Power When though it can have no Peace yet it hath still a Place in the heart Though it can have no quiet but conscience is still quarrelling with it and warning it away yet it still holds its power over the Will the Master of the house is content to bee its Servant O how many persons are there even amongst the Professors of Religion who cannot sin in quiet they are proud or passionate or intemperate or covetous or false in their words in their dealings they are formal and hypocritical and slight in their duties but they cannot go out with it with any quiet Conscience smites them for it they feel many a pang and deadly twinge in their heart insomuch that sometimes they cry and groan and roar in their spirits O for redemption O for deliverance from this false this proud this covetous and wicked heart and yet after all this the Will remains a captive still Sin holds its power there though it cannot carry it on in peace though it cannot bee proud or play the Hypocrite or be covetous or an oppressour without some galls and gripes in the soul yet on it goes the same trade is kept up the same course is held on God commands cast yee out cast yee out come off from all your wickednesse and evil waies and I will receive you No though Conscience would the Will cannot come whatever rendings and tearings whatever terrours and torments and worryings such souls are at any time under whatever stings and plagues and fires they find their sins to be in their souls and bones what-ever wishings and wouldings they wring forth that they were well rid of these plagues whilest the will is still for them there 's an hard heart damnably hard there 's none of this heart of flesh When the will is once broken loose from sin when it will be content to let all go and give up its self to the dominion of the Lord there 's a broken heart Now speak Lord and I will hear Now call Lord and I will answer Now command me impose on mee what thou wilt I will submit None but the Lord none but Christ no other Lord nor lover I am thine Lord thine own do with thine own demand of thine own what-ever thou pleasest What God will have mee bee vvhat God vvill have mee do that vvill I do and bee No longer vvhat I vvill but the Will of the Lord bee done When 't is come to this there 's a tender heart there 's the blessing of a broken spirit the stone hee hath taken away hee hath given an heart of flesh Christians never trust to tears never talk of terrours trouble of conscience of the passionate workings and meltings which at any time you feel upon your spirits though there be something in these as you shall see more by and by yet these are not the things you are to look at A subdued tractable willing obedient heart that 's the tender heart Isa 1.19 If yee
God dwells and therefore there his soul takes up its dwelling There is also an acquiescence of the heart in him Return unto thy rest O my soul But this is not felt till love hath obtained Till the soul feels it self to love and to have what it loves to love and to bee beloved to accept and to bee accepted of God When it comes to this then I have enough I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine And here is the sweetness of Religion the marrow and fatness of godliness the pleasure of love When I love I can rest when I can rest I can rejoyce when I feel my self to love I know I am beloved and then what is there wanting where love is a stranger joy is not known wee can never take comfort in any thing but in that which wee love When take wee pleasure in eating but when we have meat that wee love what is a friend or a wife or a childe when wee love them not what is society or communion where love hath not first made an union can two walk together except they bee agreed with little comfort sure they would bee better pleased were they parted asunder 'T is love that is the pleasure of our lives 'T is love that makes heaven sweet there wee shall have our fill of joy because there wee have our fill of love Heaven would bee no heaven God himself could not bee the joy if hee were not the love of his Saints What bitter draughts will love sugar sin and lusts and all the filth of the flesh are sweet morsels to carnal hearts 't is meat they love God is nothing Christ is nothing to them What is thy beloved more than other beloveds Religion is a bondage to them holiness a weariness not the labours onely but the joyes of the Saints are empty and unsavoury things there are no feasts but love-feasts Love is both the best dish and the onely sauce to every dish 't is the best dish he that feeds on divine love will never complain of a short meal and 't is the onely sauce for every dish 't is but unsavoury meat that is not seasoned with love wee may a little change the proverb love is the best sauce Bee the meat never so excellent it will not relish if it bee not loved Love will make any thing down When it puts such a sweetness into sin that even death and hell will down with carnal hearts for its sake oh what a feast will love make of holiness and glory get love to Christ love to Religion and you will never demand where is the blessedness where is the sweetness Love will sweeten both the comforts and the exercises of Religion 't will make duties sweet yea and sufferings sweet There are two things that are naturally sweet to love To please To praise 1. He that loves will please and observe whom hee loves How careful are such to watch themselves that they grieve not their friend what study does love put them upon to find out what 's grateful and acceptable Acceptable looks acceptable language acceptable entertainment what wilt thou Lord what wilt thou have mee to bee a servant a door-keeper a servant of servants for thee I will bee nothing but what thou wilt any thing that thou wilt have mee What wilt thou have mee to do Lord let mee know thy vvill appoint mee my vvork O that my waies were so directed that I might keep thy statutes What vvilt thou have of mee vvilt thou have mine Idols mine ease or mine honour or my pleasure or my house or mine estate vvilt thou have mine Isaacks is there any thing dearer to me than other that might bee an offering to the Lord wilt thou have my liberty or my life behold all is at thy feet I can keep back nothing thou callest for Hence love is said to bee the fulfilling of the Law There is in this good will radically every good work It would walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work Love is generous it would do great things noble things what shall I do for him whom my soul honours oh for a gift that might bee worthy of him but I have nothing my goodness extendeth not to thee it would give more than it owes but where it cannot do so where it cannot bee generous yet it would bee just it would levell all accounts and pay all debts love would have nothing but love owing It would give to all their due it would not die in the debt of a servant of a stranger much less could it help it would it defaulk from the God of glory That 's the daily charge of love pay what thou owest Its receipts and returns are a pleasure to it any thing that comes down from heaven and every present it has to send thither is a joy to love This is the message that both speak happy soul thou lovest and art beloved It catches at all opportunities to send up messages of love and knoweth no fitter messenger to send by than by the hand of duty Every duty is dispatched with this superscription the tribute of love Love is the spring that sets all our wheels a going the womb in which all our works are formed the fire in the heart that vents it self in our words and wayes The fire kindled then spake I with my tongue Love is to a Saint what malice is to Sathan that which gives force to all his actings Sathans temptations are called fiery darts and this not onely because they are headed and barbed with fire as poysoned arrows they burn where they hit they set sin on fire they set the soul on fire burning with lust and wickedness but because they are winged with fire and forced with fire the bullet is fired out of the Gun and thence it flies so fiercely 'T is the malice of Sathans heart that fires out all his darts What malice doth with Sathan that doth love with Saints It sets the heart in a flame of holy zeal and activity for God Jer. 20.9 Thy word was in mee as fire it hath kindled a fire there I was weary with forbearing An heart of love is weary but not of action but of idleness Weary with forbearing not with doing never weary of doing much ever weary of doing nothing O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed saith the Psalmist I will sing and give thanks Love will adde O God mine heart is fiered my heart is fiered there 's a flame kindled mine heart burneth in holy desires and zeal for thee and where love hath set the heart a burning the heart will set the hand a working and the feet a running 2. He that loves will praise whom he loves Praise is comely and praise is a pleasure to the upright in heart 'T is the delight of love to be speaking of the perfections of the vertues of the beauties of the excellencies of her beloved The Spouse in the book
wander or stay sway from Christ 1. There 's that within them which will bring them back the grace of God within them will bring them home The grace of God is now their nature Sinners whilest walking with Christ and Saints whilest wandring from Christ are both under a force they are carried against the stream when the winds are down that carried them on they will return to their course The grace of God is the seed of God He that is born of God sinneth not that is not unto death the seed of God remaineth in him Thy seed of God is immortal seed it may languish and be ready to dye but it shall not dye it shall recover 2. There 's one above them which will bring them back Though he suffer them for a time to wander from the way yet he will not suffer them to perish from the way Of those whom thou hast given me I have lost none He hath lost none and he will lose none He sends a word of command after them Jer. 3.14 Return O lack sliding children for I am married to you Whither are you running Whom are you following after Come back from your Lovers return to your Husband I am married to you and we may not part After the word of Command he sends a word of Promise ver 22. I will heal your back-slidings Return from your back-slidings and I will heal them I will forgive your back-slidings and I wil cure you of your back sliding heart All the Breaches they have made shall be made up I will pass by all that you have done and be reconciled to you If you will return return and I will receive you And this word of Promise is a word of Power I will bring you to Zion then shall she say I will go and return to my first Husband Hos 2. Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Jer. 3.22 He that will not leave his Israel after the flesh with their Idols much less will he leave his Israel after the Spirit Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good work will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ A good work may be said to be begun in double sence 1. When there is some good think a doing Or when something is done towards it when it is in fieri When the Lord hath been ploughing up the fallow ground making his Batteries against the strong Hold shaking secure hearts breaking false hopes awakening Consciences convincing sinners spreading sin and death and hell before them entring upon a Treaty with them and perswading them over to Christ to make an escape There may be hopes in this The pains of Travel gives hopes of a Birth But this may go back and after the highest hopes prove an abortion Sinners awakened sinners beware you make not a stand at the Threshold beware that your Plough'd ground be not left to lye fallow Beware that the Womb prove not the Grave of all your hopes Mistake not Conviction for Conversion make on let not your God nor your souls lose the things which here been wrought 2. When there is some good thing done When 't is in facto esse When the Rubbish is removed and the first stone is laid when the Plough hath been going and the good Seed is sown when the New-creature hath passed the Birth when Christ is formed and the light of life is newly sprung up in the soul it there be but a grain of Mustard-seed the least and the lowest degree of saving Grace broken forth in the heart the question is not whether it be much or little if it be grace there 's the immortal seed there 's the good work begun which shall be carried on till the day of Jesus Christ Grace is a security for Glory Yet beware Christians let not this security make you secure though there be an Harvest in the seed yet the seed must be cherished watched and well looked to that it may grow up to the Harvest He that lets it dye for want of looking to proves that it was dead whilest alive Let not your falling short of Glory prove that your Grace was not Grace Christians lay hold on the Promise and lift up your heads you are under fears however it be with you for the present you are in doubt how it may be your way is long and dangerous yet your hearts are deceitful and unstable you are going on at present but doubt how you shall hold out I may meet with Lions in the way which may fright me back I may lose my way and never recover I may be weary and faint in the way and lye down and give off My Lord and my soul have been often upon the parting point I have been almost gone and I tremble to think what may yet become of me Yet remember who it is that hath said I will not turn from you to do you good I will put my fear in your hearts and you shall not depart from me Rise soul take care for to day and take no thought for to morrow Mind the present duty go on thy way though weeping and trembling and hard bestead go on thy way and then commit thy way and thy self to him by whose mighty Power thou shalt be kept through faith unto salvation Faithful is he that hath called you and will do it And now you have all Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter God hath made a Covenant with his people hath given himself for their Portion his Son for their price his Spirit for their guide in the way his Earth for their accommodation by the way his Angels for their Guard the Powers of darkness and death for their Spoils everlasting Glory for their Crown And because their way is difficult and their work is contrary to them he hath given them all that grace that is necessary to bring them to Glory In General a new heart in all things suited to their way and throughly furnished for every good work In Particular Knowledge to guide oneness to fix and intend tenderness to submit ro and yeeld love to constrain and bring on fear to fence and hold in obedience to perform and bring forth and perseverance to go through and hold out to the end and there grace and glory meet This is the Covenant of grace this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you It will be said But if God hath undertaken all this for us what is there then left on us to do Here 's a Doctrine according to sinners hearts if this be Gospel then soul take thine ease take thy liberty cast away care make much of thy body God will take care of the rest But is there nothing required of us Let the Scriptures speak Ezek. 36.37 Yet for all this will I be enquired of or sought unto by the house of Israel otherwise let them look for no such things He that will not ask in
what I am to my self I will be to you h h Psal 34.9,10 And you shall be my People a chosen generation a Kingdom of Priest an holy Nation a peculiar Treasure unto me above all people i i Exod. 19.5.6 1 Pet. 2.9 I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day that I take you for mine for ever My Name shall be upon you and you shall be Pillars in the Temple of your God and shall go no more out k k Rev. 3.12 My Livery shall you wear and the stamp of my own Face shall you carry l l Ezek. 36.25,26 with Eph. 4.24 and I will make you my Witnesses and the Epistles of Christ unto the world m m Esay 24 8. 2 Cor. 3.3 and you shall be chosen Vessels to bear my Name before the sons of men And that you may see I am in earnest with you lo I make with you an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure n n 2 Sam. 23 5. and do here solemnly deliver it to you as my act and deed sealed with sacred blood o o 1 Cor. 11.25 and ratified with the Oath of a God p p Heb. 6.17 a God that cannot lie that knows no place for repentance q q Tit. 1,2 1 Lam. 15.29 Come ye blessed receive the Instrument of your salvation take the writings behold the sâ—als here are the conveyances of the Kingdom Fear not the doâ—ation is free and full See it is written in blood founded on the All-sufficient merits of your Surety r r Heb. 9.16,17,18 in whom I am well pleased Å¿ Å¿ Matth. 3.17 whose death makes this Testament unchangeable for ever so that your names can never be put out not your Inheritance alienated nor your Legacies diminished nothing may be altered nothing added nothing substracted no not for ever t t Gal. 3.15,16,17 Happy art thou O Israel Who is like unto thee O People The blessings of the Covenant are either its glorious Liberties and Immunities or its Royal Priviledges and Prerogatives u u Deut. 33.29 Onely believe and know your own blessedness Attend O my Children unto the blessings of your Father and hear and know the glorious immunities and the Royal Prerogatives that I here confirm upon you The Immunities and Liberties of the Covenant consisting in 1. Our general discharge from all our debts Here I seal you your Pardons Though your sins be as many as the sands and as mighty as the Mountains I will drown them in the deeps of my bottomless mercies w w Micah 7.19 I will be merciful to your unrighteousness I will multiply to pardon x x Heb. 8.12 where your sins have abounded my grace shall super-abound though they be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though red like crimson they shall be as wooll y y Esay 1.18 Behold I declare my self satisfied and pronounce you absolved z z Job 33.24 The price is paid your debts are cleared your Bonds are cancelled a a Esay 43.25 Coll. 2.13,14 Whatever the Law or Conscience or the Accuser hath to charge upon you here I exonerate you I discharge you I even I am he that blotteth out your transgressions for my Names sake Who shall lay any thing to your charge when I acquit you Who shall impeach or implead you when I proclaim you guiltless b b Rom. 8.33,34 Sons Daughters be of good chear your sins are forgiven you c c 1 Ioh. 2.12 Mat. 9.2 I will sprinkle your consciences and put the voice of peace into their mouths d d Ezek. 36.25 Heb. 9.14 Esay 57.19 and they shall be your Registers in which I will record your Pardon and the voyce of Guilt and Wrath and Terrour shall cease e e Heb. 10.22 Esay 27.4,5 2. Our release from the house of bondage particularly Here I sign your release from the house of Bondage f f Rom. 6.17,18 1 Cor. 7.22 Come forth ye captives come forth ye prisoners of hope for I have found a ransom g g Job 33.24 I proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound h h Esay 61.1 42.7 Behold I have broken your bonds and shook the foundations of your prisons and opened the iron gates i i Luke 4.18 By the blood of the Covenant have I sent forth the prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water k k Zech. 19.11 Arise O redeemed of the Lord put off the raiment of your captivities arise and come away From the dark and noisome prison of sin The dark and noisome prison of sin shall no longer detain you l l John 8.34,35,36 I will loose your fetters and knock off your bolts Sin shall not have dominion over you m m Rom. 6.14 I will heal your back-slidings I will subdue your iniquities n n Mic. 7.19 Jer. 3.12 I will sanctifie you wholly o o 1 Thess 5.23,24 and will put my fear in your hearts that you shall not depart from me p p Jet 32.40 Though your corruptions be strong and many yet the aids of my Spirit and cleansing vertue of my word and physick of my corrections shall so work together with your prayers and endeavours as that they shall not finally prevail against you but shall surely fall before you q q Ezek. 36.27 Eph 5.26 Esan 27.9 From the strong and stinking goal of the grave From the strong and stinking goal of the grave do I deliver you O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction r r Hos 13.14 my Beloved shall not ever see corruption Å¿ Å¿ Psal 16.10 I will change your rottenness into glory and make your dust arise and praise me t t Dan. 12.2,3 Esay 26.19 What is sown in weakness I will raise in power what is sown in corruption I will raise in incorruption what is sown a natural body I will raise a spiritual body u u 1 Cor. 15.42,43,44 This very flesh of yours this corruptible flesh shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality w w 1 Cor. 15.53 Death shall be swallowed up in victory and mortality of life x x 2 Cor. 5.4 1 Cor. 15.54 Fear not O my children Come and I will shew you the enemy that you dreaded See here lies the King of terrours like Sisera in the tent fastened to the ground with the nail struck through his temples Behold the grateful present the head of your enemy in a Charger I bequeath you your conquered adversary and make over death as your Legacy y y 1 Cor. 3.22 O death where is thy sting where now is thine armour wherein thou trustedst z z 1 Cor. 15.55 Come my people enter into your chambers a a
deny it g g 2 Cor. 4.17 Mark 10.29 Phil. 1.29 Things to come ours Things to come are yours the Perfecting of your souls the Redemption of your bodies the Consummation of your bliss At death in Glorification Initiate When you have glorified me for a while on Earth and finished the work I have given you to do you shal be caught up into Paradise and rest from your Labours and your works shal follow you h h Rev. 14.13 Luke 23.43 The Convoy of Angels I will send of mine own Life-guard to conduct home your departing souls i i Luk. 16.22 and receive you among the spirits of just men made perfect k k Heb. 12.23 And you shal look back upon Pharaoh and all his Host and see your enemies dead upon the Shore Redemption from all Afflictions and Corruptions Then shal be your Redemption from all your Afflictions and all your Corruptions l l Luk. â—1 28 Eph. 4 30. The thorn in the flesh taken out The thorn in the flesh shal be pulled out and the hour of temptation shal be over and the Tempter for ever out of work The sweat wiped off from our browes The sweat shal be wiped off from your browes and the day of cooling and refreshing shal come and you shal sit you down for ever under my shadow m m Acts 3.19 Heb 4.9 For the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shal feed you and lead you to the living Fountains of waters n n Rev. 7.17 The tears wiped away from our eyes The tears shal be wiped away from your eyes and there shal be no more sorrow nor crying neither shal there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and behold I make all things new o o Rev. 21.4,5 I will change Marah into Naomi and the cup of sorrow into the cup of salvation and the bread and water of affliction into the wine of eternal consolation p p Joh 16.20.21,22 Luk. 6.21 You shal take down your Harps from the Willows and I will turn your tears into Pearls and your penitential Psalms into songs of Deliverance You shal change your Ichabods into Hosanna's and your Ejahs of sorrow into Hallelujahs of Joy q q Rev. 19.1,4,6 The Cross taken off from our backs The cross shal be taken off from your backs you shal come out of your great Tribulations and wash your Robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb and you shal be before the Throne of God and serve him night and day in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among you and you shal hunger no more and thirst no more neither shal the sun light upon you nor any heat r r Rev. 7.14,15,16 The load taken off from our consciences The load shal be taken off from your Consciences Sins nor doubts shal no more defile you nor distress you Å¿ Å¿ Rev. 21.27 and Heb. 12.23 I will make an end of sin and knock off the Fetters of your corruptions and you shal be a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but Holy and without blemish t t Eph. 5.27 Rev. 7.9.13,14 The souls admission into the chamber of Presence and Vision of God Thus shal you be brought to the King all glorious in raiment of Needle-work and clothing of Gold with gladness and rejoycing shal you be brought and enter into the Kings Palace u u Psa 45.9,13,14,15 So shal the beloved of the Lord dwel safely by him and you shal stand continually before him and behold the beauty of the Lord. and hear his Wisdom w w 1 Cor. 13,12 Then will I open in you an everlasting spring of joy and you shal break forth into singing and never cease more nor rest day nor night saying Holy holy holy x x Rev. 4.8 Ps 16.11 Thus shal the grand Enemy expire with your breath and the body of death be put off with your dying bodie and the day of your death shall be the birth-day of your glory y y Phi. i. 23 Lu. 23.43 Have faith in God z z Mark 11.22 Wait but a little and sorrow shall cease and sin be no more At the Resurrection in Glorification consummate Redemption compleat And then a little longer and death shall be no more a a Rev. 20 14. and 21.4 but your last enemy shall be destroyed and your victory compleated b b 1 Cor. 15.26 The Return of the Redeemer Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and you also shall appear with him in glory c c Heb. 10 37. Col. 3.4 This same Jesus which is taken from you into Heaven d d Act. 1.11 shall so come as he went up into Heaven and when he cometh he will receive you to himself that where he is there you may be also e e Ioh. 14.3 Behold his sign he cometh in the clouds of Heaven with Power great Glory every eye shal see him and all the Tribes of the Earth shal mourn because of him f f Rev. 1.7 Mat. 24.30 but you shal lift up your heads because the day of your Redemption draweth nigh g g Luke 21.28 The raising of the body Then shal he sound his Trump h h 1 Cor. 15.52 1 Thes 4.16 and make you to hear his voice in your dust i i Ioh. 5.28 and shal send his mighty Angels to gather you from the four winds of heaven k k Mat. 24.31 who shal carry you in the triumphant Chariot of the Clouds to meet your Lord l l 1 Thes 4.17 and you shal be prepared for him and presented to him as a Bride adorned for her Husband m m Rev. 2.2 And as you have borne the Image of the Earthly so shal you bear the Image of the Heavenly n n 1 Cor. 15.49 Full conformity both in body and soul to our glorified Saviour and you shal be fully conformed both in body and spirit to your glorious head o o Phil. 3.21 Heb. 12.23 Then shal he confess you before his Angels p p Rev. 3.5 Publick Approbation and Absolution and you shal receive your open Absolution before all flesh and be owned approved and applauded in the Publick audience of the general Assembly q q Mat. 10.32 and 26 32,34,35 c. Solemn Espousals And you shal be with all Royal solemnities espoused unto the King of glory in the presence of all his shining Courtiers r r Rev. 19.7,8 2 Cor. 4.14 Mat. 25.31 to the envy and gnashing and terror of your Adversaries Å¿ Å¿ Luk. 13.28 The Coâ—ovation and Enthronement of the Saints Their sitting in judgment upâ—n the World So shal your Lord with his own
Christ from henceforth unto death Thou wilt have Christ but when Shall this be the Marriage-day VVilt thou from henceforth be the Lords or when shall it be Must it be to morrow first or next moneth or next year or some time or other thou knowest not when May we not take thy promise as they did the Prophecy Ezek. 12. Is it not for many dayes to come is it not of the times that are afar off To morrow thou wilt hereafter thou wilt as good as thou hast said nothing As good thou hadst said never as not yet Speak Soul wilt give thy self to the Lord wilt presently if thou wilt how long wilt thou abide with him wilt thou not endorse on thy Deed of Gift a power of revocation wilt thou not repent not return again from Heaven to Earth wilt be chaste and play the Harlot no more wilt be faithful to the death obedient to the death Is this thy voice I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back As the Lord liveth nothing but death no not death it self shall part thee and me I am perswaded I am resolved that neither life nor death Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall separate me from the love of God or withdraw me from Jesus Christ my Lord. Now Soul gather up all this together stand thou before the Lord the God of all the Earth and this once more say Wilt thou have Jesus Christ for thy Husband dost thou choose him for thy Lord wilt thou cleave to him in love wilt thou lean upon him for righteousness and strength for righteousness to pay thy debts and for strength to pay thy vows wilt thou be subject to him thou knowest the commandments how holy how strict they be Wilt thou obey them in all things wilt exercise thy self to godliness in the strictness of it wilt be a thorow-pac'd Disciple wilt not content thy self with such a cold or lukewarm indifferency in Religion as thy lazy flesh will bear as thy credit thy safety or the temper of the times will bear wilt follow thy Lord fully Wilt thou take up thy lot with Christ be it better or worse shall his Father be thy Father his Inheritance be thy Inheritance yea and his Sufferings thy Sufferings his stripes his bonds his poverty be thine wilt thou espouse not his Crown onely but his Cross too whither ever he goes wilt thou go where he dwells wilt thou dwell wilt say where ever my Lord is there let his Servant be Wilt thou forsake all others all thy sins wilt thou be made clean wilt give up thy sores and thy ulcers thy filthy and fleshly lusts to be purged out does thine heart stand disengaged from every sin is there not any one iniquity concerning which thine heart sayes Let this stay with me wilt search out thy sins wilt accomplish a diligent search sweep every corner search every chamber of thine heart life wilt go down to the bottome of thy great deep to find out what lodges there wilt faithfully endeavour no more to allow thy self in any known iniquity wilt use all Gods means for the conquering and casting them out Wilt forsake the world wilt cast away thine Idols shall thy Mammon be no more a god nor a demy-god to thee shall it neither carry away thine heart from him nor so much as share with him in it wilt thou not bow down to this golden Image nor serve it wilt thou no longer serve thy greedy appetite shall thine heart no longer go after thy covetousness wilt thou abandon thine estate thy pleasures thine honours thy friends and companions so far forth as any of these divide or entice or steal away thine heart from thy Lord When ever they say Come away wilt thou say Get you hence VVilt forsake the Devil wilt fear and flie from and no longer hearken to his temptations wilt no longer regard his promises nor his threatnings his flatteries nor his frowns Coming off from the tents of all these wilt cleave unto thy Lord from henceforth from this day forward and not depart from him for ever Wilt hold on thy course wilt run out thy race wilt be faithful to the death wilt hope to the end for the grace that shall be brought unto thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ What sayest thou If thou sayest no as the Lord liveth thou speakest this word against thine own life If thou refusest to enter into this Covenant thou sayest I will not be the Lords I will none of him I will not live let death and wrath and chains and plagues be my portion for ever I will not be the Lords I will not leave my sins and my pleasures and my companions for his love that is I will be a Fool and a beast and a Devil I will die and will not see life Mistake not thy self be not deceived 't is a matter of life and death that is before thee 'T is whether Heaven or Hell a God or no God a Christ or no Christ a Soul or a lost Soul everlasting life or everlasting Fire shall be thy portion that stands now to be determined by thy consent or refusal look to it be wise this once for eternity Consent and thou art blessed consent and he is thine and with him the Kingdome Thy Lord hath given his consent already view the hand-writing the whole New Testament which is written in blood and sealed as 't is written there thou hast his I will in every line almost visible before thee put to thine and 't is done What sayest thou dost thou consent shall thine heart come in and put to thine hand and subscribe for thee I will Let that be done and then say after me A form of words expressing mans covenanting with God O Most Dreadful God for the Passion of thy Son I beseech Thee accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at thy Door I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my Wicked practice The Terms of our conversion are either from which or to which But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to thee with all my heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit my self to thy Mercy The Terms from which we must turn are Sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against thee I here from the bottome of my heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but Conscientiously to use all means that
resist all thy sins but art thou in earnest What course dost mean to take Wilt thou take Gods way He bids thee hear believe pray fast mourn strive fight watch c. Wilt thou hearken to his Counsels wilt thou be healed of thy diseases But wilt thou take the counsel of the Physition Wilt thou use his Medicines Thou wilt overcome thine enemy but wilt thou take heed of him Wilt thou fight against him Wilt thou take in all the help that 's offered thee Wilt thou not onely believe and lean upon God for his help but wilt thou pray and lift up thy heart for his help Wilt thou not onely pray against thy sins but watch against them against the occasions temptations and beginnings of sin Wilt thou use all Gods means and against all thy sins shall not thine eyes spare any of them wilt thou make thorough work with them root and branch old and young Shall there be neither the lowing of the Oxen nor the bleating of the sheep heard with thee Wilt thou destroy the greater and dash the little ones also against the stones Wilt thou avenge thy self of thine Advetsaries and wilt thou never again agree with thine Adversaries Wilt thou never again say Is it peace Jehu is it peace Jezabel So if thy sins say to thee Is it peace soul wilt thou answer What have you to do with peace get you behind me Wilt thou neither make a truce with sin nor embrace a parley nor entertain a Treaty for peace with it Wilt thou not draw back thine hand nor put up thy Weapons nor give over thy watch nor go off thy Guard till all thine enemies become thy footstool all this is included in the renouncing of sin Beware you be not mistaken here this is the damnation of the world their mistakes about repentance They easily say I repent of my sins I forsake the Devil and all his works and they as easily perswade themselves that they do as they say But did they understand what there is in this repentance a searching out their sins dividing their souls from them a painful and watchfull shunning and resisting them in their whole course did they know what their particular sins are how near they are to their hearts how they have been nursed in their bosomes and how hard t will be now to part even this Covetousnesse must go even this sensuallity must go these dear pleasures these beloved gains these pleasant companions must all be sent away not one to be spared nor so much as once more did they understand this they would then see what wind all their good words be They as much mean to pluck their eyes out of their heads to tear their flesh off their bones as to repent if this be repentance Well now say wilt thou repent Wilt thou now renounce sin Wilt thou renounce the world also By the world understand all the substance of the world Houses Lands Money and whatsoever worldly Possessions all the shadowes of the world its Honours Pleasures Pomps with all its glory The men of this world the friendship of the world all fleshly Relations Fathers Mothers Brothers Sisters Children all sinful Companions and societies whatsoever is in and of the world These are then renounced when we are resolved that they shall neither be Our gods or Idols Our devils or Tempters 1. Not our gods Then we make the world a god to us when we make it out happiness or end When we bless our selves in it and count that our very life consists in the abundance of the things which we possess When we devote our selves to it making it as the blessedness so the great business of our life He that can want the world and yet be blessed he that can want or have the world and yet not serve it he hath renounced it even whilest he hath it though t is his still yet t is not his God 2. Not our devils or Tempters The world tempts in a double way 1. Per modum Objecti as Objects which by somthing that is apprehended desireable in them entices and invites out the heart after them or by somthing apprehended as formidable affrights us out of our way Thus pleasant meats tempts the Glutton and wine the Drunkard and a Lyon in the streets the Coward 2. Per modum causae Instrumentalis as under devils or the devils Instruments or Agitators by which he betrayes and beguiles unstable souls In the former sence the things of the world in the latter the men of the world are temptations and Tempters to us He renounces the world that will not be tempted by the world that takes up with Christ and will not be brib'd off by worldly advantages nor proslyted by worldly companions He that is resolved for Christ though with the loss of all and with the displeasure of all the world He that can be poor for Christ that can be vile for Christ that can go hungry and naked with Christ that can go alone with Christ and that even then when 't is but turning away from Christ and he may be rich and honourable and be clothed and be filled and have company enough as much as he desires he forsakes the world He that can renounce the world whenever it comes to be a case either Christ must be forsaken or all things for Christ he that can whose heart is brought to it he hath renounced the world What sayest thou now Soul Thou wilt have Christ but what if thou must leave all behinde thee VVhat if he say to thee sâ—…l all that thou hâ—st and follow me Canst thou be poor Canst 〈◊〉 be naked Canst thou be hungry for Christ Thou wilt have Christ but how wilt thou leave thy Companions What will all thy carnal friends say of thee He 's a fool he 's mad he 's besides himself How wilt look thy Father or thy Mother or thy Wife in the face who are all against it who will be perswading beseeching thee weeping over thee hanging upon thy neck or it may be scoffing and reviling and spitting in thy face to discourage and hold thee back What sayest thou now Art thou yet for Christ VVilt thou forsake them all cast off all that stands in thy way VVilt thou forsake the devil also But I need not now ask thee that that 's done already farewell Devil when once sin and the world are cast out If thou wilt not be tempted to sin if the world ceases to be a temptation the Devil were as good cease to be a Tempter There be many that say I defie the Devil and yet defie not sin and the world wise men They like not the Devil but yet will lick up his Excrements they hate the Devil and yet are never well longer then they are dancing in his chains Defie the Devil and yet love sin such defiance is his delight Let sin be defied let the world be despised and the Devil is conquered 4. And lastly Wilt thou cleave unto
I know thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to thee that madest it humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of my heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practice this my resolution through thy Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this World rather then to turn from thee to the wayes of sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity least they should withdraw my Heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield my self a Servant And because my own righteousness is but menstruous Rags I renounce all confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone creature without righteousness or strength The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most Graciously to me wretched sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God and with all possible veneration bowing the neck or my Soul under the feet of thy most sacred Majesty I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my portion and chief good and do give up my self body and soul for thy servant promising and vowing to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of my life The mediate terms are either principal or less principal The Principal is Christ the Mediator who must thus be embraced And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the onely means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the onely New and Living Way by which Sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in a marriage covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blinde and naked a most loathsome polluted wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory But sith such is thine unparallel'd love I do here with all my power accept thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all times and conditions to love honour and obey thee before all others and this to the death I embrace thee in all thine Offices I renounce mine own unworthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own wisdome and do here take thee for mine onely Guide I renounce mine own will and take thy Will for my Law And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign I do here covenant with thee to take my lot as it falls with thee and by thy grace assisting to run all hazards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me The less Principles are the Laws of Christ which must be thus accepted And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy Laws as the Rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdome I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoke and set my Shoulder to thy Burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty Onely because through the frailty of my flesh I am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest That unallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast said Now Almighty God searcher of hearts thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation bebeseeching thee that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood therein thou wouldest discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now glory be to thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father That ever thou shouldest find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to thee O God the holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty Power hast turned about my heart from sin to God O dreadful Jehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant-friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on earth let it be ratified in Heaven CHAP. XX and Last An exhortation to the Saints COme ye People beloved you that are highly favoured The Lord is with you Blessed are you amongst men and women The Likes are fallen to you in a pleasant place yea you have a goodly heritage Come and enter upon your Lot let your hearts be glad let your glory rejoyce but that your joy may be full hearken to these following counsels Make sure your interest in the Covenant Rejoyce not in that that 's none of thine Make sure all lies upon this Your life all the comforts and concernments of it both your eternal safety hereafter and your success in all the parts of your Christian course here depend on your interest in the Covenant VVhat have you if Christ be not yours and what have you in Christ if you be not in Covenant whence are your hopes either of mercy at last or of prospering in any thing at present but from the Covenant of Promise And what have you thence if your name be not in it Oh give not rest to your selves till this be put out of doubt what ever duties you perform what ever ease or hope you finde hereupon what ever transportation of affection you feel in your hearts in the midst of all enquiry But am I in Covenant How shall I know that you 'll say why make a strict and narrow enquiry whether those special graces already mentioned be wrought upon you Common mercies though even these be Covenant mercies to the Saints yet