of God hath the witness in himself the witness of God for this is the witness of God that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son and this is the Record That God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and he that hath believeth or receiveth Christ hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life so that our Eternal Life depends upon our faith or faithfulness in believing that is in the truth of our assent to the truth of the whole Word of God only upon the authority of Gods speaking it especially in believing or assenting to this faithful saying which is worthy of all acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners and consenting unfeignedly to have him for our Lord and Saviour trusting only upon the Merit of his death upon the Cross his Resurrection and Intercession for our acceptance with God our Justification an Glorification committing our selves and all our concernments wholly to his guidance and government cal ing all our care and burdens upon him as iudging him to be able and faithful to carry us through all the duties dangers and difficulties of this life unto life eternal all which is the nature and work of Faith which whosoever hath and liveth by it shall never perish but have everlasting life This is the â—aith that worketh love and worketh by love even to believe the love that God hath to us who is love God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him herein is love This love breeds love Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another much more ought we to love God and indeed if we do soundly believe this love of God towards us which passeth knowledge we shall answer this love with love again In loving God above all even with all the heart with all the Soul and with all the strength and with all the mind for he that loveth Father or Mother more than God is not worthy of him and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than God is not worthy of him and then love we him indeed when we love whom he loves and what he loves and hate what he hates Now God the Father loveth his only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ and he that loveth him loveth God and is loved of him And Oh What infinite reason have we to love both God and Christ when they have so loved us God the Father in sending his Son into the World to bless us and Christ in coming into it that he might give himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie us unto himself a peculiar People zeâ—lâ—us of good works Therefore if any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha As God loves his only Son by Eternal generation so he loveth his Adopted Sons by Spiritual Regeneration and they again love him I love them saith God that love me herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us we love him because he first loved us his love is the ground and cause of our love to him and to one another Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World Herein is love beloved if God so loved us we ought to love one another with a love of Union Complacency and Benevolence being of one Mind Will Way about one Work God-glorifying Delighting in each others Persons Communion and Communication Like David the Saints were all his delight as we have opportunity doing good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith for to do good and Communicate is a Sacrifice God is well pleased with but whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him the love of God dwelleth not in him at all nor doth he dwell in God for he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love and he that dwelleth not in God shall never dwell with him But he who loves God and Christ truly loves all Saints as God loves them with a special love and as God loves all Saints so he loves them alwayes even to the end so do all true lovers of God and his Saints as they love them all so they love them alwayes even to the end If we thus love the Brethren we may know that we are passed from death unto life Our love must extend to enemies even the worst of our enemies though we cannot love them with a love of Union and Complacency we must love them with a love of Benevolence because it is a Gospel-Command and therefore a Gospel-Duty to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us If we only love them that love us What do we more than others but if we love them that hate us we do more than others then are we the children of our Heavenly Father and are merciful as he is merciful and perfect as he is perfect And if we love not our enemies we are enemies to our enemies Gods enemies and our own To love heartily a professed practical enemy is a greater duty and difficulty than most professors are aware of How far are they from loving their enemies that do not love their brethren and without loving of their brethren and our enemies also and doing good to them that hate us there is no going to Heaven as we must love whom God loves so what God loves his Word Works Wayes Righteousness his Ordinances and Sanctuary c. God loves the Gates of Sion O how I love thy Law and I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honor dwelleth saith every one that is godly As we must love what God loves so must we hate what God hates and as God hates now God hates sin with a perfect hatred so must every one that loves the Lord hate sin and wickedness with a perfect hatred Ye that love the Lord hate evil because he hates it we cannot but sin while sin dwelleth in us but when it is acted it must be hated and is hated by every one that is godly What I hate that do I saith St. Paul We must abâ—tain from all appearance of evil hating even the garment spotted with the flesh if we will approve our selves to be the faithful and fervent lovers of the Lord let us seriously try the truth
giving of Thanks be made by us all for the KING and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men first to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and come unto the knowledge and the acknowledging of the Truth which is after godliness that they may be saved for which end the Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord that hath called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature and the divine life The last direction for getting and growing in grace is to get well acquainted with every promise of grace and every promise unto grace to mâ—ke a believing lively application of them to your selves Turn these Promises into Prayers and God will turn them into Performances He hath purposely made them known unto you that he might make them over to you for all the Promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God and your salvation if having these Promises we cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flâ—sh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God The promises of God are the breasts of Consolation from whence new born Babes desire or suck sincere milk that they may grow thereby in grace unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ till they become such as have no need of milk for every one that useth milk is unsk lful hath no experience in the word of righteousness for he is a Babe but of strong meat which belongeth to them that are of full age of perfect even those who by reason of use habit or perfection have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil For Consolation to all the Sons and Saints and Servants of the Lord that hearken unto the counsel command and proclamation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness as you have heard that have this Kingdom and righteousness in you Look unto Jesus lift up your heads and hearts for your redemption draweth nigh when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Let us comfort one another with these words God and Christ and Grace and Glory are ours we are sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory all things are ours for we are Christs Paul Apollos Cephas the world life death things present things to come all are ours in possession and reversion This All should comfort us it is worth being a Son a Saint a Servant of God to be as rich as Heaven and Earth yea richer in having God for our portion Let not the Consolations of God seem small to us the promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come are all ours here are the unsearchable riches of Christ treasured up for the heirs of promise wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto them the immutability of his counsel confirmed them by an oath that by two immutable things in which it were impossible for God to lye we might have a strong Consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us which is Christ in us the hope of glory for we look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and they in him It s worth going through the Kingdom of grace all the way which many poor Christians are fain to do in a way of persecution and tribulation to the Kingdom of glory where they shall ever be with the Lord whose presence will make amends for all There God and Christ will be all and in all here Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith hope and love but when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory then shall we be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is then shall we be filled with all the fulness of God that will do for us exceeding abundantly above all that now we ask or think unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through grace comfort our hearts and establish us in every good Work to keep us from falling till we be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the onely wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever AMEN FINIS
Word are his Laws Angels all Kings and Kingdoms are his Subjects All power is given unto this King in heaven and in earth he hath a Kingdom in every true Believer where he dwells and reigns as King The Sacred Scriptures are his Laws written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of their hearts their bâ—dies souls spirits every member faculty power quality and all that is within them mind memory will conscience affections thoughts intents desires c. words actions and all their enemies sin Satan and the world the honours pleasures treasures thereof are his Subjects This King of Saints is personally in heaven but dwells and reigns mystically in true Believers by his Spirit by his Word by his Grace Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Now the Office of the holy Spirit is by Regeneration to wash and cleanse our bodies souls and spirits from all filthiness that by his divine power we may be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth And by applying also the blood of Christ If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works Ye know ye were not redeemed from your vain conversation with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ The holy Ghost is given to purifie our hearts by the grace of faith This King by his Spirit Word Bloud and Grace creates in us clean hearts and renews right spirits within us and thereby also prepares our bodies souls and spirits to be temples and habitations meet for his Majesty to inhabit and dwell in As our bodies are filled with our souls and spirits so would our gracious King have us filled in our bodies souls and spirits with all the fulness of God Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit Such is the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man that according to his mercy he saves us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he sheds upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour He would have his word dwell in us richly in all wisdom for reaching and admonishing one another By his blood he dwelleth in us How free was he of it during the time of his pâ—ssive obedience in his estate of humiliation He poured out his soul unto death Being in an agony his sweat was as it were great drops of bloud falling down to the ground He offered his side to be broached that he might shed his hearts blood for our redemption the remission of our sins reconciliation our sanctification and salvation In whom we have redemption through his blood Without shedding of bloud there is no remission He hath made peace through the blood of his cross Reconciling all things unto himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven The blood of Christ through the eternal Spirit purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him In his estate of Exaltation how free is he also of his blood by the virtue of it he makes continual intercession for us In the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper we have his blood given to drink which he tells us is drink indeed and calls upon us to drink yea to drink abundantly He dwelleth in us by his grace It pleâ—sed the Father that in him should all fulness dwell a fulness of grace and truth The fulness of him that fi leth all in all That of his fulness we all might receive grace for grace Through him great grace was upon all the Apostles and many of the Primitive Christians He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers with gifts and graces for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ That we henceforth be no more children tâ—ssed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love The Universal Church is the body of Christ his Spirit the virtue of his Bloud his Word Graces and Comforts are the life welfare and soul of it Christ our King dwells in this his body and every member of it which is his Kingdom by righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost He covers his body with the robe of his righteousness for their Justification which is their upper garment And to the Church the Lamb's Wife is granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen her under garment which is righteousness for Sanctification and purity both in body soul spirit and conversation The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus This Church or Body of Christ looking for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness is diligently to be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And knowing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for the sake of his Body which is the Church he became poor that through his poverty it might be made rich through him have an access by one Spirit unto the Father of lights from whom cometh every good gift and every perfect gift whether of Nature of Grace or of Glory For the Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with hold from them that walk uprightly The spirit of power of love and of a sound mind are his gift which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created the new man to be renewed in the spirit of his mind For that the soul be without knowledge is not good especially the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ and him crucified all other knowledge shall vanish away but this is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ
in Gods everlasting decree purposed prepared purchased promised and preserved to be the heirs of this Kingdom for ever But all the difficulty is how every one may arrive to a comfortable assurance of his Interest in and right and title to so glorious a Kingdom as God and his Christ in infinite Wisdom and Mercy from all Eternity hath purposed prepared purchased promised and preserved and that he is one purposed prepared purchased promised and reserved unto this Heavenly Kingdom This may be known by those and only those that give all diligence to know it such are they that with purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord the things they purpose they purpose not according to the Flesh that with them there should be yea yea and my nay thou hast fully known saith St. Paul my purpose If we can know the purposes of our hearts if the purposes of our hearts be only to the glâ—ry of God and glory with God for the way and means conducive to this end â—s truly as to the end it selâ— then we may surely know thaâ—â—his Kingdom is purposed for us and we purposed to it Are the purposes of your hearts set within you against sin all sin the wayes the occasions the temptations to sin against Satan and the World the honors the riches and the pleasures thereof as they stand in oppositiâ—n unto and competition with God Christ Grace Glory and your immortal Souls Are you fully purposed for God-Glorifying and God-Enjoying in time and for eternity This is one great evidence that you shâ—ll be glorified with him and enjoy him in this purposed Kingdom of glory if you hold on and hold out unto the end The Kingdom prepared is theirs who are serious and sincere in preparing themselves for it Indeed the preparations of the heart in Man are from the Lord but the Lord gives to every Man a heart to make Conscience to prepare himself in the use of all good means for that eternal weight of Glory which God hath prepared for him a Vessel of Mercy according to the riches of his Glory which he had afore prepared unto glory for we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained or prepared that we should walk in them The whole Church of God is prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband a Vessel unto honor sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work Ministers are Gods Instruments herein to turn the disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just to make ready a People prepared for the Lord for which end their feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace How beautiful are the feet of them that Preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tidings of good things Under Christ God hath trusted every one with the care of his own Soul and given him a Talent to employ and improve for its Sanctification and Salvation for this is the will of God even our Sanctification who will have all Men saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth and it is his Will that every one should be a faithful and wise Steward to give his Soul its portion of meat in due season and that â—ervant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes and he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes for if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How can any think to escape who neglect so great Salvation Search therefore and try what preparations are you making for Death Judgment and Eternity in good earnest the Kingdom prepared and the People prepared for it are preparing with all their might for an enterance to be ministred unto them abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and it is for certain that this Kingdom is prepared that every one should prepare till they be prepared for it And we may further know our Title to this Kingdom if we are willing to go if I may so say to the price of it though it be purchased for us and we purchased to it for we are bought with a price The Kingdom and the Subjects of it were bought at no lower a rate than the precious Blood of Jesus Christ yet in a way of duty though not of merit must we make account to lay down a certain price before we can actually possess this Kingdom It cost Christ dear of his Father for our sakes he laid down his life for it but considering the worth and the weight of this glory we may have it at a cheap rate Something Christ expects we should part with and something we are to do and suffer before he give us the Kingdom We are to buy the Truth but not to sell it We must come to the knowledge of the Truth before we can be saved and before we can come to the sâ—ving knowledge of the Truth it will cost us the daily diligent use of all the means of grace as long as we live Grace and Glory differ only in degree It is Christs Counsel to buy of him Gold which is Grace that we may be rich white Raiment that we may be clothed Eye-salve that we may See He that hath no Money may and must buy Grace and Glory without Money and without Price or go wiâ—hout them The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Treasure hid in a Field the which when a Man hath found he hideth and for Joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that Field The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-Man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it a sure sign he valued it above all he had Christ is the Pearl of great price grace and glory is the Kingdom This Pearl of great price is to be bought without price a thankful acceptance of it is all that is required to the enjoying of it He that hath by selling all he hath bought this Pearl of great price hath the whole Kingdom of grace and glory into the bargain he that hath the Son hath life Spiritual and Eternal Try we therefore our selves how willing and ready we are to part with our all all our sins our beloved lusts our right eye our right hand our right foot all our honors pleasures and riches yea and our lives if they stand in our way to Christ and Heaven If we be truly willing to be any thing to do any thing to suffer any thing according to the will of God blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing The Kingdom of â—od is a promised Kingdom and the heirs of it are the children of Promise and children that are under a Solemn Covenant and Promise
of our love It is that to the Soul which the pulse is to the Body a Symptome of Life Gods love is our life our love to God is our great evidence that he loveth us I love them that love me This is the Souls pulse which beats continually What is Spiritual life but Spiritual love to God as God and as our chief good Can we say that Gods beloved which is Christ is our only chief beloved If I can say I am my Beloveds I may be sure that my Beloved is mine Nothing makes persons so perfectly one as perfect love which is not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth A love to the Person beloved above the Portion enjoyed a love to every one and every thing the party beloved hath a kindness for and a hatred of aversion displicency and abhorrence of that which is contrary to love and the person beloved By this also we may know that we love God and the children of God when we keep his Commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and hereby we do know that we know him believe in him and love him if we keep his Commandments he that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the truth is not in him but whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the word of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him as our love to God is a sign of his love to us so the keeping of his Commandments is an evidence of the truth of our love to him according to our Lord Jesus his Question to Peter three times Lovest thou me more than these Lovest thou me Lovest thou me Thou knowest that I love thee saith he How Feed my Lambs feed my Sheep Do you think Christ would have believed Peter or Peter believed himself touching his love if he had disobeyed this Commandment Christ saith to all If ye love me keep my Commandments and he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Now the Commandments of God are both Moral and Evangelical Moral contained in Moses his Ten Words called the Decalogue or Ten Commandments Evangelical called the Law or Doctrine of Faith concerning the Salvation of Mankind by our Lord Jesus Christ come already in the flesh to be believed by all that will be saved neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved And therefore when any one doth Oh! that every one would ask this serious question seriously What must I do to be saved the only answer to it is Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved This is his Commandment That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment There is a Law of Love as well as of Faith Love is the sum of the Law and hath the Power and force of a Law in it All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Love To God above all Love thy Neighbor as thy self If there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Love to God and our Neighbor Love worketh none ill to his Neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law As love is the Fulfilling of the Law so sin is the Transgression of the Law of God The Moral and the Evangelical Law is against sin Sin not stand in awe and sin not is one great Command from God which we must live in continual obedience unto Our great fear desire care and endeavour must run out this way that we sin not Sin is the chiefest evil as it opposeth God the chiefest good therefore we are commanded to abhor that which is evil and abstain from all appearance of evil If we will enter into life we must keep this Commandment no entering into Heaven with Sin There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye For God hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him Sin and Sinners must be turned into Hell for ever The wages of sin is death we must be saved from sin before we can be saved from Hell Let us try what Conscience we make of this Command Do we fear to sin Can we say we fear none but God and nothing but Sin he that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded Do we live in no known sin either of Heart or Life of Omission or Commission When we are overtaken with sin are we sorry for it after a godly sort until by an humble confessing and an hearty forsaking it we are reconciled to God If we be unreconciled to sin in our hearts and to a way and course of sin in our life we may be sure God and we are reconciled When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Our Eternal State may be known by our dispositions and conversations towards sin as the very bent and by-ass of our hearts and lives are for or against sin habitually and practically so will God determine our Eternal condition for Heaven or Hell In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil Whosoever abideth in Christ sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin and he cannot sin because he is born of God Yet is there a truth in this if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make God a liar and his Word is not in us but he that committeth sin is of the Devil and whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother which is a Damnable sin for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death and not to love and to hate in Scripture is of the same signification Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him He that loveth not his Brother hath neither Spiritual Light Life or Love in him He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes This sin of not loving or hating a Brother is darkness that so blindeth the eyes that whosoever is guilty of it is under this Judgment he knoweth not whither he goeth I doubt not but everyone that loveth not his Brother thinks he doth love him because he loves him in Word and in Tongue and thinks he shall go to Heaven Alass What doth it profit if a brother or sister be naked or in prison and destitute of daily food and one say unto
one then that hath understanding sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our King sing praises for God is the King of all the earth and the King of glory sing we praises with understanding Our Tongue in Scripture is called our glory therewith bless we God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ which is the best use we can put it to If we be strangers to this heavenly duty of singing praises to God in our hearts and houses with our glory it is much to be feared that as our chief end is not the glory of God by our not glorifying God so our last end will not be glory with God without controversie it is the duty that is most pleasing to God as it is most commanded by him and practised instantly by the perfectest Saints The holier any man is the more in prayer and the most in praise evening and morning and at noon David prayes unto God seven times aday doth he praise him Hypocrites can pray Saints only do bless and praise the Lord. The good and old way of speaking to God our selves and one another in Psalms and spiritual Songs is much given over in these Kingdoms The good Lord give us Repentance that this sin be not laid to our charge We have lost very much of the special presence and providence of God by our neglect herein our Prayers are not heard and answer'd for want of our solemn Praises We obtain mercy by our Prayers and keep them by our Praises It were well if one in ten with a loud voice glorified God for those daily mercies they receive from God There are not found that return to give glory to God after mercies received from God save some few strangers What are our hearts and lips and lives good for else but to warble out in spiritual Songs the praises of him who hath called us out of marvellous darkness into his marvellous light The glad tydings of a Kingdom of grace and glory should open our hearts to pray to God to open our lips that our mouths may shew forth his praises which that all may do let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord and whatsoever we do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving Thanks to God and the Father by him and above all for himself and the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness For Counsel and Consolation and I conclude Our honourable Magistrates and reverend Ministers who are taught of God that are Counsellors themselves of Peace and seek the Peace and Prosperity of Church and State I neither need nor dare give them one Word of Advice in this matter only taking the liberty and boldness by way of Petition most humbly to desire them who have obtained so great mercy to be the heirs of grace and glory that they would according to the Power and Prudence Wisdom and Goodness which God hath graciously and liberally given them improve it to the very utmost that if it were possible our most gracious and excellent Majesties Three Kingdoms may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ not by Profession only but in very Deed and in Truth For the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power since God our Saviour would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth and because he can swear by no greater doth swear by himself As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his Way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil Wayes for why will ye dye and now commandeth all men everywhere to repent Why should not first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty which is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour and I also heartily believe wi l be well-pleasing to our most Gracious King and all in Authority having laid so lâ—rge and sure a foundation of Peace to build as large a Kingdom of godliness and honesty upon It is in your power to compel every capable Subject in these Kingdoms to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and to thrust Labourers into this Harvest for the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few for the turning of every one unto Righteousness the unlimited Love of God who hath so loved Mankind the general Redemption of the whole World bâ— the precious blood of Jesus Christ the promise of the universal Spirit of Christ the freeness and fulness of the Covenant of Grace which if the Lord please I shall have occasion fully to handle in my Book of Scriâ—tural Oracles and the express Command of Christ Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature the promise of his presence and assistance his own practice and the practice of the primitive Preachers in publishing through the World the glad Tydings of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God are motives and encouragements great enough to put Magistrates and Ministers upon endeavouring an universal Conversion Reformation and Salvation among all their People O could our King and Governors be instrumental to bring these Kingdoms so to seek till they find a Kingdom of grace and glory what an exceeding eternal weight of glory would the King of glory crown them withall for their labour of Love at the last and great day Hearken to a King speaking from the King of Kings Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord herein with fear and rejoyce with trembling Let the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together for the Lord and for his Anointed saying Let us break the bands of Wickedness and cast away the cords of our Iniquities from us Let us exalt the King of Kings upon his holy hill of Zion that the Heathen may be his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth may be his possession and all Nations whom he hath made may come and worship before thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name Let our most excellent King Solomon be first herein who is a King of Peace that came into his Kingdom in Peace rules in Peace will dye in Peace and enter into that Peace which passeth all understanding If he follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. His establishing a great Peace amongst us constrains me to believe he will be a means of raising a holy War through his Kingdoms and Dominions against Sin Satan and the World for the glory of
God do Wonders among us 4. Examining our selves frequently and seriously by the Law and Gospel what effect they have had upon us as to the change of our state from sin to grace from death to life and whether our hearts and lives are so sound in Gods Statutes that we have respect to all his Commandments that we may never be ashamed Without this constant practice we cannot know our selves Know ye not your own selves saith the Apostle how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates How shall we know our selves to be elect or reprobate why examine your selves prove your own selves If we wholly neglect or negligently perform this duty we may then certainly conclude our selves to be Reprobates What are all the marks and signs for tryal of our everlasting state laid down in Scripture for but that we might know our selves by them whether we belong to God or the Devil and whether we are going to Heaven or Hell Without this careful constant examination trying and proving a man may think himself to be something when he is nothing and so deceive himself and others Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into Heaven Many will say to Christ on that great day of examination Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils And in thy Name done many wonderful Works To whom he will profess I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Let every man therefore examine himself and prove his own Work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another then shall he not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought in him to the Law and to the Testimony if he speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in him If every one that doth evil and he that doth truth would come to the light it would make manifest whether their deeds were wrought in God or no All things that are reproved or discovered are made manifest by this light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light were this duty well managed more would go to Heaven and fewer to Hell 5. Conferring talking communing and reasoning together in love concerning the things of the Kingdom of God would be a happy means to help one another in seeking to find it Too often our words in Preaching praying and praising to them that hear us seem but idle Tales and are not believed till this Christian duty of Communication be frequently exercised Here we have liberty to speak to one anothers capacities and necessities we could not hear one another reasoning of Righteousness Temperance Death Judgment Heaven and Hell to come but our hearts would burn within us for Christ himself would be one amongst us as with his Disciples at Emmaus talking with us and opening to us the Scriptures so that our coming and communing together would certainly be for the better and not for the worse for this end to revive the duty of Christian Conference I do fully purpose by the Grace of God as I have begun to bring the Holy Scriptures under such Heads that the Word of Christ may dwell richly in all wisdom in young and old that will exercise themselves herein with delight and meditation day and night for the accomplishing whereof the Prayers of all fearing God are again humbly and earnestly desired and expected 6. Teaching Children early to read and know the Holy Scripture Training them up or Catechising them in the first Principles of the Oracles of God and all others who have the like need that are but Children in knowledge is another excellent means to increase the Kingdom of Christ How many unprofitable dull Hearers are there in these Kingdoms which for their time ought to be Teachers have need that one teach them again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God that to their shame be it spoken have not the knowledge of God nay that say to God and their Teachers whose lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at their mouth for they are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes These have double necessity of counsel care and compassionate compulsion both from Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority to learn to know their duty danger and necessity if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken alive as captive by him at his will The Harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few pray we therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest such as will preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves the servants of all for Jesus sâ—ke servants that will not strive but be gentle unto alâ— men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves till their eyes be opened and turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ The work of Conversion and Reformation will never happily go on till the counsel of that most Reverend Learned and Godly Bishop Vsher be universâ—lly diligently zealously and constaâ—tly puâ— in practice both in Churches and Families which being apposite to my purpose I have here Transcribed Your Majesties care can never be sufficiently commended in taking order that the chief Heads of the Catechism should in the ordinary Ministery be diligently propâ—unded and explâ—ined unto the People throughout the Land which I wish were as duly executed everywhere as it was piously by you intended Great Scholars possibly may think that it standeth not so well with their credit to stoop thus low and to spend so much of their time in teaching these Rudiments and first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but they should consider that the laying of the foundation skilfully as it is a matter of the greatest importance in the whole Building so it is the very Master-piece of the whole Building 1 Cor. 3 10. According to the Grace of God which is given unto me as a wise Master Builder I have laid the foundation saith the great Apostle And let the Learnedst of us all try it whenever we please we shall find that to lay this Ground work rightly that is to apply our selves to the câ—pacities of the common Auditory and to make an â—gâ—orâ—nt man understand these mysteries in some good measure will put us to the tryal of our skill and trouble us a great deal more than if we were to discuss a Controversie or handle a subtle point of Learning in the Schools yet Christ did give as well his Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists as his ordinary Pastors and Teachers to bring us all both Learned and Unlearned unto