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
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
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
life of it bryers and thorns are with thee the Canaanite is yet in the Land thou sojournest in Mesech and hast thine habitation in the Tents of Kedar and thou hast a Mesech and Kedar within thee thou hast Armies within thee of fleshly lusts which fight against thy soul thou goest mourning daily because of the oppressour those spiritual wickednesses which lie in thine heart and warre in thy members thou often groanest and cryest out to thy God libertie libertie redemption redemption Oh this proud heart oh this vain heart oh this earthliness oh this fleshliness this sloathfulness this enmity and rebellion against the law of my minde and my God when I would do good evil is present with mee I cannot I cannot do the things that I would I can with no peace serve or enjoy my God and my soul my duties are either prevented or polluted my comforts are either wasted or made quite to vanish and disappear when I would serve my God I must away to serving my belly or my back or my friends when my soul is a little gotten upon the wing and soaring in the upper Region it is presently checked pulled down again to the earth O my pinioned imprisoned soul woe is mee wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the body of this death Why yet comfort thine heart the enemy flyes upon thee as a flood but the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him thou complainest thy Gold is become drosse thy wine is mixed with water yea with mudd and dirt yet hee will turne his hand upon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne Though these bryers and thornes bee set in battel against thee yea and against him also yet hee will go through go through them hee will burn them together Isa 27.4 Thou complainest that thy garments are defiled thy glory is stained thy beauty is marred the Image of thy God is so defaced that there 's but here and there a spot of it left upon thee thou art black but not comely whilst thy Lord sayes thou art all fair O my Love thou cryest out I am all foul O my Lord thou wouldest be holiness to thy Lord but thou art an offence to him holiness is still thy love and thy desire and thy longing but it flies from thee it is rather thy wish then thy hope thou canst weep over but thou canst not weep out thy deformity thine Iniquity is still marked before the Lord. If there bee a little Grace in thee yet there is such a weakness in its sinews such a paleness in its face that it is not like to live or if it live Oh! how little hope that ever it should thrive or flourish Thus thou complainest thus thou goest mourning and sighing and sinking and fainting in thy minde and now and then venturest out a desponding Prayer Lord pitty Lord look upon my sorrow and my sin Lord wash mee Lord help mee Why the Lord God hath sent thee his help out of his Sanctuary and his strength out of Zion The eternal spirit is come down on purpose to give battel to the flesh to subdue thine inquities and bring all those that rise up within thee under thy feet Thou mistakest thy self and thine enemies if thou thinkest they will bee conquered by one blow of thine arme this kinde goeth not out so not by might nor by power much less by weakness and by flesh by any weak attempts of thine own but by my spirit saith the Lord. 'T is work for a God to relieve and cleanse such an heart to turn such an Hell into an Heaven what thou canst not do being weak through the flesh behold hee comes down to do it for thee thou hast proved thine own weakness now try everlasting strength he stands at the door and knocks hear his voice at the door wilt thou bee made clean wilt thou bee made whole wilt thou bee delivered open to him and with him deliverance comes in he stands at the poole stirring the waâ—ers for thee put in thy Cripple soul and bee healed of all thy diseases say to him Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee clean and thou shalt soon have this answer I will bee thou clean 3. As a Spirit of Truth and Direction John 16.13 hee shall guide them by his Counsel he shall lead them in the way that they shall go Isa 30.21 They shall hear a word behinde them saying this is the way walk yee in it when they are turning to the right hand or to the left He shall lead them into all truth to prevent mistakes and into all righteousness to prevent miscarriages nay more hee shall not bee onely their Starre but their Strength too hee shall guide them on and help them on they shall bee led by the Spirit bound in the Spirit pressed in Spirit they shall bee excited assisted carried on in the power of the Spirit in the way that they should go he will cause them to walk in the Statutes of the Lord. Whatsoever thy way wardness and thy wandrings have been whatever thy feebleness and fickleness bee whatever false lights and false-waies are before thee whatever temptations thou meetest with to turn thee aside out of the right way whatever doubts hence arise in thine heart I shall one day or other perish from the way and bee a lost sheep at last yet his conduct shall bee prosperous and the event shall bee sure hee shall so guide thee by his Counsel that he shall bring thee to Glory Hee shall gather his Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and gently lead those that are with young 4. As a Spirit of Comfort and Consolation hee is so called John 16.7 The Comforter If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you He shall come unto them and abide with them to supply the absence of their Redeemer to support them under their affliction to witness their Adoption to seal them up unto the day of Redemption and to bee the earnest of their Inheritance Ephes 1.13,14 John 16.14 Hee shall take of mine and shew it unto you Hee shall take of mine that is not only of the Truths those treasures of Wisdome that are in mee though that bee specially intended but of my Love my Righteousness my Holiness and all those treasures of Grace and Mercy that are laid up in mee whatever there is in mee that may stand you in any stead yeild you any relief or support the Comforter which I will send you shall bring it down to you hee shall take my Blood and the Pardons it hath purchased for you my Bowels and the Compassions that are working in mee towards you my Prayers and Intercessions I am offering up for you hee shall take of all those treasures of Grace and everlasting Consolations which are laid up for you with mee hee shall take of
mine and shew it unto you As much as you have in the world to afflict and amaze you as little as you have of your own to comfort you either in your hearts or in your houses or among your friends hee shall shew what I have for you to refresh you O Christians a sight of Christ in our sorrows in our fears in our thickest darkness what day-light would it bring in When thou lookest into thine heart and art astonished and confounded at what thou findest there at the blindness and the hardness the poverty and the emptiness the guilt and the guile the pride and the peevishness the evil thoughts the vile affections the filthy lusts that are swarming and working in thee when thou lookest into the world and tremblest at what thou beholdest there the malice the craft the power that is engaged against thee the furious spirits the fiery tongues the fierce looks the violent hands that are flying upon thee and the little relief the earth will afford thee when thy heart faints and dies within thee at the sense of this thy woeful and forlorn state A sight of what thou hast in thy Lord presented to thee by his Spirit look thee here soul what thy Jesus hath sent thee down a glance from his eye a drop from his heart a messe from his table and all to tell thee yet I do not forget thee behold the care I take of thee the treasures I have for thee to encourage thy love and reward thy faithfulness Oh! how will this make all thy darkness to depart and turn the shadow of death into the morning Thus is the Holy Spirit given to the Saints to bee the light of their eyes the death of their sins the guide of their waies the stay of their hearts to up-hold their grace and to maintain their peace to subdue their enemies or their fears to secure them from temptations or succour them when tempted to wipe off their reproach or make it their crown to heal their diseases or make them their cure to help their infirmities to work their works to make their yoke easie and their burthens light to turn their sighs into songs to form their groans into prayers to send them up to their Lord and bring down their returns to comfort their hearts to establish strengthen settle them that they be neither offended at the chain nor moved from the hope of the Gospel CHAP. IV. The Earth in the Covenant 4. GOd hath put the earth into the Covenant Though the Saints have not their reward in this life their portion in this world yet this world also is theirs Mat. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth 1 Cor 3.22 Things present and things to come all are yours 1. The good things present 2. The evil things present 1. The good things present Mark 10.30 Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands now in this time Prov. 3.16 Length of daies are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Houses and Lands and Riches and Honours where are they who are the poor of this World the houseless harbourless and friendless who have wo and want and shame and sorrow who are Strangers and Pilgrims dwelling in tents driven into corners into dens and caves hunted up and down upon the mountains of the earth to whom is hunger and thirst cold and nakedness but to the meek of the earth Is this to inherit the earth All theirs when nothing theirs yet they do inherit the earth For 1. They shall ever have as much as will suffice them and that 's as much as all They shall not want any thing but what they may want Your Father knoweth that you have need of these things and he knows how much they need More than needs is more then enough and more then enough is a prejudice Many men have too much too much money too much esteem too many friends more than they can bear so much as to sink them and drown them in perdition and destruction Christians shall have enough they shall never be in such a needy state but whatever is necessary for them in all the earth they shall have it The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and he hath said That those that seek him shall not want any thing that is good Psal 34.10 if the whole world can supply them out of all its store they shall be supply'd 2. What they have they have a better and farther title to then any others in the world Though the dominion be not founded in grace yet by grace it is established What they have descends upon them not barely by providence but by promise Heb. 1.2 Christ is heir of all things and they are fellow-heirs with Christ A little coming from the promise hath more in it than the greatest abundance that 's only handed down by common providence that which comes in from the promise comes in with a blessing if thou hast but an handful thou hast a blessing in thy hand if thou hast but a corner thou hast a blessing in thy corner A little from love is a great blessing Thou hast God in every morsel thou eatest and in every drop that thou drinkest a drop from heaven will turn thy bran into the finest flower and thy Water into Wine O what serene and quiet lives how void of care distracting care might the Saints live in the world what are the burthens that do gall our backs what are the briars that tear our flesh what are the thorns that pierce through our hearts ordinarily but the cares of this life what shall I eat what shall I drink wherewith shall I be clothed where shall I dwell how little have I for to day what for to morrow what for hereafter how shall I secure what I have when this is gone whence shall I be supplyed thus do we go on piercing our selves through with many sorrows Our cares for supply eat up what we have our thoughts cut deeper than our wants we cannot at so cheap a rate fear as we often bear the want of all things And why take ye thought the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and he hath said All this is yours you shall want nothing You have not only your Deus providebit providence to live upon you have also your Deus promisit the promise before you and this hath all things in it all is yours What for to morrow what for hereafter why what saith the promise Thou shalt want nothing neither thou nor thine Never saw I the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging their bread Hast thou two worlds made sure to thee and canst thou want thou mayst as well whine and make a pittiful cry at a full table Oh where shall I have my next morsel as under such a full promise Oh where shall I have my next meal O how much beneath the spirit of Christianity are the carking anxious lives of too many
Esay 26.20 Come to your beds of dust a a Esay 26.20 and lay you down in peace and let your flesh rest in hope b b Esa 57.2 for even in this flesh shall you see God c c Psal 16.91 Job 19.25,26,27 O ye slain of death your carcases now as loathsome as the carrion in the ditch will I redeem from the power of the grave d d Psal 49.15 fashion those vile bodies like unto the glorious body of your exalted Redeemer e e Phil. 3.21 Look if you can on the Sun when shining in his strength with such dazling glory will I cloath you O ye of little faith f f Mat. 13.43 From the dungeon of eternal darkness From the terrible dungeon of eternal darkness do I hereby free you Fear not you shall not be hurt of the second death g g Rev. 2.11 Rom. 8.1 you are delivered from the wrath to come and shall never come into condemnation h h 1 Thess 1.10 Joh. 5.24 The flames of Tophet shall not be able to singe the hairs of your heads no nor the smell of the fire pass upon you Stand upon the brink and look down into the horrible pit the infernal prison from whence I have freed you See you how the smoke of their torments ascendeth for ever and ever i i Rev. 14.11 Heaâ— you the cursings and ravings the roarings and blasphemies k k Mat. 25.30 What think you of those hellish fiends would you have been willing to have had them foâ— your companions and tormentors l l Mat. 25.41 whaâ— think you of those chains of darkness of the river of brimstone of the instruments of torment for soul and body of those weepings and wailings and gnashing of teeth Can you think of an everlasting banishment of a go ye cursed could you dwell with everlasting could you abide with devouring fire l l Esay 33.14 This is the inheritance you were born to m m Eph. 2.3 But I have cut off the entail and wrought for you a great salvation I have not ordained you to wrath n n 1 Thess 5.9 but my thoughts towards you are thoughts of peace o o Jer. 29.11 3. Our pretection from all our enemies Here I deliver you your protection From all your enemies will I save you p p 2 King 17.39 From the arrests of the Law I grant you a protection from the arrests of the Law your surety hath fully answered it q q Gal. 3.13 Rom. 4.10 my Justice is satisfied my wrath is pacified my honour is repaired r r Dan. 2.24 2 Cor. 5.19.20 Behold I am near that justifie you who is he that shall condemn you Es 50.8 From the powers of darkness From the usurped dominion of the powers of darkness t t Col. 1.13 I will tread Satan shortly under you and will set your feet in triumph upon the necks of your enemies u u Rom. 16.20 Let not your hearts be troubled though you be to wrestle with principaâ—ities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world w w Eph. 6.12 for stronger â—s he that is in you then he that is in the world x x 1 Joh. 4.4 He may bruise your heel but you shall bruise his head y y Gen. 3.15 Behold your Redeemer leading captivity captive spoiling principalities and powers and triumphing over them openly in his Cross z z Col. 2.15 See how Satan falleth like lightning from Heaven a a Luk. 10.18 and the Sampson of your salvation beareth away the gates of Hell posts and all upon his shoulders and setteth them up as Trophies of his Victory how he pulleth out the throat of the Lion and lifteth up the heart of the Traitour upon the top of his spear and washeth his hands and dyeth his robes in the blood of those your enemies b b Isa 63.1,2,3 From the victory of the world From the victory of the world c c 1 John 5.4 Gal. 1.4 neither its frowns nor its flatteries shall be too hard for your victorious faith Though it raise up Egypt and Amalek and Moab and all its whole Militia against you yet it shall never keep you out of Canaan Be of good comfort your Lord hath overcome the world d d Joh. 16.33 Though its temptations be very powerful yet this upon my faithfulness will I promise you that no such shall come upon you but what you shall be able to bear But if I see such trials which you fear would be too hard for your graces and overthrow your souls I will never suffer them to come upon you nay I wil make your enemy to serve you e e 1 Cor. 10.13 and do bequeath the world as part of your Dowry to you f f 1 Cor. 3.22 From the cusre of the Cross From the curse of the Cross g g Psal 119.71 Affliction shall prove a wholsom Cup to you your Lord hath drunk the Venom into his own body and what remains for you is but a healthful Potion which I will promise you shall work for your good h h Rom. 8.28 Be not afraid to drink nor desire the cup should pass from you I bless the cup before I give it unto you i i Job 5.17 c. Drink you all of it and be thankful you shall finde my blessing at the bottom of the cup to sweeten the sharpest afflictions to you k k Jam. 5.1.12 Psal 94.12 I will stand by you in all conditions and be a fast friend to you in every change l l Esay 43.2 In the Wilderness I will speak comfortably to you and in the fire and in the water I will be with you m m Hos 2.14 I will be a strength to the poor and a strength to the needy in his distress a Refuge from the storm and a shadow from the heat when the blast of terrible ones is as a storm against the Wall n n Esay 25.4 Your sufferings shall not be a cup of Wrath but a Grace cup not a Curse but a Cure not a cure of trembling but a cup of blessing to you o o Heb. 12.6,7,8 They shall not hurt you but heal you p p Psal 119 67. My blessing shall attend you in every condition q q Gen. 26.3 I say not onely Blessed shall you be in your Basket and blessed in your store but blessed shall you be in your Poverty r r Gen. 28.15 and blessed shall you be in your streights not onely blessed shall you be in your cities and blessed shall you be in your fields but blessed shall you be in your bonds and blessed shall you be in your banishment Å¿ Å¿ Mark 9.29 30. 1 Pet. 3.14 Blessed shall you be when you are persecuted and when you are
eyes Eastward and Westward and Northward and Southward Have you not a worthy Portion a goodly heritage Can you cast up your riches or count your own happiness Can you fathom Immensitie or reach Omnipotency or comprehend Eternity All this is yours I will set open all my treasures to you I will keep back nothing from you He maketh over himself to us in all his Essential Perfections and Personal Relations All the Attributes in the Godhead and all the Persons in the Godhead do I hereby make over to you In all his Essential Perfections I will be yours in all my Essential Perfections and in all my Personal Relations In all mine Essential Perfections Mine Eternity shall be the date of your happiness His Eternity as the date of our happiness I am the Eternal God and while I am I will be life and blessedness to you l l Psal 90.1,2 with Psal 48.14 1 Tim. 1.17 with 1 Pet. 5.10 I will be a never failing Fountain of Joy and Peace and Bliss unto you m m Psal 36.7,8,9 and 16.11 Esay 35.10 I am the first and last that was and is and is to come and mine eternal Power and Godhead shall be bound to you n n Jer. 32.40 I will be your God your Father your Friend while I have any being o o Esay 9. Jer. 10.10 I have made mine everlasting choice in pitching upon you p p Psal 132.13,14 Hos 2.19 Fear not for the Eternal God is your Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armes q q Deut. 33.27 My durable riches and righteousness shall be yours r r Prov. 8.18 Though all should forsake you yet will not I forsake you Å¿ Å¿ Heb. 13.5 Psal 27 10. When the world and all that is therein shall be burnt up I will be a standing Portion for you When you are forgotten among the dead with everlasting loving kindness will I remember you t t Esay 54.10 His unchangeableness as the rock of our rest Mine unchangeableness shall be the Rock of your rest u u Mal. 3.6 Psal 62.6,7 92.15 When all the world is like the tumbling Ocean round about you here you may fix and settle I am your resting place w w Jer. 50.6 2 Chr. 14.11 The immutability of my Nature and of my Counsel and of my Covenant are sure footing for your faith and a firm Foundation for your strong and everlasting consolation x x 2 Tim. 2.19 Heb. 6.17,18 When you are afflicted tossed with Tempests y y Esay 54.11 and not comforted put into me I am an Haven of Hope I am an Harbour of rest for you here cast your Anchors and you shall never be moved z z Jer. 17.13.17 Psal 46.1,2,5 and 125.1 His Omnipotency for our guard Mine Omnipotency shall be your Guard I am God Almighty your Almighty Protector your Almighty Benefactor a a Gen. 15.1 17.1 What though your enemies are many more are they that are with you then they that are against you for I am with you b b 2 Chr. 32.78 2 King 6.16 What though they are mighty they are not Almighty Your Father is greater then all and none shall pluck you pluck while they will out of my hands c c Ioh. 10.29 Who can hinder my power or obstruct my salvation d d Esay 43.13 Dan. 4.35 2 Pe. 2.9 Who is like unto the God of Ieshurun who rideth on the Heaven for your help and in his excellency on the skie I am the sword of your strength the shield of your excellency e e Deu. 33 26,29 I am your rock your fortress your deliverer your strength the horn of your salvation your buckler your high tower f f Psal 18.2 I will maintain you against all the power of the enemy You shall never sink if Omnipotency can support you g g 1 Pe. 1.5 Ex. 28.12 The gates of Hell shall not prevail against you h h Mat. 16.18 Your enemies shall find hard work of it They shall overcome victorie or enervate Omnipotencie or corrupt fidelitie or change immutabilitie or else they cannot finally prevail against you either they shall bow or break i i Rev. 3.9 Es 66.24 Though they should exalt themselves as the Eagle though they should set their nest among the stars even there will I bring them down saith the Lord. k k Oba 4. Ier. 49.16 His faithfulness for our security My faithfulness shall be your security l l Ps 89.33,34,35 my truth yea my oath shall fail if ever you come off losers by me m m Es 54.9,10 with Mark 10.29,30 I will make you to confess when you see the issue and upshot of all my providences that I was a God worthy to be trusted worthy to be believed worthy to be rested in and relied upon n n Psa 34.4,5,6,8 84.12 146.5 Ier. 17.7,8 Psa 22.4,5 If you walk not in my judgements you must look for my threats and frowns yea and blows too and you shall see that I am not in jâ—st with you nor will indulge you in your sins o o Psa 89.30,31,32 c. Am. 3.2 2 Sam. 12. to 15. 1 Pe. 4.17 Nevertheless my loving kindness will I never take from you nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips His mercies as our store My mercies shall be your store p p Es 54.7 63 7. Ps 119.41 I am the Father of mercies and such a Father I will be to you q q 2 Co. 1.3 I am the fountain of mercies and this fountain shall be ever open to you r r Ps 36.9 with Rev. 21 6. My mercies are very many and they shall be multiplied towards you Å¿ Å¿ Neh. 9.7 with Es 55.7 very great and they shall be magnified upon you t t 1 Ch. 21.13 with Gen. 19.19 very sure and they shall be for ever sure to you u u Es 55.3 very tender and they shall be infinitely tender of you w w Ps 119.156 with 103.4 Though the fig-tree do not blossom nor the vine bear nor the flock bring forth fear not for my compassions fail not x x Hab. 3.17 Lam. 3.22 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the daies of your lives y y Ps 23.6 Even to your old age I am he and even to hoar hairs will I carrie you I have made and I will bear even I will carrie and deliver you z z Es 46.4 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you that I will not turn away from you to do you good a a Ier. 32.40 I swear that I will shew you the kindness of God b b 1 Sam. 20.14,15,17 with Esay 54,9,10 I can as soon forget
shal I be affraid to believe O my soul it is the highest honour thou canst put upon thy Lord to believe against difficulties and to look for and reckon upon great things and wonderful passing all created Power and humane faith Let not the greatness nor the strangeness of the benefits bequeathed to thee put thee to a stand It is with a God thou hast to do and therefore thou must not look for little things that were to darken the glory of his munificence and the Infiniteness of his Power and Goodness Knowest thou not that it is his design to make his Name glorious and to make thee know he is able to do for thee above all thou canst ask or think Surely they cannot be any small or ordinary things that shal be done for thee when the Lord shal shew in thee what a God can do and shal carry thee in Triumph before the world and make Proclamation before thee Thus shal it be done to the man whom the Lord delighteth to honour What wonder if thou canst not comprehend these things If they exceed all thy apprehensions and conceptions This is a good Argument for thy faith for this is that which the Lord hath said That it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what things he hath prepared for them that love him Now if thou couldest conceive and comprehend them how should his word be made good It is enough for thee that the Lord hath spoken it Is not the word nigh thee Hath God said I will receive you You shal be Kings and Priests unto God and inherit all things and shal sit in Thrones and judge Angels and be ever with the Lord and shal I dare to say him nay Unreasonable Unbelief What never satisfied Still contradicting and blaspheming False whisperer no more of thy tales Acts 27.25 I believe God that it shall be as he hath told me 2 Cor. 2.14 Psal 71.23 Psal 92.4 Psal 104.33 And now thanks be to God who alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ therefore my lips shal praise thee and my soul which thou hast redeemed For thou hast made me glad through thy word and I will triumph in the works of thy hands I will praise the Lord whilest I live I will sing praises to my God whilest I have any being Oh my soul if thou couldest wear out thy fingers upon the Harp and wear thy tongue to the Roots thou couldest yet never sufficiently praise thy Redeemer O mine Enemies where is now your confidence and where is your Armour wherein you trusted I will set Christ alone against all your multitudes and all the Power and Malice and Policy wherewith they are Armed Col. 2 15. 1 Cor. 15.57 The field is already won and the Captain of our salvation returned with the spoils of his Enemies having made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Cross And thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Of whom then should I be affraid Behold he is near that justifieth me who shal plead with me Matt. 16.18 O ye Powers of Hell you are but chained Captives and we have a sure word that the gates of Hell shal not prevail against us Though the world be in Arms against us and the Devil in the head of them as their Champion 1 Sam. 17.45,46,47 yet who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defie the Armies of the living God Behold I come out to thee as the stripling against Goliah not with Sword and with Spear but in the Name of the Lord of Hosts in whose strength I am more then a Conquerour O Grave where is now thy Victory Christ is risen and hath broken up thy Prison and rolled away the stone so that all thy Prisoners have made an escape Mic. 7,8 Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemy though I fall I shal rise again though I lie in darkness the Lord shal be a light unto me Enlarge not thy desires O Tophet but shut up thy flaming Rom. 8.1 mouth for there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Joh. 16.33 1 Cor. 3.22 O deceitful world thou art already overcome and the conquered Enemy is become my servant and I am fed with the honey taken out of the carkass of the slain Lyon 1 Pet. 1.5 1 Joh. 5.4 I fear not thy Threats nor the Enchantments of thy Syren-songs being kept by the Power of God through a Victorious faith unto salvation O my sins you are already buried never to have any Resurrection and the remembrance of you shal be no more Heb. 8.12 I see my sins nailed to the Cross and their dominion is taken away though their lives be prolonged yet for a little season Awake therefore O my glory awake Psaltery and Harp and meet the Deliverer with triumph Psal 98.1,3 for his right Hand and his holy Arm have gotten us the Victory and all the ends of the Earth have seen the salvation of our God 3. It upbraids the trembling Soul with its Vnworthiness Yet methinks my unworthiness flies in my face and I hear my cavilling Unbelief thus upbraiding me and crying out O proud Presumption That thou that art conscious to thy self of thy great unworthiness shouldest pretend a claim to God and glory Shal daring dust think to share with the Almighty and say of his endless Perfections They are my right Bold sinner stand off and tremble at thy presumptuous Arrogance Faith subscribes the charge and Triumphs in Gods free grace O my God I lay my hand upon my mouth I confess the charge of mine unworthiness My guilt and shame is such as I cannot cover but thou canst and dost Thou hast cast a Mantle upon my nakedness and hast promised my transgressions shal not be mentioned and that thou wilt multiply Pardons And shal I rake up what thou hast buried and then affright my self with the Ghosts that infidelity hath raised Is it presumption to take the Pardon that thou dost offer or to receive and claim thee as mine when it is but what thou hast promised I durst not have approached thee but upon thy call nor have pretended a Title but upon thy Grant I should have thought it Diobolical pride to have pleaded an Interest in thee and claimed kinred to thee but that thou hast shewed me the way And thou my soul art thou ignorant of Gods great Design Knowest thou not that it is his purpose to glorifie Free-Grace And how should Grace appear to be Grace indeed were there any worthiness in the subject Thine unworthiness is but a foyle to set off the Beauty and Riches of Free Love and Mercy 4. It questions the Believers Title to Gods grace and interest in the Promise But I cannot shake off this Briar Alas what a cavilling Sophister is Unbelief And will never be answered Now is it ready to tell me What if
up your hearts with all your heart grudge not that the Lord requires but bless God that he will accept of an offering this hath a comfortable signification If the Lord had meant to destroy us he would not have accepted an offering at our hands Judg. 13.23 2. A Thank-offering Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High Offer up your selves in token of yuor thankfulness to the Lord. Be ye both the Priests and the Lambs for the sacrifice Present your selves to the Lord as the accomplishments of his Covenant as the fruits of the death of your Redeemer as the Trophies of his Victory as the spoils which he hath recovered from Death and Hell making a shew of them openly that it may be seen that the promise of God is not of none effect and that Christ did not die in vain Let your Lord Jesus when he comes down into his Garden where he left his blood reap his pleasant fruits and carry up your purified Souls as the signals of his glorious atchievement Offer up your sins to the Lord these unclean beasts will be an acceptable sacrifice There 's more real honour growing up to the Lord from one mortified Saint then from ten thousand Anthems from the most seraphick tongues Offer up your duties to the Lord your obedience for a sacrifice To obey is better then sacrifice then thousands of Rams and ten thousands of Rivers of Oyle Let your whole life be this sacrifice let every day be a Sabbath every duty an Eucharist every member a Cymbal sounding out the praises of God Offer up the calves of your lips unto the Lord. O let your souls be filled with wonder and your mouths with praise Whence in this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me Oh whence is this to us that the Lord our Father should come and come so near to us Oh whence is it That the Mighty God should indent and come into bond with sinful man that he who was free from all men should make himself debtor to any That the high and lofty One that inhabits Eternity should dwell in Houses of Clay and pitch his Tabernacle in the Dust That he who humbleth himself to behold the Heavens should come down into the earth and after what is he come down but after a dead Dog or a Flea that he should make a league with the stones of the gâ—ound with the beasts of the field and creeping things should espouse dust and ashes and gather up vile worms into his bosome should set his heart upon shadows and adopt the refuse of the earth for Sons and Daughters to himself should raise the poor out of the dust and the beggar from the Dunghil should do such great things and should choose the foolish and the weak and the base and the contemptible and bostow on them among all the world these high honors should make them the Head and the honourable whom the world hath made the Tail the filth and the off-scouring of all things should give himself to be the portion his Son to be the ransome his kingdome to be the heritage of bankrupts prisoners and captives Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him Soul what is God that thou shouldst be yet unmindful of him How is it that the tongue of the dumb is not yet loosened that the feet of the lame do not leap as an Hart Oh what is that love whence this strange thing hath broken forth This this is the womb that bare thee hence hath thy righteousness sprung forth hence have thy dignities thy astonishing hope and joys arisen to thee this is it that yearned upon thee in thy mercy that reprived thee from death redeemed thee from darkness rescued thee as a brand out of the burning that pitied thee in thy blood washed thee from thy blood spared thee pardoned thee reconciled thee and brought thee an enemy a rebel a traitor into a Covenant of peace with the God of glory Ah contemptible dust that ever there should be such compassionate contrivements and such astonishing condescentions of the eternal Deity towards so vile a thing O love the Lord all ye his Saints O bless the Lord ye beloved ye people near unto the Lord. Alas that our hearts should be so narrow that the waters should be so shallow with us where are our eyes if we be not yet filled with wonders what hearts have we if we have not yet filled our lips with praise Open all thy springs O my soul let them flow forth in streams of love and joy let every faculty be tuned and strained to the height let heart and hands and tongue and eyes lift up their voice be astonished O heavens be moved ye strong foundations of the earth fall down ye Elders strike up ye heavenly Quires lend poor mortals your Notes to sing forth the high praises of God who rideth on the heavens and hath caused us to ride on the high places of the earth and made us sit together in hevenly places shewing forth the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and Harps I my self wil awake right early My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he that is mighty hath done for me great things and holy is his Name Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his People who hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David who hath laid help on one who is mighty and exalted one chosen among the People and hath given him for a Covenant to them Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name who hath redeemed thy life from death and crowned thee with loving kindness and tender mercies Salvation to our God that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and glory and honour and blessing for thou livedst and wast dead and art alive for evermore Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us Kings and Priests unto our God for ever Hallelujah Hallelujah FINIS