upon his heart and upon his shoulders This is that Jesus who is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 3. As our Lord and King A King shall reigne in righteousness in him shall the Gentiles trust Zach. 9.9 Shout O daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh Isa 9.6 The Government shall be on his shoulder God hath more care of his Saints than to leave the government of them on their own shoulder Is not her King in her He is a King to gather them a King to govern them a King to defend and save them to save them from their temporal enemies the sons of violence the men of this evil world from their spiritual enemies to save them from their sins Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 'T is a mercy to be under government under government and under protection What would become of us were there no King in Israel Where there 's no King all are kings more kings than men Sathan will be king every lust will be a lord as many kings as there are devils and sins Whither would our unruly hearts carry us How easily would our wily and potent enemies ruine us What tyrannie would sin exercise within What cruelty should we suffer from without Whither should we wander where should we fix What peace what order what stability Whence should counsel and protection and salvation come were there no Lord over us 'T is a mercy to be under government but to be under such a government under a king and such a King such a wise and potent King such a meek and merciful King such an holy and a righteous King O what a wonder of mercy Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an asses colt c. Zach. 9.9 He is just having salvation as a Priest he hath purchased as a King he bestows his salvation He comes not to get but to give not to give Lawes only but to give Gifts unto men and he gives like a King Palmes Crowns and Thrones salvation to his people by the remission of their sins Oh how unthankful oh how foolish is this rebellious world Impatient of subjection shake off the yoke groan under duty under discipline We will not have this man to rule over us Who then shall save you hard to be a Christian strict laws severe discipline no liberty Is this thy complaint that is wo is me I am so limited and hedg'd in on all hands that there 's no liberty left me to be miserable if I will be his I must be happy Let fools inherit their own folly but let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory the Lord of hosts yea the Lord our righteousness he is the King of glory The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us Praise ye the Lord. Come all ye Nimrods ye mighty hunters on the earth come all ye sons of Anak ye seed of the Giants come all ye sons of Belial ye seed of the Adulterer and of the whore come all ye Ishmaelites and Ammonites ye Moabites and Hagarenes associate confederate take counsel together smite with the tongue bite with the teeth push with the horn kick with the heel come all ye gates of hell and powers of darkness thou dragon with all thy armies with all thy fiery darts and instruments of death come thou king of terrors with thy fatal dart the Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised you all she hath laughed you to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at you her King is in the midst of her the Lord is her King he will save her 4. As our head and husband He that is given to be head over all things to the Church is given to be the head of the Church Eph. 1.22,23 and of every member in particular 1 Cor. 11.3 Believers are all joyned to the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 United in Christ as fellow members united unto Christ as their common head From which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Coloss 2.19 they are married to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband From this Union follows 1. A Communication of Influences 2. A Complication of Interests 1. A Communication of Influences Having nourishment ministred Christ our head is our fountain of life Our head is our heart also out of it are the Issues of life from him we live and are nourished and maintained in life He is our Joseph all the treasures of the holy Land are with him In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge Coloss 2.3 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Coloss 1.19 He is the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth Here note 1. What grace there is in Christ The Schools tell us that in him there is a three-fold grace 1. Gratia Unionis The Grace of Union The humane Nature of Christ hath received the high grace or favour to be personally united to the second person in the God-head by vertue of which Union the fulness of the Godhead is said to dwell in him bodily Bodily that is personally or substantially in opposition to the types and shaddows of the Old Testament in which God in a figure is said to dwell God is said to dwell in the Tabernacle in the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple but in these he dwelt onely as figures and shaddows of the humane nature of Christ In Christ he dwells not in a figure but personally and substantially As Christ Coloss 2.17 is called the Body in opposition to the types of old which were but the shaddow so bodily here notes not a figurative but a personal inhabitation Christ is the body not a shaddow and God dwells in him bodily that is substantially and not in a shaddow 2. Gratia Habitualis Habitual Grace All those moral perfections wherein stands the holiness of his nature The love and fear of God his humility meekness patience in summe his perfect conformity to the Image and whole Will of God Such an high Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 3. Gratia Capitis or that honour which is given to him to be head of the Church 2. How Christ is said to be full of grace there is a twofold fulness of grace 1. Ex parte ipsius gratiae In respect of grace it self thus he is said to be full of grace that hath all grace and
season but I shal stand in the lot at the end of the daies Dan. 12.13 It is well Lord thy word is enough Thy Bond is as good as ready payment The holy Ghost tells me that life and glory abide me Luk. 23.43 that look what day I loose from the body the same day I shal be landed in Paradise Amen It is as I would have it But this is not all When my body hath slept a short Nap in the dust Christ will call to it Come up hither Ah true Yoke-fellow it will be hard parting but welcome meeting I could not leave thee but to live with Christ Col. 3.4 But he will raise thee a glorious Temple and when he shal appear will bring me with himself in glory and then I shal re-enter thee as a Royal Mansion wherein I shal abide with the Lord for ever For as we have served our Redeemer together so we must be glorified together with him And when the Lord hath married us both together again then will he marry us both unto himself For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shal stand at the last day over the Earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shal see God Whom I shal see for my self and mine eyes shal behold and not another though my Reines be consumed within me My Lord hath already told me how it shall be He hath set down the time and shewed me the Robes of immortality and the Crown of life that I must put on and the Throne of glory and the Seat of judgement that I must sit in He hath told me the manner in which I shal be presented to him and espoused by him He hath told me where he will set me and what he will say to me and how he will acknowledge my mean services and remember what I have forgotten Mat 25.35,37 how he will praise the works that I have been ashamed of and reward me openly for what I have buried in secrecy Mat. 6.4 and not forget the poorest Almes that I have given for his Name Then will he confess me before his Father and before the Angels of God Thus saith the true and faithful witness and we know that his Testimony is true 1 Joh. 5.10 Ah my Soul see that thou make not God a Lyar. O my God I have believed thy report and do look for all these things according to thy Promise I know thou intendest me but for a very little while for this lower Region This world is but the house of my Pilgrimage and my soul now is but like a Bird in the shel but when the shel is crackt then shal she take wings like a Dove and soar aloft to thee and flee away and be at rest Yet I doubt not thy care for my despicable dust I know that nothing will be lost Joh. 6.39 I know not where they will lay me but thy wakeful eye observeth and will not be to seeking at what door to knock nor at what grave to call for me I believe and am sure that I shal come a glorious piece out of thy hands fair as the Moon clear as the Sun crowned with honour and glory And when my Absolution is read and sentence past upon the world then must I be taken up to dwell with thee Let not my Lord be angry that thy dust and ashes speaketh thus unto thee Thou Lord hast raised my expectations and haste made me to look for all these great things from thee In vain haste thou written all these things unto me if I should not believe them and a distrustful diffidence would put a high dishonour upon thy Truth O Lord it repenteth me it repenteth me of my jealousies and my doubtful thoughts about thee I know thou lovest an humble confidence and delightest in nothing more then to see thy children trust thee I know the building of my hopes lies not an hairs breadth over the foundation of thy Promises yea 't is sure my expectations are infinitely short of what I shal find Joh. 3.33 Eph. 2.20 Mat 7.25 Psal 39.7 O my God my heart trusteth safely in thee and I here set to my seal that thou art true Christ is my Bottom in which I venture and the Corner-stone on which I build and therefore my fraught is ensured and my building shall challenge the winds and floods And now O Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee O my blessedness let me enjoy thee O my life let me possess thee O desire of mine eyes let me see thy face and hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is comely I ask but what thou hast promised Matth. 5.8 for thou hast told me that I shall see God and thou wilt speak to me mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of God shall I behold 1 Cor. 13.9 â—0 So shall my knowledge be perfected and I shall see the inaccessible light and my tender eye shall not water nor my sight dazle but I shall with open face look stedfastly on the Son of Righteousness and behold his glory Then shall Faith be turned into fruition and Hope into Possession and Love shall arise like the full Moon in her brightness and never wax nor wane more O thou God of my hopes I look for a new body and a new soul for new Heavens and for a new Earth according to thy promise when my whole soul shall be wholly taken up with thee and all mine affections strained to the highest Peg and all the Wheels of my raised powers set in most vigorous and perpetual motion towards thee still letting in and still laying out and thus shall there be an everlasting communication of joy and glory from thee and of love and praise from me O my soul thou art rich indeed and increased in goods Thou hast no reason to envy the glory nor grandeur of the mightiest on earth Psa 49.14,17 For their glory shall not descend after them like Sheep shall they be laid in their graves and Death shall feed upon them and there 's an eternal end of all their pomp and excellency But my Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome My Robes shall never wear my Crown shall never totter my Throne shall never be vacant My Bread shall never mold my Garland shall never wither my House shall never moulder my Wine shall never sowre but everlasting joy shall be upon my head and sorrow and sighing shall flie away O my God how happy hast thou made me It is better then I could have wished Thou hast done all things well Thou hast setled them for ever The whole Earth cannot shew any such heritage or Tenure The world can state out her possessions but for years nor can she make a good title for that neither But mine Inheritance is for ever and none can put me out of possession The thing is
HEAVEN OPENED OR A Brief and plain DISCOVERY OF THE RICHES OF Gods Covenant OF GRACE By R. A. London Printed Anno Dom. 1665. To The Reader Reader THe Providence of God hath led mee on to the publication of the ensuing Treatise much beyond my first intentions There came to my hands A Synopsis of the Covenant of Grace on Gods part with a Soliloquie annexed both penned by the worthy Authour of that form of Mans Covenanting with God inserted in my Vindiciae Pietatis attended with the Authours desires and of divers other Christians that this also might bee incorporated into the same book These desires neither being able to resist nor willing to deny I prepared some meditations to bee premised with a purpose to have put forth another Edition of that Book with this addition but finding it to grow into too great a bulk to bee there incerted both this on Gods part and the former on mans part come into thy hands in this distinct Treatise followed with my Prayers that the good Land whereof some Clusters are here presented to thee may be thine Inheritance See and take Thine because the Lords Covenant servant R. A. July 8. 1665. The Contents THe Introduction pag. 1 Chap. 1 God himself granted in the Covenant p. 3 To bee our Friend Portion Sun Shield Chap. 2. Christ in the Covenant 22 As The Light of life The Lord our righteousness Our Lord and King Our head and Husband Chap. 3. The Spirit in the Covenant 35 As a Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation Holiness and Sanctification Truth and Direction Comfort and Consolation Chap. 4 The earth in the Covenant 51 The good things of the Earth The evil things of the Earth 1. The Covenant hath its Cross 2. By vertue of the Convenant the Cross is a blessing The Blessing of the Cross stands 1. In its being separated from the earth 2. In its being sanctified to its ends 3. In its being proportioned to our needs and strength 4. In the special comforts annexed to it Chap. 5. The Angels of light in the Covenant 74 Chap. 6. The powers of darkness delivered over in the Covenant 78 Chap. 7. Death in the Covenant p. 84 Chap. 8. The Kingdome in the Covenant 87 Chap. 9. All the means of salvation in the Covenant 88 1. External means 2. Internal means In special a new heart Chap. 10. An heart to know the Lord. 96 Chap. 11. One heart 114 Chap. 12. An heart of flesh 141 Chap. 13. An heart to love the Lord. 166 Chap. 14. An heart to fear the Lord. 193 Chap. 15 An Obedient heart 221 Chap. 16. Perseverance in the Covenant 249 Chap. 17. A Synopsis of the Covenant of Grace on Gods part by another hand 262 Chap 18. A Soliloquie representing the Believers Tryumph in Gods Covenant and the various conflicts and glorious conquests of faith over unbelief 316 Chap. 19. An exhortation to sinners with directions for their entring into Covenant 342 Chap. 20. A form of words expressing mans covenanting with God 365 Chap. 21. An Exhortation to the Saints 369 Heaven Opened OR A brief and plain discovery of the Riches of Gods Covenant of GRACE The Introduction GOod news from Heaven the day-spring from on high hath visited this undone world after a Deluge of sin and misery behold the bow in the Cloud the Lord God hath made and established a new Covenant and this is it that hath cast the first beam on the dark state of lost and fallen man and hath brought life and immortality to light This Covenant is the hope of Sinners The riches of Saints the Magna Charta of the City of God The forfeited Lease of eternity renewed Gods Deed of Gift wherein hee hath on fair conditions granted sinners their lives and settled upon his Saints an everlasting Inheritance Hear O yee forlorn Captives who have sold your selves to eternal bondage spoiled your selves of all your glory sealed your selves up under everlasting misery you are dead in your sins guilty before God under wrath under a curse bound over to eternal vengeance But behold there is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing the Lord God hath taken compassion upon you hath opened a way for you to escape out of all this misery and bondage Lift up the hands that hang down comfort the trembling knees An Ark an Ark hath God prepared in which is salvation from the Flood A Covenant a new Covenant hath hee made and established which if you lay hold on it will recover all you have lost ransome you from death redeem you from Hell and advance you to a more sure and blessed condition than your original state from which you have fallen This is the hope of sinners This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Glorious tydings good news indeed but what is this Covenant or what is there that is given and granted therein Why in summe there 's all that Heaven and earth can afford all that can bee needed or desired and this by a firm and irrevokable Deed made over and made sure to all that will sincerely embrace it Particularly God hath in his Covenant granted and made over 1. Himself 2. His Son 3. His Spirit 4. The Earth 5. The Angels of Light 6. The Powers of Darkness 7. Death 8. The Kingdome 9. All the means of Salvation CHAP. I. God in the Covenant 1. THe Lord God hath made over himself in this Covenant That 's the great and comprehensive promise Jer. 31.33 I will be their God I am God and what I am 't is all theirs my self my glorious incomprehensible essence all my glorious attributes my omnipotence my omniscience my wisdome my righteousness my holiness mine all-sufficiency my faithfulness c. I will make over my self to them to be henceforth and for ever theirs Their Friend Portion Sun Shield 1. Their Friend I was angry but mine anger is turned away I was an adversary I had a controversie with them but I am reconciled I have found a ransome the quarrel is composed my wrath is appeased I am friends with them I will forgive their iniquity and their sin will I remember no more I will take away their iniquity and receive them graciously I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them Jer. 31.34 Hos 14.4 Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Fury is not now in me favour and friendship love and good will is all they may henceforth expect from me Sinners what is there to be feared what is there dreadful but an angry provoked God Thence is sorrow and anguish thence is famine and pestilence and sword thence is death and hell he doth not know what the wrath of God means that doth not see in the bowels of it all the plagues above ground and all the vengeance of eternal fire Whatever terrors or torments have seized upon thee upon thy body upon thy soul whatever losses crosses
get it Why have recourse to the Covenant there it lies for thee But how shall I get it thence why hath the Lord promised to give it thee take the word from his mouth and put it into thine own turn the word of promise into a prayer Doth he say I will give let thy soul answer give Lord give me this new heart I am weary Lord and thou art weary also of this wicked heart at once ease thy self and me Take away this and give me a better heart Turn the word of promise into a prayer and then turn the word of Prayer into a word of Faith He says I will give let thy Faith say thou wilt give I shall have it since thou hast said thy servant also may boldly say Thou wilt do it Thou wilt give me a better heart Farewell my old sins lusts and companions farewell mine old pleasures and ways now for heaven in earnest now welcome the strait gate the new and living way Old things are past away all things shall become new Turn the word of promise into a prayer turn thy prayer into a word of Faith and God will turn the word of Faith into a word of Command Bee it according to thy word Let there be a new light let there bee a new law let there bee a new power let there no more bee a spirit of fear in this heart but a spirit of power of love and of a sound mind And as when he said in the creation of the great world Let there bee light let there bee a Firmament let there bee a Sun and Moon It was so so when he shall say in the new creation of this little world let there bee light let there bee love let there bee power let us again make man in our image after our own likeness It shall be so The Lord hath said I will let thy Prayer say Do it Lord let thy Faith say thou wilt do it and God will say Amen so be it CHAP. X. An heart to know the Lord. 2. AN heart to know the Lord Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me The knowledge of God is the first excellency of the new heart As in the old so in the new creation as was said before the first word is let there bee light There is not so glorious a preheminence of day above night as of the knowledge above the ignorance of God As the Firmament without a Sun as the body without an eye so is the soul without knowledge What this knowledge of God here promised is will appear if wee consider It s Object Act. 1. The Object of this Knowledge is God not only the Nature or being of God manifested in his Essential Perfections his Glorious Attributes his Infiniteness Eternity Omnipotency c. In his Personal Relations the Subsistences in the Godhead but God in Christ God in Covenant yea the whole Minde and Will of God all that which God hath revealed to us as our Duty or Happinesse God known in the heart is the whole Bible opened The Law opened the Gospel opened Duties Comforts Priviledges made manifest Christ opened in his Sufferings in his Satisfaction in his Spirit in all the Riches of his Glory the whole mystery of Godliness revealed The Heart opened man made known to himself all the depths of the heart all the deceits of the heart all the faculties and powers of the heart with their motions operations inclinations the rectitude or obliquities of them Heaven opened the Crown the Kingdome known everlasting rest glory honour immortality brought to light Hell opened sin known the devil known wrath temptations the curse eternal fire known All this even all that God is and all that hee hath revealed in his Word and Works are the object of this Knowledge of God 2. The Act. To know is to apprehend or understand God and the things of God Jer. 9.24 Let him that glorieth glory in this that hee understandeth and knoweth mee Ephes 3.18,19 That yee may comprehend with all Saints what is the heighth and length and breadth and depth that yee may know the love of Christ This apprehension of God doth not barely note our having received some natural or metaphysical Notions of God and the Truths that are in him But farther it notes 1. An Approbation of him an approving or liking the things that are excellent Phil. 1.9,10 That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and in all Judgement that yee may approve the things that are excellent 2. Appropriation The knowing of God as a reconciled God a God and a God to mee good and good to mee wise and wise for mee My Lord and my God To know God in Christ reconciled through Christ propitious through Christ this is saving knowledge To know and not possess to see and not eat to know an angry God a wrathful God a God lost to know goodness mercy loving-kindness compassion alsufficiency and to have the heart recurre what is this to thee this is none of thine the damned thus know and dye 3 Affection As Psal 9.10 Those that know thy Name shall trust in thee So those that know thy Name will love thee and fear thee and rejoyce in thee and bless thy Name to know and hate God to know and contemn God to know and fly from God to know and Blaspheme and curse God the Devils thus know and tremble But especially that which distinguishes this saving from common knowledge is Its Power Savour 1. It s Power the Knowledge of God is mighty my preaching was not weak but mighty in you 2 Cor. 13. It hath A Transforming A Fructifying Power 1. A Transforming Power 2 Cor. 3.18 Wee all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image Rom. 12.2 Bee yee not conformed to this present world but bee yee transformed by the renewing of your mindes by the renewing of your mindes the renovation of the minde both is this change and works it farther upon the whole soul this new light is the new creature old things pass away all things become new where the minde is savingly enlightned God known in the soul is God united to the soul Christ revealed in the heart is Christ formed upon the heart there 's life in this light it is no other than the light of life The Knowledge of God comprehends in it and is involved in and Spirits and animates every grace and duty as the same soul in the eye sees in the ear hears in the palate tastes as the same juyce which is in the Olive fatness in the Fig-Tree sweetness in the Oake strength in the Rose fragrancy in the Lillie beauty So the same grace which in the minde is light in the heart is love holy desire holy fear holy joy and one says that as feeling is inseparable to all the Organs of sense the eye feels and sees the ear feels and hears the palate feels and tastes
wander or stay sway from Christ 1. There 's that within them which will bring them back the grace of God within them will bring them home The grace of God is now their nature Sinners whilest walking with Christ and Saints whilest wandring from Christ are both under a force they are carried against the stream when the winds are down that carried them on they will return to their course The grace of God is the seed of God He that is born of God sinneth not that is not unto death the seed of God remaineth in him Thy seed of God is immortal seed it may languish and be ready to dye but it shall not dye it shall recover 2. There 's one above them which will bring them back Though he suffer them for a time to wander from the way yet he will not suffer them to perish from the way Of those whom thou hast given me I have lost none He hath lost none and he will lose none He sends a word of command after them Jer. 3.14 Return O lack sliding children for I am married to you Whither are you running Whom are you following after Come back from your Lovers return to your Husband I am married to you and we may not part After the word of Command he sends a word of Promise ver 22. I will heal your back-slidings Return from your back-slidings and I will heal them I will forgive your back-slidings and I wil cure you of your back sliding heart All the Breaches they have made shall be made up I will pass by all that you have done and be reconciled to you If you will return return and I will receive you And this word of Promise is a word of Power I will bring you to Zion then shall she say I will go and return to my first Husband Hos 2. Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Jer. 3.22 He that will not leave his Israel after the flesh with their Idols much less will he leave his Israel after the Spirit Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good work will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ A good work may be said to be begun in double sence 1. When there is some good think a doing Or when something is done towards it when it is in fieri When the Lord hath been ploughing up the fallow ground making his Batteries against the strong Hold shaking secure hearts breaking false hopes awakening Consciences convincing sinners spreading sin and death and hell before them entring upon a Treaty with them and perswading them over to Christ to make an escape There may be hopes in this The pains of Travel gives hopes of a Birth But this may go back and after the highest hopes prove an abortion Sinners awakened sinners beware you make not a stand at the Threshold beware that your Plough'd ground be not left to lye fallow Beware that the Womb prove not the Grave of all your hopes Mistake not Conviction for Conversion make on let not your God nor your souls lose the things which here been wrought 2. When there is some good thing done When 't is in facto esse When the Rubbish is removed and the first stone is laid when the Plough hath been going and the good Seed is sown when the New-creature hath passed the Birth when Christ is formed and the light of life is newly sprung up in the soul it there be but a grain of Mustard-seed the least and the lowest degree of saving Grace broken forth in the heart the question is not whether it be much or little if it be grace there 's the immortal seed there 's the good work begun which shall be carried on till the day of Jesus Christ Grace is a security for Glory Yet beware Christians let not this security make you secure though there be an Harvest in the seed yet the seed must be cherished watched and well looked to that it may grow up to the Harvest He that lets it dye for want of looking to proves that it was dead whilest alive Let not your falling short of Glory prove that your Grace was not Grace Christians lay hold on the Promise and lift up your heads you are under fears however it be with you for the present you are in doubt how it may be your way is long and dangerous yet your hearts are deceitful and unstable you are going on at present but doubt how you shall hold out I may meet with Lions in the way which may fright me back I may lose my way and never recover I may be weary and faint in the way and lye down and give off My Lord and my soul have been often upon the parting point I have been almost gone and I tremble to think what may yet become of me Yet remember who it is that hath said I will not turn from you to do you good I will put my fear in your hearts and you shall not depart from me Rise soul take care for to day and take no thought for to morrow Mind the present duty go on thy way though weeping and trembling and hard bestead go on thy way and then commit thy way and thy self to him by whose mighty Power thou shalt be kept through faith unto salvation Faithful is he that hath called you and will do it And now you have all Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter God hath made a Covenant with his people hath given himself for their Portion his Son for their price his Spirit for their guide in the way his Earth for their accommodation by the way his Angels for their Guard the Powers of darkness and death for their Spoils everlasting Glory for their Crown And because their way is difficult and their work is contrary to them he hath given them all that grace that is necessary to bring them to Glory In General a new heart in all things suited to their way and throughly furnished for every good work In Particular Knowledge to guide oneness to fix and intend tenderness to submit ro and yeeld love to constrain and bring on fear to fence and hold in obedience to perform and bring forth and perseverance to go through and hold out to the end and there grace and glory meet This is the Covenant of grace this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you It will be said But if God hath undertaken all this for us what is there then left on us to do Here 's a Doctrine according to sinners hearts if this be Gospel then soul take thine ease take thy liberty cast away care make much of thy body God will take care of the rest But is there nothing required of us Let the Scriptures speak Ezek. 36.37 Yet for all this will I be enquired of or sought unto by the house of Israel otherwise let them look for no such things He that will not ask in
mine own I have the Promises of this life and of that which is to come Oh what can I wish more How full a Charter is here Now my doubting Soul may boldly and believingly say with Thomas 1 Tim. 4.8 My Lord and my God! What need we any further witness We have heard his words He hath sworn by his Holiness that his Decree may not be changed and hath signed it with his own Signet Rejoyce ye Heavens strike up Celestial Quires Help Heaven and Earth Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his Bless the Lord O my Soul Oh had I the tongue of men and Angels all were too little for my single turn Had I as many tongues as hairs the whole Quire were not sufficient to utter my Creators praises Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am His. The Grant is clear and my claim is firm Who durst deny it when God himself doth own it Is it an hard adventure to speak after Christ himself Why this is the Message that he hath sent me I ascend to my Father and your Father Joh. 20.17 my God and your God He hath put words into my mouth and bid me to say OUR FATHER I believe Lord help mine unbelief O my God and my Father I accept thee with all humble thankfulness and am bold to take hold of thee O my King and my God I subject my soul and all its Powers to thee O my Glory in thee will I boast all the day Oh my Rock on thee will I build all my confidence and my hopes Cant. 2.3 O staff of my life and strength of my heart the life of my joyes and joy of my life I will sit and sing under thy shadow and glory in thy holy Name O my Soul arise and take possession Inherit thy blessedness and cast up thy riches Thine is the Kingdome thine is the Glory and thine is the Victory The whole Trinity is thine All the Persons in the Godhead all the Attributes in the Godhead are thine And behold here is the Evidence and these are the writings by which all is made sure to thee for ever Psal 116.7 Psal 16.6 And now return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Say if thy Lines be not fallen to thee in a pleasant place and if this be not a goodly Heritage She quelleth Discontent and reasoneth down unbelief in Sequentib Oh Blasphemous Discontent How absurd and unreasonable an evill art thou whom all the fulness of the Godhead cannot satisfie because thou art denyed in a petty comfort or crost in thy vain expectations from the world O my unthankful Soul shall not a Trinity content thee Shall not Allsufficiency suffice thee Silence you murmuring thoughts for ever I have enough I abound and am full Infiniteness and Eternity is mine and what more can I ask The Assaults of unbelief 1. It questions the truth of the Promise But methinks I feel some secret Damps upon my joy and when I would soar aloft and triumph in the riches of my Portion a secret diffidence plucks me back as the string doth the Bird and unbelief whispers in mine ear Sure this is too good to be true The Triumph of Faith in the certainty of Gods Truth But who art thou that disputest against God The Lord hath spoken it and shall not I believe him Will he be angry if I give my assent and speak it confidently upon the credit of his word Esay 54.5 Hos 2.19 Jer. 3.19 Psal 50.7 2 Cor. 6.18 O my Lord suffer me to spread the writing before thee Hast not thou said Thy Maker is thy Husband I will betroth thee unto me Thou shalt call me My Father I pray thee O Lord was not this thy saying I am God even thy God I will be a Father unto you and ye my Sons and Daughters Why then should I doubt Is not the truth of the living God sure-footing for my faith Esay 31.3 Prov. 23.5 Silence then O quarrelling Unbelief I know in whom I have believed Not in Friends though numerous and potent for they are men and not God Psal 146.3,4 Not in Riches for they make themselves wings Not in Princes for their breath is in their Nostrils But let God be true and every man a Lyar. In God have I put my trust in his word do I hope Matt. 7.25 2 Tim. 2.19 Oh sure word Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot nor tittle of this I have not built upon the sand of mortality Let the rain descend and the floods come and the winds blow nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure His everlasting Counsel and everlasting Covenant are my stay I am built upon his Promises and let Hell and Earth do their worst to blow up this Foundation Now shall my Faith triumph and my heart be glad and my glory rejoyce 1 Kin. 18.39 Heb. 11.16 I will shout with the exulting Multitude The Lord he is the God and he is not ashamed to be called My God He is not ashamed of my Raggs nor Poverty of my Parrentage not Pedigree and since his infinite condescention will own me will he take it ill if I own him 1 Cor. 1.29,31 Though I have nothing of my own to glory in unless I should glory in my shame yet I will glory in the Lord and bless my self in him Deut. 33.26 For who is like unto the God of Jeshurun Bring forth your gods O ye Nations Lift up now your eyes and behold who hath created all these things Can any do for their Favourites as the Lord can Or if he be angry who is that God that shal deliver out of his hands Will you set Dagon before the Ark Or shal Mammon contend with the Holy One O ambitious Haman where is now thine Idol-honour O rich Glutton that madest a god of Pleasure where is now the god whom thou hast served O sensual worldling that knewest not where nor how to bestow thy Goods Do riches profit thee Could Mammon save thee Deceived souls Go now to the gods that you have chosen Alas they cannot for ever administer a drop of water to cool your tongues Jer. 10.16 Psa 90.2 But the Portion of Jacob is not like them From everlasting to everlasting he is God His Power is my confidence his Goodness is my maintenance his Truth is my shield and my buckler 2. It confounds the soul with amazing Greatness and difficulty of the things But my clamourous unbelief hath many wiles and afresh assaults me with the difficulty of the things promised and labours to nonplus and confound me with their amazing greatness The Triumph of Faith in Gods Omnipotency and Veracity But why should I stagger at the Promise through unbelief robbing at once my Master of his glory and my soul of her comfort It is my great sin to doubt and dispute and yet
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