to think of the back parts of Christ and wait for a time to come behind him in a throng that they may not be seen to touch the hem of his garment You know when a pump is drie men use to fetch a Bucket of water and pour it into the dry pump and then they fall to pumping and by vertue of the water poured in there comes more water up and by continual pumping they fetch out abundance So our hearts many times are dry there is no sap no moisture no life the vertues of Christ must first be poured in before you can get any thing out Wherefore stand we labouring and tugging in vain O stay no longer go to Christ it is he that must break thy rocky heart in a word we must consider Christ as freely given us by the Father before we can believe the life of grace This Doctrine speaks out with open mouth the exceeding freeness and riches of Gods grace as will appear if we consider 1. That God is first in seeking after us to draw us into Covenant with himself we seek not him but he seeks us we chuse not him but he chuseth us we wait not on him he waits to be gracious to us we beseech not him he doth beseech us to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. John 15. 16. and 1 Joh. 4. 19. So that he is found of them that seek not after him because he first reveals and offers himself in mercy to us Isa 65. 1. 2. Consider the time wherein the Lord doth seek to us and take us by the hand to bring us into Covenant with him and then we shall find that when we are most averse and backward and have least thought of seeking after him then it is that he seeks us thus the Lord called Saul when he was persecuting raging and breathing out slaughter against the Lord and against his Saints then the Lord takes him by the hand and enters into Covenant with him Acts 9. and so it was with those mockers Acts 2. 13 37. Here were no dispositions and preparations on their part but free and unexpected grace from God 3. Compare those that are taken into Covenant with those that are left out for all are not taken in Ephes 2. 12. And this also will make it manifest it is Free grace by which any are taken in Rom. 3. 22 23. We have all sinned and there is no difference no reason therefore in us why one is taken into Covenant and not another but only free grace in God God owes nothing to any man he may truly say to all I do thee no wrong Mat. 20. 13. Thou hast as much as I owe thee So then it must needs be free grace to those that are taken in apply John 14. 21. Mat. 11. 5 25. Nay sometimes God chuseth the worst and takes in the most unworthy and leaves those that are better then they viz. Paul a chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Publicans and Harlots Mat. 21. Mary Magdalen possest with seven Devils these were taken in and the righteous generation as they were reputed which justified themselves and were justified by others were left and passed by The reasons why the Lord would have his Covenant to stand upon this foundation of free grace are these 1. To be a ground of hope to such as see themselves unworthy of acceptance with God if the grace of the Covenant were not free such unworthy ones could have no hope 2. It is the glory of grace to be freely communicated Isa 55. 1. Come and buy without mony it darkens the glory of grace to have it bestowed upon worthy ones Be it known unto you saith the Lord not for your sakes I bestow this but for my own names sake 3. That vain man may not boast 4. That our mercies and blessings may be sure to us Rom. 4. 16. Our salvation is by grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed implying thereby that if it depended never so little upon works we could not be so sure of it Oh the rich mercy the great love exceeding riches of his grace great goodness tender love great mercy multitude of loving kindnesses Oh then not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the praise it is enough for us that we have life let grace alone have all the praise and glory and let every one that readeth these lines endeavour to imitate this free grace of God which is shewed to us First Loving the Lord not for his gifts and rewards but with a free love as he hath loved us and serving him with a free spirit and a willing mind Secondly Let us be free in doing good unto all men even to such as have deserved nothing though they be aliens and strangers and such as we never hope to receive any good from yet freely to do them good even where we look for nothing again as God hath done to us Luke 14. 12 14. 10. As this Covenant and grace is free so it is sure and certain to be performed it cannot it will not fail those that rest upon it The Covenant and promise of grace are built upon the unchangable purpose of God which is a foundation remaining sure and cannot be shaken 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Tit. 1. 2. The Lord is said to have promised eternal life before the world began So then it is free and it is sure and the freeness of it doth prove the sureness of it it is free that it might be sure so here it is sure because it is free nothing can hinder free grace from giving eternal life to whom it will So that the accomplishment will every way answer their expectation and hope thus said David 2. Sam. 23. 5. God hath made with me a Covenant perfect in all points and sure and in Isa 55. 3. The promises of the Covenant are called the sure mercies of David the promises of free grace are not yea and nay various and uncertain but they are Yea and Amen sure to be fulfilled there shall not fail so much as one word of all that good which God hath promised to do for his people See Joshua 21. 45. and 23 14. and 1 King 18. 56. The stability of grace is compared to the firmness and unmoveableness of the mighty mountains Isa 54. 19 And to the unvariable course of the day and night Jer. 33. 20. So that it is as eaâ—e yea more easie for the mountains to remove out of their places and the course of day and night to cease as for the Covenant of grace to fail God hath given us many pledges to assure us of the certainty of it 1. His word is gone out of his mouth he cannot alter it Psal 89. 2. He hath written it to make it more sure and what he hath written is written never to be bloted out
That he would suffer and satisfie personally and perfectly for the sins of men Luke 24. 46. Hos 13. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 5. That he would bring himself and all those given him by his Father unto glory Heb. 10. 14. Joh. 14. 4 9. Iohn 10. 18. The word of God doth contain the Articles of this Covenant those that desire further satisfaction search the Scriptures wherein you shall find that Christ did willingly undertake this work Heb. 10. 7 9. and did faithfully discharge it Heb. 10. 5 6 7 c. so our reconciliation was wrought by the Son Isa 61. 1. Iohn 1. 3. Iohn 5. 36 37. Col. 1. 16 17. Hebr. 1. 3. Iohn 5. 17. 3. 17. and sealed by the Holy-Ghost Ephes 1. 13. 4. 30. The third thing to be enquired into is when this Covenant was made with us THere be three set times wherein God may be said to make this Covenant viz. 1. Immediately after the fall of Adam Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head these few words comprehended the sum of all Law and Gospel and the Covenant therein contained Tit. 1. 2. in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called us with an holy câ—lling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began 2. This Covenant in a sense may be said to be made with us at the death of Christ because thereby all the benefits were merited and procured for us so this Covenant came to be confirmed by the death of the Testator Heb. 9. 16 17 18. Hence his blood is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 11. 20. And the blood of the New Testament Mat. 26. 28. 3. This Covenant may be said to be made with us when God doth confirm upon us the benefits which are therein promised which are many I will instance but in three 1. There is the matter and blessing of the Covenant on Gods part in these words I will be their God and they shall be my people Ier. 31. 33. 2. In this Covenant Christ doth first give us grace imputed and then grace inherit all the benefits of the Covenant are the fruits and effects of Christs death 3. There is also the promise that God will work out the manifestation by which man shall see his interest in this Covenant and his right and title to all the blessings thereof Now if we would yet farther know when this Covenant was made with Christ for us let us weigh that text Ephes 1. 4. We are chosen in him before the foundation of the world Now if Election be before the foundation of the world sure it is then also by the same ground the Covenant or promise was made before the foundation of the world for the word doth prove the one as well as the other these promises were made first to Christ on our behalf before they are made to us because the whole work of our redemption and salvation was transacted between the Father and the Son before the foundation of the world and is afterwards revealed to us in due time as is evident Tit. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 19. The fourth thing to be enquired into is whether there be any conditions of this Covenant on our part and if so what those conditions are WHat this Covenant is with whom it was made and when it was made hath been laid down before now it follows in order to examine whether there be any conditions on our part and for answer unto which let me give my judgement viz. In this Covenant the Lord doth bequeath grace and glory on no other condition but the death of the Testator that is Christ Jesus as the first Covenant was built upon the righteousness of the first Adam So the second is built upon the righteousness of the second Adam and it will plainly appear in this Covenant of grace that there is no condition on our part to entitle us to the blessing of it it is true to our head Christ this Covenant was conditionall though to us it is free to him it was a Covenant of works hence Christ is called the Mediator Witness and Surety of this new Covenant and that this Covenant is without conditions on our part will appear more fully by these ensuing reasons 1. Because a Covenant of free grace cannot stand with conditions for if it had conditions it would not be of grace for grace is not grace if it be not every way free Rom. 11. 6. and if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace c. 2. Because to give a thing freely and condiotinally are contradictions and to say there is conditions as to us is to ecclipse the grace of God and to open a door for vain man to boast So that the whole glory of our justificâ—tion and salvation ought to be given to the grace of God and to the merits of Christ If either of them did depend and were obtained by works and conditions performed by us it would not be of grace 3. Because that justification by grace without conditions on our part is the life and soul of the Gospel Galatians 1. 6 7. I marvell that you are moved from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there be some that would pervert the Gospel how can there be another Gospel and yet not another Gospel First it is not another because it is not possible there should be two Gospels yet another Gospel because men did turn it aside in point of justification 4. Because if any qualification or grace in us be a condition Faith must needs be the condition or one of the conditions but if faith should be the condition of the Covenant of grace then it differeth nothing from the Covenant of works for it is as hard a thing for a man to believe as it is to keep the whole Law Again Faith cannot be the condition of the Covenant because we obtain it by the same means we obtain all other good things else to wit by the righteousness of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 1. Ephes 1. 3. Rom. 8. 32. Ezek. 36. 25. Jer. 31. 31 34. Again Faith and repentance justification and sanctification are things purchased by Christ for us and freely given to us and are the effects and consequences of the Covenant as doth appear Ezek. 36. 27. Jer. 32. 38 39 40. Hos 2. 18 19 20. It is true Faith and repentance are means of our enjoying the comforts of the Covenant but not the conditions flowing out of the nature of the Covenant for every means is not a condition though every condition be a means so that we are not justified by faith as the condition of the Covenant but organically and instrumentall So that all the blessings
3. 1 Chron. 29. 12. 1. This puts the Soul upon speaking good of his name to others Psal 40. 9 10. 2. It puts the Soul upon resolving to bestow all for his honour and service 1 Chron. 29. 2 3. This praising of God must be with a single not with a double heart Psal 145. 18. This must be done in the best manner suting his several properties with their due Praises according to the nature of the present blessing Exodus 15. 2 3. Psalm 144. 1 2. This praise must be continually as long as we live as long as his mercy endureth and our lifelasteth Psal 146. 2. 1 Thes 5. 18. It is a good comely and pleasant thing to praise the Lord Psal 147. 1. It is his will thus to be honored 1 Thes 5. 18. It is a duty of Saints and Angels both here and hereafter Luke 2. 13 14. It fits the heart for other graces and provokes the Lord to fresh mercies That we may set about this work in good earnest dwell much upon these things following 1. Seriously consider what great things God hath done for us 1 Sam 12. 24. 2. Rest content with thy allowance and estate wherein he hath set thee Phil. 4. 11. 3. Often compare thy estate with others of Gods Saints who want many things that we enjoy and feel many Sorrows which we fear not Psal 147. 20. 4. Be faithful in all talents and fruitfull in all graces and this will be a great means to make us praise God for all his mercies Mat. 25. 13. Phil. 1. 11. That Singing of Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs is a Gospel-command which ought to be performed unto the Lord and practised in and by the Church of Christ and by every particular believer as occasion requires by singing I understand a lifting up of the voice with joy see 1 Chron. 15. 16. Isa 51. 3. 52. 8 9. and by singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs a praising of God by lifting up of the voice Psal 51. 14. Psal 8P 1. Psal 105. 2 3. By Psalms I understand the Psalms of David or such as are contained in the book of Psalms By Hymns I understand Songs of praise unto God Mat. 26. 30. Mark 14. 26. Col. 3. 16. By spiritual Songs I understand such songs the matter whereof is divine and Spiritual and heavenly Rev. 15. 3. these spiritual Songs are mentioned also in Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. and were framed at first by the immediate motion and inspiration of the Spirit of God upon some special and extraordinary occasion that singing is a Gospel-command or one principal part of Evangelical Gospel worship is proved from Pauls injunction thereof unto the Churches Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. James likewise doth urge the practise of it by way of command Jam. 5. 13. and we have the example also of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles Mat. 26. 30. Mar. 14. 26. and of the Apostles Paul and Silas Acts 16. 25. That it ought to be practised in the Church I mean the Assembly of the Saints is evident from that Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Where the Apostle exhorts the Church of Ephesus to speak to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs and the Church at Coloss that they teach and admonish one another in Psalms Himns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in their hearts unto the Lord which were altogether impossible to be done if this ordinance or command of the Lord Jesus was not to be practised in the Church and I find the Prophet David exciting and stirring up the Saints to the practise of this so heavenly an exercise Psal 30. 4. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness and Psalm 145. 5. Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds and withall I find several Gospel prophecies which seem to point out the mutual and joint performance of this duty as â—sa 52. 8. thy watch men shall lift up the voice with the voice together shall they sing and Psal 132. 16. I will also cloath her priests with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy and it was prophecied of our Saviour Christ saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee Heb. 2. 12. Isa 35. 10. Jer. 31. 12. therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord c. That it ought to be practised by every believer as occasion requires and as the Spirit is drawn forth thereunto is very evident from Jam. 5. 13. 1 Cor. 14. 15. That the Psalms of David ought to be sung will appear by these reasons 1. Because I find no other Psalms mentioned in the Scriptures then the Psalms of David and such as are contained in that book of Psalms 2. Because where there is mention of Psalms in the new Testament either by Christ or his Apostles I find that they refer or relate to the Psalms of David or that book of Psalms as may be collected from these among other Scriptures Luke 20. 42. Luke 24. 44. Acts 1. 20. Acts 13. 33 35. 3. Because I find contained in the Book of Psalms variety of excellent spiritual and heavenly matter which upon all occasions may draw forth the souls of the Saints in this way of a holy rejoycing before the Lord. That our Singing ought to be performed with a cheerfull heart and that they only ought to sing whose hearts the Lord hath made glad the Scriptures do evidently declare It s said in 2 Chron 29. 30. That the Levites sang praises with gladness Jer. 31. 7. Sing with gladness for Jacob Isa 65. 14. Behold my Servants shall sing for joy of heart And it is the express rule of the Apostle James Is any merry let him sing Psalms How shall we sing the Lords Song in a strange Land said the captive Jews who were required to sing when they were weeping by the rivers of Babylon and their Spirits overwhelmed with grief Psal 137. 1 2 3 4. That our singing ought to be with grace in the heart is evident from Col. 3. 16. that is I conceive either with a heart full of the sense of Gods pardoning and justifying grace or as it is regenerated renewed and Sanctified by the spirit of grace this is the root of all true Spiritual and heavenly rejoycing and this hath made the Saints to sing aloud for joy Psal 71. 23. my lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee Psal 145. 7. Isa 12. 2. 35. 2. And lastly that our singing ought to be performed with the spirit and understanding is very clear from 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with understanding also our singing as all other religious actions and services will be very unpleasing and unacceptable unto God if they be not carried on in the
have likewise foretold of these dayes I will instance in a few for all First David Psal 62. 7. there he speaks of the continuance of Christs kingdom as long as the Sun and Moon endureth then he speaks of the extent of this Kingdom vers 8. and that is from sea to sea then he speaks who shall be the subjects of this kingdom vers 11. and that is some of all Nations Isaiah likewise hath not only spoken of the incarnation birth life and doctrine and death resurrection and ascension of Christ but also he hath prophesied of his second coming in power to gather his spiritual kingdom and of the extent injoyment glory and duration of that kingdom See one place for all Isaiah 2. 2 3 4. Jeremiah also bares witness to the same truth Jer. 30. 31 32 33. Ezekiel also hath spoken of this kingdom and reign of Christ Ezek. 34. 11. Daniel hath spoken of this kingdom and raign of Christ Daniel 2. 44 45. Hosea bares witness to the same truth Hos 1. 10 11. 3. 4 5. Amos also hath foretold of these things Chap. 9. 11. to the end Obadiah also speaks to the same truth ver 21. Micah speaks to the same Chap. 4. 6 7. Malachy speaks of his coming and kingdom Chap. 3. 2. 2. We have the testimony of all the Apostles speaking frequently of Christs second coming in all the four Evangelists and in almost all the Epistles to the several Churches see Mat. 24. from 29. to the end and Mark 13. from 24. to the end and Luke 12. from 31. to the end and Luke 21. from 25. to the end and Joh. 14. 3. compared with Joh. 17. 24. So in the Epistles it is called the appearing of the glory of the great God Titus 2. 13. and it is set out with Angelical attendance 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 10. See a farther testimony of this truth 1 Thes 1. 10. Phil. 3. 20. 3. We have the testimony of Angels Act. 1. 10 11. and whilest that they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up behold two Angels stood by them in white apparrell which said ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven behold if the testimony of the Prophets yea all the Prophets and the testimony of the Apostles be not enough then here is the testimony of Angels which is accounted stedfast Heb. 2. 2. In a word the second coming of Christ might be farther proved by the immutability of Gods decree and infallibility of his promises and impartiality of his justice c. but I meet with no sort of people denying this truth except a few of those spoken of in the Gospel saying where is the promise of his coming these people have renounced their reason and made nonsense the mother of their devotion therefore their arguments are not worth the answering but the great difficulty lieth amongst those men that do believe a second coming of Christ in power and great glory and thesemen fall into these three ranks the first saith that Christ shall come and reign personally on the earth a thousand years before the last judgement a second sort stands up and saith he shall not reign personally but spiritually a thousand years in his Saints a third sort steps in and contradicts the two former saying there is neither personal reign nor spiritual reign to be looked for at Christs next coming for he comes to judge the world and so to put an end to all things here below c. let the reader consider that it is with us now a little before the second coming of Christ as it was with the Jews and others a little before the first coming of Christ for it is apparent they were in three divisions as we now are as appears by their darkness in these three portions of Scripture that speaks of Christs first coming One Scripture said Mich. 5. 2. thou Bethleem out of thee shall come one to rule Israel Another Scripture said Isaiah 9. 2 6. the land of Zebulon and Nepthaly the people which were in darkness have seen a great light ver 6. for unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given c. A third Scripture Hos 11. 1. we read these words out of Egypt have I called my Son now in these three Scriptures the Prophets did seem to vary in their prophecies and the people after about the coming of Christ in flesh differing as to the place where or in which of these three Christ should be born this difference of theirs begat this great question in Court Mat. 2. 4. Herod gathered together all the chief Priests and Scribes and demanded of them where Christ should be born and they said unto him in Bethleem c. Now the thing that I would have the reader to take special notice of is this that these three Scriptures were fulfilled at the coming of Christ one after another for he was born in Bethleem called out of Egypt and came to the land of Zebulon and there preached and the people that sate in darkness saw a great light c. and why may not all these three things fall in together at the second coming of Christ in power to wit a persosonal coming a spiritual reign and all the time of the reign a judging of the world let not us make those things inconsistent which may be consistent in a sense warily understood this I am sure whilst we are contending what Christ shall do when he comes that we let slip our precious time and not so prepare as we ought for his coming Oh what a state are things in here every one tuging for his interest O Lord put in for thine too do thou gain and let all sit down with loss whose gain lies not in thine cozen all creatures by bringing about a swifter a fuller a more universal happiness by the appearance of our Lord Christ then ever heart could imagine Let the reader consider these eleven things 1. There shall be a coming of Christ in power and great glory 2. That day is very near 3. The manner of his coming 4. The signs of his coming 5. He shall come visibly 6. The posture a Christian should be in at his coming 7. It is the duty of all to wait for his coming 8. The benefits that a Christian shall have at his coming 9. The consideration of his coming should cause us to live here above our contents and discontents 10. The sad condition of all out of Christ at his coming 11. He shall come terribly 1. There shall be a coming of Christ in power and great glory which we have proved before by the testimony of all the Prophets and Apostles and some of the Angels we have proved this truth further by the immutablity of Gods decree and by the infallibility of his promises and by the
of their Creed and so fall to judging railing and condemning men for not doing as they do contending for Cummin and Annis putting off a hat and wearing ribans c. and not only so but also hate malign and most bitterly and uncharitably censure all those that differ from them Reader I shall here in this Book present thee with all that I have learned or at least with the sum and substance of all that I have gained this four and twenty years by reading the Scriptures hearing of Sermons conferring with Christians and perusing their writings together with several things that God hath immediately darted in upon my heart but I have not received as I know of nor here presented any of the mediate or immediate teachings save that and only that which is agreeable to the word of God as far as I understand his mind therein neither have I made it my work to contend for or cry up any particular interest but rather it doth much grieve my heart to see what a state most menare in here each tugging for his interest and so whilst they are contending for the garment the power of Religion is much abated I would intreat thee Reader to weigh things in the ballance of Righteousness love and impartiality and then I am confident that there will be none that hath the work of grace upon their souls unless they be under some violent fit of temptation but in the main will sweetly own and spiritually bless God for the revelation of the precious things contained in this little Book here being something of every thing needful to be known and practiced for the obtaining of which I have imitated the Bee that goes forth of the hive and gathers hony from several sorts of flowers and hearbs and sometimes from weeds And for the compiling of these things together as they have a connexion and dependance one upon another I have borrowed a little time from my particular calling and from my sleep and recreation If I have done this work well it is that which I desired but if slenderly and meanly it is because I could do it no better I must confess I rather lisp then speak plain in the things of God wherefore cover all my imperfections with a mantle of love for it hath been compiled in the midst of many personal tryals if thou find any imperfections yet let not the truth of God suffer through my weakness to the Law and to the testimonies wherein I come short of writing according to that rule it is for want of light I hope I shall be content to decrease so the glory of God in the gift of Christ and Covenant of grace may increase let my name perish so his may flourish let me cut off like a Weaver and dye so his name and glory may live I shall no longer detain thee from the thing it self which treats of that which is of great concernment to all in the reading of which if thou shalt receive any light or reap any spiritual benefit give all the praise to the Lord and pray for him who is a lover of all that fear the Lord under what form soever they be or by what name or title soever they are known ROB. PURNEL A Table of the principal heads in general and the connection of these points together and dependence of them one upon another OF God the Father Of God the Son Of God the Holy-Ghost Of Gods decrees Of Election Of the Creation Of Angels Of Man Of the Sou l. Of Mans fall Of Providence Of Mans recovery Of Vocation Of the Covenant of Grace Of Justification by Grace alone Of Sanctification or a holy Conversation Several strong reasons why the Saints should walk holily Of Justification and Sanctification wherein they differ and wherein they agree Of Faith Of Repentance Of Sin the nature of it Of Knowledge First Of God Secondly Of our selves Of Experience Of Enjoyment Of the grace of love 1. First to God 2 To his People Of the Grace of hope Of Perseverance Of the several gifts and Graces of the Spirit Of the several Ordinances oâ— the Gospel 1. Of the assâ—mbling of our selves together 2. O preaching and prophecying 3. Of Prayer and supplication 4. Of singing and praising God together 5. Of the Ordinance oâ— Baptism 6. Of the Ordinance oâ— the Lords Suâ—per 7. Of the Collection or the poor 8. Of reading the Scriptures 9. Of Admonition private and publike 10. Of Suspension 11. Of Excommunication Of Assurance of Salvation Of the difference between the Law and the Gospel and of the several sorts of Laws Of the ten Commandments and what each of them doth prohibit and enjoin Of the Lords prayer and the several petitions therein contained Of the World Flesh and the Devil the three great enemies of man Of afflictions and why the Lord doth afflict his own people When a man may be said to suffer for well-doing and when for ill-doing The Lord is many times better then promise never worse Mercies and deliverances are many times nearest to us when we think they are farthest of The Lord doth hand forth mercies by the rule of contraries He doth not despise the day of small things The order of causes how the Lord comes down-ward from the causes to the Effects and how we must go upward from the effects to the causes Mans life is or should be guided by seven vertues Several Divine Sentences Divers knotty questions answered and seeming contradictions reconciled and many scruples of conscience removed Of the shortness of mans life and of the misery that doth attend every age thereof Of the misery attending both body and Soul at the hour of Death Of a Bill of inditement at that time brought against us Of the sad condition and misery of all out of Christ after death Of our preparation for death that we may be ready when it comes Death to a Christian is but a house a bed a sleep The great and terrible day of the Lord is near proved 1. By the testimony of the Prophets 2. By the testimony of the Apostles 3. By the testimony of Angels 4. By the immutability of Gods decree 5. By the infallibility of his promises 6. By the impartiality of his justice There are four things that Christ hath already done and five things he is now doing and six things more that he will do when he comes Of the resurrection of the dead at Christs second coming Of the first and second resurrection Whether there be any such things as the personal reign of Christ and if so what it is Of the last judgement 1. The signs that go before it 2. What is meant by it 3. Oâ— the place where it shall be 4. Of the person who it is that shall judge the world 5. Of the time how long the judgement shall last 6. Out of what all people shall be judged 7. The day of judgement will be a great day The sad condition of all Christless after
multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God only is the salvation of Israel Now that I my self and others that read these lines may be grounded rooted and established upon the true and only foundation is the desire and endeavour of my heart and soul In the ensuing Treatise and for the accomplishment of this great work which is of highest concernment let us first endeavour to unravell unmask and unbowel the Covenant of Grace and for our more orderly proceeding therein let us enquire into these particulars 1. What is the sum and substance of this new Covenant 2. With whom this Covenant was first made 3. When this Covenant was made 4. Whether there be any conditions of this Covenant and if so what they are 5. Whether it be one and the same Covenant of grace that was in force before the Law and under the Law and under the Gospel 6. Whether this Covenant may not be broken as was the Covenant of works 7. What means one should use to get into this Covenant 8. When may a man or woman be said to be in this Covenant 9. Wherein the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of works do differ Question 1. What is the sum and substance of this Covenant of Grace or New Covenant Answ The Covenant of Grace is called a testament or will indeed the will of the Father revealed to the Son and by the Son revealed to the world to manifest the Fathers love unto the sons and daughters of men and testified to the world that what he declared was the mind of God and so sealed it with his blood Heb. 10. 29. So that his blood that he shed is called the blood of the Covenant yea of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. Or The Covenant of grace is full of sure mercies and sweet promises that God will give a new heart a heart to know him and that he will write his Law within us put his fear into us cause us to walk in his statutes forgive our iniquities cleanse us from our filthiness be our God and make us his people Ezek. 36. and Jer. 31. This Covenant doth fall into these six parts viz. 1. It is a free Covenant 2. It is a full and compleat Covenant 3. It is a well ordered Covenant 4. It is a sure and firm Covenant 5. It is a peaceable Covenant 6. It is an everlasting Covenant 1. First it is a free Covenant 1. Because the foundation of it is free 2. Because it is freely given to those that do partake of it Isa 42. 6 Isa 49. 8. 3. Because there is no active condition required on our part Jer. 31. 33 34. 4. It is free in respect of his entring into Covenant with us Isa 65. 1. 5. It is free in respect of his performances of it Mich. 7. 20. 2. It is a full and compleat Covenant richly and plentifully stored with all sutable promises both for this life and that which is to come for soul and body being and well being there is some remedy in it for every malady 3. It is a well ordered Covenant 1. In respect of the Persons with whom it is made and that is first with Christ then with his seed 2. In respect of the promises and parts of the Covenant First God becomes our God then we become his people Jer. 32. 38. 3. In respect of manifestations he first reveals it and then seals it by his Spirit Ezek. 16. 8 9. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 4. In respect of the ends of it which is God the Father and the Sons glory in the riches and freeness of his Grace which should caution us not to darken the Glory of free Grace 4. It is a sure and firm Covenant founded upon that Rock Jesus Christ Isa 26. 4. Rom. 4. 16. Our salvation is by Grace to the end that the promises might be sure to all the seed Isa 55. 3. I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Now it is sure and firm 1. Because it is made by an Immutable God 2. He hath confirmed this Covenant with an oath Heb. 6. 17 18. 3. He hath sealed it with the blood of his Son Heb. 13. 20. 5. Fifthly It is a peaceable Covenant in this Covenant he doth freely give peace to the soul and so keeps the soul in peace the heart being stayed on him Isa 26. 3. In this Covenant there is a three-fold peace conveyed to the soul Eph. 2. 14. he is our peace who hath made both one 1. He is our peace with the Father 2. He gives peace of Conscience he stills and quiets that 3. He is the Author and cause of our peace with men 6. Sixthly It is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 3. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The motives that did move God to make this Covenant was his everlasting love the Righteousness upon which it is grounded is everlasting Righteousness In this Covenant is presented to us everlasting pardon everlasting kindness everlasting mercy everlasting joy and consolation and everlasting life and salvation all these are fully proved by these and the like Scriptures Psal 105. 8. Isa 40. 18. Heb. 8. 12. Isa 54. 8. 35. 10. 2 Thes 2. 16. What shall I say more to the nature of this Covenant it is sometimes called a New Covenant sometimes it is called a better Covenant as appears by Heb. 12. 24. compared with Heb. 8. 6. Sometimes it is called a Covenant of grace now by a New Covenant a better Covenant a Covenant of grace All serious Christians do understand the engagements which God hath laid upon himself to bestow on them for whom Christ died all good temporall spirituall and eternall blessings so that by this God doth make himself debtor to his people in Covenant with him and is bound in justice to perform his word and promise Now this Covenant is sometimes called a New Covenant because it succeeds in the place of the other Covenant of works and it is called a Covenant of grace because all the effects thereof do flow down to us meerly of free Grace and favour of God and the merits of Christ Zach. 9. 11. In the Covenant of Grace we may find the mouth of the Law stopped and all the accusations of Satan answered and the justice of God â—ully satisfied God will have all blessings and happiness to flow to us through and by the Covenant of Grace 1. That the worst of sinners may have strong ground of hope 2. For the praise of his own glory 3. That vain man may not boast 4. That our mercies and blessings may be sure to us our salvation is by grace saith Paul Rom. 4. 16. that the promises might be sure to us for if it in any sense depended upon works we could not be sure thereof Reader
take in their company we are often in the company of those that we take no delight in Now do we indeed delight in the society of the Saints then we love them Psalm 16. 3 c. In a word such things as we love we keep with care possess with joy and loose with grief so much of the inward tryals of our love to the Saints Next of the external tryals of this love by which we may know that others do love us and by which they may know that we love them But these evidences are not so infallible as the other we read John 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another and how doth our love unto another appear but in these or the like things viz. 1. He that doth love his brother will be apt to reprove him when he doth ill and praise him when he doth well a friend can bear a sharp reproof from a friend c. 2. Another evidence of love is this we acquaint those whom we love with our miseries lay open our griefs and account it some ease to discharge some of our sorrows into their bosoms their advice we ask and from them we look for assistance 2 Cor. 8. 3. 3. Where love is in the heart it will appear in the tongue 1 Cor. 13. Love is kind but there is a great deal of verbal and complementary love with men forbidden in the Scriptures of truth saying love not in word and tongue but in deed and in truth 4. Another Character of love is this when thou hast some injuries offered thee thou wilt not soon be angry 1 Cor. 13. 4. love suffereth long 5. Where there is love unto another there will be endeavours to do good unto another not only to the body but also to the soul they will be apt to say as the woman of Samaria did to her neighbours when she had found Christ her self she cals them to him John 4. 29. Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ Or as David Psal 66. 16. I will tell you what God hath done for my soul Of the means of attaining a true love to the brethren 1. COnsider the Lord loves them and â—ath received them then say to thy self shall I hate and reject those that he loves and receives how unlike shall be to God 2. Consider that the Lord commands thee to love them and it is thy duty so to do and wilt thou rebel against God in not doing thy duty but the quite contrary 3. Consider they be members of the same body children of the same Father heirs of the same promises as thou art Consider I say thy relation to them 1 Cor. 12. 27. For relation is the ground of affection 4. Labour daily to have a higher esteem of all the Saints and a lower esteem of thy self so by degrees shalt thou come to love them indeed Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife and vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better then themselves 5. Eye the work of God in them the Image of Christ in them and the gifts and graces of his Spirit adorning them and then thou wilt quickly love them and that with a pure heart fervently 1 Pet. 1. 22. Of the impediments and hinderances of love 1. THe first impediment that doth hinder love which we should do well to beware of is this beware of persecuting them either with tongue hand or pen Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth them toucheth the Apple of mine eye saith the Lord. 2. Beware of pride Prov. 13. 10. Only by pride cometh contention 3. Beware of offending them Mat. 18. 6. 4. Beware of giving credit to evil reports for many times it is a lye also take heed of evil surmisings and groundless jealousies and all other things that makes head against love Eâ—hes 4. 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice Of the grace of hope the nature of it and the properties of it and encouragements to it and Characters of it IF any ask why I write of hope after love I answer because I find it so set down in the Scriptures written for our learning 1 Thes 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breast-plate of Faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Now first the nature of this hope may be thus That hope of the Gospel is a grace of God whereby we expect good to come patiently waiting till it come Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Look what the brest is to the child and the oyl to the lamp such is hope to the soul it lives upon the promises and every degree of hope brings a degree of joy into the soul Heb. 6. 18. It is built upon the truth and faithfulness of God 2 Tim. 2. 13. Or the hope of a Christian is built upon the love of Christ the blood of Christ the righteousness of Christ the satisfaction of Christ and the intercession of Christ and the free grace of God 1 Peter 1. 13. And upon the infinite power of God Rom. 4. 21. In a word true hope doth consist in Gods love in adoption and the truth of his promises and the power of performance 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him c. Or hope is that vertue whereby we expect all good things from God and so patiently attend in the use of his appointed means for all things that we need Psal 22. 4 5. and 37. 7. and that not only when we have the means but also when we want all apparent means as the Israelites did in the Desart c. Or true hope is a well grounded and patient expectation of the accomplishment of all those spirituall and eternal good things which God hath promised through Jesus Christ to all that believe and expect them Of the Properties of this hope 1. FIrst this hope as an inward principle works out pollution and corruption as being repugnant thereunto 1 John 3. 3. And every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure 2. Hope is alwaies more or less exercised about heavenly things viz. Sometimes it is exercised about the righteousness of Christ sometimes it is exercised about the love of God the Father in giving Christ sometimes hope is exercised about the word and promises Psal 119. 49 81 114. and Psa 130. 5. In thy word do I hope Hope in the promises will keep the head from aking and the heart from sinking in a word the promises are the ladder by which hope gets up to heaven and so hope in the
the knees feeble and the heart full of fears and trembling besides the time of doubting is a barren time there is no praying nor praising nor growing nor any vigorous acting Surely this state comes not from God he bids us make our calling and election sure neither doth it come from Christ he speaks and gives peace to his flock they come not from the holy Spirit of God for he is the great and most sweet comforter revealing and applying the love of God unto the soul consider these Scriptures Mat. 14. 31. O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Luk. 12. 29. Neither be ye of doubtful minds 1 Thes 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath and doubting But whilst we live in the want of assurance we live in a state of doubting Many think they have assurance and have not LET us consider that there is a great deal of counterfeit knowledge and counterfeit faith and counterfeit love and counterfeit repentance so there is a great deal of counterfeit assurance in the world many there be that talk high and look big and bear it out bravely whereas when their assurance comes to be weighed in the ballance and brought to the test it will be found too light when it cometh to withstand temptation it is found too weak and when it should put the soul upon Divine action it is found to be but a lazy presumption so we are apt to think our sins to be no sins when indeed they be many and that they are but smal when indeed they are great and that we have grace when we have none and that our grace is true when it is counterfeit and that our condition is not so bad as others when it is worse so we are apt to lay claim to God to Christ and the promises and priviledges and all the glory of another world when we are in the sight of God poor and blind and miserable and naked being Christless and graceless and truthless and so think our selves to be something when we are nothing according to this Scripture Gal. 6. 3. Assurance is not all kind of perswasion there are two kinds of assurance or perswasion of the mind touching a mans personal interest in Christ one is imaginary and deluding for as the heart of a man may deceive it self about the habit of Faith or any other grace so it may delude a man about the acts and degrees of the same doth the true believer believe in Christ so thinks the hypocrite that he doth too hath a true believer a perswasion of his interest in Christ so hath the hypocrite to a most exalted confidence an Iron faith that will never doubt nor bow it is just with him as with a poor man in a dream what the rich man hath by propriety that same thing may the poorest man have in a dream fancy or imagination Many reasons wherefore the Lord doth not give assurance speedily 1. BEcause assurance is meat for strong men babes are not able to bear it and digest it 2. He doth not give it speedily because we are apt to seek it more for our selves then we do for his honour as the Sun doth as it were put out the light of the Moon stars fire and candle So the glory of God must put out all other ends the servant that minds his wages more then his work must not wonder if his master be slack in paying him and sure it is that he that is most mindfull of Gods honour God will be most mindfull of his comfort 3. Another reason why he doth not speedily give in assurance is that when they have it they may the more highly prize it and the more carefully keep it and the more wisely improve it and the more affectionately and effectually bless God for it none sets such a prize upon light as he that hath lain a long time in darkness 4. That we might live purely upon Christ we are apt to rest upon every thing below Christ viz. to rest upon creatures to rest upon gifts or graces duties and Divine manifestations or celestial consolations and to rest upon gracious evidences now the Lord to cure his people of these distempers many times leaves his children of light to walk in darkness but let us consider that although the enjoyment of assurance doth make most for our comfort as we have said before yet the living purely upon Christ in the want of assurance doth make most for his glory no Christian to him that in the want of visibles can live upon an invisible God 5. The Lord most times will have his people make a constant progress in holiness before he gives them this happiness of assurance for assurance in a sense is the daughter of holiness Very hard to recover assurance if one lost LET us consider the wonderful difficulty of recovering assurance if once lost Oh the sighs the groans the complaints the tears the heartrentings the soul-bleeding the gaining of assurance at first cost very dear but the regaining of it will put us to more pains and charge Of the two it is casier to keep assurance when we have it then to recover it when we have lost it as it is easier to keep the house in reparations then to raise it up when it is fallen a man may easier make a seeing eye blind then a blind eye to see a man may easily put an Instrument out of tune but not so soon put it in again a man is easily born down the stream but cannot so easily swim up the stream It is better to be kept from the losing of assurance then to be cured as it is better to be kept from a disease then to be cured of a disease Oh what is the state of a poor Christian that hath lost his assurance it will cost him more grief sorrow heart-breaking and soul-bleeding before conscience will be quieted divine justice satisfied and comfort and joy restored evidences cleared and pardon in the court of conscience sealed David found this to be very hard which made him cry out O spare me a little that I may recover my strength create a clean heart renew a right spirit restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Psal 51. 7. to 12. We lose our assurance by backsliding unbelief luke-warmness formality c. and yet cannot be recovered until we remember from whence we are fallen and repent we cannot until we look upon him whom we have peirced and see Gods delightful affections and tender mercies before set us in sweet working and soul-ravishing and heart-melting expressions a relapse in diseases is more dangerous then the first sickness was Job 5. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Mat. 12 43. Of the difference between the Law and the Gospel and of the several sorts of Laws AS the Law requireth obedience so the Gospel directeth us how to perform it 1 Tim. 1. 9 10 11. The Law commands us to worship God as our
rely upon his providence for all the means of this temporal life and to rest contented with that allowance which he shall think fit for us Psal 4. 11 12. Yea in this petition we beg health wealth food sleep rayment house c together with all the helps and means to attain them and that he would give us care and conscience to get those needfull things by lawfull means that labouring with our hands the thing that is good we may eat our bread Eph. 4. 28. 2 Thes 3. 12. 5. The fifth petition And forgive us our debts as even we forgive them that are debtors to us In this petition there is a frank and humble confession that we have sinned and stand guilty of original and actual transgressions and that there is no power in us to make satisfaction sor our sins for by the Law as by an obligation every man standeth bound to keep it holy and continually Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. James 2. 10. So that the breach thereof even once and in the least point maketh us debtors presently as having forfeited our obligation So that no man can make amends unto God for it considering that whatsoever he doth after the breach is both imperfectly done and if it were perfect yet it is due by obligation of the Law and therefore cannot go for payment no more then a man can pay one debt with another 6. The sixt and last petition And lead us not into temptation but delievers from evil In this petition we pray that not only our sin may be pardoned but also that it may be mortified Rom. 6. 1 2. and that we may be either kept from temptation or preserved by his grace from being hurt thereby 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 9. The effect of temptation without the special grace of God is extreamly evil to wit sin and damnation 1 Tim. 6. 9. Now seeing we cannot be tempted without the will of God Job 1. 10. nor resist without his power 2 Cor. 12. 9. If it be his blessed will that he would not let us fall into the one unless he preserve us in the other and that he would tie up Satan and restrain his malice and power or else make us wise to know and avoid his stratagems Of the World Flesh and Devil the three great enemies of man First of the World TAke the world in all its beauty bravery and glory and you shall find sorrow attend worldly joy danger attend worldly safety and loss attend worldly joy labours and tears attend worldly prosperity Where one thousand are destroyed by the worlds frowns ten thousand are destroyed by the worlds smiles it sings to us and sinks us it kisseth us and betrayeth us Let heaven be a mans object and the world will soon be a mans subject the fashion of this world passeth away why should we set our eyes upon that which is not heaven hath a foundation the earth hath none again worldly light is mixt with darkness Joy with sorrows pleasure with pain honour with dishonour riches with want wine with water honey with gall and our Sugar with wormwood and roses with prickles in a word worldly comforts entertained with great delight are seldom lost without exceeding great Sorrow and grief Of the Riches of this world THE good things of this world are not so absolutely given us but that God retains still a right to it and an interest in it and may demand it how and when he please And usually the worst of men have most of these outward things and the best of men have least of earth and most of heaven A man may be great and graceless with Pharaoh honourable and damnable with Saul rich and miserable with Dives A man may have enough of the world to sink him but he can never have enough of the world to save him A man may as soon fill a bag with wisdom and a chest with vertue or a circle with a tryangle as the heart of man with any thing here below therefore it is better to be gracious then great inwardly holy then outwardly happy the riches of this world although well gotten are but like the manna those that gathered less had no lack and those that gathered more had little or none to spare the consideration of this raysed up the spirits of those Saints Heb. 11. to triumph upon all the beauty bravery and glory of the world they having acquaintance with and an interest in a better and more durable riches these are uncertain riches For one storm at Sea one coal of fire one false friend or one unavised word may make a rich man a beggar and a prisoner altogether Oh how do riches hinder the actings of Faith upon God how do they interrupt our sweet communion with God how doth it abate our love to the people of God and cool our love to the things of God oh the deadness dulness and the barrenness that attend men having large possessions in this world and when they fall sick a crown of Gold cannot cure the head ach nor a velvet slipper the gout nor a chain of gold about the neck cannot take away the pain of the teeth Many times he that we account the richest man is the poorest man in the world VVE account him a poor man that doth want meat for his belly cloaths for his back and money in his purse and a house to put his head in and in this respect every man that is out of Christ although the most richest and honourablest man in the worlds account is but a poor man 1. He is a poor and beggarly man that hath no money in his purse now if your bags be full of gold and silver and your hearts empty of grace you are poor and beggarly in a Scripture account yea you are poor and blind and miserable and naked Rev. 3. 17. 2. He is a poor man that hath no meat to put in his belly but every man that is out of Christ doth not nor cannot feed upon that true manna the bread of life nor drink of that water of life John 6. 55. 3. He is a beggarly man that hath not an house to put his head in this is the case of all those that have no interest in Christ when death cometh they know not what to do nor where to go unless it be into a dungeon of darkness full of devils and damned Spirits Mat. 25. 41. 4. He is a poor man that hath no clothes to put on his back thus every man out of Christ is not only poor but naked too Rev. 3. 17. surely he is the poorest man in the world for he wanteth an interest in God Christ the Spirit and promises he wanteth peace with God and peace in conscience he wanteth acceptation and reconciliation he wanteth righteousness Justification and adoption and redemption he wanteth the pardon of sin and power against sin and freedom from the reign of sin he wanteth those riches that perish
for there the King is Christ the Law is Love the honour verity the peace felicity the Life eternity there is Light without drakness mirth without sadness health without sickness wealth without want credit without disgrace beauty without blemish ease without labour riches without rust blessedness without misery Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God Psalm 87. 3. 4. Let us yet consider whose presence we shall enjoy and that is the prsence of Father Son and holy Ghost Angels and Saints Heb. 12. 22 23 24. The whole man shall enjoy fellowship with God fellowship with the Lamb and fellowship with the Angels A happy society and sweet communion all holiness all happiness all joys shall be enjoyed All that God bestowed upon Moses could not satisfie his mind unless he might see the face of God When Paul had once seen this blessed sight he ever after counted all the riches and Glory of the world to be but dung and all his Life after was but sighing out I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Father I will saith Christ that they which thou hast given me be even where I am that they may behold my Glory 5. The next thing to be considered is that in this blessed state we shall all know one another and have Communion one with another and sweet content flowing from that Communion we shall know the power of the Father and the wisdom of the Son the grace of the holy Ghost and the invisible nature of the blessed Trinity and in him we shall know all our friends who died in the faith and all the faithful that ever were or shall be Luke 13. 28. Christ tels the Jews that they shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God therefore we shall know them Adam knew Eve whom he had never seen before muchmore then shall we know those we have known here David implyeth that he shall know his child when he comforted himself that he should go to it 2 Sam. 12 23. The Apostles knew Christ after his resurrection Peter James and John knew Moses and Elias in the transfiguration how much more shall we know one another when we shall be all glorified Mat. 17. 4 Luke 9. 33. The rich man knew Abraham and Lazarus Luke 16. Surely then Abraham and Lazarus shall know one another 1 Cor. 13. 12. Sâ—int Paul saith at that day we shall know as we are known of God Love never faileth therefore knowledge the ground thereof remains in another life Our knowledge in another life shall as far exceed the knowledge of this life as the Light of the Sun doth exceed the Light of a candle They who thirst for knowledge Let them long be studients of this University for all the Light by which we know any thing in this world is nothing but the very shadow of God Dives in Hell knew Lazarus in heaven and why shall not the godly know one another there We read Mat. 13. That Peter James and John knew Moses in the transfiguration as before c. Boulton here thinks it should detract much from the happiness of every Saint in heaven if every Saint should not know one another there 6. Another priviledge is we shall not only know one another and have communion together but we shall speak one to another Our communion and conference one with another may be gathered from the like in the Angels who doubtless speak one to another though not vocally as we now do yet in their manner viz. Angelically and spiritually which is thought to be nothing else but a spiritual insinuation instillation or communication of their minds notions meanings one to another to think that the Angles and Spirits of the just made perfect do not speak in their heavenly and spiritual manner communicating their minds one to anotheras they see cause is against reason and inconsisting with the state of blessedness and to think they speak in this manner is not against Scripture or reason though the full resolution to this thing viz. with what tongues the Angels and souls departed speak seems to be reserved till we come to heaven some conceive we shall then all speak in the Hebrew tongue 7. Let us consider the variety of joyes in heaven and those admirable good things which God hath prepared and which Christ hath purchased for his servants it is not for any wit of man to conceive or any tongue to relate or any pen to set down nevertheless let us set down a taste of them as we find them revealed in Scriptures in that life there shall be no earthly or sinfull misery there shall be no sin at all no sickness no sorrows no diseases nor malady no cross nor curse no vexation nor calamity no defect nor deformity no tumults not troubles no pain nor penury all tears shall be done away all evils removed all sin abolished all wants supplyed Rev. 22. 3. Rev. 21. 4. There shall be a perpetual possession of all good things even of God himself who is goodness it self there shall be perfection of knowledge no defect in love certain security conistant amity and secure tranquility the end why all this shall be given to us is that God may manifest his exceeding love to us and that we might enjoy the full fruit of Christs death and passion and lastly that we might acknowledge the wonderful mercies of God unto us and celebrate his name for ever then shall we be in a state of exemption from sin and from the causes of sin and from the punishment of sin The morall Philosophers say that hail storm and tempest are ingendred in the middle region but above the middle region there is no wind no storm or tempest but whilst we are here below set us expect storms winds and blustering temptations but when God takes us above this middle region there is no storm nor tempest to trouble us then the Angels that rejoyced at our conversion will much rejoyce together with us at our entrance into heaven 8. Let us consider the duration and continuance of this blessed state this life is an everlasting life Mat. 25. 45. It shall continue world without end life eternal is the highest degree of blessedness in which we shall be made partakers of Christs glory enjoying the sight of God and heavenly joyes for ever and ever therefore it is termed everlasting life John 16. 22. and Christ faith that our joy shall no man take from us Oh who can bear this and not admire it Who can meditate on it and not be amazed at it as soon as any Saint in this life felt but a true taste of these everlasting joys they presently accounted all the riches and pleasures of this life to be but loss and dung in respect of that and therefore with fervent prayers fastings tears faith and good life they gave all diligence and laboured to ascertain themselves of this eternal life and for the