them depart in peace be you warmed aâ—d filled notwithstanding ye give not them those things which are needful to the body Doth such a one love or hate his Brother Is he not in darkness and walketh in darkness unto outer darkness if he that hateth his Brother say I love God he is a liar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen How can he love God whom he hath not seen There is a wide difference between the godly and ungodly's sinning It is too true that both of them sin The godly Mans purpose promise and practise is habitually and ordinarily against all sin The wicked Mans Trade Custom Conscience Work and Way is sin he is known to be wicked by being a worker of Iniquity he lives in sin in a state of sin in the practise both of sins of Omission and Commission which they who are Godly doe not dare not do they also do no Iniquity the transgression of the wicked saith That there is no fear of God before his eyes they that fear not God fear not to sin by the fear of the Lord Men depart from evil The fear of the Lord is to hate evil The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself to stand in awe that he sin not Every godly man is negatively and positively holy in heart speech and behaviour His Prayer is his Practise Incline not my heart to any evil thing to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity I have inclined mine heart to perform thy Statutes alway even unto the end No corrupt communication proceedeth out of his Mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying he speaketh the truth in his heart his speech is alwayes with grace seasoned with salt sound that cannot be condemned The mouth of the Righteous speaketh Wisdom his Tongue talketh of Judgment his Tongue is his glory so called in Scripture and used only for Gods Glory with it he Prayes to and Praises God The high Praises of God is in his mouth Prayer and Praise with heart and voice is a good Mans daily practice He walks uprightly that is he walks not after the Flesh in the lust of Concupiscence he makes he takes no provision for the flesh to satisfie it in the lusts thereof In rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness in strife and envying all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking he puts away from him with all malice yea all that is in the World the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of heart and life Whatever else God forbids he forsakes he avoids and hates every false way and work he approves himself to be a Citizen of Zion for he backbiteth not with his Tongue nor doth evil to his Neighbor nor taketh up receiveth or endureth a reproach against his Neighbors that Sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not that putteth not his Mony to Usury nor taketh reward against the Innocent As he walks not after the Flesh so he walks after the Spirit because he lives in the spirit and also walks in the spirit which is a walking in wisdom or in the light a walking in faith and love and truth after Gods Commandments for this is love that we walk after his Commandments Moral and Evangelical the rule of our life for as many as walk according to this Ruâ—e Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God What God and his Commandments are to us that are we to be unto him and them God is holy just and good all his Commandments are holy just and good such are we to be before God and the World holy just and good in our dispositions communications and conversâ—tions This was St. Paul his Prayer for his Thessalonians The very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ This is the will of God even our Sanctification in our Bodies that we should abstain from fornication for which end every one should know how to possess his Vessel in sanctification and honor not in the lust of concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God for God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness because our bodies are the Members of Christ and the Temples of the Holy Ghost Shall we then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Know ye not that he that is joyned to an Harlot is one Body and therefore the holy Apostle exhorts To flee Fornication and all youthful lusts for every sin that a Man doth is without the Body but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body and yet our Bodies are not our own to use them as we please because they are bought with a price and therefore we are to glorifie God in our Bodies as well as in our Spirits which are Gods by presenting them a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is our reasonable Service not conformed to this World in outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of Apparel but in behaviour as becometh holiness No sin is to reign in our Mortal Bodies that we should obey it in the lust thereof neither must we yield our Members as Instruments or Weapons of unrighteousness unto Sin but as Instruments of righteousness unto God as the Body must be holy throughout so must the Soul also in all the faculties and powers thereof Mind Will Memory Conscience and Affections be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the new Man which is renewed in knowledge that being transformed by the renewing of your mind ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God till ye be a willing people in the day of his power to be what he would have you to be to do what he would have you to do and to suffer what he would have you to suffer choosing the things that please him having a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly yea living in all good conscience which is to exercise our selves to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men their conscience also bearing them witness and when others accuse excusing for their rejoycing is this the Testimony of their Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God they have had their conversation in the World and having renounced the hidden things of dishonestâ— not walking in craftiness but by manifestation of the Truth of their profession by the holiness of their Conversâ—tion commend themselves to every Mans Conscience in the sight of God and their hearts being sprâ—nkled from an evil Conscience and purged from dead Works to serve the living God have the answer of good Conscience towards God which breeds peace of Conscience the Peace of God
Work and Labour of Love which God will not be unrighteous to forget shewed unto his name in Ministring unto the Saints which every one is to do and shew with the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end But whoso hath this Worlds Good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him The love of God dwelleth not in him at all for this is the Commandment that he who loveth God love his Brother also and he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen How can he love God whom he hath not seen What is the reason and cause of Wars and rumors of Wars Nation rising against Nation and Kingdom agâ—inst Kingdom Of Mens delivering up one another to be afflicted of hating betraying biting devouring and killing one another and of the abounding of Iniquity but because the love of many shall wax cold Iniquity with the effects would soon be at an end were all our heads and hearts at work in promoting this duty and grace of Charity I verily hope still to see His Majesties Kingdoms flourish and abound in this grace of graces namely Charity I have Charity for all that they will be in Charity each with other save the proud and covetous The proud which are cursed will err from Gods Commandments especiaâ—ly from things of Châ—rity while proud I have no hope of such pride is for contention and division only by pride cometh contention Charity is for peace and unity against both The covetous whom the Lord abhorreth count their gain to be Godliness an heart they have exercised with covetous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and go astray because they love the wayes of unrighteousness these are for Use upon Use to swallow up the poor alive From these Persons and Practises the Good Lord deliver the King and his Kingdoms O my Soul come not thou into their secret unto the Assembly of Men proud and covetous mine honour be not thou united But Charity is humble and the humble are Charitable Charity is not puffed up with pride or knowledge not cruel but liberal and deviseth liberal things and by liberal things it shall stand It is manifest that these two cruel evils had a great hand in our late mutual devourings and except God by his wonderful Power and Providence interpose we are still in Eminent and Imminent danger of them The fear of God is another principal part of this Kingdom of God Indeed if we take it in the comprehensive sense it is the sum of Religion but take it as a Grace and the fear of God is to hate evil and depart from it the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death it is the way of life and this way of life is above to the Wise that he may depart from Hell beneath which can never be but by first departing from sin upon Earth Unto Man God saith Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from evil is Understanding This fear of God is bred in the heart by the love of God Ye that love the Lord hate evil perfect love casteth out the fear of bondage and lets in the fear of reverence for this we have Gods Promise The Children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes they honour the King best who fear God most Nothing like goodness to beget the fear of God and due and true honor to the King Love the Brotherhod fear God honor the King are linked together The fear of God is a fear to sin out of love and reverence to the Majesty of God he who truly fears God fears nothing but sin and none but G d and for God How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God saith he who is tempted to sin while he doth good he is not afraid of the Power because he is the Minister of God for good to him but when he doth evil he is afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil otherwise he is not afraid of him that can kill the Body and after that hath no more that he can do because he fears him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell This God he fears to sin against and therefore fears not to be cast by him into Hell While it is his care to cleanse himself from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in his fear and to work out his salvation with fear and trembling This fear is Filial and Reverential a Child-like fear afraid to dishonor God If I be a Father saith God Where is my honor An earthly Father expects and deserves honor from his child so doth our heavenly Father from his children The honor of reverence in carefulness to please him and fearfulness to offend him This is the fear of the Lord which tendeth to life and he that hath it shall abide satisfied he shall not be visited with evil in this fear of the Lord is strong confidence The love and fear of God together breeds the best obedience which is the best Sacrifice the fear of God restrains from siâ— which is a transgression of the Law of God and the love of God constrains yea helps to the fulfilling of it Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandment to break it shall be rewarded shall be in peace in keeping of them there is great reward Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them but unto them that are Contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth evil buâ— gâ—ory honour and Peace to every Man that worketh good even to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life This is the Love of God thâ—t we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous This is love that we walk after his Commandments The obedience which is of and pertains unto the Kingdom of God is universal and constant Then shall I not be ashamed when I shall have respect unto all thy Commandments I have inclined mine heart to perform thy Statutes alway even unto the end The Principles of new and true obedience are Faith and Love or Faith working by Love called in Scripture the obedience of Faith neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love The love of Christ constraineth us to live not unto our selves but unto him who for us died and rose again The obedience we owe to God in this Kingdom of Grace is Active and Passive Active not doing what
overcometh that shall not be hurt of the second Death and he that is faithful unto death who will wear the Crown of Life to him that overcometh God will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whore-mongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Liars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death If the first Death the Separation only of Body and Soul be the King of Terrors What a King of Terrors and Horrors will the Second Death be which is an Eternal Separation both of the Body and the Soul from the Presence of God and his Glory and the enduring the Wrath of God in Body and Soul in Hell-fire through all Eternity Wherefore let us gird up the Loyns of our Minds and be sober and hope to the end for the Grace and Glory that is brought unto us at the Revelation of Jesus Christ Life and Death Eternal are set before us let us choose Life and cleave to him in our Wills who is our Life Let our Affections be set on things above Let our Conversation be in Heaven that our Commoration and Everlasting abode may be there also This is to seek the Kingdom of God with all our heart and with all our might It must be sought also with understanding the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Grace and of the Kingdom of Glory must be known It is our Heavenly Fathers good pleasure to give a Kingdom unto them and them only unto whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to others in Parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand The Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory is such a Mystery that none can heartily desire and endeavor after it but such as are acquainted with it Oh! were the Eternal worth and weight of Grace and Glory known to us would the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory give unto us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for the enlightening the eyes of our understanding that we might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints we could not chuse but be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labor in seeking first the Kingdom of God would not be in vain in the Lord. Verily this Kingdom is not sought as it ought to be because 't is not known as it should be seek therefore to understand it that you may seek it with understanding Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in the Mysteries of his Kingdom which must be sought also in a way of believing I Believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Life everlasting is the sum of our Christian Creed or Belief which whosoever confesseth with his mouth and believeth in his heart shall be saved for with the heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation for the Scripture saith whosoever believeth on the Lord Jesus shall not be ashamed or confounded Now Faith is the substance ground or confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God through Fâ—ith we understand or believe an unseen World where such things are prepared for them that love God that a Natural and Carnal eye hath not seen or can see nor ear heard or perceived neither ever entered into the heart of Man but God hath revealed them to and for Believers by his Spirit who look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal this is the victory that overcometh the World even our Faith it overcometh the good things of the World and the evil things of the World through Faith the reproach of or for Christ is esteemed greater riches than the Treasures of the World and the Honors thereof by Faith Moses refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter for it hath respect unto the recompence of the reward by Faith it is that true Christians chose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season as knowing their light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for them a far more exceâ—ding and eternal weight of glory Through Faith we resâ—st our adversary the Devil who as a roaring Lioâ— walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resisâ— stedfast in the Faith and he will flee from you for the Captain of your Salvation the Lord Jesus was made partaker of Flesh and Blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage for this purpose also the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy not only the Devil but the works of the Devil in us purifying our hearts from all sin by Faith Without this Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him his Kingdom and his Righteousness take we heed therefore lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God to provoke him to swear in his wrath we shall not enter into his rest for To whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not for they could not enter in because of unbelief This is the Sin that shutteth so many out of Heaven and shutteth up as many into Hell he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God True believers are the only true seekers of the Kingdom of God and will be the only enjoyers of it Oh were our Faith as reall as this Kingdom is substantial What manner of seekers would all of us be It is not heartily believed and therefore not heartily sought after were it sought believingly it would be sought faithfully Faith breeds faithfulness they are neer a kin What is Faithfulness but a fullness of Faith a stirring up the work of Faith with power to receive out of the fullness which is in Christ grace for grace grace to exercise grace so to walk even as he walked in faithfulness both to God and Man especially in transacting and negotiating the great Work of his Mediatory-Office in our Redemption and Reconciliation Jesus Christ the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession was faithful unto him that appointed him Such are all true Christians or Saints called faithful in
God and the everlasting good of many a poor yet precious Soul so that all our contentions and mutual devourings shall end in a holy amicable contending earnestly for the Faith of the Gospel that we may stand fast in one Spirit with one mind and one mouth glorifying God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ receiving one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God than which what can be more pleasing to God honourable to our selves creditable to Religion profitable and comfortable to His Majesties Three Kingdoms If there be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth what joy will there be in Heaven over all the Sinners in these Kingdoms that repent The Lord our God in the midst of us will be mighty to save us he will rejoyce over us with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over us with singing if as Brethren being called unto liberty we use not our liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another for all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self but if we bite and devour one another let us take heed that we be not consumed one of another And it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoyced over us to do us good so the Lord will rejoyce over us to destroy us and bring us to nought which will assuredly come to pass if we bless our selves in our hearts saying We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination or stubbornness of our hearts to add Iniquity to Iniquity the Lord will not spare but his anger and jealousie shall smoke against us and all the Curses written in his Book shall lie upon us and he will blot out our names from under Heaven Cursed also is every one that doth the Work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully But I am persuaded better Things of you and Things which accompany Salvation and that we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Let us take heed lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin looking also diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us and thereby many be defiled for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end and also of his Kingdom of glory for the securing whereof these plain Directions are absolutely necessary to be put in practice I. That all Sins be avoided and hated especially Unbelief Pride Covetousness Carnality Lying and Hypocrisie II. That all the Duties of Holiness be rightly zealously and constantly performed both publick and private III. That all the Graces of the Holy Spirit be had and exercised They who would set themselves in earnest to seek the Kingdom of God must heartily set themselves against all sins stand in awe and sin not while you are seeking if you would find this Kingdom Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near but then it follows Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous who is a man of Iniquity his Thoughts and let him return unto the Lord who will have mercy upon him but then he must have nothing to do with Sin who will have any thing to do with God and his kingdom otherwise God will have nothing to do with him the wages of Sin is not Heaven but hell every final impenitent unbelieving Sinner is to be shut out of Heaven and shut up in Hell to all eternity Sinners you must quit your state and course and way of sin before you can enter the state of Grace or walk in the way of Life Grace and Glory are inseparable so are Sin and Hell O have nothing to do with any the least yea the very appearance of evil as near as you can except to hate abhor leave and loath it and your selves for it as ever you hope to speed in this most important duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness more especially let Unbelief Pride Carnality Covetousness Lying and Hypocrisie be abandoned and abhorred as the root and source and spawn of all other abominations These are the Master evils that hinder men from being and doing good We must be negatively before we can be positively holy Wash ye make â—e clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes first cease to do evil then learn to do well c. If we would cease from evil we must take heed of the evil of Unbelief in the heart which is a sin that giveth every Truth of God the Lye Every one that believeth not goes about to make God a Lyar. The very Word of the Scripture is He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son as Faith is a coming to God by Jesus Christ so Unbelief is a departing from the living God O take heed of it as also of the sin of Pride which is a lifting and setting up our Wisdom and Will against the Wisdom Will Word Way and Work of God preferring our own Honor before Gods Glory Priâ—e was the first and worst sin that could be committed virtually and interpretatively it is all iniquity as all sinners were in one and came from one so all sins are summed up in this one namely Pride which is the Parent of all other abominations The onely sin that is so sinful This was the sin that made good Angels Devils and our first Parents and us evil like unto them yea only evil and that continually by it we have lost God our selves our knowledge of him all our righteousness and true holiness and all the happiness of Heaven it is so desperate a sin that it will not suffer any one to seek after God his Grace and Glory The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God he will be happy without God In seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness O seek first to be delivered from the pride of heart and life otherwise you may ask and not have seek and not find knock and it shall not be opened unto you Covetousness which is Adultery and Idolatry a loving and desiring after the World and the things of the World so inordinately and overcarefully as both to neglect and make light of the things of God which are above The Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth his prayer and practice is Lord Who will shew us any good his Labour is only for his mouth and therefore his laying up much Goods for many years is to take his ease eat drink and be merry he is one that layeth