in deed and truth not a talkative love but an active vigorous faithful fruitful love is acceptable both to God and man even the love that is kind and thinketh not evil is not easily provoked like unto Christs Love which he shewed evidently in his active and passive obedience doing good to all men not being weary in well-doing especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith loving all Saints as Saints imitating Christ as in his active so in his passive obedience suffering with them and for them with all long-suffering and patience being their Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us and we ought to lay down our Lives for the Brethren we love not the Brethren if we love our Lives better than them This is Love that we walk after the Commandment of Christ they that walk worthy of God walk in the Wayes of his Commandments with and before the Lord humbly obeying from the heart that form of Doctrine which he delivered them that they may serve him thereby in newness of Spirit and in newness of Life they who would enter into Life must thus keep the Commandments for blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates of the City Is there then a Kingdom of Grace and Glory Is it purposed prepared purchased promised and reserved in Heaven for us Have we a real interest in and a true Title to this Kingdom O let the high praises of God then be in our hearts in our lips and in our lives who hath called us unto this Kingdom and Glory Let David's resolution and practice be ours I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises unto my God while I have any Being every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name his Heart and Tongue and Life were fixed and prepared for this blessed Work called therefore the sweet singer of Israel My heart is fixed and prepared O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth he prayes that he may praise O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise his whole Life and Conversation nothing else but a continual Hymn to God How fearful was he to sin O-let me not wander from thy Commandments refraining his feet from every evil Way that he might keep the Word of God hating every false Way rejoycing in the Way of his Testimonies as much as in all Riches inclining his heart to perform his Statutes alway even unto the end Was it David's Duty Delight and Work to be still praising God and is it not ours Have we not or may we not have as great reason and occasion to bless God as he every one that will may have God and Christ and Grace and Glory to praise and bless God for as his portion and happiness for ever If every one of us with David could say Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee He may also say when his flesh and his heart faileth him God is the strength of his heart and his portion for ever which is matter great enough to praise the Name of God for with a Song and magnifie him with Thanksgiving It is the silent Work of all the Works of God to praise him passively and the highest duty of Saints to bless him actively All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee David calls upon the whole Creation to pay this homage of praise to God as their duty and Gods due Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens praise him all Angels all Men Kings of the earth and all People Princes and all Judges of the earth both young Men and Maidens old Men and Children Sun Moon and Stars Earth Sea let them praise the Name of the Lord for his Name alone is excellent his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven his glorious Name is exalted above all blessing and praise O the Treasures of Excellencies that are in God in every one of his unsearchable Names his Word and his wonderful Works his Works of Creation Redemption Providence c. which are external of Election Predestination Justification Adoption Regeneration Sanctification Consolation which are internal and the everlasting Kingdom of Glory matter for eternal praises Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable so are all his other Attributes God is especially to be praised in his Sanctuary every one there is to speak the praises of the glorious honour of his Majesty and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom Glorious things are spoken of God in his Kingdom of Grace and more glorious things here unutterable are spoken in the Kingdom of Glory Behold now is the accepted time to prepare and tune our hearts tongues and lives in the Kingdom of Grace for this Duty and Work of praise in the Kingdom of Glory what is it to glorifie God but to praise him whoso offereth praise and ordereth his Conversation aright glorifieth him It is meerly for want of the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ and him Crucified and our unacquaintedness with the glorious excellencies of this Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory and our interest in it that we speak no more of the glory of this Kingdom and glorifie God no more by speaking to our selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs making melody in our hearts unto the Lord giving Thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Were all in these Kingdoms Eye-Witnesses of the Majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ and Ear-Witnesses as Peter and others were of his receiving from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased I say Were these things ever before our eyes and ever sounding in our ears there would certainly be more seeking and praying and praising God for this Kingdom of God which contains all the glory we can possibly want or wish than now there is Have we not a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto we should all of us do well that we take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts Do we not say that the whole Word of God is true Is there any that professedly deny a future state of glory Why do we not all bless God for it till we bless God in it Let every
Word are his Laws Angels all Kings and Kingdoms are his Subjects All power is given unto this King in heaven and in earth he hath a Kingdom in every true Believer where he dwells and reigns as King The Sacred Scriptures are his Laws written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of their hearts their bâ—dies souls spirits every member faculty power quality and all that is within them mind memory will conscience affections thoughts intents desires c. words actions and all their enemies sin Satan and the world the honours pleasures treasures thereof are his Subjects This King of Saints is personally in heaven but dwells and reigns mystically in true Believers by his Spirit by his Word by his Grace Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Now the Office of the holy Spirit is by Regeneration to wash and cleanse our bodies souls and spirits from all filthiness that by his divine power we may be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth And by applying also the blood of Christ If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works Ye know ye were not redeemed from your vain conversation with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ The holy Ghost is given to purifie our hearts by the grace of faith This King by his Spirit Word Bloud and Grace creates in us clean hearts and renews right spirits within us and thereby also prepares our bodies souls and spirits to be temples and habitations meet for his Majesty to inhabit and dwell in As our bodies are filled with our souls and spirits so would our gracious King have us filled in our bodies souls and spirits with all the fulness of God Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit Such is the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man that according to his mercy he saves us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he sheds upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour He would have his word dwell in us richly in all wisdom for reaching and admonishing one another By his blood he dwelleth in us How free was he of it during the time of his pâ—ssive obedience in his estate of humiliation He poured out his soul unto death Being in an agony his sweat was as it were great drops of bloud falling down to the ground He offered his side to be broached that he might shed his hearts blood for our redemption the remission of our sins reconciliation our sanctification and salvation In whom we have redemption through his blood Without shedding of bloud there is no remission He hath made peace through the blood of his cross Reconciling all things unto himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven The blood of Christ through the eternal Spirit purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him In his estate of Exaltation how free is he also of his blood by the virtue of it he makes continual intercession for us In the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper we have his blood given to drink which he tells us is drink indeed and calls upon us to drink yea to drink abundantly He dwelleth in us by his grace It pleâ—sed the Father that in him should all fulness dwell a fulness of grace and truth The fulness of him that fi leth all in all That of his fulness we all might receive grace for grace Through him great grace was upon all the Apostles and many of the Primitive Christians He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers with gifts and graces for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ That we henceforth be no more children tâ—ssed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love The Universal Church is the body of Christ his Spirit the virtue of his Bloud his Word Graces and Comforts are the life welfare and soul of it Christ our King dwells in this his body and every member of it which is his Kingdom by righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost He covers his body with the robe of his righteousness for their Justification which is their upper garment And to the Church the Lamb's Wife is granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen her under garment which is righteousness for Sanctification and purity both in body soul spirit and conversation The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus This Church or Body of Christ looking for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness is diligently to be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And knowing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for the sake of his Body which is the Church he became poor that through his poverty it might be made rich through him have an access by one Spirit unto the Father of lights from whom cometh every good gift and every perfect gift whether of Nature of Grace or of Glory For the Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with hold from them that walk uprightly The spirit of power of love and of a sound mind are his gift which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created the new man to be renewed in the spirit of his mind For that the soul be without knowledge is not good especially the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ and him crucified all other knowledge shall vanish away but this is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ
his Son made of a Woman made under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons we are all the Childrâ—n of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Sanctification According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love God hath from the beginning chosen us to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth Consolation Our Lord Jesus himself and God even our Father which hath loved us hath given us everlasting Consolation through Grace Glorification There is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus them he also Glorifieth they are called by the Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ especially at the day of Judgment when he shall come to be Glorified in his Saints to give Glory to them to receive Glory by them when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory The Glory which God the Father gâ—ve his Son the Glory which thou gâ—vest me I have given them Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me To receive Glory from them passively actively the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ is glorified in us and we in him according to the Grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ The faithful Ministers of Christ and Christ himself saith What is our Hope or Joy or Crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of God ye are our glory and jâ—y for this Joy that was set before him he endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God where he sees the travel of his Soul and is satisfied The general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heâ—ven shall Sing this new Song to the honour of the Lord Jesus Christ in Communion with all the holy Angels Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and blessing And every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them shall say Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Thus out of the Fullness which is in Christ do we all receive and Grace for Grace as Grace without us and upon us so all Grace within us namely saving-wisdom and knowledge all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in him who is the wisdom in a Myâ—â—ery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our glory which none of the Princes of this World knew but God hath Revealed him unto us Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints The Mystery of Godliness which without controversie is great God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory And unto us by his spirit it pleased God saith St. Paul who called me by his Grace to reveal Christ in me No Man knoweth the things of a Man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God of him are we in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom For this end Christ as our only Mediator hath taken upon himself the Office of a Prophet a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son who was not only a Prophet but a Preacher of this kingdom of God of whom it was truly said Never Man spake like this Man For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him the Spirit of the Lord anointed him to Preach the Gospel to the Poor he sent him to heal the broken in heart to Preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to Preach the acceptable year of the Lord All bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and undestanding It is he that Teaâ—heth in the wâ—y of Wisdom and leads in Right Paths that hath comp ssion on the ignorâ—nt and on them that are out of the way to give the knowâ—edge of Salvation unto them to give light to them th t sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide their feet into the way of Peace and to see that â—here be no wicked way in them and to lead them into the way everlasting which he doth by his Spirit by his Word by his Ministers Whom the Father will send in the name of his Son at his request I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you and at Believers request for whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do saith Christ If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink he that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive which is the Holy Ghost which the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things that you need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things necessary to be known believed and practised in order to eternal life and therefore where the Spirit of God dwells there he is a Spirit of Wisdom of Counsel of Understanding in the fear of the Lord. Naturally we know nothing of God of Christ the Spirit of our Selves his Word Will Wayes Works as we ought to know the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned no not the first Principles of the Oracles of God Having the Understanding darkenâ—d through the ignâ—rance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart The God of this World having blinded the minds of them that believe not least the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them They know not that of themselves they cannot know themselves The first beginning of true
he forbids not walking in the Counsel of the ungodly nor standing in the way of sinners nor sitting in the seat of the scornful not walking after the Flesh according to the course of this World but walking after the Spirit doing the will of God from the heart doers of the word and not hearers onlâ— for not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word in obeying from the heart that form of Doctrine which is delivered to them shall be justified and blessed in his deed Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Let none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or as a Busie-body in other mens matters let them that suffer suffer as a Christian according to the will of God patiently for well-doing this is acceptable with God to whom we may commit the keeping of our Souls and Bodies also in well doing as unto a faithful Creator Whether our sufferings be from God immediately I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good or mediately from Men Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake such are to rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is their reward in Heaven All that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution hereunto they are appointed predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son as in Active so in Passive obedience even thereunto are we called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps for it became him in bringing many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings and his Soldiers also When was it that Christians Faith did grow so exceedingly and the Charity of every one of them all towards each others abounded their patience and their joy Was it not in their Persecutions and Tribulations which they endured The ground of Persecution is the best for Grace and Comfort to thrive and grow upon The Primitive Christian hearers were used to hear the Word in much affliction and joy of the Holy Ghost Christians therefore should reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in them even the glory of grace yea of one grace ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heâ—viness through manifold temptations that the trial of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ In time of great Persecutions and Tribulations St. Paul remembred without ceasing Christians work of Faith and labour of Love and Patience of Hope in the Lord Jesus There is a glory upon them which cannot enter into them they must enter into it If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you Peace of Conscience follows upon sound and sincere obedience to God and his Laws upon our Justification through Faith we have the Peace of Reconciliation with God The Kingdom of God within is a Kingdom of Peace as much grace and obedience as there is in the heart so much peace Grace and Peace be multiplied The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever It is not Gods peace that is not the peace of Obedience He that ordains peace for us works all our works in us Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace peace peace or abundance of peace whose mind thought or imagination is stâ—id on thee because he trusteth in thee Let us be true to the God of Peace the Prince of Peace the Spirit of Peace the Gospel of Peace and live our selves in Peace as much as in us lies with all men and that we study to be quiet and to do our own business not being busie-bodies in other Mens matters walking in the way of peace following peace with all Men and holiness casting all our cares on God being careful for nothing but committing our selves and wayes unto him and the very God of Peace will give us the Peace which passeth all understanding and will give us some understanding of it which will breed that Joy in the Holy Ghost and holy rejoycing which is unspeakable and full of glory which a stranger doth not intermeddle with and if God see it good for us we shall have with all men the Peace of Love and Unity when a Mans wayes please the Lord he will make his Enemies to be at peace with him however he will make him to love and be at peace with his Enemies which is much better this is to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect and merciful as he is merciful yea more when a many wayes please the Lord he will make all Creatures in League with him Thou shalt be in League with the stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at peace with thee And thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace or that peace is thy Tabernacle But there is no peace saith my God to the Wicked no true peace for they will not be at peace with God though he beseech them never so much to be reconciled to him that they might have all this peace they know not the way of peace they desire not the knowledge of his wayes or acquaintance with him that thereby they might be at peace with him And therefore when they shall say peace and safety which will be while the strong man armed keepeth his Palace and his goods are in peace but a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him and take from him all his Armor wherein he trusted then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a Woman with child and they shall not escape but the Godly shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace if they cannot have it in the World and from the World they can have it in Christ In the World ye shall have Tribulation but in me ye shall have peace peace within peace of Conscience if not outward peace from Man one way or other peace they will have It is peace they would have therefore it is they so earnestly seek it from God and pursue it with Men they Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem peace be within thy Walls that prosperity may be within thy Palaces for their Brethren and Companions sake they say peace be within thee Since Jesus Christ hath left this Legacy to â—he Church peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you they are at suit with God and Man for it
and having a righteous Judge who is King of Salem that is King of peace and a wonderful Counsellor both to hear and plead their cause the Spirit the Word of Promise and the Wise Pure and Peaceable to be their Witnesses doubt not but to carry it in Gods good time against Sathan and the World who are Enemies and Adversaries to the Peace and Prosperity of Sion That the fruits of Righteousness may be sown in peace of them that make peace is the end of their desires of peace that being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ all may live to the glory and praise of God for herein is our heavenly Father glorified when we bear much fruit The fruit of holiness to God the fruit of righteousness to Men for the fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousnes and Truth Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentleness Faith Faithfulness Meekness Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly-kindness Charity The best sowing-time for these Seeds of Holiness is in the fair weather of Peace though Persecution through Sanctification of the Spirit may be good to root them and make them grow where they are sown And therefore we should follow after the persons the things the means that make for peace follow peace with all men till we overtake and catch it as hunters without weariness till they have got their game Especially Magistrates and Ministers the great Peace-makers and keepers in Church and State are to follow it amain with and for each other who are Commanders of it and Counsellors to it they who Preach the Gospel of Peace should be for the Peace of the Gospel The best way to gain all to follow after Peace is for the Leaders to begin hold on and hold out Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another and the Lord of Peace himself give us Peace always by all means The way to be perfect to be of good comfort to be of one mind to have and to hold the God of Love and Peace in the midst of us is to live in peace he is not a Son of God nor a true Son of the Universal Church that is not a Son of Peace The Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace Righteousness and Peace is also a Kingdom of Joy in the Holy Ghost Every Grace hath Joy in it and being well exercised hath Joy accompanying it Joy is the flower of Grace rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of Glory is the effect of believing in and loving of the Lord Jesus Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance and Repentance Joy they that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing the seeds of Grace with the showers of Grace and the Influences of the Sun of Righteousness bring forth a crop of Joy they who walk in the fear of the Lord will live in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Joy or Rejoycing is a Duty a Grace a Blessing Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again rejoyce rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven they who are Justified by Faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus by whom they have access into the Grace wherein they stand rejoyce in hope of the glory of God The Lord is to be served with Joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things The Light of Gods countenance upon the Godly puts gladness in their hearts more than in theirs whose Corn and Wine encreaseth everlasting joy shall be upon the heads and in the hearts of the ransomed of the Lord they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away this Joy of the Lord is their strength it is strength to their outward man it is not only strength to but the very strength of the inward man A sound heart is the life of the flesh What is it that makes the heart sound and consequently the body but grace and joy exercised effectually David a man after God's own heart whose heart was sound in Gods statutes How often do we find him rejoycing in God in his Word delighting in the Godly and in their Communion Thou art the God of my strength saith he How O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles then will I go unto God my exceeding joy the gladness of my joy The God of his exceeding joy was the God of his strength they cannot want joy that make God their joy the God of hope the God they hope and trust in the God they hope to see face to face will fill them with all joy and peace in believing that they may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost By this spirit in the inner man the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-sufferings with joyfulness that they can do and suffer all things through Christ which strengthens them they know both how to be abased and how to abound every where in all things instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need to suffer for the name of Christ for the name and power of Godliness for all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but they rejoyce in as much as they are made partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed they may be glad also with exceeding Joy The great fight of Afflictions partly whilst they are made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst they become Companions of them that were so used and the spoiling of their Goods they take joyfully knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an induring substance What is Joy but the Exultation Dilatation and Enlargement of a holy heart running the wayes of Gods Commandments with delight power patience and perseverance working therein a fervent willingness to be and readiness to do and suffer any thing whereby God may be glorified a rejoycing in the way of Gods Testimonies as much as in all riches the unsearchable riches of Christ the riches of Grace and the riches of Glory are the matter of this Joy the beholding by faith as in a Glass this glory of God our relation to him and his dear Son and thereby our interest ingrace and right and title to glory are means both to beget encrease and perfect this joy which is the strength of the heart What is the ground of our hope and confidence when our flesh and our heart fails us but God our exceeding Joy who is the strength of our hearts because he
up one Mystical Christ a Mystery great beyond the capacity of Angels to conceive which things they desire to prye or look into and is the subject of their continual and just admiration The full Vision and Fruition whereof will administer also to every glorified Saint matter of the highest Adoration and everlasting Consolation Were this one Promise of one heart and one way in the fear and worship of God accomplished in the midst of us that we might be his People and he our God to rejoyce over us to do us all the good he hath promised us What greater or better thing could we desire on this side Heaven why in the Kingdom of God there will be one heart and one way and one work for ever There will be no need of beseeching Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus to speak the same thing that there be no divisions among them that they be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment God and all the Godly will there be so well known to each other through the Light of the Sun of Righteousness that there will not be the least shadow of division or fear of any separation This happy perfect and perpetual Union is the foundation of that Communion and Fellowship between God Angels and Just Men made perfect which is unspeakable and full of glory What Fellowship there is between the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost is a Secret to us if not to Angels and Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but a mutual glorifying each other there was is and will be from everlasting to everlasting and how far the glorified Saints and Servants of the Lord shall be made happy in the Enjoyment and Knowledge hereof in heavenly Glory is so much above the reach of our meditation that it ought to be pâ—ssed over with silent Adoration but verily and â—ruly our Fellowship will be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ through the Spirit and with all the blessed Angels in such a manner and measure as no Tongue can utter or Mind conceive For Saints to draw nigh to God and for God to draw nigh to them in Mercy even here How good is it It is good for me to draw near to God Draw me we will run after thee is the Language and Prayer of every one that is Godly but when by drawing near to God we are come to God and are not only nigh him but with him How comfortable will that Communion be It will be a Communion in the highest honors the sweetest pleasures and the truest riches Them that honor me saith the Lord I will honor It will be our heavenly happiness to receive honor from God and to give honor to God this honor have all his Saints Honor is such an excellency that is naturally desired of every one sinners and unbelievers who seek not the honor that cometh from God only which is the only true honor rather than live without it will receive honor one of another though thereby they are hindred from the honor of believing in God and in his Son Jesus Christ which is to give all hon r to him to whom honor belongs and to receive all honor from him who is the only Author of every good and perfect gift The making Man a little while inferior to or lower than the Angels and crowning him with glory and honor in a state of innocency made David fall into admiration Lord What is Man that thou art mindful or takest knowledge of him or the Son of Man that thou visitest or makest account of him What admiration will it occasion to the glorified to be made like to or equal with the Angels in Heaven and then and there to wear Crowns of Glory Honour Righteousness and Life which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give unto all them that are faithful unto death and love and long for his appearing When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory not only like unto Angels but unto Jesus Christ the Lord of glory It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him in our bodies We look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who will change our vile Bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body which is uncorruptible and immortal This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Our Bodies were fearfully and wonderfully made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth The works of God are all wonderful sought out of all them that have pleasure therein This curious Piece of Mans Body is so full of wonderful mysterious works in every part and member thereof that all the Anatomists in the World could never find out or describe perfectly its excellency It is quite beyond the reach of the understandings of all Souls to comprehend the height length depth and breadth of those excellencies that are contained in the Body of Man Indeed sin hath depraved it and deprived it of much of its glory yet remains there that majesty upon it that commands reverence from all other capable creatures There are Bodies Terrestrial and Celestial each of which have their glory the one before the other after the Resurrection But some Men will say How are the Dead raised up and With what Body do they come God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body it is sown in weakness it is raised in power it is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory a glorious Body Like unto the Body of Christ perfectly free from all sin from Natural and Moral infirmities no more pains or sickness for ever Perfect and perpetual health and holiness will diffuse it self into every member The united understandings of Men from the beginning to the end of the World cannot conceive nor tongues express or set forth the Glory whâ—rewith the Body of the meanest Saint and Servant of the Lord shall be clothed in the Kingdom of God and Glory the Body hath many Members and those Members of the Body which we think to be less honorable upon these we bestow or put on more abundant honor and our uncomely parts have more abundant comliness for our comely parts have no need but God hath tempered the Body together having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked so that when one member is honored all the members rejoyce with it If such abundant honor and more abundant comeliness be put upon the Body in the state of imperfection and corruption What honor and comeliness will God bestow upon the Body in the state of glorious perfection when this corruptible must put on uncorruption and this mortal must put on immortality then will the head wear a Crown of an eternal weight of Glory The eyes will be fully satisfied
with seeing their glorious Redeemer face to face and the faces of the general Assembly of the first-born and the stately Buildings made without hands the place of their everlasting abode with the honors pleasures and riches of its furniture which from the beginning of the World no eye hath seen O God besides thee what is prepared The Tongue Mans glory will be everlastingly employed in warbling forth the glory of God and the glory with God in the highest Praises in Singing the Song of Moses and the Lamb glorious things are spoken of thee and in thee O City of God The glorious Words which will proceed out of the mouth of Christ will be the Wonder and Joy of Angels and Saints It will be the Work and Wages of the Glorified to be speaking to themselves in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Singing and making Melody in their hearts unto the Lord. What melody will it be to the Ear to be ever hearing this new Song sung in perfect harmony with Ten thousand times ten thousand and Thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Thou art worthy who wast slâ—in and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nâ—â—iâ—n and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests worthy is the Lamb that was slâ—in to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honor and Glory and Blessing Blessing and Honor and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever But Why do I speak of what is unspeakable and undertake to write of that which is so unconceivable He that was caught up into Paradise which is the third Heaven heard unspeakable words which it is not possible or lawful for a Man to utter and if it were possible for them to be uttered it would be impossible for them to be understood The Ear will have its perfect hearing there Doth not the Ear try words saith Job no need of trying words in Heaven where every one is a perfect Man not offending in a Word It is natural to all to natural Men especially to spend their time in nothing else but either to tell or hear some new thing as natural so spiritual persons have their delectation the one in hearing what Men say the other in hearing what God says I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his People and to the Saints even that peace which passeth all understanding Faith and all other Graces and Comforts comes by hearing the Word of God Preached and Read the benefit of hearing here in this life under the means of Grace is an unvaluable blessing What glory then will it be to hear of nothing but glory every one there will be very attentive to hear what God the Lord will speak who hath the words of eternal life If all bare Christ witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceed out of his Mouth when on Earth in his estate of humiliation much more will all in Heaven bear witness and admire and adore the glorious words which will proceed out of his mouth in his state of Exaltation his mouth is most sweet his words are altogether lovely here here only will the Ear be satisfied with hearing Let me hear thy voice saith Christ to the Church his Spouse for sweet is thy voice If the sanctified voice of his Church in Prayers and Praises be so sweet to Christ now How sweet will her glorified voice be to him in his glory and How sweet will Christs voice be then and there to his triumphant Church his voice will be sweeter than all theirs In Heaven there only is the hearing ear and the persons and things worthy to be heard What Instruments of Musick there will be and Musicians to time and tune and sound them to delight and ravish the sense of hearing God only knows The voice of Harpers harping with their Harps have there been heard Musick upon Rivers of Water make the sweetest and most solemn sound At Gods right hand there are Rivers of pleasures where there will be such Musick as will ravish the ears and hearts of Angels and Saints for ever What spiritual Meat and Drink there will be in Heaven to delight and please the spiritual taste or palate who can tell Sure I am there will be feeding and feasting in Heaven Our Lord Jesus will be the true Bread as truly in Heaven without Ordinances as on Earth in his Ordinances and so will his precious Blood be drink really and spiritually also but the manner of eating and drinking there is such a Mystery as cannot now be known and may not be spoken to If every Saint can say How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than Honey to my mouth If the word of Christ be so sweet to a Christian sanctified How sweet will the word Christ be to such an one when glorified How sweet are the fruits of holiness and righteousness to a true believer who sits under Christ the Tree of Life with great delight How sweet I say is his fruit to his taste in the way of an Ordnance but to him that overcometh Christ will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God which whosoever eats of shall live for ever To taste that the Lord is gracious here is good to taste that the Lord is glorious will be best The glory of the Body is but the Body of Glory for our vile Bodies to be changed that they may be fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body What a high expression of glory is this When Christ was Transfigured in the Mount his face did shine as the Sun and when he revealed himself to St. John the Divine from the excellent Glory his Body was clothed with a Garment down to the foot and his Paps girt about with a Golden Girdle his head and his hairs were white like Wool as white as Snow and his Eyes were as flames of Fire and his Feet like unto fine Brass as if they burned in a Furnace and his voice as the sound of many Waters and his Countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength so shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father but the glory wherewith the Soul will be filled will be much more glorious by how much the Soul excels the Body The glory of â—he Soul will be the Soul of Glory and the Glory of Christ put upon the Body and Soul the Glory of them both It doth not yet appear what we shall be â—ut when he shall appear we shall â—e like him as in our Bodies so also in our Souls We have for substance the same Souls with Christ â—he same faculties and qualities as understanding will memory conscience and affections with their executive powers which are so precious that one Soul in Christs account and esteem is more worth than one
World What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul It is too good to be exchanged none besides the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier of Souls knows the worth of them They are invaluable our Souls are like unto Christs in divine glorious qualifications having the perfect Ideas or Image of God imprinted upon them consisting in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness Christ as God is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person and being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God in his incommunicable excellencies but as Man participates only of the Communicable properties of God in this different from mere Man that being God-man in one Person for ever God giveth not the Spirit the Gifs and Graces thereof by measure unto him but unto others the measure of the stature or Age of the fullness of Christ who is the head of the Body the Church who is the Beginning the First-born from the Dead that in or among all things he might have the preeminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell the fullness of the Godhead bodily to the end we might be compleat in him and of his fulness not only receive Grace for Grace but with open face beholding without a Glass the Glory of the Lord we might be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Even as by the Spirit of the Lord now we see through a Glass darkly in Heaven face to face now we know in part there we shall know even as we are known This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent we shall know him perfectly and perpetually perfectly not infinitely his Understanding is infinite his Essence incomprehensible we at our best estate but finite and therefore unable to comprehend so Infinite and Immense a being and whether we shall have the hâ—ppiness of knowing his Essence or Being not only of seeing him but of seeing into him and knowing what he is as well as thaâ— he is since it is so great a question with Divines and so much disputed and a greater mystery I shall not dare to pry into it but personally we shall know God Father Son and Holy Ghost we shall know him to be our God Every one in Heaven will be able to say Infallibly My God and my Lord for ever which is infinitely more than to say Heaven Angels and Saints are mine with all their Glory Every glorified Saint shall have the honor pleasure and treasure of having and enjoying one God for his everlasting Portion In the enjoyment of God and Heaven all hoâ—ors pleasures and riches are only enjoyed What honor God will put upon the glorified Saints in Heaven he only knows but honor them he hath said he will and with Titles so many great significant and noble as will give them the fullest satisfaction How empty unsatisfying and fading are all the Titles of honor which the Great ones of the World glory in in comparison of those wherewith Saints are dignifyed even in this World For the Sons of men to be called the Sons of God is a Title of honor that is to be expressed no other way but with a Behold what mâ—nner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God All the Titles of honor in the World together cannot make a Man so honorable as this one of being Servant to Jesus Christ To be an Emperor of the whole World to be King of all the Kingdoms of the World are Titles incomparably inferior to this Every Title given to Saints in Scripture hath so much honor pleasure and profit in it unto them as can never fully be set forth on this side heaven They are made Kings and Priests unto God their Father they are Prophets they are stiled The Children of God The Resurrection The Kingdom The Marriage Chamber The Beloved of God the dearly Beloved of his Soul and the Brethren of Christ with many more so full of excelâ—ency as the heart of Man cannot conceive It is made a Character of a Citizen of Zion That he honoureth them that fear the Lord. It will be the duty work and wages of Heaven for Angels and Saints to give the highest honors to each other It will be far from every one there to take away one anothers good Name which is so precious a thing Next to the admiring adoring loving reverencing praising honoring and glorifying the Name of God they will have each others Name in great veneration they will have a Name given them even an everlasting Name better than of Sons and Daughters which cannot be taken away He that hath a Name above every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come and gives them high and honorable Names will preserve them so through all Eternity If they are notwithstanding blessed when Men shall hate them and separate them from their company and reproach and cast out their Name as evil If they then are to rejoyce and leap for Joy for behold their reward is great in Heaven How happy will they be when they shall never hate or be hated more nor ever be separated from the Company and Communion of so blessed a Society as is in Heaven nor reproach or be reproached nor their Names cast out as evil nor ever be guilty of reflecting the least dishonor upon one another There will be nothing here to obstruct the fullest enjoyment of the fullest delight their delight will be in the Lord and he will be ever giving them the desires of their hearts they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his House and he will make them drink of the Rivers of his pleasures For with God is the fountain of Life In his light shall they see light The pleasure of beholding this Light of handling the word of Life and of living in the Love of God will yield everlasting Consolation to the glorified Light and Life and Love are things so glorious that the Essence of God is declared by them God is Light and in him is no darkness at all The Son of God even his Son Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal Life God is Love and he that dweâ—leth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him He that Loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love For Saints to be clothed with Light as with a Garment and to live in and with that Light to which the Sun being compared is darkness How pleasant and pleasing will it be both to the bodily and intellectual eye Never will any eye be satisfied with seeing till God who is Light be seen The pure in heart are blessed in seeing God the everlasting loss of the Beatifical Vision and fruition of God will be the Hell of the ungodly
The pain of sense will easilier be born than the pain of loss The Vision of God is the Heaven of the Godly O it is a blessed sight to see God and to be seen of him If a glympse here of his glorious Majesty be so joyous How glorious will a full and fixed sight of him be in Heavenly Glory May I be blind to all the glory in this World so I may live in a believing foresight and lively hope of beholding that inaccessible Light which is too glorious for Angels to behold without covering their faces This Light is Life it self the original of life to all whether of Nature Grace or Glory God in Scripture is said to be the true and Living God in opposition to false and dead Idols Life is his being he is because he Lives and our Life is hid with Christ in God even that of Nature of Grace and of Glory in him we Live and Move and have our Being Life in it self is a happiness O how precious a thing is Life Skin for skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his Life The Life of a Fly hath been thought to be more worth than the World The Life of a Man doubtless is more worth than many Worlds which are without Life but it is the Life of Grace which makes the Life of Man his comfort and the Life of sin to be a Living Death to him But the Life of Glory which is ever to be glorifying and enjoying God is the glory of Life To live with Life it self and for Life it self to live in us How infinitely satisfying will it be to them who are glorified That we shall be ever with this Lord of Life and Glory is the most comfortable word in all the Scriptures If any Man serve me saith Christ where I am there shall also my servant be Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The presence of Christ makes Heaven It is our Life eternal to live with him who is Life eternal and to live to him for none of us in Heaven liveth to himself we live there wholly unto the Lord. His Glory there is as truly our end as it is here he will give to every one glory enough but he will not give his glory to another None must glorifie himsâ—lf there God All-sufficient will glorifie every one sufficiently I will glorifie the House of my glory saith the Lord. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory will be the Heavenly Ditty and Duty Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created The main end of our Election or Predestination Redemption Justification Adoption Regeneration Sanctification Preservation and Glorification is to glorifie God in our Bodies and in our Spirits which are Gods Our vile Bodies are fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body so are our Souls transformed renewed sanctified and cleansed with the washing of Water by the Word that they might be presented to God himself glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that they should be holy and without blame before him in love to the Praise of the glory of his Grace God is Love as well as Life the Life which he lives is a life also of Love What lovely living will it be in Heaven to live with love it self To love and be beloved by God who is Love will be the Saints everlasting happiness God will for ever be in love with all the Glorified Angels and Saints and they again will for ever be in love with him I Love them that Love me saith God not only God Essentially but God Personally is Love The Father is love the Son is love the Holy Ghost is love The knowledge we shall have of the Trinity loving each other with the love of Unity in an infinite manner and measure will very much contribute to our heavenly happiness If the Union Communion and Communication of Love between Husband and Wife be so great a Mystery How much greater a Mystery is that which is between Christ and the Church But O how mysterious a secret are the Transactions of mutuâ—l love between Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity If God so loved the World in this was manifested â—he Love of God because he sent his only begotten Son iâ—to the World that we might live through him herein is love that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins I say if God so loved the World What manner of Love hath he bestowed upon his only begotten Son The Father loveth the Son and the Son loveth the Father and the Holy Spirit loveth both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost is loved of the Father and the Son and in their mutual loving and glorifying each other as they were happy infinitely from Everlasting so they would have been to everlasting though all persons and things had never been created Gods essential glory is neither capable of addition or diminution by reason of its infinite perfection God is not the happier for Angels or Men he needs neither their love or service but there is no being happy for any Creature save in the full enjoyment of God and his loving favour through all Eternity his loving kindness is life eternal We love him because he first loved us he loved us from all Eternity So God loved the World and by so doing hath engaged himself to love us to eternity whom he loves he loves to the end That which makes his love altogether lovely is That he set his love upon us because he loved us no Merit or Motive in us why he should love us there were Motives and Merits indeed why he should not love us when by wilful sin we had cast away the Mercies of our Creation he might have cast us off and cast us out to the loathing of our persons In the day we were born and lay polluted in our blood then he looked upon us and behold this time was the time of love he then said unto us when we were in our Blood Live His Love was our Life If God loved us so when we were sinful What manner of Love will he bestow upon us when sinless Our sin Original and Actual incapacitates us to receive the Mercies and enjoy the Love the Lord would willingly vouchsafe us But in Heaven we shall be able and perfectly capable and God infinitely willing to load us with all his Benefits God will never be weary of giving out his Loves nor we unwilling or weary in a Joyful and Thankful receiving of them and returning the same to our best Beloved It will be love of the nearest union the highest and holiest Communion and the freest and fullest
Communication The glory which the Father gave unto Christ he hath given to Christians that they may be one in glory even as the Father and the Son are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one A Mystery that cannot be seen otherwise than by the light of glory From this most intimate union there doth arise such a Communion between Father Son and the Holy Ghost and the Triumphant Christian Church as will yield infinite and uninterrupted satisfaction much of this Communion will be a mutual Commendation Behold thou art fair my Beloved behold thou art fair behold thou art fair my Love yea pleasant thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee saith Christ of his Church Militant When Christ presents to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish there will be no want of expressions for commendation of her nor will the Triumphant Church want triumphing matter and words to set forth the Praises of her altogether Lovely and dearly Beloved Head and Husband when he comes to be glorified in his Saints he will be admired in and by all them that believe then will the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in us and we in him according to the Grace of our God and the Lord Jesus he will rejoyce over us with Joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over us with singing when his Glory shall be revealed that we may be glad also with exceeding Joy When Solomon was anointed King the People rejoyced with great Joy so that the Earth rent with the sound of them When Saints are Anointed Kings by the King of Kings What shouting for Joy then will there be in Heaven There is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth When all Sinners by Repentance have commenced Saints in Glory then not only the Angels of God but the God of Angels will rejoyce over them with Joy unconceivable and full of Glory Then will God supply all their needs according to his riches in Glory by Jesus Christ the riches of the glory of the Mysteries of Christ which now are unsearchable will then be laid open The Lord shall open unto his Heavenly Family his good Treasure where every one shall have full and free liberty to take his everlasting portion of glory not for himself only but for the Community the glorified have a partnership in each others happiness Every one in Heaven hath a full view of a share in and a right unto the glory of every blessed Angel and Saint which greatly adds to their glory therefore it is such a weight of glory In the Primitive Church they had all things common neither was there any among them that lacked 〈◊〉 the Church Triumphant where there is perfect Charity all things will be for ever common because they are of one heart and one Soul In this covetous World it is far otherwise every one stands much upon his own glory The Wise Man doth glory in his Wisdom the Mighty Man doth glory in his Might the Rich Man doth glory in his Riches but glorifieth not God with them in bâ—ing rich in good Works making others poor to make himself rich contrâ—ry to the Example and Prâ—â—â—ise of our L rd Jesus Christ that though he was Rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his Poverty might be Rich with the Riches of his Grace and the Riches of the glory of his Inheritance being heirs of that Kingdom which G d the â—ather in his everlasting Decree purposed to them We have obtained an Inheritance according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself being Predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will and not only purposed but prepared for them from the Foundation of the World In my Fathers house saith Christ are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared what God hath prepared Christ hath purchased Our Inheritance is the purchased possession We lost not only our selves but all our right to the Kingdom of Glory All have sinned and come short of the glory of God By the grace of Redemption our Lord Jesus Christ hath recovered this forfeited Glory That Kingdom and Glory which Christ hath purchased God hath promised to the Poor in this World whom God hath chosen rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him and because he is faithful that promised this Kingdom is preserved which is an Inheritance Incorruptible and Undefiled and that sadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them who are the called according to his purpose even the purpose of God according to Election not of Works but of him that calleth for as there is a Kingdom purposed so are there persons that are purposed to this Kingdom and prepared to it that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of Mercy which he hath afore prepared unto Glory even a pecu iar or purchased People the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood for we were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ that we might be the heirs of the Promise of the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation for as there is an Inheritance in Heaven reserved for all that are called according to purpose prepared purchased and Children of the Promise and if Children then Heirs and Joynt-heirs with Christ in his Kingdom of Glory so these are kept by him that is able from falling and presented faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy These are the persons unto whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and to enjoy the Mercies Graces Comforts and the glorious Priviledges thereof both for time and eternity Thus have I through the gracious assistance of Gods Holy Spirit in some measure opened the Mysteries and Treasures of the Kingdom of God which as it is a Kingdom of Grace so also a Kingdom of Glory having finished the Doctrinal part the Application followeth 1. For Information of the Necessity Excellency and Utility of the Christian Religion There is an absolute and infinite necessity that every one should profess and practise the true Religion in the Doctrine and Duties of it which are according unto Godliness for the attainment of Grace and Glory which in conjunction with the Glory of God is the one thing necessary Such a thing there is as Pure Religion and undefiled whereby we bind our selves in a Solemn Covenant to be what God would have us to
be and to do what God would have us to do upon which our endless state depends and therefore to be really Religious which is a living to God is no indifferent thing because the invisible things of eternity which Religion is concerned â—bout are the greatest realities and of the greatest moment to every Immortal Soul which is capable of being unspeakably happy or miserable in Heaven or Hell through all Eternity God and Christ and Grace and Glory must be had there is no living or dying in Peace without them Behold now is the accepted time to accept them and to be accepted Behold now is the day of Salvation which if it be neglected an eternal night of Damnation followeth There is also an excellency in Religion which appears in being conversant about matters of such transcendent worth and weight as namely the glorifying of God in wayes of Grace and Glory upon this account therefore it is the Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbor Religion is for Godliness which is profitable to all persons and things having promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Happy is the Man that in the way of Religion getteth Godliness for the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold she is more precious than Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Length of dayes is in her Right hand and in her Left hand Riches and Honor her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2. This Doctrine of the Kingdom of Grace and Glory speaks doleful and dreadful Tidings to the wicked and ungodly The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God No Whoremonger nor Unclean Person nor Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Let no Man therefore deceive himself with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience the loss of this Kingdom will be more intollerable to the Wicked than the enduring of the eternal torments of Hell because the loss is infinite God is lost and the Eternal weight of Glory is lost The pains of Hell are after a sort finite though infinite in duration and between finite misery and infinite glory there is an infinite inequality 3. If there be a Kingdom of Grace and Glory Are not they then besides themselves that think and say That a holy diligence and strictness in Religion and the Duties thereof in order to its attainment is more ado then needs that practically say It is vain to serve God and What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and Behold What a weariness c. When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and shall gather before him all Nations and shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the â—oats and shall set the Sheep on his Right hand but the Goats in the Left when the King shall say unto them on his Right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World When he shall say also unto them on his Left hand Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe when Christ shall reckon with his Servants about the improvement of their time and talents for we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad and shall say Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord and when he shall say to him that received one Talent and hid it in the earth Take the Talent from him and cast ye that wicked slothful and unprofitable Servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth then will the holy diligence of the Saints and Servants of the Lord be justified and the minds of them that judged diligent Godliness to be more ado than needed will be otherwise minded and wish too late they had been wise and faithful that by their Lord at his coming they might have been found so doing as those that were faithful unto death and receive the Crown of Life 4. That there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory speaks the dignity and happiness of the Saints Let their condition in this World as to the things of the World be never so bad be they poor and persecuted having nothing they possess all things things Temporal Spiritual and Eternal are their right all things are yours saith the Apostle Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and the reason is because Christ is yours he that hath Christ hath all things He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all How shall he not with him also freely give us all things They who have a true interest in God and Christ and Grace and Glory cannot want for real Treasures Honors and Pleasures either in this or the better World 5. That there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory speaks also the great love of God wherewith he hath loved us and the exceeding riches of his Grace That God of his free Mercy towards us in Christ Jesus should take any of us out of the state of Nature Sin and Misery to reinstate us into his Grace and Favour That from the presence of his Grace he might translate us into the presence and Kingdom of his Glory What manner of love hath God the Father bestowed upon us God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son into iâ— that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life this is love passing knowledge 2. The second Use is for trial and examination of our selves as to our right and title to glory The last Article in our Christian belief is the Life everlasting which every one will say he believes That there is a Kingdom of Glory is without controversie The great Question is To whom this Kingdom of Glory belongs I have before proved by Scripture That there is a purposed prepared purchased promised and preserved Kingdom of Glory and that there are certain persons
of God hath the witness in himself the witness of God for this is the witness of God that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son and this is the Record That God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and he that hath believeth or receiveth Christ hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life so that our Eternal Life depends upon our faith or faithfulness in believing that is in the truth of our assent to the truth of the whole Word of God only upon the authority of Gods speaking it especially in believing or assenting to this faithful saying which is worthy of all acceptation That Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners and consenting unfeignedly to have him for our Lord and Saviour trusting only upon the Merit of his death upon the Cross his Resurrection and Intercession for our acceptance with God our Justification an Glorification committing our selves and all our concernments wholly to his guidance and government cal ing all our care and burdens upon him as iudging him to be able and faithful to carry us through all the duties dangers and difficulties of this life unto life eternal all which is the nature and work of Faith which whosoever hath and liveth by it shall never perish but have everlasting life This is the â—aith that worketh love and worketh by love even to believe the love that God hath to us who is love God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him herein is love This love breeds love Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another much more ought we to love God and indeed if we do soundly believe this love of God towards us which passeth knowledge we shall answer this love with love again In loving God above all even with all the heart with all the Soul and with all the strength and with all the mind for he that loveth Father or Mother more than God is not worthy of him and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than God is not worthy of him and then love we him indeed when we love whom he loves and what he loves and hate what he hates Now God the Father loveth his only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ and he that loveth him loveth God and is loved of him And Oh What infinite reason have we to love both God and Christ when they have so loved us God the Father in sending his Son into the World to bless us and Christ in coming into it that he might give himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie us unto himself a peculiar People zeâ—lâ—us of good works Therefore if any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha As God loves his only Son by Eternal generation so he loveth his Adopted Sons by Spiritual Regeneration and they again love him I love them saith God that love me herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us we love him because he first loved us his love is the ground and cause of our love to him and to one another Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World Herein is love beloved if God so loved us we ought to love one another with a love of Union Complacency and Benevolence being of one Mind Will Way about one Work God-glorifying Delighting in each others Persons Communion and Communication Like David the Saints were all his delight as we have opportunity doing good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith for to do good and Communicate is a Sacrifice God is well pleased with but whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him the love of God dwelleth not in him at all nor doth he dwell in God for he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love and he that dwelleth not in God shall never dwell with him But he who loves God and Christ truly loves all Saints as God loves them with a special love and as God loves all Saints so he loves them alwayes even to the end so do all true lovers of God and his Saints as they love them all so they love them alwayes even to the end If we thus love the Brethren we may know that we are passed from death unto life Our love must extend to enemies even the worst of our enemies though we cannot love them with a love of Union and Complacency we must love them with a love of Benevolence because it is a Gospel-Command and therefore a Gospel-Duty to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us If we only love them that love us What do we more than others but if we love them that hate us we do more than others then are we the children of our Heavenly Father and are merciful as he is merciful and perfect as he is perfect And if we love not our enemies we are enemies to our enemies Gods enemies and our own To love heartily a professed practical enemy is a greater duty and difficulty than most professors are aware of How far are they from loving their enemies that do not love their brethren and without loving of their brethren and our enemies also and doing good to them that hate us there is no going to Heaven as we must love whom God loves so what God loves his Word Works Wayes Righteousness his Ordinances and Sanctuary c. God loves the Gates of Sion O how I love thy Law and I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honor dwelleth saith every one that is godly As we must love what God loves so must we hate what God hates and as God hates now God hates sin with a perfect hatred so must every one that loves the Lord hate sin and wickedness with a perfect hatred Ye that love the Lord hate evil because he hates it we cannot but sin while sin dwelleth in us but when it is acted it must be hated and is hated by every one that is godly What I hate that do I saith St. Paul We must abâ—tain from all appearance of evil hating even the garment spotted with the flesh if we will approve our selves to be the faithful and fervent lovers of the Lord let us seriously try the truth
of our love It is that to the Soul which the pulse is to the Body a Symptome of Life Gods love is our life our love to God is our great evidence that he loveth us I love them that love me This is the Souls pulse which beats continually What is Spiritual life but Spiritual love to God as God and as our chief good Can we say that Gods beloved which is Christ is our only chief beloved If I can say I am my Beloveds I may be sure that my Beloved is mine Nothing makes persons so perfectly one as perfect love which is not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth A love to the Person beloved above the Portion enjoyed a love to every one and every thing the party beloved hath a kindness for and a hatred of aversion displicency and abhorrence of that which is contrary to love and the person beloved By this also we may know that we love God and the children of God when we keep his Commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and hereby we do know that we know him believe in him and love him if we keep his Commandments he that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the truth is not in him but whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the word of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him as our love to God is a sign of his love to us so the keeping of his Commandments is an evidence of the truth of our love to him according to our Lord Jesus his Question to Peter three times Lovest thou me more than these Lovest thou me Lovest thou me Thou knowest that I love thee saith he How Feed my Lambs feed my Sheep Do you think Christ would have believed Peter or Peter believed himself touching his love if he had disobeyed this Commandment Christ saith to all If ye love me keep my Commandments and he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Now the Commandments of God are both Moral and Evangelical Moral contained in Moses his Ten Words called the Decalogue or Ten Commandments Evangelical called the Law or Doctrine of Faith concerning the Salvation of Mankind by our Lord Jesus Christ come already in the flesh to be believed by all that will be saved neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved And therefore when any one doth Oh! that every one would ask this serious question seriously What must I do to be saved the only answer to it is Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved This is his Commandment That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment There is a Law of Love as well as of Faith Love is the sum of the Law and hath the Power and force of a Law in it All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Love To God above all Love thy Neighbor as thy self If there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Love to God and our Neighbor Love worketh none ill to his Neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law As love is the Fulfilling of the Law so sin is the Transgression of the Law of God The Moral and the Evangelical Law is against sin Sin not stand in awe and sin not is one great Command from God which we must live in continual obedience unto Our great fear desire care and endeavour must run out this way that we sin not Sin is the chiefest evil as it opposeth God the chiefest good therefore we are commanded to abhor that which is evil and abstain from all appearance of evil If we will enter into life we must keep this Commandment no entering into Heaven with Sin There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye For God hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him Sin and Sinners must be turned into Hell for ever The wages of sin is death we must be saved from sin before we can be saved from Hell Let us try what Conscience we make of this Command Do we fear to sin Can we say we fear none but God and nothing but Sin he that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded Do we live in no known sin either of Heart or Life of Omission or Commission When we are overtaken with sin are we sorry for it after a godly sort until by an humble confessing and an hearty forsaking it we are reconciled to God If we be unreconciled to sin in our hearts and to a way and course of sin in our life we may be sure God and we are reconciled When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Our Eternal State may be known by our dispositions and conversations towards sin as the very bent and by-ass of our hearts and lives are for or against sin habitually and practically so will God determine our Eternal condition for Heaven or Hell In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil Whosoever abideth in Christ sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin and he cannot sin because he is born of God Yet is there a truth in this if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make God a liar and his Word is not in us but he that committeth sin is of the Devil and whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother which is a Damnable sin for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death and not to love and to hate in Scripture is of the same signification Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him He that loveth not his Brother hath neither Spiritual Light Life or Love in him He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes This sin of not loving or hating a Brother is darkness that so blindeth the eyes that whosoever is guilty of it is under this Judgment he knoweth not whither he goeth I doubt not but everyone that loveth not his Brother thinks he doth love him because he loves him in Word and in Tongue and thinks he shall go to Heaven Alass What doth it profit if a brother or sister be naked or in prison and destitute of daily food and one say unto
Christ Jesus as also Moses faithful in all his house and Abraham they are Stewards of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Moreover it is required in Stewards that a Man be found faithful to God himself and others for as every Man hath received the Gift even so Minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God In seeking the Kingdom of God before it can be attained there is much doing and suffering-work to be performed which requires much faithfulness he only is the wise and faithful Servant whom his Lord when he cometh to take an account of his Stewardship is found so doing as the Servant of Christ doing the Will of God from the heart not following that which is evil but that which is good He that doth good is of God but he that doth evil hath not seen God Hypocrites say but do not but a doer of the Work this Man shall be blessed in his deed or doing What St. John said of his Gaius beloved thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers ought to be verifyed of every one who seeks the Kingdom of God Seek faithfully do all that is to be done for the obtaining it by patient continuance in well-doing and faithful also in suffering for righteousness sake we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of Heaven think it not strange therefore concerning the fiery Trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you but rejoyce yea count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy for great is your reward in Heaven being heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God in seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator since God Father Son and Holy Ghost are faithful his Word faithful Ministers faithful for so we are to account them being the Ministers of Christ Moreover it is required in Stewards that a Man be found faithful Since it is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory whatever we do or suffer in order to the enjoying of it let it be done in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart So also diligently those things which are excellent are difficult and hard to come by such are Spiritual and Heavenly things namely Grace and Glory which are most excellent and therefore not so easily attained The great and difficult Work that lies upon our hands is the making our calling and election sure for this end every one hath or should have a particular and general calling to work in both to keep him from Idleness and to put him upon duty and diligence Each calling requires much labor and diligence It is the will of God that none should stand idle This is his Command That if any would not work neither should he eat It is not only the Character of a good Huswife but of a good Christian that she eateth not the bread of idleness It is not for Men and Women who have Souls to save or lose a Heaven or Hell to live in for ever to live a moment idle Time which is for Eternity is too precious a thing to be Idled away to be spent in any thing but diligent seeking the Kingdom of God What is the Proclamation of Jesus Christ but Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good There is Meat for them to eat even hidden Manna Angels food which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of Man shall give unto them who labor for it with this Meat the Soul of the diligent shall be made fat there is nothing to be had but poverty without diligence He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent with the blessing of the Lord maketh the godly so rich as he addeth no sorrow with it while the wicked who will be rich pierce themselves through with many sorrows The unsearchable riches of grace and Treasures of glory are gotten in a way of holy diligence they who have escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust and are made partakers of the Divine Nature besides this are to give all diligence to add to their Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly kindness Charity till they abound in them for so an entrance shall be Ministred unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If so much diligence be required to grow in grace What diligence is requisite to the getting of it If Ministring to the Saints be a Work and labor of love which none can attain to the full assurance of hope without shewing diligence therein unto the end What Work and labor and diligence will every grace cost before it be attained and perfected This should by no means discourage but quicken us our labor will not be in vain in the Lord. Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not If we are at the pains to sow holiness in the Seed-time of this life we shall reap happiness in the harvest of Eternity they who labor for rest shall rest from their Labor and their Works shall follow them a Man that is diligent in this Heavenly business of seeking the kingdom of God he shall not stand before mean Men he shall stand before the King of Kings in all his Glory This Kingdom is to be sought fervently both in Speech and Spirit open thy mouth wide saith God and I will fill it we must cry mightily to God in Prayer for it the effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much not slothful in business of the greatest concernment fervent in spirit seeking the Lord labouring or striving fervently in Prayers that we may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in so good a thing as seeking the kingdom of God which must be sought also violently the kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Violence in other cases is irregular and dangerous and especially in a way of sin when Men do evil with both hands earnestly the times are then evil with a witness but their mischief will return upon their own heads and their violent dealing will come down upon their own pates especially upon them that lie in wait for Blood that hunt every Man his brother with a Net and upon her that lieth in the Bosom to
possessing it will more than recompence for all the pains and sufferings the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us and therefore this Kingdom of Grace and Glory is to be sought constantly that is without ceasing day and night or very frequently constantly that is perseveringly for God will render to every Man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life Be thou faithful herein O Christian unto Death and Christ will give unto thee in the Kingdom of God a Crown of Life for only he that shall thus endure seeking unto the end the same shall be saved Even he that doth seek this kingdom of God which is a kingdom of Grace and Glory with his whole heart understandingly believingly faithfully diligently fervently violently valiantly vigilantly early delightfully and constantly which is no more than God requires and the unconceivable excellencies of this kingdom deserves Is not the kingdom of Grace it self nay one Grace of this kingdom more worth than all the Glory of all the kingdoms of this World The very trial of our faith and so of every other Grace is more precious than Gold that perisheth How precious is Faith it self Who that hath the Faith of Gods elect in the least degree in his heart would part with it at any rate nothing in this World better than life skin for skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his life But How many have lost their lives to save their faith that they might believe to the saving of their Souls they have died for the Faith that they might die in Faith And as for Hope which is a patient waiting and looking for that blessed Hope and the Glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus when we shall appear with him in Glory at death but more Gloriously at the day of Judgment when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels to be Glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe who hath this good hope through Grace that would part with it for more than all this World were it Ten thousand times ten thousand better than it is Alass if in this life only we have hope we are of all Men most miserâ—ble but since we can and do rejoycâ— in hope of the G orâ— of God we are happy enough in our hope which 〈◊〉 laid up for us in Heaven Now abideth Faith Hopâ— Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Faith and Hope we shall leave behind us having no need of them in Heaven When we are at the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls there is an end of our Faith but Charity which is the bond of our perfection in Heaven never ceaseth What is our Eternal Life in Heaven but an Eternal Life of Love our dwelling in and with God will be a dwelling in Love and God who is Love dwelling in us There will be fervent Charity indeed between God Angels and Men here because Iniquity doth abound the love of many doth wax cold there will be neither Sin Satan or Sinners to quench the flames of Mutual Love and Charity if Charity have so many Gracious and wonderful effects and fruits here What glorious effects will it produce in Glory Thou hast ravished my heart thou hast ravished my heart sâ—ith Christ with one of thine eyes with one Chain of thy Neck a Chain of Mercy and Truth Doth Mercy and Truth and other Graces in his Spouse ravish the heart of Christ What ravishing Joy will there be when Mercy and Truth meet together in Heaven and Righteousness and Peace kiss each other when Grace shall be turned into Glory when Charity a Grace a Duty now shall be Charity a Duty also but our Glory and Reward Will not Christ say of his Spouse then How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights If the Created Glory of a Christian be so Glorious in the eyes of Christ How Glorious will the Increated Glory of God in Christ be to the beholders of it to all Eternity Let us therefore stick at no care and pains to make sure of a kingdom which God hath made so sure to us in his Everlasting purpose and preparation and is purchased for us at so dear a rate as the precious Blood of Christ and promised and preserved to us in his Everlasting Covenant Here have we no continuing City let us seek one to come with the heirs of Promise who look for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It is the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem where God himself an Innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly and Church of the First-born and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament and God the Holy Ghost the Comforter dwell all together Glorifying one another in an unspeakable manner for ever and Should not the Glory of this Kingdom of Glory and the Heavenly Society therein invite and constrain us all in these Kingdoms to look after such a state and place Is not every one infinitely obliged to seek this Kingdom not only for himself but for the Community if it were possible every moment Is there a Kingdom of Grace which may be had here in this World and a Kingdom of Glory hereafter in another World Is this a faithful saying and Is it not worth every ones acceptation Is not the Grace of God in truth and power the one thing needful here and Is not Glory in the Kingdom of God the one thing needful there Why are we then careful and troubled about many things when one thing is needful Why do we not all as one Man choose that good part which shall not be taken away from us There is nothing else in this World but either it will be taken from us or we from it Should we not labor to know in our selves that we have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us where we should lay up for our selves Treasures Honors and Pleasures that Moth and Rust do not corrupt and where Pride and Covetousness two notorious Theeves do not dare not cannot break through and steal that where our Treasure is there our hearts and hopes may be also But let us lay up for our selves Treasures upon Earth never so safely the Moth and Rust do and will corrupt them and these two Theeves will break through and steal the care of getting and keeping these Earthly Treasures and the fear of losing them put too many besides themselves and their duty in seeking those things which are above The only way is to be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving to make our request known unto God and the Kingdom of God which is not meat and drink but
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
God do Wonders among us 4. Examining our selves frequently and seriously by the Law and Gospel what effect they have had upon us as to the change of our state from sin to grace from death to life and whether our hearts and lives are so sound in Gods Statutes that we have respect to all his Commandments that we may never be ashamed Without this constant practice we cannot know our selves Know ye not your own selves saith the Apostle how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates How shall we know our selves to be elect or reprobate why examine your selves prove your own selves If we wholly neglect or negligently perform this duty we may then certainly conclude our selves to be Reprobates What are all the marks and signs for tryal of our everlasting state laid down in Scripture for but that we might know our selves by them whether we belong to God or the Devil and whether we are going to Heaven or Hell Without this careful constant examination trying and proving a man may think himself to be something when he is nothing and so deceive himself and others Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into Heaven Many will say to Christ on that great day of examination Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils And in thy Name done many wonderful Works To whom he will profess I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Let every man therefore examine himself and prove his own Work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another then shall he not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought in him to the Law and to the Testimony if he speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in him If every one that doth evil and he that doth truth would come to the light it would make manifest whether their deeds were wrought in God or no All things that are reproved or discovered are made manifest by this light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light were this duty well managed more would go to Heaven and fewer to Hell 5. Conferring talking communing and reasoning together in love concerning the things of the Kingdom of God would be a happy means to help one another in seeking to find it Too often our words in Preaching praying and praising to them that hear us seem but idle Tales and are not believed till this Christian duty of Communication be frequently exercised Here we have liberty to speak to one anothers capacities and necessities we could not hear one another reasoning of Righteousness Temperance Death Judgment Heaven and Hell to come but our hearts would burn within us for Christ himself would be one amongst us as with his Disciples at Emmaus talking with us and opening to us the Scriptures so that our coming and communing together would certainly be for the better and not for the worse for this end to revive the duty of Christian Conference I do fully purpose by the Grace of God as I have begun to bring the Holy Scriptures under such Heads that the Word of Christ may dwell richly in all wisdom in young and old that will exercise themselves herein with delight and meditation day and night for the accomplishing whereof the Prayers of all fearing God are again humbly and earnestly desired and expected 6. Teaching Children early to read and know the Holy Scripture Training them up or Catechising them in the first Principles of the Oracles of God and all others who have the like need that are but Children in knowledge is another excellent means to increase the Kingdom of Christ How many unprofitable dull Hearers are there in these Kingdoms which for their time ought to be Teachers have need that one teach them again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God that to their shame be it spoken have not the knowledge of God nay that say to God and their Teachers whose lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at their mouth for they are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes These have double necessity of counsel care and compassionate compulsion both from Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority to learn to know their duty danger and necessity if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken alive as captive by him at his will The Harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few pray we therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest such as will preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves the servants of all for Jesus sâ—ke servants that will not strive but be gentle unto alâ— men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves till their eyes be opened and turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ The work of Conversion and Reformation will never happily go on till the counsel of that most Reverend Learned and Godly Bishop Vsher be universâ—lly diligently zealously and constaâ—tly puâ— in practice both in Churches and Families which being apposite to my purpose I have here Transcribed Your Majesties care can never be sufficiently commended in taking order that the chief Heads of the Catechism should in the ordinary Ministery be diligently propâ—unded and explâ—ined unto the People throughout the Land which I wish were as duly executed everywhere as it was piously by you intended Great Scholars possibly may think that it standeth not so well with their credit to stoop thus low and to spend so much of their time in teaching these Rudiments and first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but they should consider that the laying of the foundation skilfully as it is a matter of the greatest importance in the whole Building so it is the very Master-piece of the whole Building 1 Cor. 3 10. According to the Grace of God which is given unto me as a wise Master Builder I have laid the foundation saith the great Apostle And let the Learnedst of us all try it whenever we please we shall find that to lay this Ground work rightly that is to apply our selves to the câ—pacities of the common Auditory and to make an â—gâ—orâ—nt man understand these mysteries in some good measure will put us to the tryal of our skill and trouble us a great deal more than if we were to discuss a Controversie or handle a subtle point of Learning in the Schools yet Christ did give as well his Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists as his ordinary Pastors and Teachers to bring us all both Learned and Unlearned unto
the unity of this faith and knowledge and the neglecting of this is the frustrating of the whole work of the Ministery for let us preach never so many Sermons to the People our labour is but lost as long as the foundation is uâ—laid and the first principles untaught upon which all other Doctrine must be builded Thus far the worthy Bishop in his Sermon before King James at Wansted 7. Often remembring and real renewing our Covenant with God whenever the Holy Sacraments are administred Baptism is but to be administred once but we are solemnly and frequently to remember and make use of our Baptismal Covenant upon all occasions especially in avoiding all occasions and temptations and motions to sin within or without in time of tribulation and desertion and at the point of death we are buried with Christ in Baptism wherein also we are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God that so many of us as are bâ—ptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his death therefore are we buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life By Baptism we are planted together in the likeness of his Death and also in the likeness of his Resurrection that our old man might be crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Covenant making and Covenant keeping is the sum of our Religion We are sworn in our Baptism to believe all the Articles of our Christian Creed and to live by faith to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless to pray according to the Lords Prayer without ceasing for Grace that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we may live soberly righteously and godly in this present World that so with comfort we may look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and as we have sworn so we are to perform it even in keeping all the righteous Judgments of the Lord so also the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper which if there be opportunity should often be received by us wherein we shew forth the death of Christ till he come is another excellent means appointed by God both to convey and assure to us the Kingdom of God as also to strengthen and confirm us in the Grace we have received that we draw not back to perdition but going from faith to faith from one degree of Grace unto another we may receive the end of our faith the salvation of our Souls Let us shew the Lords death till he come by often eating this Bread and drinking this Cup but let us examine our selves lest eating and drinking unworthily we be found guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and so eat and drink damnation to our selves III. All the Graces of the Holy Spirit must be had and exercised we must go to the God of all Grace for every Grace he will give Grace and Glory first Grace then Glory It is through Grace we have good hope the Grace of Regeneration according to his mercy he saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he sheds on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of eternal life there is no hope of eternal life without Grace It cannot be expected I should discourse of all the Graces these may suffice 1. The first Grace we are to labour for is Humility by which we come to know our vileness and unworthiness that we are no better than wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and have need of every thing and yet deserve nothing that we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God The way to be rich in Grace is to be poor in Spirit God will give Grace to the humble the more humble the more holy Saint Paul the chiefest of sinners less than the least of all Saints in his own account yet not a whit behind the very chiefest of the Apostles in Grace and Gifts labouring more abundantly than they all yet not I saith he but the Grace of God which was with me Be cloathed with humility walk humbly with God humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time God will save the humble person 2. Acquaint your selves with God know the God of your Fathers This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the principal part of the image of God is the knowledge of him If you would have his mercy and his favor you must have understanding for to a people of no understanding he that made them will not save them and he that formed them will shew them no favor they who like not to retain God in their knowledge are not like to go to Heaven that the Soul be without knowledge it is not good the Soul cannot be good without knowledge it is the image of God which makes the Soul good The new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness is renewed in knowledge we escape the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Grace also and Peace are multiplied unto us through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord yea all things that pertain unto life and godliness are given unto us through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue Therefore if you determine to go to Heaven determine not to know any thing so much as Jesus Christ and him Crucified Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get Wisdom and with all thy getting get Understanding get Wisdom get Understanding â—orget it not embrace her and she shall bring thee to Honour and Heaven She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her 3. Repent and believe the Gospel I put them together for brevity sake as I find them Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus are our very entrance into the Kingdom of God True Repentance which elsewhere I have described at large le ts the Kingdom of Sin and Satan out of the heart that Faith unfeigned may receive Christ and his Kingdom into it Repentance is a turning from Sin and Satan and the World and Faith is a coming to God by Christ a choosing and closing with him as our Lord and Saviour a receiving of his Fulness and Grace for Grace that we may glorifie God and be glorified with him in our Bodies Souls and Spirits which are Gods Seek first the Kingdom of God in a way of repenting and believing and you are sure to find it 4. The fear of God especially for
live unto God in holiness to him in justice commutative and distributive to and with others Whatsoever we would that men should do to us do we even so to them In sobriety towards our â—elves in body soul and spirit Gird up the loins of your â—inds be sober Present your bodies a living sacrifice â—y acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service â—mperate in all things And all these things namely that concern the welfare of the â—ody which are temporal as Health Peace Honours Pleasures Riches Protection Provision Food Raiment c. Shall be added cast in upon the by without carking care in God's ordinary providence as in wisdom he thinks meet Casting our care upon him committing our selves and ways to him walking with him in our general and particular Callings painfully and faithfully Vnto you who in faith seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness This Verse is part of that famous Sermon that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preached to the Multitude in the Mount and therefore should command the greatest reverence The occasion of the words is first Christs observation of the worldliness of the World especially the Gentile world for after all these things namely the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life do the Gentiles seek 2. The fears and thereupon the cares which possessed the hearts of the weak in faith that if they became the hearers and followers of Christ indeed and in truth then what should they do for food and raiment Why Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you There is not one word in this Verse but is pregnant with matter of infinite unspâ—akable worth and weight and contains variety of Doctrines and Duties which for brevities sake I must pass over with bare naming them Oh that all the Kings and Kingdoms of the world did but know and well weigh the mind heart affections and bowels of Jesus Christ in this very Scripture the Kingdoms then of the world would certainly and suddenly become the Kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ which is the King of Kings desire Should not Kings and Kingdoms then desire it for each other Oh that the desires and endeavours of us all were as great as good as fervent and as faithful as here they should be in so momentous a matter as seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness But as it looks backward and forward contains these Doctrines 1. All men naturally are carnally minded 2. Weak Believers are even carnal too thoughtful and careful about temporal things 3. It is the will of Christ Jesus that they of little fâ—ith would not trouble their heads and hearts with fears and cares about things pertaining to the body 4. The best way to cure a carnal mind is first to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Seek 1. Every one by sin hath lost his right to spiritual and heavenly things 2. It is the duty of every one especially Believers to seek after grace and glory Ye The weakest true Believers may and must above all other persons and before other things seek God's Kingdom and his Righteousness First principally or chiefly 1. God's Kingdom and his Righteousness are the most substantial and principal things 2. These things are practically to be preferred before all other First early The best time of seeking God's Kingdom and his Righteousness is betimes in our age and betimes in the morning First earnestly We are to stir up our selves and others to seek spiritual things with greatest fervency and faithfulness The Kingdom of God 1. God hath a Kingdom of his own 2. He is the onely Author and Founder of it 3. He gives it to whom he will 4. This Kingdom is both grace and glory 5. This Kingdom hath an everlasting foundation And his Righteousness And. 1 Grace and glory are inseparable His. 2. The righteousness of Christ is God's Righteousness 3 The Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness is the onely way to glory 4. Christs righteousness is our Justification and Sanctification And all these things shall be added unto you And. 1. Temporal and Spiritual things are also inseparable 2. Believers have a right to all things 3. Heavenly and earthly things differ exceedingly All these things shall be added 1. True Believers may for a time want temporal mercies Having nothing yet possessing all things 2. God will in his good time relieve all their wants 3 God will give Believers convenient mercies without carking thoughts fears or cares Vnto you Of little faith The least degree of true faith entitles Christians to things Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Doct. The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory which is to be sought by all above and before all other things till it be obtained with all possible care and diâ—igence The God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory give unto me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the mysteries of his Kingdom the eyes of my understanding being enlightned I may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints that I may make it manifest as I ought That there is a Kingdom of grace and glory the whole Word of God the Twelve Articles in our Christian Apostolical Creed the Decalogue or Ten Commandments our Lords Prayer the Summaries of our Faith Desires and Practise the unanimous constant consent of the Universal Church the different state disposition and conversation of the Godly and Ungodly and God's various dispensations towards them do admirably abundantly and undeniably prove For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity For if ye do these things an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So run that ye may obtain There is a Kingdom of grace within us Luke 17.21 Behold the kingdom of God is within you There is a Kingdom of glory without us 1 Thess 2.12 That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory Not differing in nature but degree for grace is glory begun and glory is grace perfected Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same image from glory to glory that is from one degree of grace unto another until grace commence glory Every Kingdom presupposeth a King Laws and Subjects that are to be governed guided and protected Accordingly the Kingdom of God hath a King Laws and Subjects The Lord Jesus Christ is King himself the eternal Câ—uncels of God in his