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
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
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
in well doing or doing as they would be done by seek it But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness that do not as they would be done by Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul that doth evil that worketh not Righteousness speaketh not the Truth in his heart that backbiteth his Neighbor with his Tongue that receiveth endureth or taketh up a reproach against his Neighbor in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and honoreth them not that fear the Lord that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth that putteth out his Money to Usury and taketh reward against the Innocent he that doth these things shall surely perish Are we good indeed and in truth though not very good Are our hearts and lives good make the Tree good and the Fruit will be good every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit. God is good essentially and personally it is his Nature and Property to be good to make good to do good so there is none good but one Thou art good and doest good saith David of God the Father Christ saith of himself I am the good Shepherd thy Spirit saith David is good These three Persons namely the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost had every one a hand in making Man very good at first Let us make Man so also in re-creating or renewing us after the Image of his goodness are we also filled with goodness The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness Are we good in all Estates in all Places in all Times in all Companies As we have opportunity do we good unto all Men especially unto them who are of the Houshold of Faith Doth our goodness extend it self to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom we delight Do we also good to them that hate us and Pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us then are we the children of our Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and Servants to our Lord and Master Jesus Christ who when he cometh and reckoneth with them will say to every one Well done thou good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord And How great is that goodness which God hath laid up for all them that are good and do good and trust in him before the Sons of Men Since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for them that wait for the hour which is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear the voice of the Lord Jesus and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation I have been the longer upon this use of Examination as being a matter of the greatest moment not to be deceived in That which is our greatest concern in this World next to the glory of God is to have an assured interest in the Kingdom of Grace and also a true Title to the Kingdom of Glory Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness is the word of Exhortation which high and low rich and poor young and old are to attend unto with all possible sincerity seriousness and diligence It is the duty and the dignity from the King upon the Throne to the Beggar upon the Dunghill to seek this Kingdom of Grace and Glory The greatest hath as great need to seek it as the meanest all are come short of the glory of this Kingdom because all have sinned Our greatest fear should be least any of us should seem to fall short for ever of so glorious a Kingdom and our greatest care desire and endeavor should be next to the glory of God to enjoy him in the way of his Grace here till we arrive at the full vision and fruition of him in Heavenly Glory This Kingdom of God is lost because we are lost it is lost to us and we lost to it but not so far lost but the true seekers of it may find it and themselves be found in the right way of seeking it It must be found otherwise the seekers of it lose themselves and this Kingdom for ever Many will seek to enter into the Kingdom of Grace and Glory but shall not be able There be many that say Who will shew us any good but few there be that strive to enter in at the strait Gate and walk in the narrow way which leadeth unto life and therefore few there be that find it There is no rational Creature upon the face of the Earth that is exempted from this duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Sinners as well as Saints are to hearken unto and obey the Counsel Command and Proclamation of Jesus Christ herein The chiefest sinner hath a Call and Command to seek it which is his Warrant and a Promise for his incouragement Ask and it shall be given you Seek and ye shall find Knock and it shall be opened unto you The chiefest Saint hath no dispensation against this Duty Counsel and Command but looking diligently lest any Man fail of or fall from the Grace of God least any root of bitterness spring up seeing he looks for such great things is to be diligent that he may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless at his coming that when Christ who is our life shall appear he also may appear with him in glory Sinners such I mean as are unconverted and are strangers and enemies to God his Christ Grace and Glory and their own greatest enemies have most need to be exhorted excited and perswaded to seek first these things namely the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which can never happily be done till they be first disswaded and prevailed with from self-seeking self-pleasing flesh-pleasing for the satisfying whereof earthly things are minded and sought after inordinately and therefore it is the Wisdom of our Lord Jesus before he persuades to the seeking of Spiritual and Heavenly things by Reasons Arguments Motives and Disswasions to free the Minds and Hearts and Affections of his hearers from their anxious and troublesome thoughts fears and cares concerning carnal and earthly things pertaining to the Body namely what they should eat what they should drink and what they should put on Take no thought for your life Is not the life more than meat and The body than raiment Your heavenly Father feedeth the Fowls of the air Are not you much better than they Why take ye thought for Raiment consider the Lilies of the field if God
thereunto with all perseverance for he only is blessed that watcheth and keepeth himself and his garments unspotted from the flesh and the World This Kingdom of God must be sought early that is betimes in our age early or betime in the morning which is the meaning of this Word first seek first the kingdom of God that is early Indeed all our life-time how-long-soever is to be employed in seeking the glory of God and glory with God but the flower of our age and time is to be spent in a more special manner in looking after Spiritual and Heavenly things and making sure of them we have Precepts Promises and Presidents to quicken our endeavors Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth they that seek me early shall find me Christ Jesus was our pattern herein when the Child Jesus was Twelve years old he was found in the Temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions that all that heard him were astonished at his Understanding and Answers and when they saw him they were amazed His custom was to rise up a great while before day to Prayer and after to Preach this kingdom of God by Prayer he sought it for us in his Preaching he offered it to us to this very day in the Ministery he is seeking first the kingdom of God in a way of Prayer and Preaching for us David a Man after Christs own heart was at his Devotion early in the morning O God thou art my God early will I seek thee My voice shalt thou hear in the Morning O Lord in the Morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up There is a kingdom of Grace and Glory and few there be that find it What is the Reason They do not first seek it They do not begin when God would have them begin early young Children under the Old and New Testament were early dedicated to God and were under his command of seeking and serving him betimes and commended for so doing Oh that young ones that have no Worldly fears and cares in their heads and hearts to trouble and hinder them would know the time of their Visitation their best time to acquaint themselves with God and to seek the things of their everlasting Peace How many more might go to Heaven if they would first seek the kingdom of God if they would be every way early at this work hold on and hold out to the end seeking Behold now is the accepted time even the time of youth Behold now is the day of Salvation Oh the infinite advantages that children have for good and godly education If children now while children especially those who are under godly education be not the children of God it may be when they are not children they shall never be the children of God but the children of his wrath for ever I am sure it is the will of God that children while they are children should be his children Christ would have very young ones to enter into the kingdom of God insomuch that when the Disciples rebuked those that brought young children to him that he should touch them he was much displeased and said Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God but then the kingdom of God must be sought primarily and chiefly first before other things first above other things we are alwayes to begin and end with God in our seeking and seeing him and in seeking for our selves Spiritual and Heavenly things are first to be desired and laboured after for we have no command in Scripture to seek other things but a Promise that they shall be added or given in on the by if we first seek the kingdom of God before other things and above other things as the principal and chief matters of our lives There is but one thing necessary which is to get well to Heaven There is but one thing to be desired and sought after the beholding the beauty of the Loâ—d in his kingdom of grace and glory This is the principal thing and principally to be regarded What greater things wholly to swallow up our minds thoughts cares desires and labors than God Christ Grace and Glory which are also to be sought with delight and complacency as the highest object of our delight delight thy self in the Lord is his Command and our sweetest Duty It is not enough to do holy duties except we delight in them not for themselves but for God and the things of God Spiritual and Eternal Here our delight is to be placed as sutable to and worthy of it and all our other delights in other things are but to raise our delight in God What poor things are transitory honors pleasures and riches to delight in that are but for a season in comparison of those true and indurable riches honors and pleasures which are at Gods right hand for evermore We may either want those to delight in or want delight for them however so much as to satisfie they are not Commensurate and Adequate objects of delight as being uncertain and insufficient but these which are Spiritual and Eternal through Gods All-sufficiency are both sure and sufficient which breed satisfaction and delight they that acquaint themselves with God are at peace with him have good from him receive the Law from his mouth and delight in it in the inward Man and lay up his words in their heart that return to the Almighty and put away iniquity from their Tabernacles that have the Almighty for their defence shall also have their delight in the Almighty and the Almighty who delights in Mercy to delight in them What is it to seek the kingdom of God but to seek the greatest delight and Should we not delight in seeking delights especially when our seeking or praying is Gods delight The Prayer of the upright is his delight The kingdom of God and his Righteousness are things full of delight With what delight should we think of them speak of them and seek them till we find them enjoy them experience and tast them Oh tast and see that the Lord is good There is more delight and sweetness in tasting and eating of Honey than in hearing a discourse of its sweetness and seeing it If there be so much sweetness and delight in the word of God What sweetness then in the Word that is God in the multitude of my troublous ragged thoughts within me saith David thy comforts or promises delight my Soul unless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction The delights that are to be found in God and in his Law are enough to sweeten the bitterest condition There is much trouble and sorrow in seeking the Kingdom of God and tribulation to be indured before it be enjoyed but the delights in the right seeking it and the infinite delights there are to be had in the everlasting