where is the House that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest Psal 145.3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his Greatness is unsearchable 1 Tim. 6.16 O let Holy David's practice be yours that so his expierience may be yours also Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved 5. Survey him in the bright shining beauty of his Holiness Revel 4.8 Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come This will make you with Isaiah say Chap 6. v. 5. Wo is me for I am undone because I am of unclean Lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean Lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts And with Job Chap. 42. v. 5.6 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes This will take you off from stinting your selves to any Scanty measures of Holiness making you persue after it to be Holy in all manner of conversation as he that has called you is Holy Levit. 19.2 1 Pet. 1.15 I might go over the rest of the Attribute Mercy Grace Love Longsuffering Infinite Power All sufficiency and Faithfulness But from what is already hinted the Way is in some measure made plain how you may mannage such Meditations Thirdly what hitherto has been mentioned is little more than what is attainable by an improved Heathen I must therefore call aloud upon you to soar yet higher in your contemplations of God in Christ And here you may see that which is and will be to all Eternity matter of admiration to Men and Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 Here you may see God Reconciling an apostate and perishing World to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 Here you may see a most noble unparallelled contrivance of infinite Wisdom and free Grace hatched in the womb of Eternity how the Sons and Daughters of Adam that by Sin had debased themselves as low as Hell might be advanced to a state of Royal dignity as high as Heaven Here you may see the Creators condesinsion in stooping so low as to cloth himself with Mans Nature that Man might be made partaker of the Divine Here you may see Mercy and Justice reconciled Righteousness and Truth kissing each other So great is his Justice that Sin shall not pass unpunished no not in his own dear Son though a Sinner only by imputation and having no personal pollution And so great his is Mercy to most miserable sinners that they have what of God is communicable and what they are capable to receive Grace and Glory upon free cost Justice is satisfied to the full as if there had never been any offence and the ransomed of the Lord are restored to a better estate than Adam's was before the Fall Behold here the reason why the World has stood near this 6000 years it s by Christ all things consist Col. 1.17 Come and behold an unspeakable union of hearts and affections between God and sinners Angels and sinners sinners and sinners and of the whole Creation Behold what encouragement the greatest of sinners have to come unto God with hopes of access and acceptance and O what invincible obligations do all of us ly under highly to honour adore fear reverence worship love serve pray unto praise and confide in this God! O my Soul and all that 's within me magnifie the unsearchable riches of the glorious grace of this God and let the whole Creation concur with me in celebrating his praise-worthy name Luke 1.68 69. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and Redeemed his People and hath raised up a horn of Salvation for us that we should be saved from our Enemies and from the hand of them that hate us that we might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life Revel 5.11 12. I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten Thousand and Thousands of Thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was Slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Srength and Honour and Glory and Blessing And every Creature which is in Heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sits on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Fourthly Rest not satisfied with a rational head-knowledge of the most sublime Gospel Mysteries without some practical and experimental knowledge of the effectual heart-renewing and Soul-Sanctifying operations of the Spirit of God upon your Hearts study a translation from Death to Life from Satan to God from the power of darkness into the Glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Put off the whole old Man with all his deceivable Lusts and put on the Lord Jesus Study Regeneration know what it is to be be born from above by the Word and Spirit John 3. Begin That you may say with those Tit. 3.3 4. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and pleasures living in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God appeared not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly that being justified by his Grace we should be heirs according to the hope of eternal life And Ephes 2. Begin Even when we were Dead in sins hath he quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus we are the Workmanship of God Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which were before ordained that we should walk therein O take heed of being mistaken in the business of Gospel-conversion it concerns no less than the eternal Salvation or Damnation of your immortal Soul it s something else than a bare literal knowledge civility morality partial reformation having some flashes of good desires and resolutions and something else than a bare outward profession saying Lord Lord Know once what it is to have Heaven-born principles in your heart what it is to have the old stony hard carnal unclean covetous proud impenitent and unbelieving heart with all old things done away and all things made new 2 Cor. 5.17 New understanding new will new conscience new affections Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure and it will much conduce to your comfortble walking throughout the course of your conversation Fifthly In order hereunto I commend to you that of Heb. 6.1 Lay such a foundation of Repentance from dead works and Faith towards God
raised from the Dead according to my Gospel wherein I suffer as an evil-doer even unto bonds but the word of God is not bound Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake that they may also obtain the Salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal Glory Phil 2.17 Yea and if I be offered up upon the Sacrifice and service of your Faith I joy and rejoyce with you all 1 Tim. 12 13 14. 2 Tim. 1.8 Be not ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God Are you now Members of a Gospel-Church and in Communion with Saints Consider the Duties of this relation 1. In Reference to God and the dignity of a Church state 2. To those that are over you in the Lord. 3. One to another Duties of the first sort are these 1. God hath made over himself by a most solemn covenant-engagement unto you put a high estimate upon this more than ordinary privilege and make a due improvement thereof let the thoughtful remembrance of this overaw you to a constant walking in his Holy ways and observation of his Statutes Deut. 26.17 18 19 20. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways and the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandments and to make thee high above all Nations in Praise and in Name and in Honour that thou mayest be a Holy People unto the Lord thy God Let the memory of this be always recent and fresh upon your Spirits and it will much influence persiverance in Holiness and prove an excellent Antidote against Apostasy 2. The Gospel Church is often called the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 3.2 and 5.19 and 11.12 and 13.14 and 16.19 And if God hath made you Members hereof it is a vertual declaration of his Mind and Counsel concerning your Election from Eternity and Salvation to all Eternity which calls aloud upon you for Spiritual Rejoycing more than if you had been made Earthly Kings and Queens Luke 10.20 In this rejjoyce not that the Spirits are Subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven 2 Thes 2.13 14 15. We are bound to give thanks unto God alway for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Ephes 1.4 5 6. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. 3. Though once ye were Darkness yet now ye are all the Children of Light and of the Day Therefore sleep not as others but watch and be sober 1 Thes 5.5 6 7. They that sleep sleep in the Night and they that are Drunken are Drunken in the Night but let us who are of the Day be sober putting one the Breast-plate of Faith and for a Helmet the hope of Salvation Rom. 13.12 13. The Night is far spent the Day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of Darkness and put on the armour of Light let us walk honestly as in the Day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light which in time past were not a People but are now the People of God which had not obtained mercy but have now obtained mercy Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from Fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul having your conversation honest among the Gentils that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold Glorifie God in the day of visitation Math. 5.16 4. You are made sharers and copartners with Christ in all the Privileges and Precious things which he has purchased with his Blood 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. And wherein will you testifie your thankfulness to him Has he Died for you and will not love constrain you to live unto him 2 Cor. 2.5 14. As he Died for your sins so he Rose for your justification Rom. 4.25 And will not you Dye to Sin and ascend in your Hearts after him Will not you study to know the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Phil. 3.10 11 Rom. 6.10 11 12 13. In that he Died he Died unto sin once but in that he Liveth he Liveth unto God Likewise ye also reckon your selves to be Dead unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Let not Sin therefore reign in your Mortal Bodies that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof neither yield your Members as Instruments of unrighteousness unto Sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God He hath now broke the Serpents Head triumphed over Principalities and Powers taken away the Hand-Writing of the Old Covenant that was against you Nailing it to his Cross has conquered the World and delivered you from it Has made Death stingless and has swallowed up the Grave in victory has abolished the condemning Power of the Law himself being made a curse for you What hinders then but that you take up that Apostical Triumph Rom. 8. to the end Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that Died Yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who shall separate us from all the Love of Christ shall tribulation who are the Enemies and what are the evils which the Church redeemed with the Blood of God should be afraid of Heb. 10.19 21 22. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he has consecrated for us though the Veil that is to say his flesh and having a high Priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water with the thing it self that was signified by legal washings 5. God has reposed this great trust in you to be Instrumental conservators of his Truths and Ordinances Rom. 3.2 1 Tim. 3.15 Shew fidelity in preserving truth among your selves keeping your Understandings and Judgments untainted with errours and heresies Acts 20.19 30 31. Eph. 4.14 Heb. 13.9 Be not carried about with strange Doctrines
THE Christian Directed IN HIS RACE to HEAVEN OR A Short ACCOUNT of that Knowledge and Practice that leads thither By JAMES FORBES Minister of the Gospel at Glocester LONDON Printed by J. Brudenell for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three-Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1700. THE CHRISTIAN Directed IN HIS Race to HEAVEN FIRST Consider often the Great End of your Creation and Redemption by Christ The great Jehovah was no more a Debtor to you than to the most worthless Worm that creeps upon the Earth the Distinguishing you from Brutes Sensitive and Imanimate Creatures is a meer Act of Favour in Furnishing you with such an Excellent Immaterial Immortal Spiritual and Divine Substance the Soul consisting of Understanding Will Conscience Memory and Affections whereby you are capable of the Knowledge of and Communion with the High and Lofty One that Inhabits Eternity Your Body is also wonderfully framed Ps 139.14 and fitted by the hand of an infinite Skilful Artificer both for Services and Sufferings I beseech you therefore by the Mercies of God that you Consecrate your selves Souls and Bodies a Living Holy and acceptable Sacrifice to the Author of your Being which is your Reasonable Service Rom. 12.1 And Glorify him with both as knowing you are not your own you are Bought with a Price 1. Cor. 6.20 O remember you were sent into the World for Higher Ends than meerly to Eat Drink Sleep and satisfy the Lusts of the Flesh Study to Answer the Ends of your Creation and Redemption The Second Thing I commend to you is in the Words of the Wise Man Prov. 2.3 4 5 6. If thou Cryest after Knowledge and liftest up thy Voice for Understanding if thou seekest her as Silver and searchest for her as for hid Treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the Knowledge of God For the Lord giveth Wisdom out of his Mouth cometh Knowledge and Understanding Be well Grounded in the Infallible Assurance of a Deity s being the first Letter in the Alphabet of Christianity Believe that there is a God Heb. 11.6 Give Credit to Scripture-revelations concerning him that he is such a one as is there Described and let the Knowledge of his Incomprehensible Perfections leave some suitable Impresses upon you Spirits Contemplate often the Infathomable depth of the Divine Glory of his Attributes and you will find it to be an Exercise both Pleasing and Profitable John 17.3 This is Life Eternal to know God 1. Look upon him as an Eternal Being which knew no beginning and shall have no end the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last Gen. 21.33 Isa 44.6 and 57.15 Rom. 1.20 Revel 1.8 Such an Antiquity as is Eternity is truly Honourable This will make you have an undervaluing Esteem of the Choicest Creatures which are of Yesterday and at best but Breathing nothings in Comparison of him Ps 103.15 16. As for Man his Days are as Grass as a Flower of the Field so he flourisheth for the Wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more but the Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting to them that fear him and his Righteousness to Childrens Children And 102.25 26 27. Of old hast thou laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands they shall Perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax Old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou Change them and they shall be Changed but thou art the same and thy Years shall have no End The Children of thy Servants shall continue and their Seed shall be established before thee 2. Survey his Glory as he is the being of beings both as to their original and continuance Acts 17.24 25. The Apostle there brings a practical inference from this Position that seeing God is the Being of Beings all acts of Adoration should be sutable to so glorious a Being God that made the World and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands neither is Worshipped with Mens Hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all Life and Breath and all things v. 29. For as much then as we are the Offspring of God we ought not to think that the God-head is like unto Gold or Silver or Stone graven by Art and Mans device John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in truth 3. Take some view of the Infiniteness of his Wisdom Prov. 3.19 20. The Lord by Wisdom hath founded the Earth by Understanding hath he established the Heavens by his knowledge the Depths are broken up and the Clouds drop down the Dew Such a Survey will cause a Soul-humbling reflection upon your own folly and ignorance Prov. 30.2 3. Surely I am more brutish than any Man I neither learned Wisdom not have the knowledge of the Holy Who hath ascended up to Heaven or descended Who hath gathered the wind in his fists Who hath bound the waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the Earth What is his name and what is his Sons name if thou canst tell This will make thee believe that he can make thee wise unto Salvation notwithstanding of all that darkness and folly that 's upon you Job 12.13 With him is wisdom and strength he hat counsel and understanding And you must needs break forth into admiration Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! And into that Apostolical Doxologie 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory forever and ever Amen Jude 25. 4. Survey him in the Glory of his Immensity Ubiquity Omnipresence and Omniscience And your great care will be at all times and in all places to walk as under his All-seeing eye saying with the Psalmist Psal 139.2 3. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the Night shall be light about me yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the Night seemeth as the Day the darkness and the light are both alike unto thee 1 Sam. 16.7 1 Chron. 28.9 The Lord searches all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts Psal 7.10 Heb. 4.13 Acts 17.27 28. God is not far from e-every one of us for in him we live This also would much heighten your apprehensions of God in all addresses to him as being one that filleth Heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 1 King 8.27 Will God indeed dwell on the Earth Behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House that I have built Is 66.1 with Acts 7.49 Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne the Earth is my Footstool
for it is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace not with Merits which have not profited them that have been occupied therein 2 Cor. 2.11 2 3 4. I am zealous over you with a Godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ but I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty so your Minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ For if he that cometh perceiveth another Jesus whom we have not prepared or if ye receive another Spirit which ye have not received or another Gospel which ye have not accepted ye might well bear with him Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have Preached unto you let him be accursed Contend for the truth against all that shall corrupt or oppose it Jude 1. Let no Ordinance be lost or adulterated with your good will restore all to their primitive purity and keep them in it Let the word of the Lord also go forth from you unto others that you being the Lord 's Holy Mountain may be a rich Blessing to all places round about Ezek. 34.26 Psal 110.2 Think your selves of some expedient how to propagate the Gospel according to your capacities abilities and as present Providences will permit after the pattern of the Church of Thessalonica 1 Ep. 1 Chap. v. 6 7 8. Yea become followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost so that ye were examples to all that were at Macedonia and Achaia for from you sounded out the word of the Lord. 6. God has fenced you with many Hedges and strong Fortifications to wit with his own Power Providence Spirit Word Angels and other Creatures insomuch that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you Let therefore Mount Zion be glad and the Daughters of Judah be glad walk about Zion go round about her tell the Towers thereof mark well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the Generations following for this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto Death Ps. 48. to the end Isa 4.5 6. The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon the Assemblies a Cloud and Smoke by Day and shining of a Flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle for a Shadow in the Day-time from the Heat and for a place of Refuge and for a covert from the Storm and Rain And 41.10 11 12. Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the Right Hand of my Righteousness behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded They shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish Thou shalt seek them and shalt not find them even them that contended with thee they that were against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought 7. As God has made many Promises to you my indeed all Promises are Yea and Amen to you that believe 2 Cor. 1.20 So suck the Breasts of these Consolations and let the Word of Christ dwell Richly in you in all Wisdom Col. 3.16 Chuse Promises as a part of your Portion Psal 119.111 Acting Faith and Patience for the accomplishment thereof and comforting your selves therewith in all your Affictions Distresses and Tribulations Get some compendious Catalogue not only in your Heads but also in your Hearts of such promises especially which may afford you some comfortable relief against the temptations and troubles that do ordinarly attend a Church-state â—â—le instance in a few to shew you how to make improvement of the rest 1. Are you at any time under perturbation of Mind fearing the Rage and Rejection of the Men of the World for your separation not walking with them in the same way of visible Worship Let that of 2 Cor. 6.17 18. be ready at hand as a present remedy Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father to you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty It s true this Scripture is principally understood of separation from Idolatry and Idolaters but not exclusive of other separations where there is visible Righteousness and Unrighteousness Light and Darkness Christ and Belial Piety and Tolerated Profaness As you may see v. 14.15 2. Is the want of able Officers or being de prived of such as ye had your grief Make use of Ezek. 34.15 16. I will feed them in a good Pasture and upon the high Mountains of Israel shall the Fold be I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and strengthen that which was sick Jer. 3.14 15. I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and I will bring you to Zion and I will give you Pastores according to mine Heart which shall feed you with Knowledge and Understanding If it be for God's Glory and your good you may believe that some time or other that of Isa 30.20 21. shall be fulfilled I limit not the Holy One to Days Weeks Months or Years Though the Lord give you the Bread of Adversity and the Water of Affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a Corner any more but thine Eyes shall see thy Teachers and thine Ears shall hear a Word behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the Right Hand and to the Left 3. Are you a reproach to Neighbours vile and contemptible in the Eyes of all that are round about See Isa 28.5 The Lord of Hosts shall be for a Crown of Glory and for a Diadem of Beauty to the residue of his People And 62.3 Thou shalt also be for a Crown of Glory in the Hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God 〈◊〉 Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzibah and thy Land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be Married Isa 51.7 Hearken un to me ye that know Righteousness the Peoplâ— in whose Heart is my Law Fear ye not the reproach of Men neither be afraid of their Revilings for the Moth shall eat them up as a Garment and the Worm shall eat them as Wooll but my Righteousness shall be for ever and my Salvation from Generation to Generation Isa 54.4 5. Ezek. 36.15 â— 4. Is it so that Ordinances do you but little good your Souls are still Barren and Unfruitful