thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as wee are one I am not only glorified in mine by faith that is in mee by hope which is by mee by affection towards me but also by their love towards my choisest people John 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them When I sit Lord and King of the conscience is there not peace and sweetnesse when I sit Lord commander of the will is there not peace and lowlinesse when I sit onely overswayer over the affection is there not the tenderest and dearest delectation so when I throw out the black King of death and darkenesse is there not love delight and delectation when I raigne king of peace and love in the spirit I remove envie hatred malice wrath furie debate strife backbiting slanderings whisperings grudgings repinings murmurings for when I fill mine with joyes above all sorrow with loves above all loves and with my rest above all rests are they not amiable when they apprehend my death victorious my resurrection triumphous my mediation efficatious and my crosse glorious are they not peaceable my Father dwelleth in them his love abides in them and rules in them doth not his free love remaine in the conscience doth not his rich love abide in the heart and his strong love in the affections hence comes in the witnesse of the spirit 1 John 4.17 Herein is our love made perâ—â—ct that wee may have boldnesse in the day of Judgement because as hee is so are wee in this world Therefore my people are a quiet people for they are of the kingdome of my peace and patience Apoc. 1.9 I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimonie of Jesus Christ I turne Lyons into Lambs Tygers into Sheepe Woolves into Doves and Serpents and Ravenous Beasts into Turtles therefore they feede together without killing and slaying one another Isay 35.9.10 No Lyon shall bee there nor no ravenous beast shall goe up thereon it shall not be found there And the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads They shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isay 65.25 The Wolfe and the Lambe shall feede together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the bullocke and the dust shall bee the Serpents meate they shall not hurt nor destoy in all my holy Mountaine saith the Lord. I will neither admit of wolves of Tygers or ravenous beasts of Lyons or devouring dogges to joyne with my people and peculiar Mine shall not fight with sword or speare with shield nor buckler with Helmet nor Habergion they shall not overcome hell death the devill and all evills with the heeles of great horses but with my dearest blood and the word of my Testimony Apoc. 12.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death I know the power of my love binds them the power of my grace constraines them the power of my mercy leades them to learne meeknesse of me their Lord and master Mat. 11.29 Take my yoake upon you and learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall find rest unto your soules As my kingdome is not meate drinke or cloth but joy peace love by the holy Ghost so my people the inhabitants and dwellers in my kingdome are not discordious contentious quarrelous but loving peaceable and joyous Rom. 14.17 For the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace joy in the Holy Ghost I have redeemed them from the earth and made them the first fruits to my Father I have set them in the heavenly places have I taken away all enmitie betwixt my Father them that they should not live in wrath discention It is my gratious pleasure that mine should love one another as I have loved them I would have their affections so deere their loves so tender that they should out of their dearest affection and tenderest love live one with another What shall the Citizens of my heavenly Jerusalem bee as strangers what shall they that are of my Fathers family be as Alians or they that bee so neare to me as members to the body branches to the vine as the espoused to the bridegroome live as a people Alienated and estranged No. Where is their care over each other where is their glorying in each other when they neither see nor behold the sweet and gratious disposition of each other wherein am I glorified whilst their affections are as farre remote as their habitations and their loves as farre distant as their dwellings What breaches what discontents ariseth when the world makes warre the legalists slanders and the Angels of light casts false and bitter aspersions my love hath been so deare and tender towards them that I have made them temples of the Spirit of glory in which I might expresse my glory Did my father fill the Temple with his glory and doe not I fill mine with my glory whilst I in them am the hope of glory Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the mistery of this glory among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory I have made them a dwelling place a habitation of dwelling by my spirit Ephes 2.21 22. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit I have made them Tabernacles fit for my love and favour John 17. last And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may bee in them and I in them And shall not mine live as my choysest dearest ones what difference between the children of Sinai the childreÌ„ of Sion what difference between the daughters of the bondwoman and the daughters of Jerusalem if they live not as my Saints at Jerusalem Oh what honour what glory have mine attained and grace have they atchieved whilst of them in record it is recorded Acts 2.44 And all that beleeved were together and had all things common the last verse Praiseing God and having favour with all the people and the Lord added to the church dayly such as should be saved I have loved mine with an everlasting love hence I passe by their sins their weaknes their infirmities and all their evills Though they were tossed like the lofty and roaring waves of the sea I gave to them a rich and sure foundation Isaiah 54.11.10 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundations with Saphirs and I
CHRISTS Gratious Message from the Throne of GRACE To all the Prisoners of HOPE ZACH. 9.11 As for thee also by the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the pit where there is no water By TIMOTHIE BATT Physitian Printed in the yeere 1644. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland c. AND TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT Grace and Peace bee multiplyed from God the Father and from Jesus Christ whom he hath sent SIRS THough it might seeme Ingravity that the Sprouts in Libanus might attinge or touch the tops of the Cedars in Libanus Notwithstanding it is the most princely dignity and the highest honour to the highest Cedars of Libanus to overshadow defend the lowest sprouts Was it honorable in King Agrippa Felix and Festus to lend audience to Paul a chayned Prisoner And will it not bee counted an honorable thing to your Highnesse and to Your Honorable Lords to countenance the Contemplation of your Prisoner concerning the Prisoners of Hope Were the gleanings of Ephraim better then vintage of Abiezer and is not our Contemplation concerning Christs Prisoners more fruitfull then the Vine with its fullest clusters the Starres which are obscured in the presence of the brightest Sunne are profitable in his absence giving their light to the sublunarie travilers Howsoever the light of these our Contemplations for the present may seeme as darkenesse yet if through your Princely favour and your Honours protections these may be allowed they will give a glimmering light to the poorest soule and most distressed spirit It will bee to them as the flowing springs of Solace and as the pleasant influence from the highest starres How will they sing of love because of the Fathers dearest love how will they speake of glory in Christ the prince of glory when they shal understand that they are set free by the blood of his Covenant out of the pit where in there is no water Zach. 9.11 As for thee also by the bloud of my Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water When they shall finde that their Lord was anoynted to set thē loose out of the Dungeon of death and darkenesse and that hee was the chosen Redeemer to breake the barres of death throw upon the gates of hell and knap in sunder the chaines of the Devill Isa 61.1 2 3. The high and honorable are not ignorant that the greatest prince under heaven and the mightiest Monarch in the sublunarie world are poore prisoners of hope unto Christ mediatour of the covenant King of his bought Redeemed Is the Earth beholding to the watery clouds and the lowest plants to the highest planers are not all Terren earthly Princes beholding to Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords for ever The Prisoners of hope in this state and Kingdom are almost infinite in number How many thousands lye sicke at the poole of Bethesda how many thousands of mourning and drooping hearts waits for Christs springs of love more then David did for the waters of Bethlehem I might say how many Millions wounded in their consciences bleeding in their bloods lies waiting at this houre before the throne of grace for the sweete and cleare countenance of God the Father therefore they sigh and groane for his assurance through his Adoption of children for his liberty through the Redemption from Eternall bonds for his righteousnes through his presentation glorious and for his joyes and consolation through the law of the Spirit of life and obsignation as they have found under your Highest Noblest and worthiest fauours a gratious defence and loving protection so they doubt not but that two wings and two shadowes will be one wing and one shadow for their prosperity protection Considering that there is such a neerenesse of union between the Princely Head and the Honorable shoulders of this Royall state and Kingdome I with the Prisoners of Hope had neither gold nor silver riches nor treasures pearles nor jewells to present unto His Highnesse or to the Honorable Assembly save these lines of love for acceptation Not doubting but our present will bee as rich as the Queene of Shebaes was in Ierusalem and as Benjamins and Judahs was in the sight of Joseph sith the presenter with the Prisoners of Hope presents nothing else but a present concerning the Love of God the Father the rich treasures and the righteousnesse of Christ Mediator of the joyes love and peace concerning the Spirit of glory our comforter knowing that is not convenient for the meanest to be offensive to the highest and the weakest troublesome unto the Honorable We by generall petition desire and request that His Majesty with your Honours might honour the poorest with your shadow and vindication and we in generall shall bee bound by an everlasting obligation to wish all peace all unity and concord betweene His Majesty and your Honours for ever Oh that the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah would not only crowne the Lyon with strength and fortitude but also honor his poorest Prisoners with peace and sweet tranquility Oh that the King of Kings might shine gloriously upon the head of His Majesty and the Prince of Princes might shine favorably upon the Nobles of this Kingdome Oh that the gratious favour of him that was in the Bush and the deare love of him that was upon the Crosse might compose these differences put an end to these great distractions and make two one in this our Native Country Whilst we thus desire and wish the welfare prosperity and dignity of this State and Kingdome we shall waite for His Highest and Princely acceptation and your noblest and worthiest approbation of this Treatise concerning the Prisoners of Hope sith it is no lesse then the message of the King of Kings unto a King an Ambassage from the Prince of glory unto Princes and a Contemplation of the Throne of grace to all that waits for grace in Israel Therefore silence shall constraine us whilest we wish for the highest glory the richest mercy for the dearest bounty and for the greatest love that flowes from the Thron of grace to fall upō you that your dewes may be more soft then the dewes upon the tender herbs that your light may bee more splenderous then the sun in the Meridian and that the stability firmenesse and glory of this State and Commonwealth may be faster fixed then the celestiall Orbe Amen Amen Amen Then shall the sonnes of Sion sing a song of Melodious the daughters of Jerusalem make a harmony victorious and the poorest Prisoners of Hope shall sit under your shadows most joyous each giving glory praise honour truth and thankesgiving to him that sitts upon the Throne now and for evermore Recording that sentence memorable throughout all ages and generations Apoc. 4. last Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour
theme prolong Sith that no obiect to the view or sight Gives such sweet solace to the soules delight And graces power grants its free consent That all my theame of Christ was congruent That pen might stay and I might cease my verse Of Christ in prose the more I might rehearse Christs gratious Message from the Throne of Grace to all the Prisoners of hope ROM 8.1 2. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death WHen we look upon the Sun Moone and Starres and behold the wisedome mercy and power of the Father towards humane generation it makes us to stand amazed and astonished so when wee looke and behold the wisedome mercy and power of the Father shining forth in Christ the morning Starre the Sonne of everlasting grace and bounty it makes us to wonder and admire at that which shineth forth to us in the morning starre and glorious Sonne of righteousnesse That which shineth to us by in and by the Creature is not comparable to that which shineth toward us in and through the Lord Jesus What is the brightnes of the morning starre to Christ the morning starre or what is the beauty and glory of the sunne to Christ the Sun of glorious righteousnesse or what as the beauty of things terrene earthly to things sublime or heavenly hence the Apostle memorates and records the excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ by the priviledge the Saints received in and by him according to the Text. Now then there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8 1. Beloved our manner is by way of exposition or contemplation Now then there is no condemnation They have been cast out to the open shame of their faces they were not swadled in the day of their Nativity but troden in their blood and overwhelmed with the deepest miserie they have beene alienated from the throne of grace estranged from the mercy seate and have lived without God in the world they have beene in the blacke swadle bands of the Devill under the claves of the roaring Lyon the Devill and have beene children of wrath as well as others The truth of the premisses is granted notwithstanding there is no condemnation to them sith the being of the Saints in Christ frees them from all the gulfes of horrid miseries whatsoever They have many sinnes many infirmities iniquities and transgressions they are an offending and erring people out of the way as well as others they have beene silenced before the throne of Justice they have sinned and shot their arrowes below the glory of the Father the truth of the premises is granted Notwithstanding there is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus sith the Father of eternall mercy hath given unto them an absolute Nonimputation of offences in the Lord Jesus in whom hee hath reconciled his beloved Saints and peculiar in the act of Justification hee hath given to his Saints a generall acquittance freeing them from sinne iniquity and transgression by the blood of the Lord of life and glory and by the death of him who was the onely beloved of his bosome hence comes in those rare sentences of divine testimonies Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that justifieth who is it that shall condemne it is Jesus Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God making intercession for us Rom. 8.33 34. To them is given the priviledge and dignity of union they are branches to Jesus Christ the blessed and fruitfull Vine of his Church I am the Vine ye are the branches John 15.5 they are members to Jesus Christ their blessed head and reconciler to wit Members of his flesh of his bones Eph. 5.30 they are the choise pretious and dearest spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ My beloved is mine amd I am his he feedeth among the Lillies Cant. 6.3 they are not onely deare to Christ because he hath bought them but they are neere to Christ because they are made one with him The glory that thou gavest me I have given to them that they may be one as we are one John 17.22 What Devill therefore shall accuse the accuser of the Brethren is cast out of the heavenly places And I heard a great voyce out of heaven saying Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of the brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night what hell shall terrifie sith the Lord Christ hath triumphed over hell death the devill and all Evills O death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. shall the law adjudge us noe sith wee have a gratious Mediatour who ever presents us glorious in the sight of his gratious and heavenly Father hence it is spoken by the holy Ghost that Christ entred into heaven to appeare in presence of God for us For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 shall death amaze or trouble us no for by the death of Christ wee are delivered from the servitude and slaverie of death That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill and deliver them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 15. What though the venamous Serpent seeke to sting thee yet be not thou dismayed what though the Law morrall would accuse artaigne or condemne thee before the barre of justice yet be not discourâ—ged what though death with the sting thereof would amaze thee yet bee thou not amazed sith there is no Condemnation to thy soule or conscience sith thou art in Christ Jesus and he pleades thy cause at the right hand of the Father saying This my people stands righteous before thee in my righteousnesse holy through my holinesse and pure through my purity and integrity am I not their Lord of pure and divine righteousnesse am I not their prince of glory who hath presented them pure spotlesse and intire in thy sight Am not I the Mediatour of thy everlasting grace mercy who was made not onely unto them wisedome and redemption but also righteousnesse and sanctification was not I arraigned at the barre of Pontious Pilate that they might not be arraigned at the barre of justice accused of my native countrymen that they might bee excused
unto thee c. O my soule if I glory I will not glory in that which is written in tables of stone but in that which is written in the fleshly tables of thy heart not in that which is the ministry of death but in that which is the ministry of life not in the ministry of condemnation but in that which is the ministry of salvation not in that which gendreth to bondage but in that which tendeth to libertie not in that which hath a vaile and darkenesse but in that which hath light and glory not in that which disconsolates and discomforts the drooping conscience but in that which consolates comforts the drooping spirit Thou gloriest in the pretiousnesse of his riches in the rarenesse of his promises in the beauty of his righteousnesse and shalt thou not glory in the pretiousnesse rarenesse riches of the law of life in Christ did David desire the waters of Bethlehem above all waters did Abraham desire a sonne above the Land of Canaan and shalt thou not desire this law of life above all lawes if others pitch their tents by Sinai thou shalt pitch thy tent by Sion if others follow Moses thou shalt follow Christ if others delight in that which drives them from God thou shalt delight in that which drawes thee neere to God The law of sinne and death hath not freed thee from the law of sinne and death the law of curse or execration hath not freed thee from the law of death and condemnation the law of terrours and horrors hath not freed thee from the law of terror horrour but the law of life by which thou art dead to the law that thou mayest live unto God Gal. 2.19 For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Hence thou therefore shalt hearken to the Commission of the Father Mat. 17.5 While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the cloud which said this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare ye him Who hath the words of eternall life but he John 6.68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Into whose lips hath grace been infused but into his Psalme 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men grace is powred into thy lyps therefore God hath blessed thee forever Or who hath the words of peace and reconciliation but he Ephes 2.17 And came and preached peace to you which were affarre off and to them which were nigh Hence will I glory in the glorying expression of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sinne and death Hath freed me Israel had ten portions in the King when Judah Benjamen had but two but it cannot be spoken according to that tenour of the saints beloved for they have a like inheritance in God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent sith they are chosen by one Lord redeemed by one Christ sealed by one spirit of life injoying the law of life being freed from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and death Christ is then operative in the soule when by faith he is particularly applied The transcient passage of the beauty or splendor of an object is through the eye unto the mind the passing consolable delectation which is in Christ is through a Christians application to the soule in Christ are treasures passing the treasures hid in the sands the emenency and superemency of all heavenly and divine compassions passing the compassions of humaine generation the excelency yea the superexcellency of worth merit and value passing all the valuable things which are wrapt up in the breast of things terrestiall But what are those treasures passing treasures the eminency the superemency of those heavenly and divine compassions the excellency the superexcellency of that his merit worth and value without a speciall or particular applyment The comfort of the eye is in seeing of the eare in hearing of man in moving the comfort of the soule is in applying What joy is there to a Rebell to thinke there is a Kingdome and yet out of that he shall be banished what comfort is there to a man to know there are rich treasures wrapt in our mother earth and he of those shall be deprived or what joy or comfort can come to the soule or conscience though there are all excellencies wrapt within Christs bosome if they of him shall not be injoyed other creatures were before man was created light overspread the earth before light in the sun was placed but comfort to the faithfull doth not arise before that Christ by faith is applied Our sad houres our dolefull dayes our gloomsome times are then removed when the vertuall efficacy of Christ through faiths application is received our comfort till we come to heavens City our joy till we come to heavens felicity and our solid refreshment till we come to heavens glory is through faiths applying Christ ours all in all Though the waves of iniquitie doe roare the floods of transgression fall the wind of bitter affliction blow heard upon us yet if once by applying we cast anchor into Christ solid joy doth inviron the heart and conscience as light doth incompasse the body of a rationall then the terrible the dreadfull the iâ—efull God against sinne and transgression appeares most bounteous most benignous most clementious through his marvilous compassion then the covenant of eternall grace and mercy puts to repulse the law of death and miserie then the worth and merit of Christ pleads redemption from the foule black jawes of the Devill reconciliation between the God of infinite purity and man who through sinne hath procured an infinite miserie and justification in the sight of our heavenly and compassionate father Anchor being cast in Christ all becomes a Christians his wisedome his death his blood his power his spirit and his Kingdome If the Bridgroome be the Brides by combination then his lands his livings his jewels his gold his silver is hers If Christ be ours then his heavenly benedictions his spirituall blessings his superabundant and heavenly treasure are become ours also All are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.22 O my soule apply whole Christ particularly that thou mayest injoy him fully Was he deprived of all before Pilate accused of the Souldiers buffited of the high Priests disdained and not for thee he indured that which thou shouldest have sustained he suffered for that which hadst deserved Oh what did he sustaine Oh what hath he not sustained Oh what did he suffer Oh what hath he not suffered did he not undergoe the burthen of thy sinne which was insufferable by a strength and power invincible at what time the vaile of the temple rented
your hearts be troubled yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me Have not I wished them to rejoyce through exhortation Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alway and againe I say reioyce What is my bloody crosse my victorious death my comfortable resurrection and my powerfull mediation But joy to the drooping what is the covenant of my freest grace my highest love my richest mercy and tender compassions but comfort to the mourning What is the spirit of adoption whereby mine call my father Father the spirit of obsignatiō wherby mine injoy an inheritance among them which are sanctified the spirit of sanctification whereby mine are sanctified in the day of their Communion with mee their vine and royall bridegroome but consolation to the lamenting as my springs of grace are in the throne of my grace so I have filled them with the fruits of my grace as the fountaine of my love is in the throne of love so have I filled mine with my dearest love when I dwell in their hearts by faith which is in mee when I rule in their consciences by peace which is from mee when I shall lodge in their soules through my spirit of glory I shall change their garments of lamentation into garments of salvation their mourning weeds into glorying expression and their sighes and groanes unutterable into the sweetest oration For I will see them againe and their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them The rivers that flowed from paradice are not comparable to the streames that makes glad the city of our God those were water these welsprings of living water those flowed from the earthly paradice these from the heavenly and celestiall paradice by some of them was Bdelium and the Onix stone in these are eternall glory nearenesse of union and the fruition of eternall life and felicitie those were appointed to water the Garden of Eden these are ordained to water and refresh the Church of Christ beloved those were placed in paradice by the wisedome and love of God the Father these were placed and appointed in the Church of Christ redeemer therefore they admire at the love of God the Father and the superemenent grace of Christ Mediator Saying they shall heare the thing they never heard they shall see the things they never saw and they shall understand the things they never understood Their joy in that day shall not be from the influence of the starrs my influence excelleth the influence of all starrs they shall not injoy the comfort of the Moone but the comfort of mee whose glory is above Sunne and Moone What shall mine injoy in that day they shall fully see the throne of grace fully behold all the hidden unutterable and unsearchable excellencies that are in me What shall they possesse when they shall possesse me that filleth all in all things what shall they comprehend when they shall be comprehended and invironed with my glorious presence and the light of my countenance therefore though the heavens and the earth should bee silent the moutaines and the vallies should be still yet mine will glory in me their loving prince and effectionate bridegroome Sith I will see them againe their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them And your joy no man taketh from you O the love of our loving and glorious father O the kindnesse of our Lord our deare and gratious Redeemer if mine admire at my love my love is admirable love if mine contemplate of my grace my grace is superemenent grace when they were in the vast and roaring wildernesse I allured them and brought them into a wildernesse and there I spake comfortably unto them Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and spake comfortably unto her When mine were tossed like a ship with the roaring waves reeling like a drunken man were welneigh dashed in peeces by the craggie rockes and shelves I laid a foundation for them of pretious Stones and Saphires Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphirs When they wanted joyes I gave them joyes firmer then the earth upon its center more fixed then the fixed starres more stable then the sublunarie creatures Is my righteousnes everlasting righteousness is not my comfort everlasting is my deare hearts blood of an eternall value is not my consolations eternall is my communion and blessednesse for ever and ever and are not my joyes for ever and ever If mine have life their life is hid in me if mine have peace then their peace is treasured in me if mine have joy their joy is joy in me Hath the mists taken away the light of the Sunne No Hath the mortality of the body taken away the immortality of the soule No Or can any take away the consolation of my Redeemed No Had I not given to my Redeemed everlasting righteousnesse eternall life an inheritance immutable then their joy had beene momentanie and transitorie but because I have given them an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Seaventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy citie to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to seale up the vision and prophesie and to annoynt the most holy Eternall life John 10.28 And I give unto them eternall life they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of mine hands An inheritance immortall and immutable 1 Pet. 1.4 Therefore their joy is not transitory and momentanie After once I bring my redeemed to the inheritance immortall and incontaminate they shall sing nothing but praise honour glory power might truth mercy strength and thanksgiving to my Father blessed for ever and to me blessed for ever more They shall know of no sinne in the flesh they shall not heare the accusations of the law before the tribunall seate of justice they shall not hearken to the temptations of the devill they shall not feele the burden of sinne nor be affrighted at the feares of death and hell but they shall injoy an immediate communion and fruition of my glory to everlasting For I wil take away their heavines their heart shall rejoyce and their joy no man taketh from them JOHN 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you RAre is the Sunne in respect of beauty light and operation rare are the pretious jewells in respect of richnesse vertue and estimation so rare is the love of Christ to us through gifts graces and communication as the myrrh and the drops thereof as the sweet raine and the showers thereof as the bedewing dew and the overspreading thereof so is the influence of Christs freest grace and the expression of his dearest love according to the text John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another
people I see my sick not visited my poore debased my naked unclothed my hungrie and thirsty not satisfied my dearest Jewells slandered my pretious servants defamed and those that speake the truth disdained In stead of patience prudence gentlenesse mildnesse and gratiousnesse of spirit there is backebiting lying crying and slandering in every corner of the City But have they not cause to tender one another dearly are they not fellow Citizens and of the houshould of of my father Ephes 2.19 Now therefore yee are no more strangers and forreners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the houshould of God Are they not my branches whom I esteeme most deerely John 15.5 I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing Are they not they that are called to communion with mee that am their deare Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom yee were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. They are not base but noble all the Kings and Monarches under heaven are not comparable to one of the Kings that I have made to God my Father through my blood most pretious They are Kings of earthly Kingdomes mine of heavenly and celestiall Kingdomes They are Kings by a Royall progenie mine are Kings through my blood undefiled they have crownes of pure gold pretious stones mine have crowns of life and righteousnesse they have guards of men to attend them mine guards of Angells the beloved saints Heb. 1 last Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heiers of Salvation Their cloth is better then the cloth of golâ— their riches better then the riches of jewells and their wealth more excellent then the wealth hid in the sands Though the devill would devoure them I will save them though the flesh make war with them I will support them though death would destroy them I will give them my salvation Haback 3.13 Thou wentest forth for the Salvation of the people even for Salvation with thine anoynted thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck Selah I am their King and shall not I command them their Bridegroome and shall not I will them their loving Mediatour and shall I not wish them to love on another I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure bounds chaines imprisonments for my sake that they will obey me I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure poverty for my poore penurie for my distressed miserie for my afflicted that they will subject to me My voice is as deare to them as heaven my commands as acceptable as my joyes and my wishes As my love my glory and my righteousnesse Therefore they will answere my command of love as it is recorded John 15.12 This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you A CONFESSION OF OVR FAITH According to the Order of the GOSPEL First WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Eternall Sonne of God who was with the Father before the world was Appointed by an Eternall Election Mediatour Redeemer and Reconciler of all those whom the Father out of his Eternall and free love had ordained unto Eternall Life John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in thy bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 17.3 And this is life Eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Secondly VVE beleeve that it was the Fathers divine pleasure to or daine Jesus Chr st to bee King over his Church peculiar and the sole only Prophet from which the Church should receive all her treasures of Divine rarest wisedome Ephes 1.21 22 23. Far above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him Col. 1.3 Wee give thnnkes to God and the Father of Jesus Christ our Lord praying alwaies for you Thirdly WEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ was freely chosen and selected out of the free and eternall love of the Father resting in the bosome of Jesus Christ to the end that it might be partaker of all the heavenly treasures of divine grace and righteousnesse made conformable to the will of God the heavenly Father and to the minde of Jesus Christ the blessed and glorious Redeemed Ephes 1.4 5. According as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Sonnes by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will 2 Pet. 1.4 Wherby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Rom. 8.27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because hee maketh intersession for the Saints according to the will of God Fourthly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ the Lord of life and salvation laid downe his life in speciall for her according to the absolute and divine appointment of the Father to the intent that hee might confirme upon her the supereminent riches of glory the exceeding riches of mercy and the marvilous dispensation of his marvilous Kindnesse which proceedes alone from his free and divine pleasure Acts 20.28 Take heede therefore unto your selves and to all the floâ—ke over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how should he not with him freely give us all things Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it Apoc. 5.9.10 And they sang a new song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred tongue and people and nation and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of
and tryalls afflictions calamities and miseries under penurie shame and reproach under bonds fetters and chaines under shipwrack death and tortures that their faith might be much more pretious then gould their love then the purest gould their patience answer my commmission concerning patience and that they might prize my deliverie and redemption when I shall deliver and redeeme them from tribulation For I will see them againe their heart shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them I will see you againe This was Josephs charge see my face no more unlesse you bring your yonger brother with you this was the charge of David to Abner thou shalt not see my face unlesse thou bringst with thee Micall Saules daughter This is the charge of the drooping spirits to the watchmen of Israell let us heare your voice no more let us see your face no more unlesse you tell us where we may behold the countenance of our beloved whilst the watchmen saith they see him not Christ saith he will see his own I will see them againe their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them Have I not looked upon you when no eye beheld you have not I respected you when none respected you when neither Levit nor Priest had compassion on you in the day of your wounds then I healed you by my death blood and righteousnesse I exalted you by my resurrection assention and mediation and I comforted you by my adoption union and justification as my father beheld his Israell in Egyptian tyrannie to give them delivery So I beheld you in bond-slaverie to give you my richest bountie As I have looked upon you being the morning starre that first rose in your hearts so I will shine upon you as the morning sunne that first appeared in your soules For I will see you againe your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you I will see you The face of Esau was deare in the eyes of Jacob he counted it as the face of an Angell the face of Jesus Christ is deare in the sight of the saints they count it more gratious then the countenance of all the Angels was there an acceptation of Jacobs presents a safety of the lambs the children and the aged through Esaus favour and is there not an acceptation of the offerings of the Saints and a deliry from death and destruction by the face and favour of Jesus Christ therefore they are ravished with the joy of my countenance saying O joy of joyes O solace of solaces O consolation of consolations that flowes from me their dearest Lord that brought them when I shall see them againe my countenance will be to them most deare and pretious What sun like me that am the sonne of righteousnesse what starre like me that am the morning starre the starres are darkenesse the sunne is dimnesse the moone is obscurity when I appeare in glory heaven should be no heaven if my countenance should not be in heaven the celestiall places should be a denn of Dragons if I had not beene in the celestiall places If glory be in the soule it is because I am the hope of glory if glory be in the heavenly place it is because I am the prince of glory What beauty hath the firmament without the sunne moone and starrs what ornament hath the earth without grasse hearbs trees and plants or what excellencies hath the soule without my gratious countenance therefore my dearest servants waite for the time of my appearings Is not my countenance more deare to them then the face of Esau was to Jacob sith in the sight thereof there are pleasures for evermore deliverie from the blacke chaines of darkenesse righteousnesse to eternall life hope of the fruition of my felicitie and praises from the beginning of my grace unto eternitie For I will see them againe and their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy no man shall take from them And your hearts shall rejoyce In the day of Tyre it was said of Tyre that she was the fame and glory of the world because her delights were the delights of paradice she walked in the midst of the stones of fire she had every precious stone as the Topaze the the Carbuncle the Saphire the Onix in the day of the Churches glory it may be said of the Church that her delights surpasseth the delights of paradice that she walkes triumphing in the midst of fierie tribulations and that Christ her precious stone is more to her then all pretious stones he that is to her the choysest stone of delightment is to her the streame of rare contentment O what citie like the citie of our God O what streames are like the streames that refresh the citie of our God as the fountaine is only delectable so the streames are absolutely delightfull for my joyes are the joyes of my people my rivers of solace their sole delight and my fountaine surpassing all the fountaines under heaven if they want comfort I make them rejoyce in the robes of purest righteousnesse Isai 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robes of righteousnesse as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her iewels If they want solace I make them to injoy the holy Ghost the comforter John 16.7 Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you If they are clothed with the garments of heavinesse I give to them the oyle of joy gladnesse Isa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anoynted me to preach good tydings unto the meeke To appoint unto them that mourne in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse that they might be called the trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified And if they are crowned with sorrow and lamentation I cause everlasting joy to spring out of the wells of salvation Isa 12.3 Therefore with ioy shall yee draw water out of the wells of salvation Shall my people hang down their heads like bulrushes lowre like the Hypocrites and wear sackcloth and mourning weeds No I would have my people dwell by my fountaines my waters are not bitter as the waters of Marah I would have mine refresh themselves with my rivers my waters passe the waters of Abanah Pharpar rivers of Damascus Have I not left to them the words of full consolation John 17.13 And now I come to thee and these things I speake in the world that they might have my ioy fulfilled in themselves Have I not removed their feares and perturbations John 14.1 Let not
as I have loved you Nothing is so pretious as Christs blood nothing so victorious as his death nothing is so pure as his righteousnesse so nothing is so tender as the love of our dearest Lord that bought us who hath left the highest throne of glory for the bondslaves of miseries but the prince of glory who hath stood betweene light and darkenesse betwixt heaven and hell betwixt eternall justice and the children of unrighteousnesse but the Lord our righteousnesse 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sinne the just for the uniust that hee might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit Who hath beene surety for mine in respect of the acquirie of Redemption to make up the breach of union to answer the righteousnesse for justification to atchieve glorious communion beatification bediction felicitie and the fruition of my presence but he that shall stand for ever mediatour and intercessour in my presence or who hath indured that mocking that buffeting that scorning that arraigning that condemning but he in whom there is no condemnation but eternall life and salvation Act. 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved He hath laid downe his life for them that were deprived of the hope of life hee spilt his dearest blood for them that were involved in their blood hee hath ventured his death for the lives of them that were the children of death had a child of wrath died for a child of wrath that should not have been excellent had a child of death dyed for a son of death that should not have beene superexcellent but for the beloved of the father to die for miserable catives and captives that is transcendent The death of mee the Lord of life is more then a thousand Lords the death of mee the prince of peace is more then the death of tenne thousand princes the death of mee who am King of Kings is more then the death of all the Kings and Monarches under heaven I looked and behold the Angels hid their faces all creatures hid their heads Sith none could make up the breach of union a glorious presentation in my fathers presence conquer death through death overcome the devill through power blot out impurity through righteousnesse remove sinne through blood make peace through atonement and by grace and glory bring the poore soule to eternall glory Isay 59.16 And he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessour therefore his arme brought salvation unto him and his righteousnesse it sustained him 2 Cor. 3. last But wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Out of my love I give rare gifts and graces to my Saints and servants Who hath opened the treasures of wisedome and knowledge if not I who hath broken open the treasure-house of heaven opened the throne of grace unlocked the mercy seate if not I who hath placed the heavenly minds in the heavenly places blessed the people delivered from the curse with spirituall blessings and made them that have tasted my love attaine to the height of my love but I. I powre my water upon the thirsty I give my bread to the hungry my cloath of righteousnesse to the naked and my dearest mercy and love to the lovelesse I power out my spirit upon my servants shew my visions to the young and give my dreames to the old Acts 2.17 And it shall come to passe in those dayes saith the Lord I will power out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie and your yong men shall see visions and your ould men shall dreame dreames My gifts are not of gold but of that which is more pretious then the gold of Ophir my gifts are not jewels gemmes and pretious stones But that which is more rich then jewels gemmes and pretious stones My gifts are not earthly treasures morrall righteousnesse worldly wealth and things terren and sublunarie but heavenly treasures and heavenly righteousnesse celestiall wealth and things sublime and heavenly Hence mine receive abundance from me the the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in me bodily Collosians 2.6 verse For in him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily Hence mine receive grace and truth from the fulnesse of grace and truth as I have spoken and mine confesse John 1.16 And of his fulnesse have wee all receiued and grace for grace Out of my love I will not forsake mine in the midst of all their tribulation and temptations though the heaven should frowne and the earth should lowre the conscience should terrifie justice should amaze death should trouble sinne should burden the Devill should roare the flesh should assault all evills should environ notwithstanding I will not forsake my peculiar though principalities though powers though death though famine though perill though sword though hell though law though sinne though the grave and all evills should beset mine yet will I not leave them I love them in wants as if they had abundance in tribulation as if they were free from tribulation in temptation as if they were free from temptation And in sheep skins and goats skins as if they had cloath of gold beset with the rarest jewels What if they are stoned for my name sake what if they be banished for my testimony what if they should be wracked for the witnesse of the word of my truth what if they had not a hole with the fox nor a nest with the birds yet I will not shut them out of my presence Have I not given a testimony concerning them Heb. 11.36 37 38 39. And others had triall of cruell mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandered about in sheep skins and goats skins being destitute afflictet tormented of whom the world was not worthy They wandered in the desarts and in mountains and denns and caves of the earth And all these have obtained a good report through faith receiued not the promise When Paul and Silas my servants were in prison did I not make them sing songs of my dearest love When Peter was in prison was not the Angel of my presence by him when my servant Steeven was stoned did I not make his face to shine as an Angel and when my servants were in the fire furnace have I not delivered them from the furnace of fiety afflictions I am the rock when there is no rocke I am the refuge when there is no refuge I am their hope and horne of salvation when there is neither hope nor horne of salvation Hence mine may conclude with my servant Psal 18.18 They prevented me in the day of my calamitie but the