O the unsearchable Riches of Christ that hee that searcheth all things reveals unto the Saints O the hidden treasures they now discover in this deep Mine To you that beleeve hee is pretious a Praise an Honour all Fair all Glorious and you have seen his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of God full of Grace and Truth Again there are marvellous evils as well as good things that by this light are brought to light Sin with all the hidden things of darkness that lay below in those chambers of death the secrets of the evill heart of man Sin appears a wonder to the savingly enlightened soul Exceeding sinful a world of wickedness There 's Death and Hell and the Devil in every sin unkindness unthankfulness folly enmity rebellion spite and the blackness of darkness What once appeared as a pleasure a delight a beauty or at least if an evill yet but a trifle a matter of nothing is become a plague a terrour a burthen a bondage bitterness shame sorrow and such an high provocation that whereas once hee swell'd and murmur'd and cryed out of rigour feverity cruelty in the least punishment of it now hee wonders at the clemency and patience and forbearance of God that such an affront and provocation had not long since turned the whole earth into an Hell Christian thou complainest thou canst not see thou canst not feel thou canst not mourn thou canst not break under all the guilt that lies upon thee thine heart is hard thine eyes are dry not a tear not a groan scarce a sigh will all this evill fetch out from thee O this blinde and sottish minde O this dead and senseless heart what shall I do what would I not do to get mee a melting mourning broken spirit but I cannot I cannot I cannot see I cannot bleed nor break O beg the light of this Holy Spirit and if the sight that that will present thee with of this wonderfull evill do not rend thy heart and turn thy stomack and open all thy sluces and let out thy soul in sighs and groans in shame and sorrow thou mayest then well be a wonder to thy self But be nor discouraged bee not dismayed do not say this Rock will never break this Iron will never melt I may go sighing for sighs mourning after tears groaning after groans but all in vain it will never bee past feeling past feeling sorrow flies still from mee repentance is hid from mine eyes do not thus discourage thy self wait for this spirit open to it and thou shalt see flowing in such streames of self-shaming self-confounding light as shall flow forth in self-abasing self-abhorring streames of tears 3. These marvellous things are revealed with marvellous clearness That is in comparison of what they are to the purblinde world and in comparison of what they themselves once saw They come to see the glory and the beauty and the reality of the wonderful things of God Wee have seen his glory saith the Apostle Joh. 1. The kindness of God our Saviour appeared But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor 3.18 Out of Zion hath hee appeared in perfect beauty It 's Prophesied Isa 53. of the unbeleeving world that when they should see Christ they should see no beauty in him Strange though hee were all beauty yet they should see him and yet see no beauty That is they shall see him and yet not see him They see not wood for trees What is thy Beloved more than other beloveds VVhat is Christ more than an ordinary man VVhat is the Gospel more than an ordinary Story VVhat is the Spirit What is Truth VVhat is there in this Faith and Love in this Holiness and Righteousness in this Peace of Conscience and Joy of the Holy Ghost VVhat substance is there in them VVhere 's the Glory and wherein is the Excellency of them Which way came the Spirit of the Lord from mee to thee Thou shalt know in that day when thou shalt call to the Mountains to fall on thee and the Rocks to hide thee from the face of God and the Lamb. Wee know whom wee have beleeved Wee know that wee know him Wee speak that which wee know and testify what wee have seen Wee have an Vnction from the Holy one wee know all things God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Now wee have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God VVee have a clear and certain sight VVee do not see men as Trees walking with our eyes half open wee see men as men Christ as Christ Truth as Truth in its naked lustre and evidence This wee have seen and do testify neither deceiving nor being deceived VVee thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes And as they see Truth and Holiness and Goodness in their wonderful Glory and Beauty so also Folly and Falshood and Sin in its wonderful uglâ—ness and deformiâ—y Sin appears to bee sin to them Rom. 7. Folly to bee folly falshood to bee falshood they see men as men Christ as Christ Truth as Truth Holiness as Holiness and they see beasts as beasts fools as fools sin as sin devils as devils hell as hell They see all things as they are temptations as they are delusions as they are they see what 's under them the hook under the bait the sting in the Locust's tail the warre in the Devils heart carried on under his fawning face Wee are not ignorant of his Devices Sinners cease your wondring at the Saints let them bee no longer for signs and for wonders in Israel cease your wondring at the Saints come and wonder with them Wonder not that they say not as you live not as you run not with you after the same follies and vanities Oh! if ye once come to see what they see you will bee a wonder to your selves Mock not at their blessedness Blessed are their eyes for they see The blinde envy but do not disdain the seeing Say not these men are in a dream or drunken or mad take heed blaspheme not the Holy Spirit call not his light darkneâ—s put not your darkness for light Would you know when these men testifie what they have seen and heard whether they are sober or beside themselves Come and see I say not stand and see you cannot see at that distance you stand come near come in and you shall see see your blindness first if ever you will see the light Oh! bewail your darkness and seek light seek and you shall see it Son of David have Mercy on mee Why what wilt thou man Lord that I may receive my sight Shall that bee thy cry O pitty thy blinde soul O pray
for eyes They that see pitty the blinde Wee have a little Sister that hath no breasts wee have a poor Brother yea a world of them that have no eyes What shall we do for our poor brethren in the day that they shall bee spoken for Oh! bee eyes to thy blinde bee a light to thy dark souls let them that dwell in darkness see thy great light Sinners those whom you persecute do thus pitty do thus pray for you Lord that their eyes might bee opened will you say Amen to their prayers or will you say Lord regard not their word wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Christians bee marvels You that have seen marvellous things bee marvellous persons set the world a wondring for some thing Let your light shine let the light which hath shined into your hearts shine forth in all your paths let the Spirit of Light within you bee a Spirit of Glory resting upon you Once you were darkness but now are yee light in the Lord Walk as Children of the light Bee yee holy harmless the Children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked Generation amongst whom yee shine as lights in the World Beclouded Christian thou goest on bemoaning and bewailing thy self complaining that thou art still blinde the light hath shined into thy darkness but thy darkness comprehendeth it not thine eye is yet but tender at least and thou canst see but little but little of Christ the Sun is but as a sparke to thee but little of sin that Mountain looks yet but as a Mole hill It is neither clear nor dark neither night nor perfect day thou hopeedst that long e're this thy scales would have fallen off the vail would have been removed but they abide upon thee thou waitest for light but behold obscurity for brightness but thou walkest in darkness thou goest on adding darkness to darkness the darkness of sorrow to the dimness of sight Thou fearest that the Gospel is hid from thee thou doubtest 't is still night because 't is not yet noon with thee But hearken as little as thou seest of Christ doest thou see so much that thou prizest and lovest and cleavest to him above all as little as thou seest of sin doest thou see so much that thou loathest and shunnest it above all things doest thou walke in that little light thou hast dost thou love long wait cry for the light Send forth thy light and thy truth lift up the light of thy countenance Sun of Righteousness shine upon mee why are the wheels of thy Chariots so long a coming when Lord Make haste my Beloved O might I once see thy face as the Sun looking over the Mountains Is this thy voice are these the breathings of thy soul Bee of good comfort these are the glimmerings and groanings of that Holy Spirit within thee which hath already delivered thee from darkness and will bring thee forth into his marvellous light thou shalt know if thou follow on to know the Lord. Arise shine thy light is come the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Though yet as to thy sense it bee neither clear nor dark neither night nor perfect day in the evening there shall bee light 2 As a Spirit of Holiness and Sanctification hee is given as an Holy Spirit and as a Sanctifying Spirit therefore Sanctification is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 he comes to change us into his own nature to make us partakers of his holiness hee is a Refiner's fire and Fullers sope Mal. 3.2 to purge and work and wash off the filth and corruption of our natures What it is said hee shall bee to the Church Isa 4.4 A Spirit of Judgement and a Spirit of Burning to wash away the filth of the Daughters of Zion and to purge the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof a Spirit of Judgement that is in the Rulers of Israel stirring them up to do Justice and execute Judgement that so the guilt of blood may bee taken away Isa 32.15,16 and a Spirit of Burning that is in the hearts of the people of Israel to consume and destroying the inward lusts of their hearts that no more such wickedness bee committed amongst them This hee is to every Saint A Spirit of Judgement to give Sentence against their Lusts to condemn them to the fire these must bee cast out to the fire with them away with them get yee hence yee Sons of the Bond-woman you may not bee Heirs with the Sons of the Free-woman The Spirit of the Lord first discovers and convinces of sin judges betwixt light and darkness grace and sin and then gives sentence away with these Lusts they may not bee suffered to live A Spirit of Burning to execute the sentence to consume them in the fire The Spirit of Sanctification is a spirit of Mortification Rom. 8.13 If yee through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body It is the Spirit that kills the Flesh profiteth nothing The Spirit implants the Soul into Christ gives it an Interest in his death brings it under the influence of his death Christus crucifixus est Christus crucifigens 'T is the death of Christ that is the death of sin these Theeves are Crucified with him Rom. 6.6 Our old man is Crucified with Christ that the body of sin might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should no longer serve sin Hell knew not what they did when they Crucified Christ Death with all its Armies were put to death with him The Spirit raises up another party in the soul a party against a party an army against an army brings Grace in to take up arms against sin Grace doth not onely fight against sinne but is in the very nature of it the death of sinne as the Generation of a new is the Corruption of the old form Humility is pride dead meekness is sinful passion and frowardnesse dead patience is impatience slain The Spirit excites and stirs up the soul against sin sets it a praying against it the Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Supplication fetches down Hail-stones and Thunder bolts from Heaven to destroy these Amorites sets a watch against it presses the soul to deal wisely with it to keep it low by cutting off all provision from the flesh restraining and keeping it short of all those fleshly objects which would keep it in heart and so it 's starved to death It is true our greatest wisdome watchfulness abstinence self-denial and all external means alone will fall short of killing one lust it is the Spirit that killeth without it the flesh profiteth nothing all external attempts for the mortification of the flesh are but a fleshly mortification but if yee through the Spirit do mortifie pray in the Spirit watch in the Spirit curbe and keep short and keep under this body still taking in the assistance of the Spirit then it shall dye Christian thou livest in a weary Land and thou hast but a weary
heart 2. The power of the end the end hath a four-fold power it draws directs governs rewards 1. It draws the heart to it God who is a Christians end is also his beginning Our first step heaven-ward wee owe to the influence of heaven upon us Draw mee wee will run after thee Cant. 1. No man can come unto mee unless the Father which hath sent mee draw him Nothing but God will do it as nothing will draw the soul another way the pleasures of sin the wages of unrighteousness are poor and low baits to entice a soul away from God that is so far as 't is renewed so 't is nothing but God that draws the soul on its way and he will do it God draws the soul not by an act of power onely but by moral swasion that 's the proper casuality of the end Not by efficiency onely but by sympathy as by the water the thirsty soul is drawn to the water-brooks It is God that draws hearts after him there are instruments as his Word and Ministers and and there are arguments by which God draws but whatever the instruments or arguments are 't is God that does it What is the work of either Word or Ministers but to set God before them and this draws Instruments can do nothing unless God bee the Preacher by them arguments can do nothing unless hee bee the medium of them as 't was said concerning the peoples following Saul so much more concerning those that follow the Lord. Those onely follow him whose hearts God hath touched 'T is not mans teaching but Gods touching the heart that draws it heaven-ward The tongue of man may touch the ear 't is God onely that touches the heart And when he touches then the heart will follow As you know the needle when it s touched with a Loadstone then it turns after it The Loadstone is not more naturall attractive of the needle than God is of that heart which he hath touched Cant. 5.4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved in mee He did but touch the door and her heart felt him and moved tovvards him O Christians when you have been waiting upon God in prayer hearing or any other spiritual duty or ordinance consider hath mine heart been touched this day my tongue hath been touched mine ear hath been touched mine heart hath been treated with but hath the Lord touched it hath there vertue come forth from him which hath enticed and drawn my soul after him Sometimes by a message or visit from heaven the Lord hath drawn a good word from the lip a tear from the eye but O for touches upon souls for turning of bowels for the flowings out of hearts after the Lord Hee is the only load-stone that prevails on gracious souls Others that have many hearts have many attractives every heart hath its peculiar god twenty gods it may be in one man because so many hearts Their pleasures are their Gods their profits their gods their belly their god their wives or their children their gods and so many gods so many ends And every end is a loadstone to draw them after them Every heart will after its God A Christian that hath but one heart hath but one God and this is he that draws it on its way Thou sayest the Lord is thy God thou acknowledgest thou ownest thou hast chosen him for thine but what doth thy God whom thou hast chosen do upon thine heart what will the sight of God or thy love to God or thy hope in God do upon thee how far will it carry thee which way runs thy heart which way dost bend thy course dost feel thy God drawing thee and is thy heart running after him running notes motion and a swift or violent motion I shall lay before you these six or seven expressions the Scripture uses to note the running of those hearts after God whom he hath drawn 1. The desiring of the soul after God Isa 26.8.9 The desire of our soul is to thy name with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek theee early Desire is the soul in motion God-wards Towards him are their desires and they come deep ab intimis ab imo pectore from their inwards from the bottom of the heart With my soul have I desired thee with my spirit within mee will I seek thee Psal 38.9 Lord all my desire is before thee 't is not all my desires but my desire thou seest all and 't is all but one desire Hee desires pardon hee desires peace hee desires help and the heealing of his wounds but all this is but one desire God is all One thing have I desired Psal 27.4 2. The thirsting of the sout Psal 42.2 My soul thirsteth for God for the living God Thirsting is the extremity of desire hunger and thirst are the appetite or desire heightened violent and painful appetites my soul thirsteth and is in pain till it be satisfied 3. The longing of the soul Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is Longing causeth languishing and abortions if it be not satisfied Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing desire it hath to thy judgments My heart panteth my flesh faileth the light of mine eyes is gone from me Psal 38.10 4. Calling after God Psal 4.1 Hear mee when I call O God of my righteousness Calling upon God is the voice of desires The desiring soul will not keep silence the tongue the eye the ears the hands the knees must all be oratours when the flame is once kindled within 5 Crying after the Lord. This is an expression answering the thirsting of the soul Crying is a passionate and importunate praying I cryed unto the Lord with my whole heart Psal 119.145 6. Crying out after God This is the manner of the longing soul Crying out notes more than bare crying loud cryes strong cryes forced out by a paroxisme of love or an agony the soul is in Psal 84.2 My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living Lord. 7. Following hard after the Lord Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee This expression is more comprehensive it notes both all the workings and breakings and breathings of the soul within and its diligent pursuing in the use of all outward means and pressing on after the Lord. All those labourings and watchings and runnings all that holy violence wherewith a Saint presses into the Kingdome of God Put all this together and you will see the power and influence the Lord hath on holy Souls to the drawing of them after him they are in motion Heaven-vvard desiring thirsting longing calling crying crying out follovving hard after him What aileth these souls vvhat 's the matter vvith them
't is a nicety 't is but a punctilio 't is meere folly and preciseness and there will bee no end of standing upon such small matters see to it 't is thy duty beware thou neglect it not the baulking of the least duty is the neglecting of the great God of Glory 2. In giving warning of Sin Take heed to thy self sin lyes at the door thou art under a temptation the Devil is entring upon thee do not say 't is but a little sin as little as 't is there 's Death and Hell in the bowels of it look to it 't is sin have thou nothing to do with it keep thy self pure and though it run upon thee shake it off 3. After commission it gives check for it reproving judging and lashing the soul for it where hast thou been Gehazi say not thou hast been no where went not this heart with thee and saw thee running out after thy covetousnesse gadding after thy pleasures feeding thy pride dandling thy lusts playing the Hypocrite playing the Harlot from thy God pampring thy flesh pleasing thine appetite and where hast thou been What hast thou done soul think not to excuse or mince the matter it cannot be excused thou hast sinned against thy God and now bear thy shame This is our heart smiting of us 2 Sam. 24. Our hearts condemning of us 1 John 3.20 If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 2. Tendernesse of the Will that stands in its flexiblenesse and pliableness unto the Will of God And this is that tenderness wherein chiefly stands the blessing of a soft heart an hard heart is stubborn and obstinate thy neck is as an Iron sinew and thy brow Brasse Thou wilt not bee rul'd there 's no bending thee or turning thee out of thy course thy Iron is too hard for the fire it will not bee melted and for the Hammer it will not bee broken there 's no dealing with thee thou art an untractable piece thou wilt go neither led nor driven thine heart is set in thee to do evil thy will is set upon sin and thou art set upon thine own will The word which thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord wee will not do but wee will do whatever proceeds out of our own mouth Jer. 44.16,17 Wee will do what we will do who is Lord over us Psal 12. and Jer. 2.25 Thou saidst there is no hope no for wee have loved strangers and after them we will go come what will of it say what thou wilt against it Be silent Scriptures hold thy peace Conscience 't is to no purpose to speak more there is no hope of prevailing wee are at a point wee will take our own course These are hard hearts stubborn obstinate hearts When the Iron sinew is broken when the rebellion and stubbornnesse of the Spirit is subdued and tamed and made gentle and pliable then it becomes a tender heart There may bee some tenderness in the Conscience and yet the will bee a very stone and as long as the will stands out there is no broken heart Conscience may bee scared and frighted Conscience may fly upon the Sinner what dost thou mean soul whither are thy rebellions carrying thee look to thy self hearken or thou wilt bee lost e're thou art aware But however God hath gotten conscience on his side yet the Devil still rides the Will and there sin takes up its rest There 's a double resting of sin in the soul In Peace In Power 1. In Peace when it dwells and rules in the soul without disturbance or contradiction when it carries all smoothly before it when God lets it alone and conscience speaks not a word against it When notwithstanding those Armies of lusts fighting against the soul there 's not so much as one weapon lift up against them not a prayer nor a tear nor a wish for freedome nor the least fear concerning the issue this is the most dreadful hardness 2. In Power When though it can have no Peace yet it hath still a Place in the heart Though it can have no quiet but conscience is still quarrelling with it and warning it away yet it still holds its power over the Will the Master of the house is content to bee its Servant O how many persons are there even amongst the Professors of Religion who cannot sin in quiet they are proud or passionate or intemperate or covetous or false in their words in their dealings they are formal and hypocritical and slight in their duties but they cannot go out with it with any quiet Conscience smites them for it they feel many a pang and deadly twinge in their heart insomuch that sometimes they cry and groan and roar in their spirits O for redemption O for deliverance from this false this proud this covetous and wicked heart and yet after all this the Will remains a captive still Sin holds its power there though it cannot carry it on in peace though it cannot bee proud or play the Hypocrite or be covetous or an oppressour without some galls and gripes in the soul yet on it goes the same trade is kept up the same course is held on God commands cast yee out cast yee out come off from all your wickednesse and evil waies and I will receive you No though Conscience would the Will cannot come whatever rendings and tearings whatever terrours and torments and worryings such souls are at any time under whatever stings and plagues and fires they find their sins to be in their souls and bones what-ever wishings and wouldings they wring forth that they were well rid of these plagues whilest the will is still for them there 's an hard heart damnably hard there 's none of this heart of flesh When the will is once broken loose from sin when it will be content to let all go and give up its self to the dominion of the Lord there 's a broken heart Now speak Lord and I will hear Now call Lord and I will answer Now command me impose on mee what thou wilt I will submit None but the Lord none but Christ no other Lord nor lover I am thine Lord thine own do with thine own demand of thine own what-ever thou pleasest What God will have mee bee vvhat God vvill have mee do that vvill I do and bee No longer vvhat I vvill but the Will of the Lord bee done When 't is come to this there 's a tender heart there 's the blessing of a broken spirit the stone hee hath taken away hee hath given an heart of flesh Christians never trust to tears never talk of terrours trouble of conscience of the passionate workings and meltings which at any time you feel upon your spirits though there be something in these as you shall see more by and by yet these are not the things you are to look at A subdued tractable willing obedient heart that 's the tender heart Isa 1.19 If yee
venture on the Truth dare you venture your souls on the Falshood of it Dare you stand forth and say If this word be not a lye let me be damned for ever I am content that the everlasting worm shal gnaw my heart that the infernal fire shal burn my flesh and bones and soul for ever and ever if it prove not at last a meer Forgery and Imposture Do you believe the Scriptures to be true indeed If you do what do they preach to you Do they speak any thing if not this That there is another life and death besides that which is within the kenn of mortal eyes that the other life and the other death are Eternal that upon your being found within or without the Covenant of God hangs your eternal judgment either for life or death that whilst you are in a Covenant with death and in a course of iniquity you are without the Covenant of God and can have no benefit by it that under sin and out of Covenant out of Covenant and out of Christ out of Christ and under Condemnation Are there any things which that word which you profess to believe to be as true and to stand as sure as Heaven and Earth are there any things that this speaks more plainly then these things and such like What and yet secure in a state of sin Aliens from God enemies of all Righteousness and yet in quiet Are you resolved to sell Eternity for time life for death a soul for the pleasures of sin Is this the choice you have made and are you resolved to stand to it Let me have this world my Portion here my good things here and then let me be damned in the other world Let me sin here and suffer hereafter let me laugh here and lament hereafter let me flourish and prosper and live at ease and in honour and in pleasure and at liberty here and let my Prison and my Pain and my Anguish and my Plagues be beneath there let me be torn let me burn let me roar let me die so I may be rich and be merry and rejoyce a while here let time be my Heaven and eternity be my Hell speak in earnest is this your choice or that you may not be put to it to make a new choice will you take upon you to make a new Gospel And dividing what God hath joyned together will you joyn what he hath divided Will you write this for Gospel Holiness and Hell sin and glory Christ and the Curse the Devil and the Crown Let the wicked hold on his way and the unrighteous his thoughts let him still run away from the Lord and be shall have mercy and from his God and he will abundantly pardon Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto death and few there be that finde it but broad is the gate and wide is the way that leadeth unto life and the whole world are going in thereat Blessed are the proud in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that laugh now blessed are the froward the merciless the impure in heart the persecutors for Righteousness sake for great is their reward in Heaven Within shal be the Doggs and the Swine the Whoremongers the Sorcerers the Drunkards the Ruffians the Blasphemers the Gallants the Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye And without shall be the Lambs and the Doves the Holy and the Humble and the Meek and the Merciful and the Upight in heart and the Poor in spirit and Peace-makers the persecuted for Righteousness sake and whosoever loveth truth and maketh God his trust these shal go into everlasting fire but the ungodly into life Eternal Are these the Articles of your Creed Is this your Gospel if it be O what is your Heaven If it be not if the old Gospel must stand Oh where are your souls Are your souls lost and are they not worth the recovery Why will ye dye turn and live Oh when shal it once be As an Embassadour for Christ to whom is committed the word of Reconciliation having hinted to you what 's Law so in the name of the Eternal God I publish to you the everlasting Gospel The Lord God having entred into a Covenant of life with the first Adam for himself and all mankinde in him this Covenant being broken whereby sin hath entred and death by sin and all the world is now becom guilty before God bound over to the vengeance of eternal Fire and under an utter impossibility of recovery by ought that that Covenant can do hath out of his abundant grace made a new Covenant on which whosoever shal lay hold shal be delivered out of the state of Death and Wrath into a state of Life and Blessedness Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do being weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and with him this gracious grant that whosoever believeth in him shal not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3.16 And this is the Covenant that hath been declared unto you This new Covenant is a Marriage-Covenant Hos 2.10 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee to me in righteousness and in loving-kindness and in mercies In it the Lord makes offer and invites you to accept of an Husband and a Dower The Husband is the Kings son the Lord Jesus Christ and with him the lost Kingdom and all that belongs to the Kingdom of God for a Dower Liberty for the Captives the opening of the Prison to them that are bound riches to the poor eyes to the blinde feet to the lame healing to the diseased and life to the dead And whoever among you all who are persons under the Law held by the cords of your sins whose souls are fast bound in fetters of Iron who are willing that your Covenant with death be made void and your agreement with Hell be disannulled and will joyn your selves to the Lord and be brought within the bonds of this Covenant all the blessings of this Covenant are made over and stand sure unto you The Grant is made the Deed is drawn and sealed the Lord hath set to his Seal come you in and seal the Counter-part set to your seal and the Match is made up Christ and with him all things are yours and you are his Accept and live refuse and dye for ever Come on then sinner what sayest thou Dost thou consent Dost thou accept Or as Laban to Rebekah Wilt thou go with this man Let me espouse thee to this one Husband onely let me first tell thee The matter is solemn and thou must be serious 'T is for life 't is for Eternity Consider therefore and let thine heart lying prostrate before the Almighty come in and make answer to these demands which from him and in his great and dreadful Name I make unto thee 1. Wilt thou have Jesus for thine Husband Understand before thou answer The taking
HEAVEN OPENED OR A Brief and plain DISCOVERY OF THE RICHES OF Gods Covenant OF GRACE By R. A. London Printed Anno Dom. 1665. To The Reader Reader THe Providence of God hath led mee on to the publication of the ensuing Treatise much beyond my first intentions There came to my hands A Synopsis of the Covenant of Grace on Gods part with a Soliloquie annexed both penned by the worthy Authour of that form of Mans Covenanting with God inserted in my Vindiciae Pietatis attended with the Authours desires and of divers other Christians that this also might bee incorporated into the same book These desires neither being able to resist nor willing to deny I prepared some meditations to bee premised with a purpose to have put forth another Edition of that Book with this addition but finding it to grow into too great a bulk to bee there incerted both this on Gods part and the former on mans part come into thy hands in this distinct Treatise followed with my Prayers that the good Land whereof some Clusters are here presented to thee may be thine Inheritance See and take Thine because the Lords Covenant servant R. A. July 8. 1665. The Contents THe Introduction pag. 1 Chap. 1 God himself granted in the Covenant p. 3 To bee our Friend Portion Sun Shield Chap. 2. Christ in the Covenant 22 As The Light of life The Lord our righteousness Our Lord and King Our head and Husband Chap. 3. The Spirit in the Covenant 35 As a Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation Holiness and Sanctification Truth and Direction Comfort and Consolation Chap. 4 The earth in the Covenant 51 The good things of the Earth The evil things of the Earth 1. The Covenant hath its Cross 2. By vertue of the Convenant the Cross is a blessing The Blessing of the Cross stands 1. In its being separated from the earth 2. In its being sanctified to its ends 3. In its being proportioned to our needs and strength 4. In the special comforts annexed to it Chap. 5. The Angels of light in the Covenant 74 Chap. 6. The powers of darkness delivered over in the Covenant 78 Chap. 7. Death in the Covenant p. 84 Chap. 8. The Kingdome in the Covenant 87 Chap. 9. All the means of salvation in the Covenant 88 1. External means 2. Internal means In special a new heart Chap. 10. An heart to know the Lord. 96 Chap. 11. One heart 114 Chap. 12. An heart of flesh 141 Chap. 13. An heart to love the Lord. 166 Chap. 14. An heart to fear the Lord. 193 Chap. 15 An Obedient heart 221 Chap. 16. Perseverance in the Covenant 249 Chap. 17. A Synopsis of the Covenant of Grace on Gods part by another hand 262 Chap 18. A Soliloquie representing the Believers Tryumph in Gods Covenant and the various conflicts and glorious conquests of faith over unbelief 316 Chap. 19. An exhortation to sinners with directions for their entring into Covenant 342 Chap. 20. A form of words expressing mans covenanting with God 365 Chap. 21. An Exhortation to the Saints 369 Heaven Opened OR A brief and plain discovery of the Riches of Gods Covenant of GRACE The Introduction GOod news from Heaven the day-spring from on high hath visited this undone world after a Deluge of sin and misery behold the bow in the Cloud the Lord God hath made and established a new Covenant and this is it that hath cast the first beam on the dark state of lost and fallen man and hath brought life and immortality to light This Covenant is the hope of Sinners The riches of Saints the Magna Charta of the City of God The forfeited Lease of eternity renewed Gods Deed of Gift wherein hee hath on fair conditions granted sinners their lives and settled upon his Saints an everlasting Inheritance Hear O yee forlorn Captives who have sold your selves to eternal bondage spoiled your selves of all your glory sealed your selves up under everlasting misery you are dead in your sins guilty before God under wrath under a curse bound over to eternal vengeance But behold there is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing the Lord God hath taken compassion upon you hath opened a way for you to escape out of all this misery and bondage Lift up the hands that hang down comfort the trembling knees An Ark an Ark hath God prepared in which is salvation from the Flood A Covenant a new Covenant hath hee made and established which if you lay hold on it will recover all you have lost ransome you from death redeem you from Hell and advance you to a more sure and blessed condition than your original state from which you have fallen This is the hope of sinners This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Glorious tydings good news indeed but what is this Covenant or what is there that is given and granted therein Why in summe there 's all that Heaven and earth can afford all that can bee needed or desired and this by a firm and irrevokable Deed made over and made sure to all that will sincerely embrace it Particularly God hath in his Covenant granted and made over 1. Himself 2. His Son 3. His Spirit 4. The Earth 5. The Angels of Light 6. The Powers of Darkness 7. Death 8. The Kingdome 9. All the means of Salvation CHAP. I. God in the Covenant 1. THe Lord God hath made over himself in this Covenant That 's the great and comprehensive promise Jer. 31.33 I will be their God I am God and what I am 't is all theirs my self my glorious incomprehensible essence all my glorious attributes my omnipotence my omniscience my wisdome my righteousness my holiness mine all-sufficiency my faithfulness c. I will make over my self to them to be henceforth and for ever theirs Their Friend Portion Sun Shield 1. Their Friend I was angry but mine anger is turned away I was an adversary I had a controversie with them but I am reconciled I have found a ransome the quarrel is composed my wrath is appeased I am friends with them I will forgive their iniquity and their sin will I remember no more I will take away their iniquity and receive them graciously I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them Jer. 31.34 Hos 14.4 Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Fury is not now in me favour and friendship love and good will is all they may henceforth expect from me Sinners what is there to be feared what is there dreadful but an angry provoked God Thence is sorrow and anguish thence is famine and pestilence and sword thence is death and hell he doth not know what the wrath of God means that doth not see in the bowels of it all the plagues above ground and all the vengeance of eternal fire Whatever terrors or torments have seized upon thee upon thy body upon thy soul whatever losses crosses
head never so many stars appear nor with such lustre as in a frosty night grind the spices and their fragrancy flows out Saints are never more Saints than in the house of bondage or the Land of their pilgrimage our Winter-weather makes us warm at heart As our outward man perishes our inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 Persecution is the time of life We are delivered to death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.11 Decayed soul comfort thine heart the cross comes now thou shalt live now thou shalt recover This weakness will strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Now faith and love and patience and courage that have so long hung the wing now lift up the head the day of your redemption draweth nigh this night is your day of hope 2. A more clear revelation of special Love Lovest thou me Lord there 's enough Let me hear thy voice let me see thy face Kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth Thy loving kindness is better than life send forth thy light and thy truth let these tell me thou lovest me Thy love-sick Spouse is sick for love O when wilt thou say Thou knowest that I love thee Why come up with me on the cross that withered tree bears more blossomes of love than all the green trees of the field The whole Gospel is hung upon the cross Where our Lord hung there 's sin nail'd the curse vacated death vanquished pardon peace joy glory shewed forth in open sight There 's love with all its tokens go up and take Fear not to be baptized with thy Lords Baptism nor to drink of his cup this cup also is the communion of the blood of Christ Come with me into the wilderness there will I speak comfortably to thee When thou most wantest it where thou wilt most value it there will I shew thee my loves Our Lord loves not to have love slighted the full soul loathes the honey-comb thou hast yet too many Lovers to bid thy Lord welcome he keeps his best Wine till all thine own be sowred then it will relish and then thou shalt have it His oyl is for thy wounds The Childe never knows so much of the Parents heart and bowels as when 't is sick or in distress then every look is love every word is pity and compassion O the soundings of Christs bowels towards his swooning children when thou knowest hatred then look to know love When thou art persecuted when thou art cast out and trodden under foot of men then will he take thee in and cherish thee 3. A more full manifestation of glory There 's not a prison into which the Saints are cast but hath a window into the palace Calvary becomes a Tabor where they have a sight of their Lord in his glory Golgotha becomes a Pisgah where they may look over Jordan into the land of promise Hast thou known little of heaven thou hast not yet been in the deep Of Stephen the first Gospel-Martyr its said Acts 7.55 He looked up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And Chap. 6.15 All that sate in the Council saw his face as the face of an Angel Such an admirable splendor and serenity in his countenance as spake him rather an Angel then a man O what an heaven was there within that cast out such a divine lustre on his face His joy was too big for his heart his face must have its share yea his very adversaries at second hand beheld the glory of God He looked up and saw heaven opened Looking down he might see hell opened all his tormentors about him the jaws of death ready to devour and swallow him up but looking up he saw heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God O there he is for whose sake is all this My beloved my beloved is yonder Behold the region of light whither this dark tempest is wasting me his hell and his heaven meets but the light swallows up the dark Hell ceases to be hell where heaven appears to bee heaven This is the portion of suffering Saints When you read what 's written of those armies of Martyrs that have gone before of their unspeakable joys their undaunted courage their admirable boldness of their chearing their friends confounding their foes their rejoycing in their stripes singing in their stocks leaping in their chains boasting of their bonds kissing their stakes embracing the flames riding up in triumph in their chariots of fire not repenting of their Faith nor accepting of deliverance what doth this speak but that their eyes as well as their anchor are within the vail whither Christ their fore-runner is gone before them Oh who would not be with them who would fear sufferings Soul what art afraid of whither art thou running from what art thou hiding thy self what is thine ease or thy liberty or thy quiet why so loth to loose from this shore lanch forth into the deep Fear not transportation into thine house of bondage when thou art once there 't is but look up and thou art in Paradise Such are the sufferings of Christ This is the cross of the Covenant 4. In summe as that which comprehends all the rest a more manifest exhibition of Christs special presence Jer. 30.11 I am with thee to save thee Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Through fire and water thou must go we went through fire and water into a wealthy place but whither ever thou goest he will go with thee When the bush was on fire the Lord was in the bush when the three children were in the furnace the Son of God was there with them Isa 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted he saved them by the Angel of his presence in his love and his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old Though all men forsook me the Lord stood with me and strengthened me 2 Tim. 4.16,17 The Saints shall never have this to charge upon the Lord I was in prison and thou visitedst me not He is ever with them to bear their burthens and ease their shoulders to plead their cause and maintain their innocence to wash their stripes to wipe off their tears to heal their wounds to bind up their broken bones to revive their weary spirits to perfume their prisons to lighten their dungeons to lead them in their wandrings to converse with them in their solitudes to give down from above in divine smiles in illapses of spiritual joys assurances of dearest love tenderest care melting sympathie gracious acceptance to give down from above what-ever is wanting beneath In fine to preserve them
thee to bee with thy Father in the bosome of thy bridegroom the presence chamber of thy Lord and Love would it bee a mercy to thee to weep no more fear no more suffer no more bee tempted no more sin no more to bee uncloathed of corruption and be cloathed upon with immortality and incorruption then bid death welcome Blessed souls when you come a shoare and see the light the love the joy the rest the glory that is on the other side you will then more fully understand what this meaneth Death is yours Hee knew something who said I cannot tell you what sweet pain and delightsome torments are in Christs love I often challenge time that holdeth us asunder I have for the present a sick life much pain and much love-sickness for Christ O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosome O when shall wee meet O how long is it to the dawning of the Marriage-day O sweet Lord Jesus take wide steps Come over the Mountains at one stride O my Beloved flee as a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of separation O if hee would fold the Heavens together like an old Cloak and shovel time and daies out of the way and come away CHAP. VIII The Kingdome in the Covenant 8. GOd hath put the Kingdome into this Covenant Matth. 5.3 Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 12.32 It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God I might here enlarge in describing the glory of this Kingdome but when I had said all I must at last leave it within the Vail and therefore shall only tell you from the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him c. Ephes 1.18 When by the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation the eyes of your understandings are opened yee shall know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints CHAP. IX All the means of salvation in the Covenant both outward and inward in special the blessing of a new heart LAstly God hath put into the Covenant all the means of salvation And all things on their parts necessary to the obtaining the everlasting kingdome 1. All the outward means of salvation Ordinances Word Sacraments and Prayer Officers Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Teachers Ephes 4.11,12 1 Cor. 3.22 2. All the inward means of salvation Every grace every duty their obtaining the one and performing the other and perseverance in both These are all comprehended in the second part of that great promise They shall be my people Which though it be properly the matter of their own stipulation yet for this also the Lord himself undertakes You shall be my people Two things are hereby signified 1. I will account you and reckon you for mine You shall have the priviledge and the blessing of my people I will set you apart and separate you to my self out of all the tribes and kindreds of the earth and will avouch you for my portion and peculiar possession I will set you as the apple of mine eye as a seal upon mine heart and upon mine arm I will mark you out for the people of my love of you will I take care for you will I provide with you are my delights over you will I rejoyce with you will I dwell and you shall dwell with me for ever 2. I will not only reckon you for my people but I will undertake for you that you shall consent to me accept of me own me follow me and cleave to me as my people I will not only separate you to my self but I will fashion you for my self I will sanctifie you and guide you and teach you and help you I will fulfill in you all the good pleasure of my will I will work all your works in you I will avouch you for my people and you shall avouch me for your God You shall love me fear me obey me I will keep you from falling and preserve you to my heavenly kingdome Particularly the Lord hath promised to give them 1. A new heart 2. An heart to know the Lord. 3. One heart 4. An heart of flesh 5. An heart to love the Lord. 6. An heart to fear the Lord. 7. An heart to obey the Lord. 8. An heart to persevere to the end 1. A new heart Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you This new heart I take it is the genus of all the following graces and therefore the less shall suffice to be spoken of it here A new heart that is not physically new in regard of substance but morally onely in regard of qualities This new heart signifies both another heart and a more excellent heart 'T is said of Caleb Numb 14.24 that he had another heart And this other heart is declared to be a more excellent heart than was in the rest of the people Whilest they either followed not the Lord or but haltingly hee followed the Lord fully Prov. 17.27 A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit There is another heart that is not a new heart Nebuchadnezzer had another but no new heart the heart of a beast for the heart of a man an evil heart grown worse is not a new heart but the old heart grown older We read 1 Sam. 10.9 that when Saul was anointed King God gave him another heart this was a more excellent heart than he had before and yet not the heart here promised He gave to him another heart that is the spirit of government the heart of a King for the heart of a private person a more publick raised heroick heart the heart of a King fitted to the station and office of a King The excellencies of this new heart are not natural but spiritual excellencies as will appear more in the handling of the particular graces promised and are such as fit them for their new state work reward 1. For their new state Christians are made the children of God vessels of honour a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people and God gives them an heart answering the dignity of their high calling 2. For their new Work a Christian hath other work to do than other men whilest their business lies all here below in this earth in their fields and vineyards c. Christians work lies above with their God and their Jesus and within about their nobler and immortal part their work is spiritual and such is the heart that 's given to them 3. For their new reward God intends better things to them a better portion a better hope better comforts joyes delights here and a better inheritance hereafter and he prepares them better hearts to receive these better things he will not put his new
may sometimes be of carnal respects that may have an influence upon the exerting and bringing them forth yet the great poise that moves the Wheels the swaying motive that brings us on is God and our respects to his will and Honour Now for this also the Lord undertakes promising not onely assistance but success sufficient grace and efficacious grace I will cause them to walk in my Statutes and they shall keep my judgments and do them I will not onely teach them my Statutes I will not onely incline their hearts to my testimonies I will not onely strengthen them for my work but I will cause them to walk in my Statutes The even shall be sure they shall keep my judgments and do them my word shall fail my promises shall be of none effect let me be accounted unfaithfull if I do not make them faithful to me CHAP. XVI Perseverance in the Covenant 8. PErseverance Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me The Perseverance of the Saints is founded on the Election of God and the immutability of his Counsel The foundation of the Lord standeth sure Rom. 8.38 Whom he did Predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified This golden Chain will hold not a link of it shall be broken on whomsoever the first link Election hath taken hold it will infallibly bring him up to the last Glory God is not as man that he should repent But not to wade farther into this deep our business lyes in the Promise of God There are two sorts of Promises concerning Perseverance There are Promises To Perseverance Of Perseverance 1. The Promise of eternal life is made to Perseverance Hold out to the end and be saved Overcome and reign Be faithful to the death and I will give thee a Crown of life Rev. 2,10 If thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Christians beware of Apostacy beware of Presumption Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Let it not be said of you ye did run well He runs well that gives not off that sits not down on this side the goal So run that ye may obtain 2. There are Promises of Perseverance The Covenant of God is an everlasting Covenant He hath commanded his Covenant for ever Psal 111.5 There are two things in the fore-mentioned Scripture Jer. 32.40 secured to Believers which secure their Perseverance 1. God will not depart from them 2. They shall not depart from him 1. God will not depart from them I will not turn awâ—… from them God is with me but I fear I shall provoke him away I shall weary him out by my sins and drive him from me No saith the Lord I will not turn away from them to do them good I will never fail thee nor forsake thee 2. They shall not depart from him 'T is true the Lord will be with me but t is onely while I am with him if I depart he wil depart if I forsake him he will caâ—… me off for ever Here 's my great fear that I shall turn away from him there is in me an evil heart of unbelief that 's ever departing from the living God Oh this false and fickle heart I dare not trust it for a day I dare not undertake for it for an hour I doubt it will be gone ere I am aware my corruptions are strong my temptations are many every day brings its temptations and I am in great fear that by one means or other one day or other I shal fall before them and depart from the living God! No saies God fear not thou shalt not depart I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me They shall be kept by my Almighty Power through faith unto salvation My grace shall be with them and my grace shall be sufficient for them and shall preserve them to my Heavenly Kingdom And here is the Saints security The Lord God will not turn away from them nor ever suffer them to run away from him If the Promise fail then may their faith also fail It s true there may be gradual declinings and departures of the Saints from Christ for a season but total or final there shall not be They shall not be of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul Though they fall they shall rise again they may turn but they shal return As Hypocrites will not stay with Christ alwaies so neither will Saints alwais stay from him And there 's a like reason of both Sinners sometimes will step aside and salute Religion and take some turnes with Christ but after a while away they must again And there is a double Reason of it 1. There 's that within them 2. There 's one without them That will fetch them back 1. There 's that within them that will fetch them back Corrupt nature the power of unmortified Lust this it that bears the sway in their hearts and however for the time the stream may be somewhat turn'd out of its course or bayd up however by the impetus of some external Motives or Arguments or the impulses of an awakened Conscience or some sudden heat of affection they are carried on after and in some fair compliance with the Lord Jesus yet when the Bay is removed when the external force is spent Conscience laid to sleep the heat of affection allaid which is often almost as soon out as in thou very natures will reduce and bring them back to their old course What is it that pulls a Stone or a lump of Clay down again that is thrown into the Ayr Why when the vis impressa by which they were forc'd up is spent their natures their innate gravities will bring them down to their place Sinners need no other weights to pull them down to this Earth then their earthly hearts 2. There 's one without them that will fetch them off Satan the god of this world whose they are and whom they serve who though he indulge them so much liberty for their Religion as is consistent with their captive state and may possibly secure them the more under his Dominion Hypocrites are often the faster to Satan for being so near to Christ the very Religion they have is but the Devils snare by which he holds them back from Religion yet lest by venturing them too farr they should be lost to him at last he that first tempted them so near to Christ Hypocrites are often beholding to the Devil for their Religion they have will quickly tempt them back again And so on the other side there are the like Reasons why Saints cannot alwaies
established in Heaven and in the Volume of the Book it is written of me My evidence cannot be lost It is recorded in the Court above and enrolled in the sacred leaves of the Word and entred upon the Book of my Conscience and herein I do and will rejoyce Now my soul wipe up thine eyes and go away with Hannah and be no more sad What though mine House be not so with God so happy so prosperous as I could wish What though they be encreased that trouble me and my temptations and afflictions be like the rolling Billows riding on one anothers backs for haste Yet shall my soul be as a rock unmoved and sit down satisfied in the security and amplitude of my portion For God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and herein is all my salvation and all my desire And now what remaineth O Lord but that I should spend the remainder of my daies in loving praising and admiring thee But wherewith shall I come before the Lord or bow my self to the most High God What shall I give thee to express my thankfulness though not to requite thy bounty Alas my poor little soul Alas that thou art so little How narrow are thy capacities How disproportionate are thy powers Alas that my voice can reach to no higher a note But shall I do nothing because I cannot do all Lord I resign to thee With the poor Widow I cast my two mites my soul and body into thy Treasury All my powers shall love and serve thee All my members shall be weapons of Righteousness for thee Here is my good will Behold my substance is thy stock mine interest is for thy service I lay all at thy feet There thou hast them they are thine My Children I enter as thy Servants My possessions I resign as thy right I will call nothing mine but thee All mine are thine I can say My Lord and my God and that is enough I thankfully quit my claim to all things else I will no more say My House is mine or my Estate mine I my self am not mine own Yet it is infinitely better for me to be thine then if I were mine own This is my happiness that I can say my own God my own Father And O what a blessed exchange hast thou made with me to give me thy Self who art an infinite Sum for my self who am but an insignificant Cypher And now Lord do thou accept and own my claim I am not worthy of any thing of thine much less of thee But sith I have a Deed to shew I bring thy Word in my hand and am bold to take possession Dost thou not know this hand wilt thou not own this name wilt thou not confirm thine own grant It were infidelity to doubt it I will not disparage the faithfulness of my Lord nor be afraid to averre and stand to what he hath said and sworn Hast thou said Thou art my God and shall I fear thou art mine enemy Hast thou told me Thou art my Father and shall I stand aloof as if I were a stranger I will believe Lord silence my fears and as thou hast given me the claim and title of a Child so give me the confidence of a Child Let my heart be daily kept alive by thy promises and with this staffe let me pass over Jordan May these be my undivided companions and comforters When I go let them lead me when I sleep let them keep me when I awake let them talk with me And do thou keep these things for ever upon the imaginations of the thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts unto thee And let the heart of thy Servant be the Ark of thy Testament wherein the sacred records of what hath passed between thee and my soul may for ever be preserved Amen Thus far my Friend So be it CHAP. XIX An Exhortation to Sinners O Earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord Ye men of this world ye spirits that are in Prison held captive to iniquity under the Prince of this world in a Covenant with Death at an agreement with Hell without Christ Alians from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope without God in the world who have said We will not have this man to rule over us let us break his Bonds asunder and cast his Cords from us who are joyned to Idols have chosen you other gods are following after other Lovers who walk after the course of this world according to the Prince of the Power of the Ayr the spirit that now worketh in the children of Disobedience having your conversation in the Lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and being still as you were by nature the children of Wrath in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity O ye sons of death ye children of the night and of darkness Hear and your souls shal live to you also is the word of this salvation sent even the strangers and those that are afar off that will lay hold on the Covenant and chuse the thing that pleaseth God these also shal have a name in his house even the glorious name of Sons and Daughters The Lord hath sent a word into Jacob and it shal light upon Edom and Amaleck and the uncircumcised Philistines even as many of them as the Lord our God shal call Act. 2.39 Hearken O people you that are polluted in your blood written in the Earth free among the dead come in let your Covenant with death be made void and your agreement with Hell be disanulled strike a League with the Almighty and your names also shal be written amongst the living in Jerusalem Stand ye before the Lord come and let us reason together Where are you What is your Portion and Inheritance Ye are cursed with a Curse Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of your cup Psal 11.6 What are you seeking whither are you travelling After a few years of your vanity are over where must your dwelling be Who can dwell with the devouring fire Who can dwell with everlasting burnings Look before you behold that smoaking Furnace that burning Lake that bottomless Pit that 's gaping for you and at your next step may swallow you up Escape for your lives why will ye dye Turn and live Do you believe the Resurrection from the dead the Judgment to come and the invisible World Is it to the spirit of a man as to the spirit of a beast Doth it perish with his carkase Dieth a Man as a Dogg dieth Dieth a wise man as a fool dieth Fall all things alike to all just and unjust good and bad after this life as well as in it Do you believe the Scriptures Are they but a Fable If you hope they are are you sure they are Dare you venture your souls upon it Whilest the Saints
Christ from henceforth unto death Thou wilt have Christ but when Shall this be the Marriage-day VVilt thou from henceforth be the Lords or when shall it be Must it be to morrow first or next moneth or next year or some time or other thou knowest not when May we not take thy promise as they did the Prophecy Ezek. 12. Is it not for many dayes to come is it not of the times that are afar off To morrow thou wilt hereafter thou wilt as good as thou hast said nothing As good thou hadst said never as not yet Speak Soul wilt give thy self to the Lord wilt presently if thou wilt how long wilt thou abide with him wilt thou not endorse on thy Deed of Gift a power of revocation wilt thou not repent not return again from Heaven to Earth wilt be chaste and play the Harlot no more wilt be faithful to the death obedient to the death Is this thy voice I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back As the Lord liveth nothing but death no not death it self shall part thee and me I am perswaded I am resolved that neither life nor death Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall separate me from the love of God or withdraw me from Jesus Christ my Lord. Now Soul gather up all this together stand thou before the Lord the God of all the Earth and this once more say Wilt thou have Jesus Christ for thy Husband dost thou choose him for thy Lord wilt thou cleave to him in love wilt thou lean upon him for righteousness and strength for righteousness to pay thy debts and for strength to pay thy vows wilt thou be subject to him thou knowest the commandments how holy how strict they be Wilt thou obey them in all things wilt exercise thy self to godliness in the strictness of it wilt be a thorow-pac'd Disciple wilt not content thy self with such a cold or lukewarm indifferency in Religion as thy lazy flesh will bear as thy credit thy safety or the temper of the times will bear wilt follow thy Lord fully Wilt thou take up thy lot with Christ be it better or worse shall his Father be thy Father his Inheritance be thy Inheritance yea and his Sufferings thy Sufferings his stripes his bonds his poverty be thine wilt thou espouse not his Crown onely but his Cross too whither ever he goes wilt thou go where he dwells wilt thou dwell wilt say where ever my Lord is there let his Servant be Wilt thou forsake all others all thy sins wilt thou be made clean wilt give up thy sores and thy ulcers thy filthy and fleshly lusts to be purged out does thine heart stand disengaged from every sin is there not any one iniquity concerning which thine heart sayes Let this stay with me wilt search out thy sins wilt accomplish a diligent search sweep every corner search every chamber of thine heart life wilt go down to the bottome of thy great deep to find out what lodges there wilt faithfully endeavour no more to allow thy self in any known iniquity wilt use all Gods means for the conquering and casting them out Wilt forsake the world wilt cast away thine Idols shall thy Mammon be no more a god nor a demy-god to thee shall it neither carry away thine heart from him nor so much as share with him in it wilt thou not bow down to this golden Image nor serve it wilt thou no longer serve thy greedy appetite shall thine heart no longer go after thy covetousness wilt thou abandon thine estate thy pleasures thine honours thy friends and companions so far forth as any of these divide or entice or steal away thine heart from thy Lord When ever they say Come away wilt thou say Get you hence VVilt forsake the Devil wilt fear and flie from and no longer hearken to his temptations wilt no longer regard his promises nor his threatnings his flatteries nor his frowns Coming off from the tents of all these wilt cleave unto thy Lord from henceforth from this day forward and not depart from him for ever Wilt hold on thy course wilt run out thy race wilt be faithful to the death wilt hope to the end for the grace that shall be brought unto thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ What sayest thou If thou sayest no as the Lord liveth thou speakest this word against thine own life If thou refusest to enter into this Covenant thou sayest I will not be the Lords I will none of him I will not live let death and wrath and chains and plagues be my portion for ever I will not be the Lords I will not leave my sins and my pleasures and my companions for his love that is I will be a Fool and a beast and a Devil I will die and will not see life Mistake not thy self be not deceived 't is a matter of life and death that is before thee 'T is whether Heaven or Hell a God or no God a Christ or no Christ a Soul or a lost Soul everlasting life or everlasting Fire shall be thy portion that stands now to be determined by thy consent or refusal look to it be wise this once for eternity Consent and thou art blessed consent and he is thine and with him the Kingdome Thy Lord hath given his consent already view the hand-writing the whole New Testament which is written in blood and sealed as 't is written there thou hast his I will in every line almost visible before thee put to thine and 't is done What sayest thou dost thou consent shall thine heart come in and put to thine hand and subscribe for thee I will Let that be done and then say after me A form of words expressing mans covenanting with God O Most Dreadful God for the Passion of thy Son I beseech Thee accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at thy Door I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my Wicked practice The Terms of our conversion are either from which or to which But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to thee with all my heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit my self to thy Mercy The Terms from which we must turn are Sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against thee I here from the bottome of my heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but Conscientiously to use all means that
conscience into thy Closet let it watch thee how thou behavest thy self there carry conscience into thy shop let it eye thee what thou dost there carry conscience into the fields into the market amongst thy friends amongst thine enemies let it observe how thou behavest thy self amongst them carry conscience with thee to thy recreation to thy bed to thy table whither ever thou goest there 's like to be but sad work if conscience be not with thee Commit the keeping of thy Covenant to conscience let it be the Ark in which the Tables of the Testimony are kept and preserved let it be the Executor of thy Testament Conscience is bound by thy Covenant the Covenant layes hold on it let it lay hold on thee Is thy conscience bound seek not to be loosed is thy conscience bound give it leave to bind thine whole man let it bind thy thoughts and bind thy will and bind thy affections and hind thy tongue and thy whole practice thou never livest as a man in Covenant longer then thou livest as a man of Conscience VVhat becomes of the Covenant when a breach is made upon Conscience Oh what is there in the world when conscience is not what faith or truth or peace is there left alive what are Vowes and Covenants and Promises what are our duties to the Lord our dealings with men when there is no conscience towards God Keep thy conscience and thou keepest thy soul keep thy Conscience and thou keepest thy Covenant keep thy Covenant and thou keepest thy Peace let that go and all 's lost Let conscience govern what God hath put under its power and let it resist all adverse Power Let it resist temptations When ever Satan and thy flesh fall upon thee and tempt thee Pity thy self spare thy self take thy liberty take thine ease take thy pleasure provide for thy safety what need is there of so much adoe Why canst not take the same liberty and allow thy self the same latitude as others do they have souls as well as thou and they have dangers as well as thou and they have hopes as well as thou and they have reasons and understandings to know what they do as well as thou and why canst thou not he content to do as they Why let this be thy answer But what conscience is there for it With what conscience can I be idle when I have said I will be doing With what conscience can I take mine ease when I have said I will take pains With what conscience can I serve my flesh when I have said I will crucifie it With what conscience can I love this world when I have said I will renounce it With what conscience can I walk at liberty when I have said I will walk circumspectly If all this were more then needs far be it from me to have such a thought till the serving my God and the saving my soul be more then needs But if it were more then needs yet is it any more then I am bound to Are there any such liberties put into my Indentures Was there any exception made of this duty or that duty was there any limitation made to this measure or that measure hitherto I will go and no further this little I will do and no more Was there any such proviso put in I will serve the Lord Provided I may with ease or with safety Have I not solemnly engaged to the Lord to obey him in all things to follow him fully to love him and serve him with all my heart with all my soul with all my strength and this to the death And Oh shal I lye unto God Is it more then needs to be righteous and to keep my faith Come O my soul come on thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord and thou must not go back Be true be honest be honest though thou must swear for it be honest though thou suffer for it Remember what thy mouth hath spoken and see that thou fulfil it with thine hand Keep conscience pure It s the book in which all thy Records are written let no blot be upon thy Book Beware of sinning against conscience Every sin against conscience is a blot upon conscience and blots upon conscience are blots upon thy Covenant-evidence thou wilt not be able to read whether there be any thing written there for thee or not Ah foolish soul what art thou doing Dashing out all thy hopes with thine own hand Beware thou content not thy self with blotted evidences Christians forget not this counsel keep your Evidences clear He who hath his whole estate in bonds or writings how charily will he keep them If these be torn or lost or so blured that they cannot be read hee 's undone What ever else be lost if his money be gone if his goods be lost if his house be burnt yet if his writings be safe hee 's well enough Oh take heed and keep your writings safe and fair keep your Title to your God clear and you can never be poor or miserable Whatever earth or hell can do against you till they can tear the Covennnt of your God or make you blot out your own names they have left you abundantly enough even when they have left you nothing O how highly are we concern'd to be tender of conscience and yet how little care is there taken of it What 's become of the authority of conscience when thy thoughts and thy passions when thines eyes and thine ears and thine appetite and thy tongue are left unbridled and unconquered when every Servant is set up to be Master and bears rule in thee where is thy Conscience what 's become of its authority When thy s ul hath been no better kept what poverty and leanness is there grown upon it what a starveling is it become both in grace and peace eaten out with lust evaporated into vanity sunk into sensuality thy spirit even transubstantiated into flesh ready to perish and die away for want of good looking to When thy Soul hath been no better kept where is thy Conscience when thy covenant hath been no better kept when thy duties thou hast vowed to perform are so hastily and heedlesly shuffled over if not totally thrust aside when thy hours of prayer are such short hours thy Sabbaths such Winter dayes so short and so cold too when thy God is so shamefully neglected can never hear of thee but when thou hast nothing else to do no nor it may be then neither when thy spare hours are hardly spared for God when this earth thy corn and thy cattel and thy pleasures and thy friends which thou hast vowed to renounce are let in again upon thine heart and have stollen it away from Heaven where is thy Conscience When thou sleepest so and hast let the enemy come in and sowe his tares in thy field when thou art such a busie-body in other mens matters and thine own vineyard thou hast not kept but hast let it