the glory of God in this his mercy and the deeper is his humility and lowlines of minde Minde but the writings of the Holy Apostles of Christ Jesus and you will finde it so that still they are harping upon this string sounding forth the mercies of the Lord in Christ Jesus and his love in revealing his Son to them Yea observe but that high state of the Elders spoken of in the Book of the Revelations who were set upon seats round about the Throne and cloathed in white Raiment and Crowned The substance of their song was this Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof Now mark why For thou was slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every kinred and Tongue and People and Nation Mark Not a word of their own righteousness not a word of their works how good soever they were which doubtles were excellent but yet not a word thereof the riches of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus puts all that out of sight and layes them low at his Footstool for they are said to fall down before the Lamb and sing this Song Now what are these Elders but representatives of all the Elect seed of God from all parts of the Earth Seeing it is contained in their Song that they were redeemed by his Blood out of every kinred and Tongue and People and Nation Now there be many more kinreds and Tongues and Nations then four and twenty but all represented by these four and twenty Well then you see their faith in Christ is not like the Faith of the Pharisees in which they stand justifying themselves in their own works and exalting themselves thereby over poor Publicans But all their admiration and glorying is in the mercy of God And so we finde the Apostles sounding forth the same things in their Epistles Eph. 2.4 5 6 7 8 9. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus For by grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Not of works lest any man should boast Thus all boasting is excluded by true Faith And as I have shewed before the right Faith works by love and that love is not of an exalting nature But as the Apostle saith it vaunteth not it self is not puffed up 1 Cor. 13.4 Thus the true and right Faith shuts out boasting and cuts down vainglory and makes humble Therefore saith our Lord Jesus Christ Verely I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little Childe the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18.3 4. Fifthly To proceed this true Faith is accompanyed with an Vnction or an Anointing from the holy one John writing to those he calls little Children whose sins are forgiven for his names sake saith thus But ye have an Vnction from the holy one and ye know all things 1 Joh. 2.20 All things that is that appertained to life and godliness Why For this Unction or Anointing taught them all things that appertained thereto that so walking according to the teaching thereof they might abide in Christ Now this Unction is the Spirit which gives a sense and feeling of the will of God what he would have us to doe and what he would have us to forbear And we need not that any maâ— should teach us beyond the teachingâ— of that to amuse us with high notions and mysteries which the Unction gives us no openings of Anâ— so keeping to that keept us wiâ— to sobriety minding to doe thâ— will of God which the Unction inclines our Hearts to rather theâ— to fill the brain with knowledge 〈◊〉 things which add not to our comfort and profiting and grouth iâ— Christ Now that this Unction 〈◊〉 the Spirit appears by compearinâ— this Scripture with another Thaâ— is compare this 1 Joh. 2.20 2â— with Ioh. 14.16 17. Where it 〈◊〉 expressed by the name of the Spirit I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you This is that abideing Unction which abides with the Faithfull for ever The Unction is a constant abiding thing and so is the Spirit abiding for ever Thus the Lord fulfills his promise of old Isa 44.3 and chap. 59.21 I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground Thirsty and dry these are such as hunger and thirst and fit to receive the Heavenly rain but he expresses â—t more plainly in the following words thus I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon â—hine Off-spring Then in ch 59.21 â—he promises the constancy of this Spirit with the seed of Christ in â—hese words As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord. My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever So that this is a promise to all the Seed and that for ever which promise is fulfilled to all faithfull believers in Christ Jesus Therefore saith the Apostle if any maâ— have not the Spirit of Christ he iâ— none of his Rom. 8.9 And herein thâ— Son-ship is established even in thiâ— Spirit or abiding Unction oâ— Anointing As the Apostle witnesseth ver 14. For as many as are leâ— by the Spirit of God they are the Sonâ— of God Thus the Anointing witâ— the Spirit typifyed by the precious Ointment that was poureâ— upon Aarons head and ran dowâ— to the Skirts of his Garment thiâ— Anointing with the Spirit runâ— down from our High-Priest to thâ— lowest of his Servants He waâ— anointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows but we all of his fullness receive every one a measure of his Spirit and so are hereby stated by this Spirit of Adoption into Sonship and Heir-ship with him If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ c. Rom. 8.17 And this state or Spiritual condition carryes its own evidence in it self for the Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God ver 16. And as this Spirit or Unction is a guide to the Children of light leading them into all Truth and as it is a witness to
the Scripture And this thing the Servants of the Lord witnessed as to their own condition as well as others We our selves saith the Apostle Tit. 3.3 4 5. were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another This was their state before the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared to them but after that appeared to them which is the very ground of Faith then came the washing from these things and Salvation But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of rightousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Here Faith is plainly implyed in this work For the kindness and love of God appearing is received and that 's Faith and in this receiving of the love and kindness of God comes the washing of regeneration without which washing we have no part in Christ Joh. 13.8 And so here comes the renewing of our Hearts by the Holy Spirit which the Apostle calls the renewing of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit That is the renewing of our Hearts by him who is let in by Faith for it s we that want renewing not the Holy Spirit So here the new Creature is begot by the Spirit which is created in Christ Jesus unto good works Mark In Christ Jesus that is in the ministration of the Gospel or of the kindness and love of God whereof Christ Jesus is the Minister not in Moses or in the ministery of the Law which consists in works But in Christ Jesus whose ministery is in Faith in this is the Creation unto good works that we should live in them and no longer to serve the evil and impure lusts of the Flesh For if we live after the Flesh we shall dye but if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body we shall live Rom. 8.13 Now the Heart thus washed and renewed that which proceeds out of the Heart savours of cleannes and purity Out of the aboundance of the Heart the mouth speaks and so better language is hereby learn't Corrupt language comes under judgment being felt inwardly to be contrary or a burthen to thâ— Spirit of life now in measure received And thus the Lord fulfills hiâ— promise to his People in turning to them a pure language The leaâ—â— grain of Faith though it be but aâ— a grain of Mustardseed inclines thâ— Heart thus after righteousness anâ— Holyness And if through temptation the Heart be sometimes overtaken with evil yet it hath not rest there but it turnes again in pursuite of righteousness until it get Victory over the World and the lusts thereof and in Faith is the victory 1 Joh. 5.4 And here 's the Heart that hungers and thirsts after righteousness which it hath received a taste of by the Holy Spirit shed abroad upon it And this is one inseparable Fruit of true Faith thus to work against sin and to thirst after rightousness from the seed of Sanctification sown in the Heart which springs up to eternal life Secondâ—y Another inseparable Fruit of true Faith is Love Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision no outward badge or character is now available with God but Faith which worketh by love No outward distinction nor every Faith neither is available with God but that Faith which works by love Such a Faith as is of the true stamp which hath the nature of Christ Jesus in it which is love This is that Faith which pleases the Lord. And this therefore discovers all killing and destroying Faiths all persecuting and hurtfull Faiths to be ungrounded and false Faiths They are not right they bear not a resemblance with the Faith of the Apostles and ancient believers But such a Faith is a Heterodox Anti-christian Faith Its not of a right birth but spurious begot by thâ— Law of works or from the evil one and not from the kindness and love of God in Christ Jesus It s a kin to the faith of Devils The Devils believe and tremble but remain Murderers So these that believe and remain Mutherers and persecuters stand as yet ingrafted into the murthering and persecuting Spirit The works of their Fatheâ— they doe who was a Murderer from the beginning But he that come to the true Faith he works according to the nature of that Spirit that begets his Faith and that is to save life to doe good and not to destroy The destroying Faith is of Apollyon that is a destroyer but the saving Faith is of him that came to save mens lives and not to destroy That Faith that saves us teaches us to save or preserve others not to seek their destruction It matters not how zealous men be for their Faith if it carry the destroying nature in it it s not right in the sight of God it springs but from works at best not from grace nor is it according to knowledge The persecuting Jews had a Zeal of God but not according to knowledge and so may false Faiths have and hereby they are discovered to the true seed that they are not according to true knowledge This is the second Character of true Faith it works by love Thirdly It brings peace and consolation Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justifyed by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore saith the Apostle the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 It must needs follow that he that sensibly believes this love of God in Christ Jesus to all men and to him in particular It must needs be I say that peace will spring up in his Heart thereby And so here 's the entrance into the Kingdom of God by Faith The Kingdom of God is within and it consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit And into this Kingdom or Heavenly Canaan we enter by Faith While unbelief and fears lye upon us and shut up our Spirits we are short yet of our possession of the Kingdom There are some to whom the Kingdom of Heaven belongs who are not fully entred into the possession of it as an inheritance may belong to an Heir before the time come that he possesseth it such are the poor in Spirit who go mourning under the sense of the body of sin not yet shaken off and who go hungring and thirsting after righteousness which they have not yet attained unto as their Souls desire Such I say are under a blessing and have right to the Kingdom of God though as yet they go mourning For Christ Jesus our Lord applyes the right of the Kingdom to them Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
to prepare for that which is to come after that we may in hope look for that day that is to come We are raised up here out of the death of sin that we may rise with comfort hereafter We are judged of the Lord here that we may not be condemned with the World and we are made to judge our selves here that we may not be judged Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on him the second death hath no power So that Hope having so sure a foundation it is as an Anchor sure and stedfast And tends greatly to an essential Christian life to bear us up therein in holding on in patience doing the will of God and denying the pleasurable and easie paths of unrighteousness This Hope of an eternal inheritance makes us not ashamed to bear reproach for Christs sake and for observing his commands though we be accounted as the of-scouring or refuse of all things for so doing So that Hope is as a Helmet upon our heads to bear us up under all the vilifyings of the World I know it is a common thing with many if not with most to say I hope to be saved and I hope God will be mercyfull Yea and they will swear by their hope too saying as I hope to be saved Well I would not dash thy hope in Gods mercy but rather strengthen it and help to raise it up higher But take heed how thou exposes thy hope and thy self therewith to judgment in breaking the command of the great judge who is to judge the◠and all the World who hath said Swear not at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath Certainly if men shall give an account in the day of judgment of every idle word as the true judge hath told us they shall Matt. 12.36 then surely forbidden Oaths must be given account of therefore put away such things as are threatened with judgment And to raise up thy hope into strength and infallibility that it may be a comfortable stay to thee consider what it is that it is grounded upon and how it will operate in thee if it be right and see that the right foundation be layd Consult with the sayings of those who have had this lively hope in them and see how their's was grounded and what they testify of it I shall lay this one Scripture before thee to consider on and to set before thee as a marke to presse after 1 Joh. 3. the three first verses Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore the World knoweth us not because in knew not him Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And every man that hath this hope in him purifyeth himself even as he is pure Wouldst thou have thy hope raised up to this pitch to expect to be made like the Son of God at his appearing by beholding of him or seeing him as he is Then thou must purify thy self from all uncleanness of Flesh and Spirit for he is pure and piercing If the Sun shine upon a dull thick Earthy body it doth not fill that with its beautifull light but if it shine upon a pure transparent Gem in fills that with its one glorious light Therefore there must be a purifying and cleansing going before to prepare us to be made partakers of the glory of the Lord. Every one that hath this hope in him purifyeth himself as he is pure Now there be two things requisite in this purification namely Faith in Christ and an obedient life Purifying their Hearts by Faith saith the Scripture and again If I wash thee not thou hast no part in mee thus he purifyeth the conscience from dead works by his Spirit working faith in us in his blood and by the same Spirit leading us in an obedient conversation And as many as are led of the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God And the same Spirit that leads the Sons of God the same witnesses in them that they are so And so giveth a most firm ground of Hope 〈…〉 So that we may say with the beloved Apostle now are we the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Oh Brethren How can one think of these things and give himself up to a loose wicked life and conversation Nay this hope tends greatly to the essential life of a Christian and to preserve him therein from turning back again into the polluted wayes of the World As for Forms wherein since the Apostacy men professe the same Christ there may be something essential also to a Christian life But not as they are such or such a form but as the Lord shall require or lead men by his Spirit and exercise their Spirits for the tryal of them whether they will follow him whithersoever he leads either into them or out of the n◠bearing the reproach of the World and shewing their obedience in answering that measure of light wherewith he doth illuminate them and in which he goes before them by the movings of his good Spirit in them But herein is danger namely in urging men by the force of reason before the Lord lead them for men may lay that burden upon the Spirits of others which the Lord doth not lay and this work makes only Proselytes and Hypocrites It s safe to minde what Christ Jesus our Lord layes upon our Spirits and not what men lay I will put upon you no other burden but that which ye have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to some in the Church of Thyatyra Rev. 2.24 25. But there were some that would have layd upon them other burdens who undervalued the simple and honest hearted and counted them weak and dark not knowing the depths of Satan as they used to speak in their vaunting over them But the Lord encouraged them to keep to the burden which he alone layd upon them Again there is another danger in those that are urged before the Lord go before them to lead them I speak in point of Form and outward observations namely to be puffed up and exalted in themselves from their form and so to overlook the righteous life in others And then they fall into the number of those who being exalted in their form say in their Hearts stand by thy self come not near to me for I am holyer then thou And this now provokes the Lord to wrath and he will rather look to him that is of a humble and contrite Spirit standing in awe of him then to such It s good for both these to minde what 's said Isa 66.5 Hear the word of the Lord ye that