inexpugnable Am I not thy Rocke thy shield thy Buckler defender Am I not thy Sun thy shaddow thy horne of Salvation deliverer Am I not he that carries thee above one Eagles wings that breakes the bow the speare and sheild and vanquisheth overcommeth and concultateth under my feete all the enemies of thy salvation my strength is above powers my might above dominions my glory above principalities and my Puissancie above all the opposers of thy life and addoption Hence there is no condemnation to thee for thou art kept by my power to salvation not walking after the flesh but after the spirit Thirdly the glory of Christ is the cause why there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Christ speakes after this manner to his Saints Beloved I have written your name upon my breast I have in graven them in the booke of life I have presented your cause in the presence of my Father by my blood most pure by my death most victorious by my righteousnesse most acceptable therefore for the glory of my grace I will not leave you I that am the Lord of life the welspring of living waters that eternall and everlasting life given of my Father I have layd up your lives in the throne of my grace I have treasured them up in the throne of my mercy and for the glory of my mercy I will not desert you have I bestowed so great cost as to adventure my life bloud my death my righteousnesse and my glory for thee did I leave my height of glory to fetch thy Soule from the lowermost hell from the gates and barres of eternall death from the black clawes clutches and swadle bands of Sathan have I given thee communion with my Father and with my selfe in all the treasures of heavenly righteousnesse and made thee one of my members one of my branches one of my espoused and dearest friends and shall I now forsake thee I am that faithfull Yea and Amen and will keepe my promise I will bee with mine to the end of the world Mat. 28. verse last There is therefore no condemnation to mine they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Wee proceede to the second part of the text which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The blessed Apostle argues by evedent arguments that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus The first Argument is If that to the Saints victorie over sinne and death is given to them by Jesus Christ then is there no condemnation to them that are in Christ But to the Saints victorie over sin and death is given to them by Jesus Christ therfore there is no condemnation to them Rom. 7. the last I thanke God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the minde I my selfe serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne If the law of the Spirit of life hath freed us from the law of sin and death then is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus But the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed us from the Law of sinne and death therefore there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death If God hath sent his Son to redeeme his owne from sinne and that sinne was condemned in the flesh of Christ for there sakes then is their no condemnation to them But God sent his owne sonne to Redeeme them and that sinne might be condemned in his flesh therefore there is no condemnation to them Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh If they who are in Christ Jesus walke not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit then there is no condemnation to them But they that are in Christ Jesus walke not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit therefore there is no condemnation to them Rom. 8 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Those that are in Christ Jesus walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit They live the life of faith of love of hope of peace of grace of mercy consolation through their union they live the life of freedome liberty in the state of grace the life of praise and prayer to the thron of glory through their Redemption they live the life of assurance of Mercy grace and peace through there Adoption they live the life of purity boldnesse and joy through their justification they live the life of holinesse of chastitie and sobriety through their Sanctification My branches walk through the strength of sweetnesse my members walke in the power of my wisedome my spouses walke in the joyfulnesse of the light of my Countenance Since the day that I washed them in my blood most pure they will not polute their bodies since the time that I gave them assurance that they were the sonnes of God they doe walke as deare and loveing Children since the moment that they have beene fild with my joyes my comforts my consolations my influences of divine grace and solace they are filled with praises honorings and praisings of my holy name My Spirit leades them into all truth when the Spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth Iohn 14.26 He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you My Spirit leades them into all obedience For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 My spirit leades them not to contentions to backbitings to slanderings to railings to whisperings to lyings to reproachings to Envie Malice hatred cōtempt Disdain Revenge But to mildnesse gentlenes curtisie Meeknes lenity to joy to peace to love to gratiousnes of spirit sobrietie Gal. 5.18 19.20 21 22 23. But if ye are led by the spirit ye are not under the law Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornicatiō uncleannes laciviousnes c But the fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperance against these there is no law There is not a prayer from my grace to the throne of grace but my spirit hath beene the cause thereof there is not a praise from the praise of my glory but my spirit is the instrūent therof If they call my Father their Father it is by the spirit of Adoption Rom. 8 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to feare but ye have received the spirit of Adoption wherby we cry Abba Father
CHRISTS Gratious Message from the Throne of GRACE To all the Prisoners of HOPE ZACH. 9.11 As for thee also by the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the pit where there is no water By TIMOTHIE BATT Physitian Printed in the yeere 1644. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland c. AND TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT Grace and Peace bee multiplyed from God the Father and from Jesus Christ whom he hath sent SIRS THough it might seeme Ingravity that the Sprouts in Libanus might attinge or touch the tops of the Cedars in Libanus Notwithstanding it is the most princely dignity and the highest honour to the highest Cedars of Libanus to overshadow defend the lowest sprouts Was it honorable in King Agrippa Felix and Festus to lend audience to Paul a chayned Prisoner And will it not bee counted an honorable thing to your Highnesse and to Your Honorable Lords to countenance the Contemplation of your Prisoner concerning the Prisoners of Hope Were the gleanings of Ephraim better then vintage of Abiezer and is not our Contemplation concerning Christs Prisoners more fruitfull then the Vine with its fullest clusters the Starres which are obscured in the presence of the brightest Sunne are profitable in his absence giving their light to the sublunarie travilers Howsoever the light of these our Contemplations for the present may seeme as darkenesse yet if through your Princely favour and your Honours protections these may be allowed they will give a glimmering light to the poorest soule and most distressed spirit It will bee to them as the flowing springs of Solace and as the pleasant influence from the highest starres How will they sing of love because of the Fathers dearest love how will they speake of glory in Christ the prince of glory when they shal understand that they are set free by the blood of his Covenant out of the pit where in there is no water Zach. 9.11 As for thee also by the bloud of my Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water When they shall finde that their Lord was anoynted to set thē loose out of the Dungeon of death and darkenesse and that hee was the chosen Redeemer to breake the barres of death throw upon the gates of hell and knap in sunder the chaines of the Devill Isa 61.1 2 3. The high and honorable are not ignorant that the greatest prince under heaven and the mightiest Monarch in the sublunarie world are poore prisoners of hope unto Christ mediatour of the covenant King of his bought Redeemed Is the Earth beholding to the watery clouds and the lowest plants to the highest planers are not all Terren earthly Princes beholding to Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords for ever The Prisoners of hope in this state and Kingdom are almost infinite in number How many thousands lye sicke at the poole of Bethesda how many thousands of mourning and drooping hearts waits for Christs springs of love more then David did for the waters of Bethlehem I might say how many Millions wounded in their consciences bleeding in their bloods lies waiting at this houre before the throne of grace for the sweete and cleare countenance of God the Father therefore they sigh and groane for his assurance through his Adoption of children for his liberty through the Redemption from Eternall bonds for his righteousnes through his presentation glorious and for his joyes and consolation through the law of the Spirit of life and obsignation as they have found under your Highest Noblest and worthiest fauours a gratious defence and loving protection so they doubt not but that two wings and two shadowes will be one wing and one shadow for their prosperity protection Considering that there is such a neerenesse of union between the Princely Head and the Honorable shoulders of this Royall state and Kingdome I with the Prisoners of Hope had neither gold nor silver riches nor treasures pearles nor jewells to present unto His Highnesse or to the Honorable Assembly save these lines of love for acceptation Not doubting but our present will bee as rich as the Queene of Shebaes was in Ierusalem and as Benjamins and Judahs was in the sight of Joseph sith the presenter with the Prisoners of Hope presents nothing else but a present concerning the Love of God the Father the rich treasures and the righteousnesse of Christ Mediator of the joyes love and peace concerning the Spirit of glory our comforter knowing that is not convenient for the meanest to be offensive to the highest and the weakest troublesome unto the Honorable We by generall petition desire and request that His Majesty with your Honours might honour the poorest with your shadow and vindication and we in generall shall bee bound by an everlasting obligation to wish all peace all unity and concord betweene His Majesty and your Honours for ever Oh that the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah would not only crowne the Lyon with strength and fortitude but also honor his poorest Prisoners with peace and sweet tranquility Oh that the King of Kings might shine gloriously upon the head of His Majesty and the Prince of Princes might shine favorably upon the Nobles of this Kingdome Oh that the gratious favour of him that was in the Bush and the deare love of him that was upon the Crosse might compose these differences put an end to these great distractions and make two one in this our Native Country Whilst we thus desire and wish the welfare prosperity and dignity of this State and Kingdome we shall waite for His Highest and Princely acceptation and your noblest and worthiest approbation of this Treatise concerning the Prisoners of Hope sith it is no lesse then the message of the King of Kings unto a King an Ambassage from the Prince of glory unto Princes and a Contemplation of the Throne of grace to all that waits for grace in Israel Therefore silence shall constraine us whilest we wish for the highest glory the richest mercy for the dearest bounty and for the greatest love that flowes from the Thron of grace to fall upō you that your dewes may be more soft then the dewes upon the tender herbs that your light may bee more splenderous then the sun in the Meridian and that the stability firmenesse and glory of this State and Commonwealth may be faster fixed then the celestiall Orbe Amen Amen Amen Then shall the sonnes of Sion sing a song of Melodious the daughters of Jerusalem make a harmony victorious and the poorest Prisoners of Hope shall sit under your shadows most joyous each giving glory praise honour truth and thankesgiving to him that sitts upon the Throne now and for evermore Recording that sentence memorable throughout all ages and generations Apoc. 4. last Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour
hence hath he left the Legacie of dearest and pretious love My peace I give unto you my peace I leave unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your hearts be troubled nor feare Therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The second voice of Christ is the voice of Adoption As our Justification our Redemption our Vnion our Reconciliation our vocation and Glorification are in Christ So our sonneship or Adoption is in Christ If the Father of glorious mercy account thee a branch it is because thou art in Christ the vine if hee account thee a member it is because thou art in Christ the head If hee account thee one of the espoused it is because thou art in Christ the Bridegroomed If he account thee a son it is because thou art in his deare and welbeloved Sonne hence I come to draw thy soule to me I make to thee thy priviledge According as I have related by my servant Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.1 Behold how great love the Father hath given to us that we should bee called the Sonnes of God That though thou wast a slave of hell a vessell of wrath a child of perdition a bondslave to the law and under the ridged and severe tyranny of the devill notwithstanding I have chosen thee to be one of mine by the covenant of my freest grace and bounty I have redeemed thee for my selfe and called thee by my name I have adopted thee to be one of my sonnes and children by adoption when I tooke up my rest in my beloved I preached peace to the peacelesse liberty to the bondmen grace to the gracelesse riches to the poore and assurance of sonship to them who are and have not beene my sonnes by adoption hence though no creature pitty thee though Angels shut their eyes against thee and all the sublunarie Creatures should bid thee adew and farwell notwithstanding I come to imbrace thee and to love and delight in thee for ever since the day that I adopted thee have I not filled the soule with the joyes comforts and solaces of my spirit have not I sealed thee to the day of Eternall redemption by the seale of Adoption have not I given thee the spirit of prayer and supplication have not I given thee the assurance of life and salvation Now then there is no condemnation to thy soule which art in Christ Jesus for thou walkest not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thirdly the voice of God in JustificatioÌ„ how in justificatioÌ„ yea beloved this is the Admirable worke of the spirit of glory that we are assured that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ imcomparable that wee are reconciled by the death of Christ unspeakable that wee are assured that wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ undeclarable I being justified in Christ how should I injoy any thing but salvation Am I not made compleate in him that is the head of all principalities and powers Am I not cloathed with the righteousnesse of the Sonne of righteousnesse more bright then ten thousand Sunnes Am I not washed purified and clensed in the purest rarest and most pretious fountaine which is in the Kingdome of the deare Sonne of God hence I shall enjoy the horne of salvation the great free and eternall salvation in Christ Now then there is no condemnation to me that am in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Moreover these three things preserves the Saints from death and condemnation 1. The love of Christ 2. The power of Christ 3. The glory of Christ What said I the Love of Christ yea search the hights above sound the depths beneath extend thy thoughts abroad to all the parts of the sublunarie Orbe and thou shalt finde no love like the love of Christ is the love of a mother so deare to her child is the love of a husband so deare to the wife of his bosome as Christs love is to his Church no with the same love wherewith the Father hath loved Christ with the same love hee hath loved the Church and chosen the Father loved Christ from eternity Christ hath loved the Church from eternity the Father through his tender love did not leave his beloved in the day of his Crosse when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 Loe the Lord Christ will not leave his poore servants his dearest jewels his pretious Saints in the dayes of greatest miserie and calamity Psal 9 10. The Lord is a refuge to the poore a refuge in due time in the day of trouble The Fathers love to the Lord Christ was so great that he set him above principalities above might above power and above all things that all things in heaven earth might bow bend before him Wherefore God hath exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven of things on earth and of things under the earth Phil. 2.9.10 The love of the Lord Christ is so deare to his that hee hath exalted them above all to him that overcommeth I will give to sit with me in my throne as I have overcome and sit with my Father in his throne Revel 3.21 The Father loved Christ so intirely that hee filled him with the riches of righteousnesse the treasures of wisedome and the plenitude of all heavenly excellencies Christ loves his Church so affectionately that hee fills her with heavenly joyes he enriches her with all spirituall and heavenly gifts blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ Eph. 1.3 therefore through my love there is no condemnation to mine they not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 Secondly Because of the power of Christ there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ His power is not onely the cause of our vivification from the dead of our Collocation in the heavenly places of our faith in his name But also of our conservation to eternall life and salvation John 17.2 He defends thee by an internall and efficatious power when thy spirit says that thou art overcome the spirit saith thou art more then a conquerer through him that loved thee every day thou art a conquerer through his blood a victoret through his death a tryumpher through his righteousnes neither the darts of hell the fire bales of the Devill the strength of the law the warres of the flesh nor the puissant strength of the world can vanquish thee for thou art defended by a strength invincible thou art protected by a power unconquerable thou art inviâ—oned by a might insuperable and thou art garded with a force
If mine groanes with sighes and groanes with unspeakable and unutterable it is by my Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and hee that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God If mine are consolated through consolation it is by Spirit of consolation 2 Cor. 1.4 5. who comforteth us in at our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Doe my people incounter with hell sinne the law death the Devill and all evills without my presence no doe my people Navigate upon the mighty seas of miserie doe they saile over the vast Ocean of calamity without my assistance no I am not onely their Lord victorer to triumph over hell by heaven over death by my life over sin by my blood over the law by the law of the Spirit of life over the flesh by my spirit over the Devill by my death over the world by my glorious and triumphous victorie I am not onely their Lord acquirer of glory by relinquishing of my glory of righteousnesse by fulfilling all righteousnesse of peace by the peace of my crosse of love by the losse of the sence of love but I am there Lord conducter and leader to my heavenly glory What morning starre conducts them to rest but I the morning starre what sonne of beauty leades them to the light of felicity but I the sonne of righteousnesse I am the sunne by day and the cloud by night I am the only captaine of my redeemed and purchased I am the day starre that alwais appeares in the hearts of mine Therefore there is no condemnation to them which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 A sweet Contemplation Oh the depth of the sweet love and mercy of my Lord that bought Mee what no condemnation to me No I am washed in the blood of the lambe immaculate I am presented spotlesse in spotlesse robes I am Redeemed from amongst the prisoners of no hope I am united to the sonne of God and injoy communion with him My soule who shall condemne thee shall death shall hell shall the law shall the Devill shall the world shall the flesh no for they are not in thy beloved what though London England and the whole world band themselves against thee what though Legallists the Angells of light the world and all the rable of hell shall beset thee on every side what though the nearest and them which should be dearest to thee raise lies slanders reproches rebukes ignominies and all evills against thee yet be not dismayed for there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Now thy thoughts shall be continually upon thy free redemption thy rich justification thy sollid sanctification thy glorious Adoption thy wonderfull union and thy eternall glorification now thy spirit is full of love of praise of glory saying with the Apostle Rom. 8.1 2. Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the law of sinne and death The Philosopher saith there is a hidden and secret vertue in the starres and planets not in consonant to Scripture canst thou restraine the sweet influences of Pleiades And that there is a hidden vertue in gemms and pretious jewells that none can understand but those that are skilfull lapidaries So there is a hidden and inclosed excellency in Christ the Lord of life and Prince of glory and who can restraine the influences of his goodnesse or who can understand the richnes of his love but those who have knowne him by experience who can speake of the glorious robes of righteousnesse but those that are cloathed with the glorious robes of righteousnesse who can make mention of the rarenesse of Adoption but those who have obtained inheritance immortall and immarcessable or who can declare concerning the liberty of grace and glory but those that have accesse to the throne of grace by the spirit of glory hence came the rare experience the blessed Apostle found in and through the hand of the Mediator who delivered him from the law of sinne and death by the glorious and indissoluble Law of life according to the Text. Rom. 8. 2. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death The law in Scripture is taken severall waies First Sometimes for the rule of mercy and peace because from it the Saints injoy Mercy from the bowels of mercy in God the Father from Jesus Christ Mediatour of the Law or Covenant Gal. 6.16 As many as walke according to this rule peace be unto them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Secondly sometimes it is taken for the law of faith sith in and by that wee doe not onely beleeve the pardon of sins through the blood of Christ the non Recordation of iniquity through the mercy of the Father and the free injoyment of God to be our God and heavenly Father in that Covenant of life peace and Adoption but also because that we by that Covenant are under the command of the Father the mind and will of the Lord Christ the gratious mediatour of the law of life reconciliation Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting excluded by the law of workes nay but by the law of faith Thirdly Sometimes it is called the New Testament not onely in opposition to the old but because the Father of dearest mercies hath beene pleased to reveale and testifie a more full fruition and Communion of his love in the remission or condonation of iniquity in the blood of his deare Sonne Luke 22.20 Likewise also he tooke the Cup after Supper saying this Cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you Fourthly Sometimes it is tearmed the new Covenant to denote that high dignity great Prerogative and wonderfull priviledge that is given to them under this Covenant sith in this he becomes their God and bountifull Father Remembreth their iniquities no more Writes his law in their hearts And teacheth them the high and deepe truths of the Gospel Jeremiah 31.31 32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my Covenant they breake although I was an husband unto
them saith the Lord. But this shal be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord. For they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and I will remember their sin no more Fiftly Sometimes the everlasting Covenant sith God doth not only become our God and Father But our God and Father to eternity Not only forgiving and pardoning sinne but forgiving and pardoning sinne and iniquitie for ever and evermore Not only writing the law of life and love in the hearts of his people but he Characters it in their hearts by a Character that cannot be deleted or extinguished Isay 55.3 Incline your eare and come unto me heare and your soule shall live And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isaiah 54.10 For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills shall be removed But my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Sixtly And in the text it is called the law of the Spirit of life 1. Not only because it gives eternall life to the sonnes of Adoption 2. Because that it frees the sonnes by Adoption from the Law of sinne and death But also because it is established in the hand and breast of the Lord of life Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death 2 Why is it termed the Law 1. To answer The truth of prophecie which hath beene delivered by the Holy Ghost Isaiah 2.3 And the people shall say come yee and let us goe up to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies and wee will walke in his pathes For out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem 2. To distinguish it from the Law of Nature The Law Ceremoniall and the Law Morrall Jer. 31.33 But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People 3. Metaphorically or Respectively as the Lawes in France are not the Lawes of Spaine nor the Lawes of Spaine the Lawes of England So the Law of the spirit of life is not the Law of Sinne and Death 4. To denote that although the Saints are not under the Law of accusation arraignment execution and condemnation Neverthelesse they are un-the Law of grace Faith Peace Mercy and Reconciliation Rom. 6.14 For sinne shall not have dominion over you for yee are not under the Law but under grace Thirdly Why the Law of the Spirit First Because the Spirit reveales it John 15.14 He shall glorifie me because he shall receive of mine and declare it to you Secondly Because the Spirit of God ingraves it in the hearts of all those that are in Covenant with the Father and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Thirdly Because the promise of the Law or Covenant is consonant to the fruits and workings of the Spirit of life and glory Gal. 5.22 But the Fruits of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse Temperance against such there is no Law Fourthly Why in Christ Jesus Not without grave consideration First If all heavenly divine and excellent blessings are in Christ Jesus then the Covenant or Law of life is in Christ Jesus but all heavenly divine and excellent blessings are in Christ Jesus therefore the Covenant or Law of life is in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.3 Blessed be the God and Fatther of our Lord Jesus who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. â—0 But of him are yee in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisedome and Rightâ—eousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption Is wisedome without him that is the treasure of wisedome No Is Righteousnesse without the Lord of Righteousnesse No Is Redemption without our blessed and most gratious Redeemer No Is Sanctification without him that Sanctifieth his by his blood most deare No Or is the Covenant of Grace and life without the Lord of life No In man there is not only the excellency of memory the rarenesse of affection but also the highnesse of understanding in the Sunne there is not only beauty splendor but rarenesse of efficacie So there is not only Redemption Justice Sanctification and Wisedome But also the Covenant and Law of life and mercy Secondly This Covenant or Law is established by the death of Christ Mediator Therefore it is meet and expedient that it should be in Christ Mediator Heh 9.15 And for this cause hee is Mediatour of the New Covenant or Testament that by meanes of death for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the the promise of eternall inheritance Heb. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinckling which speaketh better things then that of Abell Thirdly Because that he hath performed all that the Morrall Law requireth the Morrall Law required of thee absolute compleat and intire Righteousnesse it demands of thee exact perfect and strickt obedience it binds thee over that thou shalt not speake one word before the barre of Justice that thou shoote no arrow below the glory of God that thou answers eternall infinite equall commands of the Father but thou art come too short of his glory thy obedience is not answerable to his requires and thy arrowes are on this side the throne of grace and mercy but the Lord Christ became the surety he hath payed all thy debts though more in number then the sand upon the Sea shore he hath borne the sence of anger of wrath of heate and justice when thou stoodest quivering before the barre of justice then he answered for thee When Angels stood wist and silent sith they could not beare the heate of everlasting burning nor answer the severity and and purity of infinite and eternall Justice when men were whist and silent sith they were involved in their blood clothed in old rotten raggs of Righteousnesse and could not answer the puritie and Righteousnesse of the God of Righteousnesse when all Creatures might give in their voice we have Gold Silver Brasse Tinne Lead and Iron We have Pearles Jewels and rare Treasures the beautifull Diamonds the costly Rubies and the richest Saphirs Yet all these cannot redeeme one from
admiration of the times because of his wisedome and discretion Christ the wonder and admiration of his Churches because of his speeches and declaration My soule he that is thy peace thy rest thy love thy mercy he shall be thy cōmander he that is thy prince of glory thy Lord of life he is thy gratious protector hee that is thy vine thy head c thy bridegroome he shall be thy leader rule for grace and peace came by him when the Law came by Moses Ioh. 1.17 Redemptiō Justification and Reconciliation came by him when Condemnation adjudication came by Moses Consolations comforts joyes and springs of solace came by him when terrors horrors feares and servitude came by Moses Therefore thou shalt glory and expresse the praise of glory concerning the words of freedome and liberty Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death 2. The Law of the Spirit of life It hath beene said of Paradise that it was the rarest place in the habitable world in respect of Altitude in respect of Amaenetie in respect of Profunditude and in respect of Jucunditie the same may be spoken concerning the Spirit of life and glory it is extolled in respect of Altitude sith it is in Christ who was placed in the high and heavenly places of Amaenetie sith it is the delight of the beloved Saints and peculiar of Profunditude sith it soundeth the lowest and deepest misery of Jucunditie sith it makes the drooping soule most joyous and chearefull Therefore the same that was the joy and glory of the blessed Apostle is the joy and glory of the drooping soule joying and glorying in the words of the Apostle Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death The Law of the Spirit of life Pretious are the gifts and graces which come from the Father of everlasting light rare are the treasures which come from the Lord of life and peace rare and pretious is the Law of life which is from and of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus What is so jucundious what is so amaenious or what is so joyous as the spirit of Adoption which sealeth the soule up to the day of eternall Redemption or what can be so pleasant so delightsome or joyfull as the spirit that consolates the soule in the midst of all distresses or what can be so rare so wonderfull and admirable as the law of of the spirit of life that frees us from the law of sinne and death the seale of the spirit doth rejoyce thee in the day of thy Adoption the disconsolated are consolated in the day of Consolation the wanting vacuous are filled with joys in the day of impletion and the soule is filled with all fulnesse and sweetnesse in the day of liberation hence comes in our joyfullnesse and fullnesse that as we receive our peace from the Prince of peace our righteousnesse from the Lord of righteousnesse so we receive the law of life from the spirit of life in Christ Jesus If thou hast the revelation of the mistery of the Kingdome it is by the spirit Mat. 16.11 He answered and said unto them because it is given unto you to know the misteries of the Kingdome of Heaven but to them it is not given If to thee is given to know the deep and profound things of God it is by the spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God If to thee is given to know the mind of God before the world was it is by the spirit Ephes 4.7 But to every one of us is given grace according to the gifts of Christ Ephes 3.5 That to other Generations hath not been known to the sonnes of men is now revealed to the Apostles and prophets by the spirit So if there is a revelation of the mistery of glory to Babes and Sucklings and denied to the learned Doctors and Rabbies of the world it is by the spirit Mat. 11. 25.26.27 At that time Jesus answered and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hide these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes even so Father for so seemed good to thy sight All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the sonne and he to whom soever the sonne will reveale him None can write the law of God in the hearts of the Saints but the spirit of Christ as none can seale to the Conscience the everlasting love of God the Father and the precious treasures of Jesus Christ but the spirit of glory as none can give the spirit of oration to them that cannot pray the spirit of consolation to them that sit in mourning weeds but the spirit of Comfort so none can write the mind of God in the conscience or the will of Christ in the spirit of the Saints but the spirit of assurance or obsignation Hence it is recorded by the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.3 Yee are our Epistles written in our hearts which is known and read of all men manifest to be the epistle of Christ c. The same spirit that reveales unto the Saints the unsearchable riches of Christ that engraves the heavenly and gracious mind of the Father in the consciences of the Redeemed the same quickens the soule by the mighty power of life and vivification when we lay dead in sinnes and trespasses when wee were troden in our bloods by the Horsmen of Hell and Death when we were involved in the depth of the gulfe of miseries then by the same spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead we were quickned therefore not without cause is he called the spirit of life First In the respect of Christ Secondly In respect of the life that the Saints receive through uniō by the spirit Thirdly In respect of that life the Saints receive through Faith Love and hope by the spirit in the act of communion When our Lord was in the grave neither hell nor death nor law nor justice nor all the force of the creature could retaine him for he shewed himselfe the Lord of life by rising from the dead Apoc. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead I am alive forever more Amen and have the keyes of Hell and death Lord over sin by the blood of his crosse Col. 2.14.15 Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us and tooke it out of the way nailing it to his crosse and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them all Conquerer over the Divill by the power of his death Heb. 2.24 For as much then as the children are partakers of
father so we also may walke in the newnes of life Rom. 6.4 O that I might feele the mighty operatiō of Christs mediatiō then should I behold God most propitious and clementious then should my faith cleave fast to the mercy seate for mercy and to the throne of grace for grace thereby should I rejoyce abundantly the singing birds would not so rejoyce when winter is gone and summer doth approach as I shall rejoyce in receiving delectation from Christs mediation then should I not runne from God with Adam but have accesse to God as Ester had to Ahashuerosh By whom also through faith we have accesse unto his grace by which wee stand and rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 O my soule give glory to God thy heavenly Father and to Jesus Christ thy gratious Redeemer and to the holy Spirit who sealeth unto thee sure mercies which will never faile thee in the greatest extreamities Gods eternall favour in Christ established the efficatiousnesse of Christs merits and value the sealing thereof is not in thine owne power but in the power of the holy Spirit Hee that lookes upon the Creature he concludes that the Creature made not it selfe but it was made by the hand of the Creator he that minds how great a matter it is to have the eternall love of God and the merit of Christ to his conscience sealed will conclude it is not of himself but through the work of the Spirit who is our sealer And ye are scaled by the holy spirit of promise who is the earnest of our inheritance to the obtaining of Redemption unto the praise of his glory Ephes 13.14 but to draw unto a conclusion least many lines may be offensive unto thy patience Christian Reader only chuse thou Christ O my soule that when thy heart failes thee hee may be thy strength and thy portion for ever is not thy Saviour better then tenne thousands all things are valued but his value is invaluable all things are esteemed yet his worth is inestimable many things are uttered yet his excellency is unutterable Am I not ravished when he is my contemplation Am I not overjoyed when hee is my Meditation doth not my valley abound with pleasure when the vertue of his grace takes in me possession is the morning sunne so joyous to a traviller as Christ is to me when I thinke of him in the morning hee is more to thee O my soule then riches then honours then gold thē silver yea then pretious stones if thou hadst a kingdom and wast not assured of his kingdome what would that profit thee if thou hadst a world if thou hadst no interest in that blood which purchased the world to come what would that availe thee if thou hadst all the joyes and pleasures under heaven if thou hadst not the joy of his spirit what would that benefit thee if thou hadst al the gay apparrell in the world if thou hadst not Christs righteousnesse to defend thee from the wrath of God what fruit would that bring ūto thee if thou hadst all to plead for thee if thou hadst not Christ to excuse thee in the day of the Lord what joy could possesse thee it is good for thee to rest where Christ is so shall he be to thee a resting place it is good for thee to dwell where hee is for there are joyes for evermore O my soule feare not what man can doe unto thee if they take away thy name remember thy name is ingraved upon his breast he bare thy name upon the crosse he beareth thy name now in the sight of thy gratious Father Though thy name is extinguished yet not extinguished though not remembred yet remembred evermore Let Justiciaries cast their Arrowes by day and their fierie dars by night yet know that through thy saviour thou art able to repulse the fiery darts of Satan much more theirs Let them take away thy life thy life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Let them conclude that thou art vaine glorious thy glorying expression shall be of Christ thy Lord of life and righteousnes sith if any in heavē or earth are bought to God by our Lord of life glory then thou art one of that company whilst thou as a poore pilgrim wanderest towards heavens City make thou a heavenly dimention of his glory Worthy is the Lambe who was slaine to receive power riches and strength wisedome and honour and glory and blessing and to him that sits upon the throne and unto the Lambe be ascribed blessing and honour and glory and strength for ever and ever Amen Revel 5.13.13 From the law of sinne and death O my people what have I done for you as Reconciliation to God my Father through my blood and death is the greatest mercy as my Adoption by my Spirit of glory is the highest love so my Redemption from the law of sinne and death by the Law of the Spirit of life is the freest bountie Have you not come short of my glory and the glory of my Father Rom. 3 23. For all have sinned are come short of the glory of God Have you not been under the curse and execration of the morrall law Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the the workes of the law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to do them Have not your Spirit been silenced and your mouthes stopt before my Fathers presence Rom. 3 .19 Now wee know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Hath not Moses accused you before the barre of justice John 5.45 Doe not thinke that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust Was not the same Law that was made for ungodly wicked and incorrigable siners made for you 1 Tim. 1.10 For whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for lyers for perjured persons and if there bee any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine But I have delivered you from the law of Condemnation by the law of Salvation from the law of execration by the Law of benediction from the Law of accusation by the law of life and reconciliation and from the law of adjudication by the law of hope and Redemption When that I saw that ye were come short of all righteousnes fulfilled al righteousness Rom. 10.4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness sake to every one that beleeveth Whē I saw that you were accursed I became a curse for you having undertaken to die the cursed death of the Crosse Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for
your hearts be troubled yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me Have not I wished them to rejoyce through exhortation Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alway and againe I say reioyce What is my bloody crosse my victorious death my comfortable resurrection and my powerfull mediation But joy to the drooping what is the covenant of my freest grace my highest love my richest mercy and tender compassions but comfort to the mourning What is the spirit of adoption whereby mine call my father Father the spirit of obsignatiō wherby mine injoy an inheritance among them which are sanctified the spirit of sanctification whereby mine are sanctified in the day of their Communion with mee their vine and royall bridegroome but consolation to the lamenting as my springs of grace are in the throne of my grace so I have filled them with the fruits of my grace as the fountaine of my love is in the throne of love so have I filled mine with my dearest love when I dwell in their hearts by faith which is in mee when I rule in their consciences by peace which is from mee when I shall lodge in their soules through my spirit of glory I shall change their garments of lamentation into garments of salvation their mourning weeds into glorying expression and their sighes and groanes unutterable into the sweetest oration For I will see them againe and their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them The rivers that flowed from paradice are not comparable to the streames that makes glad the city of our God those were water these welsprings of living water those flowed from the earthly paradice these from the heavenly and celestiall paradice by some of them was Bdelium and the Onix stone in these are eternall glory nearenesse of union and the fruition of eternall life and felicitie those were appointed to water the Garden of Eden these are ordained to water and refresh the Church of Christ beloved those were placed in paradice by the wisedome and love of God the Father these were placed and appointed in the Church of Christ redeemer therefore they admire at the love of God the Father and the superemenent grace of Christ Mediator Saying they shall heare the thing they never heard they shall see the things they never saw and they shall understand the things they never understood Their joy in that day shall not be from the influence of the starrs my influence excelleth the influence of all starrs they shall not injoy the comfort of the Moone but the comfort of mee whose glory is above Sunne and Moone What shall mine injoy in that day they shall fully see the throne of grace fully behold all the hidden unutterable and unsearchable excellencies that are in me What shall they possesse when they shall possesse me that filleth all in all things what shall they comprehend when they shall be comprehended and invironed with my glorious presence and the light of my countenance therefore though the heavens and the earth should bee silent the moutaines and the vallies should be still yet mine will glory in me their loving prince and effectionate bridegroome Sith I will see them againe their hearts shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them And your joy no man taketh from you O the love of our loving and glorious father O the kindnesse of our Lord our deare and gratious Redeemer if mine admire at my love my love is admirable love if mine contemplate of my grace my grace is superemenent grace when they were in the vast and roaring wildernesse I allured them and brought them into a wildernesse and there I spake comfortably unto them Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and spake comfortably unto her When mine were tossed like a ship with the roaring waves reeling like a drunken man were welneigh dashed in peeces by the craggie rockes and shelves I laid a foundation for them of pretious Stones and Saphires Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphirs When they wanted joyes I gave them joyes firmer then the earth upon its center more fixed then the fixed starres more stable then the sublunarie creatures Is my righteousnes everlasting righteousness is not my comfort everlasting is my deare hearts blood of an eternall value is not my consolations eternall is my communion and blessednesse for ever and ever and are not my joyes for ever and ever If mine have life their life is hid in me if mine have peace then their peace is treasured in me if mine have joy their joy is joy in me Hath the mists taken away the light of the Sunne No Hath the mortality of the body taken away the immortality of the soule No Or can any take away the consolation of my Redeemed No Had I not given to my Redeemed everlasting righteousnesse eternall life an inheritance immutable then their joy had beene momentanie and transitorie but because I have given them an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Seaventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy citie to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to seale up the vision and prophesie and to annoynt the most holy Eternall life John 10.28 And I give unto them eternall life they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of mine hands An inheritance immortall and immutable 1 Pet. 1.4 Therefore their joy is not transitory and momentanie After once I bring my redeemed to the inheritance immortall and incontaminate they shall sing nothing but praise honour glory power might truth mercy strength and thanksgiving to my Father blessed for ever and to me blessed for ever more They shall know of no sinne in the flesh they shall not heare the accusations of the law before the tribunall seate of justice they shall not hearken to the temptations of the devill they shall not feele the burden of sinne nor be affrighted at the feares of death and hell but they shall injoy an immediate communion and fruition of my glory to everlasting For I wil take away their heavines their heart shall rejoyce and their joy no man taketh from them JOHN 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you RAre is the Sunne in respect of beauty light and operation rare are the pretious jewells in respect of richnesse vertue and estimation so rare is the love of Christ to us through gifts graces and communication as the myrrh and the drops thereof as the sweet raine and the showers thereof as the bedewing dew and the overspreading thereof so is the influence of Christs freest grace and the expression of his dearest love according to the text John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another
people I see my sick not visited my poore debased my naked unclothed my hungrie and thirsty not satisfied my dearest Jewells slandered my pretious servants defamed and those that speake the truth disdained In stead of patience prudence gentlenesse mildnesse and gratiousnesse of spirit there is backebiting lying crying and slandering in every corner of the City But have they not cause to tender one another dearly are they not fellow Citizens and of the houshould of of my father Ephes 2.19 Now therefore yee are no more strangers and forreners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the houshould of God Are they not my branches whom I esteeme most deerely John 15.5 I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing Are they not they that are called to communion with mee that am their deare Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom yee were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. They are not base but noble all the Kings and Monarches under heaven are not comparable to one of the Kings that I have made to God my Father through my blood most pretious They are Kings of earthly Kingdomes mine of heavenly and celestiall Kingdomes They are Kings by a Royall progenie mine are Kings through my blood undefiled they have crownes of pure gold pretious stones mine have crowns of life and righteousnesse they have guards of men to attend them mine guards of Angells the beloved saints Heb. 1 last Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heiers of Salvation Their cloth is better then the cloth of golâ— their riches better then the riches of jewells and their wealth more excellent then the wealth hid in the sands Though the devill would devoure them I will save them though the flesh make war with them I will support them though death would destroy them I will give them my salvation Haback 3.13 Thou wentest forth for the Salvation of the people even for Salvation with thine anoynted thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck Selah I am their King and shall not I command them their Bridegroome and shall not I will them their loving Mediatour and shall I not wish them to love on another I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure bounds chaines imprisonments for my sake that they will obey me I know if I coÌ„mand them to endure poverty for my poore penurie for my distressed miserie for my afflicted that they will subject to me My voice is as deare to them as heaven my commands as acceptable as my joyes and my wishes As my love my glory and my righteousnesse Therefore they will answere my command of love as it is recorded John 15.12 This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you A CONFESSION OF OVR FAITH According to the Order of the GOSPEL First WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Eternall Sonne of God who was with the Father before the world was Appointed by an Eternall Election Mediatour Redeemer and Reconciler of all those whom the Father out of his Eternall and free love had ordained unto Eternall Life John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in thy bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 17.3 And this is life Eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Secondly VVE beleeve that it was the Fathers divine pleasure to or daine Jesus Chr st to bee King over his Church peculiar and the sole only Prophet from which the Church should receive all her treasures of Divine rarest wisedome Ephes 1.21 22 23. Far above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him Col. 1.3 Wee give thnnkes to God and the Father of Jesus Christ our Lord praying alwaies for you Thirdly WEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ was freely chosen and selected out of the free and eternall love of the Father resting in the bosome of Jesus Christ to the end that it might be partaker of all the heavenly treasures of divine grace and righteousnesse made conformable to the will of God the heavenly Father and to the minde of Jesus Christ the blessed and glorious Redeemed Ephes 1.4 5. According as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Sonnes by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will 2 Pet. 1.4 Wherby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Rom. 8.27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because hee maketh intersession for the Saints according to the will of God Fourthly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ the Lord of life and salvation laid downe his life in speciall for her according to the absolute and divine appointment of the Father to the intent that hee might confirme upon her the supereminent riches of glory the exceeding riches of mercy and the marvilous dispensation of his marvilous Kindnesse which proceedes alone from his free and divine pleasure Acts 20.28 Take heede therefore unto your selves and to all the floâ—ke over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how should he not with him freely give us all things Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it Apoc. 5.9.10 And they sang a new song saying thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred tongue and people and nation and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of
theme prolong Sith that no obiect to the view or sight Gives such sweet solace to the soules delight And graces power grants its free consent That all my theame of Christ was congruent That pen might stay and I might cease my verse Of Christ in prose the more I might rehearse Christs gratious Message from the Throne of Grace to all the Prisoners of hope ROM 8.1 2. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death WHen we look upon the Sun Moone and Starres and behold the wisedome mercy and power of the Father towards humane generation it makes us to stand amazed and astonished so when wee looke and behold the wisedome mercy and power of the Father shining forth in Christ the morning Starre the Sonne of everlasting grace and bounty it makes us to wonder and admire at that which shineth forth to us in the morning starre and glorious Sonne of righteousnesse That which shineth to us by in and by the Creature is not comparable to that which shineth toward us in and through the Lord Jesus What is the brightnes of the morning starre to Christ the morning starre or what is the beauty and glory of the sunne to Christ the Sun of glorious righteousnesse or what as the beauty of things terrene earthly to things sublime or heavenly hence the Apostle memorates and records the excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ by the priviledge the Saints received in and by him according to the Text. Now then there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8 1. Beloved our manner is by way of exposition or contemplation Now then there is no condemnation They have been cast out to the open shame of their faces they were not swadled in the day of their Nativity but troden in their blood and overwhelmed with the deepest miserie they have beene alienated from the throne of grace estranged from the mercy seate and have lived without God in the world they have beene in the blacke swadle bands of the Devill under the claves of the roaring Lyon the Devill and have beene children of wrath as well as others The truth of the premisses is granted notwithstanding there is no condemnation to them sith the being of the Saints in Christ frees them from all the gulfes of horrid miseries whatsoever They have many sinnes many infirmities iniquities and transgressions they are an offending and erring people out of the way as well as others they have beene silenced before the throne of Justice they have sinned and shot their arrowes below the glory of the Father the truth of the premises is granted Notwithstanding there is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus sith the Father of eternall mercy hath given unto them an absolute Nonimputation of offences in the Lord Jesus in whom hee hath reconciled his beloved Saints and peculiar in the act of Justification hee hath given to his Saints a generall acquittance freeing them from sinne iniquity and transgression by the blood of the Lord of life and glory and by the death of him who was the onely beloved of his bosome hence comes in those rare sentences of divine testimonies Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that justifieth who is it that shall condemne it is Jesus Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God making intercession for us Rom. 8.33 34. To them is given the priviledge and dignity of union they are branches to Jesus Christ the blessed and fruitfull Vine of his Church I am the Vine ye are the branches John 15.5 they are members to Jesus Christ their blessed head and reconciler to wit Members of his flesh of his bones Eph. 5.30 they are the choise pretious and dearest spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ My beloved is mine amd I am his he feedeth among the Lillies Cant. 6.3 they are not onely deare to Christ because he hath bought them but they are neere to Christ because they are made one with him The glory that thou gavest me I have given to them that they may be one as we are one John 17.22 What Devill therefore shall accuse the accuser of the Brethren is cast out of the heavenly places And I heard a great voyce out of heaven saying Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of the brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night what hell shall terrifie sith the Lord Christ hath triumphed over hell death the devill and all Evills O death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. shall the law adjudge us noe sith wee have a gratious Mediatour who ever presents us glorious in the sight of his gratious and heavenly Father hence it is spoken by the holy Ghost that Christ entred into heaven to appeare in presence of God for us For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 shall death amaze or trouble us no for by the death of Christ wee are delivered from the servitude and slaverie of death That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill and deliver them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 15. What though the venamous Serpent seeke to sting thee yet be not thou dismayed what though the Law morrall would accuse artaigne or condemne thee before the barre of justice yet be not discourâ—ged what though death with the sting thereof would amaze thee yet bee thou not amazed sith there is no Condemnation to thy soule or conscience sith thou art in Christ Jesus and he pleades thy cause at the right hand of the Father saying This my people stands righteous before thee in my righteousnesse holy through my holinesse and pure through my purity and integrity am I not their Lord of pure and divine righteousnesse am I not their prince of glory who hath presented them pure spotlesse and intire in thy sight Am not I the Mediatour of thy everlasting grace mercy who was made not onely unto them wisedome and redemption but also righteousnesse and sanctification was not I arraigned at the barre of Pontious Pilate that they might not be arraigned at the barre of justice accused of my native countrymen that they might bee excused
ever If they take away their liberty yet have they alwaies liberty to the throne of my hevenly grace and highest mercy if they take away their goods yet are they enriched by my heavenly grace and treasure of wisdome if they take away their vestments yet stand they cloathed with my garments of everlasting righteousnesse And if they take away their lives yet their lives are hid in me in my Father Therefore there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 There is a threefold ground why there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus The first ground is this sith the Eternall justice of the Father is satisfied I argue thus if the eternall justice of the Father in and by Christ is satisfied then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ But the Eternall justice of the Father is satisfied in by Christ therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ That the justice of the Father is satisfied in and by Christ is evident first upon denomination Christ is called the Sonne of the Father in whom the Father is well pleased so the holy Ghost hath related in the Evangelist Mat. 3. the last This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased As if the Father should speake thus to his people Let all my people know that I know of justice no more of wrath no more of indignation and vindication no more true it is my pleasure to hide my face my joy my peace my rest my glory and the rarenesse of my communion from mine notwithstanding such hath beene my divine and rarest pleasure that my delight alone is in the Sonne of my bosome my glory in the prince of grace and glory and my rest is in him whom I have constituted and appointed to bee Mediator of the Covenant of grace and bounty amongst the Saints triumphant none are accepted to dwell in my presence but in and through my beloved amongst my Saints and warriours Militant none are welpleasing in my sight but in and through the Son of my bosome hee is the sweet smelling sacrifice most gratious acceptable before Me I my selfe have spoken it Eph. 5.2 And walke in love as Christ hath loved us and given himselfe an offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour The Mirhe the Aloes and the Cassia are not sweet in my presence the sweetest gumes the frankinsence and pleasant oyntments are not pleasant in my nostrills nothing is pleasant before me but the first begotten frō the dead and prince of the Kings of the earth I have undervalued al my Angels respecting none but the Angels of the everlasting covenant though my pleasure was to give them a song of praise for ever counting them worthy of the light of my countenance dignifying them with the honour of messengers protectors notwithstanding they could not answer my purity nor satisfie my justice I have disesteemed the sonnes of men though I made them Lords over my creatures the noblest of my worekmanship and gave to them both purity and innocency notwithstanding they cannot answer my demands nor appease my wrath nor furie I have disaccounted of the bodies of bulls of beasts of goats and I have prepared a body by and for my selfe I my selfe have spoken it Wherefore when he commeth into the World he saith sacrifices and burnt offerings thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared Heb. 10.5 Hence I have accepted of the body of the Lord of life for my people of the blood of the prince of glory for the children of death and misery of the death of him that is the Mediatour of of the Covenant of life and promises for the curse and death of my peculiar Now then there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The second ground why there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Because the law is satisfied the law is satisfied actively and passively my beloved was to present my people compleat pure and holy without spot or wrinkle unblameable unreproveable and righteous to make of unrighteous righteous of unholy holy of impure and defiled pure and undefiled which in and by him was performed when hee fulfilled all righteousnesse when he answered every jot and title of my law required when hee was made sinne for mine that they might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. the last He answered my law passively for he was wounded bruised and broken to peeces who but your Lord was led as a Lambe to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer as dumbe who but your Lord cried out upon the Cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me who but your Lord sweat water and blood in the day of his passion beloved thou cammest short of the glory of God yet thy deare Lord bought thee the prince of glory sought thee the shepheard of the covenant came and performed all for thee hence he is the end of the law for righteousnesse sake Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse sake to every one that beleeves therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not aftert the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The third Ground why there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Because they are united to the Sonne of my love had they not beene united to the vine of rarest vertue the Lord of richest wisedome the bridegroome of sweetest love then might they have bin condemned but because of their union they injoy communion in him and with him by their union they injoy a threefold voice The first is the voice of Reconciliation The second the voice of Adoption The third the voice of Justification and Redemption Of the first to wit concerning the voyce of Atonement or reconciliation the day hath been that the wall of seperation hath beene betwixt thee and the Father the hand writing of ordinances against the conscience the blacknesse of darkenesse had overclouded the soule thy sinnes iniquities and transgressions had separated between me and thee and the whole heavens were overcast with the mists of dimnesse till I speake of rarest love in the Sonne of my love till I speake of peace in the reconciler of my Redeemed till I spake of Rest to all your restlesse soules under heaven because my Sonne hath reconciled mine through his pure and pretious blood hence I have nothing against them that are washed in his blood because I have made an attonement in and through him who hath beene my choise and beloved servant therefore I have no charge against them who have beene children of wrath and enemies against my Majesty As my love my grace my peace my glory rests in him so my peace abides in him
flesh and blood he also himselfe tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill Victorer over the law and over all accusations by his intercession Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is it that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Triumpher over Captives and leading captivitie captive by the power of his assention It was impossible our Lord should be retained by the bonds of death the barts of hell and the power of the Devill not only because it hath beene the determinate counsell of the Father not to leave his soule in grave nor suffer his holy one to see corruption Acts 2.27 Because thou wilt not leave my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Because of that pittie he had to his beloved Spouse his dearest members his tender branches Ephes 2.6 And hath raised us up together made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus because of the dignity of himselfe being King of his Church Lord of life Mediatur of the Covenant Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having gloosed the paines of death because it was not possible he should be houlden of it But also because of the mighty and infinite power of the spirit of glory which rais'd up our Lord of life Prince of glory O my soule consider consider what the spirit of life hath done for thy foule Had not our Lord been raised from the dead by the spirit of life sinne would have crusht thy conscience to the lowest gulfe of misery the Devill like a roaring Lion would have devoured thee the law of terrors would have bound thee to the barre of eternal justice to eternitie death would have delivered thee to the second death forevermore and all evills would have ceased upon thy spirit for ever and ever Thē mightest thou have said with the Psalmist The sorrowes of death had compassed thee and the evills of hell had found thee thou foundest woe and sorrow then mightest thou have spoken with Hezekiah That thou wast forsaken as a Shepards Tent that justice would have beene as a Lion to breake all thy bones thou mightest have mourned as a Dove chattered as a Crain to the dayes of eternity Saying That thou should'st behold his gracious face no more behold his gracious countenance no more but remaine in everlasting chaines under darkenesse for evermore Shouldest thou have beene so happie as Jonah no he was but in the bellie of the Whale but thou shouldest have beene in the bellie of hell he was in the depth of the sea but thou shouldest have beē in the depth of the bottomlesse pit the waves of the sea and the bellowes thereof incompassed him but the waves of greatest sorrowes and bellowes of exceeding wrath should have incompassed thee he was heard out of the bellie of the Whale and his prayer came into his holy temple but thy prayer should have beene shut out from his glorious presence and should not have appeared before the throne of grace a Goard was provided for him to hide his head from the heate of the Sunne but no shelter nor shadow had beē provided for thee to hide thy soule frō everlasting burnings Where had beene the glorying of the Saints had our Lord not beene raised from the dead we should have had no cause to glory in the blood and death of his crosse no cause of triumphing in a glorious presentation in a hapy reconciliation in an absolute abolition of the hand writings which were written against us Where had been our redemption from death and the feare thereof from the grave and the sting thereof from out of the hands of the Devill and and the slavery thereof from the law and the execration thereof where had been our royall Robes of Righteousnesse our garments of glorious salvation justificatiō in his glorious presencs if the holy one had seen corruption the branches of the rarest vine should have withered the members to the head of purest gold would have perished and the spouses to our blessed and dearest Bridegroome would have been clothed with shame reproah for ever But blessed thrice blessed be that name is blessed forevermore sith he hath raised the head and the members the branches the vine the bridegroome the spouses together He that left not our Lord in the grave hath not left the Redeemed of the Lord in the pitt of distruction he that suffered not the sonne of the bosome to see corruption will not suffer the sonnes by adoption to be swallowed up by everlasting perdition Therefore you sonnes daughters of men we will not only glory in Christs incarnation in Christs crucifixtion in his grave buriall glorious assention but also in his victorious triumphous Resurrection The risse of the son of righteousnesse is more to us then the sun of morning light that delights the eye sence of sublunaries this the soules of distressed consciences that causeth the hearbs plants trees to rise out of the earth this causeth the branches spouses members of Christ to rise out of the lowest pitt that removeth darknesse bringeth in a light Diurnal this removeth darkenesse bringeth in a light eternall That is the plenitude above and the riches of the earth beneath this is the riches of the Church Militant and the plenitude of the Church Triumphant Therfore will we glory in the spirit of life according to the Text Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and death The spirit of life Sweet and pleasant is the expression of Job Will the wilde Asse roare when he hath grasse or will the Oxe low when he hath fother or will the dead soule mourne for life when it hath the spirit of life Noe it will joy it selfe in the spirit of joy and consolate it selfe in the spirit of consolation triumphing with the Apostle because the spirit of life hath freed it from the law of sinne and death according to the Text. Rom. 8.2 For he law of the spirit of Life◠in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Secondly It is called the spirit of life sith that the spirit is the cause of union with the Lord Jesus by which the Saints receive both life spiritual and life eternall My prisoners of Hope and Bond men to the throne of mercy know and consider that it is not in your powers to injoy union with me and Jesus Christ whom I have sent the spot of your sin the blott of your transgressions and the impurity of your iniquities hath prevented the exactnesse rigidnesse and perfection of my law most pure hath hindered the eternitie
the infinite and the purity of my divine justice letteth Could your darkenesse bring it selfe to my glorious light I dwell in the light unaccesable 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light whom no man hath seene nor can see to whom be honour and power everlasting amen Can your impurity reach my infinite and eternall purity I am a God that can behold no iniquitie Haback 1.13 Thou art of pu rer eyes then to behold evill and canst not looke on iniquitie wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal◠trechearously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he Can thy death atting and touch my life being from eternitie to eternitie I am alone the fountaine of living waters Jer. 2.13 For my people have committed two evills they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisternes broken Cisternes that can hold no water Or can your lownesse and profunditie reach the highnesse of my sublimitie I dwell in the high and the holy place Isaiah 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy J dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Could Dives passe the gulfe of hell to the bosome of Abraham No can a bird without wings reach the hight of the sunne No can a man without eyes behold the highest orbs No or can thy soule that is involved in the law of horrid iniquitie unite it selfe to me No this way of union was not found in the habitable world but in my habitation of glory this was not found in the depths below but in the heights above this was not found in thy breasts and invention but in my breasts of heavenly compassion well saith the scripture Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the sea saith it is not in me God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof Therefore this was my wisedome to give this Glory to my beloved sonne John 17 22. and the glory which thou gavest me J have given them that they may be one even as we are one That by his blood he might make them which are afarre off nigh to me Ephes 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ That by the death of his crosse he might make of two one Ephes 2.15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmitie even the law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himselfe of twain one new man so making peace And that he might bring them to me that never knew the riches of my grace Ephes 2.18 For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the father Untill I came to live in my people to make thē a habitation dwelling place till I made them habitations of glory for the spirit of my glory they were as farre from me as my dwelling place is from the lowest hell as the clearest light is from the greatest darkenesse and the barre of my Justice from the throne of mercy But my spirit gives them a being in the heavenly places my spirit removed all the letts betwixt me and my people my spirit gives them to injoy a being reall in me and in the dearest of my breast 1 Thes 1.1 Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus to the Church of Thessalonica which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Hence all the branches receive their life from the vine Christ Jesus hence also the members receive their vitall motion from their head Christ Jesus hence the spouse receiveth her being from the bridgroome Jesus Christ through and by the spirit of life therefore comes in the glorying and expression of my people according to the text For the law of the spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the law of sinne and death Thirdly because of the life of Faith and love and hope which is given thee by the Spirit of life It was not the shadow of Peter that healed the sick and weake but the overshadowing grace from the throne of eternall mercy it was not the handkerchiefes and neckcloathes of Paul that drave out devills but the omnipotent power of the eternall mediatour it was not the water in Baptisme that washeth away sinne but the blood of Christ so it hath not been in the purity strength of the sonnes of death to free themselves from the Law of sinne and death but in the power of the law of life according to the text Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me from the law of sinne and death You that have been Prisoners without hope as by the blood of my Testament I have sent you out of the pit where there is no water so by the law of my life I have freed you from the law of sin death I have made you to live the life of faith when I hide my face the light of my dearest love and gratious countenance when I covered my selfe with darknesse and wrapt my selfe in a clowd when I seemed to bid farrwell as though I would see you no more then I made you to live by faith which was in mee when as my servant Ionas was in the depth of the Sea in the gulfes beneath invironed in the mighty waters and in the bellie of the devouring whale I made him to call upon my name and to looke towards my holy Temple when thou wast in the depths of the sea of miseries in the ocean of miserable iniquity notwithstanding I have made thee looke to the throne of my grace and bounty highest mercy when I suffered thee to be mocked scoffed derided scorned to be stoned deprived of bread convenient shutt out from amongst the dearest and nearest friends bringing thee to the gates of deepest miseries and to the prison where thou shouldest have lost thy liberty notwithstanding I have made thee live by faith which is in mee I have brought thy faith into Christ there thou livest there thou delightest there thou restest there thou dwellest there thou joyest and there abidest as the seate of the Eagle is upon the rock undervaluing all inferiour places so thy habitation is in Christ the rocke of righteousnesse and thou undervaluest all sublunarie and inferiour things As I have made the promises yea and Amen to the praise of my glory so I have made thee to rest upon those promises to eternall glory As I am becom thy most benignous and gratious Father in my Covenant to perpetuitie so will I make thee live by love through my Covenant to Eternitie If I have
thee the life of faith faith is my guift Ephes 2.10.8 For we are his workemanship created in Jesus Christ unto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God I gave to thee the life of love when I gave the sonne of love Joh. 3.16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth one him should not perish but have everlasting lif I gave to thee the life of hope when I gave to thee the lively hope through the resurrection from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundance mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurection of Jesus Christ from the dead When I have made mine to walke in sheepe skins and Goates skins in dennes and caves of the earth for my names sake I gave them hope of everlasting righteousnesse raigning by grace unto eternall life Rom. 5. last For as sinne hath raigned unto death even so might grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. When I gave them neither favour Love nor Footsteps in or amongst the Creature I have given to them a Citie whose maker and builder is my selfe Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a bettter Country that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Citie When I made them undergoe Shipwracks Stonings Defamie Reproach Disdaine Contempt Malice Wrath Envie Backbitings Slanderings Scornings by them that under the profession of my praise and glory are enemies to the throne of my praise and glory I gave them hope in the eternall waight of my glory 2 Cor. 4.17.18 For our light afflictions whcih is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal waight of glory while we looke not one things that are seen but one things that are not seen for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternall Hence they expect a new heaven a new earth in which is righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 We waite for a new heaven and a new earth in which is Righteousnesse Hence they expect the light of my presence and pleasures for evermore Psalm 16. last Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fullnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Hence they looke for the Crowne of glory the Crowne of life and the Crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 Hence forth is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing And not without cause sith I have not only given unto them my oath and promise but the law of the spirit of my life to free them from the law of sin and death Heb. 6.18 19. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Which hope wee have as an Ancor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vaile Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sin detah The Father hath given to Christ the highest sublimitie and shall I cease to mention so great a dignity as the plenitude of sentence to conceivemēt is misticall so Christs kingly dignitie is unutterable though the rationalls cannot behold the Sun with full spectation yet the Sun must not hinder them from beholding though of Christ the Lord of life we make no full dimention yet the excellencie of the law of life must not hinder us from declaring hence admirable hath beene the expression of life from the law of life sith by that wee are freed from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and death The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus It was said of Jonathan and Saul that they were lovely and amiable in their lifes were not devided in their deaths It may be said of Christ that he was Amiable lovely being the Lord of life and that his love was not seperated from his death for in his death he abolished sinne totally overcame the divell victoriously and stopped the mouth of the accusing law wonderfully in his life we injoy eternall life a life spirituall in the heavenly places Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sinne and death The rarenesse or pretiousnesse of the covenant consists in three things First In the freenesse of the Covenant Secondly in the eternity of the Covenant Thirdly in the place or collocation of the Covenant The rarenesse of this Covenant or law of life in Christ is in that it is a free covenant or law of life in Christ The effects of my covenant are free I became a God freely to mine in covenant What beauty what glory what splendor what righteousnesse what holinesse what performances have I seene in them the best of their righteousnes were menstruous cloathes and defiled garments Isa 64 6. But wee are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away The purest of their robes are no better then rattered raggs of the old Adam the rarest of their purities impurities of their righteousnes unrighteousnesse and of their godlinesse ungodlinesse It was I that washed them from their blood in the bloud of my deare sonne when they were involved in their blood Apo. 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead the prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood It was I that cloathed them in the robes of pure righteousnesse when they were cast out naked to the shame of their faces Ezek. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sweare unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine It was I that looked upon mine in the daies of shame and reproach when neither men nor Angells did regard them Eze. 16.5.6 No eye pittied thee to doe any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne and when I
in the power of the law of life sith Christ in that is become thy life Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sinne and death Thirdly The father hath given the Lord Jesus Christ to bee the shepheard of his flocke through his Covenant of life and mercy Elkanah gave to Penninah and her children portions but to Hannah hee gave a double portion Abraham gave to the sonnes of Keturah gifts but to Jsaack he gave the possession though to others the Father gives riches and honours notwithstanding he gives to his everlasting Beatification Not only in condonation of transgression in peace of conscience through Christs intercession but also by giving them into the hands of the great shepheard of his sheep that they might injoy an eternall tuition protection All we were wandering sheepe we had lost the image of God and beare the Image of the devill deprived of the title of eternall life being bound with chaines to eternall death bound to beare the burden of iniquity to undergoe the dreadfull and terrible sentence of the morall law wee were blinde without sight naked without cloathing spoiled and bereft of all the rare and noble injoyments which wee injoyed poore sillie sheepe wandering upon the craggie mountaines of iniquity the rockes of misery the desert and wildernesse of calamity Was the groat lost not we amonst the lost were the sheepe gone out of the way and we not gone astray Notwithstanding such hath beene my tender mercy my superemenent grace my yearning bowels of compassion towards you That I have sent the great and gratious shepheard of Israel to seeke the lost sheepe of the house of Israel the Lord of life to seeke the sons of death and the son of my love to call and seeke the Children of wrath Eze. 34.16 I will seeke that which was lost and bring againe that which was driven away and will binde up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick but I will destroy the fat and the strong I will feede them with judgement Rather then mine should rest upon the lofty mountaines of impurity my beloved shall seeke them up by the word of reconciliation rather then mine should abide upon the craggie rockes of iniquity my beloved shall seek thē up by the word of great salvation Rom 10.7 8. But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend up into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall discend into the deep that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead But what saith it the word is neigh the even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which wee preach Ther is no such Shepheard as the Shepheard of Israel he loves his sheep to the death Hath it been recorded that any King hath layd down his life for rebellious Subjects Hath it been inrowled that any Bridegroome hath lost his life for his Bride or any Shepheard hath layd down his life for his sheep but my beloved the King of my Church chosen the Bridegroome to his beloved spouses and the great shepheard of his sheepe hath layd down his life for his wandring sheepe John 10.18 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my selfe I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it againe this commandement have I received of my father He is the carefull shepheard of my flock neither the heate of the day nor the cold of the night hindred Jacobs care of Labans flock the heate of my wrath furie and indignation nor the coldnesse of the effections of his peculiar can prevent his care over my scattered and dispearsed flocke Were the shepheards carefull of their flock in the day of Christs comming and will not Israels shepheard be carefull of his flocke after his comming he is not only as a father to mine to carrie them in his armes Cant. 2.6 His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth imbrace me As an Eagle that beares them upon his wings Deut. 32.11.12 As an Eagle stireth up her nest fluttereth with her wings spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beares them upon her wings So the Lord alone did lead him and their was no strange God with him But as a shepheard who carries his upon his shouldiers to the fould of grace and glory John 10.16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also J must bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one fold one shepheard Whilst mine are subject to chances and all evils he is their defender whilst they are subject to goe astray he is their gatherer hence he answereth my Commission Mat. 15.24 But he answered and said J am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Jsrael The poorest and meanest of his flocke by him are sustained the strongest and fatest of his flocke by him are supported he leads them by his precious promises clothes them with his heavenly grace and gives them a rich inheritance amongst his Saints Ephes 1.18 The eyes of your understanding being opened that yee might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints If they are scorched by the heate of tribulations he is their cloud of preservation if they want light in the darkest night he is their fire by night for consolation Isaiah 4.6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heate and a place of refuge and for a cover from storme and from raine For thou hast been a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in his distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storme against the wall His sheep are neere to him through union John 27.23 J in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me They are deare to him through redemption 1 Pet. 1.18.19 For as much as yee know that ye were not redeemed with corruptable things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as a Lambe without blemish and without spot They are precious to him through donation John 17.9.10 J pray for them J pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them And they are gracious in his sight and presence through acceptation Ehes 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved They are precious Jewells in his account and estimation they are his tender flocke in
his account and computation are their deaths precious in his sight and are not their lives precious in his presence Is the vine tender ever its branches the King loving to his Subjects the spouse acceptable to the bridegroome and are not his flocke precious deare to the great shepheard of Israel neither the Foxes by their cunning the Wolves by their ravening the Lions by their roaring the Tigers by their devouring shall be able to plucke them out of his hand John 10.28.29 And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand As they have beene acquired by an eternall power purchased by an infinite value so they are conserved by an eternall power and omnipotencie to the Kingdome of blisse and felicitie 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Ephes 1.19 And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power O my soule be certainly assured that nothing shall befall thee but that which shall be good for thee If death the sting of that is removed if life thy life is written in the book of life If perill conservation by the hope in Christ If famine thou hast the bread of life if want of water thou hast the fountaine of living water if sicknes thou hast healing to the wings of Christ if temptation thy faith shall be to thee more precious then gold that is tried in the fire if want of freedome thou hast libertie through redemption if losse of the love of the nearest in thy bosome thy Lord shepheard is nere and deare to thee and if want of defence thy Mediatour will be thy sunne and sheild Psalme 84.11 For the Lord God is a sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with hold from them that walke uprightly Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to his purpose Oh! my soule if thou gloriest thou shalt glory in such a shepheard is he not the great shepheard able to make thee perfect in every good worke Heb. 13.20.21 Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepheard of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing to you through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen Hath he not fountaines above all fountains springs surpassing all springs and pastures more pleasant then all pastures Ezek. 34.23 And I will set up one shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David He shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard 14.15 verse I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high Mountains of Israel Shall their fold be there shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the Mountaines of Israel I will feed my flocke and I will cause them to ly down saith the Lord God His voice will I heare his word will I obey to his call I will subject I know the difference between his voice and the voice of strangers they set up mans inventions makeing linsey woolsy garments and set up mans posts by Christs posts they advance mans rightteousnesse set up legall doings and popish performances they throw the Lord Jesus Christ out of his thron and plucke him out of his chaire and set up the creature worse then nothing But the voice of Christ is to speake of the praise of his owne righteousnesse of the pretiousnesse of his own blood of the triumph of his owne death of his love to his beloved Church of the nearnesse of that union the saints have with his father and of the pitie he hath to the broken spirits Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest And of the gift of eternall life to his adopted John 17.2 And thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him Of the praise of the glory of the honour of the dominion of the power and of the love of his Father John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Of the revelation teaching direction convincement and comfort of the spirit John 15.26 But when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall testifie of me Therefore as thou givest praise because hee is thy mediatour thy King thy Bridegroome thy vine and thy beloved so thou shalt give praise sith hee is become thy eternall carefull deare and loving shepheard rejoycing in the law and covenant of life in Christ that is blessed yea a thousand times blessed for evermore Rehearsing the words concerning the Law of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sinne and death Secondly In respect of Eternity The Celestiall body is more excellent then other bodies in foure respects First Because it is a Cause Universall Secondly Because it is carried about with a circuler motion Thirdly Because of heavenly light and fourthly because it is incorruptible So the Covenant or law of free grace is not onely excellent because the light of the fathers countenance shines in that Covenant because it is conferred upon the sonnes of miserie and calamity because it is the cause of all divine graces and mercies given to the Saints but also sith it is everlasting and eternall My Covenant is not as the small dew upon the tender hearbs not as the fading leafe and withering hearb not as the fraile life of the sublunarie creatures I made the first Covenant with Adam and it was momentanie I have made the second in Christ and it is to perpetuity when I espoused mine to me to the praise of my glory I espoused them to me for ever through my mercy Isa 54.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee in a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnes will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Whence once I become their God I am their God to eternity when once I become their Father I am their Father to perpetuitie as there is no end of the blood of the covenant of
at that time the heavens opened at what time the earth trembled at that time through his satisfaction he removed thy trembling estate and condition at what time the light of the sunne was obscured at that time the merit of thy Saviour shined the glory of the sunne of righteousnesse and the beauty of the sunne which is collocated in the midst of the planets at one time were darkned in which time Christ stood in thy place and for thy sake hath suffered What might I mention concerning Christ the more the mind conceiveth the more the tongue relateth the more the soule by faith apprehendeth the more the mind is elevated The Moone is below the sunne the sunne below Saturnee Saturne below the Primum Mobile the Vegitive creature is be low the sensitive the Sensitive below the Rationall and the Rationall below him that lives by faith in the Lord Jesus How divine is such a Christian in contemplation how heavenly in Mediation how rare iâ— declaration how sweet in conversation never a speech comes from such a Christian but it is inflamed with the fire of the Holy Ghost hence all his words are in extolling Christs righteousnes advancing Christs goodnesse valuing Christ blood Christ hath drawn his mind to a high pitch of conceivement hath the sunne the power of exalation the splendor of a Diamond in the drawing of the affection is ther not enough in Christ which drawes the Christian to high meditation Though thy mind did rest like the Cocke upon the dunghill of this world though thy affection was as fast inclosed in the creature as a mould in the earth yet from so low a condition a Christian is brought when once Christ by his vertue in the conscience takes possession then not honoures but Christs honour not riches but Christs riches not righteousnesse but Christs righteousnesse alone for a Christians presentation the eie is distant from the sunne the eye neverthelesse by the light thereof is drawn to behold his beauty though Christ is distant from a Christian yet by his efficacy he drawes the eye of faith to behold his glory what only to behold the glory of his victory tryumphant the glory of his mediation delectant and not the glory of his session magnificent applying faith is never below the throne of grace and glory it is never below the seate of Gods eternall mercy where there is not faiths applycation death of spirit hath domination our life by Christs treasures of wisedome by the vertue of his death and rising againe from the dead is through faiths applycation Let a Christian observe the death of spirit in the hearts of Justiciaries and inquire the reason why it is so and he shal find that it is because they apply not whole Christ to their consciences Some thing they will have of their own righteousnesse in Justification some thing of their owne performances in matter of reconciliation let us speake of Christ freely and bouldly and they stand as people agashed and amazed I deny nâ—t that they have a name to live But as sure as the sunne shines in Europe when it is come to the Meridian so sure are they dead yea as a tree twice plucked up by the rootes through the hand of the workeman He that hath the life of faith he applies all the excellencies of Christ unto himselfe what saith such a beleeving christian hath Christ redeemed others and not me reconciled others and not me justified others and not me Surely if any be redeemed if any justified if any reconciled then I am one of that number Through applying faith the soule is sicke of love at the very sight of his riches of his wisedom of his righteousnesse of his graces and consolations it cries out O my beloved my well beloved where rests where remaines where abides my welbeloved is the love of a woman so to her husband of a father to a child of a subject to his Prince comparable to that love of the soule to Christ who hath found in Christ al the kinds of sweetest consolations this applyment of Christ makes the soule desire more of Christ he who hath felt the sweetnesse of the hony combe he desires to tast of the sweetnesse of that againe he who hath seen the light of the sunne desires to see it againe he that once hath tasted of the sweetnesse in Christ through application desires to tast thereof againe Hence are the outcries of such beleevers O that I might feele the vertue of Christs blood in my conscience more efficatiously that doht purge my conscience from dead workes to serve the living God The blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit was offered without blame to God shal purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 O that I might feele more effectually the power of that reconciliation which once upon the crosse he fully perfected and finished that he would give me to understand more fully that I have all my sinns pardoned and remittted Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation by faith in his blood to demonstrate his righteousnesse by the forgivenesse of sinnes which are past through his long suffering Rom. 3.25 O that I might be more assured that Christs righteousnesse is mine then should I injoy the sweetest peace of conscience sith I should be fully assured that God with me should be well pleased and that I should be found worthy to abide in the City of our God for ever there to praise and honour him for ever more They washed and made white their robes in the blood of the lambe therefore they are before the throne of God and worship him day and night Apoc. 7.14.15 O that I might be replenished with the fullnesse of his grace then should my empty pitcher bee filled with joy and my mournfull heart with consolation and yee are now in heavinesse But I will see you againe and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you John 16.22 O that I might have his spirit to dwell in me then should I be able to call and cry Abba Father to make my petitions strongly to my heavenly father to know assuredly that I am one of those who are purchased with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if the spirit of God dwell in you but if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 O that I might feele the mighty power of the death of my saviour and redeemer then should I dye to sinne and live to righteousnesse as the Phenix by the Sunne is consumed and by vertue of the beames thereof is revived so if I feele the power of the death of my Redeemer death shall be abolished and the life of righteousnesse in me by the life of Christ renewed Ye are buried by Baptisme into his death that like as Christ is raised from the dead unto the glory of his
us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree I saw that you could not stand just in the sight of my Father I gave you another righteousnesse by faith which is in me Phil. 3.9 And being found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnes which is of God by faith Now as you are not the sonnes of death but children of life so you are under the law of life Now as you are not the children of servitude and bondage but the children of liberty and Adoption are under my law of liberty and Adoption Gal. 4.1.2 Now I say that the heire as long as hee is a child differeth nothing from a servant though he is Lord of all but is under Tutours and Governours untill the time appointed of the Father Gal. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and bee not intangled againe in the yoake of bondage Now are you not children of unbeleefe and diffidence sith I dwell in your hearts by faith which is by me Ephes 3.16.17 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith being rooted and grounded in love Now you are not slaves of hell and wrath but the dearest and choysest ones through my grace and tender compassion therefore you are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6.14 For sinne shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace Therefore you shall walke as my dearest my choisest and my redeemed as my peculiar my jewels and reconciled Doe I make my branches stately through my union do I make mine fruitfull through my blessed Communion and doe I not make mine subjective through the law of life and benedicton Now they will live the life of faith in me the life of love through me the life of obedience by me I have not given them the rule of mercy and peace to walke contrary to the rule of mercy and peace I have not given them the law of faith to call in question the faithfulnesse of my Fathers love and the pretiousnesse of my dearest blood So I have not given to them the fruits of the Law of life that they should walke as a dead people but that they should live by my fountaines of living waters by my nearest union and richness of communion through spirit of life and Adoption ever triumphing rejoycing and glorying in my law of life by which they are freed from the law of sinne and death according to the text Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sinne and death JOHN 16. verse 22. And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you THe sad complaint of Israel was mine eyes runneth down with water because the Comforter is farre from me he that should releeve my soule will not looke upon me my bowels are troubled the enemy hath prevailed over me this is the relation of the Israel of God mine eye powreth downe with waters my comforter is not farre from me hee that will releeve my soule will looke upon me my bowels are refreshed the chariots of hell hath not prevailed against me therefore though I am possest with sorrow because I possesse not what I shall possesse neverthelesse I shall see his face my heart shall rejoyce and my joy shall no man take from mee And ye now therefore have sorrow What the Saints beloved are they not delivered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the kingdome of my deare sonne have they not the spirit of joy and delightfull solace are they not crowned in Sion with everlasting joy upon their heads doe they not rejoyce in the garments of Salvation and perfect robes of righteousnesse Have they not the oyle of joy and gladnesse in stead of the garments of heavinesse and shall they not sing praise for ever and ever more unto mee which am blessed for evermore notwithstanding they are invirond with great sorrow and heavinesse Who lives amongst Tygers Wolves Lyons and Beares if not they who are counted the basest of the creature the vilest of the earth the terror to the sonnes of men and the scumme of the world if not they who encounters with the Devill makes war with the flesh fights against sinne and all evills if not they if the roaring Lyon the devill seeke to devoure them doe they not seeke to me the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah if the flesh doth burthen them say they not with Paul who shall deliver them from the power of death if sin doth defile them do they not desire to be washed in my pretious blood and if the law of terror affright them doe they not fly to the law of life in Christ Jesus mine would sinne no more offend no more but praise me evermore Sith I have made them new creatures formed them according to my Image and made them conformable to my mind and pleasure True it is I imbrace them I love them and I delight in them to dayes everlasting yet my divine pleasure hath been to hide my face for a moment to obscure my selfe for the twinckling of an eye as though I would take my leave or farwel of them notwithstanding I have done it for their consolation to shew my might and power in conservation and my superemenent bounty and love in their beatitude and glorification I that hid my glory I that gave them not a footstep for habitation have given to them my heavenly mantion and though I deprived them of my personall presence yet my blessed presence shall shine upon them in my heavenly Citie What though for a moment they doe not possesse me in the fulnesse of communion in the blessednesse of my beatification in the plenitude of hope and benediction Yet I will see them againe their heart shall rejoyce and their joy shall no man take from them But I will see you againe If I come to mine who am my Churches King of glory I will bring her to the habitation of my heavenly glory if I the loving bridegroome come to my beloved Church and choysest Spouse I will make her glad with my heavenly and gratious countenance I will remove away her teares though thousands her forrowes though infinite and her Lamentations though as the sands upon the sea shore then shee that was wrapt in the dust below shall sing glory and praise to me on high for I that take away all teares will wipe away teares from her face For I will see her againe her heart shall rejoyce and her joy shall no man take from her I will What I will it was my pleasure to excercise mine under tribulations tentations
Lord was my stay Out of my love I have loved them freely I regarded neither their righteousnesse their holynesse their performances neither their prayers their doings nor their excellencies neither their purity their innocency nor their integritie I have loved my redeemed and my justified freely I have respected my reconciled freely and I regarded my adopted and my glorified freely Though thousands should have presented to me the vertue of the sonne the moone and starres the riches of seas of mountaines and of the vallies or the free will of the freewillers notwithstanding I would refuse it If I lay downe my life for my sheep is it not out of the freenesse of my love John 10.11 I am the good shepheard the good shepheard giveth his life for his sheep If I give my life for my Church is it not out of my tender and deare affection Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it If I give to mine the riches of hidden treasures the glory of the heavenly mantions and the sure and firme mercies which are treasured in my breasts is it not love of my tenderest care and love Hence out of my love I expresse my dearest tenderest love given to mine which eye cannot see which eare cannot heare nor mind conceive 1 Cor. 2 9 But as it is written Eye hath not seen eare heard neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him I have loved them so dearely that I will be their glory in grace their eternall glory and their expression of glory who was their hope and glory Col. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mistery among the Gentils whsch is Christ in you the hope of glory Who makes them to rejoyce under the the hope of glory If not I. Rom. 5.1.2 Therefore being iustified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Who makes them passe one from glory to glory If not I. 2 Cor. 3. last But we all with open face behoulding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. Am I not their glory and crowne of life Am I not their glory and crowne of righteousnesse Am not I their glory and crowne of mercy Psal 103.3 4. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The glory of my love is tyed to the sweetnesse of my peace the glory of my grace to my acceptation Ephes 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved The praise of my glory to the choise of my election Ephes 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ The assurance and seale of my redemption to the praise of my glory Ephes 1.14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory The collocation in the heavenly places to the honour of my superemenent grace Ephes 2.6.7 And hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus What beatitude What communion What benediction What frution What felicitie Or what glory can any injoy without me the effulgencie the character and glory of my father hath the rivers waters without the fountaines No Hath the ayre light without the Sunne no or can any possesse glory without my glory no. Hence I have tould my choise and dearest ones John 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me J have given them that they may be one even as we are one And because I have given them this first glory they sing of my second glory worshipping me that lives for ever falling down be fore my throne of glory Apoc. And when those beasts gave glory honour thanks to him that sate on the throne who liveth for ever and ever The foure and twenty Elders fall downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crownes before the throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And they sing not onely of my love in word but also in deede Answering my command loving one another as I have loved them John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as J have loved you The Philosopher saith that the first moveable is moved by Angels and all secundarie motions are moved by the first motion or moveable it is affirmed by the spirit of glory that the love of the saints to God the Father and of each towards each other is from that love the Father hath shewed towards them Joh. 1.4.10.12 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propiciation for our sinnes No man hath seene God at any time if wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us If they are deare in affection is it not through my union they are deare members pretious branches and loving spouses sith I have joyned the members to mee their head I have ingrafted them into me their vine and I have espoused them to me their bridegroome if they injoy fellowship one with another it is not through my Covenant I have not only given them communion with my Father to injoy fellowship with my Father communion with my selfe â—o injoy an inheritance in my treasures but I have given mine communion fellowship one with another that they might have joy and delectation each with other 1 John 1.3 That which wee have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ Hath the aire light and not from the sunne hath the hand and foot motion and not from life and hath mine fellowship and not through my fellowship as I have given them the glory of eternall fruition the honour of perpetuall conservation John 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy father keepe through thine owne name those whom thou hast given me that they may bee one as we are So I have given mine the glory of union hence I have made them one as I and the father are one John 17.22 And the glory which
thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as wee are one I am not only glorified in mine by faith that is in mee by hope which is by mee by affection towards me but also by their love towards my choisest people John 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them When I sit Lord and King of the conscience is there not peace and sweetnesse when I sit Lord commander of the will is there not peace and lowlinesse when I sit onely overswayer over the affection is there not the tenderest and dearest delectation so when I throw out the black King of death and darkenesse is there not love delight and delectation when I raigne king of peace and love in the spirit I remove envie hatred malice wrath furie debate strife backbiting slanderings whisperings grudgings repinings murmurings for when I fill mine with joyes above all sorrow with loves above all loves and with my rest above all rests are they not amiable when they apprehend my death victorious my resurrection triumphous my mediation efficatious and my crosse glorious are they not peaceable my Father dwelleth in them his love abides in them and rules in them doth not his free love remaine in the conscience doth not his rich love abide in the heart and his strong love in the affections hence comes in the witnesse of the spirit 1 John 4.17 Herein is our love made perâ—â—ct that wee may have boldnesse in the day of Judgement because as hee is so are wee in this world Therefore my people are a quiet people for they are of the kingdome of my peace and patience Apoc. 1.9 I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimonie of Jesus Christ I turne Lyons into Lambs Tygers into Sheepe Woolves into Doves and Serpents and Ravenous Beasts into Turtles therefore they feede together without killing and slaying one another Isay 35.9.10 No Lyon shall bee there nor no ravenous beast shall goe up thereon it shall not be found there And the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads They shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isay 65.25 The Wolfe and the Lambe shall feede together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the bullocke and the dust shall bee the Serpents meate they shall not hurt nor destoy in all my holy Mountaine saith the Lord. I will neither admit of wolves of Tygers or ravenous beasts of Lyons or devouring dogges to joyne with my people and peculiar Mine shall not fight with sword or speare with shield nor buckler with Helmet nor Habergion they shall not overcome hell death the devill and all evills with the heeles of great horses but with my dearest blood and the word of my Testimony Apoc. 12.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death I know the power of my love binds them the power of my grace constraines them the power of my mercy leades them to learne meeknesse of me their Lord and master Mat. 11.29 Take my yoake upon you and learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall find rest unto your soules As my kingdome is not meate drinke or cloth but joy peace love by the holy Ghost so my people the inhabitants and dwellers in my kingdome are not discordious contentious quarrelous but loving peaceable and joyous Rom. 14.17 For the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace joy in the Holy Ghost I have redeemed them from the earth and made them the first fruits to my Father I have set them in the heavenly places have I taken away all enmitie betwixt my Father them that they should not live in wrath discention It is my gratious pleasure that mine should love one another as I have loved them I would have their affections so deere their loves so tender that they should out of their dearest affection and tenderest love live one with another What shall the Citizens of my heavenly Jerusalem bee as strangers what shall they that are of my Fathers family be as Alians or they that bee so neare to me as members to the body branches to the vine as the espoused to the bridegroome live as a people Alienated and estranged No. Where is their care over each other where is their glorying in each other when they neither see nor behold the sweet and gratious disposition of each other wherein am I glorified whilst their affections are as farre remote as their habitations and their loves as farre distant as their dwellings What breaches what discontents ariseth when the world makes warre the legalists slanders and the Angels of light casts false and bitter aspersions my love hath been so deare and tender towards them that I have made them temples of the Spirit of glory in which I might expresse my glory Did my father fill the Temple with his glory and doe not I fill mine with my glory whilst I in them am the hope of glory Col. 1.27 To whom God would make knowne what is the mistery of this glory among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory I have made them a dwelling place a habitation of dwelling by my spirit Ephes 2.21 22. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit I have made them Tabernacles fit for my love and favour John 17. last And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may bee in them and I in them And shall not mine live as my choysest dearest ones what difference between the children of Sinai the childreÌ„ of Sion what difference between the daughters of the bondwoman and the daughters of Jerusalem if they live not as my Saints at Jerusalem Oh what honour what glory have mine attained and grace have they atchieved whilst of them in record it is recorded Acts 2.44 And all that beleeved were together and had all things common the last verse Praiseing God and having favour with all the people and the Lord added to the church dayly such as should be saved I have loved mine with an everlasting love hence I passe by their sins their weaknes their infirmities and all their evills Though they were tossed like the lofty and roaring waves of the sea I gave to them a rich and sure foundation Isaiah 54.11.10 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundations with Saphirs and I
this mistery among the Gentills which is Christ in you the hope of glory Eph. 2.7 That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ Jesus Fiftly WEE beleeve that the Church which hath beene redeemed by the pretious bloud of our Lord and Master that she hath received the spirit of Adoption Glory Sanctification and obsignation to the intent that she might be absolutely assured of everlasting glory of God the Father the pretious riches of grace in Jesus Christ and the promises which are in Christ yea and Amen Vnto the praise and glory of the Father Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glory of God 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Sixtly WEE beleeve that Jesus Christ having paid an Eternall price and ransome to his Father in the behalfe of his Church and peculiar therefore the price in it selfe being eternall infinite and unmeasurable doth comprehend in it selfe a remedie for the miseries of All mankinde whatsoever Mat. 20.28 Even as the sonne of man came not to bee ministred unto but to mimister and to give a ransom his life for many 1. Tim. 2.6 Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time Seventhly WE beleeve that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel universall and is to be preached amongst all creatures whatsoever to the intent that the Father of eternall love and mercy might single out his people out of the world shew forth the dignity of his owne Son manifest the marvilous riches of his owne glory and leave the Creature without excuse Mat. 28.19 Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Col. 1.23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I am made a Minister Eph. 2.12 That at that time ye are without Christ being Aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of grace having no hope And without God in the world 1 John 5.10 He that beleeveth me the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that beleeveth not God hath made him a lier because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Sonne John 3.18.19 Hee that beleeveth one him is not condemned but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse more then light because their deeds were evill Eighthly VVE beleeve that the Church being called by the word of life and salvation to participate of the glorious riches of Christ is bound by an everlasting bond of love and favour to yeeld all loyall obedience and subjection to Jesus Christ her Lord and Master 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 12.1 2. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable sacrifice and be not conformed to this world but bee transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Ninthly VVEE beleeve that the Church of Jesus Christ is presented glorious in the sight of God her heavenly Father through union with Jesus Christ and her interest in her royall robes of righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 And being found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Isay 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed me with he garments of Salvation hee hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrorme decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her Jewells Tenthly VVE beleeve that neither sin the Law nor Justice is any cause of her chastisement onely the free and deare love of her deere Father to the end that he might teach her the way to glory weaken the power of the flesh and make her live by faith and love before him all her dayes Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Psal 119.6 7. Then shall I not bee ashamed when I shall have respect to all thy commandements I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements 2 Cor. 12.7 And least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me least I should exalted above measure 1 Pet. 1.6 7. wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if neede be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious then of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ Eleventh WE beleeve that although her God and father is in every place and beholds all things and by consequence seeth sin as it is in the flesh not withstanding having presented her just by the act of Reconciliation through the blood of the Sonne of God Justified her through the none imputation of iniquitie and made her stand in Christ for ever through union with him hence she stands in his sight for ever without spot or wrinckle Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto him with whom we have to doe 2 Cor. 5.17 Therfore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature Old things things are past away behold all things are become new Col. 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy unblamable unreproveable in his sight Ephes 5.27 That he might present to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Twelfe VVE beleeve that though in the dayes of Adam we with Adam stood under the old Covenant yet that Covenant is wholy abolished and that now injoying the law of faith mercy peace we stand for ever under that covenant