Father our prevailing advocate making intercession for us and thee I comfortably expect to be our Judge at the last day Thou O Glorious Jesus hast Established an Everlasting Covenant of peace and sealed it with thy blood and with all my Soul I praise thee for this thine inestimable love not doubting keeping of that pardon and grace and glory which thou therein hast assured unto us if I unfeignedly accept of thy mercy and enter in this Holy Covenant O JESUS CHRIST in all sincerity of heart and with all thankful love and joy I do accept of thee my only Saviour I do most humbly submit my self to be taught by thee and will make thy Gospel my dayly study I trust in thy merits only and give my self to be governed by thy Laws and denying my self I am ready to take up thy Cross and bid open War to all thine enemies and take thy easie Yoke and light burden upon me Lord the unfeigned desire of my Soul is that thou mayest be formed in me and take full possession of me that I may henceforth live by the Faith of thee the Son of God I resolve thy will shall be my will thy life my pattern thy Law my Rule I will set my self to resist the temptations of the devil despise the vanities of the world and mortifie the carnal desires of my flesh all afflictions shall seem light to me and death it self better than life that I may obey thee and live with thee I consecrate my self unto thee to dye daily unto sin to Crucifie the flesh to rise again unto Righteousness to have my Conversation in Heaven my heart and affections with thee my only treasure My confidence is in thy merits my Prayers sent to God in thy name and intercession my practice to be conformable to thy example the longings of my Soul to be with thee for ever I will do my endeavour that my thoughts words and actions may be such as thou wilt approve of in the day of Judgment I will not envy the present happiness of the wicked nor be dis-heartned by my suffering but referr all to thy Righteous Judgment I will watch over my heart and life and daily examine my Conscience and keep it tender and good and labour that the accuser may have nothing to lay to my charge before thy Judgment Seat I do heartily accept of thee O Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son for my Sanctifier my Guide and Comforter I embrace the Holy Scriptures given by thy inspiration as the infallible truth of God I own the Ministry as thine Ordinance and every good motion of my heart as thy work To thee O Holy Spirit do I give up my self in a constant attendance on the Word and Ordinances and secret workings longing to be quickned enlightned renewed and cleansed strengthned against all temptations carried on towards perfection confirmed in the hopes of Eternal Life and sealed unto the day of Redemption I look upon my self as a member of the common body of all Christians and own thee O Blessed Jesus the only head of this thy Body the Church I acknowledge it my Eternal Interest and Duty in the Holy Communion of all Believers to Worship thee O Glorious God in the Assemblies of thy Saints I look upon all Christians and my self amongst them as men separated from the wicked world enlivened by one Spirit professing one Faith of the Holy Trinity all Covenanted together with God in one Baptism bound to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace loving God above all and each other as our selves with a fellow feeling of one another's sufferings a free Communicating to one another's necessities Temporal and Spiritual and a mutual rejoycing in one another's happiness Continuing in this Holy Society whereinto I have been graciously called by thy Word and Holy Spirit I will endeavour to solace and comfort my self in a joyful sense of the blessed priviledges thou therein affordest us Especially in the pardon of my sins by thy free mercy through the merits of Christ my Saviour and Sanctification of thy Holy Spirit tendered unto me in the Ministry of thy word and sealed in the Sacraments I should deserve a thousand Hells should I go on any longer in sin under so much mercy I resolve therefore to attend on the Ministry of reconciliation all the daies of my life and to strive against all sin for ever To this end my death shall be much in my thoughts and my life a continual preparation for it I will look upon every day as if it were my last and every day renew my Covenant So shall I be ready with joy when thou callest O Lord to bid farewel to all below and come to thee I doubt not but my body shall at the last day be raised again a glorious body no longer a burden or temptation to my Soul I will no longer wast my time in immoderate caring for it feeding adorning and pampering of that which must shortly be loathsome rottenness Stench and Worms meat which now loads and tempts my Soul to sin and hinders its Ascensions towards God but I will mortifie it and keep it low that thou mayest exalt it to glory O thy wonderful goodness who hast provided for us poor sinners a Life Everlasting who deserve not one single moment of this Life Lord grant me grace to be pure as thou art pure that I may see thee and rejoyce in thee for ever in thy Heavenly Kingdom O when shall I come and appear before God Lord it is certain that a worldly carnal heart unconverted unrenewed is not capable of taking any pleasure or delight in thee nor can it find any happiness in Heaven it self nor any relish in those Heavenly pleasures which are at thy Right-hand for evermore Cleanse me O Lord and renew me daily by thy Spirit then shall I cheerfully bid adieu to a vain world empty pleasures frail life and a 〈◊〉 self and feed only on the hopes of Eternal Life and enjoying loving praising thee my God my All for evermore This O Lord thou hast promised in thy word this thou hast assured us of and sealed unto us in the blood of thy Son This thou confirmest unto all the Sanctified Members of thy Church by thy Holy Spirit To all this I here most heartily say Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen FINIS
and the Third day rose again to Life now to dye no more and having sealed the Covenant in his Blood he left instructions with his Apostles to admit men into it by Baptism and teach them how to keep it and promised them the gift of the Holy Ghost After some dayes he in their sight went up into Heaven and is glorified at God's Right-hand in Power and Majesty And as King ruleth and protecteth his Church Reigneth in the hearts of his subjects subdueth all his Enemies and is our Advecate with the Father rendering our persons and services accepted of him and prevaising for all good blessings on us Shortly after his Ascension on the day of Pemecost Christ sent the Holy Ghost the Eternal Spirit of the Father and the Son upon the Apostles to guide them into all saving truth to enable them to Preach to every Nation in its own Language to write the Holy Scriptures and to seal and confirm the truth of them by many Miracles and wonderful works and to encourage them to a constant suffering for Christ even unto death The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the very Word of God which Holy men of God spake and writ as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and they contain all things necessary to Salvation and are the standing Sealed Rule of Faith and Life The Holy Ghost is Christ's Advocate pleading his cause with men He is our Sanctifier enlightening opening softning changing and renewing our hearts and minds to receive and grow in knowledge and grace Making the word effectual for our conviction and conversion helping us to pray and stirring us up to goodness comforting us with a sense of its operations and strengthening us to withstand temptations and hold out in a Christian course unto the end All those that are regenerated enlightened and converted by the Holy Ghost are one Holy Church whereof Christ is the only Head All that outwardly profess Christianity and have been Baptized are to be accounded Holy by a visible separation and dedication to God till they cut themselves off by Schism or are justly cast out by Excommunication Christ's Church is not limited to any Nation or People but extends to all places is propagated in all Ages and containeth all saving truth and in this sense is Vniversal or Catholick All the Sanctified Members of this Mystical Body of Christ have Fellowship with the Father and Son by one Holy Spirit with Angels in their love care and Ministries with the glorified Saints in Heaven in their love and prayers and with one another on Earth in the same Faith and Hope and Love Word and Sacraments bound to hold the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace All these have in consideration of Christ's satisfaction a full pardon of all past sins given of God and Sacramentally sealed unto them in Baptism with an assurance of final justification and Salvation upon condition of their perseverance in Repentance and Faith At death the souls of the faithful rest with God in peace and happiness and the souls of the wicked go into an endless state of misery The bodies of all men shall be raised again after death and shall be again united to their souls All men shall after the Resurrection appear before the Judgment seat of Christ where the wicked shall be condemned to Everlasting torments but the Righteous shall be finally acquitted and go into Everlasting Life and Joy happy in the constant and perfect love of God praising him delighting in him amongst all Blessed Angels and Saints to all Eternity The heads of the Christian's Duty IF any man would be saved he must first be born again of the Holy Spirit be converted and become a new creature Holy in Heart and Life otherwise he cannot enter in the Kingdom of God The grace of God hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World I must not think my self to be my own so that I may live as I list but must humbly acknowledge there is a God above me whose I am and whom I am bound to serve all the dayes of my Life I must take the true God alone for my God even the Father Son and Holy Ghost and worship him as my Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier I must by a daily diligent reading studying and meditating on his word and considering of his works labour get a true knowledge of God and not content my self in ignorance of him I must worship God in Spirit and in Truth with the heart and soul sincerely I must stedfastly believe the whole Word of God the History for my instruction the Precepts for my direction the Promises for my encouragement the threatnings to affright me from sin bewaring of all temptations to unbelief or a false Faith I must live in a patient expectation and hope of what God hath promised neither despairing of mercy if I repent nor presuming of Mercy if I repent not I must love God as the chief good with the highest love chusing him for my only portion delighting in him as my only comfort willing to part with Life it self to enjoy him and making light of all things so I may please him loving his Image as far as I see it in every man especially in Jesus Christ my Saviour It is my duty to stand in awe of God's threatnings and judgments and to be very cautious and circumspect in all my wayes watching over my thoughts words and actions fearing to offend him in any thing neither fearing nor loving any thing else so much as to venture upon the least sin I must intirely trust and confide in God both in all wants and dangers whether of Soul or Body Conscientiously using such means as he alloweth Praying devoutly unto him for his Blessing and casting all my care for the success upon him not doubting of his never failing power and goodness I must walk humbly before God thinking meanly of my self renouncing all my own worth or merits acknowledging all that I am have or hope for to be of his gift taking patiently and thankfully all his chastisements and labouring to profit by them and confessing that he doth all things wisely and well I must behave my self uprightly and sincerely as in his presence and do all I do as unto him with a pure heart avoiding all guile dissimulation and hypocrisie not indulging the least evil thought inclination or desire keeping up high and honourable thoughts of him and preserving my Conscience tender and my heart soft and easie to take the impressions of his word and spirit I must shun all gross representations of God or likening him so much as in my thoughts to any creature I am not to worship him after my own conceit or fancy but according to the rules he hath given in his word not with a formal but a spiritual worship drawing near unto him in Prayer and praise and all his
love this world and mind Earthly things most and prefer not God his grace and Heaven before all earthly joyes and pleasures If I dare not trust in Christ alone nor forsake all for him nor am willing to obey his Lawes how hard soever they seem or what cost or loss soever they put me to If my heart and life be not throughly changed but I yet must have my own will and please my own appetite and senses and cannot want my own desires or cross my own inclinations If I keep any known sin unmortified and not cast off if I do not watch against all temptations and pray heartily and frequently for grace to conquer all sin If I delight not in God's Word and in all Holy duties and esteem it not my greatest priviledge to serve him If my greatest care be not to please him and if his command prevail not more with me than all the world besides If I cannot content my self with him alone nor suffer any the greatest evil for him If I have not resolvedly given my self up to be wholly at his disposal and to be made in all things conformable to his will If the case be thus with me I am in a state of sin and death and cannot be saved till I be converted and made a new man The Christian's Confession of his Faith with a full Resignation of himself to God and binding himself in Covenant with GOD. I Believe Lord help thou my unbelief I do most freely and heartily own and with humble admiration and reverence I do adore the great and dreadful and incomprehensibly Glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth Most joyfully do I accept of thee O Father Son and Holy Ghost for my only God Thou and thou alone art the inexhaustible Fountain of all Being Life Power and Goodness I acknowledge my total dependance upon thee for my Being Life Motion Vnderstanding and all things and it will be my happiness to enjoy thy love and blessing Thou O God art an Infinite Eternal and Immortal Spirit and the God and Father of Spirits who though unseen art every where present about me and within me by thy infinite power quickning upholding and protecting me by thine Infinite Wisdom providing for me ordering and directing me and by thy goodness blessing me To thee one Glorious God in Three Persons Blessed for ever do I freely and wholly give my self cheerfully dedicating and resigning my Soul and Body with all the powers and faculties of both to be wholly disposed of by thee in the service of thee O Blessed Trinity in Vnity Eternal Life Light and Love Power Wisdom and Holiness the Author of my preservation Sanctification and Salvation Thou in a wonder of condescending love offerest thy self as a gracious Father in Jesus Christ to all Believers Thou art the Maker of me and all the World I am nothing I have nothing I can do nothing I hope for nothing but from thy power wisdom and goodness to thee alone be the honour and praise of all I will more study my self and other creatures that I may learn to know admire and love thee more I can be proud of nothing glory in nothing but in thee in whom I live and move and have my being I am not my own I and all things are thine and unto thee I freely resign my self and all my concerns to use and dispose of me and them as it pleaseth thee Whatever thou dost with me thou canst do me no wrong no creature without thee can do me any good 'T is my perfection and happiness to know and love thee and delight in thee Thee alone I chuse for my portion and thou alone shalt ever be enough for me To thee as the Almighty Ruler of the World I heartily submit my self accepting thy Divine Will for my only Law by which my thoughts words and actions are to be all governed All thy Lawes I consent to as most holy just and good and most thankfully acknowledge that nothing can be better than to rest in thy will I will study thy will diligently do it heartily cheerfully submit unto it be well contented with and joyfully praise thee in whatsoever thou doest I will readily obey thy commands patiently bear thy chastisements and wholly confide in thy blessing and protection I confess Lord that I am born a corrupt thing and have added a thousand times more to that corruption I am fallen from that knowledge power and uprightness wherein thou madest Adam and am exceeding ignorant weak and wicked averse from truth and goodness inclined mightily to falshood and evil all this I sadly feel in my self it is an heavy burden unto me Except I be born again of thy Spirit be converted by thy word made a new man and a real change wrought both in my heart and life I must remain under thy wrath and curse Everlastingly wretched Our misery lying in our fall from thee our Creator to the creature and in our desire to please our selves more than thee our God our due portion is to perish by our own wretched choice and having chosen to sin with devils 't is but just we share with devils in Everlasting torments Having wilfully broken thy Laws we cannot hope for impunity from thee the just Governour of the World except some satisfaction be made unto thy Justice O the wonder even ravishing and astonishing wonder of thy rich mercy How should I ever be able to acknowedge thy unspeakable goodness in thy compassion to sinful men Early and freely didst thou promise us a Redeemer and a Saviour and I do very feelingly own thy faithfulness and truth in performing to the full that gracious promise How do I admire and adore thy wonderful wisdom in the rare contrivance of our rescue by sending thine own Eternal and only begotten Son to tender himself unto us for a Saviour and make us new and easie termes of peace and reconciliation Lord on the bended knees of my Soul I do accept thy mercy offering thy self again unto me as a reconciled Father desiring to love honour and obey thee for ever and humbly beseeching thee to own me amongst thy adopted children I do humbly admire and joyfully imbrace thine infinite love O blessed JESUS who being the great God blessed for ever yet humbledst thy self to be cloathed in our weak and frail nature to be born of a woman made under the Law to live a mean life in a wicked world to expose thy self to the temptations of Satan to suffer all indignities from sinners to shed thy precious blood upon a cursed tree and lie in a grave and undergo the condition of the dead for us sinful wretches Lord I am fully satisfied by thy rising again to life the third day that thou hast overcome the devil and death and given satisfaction to thy Father's Justice and finished the great work of our Redemption I know thou art now triumphant in Heaven invested with all power and glory on the Right-hand of thy