whom thou hast sent And though the ungodly like not to retain God in their knowledge and are so far besides themselves as to say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Notwithstanding that he hath said to a people of no understanding that he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour while they walk in the vanity of their minds having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should shine unto them And therefore this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be discerned or reproved Yet to them who were sometimes darkness but now are light in the Lord and walk as children of the light they determine to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified Yea doubtless they count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus for whom they suffer the loss of all things and do count them but dung that they may win Christ and be found in him not having their own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that they may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death if by any means they may attain unto the resurrection of the dead not as though they had already attained either were already perfect but humbly taking God at his word that then shall they know If they follow on to know the Lord follow after if that they may apprehend that for which also they are apprehended of Christ Jesus For the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory hath given unto them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of their understanding being enlightned they know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to them who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places And though there be some that have onely the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law and Gospel and so have but a form of godliness such are they who profess that they know God yet glorifie him not as God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate or void of judgment who resist the truth Men of corrupt minds reprobate of no judgment concerning the doctrine or grace of faith Of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth because they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts they heap to themselves Teachers having itching ears and turn away their ears from hearing the truth and are turned unto fables not consenting to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness being proud knowing nothing doting fools or sick about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings and surmising perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain of honour by their doubtful disputations is godliness From such let the humble and weak in faith turn away I say though there be some who for the time ought to be Teachers yet have need that one teach them again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat For every one that useth milk is unskilful and hath no experience in the word of righteousness for he is a babe Yet for those who are truly enlightned and have both tasted of and relished the heavenly gift and the good word of God and have been made partakers of the Spirit of the Lord the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of councel and the spirit of knowledge making them of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord even those that by reason of use or habit or perfection have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil They abhor the evil and cleave to that which is good being transformed by the renewing of their minds they prove and try what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God for a good understanding have all they that do thereafter And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments Hereby know we also that we are in him and he in us For if a man keep my words saith Christ we will come unto him and make our abode with him But he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him Christ will profess to such a one Depart from me thou worker of iniquity I never knew thee But he who loves God not in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth is known of him and knoweth God and approves things that are excellent even whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report Growing also in grace abounding in love more and more and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and in all judgment or sense minding savouring favouring the things of the Spirit as they that are after the Spirit For as many as are led by the Spirit of God being spiritually minded serve him in newness of spirit mind not high things but content themselves with mean things Take not thought for their life what they shall eat or what they shall drink nor yet for the body what they shall put on knowing the life to be more worth than meat and the body than raiment and that meats are but for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them And the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body And though there are many whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose belly God filleth with his hid treasures who say Who will shew us any good trusting in uncertain riches that will be rich and therefore minding
of our love It is that to the Soul which the pulse is to the Body a Symptome of Life Gods love is our life our love to God is our great evidence that he loveth us I love them that love me This is the Souls pulse which beats continually What is Spiritual life but Spiritual love to God as God and as our chief good Can we say that Gods beloved which is Christ is our only chief beloved If I can say I am my Beloveds I may be sure that my Beloved is mine Nothing makes persons so perfectly one as perfect love which is not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth A love to the Person beloved above the Portion enjoyed a love to every one and every thing the party beloved hath a kindness for and a hatred of aversion displicency and abhorrence of that which is contrary to love and the person beloved By this also we may know that we love God and the children of God when we keep his Commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and hereby we do know that we know him believe in him and love him if we keep his Commandments he that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the truth is not in him but whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the word of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him as our love to God is a sign of his love to us so the keeping of his Commandments is an evidence of the truth of our love to him according to our Lord Jesus his Question to Peter three times Lovest thou me more than these Lovest thou me Lovest thou me Thou knowest that I love thee saith he How Feed my Lambs feed my Sheep Do you think Christ would have believed Peter or Peter believed himself touching his love if he had disobeyed this Commandment Christ saith to all If ye love me keep my Commandments and he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Now the Commandments of God are both Moral and Evangelical Moral contained in Moses his Ten Words called the Decalogue or Ten Commandments Evangelical called the Law or Doctrine of Faith concerning the Salvation of Mankind by our Lord Jesus Christ come already in the flesh to be believed by all that will be saved neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved And therefore when any one doth Oh! that every one would ask this serious question seriously What must I do to be saved the only answer to it is Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved This is his Commandment That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment There is a Law of Love as well as of Faith Love is the sum of the Law and hath the Power and force of a Law in it All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Love To God above all Love thy Neighbor as thy self If there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Love to God and our Neighbor Love worketh none ill to his Neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law As love is the Fulfilling of the Law so sin is the Transgression of the Law of God The Moral and the Evangelical Law is against sin Sin not stand in awe and sin not is one great Command from God which we must live in continual obedience unto Our great fear desire care and endeavour must run out this way that we sin not Sin is the chiefest evil as it opposeth God the chiefest good therefore we are commanded to abhor that which is evil and abstain from all appearance of evil If we will enter into life we must keep this Commandment no entering into Heaven with Sin There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye For God hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him Sin and Sinners must be turned into Hell for ever The wages of sin is death we must be saved from sin before we can be saved from Hell Let us try what Conscience we make of this Command Do we fear to sin Can we say we fear none but God and nothing but Sin he that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded Do we live in no known sin either of Heart or Life of Omission or Commission When we are overtaken with sin are we sorry for it after a godly sort until by an humble confessing and an hearty forsaking it we are reconciled to God If we be unreconciled to sin in our hearts and to a way and course of sin in our life we may be sure God and we are reconciled When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Our Eternal State may be known by our dispositions and conversations towards sin as the very bent and by-ass of our hearts and lives are for or against sin habitually and practically so will God determine our Eternal condition for Heaven or Hell In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil Whosoever abideth in Christ sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin and he cannot sin because he is born of God Yet is there a truth in this if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us if we say we have not sinned we make God a liar and his Word is not in us but he that committeth sin is of the Devil and whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother which is a Damnable sin for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death and not to love and to hate in Scripture is of the same signification Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him He that loveth not his Brother hath neither Spiritual Light Life or Love in him He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes This sin of not loving or hating a Brother is darkness that so blindeth the eyes that whosoever is guilty of it is under this Judgment he knoweth not whither he goeth I doubt not but everyone that loveth not his Brother thinks he doth love him because he loves him in Word and in Tongue and thinks he shall go to Heaven Alass What doth it profit if a brother or sister be naked or in prison and destitute of daily food and one say unto
Work and Labour of Love which God will not be unrighteous to forget shewed unto his name in Ministring unto the Saints which every one is to do and shew with the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end But whoso hath this Worlds Good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him How dwelleth the love of God in him The love of God dwelleth not in him at all for this is the Commandment that he who loveth God love his Brother also and he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen How can he love God whom he hath not seen What is the reason and cause of Wars and rumors of Wars Nation rising against Nation and Kingdom agâ—inst Kingdom Of Mens delivering up one another to be afflicted of hating betraying biting devouring and killing one another and of the abounding of Iniquity but because the love of many shall wax cold Iniquity with the effects would soon be at an end were all our heads and hearts at work in promoting this duty and grace of Charity I verily hope still to see His Majesties Kingdoms flourish and abound in this grace of graces namely Charity I have Charity for all that they will be in Charity each with other save the proud and covetous The proud which are cursed will err from Gods Commandments especiaâ—ly from things of Châ—rity while proud I have no hope of such pride is for contention and division only by pride cometh contention Charity is for peace and unity against both The covetous whom the Lord abhorreth count their gain to be Godliness an heart they have exercised with covetous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and go astray because they love the wayes of unrighteousness these are for Use upon Use to swallow up the poor alive From these Persons and Practises the Good Lord deliver the King and his Kingdoms O my Soul come not thou into their secret unto the Assembly of Men proud and covetous mine honour be not thou united But Charity is humble and the humble are Charitable Charity is not puffed up with pride or knowledge not cruel but liberal and deviseth liberal things and by liberal things it shall stand It is manifest that these two cruel evils had a great hand in our late mutual devourings and except God by his wonderful Power and Providence interpose we are still in Eminent and Imminent danger of them The fear of God is another principal part of this Kingdom of God Indeed if we take it in the comprehensive sense it is the sum of Religion but take it as a Grace and the fear of God is to hate evil and depart from it the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death it is the way of life and this way of life is above to the Wise that he may depart from Hell beneath which can never be but by first departing from sin upon Earth Unto Man God saith Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from evil is Understanding This fear of God is bred in the heart by the love of God Ye that love the Lord hate evil perfect love casteth out the fear of bondage and lets in the fear of reverence for this we have Gods Promise The Children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes they honour the King best who fear God most Nothing like goodness to beget the fear of God and due and true honor to the King Love the Brotherhod fear God honor the King are linked together The fear of God is a fear to sin out of love and reverence to the Majesty of God he who truly fears God fears nothing but sin and none but G d and for God How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God saith he who is tempted to sin while he doth good he is not afraid of the Power because he is the Minister of God for good to him but when he doth evil he is afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil otherwise he is not afraid of him that can kill the Body and after that hath no more that he can do because he fears him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell This God he fears to sin against and therefore fears not to be cast by him into Hell While it is his care to cleanse himself from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in his fear and to work out his salvation with fear and trembling This fear is Filial and Reverential a Child-like fear afraid to dishonor God If I be a Father saith God Where is my honor An earthly Father expects and deserves honor from his child so doth our heavenly Father from his children The honor of reverence in carefulness to please him and fearfulness to offend him This is the fear of the Lord which tendeth to life and he that hath it shall abide satisfied he shall not be visited with evil in this fear of the Lord is strong confidence The love and fear of God together breeds the best obedience which is the best Sacrifice the fear of God restrains from siâ— which is a transgression of the Law of God and the love of God constrains yea helps to the fulfilling of it Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandment to break it shall be rewarded shall be in peace in keeping of them there is great reward Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them but unto them that are Contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth evil buâ— gâ—ory honour and Peace to every Man that worketh good even to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honor and Immortality Eternal Life This is the Love of God thâ—t we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous This is love that we walk after his Commandments The obedience which is of and pertains unto the Kingdom of God is universal and constant Then shall I not be ashamed when I shall have respect unto all thy Commandments I have inclined mine heart to perform thy Statutes alway even unto the end The Principles of new and true obedience are Faith and Love or Faith working by Love called in Scripture the obedience of Faith neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love The love of Christ constraineth us to live not unto our selves but unto him who for us died and rose again The obedience we owe to God in this Kingdom of Grace is Active and Passive Active not doing what
God and the everlasting good of many a poor yet precious Soul so that all our contentions and mutual devourings shall end in a holy amicable contending earnestly for the Faith of the Gospel that we may stand fast in one Spirit with one mind and one mouth glorifying God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ receiving one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God than which what can be more pleasing to God honourable to our selves creditable to Religion profitable and comfortable to His Majesties Three Kingdoms If there be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth what joy will there be in Heaven over all the Sinners in these Kingdoms that repent The Lord our God in the midst of us will be mighty to save us he will rejoyce over us with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over us with singing if as Brethren being called unto liberty we use not our liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another for all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self but if we bite and devour one another let us take heed that we be not consumed one of another And it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoyced over us to do us good so the Lord will rejoyce over us to destroy us and bring us to nought which will assuredly come to pass if we bless our selves in our hearts saying We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination or stubbornness of our hearts to add Iniquity to Iniquity the Lord will not spare but his anger and jealousie shall smoke against us and all the Curses written in his Book shall lie upon us and he will blot out our names from under Heaven Cursed also is every one that doth the Work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully But I am persuaded better Things of you and Things which accompany Salvation and that we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Let us take heed lest there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin looking also diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us and thereby many be defiled for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end and also of his Kingdom of glory for the securing whereof these plain Directions are absolutely necessary to be put in practice I. That all Sins be avoided and hated especially Unbelief Pride Covetousness Carnality Lying and Hypocrisie II. That all the Duties of Holiness be rightly zealously and constantly performed both publick and private III. That all the Graces of the Holy Spirit be had and exercised They who would set themselves in earnest to seek the Kingdom of God must heartily set themselves against all sins stand in awe and sin not while you are seeking if you would find this Kingdom Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near but then it follows Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous who is a man of Iniquity his Thoughts and let him return unto the Lord who will have mercy upon him but then he must have nothing to do with Sin who will have any thing to do with God and his kingdom otherwise God will have nothing to do with him the wages of Sin is not Heaven but hell every final impenitent unbelieving Sinner is to be shut out of Heaven and shut up in Hell to all eternity Sinners you must quit your state and course and way of sin before you can enter the state of Grace or walk in the way of Life Grace and Glory are inseparable so are Sin and Hell O have nothing to do with any the least yea the very appearance of evil as near as you can except to hate abhor leave and loath it and your selves for it as ever you hope to speed in this most important duty of seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness more especially let Unbelief Pride Carnality Covetousness Lying and Hypocrisie be abandoned and abhorred as the root and source and spawn of all other abominations These are the Master evils that hinder men from being and doing good We must be negatively before we can be positively holy Wash ye make â—e clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes first cease to do evil then learn to do well c. If we would cease from evil we must take heed of the evil of Unbelief in the heart which is a sin that giveth every Truth of God the Lye Every one that believeth not goes about to make God a Lyar. The very Word of the Scripture is He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son as Faith is a coming to God by Jesus Christ so Unbelief is a departing from the living God O take heed of it as also of the sin of Pride which is a lifting and setting up our Wisdom and Will against the Wisdom Will Word Way and Work of God preferring our own Honor before Gods Glory Priâ—e was the first and worst sin that could be committed virtually and interpretatively it is all iniquity as all sinners were in one and came from one so all sins are summed up in this one namely Pride which is the Parent of all other abominations The onely sin that is so sinful This was the sin that made good Angels Devils and our first Parents and us evil like unto them yea only evil and that continually by it we have lost God our selves our knowledge of him all our righteousness and true holiness and all the happiness of Heaven it is so desperate a sin that it will not suffer any one to seek after God his Grace and Glory The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God he will be happy without God In seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness O seek first to be delivered from the pride of heart and life otherwise you may ask and not have seek and not find knock and it shall not be opened unto you Covetousness which is Adultery and Idolatry a loving and desiring after the World and the things of the World so inordinately and overcarefully as both to neglect and make light of the things of God which are above The Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth his prayer and practice is Lord Who will shew us any good his Labour is only for his mouth and therefore his laying up much Goods for many years is to take his ease eat drink and be merry he is one that layeth
up Treasure for himself not caring to be rich towards God O take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of the Things which he possesseth And let our Conversation be without Covetousness content with such Things as we have seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these Things shall be added unto us for the Lord hath said I will never leave you nor forsake you Covetousness is but for Carnality it caters for the flesh making provision for it satisfying it in the Lust thereof The carnal mind is enmity against God not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes are great Eye-sores to Religion and great Impediments to our seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness If we would be spiritually minded in seeking those Things that are above we must not be carnally minded in seeking great Things for our selves here below We can never fight the good Fight of Faith or take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence without abstaining and flying from fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul Fleshly persons who live after the Flesh in the Lust of Uncleanness can never be valiant Volunteers to fight under the Banner of Christ for the conquering of Sin Satan and the World which must first be done before the Kingdom of Heaven be taken The Flesh doth lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are so contrary the one to the other that we cannot do the Things we should while we walk in the Flesh Let us not therefore walk according to the Flesh or War after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal Let not us be carnal but spiritual putting on the whole Armor of God which will be mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and mortifying the deeds of the Body namely fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul that in all Things we may be more than Conquerors through him who loves us even our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto us and we unto the World as also the Flesh for they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections Passions and Lusts by whom also we resist and overcome the Devil for he was made Partaker of Flesh and Blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil the Works of the Flesh which are manifest to be Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Pride Covetousness Hatred Variance Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings Now they which follow such Things can neither seek or ever hope to inherit the Kingdom of God Lying is another sin which in a special manner is to be hated and avoided by us if indeed we will set our selves heartily to seek the Kingdom of God which is the uttering of an untruth with an intent and purpose to deceive a sin that transforms men into Devils They who are given to Lying are of their Father the Devil who abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it A lying Tongue is one of the seven Things the Lord hates and is an abomination to him Lying Lips are an abomination to the Lord and therefore a righteous man hateth Lying but they that deal truly are Gods delight and God is their delight they that delight in the Lord he will give them the desire of their hearts for the prayers of the upright are his delight But they who delight in Lyes who bless with their mouth but curse inwardly without Repentance are to be cursed eternally The fearful and unbelieving and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death Let none who seek this Kingdom of God be like the Devil a Lyar but like God who cannot lye Let us fear to lye to the Holy Ghost or to lye of or to lye to one another by the example of Ananias and Saphira who were struck dead with a Lye in their mouth Wherefore with David Let us hate and abhor Lying and putting away Lying speak every man Truth with his Neighbour for he only that speaketh the Truth in his heart is of the Generation of them that first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness that seek and shall see the face of the God of Jacob. Take we heed also and beware of the Leaven of Hypocrisie professing what we mean not to practise pleasing our selves with a form of knowledge and godliness denying the power of it Hypocrites they say but do not they pray but practise not believe but live not as they believe they are Covenant makers but not Covenant keepers drawing near the Lord with their Mouths and honouring him with their Lips but removing their Heart far from him with fl ttering Lips and with a double Heart do they speak to God and man there can be no faithfulness in their Mouth for their inward part is very Wickedness the Prayers and other Duties of such wicked men are an abomination to the Lord. Whatsoever is done in the great business of Salvation is to be done heartily as to the Lord and not unto men If any man speak he is to speak as the Oracles of God not as pleasing men but God which tryeth the Hearts that God in all Things may be glorified through Jesus Christ able with the Holy Apostle to call God to Witness that neâ—ther at any time useth he flattering Words for a Cloak of Pride or Covetousness nor of men seeketh he Glory but whether he eats or drinks or whatsoever else he doth the Glory of God is sure to be at the end of it his own Salvation the pleasing of all men in all Things not seeking his own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved which no worldly fleshly Hypocrites can say who receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely so desirous are they of Vain-glory For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus but their own Belly and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the hearts of the simple but themselves most and worst of all while in opposition to the Glory of God which should be their highest and chiefest end and their onely aim the honouring pleasing and enriching themselves by unlawful wayes and means is their end and business These double-minded double-tongued and double-dealing Hypocrites are far from the Kingdom of God lay aside first Hypocrisie and desire Truth in your inward parts then first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness with desirous expectation to find it Be sure none of these forementioned Evils be your
his Son in sufferings and that we also as he must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh let us arm our selves likewise with the same mind by putting off the old man and putting on the new man he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the Lusts of Men but to the Will of God let us be followers of that which is good who is he then that will harm us but and if we suffer for Righteousness sake let us not be afraid of their terror neither be troubled Let them as Christ Jesus did that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator which is to walk worthy of God who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory and if we be faithful herein unto death will not be long ere he call us into his Kingdom of Glory where we shall receive the Crown of Life but then we must walk in the Spirit and the Spirit will walk in us which he promiseth to do if we keep our selves from Idols come out from among them and be separated and touch not the unclean thing if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit we cannot walk worthy of God his Kingdom of Grace and Glory without walking in the Spirit It is the Spirit and walking in the Spirit thâ—t makes us worthy or meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light it is only through the Spirit we do mortifie the deeds of the body that we may live a life of Grace and Peace and Joy we are carnally minded by nature and the carnal mind is enmity against God not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be which is death nor can we be spiritually minded which is Life and Peace if so be that the Spirit of God dwell not in us for as the body without the Spirit is dead so the Soul without the Spirit of Christ is dead also and they who are naturally or spiritually dead cannot walk we must be quickned and sanctified by the Spirit before we can live or walk in the Spirit To walk in the Spirit is to be spiritually minded or of the mind of the Spirit for as many as are led by the Spirit or they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit now the things of the Spirit are either spiritual or eternal Grace or Glory or what relates to it which the minds of spiritual persons are taken up with such are all holy duties commanded by the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit which is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance c. which constitute the divine nature in us whereby we lead the divine life which is our walking with God in the Spirit or glorifying God in our Body and in our Spirit which are Gods walk we then in the Spirit and we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes nor walk in pride To walk worthy of God his Kingdom and Glory is to walk in wisdom toward our selves if thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self and towards them that are without and to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming our time as we have opportunity to do good unto all men especially labouring to be so wise as to win Souls for they that be wise Teachers turn many to righteousness and shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars for ever and ever the wise shall inherit Glory To walk in Wisdom is to understand what the Will of the Lord is and to do thereafter for a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments it is to understand the way wherein we ought to walk and to walk therein The Wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way which is Gods way this was Davids prayer Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain â—ath cause me to know the way wherein I should walk lead me in the way everlasting and Gods promise I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye and his performance he led his people forth by the right way that they might go to a City of habitation Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory saith David his practical resolution I have chosen the way of Truth I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart It is to behave our selves wisely in a perfect way and to walk within our house with a perfect heart To understand also the Work of God his Work of Creation Redemption Providence and Grace and to do with all our might maugre all opposition whatsoever our hand findeth to do whatsoever Gods Providence layeth before us to go through with it considering there is no Work nor Device nor Knowledge nor Wisdom in the Grave whither we are all going That we may be alwayes so doing we had need to pray mightily to God so to teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom The Works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein they are honourable and glorious he hath made his wonderful Works to be remembred known taken notice of admired and praised God hath also ordained or prepared that we should walk in good Works then walk we in Wisdom indeed when we are prepared and ready unto and zealous to maintain every good Work To walk worthy of God is to walk in Faith we walk by Faith not by sight Faith is our sight the evidence of things not seen without which it is impossible to please God To walk in Faith is to live by the Faith of the Son of God the life which we now live in the flesh It is a continual coming to God in the Name of Jesus Christ till we come to God a believing that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him It is also a daily receiving the Lord Jesus and of his fulness receiving and Grace for Grace that we should shew forth the praises or virtues of him who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory To walk worthy of God is to walk in love as Christ hath also loved us to love God and one another as Christ hath set us an example and given us a Commandment This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son and love one another as he gave us Commandment Our walking in Faith is that we might walk in Love Faith worketh by Love Faith unfeigned worketh Love without dissimulation Let us not love in word neither in tongue but
in deed and truth not a talkative love but an active vigorous faithful fruitful love is acceptable both to God and man even the love that is kind and thinketh not evil is not easily provoked like unto Christs Love which he shewed evidently in his active and passive obedience doing good to all men not being weary in well-doing especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith loving all Saints as Saints imitating Christ as in his active so in his passive obedience suffering with them and for them with all long-suffering and patience being their Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us and we ought to lay down our Lives for the Brethren we love not the Brethren if we love our Lives better than them This is Love that we walk after the Commandment of Christ they that walk worthy of God walk in the Wayes of his Commandments with and before the Lord humbly obeying from the heart that form of Doctrine which he delivered them that they may serve him thereby in newness of Spirit and in newness of Life they who would enter into Life must thus keep the Commandments for blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates of the City Is there then a Kingdom of Grace and Glory Is it purposed prepared purchased promised and reserved in Heaven for us Have we a real interest in and a true Title to this Kingdom O let the high praises of God then be in our hearts in our lips and in our lives who hath called us unto this Kingdom and Glory Let David's resolution and practice be ours I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises unto my God while I have any Being every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name his Heart and Tongue and Life were fixed and prepared for this blessed Work called therefore the sweet singer of Israel My heart is fixed and prepared O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth he prayes that he may praise O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise his whole Life and Conversation nothing else but a continual Hymn to God How fearful was he to sin O-let me not wander from thy Commandments refraining his feet from every evil Way that he might keep the Word of God hating every false Way rejoycing in the Way of his Testimonies as much as in all Riches inclining his heart to perform his Statutes alway even unto the end Was it David's Duty Delight and Work to be still praising God and is it not ours Have we not or may we not have as great reason and occasion to bless God as he every one that will may have God and Christ and Grace and Glory to praise and bless God for as his portion and happiness for ever If every one of us with David could say Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee He may also say when his flesh and his heart faileth him God is the strength of his heart and his portion for ever which is matter great enough to praise the Name of God for with a Song and magnifie him with Thanksgiving It is the silent Work of all the Works of God to praise him passively and the highest duty of Saints to bless him actively All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee David calls upon the whole Creation to pay this homage of praise to God as their duty and Gods due Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens praise him all Angels all Men Kings of the earth and all People Princes and all Judges of the earth both young Men and Maidens old Men and Children Sun Moon and Stars Earth Sea let them praise the Name of the Lord for his Name alone is excellent his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven his glorious Name is exalted above all blessing and praise O the Treasures of Excellencies that are in God in every one of his unsearchable Names his Word and his wonderful Works his Works of Creation Redemption Providence c. which are external of Election Predestination Justification Adoption Regeneration Sanctification Consolation which are internal and the everlasting Kingdom of Glory matter for eternal praises Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable so are all his other Attributes God is especially to be praised in his Sanctuary every one there is to speak the praises of the glorious honour of his Majesty and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom Glorious things are spoken of God in his Kingdom of Grace and more glorious things here unutterable are spoken in the Kingdom of Glory Behold now is the accepted time to prepare and tune our hearts tongues and lives in the Kingdom of Grace for this Duty and Work of praise in the Kingdom of Glory what is it to glorifie God but to praise him whoso offereth praise and ordereth his Conversation aright glorifieth him It is meerly for want of the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ and him Crucified and our unacquaintedness with the glorious excellencies of this Kingdom of God which is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory and our interest in it that we speak no more of the glory of this Kingdom and glorifie God no more by speaking to our selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs making melody in our hearts unto the Lord giving Thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Were all in these Kingdoms Eye-Witnesses of the Majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ and Ear-Witnesses as Peter and others were of his receiving from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased I say Were these things ever before our eyes and ever sounding in our ears there would certainly be more seeking and praying and praising God for this Kingdom of God which contains all the glory we can possibly want or wish than now there is Have we not a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto we should all of us do well that we take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts Do we not say that the whole Word of God is true Is there any that professedly deny a future state of glory Why do we not all bless God for it till we bless God in it Let every