The Kingdom of God Opened, Text (2 of 4)

The Kingdom of God Opened · Text (2 of 4)

p. 50Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance, and Repentance Joy; they that ſow in Tears ſhall reap in Joy; he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs come again with rejoycing: the ſeeds of Grace, with the ſhowers of Grace, and the Influences of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, bring forth a crop of Joy; they who walk in the fear of the Lord will live in the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt; Joy, or Rejoycing is a Duty, a Grace, a Bleſſing Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal: Rejoyce in the Lord evermore, and again rejoyce; rejoyce not that the Spirits are ſubject to you, but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven: p. 51they who are Juſtified by Faith, and have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus, by whom they have acceſs into the Grace wherein they ſtand, rejoyce in hope of the glory of God. The Lord is to be ſerved with Joyfulneſs, and with gladneſs of heart, for the abundance of all things. The Light of Gods countenance upon the Godly puts gladneſs in their hearts, more than in theirs whoſe Corn and Wine encreaſeth; everlaſting joy ſhall be upon the heads, and in the hearts of the ranſomed of the Lord, they ſhall obtain joy and gladneſs, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away: this Joy of the Lord is their ſtrength, it is ſtrength to their outward man; it is not only ſtrength to, but the very ſtrength of the inward man. A ſound heart is the life of the fleſh; What is it that makes the heart ſound, and conſequently the body, but grace and joy exerciſed effectually? David, a man after God's own heart, whoſe heart was ſound in Gods ſtatutes, How often do we find him rejoycing in God, in his Word, delighting in the Godly, and in their Communion? Thou art the God of my ſtrength, ſaith he; How! O ſend out thy light and thy truth, let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill, and to thy Tabernacles, then will I go unto God my exceeding joy, the gladneſs of my joy: The God of his exceeding joy was the God of his ſtrength; they cannot want joy that make God their joy, the God of hope, the God they hope and truſt in; the God they hope to ſee face to face will fill them with all joy and peace, in believing, that they may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghoſt: By this ſpirit in the inner man, the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt will grant unto them, according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthened with might, with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and p. 52long-ſufferings, with joyfulneſs, that they can do, and ſuffer all things through Chriſt which ſtrengthens them; they know both how to be abaſed, and how to abound every where, in all things inſtructed, both to be full and to be hungry; both to abound, and to ſuffer need; to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, for the name and power of Godlineſs; for, all that will live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer perſecution: but they rejoyce, in as much as they are made partakers of Chriſts ſufferings; that, when his glory ſhall be revealed, they may be glad alſo with exceeding Joy. The great fight of Afflictions, partly whilſt they are made a gazing-ſtock, both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly whilſt they become Companions of them that were ſo uſed; and the ſpoiling of their Goods they take joyfully, knowing in themſelves, that they have in Heaven a better, and an induring ſubſtance: What is Joy, but the Exultation, Dilatation, and Enlargement of a holy heart, running the wayes of Gods Commandments with delight, power, patience, and perſeverance, working therein a fervent willingneſs to be, and readineſs to do and ſuffer any thing whereby God may be glorified; a rejoycing in the way of Gods Teſtimonies as much as in all riches; the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, the riches of Grace, and the riches of Glory, are the matter of this Joy; the beholding, by faith, as in a Glaſs, this glory of God, our relation to him and his dear Son; and thereby our intereſt ingrace, and right and title to glory, are means both to beget, encreaſe, and perfect this joy, which is the ſtrength of the heart: What is the ground of our hope and confidence, when our fleſh and our heart fails us, but God our exceeding Joy, who is the ſtrength of our hearts, becauſe he is our portion for ever? All true believers muſt enter into the Joy of their Lord, wh…ch is ſo great and glorious, that it cannot p. 53enter into them: Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit here, but will reveale them in us hereafter: Which made S. Paul to reckon, that the ſufferings of this preſent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed in us. And therefore, though now for a ſeaſon, if need be, the people of God are in heavineſs, through manifold temptations, yet they greatly rejoyce, and Joy in the God of their Salvation. This is their time to weep, lament, and be ſorrowful, while the men of the World rejoyce, but their ſorrow ſhall be turned into Joy, and Worldings Joy into weeping and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth for ever. The weeping of the godly may endure for a night, but Joy cometh in the morning; for a ſhort night of ſorrow, they ſhall have an everlaſting day of Joy: as a Woman when ſhe is in travel hath ſorrow, becauſe her hour is come; but, as ſoon as ſhe is delivered of the Child, ſhe remembreth no more the anguiſh, for Joy that a Man is born into the World: In like manner, thoſe little children, of whom the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt travel in birth with until Chriſt be formed in them, What is their hope or Joy, or Crown of Rejoycing, but their New-born Babes, through their Miniſtery, come unto a perfect Man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature, or age, of the fulneſs of Chriſt; theſe are their glory, and joy, in the preſence of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, at his coming, when they ſhall be preſented faultleſs before the preſence of his glory with exceeding Joy; for, when Christ who is their life ſhall appear, then ſh…ll they alſo appear with him in glory: and though in theſe laſt dayes there are Scoffers, walking after their own luſts, ſaying, Where is the promiſe of Chriſts coming? yet ſuch as are born p. 54from above, believe and wait for the promiſe of his coming; becauſe he hath ſaid, I will ſee you again, and your heart ſhall rejoyce, and your joy no man taketh from you. The end of all things, ſpoken by Chriſt in his Word, is, that his joy might remain in them, and that their joy may be full. The end of their fellowſhip, and communion with Chriſt, and one another, is, that their Joy may be full even here upon Earth. Whatſoever you ſhall ask the Father, ſaith he, in my name, he will give it you: hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name, ask, and ye ſhall receive, that your Joy may be full: That eternal life, namely Jeſus Chriſt, which was with the Father, and was manifeſted from the beginning, which the Primitive Chriſtians heard and ſaw with their eyes, which they looked upon, and their hands handled; for, this Life was manifeſted, and they declared it, that they might have fellowſhip one with another; and truly their fellowſhip was with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, came into the World, and lived in it, to the end their Joy might be full: If there be ſuch a fulneſs of Joy in the Kingdom of grace, What a fullneſs of Joy will there be in the Kingdom of glory? But, the triumphing of the Wicked is ſhort, and the Joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment; at the longeſt, his hopes and his joyes at death will give up their Ghoſt together; while the righteous have hope in their death, that will not leave them aſhamed; and the upright ſhall dwell in the preſence of God, where they ſhall ſhout aloud for joy; he ſhall guide them with his eye, and counſel unto death, and afterwards receive them to glory, and ſo ſhall they ever be with the Lord, in whoſe preſence there is fullneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore; unto p. 55which happy ſtate and place the good Lord bring the King and his Kingdoms, Amen.

The Kingdom of God, as it is a Kingdom of grace, ſo alſo a Kingdom of glory: A glorious Kingdom is the Kingdom of God, infinitely tranſcending all the glory of all the Kingdoms of this World. The tongues of Angels, and the tongues of Men cannot ſufficiently expreſs, or their underſtandings conceive the glory of this Kingdom of glory: Since the beginning of the World, Men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath eye ſeen, O God, beſides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. O how great is that goodneſs which he hath laid up for them that fear him, which he hath wrought for them that truſt in him before the Sons of Men! O could we ſee and hear, and taſte, as the Queen of Sheba did Solomon's, the Wiſdom of God, the Houſe, namely the third heaven, he hath built; the Meat of his Table, and the ſitting of his Servants, and the attendance of his Miniſters, and their Apparel, their Words, Works, and Wages, their Acclamations and ſhoutings with Joy, there would be no more ſpirit in us than was in her. The one half of the greatneſs of his Wiſdom, and of the greatneſs of this goodneſs cannot be told us; it infinitely exceedeth all the fame of report; happy are thoſe Men, happy are thoſe Servants, which ſtand continually before this God, to hear, and ſee, and enjoy this his Wiſdom and Goodneſs; happy are the People, in the account of the World, that enjoy the honors, and pleaſures, and riches of this World; but, in reality, happy are they who have God for their God. If St. Paul, who was caught up into P…radiſe heard unſpeakable words, which was not lawful or poſſible for a Man to utter; Who am I that darkneth this Kingdom of Glory by words? without knowledge who is able to comprehend p. 56the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of it, which paſſeth knowledge. This Kingdom is made up all of glory, the three glorious perſons; namely, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, are the glory in it, and of it; there dwells the God of glory, the Lord of glory, the Spirit of glory. This Kingdom of glory is not Gods glory, God is the glory of this kingdom of glory. There is one glory of the Sun, and another glory of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; theſe derive their glory from the Sun; there is one glory of the Sun of righteouſneſs, another glory of the Angels, another glory of the Saints, theſe alſo receive their glory from the glorious Sun of Righteouſneſs; there are Angels of glory, Saints, Veſſels of glory, Thrones of glory, Crowns of glory; no perſons, no manner of things, to render this Kingdom of God inglorious: God hath no pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with him; the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in his ſight, he hateth all workers of iniquity: There ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatſoever worketh abomination, or maketh a Lie; Sin, Satan, and Sinners muſt never more come there: this Kingdom will have a happy riddance of them. The everlaſting preſence of one only God is the heaven of heavens, and the glory of this Kingdom of glory. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men, and he will dwell with th…m, and they ſhall be his People and God himſelf ſhall be with them, and be their God; and God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death; neither ſorrow, neither crying, nei…her ſhall be any more pain, no more curſe; there will be nothing of Hell in Heaven, no more then there will be of Heaven in Hell: But the Throne of God, and of the Lamb ſhall be in this Kingdom; there will be no need of Sun, Moon, or p. 57Candle, for the Glory of God will Lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light of it: Truly the Light is ſweet, and a pleaſant thing it is for the eye to behold the Sun in the firmament: but, with inviſible eyes, to ſee the inviſible Sun of Righteouſneſs in the firmament of glory; Oh how ſweet and pleſaant will that be. God is Light, and in him is no darkneſs at all: this Light ſhineth in darkneſs, but the darkneſs comprehendeth it not. The bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who only hath Immortality, dwelleth in the Light, which no Man can approach unto, whom no Man hath ſeen, nor can ſee, becauſe he covereth himſelf with Light, as with a Garment; for now we ſee through a Glaſs darkly, or in a Riddle: God, his Word, his Works of Nature, Grace, and Glory; every thing we ſee, hear, taſte, touch, ſmell, hath an inexplicable, and unutterable myſtery in it; now we know but in part, but in the kingdom of glory we ſhall know, as we are known. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; it doth not yet appear to us what God is: Who can tell what God is? but, we know, that when God-man ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; for, we ſhall ſee him as he is, not in a Glaſs darkly; but then face to face, which will be our bleſſedneſs: Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God; we walk by Faith, and not by Sight here; but in Heaven we walk by ſight, and not by faith; perfectly to ſee God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, in heavenly glory, and to underſtand the Myſteries of Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity; and, that great Myſtery of Godlineſs, without Controverſy, God manifeſted in the Fleſh, Juſtified in the Spirit, ſeen of Angels, believed on in the World, received up into Glory, Preached unto, and among the Gentiles, even the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt; to make all men ſee, what is the p. 58fellowſhip of the Myſtery, which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God, to the intent that now, unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places, might be known, by the Church, the manifold wiſdom of God, which the Angels deſire to look into, to behold with underſtanding at once, all the ſecrets of nature, grace, and glory, according to our capacities, and to live for ever in the perfect viſion and knowledge of them all, will be our life eternal. This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. If to ſee the Face of Relations, and Friends, eſpecially Saints, be ſo deſirous; but we Brethren, ſ…ith St. Paul, being taken from you for a ſhort time, in preſence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to ſee your face with great deſire; With what deſire ſhould every one of us deſire to behold the Face of God in righteouſneſs? that we may be ſatisfied with his likeneſs, and the faces of an innumerable company of Angels, and the faces of the general Aſſembly, and Church of the Firſt born, with the beauties and comlineſs of God, and perfect Godlineſs put upon them; to ſee alſo a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth nothing but righteous perſons, and righteouſneſs; to ſee the great City, the holy Hieruſalem, having the Glory of God; and her Light like unto a Stone, moſt precious, even like a Jaſper Stone, clear as Cryſtal, and a Wall great and high, and Twelve Gates, and at the Gates Twelve Angels, and Names written thereon, which are the Names of the Twelve Tribes of the Children of Iſrael; on the Eaſt three Gates, on the North three Gates, on the South three Gates, and on the Weſt three Gates; and the Wall of the City twelve Foundations, and in them the Names of the Twelve Apoſtles of the Lamb. And the City lyeth four ſquare, and the length, and the breadth, and the p. 59height of it are equal. The Wall thereof an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the meaſure of a Man, that is of the Angel; and the building of the Wall of it of Jaſper, and the City pure Gold, like unto clear glaſs; and the Foundation of the Walls of the City garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones; the firſt foundation Jaſper, the ſecond Saphire, the third Chalcedony, the fourth Emerauld, the fifth Sardonyx, the ſixth Sardius, the ſeventh Chryſolite, the eighth Beryl, the ninth a Topaz, the tenth a Chryſopraſus, the eleventh a Jacint, the twelfth an Amethyſt; and the twelve Gates twelve Pearls; every ſeveral Gate of one Pearl; and the Street of the City pure Gold, as it were tranſparent glaſs; where there is no Temple: for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it: and the City hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to ſhine in it: for the Glory of God doth Lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof. And the Gates of it ſhall not be ſhut at all by day, for there ſhall be no night there: a pure River of water of Life, clear as Chryſtal therein, proceedeth out of the Throne of God, and of the Lamb: In the midſt of the Street of it, and on either ſide of the River was there the Tree of Life, bearing Twelve manner of fruits every Month, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God, which Jeſus Chriſt will give to him that overcometh to eat of, that he may live for ever. Who is he that hath had from the Father of Lights the leaſt ſaving glimpſe of this glory, that ſaith not, it is good to be here? Who hath had alſo the very leaſt true ſight of the vanity, inſufficiency, brevity, and certain uncertainty of all under the Sun, that ſaith not. Behold! all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit: my eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor my ear with hearing, nor my taſt with eating and drinking, or ſmell with ſmelling, nor the hand with p. 60touching, and handling; Vanity of vanities all is vanity, ſaith Solomon the Preacher. A ſight of the glory of all the Kingdoms of the World, which the Devil gave Chriſt an opportunity to behold, is but a glorious vanity, compared with that Majeſty of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and that excellent glory which the Apoſtles were eye-witneſſes of; for, they beheld his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, the glory of his people Iſrael: were the Majeſty, Beauty, Comlineſs, and Lovelineſs of all the reaſonable Creatures that ever were, is, or ſhall be, contracted and compriſed in one Man; How Lovely would that perſon be to ſee to? but Chriſt, God-man, is altogether lovely: How great is his goodneſs! and, How great is his beauty, who is the beauty of Zion, the perfection of beauty? No wonder that he is the deſire of all Nations, and that all true Saints have one thing to deſire of the Lord, namely, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and that their Soul deſires him in the night, and with their ſpirit within them do ſeek him early: Even new-born Babes, ſincerely deſire the Word Chriſt, and the word of Chriſt, that they may grow thereby; having taſted that the Lord is gracious, at his gracious Invitation. O taſt and ſee that the Lord is good; not as ſtill-born dead hypocrites, who have onelyonly taſted, in a way of profeſſion, the good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come, and ſo fall away, Crucifying to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, by not Crucifying their Luſts, and being Crucified to the World, and thereby put him to an open ſhame; but, by a lively Faith and Hope, they have ſeen and viewed their Beloved from head to foot; and can, by experience, ſay, My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt among Ten thouſand, his head is as the moſt fine Gold, his Locks are buſhy and black as a Raven; p. 61his eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the Rivers of waters, waſhed with Milk and fitly ſet; his cheeks are as a Bed of Spices, as ſweet Flowers; his lips like Lilies, dropping ſweet ſmelling Myrrh; his hands are as Gold Rings ſet with the Beryl; his Belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires; his Legs are as pillars of Marble, ſet upon ſockets of fine Gold; his Countenance is as Lebanon; excellent as the Cedars; his mouth is moſt ſweet, having kiſſed them with the kiſſes of his mouth, and they, at his command, kiſſed him, leaſt he ſhould be angry; yea, he is in the eſteem of the pooreſt New-born Babe altogether lovely. The believing Beloved Spouſe is alſo Lovely to Chriſt; Behold thou art fair, my Love, behold thou art fair, thou haſt Doves eyes within thy locks, and thou art all fair, my Love, there is no ſpot in thee; thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my Siſter, my Spouſe, ſaith Chriſt, thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. If the borrowed created beauty of a true Believer, a Spouſe yet imperfect, be ſo really raviſhing to Chriſt; How raviſhing will the beauty of the Creator of ſuch beauty be to the glorified ſpectators of it in the State of Glory, which Chriſt deſires on the behalf of all Believers; Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am: that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me. The beholding of this glory is our glory, if Joy unſpeakable and full of glory is to be had in a way of believing and loving of an unſeen God, and Chriſt and glory; Oh what unſpeakable unconceivable Joys will the perfect everlaſting Viſion of theſe afford to the glorified! This is that they are Watching, Working, and Waiting and Hoping, or Looking for that bleſſed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, when he ſhall come to be glorified p. 62in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe; for, when Chriſt, who is their Life, ſhall appear, then ſhall they alſo appear with him in glory. Chriſt and his Church long to ſee each other, not in a Glaſs darkly, looking at one another at the Windows, ſhewing himſelf through the Latteſs, but face to face. The Spirit and the Bride ſay come; Chriſt ſaith, ſurely I come quickly, Amen; even ſo, come Lord Jeſus, ſaith all them that love his appearing. This perfect beatifical Viſion of God, in Heavenly Glory, will breed unutterable ſweet fruition in the neareſt Union, Communion, and Communication, between God and the Godly, as there is an Union in grace between Chriſt and every true Chriſtian, by Faith, through the ſpirit, which is inſeparable: So there is an Union in glory, or a glorious Union between the glorious Trinity and all the glorified, beyond all apprehenſion and expreſſion now; and the glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; not one in Eſſence with God, in Chriſt, but one by reſemblance, or ſimilitude; an oneneſs there will be betwixt God and all the Godly glorified, infinitely ſurpaſſing all other unions here below: The Myſtery of Husband and Wife, one Fleſh; of King and Subject, one Kingdom; Soul and Body, one Perſon; Root and Branches, one Tree; Foundation, Corner-ſtone, and Building, one Houſe; are very great and Myſterious; but this of Grace and Glory much greater, and far more unconceivable: thoſe are as ſhadows, and ſo paſs away; this ſubſtantial and eternal: for Brethren to dwell (even) together in the unity of the Spirit; in the unity of that Faith, which worketh by Love in the bond of Peace. Behold how good and how pleaſant it is, beyond all expreſſion, apprehenſion, and approbation! p. 63But, for the General Aſſembly, and Church of the Firſt-born, which are written in Heaven, and the Spirits of Juſt Men made perfect, to dwell even together in unity, with Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, through all Eternity, in that glory which God the Father gave unto Chriſt, and Chriſt hath given unto them, that they may be one, even as the Father and his Son Jeſus are one; I in them, ſaith Chriſt, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one: How good, and how pleaſant a ſight will this be to behold? here, and onelyonly here, will the Natural and Intellectual eye be ſatisfied, with ſeeing the hearts of all knit together in Love; and unto all Riches of the full aſſurance of Underſtanding; to the acknowledgment of the Myſtery of God, and of the Father, and of Chriſt; and, that Myſtery of Godlineſs, which, without controverſie is ſo great; God manifeſted in the Fleſh, becoming one with us in Nature, that we might become one with him in Grace and Glory; for, by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body, for the body is one, and hath many Members, and all the Members of that one Body, being many, are one Body; ſo alſo is Chriſt, for we are Members of his Body, of his Fleſh, and of his Bones; as Head and Members make up but one Body, ſo the Son of God, who is alſo the Son of Man; and the Sons of God, which are as head and members, make up one Myſtical Chriſt: a Myſtery great, beyond the capacity of Angels to conceive; which things they deſire to prye, or look into, and is the ſubject of their continual and juſt admiration: The full Viſion and Fruition whereof will adminiſter alſo to every glorified Saint matter of the higheſt Adoration, and everlaſting Conſolation. Were this one Promiſe, of one heart and one way in the fear and worſhip of God accompliſhed in the midſt of us, that we might be his People, and he p. 64our God, to rejoyce over us, to do us all the good he hath promiſed us; What greater, or better thing could we deſire on this ſide Heaven? why, in the Kingdom of God there will be one heart, and one way, and one work for ever: There will be no need of beſeeching Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jeſus, to ſpeak the ſame thing; that there be no diviſions among them; that they be perfectly joyned together, in the ſame Mind, and in the ſame Judgment. God, and all the Godly will there be ſo well known to each other, through the Light of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, that there will not be the leaſt ſhadow of diviſion, or fear of any ſeparation. This happy, perfect, and perpetual Union, is the foundation of that Communion and Fellowſhip between God, Angels, and Juſt Men made perfect, which is unſpeakable and full of glory. What Fellowſhip there is between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, is a Secret to us, if not to Angels, and Secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but, a mutual glorifying each other there was, is, and will be, from everlaſting to everlaſting: and, how far the glorified Saints and Servants of the Lord ſhall be made happy in the Enjoyment and Knowledge hereof in heavenly Glory, is ſo much above the reach of our meditation, that it ought to be p…ſſed over with ſilent Adoration: but, verily, and …ruly, our Fellowſhip will be with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, through the Spirit, and with all the bleſſed Angels, in ſuch a manner and meaſure, as no Tongue can utter, or Mind conceive. For Saints to draw nigh to God, and for God to draw nigh to them in Mercy even here, How good is it? It is good for me to draw near to God. Draw me, we will run after thee, is the Language and Prayer of every one that is Godly: but, when by drawing near to God, we are come to God, and are not p. 65only nigh him, but with him; How comfortable will that Communion be? It will be a Communion in the higheſt honors, the ſweeteſt pleaſures, and the trueſt riches: Them that honor me, ſaith the Lord, I will honor. It will be our heavenly happineſs to receive honor from God, and to give honor to God; this honor have all his Saints. Honor is ſuch an excellency, that is naturally deſired of every one; ſinners and unbelievers, who ſeek not the honor that cometh from God only, which is the only true honor, rather than live without it, will receive honor one of another, though thereby they are hindred from the honor of believing in God, and in his Son Jeſus Chriſt; which is, to give all hon r to him to whom honor belongs, and to receive all honor from him, who is the only Author of every good and perfect gift. The making Man a little while inferior to, or lower than the Angels, and crowning him with glory and honor in a ſtate of innocency, made David fall into admiration; Lord, What is Man, that thou art mindful, or takeſt knowledge of him; or the Son of Man, that thou viſiteſt, or makeſt account of him? What admiration will it occaſion to the glorified, to be made like to, or equal with the Angels in Heaven; and then, and there, to wear Crowns of Glory, Honour, Righteouſneſs, and Life, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, ſhall give unto all them that are faithful unto death, and love and long for his appearing? When Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, then ſhall we alſo appear with him in glory; not only like unto Angels, but unto Jeſus Chriſt the Lord of glory. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; but, we know, that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, in our bodies. We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who will change our vile Bodies, that they may be faſhioned like unto his p. 66glorious Body, which is uncorruptible and immortal: This corruptible muſt put on incorruption, and this mortal muſt put on immortality. Our Bodies were fearfully and wonderfully made in ſecret, and curiouſly wrought in the loweſt parts of the Earth. The works of God are all wonderful, ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein: This curious Piece of Mans Body is ſo full of wonderful myſterious works, in every part and member thereof, that all the Anatomiſts in the World could never find out, or deſcribe perfectly its excellency. It is quite beyond the reach of the underſtandings of all Souls, to comprehend the height, length, depth, and breadth of thoſe excellencies that are contained in the Body of Man: Indeed, ſin hath depraved it, and deprived it of much of its glory; yet remains there that majeſty upon it, that commands reverence from all other capable creatures. There are Bodies Terreſtrial and Celeſtial, each of which have their glory, the one before, the other after the Reſurrection: But, ſome Men will ſay, How are the Dead raiſed up? and, With what Body do they come? God giveth it a Body as it pleaſeth him: It is ſown a Natural Body, it is raiſed a Spiritual Body; it is ſown in weakneſs, it is raiſed in power; it is ſown in diſhonor, it is raiſed in glory, a glorious Body; Like unto the Body of Chriſt, perfectly free from all ſin; from Natural and Moral infirmities: no more pains or ſickneſs for ever. Perfect and perpetual health and holineſs will diffuſe it ſelf into every member. The united underſtandings of Men, from the beginning to the end of the World, cannot conceive, nor tongues expreſs or ſet forth, the Glory wh…rewith the Body of the meaneſt Saint and Servant of the Lord ſhall be clothed in the Kingdom of God and Glory; the Body hath many Members, and thoſe Members of the Body p. 67which we think to be leſs honorable, upon theſe we beſtow, or put on, more abundant honor, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comlineſs, for our comely parts have no need; but God hath tempered the Body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked; ſo that when one member is honored, all the members rejoyce with it: If ſuch abundant honor, and more abundant comelineſs be put upon the Body in the ſtate of imperfection and corruption; What honor, and comelineſs, will God beſtow upon the Body in the ſtate of glorious perfection, when this corruptible muſt put on uncorruption, and this mortal muſt put on immortality, then will the head wear a Crown of an eternal weight of Glory; The eyes will be fully ſatisfied with ſeeing their glorious Redeemer face to face, and the faces of the general Aſſembly of the firſt-born, and the ſtately Buildings made without hands, the place of their everlaſting abode, with the honors, pleaſures, and riches of its furniture, which from the beginning of the World no eye hath ſeen, O God, beſides thee, what is prepared; The Tongue, Mans glory, will be everlaſtingly employed in warbling forth the glory of God, and the glory with God, in the higheſt Praiſes, in Singing the Song of Moſes and the Lamb: glorious things are ſpoken of thee, and in thee, O City of God. The glorious Words which will proceed out of the mouth of Chriſt will be the Wonder and Joy of Angels and Saints: It will be the Work and Wages of the Glorified to be ſpeaking to themſelves in Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Singing and making Melody in their hearts unto the Lord. What melody will it be to the Ear to be ever hearing this new Song, ſung in perfect harmony, with Ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and Thouſands of thouſands, ſaying with a loud voice, Thou p. 68art worthy, who waſt ſl…in, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and N…i…n, and haſt made us unto our God Kings and Prieſts; worthy is the Lamb that was ſl…in, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wiſdom, and Strength, and Honor, and Glory, and Bleſſing; Bleſſing, and Honor, and Power, be unto him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. But, Why do I ſpeak of what is unſpeakable, and undertake to write of that which is ſo unconceivable? He that was caught up into Paradiſe, which is the third Heaven, heard unſpeakable words, which it is not poſſible or lawful for a Man to utter; and, if it were poſſible for them to be uttered, it would be impoſſible for them to be underſtood: The Ear will have its perfect hearing there. Doth not the Ear try words, ſaith Job? no need of trying words in Heaven, where every one is a perfect Man, not offending in a Word. It is natural to all, to natural Men eſpecially, to ſpend their time in nothing elſe but either to tell or hear ſome new thing: as natural, ſo ſpiritual perſons have their delectation, the one in hearing what Men ſay, the other in hearing what God ſays.

I will hear what God the Lord will ſpeak, for he will ſpeak peace to his People, and to the Saints, even that peace which paſſeth all underſtanding. Faith, and all other Graces and Comforts, comes by hearing the Word of God Preached and Read; the benefit of hearing here in this life, under the means of Grace, is an unvaluable bleſſing. What glory then will it be to hear of nothing but glory? every one there will be very attentive to hear what God the Lord will ſpeak, who hath the words of eternal life. If all bare Chriſt witneſs, and wondred at the gracious words which proceed out of his Mouth, when on Earth, in his eſtate of p. 69humiliation, much more will all in Heaven bear witneſs, and admire, and adore the glorious words which will proceed out of his mouth, in his ſtate of Exaltation; his mouth is moſt ſweet, his words are altogether lovely: here, here only will the Ear be ſatisfied with hearing. Let me hear thy voice, ſaith Chriſt to the Church his Spouſe, for ſweet is thy voice. If the ſanctified voice of his Church, in Prayers and Praiſes, be ſo ſweet to Chriſt now; How ſweet will her glorified voice be to him in his glory? and, How ſweet will Chriſts voice be then and there to his triumphant Church? his voice will be ſweeter than all theirs. In Heaven there only is the hearing ear, and the perſons and things worthy to be heard: What Inſtruments of Muſick there will be, and Muſicians to time and tune, and ſound them, to delight and raviſh the ſenſe of hearing, God only knows. The voice of Harpers harping with their Harps have there been heard. Muſick upon Rivers of Water make the ſweeteſt and moſt ſolemn ſound: At Gods right hand there are Rivers of pleaſures, where there will be ſuch Muſick, as will raviſh the ears and hearts of Angels and Saints for ever. What ſpiritual Meat and Drink there will be in Heaven, to delight and pleaſe the ſpiritual taſte or palate, who can tell? Sure I am, there will be feeding and feaſting in Heaven. Our Lord Jeſus will be the true Bread as truly in Heaven without Ordinances, as on Earth in his Ordinances; and ſo will his precious Blood be drink really and ſpiritually alſo: but, the manner of eating and drinking there is ſuch a Myſtery, as cannot now be known, and may not be ſpoken to. If every Saint can ſay, How ſweet are thy words unto my taſte; yea, ſweeter than Honey to my mouth? If the word of Chriſt be ſo ſweet to a Chriſtian ſanctified; How ſweet will the word Chriſt be to ſuch an one p. 70when glorified? How ſweet are the fruits of holineſs and righteouſneſs to a true believer, who ſits under Chriſt the Tree of Life with great delight? How ſweet, I ſay, is his fruit to his taſte in the way of an Ordnance? but, to him that overcometh, Chriſt will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God; which, whoſoever eats of, ſhall live for ever. To taſte that the Lord is gracious here, is good; to taſte that the Lord is glorious will be beſt. The glory of the Body is but the Body of Glory, for our vile Bodies to be changed, that they may be faſhioned like unto Chriſts glorious Body; What a high expreſſion of glory is this? When Chriſt was Transfigured in the Mount, his face did ſhine as the Sun; and when he revealed himſelf to St. John the Divine from the excellent Glory, his Body was clothed with a Garment down to the foot, and his Paps girt about with a Golden Girdle, his head and his hairs were white like Wool, as white as Snow; and his Eyes were as flames of Fire, and his Feet like unto fine Braſs, as if they burned in a Furnace, and his voice as the ſound of many Waters; and his Countenance was as the Sun ſhineth in his ſtrength: ſo ſhall the Righteous ſhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father; but, the glory wherewith the Soul will be filled will be much more glorious, by how much the Soul excels the Body: The glory of …he Soul, will be the Soul of Glory; and the Glory of Chriſt put upon the Body and Soul, the Glory of them both. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; …ut, when he ſhall appear, we ſhall …e like him, as in our Bodies, ſo alſo in our Souls. We have, for ſubſtance, the ſame Souls with Chriſt▪ …he ſame faculties and qualities; as underſtanding, will, memory, conſcience, and affections, with their executive powers; which are ſo precious, p. 71that one Soul in Chriſts account and eſteem, is more worth than one World. What is a Man profited, if he ſhall gain the whole World, and loſe his own Soul? or, What ſhall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? It is too good to be exchanged; none beſides the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of Souls knows the worth of them: They are invaluable; our Souls are like unto Chriſts in divine glorious qualifications, having the perfect Ideas or Image of God imprinted upon them; conſiſting in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs.

Chriſt, as God, is the brightneſs of his Fathers Glory, and the expreſs Image of his Perſon; and, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, in his incommunicable excellencies; but, as Man participates only of the Communicable properties of God, in this different from mere Man, that being God-man in one Perſon for ever. God giveth not the Spirit, the Gifs and Graces thereof by meaſure unto him; but unto others the meaſure of the ſtature or Age of the fullneſs of Chriſt, who is the head of the Body, the Church: who is the Beginning, the Firſt-born from the Dead, that in or among all things he might have the preeminence; for, it pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fullneſs dwell, the fullneſs of the Godhead bodily; to the end we might be compleat in him, and of his fulneſs, not only receive Grace for Grace, but, with open face, beholding, without a Glaſs, the Glory of the Lord, we might be changed into the ſame Image, from Glory to Glory; Even as by the Spirit of the Lord, now we ſee through a Glaſs darkly, in Heaven face to face; now we know in part, there we ſhall know even as we are known. This is Life Eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jeſus Christ whom he hath ſent; we ſhall know p. 72him perfectly and perpetually; perfectly, not infinitely; his Underſtanding is infinite, his Eſſence incomprehenſible: we, at our beſt eſtate, but finite, and therefore unable to comprehend ſo Infinite and Immenſe a being; and, whether we ſhall have the h…ppineſs of knowing his Eſſence or Being, not only of ſeeing him, but of ſeeing into him, and knowing what he is, as well as tha… he is; ſince it is ſo great a queſtion with Divines, and ſo much diſputed, and a greater myſtery, I ſhall not dare to pry into it, but perſonally we ſhall know God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; we ſhall know him to be our God. Every one in Heaven will be able to ſay Infallibly, My God, and my Lord for ever: which is infinitely more, than to ſay, Heaven, Angels, and Saints are mine, with all their Glory. Every glorified Saint ſhall have the honor, pleaſure, and treaſure, of having and enjoying one God for his everlaſting Portion. In the enjoyment of God and Heaven, all ho…ors, pleaſures and riches are only enjoyed: What honor God will put upon the glorified Saints in Heaven, he only knows; but, honor them he hath ſaid he will; and, with Titles, ſo many, great, ſignificant and noble, as will give them the fulleſt ſatisfaction. How empty, unſatisfying and fading, are all the Titles of honor which the Great ones of the World glory in, in compariſon of thoſe, wherewith Saints are dignifyed even in this World?

For the Sons of men to be called the Sons of God, is a Title of honor, that is to be expreſſed no other way; but, with a Behold what m…nner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God. All the Titles of honor in the World together cannot make a Man ſo honorable as this one, of being Servant to Jeſus Chriſt. To be an Emperor of the whole World, to be King of all the p. 73Kingdoms of the World, are Titles incomparably inferior to this. Every Title given to Saints in Scripture, hath ſo much honor, pleaſure, and profit in it unto them, as can never fully be ſet forth on this ſide heaven. They are made Kings and Prieſts unto God their Father, they are Prophets, they are ſtiled, The Children of

God,

The Reſurrection,

The Kingdom,

The Marriage Chamber.

The Beloved of God, the dearly Beloved of his Soul, and the Brethren of Chriſt; with many more ſo full of excel…ency, as the heart of Man cannot conceive. It is made a Character of a Citizen of Zion, That he honoureth them that fear the Lord. It will be the duty, work, and wages of Heaven, for Angels and Saints to give the higheſt honors to each other; It will be far from every one there to take away one anothers good Name, which is ſo precious a thing. Next to the admiring, adoring, loving, reverencing, praiſing, honoring, and glorifying the Name of God, they will have each others Name in great veneration; they will have a Name given them, even an everlaſting Name, better than of Sons and Daughters, which cannot be taken away. He that hath a Name above every Name that is named, not only in this World, but alſo in that which is to come, and gives them high and honorable Names, will preſerve them ſo through all Eternity: If they are notwithſtanding bleſſed, when Men ſhall hate them, and ſeparate them from their company, and reproach, and caſt out their Name as evil; If they then are to rejoyce, and leap for Joy, for p. 74behold their reward is great in Heaven; How happy will they be, when they ſhall never hate, or be hated more, nor ever be ſeparated from the Company and Communion of ſo bleſſed a Society as is in Heaven; nor reproach, or be reproached; nor their Names caſt out as evil; nor ever be guilty of reflecting the leaſt diſhonor upon one another. There will be nothing here to obſtruct the fulleſt enjoyment of the fulleſt delight, their delight will be in the Lord, and he will be ever giving them the deſires of their hearts; they ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of his Houſe, and he will make them drink of the Rivers of his pleaſures; For, with God, is the fountain of Life: In his light ſhall they ſee light. The pleaſure of beholding this Light, of handling the word of Life, and of living in the Love of God, will yield everlaſting Conſolation to the glorified. Light and Life, and Love, are things ſo glorious, that the Eſſence of God is declared by them. God is Light, and in him is no darkneſs at all. The Son of God, even his Son Jeſus Chriſt, is the true God, and eternal Life. God is Love, and he that dwe…leth in Love dwelleth in God, and God in him. He that Loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is Love. For Saints to be clothed with Light, as with a Garment, and to live in and with that Light, to which the Sun being compared, is darkneſs; How pleaſant and pleaſing will it be, both to the bodily and intellectual eye: Never will any eye be ſatisfied with ſeeing, till God who is Light be ſeen. The pure in heart are bleſſed in ſeeing God; the everlaſting loſs of the Beatifical Viſion, and fruition of God, will be the Hell of the ungodly. The pain of ſenſe will eaſilier be born than the pain of loſs. The Viſion of God is the Heaven of the Godly. O it is a bleſſed ſight to ſee God, and to be ſeen of him; If a glympſe here p. 75of his glorious Majeſty be ſo joyous; How glorious will a full and fixed ſight of him be in Heavenly Glory? May I be blind to all the glory in this World, ſo I may live in a believing foreſight, and lively hope of beholding that inacceſſible Light, which is too glorious for Angels to behold, without covering their faces. This Light is Life it ſelf, the original of life to all, whether of Nature, Grace, or Glory: God, in Scripture, is ſaid to be the true and Living God, in oppoſition to falſe and dead Idols: Life is his being, he is becauſe he Lives; and, our Life is hid with Chriſt in God, even that of Nature, of Grace, and of Glory; in him we Live, and Move, and have our Being: Life in it ſelf is a happineſs. O how precious a thing is Life! Skin for skin, and all that a Man hath will he give for his Life. The Life of a Fly hath been thought to be more worth than the World; The Life of a Man, doubtleſs, is more worth, than many Worlds which are without Life: but, it is the Life of Grace which makes the Life of Man his comfort; and the Life of ſin to be a Living Death to him: But, the Life of Glory, which is ever to be glorifying and enjoying God, is the glory of Life. To live with Life it ſelf, and for Life it ſelf to live in us; How infinitely ſatisfying will it be to them who are glorified? That we ſhall be ever with this Lord of Life and Glory, is the moſt comfortable word in all the Scriptures: If any Man ſerve me, ſaith Chriſt, where I am there ſhall alſo my ſervant be. Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me. The preſence of Chriſt makes Heaven. It is our Life eternal to live with him who is Life eternal; and, to live to him; for none of us in Heaven liveth to himſelf; we live there wholly unto the Lord. His Glory there is as truly our end, p. 76as it is here, he will give to every one glory enough; but he will not give his glory to another: None muſt glorifie himſ…lf there; God All-ſufficient will glorifie every one ſufficiently. I will glorifie the Houſe of my glory, ſaith the Lord. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give Glory, will be the Heavenly Ditty and Duty. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever▪ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created. The main end of our Election, or Predeſtination, Redemption, Juſtification, Adoption, Regeneration, Sanctification, Preſervation, and Glorification, is to glorifie God in our Bodies, and in our Spirits which are Gods: Our vile Bodies are faſhioned like unto Chriſts glorious Body; ſo are our Souls transformed, renewed, ſanctified, and cleanſed with the waſhing of Water, by the Word, that they might be preſented to God himſelf, glorious, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing; but that they ſhould be holy, and without blame before him in love, to the Praiſe of the glory of his Grace. God is Love as well as Life; the Life which he lives, is a life alſo of Love: What lovely living will it be in Heaven to live with love it ſelf? To love, and be beloved by God, who is Love, will be the Saints everlaſting happineſs: God will for ever be in love with all the Glorified Angels and Saints; and they again will for ever be in love with him I Love them that Love me, ſaith God; not only God Eſſentially, but God Perſonally is Love: The Father is love, the Son is love, the Holy Ghoſt is love. The knowledge we ſhall have of the Trinity loving each other, with the love of Unity in an infinite manner, and meaſure, will very much contribute to our heavenly happineſs. If the Union, Communion, and p. 77Communication of Love, between Husband and Wife, be ſo great a Myſtery; How much greater a Myſtery is that, which is between Chriſt and the Church? But, O how myſterious a ſecret are the Tranſactions of mutu…l love between Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity! If God ſo loved the World, in this was manifeſted …he Love of God, becauſe he ſent his only begotten Son i…to the World, that we might live through him: herein is love, that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the propitiation for our ſins. I ſay, if God ſo loved the World, What manner of Love hath he beſtowed upon his only begotten Son? The Father loveth the Son, and the Son loveth the Father, and the Holy Spirit loveth both the Father and the Son; and the Holy Ghoſt is loved of the Father and the Son; and in their mutual loving and glorifying each other, as they were happy infinitely from Everlaſting, ſo they would have been to everlaſting, though all perſons and things had never been created. Gods eſſential glory is neither capable of addition, or diminution, by reaſon of its infinite perfection. God is not the happier for Angels, or Men; he needs neither their love or ſervice; but there is no being happy for any Creature, ſave in the full enjoyment of God, and his loving favour through all Eternity: his loving kindneſs is life eternal. We love him, becauſe he firſt loved us; he loved us from all Eternity; So God loved the World, and by ſo doing, hath engaged himſelf to love us to eternity; whom he loves, he loves to the end: That which makes his love altogether lovely, is, That he ſet his love upon us, becauſe he loved us; no Merit or Motive in us why he ſhould love us: there were Motives and Merits indeed why he ſhould not love us; when, by wilful ſin, we had caſt away the Mercies of our Creation, he might have caſt us off, and caſt us out p. 78to the loathing of our perſons; In the day we were born, and lay polluted in our blood, then he looked upon us, and behold this time was the time of love; he then ſaid unto us, when we were in our Blood, Live. His Love was our Life. If God loved us ſo, when we were ſinful, What manner of Love will he beſtow upon us when ſinleſs? Our ſin Original and Actual incapacitates us to receive the Mercies, and enjoy the Love, the Lord would willingly vouchſafe us: But, in Heaven, we ſhall be able, and perfectly capable, and God infinitely willing to load us with all his Benefits; God will never be weary of giving out his Loves, nor we unwilling or weary in a Joyful and Thankful receiving of them, and returning the ſame to our beſt Beloved. It will be love of the neareſt union, the higheſt, and holieſt Communion, and the freeſt and fulleſt Communication. The glory which the Father gave unto Chriſt, he hath given to Chriſtians, that they may be one in glory, even as the Father and the Son are one, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. A Myſtery that cannot be ſeen otherwiſe than by the light of glory. From this moſt intimate union, there doth ariſe ſuch a Communion between Father, Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, and the Triumphant Chriſtian Church, as will yield infinite and uninterrupted ſatisfaction; much of this Communion will be a mutual Commendation: Behold thou art fair, my Beloved, behold thou art fair; behold thou art fair my Love, yea pleaſant! thou art all fair▪ my Love, there is no ſpot in thee, ſaith Christ of his Church Militant. When Chriſt preſents to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing; but that it ſhould be holy, and without blemiſh: there will be no want of expreſſions, for commendation of her; nor will the Triumphant Church want triumphing matter, p. 79and words to ſet forth the Praiſes of her, altogether Lovely, and dearly Beloved Head and Husband; when he comes to be glorified in his Saints, he will be admired in and by all them that believe: then will the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be glorified in us, and we in him, according to the Grace of our God, and the Lord Jeſus; he will rejoyce over us with Joy; he will reſt in his Love; he will joy over us with ſinging when his Glory ſhall be revealed, that we may be glad alſo with exceeding Joy. When Solomon was anointed King, the People rejoyced with great Joy, ſo that the Earth rent with the ſound of them: When Saints are Anointed Kings, by the King of Kings, What ſhouting for Joy then will there be in Heaven? There is Joy in the preſence of the Angels of God, over one ſinner that repenteth. When all Sinners, by Repentance, have commenced Saints in Glory; then, not only the Angels of God, but the God of Angels will rejoyce over them with Joy unconceivable and full of Glory: Then will God ſupply all their needs according to his riches in Glory, by Jeſus Chriſt; the riches of the glory of the Myſteries of Chriſt, which now are unſearchable, will then be laid open: The Lord ſhall open unto his Heavenly Family his good Treaſure, where every one ſhall have full and free liberty to take his everlaſting portion of glory; not for himſelf only, but for the Community: the glorified have a partnerſhip in each others happineſs. Every one in Heaven hath a full view of, a ſhare in, and a right unto, the glory of every bleſſed Angel and Saint, which greatly adds to their glory, therefore it is ſuch a weight of glory. In the Primitive Church they had all things common, neither was there any among them that lacked … the Church Triumphant, where there is perfect Charity, all things will be for ever p. 80common, becauſe they are of one heart, and one Soul. In this covetous World it is far otherwiſe; every one ſtands much upon his own glory: The Wiſe Man doth glory in his Wiſdom; the Mighty Man doth glory in his Might; the Rich Man doth glory in his Riches; but glorifieth not God with them in b…ing rich in good Works; making others poor to make himſelf rich: contr…ry to the Example and Pr…iſe of our L rd Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was Rich, yet for our ſakes he became poor, that we through his Poverty might be Rich, with the Riches of his Grace, and the Riches of the glory of his Inheritance; being heirs of that Kingdom, which G d the …ather, in his everlaſting Decree purpoſed to them: We have obtained an Inheritance, according to his good pleaſure, which he hath purpoſed in himſelf, being Predeſtinated, according to the purpoſe of him who worketh all things after the Counſel of his own Will; and not only purpoſed, but prepared for them from the Foundation of the World: In my Fathers houſe, ſaith Chriſt, are many Manſions; I go to prepare a place for you, which eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared; what God hath prepared Chriſt hath purchaſed: Our Inheritance is the purchaſed poſſeſſion. We loſt not only our ſelves, but all our right to the Kingdom of Glory. All have ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God. By the grace of Redemption our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath recovered this forfeited Glory. That Kingdom and Glory which Chriſt hath purchaſed, God hath promiſed to the Poor in this World, whom God hath choſen, rich in Faith, and heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promiſed to them that love him; and, becauſe he is faithful that promiſed, this Kingdom is preſerved, which is an Inheritance Incorruptible p. 81and Undefiled, and that ſadeth not away; reſerved in Heaven for them who are the called according to his purpoſe; even the purpoſe of God according to Election; not of Works, but of him that calleth; for, as there is a Kingdom purpoſed, ſo are there perſons that are purpoſed to this Kingdom, and prepared to it; that he might make known the riches of his glory on the veſſels of Mercy, which he hath afore prepared unto Glory, even a pecu iar or purchaſed People; the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own Blood: for we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, but with the precious Blood of Chriſt; that we might be the heirs of the Promiſe of the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him; who are kept by the power of God, through Faith, unto Salvation: for, as there is an Inheritance in Heaven, reſerved for all that are called according to purpoſe, prepared, purchaſed, and Children of the Promiſe; and, if Children, then Heirs, and Joynt-heirs with Chriſt in his Kingdom of Glory; ſo theſe are kept, by him that is able, from falling, and preſented faultleſs before the preſence of his Glory, with exceeding Joy: Theſe are the perſons unto whom it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God, and to enjoy the Mercies, Graces, Comforts, and the glorious Priviledges thereof, both for time and eternity. Thus have I, through the gracious aſſiſtance of Gods Holy Spirit, in ſome meaſure opened the Myſteries and Treaſures of the Kingdom of God; which, as it is a Kingdom of Grace, ſo alſo a Kingdom of Glory; having finiſhed the Doctrinal part, the Application followeth.

1. For Information of the Neceſſity, Excellency, and Utility of the Chriſtian Religion. There is an p. 82abſolute and infinite neceſſity, that every one ſhould profeſs and practiſe the true Religion in the Doctrine and Duties of it, which are according unto Godlineſs, for the attainment of Grace and Glory; which, in conjunction with the Glory of God, is the one thing neceſſary. Such a thing there is, as Pure Religion and undefiled, whereby we bind our ſelves in a Solemn Covenant, to be what God would have us to be; and, to do, what God would have us to do, upon which our endleſs ſtate depends: and therefore to be really Religious, which is a living to God, is no indifferent thing; becauſe the inviſible things of eternity, which Religion is concerned …bout, are the greateſt realities, and of the greateſt moment to every Immortal Soul, which is capable of being unſpeakably happy or miſerable, in Heaven or Hell through all Eternity. God and Chriſt, and Grace, and Glory muſt be had, there is no living or dying in Peace without them. Behold, now is the accepted time, to accept them, and to be accepted! Behold, now is the day of Salvation! which if it be neglected, an eternal night of Damnation followeth.

There is alſo an excellency in Religion, which appears, in being converſant about matters of ſuch tranſcendent worth and weight; as namely, the glorifying of God in wayes of Grace and Glory: upon this account therefore it is, the Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbor. Religion is for Godlineſs which is profitable to all perſons, and things; having promiſe of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come. Happy is the Man that in the way of Religion getteth Godlineſs, for the Merchandiſe of it is better, than the Merchandiſe of Silver, and the Gain thereof than fine Gold; ſhe is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canſt deſire are not to be compared unto p. 83her; Length of dayes is in her Right hand, and in her Left hand Riches and Honor; her wayes are wayes of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths are peace.

2. This Doctrine of the Kingdom of Grace and Glory ſpeaks doleful and dreadful Tidings to the wicked and ungodly. The unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. No Whoremonger, nor Unclean Perſon, nor Covetous Man, who is an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Chriſt and of God. Let no Man therefore deceive himſelf with vain words, for becauſe of theſe things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Diſobedience; the loſs of this Kingdom will be more intollerable to the Wicked, than the enduring of the eternal torments of Hell, becauſe the loſs is infinite; God is loſt, and the Eternal weight of Glory is loſt. The pains of Hell are after a ſort finite, though infinite in duration; and between finite miſery, and infinite glory, there is an infinite inequality.

3. If there be a Kingdom of Grace and Glory, Are not they then beſides themſelves, that think and ſay, That a holy diligence, and ſtrictneſs in Religion, and the Duties thereof, in order to its attainment, is more ado then needs; that practically ſay, It is vain to ſerve God: and, What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance? and, Behold! What a wearineſs, &c. When the Son of Man ſhall come in his Glory, and all the holy Angels with him, and ſhall ſit upon the Throne of his Glory, and ſhall gather before him all Nations, and ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the …oats, and ſhall ſet the Sheep on his Right hand, but the Goats in the Left; when the King ſhall ſay unto them on his p. 84Right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World: When he ſhall ſay alſo unto them on his Left hand, Depart from me ye Curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels: When the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power; when he ſhall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe; when Chriſt ſhall reckon with his Servants about the improvement of their time and talents, for we muſt all appear before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad; and ſhall ſay, Well done thou good and faithful ſervant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord: and when he ſhall ſay to him that received one Talent and hid it in the earth; Take the Talent from him, and caſt ye that wicked, ſlothful and unprofitable Servant into outer darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth: then will the holy diligence of the Saints and Servants of the Lord be juſtified; and the minds of them that judged diligent Godlineſs to be more ado than needed, will be otherwiſe minded, and wiſh, too late, they had been wiſe and faithful; that by their Lord, at his coming, they might have been found ſo doing, as thoſe that were faithful unto death, and receive the Crown of Life.

4. That there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory, ſpeaks the dignity and happineſs of the Saints; Let p. 85their condition in this World, as to the things of the World, be never ſo bad; be they poor and perſecuted, having nothing, they poſſeſs all things; things Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal are their right; all things are yours, ſaith the Apoſtle: Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours; and, the reaſon is, becauſe Chriſt is yours: he that hath Chriſt, hath all things. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; How ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things. They who have a true intereſt in God and Chriſt, and Grace and Glory, cannot want for real Treaſures, Honors and Pleaſures, either in this, or the better World.

5. That there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory, ſpeaks alſo the great love of God, wherewith he hath loved us, and the exceeding riches of his Grace; That God of his free Mercy towards us in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhould take any of us out of the ſtate of Nature, Sin, and Miſery, to reinſtate us into his Grace and Favour; That from the preſence of his Grace he might tranſlate us into the preſence and Kingdom of his Glory: What manner of love hath God the Father beſtowed upon us? God ſo loved the World, that he ſent his only begotten Son into i…, that whoſoever believes in him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting Life; this is love paſſing knowledge.

2. The ſecond Uſe is for trial and examination of our ſelves, as to our right and title to glory. The laſt Article in our Chriſtian belief, is the Life everlaſting, which every one will ſay he believes, That there is a Kingdom of Glory, is without controverſie. The great Queſtion is, To whom this Kingdom of Glory belongs? I have before proved by Scripture, That there is a purpoſed, prepared, purchaſed, promiſed, p. 86and preſerved Kingdom of Glory; and that there are certain perſons in Gods everlaſting decree, purpoſed, prepared, purchaſed, promiſed and preſerved to be the heirs of this Kingdom for ever: But, all the difficulty is, how every one may arrive to a comfortable aſſurance of his Intereſt in, and right and title to ſo glorious a Kingdom, as God and his Chriſt, in infinite Wiſdom, and Mercy, from all Eternity hath purpoſed, prepared, purchaſed, promiſed and preſerved; and that he is one purpoſed, prepared, purchaſed, promiſed, and reſerved unto this Heavenly Kingdom: This may be known by thoſe and only thoſe, that give all diligence to know it; ſuch are they that with purpoſe of heart cleave unto the Lord: the things they purpoſe, they purpoſe not according to the Fleſh; that with them there ſhould be, yea, yea; and, my, nay▪ thou haſt fully known, ſaith St. Paul, my purpoſe; If we can know the purpoſes of our hearts, if the purpoſes of our hearts be only to the gl…ry of God, and glory with God, for the way and means conducive to this end, …s truly as to the end it ſel…; then we may ſurely know, tha… …his Kingdom is purpoſed for us, and we purpoſed to it. Are the purpoſes of your hearts ſet within you againſt ſin, all ſin, the wayes, the occaſions, the temptations to ſin; againſt Satan, and the World, the honors, the riches, and the pleaſures thereof, as they ſtand in oppoſiti…n unto, and competition with God, Chriſt, Grace, Glory, and your immortal Souls? Are you fully purpoſed for God-Glorifying, and God-Enjoying, in time and for eternity? This is one great evidence, that you ſh…ll be glorified with him, and enjoy him in this purpoſed Kingdom of glory, if you hold on, and hold out unto the end. The Kingdom prepared is theirs, who are ſerious and ſincere, in preparing themſelves p. 87for it; Indeed, the preparations of the heart in Man are from the Lord, but the Lord gives to every Man a heart to make Conſcience to prepare himſelf in the uſe of all good means, for that eternal weight of Glory, which God hath prepared for him a Veſſel of Mercy, according to the riches of his Glory, which he had afore prepared unto glory; for, we are his Workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good Works, which God hath before ordained or prepared, that we ſhould walk in them: The whole Church of God is prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband; a Veſſel unto honor, ſanctified and meet for the Maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work. Miniſters are Gods Inſtruments herein, to turn the diſobedient to the Wiſdom of the Juſt; to make ready a People prepared for the Lord; for which end, their feet are ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpel of Peace. How beautiful are the feet of them that Preach the Goſpel of Peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? Under Chriſt, God hath truſted every one with the care of his own Soul, and given him a Talent to employ and improve for its Sanctification, and Salvation: for, this is the will of God, even our Sanctification, who will have all Men ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of the Truth; and, it is his Will, that every one ſhould be a faithful and wiſe Steward, to give his Soul its portion of meat in due ſeaſon; and that …ervant which knew his Lords will, and prepared not himſelf, neither did according to his will, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes; and he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of ſtripes, ſhall be beaten with few ſtripes: for, if the Word ſpoken by Angels was ſtedfaſt▪ and every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience received a juſt recompence of reward; How can any think to eſcape who neglect ſo great Salvation? Search p. 88therefore, and try what preparations are you making for Death, Judgment and Eternity in good earneſt; the Kingdom prepared, and the People prepared for it, are preparing with all their might for an enterance to be miniſtred unto them abundantly, into the everlaſting Kingdom of their Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt: and, it is for certain, that this Kingdom is prepared, that every one ſhould prepare till they be prepared for it. And, we may further know our Title to this Kingdom, if we are willing to go, if I may ſo ſay, to the price of it; though it be purchaſed for us, and we purchaſed to it; for, we are bought with a price. The Kingdom, and the Subjects of it, were bought at no lower a rate than the precious Blood of Jeſus Chriſt: yet in a way of duty though not of merit, muſt we make account to lay down a certain price, before we can actually poſſeſs this Kingdom; It coſt Chriſt dear of his Father for our ſakes; he laid down his life for it: but, conſidering the worth and the weight of this glory, we may have it at a cheap rate. Something Chriſt expects we ſhould part with; and ſomething we are to do and ſuffer, before he give us the Kingdom: We are to buy the Truth; but, not to ſell it. We muſt come to the knowledge of the Truth before we can be ſaved; and, before we can come to the ſ… ving knowledge of the Truth, it will coſt us the daily diligent uſe of all the means of grace as long as we live. Grace and Glory differ only in degree: It is Chriſts Counſel, to buy of him Gold, which is Grace, that we may be rich; white Raiment, that we may be clothed; Eye-ſalve, that we may See: He that hath no Money, may, and muſt buy Grace and Glory without Money, and without Price, or go wi…hout them. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Treaſure hid in a Field; the which, when a Man hath found, he hideth; p. 89and, for Joy thereof, goeth and ſelleth all that he hath, and buyeth that Field. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-Man, ſeeking goodly Pearls; who, when he had found one Pearl of great price, he went and ſold all that he had, and bought it: a ſure ſign he valued it above all he had. Chriſt is the Pearl of great price, grace and glory is the Kingdom. This Pearl of great price is to be bought without price: a thankful acceptance of it is all that is required, to the enjoying of it. He that hath, by ſelling all he hath, bought this Pearl of great price, hath the whole Kingdom of grace and glory into the bargain; he that hath the Son, hath life, Spiritual and Eternal. Try we therefore our ſelves, how willing and ready we are, to part with our all; all our ſins, our beloved luſts, our right eye, our right hand, our right foot, all our honors, pleaſures and riches, yea, and our lives, if they ſtand in our way to Chriſt and Heaven. If we be truly willing to be any thing, to do any thing, to ſuffer any thing, according to the will of God, bleſſed is that Servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, ſhall find ſo doing.

The Kingdom of …od is a promiſed Kingdom, and the heirs of it are the children of Promiſe, and children that are under a Solemn Covenant and Promiſe to walk worthy of God, who hath called them unto his kingdom and glory; which accordingly they are deſirous, laborious, and careful to do, being greatly engaged thereunto; for this is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, even Eternal Life, which is our …ope; In hope of Eternal Life, which God, that cannot lie, hath promiſed, and he is faithful that promiſed; and all the children of the Promiſe judge him faithful, who hath promiſed; and therefore they hold themſelves obliged to be faithful, in all their promiſes unto God, p. 90and Man: And, as God is true, their word toward him, and each other, is not yea and nay; but, in Chriſt Jeſus yea: and, the Motive is, For all the Promiſes of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God: becauſe Gods Promiſes are yea and Amen, ours therefore ought to be ſo. The Character of a Citizen of Zion is one that ſpeaketh the truth in his heart; that Sweareth to his own heart and changeth not. Let us ſearch our hearts, and try our wayes, as to our Promiſes, relating to our own ſelves, whether there be truth and faithfulneſs in them all: We are to be Covenant-keepers, as well as Covenant-makers; whether our Covenant-promiſe refer to God, our ſelves, or others: He that is not true to himſelf, can never be faithful to God or Man; and is not careful to perform all his promiſes faithfully to the Lord, will certainly prove untrue to himſelf and others: It is a ſin of preſumption for any, to hope that God will fulfil his Promiſes to him, while he m…kes no Conſcience of making, and keeping Promiſe with God and Man. Gods Mercy is in the way of our Duty. Oh let us ſeriouſly enquire into our Conſciences, Converſe, and Converſations, whether we be habitually punctual, as to our Promiſes; Are they indeed like unto Gods Yea and Amen? then have we good hope, through grace, that all Gods Promiſes, Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal, will, in Gods good time, be made ours; wherein are treaſured up the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt.

This kingdom of God is preſerved to them that are kept for it, by the Power of God, from every evil work, and he will preſerve them unto his Heavenly kingdom; ſuch are they, and they only, that keep themſelves in the love of God, looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto Eternal Life: The Mercy and Grace of God lays hold on them; and they, p. 91by the help thereof, lay hold on Eternal Life: Do we uſe all Gods holy Means faithfully, to lay hold on Eternal Life? when this Life is ended, Eternal Life will lay hold on us: But, the greateſt Evidence of our right to glory, is Chriſt dwelling in us; Chriſt in you, ſaith St. Paul, the hope of glory: Know you not, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, except ye be Reprobates, or unapproved? and our dwelling in him, no ſurer ſign of our dwelling with Chriſt in glory, than his dwelling in us, and our dwelling in him through grace. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an underſtanding, that we may know him that is true; and, we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jeſus Chriſt: But, How may we know this? Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his Spirit; now, if any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his: and, if Chriſt be not ours, his Kingdom c…nnot be ours.

The Spirit of Promiſe wherewith we are ſealed, is the earneſt of our inheritance; the Spirit ſealing, is the making perſons of ungodly, godly; and ſetting them apart for God and Glory: the earneſt is part of the ſum, to give aſſurance of the whole. How ſhall we know, that if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; but by the earneſt of the Spirit, which God hath given to us, and which hath wrought us for the ſelf ſame thing, according to his Mercy, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, which he ſheds abundantly upon the heirs of glory, through Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour: there is no entering into Heaven, but by Regeneration; we muſt be new Creatures, or loſt Creatures for ever. Only thoſe that are born p. 92from above by God, are to live above with God: Jeſus ſaith, Verily, verily, except a Man be born from above, he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God: Verily, verily, except a Man be born of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And, we may be ſure, that Chriſt dwells in us, and we in him; that we have his Spirit in us, and are Regenerated, If we are in the Faith, and are ſound and ſincere believers, and ſuch as love and obey the Lord. Examine your ſelves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your ſelves. Know you not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you? …n whom? in you that are in the Faith, th…t Chriſt m…y dwe…l in your hearts: By Faith the Spirit is received; by th… hearing of faith, the doctrine of F…ith, mixed with Faith in them that hear it, who are born again, not of corruptible ſeed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God; for of his own will beg…t he us, by the word of truth, working the truth of …aith in us; and, whoſoever believeth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is born of God; and every one that loveth is born of God; that loveth him that begat, and loveth him alſo that is begotten of him; and every one that doth righteouſneſs is born of him. If we can prove our Regeneration, we may certainly infer our Eternal Salvation. All the graces of the holy Spirit conſtitute the Divine Nature, which is conveyed by the Holy Ghoſt in the way of Regeneration or the New-birth; now Regeneration, or the New-birth, is a very great ſecret, and can be known no other way by us, but by the ſeveral graces of the Spirit, and their operations upon the whole Man, and influences into the Converſation, to diſcourſe at large of every grace: And, how we may know we have them in truth, I leave to a better opportunity; at preſent theſe three, namely, Faith, Love, and New Obedience; may ſuffice p. 93to be ſpoken to for the evidencing of our Regeneration and Salvation; as ſoon as we begin to Believe, we begin to Live. Faith is the firſt Life of Grace; it knits and unites us to Chriſt who is our life: It is out of his fulneſs that we receive by Faith, and grace for grace. It is that grace by which we behold, with open face, as in a Glaſs, the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the ſame Image, from glory unto glory, even as by the ſpirit of the Lord. They that believe on the Name of the Son of God, may know that they have Eternal Life, becauſe that they believe on the Name of the Son of God; Now he that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witneſs in himſelf, the witneſs of God; for this is the witneſs of God, that he that believeth on the Son hath everlaſting Life; and he that believeth not the Son ſhall not ſee Life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, becauſe he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son; and this is the Record, That God hath given to us Eternal Life, and this Life is in his Son; and he that hath, believeth or receiveth Chriſt, hath life; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life: ſo that our Eternal Life depends upon our faith or faithfulneſs in believing; that is, in the truth of our aſſent to the truth of the whole Word of God, only upon the authority of Gods ſpeaking it; eſpecially in believing or aſſenting to this faithful ſaying, which is worthy of all acceptation, That Chriſt Jeſus came into the World to ſave ſinners; and, conſenting unfeignedly to have him for our Lord and Saviour; truſting only upon the Merit of his death upon the Croſs; his Reſurrection and Interceſſion for our acceptance with God; our Juſtification an Glorification; committing our ſelves, and all our concernments wholly to his guidance and government; cal ing all our care and burdens upon him, as iudging him to be p. 94able and faithful, to carry us through all the duties, dangers, and difficulties of this life, unto life eternal; all which is the nature and work of Faith; which, whoſoever hath, and liveth by it, ſhall never periſh, but have everlaſting life: This is the …aith that worketh love, and worketh by love, even to believe the love that God hath to us, who is love. God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son; In this was manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe that God ſent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him, herein is love. This love breeds love; Beloved, if God ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another; much more ought we to love God; and indeed, if we do ſoundly believe this love of God towards us, which paſſeth knowledge, we ſhall anſwer this love with love again; In loving God above all, even with all the heart, with all the Soul, and with all the ſtrength, and with all the mind; for he that loveth Father, or Mother, more than God, is not worthy of him; and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than God, is not worthy of him; and then love we him indeed, when we love whom he loves, and what he loves, and hate what he hates.

Now God the Father loveth his only begotten Son, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and he that loveth him, loveth God, and is loved of him: And Oh, What infinite reaſon have we to love both God and Chriſt, when they have ſo loved us? God the Father, in ſending his Son into the World to bleſs us; and Chriſt, in coming into it, that he might give himſelf for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie us unto himſelf, a peculiar People, ze…l…us of good works: Therefore, if any Man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema, Maranatha. As God loves his only Son by p. 95Eternal generation, ſo he loveth his Adopted Sons by Spiritual Regeneration; and they again love him: I love them, ſaith God, that love me; herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us; we love him, becauſe he firſt loved us: his love is the ground and cauſe of our love to him, and to one another. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God; he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love: In this was manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe that God ſent his only begotten Son into the World. Herein is love, beloved, if God ſo loved us, we ought to love one another with a love of Union, Complacency and Benevolence, being of one Mind, Will, Way, about one Work: God-glorifying, Delighting in each others Perſons, Communion, and Communication; Like David, the Saints were all his delight: as we have opportunity, doing good to all, but eſpecially to the Houſhold of Faith; for to do good and Communicate, is a Sacrifice God is well pleaſed with; but, whoſo hath this Worlds good, and ſeeth his Brother hath 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, nor doth he dwell in God; for he that dwelleth in God, dwelleth in love, and he that dwelleth not in God, ſhall never dwell with him: But he who loves God and Chriſt truly, loves all Saints, as God loves them, with a ſpecial love; and, as God loves all Saints, ſo he loves them alwayes, even to the end: ſo do all true lovers of God, and his Saints; as they love them all, ſo they love them alwayes; even to the end. If we thus love the Brethren, we may know that we are paſſed from death unto life. Our love muſt extend to enemies, even the worſt of our p. 96enemies; though we cannot love them with a love of Union and Complacency, we muſt love them with a love of Benevolence, becauſe it is a Goſpel-Command, and therefore a Goſpel-Duty, to love our enemies, and do good to them that hate us; If we only love them that love us, What do we more than others? but, if we love them that hate us, we do more than others; then are we the children of our Heavenly Father, and are merciful as he is merciful, and perfect as he is perfect: And if we love not our enemies, we are enemies to our enemies, Gods enemies, and our own. To love heartily a profeſſed practical enemy, is a greater duty, and difficulty, than moſt profeſſors are aware of; How far are they from loving their enemies that do not love their brethren? and, without loving of their brethren, and our enemies alſo, and doing good to them that hate us, there is no going to Heaven: as we muſt love whom God loves, ſo what God loves; his Word, Works, Wayes, Righteouſneſs, his Ordinances and Sanctuary, &c. God loves the Gates of Sion. O how I love thy Law, and I have loved the habitation of thy Houſe, and the place where thine honor dwelleth, ſaith every one that is godly: As we muſt love what God loves, ſo muſt we hate what God hates, and as God hates; now God hates ſin with a perfect hatred, ſo muſt every one that loves the Lord, hate ſin and wickedneſs with a perfect hatred: Ye that love the Lord hate evil, becauſe he hates it; we cannot but ſin while ſin dwelleth in us; but, when it is acted it muſt be hated, and is hated by every one that is godly; What I hate, that do I, ſaith St. Paul: We muſt ab…tain from all appearance of evil, hating even the garment ſpotted with the fleſh: if we will approve our ſelves to be the faithful and fervent lovers of the Lord, let us ſeriouſly try the truth of our love; It is p. 97that 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 p. 98Commandment? 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 p. 99commanded 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 p. 100have 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 them, depart in peace; be you warmed a…d filled, notwithſtanding ye give not them thoſe things which are needful to the body? Doth ſuch a one love, or hate his Brother? Is he not in darkneſs, and walketh in darkneſs, unto outer darkneſs? if he that hateth his Brother, ſay, I love God, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his Brother, whom he hath ſeen; How can he love God whom he hath not ſeen? There is a wide difference between the godly and ungodly's ſinning: It is too true that both of them ſin. The godly Mans purpoſe, promiſe, and practiſe, is habitually and ordinarily againſt all ſin. The wicked Mans Trade, Cuſtom, Conſcience, Work and Way is p. 101ſin; he is known to be wicked, by being a worker of Iniquity; he lives in ſin; in a ſtate of ſin; in the practiſe both of ſins of Omiſſion and Commiſſion, which they who are Godly doe not, dare not do; they alſo do no Iniquity: the tranſgreſſion of the wicked ſaith, That there is no fear of God before his eyes; they that fear not God, fear not to ſin; by the fear of the Lord Men depart from evil. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. The Lord hath ſet apart him that is godly for himſelf, to ſtand in awe that he ſin not. Every godly man is negatively and poſitively holy, in heart, ſpeech, and behaviour. His Prayer is his Practiſe. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practiſe wicked works with men that work iniquity. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy Statutes alway, even unto the end. No corrupt communication proceedeth out of his Mouth, but that which is good, to the uſe of edifying: he ſpeaketh the truth in his heart; his ſpeech is alwayes with grace, ſeaſoned with ſalt, ſound, that cannot be condemned. The mouth of the Righteous ſpeaketh Wiſdom, his Tongue talketh of Judgment: his Tongue is his glory, ſo called in Scripture, and uſed only for Gods Glory; with it he Prayes to, and Praiſes God. The high Praiſes of God is in his mouth; Prayer and Praiſe, with heart and voice, is a good Mans daily practice. He walks uprightly; that is, he walks not after the Fleſh, in the luſt of Concupiſcence; he makes, he takes no proviſion for the fleſh, to ſatisfie it in the luſts thereof: In rioting and drunkenneſs, in chambering and wantonneſs, in ſtrife and envying; all bitterneſs and wrath, and anger and clamor, and evil ſpeaking he puts away from him, with all malice; yea, all that is in the World, the luſt of the fleſh, and the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of heart and life: Whatever elſe God forbids, he forſakes; p. 100duplicate page p. 101duplicate page p. 102he avoids and hates every falſe way and work; he approves himſelf to be a Citizen of Zion, for he backbiteth not with his Tongue, nor doth evil to his Neighbor, nor taketh up, receiveth, or endureth a reproach againſt his Neighbors; that Sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not; that putteth not his Mony to Uſury; nor taketh reward againſt the Innocent. As he walks not after the Fleſh, ſo he walks after the Spirit, becauſe he lives in the ſpirit, and alſo walks in the ſpirit, which is a walking in wiſdom, or in the light; a walking in faith, and love, and truth, after Gods Commandments; for this is love, that we walk after his Commandments, Moral and Evangelical, the rule of our life; for, as many as walk according to this Ru…e, Peace be on them, and Mercy, and upon the Iſrael of God. What God and his Commandments are to us, that are we to be unto him and them: God is holy, juſt, and good; all his Commandments are holy, juſt, and good, ſuch are we to be before God, and the World; holy, juſt, and good in our diſpoſitions, communications, and converſ…tions. This was St. Paul his Prayer for his Theſſalonians; The very God of Peace ſanctifie you wholly; and, I pray God, your whole Spirit, Soul, and Body, be preſerved blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. This is the will of God, even our Sanctification in our Bodies, that we ſhould abſtain from fornication, for which end every one ſhould know how to poſſeſs his Veſſel in ſanctification and honor; not in the luſt of concupiſcence, even as the Gentiles, which know not God; for, God hath not called us unto uncleanneſs, but unto holineſs, becauſe our bodies are the Members of Chriſt, and the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt; Shall we then take the members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. Know ye not that he that is joyned p. 103to an Harlot is one Body; and therefore the holy Apoſtle exhorts, To flee Fornication, and all youthful luſts, for, every ſin that a Man doth, is without the Body; but, he that committeth Fornication, ſinneth againſt his own Body: and yet our Bodies are not our own, to uſe them as we pleaſe, becauſe they are bought with a price; and therefore we are to glorifie God in our Bodies, as well as in our Spirits, which are Gods, by preſenting them a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reaſonable Service; not conformed to this World in outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of Apparel, but in behaviour as becometh holineſs. No ſin is to reign in our Mortal Bodies, that we ſhould obey it in the luſt thereof; neither muſt we yield our Members, as Inſtruments, or Weapons of unrighteouſneſs unto Sin, but as Inſtruments of righteouſneſs unto God: as the Body muſt be holy throughout, ſo muſt the Soul alſo, in all the faculties and powers thereof; Mind, Will, Memory, Conſcience, and Affections; be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind, and put on the new Man, which is renewed in knowledge; that, being transformed by the renewing of your mind, ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God, till ye be a willing people in the day of his power; to be what he would have you to be, to do what he would have you to do, and to ſuffer what he would have you to ſuffer; chooſing the things that pleaſe him; having a good conſcience in all things; willing to live honeſtly; yea, living in all good conſcience, which is to exerciſe our ſelves to have alwayes a conſcience void of offence towards God, and towards Men; their conſcience alſo bearing them witneſs; and, when others accuſe, excuſing; for, their rejoycing is this, the Teſtimony of their Conſcience; that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by p. 104the grace of God, they have had their converſation in the World; and, having renounced the hidden things of diſhoneſt…; not walking in craftineſs, but by manifeſtation of the Truth of their profeſſion, by the holineſs of their Converſ…tion, commend themſelves to every Mans Conſcience in the ſight of God; and their hearts being ſpr…nkled from an evil Conſcience, and purged from dead Works, to ſerve the living God; have the anſwer of good Conſcience towards God, which breeds peace of Conſcience: the Peace of God, which paſſ…th all underſtanding; and, as the…r Minds, and Wills, and Conſci…nc…s, ſo their Memories are ſanctified; they hide the Word of God in their hearts, or memories, a repoſitory for this heavenly Manna, to be laid up and kept in; for, then are we ſaved, if we keep or hold faſt in memory what is Preached unto u ; and we ought to give the more earneſt heed to the things which we hear, leſt at any time we ſhould let them ſlip out of our memory, or run out as leaking Veſſ l; and, whereas they that like not to retain God in their knowledge, or to acknowlede God, and therefore are given over to a reprobate mind; void of judgment, fulfilling the deſires or wills of the fleſh, to do thoſe things which are not convenient, being convinced by their own defiled, accuſing Conſcience, forgetful hearers, deceiving their own ſelves, for which cauſe God gives them up unto vile affections: yet the Sanctified Soul having crucified the Fleſh, and mortified the inordinate affections thereof, ſet their affections on things above, not on things on the earth, having their converſation in heaven: Theſe are Iſraelites, in whoſe Spirit, Speech, and Behaviour, there is no guile; for, he is an Iſraelite which is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the heart, in the …pirit, and not in the Letter, whoſe praiſe is not of Men, but of p. 105God. Behold, the deſire and delight of God is in truth, in the inward parts, the hidden Man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is in the ſight of God of great price; theſe are the upright in heart and life, who dwell in the preſence of his grace here, and in the preſence of his glory hereafter: thoſe who are holy, are juſt, doing as they would be done by; and if a Ma… be juſt, and do judgment and juſtice, that which is lawful ind right, hath not lift up his eyes to the Idols of the Houſe of Iſrael, neither hath defiled his neighbors Wife, neither hath come near a menſtruous Woman, h th not oppreſſed any, but hath reſtored to the Debtor his Pledge, hath ſpoiled none by violence, hath given his Bread to the hungry, that hath taken off his hand from the poor, and hath not given forth upon Uſury, neither taken any increaſe, that hath withdrawn his hand from Iniquity, hath executed true judgment between Man and Man, hath walked in Gods ſtatutes, and hath kept his Judgments to deal truly, he is juſt, he ſhall ſurely live with the General Aſſembly and Church of the firſt-born, which are written or inrolled in Heaven, which are the Spirits of Juſt Men made perfect. The Juſt are good alſo, not good as God, or good to God; our goodneſs extendeth not unto him; ſo there is none good but one, that is God, who is eternally, eſſentially, abſolutely, infinitely, and originally good. Every good, and every perfect gift cometh from above, from the …ather of lights. When God had made every thing, he ſaw that it was good; but, when he had created Man in his own Image, then it is ſaid, God ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good. Man, at firſt, was made very good, he was naturally good, before he ſinned; he was very good, through the Image of God upon him; and p. 106before he is good again, this Image of God muſt be in a ſupernatural way reſtored unto him, which conſiſts in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs, and true Holineſs. He hath ſhewed thee, O Man, what is good; and, What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Nothing can make our Natures good, but the Divine Nature; the good work muſt be begun in us, before we can think a good thought, ſpeak a good word, or do a good work; till then we are diſobedient, and, unto every good work reprobate, and void of judgment; being ſanctified, we are meet for the Maſters uſe, and thereby prepared unto every good work, yea throughly furniſhed unto all good works: Let us examine our ſelves, Are we holy, as God and his Law are holy? God is our only perfect pattern, his Word or Law our rule to walk by: His command is, be ye holy, for I am holy: God is eſſentially holy, and perſonally holy; the Father is holy, the Son is holy, the Spirit is called the Holy Ghoſt. The Law is holy, the People of God are holy; called holy Brethren, and a holy Prieſthood; choſen in Chriſt before the foundation of the World, to be holy, and without blame before him in love; his workmanſhip created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we ſhould walk in them; Redeemed and delivered out of the hands of our enemies, to ſerve him without fear in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the dayes of our life: effectually called out of darkneſs into marvellous light, to be holy in all manner of converſation; preſented a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh: Have we then this holineſs in our hearts and lives, the end of our Predeſtination, new Creation, effectual Calling, and Glorification; p. 107which is to love God, and hate evil? Godlineſs is Godlikeneſs; Do we as God doth? Love righteouſneſs, and hate wickedneſs? Are our hearts ſound, ſincere, and perfect in his Statutes? Have we reſpect unto all his Commandments? Are we negatively and poſitively holy? Do we deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts? Do we, and are we fully and firmly reſolved to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world; and, to have our fruit unto holineſs, then ſhall our end be everlaſting life? Are we juſt both to the juſt and unjuſt? Do we ſpeak the truth in our heart, and act accordingly? Do we to all men as we would be done by? or, Do we go beyond and defraud our brother in any matter? the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch? Do we, deſire we, labour we to owe no Man any thing but love? He that is faithful in that which is leaſt, is faithful alſo in much: Do we render to all their dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due; Cuſtom to whom Cuſtom; Fear to whom Fear; Honor to whom Honor? Are you like God, without reſpect of perſons, juſt in all your dealings; to low and high, ſmall and great; to the poor that want power to come by their own, as well as to the rich? Are you juſt and faithful in matters of Diſtributive and Commutative Juſtice to all men, in all eſtates, bond and free; in all times, good and bad, proſperous and adverſe; and, that alwayes? then ſhall ye be recompenced at the Reſurrection of the juſt; while the unjuſt, whoſe Damnation is juſt, are reſerved unto the day of Judgment to be puniſhed, for, every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience ſhall receive a juſt recompence of reward: Every Man according to his Deeds, Glory, and Honor, and Immortality, Eternal Life, to them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, or doing as they would be done by, ſeek it: But unto p. 108them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs; that do not as they would be done by; Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguiſh upon every Soul that doth evil; that worketh not Righteouſneſs, ſpeaketh not the Truth in his heart, that backbiteth his Neighbor with his Tongue, that receiveth, endureth, or taketh up a reproach againſt his Neighbor, in whoſe eyes a vile perſon is not contemned, and honoreth them not that fear the Lord, that ſweareth to his own hurt and changeth, that putteth out his Money to Uſury, and taketh reward againſt the Innocent; he that doth theſe things ſhall ſurely periſh. Are we good indeed, and in truth, though not very good? Are our hearts and lives good; make the Tree good and the Fruit will be good; every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit. God is good eſſentially, and perſonally; it is his Nature and Property to be good, to make good, to do good, ſo there is none good but one. Thou art good, and doeſt good, ſaith David of God the Father; Chriſt ſaith of himſelf, I am the good Shepherd; thy Spirit, ſaith David, is good: Theſe three Perſons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, had every one a hand in making Man very good at firſt; Let us make Man: ſo alſo in re-creating, or renewing us after the Image of his goodneſs, are we alſo filled with goodneſs. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works: God anointed Jeſus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghoſt, and with power, who went about doing good, and the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodneſs: Are we good in all Eſtates, in all Places, in all Times, in all Companies? As we have opportunity, do we good unto all Men, eſpecially unto them who are of the Houſhold of Faith? Doth our goodneſs extend it ſelf to the Saints that are p. 109in the Earth, and to the Excellent in whom we delight? Do we alſo good to them that hate us, and Pray for them which deſpitefully uſe us, and perſecute us? then are we the children of our Father which is in Heaven, for he maketh his Sun to riſe on the evil, and on the good; and Servants to our Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, who, when he cometh, and reckoneth with them, will ſay to every one, Well done thou good and faithful Servant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord: And, How great is that goodneſs, which God hath laid up for all them that are good, and do good, and truſt in him before the Sons of Men? Since the beginning of the World, Men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye ſeen, O God, beſides thee, what he hath prepared for them that wait for the hour which is coming, in the which all that are in the Graves ſhall hear the voice of the Lord Jeſus, and ſhall come forth, they that have done good unto the Reſurrection of Life; and they that have done evil, unto the Reſurrection of Damnation. I have been the longer upon this uſe of Examination, as being a matter of the greateſt moment not to be deceived in: That which is our greateſt concern in this World, next to the glory of God, is to have an aſſured intereſt in the Kingdom of Grace, and alſo a true Title to the Kingdom of Glory. Seek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, is the word of Exhortation, which high and low, rich and poor, young and old are to attend unto with all poſſible ſincerity, ſeriouſneſs and diligence. It is the duty and the dignity, from the King upon the Throne, to the Beggar upon the Dunghill, to ſeek this Kingdom of Grace and Glory. The greateſt hath as great need to ſeek it, as the meaneſt; all are come ſhort of the glory of this Kingdom, becauſe p. 110all have ſinned. Our greateſt fear ſhould be, leaſt any of us ſhould ſeem to fall ſhort for ever of ſo glorious a Kingdom; and, our greateſt care, deſire, and endeavor ſhould be, next to the glory of God, to enjoy him in the way of his Grace here, till we arrive at the full viſion and fruition of him in Heavenly Glory. This Kingdom of God is loſt, becauſe we are loſt; it is loſt to us, and we loſt to it: but, not ſo far loſt, but the true ſeekers of it may find it, and themſelves be found in the right way of ſeeking it. It muſt be found, otherwiſe the ſeekers of it loſe themſelves and this Kingdom for ever. Many will ſeek to enter into the Kingdom of Grace and Glory, but ſhall not be able. There be many that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? but few there be that ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait Gate, and walk in the narrow way which leadeth unto life, and therefore few there be that find it. There is no rational Creature upon the face of the Earth, that is exempted from this duty of ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs: Sinners, as well as Saints, are to hearken unto, and obey the Counſel, Command, and Proclamation of Jeſus Chriſt herein. The chiefeſt ſinner hath a Call and Command to ſeek it, which is his Warrant, and a Promiſe for his incouragement: Ask, and it ſhall be given you; Seek, and ye ſhall find; Knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. The chiefeſt Saint hath no diſpenſation againſt this Duty, Counſel, and Command; but, looking diligently, leſt any Man fail of, or fall from the Grace of God, leaſt any root of bitterneſs ſpring up, ſeeing he looks for ſuch great things, is to be diligent, that he may be found of him in peace, without ſpot and blameleſs, at his coming; that when Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, he alſo may appear with him in glory: Sinners, ſuch I mean, as are p. 111unconverted, and are ſtrangers and enemies to God, his Chriſt, Grace and Glory, and their own greateſt enemies; have moſt need to be exhorted, excited, and perſwaded, to ſeek firſt theſe things, namely, the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs; which can never happily be done, till they be firſt diſſwaded, and prevailed with from ſelf-ſeeking, ſelf-pleaſing, fleſh-pleaſing; for the ſatisfying whereof, earthly things are minded, and ſought after inordinately: and therefore it is the Wiſdom of our Lord Jeſus, before he perſuades to the ſeeking of Spiritual and Heavenly things, by Reaſons, Arguments, Motives, and Diſſwaſions, to free the Minds, and Hearts, and Affections of his hearers, from their anxious and troubleſome thoughts, fears and cares, concerning carnal and earthly things pertaining to the Body; namely, what they ſhould eat, what they ſhould drink, and what they ſhould put on. Take no thought for your life; Is not the life more than meat? and, The body than raiment? Your heavenly Father feedeth the Fowls of the air, Are not you much better than they? Why take ye thought for Raiment? conſider the Lilies of the field; if God ſo cloath the Graſs of the Field, Shall he not much more cloath you? therefore take no thought, ſaying, What ſhall we eat, or what ſhall we drink, or wherewithal ſhall we be clothed? for, after all theſe things do the Heathens ſeek: but, let Chriſtians ſeek firſt the Kingdom of God, and his righteouſneſs, even thoſe things which are above, where Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of God, and ſet their minds and affections on things above, and not on things on the earth. It is much below every Chriſtian by profeſſion only, ſo to love the World, as to ſeek the things that are in the World; for, all that is in the World, the luſt of the fleſh, and the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of p. 112the World; and therefore if any Man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: What J…remiah ſaid to Baruch, I ſay to thee, O Chriſtian! Seekeſt thou great things for thy ſelf? ſeek them not: ſeekeſt thou the Pleaſures of the World to ſatisfie the luſt of thy Fleſh? ſeek them not: the pleaſures of ſin are but for a ſeaſon; the diſpleaſures of God againſt thee for thy ſin, are endleſs, eaſeleſs, mercileſs, and remedileſs. A lover of, and a liver in pleaſure, can never be a lover of God, nor God a lover of him, nor can he ever be a liver with him while ſuch. She that liveth in pleaſure, is dead while ſhe liveth, and damned when ſhe dieth. Bec…uſe ſhe lived in Pleaſure on the Earth, and waxed wanton, and nouriſhed her heart, as in a day of ſlaughter, receiving the reward of unrighteouſneſs, as they that count it pleaſure to riot in the day time. How much ſhe lived deliciouſly, ſo much torment and ſorrow will God give unto her. Seekeſt thou the honors of the World? Art thou ambitious to be ſome body in the World, in Name, or high Place of Preferment, ſeek them not? if thou be godly, it is thy honor, as truly as thy end, to honor the Lord; and, them that honor me, ſaith God, I will honor. If thou be'ſt wicked, or a fool, which is all one, the Wiſe Solomon will tell thee, Honor is not ſeemly for a fool. To receive honor one of another, and not to ſeek the honor that cometh from God only, is the ſin and diſhonor which every unbeliever is guilty of, and a great let and impediment in the duty of ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God. Seekeſt thou to be rich in this World? labor not to be rich: yet, if Riches increaſe, ſet not thine heart upon them. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes, and heart, upon that which is not? for Riches certainly make themſelves wings, they flie away as an Eagle toward Heaven. But, they that will be rich, p. 113fall into temptation, and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtful luſts, eſpecially the luſt of the pride of Life, in putting on of Apparel, whoſe adorning is that outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of Gold; in erecting and furniſhing ſtately Buildings, and pampering and p…eaſing the fleſh, which drown Men in deſtruction, and perdition; for, the love of theſe things is the root of all evil; which, while ſome coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced themſelves through with many ſorrows. It is eaſier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle, than for ſuch a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God: What is a Man profited if he ſhall gain the whole World, with all its honors, pleaſures, and riches, and loſe his own Soul, and his portion of grace and glory? or, What ſhall a Man give or take in exchange for his Soul? Is not the Redemption of the Soul precious? It was not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, but with the precious blood of Chriſt, who gave himſelf for our ſins, that he might deliver us from this preſent evil World. God never intended the whole World to be the portion of every Man; God only is Mans Portion, and Man is Gods portion: Why ſhould any Man then wrong that noble part within him, his Soul; as to ſeek, purſue, and follow after ſuch beggarly things, as Riches, and Honors, and Pleaſures, and take up with them as his only hope and happineſs, which every wicked worldling doth; the mean while neglecting, and making light of the one thing neceſſary; ſeeking to enjoy God, and Chriſt, and Grace, and Glory; in whom, and from whom alone they may infallibly have the true, durable, unſearchable, ſatisfying, everlaſting riches, honors, and pleaſures. Oh! did but the great ones of this World conſider, and know what deceitful baits, p. 114ſnares, and temptations, theſe worldly dignities, pleaſures, and treaſures, through Gods permiſſive Providence, and Satans Subtilties, prove to their luſtful and deceitful hearts; Would they ſo eagerly hunt after them, and undo their Bodies and Souls in the purſuit of them? True, there is no evil in them, but, through an evil unbelieving heart, there is much evil by them: Search the Scriptures, and ſee, how many rich, and honorable, and pleaſurable perſons, are gone, or will go to Heaven; not many wiſe men, after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: God, that hath choſen the poor of this World, rich in faith, hath not choſen the rich in this World to be poor in faith: There is a ſore evil under the Sun, namely Riches, kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Did the Rich in this World, in Scripture called the Men of the World, which have their portion in this life, well conſider, how little their Riches will profit them in the day of wrath; they would not be ſo high-minded, nor truſt in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, who giveth them richly all things to enjoy; they would do good, be rich in good Works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate, that they may lay up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on Eternal Life, which is the worſt I wiſh them; and, the beſt uſe they can put their uncertain riches unto. Oh! How many are, and will be, undone for ever, by a deceitful World, a deceitful Devil, and a deceitful heart, from which I beſeech the Lord to deliver our moſt Gracious Soveraign the King and his Kingdom; that we may all, as one Man, with oneneſs and trueneſs of heart, ſet our ſelves, according to our Solemn Engagement in our Chriſtian Covenant, unfeignedly to renounce the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, which muſt firſt be p. 115done, before we can obey this Heavenly Counſel, Command, and Proclamation of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God and his righteouſneſs; which, let every one of us account it our greateſt duty, choiceſt work, chiefeſt intereſt, and higheſt dignity, to be exerciſed therein; let us, as we have opportunity, exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, leaſt any of us be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of Sin, Satan, and the World, to make light of our Lord and Saviour his Counſel, Command, and Proclamation; but, let it rather be a principal motive to us, to make the Exhortation the more effectual, ſince it is the Counſel of Chriſt, the Wonderful Counſellor, who ſaith, Counſel is mine; let us, with all readineſs and thankfulneſs, accept and embrace it, as being worthy of all acceptation; for, it is the Counſel of the moſt worthy Perſon, moſt Wiſe, and able to give the beſt Counſel; a Perſon on purpoſe ſent from God the Father, his only begotten Son, the ſecond Perſon in the glorious Trinity, made Man, and now God-Man for ever in one Perſon, named Jeſus Chriſt; he it is that hath given this excellent Counſel to the World, namely, to ſeek firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs; which is not only his Counſel, but Command; for, all Power is given unto him, in Heaven, and in Earth, to Counſel and Command: God the Father hath annointed him to be a Prophet, a Prieſt, and King, ſo he was here on Earth, and remains ſuch in Heaven for ever. A Prophet to give Counſel, a King to Command, that it be received, and a Prieſt, on our behalf, to God the Father, to make continual interceſſion for us, that his Counſels and Commands may be effectual to us for our ſalvation: and, he is actually and effectually the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him in this Command, p. 116that ſeek firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs: A Command, that can no wayes be thought grievous; a gracious command indeed, to ſeek a Kingdom, not an Earthly, but an Heavenly Kingdom; the Kingdom of God: Gods Kingdom, a Kingdom all of G…ce and Glory, where he dwells in all his glory. Wh…t Prince, that h…th many Kingdoms will Counſel and Command a Subject, eſpecially a Rebellious one, to ſeek one of his Dominions: but our g…cious Prince and Saviour, doth Counſel and Command every one, every where, to ſeek the Kingdom of God, by way of Proclamation. Ho, every one that ha…h no Money, come, buy Grace and Glory without price: Wherefore do you ſpend Money and Labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, obey, and your Soul ſhall live: inviting all, …o… …ly by Counſel, Command, and Poclamation, but, by Promiſe, for their incouragement: Ask; and it ſhall be given you; Seek, and ye ſhall find; Knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you; for, every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that ſeeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened. The experience of all that are in a ſtate of Grace on Earth, and in a ſtate of Glory in Heaven, that have not loſt their labor in ſeeking, ſhould be a powerful motive to every one that is to ſeek, and is at a loſs for Grace and Glory, to ſeek, that he alſo may find; for, he that ſeeketh findeth, even Eternal Life, in the Promiſe, which God that cannot lie, hath promiſed, before the World began; and, will be righteous in performing, to all them, who, by Faith, lay hold thereof: for, all the Promiſes of God, in Jeſus Chriſt, are Yea, and, in him, Amen; unto the glory of God. The General Aſſembly in Heaven will give in this teſtimony; There failed not aught of any good thing p. 117which the Lord hath ſpoken unto us, all came to paſs: whoever turns Gods Promiſes into Prayer, God will, for certain, turn his Promiſes into Performances unto them. Oh do not loſe Grace and Glory for want of asking, ſeeking and knocking. Is the Lord God a Sun and Shield? Will the Lord give Grace and Glory? Will he withhold no good thing from them that ſeek him? …th he …a…, A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you; I will take away the Stony heart out of you… fleſh, and I will give you an heart of Fleſh; I will put … ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my Sta… and ye ſhall ke…p my Judgment and do them; yet wi… … be enquired of you to do all this for you? Is this all … requires, to be enquired of? Is ſeeking the way to …ing? ſeek the Lord while he may be found; Call upo… him while he is near: the Lord is nigh m… all them t…t call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth: t… hand of God is upon all them for good that …ek him. God never ſaid, and never will ſay, to any of the houſe of Jacob, Seek my Face, Favour, Kingdom, and Righteouſneſs in vain: But, then we muſt ſeek this Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs right: It is not every ſeeking that will ſerve turn, nor every ſeeker that findeth; true it is, that every wicked Man may, and muſt ſeek firſt Gods Kingdom and Righteouſneſs: It is a Wicked Principle in them, who affirm, That a Wicked Man may not Pray: Becauſe he cannot Pray, he may, I hope, Pray, That he may Pray: May he not deſire Grace? I am ſure the deſire of Grace is Grace in every one; common grace at leaſt, which is to be Excited, Exerted, and Improved for ſpecial Grace; the bleſſing of God can turn common grace into ſpecial; to him that hath, and improves it, it ſhall be given: the right ſeeking is with the whole heart; p. 118then ſhall ye call upon me, and ye ſhall go and Pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you; and ye ſhall ſeek me, and find me, when ye ſhall ſearch for me with all your heart. God is for the whole heart; My Son give me thine heart: they only are bleſſed that ſeek him with the whole heart. I entreated thy favour with my whole heart, ſaith David: The only way to get Mercy, Grace, and Glory from God, is to entreat the Favour of God with the whole heart, with the mind, will, and affections; even all the powers of the Soul muſt be vigorouſly at work, in this ſpiritual duty, in ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God. The Members of the Body muſt be alſo Inſtruments herein; the ſtrength of the inward and outward Man is to be put forth, our Natural ſtrength, our Spiritual ſtrength, all the power we have, and can get from God: We had need to be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and to Pray, That he would grant us according to the Riches of his Glory, even his glorious Power, to be ſtrengthened with all might, by his Spirit in the inner-man; ſince we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood only, but againſt principalities, againſt powers, againſt the Rulers of the darkneſs of this World, againſt ſpiritual wickedneſs in high places. We have three potent enemies to out-wreſtle, the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil, all combined againſt us; we have God to wreſtle with by Prayer, and all other holy means for the obtaining of Grace and Glory; if we be not Conquerors, through Chriſt, ſtrengthening us, we loſe, not only the prize of an incorruptible Crown, but, by our unfaithfulneſs and cowardize, bring upon our ſelves an infinite weight of Judgment. It is he that overcometh, that ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond Death; and he that is faithful unto death, who will wear the Crown of Life; to him that overcometh p. 119God will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God: But, the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and Murderers, and Whore-mongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars, ſhall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond Death. If the firſt Death, the Separation only of Body and Soul, be the King of Terrors, What a King of Terrors, and Horrors will the Second Death be, which is an Eternal Separation, both of the Body and the Soul, from the Preſence of God and his Glory, and the enduring the Wrath of God, in Body and Soul, in Hell-fire, through all Eternity? Wherefore, let us gird up the Loyns of our Minds, and be ſober, and hope to the end, for the Grace and Glory that is brought unto us, at the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt: Life and Death Eternal are ſet before us, let us chooſe Life, and cleave to him in our Wills, who is our Life; Let our Affections be ſet on things above; Let our Converſation be in Heaven; that our Commoration and Everlaſting abode may be there alſo; This is to ſeek the Kingdom of God with all our heart, and with all our might. It muſt be ſought alſo with underſtanding; the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Grace, and of the Kingdom of Glory muſt be known: It is our Heavenly Fathers good pleaſure to give a Kingdom unto them, and them only, unto whom it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God; but, to others, in Parables, that ſeeing, they might not ſee; and hearing, they might not underſtand. The Kingdom of God, which is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory, is ſuch a Myſtery, that none can heartily deſire and endeavor after it, but ſuch as are acquainted with it. Oh! were the Eternal worth and weight of Grace and Glory known to us; would the God of our Lord p. 120Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of Glory, give unto us the Spirit of Wiſdom and Revelation, for the enlightening the eyes of our underſtanding, that we might know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints, we could not chuſe but be ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know, that our labor, in ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God, would not be in vain in the Lord. Verily, this Kingdom is not ſought as it ought to be, becauſe 'tis not known as it ſhould be; ſeek therefore to underſtand it, that you may ſeek it with underſtanding: Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord give you underſtanding in the Myſteries of his Kingdom, which muſt be ſought alſo in a way of believing; I Believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, and the Life everlaſting, is the ſum of our Chriſtian Creed, or Belief, which, whoſoever confeſſeth with his mouth, and believeth in his heart, ſhall be ſaved; for, with the heart Man believeth unto Righteouſneſs, and with the Mouth Confeſſion is made unto Salvation; for, the Scripture ſaith, whoſoever believeth on the Lord Jeſus, ſhall not be aſhamed or confounded: Now Faith is the ſubſtance, ground, or confidence, of things hoped for, the evidence of things not ſeen. Through Faith we underſtand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God; through F…ith we underſtand or believe an unſeen World, where ſuch things are prepared for them that love God, that a Natural and Carnal eye hath not ſeen, or can ſee; nor ear heard or perceived; neither ever entered into the heart of Man; but, God hath revealed them to, and for Believers, by his Spirit, who look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for, the things which are ſeen are Temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are Eternal: this p. 121is the victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith; it overcometh the good things of the World, and the evil things of the World, through Faith: the reproach of, or for Chriſt, is eſteemed greater riches than the Treaſures of the World, and the Honors thereof; by Faith, Moſes refuſed to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter, for it hath reſpect unto the recompence of the reward; by Faith it is, that true Chriſtians choſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the People of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, as knowing, their light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for them, a far more exce…ding and eternal weight of glory. Through Faith we reſ…ſt our adverſary the Devil, who, as a roaring Lio… walketh about, ſeeking whom he may devour, whom reſiſ…, ſtedfaſt in the Faith, and he will flee from you; for the Captain of your Salvation, the Lord Jeſus, was made partaker of Fleſh and Blood, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil; and deliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their life time ſubject to bondage: for this purpoſe alſo the Son of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy not only the Devil, but the works of the Devil in us; purifying our hearts from all ſin by Faith: Without this Faith, it is impoſſible to pleaſe God; for, he that cometh to God, muſt believe, that he is; and, that he is a Rewarder of all them that diligently ſeek him, his Kingdom, and his Righteouſneſs: take we heed therefore, leſt there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God; to provoke him to ſwear in his wrath, we ſhall not enter into his reſt: for, To whom ſwear he, that they ſhould not enter into his reſt? but, to them that believed not; for, they could not enter in becauſe of unbelief. This is the Sin that ſhutteth ſo many out of p. 122Heaven, and ſhutteth up as many into Hell; he that believeth not, is condemned already, becauſe he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. True believers are the only true ſeekers of the Kingdom of God, and will be the only enjoyers of it. Oh were our Faith as reall, as this Kingdom is ſubſtantial! What manner of ſeekers would all of us be? It is not heartily believed, and therefore not heartily ſought after: were it ſought believingly, it would be ſought faithfully. Faith breeds faithfulneſs; they are neer a kin: What is Faithfulneſs, but a fullneſs of Faith, a ſtirring up the work of Faith with power, to receive out of the fullneſs which is in Chriſt, grace for grace; grace, to exerciſe grace, ſo to walk, even as he walked in faithfulneſs, both to God and Man; eſpecially in tranſacting and negotiating the great Work of his Mediatory-Office, in our Redemption, and Reconciliation. Jeſus Chriſt, the Apoſtle and High-Prieſt of our Profeſſion, was faithful unto him that appointed him: Such are all true Chriſtians or Saints, called faithful in Chriſt Jeſus; as alſo Moſes, faithful in all his houſe; and Abraham; they are Stewards of the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God: Moreover, it is required in Stewards, that a Man be found faithful to God, himſelf, and others; for, as every Man hath received the Gift, even ſo Miniſter the ſame one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God. In ſeeking the Kingdom of God, before it can be attained, there is much doing and ſuffering-work to be performed, which requires much faithfulneſs: he only is the wiſe and faithful Servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh to take an account of his Stewardſhip, is found ſo doing; as the Servant of Chriſt, doing the Will of God from the heart; not following that which is evil, but that which is good: He that p. 123doth good is of God, but he that doth evil hath not ſeen God. Hypocrites ſay, but do not: but, a doer of the Work, this Man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed, or doing. What St. John ſaid of his Gaius, beloved, thou doeſt faithfully; whatſoever thou doeſt to the brethren, and to ſtrangers, ought to be verifyed of every one who ſeeks the Kingdom of God. Seek faithfully; do all that is to be done for the obtaining it, by patient continuance in well-doing, and faithful alſo in ſuffering for righteouſneſs ſake, we muſt, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; think it not ſtrange therefore, concerning the fiery Trial, which is to try you, as though ſome ſtrange thing happened unto you; but rejoyce, yea, count it all joy, when ye fall into divers Temptations, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Chriſts ſufferings; that when his glory ſhall be revealed, ye may be glad alſo with exceeding Joy, for great is your reward in Heaven, being heirs of God, and joynt-heirs with Chriſt: If ſo be that we ſuffer with him, that we may be alſo glorified together; wherefore, let them that ſuffer according to the will of God, in ſeeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs, commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator; ſince God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, are faithful; his Word faithful, Miniſters faithful; for ſo we are to account them, being the Miniſters of Chriſt: Moreover, it is required in Stewards, that a Man be found faithful. Since it is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that there is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory; whatever we do or ſuffer, in order to the enjoying of it, let it be done in the fear of the Lord faithfully, and with a perfect heart. So alſo diligently, thoſe things which are excellent, are difficult, and hard to come by, ſuch are Spiritual and Heavenly p. 124things; namely, Grace and Glory, which are moſt excellent, and therefore not ſo eaſily attained. The great and difficult Work that lies upon our hands, is the making our calling and election ſure; for this end, every one hath, or ſhould have, a particular and general calling, to work in both, to keep him from Idleneſs, and to put him upon duty and diligence. Each calling requires much labor and diligence. It is the will of God that none ſhould ſtand idle. This is his Command, That if any would not work, neither ſhould he eat. It is not only the Character of a good Huſwife, but of a good Chriſtian, that ſhe eateth not the bread of idleneſs. It is not for Men and Women, who have Souls to ſave or loſe, a Heaven or Hell to live in for ever, to live a moment idle: Time, which is for Eternity, is too precious a thing to be Idled away, to be ſpent in any thing, but diligent ſeeking the Kingdom of God. What is the Proclamation of Jeſus Chriſt, but, Hearken diligently unto me; and eat ye that which is good. There is Meat for them to eat, even hidden Manna, Angels food, which endureth unto everlaſting life, which the Son of Man ſhall give unto them who labor for it; with this Meat the Soul of the diligent ſhall be made fat: there is nothing to be had but poverty without diligence. He becometh poor that dealeth with a ſlack hand, but the hand of the diligent, with the bleſſing of the Lord, maketh the godly ſo rich, as he addeth no ſorrow with it; while the wicked, who will be rich, pierce themſelves through with many ſorrows. The unſearchable riches of grace, and Treaſures of glory, are gotten in a way of holy diligence: they, who have eſcaped the corruption that is in the World, through luſt, and are made partakers of the Divine Nature, beſides this, are to give all diligence, to add to their Faith, Vertue, and to Vertue p. 125Knowledge, and to Knowledge Temperance, and to Temperance Patience, and to Patience Godlineſs, and to Godlineſs Brotherly Kindneſs, and to Brotherly kindneſs Charity, till they abound in them; for ſo an entrance ſhall be Miniſtred unto them abundantly, into the everlaſting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. If ſo much diligence be required to grow in grace, What diligence is requiſite to the getting of it? If Miniſtring to the Saints be a Work, and labor of love, which none can attain to the full aſſurance of hope, without ſhewing diligence therein unto the end? What Work, and labor, and diligence, will every grace coſt, before it be attained and perfected? This ſhould by no means diſcourage, but quicken us; our labor will not be in vain in the Lord. Let us not be weary in well-doing, for, in due ſeaſon we ſhall reap, if we faint not: If we are at the pains to ſow holineſs in the Seed-time of this life, we ſhall reap happineſs in the harveſt of Eternity; they who labor for reſt, ſhall reſt from their Labor, and their Works ſhall follow them: a Man that is diligent in this Heavenly buſineſs, of ſeeking the kingdom of God, he ſhall not ſtand before mean Men, he ſhall ſtand before the King of Kings in all his Glory.