my flock by night, and to encamp round about my fold. My ministers I give for your guides. Paul, Apollos, Cephas, all are yours. I am always with them, and they shall be always with you to the end of the world. You shall have pastors after my own heart, and this shall be my covenant with you, that my Spirit which is upon you, and my words which I have put into your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor the mouth of your seed, nor of your seed's seed, from henceforth and for ever. In short, all my officers shall be for profiting and perfecting you. All my ordinances shall be for edifying and saving you. The very severities of my house, admonitions, censures, and the whole discipline of my family, shall be for preventing your infection, curing your corruption, procuring your salvation. My word have I ordained for converting your souls, enlightening your eyes, rejoicing your hearts, cautioning you of dangers, cleansing your defilements, and conforming you to my image. To you I commit the oracles of God. Here you shall be furnished against temptations, hence you shall be comforted under distresses and afflictions. Here you shall find my whole counsel. This shall instruct you in your way, correct you in your wanderings, direct you into the truths to be believed, detect to you the errors to be rejected. My ordinances I give you as the pledges of my love. You shall freely claim them, they are children's bread. Lo, I have given them to certify to you all that I have here promised you; and when these sacred signs are delivered unto you, then know, and remember, and consider in your hearts, that I therein plight you my truth, and set to my hand, and do thereby ratify and confirm every article of these indentures, and do actually deliver into your own hands this glorious charter, with all its immunities and privileges, as your own for ever. And having sowed to you so largely in spiritual blessings, shall you not much more reap the temporal? Be you not of doubtful mind; all these things shall be added unto you. My creatures I grant for your servants and supplies. Heaven and earth shall minister to you. All the stars in their courses shall serve you, and, if need be, shall fight for you. And I will make my covenant for you with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; and you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and all shall be at peace with you. I will undertake for all your necessities. Do I feed the fowls, and clothe the grass, and do you think I will neglect my children? I hear the young ravens when they cry; shall I not much more fulfil the desires of them that fear me? Fear not, you shall be sure to want no good thing; and you would not yourselves desire riches, pleasures, or preferment, to your hurt. I will give meat to them that fear me: I will be ever mindful of my covenant. My providences shall coöperate to your good. The cross winds shall blow you the sooner and swifter into your harbor. You shall be preferred, when you seem most debased; shall be greatest gainers, when you seem to be deepest losers, and shall most effectually promote your good, when you seem most to deny it. 2. THINGS TO COME are yours: the perfecting of your souls, the redemption of your bodies, the consummation of your bliss. bliss. When When you have glorified me for a while on earth, and finished the work I have given you to do, you shall be caught up into paradise, and rest from your labors, and your works shall follow you. I will send of my own life-guard to conduct home your departing souls, and receive you among the spirits of just men made perfect. And you shall look back upon Pharaoh, and all his host, and see your enemies dead upon the shore. Then shall be your redemption from all your afflictions, and all your corruptions. The thorn in the flesh shall be pulled out, and your hour of temptation shall be over for ever. The sweat shall be wiped from your brows, and the day of refreshing shall come, and you shall sit down for ever under my shadow. For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed you, and lead you to living fountains of water. The tears shall be wiped away from your eyes, and there shall be no more sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away, and behold I make all things new. I will change Marah into Naomi, the cup of sorrow into the cup of salvation, and the bread and water of affliction into the wine of eternal consolation. You shall take down your harps from the willows, and I will turn your tears into pearls, and your peniten You shall tial psalms into songs of deliverance. change your Ichabods into hosannas, and your ejaculations of sorrow into hallelujahs of joy. The cross shall be taken off from your backs, and you shall come out of your great tribulations, and wash your robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb; and you shall be before the throne of God, and serve him night and day in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among you, and you shall hunger no more, and thirst no more, neither shall the sun light upon you, nor any heat. The load shall be taken off from your consciences. Sins and doubts shall no more defile you or distress you. I will make an end of sin, and knock off the fetters of your corruptions, and you shall be a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but you shall be holy and without blemish. Thus shall you be brought to the King all glorious, in raiment of needle-work, and clothing of gold; with gladness and rejoicing shall you be brought, and enter into the king's palace. So shall the beloved of the Lord dwell safely by him, and you shall stand continually before him, and behold the beauty of the Lord, and hear his wisdom. Then will I open in you an everlasting spring of joy, and you shall break forth into singing, and never cease more, nor rest day or night, saying, Holy, holy, holy. Thus shall the grand enemy expire with your dying breath, and the body of death be put off with your mortal body; and the day of your death shall be the birthday of your glories. Have faith in God. Wait but a little, and sorrow shall cease, and sin be no more. And then a little longer, and death shall be no more; but your last enemy shall be destroyed, and your victory completed. Yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come, and you also shall appear with him in glory. This same Jesus which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come as he went up into heaven; and when he cometh, he will receive you to himself, that where he is, there you may be also. Behold his sign: he cometh in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and every eye shall see him, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of him; but you shall lift up your heads, because the day of your redemption draweth nigh. Then shall he sound his trump, and make you hear his voice in your dust, and shall send his mighty angels to gather you from the four winds of heaven, who shall carry you in the triumphant chariot of the clouds, to meet your Lord; and you shall be prepared for him, and presented to him, as a bride adorned for her husband." And as you have borne the image of the earthly, so shall you bear the image of the heavenly; and you shall be fully conformed both in body and spirit to your glorious Head. Then shall he confess you before his angels, and you shall receive your open absolution before all flesh, and be owned, approved, and applauded in the public audience of the general assembly. And you shall be with all royal solemnities espoused unto the King of glory, in the presence of all |