CHAP. I. The poore soule lying under the burthen of sin, is wishing to be eased.

WHen the Lord comes and mani­fests himself to us, that he hath sowed the seeds of himselfe in us, which is the good seed, spo­ken of in Mat. 13.3. Then im­mediately the Tares appeare, which is sin and wickednesse; then there is a crying out, Men and Brethren, what shall we doe, Acts 3.38. and [Page 2]19. 16. Master, what good thing shall I doe, th [...] I may have eternall life: but while we are think­ing of doing something for eternall life, the [...] comes Sathans enditements against us, an [...] layes our sins before us, and tels us what Re­bels we have been against the King of Heaven and hee brings the condemning power of th [...] Law before them: Cursed is every one that dot [...] not all things that is written in the Booke; An [...] also in Deut. 28.12. And it shall come to pass [...] if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voyce [...] the Lord thy God, to observe and doe all his Com­mandements which I command thee this day, tha [...] the Lord thy God will set thee on high above a [...] Nations on the Earth: And all these blessing shall come on thee: and overtake thee, if tho [...] shalt hearken unto the voyce of the Lord th [...] God. Blessed shalt thou be in the City, and bles­sed in the field, &c. But thou finding that tho [...] hast not done it, then the the 15. and 1 [...] verses of this Chapter, and so along: But [...] shall come to passe, if thou wilt not hearken unt [...] the voyce of the Lord thy God, to observe to doe a [...] his Commandements, that all these curses com [...] upon thee, and overtake thee; Cursed shalt th [...] be in the City, and cursed shalt thou be in t [...] field. And so going along, threatning curs [...] for thy disobedience: and all places of Scrip­ture that is sutable to this, is laid before thee [Page 3]and then thou being sore perplext, to thinke how thou hast walked contrary to the minde of God, and that he is angry with thee for thy sinnes, and all the curses of God belong unto thee, and hell and damnation gapes for thee: then thou bethinkst thy selfe of the gracious call of Christ, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Then thou bethinkest thy selfe to goe to the Lord by repentance, that so thou maist have rest; then these places of Scripture sets thee on repentance, Ezek. 18.21. But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that hee hath committed, and keepe all my statutes, and do that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely live, he shall not dye. And vers. 30. Repent and turne your selves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruine: and vers. 31. to the end of the chapter. Cast away from you all your trans­gressions whereby you have transgressed mee, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit; For, why will you dye O house of Israel? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God; wherefore turne your selves, and live ye. And Jer. [...].12. Returne thou backe-sliding Israel (saith the Lord) and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon [...]ou; for I am mercifull (saith the Lord,) and I will not keepe anger for ever. And Jer. 4.1. If [...]hou wilt returne O Israel (saith the Lord) return [Page 4]unto me? and if thou wilt put away thy abhomina­tions out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove And vers. 14. O Jerusalem, wash thy heart fro [...] wickednesse that thou maist be saved; how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee. Hos 14.10. O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity: And the [...] he saith, vers. 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them truly: for my anger is turned aw [...] from them, Prov. 1.23. Turne you at my reproof Behold I will poure out my Spirit unto you, I wil [...] make knowne my words unto you. Isa. 1.16.13 Wash you, make you cleane, put away the evill [...] your doings from before my eyes. Cease to doe evill learne to doe well, seeke judgement, relieve th [...] oppressed, judge the fatherlesse, plead for the wid­dom.

So here you see there is a repentance calle [...] for, not only a repenting for the sins that i [...] past, but a returning from thy evill wayes and doing that is pleasing in his sight. An [...] v [...]rs. 18. Come now, and let us reason together saith the Lord; when thou hast done this a [...]gh [...] then there is free passage for thee to goe to th [...] Lord, and hee will reason with thee; Thouh [...] you [...] sinnes bee as scarlet, they shall be as white [...] snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall [...] as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye sh [...] eate the good of the Land: but if ye refuse and reb [...] [Page 5]ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And so he goes along proffering mercy to them that are thus qualifi­ed, Psal. 147.3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Mal. 3.7. Return un­to me, and I will returne unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts. Joel 2.12, 13. Therefore also now saith the Lord, turne ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your hearts and not your gar­ments, and turne unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great compassion, and repenteth him of the evill. Luke 13.3. But except yee repent, ye shall all like­wise perish.

And seeing the Lord calls upon thee for re­pentance, and proffers thee a pardon through thy obedience: thou art resolved to set thy selfe upon repentance and obedience.

CHAP. II. How Sathan comes with his Enditements against us by our workes of the Law.

VVHen thou art thus resolv'd to set thy selfe to walke in the wayes of God, thinking thy selfe to be in a good way now: [Page 6]then comes Sathan and tels thee, 'tis true, the Lord is very mercifull and gracious to them that truly repent: but thy repentance is not a true repentance, for thou art not sufficiently humbled for thy sins; for great sins must have great repentance, and many sinnes must have much repentance. Looke upon David and Pe­ter, whether thy repentance be like theirs; if it be, thou wilt be carefull for feare of falling into the like sins againe: but thou daily fallest into the same sins againe, Mat. 7.21. Not e­very one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. For it is impossible for those who were once en­lightned, and have tasted of the heavenly gifts, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost: And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; if they shall fall away, to re­new them againe to repentance, seeing they cruci­fie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh, and put him to open shame. Heb. 10.26, 27, 28, 29. For if we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice: but a certaine fearfull looking for of judg­ment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses law, dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be [Page 7]thought worthy, who hath trodden under foote the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the Co­venant wherewith hee was sanctified, an unholy [...]hing, and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace. 2 Pe [...]. 2.20, 21, 22. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are againe entangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the begin­ning. For it had been better for them not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse, than after they have knowne it, to turne from the holy Comman­dement delivered unto them. But it happened to them, according to the true proverb, the dog is returned to his owne vomit againe, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

Thus thou seest how the Devill wounds thee with thy owne righteousnesse; for there is a perfect righteousnesse required, and perfect obedience: but thou canst not find this in thee, therefore thou art sore troubled: but some­time thou hast got some power over thy sinnes, and art affected with the wayes of God, that thou canst goe on cheerefully in thy obedience to God, and powre forth thy soule to the Lord in prayer, and findst that thy prayers are heard, and thy petitions granted, and thy sinnes are pardoned: and now for present thou hast joy and comfort: and now thou art [Page 8]ready to say with David: I shall never be mo­ved.

Thus while thou art in duties and perfor­mances, thou hast joy and peace: but when thou art overcome againe with the Devile temptation, and thy owne corruptions, then immediately thou art cast downe againe, and ready to question that joy & peace thou hadst before, and say it was presumption.

Thus thou seest, beloved, how thy com­forts ebbe and flow with thy performances.

CHAP. III. H [...]w poore soules are wounded by false Tea­chers.

VVHen thou seest thy selfe in this sadde condition, that thou art sore trou­bled on every side, for thou seest God angry with thee for thy sins, and he command thee to repent, and he will pardon thy sins: But thou sindest that thou canst not repent aright, therefore now thou canst not see thy sins par­doned: And the Lord requires obedience of thee, and sometimes thou canst not performe any obedience to him at all; for thou canst do nothing bur sin, then thou art sore troubled [Page 9] [...]r that and other sins, thou canst perform o­ [...]dience: but thou findest that it is not such a [...]rfect obedience as is required; therefore thou [...]t sore troubled that thou canst not performe a right. Oh thinkst thou, what shall I doe, [...]m ignorant of the wayes of God, and I do [...]t know what to doe. I will goe to some Mi­ [...]sters, and tell them what a sad condition I [...]n in; They are learned men, and therefore [...]ey know the mind of God. They know how [...] administer a word of comfort in season, [...]d will tell mee what I should doe, that I [...]ight finde God, and walk in his wayes, and [...]t be thus troubled; So thou goest and tellst [...]em thy sad condition, & askest them what [...]urse they would counsel thee to take, Cant. 3. The watch-men that goe about the Citie [...]nd me, to whom I said, saw ye him whom my [...]le loveth. If you have seene him, you can [...]l how to describe him to mee; If you have [...]ne him, you can tell mee what he is, not [...]ly in himselfe, but what he is in the Saints, [...]d to the Saints: and how excellent hee is in [...]his wayes, and glorious in all works.

I have heard excellent things of him: but if [...]u have seene him, you can tell mee more of [...]m then another; therefore I pray tell me ti­ [...]gs of him; tell me where he is, and how I [...]ll finde him; tell mee how you found him, [Page 10]that I may find him also; for he is my belo [...] he is he whom my soule loves above all thi [...] in the world. I count all things like drosse [...] dung to him. I am exceeding sick of love, and [...] not rest till I have found him. Cant. 5.7. watch-men that went about the City found they smote me they wounded me.

How did they wound her, but with [...] doctrine, so doe they thee; they tell thee, Law is a Schoole-master to bring thee to Ch [...] Gal. 3.24. They tell thee, the law saith, [...] ­sed are every one that continueth not in all th [...] which are written in the booke of the Law, to them, Gal. 3.10. Deut. 27.26. Exod. 20. [...] the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting t [...] niquity of the Fathers upon the children unto third and fourth generation of them that hate And the Lord hath too pure an eye to beh [...] iniquity; there is not any thing that is an [...] my to God, but the Devill and sin, 1 Job. He that committeth sin, is of the Devill; for Devill sinneth from the beginning. And as l [...] as ye commit sinne, the Devill is your Fat John 8.44. Ye are of your Father the De [...] and the lusts of your father you will doe; and thou art the servant to the Devill. Rom. 6. Know ye not, to whom ye yeild your selves serv [...] to obey, his servants ye are to whom you obey: [...] ther of sin unto death, or of obedience unto ri [...] [Page 11] [...]esse. And vers. 20. When ye were the servants [...]n, ye were free from righteousnesse. Vers. 23. [...] wages of sinne is death. And if thou enter­ [...]e sinne in thy heart, the Lord will not hear [...] prayer. The Lord is the searcher of hearts, [...]d hee knowes the wickednesse of thy heart: [...]d thou must give account for every idle [...]ught; therefore you must search and exa­ [...]e you throughly of all your sinnes, and [...] truly humbled for every sinne. But many, [...]en God shewes them their sins, it is too te­ [...]us to them, they cannot beare it, they [...]uld fain have comfort administred to them: [...]t we have no such warrant from God, till we [...] you throughly humbled for your sins: wee [...]st not daube you up with untemper'd mor­ [...], but doe to you; as a skilfull Surgeon doth [...]a dangerous wound, search it to the quick: [...]d you must endanger it, if you meane to be [...]red. For if we tell you of mercy before you [...]e throughly humbled, this will heale your [...]unds without, but they will ranckle with­ [...]: and that is the reason your comforts so be and flow.

We are Christs Embassadours, and we must [...]e the message of Christ, which is the deli­ [...]ring the Doctrine of Christ; and ye shall find at we preached the Law, and Judgement, to [...]ing them in to repent, Mat. 11.21, 22, 23, [Page 12]24. Then hee began to upbraid the Cities wher [...] most of his mighty workes were done, because [...] repented not. Woe unto thee Chorazin, [...] unto thee Bethsaida; for if the mighty wor [...] which have been done in you, had been done in T [...] and Sidon, they would have repented long [...] in sack-cloath and ashes. But I say unto you, shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at day of judgement, than for you. And thou [...] pernaum which art exalted unto heaven, sh [...] be brought downe to hell. For if the mighty wor [...] which have beene done in thee, had beene done Sodome, it would have remained untill this d [...] But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolera [...] for the land of Sodome in the day of judgem [...] than for thee. Luke 13.3. Except yee repent, [...] shall all likewise perish.

And when you are thus throughly humble then there is mercie offered you, Mat. 11.2 Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy [...] den, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke up you, and learne of mee; for I am meeke and lo [...] in heart, and ye shall find rest for your soules; [...] my yoke is easie, and my burthen is light. Jer. 2 [...] 11, 12, 13. For I know the thoughts that I thi [...] towards you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace a [...] not of evill, to give you an expected end. Th [...] shall ye call upon me, and ye shall goe and pray un [...] me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye sh [...] [Page 13] [...]eke me, and finde me, when ye shall search for [...]e with all your heart. Jer. 33.8. And I will canse them from all their iniquity whereby they [...]ve sinned against mee, and whereby they have [...]ansgressed against me. Psalm. 103.8, 9. 111. [...], 13. The Lord is mercifull and gracious, slow anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not [...]wayes chide, neither will he keepe his anger for [...]er. He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes, [...]r rewarded us according to our iniquities. For [...] the heaven is high above the earth, so great is [...]s mercie to them that feare him. As farre as the [...]ast is from the West, so far hath he removed our [...]ansgressions from us. Like as a Father pittieth [...] children, so the Lord pittieth them that feare [...]im. And vers. 3. He forgiveth all thine iniqui­ [...]es, hee healeth all thy diseases. Amo [...] 5.4. Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seeke [...] me, and ye shall live. And many other pla­ [...]es of Scripture to this purpose might be cited: [...]ut these places are sufficient to shew you what sad condition you are in, so long as you con­ [...]nue in your sins: and how mercifull the Lord [...], if you returne unto him with all your heart, [...]nd be truly humbled, and walke in a new ourse of life. Exod. 20.6. Shewing mercy unto [...]housands of them that love me, and keep my Com­ [...]andements.

Thus they are able to lay open thy wounds, [Page 14]and make them bigger: and in stead of p [...] ring in the precious balsome of the Church Christ, which will cure thy wounds, t [...] powre in brine to terrifie thee, and they thee upon duties, and tell thee thou must thus and thus qualified before thou comme [...] Christ: but they will not, nor cannot thee how thou must come to be thus qualifi [...] for they will tell thee, all thy righteousnesse i [...] filthy rags.

When thou hearest these things, thou a [...] great deal more troubled then ever thou wa [...] thou art now at thy wits end, and even rea [...] to despair; thou canst see nothing but sin: a [...] if thou couldst repent, and walke in a n [...] course of life, then there was hopes of mer [...] but thou findest thou canst not doe it, the [...] fore thou conciudest there is no mercy [...] thee, therefore thou art sore troubled, a [...] knowst not what to doe. Thou seest the Lo [...] angry with thee for thy sins, and thinkst th [...] all the afflictions that comes upon thee, is [...] judgement of the Lord for thy sinnes; the thinkest thy selfe to be a damned reproba [...] quite empty of all goodnesse, and expect [...] daily some fearefull judgement to fall up [...] thee for thy sinnes. Oh thinkst thou, if [...] wrath of God lay so heavy upon Christ, th [...] made him to cry out, My God, my God why b [...] [Page 15] [...] forsaken me: and he having no sin, Matth. [...]. 46. For if they doe these things in a greene [...], what shall be done in a dry tree. Luke 23.

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where all the sinner and ungodly appeare, 1 Pet. 4.18. [...]en thou thinkest, I shall surely be damned; [...]en the Devill tempts thee to lay violent [...]nds on thy selfe, and many times thou art [...]dy to doe it: but that the Lord prevents it; [...]d the Ministers sees thee in such a despairing [...]ndition, they tell thee, thou must believe [...]at the Lord hath done these and these things [...] thee: And if thou wilt lay hold on him by [...]th, hee will give thee grace to walke in a [...]w course of life: and yet still they offer thee [...]hrist upon condition, and thou art excee­ [...]ngly terrified with hearing mercies, because [...]ou dost not see they belong to thee, because [...]ou canst not believe.

Thus thou seest beloved, what a spirituall [...]ndage thou art in with sinne and the Devill, [...]d false Teachers, like the children of Israel [...] Aegypt, what sore bon dage they were in [...] temporall things, so ar ^t thou now in spi­ [...]uall. And thou knowest not what to doe: [...]t cry unto the Lord as they did, and the [...]ord sent them word that they should be [...]ought out of the Land of Aegypt and that [...]ondage, to serve him in another Land; so he [Page 16]will doe by thee: thou art in such a spirit [...] bondage in this spirituall Aegypt, that th [...] canst not serve the Lord here, therefore [...] Lord comes to bring thee out, which he d [...] by declaring unto thee that this is not [...] way of God: and hee would not have [...] walke in it, nor heare these false Teacher [...] ny more; for thou art more and more wo [...] ded by them. Oh thinkst thou to thy selfe will goe hear them that they call Independe [...] I see they grow exceedingly in grace, and h [...] aboundance of joy, and walke very com [...] tably with God: and Paul bids us try all thin [...] So I will see whether they can tell me tidi [...] of my Beloved. So when thou art thus a [...] ing out of this spirituall Aegypt, then con [...] spirtuall Pharaoh the Devill with his Armie [...] ter thee of reproaches, and scandals, and [...] tream displeasure of those that are of near [...] lation to thee, for thy going in these stran [...] wayes, as they say: calling thee Heretiq [...] and threatning thee, that if thou wilt not lea [...] off these wayes, they will never doe any th [...] for thee: but will doe thus and thus again thee: then thou art in aboundance of slaw feares, and the red sea of persecution befo [...] thee. If the Clergie could but get power [...] the Magistrate, which they have done the good will to get it: in the meane timethey wpersecute [Page 17]you in words, and raile on you in heir pulpits, and call you Hereticks, and say [...]is pitty you should live: you are the distur­ [...]ers of the peace, and if they let you alone, [...]ou will be the ruine of the Kingdome. And [...]his they doe against thee, because thou wilt [...]ot heare them any more; for thou art so [...]ounded with their Sermons, that thou canst [...]ot heare them any longer; Yet they tell thee [...]hou must wait upon them, till the Lord make [...]nown his mind to them: and it is a question whether ever he will make known his minde [...]o them or no, Mat. 23.13. But woe unto you [...]cribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the Kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither goe [...]your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring [...]o goe in. But they are blind leaders of the blinde, [...]nd both shall fall into the pits.

Thus thou seest what a streight thou art in [...]etwixt Pharoah's Armie and the red Sea: and [...]hou cryest to the Lord as the children of Isra­ [...] did: and what did Moses say which was a [...]ype of Christ, Exod. 14.13, 14. Moses said [...]nto the people; feare ye not, stand still, and see [...]e salvation of the Lord, the Lord shall fight for [...]u, and you shall hold your peace.

First, I shall shew you, that yet thou hast [...]ot seen the salvation of the Lord.

Secondly, Thou must stand still, and thou [Page 18]shalt see the salvation of the Lord for thee.

1. I will not deny, but that thou art [...] child of God; for that good seed spoken of Mat. 13. is sowne in thee, which seed is [...] Word in vers. 19. of this Chapter, and [...] Word is Christ. John 1. Which seede is Chri [...] Gal. 3.16. Know ye not that Christ is in you [...] cept you be reprobates: but I trust you shall kn [...] you are not reprobates, 2 Cor. 13. 5, 6. For G [...] hath made knowne to thee that this seed is thee; for thou findest that there is a new wo [...] wrought in thee; for now thou hatest sint [...] and hast a desire after goodnesse: and it is th [...] seede in thee which makes thee so. For wh [...] thou wast in thy naturall condition, th [...] hadst no such inclination to good, thou [...] sometimes thou art ready to deny this throu [...] the Devills temptation, and thy owne corru [...] tions.

But yet thou dost not know the true way Jesus Christ: The Sonne of righteousnesse not risen in thee to lighten thee in his truth as the truth is in Jesus. Christ saith, I am [...] way, the truth, and the life: no man commeth the Father, but by me, John 14.6. And while the Lord doth come and lighten thee in [...] wayes, thou canst not find it out: but thou a in the darke: and one that is in the dark ca [...] not doe any thing well, and is ready to stu [...] [Page 19] [...]e at all things, and yet would faine doe [...]omething.

Thus thou goest along in thy own strength [...] perform duties: but all thy duties and righ­ousnesse is as filthy rags, and that the Devill [...]ill tell thee: and he will overcome thee with is temptations for all thy righteousnesse. This not a sufficient armour to stand against him; [...] will wound thee for all this. For except [...]ur righteousnesse exceeds the righteousnesse of the [...]ribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter to the Kingdome of heaven. Which as yet thou [...]mmest short of that righteousnesse of the [...]ribes and Pharisees, for they were wonder­ [...]ll strict in their wayes; for they lookt to be [...]stified by the workes of the Law. They did [...]t know any other way, therefore they wal­ [...]d in that way; they were in the dark, and [...] they worked according. So it is with thee, [...]ou lookest to be justified by the works of the [...]aw; for thou seest no other way, nor hast [...]en taught any other way, although in words [...]th thou and they that taught thee are ready [...] deny it.

But doe you not say, that except ye do thus [...]d thus, God will not doe thus and thus for [...]ou. What is this, but to be justified by your [...]wne righteousnesse: but thou dost as the [...]ouse did in Cant. 3.1. By night on my bed I [Page 20]sought him whom my soule loved, I sought him, b [...] I found him not.

What was this night; but the time of h [...] darke condition? and what is darknesse but want of light? And in this night on her be [...] what was this bed? A bed is to take their n [...] upon, which was her owne performances a righteousnesse. But she sought him: but she c [...] ­not find him upon her bed; for thy bed is t [...] short for thee to stretch thy self upon, & t [...] covering too narrow to wrap thy self witha [...] before the Lord had shewed her the light his owne selfe to leade her where shee shou finde him. Shee looked for him upon her b [...] of her owne performances, but it is too sho [...] to reach to heaven, and this covering of h [...] righteousnesse too narrow to cover her se­withal, her filthy nakednesse wil appear for that: But that no man is justified by the wo [...] of the Law in the fight of God, is evident, G [...] 3.11. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that con [...] passe your selves about with sparkes: walke in light of your fire, and in the sparkes which ye ha [...] kindled. This shall have ye of mine hand, ye sh [...] lye downe in sorrow, Isa. 50.11.

This fire that we kindle, is our righteor­nesse, these sparks are one and the same wi [...] the fire. This shall ye have at my hand, ye shall downe in sorrow.

The children of God that have, and doe walke in this darke condition, going on in a egall and pharisaicall way, thinking to be ju­tified by their owne righteousnesse; for they know no other way; for if they did, they would willingly embrace it. They lye downe [...]n aboundance of sorrow, they have little comfort and joy: and when they have, 'tis quickly gone: and the more they struggle, the more they are entangled, like a bird in a net, and cannot tell which way to getout: but thou wilt say, though my righteousnesse will not [...]ustifie me before God, yet I must performe duties to him because he commands me; for [...]f there be a willing minde, it is accepted, for [...]hat a man hath, and not for that he hath not. For where much is given, much is requi­red: but where little is given, there is little required. So, if I doe my good will God will accept it; for that which I cannot doe, Christ will doe for me.

I answer, That either thou must be justified wholly by thy owne righteousnesse, or whol­ [...]y by Christs righteousnesse: for thou must not put them together: it is forbid to put lin­nen and woollen together? It is Christ that doth all, and he will have all the glory: be­fore the Sonne of righteousnesse is risen to thee through the cleer truths of himselfe, thou [Page 22]canst not know it; for in thy sight we see ligh And while then we make broken Cesterns our selves that will hold no water, and fo [...] ­sake the fountaine of living water, as t [...] Scribes and Pharisees did, which Christ u [...] ­braided them for, John 3.19. This is co­demnation, that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather than light: in t [...] time of their ignorance, God winked at it: b [...] when hee came himselfe to teach them in t [...] true way, they despised him, and persecut [...] him, and said he was a seducer of the peopl [...] John 7.12. Thou art a Samaritan, and hast Devill. John 8.48. And he is mad, why be ye him: and said, he was a blasphemer. And m [...] ­ny other reproachfull words against him a [...] his Doctrine, and his Disciples; for whi [...] things they were condemned. So, when th [...] light doth appeare to thee, take heed th [...] dost not persecute it as they did: and no [...] can by their striving and strugling make th [...] Sonne to rise, and expell this darknesse, an [...] give us the true light, till he please to doe himselfe.

Thus I have shewed thee, that yet thou ha [...] not seene the salvation of the Lord? Now shall shew you how you shall stand still and [...] the salvation of the Lord. Thou hast tryed a [...] the wayes that thou knowest, and hast labor­ed [Page 23]exceedingly to find out the wayes of God: out cannot find it out. We have toiled all the [...]ight, and taken nothing, Luke 5.5.

Before Christ came in appearance to them, [...]heir labour was in vaine, they could find no­ [...]hing: But when Christ came to them, he bid them let downe their nets into the Sea for a draught. When they had thus done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes. And so it hath been with thee, thou hast toyled all the night, and hast taken nothing. But when Christ manifests himselfe to thee, to teach thee what to doe, which hee will doe by his Spirit, in his time; then thou shalt receive mul­titudes of mercies, and exceeding riches of his [...]ove and goodnesse, and the joy of it, and a countenance of it in the meane time, Isa. 50.10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that o­beyeth the voyce of his servant, that walketh in darknesse, and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Isa. 49.23. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that waite for mee. Habak. 2.1, 2, 3. I will stand upon my watch, and set mee upon the tower: and will watch to see what the Lord will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord an­swered and said, write the vision, and make it plaine upon Tables, that he may run that rea­deth [Page 24]it. For the vision is yet for an appointe time: but in the end it shall speake and not lye Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will sure come, it will not tarry. Isa. 30.18. Blessed an [...] all they that waite for him. Prov. 20.22. Wa [...] on the Lord, and he will save thee. Psal. 56.3▪ What time I am affraid, I will trust in thee. And they that doe wa [...]te upon the Lord, shall fin [...] that they have not lost their labour: but he will abundantly fulfill their desires. The Lor [...] wil fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace for your strength is to sit still, Isa. 30.7.

Thou hast laboured a great while in vain in thy own strength, & couldst not find God now sit still a while, Heb. 10.37. For yet a lit­tle while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Thou must not be discontented because thou hast not thy desires granted when thou wouldst, John 7.6. My time is not yet come: but your time is alwayes ready. Cant. 2.7. I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem, that yee stirre not up, nor awake my Love till he please. The Lords time is the best time. In the mean time, let your conversation be without covetousnesse, and be content with such things as you have. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor for­sake thee, Heb. 13.5. It is not only meant in coveting temporall things, but also spiritu­all: but thou wilt be ready to say, if I had [Page 25]such and such things as I want, and I were thus and thus, as such and such is, then I should be contented: but thou must be conten­ted with such things as thou hast; for the Lord knowes what is better for thee than thou dost, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord: let him doe what see­meth him good. And, I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. It is for thy good whatsoever he doth; if it had been most to his glory and thy good, he would have shewed thee his loving kindnesse at the first, and not have wounded thee thus: and have led thee by his Spirit in a plaine ready way, and have tooke away all things that hath hindered thee: But when hee doth shew thee his love, thou wilt know how to prize it the better; thy happinesse consists not in the actings of Christ, in the which it is but the streames: but in Christ which is the fountaine: and these streames ebbe and flow according to the wisdome of God. And so long as thou dost live upon these streames, thy comforts ebbe and flow with the streames: but the Lord did not send these streames of his love to thee, that thou shouldst live upon them, and build thy comforts upon them: but he lets these streames of his love sometimes flow forth in thee, to keepe thee from despai­ring: and at other times with-draws the sense and feeling of it, that thou shouldst not Ido­lize [Page 26]them: but looke up higher, and see Chris [...] who is thy full happinesse, and he unchange [...] ­ble. I am God, I change not: therefore ye Sonn [...] of Jacob are not consumed.

We have thought God to be changeable li [...] our selves; when we performed duties, he w [...] well pleased with us: and when we fell into f [...] hee was angry with us: and when wee ha [...] thought God angry with us, wee have kep [...] from him, and durst not goe to him, Isa. 5 [...] 7, 8, 9. Let The wicked forsake his way, and [...] unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him r [...] ­turne unto the Lord, and he will have mercy up [...] him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pa [...] ­don. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nei­ther are your wayes my wayes, saith the Lord. F [...] as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [...] ­wayes higher than your wayes, and my though [...] than your thoughts.

You must forsake your owne thoughts [...] God: you have thought him to be changeab [...] like your selfe, and his wayes like yours: b [...] you must doe so no more. For his though [...] are thoughts of peace, and love, and good wi [...] Jer. 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasti [...] love. His love is unchangeable love; for wh [...] he loves, he loves to the end. Is God unchange [...] ­ble? this is exceeding comfortable to the ch [...] ­dren of God; this will encourage them not [...] [Page 27]be troubled, though they cannot performe duties alwayes alike; sometimes wee cannot pray, we want words to speak to God. But the Spirit helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spi­rit it selse maketh intercessian for us with groanes which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth the minde of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God, Rom. 8.26, 27. What little cause haft thou to be troubled; though thou carest not, pray when the Spirit of God prays for thee to the Father, and Christ hee hath prayed for thee, John 17. And he makes inter­cession for thee, 1 John 2.1. And it is impossi­ble but that the prayers of Christ and the Spi­rit will be granted; for the Father will not de­nie Christ anything. And in Christ thou art very neare and deare to him: and he is very tender and carefull over thee, and will do a­ny thing for thee which is for thy good. Hee will not keep backe anything from thee which he sees is for his glory & thy good in his time: but thou must waite his time: and a waiting condition is a happy condition: And it is hee that makes thee to waite. Isa. 40.29, 30, 31. Hee giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he encreaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men [Page 28]shall utterly fall. But they that waite upon th [...] Lord shall renew their strength: they shall moun [...] up with wings as Eagles; they shall runne and no [...] be weary, and they shall walke, and not faint.

Thus I have shewed you what it is to stan [...] still.

CHAP. IV.

How Christ makes a way through the Red Sea o [...] his owne blood which he hath shed for thy sinnes▪ for thee to passe out of the spirituall Land of Ae­gypt, into the spirituall Land of Canaan.

GOd made man in his owne Image, Gen. 1 27. He being without sin, and in a glo­rious condition, and he knew God: and there was nothing to hinder his communion with God. He saw God as he was, and he had a clear enjoyment of him; for he saw God with a spirituall eye, and he was what God would have him to be, and willing to be at the dispo­sing of God; then was no complaints made o [...] him: and God planted a garden, Gen. 2.8, 9. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for foode: the tree of life also in the midst of the gar­den, and the tree of knowledge of good and evill. [Page 29]The Lord placed Adam there, in the glorious place that was upon the earth, suitable to his condition; there was all things that his heart could wish or desire. Vers. 16, 17. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the Garden thou maist freely eate: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill, thou shalt not eate of it; for in the day thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die.

The man and the woman were in a glorious condition, so long as they continued thus both in spirituall and temporall things. So their happinesse was upon condition; for so long as they forbore eating of the tree of knowledg of good and evill, they continued in this hap­pinesse: but if they eate of it, thou should surely dye. And the Devill envied mans happy con­dition: and he enters into the Serpent, and came to the woman, and said: Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eate of every tree of the Garden? And the Woman said unto the Serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said, ye shall not eate of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die. And the Serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die? For God doth know, that in the day ye eate thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evill. And when the woman saw, that [Page 30]the tree was good for foode, and that it was ple [...] ­sant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to ma [...] one wise, shee tooke of the fruit thereof, and di [...] eate: and gave also to her husband with her, an [...] he did eate, Gen. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Here the Devill came, and accused God t [...] the Woman; hath God said ye shall not eate of e­very tree of the Garden? For God doth know [...] that in the day that yee eate thereof, then your eye shall be opened, and you shall be as Gods, knowin [...] good and evill. As if he should say, if God di [...] love you, he would not have barr'd you fro [...] eating of the fruis of that tree: whereby yo [...] should become as Gods to know good and evill. He had better have barr'd thee from all the othe [...] things in the garden, then from this? there­fore his barring of thee from this thing whic [...] is so good for thee, may make thee questio [...] his love to thee in all other things. An [...] though he said, ye shall dye it ye eate of it: ye [...] shall not surely dye. God did not love you [...] and therefore he would not have you eate o [...] it: and faith, ye shall dye if ye eate of it. But be­lieve me I doe tell ye the truth, and I speak [...] in love; you shall not dye: but you shall be as God knowing good and evill. And who is it tha [...] would not be in that condition if they could▪ and this is the way to bring them to it: and i [...] is an easie way, and pleasant to eate of the frui [...] [Page 31] [...]f a tree, that is a small matter, thou needst [...]ot feare, that will doe thee no harme. Thus [...]he Devill first accuseth God to the woman, [...]o make way for the tempting of her, that so [...]e might the better prevaile with her with his [...]emptations: So shee listned to him, and be­ [...]eved him what hee said, and did eate of the [...]uit: and did give to her husband, and be eate [...]so.

Thus they believed the Devill in all things, [...]nd thought God to be their Enemie, and [...]o be a lyer in all things. Thus they forsook God, and made the Devill their God, in obey­ [...]g him, and in doing this thing, they commit [...]l manner of sinne: and we were in their loins [...]nd sinned with them: and of all sinnes, God [...]ost complaines of Idolatry: and here was [...]is sin in a high degree to forsake God, and [...]ould not believe him nor obey him: but be­ [...]eved the Devill, and obeyed him who was [...]ods enemie: and the eyes of them both were ope­ [...]d; they knew that they were noked. And vers.

Their eies were opened to see their misera­ [...]e condition that they had brought them­ [...]lves into. Before they eate of it, they knew [...]othing but good: and they were not conten­ [...]d with this, but they would know evill too: [...]d the eating of this forbidden fruit brought [...]em to know nothing else but evill: so now [Page 32]they know good and evill. And this aggravated their misery, to know what a good cond [...] tion then they were in, and now what a fea [...] full condition they had brought themselves in to. And when the Lord came into the garde [...] and called to Adam, then they ran away an [...] hid themselves; after they had sinned, th [...] were affraid of God, that kept them from th [...] sweete communion of God, which, befor [...] they eate of that fruit, they did enjoy, and h [...] was their full happinesse: but now they we [...] affraid he should see them: and they did wha [...] they could to hide themselves from him, b [...] yet he found them out. And hee said unto t [...] man, hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I co [...] manded thee that thou shouldst not eate? And t [...] man said, the woman whom thou gavest to [...] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did ea [...] Gen. 3.11, 12.

Here the man doth what he can to excu [...] himselfe, and laid the fault on the woman, [...] was shee that gave it me: and he blames Go [...] for giving the woman to him. It was the wo [...] man that thou gavest me, it was she that gave [...] me. If thou hadst not given me the woma [...] I had not eaten it; for it was through h [...] meanes that I did it, & if thou hadst not give me her, I had not eaten it. And the Lord G [...] said unto the woman, what is this that thou h [...] [Page 33]done? thou dost not know what a miserable condition thou hast brought upon your selves and your posterity for ever. For by this thing doing, you have lost all your happinesse, both spirituall and temporall: and procured all manner of spirituall and temporall judgments both here and hereafter. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. And the Woman said, the Serpent beguiled me: he told me that I should not die: but wee should be as God, knowing good and evill, or else I had not eate it. So she excused her selfe, and laid the fault on the Serpent. And the Lord God said unto the Serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cur­sed: and I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman, and betweene thy seed and her seed: It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heele, Gen. 3.13, 14, 15.

The Devill hath got an interest in all man­kind: by their listning to him, and believing of him, and obeying him, they made him their God. And man, being in this fearefull con­dition by the Devils getting an interest in him, is led by him to doe what hee would have him to doe, and there is no remedie to be found by man: For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou must dye eternally. For the wages of sinne is death, Rom. 6.23. The soule that sinnes, it shall dye, Ezek. 18.4.

There could be no way found out by ma [...] nor any thing in man that could make satisf [...] ction for those sins that they had committed but God hath found out a way; he hath fou [...] out a sufficient ransome, to redeeme thee fro [...] the wrath of God, and the cruelty of the D [...] vill and sinne, and heil, which is the Sonne [...] God, which was to take flesh upon him, an [...] he was to be born of a woman: and he was [...] make full satisfaction to his Father for all o [...] sins. And this is the feede of the woman th [...] would breake the Serpents head. Which seed [...] Christ, Gal. 3.16. And God was well pleas [...] with man-kind, looking upon them in Chri [...] what he had undertaken for them: and in th [...] fulness of time he was to come and perform i [...] and it was already done in his account. An [...] this the Lord made known to Adam: but h [...] had not a cleere knowledge of this: but it w [...] typified to him in sacrifices, Gen. 4.4. And [...] made knowne these things to them in a dar [...] way by degrees, as was to his glory and the [...] good: and so all along the olde Testament, [...] was typified to them in sacrifices and ordina [...] ces, and ceremonies, still in a darke way, y [...] a more clearer manifestation of him then b [...] fore: but all along it speaks of sacrifices: an [...] without, there w [...] nothing to be done; Th [...] were to offe [...] Peace-offerings, Levit. 3. [...] [Page 35]And if his Oblation be a sacrifice of Peace-offe­ring, if he offer it of the herd, whether it be a male or female, he shal offer it without blemish before the Lord: And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation: & Aarons sons the Priests shal sprinkle the blood upon the Altar round about. This was their Peace-offering; it was to make their peace with God, which sacrifice was a type of Christ; for he was the true sacri­fice that then was to make peace for man-kinde to his Father: and his blood was shed to sprin­kle our hearts, or wash our hands from dead workes to serve the living God. Therefore was the sacrifices commanded to put them in re­membrance of Christ, which was the sub­stance, and he which they typified: and for e­very sin almost there was to be sacrifices, as in Lev. 4. al along the Chap. there it speaks what must be offered, and how, for sins of ignorance. And ch. 6. there is a sacrifice to be offered for sins willingly. And c. 16. there is what is to be offered for the sins of the Priest, and how: and so along that booke it speaks much of sacrifi­ces for the sins of the people. Heb. 9.22. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood: and without shedding of blood is no remission. So Christe blood was the Red Sea that they did passe through to come out of their spirituall [Page 36]bondage which they had brought themselves in by obeying the Devill. And they saw him darkly through sacrifices, and ordinances, and ceremonies, which were but shadowes of things to come: but the substance is Christ; and they were not to depend upon their sacri­fices, but upon Christ.

It pleased the Lord to lead them in this dark way, shewing himselfe to them by degrees, as was most to his glory: yet there was more light shewed to them then was revealed before them in the Prophets. There he shewes him­selfe clearly to them, what he would doe for them, and what he was to them, and his ex­ceeding great love to them: which in the ful­nesse of time he did come and performe it.

Thus they waited a long time, having but a little hope of him, still looking for his com­ming in the flesh, and desiring his comming, and yet willing to wait his time. And at the the last he did come, and finish all things, for the salvation of their soules, and made full satisfaction to his Father for all sins, and not for theirs only, but for the sins of the whole world; for all that was from Adam to the end of the world. Man had sinned, therefore man must suffer: and it must be one that was with­out sin; for one that had sinne could not make satisfaction, neither could man as man, but [Page 37]it must be God in man, or else he could not make satisfaction to God: and it must be man too, or else he could not suffer: so he must be a middle person betwixt God and man, that must make satisfaction to God for man. So God sent his only Sonne out of his bosome to take our nature upon him: and he was able to make full satisfaction to his Father for all man-kind at once. So the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all, Isa. 53.6.

God hath laid our sins upon Christ, and he was willing to take them: so our sinnes being laid upon Christ, he is become the debter; and we are set at liberty: our sins are all laid upon Christ, so God requires the full debt to be paid alone by him: He hath nothing to say or doe against us, because Christ hath underta­ken to make full satisfaction to God for us: and he cannot nor will not require it of Christ and us too, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 21. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himselfe by Jesus Christ. God was in Christ, reconcising the world unto himselfe, not imputing their trespasses unto them. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righte­ousness of God in him. Isa. 53.4, 5. Surely hee hath born our griefes, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteeme him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressi­ons, [Page 38]he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastise­ment of our peace was upon him, and with hi [...] stripes we are healed; so all along that chapte [...] it speaks what Christ suffered for us. Hos. 13 14. I will ransome them from the power of th [...] grave, I will redeeme them from death. O death I will be thy plagues, O grave I will be thy destru­ction: repentance shall bee hid from mine eye [...] 1 Cor. 15.54, 55, 56, 57. Death is swallowe [...] up in victory? O death! where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, an [...] the strength of sinne is the Law; But thanks [...] to God which giveth us the victory through o [...] Lord Jesus Christ. In Hosea he saith, I wil [...] it: it is he alone that will doe it: but now he [...] tel: you 'tis already done. Death is swallow [...] up in victory: and this is the death that is spo­ken of in Gen. 2.17. And Christ hath gotte [...] victory over it for us: Hee is made perfect [...] us through suffering: he was perfect in him­selfe before, but not for us: but now he [...] perfect for us. I shall shew you how Chri [...] was made perfect for us through suffering: [...] was made perfect for us 3. wayes:

First, By the fulfilling of the whole La [...] for us.

Secondly, By making full satisfaction f [...] the sins of the world.

Thirdly, He hath purchased of his Fath [...] [Page 39]all things both spirituall and temporall for us. I shall shew you of the two first, and let the o­ther alone till afterwards.

For the first, Christ hath fulfilled the whole Law for us. Man was commanded to doe it: and there was a great curse lay upon him if he did not doe it. Cursed is every one that doth not all things that are written in the book of the Law, Gal. 3.10. For whosoever shall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10. And man, he could not doe it: so Christ he comes and performes the whole law perfectly for us, Mat. 5.17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets? I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth passe, one jot or tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled. And Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth: and he hath fulfilled every jot and tittle of the Law for us; for he did undertake to fulfill the whole Law for us, to purchase a perfect righ­teousnesse for us by his fulfilling the Law for us. It behoves us saith Christ, to fulfill all righ­teousnesse. And which of you can taxe me of sin: so his righteousnesse is a perfect righteous­nesse, there is not any imperfection in it, the Lord hath not any thing to say against it: and this is for us, Christ our righteousnesse, 1 Cor. [Page 40]1.30. Ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdome, and righteousnesse, and sanctifi­cation, and redemption. Thus Christ hath ful­filled the whole Law for us.

Now I shall shew you how Christ hath made full satisfaction to his Father for our sins: and that he did by suffering the whole wrath of God for the sins of the whole world. I have a baptisme to be baptized withall, and how am I streightned till it be accomplished? which was his suffering. He was to drinke off that bitter cup of the whole wrath of God, wrung out by the hand of Gods vengeance, & to drink the dregs of it for our sinnes that was laid upon him. And now you shall see how Christ complaines of this wrath of God that lay so heavy upon him, John 12.27. Now is my soule troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this houre? but for this cause came I unto this houre. Matth. 26.38. Then said Jesus unto them, my soule is very heavy, even unto the death. So hee went and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me: neverthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt, And thus he prayed 3. times. Luke 22.44. And being in an agony, hee prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling downe to the ground. How unwilling was the humanity of Christ to suffer [Page 41] [...]hat bitter death and passion that hee was to [...]ndergoe! for hee put up strong groanes and [...]ries to him that was above, to save him: and [...] that hee prayed for, he was heard: yet hee [...]ust suffer, there was no remedie. Yet, saith Christ, neverthelesse, not my will, but thy will be [...]one. Father, glorifie thy Name, John 12.28. He [...]as willing to doe or suffer any thing that his [...]ather might be glorified: and his Father [...]ould not be glorified, without he did suffer; [...]or it was hee alone that could glorifie the Fa­ [...]her, and he did doe it, by making full satis­ [...]action to his Father for all the sins of man­ [...]inde, to redeeme them from sinne and wrath [...]f God, and the condemning power of the [...]aw, and Hell, and damnation. So Christ [...]as willing to suffer any thing that his Father [...]id lay upon him, for to glorifie his Father, [...]nd for the love that he had to man-kinde; [...]or his love was so great to them, that he was willing to suffer any thing for their sake, that [...]hey might be redeemed from that miserable condition that they had brought themselves [...]nto: So, although the humanity of Christ was [...]nwilling to suffer that which he was to suffer, [...]et the glory of his Father, and his love to the world so prevailed with him, that hee was willing to suffer: and said, If this cup may not depart except I drinke it, thy will be done. And [Page 42]his prayer was heard of his Father, and [...] request granted, though hee must suffer; f [...] his desire was, that his Father would glorifie [...] Name, John 12.28. Then came a voyce from he [...] ­ven, saying, I have both glorified it, and [...] glorifie it againe. Here was his request grant [...] him: and he enabled him to beare that whi [...] he laid upon him, Luke 22.43. And there [...] peared an Angel from heaven unto him, streng [...] ­ning him.

Christ did not suffer as he was God, but [...] he was man; for the God-head could not s [...] ­fer: And as he was man, he was weake, a [...] had need to be strengthened, comforted, a [...] up-held: and it was his Divinity that up-he [...] his humanity. So he being thus strengthen [...] hee was put upon the suffering: so hee was b [...] traid to be put to death by his Disciple, [...] that was neare to him, and pretended mu [...] love to Christ. He was taught by Christ [...] wayes of God, and he taught others, yet [...] betrayed Christ, for him to be put to deat [...] hee betrayed him into the hands of wic [...] men: and ye shall see how they mis-used h [...] And the men that held Jesus, mocked him, [...] smote him: And when they had blind-folded h [...] they strooke him on the face: and asked him, say [...] who was it that smote thee? And many ot [...] things blasphemously spake they against hi [...] [Page 43] [...]uke 22.63, 64, 65. And Herod with his men [...]f Warre set him at nought, and mocked him, and [...]raied him in a gorgeous robe, Luke 23.11. Then [...]ilate therefore tooke Jesus and scourged him, and [...]he Souldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it [...]n his head: and they put on him a purple robe, & [...]aid, haile, King of the Jewes. They smote him with their hands, John 19.1, 2, 3. Matth. 27. [...]6.

Thus they mocked him, and despitefully used him which came to save them: and it was because he said he was the Sonne of God, and was their King, to reigne spiritually over them; therefore in contempt they put a crown of thorns upon his head. They did looke for Christ to come to redeeme them, and to reign over them: but they did not looke for him to come in that manner to them as he did come, in the shape of a servant, but in great pompe, like an earthly King, and so to reigne over them temporally. So when Christ did come, because he did not come according as they ex­pected him to come, they hated him and de­spised him, and said, we wil not have this man to reigne over us: he hath no form nor come­linesse: and when ye shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrowes, and ac­quainted with griefes, and we hid as it were our [Page 44]from him. He was despised, and we esteem [...] him not, Isa. 53.3.

His comelinesse and beauty did not consi [...] in temporall things; If it had, then they wou [...] have loved him: but Christ said, his Kingdo [...] was not of this world. The foxes have holes, a [...] the birds have nests: but the Son of man hath n [...] wherewithall to lay his head. But his Kingdom is a spirituall Kingdome, and they did no [...] know this Kingdome which he was King ove [...] but they looked with the eye of flesh, and tha [...] could not see Christs Kingdome: so with [...] fleshly eye they looked for a fleshly King t [...] reigne over them in a fleshly way. And whe [...] he was come, they saw him so meane in out­ward things over they expected: then the [...] said, this is not he, John 7.27. We know th [...] man whence he is. But when Christ commeth no man knoweth whence he is. Is not this th [...] Carpenters sonne? Is not this Jesus the son of Jo­seph, whose father and mother we know, John 6.42. They slighted him, because they did not see him in that outward pompe as they expe­cted: so they hated him, and persecuted him, and spit on him, and tooke the reed and smote him, Mat. 27.30. And when the chiefe Priests therefore and Officers saw him, they cryed out, say­ing, crucifie him, crucifie him. Pilate said unto them, take ye him and crucifie him, for I finde no [Page 45]fault in him, John 19.6. They confessed there was no fault in him, yet they would put him to death: but all this was done upon Christ for our sins, they being laid upon him: and [...]hey were the instruments that God had ap­pointed to bring Christ to the Crosse. It is ne­ [...]essary that offences come: but woe be to them by whom they doe come.

And till the time was come that was ap­pointed of the Father, they could doe no­thing to him: and when the time did come, that he should suffer, they brought him to the Crosse, and nail'd him to it: but Christ laid downe his life freely of himselfe, John 10.17, 18. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I [...]ay downe my life, that I might take it up again. No man taketh it from mee, but I lay it downe of my selfe; I have power to lay it downe, and I have [...]ower to take it up againe: this Commandement have I received of my Father.

So now, the time of his suffering being come, hee was willing to lay downe his life for poore miserable fallen man-kinde, he be­ing nail'd upon the Crosse: hee endured sore paines in his body, and much more in his minde; for the whole wrath of God lay upon him for all our sins; for he was wounded for our transgressions both spirituall and temporall. A man may bear the infirmities of his body: but a [Page 46]wounded spirit who can beare. They that h [...] beene wounded in spirit, can tell that it i [...] [...] very sore thing, and heavy to be borne. H [...] much more sorer and heavier was it up [...] Christ, when he was wounded for all the f [...] of all man-kinde? it made him to cry out: [...] God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, Mar. 1 [...] 34. Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by? [...] hold and see, if there be any sorrow like my sorr [...] which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord h [...] afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger, Lam. [...] 12. There was never affliction like this th [...] was done unto Christ: his love was so gr [...] to man-kind, that there was not any thing t [...] deare to him, but he was willing to for-go [...] [...] for their sakes: he shedde his heart-blood f [...] their sakes; our sins could not be pardone [...] without his blood being shed; for witho [...] blood-shedding there is no remission, Heb. [...] 12. And it is not possible that the blood [...] ­buls and goats should take away sins: whe [...] ­fore when hee commeth into the world, h [...] saith: Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt off [...] ­rings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no ple [...] ­sure. Then said I, loe I come to doe thy will, [...] God. By the which will wee are sanctif [...] through the offering of the body of Christ Jes [...] once for all, Heb. 10.4, 5, 6, 7. It was not t [...] [Page 47]sacrifice of beasts that could take away sin, or make satisfaction to God: therefore he prepa­ [...]ed Christ, a bodie, and he was the only sa­ [...]rifice that could and did make full satisfacti­ [...]n to God for the sins of the whole world, 1 [...]et. 2.24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in [...]is owne bodie on the tree: that we being dead to [...]nne, should live unto righteousnesse, by whose [...]ipe [...] ye were healed. Titus 2.14. Who gave him­ [...]lfe for us, that he might redeeme us from all ini­ [...]ity, and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people, [...]alous of good workes, Col. 1.14. In whom wee [...]ave redemption through his blood, even the for­ [...]venesse of sins, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed [...]s from the curse of the Law, being made a curse [...]or us. For it is written, cursed is every one that [...]angeth on a tree. So Christ was made perfect [...]or us through suffering, John 19.28. After [...]is, Jesus knowing that all things were now ac­ [...]omplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. [...]nd vers. 30. He said, it is finished: and he how­ [...] his head, and gave up the ghost.

I have now shewed you that the Father hath [...]id all our sinnes upon Christ, and hee hath [...]ade full satisfaction to the Father for them. All our sins being laid upon Christ, they are [...]ecome his, they are not ours, but his. For [...]e hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin, [...]hat we might be made the righteousnesse of God in [Page 48]him, 2 Cor. 5.21. And Christ redeemed us fr [...] the curse of the law, being made a curse for [...] How was Christ made sin and a curse for [...] If a man be bound to pay another mans de [...] he is become the debter: and if the Credito [...] follows the Law of him, he must pay the deb [...] and he paying the debt, the other that ow [...] the debt is freed, there is nothing to be do [...] against him, because the other hath satisfi [...] the Creditour.

So our sinnes being laid upon Christ, an [...] he undertaking to pay a full satisfaction to [...] Father for them, he is become the debter, o [...] sins are his, and his Father lookes upon h [...] as the sinner: not that himself had sinned, [...] bearing our sinnes: and as he became the si [...] ­ner for us, so hee became a curse for us. F [...] the Law saith, Cursed is every one that contin [...] ­eth not in all things which are written in the b [...] of the Law to doe them, Gal. 3.10.

So God hath required this debt of Christ [...] be paid by him to the utmost farthing: and [...] hath done it for us; there is nothing to b [...] done for the salvation of our soules, but all [...] done already for us by the sufferings of Chri [...] and God is fully satisfied and well pleas [...] This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well ple [...] ­sed, Mat. 3.17. And he is as well pleased wi [...] us in his Sonne, as he is with his Sonne; a [...] [Page 49]he hath no more to say against us for our sins than hee hath against his Son. And God doth [...]ove us with the same love that he hath loved Christ withall, John 17.23.

CHAP. V. Now Christ is offered freely to all man-kind with­out any price or worthinesse of their owne.

GOd was pleased to make Christ a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, to reconcile [...]he world unto himselfe, not imputing their sinnes [...]to them, 2 Cor. 5.19. And God would have [...]e world to know what Christ hath done for [...]em: he would not have his love and mercy, [...]nd great goodnesse to be hid from them, but [...] be made known to them, that poore souls [...]at are wounded with sinne, may looke upon [...]hrist that was crucified for their sinnes: and [...] him see God as well pleased with them, as [...] is with Christ. There is nothing now to [...]nder Gods love to us, he loves us freely. I [...]ll heale their rebellions, I will love them freely, [...] my anger is turned away from them, Hos. 14. [...]. Behold the dayes come (saith the Lord) that I [...]ll make a new covenant with the house of Israel, [...] with the house of Judah. Not according to [Page 50]the Covenant that I made with their fathers, wher [...] I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of th [...] land of AEgypt: the which my Covenant they brake although I was an Husband unto them, saith th [...] Lord. But this shall be the Covenant that I wi [...] make with the house of Israel: After those day [...] (saith the Lord) I will put my Law in their i [...] ward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. F [...] I will forgive their iniquity, and will rememb [...] their sins no more, Jer. 31.31, 32, 33, 34.

That old covenant that he made with the [...] was a covenant of workes: and that covenan [...] they broke, they were not able to keepe it: b [...] now God hath made a new covenant with [...] in Christ, a better covenant than the other for God hath given Christ to us for a co [...] ­nant, for him to undertake to make full sa­tisfaction for our sinnes, and to be a Medi [...] ­tor betwixt God and us.

There was nothing in us that moved Go [...] to bestow his Sonne upon us to be crucisied f [...] us: but it was his free love. Herein is love, [...] that we loved God, but that he loved us, and se [...] his Son to be the propitiatin for our sins, 1 Joh [...] 4.10. Hereby perceive we the love of God, beca [...] he laid downe his life for us, 1 John 3.16. A [...] while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, e [...] when we were dead in sins, Ephes. 2.5. For [Page 51]so loved the world, that hee gave his only begotten Sonne, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, John 3.16, 17. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world, John 12.47. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay downe his life for his friend, John 15.13.

That is the greatest love that friends can shew one to another: but Christ hath loved us with a greater love; for while wee were his enemies, he dyed for us to reconcile us to God, and to make us his friend; hee takes occasion by our sins to shew us merie. The Lord com­plains of the spirituall Idolatry of his people, in Hosea 2. which of all sins, that is partly the greatest, to forsake God, and cleave to Idols, and to give that to them that belongs only to God; for they made their Idols their God, & gave honour and glory to them: but the Lord saith; I will not give my honour to another, nor my glory to graven Images, Hos. 2.13, 14. Shee decked her selfe with her ear-rings and her jewels, and she followed her Lovers, and forgate me, saith the Lord. Therefore behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wildernesse, aad speake comfor­tably to her, Hos. 11.7. My people are bent to re­bellion against me: though they called them to the [Page 52]most High, yet none at all would exalt him. Yet this did not turne the love of the Lord from them; for in the 8. and 9. verses, he saith, How shall I give thee up Ephraim, how shall I delive thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah! how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is tur­ned within me, my repentings are rouled together I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man, the holy One in the midst of thee, E­zek. 20.44. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have respect unto you for my Names sake and not after your wicked wayes, nor according to your corrupt workes, O ye house of Israel, saith th [...] Lord, Isa. 43.25. I, even I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake, and wil [...] not remember thy sins, Isa. 44.22. I have put a­way thy transgressions like a cloud, and thy sinner as a mist: turn unto me, for I have redeemed thee, Jer. 33.8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me: & I will pardon all their iniquities wherby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have trans­gressed against me, Jer. 50.20. And in those dayes, and at that time, saith the Lord, the iniquitie [...] of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and for the sinnes of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will be mercifull unto them.

Here is the free mercie of God, and riches of [Page 53]his love belonging to all man-kinde, that ever was, is, or shall be; there is not any one exclu­ded from his love; for there is nothing can keep us from God but our sins, and that Christ hath dyed for, and hath made full satisfaction to his Father, and hath obtained of his Father a full pardon for all the sinne of all man-kinde, although they be never so great, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all accep­tation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chiefe. He was a per­secuter, and a blasphemer, and an injurious person; yee (saith he) I obtained mercy. The Lord is no respecter of persons.

He shed his dearest heart-blood for all sin­ners, as well for the chiefe of sinners as any o­ther; for without blood-shedding there can be no remission of any one sinne, though ne­ver so small in our apprehension: but by the blood of Christ being shed for us, the greatest sins are pardoned as well as any. For the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all unrighteousnesse. And this gift of God in giving his Sonne, is a free gift of God, given to all, to redeeme all from sinne, hell, and the Devill, Hes. 13.9. O Israel one hath destroyed thee, but in me is thy helpe. The Devill having overcome man by his tempting the woman, and they yielding to him, wee were all destroyed by the Devill: but in Christ [Page 54]is our helpe against him, Jer. 31.11. The Lor [...] hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.

All man-kinde fell, by and in the fall of A­dam, from that glorious condition that th [...] were in before they sinned: So we all fell fro [...] that glorious condition with him, into a sta [...] of condemnation, sin, and the wrath of Go [...] both spirituall and temporall, and hell an [...] damnation: and as we all fell in Adam, so we are all raised by, and in Christ, not to tha [...] condition that Adam fell from, but from tha [...] condition that he fell into: and as we all dye [...] in Adam, so wee are all made alive in Chri [...] Adam was a publique person for man-kind so was Christ; therefore he is called the secon [...] Adam. Therefore as by the offences of one, which was Adam, judgement came upon all men to c [...] demnation; even so by the righteousnesse of ou [...] which is Christ, the free gift came upon all m [...] unto justification of life. For as by one mans dis [...] bedience many were made sinners: so by the obe [...] ­ence of one shall many be made righteous, Rom. [...] 18, 19.

All were made sinnners in Adam, so all a [...] made righteous by Christ.

Quest. How are all made righteous [...] Christ?

Answ. He being made a publique person so [Page 55]all man-kinde: he undertook to make full sa­tisfaction for our sins, which he did comit: so he redeemed us from that condemnation that came upon all the world by the fall of Adam: so that for those sinnes wee shall never be con­demned.

Hee hath redeemed the whole world from the Devill and sin, to himselfe, that we should serve him in all love: so the Devill and sinne cannot keepe the world out of heaven, they can doe us no harme; yea, those that are very great sinnes cannot: nothing but unbeliefe can keepe us out. There was nothing that kept the children of Israel out of the Land of Canaan but unbeliefe. We see they could not en­ter in because of unbeliefe, Heb. 3.19. They had committed many sins, and those that were ve­ry great ones: and God complained of their sins in many places of Scripture, yet none of them kept them out of the Land of Canaan, which was a type of heaven, but only unbelief. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world: and men loved darkenesse rather then light, John 3.19.

Christ hath obtained of his Father a full pardon for all the sins of the world, and a per­fect righteousnesse, and heaven, and spirituall and temporall things, and it is kept in store for us in Christ; all the spirituall things are [Page 56]till wee doe really believe what Jesus Chri [...] hath done for us in particular, and he woul [...] have his love made knowne to the world tha [...] they might believe: and then hee will mak [...] known to them that their sins are pardoned and how great his love is to them, and wh [...] hee hath purchased for them, and what the [...] are in him. And although there remaines s [...] in the conversation, yet sin in the conscien [...] is done away. The blood of Christ, which throug [...] the eternall spirit, offered himselfe without spo [...] purge your consciences from dead workes, to ser [...] the living God, Heb. 9.14. And he speaking i [...] the 9 ^th verse of this chapter, and verse 2. of th [...] 10 ^th chapter of the sacrifices in the time of th [...] Law, there was offered gifts and sacrifices tha [...] could not make holy, concerning the consci­ence of him that did the service; for if it could would they not then have ceased to have bee [...] offered, because that that the offerers onc [...] purged, should have had no more sine in thei [...] conscience: but those sacrifices could not take away sin in the conscience, Heb. 9.24, 25, 26. For Christ is not entered into the holy places, ma [...] with hands, which are the figures of the true; bu [...] into heaven itselfe, now to appeare in the prese [...] of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself [...] often, as the high Priest entereth into the holy pl [...] every yeare with blood of others. For then must [Page 57]often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath be appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of him­selfe. And it is he alone that can and will san­ctifie us in our conversation; Let us draw neer with a true heart in assurance of faith, sprink­led in our hearts from an evill conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water, Heb. 10.22. Christ shed both water and blood, John 19. [...]4. His blood for to sprinkle our conscience from evill works, that so they shall not damn us, and water to purge and sanctifie us in our conversation, that sin shall be mortified in us, and we shall walke in obedience to God. And this Christ hath done for all, and would have all know it, that they all might come to Christ and be saved. For be tasted death for-every man, Heb. 2.9. And be dyed for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that dyed for them, and rose again, 2 Gor. 5.15.

Christ not only dyed and was buried, but hee also rose from the dead; which doth de­clare unto us, that hee hath gotten the victory over the spirituall death for us; he triumphed over it for us. Death is swallowed up in victory? O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; But thanks be to God which gi­veth [Page 58]us the victory through our Lord Jesus Chris [...] 2 Cor. 15.54, 55, 56, 57.

So Christ hath done all things for thee, an [...] hath made way for to goe to God by him. J [...] ­sus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, [...] ­man commeth to the Father, but by me, John 1 [...] 6. And now he makes a generall proclamat [...] ­on for all to come unto him, and he will gi [...] them life; for their life is hid in him: and they doe not come unto him, they shall dye [...] their sins: and the Lord saith; As I live, I wi [...] not the death of a sinner. Isa. 55.1, 2, 3. Ho, ev [...] one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and [...] that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat, yea com [...] buy wine, and milke without money, and with [...] price. Wherefore doe ye spend money for that whi [...] is not bread? and your labour for that which sati [...] ­fieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and ea [...] ye that which is good, and let your soule delight selfe in fatnesse. Encline your eare and come un [...] ­me heare, and your soule shall live, and I wi [...] make aneverlasting Covenant with you, even t [...] sure mercies of David.

The waters that we are invited to come [...] to, is Christ; he is the water of life, John 4.1 [...] And he calls all to come, without any worth nesse of their owne; though they are never [...] great sinners, let them come, let them not ke [...] back because they are great sinners: but ther [...] ­fore [Page 59]let them come; for he dyed for their sins: [...]nd if they come unto him, he will give them a [...]ardon for their sins, their sinnes cannot be too great for him to pardon: and doe not stay for [...]ualification to come to Christ, for there is [...]o qualification out of Christ: but come unto him, and he will qualifie thee; there is no vessel so unclean, but the blood of Christ wil cleanse [...]t. And saith Christ, Those that come to me, I will [...]n no wise cast away: and that wine and milk is Christ, John 15.1. I am the Vine that brought forth those grapes that this wine came of, and he was pressed in the wine-pres of the wrath of God, for us to drinke of the fruit of it. And as it is the nature of wine to comfort, strengthen, and refresh those that are ready to faint. So it is with this spirituall wine, Christ; whosoever hath tasted of him, it comforts him exceeding­ly: and when they are ready to faint through the sence of their sins, this wine refreshes them, and strengthens them against the Devils temp­tations and their owne sins: and this milke is to feede those that are babes in Christ. I have fed you with milke, and not with meate, for bi­therto ye were not able to beare it, 1 Cor. 3.2. For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse; for he is a babe, Heb. 5.13. So Christ is this milke that feeds those that are babes in him; he is their nourishment, and hee [Page 60]revealeth his love to them by degrees: and [...] are babes at the first, and grow by degrees be men in Christ, and hee leades them acco [...] ­ding. Wherefore doe ye spend money for that whi [...] is not bread? you spend a great deale of cost paines to get a righteousnesse of your own, a [...] so feede upon that: but that is not bread, th [...] is but ashes, that will not nourish thee, b [...] wildo thee more harm than good. Christ sait [...] He is the bread of life, John 6.48. This is [...] bread which came downe from heaven, that a m [...] may eate of it and not dye. I am the living bre [...] which came downe from heaven; if any man eate this bread be shall live for ever: and the bread th [...] I will give is my flesh, which I will give for t [...] life of the world, vers. 50, 51. And this brea [...] hee giveth to all freely. And this is that tha [...] will feede and nourish your soules; therefor [...] feede upon this, and doe not spend your la­bour in vaine, thinking to get a righteousne [...] of your owne, which is not the righteousnes [...] of Jesus Christ, that thou mightst feede upon that, and be satisfied with it: but that cannot satisfie thee, if thou goest to feede upon it, [...] will choak thee: but hearken diligently to me, and eate that which is good, and let your soule de­light it selfe in his fatnesse. What he hath don [...] for thee, and what he hath obtained for thee and come unto me; heare, and your soul shal live. [Page 61]So heare, that yee really believe what Christ hath done for you, and your soule shall live. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, [...]ven the sure mercies of David. For this is the Covenant that I will make with them, After those dayes (saith the Lord) I will put my lawes into their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and [...]hey shall be to mee a people. And they shall not [...]each every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for all shall know me from the least to the greatest. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse: and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more, Heb. 8.10, 11, 12.

And it is a sure Covenant; for it was esta­blished upon better promises than the old Co­venant was, and God is unchangeable. I am God, I change not, therefore ye sonnes of Jacob are not consumed. And the Spirit and the Bride sayes [...]ome: and let him that heareth, say come: and set him that is athirst, come: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life, freely, Rev. 22.17. Wisedome hath builded her house, she hath killed [...]er beasts, shee hath mingled her wine, shee hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her Maidens, shee cryeth upon the highest places of the City: Whose is simple, let him turne in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him: Come eate of my bread; and drinke of the wine that I have mingled, Prov. 9.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

This wisdome is Christ, and it was he th [...] was killed for the sinnes of the world. This the fatted Calfe that was killed, Luke 15.2 [...] And the Lamb slain from the beginning of t [...] world. Matth. 22. Behold, I have prepared [...] dinner, my oxen and fatlings are killed, and [...] things are ready, come unto the marriage.

It is Christ alone that hath prepared [...] things for this spirituall marriage betwi [...] himselfe and his people. There is nothing [...] be done, but all things are already prepar [...] for this spirituall feast; there is nothing f [...] us to doe, but to come and eate and drink freely of those things that are prepared for us And hee sends forth his servants for to crye [...] the highest places of the Citie: and to crye [...] loud: Spare not, lift up their voyce like a Tru [...] pet, Isa. 58.1. That all may hear and come that those that are simple may learne true wi [...] ­dome of him.

CHAP. VI. How wee should come to Christ, and have th [...] things that he hath prepared for all.

THere is no other way to come to Chri [...] but by believing what hee hath done fo [...] [Page 63]them in particular, and to apply it to them­selves. These things are written, that ye might be­ [...]ieve that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God: and [...]hat in believing, ye might have life through his [...]ame, John 20.31. He that believeth in the Son [...]f God hath the witnesse in himselfe: he that belie­ [...]eth not God, hath made him a lyar, because hee [...]elieved not the record that God witnessed of his [...]on. And this is the record, that God hath given [...]nto us eternall life: and this life is in his Sonne. He that hath the Son, hath life: and he that hath [...]ot the Sonne, hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternall life, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son [...]f God, 1 John 5.10, 11, 12, 13. For God so lo­ [...]ed the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, [...]hat whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, [...]ut have everlasting life, John 3.16. And this is [...]ife eternall, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, John [...]7.3. Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe [...]n God, believe also in me, John 14.1. For I am [...]ome a light into the world; whosoever believeth in [...]e shall not abide in darkenesse, Joh. 12.40. And [...]his is the worke of God, that yee believe in him whom he hath sent, John 6.29. Hee that belie­ [...]eth in me (as saith the Scripture) out of his bel­ly shall flow rivers of water of life, John 7.38. He [Page 64]that believeth in me, hath everlasting life, Joh [...] 6.47. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bre [...] of life; he that commeth to me shall not hunger, [...] hee that believeth in me shall never thirst. A [...] this is the will of him that sent me, that every [...] which seeth the Son, and believeth in him, sho [...] have everlasting life, and I will raise him up the last day, John 6.35.40.

He that doth believe Christ, doth kno [...] Christ, and doth know the Father also; [...] Christ and his Father are one: and hee do [...] know that Christ hath pardoned his sins, ha­ving made full satisfaction for them to his Fa­ther: and that God is as well pleased with hi [...] in his Sonne, as he is with his Son: and do [...] not only believe this, because it is in the Scrip­ture, but because the Spirit of God witnesse [...] it to them by the enjoyment of it, though sometimes they have not the comfort of [...] Believing and faith is all one: and we are just [...] ­fied by faith, and not by workes, and therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law, Rom. 3.2 [...] By the works of ehe law shall no flesh be justified [...] his fight.

For by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin, [...] now is the righteousnesse of God made manife [...] without the Law, bearing witnesse of the Law an [...] the Prophets, to wit, the righteousnesse of God [...] [Page 65]the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve: for there is no difference, for all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God, and are justi­fied freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood, to de­clate his righteousnesse by the forgivenesse of the sins that are passed through the patience of God, Rom. 3.20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. If Abraham were justi­fied by works, he hath wherein to rejoyce, but not with God; but what saith the Scripture, Abra­ham beleeved God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse: For the promise that he should be the heire of the world, was not given to Abraham or to his seed, through the Law, or his righteousnesse that hee had obtained by the workes of the Law, but through the righteousnesse of faith: for if they that are of the Law be heires, faith is made voyd, and the promise is made of no effect: for the law causeth wrath, because we cannot keep it, for where no Law is, there is no transgression, it is the Law that discovers sinne unto us, Romans 7.7. therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace, Rom. 3.23, 13, 14, 15.16. For by faith the righteousnes of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith, Rom. 1.17. Know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we, I say, have beleeved in Iesus Christ, that [Page 66]wo might be justified by the faith of Christ, and no [...] by [...]he works of the Law, because that by the work [...] of the Law no flesh shall be justifie, Galat. 2.16. If there had been a law given which could have given life, surely righteousnesse should have been b [...] the Law, but the Scripture hath concluded all un­der sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be given to them that beleeve; but be­fore faith came, we were kept under the Law, an [...] shut up unto the faith which should afterwards [...] revealed: wherefore the Law was our Schoolmast [...] to bring us to Christ, that we might be made rig [...] ­teous by faith, but that after faith is come, we [...] no longer under a Schoolmaster, Galat. 3.21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Now the Law is not our School master to bring us to Christ, for Christ [...] ­come, and the Ministers ought to preach t [...] a [...]l people what Christ hath done for then that they might beleeve, and how can they belee [...] in him of whom they have not heard? Rom. 1 [...] 14. They must fi [...]st heare what he hath do [...] for them before they can beleeve; and Chri [...] hath commanded his Apostles and Discipl [...] to preach the Gospel to all, Matth. 28.1 [...] and what is the Gospel but glad tidings [...] peace and good things? Rom. 10.15. How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet him that declareth and publisheth peace, th [...] declareth good tidings, and publisheth sal [...] ­tion, saying to Sion, Thy God reigneth, Isai. 5 [...] [Page 67]They are to publish and make knowne to all [...]orts of people what Christ hath done for [...]hem, how he hath made peace with God for [...]hem, in taking upon him all their sinnes, and making full satisfaction for them, and hath wrought a perfect salvation for them, and [...] perfect righteousnes for them, and all things [...]s already finished for them, Iohn 19.30. and [...]ll things are ready, come to the marriage, Matth. 22.4. that Christ hath made all [...]hings ready for us, there is nothing to be [...]one by us for our salvation, but for us to [...]ome to him, and he will give us all things [...]reely, and he will teach us all things, and [...]ead us in the way that we should walk in, for [...] am the Way (saith Christ) the Truth and the Life, no man cometh to the Father but by me, Iohn [...]46. As soon as Christ was born there was an Angel came and declared to the Shepheards in [...]he field, and said to them, Be not afrayd, for [...]bold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy that [...]hall be to all people, that is, that unto you is born [...] Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, Luke 2.10, [...]1. God sent his Angell to declare this to the [...]hepheards, that they should declare it to o­thers. And this shewes unto us, that those [...]hat God hath made known his love unto, by [...]heir enjoyment of it, they must make it [...]nown to others, that they also may be par­takers [Page 68]of it, and the Angel fell a praising God, aying, Glory be to God in the high heavens, an [...] peace in earth, and good will towards men, at th [...] 14. verse.

Christ being born into the world, was [...] ­ceeding to Gods glory, and by his comi [...] he hath made it known to us that he is glori­fied, and he hath made our peace with God and hath made known to us that he is at pea [...] with us, & what love and good will God had to us in Christ; and the Angel could doe n [...] other but declare this, that all might kno [...] this and beleeve. And this is the Gospel th [...] Christ hath commanded should be preache [...] and his Apostles did preach it, and Paul saith there is a constraint laid on me, & woe be to [...] if I preach not the Gospel. I am not ashamed [...] the Gospel of Iesus Christ, for it is the power [...] God to salvation to every one that beleeveth. T [...] comes with power, and overcomes the chiefe [...] sinners, as it did Paul, to heare of the love [...] God to them, and what Christ hath done a [...] suffered for them, and hath obtained a pardo [...] of his Father for them, and calls every one t [...] come to him and receive their pardon of hi [...] This will worke more upon them, then [...] preach the law and judgements to them, a [...] tell them that God is angry with them: th [...] drives them from Christ, and the messenge [...] [Page 69]of Christ must doe the message of Christ, and not any thing to drive them from Christ, but to set them on beleeving in Christ.

So now ye may see, that the Law is not now our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, now Christ is come the law must not be preached to us, except it be to tell us how Christ hath fulfilled it for us; but to tell us that we must doe thus and thus, or else God will not doe thus and thus for us? what is this but to be ju­stified by the workes of the law, and in so do­ing they make God a liar, and take the honour from God, and give it to themselves: for we are wholly justified by faith alone, and not by works; and it is not our faith that justifies us, but it is the faith of Jesus Christ. Know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ, that we might be ju­stified by the faith of Christ, Galat. 2.16. and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2.20. By grace are [...]e saved through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of Gad, not of workes, lest any man should boast, Ephes. 2.8, 9. It is not our faith that can justifie us; if it could, then should we boast▪ that we are justified by our faith, and [...]o make our workes the cause of our justifica­tion: but here Paul tels us, that by grace we are [Page 70]saved, that is, by the grace of Christ, for [...] hath justified us freely by his grace, throug [...] the redemption that is in Iesus Christ: so it [...] alone by Christ that we are redeemed, saw and justified, and we come to beleeve this [...] the faith of Christ: this faith is the eye to [...] what Christ hath done for us, so through th [...] faith we are justified by Christ, and this is th [...] free gift of God, and is not any thing of o [...] selves, our faith is imperfect, and therefore [...] cannot justifie us, I beleeve, Lord help my un [...] ­liefe. So that our faith cannot justifie us, b [...] ­cause there is unbeliefe in it, Lord help my [...] beliefe; but the faith of Christ is perfect, a [...] that alone doth justifie every one that hath [...] and without this faith it is impossible to ple [...] God, Heb. 11.6. and every thing which is [...] of this faith, is sinne, and Christ is the autho [...] and finisher of this faith, Heb. 12.2. And all▪ long the 11. chapter of the Hebrewes, the speakes what great things were done by t [...] faith, and the Lord calls and invites all men come to him, and eat freely of this spirito [...] feast that he hath prepared for them; he [...] vites them by the outward preaching of [...] word, and inward movings of his Spirit, P [...] 1.20, 21, 22, 23. Wisdome crieth without, uttereth her voyce in the streets, she crieth the chiefe place of concourse, in the openi [...] [Page 71]of the gates in the citie, she uttereth her words, saying, How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fooles hate knowledge? turne you at my reproofe, behold I will poure our my Spirit unto you: I will make known my words unto you. Here is the outward call: and in Genesis 6.3. there is the inward, And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man. So it doth appeare that his Spirit doth strive with man to bring him to himself, Iohn 12.32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Hosea 11.4. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love, and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jawes, and I laid meat unto them. Thus [...]hrist drawes all both inward and outward, with the bonds of love, that he might take off that heavy yoke off their sinnes off them, and see them laid upon Christ, and see this spiri­tuall meat which is laid before them, and they to feed on it, and doe appeale to every ones conscience whether they doe not find at one time or other, an inward moving by the Spi­rit of God, for to goe unto God, and the Lord will receive them; and they have some glimpse of the love of God to them to invite them to goe: and there is nothing can move [Page 72]us to go to God but the Spirit of God: there­fore it is the Spirit of God that doth draw all

CHAP. VII. None can truly repent till they goe unto God, an [...] when they do goe he will give them a true repen­tance.

THere is not any that can truly repent [...] their sinnes, till they doe see in some mea­sure the love of God to them: they may re­pent because their sinnes provoke Gods ange [...] against them, and for feare of hell, and the judgements of God, and because they keep them out of heaven; but this is not a true re­pentance, a true repentance is such a repen­tance that they need not repent them of; bu [...] there requireth a repentance to repent of this repentance: but it is the love of God made known to them, that makes them to be hum­bled for their sinnes, because they offend so lo­ving a God, and they were the cause that Christ was crucified, and therefore they hate their sinnes, because they are an enemy to God, and keeps them from the communion of God. O the love of God to thee constrains [Page 73]thee to love him againe, and thou art ashamed of thy sinnes, and hatest them because God hates them; so it is the love of God to them that causeth true repentance. When Christ looked upon Peter, then he went out and wept bitterly, Luk. 22.61, 62. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more w ^th Idols? Hos. 14.9. Ephraim was a great sinner, he worshipped Idols, yet when he saw the love of God to him, it so o­vercame him, that he cries out, Whot have I to doe any more with Idols? though I have had to doe with them, yet now I hate them, because God hates them. Ierem. 31.18, 19. I have heard Ephraim lamenting thus, Thou hast corrected me, and I was chastised as an untamed Colt; convert thou me and I shall be converted▪ for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I converted, I re­pented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea confounded, be­cause I did bear the reproach of my youth, Ezek. 16.62, 63. And I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayst remember and be ashamed, and never o­pen thy mouth any mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God▪ Thus the love of God drawes all to repentance, and it pre­vailes more with them to bring them to repen­tance, than to heare of the wrath of God, and [Page 74]judgements: and this repentance is a true [...] pentance, to hate sinne, and to be hu [...] bled for it, because it offends so loving a Go [...] and therefore to forsake them, though ne [...] so neer and deare to us: and be affraid of co [...] ­mitting sinne for feare of offending God. [...] Joseph said, How can I doe this, and sinne agai [...] God, Gen. 39.9.

Object. If it be so that God doth draw [...] men thus to himselfe, what is the reason th [...] all doe not come unto him; for wee see th [...] most keep from him, and live in sin and wi [...] ednesse?

Answ. The fault is in man. O man! thy [...] struction is of thy selfe; For what co [...] I have done to my Vineyard that I have [...] done it, Isa. 5.4. And though they goe a [...] from Christ, yet hee will not leave thems [...] hee followes them, 1 Cor. 10.4. They did [...] drinke the same spirituall drinke; for th [...] dranke of that spirituall rocke that follow [...] them: and that roche was Christ.

Hee followes them with his mercie and [...] ving kindnesse to draw them to him, but th [...] would not. Ye would not come unto me, th [...] might have life. And, if ye believe not that I [...] he, ye shall dye in your sinnes, John 8.24.

There is nothing that condemnes the wo [...] but the rejecting and undervaluing of Je [...] [Page 75]Christ, and continue so doing, and live and dye so. He that believeth not is condemned alrea­dy, because hee hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God. And this is con­demnation that light is come into the world: and men loved darknesse rather than light, John 3.18, 19.

Christ is the light to lighten every one that comes into the world: and hee invites all to come unto him, and he will give them of his light that they might see to walke in his way, and he would direct them what to doe, and lead them in the way to life eternall: but they continue, refusing and loving their own dark­nesse better then the light or Jesus Christ, and hate him in his waves, and persecute him in his members, and make a mock of godliness, and thinke to get a righteousnesse of their own that shall carry them to heaven: and so they undervalue the righteousnesse of Christ, and tread under foote the Sonne of God, and count the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified, and unholy thing; they doe not regard it, but slight it, and doe not really believe him. And hee that doth not believe the Sonne, shall not see life, but the wrath of God a­bideth on him, John 3.36. He that believeth not God, hath made him a lyar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Sonne, 1 John 5.10. [Page 76]It is the free mercie and love of God tha [...] is offered to all: it is that that shall condem [...] all those that continue alwayes in unbeliefe Christ came neare Jerusalem, and wept o [...] it, and said: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kil­lest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent [...] ­to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood [...] ­der wings, and ye would not, Luke 13.34. Mat. 23.37. And in Mat. 23.31. there we may s [...] what children these were that hee would ha [...] gathered to him. Ye be witnes unto your selv [...] that ye are the children of them that killed the Prophets, and they commit the same sin as their Fathers did. In the 34. and 35. verse of this chapter; Behold, I send unto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes: and some of them ye [...] shall kill and crucifie, and some of them shall ye [...] scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute the [...] from Citie to Citie. That upon you may come al [...] the righteous blood shed upon the earth; from th [...] blood of righteous Abel unto the bloud of Zachari­as sonne of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the Alter.

These are the children that Christ would have gathered to him, and his bowels of com­passion yearns to them. Hee wept over them to think what a miserable condition they were in: and hee would have preserved them from [Page 77]it, but they would not. And thus hee offers himselfe still to all, even the chiefest of sinners, 2 Chron. 26.15, 16. And the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending, because hee had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets; untill the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, till there was no remedie. Prov. 1.24. to the 31. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. But ye have set at nought all my counsell, and would none of my re­proofe: I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mocke when your feare commeth. When your feare commeth as desolation, and your destruction com­meth as a whirle-winde; when distresse and anguish commeth upon you: Then shall they call upon mee, but I will not answer; they shall seeke me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated know­ledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. They would none of my counsell: they despised all my re­proofe. Therefore shall they eate of the fruit of their owne way, and be filled with their own deviecs.

Thus he strives with them till there is no re­medie, and then hee giveth them over. And when they have thus hardned their own hearts that they refuse all instruction, and shut their eyes that they will not see; then God har­dened [Page 78]their hearts as he did Pharaoh's, Exod. 10.1. and blind their eyes, Mat. 13.14, 15. By hearing ye shall heare, and not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. For this peo­ples heart is waxed grosse, and their eares are du [...] of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and heart [...] with their eares, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should he [...] them. And therefore he spake to them in para­bles; that seeing they might not see, and hea­ring, they might not understand, Luke 8.10. Isa. 6.9. Mark. 4.12. God hath given them th [...] spirit of slumber; eyes that they should not see, an [...] eares that they should not heare, Rom. 11.8. S [...] the fault is in the creature, and not in God; for this good seede is sowne in all sorts of ground; in good ground, and in that which is stonie, and that which is thorny, and by the way side: so it is sowed in all, and the fault is not in the seede; for the seede is all alike.

That seede is the word of God, Luk. 8.11. which is sowne in all man-kind. He that was the un­profitable servant had received a talent of his Lord as well as the profitable servants. So God hath justified himself, and left the world with­out excuse, that they shall have nothing to say for themselves at the day of judgment: and this is that that will be their greater condem­nation [Page 79] Those mine enemies that would not that I bould reigne over them, bring them and slay them [...]efore my face, Lu. 19.27. Not to have Christ [...]eigne over them, is that which condemnes [...]hem.

CHAP. VIII. How God doth compell those that are his children to come in to him.

GOd hath chosen and elected some before the world began, to bee the children of God in Christ, and to reveale himselfe unto [...]hem, and to give unto them eternall life, [...]aving predestinated us unto the adoption of [...]hildren by Jesus Christ to himself, according [...]o the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of [...]he glory of his grace, wherein he hath made [...]s accepted in the beloved, Eph. 1.5, 6 Accor­ding to the eternall purpose which he hath purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, Ephes. 3.11. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not ac­cording to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Je­sus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought [Page 80]life and immortality to light through the Gos [...] 2 Tim. 1.9, 10.

God did not see any thing in us where to love us, but he loves us in his Sonne fre [...] for his Sonnes sake. Christ hath obtained [...] things of his Father both in heaven and ear [...] for us, and there is not any thing that [...] keepe them from us, and at the time appoi [...] ­ted of the Father, they shall be revealed to [...] But the heir as long as he is a childe, differeth [...] thing from a servant, though hee he Lord of [...] Gal. 4.1. Before we be called with that ho [...] call, which is that new work wrought in [...] which is alone the worke of the spirit, to [...] borne againe, not of corruptible seede, but of in [...] ­ruptible, by the word of God which liveth and [...] ­bideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1.23. Except a man borne of water and of the spirit, hee cannot e [...] into the kingdome of God, John 3.5.

Before we be thus called, we differ nothin [...] from those that are but servants: but when [...] are called by this new worke wrought in [...] which is the time appointed of the Father then he will make known to us what hee ha [...] prepared for us before the world began: & [...] were heirs to it when we were dead in sins a [...] trespasses: but did not then make it known [...] us: and to all these hee will give eternall li [...] I give unto them eternall life, and they shall ne [...] perish, [Page 81]neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is grea­ter then all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand, John 10.28, 29. Feare not little flocke, it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome. Thou hast given him pow­er over them, that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternall, that they might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, John 17.23. And it is hee alone that doth bring us to the knowledge of himselfe. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man com­meth to the Father but by me, John 14.6. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee the way that thou shouldst goe, Isa. 48.17. And thine eare shall heare a word be­hind thee, saying, This is the way, walk in it, Isa. 30.21.

And these that are his children, he will o­verpower them with his Spirit, and make them come unto him. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psal. 110.3.

Wee are unwilling by nature to come to God: but when hee commeth with his power, he will make us willing to doe what he would have us. Mat. 22. Goe yee therefore out into the high wayes, and as many as ye find compell them to come to the marriage.

This was a spirituall compulsion; for no [...] hath the power to make them willing but t [...] Spirit. The Magistrate doth compell to a [...] outward conformitie: but that cannot ma [...] them willing: it is only the worke of the spi­rit, and hee will compell all his children [...] come to this marriage, and make them willi [...] to come.

CHAP. IX. It is the Spirit alone in us that doth [...] in all.

PAul saith, I desire not to know any thing [...] ­mong you, save Jesus Christ and him cra [...] ­ed, 1 Cor. 1.2. For by him, he being crucifi [...] for us, he hath obtained al things for us: a [...] we cannot know that Christ was crucified [...] us, nor any thing what he hath done for [...] but by the Spirit of God, we may believe ma [...] things to be truth; because it is writ in th [...] Scripture, and because many say it is tru [...] but this is but the hearing of the eare; & no [...] knows it to be truth by the hearing of the ea [...] as the truth is in Jesus, but by the Spirit [...] God alone. For what man knoweth the things [Page 83]a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? E­ven so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.11.

This spirit of man must be one with man, or else it cannot understand the things of man, as the thoughts, and mind, and will, and de­sires of man, which is one and the same with man: so the Spirit of God is one and the same with God, or else it could not know the things of God. But this spirit knows all things of God; For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deepe things of God, 1 Cor. 1.10. And this Spirit God hath given unto us: Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. And vers. 12. of this Chap. God hath revealed [...]hem to us by his Spirit. And vers. 10. So Christ hath done all things for us, and hath obtai­ned all things for us, and wee cannot know [...]his without his Spirit: and therefore he hath and will give us his Spirit, that we may know [...]t, and have the enjoyment of it. Man as man [...]s not able to understand the things of God; because man is carnall, and the things of God [...]re spiritual: and a carnall apprehension can­not apprehend spirituall things. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse unto him; neither can hee [Page 84]know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14.

As wee are naturall, we cannot know the things of the Spirit, wee are not able to dis­cerne them. The eye of man hath not seen, nor th [...] eare of man heard; neither hath it entered into th [...] heart of man the things which God hath prepar [...] for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. All the ex­cellencies of man cannot bring us to know an [...] thing of the mysterie of God; for every man i [...] beast by his owne knowledge, Jer. 10.14. Jer. 51▪17. I understood as a beast, saith David. How [...] that? according to a carnall apprehension, an [...] a carnall imagination; for the highest & mo [...] excellent thoughts that wee as we are men [...] have of God, is but according to our carnal imagination. All the wisdome of man is b [...] foolishnesse with God, 1 Cor. 2.20. Therefo [...] his wisedome cannot bring him to know th [...] things of God; nor humane learning cann [...] doe it; for then the Scribes and Pharisees, an [...] the high Priests and Elders would have know [...] Christ: but they said: Which of us hath be [...] ­ved him at any time. And Paul had a great d [...] of humane learning, yet that did not bri [...] him to know God; for hee was a persecuter [...] the Church of God, Gal. 1.13. Yet none [...] the Apostles had so much humane learning [...] he; yet he did not come to know the minde [...] [Page 85]God, & the things of God, by the teachings of man. Now I certifie you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me was not after man. For neither received I it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, Gal. 1.11, 12. So it was by the Spirit of God revealed in him; that brought him to know the things of God. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty things. And vile things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen: yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, 28, 29. God strips us of all the excellence of the flesh, lest wee should thinke by any thing that is of us, brings us to the knowledge of God, and so wee idolize it: but the excellence of man is but flesh, even the best of it, as all outward gifts without the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not charity, I am become as soun­ding brasse, or a tinckling cymbal.

And though I had the gift of prophesie, and knew all secrets, and all knowledge: yea, and if I had all faith, so that I could remove moun­tains, [Page 86]and have not love, I were nothing. And though I feed the poore with all my goods; and though I give my bodye that I be burned, and ho [...] not love, it profiteth me nothing. All this with­out love, which is the Spirit; For God and th [...] Spirit is one, 1 John 5.7. God is love, 1 Joh [...].8. All these excellent things without the Spiri [...] profieth me nothing. Why? because our hap­pinesse consists alone in God, and not in ex­cellent cutward gifts without him, Paul ha [...] a great many before his conversion, yet h [...] looked upon them as the workes of the flesh for he had not then the Spirit of God. Fo [...] we are the Circumcision which worship Go [...] in the spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Jesus, an [...] have no confidence in the flesh; Though I al [...] might have confidence in the flesh. If any ma [...] thinketh that hee hath whereof he might t [...] in the flesh; much more I: Circumcised th [...] eighth day of the kindred of Israel, of the tr [...] of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, by th [...] Law a Pharisee. Concerning zeal: I perse [...] ­ted the Church, touching the righteousn [...] which is in the Law, I was unrebukeable. B [...] things that were vantage to me, the sam [...] counted losse for Christs sake. Yea doubtle [...] I think all but losse for the excellent knowled [...] sake of Christ Jesus my Lord. For wh [...] I have counted all things losse, and dee [...] [Page 87]them to be dung, that I might winne Christ: and might be found in him; that is, not ha­ving mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousnesse which is of God through faith, Phil. 3.3. to the 9. All flesh is as grasse, and all the glory of man is as the flowr of grasse. The grasse withereth, and the flowre falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever, 1 Pet 1.24, 25.

This glory of the flesh which is compared to the flower of the grasse, is the righteous­nesse of man, the most excellent of man with­out the Spirit of God, as Paul had. Yet this must all fall away, it cannot stand before the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ: but the word of God endureth for ever. This word is Christ, and he and his righteousnesse endureth for e­ver, and when he and his righteousness appea­reth in us, and to us: It will appeare so glori­ous, and shine with such a burning heat, that it will wither the flowre of our righteousnesse, and cause it to fall away, and be brought to nothing. It will appeare so odious and filthy in our fight, that we shall be ashamed of it, as Paul was, and count it as dung and drosse, the filchiest things as is: and so we shall be desirous to have this righteousnesse of ours destroyed by the glorious comming of Jesus Christ by g]DESC="missing" EXTENT="1 span" [Page 88]Spirit into us. So none of the best of the excel­lencies of man can bring us to know any thi [...] of God in the mystery; it is alone the work [...] the Spirit of God without any thing of us. T [...] things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit [...] God, 1 Cor. 2.11. And this Spirit searcheth [...] things, yea, the deepe things of God, vers. 10.

• 1. It is the Spirit alone that sees the thing of God.
• 2. It is the Spirit that heares the things [...] God.
• 3. It is the Spirit alone that understand [...] the things of God.
• 4. It is the Spirit alone that can doe th [...] works of God.
• 5. It is the Spirit alone that makes us ac­cepted with God.

For the first, It is the Spirit of God alo [...] that seeth the things of God. Mat. 6.22. Th [...] light of the body is the eye: If therefore thine eye [...] single, thy whole body shal be ful of light, Lu. 11.3 [...] This single eye is the Spirit of God, and it se [...] the things of God; for it cannot be the eye [...] man, Matth. 6.23. But if thy eye be evill, th [...] whole body shall be full of darknesse. If therefo [...] the light that is in thee be darkenesse; how great [...] that darknesse?

The eye is that whereby we see; the eye [...] man cannot see any thing but that which i [...] [Page 89]man: and all the things of man, even the best of them are but evill: and the eye of man that seeth the things of man, is one and the same with man. And therefore it must needs follow, that the eye of man is evill; for it sees nothing done but that which is evill. And if thy eye be evill, thy whole bodie shall be full of darkenesse.

What is darkenesse but want of light: and the light is Jesus Christ. This is the condemna­tion that light is come into the world: and men lo­ved darkenesse rather than light, John 3.19. And the light shined in darkenesse, and the darkenesse comprehended it not, John 1.5. And that was the true light which lighteth every man that commeth into the world. Hee was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not, John 1.9, 10.

So as wee are men wee cannot know God, nor any thing of God. For if that light that is in us be darkenesse, how great is that darknesse? If those most excellent performances of man, as man without the Spirit of God, as Paul did performe before his conversion, which is most likest light, be darknesse, how great is that darkenesse that man is in? Man, as man cannot comprehend the light of Jesus Christ: none can doe it, but that which is one and the same with him, which is the Spirit of God: and he [...]s that single eye that sees all the things of God [Page 90]and Christ, for they are one: and Christ [...] promised to send his Spirit unto us. But Comforter which is the holy Ghost, whom the they will send in my Name, he shall teach y [...] things, and bring all things to your remember whatsoever I have said unto you, John 14. [...] When the Comforter is come, whom I will send [...] you from the father, even the spirit of truth o [...] proceedeth from the Father, he shall testifie o [...] Joh 15.26. The spirit of truth whom the world [...] not receive, because is seeth him not, neither kno [...] him: but ye know him, for he dwelleth with and shall be in you, and he shall abide with for ever, John 14.16, 17.

These words Christ spake to his Disci [...] when he was present with them in the sha [...] man, when he was to depart from the [...] that bodily shape, they were unwilling [...] he should goe away: but he tels them that expedient that he should goe away. For if [...] not away, the Comforter will not come: but depart, I will send him unto you, John 16. [...]

So when hee departed from them in the [...] ­dy, hee did send his Spirit to them: and only to them, but to all his children, to and of the world. He shall abide with you [...] ­ver; I will not leave you comfortlesse, I will to you, John 14.18.

So he departed from them in flesh, and [...] [Page 91] [...]nto them in Spirit, and remaineth with his Church for ever, and is a greater Comforter [...]o his Church in Spirit, than hee was to his Disciples in his flesh when he was with them. [...]o Christ hath given us his spirit freely, that we [...]ay see the things that are freely given to us [...]f God. So, in thy light, saith David, we see light. Though wee, as wee are men, cannot see the [...]hings of God: but as we are Saints, and have [...]he Spirit of God, so we come to see the things of God; for the Spirit of God in us seeth the [...]hings of God: and so far as hee revealeth the [...]hings of God to us, so far wee see them with his s;pirituall eye of himselfe. The Lord is my [...]ight, Psalm 27.1. So in this light we see God who is light. For ye were sometime darkenesse, [...]ut now are yee light in the Lord, Ephes. 5.8. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will [...]ighten my darknesse, 2 Sam. 22.29.

So farre as God hath revealed himselfe to [...]n, so farre we have seen him with the light of himselfe: And so farre as we have not seene him with the light of himselfe, so farre we are [...]n darknesse still: and so farre as hee hath re­vealed himselfe to us, hee teacheth us all things, and brings all things to our remembrance. For therefore hee was sent unto us, to teach us to know what Christ hath done for us, and to know the things that are freely given to us of [Page 92]God, and to be our Comforter. There is [...] Comforter like this; for he is alwayes in [...] and knows our trouble; there is not any thi [...] hid from him; for we have not an high Pr [...] which cannot be touched with the failing [...] our infirmities: but was in all points temp [...] like as we: and yet without sin, Heb. 4.1 [...] For in that he himselfe hath suffered being templ [...] he is able to succour them that are tempted, H [...] 2.18.

Christ hath suffered in all manner of afflic [...]ons both spirituall and temporall; therefor [...] his Spirit is a sufficient Comforter to comfo [...] us in all our troubles with the love of himsel [...] and in upholding us in it, and to bring us [...] of them when he sees it is for his glory and [...] good. Thus the Spirit seeth the things [...] God.

For the 2 ^d. It is the Spirit alone that hear [...] the things of God. He that hath an eare to hea [...] let him beare, Mat. 13.9. M [...]r. 4.9. He that ha [...] an ear let him beare what the Spirit saith unto t [...] Churches, Rev. 2.7.

It must be such an eare as can heare what th [...] Spirit faith. It is only the Spirit that can he [...] the Spirit speak, & that knows the language [...] the Spirit, and none else: man may or can h [...] what man speaketh: and of the minde of Go [...] as it is writ in Scripture: and to heare it in th [...] [Page 93]letter, as it is in the letter: but to hear it so as to understand, & know what it is in the truth of it, as the truth is in Jesus; none knowes it but the Spirit of God, for it is spirituall. The word that I spake unto you is Spirit and life: and this word is Christ. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us: and we beheld his glory [...] of the only begotten of the Father, ful of grace & truth, Joh. 1.14. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, John 1.1. So this word is spirituall; for God is a Spirit, John 4.24. And none can hear this word but that which is one and the same with it: and therefore it is onely the Spirit of God, which is one and the same with God, which hath that hearing eare, to hear what the Spirit saith: and this Spirit of God heares all the mind of God, yea all the secrets of God; He doth heare what things they are that God hath prepared for them that love him: and those things the eare of man, as man, cannot heare what they be; for they are spirituall and hea­venly, glorious things: and man is carnall, and cannot heare them, so as to understand it. It is a strange language to him, hee doth not know the meaning of it; therefore he hath de­clared all things to his Spirit, and hath given us his Spirit: and so this Spirit of God in us doth heare the Spirit speake: it speakes no­thing [Page 94]but peace and love and mercy, and go [...] will to us, and what he hath done for us, [...] what he is in us, and to us, and what we are [...] him, and to him, as we are Saints: and [...] Spirit will declare it to us by degrees, that [...] we are Saints wee shall know them; for the [...]fore the Spirit was sent to us, that thro [...] him we may hear what God hath done for [...]

Thus have I shewed you in some meas [...] that it is alone the Spirit of God that hear [...] the things of God for us.

For the 3 ^d. It is the Spirit of God alo [...] that understands the things of God; for m [...] as man cannot understand the things of Go [...] because they are spiritually discerned, 1 G [...] 2.24. And man is altogether earnall. Mat. 1 [...].13. They seeing, see not, and hearing, bear n [...] neither doe they understand, Isa. 6.9. Mark. 4.1 [...] John 12.40. Acts 28.26. How can they u [...]derstand that which they can neither see n [...] heare.

When Christ told his Apostles that he m [...] goe to Jerusalem, and all things that are writ [...] by the Prophets concerning the Sonne of M [...]n f [...] be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto [...] Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spightfully [...] treated, and spit on. And they shall scourge [...] and put him to death, and the third day hee sh [...] rise againe. And they understood none of thing, [Page 95]and this saying was hid from them, neither [...]new they these things that were spoken, Luke 18. [...]1, 32, 33, 34.

They were the Apostles of Jesus Christ, and [...]e chose them among his Disciples, to goe and [...]reach the Gospel to all the world; yet they, [...] they were men, they understood not those [...]ings in the mysterie what should be brought [...] passe by those things. They could not chuse [...] know what those things meant outward­ [...]y, when he told them so plainly, what things [...]e must suffer; for they could do no other but [...]now those things outwardly: but those say­ [...]gs spirituall were kept from them, that they [...]derstood them not. For man as man can­ [...]ot understand any thing but that which is of [...]n. For the things of God knowes no man. Hee [...]ay hear much with the eare, and speak much [...] that which hee hath heard, as the Eunuch [...]d; he read in the Prophet Isaiah, and Philip [...]ent to him, and heard him read: and he said [...]to him, Ʋnderstandest thou what thou readest? [...] he said, how can I, except some man guide me, [...] 8.30, 31. The heart of man is darkned, that [...] cannot understand the things of God, Rom. 1. [...]1. And that which is darknesse, cannot com­ [...]hend light: therefore the Eunuch said, how [...] I understand. Can flesh understand the spi­ [...]t? for they are contrary one to the other. For [Page 96]we have need of one to teach us: and it is o [...] the Spirit of God that doth know: and the [...]fore it is hee alone that can teach us; for [...] doth know all things of God, for hee is [...] with him, and is the very God, therefore [...] knows all things. For he searcheth all things, [...] the deepe things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. As m [...] hath an eye to see, and an eare to heare, and heart to understand, and other members su [...]ble for man to see, and heare, and understan [...] and perceive the things of man. So for [...] weake capacity God is set forth to us in [...] Scripture by those things, as an eye to see, b [...]cause hee sees all things. Neither is there [...] creature that is not manifest in his sight, [...] all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of [...] with whom we have to doe, Heb. 4.13. And▪ he is said to have an eye to see all our actio [...] and hee also seeth all the things of God in [...] truth of them, as the truth is in Jesus. A [...] therefore he is said to have an eye, because [...] the eye we see: and so an eare to heare. W [...] you are in trouble, call upon me, and I will he [...] The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, & [...] eares are open to their crye, Psal. 30.15. He h [...]reth all things, both the things of God wh [...] are spiritual, and all things else: so he is sai [...] have an eare, because by the eare we heare▪ for our weake capacity God is said to hav [...] [Page 97]eare, because he heareth all things. And so he is said to have a heart; for with the heart wee come to understand, thinke, know and believe the things of man. I know the thought that I have to you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and love, and good will, Isa. 55.8. My thoughts are not as your thoughts. Psal. 139.17. How preci­ous also are thy thoughts unto mee O God, how great is the summe of them.

So the Lord hath thoughts towards us: but we, as wee are men, know them not: and he understands all the wayes of man, and knows them, for he is the maker of man, therefore he must needs know all the wayes of man, and he also knows all the things of himselfe: and none can know the things of God, but that which is one with God, and that is alone the Spirit of God: and he doth understand, and [...]hinke, and know, and believe the things of God.

For the first; he doth understand the things of God. Hee it is that doth understand the [...]ruth of those things that he doth see & heare. There is a secret mysterie in all the things of God, and it is all hidden from man: as man [...]e doth not, nor cannot know any of them, [...]or understand any thing of them: but the Spirit of God doth understand them all, even [...]he most secret things of all, and all those ex­cellent [Page 98]things that the Spirit of God doth se [...] and heare, and understand what the truth of it is; they are all purchased by Christ for th [...] children of God, and is all kept in store is Christ for us, to be revealed by this Spirit i [...] us and to us at the time appointed of the Fa­ther. So the Spirit of God being given to [...] makes us Saints: so as we are men, we under­stand not any thing of God; yet as wee an [...] Saints, and have the Spirit of God, this spiri [...] in us understands all the things of God: an [...] so by degrees reveales it in us, and to us; th [...] as we are Saints, wee understand the minde [...] God, and those things that are laid up in sto [...] for us: and this Spirit of God doth thinke the thoughts of God, it thinkes all the excelle [...] thoughts that God thinkes; for it knowes a­lone the thoughts of God, what he hath to hi [...] children in the purity of them. So though [...] we are men, wee cannot thinke the thought of God, nor any thing aright of God; ye [...] this spirit of God in us, knows al the thought of God to us, and it thinkes those thoughts o [...] God that God would have. It thinks, and s [...] by degrees reveales in us as we are Saints, wha [...] the thoughts of God to us are, & this Spirit [...] God knows all the things of God; he doth n [...] ­only understand what the meaning of th [...] things are that hee sees and heares, but h [...] [Page 99]knowes them to be very truth, because hee is one and the same in it; therefore man cannot know any thing of God. For as he is man, he is not one with God: and to know, is to be certaine that it is so; and how can man be cer­taine that that is truth that hee can neither see nor hear, nor understand it to be so: But the Spirit of God is one with God; therefore hee knowes it to be truth; for hee searcheth all things, and knows them all; yea the deepe, and most secret things of God: & all is for the Saints. So the spirit in us knows all the things of God, though man as man is quite ignorant, and knowes not any thing of the ways of God: so this Spirit brings us as we are Saints, to know the things of God in his time. Prov. 2.5, 6, 7. Then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisedome: out of his mouth commeth know­ledge and understanding. Hee layeth up sound wisdome for the righteous.

This Spirit doth bring us to know God; for wee must first know God, before wee can know the things of God: so the Spirit leadeth us in that way that brings us to know God, and that way is Christ Jesus; for through him wee know God, and hee brings us to the knowledge of Jesus Christ; which to know him, is to know the fulnesse of our happinesse; [Page 100]for out of him God is an enemie to us: but in him, God is as well pleased with us as he is with Christ; for through him wee have free passage to goe to God: and Paul prizes the knowledge of Christ above all things in the world. Phil. 3.8. Yea, doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the losse of all things: and do count them but dung that I might winne Christ, and be found in him, For to know Iesus Christ, is to know al things; for we cannot know him as he is: but we shal know what we are in him. Ephes. 1.17, 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him. The eye of your understanding being enlightned, that wee may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints.

The spirit in us knowes all things, and he [...] believes all the things of God: and none can doe it but he, because none knowes the things of God but he, and those things that he doth see, and heare, and understand what they are, and knowes them to be truth; therefore the Spirit believes them: and this faith is a perfect faith; he believes fully all things of God in e­very tittle; there is no imperfection in it; hee [Page 101]believes all things that Christ hath done for us, and what he hath obtained for us.

Thus the Spirit of God in us believes all the things of God for us: and without this faith we cannot be saved; for by this faith we are justified. This faith is that eye that sees all the things of God; for it sees all things that Christ hath done for us: and we, as we are men, we can­not believe the things of God, because they are spirituall, and we are carnall, and cannot know spirituall things, therefore we cannot believe them; for it is impossible to believe that which they doe not know: but though we, as we are men and women, doe not, nor cannot believe, yet the Spirit of God in us doth believe perfectly all the things of God for us. So as we are Saints, we believe the things of God through the Spirit of God. God would have man to be saved, and that hee should come to the knowledg of his truth, and believe what Christ hath done for him, and lay hold on Christ by faith that hee might be saved: but man cannot doe it; therefore God sent his Spirit to us, that he should doe it for us in us: so by this faith wee are justified, for this is perfect: and wee may have this spirit in us that doth believe God in Christ: and wee, a [...]we are men, know it not; yet the spirit of God is always the same with God: and in his [Page 102]time he will make knowne in us and to us, a [...] we are Saints, that we have this saving justi­fying faith in u [...]and make known in us by de­grees what our pledges are in him.

4thly. It is the Spirit of God alone that can doe the works of God; man cannot doe any thing that can please God; for all the worke [...] of man as man are evill continually. Even the best performances that he can performe, a [...] those performances that Paul performed befor [...] his Conversion; For all that is not faith i [...] sinne: and man as man hath not faith, there­fore all his works are evill: and that which [...] evill cannot please God: and the way of God is past mans finding out, John 6.28, 29. Wh [...] shall wee doe, that we might worke the workes [...] God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This [...] the worke of God, that ye believe in him whom [...] hath sent.

This is the worke of God, and it is only the Spirit of God that can doe it in man, so man. We doe just as the Apostles did, whe [...] they went a fishing, when Christ was abse [...] from them, they toyled and laboured all th [...] night to get fishes, and could get none. B [...] when Christ came to them, hee bid them [...] downe the net on the right side of the shipp [...] and; e [...] shall finde: and they were not now able [...] draw the net for the multitude of fishes, John 2 [...] [Page 103]6. So wee labour and toyle our selves in the night, that is, before the light of Jesus Christ appeares to us, that wee may see him present with us by his Spirit: wee labour in our owne way and strength to doe those things that should please God: but wee labour on the wrong side of the shippe, all our labour is in vaine, there is nothing to be gotten: but Christ comming to us by his Spirit, to tell us the net must be cast in on the right side, that is, in a spirituall way; for we have laboured in a car­nall way, and could find nothing. And what is this net but that which catcheth something: so the Spirit of God, hee cast in the net that way that God would have him for us: hee doth the whole worke of God, in beleeving Jesus Christ, and performing all obedience to him for us in us: and hee makes knowne to us by degrees what the minde of God is: and so wee finde in us that hee doth those things in us, that hee doth reveale to us that we should doe it: and as wee are men, we cannot doe it: so hee doth it in us, making use of the mem­bers of man as instruments to performe the workes of God: and hee makes us willing to yield to him, for he over-powers us, and so God accepts of it: so the spirit casting in the net of right performances to God in us, hee brings forth to us from God through Jesus [Page 104]Christ, such a multitude of severall manifesta­tions of the love of God to us in Christ Jesus, and shewing us what we are in him, that wee are not able to draw them forth; wee cannot comprehend them as we are men: so for us to labour on the wrong side of the ship is in vain. Isa. 49.4. Then said I, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain; yet surely my judgement is with the Lord, and my worke with my God, Deut. 32.4. He is the rocke, his worke is perfect: for all his wayes are judge­ment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and righteous is he.

Thus the Spirit of God doth the works of God for us in us, and we have the comfort of it: and it is he alone that doth make us ac­cepted with God. Wheresoever there is a ma­nifest appearance of the Spirit of God in any one, there hee purges and sanctifies that man or woman in their conversation, by his acting in them: and this Spirit of God seasons those actions that he acts in us, making use of our members: and our members being carnall and fleshly, the acting of the spirit through us cannot appeare so pure and excellent as it is in it selfe; for it is clouded with the vaile of our infirmities: but the Spirit seasons the acting that hee acts through our flesh, and so hee makes them accepted with God. This is the [Page 105]Altar that sanctifieth the offering; Christ is [...]oth a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, and hee [...]ath made us so with him as we are Saints. He [...]as a Priest to offer sacrifice for all: and this [...]acrifice that hee did offer was his body: and [...]he Altar that he did offer it on was his divini­ [...]y: and this Altar sanctifies the sacrifice, Mat. [...]3.19. So this Spirit of Christ which is one [...]ith God in us, sanctifieth all those perfor­ [...]ances that he acts through us, they are offe­ [...]ed all of them upon the Altar of his Divinity, [...]nd so are accepted with God: so the Spirit [...]akes us accepted with God.

CHAP. X. [...]he Spirit of God makes the way of God plain and easie to us.

THe way of God is very hard for man to finde out; it is a streight narrow way, that [...]an as man cannot goe in it; for all the wayes [...] man are crooked: and that which is croo­ [...]d cannot enter into a streight narrow place: [...] man cannot find the way of God. When [...]hrist came before he taught the people him­ [...]fe through his owne person, he sent a fore­ [...]nner to prepare the way before him. Malac. [Page 104] [...] [Page 105] [...] [Page 104] [...] [Page 105] [...] [Page 106]3.1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and [...] shall prepare the way before mee: and the [...] whom yee seeke shall suddenly come into his Te [...] even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye deli [...] in: behold he shall come saith the Lord of h [...]

This messenger was John Baptist, Mat. 3. [...] For this is he that was spoken of by the Prophet [...] saiah, saying: The voyce of one crying in the [...] dernesse, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make [...] paths streight, Isa. 40.3.

The way and paths of the Lord are strei [...] in it selfe, and to the Spirit of God: but i [...] crooked to man, that man cannot find it [...] So this messenger did prepare the way [...] Christ: and how did he prepare the way [...] by preaching the word of God, which [...] Christ, that hee was the Saviour, and w [...] he would doe to them; that he would bap [...] them with the holy Ghost and fire: and [...] tels them that himselfe was not the Christ, J [...] 1.20. lest the people should Idolize him. [...] comes but to prepare the way for Christ; [...] were not to continue there, but to looke [...] ther to Christ himselfe; for John was b [...] prepare the way for him. John was filled [...] the holy Ghost from his mothers womb, Luk. 1. [...] and so he was sent to prepare the way, [...] the people might know that Christ wa [...] Messias: and when hee should make kn [...] [Page 107]himselfe to them, they should hear and believe him. Yet John as hee was a man, hee did not [...]now whether Christ was the Messias or no, Mat. 11.2, 3. Now when John had heard in the [...]rison the works of Christ be sent two of his Disci­ples, And said unto him, art thou he that should come? or looke wee for another? Yet the holy Ghost in him did know, and did prepare the way for Christ, John 5.35. John was a burning and a shining light. That light of Jesus Christ that was made manifest by him, was the grea­test light that ever was revealed before: it ap­peared very glorious, and it was to give light to others, and it burned up all that was con­trary to it in the children of God, so farre as it was made manifest to them: and they re­joyce in this light; for it was the greatest light that ever they saw; yet this light was but to prepare a way for a greater light: and then Christ did come, which was the light it selfe, which did exceed that light which did appear by John, though it was all one light; for it was all of the holy Ghost. John had it but in measure, but Christ had it all in the fulnesse of it, and he was without sinne; therefore that light in him could not be eclipsed by any sin. He was the Son of God, and the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt bodily in him: so this light of Jesus Christ appeared fuller, clearer, & more [Page 108]glorious than that of John: and that glory [...] John gave place to the glory of Christ; fo [...] out-shined that light that appeared so glo [...] ous by him. And Iohn said, Hee must incre [...] but I must decrease, Joh. 3.30.

The glory of Jesus being revealed more a [...] more in his Saints, doth cause all other glo [...] ous manifestations that they had before, whi [...] is below this, though as excellent as th [...] which was revealed by Iohn, yet to decrease [...] but the glory of Jesus Christ is alwayes t [...] same in it selfe, but is encreased and ma [...] knowne in us more and more: and that glor [...] of Christ appeared then so glorious to the [...] that made them say, Never man spake as th [...] man doth, Joh 7.46.

Those that did believe in him were so take [...] in admiration of him with hearing him, an [...] seeing those miracles that hee wrought, th [...] they were willing to forsake all to follow him: no [...] only outward things, but also their sins: and all those things that were so excellent and pre­cious to them as their owne righteousnesse and performances which they did looke to ha [...] beene justified by: but now they were willing [...] forsake all to follow him. Yet when Christ d [...] come in the flesh, and revealed himselfe in a great deale more clearer and excellenter man-ner than he did by John; yet Christ came to [Page 109]prepare a way for a further manifestation of [...]is owne glory to them in a clearer and great deale more fuller and glorious manner. He [...]ould have revealed himselfe to them in the [...]ighest of his glory at once: but they were not able to beare it, therefore hee revealed himselfe to them by degrees as they were able [...]o beare it; for by the outward hearing and [...]ing, and the Spirit working in them by de­ [...]rees, brought he them to believe and em­ [...]race that light that was revealed to them by Christ: So when they came in some measure [...]o conceive, and understand, and believe that which he came to declare to them; for he spake [...] a plaine and an easie way to them, that so [...]ey might understand him: so when hee had [...]ished all things for all, then hee departed [...]om them, and sent the holy Ghost to them [...] declare to them that glorious light of Jesus Christ in the purity of it, and what those [...]ings were that Christ taught them in the [...]ysterie in some measure: so the light of Jesus Christ was brought forth in a more glorious [...]anner then ever before: so they were not to [...]est upon any one of those manifestations of [...]sus Christ, and say, I will stay here, and [...]ll not desire any further manifestation of Christ. But they were to walke in that light [...]y had, being contented with it, and wai­ting [Page 110]upon Christ for a more fuller and clea [...] manifestation of the light of him. So when [...] doth come to us in Spirit, he sends his messe­ger before him to prepare the way before hi [...] which is some manifestations of his Spirit i [...] us, to shew us some light of himselfe, and [...] to make way for a further manifestation [...] himselfe and his glory in us. Whatsoever wa [...] have received of God by his Spirit, mak [...] known the love of God to us, though in new so small a measure, and that but seldome; [...] let us rejoyce in God that doth reveal this [...] to us; For this is but preparing a way to [...] veale himselfe in a more glorious way to [...] for where he doth take possession, there he [...] reigne, and none can keep him from reigning and so walke in that light that thou hast, an [...] be as well contented with that thou hast recei­ved of God, as if thou hadst more; still wai­ting patiently for a further manifestation [...] himselfe to thee; for he will doe it by degree by his Spirit in his time in us: and ye shall s [...] in some measure that hee prepares the way [...] the Lord for us; for the way of the Lord is to [...] hard for man to finde out: but he findeth o [...] the way for us, Ier. 10.23. I know that the w [...] of man is not in himselfe; it is not in man th [...] walketh, to direct his steps. It is only the Spi [...] of God that can doe it; for there are ma [...] [Page 111]stumbling blockes to be taken out of the way, which is only the worke of the Spirit to doe; [...]hen there will be a pleasant way to walke in.

CHAP. XI. [...]f the two seedes: Of the seede of the woman, and the seede of the Serpent.

THe two seedes are a great stumbling-block in our way, to hinder us, while we come [...] some measure to discerne the difference a­ [...]ight betwixt them, which is the work of the [...]pirit to doe it: Our God revealing himself to [...] is Children, and shewing them the mystery [...]f his wayes in the truth of it in some measure. [...]e makes them instrumentall many times by [...]is Spirit, to bring others to know the things [...]f God: and therefore he reveales himselfe to [...]ome in a greater measure, and in a more high­ [...] and glorious manner, and enables them to [...]peake to us those things that God hath made [...]nowne to them, that others might know the [...]ings of God: it is not because God loves [...]em better than hee doth them that hee hath [...]ot revealed himself too; for he is no respecter [...] persons, for he loves all his children alike, [...]ith the same love that he loves Christ withal: [Page 112]but he makes them instrumentall for the go [...] of others.

When Christ was to suffer, he prayed to [...] Father, Iohn 12.28, 29, 30. Father glorifie th [...] Name: Then came there a voyce from heaven, say­ing, I have both glorified it, and will glorifie [...] againe. Then the people that stood by and hea [...] it, said, that was a thunder; others said, an A [...] ­gel spake to him. Iesus answared, and said, T [...] voyce came not because of mee, but for your sak [...].

So the manifestations of the love of G [...] and the things of God made knowne to an [...] it is not only for their sake [...], but also fo [...] [...] ­ther [...]: so if the Spirit of God work [...] by th [...] [...] ­strument in them that heares, they have [...] benefi [...] of it: But if the Spirit doth not wi [...] is us those things that are spoken to us, th [...] those things are truth, and belongs to us, th [...] instrument cannot worke upon us: so let [...] heare the instruments speake, but it is the Spi­rit alone that can witnesse. I shall in so [...] measure shew you the difference of the t [...] seedes, and leave the successe to God. Gen. [...].15. I will also put enmity betweene thee and t [...] woman, and betweene thy seede and her seede, [...] shall breake thy head, and thou shalt bruise [...] heele.

The seed of the woman was Christ, Gal▪ [...] 16. and the seede of the Serpent was th [...] [...] ­vill. [Page 113]And seede is to be sowne, and the nature of seed is to bring forth that which is one and the same with it: There is the seede of God, which is one and the same with God, which is Christ; not as hee was man, but as hee is God. This is the good seed that is sown in all: and this seede which is spirituall being sowne in us which is the Spirit of God in us, is the seede of God, and it is one with God: Now as a seed is but a small matter to the whole bulke: so the seede of God in us is but in a small measure to that fulnesse which is in God yet it is one with him, Mat. 13.30, 31. The Kingdome of heaven is like a graine of mustard­s [...]de which a man taketh and soweth in his field, Which indeed is the least of all feeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs: and it [...] a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and build in the branches thereof.

This parable Christ spake concerning th [...] seed of God sown in his children; that though they have this seede in a small measure: and that which they have may lye hidde a great while in them, that they cannot perceiv: it, nor doe not know whether they have it or no; [...]et then God is making a way for a cleare ma­nifestation to us, that it doth begin to spring [...]rth in us, and he waters it daily with the [...]reames of his owne selfe, which is only that [Page 114]which doth make it grow, and the Sonne of righteousnesse shining upon it, makes it spring forth, and grow by degrees, and flourish in [...] that it will appeare very glorious, for it is the seed of God, and it is like God, and it is God▪ And this seede being sowne in the children [...] God, hee makes it fruitfull; there will b [...] fruits sutable in some measure to the seed in [...] and more and more as this seed grows up in [...] ▪ it will appeare more glorious, and will bring forth fruits sutable to God, and over-pow [...] us, and bring our wills into subjection [...] himselfe, that wee shall be willing for him [...] reigne over us: and so farre as he reveale [...] him­selfe to us with his power to over-power [...] ▪ wee are willing to be what hee would have [...] ▪ and doe what hee would have us doe, so God accepts of it, and will reward us for it: so also there is the seede of the Serpent that [...] sown in all man-kind, by his overcomming A­dam, and so getting an interest in him and for him in all man-kinde. And the seed of the Serpent which is the Devill (for it was hee i [...] the Serpent that overcame Adam) is one an [...] the same with the Devill, and he is also a Spi­rit: and this seed of the Devill is sown by h [...] in all, Mat. 13.24, 25. The kingdome of God [...] like a man which sowed good seed in his field: B [...] while men slept, there came his enemie, and so [...] [Page 115]tares among the Wheat, and went his way.

God did sowe nothing in Adam but that good seede of himselfe; there was no evill in him, hee was made after the Image of God, for spirituall things; but the Devill being the enemie of God, he envied mans happy condi­tion, hee came and sowed that evill seed of himselfe in Adam and in all man-kinde, and his seede in us, is the same as he is: though it be small in it selfe, yet it being sowne in us, it quickly takes roote in us, and appeares; for this comes naturally, and there is nothing to let and hinder it from growing in us, except the Lord doth blast it by a new work wrought in us, which comes not by nature: and the Devill doth water this seede of himselfe in us with the streames of his temptations, and cau­seth it to flourish and grow: and it is the seede of darkenesse, for there is no light in it; for Christ is the light, and out of him there is no light: and this is that which opposeth Christ, and is nothing: but the greatest darkness that is, for there is not any light in it: and he infu­sing daily more and more of his darkdesse in­to us, causeth the seede of himselfe to grow more and more by him: and this seede cannot be dead long: but it will quickly appeare and [...]pring forth, that it will be seene by others: and bring forth fruit sutable to the seede, and [Page 116]will grow by degrees to be a high tree in wick­ednesse, and be full of evill fruit: and though it be the seede of the Devill in us that causeth us to bring forth fruit to himselfe, yet it is w [...] that must suffer for it; for hee brings us to be willing to yeeld to him in all things, and to be at his command, and to do what he would have us to doe: so his will becomes our will, and wee are obedient to him, and delight in his works of darknesse. This is the grosse se [...]d of the Devill, and we see it grow up in a high degree in some, and would in a higher, but that the Lord restraines them: and it spring [...] forth in some measure in all.

There are seven degrees to grow in perfecti­on in God: so there is also to grow in evill, to be like the Devill in wickednesse: and there is a comming to it by degrees; some attaine to the first degree in God by the Spirit of God, and some to the second: and so goe along by degrees, from one degree to another. Some attaines to one degree, and some to another, by the revelation of the Spirit of God in us: so the Devill immitates God; for the wicked spi­rit working in us, and we yeelding to it, and delighting in it, he brings us all from one de­gree to another; some attaines to one degre [...], and some to another, and so on to perfectio [...] in sin to our owne destruction. For sinne wh [...] [Page 117]it is finished, brings forth death, Rom. 6.23. But the Lord restraines most people, that they doe not grow to that degree of sinne as they would else attaine unto: and many attain [...] but to the first degree, and lives a perfect mo­rall life: & those that are the children of God, he blasts this seed of the Devill in them by the seed of himselfe sowne in them. Christ by his death did breake the head of the Serpent, the Devill, but not kill'd him: he paid a full price for all sinnes, and obtained things of his Fa­ther for all: so that sinne cannot doe us any harme if wee have the faith of Jesus Christ in us; for this will make us hate sinne; it cannot keepe us out of heaven: so he brake the Devils bead; for the policie lyes in the head: and it was the Devils policie to tempt man that hee might fall finally, and never rise againe: and so to destroy for ever all man-kind. For God did say to Adam, In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt dye the death, Gen. 2.17. And the Devill knew that there was no other way to destroy man-kind but that: so being fallen, the Lord did not restore him to that condition that he was in at the first; being man was rebellious to God, he must have affli­ctions, he must live in sorrow and trouble here, for sinne remaines still in our conversations in [...]ll degrees, while Christ by his Spirit in us [Page 118]doth sanctifie us, and suppresse sinne in us by degrees; That sinne shall not reigne in our mort [...] bodies, because we are not under the Law, which threatneth curses because we cannot keepe it, but under grace, Rom. 6.15.

But still there remaines the seed of the De­vill in us, and is as bad as ever it was in it selfe and it doth appeare so in us, so farre as it i [...] not kept under by the seede of God: so hi [...] head is broke, his policie is brought to nought for it is not that can destroy any of man-kind Numb 21.8, 9. And the Lord said unto Moses, make thee a fiery Serpent, and set it up for a sig [...] that as many as are bitten, may looke upon it a [...] live, So Moses made a Serpent of brasse, and s [...] it up for a signe: and when a Serpent had bitten man, then he looked to the Serpent of brasse, a [...] lived.

This was a figure of Christ; for wee w [...] stung with the Serpent the Devill, and Chri [...] was crucified upon a tree for all: and we are [...] looke up to him with the eye of faith, for he is that hath pull'd out this sting: and look [...] upon him, we see our selves heal'd by him. [...] hath not destroyed the Serpent, but he remai [...] still: but he cannot hurt the children of Go [...] for his sting is pulled out: and it is for wan [...] looking on Christ, that all are not cured: [...] this seed of the Serpent in us which the e [...] [Page 119]sowed in us through our listning to him in A­dam, is not destroyed wholly, but supprest, as the Canaanites, and Amorites, and Moabites, and the rest of the Nations that kept possession of the Land of Canaan before the children of Israel went into that Land, and God gave them possession of it. But when the children of Is­rael had taken possession of the Land, their e­nemies were not wholly destroyed, but were supprest that they could not doe what they would against the children of Israel; they were kept there for the humbling of the children of Israel, and many times they rose up against the children of Israel to destroy them: and by this was made known the love, mercy, and power of God in delivering the children of Is­rael from their intention against them: and in destroying their enemies, though not all of them, yet supprest them all, so as they could doe the children of Israel no harme: and at all timer, when they had got strength againe, and rose up against them, the Lord still kept them under, and destroyed them by degrees, yet still some did remaine, but their power was taken from them that they could doe them no harm. So it is with the seed of the Devill in us; it rises many times against us to destroy us, breaking forth into open sin in words and actions, be­ing back'd and moved to it with the Devills [Page 120]temptation: but these enemies remaine in [...] ­to humble us, and to shew us the goodnesse [...] God in suppressing them, and destroying th [...] by degrees, and taking that power from th [...] that they shall not hurt us: but yee they shall not be utterly destroyed; for if the Lord with­drawes his Spirit from us, this seede will ap­peare with as vile fruits in us as ever: and th [...] fruits that this seede brings forth in us, are all manner of sinne and wickednesse: and this is called the fruits of the flesh, Gal. 5.19. Rom. 1. What fruits had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashames? for the end of those things i [...] death, Rom. 6.21.

This is the grosse seed of the Devill, and the kernell of the flesh: but the Devill hath a mor [...] seeming purer seed which he doth sow in man­kinde also, that is like the seede of God: and man as hee is man doth not know it from the seede of God; for the Devill it a spirit, and knows the things of God, and the wayes of God, how they are make knowne to us: and hee knowes how to deceive us in those things. The Devill goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devoure, 1 Pet. 5.8. If he can b [...] devoure us, he cares not how he doth it: If he sees that he cannot doe it by the grosse seed in us: if we hate that by some glimps of the lo [...] of the Lord made known to us, or by the ha [...] [Page 121]that we see in it, or for some by respects, that we will not follow those grosse wayes of wick­ednesse, he will not displease us; hee hath all manner of wayes to dissert us, and he will use that way as shall give us most content, whatso­ever it be, so he can but rob God, and deceive [...], he cares. If a grosse way of wickednesse wil not content us, nor a sinfull mortall life, not nothing, but to be religious, he will deceive [...] in that? For Satan himselfe is transformed in­to an Angel of light, 2 Cor. 11.14. Into the likenesse of it. Hee will appeare in a glorious righteousnesse to us, like the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, but is not: and this seed of the Devill is called the righteousnesse of man, which grows up in man to a high degree at the last: but there is 7. degrees to come to perfe­ction in this: and some attaine to one degree, and some to another. Here is a high degree of the Devils policie, hee tempted man, that so he might fall finally by it: but Christ redee­med us, and so he cannot have his will in that; for Christ hath done all things for us, & hath obtained a perfect righteousnesse for us: and [...] saith, Looke unto mee, and be ye saved, all the [...]ds of the earth; for I am God, and there is none [...]se, Isa. 44.22.

Now seeing it is set forth so plainely to us, [...] without the righteousnesse of Christ wee [Page 122]shall not be saved, hee comes and immita [...] the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to us, and [...] patches up a righteousnesse in us, and bring [...] forth to us, and tels us it is the righteousne [...] of Jesus Christ, and without it we shall not [...] saved: and he saith, looke unto this, and [...] ye saved. And it is manifest that he doth so [...] this in all man-kinde, and it doth appeare i [...] some measure or other in all; for those th [...] are very wicked persons can say, if I say pray­ers and the Creed, and goe to Church & hea [...] the mysteries, and receive the Sacrament, a [...] reade, and the like, I shall be saved: so th [...] looke to be saved by their owne performance▪ But this is the first degree of the growth of th [...] seed in us: and it comes by degrees to a gre [...] growth, as it did in the Scribes and Pharisee [...] and in Paul before his conversion, they [...] this righteousnesse: and howsoever God do [...] make known his righteousnesse to us, the righ­teousnesse of the flesh will immitate it. We [...] as those did that went to build a City & To [...] ­er, whose top may reach to heaven, Gen, 11. [...] For wee labour to get a righteousnesse of [...] owne performances that should reach to h [...]ven, should carry us to heaven, looking [...] be saved by it: and without it wee thinke [...] shall not be saved.

When we heare that if we goe on in our [...] [Page 123]we cannot be saved: and if wee will be saved, we must leave them off, and do thus and thus: [...]hen we goe about to do it in our own strength, and search our selves, and to repent of our sins. And if we can be exceedingly humbled for our sins, and shed many teares, then we are at qui­et, then we thinke our sins are pardoned, and God is well pleased with us, because wee are thus humbled for them, and our sins are done away by Christ: But if wee cannot shed many feares for our sinnes, and be much cast down for them; then we are much troubled because we cannot be no more troubled for our sins: & say, If I could be throughly humbled for my sins, then there were hopes of mercy for me: but now there is none, so long as my heart is thus hardned. And thus we thinke to be sa­ved by our owne righteousnesse: and no long­er than we are performing duties, that we can have any peace of conscience: and when wee are very strict in performing duties, then wee have peace and joy, and this sets us eagerly on performances: and we look upon this, and see that we have as we thinke performed these duties aright in some measure, as prayer, and repenting, and hearing or reading, and the like. O then we rejoyce in it, and think God accepts of it: and if our sins at any time over­master us, then we labour exceedingly in our [Page 124]owne strength to beate them downe, and she [...] many teares to wash them away, according a the sinne is in greatnesse. And when wee ha [...] got power over it, then we think God is we [...] pleased with us for striving against our sinne [...] and labour to performe the whole Law, and often examining our selves whether wee keep it or no, and wherein wee break it: and for those things wherein we feele in keeping it, w [...] shed many teares for it, and we thinke that pa­cifieth God: and now all our sins are done a­way by our repentance, and then that place o [...] Scripture comes in our mind. Behold, thou art made whole, goe away and sinne no more, lest [...] worse thing befall thee.

And this makes us more strict in performing the Law, and thinke to be justified by the strict performing of it. Thus thou goest from out degree of the righteousnesse of the flesh to ano­ther: and the higher degrees thou attainest un­to, the more thou buildest thy comforts on it; For if thou neglectest prayer or other duties, at those times as thou usest to performe them, thou art much troubled for it, and hast not the comfort that thou hast when thou doest ob­serve and performe them at the time as thou usest to doe. What is this, but to build thy comfort upon thy performances? And this righteousnesse the Scribes and Pharises had in [...] [Page 125]very high degree: but Christ told his Disci­ples, That except their righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, they should not enter into the kingdome of heaven. And this Paul had before his conversion. And the more the Lord makes known himself in a glo­rious manner in his owne righteousnesse, the Divell will transforme himselfe like unto it; that as we are men and women we cannot dis­cern betwixt them: and this seed of the Devill which is our righteousnesse, is in all the chil­dren of God, even as the seed of God is in us: And this righteousnesse of ours is called flesh, and it is an enemie against God. The seed of God [...] us is called Spirit: and the seed of the Devil [...] us, both the grosse seed, and that seeming glorious seed is called flesh, and there is a stri­ [...]ng and strugling in us betwixt them; for the [...]eed of God works mildly, and by degrees in [...], and receives the power from God, and re­ [...]nes all the praise to God; it would not have [...]ny thing ascribed to us in the least degree; It makes no hast, but is willing to stay the Lords [...]easure, Isa. 28.16. Hee that believeth shall not [...]ke hast. And it is the Spirit in us that doth [...]elieve, and he doth not make hast that is wil­ [...]ing to waite upon God, and stay his leasure, while hee doth manifest himselfe in us in that [...]ay that the Spirit doth desire it for us. Cant. [Page 126]2.7. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem, th [...] yee stirre not up, nor waken my beloved untill h [...] please.

He mak [...] us wait patiently upon God, us [...] the means, as prayer, hearing, and reading [...] but not at all depend upon them, but to loo [...] higher, and see God above it; yet hee is ma [...] times pleased to manifest himselfe to us [...] his Spirit in the meanes, and our comfor [...] consists only in him who is the fulnesse of o [...] happinesse, and not in the strength of our pe [...] formances: but the righteousnesse of man is [...] enemie to this; it will not stay the Lords le [...] sure, but doth strive and struggle with G [...] for that which it would have, and cannot be [...] quiet while hee hath it, and will not let Go [...] have the honour, but keepe it to their selve [...] though God shall have it in words, but not deeds; for if we think to be saved by it, an [...] without it, we shall not be saved; doe we no [...] ascribe the honour to our selves, because w [...] performe that righteousnesse that we looke be saved by? And this is a great policie of th [...] Devill to destroy all man-kinde; for hee sa [...] that his first policy was brought to nough [...] Then he seekes to destroy us by our own ri [...] ­teousnesse, making us believe that it is the ri [...] ­teousnesse of Christ; because without his ri [...] ­teousnesse we shall not be saved, and so ma [...] [Page 127] [...]s to depend upon it, and take the honour from God, and ascribe it to our performan­as, and keeps us from desiring after the righ­ [...]ousnesse of Christ. And when as God saith, [...]ooke unto me, and be ye saved from all the ends [...]f the Earth. The Devill saith, Looke unto this [...]ghteousnesse of the flesh, and see that yee have [...]at, and ye shall be saved; for without it ye shall [...]t be saved. And this he doth to rob God of is honour, and to keepe all man-kinde out of [...]eaven: and he works it so craftily in us, that [...]r, as we are men and women cannot perceive [...], we cannot be brought to believe it; while God doth shew us it by his Spirit, it is a very [...]angerous thing: and the higher wee grow in [...], the more dangerous it is; for there is no­ [...]hing under the Devill, that is so great an ene­ [...]ie to God as our rightteousnesse; It is Anti­ [...]rist in the mystery, it opposeth Christ in all [...]s ways, and persecutes him in all his wayes, [...]nd exalteth it self in all his ways above Christ, [...]d will not have Christ to reign over us in his [...]y, nor he to save us, but that he would reign [...]r us in the Devils way, and that should [...]e us. And so long as we live to this righte­ [...]nesse of our owne, we live to our selves, and [...] to Christ: and this seede is in all the chil­ [...]en of God, and the seed of Christ is hidden it in us, like gold that is mixt among a great [Page 128]deale of drosse, that it cannot appeare so pa [...] to us as it is in it selfe; yet that which is gold is without drosse, and is excellent: even so, th [...] seede of God in us is mixt with the seed of the Devill; yet that which is of God is perfect, pure; there is no drosse in it: but it cannot ap­peare so to to us by reason of that drosse of o [...] righteousnesse mixt with it: and so farre as there is any thing in us and to us that, is of Je­sus Christ made knowne to us, though it be but in a small measure, it is reall truth: but s [...] farre as it is not reall pure truth, as the truth [...] in Jesus; though it appeare never so gloriou [...] that which hath not the truth in it, is of An [...] ­christ, the seede of the Devill in us: but th [...] which is reall truth, so farre as it is truth, [...] is of God, although it be mixed with fashood but this seede of the Devill which hee sowed [...] us through envie, to rob God of his honour and to destroy all man-kinde, shall never d [...] ­stroy the children of God; for Christ ha [...] broken the head of the Devils policie: but th [...] seed of the Devill shall not wholly be destroyed in us, but God will get himselfe honour u [...] ­on it by the discovering of it by the pure ligh [...] and cleare manifestation of the truth of Ch [...] made known to us by the Spirit, revealing [...] us what he is in us, and what wee are in hi [...] By degrees he will make known his love to [...] [Page 129]and as he doth reveale himselfe to us in his owne righteousnesse, the wayes of Anti­christ will be discovered, and his glory will out-shine the glory of Anti-christ, and it shall appeare grosse darknesse to it, and we shall be ashamed of it: and as the light of Jesus Christ appears by his Spirit in us; that seeming excel­lent glorious righteousnesse of our flesh (which is Anti-christ, in the mystery in us, which opposeth light, and is nothing but that which is contrary to it) shall bee destroyed by the comming of Christ spiritually in us.

These two seeds are typif [...]d out to us by I­saac and Ishmael, Gal. 4.22, 23. For it is writ­ten, that Abraham had two sonnes, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free woman. But bee that was born by the bond-maid was after the flesh: but he of the free woman was by promise. The son of the bond-woman, which was Ishmad, did cy­pifie Anti-christ in us; this comes by nature: and Isaac which was borne of the free woman, was a type of the seede of God in us, the Spirit of Christ which is borne in the new birth by promise, and not by nature. But as then, hee that was borne after the flesh, pe [...]f [...]cuted him that was borne after the Spirit: even so it is now; neverthelesse, what faith the Scripture; C [...]st ou [...] the bond-woman and her son; for the son [Page 130]of the bond-woman shall not be heire with the son of the free-woman.

The righteousnesse of man must not be pur­ged, but c [...]st out; it persecutes Christ, it shall not be heire with Christ: and all the promise [...] of God is to this seed of God in us, and it is this that God loves so dearly, Gal. 3.16. N [...]w to Abraham and his seede were the promises made, He saith, not to the seedes, as speaking of many [...] but unto thy seede, as of one, which is Christ.

Abraham was a type of God, and Isaa [...] [...] type of Christ: and the promises are promised to this seed. Gen 17.7, 8. I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee, and thy seed af­ter thee in their generations, for an everlasting Co­venant, to be God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give thee, and thy seede af [...] thee, the Land wherein thou art a stranger; ev [...] all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting posses­sion: and I will be their God. And vers. 21. of this Chapter, he saith, My Covenant will I est [...] ­blish with Isaac. And vers. 19. And I will esta­blish my Covenant with him, an everlasting Co­venant, [...]and with his seed after him.

All the promises are to Christ and his se [...] which is sowne in the Saints, for that i [...] [...] with Christ, and all the land of Canaan [...] promised to him and his seed. The land of C [...] ­naan wa [...] a type of heaven: so heaven i [...] p [...] ­mised [Page 131]to the seed of Christ with Christ: Christ obtained it of his Father for us by his suffe­ring, Heb 5.9. And being made perfect, he be­came the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him. Heb. 8.14. For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

All that Christ did doe or suffer, was for man, he was made perfect for them: and the children of God hath the whole benefit of it: so they are made perfect in Christ; Hee is the author of eternall salvation unto all them; for they are the seede of Christ, not as they are men, but as they are Saints.

CHAP. XII. How the seede of Christ is the Church of Christ, or the Spouse of Christ.

CHrist hath purchased of his Father a cho­sen people to himselfe in his Father; he is a common salvation to all, but a speciall sal­vation to them, and them he will make known hi [...] love and mind unto by degrees. This seed of himselfe in them is the Church of Christ: and the Church of Christ is the body of Christ, Ephes. 1.23. Not as he was man, but [...] he is God; he i [...] a Spirit, and the Church [Page 132]which is his body must be spirituall too, and sutable to Christ; for hee is the head of the Church, Ephes. 5.23. So the seede of himselfe being sown in all the Saints, is the body, Eph. 5.23. Christ is the head of the Church, and the Saviour of the bodie, vers. 25, 26, 27. Christ loved the Church, and gave himselfe for it, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it, with the washing of water, by the word, that bee might present is to himselfe a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and wiihout blemish.

That seede of Christ in us is perfect: and Christ came not to purge, sanctifie, and wash it: but to wash us, as we are men and women, to purge away our sinnes by his blood, and to sanct [...]fie and wash us in our conversation by his Spirit in us. We have a neare relation to Christ as he was man; for we are members of his bodie, of his fl [...]sh, and of his bones, Ephes. 5.30. He tooke our nature upon him, that he might ob­taine all things for us, as wee are men: and he is the Saviour of our bodies, Ephes. 5.23. For our bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.19. Know yee not that yee are the temple of God? and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If [...] man defile the Temple of God, him shall God de­stroy. For the Temple of God is holy, which t [...] ­ple ye are, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. For ye are not yo [...] [Page 133]owne, ye are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6.20.

He hath redeemed us to himselfe, that we should serve him in all love; hee hath done all things for the glory of himselfe, and that we should have the benefit of it: and he doth purge his Temple for himselfe to dwell in: but as we are men there is no good in us, nor no incli­nation to good; we are but poor earthen ves­sels, yet hee himselfe is pleased to dwell in us by his Spirit. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4.6, 7.

So it is not our bodies that is the Church; for our bodies are not one with God, for it is but an earthen vessell for the Spirit of God to dwell in. But this Spirit being in all the children of God, makes one body. Now yee are the bodie of Christ, and members in particular, 1 Cor. 12.27. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one bo­die being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are wee all baptized into one body, whether wee be Jewes or Gentiles, whether wee be bound or free, and have been all made to drinke in­ [...] one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but [Page 134]many. If the foote shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body? And if the eare shall say, because I [...] not the eye, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were he [...] ­ring, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one mem­bers, where were the body? But now are they ma­ny members, yet but one body. And the eye ca [...] say to the hand, I have no need of thee: nor agai [...] the head to the feet, I have no need of you. N [...] much more those members of the body which see [...] to be more feeble, are necessary. But all th [...] worketh by one and the selfe same Spirit, d [...] ­viding to every man severally as he will, 1 C [...] 12.11. to the 22. But unto every one of us is gi­ven grace according to the measure of the gift [...] Christ. Wherefore he saith, When hee ascended [...] on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gif [...] unto men. He ascended up far above all heav [...] that he might fill all things. And he gave some [...] ­postles, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors [...] Teachers: For the perfecting of the Saints, for [...] work of the Ministery, for the edifying of the bo [...] of Christ, An [...] growing up into him in all thi [...] which is the head, even Christ. From whom [...] whole bodie is fitly joyned together, and com [...] ­cted, [Page 135]by that which every joynt supplieth, according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part, maketh encrease of the bodie unto the edify­ing of it selfe in love, Ephes. 4.7, 8.10, 11, 12.15, 16.

Christ is the head, and his Church the bo­dy, and every particular Saint is the members of it: and Christ which is the head, hath compact, and fitly joyned this body toge­ther he being the head of it: the head is the principall of all, for that receives sustenance for the nourishment of the bodie, as a tree re­ceiveth nourishment by the roote; for the sap is in the root, and springs into the body, and so infuseth into the branches, and causeth them to bring forth fruit. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, & I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can doe nothing, Joh. 15.5.

Christ in all the Saints in the Vine, and e­very particular Saint are the branches: and Christ hath the fulnesse of the God-head which is the roote of all, and the Church is of the seede. Christ is the fulnesse of him that fil­leth all in all, Ephes. 1.23. He is the head, from which all the body by joynts and bands having nou­rishment ministred and knit together, encreaseth with the encrease of God, Col. 2.19. And he hath put all things under his feete: And gave him to be [Page 136]the head over all things, to the Church, which is his body, Ephes. 1.22, 23. So he supplieth the wants of the Saints with the infusing of the fulnesse of himselfe into them, working effe­ctually in them, according to the measure that he infuseth in them in his wisedome: so though we have but the manifestation of him­selfe in a small measure, let us not say, I am not of the body, because I have no more; for the body cannot be without the foote: but be [...] contented with that thou hast, still desiring, & waiting patiently for more: and those that are the weakest members in this spirituall bo­dy, the Church, hath as much honour with God, as the highest members, and are as glo­rious. Those members of the body which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and tho [...] members of the body which wee thinke to be lest honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour: and our uncomely parts have more abundant comelinesse; for our comely parts have no neede: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked, that there should be no schisme in the body, but that the members should have th [...] same care one for another. And whether o [...] member suffer, all the members suffer with [...] or one member be honoured, all the memb [...] [Page 137]rejoyce with it, 1 Cor. 12.22. to the 26. And [...]is Church is compared to a building, and [...] called a spirituall building; whose builder and [...]ker is God. Ye are the Lords building: and yee [...]e built upon the foundation of the Apostles and [...]rophets, Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe [...]er stone. In whom all the building fitly fra­ [...]ed together, graweth unto an holy Temple in the [...]. In whom you also are builded together for [...] hobitation of God through the Spirit, Eph. 2. [...], 21, 22.

The foundation of the Prophets and Apo­ [...]es is Christ, and he is the corner-stone. Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house, [...] holy Priest-hood, to offer up spirituall sacrifice, [...]ptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore it [...] contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in [...]ion a chiefe corner-stone, elect and precious, and [...] that believeth on him shall not be confounded, [...]sa. 28.16. It is he that is the builder, and he [...]uil [...]s his Church upon himselfe; hee is the [...]ooke: and he faith, Ʋpon this rocke will I build [...]y Church. This is sure builded; Therefore who­ [...]ver beareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, [...]ill liken him unto a wife man, that built his [...]se upon a rocke. And the raine descended, and [...] [...]oods came, and the winde blew, and beate [...] that house, and it fell not, for it was founded [...]on a rocke, Mat. 7.24, 25. And he is the cor­ner-stone [Page 138]that joynes the building fast to [...]ther, and this corner-stone holds up the b [...]ding: and in the corner two meete together he gives the Jewes and Gentiles to himself and the Spirit of himself in us is the stone th [...] he builds withall through that word of G [...] that was taught by the Prophets and Apost [...] and this Church and building is the Spous [...] Christ, a garden enclosed, is my sister, my Spouse, spring shut up, a fountaine sealed, Cant. 4.1 [...] ▪

There is the nearest relation betwixt G [...] and his Church as can be: and all his fulne [...] of love, and all glory, and all happinesse, for his Spouse: but yet it is shut and sealed th [...] she cannot see it; yet it is shut up in her bele­ved for her, and he will come quickly. It sh [...] not be long before he will come, and break o­pen this seale to thee, that art the Spouse [...] Christ. There is none can doe it but he, a [...] he will shew thee that fulnesse of happiness th [...] thou hast in him, and how it was thine wh [...] thou wert an enemie to him, and he hath k [...] it in store for thee, though thou knewest is no [...] O what sweet expressions of love hee utter [...] to her, that she might know his love: hee [...]al [...] her, my love, my dove, my faire one, Cant. 2.1 [...] ▪ Thou art all faire my Love, and there is no sp [...] [...] thee. And, my Dove, my undefiled is bu [...] [...] Cant. 6.9.

Though some be growne in some measure [...]gh Saints, and some lies low, some have [...]uch enjoyment of God, some little, and some [...]one at all; yet they are all his Love, his Dove, [...]is undefiled, and faire one. They all, but only thee, is his Spouse, hee hath but one love for them all; he loves them all alike with an ever­lasting love, and none can keepe them from him, she is his Wife? I have married thee to my selfe, Hosea 2.19, 20. I will marrie thee unto [...] for ever; yea, I will marry thee unto me in righ­teousnesse, and in judgement, and in mercy, and in compassion. I will marry thee unto me in faith­fulnesse, and thou shalt know the Lord.

The Lord hath married us unto himself be­fore the foundation of the world; for he knew what should come to passe, but wee doe not know it; for it is shut up in Christ, and sealed, and in his time he comes and breaks open this seale to us by degrees, and opens himselfe to us, and she [...]s us that he is married to us; he is our husband, Jer. 31.32. and we are his Wife. Let us be glad, and rejoyce, and give glory to him; for the matriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made her selfe ready, Revel. 19.7.

O what comfort is this to every member of this Church that, Christ is thy husband, and thou art his wife. My well-beloved is mine, and I am his, Cant. 2.16. There cannot be a nea­rer [Page 140]relation; for hee being our husband, a [...] things are ours in him; whether they be thing [...] present, or things to come: even all are yours, [...] you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. And being married to Christ, God [...] our Father, and the holy Ghost is our Com­forter, and the Angels are our guard to at­tend us: And what can we desire more, but [...] have the Seale broke open to see what we ha [...] in him? and Christ is comming to doe it. [...] yet a very little while, and he that shall come, wi [...] come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10.37. Behold, I come quickly, Revel. 3 11. And doe thou wa [...] patiently for his comming.

CHAP. XIII. Christ is the Teacher and Governour of his Church.

CHrist is a King, a Priest, and a Prophet. A King to reigne over his Church spiritu­ally: and a Priest, to offer spirituall sacrifice to his Father for his Church: and a Prophet, to teach them. He saith, My kingdome is not of this world. John 18.36. But he is an immor­tall, and an everlasting King, 1 Tim. 1.17. He [Page 141] [...] a spirituall King, and it is a spirituall King­dome that hee reignes over: and the children [...]f God are the heirs of this Kingdome. Feare [...]t little flocke, for it is your Fathers will to give [...] the Kingdome, Luke 12.32. And the king­dome of God is eternall life. Joh. 10.28. And [...] give unto them eternall life, and they shall never [...]ish, neither shall any pluck them out of my band. And this is a hidden, glorious, and mysticall [...]ing: But to you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven, Mat. 13.11. And the [...]ingdom of God comes not with observations. Nei­ [...]er shall [...] say, loe here, on loe there: for behold, [...]he kingdome of God is with in you, Lu. 17.20, 21. [...]ry not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into hea­ [...]n? That is to bring Christ from above. Or who [...]all descend into the deepe? That is, to bring up Christ againe from the dead. But what saith the Scripture? The word is neere thee, even in thy [...]uth, and in thy heart, this is the word of faith [...]hich wee preach, Rom. 10.6, 7, 8. And this [...]ord is Christ, John 1.14.

What is heaven, but the fulnesse of all hap­pinesse? and that is God in Christ: and Christ [...]ing in us by his Spirit, then is the Kingdom [...]f God in us: and so far as he reveales himself to us as he is, we see him as he is, and have the enjoyment of him: and so farre we live in [...]im, and have out conversation in heaven, [Page 142]that is, in God. For the kingdome of God is not [...] word, but in power, 1 Cor. 4.20. It conf [...] not in speaking of words: but so far as he [...] ­veales himselfe in us, he comes with power, e­nabling us to do that which is pleasing to hi [...] ▪ and he reveales heaven to us here in some mea­sure, by degrees in his time, as shall be to h [...] glory and our comfort, and in a great a [...] high measure in some: but wee cannot have [...] in such a measure as we shall have it hereaf [...] when our bodies are dissolved; then wee sh [...] be wholy in it, there shall be nothing to hi [...] ­der us: now here our bodies are weake, an [...] cannot containe him, and there is a vaile b [...] ­fore us that wee cannot see him clearely: an [...] Christ is the Governour of the Church. Isa. [...] ▪ 6, 7. For unto us a Childe is borne, and unto [...] a Sonne is given, and the government is upon [...] shoulder, and he shall call his name Wonderfull [...] Counseller, the mighty God, the everlasting Fa­ther, the Prince of peace. The encrease of his go­vernment and peace shall have no end; hee shall s [...] upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdo [...] to order it, and to stablish it with judgement [...] with justice; from hence-forth, even for ever; th [...] zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this. H [...] is our husband, and he reignes over us in lo [...] and so he governs us: and all his lawes that [...] doth set forth for us to observe, is to love him, [Page 143] [...]d so farre as hee doth reveale himselfe to us, [...]e can doe no other: and he defends us against [...] our spirituall enemies that rise up against [...], and would devoure us. And he hath made [...] Kings with him, 1 Pet. 2.9. Revel. 5.10. [...] reigne with him for ever. And hee is our [...]iest to offer up spirituall sacrifice to his Fa­ [...]er for us upon that golden Altar of himselfe, [...]. 8.3. And he makes intercession continu­ [...]ly to his Father for us. 1 John 1.12. My [...]es, these things write I unto you, that ye sinne [...]: and if any man sinne, wee have an Advocate [...]th the Father, Jesus Christ the just, and hee is [...] reconciliation for our sins: and not for ours on­ [...] but also for the sins of the whole world. And [...]e hath made u [...] Priests with him as wee are [...]ints; for his Spirit in us offers up continuall [...]rifice to God by Christ, of praises and [...]anks-giving: And he is our Prophet to teach [...]. We shall be all taught of God; he will teach [...] so plainly by his Spirit, his owne minde in [...]h a plain way, that a wayfaring man though [...]oole, cannot erre therein.

The Lord said, Write the vision, and make it [...]ne upon Tables, that he may run that readeth [...], Hab. 2.2. After those dayes, saith the Lord, [...] will put my law in their inward parts, and write [...] their hearts, and I will be their God, and [...]ey shall be my people. And they shall teach no [Page 144]more every man his neighbour, and every man [...] brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shal [...] know me, from the least of them, to the greatest [...] them, Jer. 31.33, 34.

The Lord will teach his children by his Sp [...] ­rit, in a more clearer manner than he ha [...] done: and so farre as he teacheth them, th [...] shall all know him, and hee shall teach us [...] profit. 1 Cor. 2.4, 5. My speech and my preach [...] was not with enticing words of mans wisdome, [...] in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. T [...] your faith, should not stand in the wisdome of [...] but in the power of God. When the Lord d [...] teach us by his Spirit, that comes with powe [...] and over-powers us, and makes us willing [...] doe, and be what hee would have us: so [...] power is made knowne in us. That whi [...] Christ teacheth us to know, is himselfe, Eph [...] 4.21. If so be that ye have heard him, and [...] been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus; th [...] we may know what he is in the Saints, and [...] the Saints. Psal. 65.8. I will heare what God [...] Lord will speake; for he will speak peace to his p [...] ­ple, and to his Saints.

All that Christ doth teach us, is to kno [...] himselfe: and Paul desired to know nothing [...] but Christ, and him crucified. 1 Cor. 2.2. An [...] he speakes nothing, but what is in him for [...] that all that is in him, hee hath purchased [...] [Page 145]us: and hee hath purchased us unto himselfes and we are his Wife, and he will always dwell with us, and be in us, and alwayes uphold us, and never leave us, nor forsake us.

CHAP. XIIII. God is very tender and careful over those that are but babes in him, and leades them as they are able to goe.

I Having done mine endeavor to shew you the right meaning of some things in some mea­sure, w ^ch we are ready to stumble at: and now there will be a plaine way to walke in. Christ himselfe doth leade us gently, as we are able to goe, teaching us by degrees: and hee is very carefull of those that are but babes in him: those that the seede of himselfe doth but new­ly appeare in them, and that but in a small measure, Isa. 40.10. Behold, the Lord God will come with power, and his arme shall rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his worke be­fore him. He shall feede his flocke like a Shepheard, be shall gather the lambs with his arme, and ca­ry them in his bosome, and shall gently leade those that are with young. Christ compareth his Church to a flock of sheep, Ezek. 34.31. And [Page 146]yee my flocke, the flocke of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God. And vers. 15. Hee saith, I will feede my flocke, and I will cause them to lye downe, saith the Lord God. And Christ said unto Peter; lovest thou me, feede my sheepe. And again he said, lovest thou mee, feede my lambes, John 21.15, 16.

In a sheepe-fold there is sheepe and lambes, and them that are with young, and Christ is the Shepherd over them all, and feedes them all with that good pasture which is himselfe. I shall first shew you how gently he leads them that are with yong; that is, those that hath the seed of the spirit of Christ but conceived in thē, & that but in a smal measure, that it doth not appeare whether there is any thing or no, neither by thee nor others; which is the first degree of the growth of his seede in us, which are some desirings after God; The Lord will feed and nourish these motions in us: The Lord will not quench the smoaking flaxe, Isa. 42.3. If there be any desiring after him, though it be in the smallest measure as can be, and it lies smoaking in us, and doth not burne; yet there is fire in it, or else it would not smoake. God is called fire, Heb. 12.29. And this desi­ring after God, is the Spirit of God in us; for there is nothing that can really desire after God but that which is one with him; therfore [Page 147]it is a spirituall fire, and hee will not quench these motions in us, though they are but smal: and though they are like sparks of fire in us, he layes them together, and blows them with the wind of his Spirit, and kindles this fire of him­selfe in us, that it shall flame forth in a visible appearance to us and others. It may lye hid a while, being covered with the filthinesse of our flesh, sinne and wickednesse; or with the glo­ry of our flesh, our righteousnesse: and both these are great enemies to him, and so lye in us as if it were dead: but the Lord wil quick­en it, and it shall flourish: And though Christ is but conceived in us, and these desires after him encreaseth more & more: so in the womb of our desires after him, hee growes more and more: and yet we doe not find that this childe Jesus is brought forth in us by his Spirit, so that wee can perceive it by the enjoyment of those comforts that wee expect to have in him by the manifestation of himselfe in us when we are thus bigge with young: and this childe is come to the birth, and there wants nothing but strength to bring it forth. The Lord is then our leader, and the Lord doth com­fort us in telling us by some inward motions of his Spirit, that the manifestation of himself shall be brought forth to us in his time, and he doth up-hold us in the mean time: but we are [Page 148]much troubled, while Christ is brought forth to us, that we may see him, and rejoyce in him Isa. 26.17, 18. Like as a woman with childe that draweth neer the time of her delivery, is in paine, and cryeth out in her pangs; so have wee beene in thy sight, O Lord. We have beene with child, we have beene in paine, wee have as it were brought forth winde. We cannot bring forth this childe Jesus in our own strength; for all our strength is as a blast of wind: and the more we strive in our own strength, the more pain we are in: and the nearer he is to be brought forth to us, the more spirituall paine wee have of wounds in conscience, and troubles of minde: but when the child Jesus is brought forth in us, then we forget that paine, for joy that Christ Jesus is brought forth to us, and all our pain and trou­ble is swallowed up in the enjoyment of him: and the longer it is before wee have the enjoy­ment of it, the more we shall prize it when we have it. Therefore be not discouraged, who­soever thou art, or whatsoever thou art, that hast not Christ yet brought forth in the; for this seed lies hid before it appear: and though there is but small appearance of it in us yet, then it grows in us, and makes way for a ma­nifestation of himselfe to us. And when this spirituall childe Jesus is brought forth in us, which he calls his lambs: and he carries them [Page 149]in his bosome; they are neare and deare unto him. We are not only in his bosome, but hee carries us about with him: we cannot goe, we are so weak that we can neither stand nor goe; one that is new borne, and therefore wee have yet no strength: We are most careful and ten­der of our children when they are young ones, and feede them accordingly: and the younger they are, the more tender wee are of them, which doth set forth in some measure the love of God to those that are babes in him. Our love is imperfect, but his love to us is perfect; he cannot forget us, wee lye in his bosome, yea, in the very heart of Christ, Cant. 8.6. Set [...]ee as a seale upon thy heart, as a seale upon thy arme. This was the request of the Spouse to Christ; she was then as a seale upon his heart, though she saw it not: but Christ puts it in her minde to aske, that hee might make it knowne to her, that she was as a seale upon his heart; that shee was as neare and deare to him as shee can be, for she is upon his heart and arme; the heart to love her, and his arme to defend her; he can doe no other, but love his Church, and every particular member of it, for it is one with him, for the Spirit of Christ in us is one with Christ. He prayeth to his Father, That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and [...] in thee; that they also may be one in us, Joh. 17.21. [Page 150]That is, that we might see our selves one in him, for then wee were one in him: but wee cannot know it, while he comes and shews us it, John 17.24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given mee, bee with mee where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst mee before the foun­dation of the world.

His love is so great to us, that he must have us with him wheresoever he is: so he carrieth us in his bosome, & upon his heart: and he is gone into heaven, and we are there with him though we see it not: and we are glorified with him. And the glory which thou hast given mee, 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: and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as tho [...] hast loved me, John 17.22, 23.

There is not any thing that Christ thinke too deare or too good for us; hee bestows al [...] his excellent things upon us; hee loves us [...] dearly, he cannot keep them from us. His lov [...] to us passeth the love of women to their chil [...]dren, yea, the greatest love that they can be [...] to them, Isa. 49.15, 16. Can a woman forg [...]ber sucking childe, that she should not have [...] passion on the sonne of her womb? yea, they [...] forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I ha [...] [Page 151]graven thee upon the palms of my hands: and thy wayes are continually before me.

He would have us to take notice of his love? Behold, I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands; he hath done it, and wee must behold it, and take good notice of it; it is done al­ready, it is not to be done by us: but God saith, I have done it: And there is not any thing in us that can hinder his love to us. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee. These are expressions of God to us, that we are set up­on his heart, and arme, and hand, is to shew us how neare we are to him, and hee would have us to know it; therefore he comes himself and declares it to us by his Spirit. Fear not, for I am with thee: be not affraid, for I am thy God, Isa. 41.10.

Man naturally is affraid of God, and it is because of our sins: and ever since Adam fell, wee have beene affraid of him; some affraid of his anger, and some affraid of punishment, Gen. 3.9, 10. And the Lord God called unto A­dam, and said unto him, where art thou? And be said, I heard thy voyce in the garden: and I was affraid, because I was naked: and I hid my selfe.

The righteousnesse of God which Adam had before his fall, did cloath him, he saw no nakednesse, he was not ashamed of the naked­nesse [Page 152]of his bodie, that was nothing; he could see nothing but what was of God, and he was cloathed with him: and there was a sweete communion betweene God and him; hee was not affraid of God, and there was no cause of fearing any thing else; for all things below God, were under Adam, & they had no pow­er to doe him any harm. But after Adam fell, his falling stripped him of the righteousnesse of God, and so he became naked, and then hee was affraid of God: And thus by nature wee are naked, and are affraid of God: and it is our nakednesse that causeth our feare, and makes us affraid of every thing below God, as well as of God: and there is not any covering that can cover our nakednesse, and so take a­way the cause of our fear; for Adam did what he could to hide his nakednesse, Gen. 3 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked: and they sewed fig-leaves to­gether, and made themselves aprons. They saw but some part of their nakednesse: and so far as they saw it, they made a covering to hide it, and it was of the leaves of a fig-tree, faire great leaves, and that tree grew in the Garden of Eden where Adam was put: and that was the best covering they could get; yet they were af­fraid, and hid themselves from God, for all that covering.

This Garden of Eden was a type of the [...]hurch of God, which is the Spouse of Christ, [...]t. 4.12. & 15. and chap. 5.1. & 6.2. And this Garden, in the midst of it, is the tree [...]life, which is Christ. Rev. 2.7. To him that [...]reommeth, will I give to eate of the tree of life [...]ich is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Joel [...] 27. And ye shall know that I am in the midst Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and [...]e else: and my people shall never be ashamed. [...]d he is that water of life that runneth in the [...]idst of the garden, Revel. 22.1. Whosoever [...]nketh of the water that I shall give him, shall [...]er thirst. But the water that I shall give him, [...]ll be in him a well of water springing up into e­ [...]lasting life, John 4.14. Jesus stood, and cry­ [...], saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto [...], and drinke. He that believeth on me (as the [...]ipture saith) out of his belly shall flow rivers of [...]ing water, John 7.37, 38. And this is that [...]e of life, that whosoever eates thereof, they [...]all live for ever. And this the Saints feed up­ [...]: but Adam did not eate of this. And out of [...] ground made the Lord God to grow every tree [...] is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, [...]en. 2.9.

So in the garden the Church of God, out [...] the ground of the love of God (for he is the [...]ound of all our happinesse) hee causeth to [Page 154]grow every tree that is pleasant to the e [...] and good for food, which is a comforta [...] enjoyment of all temporall things: and goo [...] ­nesse hath a promise of all things in this [...] for temporall things, so far as it is for Go [...] glory, and for our good, and for things come, which is spirituall: but the trees of [...] ward mercies doe grow by the high way [...] [...] all sorts of people to eate of as well as the ch [...] ­dren of God. But this is but by the way, [...] shew you that wee have the enjoyment of o [...] ward things by the enjoyment of spiritual: [...] in the garden of God, so farre as Christ [...] peareth in it, it brings forth good fruits s [...] ­ble to him; for hee is a Spirit, and the fr [...] that grow in this garden are spirituall, and have not this fruit by nature; for except [...] are in the Vine, we cannot bring forth fr [...] sutable to God: and we by nature are nake [...] and we seeing our selves naked, and know [...] there is no appearing before God: so we ta [...] of the broadest and fairest leaves of the shew godlinesse that we can get, and sew them handsomely together as wee can, and co [...] that part that we see naked: but there is a g [...] deale of our nakednesse that we doe not [...] and that wee cannot cover; yet God sees our nakednesse, both that as we cover, & [...] as we doe not cover. When God doth app [...] [Page 155] [...], we are affraid of his seeing us, for all this [...]ing: but now Christ hath cloathed us [...]th his righteousnesse, Mat. 6.32. And this [...]ghteousnesse is perfect: and it doth exceede [...]e righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees: [...]d that white raiment that thou maist be clo­ [...]ed, and that the shame of thy nakednesse doe not [...]peare, Revel. 3.18. And to her was granted, [...]t she should be arraied in fine linnen, cleane and [...]ite. For the fine linnen is the righteousnesse [...] the Saints, Rev. 19.8. And white robes were [...]en to every one of them, Rv. 6.11. And being [...]athed with this robe, we have no cause to [...]e affraid; wee have free accesse to goe to God [...] Christ; all our sins that wee have commit­ [...]d, hath been against God, and Christ hath [...]tisfied his Father for them all: and therefore [...]e justifieth us, and hath nothing to say a­ [...]inst us. Who shall lay any thing to the charge [...] Gods elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he [...]at condemneth us? It is Christ that dyed, yea, [...]ther that is risen again, who is at the right hand [...]f God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who [...]all separate us from the love of Christ? shall tri­ [...]lation, or distresse, or persecution, or nakednesse, [...] famine, or perill, or sword? Nay, in all these [...]hings wee are more than Conquerours, through [...]im that loved us. For I am perswaded, that nei­ [...]er death, nor life nor Angels, nor Principalities, [Page 156]nor powers, nor things present, nor things to com [...] Nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature▪ shall be able to separate us from the love of G [...] which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Rom. 8.33, 34▪ 35, 37, 38, 39.

There is not any that can separate us fro [...] God in Christ; our sins cannot doe it. I, eve [...] I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for [...] owne sake, and will not remember thy sins, Isa. 43.25. Thou art my servant, O Israel, thou shalt [...] be forgotten of me. I have blotted out as a thic [...] cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sinnes returne unto me, for I have redeemed thee, Isa. 44.21, 22. Feare not: For I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be [...] with thee; and through rive [...], they shall not over­flow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, th [...] shalt not be burnt: neither shall the flame kindl [...] upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: Since thou hast been [...] precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, & I have loved thee: Feare not, for I am with thee▪ Isa. 43.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed; for the Lord dwelleth i [...] Sion, Joel 3.21. Fear not, rejoyce and be glad, for the Lord will doe great things, Joel 2.21. Be­hold, I will bring it health and cure: and I will cure them, and will reveale unto them abundance [Page 157] [...] peace and truth, Jerem. 33.6. I have seene his [...]es, and will heale him: I will leade him also, [...]d restore comforts unto him, Isa. 57.18. And [...] will sow her unto mee in the earth, and I will [...]e mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, [...] I will say to them which were not my people: [...] art my people: and they shall say, thou art my [...], Hos. 2.23.

It is the Lord that hath done all things for [...], and in his time he doth make it known to [...], that we may know his love to us, and so to [...]ake us love him: and the Devill doth what [...]e can to accuse God to us, and tells us God [...] angry with us, to keepe us from him; For if [...] can but perswade us to keep from God, he [...]es not: and he thinks that is the way; for [...]e knowes that if Christ comes to reigne in us [...]ce, his kingdome in us shall not stand. So [...] doth what he can to deceive us by his false [...]les; for this is the Tale-bearer that doth [...]hat he can to part that friend-ship that is be­ [...]een God and us. He is the false witnesse that [...]eaketh lies, and him that soweth discord a­ [...]ng brethren, Prov. 6.19. Lay not waite (O [...]ked man) against the dwelling of the righte­ [...]: spoile not his resting place, Prov. 24.15. God [...] that resting place, Heb. 3.18.

There remaineth therefore a resting place [...] the people of God. For he that is entered in­to [Page 158]his rest, he also hath ceased from his own-wake [...] Heb. 4.9, 10. And so farre as God doth m [...] ­nifest himselfe in us, wee dwell in this resti [...] place: and the Devill doth what hee can [...] hinder us of it by telling us false tales: but li [...] ­en not to him; for he is a deceiver, and a ly [...] from the beginning. When he speaketh a lye, [...] speaketh of his owne; for he is a lyar, and the F [...] ­ther of it, John 8.44. And if he doth tell th [...] that God is angry, and thou must do thus a [...] thus, to pacifie him through thy obedience though he brings Scripture for what hee sait [...] as he did to Christ, Matth. 4. yet believe hi [...] not. Yea, if any one deliver any other d [...] ­ctrine to us than that doctrine of Christ whic [...] is the setting forth of the love of God to us, [...] farre as it is not of God, it is of the Devil [...] and hee is accursed. And the Lord doth co [...] with power to destroy the workes of the Devil [...] 1 John 3.8.

Thou art not onely set upon his heart fo [...] him to love thee, but upon his arme to defen [...] thee against thy spirituall enemies, the Devi [...] and his Armie, which is sinne and wickedness and our owne righteousnesse which doth pe [...] ­secute this seede of God in us, and hath do [...] the uttermost of his power to destroy it quite and this kingdome of heaven hath suffered vi­olence by the Devill: and this seede of God i [...] [Page 159] [...] hath been kept under, and as it were impri­ [...]d by the Devill, and himselfe hath reigned [...] with tyranny and cruelty; that maketh [...]o put up many prayers, and teares, and [...] and groans to God for him to deliver us: [...] these prayers, sighes and groanes of these [...]soners, hath entered into the eares of the [...]d, Exod. 3.7, 8. Then the Lord said, I have [...]ly seen the trouble of my people which are in Ae­ [...], and have heard their crye, because of their [...]ke-masters: for I know their sorrowes, There­ [...] I am come downe to deliver them. And our [...]ow is greater than theirs; for theirs was a [...]poral bondage, but ours is spiritual. Behold [...] Lord God will come with strong hand, and his [...] shall rule for him: Behold, his reward is with [...], and his worke before him, Isa. 40.10. But [...] Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have [...], the seede of Abraham my friend. Thou [...]m I have taken from the ends of the earth, & [...]ed thee from the chiefe men thereof, and said [...] thee, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, [...] not cast thee away. Feare thou not, for I am [...] thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I [...] strengthen thee, yea, I will uphold thee with [...] right hand of my righteousnesse. Behold, all [...] that were incensed against thee shall be asha­ [...] and confounded; they shall be as nothing, and [...] that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt [Page 160]seeke them, and shalt not finde them, even the [...] that contended with thee; they that warre agai [...] thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nough [...] For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right han [...] saying unto thee, Feare not, I will helpe thee. Fe [...] not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I w [...] helpe thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, t [...] holy One of Israel, Isa. 41.8. to the 14. The Sp [...] ­rit of the Lord is upon me, therefore hath the L [...] anointed me, he hath sent me to preach good tidin [...] unto the poore, to bind up the broken hearted, [...] preach liberty to the captives: and to them th [...] are bound, the opening of the prison, Isa. 61.1.

The fulnesse of the Spirit of God is upo [...] Christ, and he is sent to set us at liberty: an [...] it is he alone that can, and doth it. It is he th [...] hath broken the head of the Serpent, and [...] is the Serpent that hath bruised his heel, whic [...] is the low and weake member of Christ: an [...] it is he that doth come and break open these [...] ­ron bars and gates of this prison that the D [...] ­vill hath kept us in withall; as the Jewes la [...] hands on the Apostles, and put them in th [...] common prison: But the Angel of the Lord [...] night opened the prison doores, and brought the [...] forth, Acts 5.18, 19. So this prison that th [...] Devill keeps us in, is a common prison; for [...] keepes all man-kind in this prison of himself [...] but there is two roomes in this prison, the on [...] [Page 161] [...]or those that are godly: and that room of the [...]rison that he keeps them most in is their own righteousnesse, and that is the common pri­ [...]on for them: and the other room in that pri­ [...]on is for all sorts of people that are not god­ [...]y. When the Jewes had put Christ to death, [...]nd when hee was buried, they laid a great [...]one at the door of the Sepulchre where Christ [...]as laid: and they sealed the stone lest hee [...]ould rise againe, Mar. 15.46. Mat. 27.66. [...]et all this could not keepe Christ from ri­ [...]g; for there came an Angel and rolled away [...]he stone, Mat. 28.2, 3, 4. And behold, there [...] a great earth-quake, for the Angel of the Lord [...]scended from heaven, and came and rolled backe [...] stone from the doore, and sate upon it. And his [...]ntenance was like lightning, and his raiment [...] white as snow. And for feare of him the keepers [...]ere astonished, and became as dead men. They [...]d what they could, after they had killed [...]hrist, to keepe him from rising againe; they [...]id a great stone at the doore of his Sepulchre, [...]d sealed it to make it fast, and set men to [...]atch it; yet all this could not keepe Christ [...]om rising: So the Devil doth by Christ spiri­ [...]ally now; for as then he was crucified by his [...]ne peculiar people, not as they were Saints; [...]n so now the Devill doth stirre us up as hee [...] them, to persecute and crucifie Christ spi­ritually [Page 162]by the living to our righteousnesse; for so farre as we live to our righteousnesse, we em­brace that, and make much of it: but if the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ appeareth, being it is not like ours; if we see it appear in others, we thinke because it is not like ours, it is false, and we raile against it, and hate it, and do [...] what we can to beate it downe, and persecute it to the death: and if it doth not lye in ou [...] power to doe what we would against it, we [...] are very sorry that wee cannot doe what wee would: & we are so impudent bold, that we d [...] say, that wee doe not hate your person, bu [...] your opinions, and it is that which wee hate, and doe what we can to beate it downe, and thus we crucifie him in others. And if hee ma­nifest himselfe to us in a sweet, precious, mild [...] way, speaking peace to us, wee will not giv [...] eare to it, but thinke it is delusion, because i [...] comes not like our righteousnesse, so we beat [...] it downe: And if he maketh known any thing to us of his ways, that is contrary to our way [...] to what we have been taught, and our righte­ousnesse hath led us too, wee come against i [...] with all the whole army of our righteousnesse to stand in battle against him, not only t [...] keepe him out, that is, from revealing himsel [...] and further in us, but also in killing him in u [...] so farre as wee see him in us: and our desire i [...] [Page 163] [...]hat he may be wholly destroyed; as wee are [...]en, and are led by our righteousnesse: and [...]ing set a worke by the Devill, thus we cruci­ [...]e Christ: and the Sepulchre that hee is buri­ [...] in, is our righteousnesse and never any was [...]ried there but Christ; for all things of man [...]th appeare, but Christ alone lies hidden: [...]d so farre as we live to our righteousnesse, [...]hrist lyes as it were dead and buried in us, & [...] doe what we can to keep him from rising; [...]e roule the greatst stone wee can get against [...] doore of this Sepulchre: we set the greatest [...]position as wee can against it, and seale it, [...]d make it sure (as we thinke) and set a watch [...]er it, which is our righteousnesse; yet all [...]is cannot keepe Christ from rising: but the [...]gel will come and roll away this stone, and [...] upon it, and make way for Christ to rise, [...]ich is some manifestation of the Spirit of [...]od in us in a cleare way, appearing very glo­ [...]us, and comming with power, that we are [...] able to resist: and he rolls away the stone [...] oppositions, and makes a way for a cleare [...]ifestation that Christ is risen in us, but he [...]h not appeare presently to us as he is risen, [...] wee shall see this messenger sit upon this [...]e of our oppositions, triumphing over [...]: and the watch-man, our righteousness, [...] as if it were astonished & amaz'd to see the [Page 164]appearance of this messenger in a glorious manner in us, which we could not imagine of be fore we see it; it causeth a great earth-quake in us, and striketh our righteousnesse dead: and Christ being risen, hee comes with pow­er in us by his messenger, with some manifesta­tions of his Spirit, to make way for a fur­ther manifestation of himselfe, and his arme shall bring forth salvation in us; hee hath lien as it were dead and buried in us, and his salva­tion hath not appeared to us: but now he will come and destroy that which hath hindered us from seeing Christ and his salvation. For his time being come to arise out of this grave, and destroy his enemies, he will appeare to us to doe as Sampson did, when hee was bound with seven green cords (which is perfection of bonds) by Delilah his wife: and hee brake the cords as the threed of towe is broken when it feeleth the fire. And then sh [...]e tooke new ropes, and bound him therewith, that so the Philistines might destroy him him: but he was so strong that they could not overcome him except hee were bound: and there lay his enemies in wait to destroy him when they saw him bound: but he brake the ropes from his arms like a threed, Jud. 16.9. & 12. So doth Christ; there is not any thing can bind him or hinder him from rising, when his time is come. Christ is called a fire, [Page 165] [...]ev. 1.14. Heb. 12.29. It is the nature of fire to burn and consume all things that are not one with it: so doth Christ, to burn up that which hindereth us from seeing him, and keepeth us from that sweete enjoyment of him, which [...] our sins, and our righteousnesse: so he comes with flames of fire to render vengeance on that [...] us, which knowes not, but is an enemie to God, and kept us from God: but now Christ [...]ill destroy these spirituall enemies; hee will wallow them up in the victory of himself, and [...]urn up the drosse in us that keeps us from see­ [...]g that pure gold: so farre as he doth manifest [...]imselfe in us, he discovereth which is drosse [...]nd which is gold; for in thy light wee see light▪ [...]or we cannot discerne of our selves, which is [...]old, which is the righteousnesse of Christ, [...]nd which is drosse, which is our righteous­ [...]sse: but so farre as Christ doth discover this [...]osse to us, he burns it up. Christ is the foun­ [...]ation whereon this spiritual building is built, [...]d all the building must be one and the same [...]ith the foundation. Now if any man build upon [...]is foundation, gold, silver, precious siones, wood, [...]y, stubble: Every mans works shall be made ma­ [...]ifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be [...]ealed by fire, and the fire shall trye every mans [...]rke of what sort it is. If any mans workes a­ [...]de which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive [Page 166]a reward. If any mans workes shall be burnt, be [...] shall suffer losse, but he himselfe shall be saved, ye [...] so as by fire, 1 Cor 3.11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

When the day doth appeare, then it begin [...] to be light, and that light maketh manifest al [...] things, and this is Christ: and hee being lik [...] fire, he tries all the works of man; yea thos [...] workes that are most excellent, that appear [...] as glorious as gold and silver & precious stone [...] they must be tryed: and all that is not purel [...] of Jesus Christ, and wrought by his Spiri [...] shall be burnt up by him, as well as hay an [...] stubble, which is sinne and wickednesse, Psal [...] 50.3. Our God shall come, and shall not keepe s [...] ­lence; a fire sh [...]ll devoure before him, and it sha [...] be very tempestuous round about him. That the [...] our enemies shall not be able to stand again [...] him: but he will destroy them by his coming so farre as he reveales himselfe in us; for the [...] his enemies in us are now risen up against hi [...] to destroy him, Isa. 9.5. For every battle of t [...] Warriour is with confused noise, and garments ro [...] ­led in blood: but this shall be with burning an [...] fewell of fire.

All the battles that the Devill comes again [...] Christ withall to overcome him, is with con­fusion, confuting, and contradicting him that if wee were but able to discerne and ta [...] notice of his weapons that he comes to destr [...] [Page 167]Christ withall, would destroy himselfe: but [...]ll the Devils weapons are broken in pieces, [...]nd is fewell for this fire, which is Christ, and [...]e will burne them up by degrees, as he reveals [...]imselfe in us: and thus hee will destroy our [...]pirituall enemies for us, Mica 7.8, 9, Rejoyce [...]t against me, O mine enemie, When I fall I shall rise, when I sit in darkenesse, the Lord shall be a [...]ight unto mee. I will beare the indignation of the [...]ord, because I have sinned against him, untill hee [...]ead my cause, and execute judgement for me: he [...]ill bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold [...]is righteousnesse. Then shee that is mine enemie [...]hall see it, and shame shall cover her which said [...]nto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes [...]hall behold her, now shall she be troden downe as the mire of the streets.

The Church of God is called a woman, Rev. 12.1. and Anti-christ is called a wom [...]n, Revel. 17.3. And when the Lord brings us forth to the light, then wee shall see his righ­teousnesse; then our adversary Anti-christ in the history, and that is shee that doth out­wardly oppose Christ: and in the mystery, which is our righteousnesse, Christ will tread her under his foot. Thus his arme shall save us from our enemies, and destroy them; for he is very tender over us that are his Spouse and beloved one: And although wee are a great [Page 168]while oppressed with the Devill, yet at the last Christ will come and make known to us how he hath overcome him for us, Isa. 27.1, 2, 3. In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword, shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent, even Leviathan that crooked Serpent, and he shall slay the dragon that is in the Sea. In that day sing ye unto her; A vineyard of red wine. I the Lord doe keepe it: I will water it every mo­ment: lest any hurt it, I will keepe it night and day. Which vine-yard is the Church of God, and he keeps it as well in the night; that is, in our darke condition, Hosea. 11.3. I taught Ephraim also to goe, taking them by the armes, but they knew not that I healed them: And I have led them, but they knew it not. And so he keeps it in that darke condition as well as in the day, when he manifests himselfe to us: so hee will open our eyes as we are Saints, that we shall see the things that belongs to our peace. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, Isa. 35.5. And the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness, Isa. 29.18.

So far as he revealeth himselfe to us we shall clearly see him: and what he is to us, when he opens our eyes: and wee shall also heare him speak peace to us; For the deafe eares shall be un­stopped, Isa. 35.5. And in that day shall the deaf heare the words of that booke, Isa. 29.18. This [Page 169] [...]ooke is that which is spoken of in Revel. 5. [...]nd I saw in the right band of him that sate on the [...]hrone a booke written within, and on the backe­ [...]de, sealed with seven seales. And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voyce; Who is wor­ [...]y to open the booke, and to loose the seales thereof. And no man in heaven nor earth, neither under the [...]arth was able to open the booke, neither to looke [...]hereon.

Then the lion of the Tribe of Judah, which [...]as a Lamb that had been slain; he was found [...]orthy to open the booke, ond to breake o­ [...]en the seales. And hee came and tooke the booke [...]t of the right hand of him that sate upon the Throne.

This booke is the minde of God: as in a booke a man may write his mind at large, be­ing of a great volume: so for our weake capa­city, the minde of God is as it were writ in a booke, being written within, but on the back­side sealed with seven seales, that wee cannot what is written in it. The vision is become un­to you as the words of a booke that is sealed up, which they deliver to one that cannot read, saying, Reade this, I pray thee; and he saith, I [...]nnot, for it is sealed. And the booke is given to him that cannot read, saying, Reade this I pray thee; and he shall say, I cannot read, Isa. 29.11, 12. And the same booke was sent to Ezekiel, [Page 170]Ezek. 2.9, 10. Behold, a hand was sent to me, & loe a roule of a booke was therein. And he spread i [...] before me, and there was written therein, lamen­tations, mourning, and woe. Isa. 8.16. Bind up the testimonie, seale up the law among my Dis­ciples.

A testimonie is, when a man dyeth, he wri­teth down to whom he would have his estate dispos'd, when and how: so in this booke o [...] God, is written the whole mind of God, what he hath given us, and when it shall be revea­led to us: and how yet it is bound up and sea­led: and none is found worthy to open the booke, and loose the seale. He that sate upon the Throne is God the Father, and the book that was in his hand, was the whole love and minde of God to all man-kinde in Christ Je­sus. And the seven seales doth set forth to us, that the whole mind and love of God is alone known to himselfe, and quite shut up, and as it were sealed fast from us; that as wee are men and women, we cannot know any thing that is written therein. In this booke there is written all things what Christ hath done for all, and what for his Church in particular; what he hath obtained for us, and what wee are in him; what hee hath made us to the Fa­ther in him, and what he is in us: And it is Christ alone that hath obtained of his Father [Page 171] [...]o open this booke, and to loose the seals; for [...]e was the Lambe that was slaine for all: and [...]y his death hee hath obtained power of his [...]ather to open the booke, and make knowne [...]o us his whole mind. There are seven seales [...]o be broke open, and hee doth not breake o­ [...]en all the seales at once, but by degrees: and as he breakes open a seale, he saith, Come and [...]e, Rev. 6.1. That is, wee must see our selves in Christ, before we can see any thing of the mind of God made known to us: and he it is that doth make knowne to us that wee are in him: and the first seale that he breaks open to us, are some manifestations of his love to us: and by degrees he breaks open the seales to us, hee doth make knowne his love and minde to us more and more, in a more fuller, clearer, and glorious manner; every seale breaking o­pen, are new manifestations; every seale more glorious, clearer & fuller than the other that was broke open before. And in this booke is written lamentation, mourning, and woe to Anti­christ, for her destruction and ruine is come more and more. As Christ breakes open the seales and reveales himselfe to us, hee gives us that hearing eare, his Spirit, that we may hear those things which he hath unsealed to us. The Lord God hath opened mine eare, and I was not re­bellious, neither turned away backe. He wake­neth [Page 172]mine eare to heare as the learned, Isa. 50.4, 5. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the compa­nions hearken to thy voyce, cause mee to heare it, Cant. 8.13. And when wee come to heare the love of God to us, then we shall see this mes­senger of the Spirit of God casting the stum­bling blockes out of the way, and making known to us in some measure the great love of the Lord to us, and so making way for a fur­ther manifestation of himselfe to us in a fuller, higher, and more glorious manner; for as the seales are broke open, so is Anti christ more and more discovered, and destroyed, by the bright comming of Jesus Christ; for there is a seven-fold purifying of this seede of God in us, from the seede of the Devill, before it can appeare to us in the purity of it: and that is as the seales are broke open to us, and hee ap­peares very glorious at the breaking open of any of the seales; much more glorious will he appear to us, when all the seales are broke o­pen, when we shall perfectly, fully and clearly see and know Christ as hee is to us; for when they are all broke open, then there the perfe­ction of Christ is made known to us, for seven is perfection.

CHAP. XV. How the LORD leades his people by faith.

THe Lord doth shew his people that which yet they have not the enjoyment of, and [...] is in a high and glorious manner: and they [...]e not able to expresse what it is: but by faith [...] some measure they see what it is that they [...]all enjoy: and in the meane while they walke [...] faith, and not by fight, Heb. 11.1. Now faith [...] the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of [...]ings not seene. And so by faith we must wait [...]atiently for a further manifestation of himself [...]n us, in a more glorious and clearer manner. [...]or if we hope for that we see not; then do we with [...]tience waite for it, Rom. 8.15. We must not [...]e like Thomas, believe no more than we see, or [...]njoy? but Christ said, Blessed are they that [...]ive not seene, and yet believe, John 20.29. A­ [...]raham desired to see my day, and he saw it, and [...]as glad. He saw by faith the glorious days of Christ; the mysteries of the kingdome of God [...]ath beene hidden from us: but now hee will [...]ake them manifest to his Saints, to whom [Page 174]God would make knowne what is the riches of this mysterie among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory, Col. 1.26, 27.

Christ manifested in the flesh is a great my­sterie; his first comming was in flesh, visible to all, that all might see him. Then hee went away as concerning his flesh, and came in Spi­rit to us. I will not leave you comfortlesse, but I will come unto you, John 14.18. And he saith, I send my Spirit unto you, John 16.7. If any man love me, he will keepe my word, and my Father will love him: and wee will come unto him, and make our abode with him, John 14.23. So Christ will not only come unto us, but hee is in us al­ready, and he will make it manifest that he is come in our flesh by his Spirit; for hee and his Spirit are all one: and where Christ is, there is the Father. Know ye not that the Father is in the Sonne, and the Sonne in the Father. And at that time ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you, John 14.20. For Christ is the head, and is one with the Father, and the whole Church of God is the body, which is the Spirit of God in all the Saints: and he is always in us, and with us. Christ in us the hope of glory; we by faith see Christ in us, and know that he is the glory, and wait pa­tiently upon him while he is pleased to mani­fest his glory in us: So by faith we believe, and [Page 175]hope for that which wee have not yet the enjoyment [...]f. Though wee have Christ, who is the ful­ [...]sse of all happinesse; yet wee doe not see him [...] us, till hee is pleased to manifest himselfe to [...], and shew us his glory. And this faith of [...]elieving what we shall enjoy, is a very glori­ [...]us condition, and we have abundance of joy [...]d comfort in it; for the promise to us of the [...]joyment of himselfe, is sealed to us, we are [...]re of it; there is not any thing that can hin­ [...]r him from manifesting himselfe to us, Eph. [...].13, 14. After that yee heard the word of truth, [...]e Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after [...]hat ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit [...] promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance, [...]till the redemption of the purchased possession, [...]to the praise of his glory.

So the Lord revealing to us by his Spirit, [...]at there is an inheritance purchased by [...]hrist for us, which is himselfe; that is the [...]eatest inheritance that can be: and this Spi­ [...] doth seale it to us, till the time is come, that [...]mselfe will give us possession of that inheri­ [...]nce that hee hath redeemed and purchased [...]r us for the praise of his glory. So while we [...]ave but an earnest given us of this inheritance, [...]eing we know it is sure, wee are exceedingly [...]omforted, and carried above all slavish fears [...]nd troubles, and above all things that wee [Page 176]see below Christ: and many the Lord leades a great while by faith before he gives them a full possession of himselfe.

CHAP. XVI. Not for any to despise, nor undervalue, nor persecute one another.

IT is a very dangerous thing to embrace and close with that we heare, before wee know whether it be truth or no; for it is not suffici­ent for us to believe a thing to be truth, because another saith it is truth. For us to build upon this is a sandy-foundation, & we cannot build sure upon it; though the things that we heare be truth, yet except we know them to be truth, by the Spirits teaching us, or witnessing to us by sufficient grounds set forth in the Scripture, that those things are truth that we heare; it is very dangerous to build upon it, and it is im­possible but this building will fall; for this foundation will not, nor cannot hold it up: and if it come to the tryall, it will fall, to the great dishonour of God, and the scandalling of Religion: and it is as dangerous to despise, hate, or persecute any thing that wee heare, though it doth not seem to us to be truth; for [Page 177]saith Paul. After that way that ye call heresie, so [...]orship I the God of my Fathers. Though it ap­ [...]eareth to you to be heresie, yet it may be re­ [...]ll truth; therefore doe not hate it, nor perse­ [...]ute it; for Paul thought before his conversion [...]hat it was heresie, and persecuted it, Acts 9. [...]2. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and [...]aughter against the Disciples of the Lord, went [...]to the high Priest, and desired of him letters to [...]amascus to the Synagogue; that if he found any [...] this way, whether they were men or women, he [...]ight bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And [...]he journeyed, he came neare to Damascus: and [...]ddenly there shined round about him a light from [...]aven, and he fell to the earth, and heard a voyce, [...]ying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou [...]? And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the [...]ord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is [...]d for thee to kicke against the pricks, vers. 3, 4, [...]. Paul was then one that was very strict in all [...] ways, and walked very blamelesse as con­ [...]rning the performing of the Law: and hee [...]ought that all that was not as he was, were [...]retickes, and hee persecuted them to the [...]ath: but the Lord said unto him, Why perse­ [...]test thou me? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. [...] He persecuted Christ in his members. Inas­ [...]eth as you have done it unto one of the least of [...]se my brethren, ye have done it to me, Mat. 25.40. [Page 178]Take heed how you persecute any, though you thinke they are heretickes, and therefore persecute them as Paul did: and indeed there was never any persecution, but it went under the name of punishing Hereticks, and doe i [...] by a shew of godlinesse, as Paul did: but it i [...] hard for you to kicke against prickes; for it i [...] God that ye kicke against, and he is stronger than you, and will overcome you at the last and he is like pricks, it will pierce your selves for not any weapon that is forged against hi [...] Saints shall prosper: but shall returne backe [...] and destroy their enemies; like as those me [...] were that tooke up Shadrach, Mesbech, and A­bednego, and cast them into the fiery fornan at the Kings command, because they woul [...] not worship their false gods. They made th [...] fornace exceeding hot, because it should de­stroy the three men that were cast into it: b [...] the flame of the fire slew those men that ca [...] them in: and Shadrach, Mesbech, and Abede­go walked in the midst of the fire, and neith [...] they nor their cloaths were burned, nor [...] much as smell of fire, Dan. 3.

Therefore whosoever thou art that pers­ [...]cutest any, take heed what thou dost; for the last God will destroy thee whosoever th [...] art, except thou commest to be converted and they whom thou dost persecute shall be [...] [Page 179]livered out of thy hands, if it be to the glory [...] God, and their good: but if God hath gi­ [...]n you so much power as to put them to [...]ath, the greatest harm that you can do them [...] but to bring them to their full happinesse: [...]d that harm that you thinke to doe against [...]m, you doe against your selves; for while [...] persecute them, they are at peace and qui­ [...], and have abundance of the enjoyment of [...]od, and enabled to bear exceedingly what­ [...]ever is laid upon them; for whatsoever is [...]nting outwardly, the Lord supplieth in­ [...]rdly by his Spirit, and he conveyeth him­ [...]fe to them in that way, that all the enemies [...] the world, nor all the Devils in hell, are [...] able to hinder them from the enjoyment him: but while you persecute them, you [...]not be quiet in your mind, but are troubled [...]d cannot have peace, like Saul, that perse­ [...]d David. The Spirit of the Lord departed [...] Saul, and an evill Spirit from the Lord trou­ [...]d him, 1 Sam. 16.14. And this Spirit cau­ [...] him to persecute David: and wheresoever [...] Spirit is, it causeth persecutions; for it is [...] Ishmael that persecuted Isaac.

Object. But ought wee not to punish open [...]etiques and blasphemers? for if wee doe [...] punish them, they may seduce abundance [...]eople, and bring them into their blaspe­ [...]us wayes.

Answ. All the way that ought to be used, is the preaching of the Word, which is the sword of God. For the word of God is quick and powerfull, and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is [...] discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12. And in Revel. 1.16. speaking there of Christ, it saith, Out of his mouth wen [...] a sharpe two-edged sword (which is the Gospel. And it is the power of God to salvation, Rom. 1 [...].16. And I saw another Angel flie in the midde [...] of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preac [...] to them that dwell on the Earth, and to every na­tion, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Sayin [...] with a loud voyce, fear God, and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come: and worshi [...] him that made heaven and earth, and the Sea, an [...] the fountaines of waters. And there followed a­nother Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is faller that great Citie, because shee made all Nation drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Rev. 14.6, 7, 8.

Ye may see how powerfull the preaching [...] the Gospel is to the destroying of errours. Th [...] is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word God, Ephes. 6.17. which is powerfull to the be [...] ­ting downe of all strong holds of Satan. And it sharper than any two-edged sword, and [Page 181]will destroy this great City Anti-christ, and [...] it downe to the ground; for this will [...]nt [...]nder all the joynts whereby it is joyned to­ [...]ther, and the very soule, and spirit, and [...]arrow of it, whereby it doth live, even the [...]y life of it shall be destroyed by the prea­ [...]ing of the Gospel; for this doth find out the [...]undation of the building of Anti-christ, and [...]ll it downe, and the building will fall of it [...]fe: and we are commanded to use this way, [...]d the Apostles did use this way, and no o­ [...]er, and they found it very beneficiall; for by they were brought out of their errors: and [...]re was daily abundance added to the [...]urch such as should be saved. False doctrine [...]th not so much power to build up errours, [...] the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath power to [...]roy them, if it be rightly preached: and if [...] goe any other way to worke in beating [...]ne errours, it will not doe it, though you [...]secute them to the death, it will make it [...]ead the more, and make them that you per­ [...]te the more zealous for it.

I beseech you beloved take heed of these two [...]gs of closing to all that we hear, and buil­ [...]g upon it before God makes it truth to us [...]his Spirit, and of hating and persecuting [...] which is not truth to you; for it may be [...]th, though God hath not made it knowne [Page 182]to you, therefore hate it not, nor persecut [...] it, lest you are found to persecute God. Judg [...] not before the time, but leave all to God; fo [...] to him we stand or fall, for that which is no [...] of God shall fall at the last. But whatsoev [...] you heare, desire the Lord to teach you by h [...] Spirit, whether it be truth or no, and wai [...] upon God, using the meanes as hearing a [...] reading, and the like: but not depend upon [...] but see God above it, while hee doth please reveale himselfe to you, and shew you what truth: and whensoever he doth any time ma [...] knowne any thing to you to be truth by su­ [...]cient grounds according to the word, thou [...] it be never so sudaine; that embrace, and [...] ­tertaine, and rejoyce at any manifestation the love of God to you. Despise not the day small things? and though you see others so [...] higher in the enjoyments of God, and in [...] wayes of God, than you, yet be not troub [...] at it, nor doe not envy their condition, [...] he is the same to you as he is to them, thou [...] you see it not; for the Lord saith, he will fa [...] Christ as a naile in a sure place, and he shall be a glorious throne to his fathers house. And shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers h [...] the off-spring and the issue, all vessells of [...] ­quantity: from the vessels of cups, even to all vessels of flagons, Isa. 22.23, 24. They all [...] [Page 183]upon Christ, even the small cups, which are [...]e lowest Saints, as well as the flagons, which [...]e high. On all the vessels in the house of the [...]ord, is a glorious one, for it is Christ that [...]akes them so: and bee not troubled, because [...]ou seest many several opinions in the world, [...]or God is not limited to any one of them; [...]r God hath, and will reveal his whole mind [...]o his Church: but every particular one knows [...]ut in part, and opinions are but the shels: [...]t us not strive for them; for wee cannot live [...]pon them; if wee have the kirnell it is suffici­ [...]t, which is Christ, for he is the substance, [...]nd all things else are but shels to him: and let [...] be willing for him to lead us by his Spirit, [...]nd he will lead us in the right way: and they [...]hat are grown high Saints, and have abun­ [...]ance of enjoyment, let them not despise nor [...]dervalue those that are low. There is all [...]anner of growth of Saints among us: and I [...]peak to al sorts of you, do not ūdervalue those [...]hat are not as you are, for we are all brethren [...] Christ, and so wee are to esteeme one ano­ [...]her, if there by any appearance of godlinesse; [...]r my dove my undefiled is but one, Cant. 6.9.

Give no just occasion to any to scandall re­ [...]igion; become low to those that are low, yet speaking the truth: but in such a way as they may plainly understand; you doe not speake [Page 184]of high mysticall things to those that are very low, except ye speak them forth in a very clear manner; for being they cannot understand it, they conclude it is heresie: so by it religion comes to be scandaliz'd: but this meate is too strong for babes, they must be fed with milke as Paul did, 1 Cor. 3.2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meate; for hitherto ye were not able to beare it. Heb. 5.13, 14. For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse, for he is a babe. But strong meate belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their sences exercised to discern both good and evill.. So by degrees feede them as they are able to beare it, and do not dishearten any, though they are never so low; for consider that once ye were low your selves, therefore bear with their weakenesse and infir­mities. And beloved, let not us make a rent or schisme in this body, the Church of Christ; let not the Presbytery despise those that they call Independents; nor the Independents despise the Presbytery: and those that are neither of them, let them not despise either of them; for those that are the children of God, what form so­ever they are in, there is the seed of God in them, though it be covered with a great deal of drosse, that the seed of God doth little appear; yet that which is of God is pure wheresoever [Page 185]it is, though Anti-christ appeareth more in [...]hem than Christ, and seduceth them, and [...]hey cannot see it, while Christ doth break o­ [...]en his seales to us: and as hee breakes open a [...]al to us, then we come to see more light, then [...]e see what grosse ways of Anti-christ we have [...]een in; then we come out of that forme into [...]nother, that more seeming glorious forme [...]han the other that we were in before: but An­ [...]i-christ will reign in us in this form as well as in the other that we were in, appearing more glorious to us then hee did before: and when the Lord comes and breaks open another seale to us, and brings us up higher to himselfe, and [...]hews us more light than we saw before; then wee see what a darke way wee were in before; then wee come out of that forme into another forme more glorious than the other, even the most purest and glorious form that we can find in all the Scripture.

Thus the Lord brings us from one thing to another; from Papacie to Presbytery, from Pres­bytery to Independency, and the Lord is in every one of these formes to his people while hee brings them out of it: and Sathan also doth transforme himselfe to an Angel of light, and will be in that form to you; for now you are out of an Anti-christian way, and thinke your selves safe: but you may hug and embrace An­ti-christ [Page 186]in the mystery, when you hate him, & speak against him in the history: and the more glorious form you are in, the more secure you thinke your selves; and are ready to say, let us here build Tabernacles. And beloved, wee make goodly Images to our selves; the more glorious our forme is, the more glorious ima­ges we make: and the more liker God, the more dangerous; for that which is not purely of God, so far as it is not of God, it is of Anti-christ, and we make an image of it, and that which is like Christ; for Anti-christ doth ap­peare in us like Christ, we doe not know him from Christ; therefore let not any of us des­pise each other, or undervalue one another, for Anti-christ doth tyrannize over us all, some in one way, and some in another, and hee it is that causeth us to despise and undervalue one another; for that which is of God is loving and kind to all, and meeke and milde, and causeth us to forgive one another, and for­beare one another, and overcome one another with love. When Christ comes and breaks o­pen another seal to you, then you will see that yet you are in the darke; for that light which now you have, is a great light to that which you saw before: but it is but darknesse to that light which shall appeare to you: and then hee will shew you that a great deale of that in you [Page 187]which you thought was spirit, will appeare to be but flesh, which is of Anti-christ.

CHAP. XVII. How God brings his Church into the wildernesse.

THere is a spirituall wildernesse that Christ brings his Saints into, before hee giveth them a full possession of Canaan, that is, that glorious inheritance, which is Christ. A wil­dernesse is a barren place; he will strippe us of all our excellent things, so far as it is not pure­ly of himselfe; hee will come with the North­winde, and nip, and deaden, and blast all our most excellent performances, that wee shall have nothing to trust to, but see our selves in a barren condition like a wilderness. The church of God hath been in the wildernesse ever since Anti-christ began to reigne: and Anti-christ is that which is like Christ, yet opposeth Christ, and it began in the Apostles dayes; for no sooner is there any thing of Christ made known, but the Devill will transforme himselfe as like it as may be, and labour to set up his way in us, and opposeth the way of Jesus Christ. For every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of [Page 188]God: and this is that spirit of Anti-christ where­of you have heard, that it should come, and even now already it is in the world, 1 John 4.3. Lit­tle children it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Anti-christ shall come; even now there are many Anti-christs, whereby wee know that it is the last times, 1 John 2.18. That which doth deny Christ any other ways in the history, or in the mysterie, in what manner soever it be, so farre as wee hold any thing that is not the pure truth of Christ, so farre as it is not truth it is of Anti-christ, though it appeare never so glorious: and it is said that there are many Anti-christs, because hee appeareth in many wayes to us: but he did not reigne in the Apo­stles time so as he hath done since; for the Go­spel was then purely preached: but Christ told his Disciples what things should come to passe, Mat. 24.15. When yee therefore shall see the ab­homination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, stand in the holy place? whoso readeth, let him understand.

When the Lord openeth our eyes, that wee see it before us, and in us, then wee come to read and understand, that the abhomination of Anti-christ being set up, makes the truth of Jesus Christ desolate; for that light that shi­ned in the Apostles dayes hath beene quite put out, and the Church hath been led in a very [Page 189]darke way; for the minde of God hath beene sealed up with seven seales: and all the time that the booke is sealed up, the Church is in the wildernesse, and there shee hath a place prepared of God, and there she should be fed a thousand, two hundred and threescore days, Rev. 1.26. And this was the time of the two Witnesses prophesying. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesie a thousand, two hundred, and threescore dayes cloa­thed in sack-cloath, Rev. 11.3.

God hath some alwayes to speake forth his pure truth in some measure: and they that speake forth the things of Christ, are the wit­nesses of Christ, and they prophesie in sacke-cloath; which signe of sorrow and mourning when there is but little manifestation of Jesus Christ, then we are kept under by Anti-christ, both outward and inward, and then is the time of mourning. Can the children of the bride­chamber fast while the Bride-groom is with them? but when the Bride-groom is taken from them, in those dayes shall they fast. And when they fasted, they used to be cloathed in sack-cloath, which doth appeare that the time of the Church be­ing in the wildernesse, having then but small appearance of the Bride-groom to them, then is the time of fasting and mourning, yet God doth feed and preserve her from all those de­vouring [Page 190]beasts that are in the wildernesse: and there are seven degrees of comming out of this wildernesse, and the Lord doth first shew us that we are in the wildernesse, before hee doth make it known to us that hee hath brought us out of it; hee will shew us our barrennesse by stripping us quite naked of all our goodly things, that we shall have nothing to trust too, then will he reveale himselfe in us, and appear to be all in all in us, and then he will appeare very glorious, Hosea. 2.14. I will bring her into the wildernesse, and speake comfortably unto her. There is first a dying to the flesh, before there is appearing to live in the Spirit; for while our first husband, (the law or flesh) is alive, we live unto him: but if he be dead by the life of Christ appearing in us, then we are free to marry to another, which is to Christ, Rom. 7.4. Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.3. We are dead to the flesh by the power of the death of Christ; for Christ dyed for the destruction, I doe not meane our bodies, but that which is of Anti-christ in us: and our life is hid with Christ in God; for our life is in the life of Christ. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh (which is in the body) I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2.20. But in the beginning of this verse, he saith, I am crucified with Christ, Gal. [Page 191]6.14. God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto mee, and I unto the world. So we are crucified to all things that is below Christ, 2 Cor. 5.16, 17. Wherefore hence-forth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet [...]ow hence-forth know we him so no more. There­fore if any man bee in Christ hee is a new creature; [...]lde things are passed away, behold all things are become new.

We must not know Christ any longer after our fleshly apprehension; for all our old ima­ginations of Christ must passe away by the new manifestations of Christ in us, Rom. 8.10, 11. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sinne: but the Spirit is life, because of righteous­nesse. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you: hee that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mor­tall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Here is a dying to the flesh, and then living to thee Spirit; It is aPpointed for man once to dye. And after death, comes the judgement, as all things is, and shall be fulfilled outwardly in the history; so all things shall be fulfilled spiritu­ally in us in the mistery. Christ is risen in us, and is come to spirituall judgment, and doth raise up his Spirit in us, that hath lyen as it [Page 192]were dead in us: and the flesh (which is Anti­christ) shall stand before God, and be judged and condemned by him, Col. 3.4. When Christ who is our life shall appeare, then shall yee also appeare with him in glory: and we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, 1 John 3.2. Blessed and ho­ly is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power, Revel. 20.6.

This is the first resurrection, and the Lord is set in his judgement-seate to destroy Anti­christ. And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming: Even him whose comming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders, 2 Thes. 2.8, 9.

Satan is said to sit in heavenly places, be­cause he transformeth himselfe to the likenesse of God, and so deceiveth us, making us be­lieve he is God, and so we worship him, think­ing hee is God. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, Son of the Morning? how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the Nations? For thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will ex­alt my Throne above the Stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the most [Page 193]High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell so the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake Kingdomes? That made the world as a wildernesse, and destroy­ed the Cities thereof, that opened not the [...]house of his prisoners? Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy comming: thy pomp is brought downe to the grave, and the noise of thy viols. The wormes are spread under thee, and the worms cover thee, Isa. 14.9. to the 17. And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, I will shew thee the judgment of the great Whore that sit­ [...]eth upon many waters: With whom the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication, and the Inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So hee carried mee a­way in the Spirit into the Wildernesse, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and tenne bornes. And the woman was arraied in purple, & [...]earlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her handfull of abhominations, and filthinesse of her fornication. And I saw the woman drunke with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Je­sus, [Page 194]Revel. 17. All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, Rev. 18.3. Here is a discovering of Anti-christ before she is judged, condemned, and destroyed: and when the time is come for the discovering of her to us, then hee shewes us her by a high and glorious revelation of himself; for there is not any thing that can discover Anti-christ to us, but the Spirit of God.

When the Lord doth come to shew us any thing of himselfe in the mystery, he saith, come up hither, and I will shew you the things that must be hereafter: and immediately I was in the Spirit, Rev. 4.1. Rev. 1.10. Rev. 17.1. Rev. 21.9. There is no seeing of any thing of God in the truth of it, but by the revelation of the Spirit of God, and hee carrieth us as wee are Saints up into himselfe: and the higher hee carrieth us, the more he shews us of the mysterie of him­selfe; for as hee openeth the seales in making known any thing of himselfe to us, hee saith, Come up hither, Rev. 4.12. After this I loo­ked, and behold, a doore was open in heaven: and the first voyce which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things that must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spi­rit, and behold, a Throne was set in heaven, and one sate on the Throne. And being in the Spirit [Page 195]he comes to see it; then after hee hath showne himselfe to us, he shows us Anti-christ, which is called the great Whore, because we all com­mit spirituall fornication with her: and here is a carrying us up higher in the Spirit to see her. And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials, and talked with me, and saying unto me, Come hither, I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carryeth her: & I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great Whore, Rev. 17.17. And then after he hath shewed us the mysterie of the Whore, and her destruction, then he shews us the marriage of the Church to Christ in the mysterie, & in his glory. And there came un­to me one of the seven Angels, which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the Bride, the Lambs wise. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountaine, and shewed me that great Ci­tie, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of hea­ven from God, having the glory of God, Rev. 21.9, 10, 11.

So we are carried up higher and hiher into God by the Spirit of God, revealing the things of God in us: and when the Spirit of God doth shew us God sitting upon his Throne in his glory, in such a measure as we are enabled [Page 196]to see him; then he shewes us Anti-christ in his glory, or the Whore in her glory; for it is one and the same, as Christ and his Church is, Christ being the head, and his Church the bo­dy: so Anti-christ, which is the Devill, trans­formed to an Angel of light, is the head, 2 Cor 11.14. and his seede in us all is the body, which is called the Whore, and she doth ap­peare very glorious. And the woman was arrai­ed in purple, and scarlet-colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, Rev. 17.4. like the church of God, the Lambs wife: and without the Spirit of God doth shew us the difference betwixt her and the Church of God, we do not know her from the Church of God, for she is in the wildernesse where the Church of God is, Rev. 17.3. So he carried me in the Spirit into the wildernesse, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blas­phemie, having seven heads, and ten horns. By seeing the beast that she sitteth upon, which doth beare her up, and this beast doth ascend out of the bottomlesse pit, Revel. 11.7. Wee come to know her from the Church of God. And there appeared a great wouder in heaven, a woman cloathed with the Sun, and the Moone un­der her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars. And she being with child, crying, travel­ling in birth, and pained to be delived.

This woman is the Church of God, and is said lo be in heaven, that is, in Christ; for hee is the perfect heaven: and she is cloathed with Christ, which is the Sonne of righteousnesse, and all things that are below him, is under her feete. And she hath a crowne of twelve stars, the glory of Christ, that did appeare by that Doctrine that was taught by the twelve Apostles of Christ; for the Preachers of the Gospel are called stars, Rev. 1.20. Shee hath the glory of Christ, and is cloached with him, and he is with her, and in her, yet she saw it not; hee had not manifested himselfe to her. She was as it were with childe with him, and in great paine, desiring to have him brought forth to her, that shee mighe see him as hee is, and have the enjoyment of him: and no soo­ner did this woman appear, but there appea­red another wonder in heaven. And behold, a great red Dragon, having seven heads, and tenne bornes, and seven crowns upon his head, and hee stood before the Woman which was ready to be deli­vered, for to devoure her childe as soone as it was delivered.

Thus Anti-christ labours to devoure Christ as soon as he is brought forth in us, appearing to us like unto Christ. And there was warre in heaven, Michael and his Angels sought against the Dragon, and the Dragon sought, and his An­gels, [Page 198]and prevailed not, neither was their places found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old Serpent, called the Devill and Satan, which deceives the whole world, hee was cast out into the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him.

Here is the Devill made known to us how he is in heavenly places, fighting against Christ: but Christ hath overcome him, and cast him out of his heavenly shape, that hee shall not be able to overcome us. He is called a red Dra­gon, and a scarlet-coloured beast, because hee persecutes and destroyes the Church of God: and this Beast is spoken of in many places of the Revelations: and the woman that sits upon it is the glory and seeming excellency of Anti­christ; and she also is cloathed with scarlet-co­lour, which is persecution. Though shee be cloathed in the most glorious manner as can be, with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, like the glory of Christ, yet this is but to de­ceive us. And she hath in her hand a golden cup full of abhominations, and filthinesse of her forni­cation. Being shee appeares so glorious to us, like unto Christ: and the cup that shee giveth us to drinke of appeareth so pure and glorious, which maketh us not to question it, but thinke that it is the cup of salvation: So we drinke of her abhominationr, and commit spiritual for­nication [Page 199]with her: and she sitteth upon all peo­ple, & multitudes, and tongues, and nations, Rev. 17. Shee domineereth over us all, and she is carried on swiftly in her abominations up­on the backe of the Beast which was full of names of blasphemie, which blasphemeth the name of God, and ways of God. And he hath seven heads, perfection of wisdome; he knows all the wayes of God, and hee transformeth himselfe to the likentsse of them all: And hee hath tenne hornes to persecute withall, and he makes use of them so farre as God suffereth him: and he hath all wayes to decive us in ap­pearing like a Lamb to us, having two hornes like a Lamb, but speaking like a Dragon, Rev. 13.11. and also appearing like Prophets in us, Revel. 16.13, 14. And I saw three uncleane spi­rits, like frogs, comming out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the false Prophet. For they are the spirit of Devills, working miracles. And the Lord doth make the wayes of Anti-christ appeare, laying them clearly open by the appearance of himselfe in us: and as he breaks open the seals to us, there are great earth-quakes, Heb. 12.26, 27. Yet once more, I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. And this word (yet once more) signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those [Page 200]things which cannot be shaken, may remaine.

The Lord when hee appeareth in us, doth not only make the earth quake at his presence, which is all things that doth appeare to us to be below God, whatsoever it be: but also hea­venly things, all glorious things which are of Anti-christ, which is like heaven, and doth appeare to us to be heaven: but this shall be shaken by the appearing of Jesus Christ in us: and those things that cannot be shaken, which are of Jesus Christ, they shall remaine: but all things that are not of him shall fall, and shall appeare to us to be but earth, or flesh, as bad as the kilel of the flesh, grosse sinne and wick­ednesse; I doe not meane the flesh of our bo­dies, nor this earth that we dwell upon: but there are two kinds of seeds of the Devil in us; that grosse seed which bringeth forth sinne in us, is called earth; the first man was of the earth, earthly; as is the earthly, such are they that are earthly. That which is not of God, is said to be of Satan, which is called earth: and so farre as we have this earthly seed appearing in us, so far we are of the earth, earthly; then there is that seeming glorious seed of himselfe in us, which is our righteousnesse, and that seemes to be like the wayes of God, and there­fore it is called heaven: but it is but of the earth, and is earthly; this is called the first [Page 201]man; the second man is Christ, and he is hea­venly, 1 Cor. 15. The first man is of the earth, [...]arthly, the second man is the Lord from hea­ [...]en; as is the earthly, such are they that are [...]arthly: and as is the heavenly, such are they [...]lso that are heavenly: and as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the [...]mage of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, [...]hat flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome [...]f God; neither doth corruption inherit incorrup­tion. That which is of Satan which is called [...]lesh, and blood, and earth, and corruption, [...]hall not inherit the Kingdome of God; for this [...]shmael shall not be heir with Isaac: so at the [...]ppearing of God in us there will be a great [...]arth-quake, when the mountaine of the Lord (which is Christ) comes to be established atop of the mountaines of Anti-christ; For thou [...]ast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, [...] will exalt my throne above the Stars of God: I will sit upon the mount of the Congregation. I will [...]scend above the heights of the clouds, I will be [...]ike the most High, Isa. 14.13, 14. The voyce [...]f my beloved, behold he commeth leaping upon the [...]ountains, and skipping upon the hills, Cant. 2.8. Whether the hils or mountaines, though they [...]e never so high, that is not of himself, what­ [...]oever it be in us, whether high or great sinnes, [...]r our righteousnesse, hee will tread them all [Page 202]under his feete, and triumph over them all: and this mount makes the whole earth filen [...] before him both outward and inward, and make them quake, Revel. 6.12, 13, 14. And [...] beheld when he had opened the sixth ;seale, and lo [...] there was a great earth-quake, and the Sunne be­came blacke as a sacke-cloath of haire, and th [...] Moone became as blood. And the starres of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a figge-tree casteth he [...] untimely figges, when she is shaken of a migh­ty winde. And the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every moun­taine and Island were moved out of their places Mat. 24.29. Immediately after those dayes shal [...] the Sun be darkened, and the Moon shall not giv [...] her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, & the powers of heaven shall be shall be shaken. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man is heaven; and then shall all the Tribes of the eart [...] mourne, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory.

Here is speaking of Christs comming to judgement: The comming of Christ to judge­ment is both outward and inward; spirituall [...] in the mystery: and at the opening of the sixt [...] seale here is the first resurrection; for after th [...] Sunne is darkned, and the Moone not give he [...] light, then shall Christ appeare in his glory i [...] us; he is come to this spirituall judgement i [...] [Page 203]us, and by his glorious appearance he makes the Sun to appeare as black as a sack-cloath of haire, and the Moone to be like blood: But while the first Heaven is departed away, his glory doth not appear in us; for the first heaven hinders us from seeing the glory of Christ; the Sun is that whereby we see, for that is light it selfe, and giveth light to us, and by that light that we receceive from the Sun, we see the Sun: and that light that the Moone hath, she recei­veth it from the Sun; it is the same light infu­sed into the Moon, but it doth not appeare so glorious as the Sun; for the Sun is the fulnesse of light, and the Moon partakes of it all, but is not able to containe it all, but is filled with the light and glory of it: and the starres have that light that they shine withall from the Sun, and is the same with the Moone, and they give a bright, cleare, and glorious light, yet not so full and great a light as the Moone doth; for they are not able to contain it: and this typifieth out to us Christ and his Church, and every particular Saint; for Christ is the Sunne, and the Church the Moone, and the Saints the Starres. Now where the Church of God is, there is also the church of Anti-christ, and the light that shee hath is infused after the same manner, and all in us: and both these lye together, that as we are men and women, we [Page 204]doe not know one light from the other: but when Christ doth appeare to us in his pure light, then the light of the sun of Anti-christ in us will appear as blacke as sack-cloath of hair, and that moone, the Church of Anti-christ, will appeare like blood, being a bloody per­secuter of the Church of God: and the starres of Anti-christ will also fall; for being that sun is darkened whereby the starres receiveth their light, they must fall: and that heavenly and glorious appearance of Anti-christ shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together. And then every mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places; for now is the day of the Lord come to render vengeance on all things in us that knowes not God. Now is the time of the destruction of Anti-christ come, and he is not able to stand against it; for by the manifestati­on of the appearance of Jesus Christ, revea­ling himselfe in his glory by his Spirit, doth destroy Anti-christ; for by the preaching of the Gospel this City Babylon doth fall. When the Spirit of God doth teach us to know what the Gospel of Christ is to us, and in us, this doth come with power, and doth overthrow Anti-christ in us: and the outward preaching of the Word alone will not doe it, but the spi­rit working with it doth doe it: and the Lord is well pleased to make use of the outward [Page 205]preaching of the word to work upon us by his Spirit commonly: but he is not bound to one way; hee workes upon us by his Spirit with meanes, or without means, or against meanes, yet it is one spirit that doth worke upon us su­table to the Word, hee would not have us un­der value the outward preaching of the Gos­pel, nor yet idolize it, Revel. 8.1, 2. And after these things I saw another Angel come downe from heaven, having great power, & the earth was light­ned with his glory. And he cryed mightily with a strong voyce, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, & is become the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foule spirit, and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird. All manner of unclean things hath lodged in her, but we did not see it, but now the Lord will shew us it. Reward her even as she hath rewarded you, double unto her double ac­cording to her workes; In the cup which shee hath filled, fill to her double. How much she hath glo­rified her selfe. and lived deliciously, so much tor­ment and sorrow give her. For shee saith in her heart, I sit a Queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow; therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine. And shee shall he utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her, Revel. 18.6, 7, 8. He doth double the cup of his wrath and indignation against her, and doth destroy her, [Page 206]and burne her up with the fire of himselfe; we cannot doe it, but he is strong and able to do [...] it, and doth doe it for us: and the fruits that thy soule lusted after are departed from thee and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find [...] them no more at all, Rev. 18.14. And a migh­ty Angel tooke up a stone like a great mil-stone, and cast it into the Sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be throwne downe, and shall be found no more at all. And the voyce o [...] harpers, and musicians, & of pipers and trumpe­ters shall be heard no more at all in thee: and n [...] Crafts-man of whatsoever Craft shall be found no more in thee, and the found of a mil-stone shall be heard no more at all in thee. And the light of [...] candle shall shine no more at all in thee, and th [...] voyce of the Bride-groome and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; for thy Merchants were the great men of the Earth; for by thy force­ries were all Nations deceived. And in her to [...] found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slaine upon the earth, Rev. 18.21, 22, 23, 24.

Here is an utter destruction of her, and this is that vaile that keepeth us from seeing the glory of Christ; for he that keepeth from him is a vaile; or if wee see him but darkely, it is because the vail is not quite done away. There [Page 207]was a vail before the Tabernacle, which is cal­led the holyest of all; In which Tabernacle were all the glorious and excellent things, Heb. [...].3, 4. And thou shalt make a vaile of blue, & [...]urple, and scarlet, and fine twined linnen of tun­ [...]ing worke: with Cherubims shall it be made. And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of Shi [...]tim [...]ood, overlaid with gold; their bookes shall be of [...]old upon the sockets of silver. And thou shalt [...]ong up the vaile under the tackes, that thou maist [...]ring in thither within the vaile, the Arke of the Testimonie: And the vail shall divide unto you be­tweene the holy places, and the most holy, Exod. [...]6.31, 32, 33, 34.

There was three places in this Tabernacle; first, the Priests went alwayes into the first Ta­ [...]ernacle, accomplishing the service of God: [...]ut into the second went the High Priest alone [...]nce every yeare; not without blood, which [...]e offered for himselfe, and for the errours of [...]he people. The holy Ghost thus signifying, [...]hat the holyest of all was not yet made mani­ [...]st, Heb. 9.6, 7, 8. For that glorious vaile [...]oth hide it quite from us, Luke 23.45. The Sun was darkened, and the vaile of the Temple was [...]nt in the midst. Mat. 27.51. And behold, the vaile of the Temple was rent in taine from the top to [...]he bottome, and the earth did quake, and the [...]ockes rent. Christ by his death did rend the [Page 208]vail that doth keepe us from the seeing of him. Moses after he had seen, and talked with God, he appeared so glorious, that the people could not looke upon him, and then he put a vail o­ver his face. Moses was a type of Christ, and hee had a vaile over him, that they could not see him, which were types and shadowes: and through that vaile they saw Christ darkely, 2 Cor. 3.11, 12, 13, 14. Seeing we have such hope we use great plainesse of speech. And not as Moses which put a vaile over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly looke to the end of that which is abolished? But their minds were blinded; for untill this day remaineth the same vaile unta­ken away in the reading of the old Testament, which vaile is done away in Christ. But even unto this day when Moses is read, the vaile is upon their hearts. Neverthelesse, when it shall turne to the Lord, the vaile shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. When the Lord doth open the seales to us, and comes with power in us by his Spirit, then hee turnes us to him­selfe, and shewes us by degrees that this vaile that hinders us from seeing him, is taken away by him, and so by degrees we shall see him as he is; and then we shall seee what bondage we were in to sin and Satan, and our owne selves, and how wee are set at liberty by Christ, John [Page 209]8.36. If the Sonne therefore shall make you free, yee shall bee free indeed. Isa. 25.7.8. And destroy in this mountaine in the face of the cove­ring cast over all people, and the vaile that is spread over all Nations. He will swallow death in victory, 1 Cor. 15.54. This death, and this vaile is one and the same; for both of them keeps us from seeing life, which is Christ: For while we live to our selves, and to our righte­teousnesse, so far we are dead to Christ. Now as he manifests himselfe in us, he swallows up this death, and wee shall see our selves live in his life, and dead to that life that wee did live to our selves. Thus the Lord will strip us of all our excellent things, bringing us into the wildernesse, and shewing us that all our works are burnt up, so far as they are of us: but that which is of God in us, is not burnt up, but is purged from our drosse, and will appeare very glorious, and will make us silent; for we shall have nothing to boast of, but confesse that it is Christ in us which is that glory; then we shal [...]e that he is no respecter of persons; for what­soever he be, whether he be a strict Jew, as the Jewes were very strict, as ye may see by Paul before his conversion. Or a Gentile, one that makes no shew of godliness, but lives very loos­ [...]y, as those Gentiles did which are spoken of [...]n Rom. 1. yet when Christ reveales himself to [Page 210]them, they shall finde that his love is the same to them, as to them that have been most stri­ctest. When the Lord of the Vine-yard sent labourers into his Vine-yard, he sent some at the first hour, and some at the third hour, and some at the sixth hour, & some at the eleventh hour: and when hee came to pay them, hee began with him that went in last, and he had as much given him as he that went in first, Mat. 20. Those that are but young Saints, that have been but lately brought into Christ, the Lord doth many times reveal himselfe in a ve­ry glorious manner to them, before he doth to them that have laboured in the Lords Vine­yard a great while, and have had the seede of God appearing in them a great while, Mat. 29.30. But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first, That we may know that God is no respecter of persons; for wee are all one body, and his love is as great to one member, as to another, Ephes. 4.4, 5, 6. There is one bo­dy and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one Baptisme. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, Col. 3.11. Christ is all, and in all the Saints.

CHAP. XVIII. How glorious the glory of Christ will appeare in his Church, when he bringeth them out of the Wil­dernesse.

VVHen Christ hath stripped his Church off of all her goodly things, then she hath nothing to trust too, but on Christ. Isa. 2. Then the lofty lookes of man shall be humbled, and the baughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon eve­ry one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up: and hee shall bee brought low, and the Idols hee shall utterly abolish. And they shall goe into the holes of the rockes, and into the [...]aves of the Earth, for feare of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majestie, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that a man shall cast his Idols of silver, and his Idols of god, (which they made every one for himselfe to worship) to the Moles and to the Bats. Hosea 14.8. Ephraim [...]all say, what have I to doe any more with I­dols? Isa. 31.7. For in that day every man shall [...]ast away his Idols of silver, and his Idols of gold, [Page 212]which your owne hands have made, for a sinne.

When this day of the Lord is come to us, then wee shall be willing to cast them away, because the Lord shewes us the odiousnesse of them by the glory of himselfe revealed in us: but before this day is come to us, we had ra­ther part from any thing than part from them. But when he comes to give a full possession of himself, then wee are willing to part from all thinge that are not of himselfe: but hee doth not reveale all his glory to us at once, but re­vealeth himselfe to us by degrees, as wee are able to beare and containe him: And as hee shewes himselfe to us, so hee shewes us Anti­christ and his destruction; for the more in­comes wee have of Christ, the more of selfe and Satan doth appeare to us, and is destroy­ed more and more by this fire of Christ. For hee doth baptize us with the holy Ghost and fire, Mat. 5. Acts 2. Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings, Isa. 33.14.

This fire of the Spirit of God never goes out, but is always burning up that in us that is contrary to it selfe, that there may be all the drosse burnt up: And this fire is in Sion, and his fornace in Jerusalem, Isa. 31.9. which is the Church of God. Who is this that com­meth [Page 213]up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Be­loved? Cant. 8.5.

The Spouse of Christ see [...] all other things faile her, and she leaneth now wholly upon her Beloved; shee is of her selfe like a barren wildernesse: but now hee will cause the fui [...]ts of his Spirit to appeare, to grow and flourish in her.

The Wildernesse and the solitary place shall bee glad for them; and the desart shall rejoyce, and blossome as a rose. It shall blossome abundantly, and rejoyce even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God, Isa. 35.12. The Spirit shall be powred upon us from on high, and the Wildernesse be a fruitfull field, and the fruitfull field bee counted for a Forrest. Then judgment shall dwell in the wildernesse, and righteousnesse remaine in the fruitfull field. And the worke of righteousnesse shall be peace, and the effect of righteousnesse, quietnesse, and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peacea­ble habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, and none shall make her af­fraid, Isa. 32.15, 16, 17, 18.

Now is the time come, for us to see that the marriage day is come, when he doth come [Page 214]and manifest himselfe in us in a glorious way, to tell us what he is to us, and in us, and what wee are in him, and to him, when hee thus comes to us; that day is the marriage day to us. Rev. 19.7, 8, 9. Let us be glad, rejoyce and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her selfe ready. And to her was granted that shee should be arraied in fine linnen, cleane and white; for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints.

And he said unto me, write, blessed are they that are called to the marrioge supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God, Rev. 20.9, 10, 11. And there came un­to mee one of the seven Angels, and talked with me, and said unto me, Come hither, and I will shew thee the Bride, the Lambes Wife. And hee carried mee away in the Spirit to a great and high mountaine, and shewed mee that great Citie, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of hea­ven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a Jasper stone, clear as chrystall.

The Bride of Christ is the Church of God, and it is descended out of Heaven from God, for it is one with him; for it is the Spirit of God in all the children of God, that is this body, the Church. The Bride and this de­scendeth [Page 215]from God into us, yet it is not par­ted from him, but is in him, and this is cloa­thed with the glory of God. This is that righteousnesse of the Saints, and her light is the light of Christ, and that light is the clea­rest, and purest, and most precious and glo­rious light that can be. I will appeare glorious in thee, Isa. 49.3.

Awake, awake, put on thy Strength O Sion, put on thy beautifull garments, O Jerusalem, the holy Citie, for hence-forth there shall no more come into thee; the uncircumcised and the un­cleane. Shake thy selfe from the dust, arise and sit downe, O Jerusalem, loose thy selfe from the bands of thy necke, O captive daughter of Sion, Isa. 52.1, 2.

Shee was in a sleepy, drousie condition, so long as shee sate in the dust of that earth of Anti-christ, and was a captive in his band? But now our Beloved is come, hee calls unto us to awake, and to put on strength. The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be affraid? Psalm 27.1. Psalm 28.7. Hee hath cloathed us with his strength: And this is that beautifull garment.

Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkenesss shall cover the earth, and grosse [Page 216]darkenesse the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seene upon thee, Isa. 60.1, 2. And the glory that thou hast given me, I have given them, John 17.22.

The Spouse of Christ being cloathed with the glory of Christ, shee is all glorious. The Kings daughter is all glorious within. Wee are the King of heavens daughters, for wee are married to Christ, and God the Father is our Father, and wee are all glorious within.

It is the Spirit of God in us that is so glori­ous, and this is a spirituall glory, it cannot be seene outwardly by others; they may hear us speake forth something of this glory in us, but none sees it nor knowes it, but those that have it, Revel. 2.17. To him that overcom­meth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna: and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, sa­ving him that hath it.

This Manna is Christ, and he is hid from the world, but as wee are Saints, wee see it, and feede upon it; for it is that which wee live by, and this stone is Christ, 1 Pet. 2.6. And this is a very precious stone: and here is a new name written in this stone, that none doth know it but hee that hath it. And that which is written in it is the manifestation of [Page 217]the exceeding riches of the love and mercy of God, and all his glory and excellency which hee hath given us as we are Saints.

Christ doth set forth the beauty and com­linesse, and glory of his Church, having his beauty, and comelinesse, and glory on her, Cant. 4. Cant. 7. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes, with one chain of thy necke. How faire is thy love, my Si­ster, my Spouse, how much better is thy love than wine, and the smell of thy oyntments, than all spices. Thy lips (O my Love) drop as the honey-combe; honey and milke are under thy tongue, and the smell of thy gar­ments is like the smell of Lebanon.

This oyntment that our Beloved is so taken with the smell of, is the anoynting of the ho­ly Ghost, 1 John 2.27. The anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you, and yee need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lye: and even as he hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

The Priests and Kings used to be anoynted with oyle, and it was a type of Christ; hee was that King and Priest that was anoynted with the holy Ghost. Psalm 45.6, 7. Thy [Page 218]throne (O God) is for ever and ever; the scepter of thy kingdome is ascepter of righteousnesse. Thou lovest righteousnesse, and hatest wickednesse, be­cause God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes.

And this is like that precious oyntment up­on the head, that runneth upon the beard, even unto Aarons beard, which wet downe on the border of his garments, Psal. 133.2.

This oyntment of the Spirit of God is all of it poured upon this Priest, Christ, which is the head of the Church, and it runs off from him down upon all the Saints: and this oint­ment of the Spirit of God makes our garments smell so sweete, which is that Wedding gar­ment, Mat. 22.12. which is the righteousnesse of the Saints, Revel. 19.8. And being filled with this Spirit, causeth our lips to speake, or drop forth sweet, heavenly, glorious things, more sweeter to the soule, than the honey and ho­ney-comb is to the pallet. The Spouse of Christ is exceeding glorious in every respect; being in Christ, she is perfect in him. I in them, and they in me, that they may be made perfect in one, John 17.23. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, John 17.21. Put on charity, which is the bond of perfectnesse, Coloss. 3.14. [Page 219]which is Christ: And where hee is, there is perfection, Col. 1.27, 28. To whom God would [...]ake knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in [...]ou, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, war­ning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdome, that wee may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

We are perfect in Christ as wee are Saints, and are the Church of God; for this Spirit of Christ in us is perfect: but as wee are men and women we are not perfect; for we are naturall and not spirituall: and as we are naturall, we cannot discern the things of God, neither can we doe them, 1 Cor. 2.14. But it is this Spirit of God in us that doth all: and if hee with­draw his Spirit from us, we shall runne into all sin, if he doth not restraine us; for our bodies are the same as they were, before the Spirit of God appeared in us: and by his reigning in us he suppresseth, destroyeth, and burneth up by degrees as he revealeth himself in us, all things that are contrary to him: and hee brings our wills into subjection to his, for wee are led by his Spirit: and being filled with his Spirit, wee are made drunke as it were with it: and being overcome, and wholly swallowed up in it, we are what the Spirit would have us to be, and [Page 220]thinke, speak, and doe what it would have us We are no longer our owne, but Gods, and his will is become ours, and our will is to do [...] his will, and is become his: so wee are now no longer twaine, but one: and all our deligh [...] is wholly in him, and all his delight is whol­ly in us; for it is the manifestation of his love to us that causeth us to love him, and the more we see him, the more we shall love him: and we cannot see him, but we shall be like him, for we shall see our selves the same in him; for as he is, so shall we be in this world as wee are Saints: & the seeing of him by his Spirit, doth cleanse us in our conversations: So farre as we have seene him, wee shall be like him in our conversations, for we shall hate all sinne: and so farre as we live in God, wee shall have nei­ther will nor power to doe any thing that is contrary to him, so farre as he revealeth him­selfe in us: and that is by degrees, enlarging our vessels, and filling us with himselfe, as wee are able to beare him: and when he reignes in us, we also reigne with him over all things in us that is contrary to himselfe, and this is the time of Satans being bound, Rev. 20. For Ba­bylon in us being fallen, whereby Satan hath o­vercome us: and Christ himselfe having taken possession in us, he binds Satan that he cannot [Page 221] [...]o what he would against us; yet many times God doth let out the linke of Satans chaine: [...]nd so far as he hath power given him to goe, [...]e doth wind every way into us & will by his [...]cting in us ecclips the glory of God: but hee [...]all not overcome us; this shall be for the glo­ [...]y of God, and for an humbling to us, and [...]aking us to see that all things that are good, [...]re of God: and how weake we are, and rea­ [...]y to fall if hee with-drawes himselfe: but hee [...]ill draw backe this chaine of Satan, and his [...]lory shall appeare more glorious in us, and [...]his perfection of Christ shall be revealed more [...]nd more in us, and wee shall see our selves [...]ore and more like him, 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all [...]ith open face beholding a [...] in a glasse the glory of [...]he Lord, are changed into the same image from [...]lory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

And this Church of God is called a garden, [...]here all manner of choise fruit grow, which [...] the fruit of his Spirit in us, and he doth water [...]t and make it fruitfull, and keeps it night and [...]ay, and is as a wall and bul-worke about it, [...]o keepe out all our enemies: and the greatest [...]annon-shot as can be shot by the Devill a­ [...]ainst us, this bul-work will defend us against [...]; for it cannot pierce it, nor do us any harm.

CHAP. XIX. Christ being come into his garden, doth feast his Spouse, and his Spouse is fea­sted with him.

THe Spouse of Christ hath beene as a gar­den enclosed, a spring shut up, and foun­taine sealed up, that shee hath not appeared what shee is: but shee hath beene hidden in Christ: And now he saith, I am come into my Garden, my Sister, my Spouse, Cant. 5.1. Hee was ever in his Garden, feasting himselfe, though wee saw it not, but now hee makes it knowne to us that hee is come in his glory to marry us to himselfe, and to sit downe toge­ther at this heavenly Table, and eate of those spirituall dainties that hee hath prepared for us, and to rejoyce together, and to remaine alwayes together: and the first thing that hee doth, when hee is come into us that are his Saints (for that is his Garden) he calls unto us, Cant. 2. My beloved spake, and said un­to me, Rise up my Love, my faire one, and come a­way. For loe the winter is past, the raine is o­ver, and gone, the flowers appeare on the earth, [Page 223] [...]he time of the singing of birds is come, and the [...]oyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land. The fig­ [...]ee putteth forth her greene figges, and the vines [...]ith the tender grape give a good smell. Arise my [...]ve, my faire one, and come away. O my dove, [...]hou art in the cleft of the rocke, in the secret pla­ [...]es of the stairs: let mee see thy countenance, let [...]e heare thy voyce, for sweet is thy voyce, and thy [...]untenance is comely.

She lay in the clefts of that rocke Christ Je­ [...]us: and when she was in the clefts, she could [...]ot see the full glory of that rock wherein shee [...]ay: But there she was hid while the stormes of [...]he winter were past, that is: Before Jesus Christ hath manifested his love and goodnesse [...]o us: and when this sunne appeareth but low [...] us, then there is much darknesse and gloo­ [...]inesse in us, and much coldnesse, and then [...]e storms of Satan ariseth against us: but now [...]ee is risen in his glory with a burning heate, [...]d laid the stormes of Satan, and hath burnt [...]p all that hath hindered us from seeing him: [...]d now he bids us come away; for hee tels us [...]e winter is past, that which hindered us is [...]one; now the spring, Christ Jesus is come, [...]d his voyce, which is that pure Turtle, is [...]eard in our Land, that is, in us, and he cau­ [...]th all that is of himselfe in us to appeare and [Page 224]grow fruitfull and flourish, though they bee but young and tender at the spring, at the first appearing of Christs manifesting himselfe in us, yet they give a good smell, and our beloved takes a great delight in them, and he cals twice to her to come away that he might behold her, for she is very comely and beauti­full, and glorious; for shee is one with him, & she is attired in the glorious robes of Christ, and all his rich ornaments are upon her, and his crowne of glory. And when he lookes up­on her, he is ravished with her; that is, hee is overcome with the sight of her, all his love runneth forth to her. There is not any two lovers upon earth that their love can be so great as the love of Christ and his Spouse is one to the other: and she is called forth to be­hold him, Cant. 3.11. Goe forth, O ye daugh­ters of Sion, and behold King Solomon with the Crowne where-with his mother crowned him in the day of his spousall, and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart.

Christ is compared to King Solomon, because hee had the most glory of any King upon the earth: and in the day of Christs Espousall, doth his glory appeare to us, and the gladnesse of his heart, and all is for joy of his marriage to us, and it is his joy for us to behold it: and [Page 225]she beholding her beloved in his glory, and seeing his love to her, she is also ravished and wholly overcome, and swallowed up in him, in seeing him to be her beloved. My beloved is mine, and I am his, he feedeth among the lilies, Cant. 3.16. Christ compareth his Spouse to lilies. As the lilly among thorns, so is my love a­mong the daughters, Cant. 2.2.

The lilly is counted the most glorious thing that growes in the field, Mat. 6.28, 29. Con­sider the lillies of the field how they grow, they toyle not, neither doe they spin? and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not array­ed like one of these.

This field is all the world, and the Saints are these lillies, and the other are but thornes. Both those that are of the world which is not of Jesus Christ, and also that which is in us, which is not of Christ, are like thorns to keep these lilies from growing, and doe what they can to choak this seede of God in us, w ^ch are these lilies, Mat. 13.7. And she compareth her Beloved to an apple-tree. As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sate under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my tast, Cant. 2.3. He is a tree of life which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and yieldeth her fruit every moneth, Revel. [Page 226]22.2. And here is all pleasant fruit upon it, and is never barren: and the fruit of this ap­ple-tree wee feede upon: and whosoever hath tasted of this fruit, doth know that it is very pleasant: and after we have tasted of it, no­thing else wil content us to feed upon but that, and this tree is a shadow and refuge against all storms and tempests, and here we fit quietly feeding upon him: but hee brings us further, and leads us into his banqueting-house that he might feed us with all his dainties, for they are all prepared for us, Cant. 2.4, 5, 6. He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth em­brace me. When he doth feed us with his hea­venly dainties, and embraceth us with the arme of his love, we are not able to containe our selves; we are so ravished with him, that we are even sicke with love: but hee stais us e­ven when wee are sicke for the enjoyment of him, before he doth appeare so glorious in us; then he stayes us with the flagons of the wine of his Spirit: and of those apples, some mani­festations of himselfe in us, to stay and up-hold us. And when he is come in that glorious man­ner in us, which wee have so longed for, to [Page 227]give us a a possession of himself, and to remain in us for ever. He doth appear in us so sweets, precious and glorious, that we are not able to containe it; the enjoyment of him fils us so with joy, that it makes us sick, being we can­not contain it: but he doth up-hold us while he doth embrace us, enlarging our vessell, and so filling us. I am my beloveds, and his desire is to me. Come my beloved, let us goe forth into the field: let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vine-yard, let us see if the vine flou­rish, whether the tender grapes appeare, and the pomegranates bud forth, there will I give thee my loves. The man drakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved! Cant. 7.10, 11, 12, 13. All his desire is to us, and to goe with him to see how the fruits of the Spirit of God doth flourish in us, which are his vine-yard or garden. He is not conten­ted to feast himself in us, but for us to go with him, and he to feast us, for his whole delight is [...]n us. Father, I will that they also which thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may bebold my glory, John 17.24. For all those excellent things that is in him, is for us his be­loved, whether old or new manifestations of his glory in us, and all that is in us is for him; like the rivers that comes from the Sea, and [Page 228]runs to the Sea againe: so Christ doth fill us with himselfe: and all these streams of himself in us doth wholly flow forth to him; We are willing for him to have all the honour, glory, and praise; we are so deeply in love with him, that we thinke nothing too deare for him. All that is ours is for him; yea, our lives, if he call for them; we are sorry that we cannot express our love to him as we would; for our bodies are a prison to us: but all our love is wholly runne forth to him, and his love is the like to us. Here is perfect love that casteth out feare, 1 John 4.18. This is the love that is as strong as death, and it is like fire which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drowne it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly condemned, Cant. 8.6, 7. And our love is made known in a great high measure one to the other. Our belo­ved is altogether lovely, & more to be desired than all the things in the world. His mouth is most sweet: and let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better than wine.

Out of the mouth commeth the full expres­sion of that love of Christ that is in his heart to us, and by his kissing us, which is a very high expression of his love to us. My beloved it gone downe into his garden: to the beds of spices, [Page 229] [...]o feed in the garden, and to gather lillies. I am my [...]eloveds, and my beloved is mine: be feedeth among [...]he lillies, Cant. 6.2, 3. I am come into my garden, my sister, my Spouse: I have gathered my myrrhe with my spice, I have eaten my honey-comb with my [...]oney, I have drunke my wine with my milke. Eate O friends? drinke ye, drinke abundantly, O belo­ [...]ed. Here hee doth feast himselfe with the [...]weet fruits of his Spirit in us; that is compa­ [...]ed to all precious fruits which grow upon [...]his tree of life, Christ in us. He saith, I will [...]oe up to the palm-tree, I will take hold of the [...]oughes thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clu­ [...]ters of the vine, and the smel of thy nose like apples. And the roofe of thy mouth like the best wine, for [...]y beloved, that goeth downe sweetly, causing the [...]ips of those that are asleep, to speake, Cant. 7.8, [...]. Here doth Christ set forth what excellent [...]ruits here is in this garden, which he doth ga­ [...]her, and feeds upon it. Her breasts shall be as [...]he clusters of the vine: and that vine is Christ, [...]ohn 15. and that is the breast that she is nou­ [...]ished by. And the roofe of thy mouth is like the [...]est wine. Out of our mouths is uttered [...]orth the praise, glory, and excellency of our [...]eloved, and this wine is for our beloved, and [...]e drinks of it: and this wine is the fruit of this [...]ine, Christ; and whosoever hee giveth this [...]ine too, to drinke of it, it goeth downe very [Page 230]sweetly, and causeth the lips of them that are asleep to speak: before Christ appeareth in us we are asleep as the Spouse was, Cant. 5.2. in a dead an drowsie condition: but now we shall be roused up, and speak forth the praise of our beloved, Cant. 8.2. I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine, of the juice of the pomegra­nates. This is the fruit that groweth in this garden, and it is for our beloved to feast him­selfe upon: and he saith, I have eaten & drank, and do take great delight in this feast, because thou art with me: and do you eate and drinke abundantly with me; for it is my delight to have you feasted, for they are prepared for you: and this feast is our love feast; for it is our marriage feast, and it is my love that you are to feed upon: and doe not spare, but eate and drinke abundantly of it, and be drunke with it, for there is more love yet behind than you can see, and it is all for you, and this love will make you fruitfull; for by the love of God to us, we bring forth fruits to God. This will make us that we shal be neither barren nor un­fruitfull; here is the Church of God in the glory of Christ, and married to Christ, and is one with God in Christ, and fits in heaven­ly places in Christ Jesus, Ephes. 2.6. And is fea­sted with Christ Jesus, and he is feasted with her, and she appeareth glorious in his glory.

CHAP. XX. A new Song sung unto God.

WHen we come to see what God hath done for us in Christ Jesus, how hee hath de­stroyed this Babylon in us, and hath bound Sa­tan, and swallowed up the vaile that hindered us from seeing him: and we come to see him, and see what we are in him, and how wee are marryed to him. There will be much joy and rejoycing for the destruction of our spirituall enemie, & for joy of the marriage of the Lamb and the Saints. The finger of God will play upon the wel-stringed instrument of mus [...]que, (which is the Spirit of God in us) playing hea­venly tunes, and new songs that we never sung before. For first, there is a rejoycing for the manifestation of the love of God to us in Christ. He hath made us Kings & Priests to God and his Father, and we shall reigne with him for ever. And I heard a great voyce out of heaven, saying; Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himselfe shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more [Page 232]paine, for the former things are passed away, Rev. 21.3, 4. The cause of our crying and mour­ning either for spirituall, or for outward things, is because we doe not clearely see God what he is to us, and that all that he doth to us is in love: and that hee will have his owne time to bring to passe his own will in his owne way, both spirituall and temporall, for the glory! of his Name, and for our good; when we come to be really sensible of this, then wee shall see that wee have no cause of mourning; then shall our teares be wiped from our eyes. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her all ye that love her; rejoyce for joy with her, all yee that mourne for her, Isa. 66.10. For behold I cre­ate new heavens, and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembred, nor come into mind. But be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I cre­ate: for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing, & her people a joy. And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voyce of crying, Isa. 65.17, 18, 19. And the Lord will cause righ­teousnesse and praise to spring forth before all the Nations: and I will direct their work in truth, & I will make [...] everlasting Covenant with them. And their seed shall he known among the Gentiles, and their off-spring among the people: All that see them shall acknowledg them, that they are the seede [Page 233]which the Lord hath blessed. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my soul shall be joyfull in my God: for be hath cloathed me with the garments of salvati­on, hee hath covered me with the robe of righteous­nesse, as a Bride-groom decketh himselfe with orna­ments, & as a Bride adorneth her self with jewels: everlasting joy shall be unto them, Isa. 61. As there are new manifestations of God in us: so there will be new songs of joy and rejoycing in the Lord. And I heard a voyce from heaven, as the voyce of many waters, and as the voyce of a great thunder: and I heard the voyce of harpers harping with their harps. And they sang as it were a new song before the Throne, and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty, and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth, Rev. 14.2, 3. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his marke, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glasse, having the harps of God. And they sung the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvellous are thy workes, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints. Who shall not feare thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name? for thou only art holy: for all Nations shall come and wor­ship before thee, for thy judgments are made mani­fest, Revel. 15.2, 3, 4. This sea of glasse is [Page 234]Christ, and none can stand upon him but the Saints; for it is too slippery for any other to stand upon it, for they will fall: and this fire that is mingled with this glasse will burn them up: but here the Saints stand with joy, sing­ing a new song, and rejoycing in the Lord ex­ceedingly; the joy is beyond expression, none can know it, but they that have the enjoyment of it, to see and know that Christ hath over­come and destroyed all our spirituall enemies in us, for he hath thrown down Babylon in us.

And after these things, I heard a great voyce of much people in heaven, saying: Allelujah, salva­tion, and glory, and honour, and power be unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judg­ments, for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said Allelujah, and her smoak rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty El­ders, and the four beasts fell downe and worshipped God that sate upon the Throne, saying, Amen, Alle­lujah. And a voyce came out of the Thron [...], say­ing, Praise our God all ye his servants, and yee that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude, and as the voyce of many waters, and as the voyce of mighty thundrings, saying, Allelujah; for the Lord God o [...]potent reigneth, Revel. 19. The foure and [Page 235]twenty Elders are thought to be the Prophets and Apostles; for by them was the minde of God made known: and these foure beasts yee shall find spoken of in the first of Ezek. Rev. 4. which was moved by the Spirit of God, and was continually praysing God. And this hea­ven where there is such a noyse of joy and re­joycing and praising God, is the Church of God, here is the singing of birds, Cant. 2.12. Because the voyce of this Turtle, our beloved Bride-groom, our sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, his sweet voyce of love and peace to us, and joy and rejoycing in us is heard by us, and wee see all things that hath hindered us from see­ing him, is destroyed by him; for these ear­then pitchers of Antichrist in us, wherein the lamps of the light and glory of God lieth hid. These pitchers being broke by Christ, then the glory of God appeareth, Judges 7. And then the trumpets will sound forth the praises of God; our tongues shall be as a trumpet, being blown by the Spirit of God, to sound forth the praises of our God: and this sound shall be heard throughout the whole world; for the Lord will come in his time, and reigne in all his Saints throughout the whole world, and throughout the whole world shall this trumpet be sounded, and it will cause a great earth-quake; for all things that are not of [Page 236]God, shall be exceeding fraid and troubled; for as the Saints joy encreaseth more and more by Christ manifesting himselfe in us; so shall the sorrow of those that are not the children of God encrease more & more. Rejoyce ye heavens, & ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, & of the sea, for the Devill is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time, Rev. 12.12. For the light of these lamps, and the sound of these trumpets doth terrifie our spirituall enemies, and causeth them to flie: and let us doe as the four and twenty Elders did, fall downe at the feete of Christ. And when those beasts gave glory, and honour, and thankes to him that sate on the Throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty Elders fell downe before him that sate on the Throne, and worshipped him that liveth for e­ver & ever: and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were crea­ted, Rev. 4.9, 10, 11. These Elders that God had revealed himselfe unto in such a high and glorious way, and made them instruments to make his mind knowne to all people, & crow­ned them with his crowne of glory; these cast their Crowns at the feet of God, for it was he in Christ that did make knowne his minde by [Page 237]them: and as he deserveth all the honour and praise, so let us be willing for him to have all the honour; for wee have this treasure in ear­then vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4.7. It is he that doth all in us, and let him have all; for it is the glory of the Saints for Christ to have all the glory, and for us to be abased and cast downe as low as may be at the feete of Christ, and for him alone to be exalted in us. There is one seale more to be broke open; for this is the sixth seal, and the first resurrection, and now is Satan bound: but he must be again let loose for a little season, Revel. 20. Hee shall have power given him of God, and will trans­forme himselfe to the likenesse of this glory to deceive us: but hee shall never have his will of the Saints; for when he thinks to deceive us in this way, the Lord breakes open the seventh seale; then is the whole mystery of God made known, and then shall the seventh trumpet of perfection of joy and rejoycing sound forth the praises of God in the dayes of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to blow the Trum­pet, even the mystery of God shall be finished, as hee hath declared to his servants the Pro­phets, Rev. 10.7. And now we see but in part, and know but in part, and so we have an en­joyment of God but in part: but when that [Page 238]which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away: and now we see him but darkly, but then we shall see him face to face, and behold him as he is in his full glory: and when we come to have this seale broke open to us, then we shall know when the time is for the breaking of it open, and how it is, & what it is that we shall enjoy: and in the mean time let us not be inquisitive to know when it shall be, or how it shall be; for wee shall not know till then, and then we shall know whether it be here while we live in this world, or hereafter, when all things are dissolved: but let us leave that to God, and to him commit our selves, re­joycing always in the Lord. To whom be all ho­nour, praise and glory given, both now, and for evermore, Amen.