Covenant he will write in us first what it is not then what it is ANd this Covenant shall not be according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord God No no that was in Letter outward dead in tables of stone read seen heard but fat from the heart and spirits SECT VIII §. 8 How this Covenant differs from all others it being in Spirit BUt this is the Covenant 1. That was with their Fathers This with the Children 2. That was for a day This for many days 3. That was to take them by the Hand This is to take them by the Heart 4. That was to lead them This to write in them 5. That was to lead them out of Egypt This is to lead them from Flesh to Spirit from Earth to Heaven from this world to that to come 6. That was to forsake them if they forsake me This is never to forsake them nor they me I will be their God and they shall be my people that I will be their God if they be my people 7. That was to be taught of Men This is to be taught of God they shall all know me 8. That was without Mercy to their Sins it was all for Sacrifice but now I will have mercy I will be merciful to their sins 9. That was to take notice of and remember sin to break the Covenant This remembers sin no more but to forgive and forget though we offend him seventy times seven in a moment 10. That made us faulty and guilty This makes us faultless and guiltless 11. That made us old Creatures This makes us new Creatures 12. That made us happy in the Flesh This makes us happy in the Spirit Thus Christ Jesus is become the sum of all things Gods true Ministry true Tabernacle Sacrifice Gods true and new Covenant made with Man All was compleat in him and so Christians SECT IX §. 9 Christ is in us Gods Dwelling and his Writing NOw if any man be in Christ or Christ be in him he is a new Creature in Christ or Christ a new Creature in him Then as Christ was and is so shall he be the true Tabernacle in whom God shall dwell the Priesthood the Sacrifice the Covenant of God written in him In the volume of his heart shall be written Lo I come to do thy will O God Yea thy Law is written within my heart So that whatsoever is applyed to Christ shall be also to the Christian What great things are spoken of the beloved City of God how are they called Gods Heaven and Earth Gods Throne and Footstool Gods Paradise His Rivers His Lands and Being his Inheritance Psal 2. His Husbandry His Building His City and Temple His Birds and Beasts His Sons and Heirs His Jewels and Treasures yea all that is or can be named But amongst all I would speak of two and shew you how the Saints are a houshold of Faith how they are Gods dwelling House which I must refer to some other providence to bring forth what God hath put into my heart concerning that House and the building thereof and now wholy address my self to the other which is this How the Saints may be called and how they are made the Bible or Book of God the Book of Life God living in them they are made the very Oracles of God speaking as moved by the holy Ghost whose hearts are Gods Closets and Study where he keeps his Library all his Writings Inditings Laws Decrees Purposes Counsels Precepts Promises Prophesies all this and their very lives preach their hearts and apply their texts their outward man the Commentary or Exposition a very Sermon of the inward grace and word of Life there What shall I say to speak nothing of the Temple Altar Shew-bread Candlestick Laver Incense Mercy-seat nor of the Ark but only of the Tables in the Ark nothing of the House Houshold-goods Treasures only a little of the Writing of God there in letters of gold For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord. SECT X. §. 10 What this new Covenant is further to us IT is not the old Covenant renewed but a new one made not out of us but in us not in letter but in Spirit not in word but in deed and in truth wherein God doth bind himself under hand and seal to make good what he promises and what he will perform to us the Oath sworn to our forefather Abraham that he would give us that he would deliver us from the hands of all our enemies within and without And secondly That he would make us a people fit to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness in love all the days of our life and in him all we should be blessed SECT XI The high excellency and vertue of it in us §. 11 what it doth for us and is to us THis new Covenant makes men new Creatures that have it written in them It gives them a new Nature and new names accordingly 2. It is the very gate that enters into the City the new Jerusalem All that enter therein go through this gate which is the gate of Heaven 3. All things in this Covenant are of God nothing at all of Man God makes it keeps it and performs every thing in it that concerns us 4. This Covenant is our marriage with the Lamb our Union and our Communion with God and that in Spirit It is the very uniting in spirits and keeping the bond of peace 5. This Covenant is the life of all the old they were but the shadows of this were all fulfilled in it and this must be that the Scriptures may be fulfilled which prophesied long since of it and we are waiting for it having received the first fruits of it some Lines and Precepts 6. This Covenant is the Liberty of the Sons of God by this they are made free from Sin to do Righteousness and free being enlarged and released out of bondage by the spirit of truth in Christ Jesus Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ Jesus hath made you free and be not entangled with worldly rudiments any more 7. It is a free Covenant as well as a full or a new one freely made freely promised freely wrought of God 8. And it is a sure one being Gods and everlasting also It doth also agree in one and makes all one whether male or female bond or free high or low rich or poor we are all made one in this Covenant in the Spirit SECT XII §. 12 The Lord setting forth a book to the world I will put my Laws in their minds this is the heavenly resolution to set up his Press in our Hearts and print in us whole volumes and from thence it shall be published to
shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy So the strangers and strange wives are removed there shall no unclean thing live there any more Whatsoever lives in that is a stranger or a strange wife any thing thou art wedded or married to that is not the Lord is a strange wife that steals away thy heart and the Lord will give thee a bill of divorcement to put her away CHAP. XIII The twelfth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called ESTHER THe book of Esther opened in Man is nothing else but the state of a poor earthly creature in whom there is nothing when once beloved of God the Lord hath a favor to it and sends forth his Spirit to prepare it all things according to his heart and minde and so is brought forth in great glory washed perfumed adorned justified sanctified and so glorified with the Lord to be betrothed to the Lord in truth in judgment and in righteousness And as it shews how the Lord exalts the lowly and meek the worm and nothing above all things so it also holds forth the pomp pride and glory of all flesh and the fall thereof is great and that in Haman a lively figure and representation of this how flesh and blood is exalted and what favor honor friends it may have yea what obeysance and homage how it may have a glorious footstool and as stately and magnificent a crown as the god and king of this world can give him And what shall not be done to the man whom the whole world jointly intends to honor Here all things below are theirs yet behold of a sudden he is cut down like the grass and cast into the oven Cry then All flesh is grass and the glory thereof like the flower of grass so soon it withers away and we are gone surely all flesh is grass but the Word of the Lord endures for ever His Grace and Truth throughout all generations his Garments do not change neither his feet weary nor his shoes wax old but all is more beautiful for the wearing This is true in Esther and Haman the one Grace advanced the other Flesh disgraced CHAP. XIV The thirteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called JOB THe book of Job opened in man And herein you have the life and state of a Christian held forth dying in the flesh and to the world and then living to God and rising in Spirit above this world entering into another world his life with God in Christ this Job shews us in this history the true pattern of the other as for example first The Christians dying in the flesh and to the world is clearly manifested in Jobs miseries how Satan set upon him his wife tempting him Satan accusing him God hiding himself for a moment from him Satan buffeting him his children destroyed his cattel consumed his houses burnt his lands and living impoverished his spirit troubled his health broken his body bruised even from the crown of the head to the feet all over afflicted his friends forsake him his comforters torment him all his Physitians of no value thus he lies in the bed of sicknesse death seising upon all he hath SECT II. §. 2 What is the Mystery of this History of Job in Man I Pray what is this but the Christian crucified to the world and the world crucified to him a Christians dying dayly mortifying his members here upon the earth For this is the Will of the Lord even the denying of our selves and the bearing of our cross and following him And is not all this taught and learnt here in the spiritual state But mark the conclusion It dyes in weaknesse but it doth rise in power it is sown a natural body but it rises a spiritual body it dyes in the flesh but rises in the Spirit So much is clear in the other part of the History All that God took away from Job in the Flesh he gave him again in the Spirit so is it in the Mystery what we lose one way we gain another way we lose according as it is written He that loseth his life shall save it and he that would save his life shall lose it And again He that loseth or forsaketh father or mother wife or children lands or livings for my sake shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting SECT III. §. 3 The latter end of a Saint better then the first the longer he lives the better THerfore saith the Text The latter end of Job was better then his beginning so is it indeed in the spiritual state the latter end is better then the beginning he goes on to perfection his last works are the best therefore Iob said again I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear but mine eyes never saw thee till now wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes The Lord had given him eye salve to see clearly the Glory and Beauty of the Lord God himself what he heard he sees true so is it in the pure spiritual state We see as well as hear the wonderful things of God what others eyes have not seen nor ears heard we can utter And lastly The more Job saw of God the lesse he saw in himself the more his flesh was dead and buried I abhor my self saith he so is it true in us also that know the Lord That the nearer the Lord appears to us the more we like wax melt away the more we enjoy of him the lesse we enjoy our selves CHAP. XV. The fourteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called PSALMS THe Book of Psalms opened in Man He is the Harp in the Lords hand the still and loud Instrument the Psaltery the Organ Sac but and Dulcimer tuned aright by the Lord and therein the Lord God makes melody with a loud Voyce their Sun and Moon Heaven and Earth Fire and Vapours all fulfilling his Word Fruitful Trees and all Cedars Gardens and Fountains Mountains and Hills Men and Angels yea every thing that hath breath praise the Lord as David saith Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name And again Bless the Lord O my soul and forget none of his benefits And again Yea while I have any breath will I praise the Lord. And again Lord let me live that I may praise thee This is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us in all things to give thanks Wherefore saith the Apostle Be not filled with wine wherein is excess but be filled with Spirit wherein there is no excess This is the wine indeed that he that drinks abundantly thereof it will make him merry and wise according to the Apostles rule If any man be merry let him sing Psalms if afflicted let him pray And indeed when we are full of the Holy Ghost we shal be like men full of new wine every one shall be
Writing shal that be think you which God will write What a Book shall that be Every word a word of Life all the leafes leafes of Life the whole Book must needs be the Book of Life but the outward Cover and Binding shall be Man it shall be covered in a fleshly Cover As the Tabernacle of gold within stone without so this Book of the will of God written printed or dwelling in us shall be opened within yet sealed without as to the world they can neither see nor read nor understand nor beleeve it it being sealed up the back and outside being towards them and the opening inward they know nothing in it and all preaching praying hearing reading writing receiving meeting must be from this written Word there must be your text and ground-work to build upon and what is not read there or writ there is not thine to give but let every one speak as the Oracles of God and preach as he findes it written in him from the Word of the Lord there and so expound and read to us in the letter of Words or Life what God hath written within as an epistle read to all friends so is the teaching written to be read to the world CHAP. II. The first Book that God writes in Man §. 1. is called GENESIS NOw the beginning of this Book of God in Man bound up there and hid in this wall of Flesh as the Law was in the Temple and revealed found by the spirit of God it is called the book of Genesis or the book of the beginning of Gods Book in us This is the first book wherein God appears as their Genesis creating all things Heaven and Earth a new in them making a Firmament between Flesh and Spirit to separate and divide the one from the other the waters above from waters below creating light in them the Lord their light scattering and dispelling the darkness and the Spirit of the Lord living moving and dwelling there in this new world Man in his Genesis or beginning herein the Lord brings forth all things in their beginning progress perfection SECT II. §. 2. The six days works in Man brought forth first THe Light first to enlighten every thing that comes into this world for as darkness was upon the face of the deep in the old world first so here in the true world of mans happiness in God first Light is brought forth to be upon the face of all things this is the Candle of the Lord set up in his Candlestick Man This is the first days work or rather the first work in the day of the Lord. SECT III. §. 3. The second work in Gods day in Man THe second work of God in Man his new world he creates of himself to dwell in is a Firmament to divide between the old and new man or old and new world to distinguish between Heaven and Earth SECT IV. §. 4. The third work of God in his day THe third is the gathering of all things together into one the chaff to be burnt and the wheat to be layd in the garner when the Lord comes with his fan thus to purge his floor Man and by the breath of his Spirit dries up the waters that divide and makes all to be a fruitful land bringing forth herbs meet for the dresser receiving blessing from the Lord every plant in man of Gods planting bearing every year twelve manner of fruits and the leaves of the trees for the healing and saving of Nations SECT V. §. 5. The fourth work in the day of the LORD THe fourth Work is the Lords going on to perfection setting up greater lights in us where light was as a day breaking in us now he is come to be the rising of the Sun in us and Moon and Stars light swallowed up of this great light of the Sun the Lord God himself according as it is written The Lord himself shall be the light thereof and also shall be the rule thereof saying Come let us walk in the light of the Lord and the light shall make no difference in days times moneths or seasons SECT VI. §. 6. The fifth work in the Lords day THe fifth Work is the several Mansions the Lord hath prepared for his higher and lower middle stories and chambers according to the degrees of Grace and Light of the Lord in us a higher for the birds and fowls the Doves and Eagle-sighted a lower for the beasts that have only the light of the Moon a sensitive light and a middle for men which are between both but upper for Angels so that every one as he hath attained so let him walk and this is but for a while till we come all up to the unity of Spirit when all partition walls shall be broken down SECT VII The sixth work in the Lords day §. 7. THe sixth is the Lords creating us yet in greater perfection and that is when he brought forth himself compleatly in us which is not only his image or likeness which was in the first man earthly there is therefore an image of God in all such earthly things an image of God in this world and all that in them is But in this new state of things God himself comes in the room and supplies the place of all such things he being the heavenly Thing himself the Heaven and Earth the Day the Light the Sun the Firmament he is all this in us and to us So that all former things are put under us and we have dominion in the heavenly things and rule in Spirit and reign with God for ever SECT VIII §. 8. The end of the work of God THe last days work or rather the end of all his works is the Lord our Sabbath and Rest having perfected his will in us and brought forth his Rest there from all his works and travel now inheriting all things having entred us into his Rest where is all fulness and pleasures for evermore no hungring nor thirsting any more fully satisfied in him And now the Lord looks upon all his works rejoycing in all and over all having his praises perfected and himself sanctified by all SECT IX The Paradise of God in Man §. 9. NOw the next thing is Gods creating a new Paradise where he lives and dwells Christ is our Paradise inasmuch as he is called the Tree of Life therein and the Spirit of the holy God is the living Fountain in this Paradise watering and cherishing quickening and refreshing every plant and tree planted by the rivers of the water of Life bringing forth their fruits at all seasons whose leaves wither not much less their fruits Now this is the delight of the Lord saying I will come into my garden my Love my Spouse and blow upon it that the spices thereof may flow forth and there I will feed among the lillies and eat my hony comb with my hony and drink my wine with my love satisfying
my self abundantly in love This true Paradise which God planted in man Christ formed in us and the Spirit of God living like a fountain of water with us SECT X. The Adam and Eve there in Paradise §. 10 ANd further as from the Paradise and River of Life the whole world is refreshed for from hence come the streames of life and divide themselves into all parts of the world teaching in his Name wonderfull things so the Man and the Woman that lives in this Paradise with God the Adam and the Eve is Christ and the Christian Christ the Man and the Christian the Woman both living in one Paradise brought together by God marryed and given in marriage by the Spirit of God making Christ and the Christian one this is the Mystery of God manifested in the flesh or God dwelling in us becoming a second Adam to us feeding us with the tree of Life in us and refreshing us as with living water which he gives us and the tree shall not dye but live need no clothing or any Tabernacle or Shrine or Fig-leaves but the nakedness of God appearing in the Righteousness of Christ not having our garments which are hairy but the smooth and naked clothes of Christ and we shall not be ashamed SECT XII §. 12 The Tempter the Fall the Serpent NAy further the Tempter here in the New Creature thus written by God is the good Tempter the Spirit of the Lord tempting us and leading us into all Truth and Lord lead us into this temptation for ever and this Spirit is not like the beast of the field but like the Doves of Heaven it is as wise as Serpents but as innocent and harmless as a Dove Now the great Fall of this New Man is a total and final fall from sin Satan or a Being taken up in Clouds from the earth a receiving out of their sight to live with the Lord as also the curse there is nothing but blessing there is neither pain nor sorrow conceiving nor travelling there is neither Lord nor servant but all are made one in Christ Jesus SECT XII §. 12 How all things are made new in the beginning of this book LAstly to conclude the writing of God in short for the book of the beginning of the new Creation or Book of life in Man Here is no carnal generation no living after the Flesh no knowing one another after the Flesh but in Spirit and Truth a spiritual encrease and multiplying Here is no death at all but a long life even for ever and ever Here is no marrying nor giving in marriage but they are like the Angels of God no violence but all meekness and love Here is no wrath nor destruction but eternal love and consolation Here is no repenting the Lord he made Man but it rejoyces him at the heart to see him Here is no Deluge but the pouring out of the Spirit no Ark but the Lords presence in our Ark we are the house of God no perishing but Flesh no Sacrifice but the Spirit no Covenant but the new one in Man no Rain but that of the Word of Truth no Flesh but Spirit to feed upon no Milk nor Herbs but Grace no Vinyard but that of the Lords love no Altar but God no Call but that inward Call to forsake thy Fathers house No House nor Father nor Mother nor Land nor Portion but the Lord none to serve nor follow but him no Circumcision but in Spirit no bond woman nor her children but the free woman the spirit of liberty from sin and death no Well but the deep Rivers of Salvation no Vision but of God no Famine but of Flesh no Corn nor Wine nor Oyl but the Light of Gods countenance lifted up upon us CHAP. III. The second Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called EXODVS THe second book is the book of Exodus for where the Lord hath once begun a writing or a work a word or a line he will build up finish and make an end in his due time but now he is but beginning and going on from one strength to another appearing in us now he comes with an out-stretched arm to deliver before he came to pull down and to build up to lay the foundation now he comes to deliver from the enemies of our salvation SECT II. §. 2 God calling his Son out of Egypt THerefore saith he I have called my Son out of Egypt that is Christ is called out of the grave death darkness this is the Son called out of Egypt the Flesh to live in Spirit in his members and body Now in this Egypt of our flesh and filthiness dwells nothing but Thunder and Lightening Darkness Plagues and Crosses for all these lay upon the Son while he is and was in our Egypt or fleshly Nature but he must rise the third day the Son shall not always lie thus in the grave the Spirit shall not always strive with Flesh and be buffeted and betrayed by it as Israel after a certain time was called forth the Lord hears the groans of his Son on the Cross and Israel in Egypt and the groans of the Spirit in these Tabernacles of Flesh willing to be delivered waiting for the day of Redemption not out of a part of Egypt to live in the suburbs or as neer as may be but far off to get into another land and kingdom even the kingdom called the Lords And though Flesh and Blood Principalities and Powers spiritual wickedness in high places Pharoah and all his Taskmasters the Magicians and all the hoste of Egyptians rise up against this Call and power of God to withstand it as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses and as the Scribes and Pharises placing the watch and ward laying the stone upon the grave of Christ sealing it withstood God and as Antichrist withstands the two witnesses but all in vain till the power of God entred into them all bringing them forth with a mighty hand saying Come up hither and fire came out of their mouths and the sea to consume and devour them They I mean all their carnal and spiritual enemies may come after them as far as the red sea but then no farther As soon as his Son the Lord Christ or the Christian hath passed through the red Sea of the sufferings of Christ Flesh and Blood dare follow them no further nay here dyes and perisheth all this carnal power and enmity SECT III. §. 3 God leading his Son through the Wilderness BUt though Gods Son Christ Jesus be called out of Egypt and is led from thence and Egypt destroyed in the Red Sea there the Flesh suffers yet there is another Call God leaves not his Son in the Wilderness whom he hath once called but then he calls them on and allures them there speaking comfortably to them This Son of God called out of Egypt thus and now all his children in the Wilderness is brought to straits and knows not whither to look
from the milk and drawn from the brests For with another tongue will he speak to this people and this shall be the Rest to them that be weary till then the Word of the Lord shall be precept on precept line by line here and there a little lyes and falshood shall be no more a refuge I will lay a foundation in Zion a sure tryed One and he that believeth shall not make haste SECT XXVI §. 26 The wise and the fool both alike in the sealed book till the Lord open it I Will fight against Ariel and speak to her from the dust all the earth that fight against Zion my Mountain I will fight against them and they shall be as men dreaming they eat and drink and are satisfied but behold when they do awake they shall be hungry and thirsty so shall the imaginations or dreams against thee be And the Lord saith Forasmuch as this people honors me with their lips and their hearts are from me they are drunk but not with wine but a deep sleep hath seized on them like a sealed book all things are to them that the learned is as the unlearned and the unlearned as the learned neither understand me knowing only the doctrine of men and I will do this wonder amongst them for the wisdom of the wise shall perish and the understanding of the prudent hid But the deaf shall hear and the words of my Book shall be revealed to the blind the meek increase their joy in the Lord and the poor amongst men rejoyce in the riches of the holy One of Israel they also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn doctrine this Wisdom of the Word becomes foolishness and the foolishness of the Lord true Knowledg and Wisdom indeed SECT XXVII §. 27 The Counsel that is not of God perishes WOe to the Counsel that is not of me and from my Spirit or Mouth wherefore all things shall be your shame and without profit all help else is in vain write it in a table book thus which say to the Seers See not teach smooth things go out of the way cause the holy One of Israel to cease before us And as for quietness and rest in the Lord alone you would not yet the Lord shall wait for thee and thou shalt have aword behind thee teaching thee when to turn to the right the left and the Lord shall give thee rivers on the top of the mountains and knowledg shall increase when the Lord healeth the breach of his people the light of Moon like the Sun and the Sun seven-fold brighter then shall the perfect day be and that shall cause his voyce to be heard SECT XXVIII §. 28 Nothing below God any thing WOe to them that go downwards for help looking to any thing below God for their men and means and not God when the Lord stretcheth his hand both he that is helped and that helpeth shall fall down and they shall all fall down together teacher and hearer without him The Lord like a Lyon shall keep Zion his prey and like a bird fly to their defence and all the earth shall be afraid of the Lord and run to their strong holds for the Lord hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem saith the Lord. SECT XXIX §. 29 Righteousness and Judgment King and Prince BEhold Righteousness thy King and Judgment thy Princes as rivers of waters as a rock in a weary land so is thy Lords Grace to thee no dimness nor dullness nor villany but Righteousness abounding behold the palaces shall be forsaken the Cities left the forts and towers dens until the Spirit be poured out from on high then Judgment shall be in the Wilderness and Righteousness the Field and peace and quietness and assurance the fruits thereof for ever SECT XXX §. 30 Who shall abide the everlasting burning and not be consumed therein THe spoiler spoiled by the Lord for he is exalted he filleth us his Zion with Judgment and Righteousness Wisdom and Knowledg the stability of of thy times and strength of salvation and the fear of the Lord thy treasure Now will I arise saith the Lord be exalted and lift up my self Ye shall conceive chaff and bring forth stubble my breath as fire shall devour you and you shall be as the burning of lime as thorns cut down so burnt in the fire Hear ye both far and neer acknowledg my might the sinners afraid the hypocrites trembled for fear of the devouring fire and the everlasting burning but he that walketh uprightly and speaketh righteously he that is against the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands against bribes that stops his ears from blood and his eyes from evil he shall dwell in the midst of the fire as Moses bush and the three children and not be consumed he shall dwell on high his defence the munition of rocks he shall have all bread his waters sure his King beautiful and before him and see things afar off Look upon Zion and Jerusalem our solemnities and our quiet habitation a Tabernacle not to be removed not a stake ever to be removed she is so rooted and stablished in the rock not a coard broken but there the righteous Lord shall be to us abroad river for the Lord is our Judg Law-giver King and Saviour and the people dwelling therein shall be forgiven their iniquity they shall not be sick praise the Lord. SECT XXXI §. 31 The wrath of the Lord revealed against earth and heaven HErein is revealed the indignation of the Lord against all unrighteousness of men which hold the truth in unrighteousness bringing them all to the fiery Vengeance First Let the Nations and people the earth yea the whole world and all therein draw near hear and hearken what God will do with them and the world That he will pour out his wrath and fury upon all the earth it shall be dissolved and delivered up to the slaughter cast out and left as stinking carcasses melted into blood nay his wrath is revealed against Heaven also they that boast themselves they are gods having heaven in the flesh a carnal heaven onely in shew and appearance not in heart it shall be bathed against the whole hoste of them and they shall all in heaven and earth be sacrificed to the slaughter for it is the day of the Lords vengeance and recompence upon them for their enmity to Sion and their streams shall be pitch their dust brimstone and the Land a burning tormenting all them that live in the earth and it shall not be quenched till all be finished in that day SECT XXXII §. 32 What strange things the Lord doth amongst us by his Spirit THe Lord will make your wilderness to rejoyce and the desart soul to blossom like a rose abundantly and he that is as a wilderness to rejoyce and sing the weak strengthened and the feeble confirmed the fearful in spirit encouraged
Judgment by the Spirit of the Lord and consume them like stubble here and within me Thus desiring the Lord to give thee understanding to take the good and refuse the evil in this and all things else For his good and thy glory I Rest Thy Friend T. Butler THE TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAP. I. CHrist the Sum of all Things Page 1. The true Ministery 2. Christ the true Temple-Sanctuary 3. Christ the true Tabernacle Ibid Christ is the heavenly Thing in Christians Ibid. Christ is the new Covenant in the new Creature 4. What is that Covenant he will write in us first what it is not then what it is 5. How this Covenant differs from all others it being in Spirit 6. Christ is in us Gods Dwelling and his Writing 8. What this new Covenant is further to us 10. The high excellency and vertue of it in us what it doth for us and is to us 11. The Lord setting forth a book to the world 13. What be the things God makes use of in writing this Book Man Ibid. Gods making mans heart plain and faire for it as paper 14. What God minds and loves it is to live with us and in us 15. What is shall be of the Lords Will and Law and nothing else 17. His own Laws he keeps and them he wil have us keep one Law for both 18. All Gods Laws a whole volumn within us Ibid. Mans blessing or curse is within himself 20. What God writes in us is such writing as nothing can blot it out 21. Where God begins to write he perfects it in us 22. The writing of God in us is by degrees 23. Gods magnifying himselfe in Man 24. The state of the two Adams 26. The Lord is all the Book and Scripture his people have him they preach heare read practise 27. CHAP. II. The first Book that God writes in Man is called Genesis 29. The six daies works in Man brought forth first 30. The second work in Gods day in Man Ibid. The third work of God in his day 31. The fourth worke in the day of the Lord. Ibid. The fifth work in the Lords day 32. The sixth work in the Lords day 33. The end of the work of God 34. The Paradise of God in Man Ibid. The Adam and Eve there in Paradise 35. The Tempter the Fall the Serpent 37. How all things are made new in the beginning of this book 38. CHAP. III. The second Book that God writes in Man is called Exodus 40. God calling his Son out of Egypt Ibid. God leading his Son through the Wilderness 43. What this Wildernesse is Ibid. What God doth for his Son in the Wilderness three or foure things especially The first thing is the severall forms of Rest 44. The second thing that God doth for his Son in the Wilderness is His giving the living Law with the Tables by the Spirit of Christ from Mount Zion 47 The third thing in the Wilderness is The Tabernacle of God with his Son 49. The total Circumcision of Flesh and finall destruction of the fiery Serpent 50. CHAP. IV. The third Book that Gods writes in Man is called Leviticus 52. The Levites garments that minister to the Lord. 54. The spiritual Service in the house of the Lord. 55. CHAP. V. The fourth Book that God writes in Man is called Numbers 65 How every thing is numbred by the Lord in them 58. The true Serpent healing us 59. The Arke of Gods presence 61. CHAP. VI. The fifth Book that God writes in man is called Joshua 62. The true Joshua saving us in fighting to deliver us 63. The seven blessings he delivers to us 64. CHAP VII The sixth Book that God writes in Man is called Judges 66. The Spirit of the Lord the best and just Judge 67. The Sampson and Gideon that is in us 68. CHAP. VIII The seventh Book that God writes in man is the two first books of Kings 70. The Kingly Scepter ruling in us 71. The outside of the Book opened 73. The inside and the Spirit in it opened and revealed there 74. The Raign of the Spirit of the Lord the true David 76 CHAP. IX The eighth Book that God writes in Man is the third Book of Kings 78 A Kingdom divided cannot stand Christ is not divided 80. CHAP. X. The ninth Book that God writes in Man is the fourth Book of Kings 82. The opening of the Temple and the repairing it 84. CHAP. XI The tenth Book that God writes in Men is the two Books of Chronicles 85. How we are made Gods Chronicles 87. CHAP. XII The eleventh Book that God writes in Man is the books of Ezra and Nehemiah The restauration of all things 89. CHAP. XIII The twelfth Book that God writes in Man is called Esther 92. CHAP. XIV The thirteenth Book that God writes in Man is called Job 94. What is the Mystery of this History of Job in Man 95. The latter end of a Saint better then the first the longer he lives the better 96. CHAP. XV. The foureteenth Book that God writes in Man is called Psalmes 98. Psalms and Hymns and spirituall Songs in us all 100. The new Song in the new Jerusalem 101. The chiefest sinner shall rejoice most Ibid. All Gods workings in us come to a Song at last 102 And what this Song is in the Saints 103. The Lord alone is the Psalm and the Hymn and Song in us 104. There is no singing in the strange Land till we come to the Lord himselfe 106. To sing with the Spirit and with Vnderstanding 108 A Psalm 109 A Hymn Ibid. A spirituall Song Ibid. CHAP. XVI The fifteenth Book that God writes in Man is called Proverbs 110. The Spirit that interprets secrets and proverbs where it is and dwells Ibid. The sum of the history of Proverbs spiritually in us in five particulars The Father God the Mother Wisdom the Son the Saint 111. CHAP. XVII The sixteenth Book that God writes in Man is called Ecclesiastes 114. The vanity of all things in the outward man or world Ibid. The earthly man is the vanity of vanities and the vexation of spirit 116. CHAP. XVIII The seventeenth Book that God writes in Man is called the Song of Solomon 117. Christ Kisses and his Mouth what they be Ibid. The ointment poured out 118. What the Kings Chamber is to be brought there 119. What the blackness and the comeliness is 120. What the brothers are angry at and what is the keeping of other Vineyards and not the true Vineyard 121 It is God that justifieth that is our comeliness 123. The true Vineyard 124. Three things thirsted after by him that is as the Spouse here hath tasted any thing of the Life of God 125. The bread that satisfies not and where our rest fulness and fatness lies 126 We shall never be taught well till the Lord teach us 127. The teachings of God more excellent in three things then mens teachings 129. This teaching will make us perfect 131.
the world what God hath done in the secret printing-house of the heart and whatsoever comes out to the world that is not of his printing and licensing shall be suppressed by the Spirit as not having the hand-writing that makes free and none shall buy or sell but those that have his mark SECT XIII §. 13 What be the things God makes use of in writing this Book Man ANd when the Lord God doth thus he will make our hearts his table-table-books washing them clean and pure fit and prepared to receive any impression his letters shall be all Spirit and his words life his Precepts and Commandments perfect Liberty as for the Lords Pen it shall be the Finger of the Spirit of God the Inditer God himself the Ink it shall be the pure Christal waters of Life and Grace that proceeds from the Throne of God and of the Lamb the everlasting Fountains of Love the Writings and Printings shall never perish it shall be for a perpetual Memorial to all generations the Lords Hand and Seal shall be set to the Book he will not be ashamed of his workmanship nor his writing therein it shall be also dedicated to all the world Angels and men for all to read his Name shall be to it and the Title shall be this The Book of Life Printed in the year of our Lord the fulness of time SECT XIV Gods making mans heart plain and fair for it §. 14 as paper I Will put my Laws in their minds this is the mind of God to have them of one minde with himself minding the same things His mind in their minds God would fain put his new wine into the new vessels of their minds knowing full well how much vanity for the most part lodges there like the Inn that was full of guests that there was no room for Christ to lay his head so it is in most minds enough of every thing but little enough of this love of the Spirit of Life What said the Lord Now I will come into the temple of mans mind and cast out the buyers and sellers overthrow the tables of the money-changers drive out the beasts and birds and the house that was full of murderers aden of theeves I will make a house of prayer before I leave them SECT XV. §. 15 What God minds and loves it is to live with us and in us BY this we may see the mind of God what he minds most amongst men what he loves best where he desires to live it is the minds of men Again we see all those Sacrifices under the Law that were commanded to be offered to God must be of the best the male in the flock not the sick blind lean or lame all which was abominable to God so here this is the male in the flock God will have offered to him his Laws put into our minds and if this be not all is nothing Thus it was with David surely when he said Oh how do I love thy Law it is my meditation day and night and again Psal 1. 2. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Laws of the Lord surely it was because God had put his Laws in his mind As it was in the Temple of God which was a shaddow of good things to come there was we read in the most holy place the Ark of the Covenant surely this Ark was a kind of figure of what God would do in these last dayes in our Temples in the most holy place of our hearts even in the Ark of our minds he would place his Covenants and put his Laws in that Arke SECT XVI §. 16 What is shall be of the Lords Will and Law and nothing else ANd in that it is said my Laws it shall be a living Law a holy heavenly wise gracious good Law God himself shall be our Law and our Example in all things follow him the Governments shall be upon his shoulders he will Rule in us and over us and be our King Priest and Prophet Happy art thou O Israel a people governed by the Lord He is your Law-giver and it is given to the spirits and hearts of men where he rules and sits brings al things into subjection to himself I will break every other Law of man all your Laws either in Church or in State either in the inward man that convinces or in the outward that restrains that are not mine shall be rooted up those yokes and burdens you shall no longer bear but take my yoke it 's easie my burden and Laws are light and in them you shall find rest SECT XVII §. 17 His own Laws he keeps and them he will have us keep one Law for both ANd in that he saith my Laws see how good and gracious God is he will lay no other burden then what he bears himself live by one Law one Mind one Life one Spirit one Truth one Peace one Righteousness one Kingdom the Law God walks by lives in the way he goes that which is his own very heart and nature the same he would give us that we may be as God is holy as he is holy just as he is just that we may be the children of our Father which is in Heaven SECT XVIII §. 18 All Gods Laws a whole volum within us ANd it is observable he doth not say my Law though all his Laws agree in one and are as one but shews us further that how the Word of the Lord shall dwell in us richly and not sparingly we shall not abound in some grace but in every grace nor in some knowledg but in all wisdom knowledg not doing some of the Will of God but instructed in the whole Counsel of the Lord we shall have Laws in us of all sorts the Law of Faith the Law of Love the Law of Truth the Law of Life the Law of Righteousness the Law of Meekness the Law of Contentedness nay there is not a Law in Heaven nor a Law in the Heart of God but he will put it in our hearts for we shall be men after his own heart And this we must know God is the searcher of heart and mind it must be such an eye and such an arm as must be stretched out to reach the bottom and depth of our minds all that is in the world is too short we may speak to them present the forms and patterns of things given to us in the Mount to the eyes ears and outward view and hearing of men in the world and there we must leave it then comes God and gives the increase he puts it farther he doth the work powerfully We can but John the Baptist like say I indeed baptize with water but he that comes after me it is he that must do all without him all is nothing so here unless Christ come after as here he hath promised and put his Laws in our minds we shall heare pray and do all in vain SECT XIX §. 19 WHerefore my dearly beloved
what is Paul or what is Apollo or â—ephas It is the Lord alone that wil be exalted he will put his Law there where all the devils in hell all the powers of flesh and spirit cannot prevail against it if he put it there what shall be able to separate remove or pull it out of his hands or out of our hearts SECT XX. §. 20 Mans blessing or curse is within himself ANd I will write it in their hearts It is the heart of man that God ayms at and therein are the issues of death or life there is every mans Heaven or Hell his blessing or his cursing for if our own hearts condemn us shall not God much more If this Tree be good then all the fruits are good but if it be bad then all is corrupt look to your hearts then for from thence is discovered your weal or woe SECT XXI §. 21 What God writes in us is such writing as nothing can blot it out ANd here see how the phrase is changed to enlarge the sense what before he called his putting into our minds he enlarges it to the writing or rather explains the manner how he will put his Laws in our hearts and that is by writing them in our hearts or else what he will do after he hath put his Laws in our minds how he will preserve and keep it there that it may never be forgotten but abide in us for ever by an eternal written character that shall never be blotted out Sin may but Grace cannot and when it is thus printed in us no theeves can steal it nor rust corrupt it nor fowls gather it but it 's safe under Hand and Seal and we never have sure comfort till then we may then say I know that my Redeemer liveth and I see him and I know whom I have trusted I am perswaded fully that nothing is able to separate me from his love nor blot me out of his Book I was in much doubt of his word and promise before I had this Hand writing but now I thank God I have obtained the victory by the Lord. SECT XXII §. 22 Where God begins to write he perfects it in us NOw be assured of this all you that know any thing of God that when the Lord puts his hand to the pen and the pen to the paper which are the tables of our minds it will not be in vain he stays not there it is for this very end to write something therein either a protection to keep thee I wil be with thee or else a warrant to do something in his name and he will deliver thee or a Commission to go and teach all Nations to go forth to conquer and overcome fearing nothing SECT XXIII §. 23 The writing of God in us is by degrees ANd when the Lord begins his writing it may be in weakness in a letter first because of the smoaking flax and bruised reeds and from a letter to a Word a Word of Life and from a Word to a Promise and from a Promise to a Precept thus going on with line upon line and precept after precept here a little and there a little till he hath finished it his whole Will in us that in the volum of our hearts we may see it written Lo I am prepared to do thy Will O God When we shall see all his Words Promises Precepts Prophesies Exhortations Consolations Doctrines Reproofs Uses Means Motives and all compleated in Man It may be in the beginning like a grain of mustard seed but comes to a tree it is begun in free-grace but it ends in full Glory it is at first God manifested in the Flesh and thence justified in Spirit at last received up into Glory this is the writing called the Lords SECT XXIV §. 24 Gods magnifying himself in Man ANd all this is done for his own name sake to make his Glory Name known that he is the Lord the only God and there is no Beloved like to this Beloved this made David in his eight Psalm magnifie God so when he looked upon the three-fold writing of God 1. That in Nature saying O Jehovah God how excellent is thy Name in all the world thou hast set thy Glory above the Heavens this he read in Natures Book The second Book or Writing is in Letter Word or Promise and in this he is magnified in the same Psalm Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength stilling the enemy and avenger The third Book is in Spirit in Man and that is the highest of all Gods Writings there he is read plainest and best first in the first Man Adam secondly in the new Man Christ thirdly in the new Man the Christian this made him say more When I consider the the Heavens the works of thy hands Sun Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained Lord think I then what is poor man that thou art so mindfull of him or the son of man that is the second man that thou hast so much visited him as to dwell in him and be God with him making him a litle lower then the Angels in his flesh and crowning him with so much glory and honor in Spirit in us as to think Heaven Earth Angels Men Creatures Scriptures Means Sabbaths Ordinances Graces Promises Ministers Magistrates things Temporal things Spiritual Christ God the Spirit all is ours therefore I must say once again O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world SECT XXV §. 25 The state of the two Adams THe Lord is pleased to make man an epitome of all things as he is a little world created of God Heaven and Earth being in him and he made up of both so the fulness thereof is in him a compound of all at first as he was in the first Adam But now in the second Adam in the generation of Jesus Christ as he is brought forth a new to God dying to the World and living to God in spirit in a new world whereof this first is but the image so is he the sum of all that spiritual state For as Christ in the flesh was the sum of all the legal Rites Ordinances Sacrifices Worship and All so is Christ Jesus in spirit in the new Creature the sum of Gospel Ordinances Prayers Hearings Writings Preachings Church-fellowship Breaking of Bread and Excommunications SECT XXVI §. 26 The Lord is all the Book and Scripture his people have him they preach hear read practise NAy the Lord will be to us Heaven and Earth Lands and Livings Father and Mother Sister and Brother Children and Friends Master and Servant Gifts and Graces Knowledge and Wisdom Temple and Sacrifice Sabbath and Sermon Creature and Scripture yea Doctrine and Psalm Revelation and Consolation New Testament and Old Law and Gospel Letter and Spirit Promise and Precept Writing and Printing our Bible and Book all things past present and to come Therefore he saith when he comes to do this I will write What a
in bondage from serving the Lord in freedom of heart and this is his Call Let my people go that they may serve me To this purpose speaks Zacharias Oh that he would grant unto us that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies may serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life I know saith the Lord that Pharaoh that proud flesh wil not let my people go to serve me But they saith Christ shall go in spite of all to serve the Lord I will make all their enemies their footstool saith the Lord. CHAP. IV. The third Book that God writes in Man is §. 1 called LEVITICVS NOw the third Book is called Leviticus This also is made good in the Saints in the truth of it the spirit of that Letter dwells in them and the substance of what is written in that Book concerns them chiefly as this All the Sacrifices looked at them they are to offer up the Sacrifice of Righteousness of which all the legal were but Types Secondly the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart and then their souls and bodies to be offered up as living Sacrifices to the Lord holy and acceptable And what were all the Calves Lambs Doves but meerly figurative not only looking at Christ but Christians also they must be the Lambs of God Doves Turtles and Christ presents them thus to God therefore the Apostle saith We shall be presented harmless and blameless at his coming And again I beseech you present your selves a living Sacrifice to God And again Ye are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifice to God so that the Apostle makes them and all that they do to be Sacrifices to God and the Lord smells a sweet savor in them nay he tells them they are the Lords Levites and Priests to make prayers and supplications to God yea to offer the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and to call upon the Name of the Lord these are they that are to stand before the Lord of the whole earth the anointing of the Lord is upon them to minister before the Lord God not only oyl but the oyl of Life and Grace the Spirit of the Lord falls on them and hath anointed them to preach the glad tydings Thy God cometh O Zion SECT II. §. 2 The Levites garments that minister to the Lord. NAy yet more all the fine linnen the Priests did wear what meant it but the white garments the walking with God in white the pure white linnen the Righteousness of Saints what was the Ephod and their Brest-plate their Urim and their Thummim their Bells and Pomegranates the names of the twelve Tribes on their Brestplates their Incense their ministring before the Lord their entring in with blood to the Temple all these are fulfilled spiritually in Saints the mind of God is with them that fear him they have a Brestplate of Righteousnes the Name of the Lord written in their hearts and they have the Names of the Tribes all the people of God are fellow Members and fellow Feelers one of another SECT III. §. 3 The spiritual Service in the House of the LORD THeir Incense they have is The sweet perfume of the Spirit of Grace in them that runs all along their garments their Bells and Pomegranates is the everlasting Gospel of God made known by them in truth and evidence of the Spirit every way these are they that minister before the Lord day and night they kindle the fire upon the Altar and do not offer up strange fire keep the Lamps in the House of the Lord that they go not out all these things and many more are proper to the Saints they have the Lamps of the Lord burning in them never decaying having the Olive trees always feeding them so that whensoever the Lord comes these wise Virgins are with their Lamps prepared and they receive this fire from Heaven to consume every Sacrifice and not false fire the fire of the Lords Love and Zeal the Zeal of his House eat them up they look to the doors of the Lords House see that no lame blind sick Sacrifice be offered but the best in the flock not the female but the male they think it not a weariness to serve the Lord neither do they make his table contemptible they have the Tythes of all all things in Heaven and Earth they have the first fruits all do homage and yeeld obedience to them all the sheaves bow to them the whole world shall bring their glory into them and they shall be the store-house of the Lord. CHAP. V. The fourth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called NVMBERS THe fourth Book is the Book of Numbers where you have the Lords people to be the Sum of all that is therein contained it is fulfilled in them and compleated spiritually by them they are Gods Numbers they are all numbered in his Books are all their names written nay their thoughts and actions numbered a Book of Remembrance writing down what they say of the Lord Mal. 3. Their very bones nay the very hairs of their heads numbered much less will he have any one of his number lost though the shepheard had ninety nine he would leave all to seek after the one because of all that is his he will lose none he keeps a perfect account of them and of every sort of them so many Tribes so many of every Tribe of all tongues languages kindred and people he hath his Numbers besides he hath the number how many lambs how many babes how many strong men how many fathers how many hired servants how many sick how many well how many strong how many weak how many fat and lean poor and rich male and female bond and free in all such things the Lord is instructed taking care of all and providing for all SECT II. How every thing is numbred by the Lord in them AGain numbering their gifts and graces their growth and age till they come to that perfect number and stature in Christ having their days and age filled being full of days and of the holy Ghost Besides this the Armies of the Saints their Banners Christ their Camp Righteousness their General the Lord of hosts their Pillar of Fire and Cloud by day and night the presence of the Lord even the Angel of his presence their matches from strength to strength going on to perfection forgetting the things behinde Their Trumpets sounding is the Voyce of the Lord heard amongst them calling and gathering them together their Sacrifices Praises their Meat Manna their Flesh Quails their Drink out of the everlasting Rock the Lord a Well of living water their spies viewing the holy Land and bringing the first fruits is the earnest of the Spirit giving us a view of Heaven and a taste of the Milk and the Wine therein with the clusters of Grapes brought from thence to refresh us withal SECT III. The true Serpent healing us §. 3. THe brazen
Serpent healing their stings is nothing but the power of the Lord breaking in peeces and slaying the head of the Serpent the Devil Christ Jesus the seed of the woman breaking the Serpent head Jesus saving us from our sins pouring out his wine and oyl into our wounds the Lord healing our Rebellion The Canaanites destroyed is the flesh crucified dead and buried The removing every unclean thing out of the Camp is the sanctifying of us in Soul Spirit and Body The false Prophet brought to curse us but cannot is the spirit of Antichrist dwelling too much in every one of us when Flesh glories in it self the Blessing of the Lord is the turning of every one from his iniquity The Inheritance is the Land of Peace the Kingdom of the Lord himself the dividing of it is the Mansions prepared of God for us all The Rest on this side the river is the living any where below God like the dove that stood upon the ark before she was taken in so here it s the outside only made clean which is but the hem of a Christians garment The murmuring and returning back again to Egypt is the beginning in the Spirit and the ending in the Flesh the dying and having their carcasses to fall in the Wilderness the running well who hindred them so run that ye may obtain so that for want of faith and patience they do not inherit the Promise Wherefore he saith let no man take thy crown he that is faithful to death shall have a crown of life and he that continueth to the end shall be saved SECT IV. §. 4. The Ark of Gods presence THeir Ark carried before them is the power of the Lord leading them forth The standing of the Ark is the Lords resting upon them Their arising with the Ark next day is the Lords making way and preparing it dayly for them through mountains hills plains drying up the waters destroying enemies all is to shew us how he wil bring forth judgment unto victory bringing down our haughtiness that the Lord alone may be exalted amongst us in that day CHAP. VI. The fifth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called JOSHVA THe book of Joshua or Jesus who is the Lord God the Commander and Leader of the people commanding all that is in them their mindes and spirits carrying them through Jordan or the midst of many afflictions in spirit giving them his grace which is strength enough and though his rod and staff be upon them yet it shall comfort them if the Lord be with them Moses could not bring them in their Rest but it must be Joshua that must do it not men but the Lord not the Ministry of Flesh but Spirit Moses dyed Joshua lived it is not the dying man but the quickened Spirit SECT II. §. 2 The true Joshua saving us in fighting to deliver us JOshua fought all their battels for them overthrew their enemies took their strong holds bound their Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of iron This honor have all his Saints Praise ye the Lord. Joshua never left them till he had settled them in the good Land He followed the Lord he knew not whither but when he knew he did althings as the Lord commanded him So is it with our true Joshua Christ Jesus in us doth fulfil all things that are given him of the Father and never leaves nor forsakes us til he hath possessed us and desposed all things else for us Joshua overthrew the walls of Jericho with the blast of Rams horns went forth conquering and to conquer till he had made his enemies his footstool and the footstool of Israel and when they had overcome then he and his house would serve the Lord and so he dyed in the Lord So is our Joshua by the breath of his mouth all the foundations of the earth are shaken yea Heaven and Earth His Enemies are subdued yea the devil is made subject to him and his giving them power over Serpents and Scorpions and all manner of creeping things thâ—t nothing shall hurt them thus overcoming all things giving them the spoyl opening the Kingdom of Heaven to them that had been so long shut from it SECT III. The seven Blessings he delivers to us §. 3 ANd now having overcome all things through the spirit of the Lamb they shall inherit all things the oppressor shall pass through them no more the Lord shall encamp about them they shall now serve him 1. They shall eat of the tree of Life for Food 2. They shall not be hurt of the second death 3. They shall have the new name and white stone the Palms in their hands and Vials or Harps the hid Manna 4. They shall have power from God to rule over Nations yea they shall have the morning Star given them 5. They shall live in that Land they shall be clothed with white rayment and they shall not be blotted out of the book of Life for ever and they shall be confessed before God and Angels to be worthy 6. They shall be Pillars in the house of God they shall not go any more out they shall have the name of my God and the name of the City of my God written upon them 7. They shall sit upon my Throne as I am set on my Fathers Throne Thus Christ our Joshua and his house the Saints shall serve the Lord in one Spirit CHAP. VII The sixth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called JUDGES THe next book is called Judges in Scripture and this also is written in us by the finger of God We are his Judges to sit upon his Throne judging righteously We shall judg Angels saith the Apostle yea the world also how much more the smaller matters And again they shall sit upon twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel thus judgment is committed unto the Saints this honor have they Nay they can much more judg and condemn sin in themselves having their sences exercised to discern between good and evil judging every thought word and work SECT II. §. 2 The Spirit of the Lord the best and just Judg. WHen the Spirit of the Lord is our Judg then we are as Israel was here having good Iudges they were delivered from the cruelty of enemies and rejoyced But when the Flesh sits as judg and will rule the bramble wil have the command of all the trees then there is sorrow of heart then we are like Israel under the Philistins and other enemies till the Lord raise up his Iudges again the Spirit of life to break their yoke off our necks So that many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them from them all fightings within and fightings without but more then conquerors in all having such a Gideon and a Sampson as the Spirit of the Lord is the Barly cake that must overthrow every tent that stands against it and carry away all the gates that oppose though they be the gates
the region and shadow of death light might spring up this is the healing of the water and the making the Ax to swim to take away the heart of stone and to give them a heart of flesh as also to grow in grace and multiply and increase in knowledg and love as the oyl did and the meal the more she gave the more she had so it s truly in the Saints a little grace goes far doth many cures answers all things as it was with the few barly loaves and the little fishes how many thousand were fed and the twelve baskets full of fragments that was left this was wounderful so it is in us here a little grace overcomes a world of sin like a spark of fire to a deal of gun-powder and as a little leaven that leaveneth the whole lump and as a graine of mustard seed that grows to a tree suddenly so is the Righteousnesse of God revealed SECT II. §. 2 The opening of the Temple and the repairing it JOsias and Hezekias good raigne how they opened the Temple restored many things found the Law hid and caused it to be read and sanctified the people and to make the table of the Lord holy this is the Lords doing to finde the Law that hath been lost to restore it in us and all things else that we may see how we are purged from dead works to serve the living God and thus he is the good Hezekiah that opens that Temple of the Lord preparing a way for him making the everlasting doors to fly open at his voyce and knock that the King of Glory may enter in who is the Lord of Hosts CHAP. XI The tenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the two Books of CHRONICLES THe Book of Chronicles this also God writes in us he doth these two things according to this two-fold Book for there is two Books especially to be taken notice of wherein God writes his Will The first is called or may be the substance of the first Book of Chronicles and the other of the second Book of Chronicles answerable to these Books in Letter we find two Books in Spirit The first is called Gods Book of Life and that is when the Lord God writes his Name in our hearts his new Man and his new Nature and Life there then we are his Book of Life The second is called our Book of Life that is the Book wherein God writes our Names according as it is written Rejoyce not so much in any writing as in this that your names are written in Heaven Now this Heaven and in the Book of Life is all one that is when we are beloved of God or when the Lord seals us a seal upon his Heart or as a signet upon his Arm to be written in the everlasting Love of the Lord which is his Heart and Bowels and there to live by the Life of Love this is the writing in the Book of Life indeed and though we have our names written upon our towers walls houses histories and generations of the whole world yet it fals at last but this only endures the memorial of the other shall rot when the memory of these shall be blessed these be the two books of Chronicles indeed and yet both agree in one and are indeed one for where the one is there will be the other If we be written in Gods Book or Heart then be sure God will have his name written in our hearts and spirits SECT II. §. 2 How we are made Gods Chronicles THus the whole book of Chronicles We are the sum of them all Chronicles of his Love Chronicles of his Mercy the Chronicles of his Grace the Chronicles of his Power Goodness and Greatness and the Chronicles of his Wisdom We are his generation of off spring all our lives as well as lines descended from him He was and is the Father of us all He knows every Soul and Family apart Tribe by Tribe He knows our names and our fathers house he Chronicles and sets down the time of our birth and baptism who was our father and mother and in what Country whether a free-born or a stranger all our travels even our whole pilgrimage written our lives deaths resurrections and mansions Are not we his Chronicles then indeed CHAP. XII The eleventh Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the books of EZRA NEHEMIAH THe books of Ezra and Nehemiah opened in Man The returning out of captivity the leading captivity captive and receiving gifts from above according as it is written when the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion we were like men in a dream till we were throughly awakened and then we sang the songs of Zion when we were in our own Land just like Peter when the Angel smote him and made way for him open the iron gates and did deliver he was in a trance he thought he had seen a vision at first till afterwards So is this deliverance from the whore of Babylon that hath bewitched us all with sorceries more or less Oh what a joyful thing it is And then can they tell what God hath done for their souls and magnifie the Lord saying By the rivers of Babylon we have sate This Sodom hath been a Paradise to us But now if I prefer not Jerusalem above all having seen it and now come tolive in it before we had nothing but sadness a laughter that was but madness there we howled but here we have our harps and songs full of joy SECT II. §. 2 The Restauration of all things THe number that are delivered the journey God was with them on their way the laying the foundation of the Temple the building it the Spirit of the Lord strengthening them in it the enemies that oppose the building of the Wall Sanballats rage against it the sword the trowel finish it The strange wives put away the Law read the Reformation made All which is most true if applied in the truth of it to the workings of God amongst us whom the world and flesh hath made a wilderness a desolation a place for Dragons there God intends to lay his foundation which is Christ Jesus in us the hope of Glory other foundations can no man lay else then the building is the Temple of the Lord which is his Spirit in us and the Walls are the arms of the Almighty stretched out these everlasting arms of love that are about thee O Israel the one arm under thy head the other upon thy heart these be thy walls thou needst not now fear any Sanballat Tobiah any Ashdonians whatsoever that like Foxes would spoil thy vines or else climbe thy walls to pull down thy glory but they shal not All that hate thee shall be ashamed And whereas ye say it is not time to build my house saith the Lord and ye to live in your seiled houses and to let my house lie waste ye shall not prosper For if any man hideth his sin he
hearts and mourn but in the strange Land are we more strangers While we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord But when we shall absent from the body and be present with the Lord and not live by faith only but by sight when we shall not read of him nor hear of him only but when we shall see him face to face then shall our joy be full then we shall sing the song of Zion When we are entred into the joy of our Lord and Master when the day of the Lord is come the voyce of the Bride and of the Bridegroom is heard and the marriage of the Lamb is come then shall the Song be sung it is prepared for that day then shall the voyce of the Turtle be heard amongst us and the voyce of the Lord himself rejoycing over us And we rejoycing and singing in the Lord and in nothing else we shall sing O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world Let the Heavens praise thee O Lord yea let all the world give thanks unto thee yea let all things arise O Lord and call thee blessed SECT IX To sing with the Spirit and with §. 9 Vnderstanding THis made the Apostle say I will pray with the Spirit and with Understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and sing with Understanding also He then that hath not this spirit cannot sing with understanding he is as he that speaks in an unknown tongue a Barbarian except the Spirit interpret it 's but howling and no singing but where it s filled and enlarged with love where the Spirit of the Lord is heaped up and running over it must break forth and overflow it will not be hid it is like a fire in the bones like the sea at full tide like a full winde at sea filling the sails such is the powerful presence of God overshadowing us A Psalm THe Lord the Lord th' eternal God who lives and reigns to make us glad Our Psalms our Hymns our spirits songs our melodies in him alone We are his Organs and his Harps he tunes and plays upon our hearts He sings and makes most pleasant noise filling us full of mirth and joys A Hymn O Glory glory to the Lord his Name be blessed all abroad Our life mirth love and joys lives and lies in his glories A spiritual Song O Holy holy God on high Eternally Our melody Above the sky Never to dye But thus to cry Glory Glory To God on high Eternally Happy happy CHAP. XVI The fifteenth Book that God writes in Man is called PROVERBS SECT I. The Spirit that interprets secrets and §. 1 proverbs where it is and dwells ALL dark sayings mysteries secrets wonderful things deep and high sealed and concealed old and new there is a Spirit even the Spirit of the holy God which dwells in them that are gods which can reveal secrets expound parables finde out the pearl hid in the field and interpret dreams and hard sayings He that plows with this heifer shall finde out all these riddles and parables made plain in us And for the most part all these Proverbs without came from Wisdom and Understanding which dwelt in Solomon and spake these things from within SECT II. §. 2 The sum of this history of Proverbs spiritually in us in five particulars The Father God the Mother Wisdom the Son the Saint HEre is five things spoken of First The Father and that is the Lord God himself Secondly The Mother and that is Wisdom so she is called Wisdom is justified of her children which is Christ God the Father of Judgment Christ the Mother of Wisdom here is Judgment and Wisdom together Thirdly The Son that is here spoken of in the history of the Proverbs and that is the Childe of God the Christian or Saint that begotten Son that came from the bowels of Wisdom travelling with it and from the spirit of Judgment this is the Son that is so much admonished and taught of God every way it must needs be a wise Son that hath such Parents and it cannot stand in need of any thing that hath such a Father it must needs be brought up in the nurture and fear of the Lord filled with all wisdom and understanding A wise son saith Solomon is a joy to his mother but a foolish one is the sorrow of her heart So here Wisdoms children are a joy to her She can say Lord here am I and the children thou hast given me I had from thee thine they were and thou gavest them to me and I give them to thee again and my self with them Fourthly The strange woman and her sons the woman that flattereth with her lips and speaketh lies what is this woman but the world and the children of this woman but the children of the world This flesh that dwells in us is the strange woman and the woman that flattereth with her lips and betrays us tempting us to come in unto her and see what she hath prepared This is the Antichrist that lives in flesh and would feign her self a Prophetess and would have all turn in to her and drink of her fornications and eat of her idolatrous sacrifices which she hath prepared And all her sons are the brats of Babel the concupiscence or lust of the flesh 2. The lust of the eye and heart 3. The pride of life These three be her darlings and Delilahs that are nourished and brought up by her dayly the strange woman and her children Fifthly The enemies of Wisdom and these be called fools and scorners sinners and strangers these hate knowledg and reject the fear of the Lord She hath called and they would not answer yea cryed but they would not hear She hath prepared her table and her banquets and cryed in the high ways and concourse of people to come in to be her guests but they have all turned aside yea they hate her dainties and despise her counsels preferring with Esau a mess of pottage before either blessing or birth-right CHAP. XVII The sixteenth Book that God writes in Man is called ECCLESIASTES SECT I. The vanity of all things in the outward §. 1 man or world THe book of Ecclesiastes opened in Man Wherein you have the vanity of all earthly things discovered how this world and the fashion thereof perisheth all the fulness thereof exhausted her treasures corrupted her glory stained her riches moth-eaten her dwellings rotten her friends consuming her life dying and all her attire fading This is the state of this life this old world this outward man of ours the tabernacle that is groaning and burthened ready to be dissolved yea heaven and earth and all the creatures are the Apostle saith expresly groaning for the redemption and the manifestation of the sons of God The whole generation of the first Adam his whole kingdom and dominion the world wherein he ruled is all melting with fervent heat yea his more excellent things are vain his righteousness
am sought and found by them that never knew me nor sought me but I them and they loved me and beheld me I opened my heart to them and spred forth my hands and drew them from gâ—rdens altars graves and groves mountains and valleys and from eating swines flesh and abominable things and from thine own holiness and filthiness which was like a smoke and filth to me to my own self and my own mountain to dwell in for my blessing that is amongst you I will not quite destroy you but my inheritance shall be with you and I will dwell with you and all that is with you and in you that forsakes me I will number to the sword and bow down to the slaughter all that is disobedient to me and thus I will do to you my servants in you and amongst you you shall eat drink and rejoyce but what is my revenge in you and amongst you you shall hunger thirst and be ashamed and cry for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit and slain but his servant shall be called by another name and he that blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of earth and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of the earth so that heaven and earth shall give glory to God and all that dwell therein SECT XCI §. 91 How all things are made new of God ANd behold I make all things new and these shall be remembred but all the former forgotten and thou shalt rejoyce forever at what I create for I create truth peace salvation and righteousness yea my rejoycing and my praise there shall be no more an infant nor a father but all shall be as one strong man in Christ yea they shall have houses vineyards possessions of their own and no others they shall no more labor in vain nor bring forth for trouble but you shall be called the blessed of the Lord and his off-spring thy God I will be that hears and answers thee who lives and abides with thee there shall be nothing that doth hurt in all my Mountain but the Wolf and Lamb Lion and Bullock shall lie down together there shall be nothing else but rest amongst them all living in one SECT XCII §. 92 Though heaven and earth be my house yet I will dwell in you ANd though heaven be my throne and the earth my footstool yet this is not my dwelling nor the place of my Rest but in the houses and dwellings of men you are my building and house the humble and the contrite heart will I live with and till I come to live with them all their worship and sacrifice yea their lambs and offerings are abominable to me I hate them all till I am formed in them and when I am thus formed in thee all that hate thee hate me then your souls shall not delight in these things which I delight not in nor when I call shall they not answer but they shall delight in the Lord alone and nothing else SECT XCIII §. 93 Zion brings forth yea a whole Nation in a day and that without pain THe soul that trembles at my Word though he be cast out falsly for my names sake and think they glorifie me in it yet let them know their zeal is without knowledg and who hath required this at their hands but you shall be justified and they ashamed and the Voyce of the Lord shall be heard from his Temple with us that Zion travelleth and is delivered without pain Was ever such a thing heard or seen that a whole Nation should be born at once and brought forth in one day And why cannot the Lord do it Shall he bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth or then shall the Lord shut the womb No no be glad and rejoyce with her all ye that love her take of the brests of her consolation and be satisfied delight thy soul in the abundance of her glory for her peace shall be like a river and her glory as a stream you shall be born on her sides and be dandled on her knees I will comfort you as a mother comforteth her children for by fire and a sword shall the Lord plead with all flesh and make it as a loathsom carcass but you shall remain for ever and worship before me Thus I have finished this Book of Isaiah in much sorrow weakness and trouble and dare not yet venture to proceed till I finde a more convenient time for it then I have had for this first Volume it being brought forth in the midst of our troubles here at London while the Army was amongst you and these great things acted as the Charge Tryal and Execution of the King in all which time this was some repast and refreshment to write these things though it was by fits and starts yet the Lord may make it useful in some measure for the good of others Being called away now from London I am forced to break off here in the midway else I might shew you the Book of Jeremiah opened in Man Ezekiel and Daniel with the lesser Prophets one by one fulfilled in us as also the New Testament how we have the everlasting Gospel taught us by the Spirit of Christ in our hearts together with his Birth Life Doctrine Works and Death of Christ formed in us as also his Resurrection Ascension and Glorification within us Christ risen Again how we are the Acts of Christ and how Christ is all our Acts and Works it is he doth all for us and in us And again how we are his Epistles yea the heavenly and holy Epistles of Christ written by God on the Tables of his Hand our hearts known and read of all men how we are the Lords Church Spouse Members and Body his Building Planting Temple and Dwelling Lastly how we are the Lords Revelations and Visions to whom he shews himself and the things that are have been and are ro come things past present and to come afar off or nigh at hand we are these whom the Lord ravishes in Spirit in his day when that comes upon us and then he tells us all things and takes us up to heaven to see himself in all and all in himself opening heaven and revealing his whole Will and Counsel We are that sealed Book whom the Lamb takes and opens for he is worthy and we are these that shall have the honor to say Come come come Lord Jesus come quickly Thus the Bride shall say and we are those that shall have either all these Blessings Graces Gifts Mercies Promises Comforts and Glories that are in heaven and earth written or revealed in the whole Scriptures or else all the curses woes lamentations miseries threatnings and torments written in the whole Book of God to fall upon us thus eternally happy or eternally miserable but all these things I leave to the Day of the Lord to bring forth in me to perfect his praises that as the Lord hath began so he would continue and bring to the end of this Book of the Scriptures that we may be in the Lord God both the Alpha and the Omega of it I Know many things are amiss here the faults can hardly be numbered that come either from the Author Writer Printer or Reader I pray thee pass them by amend what is amiss and make use of what is good trying all things holding fast that which is good considering thou also mayst do amiss and truly this is all I can say in excuse that I wanted time to write what was in my mind only made use of the night never read it much less time to correct it but am importuned to print it and to press thy patience with it let patience then have its perfect work here Thine T Butler FINIS