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
THE LITTLE Bible of the Man OR THE Book of God opened in Man BY THE Power of the LAMB Wherein God is the Spirit or inside of the Book and Man the Letter or out-side of it In whom as in a Glass you may both behold the Spirit and Letter of the holy Scriptures in the new Man fulfilled and Explained from Genesis to Jeremiah This is the first Volume of Gods Book in Man Written by a weak Instrument of the Lords Capt. T. BUTLER LONDON Printed in the first year of Englands Liberty 1649 For Giles Calvert at the black spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lord of Pembroke AND To the Right Honorable the Lord of Mulgrave all Peace and Happiness My Lords IT is the Design of Heaven to pull down the pride of all flesh and to have the Lord alone Exalted that no flesh might glory before him but all that glory may do it in the Lord God they being the Lords For the day of the Lord is come upon all flesh to destroy it like grasse but the Word of the Lord abides for ever and he that is built upon that Rock the gates of hell can never prevail against him though the Lord cometh to shake terribly the Earth and the Heavens also yea though the mountains and hils remove out of their places though the stars fall from heaven and the Sun be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood by this terrible Earthquake yet the foundation of God stands sure their Sun never sets nor their Moon changes For the Lord himself is their everlasting Light and thy God their glory And though the fashion of this world perisheth waxing old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them yet thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome O God and thy Dominion throughout all ages thou changest not but art the same to day yesterday and forever thou shalt raign till thou hast made this world become the Kingdomes of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Saints and great shall be the day of the Lord. My Lords I could doe no less then recommend this new born babe unto You which hath been brought forth in sorrow and much weakness of flesh though in the willingness of spirit the Lord gives it his grace and blessing that it may be growing up in you in strength and power which shall be the joy and desire of Your Servant T. Butler From my Quarters in Black-Fryers Mr Delaines February 8. 1648. To his Worthy Friend Mr Tho. Appletree Worthy Friend LEt him that stands saith the Apostle take heed least he fall and be not high minded but fear for God gives grace to the humble and exalts the meek but the proud he beholds afar off it is good therefore for every man to look to his feet and consider how he stands by sense or by Faith by Flesh or Spirit by Grace or by Works and where he stands on holy or unholy ground or the Sand or the Rock upon the Sea or the dry Land on Earth or in Heaven in himself or in God whether the Moon be under his feet and he clothed with the Sun whether he serve God or Mammon for if we stand in the Lord we are safe but if we stand any where else we sink and fall the Lords Angels pitch their tents about his to preserve them in all his ways they shall walk and not be weary run and not faint they walk as wise men and not as fools redeeming the time because the days are evil And while God gives You opportunity do good to all but especially to the houshold of Faith and be not weary of well doing for in due time you shall reap if you faint not faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it Your labor of love is well known to many Saints in Dedington and thereabout in Oxfordshire whose bowels You have refreshed the Lord make You more and more to abound in Faith and Love that You may never see Christ naked hungry or in prison but You may minister to him and relieve the oppressed judg the fatherless and widow and let the cause of the poor be maintained still keeping Faith and a good Conscience in all things that Your good example and counsel may win upon many and if J or my poor endeavors herein may advantage You any way in this kind it will be the travel of my Soul and the joy of my Spirit Sir Your Friend and Servant THO. BUTLER TO The Vertuous LADIES Mrs Elizabeth Mrs Anne Mrs Margaret Mrs Katherine and Mrs Lettice Babingtons my dear and precious Sisters together with the rest of that noble Family My deer Sisters AMongst the Catalogue of Gods great mercies to me I account it not the least to be of the number of that sweet and precious society and Family and to see how the Lord hath multiplied his mercies towards us as not onely to make us one Body but also one Spirit giving us the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace whereby we have fellowshp with the Lord and one with another in the Spirit praying rejoycing conversing walking and living together continually this never dyes neither can it be parted it s such a threefold cord that nothing can break it such a fellowship nothing can divide it and such a joy and life none can take from us I have through the love and goodness of the Lord to me drawn some spiritual Discoveries upon a part of the Scriptures as God gave me opportunity Onely my dear Sisters let me desire this from you What you finde herein of God glorifie him for it and what is not of God as you apprehend judg it not after the flesh but judg righteous judgment and withal remember the weakness of him that was but a poor instrument in it And if it may by the blessing of God give any light to you God speaking the same things in a vail to it in your spirits how will it rejoyce mine Thus leaving all to the good guide of the Spirit of Truth in all things I take leave and remain Your loving Brother T. BUTLER TO THE READER JVdg not saith the Apostle that ye be not judged for with what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again and what you would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets but Christ and the Apostles go further and would have us do far better to others then they do to us give them good for evil knowing this now J cannot but perswade my loving Reader to lay aside all malice wrath envy guil and hypocrisie and in love meekness patience and much goodness read and consider trying the spirits whether they be of God or not And thus J shall say with thee if there be any thing as questionless there is of flesh darkness or the spirit of this world that all of it may come into
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.
with the wicked and the rich in his death 250. What it is to have the pleasure of the Lord for to prosper in his or in our hand 251. The Lord shall see us as the travel of his Soul 253. We are the Lords spoil and portion Ibid. The Lord makes the barren to sing and to bring forth gloriously 254. The seed of the living God out of a barren womb wonderful 255. The Lord thy husband that comforts thee 256. I will be thy God and Husband from everlasting unto everlasting 257. The foundation windows and gates of the Saints the Lords house and building of what precious stones it is 258. The Lord is that water that wine and that milk to them that thirst after him and that hunger in him 260. Three things to be observed here more especially on the best wine kept last 261. That which is bread and satisfieth and is good and delights the soul and makes it live and prosper in fatness is from the Lord alone 263. Christ the true Witness and Leader to the People 265. The people that know thee not shall run afterthee for the Lord hath glorified thee in their eyes and their thoughts and ways shall be as the Lords thoughts and ways are 266. The Word that comes from Gods mouth shall prosper in what it is sent 268. No man is just but he to whom Salvation is come 269. The stranger and the Eunuch joyned to the Lord and made sons and heirs to God 270. The righteous man perisheth but not his righteousness yet none lays it to heart 271. The Lord will dwell in Holiness both on high and below 272. The sin and iniquity of Jacob the Fast that is the Lords the good and acceptable day that he chuses how we must love one another and walk in the light and not in darkness as the Lord doth to us 274. The exceeding sinfulness of sin the misery that it brings till the Lord arise against it in Justice and in Truth 277. Arise and shine for thy light is come 279. The glory given to them whom God doth glorifie Ibid. All Glory comes when Gods Glory comes 280. I will bring gold and silver strength and beauty unto thee 281. The Lord thy everlasting Light thy Sun and Moon that shall darken all other Suns and turn them to blood but himself in the end 282. The Spirit of the anointing of the Lord what works it doth binding and loosing doing all good 284 Our righteousness brightness and our salvation a burning lamp 286. The Lord thy Watchman day and night 287. The Lords dyed garments coming from the great slaughter of his enemies sin and Satan 288. The Lords coming down with power to destroy flesh 289. The Lord God is found of them that sought not after him 290. How all things are made new of God 292. Though heaven and earth be my house yet I will dwell in you 293. Zion brings forth yea a Whole Nation in a day and that without pain 294. THE Sealed Book of GOD opened in MAN The Mystery of the holy Scriptures the Volume of Gods Book written in mans heart in the Spirit and to be read in his life in the Letter HEB. chap. 8. vers 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people CHAP. I. §. 1 Christ the Sum of all Things NOw of the things which we have spoken and write saith the Apostle in the beginning of the chapter this is the sum Christ is the sum of it all the Figures Types Priest-hoods Sacrifices Temples Tabernacles Prophets and Prophesies in their severall parts Christ is their totall sum Let them be all numbred together they all make up but one Christ who is such an High Priest as is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majestie in the heavens they all give him 1. The right Hand 2. The Throne 3. The Majestie 4. The heavenly Thing in the Priest-hood and in all things else hath this preheminence SECT II. §. 2 The true Ministry A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man Christ is the sum of all the Ministry there is no other Ministry but Christ and Christians who make but one Spirit he the male they the female whom God the Father hath joyned together his Spirit poured out and married to their flesh the Divine Nature the Male our Humane the Female making one Emmanuel God with us so that as the two witnesses agree in one so be these SECT III. §. 3 Christ the true Temple-Sanctuary CHrist was also the Sanctuary the Temple of God upon the Altar of which Temple he offered himself a Sacrifice to God Soul and Body so are Christians SECT IV. Christ the true Tabernacle §. 4 CHrist also is the Sum of the Tabernacle God dwelling so richly in him the Tabernacle of God was then with men the life was manifested the true Tabernacle the Lord pitched and not man so are Christians SECT V. Christ is the heavenly Thing in Christians §. 5 ALL which serve for the example and shadow of hâ—avenly things as Moses when he was admonished of God about making the Tabernacle See saith God that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Now the truth and substance the heavenly Thing and the good Thing to come is Christ and the Christian this is the Tabernacle that God pitches even the man Christ there he will dwell that is his House Now Christ brings forth more excellent things then any in the Mount you have seen them all the Ministry Tabernacles Sanctuary Sacrifice the whole Worship the Law and Covenant also they all wax old vanish away from the Mount but not the other SECT VI. §. 6 Christ is the new Covenant in the new Creature BUt now Christ hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises It is a Ministry in Spirit a Covenant in Spirit making intercession in our spirits an establishing in Spirit and precious promises written in our spirits so that if the first Covenant Promises Ministry Tabernacle had been faultless pure or perfect there had been no need of the second but the Lord finding fault with the first and the Worship and Worshippers thereof He saith Behold the days come that I will make a new Covenant a new Promise a new Tabernacle a new Ministry and all things new a new Heaven and Earth with the House of Israel and the House of Judah In those days saith the Lord all old things shall then pass away and all things become new and all things shall be of God who hath reconciled us to himself in Jesus Christ SECT VII §. 7 What is that
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
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
heard in that Spirit praising the Lord and speaking of the wonderful things of Heaven Wherefore saith the Apostle When ye are thus full of the Spirit then ye shall rejoyce in the Lord. And again Ye shall rejoyce singing to your selves Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs that is there shall be musick all sorts and tunes and melodies heard SECT II. Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs in §. 2 us all FIrst for Psalms In the beginning of the breathings and breakings forth of the Spirit the Psalms are for the weak ones the babes in joy The second Hymns are for the fathers in joy but the Songs are for the strong young men whose joy is full so that by these three I understand only the several degrees of joy and also the various operations of the Spirit The Psalms are doctrines mutually mixt with Praises the Hymns thanksgivings purely and the Songs the ravishments of love Psalms are the tastes we have of him the Hymns are longings after him but the Song is the full possession of him My beloved is mine and I am his he comes to his garden so that one Saint hath a Psalm another that is higher a Hymn and third a spiritual Song and that all from one and the same Spirit but the inspirations more or lesse SECT III. §. 3 The new Song in the new Jerusalem ANd as for Davids new Songs he speaks so often of in his Book we have the same written in our Books Psalm for Psalm Prayer for Prayer Hymn for Hymn Song for Song even a Song for every Season the new Song is like to the new Name the new Covenant the new Jerusalem the new Creature so is this new Song only to be sung by such therefore called the Song of Moses and of the Lamb and none can sing it nor knows the tune of it but the Virgins that follow the Lamb it is in Spirit full of Glory SECT IV. §. 4 The chiefest sinner shall rejoyce most ANd again As our sufferings have abounded so shall our consolations he that hath suffered a little shall have a Psalm or a Hymn but he that hath abounded in sorrow in affliction shall have this Spirit of Joy above his fellows he shall sing aloud and shout for joy of heart wherefore he saith Blessed are the meek and hungry and that mourn these shall all be comforted but when he speaks of this Blessed saith he are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for they shall be exceeding glad and rejoyce their joy shall exceed others and as sin also hath abounded so shall Grace and Glory and Honor and eternal Praise and Joy abound also Wherefore it s well said of Christ That as his sorrow was such as he saith Behold if ever sorrow were like unto my sorrow when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So behold his joy never joy was like it at the conversion of a sinner SECT V. §. 5 All Gods workings in us come to a Song at last THis Book of Psalms in Man it is all but one Psalm it is an eternal Song a praising God for ever and and ever without end this is not with our mouth but the Lords mouth and heart not with lips but the kisses of his mouth and the breath of his Spirit and indeed all the workings of God are in joy they all bring forth the first fruits of Righteousnesse in peace and joy all things working together for good all our sorrows travels crucifyings self-denials crosses losses miseries deaths and torments they all bring forth a Psalm a Hymn and a Song this is the man child that shall be born after all Now it may be God is only making or beginning this Psalm in us yet a little while and it shall be finished and the noise thereof heard from one end of the Heavens to another SECT VI. §. 6 And what this Song is in the Saints ANd the Song shall be this Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Thou art worthy of all Honor Glory and Praise for thou hast redeemed us to thy self And again The Lord the Lord the Lord God omnipotent raigneth And again We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty that thou hast raigned and takest this great power to thy self and that thy time is come and that the Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Saints Rejoyâ—â— O ye Heavens and all that are in them for thy God raigneth SECT VII The Lord alone is the Psalm and the Hymn §. 7 and Song in us BUt yet further The Lord God is our Song our Blessednesse that David speaks of and the Law that we delight in and tree of Life that brings forth all good fruit and all flesh is the chaff and like the wind the Spirit of the Lord shall scatter and divide it all bringing it to Judgment and flesh is that which rages and imagines vain things against the Lord and it is the Lord alone that shall sit upon the holy hill of Zion and breaks all flesh in pieces with its scepter Our flesh is the enemy that increases and rises up against us and the Lord and it is the Lord that Spirit that smites this enemy in the cheek bone and breaks the teeth of the ungodly so all salvation is the Lords and his blessing is his people Again The Lord is their Sacrifice of Righteousnesse their Wealth and Health and all the light of his Countenance is that which is their Life indeed the Lord is their Life and Peace that makes them to dwell in safety alone their wine and corn and oyl it is all with the Lord alone and nothing else What singing was there at the birth of Christ Jesus after the flesh How did the Angel Shepherds Joseph Mary Zachary Elizabeth Simeon and all sing How did they all magnifie the Lord and bless the Lord God of Israel What is it but an example of the heavenly Thing that when Christ Jesus is born in us and framed there there is singing and will be where the Lord lives But all the minstrels in the flesh are turned out and it calls them all madness yea there is a singing though we be in prison outwardly and great misery yet our joy none can take from us nothing can break out peace nor interrupt our melody nor quench our joy no man nor devil can take it from us SECT VIII §. 8 There is no singing in the strange Land till we come to the Lord himself YEt a word more this glory and perfect joy is not for them that live in the flesh nor in darkness or in the Kingdoms of this world There is nothing but howlings sorrows gnashing of teeth weeping and lamentations here as Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness were weary in their lives and full of groanings strivings and fightings But the songs are heard neither in Egypt nor in Babylon nor in the Wilderness but in Canaan here we hang up our
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