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
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
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
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
and glory in house and kingdom to them that would carrying it all away one day and take them captive so it is with many taken away by sorceries SECT XXXVII §. 37 The Comfort that the Lord comforts his people withal as the fruits of his coming THe Lord comforteth his people with these things 1. That their warfare is shortly accomplished 2. Their sins pardoned 3. The way of the Lord to be prepared in them the mountains there to be removed and the valleys lifted up there which is the poor in spirit to be comforted the rough ways made plain and the crooked thoughts made streight 4. Their flesh to be made like grass and toyling so that all flesh is grass 5. That the glory of the Lord is to be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the Lord hath spoken it 6. That Zion shall have all glad tidings in her that she shall cry behold my Lord and my God for he shall come with a strong hand and his arm shall rule for him Behold his reward is with him and his work before him 7. The Lord himself shall feed us as a shepherd doth his flock he shall gather his lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom leading them that are with young 8. Holding the waters in his hand spanning the heavens comprehending the earth weighing the mountains To whom the Nations are a drop and the Isles a little thing calling the stars by his names To whom then will ye liken me saith the Lord the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth that never faints nor is weary whose understanding is unsearchable that gives strength life and being to all things and to them that wait upon the Lord he renews their strength that they mount up with wings like Eagles they shall run and not be weary walk and not faint SECT XXXVIII §. 38 The Worm Jacob made strong FEar not thou Worm Jacob for I will help thee and be thy Redeemer I have chosen thee thou art my Servant and I will not cast thee away but will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness I will plant thee anew and none shall root thee up and every plant or idol that is in you shall become an abomination to you yea and the works of your own hands vanity and nothing and ye shall rejoyce in the Lord and all that strive with you shall perish SECT XXXIX §. 39 What the Lord doth for his Servants BEhold my Servants whom I have chosen mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon them and they shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles They are mine and not their own mine and not mens for no man can serve two Masters Behold they are excellent Servants whose service is perfect Freedom indeed and pleasure all his Words and Works Joy Peace and Righteousness for ever Again they are Servants of my own choosing calling fitting trained up by my self in my own house to serve me in Righteousness and Holiness before me And in whom my Soul delighteth Whom the Lord chooses he delights in them though they be but Servants the unworthiest of them nay and that with his Soul delighting himself in the prosperity of his Servants and whom he delights in he puts his Spirit upon them he can keep no good things from them yea all is theirs Heaven and Earth Christ the Spirit God and All. And lastly they shall by this Spirit overcome all things and bring forth Judgment unto Victory indeed SECT XL. §. 40 The sweetness and love of the Spirit of Christ in his HE shall not cry nor lift up his voyce nor be heard in the streets a bruised reed he shall not break nor quench the smoaking flax till he bring forth Judgment unto Victory he shall not fail nor be discouraged till he hath set up Judgment in the Earth and the Isles shall wait for his Law Thus shall it be with the Children of Jesus in whom Christ is formed the Spirit of Jesus is Love Meekness Sweetness Patience it seeks not revenge but in all things behaves it self comely in the streets abroad towards them without and at home towards them within it will offend none but help all SECT XLI §. 41 The smoaking flax and the bruised reed in us the little measure of the Spirit THe smoaking flax c. The lowest and darkest appearance of him is glorious he comes to his own and receives it if but a smoak he makes it a flame and such as sit in darkness he makes them to see light and where there is smoak and trouble of heart he takes away the dimness and makes the smoak to vanish and the fire of the Lords Spirit must burn us as flax and tow decay to nothing before we shall be good for any thing And the bruised reed also the Lord will not break he doth cherish and nourish it as the husband doth his wife the Lord rather doth bind up the reed then bruise it and makes the reed become a rod of iron to break in pieces the Nations the Potters vessels the fleshly man for the Lord can do nothing against himself SECT XLII §. 42 Flesh is deaf and blind the Lord seeing all things ANd the Lord will give himself for righteousness strength and light to the people eyes to the blind freedom to the prisoners I will no more give my glory to another I will make waste their mountains and hills dry up all their herbs and dry up all their pools and then will I bring the blind by a way they know not I will make darkness light before them and crooked things straight all flesh shall be deaf and blind and then shall they see even my Servant and my Messenger shall be blind that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. SECT XLIII §. 43 The blind and the deaf shall be Gods Witnesses BRing forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears for they are my Witnesses and my Servants whom I have chosen saith the Lord. For they beleeve understand and know that I am he and there is none besides me O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee and called thee by my name thou art mine Wheresoever thou goest I am with thee through waters rivers fire and all for thou art precious in my sight and honorable therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life Behold I will do a strange thing I will dry up all rivers and make a new river in the Wilderness and the Beast and the Dragon therein shall honor me for it and drink thereof and change their natures SECT XLIV I the Lord do all things §. 44 I Am the Lord and there is none else I the Lord do all things I make the Heavens to drop down from above and let the Sky pour down Righteousness and the Earth open and let them bring forth Salvation and let Righteousness spring forth together I
to have him bruised smitten to have his grace love mercy patience goodness bowels wisdom power all employed for our good this is the pleasure of the Lord and it did and doth prosper in the hands of Christ and that is the next thing when it makes us like Christ and like God when the will of the Lord is done in us when God dwells in us of a truth when we are made one with the Lord when we reign with him when the Lord is all when we are his pleasure and will SECT LXI §. 61 The Lord shall see us as the travel of his Soul ANd the Lord Jesus shall beget us and conceive us in the womb of his tender mercies and travel in birth with us and in the Day of the Lord we shall though with sorrow be the travel of his Soul and we shall see it and the Lord shall look upon us and notwithstanding all former sorrow it shall not be remembred for joy that we are brought forth holy to the Lord and the Lords Will and Pleasure Wisdom and Power Love and Mercy shall be satisfied in us SECT LXII §. 62 We are the Lords spoil and portion ANd the Knowledg of the Lord shall be known and his Wisdom understood and the righteous God shall be justified and we justified by him and in him for his Righteousness shall be in us and upon us we shall be his spoil and portion the Lord shall take us for his lot and the Lord shall be our portion and great inheritance SECT LXIII The Lord makes the barren to sing and to §. 63 bring forth gloriously FEar not neither be ashamed of thy reproach poor heart that art left like a widow and childless barren and fruitless thou that hast not travelled though thou wast married but not to the Lord Thou hast had many lovers and husbands but not thy maker thine husband therefore thou art confounded and in bondage weeping and lamenting as being left desolate Hear now what the Lord God whose name is the Lord of hostes thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth what he saith Sing O barren and break forth into singing for the Lord thy God will overshadow thee and thou shalt conceive in righteousness travel in truth and bring forth faithfulness the Lord will marry thee to himself and thou shalt bear many sons and daughters to the Lord for Righteousness shall be the fruits of thy womb and Peace thy daughters and Truth thy off-spring SECT LXIV §. 64 The seed of the living God out of a barren womb wonderful THe Lord thy Husband will enlarge thee all over none shall surpass thee thou shalt have more children then the married ones or the concubines thou shalt excel them all in singing bearing and bringing forth a multitude of Glory to the Lord thy womb shall be opened thy heart enlarged thy spirit strengthened thy seed multiplied thy bed stretched out thy tents widened and the curtains of thy habitation thy cords and stakes lengthened for the Lord will make the fruits of thy soul like the stars of Heaven or the sands on earth for number all the Plants of the Lord all his own begotten Sons and Daughters and born by the Spirit in whom he is well pleased thou shalt break forth on the right hand on the left every way beautiful and thy seed and children shall inherit and inhabit the desolate places and where it was said Ye are not my people there shall it be said Ye are the sons of the living God SECT LXV §. 65 The Lord thy husband that comforts thee THus the Lord hath delt with thee when thou wast as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit nay refused and rejected by all I found thee desolate and I married thee and received thee to my self and lay thee in my arms and bosom made thee to bear children thus with great mercies have I gathered thee though for a small moment thou wast forsaken and in a little wrath I hid my face from thee but I am returned to thee now with everlasting kindness and I will have mercy on thee without end for I am thy Husband and thy Redeemer SECT LXVI §. 66 I will be thy God and Husband from everlasting unto everlasting NAy now I will do more for thee then ever I wil never depart more from thee I will swear to thee as I did to Noah and give thee a better signe then I did to him the Rainbow in the Heaven that I would no more drown the Earth so will I do to thee the waters of my wrath shall never be upon thee my light and countenance lifted on thee but never taken off thee and this shall be thy token I will give thee my self in marriage and be thy Husband and thou shalt be without rebuke nay though mountains and hills be removed all thy comforts and comforters depart from thee yet shall never my kindness nor the Covenant of my peace be removed but I will keep thee in perfect peace for in the world flesh and darkness there is nothing but trouble vanity anguish torment and vexation but in me my Love Heart Spirit Light Life Truth and Kingdom thou shalt have peace be therefore of good comfort for I have overcome all to thee SECT LXVII §. 67 The foundation windows and gates of the Saints the Lords house and building of what precious stones it is SEe further how fruitful the Lord will make her and how beautiful all over though tossed and afflicted discomforted and perplexed behold the Lord will be thy foundation the living Stone shall be thy corner stone the Rock thy root and bottom wherefore saith the Lord I will lay thy stones with fair colours and foundation with Saphirs thy windows of Agates thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stoâ—es And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children Thus will the Lord glorifie thee for in righteousness shalt thou be established that shall be thy fair colours and Saphirs and without either oppression oppressor fear or terror and all that gather against thee shall fall by thee for I am with thee and as whatsoever is in thine hand hath this blessing it shall prosper so this shall be a curse to thine enemies that no weapon formed against thee my Holiness shall prosper and every tongue that riseth up against thee by preaching praying counselling or threatening shall be condemned This is the heritage blessing promise and portion of the servants of the Lord and all their worth and righteousness is from thee thou art the Lord their God thou sanctifiest them SECT LXVIII §. 68 The Lord is that water that wine and that milk to them that thirst after him and that hunger in him THe Lord Jesus Christ is all true and saving comfort and all kind of food is in him He is water to the thirsty wine to the heavy hearted milk to the
glorious presence of the Lord when he comes with so much brightness and glory then shall our Sun and Moon that is all our heavenly gifts graces ministries and administrations cease and go out give up their light and life as being darkened by this everlasting Light and Glory And the Moon turned to blood that is all our natural excellencies gifts parts relations portions possessions qualifications conditions whatsoever all our reason knowledg wisdom and understanding here below shall then appear as blood loathsom and filthy to us yea all shall appear vain and empty and instead of this Sun and Moon that is all earthly and heavenly things thou shalt inherit the Lord God himself most gloriously to be thy Sun that shall never set and thy Moon that shall never change for then thy God shall be thy glory and thou shalt be righteous and all thy people and shall inherit the land for ever the land of the living the living Lord to be planted as his branch there living in him as their vine even the work of his own hand that he hath glorified and a little one shall become a thousand and a small one a great Nation for the Lord will multiply and encrease them yea the Spirit of the Lord shall grow upon them and in them they shall put on strength dayly from strength to strength SECT LXXXV The Spirit of the anointing of the Lord §. 85 what works it doth binding and loosing doing all good THe Lords anointing of us with the oyl of his Spirit makes our hearts to overflow and speak of the loving kindness of the Lord to the humble and meek spirit it s a spirit of binding and loosing binding up the wounds and loosing the wicked bands a spirit of liberty to righteousness and opening and enlargement to the prisoners a spirit that doth and proclaims the acceptable works of the Lord a spirit of vengeance against sin and yet a comforter to the mourners it is the Spirit of the Lord that doth this it overcomes the spirit of sorrow and heaviness death and darkness it gives beauty for ashes joy for mourning praise for heaviness it makes them trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord to glorifie him it s a Spirit that is building up it doth nothing for destruction but all for edification and what unclean spirits have wasted and spoiled and wounded and consumed this Spirit of the Lord comes to us as a repairer of the waste places and the desolations made and to restore what is lost it makes us this anointing of the Spirit the Lords Priests yea the Ministers of God it shall fall upon the Gentile as well as the Jew and they shall eat the riches of his grace together I will give them everlasting joy and bring them into my everlasting Covenant and their seed shall be the seed the Lord hath blessed thou and thine shall be like the bride and the bridegroom deck'd with ornaments and jewels salvation and righteousness for their garments And thou shalt be like a fruitful garden righteousness and praise shall spring forth from thee and be the fruits in thee SECT LXXXVI §. 86 Our righteousness brightness and our salvation a burning lamp THe Lords zeal for Zion and his love to Jerusalem will not give him rest nor peace till he hath made our brightness righteousness and our salvation like the burning lamps for ever flaming and yet never ending being fed with eternity and all see the glory of thee and the Lords new name shall be in thy forehead which he shall give thee and write on thee We shall be the pure crown of gold which is a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and as a royal diadem with our God We shall be no more accounted forsaken or desolate as we were once but be termed Hephz-ibah the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land called Beulah thy land married for thy God shall marry and rejoyce over thee for ever SECT LXXXVII §. 87 The Lord thy Watchman day and night THe Watchman upon thy walls O Soul that never slumbereth nor sleepeth careth for thee and keeps not silence but remembers thee day and night neither will the Spirit of the Lord rest till thou art established and made a praise to the Lord in the earth Thou shalt not be spoiled any more by strangers nor thy corn wine and oyl devoured by them any more the enemy sin and Satan shall wrong thee no more nor the flesh plunder thee for thy salvation is come the Lord God is his name his reward with him and his work before him and the Lord shall call thee his People and his Redeemed sought out and not forsaken the habitation of the Lord through the Spirit SECT LXXXVIII §. 88 The Lords dyed garments coming from the great slaughter of his enemies sin and Satan THe coming of the Lord is with dyed garments glorious apparel travelling in the greatness of strength and righteousness to save us with might all over red with the winepress treading it alone trampling upon all thine enemies and mine in wrath and fury till the blood comes for I will take vengeance on all my adversaries now my Redemption is come to thee and I will help thee though there be none left else besides me I am alone and I will bring down all strength glory haughtiness and pride to the earth there it shall lie in the dust then shalt thou remember my loving kindness alone and praise me for all that I have done for thee When I was afflicted for thee and the chastisements of thy peace lay on me my presence saved thee and my love and pity redeemed thee and carried thee along in safety leading thee by the hand through the terrible wilderness and made my name glorious you are the habitation of my holiness I cannot forget you yea Abraham may though your own father or mother may cast you out of their Synagogue yet I will have thee to rule over them SECT LXXXIX §. 89 The Lords coming down with power to destroy flesh LOrd bow the Heavens and come down let the mountains melt at thy presence come amongst us like a melting fire to burn away all dross and iniquity that thine adversaries may tremble and perish in us and amongst us and do terrible things that we looked not for let sudden destruction come upon all flesh while it cries peace peace for eyes have not seen nor ears heard neither can the Natural perceive the things that are prepared of God for them that wait on him and that are to be fulfilled in him but thou art our God we know and we thy clay and thy work thy people and souls thou hast made le ts not be destroyed but make us a beautiful house to praise thee build us up and let not thy pleasant things lie waste but bring thy treasure to thy house and land SECT XC The Lord God is found of them that sought §. 90 not after him I The Lord