he hath not nor never will whilst the world stands Satan shall have his tongue loose to tempt some of his Saints and to accuse others for divers good reasons This is one When he cals on thee to commit this or that great sinne thou mayst call on Christ to keep thee from sinne A second reason is this When he accuseth thee for thy sinne Christ would have thee pray and crave his pardon for thy sinne yea beleeve it is pardoned notwithstanding his accusing thee which when thy soule doth by his power and strength in thee it brings much honour to Christ yea very much but I will not stand now to give thee any more reasons why Christ will not tie the Devils tongue But remember these two but the thing I said was Christ hath bound Satan hand and foot and so he hath from doing thee any mischeife fast enough and yet it may be he lyes thus bound in the middle of the floor as I said before and raves and curseth thee and stares at thee in thy house about thy calling and this causes a great deale of trouble in thy soule but when thy husband Christ comes home which will be at noon in his discoveries thy feare will be gone and thou with joy wilt tell thy neighbours I meane thy christian friends Againe Satan is bound from forcing thee if a maid should be tempted day and night to part with her virginity yet if she consent not and the other have no power but by consent what is she the worse or her chastity the lesser no it is rather greater if you will So I say to thee who talkst of Satans temptations what if Satan tempt thee day and night to part with thy virginity or resolution against such and such a sin Well Satan tempts to yeild yea tempts thee day and night doe not yeild by no means if he should goe to force thee Christ will come and helpe thee or at least excuse thee saying thou art yet his chaste and beloved Spouse and will not hide his face from thee for all that But in the fifth and last place whereas God saith They shall see my face It doth imply that great and sweet delight that God takes in his peoples presence God delights in all his workes but especially in his own people O Israel whom I have created God created all things for his praise but Israel especially more then all his whole creation God said of all his works that they were good serving some designe or other but Israel his glory O Jacob my servant and Israel whom I have chosen Isa 44.1 2 3. Feare not O Jacob my servant and Jeshurum whom I have chosen yea thou art chosen before all times and worlds Iacob have I loved saith God before Iacob had a being but he is now brought forth by creation for the glory of his grace that he might shew the greatnesse of his love to them in discovering of himselfe to be their God and Father which he doth in Jesus Christ who is the expresse Image of his Fathers person and so the very face of God as I may so say For in Christ he shewes himselfe to the Saints a Father of love and sweetnesse yea and a God and fountain too of all delights God discovers nothing in his Sonne but love delight and sweetnesse to the sonnes of men So that whereas God saith he will shew his face he meanes he will shew you Christ and in him his love delight and pleasure which when it is once discovered to the soule it so takes the soule that it cryes out O God who is a God like unto thee as Moses once said How great O God is this goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that serve love and feare thee As David once said O God in thy presence is life and thy loving kindnesse is better then life it selfe Psalme And therefore my lips shall praise thee nothing is better then life but his favour is better and sweeter too ten thousand times Doth the favour and smiles of a Prince so take the flattering Courtier that he blesses himself as it were in the obtaining of it and saith he is now a happy man he hath now the Princes eye and eare he more delights in me then all his noble favourites O happy christian favourite of God and Christ the Prince of princes and nations too as well as King of Saints how wilt thou be delighted in these delights of God set on thee and shewn unto thee in his Sonne It is said of him I will make my first born higher then the princes of the earth this is spoken of Christ but it is as true of the Saints in their creation being the cheife of it well God sets up these higher then the Princes of the earth as they are set up in his favour by his Son for his own glory to make himself a name by them Children saith Solomon are the glory of their parents and so are the Saints too of God namely the glorie of his grace by which he gets himselfe a Name and praise in the earth O Israel praise the Lord that made thee of nothing O house of Jacob praise ye the Lord O all ye servants of his praise him day and night for he hath magnified you by his grace in his Son and set you above men and Angels in respect of union and now where would the riches of this grace appear to the world but for the Saints The world is blind and sees no glory love nor sweetnesse in him but they in Christ see all namely a glory beyond all glories a love surpassing all a sweetnesse like a sea and they in the midst which fils the soules with admiration and makes them like David cry out and say how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up in store for them that feare and serve thee God hath laid up in store Jewels Crowns kingdoms nay more his own favour in Jesus Christ which they shall one day see and seeing say as once the queen of Sheba did to Solomon I have heard of thee but not of halfe thy glory So shall the Saints say we have heard much of thee O God and Father and of thy glory but never the halfe that we now see One said thou art a God of love and sweetnesse and another of all delights and pleasures but we never heard halfe we now see and find thee to be to our soules O had the world known thee they would have ownd thee and counted thy favour better then life it self or heaven either for it is thy presence love and favour makes the heavens heavens indeed to our soules O God we met with springs of it in the valley of tears but they were fountaines to us and filled our souls with delights Psal 84. v. 6. But now our joyes are double and fountaines too like seas which breaks up every moment with new and fresh discoveries and makes our soules admire and
A Little STREAM OF DIVINE Sweetness FROM The Living Fountaine for the Paradice of God LONDON Printed by G.D. sould by Tho Brewster and Greg Moule at the three Bibles in Pauls Church-yard neer the West end 1650. THE subject and occasion of this little Treatise fainting in the wildernesse of affliction I went to these Scriptures for recovery and on them spent some few meditations which I recommend unto the dead and livings view as vsefull unto both Rev. 3.21 To him that over comes will I give to sit with me in my Throns even as I overcame and am set with my Father in his Throne Rev. 21.2 And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband Rev. 3.2 Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man heare my voyce and open I will come in and sup with him Rev. 22.1 And he shewed me a pure River of water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lambe Rev. 22.4 And they shall see my face and his name shall be on their foreheads Doe not look but read and for what you profit let God have all the glory for to your sinfull friend there is none at all due To the right honourable his Excellency THO. Lord FAIRFAX Captain generall of all the forces in England and Wales c. NOble captain Generall will your Excellency once give leave to I dare scarce say what yet I beg as on my bended knee for the Spirits sake leave to shelter these few lines under your greatnesse hoping you will peruse them in a leasure houre not but that your breast hath sweeter things in it in which ye delight your selfe more then in all your victories pomps glory greatnesse which you are crowned with and admired for by all men good bad but the reason why I take this boldnesse is to present my thankfulnesse for your unwearied marches round about this kingdome in all houres and seasons I say for this and your many brave bold gallant charges where Cannons playd like thunder and bullets flew like Haile-stones driven by the winde such was that at Maid-stone and divers more besides but in these Christ did ever keep you with his life-guard of Angels and now hath brought you home from the fields of deadly slaughter to refresh your greatnesse now good men will bring presents or at least their thankfulnes as well as bad men court you for their owne advantage both the former I would doe as well as I can will your Excellency so take it my thankfulnesse it is and a present too like a glasse of Nectar from the Spirits breathings drinke it up my Lord for sure it will refresh you I know you may refuse it expecting the sonnes of Levi should all bring in their flagons full of rich and choycer liquor but they are many of them angry I cannot tell the reason why good men should be so unlesse they are weak and froward and know not what they would have but yet I think you value not the ingratitude of men knowing your reward is with your Lord and Master Christ the King of kings who will one day set you in his throne and glory for you have overcome you my Lord Tho. Fairfax have foyld and spoyld all yea all the mighty ones that have risen against us yea you I say with your gallant Champions have bravely done the thing once over and once again to that and with such expedition that the world round doth wonder for which wee hope though many stars or commets like to stars be fallen yet your honour glory shall endure like to the sun and moon for ever your merits with your Champions be remembred whilst one good man breaths in the nation And now wee who are private christians adde this short title to your Excellency the Saints Captain Generall next under Christ and when my Lord you need us wee are all in readines to pray to fight to live die at your command for Christ and this nation which now sits at rest but for taxes some poor and widdows wants who are all in hopes you will speake a word in their behalfe to those who soon can help them and surely will ere long though murmuring men say no. Well my Lord I say no more but the great Iehovah God Almighty blesse you make his face to shine in and from you al those who have followd you high and low in faithfulnes and unweariednes doing Christs and the nations work this is my wish to you and those who are sent over to the other nation by yours others commands to do Christs work and make him room for his Gospell and to this I wish O all ye Saints that love Christ your king his cause or these nations say Amen Amen as with one voice Your Lordships servant in Christ WILL. BLAKE To the Christian Reader TO the strong and to the weak to the merry and melancholy Christian I recommend these following lines which was pend in a wildernesse of affliction by the Spirits strength and power which hath emboldned me to present them to thy view and the worlds and that on serious consideration and some able Christians importunity But first I will tell thee what I was and now am that thou mayst see Gods goodnesse calling poore creatures out of darknesse to himselfe I was brought up by my parents in my youth to learne hall mary Pater noster the Beliefe and learne to read and where I served my apprenticeship little more was to be found but in that time I speake without any boasting to the praise of Gods grace he shind in some measure into me minding me of eternity and my soules condition which I saw and I still doe to be very sinfull Well I fell to reading the Practise of Piety Mr. Perkins and by these or rather the Spirit I got a little perswading of Gods love to my soule Well my time being out I set up for my selfe and seeking out for a wife which with long waiting and difficulty much expence and charge at last I got Four children God gave me by her but he hath taken them and her all againe too who was a woman of a thousand for good nature In six weeks time which must needs goe neer My eldest Sonne and daughter in a fortnight and my Wife a month after Well thought I if comfort be any where it is in God and so fell to meditating of these Scriptures but no more of this nor another tedious line onely mark Gods dealing with his people in afflictions which is most seen in that furnesse instance Peter Paul Daniel and the three Children Well friends what ever your afflictions or conditions be I know not but in these following lines lyes much comfort which I found in penning and I hope you will in reading for the glory all is yours and the sweetnesse too what is yours you may
downe with Christ in the throne of Christ It is said John leaned on the bosome of Christ O loving John O loving Christ to give such priviledge to a bold but loving sweet and humble sinner John John how couldest thou be so bold with Christ thy Lord and Master John t was love within that bosome that drawed thee there to rest and loll as in a lap it was love that drawed thee it was loue that laid thee in that same bosome but yet I say thy privilege far excels in sitting down with Christ in the throne of Christ Christ was in the form of a servant now Lord of all things Christ was then I say on earth with a mean out-side round about him but now surrounded with Angels with his title on his thigh King of kings Lord of lords Christ was then in rags but now cloathed with suns and stars Christ was then God-man unglorified but now glorified of God with that eternall glory of God which Christ had before the world was as Christ speaks John 17. O friends this glory like glistering diamonds sparkles round the heavens dazeling Saints and Angels Well friend is not thy privilidge farre above Johns to sit down with this Christ in his throne and glory side by side as I may so say Fifthly this sitting downe in the throne of Christ and the glory of God denotes honour what an honour is it for a beggar to sit at a Kings table you will say that is a great honour indeed but what is that to thine O gentle sinner to sit with God and Christ in glory Seemes it a small thing saith David to be a Kings son in law O but ye are the King of kings sons and daughters ye are the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 21 9. Come saith the Angel I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife nothing draws the eyes of the people to gaze more then the sight of the Bride and the Bridegroom Was the queen of Sheba so taken with Solomons glory that she cried out O happy are these that tend thee O Solomon Angels and Archangels will be taken with thy glory when this marriage shall be solemnized before the Father It was a question once What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour and delight in But I ask what shall be done to the man whom the King of kings delighteth to honour first he shall be arayed in pure white linnen which is the rigteousnesse of the Saints as in Revel He shall be cloathed with the Sun and trample the Moon under his feet I know the Saints shining forth in Christ are able in some measure to trample these changeable things by living farre above them in an unchangeable God by the Spirit of Christ living in them but so far as they are flesh they are apt to mixe themselves with these things below not knowing their majesty nor glory forgetting their descent but time is a comming that they shall know God know as they are known they shall know God with all his attributes and glory yea they shall know themselves with the glory designed for them Christ sayes John 17. The glory thou hast given me I have given them that we may be one O Father One part of Christs glory is this that the Father hath appointed the Son to judge the world and in this respect Christ will honour his Saints know ye not saith Paul that the saints shall judge Angels and men here they look like poor shrimps as they are cloathed with rags and flesh but when Christ shall appear then shall we appear with him in glory as the Apostle John speaketh O this appearance shall confound the world as soon as Christ hath confounded the world with his own and his Saints glorious appearing to the world then shall he sit downe in glory to rest himselfe as it were satisfied in the finishments of all his works and the Saints shall sit down by Christ as well pleased with Christ and all his works what an honour is this Well this honour all his Saints shall have Thy name O Lord it above the heavens saith David and as his name so his Saints too in seating them above Angels as taken into union with Christ and set down in the Throne of Christ What joy feasting musick is there at your Princes marriage dayes when solemnized O but when the Bridegroome and his Spouse the Bride the Lambs Wife shall sit down to solemnize that eternall match made up in the everlasting purpose and counsell of God the Father long before all worlds or the Foundations of them O what songs then what joy what praises shall Angels sing with lightsome hearts Yea I say Angels and this too shall they count their heaven and happinesse O thou melancholy Saint tossed with afflictions what thinkst thou of this day tell me tell me true sure thou dost not mind this if thou didst thou couldst never complain of wants losses if thou didst mind this day indeed this endlesse day when heaven shall ring with shouts and praises unto the Lord and unto the Lambe by Saints and Angels as with one voice Doth a little Instrument sweetly touchd take and charme the eare and Siren-like kill all other delights at least for present O how shall thy soul be taken yea taken and charmed to heare the Songs of praises unto the Lord unto the Lambe in that same day unto the Lord O that must needs have a sweet melodie in it which must touch and take that eare which made that eare by which weheare If all the skilfullest Musitions in the world should meet with every one the sweetest Instruments that could be thought on with all Solomons Singers yea and ten thousand more to them I say if all these should meet to try their skill and straine their voyces yet would the Songs the Praises of one bare Saint or Angel as farre excell them all for sweetnesse as they excell the Asses braying and if so what sweetnesse will there be when ten thousand times ten chousands of Saints with as many Angels shall all joyne as with one voice to sing their praises unto the Lamb O Christ how blessed is that soule whom thou wilt to sit in thy Throne to hear these Songs to heare these praises Sixtly This sitting down in the Throne of Christ and the Glory of God denotes joy and triumph It is said at Christs birth Angels and innumerable company of Angels was heard to sing and rejoyce Luke 2.13 Glory to God on high peace and good will to men on Earth Shall not this Song be sung again at that day when Christs marriage shall be solemnized a match of the Fathers own making Surely yea and the twenty four Elders shall sing worship God for ever Revel 18.20 O Heavens doe yee rejoyce and all yee holy Apostles and Prophets too At Israels victory it s said Deborah and Barak sung praises but for Christs victory and his Saints over Worlds Men Sinne Death
and Devils let all now rejoyce now let the Song of Moses be sung again Revel 15.3 Great and merveilous are thy work Lord God almighty just and true are thy wayes O thou King of Saints Who shall not feare thee give glory to thee and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy and all Nations shall come and worship thee for thy judgements are manifest How glad was Israel when David had slaine and spoiled Goliah O friend this David was a tipe of our David our Christ who hath foyld and slaine all for his Israel Let her therefore be glad and rejoyce in God her Saviour yea let her rejoyce now with Timbrell and Harp let the high praises be had in their mouthes and let them sing aloud his praises who hath now redeemed them from off the earth out of every kindred tongues and nations a people for his praises O Israel created for his praises praise thou the Lord O Jacob formed of God praise thou the Lord O all ye Saints of his praise him day and night O all ye Angels Archangels Cherubims and Seraphims praise ye the Lord for he hath magnified you Seventhly this sitting down in the throne of Christ or Gods glory denotes abiding we bid friends sit down when we would have them abide With us so by this sitting in the throne of Christ it denotes that Christ is willing thou shouldest abide and sit with him for ever I remember Peter having but a glimps of Moses and Elias glory in the mount saith thus to Christ O Master let us build here Tabernacles marke Peters desire was sure to live and die here O precious Christian thou shalt live and never die in this mount Sion where thou shalt see Moses and Elias again yea ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Saints as well as with as many Angels and God and Christ excelling all ten thousand times over and over again now Peter how much better will this be then thy wish to sit down in the glory of this God and throne of Christ One thing saith David I have desired of the Lord That I might dwell all the dayes of my life in thy house to behold the beauty of thy temple this is the wish of every gracious heart as well as Davids but here is more promised far more then this wish namely an abiding not onely in the house of God but a sitting in the glory of God with Christ where thou shalt sit time time out of minde Christ will never bid that soul sit up whom he once sets down in his throne Christ tels his Disciples because I live ye shall live also John 17. As if Christ should have said I cannot live without you and whilst I have a throne I must have your company O christian wert thou to be in heaven a few moments it would be a reward sufficient for all thou didst or ever sufferedst for Christ O happy christian thou shalt sit not onely moments but dayes moneths nay years nay ages yea more then ages as much longer then ages as all ages are longer then one moment one bare moment time shall be no more nor sin be no more nor sorrow shall be no more but thou shalt remain and be for ever with Christ in the throne of Christ O saith Daniel his Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome so may I say his throne is an everlasting throne David saith Though the heavens be changed and rouled up like a scrowle yet thou remainest the same so may I say of this throne O happy christian Princes would thinke themselves happy might they but sit but a few days more then ordinary in their thrones to reign in glory O friends Christ saith He that overcommeth shall sit with me in my throne as I have overcome and am set with my Father in his throne so that thou shalt sit with Christ and reigne as it were within the eternity of Christ O eternity O eternity when I think on thee how is times and worlds swallowed up and lost like little rivers in the ocean how are joyes griefs and sorrowes swallowed up by thee O Eternity like little fishes by the whales here one age passeth and another commeth all mouldering into eternity like flesh to dust here saith Paul we have noe abiding city but we have one to come aluding to what Christ hath promised O that can never be shaken all things here are and must be shaken yea the earth and heavens as Paul speaketh We see it we see it how are all earthly Monarchs shaken now in our dayes O me thinks Christ is now a shaking all powers in the world do not you see it nay do not you see them fall like our ripe fruit truely me thinks I see Christ hewing down Kings and Princes with a voice as loud as thunder crying room room for my selfe and my Gospel O how have these kingdomes been shaking and the mighty men overturned overturned by the voice which is still abroad thundring that the world round about may heare and make room for Christ and his Gospel and all that will embrace it but the heavens must be shaken the heavens that cover this earth and the heavens that covers Gods glory the glory of his free grace in Jesus Christ I mean mans righteousnesse that is now a shaking by the Spirit of the Lord by proclaiming Christ and his righteousuesse to the worst of sinners Men have thought by way of works to find life and salvation neglecting Christ at least in part by resting as it were on two propes Christ and their own works but know this Christ is all and now will be all or nothing at all your former Popish ignorance he winked at but now he wills that all men repent of this sinne self-conceitednesse O! Christ must be all in all but I shall step a little aside the thing I aime at is to tell you what that is that remaines and cannot nor shall ever be shaken by men or devils well heaven and earth must be but these two things cannot be First The righteousnesse of Christ in which he clothes sinners yea the worst of sinners that comes to him and makes them Saints O sinner sinner come to Christ honour him by comming and he will honour thee by giving his righteousnesse unto thee O this righteousnesse is the long white Robe in which all the Saints are clothed Revelations Sinner come and take this Robe come yee may have it come it is free yee may have it come it is free to all yea free to all that will accept it O come then come sinners all sorts of sinners high low rich poore young old bound free but if yee do not come then remember this I say remember this yee shall cry one day to the rocks and mountaines to fall on you and runne to the dennes and caves to hide your naked soules naked for want of Christs righteousness which yee once refused Secondly As the righteousness of Christ cannot be shaken so the throne
dwell for ever as David speaks in another case Secondly a thing may be said to be new in respect of reparation God dwels with his people O when God shall new pollish his temple and repaire all the wants of his people may he not then be said to new make his temple yea his presence with them is the glory of them Thirdly Jerusalem may be said to be new comparatively comparing it with old Jerusalem that was defiled this washed that decay'd and withered this fresh and lovely even as Bride Fourthly Jerusalem may be said to be new in respect of the manifestation God gave to John he never saw this new Jerusalem till now old Jerusalem hee had seene againe and againe but this new and lovely City he never saw before and therefore it was new to him for he had never till now the full discovery of it I shall wind up these former lines by a word or two to what I apprehend and have said of this City this holy City new Ierusalem which Iohn saw comming down from God But some may say your lines would have been more advantages to the Saints and Servants of God if they had beene on some practicall point O christian precious Christian let me tell thee nothing in the world doth more divinely fire the spirits of holy Soules then a spirituall discourse of the holy God and the holy City O did the Earthly christian but minde this heavenly Ierusalem how would his low and base affections loosen from the creatures pleasures and profits hear below or did the ignorant christian but know this holy City new Ierasalem how sweetly would this knowledge feed his soule if he did indeed divinely know this Ierusalem his soule would feed on this knowledge yea it would feed his soul as with marrow and fatnesse And if the fainting christian did but minde this holy City and his eternall rest in it how would hee pluck up his spirits this would be like the hony that Ionathan licked on which did so much revive his spirits O the knowledge of this holy City new Ierusalem it would make the blind christian see yea see and say O Ierusalem Ierusalem the holy City the City of the great King who may be compared with thee for the glory of the Lord is in thee the glory of the Lord is on thee thy Sun shall never set thy day shall never end thy sorrows shall be no more thy joy shall be for ever And now come yee lame christian and leap for joy for the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe will be their God and dwell with them and by dwelling with them wipe away all teares from their eyes so as they shall never sorrow more and death shall be no more for the fountaine of life shall live with them nay with them doe I say it shall live in them and they shall live in it and by it and to it for ever and ever wherefore leap and dance O thou lame soul Truly friends I know no portion in Gods Word like this and that which followes which I shall point at by Gods assistance to raise and cheare christians all sorts of christians blind christians deafe and dumb christians O but how do you call christians deaf blind and dumbe how well enough if they doe not heare with joy these things I think they are deafe and if they doe not see with an eye of pleasure with an eye of joy these things are they not blind I am sure they are little better and if they doe not sing for joy are they not dumb O christian I say thou art dumb if thou do not come away and sing O but what shall I sing and how shall I sing O Ierusalem Ierusalem thy warfare is accomplished thy sorrowes are over thy enemies dead thy God and thy Father thy Husband thy Christ is alive and he lives for ever for ever for thee for ever with thee for ever to thee let this be thy Song and the burden of it free grace free grace be sure of that but now not knowing but some uncleane wretch may read these sweet lines who lives loves and wallowes in his sinnes I shall not speake many words but one word I would speak to such a one O poore soule goe and weep weep weep seas if it be possible that thou shouldst be still in thy filth thy blood and thy sinnes O poore and unhappy man as sure as the Lord lives if thou be not washed by Christs blood faith and repentance thou wilt be shut out of this city amongst Dogs Sorserers and Whoremongers and Lyers which thou mayest thinke mee harsh for telling of thee but read I pray and consider Revel 22.15 and there it is written with a Pen of Iron what I say which thou wilt one day finde the truth of it and then what wilt thou then doe but mourne mourne bitterly mourne because thou didst not when time was mourne for thy sinnes but please thy selfe with a bare name of a christian when indeed thou wert in thy heart an enemy to Christ and his people But fiftly It is called new Ierusalem because it so farre transcends old Ierusalem I shall hint something breifly 1. In respect of her Foundation 2 In respect of her Builders 3. Her Materials 4. In respect of her Wals and Gates 5. In respect of her Watchmen 6. Her Glory 7. Her Light 8. Her Safety 9. Her Inhabitants But first For her Foundation which was but a common Foundation but thine O new Ierusalem is a choyce and pretious Foundation Christ in thee is the Fonndation of thee Secondly Old Ierusalems Foundation was a decaying mouldering Foundation but thy Foundation O new Ierusalem is the Foundation indeed the sure Foundation the lasting Foundation yea the outlasting Foundation out lasting time and ages therefore he is called the rock of ages the rock out lasting ages all ages and generations past and to come Thirdly Ierusalems foundation was but a single foundation but thine O new Ierusalem is the foundation of all foundations twelve foundations are laid upon thee on which twelve thousand soules have built yea twelve thousand times twelve thousand which if they had not they had been ruind yea soul and body for ever O yee unbelieving and fearfull Saints did you know your rocke and safety if you did though the winds blow and stormes beat yet you will not feare Fourthly Thy foundation O Ierusalem was but of yesterday and to day it is raised but the ancient of dayes is thy foundation O new Ierusalem so that thy foundation was for time before all time past and is and shal be to all time to come yea and longer too the Angel swore time should be no more God hath sworne by himself that thou shouldst be for ever the foundation of Ierusalem above the mother of us all and what shall I say of it O foundation foundation of Gods own
laying choise and precious strong and stable foundation time and age out lasting foundation heaven earth Saints and Angels foundation Secondly It might be very well called new Ierusalem if you consider her builders old Ierusalem was built by Bricklayers Carpenters and such like crafts-men the choysest of them but thou O new Ierusalem by God Christ and the Spirit therefore art thou said by Paul to be made without hands wee looke for a City whose builder and maker is God thy Husband is thy maker the God of the whole earth shall he be called thy God and he onely none laid one stone in thee but he none found a stone but he no nor stick nor straw as I may so say for he found all in his own eternall purpose O saith God this and this shall be a stone to make me a Ierusalem where I will dwell for evermore but these I will not use throwing millions by which was as likely as any if he had pleased to use them to set his glory of But as God found all so Christ beares all We on him are built saith Paul as a spirituall house unto the Lord built by the Spirit for as God findes all and Christ bears all so the Spirit builds all by his Word and Prophets Fourthly Ierusalem was built for the honour of the Jewish nation but thee O new Ierusalem for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who will shew his glory in thee because his love is set upon thee yea thy very gates more then all the dwellings of Iacob Fiftly Old Ierusalems wals and gates was but common stone but thine O new Ierusalem are built of all manner of pretious stones yea thy very gates are pearle O glorious city thy wals thy gates are precious living stones thy pavements are pure Gold Revel 21.18 O King Solomon where is thy glory all thy glory was but a dark shadow of this glory O Ierusalem city of the great King which he hath built for his Jewels and by his Jewels and the Sons of Sion more pretious then choyse Silver to dwell with him Christ and Angels for ever and ever Sixtly It is called new Ierusalem in respect of her watchmen and keepers O Ierusalem God did once set watchmen on thy wals but did they keep thee nay they could not keep thee they could not save thee for thou wast raced even to the ground But thou O new Ierusalem hath God and Christ within thee Angels round about thee well may thy gates be open day and night Revelations the 21. all safety is in thee all protection round about thee who was wont to be frighted from fears within and dangers round about Seventhly in respect of her light thy light O Ierusalem was not to be compared to thine O new Ierusalem thy light was but sun moon and creatures light but thy light O new Ierulem is this sun Suns and glory Angels are the sun of thy Sun and God is the Sun of Angels and glory too O new Ierusalem the glory of this God in thee is the light of thee the increated glory the uncreated glory O Ierusalem that is thy light therefore is thy light the light of lights and the light of life too the glory of the Lord and of the Lambe in thee are the light of thee O Ierusalem therefore is thy light the light of lights and the light of life too Now thou shalt need light of sun and moon no more no more for ever thou moon give place unto the sun thou sun give place unto the Lambe and unto the Lord for they must shine and ye must out for ever and let them shine thy day throughout thy long and endlesse day thy nightlesse day thy time and age out-lasting day It is said Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day O ye seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob rejoyce in this your day for it will make amends for all your nights your nights of sorrow fear and trouble your longest nights your darksome could and stormy ones yea David tells you so saying though sorrow endure for a night yet joy commeth in the morning I this morning hath a noon of joy in it this mornings dawning hath and when ye by its dawning see O then what joy what peace what hope what rest thou canst not tell but doest enjoy thy wish thy would thy onely wish thy onely would which when thou hast thou ever cravest just as the child which suckes and cries and craves but hath Eightly it is called new Ierusalem in respect of her glory thy glory was gates walles temple towers riches strength and numeration of people But for thy glory O new Ierusalem it doth more excell all this then ever Solomons did the poorest Pesant for this read the 60 of Isa Arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is risen on thee the full glorie the true glorie which Moses could not behold and live no man can see my glory and live saith God to Moses but to thee O new Ierusalem when darknes shal cover the earth with al the dwellers therein then shall the Lord arise upon thee and his glorie shall be set and seen on thee yea such a glorie which shall confound the world yea confute the world of madnes and folly the world hath never seen thy glorie O new Ierusalem but when it doth shame shall cover her face and for shame shall kings and princes call to the hills and mountaines to fall upon them O Ierusalem the Gentiles shall walk in thy light then shalt thou see and shine and be astonished at thy own glorie the seas shall convert her treasure and the Gentiles their riches to Midian Ephah and Sheba shall bring their gold and incense unto thee for I will saith God beautifie the house of my glory verse 7. The yles shall waight upon thee the ships of Tharshish shall bring their sons their gold and freely offer to thee because of the name of the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel hath glorified thee Kings shall minister unto thee therefore thy gates shall be continually open they shall not be shut day nor night verse 12. and those kings and nations that will not serve thee shall be utterly destroyed O when will kings and nations minde this prophesie till then they will never submit their proud hearts cannot submit to lick the dust of thee O Ierusalem as David speaks Psalme But they shall submit like Iosephs brethren yea they that did afflict thee shall fall down at the soles of thy feet and call thee Sion the holy One of Israel And whereas thou hast been despised so that men went by thee I will make thee an eternall glory and a joy from generation to generation and thou shalt suck the milk of Gentiles and the breasts of kings yea the breast of Christ as I may so say the King of kings in whose breast lies a sea of sweetnesse where you may suck and smack smack and suck I and so
ye shall time out of minde suck for thirst and thirst by sucking because of sweetnesse divine time and age outlasting sweetnesse Tenthly it may be called new Ierusalem in respect of her safety thy safety O Ierusalem was but men and walles and creatures strength but thine O new Ierusalem is God in thee and his salvation round about thee is the safety of thee Salvation will God appoint for walles and bulwarks Isaiah 46.5 In the midst of her the Lord doth dwell she shall no whit be moved Psal 48.8 As we haue heard so have we seen in the city of our God our God will establish it for ever and ever Isaiah 65 21. They shall build houses and inhabit them plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them Paul speaks of a city sure and stable which cannot be shaken or moved but for old Ierusalem it was shaken and ransact too and so shall all the cities in the world first or last but thou O new Ierusalem city of safety city of rest blessed city everlasting joy and safety is in thee Againe in respect of her inhabitants in thee O Ierusalem was clean and unclean circumcised and uncircumcised many were called Iewes which were not Iewes but were the very Synagogue of Satan Revel 3.9 But for thee O new Ierusalem no unclean thing shall come into thee God and Christ will keep out of thee every uncircumcised sinner I say Christ will see who comes into thee O new Jerusalem Friend where is thy wedding garment bind him hand and foot cast him out I will not have any unclean thing here saith Christ in any wise Revel 21.27 He is unclean that was never washed in the fountaine of Iudah and Jerusalem which stands open for sinners therefore saith Isaiah henceforth shall come no more into thee the uncircumcised and unclean Again in respect of her temple in thee O Ierusalem was Solomons temple but it was but a typicall temple but in thee O new Jerusalem is the true temple indeed Rev. 21.2 I saw no temple there saith John for the Lord God and the Lambe was the temple of it Ah! blessed temple God and Christ who would not worship here One thing saith David have I desired of the Lord that I might dwell in his house all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord. O David here is thy wish and more for thou shalt not onely dwell in his house but dwell in himsef for God will now dwell with his Ierusalem and be her temple O thou needest no other temple now to offer thy sacrifices for here shall all thy sacrifices of thanksgiving be continually offered unto the Lord and unto the Lambe for he is thy temple now where thou and all thy fellow Saints must offer their sacrifices and sing their thankfulnesse for evermore But I shall now hint at the last of these words I saw her comming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband First I conceive she may be said to come from God as being borne of God Christ speaks of some in the first of Iohn which were not borne of man nor the will of man but of God a thing is said to be borne of that of which it had its first being O Ierusalem in this sence thou mayst be said truly to be borne of God and to come downe from God for where hadst thou thy first being surely in God yea there thou hadst a being long before all beings there wast thou begotten indeed begotten in his purpose and in his love yea borne from everlasting and therefore art thou Melchisedek-like without Father or Mother and hadst thy being only in the purpose of God O how admirable it is to thinke how long as I may so say God did travaile with his Ierusalem a woman travailing but a few months is in paine and longs for deliverance But O God thou didst with thy Ierusalem not for a few months or yeares but a time longer yea farre more longer then a thousand yeares to a single moment from everlasting was thy travaile But O God was there not a longing in thee or was it else a pleasure to thee it was both it was both O my deare Ierusalem For first It was a pleasure to mee in all the time I bare thee my pleasure was I had thee my pleasure was I bare thee yea a satisfying pleasure or if thou wilt delight for I tooke solace in compassing the earth and my delight was in the sonnes of men O God seeing thou hadest many Angels why couldst thou not be satisfied I wanted sonnes and daughters that they might be my heires we are now the sons of God and if sons then heires yea joynt heirs as the Apostle speaks But ah Lord thou hadest a sonne and heire before but I had not sonnes and daughters to make me a Ierusalem where I might shew my glory O Lord hadst thou not ten thousand times ten thousand Angels Cherubims and Seraphims Yea but all they were not halfe enough for me to shew my glory too therefore I appointed as many more Ephes the 1.14 That they should be to the praise and glory of my grace And so likewise in the 5. vers He hath predestinated us saith Paul through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will that we might be to the praise and glory of his grace as well as Angels But were not all man kinde appointed to set forth his glory Yea they were so But shall they see his glory No no But why not Because God will have mercy on whom he will Rom. the 8. But doe not question no further about this but returne backe to the question which was Whether there was not a longing in him to see his sonnes and daughters with whom he travailed though that too were a pleasure Alas he could not but long to see them whom he had so long borne in his purpose and nature it selfe will answer this Doth not the Mother long to see the Childe shee bare Surely yes the Parent longs to see his Childe so doth God his People too Yea how can he but long to see them seeing they are his own from everlasting begotten in his purpose and brought forth by his providence into this world where he a while nurseth them amongst the vulgar people of this world though they be Princes in respect of his eternall thoughts towards them yet I say they are nurst as it were and hardly kept for a few yeares til he send for them home by death and angels who indeed did alwayes tend those Princes from the womb for they have a charge with his sonnes and daughters to keep them in all their wayes whilst they live tend their soules whilst they die and surely no Ladies are readier to receive a Princesse into this world to present it to the King its Father then Angels are the soules of his Children when they dye the Angels mind the very bodies of these Children
comming down as a Bride and now what shall I say of this Jerusalem comming down in her bravery First she is richly cloathed for it is in the righteousnesse of God which is sometimes called a decking or trimming with ear-rings or jewels Isaac trimmed Rebecka so and how lovely was she then in his eyes surely very lovely O when Christ shall look on his Rebecka trimmed with his righteousnesse as with ear-rings and jewels how lovely will she then be will he not then say Thou art all faire my love thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes as Solomons songs 4.9 Yea she will ravish as I may so say the very heart of God to behold her in his Sons righteousnesse or bravery in the day of her espousals to him when she is thus cloathed as a Bride for Christ the King of kings O now who can behold any deformity in her she is invisibly cloathed and covered with his righteousnes from head to foot as I may so say FINIS Revel chap. 3.20 Behold I standat the doore and knocke and if any man hear my voyce c. I Shall very briefly hint at these words without any preface at all Behold that is a word seriously to consider 2. The Person I what I is it I the Lord of life light and glory 3. His Posture Behold I stand I the King of Kings and Lord of Lords O high and low great and humble Christ 4. the Place Where is that At the doore Behold I stand at the doore 5. Behold I stand at the doore not gazing up and down but I stand knocking for this end to see if any man will heare and open and then I will come in and sup with him or refresh him with my presence But first Behold this is a word never used in Scripture but upon some very serious great and weighty matter this word Behold in Scripture is like a fiery Beakon on a mighty Hill which is to give warning to all Inhabitants round about or like the silver Trumpet in the Law which was blowne to call the People of God together to the worship and service of God or like a Larum in the night to the Souldier which cries arme arme arme all or like an Ensigne or Banner which being displaid gathers all to heare and see For these reasons the Spirit useth it in Scripture Bhold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne and his name shall be called Jesus Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world John 1.29 Behold I come quickly Revel 3. And so in the last of the Revelations to which the Spouse saith Amen come Lord Jesus come quickly Secondly Take notice of his patience Behold I stand I the Lord of life and glory I the Saviour of the world I the Sonne of God the Lambe of God that was dead but am alive and live for evermore I that have this title on my thigh the King of Kings and Lord of Lords with the keyes of death hell in my hand binding loosing and remitting whom I please Thirdly His Posture he stands he sits not Behold I stand and knocke What is that wait for admittance which doth denote his humility and patience O humble Christ Lord of life light and glory King of Nations Saints and Angels how dost thou abase thy selfe to wait the sinners leisure If a great man should wait at a beggers doore how would men wonder Loe Christ waits at thy doore O beggerlesse sinner here is humility indeed Christ the King of Kings who hath ten thousand times ten thousand Angels at his heels waits at thy doore O gentle sinner did you ever see a Prince with his Nobles waiting at a beggers doore no I dare say no but heare is Christ the Prince of Princes waiting at the sinners doore whilst Angels and arch-Angels waits for a beck with all readinesse to doe his will and this they count their heaven too Princes uses to send their pardons to malefactors but Christ brings them and waits the sinners leisure too Christ seeing thou hast abased thy selfe God shall highly exalt thee above all the Princes of the Earth and Angels too in Heaven for to which of them hath he said Sit thee on my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstoole O all must submit to Christ and therefore it is said At his name shall every kneee bow both in heaven earth and under the earth that is to say Angels men and Devils must submit or be disposed by his appointment to light life and glory or wrath hell or darknesse even which he please but it denotes his patience too as well as humility if men be not ready to receive courtesie we usally withhold them But Christ waits with patience the sinners leisure who is ever busie when Christ comes to him in his house or calling the pleasures profits of the world buying selling eating drinking marrying like the old world who could not all heare Noahs preaching no more then they at Christs knocks O Christ Why shouldest thou wait seeing the sinner is so carelesse to neglect his own welfare Because I am God and not man and my patience must be like my selfe farre above yours as the Heavens are above the earth so is my patience above all Men and Angels and if it were not so I should have no admittance no where for I come to no sinners doore but they make me stand and wait sometimes they doe not know me and sometimes they will not know me and seldome it is too they minde me unlesse it be in some great trouble sicknesse death or danger and then they cry help help with their bitter teares helpe O Christ helpe which many times I doe and after comes and sees them Doctor like when they are well and free but then they think I am paid by their old prayers and so will scarse admit me or desire me to sit down my company now is burthensome though once they thought it otherwise in their distresse and misery But O Christ thou art the desire of all Nations who would not desire and minde thee for thou givest Jewels Crownes and Kingdomes yea Life Light and Pardons to all that do admit thee but even the sinner mindes not nor knowes not thy gifts nor the richnesse of it or at least way see no want of pardon light or knowledge no if he did he would not stay so long waiting at his doore how long O Christ ten yeares at some and twenty yeares at others yea forty yeares have I waited till I was greived with them and swore they should never enter in unto my rest Well sinner happy is it Christ hath so much patience to waight thy leasure do not abuse this patience lest he leave thee and forsake thee and swear against thee by damning of thee for neglecting and abusing his goodnesse many poor souls are in hell now for this very sinne neglecting Christs patience standing at their hearts knocking for admittance
you know who I mean in a mysticall way from one to another till all be halfe drunk and then they depart with an equall proportion toward the shot but I will bid these good night and come closse to the matter in a spirituall way for I think it as vain to speak to them now as it is to expect a swallow in winter Well the next thing is the place where Christ knocks which is the door O that is without you know who is without why who is within that the King of glory is without why who is within that Christ stands without sinne Satan the world pleasure profits and they alwayes keep Christ without till he breakes in and whips these buyers and sellers out of his Temple which Christ sometimes doth as well as once those out of Solomons Temple but for present Christ is without Christ the Lord of life and glory who stands with pardons peace and mercy for their soules if he might once be admitted but what if he be not then they are undone for they must die without them and be damned too for the abuse of his patience therefore minde it carelesse sinner before Christ goes and takes his leave for knocking any more which Christ will one day doe when he cannot have admittance for the worlds pleasures profits But sure it is impossible Christ should be without whilst they are within nay it is true enough doe you not heare him knock I heare some body but I doe not think it is Christ you doe not thinke it is Christ sometimes you doe not heare at all for businesse and sometimes you doe not heare for carelesnesse when shall Christ have admittance when when I am for my selfe saith the servant and can tend to open and when I have this or that estate saith the worldling and for every childe a portion so saith the vaine christian or much to this purpose when I have my swing of pleasure I will tend Christ and till then he must wait and thus the servant puts off Christ for freedome and the worldling for estate and the luxurious for his pleasure all abusing Christ and his patience too But if these delayes Christ should take for full and flat denyals what will then become of their immortall soules worth more then crowns and kingdomes or ten thousand worlds because they are immortall and breathed once from God But now must die in their sinnes as Christ told the Jewes and perish too for him and now they had been happy if they had never heard of him nor his knocks neither which seeing they have slighted shall damne them with a vengeance But how doe you know it is Christ that knocks Poore simple soule doe you not know it that seemes thou art not much acquainted with Christ nor his knocks when thou dost not know that when the Servant knowes his Master and the Childe his Parent every thing knowes more then thee the Sheep the Shepherds whistle the Bee his own Hive and the Asse his Masters Crib but my People knowes not me saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah But I will helpe thee what I can to learne Christs knocks expecting thou wilt open when he comes againe 't is Christ knocks mark me First I know it is Christ that knocks he knocks thunderingly or loudly 2. I know it is Christ that knocks by his still and soft knocks 3. I know it is Christ by his slow and leisurely knocks 4. I know it is Christ by his sweet and pleasant knocks 5. I know it is Christ by the place he knocks at the doore where he usally comes in and not at a window or a by way But why doth Christ knock so loud and thunderingly He thinkes you are asleepe or dead sure as every man and woman too is by nature and therefore saith Christ The dead shall he are my voyce and live as in John 5.25 This Christ doth not meane of the day of Judgement though that be true that by Christs voyce and power the dead shall one day heare and every man be started from his grave some for glory most for wrath and vengeance or execution like malefactors with chaines of guilt about their necks and consciences binding up their feares about them which heavier laies then milstones O how dreadfull will this resurrection be when millions of ungodly soules shall come to joyne with cursed bodies It is said Iephthah wept and tore his haire when he saw his daughter and the Virgins of Israel come to meet him but surely this meeting of damned soules and cursed bodies will bee much more bitter to thy body who laid in dust silent free from paine happy were it for thy body if it might still live with wormes and mouldring rottennesse and silent darknesse but it cannot be Christ must have thee out and judge thee too for thy ungodly deeds and acts as well as reward his Saints for all their works wrought by his Spirit in their soules But I shall forget my selfe The thing was that I was speaking too Sure Christ knew the sinner was asleep or dead that he did not open and truly a sinner may be well said to be dead till Christ comes to live in him because Christ is the Fountaine of life and therefore if Christ be not in the soule it must needs then be dead at least in a spirituall sence for want of Christ for as the soule is the life of the body so Christ is the life of the soule and therefore when thou keepst Christ out thou keepst thy soule from thy soule O death and sleepy sinner But why doth he knock so softly because he would not fright you Christ would come in a milde and gentle way and not in a furions way which he often doth to many soules who hath long kept him out by delayes and sinnes but Chrisst doth not alwayes doe so You know he discoursed and reasoned himselfe at the Well of Iacob unto the Woman of Samaria and invited himselfe to Zacheus house bringing salvation with him and so did not at all fright the little man though a great sinner the Ethiopian found Christ in his chariot by reading of Isaiah and many a soule doth the like by a good booke reading in a private way where Christ comes breathing life and peace to their soules as once to the Disciples when the doores was all shut and they met in a roome where Christ comes and breathes the holy Ghost on them But Thirdly Why doth Christ knock so slowly that you might consider who it is that knocks and opens to him the Turtle hath a sweet and penetrating voyce but the most slow of any creature you seldome heare her often at one time but she cals her mate once and then is silent for a while and then she sweetly cals againe in a mournfull way even to the peircing of a mans heart as it were with her sweet and serious yet dolourous call but with a pretty distance of time between every call
thy comfort when I have learnd them this lesson I do give them back their estates again with interest twenty in the hundred and so I do their parts with the same advantage but O Christ wilt thou do so by mee if I give thee my whole estate gifts and parts Friend I alwayes do so trust me try mee prove mee O Christ I will I will well friend let me tell thee as I am Christ thou shalt never lose by it but shalt have the light of life and glory to the bargain O but what doe ye meane by Christs slow knocks I mean all the good purposes he puts in your soules as to read a chapter go to prayers in the sence of his goodnesse to hear a sermon to lead a new life to serve God better and therefore friends as you vallue Christs company or your own souls looke to these knocks of good purposes by Christs knocking in your hearts Many soules are damnd in the yeare for neglecting these purposes O saith one I was going for to open but I think I was bewitched by my old companions and I too saith another but there came some to buy commodities and kept mee in my shop and I too saith another but my friends began to jear and said I would not now turn fool would I to open unto Christ all the world would but laugh at me to minde him so soon before the worlds profits pleasures which every one almost feekes first of all and then Christ when they die which was one Mr. Carefulls speech to his son Worldling many yeare agoe which I thinke all his sons did very much mind and ever since have practised but Zacheus a convert by Christs knocking at his heart and inviting of himself to dinner But thirdly what do you mean by Christs slow knocks evening meditations telling thee of death and eternity the vanity of the world the emptinesse of the creature the necessity of himself O saith Christ the world is vain by knocking at the soule Solomon hath found it so and all the sons of wisedome too One said it would not satisfie the soule of any man no more then mitigate the paines of the body another said it was changeable like the Moon and weather sometimes in Eclins sometimes clear again not a moneth constant all the yeare about but altering mens conditions who live below the Sun sometimes into sear sometimes into care seldome out of trouble all the yeare about which are so strong in many that they can scarcely sleep either day or night and still after the world which changes like the Moone O happy were it for these soules if Christ would knock or tell them they are dead and buried in cares of the world and so raise them up to live in himself and minde the other death and eternity beyond O death and eternity who mindes yee and yet thou kilst and hourds up all yea all high low rich poore young and old in thy two garners of hell and heaven but the Saints onely there which Christ fetcheth in by his serious knocks Fourthly I mean by Christs slow knocks his night knocks of affliction such as straits wants sicknesse reproach and disgrace O friends Christ knocks at the door of your hearts by all these blessed and for ever blessed is such a soule that heares Christ by these kinde of knocks But what doe you meane by Christs sweet knocks I meane by Christs sweet knocks his telling thee of thy Fathers love the strength and length of this love with thy interest in it O saith Christ my Father so loves thee that he thinks nothing too dear for thee God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son yea and more he could not give for in him he gives himself and all we have and all we need and therefore saith the Apostle Seeing he hath given us his Sonne how shall be not with him give us all things life pardon heaven happinesse and salvation and therefore Christ is called The Guift of God John 7. Hadst thou known the Guift of God saith Christ to the woman of Samaria and indeed to this Guift all is nothing If a Prince should give his favour what was that to Christ If he should give thee houses mannours lordships what was that to Christ If he should give thee crownes and kingdomes what was that to Christ honours mannours lordships crownes and kingdomes are but nothing unto Christ the Gift of God to a poore sinner well might Paul say O the height depth and breadth of this love which he acquaints the soule with by his sweet knocks and of his interest in it too O saith Christ to the sinner It is firmely set upon thee and cannot be removed mountaines may be moved but my Fathers love cannot though the mountaines should be removed yet my loving kindnesse will I not remove Men cannot Devils cannot move it sinne cannot move it If my Children forsake my Law yet my loving kindnesse will I not take away saith God by David Mark my loving kindnesse will I not take away I will onely visit them with a rod O saith Christ once beloved and ever men may love and hate but God cannot he is unchangeable Mal. 3. and so is his love too his love is grounded in his Son and spread in all relations to shew the greatnesse of it the Friend loves as a freind the Bridegroome as the Husband the Father as the Parent but Gods love is all at once yea all and more then all ten thousand times over and over againe to that And therefore saith the Apostle Behold what manner of love is this how great how sweet how deare how neare is this Father Friend and Husbands love As a Bridegroom rejoyces over his Bride so will I rejoyce over my People to doe them good saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah Well Friend Christ acquaints the soul of this love by his sweet knocks which even melts it like the Suggar in the Wine But secondly I meane by Christs sweet knocks his acquainting thee of the Fathers glory thy interest in this glory Gods glory make the heavens heaven and fils the heavens too and makes them heavens indeed to Saints and Angels and all that doe dwell there Paul had once a glimps of this glory and it was unutterable Moses with the very conceit of it forsook Pharohs court and chose rather to be afflicted with the People of God then to live in his court and glory and be the Sonne in law to that great King of Egypt Paul having once a glimple of it desires to dye and be dissolved that he might enjoy it David cries out saying It is wonderfull yea it fils Heaven and Earth saith he in his Psalms And so it shall thy soul too saith Christ by his sweet knocks at the heart O saith Christ I will fill thee with this glory and wrap thee in this glory and cloth thee head and foot and thou shalt be like Solomon yea like
would acquaint thee O foolish simple sinner And if thou didst but minde mee in this how I am one with thee in all conditions and so will be to all eternity thy head and husband vine and glory But fourthly I mean by Christs sweet knocks his acquainting thee of thy union with him as well as his with thee by which Christ saith to the sinner thou art righteous in my righteousnesse and comely in my comlinesse and so farre faire yea altogether lovely there is no spot nor wrinkle in thee now none that I can see or my father either Who shall lay any thing to the charge of thee my love my dove my undefiled one it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33.5 and I that died who dares to question thee my sister my Spouse my love my dove my undefiled one Cant. 1.2 3. If men doe it it is no matter if sinne do it it is no matter if Angels do it it is no matter what if sin Satan men and devils Saints and Angels all accuse thee and thy self too seeing I am he that justifieth all can doe thee no hurt and therefore be not thou abasht for I will bear thee out against all Sin death men and devils if thou wilt stick to me by beleeving in me but if thou dost not tossed thou wilt be and tumbled foyld thou wilt be and spoild of all thy hopes and comforts joy rest and peace which lyeth in my union with thee and thine with mee And therefore now stick to me for I will unto thee le ts see who dares condemne for I am he that justifieth in spite of men and divels all that comes to me and beleeveth in me and will do so still while my name is Christ Fiftly I know it is Christ by the place he knocks at the doore which is the heart of the sinner Well what of that first it is the most secret and retired part of man a place indeed which none can speak to but Christ I have had ere now many speak to my eare but never any but Christ could speak to my heart many would speak to my eare but that I little regarded now Christ speaks to my heart and this I cannot but weigh Light things were spoken to my eare O but Christ speaks serious things to my heart things concerning Gods glory things concerning my soule yea the everlasting welfare of it O this hearts speaking must be weighed O this hearts speaking must be considered it is as much as my life is worth yea it is as much as my soule is worth I have heretofore heard talke of Christ I have heretofore read of Christ I have heretofore disputed of Christ O but I never till now knew what it was indeed to hear Christ or speak with Christ or converse with Christ either nor thousands in the world as well as I that would be thought good christians and do passe for good christians by many O but now to my comfort I taste him now I see him now I feele him now I enjoy him and from this tasting seeing feeling and enjoying my soule is ravished my heart is warmed I am now filled with marrow and fatnesse Psalm Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better then wine Cant. 11. v. 1. Yea then life it selfe so saith David I will now sing of my beloved he is the lilly among the valleys Cant. 2.1 2 3 4. Hee is the rose of Sharon he is white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 The chiefest of ten thousand the sweetnest of ten thousand for beauty love and sweetnesse there is none that can come neere him They are mad that minde him not they are mad that know him not they are mad that seek him not did men know as I do did men see as I do and enjoy as I doe they would say as I say they would sing as I sing Thou O Christ art beautifull thou O Christ art sweet thou O Christ art lovely yea altogether lovely thou O Christ art all yea stil I say thou art all all for beauty all for pleasure all for profit all for sweetnesse pure divine sweetnesse yea they would cry out thou art all thou art all thou art all O Christ At all times in all places and conditions all in wants all in straights all in peace and plenty all in bondage all in fredome all in health all in sicknesse making health by thy presence O Christ I say no more but thou art all in life and he that hath thee shall never die John 4.10 John 11.26.27 but shall live for ever with thee and therefore thou art all O Christ all in life all in death and eternity too 3. Col. v. 11. Revelat. chap. 22.1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life cleare as chrystall proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lambe THIS Revelation was showne to John the bosome Disciple of Christ Whence observe that divine glorious and spirituall revelations are to singular men to an Abraham will God discourse even as a friend God must acquaint Abraham with his intention concerning Sodom and Gomorrah before he can doe any thing How shall I doe this thing or hide it from Abraham saith God O the secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that feare him often did God appeare to Moses and once he caused his glory to passe before him and proclaimed his name unto him I am the Lord the Lord gratious and mercifull pardoning iniquities transgressions and sinnes Exod. 33.18.19.20 Jacob wrestels with God and sees Christ in both his natures in a dream of a lader reaching from earth to heaven The Angel Gabriel was sent to Daniel to comfort him and strengthen him and at another time he appeared saying Daniel singularly Beloved I am come to comfort thee to strengthen thee peace be to thee be strong be strong and I will shew thee that that is revealed in the Scripture of truth Christs Kingdome the glory and dominion of it Antichrists kingdome with the 〈◊〉 of it and all the Monarchies besides small and great standing before Christ giving an account to Christ Christ was so revealed to Isaiah that foretold all almost he die or suffered his riding to Jerusalem and the manner of it Mary Magdalen shall conceive of Christ by the power of the most high over shadowing her and in her armes shall carry him that made the world her God and Saviour from place to place Paul was strook to the ground by Christ after taken up into the heavens with seeing such things that was unutterable So John sees here the Throne of God the Glory of God the River of Life the Tree of Life Secondly All glorious discoveries are of Christ and the Spirit He shewed me the River of life yea all my revelations as chap. 1. v. 1. and therefore it is called The revelations which God gave by Iesus Christ to shew unto his Servants of which it is said Blessed
doe you doe quoth he yee doe not to any purpose witnesse your whining pining sithing and continually sorrowing after a husband a wise a childe And how doth another complaine for losse of trading O my poverty comes on me like an armed man mistake me not I know christians have bowels of compassion more then any and may moderately complaine for friends and want but should they should they greive as men unhappy without hope of ever enjoying of that they they have lost No no they should not my Husband is dead but my Christ is alive and lives for ever my Wife is dead yet am I the Spouse of Christ and because he lives I shall live John 17. I have lost my Childe but yet am I the Child of God the Son of God Heires joynt-Heires with Christ my estate is spent and because of that the world will not smile friends look strange because of poverty I was wont but now cānot see their faces in my distresse well what of that art thou troubled at this O happy christian God hath promised that thou shalt see his And they shall see my face saith God Rev. 22.4 the words I first named what is that thou calst thy face O my God what is it this my glory man O Lord how wonderfull is that Heaven and earth is full of thy Glory Psal 8.9 all the glories of this world are but shadowes of thy glory yea all the glory of Heaven Angels and arch-Angels Cherubims and Seraphims are but the reflecting shadowes of thy glory thy uncreated glory thy increated glory O my God when Moses begged to see this thou wouldst not alas poore soule he could not No man can see my glory and live but time is a comming when they shall see my glory my naked glory and live yea live by seeing and see by living by living in it by living to it in singing praises alwayes before it and then O happy Christian shalt thou forget all former things all former sorrows all former feares all former griefs O how then will these things passe away and be forgot as if they had never been I remember Peter having but a glimpse of Moses and Elias glory in the mount desired then to live and to die in that mount but thou O precious Christian shalt live and never dye in this mount mount Sion heavenly Jerusalem where thou shalt see Moses yea a thousand Moses and ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Saints as well as he with as many Angels with God and Christ excelling all ten thousand times over and over againe O but when will that day come that I a poore Gentile sinner shall see this glory Heavens Saints and Angels excelling glory will it come doe thou say it will come and it will make amends for all it is now a comming Paul saith We see now but darkly as in a glasse we shall see him then naked as he is Christ tels thee friend in John 17 22. And the glory that thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one O Father as we are one Here thou seest that Christ prayes for this day and yet thou as kest shall this day ever come O friend know this that what ever Christ prayes for he wils and what he wils shall come to passe as in John 17.24 Father I will that all these thou hast given me may be with me even where I am to behold my glory Christs glory is Gods glory and Gods glory is Christs glory and this wils Christ that yee may see O said the Queene of Sheba once to Solomon Happy are those that tend thee and see thy glory Thrice happy yea ten thousand times thrice happy are they O Christ whom thou wilt shalt see thy glory in thy Kingdome in thy Throne O my Christ it is said that the Kings and the Captaines too shall hide themselves in their dens and among the rocks and mountaines crying to the rocks and calling to the mountaines to fall on them from thy glory and thy presence Revel 6.15 And this I will saith Christ to confound mine enemies which will not that I should reign over them or in them had they hearkened to mee or accepted of mee my righteousnesse when time was they should not have need to be ashamed of their nakednesse or call and cry to the hils to cover their poor soules but this is just seeing they did when time was reject me this in one day shall come on them but when these things shall come on them like travels on a woman ye shall lift up your heads with boldnesse because my glory and yours too drawes neer O frinds no marveile that wicked men shall runne to the caves and dens and rocks to hide themselves in for the Saints shall in that day shine as so many sunnes and Christ as a sunne to all O glorious day O day of dayes that is now a comming this is that day that the righteous shall shine in the kingdome of their Father Matth. 13.43 Then when they see the face of God and Christ and this is nothing but the reflects of Gods glory beaming out on the Saints in the beholding of his face but yet this glory is not all that is implied when God saith Ye shall see my face For it implies as well as his glory his love and delight which you know are most apparant in the face for you judge of mens love and affections by the face and countenance so that to see this face is to see his love and delight in you and on you Delight ariseth out of love and flowes from love as affections from relations But of this love and delight what shall I say and first for this love this pure love flowing from the fountaine of love yea divien love Secondly it is sweet love yea sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe Thirdly it is strong love and long love first it is strong love for it so bindes the Saint yea so strongly binds him by its discoveries to him that as with coards his soul is drawn to love and bound and cannot but love yea love still more and more this is that love that is stronger then death yea then death that kills all things but cannot this love nor never shall O death I will be thy death saith Christ so saith love I am and still will be but thou like fading time shall be no more The Angel swore that time should be no more Revel 10. v. 6. But for love Christ wills that it shall be for ever Iohn 17. v. 23. let the world know saith Christ to the Father that thou hast loved them as thou lovedst me O when God shall cease to love his Christ then Christ shall cease to love his Saints O friend God cannot but love his Son nor he but love his Father nor both but love the Saints and they that be wrapt thus up in love must needs and cannot but love againe and thus this love binds up
in one a Saint in Christ a Christ in God and thus a Saint a Christ and God is one as Christ saith Iohn 17.21.23 Father I will that they in me and I in thee may be one O glorious union A Saint in Christ a Christ in God here is Unitie in Trinity and Trinitie in Unitie O earth earth how art thou joynd to heaven and by hearing the word of God I mean his Christ And now Adam Adam made of dust where art thou now man in the garden of God or in God himself O happy change O happy man O happy fall from God to Eden and then to earth and thence raised up to God againe O mortality how art thou swallowed up by immortality no changes now no more can be me thinks I see thee O yesterday-creature sitting with the Aneient of dayes like youg Samuel with old Eli. Me thinks I heare thee now as once the Angel swearing time shall be no more as in the Revelations nor sin nor sorrow nor pain nor labour and now thou maist truely say what Babylon the great did Revel I sit as a queen and shall see no sorrow yea I am a Queen and a Queen of queenes for my husband is Christ the King of kings and now come and worship me fall down at the soles of my feet call me Sion the holy One of Israel my husband saith ye shall Isaiah 60 14. For I must now be an eternall glory and a joy from generation to generation Isaiah 60.15 19.20 A joy to my Father a joy to my husband a joy to the heavens a joy to the Angels and all that therein is First a joy to my Father as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over his Bride so will I rejoyce over my people as in Isaiah Secondly a joy to my husband Father I will that they may be with me that my joy may be in them This Christ prays and he being answered in all his prayers saith Father I thank thee for that thou alwayes hearest mee And now come away my love my dove winter is past stormes are over singing of birds and the spring is come Cant. Let mee see thee let me see thy face for thou hast been absent but now I have thee I will never leave thee nor forsake thee come along with me my love from Lebon Cant. 48 Come along with me my deare wee 'l to my fathers wine-seller and I will banner thee over with love O my Spouse thou art fair thou art faire Cant. 6.3 O I will kisse thee I will embrace thee and carry thee to my fathers house I will marrie thee there And now ye Angels and all the host of heaven O ye innumerable companie come and sing come and sing Hallelujah Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth lot us be glad and rejoyce and give glory to him for the marriage of the Lambe Revel 19 v. 6 7. is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready she shall be ara yed like a Princesse in pure white linnen which is the rignteousnesse of Saints blessed are all they that come to the Supper of the Lambe Break forth in singing O heavens doe ye begin ye holy Apostles and Prophets doe ye follow next Rev. 18.20 and also Rev. 19.1 and come ye innumer able comprny of heavenly hosts Sing yee sing ye what shall ye sing Glory honour unto the Lord and unto the Lambe And come ye foure and twenty Elders down with your crowns and come worship God and sing Allelujah Allelujah Rev 19.4 Moses where art thou come away come away and sing thy song to Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty O thou King of Saints who would not feare thee O thou Just and true Just and true are thy wayes thou hast avenged the blood of thy Saints who would not feare thee and glorifie thy Name for thou art onely holy and all nations shall worship thee Rev. 15.3 4. O ye that brought the newes at first come ye that brought the newes of this match sing ye your song again glory to God on high peace and good will to men as in Luke 2.13 14. but let the burden of your song be the burden of all your songs Free grace free grace Thirdly whereas God saith ye shall see my face it doth imply God will one day discover himselfe in a familiar way vnto his Saints It was nothing but sinne that made a strangenesse between God and man for before man had sinned there was no strangenesse between God and man but since sinne came there hath been a strangenesse all along but before there was none for when God made man first he was not at all afraid of God for God before sinne came took our father Adam and led him by the hand as it were and put him into the garden of Eden as a father would his son into a vineyard Gen. 2.15 So God led or put Adam into the garden of Eden and bids him eat of all the fruit of the garden onely the tree of good and evill excepted and then Adam goes to naming of the creatures of God Gen. 2.20 O here was no feare at all in Adam yet for he goes and sets names on all the creatures which God had made just like a child naming his fathers works but assoon as Adam had sinned he is filled with fear and timerousnesse and hearing then the voice of God in the gatden he runnes and hides himselfe from God and is afraid of God witnesse his running from God to hide himself from God Just so have all the sons of Adam done all along to this day so that though God would be familiar with them yet they cannot be so with him there is sinne got into the flesh and to that God is a consuming fire of holinesse so that now God must speak in a secondary way by an Angel or by a messenger and that too they are afraid of as the shepherds were of the Angel that bids them feare not saying I am come to bring glad tidings of great joy to all nations for unto you a Saviour is this day born and ye shall call his name Jesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes Luke 2.9 10. And now God being clothed in flesh man he drawes neer to God which before cryed out in every discovery like Isaiah 6.5 I am undone I have seen the Lord but God being not willing that man should be strange to him or he to man sends his owne Sonne unto us to tell us he is not at all angry with us nor will at once harme us but rather faine would have us to be as at first his familial creatures yea more to be his sons and daughters and to come live againe in his paradice nay more to live in himselfe and with himselfe and this is clear by his comming down to live with us nay in us by his Son And this is the way by which God will again discover himselfe and show his face his pleasant face in a
overflow with joy which we have in thy presence every moment fresh and greene by seeing of thy face which is the joy of heaven and Saints and Angels too with all that do behold thee as wee thy servants do which once did live in darknesse and saw thee not at all but in the shadowey creature which hinted something to us but short of what we see or ever did imagine O saith Paul Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath laid up for them that love him this made us think it was wonderfull but now we find it so yea wonderfull indeed beyond all wonders too which Saints and Angels shall ever finde And now in admiration of this wonder we all as one cry out Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Almighty in thy glory Almighty in thy loves and also for delights to us thy poore creatures now swallowed up by pleasures in the beholding of thee O sea of endlesse sweetnesse and sun of all delights and fountaine too of glory what shall we say more of thee thou art the heaven of heavens and glory too of Saints who now will sing thy praise and ever thee admire for all thy beauty sweetnesse and endlesse life and glory which Song shall all joine in and make the heavens ring for ever in thy presence But Lord I do thy glory darken to speak such low things of it one star cannot the heavens show nor thousand suns thy glory much lesse a poor worme hint out those seas of sweetnes which lies hid in thy presence till thou shalt show thy face to wormes dust and ashes created for thy praise But let me winde up all in two words one to the carelesse sinner and another to the Saint who is the man to whom this promise is of seeing his face but what shall I say to thee O happy Christian that servest God more then is said in these words they shall see my face Which doth imply his glory love sweetnesse reward and pleasure which he takes in you This promise is sure enough indeed to beare up thy Spirit against all frownes jeares and scornes that thou maist meet with in the service of this God I say this promise sure is enough to encourage thee And therefore O precious Christian beare up bear up and be not wearie of well doing for in due time thou shalt have thy reward if thou faintest not which is to see his face What will men do for the favour of a prince and yet his favour is but a changeable thing but the favour and loving kindnesse of God abideth for ever it is a favour from everlasting abiding to everlasting running out in divers springs election creation justification and glorification in the highest heavens with Saints and Angels for ever more which is thy crowne reward and wages for all thy work for God and Christ What wilt thou now sit still or wilt thou give over running as one that 's weary and sit thee down with men and sinners in creature vanities which are a lie and doth deceive all expectations and ever will But why should I be jealous of thee O precious Christian sure thou canst not think of seeing his face glory love and sweetnesse but thy resolutions are doubled in thee to beleeve that God will so abundantly reward thee for all thou ever didst or sufferedst for his sake or Name But I shall close up all with one word to the carelesse sinner for whom my soul doth even weep to thinke upon that day when hee shall be banished from the face of this God in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for ever more as David speaks in his Psalmes But in his absence is misery upon misery O said Absalom once Let me see my fathers face though he kill me 2. Sam. 14.32 with what a longing was here now in Absalom to see Davids face who heretofore rebelliously sought his life Well know this O rebellious sinner time will come that thou shalt weep yea bitterly weep as once Esau did for Jacobs blessing so thou for a glimpse of this face glory love and sweetnesse of God yea thou shalt weep and say as Absalom let me see thy face O God though thou kill me and damne mee too But will this prevail no it will not damned thou shalt be but never see his face It is said the wicked shall not see God no nor never shall to their comfort O said Christ once to the Jewes Ye shall seek me but shall not find me for whither I goe ye cannot come Iohn 7.34 God will one day say the same to everie proud rebellious sinner ye shall seek me but shall not find me no though you seek me with bitter teares yet it will be all in vain you may weep like Esau but not prevail though seas and seas again to that be shed with sense of miserie and bitter cries for sight yea one glimmering sight of my face and glorie love and sweetnesse it will be vain yea all in vain You might once but must not see it now no nor cannot for sighs and sobs with teares and cries and then thy soul with heavy heart will mourning say O my unhappie soul what wilt thou now do God will not be seen but is wrapped up in displeasure for ever if this Sunne should do the like how would man and beast mourn though but for a mouth and prize him too when it againe should shine but O my poore soul from thee is hid this Sunne yea this Sunnes Sunne and glorie Angels are this Sunnes Sunne and God the Sunne and glorie too of Angels but what is this to me seeing he hath wrapt himself in displeasure and me in darknesss by hiding of his face Which when David once had a conceit of mark what bitter groanes and sad complaints doth his dolourous soul then make O saith he restore me to the light of thy countenance that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice Mark this good mans expressions at the conceit of the losse of Gods favour O restore it saith he that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce O friend what a sense was here in David of a losse that he should in the sense of it think all his bones were broken Who knows the pain of one broken bone much less of all his bones at once well if thou shouldest know all thy bones broken yea and broken over again is lesse painfull then the losse of this love and favour which is seen in the face of God though carelesse sinners little mind it for the present but when the sense of it shall break in upon thy spirit like mighty seas how wilt thou be drownd for ever hoping or expecting it again O this loss must needs break thy bones yea heart and soul too over and over again The child mourns for his fathers absence but more when he hides his face and so the wife