Some Flashes of LIGHTNINGS OF THE SONNE of MAN Being the substance of eleaven Sermons upon severall Texts Preached in London By WILLIAM SEDGWICK of ELY PSALME 97.4 His Lightnings enlightned the World the Earth saw and trembled LONDON Printed by H. For Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the sign of the black-spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1648. A PREPARATORY word touching the Saints union with God a main point spoken of in this Book FIrst a Primun in unoquoque generi eâ— causa reliquorum The first in every kinde being the Cause of all the rest there is no perfect b Causa â—eflendi eâ— causa cognoscendi knowledge of inferiour or subordinate distinction and union without the knowledge of the supream The supream distinction and union is to be seen in God in the blessed Trinity where in the word the Father brings forth himself in all distinction and in the Holy ghost the Father and the word mutually conspire into the closest union The glory of unity is variety and the glory of distinction is union ie The glory of the Father is the word and the perfection of the word is his union with the Father in the Spirit Unity is barren without variety or distinction and distinction is a withered branch without union Secondly Whatsoever things the Father doth the same things doth also the Sonne bringing forth his fullnesse in all variety and distinction and yet retaining the same in perfect Union with himself as doth the Father Onely with this difference that the Object of distinction there viz. The word which is the fulnesse of the Father is intirely the object of union in the Holy ghost though not under the same respect as he is distinct But here the Sonne sends forth one World or the first World as a Lord to his left hand being in union with it only as a Creator and a new World to his right hand slaying the union of the fâ—irst covenant or creation or rather perfecting it in this later and better union of the second covenant or new creation And so that different respect that the Father hath to his owne fulnesse as Hee considers it first in the word and then in the Holy Ghost is manifest to us after a manner more reall and substantiall to us in the Kingdome of the Son being exemplified on different subjects Sheep and Goats For this is the honour the Father hath given to the Sonne that be hath made Him both Lord and Christ as bee is Lord he is the Floure of the whole Creation having all that beauty and strength in himself and being the root and originall of it to every other creature As he is Christ Himself is returned to his Head and Originall and possesseth all in the in-created glory and drawes up the new world thither Thirdly Aud as the first is the Cause of all the rest which being known the rest are known and not perfectly till then So the first is the last as will nessessarily follow from thence If the last be not known without the first then at least the first is in the last But the first is the last For what else should the first seeke to bring forth Vltimately but himselfe And therefore though God do Embroyder his appearances and coming forth with all Variety and fullnesse of distinction Yet his designe is by ALL to declare Himselfe and not to be vailed alwaies His designe is to beget and draw forth his own Form in and upon all this variety to bring forth himself in it and it in himself and yet this Variety and Unity to remain in the highest Consistency each with other in the Union and all these subordinations both to serve Supreamacy and to be Supreame the first to be the last and the last first which is the mutuall glory of them both And so the Scriptures speake 2 Ephe. last verse Yee are the habitation of God through the Spirit And sometimes they speak in the language of the subordinate 3. Eph. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Christ is in God and God is in Christ John 13.8 knowest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me And they that do not so know God and Christ they know Christ after the flesh as a branch of the first creation and not as the root of both creations And they that do not know themselves thus as dwelling in God and God in them are stil under the Law stick in the first Covenant and know not the Regeration but weakly If yee see not the blessed face of Unity drawn throughout all distinction in God in Christ in Saints yee see the Devill and an Antichrist and are in the smoke of the bottomlesse pit though yet ye may be the children of God And therefore none may so securely descend into the vally of distinction as they that have been in the mount of Vnion For they onely will and can carry the Union along with them through all distinction and that glory of the first Unity that hath seated himself and dwels in their Eye will bring forth himself in and upon all things and in what various formes soever they present themselves Vnion is the interest the delight the Food of Saints Distinction is the sawce or savour of Vnion The Saints could not enjoy God if He were not one with them where were the delight and wherein should they be the richer by enjoying him if he were not another from them There could not be such a ravishing Concord and meeting between God and the Creature without the parting and discord first of a created and un-created nature and this discord and distance proceeding and let down through many subordinations as between a Base and Treble in Musick there are middle Notes If we were not so low and God so high neither should we be so transported with this Match nor would the condescension of God be so manifested and then where would be one of the greatest glories of Gods love and one of the quickest grounds of our joy Therefore we cannot confound things for so we should offend against our own interest and who doe this so much as they that call themselves Christians and yet make Christ in Heaven and themselves upon the Earth confounding the things that God hath not only distinguist but seperated even the mystery of Godlinesse which is God manifest in the flesh And the mystery of iniquity which cals Christians and denies the Anointing And as we cannot confound things that God hath distinguist so we cannot seperate the things that himself hath joyned who hath joyned himself and Christ and Christ and VS the highest with the lowest the first with the last the top with the bottome and therefore wee the lowest cannot glory in lesse or lower then the highest of all Wee joy in God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. through our Lord Jesus Christ And God who is Lord descends and gathers up
salvation where ever he is Saith Antichrist I 'le give you a cleare discovery of all things I 'le give you peace No saith the Elect I am already with Christ I am nothing but what He is Hee is nothing but what I am I am with Him and in Him He is with me and in me why should I goe out after another For as the lightning c. Jesus Christ is the lowest state and condition in which you can be and he comes quick as lightning and then as lightning wil give you and is giving you the ful discovery of all things When he is in you at the depth the lowest point the centre of hell the bottom of the grave it is that hee might give you a full Restoration of all things The lightning from east to west makes east and west meet together so this appearing of the Son of God darkens flesh confounds man and makes the highest glory of God to be in the lowest pit and takes the lowest state of darknesse into the highest pich of light By these flashes flesh shal be blasted and destroied and consumed These blasts of the Spirit of the Lord doth open US and enlarge US to a large comprehension of all things of all in the East of all in the West of all above and all below Til wee be low we can't be high til we be the worst we cannot be the best and we are best when we are worst in the greatest darknesse He is present in the bottom and heart of such tribulations that all before it is nothing to it and nothing is like it that comes after it In this tribulation not to see and know Jesus Christ in this tribulation to have longing desires and then to have peace and deliverance seemingly tendered to us by a tempter we cannot but obhor it to have joy and gladnesse sounded in our eares and not be able to touch it What an extreamity is here The absence of the highest good the presence of the greatest evill our desires not answered by God and answered by Satan Out of this darknesse wil Christ arise out of the extreamity of deaths and confusions doth the Son nf God arise it is as nesesary ye should bee brought into this state as it is that the Night should go before the Day But first must hee suffer many things and be rejected of this generation The Desciples of God shal not injoy Christ til they have rejected him Ye must forsake him and leave him and bee Pharisees and persecute him before ye can be Coroned with Him That which is in a high degree malignity in the Pharisees is in a lesse degree and qualified in the Disciples the Pharisees killing the Disciples departing it s all flesh man weaknesse and ignorance Before any man see The Kingdome of GOD he must first reject it Doe ye long to see the Kingdome of GOD Do ye say When wil it come How shal I see it Where is it Ye shal not see it til He suffers by you Ye shal do him many injuries before ye know him Ye shal be offended at him ye shal stumble and fall and reject him before ye finde him Ye shal never be acquainted with Christ til ye know that ye have Murthered Him til ye have killed Him and beheaded Him and hanged Him He must suffer many things of YOV He must be rejected of the best of you and the best in you and the best of the best of you Ye shal reject hate and persecute Him before the kingdome of GOD can come in you Object I know you wil say Must wee be guilty of this wickednesse Is there such wretchednes in the heart of man to doe thus Why have you such hard thoughts of us Thus speaks the flesh But thus saith the LORD The Son of man must suffer many things from this generation Christ must suffer from some and be rejected by others some are so wicked as to kill him others so unbelieving as to forsake him some so cruel as to slay him some so faint as to leave him and not to own him some revile him others shake their heads and cannot tel what to think of him some cry out violently against him others are not able to speak a word for him Ye shal never see the LORD til ye can say this is he whom we have peirced this is he that I reviled that I hated Thus speaks Christ If ye stand upon termes and say What we crucifie Christ O God forbid that we should crucifie our Saviour the LORD of glory What we that are Gods own People Jews and Disciples we that are his own deare Children and shall be saved by him To whom Christ wil say If I suffer not by you I will not be deliverance to you If ye are so nice and curious that ye wil not make me a sacrifice ye shal never feed upon me If ever you see me you wil see you have pierced and murthered me I will save none but those that kill me If ye wil not owne that ye have slaine me ye shall not injoy me ye shal never eat my flesh and drinke my bloud unlesse ye slay my flesh and spill my bloud Jesus Christ suffers by all men which is clear in this That in all ye have in al that ye doe in all that ye are and in al that ye speak nothing is free from the bloud of Jesus nothing that ye doe speak live or act in the highest devoutest and most glorious way ye wil finde is nothing but Murther Murther and Bloud killing the LORD of life Yea It is necessary he must suffer by you hee wil not finde a throne in you til he hath found a grave in you heâ— wil not be raised in you til he hath been dead and buried in you ye shal never see him in the resurrection til ye see him kil'd and then he wil rise againe in your hearts this Son of righteousnesse wil arise with healing in his wings to your everlasting joy peace and comfort The end of the fifth Sermon THE EXCELLENCY OF THE LOVE of GOD. PSALM 36.7 8. How Excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! therfore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasure THis Psalm doth fitly set forth unto us the estate and condition of these times wherin wickednes increaseth and so in the former part of the Psalm is a discovery of wickednesse ver 3. the words of his mouth are iniquity and deseit he hath left of to be wise and to doe good Men now speak nothing but wickednesse and deceit and have left off to be wise they have left off to doe good and set themselves in a way which is not good abhorre not evil And what should we do when there is such wickednesse in the earth In the fift verse Thy mercy O Lord is in
he that hath the least acquaintance with God though a babe and childe yet he shal be able to puff at them to despise all the glory and strength and power of the creature The children of men The new man is the LORD from Heaven children and men and the children of men all believe the great God of Heaven and Earth children with Christ the holy childe Jesus The children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Grown men shal come into the light of thy countenance but Children shall trust under the shadow of thy wings The LORDS wings take the near unto himself but the shadow of his winds takes in the most poorest and weakest the shadow of his wings reaches very far The excellency of the loving kindnesse of God makes every one glad to gather near unto him and glad to get under shelter of the name of the LORD glad that they can in the least manner be shadowed and kept by the goodnesse of God it is that which the LORD saith How often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chicken under her wings c. It is an expression often used in Scripture covering with wings the wings of God I will carry you upon Eagles wings As birds flying so will the LORD defend Jerusalem It shewes the excellency of the goodnes of God his spirit his power is to his in the worst times soft and tender as feathered wings when God is the hardest and ruffest to the world then is he gentlest as feathered wings to his people or that great darknesse that is upon the world and upon the enemies of God is but shadowes of Gods wings to his own people and we seeing these troubles that are abroad in the world we know they are but the shadowes of Gods wings with which he doth cover his people and when God opens and spreads forth his wings and causeth that darknes and confusion to be upon the people its cause of joy and comfort to his people for they see them to be the wings of God in which they have peace and rest and therefore that which is the worlds trouble is our safety that which is the worlds grief is our joy and that which is the worlds and the men of the earths disquietnesse is our comfort and consolation When wee see these motions and commotions wars and tumults in and upon the earth then God is risen from his seat and he is flying he is upon his wings and therefore as the world the flesh the earth dreads these things and runs from them the children of God shal run to them and put their trust in them what though wee doe not see the face of God in brightnes and clearnesse yet I see this is the shadow of his wings though I doe not triumpt with him upon the Throne yet I see this is the shadow of himself Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings The weakest and poorest Saints of God shall be able ney are able to put confidence and trust in God in trouble and that which darkens the joy and comfort of others is a comfort and shelter to the Saints and that which they so much complaine of That the Sunne is turned into darknesse all our ligts created comforts and peace appears to be nothing but darknesse yet this is a shadow a shelter unto them and they shall see that this is the wing of God by which he will carry us up into himself And though God doth not walke with us in the setled way of creatures as he hath done yet wee see him flying about us with the wings of his own Spirit with the wings of his own favour and love so there is a shelter and safety for us but that is not enough though this be good for children for the children of men but they shall also be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnes of thy house They shall be abundantly satisfiid with the fatnesse of thy house I shal rejoyce a little to speake of these words Protection is very sweet to lie down in the shadow of God the hollow of GODS hand is very comfortable but not onely so But they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house heer 's not onely protection and safety but food and plenty satisfaction abundance of satisfaction and that of the richest and chiefest of all Fatnesse and that in the house of God wee shal be alwaies full we shal alwaies feast we shal alwaies have our table richly furnished we shal continually have bread enough and our waters shal not faile wee shal want nothing we shal not say of any thing I would we had this or if we had this or that it would be wel with us wee shal see compleatnesse not a desire unsatisfied not a longing expression unles longing it selfe may have its satisfaction in it self not a desire but shall be satisfied and then the desire shal be satisfaction it selfe and this is the greatest happines that is satisfaction and dissatisfaction is the root of unquietnesse to look for and long for that which you dave not is restlesnesse but in this enjoyment of God wee have alwaies what wee would have the LORD wil so manifest himself that wee shal not say of any thing wee would have this wee shal never be baging and craving but alwaies enjoying never be hungering unlesse hunger sets an appetite to heavenly things and so makes them more delightful to us wee have nothing present that shall be absent there shal bee no corner of our heart unfill'd but every thing shal be compleated every thing shal have enough so we shal be satisfied And abundantly satisfied Not a little but very large satisfaction abundant of satisfaction we have enough and shal have enough and to spare we shal have overflowings of light peace joy power strength and of every good thing The LORD our GOD feeds us not in a nigerdly way but gives us abundance enough to spare we have more then wee are able to receive more then we are able to carry or makes us know such abundance that if it were not a abundance it would be a burthen to us so thronged with joy comfort peace wisdome power and strength that if it were not GOD we might complain we had too much it doth superabound all nessessaries all wants it 's even more then we desire onely we have a desire created in it if there be any difficulty it is because it 's too much too great too large if we have any reason to complain it is because it 's excessive and if any desires come from us it is that God would withhold and if any paine it 's because we cannot stand under the weight of glory But this is goodnesse to be overcome with this fulnesse drowned with mercy We are even laden with blessings and because they are blessings they are no loads else it would be a huge load indeed if
RESURRECTION REVEL 11.13 And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in this earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven WE are unfolding the mystery of the two witnesses which are the witnesses of God in which and by which every word of God is confirmed they are two in their prophesie in sackcloth but their is a third conjoyned with them in their resurrection as they are in Heaven Ascended and Risen There are thee that bear witnes in heaven and by these three is every word establisht The Father the Son and the Spirit each of them having a sufficiency to confirm each other and together to put an end to all controversies You heard in the morning that there were severall degrees of the reviving of the witnesses the first degree is the entering of the Spirit of life from God into them which caused them to stand upon their feet Secondly They heard a great Voyce from Heaven calling them up Come up hither And thirdly There is their Ascention into Heaven They were taken up in a cloud and their enemies beheld them And in the 13 verse there is the effect of al this In the same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell These works of God are not yet pure though they are very excellent Though there be a Resurrestion and Ascention into heaven yet it is in a cloud covered with some infirmity and darknesse and yet in this there is the greatest glory And the same hour was an Earthquake Or to speak the language of God elsewhere A rejoycing with trembling In the greatest appearance and manifestation of God so long as there is any Earth it Trembleth and indeed the more glorious the discoveries of God are the greater the Earthquake No Earth can be without moving and trouble that bears the weight of the glory of God upon it In this hour of ascention there is a mixture of some secret rejoycing and some trouble occasioned by the Earthquake or else take the Earth heer as distinct from the witnesses and then their ascending up from the Earth makes the Earth to shake Christ and the Spirit of God those two witnesses are the streneth and stability of the Earth yea the strength of the Pillars of the Earth I uphold the Pillars of the Earth saith the Lord He it is that strengthens the very foundations of the Earth And therefore when these witnesses the strength and Pillars of the Earth ascend and remove from it the Earth must needs quake and tremble The witnesses are the corner stone of the World It was by the word of the Lord that Eternall word that the Worlds were made that the Worlds are supported therefore when this Word of the Lord Ascends out of the World the World must needs shake The whole World hath lived and leaned upon Christ and the Spirit of Christ and now his arising and removall out of the World must needs prove the ruine and downfall of the World All your strength peace and comfort hath been borrowed of Christ and now his leaving the World and carrying the Pillars of the World with him as Sampson the Gates of the City makes all the World fall to confusion A great Earthquake The naturall cause of an Earthquake is the wind pent up in the bowels of the Earth which seeking vent breakes forth and so shakes the Earth So the Spirit or breath or wind of the Lord pent up in the bowels of the Earth shut up amongst earthly men as the Son a Man was three daies and three nights in the heart or bowels of of the Earth when it breaks forth it shakes and rends the World And this is the cause of the Earthquake and commotions that are now abroad in the World The breaking forth or ascending of the Spirit of God out of the World An Earthquake is one of the greatest perplexities and evils that can befall the world the Earth being the Center and stay of man The very bottome and foundation upon which all the camfort and good of the life of man stands When this center this rest or stay this foundation shakes nothing more affrightens and astonishes man These Witnesses ascending out of the world the Bottom and Foundation of peoples strength and comfort trembles and quakes the root of al humane life is cut insunder at once the bottom of al humane joy is taken away The foundation of Ecclesiastical and Civil power is shaken the ground-worke of all earthly stability and comfort of Church and Comon-wealth quakes and trembles I say the world is losing the foundation and ground-work upon which Religion and Civil-government stands and this makes the Earth to shake And the tenth part of the City fell This City is Babylon called the holy City This holy City is trampled under foot as you may read in the second verse of this Chapter This holy City or the outward Court is left to bee possessed by the men of the world by the Gentiles by men uncircumcised in heart and spirit by fleshly and carnal men This is the fate of this City The tenth part The tenth part you know was the Levits part which was holy to the LORD or dedicated to the LORD it was offered up to the Priests under the Law it was the chiefe maintenance of the legal priesthood And here the tenth part of the City the chiefest part the devoted part as you say Gods inheritance the lot and portion of the Priest-hood this part of the City fell in summe the holyest the chiefest the excellentest part of the City fell The waies of worldly Prophessors and Christians are somthing that is holy somthing that is offered up to God but in the hands of the world trampled under foot by the world There is an excellency in this this is that that 's called the tenth part that part wherein men have thought themselves most sacred and holy that which they have offered up to God that which they have seperated from the world and their owne proper use and given to God some of their wisdome some of their estates some of their time some of their strength c. the tenth part This tenth part of the City fell this chiefest and most excellent part This tenth part when they have reserved nine parts to themselves and dedicated the tenth to God That which hath bin mens Religion and that wherein they have placed their confidence and comfort and by which they have thought to be saved this excellent part this tenth part of the City fell in this earth-quake I tel you againe When these two Witnesses ascend and leave the earth then the highest formes of religion the most excellent seperated things of men those holy things wherein they have most devoted themselves to GOD and the Temple of God their hours of Praier their Sabbaths their Fastings their Engagements and Covenants
in their world Broken in their understandings broken in their apprehensions broken in their peace broken in their strength broken in their joyes broken in their waies and they float in the Sea and waters of fears cares disquietnesses are round about them and beat upon them that know not how to have fellowship with God in a setled state Yet Let the multitude of the Isles be glad Indeed all the states of the Earth are broken in peeces by flouds and inundations And therefore let the multitude of the Isles be glad It is the Kingdome of the Lord that makes you to be Isles It is the floud of the Spirit of God that divides you from that stability and firmnesse that ye had The Isles shall hear the Word of the LORD The divided and broken state and condition of men shall hear the word of the LORD Those persons that are at the greatest distance from God from constant trading and dealing with God let them be glad and rejoyce It is the LORD hath broken US off from the Earth from that stability and firmnes that we had in our selves that we might have it in himself that so he might make US a new Kingdome He hath divided US from the Land that He might plant himself a Kingdome in US that He might make many Kingdomes for his own glory and righteousnesse to dwell in Neither is this without respect to a litterall sense This Reign of God first begins in Isles it rises up in little Isles before it appears in the great Empires of the world God will appear first in these lowest parts of the Earth Let the multitude of the Isles rejoyce Let the whole bundle of Isles England Scotland and Ireland rejoyce Let the multitude of Isles be glad It is visibly and sensibly a time of the greatest sadnesse that ever was but really and truly and in a spiritual sense it is a time of the greatest joy and gladnesse that ever was To see things in the Lord is the time of the greatest rejoycing and truest gladnesse This is the time of the LORDS Reigne and the time of Englands rejoycing If England knew her own time but we know noâ— our seasons and this is it that makes us uncomfortable and unsutable to our conditions The Lord Reigns and this is the greatest cause of mirth and joy that ever the earth had Let the earth rejoyce Poor earth hath been in bondage and captivity but now let the earth rejoyce We have been under the protection of men yea under the government of Satan for so long as wee are governed by any thing at a distance from God there is a mixture of Satan in it now we are under the protection of God The Lord hath broken the rod of the oppressour And now we shall have the end of our hopes and expectations the end of our praiers now wee shall have peace now we shall have settlement and stability now we shall have Reformation indeed now we shall have every thing that we have desired and our hearts have longed for freedome from oppression love quietnesse righteousnesse justice propriety full trade all in an heavenly holy glorious righteous spirituall eternall sure everlasting way for this kingdome of God hath in it all greatnesse fulnesse freenesse riches pomp state goodnesse and to this end it is said Hee shall come that is the desire of all Nations Therefore sit down and say what you will have If you will have it in God in an heavenly way ye shall but if in a way of flesh and darknesse and fear out of the pure light of God ye shall not Clouds and darknesse are round about him God that is the greatest light dwels in thick darknesse God is surrounded with darknesse And this is your joy now that in that darknesse that ye see upon the face of the Earth ye see God dwelling in it and your selves with him While you are without it its sad Doe but come in thorow this darknesse and there is light within it The light of God And these Clouds of darknesse are clouds of Witnesses that manifest and testifie the presence of the Lord. Christ comes in the clouds O how visible these clouds are now to the eye of reason What a thick cloud hangs over the City What a grosse thick cloud hangs over the Parliament What a black dark cloud hangs over the Army There 's none of them can see where they are what they doe or one another The clouds are so thick that one neighbour or friend knows not another can not trust one another What a cloud is there in the Countrey How these clouds doe gather every where If you will not see you may be ignorant but if ye will see the Lord is in these clouds What darknesses and clouds of opinions are there in the spirits of men What strange darknes there is in the minds of men Most men grope and feel after God and truely there are none can set a right step towards him What dark affections are there in man Dark fear darke anger darke disquietnesse and confusion Clouds and darknesse are round about him Every where where God is not you will finde clouds and darknes but in the face of God there you shall see glory and brightnesse There is nothing to be seen but clouds in all things save in the face of God and there it is bright and clear day God gathering in all fair weather light and brightnesse into himself So that indeed if you will live any where but in God you must live in clouds and darknes Every where else there is not a beam of light but every thing grows thicker and darker till it come to a very hell an eternall night only there is light in the face of God Yet now rejoyce These clouds are round about God and though you doe not see him because ye are in the dark yet he is neer you and he dwels secretly and sweetly in the midst of these clouds that shade and darken all the earth and you shall finde that God will suddenly step up into his throne and reign in light and brightnesse Will you not receive God in a cloud Are ye not contented with a cloud of darknes that so ye may meet with God there God comes cloathed in this darknesse God comes in a cloudy day with fire wasting and consuming all the world yet O who would not leap into those flames to meet God Be not startled at these dark clouds because God is in them but rejoyce Let these clouds come into your estates houses means and enjoyments Let them come in for God is there Welcome them rejoyce in them and be comforted for God rides upon them He rides in triumph upon them These clouds are his Gharriot and all the powers of the Kings of the Earth hee beats into dust and it flies about him therfore goe and meet the Lord in these clouds and dusts Righteousnesse and judgement are the Habitation of his Throne Thorow
God which have been the safety peace and comfort of the World these hils will melt like waxe Those glorious Angelicall Excellencies those Excellent good things that Angels have produced in the world and which are nearer to God then Poor base man WISDOME KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING JUSTICE ORDER GOVERNMENT these Hils melt like waxe There is not an Angel in Heaven able to maintain any of his works Those excellent hils before spoken of melt downe before the brightnesse of the LORD And though man will not see yet the mountains and hils upon which they live sinke under them Secretly and unsensibly doe the mountains of all humane confidence melt under them There is a fearfull desolation of all the Powers and strength of the world And those High exaltations of them how they melt away How low doth the high spirits of men fall How doth our strength and confidence and that staff which we leaned upon waste and consume away And in what a deep consumption are all the good things of the world Melted like wax The glory of man or man refined as we may say is like wax The LORD makes poor earth fine Images of Himselfe in wax He doth set up and drawes poor Earth in some likenesse to Himselfe Gives him His own Image Wisdome Justice Holinesse But when he comes Himselfe He then melts this picture melts these Images And therefore where humane strength is in its greatest power exalting it self in it greatest height It now appears what it is to be Earth to be wax and when God in his glory and brightnes appears it gives place to the heat of God to the fire of God That which as yet ye have seen of God is but waxen Images of God and God hath hitherto upheld them by his absence but now because he comes they go they give place Like waxe at the presence of the LORD Man would be if God were not present You would injoy whatsoever you injoy if the presence of the LORD did not melt it away if the light of God did not come if a greater light did not out-shine this Creation The Sun would not be turned into darknes nor the Moon into bloud If the presence of the LORD the Son of righteousnesse did not rise it would be still the day of man nothing would destroy the glory of the world Satan hath bin at the worke a great while hee hath been hacking at it to bring the world to confusion and the men of the world have been digging at the root of the world and would fain over-turn it though they would fain keep it for themselves but it hath stood till now and now it melts now the presence of the LORD shall cause it to melt away Rev. 20.11 At whose face the Earth and Heavens fled away and there was no place found for them Kingdoms Powers Governments Dignities Righteousnesse Justice and all at this appearance of the LORD say Come le ts goe into confusion and darknesse for here is a light come that confumes us our work is done we were to give a representation of God till He came and now Hee is come there is no more place for us There is no place for Images and Pictures where God is Where the brightnesse and majesty of God comes no place for man no place for creatures no place for worldly and earthly things The majesty brightness and glory of the LORD cannot endure them nor they it but GOD sits them flying and they themselves hasten away At the presence of the LORD of the whole Earth It is the presence of the LORD nothing but the presence of the LORD it is the LORD Himselfe the LORD Himselfe in His owne presence It is My own Face saies the LORD of the whole Earth the Earth I made My foot-stool it hath had some print of My feet and as it hath served Me in its being till I came so now it serves Mee in its departing The earth is Mine I made it it s Mine I disolve it I am LORD of all these things by My presence I gave them a being by a greater presence I dissolve them They obeyed Me in their being they obey Me in their not being I by My Word brought them out of confusion out of nothing and now they obey My Word in returning to that emptines and confusion againe They served Mee when I brought them forth they serve Me at their return Satan hath had the Earth hee shall have it no longer Men have had the Earth they shall possesse it no longer saies the Lord I will possesse it My self I will enjoy it My self I will redeem it from that bondage it hath bin in by wicked and ungodly men and Satan I am LORD of the whole earth Here are quick short dark low remote hints of God of the presence of God but if yee are not yet sensible of it come up higher and further and you shall have a clear Discovery The Heavens declare the righteousnes of God and all people see his glory Come to the open heavens creep out of the earth of worldly affairs and businesses and come into the open state of Heaven and you shall see the righteousnesse of God declared the heavenly discovery of God the Spirit of the LORD and the true presence of the LORD are so visible that al the people that are therin do see the glory of God For truly if you be men you are there in this heaven otherwise you are not worthy the name of men but beasts In heaven the righteousnesse of God is so fully declared that there 's no question to be made of it it s so openly so fully discovered so largely declared that there is nothing else done nothing else spoken of but the Kingdome righteousnesse and glory of God and all the people and all the spirituall people that have got out of their fetters their banishments that are got home to their owne places See this glory of God The most earthly craatures have some heart-meltings breakings shakings terrours troubles upon their spirits by the appearing of God by the lightnings and enlightnings of God this fire of God but those who are heavened into the spirit of God who are awaked into the true life of God where the righteousnesse and glory of God are openly discovered where there 's a full declaration of things as they are in themselves they clearly and manifestly see the glory of God Beholding with open face the glory of God and are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the LORD The end of the second Sermon THE COMMING OF THE KING of ZION Zechariah 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a colt the fole of an Asse ZION hath long suffered but must be delivered Zion hath long mourn'd but we have here a Voice that turns our mournings
the meeknesse and lowlinesse of our King our Lord our Saviour This high and lofty One this King is very lowly very meek very mean very poor though a King though Lord of all And these two cannot consist in the thoughts of man that he should be a King and yet very lowly The narrow heart of man cannot match these two together the highest of glory in the lowest of man but though man cannot reach this God can He dwels with poore low broken man The greatest glory in the highest Majesty lives in the brokenest spirits and you will finde and see the LORD breaking forth shining forth in those that are the lowest of people those whose wisdome is dasht in pieces those who have lost their strength and confidence their Religion their forme of knowledge and worship that are fallen as some maliciously say from grace they had thought they had had some knowledge and acquaintance of God but now they see they know nothing they thought they were in a safe state and condition but now they see they are in a wildernesse in a desolate barren estate they had something but now they are nothing Thy King cometh to thee in this low estate in this darknesse in this nothingnes Thy King comes and hath humbled Himselfe in that state and condition and delights to take up His residence in thee Hee comes to thee as a thief having stolen away the riches and treasures in the house goes and lives in a poor cottage So the LORD hath stolen away the glory and greatnesse of the creature and then chooses it for his Habitation and then lives in lownesse in meannesse a lowly Lord hears the King I see the LORD saith the Soul in emptinesse in nothingnesse in weaknesse and infirmity Behold What 's here A Mighty GOD a Mighty KING cloathed in raggs One that hath all things and yet yee hear nothing but complaints Possessing all things and yet poor and begging His bread The LORD of Glory and yet in pitifull infirmitie in a meane low estate and none regards Him This is the pleasure of the LORD This is Thy good will Oh LORD Riding upon an Asse It was once fulfilled in a grosser way in a more literall way now wee finde the Lord in His Second Coming fulfilling of it in a more Spirituall way An Asse is the dullest of all the creatures the slowest dullest basest creature and that by which we expresse fooles a creature of scorn and contempt and it was that creature which in and under the Law was refused it might not bee Sacrificed the Law would not bee satisfied with it the Law was so choise so wise as I may say as it would not accept of an Asse yet this the LORD Chooses of all other Creatures This is the lowlinesse of My LORD to come in such a Meane state and condition upon a dull heavie poor scorned and contemptible Beast Riding upon exalting Himselfe upon a Poor despicable creature the worst of Creatures dull heavie slow beastly poor mean and low Creatures These the KING OF GLORY makes use of and not of the High Stout Lofty Horses You shal have some that are very quick nimble and light of foot highly carried up in the excellencies of the letter knowledge professions and formes and now they are as lofty as Horses and can be leaping from text to text from truth to truth and out-runne and runne round a poor dul and heavie Christian and knowledge hath so puffed them up that a poore mean low Christian is refused despised and scorn'd at But these are not they which the LORD Chooses but it is such as are in a low mean and dull way The wisdome of the LORD is condemned rejected and refused by the wisdome of the World and it s counted foolishnesse But the Lord wil Ride wil bee Exalted in the poor mean low despicable things of the world Riding upon an Asse Me thinks Christ should choose a better beast saith the Law wee will not accept of him and saith the letter we wil not accept of an Asse Doth not the Scripture say plainly wee wil not have an Asse But the Lord Christ chuses to come to such as are despised and in such a way as the Law rejects and as the letter disownes and as men contemnes And upon a Colt the foale of an Asse An Asse an ignoble Beast and upon a Colt too The foal of an Asse the weakest of that poor creature the foal the Colt sets forth the weaknesse insufficiency indiscretion and foolishnesse The foal of an Asse is simpler then the Asse it self The poor creature that hath no discretion no judgement no understanding of things so simple that hee knows nothing understands nothing is not acquainted with any thing to these Christ comes We looked for Christ to come in another way then so mean so low wee now a dayes look for great things Signes Myracles Wonders Professions Ordinances Ravishments Astonishments such as may take up our affections wisdomes and judgements This was the manner of the Jewes they refused Christs in lownesse and would not accept of him in such a mean estate even so the Jewish estate in our dayes is not forwarn'd by their fall to lye down and bee humbled but this Jew doth in a more mystery of iniquity oppose refuse and reject Christ Reioyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem for Behold thy King thy Lord thy Saviour cometh to Thee is with Thee in Thee Riding upon an Asse Hee hath the Highest of Severity and Justice Glory and Power in the lowest state in the meanest condition He comes Riding upon an Asse His way though disallowed disapproved of by legal perfection and looked upon by humane wisdome to bee simple and foolish yet Behold thy King cometh having justice and salvation Come rejoyce greatly Hee that wil not take Christ upon an Asse shal never receive him Thou that wilt not let him in coming in a low mean estate shal never injoy him This is the way My Lord chuses to come I choose this state I Ride in a simple foolish way disregarded disesteemed despised by the wisdome of the world and by the strength of man yet I am thy King thy Lord thy God thy Saviour and having Justice and Salvation The end of the third Sermon THE COMMING OF THE KINGDOM of GOD. LUKE 17.20 21 22. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdome of God should come he answered them and said The kingdome of God commeth not with observation Neither shall they say Loe here or loe there for behold the kingdom of God is within you c. THis Scripture is proposed to be opened wherin we finde the Pharisees and Disciples all enquiring concerning The kingdome of God A parallel Scripture with this is that in Mat. 24.3 A little of the appearing of God in Jesus Christ makes both Disciples and Pharisees enquire after the Kingdome of God and you may observe how the Pharisees as wel
that they were not bessings wee should bee undone with them and to be undone with this hath it's satisfaction With the fatnesse These blessings and mercies are not the meanest but the fattest of thy house it 's not common or ordinary food but the fattest richest preciousest We have made shift to live with God in creatures but that 's poor food Wee have made shift to live with morsels and crums that have come from the table We have made shift with things that have been scattered out to us but now the chiefest the best the fattest The fat Calfe the fat Lambe Jesus Christ the Lamb the Calfe fatted with the fulnesse of God Jesus Christ raised up highly exalted in the fulnes of God Jesus Christ long prepared fedde and fatted with the excellency of the majesty of the LORD our God With the fatnesse of thy house This plenty is not in the field though it were good there in a Tent in a Tabernacle but we have it in the house and in a house not made with hands and not onely a house but the house of God To have a little comfort and refreshing when we are wandering in a desert in a wildernesse is good but to come to a setled house and habitation where God dwels The riches of God become a house a house to us A house whose builder and maker is God a house whose foundation building roofe top and covering and all is GOD The Saints habitation is God Now what provision is laid up for us in the lowest estate in a shadow in a shed or shelter it 's very safe comfortable and pleasant it 's great safety to be under the tender fethers of the Fathers love compassing us about with his loving kindnesse and this when ye were children and children of men then we found great joy and comfort and safety in God which caused us to put our trust under the shadow of thy wings but that 's not all but heer 's also such a rest peace comfort such abundance of satisfaction and that with the chiefest and richest exelency of God our Father and those sure and setled for it 's in the house and in the everlasting house and habitation of our God Lo this is the good wil and loving kindnes of of our God The end of the sixth Sermon THE EXCELLENCY OF THE LOVE of GOD PSALM 36.7 8. How Excellent is thy loving bindnesse O God! therfore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasures For with thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light O continue thy loving kindnes unto them that know thee and thy righteousnes to the upright in heart GOD wil excell GOD doth excell Every thing goes down that God may goe up God abaseth the creature that his owne name may be seen The loving kindness of the LORD our GOD is now breaking forth and it wil be so and must be so that every one shall have cause to trust in Him Therfore the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Children of men The weakest babes doe trust in God There is the little childe Jesus in the heart that doth trust in God and that wil trust in God Jesus Christ and his People wil finde shelter in a shadow in a shadow of the wing of God The Lord our God is so rich in mercy that the shadow of his wings affoord comfort and support They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house We goe on in the strength of GOD in the power of GOD we delight our selves in the LORD our GOD. Thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures There There 's abundance of satisfaction and excellencies of God that are in to house of God But how shal we do to pertake of them The well is deep How shal wee draw out the water Or being broken eisterns we cannot keep or retain this water when we have it Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures The Lord wil make us to drink of his own rivers of pleasures whether we wil or no. The Lord wil not only discover heavenly things to us but make us receive them When Hagars eyes were opened shee saw a fountain and if our eyes were open we should see a fountain round us And as the Lord taketh away the vaile that keeps us from seeing so he wil remove every thing that keeps us from drinking Hee will make US to drink The LORD wil by the parching beas of his own wrath dry up all other streames ye shal have nothing to drink of but God And as hee wil dry up all other streames so he wil dry up every desire those filthy lusts shal bee consumed in that wrath that there wil be no water to drink or any appetite to drink any other but God And the LORD wil not only give us drink but desire and love to it and a great delight in it The Lord opens the mouth and fils it The Lord opens the ear and speaks in it and the word of the LORD and the presence of the LORD is both mouth and water to drink Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures God is a river a constant stream a river into which many streames continually empty themselves a large river there we have water enough an exceeding sweet river every drop of this is life it s the river of life Not a river only to satisfy our thirst but to swime in the waters that came from under the threshold of the Sanctuary arose so high that men might swime in them waters in which we may wash our selves and bathe our selves continually pure waters that cleanseth us from all sin from al iniquity water that makes us white water that washeth and refresheth us to and this we have in abundance Wee need not force nor can we force the love of God it comes so naturally wee need not pumpe for it it flows of it self we need dig no welâ— we have a river neer us we need not strive to keep the water in its best when it runs and passeth away This water is troublesome when it is stopt but quiet and stil when it runs without disturbance When earthly and carnal things hinder the running it swels and is angry Never ceaseth til it hath broke down every thing that standeth before it It is such a River as wil not bee kept in a standing state such a River as comes freely from the Osian and is never at quiet until it carries us into the Osian and when the Earth opens it self to it it doth most willingly and readily powre forth it self into it And this is a River of an High nature of Thy pleasures We have been acquainted but with little pleasure in the world much labour and little
where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Thither this Eagle the Divine Spirit of GOD doth resort to this Carcasse I say to Revive it This heavenly Eagle or Spirit of GOD comes and eats up all the deadliness all the corruption all the Carcass that he in us might live in the Spirit There is no true life but the Spirit of life Then may we say we live when we live in the Spirit of GOD this is called the quickning Spirit The first Man was made a living soul the Second was made a quickning Spirit Man is a living soul a living creature and it is the Spirit of GOD that makes him to live a Spiritual life but when that life is killed and slain then he hath a second life for it a better life The Spirit of life life it selfe true life indeed And we know no life no true life but in the LORD our life When HE who is OVR life shall appear c. While the Witnesses prophesie they cannot say that they live but when they have received the Spirit of life then they can truly say they live Now they can claime that title I was dead but am alive I am the resurrection and the life There is no true life til there be a Resurrection til then it 's but a state of mortallity It is not yet life But when we revive and rise again mortallity is swallowed up of life now we live indeed That 's true life that is not subject to death that is true life that cannot be killed That life that is under the Power of death that is under the Command of death that can be extinguished by death is no true life It s life to be set free from death to be dis-engaged and dis-obliged from the command of this King of fears when we can say O death Where is thy sting O grave Where is thy victory When wee can trample upon death that is life true Life indeed The Spirit of life from God True life consists in a continual flowing forth from God a daily powring out of the Divine life the Divine nature into us enlivening and quickning all our actions and services Those are not living actions living services living performances that flow not from the life of GOD in us We live when every thing we act or speak flows from the life of God in us Then wee live when al we do comes from GOD when God sends it forth God speakes it God doth it then they are living words living actions In thy presence is life The absence of the soul from the body is the shadow and but the shadow of death but the absence of GOD from a thing or person that 's death Spiritual death You cannot say a man lives except you see his soul act move speak c. If yee were Christians indeed ye would not say you live until yee hear the voice of GOD saying to you This is the way of God these are the words and works of God There is life true life indeed The reviving and life of these two witnesses is the resurrection and the life the life of the Sonne of God God comes forth in these two in the Son and in the Spirit the fulnes of God shewing it self in the flesh of Christ and the Spirit of Christ this is life These three are all in union together the Father the Son and Spirit in one conjunction and unity The Father puting forth himself in the Son by the Spirit The Father acting quickning and inlivening the Son by the Spirit these mutually imbracing each other is our life Concerning this resurrection of the witnesses observe that it is graduall The Spirit of life from God first entred into them after that they live there was a kinde of absence before but now a presence of the Spirit of God The holy God suffers a kinde of parting to be between himself and his Son ney betwixt himself and his own Spirit which is himself and after this again there is a reuniting First There must be an entrance The Spirit of God first enters into them then they live The Resurrection though it be quick though it be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye yet it is graduall First There is an entrance of the Spirit The Spirit of life from God entered into them Secondly There is a double effect of this entering of the Spirit 1. They stood upon their feet 2. They heard a great voiyce saying Come up hither First The Spirit of the Lord entered into them while they are dead while their dead bodies were lying in the streets of the great City the breath of life from God entered into them And this is very certain we shall not lose any thing that we have had Though the Lord withdraw himselfe from us a little while yet he will returne to us again and then he wil gather up al that is scattered and enter into all that 's dead And they stood upon their feet This is the second gradation or the second degree of their Resurrection which is two-fold 1. They could own the Lord they could say The Lord is with us our God is with us and in us Life is come to us We are the holy ones of God We are the golden candlesticks upon whom the light of God doth shine This is the Spirit of life from our God And then secondly they are raised from the earth and so raised as that they can stand upon their feet an expression of the dry bones Ezek. 37. into whom when the breath of the Lord came they lived they stood upon their feet an exceeding great Army So the Prophet Ezekel when he was overcome by the glory of God in the great vision he saw chapter 2. it 's said The Spirit of the Lord entred into him and he stood upon his feet And so Daniel was raised chapter 10.10 11. O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright Which is the same with this The Spirit of the Lord intring into us standing up in us manifesting and shewing what wee are making us visibly to appear the anointed ones of God inabling us to stand up and own a heavenly and spiritual life and light to appear to arise to shew our selves that we are the holy ones of God And though whilest wee were slain and dead we could not owne the Lord or acknowledge him we could not confesse the Lord who he was and what he was because we were in death and darknesse yet now having the Spirit of the Lord entred into us we now being raised from the dead we stand up and are able to say Wee are the Lords wee are the holy anointed ones of God There is life and strength and confidence appearing in the witnesses standing upon their feet so that they can say We by this life or in this life of God are able to live amonst men to walk about in the Name