high mountaine and shewed mee that great Citie the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God And her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper stone clear as chrystall The Bride of Christ is the Church of God and it is descended out of Heaven from God for it is one with him for it is the Spirit of God in all the children of God that is this body the Church The Bride and this descendeth from God into us yet it is not parted from him but is in him and this is cloathed with the glory of God This is that righteousnesse of the Saints and her light is the light of Christ and that light is the clearest and purest and most precious and glorious light that can be I will appeare glorious in thee Isa 49.3 Awake awake put on thy Strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Jerusalem the holy Citie for hence-forth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the uncleane Shake thy selfe from the dust arise and sit downe O Jerusalem loose thy selfe from the bands of thy necke O captive daughter of Sion Isa 52.1 2. Shee was in a sleepy drousie condition so long as shee sate in the dust of that earth of Anti-christ and was a captive in his band But now our Beloved is come hee calls unto us to awake and to put on strength The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be affraid Psalm 27.1 Psalm 28.7 Hee hath cloathed us with his strength And this is that beautifull garment Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee For behold the darkenesss shall cover the earth and grosse darkenesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seene upon thee Isa 60.1 2. And the glory that thou hast given me I have given them John 17.22 The Spouse of Christ being cloathed with the glory of Christ shee is all glorious The Kings daughter is all glorious within Wee are the King of heavens daughters for wee are married to Christ and God the Father is our Father and wee are all glorious within It is the Spirit of God in us that is so glorious and this is a spirituall glory it cannot be seene outwardly by others they may hear us speake forth something of this glory in us but none sees it nor knowes it but those that have it Revel 2.17 To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving him that hath it This Manna is Christ and he is hid from the world but as wee are Saints wee see it and feede upon it for it is that which wee live by and this stone is Christ 1 Pet. 2.6 And this is a very precious stone and here is a new name written in this stone that none doth know it but hee that hath it And that which is written in it is the manifestation of the exceeding riches of the love and mercy of God and all his glory and excellency which hee hath given us as we are Saints Christ doth set forth the beauty and comlinesse and glory of his Church having his beauty and comelinesse and glory on her Cant. 4. Cant. 7. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes with one chain of thy necke How faire is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thy oyntments than all spices Thy lips O my Love drop as the honey-combe honey and milke are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon This oyntment that our Beloved is so taken with the smell of is the anoynting of the holy Ghost 1 John 2.27 The anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth and is no lye and even as he hath taught you ye shall abide in him The Priests and Kings used to be anoynted with oyle and it was a type of Christ hee was that King and Priest that was anoynted with the holy Ghost Psalm 45.6 7. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the scepter of thy kingdome is ascepter of righteousnesse Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse because God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes And this is like that precious oyntment upon the head that runneth upon the beard even unto Aarons beard which wet downe on the border of his garments Psal 133.2 This oyntment of the Spirit of God is all of it poured upon this Priest Christ which is the head of the Church and it runs off from him down upon all the Saints and this ointment of the Spirit of God makes our garments smell so sweete which is that Wedding garment Mat. 22.12 which is the righteousnesse of the Saints Revel 19.8 And being filled with this Spirit causeth our lips to speake or drop forth sweet heavenly glorious things more sweeter to the soule than the honey and honey-comb is to the pallet The Spouse of Christ is exceeding glorious in every respect being in Christ she is perfect in him I in them and they in me that they may be made perfect in one John 17.23 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us John 17.21 Put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse Coloss 3.14 which is Christ And where hee is there is perfection Col. 1.27 28. To whom God would â—ake knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in â—ou the hope of glory Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that wee may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus We are perfect in Christ as wee are Saints and are the Church of God for this Spirit of Christ in us is perfect but as wee are men and women we are not perfect for we are naturall and not spirituall and as we are naturall we cannot discern the things of God neither can we doe them 1 Cor. 2.14 But it is this Spirit of God in us that doth all and if hee withdraw his Spirit from us we shall runne into all sin if he doth not restraine us for our bodies are the same as they were before the Spirit of God appeared in us and by his reigning in us he suppresseth destroyeth and burneth up by degrees as he revealeth himself in us all things that are contrary to him and hee brings our wills into subjection to his for wee are led by his Spirit and being filled with his Spirit wee are made drunke as it were with it
of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him The eye of your understanding being enlightned that wee may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints The spirit in us knowes all things and heâ— believes all the things of God and none can doe it but he because none knowes the things of God but he and those things that he doth see and heare and understand what they are and knowes them to be truth therefore the Spirit believes them and this faith is a perfect faith he believes fully all things of God in every tittle there is no imperfection in it hee believes all things that Christ hath done for us and what he hath obtained for us Thus the Spirit of God in us believes all the things of God for us and without this faith we cannot be saved for by this faith we are justified This faith is that eye that sees all the things of God for it sees all things that Christ hath done for us and we as we are men we cannot believe the things of God because they are spirituall and we are carnall and cannot know spirituall things therefore we cannot believe them for it is impossible to believe that which they doe not know but though we as we are men and women doe not nor cannot believe yet the Spirit of God in us doth believe perfectly all the things of God for us So as we are Saints we believe the things of God through the Spirit of God God would have man to be saved and that hee should come to the knowledg of his truth and believe what Christ hath done for him and lay hold on Christ by faith that hee might be saved but man cannot doe it therefore God sent his Spirit to us that he should doe it for us in us so by this faith wee are justified for this is perfect and wee may have this spirit in us that doth believe God in Christ and wee aâ—we are men know it not yet the spirit of God is always the same with God and in his time he will make knowne in us and to us aâ— we are Saints that we have this saving justifying faith in uâ—â—and make known in us by degrees what our pledges are in him 4thly It is the Spirit of God alone that can doe the works of God man cannot doe any thing that can please God for all the workeâ— of man as man are evill continually Even the best performances that he can performe aâ—â— those performances that Paul performed beforâ— his Conversion For all that is not faith iâ— sinne and man as man hath not faith therefore all his works are evill and that which 〈◊〉 evill cannot please God and the way of God is past mans finding out John 6.28 29. Whâ—â— shall wee doe that we might worke the workes 〈◊〉 God Jesus answered and said unto them This 〈◊〉 the worke of God that ye believe in him whom 〈◊〉 hath sent This is the worke of God and it is only the Spirit of God that can doe it in man so man We doe just as the Apostles did wheâ—â— they went a fishing when Christ was abseâ— from them they toyled and laboured all thâ— night to get fishes and could get none Bâ—â— when Christ came to them hee bid them 〈◊〉 downe the net on the right side of the shippâ—â— and eâ— shall finde and they were not now able 〈◊〉 draw the net for the multitude of fishes John 2â— 6. So wee labour and toyle our selves in the night that is before the light of Jesus Christ appeares to us that wee may see him present with us by his Spirit wee labour in our owne way and strength to doe those things that should please God but wee labour on the wrong side of the shippe all our labour is in vaine there is nothing to be gotten but Christ comming to us by his Spirit to tell us the net must be cast in on the right side that is in a spirituall way for we have laboured in a carnall way and could find nothing And what is this net but that which catcheth something so the Spirit of God hee cast in the net that way that God would have him for us hee doth the whole worke of God in beleeving Jesus Christ and performing all obedience to him for us in us and hee makes knowne to us by degrees what the minde of God is and so wee finde in us that hee doth those things in us that hee doth reveale to us that we should doe it and as wee are men we cannot doe it so hee doth it in us making use of the members of man as instruments to performe the workes of God and hee makes us willing to yield to him for he over-powers us and so God accepts of it so the spirit casting in the net of right performances to God in us hee brings forth to us from God through Jesus Christ such a multitude of severall manifestations of the love of God to us in Christ Jesus and shewing us what we are in him that wee are not able to draw them forth wee cannot comprehend them as we are men so for us to labour on the wrong side of the ship is in vain Isa 49.4 Then said I I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Deut. 32.4 He is the rocke his worke is perfect for all his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and righteous is he Thus the Spirit of God doth the works of God for us in us and we have the comfort of it and it is he alone that doth make us accepted with God Wheresoever there is a manifest appearance of the Spirit of God in any one there hee purges and sanctifies that man or woman in their conversation by his acting in them and this Spirit of God seasons those actions that he acts in us making use of our members and our members being carnall and fleshly the acting of the spirit through us cannot appeare so pure and excellent as it is in it selfe for it is clouded with the vaile of our infirmities but the Spirit seasons the acting that hee acts through our flesh and so hee makes them accepted with God This is the Altar that sanctifieth the offering Christ is â—oth a King a Priest and a Prophet and hee â—ath made us so with him as we are Saints He â—as a Priest to offer sacrifice for all and this â—acrifice that hee did offer was his body and â—he Altar that he did offer it on was his diviniâ—y and this Altar sanctifies the sacrifice Mat. â—3 19 So this Spirit of Christ which is one â—ith God in us sanctifieth all those perforâ—ances that he acts through us they are offeâ—ed all of them upon
and â—e drinks of it and this wine is the fruit of this â—ine Christ and whosoever hee giveth this â—ine too to drinke of it it goeth downe very sweetly and causeth the lips of them that are asleep to speak before Christ appeareth in us we are asleep as the Spouse was Cant. 5.2 in a dead an drowsie condition but now we shall be roused up and speak forth the praise of our beloved Cant. 8.2 I would cause thee to drinke of spiced wine of the juice of the pomegranates This is the fruit that groweth in this garden and it is for our beloved to feast himselfe upon and he saith I have eaten drank and do take great delight in this feast because thou art with me and do you eate and drinke abundantly with me for it is my delight to have you feasted for they are prepared for you and this feast is our love feast for it is our marriage feast and it is my love that you are to feed upon and doe not spare but eate and drinke abundantly of it and be drunke with it for there is more love yet behind than you can see and it is all for you and this love will make you fruitfull for by the love of God to us we bring forth fruits to God This will make us that we shal be neither barren nor unfruitfull here is the Church of God in the glory of Christ and married to Christ and is one with God in Christ and fits in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.6 And is feasted with Christ Jesus and he is feasted with her and she appeareth glorious in his glory CHAP. XX. A new Song sung unto God WHen we come to see what God hath done for us in Christ Jesus how hee hath destroyed this Babylon in us and hath bound Satan and swallowed up the vaile that hindered us from seeing him and we come to see him and see what we are in him and how wee are marryed to him There will be much joy and rejoycing for the destruction of our spirituall enemie for joy of the marriage of the Lamb and the Saints The finger of God will play upon the wel-stringed instrument of musâ—que which is the Spirit of God in us playing heavenly tunes and new songs that we never sung before For first there is a rejoycing for the manifestation of the love of God to us in Christ He hath made us Kings Priests to God and his Father and we shall reigne with him for ever And I heard a great voyce out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.3 4. The cause of our crying and mourning either for spirituall or for outward things is because we doe not clearely see God what he is to us and that all that he doth to us is in love and that hee will have his owne time to bring to passe his own will in his owne way both spirituall and temporall for the glory of his Name and for our good when we come to be really sensible of this then wee shall see that wee have no cause of mourning then shall our teares be wiped from our eyes Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoyce for joy with her all yee that mourne for her Isa 66.10 For behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind But be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing her people a joy And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying Isa 65.17 18 19. And the Lord will cause righteousnesse and praise to spring forth before all the Nations and I will direct their work in truth I will make 〈◊〉 everlasting Covenant with them And their seed shall he known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the people All that see them shall acknowledg them that they are the seede which the Lord hath blessed I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyfull in my God for be hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation hee hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a Bride-groom decketh himselfe with ornaments as a Bride adorneth her self with jewels everlasting joy shall be unto them Isa 61. As there are new manifestations of God in us so there will be new songs of joy and rejoycing in the Lord. And I heard a voyce from heaven as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of a great thunder and I heard the voyce of harpers harping with their harps And they sang as it were a new song before the Throne and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth Rev. 14.2 3. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the harps of God And they sung the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying great and marvellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty Just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Revel 15.2 3 4. This sea of glasse is Christ and none can stand upon him but the Saints for it is too slippery for any other to stand upon it for they will fall and this fire that is mingled with this glasse will burn them up but here the Saints stand with joy singing a new song and rejoycing in the Lord exceedingly the joy is beyond expression none can know it but they that have the enjoyment of it to see and know that Christ hath overcome and destroyed all our spirituall enemies in us for he hath thrown down Babylon in us And after these things I heard a great voyce of much people in heaven saying Allelujah salvation and glory and honour and power be unto the Lord our God For true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand And again they said Allelujah and her smoak rose up for ever and ever And the four and twenty Elders and the four beasts fell downe and