Prophet saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem it was this The Prophet looked and behold he saw the earth full of hills and mountains and so full that they could hardly stand one by the other and the valleys were drowned by the mountains and the hills and he looked till he saw the mountains and the hills wage war one against another and he saw them that lived in these mountains and hills were Soothsayers Philistins strangers and the mountains and the hills were full of silver and gold no end of their treasures full also of horses and no end of their charets full of idols and no end of their bowing down to them and full of swords and spears and no end of their blood till at last in the end I saw a little hill arise out of the earth amongst the midst of the hills from the valleys it ascended like the little hill Hermon and this hill in the rising of it did terribly shake the earth and in time grew to a great mountain and neither by sword nor spear nor might nor any such thing but by my Spirit saith the Lord it waxed exceeding great and the hills and the mountains melted before it and would not stand when it appeared all that opposed it were broken in pieces and on whomsoever this mountain of the Lord fell it ground him to powder And this holy hill and high mountain came at last to get all other hills and mountains under its feet and it was established upon the top of the mountains and then there was no living or safety but only here even all the Nations of the earth came flocking hither to the Mountain of the Lord and cast all their idols away and forsook their own Country and fathers houses their own hills and mountains and fly to this Rock for there was darkness and death upon all the rest here was the light of the Lord and they said one to another Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. SECT IV. §. 4 The Spirit interpreting the Vision to be in us THis is the Vision and herein the Spirit of Truth will open and interpret it to you the mountains and hills are proud rebellious lofty looks and haughtiness of mens hearts the treasures charets horses and idols what are they but the pleasures vanities and lusts of the flesh the fighting what was it but the torment and disquiet that flesh hath there is no peace there saith God and what is the hill arising out of the valleys the Spirit of God arising a little in us shaking the foundations of flesh and earth in us and becomes powerful and mighty making all her enemies her footstool triumphing gloriously and destroying flesh with her Principalities and Powers leaving her dead and this is the Day of the Lord upon all things to bring to nought the things that are and establish what is not SECT V. The stay and the staff of the Creature §. 5 broken but the stay and the staff of the Lord himself remains for ever ANd this is not all but the stay and the staff shall be taken away the staff of bread and the stay of water This is the vanity of the Creature that shall be removed and broken in pieces whatsoever is a stay or staff besides the Lord be it meats or drinks you make so your Judges or Prophets you make so your mighty men of War or your honorable House of Commons I will then break them and turn them all to nothing your Princes then shall be children so your ancient men fools your strength rottenness your gods idols I will corrupt them all and these shall not rule over you Nay if you make any your stay or staff besides me saith the Lord I will take the life away and the comfort away I will take your clothing and glory so that none shall rule saying they have neither clothing bread nor water and they cannot rule over the ruines of the people but the Lord alone shall thus raign and rule over in glory they shall be ruined and fall and then I shall stand alone and be stay and staff thus woe shall be to the wicked the reward of their hands given them but well to the righteous that have me for stay and staff the fruits of their hands shall be given them and thus the Lord shall enter into Judgment with the oppressor and violent man the ancient and the honorable the proud and the base and stain all their glory smite it with a scab even the crown and head of it to the feet also and where the sweet smell was shall be a stink for a girdle a rent for hair dressed baldness for a stomacher a girding with sack-cloth and burning instead of beauty all these mighty things shall be and fall by my Sword the Spirit and lament and be left destitute this is the Decree of the Lord God SECT VI. §. 6 The beautiful Branch of the Spirit of the Lord and all the fruits thereof holy IN that day further we shall all that know the Lord whether weak or strong take hold of one man which is Christ the Lord and the seven women shall be married to him this is the male and female bond and free made one in Christ this is surely the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and then all reproach shall be taken away and we shall eat every one his own bread and wear his own apparel and this one bread shall be the bread of Life and this one apparel the Robes of Christ himself and now shall the Branch of the Lord the Spirit of Grace budding like Aarons Rod be glorious and beautiful and the fruits of the earth excellent and comely and that amongst them that are escaped of Israel the outcasts shall be received in and they that are dead shall live and every one that liveth then shall be called holy no other life but that written amongst the living and then the Lord shall wash away both filthiness of flesh and blood and spirit also by the Spirit of Judgment and burning the Lord wil create upon every dwelling place of his Tabernacles and Assemblies clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night for upon all their glory shall be a defence to keep from rain and storm and heat that nothing shall hurt SECT VII §. 7 The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts and the men of Judah AGain The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts declared in a parable and that in a Song of the Lords Beloved The Lord hath a Vineyard planted on a fruitful hill hedged fenced gathered from stones and planted with Vines dressed digged and a wine-press digged therein and a tower build thereon looking for fruits and it brought forth wilde fruits Judg now between me and my Vineyard I will tell you what I will do with it I will take away all from it leaving it naked and depart from it and then it shall be full of bryars and brambles What
THE LITTLE Bible of the Man OR THE Book of God opened in Man BY THE Power of the LAMB Wherein God is the Spirit or inside of the Book and Man the Letter or out-side of it In whom as in a Glass you may both behold the Spirit and Letter of the holy Scriptures in the new Man fulfilled and Explained from Genesis to Jeremiah This is the first Volume of Gods Book in Man Written by a weak Instrument of the Lords Capt. T. BUTLER LONDON Printed in the first year of Englands Liberty 1649 For Giles Calvert at the black spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lord of Pembroke AND To the Right Honorable the Lord of Mulgrave all Peace and Happiness My Lords IT is the Design of Heaven to pull down the pride of all flesh and to have the Lord alone Exalted that no flesh might glory before him but all that glory may do it in the Lord God they being the Lords For the day of the Lord is come upon all flesh to destroy it like grasse but the Word of the Lord abides for ever and he that is built upon that Rock the gates of hell can never prevail against him though the Lord cometh to shake terribly the Earth and the Heavens also yea though the mountains and hils remove out of their places though the stars fall from heaven and the Sun be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood by this terrible Earthquake yet the foundation of God stands sure their Sun never sets nor their Moon changes For the Lord himself is their everlasting Light and thy God their glory And though the fashion of this world perisheth waxing old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them yet thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome O God and thy Dominion throughout all ages thou changest not but art the same to day yesterday and forever thou shalt raign till thou hast made this world become the Kingdomes of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Saints and great shall be the day of the Lord. My Lords I could doe no less then recommend this new born babe unto You which hath been brought forth in sorrow and much weakness of flesh though in the willingness of spirit the Lord gives it his grace and blessing that it may be growing up in you in strength and power which shall be the joy and desire of Your Servant T. Butler From my Quarters in Black-Fryers Mr Delaines February 8. 1648. To his Worthy Friend Mr Tho. Appletree Worthy Friend LEt him that stands saith the Apostle take heed least he fall and be not high minded but fear for God gives grace to the humble and exalts the meek but the proud he beholds afar off it is good therefore for every man to look to his feet and consider how he stands by sense or by Faith by Flesh or Spirit by Grace or by Works and where he stands on holy or unholy ground or the Sand or the Rock upon the Sea or the dry Land on Earth or in Heaven in himself or in God whether the Moon be under his feet and he clothed with the Sun whether he serve God or Mammon for if we stand in the Lord we are safe but if we stand any where else we sink and fall the Lords Angels pitch their tents about his to preserve them in all his ways they shall walk and not be weary run and not faint they walk as wise men and not as fools redeeming the time because the days are evil And while God gives You opportunity do good to all but especially to the houshold of Faith and be not weary of well doing for in due time you shall reap if you faint not faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it Your labor of love is well known to many Saints in Dedington and thereabout in Oxfordshire whose bowels You have refreshed the Lord make You more and more to abound in Faith and Love that You may never see Christ naked hungry or in prison but You may minister to him and relieve the oppressed judg the fatherless and widow and let the cause of the poor be maintained still keeping Faith and a good Conscience in all things that Your good example and counsel may win upon many and if J or my poor endeavors herein may advantage You any way in this kind it will be the travel of my Soul and the joy of my Spirit Sir Your Friend and Servant THO. BUTLER TO The Vertuous LADIES Mrs Elizabeth Mrs Anne Mrs Margaret Mrs Katherine and Mrs Lettice Babingtons my dear and precious Sisters together with the rest of that noble Family My deer Sisters AMongst the Catalogue of Gods great mercies to me I account it not the least to be of the number of that sweet and precious society and Family and to see how the Lord hath multiplied his mercies towards us as not onely to make us one Body but also one Spirit giving us the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace whereby we have fellowshp with the Lord and one with another in the Spirit praying rejoycing conversing walking and living together continually this never dyes neither can it be parted it s such a threefold cord that nothing can break it such a fellowship nothing can divide it and such a joy and life none can take from us I have through the love and goodness of the Lord to me drawn some spiritual Discoveries upon a part of the Scriptures as God gave me opportunity Onely my dear Sisters let me desire this from you What you finde herein of God glorifie him for it and what is not of God as you apprehend judg it not after the flesh but judg righteous judgment and withal remember the weakness of him that was but a poor instrument in it And if it may by the blessing of God give any light to you God speaking the same things in a vail to it in your spirits how will it rejoyce mine Thus leaving all to the good guide of the Spirit of Truth in all things I take leave and remain Your loving Brother T. BUTLER TO THE READER JVdg not saith the Apostle that ye be not judged for with what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again and what you would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets but Christ and the Apostles go further and would have us do far better to others then they do to us give them good for evil knowing this now J cannot but perswade my loving Reader to lay aside all malice wrath envy guil and hypocrisie and in love meekness patience and much goodness read and consider trying the spirits whether they be of God or not And thus J shall say with thee if there be any thing as questionless there is of flesh darkness or the spirit of this world that all of it may come into
Nothing can quencle kill or separate this love 132. Christ loves where it is is in the heart and spirit with all our souls strength and might 134. The five things that are excellent in this love of the Spouse called the soul love 135. The strong grounds of the souls love to God when as Gods love is such to us and much more abundant also 139 The Soul that loves Christ desires to live with him 141. The Soul that loves Christ desires to live upon him feed on him 142. The Soul that loves Christ will as he lives 143. They love if they live 144. If we love Christ we shall love the flock of Christ. Ibid. Christ and his flocke are together 145. The flock of Christ hath a place to lie down in 146. Satan hath his flock also Ibid. Though we we know not many things yet we are fair 147 Who is like to thee O Israel for fairness and beauty 148. Thy cheeks neck and feet comely all over 149. The exceeding great beauty and delight that is in the Saints through the Lord their God 150. The Rose and the Lilly and the Apple tree 151. The soul brought from the shadow to the banquetting house the substance 152. And having once tasted of the Lords love she counts flaggons of wine was one love and apples also and not leaves now can comfort a soul 153. The left and right hand of the Lord about us 154. The Lord living by degrees from weakness unto strength in us 155. He will stand no more behind the wall door or the window 156. The Lord calling his love to come away 157. The Lord loves to bring his people out of the clefts of the Rock to see his face 158. The Foxes that spoile the Vines 159. My beloved is mine and I am his 160. The day breaks and the shadows flee away 161. The Soul loving seeking finding holding and never parting 162. The Lords high commendations of his Church and Spouse here in part described 163. There is no spot in her she is all fair yea altogether lovely 165. The sending forth of his Spirit into our hearts to make us to abide in the Lord. 166. The sum of the fifth Chapter of Solomons Song 168. The Lord comes to the breaking of bread and drinking of wine to a feasting in us to eat his supper there 169. The Lord comes to awake us out of sleep 170. The Lord overcomming her heart with love 171. The great wickedness of the Spouse to Christ 172. The transcendent beauty and glory of the Lord Christ the Souls beloved 174. The Queens and Concubines and Virgins without number that praise the Spouse which is but one 176. The beautifull feet of the Kings daughter 177. The Lord sets us as a seale upon his heart the strength of the Lords love to us and ours to him 178. CHAP. XIX The eighteenth Book that God writes in Man is the book of the Prophet Isaiah 180. The two sons and seeds one of Flesh and another of Spirit that is in us Ibid. How the fleshly is eaten up of the spiritual 182. The great Vision which the Prophet saw what it is and what it means 183 The Spirit interpreting the Vision to be in us 185. The stay and the staff of the Creature broken but the stay and the staff of the Lord himself remains for ever 186. The beautifull Branch of the Spirit of the Lord and all the fruits thereof holy 188. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts and the men of Judah 190. The second Vision of the Throne and of the Temple and him that sits there 191. The Lord ruling in the midst of his people judging all within and without in righteousnesse 193. Rezin and Remaliah's sons confederacy their tails and evil counsel like fire-brands 195. The waters of Shiloah or the soft and still voice condemned by most and Rezin followed the Law and Testimony where to be found 197. The joy of the Lord and the people that sate in darkenesse and see light and are governed by the Lord himself 198. The proud Assyrian is brought low and Israel to be exalted 200. The peaceable and righteous Kingdom of the Branch and the great encrease therof from the foure corners of the earth 202. The day of the Branch brings joy and thankefulness 204. The destruction of Babylon in us the glory of the earth 205. Israel ruling over her oppressors 206. Moabs destruction also 207. Fat things made lean and high things low Ibid. Egypt Assyria and Israel shall be made one by the Lords blessing 208. The whole Earth dissolving and burning 210. The feast of fat things Ibid. The strong City whose Wall and Bulwarks are Salvation 211 The Leviathan slain 212. Against pride and drunkenness 213. The wise and the fool both alike in the sealed book till the Lord open it 214 The counsel that is not of God perishes 215. Nothing below God any thing 216. Righteousness and Judgment King and Prince 217. Who shall abide the everlasting burning and not be consumed therein Ibid. The wrath of the Lord revealed against earth and heaven 219. What strange things the Lord doth amongst us by his Spirit 220. Sennacheribs and Rabshakehs blasphemies against the servants of the Lord in whom they are comforted 221. How the Spirit of the Lord given to his doth overcome all the evil and blasphemies of the devil and is stronger then he or his 224 How the Lord makes sick and well kills and saves and he is glorified in all he doth 226. Babylons letters and presents to betray us and our treasures into his own Land 227. The Comfort that the Lord comforts his people withal as the fruits of his coming 229. The Worm Jacob made strong 231. What the Lord doth for his Servants Ibid. The sweetness and love of the Spirit of Christ in his 233. The smoaking flax and the bruised reed in us the little measure of the Spirit 234. Flesh is deaf and blinde the Lord seeing all things 235. The blinde and the deaf shall be Gods Witnesses Ibid. I the Lord do all things 236. God not like the golden idols 237. The shame and the nakedness of Babylon 238 I have shewed thee what thy Idols could not 239 The Lord from the womb forms us to be his Servants Ib. Look to our Rock whence we are hewen 241 Thy beautiful Garments 242. Shake thy self from the dust Ibid. The Lord rules over us and speaks in us 243. How beautiful the feet of them that do bring the glad tydings of peace are 244 Thy God reigneth in the Zion of Saints 245 How thy God doth set thee apart and how though thy outward man be vile yet the inward glorious 246. The Arm of the Lord. 247. The plant growing up out of a dry ground with sorrow to the flesh and the world but with joy to the Lord and his Spirit in Saints 248. The Lamb that opens not his mouth but by suffering overcomes 249. Christ makes his grave
the world what God hath done in the secret printing-house of the heart and whatsoever comes out to the world that is not of his printing and licensing shall be suppressed by the Spirit as not having the hand-writing that makes free and none shall buy or sell but those that have his mark SECT XIII §. 13 What be the things God makes use of in writing this Book Man ANd when the Lord God doth thus he will make our hearts his table-books washing them clean and pure fit and prepared to receive any impression his letters shall be all Spirit and his words life his Precepts and Commandments perfect Liberty as for the Lords Pen it shall be the Finger of the Spirit of God the Inditer God himself the Ink it shall be the pure Christal waters of Life and Grace that proceeds from the Throne of God and of the Lamb the everlasting Fountains of Love the Writings and Printings shall never perish it shall be for a perpetual Memorial to all generations the Lords Hand and Seal shall be set to the Book he will not be ashamed of his workmanship nor his writing therein it shall be also dedicated to all the world Angels and men for all to read his Name shall be to it and the Title shall be this The Book of Life Printed in the year of our Lord the fulness of time SECT XIV Gods making mans heart plain and fair for it §. 14 as paper I Will put my Laws in their minds this is the mind of God to have them of one minde with himself minding the same things His mind in their minds God would fain put his new wine into the new vessels of their minds knowing full well how much vanity for the most part lodges there like the Inn that was full of guests that there was no room for Christ to lay his head so it is in most minds enough of every thing but little enough of this love of the Spirit of Life What said the Lord Now I will come into the temple of mans mind and cast out the buyers and sellers overthrow the tables of the money-changers drive out the beasts and birds and the house that was full of murderers aden of theeves I will make a house of prayer before I leave them SECT XV. §. 15 What God minds and loves it is to live with us and in us BY this we may see the mind of God what he minds most amongst men what he loves best where he desires to live it is the minds of men Again we see all those Sacrifices under the Law that were commanded to be offered to God must be of the best the male in the flock not the sick blind lean or lame all which was abominable to God so here this is the male in the flock God will have offered to him his Laws put into our minds and if this be not all is nothing Thus it was with David surely when he said Oh how do I love thy Law it is my meditation day and night and again Psal 1. 2. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Laws of the Lord surely it was because God had put his Laws in his mind As it was in the Temple of God which was a shaddow of good things to come there was we read in the most holy place the Ark of the Covenant surely this Ark was a kind of figure of what God would do in these last dayes in our Temples in the most holy place of our hearts even in the Ark of our minds he would place his Covenants and put his Laws in that Arke SECT XVI §. 16 What is shall be of the Lords Will and Law and nothing else ANd in that it is said my Laws it shall be a living Law a holy heavenly wise gracious good Law God himself shall be our Law and our Example in all things follow him the Governments shall be upon his shoulders he will Rule in us and over us and be our King Priest and Prophet Happy art thou O Israel a people governed by the Lord He is your Law-giver and it is given to the spirits and hearts of men where he rules and sits brings al things into subjection to himself I will break every other Law of man all your Laws either in Church or in State either in the inward man that convinces or in the outward that restrains that are not mine shall be rooted up those yokes and burdens you shall no longer bear but take my yoke it 's easie my burden and Laws are light and in them you shall find rest SECT XVII §. 17 His own Laws he keeps and them he will have us keep one Law for both ANd in that he saith my Laws see how good and gracious God is he will lay no other burden then what he bears himself live by one Law one Mind one Life one Spirit one Truth one Peace one Righteousness one Kingdom the Law God walks by lives in the way he goes that which is his own very heart and nature the same he would give us that we may be as God is holy as he is holy just as he is just that we may be the children of our Father which is in Heaven SECT XVIII §. 18 All Gods Laws a whole volum within us ANd it is observable he doth not say my Law though all his Laws agree in one and are as one but shews us further that how the Word of the Lord shall dwell in us richly and not sparingly we shall not abound in some grace but in every grace nor in some knowledg but in all wisdom knowledg not doing some of the Will of God but instructed in the whole Counsel of the Lord we shall have Laws in us of all sorts the Law of Faith the Law of Love the Law of Truth the Law of Life the Law of Righteousness the Law of Meekness the Law of Contentedness nay there is not a Law in Heaven nor a Law in the Heart of God but he will put it in our hearts for we shall be men after his own heart And this we must know God is the searcher of heart and mind it must be such an eye and such an arm as must be stretched out to reach the bottom and depth of our minds all that is in the world is too short we may speak to them present the forms and patterns of things given to us in the Mount to the eyes ears and outward view and hearing of men in the world and there we must leave it then comes God and gives the increase he puts it farther he doth the work powerfully We can but John the Baptist like say I indeed baptize with water but he that comes after me it is he that must do all without him all is nothing so here unless Christ come after as here he hath promised and put his Laws in our minds we shall heare pray and do all in vain SECT XIX §. 19 WHerefore my dearly beloved
Writing shal that be think you which God will write What a Book shall that be Every word a word of Life all the leafes leafes of Life the whole Book must needs be the Book of Life but the outward Cover and Binding shall be Man it shall be covered in a fleshly Cover As the Tabernacle of gold within stone without so this Book of the will of God written printed or dwelling in us shall be opened within yet sealed without as to the world they can neither see nor read nor understand nor beleeve it it being sealed up the back and outside being towards them and the opening inward they know nothing in it and all preaching praying hearing reading writing receiving meeting must be from this written Word there must be your text and ground-work to build upon and what is not read there or writ there is not thine to give but let every one speak as the Oracles of God and preach as he findes it written in him from the Word of the Lord there and so expound and read to us in the letter of Words or Life what God hath written within as an epistle read to all friends so is the teaching written to be read to the world CHAP. II. The first Book that God writes in Man §. 1. is called GENESIS NOw the beginning of this Book of God in Man bound up there and hid in this wall of Flesh as the Law was in the Temple and revealed found by the spirit of God it is called the book of Genesis or the book of the beginning of Gods Book in us This is the first book wherein God appears as their Genesis creating all things Heaven and Earth a new in them making a Firmament between Flesh and Spirit to separate and divide the one from the other the waters above from waters below creating light in them the Lord their light scattering and dispelling the darkness and the Spirit of the Lord living moving and dwelling there in this new world Man in his Genesis or beginning herein the Lord brings forth all things in their beginning progress perfection SECT II. §. 2. The six days works in Man brought forth first THe Light first to enlighten every thing that comes into this world for as darkness was upon the face of the deep in the old world first so here in the true world of mans happiness in God first Light is brought forth to be upon the face of all things this is the Candle of the Lord set up in his Candlestick Man This is the first days work or rather the first work in the day of the Lord. SECT III. §. 3. The second work in Gods day in Man THe second work of God in Man his new world he creates of himself to dwell in is a Firmament to divide between the old and new man or old and new world to distinguish between Heaven and Earth SECT IV. §. 4. The third work of God in his day THe third is the gathering of all things together into one the chaff to be burnt and the wheat to be layd in the garner when the Lord comes with his fan thus to purge his floor Man and by the breath of his Spirit dries up the waters that divide and makes all to be a fruitful land bringing forth herbs meet for the dresser receiving blessing from the Lord every plant in man of Gods planting bearing every year twelve manner of fruits and the leaves of the trees for the healing and saving of Nations SECT V. §. 5. The fourth work in the day of the LORD THe fourth Work is the Lords going on to perfection setting up greater lights in us where light was as a day breaking in us now he is come to be the rising of the Sun in us and Moon and Stars light swallowed up of this great light of the Sun the Lord God himself according as it is written The Lord himself shall be the light thereof and also shall be the rule thereof saying Come let us walk in the light of the Lord and the light shall make no difference in days times moneths or seasons SECT VI. §. 6. The fifth work in the Lords day THe fifth Work is the several Mansions the Lord hath prepared for his higher and lower middle stories and chambers according to the degrees of Grace and Light of the Lord in us a higher for the birds and fowls the Doves and Eagle-sighted a lower for the beasts that have only the light of the Moon a sensitive light and a middle for men which are between both but upper for Angels so that every one as he hath attained so let him walk and this is but for a while till we come all up to the unity of Spirit when all partition walls shall be broken down SECT VII The sixth work in the Lords day §. 7. THe sixth is the Lords creating us yet in greater perfection and that is when he brought forth himself compleatly in us which is not only his image or likeness which was in the first man earthly there is therefore an image of God in all such earthly things an image of God in this world and all that in them is But in this new state of things God himself comes in the room and supplies the place of all such things he being the heavenly Thing himself the Heaven and Earth the Day the Light the Sun the Firmament he is all this in us and to us So that all former things are put under us and we have dominion in the heavenly things and rule in Spirit and reign with God for ever SECT VIII §. 8. The end of the work of God THe last days work or rather the end of all his works is the Lord our Sabbath and Rest having perfected his will in us and brought forth his Rest there from all his works and travel now inheriting all things having entred us into his Rest where is all fulness and pleasures for evermore no hungring nor thirsting any more fully satisfied in him And now the Lord looks upon all his works rejoycing in all and over all having his praises perfected and himself sanctified by all SECT IX The Paradise of God in Man §. 9. NOw the next thing is Gods creating a new Paradise where he lives and dwells Christ is our Paradise inasmuch as he is called the Tree of Life therein and the Spirit of the holy God is the living Fountain in this Paradise watering and cherishing quickening and refreshing every plant and tree planted by the rivers of the water of Life bringing forth their fruits at all seasons whose leaves wither not much less their fruits Now this is the delight of the Lord saying I will come into my garden my Love my Spouse and blow upon it that the spices thereof may flow forth and there I will feed among the lillies and eat my hony comb with my hony and drink my wine with my love satisfying
standing between Heaven and Earth Flesh and Spirit both fighting the one against the other SECT IV. What this Wilderness is §. 4 FOr this Wilderness in us is nothing else but the warfare between Flesh and Spirit light and darkness between Michael and the Dragon with their Angels and it is a long time before it be altogether finished we go on as we overcome through faith still gaining ground overcoming by little and little till at last all the two and fourty years are expired along time God had many battels in them searching and smiting drawing and healing but at last the Lord overcoming and they sing with Deborah and Barack and with Moses and the Virgins that follow the Lamb having their harps in them the new song the Lord omnipotent reigneth and as Paul said I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom I have obtained the Victory SECT V. What God doth for his Son in the Wilderness §. 5 three or four things especially The first thing is the several forms of Rest BUt there are three things remarkable in the wilderness and another at the end of the wilderness before they entred the Land For the first how many several rests and standings turnings and windings they had there at the least fourty two and all this time were these witnesses prophecying in sackcloth Judah and Israel or Moses and Aaron for they could not in the Wilderness sacrifice well nor serve God nor keep their Feasts nor their solemn meetings for fear of their enemies So is it in the warfare between Flesh and Spirit as long as there is any flesh reigning living fighting opposing there is little Sacrifice Obedience Worship Praise or serving of God because of these enemies we are kept under in bondage being in fear of them so in these several stages forms or seats that Israel had it was given them because of their weakness had they been able God could have brought them sooner but their wickedness makes these standings lest they should faint in the way And we shall finde it hindered them much and because of their dulness and deadness their unbeleef they went no faster on so is it in the experience true in the spiritual state and travel in this Son Christ travelling in us till he is brought forth into rest the Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak and we make many false rests and say Lo here is Christ and lo there Now we are well and may stand still and go no further and anon a little further and stay there again Thus our pressing from one Form Presbytery to Independency and to Anabaptism and so further we are apt to flatter our selves they be our Rests and many a Proselite having fellowship with some Church to be a member and have such and such a Pastor and breaking bread with such beleevers and in such a pure outward way as they conceive here they are happy and lay themselves down to rest thinking they have purchased a good degree to themselves when they may be as far from the Kingdom of God as before SECT VI. §. 6 The second thing that God doth for his Son in the Wilderness is His giving the living Law with the Tables by the Spirit of Christ from Mount Zion NOw the second thing in the Wilderness is this The giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai this is Hager and her children the bond woman and her son shall not be heir with the Son of the Promise the one is of the Flesh and the other from the Spirit The one from Mount Sinai the other from Mount Sion the City of the living God the new Jerusalem and we have our Laws from Mount Gerizim and not from Mount Ebal and our Laws from Mount Zion not by the hand of Moses nor by the Ministry of Angels nor yet in Tables of stone which are only the patterns of heavenly things but by the hands of the Lord himself by the Ministry and Writing of the Spirit and that in the Tables of the Lords will planted in us which are the very heavenly things themselves and here shall the Vail be taken away and we shall say no more now Let not the Lord speak to us lest we dye but we shall say Let the Lord alone speak to us that we may dye and he may live and there shall be no more here the Thunder nor the Lightening nor Earthquake seen but the still Voyce of the Lord speaking within us and setting up his lively oracles there that he that preacheth may take out his Text from the Law of God within him and he that speaketh may speak as in the name of the Lord that shall here be fulfilled Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord And this is that which will carry us through the Wilderness indeed through all Tryals Troubles Temptations Persecutions in whose heart the Law of God lives when those that have it only written with pen and ink shall perish in the mid way SECT VII §. 7 The third thing in the Wilderness is The Tabernacle of God with his Son THe third thing I spake of is the Tabernacle now having a Law given them they must also have a Tabernacle for the Congregation to meet and hear the Law read and expounded also and here must they bring their sacrifice and worship the Lord this being the holy place of the Lord that he hath chosen to dwell in so that all this is true in us Christ is the only Tabernacle where the Godhead dwells there is the glory of the Lord filling that Tabernacle and here is all the Sacrifice and Worship of God in Spirit and Truth here all the Congregation all that we have or are is offered up to the Lord as a burnt offering wherefore he saith in a certain place The Tabernacle of God is with men and he dwells amongst them and he will be their God and they shall be his people And further here is the Law of God revealed and taught as from the Tabernacle God speaking with a lively voyce in them and calling the whole Congregation of Heaven and Earth Flesh and Spirit Men and Angels to draw nigh to him to his Tabernacle which is his presence saying and writing this in them I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the house of bondage thou shalt have no other Gods but me SECT VIII The total Circumcision of Flesh and final destruction §. 8 of the fiery Serpent THe last thing I only mention is the Circumcision in the end as they were going to enter into the Land this was the last fiery tryal the same is also made good in our spirits that Gilgal where we must be first of all Malice Guile Hypocrisie of Altar Forms and Notions only circumcise from all our filthiness of flesh spirit this is the book of Exodus God makes good in us in bringing us forth with a mighty hand from all the powers of flesh and Satan that keep us
of Hell it prevails against all there is no standing before it no binding it with cords or chains they are like tow and flax before the fire all Delilahs cannot betray it the Flesh may lie in wait and the wiles of Satan to weaken and quench the Spirit but all in vain The Army of the Midianites like grashoppers that lay in our flesh as their camp a world of serpents and lusts are all afraid of the judgment of the Lord The spirit of this Gideon makes them melt away like wax before the Sun SECT III. §. 3 The Sampson and Gideon that is in us THus the upper and the neither springs Jabin and Sisera Deborah and Barak with their triumphant Song and Jael with her hammer and hand Gideon and the Midianites Sampson and the Philistins Israel against Benâ—amin in the Levites behalf are nothing else but the contentions of Flesh And as the Apostle saith well from whence come wars and fightings Come they not from hence even from our lusts that war against the spirit And again are ye not carnal when there are envyings and wrath and evil speaking amongst you when ye admire men and means but say little of the Lord this is a glorying in Flesh and not in the Lord. So here we see it is the Lord our Iudg that must sit upon the Throne and take to him his great power and assemble all the Nations of the earth all flesh together judging it like grass casting it into the oven destroying it by his two edged sword and cause the enemy and the avenger thus to cease by his might alone the Lord our Iudg in us CHAP. VIII The seventh Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the two first books of KINGS THe book of the Kings is next the Lord goes on thus making us Priests Prophets Iudges and Kings here We are the true anointed ones of the Lord of which all Kings are but shadows having received the power of Kings to command all things subdue all things the great Leviathan himself and to tread them under our feet 2. The Crown of Kings a Crown not only of gold but of grace and glory Christ is our Crown a Crown of twelve Stars of the Lord himself our Crown and Glory 3. The Throne of Kings being exalted above all that are called gods above all Principalities and Powers to the right hand of God having Heaven for our throne and Earth for our footstool 4. The Robes of Kings and the attendants clothed with the Sun guarded with the heavenly Hoste Lastly The spirit of Kings a noble and royal spirit the Spirit of the holy God the King of Kings from whom we are descended So that we cannot but be strong and of a good courage having the unction and anointing upon us giving and making Laws to bring every thing in obedience to the Lord in us SECT II. §. 2 The Kingly Scepter ruling in us HAving also the Scepter of Kings to break the Nations in peeces with a rod of iron and to dash them in peeces like potters vessels but to defend and maintain the subject of the Lord the whole Land and Kingdom of the Lord in all their Laws Liberties Priviledges Charters Grants given under the Hand and Seal of the Almighty King himself That all that live under his Wings lodg in his Boughs or dwell in his Land or inherit his Kingdom may fear any thing for not a hair of their heads shall perish the Lord is their defence by day and night watching over them and caring for them in all things what they shall eat drink be clothed with how kept and preserved by his power unto salvation which is to be remembred in the last day and coming of the Lord which we wait for For his first was to make us Priests under the Law His second to make us Prophets under the Gospel But the third and last is the chiefest and that is to make us Kings to reign with him and to sit upon his Throne and as he is so we to be in him SECT III. §. 3 The outside of the Book opened SO Hannahs prayer and song Samuels call and prophesie Eli's falling backward and dying the Ark of the Lord taken by the Philistines Dagons fall the Ark sent back Israels false gods cast away Israel meet at Morpeth are humbled and subdue the Philistins they will have a King Saul is anointed and prophesieth Samuels integrity Saul spared the best Agag the King David is anointed and Saul rejected David slayeth Goliah that defied the Armies of Israel Jonathan and David love Sauls envy to him hunting him like a Partridg Saul sends for David to play and still his spirit David escapes his hand Nabals cruelty to David Abigals wisdom and marriage to David Saul going to the Witch of Endor shortly falls by his enemies and kills himself c. SECT IV. §. 4 The inside and the Spirit in it opened and revealed there ALL this is now verified in our spirits opened and explained there by the Spirit which pours that prayer signs that song making melody to the Lord in our hearts it is that which calls once twice thrice and ceases not till it be heard and obeyed making us prophesie it is that which keeps us from falling backwards and death leading us forward to life it is that which keeps the Ark of the Lord amongst us which is nothing else but the Lords presence it is the Spirit of the Lord that destroys the Antichristian Philistin in our flesh and his god Dagon dashing them in pieces Gods presence lifted up again upon his people in the Arks returning Israel broken by the Lords Spirit and made weak are then most strong to subdue flesh according as it is written My grace is sufficient for thee and my strength seen in the midst of thy weakness Thus God gives grace to the humble and exalts them above then enemies The fleshly man will have a King and a Kingdom he would fain raign that as sin abounds so grace might much more abound and yet would pretend loyalty to God and would give liberty to conscience and the Spirit but it 's only to murder and not worship like Herod so is this Saul in our flesh seeks Christ to kill him thus the persecuting Saul worships in lips but the heart is far from God sparing Agag the Amalekite offering only the poor and blind not the best keeps that and sacrifices it to its own lust This is the proud King the fleshly Saul that exalts itself and loves sacrifice better then obedience robbing God of all for it self But the Spirit of the Lord our David comes at last to be anointed and appointed to raign in us and over us and now Sauls Kingdom must cease though he may envy persecute hunt to death and crucifie the Lords David and Spirit yet it shall live and raign in the spite of all and all powers and principalities are nothing to it The uncircumcised Philistin the mighty
shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy So the strangers and strange wives are removed there shall no unclean thing live there any more Whatsoever lives in that is a stranger or a strange wife any thing thou art wedded or married to that is not the Lord is a strange wife that steals away thy heart and the Lord will give thee a bill of divorcement to put her away CHAP. XIII The twelfth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called ESTHER THe book of Esther opened in Man is nothing else but the state of a poor earthly creature in whom there is nothing when once beloved of God the Lord hath a favor to it and sends forth his Spirit to prepare it all things according to his heart and minde and so is brought forth in great glory washed perfumed adorned justified sanctified and so glorified with the Lord to be betrothed to the Lord in truth in judgment and in righteousness And as it shews how the Lord exalts the lowly and meek the worm and nothing above all things so it also holds forth the pomp pride and glory of all flesh and the fall thereof is great and that in Haman a lively figure and representation of this how flesh and blood is exalted and what favor honor friends it may have yea what obeysance and homage how it may have a glorious footstool and as stately and magnificent a crown as the god and king of this world can give him And what shall not be done to the man whom the whole world jointly intends to honor Here all things below are theirs yet behold of a sudden he is cut down like the grass and cast into the oven Cry then All flesh is grass and the glory thereof like the flower of grass so soon it withers away and we are gone surely all flesh is grass but the Word of the Lord endures for ever His Grace and Truth throughout all generations his Garments do not change neither his feet weary nor his shoes wax old but all is more beautiful for the wearing This is true in Esther and Haman the one Grace advanced the other Flesh disgraced CHAP. XIV The thirteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called JOB THe book of Job opened in man And herein you have the life and state of a Christian held forth dying in the flesh and to the world and then living to God and rising in Spirit above this world entering into another world his life with God in Christ this Job shews us in this history the true pattern of the other as for example first The Christians dying in the flesh and to the world is clearly manifested in Jobs miseries how Satan set upon him his wife tempting him Satan accusing him God hiding himself for a moment from him Satan buffeting him his children destroyed his cattel consumed his houses burnt his lands and living impoverished his spirit troubled his health broken his body bruised even from the crown of the head to the feet all over afflicted his friends forsake him his comforters torment him all his Physitians of no value thus he lies in the bed of sicknesse death seising upon all he hath SECT II. §. 2 What is the Mystery of this History of Job in Man I Pray what is this but the Christian crucified to the world and the world crucified to him a Christians dying dayly mortifying his members here upon the earth For this is the Will of the Lord even the denying of our selves and the bearing of our cross and following him And is not all this taught and learnt here in the spiritual state But mark the conclusion It dyes in weaknesse but it doth rise in power it is sown a natural body but it rises a spiritual body it dyes in the flesh but rises in the Spirit So much is clear in the other part of the History All that God took away from Job in the Flesh he gave him again in the Spirit so is it in the Mystery what we lose one way we gain another way we lose according as it is written He that loseth his life shall save it and he that would save his life shall lose it And again He that loseth or forsaketh father or mother wife or children lands or livings for my sake shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting SECT III. §. 3 The latter end of a Saint better then the first the longer he lives the better THerfore saith the Text The latter end of Job was better then his beginning so is it indeed in the spiritual state the latter end is better then the beginning he goes on to perfection his last works are the best therefore Iob said again I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear but mine eyes never saw thee till now wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes The Lord had given him eye salve to see clearly the Glory and Beauty of the Lord God himself what he heard he sees true so is it in the pure spiritual state We see as well as hear the wonderful things of God what others eyes have not seen nor ears heard we can utter And lastly The more Job saw of God the lesse he saw in himself the more his flesh was dead and buried I abhor my self saith he so is it true in us also that know the Lord That the nearer the Lord appears to us the more we like wax melt away the more we enjoy of him the lesse we enjoy our selves CHAP. XV. The fourteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called PSALMS THe Book of Psalms opened in Man He is the Harp in the Lords hand the still and loud Instrument the Psaltery the Organ Sac but and Dulcimer tuned aright by the Lord and therein the Lord God makes melody with a loud Voyce their Sun and Moon Heaven and Earth Fire and Vapours all fulfilling his Word Fruitful Trees and all Cedars Gardens and Fountains Mountains and Hills Men and Angels yea every thing that hath breath praise the Lord as David saith Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name And again Bless the Lord O my soul and forget none of his benefits And again Yea while I have any breath will I praise the Lord. And again Lord let me live that I may praise thee This is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us in all things to give thanks Wherefore saith the Apostle Be not filled with wine wherein is excess but be filled with Spirit wherein there is no excess This is the wine indeed that he that drinks abundantly thereof it will make him merry and wise according to the Apostles rule If any man be merry let him sing Psalms if afflicted let him pray And indeed when we are full of the Holy Ghost we shal be like men full of new wine every one shall be
heard in that Spirit praising the Lord and speaking of the wonderful things of Heaven Wherefore saith the Apostle When ye are thus full of the Spirit then ye shall rejoyce in the Lord. And again Ye shall rejoyce singing to your selves Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs that is there shall be musick all sorts and tunes and melodies heard SECT II. Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs in §. 2 us all FIrst for Psalms In the beginning of the breathings and breakings forth of the Spirit the Psalms are for the weak ones the babes in joy The second Hymns are for the fathers in joy but the Songs are for the strong young men whose joy is full so that by these three I understand only the several degrees of joy and also the various operations of the Spirit The Psalms are doctrines mutually mixt with Praises the Hymns thanksgivings purely and the Songs the ravishments of love Psalms are the tastes we have of him the Hymns are longings after him but the Song is the full possession of him My beloved is mine and I am his he comes to his garden so that one Saint hath a Psalm another that is higher a Hymn and third a spiritual Song and that all from one and the same Spirit but the inspirations more or lesse SECT III. §. 3 The new Song in the new Jerusalem ANd as for Davids new Songs he speaks so often of in his Book we have the same written in our Books Psalm for Psalm Prayer for Prayer Hymn for Hymn Song for Song even a Song for every Season the new Song is like to the new Name the new Covenant the new Jerusalem the new Creature so is this new Song only to be sung by such therefore called the Song of Moses and of the Lamb and none can sing it nor knows the tune of it but the Virgins that follow the Lamb it is in Spirit full of Glory SECT IV. §. 4 The chiefest sinner shall rejoyce most ANd again As our sufferings have abounded so shall our consolations he that hath suffered a little shall have a Psalm or a Hymn but he that hath abounded in sorrow in affliction shall have this Spirit of Joy above his fellows he shall sing aloud and shout for joy of heart wherefore he saith Blessed are the meek and hungry and that mourn these shall all be comforted but when he speaks of this Blessed saith he are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for they shall be exceeding glad and rejoyce their joy shall exceed others and as sin also hath abounded so shall Grace and Glory and Honor and eternal Praise and Joy abound also Wherefore it s well said of Christ That as his sorrow was such as he saith Behold if ever sorrow were like unto my sorrow when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So behold his joy never joy was like it at the conversion of a sinner SECT V. §. 5 All Gods workings in us come to a Song at last THis Book of Psalms in Man it is all but one Psalm it is an eternal Song a praising God for ever and and ever without end this is not with our mouth but the Lords mouth and heart not with lips but the kisses of his mouth and the breath of his Spirit and indeed all the workings of God are in joy they all bring forth the first fruits of Righteousnesse in peace and joy all things working together for good all our sorrows travels crucifyings self-denials crosses losses miseries deaths and torments they all bring forth a Psalm a Hymn and a Song this is the man child that shall be born after all Now it may be God is only making or beginning this Psalm in us yet a little while and it shall be finished and the noise thereof heard from one end of the Heavens to another SECT VI. §. 6 And what this Song is in the Saints ANd the Song shall be this Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Thou art worthy of all Honor Glory and Praise for thou hast redeemed us to thy self And again The Lord the Lord the Lord God omnipotent raigneth And again We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty that thou hast raigned and takest this great power to thy self and that thy time is come and that the Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Saints Rejoyâ—â— O ye Heavens and all that are in them for thy God raigneth SECT VII The Lord alone is the Psalm and the Hymn §. 7 and Song in us BUt yet further The Lord God is our Song our Blessednesse that David speaks of and the Law that we delight in and tree of Life that brings forth all good fruit and all flesh is the chaff and like the wind the Spirit of the Lord shall scatter and divide it all bringing it to Judgment and flesh is that which rages and imagines vain things against the Lord and it is the Lord alone that shall sit upon the holy hill of Zion and breaks all flesh in pieces with its scepter Our flesh is the enemy that increases and rises up against us and the Lord and it is the Lord that Spirit that smites this enemy in the cheek bone and breaks the teeth of the ungodly so all salvation is the Lords and his blessing is his people Again The Lord is their Sacrifice of Righteousnesse their Wealth and Health and all the light of his Countenance is that which is their Life indeed the Lord is their Life and Peace that makes them to dwell in safety alone their wine and corn and oyl it is all with the Lord alone and nothing else What singing was there at the birth of Christ Jesus after the flesh How did the Angel Shepherds Joseph Mary Zachary Elizabeth Simeon and all sing How did they all magnifie the Lord and bless the Lord God of Israel What is it but an example of the heavenly Thing that when Christ Jesus is born in us and framed there there is singing and will be where the Lord lives But all the minstrels in the flesh are turned out and it calls them all madness yea there is a singing though we be in prison outwardly and great misery yet our joy none can take from us nothing can break out peace nor interrupt our melody nor quench our joy no man nor devil can take it from us SECT VIII §. 8 There is no singing in the strange Land till we come to the Lord himself YEt a word more this glory and perfect joy is not for them that live in the flesh nor in darkness or in the Kingdoms of this world There is nothing but howlings sorrows gnashing of teeth weeping and lamentations here as Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness were weary in their lives and full of groanings strivings and fightings But the songs are heard neither in Egypt nor in Babylon nor in the Wilderness but in Canaan here we hang up our
hearts and mourn but in the strange Land are we more strangers While we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord But when we shall absent from the body and be present with the Lord and not live by faith only but by sight when we shall not read of him nor hear of him only but when we shall see him face to face then shall our joy be full then we shall sing the song of Zion When we are entred into the joy of our Lord and Master when the day of the Lord is come the voyce of the Bride and of the Bridegroom is heard and the marriage of the Lamb is come then shall the Song be sung it is prepared for that day then shall the voyce of the Turtle be heard amongst us and the voyce of the Lord himself rejoycing over us And we rejoycing and singing in the Lord and in nothing else we shall sing O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world Let the Heavens praise thee O Lord yea let all the world give thanks unto thee yea let all things arise O Lord and call thee blessed SECT IX To sing with the Spirit and with §. 9 Vnderstanding THis made the Apostle say I will pray with the Spirit and with Understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and sing with Understanding also He then that hath not this spirit cannot sing with understanding he is as he that speaks in an unknown tongue a Barbarian except the Spirit interpret it 's but howling and no singing but where it s filled and enlarged with love where the Spirit of the Lord is heaped up and running over it must break forth and overflow it will not be hid it is like a fire in the bones like the sea at full tide like a full winde at sea filling the sails such is the powerful presence of God overshadowing us A Psalm THe Lord the Lord th' eternal God who lives and reigns to make us glad Our Psalms our Hymns our spirits songs our melodies in him alone We are his Organs and his Harps he tunes and plays upon our hearts He sings and makes most pleasant noise filling us full of mirth and joys A Hymn O Glory glory to the Lord his Name be blessed all abroad Our life mirth love and joys lives and lies in his glories A spiritual Song O Holy holy God on high Eternally Our melody Above the sky Never to dye But thus to cry Glory Glory To God on high Eternally Happy happy CHAP. XVI The fifteenth Book that God writes in Man is called PROVERBS SECT I. The Spirit that interprets secrets and §. 1 proverbs where it is and dwells ALL dark sayings mysteries secrets wonderful things deep and high sealed and concealed old and new there is a Spirit even the Spirit of the holy God which dwells in them that are gods which can reveal secrets expound parables finde out the pearl hid in the field and interpret dreams and hard sayings He that plows with this heifer shall finde out all these riddles and parables made plain in us And for the most part all these Proverbs without came from Wisdom and Understanding which dwelt in Solomon and spake these things from within SECT II. §. 2 The sum of this history of Proverbs spiritually in us in five particulars The Father God the Mother Wisdom the Son the Saint HEre is five things spoken of First The Father and that is the Lord God himself Secondly The Mother and that is Wisdom so she is called Wisdom is justified of her children which is Christ God the Father of Judgment Christ the Mother of Wisdom here is Judgment and Wisdom together Thirdly The Son that is here spoken of in the history of the Proverbs and that is the Childe of God the Christian or Saint that begotten Son that came from the bowels of Wisdom travelling with it and from the spirit of Judgment this is the Son that is so much admonished and taught of God every way it must needs be a wise Son that hath such Parents and it cannot stand in need of any thing that hath such a Father it must needs be brought up in the nurture and fear of the Lord filled with all wisdom and understanding A wise son saith Solomon is a joy to his mother but a foolish one is the sorrow of her heart So here Wisdoms children are a joy to her She can say Lord here am I and the children thou hast given me I had from thee thine they were and thou gavest them to me and I give them to thee again and my self with them Fourthly The strange woman and her sons the woman that flattereth with her lips and speaketh lies what is this woman but the world and the children of this woman but the children of the world This flesh that dwells in us is the strange woman and the woman that flattereth with her lips and betrays us tempting us to come in unto her and see what she hath prepared This is the Antichrist that lives in flesh and would feign her self a Prophetess and would have all turn in to her and drink of her fornications and eat of her idolatrous sacrifices which she hath prepared And all her sons are the brats of Babel the concupiscence or lust of the flesh 2. The lust of the eye and heart 3. The pride of life These three be her darlings and Delilahs that are nourished and brought up by her dayly the strange woman and her children Fifthly The enemies of Wisdom and these be called fools and scorners sinners and strangers these hate knowledg and reject the fear of the Lord She hath called and they would not answer yea cryed but they would not hear She hath prepared her table and her banquets and cryed in the high ways and concourse of people to come in to be her guests but they have all turned aside yea they hate her dainties and despise her counsels preferring with Esau a mess of pottage before either blessing or birth-right CHAP. XVII The sixteenth Book that God writes in Man is called ECCLESIASTES SECT I. The vanity of all things in the outward §. 1 man or world THe book of Ecclesiastes opened in Man Wherein you have the vanity of all earthly things discovered how this world and the fashion thereof perisheth all the fulness thereof exhausted her treasures corrupted her glory stained her riches moth-eaten her dwellings rotten her friends consuming her life dying and all her attire fading This is the state of this life this old world this outward man of ours the tabernacle that is groaning and burthened ready to be dissolved yea heaven and earth and all the creatures are the Apostle saith expresly groaning for the redemption and the manifestation of the sons of God The whole generation of the first Adam his whole kingdom and dominion the world wherein he ruled is all melting with fervent heat yea his more excellent things are vain his righteousness
wisdom knowledg learning arts sciences laughter and joy yea his whole study and practise yea all his sobriety chastity charity fortitude temperance patience there is vanity in it all Besides the things that are outward as his buildings stately possessions pleasant gardens and orchards all his precious substance his royal attendants his faring deliciously every day there is a deeper vanity upon these SECT II. §. 2 The earthly man is the vanity of vanities and the vexation of spirit ANd all this comes from man which is a bundle of vanity yea less then nothing vanity and vexation of spirit The vainest thing that is saith the Prophet is man that is the natural man the earthly man the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil and that continually from his evil heart proceeds all evil for unto the defiled and unclean there is nothing pure or clean hut all he touches tastes or handles is defiled till he be cleansed within being like the lepers that infected all about them houses and walls So here O vain man the worst of all things in whom dwells no goodness nay he makes all other things vain but it is not so in the Kingdom of God nor in the World to come by Christ therein every soul that tasted and received of the Father sees nothing but excellency and everlasting comfort there is no vanity nor vexation of spitit there is nothing but holiness to the Lord there is durable riches and eternal mansions and no alteration or shadow of changing for all things are there of God c. CHAP. XVIII The seventeenth Book that God writes in Man is called The Song of SOLOMON SECT I. Christs Kisses and his Mouth what §. 1 they be CHrists Song and the Spouses Song The kisses are the Testimonies of the Spirit the manifestations of his presence His mouth are the divine oracles that breath into her the giving her the holy Spirit opening his mouth and breathing into her that spirit that may quicken her and teach her all things And kisses the more the better the running over of his spirit presence For thy loves His kisses are his love tokens Are better then wine The light of his countenance the least presence of him a kisse a look a touch a taste far beyond all the world SECT II. The oyntment poured out §. 2 THe savor of the good ointments poured forth This is Christs Fulnesse Grace Glory and Truth full of Grace and truth full of Spirit and Life this is then good ointment poured forth freely he hath received and freely he gives For of his fulness we all receive grace for grace Therefore do the Virgins love thee This is a pure undefiled love therefore called Virgins when it is begotten only by the pure ointments of Christ pouring forth and nothing else this is the fire that kindles it and the oyl that maintains it burns the purest flames admits of no mixture whatsoever but keeps it Virginity and chaste pure love for the Lord Christ and no other SECT III. What the Kings Chamber is to be brought §. there 3 DRaw me and we will run after thee They must needs run whom God draws and love will not only draw but constrain and it is the love shed abroad in us this anointing poured forth will ravish us and it s nothing but the inward anointing that draws the outward teaching is nothing without it The King hath brought me into his Chamber This is the place of Rest no where else no society else but the presence Chamber nay the bed Chamber of the King himself none of his Attendants will serve no other room but to live alone in him and in the same Chamber and glory with him and no other this anointing draws us thither We will be glad and rejoyce in thee This is the fulnesse of joy now she is in Heaven full of joy now and never till now can we be glad and rejoyce We will remember thy love more then wine the upright love thee We shall never part more I am brought to his Chamber but nothing can draw me hence again Come let us take our fill of love and forget all sorrow and enmity remember nothing but love alone and no love but thine that is the love that makes us forget all things else and love thee above all things to live with thee SECT IV. What the blackness and the comeliness is §. 4 4 I Am black but comely O ye daughters of Jerusalem It is not the outside the form the image or shadaw you are to look at that is black indeed but all my comelinesse is in Christ it is in the Lord he is my Beauty and Splendor my Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption but I am black my flesh and nothing but blackness and darkness from it this I was but the other I am now this I have put off the other is put on Nay I am black you may think and call it so it may be so to you black heresie blasphemy and yet it may be comely to me it may be judged black by men and yet be approved of God for that which they call heresie so worship I the God of my fathers SECT V. §. 5 What the brothers are angry at and what is the keeping of other Vineyards and not the true Vineyard 5 LOok not upon me because I am black because the Sun hath looked upon me That is you are my friends and have accounted me your brother you now look scornfully upon me casting me out of your Synagogue because the Sun hath looked upon me and the Lord hath anointed me and enlightened me above my fellows envy me not for that neither look at that which is outward but at that which is inward for all my glory and excellency is not in me but in the Lord God that lives with me My mothers children were angry with me We that were one and agreed in one when we lived both in the flesh are now angry at me since I have lived in the Spirit You my own mothers children that have one Mother Nature and Country go about to kill and crucifie me they would sell me away do any thing with me betray me into the hands of all my enemies they are set spitefully against me as they did Joseph and Christ and Abel at the beginning and all because their works are evil and mine good they see the Lord is with me and blesses me They made me the keeper of the Vineyards but my own Vineyard have I not kept That is while I ruled others was set over us and had a glory and preheminence in the flesh above others teaching them and governing them I my self in the mean time became a cast-away and I received honor that came from men but not from God and I was sent of them and called by them and ruled as a man but I was not called by God I condemned that in others which I found in my self I lived according to
is all this but the good work of the Lord upon his We are his Vineyard the Lord God is the Husbandman Christ the Vine We the Branches the Spirit the Fruits the Lords Grace the fruitful Hill the Lords Peace the Hedg and Wall the Lords Power the Tower Righteousness his Vine Love his Winepress and this is watched and watered from Heaven and gives always increase abounding with fruits to the Lord. But as for the flesh and earthly man the corrupt nature formerly the Lords Vineyard when he leaves it O what is it Nay the very best of us if the Lord absent himself take away the hedg wall vine winepress then what a miserable thing is man then he minds nothing but earthly things woe unto him when I leave him Woe to him that joyns house to house then thâ—t is his treasure making provisions for the flesh that is his feasts but hell and darkness opens her mouth wide and is enlarged her self and all their pomps and glory descend thither SECT VIII §. 8 The second Vision of the Throne and of the Temple and him that sits there A Second Vision from the Lord There was a mighty high Throne and it was lifted up gloriously and the Lord sate upon the Throne high and lifted up and there was a Temple also the Throne was in the Temple where the Lord sate and the Lords train filled the Temple also full of Glory and above the Throne and about it stood the Seraphims and every one had six wings with two he covered his face with two his feet and with other two he did fly and as they fled they cryed one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory And moreover the voyce that cryed was so great that it shook and moved the posts of the door of the Temple and the house was filled with smoak and it shook and terrified the Prophet also that he cryed out I am undone I am undone I am unclean all over and as I cried thus I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts that then the Lord of Hosts sent a Seraphim to me that came flying with a live coal taken from off the Altar with the tongs in his hand and he came and laid it upon my mouth and took away with it my iniquity purging away sin and cleansing my lips then saying to me Who will go for us whom shall I send And I said here am I Lord send me and the Lord said Go and shew this people what thou hast seen make their hearts fat and ears heavy and shut their eyes for they understand not and do so long till the Land be utterly desolate for a remnant only shall be left like an oak whose leaves are dryed up and the substance in the root so shall the holy seed be the substance thereof SECT IX §. 9 The Lord ruling in the midst of his people judging all within and without in Righteousness NOw what is all this that the Vision means but the Lord God coming to Judgment and sitting upon the Throne of Righteousness which is high and lifted up to rule the Nations and judg the Earth in Righteousness and inasmuch as the Throne was lifted up in the Temple which Temple are we in the Lord there God hath his Throne in the midst amongst us and none other and from thence he will send forth Justice and Judgment that shall run along the streets of the Cities and Countries but there shall his Throne be and what are the Seraphims but the ministring spirits from the Lord praising the Lord and fulfilling his Word crying Holy holy holy continually and what is the train that fills the Temple are not we in the Lord or are not all his Excellencies Grace Power Wisdom Truth Mercy Love Peace are they not his train that fills the Temple of the Saints All his Attributes Blessings Comforts Gifts Graces are his train and to the filling of the Temple and from thence he sends whom he will from the Temple where he is into the Land to convince them of sin righteousness and judgment c. SECT X. §. 10 Rezin and Remaliah 's sons confederacy their tails and evil counsel like fire-brands THis is is a Prophesie now of Rezin the Syrian King and Remaliahs son the Ephraimite being Confederates and taking evil counsel against the Lord and his people in Jerusalem saying Let 's go up and vex it make a breach in it and set a King over it of our own or else destroy it This news made the house of David Judah Jerusalem faint for fear like the trees moved with the wind because of the tails of these two fire-brands raging against them but the Lord sends the Prophet with a message to comfort them and not to fear for he will break destroy them both their evil councel shall not stand nor prosper and the Lord sent them a sign also either in heaven or earth which they refusing the Lord himself gave them a sign saying Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son shall call his name Emmanuel and then the Land and the enemy that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings if thou believest this thou shalt be established and weary not the Lord as ye have wearied men This is the will of the Lord that though the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing and the Kings and the Princes take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed Judah and Jerusalem the house of David the Lords heritage and people yea though all the enemies of our salvation and all the host that flesh and blood can make against us should compass us round about yet the counsel of the Lord that shall stand and he will comfort his people and say unto them their sins are forgiven and their warfare accomplished and they shall receive double for all their miseries and this shall be their sign the Virgin conceiving and Christs forming in them shall be the Emmanuel God with them to deliver them out of all the hands of their enemies and establish them a glory to the Lord. SECT XI §. 11 The waters of Shiloah or the soft and still voyce condemned by most and Rezin followed the Law and Testimony where to be found THe people that refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly and rejoyce in Rezin and Remaliahs son the Lord shall hiss for the Fly that is in the river of Egypt and for the Bee in the Land of Assyria and they shall devour thy Land and the mighty river shall overflow thee and reach even to the neck and the lifting up of his wings shall fill thy Land O Emmanuel yet Emmanuel shall break you all in pieces though you associate confederate and band your selves never so much yet the Lord God himself whom they sanctifie and who is their dread shall be their Sanctuary to them but for a stumbling for a
from the milk and drawn from the brests For with another tongue will he speak to this people and this shall be the Rest to them that be weary till then the Word of the Lord shall be precept on precept line by line here and there a little lyes and falshood shall be no more a refuge I will lay a foundation in Zion a sure tryed One and he that believeth shall not make haste SECT XXVI §. 26 The wise and the fool both alike in the sealed book till the Lord open it I Will fight against Ariel and speak to her from the dust all the earth that fight against Zion my Mountain I will fight against them and they shall be as men dreaming they eat and drink and are satisfied but behold when they do awake they shall be hungry and thirsty so shall the imaginations or dreams against thee be And the Lord saith Forasmuch as this people honors me with their lips and their hearts are from me they are drunk but not with wine but a deep sleep hath seized on them like a sealed book all things are to them that the learned is as the unlearned and the unlearned as the learned neither understand me knowing only the doctrine of men and I will do this wonder amongst them for the wisdom of the wise shall perish and the understanding of the prudent hid But the deaf shall hear and the words of my Book shall be revealed to the blind the meek increase their joy in the Lord and the poor amongst men rejoyce in the riches of the holy One of Israel they also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn doctrine this Wisdom of the Word becomes foolishness and the foolishness of the Lord true Knowledg and Wisdom indeed SECT XXVII §. 27 The Counsel that is not of God perishes WOe to the Counsel that is not of me and from my Spirit or Mouth wherefore all things shall be your shame and without profit all help else is in vain write it in a table book thus which say to the Seers See not teach smooth things go out of the way cause the holy One of Israel to cease before us And as for quietness and rest in the Lord alone you would not yet the Lord shall wait for thee and thou shalt have aword behind thee teaching thee when to turn to the right the left and the Lord shall give thee rivers on the top of the mountains and knowledg shall increase when the Lord healeth the breach of his people the light of Moon like the Sun and the Sun seven-fold brighter then shall the perfect day be and that shall cause his voyce to be heard SECT XXVIII §. 28 Nothing below God any thing WOe to them that go downwards for help looking to any thing below God for their men and means and not God when the Lord stretcheth his hand both he that is helped and that helpeth shall fall down and they shall all fall down together teacher and hearer without him The Lord like a Lyon shall keep Zion his prey and like a bird fly to their defence and all the earth shall be afraid of the Lord and run to their strong holds for the Lord hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem saith the Lord. SECT XXIX §. 29 Righteousness and Judgment King and Prince BEhold Righteousness thy King and Judgment thy Princes as rivers of waters as a rock in a weary land so is thy Lords Grace to thee no dimness nor dullness nor villany but Righteousness abounding behold the palaces shall be forsaken the Cities left the forts and towers dens until the Spirit be poured out from on high then Judgment shall be in the Wilderness and Righteousness the Field and peace and quietness and assurance the fruits thereof for ever SECT XXX §. 30 Who shall abide the everlasting burning and not be consumed therein THe spoiler spoiled by the Lord for he is exalted he filleth us his Zion with Judgment and Righteousness Wisdom and Knowledg the stability of of thy times and strength of salvation and the fear of the Lord thy treasure Now will I arise saith the Lord be exalted and lift up my self Ye shall conceive chaff and bring forth stubble my breath as fire shall devour you and you shall be as the burning of lime as thorns cut down so burnt in the fire Hear ye both far and neer acknowledg my might the sinners afraid the hypocrites trembled for fear of the devouring fire and the everlasting burning but he that walketh uprightly and speaketh righteously he that is against the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands against bribes that stops his ears from blood and his eyes from evil he shall dwell in the midst of the fire as Moses bush and the three children and not be consumed he shall dwell on high his defence the munition of rocks he shall have all bread his waters sure his King beautiful and before him and see things afar off Look upon Zion and Jerusalem our solemnities and our quiet habitation a Tabernacle not to be removed not a stake ever to be removed she is so rooted and stablished in the rock not a coard broken but there the righteous Lord shall be to us abroad river for the Lord is our Judg Law-giver King and Saviour and the people dwelling therein shall be forgiven their iniquity they shall not be sick praise the Lord. SECT XXXI §. 31 The wrath of the Lord revealed against earth and heaven HErein is revealed the indignation of the Lord against all unrighteousness of men which hold the truth in unrighteousness bringing them all to the fiery Vengeance First Let the Nations and people the earth yea the whole world and all therein draw near hear and hearken what God will do with them and the world That he will pour out his wrath and fury upon all the earth it shall be dissolved and delivered up to the slaughter cast out and left as stinking carcasses melted into blood nay his wrath is revealed against Heaven also they that boast themselves they are gods having heaven in the flesh a carnal heaven onely in shew and appearance not in heart it shall be bathed against the whole hoste of them and they shall all in heaven and earth be sacrificed to the slaughter for it is the day of the Lords vengeance and recompence upon them for their enmity to Sion and their streams shall be pitch their dust brimstone and the Land a burning tormenting all them that live in the earth and it shall not be quenched till all be finished in that day SECT XXXII §. 32 What strange things the Lord doth amongst us by his Spirit THe Lord will make your wilderness to rejoyce and the desart soul to blossom like a rose abundantly and he that is as a wilderness to rejoyce and sing the weak strengthened and the feeble confirmed the fearful in spirit encouraged
the blinde eyes opened the deaf ears unstopped the hard heart mollified the lame to walk and leap the dumb to sing the parched land a pool and the thirsty land springs of water Here among these shall the Lord prepare a way it shall be called The way of holiness no Lion shall be there nor any such beast but the Lambs of the Lord shall walk therein SECT XXXIII Sennacheribs and Rabshakehs blasphemies §. 33 against the servants of the Lord in whom they are comforted SEnnacherib comes with an Army against Jerusalem to besiege and take it Rabshakeh sent to summon it with fair promises to enjoy every one his own and to be brought to as good a land as their own and not to trust in Hezekiah nor his confidence or vain words nor in Egypt a broken reed nor in the Lord for there is no God that can deliver you or your land out of our hands or our King the great King of Assyria for neither Samaria nor her gods nor any other god was able to deliver them out of his hand and if they did refuse and rebel they should eat their own dung and drink their own piss and be afterwards destroyed with the sword for thus saith the great King Now all this is true in the application of it to our selves The world and the flesh or the evil spirit in both Rabshakeh like reviles and speaks evil against the Lord tempting and summoning us bringing an army of evil and strong delusions to ensnare us promising if we will yeeld up all soul and body and all that God hath given us to him falling down and worshipping him we shall have all glory and be like gods and withal telling us many lies that God does not nor can deliver us he sees not neither cares for us saying God hath not said it and as for Hezekiah beleeve him not nor stay your selves in the Lord for I am the God of this world and give honor and glory and riches to them I will be I am exalted on high in these Kingdoms All bow down to me and serve me and they that serve me the god of this world I preserve them and if not I persecute hate destroy kill murther and torment Woe unto them if I am set against them This is the railing Râ—â—shakeh contending for the poor creature and rending it but the servant of the Lord is silent and mourns waiting patiently on the Lord in all things and commits it self wholy to him against all temptations and blasphemies SECT XXXIV How the Spirit of the Lord given to his §. 34 doth overcome all the evil and blasphemies of the devil and is stronger then he or his YEt further when the evil spirit that dwells in us or sent to us from the powers of darkness shall grieve the Spirit of the Lord in his Hezekiahs or servants by high imaginations or abominable blasphemies against the holy Spirit of the Lord in his lifting up it self against the Lord then a greater power of the Spirit of the Lord comes upon us and his Word strengthens us saying Grieve not nor be troubled at the blasphemies of Sennacharib and Rabshakeh those spirits of Satan for I will be with thee and I will let all the Nations of the earth see that I am the Lord God and there is none besides me and that you are my people preserved by my power I will put a bridle in his mouth and my hook in his nose and overcome him and fall backwards and perish in his own land and the Angel of my presence shall fall upon his hoste with the breath of my mouth and slay them all you shall finde in the morning nothing but carcasses this shall they have that rage against the Lord and his Spirit above a hundred thousand nay almost two hundred thousand slain in the field but a remnant of the Lord shall take root downwards now and bear fruit upwards manifold and rejoyce in the Lord of the whole earth And again we see that though an evil spirit of wickedness or blasphemy like the beast in the Revelation may for a while triumph over all and speak great words and do mighty things yet the Spirit of Truth and Glory consumes it all at last SECT XXXV §. 35 How the Lord makes sick and well kills and saves and he is glorified in all he doth THis shews how those whom the Lord loves fall sick through boyls and distempers of flesh the corrupt nature is sickly and perishes and how it all turns to the glorifying of God and the good of the soul as in the 11. of John saith Christ of Lazarus this sickness is not for his death but for the death of sin in the flesh and for his life for the Son of God in him shall be glorified by it and it was so And even so here Hezekiahs life is renewed he dyes after the flesh to this life and state and lives to God after the Spirit dyes to himself to live to God as he saith now shall I live to praise thee Thus the Lord makes us sick and well dead and alive wounds and heals takes and gives after his good pleasure sets all in order the fire the faggot the sacrifice the knife and all the whole sacrifice the whole man with his whole house and it is not to kill the Lamb but the Ram not the Sinner but the Sin and the Lord healed him and defended his City all his with him house and all prolonging their lives giving them a long life even for ever and ever and a signe The Sun returning or going backwards ten degrees which shewed the return and fall of his enemies or the forgiveness of sins and the restauration of souls SECT XXXVI Babylons letters and presents to betray us §. 36 and our treasures into his own Land LEtters and Presents from Babylon and her King Baladan upon Hezekiahs recovering hearing of it pretends joy for it Thus the Flesh lies in wait for the Spirit Antichrist for Christ and the Christian if we recover from falling on the left hand we are presently tempted to fall and err on the right hand Here the Devil is transforming himself into an Angel of light and deceives and betrays us basely pretending to be outwardly for us giving us his letters and presents and is inwardly against us so creeps in unawares and like a serpent subtilly gains upon us undermines us findes and feels our strength and eats and drinks with us and is received into our heart and treasure we being all opened to him nothing in us but made known and yet really know not whence he comes a stranger from a far Country to see us and rejoyce with us but not out of love but envy like them in Pauls days that preached Christ out of envy But the Lord remembers us and findes out all our enemies for us and smites us when we do amiss so that as Hezekiah received these messengers and presents and withal shewed his treasures
Lord for he will have mercy on them and to them that call him the Lord their God for he can and will and none else abundantly pardon them and though your thoughts and ways and mine be as far distant as heaven and earth and as far below me yet I will make your thoughts mine and your ways mine you shall think as I think and say as I say and live as I live and in every thing do as I do agree in mind spirit and judgment with me think of your selves and ways as I do think of you and think of me and my ways according as I think of my self and think of others and their ways as I do and then though my thoughts before were in heaven so high yours on earth so low yet now you shall no more be in earth but in heaven with me and in earth with me and in both like me SECT LXXIII The Word that comes from Gods Mouth shall prosper in what it is sent §. 73 NAy furthermore I will pour out my Rain and my Snow my Spirit and my Word from my heavenly Glory upon you that are like the earth sinful and carnal and my Spirit and Word shall not return in vain it shall water you and make you fruitful and bring forth seed to the sower and bread to the eater for as it came out of my Mouth as from heaven so it shall descend in the heart of the earth and plow up the fallow grounds and sow in righteousness and reap in joy it shall accomplish that whereto I sent it and prosper in the thing I take in hand it shall make you bring forth and go out in joy and be led forth in peace the mountains and hills shall break forth into singing and the trees of the fields clap their hands for joy for high and low rich and poor shall praise the Lord no thorns but fir trees no bryers but mirtle trees and it shall be to the Lord for an everlasting sign of praise never to end SECT LXXIV §. 74 No man is just but he to whom Salvation is come BLessed is the man that keepeth judgment for judgment shall keep him and that doth justice for that shall preserve him for to him my Salvation is come the Salvation of the Lord and to him my Righteousness is revealed blessed is the man that hath this and that layeth hold on it for he shall keep the Sabbath from polluting it and serve the Lord he shall keep a rest a holy day for ever to the Lord he shall do no evil neither shall any iniquity be found in his hand SECT LXXV §. 75 The stranger and the Eunuch joyned to the Lord and made sons and heirs to God THe stranger and the Eunuch that are joyned to the Lord shall be sons and heirs neither shall they say we are separated from the Lord any more nor from his people but are united to them nor shall the Eunuch say any more he is a dry tree but the Lord God who joyned himself to them and given them his Spirit even the Spirit of Holiness and Rest to keep a Sabbath within them God will give them a place and a habitation within his house and a name better then of sons and daughters even heirs and an everlasting name that shall never be cut off I will bring them to my holy Mountain and make them my House of Prayer and I will rejoyce in them and accept of all their burnt-offerings and meat-offerings upon my Altar and my House shall be called The House of Prayer for all people though their watchmen be blind and dumb dogs yet I will be their Watchman saith the Lord. SECT LXXVI §. 76 The righteous man perisheth but not his righteousness yet none lays it to heart THe righteous man perisheth though his righteousness endures for ever yet none lays him or his righteousness to heart nor considereth his death or his life and he and his righteousness is taken from the evil to come for what hath righteousness to do with unrighteousness or light with darkness So he is taken from men to God and shall enter in his peace and lie down in his bed of rest and walk for ever in his righteousness But the sinful and wicked man he perisheth not but lives and prospers in the world for a moment but yet his triumph is short this is the Adulterer and the Adulteress and her whorish brood that make a wide mouth speaking blasphemy false children full of iniquity sporting themselves with vanities and inflamed with idols in every place in valleys and hills and hast joyned to another and enlarged thy bed and hast not at all remembred the Lord nor laid him to thy heart for these lovers and lusts have stollen away thy heart thy vanity shall take thee away and none shall deliver thee but they that trust in me shall be delivered and inherit rest in my Land quietly SECT LXXVII The Lord will dwell in Holiness both on §. 77 high and below NAy further Thus saith the Lord to them that fear him whose name and nature is holy and his dwellings in eternity holy that wheresoever he is he makes all things holy and like him if he dwell above or beneath in heigth or in depth in rich or in poor in high or low strong or weak fathers or babes which is called the high and holy place or in the humble and contrite yet he is Holiness in all estates and degrees and revives the heart and spirit of the humble and creates peace also in all their borders both to them a far off and to them nigh at hand neither wil I contend in wrath for ever least I should destroy the souls that I have made but I have seen his ways and will heal and restore comfort to the mourners and peace where there is no peace SECT LXXVIII §. 78 The sin and iniquity of Jacob the Fast that is the Lords the good and acceptable day that he chuses how we must love one another and walk in the light and not in darkness as the Lord doth to us THe Lords people even the house of Jacob have their sins and transgressions as well as others and the cry of the Lord is loud against them he will not spare them above all they shall see it and these be their sins 1. They seek me dayly but it s with the lip only 2. They delight to know my ways but yet hate to be reformed and do it 3. They ask of me the Ordinances of Justice and yet forsake the Ordinance of their God 4. They delight in approaching before God yet they say Wherefore takest thou no knowledg of it 5. They fast and yet find pleasure they fast but from sin but fast to strife and debate you fast not unto me your fast is not the acceptable day of the Lord that is Joy and Gladness yours is rending of garments putting on of sackcloth you have chosen out a fast to your selves