wee shall see our selves live in his life and dead to that life that wee did live to our selves Thus the Lord will strip us of all our excellent things bringing us into the wildernesse and shewing us that all our works are burnt up so far as they are of us but that which is of God in us is not burnt up but is purged from our drosse and will appeare very glorious and will make us silent for we shall have nothing to boast of but confesse that it is Christ in us which is that glory then we shal â—e that he is no respecter of persons for whatsoever he be whether he be a strict Jew as the Jewes were very strict as ye may see by Paul before his conversion Or a Gentile one that makes no shew of godliness but lives very loosâ—y as those Gentiles did which are spoken of â—n Rom. 1. yet when Christ reveales himself to them they shall finde that his love is the same to them as to them that have been most strictest When the Lord of the Vine-yard sent labourers into his Vine-yard he sent some at the first hour and some at the third hour and some at the sixth hour some at the eleventh hour and when hee came to pay them hee began with him that went in last and he had as much given him as he that went in first Mat. 20. Those that are but young Saints that have been but lately brought into Christ the Lord doth many times reveal himselfe in a very glorious manner to them before he doth to them that have laboured in the Lords Vineyard a great while and have had the seede of God appearing in them a great while Mat. 29.30 But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first That we may know that God is no respecter of persons for wee are all one body and his love is as great to one member as to another Ephes 4.4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling One Lord one faith one Baptisme One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Col. 3.11 Christ is all and in all the Saints CHAP. XVIII How glorious the glory of Christ will appeare in his Church when he bringeth them out of the Wildernesse VVHen Christ hath stripped his Church off of all her goodly things then she hath nothing to trust too but on Christ Isa 2. Then the lofty lookes of man shall be humbled and the baughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and hee shall bee brought low and the Idols hee shall utterly abolish And they shall goe into the holes of the rockes and into the â—aves of the Earth for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majestie when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth In that a man shall cast his Idols of silver and his Idols of god which they made every one for himselfe to worship to the Moles and to the Bats Hosea 14.8 Ephraim â—â—all say what have I to doe any more with Idols Isa 31.7 For in that day every man shall â—ast away his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold which your owne hands have made for a sinne When this day of the Lord is come to us then wee shall be willing to cast them away because the Lord shewes us the odiousnesse of them by the glory of himselfe revealed in us but before this day is come to us we had rather part from any thing than part from them But when he comes to give a full possession of himself then wee are willing to part from all thinge that are not of himselfe but hee doth not reveale all his glory to us at once but revealeth himselfe to us by degrees as wee are able to beare and containe him And as hee shewes himselfe to us so hee shewes us Antichrist and his destruction for the more incomes wee have of Christ the more of selfe and Satan doth appeare to us and is destroyed more and more by this fire of Christ For hee doth baptize us with the holy Ghost and fire Mat. 5. Acts 2. Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 This fire of the Spirit of God never goes out but is always burning up that in us that is contrary to it selfe that there may be all the drosse burnt up And this fire is in Sion and his fornace in Jerusalem Isa 31.9 which is the Church of God Who is this that commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved Cant. 8.5 The Spouse of Christ seeâ— all other things faile her and she leaneth now wholly upon her Beloved shee is of her selfe like a barren wildernesse but now hee will cause the fuiâ—ts of his Spirit to appeare to grow and flourish in her The Wildernesse and the solitary place shall bee glad for them and the desart shall rejoyce and blossome as a rose It shall blossome abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God Isa 35.12 The Spirit shall be powred upon us from on high and the Wildernesse be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field bee counted for a Forrest Then judgment shall dwell in the wildernesse and righteousnesse remaine in the fruitfull field And the worke of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places and none shall make her affraid Isa 32.15 16 17 18. Now is the time come for us to see that the marriage day is come when he doth come and manifest himselfe in us in a glorious way to tell us what he is to us and in us and what wee are in him and to him when hee thus comes to us that day is the marriage day to us Rev. 19.7 8 9. Let us be glad rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready And to her was granted that shee should be arraied in fine linnen cleane and white for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints And he said unto me write blessed are they that are called to the marrioge supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me These are the true sayings of God Rev. 20.9 10 11. And there came unto mee one of the seven Angels and talked with me and said unto me Come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes Wife And hee carried mee away in the Spirit to a great and
of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him The eye of your understanding being enlightned that wee may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints The spirit in us knowes all things and heâ— believes all the things of God and none can doe it but he because none knowes the things of God but he and those things that he doth see and heare and understand what they are and knowes them to be truth therefore the Spirit believes them and this faith is a perfect faith he believes fully all things of God in every tittle there is no imperfection in it hee believes all things that Christ hath done for us and what he hath obtained for us Thus the Spirit of God in us believes all the things of God for us and without this faith we cannot be saved for by this faith we are justified This faith is that eye that sees all the things of God for it sees all things that Christ hath done for us and we as we are men we cannot believe the things of God because they are spirituall and we are carnall and cannot know spirituall things therefore we cannot believe them for it is impossible to believe that which they doe not know but though we as we are men and women doe not nor cannot believe yet the Spirit of God in us doth believe perfectly all the things of God for us So as we are Saints we believe the things of God through the Spirit of God God would have man to be saved and that hee should come to the knowledg of his truth and believe what Christ hath done for him and lay hold on Christ by faith that hee might be saved but man cannot doe it therefore God sent his Spirit to us that he should doe it for us in us so by this faith wee are justified for this is perfect and wee may have this spirit in us that doth believe God in Christ and wee aâ—we are men know it not yet the spirit of God is always the same with God and in his time he will make knowne in us and to us aâ— we are Saints that we have this saving justifying faith in uâ—â—and make known in us by degrees what our pledges are in him 4thly It is the Spirit of God alone that can doe the works of God man cannot doe any thing that can please God for all the workeâ— of man as man are evill continually Even the best performances that he can performe aâ—â— those performances that Paul performed beforâ— his Conversion For all that is not faith iâ— sinne and man as man hath not faith therefore all his works are evill and that which 〈◊〉 evill cannot please God and the way of God is past mans finding out John 6.28 29. Whâ—â— shall wee doe that we might worke the workes 〈◊〉 God Jesus answered and said unto them This 〈◊〉 the worke of God that ye believe in him whom 〈◊〉 hath sent This is the worke of God and it is only the Spirit of God that can doe it in man so man We doe just as the Apostles did wheâ—â— they went a fishing when Christ was abseâ— from them they toyled and laboured all thâ— night to get fishes and could get none Bâ—â— when Christ came to them hee bid them 〈◊〉 downe the net on the right side of the shippâ—â— and eâ— shall finde and they were not now able 〈◊〉 draw the net for the multitude of fishes John 2â— 6. So wee labour and toyle our selves in the night that is before the light of Jesus Christ appeares to us that wee may see him present with us by his Spirit wee labour in our owne way and strength to doe those things that should please God but wee labour on the wrong side of the shippe all our labour is in vaine there is nothing to be gotten but Christ comming to us by his Spirit to tell us the net must be cast in on the right side that is in a spirituall way for we have laboured in a carnall way and could find nothing And what is this net but that which catcheth something so the Spirit of God hee cast in the net that way that God would have him for us hee doth the whole worke of God in beleeving Jesus Christ and performing all obedience to him for us in us and hee makes knowne to us by degrees what the minde of God is and so wee finde in us that hee doth those things in us that hee doth reveale to us that we should doe it and as wee are men we cannot doe it so hee doth it in us making use of the members of man as instruments to performe the workes of God and hee makes us willing to yield to him for he over-powers us and so God accepts of it so the spirit casting in the net of right performances to God in us hee brings forth to us from God through Jesus Christ such a multitude of severall manifestations of the love of God to us in Christ Jesus and shewing us what we are in him that wee are not able to draw them forth wee cannot comprehend them as we are men so for us to labour on the wrong side of the ship is in vain Isa 49.4 Then said I I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Deut. 32.4 He is the rocke his worke is perfect for all his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and righteous is he Thus the Spirit of God doth the works of God for us in us and we have the comfort of it and it is he alone that doth make us accepted with God Wheresoever there is a manifest appearance of the Spirit of God in any one there hee purges and sanctifies that man or woman in their conversation by his acting in them and this Spirit of God seasons those actions that he acts in us making use of our members and our members being carnall and fleshly the acting of the spirit through us cannot appeare so pure and excellent as it is in it selfe for it is clouded with the vaile of our infirmities but the Spirit seasons the acting that hee acts through our flesh and so hee makes them accepted with God This is the Altar that sanctifieth the offering Christ is â—oth a King a Priest and a Prophet and hee â—ath made us so with him as we are Saints He â—as a Priest to offer sacrifice for all and this â—acrifice that hee did offer was his body and â—he Altar that he did offer it on was his diviniâ—y and this Altar sanctifies the sacrifice Mat. â—3 19 So this Spirit of Christ which is one â—ith God in us sanctifieth all those perforâ—ances that he acts through us they are offeâ—ed all of them upon
the Altar of his Divinity â—nd so are accepted with God so the Spirit â—akes us accepted with God CHAP. X. â—he Spirit of God makes the way of God plain and easie to us THe way of God is very hard for man to finde out it is a streight narrow way that â—an as man cannot goe in it for all the wayes 〈◊〉 man are crooked and that which is crooâ—d cannot enter into a streight narrow place 〈◊〉 man cannot find the way of God When â—hrist came before he taught the people himâ—â—â—fe through his owne person he sent a foreâ—â—nner to prepare the way before him Malac. 3.1 Behold I will send my messenger and 〈◊〉 shall prepare the way before mee and the 〈◊〉 whom yee seeke shall suddenly come into his Teâ—â—â—â— even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye deliâ— in behold he shall come saith the Lord of hâ—â— This messenger was John Baptist Mat. 3. â— For this is he that was spoken of by the Prophet 〈◊〉 saiah saying The voyce of one crying in the 〈◊〉 dernesse prepare ye the way of the Lord make 〈◊〉 paths streight Isa 40.3 The way and paths of the Lord are streiâ—â—â— in it selfe and to the Spirit of God but iâ— crooked to man that man cannot find it 〈◊〉 So this messenger did prepare the way 〈◊〉 Christ and how did he prepare the way 〈◊〉 by preaching the word of God which 〈◊〉 Christ that hee was the Saviour and wâ—â— he would doe to them that he would bapâ— them with the holy Ghost and fire and â—tels them that himselfe was not the Christ Jâ—â— 1.20 lest the people should Idolize him 〈◊〉 comes but to prepare the way for Christ 〈◊〉 were not to continue there but to looke â—ther to Christ himselfe for John was bâ—â— prepare the way for him John was filled 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost from his mothers womb Luk. 1 â— and so he was sent to prepare the way 〈◊〉 the people might know that Christ waâ— Messias and when hee should make knâ—â— himselfe to them they should hear and believe him Yet John as hee was a man hee did not â—now whether Christ was the Messias or no Mat. 11.2 3. Now when John had heard in the â—rison the works of Christ be sent two of his Disciples And said unto him art thou he that should come or looke wee for another Yet the holy Ghost in him did know and did prepare the way for Christ John 5.35 John was a burning and a shining light That light of Jesus Christ that was made manifest by him was the greatest light that ever was revealed before it appeared very glorious and it was to give light to others and it burned up all that was contrary to it in the children of God so farre as it was made manifest to them and they rejoyce in this light for it was the greatest light that ever they saw yet this light was but to prepare a way for a greater light and then Christ did come which was the light it selfe which did exceed that light which did appear by John though it was all one light for it was all of the holy Ghost John had it but in measure but Christ had it all in the fulnesse of it and he was without sinne therefore that light in him could not be eclipsed by any sin He was the Son of God and the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt bodily in him so this light of Jesus Christ appeared fuller clearer more glorious than that of John and that glory 〈◊〉 John gave place to the glory of Christ foâ—â— out-shined that light that appeared so gloâ—â—ous by him And Iohn said Hee must increâ—â— but I must decrease Joh. 3.30 The glory of Jesus being revealed more aâ—â— more in his Saints doth cause all other gloâ—â—ous manifestations that they had before whiâ—â— is below this though as excellent as thâ—â— which was revealed by Iohn yet to decrease 〈◊〉 but the glory of Jesus Christ is alwayes tâ—â— same in it selfe but is encreased and maâ—â— knowne in us more and more and that glorâ— of Christ appeared then so glorious to theâ—â— that made them say Never man spake as thâ—â— man doth Joh 7.46 Those that did believe in him were so takeâ— in admiration of him with hearing him anâ— seeing those miracles that hee wrought thâ—â— they were willing to forsake all to follow him noâ— only outward things but also their sins and all those things that were so excellent and precious to them as their owne righteousnesse and performances which they did looke to haâ—â— beene justified by but now they were willing 〈◊〉 forsake all to follow him Yet when Christ dâ—â— come in the flesh and revealed himselfe in a great deale more clearer and excellenter man-ner than he did by John yet Christ came to prepare a way for a further manifestation of â—is owne glory to them in a clearer and great deale more fuller and glorious manner He â—ould have revealed himselfe to them in the â—ighest of his glory at once but they were not able to beare it therefore hee revealed himselfe to them by degrees as they were able â—o beare it for by the outward hearing and â—â—â—ing and the Spirit working in them by deâ—rees brought he them to believe and emâ—race that light that was revealed to them by Christ So when they came in some measure â—o conceive and understand and believe that which he came to declare to them for he spake 〈◊〉 a plaine and an easie way to them that so â—â—ey might understand him so when hee had â—â—ished all things for all then hee departed â—â—om them and sent the holy Ghost to them 〈◊〉 declare to them that glorious light of Jesus Christ in the purity of it and what those â—â—ings were that Christ taught them in the â—ysterie in some measure so the light of Jesus Christ was brought forth in a more glorious â—anner then ever before so they were not to â—â—est upon any one of those manifestations of â—â—sus Christ and say I will stay here and â—â—ll not desire any further manifestation of Christ But they were to walke in that light â—â—y had being contented with it and waiting upon Christ for a more fuller and cleaâ— manifestation of the light of him So when 〈◊〉 doth come to us in Spirit he sends his messeger before him to prepare the way before hiâ— which is some manifestations of his Spirit iâ— us to shew us some light of himselfe and 〈◊〉 to make way for a further manifestation 〈◊〉 himselfe and his glory in us Whatsoever waâ— have received of God by his Spirit makâ— known the love of God to us though in new so small a measure and that but seldome 〈◊〉 let us rejoyce in God that doth reveal this 〈◊〉 to us For this is but preparing a way to â—â—veale himselfe in a more glorious way to 〈◊〉 for where he doth take possession there he 〈◊〉 reigne and none can keep him from reigning and so walke in that light