zeal in persecuting the Church Act. 22. 3. and out of conceit he did God good service Rested satisfied We know the Scribes and Pharisees who were the most Zealous for Sabbaths and prayer and other points of Worship yet they make it their Rest but come to our daies and see if we swarme not of the same only seeming professors of God who are very Zealous for the same things and from their very Zeal are made to Rest with high thoughts of their condition But how far this zeal which is most commonly led with more affection then Judgement will bring man into a form of Truth First It will leade man into a whole conformity to what it doth conceive to be truth that it shall according to what it hath serve God in all good conscience Acts 23. 1. and according to the Law to be unblamable and untaxable Then his conversation shall bee very strict in the observation of what the Law requires and hee shall act the same with much vehemency of spirit taking all opportunities for the doing of the same Secondly It will carry the soule on to suffer cheerfully what he may meet withall in this very particular Thirdly he may by Zeal afflict his body sore 1 Co. 13. 3. with fasting and mourning under pretence the one to honour and obey God the other for dishonour brought to God So as he may be almost spent in body and spirit and estate in prosecuting the things of God according to his light Farther hee may out of Zeal come to Gospel precepts and may be Zealous for that light in externall formes which is there required to be obeyed so as he may gather Churches and may suffer much in the conforming to and practising with so much vehemency the Ordinances coÌ„monly practised by the Churches in the Apostles and our daies so as his Zeal may lead him out to teaching and helping forward that worke studying night and day to finde out matter to furnish himselfe for edification so as for paines in the Churches and for Zeal to observe the severity of those formes and any thing required to bee practised in the said Churches so as now it will have communâ—on in Ordinances with none but those of his own stamp judgement being mightily carried forth to judge and pity those who are opposers of that light Now this soul through Zeal may goe thus farre yea to act up to the highest things the Scriptures doe require in matters of visible practise and yet be not at all taught in the Spirit neither got into the life and power of what he doth professe but meerly zealous for shadowes and wants the power so as he is commanded by the form and not the forme by the power dwelling within him Now grant farther That such a soule did act in truth according to this dispensation yet notwithstanding in this particular there were no cause of Rest for nothing visibly seen flowing from the Creature ought to be its Rest but some invisible flowings into the Creature which is being and substance from which and unto which a Soule through Zeale for God acts Also a Creature thus zealous Rests not at home but reformes abroad also beginning with his own family and so goes abroad to others and labours for a reformation and practises the same with much Zeal so as he can not endure the visible appearance of any sinne in himself or others He may help with much Zeal the purging of Cities and Nations of drunkennesse or swearing or any open prophanesse he may be for punishing of evil doers in this particular with much severity and seeming to be much troubled at the neglect of it he may rejoyce much in this practise and may help forward this work in a Nation very much and yet this no Rest at all also he may be zealous yea mad of Zeale for the worship of his God in reference unto others not only taking all opportunities to inform them in the same but using all Coercive powers for confirming them thereunto so as he may be an instrument to bring families and most part of Cities into this outward conformity to the matters of worship and here hee lookes upon an action done of great moment and weight and partly makes this an evidence of his true enjoyment of God by Reason of his zeale for God and the effect thereby produced which is the good of many Now the cause of a Souls thus Resting partly flowes from want of the information in judgement of the great deceite of the heart in putting man by zeal upon such publique actions and then to cause it to Rest and further it conceiving it's Zeale for God and from a principle of God not being acquainted with a Pharisaicall Zeale to be seâ—n of men or to get a name amongst men or that Zeal which men have but not according to knowledge or the Zeale Paul had before conversion which excels both for vehemency and downrightnesse is the Zeal of many a Professor who are at Rest in our daies Now a poor Creature because he is made to suffer freely and to hazard life and liberty in the prosecution of his Zeale he is much puffed up under these considerations 1. That now this is a suffering with and for Christ and therefore he shall reign with him and enjoy much from him 2. That this is a parting with all for Christ and a great point of self-deniall and so an evidence of a disciple of Christ when indeed the Soule is in himselfe and hath not at all attained that estate to forsake himselfe Therefore let every heart though never so Zealous for God take notice that his heart may deceive him in his Zeale and his affection may blinde his judgement and so it proves blinde zeale Or Secondly Consider that though it be such Zeale as is good and to be approved of in it's dispensation yet not at all to be Rested upon nor to be an evidence of any true enjoyment of God though he pretend God in the fore-front as Jehu did The fifth false Rest THe next Rest of a Soule though I might not have spoken of it because I have partly given it forth yet that things may be the more opened it s the Creatures Righteousnesse or sanctification and outward holinesse wherein both in carriage and words he doth most sweetly in probability savour of high enjoyments of God This is to be a testimony of the same to others though not to himselfe yet notwithstanding his Rest is to him a high evidence of the true and reall possessings of God when alas it is continually a vanishing Rest and evidence and when the Creature stands in need of it it is taking its wings and flying away and proves a miserable comforter in the saddest straits of a Soule But first Let us consider that true holinesse of a person made manifest in actions flowes from the justification of a Soule made manifest in the Spirit so that the truest holinesse or outward sanctification
transformed into another likenesse the cause yet remaining which of the two consider the effects that follow as namely Security or lukewarmnes or fulnesse and self conceitednesse and so false Restings are of as dangerous a consequence as the other Thirdly Humility is by resembling of such property of words and actions in an other as is most lovely in the eyes of himselfe and others and here lies a sad dâ—ceit when men doe only resemble the words or carriages of another which it may be in that party flowes from a principle or power of God in him and by a resembling of him and getting into his form think their condition is the happier and so glory in it more then before so that though his Humility flow from a divine work in him yet the others is but shaped out of what is expressed by or from him and here lies much danger especially if man Rest in the same The fourth way whereby humility comes most commonly to be attained And the way indeed is from the enjoyment of God thereby man comes not only to have the effects or branches cut off but the cause or root of the same taken away So as now man hath it not in the form or shape but in power and substance and now man is truly what he seems to be but not before whereby as the Creature is humbled so God is exalted and this is the Creatures joy though not hiâ— Rest wholly This humility now is the effect of Goâ— enjoyed whereby man is made to partake of Gods nature and this nature breaks out into these particulaâ— effects but now this very effect of humility though iâ— be from the enjoyment of God yet it is not the Reâ—â— of a Saint but the cause which is God The next part is the gift of Utterance which is thâ— many have that knows not God and many have noâ— which sweetly enjoy him So that man who is freeâ— carried forth to utter or make known any thing hâ— conceives is truth yet there is neither cause of trusting to it or Resting in it neither is there cause why a Soul should the more glory in the enjoyment of it â— be troubled in the want of it The last part or Gift we shall speak of is Memory This part of Memory is that which doth most sweetâ— adorn man in the visible making of it forth and â— makes man much adored for it It is 1. Away to grow very profitable in respect of him that hath it and beneficiall to them for whom he imployes it as namely In that dispensation of hearing after which the party which enjoyes this Part is able to repeat or declare almost verbatim what he hath heard this makes him very profitable in what he hears in respect of gathering knowledge and beneficiall to others from the improvement of the same This is the reason why two Ministers so professing of themselves studying their matter the one brings it in a peece of paper and the other in the same method or forme though in his understanding because the one excels the other in this Part of Memory and this makes the one more esteemed then the other and the one to appear more weake then the other But alas though all these were in one man in a higher strain then I have declared yet they all were but a poor Rest or cause of joy or contentment to any heart and truly when God appears so as to manifest himself the Soul shall see the weaknesse and folly of his spirit to be satisfied in the whole not to be any cause of Rest though they were dispensations of God and were freely given by God For all these may be in a very hipocrite or in a meer naturall man First of all to conclude this Rest 1. It is an abuse of a Gift and an affront put upon the Giver to make it either cause of Rest or an evidence of a true enjoyment of God 2. That Soul most commonly who is not led in the Spirit either to behold God or enjoy him to be the Rests of spirits is most usuall and it can hardly be prevented to Rest upon such Rests as we have declared but consider that must be â—he Rest of any who fees or enjoyes not one manifested to him to be above it Man must have some Rest either true or false But that must be the safe Rest the which no hipocrite doth attainâ— nor can enjoy which is God manifested in the Spirit further why should any man place his Rest upon any thing which will come to nothing or is given to change Or why should we make that the ground of our happinesse which is but a tallent given to be improved which may be taken away at the Owners pleasure being given onely to bee improved and then mans Rest and peace ceaseth and in this particular doth the folly of mans heart appeare in abusing the end of every dispensation as of this of Parts As First The abuse of Parts lyes in the boasting and glorying in the gift and not in him who gives it And also in this to make them his Rest 2. For a man so to glory in them as to make a gaine of them and prove them for to get honour and preferment and glory in the world This I fear was partly the end of Simon Magus in defiring the gifts of God Alas all gifts are empty without God be manifested in them and poore contentment do they afford to him that Rests in them And here men are setting them in Gods place and labouring to dispossesse God who is or ought to be the satisfaction of the heart And this is another abuse of Parts A world of deceit lyes in mans heart about gifâ—s or parts if abused First They will not make forth themselves unlesse it be where they be honoured or else they labour for the same by the improvement of them being the most free where it 's the most applauded and the most straitened and weary of that place where it is not adored and exalted and set up above the proper station of the creature being much cheered when exalted and much cast downe when rejected or at least not so applauded as he requires or expects here is man much abusing Parts and setting them in Gods stead in the which man shall be brought to a losse when God doth manifest himself in that heart The fourth false Rest THe next Rest in order to this is Zeal for the truth Zeal in the matters of God is that which the most gothrough before the manifestations of God yet though it be good in its place and a dispensation to be owned yet it is but a deceitfull Rest We know the cry of him in the Scripture who was Resting and glorying in his Zeal for God when he cryed come see my Zeal for the Lord of hosts So we know many mens zeal goes before their knowledge of God in the spirit We hear of a zealous Saul who was mad of
doth wholly flow as an effect of Justification made manifest As for instance The Fountain and the streames The streames are an effect of the Fountain flowing from the abundance contained in the same so it is with God made manifest in the heart he being the Ocean or Fountain comprehending all streames within himself doth issue out of himselfe those streames of Sanctification or holinesse in conversation from himself thus abiding in the Creature So that a man may have the latter in as high a manner though not in truth as he that hath God truly manifest and no way to be discerned but by the light of truth dwelling within which makes the truth or falshood of such things in this nature manifest and before the same enjoyed the Creature is in darknesse and it is as possible for a man to see twenty miles in a very darke night as for a man really to judge of the truth or falshood of his own condition before this light come in from God which expels those cloudes as the shining of the Sun doth the cloudes and here lies the darknesse of a heart when it is made to see the want of God it looks into the frame and disposition of mens spirits abroad who are under a name of profession and being much affected with them and drawn out in love to them it gets into such relations or society and it sees abundance of holinesse flow from their conversations now it being away to reprove that party not having the same conversation in holinesse of walking or power against corruption it cries out O that I were so holy in conversation as such a one is O that I had such and such a power against corruption as they have and could be alwaies discovering of good things as they are or could have my minde fixed upon heavenly things as they have O how heavenly doth such a one walke and this is his construction or application O if I could be but so I should then be at peace and Rest then I should think my condition happy but alas here is such abundance of carnall mindednesse and of corruption in my conversation and a wearinesse in things that are good here the Creature takes up a daily complaint and to every Saint is making his condition known and cannot Rest quiet untill he have resembled or attained such a measure of knowledgee to discourse of God and so much power against corruption as to walke in conversation like those whose conversation did convict him and ashame him Now having attained so much in shew and that now his affections seem to be bent upon good things that now God is his meditation and his continuall ponder that now when it s thus the Creature hath much peace sometimes upon the view of the same and when it cannot walk thus it hath neither Peace nor Rest Now here the Creatures heart deceives him and makes him Rest upon that which may be in truth and not in truth or upon that which is given to change and abides not one and the same for ever Now al this a man may have and yet have nothing manifest in truth and though it might be said that these are true in there place yet not appointed for Rests but for effects of that which was in truth within for he that saith he dwels in him ought even so to walk as he hath walked Now holinesse in the highest degree as it flowes out from man is but an especiall effect of the dwelling of the Spirit of God or an effect of his Rest in him not to be a Rest but to manifest to others that he dwels and Rests in God For to me that Soule who Rests and dwels in God must have his conversation but especially his inward walking like God for to others that look upon a Saint thus pretending to dwell must judge of the same by that fruit that flowes from him in one kinde or another though it is not to be a testimony to himself who thus liveth he having another testimony which speaks or evidences Peace 1 John 5. 10. upon more sure grounds yea and lets the Creature see a ground or place of Rest going as farre beyond this as the streams are short of the Fountaine and the body of the Sun beyond the least glimpse or shining thereof Man I may say who is Resting in peace and quietnesse of spirit from these visible branches if they be true is one who still hangeth upon the outside of the Arke and like the Pharisees Resting with glorious outsides and washing of the outside of Cupâ— more to be seen of men or justified before God then to be as an effect of that truth within made forth for the glory of God The one of these ends did Cain act for and the other end did the Scribes and Pharisees act for so that a house builded upon such a foundation as this seems to be as glorious as that which was builded upon the Rock but it was not so safe for with every blast storm that comes against such a spirit it fals into its former state it was in before thus builded so were the devout Women and golden Sepulchers and whited walls builded upon such considerations as these they were outwardly holy and seemingly pure but were within full of deadly poyson and were put for outward glory not adorned with the Spirit so it is very likely that the said Spirit that Rests upon this seeming though thought by himself true holinesse is a Soul altogether full of deadly poyson and deceite which in time may be discovered and then the Creature shall see another Rest more sure and safe then this and shall lose by it yet Love shall save him though it be a fire for to burn up what of this Rest was of himselfe so that I say such a soules foundation of Rest shall fade as Solomon in all his glory First Then this Spirit thus Resting is away to keep it below true assurance for in this Rest there can flow no true cause or ground to the Creature to be assured thereby Secondly For a man to Rest here it will be but to make a house which ere long it may be God will batter about his ears and so prove labour in vaine as many can speak by sad experience Thirdly Whatsoever flowes from a man pretended to God before there be an inward revelation in that man of God and makes the same a true evidence of his enjoying this God thus revealed and so Rests his thus doing is but his own righteousnesse and not the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ revealed by faith Fourthly That the party thus acting doth go no farther then a point of bodily exercise for what a man doth in point of holinesse pretending for God and after doth owne it as a true evidence or any causeof Rest as God To me it appears and in the judgement of Scriptures that mans action is but bodily exercise for nothing is or ought to be either
no Rest Is by the glorious manifestation of God in the Soule whereby First of all He appeares as a glorious Light within man And this Light 1. Expels all the Clouds from off or out of the Creature which kept the Creature from beholding a reall difference betwixt a true Rest and a false So long as man is without this no marvel then though he be not able to discerne whether his Rests be true or false But now when God speaks in a Soule Arise soul shine for thy light is come and the glory of the LORD is Risen upon thee Isa 60. 1 2. Then this true Light shining into the Soule it makes manifest all things whereas the Soule before had a Veile upon him and a Cloud over him but now the glory of God is Risen in such a creatures heart whereby hee is made able to judge by the light of God dwelling in him Secondly As it doth discover what is fallacy so it reveals what is truth it advanceth Truth in the soule though the soule before was ignorant what difference there was betwixt the appearance of God in formes without him and the appearance of God in the Spirit within him of the difference betwixt a transform'd rest resembled and a true Rest in the Spirit manifested of the end of all formes and administations with God appearing in them without the creature before the substance of the same be come in the glory of the Spirit within Now this true Light makes all manifest John 3. 21. and is a clear evidencing light within man discovering Him who only must be the center and Rest of the soule which before it heard of but now comes to see and experience the same This Light removes all obstructions out of the Creature and makes his judgement act according to this Light within him so that it is a Light not onely expelling clouds but clearly demonstrates a reall difference betwixt Truth and Falshood so as now he is made to see the place God hath set every administration or dispensation in with the time place and end Thirdly This Light makes not onely manifest things as they are John 3. 21. and so takes the soule off from them But it doth dissolve all those administrations the Creature hath had without him by the glory of God in the Spirit within him so as the breakings of the day doth dissolve the dispensation of the night so doth the dawning of the day in the heart of a Saint dissolve not destroy any of those administrations or dispensations of God in which God did in some measure appear to the Creature for as the night is of God as well as the day yet the day doth dissolve the dispensation of the night So though many mens dispensations were of God yet notwithstanding when God appears they are dissolved and doe not now appear because a more gloriouser manifestation of God within man hath appeared Fourthly Yea this manifestation of God in the Spirit doth swallow up all other dispensations so as now they are gathered up into the substance thereof who before did send them forth as the light of the Starres and the light of the Moone are borrowed lights or lights inferiour to and sent out from the Sunne and when the glory of the Sunne appeares they all appeare bodily and substantially in the Sunne and as it is that the light dwels in the fulnesse of it in the Sunne and all lights are borrowed from or occasioned by it and that light is that which swallowes up all other when it comes to appear So it is with God appearing in the Spirit he appeares as the fulnesse and the substance or body of all other lights Col. 2. 17. which are true though sent by God in their dispensation to accomplish his own designe yet when God breakes into all soules in the glory of the Spirit this shining of God into the soule 2 Cor. 3. 8. 4. 6. 3. 10. doth swallow up all his former appearances in any dispensation below this and gives way and submits and so gathers up and meets compleatly in the body and substance of them Col. 2. 10. 17. Tit. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 14. which is God truly appearing in the Spirit of fulnesse and glory this makes the heart free to part with any thing though never so dear to it which is obstructive to and keeps the soule from any enjoyment of this glorious dispensation yea this is that dispensation which doth destroy all administrations or formes or dispensations that are not of God what is of God before shall be swallowed up in it what is of man selfe or Satan shall be destroyed by it 2 Thess 2. 8. This is that which truly discovers to the soule all his false Rests though never so seemingly glorious yea though they be of Satans transformings or of selfs resemblings yet it laies them all in the dust and unvailes them to the Creature so as they appeare in their colours and place which sometimes workes a mighty indignation in the heart against the waies of his own heart 1 Cor. 7. 11. when his lewdnesse is discovered unto him so as he is not onely made free to part with the same but he is brought out of love with himselfe for Resting upon the same so much below God or Christ Again in the manifestation of God there is satisfaction Peace and Rest possesseth the Creature in stead of the other this peace dispossesseth the other peace this satisfaction maketh nothing the other whatsoever objection or dis-satisfaction was before or doth arise since now they are all fully answered and the soule compleatly satisfied so as now he is brought out of a dunghill into a pallace from a mean condition into a glorious to wit even to live by the breathings of divine Truth in him so as now he lives because God lives and is satisfied with the flowings in of God and eates of that which God eates of viz. Love Glory and happinesse Nay further there is fulnesse in this satisfaction he fils the soule with himselfe and how can then this soule doe any other but be free and willing to part with any other seeming fulnesse or good when now he is filled with him that fils all in all in all things Eph. 1. 23. So as the waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 9. so is the soul truly pro tempore filled with God untill he asswage it or seem to be departed from it or else enlarge the capacity of the Creature with more of himselfe now seeing that God comes in with such a fulnesse into the heart in this dispensation it must needs discover the emptinesse and vanity of his other Rests and cause a sweet willingnesse to part with the one and embrace the other And lastly It comes in power which day of Gods power Ps 110. 3. makes the Creature willing to part with any darling though never so dear and neer to him both freely cordially and with much simplicity of spirit
speak of was Christ Secondly we see the place where it centers before it is made manifest and that is laid open to be in the Father Thirdly the way whereby they knew it and also to be theirs was twofold First by the manifestation of it Secondly by opening the eyes of a souls understanâ—â—ng whereby they come to see that life which now to them is made manifest further he is the life of Saints spiritually considered Coloss 3. 3. 4. here he saith when Christ our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory So that he is here Saints life called and more fuller experienced in every heart who hath found him fully made manifest within their spirits againe he is life of Saints as he becomes the spirituall resurrection of Saints for before ever God bring any Creature into the enjoyment of himself he brings the Creature into a spirituall death not in the body but in the spirit and being layd in the grave aloâ—â— Christ as he is the spirituall life of Saints must be their resurrection I meane the resurrection of their spirits from this spiritual death as he is a dispensation of life and therefore it is written Joh. 11. 25. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeveth in me though he were dead yet shall he live So that Christ as he is to become the spirituall life of Saints proves an inward resurrection to them in the manifestation of this their life which indeed Paul did experience when he spake these words Gal 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me So that though Paul had been buried into Christs death yet notwithstanding when Christ came to be manifested to him then he proved a resurrection of life in him and by this life was Paul madâ—â—◠〈◊〉 for untill Christ our life comes to be manifest we lye dead voyd of any spiritual life or motion in us and this was figured out in the matter of Lazarus death when Christ came he found him dead and buried voyd of life or motion wherein at last the very breath of Christ breathed out in way of voice Lazarus come forth raised him up and gave life unto him Ioh. 11. 43 44. Two things are here spiritually holden forth First a spirituall death of Creatures when Christ comes to breath upon them the breath of life Secondly by his thus comming speaking and breathing occasions life because his words are spirit and life thus spoken So that it is said The hour is comming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Now in all this is held forth unto us The spirituall resurrection of all Saints by Iesus Christ coming in the spirit into them so that though this particular be the least looked after yet it is of the highest concernment and not that which most men doat of so much after death So that if we look upon our spirituall resurrection we shall see that the coming of Christ in the Spirit is a manifestation of Spirituall life which proves a spirituall life which proves a spirituall resurrection in such Creatures and in time their Rest and Center Now he being the life of Saints Then first we may observe That Saints life is Iesus Christ Though before they are making out of their own actings according to the law of works do this and live yet now they see that life is destroyed and the cause of all actions to God flowes from this life principled in them and though they are making a life out of enlargement or holinesse in conversation yet this is a life above it unbottoming the creature off from it and centring the Creature in a stable and solid life Secondly the Saints live because Christ lives in them for though before their livâ—â—â—re hid with God yet they were not to live in 〈◊〉 â—o themselves with joy and peace untill it 〈◊〉 manifest from God in them so that they are made to live from the manifestation of life in them whereby they come to know it and so to be made to live by it for ever Cast a Saint into any condition he lives very sweetly because he lives by the life of Christ in him yea he lives sweetly with contenâ—ednesse because Christ lives in him So now to summe up this Christ as he is a spirituall dispensation of God in the Spirit is a Spiritual life by vertue of which life in Saints are Saints swallowed up with it and so centred up in it So that the center or rest of a Saint is eternall and everlasting which is Christ the spirituall life of God in us by which life the Creature doth not only live to but live to do This life is the motion of his spirit so as by this life he doth not onely live but lives to it so that the creatures spirits are wholly set apart to live to God This life is the living in the Spirit and not in the flesh hereby comes the life of Saints to be a life of love and a life of God because they are not at Rest from all their own labors and now all things are acted in them by that Spirit of life which is Christ dwelling in them now Saints wholly live to God by the life of God in them and thus are Saints centred up in God or Christ because their spirits are carried up above the creature into life which is Christ in them becoming spirituall and eternall life to them Fifthly This spirituall Christ as he comes from God and is manifested by God and so known by us and become Rest to us he is spirituall redemption and deliverance Now to looke upon Christ in the Spirit he cannot be manifested but he becomes a spirituall Jesus that is a Saviour of spirits for he was not a Jesus as he was in the flesh but he was a Jesus as he was to come in the Spirit for the flesh could not doe it Yet it was a figure of that spiritual salvation and liberty which Christ is in the hearts of Saints For indeed Jesus Christ is salvation it self and where he in power and glory there is salvation that is he is a Saviour or a deliverer of the creature out of that spiritual slavery and bondage in which he lives So as he is become freedome and redemption to the heart and therefore he is said to be made unto us Wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that is he is manifest in us and so is become a spirituall redemption to us freeing us spiritually from our inward bondage and slavery both that bondage of self and Sathan whereby we are made to live in spiritual freedome and all this freedome and deliverance is Christ in the spirit as he is a spirituall dispensation designed of God for the same purpose though many souls do work out their own salvation by their doing whose salvation is false others having
in us so that in this particular the creatures life is swallowed up and gathered into the life of God and as God continues living in them they shall continue living in him and as God hath taken up them to be an everlasting rest for himself so he hath appointed and made himself an everlasting Rest unto them So that now they are ascended in their Spirits into God and there sweetly live in God And lastly he lives sweetly in God and so Rests in him who hath God in him to be an everlasting light in him So that his Sun never goes downe nor Christ in him never ceases to shine forth in light and glory to him So as according to that saying There shall be no night there Rev 21. 25. so also Revel 22. 5. Though some thinke that this is a very high state yet experience and Scripture do testify That it is a state injoyed or shall be injoyed by all or most Saints in these our dayes Isa 60. 19. 20. We see the Promise God makes with his people is this That the LORD shall be unto them an everlasting light and God their compleat glory Esa 60. 19. yea in the 20th verse Their sun shall no more goe downe neither their Moon withdraw it self for the LORD shall be their everlasting light and the dayes of their mourning shall be ended Here we see that in the first place there is a state that soules may be clouded in though they have precious workings of God upon them Secondly this state is attended with mourning Thirdly there is a degree that is above either where there shall be neither withdrawing of light or clouding where all mourning shall fly away but the soule shall be filled with divine light and God shall never cause any more clouds to come upon such a soul but his light shall be everlasting and the glory of God shall fill his spirits for ever so that God shall become the glory of such a spirit in which glory the spirit shall rest for ever so that there is a fulnesse of glory to be enjoyed in the spirits of the Saints when God doth dwell in them and become a disâ—ensation of glory to them I speak this in reference to the shallow capacity of the creature and that fulnesse of glory to satisfy the same in every appearance of glory within the creature so that now when saints come to enjoy this dispensation from God it being an everlasting dispensation of God in them which cannot wax old or decay so are they made to live unchangeable in the same And this is the stayed Rest of saints For one thing there is in this That no soule can truly rest in any dispensation unlesse it be a dispensation which abides for ever and cannot be dissolved so as his Rest cannot be dissolved likewise so that to Rest thus is stayedly sure and everlasting unperishable and undissolveable and also he rests in God who lives in everlasting joy and peace so as nothing can disturb his peace nor dissolve his joy so as to cause either to cease For come what condition will upon the body yet his spirit is swallowed up with joy he doth not power upon creatures as formerly he did but now he lives by rejoycing and rejoyces by living Nothing without him is a trouble to him such a trouble as touches his spirituall joy He receives alwayes praises alwayes and depends alwayes so that his spirits are kept in everlasting joy and peace and all sorrow and mourning is flown away no more sorrow of spirit is known by him neither doth he experience any more spirituall pain within him but in stead thereof is establisht peace and joy for evermore FINIS