his river and therefore friend sit down it is midnight yet in thy soul if the day break and Christ the starre arise in thee thou shalt see this river yea the depth of it in some measure a depth beyond all depths thou ever metst withall Here one depth calls to another like the eccho to the voice Gods decrees and purposes answered by his Sonne These depths are clearly seen by looking into this river and if thy sight be strong indeed then thou shalt see the sonnes of men like precious stones and pebbles lying in the bottome from thence plummed up by Christ to swim a top as in a sea of pleasure Eightly a river is cool and bathing we go to rivers in Summer heats to cool and bath our bodies O come hither and bath your Souls your heated Souls heated with sinne heated with guilt heated with apprehensions too of wrath heated with Satan and temptations truly many a poore soul is heated by sinne and then chased by Satan for his sin so heard that his soul even fainteh well friend my advice is come unto this river for here thou mayest cool and bath thee Ninthly a river is alwayes moving and working so is the Spirit it is active in the souls of Gods people though sometimes not descerned I sleep but my heart awaketh saith the Spouse in the Canticles Thou art dead and dull in praier many times but the Spirit being wakefull sees thee and after chides thee for it sometimes thou art nodding in the creature but the Spirit wakes and jogges thee by secret calling on thee which if thou refusest to heare then he sayes little for the present but sends some afflictions to thee and if that do not do then he sends another and another every one sharper then the former and so makes thee heare to the purpose agine in the tenth place A river is reflective ye may see your selfe or shadowes in a river and by the Spirit you may see your self your face your souls your hearts your natures and affections the heart saith Salomon who knows it truly none but the Spirit and the Spirit dwelling in it therefore by the by Thou that sayest and complainest of a hard and sinfull heart sure it is the Spirit in thy heart that gives thee thus to see it and all its windings from God which are more then the doores of Solomons Temple Secondly it shows you your nature and corruptions which have more sinne in it then there is poison in the world sinne in nature is like an old running sore which cannot be stopped or if it be it breaks out again so sinne in nature stops pride and out comes covetousnesse stop that and out comes pride and prodigalitie stop up that and then back againe to old unwearied father worldling drunkennesse stopt does the like lust runs as long as it can in old filthy fornicators but when it is spent they turne to baudy talkers I have seen old carnall fellows laugh and wiker at their youthfull pranks in the feasts and Iunkets yea such as have had one foot in the grave poore miserable men did they know their own condition the reckoning they must give for every idle word and every sinfull action which Christ speaks in Matthew one thought one serious thought of that would strike us dead as Belshazzar that great King was at the hand-writing in the midst of his feast with his Nobles dinking healths in bowls of Gold his countenance fell his joynts loosened and his knees knockd one against another no more but remember this filthy sinner Thirdly it showes your affections and which way they stream and run a man by nature can never see how wide they run from God and Christ sometimes biasse drawn by a wife a child a husband sometimes by the world and the worlds pleasures profits which like two strumpets entises all not kept by Christ and as dangerously takes them as that strumpet Salomon acquaints the young man with and how her paths go down to hell Again by the Spirit you may see your name in the Lambes book your wedding robe and Supper with your rest and glory in the Throne of Christ O thou foolish man that spendest thy dayes in gazing up and down the world let me exhort thee to come hither for here 's an object worth the seeing and thou O Christian friend let me intreat thee also to looke into this river this clear and Christall river but stay a little me thinks I heare one say what is it to look into this river First it is not to look into your own light for that is blind and hath no reflection at all Secondly it is not to look with anothers light for that is as if you would look by anothers eyes but to be short if you would see this pure living river First come in Gods light to see and then ye shall see is it not a thousand better lights that will show you the greatest light a thousand candles cannot show the sunne nay a thousand torches nor a thousand starres cannot you must see him by his owne light or not at all but first look into this river by the light of God and then it will be a river of pleasure indeed unto thy soul all its streames will be pleasurable and glad thy very heart Psal 46.4 there is a river the streames thereof shall make glad the City of our God Yea all its turnings will delight thy soul Secondly Looke in this river by the light of Christ he is the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world and therefore called the light of lights Iohn 8.12 I that is the right way indeed if ye mean to see if men will neglect God and Christs light then let me tell them they shall never see they shall never finde this well of life this river of life let them look their eyes out let them look their lives out wise men have tryed wise men strived but Oh alasse in vaine for they could never find it but rather more were blinded The Father shewes us the Sonne and the Sonne shewes us the Father No man knowes the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne reveales him no man knowes the Sonne but the Father and he to whom the Father doth the like So likewise the Spirit shewes the Sonne Behold the Lambe of God so saith the Sonne Behold the River of God as in this text and all the world cannot shew us the Father but the Sonne nor all the world cannot shew us the Sonne but the Father Behold this day saith God have I begotten him nor all the world cannot shew us the Spirit nor the River of life the Well of life nor the Fountaine of life but the Sonne therefore saith Christ Buy of me eye salve that yee may see Rev. 3. last v. How blind was Bartholmew till Christ came and opened his eyes just so was thy soule and is thy soule without Christ I am the light
me no man can see the Father but by the Son and he to whom the Son doth reveal him And then he told me further that the father reveals the sonne and the sonne the father and both the spirit and the river by giving of it to the sonnes of men and so indeed he lead me up and down in a mis-maze for I had never in all my life before heard so much talk of revealing and I know not what of the father sonne and spirit and the river for so he called the spirit saying it was a pure clear and living river still talking of I know not how many lights and I never knew but of one here which rules the day So thought I what doth this man mean by his lights but he turned I know not how about to a light of God and a light and life of Christ or in Christ I think he called it saying it was the surest and safest and the sweetest the happiest best and blessedest life of all lives that the soul lived when it lived in God the fountaine of light and life endlesse light and endlesse life For indeed God is the life of our lives the root of our lives the fountain of our lives we live in our own element said he when we live in God and when we live out of him we pilgrime like wander up and down the world begging preservation of every poore creature which is a sad condition for a noble soul yea we bury our selves as in a grave of darknesse which few loves being nothing but wandering and rottennesse earth turning into earth but in one word I wind up all the river is the Spirit the eternall spirit of God by which he doth all in the world yea all his mighty works he binds Kings and looses Captives breaketh nations and binds them up again and as Kings and Nations private men and persons are bound and loosed comforted and wounded and all by this Spirit Oh then doth it concern all high low rich and poore to embrace this spirit for if ye slight him he can smite you wound you kill you and damne soul and body O then come and kisse this enlightning Sonne as David speaks of Christ in his second Psalm lest that he be angry it s said of this Sun that rules the day that it shall one day break forth in such flames of heat brightnesse that it shall scorch and burn up Mountains the spirit will do the same yea every man and woman in one way or other some in love most in dreadfull wrath and vengeance for neglecting and abusing the love grace and mercy which he once freely tendred them which they little minded being like the old world buying felling marrying all the time of Noahs arkes building yea untill the very flood came but then how did they run and tumble O me thinks I see the whole world shifting some to the hills others to the mountains some climbing trees and cedars and getting up to steeples whilst others wade to Noah yea beg and hang upon his Ark crying Noah Noah Noah for pitie take us in but he is secure and minds not all their skreeks and cryes nor their dolefull mourning for their drowned souls this he little minds for he is safe and his Ark arises by the mighty waters in the which he rides more and more steady the higher that they rise carying him at last over hils and mountaines and all kindes of dangers And now he sings this unto himselfe God hath safely housed me God hath safely kept me in a shelter from the raines which the black and melancholy heavens have weeped day and night for the sinnes of men till they were drowned with teares well Noah is yet safe the hangers on the Ark washt off screeks and cries over all swimme up and down the deluge Well the mighty waters doe beginne to beat and the heavens smile by clearing up againe Noah sends out his Dove shee soone returnes he againe doth the like she brings in an Olive branch an Emblem of peace to all in the Ark. Well this Ark is Christ and none there is but he that can safely shelter from all kinde of danger and yet this Ark is open and ready to receive all that will come in at the Spirits invitation but what if they doe not the Spirit will break forth in dreadfull flames of fire drying up the Seas and burning of the Mountaines none no not one escaping but those in the Ark. Well friend minde this Christ is the Ark the Spirit is the River God the Fountaine too of light life and glory shall all be neglected then thou art undone O unhuppy soul ill betide the time and cursed be the day that ever thou wast born Revel chap. 22.4 And they shall see his face and his name shall be written upon their foreheads O Christians from these words give mee leave to speake a little my thoughts for to you is this promise and if God give in the sweetnesse of it to you it will be as a little hony yea as a lick of that Manna which Christ will give to his Saints to feed on Revelations 2.17 And first these words they are a Promise of God to his people who are the persons to whom this Promise is made Secondly The Promise it selfe which is They shall see my face that is the thing O christian promised heare Thirdly For the time that is a comming they shall not yet but they shall from whence denote the certainty of it And truly friends if you did but consider this promise and the certainty of its accomplishment it would be like Moses little stick which did sweeten the bitter water which the Isralites could not drinke before he had throwne in his stick So I thinke it would sweeten any condition a Saint meets with in this world though never so bitter be thou sick be thou weake be thou poore for these conditions are they subject too as well as any therefore hath God made a thousand of such kinde of promises to his Saints to support them here Sometimes he tels them They shall drinke of the River of his pleasure and be abundantly satisfyed with the fatnes of his house Psa 36.8 A second Promise to them is this They shall eat of the Manna that is hid A third They shall see my face I will speake no more of them pray remember these three in all your troubles by faith feed your soules on them they will not onely comfort your hearts but consolate your troubled soules O they will make you well in sicknesse they will also make you rich in poverty they will make you feast in hunger they will make you sing in prison live in death yea triumph over death yea all kindes of death Christians you know this I know yee know it in some measure but what is the reason you doe not make use of these and such like Scripture sweet promises in the times of troubles You will say you
rejoyce in by an eye of faith fore-seeing it a forehand God gives a promise after that the thing so he delt with us by his Sonne first sent him in a promise after that in substance to be our life light and glory rest peace comfort and salvation in all wants and from all wants of all kindes and nature Well this Christ and God that sent him and the Spirit too is the Stream of sweetnesse where all your comfort lyes unlesse it be in the creature which withers like the grasse when it is cut and grows no more if creature comforts be cut off or withering one of these they are or else they are not momentany but induring which I am sure they are not from my own experience no more then a dreame which is but a fancy when the man awakes may fancies riches honours pleasures profits in the dreaming houre thou mayst doe the like and not enjoy at all what thou labourst for whilst thou seekest it in the creature runne thou mayst and win not seek thou mayst and finde not try thou mayst and taste not the sweetnesse thou expectest true some lyes in every flower but the Bee that skips from one to another all the Summer long can scarce fill her Hive but grant that she doe how quickly is she rebl'd and strangled too at last O thou 〈◊〉 Christian after pleasures profits riches lands and livings death will one day strangle thee and râ—b thâ—e to of all those sweet comforts thou ever gâ—therste here the Manna would not keep but in the pot of gold no more will the creature but in God and Christ and therefore what thou hast lay it up 〈◊〉 Christ and lay it out for Christ and the thou shalt be sure to finde it like bread upon the waters after many dayes but thou that seekest none and hast none but God Christ and the Spirit thou hast all already yea more then all the world ten thousand times can give thee for thou hast all All they seek and crave thou hast found in God Christ and the Spirit and hence it is that a poore Christian who hath Gods love Christs pardon and the Spirits seale can beare up his head and smile in his heart though purseless and penyless houseless and homelesse ragged poore and hungry in a chearfull way when many rich and great men complaine of a thousand wants whilst the true Christian in the sence of Gods love wants nothing but if some poore Christian 〈◊〉 as many there are wailing and weeping like to Hagar for want of this or that comfort a Wife a Childe estate pardon this or that comfort light or knowledge loe this seeming want is in thee only thou dost not see it for where Christ is all is and therefore look about thee yea look and if Christ bee in thee I dare say thou shalt finde more sweetnesse and drink too more delight out of this little Booke then in all the creature comforts thou ever yet enjoyest and therefore when the world is still and thy Spirit quiet in a leasure houre tast try read and if yee be deceived pardon me for I am a weake froward doubting Christian and yet I hope a growing though it be but slowly let us pray for one another for I will for you and the Israel of God while my name is William Blake A Word and but a Word to many of my fellow Christians who think they have no ability to raise write or speak to a portion of Scripture in a linct and profitable way for want of learning I dare say to thee whoever thou art if the Spirit of God be in thee lend him thy sleep or meditation when thy businesse of the world is ever and thy Spirit quiet he will feed thy thoughts beyond thy expectation I dare pawn my life for it these few lines was brought to my hand in this way and therefore try and see if William Blakes words be not true A STREAME OF SVVEETNESSE from the Spirits breathing Revelat. chap. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne as I have overcome and am set with my Father in his throne THis is the revelation of God by Jesus Christ unto John and therefore it is said blessed is he that readeth and he that heareth What this mystery or prophecie I blessed is that soul for ever as in the first chap. and the third verse In the seventh verse Christ saith he comes Amen saith the Bride come Lord Jesus quickly In the last of the Revelation and in the second chapter and the seventh vers To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life This tree is Christ and his leaves are for the healing of the Nations Rev. the 22. and the 2. v. And in the last of the 10 v. A Crown of life And in the latter end of the 11. v. A promise of no hurt by the second death In the 17. v. A promise to eat of the Manna that is hid This Manna was the sweet food that the children of Israel fed on in the Wildernesse Christ is this Manna but his sweetnesse is a hidden thing to the carnall world and in the 25. A promise to rule over Nations and further I will give him the morning Star this Star is Christ as Peter tels us saying Wait untill the day dawn and the Starre arise in your hearts In the 15. ver of the 3. chap. Christ tels his Church That he that overcomes shall be clothed in white array I then shall he stand with boldnesse before Christ when Kings and Princes shall cry to the hills and mountains to fall and cover them Revel the 16. And further I will not put out his name out of the book of life and in the 12. ver I will make him a standing Pillar in the house of my God and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God and my name The name of my God that is he shall be so filled with his divine nature that it shall be as visible as a name in his forehead And now in the 21. ver which I first mentioned a further promise is laid downe as if Christ had not enough yet spoken to engage his Church against hers and his enemies namely the world flesh and devill Well according to my light I shall hint at the meaning of Christ in these words and first Observe The universallity of the promise it is a promise to him any him high low rich poor young old bond or free man or master maid or mistresse O but the world does not alwayes so one gaines the victory and another gets the honour or reward many times But secondly What is meant by overcomming surely to get the masterdome or upper hand with those we encounter with this masterdome is got two wayes by a Captain or a souldier by a Captain or a Champion so David engaged with Goliah and his slaying him
laying choise and precious strong and stable foundation time and age out lasting foundation heaven earth Saints and Angels foundation Secondly It might be very well called new Ierusalem if you consider her builders old Ierusalem was built by Bricklayers Carpenters and such like crafts-men the choysest of them but thou O new Ierusalem by God Christ and the Spirit therefore art thou said by Paul to be made without hands wee looke for a City whose builder and maker is God thy Husband is thy maker the God of the whole earth shall he be called thy God and he onely none laid one stone in thee but he none found a stone but he no nor stick nor straw as I may so say for he found all in his own eternall purpose O saith God this and this shall be a stone to make me a Ierusalem where I will dwell for evermore but these I will not use throwing millions by which was as likely as any if he had pleased to use them to set his glory of But as God found all so Christ beares all We on him are built saith Paul as a spirituall house unto the Lord built by the Spirit for as God findes all and Christ bears all so the Spirit builds all by his Word and Prophets Fourthly Ierusalem was built for the honour of the Jewish nation but thee O new Ierusalem for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who will shew his glory in thee because his love is set upon thee yea thy very gates more then all the dwellings of Iacob Fiftly Old Ierusalems wals and gates was but common stone but thine O new Ierusalem are built of all manner of pretious stones yea thy very gates are pearle O glorious city thy wals thy gates are precious living stones thy pavements are pure Gold Revel 21.18 O King Solomon where is thy glory all thy glory was but a dark shadow of this glory O Ierusalem city of the great King which he hath built for his Jewels and by his Jewels and the Sons of Sion more pretious then choyse Silver to dwell with him Christ and Angels for ever and ever Sixtly It is called new Ierusalem in respect of her watchmen and keepers O Ierusalem God did once set watchmen on thy wals but did they keep thee nay they could not keep thee they could not save thee for thou wast raced even to the ground But thou O new Ierusalem hath God and Christ within thee Angels round about thee well may thy gates be open day and night Revelations the 21. all safety is in thee all protection round about thee who was wont to be frighted from fears within and dangers round about Seventhly in respect of her light thy light O Ierusalem was not to be compared to thine O new Ierusalem thy light was but sun moon and creatures light but thy light O new Ierulem is this sun Suns and glory Angels are the sun of thy Sun and God is the Sun of Angels and glory too O new Ierusalem the glory of this God in thee is the light of thee the increated glory the uncreated glory O Ierusalem that is thy light therefore is thy light the light of lights and the light of life too the glory of the Lord and of the Lambe in thee are the light of thee O Ierusalem therefore is thy light the light of lights and the light of life too Now thou shalt need light of sun and moon no more no more for ever thou moon give place unto the sun thou sun give place unto the Lambe and unto the Lord for they must shine and ye must out for ever and let them shine thy day throughout thy long and endlesse day thy nightlesse day thy time and age out-lasting day It is said Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day O ye seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob rejoyce in this your day for it will make amends for all your nights your nights of sorrow fear and trouble your longest nights your darksome could and stormy ones yea David tells you so saying though sorrow endure for a night yet joy commeth in the morning I this morning hath a noon of joy in it this mornings dawning hath and when ye by its dawning see O then what joy what peace what hope what rest thou canst not tell but doest enjoy thy wish thy would thy onely wish thy onely would which when thou hast thou ever cravest just as the child which suckes and cries and craves but hath Eightly it is called new Ierusalem in respect of her glory thy glory was gates walles temple towers riches strength and numeration of people But for thy glory O new Ierusalem it doth more excell all this then ever Solomons did the poorest Pesant for this read the 60 of Isa Arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is risen on thee the full glorie the true glorie which Moses could not behold and live no man can see my glory and live saith God to Moses but to thee O new Ierusalem when darknes shal cover the earth with al the dwellers therein then shall the Lord arise upon thee and his glorie shall be set and seen on thee yea such a glorie which shall confound the world yea confute the world of madnes and folly the world hath never seen thy glorie O new Ierusalem but when it doth shame shall cover her face and for shame shall kings and princes call to the hills and mountaines to fall upon them O Ierusalem the Gentiles shall walk in thy light then shalt thou see and shine and be astonished at thy own glorie the seas shall convert her treasure and the Gentiles their riches to Midian Ephah and Sheba shall bring their gold and incense unto thee for I will saith God beautifie the house of my glory verse 7. The yles shall waight upon thee the ships of Tharshish shall bring their sons their gold and freely offer to thee because of the name of the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel hath glorified thee Kings shall minister unto thee therefore thy gates shall be continually open they shall not be shut day nor night verse 12. and those kings and nations that will not serve thee shall be utterly destroyed O when will kings and nations minde this prophesie till then they will never submit their proud hearts cannot submit to lick the dust of thee O Ierusalem as David speaks Psalme But they shall submit like Iosephs brethren yea they that did afflict thee shall fall down at the soles of thy feet and call thee Sion the holy One of Israel And whereas thou hast been despised so that men went by thee I will make thee an eternall glory and a joy from generation to generation and thou shalt suck the milk of Gentiles and the breasts of kings yea the breast of Christ as I may so say the King of kings in whose breast lies a sea of sweetnesse where you may suck and smack smack and suck I and so
turnd to dust and must give account of this dust to Christ for he shall one day send them to all the winds to pick it up as himselfe speaketh Secondly I Iohn saw the holy City new Jerusalem descending down from God prepared as a Bride She descended or came down from God Observ Nothing comes up to God but that descends from God Flesh and blood saith Christ cannot inherit the Kingdome of God no it is a corrupt thing but corruption shall put on incorruption and mortality put on immortality but this incorruption and immortality too descends from above and therefore I saw her descending down from God the spirit and power of the mighty God may be the thing for which the Evangelist saith I saw new Ierusalem comming down from God out of Heaven But in the third place I saw new Ierusalem comming down prepared or trimmed like a Bride a Bride is trimmed or adorned with new or beautifull garments old spotred garments are ill beseeming the Bride and therefore she never doth aray her self but in lovely ones Well then here is according to my light the meaning of these words and I think the very naturall sence of the spirituall as I may so say or the spirituall meaning of the Spirit of God in these words I John saw the boly city the new Iernsalem comming down prepared as a Bride the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus God man imputed reckoned and given to man by God and put on by the mighty Spirit is the newnesse of it and the adornment of her and this righteousnes of God 2. Cor. 5. and the last yea it is the righteousnesse of God For he was made sinne for us who knew no sinn that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him Well by this mighty Spirit of God is Ierusalem arayed in this righteousnesse wrought out by Christ for her and so given by God for that same purpose namely Ierusalems adornment and now he beholding her in this he must needs say I saw her descending down from God out of heaven trimmed as a Bride When she is trimmed and arrayed by God Christ and the Spirit yea and she must needs be now lovely and Bride-like beautifull doth the spotted moon and twinckling stars adorne the cloudy element and make it so lovely that a David cries out O Lord how wonderfull are thy works Psalme 8. v. 3. then must needs Christ the Sun of suns and angels too to make his Ierusalem beautifull when he shall cloath her with his own righteousnesse as with a garment downe to the ground Ofriends this righteousnesse of Christ is the wedding garment of new Ierusalem and in this garment saith Iohn I saw her comming as a Bride trimmed for her husband Christ the King of kings Saints and Angels surely the kings daughter is all glorious without as well as within for her cloathing is all embroidered gold wrought out by Christ and put on by the Spirit O when the Saints shall wait on Christ up and down the heavens in this garment or righteousnesse of his how princelike will his attendance bee when ten thousands of these shall stand before his throne yea ten thousandmillions of these with as many Angels to them shall all as one joine to sing his victories over sin death hell men and devils in this garment of love and livery of his favour what sparkling beames will passe from one to the other like suns reflecting on each others glory yet all from Christ like Moon and starres in their horizon And now O thou poor and prodigall sinner what thinkest thou of that day when it shall be said bring hither the best robe and the gold ring for this my once lost but now found son O what a change will here be when the rags in which thou tendedst hogs shall be taken off and thou cloathed with thy eldest brothers garment brought thee will not thy change be like Ioshuahs in putting off his filthy garment yea truely will it if dust were turned to gold and common stones to jewels nights to dayes and falling Commets to fixed stars and then againe to beaming suns yet all was nothing I say all these changes were nothing to that change that Christ maketh with sinners when hee takes off their sins rags and righteousnesse and puts on his own righteousnesse on them and therefore well might John say I saw her trimmed as a Bride when he had trimmed her with his own righteousnes thou art comely in my comelines saith Christ to the spouse Well reader I hope in this interpretation that thou and I am one and doe agree that this is the beauty of the new Jerusalem that the Spirit means by wedding garment and beautifull adornment And mark because it is this she is trimmed with therefore is she said to be seen comming down from heaven as having none of this bravery but from God Christ and the Spirit Secondly I saw new Jerusalem comming down in an uniform manner shee came not tumbling nor dropping now and then a piece as I may so say nor in a scattering manner but I saw new Ierusalem the whole Church as one single person comming down from God the whole church is but one Bride as I may so say for Christ the Bridegroom neither doth hee look on her any other wayes nor should wee but we are like the silly country people who sometimes take the Courtier for the Prince and the lachey servant for the master so we many times take the son for the Bridegroom and the lasie professor who makes a fait show when as indeed he is but a beggarly time server and hath no true grace nor vertue for the noble and royall Christian though there be not such an outward show in respect of talk and perfection which I speak not against in a sincere heart but as I said before Christ counts his church but one and so the Angel invites saying behold ye the Bride the Lambs wife and so saith himselfe my love my dove she is but one the onely one of her mother And this may justly reprove many in our dayes who will distinguish the Church of Christ into as many parcels as are formes or judgements and congregations every one thinking themselves to be the true Church when as at the best they are but a piece of his Jerusalem as I apprehend and that for these reasons First Jerusalem or the Church of God though she consist of many Iewes and Gentiles called and uncalled yet in truth she is but one church or body of which Christ is the head Secondly every particular person of the whole Church of Christ being arayed and trimmed by God and Christ may be called by the name of one single person and so counted the Spouse of Christ Againe I saw new Jerusalem comming down as a Bride here he makes no distinction of bond or free high or low Independant Anabaptist Presbyterian this or that forme of fellowship but he saw all these as in one
is he that readeth and he that heareth But I come to the words and will open them or at least will hint something from them according to my weake and glimmering light And first We have the rise of this River and that is the Throne of God and of the Lambe which I conceive to be his own everlasting glory in which he dwels and lives or otherwise the glorious union of the divine nature which sets up one another as a Throne a Prince the Father sets up the Sonne the Sonne reveales the Father the Spirit sets up and is sent forth by both which is the River Secondly For the nature of this River It is pure He shewed me a pure river of water so saith David With thee is the well of life so pure this River is pure pure indeed First In its nature and rise it proceeded from the pure fountaine of Gods Glory or the Throne of God and the Lambe and so it is pure for nature Secondly It is pure for operation it purifieth where it runneth and so it is like the refiners fire and fullers sope purifying the sonnes of Levi which is by washing them in the blood of Christ and leading them in and by the commands of Christ Thirdly It is cleare yea so cleare as it cannot be compared to any thing but the Chrystall O the Chrystall stone it is the clearest of all stones Diamonds are darke and cloudy many but the Christall stone it is the clearest of all you may see through and through it so cleare is this River you may see through and through all eternities by it from eternity to eternity and mystery to mystery Christ in earth Christ in glory Christ in flesh Christ in spirit and all cleare We with open face behold the glory of God as in a glasse and are changed from glory to glory but by the spirit of the Lord the River from the Throne Fourthly He shewed me a pure river of life I that is the well of life saith David 36.8 Here is the excellency of this river it is a living river and a life-giving river so saith Christ He that shall drinke of this water that I shall give him meaning this river shall never thirst againe but shall have a living satisfaction in it and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water O the worth of this living river this life-giving river endlesse life and glory Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God so may I say of thee O River of God whose streames refresh the City of God Psal 46.4 Well I know yee perceive by this what this river this living river so pure and cleare as Christall flowing from the Throne of God and the Lambe as proceeding from both sent forth by both to water the Paradice of God yea every plant and tree especially those that want most Well are you satisfied what this river means that John tells you is so pure so clear I beleeve you are but take this Scripture too however John 7. v. 37. in the last day the great day of the feast Jesus stood up saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water and this spake he of the Spirit which they should receive beleeving in him Hearken O heavens heare O earth give eare O ye inhabitants of the world O what a proclamation is here for you from a sweet and bountifull Christ to a poore and thirsty sinner what the river of life to any one high low rich poor yong old bond free yea any one that will come by beleeving O free O bountifull Christ inviting sinners to a river yea a living river to drinke their fils and yet a drop is more worth then ten thousand rivers of oyle yea the oyle of spices yea the sweetest spices O christian friend here is the well of life indeed here is the fountaine of life indeed here is the river of pleasure I and the sweetest pleasure too lies in this streame for it is the river of life endlesse endlesse life and glory And heare now O ye sons of men how loudly Christ calls poore sinners to come to this Chrystall river in the Scriptures before John saith Christ stood up in the midst of the feast upon the great day where multitudes were gathered and cried out with a loud voice saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink O sweet Saviour of sinners how doest thou scatter life and pardon to all by standing up and proclaiming loudly a river of life to all thoughts of graces and bounty are free so saith Davids Psalm Free indeed when unto all and see the like proclamation Revel 22. v. 17. the 〈◊〉 of God and Christ the heavenly Jerusalem the misery of soules being spoken of by John that are shut out of this glory A proclamation is again made supposing upon the former considerations carelesse sinners will mind their eternall happinesse being concerned 〈◊〉 Well the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let him 〈◊〉 beareth say come and whosoever is a thirst let him come and take the water of life freely freely O friends mee thinks this proclamation cries room room expecting as it were the whole world would now follow Christ for this water of life the river of life and yet where is the man that stirres if a Prince should ride a circuit with an Herald and make a proclamation of lands and livings to all that would accept them How O how then would all men run and tumble O friends Christ proclaimes both lands and livings jewels crowns and kingdomes nay more ten thousand times more a river of life and glory and men will scarcely stirre arise arise sots and heare if you be not deaf and cannot O the Spirit invites and bids you come too the eternall Spirit of God one with God the third person in the Trinity of God shall this eternall Spirit of God one with God comming down from God inviting you in the name of God and for your own soules sake to accept of this river of God sent forth by God for the glory of God shall this invitation he slighted O must not this be a high contempt of God and a great afront to the Spirit of God sent to thee by God so to be slighted O thou slighting carelesse foolish sinner Sinner this contempt of the Spirits invitation may cost thee thy soule thy soule I say thy everliving soule if thou dost not quickly minde it Secondly the Bride bids you come the Lambs wife the Spouse of Christ united to Christ being married with Christ by the Spirit of Christ in faith divine love and sweet obedience to Christ O she hath drunk of this river well may she say come all that will come come she knowes by experience this to be the river of life and pleasure and therefore she saith come away come away or else you die you die and now O every one