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
of this dispensation shall be discovered whether it be of God or man if of God it shall be dispelled by a higher if of man or Satan it shall be destroyed So that to Rest upon this estate though attained from God though it should prove a dispensation of God it would be a Rest much below the Center of the soul which is God The Second false Rest THe second Rest most commonly of Soules after a common restraining the Creature from grosse evils is a work seeming to the Creature something higher and that is in obedience unto what the Law of God requires The first is A negative Obedience from something The second is an affirmative Obedience to something and this seems to the Creature to go beyond the other and so become a surer foundation of Rest when indeed it is all one with the other and still short of the true Rest And here comes it to passe that in this dispensation man hath no longer peace then he acts sutable to the Law break the Law and it breaks the neck of the Souls peace Keep it and it keeps the Soul in peace And secondly in this condition it comes to passe that the Creature is wholly cast down and begins to question all he hath yea the very foundation of all when in the least manner he doth transgresse But still the soul is in a very low and empty dispensation but mans obedience to the Law wherein he intends by his obedience to it to get happinesse and life from it flowes from these particulars following 1. From a convincement of his misery out of God in which he sees a want of God upon which he runnes unto the Law being convinced by it to see what is required of it He now resolves makes Covenants Vowes renewes them often and purposeth to doe what the Law requires To this end he fals aboard of praying reading keeping Sabbath and spends nights and daies in labouring to attaine to what the Law requires And 1. The Law requiring as the principall part of it Love Now this is the daily complaint of such a soule in this dispensation Oh that I could love God then I could believe God loved mee then it being the principall part of the Law I could believe it were fulfilled either in mee or for mee then should I enjoy peace and Rest in my spirit not knowing that our love to God flowes from the manifestations of Gods love in us not considering that the Law is fulfilled by another not knowing that peace and Rest flowes from the enjoyments of God and not from sutable Quallifications to the Law of God but now when the soule hath as he conceives got so much love to God as partly the Law of God requires it Rests concluding this That love to God is an infallible Token of Love from God Yet not knowing that the way to judge aright of my love to God is from the enjoyments of Love from God And here lies the great deceit of many spirits Again The Law requires Sabbath keeping and many such like comands are required The soule cryes Oh that I could keepe the Sabbath Oh that my heart could keepe close with God upon that day and here the soule labours to bring his heart into that frame not to think his own thoughts or speake his owne words whereupon he sets a praying in the morning and exercises himselfe in all duties agreeable to the day now if he keepe the day so exact as he thinkes the Law requires he Rests with much peace but if he be dead and cold and unprofitable in these Dispensations he employes himselfe in then he can have no peace all the weeke but is mourning and grieving he hath broke the Law and here is partly the frame of such a spirit And the second cause of his thus actings is from an apprehension of wrath and a condemning conscience and hell within it would doe any thing to asswage the wrath and fire of hell in his owne conscience What would not a soule doe or attempt to remove the same being at present too heavy for the soule to beare now it would doe any thing to stoppe the mouth of a condemning conscience though it will pretend what it doth is for no such matter but the flatterings of the heart and the glosse it puts upon the actions of the Creature in this Dispensation Now the soule not discerning satisfaction given to God by another it labours therefore to satisfie God for the breach it hath made betwixt it and God though I say the heart here will glosse its actions and say to the contrary But now it seeing a breach this breach must be made up before there can be peace Now the soule not seeing the breach made up by Christ he labours to make up the breach by his actuall obedience to the Law of God And therefore is it that men teach this Principle The way to attaine Grace and favour with God is by such a humiliation or sorrow as they call God And here they prove Aegyptian Task-masters to set the Creature upon doing when he hath no straw to worke withall Exod 5. 13 14. And this is usuall with Creatures in this Dispensation when they see themselves in bondage to get freedome by doing And so comes it to passe many breake prison before they be set free by the Spirit As for instance when the soule can finde such a Qualification in him or such a frame of Spirit in him as the Law requires having a long time laboured for it he judgeth himselfe to be set free by Christ when it is but a conceited freedome as an effect of his obedience and not as an effect of the obedience of Christ revealed to him in the Spirit And in this particular the Creature is like a horse that is fallen into a bogmire he labours to plunge himselfe out lest he perish there and indeed plunges himselfe faster in and brings himselfe into a nigher way of perishing Thus the Creature seeing himselfe falâ—â— into misery and bondage he labours and plunges to free himselfe untill he plunges himselfe into higher bondage and as the horse will not give over and lye still untill he hath wearied himselfe no more will the soule cease acting to free himselfe untill he be wearied and worne out of breath And then he shall be forced to wait untill He who delivers Saints out of the pit where no water is come and deliver this Spirit out of his slavery and bondage And also in an estate of darknesse the like the Creature labours for light and being encompassed about with pits on every side and being in darknesse he will not stay untill the Light come or the day dawn but at last for want of a Guide which is the Spirit he fals into the pit where he lies more sadder then ever John 16. 15. These are the common though sad effects of those who run before God leades them and either the Creature Rests after he hath
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
Rest or evidence of the true enjoyment of God in me which is any way done by or acted from mee but something in the which I am a passive and no active in which must be something of God coming in from God which doth give a testimony of truth to me and reveales the true Rest in me And if I Rest otherwise my Rest is not that which I take it to be So that it 's alone the power or glory of something coming to mee and not the actings of that to God from me which is all the hearts Rest of a Saint But there lyes so much deceit in the heart Jer. 17. 9 10. that the Truth must be known by undeniable testimony in man before the makings of it fotrh can in truth be discerned but as I said before man lyes in darknesse until there be something in the soule which is a cleare light giving the creature to know Truth from truths Testimony for any action of deceit from the heart to God as so pretended will not be without reason and ground yea and Evidence proved to bee true by the heart but still this Light which is God within is that which discovers man to himself yea the winding of deceits in the heart though never so cunningly acted by the heart The Sixt false Rest THe next Rest is deep Humiliations strange castings down of spirit wherein the creature is made to goe through sad torments of spirit and hath gone through a hel in his own Conscience he having passed through many sad dangers and having been ready to Destroy himself or lay violent hands upon himself and daily mourning under the apprehension of these particulars following First Under the apprehension of an angry and revenging God looking upon him as one ready to destroy him and altogether unsatisfied concerning him but expects the speedy execution of vengeance and wrath to be powred down upon him without measure here the soul lyes tortred continually ready to despaire of any hopes of recovery yet trying if he can get such a measure of humiliation as will Answer the greatnesse of the evils committed against God which did procure it Secondly He lyes mourning under the apprehension of a condemning Conscience Looking upon him selfe thus That if his heart Condemne him how much more will God who knoweth all things Thirdly under the view of â—hose grosse evils committed against God wherein sin flowes in apace in the view of it and they are Laid in order before the souls eyes Psalm 50. 21. which are so loathsome to him under this consideration that they have brought him into a condition of misery damnation wrath and slavery for ever unlesse he can get so much deep afflictings of spirit he looks upon himself as altogether uncapable of enjoying mercy Whereupon he fals a mourning and greeving fearing continually destruction until it be got into such an estate of breakings of spirit as it thinks answers the greatnes of its evils when it hath done thus It makes a Rest upon it and counts it an evidence of its acceptance with God not knowing that its heart may deceive it and though it pretends thus to do yet it may be out of fear and for false ends to get salvation and not from love or salvation Revealed to it but only it is broken because it hath brought misery upon it selfe Secondly If it be of God then it is made to see the vanity of its Rest here and to wait for the enjoyment of him alone who can apply a remedy to its wounded spirit but if false it looks upon such deepe humiliation to be a Cure to it or an assured Testimony of the love of God towards it here it 's put upon fasting and starving the body taking revenge upon it self Who hath been a cause of bringing it into this extreame misery untill it hath almost destroyed it's body with pining and afflicting of it When indeed this is nâ—t a Sacrifice which God much delights in if man Rest in it For to afflict a mans soul and to houl upon hâ—â— Bed and to Fast yet may all this be Hipocriticall and forced from the creature under the notion of destruction without it or a way to attaine grace and favour by it Now true Soul-breakings flowes from Love-meltings The Love Majesty and Glory of God being discovered to man do truly break man so that he doth not Rest upon his brokennesse but upon him who by love brake it The proud Pharisees did exceed in this and many others who made it their Rest and blessed them selves in so doing and said they fasted so often and wept to much and were so and so afflicted when indeed they lived upon it and gloryed and Rested in the same I know though it might be confessed this is the way of God yet it is not to be a Rest to any man For man is not able to judge of any Truth until the Light break in upon him which makes all things manifest and then shall man judge righteous judgement The heart will perswade man he acts from love when he doth not so and he humbles not himselfe to be seen of men or to get salvation or the removall of a condemning conscience or to stop the mouth of conscience or to get a frame of spirit that God might manifest mercy when indeed the heart is altogether it may be deceiving of it and yet not able to judge of the same by reason of that night of darknesse that lyes upon it wherein it is kept in the clouds Now the cause of the creatures Rest in this particular lyes here First In those many deliverances wrought out for him in this condition as if the Children of Israel should have been satisfied and Rested after God had brought them out of the Land of Egypt or that after they were brought through the Red Sea they should have made that their Rest evidencing thereby that God would bring them into the Land of Canaan when though God had delivered them yet afterwards he did destroy them So with many which God hath wrought strangely with in this particular in delivering them from strong temptations and making them to see much of power yet afterwards they do not wait for the enjoyment of the promise but murmur against God and fall at last upon making a God to themselves of the glory of their wisdome and strength and naturall parts and light and they fall down and worship the same as though this was that God who did deliver them and so Rest satisfied believing they are worshipping and enjoying the true God Secondly The creature reasons thus Surely it is God which doth discover sin unto me for if Satan should discover it it were the way to destroy his owne kingdome therefore my sight of sin and my sorrow and mourning for it and those deepe afflictions which I have had for sin must needs be of God and surely it is both love from God and love to God that doth thus
by Christ to the sonnes of men wherupon the creatures spirit is set a waiting for it and at last comes to enjoy it So in Free grace when God represents this truth to let man see he is Free in all his dispensations man being thereby convinced of it his heart is set a waiting for the enjoyment of the same within him which he sees in God above him that is above his reach of enjoying and so he doth not let him Rest though he see a truth until he comes to have the manifestation of it within him and in the power and life of it enjoyed by him So as the generall knowledge of Free grace before it be known particularly in the creature by the manifestation of it from God will be no secure Rest or satisfaction for any soul First The creature in this condition may receive it with much joy as witnesse them Mat. 13. 20. yet be short of having the power This truth is very pleasant to many especially to those that have been the greatest workers for Grace whereupn their delight is much taken up either in hearing reading or discourse that tendeth to the declaring of this truth and it is a dispensation of God in some men but not a Rest unto them Now men who are made to Rest here may have high notions of this Truth and may be more able to speak of it then those who have enjoyed it in a geneâ—al manner but come to the particular workings of it in the soul and many proves shallow there only they declare it as they see it to be a Scripture truth But he that Enjoyes sees it to be an Experimentall and a Scripture Truth Now some men have learned what he beleeves and Rests upon it only from report or men declaring their experiences or what the Scripture doth relate of others but have not any Teachings of God what it saith according to the Scriptures in them by Experience And here sometimes man is not compleatly furnished to declare this Truth But one who doth enjoy Truth within doth a little discern where such a soul is to wit have heard and from hearing do declare and yet not brought into the Kingdome of Truth to see and experience it with in himself Further Man may daily increase in the Notionary knowledge of this Truth wherein he may appeare a Tall Cedar in his owne eyes and in the eyes of others and grow up into high Notions and Light and is able to speak of very high and glorious lights yet if he here Rest it may prove in conclusion but a feeding upon winde and husks Furthermore In this knowledge of Truth may man solace and refresh his spirits continually in the apprehension of the same and yet it is but seeming not reall satisfaction or refreshment if he there Rest trusting to it to be God himselfe for want of information of the difference betwixt what is a Truth in it selfe seen so by me and a Truth mine manifested within me not knowing the foot-steps of truth without man from the foot-steps of truth within man not knowing a difference betwixt the deceipt of the heart in its deceivable workings making glorious Rests of that which is none and Truth nakedly discovered from or by God in the heart with its End and Testimony so as the creature is not satisfied with any thing though it be a truth without him until he finde the very being of that Truth within him Therefore whosoever he bee that reads these few lines Let him beware of these things following First that he judge not that to be a place of Rest to his spirits which is but in shew not enjoyed in substance nor absolutly passe sentence of any thing untill there be a Divine light within which makes it manifest Yea though they may come so far as to be convinced of the truth of Free grace and of the transcendent Excellency of Christ in God yet Rest not until thou sinde it in thy soul manifest from God then shalt thonseal it to be a Truth yea thou shalt have it fealed up for Truths by the Spirit of GOD within thee Also to take notice I do not despise nor condemne this dispensation not to be of God first to see by Scriptures these to be Truths But I here labour to unbottom and to un-center any soule who meerly Rests in the Notion of them Thirdly To beware of condenming these things because they have no Experience of them or because they come nigh them or because if they be Truths they have nothing left them but waite untill they see a Light within to discover the truth or fallacy of them to them Jer. 17. 9. and if so be they see not the deceite of their hearts or those false Rests in them wee are speaking of yet do not condemn them who have both seen and known them as though they sought to destroy the foundation of God in Saints but looke upon me as one owning any dispensation of God in its place proper to it The Eight false Rest THE Next Rest we desire to speak of in order to this is the Knowledge of Christ in the flesh Either considered as he is declared in Types and Figures under the Law or as he assumed Nature upon him and so consequently dyed at Jerusalem Now for the first In reference to Types and Figures which at this time are the dispensation of Ordinances either practised before or since his Coming How many in our dayes are they that meerly Rests upon such shadows some practising of such Types as held-forth Christ to come some in those that were practised after his Coming and here they satisfie themselves As instance the cry of most Wee enjoy the pure Ordinances of Christ wee are Members of the Church of Christ we are partakers of those outward priviledges purchased by Christ Instance the peace and comfort they enjoy in them the glorying and the high conceite they have of themselves above others that do not practise with or enjoy them witnesse their deadnesse flatnesse when they want them and their life and peace in the enjoying of them witnesse their binding up in them and their whole Experience contained in this particular When I was imployed in such an Ordinance I was fil'd with joy or I was made to be satisfied with the seeing of God in it when the poor Creature it may be knowes not what God in all or any thing is but if it be enlarged or have some particular â—â—shes of comfort it makes that to bee the presence of God and meerly under these fleshly practises or carnall relations do many Rest satisfied But Secondly To Rest upon Christ come in the flesh is to Rest upon the beleeving the report the Scripture gives concerning him as being borne of a Virgin and suffering and being buried and the like and if they beleeve this and can but heare enough of the Letter preached to this purpose they Rest as beleeving such a particular to be true and
here or joyne one with another witnesse their crosnesse of spirit what a smell of false principles this of Rests appears withall and truly argues much deceit and unpossessed like with God If one either hath attained higher or live in the use of Ordinances waiting for the reall enjoyment of God being lower why should that heart who hath either enjoyed more or lesse of God have such an unlikenesse of any thing of God in him seeing God is love and he that dwels in the lowest enjoyment of God dwels in Love but truly the being bound to formes or bound up in formes and the using of them before we be led unto them by God occasions all this Resting in and condemning of all that doe not in all things walk up into and in the use of these formes and Church relations which the letter of the Scriptures owns to be a dispensation of God But Secondly As this is the cause of and doth much savor to be occasioned either by our being bound up in them or falsly led out to them so also it is occasioned by the want of a divine principle within whereby that principle of God might command our formes and Church relations and not formes and Church relations command the souâ—e so as the Soule onely seeing something in the letter wanting a divine light within to discover unto him either the time place manner or end by this it comes to passe why he is darke in and Rest upon and is commanded by and so bound up in the form repuired in the letter being ignorant of truth in the Spirit but to come more fully to the thing in hand This in my judgement was the Rest of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. 17. in her concluded riches yea in her insensible poverty and thus it prevailes with many a heart First When especially the Soul hath been much under the Law and hampred by the Law and so kept in a cloude from the view of Gospel truthes and now come to see a clear truth in that which he so much opposed he is so taken up with it as he hath no peace untill he fals in obeying of it so gathers peace comfort and Rest in the same thinking it is now got into a very high estate and the very name of a member of a Church together with the greatnesse of the love of God in bringing this Creature to beleeve and obey who was darke opposite yea a despiser of the same this doth help forward his Rest in this particular Secondly It considers and reasons with it selfe now I am got into the communion of Saints and enjoy now their society which before it wanted fellowship with and also from consideration of the purity of the Ordinances it now enjoyes It before was alive in the use of corrupted Ordinances now it enjoyes them in the purity of them before in and amongst a mixed people or he had fellowship with devils 1 Cor. 10. 20. now with Saints but truly though this be a Laodicea condition yet it is a false Rest for there is no true Rest either in the purest Ordinances or visible relations for these a man may enjoy and be ignorant of the enjoyment of God in them as the wofull experience of many will seale unto and testifie the truth of whatwe are speaking of Thirdly Another cause of Rest in these relations flowes from his continuall growth in Gospel light and his encrease and growth of knowledge and most commonly the whole bent of such a spirit is taken up with labouring after the knowledge of points of judgement and with matters nice and curious things which most commonly pleaseth the fancy and understanding and to know such things it is his continuall study and end of all his labour when still he wants the life and power of Christ in his heart neither doth he know him but either by his profession or by hear-saies not in any true way of experience Fourthly Another cause flowes from his conceived peace and comfort he enjoyes in the same and thus he reasons before I had no peace either in conscience within me or from Ordinances practised by me but now I enjoy much peace in my condition when indeed he may have stopt the mouth of conscience his peace come in from a false ground not spoken from God but drawn forth or Imagined in his particular practise Many a soule feeds upon an imaginary peace when it is ignorant of peace truly manifested in the heart and in this most commonly doe the affections blinde and bribe the judgement and so peace remaines onely in the imagination and not enjoyed by any powerfull manifestation But if mens hearts in Church relations may so utterly be deceived then it stands in need of these ensuing cautions 1. Beware of making thy being a member of any Church to be either evidence to thee or ground of peace in thee neither let any conceive better of their conditions because they are in visible fellowships and neither let their joy or peace be the more unlesse they doe uprightly enjoy more of the discoveries of God to them then they did before 2. Beware that thou thinke not thy outward uniting in a visible manner with Saints is a uniting thy spirit more unto God or God uniting himselfe more to thee or that for or in thy present practise thou art got the nigher to God lest thou Rest more secure in thy present condition then before for carnall security doth most commonly follow the most of men in those dispensations 3. Beware thou goe not before God leade thee for most commonly when God leades man into formes when he forsakes them he leades them out of them into that dispensation God will appear in therefore beware that thou be not led by thy owne imaginations then thou shalt not be left in and bound up in formes but shalt continue in them so long as God continues in the same But many who live and make a God of their forms they neither know when God leads or not leads when God is present or not present it s all one if they can enjoy the desire of their hearts and that which speaks peace to them namely Their formes and Church relations It is to them yea its life and happinesse in them But in the next place observe Though God do own all or the most formes and administrations yet it is but for a time untill a higher dispensation appear or the substance of that forme be enjoyed and then God departs from it and seldome or never appears in that forme any more especially if the soul be caught up into God for as the old Testament formes which were of Gods own appointment and God was in them for the time they were to be used so also they were to cease 1. When the substance thereof was come Heb 5. 18. 2. When a more glorious administration was and did appear then did God both depart from them and dis-own them and they no where
beware of as great an evill on the right hand as on the left and that is That they be not living upon an imaginary God and not the true for it is the way of the Creature to give so much way to his fancy and imagination that whatever it proposeth to be God it lives upon and rejoyceth in and brings the Soul into deep and carnall security with high imaginations of himself being able to apprehend and discourse of deepe and high things and yet want the life and power of any one of them 3. Beware of Judging if thou be broke off from formes those that thou hast left behinde thee in the use there of Confidering that God is in all formes of his own appoinment and that their dispensations may be of God and that they shall there abide but their appointed reason And therefore let thy carriage to them and thy judgement of them be as much as possible may be without offence unto them and for the winning of them and that when God sees a higher dispensation fit for them he will leade them into it only my soule desires they may not be so glued to them as to live in them and not to waite for a higher dispensation from God only in the want thereof they are in the use thereof God owning and appearing unto them in them so that I could wish the wisdome of God may appear so in the hearts of those who doe pretend thus high to live in God that it may truly appear to themselves and to others God led them into the same not themselves I have experienced both the contrary evils and therefore I speake so that if God be love as in his dispensation God is so to him that knowes it not then it must break forth from us if it be living in us to look upon children and babes with a tender eye and respect so as judgement may passe away and the spirit of burning which is Love may appear amongst us Thirdly As others are under mens Teachings so looke thou be under the Teachings of the Vision of God Heb. 2. 3. and that thou speake or pretend to enjoy no more then is taught within thee by the Vision of God for in the want thereof sad experiences testifies we Peecing and patching Religion and high notions together and make it their delight and joy Oh the teachings of God doe open the very heart and the secrets of the sealed Booke and beleeve it to live wholly above all in God It is to live such a transcendent life as is better and sooner spoken then enjoyed and known in truth for there must be such a death within men and a passing from death to lise by man that indeed men may hear of the thing and get it into their imaginations but to enjoy it in the true and reall manifestations thereof many in this shall in their conceits be brought to losse for to have the Scales of the Eternall brightnesse and glory of God opened in the appearance of the Vision in a mans heart to have the very splendor and glory of the divine Being Revealed within man and to be wholly caught up in the whole out of all things so as the soule is wholly swallowed up with God in all things so that now neither eye hath seen nor care hath heard neither by mans heart can be imagined the depths of the life glory and enjoyment of such a heart yet it is his common meate and teaching of the Spirit within him so that no manâ— teaching can reveal the life and center of such a heart but it is better experienced then can be declared it is so transcendent a life and being Yea further for any man to live so in God as he enjoyes God in all and seeth God the life and being of all yea it is not his judgement but hee findes all these things effectually within him For a man may be of the judgement concerning living wholly in God to be the onely Life and yet not to know this from the experience of the visions teaching within himselfe Now it is no benefit for any to be of this and that judgement unlesse he live in the clear enjoyment of the truth he is convinced of in his judgement and understanding here is the glory of a Saint indeed not to know a truth because it is the judgement of any neither because it is his own judgement but that he have within him the truth teaching of it to him from the life and power of it in him So he knowes the Sun to be the Sun not from hear-saies but he seeth the life and glory of it having his eyes opened to behold it and findes by experience the heat and powerfull operation of the same upon him as well as upon the earth So with Saints they doe not receive their Life Light or experience of God living in a Saint from hearing of it but God breakes forth in their spirit and so gives them the fight of the glory light and splendor of God within themselves So soule beware thou be not overcome so with hear-saies as to rest satisfied with the meer notion of God and truths and yet be at this time but a blazing starre who shall fall and cease to be what thou at present both to thy selfe and others seems to be onely for a time thou may by this notionary light in thy understanding and judgement be a blazing star to discover what thou hast for the deceit of thy self and others and yet it is not the light of the being of truth in thee but a borrowed light got from others or in thy imagination or conception which shall suddenly perish and then thou shalt be left in the dark as a man in the Clouds reserved for the great day Oh to be Taught of God is a Jewel it will teach Truth and not lye Therefore in the last place It is worth waiting for though thou waite in silence and in death untill thou do enjoy it lest thou pretend to have that thou hast not and to enjoy that thou enjoyest not for in so doing thou shalt go with a lye in thy Right hand and shelter thy self under vanity and lyes Yet I would not be mistaken that either I am against formes in their time and place and manner neither that I deny that a soul may attaine to such a glorious enjoyment of God as must yea all formes and shadowes may flye away and be dissolved though not destroyed and the person forme and use thereof shall be swallowed up with glory But I defire to compose the great difference that lyes in mens attainments when they all cannot speake one thing or enjoy God in one dispensation then they fall one condemning another â—o as they cannot make out for good of each other that which they enjoy of God in their present dispensations Secondly To unbottom the one of Resting in and living upon or making his everlasting Tabernacle in those Shadowes and the
most commonly Satans way to apply himselfe to such a cure for to cause a soule to Rest below God as is sutable to a Soules condition so he brought in a promise to Christ He hath given his Angels charge over thee c. Mat. 4. 6. Here he came to apply himselfe sutable to the condition of Christ O when once a soule is brought into a Pinacle condition wherein he is brought to see the glory of much then Satan lobours to cause the heart to fall downe and worship him hee coming smoothly and bringing the Promises of God a long with him to back the truth of what he doth and here after the soule is betrayed by represented glory in a promise meerly cast in from Satan wherein the soule fals down and worships the very cunning working and the high exalting of Satan and in this condition he is brought to see and apprehend high things and is brought into a Pinacle to behold almost the glory of every thing made over by Satan to the Creature in a promise upon the soules submitting to him and upon this Pinacle he sets him that is he causes him to Rest and so the poor heart being not wise in the Spirit is deceived and betrayed though the actions knowledge light joy Rest of this soule be glorious and for God in his own eyes yet it is but Satans transforming himselfe into an Angel of light resembling or coming in and working in the Creatures heart in the gloriests manner and shape God workes in But Secondly Others being wounded in Spirit and weary in soule for the want of any glimpse of God leaving no means un-attained to get his soule cured and unburthened and having Rested upon many false props before and being unbottomed of them he tries this particular it being of a higher nature and more likely to speake peace unto him viz. a running to Scripture to finde out some particular promises sutable to his condition and having found out some sutable Promises either presently seems to speak to him from a sutablenesse in him so it may be being a conditionall Promise or else the soule meditates a while upon it and it runs much in his thoughts and at last he closes with it strikes this load and burthen of his spirit here he drawes comfort and peace from it yea it may be so much as indeed the soule is mightily overcome in his spirits with joy and can doe nothing but rejoyce upon which he Rests builds his faith as he cals it and so concludes it to be a manifestation of God I will not deny but God may make these waies if in truth cause of support unto a soule in his travelling towards his Rest But for a soul to strike saile cast Anchor and have all the waves in his heart stayed and his very wearinesse of spirit at this present put to a period is as if the children of Israel had stayed either beyond the red Sea or when God gave them Manna before they came to enjoy a reall possession of the land of promise though God did this either to refresh their spirits and so to under-prop them or else to give them it at the desire and repining of their spirits to see how they would use it or abuse it Now this being a discription of a Saints Spirituall travell though God should cause a glimps of glory or heavenly Manna to refresh a heart to be given to a soule in the view of a Promise yet for a soule to Rest in this and make it his habitation it smels too much of mans deceite and abuse of every dispensation and a daubing up his spirit with untempered morter and so hatches Cockatrice Egges and weaves the Spiders Webbe so that it is but a kindling of a fire man warming himself in his own sparks whose conclusion shall be death and sorrow and before ever the creature know what true Rest is by sweet experience hee must be brought to a death in all these But from my own experience of the fallacy of my own heart and the contrariety of the false Rests that I have gon thorow I make bold to propose these ensuing particulars to such a heart not intending to weaken the workings of God in any poor heart though under low Administration but only to discover the nakednes of man in the way of his own heart And First of all When did the Lord manifest himself to thy soule and give thee a particular right unto and interest in this promise the application of which thou makest thy Rest Secondly How was God Revealed to thy heart in this promise Or whether is it not the great necessity thou hast of it that makes thee fly to the promise and suck sweetnesse life comfort and Rest from it Or is it God in Christ clearly Revealed unto thee in the same For it was necessity that made many run to the Ark and hang upon the outsides thereof though none but those that were within were saved Scribes and Pharisees did challenge a propriety in God and all externall priviledges but it was but from a sutablenesse of holinesse they had to the promise and not Revelation of God in them discovering the Truth the of God to them Thirdly What inward Testimony of God hast thou for thy great joy peace Rest And what is thy inward Evidence that witnesseth the truth of what thou enjoyest For every one that beleeveth hath a Testimony within himselfe 1. Joh. 5. 10. And every heart that hath ever seen the appearance of God within him hath found a lively Testimony coming along with that Manifestation of God which is the only proofe of the truth of what he enjoyeth and not any Qualifications nor outward Testimony either of man or from man 1 Joh. 3. 24. Fourthly How was peace in this particular enjoyed by thee Was it from some inward Voyce of God or discovery of the same Or was it from such a sutable form of words to thy condition either cast in or found out in searching Or was it from a clear Manifestation of the glory of God in thee sutable to those formes of words in the Scriptures without thee whereby the forme of words came to be made good to thee so that thy comfort peace satisfaction or Rest do not flow from the forme of words as thou seest them in Scripture without thee but from the enjoyments of God within thee sutable to that without thee Fiftly What glorious power of God was made out in thy spirit in thy thus closing with Promises Thy thus closing may seeme to be done in power but the spirituall Coming of Christ in the manifestation of his glory is so great as indeed it is not ordinary but extraordinary in the heart of him that knows his coming A Promise Closed with before Christ come in the Spirit may seem to be done in glory and power by reason it may be hee could not before beleeve nor live in that freedome or joy he now lives in
but the coming of Christ in the Spirit doth so farre surmount that as indeed the other appeares nothing when this is come Eph. 1. 19. Mat. 24. 30. Sixtly Whether is it the Manifesting of God to thee that gives thee a right to the Promise and from this thou closest with God Or is it that sutablenesse in thee to the words of the promise that gives thee a being whereby thou closest with it If it be the latter it is not right For all Promises are in Christ Yea and Amen And He is the ALL in them and if hee bee revealed he gives a being to them yea to the creature to live in that being as He is the ALL in them So that the substance of every promise must come into the soule and be Revealed in it before the form of words can truly pronounce comfort peace life happinesse or Rest to it So as his Rest is not upon the form of words as in Letter expressed but upon the Being of it which is God manifest Now many a heart doth feed upon husks out-sides and externall formes of words and fals short of being caught up into his glory and so Resting in the being of all Truth Here it comes to passe that the Creature makes every thing a God and will shape and form out God according to its imaginations and so labours to dispossesse God and to set up its owne shape in Gods stead Now Promises whether they be sought or cast in they are to be no Rest unto any heart for the words of the promise are like unto a figure or type it testifies something to be given to the Sons of men but when a soule is in the possession of those things then it doth not rejoyce upon the words holding out the thing but upon the substance of the thing possessed in the heart but many on the contrary hand for the want of this runs after conditionall promises and when it seeth not the condition of the promises performed in it hee labours after a sutablenesse to them before not daring to apply them but when hee hath got his heart into such a frame as he imagineth to be sutable to the condition thereof he Resteth there applying life and comfort from it concluding he hath a right unto it from this particular But if at any time he breake the condition his peace is gone because the cause of his peace was his exact performance of the condition of the promise Secondly But some are higher then this and they see a vanity in this and they look upon Christ as the perfermer of the condition and if he can but beleeve Christ hath done it and then hee hath a right unto the fame whereupon he useth meanes to get his judgement convinced of this that Christ died for him and in Conclusion he gets himselfe convinced of the same and here Rests Concluding the promises are his because Christ in his when indeed both the ground of his conclusion and confidence is false and so he comes to be deceived Thirdly Another that Rests upon promises before Christs spirituall Coming is when a man hath layne in sad darknesse and bondage and hath a long time waited for a discovery of God and at last some apprehensions of Christ comes into his understanding whereupon he stands convinced in his owne judgement that Christ is his Whereupon hee for the greater encrease of his Rest Comfort and Peace runnes to promises and applyes them as having a right to them in his owne apprehensions by Jesus Christ Here is that which begets the strongest confidence that Christ is come in the Spirit which works that joy and peace the soul thinks shall never be taken from him whereas after a while man is not so quick fighted nor so cleare enlightened but it suddenly lyes in the grave as that which must vanish in the spirituall appearance of Christ in the heart Now this is the great designe of Satan to keepe the poor creature on the out-sides the husks and would have the Creature wholly to live below the glory of Truth which is the coming of Christ in the Spirit of glory But hearts truly principled before Gods appearance are made to waite for him from a great power of himself not in any of these things to Rest before they in the glory of the Spirit come to Enjoy him Mat. 25. 10. The thirteenth false Rest THE next Rest in order to this Is great strange and excellent flashes of God so I tearme them and as they the most appear yet they may be true or false resembled or reall First We shall speak of Flashes of light in the understanding And neither touch them as they are true or false 1. If they be but flashes they are no reall manisestations of Christ in the Spirit and therefore in the first place They are not of a Witnessing nature they bring no reall Testimony of God along with them but leaves the creature dark and empty in and of this particular but Christs coming in the Spirit is not without a Witnesse which is both unresistible and satisfactorye but flashes whether they are of God distinct or opposite they have no Testimony of the Spirit to witnesse the truth of God to man by the Spirit withiâ— man as man is below under the dispensation of a flash whether true or false So secondly They are not of a powerfull Nature they are very weake in comparison of the power of Christ coming in the Spirit For first They do not dispossesse Satan of his habitation whereas the coming of Christ in the Spirit doth Mat. 12. 28 29. Secondly They do not dispossesse the Creature of living in himfelf or they do not carry up the Creature into the glory of God in the Spirit they being of too low a nature no more then flashes in a dark night can bring the Creature into the beholdings of and living in the glory of the Sun so that they are not compleat Revelations of glory neither powerfull in effecting the same worke which is accomplished in the coming of Christ in glory 3. They do not satisfy the heart of any they may seemingly give contentment for the present yet the spirit not altogether satisfied whereas the coming of Christ in the glory of the Spirit doth fill and satisfy the heart of any in whom he appeares Mal. 3. 10. Mat. 5. 6. yea his coming causeth a running over of the souls Cup yea it is uncontainable mans capacity not being able to receive or comprehend the same for the want of this satisfaction power or witnesse of the Truth of Christs coming he being but under a flash he runnes to Ministers and men of experience to heare their judgement being not satisfied in himself and according to their approbation and judgement he most commonly receives the more or lesse satisfaction and so rests whereas if it be Christs coming in the Spirit a soul need not run to any Creature in the World to bee satisfied in the Truth of
what is discovered for HE comes with a Satisfactory Witnesse which doth answer all objections and satisfy all doubts in the heart which may arise yea If men instead of approving do deny it to be Truth yet the soules Testimony within it selfe doth bear up his spirit that he is able to say All men belye the Truth Rom. 8. 16. he not in the least being daunted in his assurance thereof though it be opposed by man or devil neither can such a heart be shaken if all the men of the World should arise against the same coming to disprove it Prov. 10. 25. 30. Also he that runs to any visible externall Witnesse pretending Christ is come in the Spirit is a creature altogether ignorant of his said coming and lives much below such a coming for to me this is an infallible Truth that if any man pretend Christ is come into him in the Spirit and yet wants an inward Testimony or Witnesse for it and so is forced to make use of visible Testators he is a man plainly wanting the enjoyment of the same for God in such a case never leaves himself without a sure satisfactory unresistible and undeniable testimony which indeed the Creature who wants the same may well make use of others But flashes if they be deceiveable pretends to come in with a witnesse and therefore many cals this a witnesse they being perswaded of the truth of what it enjoyes But this is as much below the witnesse of the spirituall coming of Christ as the light of the stars is below the light of the Sun How many under a state of flashes which I may say is almost the last Carde Satan can play in a soule to deceive him in his transformings doe live in most great joy light notions or pretended liberty thinking from a meer perswafion they have within them they live in very high enjoyments and doe beleeve they have a witnesse of the Spirit within them for the truth of what they beleeve when indeed it is but a formed imagination and a Card plaid gallantly by Satan to keep the Creature below the enjoyment of God in the Spirit and to live in freedome and Rest when not in truth and in the Lord. Further this is the reason partly of many ups and downs in the heart whereby the Creature is one day beleeving and another day doubting because it is not living in the enjoyment of Christ in the Spirit but may be is under some flashes and so it comes to passe that it is unsetled and unfixed in God Fourthly Flashes are of no long continuance they are not of an enduring nature for they presently appeare are presently gone and so though the Creature had a great deale of light and joy yet when the flash comes to be taken away away goes all the Creatures joy and light and he is left in the cloudes of darknesse and sorrow again Whereas when Christ comes in the Spirit it is not so then all sorrow and mourning shall flee away Isa 60. 19 20. and the darknesse of the Creature shall be expelled and God shall become unto the soul an everlasting lights Rev. 21. 3. 24. so that God and the Lamb shall live in his heart and be sight and glory to him so as his Sun shall never goe downe but he shall live in the light of God and the Lamb for ever and ever For his coming in the Spirit is after the Resurrection of a soul out of the grave whereby he is carried up in the light and glory of God from the descendings of that light and glory from God so as there is a living in the light God lives in and a swallowing up in the fame glory God is swallowed up withall but a flash leaves in its withdrawing the Creature in the same it found him in if not worse for a flash of light or joy is like a flash of light in the Skye upon the darkest night it appears to be the greater the greater the darknesse is So upon a dark soule when it s possessed with much darknesse the least flash that can appear in that is very great and admirable so that the heart being no otherwise able to judge lookes upon it as a manifestation of God yea may be a very glorious one yet it is not so at last is taken away and the Creatures hopes and expectations is frustrated Whereas to such a soule as lives in the day naturall or spirituall hardly can discerne or take notice of such a flash or light because it is so much inferiour to the light and glory of the Sun and day which now is appeared and shines either within him or without him These flashes in the first place if they be of Satan the very end thereof is to lull the creature asleep in the bed of security and there is no resting of the same by any poor creature For First It workes and comes in sutable to the Creatures necessities pretending redresse for the same Secondly It comes with a glorious resembled form or shape God workes in and so it becomes a transformed Satan and not a transfigured Christ Thirdly It is not able to discern the same by reason of the absence of the true light which makes all things manifest Eph. 5. 13. yea the very transforming of Satan Fourthly Flashes in this nature doe come with furniture to back the truth of what it doth declare or speak if there be any jealousies arise in the heart as sometimes there is yet it doth furnish him with strength to mannage the entertainment of it and his joy and peace from it and here Satan plaies his parts for if the heart be of an opinion that it is possible for a soule to doubt after he hath enjoyed a manifestation of God then he will put a Creature upon doubting to make good that false un-sound and un-experienced principle of men that the truest faith is accompanied with the greatest doubtings and here the heart is still deluded and kept in strong perswasions of the truth of his flash 2. If the heart be of that judgement that it is impossible that a soule can doubt againe after he hath enjoyed a manifestation of God then Satan will transforme himselfe into a capacity of confirming the creature in labouring in all transformed actions to confirme the creature in his assurance of the truth of what he enjoyes and so upon all occasions addes to what he hath done and so the poore Creature Rests satisfied in and upon what the Creature cals his manifestations of God now flashes that usually attend a Creature that is truly enlightened by God though not fully possessed with God yet he being waiting for the comming of Christ in the Spirit is sometimes attended with flashes or light of joy but they if from God most commonly have these ensuing effects 1. They doe underprop and support a weary fainting spirit in his spirituall travell to his land of Rest so as he is made to waite with
forme but shall appeare alwaies in the same glory in and to the spirit of such a Creature So that what changeable forme God is pleased to appeare in to us is to be no Rest or habitation of us but to be led into higher enjoyments or after higher enjoyments of God by the fight and appearance of him though in a low or very meane manner in the form discovered For the end partly why Christ appeared in divers formes to his Apostles and so to many now is because he would not have any Rest in or upon his forme or appearance but that they might be as he was dying to all these and waiting for his ascending into God where he might be for ever swallowed up with the light and glory of God and there to make his and all Saints habitation and Rest The fifteenth false Rest THe next Rest which I shall speak of is The Gospel Faith of Jesus Christ as men cals it which indeed hath some ground of Rest both from Scripture and reason as they thinke Men in our daies have given distinctions of Faith as namely Historicall Temporall and Saving But leaving the two former I come to the latter and shall un bosome my sad experience of deceit in the same 1. Concerning this Saving Gospell Faith I owne their is a Faith which in Scripture is termed Saving yet that which men cals both beleeving and saving I finde not to be so And first of all men cals true Faith A dependance upon Christ or beleeving Christ dyed for them according to the Scripture Now Faith is neither a dependancy upon Christ or beleeving according to our common exposition that Christ dyed for us these if they be so in the heart as a Creature doth conceive yet they are but the effects and fruits of Faith in its spirituall act upon or towards God but this many make their Rest and shelter that if they can but beleeve Christ dyed for them at Jerusalem and that thus beleeving they can goe out of themselves that is onely deny their own righteousnesse and beleeve that Christ is theirs and that he dyed for them this is a Rest sufficient when indeed the poore heart is both ignorant what Faith is and what going out of himselfe is For never can a creature go out of himself to Christ or God before there be a cleere manifestation of God in the heart Now the Creature who is thus Resting upon his beleeving in Christ is altogether ignorant of any manifestation of God to him or in him For Faith is a supernaturall and divine light of God communicated to the soule by the Spirit of God which after this manifestation of light the creature comes to see and behold the glory of God by which Faith he is made to beleeve yea which beleeving is an effect or act of the said Faith upon or towards the same God which is revealed Now in the first place Beleeving is not Faith but an effect thereof Secondly Beleeying is an act of God in us to himselfes and so no Rest Thirdly Nothing which flowes forth from man to God is to be a Rest No act whatsoever is to be a Rest as it is purely exercised in man though of God but mans Rest is to be One who acts all in man who is God Many men are thinking highly of themselves because the Scriptures declare a Christ crucified for man and they are made to beleeve he was so for them and so are made to deny their own workes of doings and to depend onely upon this Christ â— which indeed the poor hearts be ignorant of and know him not neither have any manifestation of Jesus Christ in them in any particular way but onely from their own imaginations and fancies they still confidently beleeve that this Christ is theirs and he dyed for them and here they Rest and make their habitation concluding this to be Faith and the knowledge of Christ which indeed if such a Spirit knew what Faith were or the knowledge of Christ were this would be dissolved if not destroyed and it would finde it's faith and knowledge to be an un-sound and nn-safe Rest to be centred upon So that I say that that is not Faith or beleeving which men so cals and if so it were no ground to Rest upon For In the first place A man must truly know within himselfe what Faith is before man can truely beleeve Secondly Hee must also know what this Christ is he beleeves in before he can depend upon him and beleeve truly in him Thirdly There must be a cleare manifestation of God or Christ in man before there can bee any true knowledge particularly of him by man Fourthly Christs dying at Jerusalem shall then bee known to the heart in a more spirituall manner then ever And the workings of that death shall be found in that heart to bee such as formerly it did not conceive of Fiftly He shall know that dependency upon Christ and his former beleeving in Christ the truth of which he hath formerly tryed by visible signes and marks is now made to be a fancy not Faith and an effect of darknesse not of light And now he findes another dependency and beleeving in him flowing from another ground then before he knew and that the matter hee Rested upon in his own imagination which he before called a Christ dying for him is now changed being it was but his carnall conceptions and fleshly teachings and actings and now he is made to see the spirituall sense and so to judge of the truth of an ever dying yet ever living transfigured glorified Christ so as now he is making his habitation not amongst the beasts of the field in his former fancies and fleshly teachings but in the spirituall heavens where lives all Just men made perfect and all perfect men made to live by or in the life of God or Christ so as he is changed into glory and his Rest is made glorious Sixtly When this is come to passe men shall know really the Mystery of Faith and why it is called a Mystery and that same spirit shall know a difference betwixt the Mystery of Faith discovered to the Conscience coming as it were from God and the keeping and exercising of the Mystery of that Faith in a pure Conscience to God and that beleeving is not Faith as it purely comes from God discovering it selfe and the Mystery thereof to the Conscience But it is the exercise of that said Mystery of Faith by God in Conscience to God So that the Mystery of faith in it selfe is one thing and beleeving and dependency upon Christ if true is another thing But the effect or exercise of the Mysteriousnesse of faith in a conscience which is pure to or upon a God that is pure Seventhly Men may beleeve Christ died for them and from this beleeving may practise such things as are required by him yea may have much peace joy in the same And in this his own works
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
to us Now Christ as he is the cleare discovery or discoverer of the Father to us so he becomes a Rest of peace and happinesse in us and so that this Christ who in name is called the Manifestation of Love â—is unchangeable in reference to the being and cause of this manifested Love which is Christ for if we consider him as the bosome love of God He is not so Christ to us or in us but as this comes to be manifest to us which manifestation or the thing manifest is onely Christ for I looke thus that not only Christ as he was in the flesh was Christ only in that form and no more but what ever was manifest either by or in that form was in Name the Christ and in Nature Christ in God now Saints Rest is not in Christ as manifested only in distinction but Christ is the Rest of Saints as God hath designed him for that purpose and so comes by God in Saints to be made manifest carrying up Saints to live in the full glory power and splendor of that God who did make manifest himself in this manifestation which is Christ And no other way comes soules truly to know the Father either in love or mercy but as the Father doth manifest himself in this very particular Christ revealed in mens hearts in which men may see God clearly and for the wâ—nt of which Philip was ignorant when he said to Christ Joh. 14. 8. Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us They were ignorant what the Father and Christ were in the Spirit though Christ were with them in the flesh and the reason was because Christ within them was not by God made manifest to them therefore would they have been making Tabernacles in such a low fleshly knowledge where in Truth they knew nothing of him in relation to the Spirit nor of that conjunction betwixt him and the Father that whensoever Christ spiritually was made manifest there the Father was manifest also because there was one undevideable nature and being in such cases betwixt the Father and the Son So that the Saints Rest is in this cleare manifested God within us who in tearm and Truth is called Christ So that now as Christs Center was in the Father and now is to dwel in the fulnesse of his Glory so Saints being in him are carried by him to live with him in the same glory and love and to conclude this when we can say from experience that which Paul said in the Gal 1. 16. That when it pleased the Father to reveal his Christ in him then shall we know that the manifestation of God to us is â—he Revelation of Christ in us 3. Christ spiritually discovered in men and so knowne by them and so becoming Rest to them is a cleare light of God in the Creature which light and glory is onely Christ and thus he is often described in Scripture not onely as he was a light in the flesh without us prescribing rules of light to us but chiâ—ry as he shall become the light and glory of God wiâ—hin us for as he was in the forme of flesh he was a mysâ—ery unknowne yea he was not such a light so as God intended him because he was then but in the figure holding forth what he would worke and what he should be when he was to come in the glory of the spirit within men for his being in the flesh was a very dark dispensation For even the Apostles who were the most conversant with him did know little and were very ignorant of the truth So as indeed they thought he was come to set up a Kingdome in the flesh and that hee would advance them in some great place as appeares So that is was Gods great designe which was held forth in that forme of flesh which is the sum of that Scripture where he is declared to be the light of the Gentiles and to be the Glory of the people Israel Luk. 2. 32. Now to prove it by Scripture that this Christ is in the spirituall coming and advancing in the soule a glorious and Divine Light Wee see it very clear from that Scripture in the 60. of Isa 1 2. Where the Lord declares the manner of Christs spirituall appearing in the soule Arise shine for thy Light is come and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee This same Scripture though men doe labour to deny it to be meant of Christs appearance in any particular soule yet he that hath found the appearance of Christ within him hath found him fully making good these sayings The matter however that here is promised at the raising up of distressed spirits is Light and Glory which light is God appearing in a dispensation of light and glory the which dispensation is Christ in us for he is both the light and glory of God and all things that are either spirituall light or glory discovered is Christ for according to that Scripture Rev. 21. 23. The glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof As if he should say when the Lord comes to dwell spiritually in the manifestation of glory within the spirits of man and so set up a Temple in the creature according to the 22th verse Then shall all those lights which before the soule hath beene guided by whether they were flashes or resembled light now there shall be no need of the same but the glory of God now shall be there to enlighten the same yea Christ shall be the light thereof so that he shall be filled with true light whoever hath the glorious appearance of Christ within him he shall become a compleat light unto that soule So as he shall not stand in need of any inferiour light but they shall bee dissolved when the glory of the Sun doth appeare so that in such a soule to whom Christ is become in this manner a light unto he shall have no night there according to that in the 22. of Rev. 5. verse But the Lord shall fill such a soule with light yea he shall give to such spirits Him in whom there is no darknesse as in a spirituall dispensation and as he is termed in Joh. 1. 9. verse He is here called The true Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the world He is here called true in opposition to fallacy as if he should lay open many false lights in the world and within men yet he was come as a true light to distinguish betwixt true and false and so he is a distinguishing light in every spirit who hath receiâ—ed him for though Satan hath transformed himselfe into an Angel of light in deceiving a creature yet notwithstanding when this true light appeares in any heart it doth both discover it and destroy it according to that in the 2 Thess 2. 7 8 9 10. That though the mystery of Iniquity and Anti-Christ be never so deceiveable and glorious in their workings and transformings both within and
without the creature yet Christ shall reveale and destroy it with the spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse oâ— his coming And true it is that Satan both â—n matter of formes without us and workings within us is transforming himselfe now if ever And truly he within soules workes like God and there is no knowne distinction betwixt his transformings and Christs workings untill there be a true transfiguring of Christ in the glory of the Spirit and this doth finde out all the deceite both of heart and Satan for indeed there is no forme though never so glorious but he will transforme himselfe in it there is no working of the spirit within man but he will resemble it so that none shall be able to know whether it be true or false within him or without him untill this Christ shall appear in light and glory and shall make the same manifest so as oftentimes his thus appearing is compared to the rising of the Sun and the dawning of the day which are degrees of distinguishing light which doth dissolve the imperfect light of the Moone and Starres and is a clear light of it selfe to rule and order to unfold and discover the truth of every thing which under the other dispensations could not be discerned and that is the reason that the Apostle tels them that they have a sure word of prophesy whereunto they doe well if they take heed And he tels them how long it was untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in their hearts This saying untill prescribes and sets out the limitation of time and the accomplishing of the same as if he should say there is a most glorious day to be enjoyed in Saints which day shall appeare but for your direction untill that day you have a sure word of prophesy unto which if God give you care thereof may be as a rule unto you It being a light shining in a dark place and though for the present you walke by the same yet Rest not there but waite for the spirituall coming of Christ within you which in this word of prophesy is held forth to you and then when he comes he shall be a perfect light within which light shall speak truth and leade the soule thereunto but in the interim Looke to that sure word of prophesy which declares and makes manifest the truth thereof This word of Prophesy was the Scriptures this day dawning and day-starre arising was the appearance of Christ in the fulnesse of the spirit within them So as he often in Scripture is called the bright Morning Starre and as concerning his spirituall coming he is sometimes termed under the notion of the day dawning or breaking as in Cant. 2. 17. and in many others onely to shew unto us that the breaking in of Christ into a heart is like the breaking of the light into the earth when the day begins to appeare and the night is expired as also the rising of the Sun to that purpose he is often called the Sun of Righteousnesse which shall arise and be seene in the hearts of men so that wee see this coming of Christ yea himselfe is a true and glorious light of God in the spirits of Saints so as he makes all things manifest to such a heart whether true or false and this light shall cloath every Saints spirit and all inferiour and transformed lights shall be under such a soules feet triumphing over them seeing the fallacy of them Then First it is this light Christ within the creature who appeares as light which doth expell or dispell all those Clouds which are with creatures in whom he hath not appeared for as the Sun doth expell the Clouds in the appearance thereof so Christ in his glorious shinings forth and breaking in into every believing spirit so as the creature before could not apprehend God by reason of these clouds that lye upon the soule now he apprehends him clearly the cause being by Christ taken away Secondly By this light Christ doth discover all the false Waies and Rests of the creature either in opposition to or being below the true and substantiall way of Rest so that this light Christ in his divine Appearances within the creature doth bring a day of losse upon many spirits when it discovers unto them the vanity of their spirits in running after the wayes of their owne hearts and here they come to see the emptynesse of formes or former flashes and now it may be all the soules knowledge and practise must lye in the dust and be unlearned so as this light brings the creature out of love with his owne Wayes so that now he is free to be led according to the teachings of this light Thirdly This light Christ in its spirituall appearing in the creature doth reveale and discover the Father in this light Christ so as the heart clearly sees and knows the Father and the Spirit the Son and the Spirit One and the Spirit to be both so as this light which in reference to name is called and tearmed Christ yet it is God in this light so that God is said to be light and in him is no darknesse The Father is the fountaine of light the Son is the manifestation of light or the light made manifest now here the soule in whom this true light doth appeare doth know God and him thus sent into the heart by Jesus Christ So that Christ as he is the Rest of Saints is a divine revelation of light in which light and glory the creatures spirit solaces it selfe and rests with much delight in the same and our of this form after enjoyed will not Christ appeare but will be unto such a spirit an everlasting light that now as God lives in light so the creature lives in light also which no creature in the flesh can attain to who cannot be seen felt or heard in the flesh in this dispensation but he is above it consuming of it and continually advancing this light more and more in the creature so as this light comes to be advanced and appeare in greater fulnesse so shall the spirits who are centred in it be advanced by it and the greater this light doth appear in fulnesse the more perfect doth the souls â—est appear and the more shall the spirits be filled with it Fourthly in the fourth place this Spirituall Christ or what he is in the Spirit when he comes to be the Rest of Saints He is spirituall and divine Life without which no soul hath spirituall or eternall life injoyed by him for as a man without the soul is dead so are all men without Iesus Christ within them made manifest so that John very fully layes open this truth 1. Joh. 1. 1. 2. for the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witnesse and shew unto yon that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us So that we see what the life of Saints is for that life which they here
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