he that hath the least acquaintance with God though a babe and childe yet he shal be able to puff at them to despise all the glory and strength and power of the creature The children of men The new man is the LORD from Heaven children and men and the children of men all believe the great God of Heaven and Earth children with Christ the holy childe Jesus The children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Grown men shal come into the light of thy countenance but Children shall trust under the shadow of thy wings The LORDS wings take the near unto himself but the shadow of his winds takes in the most poorest and weakest the shadow of his wings reaches very far The excellency of the loving kindnesse of God makes every one glad to gather near unto him and glad to get under shelter of the name of the LORD glad that they can in the least manner be shadowed and kept by the goodnesse of God it is that which the LORD saith How often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chicken under her wings c. It is an expression often used in Scripture covering with wings the wings of God I will carry you upon Eagles wings As birds flying so will the LORD defend Jerusalem It shewes the excellency of the goodnes of God his spirit his power is to his in the worst times soft and tender as feathered wings when God is the hardest and ruffest to the world then is he gentlest as feathered wings to his people or that great darknesse that is upon the world and upon the enemies of God is but shadowes of Gods wings to his own people and we seeing these troubles that are abroad in the world we know they are but the shadowes of Gods wings with which he doth cover his people and when God opens and spreads forth his wings and causeth that darknes and confusion to be upon the people its cause of joy and comfort to his people for they see them to be the wings of God in which they have peace and rest and therefore that which is the worlds trouble is our safety that which is the worlds grief is our joy and that which is the worlds and the men of the earths disquietnesse is our comfort and consolation When wee see these motions and commotions wars and tumults in and upon the earth then God is risen from his seat and he is flying he is upon his wings and therefore as the world the flesh the earth dreads these things and runs from them the children of God shal run to them and put their trust in them what though wee doe not see the face of God in brightnes and clearnesse yet I see this is the shadow of his wings though I doe not triumpt with him upon the Throne yet I see this is the shadow of himself Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings The weakest and poorest Saints of God shall be able ney are able to put confidence and trust in God in trouble and that which darkens the joy and comfort of others is a comfort and shelter to the Saints and that which they so much complaine of That the Sunne is turned into darknesse all our ligts created comforts and peace appears to be nothing but darknesse yet this is a shadow a shelter unto them and they shall see that this is the wing of God by which he will carry us up into himself And though God doth not walke with us in the setled way of creatures as he hath done yet wee see him flying about us with the wings of his own Spirit with the wings of his own favour and love so there is a shelter and safety for us but that is not enough though this be good for children for the children of men but they shall also be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnes of thy house They shall be abundantly satisfiid with the fatnesse of thy house I shal rejoyce a little to speake of these words Protection is very sweet to lie down in the shadow of God the hollow of GODS hand is very comfortable but not onely so But they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house heer 's not onely protection and safety but food and plenty satisfaction abundance of satisfaction and that of the richest and chiefest of all Fatnesse and that in the house of God wee shal be alwaies full we shal alwaies feast we shal alwaies have our table richly furnished we shal continually have bread enough and our waters shal not faile wee shal want nothing we shal not say of any thing I would we had this or if we had this or that it would be wel with us wee shal see compleatnesse not a desire unsatisfied not a longing expression unles longing it selfe may have its satisfaction in it self not a desire but shall be satisfied and then the desire shal be satisfaction it selfe and this is the greatest happines that is satisfaction and dissatisfaction is the root of unquietnesse to look for and long for that which you dave not is restlesnesse but in this enjoyment of God wee have alwaies what wee would have the LORD wil so manifest himself that wee shal not say of any thing wee would have this wee shal never be baging and craving but alwaies enjoying never be hungering unlesse hunger sets an appetite to heavenly things and so makes them more delightful to us wee have nothing present that shall be absent there shal bee no corner of our heart unfill'd but every thing shal be compleated every thing shal have enough so we shal be satisfied And abundantly satisfied Not a little but very large satisfaction abundant of satisfaction we have enough and shal have enough and to spare we shal have overflowings of light peace joy power strength and of every good thing The LORD our GOD feeds us not in a nigerdly way but gives us abundance enough to spare we have more then wee are able to receive more then we are able to carry or makes us know such abundance that if it were not a abundance it would be a burthen to us so thronged with joy comfort peace wisdome power and strength that if it were not GOD we might complain we had too much it doth superabound all nessessaries all wants it 's even more then we desire onely we have a desire created in it if there be any difficulty it is because it 's too much too great too large if we have any reason to complain it is because it 's excessive and if any desires come from us it is that God would withhold and if any paine it 's because we cannot stand under the weight of glory But this is goodnesse to be overcome with this fulnesse drowned with mercy We are even laden with blessings and because they are blessings they are no loads else it would be a huge load indeed if
RESURRECTION REVEL 11.13 And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in this earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven WE are unfolding the mystery of the two witnesses which are the witnesses of God in which and by which every word of God is confirmed they are two in their prophesie in sackcloth but their is a third conjoyned with them in their resurrection as they are in Heaven Ascended and Risen There are thee that bear witnes in heaven and by these three is every word establisht The Father the Son and the Spirit each of them having a sufficiency to confirm each other and together to put an end to all controversies You heard in the morning that there were severall degrees of the reviving of the witnesses the first degree is the entering of the Spirit of life from God into them which caused them to stand upon their feet Secondly They heard a great Voyce from Heaven calling them up Come up hither And thirdly There is their Ascention into Heaven They were taken up in a cloud and their enemies beheld them And in the 13 verse there is the effect of al this In the same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell These works of God are not yet pure though they are very excellent Though there be a Resurrestion and Ascention into heaven yet it is in a cloud covered with some infirmity and darknesse and yet in this there is the greatest glory And the same hour was an Earthquake Or to speak the language of God elsewhere A rejoycing with trembling In the greatest appearance and manifestation of God so long as there is any Earth it Trembleth and indeed the more glorious the discoveries of God are the greater the Earthquake No Earth can be without moving and trouble that bears the weight of the glory of God upon it In this hour of ascention there is a mixture of some secret rejoycing and some trouble occasioned by the Earthquake or else take the Earth heer as distinct from the witnesses and then their ascending up from the Earth makes the Earth to shake Christ and the Spirit of God those two witnesses are the streneth and stability of the Earth yea the strength of the Pillars of the Earth I uphold the Pillars of the Earth saith the Lord He it is that strengthens the very foundations of the Earth And therefore when these witnesses the strength and Pillars of the Earth ascend and remove from it the Earth must needs quake and tremble The witnesses are the corner stone of the World It was by the word of the Lord that Eternall word that the Worlds were made that the Worlds are supported therefore when this Word of the Lord Ascends out of the World the World must needs shake The whole World hath lived and leaned upon Christ and the Spirit of Christ and now his arising and removall out of the World must needs prove the ruine and downfall of the World All your strength peace and comfort hath been borrowed of Christ and now his leaving the World and carrying the Pillars of the World with him as Sampson the Gates of the City makes all the World fall to confusion A great Earthquake The naturall cause of an Earthquake is the wind pent up in the bowels of the Earth which seeking vent breakes forth and so shakes the Earth So the Spirit or breath or wind of the Lord pent up in the bowels of the Earth shut up amongst earthly men as the Son a Man was three daies and three nights in the heart or bowels of of the Earth when it breaks forth it shakes and rends the World And this is the cause of the Earthquake and commotions that are now abroad in the World The breaking forth or ascending of the Spirit of God out of the World An Earthquake is one of the greatest perplexities and evils that can befall the world the Earth being the Center and stay of man The very bottome and foundation upon which all the camfort and good of the life of man stands When this center this rest or stay this foundation shakes nothing more affrightens and astonishes man These Witnesses ascending out of the world the Bottom and Foundation of peoples strength and comfort trembles and quakes the root of al humane life is cut insunder at once the bottom of al humane joy is taken away The foundation of Ecclesiastical and Civil power is shaken the ground-worke of all earthly stability and comfort of Church and Comon-wealth quakes and trembles I say the world is losing the foundation and ground-work upon which Religion and Civil-government stands and this makes the Earth to shake And the tenth part of the City fell This City is Babylon called the holy City This holy City is trampled under foot as you may read in the second verse of this Chapter This holy City or the outward Court is left to bee possessed by the men of the world by the Gentiles by men uncircumcised in heart and spirit by fleshly and carnal men This is the fate of this City The tenth part The tenth part you know was the Levits part which was holy to the LORD or dedicated to the LORD it was offered up to the Priests under the Law it was the chiefe maintenance of the legal priesthood And here the tenth part of the City the chiefest part the devoted part as you say Gods inheritance the lot and portion of the Priest-hood this part of the City fell in summe the holyest the chiefest the excellentest part of the City fell The waies of worldly Prophessors and Christians are somthing that is holy somthing that is offered up to God but in the hands of the world trampled under foot by the world There is an excellency in this this is that that 's called the tenth part that part wherein men have thought themselves most sacred and holy that which they have offered up to God that which they have seperated from the world and their owne proper use and given to God some of their wisdome some of their estates some of their time some of their strength c. the tenth part This tenth part of the City fell this chiefest and most excellent part This tenth part when they have reserved nine parts to themselves and dedicated the tenth to God That which hath bin mens Religion and that wherein they have placed their confidence and comfort and by which they have thought to be saved this excellent part this tenth part of the City fell in this earth-quake I tel you againe When these two Witnesses ascend and leave the earth then the highest formes of religion the most excellent seperated things of men those holy things wherein they have most devoted themselves to GOD and the Temple of God their hours of Praier their Sabbaths their Fastings their Engagements and Covenants
Some Flashes of LIGHTNINGS OF THE SONNE of MAN Being the substance of eleaven Sermons upon severall Texts Preached in London By WILLIAM SEDGWICK of ELY PSALME 97.4 His Lightnings enlightned the World the Earth saw and trembled LONDON Printed by H. For Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the sign of the black-spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1648. A PREPARATORY word touching the Saints union with God a main point spoken of in this Book FIrst a Primun in unoquoque generi eâ— causa reliquorum The first in every kinde being the Cause of all the rest there is no perfect b Causa â—eflendi eâ— causa cognoscendi knowledge of inferiour or subordinate distinction and union without the knowledge of the supream The supream distinction and union is to be seen in God in the blessed Trinity where in the word the Father brings forth himself in all distinction and in the Holy ghost the Father and the word mutually conspire into the closest union The glory of unity is variety and the glory of distinction is union ie The glory of the Father is the word and the perfection of the word is his union with the Father in the Spirit Unity is barren without variety or distinction and distinction is a withered branch without union Secondly Whatsoever things the Father doth the same things doth also the Sonne bringing forth his fullnesse in all variety and distinction and yet retaining the same in perfect Union with himself as doth the Father Onely with this difference that the Object of distinction there viz. The word which is the fulnesse of the Father is intirely the object of union in the Holy ghost though not under the same respect as he is distinct But here the Sonne sends forth one World or the first World as a Lord to his left hand being in union with it only as a Creator and a new World to his right hand slaying the union of the fâ—irst covenant or creation or rather perfecting it in this later and better union of the second covenant or new creation And so that different respect that the Father hath to his owne fulnesse as Hee considers it first in the word and then in the Holy Ghost is manifest to us after a manner more reall and substantiall to us in the Kingdome of the Son being exemplified on different subjects Sheep and Goats For this is the honour the Father hath given to the Sonne that be hath made Him both Lord and Christ as bee is Lord he is the Floure of the whole Creation having all that beauty and strength in himself and being the root and originall of it to every other creature As he is Christ Himself is returned to his Head and Originall and possesseth all in the in-created glory and drawes up the new world thither Thirdly Aud as the first is the Cause of all the rest which being known the rest are known and not perfectly till then So the first is the last as will nessessarily follow from thence If the last be not known without the first then at least the first is in the last But the first is the last For what else should the first seeke to bring forth Vltimately but himselfe And therefore though God do Embroyder his appearances and coming forth with all Variety and fullnesse of distinction Yet his designe is by ALL to declare Himselfe and not to be vailed alwaies His designe is to beget and draw forth his own Form in and upon all this variety to bring forth himself in it and it in himself and yet this Variety and Unity to remain in the highest Consistency each with other in the Union and all these subordinations both to serve Supreamacy and to be Supreame the first to be the last and the last first which is the mutuall glory of them both And so the Scriptures speake 2 Ephe. last verse Yee are the habitation of God through the Spirit And sometimes they speak in the language of the subordinate 3. Eph. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Christ is in God and God is in Christ John 13.8 knowest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me And they that do not so know God and Christ they know Christ after the flesh as a branch of the first creation and not as the root of both creations And they that do not know themselves thus as dwelling in God and God in them are stil under the Law stick in the first Covenant and know not the Regeration but weakly If yee see not the blessed face of Unity drawn throughout all distinction in God in Christ in Saints yee see the Devill and an Antichrist and are in the smoke of the bottomlesse pit though yet ye may be the children of God And therefore none may so securely descend into the vally of distinction as they that have been in the mount of Vnion For they onely will and can carry the Union along with them through all distinction and that glory of the first Unity that hath seated himself and dwels in their Eye will bring forth himself in and upon all things and in what various formes soever they present themselves Vnion is the interest the delight the Food of Saints Distinction is the sawce or savour of Vnion The Saints could not enjoy God if He were not one with them where were the delight and wherein should they be the richer by enjoying him if he were not another from them There could not be such a ravishing Concord and meeting between God and the Creature without the parting and discord first of a created and un-created nature and this discord and distance proceeding and let down through many subordinations as between a Base and Treble in Musick there are middle Notes If we were not so low and God so high neither should we be so transported with this Match nor would the condescension of God be so manifested and then where would be one of the greatest glories of Gods love and one of the quickest grounds of our joy Therefore we cannot confound things for so we should offend against our own interest and who doe this so much as they that call themselves Christians and yet make Christ in Heaven and themselves upon the Earth confounding the things that God hath not only distinguist but seperated even the mystery of Godlinesse which is God manifest in the flesh And the mystery of iniquity which cals Christians and denies the Anointing And as we cannot confound things that God hath distinguist so we cannot seperate the things that himself hath joyned who hath joyned himself and Christ and Christ and VS the highest with the lowest the first with the last the top with the bottome and therefore wee the lowest cannot glory in lesse or lower then the highest of all Wee joy in God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. through our Lord Jesus Christ And God who is Lord descends and gathers up
clouds and darknes you approach the throne Righteousnesse and judgement are there That is it you look for Righteousnesse Shall put an end to sin Dan. 9.24 Righteousnesse and holinesse shall dwell so stabilly with us as it shall blot out all iniquity and make an end of sinne That wretched thing that hath been the reason of all plagues the root of all mischief the ground of vexation in all families he shall make an end of all this of all sinne God will be revenged of it by putting an end to it Ye shall not finde a sinne out of hell nor a sinner out of hell Sin shall be in its own place ye shall see wickednesse no where but in the devil and wicked men and them ye shall see in hell for their sin shall carry hell apparently with it But the Saints shall be free The LORD reigns Not so long as sinne is amongst US and abides with US so long as sin is there is a Traitour to his Kingdome and he hath no quiet reign But the LORD will have a constant habitation of holinesse that sinne shall appear no where but in the devil and hell And where ever you shall see sin you shall be able to say There is hell sinne and its torment together Sin shall carry hell in its bowels The very face of hell and devil in every sin The light of God shall break forth so clearly that it will judge and manifest all the works of darknesse Are the Habitation of his Throne All these waies of God that he is now dispensing come from the throne of God All these Clouds and judgements against King Parliament Cavaleers Army they al flow from the throne and are all dispensed in most exact righteousnesse and judgement there 's no fear of ruine of those that are the Lords All is in judgement and righteousnesse to destroy the wicked but to save his own people and to bring them out of the powers of darkenesse unto the throne of God There is no reason to be offended at that which comes from the throne of God these dispensations are confusions to men to the reason and wisdome of men but they are the wisdome and judgement of God and God doth dispense them with an exact hand with a watchfull eye with a tender care towards his own people not a hair of their head shall fall to the ground Nothing shall suffer in any of you but unrighteousnesse and sinne so farre as you are unrighteous worldly and wicked so farre yea shall suffer and no more God is in every sparke of this Fire in every corner of this Flame in every inch of these clouds in every jot of this darknesse therefore rejoyce and be glad all ye Saints the weakest the poorest the lowest the meanest of Saints Rejoyce for the Lord Reigneth The end of the first Sermon Psalm 97. 1 2 3 4 5 6. verses The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof Clouds and darknesse are round about him righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his throne A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled The hils melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth The heavens declare his righteousnesse and all the people see his glory THe great point wee have in hand is The Reign of God Which is first asserted The Lord doth Reign And then made good In the Second verse Clouds and darknesse are round about him testifying that hee is come and hee doth Reign Wee have a Cloud of witnesses testifying this truth The Lord doth Reign And darknesse it self speaks him That which is farthest from him that declares him and if wee come within him and come nearer to him we shall finde a consent of righteousnesse and judgement as the habitation of his Throne Righteousnes The righteousnesse of God the Father in whom all things are righteous and to whom all things in righteousnesse doth belong all things in righteousnesse are in him all things in righteousnesse are due to him here 's judgment too that is the excellency of Christ Psalm 94.15 Judgement shall returne to righteousnesse the Son returnes to the Father All things are in the Father in righteousnesse all things are in the Son in wisdome in judgement all things are in the Father as in their proper center all things are brought forth in Christ in their right order in Judgement Righteousnesse and judgment are the habitation of his Throne These two are the Foundation of his Throne The Spirit of God or God exalted and lifted up in these two Righteousnesse and Judgement is a Throne or the Righteousness of the Father and the Judgement of the Son exalted and triumphing in the Spirit is the Throne The Righteousness of the Father and the Wisdome of the Son Reignes in the Spirit is in-thron'd in the Spirit is exalted and lifted up and establisht eternally in truth in the Spirit And wee are made saith the Apostle Eph. 2.22 ver through the Spirit the habitation of God the words are In whom yee also are builded an habitation of God through the Spirit The Spirit building up man in its owne holy forme and enlarging of him into himself is this habitation of God Righteousnesse and Judgement In-thron'd in US In man this is the inward and spirituall view and sight of God if you stand without in the world there is darknesse if yee come higher into the clouds there is no cleare view sight and injoyment of him If yee are in any thing that is about him there is nothing but darknesse round about him but come within him into his Throne into his presence and there you will see righteousnesse and judgement set up exalted In-throu'd Righteousnesse in the Reigne of God is In-thron'd Iniquity and transgression is done away in the holinesse of God and he makes us by his own Reign in us holy as he is holy Hee doth wholly blot out Iniquity and makes US the seate and habitation of Righteousnesse and gives us righteous judgements righteous understandings a cleare and sound judgement in all things These two righteousnesse and judgement raised and exalted are the greatest glory and purity of the Kingdome of God in the holy Spirit But here are yet further testimonies that it may bee will bee more effectuall to most Christians most men being without those proofs of the Reigne of God that are without are foonest and easiest accepted fleshly signes much take fleshly Christians A Fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about him The forerunner of God Now is fire not John the Baptist that went before the flesh of Christ and ushered him in but an Elias in a Fierie Chariot The messengers that goe before God now are all fierie he makes his Angels spirits and his ministers flames of fire And therefore it s said hee comes in flames of
there is something of Christ in me he is in my spirit there he is spiritually but I have flesh and a body there hee is not This voice is the same with that in the Text Loe here is Christ and there is Christ and here hee is not and there hee is not To shut Christ out of any place out of any thing this is to say Loe here or loe there these are false Christs This is the wickednes of man to include and exclude Christ to imprison him into one thing to make him to bee one where and not another where but Christ is and there is none besides him hee is weaknes as wel as strength darknesse as well as light evil as well as good Christ in mee Christ in all the LORD in triumph the LORD crucified the LORD exalting the LORD humbling the LORD in life the LORD in death the LORD saving the LORD destroying the the LORD here blessing the LORD there cursing this is Christ if ye cannot see him in one thing as well as another in wicked men as well as good men in this death as well as his resurrection in lengths and depths and breadths and all ye doe not see him at all Here 's the narrownesse of the heart of every man a sensible creature full of observation and his own reason saying Loe here is Christ there is Christ here hee is not there hee is not narrowing of him into their owne observation he is in me when I am so qualified and hee is not in mee when I am not so qualified not knowing or understanding that hee is in some trampled on under the feet of his enemies and yet there in glory in some hee is at the top in some he is at the bottome in some withering them in some bringing forth fruit in some sweetning and moderating their nature in some letting forth wrath and emnity For behold the Kingdome of GOD is within you God will be all or nothing ye shall not thinke him like your selves The kingdom of God is within you in every one of you The kingdome of God is amongst you ye are possessours of it it is not without yee ye have it while yee are led out by your carnall reason to observe it without it is neglected within Behold Behold saith hee the kingdome of God is within you Heavenly blessednesse is within yee and ye doe not see it till ye see it there If yee had eyes to see saith he ye would see your selves in the kingdome and the kingdom in you This is a sweet Behold and a word of speciall grace and favour Those thoughts that leade you out of your selves for God for Christ believe them not hate them abhorre them O lay down all those wicked imaginations those carnal observations those cursed reasonings of the kingdom of God within yee Some men thinke to see the Kingdome of God comming in such and such a person to see the Kingdome of God comming in such and such sights and voices these are delusions Behold the kingdome of Christ the kingdome of God the kingdome of heaven is within you use it as you will deal with it as you please but in you t is t is in you supprest t is covered over with a deale of desperate wickednesse with a thicke vail and none knowes that it is there but it self there t is seen only and enjoy'd only by it self Or give mee leave to say I am within you all that I speak am and doe is within you all the light and glory that I have is within you and yee doe not understand me if ye do not see me within you There is another comes between me you if you hear me without you If ye hear not this LORD speaking within you ye understand nothing and so the words that I speake they are cast into another forme before they reach your ear the evil one takes them from the Spirit which is in you and carries them about to you thorow the ear While I speake and am understood in that sense I am abused and wrong'd That speech that I will bee understood in must be understood in is to speak in the heart within you That life that I live is in you and speakes that that I speak and I doe nothing but interpret and open what your heart speakes Let mee not bee another from you for then yee oppose mee and resist mee and yee will not heare not receive the truth that I declare which is my own heart my life my bosome my self These are the things than are lodg'd and wrapt up in my heart to eternity these are my very soul only I have been asleep and now being awakened I see they are all in mee If yee hear with the inward ear and see with the inward eye you will say This is not a man but the Son of God This is my bosome friend my LORD and husband that begins to awake and rowse me This is a fountain and no streame I doe you injury if I speake of a Kingdome of God without you that is I my selfe without you that is I my self without you for the true spirituall new man is the kingdom of God what I am indistinction from you is an evil to you if your unbelieving spirits say I am a man and another woe be to that distinction but if ye say this is my LORD and my Father happy is that union The kingdom of GOD is within you It is not without you in Ordinances in Scriptures The kingdome of God The whole kingdome all is in you all Truth all Scriptures all Wisdome all Power all Strength all that I AM all that God is all that Christ is all that Heaven is all that God in Reign and Kingdom is is within you I hear I see the kingdome of God comming forth breaking forth in every man and every man alwaies is but now begins to appear to be what God is in him The Kingdome of God either justifying or condemning either punishing or rewarding punishing man flesh with darknes or rewarding Man with light glory and blessednesse He that lives indeed I know hears mee and smiles at this and rejoyces in his soul The true life the true man the true ear rejoyces at this and speaks it selfe That all the Power all the Excellency of God is in mee it s with mee it s not out of mee it declares it self in me all the Majesty of God the Kingdome of God All Every thing it s here it s in this man in this creature in you within you and reignes there its King there though a King crucified though on the Crosse yet hee is King of the Jews Though denied for a while and opposed yet a King and a Kingdome This is the bravery and noblenes of this Kingdome it is not lessened by hatred by death it s as glorious in the grave as it is in exaltation as glorious in rejection and persecution as it is in height and glory
salvation where ever he is Saith Antichrist I 'le give you a cleare discovery of all things I 'le give you peace No saith the Elect I am already with Christ I am nothing but what He is Hee is nothing but what I am I am with Him and in Him He is with me and in me why should I goe out after another For as the lightning c. Jesus Christ is the lowest state and condition in which you can be and he comes quick as lightning and then as lightning wil give you and is giving you the ful discovery of all things When he is in you at the depth the lowest point the centre of hell the bottom of the grave it is that hee might give you a full Restoration of all things The lightning from east to west makes east and west meet together so this appearing of the Son of God darkens flesh confounds man and makes the highest glory of God to be in the lowest pit and takes the lowest state of darknesse into the highest pich of light By these flashes flesh shal be blasted and destroied and consumed These blasts of the Spirit of the Lord doth open US and enlarge US to a large comprehension of all things of all in the East of all in the West of all above and all below Til wee be low we can't be high til we be the worst we cannot be the best and we are best when we are worst in the greatest darknesse He is present in the bottom and heart of such tribulations that all before it is nothing to it and nothing is like it that comes after it In this tribulation not to see and know Jesus Christ in this tribulation to have longing desires and then to have peace and deliverance seemingly tendered to us by a tempter we cannot but obhor it to have joy and gladnesse sounded in our eares and not be able to touch it What an extreamity is here The absence of the highest good the presence of the greatest evill our desires not answered by God and answered by Satan Out of this darknesse wil Christ arise out of the extreamity of deaths and confusions doth the Son nf God arise it is as nesesary ye should bee brought into this state as it is that the Night should go before the Day But first must hee suffer many things and be rejected of this generation The Desciples of God shal not injoy Christ til they have rejected him Ye must forsake him and leave him and bee Pharisees and persecute him before ye can be Coroned with Him That which is in a high degree malignity in the Pharisees is in a lesse degree and qualified in the Disciples the Pharisees killing the Disciples departing it s all flesh man weaknesse and ignorance Before any man see The Kingdome of GOD he must first reject it Doe ye long to see the Kingdome of GOD Do ye say When wil it come How shal I see it Where is it Ye shal not see it til He suffers by you Ye shal do him many injuries before ye know him Ye shal be offended at him ye shal stumble and fall and reject him before ye finde him Ye shal never be acquainted with Christ til ye know that ye have Murthered Him til ye have killed Him and beheaded Him and hanged Him He must suffer many things of YOV He must be rejected of the best of you and the best in you and the best of the best of you Ye shal reject hate and persecute Him before the kingdome of GOD can come in you Object I know you wil say Must wee be guilty of this wickednesse Is there such wretchednes in the heart of man to doe thus Why have you such hard thoughts of us Thus speaks the flesh But thus saith the LORD The Son of man must suffer many things from this generation Christ must suffer from some and be rejected by others some are so wicked as to kill him others so unbelieving as to forsake him some so cruel as to slay him some so faint as to leave him and not to own him some revile him others shake their heads and cannot tel what to think of him some cry out violently against him others are not able to speak a word for him Ye shal never see the LORD til ye can say this is he whom we have peirced this is he that I reviled that I hated Thus speaks Christ If ye stand upon termes and say What we crucifie Christ O God forbid that we should crucifie our Saviour the LORD of glory What we that are Gods own People Jews and Disciples we that are his own deare Children and shall be saved by him To whom Christ wil say If I suffer not by you I will not be deliverance to you If ye are so nice and curious that ye wil not make me a sacrifice ye shal never feed upon me If ever you see me you wil see you have pierced and murthered me I will save none but those that kill me If ye wil not owne that ye have slaine me ye shall not injoy me ye shal never eat my flesh and drinke my bloud unlesse ye slay my flesh and spill my bloud Jesus Christ suffers by all men which is clear in this That in all ye have in al that ye doe in all that ye are and in al that ye speak nothing is free from the bloud of Jesus nothing that ye doe speak live or act in the highest devoutest and most glorious way ye wil finde is nothing but Murther Murther and Bloud killing the LORD of life Yea It is necessary he must suffer by you hee wil not finde a throne in you til he hath found a grave in you heâ— wil not be raised in you til he hath been dead and buried in you ye shal never see him in the resurrection til ye see him kil'd and then he wil rise againe in your hearts this Son of righteousnesse wil arise with healing in his wings to your everlasting joy peace and comfort The end of the fifth Sermon THE EXCELLENCY OF THE LOVE of GOD. PSALM 36.7 8. How Excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! therfore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasure THis Psalm doth fitly set forth unto us the estate and condition of these times wherin wickednes increaseth and so in the former part of the Psalm is a discovery of wickednesse ver 3. the words of his mouth are iniquity and deseit he hath left of to be wise and to doe good Men now speak nothing but wickednesse and deceit and have left off to be wise they have left off to doe good and set themselves in a way which is not good abhorre not evil And what should we do when there is such wickednesse in the earth In the fift verse Thy mercy O Lord is in
in the anointed ones or the anointing of the Spirit in the flesh of the Saints are the two Olive trees and the two golden candlesticks standing by the Lord of the whole Earth Emanuel God with us God with man God in flesh And they have mighty power If any man hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouths to devoure their enemies If any thing within or without riseth up against Christ and the Spirit against these two Olive trees against these two witnesses prophesying fire proceeds out of their mouths and devoureth it If any man hurt them he must in this manner be killed They have great power though but prophesying and in sackcloth Fire proceeds out of their mouths c. Not materiall fire but spirituall fire The fire of God in the Iowest â—state of the two witnesses though but prophesying in sackcloth is very firce and terrible If any man rise up against the Test mony of Christ in Spirit against these two Olive trees they have power to destroy it fire proceeds from the Spirit torments consumes and destroyes it whatsoever riseth up against these two witnesses in this our age this fire it hath it doth constantly destroy and devour it up And I am sure of it the cause of all the devouring plagues that are upon the world in this age at this time the distractions and confusions that are upon all powers ecclesiasticall and civell is for the hurting and opposing the low poor and mean beginnings and appearances of the Lord in his witnesses And this be ye assured of if any man will hurt or oppose them be he never so great be he never so wise be he never so strong and powerfull be he never so rich wealthy be he never so devout and religious if he or they shall oppose the Spirit of the LORD Christ in his People in their prophesying either as they leave out the outward Court and holy City or as they are measuring the inward Temple and Alier as they are worshipping God in the Temple sacrificing and offering up their flesh and fleshlinesse I say whosoever shall make opposition against the Spirit and spirituall actings of the Lord Christ and his People must in this manner be killed Fire puoceedeth out of their mouths c. Fire shall destroy the whole world and all that which is of the world I have found that whatsoever in me hath risen up in opposition against these two witnesses the fire of the LORD hath fallen upon it and destroyed it and I have found that the two witnesses have power to shut heaven that it raine not These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their Prophesie When these two witnesses testify against any thing any man any creature any way any ordinances any judgement saying This is hethenisme this is gentileisme this is carnall this is fleshly this is the creature this is man and not God or of God presently it is destroyed consumed blasted and brought to nothing And in this they shall shut Heaven through men have formerly been sweetly affected by the power of grace yet when any thing in them hath risen up against these witnesses they have power to shut Heaven against them As they have power to open Heaven upon some so they hove power to shut Heaven upon others that is effectually to exclude all carnal fleshly earthly man from the showers and dewes of the grace of God Though they have made never so great a shew of holines religiousnes and godlines though they have been able to say much and execute what they say yet when the two witnesses have declared that it is not God it is not Christ it is not the holy one of God but it 's man it 's the flesh it 's the outward Court that is excluded not the inward Temple Therefore measure it not leave it out meddle not with it exclude it from having the dewes and showers of Heaven fall upon it let not the sweet distilling strerms of God fall upon it for it is not God nor off God Presently Heaven hath been shut and they have had no rain This we have experience of in their ministration This me have found with a bundance of justnesse When any man or any thing hath risen up against these witnesses these Prophets and so it hath been frequently seen though they have been never so glorious in the Word and under never so glorious professions of Gospel Christ free-grace the light of the knowledge of God Church felowships and such like notions as these yet When ever they have risen up against the Spirit of Christ so soon as the same Spirit hath declared and witnessed what they are presently they have deen blasted withered scattered and broken They have had no more Raine from Heaven and have withered as a plant that God hath not planted as a branch that hath had no showers And have power to turne water into Bloud This we have seen to for we speak nothing else but what wee have seen that whereas professors have formerly had many pleasant streames many sweet waters many refreshing comforts and joyes Immediately upon the Witnesses Prophesying all their sweet waters have been turned into bloud ordinances duties gifts when they are not spirituall and spiritually exercised the Witnesses Prophesying have turned them into-bloud into contention strife debate distraction and confusion And to smite the earth with all Plagues The Earth is Thy creation the subject on which these Plagues are inflicted Whenfoever the Spirit of the Lord appeares either on the right hand or on the left that is as Christ in flesh and Christ in Spirit whensoever these Two witnesses these two Anointed ones that stand by the LORD of the whole Earth shall testify and beare witnesse of flesh to be crucified killed and slain presently their testimony smite the Earth and all earthly things with Plagues These Prophets have the Power of God and all the Power of GOD and can smite the Earth with what Plagues they will I have found them Smiting the Earth with sicknesses spirituall sicknesses weaknesses consumptions leprosies plague-sores running-sores famine death warres feares frightings amazments wild-beasts with all these Plagues The Earth is now full of Plagues sent forth from the mouthes of these two witnesses And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and shall oversome them and kill them There is a time to Witnesse and a time to Finish their work and you have it here Prophesied that they must first Finish their Testimony and that they shall bee overcome and killed but not before they have finished their Testimony But How must they be killed The beast that ascends out of the bottomlesse pit shall made warre against them and kill them This Beast which ascends out of the bottomlesse pit is Antichrist Many speake of the slaying of the Witnesses and it is in many peoples mouthes now which
where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Thither this Eagle the Divine Spirit of GOD doth resort to this Carcasse I say to Revive it This heavenly Eagle or Spirit of GOD comes and eats up all the deadliness all the corruption all the Carcass that he in us might live in the Spirit There is no true life but the Spirit of life Then may we say we live when we live in the Spirit of GOD this is called the quickning Spirit The first Man was made a living soul the Second was made a quickning Spirit Man is a living soul a living creature and it is the Spirit of GOD that makes him to live a Spiritual life but when that life is killed and slain then he hath a second life for it a better life The Spirit of life life it selfe true life indeed And we know no life no true life but in the LORD our life When HE who is OVR life shall appear c. While the Witnesses prophesie they cannot say that they live but when they have received the Spirit of life then they can truly say they live Now they can claime that title I was dead but am alive I am the resurrection and the life There is no true life til there be a Resurrection til then it 's but a state of mortallity It is not yet life But when we revive and rise again mortallity is swallowed up of life now we live indeed That 's true life that is not subject to death that is true life that cannot be killed That life that is under the Power of death that is under the Command of death that can be extinguished by death is no true life It s life to be set free from death to be dis-engaged and dis-obliged from the command of this King of fears when we can say O death Where is thy sting O grave Where is thy victory When wee can trample upon death that is life true Life indeed The Spirit of life from God True life consists in a continual flowing forth from God a daily powring out of the Divine life the Divine nature into us enlivening and quickning all our actions and services Those are not living actions living services living performances that flow not from the life of GOD in us We live when every thing we act or speak flows from the life of God in us Then wee live when al we do comes from GOD when God sends it forth God speakes it God doth it then they are living words living actions In thy presence is life The absence of the soul from the body is the shadow and but the shadow of death but the absence of GOD from a thing or person that 's death Spiritual death You cannot say a man lives except you see his soul act move speak c. If yee were Christians indeed ye would not say you live until yee hear the voice of GOD saying to you This is the way of God these are the words and works of God There is life true life indeed The reviving and life of these two witnesses is the resurrection and the life the life of the Sonne of God God comes forth in these two in the Son and in the Spirit the fulnes of God shewing it self in the flesh of Christ and the Spirit of Christ this is life These three are all in union together the Father the Son and Spirit in one conjunction and unity The Father puting forth himself in the Son by the Spirit The Father acting quickning and inlivening the Son by the Spirit these mutually imbracing each other is our life Concerning this resurrection of the witnesses observe that it is graduall The Spirit of life from God first entred into them after that they live there was a kinde of absence before but now a presence of the Spirit of God The holy God suffers a kinde of parting to be between himself and his Son ney betwixt himself and his own Spirit which is himself and after this again there is a reuniting First There must be an entrance The Spirit of God first enters into them then they live The Resurrection though it be quick though it be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye yet it is graduall First There is an entrance of the Spirit The Spirit of life from God entered into them Secondly There is a double effect of this entering of the Spirit 1. They stood upon their feet 2. They heard a great voiyce saying Come up hither First The Spirit of the Lord entered into them while they are dead while their dead bodies were lying in the streets of the great City the breath of life from God entered into them And this is very certain we shall not lose any thing that we have had Though the Lord withdraw himselfe from us a little while yet he will returne to us again and then he wil gather up al that is scattered and enter into all that 's dead And they stood upon their feet This is the second gradation or the second degree of their Resurrection which is two-fold 1. They could own the Lord they could say The Lord is with us our God is with us and in us Life is come to us We are the holy ones of God We are the golden candlesticks upon whom the light of God doth shine This is the Spirit of life from our God And then secondly they are raised from the earth and so raised as that they can stand upon their feet an expression of the dry bones Ezek. 37. into whom when the breath of the Lord came they lived they stood upon their feet an exceeding great Army So the Prophet Ezekel when he was overcome by the glory of God in the great vision he saw chapter 2. it 's said The Spirit of the Lord entred into him and he stood upon his feet And so Daniel was raised chapter 10.10 11. O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright Which is the same with this The Spirit of the Lord intring into us standing up in us manifesting and shewing what wee are making us visibly to appear the anointed ones of God inabling us to stand up and own a heavenly and spiritual life and light to appear to arise to shew our selves that we are the holy ones of God And though whilest wee were slain and dead we could not owne the Lord or acknowledge him we could not confesse the Lord who he was and what he was because we were in death and darknesse yet now having the Spirit of the Lord entred into us we now being raised from the dead we stand up and are able to say Wee are the Lords wee are the holy anointed ones of God There is life and strength and confidence appearing in the witnesses standing upon their feet so that they can say We by this life or in this life of God are able to live amonst men to walk about in the Name