me no man can see the Father but by the Son and he to whom the Son doth reveal him And then he told me further that the father reveals the sonne and the sonne the father and both the spirit and the river by giving of it to the sonnes of men and so indeed he lead me up and down in a mis-maze for I had never in all my life before heard so much talk of revealing and I know not what of the father sonne and spirit and the river for so he called the spirit saying it was a pure clear and living river still talking of I know not how many lights and I never knew but of one here which rules the day So thought I what doth this man mean by his lights but he turned I know not how about to a light of God and a light and life of Christ or in Christ I think he called it saying it was the surest and safest and the sweetest the happiest best and blessedest life of all lives that the soul lived when it lived in God the fountaine of light and life endlesse light and endlesse life For indeed God is the life of our lives the root of our lives the fountain of our lives we live in our own element said he when we live in God and when we live out of him we pilgrime like wander up and down the world begging preservation of every poore creature which is a sad condition for a noble soul yea we bury our selves as in a grave of darknesse which few loves being nothing but wandering and rottennesse earth turning into earth but in one word I wind up all the river is the Spirit the eternall spirit of God by which he doth all in the world yea all his mighty works he binds Kings and looses Captives breaketh nations and binds them up again and as Kings and Nations private men and persons are bound and loosed comforted and wounded and all by this Spirit Oh then doth it concern all high low rich and poore to embrace this spirit for if ye slight him he can smite you wound you kill you and damne soul and body O then come and kisse this enlightning Sonne as David speaks of Christ in his second Psalm lest that he be angry it s said of this Sun that rules the day that it shall one day break forth in such flames of heat brightnesse that it shall scorch and burn up Mountains the spirit will do the same yea every man and woman in one way or other some in love most in dreadfull wrath and vengeance for neglecting and abusing the love grace and mercy which he once freely tendred them which they little minded being like the old world buying felling marrying all the time of Noahs arkes building yea untill the very flood came but then how did they run and tumble O me thinks I see the whole world shifting some to the hills others to the mountains some climbing trees and cedars and getting up to steeples whilst others wade to Noah yea beg and hang upon his Ark crying Noah Noah Noah for pitie take us in but he is secure and minds not all their skreeks and cryes nor their dolefull mourning for their drowned souls this he little minds for he is safe and his Ark arises by the mighty waters in the which he rides more and more steady the higher that they rise carying him at last over hils and mountaines and all kindes of dangers And now he sings this unto himselfe God hath safely housed me God hath safely kept me in a shelter from the raines which the black and melancholy heavens have weeped day and night for the sinnes of men till they were drowned with teares well Noah is yet safe the hangers on the Ark washt off screeks and cries over all swimme up and down the deluge Well the mighty waters doe beginne to beat and the heavens smile by clearing up againe Noah sends out his Dove shee soone returnes he againe doth the like she brings in an Olive branch an Emblem of peace to all in the Ark. Well this Ark is Christ and none there is but he that can safely shelter from all kinde of danger and yet this Ark is open and ready to receive all that will come in at the Spirits invitation but what if they doe not the Spirit will break forth in dreadfull flames of fire drying up the Seas and burning of the Mountaines none no not one escaping but those in the Ark. Well friend minde this Christ is the Ark the Spirit is the River God the Fountaine too of light life and glory shall all be neglected then thou art undone O unhuppy soul ill betide the time and cursed be the day that ever thou wast born Revel chap. 22.4 And they shall see his face and his name shall be written upon their foreheads O Christians from these words give mee leave to speake a little my thoughts for to you is this promise and if God give in the sweetnesse of it to you it will be as a little hony yea as a lick of that Manna which Christ will give to his Saints to feed on Revelations 2.17 And first these words they are a Promise of God to his people who are the persons to whom this Promise is made Secondly The Promise it selfe which is They shall see my face that is the thing O christian promised heare Thirdly For the time that is a comming they shall not yet but they shall from whence denote the certainty of it And truly friends if you did but consider this promise and the certainty of its accomplishment it would be like Moses little stick which did sweeten the bitter water which the Isralites could not drinke before he had throwne in his stick So I thinke it would sweeten any condition a Saint meets with in this world though never so bitter be thou sick be thou weake be thou poore for these conditions are they subject too as well as any therefore hath God made a thousand of such kinde of promises to his Saints to support them here Sometimes he tels them They shall drinke of the River of his pleasure and be abundantly satisfyed with the fatnes of his house Psa 36.8 A second Promise to them is this They shall eat of the Manna that is hid A third They shall see my face I will speake no more of them pray remember these three in all your troubles by faith feed your soules on them they will not onely comfort your hearts but consolate your troubled soules O they will make you well in sicknesse they will also make you rich in poverty they will make you feast in hunger they will make you sing in prison live in death yea triumph over death yea all kindes of death Christians you know this I know yee know it in some measure but what is the reason you doe not make use of these and such like Scripture sweet promises in the times of troubles You will say you
rejoyce in by an eye of faith fore-seeing it a forehand God gives a promise after that the thing so he delt with us by his Sonne first sent him in a promise after that in substance to be our life light and glory rest peace comfort and salvation in all wants and from all wants of all kindes and nature Well this Christ and God that sent him and the Spirit too is the Stream of sweetnesse where all your comfort lyes unlesse it be in the creature which withers like the grasse when it is cut and grows no more if creature comforts be cut off or withering one of these they are or else they are not momentany but induring which I am sure they are not from my own experience no more then a dreame which is but a fancy when the man awakes may fancies riches honours pleasures profits in the dreaming houre thou mayst doe the like and not enjoy at all what thou labourst for whilst thou seekest it in the creature runne thou mayst and win not seek thou mayst and finde not try thou mayst and taste not the sweetnesse thou expectest true some lyes in every flower but the Bee that skips from one to another all the Summer long can scarce fill her Hive but grant that she doe how quickly is she rebl'd and strangled too at last O thou 〈◊〉 Christian after pleasures profits riches lands and livings death will one day strangle thee and râ—b thâ—e to of all those sweet comforts thou ever gâ—therste here the Manna would not keep but in the pot of gold no more will the creature but in God and Christ and therefore what thou hast lay it up 〈◊〉 Christ and lay it out for Christ and the thou shalt be sure to finde it like bread upon the waters after many dayes but thou that seekest none and hast none but God Christ and the Spirit thou hast all already yea more then all the world ten thousand times can give thee for thou hast all All they seek and crave thou hast found in God Christ and the Spirit and hence it is that a poore Christian who hath Gods love Christs pardon and the Spirits seale can beare up his head and smile in his heart though purseless and penyless houseless and homelesse ragged poore and hungry in a chearfull way when many rich and great men complaine of a thousand wants whilst the true Christian in the sence of Gods love wants nothing but if some poore Christian 〈◊〉 as many there are wailing and weeping like to Hagar for want of this or that comfort a Wife a Childe estate pardon this or that comfort light or knowledge loe this seeming want is in thee only thou dost not see it for where Christ is all is and therefore look about thee yea look and if Christ bee in thee I dare say thou shalt finde more sweetnesse and drink too more delight out of this little Booke then in all the creature comforts thou ever yet enjoyest and therefore when the world is still and thy Spirit quiet in a leasure houre tast try read and if yee be deceived pardon me for I am a weake froward doubting Christian and yet I hope a growing though it be but slowly let us pray for one another for I will for you and the Israel of God while my name is William Blake A Word and but a Word to many of my fellow Christians who think they have no ability to raise write or speak to a portion of Scripture in a linct and profitable way for want of learning I dare say to thee whoever thou art if the Spirit of God be in thee lend him thy sleep or meditation when thy businesse of the world is ever and thy Spirit quiet he will feed thy thoughts beyond thy expectation I dare pawn my life for it these few lines was brought to my hand in this way and therefore try and see if William Blakes words be not true A STREAME OF SVVEETNESSE from the Spirits breathing Revelat. chap. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne as I have overcome and am set with my Father in his throne THis is the revelation of God by Jesus Christ unto John and therefore it is said blessed is he that readeth and he that heareth What this mystery or prophecie I blessed is that soul for ever as in the first chap. and the third verse In the seventh verse Christ saith he comes Amen saith the Bride come Lord Jesus quickly In the last of the Revelation and in the second chapter and the seventh vers To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life This tree is Christ and his leaves are for the healing of the Nations Rev. the 22. and the 2. v. And in the last of the 10 v. A Crown of life And in the latter end of the 11. v. A promise of no hurt by the second death In the 17. v. A promise to eat of the Manna that is hid This Manna was the sweet food that the children of Israel fed on in the Wildernesse Christ is this Manna but his sweetnesse is a hidden thing to the carnall world and in the 25. A promise to rule over Nations and further I will give him the morning Star this Star is Christ as Peter tels us saying Wait untill the day dawn and the Starre arise in your hearts In the 15. ver of the 3. chap. Christ tels his Church That he that overcomes shall be clothed in white array I then shall he stand with boldnesse before Christ when Kings and Princes shall cry to the hills and mountains to fall and cover them Revel the 16. And further I will not put out his name out of the book of life and in the 12. ver I will make him a standing Pillar in the house of my God and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God and my name The name of my God that is he shall be so filled with his divine nature that it shall be as visible as a name in his forehead And now in the 21. ver which I first mentioned a further promise is laid downe as if Christ had not enough yet spoken to engage his Church against hers and his enemies namely the world flesh and devill Well according to my light I shall hint at the meaning of Christ in these words and first Observe The universallity of the promise it is a promise to him any him high low rich poor young old bond or free man or master maid or mistresse O but the world does not alwayes so one gaines the victory and another gets the honour or reward many times But secondly What is meant by overcomming surely to get the masterdome or upper hand with those we encounter with this masterdome is got two wayes by a Captain or a souldier by a Captain or a Champion so David engaged with Goliah and his slaying him
turnd to dust and must give account of this dust to Christ for he shall one day send them to all the winds to pick it up as himselfe speaketh Secondly I Iohn saw the holy City new Jerusalem descending down from God prepared as a Bride She descended or came down from God Observ Nothing comes up to God but that descends from God Flesh and blood saith Christ cannot inherit the Kingdome of God no it is a corrupt thing but corruption shall put on incorruption and mortality put on immortality but this incorruption and immortality too descends from above and therefore I saw her descending down from God the spirit and power of the mighty God may be the thing for which the Evangelist saith I saw new Ierusalem comming down from God out of Heaven But in the third place I saw new Ierusalem comming down prepared or trimmed like a Bride a Bride is trimmed or adorned with new or beautifull garments old spotred garments are ill beseeming the Bride and therefore she never doth aray her self but in lovely ones Well then here is according to my light the meaning of these words and I think the very naturall sence of the spirituall as I may so say or the spirituall meaning of the Spirit of God in these words I John saw the boly city the new Iernsalem comming down prepared as a Bride the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus God man imputed reckoned and given to man by God and put on by the mighty Spirit is the newnesse of it and the adornment of her and this righteousnes of God 2. Cor. 5. and the last yea it is the righteousnesse of God For he was made sinne for us who knew no sinn that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him Well by this mighty Spirit of God is Ierusalem arayed in this righteousnesse wrought out by Christ for her and so given by God for that same purpose namely Ierusalems adornment and now he beholding her in this he must needs say I saw her descending down from God out of heaven trimmed as a Bride When she is trimmed and arrayed by God Christ and the Spirit yea and she must needs be now lovely and Bride-like beautifull doth the spotted moon and twinckling stars adorne the cloudy element and make it so lovely that a David cries out O Lord how wonderfull are thy works Psalme 8. v. 3. then must needs Christ the Sun of suns and angels too to make his Ierusalem beautifull when he shall cloath her with his own righteousnesse as with a garment downe to the ground Ofriends this righteousnesse of Christ is the wedding garment of new Ierusalem and in this garment saith Iohn I saw her comming as a Bride trimmed for her husband Christ the King of kings Saints and Angels surely the kings daughter is all glorious without as well as within for her cloathing is all embroidered gold wrought out by Christ and put on by the Spirit O when the Saints shall wait on Christ up and down the heavens in this garment or righteousnesse of his how princelike will his attendance bee when ten thousands of these shall stand before his throne yea ten thousandmillions of these with as many Angels to them shall all as one joine to sing his victories over sin death hell men and devils in this garment of love and livery of his favour what sparkling beames will passe from one to the other like suns reflecting on each others glory yet all from Christ like Moon and starres in their horizon And now O thou poor and prodigall sinner what thinkest thou of that day when it shall be said bring hither the best robe and the gold ring for this my once lost but now found son O what a change will here be when the rags in which thou tendedst hogs shall be taken off and thou cloathed with thy eldest brothers garment brought thee will not thy change be like Ioshuahs in putting off his filthy garment yea truely will it if dust were turned to gold and common stones to jewels nights to dayes and falling Commets to fixed stars and then againe to beaming suns yet all was nothing I say all these changes were nothing to that change that Christ maketh with sinners when hee takes off their sins rags and righteousnesse and puts on his own righteousnesse on them and therefore well might John say I saw her trimmed as a Bride when he had trimmed her with his own righteousnes thou art comely in my comelines saith Christ to the spouse Well reader I hope in this interpretation that thou and I am one and doe agree that this is the beauty of the new Jerusalem that the Spirit means by wedding garment and beautifull adornment And mark because it is this she is trimmed with therefore is she said to be seen comming down from heaven as having none of this bravery but from God Christ and the Spirit Secondly I saw new Jerusalem comming down in an uniform manner shee came not tumbling nor dropping now and then a piece as I may so say nor in a scattering manner but I saw new Ierusalem the whole Church as one single person comming down from God the whole church is but one Bride as I may so say for Christ the Bridegroom neither doth hee look on her any other wayes nor should wee but we are like the silly country people who sometimes take the Courtier for the Prince and the lachey servant for the master so we many times take the son for the Bridegroom and the lasie professor who makes a fait show when as indeed he is but a beggarly time server and hath no true grace nor vertue for the noble and royall Christian though there be not such an outward show in respect of talk and perfection which I speak not against in a sincere heart but as I said before Christ counts his church but one and so the Angel invites saying behold ye the Bride the Lambs wife and so saith himselfe my love my dove she is but one the onely one of her mother And this may justly reprove many in our dayes who will distinguish the Church of Christ into as many parcels as are formes or judgements and congregations every one thinking themselves to be the true Church when as at the best they are but a piece of his Jerusalem as I apprehend and that for these reasons First Jerusalem or the Church of God though she consist of many Iewes and Gentiles called and uncalled yet in truth she is but one church or body of which Christ is the head Secondly every particular person of the whole Church of Christ being arayed and trimmed by God and Christ may be called by the name of one single person and so counted the Spouse of Christ Againe I saw new Jerusalem comming down as a Bride here he makes no distinction of bond or free high or low Independant Anabaptist Presbyterian this or that forme of fellowship but he saw all these as in one
and yet I dare say there are some sinners at whose doore Christ hath knocked twenty years by preachings teachings afflicting and admonishing by his word and his Spirit and by example too But what doe I speake of twenty yeares are there not some gray-headed sinners at whose doore Christ hath often knockt heretofore but now they are deaf and cannot heare and the things belonging to their peace are hid from their eyes as once from Ierusalems for whose misery Christ wept and so will ye over your own souls one day in flames of hell O me thinks I see poor souls sit looking on one another weeping bitterly for their folly in not minding Christs knocks when time was O saith the aprentise wringing of his hands with heart breaking sighs I was seven yeares in a godly family where my master prayed read and expounded every day by which Christ oft knockt at my heart and made me to resolve for to let him in but I was yong and thought it was too soon to hear him yet but I made account to do it when my time was out but Christ then did not knock or at least I minded him not for the world wife and children came upon mee that I did not once minde him And so another Bible-carrier doth much the like O saith he in these flames weeping I went twise every Sunday in the yeare to the Church with my wife and family heard-prayers took my booke turnd to text and proofes and had Christ knocking at my heart too but I know not how still I forgot all and Christ knocks too who at last left to knock at all but I went still to Church with my neighbours according to the custome with old father worldling who would alwayes talk of businesse going home and comming putting all good things quite out of my minde for which cursed be the time that ever I did see him for it may beels I might have minded something what I heard of there as well as many others whom wee counted puritanes because they would still be talking what good matter they had heard and how sweet it was talking of the uses but as we followed after wee laughing for to hear them goe conning over the sermon one to another all the way home not at all minding what he said to us but how he met with such a one and such a one and never minded once at all our selves like unhappy soules for which we must lie in the flames for ever to repent our folly and houle for our misery in not harkening unto Christ when the time was which never shall be more O saith wrinkled faced hypocrite in the flames at the bottome I deceived my self many an honest Christian too like a cursed wretch for I was a great professor seven years together in which time Christ gave me many a hard rap at the door of conscience for my hollow-heart sometimes telling me I was a masked sinner and had a rotten heart ayming at the world name fame credit all the while profession was in request going up and down with many honest Christians and would be talking with them in matters of religion for many by ends little minding Christs thundring knocks against such as I crying woe woe woe to the hypocrites Scribes and the Pharisees one that did love much to have preheminency though a great professor bearing sway and rule just like a Bishop over the Church of Christ lord and master-like saying he was chief and must be beleeved and obeyed in his forme minding this his owne selfe and interest more then the honour of his master or the good of poore Christians whom hee seldome went to visit without his doctors fee or the hope of a sermon if in case he died worth him five pound Woe woe to those that so neglect the Church of Christ and the poore Saints who sometimes lies in cottages and sellers where their worships will not come it is to mean a thing because they are masters and called Rabbi Rabbi which the true Disciple never aymed at But stay I had like to forget one sinner more where Christ hath long stood and usually doth yea longer then at any doore besides I mean the simple Christian or the ignorant Christian who knowes not right or left hand in religion more then his grandmother taught him bringing of him up according to the custome which their parents left them building their religion on the old race yet must still be called Christian for his baptisme sake which I speak not against but the mans ignorance which the Lord knowes I pitty for truely at these poore soules doore doth Christ knock many times but the soule is so simple it doth not know Christ when he knocks but gapes and stares on the Parson in the pulpit when it is Christ that knocks at the heart with life light and knowledge which is more worth then jewels crownes and kingdomes yea the gold of Ophir and the rich ships of Tharshish but poore simple sotted and deluded soule thou knowest not the want of this knowledge Christ and thy souls misery for want of knowledge And here mistake me not for I doe not mean unlearned men more then learned men for truely many of them which are great Grecians know not the A.B.C. in the new creature but by heare say poore simple souls how many such be there in the world doe you not know thousands that are cryed up for wise able men though not such great Schollers yet cried up for able men fit for Jewry Judge or Justiceship which I doe not speak against but honour yet I say I will take a young stripling in the school of Christ without an haire on his face shall winde him like a childe in the worke of conviction for sin Christ knocking at thy heart and the Spirits working in the new man and old and sound experienced things I say in these things he will wind your old sollid blades many Churchwardens who should be knowing men as well as Furre-gowned where Christ hath often knockt before ever that came on him but now he thinks it is enough to sit by his white rod in a majestick way with a black soule by cheating of the poor to feast his own ungodly gut with capon sack and claret till his belly be so swelld that Christ cannot come at his heart or seldom doth hereafter for for the most they turne drunkards not that I mean right blading cursed or down right drunkards but I mean in a dry way without any roaring by clubbing pot after pot and then an half pint and another to that with a point at the last to set the reckoning right and a gell of strong water to close up their stomake I am sure I know some that will sit with a coughing and spauling discourse from four to six from six to eleven with aserious discourse in a cavilere way of a turn that shall be but I do not know when and so they drink healths saying
and something never should be though hee preached it never so oft and prest it on thee too with arguments from heaven and arguments from hell with all likewise under the sun which thou refusedst and mindedst it not but frownd and quarreld and raild and jeard with wicked men and saidst thou wouldst never heare him more but such a one should be thy Pastor he smoothd thee up and pleased thee well but now thou seest what is come on it But I feare I shall offend in running wide from the words though it be in a way of profit and therefore come to another question Fourthly why doth Christ knock so sweetly to tempt and allure you to open to him for his many sweet knocks and many a soule Christ winnes by this kind of knocking which opens as it were all the vaines and powers in the soule wide unto Christ and as freely entertaine him as ever did Zacheus Fifthly why doth Christ knock at the doore because he will come in there or no where deceivers climbs the walles but Christ will at the doore or no where if he comes he can come in if he please any where at the window or top of the house but you know Christ loves to come in at the doore of consent which is the common way of Christs comming to every soul But the doore what is that the heart the heart of man what would it bee but why doe ye call that a door first because it is the inlet to the house Secondly it is the outlet to the house so is the heart to the soule as Christ comes in at the heart so the world sin and Satan goes out at the heart Solomon saith my son give me thy heart well knowing if he hath this doore he may lay what he will with in But you said I may know it was Christ by his thundring knocks but what do you call Christs thundring knocks I mean his thundring judgements to the world the nations and kingdomes of the world round about in all which Christ is now a thundring rouzing them from their dens of pomp glory and greatnesse to exalt himself and Saints in the roome of sinners which must be done in every kingdome before that all be husht and Christ all in all and the kingdomes his according to Gods promise I will give thee the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession saith God by his prophet David Turke Pope and Antichristian Princes have kept the nations of the world and made poore Saints squelke and hide themselves in new plantations to keep their consciences free from their idolatrous worship But Christ is now a measuring out lands and livings for them yea cities towns and kingdomes by his prospering armies which measure by cutting every one some which makes the mighty grumble as if they were losing all and so they are in danger too if Christ be justled by them in his way of providence by his thundring knocks Secondly I meane by Christs thundring knocks those righteous judgements which thou seest befall private wicked men Christ braines on by his thunder bolts that twenty more might feare sometimes strikes the drunkard with a deadly surfet and sometimes the worldling with a deadly heat and cold and here and there a sinner that thousands more might be warned Thirdly I meane by Christs thundring knocks when Christ knocks like a Bell-man at midnight in thy dead sleep crying fire fire fire and is not this a thundring knock I truely it would make a man start out of his bed naked to save his house to save his goods truely thus Christ knocks at a sinners heart or door First by judgements to the world as I said before Secondly by judgements on ungodly men whom first or last Christ will meet withall when they have fild their measure which thousands doe apace some by ungodly deeds some by ungodly speeches which Christ will reckon with them for as it is said in Jude Thirdly by Christ crying out at mid-night fire fire which frights a poore man that his sin sin death hell hell and how doth this like a fire at midnight fright a man out of his sleep And truely many sinners doth Christ awake at mid-night that is an unexpected time Secondly at midnight in his deep sleep of drunkennesse uncleannesse or such like sinnes so you see what I meane by Christs thundring knocks I saith one I have experience of this he awaked mee from my Dalilah the sinne wherein I lay I too saith another that walked in his sinnes for twenty yeares together Christ falls upon a sinner by this kind of knocking like three or foure enraged enemies upon a man crying downe with him downe with him and so beats him down leaving him even dead and so goes away but the Spirit comes and visites him and raises him up againe by telling him his sinnes are not past the cure of faith and repentance which Christ both gives to the man whom he wounds thus with the sence of his sinnes Secondly what doe you meane by Christs soft knocks by Christs soft knocks I mean his mild and gentle way of comming to a sinner craving of his due from him and not like that cruell servant who finding out his debter caught him by the throat presently saying pay me straight and would have no compassion on him But Christ by his soft knocks comes to a poor indebted sinner sayes unto him Friend friend doest thou remember what thou owest mee yes yes saith the sinner little minding how much it is and so is straight a going nay but stay stay friend saith Christ let mee reckon with thee before thou goest which the sinner lesse loves then the broken Bankerout to look into or cast up his books and therefore prayes Christ to come to morrow he is now busie buying of a Farm or setting up his shop O but Christ tels him he will neither stay nor come againe but arrest him straight by death which startles so the sinner that hee now saith I will stay and heare all I owe thee and then Christ tels him Sinner first thou owest mee thy soule I bought it Secondly thy body I redeemed it by my blood Thirdly thy estate and gifts I gave it thee O Christ thou demands all why do not I deserve all and thou owe me all yea O Christ but I would fain keep my estate to serve my wife and children and my gifts and parts because they are of great esteem with men now a dayes Friend do not talk of wife children I must have thy estate thy gifts and parts too let men esteeme them how they will I must have them all O Christ this is hard pay but I will pay thee some and some as I am able do not tell me of that I must have them all now and it is not so hard as due or as thou thinkst for either for I learn this lesson to all my poor indebted schollers yea every one and I tell thee man for
overflow with joy which we have in thy presence every moment fresh and greene by seeing of thy face which is the joy of heaven and Saints and Angels too with all that do behold thee as wee thy servants do which once did live in darknesse and saw thee not at all but in the shadowey creature which hinted something to us but short of what we see or ever did imagine O saith Paul Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath laid up for them that love him this made us think it was wonderfull but now we find it so yea wonderfull indeed beyond all wonders too which Saints and Angels shall ever finde And now in admiration of this wonder we all as one cry out Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Almighty in thy glory Almighty in thy loves and also for delights to us thy poore creatures now swallowed up by pleasures in the beholding of thee O sea of endlesse sweetnesse and sun of all delights and fountaine too of glory what shall we say more of thee thou art the heaven of heavens and glory too of Saints who now will sing thy praise and ever thee admire for all thy beauty sweetnesse and endlesse life and glory which Song shall all joine in and make the heavens ring for ever in thy presence But Lord I do thy glory darken to speak such low things of it one star cannot the heavens show nor thousand suns thy glory much lesse a poor worme hint out those seas of sweetnes which lies hid in thy presence till thou shalt show thy face to wormes dust and ashes created for thy praise But let me winde up all in two words one to the carelesse sinner and another to the Saint who is the man to whom this promise is of seeing his face but what shall I say to thee O happy Christian that servest God more then is said in these words they shall see my face Which doth imply his glory love sweetnesse reward and pleasure which he takes in you This promise is sure enough indeed to beare up thy Spirit against all frownes jeares and scornes that thou maist meet with in the service of this God I say this promise sure is enough to encourage thee And therefore O precious Christian beare up bear up and be not wearie of well doing for in due time thou shalt have thy reward if thou faintest not which is to see his face What will men do for the favour of a prince and yet his favour is but a changeable thing but the favour and loving kindnesse of God abideth for ever it is a favour from everlasting abiding to everlasting running out in divers springs election creation justification and glorification in the highest heavens with Saints and Angels for ever more which is thy crowne reward and wages for all thy work for God and Christ What wilt thou now sit still or wilt thou give over running as one that 's weary and sit thee down with men and sinners in creature vanities which are a lie and doth deceive all expectations and ever will But why should I be jealous of thee O precious Christian sure thou canst not think of seeing his face glory love and sweetnesse but thy resolutions are doubled in thee to beleeve that God will so abundantly reward thee for all thou ever didst or sufferedst for his sake or Name But I shall close up all with one word to the carelesse sinner for whom my soul doth even weep to thinke upon that day when hee shall be banished from the face of this God in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for ever more as David speaks in his Psalmes But in his absence is misery upon misery O said Absalom once Let me see my fathers face though he kill me 2. Sam. 14.32 with what a longing was here now in Absalom to see Davids face who heretofore rebelliously sought his life Well know this O rebellious sinner time will come that thou shalt weep yea bitterly weep as once Esau did for Jacobs blessing so thou for a glimpse of this face glory love and sweetnesse of God yea thou shalt weep and say as Absalom let me see thy face O God though thou kill me and damne mee too But will this prevail no it will not damned thou shalt be but never see his face It is said the wicked shall not see God no nor never shall to their comfort O said Christ once to the Jewes Ye shall seek me but shall not find me for whither I goe ye cannot come Iohn 7.34 God will one day say the same to everie proud rebellious sinner ye shall seek me but shall not find me no though you seek me with bitter teares yet it will be all in vain you may weep like Esau but not prevail though seas and seas again to that be shed with sense of miserie and bitter cries for sight yea one glimmering sight of my face and glorie love and sweetnesse it will be vain yea all in vain You might once but must not see it now no nor cannot for sighs and sobs with teares and cries and then thy soul with heavy heart will mourning say O my unhappie soul what wilt thou now do God will not be seen but is wrapped up in displeasure for ever if this Sunne should do the like how would man and beast mourn though but for a mouth and prize him too when it againe should shine but O my poore soul from thee is hid this Sunne yea this Sunnes Sunne and glorie Angels are this Sunnes Sunne and God the Sunne and glorie too of Angels but what is this to me seeing he hath wrapt himself in displeasure and me in darknesss by hiding of his face Which when David once had a conceit of mark what bitter groanes and sad complaints doth his dolourous soul then make O saith he restore me to the light of thy countenance that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice Mark this good mans expressions at the conceit of the losse of Gods favour O restore it saith he that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce O friend what a sense was here in David of a losse that he should in the sense of it think all his bones were broken Who knows the pain of one broken bone much less of all his bones at once well if thou shouldest know all thy bones broken yea and broken over again is lesse painfull then the losse of this love and favour which is seen in the face of God though carelesse sinners little mind it for the present but when the sense of it shall break in upon thy spirit like mighty seas how wilt thou be drownd for ever hoping or expecting it again O this loss must needs break thy bones yea heart and soul too over and over again The child mourns for his fathers absence but more when he hides his face and so the wife