the region and shadow of death light might spring up this is the healing of the water and the making the Ax to swim to take away the heart of stone and to give them a heart of flesh as also to grow in grace and multiply and increase in knowledg and love as the oyl did and the meal the more she gave the more she had so it s truly in the Saints a little grace goes far doth many cures answers all things as it was with the few barly loaves and the little fishes how many thousand were fed and the twelve baskets full of fragments that was left this was wounderful so it is in us here a little grace overcomes a world of sin like a spark of fire to a deal of gun-powder and as a little leaven that leaveneth the whole lump and as a graine of mustard seed that grows to a tree suddenly so is the Righteousnesse of God revealed SECT II. §. 2 The opening of the Temple and the repairing it JOsias and Hezekias good raigne how they opened the Temple restored many things found the Law hid and caused it to be read and sanctified the people and to make the table of the Lord holy this is the Lords doing to finde the Law that hath been lost to restore it in us and all things else that we may see how we are purged from dead works to serve the living God and thus he is the good Hezekiah that opens that Temple of the Lord preparing a way for him making the everlasting doors to fly open at his voyce and knock that the King of Glory may enter in who is the Lord of Hosts CHAP. XI The tenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the two Books of CHRONICLES THe Book of Chronicles this also God writes in us he doth these two things according to this two-fold Book for there is two Books especially to be taken notice of wherein God writes his Will The first is called or may be the substance of the first Book of Chronicles and the other of the second Book of Chronicles answerable to these Books in Letter we find two Books in Spirit The first is called Gods Book of Life and that is when the Lord God writes his Name in our hearts his new Man and his new Nature and Life there then we are his Book of Life The second is called our Book of Life that is the Book wherein God writes our Names according as it is written Rejoyce not so much in any writing as in this that your names are written in Heaven Now this Heaven and in the Book of Life is all one that is when we are beloved of God or when the Lord seals us a seal upon his Heart or as a signet upon his Arm to be written in the everlasting Love of the Lord which is his Heart and Bowels and there to live by the Life of Love this is the writing in the Book of Life indeed and though we have our names written upon our towers walls houses histories and generations of the whole world yet it fals at last but this only endures the memorial of the other shall rot when the memory of these shall be blessed these be the two books of Chronicles indeed and yet both agree in one and are indeed one for where the one is there will be the other If we be written in Gods Book or Heart then be sure God will have his name written in our hearts and spirits SECT II. §. 2 How we are made Gods Chronicles THus the whole book of Chronicles We are the sum of them all Chronicles of his Love Chronicles of his Mercy the Chronicles of his Grace the Chronicles of his Power Goodness and Greatness and the Chronicles of his Wisdom We are his generation of off spring all our lives as well as lines descended from him He was and is the Father of us all He knows every Soul and Family apart Tribe by Tribe He knows our names and our fathers house he Chronicles and sets down the time of our birth and baptism who was our father and mother and in what Country whether a free-born or a stranger all our travels even our whole pilgrimage written our lives deaths resurrections and mansions Are not we his Chronicles then indeed CHAP. XII The eleventh Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the books of EZRA NEHEMIAH THe books of Ezra and Nehemiah opened in Man The returning out of captivity the leading captivity captive and receiving gifts from above according as it is written when the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion we were like men in a dream till we were throughly awakened and then we sang the songs of Zion when we were in our own Land just like Peter when the Angel smote him and made way for him open the iron gates and did deliver he was in a trance he thought he had seen a vision at first till afterwards So is this deliverance from the whore of Babylon that hath bewitched us all with sorceries more or less Oh what a joyful thing it is And then can they tell what God hath done for their souls and magnifie the Lord saying By the rivers of Babylon we have sate This Sodom hath been a Paradise to us But now if I prefer not Jerusalem above all having seen it and now come tolive in it before we had nothing but sadness a laughter that was but madness there we howled but here we have our harps and songs full of joy SECT II. §. 2 The Restauration of all things THe number that are delivered the journey God was with them on their way the laying the foundation of the Temple the building it the Spirit of the Lord strengthening them in it the enemies that oppose the building of the Wall Sanballats rage against it the sword the trowel finish it The strange wives put away the Law read the Reformation made All which is most true if applied in the truth of it to the workings of God amongst us whom the world and flesh hath made a wilderness a desolation a place for Dragons there God intends to lay his foundation which is Christ Jesus in us the hope of Glory other foundations can no man lay else then the building is the Temple of the Lord which is his Spirit in us and the Walls are the arms of the Almighty stretched out these everlasting arms of love that are about thee O Israel the one arm under thy head the other upon thy heart these be thy walls thou needst not now fear any Sanballat Tobiah any Ashdonians whatsoever that like Foxes would spoil thy vines or else climbe thy walls to pull down thy glory but they shal not All that hate thee shall be ashamed And whereas ye say it is not time to build my house saith the Lord and ye to live in your seiled houses and to let my house lie waste ye shall not prosper For if any man hideth his sin he
like a shepherd not on Commons but by the rivers of waters He watches over them day and night so that not one of them is lost If one of the ninety nine stray he gathers it in again and with his rod and his staff he comforts them SECT XXIII §. 23 The flock of Christ hath a place to lie down in THere remains yet a Rest for the people of God a place to lie down in safety When none shall make them afraid when there shall be no Fox nor Wolf nor Lion nor Bear nor any thing to do hurt in all his holy mountain saith the Lord this is the time of refreshing that we look for from the presence of the Lord for it is he alone that maketh us to lie down in safety and rise again he susteins us it is he that maketh us to feed and to lie down and to rest at noon SECT XXIV Satan hath his flock also §. 24 FOr why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions As Christ hath his Way his Truth his Life his Love his Light his Spirit and Kingdom so hath the Devil his flock his ways his rest his spirit and kingdom but one contrary to the other But the Lords Spirit shall lead us into all Truth Thus the Devil can turn himself into an Angel of light and make himself God and be worshipped as God sitting in the room of God this is the great mystery of iniquity Indeed many think they be Angels of light when once they be but outwardly transformed whereas indeed they are devils still onely transformed a devil in the spirit speaking lyes c. SECT XXV §. 25 Though we know not many things yet we are fair IF thou know not O thou fairest among women If any soul want wisdom let him ask it of me that give to all liberally and uphraid none We may know many things and be ignorant of many other there is more unknown of God then well known The Lord knows us far better then we know him If we be out of the way he is so ready to put us in If we fall too willing to help us up if weak to strengthen us and if backwards to draw us in all things the Lord is prepared for our good and it is no shame for poor souls to confess their ignorance that the Lord may instruct them then to be puffed up and think our selves wise enough when we know nothing SECT XXVI §. 26 Who is like to thee O Israel for fairness and beauty O Thou fairest amongst women Here is Christs soul-love after her We may see the glory and beauty of the Church the Lords people above any other whatsoever Rev. 12. having crowns of Stars clothed with the Sun gut about with a golden Girdle the Moon under her feet so comely and fair we are in his eyes even without spot or wrinkle or any such thing I have compared thee for fairness to the stately Horses in Pharaohs Charets I am this Pharaoh Heaven is the Charet you are the Horses that carry and bear my Kingdome and Glory about with you I ride upon you and conquer in you and by you SECT XXVII §. 27 Thy cheeks neck and feet comely all over YOur cheeks how fair are they and comely with rows of jewels and thy neck with chains of gold This is all glory in the Spirit and the beauty of the Lord dwelling with us his face shining on us nay we will have saith the Lord nay make thee also borders of gold all thy garments shall be glorious nay thy borders shall be gold with studs of silver What is this but glorious from the crown of the head even to the lowest border and sole of the foot SECT XXVIII §. 28 The exceeding great beauty and delight that is in the Saints through the Lord their God THy spikenard and sweet spices when the Lord thy King sitteth at his table within thy heart and spirit coming to sup with thee for joy thereof sendeth such sweet smells delighteth the Lord who will not only feed at his table but rest all the night and be like a bundle of myrrhe between thy brests and thus thou shalt be satisfied with his abundance of love and also a cluster of Camphire in the vineyards of Engedi Behold thus thou art fair and haâ—â— doves eyes so chaste pure and lovely and exceeding pleasant to look upon the King delighteth in thee Thy bed is also green still flourishing and ripe a continual spring is upon thy cheeks Thy house and dwellings behold they are eternal in the Heavens Thy beams are Cedars and thy rafters Fir thy windows chrystals thy gates pearls thy pavement gold thy walls precious stones thy coverings salvation thy bed peace thy fire the Lords love thy garden the Lords presence thy walks the Lords unsearchable wisdom and art thou not then fair even the fairest amongst women this then is most true we are the building of God SECT XXIX The Rose and the Lilly and the Apple tree §. 29 WE are the roses of Sharon and the lillies of the valleys the pleasant flowers of the Lord for sweetness fairness and pleasantness And as the lillies amongst thorns so are we the Lords loves and lillies amongst the daughters excelling them and the lillies shall grow notwithstanding the thorns and among the thorns appear the more comely a lilly among the daughters and an apple tree amongst the sons Christ is the apple tree and the Christian the lilly Christ the son and the Lilly the daughter and both from one father and thus they be sister and brother husband and wife The Lilly sits down under his shadow with great delight and his fruits are pleâ—sant to her taste this is nothing else but the time of the weâ—kness of the Spouse living under shadows forms and signs and the Lord even makes them fruitful to her and she sits down there with great delight till the Lord raise her up higher SECT XXX §. 30 The soul brought from the shadow to the banquetting house the substance ANd from thence the soul is brought higher as first it was a Rose then a Lilly then in the Valley then amongst thorns then sitting undâ—r the apple tree under the shadow of that fruit or creature and that with delight in all and bearing fruit in all but now is brought to the Lords banquetting house and after that under his banner for his banner over me was love Now she is exalted indeed passing from fear to love from Sinai to Sion This is a banquetting house indeed from sitting under the shadow of an applâ— tree to the ministration of the Spirit is to be brought from the shadow to the substance from darkness to light a banquetting house the nearer we are brought to the Lord God SECT XXXI §. 31 And having once tasted of the Lords love she counts flagons of wine was one love and apples also and not leaves now can comfort a soul STay me with
is all this but the good work of the Lord upon his We are his Vineyard the Lord God is the Husbandman Christ the Vine We the Branches the Spirit the Fruits the Lords Grace the fruitful Hill the Lords Peace the Hedg and Wall the Lords Power the Tower Righteousness his Vine Love his Winepress and this is watched and watered from Heaven and gives always increase abounding with fruits to the Lord. But as for the flesh and earthly man the corrupt nature formerly the Lords Vineyard when he leaves it O what is it Nay the very best of us if the Lord absent himself take away the hedg wall vine winepress then what a miserable thing is man then he minds nothing but earthly things woe unto him when I leave him Woe to him that joyns house to house then thâ—t is his treasure making provisions for the flesh that is his feasts but hell and darkness opens her mouth wide and is enlarged her self and all their pomps and glory descend thither SECT VIII §. 8 The second Vision of the Throne and of the Temple and him that sits there A Second Vision from the Lord There was a mighty high Throne and it was lifted up gloriously and the Lord sate upon the Throne high and lifted up and there was a Temple also the Throne was in the Temple where the Lord sate and the Lords train filled the Temple also full of Glory and above the Throne and about it stood the Seraphims and every one had six wings with two he covered his face with two his feet and with other two he did fly and as they fled they cryed one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory And moreover the voyce that cryed was so great that it shook and moved the posts of the door of the Temple and the house was filled with smoak and it shook and terrified the Prophet also that he cryed out I am undone I am undone I am unclean all over and as I cried thus I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts that then the Lord of Hosts sent a Seraphim to me that came flying with a live coal taken from off the Altar with the tongs in his hand and he came and laid it upon my mouth and took away with it my iniquity purging away sin and cleansing my lips then saying to me Who will go for us whom shall I send And I said here am I Lord send me and the Lord said Go and shew this people what thou hast seen make their hearts fat and ears heavy and shut their eyes for they understand not and do so long till the Land be utterly desolate for a remnant only shall be left like an oak whose leaves are dryed up and the substance in the root so shall the holy seed be the substance thereof SECT IX §. 9 The Lord ruling in the midst of his people judging all within and without in Righteousness NOw what is all this that the Vision means but the Lord God coming to Judgment and sitting upon the Throne of Righteousness which is high and lifted up to rule the Nations and judg the Earth in Righteousness and inasmuch as the Throne was lifted up in the Temple which Temple are we in the Lord there God hath his Throne in the midst amongst us and none other and from thence he will send forth Justice and Judgment that shall run along the streets of the Cities and Countries but there shall his Throne be and what are the Seraphims but the ministring spirits from the Lord praising the Lord and fulfilling his Word crying Holy holy holy continually and what is the train that fills the Temple are not we in the Lord or are not all his Excellencies Grace Power Wisdom Truth Mercy Love Peace are they not his train that fills the Temple of the Saints All his Attributes Blessings Comforts Gifts Graces are his train and to the filling of the Temple and from thence he sends whom he will from the Temple where he is into the Land to convince them of sin righteousness and judgment c. SECT X. §. 10 Rezin and Remaliah 's sons confederacy their tails and evil counsel like fire-brands THis is is a Prophesie now of Rezin the Syrian King and Remaliahs son the Ephraimite being Confederates and taking evil counsel against the Lord and his people in Jerusalem saying Let 's go up and vex it make a breach in it and set a King over it of our own or else destroy it This news made the house of David Judah Jerusalem faint for fear like the trees moved with the wind because of the tails of these two fire-brands raging against them but the Lord sends the Prophet with a message to comfort them and not to fear for he will break destroy them both their evil councel shall not stand nor prosper and the Lord sent them a sign also either in heaven or earth which they refusing the Lord himself gave them a sign saying Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son shall call his name Emmanuel and then the Land and the enemy that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings if thou believest this thou shalt be established and weary not the Lord as ye have wearied men This is the will of the Lord that though the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing and the Kings and the Princes take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed Judah and Jerusalem the house of David the Lords heritage and people yea though all the enemies of our salvation and all the host that flesh and blood can make against us should compass us round about yet the counsel of the Lord that shall stand and he will comfort his people and say unto them their sins are forgiven and their warfare accomplished and they shall receive double for all their miseries and this shall be their sign the Virgin conceiving and Christs forming in them shall be the Emmanuel God with them to deliver them out of all the hands of their enemies and establish them a glory to the Lord. SECT XI §. 11 The waters of Shiloah or the soft and still voyce condemned by most and Rezin followed the Law and Testimony where to be found THe people that refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly and rejoyce in Rezin and Remaliahs son the Lord shall hiss for the Fly that is in the river of Egypt and for the Bee in the Land of Assyria and they shall devour thy Land and the mighty river shall overflow thee and reach even to the neck and the lifting up of his wings shall fill thy Land O Emmanuel yet Emmanuel shall break you all in pieces though you associate confederate and band your selves never so much yet the Lord God himself whom they sanctifie and who is their dread shall be their Sanctuary to them but for a stumbling for a
THE LITTLE Bible of the Man OR THE Book of God opened in Man BY THE Power of the LAMB Wherein God is the Spirit or inside of the Book and Man the Letter or out-side of it In whom as in a Glass you may both behold the Spirit and Letter of the holy Scriptures in the new Man fulfilled and Explained from Genesis to Jeremiah This is the first Volume of Gods Book in Man Written by a weak Instrument of the Lords Capt. T. BUTLER LONDON Printed in the first year of Englands Liberty 1649 For Giles Calvert at the black spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lord of Pembroke AND To the Right Honorable the Lord of Mulgrave all Peace and Happiness My Lords IT is the Design of Heaven to pull down the pride of all flesh and to have the Lord alone Exalted that no flesh might glory before him but all that glory may do it in the Lord God they being the Lords For the day of the Lord is come upon all flesh to destroy it like grasse but the Word of the Lord abides for ever and he that is built upon that Rock the gates of hell can never prevail against him though the Lord cometh to shake terribly the Earth and the Heavens also yea though the mountains and hils remove out of their places though the stars fall from heaven and the Sun be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood by this terrible Earthquake yet the foundation of God stands sure their Sun never sets nor their Moon changes For the Lord himself is their everlasting Light and thy God their glory And though the fashion of this world perisheth waxing old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them yet thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome O God and thy Dominion throughout all ages thou changest not but art the same to day yesterday and forever thou shalt raign till thou hast made this world become the Kingdomes of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Saints and great shall be the day of the Lord. My Lords I could doe no less then recommend this new born babe unto You which hath been brought forth in sorrow and much weakness of flesh though in the willingness of spirit the Lord gives it his grace and blessing that it may be growing up in you in strength and power which shall be the joy and desire of Your Servant T. Butler From my Quarters in Black-Fryers Mr Delaines February 8. 1648. To his Worthy Friend Mr Tho. Appletree Worthy Friend LEt him that stands saith the Apostle take heed least he fall and be not high minded but fear for God gives grace to the humble and exalts the meek but the proud he beholds afar off it is good therefore for every man to look to his feet and consider how he stands by sense or by Faith by Flesh or Spirit by Grace or by Works and where he stands on holy or unholy ground or the Sand or the Rock upon the Sea or the dry Land on Earth or in Heaven in himself or in God whether the Moon be under his feet and he clothed with the Sun whether he serve God or Mammon for if we stand in the Lord we are safe but if we stand any where else we sink and fall the Lords Angels pitch their tents about his to preserve them in all his ways they shall walk and not be weary run and not faint they walk as wise men and not as fools redeeming the time because the days are evil And while God gives You opportunity do good to all but especially to the houshold of Faith and be not weary of well doing for in due time you shall reap if you faint not faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it Your labor of love is well known to many Saints in Dedington and thereabout in Oxfordshire whose bowels You have refreshed the Lord make You more and more to abound in Faith and Love that You may never see Christ naked hungry or in prison but You may minister to him and relieve the oppressed judg the fatherless and widow and let the cause of the poor be maintained still keeping Faith and a good Conscience in all things that Your good example and counsel may win upon many and if J or my poor endeavors herein may advantage You any way in this kind it will be the travel of my Soul and the joy of my Spirit Sir Your Friend and Servant THO. BUTLER TO The Vertuous LADIES Mrs Elizabeth Mrs Anne Mrs Margaret Mrs Katherine and Mrs Lettice Babingtons my dear and precious Sisters together with the rest of that noble Family My deer Sisters AMongst the Catalogue of Gods great mercies to me I account it not the least to be of the number of that sweet and precious society and Family and to see how the Lord hath multiplied his mercies towards us as not onely to make us one Body but also one Spirit giving us the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace whereby we have fellowshp with the Lord and one with another in the Spirit praying rejoycing conversing walking and living together continually this never dyes neither can it be parted it s such a threefold cord that nothing can break it such a fellowship nothing can divide it and such a joy and life none can take from us I have through the love and goodness of the Lord to me drawn some spiritual Discoveries upon a part of the Scriptures as God gave me opportunity Onely my dear Sisters let me desire this from you What you finde herein of God glorifie him for it and what is not of God as you apprehend judg it not after the flesh but judg righteous judgment and withal remember the weakness of him that was but a poor instrument in it And if it may by the blessing of God give any light to you God speaking the same things in a vail to it in your spirits how will it rejoyce mine Thus leaving all to the good guide of the Spirit of Truth in all things I take leave and remain Your loving Brother T. BUTLER TO THE READER JVdg not saith the Apostle that ye be not judged for with what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again and what you would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets but Christ and the Apostles go further and would have us do far better to others then they do to us give them good for evil knowing this now J cannot but perswade my loving Reader to lay aside all malice wrath envy guil and hypocrisie and in love meekness patience and much goodness read and consider trying the spirits whether they be of God or not And thus J shall say with thee if there be any thing as questionless there is of flesh darkness or the spirit of this world that all of it may come into
Covenant he will write in us first what it is not then what it is ANd this Covenant shall not be according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord God No no that was in Letter outward dead in tables of stone read seen heard but fat from the heart and spirits SECT VIII §. 8 How this Covenant differs from all others it being in Spirit BUt this is the Covenant 1. That was with their Fathers This with the Children 2. That was for a day This for many days 3. That was to take them by the Hand This is to take them by the Heart 4. That was to lead them This to write in them 5. That was to lead them out of Egypt This is to lead them from Flesh to Spirit from Earth to Heaven from this world to that to come 6. That was to forsake them if they forsake me This is never to forsake them nor they me I will be their God and they shall be my people that I will be their God if they be my people 7. That was to be taught of Men This is to be taught of God they shall all know me 8. That was without Mercy to their Sins it was all for Sacrifice but now I will have mercy I will be merciful to their sins 9. That was to take notice of and remember sin to break the Covenant This remembers sin no more but to forgive and forget though we offend him seventy times seven in a moment 10. That made us faulty and guilty This makes us faultless and guiltless 11. That made us old Creatures This makes us new Creatures 12. That made us happy in the Flesh This makes us happy in the Spirit Thus Christ Jesus is become the sum of all things Gods true Ministry true Tabernacle Sacrifice Gods true and new Covenant made with Man All was compleat in him and so Christians SECT IX §. 9 Christ is in us Gods Dwelling and his Writing NOw if any man be in Christ or Christ be in him he is a new Creature in Christ or Christ a new Creature in him Then as Christ was and is so shall he be the true Tabernacle in whom God shall dwell the Priesthood the Sacrifice the Covenant of God written in him In the volume of his heart shall be written Lo I come to do thy will O God Yea thy Law is written within my heart So that whatsoever is applyed to Christ shall be also to the Christian What great things are spoken of the beloved City of God how are they called Gods Heaven and Earth Gods Throne and Footstool Gods Paradise His Rivers His Lands and Being his Inheritance Psal 2. His Husbandry His Building His City and Temple His Birds and Beasts His Sons and Heirs His Jewels and Treasures yea all that is or can be named But amongst all I would speak of two and shew you how the Saints are a houshold of Faith how they are Gods dwelling House which I must refer to some other providence to bring forth what God hath put into my heart concerning that House and the building thereof and now wholy address my self to the other which is this How the Saints may be called and how they are made the Bible or Book of God the Book of Life God living in them they are made the very Oracles of God speaking as moved by the holy Ghost whose hearts are Gods Closets and Study where he keeps his Library all his Writings Inditings Laws Decrees Purposes Counsels Precepts Promises Prophesies all this and their very lives preach their hearts and apply their texts their outward man the Commentary or Exposition a very Sermon of the inward grace and word of Life there What shall I say to speak nothing of the Temple Altar Shew-bread Candlestick Laver Incense Mercy-seat nor of the Ark but only of the Tables in the Ark nothing of the House Houshold-goods Treasures only a little of the Writing of God there in letters of gold For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord. SECT X. §. 10 What this new Covenant is further to us IT is not the old Covenant renewed but a new one made not out of us but in us not in letter but in Spirit not in word but in deed and in truth wherein God doth bind himself under hand and seal to make good what he promises and what he will perform to us the Oath sworn to our forefather Abraham that he would give us that he would deliver us from the hands of all our enemies within and without And secondly That he would make us a people fit to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness in love all the days of our life and in him all we should be blessed SECT XI The high excellency and vertue of it in us §. 11 what it doth for us and is to us THis new Covenant makes men new Creatures that have it written in them It gives them a new Nature and new names accordingly 2. It is the very gate that enters into the City the new Jerusalem All that enter therein go through this gate which is the gate of Heaven 3. All things in this Covenant are of God nothing at all of Man God makes it keeps it and performs every thing in it that concerns us 4. This Covenant is our marriage with the Lamb our Union and our Communion with God and that in Spirit It is the very uniting in spirits and keeping the bond of peace 5. This Covenant is the life of all the old they were but the shadows of this were all fulfilled in it and this must be that the Scriptures may be fulfilled which prophesied long since of it and we are waiting for it having received the first fruits of it some Lines and Precepts 6. This Covenant is the Liberty of the Sons of God by this they are made free from Sin to do Righteousness and free being enlarged and released out of bondage by the spirit of truth in Christ Jesus Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ Jesus hath made you free and be not entangled with worldly rudiments any more 7. It is a free Covenant as well as a full or a new one freely made freely promised freely wrought of God 8. And it is a sure one being Gods and everlasting also It doth also agree in one and makes all one whether male or female bond or free high or low rich or poor we are all made one in this Covenant in the Spirit SECT XII §. 12 The Lord setting forth a book to the world I will put my Laws in their minds this is the heavenly resolution to set up his Press in our Hearts and print in us whole volumes and from thence it shall be published to
the world what God hath done in the secret printing-house of the heart and whatsoever comes out to the world that is not of his printing and licensing shall be suppressed by the Spirit as not having the hand-writing that makes free and none shall buy or sell but those that have his mark SECT XIII §. 13 What be the things God makes use of in writing this Book Man ANd when the Lord God doth thus he will make our hearts his table-books washing them clean and pure fit and prepared to receive any impression his letters shall be all Spirit and his words life his Precepts and Commandments perfect Liberty as for the Lords Pen it shall be the Finger of the Spirit of God the Inditer God himself the Ink it shall be the pure Christal waters of Life and Grace that proceeds from the Throne of God and of the Lamb the everlasting Fountains of Love the Writings and Printings shall never perish it shall be for a perpetual Memorial to all generations the Lords Hand and Seal shall be set to the Book he will not be ashamed of his workmanship nor his writing therein it shall be also dedicated to all the world Angels and men for all to read his Name shall be to it and the Title shall be this The Book of Life Printed in the year of our Lord the fulness of time SECT XIV Gods making mans heart plain and fair for it §. 14 as paper I Will put my Laws in their minds this is the mind of God to have them of one minde with himself minding the same things His mind in their minds God would fain put his new wine into the new vessels of their minds knowing full well how much vanity for the most part lodges there like the Inn that was full of guests that there was no room for Christ to lay his head so it is in most minds enough of every thing but little enough of this love of the Spirit of Life What said the Lord Now I will come into the temple of mans mind and cast out the buyers and sellers overthrow the tables of the money-changers drive out the beasts and birds and the house that was full of murderers aden of theeves I will make a house of prayer before I leave them SECT XV. §. 15 What God minds and loves it is to live with us and in us BY this we may see the mind of God what he minds most amongst men what he loves best where he desires to live it is the minds of men Again we see all those Sacrifices under the Law that were commanded to be offered to God must be of the best the male in the flock not the sick blind lean or lame all which was abominable to God so here this is the male in the flock God will have offered to him his Laws put into our minds and if this be not all is nothing Thus it was with David surely when he said Oh how do I love thy Law it is my meditation day and night and again Psal 1. 2. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Laws of the Lord surely it was because God had put his Laws in his mind As it was in the Temple of God which was a shaddow of good things to come there was we read in the most holy place the Ark of the Covenant surely this Ark was a kind of figure of what God would do in these last dayes in our Temples in the most holy place of our hearts even in the Ark of our minds he would place his Covenants and put his Laws in that Arke SECT XVI §. 16 What is shall be of the Lords Will and Law and nothing else ANd in that it is said my Laws it shall be a living Law a holy heavenly wise gracious good Law God himself shall be our Law and our Example in all things follow him the Governments shall be upon his shoulders he will Rule in us and over us and be our King Priest and Prophet Happy art thou O Israel a people governed by the Lord He is your Law-giver and it is given to the spirits and hearts of men where he rules and sits brings al things into subjection to himself I will break every other Law of man all your Laws either in Church or in State either in the inward man that convinces or in the outward that restrains that are not mine shall be rooted up those yokes and burdens you shall no longer bear but take my yoke it 's easie my burden and Laws are light and in them you shall find rest SECT XVII §. 17 His own Laws he keeps and them he will have us keep one Law for both ANd in that he saith my Laws see how good and gracious God is he will lay no other burden then what he bears himself live by one Law one Mind one Life one Spirit one Truth one Peace one Righteousness one Kingdom the Law God walks by lives in the way he goes that which is his own very heart and nature the same he would give us that we may be as God is holy as he is holy just as he is just that we may be the children of our Father which is in Heaven SECT XVIII §. 18 All Gods Laws a whole volum within us ANd it is observable he doth not say my Law though all his Laws agree in one and are as one but shews us further that how the Word of the Lord shall dwell in us richly and not sparingly we shall not abound in some grace but in every grace nor in some knowledg but in all wisdom knowledg not doing some of the Will of God but instructed in the whole Counsel of the Lord we shall have Laws in us of all sorts the Law of Faith the Law of Love the Law of Truth the Law of Life the Law of Righteousness the Law of Meekness the Law of Contentedness nay there is not a Law in Heaven nor a Law in the Heart of God but he will put it in our hearts for we shall be men after his own heart And this we must know God is the searcher of heart and mind it must be such an eye and such an arm as must be stretched out to reach the bottom and depth of our minds all that is in the world is too short we may speak to them present the forms and patterns of things given to us in the Mount to the eyes ears and outward view and hearing of men in the world and there we must leave it then comes God and gives the increase he puts it farther he doth the work powerfully We can but John the Baptist like say I indeed baptize with water but he that comes after me it is he that must do all without him all is nothing so here unless Christ come after as here he hath promised and put his Laws in our minds we shall heare pray and do all in vain SECT XIX §. 19 WHerefore my dearly beloved
my self abundantly in love This true Paradise which God planted in man Christ formed in us and the Spirit of God living like a fountain of water with us SECT X. The Adam and Eve there in Paradise §. 10 ANd further as from the Paradise and River of Life the whole world is refreshed for from hence come the streames of life and divide themselves into all parts of the world teaching in his Name wonderfull things so the Man and the Woman that lives in this Paradise with God the Adam and the Eve is Christ and the Christian Christ the Man and the Christian the Woman both living in one Paradise brought together by God marryed and given in marriage by the Spirit of God making Christ and the Christian one this is the Mystery of God manifested in the flesh or God dwelling in us becoming a second Adam to us feeding us with the tree of Life in us and refreshing us as with living water which he gives us and the tree shall not dye but live need no clothing or any Tabernacle or Shrine or Fig-leaves but the nakedness of God appearing in the Righteousness of Christ not having our garments which are hairy but the smooth and naked clothes of Christ and we shall not be ashamed SECT XII §. 12 The Tempter the Fall the Serpent NAy further the Tempter here in the New Creature thus written by God is the good Tempter the Spirit of the Lord tempting us and leading us into all Truth and Lord lead us into this temptation for ever and this Spirit is not like the beast of the field but like the Doves of Heaven it is as wise as Serpents but as innocent and harmless as a Dove Now the great Fall of this New Man is a total and final fall from sin Satan or a Being taken up in Clouds from the earth a receiving out of their sight to live with the Lord as also the curse there is nothing but blessing there is neither pain nor sorrow conceiving nor travelling there is neither Lord nor servant but all are made one in Christ Jesus SECT XII §. 12 How all things are made new in the beginning of this book LAstly to conclude the writing of God in short for the book of the beginning of the new Creation or Book of life in Man Here is no carnal generation no living after the Flesh no knowing one another after the Flesh but in Spirit and Truth a spiritual encrease and multiplying Here is no death at all but a long life even for ever and ever Here is no marrying nor giving in marriage but they are like the Angels of God no violence but all meekness and love Here is no wrath nor destruction but eternal love and consolation Here is no repenting the Lord he made Man but it rejoyces him at the heart to see him Here is no Deluge but the pouring out of the Spirit no Ark but the Lords presence in our Ark we are the house of God no perishing but Flesh no Sacrifice but the Spirit no Covenant but the new one in Man no Rain but that of the Word of Truth no Flesh but Spirit to feed upon no Milk nor Herbs but Grace no Vinyard but that of the Lords love no Altar but God no Call but that inward Call to forsake thy Fathers house No House nor Father nor Mother nor Land nor Portion but the Lord none to serve nor follow but him no Circumcision but in Spirit no bond woman nor her children but the free woman the spirit of liberty from sin and death no Well but the deep Rivers of Salvation no Vision but of God no Famine but of Flesh no Corn nor Wine nor Oyl but the Light of Gods countenance lifted up upon us CHAP. III. The second Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called EXODVS THe second book is the book of Exodus for where the Lord hath once begun a writing or a work a word or a line he will build up finish and make an end in his due time but now he is but beginning and going on from one strength to another appearing in us now he comes with an out-stretched arm to deliver before he came to pull down and to build up to lay the foundation now he comes to deliver from the enemies of our salvation SECT II. §. 2 God calling his Son out of Egypt THerefore saith he I have called my Son out of Egypt that is Christ is called out of the grave death darkness this is the Son called out of Egypt the Flesh to live in Spirit in his members and body Now in this Egypt of our flesh and filthiness dwells nothing but Thunder and Lightening Darkness Plagues and Crosses for all these lay upon the Son while he is and was in our Egypt or fleshly Nature but he must rise the third day the Son shall not always lie thus in the grave the Spirit shall not always strive with Flesh and be buffeted and betrayed by it as Israel after a certain time was called forth the Lord hears the groans of his Son on the Cross and Israel in Egypt and the groans of the Spirit in these Tabernacles of Flesh willing to be delivered waiting for the day of Redemption not out of a part of Egypt to live in the suburbs or as neer as may be but far off to get into another land and kingdom even the kingdom called the Lords And though Flesh and Blood Principalities and Powers spiritual wickedness in high places Pharoah and all his Taskmasters the Magicians and all the hoste of Egyptians rise up against this Call and power of God to withstand it as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses and as the Scribes and Pharises placing the watch and ward laying the stone upon the grave of Christ sealing it withstood God and as Antichrist withstands the two witnesses but all in vain till the power of God entred into them all bringing them forth with a mighty hand saying Come up hither and fire came out of their mouths and the sea to consume and devour them They I mean all their carnal and spiritual enemies may come after them as far as the red sea but then no farther As soon as his Son the Lord Christ or the Christian hath passed through the red Sea of the sufferings of Christ Flesh and Blood dare follow them no further nay here dyes and perisheth all this carnal power and enmity SECT III. §. 3 God leading his Son through the Wilderness BUt though Gods Son Christ Jesus be called out of Egypt and is led from thence and Egypt destroyed in the Red Sea there the Flesh suffers yet there is another Call God leaves not his Son in the Wilderness whom he hath once called but then he calls them on and allures them there speaking comfortably to them This Son of God called out of Egypt thus and now all his children in the Wilderness is brought to straits and knows not whither to look
standing between Heaven and Earth Flesh and Spirit both fighting the one against the other SECT IV. What this Wilderness is §. 4 FOr this Wilderness in us is nothing else but the warfare between Flesh and Spirit light and darkness between Michael and the Dragon with their Angels and it is a long time before it be altogether finished we go on as we overcome through faith still gaining ground overcoming by little and little till at last all the two and fourty years are expired along time God had many battels in them searching and smiting drawing and healing but at last the Lord overcoming and they sing with Deborah and Barack and with Moses and the Virgins that follow the Lamb having their harps in them the new song the Lord omnipotent reigneth and as Paul said I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom I have obtained the Victory SECT V. What God doth for his Son in the Wilderness §. 5 three or four things especially The first thing is the several forms of Rest BUt there are three things remarkable in the wilderness and another at the end of the wilderness before they entred the Land For the first how many several rests and standings turnings and windings they had there at the least fourty two and all this time were these witnesses prophecying in sackcloth Judah and Israel or Moses and Aaron for they could not in the Wilderness sacrifice well nor serve God nor keep their Feasts nor their solemn meetings for fear of their enemies So is it in the warfare between Flesh and Spirit as long as there is any flesh reigning living fighting opposing there is little Sacrifice Obedience Worship Praise or serving of God because of these enemies we are kept under in bondage being in fear of them so in these several stages forms or seats that Israel had it was given them because of their weakness had they been able God could have brought them sooner but their wickedness makes these standings lest they should faint in the way And we shall finde it hindered them much and because of their dulness and deadness their unbeleef they went no faster on so is it in the experience true in the spiritual state and travel in this Son Christ travelling in us till he is brought forth into rest the Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak and we make many false rests and say Lo here is Christ and lo there Now we are well and may stand still and go no further and anon a little further and stay there again Thus our pressing from one Form Presbytery to Independency and to Anabaptism and so further we are apt to flatter our selves they be our Rests and many a Proselite having fellowship with some Church to be a member and have such and such a Pastor and breaking bread with such beleevers and in such a pure outward way as they conceive here they are happy and lay themselves down to rest thinking they have purchased a good degree to themselves when they may be as far from the Kingdom of God as before SECT VI. §. 6 The second thing that God doth for his Son in the Wilderness is His giving the living Law with the Tables by the Spirit of Christ from Mount Zion NOw the second thing in the Wilderness is this The giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai this is Hager and her children the bond woman and her son shall not be heir with the Son of the Promise the one is of the Flesh and the other from the Spirit The one from Mount Sinai the other from Mount Sion the City of the living God the new Jerusalem and we have our Laws from Mount Gerizim and not from Mount Ebal and our Laws from Mount Zion not by the hand of Moses nor by the Ministry of Angels nor yet in Tables of stone which are only the patterns of heavenly things but by the hands of the Lord himself by the Ministry and Writing of the Spirit and that in the Tables of the Lords will planted in us which are the very heavenly things themselves and here shall the Vail be taken away and we shall say no more now Let not the Lord speak to us lest we dye but we shall say Let the Lord alone speak to us that we may dye and he may live and there shall be no more here the Thunder nor the Lightening nor Earthquake seen but the still Voyce of the Lord speaking within us and setting up his lively oracles there that he that preacheth may take out his Text from the Law of God within him and he that speaketh may speak as in the name of the Lord that shall here be fulfilled Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord And this is that which will carry us through the Wilderness indeed through all Tryals Troubles Temptations Persecutions in whose heart the Law of God lives when those that have it only written with pen and ink shall perish in the mid way SECT VII §. 7 The third thing in the Wilderness is The Tabernacle of God with his Son THe third thing I spake of is the Tabernacle now having a Law given them they must also have a Tabernacle for the Congregation to meet and hear the Law read and expounded also and here must they bring their sacrifice and worship the Lord this being the holy place of the Lord that he hath chosen to dwell in so that all this is true in us Christ is the only Tabernacle where the Godhead dwells there is the glory of the Lord filling that Tabernacle and here is all the Sacrifice and Worship of God in Spirit and Truth here all the Congregation all that we have or are is offered up to the Lord as a burnt offering wherefore he saith in a certain place The Tabernacle of God is with men and he dwells amongst them and he will be their God and they shall be his people And further here is the Law of God revealed and taught as from the Tabernacle God speaking with a lively voyce in them and calling the whole Congregation of Heaven and Earth Flesh and Spirit Men and Angels to draw nigh to him to his Tabernacle which is his presence saying and writing this in them I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the house of bondage thou shalt have no other Gods but me SECT VIII The total Circumcision of Flesh and final destruction §. 8 of the fiery Serpent THe last thing I only mention is the Circumcision in the end as they were going to enter into the Land this was the last fiery tryal the same is also made good in our spirits that Gilgal where we must be first of all Malice Guile Hypocrisie of Altar Forms and Notions only circumcise from all our filthiness of flesh spirit this is the book of Exodus God makes good in us in bringing us forth with a mighty hand from all the powers of flesh and Satan that keep us
in bondage from serving the Lord in freedom of heart and this is his Call Let my people go that they may serve me To this purpose speaks Zacharias Oh that he would grant unto us that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies may serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life I know saith the Lord that Pharaoh that proud flesh wil not let my people go to serve me But they saith Christ shall go in spite of all to serve the Lord I will make all their enemies their footstool saith the Lord. CHAP. IV. The third Book that God writes in Man is §. 1 called LEVITICVS NOw the third Book is called Leviticus This also is made good in the Saints in the truth of it the spirit of that Letter dwells in them and the substance of what is written in that Book concerns them chiefly as this All the Sacrifices looked at them they are to offer up the Sacrifice of Righteousness of which all the legal were but Types Secondly the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart and then their souls and bodies to be offered up as living Sacrifices to the Lord holy and acceptable And what were all the Calves Lambs Doves but meerly figurative not only looking at Christ but Christians also they must be the Lambs of God Doves Turtles and Christ presents them thus to God therefore the Apostle saith We shall be presented harmless and blameless at his coming And again I beseech you present your selves a living Sacrifice to God And again Ye are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifice to God so that the Apostle makes them and all that they do to be Sacrifices to God and the Lord smells a sweet savor in them nay he tells them they are the Lords Levites and Priests to make prayers and supplications to God yea to offer the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and to call upon the Name of the Lord these are they that are to stand before the Lord of the whole earth the anointing of the Lord is upon them to minister before the Lord God not only oyl but the oyl of Life and Grace the Spirit of the Lord falls on them and hath anointed them to preach the glad tydings Thy God cometh O Zion SECT II. §. 2 The Levites garments that minister to the Lord. NAy yet more all the fine linnen the Priests did wear what meant it but the white garments the walking with God in white the pure white linnen the Righteousness of Saints what was the Ephod and their Brest-plate their Urim and their Thummim their Bells and Pomegranates the names of the twelve Tribes on their Brestplates their Incense their ministring before the Lord their entring in with blood to the Temple all these are fulfilled spiritually in Saints the mind of God is with them that fear him they have a Brestplate of Righteousnes the Name of the Lord written in their hearts and they have the Names of the Tribes all the people of God are fellow Members and fellow Feelers one of another SECT III. §. 3 The spiritual Service in the House of the LORD THeir Incense they have is The sweet perfume of the Spirit of Grace in them that runs all along their garments their Bells and Pomegranates is the everlasting Gospel of God made known by them in truth and evidence of the Spirit every way these are they that minister before the Lord day and night they kindle the fire upon the Altar and do not offer up strange fire keep the Lamps in the House of the Lord that they go not out all these things and many more are proper to the Saints they have the Lamps of the Lord burning in them never decaying having the Olive trees always feeding them so that whensoever the Lord comes these wise Virgins are with their Lamps prepared and they receive this fire from Heaven to consume every Sacrifice and not false fire the fire of the Lords Love and Zeal the Zeal of his House eat them up they look to the doors of the Lords House see that no lame blind sick Sacrifice be offered but the best in the flock not the female but the male they think it not a weariness to serve the Lord neither do they make his table contemptible they have the Tythes of all all things in Heaven and Earth they have the first fruits all do homage and yeeld obedience to them all the sheaves bow to them the whole world shall bring their glory into them and they shall be the store-house of the Lord. CHAP. V. The fourth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called NVMBERS THe fourth Book is the Book of Numbers where you have the Lords people to be the Sum of all that is therein contained it is fulfilled in them and compleated spiritually by them they are Gods Numbers they are all numbered in his Books are all their names written nay their thoughts and actions numbered a Book of Remembrance writing down what they say of the Lord Mal. 3. Their very bones nay the very hairs of their heads numbered much less will he have any one of his number lost though the shepheard had ninety nine he would leave all to seek after the one because of all that is his he will lose none he keeps a perfect account of them and of every sort of them so many Tribes so many of every Tribe of all tongues languages kindred and people he hath his Numbers besides he hath the number how many lambs how many babes how many strong men how many fathers how many hired servants how many sick how many well how many strong how many weak how many fat and lean poor and rich male and female bond and free in all such things the Lord is instructed taking care of all and providing for all SECT II. How every thing is numbred by the Lord in them AGain numbering their gifts and graces their growth and age till they come to that perfect number and stature in Christ having their days and age filled being full of days and of the holy Ghost Besides this the Armies of the Saints their Banners Christ their Camp Righteousness their General the Lord of hosts their Pillar of Fire and Cloud by day and night the presence of the Lord even the Angel of his presence their matches from strength to strength going on to perfection forgetting the things behinde Their Trumpets sounding is the Voyce of the Lord heard amongst them calling and gathering them together their Sacrifices Praises their Meat Manna their Flesh Quails their Drink out of the everlasting Rock the Lord a Well of living water their spies viewing the holy Land and bringing the first fruits is the earnest of the Spirit giving us a view of Heaven and a taste of the Milk and the Wine therein with the clusters of Grapes brought from thence to refresh us withal SECT III. The true Serpent healing us §. 3. THe brazen
Goliah in the world of darkness and depths of Satan this Spirit of the Lord as a David with its stone and its sling its rod and staff makes way strikes dead to the ground whatsoever stands up and oppose laying all their glory in the dust making the Lyon and the Churl to be like Lambs and Doves silencing all the unclean spirits and establishes its throne in the midst of us SECT V. §. 5 The Raign of the Spirit of the Lord the true DAVID BEsides this Israel chose David now Saul is dead for her King and Iudah and Israel have one King the Lord our Righteousness of which David was a Type shall rule over all where it was said Ye are not my people it shall be said Ye are the sons of the living God for they shall seek the Lord and fear his goodness in the latter days and be a long time without a King Priest or Prophet and then they shall turn to the Lord yea the Philistins also shall have the Lord our David for their King the Heathen shal be his Inheritance the Kings themselves shall be wise and come and kiss the Son David daunceth before the Ark and would appear more vile to Michal if that was vile in her eyes she being childless this is the glory of the Saints the Ark the Lord his Glory it s their song and daunces they sing after his Instruments and this joy of the Saints and spiritual daunces all within us leaps for joy Michal this barren dry flesh scorns all such things as Ishmael scoffed at Isaac so doth flesh the spirit David prayeth the Spirit prayeth Villany is condemned Innocency in Uriah protected Adulteries especially spiritual Adulteries mortified Nathans truth confessed Parables opened and applyed treacherous Absoloms incestuous Ammons Rebellious Shebaes cursing Shimeies all of them consumed hanged and beheaded being judged to death by the King of Righteouâ—nesse David But the Worthies the Ionathans and all the faithful in the Lord renowned and Davids choice is followed by all the Worthies rather to fall into the hands of the Lord then the hands of men and the plague fell upon all flesh and his blessing was still with his spirit CHAP. IX The eighth Book that God writes in Man is §. 1 the third Book of KINGS SOlomon is anointed King his mother asketh Abishag for her son Adoâ—ijah Solomon would have her ask for the Kingdom as soon Adonyah fled Davids Charge to his son Solomon Solomons wisdom given of God the Justice he did the two mothers about the child Solomons building the Temple his workmen his peace and plenty his own house his many wives his blessing and prayer his Kingdom divided Ieroboam King of Israel Rehoboam of Iudah Ieroboams Calves Rehoboams counsel from the young men refusing the old Ahabs wicked raign Elijahs power the people halting Baals Priests destroyed the prayer of Elijah heard the water dryed up the Heavens give rain at his prayer Ahabs false Prophets Ahab goes to battel but prospers not according as Micah said Now all these things are they not written in the Books of the Lord opened in Man which are the true Books of Israel There Solomon Christ Jesus the son of David sits upon the Throne of his Father David it is given to them for whom it is prepared and he that hath Abishag the Queen hath the Kingdom also so he that hath the Queen of Grace hath the Kingdom of Peace which here Solomons wisdom shews us The hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse the seeking the things of Christ and not our own the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnesse all other things are added to us this is the desire in the Saints the only necessary thing how to go in and out before the Lord how to live before him all his days Again The wisdom from above judgeth all things knows whose the living child is and whose the dead and knows that the Lord will have a living child My son give me thy heart and not a dead child or half a child to serve God and Mammon Solomon builds a Temple thus the Lord builds a Temple in us we are the buildings of the Holy Ghost the Temple of the Lord. SECT II. §. 2 A Kingdom divided cannot stand Christs is not divided THe Kingdome divided cannot stand Satans Kingdom divided must fall Christs is not divided neither can be yet many Kings and many Lords many men and means flesh and form divides Paul Apollo and Cephas they were divided in men but united in Christ and having several forms yet one Spirit but when we come to the unity of the Spirit then we shall say many Lords and Gods have ruled over us but to us now there is but one God and Lord the Father of all that is within us all And neither Jeroboams false Gods nor Rehoboams heavy finger nor folly in neglecting the old Councellors shal divide us but we shall walk together in the light of the Lord our God no Ahab shall raign amongst us nor Baals Priests trouble us but the power of the Lord in his Elijah shall be like fire out of their mouths to slay them and there shall be no halting any more between Baal and God Flesh and Spirit but the knowledg of the Lord shall increase and they shall serve the Lord alone they shall shut Heaven and open it the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven shall be given unto them and all Ahabs and Jezabels shall be given over to beleeve lyes till iniquity be their ruine seeing they refused to be instructed and would none of the Lords counsel the Lord will mock at their calamity and laugh when their fear cometh CHAP. X. The ninth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the fourth Book of KINGS THe fourth Book of Kings opened Fire from Elijah that consumes the Captain and his fifty Elijahs blessing upon Elisha Elijah taken up into Heaven Elisha received his Spirit divided the waters healed them maketh the Ax to swim visiteth the Shunamite blesseth her case is fed by a Raven Hezekiahs and Josiah's good raign all which we are the truth and substance of thus the Lord doth with us we are a fire and a flame to our enemies to burn up stubble before us and all that shall fall upon us shall be broken in pieces but on whomsoever we shall fall we shall grind them to powder we are to be taken up in the fiery Chariot of the Lords love burning like fire and let all our dross and flesh fall from us like dross to the earth like his Mantle and we have also received the spirit of Elisha in a double measure not only his Mantle but his Grace and Gods gracious presence not only to divide the waters and heal them but also to divide between Light and Darkness Heaven and Earth Flesh and Spirit Sweet and Bitter Good and Evil Day and Night and to turn the evil into good the night into day that they that sit in darkness and in
shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy So the strangers and strange wives are removed there shall no unclean thing live there any more Whatsoever lives in that is a stranger or a strange wife any thing thou art wedded or married to that is not the Lord is a strange wife that steals away thy heart and the Lord will give thee a bill of divorcement to put her away CHAP. XIII The twelfth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called ESTHER THe book of Esther opened in Man is nothing else but the state of a poor earthly creature in whom there is nothing when once beloved of God the Lord hath a favor to it and sends forth his Spirit to prepare it all things according to his heart and minde and so is brought forth in great glory washed perfumed adorned justified sanctified and so glorified with the Lord to be betrothed to the Lord in truth in judgment and in righteousness And as it shews how the Lord exalts the lowly and meek the worm and nothing above all things so it also holds forth the pomp pride and glory of all flesh and the fall thereof is great and that in Haman a lively figure and representation of this how flesh and blood is exalted and what favor honor friends it may have yea what obeysance and homage how it may have a glorious footstool and as stately and magnificent a crown as the god and king of this world can give him And what shall not be done to the man whom the whole world jointly intends to honor Here all things below are theirs yet behold of a sudden he is cut down like the grass and cast into the oven Cry then All flesh is grass and the glory thereof like the flower of grass so soon it withers away and we are gone surely all flesh is grass but the Word of the Lord endures for ever His Grace and Truth throughout all generations his Garments do not change neither his feet weary nor his shoes wax old but all is more beautiful for the wearing This is true in Esther and Haman the one Grace advanced the other Flesh disgraced CHAP. XIV The thirteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called JOB THe book of Job opened in man And herein you have the life and state of a Christian held forth dying in the flesh and to the world and then living to God and rising in Spirit above this world entering into another world his life with God in Christ this Job shews us in this history the true pattern of the other as for example first The Christians dying in the flesh and to the world is clearly manifested in Jobs miseries how Satan set upon him his wife tempting him Satan accusing him God hiding himself for a moment from him Satan buffeting him his children destroyed his cattel consumed his houses burnt his lands and living impoverished his spirit troubled his health broken his body bruised even from the crown of the head to the feet all over afflicted his friends forsake him his comforters torment him all his Physitians of no value thus he lies in the bed of sicknesse death seising upon all he hath SECT II. §. 2 What is the Mystery of this History of Job in Man I Pray what is this but the Christian crucified to the world and the world crucified to him a Christians dying dayly mortifying his members here upon the earth For this is the Will of the Lord even the denying of our selves and the bearing of our cross and following him And is not all this taught and learnt here in the spiritual state But mark the conclusion It dyes in weaknesse but it doth rise in power it is sown a natural body but it rises a spiritual body it dyes in the flesh but rises in the Spirit So much is clear in the other part of the History All that God took away from Job in the Flesh he gave him again in the Spirit so is it in the Mystery what we lose one way we gain another way we lose according as it is written He that loseth his life shall save it and he that would save his life shall lose it And again He that loseth or forsaketh father or mother wife or children lands or livings for my sake shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting SECT III. §. 3 The latter end of a Saint better then the first the longer he lives the better THerfore saith the Text The latter end of Job was better then his beginning so is it indeed in the spiritual state the latter end is better then the beginning he goes on to perfection his last works are the best therefore Iob said again I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear but mine eyes never saw thee till now wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes The Lord had given him eye salve to see clearly the Glory and Beauty of the Lord God himself what he heard he sees true so is it in the pure spiritual state We see as well as hear the wonderful things of God what others eyes have not seen nor ears heard we can utter And lastly The more Job saw of God the lesse he saw in himself the more his flesh was dead and buried I abhor my self saith he so is it true in us also that know the Lord That the nearer the Lord appears to us the more we like wax melt away the more we enjoy of him the lesse we enjoy our selves CHAP. XV. The fourteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called PSALMS THe Book of Psalms opened in Man He is the Harp in the Lords hand the still and loud Instrument the Psaltery the Organ Sac but and Dulcimer tuned aright by the Lord and therein the Lord God makes melody with a loud Voyce their Sun and Moon Heaven and Earth Fire and Vapours all fulfilling his Word Fruitful Trees and all Cedars Gardens and Fountains Mountains and Hills Men and Angels yea every thing that hath breath praise the Lord as David saith Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name And again Bless the Lord O my soul and forget none of his benefits And again Yea while I have any breath will I praise the Lord. And again Lord let me live that I may praise thee This is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us in all things to give thanks Wherefore saith the Apostle Be not filled with wine wherein is excess but be filled with Spirit wherein there is no excess This is the wine indeed that he that drinks abundantly thereof it will make him merry and wise according to the Apostles rule If any man be merry let him sing Psalms if afflicted let him pray And indeed when we are full of the Holy Ghost we shal be like men full of new wine every one shall be
his body is his wifes So here the Lords Spirit his Life Grace Righteousness and Kingdom is not his but theirs and to them their peace faith strength goodness is not theirs but the Lords for they are though two yet one in the Spirit SECT XXXIX §. 39 The day breaks and the shadows flee away UNtil the day break and the shadows flee away turn thou my beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether This is a sweet and gracious desire of the Spouse from her Lord to have a greater fellowship with him and know him better to have the vails taken away and the Lord turn in the room of them which are the flying away of the shadows and the breaking of the day When the day Star from on high hath visited us to give knowledg of salvation to his people by the remission of sins and then to guide our feet into the way of peace For the Lord is that Spirit that must do that and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and day breakings Now we all beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord till then the Lord will be nigh unto us not far from us upon the Mountains of Bether some Mountains like shadows hinder but when the day breaks they shall become a plain and then the Kingdom of God shall come amongst us and dwell within us as it is said The Kingdom of God with in you SECT XL. §. 40 The Soul loving seeking finding holding and never parting BY night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves I loved him and could not but seek him and am beloved of him and so cannot live without him My love continues seeking and waiting for him at all times places night and day street and City abroad and at home and amongst the watchmen but I found him not in any of these places or persons but when I had passed them all lived above them and beyond them then I found and was found of him whom my soul loveth I laid hands on him and would not let him go but brought him to my mothers house even to the chamber of her that conceived me this is to live in us where his Word and Spirit was before preparing away for him SECT XLI §. 41 The Lords high commendations of his Church and Spouse here in part described CHrist Jesus our Lord having adorned and beautified his Saints he so commends them that he makes it his delight to look upon them and rejoyce in all the works of his hands in them and over them First Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves eyes a pure wisdom from above and peaceable Secondly Thy hair is like a flock of Goats as white as snow noting old age found in the way of Righteousness A Father in Christ and not a Disciple only and old Saint Thirdly Thy teeth like a flock of sheep clean wash'd and shorn and none barren amongst them notes soundness of Judgment Meditation doing nothing rashly noruttering ought rashly before God till it be well chew'd with the teeth It s the trying of all things the discerning whether things be of God or not Fourthly Thy lips like a threed of scarlet simple and honest unfeignedly spoken Fifthly Thy speech comely speaking with power and authority with the Spirit and with Understanding also Sixthly Thy temples like a piece of Pomegranate within thy locks stately and comely fresh and never unmindfull of the Lords Mercies Seventhly Thy neck like the Tower of David builded for an Armory wherein there hangs a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men this is the strength of Faith prevailing with God and doing mighty things by which the Elders of old obtained such good reports as that their shields hang as a memorial Eighthly Thy two brests like two young Roes twins which feed among the Lillies These are the fruitfulness and abundance of Consolations in the Lord she hath and gives to others comforting them with that comfort wherewith she is comforted of God SECT XLII §. 42 There is no spot in her she is all fair yea altogether lovely THere is no spot in her that is she is all light and in her is no sin nor darkness at alll being all light in the Lord the chains of her neck ravishes the Soul of Christ being such a Pearl of heavenly Truth Thy love like wine and the smell of thy ointments like spices This is all sweet and gracious Spirit ministring Grace to the beholders Thy lips drop the hony the hony and milk are under thy tongue This shews a right dividing of the Word of Truth milk to babes hony to stronger and bread to the strongest And the smell of thy garments like the smell of Lebanon Such a sanctified and perfumed Conversation hath she A garden enclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed that is indeed a garden planted by the Lord and watered and increased by him enclosed all by his goodness as a wall of fire about it a spring that shall spring up and shut from the Philistins to corrupt it and such a fountain of Grace therein sealed that it shall not tend unto wantonness not uncleanness yea what heavenly pleasant plants are in thee a well of living waters the Spirit flowing forth in them SECT XLIII §. 43 The sending forth of his Spirit into our hearts to make us to abide in the Lord. AWake O North wind and come O South wind and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth and then let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits This is the Spirit the Lord pouring forth and causing his Winds which are in his Treasuries his Spirit the Wind of Heaven to blow in his Garden yea all his Winds for good the several operations and administrations of the Spirit for several Gifts and Graces the North wind for the Lilly and the South wind for the quickning and making this the North for convincing and renewing but the South for converting and comforting the one to wound and the other to heal and both good for the garden the one for the weeds the other for the herbs and both for to have the spices flow forth to abound in Grace and come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits For is it not good reason that he that plants a Vineyard should eat of the fruits of it So for the Lord that hath planted us for the self same end and blown upon to be glorified in us and by us seeing we are his husbandry SECT XLIV §. 44 The sum of the fifth Chapter of Solomons Song THis Song of Solomon is very excellent and almost all is opened in us to our hands by the Spirit of the Lord for the very Letter makes the Spouse and the Lord Christ the sum of it all wherefore to proceed in the various
Prophet saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem it was this The Prophet looked and behold he saw the earth full of hills and mountains and so full that they could hardly stand one by the other and the valleys were drowned by the mountains and the hills and he looked till he saw the mountains and the hills wage war one against another and he saw them that lived in these mountains and hills were Soothsayers Philistins strangers and the mountains and the hills were full of silver and gold no end of their treasures full also of horses and no end of their charets full of idols and no end of their bowing down to them and full of swords and spears and no end of their blood till at last in the end I saw a little hill arise out of the earth amongst the midst of the hills from the valleys it ascended like the little hill Hermon and this hill in the rising of it did terribly shake the earth and in time grew to a great mountain and neither by sword nor spear nor might nor any such thing but by my Spirit saith the Lord it waxed exceeding great and the hills and the mountains melted before it and would not stand when it appeared all that opposed it were broken in pieces and on whomsoever this mountain of the Lord fell it ground him to powder And this holy hill and high mountain came at last to get all other hills and mountains under its feet and it was established upon the top of the mountains and then there was no living or safety but only here even all the Nations of the earth came flocking hither to the Mountain of the Lord and cast all their idols away and forsook their own Country and fathers houses their own hills and mountains and fly to this Rock for there was darkness and death upon all the rest here was the light of the Lord and they said one to another Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. SECT IV. §. 4 The Spirit interpreting the Vision to be in us THis is the Vision and herein the Spirit of Truth will open and interpret it to you the mountains and hills are proud rebellious lofty looks and haughtiness of mens hearts the treasures charets horses and idols what are they but the pleasures vanities and lusts of the flesh the fighting what was it but the torment and disquiet that flesh hath there is no peace there saith God and what is the hill arising out of the valleys the Spirit of God arising a little in us shaking the foundations of flesh and earth in us and becomes powerful and mighty making all her enemies her footstool triumphing gloriously and destroying flesh with her Principalities and Powers leaving her dead and this is the Day of the Lord upon all things to bring to nought the things that are and establish what is not SECT V. The stay and the staff of the Creature §. 5 broken but the stay and the staff of the Lord himself remains for ever ANd this is not all but the stay and the staff shall be taken away the staff of bread and the stay of water This is the vanity of the Creature that shall be removed and broken in pieces whatsoever is a stay or staff besides the Lord be it meats or drinks you make so your Judges or Prophets you make so your mighty men of War or your honorable House of Commons I will then break them and turn them all to nothing your Princes then shall be children so your ancient men fools your strength rottenness your gods idols I will corrupt them all and these shall not rule over you Nay if you make any your stay or staff besides me saith the Lord I will take the life away and the comfort away I will take your clothing and glory so that none shall rule saying they have neither clothing bread nor water and they cannot rule over the ruines of the people but the Lord alone shall thus raign and rule over in glory they shall be ruined and fall and then I shall stand alone and be stay and staff thus woe shall be to the wicked the reward of their hands given them but well to the righteous that have me for stay and staff the fruits of their hands shall be given them and thus the Lord shall enter into Judgment with the oppressor and violent man the ancient and the honorable the proud and the base and stain all their glory smite it with a scab even the crown and head of it to the feet also and where the sweet smell was shall be a stink for a girdle a rent for hair dressed baldness for a stomacher a girding with sack-cloth and burning instead of beauty all these mighty things shall be and fall by my Sword the Spirit and lament and be left destitute this is the Decree of the Lord God SECT VI. §. 6 The beautiful Branch of the Spirit of the Lord and all the fruits thereof holy IN that day further we shall all that know the Lord whether weak or strong take hold of one man which is Christ the Lord and the seven women shall be married to him this is the male and female bond and free made one in Christ this is surely the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and then all reproach shall be taken away and we shall eat every one his own bread and wear his own apparel and this one bread shall be the bread of Life and this one apparel the Robes of Christ himself and now shall the Branch of the Lord the Spirit of Grace budding like Aarons Rod be glorious and beautiful and the fruits of the earth excellent and comely and that amongst them that are escaped of Israel the outcasts shall be received in and they that are dead shall live and every one that liveth then shall be called holy no other life but that written amongst the living and then the Lord shall wash away both filthiness of flesh and blood and spirit also by the Spirit of Judgment and burning the Lord wil create upon every dwelling place of his Tabernacles and Assemblies clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night for upon all their glory shall be a defence to keep from rain and storm and heat that nothing shall hurt SECT VII §. 7 The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts and the men of Judah AGain The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts declared in a parable and that in a Song of the Lords Beloved The Lord hath a Vineyard planted on a fruitful hill hedged fenced gathered from stones and planted with Vines dressed digged and a wine-press digged therein and a tower build thereon looking for fruits and it brought forth wilde fruits Judg now between me and my Vineyard I will tell you what I will do with it I will take away all from it leaving it naked and depart from it and then it shall be full of bryars and brambles What
rock of offence a snare a gin to others here they shall fall be broken and taken but the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner and it 's the Lords doing and the Law and the Testimony shall be bound and sealed in my Disciples and they shall go no more to them that have familiar spirits to be taught but shall be taught of God not of the dead but of the living and they shall go to this Law of Life in them and speak according to that Light of the Lord that shines in them SECT XII §. 12 The joy of the Lord and the people that sate in darkness and see light and are governed by the Lord himself THe people that sit in darkness shall see great light and those that walk in the region and shadow of death light shall spring up there and thou shalt multiply their joy as the joy of harvest and as them that divide the spoil this shall be the Light of the Lord shining in them their joy and the Lord shall break the yoke and burden of the hands and traditions of men nay their bonds and bondage the staff and the rod of the oppressor and this shall be with burning and with fuel of fire by my Spirit faith the Lord For unto them is born a Governor the wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the Government is upon his shoulders and of the increase of it there is no end it shall be established in Justice and Judgment Rejoyce therefore O Zion thy God raigneth and instead of the bricks that shall be thrown down and the Sycomores we shall have hewen stones and Cedars instead of earth and fleshly things spiritual in the room of all the Land this Government of the Lords Spirit shall throw down all other and endure for ever and the Lord shall joy in nothing but this Government for the wrath of the Lord shall darken the land and burn the thorns and bryars and eat the flesh of their own arm every one pulling out his eye and cutting off his hand casting them from him as unprofitable members and all manner of divisions shall then be reconciled the Lords anger turned away When this Government is established then neither shall Manasseh vex Ephraim nor Ephraim Manasseh nor both against Judah brother shall not condemn nor cast out or betray brother but they shall have the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace SECT XIII §. 13 The proud Assyrian is brought low and Israel to be exalted THe unrighteous Decrees of men that turn aside the needy from judgment and the poor to take away their right robbing the fatherless and making a prey of the widow but the day of visitation shall take them all away and leave them without help or glory the tyrant shall cease from any oppressing And the Assyrian the rod of anger with his pride that rules in fleshly power and glory lifting up it self above all when I have done my work with him I shall make him to cease and pull down his stout heart that boasts of his Princes and his idols as if they made him to prosper and he knoweth not me saith the Lord Thus the Ax Saw Rod Staff boasteth and lifteth it self against him that made and rules it and can take it and burn it but the Lord will send a leanness upon them and their proud flesh and the light of Israel shall be as a fire and the Holiness of Judah like a flame and it shall devour the thorns and consume his glory his fruitful fields and all his idols but Israel shall turn to the mighty God and stay her self in him for a remnant shall be saved And as for the Assyrian all his yokes shall be broken off thy neck because of the anointing of the Lord thy God upon thee SECT XIV The peaceable and righteous Kingdom of the §. 14 Branch and the great encrease thereof from the four corners of the earth THe branch of the Lord Christ Jesus shall grow out of thy roots and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon thee in wisdom understanding counsel might and of the fear of the Lord and it shall make thee of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and not to judg after the sight of the eyes or reprove after the hearing of the ears but in spirit and truth shall he judg and reprove all things and smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked and righteousness and faithfulness shall be our girdle of loyns and reins then and thus shall the Wolf and the Lamb the Leopard and the Kid the Cow and the Bear and their young all lie down together and feed together the Lion eat straw like an Ox and a young childe shall play on the hole of the Asp and a weaned childe put his hand on the Cockatrices egg for there shal be no poyson nor hurt in all my holy mountain saith the Lord for the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord God and to the ensigne upon this mountain shall the people seek for rest which shall be glorious and from the four corners of the earth the Lord will gather them in even the outcasts of Israel All envy and adversaries shall depart enmity and all between Ephraim and Judah brother and brother we shall flee upon the shoulders of the Philistins Edom and Moab and Ammon shall obey us and joyn hands and hearts together and the tongue of the Egyptian sea shall be utterly destroyed and her mighty rivers dryed they shall be no more a let to my people Here is much glory indeed both a restoration reconciliation and gathering all into one head the Lord Then old things shall pass away and all things become new indeed SECT XV. The day of the Branch brings joy and §. 15 thankefulness ANd in that day the Branch being grown up all boughes and branches shall be cut down and spred under his feet in the way in joy and thanksgiving and the babes and sucklings shall say Blessed is he that cometh Hosanna Hosanna to the highest Thy anger is turned away and thou comfortest us behold thou art our salvation strength and song therefore rejoyce and draw water of his wells of salvation Sing unto the Lord for he doth excellent things and this shall be known to all the earth and great is the Lord in the midst of thee SECT XVI §. 16 The destruction of Babylon in us the glory of the earth BAbylons destruction the Lord musters the Army they are sanctified ones and the onely mighty men such as rejoyce in his highness and these shall destroy and overcome her such as were tormented by her and pangs shall take hold of her and the sinners destroyed out of her her Stars shall fall her Sun shall be darkened and her Moon turned to blood yea thy heaven shall be shaken
the blinde eyes opened the deaf ears unstopped the hard heart mollified the lame to walk and leap the dumb to sing the parched land a pool and the thirsty land springs of water Here among these shall the Lord prepare a way it shall be called The way of holiness no Lion shall be there nor any such beast but the Lambs of the Lord shall walk therein SECT XXXIII Sennacheribs and Rabshakehs blasphemies §. 33 against the servants of the Lord in whom they are comforted SEnnacherib comes with an Army against Jerusalem to besiege and take it Rabshakeh sent to summon it with fair promises to enjoy every one his own and to be brought to as good a land as their own and not to trust in Hezekiah nor his confidence or vain words nor in Egypt a broken reed nor in the Lord for there is no God that can deliver you or your land out of our hands or our King the great King of Assyria for neither Samaria nor her gods nor any other god was able to deliver them out of his hand and if they did refuse and rebel they should eat their own dung and drink their own piss and be afterwards destroyed with the sword for thus saith the great King Now all this is true in the application of it to our selves The world and the flesh or the evil spirit in both Rabshakeh like reviles and speaks evil against the Lord tempting and summoning us bringing an army of evil and strong delusions to ensnare us promising if we will yeeld up all soul and body and all that God hath given us to him falling down and worshipping him we shall have all glory and be like gods and withal telling us many lies that God does not nor can deliver us he sees not neither cares for us saying God hath not said it and as for Hezekiah beleeve him not nor stay your selves in the Lord for I am the God of this world and give honor and glory and riches to them I will be I am exalted on high in these Kingdoms All bow down to me and serve me and they that serve me the god of this world I preserve them and if not I persecute hate destroy kill murther and torment Woe unto them if I am set against them This is the railing Râ—â—shakeh contending for the poor creature and rending it but the servant of the Lord is silent and mourns waiting patiently on the Lord in all things and commits it self wholy to him against all temptations and blasphemies SECT XXXIV How the Spirit of the Lord given to his §. 34 doth overcome all the evil and blasphemies of the devil and is stronger then he or his YEt further when the evil spirit that dwells in us or sent to us from the powers of darkness shall grieve the Spirit of the Lord in his Hezekiahs or servants by high imaginations or abominable blasphemies against the holy Spirit of the Lord in his lifting up it self against the Lord then a greater power of the Spirit of the Lord comes upon us and his Word strengthens us saying Grieve not nor be troubled at the blasphemies of Sennacharib and Rabshakeh those spirits of Satan for I will be with thee and I will let all the Nations of the earth see that I am the Lord God and there is none besides me and that you are my people preserved by my power I will put a bridle in his mouth and my hook in his nose and overcome him and fall backwards and perish in his own land and the Angel of my presence shall fall upon his hoste with the breath of my mouth and slay them all you shall finde in the morning nothing but carcasses this shall they have that rage against the Lord and his Spirit above a hundred thousand nay almost two hundred thousand slain in the field but a remnant of the Lord shall take root downwards now and bear fruit upwards manifold and rejoyce in the Lord of the whole earth And again we see that though an evil spirit of wickedness or blasphemy like the beast in the Revelation may for a while triumph over all and speak great words and do mighty things yet the Spirit of Truth and Glory consumes it all at last SECT XXXV §. 35 How the Lord makes sick and well kills and saves and he is glorified in all he doth THis shews how those whom the Lord loves fall sick through boyls and distempers of flesh the corrupt nature is sickly and perishes and how it all turns to the glorifying of God and the good of the soul as in the 11. of John saith Christ of Lazarus this sickness is not for his death but for the death of sin in the flesh and for his life for the Son of God in him shall be glorified by it and it was so And even so here Hezekiahs life is renewed he dyes after the flesh to this life and state and lives to God after the Spirit dyes to himself to live to God as he saith now shall I live to praise thee Thus the Lord makes us sick and well dead and alive wounds and heals takes and gives after his good pleasure sets all in order the fire the faggot the sacrifice the knife and all the whole sacrifice the whole man with his whole house and it is not to kill the Lamb but the Ram not the Sinner but the Sin and the Lord healed him and defended his City all his with him house and all prolonging their lives giving them a long life even for ever and ever and a signe The Sun returning or going backwards ten degrees which shewed the return and fall of his enemies or the forgiveness of sins and the restauration of souls SECT XXXVI Babylons letters and presents to betray us §. 36 and our treasures into his own Land LEtters and Presents from Babylon and her King Baladan upon Hezekiahs recovering hearing of it pretends joy for it Thus the Flesh lies in wait for the Spirit Antichrist for Christ and the Christian if we recover from falling on the left hand we are presently tempted to fall and err on the right hand Here the Devil is transforming himself into an Angel of light and deceives and betrays us basely pretending to be outwardly for us giving us his letters and presents and is inwardly against us so creeps in unawares and like a serpent subtilly gains upon us undermines us findes and feels our strength and eats and drinks with us and is received into our heart and treasure we being all opened to him nothing in us but made known and yet really know not whence he comes a stranger from a far Country to see us and rejoyce with us but not out of love but envy like them in Pauls days that preached Christ out of envy But the Lord remembers us and findes out all our enemies for us and smites us when we do amiss so that as Hezekiah received these messengers and presents and withal shewed his treasures
to have him bruised smitten to have his grace love mercy patience goodness bowels wisdom power all employed for our good this is the pleasure of the Lord and it did and doth prosper in the hands of Christ and that is the next thing when it makes us like Christ and like God when the will of the Lord is done in us when God dwells in us of a truth when we are made one with the Lord when we reign with him when the Lord is all when we are his pleasure and will SECT LXI §. 61 The Lord shall see us as the travel of his Soul ANd the Lord Jesus shall beget us and conceive us in the womb of his tender mercies and travel in birth with us and in the Day of the Lord we shall though with sorrow be the travel of his Soul and we shall see it and the Lord shall look upon us and notwithstanding all former sorrow it shall not be remembred for joy that we are brought forth holy to the Lord and the Lords Will and Pleasure Wisdom and Power Love and Mercy shall be satisfied in us SECT LXII §. 62 We are the Lords spoil and portion ANd the Knowledg of the Lord shall be known and his Wisdom understood and the righteous God shall be justified and we justified by him and in him for his Righteousness shall be in us and upon us we shall be his spoil and portion the Lord shall take us for his lot and the Lord shall be our portion and great inheritance SECT LXIII The Lord makes the barren to sing and to §. 63 bring forth gloriously FEar not neither be ashamed of thy reproach poor heart that art left like a widow and childless barren and fruitless thou that hast not travelled though thou wast married but not to the Lord Thou hast had many lovers and husbands but not thy maker thine husband therefore thou art confounded and in bondage weeping and lamenting as being left desolate Hear now what the Lord God whose name is the Lord of hostes thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth what he saith Sing O barren and break forth into singing for the Lord thy God will overshadow thee and thou shalt conceive in righteousness travel in truth and bring forth faithfulness the Lord will marry thee to himself and thou shalt bear many sons and daughters to the Lord for Righteousness shall be the fruits of thy womb and Peace thy daughters and Truth thy off-spring SECT LXIV §. 64 The seed of the living God out of a barren womb wonderful THe Lord thy Husband will enlarge thee all over none shall surpass thee thou shalt have more children then the married ones or the concubines thou shalt excel them all in singing bearing and bringing forth a multitude of Glory to the Lord thy womb shall be opened thy heart enlarged thy spirit strengthened thy seed multiplied thy bed stretched out thy tents widened and the curtains of thy habitation thy cords and stakes lengthened for the Lord will make the fruits of thy soul like the stars of Heaven or the sands on earth for number all the Plants of the Lord all his own begotten Sons and Daughters and born by the Spirit in whom he is well pleased thou shalt break forth on the right hand on the left every way beautiful and thy seed and children shall inherit and inhabit the desolate places and where it was said Ye are not my people there shall it be said Ye are the sons of the living God SECT LXV §. 65 The Lord thy husband that comforts thee THus the Lord hath delt with thee when thou wast as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit nay refused and rejected by all I found thee desolate and I married thee and received thee to my self and lay thee in my arms and bosom made thee to bear children thus with great mercies have I gathered thee though for a small moment thou wast forsaken and in a little wrath I hid my face from thee but I am returned to thee now with everlasting kindness and I will have mercy on thee without end for I am thy Husband and thy Redeemer SECT LXVI §. 66 I will be thy God and Husband from everlasting unto everlasting NAy now I will do more for thee then ever I wil never depart more from thee I will swear to thee as I did to Noah and give thee a better signe then I did to him the Rainbow in the Heaven that I would no more drown the Earth so will I do to thee the waters of my wrath shall never be upon thee my light and countenance lifted on thee but never taken off thee and this shall be thy token I will give thee my self in marriage and be thy Husband and thou shalt be without rebuke nay though mountains and hills be removed all thy comforts and comforters depart from thee yet shall never my kindness nor the Covenant of my peace be removed but I will keep thee in perfect peace for in the world flesh and darkness there is nothing but trouble vanity anguish torment and vexation but in me my Love Heart Spirit Light Life Truth and Kingdom thou shalt have peace be therefore of good comfort for I have overcome all to thee SECT LXVII §. 67 The foundation windows and gates of the Saints the Lords house and building of what precious stones it is SEe further how fruitful the Lord will make her and how beautiful all over though tossed and afflicted discomforted and perplexed behold the Lord will be thy foundation the living Stone shall be thy corner stone the Rock thy root and bottom wherefore saith the Lord I will lay thy stones with fair colours and foundation with Saphirs thy windows of Agates thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stoâ—es And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children Thus will the Lord glorifie thee for in righteousness shalt thou be established that shall be thy fair colours and Saphirs and without either oppression oppressor fear or terror and all that gather against thee shall fall by thee for I am with thee and as whatsoever is in thine hand hath this blessing it shall prosper so this shall be a curse to thine enemies that no weapon formed against thee my Holiness shall prosper and every tongue that riseth up against thee by preaching praying counselling or threatening shall be condemned This is the heritage blessing promise and portion of the servants of the Lord and all their worth and righteousness is from thee thou art the Lord their God thou sanctifiest them SECT LXVIII §. 68 The Lord is that water that wine and that milk to them that thirst after him and that hunger in him THe Lord Jesus Christ is all true and saving comfort and all kind of food is in him He is water to the thirsty wine to the heavy hearted milk to the