is 〈◊〉 Ishmael that persecuted Isaac Object But ought wee not to punish open â—â—etiques and blasphemers for if wee doe 〈◊〉 punish them they may seduce abundance â—eople and bring them into their blaspeâ—us wayes Answ All the way that ought to be used is the preaching of the Word which is the sword of God For the word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is 〈◊〉 discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 And in Revel 1.16 speaking there of Christ it saith Out of his mouth wenâ— a sharpe two-edged sword which is the Gospel And it is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1â— 16 And I saw another Angel flie in the middeâ— of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preacâ— to them that dwell on the Earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Sayinâ— with a loud voyce fear God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and worshiâ— him that made heaven and earth and the Sea anâ— the fountaines of waters And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is faller that great Citie because shee made all Nation drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 14.6 7 8. Ye may see how powerfull the preaching 〈◊〉 the Gospel is to the destroying of errours Thâ—â— is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word God Ephes 6.17 which is powerfull to the beâ—ting downe of all strong holds of Satan And it sharper than any two-edged sword and will destroy this great City Anti-christ and 〈◊〉 it downe to the ground for this will â—nt â—â—nder all the joynts whereby it is joyned toâ—â—ther and the very soule and spirit and â—â—arrow of it whereby it doth live even the â—â—y life of it shall be destroyed by the preaâ—ing of the Gospel for this doth find out the â—â—undation of the building of Anti-christ and â—â—ll it downe and the building will fall of it â—â—fe and we are commanded to use this way â—â—d the Apostles did use this way and no oâ—â—er and they found it very beneficiall for by they were brought out of their errors and â—â—re was daily abundance added to the â—â—urch such as should be saved False doctrine â—â—th not so much power to build up errours 〈◊〉 the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath power to â—â—roy them if it be rightly preached and if 〈◊〉 goe any other way to worke in beating â—â—ne errours it will not doe it though you â—â—â—secute them to the death it will make it â—â—ead the more and make them that you perâ—â—â—te the more zealous for it I beseech you beloved take heed of these two â—â—â—gs of closing to all that we hear and builâ—â—â—g upon it before God makes it truth to us â—his Spirit and of hating and persecuting 〈◊〉 which is not truth to you for it may be â—â—â—th though God hath not made it knowne to you therefore hate it not nor persecutâ— it lest you are found to persecute God Judgâ— not before the time but leave all to God foâ— to him we stand or fall for that which is noâ— of God shall fall at the last But whatsoevâ—â— you heare desire the Lord to teach you by hâ—â— Spirit whether it be truth or no and waiâ—â— upon God using the meanes as hearing aâ—â— reading and the like but not depend upon 〈◊〉 but see God above it while hee doth please reveale himselfe to you and shew you what truth and whensoever he doth any time maâ—â— knowne any thing to you to be truth by suâ—â—â—cient grounds according to the word thouâ—â—â— it be never so sudaine that embrace and â—â—tertaine and rejoyce at any manifestation the love of God to you Despise not the day small things and though you see others soâ—â— higher in the enjoyments of God and in 〈◊〉 wayes of God than you yet be not troubâ—â— at it nor doe not envy their condition 〈◊〉 he is the same to you as he is to them thouâ—â— you see it not for the Lord saith he will faâ—â— Christ as a naile in a sure place and he shall be a glorious throne to his fathers house And shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers hâ—â— the off-spring and the issue all vessells of â—â—quantity from the vessels of cups even to all vessels of flagons Isa 22.23 24. They all 〈◊〉 upon Christ even the small cups which are â—e lowest Saints as well as the flagons which â—e high On all the vessels in the house of the â—ord is a glorious one for it is Christ that â—akes them so and bee not troubled because â—ou seest many several opinions in the world â—or God is not limited to any one of them â—â—r God hath and will reveal his whole mind â—o his Church but every particular one knows â—ut in part and opinions are but the shels â—t us not strive for them for wee cannot live â—pon them if wee have the kirnell it is sufficiâ—â—t which is Christ for he is the substance â—nd all things else are but shels to him and let 〈◊〉 be willing for him to lead us by his Spirit â—nd he will lead us in the right way and they â—hat are grown high Saints and have abunâ—ance of enjoyment let them not despise nor â—â—dervalue those that are low There is all â—anner of growth of Saints among us and I â—peak to al sorts of you do not uÌ„dervalue those â—hat are not as you are for we are all brethren 〈◊〉 Christ and so wee are to esteeme one anoâ—her if there by any appearance of godlinesse â—â—â—r my dove my undefiled is but one Cant. 6.9 Give no just occasion to any to scandall reâ—igion become low to those that are low yet speaking the truth but in such a way as they may plainly understand you doe not speake of high mysticall things to those that are very low except ye speak them forth in a very clear manner for being they cannot understand it they conclude it is heresie so by it religion comes to be scandaliz'd but this meate is too strong for babes they must be fed with milke as Paul did 1 Cor. 3.2 I have fed you with milk and not with meate for hitherto ye were not able to beare it Heb. 5.13 14. For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe But strong meate belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their sences exercised to discern both good and evill .. So by degrees feede them as they are able to beare it and do not dishearten any though they are never so low for consider that once ye were low your selves therefore bear with their weakenesse and infirmities And beloved let not us make a rent or schisme in this body the Church of Christ let not the Presbytery despise those that they call
high mountaine and shewed mee that great Citie the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God And her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper stone clear as chrystall The Bride of Christ is the Church of God and it is descended out of Heaven from God for it is one with him for it is the Spirit of God in all the children of God that is this body the Church The Bride and this descendeth from God into us yet it is not parted from him but is in him and this is cloathed with the glory of God This is that righteousnesse of the Saints and her light is the light of Christ and that light is the clearest and purest and most precious and glorious light that can be I will appeare glorious in thee Isa 49.3 Awake awake put on thy Strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Jerusalem the holy Citie for hence-forth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the uncleane Shake thy selfe from the dust arise and sit downe O Jerusalem loose thy selfe from the bands of thy necke O captive daughter of Sion Isa 52.1 2. Shee was in a sleepy drousie condition so long as shee sate in the dust of that earth of Anti-christ and was a captive in his band But now our Beloved is come hee calls unto us to awake and to put on strength The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be affraid Psalm 27.1 Psalm 28.7 Hee hath cloathed us with his strength And this is that beautifull garment Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee For behold the darkenesss shall cover the earth and grosse darkenesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seene upon thee Isa 60.1 2. And the glory that thou hast given me I have given them John 17.22 The Spouse of Christ being cloathed with the glory of Christ shee is all glorious The Kings daughter is all glorious within Wee are the King of heavens daughters for wee are married to Christ and God the Father is our Father and wee are all glorious within It is the Spirit of God in us that is so glorious and this is a spirituall glory it cannot be seene outwardly by others they may hear us speake forth something of this glory in us but none sees it nor knowes it but those that have it Revel 2.17 To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving him that hath it This Manna is Christ and he is hid from the world but as wee are Saints wee see it and feede upon it for it is that which wee live by and this stone is Christ 1 Pet. 2.6 And this is a very precious stone and here is a new name written in this stone that none doth know it but hee that hath it And that which is written in it is the manifestation of the exceeding riches of the love and mercy of God and all his glory and excellency which hee hath given us as we are Saints Christ doth set forth the beauty and comlinesse and glory of his Church having his beauty and comelinesse and glory on her Cant. 4. Cant. 7. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes with one chain of thy necke How faire is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thy oyntments than all spices Thy lips O my Love drop as the honey-combe honey and milke are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon This oyntment that our Beloved is so taken with the smell of is the anoynting of the holy Ghost 1 John 2.27 The anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth and is no lye and even as he hath taught you ye shall abide in him The Priests and Kings used to be anoynted with oyle and it was a type of Christ hee was that King and Priest that was anoynted with the holy Ghost Psalm 45.6 7. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the scepter of thy kingdome is ascepter of righteousnesse Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse because God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes And this is like that precious oyntment upon the head that runneth upon the beard even unto Aarons beard which wet downe on the border of his garments Psal 133.2 This oyntment of the Spirit of God is all of it poured upon this Priest Christ which is the head of the Church and it runs off from him down upon all the Saints and this ointment of the Spirit of God makes our garments smell so sweete which is that Wedding garment Mat. 22.12 which is the righteousnesse of the Saints Revel 19.8 And being filled with this Spirit causeth our lips to speake or drop forth sweet heavenly glorious things more sweeter to the soule than the honey and honey-comb is to the pallet The Spouse of Christ is exceeding glorious in every respect being in Christ she is perfect in him I in them and they in me that they may be made perfect in one John 17.23 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us John 17.21 Put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse Coloss 3.14 which is Christ And where hee is there is perfection Col. 1.27 28. To whom God would â—ake knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in â—ou the hope of glory Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that wee may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus We are perfect in Christ as wee are Saints and are the Church of God for this Spirit of Christ in us is perfect but as wee are men and women we are not perfect for we are naturall and not spirituall and as we are naturall we cannot discern the things of God neither can we doe them 1 Cor. 2.14 But it is this Spirit of God in us that doth all and if hee withdraw his Spirit from us we shall runne into all sin if he doth not restraine us for our bodies are the same as they were before the Spirit of God appeared in us and by his reigning in us he suppresseth destroyeth and burneth up by degrees as he revealeth himself in us all things that are contrary to him and hee brings our wills into subjection to his for wee are led by his Spirit and being filled with his Spirit wee are made drunke as it were with it
the holy Ghost is our Comforter and the Angels are our guard to attend us And what can we desire more but 〈◊〉 have the Seale broke open to see what we haâ—â— in him and Christ is comming to doe it 〈◊〉 yet a very little while and he that shall come wiâ—â— come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 Behold I come quickly Revel 3 11. And doe thou waâ—â— patiently for his comming CHAP. XIII Christ is the Teacher and Governour of his Church CHrist is a King a Priest and a Prophet A King to reigne over his Church spiritually and a Priest to offer spirituall sacrifice to his Father for his Church and a Prophet to teach them He saith My kingdome is not of this world John 18.36 But he is an immortall and an everlasting King 1 Tim. 1.17 He 〈◊〉 a spirituall King and it is a spirituall Kingdome that hee reignes over and the children â—f God are the heirs of this Kingdome Feare â—t little flocke for it is your Fathers will to give 〈◊〉 the Kingdome Luke 12.32 And the kingdome of God is eternall life Joh. 10.28 And 〈◊〉 give unto them eternall life and they shall never â—â—ish neither shall any pluck them out of my band And this is a hidden glorious and mysticall â—â—ing But to you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven Mat. 13.11 And the â—ingdom of God comes not with observations Neiâ—â—er shall 〈◊〉 say loe here on loe there for behold â—he kingdome of God is with in you Lu. 17.20 21. â—ry not in thine heart Who shall ascend into heaâ—â—n That is to bring Christ from above Or who â—â—all descend into the deepe That is to bring up Christ againe from the dead But what saith the Scripture The word is neere thee even in thy â—â—uth and in thy heart this is the word of faith â—hich wee preach Rom. 10.6 7 8. And this â—ord is Christ John 1.14 What is heaven but the fulnesse of all happinesse and that is God in Christ and Christ â—â—ing in us by his Spirit then is the Kingdom â—f God in us and so far as he reveales himself to us as he is we see him as he is and have the enjoyment of him and so farre we live in â—im and have out conversation in heaven that is in God For the kingdome of God is not 〈◊〉 word but in power 1 Cor. 4.20 It confâ—â—â— not in speaking of words but so far as he â—â—veales himselfe in us he comes with power enabling us to do that which is pleasing to hiâ— and he reveales heaven to us here in some measure by degrees in his time as shall be to hâ—â— glory and our comfort and in a great aâ—â— high measure in some but wee cannot have 〈◊〉 in such a measure as we shall have it hereafâ—â—â— when our bodies are dissolved then wee shâ—â—â— be wholy in it there shall be nothing to hiâ—der us now here our bodies are weake anâ— cannot containe him and there is a vaile bâ—fore us that wee cannot see him clearely anâ— Christ is the Governour of the Church Isa â— 6 7. For unto us a Childe is borne and unto 〈◊〉 a Sonne is given and the government is upon 〈◊〉 shoulder and he shall call his name Wonderfullâ— Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace The encrease of his government and peace shall have no end hee shall sâ—â— upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdoâ— to order it and to stablish it with judgement 〈◊〉 with justice from hence-forth even for ever thâ— zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this Hâ—â— is our husband and he reignes over us in loâ— and so he governs us and all his lawes that 〈◊〉 doth set forth for us to observe is to love him â—â—d so farre as hee doth reveale himselfe to us â—e can doe no other and he defends us against 〈◊〉 our spirituall enemies that rise up against 〈◊〉 and would devoure us And he hath made 〈◊〉 Kings with him 1 Pet. 2.9 Revel 5.10 〈◊〉 reigne with him for ever And hee is our â—â—iest to offer up spirituall sacrifice to his Faâ—â—er for us upon that golden Altar of himselfe 〈◊〉 8.3 And he makes intercession continuâ—â—ly to his Father for us 1 John 1.12 My â—â—es these things write I unto you that ye sinne 〈◊〉 and if any man sinne wee have an Advocate â—â—th the Father Jesus Christ the just and hee is 〈◊〉 reconciliation for our sins and not for ours onâ—â— but also for the sins of the whole world And â—â—e hath made uâ— Priests with him as wee are â—ints for his Spirit in us offers up continuall â—â—rifice to God by Christ of praises and â—â—anks-giving And he is our Prophet to teach 〈◊〉 We shall be all taught of God he will teach 〈◊〉 so plainly by his Spirit his owne minde in â—â—â—h a plain way that a wayfaring man though â—oole cannot erre therein The Lord said Write the vision and make it â—â—â—ne upon Tables that he may run that readeth 〈◊〉 Hab. 2.2 After those dayes saith the Lord 〈◊〉 will put my law in their inward parts and write 〈◊〉 their hearts and I will be their God and â—â—ey shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man 〈◊〉 brother saying know the Lord for they shalâ— know me from the least of them to the greatestâ— them Jer. 31.33 34. The Lord will teach his children by his Spâ—rit in a more clearer manner than he haâ— done and so farre as he teacheth them thâ— shall all know him and hee shall teach us 〈◊〉 profit 1 Cor. 2.4 5. My speech and my preachâ—â— was not with enticing words of mans wisdome 〈◊〉 in demonstration of the Spirit and of power Tâ—â— your faith should not stand in the wisdome of 〈◊〉 but in the power of God When the Lord dâ—â—â— teach us by his Spirit that comes with poweâ— and over-powers us and makes us willing 〈◊〉 doe and be what hee would have us so 〈◊〉 power is made knowne in us That whiâ—â— Christ teacheth us to know is himselfe Ephâ— 4.21 If so be that ye have heard him and 〈◊〉 been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus thâ—â— we may know what he is in the Saints and 〈◊〉 the Saints Psal 65.8 I will heare what God 〈◊〉 Lord will speake for he will speak peace to his pâ—â—ple and to his Saints All that Christ doth teach us is to knoâ— himselfe and Paul desired to know nothing 〈◊〉 but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Anâ— he speakes nothing but what is in him for 〈◊〉 that all that is in him hee hath purchased 〈◊〉 us and hee hath purchased us unto himselfes and we are his Wife and he will always dwell with us and be in us and alwayes uphold us and never leave us nor forsake us CHAP. XIIII God is very tender and careful over those that are but babes in him and leades them as they
laying them clearly open by the appearance of himselfe in us and as he breaks open the seals to us there are great earth-quakes Heb. 12.26 27. Yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine The Lord when hee appeareth in us doth not only make the earth quake at his presence which is all things that doth appeare to us to be below God whatsoever it be but also heavenly things all glorious things which are of Anti-christ which is like heaven and doth appeare to us to be heaven but this shall be shaken by the appearing of Jesus Christ in us and those things that cannot be shaken which are of Jesus Christ they shall remaine but all things that are not of him shall fall and shall appeare to us to be but earth or flesh as bad as the kilel of the flesh grosse sinne and wickednesse I doe not meane the flesh of our bodies nor this earth that we dwell upon but there are two kinds of seeds of the Devil in us that grosse seed which bringeth forth sinne in us is called earth the first man was of the earth earthly as is the earthly such are they that are earthly That which is not of God is said to be of Satan which is called earth and so farre as we have this earthly seed appearing in us so far we are of the earth earthly then there is that seeming glorious seed of himselfe in us which is our righteousnesse and that seemes to be like the wayes of God and therefore it is called heaven but it is but of the earth and is earthly this is called the first man the second man is Christ and he is heavenly 1 Cor. 15. The first man is of the earth â—arthly the second man is the Lord from heaâ—en as is the earthly such are they that are â—arthly and as is the heavenly such are they â—lso that are heavenly and as we have borne the image of the earthly we shall also bear the â—mage of the heavenly Now this I say brethren â—hat flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome â—f God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption That which is of Satan which is called â—lesh and blood and earth and corruption â—hall not inherit the Kingdome of God for this â—shmael shall not be heir with Isaac so at the â—ppearing of God in us there will be a great â—arth-quake when the mountaine of the Lord which is Christ comes to be established atop of the mountaines of Anti-christ For thou â—ast said in thy heart I will ascend into heaven 〈◊〉 will exalt my throne above the Stars of God I will sit upon the mount of the Congregation I will â—scend above the heights of the clouds I will be â—ike the most High Isa 14.13 14. The voyce â—f my beloved behold he commeth leaping upon the â—ountains and skipping upon the hills Cant. 2.8 Whether the hils or mountaines though they â—e never so high that is not of himself whatâ—oever it be in us whether high or great sinnes â—r our righteousnesse hee will tread them all under his feete and triumph over them all and this mount makes the whole earth filenâ— before him both outward and inward and make them quake Revel 6.12 13 14. And 〈◊〉 beheld when he had opened the sixth seale and loâ—â— there was a great earth-quake and the Sunne became blacke as a sacke-cloath of haire and thâ— Moone became as blood And the starres of heaven fell unto the earth even as a figge-tree casteth heâ— untimely figges when she is shaken of a mighty winde And the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountaine and Island were moved out of their places Mat. 24.29 Immediately after those dayes shalâ— the Sun be darkened and the Moon shall not givâ— her light and the stars shall fall from heaven the powers of heaven shall be shall be shaken And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man is heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the eartâ— mourne and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory Here is speaking of Christs comming to judgement The comming of Christ to judgement is both outward and inward spirituallâ— in the mystery and at the opening of the sixtâ—â— seale here is the first resurrection for after thâ— Sunne is darkned and the Moone not give heâ— light then shall Christ appeare in his glory iâ— us he is come to this spirituall judgement iâ— us and by his glorious appearance he makes the Sun to appeare as black as a sack-cloath of haire and the Moone to be like blood But while the first Heaven is departed away his glory doth not appear in us for the first heaven hinders us from seeing the glory of Christ the Sun is that whereby we see for that is light it selfe and giveth light to us and by that light that we receceive from the Sun we see the Sun and that light that the Moone hath she receiveth it from the Sun it is the same light infused into the Moon but it doth not appeare so glorious as the Sun for the Sun is the fulnesse of light and the Moon partakes of it all but is not able to containe it all but is filled with the light and glory of it and the starres have that light that they shine withall from the Sun and is the same with the Moone and they give a bright cleare and glorious light yet not so full and great a light as the Moone doth for they are not able to contain it and this typifieth out to us Christ and his Church and every particular Saint for Christ is the Sunne and the Church the Moone and the Saints the Starres Now where the Church of God is there is also the church of Anti-christ and the light that shee hath is infused after the same manner and all in us and both these lye together that as we are men and women we doe not know one light from the other but when Christ doth appeare to us in his pure light then the light of the sun of Anti-christ in us will appear as blacke as sack-cloath of hair and that moone the Church of Anti-christ will appeare like blood being a bloody persecuter of the Church of God and the starres of Anti-christ will also fall for being that sun is darkened whereby the starres receiveth their light they must fall and that heavenly and glorious appearance of Anti-christ shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together And then every mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places for now is the day of the Lord come to render vengeance on all things in us that knowes not God Now is the time of the destruction of Anti-christ come and he is not able to stand against