Christ a being in every place but not in our hearts The cause of Unbelief is Ignorance we are ignorant of this truth Christ in us and therefore cannot believe it If it be so that there is a readiness in those who feel not the Lord Jesus in them to enquire who shall ascend into heaven and who shall descend into the deep to fetch Christ from thence into their hearts Then say not in your hearts Who shall ascend and who shall descend to fetch Christ from heaven and the deep into your hearts it is the voice of the righteousness of Faith Why do you say so what is the reason of it Because saith the soul I do not injoy him nor possess him within me How do you know that you do not injoy him Because I feel him not I should feel him within me if he were there Poor soul he may be within thee though thou feelest him not and it is thy being carryed out after more Feeling then Faith that blindes thine eyes 2. If it be so This may serve to discover what manner of spirit we are of it discovers the baseness of our spirits that though the righteousness of faith saith Say not in your hearts Who shall go up into heaven and who shall go down into the deep to fetch Christ from thence into our hearts yet we will say so and do say so often in our hearts though we have no ground to say so seeing Christ is within us A second Corollary from the words is this That that Christ which we take care for who shall ascend into the heavens and who shall descend into the deep to bring him into our hearts is within us even in our hearts This is cleer from the words They enquired who shall ascend and who shall descend to bring Christ into their hearts whenas he was within them To prove this truth further we shall bring divers places of Scripture See that in Joh. 15. 4. Abide in me and I in you he speaks to his Disciples that were offended at his fleshly departure from them and that in Joh. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me and then that in 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates That is unapproved or rejected As if the Apostle should say You are reprobates if Christ be not in you and therefore he puts them upon trying proving whether he be in them or no And that in Eph. 4. 6. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all And that in 1 Joh. 4. Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world speaking of Christ that he is in us and is stronger then he that is in the world which is the devil It is very sweet to consider this well and the right consideration of it will take away the fear that is many times in our spirits of the devil and of Christ not being in us And that in Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me I am crucified and yet I live This is a paradox a strange thing how can a man be crucified and yet live The meaning of it is he was crucified to the world and lived to God And in Psal. 46. 5. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved Friends God will not suffer us to be moved away from the hope of the Gospel but will help and that early when a temptation seizeth upon us because he is in the midst of us And that in Jerem. 14. 9. Why shouldst thou seem to be as a man amazed with us and as a mighty man that cannot save us They ask God this question Yet that is Though it be so thou art in the midst of us thou art neer to us we are called by thy Name that is We are thine and therefore leave us not Just so poor souls many times say to God when he seems to their souls as a man amazed and as one that cannot save them Why art thou so Lord tell us the reason of it notwithstanding this thou art in the midst of us thou art ours and we are thine we are called by thy Name do not forsake us And that in Zeph. 3. 5. The just Lord is in the midst thereof speaking of his Sanctuary he will not do iniquity that is sin Friends the holy Lord is within us see the fifteenth verse The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evil any more Therefore in the fourteenth verse he calls upon his people to sing Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all the heart O daughter of Jerusalem Is not this good news Friends why do ye not sing and shout for joy seeing the Lord is within you And in the seventeenth verse he speaks of the same thing The Lord thy God in the midst of thee or he that is thy God is in the midst of thee he is mighty that is he is strong he will save thee nothing shall hinder him neither sin nor devils he will rejoyce over thee with joy that is he will spend his joy upon thee thou shalt have his joy he will love thee and he will rest in that love he will lie down and take his ease in that love wherewith he hath loved thee He will not onely rejoyce over thee with joy but he will joy over thee with singing he will sing and joy over thee thou shalt be the subject of his joy and rejoycing Now in the sixteenth verse it is said In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem Fear thou not I am in the midst of thee and to Zion Let not thy hands be slack that is be not unbelieving The reason why I mentioned all these places of Scripture was that so the Objections might be fully satisfied concerning this truth Christ in them If it be so that that Christ which we take care for who shall ascend into the heavens and who shall descend into the deep to bring him into our hearts is within us that is in our hearts Then Friends be peswaded of this truth that Christ is within you But who is it that saith that Christ is within us The righteousness of faith and the Scriptures say so that he is in us in the midst of us nigh to us even in our hearts O glorious truth O excellent truth This is sweet sweet But you seem to make no difference between Christ's being in all the world and his being in the Saints Yes but I do there is a great deal of difference He is in all the world more generally he is in his Saints more particularly If it be so then this may serve to discover this truth to us O
manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you 1 Pet. 1. 20. But we have not followed cunningly-devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Iesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his majestie See this in 2 Pet. 1. 16. Now this coming of Christ was to finish transgression and to make an end of sin and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9. 24. Secondly There is a coming of Christ in Spirit See Ioel 2. 28 29. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams See that likewise in Zech. 12. 10. And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born Now all this was fulfilled in part in Act. 2. 2 3. and is yet to be fulfilled And the end of his coming thus was to convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgement See Ioh. 6. 9 10 11. and to teach his disciples all things and to bring all things to their remembrance See Ioh. 16. 26. and to testifie of Christ to them and to guide them into all truth and many other things Thirdly There is a third appearance of Christ which is his appearance the second time without sin unto salvation unto them that wait for him Heb. 9. 28. Which coming of Christ is the last coming of Christ of which I do intend now to speak My God shall come I can say boldly as well as the Prophet My God shall come blessed be his holy Name I can command him and he will be commanded by me And not onely My God shall come but Your God shall come He is not onely the Prophet's God that shall come but My God Our God Thy God and Your God which shall come What my God Yes see Isai. 35. 3 4. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees say to them that are of a fearful heart that is of an unbelieving heart or hastie heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come your God that you seek for and wait for will come and he shall come What to me Yea to a hastie heart But he will appear to my shame No to your joy and comfort See Isa. 40. 10. Behold the Lord God will come Behold as if he saw him coming Isa. 66. 11. Behold the Lord will come will indeed come The vision is for an appointed time wait for it it will come it will surely come it will not tarry Habb 2. 3. Sing and rejoyce O daughters of Zion for lo I come and will dwell in the midst of you Zech. 2. 10. Say unto the cities of Jerusalem Behold your God Isa. 40. 9. Let the fields be joyful and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth Psal. 96. 12 13. Quest But how shall he come Answ. See that in Psal. 50. 3. Our Lord shall come and shall not keep silence I have a long time saith God holden my peace I have been silent I refrained my self now will I cry like a travelling woman I will destroy and devour at once The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man he shall stir up jealousie like a man of war he shall cry yearoar he shall prevail against his enemies Isa. 42. 14. 13. A fire shall devour before him which is himself See Deut 4. 24. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God understand therefore this day that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee as a consuming fire he shall destroy them and he shall bring them down before thy face so shalt thou drive them out and destroy them quickly as the Lord hath said unto thee Deut. 9. 3. And it shall be very tempestuous round about him Who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like the refiners fire and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of gold Mal. 3. 2 3. Consider that in Isa. 35. 4. Your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence will come and save you This Scripture holds forth the coming of Christ two manner of ways First He will come with a vengeance against all our sins and temptations and divel and save us from them all Secondly He will come with a recompence he will come with a reward for all those sufferings that we have endured from sin men and Satan he will reward us for all our sufferings Or it may be taken thus He will come with a recompence he will reward with destruction all our enemies for the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King he will save us Isa. 33. 22. And then that in Isa. 41. 10. The Lord will come with a strong hand or against the strong with a mighty hand or mighty power against his enemies against our corruptions and his arm shall rule for him The strength of a man is in his Armes so Gods strength is in his Armes Gods Armes shall rule for him Behold his reward is with him and his work or recompence before him Consider that in Isa. 66. 15. Behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind that is he will come swiftly and fiercely to render his anger with fury upon his enemies and his rebuke with flames of fire that is with the scorching burnings of himself We shall further illustrate the coming of Christ by these things First He shall come in a cloud Secondly He shall come in the clouds Thirdly He shall come with clouds Fourthly He shall come with his Saints and Angels First He shall come in a cloud See Luke 21. 27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud What cloud In a cloud of darkness As he went up in a cloud so he shall come down in a cloud in the same manner that he went up in the same manner he shall come down See Act. 1. 11. Which also said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the
believeth in Jesus His righteousness consisteth in this in that he can remit sin and yet be faithful in that he can justifie the ungodly and yet be just or the righteousness of Faith is the righteousness of Christ for Faith is called Christ as I said before He is made of God unto us Wisdom Sanctification Justification Redemption Righteousness and the like But what is the righteousness of Christ or in what doth the matter of it consist In the Active and Passive obedience of Christ That is in what he hath done and suffered for us The third thing to be considered is What the voice of the righteousness of Faith is or what it speaketh It speaketh these following things that is to say Say not in thine heart That is Do not speak secretly It speaks this to us our readiness to speak that secretly which haply we would not speak openly that others may take notice of what we say Quest But what should I not say in my heart Answ. These two things following First Who shall ascend into heaven What is that That is to bring down Christ from above We are ready to speak it in our hearts though not in our mouthes Who shall ascend into heaven We want Christ he is not in our hearts surely he is in heaven and our souls are troubled with care for one to go up into heaven to fetch him down into our hearts O how we have endeavoured to fetch him down by prayer and striving As I my self have done O how I have gaped for him to come down from heaven into my mouth and heart when I was many times praying And when I could do no good this way I have been much inquisitive in my spirit for one to fetch him down from out of the skies and out of the deep into my heart Answ. 2. Say not in thine heart Who shall descend into the deep What is that That is to bring up Christ again from the dead For want of a feeling of Christ within us we are ready to say in our hearts though not with our mouthes Who shall descend into the deep We conclude many times in our spirits that either he is in the heavens or in the deep But first we are carried out with much care for one to fetch him from above And if Jesus Christ come not down from thence into our hearts then we conclude he is not there but in the deep and we are very inquisitive who shall fetch him from the dead We think that either he is above us or beneath us among the dead in the grave in hell Sometimes we think he is risen and ascended above and sometimes we think that he is not Thus much for that which the righteousness of faith would have us not say Now we are to speak of that which the righteousness of faith saith What is that First The righteousness of faith saith The Word is nigh thee But what word The word of faith which we preach What word is that Christ Why is he called the word of faith Because he it is that begets faith in souls The righteousness of faith saith That word is nigh thee Oh that God would give us ears to hear it is good news that the righteousness of faith speaks We will hear thee what thou sayst therefore speak Lord The Word is nigh Whom Thee us them him her all Friends Christ is nigh us he is on our right hand and on our left hand though we see him not Job 23. 9. The Word of God is nigh us But why is Christ called the Word of God in Scripture Because as the word of a man is that whereby a man expresseth himself his minde so Christ is called the Word of God in this respect he is the minde of the Father expressed That by which we know the minde of a man is his words that by which we know the minde of God is by his Word So that Christ is the minde of God discovered the Word is God made known revealed This Word was God and was with God Joh. 1. 1. Christ is called the Word of Truth likewise in Scripture Who hath begotten us to himself by the Word of Truth But why is he called the Word of Truth Because he begets Truth in the soul This Word is nigh thee How nigh me Very nigh thee Deut. 30. 14. For the Word is very nigh unto thee Where is it In thy mouth I do not finde him there Though you do not yet he is there Secondly He is in thine heart I do not feel him there and therefore he is not there That will not follow he is there though you feel him not that Jesus which you look for from above and beneath is exceeding nigh to thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart he is as nigh as possible can be he is not far from every one of us Acts 17. 27. We many times disquiet our selves for one to fetch him from above and from the deep whenas poor souls our Christ is within us We are carried out after more Sense then Faith and that is the reason that we no longer then we feel Christ to be in us do conclude him to be in our hearts The next thing to be enquired into is To whom the voice of the righteousness of faith speaketh That is to those who by reason of the want of feeling Jesus Christ within them are carried out to enquire who shall ascend into the heavens and who shall descend into the deep to fetch Christ from thence into their hearts which were the Jews Israel and in them the Saints And the words indeed are spoken to prevent all Objections in them and others against this truth Christ in them And there is not an Objection that they can make or that we and others can make but it is there answered The voice of the righteousness of faith speaks so fully to all Objections that I cannot but subscribe to the truth of what it saith That Christ is in me I am forced to do it by reason I have nothing to say against the truth though my base heart together with the devil is ready to question every truth of God though it be never so plain The words being explicated there will arise naturally this Corollary that is to say That there is an aptitude in the spirits of those who feel not the Lord Jesus within them to enquire who shall ascend into heaven or who shall descend into the deep to fetch Christ from thence into their spirits whenas Christ is within them This is clear from the words The grounds of this Doctrine are two 1. Ignorance 2. Unbelief First Ignorance We are ignorant of the Omnipresencie of Christ that he is present in every place and in our hearts as in every place I have heard many professors subscribe to this truth but yet have denied it a truth in their particular souls Secondly Unbelief We cannot believe that he is in our hearts we will give
and of the earth and of the sea and of every thing in the earth and in the sea that belongs to the Old Creation for it is the proper work of God as he is the Father to Beget and Create Secondly He is called the Father with respect to the New Creation he is the Father as he is the begetter of Christ Psal. 2. 7. and as he is the begetter of souls to himself by the Word of truth in the New Creation James 1. 18. as he is the begetter of us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. and as he is the begetter of us to himself by the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. He is called the Word first with respect to the Old Creation likewise secondly with respect to the New Creation also First He is called the Word with respect to the Old Creation as he is the thing begotten in the heavens and in the earth and in the sea and in every thing in the heavens earth and sea for there is nothing in them but holds forth the power and wisdom of God which is Christ see 1 Cor. 1. 24. For it is the proper work of the Son to be begotten in the Old Creation Secondly He is called the Word with respect to the New Creation as he is the thing begotten in us in the New Creation as he is the life power and hope of glory within us Col. 1. 27. as he is our wisdom justification sanctification redemption and the like For it is the proper work of the Son to be begotten in us He is called the Spirit with respect to two things First as he is a discoverer and revealer of Truth and Glory to us and in us in the Old Creation there is abundance of Truth and Glory to be seen there which we see not nor know every thing of the Old Creation sets forth more or less glory The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work And the devil keeps us from looking after the glory of God that shines forth in the things of the world Now it is the onely work of God as he is the Spirit to discover and reveal that glory and truth that lies hid in every thing in the world Secondly he is the Spirit as he is the revealer and discoverer of truth and glory in the New Creation there is no glory to be seen without the Spirit and there is no knowing of truth and glory but by the Spirit We may seek to finde it out and labour and weary out our spirits and yet not finde it It is not the joyning of every mans Learning together can finde it out Truth indeed will put all learned Rabbies to a non-plus And so for the Glory of God it is unsearchable men cannot finde it out though they joyn all their heads together Where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world Tell me what is glory of God and what is Truth You cannot tell me for no man knows the minde of God but God Now it is the onely work of God as he is the Spirit to reveal and make known Truth and Glory to us and in us Again he is called the Spirit as he is the leader of the poor creature into Truth and Glory in the Old Creation Though God as the Spirit discovers Truth and Glory to us in the Old Creation yet Friends we cannot be led into it but by the Spirit though we see never so much Truth and Glory shine forth in the Old Creation yet we cannot enjoy it without the Spirit the Spirit is that which leadeth us into the enjoyment of it which is sweeter then the seeing of it Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come Joh. 16. 13. Secondly he is the Spirit as he is the guider of poor creatures into Truth and Glory in the New Creation Friends if there be any Truth and Glory that you possess the Spirit guided you into it for we are so ready to go out of the way of Truth and Glory though it be discovered to us that unless we had some one to guide us into Truth and Glory we should miss of the enjoyment of it though we see it The second thing to be spoken to in the first verse of the words is this What heaven is in which the Witnesses bear record Heaven here is the uncompounded and unmixt state of Saints it is such an estate of glory in which Saints shall be as shall not be mixed or compounded with flesh That state which we are now in it is a mixt state of Flesh and Spirit but that state which we shall be in in heaven is a pure state of Spirit and Glory The third thing to be enquired into is What the Witnesses record in heaven is In which we shall consider four things 1. What the Father's report is 2. What the Word's report is 3. What the holy Ghost's report is 4. How they witness For the first what the Father's report is The Father's report is somewhat concerning the Son What is that See in 1 Joh. 5. 9 10 11 12. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself and he that believeth not God hath made him a lyer because he believeth not the report that God gave of his Son And this is the report that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life See that in Joh. 5. 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know that the witness which he beareth of me is true See verse 37. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me But what doth the Father witness of Christ See in Matth. 3. 16 17. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased That which the Father testifies of Christ is That he is the Messiah the Son of God and that he is well pleased with his Son and so with us in his Son Then that in Joh. 8. 18. The Father that sent me beareth witness of me What is that See vers 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life God beareth record of Christ that he
year that King Vzziah dyed 2 Chron. 26. 23. The Prophets discovery of the Lord is as followeth I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne as ready to judge Psa. 9. 7 8. But the Lord shall endure for ever he hath prepared his throne for judgement and he shall judge the world in righteousness he shall minister judgemen to the people in uprightness See Dan. 7. 9 10. I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of days did sit whose garment was white as snow and the hair of his head like the pure wool his throne was like the very flame and his wheeles as burning fire a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him The judgement was set and the books were opened See that in Rev. 4. 2 3. And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sate on the throne and he that sate was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine two glistering stones And there was a rain-bowe round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald which holds forth the Covenant of Grace See Revel. 6. 16. And they said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb And that in Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works At vers. 19. And I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Or the Throne may be taken thus A Throne denotes Dignity Rule Kingliness Authority Sitting holds forth Rest The words being thus explained the meaning of them is this Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon the Throne that is ruling reigning triumphing in a peaceable manner over his enemies High and lifted up that is far above all principalities and powers might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but that which is to come Eph. 1. 21. And his train filled the temple That is the skirts of his Robes with which he sate upon the Throne filled the Temple that is the Saints for they are the Temple of the living God 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Above it that is above the Throne stood the Seraphims What are those Angels appearing as fire Psal. 104. 4. Who maketh his angels spirits his ministers a flaming fire These stood and attended Christ See Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before the Ancient of days that sate upon the Throne whose garments were white as snow Each one had six wings with twain he covered his face as not able to endure the brightness of Christ's glory even as Moses did see Exod. 3. 6. Moreover he said I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God See that likewise in 1 King 19. 11 12 13. And he said Go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord And behold the Lord passed by and a great and strong winde rent the mountains and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winde and after the winde an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire a still small voice And it was so when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entring in of the cave Elijah could not endure the glory of God and therefore puts a mantle before his face And with twain he covered his feet as abashed in apprehension of their own infirmities and imperfections compared with God's incomparable perfection and majestie Job 4. 18. Behold he put no trust in his servants and his angels he charged with folly And with twain he did flie Which speaks their readiness and swiftness to go about God's business Psal. 110. 20. Bless the Lord ye his angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkning unto the voice of his word And one cried to another or this cried to this Holy holy holy Their constant employment is praising God See Rev. 4. 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about them and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come The whole earth is full of his glory or his glory is the fulness of the whole earth He fills heaven and earth with his glory we can look nowhere but behold glory Psal. 104. 24 25. Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches so is this great and wide sea And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoak that is the posts of the door of the house or temple moved The posts are those upon which the door hangs Their moving was a signe of God's indignation See Amos 9. 1. I saw the Lord standing upon the altar and he said Smite the lintel of the door that the posts may shake and cut them in the head all of them and I will slay the last of them with the sword he that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered And the house was filled with smoak Another signe of his fierce anger incensed See Psal. 18. 7 8. Then the earth shook and trembled the foundations of the hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth There went up a smoak out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it See Deut. 29. 20. The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man Or by smoak here is meant darkness see Rev. 15. 8. And the temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God from his power and no man was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled In this symbolical Vision Isaiah saw the Lord and the discovery of the Lord had such an efficacie and power upon his spirit that he was forced to cry out that he was undone So that the words are a fruit of that discovery that Isaiah had of Christ And there are in them these things to be considered First Here is what Isaiah said when he saw the Lord Wo is me or Wo belongs to
dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 16 17. Quest But may some say You hold the personal reign of Christ Answ. Yes but I do not hold it as many hold it I hold that he shall come personally and reign but yet spiritually with spiritual flesh and blood with a glorified body and what that is I know not Object But shall not he come and reign with that very flesh and body which he had at Ierusalem Answ. No My reason is For thou sowest not that body which shall be that which shall be is changed metamorphosed Object But some will say How are the dead raised and with what body do they come Answ Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain it may chance of wheat or of some other grain but God gives it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body 1 Cor 15. 35 36 37 31. Selah Secondly he shall come in the clouds See Matth. 26 64. Jesus said unto them Thou hast said Nevertheless I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power which is the Father and coming in the clouds of heaven What are these clouds They are clouds of darkness Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him and he maketh the clouds his chariot Psal. 104. 3. Clouds of darkness are Christ's Chariot in which he will come riding into the world and into the spirits of his people He shall come in this Chariot two manner of ways First he shall come with Power he shall come with power into the world and the spirits of his people they shall feel his power he will come with majestie and as one that hath authority he will beat down the mountains and every thing that lies in opposition to him the lofty looks of men and women shall he humble and the haughtiness of them shall he bow down then every one that is proud lofty and lifted up shall he bring lowe all the tall cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and all the tall oaks of Bashan and all the high hills and the high towers and fenced walls and the ships of Tarshish and pleasant pictures and the idols shall he utterly overthrow and abolish And they shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and the glory of his majestie when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth and then shall they cast their idols of silver and gold which they have made every one for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty Secondly he shall come in great Glory that is huge vast glory that shall dazzle the eyes of all people he shall come in such glory as shall scorch the men of the earth he shall come in the brightness of himself which shall astonish all flesh Thirdly he shall come with clouds See Revel. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and the kinreds of the earth shall wail because of him Even so Amen Clouds of darkness shall usher him in into the world and all shall see him and those that have pierced him shall cry out because of him Fourthly he shall come with his Saints and Angels First he shall come with his Saints My God shall come and all his Saints with him And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints Jude vers. 14. To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his saints 1 Thes. 3. 13. Secondly he shall come with his Angels likewise The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Psal. 68. 17. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels Matth. 16. 27. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 2 Thess. 1. 7. As clouds and darkness shall usher him in so Saints and Angels shall be his guard to wait upon him in his coming I shall further hold forth the coming of Christ these manner of ways following and then shew you the end of his coming First he shall come in the glory of his Father Secondly he shall come in the glory of Himself Thirdly he shall come in the glory of his Angels First he shall come in the glory of his Father cloathed with his Fathers glory clad with his riches grace and good will filled with his fulness See Mar. 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father Secondly he shall come in his own glory which is God himself Father glorifie me with thine own self which is with the glory I had with thee before the beginning of the world Joh. 17. 5. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Prov. 8. 22 23. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Joh. 1. 1. He shall come with the fulness of the Godhead in him Col. 2. 9. he shall come with a fulness of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. For it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1. 19. With all his fulnhss he shall come Thirdly he shall come in the glory of his Angels cloathed with the Angelical glory But what is the glory of Angels See Heb. 1. 7. And of the angels he saith Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire The glory of Angels is that flame of fire that is in them and wherewith they are cloathed which is nothing but their fiery and flame-like appearances The glory of Angels is the strength of Angels Bless the Lord ye his angels that excel in strength or are mighty in strength Psal. 103. 20. The glory of Angels is their holiness See Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory The glory of Angels consisteth in this likewise They neither marry nor give in marriage The
last thing to be enquired into is the ends of his coming They are these things following The first is this That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather tother into one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth Eph. 1. 10. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet or with a trumpet and a great voice and they shall gather together his elect from the four windes from one end of heaven to the other Matth. 24. 31. or from the uttermost parts of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven Mar. 13. 27. Secondly that he might gather his people together unto the supper of the great God that is to say to eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great Friends we shall feed upon all our enemies we shall make a supper of them all Rev. 19. 18. And I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to all fowls that flie in the midst of heaven Come and gather your selves together to the supper of the great God vers. 17. The third end is to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus 2 Thes. 1. 7 8 9. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power The fourth end of his coming is that he might destroy that wicked one And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming which is Antichrist 2 Thes. 2. 8. If it be thus that My God Thy God Our God Your God shall come yea will come Be not afraid of his coming and of his fiery appearance he comes to save you to redeem you he brings with him Redemption and Salvation he comes to deliver you from your corruptions from your temptations from your bondage and affliction Why should ye fear Therefore lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh If it be thus that My God Thy God Your God shall come Do not doubt of his coming Say to them that are of a fearful heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come You need not fear but that he will But when will he come He shall suddenly come Mal. 3. 1. The Lerd whom ye seek even the Messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in shall suddenly come into his temple Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown Revel. 3. 11. Friends look to your Crown God hath set a Crown of pure gold that is of salvation upon your heads take heed that Satan rob you not of it Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16. 15. Behold I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecies of this book Rev. 22. 7. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his work vers. 12. As the light cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be which will be with speed quickly Matth. 24. 27. He hath promised that he will come and come quickly Quest But may some say Where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers and Apostles fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation Answ. Take heed what you say This was the saying of scoffers that walked after their own lusts See 2 Pet. 3. 4. Quest But may some say There are a great many things to be fulfilled and accomplished before Christ comes in this manner as The calling of the Jews The bringing in of the Gentiles The time of restitution of all things spoken of in Acts 2. 20 21. and divers other things spoken of in Matth. 24. Also Satan is to be cast into the bottomless pit and to be shut up there and to have a seal set upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more till the thousand yeers should be fulfilled after that he must be loosed for a little season Rev. 20. 1 2 3. Answ. To all these Objections I answer thus It is true there are the Jews to be called and the fulness of the Gentiles to be brought in but when this shall be no man knows and for ought that we know it may be quickly in a very short time in the twinkling of an eye And as for the restitution of all things which is to be fulfilled before the coming of Christ that may be as soon for ought that we know And as to those things spoken of in the 24 of Matthew which are to be fulfilled before the coming of Christ I say The most part of them are already fulfilled and the rest are about fulfilling and will be fulfilled in a very short time And as to Satan's being bound and cast into the bottomless pit and there to be shut up and sealed that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeers be fulfilled I say this That Satan hath been bound already and cast into the bottomless pit and there was shut up and sealed that he should not deceive the nations I say he was comparatively to that which he is now and that he is let loose again If ever the Dragon was let loose he is let loose now and he is now gon out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel the number of whom is as the sand of the sea And they shall go upon the breadth of the earth and compass the camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and fire shall come down from God out of heaven and devour them And after this the devil that deceived them shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and for ever And if I be out in this then I shall say thus That a thousand yeers with the Lord are as one day 2 Pet. 3. 8. And by the way note this That I do not believe that it is so to be understood that Satan shall be so shut up as that he shall not decive some If it be so That which any of you hath already hold fast until Christ comes Rev. 2. 25. You
is the light of the world that enlightens the world and that he that is a follower of Christ shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life that is life's light that is he shall have that light that is accompanied with life See that in Heb. 7. 17. For he testifieth Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek The Father testifieth of Christ that he is an everlasting Priest to make intercession for us and to take away our sins Who is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life that is unlooseable and indissolvable life The second thing to be enquired into is What the Word's report is 1. It beareth witness of the Father 2. Of it self First It beareth witness of the Father that he sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world it testifieth what it hath seen and heard in the Father and from the Father Joh. 3. 32. The Word testifieth of that good will love and grace which it hath seen and heard to be in the Father towards the worst of sinners the Word beareth witness of the Father by its works that it did that the Father sent him into the world to finish that great work of Redemption and Reconciliation See Joh. 18. 37. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Secondly It testifieth of it self See Joh. 8. 14 18. Jesus answered and said unto them Though I bear record of my self yet my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go I am one that beareth witness of my self that I came from the Father and go to the Father Object But may some say Christ saith in Joh. 5. 3. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true so that Christ bearing witness of himself is not true Answ. To this I answer If Christ bear witness of himself alone that is without the Father and not as one sent from the Father then indeed his witness is nottrue otherwise it is The third thing to be enquired into is What the holy Ghost's report is The holy Ghost's report see in Heb. 10. 15. Whereof the holy Ghost also is a witness to us of which see in vers. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all See likewise vers. 12. This man after he offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstoole See vers 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified All which the holy Ghost testifieth And that in Act. 5. 32. For we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him What doth the holy Ghost witness See in vers 30 31. The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins of which the holy Ghost is a witness Now the holy Ghost beareth witness by cloven tongues that Christ is exalted See Act. 2. 3 4 33. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear The fourth thing to be inquired into is How the Father Word and holy Ghost witness They witness immediately that is without means The next thing to be inquired into is How the Father Word and holy Ghost are one They are one in substance in being they are one pure essence and person He doth not say They agree in One but Are One If it be thus Then this may serve to discover what these three Witnesses in Heaven are they are the Father Word and holy Ghost three immediate true and strong Witnesses It is written in the Law that the testimony of two witnesses is true much more the testimony of three What greater testimony can there be in Heaven then the testimony of three the Father bearing testimony of the Son and the Son of the Father and the holy Ghost of both all three witnessing grace and love to our spirits that we are theirs and they ours Job saith Also now behold my witness is in heaven speaking of the Father Son and holy Ghost in unity and my record is on high that is in the high places Job 16. 19. It shall be established for ever as the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven Selah speaking of Davids Throne So Psa. 37. The witnesses in Heaven are such as are faithful Now a faithful witness will not lye Prov. 14. 5 25. If it be so Then desire God to open the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven to you Rev. 15. 5. It is said when the Temple of God was opened in heaven there was seen in the Temple the Arke of his Testament and there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an earthquake and great hail Rev. 11. 19. Friends when God comes to open his Temple in Heaven then we shall see the Ark of his Testament and lightenings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail fall upon the man of sin in us If it be so Then this may serve to discover what the mystery of the Father Son and holy Ghost or Spirit is That they are three and yet one one and yet three that the Father is one the Son another and the holy Ghost another and yet the same God variously come forth So that Unity brancheth forth it self into Variety and Variety into Unity the Father is not limited to Unity but spreads forth himself into Diversiâ—y If it be so Then this may serve to discover the vanity and blasphemy of those that hold that Christ and the Spirit are meer Creatures and not the most high God For it is cleer from what hath been spoken that they are the most high God in Unity and the Father Son and Spirit differ not but in their several makings forth all are but one eternal wise immortal and invisible Being And the reason why people fall into such gross absurdities is because they are ignorant of this mystery He that sendeth and he that is sent He that gave the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost that was given He that speaketh of himself and he that speaketh not of himself He that teacheth and he that is taught He that gives and he that receiveth He that is the giver and he
where this foundation is Fourthly what the holy mountains are in which the foundation is The first thing to be enquired into is What is meant by foundation here It is meant Christ he is a Saints foundation upon which he builds or is built We are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone It is not any thing that a believer builds upon but Jesus Christ As a wise master-builder saith Paul I laid the foundation Christ for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid Jesus Christ Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble which are false Doctrines and Principles every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall trie every mans work of what sort it is If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12 13 14 15. The second thing to be enquired into is Whose this foundation is It is God's foundation of God's own laying in the mountains Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a sure foundation Isai. 28. 16. And in another place it is said that the foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. The third thing to be enquired into is Where this foundation is that is to say in the holy mountains What is meant by the holy mountains See Dan. 9. 16. O Lord according to all thy righteousness I beseech thee let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusulem thy holy mountain because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers Jerusalem and all thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us And that in Joel 3. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall be no strangers pass thorow her any more So that the holy mountain is the City Jerusalem it 's Zion God hath laid his foundation in Jerusalem in Zion for Zion to build upon The Lord loves the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob There are in this verse these things to be considered First what the gates of Zion are They are those that open into Zion that give an entrance into Zion that let us into Zion It is the property of a gate to let in into some place or other so the gates of Zion are those which give us an admittance into Zion The second thing to be enquired into is what the dwellings of Jacob are They are these They dwelt upon somewhat that was not God they dwelt upon wickedness as those that know not God do see Job 18. from vers. 6 of this Chapter to vers. 21. Yea the light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire shall not shine the light shall be dark in his tabernacle and his candle shall be put out with him the steps of his strength shall be straightned and his own counsel shall cast him down For he is cast into a net by his own feet and he walketh upon a snare The grin shall take him by the heel and the robber shall prevail against him The snare is laid for him in the ground and a trap for him in the way Terrours shall make him afraid on every side and shall drive him to his feet His strength shall be hungerbitten and destruction shall be ready at his side It shall devour the strength of his skin even the first-born of death shall devour his strength His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernalce and it shall bring him to the king of terrours It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation His roots shall be dried up beneath and above shall his branch be cut off His remembrance shall perish from the earth and he shall have no name in the street He shall be driven from light into darkness and chased out of the world He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people nor any remaining in his dwellings They that come after him shall be astonied at his day as they that went before were affrighted Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God Then that in Psal. 55. 15. Let death seise upon them and let them go down quick into hell for wickedness is in their dwelling and among them Now the Lord loves the gates of Zion the outward part of Zion the entrance of Zion more then Jacob's dwellings he cannot endure dwelling places where wickedness is he cannot endure our dwelling places that which we dwell and live upon besides God Glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God Selah The things that are to be enquired into in this verse are these following First what the city of God is It is that in which God dwells and inhabits and takes up his abode it is Zion Jerusalem it is God's people The second thing to be enquired into is what those glorious things are that are spoken of the city of God See Psal. 45. 13 14 15. The Kings daughter is all glorious within which is the Church of Christ her clothing is of wrought gold She shall be brought to the King Christ Jesus in rayment of needle-work the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee With gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings palace that is into Christs glory whose garments smell of myrrhe aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made thee glad vers. 8. Kings daughters were among thy honourable women upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir vers. 9. See that in Isai. 33. 20 21. Look upon Zion the city of our solemnities thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken but there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad waters and streams wherein shall go no galley with oars neither shall gallant ships pass thereby See Rev. 21. 1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth This new heaven and earth is a state of righteousness See 2 Pet. 3. 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness that is such heavens and such an earth as is free from all corruption and sin This new heaven and new earth is spoken of in Isai. 45. 17. For behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred
nor come into minde This new heaven and new earth is described there to be such an estate of glory in which the voice of weeping shall be no more heard nor the voice of crying vers. 19. but Jerusalem shall be created a rejoycing and a joy vers. 18. And he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth because the former troubles shall be forgotten vers. 16. For the first heaven and first earth were passed away they shall not be remembred nor come into minde Which first heaven and earth is that state of things in and under which the Saints are now Whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also heaven Heb. 12. 26. God is now a shaking the old heaven and earth and they begin to fall apace and to make way for the new heavens and earth And there was no more sea That is no more troublesomness confusedness broils waves tempests and storms This John saw and it will shortly be fulfilled And I John saw the holy city new Hierusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband This holy City new Hierusalem is the Church of Christ in her glorious triumphing estate It is therefore said to come down from God out of heaven because it hath all its newness and holiness from God and from heaven by which she is now prepared and adorned for her husband And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Iohn heard a voice from heaven which called him to behold see and take notice that God would tabernacle in men make men his tabernacle He tells Iohn that this his tabernacle is with men he doth not tell him it shall be with men but it is already he dwells himself with the Saints already intimating unto us this that it is so in the counsel of God There is a great deal in that word himself he dwells in us now by the Spirit Ye are the habitation of God by the Spirit but he will dwell himself in his own proper substance being and person God himself shall be with them He is with us now but he shall be with us in greater glory and he will dwell with us Now he is in us and with us for a while and then withdraws himself but then he shall take up his dwelling for ever in our hearts and we shall be his people We are his people now but we shall be so his people as that his name shall be written upon our foreheads that we shall be distinguished from the world the world shall acknowledge us to be his and he shall be their God He is their God now but it shall appear to all then that he is their God And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Here is a further description of Hierusalem's state When God comes to dwell among us himself when he himself comes to be with us he will put an end to all our sorrow and crying and pains yea he will wipe away all our tears so that we shall weep no more he will take away death even that death through fear of which many were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 15. and we shall live for ever in his sight and the reason is Because the former things are past away And he that sate upon the throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me Write for these words are true and faithful And he said unto me It is done Here is Christ upon the throne calling us to behold that he makes all things new Friends Jesus Christ is doing of it and he will restore his people into a better and more firm estate then they were in in the first Adam and for the confirmation of this commandeth John to write it as a thing already done Things to come which are decreed in the counsel of God are as certain as if they were past for God cannot change nor alter therefore he saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last ver. 6. Now at the ninth verse he saith And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials full of the seven plagues and talked with me saying Come up hither Here the Spirit of the Lord calls up John above himself that so he might see and receive the visions of the Lord I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife that is the Church of Christ in her glorious estate And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain which is Christ that so he might take a view of the spouse of Christ in her glory Which thing holds forth this to us that none can take a right view of the new Jerusalem unless they be taken from earth into heaven And shewed me that great city the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God that is the light wisdom power beauty and excellency of God no less then the very glory of God is the new Ierusalem clothed with And her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a jasper stone which is full of beauty excellency and glory And cleer as crystal that is in respect of its bright shining and glistering light And had a wall great and high which speaks the security defence and safetiness of the City And it had twelve gates which signifieth this to us the hardness and difficulty of enemies to enter in And at the gates twelve angels to keep the gates that none but the righteous enter in And names written thereon which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel that is all the Elect of God both Jews and Gentiles that are not Israelites after the flesh but true Israelites Which holds forth this to us that those that are to enter into the City their names are written upon the gates of the City On the east three gates on the north three gates on the south three gates and on the west three gates Which holds forth this unto us That out of all the four quarters of the earth the Elect shall be gathered See Mat. 24. 31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four windes from one end of heaven to the other or from the uttermost parts of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven Mark 13 27. And some shall be let in at one gate and some at another And the wall of the
me it is my portion Secondly Here is the reason of that saying Wo is me and that is For I am undone that is cut off Thirdly Here is the ground why he said he was undone which is threefold 1. Because I am a man of unclean lips that is because he was vile 2. I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips 3. Because mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts That which we shall raise from the words is this That a true seeing the Lord is accompanied with these things following First It undoes a man Secondly It makes him cry out Wo is he Thirdly It makes him cry out that he is a man of unclean lips Fourthly That he dwells in the midst of a people of unclean lips I. First of all A true discovery of the Lord undoeth a man that is cuts him off from what he is or can do As for Samaria her king is cut off as the foam upon the water Hos. 10. 7. As the foam upon the face of the water is cut off so is that man cut off and beheaded that hath seen the Lord Or it may be meant that Isaiah was cut off in his own apprehensions thoughts Or the word undone may be taken thus An undone man is one that hath nothing to live upon of his own no victuals or cloathes of his own Friends to be undone is to have nothing to live upon of our own as parts gifts righteousness doing working being thinkings conceits self-perswasions high estimation of our selves fancies fictions and the like but to live upon somewhat of another which is Christ There is in a true undoing of a man by the sight of the Lord these things following First There is a striking of a man down When God intends good to a soul the first work that God takes with him is he strikes him down stark dead that he never lives any more to himself or to sin or to the devil but unto God In this manner Paul was struck down as he journeyed with letters to Damascus he came neer to Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven and he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 3 4. Much like to this is that in Rev. 1. 17. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead Secondly A true discovery of the Lord takes away a man's sight that he cannot see with his own eyes Friends if God intends us good he will put out our eyes he will blinde us that we shall not see in our own light as he did Paul And Saul arose from the earth and when his eyes were opened he saw no man but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus See Acts 9. 8. and 22. 11. We would live and see but God will destroy our life and sight if he intend us good Thirdly A true discovery of the Lord takes away a mans strength and breath See Dan. 10. 16 17. And behold one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips Then I opened my mouth and said unto him that stood before me O my Lord by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me and I have retained no strength for how can the servant of this my Lord talk with this my Lord for as for me straightway there remained no strength in me neither is there breath left in me It takes away our breathing after God and our strength our power to do this and that to subdue sin withstand temptation and to wrestle with God ond the like We are ready to vaunt and say This is that which we have done by our might for the honour of our majestie but God will if he intend good to us confound our breathings and strength yea all that we are or can do Fourthly A true discovery of the Lord confounds a mans Understanding See Prov. 30. 1 2. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh even the prophecie the man spake unto Ithiel even unto Ithiel and Vcal Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man Our understandings are a great hinderance to us in the knowledge of the things of God and till our understanding of things be destroyed we shall not see into the truth of things Fifthly A true discovery of the Lord destroys our Knowledge We would and do know things and no further then things do sute with our knowledge do we take things to be truth We make our Knowledge the measure of all Truth But a true sight of God will confound it If once you come to see the Lord then you will say you have not the understanding of a man As I was forced to say Sixthly A true sight of the Lord destroys our Wisdom that makes us wise in our own eyes We think we are wise and we need not the wisdom of God whenas our wisdom is foolishness We think we carry our selves wisely but God will destroy the wisdom of the wise We think we are wise to do good and all other wisdom is nothing to our own but a true sight of God will put an end to it Seventhly A true discovery of the Lord destroys all mans Holy walkings Not that I am against holy walkings if they be the holy walkings of Christ it destroyeth all that a man hath trusted in and put confidence in beside the Lord all his natural faith and hope of being saved all his speakings pride selfishness and the like II. A true sight of God doth not onely undo a man but discovers sin to him and makes him cry out that he is a sinner that he is a man of unclean lips that he hath sinned against the Lord Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evil It makes a man abhor himself I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye hath seen thee wherefore I abhor my self and re pent in dust and ashes Job 42. 5 6. III. A true sight of God makes a man cry out that he dwells among a sinful people O it is a wicked people among whom I dwell and live It makes him cry out of their sinfulness A soul that hath seen God cries out of sin whereever he sees it and of his dwelling in the tents of Sechem It doth not onely make a soul cry out that he is a man of polluted lips but makes him acknowledge that the people among whom he dwells are sinful A man that hath seen the Lord will not onely cry out that he himself hath sinned but that those among whom he dwells have sinned IV. A true sight of God makes a man cry out Wo is him wo and destruction belongs to me for I am undone I am a man of polluted lips for I have seen the Lord Friends if once you come to see the Lord then you will cry out Wo is you wo is you we are undone we
the Name of the Lord Answer It is to walk in the power majesty wisdom knowledge light and life of God If it be thus that the light shall not be clear nor dark neither day nor night in the day and coming of Christ Then think it not strange if it fall out so as surely it will But in the evening it will be light When the night begins to approach and gross darkness to follow then light will break forth even the everlasting light of God himself A strange thing is Friends when a man is in spiritual blindness betwixt darkness and light sometimes he thinks he sees and sometimes he thinks he sees not he cannot tell In the evening it shall be light when a soul least looks for it Who would look for light to break forth in the evening But it is true that it shall therefore wait for it If it be so that living waters shall flow forth from Jerusalem half of them toward the former sea and half of them toward the hinder sea Then this may serve to discover the abundance of the Spirit that shall be poured forth in the later days A fountain of living waters shall flow forth from Jerusalem to water the world with The mountains shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters The Church of Christ shall be so filled with the Spirit as it shall be in them as a Fountain and it shall come flowing sorth from them towards the former sea and later sea This shall be in Summer and in Winter it shall be always it shall constantly flow forth from them towards the world If it be so You that want the Spirit wait for it if you believe out of your belly shall flow rivers of waters a fountain of living waters shall flow forth from you to water the dry and parched ground If it be thus This may soon discover who shall reign in that day The Lord alone shall reign he shall be King then over all the earth then our Lord will be exalted Now men reign and are exalted but he will throw them down and exalt himself And his Name shall be one His Name is not one now there are other names besides his worshipped but God will throw them down and His alone shall be lifted up The POSTSCRIPT THere are three things which moved me to write this Postscript The first was To declare and make known that that which I have written against the Priests was intended onely against those that are base and vile and such as take Tythes and are proud ignorant idle blinde Priests such as are for Gain that feed Themselves and not the Flock that Go before they are Sent that teach for hire and the like The second thing was To take off those things that have been laid to my charge by Some concerning my first Book which are these First They affirm that I say in my Book that I take heaven to be the light and glory of God which is true and that Satan in heaven is Satan in the very light and glory of God which I deny For it is an impossible thing and cannot be Though this I cannot but subscribe to that is to say That he will administer to souls in that state and teach souls to make false applications and misapprehensions of things And besides if they would look diligently into my Book and search narrowly how things are spoken there they would finde that I speak a quite contrary thing for I say that Satan in heaven is Satan in glory and Satan in glory is Satan in an angel of light As in these words And there appeared another wonder in heaven the meaning is not that there appeared really a great Red Dragon in the light and glory of God but the meaning is John being taken up by the Spirit into heaven that is into the light and glory of God he saw the appearance of the great Red Dragon there but not really the Dragon in the very light and glory of God The second thing that they lay to my charge is the Title of my last Book which is A WONDER AND NO WONDER They admire how I can make that which Is a Wonder to be No Wonder This is a poor thing to give an Answer to But I will satissie them so far as to tell them I make A Wonder No Wonder thus It is a Wonder to those that are not acquainted with what Satan in heaven is for they stand and admire at the thing But it is not a Wonder to those that know what Satan in heaven is they do not admire neither do they at all wonder at it because they know it and are well acquainted with it And the reason wherefore John called it A Wonder was Because he knew not what Satan in heaven was he was not acquainted with Satan in an angel of light Consider that place in 2 Cor. 11. 14 And no marvel for Satan himself is changed into an angel of light The rest of the things they lay to my charge are words in my Book which are falsly printed for which the Printer indeed is to be blamed not I. The third thing that moved me to write this Postscript was To answer a poor weak saying of one whom I forbear to name which was this There are many that take upon them to write now a days but I know no warrant for any of them to write seeing there are so many learned able and godly men that do write unless they could write some New Truth that was never heard of before To the first I ask you this Is all Truth in learned godly men Have none but they a warrant to write May not a childe of God that hath no Learning at all be endued with the Spirit and power from on high and so be made as fit as they to preach and write Is not the same Spirit in one as in the other Certainly you have lost your Senses you seem to hold that which many ignorant Priests do that is to say That none are so able to deliver and write Truth as themselves are I am sure that godly learned men will not assume this to themselves but will esteem others above themselves There is that revealed many times to a poor ignorant weak Christian that learned Christians are ignorant of and I have seen that written by a Babe the like whereof I never saw come from learned Professors though they were godly I speak not this to discourage them or to set light by them but to take off partiality and my end in answering the foresaid saying was God knows That those that heard it might not be led aside by it but that they might see the vanity of it and that it proceeded either from Ignorance or Envie To the second I say There is no Truth new that is to be written but that which is written and shall be written is the old Truth It is true in one sence old Truth may be new as in that sence I write to you a new Commandment it was new to them because they had not practised it before but yet it was the old Commandment which was That they should love one another Now he that writes must write old Truth that was heretofore or else he must write a Lye There is nothing new under the sun There are many hidden old Truths which you and others know not though ye and others think ye know them and therefore they may write them and declare them if they be called to it of God And those that think themselves to know most know least yea are very fools nay a man may write those things that you and others haply know to be Truth for though you and others know them to be Truth yet haply others do not so that he writes the things he hath seen felt and handled but for any to write the things of another as he may which he hath not seen nor felt this is not lawful FINIS