that which is Natural then that which is Spiritual so it is true in this First is the Servile State in Religion then the Son-like So we read Gal. 4. 7. Now are ye no more Servants but Sons Thus the Son-like State is the second step or Remove in Religion But it will be necessary for me to open the Servile State first that the Son-like may be the better understood 1. State Servile This State hath Four Signs 1. Sign Fear 2. Sign Dependencies 3. Sign Forms 4. Sign Solicitude 1. Sign Fear A Saint in a Servile State serves God chiefly from a Principle of Fear Rom. 8. 15. Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear St. Paul doth not speak here of a Sinful State in Nature but of a Servile State in Grace This will appear clearly if you compare this place with the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians You shall see in both Places the Twofold State of a Servant and a Son in Religion described alike almost in the same terms Rom. 8. 15. Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again Galat. 4. 1. The Heir while a Child differeth nothing from a Servant v. 3. Ye were in bondage to worldly Elements V. 7. Now are ye no longer Servants Rom. 8. 15 17. But the Spirit of Adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father Now are ye Sons if Sons then Heirs Galat. 4. 6. He hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts whereby we cry Abba Father 7. Sons and Heirs c. Thus the Spirit of Bondage is a Spirit sent forth from God in the ministry of the Law Therefore the Apostle saith Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage This Spirit begets men to God but it is in a Servile-State by and to Fear Fear is the Seed and Fruit of this Spirit So a man by it becomes a Son to God but by the Bond-woman So he is partly a Son partly a Servant or rather a Son in the State of a Servant But I must further explain this Fear by 1. The Distinction of Fear 2. The Object 1. The Distinction of Fear There is a Twofold Fear 1. Fear Slavish 2. Fear Filial 1. Fear Slavish This Fear comes before Love and is cast out when Love comes 1 John 4. 18. Perfect Love casteth out Fear But what Fear is this That which is Slavish So it is added Fear hath Torment A Slavish Fear is to the Heart as Fire is to Gold Gold is wrought by the Fire to a softness and fitness to receive the King's Image then it is taken out of the Fire So this Fear subdues the Heart to a yielding temper to receive the Impressions and Image of God in Love Then it is cast ouâ— 2. Fear Filial This follows after Love flows from it is as sweet and desirable as Love itself The Scripture saith in one Place Who would not fear thee This Fear is a Plyantness of the Soul to God yielding to him form a near sense of his Greatness and Goodness both in one It is like the Bowing of some Flowers towards the Sun being toucht with his Influences and Beams Revel 14. 6. An Angel in the midst of Heaven preacheth the Everlasting Gospel What is the Everlasting Gospel The glad Tidings of Eternal Love in God to the Creature This Angel at the seventh v. cries aloud Fear God This Fear answers Love and Ecchos to it in the Heart Love saith God is thine Fear saith I will no more be mine own Love saith God will come down into thee and fill thee Fear saith I will sink down out of my self and give way to God The Filial Fear is proper to the Son-like State It is the Slavish Fear which is the Sign of that Servile State of which we now speak A Son-like State hath Love for its Eldest Child Fear for its Youngest A Servile State hath Fear for its First-born Love here is a Younger Brother In the Son Fear is the Motion of Love In the Servant it is the Motive to Love The Servant is the Son of the Bond-woman The Son is born of the Free-woman The Soul in a Servile State of Religion ascends out of Flesh towards God So Fear is First and Love riseth out of Fear as Fire out of Smoak The Soul in a Son-like state descends comes down from God as a Bride ready trim'd So Lâ—ve is First and brings forth Fear as a pure Flame breaths from it a fine Air. This is the Distinction of Fear This the Sign of a Servile State a Slavish Fear 2. The Object of Fear This is exprest by the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 15 Those that were held in bondage by the Fear of Death The Jews were under the Law in a Servile State under a Slavish Fear This Fear had Death in its Eye for its Object Death hath two things in it Loss and Pain Loss of Life with all the Sweets and Comforts of Life Pain in the Labours and Pangs at the parting of Soul and Body Thus a Slavish Fear hath a Twofold Object 1 Object Loss 2. Object Pain 1. Object Loss A Christian in a Servile State fears the Loss of God more than God The Fear of God makes a man sink out of himself into God Fear of Loss of him makes a man apt to sink into himself in Despair A Servile Christian fears the loss of Gods Favour more than the loss of God the loss of the Fruits of his Favour which are Peace within Prosperity without more than the loss of his Favour 2. Object Pain A Spiritual Son-like Saint fears the Departures of God the loss of Divine Enjoyments more then all Pains or Tortures But the Servant in Religion is not any thing so much sensible of the loss of all the joys in Heaven as he is struck with trembles at the pains of Hell Iohn the Baptist was a Figure of the Servile State He presseth his Exhortation with such Reasons as these The Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree Save your selves from that wrath which is to come Iesus Christ was the Head and Figure of the Son-like State He moveth by other Arguments The Kingdom of God is at hand Light is come into the World Come to me and have life in abundance I have done with the First and most apparent Sign of a Servile State Fear 2. Sign Dependencies A Servile Christian seeks God chiefly by outward Assistances Gal. 3. 24. The Law was a School-master to bring us to Christ. A School-master ties Children to their set Times Rules Exercises till they can speak a Language judge of Truth converse with wisdom naturally from inward and free Principles So the Law which is the Mistris under whom we are in bondage teacheth us to seek Communion with God at peculiar Times The Forming of our Spirits according to God by particular Rules The Deriving of Truths Strengths Comforts from God by several Performances This is our way of Life till the Seed of Life be come up
Den the Country a Wilderness all about So is this Fiery Spirit eager to consume all appearances of Life and God upon their first discovery As the Night which entombs all things in it self and makes the richest variety of Shapes but one Lonely shade such a Solitude is the Devil Consider this all ye who cleave to the Noise Glories Pleasures of this world and leave your God least you should be Melancholy See and tremble to see into what a Melancholy Shade what a solitude your souls pass when you die 2. Spectacle Horrour Imagine a world where over your head instead of a Sky black pitchy Clouds perpetually roul not suffering any Glimpse of Light or Day ever to appear under your feet instead of Land or Sea a vast amazing depth which no where by nothing bounds your sight or thought round about you a Desolate Darkness presenting near and at furthest distance all those Forms which are bred in the womb of darkness and carry an astonishing darkness with them to the Senses and Spirits of Men like apparitions Lightnings Shrieks dying Groans roaring Tempests Howling of wild Beasts to a man alone in a Forrest at Midnight Such a world of Horrours is this Evil Spirit Therefore he is set forth by the Outward Darkness where the Worm dies not a Darkness without Light or Limit in which all gnawing Forms of Horrour live Let him that hates not that world of Curses love this world of Varities For the Vanities of one are the Porch to the Vexations of the other 3. Spectacle Torture Every Wound is a Division What are Fears Pains Griefs Death Separations of Desires from their Delights Faculties from their Objects Principles from their Act End Perfection in a word Things from Themselves All Deaths and Tortures then are in the Devil at their heighth in their fullest Power For he is the Principle and Power of Division The Life of this Mighty Creature is a Two-edged Flaming Sword in the midst of itself Each Act and Motion of life is the Brandishing of this Sword Cutting and Burning in every Part and point of life with ten thousand Anguishes 4. Spectacle Ugliness Deformity is Darkness with a Disproportion Darkness in harmony with Light makes a Beauty So the Evening and the Morning make a Day So the Night and sleep are the shade of an Angel's wing dropping sweet sleep and rest on Men. Proportion is a Kind and Image of Unity Disproportion is a Division without any form of Unity Where this Division and Darkness first meet there is the Center of Ugliness the Fountain of ugly things This is the Babel where Ziim and Ijim dwell Unclean Birds Forms dry without any beautiful Water desolate no pleasant plant of Life putting forth it self there irksome and hateful being surrounded with a rude Darkness like rocky uncouth Islands in a Tempestuous Sea or Screech-Owles in a Melancholy Night These are the Four Spectacles of dread death in the Nature of the Devil Solitude Horrour Torture and Ugliness Now make up these Four into One let that One be a Living Spirit of greatest Activity and Capacity This is the Devil the Bottomless Pit of Things the Unpassable Gulf which divides Heaven from Hell This is the Father of Sin and Sinners Now before you commit a Sin propound this Question to your selves Can I eternally wander in a Darkness where I shall never meet Companion or Comfort Can I make everlasting Clouds my Canopy Can I lie under these at Rest Can I sleep sweetly over an unknown roaring Deep Can I imbrace Fire feed on Poysons drink down Tortures like Water Can I make those hateful Shapes at which when they appear the stoutest men grow stiff with horrour and feel their hair to stand on end upon their heads Can I make these ghastly dismal things my Play-fellows If you can do all this then go sin freely But if these be Terrours above Man to bear take heed and start at a Lust more than you would at a Ghost for these are but weak Types of those Tormenting Truths which Sinners must try below For as God makes Heaven so the Devil is the Hell into him do all polluted Souls descend they dwell not only with but in Him Obj. Why should any doubt whether there be a Devil But alass who believes him to be any thing besides a Scar-crow except Children or weak and superstitious Spirits Answ. Yet you that thus reason ask those Principles that govern you Do not Sense and Reason shew that all things have their Roots out of which they rise Are there not such things as Follies Filths and Furies spread through the World Are they not if not the All yet the Greatest part of the word Can these be and no Spring be in which they are United and at their Height This Spring is this Spirit which we call the Devil This is that untam'd Sea of which Job speaks Job 7. 12. Am I a Sea or Whale that thou thus breakest me What pity then is it to see Millions of men go with merry dalliance down the streams of fleshly delights and at the same time to see that Cloudy Sea of Horrours into which they are within a few moments delivered by these streams If every thing make hast to its own Principle and Element Fire to the upper Circle Earth to its Center below If it be Natural for every Plant to bring forth its own Seed then sure it cannot be but that each guilty Soul should sink downward to the Element of Woe and Horrours the Center of Darkness then sure every Sin must at last bring forth a Devil You that love your lusts more than your God learn from your Bodies the state determin'd upon your Souls Your Bodies are Dust and to Dust they must return Your defiled Spirits are of their Father the Devil and to him they must again go when they leave this World This is the first consideration to preserve us from Sin The Nature of the Devil 2. The Nature of Sin We read no where of Mary Magdalen that she was Possess'd according to the common acceptation of that word We read that she was a Sinner eminently absolutely without restraint as if she who is said to have been an Hostess had been an Inne to all Sins Yet she is thus describ'd Mark 16. 9. Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast Seven Devils All Sins are rankt under Seven Heads These are the Seven Powers of Evil in the Devil which are as so many Devils there These are the Unclean Spirits which go forth from the Mouth of the Dragon into the breasts of all the Sons and Daughters of Adam Fly then from a Sin for 't is a Devil Fly from the sweetest Temptations They may look like Angels but they are the Devil's Angels the most immediate Emanations or Images from that foul Principle Qu. But you will say What is Sin How shall I know it That I may fly from it Ans. You may know it by the Image it
of the Earth But this Soul in this Divine Principle sees God Himself with the whole Troop of the Sons of God God-like Forms ascending out of every Point of the Earth and the lowest parts of things Use. Conviction Consider with thy self after this manner Am I Chang'd If I be not I stand in the Circle of Vanity Darkness and Woe I am gone forth from my Center outward into a Waste Wilderness whither no clear Line of Light or Life stretcheth itself where are no Sparks of peace or joy which are not scattered into wild Distractions torn in pieces and devoured by Confusion Am I still wandering in this World I am already upon the very Brink and Precipice of Things Whither do I wander Whither shall I fall when I die Is there yet any thing beyond this World further from God and Goodness besides the Place of Devils There are Four Discoveries of a Chang'd or Unchang'd State 1. Discovery Have I seen a Resurrection in myself Our Conversion is made the same thing with the Resurrection of our Saviour Coloss. 3. 1. If ye be risen with Christ. When Jesus rose again He returned to that Glory which He had with God before he was in Flesh. His Resurrection was a Return not to that Life which he had in the World this was part of his Death but to that Life which he had before This among Earthly Men. So when we Turn to God we Return truly to our selves We perceive our Selves now to be our Selves and all below this to have been a Shadow of us or a Disguise upon us The Conversion of Man is call'd an Awakening Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest stand up from the Dead My God is a Light in which all Things are seen ever as they were from the Beginning My Jesus is a Life in which all things are the same Yesterday before the World as they shall be to Morrow and for ever My Soul Art thou awakened into the Light the Life of thy God thy Jesus If thou art what seest thou Thou seest thy true and substantial Being thy proper Person appearing thou seest all things in their first Principle in their right state thou seest every Inferiour Person which thou hast been cloth'd with and each Lower State of Things in which thou hast acted any Part as Dreams of a sleeping Man in the Night out of which he awakens the same that he was when first he lay down and they vanish as Airy Images The Gospel declares the Mystery that was hid in God from the beginning of the World Ephes. 3. 9. If you have not beheld present things things to come Heaven Glory your future State as it was in the Mystery of God from Eternity you are still buried under the Ruines of this Confused World beneath which that Mystery lies hid 2. Discovery Can I tell the Difference between Flesh and Spirit A Converted and a Regenerate Condition are thus distinguisht by Walking in Flesh or Spirit Rom. 8. 4. The Eye guides the Feet How can I walk after One and not the Other if I know not how One differs from the Other The Light shined in Darkness but the Darkness comprehended it not The Flesh is the Darkness which understands neither the Spirit nor itself The Spirit is the Light in which both are understood and discern'd Say thus to thy Heart My Heart Canst thou tell a way to possess all Things in one point in a Unity of Life Hast thou lookt on all Things at once and seen them in a Harmony of Beauty Hast thou taken in the Tunes and Motions of all Things Created and Uncreated in a Concent of Pleasures Didst thou ever yet descry a glorious Eternity in each winged Moment of Time a Bright Infiniteness in the narrow points of every dark Object Then thou knowest what the Spirit means that Spire-top of Things whither all ascend harmoniously where they meet and sit together recollected and concentred in an Unfathom'd Depth of Glorious Life From hence thou lookest down and seest all Flesh as a heap of Single Dusts Dark though falling from the midst of a bright Flame Divided though laid together He that knows no Spirit but that which breaths thorow Flesh and feeds on the Air. He that understands the highest Spirit but as a Fleshly Fancy exalted is yet Flesh condemn'd like Nebucchadnezzar to graze on the fading Field of Flesh till he know this Flesh to be that Darkness which covers all Truth and the most high Spirit to be the only Light which discovers all things and itself 3. Discovery Have I seen a Night upon this World One Day passeth not away for another to succeed except a Night come between My soul is not yet born again out of the Light of this World into the Day of Christ if she hath not gone thorow a Night a Night of Eternal Darkness upon all Earthly Contents Thou canst not look down upon Fleshly Things with a Delight from the Throne of Christ except thou hast lookt upon them as a Prospect of Horrour from the Cross of Christ. Jesus Christ threatens Jezabel and her Companions to throw her into a Bed and great Tribulation Revel 2. 22. He never comes into the Bed of Eternal Repose with Jesus Christ as his Spouse that hath not been in a Bed of afflictions and Flames with his Jezabel the Flesh. 4. Discovery Have I tasted the Sweetness of a Life within in my own Spirit Hast thou not made a Retreat into thine own Depths Hast thou not seen the Beauties that shine in this Glass Then art thou far from the Depths of the Divine Spirit and the Glories that disclose themselves in that Glass Solomon tells us Prov. 20. 27. That the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord in his Bowels if the Spirit of Man within be but a Candle what then is this Sensual State without Neither Life nor Death nor Light nor Darkness but Shadows of Life and Death between both But who can think he hath receiv'd the Beams of the Sun when yet he hath not seen a Candles Light We read of a Strumpet Prov. 7. 11 12. That her Feet abide not in the house but she loves to be abroad While the Feet the Affections of our Souls are ever gadding and our eyes gazing in the broad ways of Sense while they love not to dwell in the Habitation of their own Spirits they make themselves Strumpets to every unclean Spirit I have ended the First Head of this Doctrine the Conversion or Change it self I am now to pass to the Second the Circumstances of this Change 2. Part The Circumstances of the Change These are Two 1. Circumstance A Universal Motion in all the Passions 2. Circumstance A General Alteration in Practice 1. Circumstance A Universal Motion in all the Passions These are moved at the time of our Conversion for the most part in this Threefold Order 1. Order 1. Griâ—f 2. Shame 3. Fear 2. Order 1. Hope 2. Desire 3. Rage 3.
things The Good at which he aims The Evil from which he flies Desires here are the Attractions of the highest Good the most high God backed by the Impressions of the greatest Evils Sin Death Devils As one draws the Other drive The Soul sees God before her opening a World of new Hopes and Delights She sees Lusts and Furies behind her labouring to overtake her and hold her back from those fresh Glories which are now in her eye This makes her Desires as swift feet as strong Wings to her Now the newly-converted Spirit begins to discover her self by continual violent Breathings and cries towards Heaven How long Lord Now she speaks in Davids tune and tone Psal. 84. 2. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh cry out for the Living God Grones are now the constant beatings of the Heart Longings and Faintings become the Language of all parts inward and outward Longings after Faintings for the Life of God the Living God 3. Passion Rage 2. Corin. 7. 11. The Corinthians had slept secure in a foul Sin They now awakened by St. Paul give those Testimonies of their Change which he reckons up in this place What vehement Desire yea what Zeal yea what Revenge As a Flood foâ—ming and roaring when it is streightned or swelling and over-bearâ—ng all when it is stopt in its Course So are Anger or Rage Desires multiplied and growing Mighty by Resistance There are Thrâ—e that resist the Soul in her Conversion the Flesh the World the Devil The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. The Inâ—linations of the Flesh cross and quench the Motions of the Spirit The World infuseth a poyson of Desires and Delights into the Heart which kill Heavenly Loves which infect the Heart with hatred and enmity against God and his Glory James 4. 4. The Friendship of the World is enmity with God The Devil is like a Lyon seeking whom he may dâ—vour 1 Pet. 5. 8. He would draw down our Souls into himself out of the Arms of our Saviour The World works upon us thorow the Flesh in our selves For this is the Property and the Birth of the World in us John 8. 23. Ye are of the World Ye that is they that are Fleshly The Devil prevaileth upon us by the World This is the Body with which he cloaths himself when he comes he is Prince of this World This world is his Power As God Christ and a Saint are all united in the Spiritual part of a Christian So the Devil the World the Flesh are all in one in the Natural part These the Soul at her Conversion now understands to be the Enemies of her Hope the Tyrants over â—â—â—joy the Rubs in the way of her Desires She riseth to a brave heat of Rage and height of Revenge against these Thus she vents her Rage thus she takes Revenge By fastning her own Flesh to the Cross 〈◊〉 her Lord She Crucifies Spoils Triumphs over them all Gal. 6. 14. I Glory saith Paul in the Cross of Christ by which the World is crucified to me and I to the World Nothing now is so sweet nothing so Glorious to this Soul as the Crâ—ss of her Jesus By this she revengeth her self upon her Spiritual Enemy as they treated her Lord her Life that is with Scorn and Despight First she puts them to open Shame She uncloaths them of all their fair Appearances In the face of Heaven in the eye of her Sun her God 〈◊〉 displays them naked in their ugly monstrous Shapes in their loathsom and hateful Uncleannesses Then she nails them by a constant force to theâ—r Paâ—ns and Sufferance till they languish to Death I have gone thorow the Second Order of Passions Hope Desire Rage 3. Order of Passions 1. Passion Lovâ— Love is a Câ—njunction with a Complacency in Goodness God Gal. 2. 20. I am saith St. Paul Crucified with Christ and now I live yet not I but Christ livâ—th in me c. The Holy Soul having stâ—ugled thorow the Streights of Grief and Shame thoâ—ow the Croâ—stides of Hope and Fear having wrestled with the Principles of Nature the Principalities and Powers of this world Fleshly Honours and heights now comes to tast the Freedom and Sweetness of life which is Lovâ— now she knows what 't is to Live indeed to live in the Embraces and mutuâ—l Twiniâ—gs of the Lord Jesus Now she hath no Life but his Lâ—ve now her Lâ—vâ— hath no Object but â—is Liâ—e By this time our Convert is grown up out of a 〈◊〉 to a Spouse-like tempâ—r like her in the Canticles She grows Sick of Love Her Love to God consumes her strength wasts her Life dispossesseth her of â—er sâ—lf Nothing can be Strength Life Self to her save her Saviour only She is â—â—â—ong only when he is present She is happy when he is pleased A man in this State breaths nothing but Affection to God He cries continually as David doth Psal. 18. 1. I lâ—ve Thee The word signifies I love thee dearly tenderly inwardly I twist thy love upon my inwardest and tenderest bowels O my Iâ—sus 2. Passion Hatred Psal. 139. 22. I hate them that hate thee with a perfect Hatred Hatred is the Life of Contrariety Casting out from itself yet Comprehending in it self as in a Chain Conquering to it self its Contrary God promiseth Christ thus much Psal. 110. 1 Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy Foot-stool We hold our Foot-stool near us but under us We hold it down yet we hold up and raise our selves by it There is a Twofold Hatred 1. Hatred before Love 2. Hatred from Love Hatred before Love is weak and imperfect rellishing much of self-love Darkness and Hell Hatred from Love is Perfect it springs from the Heart of sweetness it subordinates itself to it it ends in it The Life of this Hatred is Love As the soul at her first Conversion is strong in Love so is she sweet in her Hatred She hates perfectly like a God not a Devil every thing which brings not the Loveliness of her Saviour along with it as a Pass-port She turns away her face from it she sets her feet upon it not suffering it to rise up against the Life of the Lord Jesus within her forcing it to serve his Glory So much for the Third Order of Passions Love Hatred So much for the First Circumstance in our Conversion The Universal Motion in our Passions 2. Circumstance A General Alteration in Practice This Alteration is Twofold 1. A Manifest withdrawing from all Companies and Contents that draw the Soul outward or downward 2. An eminent Delight in all Persons and Paâ—hs that draw the Spirit inward or upward David expresseth both these in himself Psal. 16. My delight is in the Excellent of the Earth As for them that go after other Gods I will not make mention of their Name 1. Use For Discovery Religion is no empty Name but a Real
Thing Two Things make a Reality in the Soul 1. The Object 2. The Inward Affections 1. The Object As the Woman is to the Man his Image his Glory in the Image So is the Soul to her Object If she espouse her self to the Lying Vanities of this World she makes her self one with them both Vanity and a Lye If she cleave to the Rock of Ages the Rock of the Godhead growing to that growing up out of that she becomes a Living Stone a Rock of Eternity in her self This is the First Motion in Religion the winding of the Soul about the utmost point of the Creature and turning in towards God again This is the Discriminating Dividing Temper between Religious and unregenerate Persons the Touching of the Soul with God as the Needle is touch't with the Load-stone when it may have various agitations yet it feels the Impressions of God in the midst of all when it can never establish or quiet itself in any posture save then only when it is pointed on God My Soul hath said to the Lord thou art my Portion Lamen 3. Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me He is at my Right hand I shall not be moved God is our Assistant there where he is our Object at our Hand if he be in our Eye This is the Life and Essence of Religion the exaltation of God in our Spirits as our Chief Object to which and by which we are directed Examine thy self by this If the world be all to thee and God a Fancy then art thou like that world a Fancy and a Bubble If God be all to thee and the world a Dream then thou hast Strength Life and Substance For thou art one with him who is the Life Strength Substance Being of all things Is thy Heart as a Hearth on which Thorns only blaze Are the workings of thy Spirit like thin and fine Smoak slight and vanishing Can then there be any Religion where there is no Reality He is the Religious man who graspes Substance who digs thorow all things till he meets with a sure Foundation who hath taken hold of something Solid Satisfactory Everlasting at which his Soul stops on which she stays her self I hate them saith David that look to lying Vanities but my trust is in the Lord. There is a Three-fold Sense of things which makes a Religious man Real 1. Sense of this World's sorrows 2. Sense of Divine Wrath. 3. Sense of Divine Love 1. Sense of this World's sorrows No man is in the Spirit of Christ who hath not been at the Cross in the Grave of Christ and there seen the end of all this world's Glories Who beholds things in the Eternal Light He that hath first seen this world in a Fire out of which it falls into blackness of Darkness By the Cross of Christ the World is crucified to me saith St. Paul I come to kindle a Fire in the World saith our Saviour and what will I if it be already Kindled They that go down into the Deep see the Wonders of the Lord saith the Psalmist Whoever is gone up to Heights of Grace hath gone down into the Deep of the First Creation and seen Wonders of Darkness there Jonah tells us of himself Jon. 2 6. I went down to the bottom of the Muntains the bars of the Earth were about me for ever Hast thou descended with thy Saviour to the Bottom of this Creation hast thou seen about thee those everlasting Bars of Darkness which bear up and bound this Creation Then shew us the effect which Solomon mentions in Ecclesiastes A sad Countenance makes a good Heart As Darkness contracts the Eye unites the Fancy and makes it strong So a sad Face of things makes the Spirit gather up itself into itself live serious and Recollected 2. Sense of Divine Wrath. We saith St. Paul knowing the Terrours of the Lord persuade men 2. Cor. 5. 11 If we know God we know his Terrours and what the Power of his Wrath is can we not then persuade our selves to be serious Have you seen the Treasures of wrath laid up with God for those that harden their Hearts in Sloth and Sense to an insensibleness of Spiritual and Eternal things Have you heard those seven-times-seven fold increases of Fury upon those who go on in Vanity and yet say it shall not be so it shall be well with them Cannot these things make you Real and Sober If still vanity be your Life your Food your Joy if still Lightness be your Air and Shadows the Game which you hunt with your Reason and Senses then fear lest you have seen Shadows only of these Objects lest your Religion too be vain 3. Sense of Divine Love The Scripture saith in one place to good men The Joy of the Lord shall be your Strength Such as the Nourishment of our Spirit is such will its Constitution and our Conversation be If our Food our Joy be Divine and we eat the Bread of Angels our Lives will be Divine and our Faces shine with Angelical Beams If our Delights be Vanity and we feed on wind our Spirits and Conversation will be windy The same Solomon that said of Mirth what dost thou And of Laughter it is Madness Eccles. 2. 2. He saith Prov. 3. The ways of Wisdom are ways of Peace and all her Paths are pleasantness Spiritual Pleasures are Serious ones as Grave as Wisdom itself for they are her Walks The Love of Christ constrains us saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. The Love of Christ holds in binds up and unites the Spirit not suffering it to pour forth itself loosely That Liberty which is Daughter to Divine Love what a Stranger is it to Licentiousness Those Sweetnesses which flow from God and his Glories how do they look down upon and despise Empty Mirths and mad Laughters A Bride made a Woman of a Cat and set among the Guests in the bridal Chambear on a sudden runs after a Mouse which stir'd in a Corner of the Room If thy Soul be still ready to fly at every vanity which is at any time started in the eye of it thou maist be cloth'd with the Form of a Heavenly Bride but sure thou hast still a Brutish Spirit Thus you see how the Object of a Religious man makes him Real The Second Reality in Religion is that of Inward Affections 2. The Inward Affections My Son saith Wisdom in the Proverbs give me thy Heart Perhaps you give to God your Feet to carry you to Sermons you give him your Hands to work or fight for him you give him your Tongue to discourse of Him but have you given him your Heart Doth that cleave to him long and pant after him sigh for him live only in Him David saith to God Psâ—l 51. Thou lovest Uprightness in the Inward parts The more Inward any thing is the more Upright it is Are thy frequentest Groans such as thou dost not express thou canst not express such as thy Spirit
Death 23. v. If there be a Messenger with him an Interpreter one among a Thousand to shew to man his Uprightness Now in this Evening-close of life and joy in this rushing approach of a dreadful eternal Night Jesus Christ steps forth as a Messenger an Interpreter between God and Man He opens upon him his own Beauty the mans own proper and true Beauty which was his own in Eternity 24. v. Then he is gracious to him and saith Deliver him from going into the Pit I have found a Ransom Then the Father smiles upon the Soul Then He gives a command in the Ears of the Soul to all the Invisible Ministers of Darkness and Death to let him go To all the Spirits of Life and Light to take charge of him to hold him in their Arms that his Life come not into the Prison of Spirits 25. v. His Flesh shall be fresher than a Childs he shall return to the days of his Youth He shall be translated into the Kingdom of Christ into that Paradise of God out of which he came There he shall flourish with a Flesh more beautiful more heavenly than that of Adam in Innocency There he shall see those Youthful Days which were before this World Thus God takes hold of Temporal Afflictions in them to convert us to Eternal Affectiâ—ns and Objects 1. Use. Instruction See how absolute and universal thy dependence is on thy God for Happiness His Fulness is the only Treasury in which every minute of thy Life every moment of thy Grief or Joy is â—aid up My times saith David are at the Right hand of the most High Psal. 31. 15. His Sweetness is the only Port or Gate by which this Fulness issues forth on thee and brings thee home to its own Place These Two are the Mine and Mint of thy Natural and Spiritual Life Jesus Christ is the Way of both these A man can receive nothing from God can never come to God but thorow Jesus Christ. Thus nothing comes to us or from us nothing comes to pass round about us which is not first pass'd through a Double Strainer the Heart of the Father and of Christ. Not a Sparrow falls to the Ground much less a Soul without both these our Heavenly Father and Saviour Not a Hair falls from our Heads much less a Thought from our Hearts without this Divine Pair The Father works and I work Saith Christ. Every thing of Man and the Creature is distill'd or dropt thorow this Double Heaven of the Father and Christ. We have our Being in these Two Nothing then can be without them We live in these Two Our Life then and each article of it is Their Life in us We move in Them Each Motion then would be none if it did not run upon this greater and less Wheel We lie still when they move not Thus thou knowest O God that it is not in him that walks to order his own steps Jere. 10. 23. What then shall we cast our selves into a Gulf of Ryot or sensual Pleasures because we cannot resist His Will nor rule our own Unhappy he on whose mind the Almighty God stamps this Image of His Will in the Wrathful and Dark Part of it Yet he also shall go as it is written of him upon the Heart of God but in Fiery Letters God hath made all things for Himself even the wicked for the Day of Wrath Prov. 16. 4 But how can we abide in the Dark or bitter Part of things in Flesh and Sin If we know that the Will of God is the Rule of all things and an Infinite Light Love Goodness the Rule of this Will He that saith he hath seen God and walks in Darkness lies and the Truth is not in him 1 John 1. 6. He that saith he sees the Will of God to act all things and yet is himself acted by a Contrary Will checks and contradicts himself while he speaks and acts How can we that are dead to sin live any longer in it Rom. 6. 2. If the Divine Fulness and Sweetness have discovered themselves to us they have overshadowed us darkning by an Eternal Death the Light of our own Life in Vanity and Flesh. They have drunk up our Spirits into themselves and infused their Spirit into us Thus they themselves are become the Death and Resurrection of Christ in us that we live no longer but Christ liveth in us and the Father in Christ. Obj. But you will say If I be wicked what can I do I have no power upon my own Spirit but am over ruled by a Power above me which commands All. Must I then still sin still be forlorn without any hope or help in my self Must I sit down with Despair and make that my only comfort to hope for no comfort Ans. No No! Let this be not my Despair but my surest Hope and sweetest that I am no more in my own power who am a foolish weak inconstant Creature but form'd fashion'd commanded managed entirely by Him who is the Greatest and Best of all things Let me draw from this Consideration these holy and happy Resolutions 1. I will resign my self to my God I will give up the rudder of my Spirit to him who alone guides it and guides it by a Sweetness unclouded a Wisdom unquestioned a Power uncheck't 2. I will repose my self in my God What the bad King said foolishly I desire ever to say upon a holy and divine Principle This also is of the Lord Therefore will I wait upon him 2 Kings ch 6. v. last He hath a Glory in this He will make this a Glory to me if I wait stedfastly to the end For he doth this who doth all and doth all well who hath no Principle but Love no act but Power no end but Glory I have finish'd the First Part of my Text which was The Rise to the Kingdom I have concluded the Doctrine which was propounded from that Part The first Rise to Religion is a Change or Conversion Part 2. The Race to the Kingdom and become as little Children These Words afford this Second Doctrine Doctr. 2. The second Step in Religion is to a state of Childhood Read Gal. 4. 1. The Heir while he is a child differâ—th not from a Servant though he be Lord of all We have here a Child a Regenerate person one born a Son of God made a Saint yet at first nothing differing from a Servant coming afterwards in the second place to the quality of a Son and Heir The Person of a man in the Non-age till Reason which is the Principle of a man puts forth itself in him is but as a Plant or at best a Brute a sensitive Creature So that Soul which hath the Seed of the Divine Nature sown â—in it until that Seed be grown up is as a Servant not as a Son These are the Two states in Religion 1. A Servile State 2. A Son-like State As St. Paul saith in another case First is
her upon itself as upon a Bed of Rest. By this time we see what the Holy Ghost means by the Heart and the Bed Let us now return to that place of that Psalmist for the opening of which we have brought in all these Scriptures Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your own Heart upon your Bed and be still that is discourse not with your Spirit as it lives in this Body upon these Outward Appearances For so it is one with the Strange Woman it is a Strange Heart it is a Fountain that makes itself common and defiles itself it is not your own Fountain alone your own Heart but a wandring false lying Heart Retire your self into your Chamber in which the Candle of the Lord shines that is into your Spirit as it hath the Spirit of God for the Spring of Natural Light and Life in it Here wait quietly and silently for the openings of the Spirit of God in the secret Voice of Nature within you But stay not here Silence this Spirit too draw your self yet more inward into the Spirit of the Lord Jesus as He is the Inward Man within the more inward than the secretest Retirements of the Natural Spirit Here cast thy self upon thy Bed in thy Heart and commune with thy Heart upon thy Bed This is thy Bed and thy Heart both in one Here lay thy self at Rest upon this Spirit which is the Comforter advise with this Spirit which is the only Counsellor the Spirit of Truth So be thou still let thine own Spirit the Spirit of this World and Nature in thee be silent He that thus hearkens in Silence what the Lord will say shall certainly hear him speak Peace to his Saints The Spirit of God in thy Natural Man may speak of Wrath to thee and God will confirm that voice of Wrath in the Spirit of thy Natural Man And so here thou canst find no Bed to comfort thee But go a little beyond thy Natural Man and thou shalt meet with the Spirit of God as it is in its own Freedom and Fulness in the Lord Jesus Here is a Bed ready prepared for thee Now silence thine own Spirit for ever and hear no more what the Spirit in thine own Spirit speaks but what this Spirit speaks as it is here in Jesus Christ and this Spirit will certainly make thee to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness Thus the Lord giveth his Beloved Rest not in themselves but in Himself I have now finished the First Part of Spiritual Peace which is Silence the Silencing of a Three-fold Spirit the Spirit of Wrath from God the Spirit of the Devil the Spirit of Man 2. Part Satisfaction The Second Part of Spiritual Peace is Satisfaction This consists in Two Things 1. A Sweet League with all things 2. A Satisfactory Rest in this League 1. A Sweet League with all things There can be no Satisfaction where there is any thing wanting and not made up or any thing Crooked and not made straight as Solomon speaks Eccl. 1. 15. There is no Satisfaction where there is Division or Contention Jobs Friends promiseth this Satisfaction to Job Job 5. 23. Thou shalt be in League with the Stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at Peace with thee v. 24. And thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in Peace Behold a League wiâ—h all things below thee Beasts and Stones Principles and Appearances of Life descending are the Beasts The Stones are the Principles and Appearances of Darkness descended to the lowest the Dead Images of things Behold a League here with all things above thee thy Tabernacle shall be in Peace The Powers above thee are thy Tabernacle The Angels are thy Tabernacle God is thy Tabernacle Thou shalt dwell peaceably in these These shall be in Peace not in stormy or fiery Appearances upon thee Behold a League with all Times with Eternity Thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in Peace Thou shalt not fear what is to come because all Times to come shall be in Covenant with thee Whatever Times come to others still thy Tabernacle thy Angel thy God shall be peace upon thee and this thou shalt know before hand This is that League with all things which Jobs Friend promiseth to him without which there can be no Satisfaction or Peace Quest. But you will perhaps ask me how this League is made Ans. I answer that it is made by living in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This Spirit in you is this League or Covenant For the Spirit is the Unity and hath the Band of Peace in itself Ephes. 4. 3. The Lord who is the Spirit is call'd the God of the Spirits of all Flesh Num. 16. 12. and 27. 16. This place agrees with that Luk. 20. 38. God is the God of the Living not of the Dead for all things live to Him As our Saviour said that Little Children had their Angels which beheld the Face of God in Heaven So it is most true that each Fleshly Appearance hath its Spirit in which it lives with and to God Every Beast or Stone hath its Angel in which it is comprehended after a living manner and by which it is governed Every Angel hath its Spirit in Jesus Christ in which itself is again comprehended after a Divine manner and by which it is entirely managed Thus the Spirits of all things are in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of every Creature which is the Scepter that sways it the Lawâ—giver to it is in the haâ—d of the Spirit of Christ and goes forth from between his Feet If then thou wouldst be in League with all things and at Peace with them be thou One Spirit with Jesus Christ so all Things and Times shall be One Spirit with thee and this Unity of Spirit is the Bond of Peace To be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace Rom. 8. 6. If thou wouldst live comfortably take hâ—â—d of dwâ—lling in the Fleshly Tabernacle in the Fleshly Savour and rellish of things Let thy understanding and Soul abide in the Spirit of God So thou shalt converse always every where with lively and lovely Objects All things round about thee within thee without thee shall have Life and a Harmony a Tuneableness with themselves and with thy Spirit a Peace-fulness in their Life All things shall have an Angelical Life and Sweetness to thee as they have to the Elect Angels All things shall have a Divine Life and Sweetness to thee as they have to God This is the First thing in which Satisfaction consists a Sweet League with all things 2. A Satisfactory Rest in this League This is the Second Thing in which the Satisfaction of Spiritual Peace confists Es. 14. 3. And it shall come to pass in that day the Lord shall give thee Rest from thy Sorrow and from thy Fear and from thy hard Bondage wherein thou wast made to serve Poor Soul while thou livest in the Darkness of Fleshly things
speak of the things touching the King My Tongue is as the pen of a ready writer The Heart was here full A Spring of Heavenly Sweetness had opened itself in it It bubled and boyled up apace It enlarged itself into a Flood of matter But all was touching the King the Beauty the Glory the Graciousness the Pleasantness the Love the Power of Jesus Christ. And the Heart full of this Blessed matter empties itself again as fully upon Jesus Christ. My Tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer I have now shewn you the Third Part of Spiritual Joy which is the Activity of the Soul in God Use. 1. For Instruction Spiritual Ioy is no Secure Slothful Carnal thing 1. Spiritual Joy is no Secure thing It hath the least and the greatest Security in it It suffers a man to be least of all secure in himself or in any Creature that he may be most secure in God True Joy consists in the Heightning of the Soul towards God The Soul that is acquainted with this Joy hath a Fear and Trembling upon her while she is among the Creatures though she be in the Fulness of them She can rest no where till she get up above them all and come to God God makes a Gracious Promise to a good Man Psal. 91. 14. I will sâ—t him on high because he hath known my name The word signifies the setting of a man in a Strong Castle situate on a High Rock The God-Head is the Rock the Messiah or the Humanity of Jesus Christ is the Castle upon this Rock A Holy Soul is in Safety and may be in very great Security but not in her self nor in the World Her Safety and Security lies in being carried upward and set on high in being encompassed with Jesus Christ and God as with a Tower of Defence The Soul hath her high Rock and her Strong Castle of Spiritual Joy and Triumph not in the knowledge of any thing here below not in any Earthly acquaintance but in the knowledge of God I will set him on High because he hath known me If we be in the Light as God is Light then is our Joy full and the consolations of the Lord Jesus cleanse our Hearts from all Clouds of Griefs and Fears This is the First Instruction 2. Spiritual Joy is no Sluggish Thing It is the Enlargement and Activity of the Soul I went by the Field of the Sluggard saith Solomon end I saw it over-grown with Thorns Thy Spirit is thy Field If thou be not plowing it up with the Cross of Christ and sowing it with the Seeds of Grace Glory and Immortality by the Life of Christ and waiting for and gathering and feeding upon the Appearances of these in thee thou art this Sluggard and canst expect nothing but Thorns That Soul which is not Spiritually active in Christ will be miserably passive in Cares and Confusions Divine Joy is the Highest and most Harmonious Activity of the Soul upon the highest Excellencies of the Best and most Blessed Object which is Jesus Christ. While the Husband-man sleepeth Tares are Sown If Jesus Christ be asleep in the Ship the Winds toss it and the Waves fill it A sleepy or sluggish temper of Spirit breeds Fears Cares and all Sorts of Troubles Awaken the Lord Jesus in thy Spirit and be thy self awake in his Spirit if thou wouldst have Peace and Joy 3. Spiritual Joy is no Carnal or Fleshly Thing This is the Third Instruction The Joy of the Spirit is the Exercise and Entertainment of the Soul on God Mark the Temper and Spirit of St. Iohn 1 John 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Iesus Christ. V. 4. And these things write we unto you that your Ioy may be full V. 5. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is Light and in him there is no Darkness at all Spiritual Joy springs from seeing Spiritual Objects and hearing Spiritual Mysteries The Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear with hearing Saith Solomon Eccl. 1. 8. The Natural Eye and Ear can convey no Satisfaction to us For they are but a Dream The Sight and hearing of the Things of this Life can give no Satisfaction for they are but a Shadow A Full Joy Joy and fulness both together come by a Spiritual way of seeing and hearing the Things of Eternal Life You may have a slight empty vanishing Joy by Fellowship with the Pleasures and Glories of the Flesh. But if you will have a full and solid Joy which may endure for ever your Fellowship must be with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. Bring before your Spirits the Excellencies and Delights of the whole World Let all the Creatures send into your Souls from the best Hand Messages of their Loveliness and Loves You for all this can have no true Joy no compleat Joy in any of these things For all the Creatures have in their highest Sweetnesses and Glories a Darkness which will begets Doubts Fears and Distractions in you Would you have Joy Seek it in the Declaration and Discovery of God who is Light and hath no Darkness in him Seek it in the Contemplations of God by his own Light So long thou shalt have Peace and Joy as thou turnest away thy Spirit from the Lying Vanities of the Creature and takest in and livest upon Messages of God which are brought in upon thee by God himself Behold the Face of God and thy Heart shall live in Pleasures For in his Face is the Fulness of Joy with all manner of Pleasantnesses without any uncomfortable Dash or Mixture of Darkness But while thine Eye looks upon the Sparklings or Appearances of any Creature thine Heart shall never be without the biting of the Serpent So much for the First Use. Use 2. Exhortation Press forward toward the High Calling of this Royal and Joyful State in Religion Your Fears Doubts and Servile Tempers in your Religion arise from a want of Growth Forget that which you have already attained and follow hard after Jesus Christ. There is before you a State of Peace Pleasure and Perfection in a Kind Travel on thorow this vale of Tears in which you now are from Strength to Strength till you come to see the God of Gods on Mount Sien in this State of Royalty and Joy But you may now ask me Two Quesâ—â—â— Quest. 1. Whether is this Royal and Joyful State of Holiness attainable in this Life May we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before we go out of this Body Dath not St. Paul say that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven â— Corin. 15. 50. My Answer to this Question is Four-folâ—â—â— 1. Answ. So far as we are risen with Christ while we are on Earth So far we are entred into the Kingdom of Hâ—â—â—en before
devouring them again Here God is various sometimes blazing forth brightly sometimes wrapping up himself in a thick Smoak sometimes Burning Dreadfully sometimes shining out Sweetly This is the Appearance of God as he comes forth in a Created Image to the Creature of the First Creation This is called by Moses the Back-parts of God in which he hath many Names proclaimed before him which have Change and Contrariety in them Exod. 34. 6 7. Gracious and Jealous Long-suffering and visiting c. This is the First Distinction 2. Distinction of the State of Things This is Two-fold 1. The State of Things in the Spirit or God 2. The State of Things in the Flesh or the Creature You have this Distinction taught you Heb. 2. 14. For as much as the Children are made Partakers of Flesh and Blood Here you have the Children before their Clothing of Flesh and Blood again you have the Children in that Clothing There is such another place as this which expounds it and is expounded by it Rom. 8. 20 21. The Creature was made subject to Vanity not willingly but in Hope c. It shall be delivered into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Here is the Creature before above after the Vanity of this Creation in the Liberty of the Sons of God Here is the Creature under vanity and in the Corruptible Creation 1. State The State of Things in the Spirit or in God This is a State of Immortal Beauty and Joys All things live to God Luk. 20. 38. To God that is in God All Things live to God that is as they are seen by God for all things are seen by God in God God never looks off or looks out from Himself Rom. 8. 6. To be spiritually-minded is life and peace All things live and flourish to the spiritual mind which is born of God which is both the Eye and Image of God in the Soul as they do to God He that hath the Eternal Spirit for the Eye of his Mind hath it also for the Object of his Mind He that seeth things by the Spirit seeth them in the Spirit All things in the Spirit are One Spirit with that Spirit Spiritual Appearances of the Spirit So they are living and pleasant Images of that Life and Peace which is the Activity and Harmony of the Divine Nature Rom. 11. 36 St. Paul saith of God Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen God is blessed for ever the Spring and Seat of Blessedness All things cannot but be Branches of Blessedness as they have their beginning their way their ends in him who is the Eternal Spirit of Blessedness and Glory 2. State The State of things in the flesh or in the creature or in themselves This is a Flourishing Fading and Flaming State of Things We have it described by St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 24. All Flesh is as Grass and all the Glory of the Flesh as the Flower of the Field the Grass withereth and the Flower thereof falleth away All Things in the Flesh are at best Vanity and change in their Principles Their Path is Corruption their Conclusion is Consumption as by Fire This is the Second Distinction 3. Distinction of the Life of Man Man hath a Two-fold Principlâ— 1. A Heavenly 2. An Earthly Principle This Distinction is laid down 1 Cor. 15. 45. The First Man Adam was made a living Soul the New Adam is a quickning Spirit Adam is a Universal Name which includes all Mankind as in its Root or Principle The Two Adams are the Two Principles or distinct Roots of Man One is a Living Soul the Soul of all Mankind in its Natural State The other is a Quickning Spirit the Spirit or Principle of men as they are converted from Nature to Grace or Glory These Principles are called by the Apostle in this place one Heavenly the other Earthly v. 47. The First Man is from the Earth the Second Man is the Lord from Heaven v. 48. As is the Earthy such are they that are Earthy as is the Heavenly such are they that are Heavenly These Two Principles are likewise called Two Images the Image of the Heavenly and of the Earthly Man v. 49. As we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly Man They are likewise stiled in Scripture the Inward and the Outward Man Corin. 2. 4 14. Though our Outward Man perish our Inward is renewed day by day The Heavenly Principle is as the Center the Earthly as a Point in the Circumference shooting forth its Beams from thence only The Heavenly and Earthly Principle lie mutually infolded in one another The Earthly Principle is in the Heavenly as the Seed in the full-blown Flower The Heavenly Principle is in the Earthly as the Flower lies hid in the Seed The Earthly is in the Heavenly as the Flowers of all Colours are in the Light The Heavenly is in the Earthly as Light is in every Colour These Two are also expressed by the Spiritual and Natural Man 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. So also by the New and Old Man Coloss. 3. 9 10. Man according to the Diversity of these Two Principles is capable of a Five-fold life at once 1. The Life of the Heavenly Principle in itself 2. The Life of the Earthly Principle as it is Comprehended in the Heavenly 3. The Life of the Heavenly as it is in the Earthly 4. The Life of the Earthly as it is Subordinate to the Heavenly 5. The Life of the Earthly Principle in itself 1. Life The Life of the Heavenly Principle in itself Man as he lives this Life is uncapable of any blot of Sin or spot of Sorrow The Apostle speaks with reference to this Life Ephes. 5. 8. Now are ye Light in the Lord Walk as Children of the Light As we live in the Heavenly Principle and that lives in itself we are Children of Light clear Beams of the God-Head like Christ Brightnesses of the Fathers Glory which can neither be Defiled nor Darkned That which is born of God sins not nor cannot sin I may add it grieves not nor cannot grieve according to its Heavenly Birth In this Principle we are Light in the Lord. Our Saviour tells us that we shall be in the Resurrection as the Angels He tells us again that the Angels of Little Children behold the Face of God in Heaven This Life in the Heavenly Principle is the Resurrection In this we are alwaies as Angels While we are like little Ones on Earth we are as the most Glorious Angels beholding the Face of our Father in Heaven while we are inclosed in the Darkness of Flesh we are at the same time Light in the Lord. It is the Opinion of some very learned men that the Supream part of the Soul which is above sensible Things ever living in the midst of Invisible Things the Head and Spirit of the Soul that this is each Mans Angel
Jacob out of Egypt which came out of his loyns that is All the Persons For the Immortal Soul cometh not out of the Parent 's loyns 2. The Soul signifieth the Natural State by the first Creation in distinction from the Spiritual State by Grace 1 Cor 2. 14. The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit It is properly The Man of Soul So in this 1. Cor. 15. 44. There is a Natural Body there is a Spiritual Body In Greek it is There is the Body of a Soul and the Body of a Spirit The word is the same there and in v. 45. A Living Soul 3. By Soul is meant that Life which the Soul exerciseth in the Body and which dependeth upon the Body The Life of Sense and Reason as it is inseparable from Sense Jude 19. Sensual not having the Spirit The word Sensual is the same with Soul Men of Soul From these Scriptures laid together you may collect this Explanation of a Living Soul A Natural Person living a Life of Sense and of Reason awakened by Sense and inseparably tied to Sense in an Earthly Body The Body is as the tree the Life as the Sap the Root as the Person out of which both spring and in which both are comprehended Such as the Tree is such is the Sap and such the Root which have their perfection in the Tree Such as the Earthly Body is such is the Life such is the Person of the first Adam For the Body is the Result and proper Image of the other two But the surest and clearest Light into this Phrase a Living Soul will be that Scripture where it is first used and whence it is cited Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of Life and man became a Living Soul Three things lie plain in this Text. 1. The denomination of Man is put peculiarly and signally upon the Body God formed Man of the dust of the Earth 2. That part in Man distinct from the Body is expresly here named a breath of Life 3. The Living Soul is the Body having received the breath of Life into it Man became a Living Soul Man relateth evidently to the beginning of the verse God formed Man that is the Body of the dust of the Earth So in this Chapter to the Corin. The Body is called the Man The first Man is of the Earth Eartâ—y v. 46. The reason why the Holy Ghost peculiarly respected the Body while he speaketh of Man seemeth to be this the Body was the united Image and Fulness of all those Beings and Beauties which were divided thorow the whole Câ—eation a most harmonious Body and sacred Collection of all those â—iving Excâ—lences Appearances and Operations of the Eternal Spirit which made up the several Creatures like single Flowers in a Garden Thus the Body of Adam was a Paradise in Paradise the Paradise of Paradise The breath of Life was in this glorious Body as a Spring in a Garden to quicken and to animate it Without this Body the breath of Life is naked and solitary except Christ above the Law of Nature be in the place of a Body to it which St. Paul signifieth 2 Corin. 5. 6 8. Where he speaketh of being at home in the Body and absent from the Lord and again of being absent from the Body and present with the Lord. By this time it appeareth with some clearness that the living Soul is either the Body of the First Man having received the breath of Life into it or at least his Person consisting of Both comprehending Both but with a Principal respect to the Body This only I will add that nothing is more frequent with most Authors and Languages than to express the Soul without the Body by a Shade or Shadow I have now finished the 2d Question What we are to understand by a Living Soul Before I pass from it let us make a stand here while we hearken to a Twofold Voice from Heaven sounded in the very Essence of a Living Soul 1st O Living Soul cease from thy self and from every thing round about thee 2. O Living Soul cast thy self into the Bosom of thy Saviour and cleave to Him 1. O Living Soul cease from thy self and from every thing round about thee Consider what thou art what an Emptyness what a Vanity what a Nothing Thy Body is of the Earth Earthly The Earth is a meer Darkness without any Form or Vertue except that which it receiveth by the impression of Heaven above it figuring itself upon it like the Images of the Sky in the Waters Thy Body is a piece of this Darkness All that which it hath of Being Beauty or Goodness is the Figure of the Heavenly Body of Christ cast from above upon it Thus thy Body in Paradise was a Shadow onely What then is the Breath of Life in this Body which is suitable to it and confined to it which hath this Body for its only Cloathing for its proper Image and Fulness which hath the Compleatness of its Subsistency and Operations in it which hath it for its Glass in which alone it beholdeth it self and all Objects in which alone it converseth with them This is a Shadow of a Shadow a Shadow in a Shadow the Dream of a Shadow The Body a Shadow the Life of this Body the Dream of a Shadow The Person then which consisteth of this Shadowy Life in a Shadowy Body can be but a Shadowy Person This is the Best of Man in his best Estate the Living Soul in its primitive purity and Glory Adam in Paradise a Shadow and no more So saith the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. The first man was a Figure a rude Type a confused Shadow of Him who was to come The Shadow lyeth upon the ground often moveth and appeareth before the Body But the Body is first is above it casteth the Shadow from it and governeth all its Motions If this were Man the golden Head and Sun in the Paradiscal world if all the Creatures in their Paradisical Births and Beauties went forth were renewed every moment from the Divine Presence resting in the Center of his Person and surrounding him as Beams go forth from the Sun what then were all the pieces of Nature in their first Strength Lustre and Sweetness but Shadows of this Shadow None had the Principle or Truth of its being in itself nor the Power of itself for a moment But now Man and the whole Creation are fallen by Sin the Figure in the Shadow is defaced the Impression and Image of the Eternal Glory in the Darkness of the Creature which gave it a Being a Beauty a Force are withdrawn The Frame of Nature is now a Pit of Darkness full of Confusion where Death reigneth in the midst of all sorts of deformity and weakness That Counsel of the Lord was seasonable in Paradise itself Es. 2. l. Cease from Man whose breath is in his Nostrils
is one 3. Pillar That one Seed to which the Promises are made is Christ. To Abraham and to his Seed as to One and that one Christ. Isaac was the Seed of Abraham Isaac stood only as a Figure of the Lord Jesus Isaac signifieth Laughter The Lord Jesus is the true Seed of Mirth and Joy When he cometh to us by his Spirit which is his proper his eternal Presence and Appearance he bringeâ—h back our Captivity from the Powers of Sin Sorrow and Death he filleth our Mouths with laughter he maketh us as those that Dream he placeth us in the midst of such glorious Persons and Things he cloatheth our Persons with so much Glory and all this by so â—asy so sweet so sudden so universal so unexpected a change that it seemeth for the greatness of the Glory more like a Dream than Truth But if Isaac here typifie the Son of God then doth Abraham stand in the place of God the Father The name signifieth The high Father of a Multitude or The Father of a high Multitude God the Father maketh the Promises to himself and to his Son Christ. Jesus Christ is the Seed to which the Promises are made and the Promised Seed the Pearl in the Casket of every Promise Thus God is one in the Gospel the Gracious Maker of the Promise the Rich Matter of the Promise the Glorious Heir of the Promise This Unity is the Love of the Gospel in which the Seed is one in the Father in Christ in all the Saints and this one Seed is the Lover the Love and the Beloved God loveth himself in his Son his Son in his Saints God Christ and the Saints lie all wrapt up in one Seed This is the Unity and this Unity the Love of the Gospel One Seed shining out and springing up thorow all into the Fellowship of all Beauties and delights with itself within itself We have set up some Lights in this verse to shew the Glories of Divine Love the more advantageously as they are presented to us v. 20. in those words God is One. Now let us draw nearer to the verse itself the Center of our discourse St Paul raiseth an Objection and answereth it v. 19. Object This is the Objection If the Gospel were before the Law of Eternal Force the only dispensation of Love Life and Righteousness why then was the Law added Ans. St. Paul answereth this Objection by Defining and Confining the Use and Times of the Law 1. St Paul defineth the end Use of the Law The Law was added because 〈◊〉 Transgression There was a fourfold use of the Law until Christ came to discover to restrain to heighten Sin to bring Condemnation and Death upon Sinners 2. The Times of the Law are câ—nfined to the coming of Christ Until thâ— Seed should come Then the Holy Apostle giveth us two Arguments to make it plain that the Law can be no more of force or have any place when Jesus Christ appeareth These two Arguments are taken from two Essential differences between the Law and the Gospel 1. Argum. The Law was ordained by Angels God appeared not under the Law in his own Person nor in that sweet and supream brightness which floweth immediately from his Face He cloathed himself with the created Light of the Angelical Nature and Glory as with a Garment In the Persons of Angels and their Beauties as under a vail he was seen and conversed with Man But when the Seed cometh which is Jesus Christ this is God in Person God in his own Essential Form and Image Now the Scene the Appearance is changed from the diversities of Angels and their Glories to the Divine Unity Now the Angels thorow which as multitudes of little Stars in the night the Light of the God-Head scattered faint glimmerings of itself vanished out of sight They resigned their weak Beams Beauties and Beings to one Sun that one Seed their Fountain the Unity of God in Christ. Here they are New-born they are made perfect they shine again in one Glory The Son of Man cometh now in the Glory of his Father in his own Glory in the Glory of all his Angels When Christ is seen in his Heavenly shape which alone is the Light of the Gospel Angels appear no more singly all Glories are seen united in their Center the Person of God in Christ. Now hear O Israel come forth and O ye Daughters of Sion the Lord your God your Jesus is one This is the first Argument and the first essential difference between the Law and the Gospel 2. Argum. The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Now a Mediator is not of One but God is One v. 19. 20. Thus we are come home to the verse itself where you shall see all this discourse come home to our mark at which we aim the Fountain of all Evangelical Graces and Loves in the Unity of God We shall best understand these words by a distinction of Mediators There is a Mediator of Distance and of Unity This latter the Mediator of Unity is one with both the Parties between which he mediateth comprehendeth them both maketh both one in himself Such a Mediator Jesus Christ is in the Gospel Such a Mediator the Law hath not this place intendeth not This hath some shadow of itself in the Medium Participationis which Philosophy treateth of The Mediator of Distance is one who standeth between two to keep them apart because they cannot approach one to the other This is here meant The People of Israel said to Moses Let God speak to thee and we will hear thee But let not God speak to us any more least we die God approved of their words They have said well Thus the Law was ordained in the hand of Moses as a Mediator This we may express by the Medium Abnegationis a Mediator of Distance When the Seed cometh this Mediation this Administration the Distance and so the Law ceaseth Now God is One. Christ is the Seed Christ is come Christ hath two Natures in him but he is One Person in both Natures and that One Person the One only God God is the Person the Subsistency the Root out of which the whole Tree with all its Arms and Branches of both Natures Humane and Divine springeth in which it subsisteth from which all operations and fruits proceed to which all denominations belong which is the name to be named in all and to which every name belongeth This is Christ. The one Seed the one Spirit in all the Saints in all the Graces and Comforts of the Gospel is this Christ that one Person which is the only true God Thus God is one in all The Lord Jesus in his Heavenly Spirit and Body is the Glorious Circle of the Divine Unity in which God Christ and all the Elect Saints or Angels liâ— so close so enfolded and wrapt up mutually one in another that no Mediator can come between them that they need no Mediator
the Birth or Image of Divine Love The Heathen in their Divinity tell us of two Twin-Loves in Heaven which exactly answer one the other Thus Love which is the Divine Nature subsisteth in two Forms two Persons the Father and the Son which are two Loves and the same equally compleat equally loving equally lovely equally beloved Adam in Paradise brought forth Eve to be ever before him a meet help for him So the Father and Fountain of Love bringeth forth in its own Bosom this Son of Love this Divine Image of Love to be ever before it a meet help to it that Love in this entire Image of itself may perfectly behold possess enjoy and multiply itself to Eternity Mat. 3. 17. The Father speaketh to Jesus Christ from Heaven This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Jesus Christ is the Supreme object of Divine Love the Supreme Loveliness and so the Birth or Image of Divine Love the Son of Loves In Divine things every faculty or power brinketh forth its proper object which is its perfection from itself within itself that it may be independent and undivided in all its Joys in all its Glories The Divine understanding is the Sun and Spring of Divine Truth which is the light of its Life its Object and its Beauty The Divine Will is the center of all Divine goodness which is its proper Object and Crown There it Eternally riseth up There it Eternally resteth So Divine Love in the Person of the Father is the Parent and the Bridegroom of the Divine Loveliness in the Person of the Son This is my Beloved Son saith the Father from Heaven in whom I am well pleased All the Joys of the Father are full all his pleasures compleat here All Seeds of Love in the heart of the Father are here sprung up into the fair Flowers of all Beauty into the ripe Fruit of all delights within his own Bosom in the Person of Christ. This is the only Birth Image and Object of the Father the Love-Spring its Birth and its Bride within itself The Father the Love-Spring bringeth forth this Love-Birth and lovely Image the Son of Love that Love may be both a Bridegroom and a Bride to itself The Persian Prince called Alcibiades his Garden of Pleasure The Father in the Trinity is the Fountain of Love The Son is the Garden of Love rising up within this Fountain Here the Father of Love soweth all the precious Seeds of Divine Love Here so soon as they are sown they spring up into ripe Fruits of which the Father eateth and with which he delighteth himself in his Garden This is the Circle of Eternity Love Eternally sowing the rich Seeds Eternally feasting upon the ripe Fruits of Divine Love in his Garden of Love Use. 1. Christians seek your selves your Love-Birth in this Eternal Love-Birth of the Son Seek the Original and true Image of your selves in this Eternal Image of Divine Love See your selves seeds of Love sown in this Garden of Love from Eternity ripe Fruits of Love flourishing in it Eternally This is the dearest Jewel of a Saint that Jewel which the Saints wear in their Bosom next their heart with the sight of which they renew their vigour and their beauty recreate all their spiritual senses I mean the rich Jewel of Electing Love the Love of Election In this Jewel a Believer seeth with the Eye of his Faith God the Father the Fountain of Love in Eternity God the Son an Eternal Birth of Divine Love from this Fountain an Eternal Image an Eternal Garden of Divine Love in this Fountain himself born in this birth of Love himself a lovely Image in this Image of Love himself a Tree of Love in this Garden of Love Blessed is he who hath this Testimony in his heart and from Heaven that he was born here that here he rose up first out of the heart of the Father that here he first appeared to the Eye of the Father that here the Father set his Love upon him and took pleasure in him He hath saved us saith St. Paul of the Father Not according to works which we have done but according to his own purpose and Grace given to us in Jesus Christ before the World was 2 Tim. 1. 9. Grace given to us in Christ before the World was See your Love-birth in the Eternal Love-birth of the Lord Jesus O Believers His purpose and Grace given to us in Jesus Christ before the World was See the Fountain of Divine Love in the heart of the Father his purpose and all the Births all the Images all the Gardens of Divine Love rising up from the sweet and blessed depths of that Fountain all comprehended in that only Birth that only Image that only Garden of Divine Love the Lord Jesus Use. 2. Seek this Love-Birth in your selves When it pleased the Father to reveal his Son in me saith St. Paul speaking of the new Birth in himself When the Father openeth himself as a Fountain of Divine Love in your Spirits when the Lord Jesus ariseth up and appeareth to you as the Birth and Image of Divine Love within this Fountain when your selves appear in him one Love-Birth in this Fountain of Love together with him then may you rejoice and say now I live now I am new-born from the Love-spring on high in the highest Glory You that have the mystery of this Divine Birth revealed in you who see the Garden of Love flourishing in the midst of the Fountain of Love within you retire into this Fountain into the Garden in the Fountain the Lord Jesus in the Bosom of the Father Walk there solace your selves there hide your selves among the Trees of Divine Loveliness and Love from the strife of Spirits Here you shall be fed with the Fruit from these Trees until the storm of Wrath be over past 2. Character The Son of God is the first Birth of Divine Love It is said of him Mic. 5. 3. His goings forth are from everlasting The goings forth of the Lord Jesus the first Birth and Image of Divine Love from the Bosom of the Father the Fountain of Love are Eternal without Beginning The goings forth of the Light which is the first the beautiful Birth and Image of the Sun were from the beginning of the Creation So soon as the Sun had a being it had Beams There was no moment in which the Sun was without its circle of Beams no more than the Beams were without the Sun In like manner the Lord Jesus who is the Light the Brightness the Beautiful Image of Divine Love had his Birth from Eternity together with the Being of the Father This Fountain in Eternity was no more without this Image the circle of all its Beauties shining in the midst of it than this living and lovely Image of all Glories was without its Fountain from the unsearchable depth of whose Divine sweetnesses it riseth up continually The Father is no more without the Son
we should then rejoice to see each dear or displeasing object each state and circumstance of Life in its proper and distinct Form a distinct Form a distinct Spirit of Divine Love and Beauty immortal shining in this Eternal Spirit in this Heavenly Image Love and Loveliness itself the first the fullest variety all variety in one entire and All-glorious Form the Fountain of variety which is our Jesus Ignatius being to die said Let Sword Fire wild Beasts the Cross breakings of all my bones tortures thorow all my body so I may find Christ so I may gain Christ. If thou hast Jesus Christ he is thy Garland and all these are sweet-smelling Immortal Flowers in thy Garland he is thy Crown all these are precious Stones and Jewels in thy Crown A Sword in Christ is a living Form and penetrating power of Divine Love dividing between Flesh and Spirit the Bone and the Marrow in thee piercing to the Bottom of thine heart to open the Fountain of Eternal Life and Joyâ— in thee The fire springing up in this Love-Birth is a flame of Love working thee into one Heavenly flame with itself and to this end embracing thee winding itself into all the secrets of thy Body and Soul The Teeth of wild Beasts appearing in this Image of Divine Love are the Eternal Spirit the Spirit of Love feasting upon thee and then feasting thee upon itself The Cross in this Garden of Love is a Tree of Eternal Love thou art the fair and sweet Fruit upon this Tree The breakings of Bones looked upon in this mysterious Glass of all varieties the Eternal Word the Eternal Image of Love are no Wounds but Divine Anointings The tortures of the whole Body are the costly perfume of Love poured forth upon the head of the Sacrificer and running down all along to the hem of his Garments Use. 2. Hast thou Jesus Christ Care for nothing more in him are all things given thee richly to enjoy If he be come to thee look for no other thing There is nothing can come after hâ—m He is the full Birth and Image of Divine Love The vanity and emptiness of the Creature is expressed by Solomon after this manner What is that which hath been It is that which is and what is that which is to come It is that which hath been It is named already It is man So do thou express the variety and fulness of Jesus Christ. So quench all other Loves in thee What is that which hath been It is that which is What is that which shall be It is that which hath been It is all named in Jesus Christ. If thou hast Jesus Christ thou art rich to God thou hast all his Treasure Now sing thy Soul to a Divine sleep and rest in the Bosom of Divine Love with these words go to rest O my Soul Thou hast all good things laid up for thee in the Person of thy Jesus to Eternity The Bosom of the Father the Fountain of Love is opened in thee The Lord Jâ—sus the full Birth the full Image the full variety of Love springeth forth from this Fountain for thee Poets say that every Spring hath at the bottom of it a palace of Pearl in which the Divinity the God of this Spring dwelleth God the Father is the Fountain of Love The Lord Jesus riseth up in the rich depths of this Fountain as the Palace of Eternity composed of all variety in most precious Forms and Figures furnished with inhabited by all variety in all Beautiful and Heavenly Images in the dress of all Divine entertainments in the form of all Glorious and Eternal Spirits flowing continually with all manner of Sweetnesses O Saint O Believer Thou hast this Fountain this Palace continually open in thee Open thou the Eye of thy Faith Look upon the Treasures of it if thou canst number them if thou canst comprehend them Separate thy self through desire kindled in thee by the strength of thy Faith and thy Love Descend into this Fountain Dwell for ever in this Palace and intermeddle with enjoy all substance I have spoken of the two first Persons in the Trinity I come now to the third 3. Person The Holy Spirit the third Person in the Trinity is the Love-union between the Love-Spring and the Love-Birth the Father and the Son The Holy Ghost hâ—th his name from Breathing Eternal Love distinguishing itself into two Persons the Father and the Son from both these by a conspiration of Love doth breath forth itself into one third person the Holy Spirit in which they both stand two distinct Persons in one third Person which is the Love-union the golden Marriage knot of them both The Holy Spirit is frequently expressed in Scriptures by an Ointment Several rich Spices breath forth themselves into one costly ointment Thâ— Spices all meet in one precious Form in which they still retain their own distinct forms the sweetnesses and vertues of the several Spices breath forth themselves into one pleasant perfume in whâ—ch all the several sweetnesses remain distinct mutual penetrating and infusing each the other in that one sweetness distinct from them all So the Father and the Son by the force and mystery of Divine Love breath forth themselves into one distinct Person the Holy Ghost in which they also remain distinct distinctly and mutually penetrating possessing enjoying the Persons of each other with their Properties Powers Sweetnesses and Beauties in that one Thiâ— one is distinct from both because it comprehendeth both distinctly in one This is the Love-union between the Fountain and the Birth or Image oâ— Divine Love It is a saying which Thomas Aquinas citeth from St. Austin Whatever there is of Sweetness of Pleasantness of Complacency of Delight of Joy of Love of Loveliness of Agreeableness of Suitableness of Harmony any where it is the Holy Ghost The reason is this All Colours with their several Beauties are the mixtures of shade and light Children are the Parents united So every thing of Love or Beauty every Divine Work and Operation thorow Heaven and Earth is the Love-union between the Father the Fountain of Love and this lovely Image which is both the Birth and the Bride of Love of the Father All Pleasaâ—tness all Divine Acts of Creation and Providence with their several Lights Lives Loves and Vertues are this Love-union in its lovely extent and vast variety The Psalmist saith of God Thou hast stretched out the Heavens by thy Breath by thy Spirit The Heavens are the Beauty the Pleasantness and Joy of the Divine Appearance and the Divine Operation which is the Love-Image and the Love-Birth every where Use. 1. Pray O Christians for the Heavenly Eye-salve of the Holy Ghosâ— to anoint the Eyes of your minds What Blessed sights shall you then see every where What Heavenly Visions of Divine Love and Beauty upon the Spiritual Bed of Eternal Love shall you meet with in every object In even work of God in every act of Providence you will
any fresh Effusion of the Spirit upon you When the Activity of Grace when the Operations of the Divine Life are heightned in you by any peculiar Appearances and Outshinings of the Lord Jesus in you what do you Find Do you not find all things made New Do you not find the Invisible Image of things within the Image of all Visible things without Your self your Life Your Soul your Body Your Graces your Comforts Husband Wife Children all Objects of Life the whole World itself renewing its Light its Sweetness its Lustre All heightened Spiritualised Immortalized transfigured into Divine Forms Invisible to all other Eyes and this without any Darkening without any Eclipse or Cloudy moment interposing This is the Earnest of the Spirit given unto Thee for a Figure a Foretast and a Seal of Thy change in Death Thou shalt not be uncloathed of any Garment of Life or Light Spiritual or Natural which thou hast ever put on Thou shalt never be found naked of any Forms of Light Life or Love which have ever accompanyed and encompassed Thee Thy Faith-shall be swallowed up into Vision Clear Full Immediate Vision Eye to Eye Thy Hope into Entire Possession and Compleat Fruition thy Soul itself into a Simple Divinity and Eternity Thy Body thy Dear Relations the Delights of thine Eyes the Precious and Pleasant things of thy Senses shall All be cloathed upon from above with those Immortal Substances of which here they are the Shadows with their own Original Forms of which here they bear the Figure with their Flourishing Patterns upon the Mount of Glory in that First and Pure Spirit the Fountain of Life the shining Fountain of Good in the Glorified Person of the Lord Jesus in Eternity The Movable Tabernacle with its Tent both are Dissolv'd and fall into the Eternal Building of Glory in the Heavens where they become as Mysterious Figures of Divinity in that Temple or Rich Furniture Delightful Apartments of that Palace where every Part beareth the Figure possesseth the Life and Beauty of the Whole This is the Freedom the Sweetness the Fulness of the Finishing Love of God in Christ. Death itself is made at once A Consummation of the Marriage Love between the Heavenly Bridegroom his Bride A Bed of Loves the Divine Embraces of Eternal Love and the Divine Fruitfulness of these Embraces Jesus in his Invisible and Eternal Form descendeth overshadoweth embraceth his Bride transfigureth her into a Form of Eternal Beauties perfectly answering his own maketh her to spring with to bring forth in the moment of those embraces in the moment of her own Transfiguration all Forms of Things above and below in Immortal Divine Images and Essences of Pure Perfect Love The Dark aud Dreadful Appearances which surround Death are onely A Cloud which hide these Delightful these sacred Mysteries and changes from all Natural Eyes while the Saint himself in the Spirit seeth its own Beauties feeleth its own Joys in these Transfiguring and Impregnating Embraces So Christ himself was taken by a Cloud out of the sight of the Apostles while he ascended Death beginneth to the whole Saint in all parts that Coming down of the Lord Jesus in a Flame of Glory that Rapture of a Saint caught up into the Bosom of the Lord Jesus with the Sound of the Heavenly Trumpet The Universal Shout of Divine Lives Loves Glories thorow all things The Resurrection finisheth them O the Absoluteness of Finishing Love All work of Glory is made perfect in a Saint Jesus in all these Powers and Treasures of the God-Head resteth upon a Saint then when he is weakest when he seemeth nearest likest to Darkness Dust and Dung in the Agonies of Death 3. Comfort Against the last Day There are peculiar Terrours accompany the Day of Judgment It is indeed the most Dreadful of all Dreadful things The Last Day is twofold 1. Universal the Day of the Lord upon the whole Earth 2. Particular the day of the Lord upon a City or Nation Both these are spoken of mixtly The same dreadful things are attributed to both properly or figuratively We know not how near the Universal Day of the Great Judgment of the Lord upon the whole Earth may be The Lord Jesus may be now at the Door and ready to enter He shall come as a Thief in the Night in Clouds unperceived unexpected All things shall be in the moment of his Appearance as from the Beginning Some at the Mill some in the Field some in the Market some at Church to be married others in the Marriage bed others Eating and Drinking All the signs which are to fore-run that Great Day of the Lord's Last Appearance from Heaven may be come to pass in the midst of us in another manner and form differing from that which we figure to our selves and we not aware of it As Elijah the great fore-runner of our Lord Jesus in his first Appearance was come and gone in the Person of John the Baptist not understood either by the Jews in general or by the Disciples Watch and pray have your Loyns ever girt your Lamps burning go forth from the things of Sense into the Spirit to meet the Lord who cometh in that Air of Heaven and Eternity So shall you be caught up to meet him as he cometh and enter with him into the Bride-chamber I shall give you my Reasons which make me to believe that the Particular Day of the Lord upon this Land and City approacheth and cometh like a Traveller like an Armed Man upon us 1. Jerusalem and the Jews seem to be set up for a Type to every City and Land which beateth the Name of God St. Paul at large in the 11th to the Romans describeth the Succession of the Gentiles by Christianity into the place of the Jews the Progress and Way of God with the External Professors of the Gospel as with Israel He representeth this by Natural Branches cut off from and Olive Tree by wild Branches ingrafted in their place standing upon the same Terms in the same danger of being cut off 2. Are not we as Hierusalom ripe for the Harvest Have we not had the Ministry of the Law of the Gospel of the Letter of the Spirit in great power and glory Have not all varieties of chastisements and judgments inferiour to preparatory for the great and last Judgment already passed upon us Have not our Sins among all sorts of all kinds grown up to maturity to be ready for the Sickle 3. We have seen signs in Heaven above and on the Earth beneath and in the Waters which Jesus Christ foretelleth as Joel before and St. Peter afterwards from him to precede immediately the great and dreadful day of the Lord upon Hierusalem Hierusalem is in London But O what comforts flow from the finishing love of God in Jesus Christ to make this day of the Lord not only supportable but lovely to us and longed for by us Lift up your heads for your redemption is at
his Heart continually bringing him forth into his whole Person and Life with an increasing clearness and fulness As the Object is to the Faculty and to the Soul so is Jesus Christ to a Spiritual Person his Pattern his Object his Food his Feast which spreads itself quite thorow his Person and Life which all throughout turns into Life Strength Beauty Cheerfulness and Joy to him 5. A spiritual person in a sweet and sealing manner sees the Spirit himself presenting the Lord Jesus to him within himself in a spiritual Glory feels the Spirit himself springing up immediately within him in all sights of Christ in all his changes and growths into Christ. He sees and feels this Spirit to be Jesus Christ himself He sees and feels this Spirit and this Jesus to be in himself and one Spirit with himself So the verse forementioned runs We all with open face beholding as in a Looking-glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the likeness of the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord or according to the Greek by the Lord that Spirit These are the sweet and blessed Advantages of a Spiritual State I will add some few and short Directions to this State 1. Look to the New Birth in You. See that you be born again that you be born from above that you be born of the Spirit that this which is born in you be Spirit Jesus Christ saith That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit This only is the New Birth Newness is only in the Eternal Spring the Spirit 2. Take care of your Union with Christ that it be a Spiritual Union that you be united to Christ as he is risen from the Dead and in Glory as he is a Spirit the King and Bridegroom of Spirits that you be united to Christ in the Spiritual Man that your Union be a Spiritual Marriage that you be one Spirit in the Unity of the Eternal Spirit which is Love 3. Pray for the Spirit for a Spiritual Understanding for the Knowledge of things in the Spirit as they are Spirit and Life and so alone Truth Suck in the Spirit by day and by night from the lips of Christ from the kisses of his mouth 4. Die to every thing of the Flesh that you may live in the Spirit Bear about in your Bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of the Lord Jesus according to the Spirit may be manifested in your mortal Bodies At the young Phoenix is said to spring new and fresh out of the Ashes of the Old One so doth the Spirit in the newness of an Heavenly and Immortal Glory spring out of the Grace of Christ. 5. Live purely live in Love These two Purity and Love are the principal fruits of the Spirit by which the Spirit himself is drawn down and held in our Hearts being fed and delighted with them Every kind and degree of impurity and enmity quencheth the Spirit and maketh him to withdraw himself into Heaven again The Scripture saith The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit to bring forth its own Beauties Delights and Fruits all over the Spirit of Man in the place of the Eternal Spirit The Scripture saith also That the Flesh envyeth against the Spirit The Flesh hath an envy and an envious malice to see the Spirit with its Eternal Glories Joys and Fruits to flourish in the Soul 6. Lastly Take heed of thinking that you know enough He that thinks he knows any thing knows nothing as he ought to know it saith St. Paul He that thinks he knows any thing knows things only after the Letter which is a knowledge of shadows only and a shadow of knowledge This is that knowledge which pusseth up which swels a man with a windy conceit of knowledge But that knowledge which is from the Spirit as its Fountain and in the Spirit as its air and element and of the Spirit as its only object this makes a man at the highest degree of his knowledge on Earth to be sensible that all his knowledge is but as the light of the night a light shining in a dark place not the day-star and the Sun itself risen upon him This man thinks himself at best as a door-keeper only or as the Hebrew word signifieth one standing at the threshold of the House of God who looketh in at a distance and hath only a weak glimmering prospect of the Glories there but is not yet entered into the Light of those Glories to behold them as they are to know them as he ought to know them and is to know them He therefore as a new born Babe from the Womb of the Spirit keeps his Eye ever fixed with wonder and pleasure upon the light of the Spirit and ever thirsts to drink in more and more the sweet milk of this Light The Subject of our discourse hath been the passage of a Saint by Death not only in his Soul but in his Body also into a State of purity pleasure perfection and immortality One of the objections against this was taken from common sense to which Death presents the Bodies of the holiest Persons liveless ghastly dissolving to dust We have answered this objection by a distinction between a twofold sense Carnal and Spiritual But this objection was enforced from the Body of Christ which was a rueful and bloody spectacle in Death which lay three days in the silence darkness and restraint of the Grave It is necessary therefore to say something particularly to the State of Christs Body in Death by the application of this distinction to that also I shall ground this discourse upon that Scripture Luke 12. 50. They are the words of Christ I have a Baptism to be Baptized with and how am I streightned till it be over This Baptism is generally and as I humbly conceive rightly interpreted to be the sufferings of Christ at his Death The Baptism of Christ and the accomplishment of that Baptism were both at the time of his Death The sense of this Baptism before it came was an unexpressible streightning or affliction and oppression to the Soul of Christ. He cries out how am I streightned The words thus opened afford this observation The Lord Jesus had his greatest trouble and his greatest Triumph at the time of his Death Then was this bloody Baptism and then was the blessed accomplishment of this Baptism I shall open this in seven Propositions whereof 5 set forth the trouble the other two the Triumph of Christ at his Death 1. Propos. It was the most glorious and eternal Person of God himself in two Natures Divine and Humane which was our Jesus 2. Propos. God in his own Person as the Divine Nature lived in our Nature here on Earth stood at once in a twofold Principle one Natural and Temporary the other Supernatural and Eternal 3. Propos. As this Eternal Person our Jesus with his God-Head in the Humane Nature stood in a Natural and Temporary
these surrounding this Divine Light at the same time surrounded by it give a solemn sweetning and heightning to all like the Base string to the Musick of a Lute making Death it self another Heaven distinct from the Heaven after Death and contending with it for delightfulness Thus God the Father maketh Christ to see the Path of Light in Death 3. The third part in the manner of the Triumph the Pleasure In thy presence are all pleasantnesses and at thy right hand Pleasures for evermore Three pleasâ—n things are here presented in one 1. The Seat of Pleasure 2. The Perfection 3. The Perpetuity of Pleasures 1. The Seat of Pleasure is the Presence and right hand of God The Presence in Hebrew is the Face of God The Son of God The Eternal Word The Essential Form of God and the Brightness of his Glory is the Face of God Behold thou art fair my beloved yea thou art Pleasant our Bed is green saith the spouse in the Canâ—cles to Jesus Christ. He is that Eternal Form and naked face of the Godhead where all the Pleasantnesses of the purest Beauties Loves and Joys first spring flourish and seat themselves His Cheeks therefore in the same Book are said to be the Garden-beds of the most fragrant Spices and persumed Flowers where the highest Beauties and the highest sweetnesses are born and married one to another and bring forth an endless race of Loves and Delights This Face of God in which all Loveliness and Loves thus shine and flame together is also set with so many eyes which continually behold and rejoyce in their own Beauties and Pleasantnesses This Face this Form of God is the Person which subsists in the Human Nature of Christ both Soul Body which in itself gives a subsistance to the whole Humanity of Christ living and dying Thus is it in the Grave and in the dead Body of Christ the seat of all Pleasantnesses the Throne of divine Beauty of Love in Death It is also as a thousand never sleeping never sâ—umbring eyes in this blessed Body with which it uninterruptedly contemplates in it self this Eternal face and Form of God this seat of Pleasantnesses which is its own Person it s own self in its personal Unity and subsistence The right hand of God is the Godhead in the strength at the heighth of Love Power Majesty and Glory as it is above all heavens Here are Pleasures in their proper fear in their greatest force and fulness as they transcend the joys themselves of all created Heavens At this right hand of God is Jesus in the Grave By this right hand of God which hath all pleasures ever attending it was he pleasantly led thorough the Shadow of Death In the Bed of Death this right hand of the most High embraced him that he might sweetly rest there in the midst of all the Pleasures of this Right Hand of his 2. The Perfection of Pleasures is exprest by these two names of Pleasantnesses and Pleasures Pleasantnesses are the Objects of delight or Pleasures in the object Pleasures are the Delights themselves in the fruition and enjoyment of those objects or Pleasures in their Subject The Subject and the Object uniting and mingling and transforming themselves variously by their various mixtures in their union into one mutual life and Form of Beauty and Love make Pleasure and delight You have here all Pleasantnesses in the Face of God and so all Pleasures at the Right Hand of God The Lord Jesus dying and in death beholds the Face of God In this Face he at once beholds all pleasant forms and Forms of Pleasantness the pleasantness of all Forms among Men Angels in their first highest Patterns to which the most Glorious spectacles and spirits of Men or Angels are obscure Shadows and faint imitations In this face he beholdeth pleasant Forms incomprehensible for variety and Glory which never cast any the least shadow of themselves nor were capable of being in the least degree imitated in the highest of created excellencies Death itself is a divine Marriage-bed in which Jesus Châ—ist receives all these pleasant Forms into his Bosom as Lights of Glory shining thick thorow the Cristal Temple of his pure and sacred Body in this Night of his Divine Death He beâ—reth in his dead Body the impressions and Figures of them all with the Heavenly substances themselves in these Impressions and Figures like a seal of Gold fixed on Virgin-wax his dying and dead Body is transformed into one Life and Form with those Original Forms of Pleasantnesses being embraced by them as by a Divine flame which makes it one pure flame of Pleasantness and Pleasure with itself 3. The Perpetuity of the Pleasure At thy right hand are Pleasures for evermore Two things are here signified 1. The continuation of Pleasures in the Person of Christ without any interruption 2. The endlesness of those Pleasures Jesus Christ saith to his Father in one Place thou leadest me by thy right hand The Lord Jesus was ever led by the right hand of the Father out of Heaven into the Virgins Womb out of the Womb into the gloomy Light of this World thorow this World thorow Death and the Grave into Heaven again Thus was this blessed Person ever at the right hand of his Father that is at the right haâ—d aâ—d Fountain of Power Majesty Love Life and Pleasures in the Womb on the earth on the Cross in the Grave So was the Path of this righteous oâ—e a shining Light of divine Pleasures uniâ—terrupted thorow all these thick shades of the blackâ—â—â— darkness There is one thing more in the duration of Christs Pleasures signified in the last Verse of this Psalm above all this The Lord saith to his Father all Pleasaâ—â—â—â—sses are in thy Face Behold here in one undivided point the full circle of Eternity and that an Eternity of Pleasures The Face of God with all Pleasantâ—esses in it Eternity implyes three things 1. the Fulness of all Beiâ—g 2. the utmost heighth of being 3. the undividedness In this Time falls below Eternity that it is a contracted successive Shadow The Face of God which is his Essential Image and substantial Form the God Head itself in the second Person in the Trinity which is our Lord Jesus is this Eternity This is that Person which was Man was Flesh hung on the Cross and lay dead in the Grave No more could the Lord Jesus be separated from the Face of his Father in any part of his Soul or Body in any season either of Life or of Death than a person can be separated from itself or the Lord Jesus be divided from the Second Person in the Trinity Thorow every state thorow the most cloudy days and the most tempestuous Nights the Face of God the Son of Eternity went along with the 〈◊〉 Jesus shining upon every Cloud aâ—d Storm shining thorough all gâ—â—ding all with the Joys and Glories of Heaven itself In this Face as in the