with the wicked and the rich in his death 250. What it is to have the pleasure of the Lord for to prosper in his or in our hand 251. The Lord shall see us as the travel of his Soul 253. We are the Lords spoil and portion Ibid. The Lord makes the barren to sing and to bring forth gloriously 254. The seed of the living God out of a barren womb wonderful 255. The Lord thy husband that comforts thee 256. I will be thy God and Husband from everlasting unto everlasting 257. The foundation windows and gates of the Saints the Lords house and building of what precious stones it is 258. The Lord is that water that wine and that milk to them that thirst after him and that hunger in him 260. Three things to be observed here more especially on the best wine kept last 261. That which is bread and satisfieth and is good and delights the soul and makes it live and prosper in fatness is from the Lord alone 263. Christ the true Witness and Leader to the People 265. The people that know thee not shall run afterthee for the Lord hath glorified thee in their eyes and their thoughts and ways shall be as the Lords thoughts and ways are 266. The Word that comes from Gods mouth shall prosper in what it is sent 268. No man is just but he to whom Salvation is come 269. The stranger and the Eunuch joyned to the Lord and made sons and heirs to God 270. The righteous man perisheth but not his righteousness yet none lays it to heart 271. The Lord will dwell in Holiness both on high and below 272. The sin and iniquity of Jacob the Fast that is the Lords the good and acceptable day that he chuses how we must love one another and walk in the light and not in darkness as the Lord doth to us 274. The exceeding sinfulness of sin the misery that it brings till the Lord arise against it in Justice and in Truth 277. Arise and shine for thy light is come 279. The glory given to them whom God doth glorifie Ibid. All Glory comes when Gods Glory comes 280. I will bring gold and silver strength and beauty unto thee 281. The Lord thy everlasting Light thy Sun and Moon that shall darken all other Suns and turn them to blood but himself in the end 282. The Spirit of the anointing of the Lord what works it doth binding and loosing doing all good 284 Our righteousness brightness and our salvation a burning lamp 286. The Lord thy Watchman day and night 287. The Lords dyed garments coming from the great slaughter of his enemies sin and Satan 288. The Lords coming down with power to destroy flesh 289. The Lord God is found of them that sought not after him 290. How all things are made new of God 292. Though heaven and earth be my house yet I will dwell in you 293. Zion brings forth yea a Whole Nation in a day and that without pain 294. THE Sealed Book of GOD opened in MAN The Mystery of the holy Scriptures the Volume of Gods Book written in mans heart in the Spirit and to be read in his life in the Letter HEB. chap. 8. vers 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people CHAP. I. §. 1 Christ the Sum of all Things NOw of the things which we have spoken and write saith the Apostle in the beginning of the chapter this is the sum Christ is the sum of it all the Figures Types Priest-hoods Sacrifices Temples Tabernacles Prophets and Prophesies in their severall parts Christ is their totall sum Let them be all numbred together they all make up but one Christ who is such an High Priest as is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majestie in the heavens they all give him 1. The right Hand 2. The Throne 3. The Majestie 4. The heavenly Thing in the Priest-hood and in all things else hath this preheminence SECT II. §. 2 The true Ministry A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man Christ is the sum of all the Ministry there is no other Ministry but Christ and Christians who make but one Spirit he the male they the female whom God the Father hath joyned together his Spirit poured out and married to their flesh the Divine Nature the Male our Humane the Female making one Emmanuel God with us so that as the two witnesses agree in one so be these SECT III. §. 3 Christ the true Temple-Sanctuary CHrist was also the Sanctuary the Temple of God upon the Altar of which Temple he offered himself a Sacrifice to God Soul and Body so are Christians SECT IV. Christ the true Tabernacle §. 4 CHrist also is the Sum of the Tabernacle God dwelling so richly in him the Tabernacle of God was then with men the life was manifested the true Tabernacle the Lord pitched and not man so are Christians SECT V. Christ is the heavenly Thing in Christians §. 5 ALL which serve for the example and shadow of hâ—avenly things as Moses when he was admonished of God about making the Tabernacle See saith God that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Now the truth and substance the heavenly Thing and the good Thing to come is Christ and the Christian this is the Tabernacle that God pitches even the man Christ there he will dwell that is his House Now Christ brings forth more excellent things then any in the Mount you have seen them all the Ministry Tabernacles Sanctuary Sacrifice the whole Worship the Law and Covenant also they all wax old vanish away from the Mount but not the other SECT VI. §. 6 Christ is the new Covenant in the new Creature BUt now Christ hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises It is a Ministry in Spirit a Covenant in Spirit making intercession in our spirits an establishing in Spirit and precious promises written in our spirits so that if the first Covenant Promises Ministry Tabernacle had been faultless pure or perfect there had been no need of the second but the Lord finding fault with the first and the Worship and Worshippers thereof He saith Behold the days come that I will make a new Covenant a new Promise a new Tabernacle a new Ministry and all things new a new Heaven and Earth with the House of Israel and the House of Judah In those days saith the Lord all old things shall then pass away and all things become new and all things shall be of God who hath reconciled us to himself in Jesus Christ SECT VII §. 7 What is that
Goliah in the world of darkness and depths of Satan this Spirit of the Lord as a David with its stone and its sling its rod and staff makes way strikes dead to the ground whatsoever stands up and oppose laying all their glory in the dust making the Lyon and the Churl to be like Lambs and Doves silencing all the unclean spirits and establishes its throne in the midst of us SECT V. §. 5 The Raign of the Spirit of the Lord the true DAVID BEsides this Israel chose David now Saul is dead for her King and Iudah and Israel have one King the Lord our Righteousness of which David was a Type shall rule over all where it was said Ye are not my people it shall be said Ye are the sons of the living God for they shall seek the Lord and fear his goodness in the latter days and be a long time without a King Priest or Prophet and then they shall turn to the Lord yea the Philistins also shall have the Lord our David for their King the Heathen shal be his Inheritance the Kings themselves shall be wise and come and kiss the Son David daunceth before the Ark and would appear more vile to Michal if that was vile in her eyes she being childless this is the glory of the Saints the Ark the Lord his Glory it s their song and daunces they sing after his Instruments and this joy of the Saints and spiritual daunces all within us leaps for joy Michal this barren dry flesh scorns all such things as Ishmael scoffed at Isaac so doth flesh the spirit David prayeth the Spirit prayeth Villany is condemned Innocency in Uriah protected Adulteries especially spiritual Adulteries mortified Nathans truth confessed Parables opened and applyed treacherous Absoloms incestuous Ammons Rebellious Shebaes cursing Shimeies all of them consumed hanged and beheaded being judged to death by the King of Righteouâ—nesse David But the Worthies the Ionathans and all the faithful in the Lord renowned and Davids choice is followed by all the Worthies rather to fall into the hands of the Lord then the hands of men and the plague fell upon all flesh and his blessing was still with his spirit CHAP. IX The eighth Book that God writes in Man is §. 1 the third Book of KINGS SOlomon is anointed King his mother asketh Abishag for her son Adoâ—ijah Solomon would have her ask for the Kingdom as soon Adonyah fled Davids Charge to his son Solomon Solomons wisdom given of God the Justice he did the two mothers about the child Solomons building the Temple his workmen his peace and plenty his own house his many wives his blessing and prayer his Kingdom divided Ieroboam King of Israel Rehoboam of Iudah Ieroboams Calves Rehoboams counsel from the young men refusing the old Ahabs wicked raign Elijahs power the people halting Baals Priests destroyed the prayer of Elijah heard the water dryed up the Heavens give rain at his prayer Ahabs false Prophets Ahab goes to battel but prospers not according as Micah said Now all these things are they not written in the Books of the Lord opened in Man which are the true Books of Israel There Solomon Christ Jesus the son of David sits upon the Throne of his Father David it is given to them for whom it is prepared and he that hath Abishag the Queen hath the Kingdom also so he that hath the Queen of Grace hath the Kingdom of Peace which here Solomons wisdom shews us The hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse the seeking the things of Christ and not our own the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnesse all other things are added to us this is the desire in the Saints the only necessary thing how to go in and out before the Lord how to live before him all his days Again The wisdom from above judgeth all things knows whose the living child is and whose the dead and knows that the Lord will have a living child My son give me thy heart and not a dead child or half a child to serve God and Mammon Solomon builds a Temple thus the Lord builds a Temple in us we are the buildings of the Holy Ghost the Temple of the Lord. SECT II. §. 2 A Kingdom divided cannot stand Christs is not divided THe Kingdome divided cannot stand Satans Kingdom divided must fall Christs is not divided neither can be yet many Kings and many Lords many men and means flesh and form divides Paul Apollo and Cephas they were divided in men but united in Christ and having several forms yet one Spirit but when we come to the unity of the Spirit then we shall say many Lords and Gods have ruled over us but to us now there is but one God and Lord the Father of all that is within us all And neither Jeroboams false Gods nor Rehoboams heavy finger nor folly in neglecting the old Councellors shal divide us but we shall walk together in the light of the Lord our God no Ahab shall raign amongst us nor Baals Priests trouble us but the power of the Lord in his Elijah shall be like fire out of their mouths to slay them and there shall be no halting any more between Baal and God Flesh and Spirit but the knowledg of the Lord shall increase and they shall serve the Lord alone they shall shut Heaven and open it the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven shall be given unto them and all Ahabs and Jezabels shall be given over to beleeve lyes till iniquity be their ruine seeing they refused to be instructed and would none of the Lords counsel the Lord will mock at their calamity and laugh when their fear cometh CHAP. X. The ninth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is the fourth Book of KINGS THe fourth Book of Kings opened Fire from Elijah that consumes the Captain and his fifty Elijahs blessing upon Elisha Elijah taken up into Heaven Elisha received his Spirit divided the waters healed them maketh the Ax to swim visiteth the Shunamite blesseth her case is fed by a Raven Hezekiahs and Josiah's good raign all which we are the truth and substance of thus the Lord doth with us we are a fire and a flame to our enemies to burn up stubble before us and all that shall fall upon us shall be broken in pieces but on whomsoever we shall fall we shall grind them to powder we are to be taken up in the fiery Chariot of the Lords love burning like fire and let all our dross and flesh fall from us like dross to the earth like his Mantle and we have also received the spirit of Elisha in a double measure not only his Mantle but his Grace and Gods gracious presence not only to divide the waters and heal them but also to divide between Light and Darkness Heaven and Earth Flesh and Spirit Sweet and Bitter Good and Evil Day and Night and to turn the evil into good the night into day that they that sit in darkness and in
shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy So the strangers and strange wives are removed there shall no unclean thing live there any more Whatsoever lives in that is a stranger or a strange wife any thing thou art wedded or married to that is not the Lord is a strange wife that steals away thy heart and the Lord will give thee a bill of divorcement to put her away CHAP. XIII The twelfth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called ESTHER THe book of Esther opened in Man is nothing else but the state of a poor earthly creature in whom there is nothing when once beloved of God the Lord hath a favor to it and sends forth his Spirit to prepare it all things according to his heart and minde and so is brought forth in great glory washed perfumed adorned justified sanctified and so glorified with the Lord to be betrothed to the Lord in truth in judgment and in righteousness And as it shews how the Lord exalts the lowly and meek the worm and nothing above all things so it also holds forth the pomp pride and glory of all flesh and the fall thereof is great and that in Haman a lively figure and representation of this how flesh and blood is exalted and what favor honor friends it may have yea what obeysance and homage how it may have a glorious footstool and as stately and magnificent a crown as the god and king of this world can give him And what shall not be done to the man whom the whole world jointly intends to honor Here all things below are theirs yet behold of a sudden he is cut down like the grass and cast into the oven Cry then All flesh is grass and the glory thereof like the flower of grass so soon it withers away and we are gone surely all flesh is grass but the Word of the Lord endures for ever His Grace and Truth throughout all generations his Garments do not change neither his feet weary nor his shoes wax old but all is more beautiful for the wearing This is true in Esther and Haman the one Grace advanced the other Flesh disgraced CHAP. XIV The thirteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called JOB THe book of Job opened in man And herein you have the life and state of a Christian held forth dying in the flesh and to the world and then living to God and rising in Spirit above this world entering into another world his life with God in Christ this Job shews us in this history the true pattern of the other as for example first The Christians dying in the flesh and to the world is clearly manifested in Jobs miseries how Satan set upon him his wife tempting him Satan accusing him God hiding himself for a moment from him Satan buffeting him his children destroyed his cattel consumed his houses burnt his lands and living impoverished his spirit troubled his health broken his body bruised even from the crown of the head to the feet all over afflicted his friends forsake him his comforters torment him all his Physitians of no value thus he lies in the bed of sicknesse death seising upon all he hath SECT II. §. 2 What is the Mystery of this History of Job in Man I Pray what is this but the Christian crucified to the world and the world crucified to him a Christians dying dayly mortifying his members here upon the earth For this is the Will of the Lord even the denying of our selves and the bearing of our cross and following him And is not all this taught and learnt here in the spiritual state But mark the conclusion It dyes in weaknesse but it doth rise in power it is sown a natural body but it rises a spiritual body it dyes in the flesh but rises in the Spirit So much is clear in the other part of the History All that God took away from Job in the Flesh he gave him again in the Spirit so is it in the Mystery what we lose one way we gain another way we lose according as it is written He that loseth his life shall save it and he that would save his life shall lose it And again He that loseth or forsaketh father or mother wife or children lands or livings for my sake shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting SECT III. §. 3 The latter end of a Saint better then the first the longer he lives the better THerfore saith the Text The latter end of Job was better then his beginning so is it indeed in the spiritual state the latter end is better then the beginning he goes on to perfection his last works are the best therefore Iob said again I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear but mine eyes never saw thee till now wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes The Lord had given him eye salve to see clearly the Glory and Beauty of the Lord God himself what he heard he sees true so is it in the pure spiritual state We see as well as hear the wonderful things of God what others eyes have not seen nor ears heard we can utter And lastly The more Job saw of God the lesse he saw in himself the more his flesh was dead and buried I abhor my self saith he so is it true in us also that know the Lord That the nearer the Lord appears to us the more we like wax melt away the more we enjoy of him the lesse we enjoy our selves CHAP. XV. The fourteenth Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called PSALMS THe Book of Psalms opened in Man He is the Harp in the Lords hand the still and loud Instrument the Psaltery the Organ Sac but and Dulcimer tuned aright by the Lord and therein the Lord God makes melody with a loud Voyce their Sun and Moon Heaven and Earth Fire and Vapours all fulfilling his Word Fruitful Trees and all Cedars Gardens and Fountains Mountains and Hills Men and Angels yea every thing that hath breath praise the Lord as David saith Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name And again Bless the Lord O my soul and forget none of his benefits And again Yea while I have any breath will I praise the Lord. And again Lord let me live that I may praise thee This is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us in all things to give thanks Wherefore saith the Apostle Be not filled with wine wherein is excess but be filled with Spirit wherein there is no excess This is the wine indeed that he that drinks abundantly thereof it will make him merry and wise according to the Apostles rule If any man be merry let him sing Psalms if afflicted let him pray And indeed when we are full of the Holy Ghost we shal be like men full of new wine every one shall be
hearts and mourn but in the strange Land are we more strangers While we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord But when we shall absent from the body and be present with the Lord and not live by faith only but by sight when we shall not read of him nor hear of him only but when we shall see him face to face then shall our joy be full then we shall sing the song of Zion When we are entred into the joy of our Lord and Master when the day of the Lord is come the voyce of the Bride and of the Bridegroom is heard and the marriage of the Lamb is come then shall the Song be sung it is prepared for that day then shall the voyce of the Turtle be heard amongst us and the voyce of the Lord himself rejoycing over us And we rejoycing and singing in the Lord and in nothing else we shall sing O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world Let the Heavens praise thee O Lord yea let all the world give thanks unto thee yea let all things arise O Lord and call thee blessed SECT IX To sing with the Spirit and with §. 9 Vnderstanding THis made the Apostle say I will pray with the Spirit and with Understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and sing with Understanding also He then that hath not this spirit cannot sing with understanding he is as he that speaks in an unknown tongue a Barbarian except the Spirit interpret it 's but howling and no singing but where it s filled and enlarged with love where the Spirit of the Lord is heaped up and running over it must break forth and overflow it will not be hid it is like a fire in the bones like the sea at full tide like a full winde at sea filling the sails such is the powerful presence of God overshadowing us A Psalm THe Lord the Lord th' eternal God who lives and reigns to make us glad Our Psalms our Hymns our spirits songs our melodies in him alone We are his Organs and his Harps he tunes and plays upon our hearts He sings and makes most pleasant noise filling us full of mirth and joys A Hymn O Glory glory to the Lord his Name be blessed all abroad Our life mirth love and joys lives and lies in his glories A spiritual Song O Holy holy God on high Eternally Our melody Above the sky Never to dye But thus to cry Glory Glory To God on high Eternally Happy happy CHAP. XVI The fifteenth Book that God writes in Man is called PROVERBS SECT I. The Spirit that interprets secrets and §. 1 proverbs where it is and dwells ALL dark sayings mysteries secrets wonderful things deep and high sealed and concealed old and new there is a Spirit even the Spirit of the holy God which dwells in them that are gods which can reveal secrets expound parables finde out the pearl hid in the field and interpret dreams and hard sayings He that plows with this heifer shall finde out all these riddles and parables made plain in us And for the most part all these Proverbs without came from Wisdom and Understanding which dwelt in Solomon and spake these things from within SECT II. §. 2 The sum of this history of Proverbs spiritually in us in five particulars The Father God the Mother Wisdom the Son the Saint HEre is five things spoken of First The Father and that is the Lord God himself Secondly The Mother and that is Wisdom so she is called Wisdom is justified of her children which is Christ God the Father of Judgment Christ the Mother of Wisdom here is Judgment and Wisdom together Thirdly The Son that is here spoken of in the history of the Proverbs and that is the Childe of God the Christian or Saint that begotten Son that came from the bowels of Wisdom travelling with it and from the spirit of Judgment this is the Son that is so much admonished and taught of God every way it must needs be a wise Son that hath such Parents and it cannot stand in need of any thing that hath such a Father it must needs be brought up in the nurture and fear of the Lord filled with all wisdom and understanding A wise son saith Solomon is a joy to his mother but a foolish one is the sorrow of her heart So here Wisdoms children are a joy to her She can say Lord here am I and the children thou hast given me I had from thee thine they were and thou gavest them to me and I give them to thee again and my self with them Fourthly The strange woman and her sons the woman that flattereth with her lips and speaketh lies what is this woman but the world and the children of this woman but the children of the world This flesh that dwells in us is the strange woman and the woman that flattereth with her lips and betrays us tempting us to come in unto her and see what she hath prepared This is the Antichrist that lives in flesh and would feign her self a Prophetess and would have all turn in to her and drink of her fornications and eat of her idolatrous sacrifices which she hath prepared And all her sons are the brats of Babel the concupiscence or lust of the flesh 2. The lust of the eye and heart 3. The pride of life These three be her darlings and Delilahs that are nourished and brought up by her dayly the strange woman and her children Fifthly The enemies of Wisdom and these be called fools and scorners sinners and strangers these hate knowledg and reject the fear of the Lord She hath called and they would not answer yea cryed but they would not hear She hath prepared her table and her banquets and cryed in the high ways and concourse of people to come in to be her guests but they have all turned aside yea they hate her dainties and despise her counsels preferring with Esau a mess of pottage before either blessing or birth-right CHAP. XVII The sixteenth Book that God writes in Man is called ECCLESIASTES SECT I. The vanity of all things in the outward §. 1 man or world THe book of Ecclesiastes opened in Man Wherein you have the vanity of all earthly things discovered how this world and the fashion thereof perisheth all the fulness thereof exhausted her treasures corrupted her glory stained her riches moth-eaten her dwellings rotten her friends consuming her life dying and all her attire fading This is the state of this life this old world this outward man of ours the tabernacle that is groaning and burthened ready to be dissolved yea heaven and earth and all the creatures are the Apostle saith expresly groaning for the redemption and the manifestation of the sons of God The whole generation of the first Adam his whole kingdom and dominion the world wherein he ruled is all melting with fervent heat yea his more excellent things are vain his righteousness
his body is his wifes So here the Lords Spirit his Life Grace Righteousness and Kingdom is not his but theirs and to them their peace faith strength goodness is not theirs but the Lords for they are though two yet one in the Spirit SECT XXXIX §. 39 The day breaks and the shadows flee away UNtil the day break and the shadows flee away turn thou my beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether This is a sweet and gracious desire of the Spouse from her Lord to have a greater fellowship with him and know him better to have the vails taken away and the Lord turn in the room of them which are the flying away of the shadows and the breaking of the day When the day Star from on high hath visited us to give knowledg of salvation to his people by the remission of sins and then to guide our feet into the way of peace For the Lord is that Spirit that must do that and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and day breakings Now we all beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord till then the Lord will be nigh unto us not far from us upon the Mountains of Bether some Mountains like shadows hinder but when the day breaks they shall become a plain and then the Kingdom of God shall come amongst us and dwell within us as it is said The Kingdom of God with in you SECT XL. §. 40 The Soul loving seeking finding holding and never parting BY night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves I loved him and could not but seek him and am beloved of him and so cannot live without him My love continues seeking and waiting for him at all times places night and day street and City abroad and at home and amongst the watchmen but I found him not in any of these places or persons but when I had passed them all lived above them and beyond them then I found and was found of him whom my soul loveth I laid hands on him and would not let him go but brought him to my mothers house even to the chamber of her that conceived me this is to live in us where his Word and Spirit was before preparing away for him SECT XLI §. 41 The Lords high commendations of his Church and Spouse here in part described CHrist Jesus our Lord having adorned and beautified his Saints he so commends them that he makes it his delight to look upon them and rejoyce in all the works of his hands in them and over them First Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves eyes a pure wisdom from above and peaceable Secondly Thy hair is like a flock of Goats as white as snow noting old age found in the way of Righteousness A Father in Christ and not a Disciple only and old Saint Thirdly Thy teeth like a flock of sheep clean wash'd and shorn and none barren amongst them notes soundness of Judgment Meditation doing nothing rashly noruttering ought rashly before God till it be well chew'd with the teeth It s the trying of all things the discerning whether things be of God or not Fourthly Thy lips like a threed of scarlet simple and honest unfeignedly spoken Fifthly Thy speech comely speaking with power and authority with the Spirit and with Understanding also Sixthly Thy temples like a piece of Pomegranate within thy locks stately and comely fresh and never unmindfull of the Lords Mercies Seventhly Thy neck like the Tower of David builded for an Armory wherein there hangs a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men this is the strength of Faith prevailing with God and doing mighty things by which the Elders of old obtained such good reports as that their shields hang as a memorial Eighthly Thy two brests like two young Roes twins which feed among the Lillies These are the fruitfulness and abundance of Consolations in the Lord she hath and gives to others comforting them with that comfort wherewith she is comforted of God SECT XLII §. 42 There is no spot in her she is all fair yea altogether lovely THere is no spot in her that is she is all light and in her is no sin nor darkness at alll being all light in the Lord the chains of her neck ravishes the Soul of Christ being such a Pearl of heavenly Truth Thy love like wine and the smell of thy ointments like spices This is all sweet and gracious Spirit ministring Grace to the beholders Thy lips drop the hony the hony and milk are under thy tongue This shews a right dividing of the Word of Truth milk to babes hony to stronger and bread to the strongest And the smell of thy garments like the smell of Lebanon Such a sanctified and perfumed Conversation hath she A garden enclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed that is indeed a garden planted by the Lord and watered and increased by him enclosed all by his goodness as a wall of fire about it a spring that shall spring up and shut from the Philistins to corrupt it and such a fountain of Grace therein sealed that it shall not tend unto wantonness not uncleanness yea what heavenly pleasant plants are in thee a well of living waters the Spirit flowing forth in them SECT XLIII §. 43 The sending forth of his Spirit into our hearts to make us to abide in the Lord. AWake O North wind and come O South wind and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth and then let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits This is the Spirit the Lord pouring forth and causing his Winds which are in his Treasuries his Spirit the Wind of Heaven to blow in his Garden yea all his Winds for good the several operations and administrations of the Spirit for several Gifts and Graces the North wind for the Lilly and the South wind for the quickning and making this the North for convincing and renewing but the South for converting and comforting the one to wound and the other to heal and both good for the garden the one for the weeds the other for the herbs and both for to have the spices flow forth to abound in Grace and come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits For is it not good reason that he that plants a Vineyard should eat of the fruits of it So for the Lord that hath planted us for the self same end and blown upon to be glorified in us and by us seeing we are his husbandry SECT XLIV §. 44 The sum of the fifth Chapter of Solomons Song THis Song of Solomon is very excellent and almost all is opened in us to our hands by the Spirit of the Lord for the very Letter makes the Spouse and the Lord Christ the sum of it all wherefore to proceed in the various
Prophet saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem it was this The Prophet looked and behold he saw the earth full of hills and mountains and so full that they could hardly stand one by the other and the valleys were drowned by the mountains and the hills and he looked till he saw the mountains and the hills wage war one against another and he saw them that lived in these mountains and hills were Soothsayers Philistins strangers and the mountains and the hills were full of silver and gold no end of their treasures full also of horses and no end of their charets full of idols and no end of their bowing down to them and full of swords and spears and no end of their blood till at last in the end I saw a little hill arise out of the earth amongst the midst of the hills from the valleys it ascended like the little hill Hermon and this hill in the rising of it did terribly shake the earth and in time grew to a great mountain and neither by sword nor spear nor might nor any such thing but by my Spirit saith the Lord it waxed exceeding great and the hills and the mountains melted before it and would not stand when it appeared all that opposed it were broken in pieces and on whomsoever this mountain of the Lord fell it ground him to powder And this holy hill and high mountain came at last to get all other hills and mountains under its feet and it was established upon the top of the mountains and then there was no living or safety but only here even all the Nations of the earth came flocking hither to the Mountain of the Lord and cast all their idols away and forsook their own Country and fathers houses their own hills and mountains and fly to this Rock for there was darkness and death upon all the rest here was the light of the Lord and they said one to another Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. SECT IV. §. 4 The Spirit interpreting the Vision to be in us THis is the Vision and herein the Spirit of Truth will open and interpret it to you the mountains and hills are proud rebellious lofty looks and haughtiness of mens hearts the treasures charets horses and idols what are they but the pleasures vanities and lusts of the flesh the fighting what was it but the torment and disquiet that flesh hath there is no peace there saith God and what is the hill arising out of the valleys the Spirit of God arising a little in us shaking the foundations of flesh and earth in us and becomes powerful and mighty making all her enemies her footstool triumphing gloriously and destroying flesh with her Principalities and Powers leaving her dead and this is the Day of the Lord upon all things to bring to nought the things that are and establish what is not SECT V. The stay and the staff of the Creature §. 5 broken but the stay and the staff of the Lord himself remains for ever ANd this is not all but the stay and the staff shall be taken away the staff of bread and the stay of water This is the vanity of the Creature that shall be removed and broken in pieces whatsoever is a stay or staff besides the Lord be it meats or drinks you make so your Judges or Prophets you make so your mighty men of War or your honorable House of Commons I will then break them and turn them all to nothing your Princes then shall be children so your ancient men fools your strength rottenness your gods idols I will corrupt them all and these shall not rule over you Nay if you make any your stay or staff besides me saith the Lord I will take the life away and the comfort away I will take your clothing and glory so that none shall rule saying they have neither clothing bread nor water and they cannot rule over the ruines of the people but the Lord alone shall thus raign and rule over in glory they shall be ruined and fall and then I shall stand alone and be stay and staff thus woe shall be to the wicked the reward of their hands given them but well to the righteous that have me for stay and staff the fruits of their hands shall be given them and thus the Lord shall enter into Judgment with the oppressor and violent man the ancient and the honorable the proud and the base and stain all their glory smite it with a scab even the crown and head of it to the feet also and where the sweet smell was shall be a stink for a girdle a rent for hair dressed baldness for a stomacher a girding with sack-cloth and burning instead of beauty all these mighty things shall be and fall by my Sword the Spirit and lament and be left destitute this is the Decree of the Lord God SECT VI. §. 6 The beautiful Branch of the Spirit of the Lord and all the fruits thereof holy IN that day further we shall all that know the Lord whether weak or strong take hold of one man which is Christ the Lord and the seven women shall be married to him this is the male and female bond and free made one in Christ this is surely the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and then all reproach shall be taken away and we shall eat every one his own bread and wear his own apparel and this one bread shall be the bread of Life and this one apparel the Robes of Christ himself and now shall the Branch of the Lord the Spirit of Grace budding like Aarons Rod be glorious and beautiful and the fruits of the earth excellent and comely and that amongst them that are escaped of Israel the outcasts shall be received in and they that are dead shall live and every one that liveth then shall be called holy no other life but that written amongst the living and then the Lord shall wash away both filthiness of flesh and blood and spirit also by the Spirit of Judgment and burning the Lord wil create upon every dwelling place of his Tabernacles and Assemblies clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night for upon all their glory shall be a defence to keep from rain and storm and heat that nothing shall hurt SECT VII §. 7 The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts and the men of Judah AGain The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts declared in a parable and that in a Song of the Lords Beloved The Lord hath a Vineyard planted on a fruitful hill hedged fenced gathered from stones and planted with Vines dressed digged and a wine-press digged therein and a tower build thereon looking for fruits and it brought forth wilde fruits Judg now between me and my Vineyard I will tell you what I will do with it I will take away all from it leaving it naked and depart from it and then it shall be full of bryars and brambles What
glorious presence of the Lord when he comes with so much brightness and glory then shall our Sun and Moon that is all our heavenly gifts graces ministries and administrations cease and go out give up their light and life as being darkened by this everlasting Light and Glory And the Moon turned to blood that is all our natural excellencies gifts parts relations portions possessions qualifications conditions whatsoever all our reason knowledg wisdom and understanding here below shall then appear as blood loathsom and filthy to us yea all shall appear vain and empty and instead of this Sun and Moon that is all earthly and heavenly things thou shalt inherit the Lord God himself most gloriously to be thy Sun that shall never set and thy Moon that shall never change for then thy God shall be thy glory and thou shalt be righteous and all thy people and shall inherit the land for ever the land of the living the living Lord to be planted as his branch there living in him as their vine even the work of his own hand that he hath glorified and a little one shall become a thousand and a small one a great Nation for the Lord will multiply and encrease them yea the Spirit of the Lord shall grow upon them and in them they shall put on strength dayly from strength to strength SECT LXXXV The Spirit of the anointing of the Lord §. 85 what works it doth binding and loosing doing all good THe Lords anointing of us with the oyl of his Spirit makes our hearts to overflow and speak of the loving kindness of the Lord to the humble and meek spirit it s a spirit of binding and loosing binding up the wounds and loosing the wicked bands a spirit of liberty to righteousness and opening and enlargement to the prisoners a spirit that doth and proclaims the acceptable works of the Lord a spirit of vengeance against sin and yet a comforter to the mourners it is the Spirit of the Lord that doth this it overcomes the spirit of sorrow and heaviness death and darkness it gives beauty for ashes joy for mourning praise for heaviness it makes them trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord to glorifie him it s a Spirit that is building up it doth nothing for destruction but all for edification and what unclean spirits have wasted and spoiled and wounded and consumed this Spirit of the Lord comes to us as a repairer of the waste places and the desolations made and to restore what is lost it makes us this anointing of the Spirit the Lords Priests yea the Ministers of God it shall fall upon the Gentile as well as the Jew and they shall eat the riches of his grace together I will give them everlasting joy and bring them into my everlasting Covenant and their seed shall be the seed the Lord hath blessed thou and thine shall be like the bride and the bridegroom deck'd with ornaments and jewels salvation and righteousness for their garments And thou shalt be like a fruitful garden righteousness and praise shall spring forth from thee and be the fruits in thee SECT LXXXVI §. 86 Our righteousness brightness and our salvation a burning lamp THe Lords zeal for Zion and his love to Jerusalem will not give him rest nor peace till he hath made our brightness righteousness and our salvation like the burning lamps for ever flaming and yet never ending being fed with eternity and all see the glory of thee and the Lords new name shall be in thy forehead which he shall give thee and write on thee We shall be the pure crown of gold which is a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and as a royal diadem with our God We shall be no more accounted forsaken or desolate as we were once but be termed Hephz-ibah the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land called Beulah thy land married for thy God shall marry and rejoyce over thee for ever SECT LXXXVII §. 87 The Lord thy Watchman day and night THe Watchman upon thy walls O Soul that never slumbereth nor sleepeth careth for thee and keeps not silence but remembers thee day and night neither will the Spirit of the Lord rest till thou art established and made a praise to the Lord in the earth Thou shalt not be spoiled any more by strangers nor thy corn wine and oyl devoured by them any more the enemy sin and Satan shall wrong thee no more nor the flesh plunder thee for thy salvation is come the Lord God is his name his reward with him and his work before him and the Lord shall call thee his People and his Redeemed sought out and not forsaken the habitation of the Lord through the Spirit SECT LXXXVIII §. 88 The Lords dyed garments coming from the great slaughter of his enemies sin and Satan THe coming of the Lord is with dyed garments glorious apparel travelling in the greatness of strength and righteousness to save us with might all over red with the winepress treading it alone trampling upon all thine enemies and mine in wrath and fury till the blood comes for I will take vengeance on all my adversaries now my Redemption is come to thee and I will help thee though there be none left else besides me I am alone and I will bring down all strength glory haughtiness and pride to the earth there it shall lie in the dust then shalt thou remember my loving kindness alone and praise me for all that I have done for thee When I was afflicted for thee and the chastisements of thy peace lay on me my presence saved thee and my love and pity redeemed thee and carried thee along in safety leading thee by the hand through the terrible wilderness and made my name glorious you are the habitation of my holiness I cannot forget you yea Abraham may though your own father or mother may cast you out of their Synagogue yet I will have thee to rule over them SECT LXXXIX §. 89 The Lords coming down with power to destroy flesh LOrd bow the Heavens and come down let the mountains melt at thy presence come amongst us like a melting fire to burn away all dross and iniquity that thine adversaries may tremble and perish in us and amongst us and do terrible things that we looked not for let sudden destruction come upon all flesh while it cries peace peace for eyes have not seen nor ears heard neither can the Natural perceive the things that are prepared of God for them that wait on him and that are to be fulfilled in him but thou art our God we know and we thy clay and thy work thy people and souls thou hast made le ts not be destroyed but make us a beautiful house to praise thee build us up and let not thy pleasant things lie waste but bring thy treasure to thy house and land SECT XC The Lord God is found of them that sought §. 90 not after him I The Lord
Writing shal that be think you which God will write What a Book shall that be Every word a word of Life all the leafes leafes of Life the whole Book must needs be the Book of Life but the outward Cover and Binding shall be Man it shall be covered in a fleshly Cover As the Tabernacle of gold within stone without so this Book of the will of God written printed or dwelling in us shall be opened within yet sealed without as to the world they can neither see nor read nor understand nor beleeve it it being sealed up the back and outside being towards them and the opening inward they know nothing in it and all preaching praying hearing reading writing receiving meeting must be from this written Word there must be your text and ground-work to build upon and what is not read there or writ there is not thine to give but let every one speak as the Oracles of God and preach as he findes it written in him from the Word of the Lord there and so expound and read to us in the letter of Words or Life what God hath written within as an epistle read to all friends so is the teaching written to be read to the world CHAP. II. The first Book that God writes in Man §. 1. is called GENESIS NOw the beginning of this Book of God in Man bound up there and hid in this wall of Flesh as the Law was in the Temple and revealed found by the spirit of God it is called the book of Genesis or the book of the beginning of Gods Book in us This is the first book wherein God appears as their Genesis creating all things Heaven and Earth a new in them making a Firmament between Flesh and Spirit to separate and divide the one from the other the waters above from waters below creating light in them the Lord their light scattering and dispelling the darkness and the Spirit of the Lord living moving and dwelling there in this new world Man in his Genesis or beginning herein the Lord brings forth all things in their beginning progress perfection SECT II. §. 2. The six days works in Man brought forth first THe Light first to enlighten every thing that comes into this world for as darkness was upon the face of the deep in the old world first so here in the true world of mans happiness in God first Light is brought forth to be upon the face of all things this is the Candle of the Lord set up in his Candlestick Man This is the first days work or rather the first work in the day of the Lord. SECT III. §. 3. The second work in Gods day in Man THe second work of God in Man his new world he creates of himself to dwell in is a Firmament to divide between the old and new man or old and new world to distinguish between Heaven and Earth SECT IV. §. 4. The third work of God in his day THe third is the gathering of all things together into one the chaff to be burnt and the wheat to be layd in the garner when the Lord comes with his fan thus to purge his floor Man and by the breath of his Spirit dries up the waters that divide and makes all to be a fruitful land bringing forth herbs meet for the dresser receiving blessing from the Lord every plant in man of Gods planting bearing every year twelve manner of fruits and the leaves of the trees for the healing and saving of Nations SECT V. §. 5. The fourth work in the day of the LORD THe fourth Work is the Lords going on to perfection setting up greater lights in us where light was as a day breaking in us now he is come to be the rising of the Sun in us and Moon and Stars light swallowed up of this great light of the Sun the Lord God himself according as it is written The Lord himself shall be the light thereof and also shall be the rule thereof saying Come let us walk in the light of the Lord and the light shall make no difference in days times moneths or seasons SECT VI. §. 6. The fifth work in the Lords day THe fifth Work is the several Mansions the Lord hath prepared for his higher and lower middle stories and chambers according to the degrees of Grace and Light of the Lord in us a higher for the birds and fowls the Doves and Eagle-sighted a lower for the beasts that have only the light of the Moon a sensitive light and a middle for men which are between both but upper for Angels so that every one as he hath attained so let him walk and this is but for a while till we come all up to the unity of Spirit when all partition walls shall be broken down SECT VII The sixth work in the Lords day §. 7. THe sixth is the Lords creating us yet in greater perfection and that is when he brought forth himself compleatly in us which is not only his image or likeness which was in the first man earthly there is therefore an image of God in all such earthly things an image of God in this world and all that in them is But in this new state of things God himself comes in the room and supplies the place of all such things he being the heavenly Thing himself the Heaven and Earth the Day the Light the Sun the Firmament he is all this in us and to us So that all former things are put under us and we have dominion in the heavenly things and rule in Spirit and reign with God for ever SECT VIII §. 8. The end of the work of God THe last days work or rather the end of all his works is the Lord our Sabbath and Rest having perfected his will in us and brought forth his Rest there from all his works and travel now inheriting all things having entred us into his Rest where is all fulness and pleasures for evermore no hungring nor thirsting any more fully satisfied in him And now the Lord looks upon all his works rejoycing in all and over all having his praises perfected and himself sanctified by all SECT IX The Paradise of God in Man §. 9. NOw the next thing is Gods creating a new Paradise where he lives and dwells Christ is our Paradise inasmuch as he is called the Tree of Life therein and the Spirit of the holy God is the living Fountain in this Paradise watering and cherishing quickening and refreshing every plant and tree planted by the rivers of the water of Life bringing forth their fruits at all seasons whose leaves wither not much less their fruits Now this is the delight of the Lord saying I will come into my garden my Love my Spouse and blow upon it that the spices thereof may flow forth and there I will feed among the lillies and eat my hony comb with my hony and drink my wine with my love satisfying
my self abundantly in love This true Paradise which God planted in man Christ formed in us and the Spirit of God living like a fountain of water with us SECT X. The Adam and Eve there in Paradise §. 10 ANd further as from the Paradise and River of Life the whole world is refreshed for from hence come the streames of life and divide themselves into all parts of the world teaching in his Name wonderfull things so the Man and the Woman that lives in this Paradise with God the Adam and the Eve is Christ and the Christian Christ the Man and the Christian the Woman both living in one Paradise brought together by God marryed and given in marriage by the Spirit of God making Christ and the Christian one this is the Mystery of God manifested in the flesh or God dwelling in us becoming a second Adam to us feeding us with the tree of Life in us and refreshing us as with living water which he gives us and the tree shall not dye but live need no clothing or any Tabernacle or Shrine or Fig-leaves but the nakedness of God appearing in the Righteousness of Christ not having our garments which are hairy but the smooth and naked clothes of Christ and we shall not be ashamed SECT XII §. 12 The Tempter the Fall the Serpent NAy further the Tempter here in the New Creature thus written by God is the good Tempter the Spirit of the Lord tempting us and leading us into all Truth and Lord lead us into this temptation for ever and this Spirit is not like the beast of the field but like the Doves of Heaven it is as wise as Serpents but as innocent and harmless as a Dove Now the great Fall of this New Man is a total and final fall from sin Satan or a Being taken up in Clouds from the earth a receiving out of their sight to live with the Lord as also the curse there is nothing but blessing there is neither pain nor sorrow conceiving nor travelling there is neither Lord nor servant but all are made one in Christ Jesus SECT XII §. 12 How all things are made new in the beginning of this book LAstly to conclude the writing of God in short for the book of the beginning of the new Creation or Book of life in Man Here is no carnal generation no living after the Flesh no knowing one another after the Flesh but in Spirit and Truth a spiritual encrease and multiplying Here is no death at all but a long life even for ever and ever Here is no marrying nor giving in marriage but they are like the Angels of God no violence but all meekness and love Here is no wrath nor destruction but eternal love and consolation Here is no repenting the Lord he made Man but it rejoyces him at the heart to see him Here is no Deluge but the pouring out of the Spirit no Ark but the Lords presence in our Ark we are the house of God no perishing but Flesh no Sacrifice but the Spirit no Covenant but the new one in Man no Rain but that of the Word of Truth no Flesh but Spirit to feed upon no Milk nor Herbs but Grace no Vinyard but that of the Lords love no Altar but God no Call but that inward Call to forsake thy Fathers house No House nor Father nor Mother nor Land nor Portion but the Lord none to serve nor follow but him no Circumcision but in Spirit no bond woman nor her children but the free woman the spirit of liberty from sin and death no Well but the deep Rivers of Salvation no Vision but of God no Famine but of Flesh no Corn nor Wine nor Oyl but the Light of Gods countenance lifted up upon us CHAP. III. The second Book that God writes in Man §. 1 is called EXODVS THe second book is the book of Exodus for where the Lord hath once begun a writing or a work a word or a line he will build up finish and make an end in his due time but now he is but beginning and going on from one strength to another appearing in us now he comes with an out-stretched arm to deliver before he came to pull down and to build up to lay the foundation now he comes to deliver from the enemies of our salvation SECT II. §. 2 God calling his Son out of Egypt THerefore saith he I have called my Son out of Egypt that is Christ is called out of the grave death darkness this is the Son called out of Egypt the Flesh to live in Spirit in his members and body Now in this Egypt of our flesh and filthiness dwells nothing but Thunder and Lightening Darkness Plagues and Crosses for all these lay upon the Son while he is and was in our Egypt or fleshly Nature but he must rise the third day the Son shall not always lie thus in the grave the Spirit shall not always strive with Flesh and be buffeted and betrayed by it as Israel after a certain time was called forth the Lord hears the groans of his Son on the Cross and Israel in Egypt and the groans of the Spirit in these Tabernacles of Flesh willing to be delivered waiting for the day of Redemption not out of a part of Egypt to live in the suburbs or as neer as may be but far off to get into another land and kingdom even the kingdom called the Lords And though Flesh and Blood Principalities and Powers spiritual wickedness in high places Pharoah and all his Taskmasters the Magicians and all the hoste of Egyptians rise up against this Call and power of God to withstand it as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses and as the Scribes and Pharises placing the watch and ward laying the stone upon the grave of Christ sealing it withstood God and as Antichrist withstands the two witnesses but all in vain till the power of God entred into them all bringing them forth with a mighty hand saying Come up hither and fire came out of their mouths and the sea to consume and devour them They I mean all their carnal and spiritual enemies may come after them as far as the red sea but then no farther As soon as his Son the Lord Christ or the Christian hath passed through the red Sea of the sufferings of Christ Flesh and Blood dare follow them no further nay here dyes and perisheth all this carnal power and enmity SECT III. §. 3 God leading his Son through the Wilderness BUt though Gods Son Christ Jesus be called out of Egypt and is led from thence and Egypt destroyed in the Red Sea there the Flesh suffers yet there is another Call God leaves not his Son in the Wilderness whom he hath once called but then he calls them on and allures them there speaking comfortably to them This Son of God called out of Egypt thus and now all his children in the Wilderness is brought to straits and knows not whither to look
heard in that Spirit praising the Lord and speaking of the wonderful things of Heaven Wherefore saith the Apostle When ye are thus full of the Spirit then ye shall rejoyce in the Lord. And again Ye shall rejoyce singing to your selves Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs that is there shall be musick all sorts and tunes and melodies heard SECT II. Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs in §. 2 us all FIrst for Psalms In the beginning of the breathings and breakings forth of the Spirit the Psalms are for the weak ones the babes in joy The second Hymns are for the fathers in joy but the Songs are for the strong young men whose joy is full so that by these three I understand only the several degrees of joy and also the various operations of the Spirit The Psalms are doctrines mutually mixt with Praises the Hymns thanksgivings purely and the Songs the ravishments of love Psalms are the tastes we have of him the Hymns are longings after him but the Song is the full possession of him My beloved is mine and I am his he comes to his garden so that one Saint hath a Psalm another that is higher a Hymn and third a spiritual Song and that all from one and the same Spirit but the inspirations more or lesse SECT III. §. 3 The new Song in the new Jerusalem ANd as for Davids new Songs he speaks so often of in his Book we have the same written in our Books Psalm for Psalm Prayer for Prayer Hymn for Hymn Song for Song even a Song for every Season the new Song is like to the new Name the new Covenant the new Jerusalem the new Creature so is this new Song only to be sung by such therefore called the Song of Moses and of the Lamb and none can sing it nor knows the tune of it but the Virgins that follow the Lamb it is in Spirit full of Glory SECT IV. §. 4 The chiefest sinner shall rejoyce most ANd again As our sufferings have abounded so shall our consolations he that hath suffered a little shall have a Psalm or a Hymn but he that hath abounded in sorrow in affliction shall have this Spirit of Joy above his fellows he shall sing aloud and shout for joy of heart wherefore he saith Blessed are the meek and hungry and that mourn these shall all be comforted but when he speaks of this Blessed saith he are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for they shall be exceeding glad and rejoyce their joy shall exceed others and as sin also hath abounded so shall Grace and Glory and Honor and eternal Praise and Joy abound also Wherefore it s well said of Christ That as his sorrow was such as he saith Behold if ever sorrow were like unto my sorrow when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So behold his joy never joy was like it at the conversion of a sinner SECT V. §. 5 All Gods workings in us come to a Song at last THis Book of Psalms in Man it is all but one Psalm it is an eternal Song a praising God for ever and and ever without end this is not with our mouth but the Lords mouth and heart not with lips but the kisses of his mouth and the breath of his Spirit and indeed all the workings of God are in joy they all bring forth the first fruits of Righteousnesse in peace and joy all things working together for good all our sorrows travels crucifyings self-denials crosses losses miseries deaths and torments they all bring forth a Psalm a Hymn and a Song this is the man child that shall be born after all Now it may be God is only making or beginning this Psalm in us yet a little while and it shall be finished and the noise thereof heard from one end of the Heavens to another SECT VI. §. 6 And what this Song is in the Saints ANd the Song shall be this Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Thou art worthy of all Honor Glory and Praise for thou hast redeemed us to thy self And again The Lord the Lord the Lord God omnipotent raigneth And again We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty that thou hast raigned and takest this great power to thy self and that thy time is come and that the Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Saints Rejoyâ—â— O ye Heavens and all that are in them for thy God raigneth SECT VII The Lord alone is the Psalm and the Hymn §. 7 and Song in us BUt yet further The Lord God is our Song our Blessednesse that David speaks of and the Law that we delight in and tree of Life that brings forth all good fruit and all flesh is the chaff and like the wind the Spirit of the Lord shall scatter and divide it all bringing it to Judgment and flesh is that which rages and imagines vain things against the Lord and it is the Lord alone that shall sit upon the holy hill of Zion and breaks all flesh in pieces with its scepter Our flesh is the enemy that increases and rises up against us and the Lord and it is the Lord that Spirit that smites this enemy in the cheek bone and breaks the teeth of the ungodly so all salvation is the Lords and his blessing is his people Again The Lord is their Sacrifice of Righteousnesse their Wealth and Health and all the light of his Countenance is that which is their Life indeed the Lord is their Life and Peace that makes them to dwell in safety alone their wine and corn and oyl it is all with the Lord alone and nothing else What singing was there at the birth of Christ Jesus after the flesh How did the Angel Shepherds Joseph Mary Zachary Elizabeth Simeon and all sing How did they all magnifie the Lord and bless the Lord God of Israel What is it but an example of the heavenly Thing that when Christ Jesus is born in us and framed there there is singing and will be where the Lord lives But all the minstrels in the flesh are turned out and it calls them all madness yea there is a singing though we be in prison outwardly and great misery yet our joy none can take from us nothing can break out peace nor interrupt our melody nor quench our joy no man nor devil can take it from us SECT VIII §. 8 There is no singing in the strange Land till we come to the Lord himself YEt a word more this glory and perfect joy is not for them that live in the flesh nor in darkness or in the Kingdoms of this world There is nothing but howlings sorrows gnashing of teeth weeping and lamentations here as Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness were weary in their lives and full of groanings strivings and fightings But the songs are heard neither in Egypt nor in Babylon nor in the Wilderness but in Canaan here we hang up our
which I know not of nor delight in the Fast that I choose is the abstinence from all appearance of evil a rending of the heart and not the garment a blessed joyful mourning it s to loose the bands of wickedness and to undo the heavy burden and to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke of oppression as taxes rythes free quarters besides the fightings within to be laid low as also to deal bread to the hungry drink to the thirsty and not to say be thou warmed or be thou clothed this is the new Commandment to love one another then shall we walk in light and not in darkness and our light shall break forth as the morning and thy health like the noon day thy righteousness shall go before thee and the Lord thy God thy rereward we shall no sooner call or cry but the Lord shall answer and say Here I am When the yoke of sin and speaking in vanity is cut off then thy soul will be drawn out to the hungry and the afflicted shall be satisfied and thy obscurity shall be as the light and thy darkness as the noon day for the Lord will satisfie thee and give to thee as thou dost to him so will the Lords Soul be drawn out to thee and make thee a watered garden a living fountain nay the Lord shall make thee a repairer of the breach and a restorer of paths to dwell in for the Righteousness of the Lord is upon thee and the Lord shall be thy Sabbath and pleasure thy holy day and delight thy ways and words being lost to thy self and remaining only the Lords delighting thy self in the Lord riding to and fro◠upon the high places of the earth-triumphing over all things SECT LXXIX §. 79 The exceeding sinfulness of sin the misery that it brings till the Lord arise against it in Justice and in Truth BEhold the Lords Hand or Power is never shortened that it cannot save even from the grave yea though they were dead yet can he say unto them live nor is his ear at all heavy but he can hear the complaints of the distressed soul nor his eyes closed but he can see their misery nor his heart sealed but he can pitty and have mercy on them if he please but our sins and iniquities shorten our hands close our eyes deafen our ears and harden our hearts that we shall not understand and so separate us from the Lord and from his face driving us out from his presence that he may not hear thus making us trust altogether in vanities lies conceiving nothing but mischief bringing forth nothing but iniquity breeding cockatrices egs in us weaving spiders webs wickedness in a mystery so keeping us far from the way of Peace and as for Judgment that is turned backward behind us Justice stands afar off Truth falls in the streets and Equity cannot enter therefore the Lords Arm is stretched out he sees what is done and puts on his Armor his Brestplate of Righteousness his Helmet of Salvation his Clothing of Vengeance and his Cloak of Zeal to repay and recompence fury on his adversaries our iniquities sins lifting up his Spirit like a Standard against them and bring them in like a mighty flood destroying iniquity and sin and this Covenant will I make in them and you my Spirit shall be with you and my Word in your heart and mouth never to depart from thee nor thy seeds seed for ever SECT LXXX §. 80 Arise and shine for thy light is come THe Lord thy Light O man is come he is risen and shines most gloriously and awakening thee to arise and shine in him and with him for his Glory is rising on thee dispelling all manner of darkness from thee and gathering all things to the light yea Kings and people to his brightness far and near sons and daughters to see his Glory they shall see and flow together be enlarged converted because of the abundance of the Glory of the Lord revealed they shall come flying as Clouds and as Doves to the windows and in thy light see light walking every one in the light of the Lord. SECT LXXXI §. 81 The glory given to them whom God doth glorifie THy Temple shall be glorious for the Lord to dwell in Kings and Princes strangers and friends gold and silver yea all precious substance the excellency of creatures shall be brought to thee because of the Name of the Lord thy God for he hath glorified thee therefore they shall bring their glory unto thee and glorifie thee as the wise men that brought their gifts to Christ the Babe in a manger gold frankincense mirrhe and worshiped him because God had glorified him above his fellows so here them that are Christs shall be glorified and the Nations and Kingdoms that will not serve the Lord kiss the Sun and have him to reign over them shall perish and their Land left desolate SECT LXXXII All Glory comes when Gods Glory comes §. 82 ALL Glory shall come unto thee when the Glory of the Lord is revealed the glory of Lebanon the Camels and Dromedaries of Midian the Flocks of Kedar the Rams of Nebaioth the Ships of Tarshish yea the Nations Kingdoms all abroad shall fear thee because of the Lord thy God that is with thee and shall come from far to worship thy God with thee and they shall be a beautiful Sanctuary to the Lord and the place of his feet amongst them shal be glorious the meanest and weakest of the Saints Gods lower parts thus God will make thee an everlasting glory and eternal excellency a joy to ages SECT LXXXIII §. 83 I will bring gold and silver strength and beauty unto thee ANd I the Lord thy Redeemer wil make thine enemies bow down to thee yea all thy high imaginations and spiritual wickedness that hated and afflicted thee and I will bring my Glory and Treasure to thee I will bring gifts unto thee I wil multiply my Mercy Grace and Peace to thee yea I wil give thee gold and silver for brass and iron the precious for the vile yea I wil make thy officers all peace ruling in peace thy exactors righteousness doing truth justice so they shal learn to war no more neither shall the sword any more devour flesh and it shall not be your bow sword spear or might but my Spirit that shall glorifie me and you also for all manner of violence will I cause to cease wasting and destruction no more seen for our weapons are spiritual our God glorious our dwellings on high our walls salvation and our gates praise thy God thy glory SECT LXXXIV §. 84 The Lord thy everlasting Light thy Sun and Moon that shall darken all other Suns and turn them to blood but himself in the end WHen this great light of the Lord himself is come then shall thy stars fall and thy lamps grow dim the heaven and earth in thee melt with fervent heat at the