THis is the revelation of God by Jesus Christ unto John, and therefore it is said: blessed is he that readeth, and he that hear­eth: What, this mystery, or prophecie? I, blessed is that soul for ever, as in the first chap. and the third verse: In the seventh verse Christ saith he comes; Amen, saith the Bride, come Lord Je­sus quickly; In the last of the Revelation and in [Page 2]the second chapter, and the seventh vers. To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life.

This tree is Christ, and his leaves are for the healing of the Nations, Rev. the 22. and the 2. v. And in the last of the 10 v. A Crown of life. And in the latter end of the 11. v. A promise of no hurt, by the second death. In the 17. v. A promise to eat of the Manna that is hid.

This Manna was the sweet food that the chil­dren of Israel fed on in the Wildernesse; Christ is this Manna, but his sweetnesse is a hidden thing to the carnall world; and in the 25. A promise to rule over Nations, and further, I will give him the morning Star: this Star is Christ, as Peter tels us, saying, Wait untill the day dawn, and the Starre arise in your hearts. In the 15. ver. of the 3. chap. Christ tels his Church, That he that overcomes shall be clothed in white array. I, then shall he stand with boldnesse before Christ, when Kings and Princes shall cry to the hills and mountains to fall and cover them, Revel. the 16. And further, I will not put out his name out of the book of life. and in the 12. ver. I will make him a standing Pillar in the house of my God, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, and my name: The name of my God, that is, he shall be so filled with his divine na­ture, that it shall be as visible as a name in his forehead.

And now in the 21. ver. which I first mentio­ned, a further promise is laid downe, as if Christ had not enough yet spoken, to engage his Church against hers and his enemies, namely, the world, flesh, and devill.

Well, according to my light, I shall hint at the meaning of Christ in these words: and first,

Observe. The universallity of the promise, it is a promise to him, any him; high, low, rich, poor, young old, bond, or free, man or master, maid, or mistresse: O but the world does not al­wayes so; one gaines the victory, and another gets the honour, or reward many times.

But secondly, What is meant by overcom­ming, surely to get the masterdome, or upper hand with those we encounter with: this master­dome is got two wayes, by a Captain, or a soul­dier, by a Captain, or a Champion; so David. en­gaged with Goliah, and his slaying him was Is­raels victory, and he in this was a type of our David, our Christ, who hath slain and triumpht openly over our enemies upon the crosse.

And therefore saith Christ to his Disciples, be of good cheare, I have overcome, as in John the 16, the last. Secondly, We do overcome likewise, when we doe by the strength of Christ oppose and over­come the pollutions of the world. In this sence saith John, Greater is he that is in you, then he that is in this world: and yet not, but that a poor soule may be foyld, and seemingly wholly overcome, as [Page 4] David, but yet David, by renewing grace he gets up and fights, and like David in conclusion, wholly overcomes Saul and his house.

Again, he may be said to overcome two waies. First, Comparing himselfe with himselfe, I was such a sinner, and such a sinner, but now I thanke God I am no more the same man. Secondly, Hee may be said to overcome, comparing himselfe with the world, who lies, lives and wallows in all kinde of polutions and defilements; Revel. 16. there is a blessing promised to such a one; Behold saith Christ I come as a Thief in the night: blessed is he that keepes his garments undefiled,

Thirdly, What is meant by Christs Throne, and by the Fathers Throne, surely here is meant both one thing, namely, the Glory of God, I say, the Glory of God is the thing meant, the eteruall Glory of God is the Throne on which Christ sits on, and in which you must fit also.

Doth Christ sit in this glory of God, Christ your Husband, Christ your Head, Christ your Vine? then must you O Christians too, for ye are inse­perable.

Where should the Bride sit but by the Bride­groome? Where should the Members be but with the Head? Where should the Branches be but with the Vine?

O poore gentile sinner, what glory is design'd for thee?

But fourthly, What is meant by sitting down [Page 5]in Christs Throne, or Gods Glory.

First, It denotes a cessation, or rest, so you know Christ is said to enter into his rest, as he is set down with his Father in glory. And Paul saith, there remains a rest for the people of God, aluding to that, so that to sit down with Christ in his Throne is to sit with Christ in the Glory of God; Moses was but a while in the Mount with God, and yet his face shined, so that Israel could not behold him. O how will thy face shine, when thou shalt sit down with Christ in the true glory of God; Moses saw him in fire, smoake, and thunder: but thou shalt see him in Christ, a loving, kinde and tender father, a father rejoycing over thee, even as a bridegroome rejoycing over his bride, to do them good, saith the Lord, in Isai. O how well pleased was Jacob when he had his Joseph? O friends, God will sweetly please himself, as I may so say; when Christ shall say, he are am I and all the Chil­dren thou hast given me, make them welcome Fa­ther, they are my sons and daughters whom I dearly loved, & dearly bought: O seeing now I have them, I am at rest, while they were in the world, tossed with afflictions, and troubled with temptations, my heart was not at rest, but seeing now I have them, and from those things have freed them, I will set them in my Glory, where they shall sweet­ly sing: thus,

Farewell all sin and sorrow, which now shall be no more, my work and labour is over, and nothing [Page 6]now remains but rest, and joy, and glory: O this is a sweet sitting down indeed for a soul tost and tumbl'd with sinne and sorrow, to be brought from all, to rest for ever.

Secondly, This setting in Christs Throne, or Gods glory denotes a welcome unto Christ; we bid them sit down that are welcome unto us, take them by the hand and set them down by us: O friends, Christ will one day take you by the hand, lead you to the Father, present you as his Spouse, the Father will take both Christ and yee, and set you both down in his own Glory: and in that day saith Christ, Yee shall know the Father is in me, and I in you; then shall yee know the Fathers love too, as Christ speakes, Iohn 17. last v. O Christians yee will never know this love, nor your union, the strength, glory, sweetnesse of it, till that day commeth, but in that day yee shall know the relation your souls stand in to God, to Christ. You will know him then to be a Father indeed, and not in name onely, you will finde so much fa­therly love and tenderness towards you, that your souls shall lye steeping in it like Sugar in wine.

If a little taste of Gods love now be so sweet, O what will it be when you shall lye night and day soaking in it, and wholly melted by it into holy praises.

Here a gracious heart mourns for want of love to God, to Christ, but this want shall be supply­ed, when the Father and you personally meet, [Page 7]which day is a comming, and I tell you this, till this day commeth, yee will never know what the love of God and Christ is.

Now a drop is sweet, but how sweet will it be when it shall be like a flowing Fountain in you. O friends, in that day yee shall be like as a Vessell thats set under a Fountain Cock, alwayes full and alwayes running over: Now saith David, thy loving kindnesse is better then life. O but then he will say nothing but stand; stand, pore, and admire; I admire to al eternity: when great and undeserved love is shewn unto us by some one unexpected, how do we admire, and as it were study and won­der why such kindnesse should be shewn unto us.

O precious christian, thou wilt one day ad­mire indeed to think, that such love should be shown to such a dead dog; as that good man said before the King, so wilt thou say, O my God and King, what am I, that thou shouldest love a poor Gentile sinner, to keep me in thy presence, to have me in thine eye, to set me in thy throne, that thou maist talk with me, and tell me there thy thoughts of old. O great and glorious God, why art thou so kind to worme, Jacob.

Thirdly, by sitting down in the throne of Christ or Gods glory, it denotes respect and esti­mation: we usually bid them sit down, whom we best respect and esteem.

O happy christian, how art thou esteemed of [Page 8]the Son and Father, that thou shouldest sit down with them: the world hates thee, so farre as Christ appears in thee: yea, it cannot but hate thee so farre, I say it hates thee, though it love thee other wayes as a friend, and kinsman, or harmlesse man: but I say, so farre as thou refusest to comply with their wayes, and wink at their faults, to speak of their folly, to sigh at their joy, and mourn at their laughter, so farre, I say, they cannot but hate thee: but so farre as thou wor­kest by their example, and walkest by their rule, and speakest them fair, thou pleasest them well to smooth them thus up, by laughing, and saying, and doing as they; I say, thus far happily the world may not slight thee, but esteeme thee, though Christ be grieved by thee: but still I say, so farre as you make Christ your rule, his word your law, his work your pleasure, and service your delight, not at all caring who be pleased or displeased, so Christ be honoured and obeyed: this, I say, will make the world hate you, and so it did Christ.

Well, the world slights thee, and shufes thee; so far as they see Christ appearing in thee: doe not thou be troubled, Christ will one day take thee, and embrace thee as a man doth his lover.

O thou shalt sit and sup with Christ. Rev. 3.20. thou shalt sit at his table, and stand by his side, yea cut on his trencher, and feed on his dainties, which is the feast of fat things God speaks of [Page 9]in Esaiah. Behold I will make in this mount a feast of fat things: of marrow, and of wines, well refined Isa. 25. v. 6. O this mount is Christ, and the feast, Gods discovery to a Saint in Christ: this feast is sweet, yea sweeter then honey, or the honey-combe, though it comes far short of that which God shall make for the Lamb, and the Lambs wife. Rev. 19.9. Which is called the Lambs supper, of which it is said, blessed are all they that are called to it; yea, blessed in­deed that ever they were borne to come to this Supper.

O this God and Christ, familiar presence with you will be a feast and supper to you: here is Christ the tree of life, and God the river of life, eat and drink abundantly, yea, I mean now, O precious christian, by beleeving what is a comming.

O, I would a poore Saint should feast his soul with expectation of what Christ hath promised, and will then make good in that day, when they shall sit in his throne, and feed at his table, and drink of his wine, at this feast of Gods own ma­king for his sons and daughters now married to Christ, and brought to his presence, to live in his sight, and feast at his table.

It is said, when the King sits at his table his Spiknard sends forth a fragrant smell, as in Solo­mons songs: This is spoken of Christ sitting in a Saints heart.

O but what a smell shall there be then, when a Saint shall sit (as I may so say) in God and Christs heart at supper in their loves, by feeding on divine delights.

O friends this is the sweet Manna that Christ promised to feed his Saints with. Rev. 2.17. Christ tels his disciples, he will drink no more of the fruit of the vine: till he drink it new in his fathers kingdome with them: the Vine was a tipe of Christs blood, and Christs blood a type of Christs love, and Christs love a merit and manifestation of the Fathers love, when ye come to sit down in the glory of God and Christ: full cups of this shall go round from Saint to Saint.

Fourthly, this sitting down in Christs kingdom or throne, and Gods glory it denotes familiarity, we usually bid friends sit down to enterchange discourse with them.

O friends in that day, God will tell thee over and over againe his transactions in respect of de­cree and purpose: O when God shall tel thee, how he rould thee in his thoughts, and carried thee in his purpose, and had thee in his eye, intending thee for glory: it is sweet to think how Gods de­light was with the sons of men before the foun­dation of the world, as himself speaketh Pro. 8. and then in that day shall Christ tell thee over his travels, troubles, and pains too, for thee his Spouse.

It is said in a fablish story, that Dido the queen wept when Aeneas, prince of Troy, cold [Page 11]her of his ten yeares wars. I will not say thou shalt weep when thy deare Saviour shall tell thee these true things: but I dare say, thy soule shall even melt, (as it were) to think what paines and labour, what care and cost, what griefe and sor­row, thy soule did cost thy dear Saviour: besides the slights, and scornes, and jeares which the vilest of men did cast upon him, which he contentedly did beare for thee from day to day his whole life long.

And then at last, still for thy sake, his back, his belly, his hands, his feet, his head, his side, his heart; his heart blood too, and all for thee, that thou mightest know how much he loved thee.

O friends, I am perswaded that Christ will in that day tell you over and over such true stories, that it shall even melt you hearts and soules to thinke how much he loved you, how deare he bought you: but then Christ shall ask his Saints what they suffered for him, to which they will answer, O sweet Jesus, why dost thou ask us this question, seeing thou knowest all our suffe­rings were but fleabites to thine, thine, O deare Saviour: the most we suffered was but jears, and scorns, and such slight things; nay, my children, ye were whipp'd, and stripp'd, and killed too for mee, my sake; O Christ doe not speake of that, were it to do again, ten thousand lives should not be deare for thee, thy sake O dearest Christ, to whom our soules are so engaged.

O Christ, we now Wish we had done when time was, and sufferd ten thousand times more then we did: O Christ, it even now grieves us to think we never did, nor suffered any thing for thy sake to any purpose. O Christ, that we had now an opportunity to show our love as once we had, for squibs and scorns, for stripes and prisons we would not stand, nor yet our lives, nay, souls and all to honour thee. O sweet, O dear, O pre­cious Christ: and then Christ being taken as it were with these expressions of his Spouse shall stroke her, saying, O my love, my dove, my dear, thou sufferedst enough to testifie thy love to me.

But now, my love, my dove, the winter is over, all stormes past, singing, rejoycing is now at hand, come along, come along my love, from Lebon, come let us to my fathers wine-seller: who shall then say, bring them in, and set them down in my throne and glory, they are my sons and daughters.

Friends, what a privilidge will this be to sit by God and Christ in glory, like children round a­bout a fathers table.

Mary once sate at Christs feet pondering Christs sayings, and it was a great privilidge for a sinner to sit so neer a Saviour: but thy privilidge is farre greater, who shalt sit by God and this Saviour, who is, far ascended above all principa­lities and power, and is set down in glory on the right hand of God, as the Apostle speaks.

This is a greater privilidge then Marys, bearing Christ, (barely considered;) the disciples had a great priviledge to wait on Christ: a greater to sup, and dine with Christ: but what are all to the sitting downe with Christ, in the throne of Christ.

It is said, John leaned on the bosome of Christ, O loving John! O loving Christ! to give such priviledge to a bold, but loving, sweet, and hum­ble sinner: John, John, how couldest thou be so bold with Christ thy Lord and Master? John, twas love within that bosome that drawed thee there to rest, and loll as in a lap, it was love that drawed thee, it was loue that laid thee in that same bosome: but yet I say, thy privilege far excels in sitting down with Christ in the throne of Christ, Christ was in the form of a servant, now Lord of all things: Christ was then, I say, on earth with a mean out-side round about him, but now sur­rounded with Angels with his title on his thigh, King of kings, Lord of lords.

Christ was then in rags but now cloathed with suns and stars, Christ was then God-man, unglorified, but now glorified of God with that eternall glory of God which Christ had be­fore the world was, as Christ speaks, John. 17.

O friends, this glory like glistering diamonds, sparkles round the heavens, dazeling Saints and Angels. Well friend, is not thy privilidge farre above Johns, to sit down with this Christ in [Page 14]his throne and glory, side by side, as I may so say.

Fifthly, this sitting downe in the throne of Christ, and the glory of God, denotes honour; what an honour is it for a beggar to sit at a Kings table, you will say, that is a great honour indeed: but what is that to thine, O gentle sinner? to sit with God and Christ in glory.

Seemes it a small thing, saith David, to be a Kings son in law? O but ye are the King of kings sons and daughters, ye are the Bride, the Lambs wife. Rev. 21 9. Come saith the Angel, I will shew thee the Bride, the Lambs wife, nothing draws the eyes of the people to gaze more, then the sight of the Bride and the Bridegroom. Was the queen of Sheba so taken with Solomons glory, that she cried out, O happy are these that tend thee, O Solomon: Angels and Archangels will be taken with thy glory, when this marriage shall be solemnized before the Father.

It was a question once. What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour, and delight in: But I ask, what shall be done to the man whom the King of kings delighteth to honour; first, he shall be arayed in pure white linnen, which is the rigteousnesse of the Saints, as in Revel. He shall be cloathed with the Sun, and trample the Moon under his feet.

I know, the Saints shining forth in Christ are able in some measure to trample these changeable things, by living farre above them, in an un­changeable [Page 15]God, by the Spirit of Christ living in them: but so far as they are flesh, they are apt to mixe themselves with these things below: not knowing their majesty, nor glory, forgetting their descent, but time is a comming that they shall know God: know as they are known, they shall know God with all his attributes and glory: yea, they shall know themselves with the glory designed for them.

Christ sayes, John 17. The glory thou hast gi­ven me, I have given them, that we may be one, O Father. One part of Christs glory is this, that the Father hath appointed the Son to judge the world, and in this respect Christ will honour his Saints; know ye not, saith Paul, that the saints shall judge Angels and men: here they look like poor shrimps, as they are cloathed with rags and flesh: but when Christ shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory, as the Apostle John speaketh.

O this appearance shall confound the world, as soon as Christ hath confounded the world, with his own, and his Saints glorious appearing to the world; then shall he sit downe in glory, to rest himselfe as it were satisfied in the finishments of all his works, and the Saints shall sit down by Christ, as well pleased with Christ and all his works, what an honour is this? Well, this ho­nour all his Saints shall have, Thy name O Lord it above the heavens, saith David; and as his name, [Page 16]so his Saints too, in seating them above Angels, as taken into union with Christ, and set down in the Throne of Christ: What joy, feasting, musick, is there at your Princes marriage dayes when solem­nized? O but when the Bridegroome, and his Spouse the Bride, & the Lambs Wife shall sit down to solemnize that eternall match, made up in the e­verlasting purpose and counsell of God the Father, long before all worlds, or the Foundations of them: O what songs then? what joy? what prai­ses shall Angels sing with lightsome hearts? Yea, I say Angels, and this too shall they count their heaven and happinesse: O thou melancholy Saint, tossed with afflictions, what thinkst thou of this day? tell me, tell me true; sure thou dost not mind this, if thou didst, thou couldst never com­plain of wants & losses; if thou didst mind this day indeed, this endlesse day, when heaven shall ring with shouts and praises unto the Lord, and unto the Lambe, by Saints and Angels as with one voice.

Doth a little Instrument sweetly touchd, take and charme the eare, and Siren-like, kill all other delights, at least, for present? O how shall thy soul be taken? yea, taken and charmed to heare the Songs of praises unto the Lord, unto the Lambe, in that same day unto the Lord; O that must needs have a sweet melodie in it, which must touch and take that eare, which made that eare by which weheare.

If all the skilfullest Musitions in the world should meet, with every one the sweetest Instru­ments that could be thought on, with all Solo­mons Singers, yea, and ten thousand more to them; I say, if all these should meet to try their skill, and straine their voyces, yet would the Songs, the Praises of one bare Saint, or Angel, as farre excell them all for sweetnesse, as they excell the Asses braying; and if so, what sweetnesse will there be when ten thousand times ten chousands of Saints, with as many Angels, shall all joyne as with one voice, to sing their praises unto the Lamb; O Christ, how blessed is that soule whom thou wilt to sit in thy Throne to hear these Songs, to heare these praises.

Sixtly, This sitting down in the Throne of Christ, and the Glory of God, denotes joy and triumph: It is said, at Christs birth, Angels and innumerable company of Angels was heard to sing and rejoyce, Luke 2.13. Glory to God on high, peace and good will to men on Earth.

Shall not this Song be sung again at that day, when Christs marriage shall be solemnized, a match of the Fathers own making? Surely yea, and the twenty four Elders shall sing, worship God for ever, Revel. 18.20. O Heavens doe yee re­joyce, and all yee holy Apostles and Prophets too.

At Israels victory its said, Deborah, and Ba­rak sung praises: but for Christs victory, and his [Page 18]Saints, over Worlds, Men, Sinne, Death, and De­vils; let all now rejoyce; now let the Song of Moses be sung again, Revel. 15.3. Great and merveilous are thy work, Lord God almighty, just, and true are thy wayes, O thou King of Saints; Who shall not feare thee, give glory to thee, and glorifie thy name, for thou onely art holy, and all Nations shall come and worship thee, for thy judge­ments are manifest. How glad was Israel when David had slaine and spoiled Goliah?

O friend, this David was a tipe of our David, our Christ, who hath foyld and slaine all for his Israel; Let her therefore be glad and rejoyce in God her Saviour, yea, let her rejoyce now with Timbrell and Harp, let the high praises be had in their mouthes, and let them sing aloud his praises, who hath now redeemed them from off the earth, out of every kindred, tongues, and nations, a people for his praises.

O Israel, created for his praises, praise thou the Lord; O Jacob, formed of God, praise thou the Lord: O all ye Saints of his, praise him day and night; O all ye Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, and Seraphims praise ye the Lord, for he hath magnified you.

Seventhly, this sitting down in the throne of Christ, or Gods glory, denotes abiding; we bid friends sit down when we would have them a­bide With us: so by this sitting in the throne of [Page 19]Christ, it denotes, that Christ is willing thou shouldest abide, and sit with him for ever. I remember Peter, having but a glimps of Moses and Elias glory in the mount, saith thus to Christ: O Master, let us build here Tabernacles: marke Peters desire was sure to live and die here.

O precious Christian, thou shalt live and never die in this mount Sion, where thou shalt see Mo­ses and Elias again; yea ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Saints, as well as with as many Angels, and God, and Christ, excelling all ten thousand times over and over again: now Peter, how much better will this be then thy wish, to sit down in the glory of this God, and throne of Christ. One thing, saith David, I have desired of the Lord, That I might dwell all the dayes of my life in thy house, to behold the beauty of thy tem­ple: this is the wish of every gracious heart as well as Davids: but here is more promised, far more then this wish: namely, an abiding, not onely in the house of God, but a sitting in the glory of God, with Christ, where thou shalt sit time, time out of minde. Christ will never bid that soul sit up, whom he once sets down in his throne.

Christ tels his Disciples, because I live, ye shall live also. John. 17. As if Christ should have said, I cannot live without you: and whilst I have a throne, I must have your company.

O christian, wert thou to be in heaven a few mo­ments, it would be a reward sufficient for all thou didst, or ever sufferedst for Christ. O happy chri­stian, thou shalt sit, not onely moments, but dayes, moneths, nay years, nay ages, yea more then a­ges, as much longer then ages: as all ages are longer then one moment, one bare moment, time shall be no more, nor sin be no more, nor sorrow shall be no more but thou shalt remain, and be for ever with Christ in the throne of Christ.

O saith Daniel, his Kingdome is an everla­sting Kingdome: so may I say, his throne is an everlasting throne, David saith, Though the hea­vens be changed, and rouled up like a scrowle, yet thou remainest the same: so may I say of this throne: O happy christian, Princes would thinke themselves happy, might they but sit but a few days more then ordinary in their thrones to reign in glory.

O friends, Christ saith, He that overcommeth shall sit with me in my throne, as I have overcome, and am set with my Father in his throne; so that thou shalt sit with Christ, and reigne, as it were, within the eternity of Christ. O eternity, O eternity, when I think on thee, how is times and worlds swallowed up, and lost like little ri­vers in the ocean? how are joyes, griefs, and sor­rowes swallowed up by thee, O Eternity, like little fishes by the whales? here one age passeth, [Page 21]and another commeth, all mouldering into eterni­ty, like flesh to dust, here, saith Paul, we have noe abiding city: but we have one to come, aluding to what Christ hath promised. O that can never be shaken: all things here, are, and must be shaken, yea, the earth, and heavens, as Paul speaketh, We see it, we see it, how are all earthly Monarchs shaken now in our dayes. O me thinks Christ is now a shaking all powers in the world, do not you see it, nay, do not you see them fall like our ripe fruit; truely, me thinks I see Christ hewing down Kings and Princes with a voice as loud as thunder, crying, room, room, for my selfe, and my Gospel: O how have these kingdomes been shaking, and the mighty men overturned: over­turned by the voice which is still abroad thun­dring, that the world round about may heare and make room for Christ, and his Gospel, and all that will embrace it: but the heavens must be shaken, the heavens that cover this earth, and the heavens that covers Gods glory, the glory of his free grace in Jesus Christ: I mean, mans righ­teousnesse, that is now a shaking by the Spirit of the Lord, by proclaiming Christ, and his righ­teousuesse to the worst of sinners.

Men have thought, by way of works, to find life and salvation, neglecting Christ, at least in part, by resting, as it were, on two propes, Christ, and their own works: but know this, Christ is [Page 22]all, and now will be all or nothing at all; your former Popish ignorance he winked at, but now he wills that all men repent of this sinne, self­conceitednesse. O! Christ must be all in all, but I shall step a little aside; the thing I aime at, is to tell you, what that is that remaines, and cannot, nor shall ever be shaken by men, or devils; well heaven and earth must be, but these two things cannot be.

First, The righteousnesse of Christ in which he clothes sinners, yea, the worst of sinners that comes to him, and makes them Saints. O sin­ner, sinner, come to Christ, honour him by com­ming, and he will honour thee, by giving his righ­teousnesse unto thee; O this righteousnesse is the long white Robe in which all the Saints are clothed, Revelations. Sinner, come and take this Robe, come, yee may have it, come, it is free, yee may have it, come, it is free to all, yea, free to all that will accept it: O come then, come sinners, all sorts of sinners, high, low, rich, poore, young, old, bound, free; but if yee do not come, then remember this, I say, remember this, yee shall cry one day to the rocks and mountaines to fall on you, and runne to the dennes and caves to hide your naked soules, naked for want of Christs righteousness which yee once refused.

Secondly, As the righteousness of Christ can­not be shaken, so the throne of Christ cannot be [Page 23]shaken: Daniel saith, His Kingdome is an ever­lasting Kingdome, and his Throne is an everlast­ing Throne, and is established for ever, saith Da­vid. Well, he that overcomes by Christ, shall sit by Christ in this Throne. How we overcome I tould you at first, namely, by Christ the Captaine of our salvation, an easie way for thee: well, O sinner, resolve, resolve thy selfe what thou wilt doe. For surely there are two eternities that all must passe into; one with Christ in the Throne of Christ; and of this eternity and glory, all this that hath beene spoken, is but as one Grape of that Bunch which the Spies brought from Cana­an for Israel to taste in her journey; you, who are traveling with your faces Zion ward, taste if there be not a sweetnesse in this one Grape, this one Promise of Christ, in sitting down with Christ in the Throne and Glory of Christ: but as for thy resolution I know it, I know it very well; thou art resolved to live more and more to Christ, and the honour of Christ, who will thus honour thee, by seating thee on his own Throne: but for thy resolution, I faine would have. yea, thine O carelesse sinner, and if it be not for Christ, and the honour of Christ, mark me well what I say; thy eternity shall not be with Christ, no, nor the Saints of Christ, but quite contrary with Devils, Zim, and Ohim, and damned spirits in dreadfull flames and utter darknesse: but I hope thou wilt [Page 24]be wise, and change thy resolution, or else, O all that love thee, mourne, mourne, mourne for thee.

MAny glorious things did this young bosome beloved disciple see, in the chap. 20. v. 11. He saw Christ sitting on his throne in Iudicature, and in v. 12. The dead both small and great standing be­fore him, and the books opened: which I conceive to be the consciences of men, by which he judges all according to their works, and in the 13. v. it is said, The Sea, Death, and Hell give up their dead, and in conclusion, all was cast into the lake, that was not found in the book of life: which book of life, I conceive to be Christ, or the foreknowledge, or purpose of God in Christ.

And now in the 1. verse of this chap. he saw a new representation of all things, as a new Hea­ven, and a new earth, and of this Isaiah speaks chap. 66. v. 22. and chap. 65. v. 17. and here again. Rev. 21. I saw a new heaven, and a new [Page 25]earth, for the first heaven and the first earth was passed away, and there was no more sea, which denotes trouble. O christian, the time is comming, when sea and trouble, sin and sorrow shall be no more for ever, and now in the 2. v. he tels us of the holy city, new Ierusalem, comming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband. I Iohn saw, &c.

From whence observe briefly, that God makes his divine, and glorious discoveries to some sin­gular men, to Abraham, to Moses, to Iacob, to Daniel, to a Paul, to a Iohn, as in these words.

Secondly, I Iohn saw the holy city too, he saw many glorious things, and this city amongst the rest.

From whence observe, where God makes one divine discovery, he will go on to make more and more still, till at last he shewes them his own face, and glory, and they shall see my face, saith God, Revel. 22. verse 4.

Thirdly, I Iohn saw, how didst thou see? by a divine discovery of Christ, O all discoveries of this nature, are from Christ and the Spirit: but when was this discovery to him? on the Lords day, as chap. 1. v. 10. on the Lords day, that is, on that day, when the Lord Christ took Iohn up in a trance, to shew him all those glorious things, which he saith, Blessed are they that read, or hear these things. I, blessed are they indeed, that ever [Page 26]they were born, whose eyes and eares Christ hath so opened, as to see, and understand the misterie herein, which the blind bats, and carnall world, neither doe, nor can see, till God enlighten them by his Spirit.

Fourthly, I Iohn saw the holy city, new Ierusa­lem, the Prophet Isaiah speaks chap. 64.16: of a holy city, which lay wast. v. 26. of a city which had salvation for wals and bulwarks. But briefly, the holy city Iohn speaks of here, is that new Ierusa­lem, of which old Ierusalem was but a type, and yet that Ierusalem, which was but a type of this city, was the glory of the whole world, the only city in the world, yea called the city of the great King.

For first, it was the figure of the everlasting city of God, and therefore called Salem, a place of peace, wherein the Priests of God reigned; it was setled on four mountaines, mount Sion, mount Moriah, the two chief: on mount Sion, Dauids house stood, and it was called mount Sion, because it was a type of the highest heaven, or habita­tion of Almighty God, from which throne, or habitation, he descended in Christ to this lower Ierusalem, and became our Redeemer, to bring us into the highest Mount, his eternall glory in mount Sion the highest heavens.

And now for mount Moriah, it is as much to say, the Lords mirrhe, as ministers do interpret, which signifieth our Lord Christ, which is the [Page 27]true mirrhe, and a sweet smelling sacrifice unto God, yea a stedfast rock, and unmoveable foun­dation, whereon Gods Church, and Christs mem­bers are all built, as on a sure foundation, as Isaiah 28. and Matth. 16. On this rock I will build my Church, saith Christ, meaning himself, and there­fore the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.

Besides, this city had many mountaines round about it, mount Olivet was one, to which Christ went many times to pray and meditate, David saith, in one of his Psalmes; as the mountaines are round about Ierusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, and in Ierusalem was Davids house, which stood on mount Sion, as I said before, mount Sion was a great mount in Ierusalem, on which David built, typing out the Saints safety, who are built on Christ.

Thirdly, in Ierusalem was Solomons temple, which the Iewes told Christ was fourty yeares a building, and this temple was indeed the glo­rious piece in the whole world, for workman­ship, and riches, and in this temple was all the ho­ly things, the Ark and the Covenant, the Mercy­seat, and the Manna, the Arke of God was made of Shittim-wood, which like the Olivet, and the Cipresse, are not subject to wormes, and putri­faction, which did typefie the humane nature of Christ, which Dauid saith. Psal. 16. Thou wilt not suffer to see corruption. And in this Ark of [Page 28] Shittim was kept, or laid up by Gods appoint­ment, the golden pot of Manna, Aarons rod, and the two tables of commandements, as Exod. 25. and Hebr. 9. And for the golden pot of Manna, it was a clear type of Christ, who is the true Manna, and the bread that came downe from heaven, to give life to the world, as himselfe speaketh. John 6. I am the bread of life, saith Christ to the Jewes.

And for Aarons Rod that lay in this Arke of Shittim wood, its blosomes did signifie, the sweetnesse of the Gospel, and the Glory of Christ, and the fruitfulnesse of his Members, who bud and blosome continually by his renewing grace.

Fourthly, To this City the Tribes and all the People of God, resorted at set times to worship, and all the world to trade and trafique; it had twelve Gates, which were not to be shut day nor night; which John alludes to in the 12. verse of this chapter, Glorious things are spoken of this City; on the wals of this City, saith God, have I set watchmen, which shall never keep silence, till Jeru­salem be made the praise of the whole earth; this is the city which David saith, If I forget thee, then let my right hand for get its cunning; which was his musicall skill, by which he charmed the Devill in Saul many a time.

And this was that city too, which melted the [Page 29]heart of Christ to think of its ruine, saying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, with rouling bowels, [...]ights, and teares, O that thou hadst knowne in this thy day, the things that make for thy peace, which now are hid from thine eyes. For this Ci­ties sake, saith Isaiah, will I not hold my tongue, till Sion and Jerusalem be made the glory and praise of the whole Earth. I shall speake no more of old Jerusalem the Type, but of this new Jeru­salem which is the Church and People of God.

But why is the Church of God called by the name of a City.

For three, or four reasons, which I will breifly hint at. 1. It is compared to a city for numerati­on, and the variety of this numeration. 2. The Church of God is called a city, for her visibility, for she is not like a candle under a bushell, but like a beakon on a hill. 3. The Church of God may be called a city, for her treasure and riches. 4. It may be called a city, for her peculiar priviledges, which the Church of God hath from all the world; like a city from your country townes and villages. 5. In respect of her rivers, your cities are fed and refreshed by some great river; There is a river that the streames thereof shall refresh the City of God, Psal. 46. vers. 5.

And first, Whereas it is compared to a city, it denotes, the Church of God are a great and num­berlesse people, as you cannot number the Inha­bitants [Page 30]of a city, no more, nor lesse; indeed, can yee number the Church of God: O saith God to Abraham, In blessing, I will blesse thee, and mul­tiply thee as the Starres in Heaven, or the sands on the Sea shore, so that if thou canst number them, then shall thy seed be numbered. Many shall come, saith Christ, from the East, and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, I sack and Jacob in the Kingdome of God. Here is the variety of the Church, some comming in, from the East, and some from the West, which is the most remote place that can be, and implies them to bee the greatest sinners for Idolatry and Hea­thenisme; yet saith Christ, many of these shall come from both places, which denotes variety. O the long wayes, out wayes, by wayes, and many wayes, that Christ brings sinners to this City, or Fould; which Christ speakes of to the Jewes, saying, I have other Sheep, which I must bring into my Fould, when they shall he are my voyce, or whistle, by my Spirit in their souls, and so there shall be one sheep, and one fould, Christ commands, and commissionates his disciples, to go and preach the Gospell to every nation, tongue, and people; and therefore saith Paul, Iew and Gentile, bond, or free, Scithian or Barbarian, Christ is all, and in all, he hath all in his fould, and so he is all to them.

And as he hath great number of these varieties, [Page 31]so his church may well be called a numberlesse people, and therefore saith Iohn, I saw with the Lamb standing, an hundred forty and four thou­sand, besides a great number, which no tongue could tell.

Well, let us, who were remote sinners, not onely in respect of nature and gentilisme: but in respect of parentage, and families brought into the church of Christ; one from popery, and popish ignorance, another from a cursed, drunken, and hellish family, where God, it may be, never shi­ned into one soul, before he did into thine; which mercy cals for as much thankfulnesse at your hands, as ever Noahs, Abrahams, Lots, Daniels. O, for God to appear to Abraham, and enter in­to a covenant of life and peace, and to single out Noah from the whole world, and lead out Lot, yea catch, and carry out the lingering man to a Zoar, and leave the rest for fire and brimstone, did argue abundantly free grace.

Well friend, doe not thou neglect to blesse God, whilst thou hast any beeing, for doing the like to thy soul, by chusing and pulling thee out of sinne, nature, death, and hell. O saith Paul, I have obtained mercy.

Secondly, she may be compared to a city, be­cause of her visibility, she is not like a candle un­der a bushel, but as a fire, a beacon on a hill, your cities are spacious to the eye, and so is the Church, [Page 32]and shall be more and more: for Christ now by his providence seemes to say, arise, and shine, and shake thy self from the dust, O captive daughter of Sion, shew thy self, and let the nations know thy strength, power, glory, and greatnesse, that they may be in love with thee, and come in, fall down, and bow their neckes to thy sweet yoaks of obedience to Christ.

Thirdly, the church of God is compared to a city for her treasure, you know all the treasures of God are laid up in Christ, as a store house to this city, and every citizen hath, as I may so say, is the key of this storehouse, by which he goeth and fetcheth out what treasure he will, I mean the Spirit, by which they may fetch out pardon, peace, righteousnesse, yea, any thing they need: but still by the Spirit, which is the key of David, that shuts and no man opens, that opens and no man shuts, this Spirit saith Christ to his disciples, shall take of mine, and shew it unto you, as Iohn 10.

And this he doth to the whole church of God, and truely, you that know the Spirit, knows, he brings rich and costly things to your souls many times; sometime pardon for sinne, and them free­ly too, which could not be bought out by tears and sorrows before he comes.

O saith the Spirit, I have brought thee that, for which thou weepest, and mournest, namely, a pardon sealed in Christs blood, and a crowne to [Page 33]purchast by Christs merits. O sinner, what thin­kest thou of this pardon, is it not sweet, yes saith the sinner, sweeter then the honey, or the hony-combe.

O saith a poore soule, I blesse God more for this, then if he had made me the greatest prince in the world.

Fourthly, it is called a city, for her privilidges; no city, but hath its charter, and privilidges, at least some distinct from towns and villages.

O Ierusalem, city of our God, thy privilidges excell all the worlds, who may be compared to thee for privilidges, yea, peculiar privilidges; which no nation, but thee, can lay hold on, nor people in the world neither; all the people in the world are Gods by creation, but Ierusalem by purchase; all the world he feeds and cloaths.

O Israel, who is a people like unto thee, shielded by the great God, fed by the Manna, and watered by the rocks, and sheltred by a cloud by day, and a pillar of sire by night.

God in a way of providence, keeps all crea­tures, but man especially: but Israel and Jeru­salem above all, who are his choice pieces of sil­ver, yea, his treasure and jewels; now treasure, you know, men will keep choicer then that which is but ordinary, parents will let farthings and counters lie about for their children to play with: but who will leave jewels carelesly, here [Page 34]and there, in common places: no, men are wise, and will lay up their precious stones in choice cabbenets: and so doth God, he layes his up in his cabbenet of providence, and charges his An­gels with these jewels, or sons of Sion, more precious then jewels, or choice silver either; and in this particular, he is said to keep them, as a man keepeth the apple of his eye, and is as ten­der over them, as a father; so saith David as a father pittieth his children, so pittieth the Lord them that fear him.

O happy, and blessed people, pittied, saved, and kept by God; I will keep thee every mo­ment, yea, every moment in the den, yea, every moment in the furnace, and every moment in all houres and seasons, night and day, death, and judgement, in times of troubles, warres, and judgement, yea, closset them; in raines I house them, like Noah in the Arke, and in famine feed them, like Elisha by the raven; yea, what shall I say, I will be a pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day, yea, a sun and shield, as David speaks, and sure defence too.

And now, who art thou that forgettest the Lord thy maker, and fearest the man, or the son of man, who is as the grasse of the field, and shall die.

But in the fifth, and last place, the Church is compared to a city; because the Spirit is as a [Page 35]river feeding of it, O saith David, He feeds me in green pastures, and leads me by the still wa­ters, this he speaks of concerning the Spirit; if the foundation be removed, what can the righteous do, There is a river, the streames thereof shall make glad the city of God. Psalm. 46.4. O this Spirit streaming in, and by thee, presents Christ over and over to thy soul in all his lovelinesse, and this must needs make glad the city, a people of God.

Nothing is the Spirit oftner compared to, then the waters, when the poor and needy seeks waters, I the Lord will heare, and open rivers in the tops of the mountains, this is a prophesie of the Spirits powring out to poore, and thirsty, who do apprehend themselves farre from the water of consolation, I will powre out my Spirit saith God, by the prophet Ioel, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie, that is, they shall be enabled to open the Scriptures my­steries.

But now, why is it called a holy city.

The Scripture speaks of a two fold holinesse.

First a holinesse of things.

Secondly a holinesse of persons.

First, a holinesse of things in foure or five respects.

First, things are said to be holy, by way of dedication, or consecration, so the bowls of the [Page 36]temple are said to be holy, and all the vessels of the temple too.

Secondly, things are said to holy by way of simulation, or figure, so was the Arke, the bra­sen serpent, Aarous rod, and the Manna, which did figure and similie out Christ.

Thirdly, things may be said to be holy, by way of calling, so was the Priests office, it was a holy calling: be holy, ye that beare the vessels of the Lord.

Fourthly, things may be said to be holy, by way of rule, or precept, so the word of God, the law of God is holy, as Paul saith, though I be sinfull, yet the law is holy, and just, and good, though I be carnall.

Fifthly, things may be said to be holy, by way of comparation, so Ierusalem is called, the holy city, because the holy God was worship­ped in it, though it were in it selfe a sinfull city.

But secondly, persons may be said to be holy likewise.

And first, by way of creation, so the fallen Angels were made holy, and Adam too in his first creation, God created man upright: but he found out many inventions.

Secondly, persons may be said to be holy, by way of calling, so the Priests, Prophets, Apo­stles, and Patriarchs, O saith Paul, the holy men [Page 37]of God spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost in them.

Thirdly, men may be said to be holy, by the inherent holinesse of God in them, having the holy Spirit of God in them, purifying of them, and now they may be well said to be holy, in these respects, first comparing themselves with themselves, formerly they walked in darknesse, and lived in sin, and nature: but now in light by the Spirit, who tels them they are none of their own: but redeemed of Christ, to whom they live, as Paul saith, if I live, I live to Christ, and if I die, I die to Christ, O happy change from sin and Satan, to God and Christ.

Secondly, men may be said to be holy, com­paring themselves with others, whose lives lies and wallows in all pollution, Paul speaks of some, who were drunkards, covetous, filthy, un­clean, sinners, and such were some of you, but now you are washed, and cleansed.

Lastly, and chiefly, men may be said to be holy, by way of imputation, having the holines, or righteousnes of God imputed to them, he was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him. 2. Cor. 5.21. And in this sence, the whole church of God is holy, having the holinesse, or righteousnesse of Christ imputed to her; and in this sence, she is said to be holy, even as Christ is holy.

But thirdly, why is this Ierusalem called new Ierusalem, for three or four reasons.

First, in respect of creation.

Secondly, in respect of declaration.

Thirdly, in respect of reparation.

First, in respect of creation, so you call a thing new, that is newly made; what is so a building is called new, because it is newly set up: in this respect Ierusalem is called new Ierusalem, because God hath set it up for a building for himselfe, or habitation for his owne glory, where he will dwell for ever, as David speaks in another case.

Secondly, a thing may be said to be new, in respect of reparation.

God dwels with his people. O when God shall new pollish his temple, and repaire all the wants of his people, may he not then be said, to new make his temple: yea, his presence with them, is the glory of them.

Thirdly, Jerusalem may be said, to be new, comparatively, comparing it with old Jerusa­lem that was defiled; this washed, that decay'd and withered, this fresh and lovely, even as Bride.

Fourthly, Jerusalem may be said, to be new, in respect of the manifestation God gave to John, he never saw this new Jerusalem till now, old Jerusalem hee had seene againe, and againe, [Page 39]but this new and lovely City he never saw be­fore, and therefore it was new to him, for he had never till now the full discovery of it; I shall wind up these former lines by a word, or two, to what I apprehend, and have said of this City, this holy City, new Ierusalem, which Iohn saw comming down from God.

But some may say, your lines would have been more advantages to the Saints and Ser­vants of God, if they had beene on some practi­call point.

O christian, precious Christian, let me tell thee, nothing in the world doth more divinely fire the spirits of holy Soules, then a spirituall discourse of the holy God, and the holy City; O did the Earthly christian but minde this hea­venly Ierusalem, how would his low and base affections loosen from the creatures pleasures and profits hear below; or did the ignorant christian but know this holy City, new Iera­salem, how sweetly would this knowledge feed his soule, if he did indeed, divinely know this Ierusalem, his soule would feed on this know­ledge, yea, it would feed his soul as with mar­row and fatnesse.

And if the fainting christian did but minde this holy City, and his eternall rest in it, how would hee pluck up his spirits; this would be like the hony that Ionathan licked on, which [Page 40]did so much revive his spirits.

O the knowledge of this holy City new Ie­rusalem, it would make the blind christian see, yea, see and say, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, the holy City, the City of the great King, who may be compared with thee, for the glory of the Lord is in thee, the glory of the Lord is on thee, thy Sun shall never set, thy day shall never end, thy sor­rows shall be no more, thy joy shall be for ever.

And now come yee lame christian and leap for joy, for the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himselfe will be their God, and dwell with them, and by dwelling with them, wipe away all teares from their eyes, so as they shall never sorrow more, and death shall be no more, for the fountaine of life shall live with them; nay, with them, doe I say, it shall live in them, and they shall live in it, and by it, and to it for ever and ever, wherefore leap and dance, O thou lame soul.

Truly friends, I know no portion in Gods Word like this and that which followes, which I shall point at by Gods assistance, to raise and cheare christians, all sorts of christians, blind christians, deafe and dumb christians.

O but how do you call christians, deaf, blind, and dumbe? how? well enough, if they doe not heare with joy these things, I think they are [Page 41]deafe; and if they doe not see with an eye of pleasure, with an eye of joy these things, are they not blind? I am sure they are little better; and if they doe not sing for joy, are they not dumb? O christian, I say, thou art dumb, if thou do not come away and sing: O but what shall I sing, and how shall I sing? O Ierusalem; Ierusa­lem, thy warfare is accomplished, thy sorrowes are over, thy enemies dead, thy God, and thy Father, thy Husband, thy Christ is alive, and he lives for ever, for ever for thee, for ever with thee, for ever to thee; let this be thy Song and the burden of it, free grace, free grace, be sure of that: but now not knowing but some uncleane wretch may read these sweet lines, who lives, loves, and wallowes in his sinnes; I shall not speake many words, but one word I would speak to such a one; O poore soule, goe and weep, weep, weep seas, if it be possible, that thou shouldst be still in thy filth, thy blood, and thy sinnes.

O poore and unhappy man, as sure as the Lord lives, if thou be not washed by Christs blood, faith and repentance, thou wilt be shut out of this city, amongst Dogs, Sorserers, and Whoremongers, and Lyers, which thou mayest thinke mee harsh for telling of thee, but read I pray, and consider, Revel. 22.15. and there it is written with a Pen of Iron what I say, which [Page 42]thou wilt one day finde the truth of it; and then, what wilt thou then doe? but mourne, mourne bitterly, mourne because thou didst not when time was, mourne for thy sinnes, but please thy selfe with a bare name of a christian, when indeed thou wert in thy heart an enemy to Christ and his people.

But fiftly, It is called new Ierusalem, be­cause it so farre transcends old Ierusalem: I shall hint something breifly. 1. In respect of her Foundation. 2 In respect of her Builders. 3. Her Materials. 4. In respect of her Wals and Gates. 5. In respect of her Watchmen. 6. Her Glory. 7. Her Light. 8. Her Safety. 9. Her Inhabitants.

But first, For her Foundation, which was but a common Foundation; but thine O new Ierusalem, is a choyce and pretious Foundation; Christ in thee is the Fonndation of thee.

Secondly, Old Ierusalems Foundation was a decaying, mouldering Foundation; but thy Foundation, O new Ierusalem, is the Founda­tion indeed, the sure Foundation, the lasting Foundation, yea, the outlasting Foundation, out lasting time and ages, therefore he is called the rock of ages, the rock out lasting ages, all ages and generations past and to come.

Thirdly, Ierusalems foundation was but a [Page 43]single foundation; but thine, O new Ierusa­lem, is the foundation of all foundations; twelve foundations are laid upon thee, on which twelve thousand soules have built, yea, twelve thousand times twelve thousand, which if they had not, they had been ruind, yea, soul and body for ever. O yee unbelieving and fearfull Saints, did you know your rocke and safety, if you did, though the winds blow, and stormes beat, yet you will not feare.

Fourthly, Thy foundation, O Ierusalem, was but of yesterday, and to day it is raised, but the ancient of dayes is thy foundation, O new Ierusalem, so that thy foundation was for time, before all time past, and is, and shal be to all time to come, yea, and longer too; the Angel swore time should be no more; God hath sworne by himself, that thou shouldst be for ever, the foun­dation of Ierusalem above, the mother of us all: and what shall I say of it? O foundation, foun­dation, of Gods own laying, choise and preci­ous, strong and stable foundation, time and age out lasting foundation, heaven, earth, Saints, and Angels foundation.

Secondly, It might be very well called new Ierusalem, if you consider her builders: old Ierusalem was built by Bricklayers, Car­penters, and such like crafts-men, the choysest of them; but thou, O new Ierusalem, by [Page 44]God, Christ and the Spirit; therefore art thou said by Paul, to be made without hands; wee looke for a City whose builder and maker is God; thy Husband is thy maker, the God of the whole earth shall he be called, thy God and he onely: none laid one stone in thee, but he, none found a stone but he, no, nor stick, nor straw, as I may so say, for he found all in his own eternall purpose: O, saith God, this, and this shall be a stone to make me a Ierusalem, where I will dwell for evermore, but these I will not use, throwing millions by, which was as likely as any if he had pleased to use them, to set his glory of.

But as God found all, so Christ beares all; We on him are built, saith Paul, as a spirituall house unto the Lord, built by the Spirit; for as God findes all, and Christ bears all, so the Spirit builds all, by his Word and Prophets.

Fourthly, Ierusalem was built for the ho­nour of the Jewish nation, but thee, O new Ie­rusalem, for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will shew his glory in thee, because his love is set upon thee, yea, thy very gates more then all the dwellings of Iacob.

Fiftly, Old Ierusalems wals and gates was but common stone, but thine, O new Ierusa­lem, are built of all manner of pretious stones, yea, thy very gates are pearle, O glorious city, thy [Page 45]wals, thy gates are precious living stones, thy pavements are pure Gold, Revel. 21.18.

O King Solomon, where is thy glory? all thy glory was but a dark shadow of this glory, O Ierusalem, city of the great King, which he hath built for his Jewels, and by his Jewels, and the Sons of Sion more pretious then choyse Silver, to dwell with him, Christ and Angels, for ever and ever.

Sixtly, It is called new Ierusalem, in respect of her watchmen and keepers; O Ierusalem, God did once set watchmen on thy wals, but did they keep thee? nay, they could not keep thee, they could not save thee, for thou wast raced even to the ground. But thou, O new Ierusa­lem, hath God and Christ within thee, Angels round about thee, well may thy gates be open day and night, Revelations the 21. all safety is in thee, all protection round about thee, who was wont to be frighted from fears within, and dangers round about.

Seventhly, in respect of her light, thy light O Ierusalem, was not to be compared to thine, O new Ierusalem, thy light was but sun, moon, and creatures light: but thy light, O new Ieru­lem, is this sun, Suns and glory, Angels are the sun of thy Sun, and God is the Sun of Angels, and glory too.

O new Ierusalem, the glory of this God in [Page 46]thee, is the light of thee, the increated glory, the uncreated glory O Ierusalem, that is thy light: therefore is thy light, the light of lights, and the light of life too, the glory of the Lord, and of the Lambe in thee, are the light of thee, O Ie­rusalem; therefore is thy light, the light of lights, and the light of life too.

Now thou shalt need light of sun and moon no more, no more for ever; thou moon give place unto the sun, thou sun give place unto the Lambe, and unto the Lord; for they must shine, and ye must out for ever: and let them shine thy day throughout, thy long and endlesse day, thy nightlesse day, thy time and age, out-lasting day. It is said, Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day, O ye seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, rejoyce in this your day, for it will make amends for all your nights, your nights of sorrow, fear, and trouble, your longest nights, your darksome, could, and stormy ones, yea, David tells you so, saying, though sorrow endure for a night, yet joy commeth in the morning. I, this morning hath a noon of joy in it, this mornings dawning hath: and when ye by its dawning see, O then what joy, what peace, what hope, what rest! thou canst not tell, but doest enjoy thy wish, thy would; thy onely wish, thy onely would, which when thou hast, thou ever cravest; just as the child which suckes, and cries, and craves, but hath.

Eightly, it is called new Ierusalem, in respect of her glory, thy glory was gates, walles, tem­ple, towers, riches, strength, and numeration of people.

But for thy glory, O new Ierusalem, it doth more excell all this, then ever Solomons did the poorest Pesant: for this read the 60 of Isa. Arise, and shine, for the glory of the Lord is risen on thee, the full glorie, the true glorie, which Moses could not behold and live, no man can see my glory, and live, saith God to Moses, but to thee, O new Ierusalem, when darknes shal cover the earth, with al the dwellers therein, then shall the Lord arise upon thee, and his glo­rie shall be set, and seen on thee, yea, such a glo­rie, which shall confound the world, yea, confute the world of madnes, and folly, the world hath never seen thy glorie, O new Ierusalem, but when it doth, shame shall cover her face, and for shame shall kings and princes call to the hills, and mountaines to fall upon them. O Ierusa­lem, the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, then shalt thou see, and shine, and be astonished at thy own glorie, the seas shall convert her trea­sure, and the Gentiles their riches to Midian; Ephah and Sheba, shall bring their gold and in­cense unto thee, for I will saith God, beautifie the house of my glory. verse 7. The yles shall waight upon thee, the ships of Tharshish shall [Page 48]bring their sons, their gold, and freely offer to thee, because of the name of the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel hath glorified thee, Kings shall minister unto thee: therefore thy gates shall be continually open, they shall not be shut day nor night, verse 12. and those kings and nations that will not serve thee shall be utterly destroyed. O, when will kings and nations minde this prophesie, till then they will never submit, their proud hearts cannot submit to lick the dust of thee, O Ierusalem, as David speaks Psalme. But they shall submit, like Iosephs brethren, yea, they that did afflict thee, shall fall down at the soles of thy feet, and call thee Sion, the holy One of Israel.

And; whereas thou hast been despised, so that men went by thee, I will make thee an eternall glory, and a joy from generation to ge­neration, and thou shalt suck the milk of Gen­tiles, and the breasts of kings, yea, the breast of Christ, as I may so say, the King of kings, in whose breast lies a sea of sweetnesse, where you may suck and smack, smack and suck, I, and so ye shall time out of minde, suck for thirst, and thirst by sucking, because of sweetnesse, divine time and age, outlasting sweetnesse.

Tenthly, it may be called new Ierusalem, in respect of her safety, thy safety, O Ierusalem, was but men and walles, and creatures strength, [Page 49]but thine, O new Ierusalem, is God in thee, and his salvation round about thee, is the safety of thee, Salvation will God appoint for walles and bulwarks. Isaiah. 46.5. In the midst of her the Lord doth dwell, she shall no whit be moved. Psal. 48.8. As we haue heard, so have we seen, in the city of our God, our God will establish it for ever and ever. Isaiah 65, 21. They shall build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.

Paul speaks of a city, sure and stable, which cannot be shaken or moved: but for old Ierusa­lem, it was shaken, and ransact too, and so shall all the cities in the world, first, or last, but thou, O new Ierusalem, city of safety, city of rest, blessed city, everlasting joy, and safety is in thee.

Againe, in respect of her inhabitants in thee, O Ierusalem, was clean and unclean, circumci­sed and uncircumcised, many were called Iewes which were not Iewes, but were the very Syna­gogue of Satan. Revel. 3.9.

But for thee, O new Ierusalem, no unclean thing shall come into thee, God, and Christ will keep out of thee every uncircumcised sinner, I say, Christ will see, who comes into thee, O new Jerusalem.

Friend, where is thy wedding garment, bind him hand and foot, cast him out, I will not have [Page 50]any unclean thing here, saith Christ, in any wise, Revel. 21.27. He is unclean, that was never washed in the fountaine of Iudah, and Jerusa­lem, which stands open for sinners, therefore saith Isaiah, henceforth shall come no more into thee the uncircumcised and unclean.

Again, in respect of her temple in thee, O Ie­rusalem, was Solomons temple: but it was but a typicall temple; but in thee, O new Jerusalem, is the true temple indeed. Rev. 21.2. I saw no temple there, saith John, for the Lord God, and the Lambe was the temple of it. Ah! blessed temple, God and Christ, who would not wor­ship here. One thing, saith David, have I desi­red of the Lord, that I might dwell in his house all the dayes of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord. O David, here is thy wish, and more; for thou shalt not onely dwell in his house, but dwell in himsef: for God will now dwell with his Ierusalem, and be her temple, O thou needest no other temple now to offer thy sacrifices, for here shall all thy sacrifices of thanksgiving be continually offered unto the Lord, and unto the Lambe: for he is thy temple now, where thou, and all thy fellow Saints must offer their sacri­fices, and sing their thankfulnesse for ever­more.

But I shall now hint at the last of these words, I saw her comming down from God out of hea­ven, [Page 51]prepared as a Bride adorned for her Hus­band.

First, I conceive, she may be said to come from God, as being borne of God; Christ speaks of some in the first of Iohn, which were not borne of man, nor the will of man, but of God; a thing is said, to be borne of that, of which it had its first being: O Ierusalem, in this sence thou mayst be said truly, to be borne of God, and to come downe from God, for where hadst thou thy first being? surely in God, yea, there thou hadst a being long before all be­ings; there wast thou begotten indeed, begotten in his purpose, and in his love, yea, borne from everlasting, and therefore art thou Melchisedek-like, without Father, or Mother, and hadst thy being only in the purpose of God.

O how admirable it is, to thinke how long, as I may so say, God did travaile with his Ieru­salem; a woman travailing but a few months, is in paine and longs for deliverance: But O God, thou didst with thy Ierusalem, not for a few months, or yeares, but a time longer, yea, farre more longer then a thousand yeares, to a single moment, from everlasting was thy tra­vaile.

But, O God, was there not a longing in thee, or was it else a pleasure to thee, it was both, it was both, O my deare Ierusalem.

For first, It was a pleasure to mee, in all the time I bare thee, my pleasure was, I had thee, my pleasure was, I bare thee; yea, a sa­tisfying pleasure, or if thou wilt delight, for I tooke solace in compassing the earth, and my de­light was in the sonnes of men; O God, seeing thou hadest many Angels, why couldst thou not be satisfied? I wanted sonnes and daughters that they might be my heires; we are now the sons of God, and if sons, then heires; yea, joynt heirs, as the Apostle speaks.

But, ah Lord, thou hadest a sonne and heire before, but I had not sonnes and daughters to make me a Ierusalem, where I might shew my glory. O Lord, hadst thou not ten thousand times ten thousand Angels, Cherubims, and Seraphims? Yea, but all they were not halfe e­nough for me, to shew my glory too, therefore I appointed as many more, Ephes. the 1.14. That they should be to the praise and glory of my grace; And so likewise in the 5. vers. He hath predestinated us, saith Paul, through Iesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, that we might be to the praise and glory of his grace, as well as Angels. But were not all man kinde appointed to set forth his glory? Yea, they were so; But shall they see his glory? No, no; But why not? Because God will have mercy on whom he will, Rom. the 8. But doe [Page 53]not question no further about this, but returne backe to the question; which was, Whether there was not a longing in him, to see his sonnes and daughters, with whom he travailed, though that too, were a pleasure?

Alas, he could not but long to see them, whom he had so long borne in his purpose; and nature it selfe will answer this; Doth not the Mother long to see the Childe shee bare? Surely yes, the Parent longs to see his Childe, so doth God his People too. Yea, how can he but long to see them, seeing they are his own from everlasting, begotten in his purpose, and brought forth by his providence into this world, where he a while nurseth them amongst the vulgar peo­ple of this world, though they be Princes in re­spect of his eternall thoughts towards them? yet I say, they are nurst as it were, and hardly kept for a few yeares til he send for them home, by death and angels, who indeed did alwayes tend those Princes from the womb, for they have a charge with his sonnes and daughters, to keep them in all their wayes whilst they live, tend their soules whilst they die; and surely no Ladies are readier to receive a Princesse into this world, to present it to the King its Father, then Angels are the soules of his Children when they dye; the Angels mind the very bodies of these Children turnd to dust, and must give ac­count [Page 54]of this dust to Christ, for he shall one day send them to all the winds to pick it up, as him­selfe speaketh.

Secondly, I Iohn, saw the holy City, new Jerusalem, descending down from God, prepared as a Bride; She descended, or came down from God.

Observ. Nothing comes up to God, but that descends from God; Flesh and blood, saith Christ, cannot inherit the Kingdome of God; no, it is a corrupt thing, but corruption shall put on incorruption, and mortality put on immortality, but this incorruption and immortality too, de­scends from above, and therefore, I saw her de­scending down from God; the spirit and power of the mighty God, may be the thing for which the Evangelist saith, I saw new Ierusalem com­ming down from God, out of Heaven.

But in the third place, I saw new Ierusalem comming down, prepared, or trimmed like a Bride, a Bride is trimmed or adorned with new or beautifull garments, old spotred garments are ill beseeming the Bride, and therefore she never doth aray her self, but in lovely ones. Well then, here is according to my light, the meaning of these words, and I think the very naturall sence of the spirituall, as I may so say, or the spirituall meaning of the Spirit of God in these words. I John, saw the boly city, the new Iern­salem [Page 55]comming down, prepared as a Bride, the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus, God, man, impu­ted, reckoned and given to man by God, and put on by the mighty Spirit, is the newnesse of it, and the adornment of her, and this righteous­nes of God. 2. Cor. 5. and the last. yea it is the righteousnesse of God, For he was made sinne for us, who knew no sinn, that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him.

Well, by this mighty Spirit of God, is Ieru­salem arayed in this righteousnesse, wrought out by Christ for her, and so given by God for that same purpose, namely, Ierusalems adorn­ment, and now, he beholding her in this, he must needs say: I saw her descending down from God out of heaven trimmed as a Bride.

When she is trimmed and arrayed by God, Christ, and the Spirit, yea, and she must needs be now lovely and Bride-like beautifull; doth the spotted moon, and twinckling stars adorne the cloudy element, and make it so lovely, that a David cries out, O Lord how wonderfull are thy works. Psalme. 8. v. 3. then must needs Christ the Sun of suns, and angels too, to make his Ierusalem beautifull, when he shall cloath her with his own righteousnesse, as with a gar­ment, downe to the ground.

Ofriends, this righteousnesse of Christ is the wedding garment of new Ierusalem, and in this [Page 56]garment, saith Iohn, I saw her comming as a Bride trimmed for her husband. Christ the King of kings, Saints, and Angels, surely the kings daughter is all glorious without as well as with­in, for her cloathing is all embroidered gold, wrought out by Christ, and put on by the Spi­rit. O when the Saints shall wait on Christ up and down the heavens in this garment, or righ­teousnesse of his, how princelike will his atten­dance bee, when ten thousands of these shall stand before his throne, yea, ten thousandmillions of these, with as many Angels to them, shall all as one joine to sing his victories over sin, death, hell, men, and devils, in this garment of love, and livery of his favour, what sparkling beames will passe from one to the other, like suns refle­cting on each others glory, yet all from Christ, like Moon and starres in their horizon.

And now, O thou poor, and prodigall sinner, what thinkest thou of that day, when it shall be said, bring hither the best robe, and the gold ring, for this my once lost, but now found son.

O what a change will here be, when the rags in which thou tendedst hogs shall be taken off, and thou cloathed with thy eldest brothers gar­ment brought thee, will not thy change be like Ioshuahs, in putting off his filthy garment; yea, truely will it: if dust were turned to gold, and common stones to jewels, nights to dayes, and [Page 57]falling Commets to fixed stars, and then againe to beaming suns, yet all was nothing, I say, all these changes were nothing to that change that Christ maketh with sinners, when hee takes off their sins, rags and righteousnesse, and puts on his own righteousnesse on them, and there­fore well might John say, I saw her trimmed as a Bride, when he had trimmed her with his own righteousnes; thou art comely, in my come­lines, saith Christ to the spouse.

Well reader, I hope in this interpretation, that thou and I am one, and doe agree, that this is the beauty of the new Jerusalem, that the Spirit means by wedding garment, and beauti­full adornment.

And mark, because it is this she is trimmed with, therefore is she said to be seen comming down from heaven, as having none of this bra­very, but from God, Christ, and the Spirit.

Secondly, I saw new Jerusalem comming down in an uniform manner, shee came not tumbling nor dropping, now and then a piece, as I may so say, nor in a scattering manner, but I saw new Ierusalem, the whole Church, as one single person comming down from God; the whole church is but one Bride, as I may so say, for Christ the Bridegroom, neither doth hee look on her any other wayes, nor should wee: but we are like the silly country people, who [Page 58]sometimes take the Courtier for the Prince, and the lachey servant for the master: so we many times, take the son for the Bridegroom, and the lasie professor, who makes a fait show, when as indeed, he is but a beggarly time server, and hath no true grace nor vertue, for the noble and royall Christian, though there be not such an outward show in respect of talk and perfection, which I speak not against in a sincere heart, but as I said before, Christ counts his church but one, and so the Angel invites, saying, behold ye the Bride, the Lambs wife, and so saith himselfe, my love, my dove, she is but one, the onely one of her mother. And this may justly reprove ma­ny in our dayes, who will distinguish the Church of Christ into as many parcels, as are formes, or judgements, and congregations, every one thinking themselves to be the true Church, when as, at the best, they are but a piece of his Jerusalem, as I apprehend, and that for these reasons.

First, Jerusalem, or the Church of God, though she consist of many Iewes and Gentiles, called and uncalled; yet in truth, she is but one church or body, of which Christ is the head.

Secondly, every particular person of the whole Church of Christ, being arayed and trim­med by God and Christ, may be called by the name of one single person, and so counted the [Page 59]Spouse of Christ.

Againe, I saw new Jerusalem comming down as a Bride, here he makes no distinction of bond or free, high or low, Independant, Anabaptist, Presbyterian, this, or that forme of fellowship: but he saw all these as in one comming down as a Bride, and now what shall I say of this Jeru­salem comming down in her bravery.

First, she is richly cloathed, for it is in the righteousnesse of God, which is sometimes cal­led a decking, or trimming, with ear-rings, or jewels; Isaac trimmed Rebecka so, and how lovely was she then in his eyes, surely very lovely.

O when Christ shall look on his Rebecka, trim­med with his righteousnesse, as with ear-rings and jewels, how lovely will she then be? will he not then say, Thou art all faire, my love, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, as Solomons songs. 4.9. Yea, she will ravish, as I may so say, the very heart of God to behold her in his Sons righteousnesse, or bravery, in the day of her espousals to him, when she is thus cloathed as a Bride for Christ the King of kings. O now who can behold any deformity in her, she is in­visibly, cloathed and covered with his righteous­nes, from head to foot, as I may so say.

I Shall very briefly hint at these words, without any preface at all; Behold, that is a word seriously to consider. 2. The Person, I, what I is it? I the Lord of life, light and glory. 3. His Posture, Behold I stand, I the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; O high and low, great and humble Christ. 4. the Place, Where is that? At the doore, Behold I stand at the doore. 5. Behold I stand at the doore, not gazing up and down, but I stand knocking; for this end, to see if any man will heare and o­pen, and then I will come in, and sup with him, or refresh him with my presence.

But first, Behold, this is a word never used in Scripture, but upon some very serious, great and weighty matter; this word, Behold, in Scripture, is like a fiery Beakon on a mighty Hill, which is to give warning to all Inhabi­tants round about; or like the silver Trumpet in the Law, which was blowne to call the Peo­ple of God together, to the worship and service of God; or like a Larum in the night to the [Page 61]Souldier, which cries, arme, arme, arme all; or like an Ensigne, or Banner, which being dis­plaid, gathers all to heare and see.

For these reasons the Spirit useth it in Scrip­ture; Bhold, a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne, and his name shall be called Jesus. Behold the Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the world, John 1.29. Behold I come quickly, Revel. 3. And so in the last of the Revelations, to which the Spouse saith, A­men, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Secondly, Take notice of his patience, Be­hold, I stand, I, the Lord of life and glory, I, the Saviour of the world, I, the Sonne of God, the Lambe of God, that was dead, but am alive, and live for evermore; I, that have this title on my thigh, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, with the keyes of death, hell, in my hand, bind­ing, loosing, and remitting whom I please.

Thirdly, His Posture, he stands, he sits not, Behold I stand and knocke; What is that? wait for admittance, which doth denote his humility and patience; O humble Christ, Lord of life, light and glory, King of Nations, Saints and Angels, how dost thou abase thy selfe to wait the sinners leisure? If a great man should wait at a beggers doore, how would men won­der? Loe, Christ waits at thy doore, O begger­lesse sinner, here is humility indeed, Christ the [Page 62]King of Kings who hath ten thousand times ten thousand Angels at his heels, waits at thy doore, O gentle sinner, did you ever see a Prince with his Nobles waiting at a beggers doore? no, I dare say, no; but heare is Christ the Prince of Princes, waiting at the sinners doore, whilst Angels and arch-Angels waits for a beck, with all readinesse to doe his will; and this they count their heaven too: Princes uses to send their pardons to malefactors, but Christ brings them, and waits the sinners leisure too.

Christ, seeing thou hast abased thy selfe, God shall highly exalt thee, above all the Prin­ces of the Earth, and Angels too in Heaven; for to which of them hath he said, Sit thee on my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy foot­stoole? O all must submit to Christ, and there­fore it is said, At his name shall every kneee bow, both in heaven, earth, and under the earth, that is to say, Angels, men and Devils must submit, or be disposed by his appoint­ment, to light, life and glory, or wrath, hell, or darknesse, even which he please: but it de­notes his patience too, as well as humility, if men be not ready to receive courtesie, we usally withhold them: But Christ waits with patience the sinners leisure, who is ever busie when Christ comes to him, in his house, or calling, the pleasures, profits of the world, buying, selling, [Page 63]eating, drinking, marrying, like the old world, who could not all heare Noahs preaching, no more then they at Christs knocks: O Christ, Why shouldest thou wait, seeing the sinner is so carelesse, to neglect his own welfare? Because I am God, and not man, and my patience must be like my selfe, farre above yours, as the Hea­vens are above the earth, so is my patience a­bove all Men and Angels, and if it were not so, I should have no admittance no where; for I come to no sinners doore, but they make me stand and wait: sometimes they doe not know me, and sometimes they will not know me, and seldome it is too, they minde me, un­lesse it be in some great trouble, sicknesse, death, or danger, and then they cry, help, help, with their bitter teares; helpe, O Christ, helpe, which many times I doe; and after comes and sees them, Doctor like, when they are well, and free; but then they think I am paid by their old prayers, and so will scarse admit me, or desire me to sit down, my company now is bur­thensome, though once they thought it other­wise in their distresse and misery. But O Christ, thou art the desire of all Nations; who would not desire and minde thee? for thou gi­vest Jewels, Crownes and Kingdomes, yea, Life, Light and Pardons, to all that do admit thee; but even the sinner mindes not, nor [Page 64]knowes not thy gifts nor the richnesse of it, or at least way see no want of pardon, light, or knowledge; no, if he did, he would not stay so long waiting at his doore; how long O Christ? ten yeares at some, and twenty yeares at others, yea, forty yeares have I waited, till I was greived with them, and swore they should never enter in unto my rest.

Well sinner, happy is it, Christ hath so much patience to waight thy leasure, do not abuse this patience, lest he leave thee, and forsake thee, and swear against thee by damning of thee, for neg­lecting and abusing his goodnesse; many poor souls are in hell now for this very sinne, negle­cting Christs patience, standing at their hearts knocking for admittance, and yet, I dare say, there are some sinners at whose doore Christ hath knocked twenty years by preachings, teachings, afflicting, and admonishing by his word, and his Spirit, and by example too.

But what doe I speake of twenty yeares, are there not some gray-headed sinners, at whose doore Christ hath often knockt heretofore, but now they are deaf, and cannot heare, and the things belonging to their peace are hid from their eyes, as once from Ierusalems, for whose misery Christ wept, and so will ye over your own souls one day in flames of hell.

O me thinks, I see poor souls sit looking on [Page 65]one another; weeping bitterly for their folly, in not minding Christs knocks when time was.

O saith the aprentise wringing of his hands, with heart breaking sighs, I was seven yeares in a godly family, where my master prayed, read, and expounded every day: by which Christ oft knockt at my heart, and made me to resolve for to let him in; but I was yong, and thought it was too soon to hear him yet, but I made account to do it, when my time was out, but Christ then did not knock, or at least, I minded him not: for the world, wife, and children came upon mee, that I did not once minde him.

And so another Bible-carrier doth much the like. O saith he, in these flames weeping, I went twise every Sunday in the yeare to the Church with my wife and family, heard-prayers, took my booke, turnd to text and proofes, and had Christ knocking at my heart too, but I know not how, still I forgot all, and Christ knocks too, who at last left to knock at all; but I went still to Church with my neighbours ac­cording to the custome, with old father world­ling, who would alwayes talk of businesse, go­ing home and comming, putting all good things quite out of my minde, for which, cursed be the time that ever I did see him; for it may beels, I might have minded something, what I heard of there, as well as many others, whom [Page 66]wee counted puritanes, because they would still be talking what good matter they had heard, and how sweet it was, talking of the uses: but as we followed after, wee laughing for to hear them goe conning over the sermon, one to ano­ther all the way home, not at all minding what he said to us, but how he met with such a one, and such a one, and never minded once at all our selves, like unhappy soules, for which we must lie in the flames for ever, to repent our folly, and houle for our misery, in not harkening unto Christ, when the time was, which never shall be more.

O saith, wrinkled faced hypocrite in the flames at the bottome, I deceived my self, & ma­ny an honest Christian too, like a cursed wretch, for I was a great professor seven years together, in which time, Christ gave me many a hard rap at the door of conscience, for my hollow-heart, sometimes telling me, I was a masked sinner, and had a rotten heart, ayming at the world, name, fame, credit, all the while profession was in request, going up and down with many ho­nest Christians, and would be talking with them in matters of religion for many by ends, little minding Christs thundring knocks against such as I: crying, woe, woe, woe to the hypocrites, Scribes, and the Pharisees, one that did love much to have preheminency, though a great professor, [Page 67]bearing sway, and rule, just like a Bishop over the Church of Christ, lord and master-like, say­ing, he was chief, and must be beleeved, and obeyed in his forme, minding this, his owne selfe and interest, more then the honour of his master, or the good of poore Christians, whom hee seldome went to visit without his doctors fee, or the hope of a sermon, if in case he died, worth him five pound; Woe, woe to those that so neglect the Church of Christ, and the poore Saints, who sometimes lies in cottages, and sellers, where their worships will not come, it is to mean a thing, because they are masters, and called, Rabbi, Rabbi, which, the true Di­sciple never aymed at.

But stay, I had like to forget one sinner more, where Christ hath long stood, and usually doth, yea, longer then at any doore besides, I mean the simple Christian, or the ignorant Christian, who knowes not right or left hand in religion, more then his grandmother taught him bringing of him up, according to the cu­stome which their parents left them, building their religion on the old race, yet must still be called Christian, for his baptisme sake: which I speak not against, but the mans ignorance, which the Lord knowes, I pitty; for truely at these poore soules doore, doth Christ knock many times: but the soule is so simple, it doth not [Page 68]know Christ when he knocks, but gapes, and stares on the Parson in the pulpit, when it is Christ that knocks at the heart, with life, light, and knowledge, which is more worth then jewels, crownes, and kingdomes; yea, the gold of Ophir, and the rich ships of Tharshish: but poore simple, sotted, and deluded soule, thou knowest not the want of this knowledge, Christ, and thy souls misery for want of knowledge.

And here, mistake me not, for I doe not mean unlearned men, more then learned men; for truely, many of them, which are great Grecians know not the A.B.C. in the new creature, but by heare say poore simple souls, how many such be there in the world, doe you not know thousands, that are cryed up for wise, able men, though not such great Schollers, yet cried up for able men, fit for Jewry, Judge, or Justice­ship, which I doe not speak against, but honour; yet I say, I will take a young stripling in the school of Christ, without an haire on his face, shall winde him like a childe in the worke of conviction for sin, Christ knocking at thy heart, and the Spirits working in the new man; and old, and sound experienced things.

I say, in these things, he will wind your old sol­lid blades & many Churchwardens, who should be knowing men, as well as Furre-gowned, where Christ hath often knockt, before ever [Page 69]that came on him, but now he thinks it is enough to sit by his white rod in a majestick way, with a black soule, by cheating of the poor, to feast his own ungodly gut, with capon, sack, and claret, till his belly be so swelld, that Christ cannot come at his heart, or seldom doth hereafter; for, for the most, they turne drunkards, not that I mean right blading, cursed, or down right drun­kards: but I mean, in a dry way without any roa­ring, by clubbing pot after pot, and then an half pint, and another to that, with a point at the last to set the reckoning right, and a gell of strong water to close up their stomake, I am sure I know some, that will sit with a coughing, and spauling discourse, from four to six, from six to eleven, with aserious discourse in a cavilere way, of a turn that shall be, but I do not know when: and so they drink healths, saying, you know who I mean, in a mysticall way, from one to another, till all be halfe drunk, and then they depart with an equall proportion toward the shot; but I will bid these good night, and come closse to the matter in a spirituall way, for I think it as vain to speak to them now, as it is to expect a swallow in winter.

Well, the next thing is, the place where Christ knocks, which is the door, O that is without you know, who is without, why, who is within, that the King of glory is without, why, who is within, [Page 70]that Christ stands without? sinne, Satan, the world pleasure, profits, and they alwayes keep Christ without, till he breakes in, and whips these buyers and sellers out of his Temple, which Christ sometimes doth, as well as once those out of Solomons Temple; but for present, Christ is without, Christ the Lord of life and glory, who stands with pardons, peace and mercy for their soules, if he might once be ad­mitted; but what if he be not? then they are undone, for they must die without them, and be damned too, for the abuse of his patience; therefore minde it carelesse sinner, before Christ goes and takes his leave for knocking any more, which Christ will one day doe, when he cannot have admittance for the worlds plea­sures, profits.

But sure it is impossible Christ should be without, whilst they are within; nay, it is true enough, doe you not heare him knock? I heare some body, but I doe not think it is Christ, you doe not thinke it is Christ; some­times you doe not heare at all for businesse; and sometimes you doe not heare for careles­nesse; when shall Christ have admittance? (when) when I am for my selfe, saith the ser­vant, and can tend to open; and when I have this, or that estate, saith the worldling, and for every childe a portion; so saith the vaine chri­stian, [Page 71]or much to this purpose, when I have my swing of pleasure, I will tend Christ, and till then he must wait; and thus the servant puts off Christ, for freedome, and the worldling, for estate, and the luxurious, for his pleasure, all abu­sing Christ, and his patience too.

But if these delayes Christ should take, for full and flat denyals, what will then become of their immortall soules, worth more then crowns and kingdomes, or ten thousand worlds, be­cause they are immortall and breathed once from God? But now must die in their sinnes, as Christ told the Jewes, and perish too for him; and now they had been happy, if they had ne­ver heard of him, nor his knocks neither; which seeing they have slighted, shall damne them with a vengeance. (But how doe you know it is Christ that knocks?) Poore simple soule, doe you not know it, that seemes thou art not much acquainted with Christ, nor his knocks, when thou dost not know that; when the Servant knowes his Master, and the Childe his Parent, every thing knowes more then thee, the Sheep the Shepherds whistle, the Bee his own Hive, and the Asse his Masters Crib, but my People knowes not me, saith the Lord, by his Prophet Isaiah.

But I will helpe thee, what I can to learne Christs knocks, expecting thou wilt open, [Page 72]when he comes againe? 'tis Christ knocks (mark me.)

First, I know it is Christ that knocks, he knocks thunderingly, or loudly. 2. I know it is Christ that knocks, by his still and soft knocks. 3. I know it is Christ, by his slow and leisurely knocks. 4. I know it is Christ, by his sweet and pleasant knocks. 5. I know it is Christ, by the place, he knocks at the doore, where he usally comes in, and not at a window, or a by way.

But why doth Christ knock so loud and thun­deringly? He thinkes you are asleepe, or dead sure, as every man and woman too, is by nature; and therefore saith Christ, The dead shall he are my voyce and live, as in John 5.25.

This Christ doth not meane of the day of Judgement, though that be true, that by Christs voyce and power, the dead shall one day heare, and every man be started from his grave; some for glory, most for wrath and vengeance, or execution; like malefactors, with chaines of guilt about their necks and consciences, bind­ing up their feares about them, which heavier laies then milstones.

O how dreadfull will this resurrection be, when millions of ungodly soules shall come to joyne with cursed bodies. It is said, Iephthah wept and tore his haire, when he saw his daugh­ter, [Page 73]and the Virgins of Israel come to meet him; but surely this meeting of damned soules and cursed bodies, will bee much more bitter to thy body, who laid in dust silent, free from paine; happy were it for thy body, if it might still live with wormes, and mouldring rotten­nesse, and silent darknesse; but it cannot be, Christ must have thee out, and judge thee too, for thy ungodly deeds and acts, as well as re­ward his Saints for all their works wrought by his Spirit in their soules.

But I shall forget my selfe. The thing was, that I was speaking too, Sure Christ knew the sinner was asleep, or dead, that he did not open; and truly a sinner may be well said to be dead, till Christ comes to live in him, because Christ is the Fountaine of life; and therefore if Christ be not in the soule, it must needs then be dead, at least in a spirituall sence, for want of Christ; for as the soule is the life of the body, so Christ is the life of the soule, and therefore when thou keepst Christ out, thou keepst thy soule from thy soule; O death and sleepy sinner.

But why doth he knock so softly? because he would not fright you, Christ would come in a milde and gentle way, and not in a furions way, which he often doth to many soules, who hath long kept him out by delayes and sinnes, [Page 74]but Chrisst doth not alwayes doe so.

You know he discoursed and reasoned him­selfe at the Well of Iacob unto the Woman of Samaria, and invited himselfe to Zacheus house, bringing salvation with him, and so did not at all fright the little man, though a great sinner; the Ethiopian found Christ in his cha­riot, by reading of Isaiah, and many a soule doth the like by a good booke, reading in a pri­vate way, where Christ comes, breathing life and peace to their soules, as once to the Disciples when the doores was all shut, and they met in a roome, where Christ comes, and breathes the holy Ghost on them.

But Thirdly, Why doth Christ knock so slowly? that you might consider, who it is that knocks, and opens to him; the Turtle hath a sweet and penetrating voyce, but the most slow of any creature; you seldome heare her often at one time, but she cals her mate once, and then is silent for a while, and then she sweetly cals againe, in a mournfull way, even to the peircing of a mans heart, as it were, with her sweet and serious, yet dolourous call, but with a pretty distance of time, between every call.

Well, so doth Christ by the soule, Christ comes by a Sermon, jogs and cals sweetly to thy heart; sometimes by death in a dolourous [Page 75]way, percing thy heart, for a wife, a child, a hus­band; sometimes at night, in a silent way by thy bed side, saying, sinner, sinner, art thou a­waked? it is time to rise, what dost thou mean? arise, arise, looke about thee, get thy cloaths, prepare for death, by minding it, heaven, hell, and eternity, and thy soules condition, and its eternity, which if it should miscarry thou art undone; it is time, high time, and yet not to late, if thou wilt resolve thy selfe in earnest, to minde me, and thy soules welfare, which is the only thing necessary; and therefore know, thy soules life and pardon is the maine thing, when will that be minded? if thou shouldst delay this time, now away, time may be no more, no more for ever; and then thou wilt weep like Esau, yea, bitterly weep, crying, hast thou not one blessing more, when Iacob hath the maine, and thou canst not have it, for he hath gotten it already. Christ tels the Iewes, Many shall come from the East and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaack, and Iacob; but they shall be cast into utter darknesse, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And so saith Christ softly to thy soul, this, or that sinner may be saved, and thou dam­ned, and how wilt thou weep, when thy neigh­bours childe, wife, parent, be received, and thou cast off, yea, into hell, for neglecting, [Page 76]slighting me, my slow, and mournfull knocks, minding thee of the grave, death, and eternity, which will straight be here, what dost thou mean to build castles in the aire, doest thou know how long thou shalt live.

Death hath been at thy neighbouts, and fetcht away his children, yea, in thine own house, for a friend, a wife, a child, a servant, and he will come again to morrow, or ere it be long, didst thou not meet with a coffin, nor hear a passing bell: hark, it is going now, whilst the death watch clickers, set thy house in order, quickly, quickly, it is very dangerous, all delayes breed danger; but this, O sinner, simple sinner, more then any, yea, any in the world; thou talkest of wife and children, and providing for them, I pray thee, sinner, minde thy soule, let that be served first, it is time enough for them, what is wife and children to thy soule, thy deare and precious, everliving soule, if that be lost, all is lost for ever, then what good will their wellfare doe thee, O sinner, this will no more advantage thee, then a little thetch when the house and substance is all burnd. Osinner, it is thy soul that is the substance, and the treasure too: for thy souls sake, have a care, it is immortall, everliving, and shall never die, why shouldst thou be cruell to thine own soul, or unkind, and carelesse of its welfare, hast thou any more soules? if thou lose one soule, doest [Page 77]thou not lose all, all thou hast, and all thou canst? other losses may be gaind; name may be gaind, and friends may be gaind, and estate too, before that thou diest: but if it be not, thou mayst be happy; yea, as an Angel of God.

But can thy soul be gained, being once lost, No, no, it cannot be once lost, and lost for ever; yea, unrecoverable, O when men lose their friends, wife, children, husbands, lands, living, it cuts deep: O but this soule of thine will cut ten thousand times deeper, that is very neere, but this ten thousand times neerer; one creature may make up another in respect of losse, but who can make up thy soul, if it be once lost; sor­row cannot do it, sighs cannot do it, teares can­not doe it, though they like brine, be steeped with sence of misery. O sinner thy losse is irre­coverable, men cannot help thee, Angels cannot help thee, God cannot help thee; nay, Christ himselfe cannot doe thee any good: what wilt thou now doe? weep thou mayest in vaine, cry thou mayest in vaine, howle thou mayest in vain, none now will pitty thee, though thou weep seas, and seas again to Christ; it will be all in vaine: for bowels are all shut up, all that are in men, all that are in Angels, all that are in God, all that are in Christ, men would once pitty thee, for a wife, a childe, a friend; Angels would once shelter thee from dangers, and mis­chiefs, [Page 78]Christ would once weepe for thee, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, Christ would once fast for thee, Christ would once bleed for thee, Christ would once live for thee, Christ would once die for thee, and goe into the grave, that thou mightest goe to heaven: but all bowels now are quite shut up, all in God, all in Christ, all in Angels, all in men, all in friends, for they are buying, selling, and never minde thy howling; nay, thy wife, and children doe not think upon thee, though thou didst them once, more then thy soule, labouring still for riches for to leave behind thee, and never thought on Christ to take along with thee, in thy long journey, be­tween the mighty seas of time and eternity, which is the dying minute, where devils lyes like robbers, catching every poor soule that hath not Christ to guide them, and so will he do thine; the first step thou settst in it, hurling thee a long in a furious way of darknesse, fear, and hor­ror, trembling like the partridge in the Falkons talent, and Satan swiftlier carrying thy soule a long to hell, then lightning flies in ayre, or thun­der bolts falles downward, where Dives minds his brethren, but seldome they do him, thou mayest doe the like by thy wife and children, but they will not think on thee; for thou art quite forgotten, for no remembrance is in grave, or at least of thy soule, and its sad condition, [Page 79]men will laugh and talke, whilst thou weepst, and howlst, friends will doe the like while thou shreekst and cryst, Saints are singing, holy, holy, whilst thou art wailing, weeping, and wringing of thy hands, with bitter teares, and soul-full sighs: while Angels sing with light­some hearts, like to the Saints, thou lyest a cur­sing, just like the devils, sometime God that made thee, and sometimes shee that bare thee, as well as thy father; sometimes the dayes, some­times the nights, in which thou riotedst hereto­fore, sometimes thy self, thy soule, thy body, sometimes thy friends, and old companions of thy sinnes, whom once thou lovedst, and prefer­redst more then many good Christian, who then told thee of this day, which thou then alwayes thoughtest was but untrue, or else a great way off, but now thou art a cursing every one that cometh within thy heavy, sad and dolefull thoughts; sometimes thy nurse, sometimes thy midwife, because she did not strangle thee, some­times the minister for no oftener feeding thee, when thou wast squay & squemish, and wouldst not disgest any thing from him, something was too hard, and something was too plaine, some­thing was too high, and something was too low, something was too soon, and something never should be, though hee preached it never so oft, and prest it on thee too, with arguments from [Page 80]heaven, and arguments from hell, with all like­wise under the sun: which thou refusedst and mindedst it not, but frownd, and quarreld, and raild, and jeard, with wicked men, and saidst, thou wouldst never heare him more; but such a one should be thy Pastor, he smoothd thee up, and pleased thee well, but now thou seest what is come on it.

But I feare, I shall offend in running wide from the words, though it be in a way of pro­fit, and therefore come to another question.

Fourthly, why doth Christ knock so sweetly, to tempt and allure you, to open to him for his many sweet knocks; and many a soule Christ winnes by this kind of knocking, which opens, as it were, all the vaines and powers in the soule wide unto Christ, and as freely entertaine him, as ever did Zacheus.

Fifthly, why doth Christ knock at the doore, because he will come in there, or no where, de­ceivers climbs the walles, but Christ will at the doore, or no where, if he comes, he can come in if he please any where, at the window, or top of the house: but you know Christ loves to come in at the doore of consent, which is the common way of Christs comming to every soul.

But the doore, what is that, the heart, the heart of man, what would it bee, but why doe [Page 81]ye call that a door: first, because it is the inlet to the house. Secondly, it is the outlet to the house, so is the heart to the soule: as Christ comes in at the heart, so the world, sin, and Satan goes out at the heart, Solomon saith, my son give me thy heart, well knowing, if he hath this doore, he may lay what he will with in.

But you said, I may know it was Christ by his thundring knocks, but what do you call Christs thundring knocks, I mean his thundring judgements to the world, the nations, and king­domes of the world round about, in all which Christ is now a thundring, rouzing them from their dens of pomp, glory, and greatnesse, to exalt himself, and Saints, in the roome of sinners, which must be done in every kingdome, before that all be husht, and Christ all in all, and the kingdomes his according to Gods promise, I will give thee the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession, saith God by his prophet David. Turke, Pope, and Antichristian Princes, have kept the nations of the world, and made poore Saints squelke, and hide themselves in new plan­tations, to keep their consciences free from their idolatrous worship.

But Christ is now a measuring out lands and livings for them, yea, cities, towns, and king­domes, by his prospering armies, which mea­sure, by cutting every one some: which makes [Page 82]the mighty grumble, as if they were losing all, and so they are in danger too: if Christ be justled by them in his way of providence by his thun­dring knocks.

Secondly, I meane by Christs thundring knocks, those righteous judgements, which thou seest befall private wicked men, Christ braines on by his thunder bolts, that twenty more might feare, sometimes strikes the drunkard with a deadly surfet, and sometimes the worldling with a deadly heat and cold, and here and there a sinner, that thousands more might be warned.

Thirdly, I meane by Christs thundring knocks, when Christ knocks like a Bell-man, at midnight, in thy dead sleep, crying, fire, fire, fire, and is not this a thundring knock: I truely, it would make a man start out of his bed naked, to save his house, to save his goods, truely, thus Christ knocks at a sinners heart, or door.

First, by judgements to the world, as I said before.

Secondly, by judgements on ungodly men, whom, first or last, Christ will meet withall, when they have fild their measure, which thou­sands doe apace, some by ungodly deeds, some by ungodly speeches, which Christ will reckon with them for, as it is said in Jude.

Thirdly, by Christ crying out at mid-night, [Page 83]fire, fire, which frights a poore man, that his sin, sin, death, hell, hell, and how doth this, like a fire at midnight, fright a man out of his sleep. And truely, many sinners doth Christ awake at mid-night, that is an unexpected time.

Secondly, at midnight, in his deep sleep of drunkennesse, uncleannesse, or such like sinnes: so you see what I meane by Christs thundring knocks. I saith one, I have experience of this, he awaked mee from my Dalilah, the sinne wherein I lay: I too, saith another, that wal­ked in his sinnes for twenty yeares together: Christ falls upon a sinner by this kind of knock­ing, like three or foure enraged enemies upon a man, crying, downe with him, downe with him, and so beats him down, leaving him even dead, and so goes away: but the Spirit comes, and visites him, and raises him up againe, by telling him, his sinnes are not past, the cure of faith and repentance, which Christ both gives to the man whom he wounds thus, with the sence of his sinnes.

Secondly, what doe you meane by Christs soft knocks, by Christs soft knocks, I mean his mild, and gentle way of comming to a sinner, craving of his due from him, and not like that cruell servant, who finding out his debter, caught him by the throat presently, saying, pay me straight, and would have no compassion on him.

But Christ, by his soft knocks, comes to a poor indebted sinner, & sayes unto him, Friend, friend, doest thou remember what thou owest mee? yes, yes, saith the sinner, little minding how much it is, and so is straight a going: nay, but stay, stay friend, saith Christ, let mee reckon with thee before thou goest: which the sinner lesse loves, then the broken Bankerout to look into, or cast up his books, and therefore prayes Christ to come to morrow, he is now busie, buying of a Farm, or setting up his shop. O but Christ tels him, he will neither stay, nor come againe; but arrest him straight by death, which startles so the sinner, that hee now saith, I will stay, and heare all I owe thee, and then Christ tels him.

Sinner, first, thou owest mee thy soule, I bought it.

Secondly, thy body, I redeemed it by my blood.

Thirdly, thy estate and gifts, I gave it thee.

O Christ, thou demands all: why, do not I deserve all? and thou owe me all? yea, O Christ, but I would fain keep my estate to serve my wife and children, and my gifts and parts; because they are of great esteem with men now a dayes: Friend, do not talk of wife & children, I must have thy estate, thy gifts, and parts too, let men esteeme them how they will, I must have them all.

O Christ, this is hard pay, but I will pay thee some and some, as I am able: do not tell me of that, I must have them all now, and it is not so hard as due, or as thou thinkst for, either: for I learn this lesson to all my poor indebted schol­lers, yea, every one, and I tell thee man for thy comfort, when I have learnd them this lesson, I do give them back their estates again, with interest twenty in the hundred, and so I do their parts with the same advantage: but, O Christ, wilt thou do so by mee? if I give thee my whole e­state, gifts, and parts.

Friend, I alwayes do so, trust me, try mee, prove mee. O Christ, I will, I will: well friend, let me tell thee, as I am Christ, thou shalt never lose by it: but shalt have the light of life, and glory to the bargain.

O, but what doe ye meane by Christs slow knocks: I mean, all the good purposes he puts in your soules: as to read a chapter, go to prayers in the sence of his goodnesse, to hear a sermon, to lead a new life, to serve God better; and there­fore friends, as you vallue Christs company, or your own souls, looke to these knocks of good purposes, by Christs knocking in your hearts.

Many soules are damnd in the yeare for neg­lecting these purposes, O saith one, I was going for to open, but I think, I was bewitched by my old companions, and I too, saith another, but [Page 86]there came some to buy commodities, and kept mee in my shop; and I too saith another: but my friends began to jear, and said, I would not now turn fool, would I, to open unto Christ, all the world would but laugh at me, to minde him so soon before the worlds profits, pleasures, which every one almost feekes first of all: and then Christ, when they die; which was one M^r. Carefulls speech to his son Worldling many yeare agoe: which I thinke all his sons did very much mind, and ever since have practised: but Zacheus a convert by Christs knocking at his heart, and inviting of himself to dinner.

But thirdly, what do you mean by Christs slow knocks, evening meditations telling thee of death, and eternity, the vanity of the world, the empti­nesse of the creature, the necessity of himself.

O saith Christ, the world is vain by knocking at the soule, Solomon hath found it so, and all the sons of wisedome too. One said it would not satisfie the soule of any man, no more then mitigate the paines of the body: another said, it was changeable like the Moon, and weather: sometimes in Eclins, sometimes clear again, not a moneth constant all the yeare about: but al­tering mens conditions, who live below the Sun: sometimes into sear, sometimes into care, sel­dome out of trouble all the yeare about, which are so strong in many, that they can scarcely [Page 87]sleep either day or night, and still after the world, which changes like the Moone,

O happy were it for these soules, if Christ would knock, or tell them, they are dead and buried in cares of the world, and so raise them up to live in himself, and minde the other death and eternity beyond.

O death and eternity, who mindes yee, and yet thou kilst and hourds up all yea all, high, low, rich, poore, young, and old, in thy two gar­ners of hell and heaven, but the Saints onely there, which Christ fetcheth in by his serious knocks.

Fourthly, I mean by Christs slow knocks his night knocks of affliction, such as straits, wants, sicknesse, reproach, and disgrace; O friends, Christ knocks at the door of your hearts by all these; blessed, and for ever blessed is such a soule, that heares Christ by these kinde of knocks.

But what doe you meane by Christs sweet knocks? I meane by Christs sweet knocks, his telling thee of thy Fathers love, the strength and length of this love, with thy interest in it; O saith Christ, my Father so loves thee, that he thinks nothing too dear for thee; God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son; yea, and more he could not give, for in him he gives himself, and all we have, and all we need; [Page 88]and therefore saith the Apostle, Seeing he hath given us his Sonne, how shall be not with him give us all things, life, pardon, heaven, happi­nesse, and salvation; and therefore Christ is called, The Guift of God, John 7. Hadst thou known the Guift of God, saith Christ to the wo­man of Samaria; and indeed to this Guift all is nothing; If a Prince should give his favour, what was that to Christ? If he should give thee houses, mannours, lordships, what was that to Christ? If he should give thee crownes and kingdomes, what was that to Christ? honours, mannours, lordships, crownes, and kingdomes, are but nothing unto Christ, the Gift of God to a poore sinner: well might Paul say, O the height, depth, and breadth of this love, which he acquaints the soule with, by his sweet knocks, and of his interest in it too.

O saith Christ to the sinner, It is firmely set upon thee, and cannot be removed, mountaines may be moved, but my Fathers love cannot; though the mountaines should be removed, yet my loving kindnesse will I not remove. Men cannot, Devils cannot move it, sinne cannot move it; If my Children forsake my Law, yet my loving kindnesse will I not take away, saith God by David, Mark, my loving kindnesse will I not take away; I will onely visit them with a rod: O saith Christ, once beloved and [Page 89]ever; men may love and hate, but God cannot, he is unchangeable, Mal. 3. and so is his love too; his love is grounded in his Son, and spread in all relations to shew the greatnesse of it; the Friend loves as a freind, the Bridegroome as the Husband, the Father as the Parent, but Gods love is all at once; yea all, and more then all, ten thousand times over, and over againe to that. And therefore saith the Apostle, Behold what manner of love is this, how great? how sweet? how deare? how neare is this Father, Friend, and Husbands love? As a Bride­groom rejoyces over his Bride, so will I rejoyce over my People to doe them good, saith the Lord, by his Prophet Isaiah

Well Friend, Christ acquaints the soul of this love by his sweet knocks, which even melts it, like the Suggar in the Wine.

But secondly, I meane by Christs sweet knocks, his acquainting thee of the Fathers glo­ry, thy interest in this glory; Gods glory make the heavens heaven, and fils the heavens too, and makes them heavens indeed to Saints and Angels, and all that doe dwell there.

Paul had once a glimps of this glory, and it was unutterable; Moses with the very con­ceit of it, forsook Pharohs court, and chose ra­ther to be afflicted with the People of God, then to live in his court, and glory, and be the [Page 90]Sonne in law to that great King of Egypt. Paul having once a glimple of it, desires to dye, and be dissolved, that he might enjoy it: David cries out, saying, It is wonderfull, yea, it fils Heaven and Earth, saith he, in his Psalms. And so it shall thy soul too, saith Christ, by his sweet knocks at the heart; O saith Christ, I will fill thee with this glory, and wrap thee in this glory, and cloth thee head and foot, and thou shalt be like Solomon, yea, like Angels, clothed with splendor from the God of glory. And now, what thinkst thou of it sinner, if thou shouldst see a lovely Princes arayed and clothed in gol­den Tissue, lac'd and trimm'd with Jewels, it were a gallant sight; but O alasse, ten thou­sand of these were all but nothing to set off thy glory, O arayed Saint, by God and Christ in righteousnesse. But when shall I have this glory? saith the sinner, quickly, quickly: Behold I come quickly, Rev. 22.20. and will then give it thee, and all that long for my appearance, as Paul saith of his Crowne, which he tels you, is laid up for him, and all that loves Christs ap­pearance.

But thirdly, I meane by Christs sweet knocks, Christ telling thee of his Fathers coun­sell and purpose, and of thy being wrapt up in this counsell and purpose of God, like time be­tween eternities; O friend, saith Christ, my [Page 91]Father loved thee from all eternity, and chose thee to him, from all eternity, a vessell for his own Glory, Name, and Fame, that thou mights shew in ages to come, the exceeding riches of his grace, Ephes. 4.5.6.

O this must needs be sweet indeed, for Christ to tell thee of a love before time, and a love out lasting time; yea, all time and ages.

O when a sinner fits poring of this love, in respect of person, God the lover, in respect of time, before all worlds; then saith he, O Lord God, what is man that thou art so mindfull of him? and what am I, but lesse then the least of all thy mercies, as Iacob once said, which was of old towards me? And why me, O Lord God, a poore gentile sinner, a runnagado sinner, who had neither house, nor home, nor grace, nor vertue, but hell, and sinne, and cursed na­ture, and yet thou lovest me more then all, and chose me out of all my neighbours, kindred, house, and family, wherein were many sweet, and many courteous, many wise, and many knowing, but none but I chosen, the youngest of them all, the poorest of them all, the sinfullest of them all, yet I obtained mercy for his purpose sake.

O saith the sinner, me thinks I even see how God rould me in his thoughts, and all the sonnes of men too; saying, this shall be a vessell, and [Page 92]this shall be a vessell, and this shall be another, but these I will not use, throwing millions by, which were as like as any, if he had pleased to use them to set his mercy off; but he re­fused both mighty ones, and many, and chose a little remnant, of which my soule was one, to set his love upon, which hath no height, nor depth, but over-spreadeth all, and leaves no roome, to think the ground, or reasons of it, but onely free-grace, which makes the soule still wonder, and leaves him at a lost, why he should be the man to be exalted so, above his fellow creatures, which are alike unto himselfe, but for free graces sake, which onely lookt on him, and made him what he is, which makes him stud and still to say, it is God alone doth all, according to his purpose.

But secondly, I meane by Christs sweet knocks, his acquainting thee with himselfe.

First, In respect of his love, which thou art by nature more ignorant of, then ever Iosephs Brethren were of him, who eate and drunke with him, but knew him not to be their Bro­ther, till teares and bowels said, it was he whom they unkindly sold.

The sinner doth the like, full many a time by Christ, when he comes to the heart, and tels them of his dreames, as Ioseph did his Bre­thren, how they must bow to him, and eke sub­mit [Page 93]their soules unto his yoaks of love, his sweet and just commands; which thing they cannot away with, but huncht him for his newes, by greiving of his Spirit, but Christ now makes a famine by wants, and straights, and knocks, and brings them down by need, to save their hungry soules, which now doe see the need of Christ, his love and righteous­nesse, which he cannot hide from them; but by his sweet knocks, acquaints them with his love himselfe, like Ioseph with his bowels.

And in respect of his love, which was and is, beyond all loves; Greater love, saith Christ to the sinner, hath no man then this, to lay downe his life for his friend, but mine is greater. O unkind sinner, an enemy to me, who loved thee in thy blood, and loved thee in thy sinne, and hid thee from displeasure, which thou once laidst liable too, till I in love did free thee; but this thou little mindest, nor all my loves for many yeares together, in hunger, cold, and wants, in life, in death, still for thy sake.

And thus Christ acquaints the soule with his love, by his sweet knocks, and wider opens the sinners bowels, then ever Joseph did his Brethren.

But secondly, I meane by Christs sweet knocks, his acquainting the soule with his [Page 94]lovelinesse, as well as of his love, which wash­ed us from our sinnes in his blood, Revel. 1. v. 5.

O saith Christ, sweetly knocking at the sin­ners doore, in a woing way, Sinner, sinner, behold me, behold me, my locks are wet with the dew of the night, Cant. 5.1, How long shall I knock and stand? for pitty let me in, I am the rose of Sharon, the sweetest of ten thousand, the Lilly of the vallies, the fairest of ten thou­sand; How canst thou chose but love me, sin­ner? Behold me, behold me, with the Crowne that my Father crowned me, Proverbs.

And now for my own sake sinner, with my crowne and glory let me in; I am the fairest, I am the sweetest that ever will come woing to thee; how canst thou thus deny me, O thou hard hearted sinner, that ever I met with, to stand me out so long, who am the rose, the lilly, and starre of heaven too, which twin­kles day and night, and darkens Sun and Moone, which cannot come neere unto me, I am so farre, excelling for beauty, light and luster, and yet still undervalued by thee, O proud and scorning sinner; But yet behold me once a­gaine, and if thou canst deny me, I will never try thee more, nor shall my spirits strive with thee, when as it is in vain; and thus Christ acquaints the sinner of his lovelines, by his sweet knocks.

But thirdly, Christ acquaintes the sinner with his union, O saith Christ, I am Adam too, yea flesh of thy flesh, and bone of thy bone, thy brother, sister, husband, friend, and father. Matth. 12.48, 49. Wilt thou deny all these relations, and fall below nature, then farewell sinner, but I am still the same, and cannot yet deny my self in no respect to thee: O strange, unkind, and forget­full sinner, of me thy husband, head, and vine in whom thou livest, as in thy root, when once thou knowest these sweet relations, which are more strong then death, and sweeter too then sugred wines, the honey, or the honey-comb, yea, and the rose of Sharon, the sweetest in the world.

But what my union is for sweetnesse, it is for time and length, and this I would acquaint thee, O foolish, simple sinner.

And if thou didst but minde mee in this, how I am one with thee in all conditions, and so will be to all eternity, thy head, and husband, vine and glory.

But fourthly, I mean by Christs sweet knocks, his acquainting thee of thy union with him, as well as his with thee, by which Christ saith to the sinner, thou art righteous in my righteous­nesse, and comely in my comlinesse, and so farre, faire, yea, altogether lovely, there is no spot, nor wrinkle in thee now, none that I can see, or my father either. Who shall lay any thing to [Page 96]the charge of thee my love, my dove, my undefi­led one: it is God that justifieth. Rom. 8.33.5. and I that died, who dares to question thee, my sister, my Spouse, my love, my dove, my undefiled one. Cant. 1.2, 3. If men doe it, it is no mat­ter: if sinne do it, it is no matter: if Angels do it, it is no matter: what if sin, Satan, men, and devils, Saints, and Angels, all accuse thee, and thy self too, seeing I am he that justifieth, all can doe thee no hurt, and therefore be not thou abasht, for I will bear thee out against all. Sin, death, men, and devils, if thou wilt stick to me, by beleeving in me: but if thou dost not, tossed thou wilt be, and tumbled, foyld thou wilt be, and spoild of all thy hopes, and comforts, joy, rest, and peace, which lyeth in my union with thee, and thine with mee.

And therefore now stick to me, for I will un­to thee, lets see, who dares condemne, for I am he that justifieth, in spite of men, and divels, all that comes to me, and beleeveth in me, and will do so still, while my name is Christ.

Fiftly, I know it is Christ, by the place, he knocks at the doore, which is the heart of the sinner. Well, what of that, first it is the most secret and retired part of man: a place indeed which none can speak to, but Christ, I have had ere now many speak to my eare, but never any but Christ could speak to my heart: many would [Page 97]speak to my eare, but that I little regarded; now Christ speaks to my heart, and this I can­not but weigh.

Light things were spoken to my eare. O but Christ speaks serious things to my heart, things concerning Gods glory, things concerning my soule; yea, the everlasting welfare of it. O this hearts speaking must be weighed, O this hearts speaking must be considered: it is as much as my life is worth; yea, it is as much as my soule is worth.

I have heretofore heard talke of Christ, I have heretofore read of Christ, I have heretofore dispu­ted of Christ; O but I never till now, knew what it was indeed to hear Christ, or speak with Christ, or converse with Christ either, nor thousands in the world as well as I, that would be thought good christians, and do passe for good christians by many.

O but now, to my comfort, I taste him, now I see him, now I feele him, now I enjoy him, and from this tasting, seeing, feeling, and enjoy­ing, my soule is ravished, my heart is warmed, I am now filled with marrow and fatnesse. Psalm.

Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better then wine. Cant. 11. v. 1. Yea, then life it selfe, so saith David. I will now sing of my beloved, he is the lilly among the valleys. Cant. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. Hee is the rose of [Page 98]Sharon, he is white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousand. Cant. 5.10. The chiefest of ten thou­sand, the sweetnest of ten thousand; for beauty, love, and sweetnesse, there is none that can come neere him.

They are mad that minde him not, they are mad that know him not, they are mad that seek him not; did men know as I do, did men see as I do, and enjoy as I doe; they would say as I say, they would sing as I sing.

Thou, O Christ, art beautifull, thou, O Christ, art sweet, thou, O Christ, art lovely; yea, alto­gether lovely; thou, O Christ, art all, yea, stil I say, thou art all: all for beauty, all for pleasure, all for profit, all for sweetnesse, pure divine sweetnesse, yea, they would cry out, thou art all, thou art all, thou art all, O Christ.

At all times, in all places, and conditions, all in wants, all in straights, all in peace and plenty, all in bondage, all in fredome, all in health, all in sicknesse, making health by thy presence.

O Christ, I say no more, but thou art all in life, and he that hath thee shall never die. John 4.10. & John 11.26.27. but shall live for ever with thee, and therefore thou art all, O Christ, all in life, all in death, and eternity too. 3. Col. v. 11.

THIS Revelation was showne to John, the bosome Disciple of Christ. Whence observe, that divine, glorious, and spirituall revelations are to singular men; to an Abraham will God discourse, even as a friend, God must acquaint Abraham with his intention, concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, before he can doe any thing; How shall I doe this thing, or hide it from Abraham? saith God; O the secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that feare him; often did God ap­peare to Moses, and once he caused his glory to passe before him, and proclaimed his name unto him, I am the Lord, the Lord gratious and mercifull, pardoning iniquities, transgres­sions and sinnes, Exod. 33.18.19.20. Jacob wrestels with God, and sees Christ in both his natures, in a dream of a lader reaching from earth to heaven. The Angel Gabriel was sent to Daniel, to comfort him and strengthen him; and at ano­ther time he appeared, saying, Daniel, singularly [Page 100] Beloved, I am come to comfort thee, to strengthen thee, peace be to thee, be strong, be strong, and I will shew thee that, that is revealed in the Scripture of truth; Christs Kingdome the glory and dominion of it, Antichrists kingdome with the [...] of it, and all the Mo­narchies besides, small and great, standing be­fore Christ, giving an account to Christ. Christ was so revealed to Isaiah that foretold all, al­most he die, or suffered; his riding to Jeru­salem, and the manner of it; Mary Magda­len shall conceive of Christ, by the power of the most high, over shadowing her, and in her armes shall carry him that made the world, her God and Saviour, from place to place. Paul was strook to the ground by Christ, after taken up into the heavens, with seeing such things that was unutterable: So John sees here the Throne of God, the Glory of God, the River of Life, the Tree of Life.

Secondly, All glorious discoveries are of Christ, and the Spirit; He shewed me the River of life; yea, all my revelations: as chap. 1. v. 1. and therefore it is called, The revelations which God gave by Iesus Christ, to shew unto his Servants; of which it is said, Blessed is he that readeth, and he that heareth.

But I come to the words, and will open them, or at least will hint something from them, [Page 101]according to my weake, and glimmering light.

And first, We have the rise of this River, and that is the Throne of God and of the Lambe, which I conceive to be his own ever­lasting glory, in which he dwels and lives; or otherwise, the glorious union of the divine na­ture, which sets up one another, as a Throne, a Prince; the Father sets up the Sonne, the Sonne reveales the Father, the Spirit sets up, and is sent forth by both, which is the River.

Secondly, For the nature of this River, It is pure, He shewed me a pure river of water: so saith David, With thee is the well of life so pure; this River is pure, pure indeed.

First, In its nature and rise, it proceeded from the pure fountaine of Gods Glory, or the Throne of God and the Lambe; and so it is pure for nature.

Secondly, It is pure for operation, it puri­fieth where it runneth, and so it is like the re­finers fire, and fullers sope, purifying the sonnes of Levi, which is by washing them in the blood of Christ, and leading them in, and by the com­mands of Christ.

Thirdly, It is cleare, yea, so cleare, as it can­not be compared to any thing but the Chrystall: O the Chrystall stone, it is the clearest of all [Page 102]stones, Diamonds are darke and cloudy many, but the Christall stone, it is the clearest of all; you may see through, and through it; so cleare is this River, you may see through and through all eternities by it; from eternity to eternity, and mystery to mystery; Christ in earth, Christ in glory, Christ in flesh, Christ in spirit, and all cleare; We with open face, behold the glory of God, as in a glasse, and are changed from glory to glory, but by the spirit of the Lord, the River from the Throne.

Fourthly, He shewed me a pure river of life; I, that is the well of life, saith David, 36.8 Here is the excellency of this river, it is a living river, and a life-giving river: so saith Christ, He that shall drinke of this water that I shall give him, meaning this river, shall never thirst againe, but shall have a living satisfaction in it, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living wa­ter. O the worth of this living river, this life-giving river, endlesse life and glory; Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God; so may I say of thee, O River of God, whose streames refresh the City of God, Psal. 46.4. Well, I know yee perceive by this, what this river, this living river, so pure and cleare as Christall, flowing from the Throne of God, and the Lambe, as proceeding from both, sent forth by both, to water the Paradice of God, [Page 103]yea, every plant and tree, especially those that want most.

Well, are you satisfied what this river means, that John tells you is so pure, so clear; I beleeve you are: but take this Scripture too however, John 7. v. 37. in the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood up, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drinke, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, and this spake he of the Spirit which they should receive, beleeving in him. Hearken O heavens, heare O earth, give eare O ye inhabitants of the world.

O what a proclamation is here for you, from a sweet and bountifull Christ, to a poore and thirsty sinner, what the river of life to any one, high, low, rich, poor, yong, old, bond, free; yea, any one that will come by beleeving. O free, O bountifull Christ, inviting sinners to a river, yea, a living river to drinke their fils; and yet a drop is more worth then ten thousand rivers of oyle; yea, the oyle of spices, yea, the sweetest spices. O christian friend, here is the well of life indeed, here is the fountaine of life indeed, here is the river of pleasure, I, and the sweetest pleasure too lies in this streame: for it is the river of life endlesse, endlesse life, and glory.

And heare now, O ye sons of men, how loud­ly Christ calls poore sinners to come to this Chrystall river; in the Scriptures before, John [Page 104]saith, Christ stood up in the midst of the feast upon the great day, where multitudes were ga­thered, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me; and drink. O sweet Saviour of sinners, how doest thou scatter life and pardon to all? by standing up, and proclaiming loudly, a river of life to all: thoughts of graces, and bounty are free, so saith Davids Psalm, Free indeed, when unto all; and see the like proclamation Revel. 22. v. 17. the [...] of God, and Christ, the heavenly Jeru­salem, the misery of soules being spoken of by John, that are shut out of this glory.

A proclamation is again made, supposing up­on the former considerations, carelesse sinners will mind their eternall happinesse, being con­cerned [...].

Well, the Spirit, and the Bride saith, come, and let him [...] beareth say, come, and who­soever is a thirst, let him come, and take the wa­ter of life freely, freely. O friends, mee thinks, this proclamation cries room, room, expecting (as it were) the whole world would now fol­low Christ for this water of life, the river of life, and yet where is the man that stirres: if a Prince should ride a circuit with an Herald, and make a proclamation of lands, and livings, to all that would accept them: How, O how then would all men run and tumble.

O friends, Christ proclaimes both lands and livings, jewels, crowns, and kingdomes; nay, more, ten thousand times more: a river of life, and glory, and men will scarcely stirre: arise, arise sots, and heare, if you be not deaf, and can­not. O the Spirit invites, and bids you come too, the eternall Spirit of God, one with God, the third person in the Trinity of God; shall this eternall Spirit of God, one with God, comming down from God, inviting you in the name of God, and for your own soules sake, to accept of this river of God, sent forth by God, for the glory of God, shall this invitation he slighted.

O, must not this be a high contempt of God, and a great afront to the Spirit of God, sent to thee by God, so to be slighted? O thou slighting, carelesse, foolish sinner.

Sinner, this contempt of the Spirits invita­tion, may cost thee thy soule: thy soule, I say, thy everliving soule, if thou dost not quickly minde it.

Secondly, the Bride bids you come, the Lambs wife, the Spouse of Christ, united to Christ, being married with Christ, by the Spirit of Christ, in faith, divine love, and sweet obe­dience to Christ. O she hath drunk of this river, well may she say, come all that will come, come, she knowes by experience, this to be the river of life and pleasure, and therefore she saith come [Page 106]away, come away, or else you die, you die; and now, O every one that will come, come; Christ loudly calls you, and the Spirit still invites you, and the Bride would faine perswade you, from her own experience that she hath of this river, why will you not then come away, and take the water of life, you may have it if you will, now take it freely: so saith, the Bride and the Spirit.

And now friends, ye see what this river is, how freely you may have it: yea, you, I meane, the worst of sinners: come away then, come away, and drinke abundantly; come, I say, for the name of God, come and drink.

For the name of God, what is that?

His goodnesse, and his kindnesse, his unchange­able goodnesse, his transcendent goodnesse, his infinite goodnesse, O for this his goodnesse sake come and drink; for the name of Christ, come and drinke.

For the name of Christ, what is that?

His love, his love, his bleeding love, his dying love, his living love, his eternall love. O for Christ, & his loves sake, sinners, come away, for the name, and sake of the Spirit, come and drink.

The name of the Spirit, what is that?

His freeing name, his sealing name, his comfor­ting, & sweet name, his leading name, his pleading name sake, come away, O sinner, in the name of [Page 107]God, and for the sake of God, Christ, and the Spirit, come and drinke. O sinner, I should invite thee too for thine own soules sake: but what is that to God, Christ, and the Spirits sake: but stay, me thinks I heare one say, what is it to drinke of this river of life. First, it is to delight your selves in it; yea, drinke for delight as well as for thirst.

O then, ye sonnes of men, why will ye not come hither, that your soules might be delighted with draughts of living water.

Secondly, yea, drinke to quench your thirst, O come, and quench your thirst in this pleasant river; yea, quench all kinds of thirst in your soules: your thirsts for profits, pleasures, and contents, come quench them here, for here you may, and no where else: men who have runne to creatures to quench their thirsty soules, have found them all a lie, and so will you too, who run, and call for creature waters, to quench their feverish soules.

Thirdly, ye drink to coole your selves, come hither, drinke, drinke, and then ye shall lay all your heates, your worldly heates, your lustfull heates, your sinfull heats.

O thou laborious Worldling, thy bottle will be empty, what shall thy soul then do, when death, like night comes on thee, I say, what will you doe. O me thinks, I heare thee even crying out, [Page 108]drink, drink, or else I die, I die.

Why doe you not give me drink, but let me thus lye burning, and dying too, for thirst of that which once was freely offered to mee, but now cannot be bought with prayers, teares, nor cryes, nor all my worldly riches, which I once overvalued, and thirsted after, more then God, Christ, or heaven; have you never heard dying worldlings thus complain? surely you have: why doe you not that are alive, and living come then unto this river, and drink of this same wa­ter; and thee I would too, who art heated with lust, with burning lust of uncleannesse, pride, passion, and such like fiery distempers burning in thy soul as if hell fire was already kindled in thee.

O friends, those lusts which lye so secret smothering in thy soule, will one day breake forth into dreadfull flames, burning round a­bout thee. Have you never seen a dying sinner dispairing of mercy, lie in the midst of these flames burning, and dispairing, and no friend able to bring him any comfort, no not in the least.

Againe, ye drink for comfort, to comfort your hearts: but poore hearts, know this, there is no true comfort but in God, Christ, and the river, and unlesse you come to this river of plea­sure, this soul-comforting water of life, ye shall [Page 109]live comfortlesse, ye shall die comfortlesse, and be damnd for want of it.

God hath decreed, true comfort shall be no where, but in himself, his Son, and river. John 15.26. ye know, Christ promised his Disciples a comforter, and what was that Comforter, I pray, but the Spirit, and the river mentioned.

O me thinks, I might perswade you to this river, a drop, a drop of it will sweeten any con­dition; art thou poore, sick, weak, what aylest thou man, take a drop, take a drop of this river, I will warrant you comfort? but here I would invite, and not discourage, for a world, such poor Christians, that are heated with tempta­tions, and corruptions, that they goe mourning and sighing by reason hereof, and Satans temp­tations filling them with feares and doubts, that they cry out like David, O, I shall one day perish by corruption and temptation, such a corruption sayes one, and such a corruption sayes another, me thinks they grow stronger and stronger, and I feare at last will be my ruine.

O my friend, let me tell thee two things, and doe thou remember them.

First, no soule is damnd for the presence of sin, but for the love of sin; marke me, I say, it is not the presence of sin, but the love of sin, that damns.

My second word is this to thee, O com­plaining [Page 110]sinner; sinne flutters most, when it hath its deaths wound, as soon as Christs comes into our hearts, he wounds sinne to the heart, as I may so say, by giving a sight of it, a dislike and hatred to it.

Well, thus Christ wounds sinne, and it may be now, sinne like some fowle, whose necke is broken, beats the wing, and flutters, as if it were, alive; well, so doth sinne, whose neck Christ hath broken in the soule, beates the wing and fluters, keepes more sputter now then ever.

Well friend, remember these sputterings are the death pangs of sinne, I, the death pangs; and be but patient, thou shalt plainly see them to be no otherwise, and therefore doe not fill thy heart with feares of ruine, for it shall never be, for thou like David shalt overcome Saul thine enemy; I meane corruption; but in the meane time come away to the river, drinke, drinke, and it will strengthen thee and coole thee.

O but now me thinks I heare some soule say, I would drinke with all my heart, but I am an unworthy, poore sinner. O friend, the more poore, the more worthy to Christ; art thou poore, then goe to Christs doore, he feeds the poore, but the rich he sends empty away.

Againe, Thou art unworthy; What dost thou meane by unworthy? Thou seest no rea­son [Page 111]why Christ should give thee the water of life, nor the Spirit; I beleeve thou dost not; I verily beleeve thou art unworty in thy self, and cannot see any reason, why Christ should give thee the water of life.

But, Friend, know, there is a worthynesse in Christ, and so thou mayst be worthy, or any poore sinner, who layes hold on Christs worthynesse, and so goes to the Father in the worthynesse of the Son, for the water of life, and the river.

But to be plaine with thee, thou art indeed a proud sinner, thou art proud, I say, and art ashamed to have this water of life on Christs owne termes freely, but wouldst faine buy the river, by a worthynesse in thy selfe; O let me see thee, let me see thy face, ô covetous man.

What wouldst thou buy Christs purchase o­ver his head? that is the plaine english of it, get thee gone, O proud sinner, and come againe beggar-like, with a Bottle and a Dish, that is, a a poore, empty and unworthy soule; this is the way man, if thou meanst to speed; for tru­ly I think, for a sinner to bring any thing of his own worthynesse to God and Christ, is as great a sinne, as thou canst commit, this is an affronting sinne, it affronts God and Christ, as if they were sellers of the water of life, which they can as freely give to a thirsty soule, as raine to the thirsty ground.

What cost, or charge, or labour, is it for God, to raine downe showers, to water the earth, when it lyes gaping for it? I say, it is no charge, or labour to God, who hath his clouds and bottles full; and a word from God, and they straight shower down, and doe not give over till they have satisfied the dry ground; so truly can, and will God, raine down this wa­ter of life, to a poore and thirsty soule gaping for it; When the poore and needy cry for wa­ter, and there is none, I the Lord will heare, Isaiah 41.

But againe, I say as at first, this is an affront to God and Christ, to bring any thing for a paile, yea, a soule full of the water of life, it is the high-way to overturne his free grace, which God will have exalted above the heavens, and that it might be known in the earth; he freely sent, yea gave, his Sonne, unsought uncravd and will he sell the river, thinke you, that is purchased by his Sonne? doe not thinke so, it overturnes the glory of his free grace, freely offered unto all, that freely will accept it; and this was Gods designe, to make his glory known unto the sons of men, which they have little minded; I say, the designe of God from all eternity, was to set up his name, his free grace, in giving Christ the bread of life, and the Spirit the water of life, freely to the sonnes of men, [Page 113] Iohn 6.48.32.33: and 48.9.10. Iohn 4.20.21. Iohn 7.37.

O, God delights to make all his attributes known, his Justice, Power, Wisdome. But the glory of his grace, freely giving Christ and the Spirit.

This is that which especially, he would have exalted in the world, and the sonnes of men admire him in God would be admired for his bounty, to give so like himselfe a Christ, a River of life freely; I say, God thinks not much to give all this, for the magnifying of his free grace, that his bounty and himselfe might be admired, and we the sonnes of men, cry out and say, who, who is a God like unto thee? that pardons iniquity by forgiving iniquity, transgression and sinne, giving life, Christ, and the Spirit freely. Now I say, this was Gods designe Before all worlds, and for this designes sake, even the glory of his grace, Iohn 3. v. 16. he gives his Sonne and Spirit freely.

Now when a Soul will not come to God, nor accept of God, his Sonne, the Spirit freely, but would bring some kind of worthy­nesse for his Sonne, and river: thou over­turnest this grace, shearly overturnest it; O what a fearfull thing is this to buy Christs river, I tell thee, thou buying Christian, [Page 114]Christ will not sell one drop for Iewels, Gold, nor Silver, for he bought to give, and thou talkst of buying by so much repentance, tears, and I know not what.

O but now me thinks, I heare some poore soule say, I see no worthynesse in my selfe, nei­ther looke I after a worthynesse, or expect to have a drop of the river of life, for any wor­thynesse of my owne; I loath my selfe, and condemne my selfe, for I finde my selfe wholly carnall, fold under sinne, and in the selfe con­demning way, have I like a Beggar waited at Christs doore, for the bread and water of life, praying and craving Christ for it, night and day; but I am still unserved, and yet I see thousands served, who have not waited half so long as I.

Well friend, Beggers must be so served, that they may learne how to wait; if you give a Beggar, he like a Fidler, straight is gone, and many have served Christ so; sometimes for a creature comfort, for a supply of helpe in time of need, for a wife, for a childe, sometimes gi­ven by Christ, sometimes spared by Christ, from death in sicknesse, which as soon as Christ hath given them, they straight runne away, and scarce say, I thank you Christ, but runne straight away, till they know not what to doe for another such like Almes, and Friend: [Page 115]many serve Christ so, for the river of life.

O, they would faine have the water of life, and are night and day at Christs doore, by prayers, sermons, &c. When Christ hath once served them with a prettie deale of assurance a­bout the river, and their soules, these beggars straight are gone away into the worlds cares, and pleasures, where Christ heares no more of them for the river, nor nothing else a long time after: but this Christ takes very unkindly from them, that they should, as soon as ever their own turn is served by Christ, come no more at Christ, till some great necessitie even drives them: and it may be Christ sees thee, that thou wouldst serve him so too, and there­fore makes thee wait a little: a little do you call it, when I have waited whilst many have been served, and some that I know very well; but I am still unserved.

Wel friend, do not be angry, if Christ makes the last first, & the first last, by this they all learn to wait Christs leasure, which is a lesson, he wil teach his poore, who beg for the bread of life, the river of life: and such things I say he will learne them all; I, all to wait his leasure, first or last.

But stay my friend, it may be thou art served already, I have seen beggars well served, and yet begging presently after, as if they were [Page 116]starved, it may be thou doest do so about the river, let me ask thee one question, and answer me truely: have you never had no bread, nor water from Christ at no time?

Yes, I must confesse the truth, and will, seeing you put me to it; I was one time very earnestly begging in my closet all alone, by prayer, and then Christ indeed, gave me a good draught of the water of life, the bread of life, I mean the Spirit, which satisfied me for two or three dayes, and made my heart very lightsom, and chearfull; And I will tell you of another time, when I was at a sermon where I got a sup and a bit too: for he was spea­king how freely Christ did give poore sin­ners the river of life, the well of life, the Spirit inviting thirsty sinners; crying, come, come to me ye weary sinners, ye thirsty sinners, and so forth, and then he was speaking of that of Mat. 5. v. 3, 4. Blessed are they that thirst for Christ, and mourne for sinne: which my soul then did, and truely, this proved a great deal of comfort to mee.

But I remember many a time besides this, I have had much comfort by the word: when mi­nisters have clearly opened the Gospel-promi­ses: but sometimes; yea, many times, I hear such sweet Gospel-texts, and precious things held from them, which hath filled me, even as with [Page 117]marrow, and fatnesse, and I haue even thought with my selfe, all these comforts held forth by them, belong to mee.

But as soone, as hee had held forth his com­forts, now saith he, I will give you some markes, and signes, how a poore soule may know this belongs to him.

I remember, I gave great attention to him, but before he had done with his marks, and signes; I had lost my comfort againe, by thin­king, none of it, belongs to me: for I had not so repented me of my sins, as he shewed me.

True repentance there to be, which he said, was a turning from all sinne to Christ, and a forsaking of all my sinne for Christ, and a sor­row for all my sinnes, by which I had disho­noured Christ: This one mark, he did so abun­dantly branch out, that before hee had done with this one mark and signe of that sinner, to whom this comfort belongs, I had lost my comfort. I am sure: but he went to twenty more marks and signes, I think, and at last said, if these marks and fignes be in you, then these comforts belong unto you: but if they be not, then you deceive your selves: but in the con­clusion, he said indeed, if wee would repent, and wash away our sinnes by that, like David, forsake all our sinnes, and bring our whole hearts to Christ, and denie the world, the [Page 118]pleasures, and profits of the world, and abun­dance more which I cannot now stand to name; but all this I am sure, he bad me, and others to do, before we did presume to lay hold of any comfort, so that whereas I was in hopes of being comforted, I was not; but rather cast down: but at some other time Christ ser­ved me freely with comfort from his word, for which I blesse his name, and thus I have told you, what comfort Christ hath gi­ven me ere now.

But yet, I will tell you of one or two wayes more, by which Christ uses to come, and serve mee with comfort, giving the water of life to mee.

One way in Christian meetings, commonly called, conventicles heretofore: but I have in these meetings, found much of Christ, and com­fort to my poore soule: at our last meeting, I think, there was some twenty of us, all met in a friends house, purposely to discourse of Christ, and wait on Christ, expecting all comfort from Christ, and whilst we were speaking, and di­scoursing of Christ in that place, I think verily, we were every one refreshed, onely by telling how Christ useth to serve us, sometimes pre­sently, and sometimes not at all: but seemed to be angry with us, for asking some carnall things; so at last, wee found many things [Page 119]Christ would never grant to any of us, but ra­ther seemed to frown upon us, for asking some things which we had all been a craving of him: so at that time we considered, what might be got by begging, and parted; but this I do re­member, a scoffing Ishmael called it a tub preaching.

And one time, which I shall never forget, I was walking all alone by Christs doore, in a way of meditation of his bounty, love, and franknesse to such poore fellowes as I, and while I was walking, thinking nothing, God knows: Christ stept out, and puld me in, set me down, and himself by me, and supt with me; we had whole flagons of wine then, of which I drank very freely, and I dare say, I shall ne­ver forget this bout. So the next day, I told half a dozen Christians, waiting at Christs door in a sermon, how I had sped the day before, they bade me, thank God, saying, they had never such good fortune, nor such discoveries of Christs love.

Friend, friend, I rejoyce to heare these sweet relations of your experience: but let me tell you, I am ashamed, and so may you well be; but however, I am, to think how you com­plaind, nay, murmured but now, and said, Christ had never served you of the water of life, but you had waited so long, and so long, and I [Page 120]cannot tell how long you made me beleeve, & how Christ had served thousands, and not you.

Friend, I am ashamed to thinke, how you have abused Christ, by your false complaints of Christ; surely it is a great sinne in you, I pray, doe so no more.

But now mee thinks I heare one say, but I am a poore thirsty soule, I doe not know when in prayer, sermon, christian conference, either I was so refreshed, and therefore what would you have me doe, who am even scorcht with heat and thirst, I thirst for Christ, and would rather have him, then the world a thou­sand times, if I know my own heart.

What would you have me doe, dost thou say? Let me tell thee, first, how well I like this complaint of thine; Surely by this com­plaint of thine, and the high prising of this ri­ver, it doth argue his streames, strongly running in thy soule.

Yea, let me tell thee my thoughts; This I doe beleeve, tis from the presence of Christ and the Spirit in the soule, that any soule living, is drawne forth to desire Christ, or the Spirit; you know the naturall man, desires not the things of God, but is dead to every good worke, or desire, and sure cannot indeed desire any thing in a spirituall way, before God workes it in his soule. Now friend, if God, [Page 121]or Christ hath wrought a strong desire after the well of life, the river of life, the spirit; let me tell thee, I verily beleeve he hath given it thee already; for this desire in thy soule, is to me a strong evidence of it.

I, for my part, doe firmly conclude, when I heare any soule complaine for want of Christ, and the Spirit, saying, of Christ and the Spirit, his soule had rather have Christ and the Spirit, then all the pleasures, profits of the world, I say, I doe conclude this to be the work of God in the soule.

This is true, a naturall man may have a heart quame, and a heart wish to die the death of the righteous, as wicked Balaam once said, O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end may be like theirs.

I say, A wicked man may desire to bee ownd of Christ, nay more, to give all the world for Christ at the last hower, when they come to see a necessity, and their souls damn'd for want of Christ.

O how will a carnall man dying, mourn, and beg, and cry for Christ, and howl for Christ too, though all in vain; but as these men have lived without him all their lives, so must they die without him too; for I believe he will scarce own thē now, who never regarded him before; but yet as I said at first, so I doe conclude, there [Page 122]is comfort, yea, abundant deale of comfort belongs to thy soule, or any soule in thy condi­tion, and for this read Isaiah 41.17.

When the poore and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will heare them, and I will open Rivers in the tops of Hils, and Fountaines in the midst of the Valleys, and in her Wildernesse make pools of water, & her waste places Springs of water. Marke this sweet and full promise, when the poore and needy seeke water, and there is none, their tongues cleaveth for thirst: Friend, this Promise is to thee, as sure as the Lord lives, and such as thee: for marke, when the poore and needy seek water; art not thou poor, yes, it was thy very objection against thy selfe.

O, saidst thou, I am a poore soule, and doe not know when I dranke of the water of life, and so forth. Well, thy very complaint doth argue thee a needy soule, yea, thou seest the need of Christ, yea, absolute need of Christ, for thou seest thy soule undone without him, and this need of Christ, makes thee so com­plaine after Christ.

Well, Is it not so; yes truly, my soule stands in need of Christ, and is a thirst, as David speaketh, Yea, it panteth for Christ, like the Heart after the water Brooks in a [Page 123]barren wildernesse, so panteth my soule after him, whom my soule thirsteth for. Truly friend, you must learne to beleeve that, that shall be, which seemes most unlikely to be, so did A­braham, he beleeved in hope against hope, and obtained the promise. O poore complaining sinner, beleeve this promise of God to thy soul, so much against hope and reason; I say, beleeve God will not onely give thee the wa­ter thou desirest of him, but will open rivers of water in the tops of the Hils and Fountains in the valleys.

Well friend, you see here is Gods Promise to open up to a soul, a river of water in Christ, who is the hill of our salvation; therefore saith David, I will looke to the hils, from whence commeth my salvation, or, I will open rivers in the tops of the hils, that is, I think poore soules that are as far from any springs of consolation, as tops of hils are from springs of water, but I will open fountains in low grounds, or spirits in humble soules, that is the vallies here meant.

O friend, beleeve thou this, that the Lord will open fountaines of living water, by ma­king peace, or joy, or comfort, flow like living fountaines in thy soule; I say, beleeve this Promise, which shall be fulfilled in its season, and then shalt thou sing and say, Sing yee waste places of the earth, for the Lord hath com­forted [Page 124]his people by making her wildernesse be­come a Pool, and her wast land springs of wa­ters.

But why is the Spirit compared to a river, I Iohn saw a pure river of water, Why is it, for these and such like reasons I think.

First reason is, a river is strong and power­full, no stopping a river, but it will over­flow: yee know, if yee stop a river, it will do so, so are the workings of Gods Spirit in his people, see in Daniel in whom they would have stopped the Spirit of prayer by the un­godly decree of the King, but see how Daniels spirit rises like a River, and now he will call up­on his God with more boldnesse then before. Many would have in our dayes dammed up this river by a Form of prayer, but O these men are drownd; these foolish men are carried clean away, like dry leaves by a mighty Land-flood, and what the Spirit is in pray­er, the same it is in preaching to a strong river; see in Peter, who was forbid by the Scribes and Pharisees to preach Christ; but saith he, I cannot but must speak the things of Christ. Many have in our dayes paid dear for their boldnesse this way.

Secondly, how powerfull is this river in its conviction, when it runs in a way of dis­covering Sin and wrath, who can stand be­fore [Page 125]it, truly none: it bears down young and old strong and stout, yea, oakes and ceders, as well as strawes. Doth this spirit like a flood beare away, when it runs in a way of convicti­on? See in the Gaoler who, I am perswa­ded was a stubborn crabbed knave: see how he abuseth the poore Disciples over­night even fleaed the skin off their backs; well, the same night the flood breaks in upon his Spirit, and he cryes out, what shall I do to be saved? to the Disciples. Poore souls, they tell this fellow, notwithstanding their usage, how he may escape drowning by wrath and sinne: and so Paul was overturned by this river, and carried back to Damascus like a dead drownd man, yea so suddenly did this river break in upon his spirit, that he was turned by it, like a straw in a whirlwind.

Thirdly, a river is powerfull in its progress, a river is of that nature, that it beats down all dammes ye can throw up, or else over­flow as I said before, &c. So did the Apo­stles bear down al opposition from threats and scorns, scoffes, whips, stones, and the like.

Fourthly, a river is pleasant, and de­lightful, ye chuse a river side to walk by, whose streames with silence, sweetly glides trinkling along, and makes the walk delight­full, so is the Spirit in its discoveries, especi­ally [Page 126]in such as these. First the love of Christ which is seen passing by this river, or ra­ther looking in this river, where you see his love like a circle, and your Souls in the midst, where is no way in nor out, I say by the Spirit ye shall see such a love; a love from eternity to eternity, thy Soul looking both wayes, like Janus two faces, especially for­ward.

But as his love, so his lovelinesse the spirit streaming in the soul, presents Christ over, and over to the Soul. Christ rides in this river, as in a barge of State, whose various streams sweetly rowes him up and down. The spi­rits of his Saints like a Princes in her barge of pleasure, O how lovely is Christ in the Soul, when in his glory discovered to the Soul by the Spirit, then is he indeed the fairest of ten thousand, the chiefest of ten thousand, the sweetest of ten thousand, yea altogether lovely.

Thirdly, it shows you your union to, which you may see walking by this river, yea, all your relations to Christ, and his to you, he the vine, you the branches, he the head, you the members, he the husband, you the spouse. I say, this union you may see by the Spirit, the strength, length, glory and sweetnesse of it, O saith the Spirit, thy union is strong, O [Page 127]Christian, nothing can dissolve or untie it; men cannot, Devils cannot, sinne cannot, nay death it self cannot, it is stronger then all, sinne, death, men or devils, and as long as strong it was from eternitie to eternitie, from eternitie intentionally to all eternitie reallie, but it is more sweet, saith the Spirit, then strong or long. O the sweetnesse of all unions is but glimpse of this union. What is the Father to the Son? the husband to the wife? but a shadow of Christ to the Soul; yea, all relati­ons with all the sweetnesse of them, and all the sweetnesse in them is but as a drop to this ocean of sweetnesse, Christs union with the Saints.

Fourthly, the usefullnesse of Christ to the Soul, without me saith Christ, ye can do no­thing, to his Disciples, Christ is all in the Soul, and all to the Soul. A Christian can neither do, nor suffer any thing, but by Christ, by him he can want and abound, ye doe all things, as Paul speaks, through Christ, that strengthens him. Any work is hard for a Christian in his own strength, a difficult work is nothing when the strength of Christ comes in. O in his strength, will a little Da­vid grapple with Goliah and foil him too.

But as he is strength to the Saints, so is he all indeed to them, yea all they stand in need [Page 128]of him to be; he is a righteousnesse to cover them, and an interceder to the Father for them, yea what shal I say more, he is an everli­ving faithful high Priest, yea our King and Cap­tain, our ark where we may safely ride when a world lies round, destroyed, O Christ, O Christ, what shall I say of thee? our ark, our pillar, our cloude by day, our pillar by night, our rock and shadow in a weary land, our life, our all in all, and at all times.

Fiftly, it showes us our advantage by Christ, we are justified by his blood, wee are sanctified by his spirit, and saved by his merit. O the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin, which the blood of buls and goats could never doe, as the Apostle speakes.

Does Satan lay sin to your charge, tell him thou art justified by Christ? doth he lay great sins to thee, tell him, Christ justifieth from all sins, of all kinds, great and small; yea, tell him, thou art no sinner at all, neither doth the fa­ther look upon thee as one in his Sons righ­teousnesse. Truely when a poor soule is carried by his power, thus to argue with Satan, we winde him as a man doth a childe: but else he binds, and locks us up in bondage, fears, and darknesse, that our very soules are restlesse day and night, being filled with doubts, and his accusements, he is therefore called the ac­cuser [Page 129]of the brethren, he accuseth God to man, and man to God, envying both.

Sixtly, our glory with Christ.

And first, the certainty of it.

Secondly, the greatnesse.

O saith the Spirit, thy glory is sure, its laid, and kept too for thy comming: but as it is sure and safe laid up by Christ, so it is full and large, and therefore called by Paul, a weight of glory.

Here we many times admire the light pain­ted shadowes of glory, and forget the true sub­stance God hath laid up for us in his Son, and heavens, Eye hath not seen, nor eare heard, neither ever entred into the heart of man, to conceive, saith Paul, what God hath laid up for us. Eye hath not seen sure, the eye hath seen Solomons glory; yea, all the gloryes of this world too. O saith Paul, that is nothing, these things are nothing, but painted shadowes and butterflies, after which the fooles of this world runs, like little children: and for the eare too, what hath that heard; surely of all that hath been true, and as much more too, by reports of fained gods, and glories in the Poets lying stories: but were all these things true, yet God hath laid up more glorie for the poorest Saints that walks in rags, then all that they have wrought, thou heard, or thought; no, thou canst not think, saith Paul, nor no man living, [Page 130] what God hath laid up for them that fear him. Surely, men might fancie more then hath been seen or heard.

Well, saith Paul, fancy all that this world hath seen, or heard; yea, fancie another world too, with as many joyes and pleasures of this world, as griefs and sorrows, yet all short, and nothing.

O Christian, little doest thou think, and lesse the world, what God hath laid up in store for thee, and all his servants.

Fifthly, a river is advantagious, and usefull; so is the Spirit, it helps our infirmities, wee know not what to pray for, as we ought: but the Spirit helpeth us, with groanes which cannot be uttered. O the Spirits groanings in us, are powerfull prayers before God for us, the promises are made to the Spirit praying in us, and indeed those requests we are denyed of God, are not from the Spirit, but from flesh and blood; and therefore it is that they are lost for the most part: but the Spirit who knowes the minde of God, never drawes forth a Christian to aske any thing, but what is accor­ding to the minde of God, and this he cannot but grant.

But thou complainest, thou art an ignorant soule, true; the naturall man knows nothing, but the spirituall new man in the naturall man [Page 131]knows all things; yea, the deep things of God, as the Apostle speaks, a naturall man is said to be a dead man every where in Scripture, and the dead, saith Solomon, knowes nothing, hee knowes not he lyes in the grave of sinne and cor­ruption, mouldering as it were into dust: call him to come forth from wormes and putrifa­ction, yet he stirres not at all: even so the na­turall man, tell him his condition, he believes it not, call him to come forth of the grave of nature, sinne and death, he stirres not, nor indeed cannot, he is bound up so by the power of the Devil, sinne and darknesse.

Sixthly, a river runnes silently, and makes little or no noise at all, have you never found the Spirit running in a Sermon, at a praier, in a conference, but especially in a meditation with little noise, it sweetly turning thy ve­ry blood in thy veins, making thy heart, as it were to wamble: I know you have many times. Truly, when this river runnes trickling up and down the Soul, making little noise in the Soul, yea, dipping, and diving of her in Divine delights, which many talking Chri­stians are ignorant of.

Seventhly, a river is deep, so is the Spirit in its discoveries. He discovers the deep things of God, and Christ, and the Gospel, which others cannot reach nor fathom by wit nor [Page 132]Learning, no, it is out of their element, I have heard as wise able men, at least so count­ed: and are so sure in civill things, in lat­tine Law, or Fathers, speaking of this river, and the nature of it, but as much out of the way, as any blind man ever was without his guide. The maskd man turns and winds, but still beside the way: the Sinner does the like, following carnall reason, to find out Christ and his river, and therefore, friend sit down, it is midnight yet in thy soul: if the day break, and Christ the starre arise in thee, thou shalt see this river, yea the depth of it in some measure, a depth beyond all depths, thou ever metst withall. Here, one depth calls to another, like the eccho to the voice. Gods decrees and purposes answered by his Sonne. These depths are clearly seen by look­ing into this river, and if thy sight be strong indeed, then thou shalt see the sonnes of men, like precious stones, and pebbles lying in the bottome, from thence plummed up by Christ to swim a top, as in a sea of pleasure.

Eightly, a river is cool, and bathing, we go to rivers in Summer heats to cool and bath our bodies. O come hither and bath your Souls, your heated Souls, heated with sinne, heated with guilt, heated with apprehensi­ons too of wrath, heated with Satan and [Page 133]temptations: truly, many a poore soul is heated by sinne, and then chased by Satan for his sin, so heard, that his soul even fainteh: well friend, my advice is, come unto this river, for here thou mayest cool and bath thee.

Ninthly, a river is alwayes moving, and working, so is the Spirit, it is active in the souls of Gods people, though sometimes not descerned. I sleep, but my heart awaketh, saith the Spouse in the Canticles. Thou art dead, and dull in praier many times, but the Spirit being wakefull, sees thee, and after chides thee for it, sometimes thou art nodding in the creature, but the Spirit wakes and jogges thee by secret calling on thee, which if thou refusest to heare, then he sayes little for the present, but sends some afflictions to thee, and if that do not do, then he sends a­nother, and another, every one sharper then the former, and so makes thee heare to the purpose, agine in the tenth place.

A river is reflective, ye may see your selfe, or shadowes in a river: and by the Spirit, you may see your self, your face, your souls, your hearts, your natures, and affections: the heart saith Salomon who knows it truly, none but the Spirit, and the Spirit dwelling in it therefore by the by.

Thou that sayest, and complainest of a hard [Page 134]and sinfull heart, sure, it is the Spirit in thy heart, that gives thee thus to see it, and all its windings from God, which are more then the doores of Solomons Temple.

Secondly, it shows you your nature and corruptions which have more sinne in it, then there is poison in the world: sinne in nature, is like an old running sore which cannot be stopped, or if it be, it breaks out again: so sinne in nature stops pride, and out comes covetousnesse: stop that, and out comes pride, and prodigalitie, stop up that, and then back againe to old unwearied father worldling, drunkennesse stopt, does the like, lust runs as long as it can in old filthy for­nicators, but when it is spent, they turne to baudy talkers. I have seen old carnall fel­lows laugh and wiker at their youthfull pranks in the feasts and Iunkets, yea, such as have had one foot in the grave; poore miserable men did they know their own condition, the reckoning they must give for every idle word, and every sinfull action, which Christ speaks in Matthew, one thought, one seri­ous thought of that would strike us dead as Belshazzar that great King was at the hand­writing, in the midst of his feast with his Nobles, dinking healths in bowls of Gold his countenance fell, his joynts loosened, and his [Page 135]knees knockd one against another, no more, but remember this filthy sinner.

Thirdly, it showes your affections, and which way they stream and run, a man by na­ture can never see how wide they run from God and Christ, sometimes biasse, drawn by a wife, a child, a husband, sometimes by the world, and the worlds pleasures, profits, which like two strumpets entises all, not kept by Christ, and as dangerously takes them as that strumpet, Salomon acquaints the young man with, and how her paths go down to hell.

Again, by the Spirit you may see your name in the Lambes book, your wedding robe, and Supper, with your rest and glory in the Throne of Christ.

O thou foolish man, that spendest thy dayes in gazing up and down the world, let me exhort thee to come hither, for heres an ob­ject worth the seeing, and thou O Christian friend, let me intreat thee also to looke into this river, this clear and Christall river: but stay a little, me thinks I heare one say, what is it to look into this river? First, it is not to look into your own light, for that is blind, and hath no reflection at all. Secondly, it is not to look with anothers light, for that is, as if you would look by anothers eyes: but to be short, if you would see this pure living ri­ver. [Page 136]First come in Gods light to see, and then ye shall see; is it not a thousand better lights that will show you the greatest light, a thousand candles cannot show the sunne; nay a thousand torches, nor a thousand starres can­not; you must see him by his owne light, or not at all: but first look into this river by the light of God, and then it will be a river of pleasure indeed unto thy soul, all its streames will be pleasurable and glad thy very heart. Psal. 46.4. there is a river, the streames thereof shall make glad the City of our God. Yea all its turnings will delight thy soul.

Secondly, Looke in this river by the light of Christ, he is the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world, and therefore called, the light of lights, Iohn 8.12. I, that is the right way indeed, if ye mean to see; if men will neglect God and Christs light, then let me tell them, they shall never see, they shall never finde this well of life, this river of life, let them look their eyes out, let them look their lives out, wise men have try­ed, wise men strived, but Oh, alasse, in vaine, for they could never find it, but rather more were blinded.

The Father shewes us the Sonne, and the Sonne shewes us the Father; No man knowes [Page 137]the Father but the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne reveales him; no man knowes the Sonne but the Father, and he to whom the Father doth the like. So likewise the Spirit shewes the Sonne, Behold the Lambe of God, so saith the Sonne; Behold the River of God, as in this text; and all the world cannot shew us the Father but the Sonne; nor all the world cannot shew us the Sonne but the Father: Behold this day, saith God, have I begotten him; nor all the world cannot shew us the Spirit, nor the River of life, the Well of life, nor the Fountaine of life but the Sonne; there­fore saith Christ, Buy of me eye salve that yee may see, Rev. 3. last v.

How blind was Bartholmew till Christ came and opened his eyes; just so was thy soule, and is thy soule without Christ? I am the light of the world, saith Christ, he that walks in mee shall not abide in darknesse, but shall have the light of lights, John 6.

So saith Paul, God that caused light to shine out of darknesse, hath given us the knowledge of himselfe in the face of Iesus Christ, marke that; and indeed Iohn had all his visions by Iesus Christ, the golden candlesticks, new Ierusalem, the Glory of God, the Throne of God, the Garment, the wedding Supper, and all those heavenly things; and therefore get [Page 138]thee gone foolish man, that stands dreaming to see this river in thy own light.

Get me gone, O but whither shall I goe? whither; why, where thou shouldst goe, and all others, that have any minde to see this pure, pleasant, living river.

Question. O but what shall I say to Christ when I come to him: What shalt thou say?

First, Tell him thou art a poore blind soule, and wert born so; and that thou canst not see thy right hand from thy left; and withall, as to tell him how blind thou art; so be sure to bewaile thy selfe, and say, O Christ, I would see the river of life, the well of life; why dost not thou O man? why doe not I, O Christ, I am blinde thou knowest, I am blind and cannot see; why how came it, or what ailest thou? O Christ I was borne blind of my pa­rents; yea, ring your hands, weep, waile and cry, O unhappy man, O unhappy wretch, O unhappy soule, O that I should be born blind, and have no eyes to see the Glory of God, the Throne of God, the River of God, and say as I bid thee; O Christ I came blind into the world, shall I die so too, farre be it from thee, O thou God of mercy; and be sure to, as I said, to bewaile thy selfe, and then I will pawn my life for it, Christ will come by, and [Page 139]say, what ailest thou man; and now Christ is of a good nature, very pitifull, especially to poor soules, bemoaning and lamenting themselves for want of life, legs, or limbes, or light, or sight, or eyes, or any such like things, for Christ knowes how usefull such things are for poore creatures, and how they are like to dead men in graves without them; or just walking like ghosts in the shapes of men, which is as meere a delusion as can be in the world; but as I was about to tell thee, be sure when Christ comes by and asketh thee why thou mournest, weepst and wringst thy hands; then say, O Lord Jesus I am blind, I am blind, O that I might receive my sight, sweet Jesus looke upon me, O thou Sonne of David have mer­cy upon me; and if any should reprove thee for troubling Christ, be sure you be not daunted or beaten off for crying after him, but cry louder, yea, as loud as you are able, and say, Lord Jesus if thou passest by and will not helpe, I will tell thy Father of thee, who sent thee purposely to helpe such poor wretches as I am; and then Christ will say to them that bid him let thee alone, I must goe doe my Fa­thers work least he chide me.

And then they will say, doe it to morrow, O but saith Christ, I must do my worke while it is day, the night comes, when no man can [Page 140]worke. John. 9. v. 4.

And then Christ will come and say, why did you cry so after me, O thou Son of David? that I may receive my sight, and this will please Christ very well.

And thus you see what you get by my coun­sell in bemoaning your blind soule, and cry­ing after Christ, you are now made whole, and see as well as any, I dare say, thou wouldest not be in such a condition for a thousand pound; no truely, not for a thousand worlds neither; for what would all the world have done me good, if I had lived blind and darkly all my dayes, I must needs have been ignorant of God and Christ, and the river of life, when as now, I thank God, I see all these things, and I tell you, thousands of wise men do not, but are just of my condition as can be; but sure they are be­witched, I think, for they do not know their own condition, if they did, they would cry as I did.

O but from my soul, I thanke, and I thanke you Sir, my good friend, for directing mee to Christ, O sir, if you had not, I had been un­done for ever and ever: for I must needs have beene damnd; for I must have died in my sins, which I did not think of; alasse, I was a man that minded nothing, the Lord knowes, till you fell a talking of the river of life, and speaking [Page 141]many things about this river.

I came to aske you, how I might doe to see it; for I remember, you were speaking, how clear, how pure, how beautifull it was; and like wise, how sweet, and usefull, advantagious, and desireable it was, and a long discourse you know to that purpose, so then I think, I askt you, how I might do to see this pure, living, cleare, and chrystall river, and you told mee, to my thinking, a strange thing at the first. For you told me, I must not see it in mine own light which made me stare and wonder at you; good Lord, thought I, what does the man mean, would he lend mee his eyes, thought I; nay, you told me further, I must not goe in the light of another man, God blesse me, thought I, the man is mad as sure as can be, I must not see in mine own light, nor anothers, but then he told me, as I remember, how pure, how pleasant this river was. O said he, it is a pure, living river, and an ever living river, an everla­sting river, and a great deale of discourse about this river, so that I thought indeed he would never have done with this river.

But to be short, in my relation about this ri­ver; I think, I said, show me this river; but saith he, you cannot see it in your own light, O thought I in my selfe, he counts me one of the blind men of the world, because I did never [Page 142]much away with the new lights of our world, which was never halfe so many, I think, as now, since the world stood.

But to come to my story, he told mee as I could not see that Chrystall river by my own eyes, so no more could I see it by another mans, so I plainly saw, he did not at all weigh the ministers, I mean the old Orthodox Divines, I think these new fellows he did well approve of, and seeme to own, saying, they were clear Gospell-preachers, and did hold forth Christ very well: distingnishing the difference be­tween the two Covenants.

But then in relation to the river, he told me, if I would see it, I must, said he, see it in Gods own light; and so quoted David saying, in thy light we shall see light, and then he told me, I must see this river in Christs light too, saying thus, as God was Christs light, so Christ was Gods light, said he to me, no man can see the Father, but by the Son, and he to whom the Son doth reveal him.

And then he told me further, that the father reveals the sonne, and the sonne the father, and both the spirit and the river, by giving of it to the sonnes of men, and so indeed he lead me up and down in a mis-maze, for I had never in all my life before heard so much talk of revealing, and I know not what, of the [Page 143]father, sonne, and spirit, and the river, for so he called the spirit, saying, it was a pure, clear, and living river, still talking of I know not how many lights, and I never knew but of one here, which rules the day. So thought I, what doth this man mean by his lights, but he turned I know not how, about to a light of God, and a light and life of Christ, or in Christ, I think he called it, saying, it was the surest and safest, and the sweetest, the happiest, best, and blessedest life of all lives that the soul lived, when it lived in God, the fountaine of light and life, endlesse light, and endlesse life.

For indeed, God is the life of our lives, the root of our lives, the fountain of our lives, we live in our own element, said he, when we live in God, and when we live out of him: we pilgrime like, wander up and down the world, begging preservation of e­very poore creature, which is a sad condition for a noble soul, yea we bury our selves as in a grave of darknesse, which few loves, being nothing, but wandering and rottennesse, earth turning into earth: but in one word, I wind up all, the river is the Spirit, the eter­nall spirit of God by which he doth all in the world, yea all his mighty works, he binds Kings and looses Captives, breaketh nati­ons, and binds them up again, and as Kings [Page 144]and Nations, private men and persons, are bound and loosed, comforted and wounded, and all by this Spirit, Oh then doth it con­cern all, high, low, rich and poore, to em­brace this spirit; for if ye slight him, he can smite you, wound you, kill you, and damne soul and body, O then come and kisse this enlight­ning Sonne, as David speaks of Christ in his second Psalm, lest that he be angry, its said of this Sun that rules the day, that it shall one day break forth in such flames of heat & bright­nesse, that it shall scorch and burn up Moun­tains, the spirit will do the same, yea, eve­ry man and woman, in one way or other, some in love, most in dreadfull wrath and vengeance, for neglecting and abusing the love, grace and mercy, which he once freely tendred them, which they little minded, be­ing like the old world, buying, felling, mar­rying: all the time of Noahs arkes build­ing, yea, untill the very flood came; but then how did they run and tumble, O me thinks I see the whole world shifting, some to the hills, others to the mountains, some climb­ing trees and cedars, and getting up to stee­ples, whilst others wade to Noah: yea beg, and hang upon his Ark, crying Noah, Noah, Noah, for pitie take us in, but he is secure, and minds not all their skreeks and cryes, nor [Page 145]their dolefull mourning for their drowned souls, this he little minds, for he is safe, and his Ark arises by the mighty waters, in the which he rides more and more steady, the higher that they rise, carying him at last over hils and mountaines and all kindes of dangers.

And now he sings this unto himselfe, God hath safely housed me, God hath safely kept me in a shelter from the raines, which the black and melancholy heavens have weeped day and night for the sinnes of men, till they were drowned with teares; well, Noah is yet safe, the hangers on the Ark washt off, screeks and cries over, all swimme up and down the de­luge. Well, the mighty waters doe beginne to beat, and the heavens smile by clearing up againe; Noah sends out his Dove, shee soone returnes, he againe doth the like, she brings in an Olive branch, an Emblem of peace to all in the Ark. Well, this Ark is Christ, and none there is but he, that can safely shelter from all kinde of danger, and yet this Ark is open, and ready to receive all that will come in at the Spirits invitation; but what if they doe not? the Spirit will break forth in dreadfull flames of fire, drying up the Seas, and burning of the Mountaines, none, no not one escaping but those in the Ark. Well friend minde this, Christ is the Ark, the Spirit is the River, God [Page 146]the Fountaine too, of light, life, and glory; shall all be neglected, then thou art undone; O unhuppy soul, ill betide the time, and cursed be the day that ever thou wast born.

O Christians, from these words give mee leave to speake a little my thoughts, for to you is this pro­mise, and if God give in the sweetnesse of it to you, it will be as a little ho­ny, yea, as a lick of that Manna which Christ will give to his Saints to feed on, Revelations 2.17.

And first, these words they are a Promise of God to his people, who are the persons to whom this Promise is made.

Secondly, The Promise it selfe, which is, They shall see my face; that is the thing, O christian, promised heare.

Thirdly, For the time, that is a comming; they shall not yet, but they shall; from whence denote the certainty of it.

And truly friends, if you did but consider this promise, and the certainty of its accom­plishment, [Page 147]it would be like Moses little stick which did sweeten the bitter water which the Isralites could not drinke, before he had throwne in his stick: So I thinke it would sweeten any condition a Saint meets with in this world, though never so bitter; be thou sick, be thou weake, be thou poore, for these conditions are they subject too as well as a­ny, therefore hath God made a thousand of such kinde of promises to his Saints, to support them here.

Sometimes he tels them, They shall drinke of the River of his pleasure, and be abundantly satisfyed with the fatnes of his house, Psa. 36.8.

A second Promise to them is this, They shall eat of the Manna that is hid.

A third, They shall see my face.

I will speake no more of them, pray re­member these three in all your troubles; by faith feed your soules on them, they will not onely comfort your hearts, but consolate your troubled soules. O, they will make you well in sicknesse, they will also make you rich in po­verty, they will make you feast in hunger, they will make you sing in prison, live in death, yea, triumph over death, yea, all kindes of death.

Christians you know this, I know yee know it in some measure; but what is the reason you [Page 148]doe not make use of these and such like Scrip­ture, sweet promises in the times of troubles? You will say you doe; you doe quoth he, yee doe not to any purpose; witnesse your whi­ning, pining, sithing, and continually sorrow­ing, after a husband, a wise, a childe. And how, doth another complaine for losse of tra­ding; O my poverty comes on me like an ar­med man, mistake me not, I know christians have bowels of compassion more then any, and may moderately complaine for friends and want; but should they, should they greive, as men unhappy, without hope of ever enjoying of that they they have lost? No, no, they should not; my Husband is dead, but my Christ is alive, and lives for ever; my Wife is dead, yet am I the Spouse of Christ, and because he lives, I shall live, John 17. I have lost my Childe, but yet am I the Child of God, the Son of God, Heires, joynt-Heires with Christ; my estate is spent, and because of that the world will not smile, friends look strange because of poverty I was wont, but now cānot see their faces in my distresse; well, what of that, art thou troubled at this? O happy christian, God hath pro­mised that thou shalt see his, And they shall see my face, saith God, Rev. 22.4. the words I first named; what is that thou calst thy face? O my God: what is it? this, my glory, man.

O Lord how wonderfull is that, Heaven and earth is full of thy Glory, Psal. 8.9. all the glories of this world are but shadowes of thy glory; yea, all the glory of Heaven, An­gels and arch-Angels, Cherubims and Sera­phims are but the reflecting shadowes of thy glory, thy uncreated glory, thy increated glo­ry: O my God, when Moses begged to see this, thou wouldst not; alas, poore soule, he could not, No man can see my glory and live, but time is a comming when they shall see my glory, my naked glory, and live; yea, live by seeing, and see by living, by living in it, by li­ving to it, in singing praises alwayes before it; and then, O happy Christian: shalt thou for­get all former things, all former sorrows, all former feares, all former griefs.

O how then will these things passe away and be forgot, as if they had never been.

I remember, Peter having but a glimpse of Moses and Elias glory in the mount, desi­red then to live, and to die in that mount; but thou, O precious Christian, shalt live and never dye in this mount, mount Sion, hea­venly Jerusalem, where thou shalt see Moses, yea, a thousand Moses, and ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Saints, as well as he, with as many Angels with God and Christ, excelling all ten thousand times over, and o­ver [Page 150]againe. O but when will that day come, that I a poore Gentile sinner shall see this glo­ry, Heavens, Saints, and Angels excelling glory: will it come? doe thou say it will come, and it will make amends for all, it is now a com­ming; Paul saith, We see now but darkly, as in a glasse, we shall see him then naked as he is.

Christ tels thee friend, in John 17: 22. And the glory that thou hast given me, I have given them, that they may be one, O Father, as we are one. Here thou seest, that Christ prayes for this day, and yet thou as kest, shall this day ever come?

O friend, know this, that what ever Christ prayes for, he wils, and what he wils shall come to passe; as in John 17.24. Father I will that all these thou hast given me, may be with me, even where I am, to behold my glory. Christs glory is Gods glory, and Gods glo­ry is Christs glory; and this wils Christ that yee may see.

O, said the Queene of Sheba once to So­lomon. Happy are those that tend thee, and see thy glory.

Thrice happy, yea, ten thousand times thrice happy are they, O Christ, whom thou wilt shalt see thy glory in thy Kingdome, in thy Throne. O my Christ, it is said, that the [Page 151] Kings and the Captaines too, shall hide them­selves in their dens, and among the rocks, and mountaines, crying to the rocks, and calling to the mountaines to fall on them, from thy glo­ry, and thy presence. Revel. 6.15.

And this I will, saith Christ, to confound mine enemies, which will not that I should reign over them, or in them; had they hearkened to mee, or accepted of mee, my righteousnesse when time was, they should not have need to be ashamed of their nakednesse, or call and cry to the hils to cover their poor soules: but this is just, seeing, they did when time was, reject me, this in one day shall come on them: but when these things shall come on them like tra­vels on a woman, ye shall lift up your heads with boldnesse, because my glory and yours too, drawes neer.

O frinds, no marveile, that wicked men shall runne to the caves and dens, and rocks, to hide themselves in: for the Saints shall in that day shine as so many sunnes, and Christ as a sunne to all.

O glorious day, O day of dayes, that is now a comming, this is that day, that the righteous shall shine in the kingdome of their Father. Matth. 13.43. Then when they see the face of God and Christ, and this is nothing but the reflects of Gods glory, beaming out on the [Page 152]Saints, in the beholding of his face, but yet this glory is not all that is implied, when God saith, Ye shall see my face, For it implies as well as his glory, his love, and delight, which you know are most apparant in the face; for you judge of mens love and affections, by the face and countenance: so that, to see this face, is to see his love, and delight in you, and on you, Delight ariseth out of love, and flowes from love, as affections from relations.

But of this love and delight, what shall I say, and first for this love, this pure love, flowing from the fountaine of love, yea, divien love. Secondly, it is sweet love, yea, swee­ter then the honey, or the honey-combe. Thirdly, it is strong love, and long love, first, it is strong love, for it so bindes the Saint, yea, so strongly binds him by its discoveries to him, that as with coards his soul is drawn to love, and bound, and cannot but love; yea, love still more and more, this is that love, that is stronger then death; yea, then death that kills all things: but cannot this love, nor ne­ver shall; O death I will be thy death, saith Christ, so saith love, I am, and still will be: but thou, like fading time, shall be no more, The Angel swore, that time should be no more. Revel. 10. v. 6.

But for love, Christ wills, that it shall be for [Page 153]ever, Iohn 17. v. 23. let the world know, saith Christ to the Father, that thou hast loved them, as thou lovedst me. O when God shall cease to love his Christ, then Christ shall cease to love his Saints.

O friend, God cannot but love his Son, nor he, but love his Father, nor both, but love the Saints; and they that be wrapt thus up in love, must needs, and cannot, but love againe, and thus this love binds up in one a Saint in Christ, a Christ in God; and thus a Saint, a Christ, and God is one, as Christ saith. Iohn. 17.21.23. Father, I will that they in me, and I in thee may be one.

O glorious union, A Saint in Christ, a Christ in God, here is Unitie in Trinity, and Trinitie in Unitie. O earth, earth; how art thou joynd to heaven, and by hearing the word of God, I mean his Christ.

And now Adam, Adam, made of dust, where art thou now man, in the garden of God, or in God himself? O happy change, O happy man, O happy fall, from God to Eden, and then to earth, and thence raised up to God againe.

O mortality, how art thou swallowed up by immortality, no changes now no more can be, me thinks, I see thee, O yesterday-creature, sitting with the Aneient of dayes, like youg [Page 154]Samuel with old Eli. Me thinks, I heare thee now, as once, the Angel swearing, time shall be no more, as in the Revelations, nor sin, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor labour, and now, thou maist truely say, what Babylon the great did, Revel. I sit as a queen, and shall see no sor­row; yea, I am a Queen, and a Queen of queenes; for my husband is Christ, the King of kings, and now, come and worship me, fall down at the soles of my feet, call me Sion, the holy One of Israel, my husband saith, ye shall. Isaiah. 60, 14. For I must now be an eternall glory, and a joy, from generation to genera­tion. Isaiah 60.15. & 19.20. A joy to my Father, a joy to my husband, a joy to the hea­vens, a joy to the Angels, and all that there­in is.

First, a joy to my Father, as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over his Bride, so will I rejoyce over my people, as in Isaiah. Secondly, a joy to my husband, Father, I will that they may be with me, that my joy may be in them: This Christ prays, and he being answered in all his prayers, saith, Father, I thank thee, for that thou al­wayes hearest mee.

And now, come away, my love, my dove, winter is past, stormes are over, singing of birds, and the spring is come. Cant. Let mee see thee, let me see thy face; for thou hast been [Page 155]absent, but now I have thee. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; come along with me my love from Lebon. Cant. 48, Come along with me my deare, wee'l to my fathers wine-seller, and I will banner thee over with love, O my Spouse, thou art fair, thou art faire. Cant. 6.3. O, I will kisse thee, I will embrace thee, and carry thee to my fathers house, I will marrie thee there. And now, ye Angels, and all the host of heaven, O ye innumerable companie, come and sing, come and sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, lot us be glad, and rejoyce, and give glory to him, for the marriage of the Lambe. Revel. 19 v. 6, 7. is come, and his wife hath made her selfe ready, she shall be ara yed like a Princesse, in pure white linnen, which is the rignteousnesse of Saints; blessed are all they that come to the Supper of the Lambe. Break forth in singing.

O heavens, doe ye begin, ye holy Apostles, and Prophets doe ye follow next. Rev. 18.20. and also Rev. 19.1. and come ye innumer able comprny of heavenly hosts, Sing yee, sing ye, what shall ye sing: Glory, honour, unto the Lord, and unto the Lambe.

And come ye foure and twenty Elders, down with your crowns, and come worship God, and sing Allelujah, Allelujah. Rev, 19.4. Mo­ses [Page 156]where art thou, come away, come away, and sing thy song to: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. O thou King of Saints, who would not feare thee, O thou Just and true: Just and true are thy wayes, thou hast avenged the blood of thy Saints, who would not feare thee, and glorifie thy Name; for thou art onely holy, and all nations shall worship thee. Rev. 15.3, 4. O ye that brought the newes at first, come ye that brought the newes of this match, sing ye your song again, glory to God on high, peace, and good will to men, as in Luke 2.13, 14. but let the burden of your song, be the burden of all your songs, Free grace, free grace.

Thirdly, whereas God saith, ye shall see my face, it doth imply, God will one day disco­ver himselfe in a familiar way vnto his Saints. It was nothing but sinne that made a strange­nesse between God, and man; for before man had sinned, there was no strangenesse between God and man, but since sinne came, there hath been a strangenesse all along, but before there was none: for when God made man first, he was not at all afraid of God; for God before sinne came, took our father Adam, and led him by the hand, as it were, and put him into the garden of Eden, as a father would his son into a vineyard Gen. 2.15. So God led, or put Adam into the garden of Eden, and bids [Page 157]him eat of all the fruit of the garden, onely the tree of good and evill excepted, and then Adam goes to naming of the creatures of God. Gen. 2.20.

O here was no feare at all in Adam yet, for he goes and sets names on all the creatures, which God had made, just like a child naming his fathers works; but assoon as Adam had sin­ned, he is filled with fear, and timerousnesse, and hearing then the voice of God in the gat­den, he runnes and hides himselfe from God, and is afraid of God; witnesse his running from God, to hide himself from God. Just so have all the sons of Adam done all along, to this day, so that though God would be fami­liar with them, yet they cannot be so with him, there is sinne got into the flesh, and to that, God is a consuming fire of holinesse, so that now, God must speak in a secondary way, by an Angel, or by a messenger, and that too they are afraid of, as the shepherds were of the Angel, that bids them, feare not, saying, I am come to bring glad tidings of great joy to all nations; for unto you a Saviour is this day born, and ye shall call his name Jesus, for hee shall save his people from their sinnes. Luke 2.9, 10.

And now, God being clothed in flesh, man he drawes neer to God, which before cryed [Page 258]out in every discovery, like Isaiah 6.5. I am undone, I have seen the Lord: but God being not willing, that man should be strange to him, or he to man, sends his owne Sonne un­to us, to tell us, he is not at all angry with us, nor will at once harme us, but rather faine would have us to be as at first, his familial creatures; yea, more, to be his sons and daugh­ters, and to come live againe in his paradice; nay, more, to live in himselfe, and with him­selfe: and this is clear, by his comming down to live with us; nay, in us by his Son. And this is the way, by which God will again dis­cover himselfe, and show his face, his pleasant face, in a fatherly way unto us.

O great and wonderfull, O mysterie of my­steries, who would have thought of such a way as this, to have found a blessed God a­gain. O Adam! lost! couldst thou have thought of this way? O angels, all ye angels, could ye have thought of this way? no, no, I dare say no, nor all the world besides you; it is said by Paul, when Angels heard of this mysterie, Gods coming down into flesh, to find and bring back man, lost man again, it was such a mysterie to the Angels, that they desired to peep into it, Oh how farre was Ioseph carri­ed from good old Iacob, but yet at last he saw his face again.

So farre and further, yea ten thousand times, furthermore were ye sold by Eve, and car­ried by Satan; but God like Jacob comes down, though not for want, yet for his love, to bring ye back to your own place, it is said, when the Israelites were delivered out of Ba­lon, they were as men in a dream, they had been so long in Captivity, and were so sud­denly delivered unepxected, Psalme 137. But lost man, thou lesse expectedst, if lesse could be, thy great deliverance, that God by Christ, should bring back thee from Pharaoh, in Egypt, a strange land to Christ in Cana­an, where plenty, and all fullnesse dwels, and now will God again become your God, and dwell with you, now it may be truly said, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be there God with them, Rev. 21.3. Mark this, God himself will be with them; this being with them, denotes Gods familiarity to them: where strangenesse is, there can be no familiarity, but strangenesse now shall be no more; for God will dwell with them, and they with him. O they must needs see his face, who dwell in his presence, In thy presence O God, is fulnesse of joy, and pleasures for evermore, so saith David in Psal. 36.8.

Here is a fullnesse indeed, First, a feeding fullnesse, Secondly, a filling fullnesse, Third­ly, an overflowing fullness. First, a feed­ing fullnesse, O Christian, it shall feed thy very soul, to see the face of God and Christ, Secondly, a filling fullness, it shall fill thy heart, yea every corner of thy heart and soul too: it shall so fill thee, that thou shalt be, as David said in his Psalm. filled with mar­row and fatnesse. Thirdly, an overflowing fullness, for thou shalt be so filled with the sight of thy God, that thou shalt over­flow with delight.

Here the discoveries of God, have an emp­tiness in the soul, that there is still an emp­tiness in thee, but in that day, thou shalt be as a vessell brim-full, and not so, but overflow with the fullness of Gods discoveries to thy soul, he shall so immediately discover him­self to thee. Here Gods discoveries, are in a secondary way, but then thou shalt have them immediately from himself, and not by any hand conveyed, but by himself; his presence with thee, shall be a flowing fatness: yea an overflowing fullness in thee: and in that day, thou shalt know the relations thy soul stands in to God, thou shalt know him to be a father indeed, he shall so fatherly dis­cover himself to thee. Here God carries him­self [Page 161]sometimes to his children, as Joseph did to his brethren, rough and strange; but then God shall say to his children, O my deare children, how do I love you, yea, I love you more and more, I loved you before, and now I cannot hide my bowels from you; yea, I cannot but show my love to you, come my deare children for whom I prepared Glory before the world was, as Christ speaks, John; come, sit down by me, I will tell you over my love, I loved you before I had you, but now I have you, I cannot but embrace you, ye were my delight long before the world was, I rowled you in my thoughts, I had you in my eye, and carried you in my purpose, and bought you by my Christ, O my deare children, let me wipe away all teares from your eyes, Rev. 21.4.

You were wont to mourn, but now re­joice and sing, and let no man take your joy from you, as Christ speaks, Iohn 16.20. you wont to grieve, but grief shall be no more, nor pain, nor sorrow, nor any such thing, shall e­ver be again, I have you now, and I will no more nurse you abroad, but ye shall live in my presence, and because I live, ye shall live also, as Christ speaks in Iohn 16. O deare children, how did I long for this day, that I might have you in my presence, and dandle you on my [Page 162]knee, & speak with you, and to you, the world was wont to snib you, Ioh. 20.33. therefore I plagued it: the world abused you, and mifused you, but I said, I would reckon with her for that: the world knew you not, & therfore ha­ted you, but I knew you, and therefore loved you; yea, loved you more and more, I cannot but love, ye are my sonnes and daughters, my Iewels, my preasure, my treasure, my pur­chase, my lot, my inheritance, and now what will you that I do for you, show us thy face, and it sufficeth us, John 14.8. O my sons, and daughters, I will show you my face, and glorie, my heart, and all the secrets of my soul, if that will satisfie you: O God, it is our de­sire to see thy face, thy pleasant face, thy glorie, thy transcendent glorie: but thy heart O God, what is that? my love, my intire love, my surpassingand indearing love; and for my thoughts, I mean my purpose, my pur­pose towards you, which was of old, as David speaks of old; before time; yea, before time was at all; for before the world was no time, and then were you in my thoughts and purpose; I had a purpose of you, and on you: of you to make you my sonnes and daughters, and a habitation for my glorie, that ye in ages to come might know, I loved you above all, and chose you out of all [Page 163]the Nations of the world, that I might show the exceeding riches of my grace to you, and for my purpose on you, it was to raise my glo­ry by you, in shewing it unto you, for if you had not seen my face, how could you know my glorie, but this I will that ye may know, how much I loved you, carrying you in my thoughts, time, & time all along, yea, and long before time too, Christ and I was contracting your salvation, little did you once know my transactions, concerning your souls, but God was in Christ, reconciling the world to him­self, John 5.19. But now ye see my face, and my transactions too, all which you do admire; and more, and more you shall, to think how once I made you, and after that I lost you, yet back again I bought you, and now to my self have brought you, all this you must ad­mire.

When Ionas was in the deep, and his head wrapped with reeds and rushes, little did he think to have ever seen the shore again, lesse, if less could be, did your souls think to have seen this day, which now you see; what I can do and bring about, that you might prize my face at last.

But in the fourth place, whereas God doth promise, they shall see his face; It doth im­ply that great reward, by which he will re­ward [Page 164]his servants that serve him; so that Chri­stians doe not fight, as if there was no crown; nor worke, as if no wages. O saith Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, and henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of life, and not for me onely, but for all that love his appearance too. And there­fore Christian, be thou faithfull unto the death, and thou shalt have the Crowne of life. Revel. 2.10. Where Christ promised it unto thee, for the incouraging of thee; Christminded his owne glorie, and so maiest thou as well as Moses; see, Christ speaks of it, yea, demands the Crown, John 16.1. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, and now glorifie thy sonne, or reward thy son, and then it is said, I have glorified thee, and I will glorifie thee.

O Friends, you are now glorified as you sit, by your union with Christ, in the glorie of God, which shineth round the heavens, and makes them to be heavens indeed: wel friends, this is the glorie into which you must be ta­ken to behold his face, and then will not this be a reward, a full reward ineeed, tenne thousand times beyond all your doings, and all your sufferings: yea equall unto Christ his merits, and to thine hearts desire; a Saints desire is to see God, and enjoy God, nothing [Page 165]doth a Saint desire in comparison of that, with our souls have we desired thee, saith the Prophet Isaiah, yea, and this is the desire of every soul, everie gracious soul. O when the sense of Gods eternall love, glorie, sweet­nesse, lies boiling in it, how strong doth the desire rise.

O friends, no desire under heaven, rises and heaves so like to mighty waters in the Soul, as this desire, when the sense of Gods love and glorie lies boiling in it, and the mightie Spirit stirring of it, thunders do not more shake the cloudie aire, nor earthquakes move the dungie earth, then these desires the soul of man, when it is strongly rocking there. O saith Moses, shew me thy face, or glorie, while his soul was filled with the sense of it, he would fain see it, though he died the death for it, but God spares Moses his life by hiding him and his glory for the present; well-know­ing Moses was lesse able for to see this glo­rie, which he requests he might, then we to see the Sunne through and through: but shall Moses never see this glorie therefore, because of weaknesse; yes, yes, he shall, he doth, he now sees it, and so shalt thou, O happy Christian, ere it be long: what was it that took Peter, when he had a glimpse of Moses on the Mount, but the beames of this [Page 166]glory, sparkling on his back, like glittering suns and starres.

Well friends, you wish and would, but time shall passe, and time shall come, and you enjoy the thing you wish & crave, and often breath­eth after, namely, that glory that Moses then appeared in, namely, on the mount; well, you shall, I say, you shall, as sure as the Lord lives have it, one day have it, and be cloathed by it, as with a garment down to the ground, like the white robe, Rev. 19.14. and then like Moses will your appearance be, as cloathed with twinkling stars from Phoebus beames.

And now hearken, O heavens, and give ear O earth, earth, earth, with all that dwells therin, high, low, rich, poor, how God will glorifie his Son; and his Son, his Saints, to their hearts desire, with men and Angels ad­mirations, and astonishments too. Well may David say, O Lord, I have none in heaven, but thee: and there is none in earth that I de­sire in comparison of thee; nay, Lord, in com­parison of thee, I scorn crowns, and kingdoms, yea, ten thousand tuns of Jewels; marke, none in heaven, nor in earth, saith a David, in com­parison of thee, and thus God rewards a Saint according to his hearts desire: when he pro­miseth to show his face unto them.

O this reward will make amends for all, for [Page 167]all your sufferings, for all your sorrows; and now, in the hopes of this, raise your selves, your souls, in all your troubles, and castings down; and indeed nothing but this conside­ration will do it to any purpose, for if, by the losse of one creature you raise your selves by another; What will you then do, when all creature-comforts shall be taken away from you, which God, at first or last will surely doe.

And then, what will ye then do; ye all of you, whose hearts are bound up in the crea­tures, and things of this life: But mourne, mourn bitterly, like Babylon, crying, alas, alas, Revel 18.10. How in one day have I lost all my hopes, my creature comforts, my friends, my children, my wife and husband, my life and soul, and Christ more worth then all, ten thousand times over and over againe.

O unhappy man that I am, O unhappy soul, how wast thou deluded, how was I deceived, to think my self happy in a few dying crea­ture-enjoyments, O my bewitched soul, who deluded thee, who deceived thee? time was thou heardst of God and Christ; and hadst thou then minded him, and served him, as thou didst thy King, thy lust, and pleasures, hee would not now have left thee, as dying Wol­sey once said, that great Cardinall, in his dis­paire and horror.

But thou, O precious Christian, whose heart and hopes are placed in God, shall dying say? my hopes, my heart, and expectation lives, for it was not here, nor here below, in dying things: but a living Christ, and now my soule shall live with him, and because he lives, I shall live also. John 14.19. ye live in his presence, & live in his sight; and now my soule, my happy soule, tell thou the world, thy friends, & all that mournes for thy departure, thy life, thy life for which they mourne, its sure and safe, its hid with God in Christ, our lives are hid with God in Christ, and when he shall appear, we shall ap­pear with him also, as the Apostle speaks. John 1.3.2. O glorious day, O day of dayes, un­thought, unminded by most of men: now it appears not what we are, but then it shall, when the dust of this body, more precious then the seed of stars and jewels shall be gathered, and be carefully picked up by Angels, sent forth by Christ from all the winds for that same pur­pose, then my life was hid; but now it is found, where first it was in God and Christ, in my own root, and that to my dear souls content; and therefore let me go to my home, to my father, to my husband, to my God, to my Christ, and to my brethren; for sure, I shall be welcome, as Jacob was to Joseph.

Welcome for relations sake, O friends, there [Page 169]is such a neere relation between Christ and a Christian, he is the head, and you the members, he is the Bridegroome, and you the Bride, he is the vine, and you the branches, Christ can­not but bid you wellcome; nor the father neither, for you are all his children; how wellcome is a friend, a childe, a husband, after seven yeares voyage, when returned; what love, what embraces doth then passe between them, powring heart into heart, as it were? How sweetly did Josephs, and his brethrens bowels yerne one towards another.

O friends, Christ will one day embrace you in his armes, with his rowling bowels, like a husband his beloved wife, after seven yeares absence, and you him with teares and kisses of joy and love. How glad was Dide queene of Carthage, when she had Aeneas prince of Troy to look on and embrace. Well friends, time will come, when thou shalt have thy Christ to embrace and look on, who hath en­dured more broiles ten thousand times then all Aeneas feigned ones. Here Christ to look on, is admirable, and lovely too in broiles. O saith the Spouse, Who is this that coms from Bozrah, with his garments dipped in blood. Isaiah, 63.1.2. travelling in the greatnes of his strength.

Christ the prince and Captain of our sal­vation, comes from the fields of slaughter like [Page 170]some noble champion, and hath his bloody armes, which doth declare him conquerour; so Christ here travels from Bozra, a field of slaughter; this I take to be the crosse of Christ, on which he might be well said, and did con­quer all the Churches enemies, yea, naild them to the crosse, as Paul speaketh, by triumphing over them openly upon the crosse.

Well, in this field Christ slayes the law, sinne and death, making this saying good, O death, I will be thy death. 1 Cor. 15.55. And now comes in warlick vestures, which are dipped in this blood, declaring him to be the mighty conquerour,

Well, the Spouse sits and sees him at her window, comming from the field, which is the Spirit in the soule, through which she lookes upon these mighty champions, Christ, Sinne, Death and Devils.

Well, Christ foyls and spoyles all, by tramp­ling on all, which being done, he leaves them dead, and comes away to refresh himselfe in glory; the Spouse spies him in the way, and cries out, who is this? not that shee did not know Christ well enough, but she is taken with Christ, in the beholding of Christ, thus bravely wins the field, which Christ never quited til all foild & spoild & the day his own.

Well, Is the Soule now so taken with the [Page 171]gallentry of Christ, that she cryes out for joy and wonder? O then, how wilt thou be ta­ken, when thou shalt see this Christ againe, which heare is promised? yea, stroak the face of this Champion, Christ the Prince of our sal­vation; how will she be taken with him then? saying, O my deare Christ, it was my enemies thou ingaged in Bozra, and if thou hadst not conquered, my soule and thousands more, had been undone for ever; but seeing thou didst win the day, we will name and stile thee, most high, and excellent, and mighty Conquerour, King of Saints, Prince and Captaine of our sal­vation, which thou for ever shalt be called, by Saints and Angels, men and Devils; poore drooping sinner, what dost thou think of this day, and this Christ, who is thy Champion, thy Captaine and Salvation.

I say, what dost thou thinke O malencholy Christian of this day, when thou shalt see the face of this Prince and Saviour, wilt thou not make one, to sing his prayses, to sing his victo­ries over sinne, death, hell, men and devils, which Angels now are doing, and so shalt thou; and this shall be thy reward too, a full reward indeed, for all thou ever didst, or suffredst.

In the mean time bear up, bear up thy head, O drooping Christian, Christ hath conquered [Page 172]sinne, death, men and devils, and yet it may be thou fearest all; O foolish sinner, weake in faith, men are bound, sinne and satan woun­ded, yea, death and sinne slaine too, and all by Christ in Bozra: what meanst thou to be troubled? O but Sir, Sir, me thinks I see sinne alive, and Satan loose, yea, both in me; I will not deny, but thou mayst think so; but all is not true that men doe thinke; but grant both these be in thee, yet if sinne be wounded and Satan bound, one cannot long live, nor the other doe much mischeife; if sinne be woun­ded it is to the heart, be sure of that.

And when Christ was wounded there by sinne he straight died; well, I am sure Christ hath wounded sinne there too, and it cannot live long; O Sir, Sir, it is livelier then ever, it struggles more then ever. O friend, that is to me as cleare as the day, that sinne is just a dying, every thing in nature will doe the like; what dost thou see dying willing but a Saint, and he I must confesse, on this consideration, that he shall live with God and Christ, and behold the face of God and Christ, as in the first words; I say, on this consideration, hap­pily he may with a great deale of willingnesse die.

But who besides the Saint will? will man, or beast, or fish, or foule, or any other crea­ture? [Page 173]No, no, the fish yawns and gapes, the fowle flutters, the beast beats it selfe and yels, though bound and musled, man mournes and cries, alas, alas; why, must I die, and leave my hopes, my wife, my childe, my lands and li­vings, nay, friends and all? fetch the Doctor, quickly fetch the Doctor, save me if it be pos­sible, I faine would live a little longer; and thus he mournes to think on death; and when it comes and drawes neere to him, then he growns, and gasps, and grinnes, and stares, still striving with it while breath doth last.

Well friend, the fish yawns and gapes, the fowle flutters, the beast yels, man mournes and cries alas; what shall sinne doe nothing, it were contrary unto nature, if it should die without its throwes in thy soule.

But stay, you said Satan was bound; I, I did so, and so he is in two respects, Christ hath bound him up from hurting thee; Christ hath bound him up from forcing thee.

First, From hurting thee, you know if the most notorious theeving rogue in the world lyes bound in a lone womans house, hand and foot; there was no ground, nor cause of feare, he is bound hand and foot, what can he now doe, but curse and swear? well, she being a weak woman, is troubled and frighted, not­withstanding, but when her husband comes [Page 174]home, her feares ceaseth and are gone.

Well friends know this, Christ hath bound Satan for a thousand yeares, yea, for ever, from mischeiving his Saints and Servants; and if he be in thee he is bound.

O no, me thinks he is loose, he doth so tempt me and accuse me, I doe not know what to doe; it may be so, he doth tempt and accuse thee; I did not say Christ had bound Satans tongue, no, he hath not, nor never will, whilst the world stands; Satan shall have his tongue loose to tempt some of his Saints, and to ac­cuse others, for divers good reasons.

This is one, When he cals on thee to com­mit this, or that great sinne, thou mayst call on Christ to keep thee from sinne.

A second reason is this, When he accuseth thee for thy sinne, Christ would have thee pray and crave his pardon for thy sinne; yea, beleeve it is pardoned, notwithstanding his accusing thee, which when thy soule doth by his power and strength in thee, it brings much honour to Christ, yea, very much; but I will not stand now, to give thee any more reasons, why Christ will not tie the Devils tongue.

But remember these two, but the thing I said, was, Christ hath bound Satan hand and foot, and so he hath from doing thee any mischeife, [Page 175]fast enough; and yet it may be, he lyes thus bound in the middle of the floor, as I said before; and raves, and curseth thee, and stares at thee in thy house about thy calling, and this causes a great deale of trouble in thy soule; but when thy husband Christ comes home, which will be at noon in his discoveries, thy feare will be gone, and thou with joy wilt tell thy neighbours, I meane, thy christian friends.

Againe, Satan is bound from forcing thee; if a maid should be tempted day and night, to part with her virginity, yet if she consent not, and the other have no power, but by consent, what is she the worse, or her chastity the lesser, no, it is rather greater if you will. So I say to thee, who talkst of Satans temptations, what if Satan tempt thee day and night to part with thy virginity, or resolution against such and such a sin.

Well, Satan tempts to yeild, yea, tempts thee day and night; doe not yeild by no means if he should goe to force thee, Christ will come and helpe thee, or at least excuse thee, saying, thou art yet his chaste and beloved Spouse, and will not hide his face from thee, for all that.

But in the fifth and last place, whereas God saith, They shall see my face; It doth imply [Page 176]that great and sweet delight that God takes in his peoples presence.

God delights in all his workes, but especi­ally in his own people, O Israel whom I have created; God created all things for his praise, but Israel especially, more then all his whole creation; God said of all his works, that they were good, serving some designe, or other, but Israel his glory: O Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen, Isa. 44.1, 2, 3. Feare not, O Jacob my servant, and Jeshurum whom I have chosen; yea, thou art chosen be­fore all times and worlds, Iacob have I loved, saith God, before Iacob had a being; but he is now brought forth by creation, for the glory of his grace, that he might shew the greatnesse of his love to them, in discovering of himselfe to be their God and Father, which he doth in Jesus Christ, who is the expresse Image of his Fathers person, and so the very face of God, as I may so say. For in Christ he shewes him­selfe to the Saints a Father of love and sweet­nesse, yea, and a God, and fountain too of all delights.

God discovers nothing in his Sonne, but love, delight and sweetnesse to the sonnes of men: So that whereas God saith, he will shew his face, he meanes, he will shew you Christ, and in him his love, delight and pleasure: [Page 177]which when it is once discovered to the soule, it so takes the soule, that it cryes out, O God, who is a God like unto thee? as Moses once said, How great, O God, is this goodnesse, which thou hast laid up for them that serve, love and feare thee; As David once said, O God in thy presence is life, and thy loving kindnesse is better then life it selfe, Psalme. And there­fore my lips shall praise thee; nothing is bet­ter then life, but his favour is better and sweet­er too, ten thousand times.

Doth the favour and smiles of a Prince, so take the flattering Courtier, that he blesses him­self, as it were, in the obtaining of it, and saith, he is now a happy man, he hath now the Prin­ces eye and eare; he more delights in me, then all his noble favourites.

O happy christian, favourite of God and Christ, the Prince of princes, and nations too, as well as King of Saints; how wilt thou be delighted in these delights of God set on thee, and shewn unto thee in his Sonne. It is said of him, I will make my first born higher then the princes of the earth; this is spoken of Christ, but it is as true of the Saints, in their creation, being the cheife of it; well God sets up these higher then the Princes of the earth, as they are set up in his favour by his Son, for his own glory, to make himself a name by them.

Children, saith Solomon, are the glory of their parents, and so are the Saints too of God; namely, the glorie of his grace; by which he gets himselfe a Name, and praise in the earth: O Israel praise the Lord, that made thee of no­thing. O house of Jacob, praise ye the Lord, O all ye servants of his praise him day and night, for he hath magnified you, by his grace in his Son, and set you above men and Angels, in respect of union; and now, where would the riches of this grace appear to the world, but for the Saints.

The world is blind, and sees no glory, love, nor sweetnesse in him; but they, in Christ, see all, namely, a glory beyond all glories, a love surpassing all, a sweetnesse like a sea, and they in the midst, which fils the soules with admi­ration, and makes them like David cry out, and say, how great is thy goodnesse, which thou hast laid up in store for them that feare, and serve thee.

God hath laid up in store Jewels, Crowns, kingdoms; nay more, his own favour in Jesus Christ, which they shall one day see, and see­ing, say as once the queen of Sheba did to Solo­mon, I have heard of thee, but not of halfe thy glory. So shall the Saints say, we have heard much of thee, O God and Father, and of thy glory: but never the halfe that we now see. [Page 179]One said, thou art a God of love, and sweet­nesse; and another, of all delights and pleasures, but we never heard halfe we now see, and find thee to be to our soules. O had the world known thee, they would have ownd thee, and counted thy favour better then life it self, or heaven either: for it is thy presence, love, and favour makes the heavens, heavens indeed to our soules. O God we met with springs of it in the valley of tears, but they were fountaines to us, and filled our souls with delights. Psal. 84. v. 6. But now our joyes are double, and fountaines too, like seas, which breaks up every moment with new and fresh discoveries, and makes our soules admire and overflow with joy, which we have in thy presence every mo­ment, fresh and greene, by seeing of thy face, which is the joy of heaven, and Saints, and An­gels too: with all that do behold thee, as wee thy servants do, which once did live in dark­nesse, and saw thee not at all: but in the sha­dowey creature, which hinted something to us, but short of what we see, or ever did imagine. O saith Paul, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath laid up for them that love him, this made us think, it was won­derfull, but now we find it so; yea, wonderfull indeed, beyond all wonders too, which Saints [Page 164]and Angels shall ever finde.

And now in admiration of this wonder, we all, as one, cry out, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty; Almighty in thy glory, Almigh­ty in thy loves, and also for delights to us thy poore creatures, now swallowed up by plea­sures in the beholding of thee.

O sea of endlesse sweetnesse, and sun of all delights, and fountaine too of glory, what shall we say more of thee; thou art the heaven of heavens, and glory too of Saints, who now will sing thy praise, and ever thee admire for all thy beauty, sweetnesse, and endlesse life and glory, which Song shall all joine in, and make the heavens ring for ever in thy pre­sence.

But Lord, I do thy glory darken, to speak such low things of it, one star cannot the heavens show, nor thousand suns, thy glory; much lesse a poor worme, hint out those seas of sweetnes, which lies hid in thy presence, till thou shalt show thy face to wormes, dust, and ashes, created for thy praise.

But let me winde up all in two words, one to the carelesse sinner, and another to the Saint, who is the man, to whom this promise is, of seeing his face: but what shall I say to thee? O happy Christian, that servest God, more then is said in these words, they shall see my [Page 165]face. Which doth imply his glory, love, sweetnesse, reward, and pleasure, which he takes in you.

This promise is sure enough indeed to beare up thy Spirit against all frownes, jeares, and scornes, that thou maist meet with in the ser­vice of this God. I say this promise sure, is enough to encourage thee.

And therefore, O precious Christian, beare up, bear up, and be not wearie of well doing, for in due time, thou shalt have thy reward, if thou faintest not, which is to see his face.

What will men do for the favour of a prince, and yet his favour is but a changeable thing, but the favour, and loving kindnesse of God, abideth for ever; it is a favour from everlasting abiding to everlasting, running out in divers springs, election, creation, justification, and glorification in the highest heavens, with Saints and Angels for ever more, which is thy crowne, reward, and wages for all thy work for God and Christ. What wilt thou now sit still? or wilt thou give over running, as one thats weary, and sit thee down with men and sinners in creature vanities, which are a lie, and doth deceive all expectations, and ever will.

But why should I be jealous of thee, O pre­cious Christian, sure, thou canst not think of [Page 182]seeing his face, glory, love, and sweetnesse: but thy resolutions are doubled in thee, to beleeve that God will so abundantly reward thee, for all thou ever didst, or sufferedst for his sake, or Name.

But I shall close up all with one word to the carelesse sinner, for whom my soul doth even weep to thinke upon that day; when hee shall be banished from the face of this God, in whose presence is fulnesse of joy, and pleasures for ever more, as David speaks in his Psalmes.

But in his absence is misery upon misery: O said Absalom once, Let me see my fathers face, though he kill me. 2. Sam. 14.32. with what a longing was here now in Absalom to see Davids face, who heretofore rebelliously sought his life.

Well, know this, O rebellious sinner, time will come, that thou shalt weep; yea, bitterly weep as once Esau did for Jacobs blessing; so thou, for a glimpse of this face, glory, love, and sweetnesse of God; yea, thou shalt weep, and say as Absalom, let me see thy face, O God, though thou kill me, and damne mee too.

But will this prevail, no it will not, dam­ned thou shalt be, but never see his face.

It is said, the wicked shall not see God, no [Page 183]nor never shall to their comfort. O said Christ once to the Jewes, Ye shall seek me, but shall not find me, for whither I goe, ye cannot come, Iohn 7.34.

God will one day say the same, to everie proud rebellious sinner, ye shall seek me, but shall not find me, no, though you seek me with bitter teares, yet it will be all in vain, you may weep like Esau but not prevail; though seas, and seas again to that be shed with sense of miserie, and bitter cries for sight; yea, one glimmering sight of my face and glorie, love and sweetnesse, it will be vain, yea all in vain.

You might once, but must not see it now, no nor cannot for sighs and sobs with teares and cries; and then thy soul with heavy heart will mourning say, O my unhappie soul, what wilt thou now do, God will not be seen, but is wrapped up in displeasure for ever, if this Sunne should do the like, how would man and beast mourn, (though but for a mouth) and prize him too, when it againe should shine: but O my poore soul, from thee is hid this Sunne, yea, this Sunnes Sunne, and glorie, Angels are this Sunnes Sunne, and God the Sunne and glorie too of An­gels; but what is this to me, seeing he hath wrapt himself in displeasure, and me in dark­nesss, [Page 184]by hiding of his face: Which when David once had a conceit of, mark what bitter groanes, and sad complaints doth his dolourous soul then make, O saith he, re­store me to the light of thy countenance, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, Mark this good mans expressions at the con­ceit of the losse of Gods favour, O restore it, saith he, that the bones which thou hast bro­ken may rejoyce. O friend, what a sense was here in David, of a losse that he should in the sense of it think all his bones were bro­ken.

Who knows the pain of one broken bone? much less of all his bones at once, well, if thou shouldest know all thy bones broken, yea and broken over again, is lesse painfull, then the losse of this love, and favour which is seen in the face of God, though carelesse sinners little mind it for the present; but when the sense of it shall break in upon thy spirit like mighty seas, how wilt thou be drownd for ever, hoping or expecting it again. O this loss must needs break thy bones, yea, heart and soul too, over and over again.

The child mourns for his fathers absence, but more when he hides his face, and so the wife for her husband, but what is their grief or loss to thine, unhappie sinner, thou hast lost a father [Page 185]indeed, or at least, one that would have beene a Father to thee when time was, in Iesus Christ; yea, a sweet and loving Father for them that have found him, have found him so to be, yea, a Father as farr excelling all relations and Fa­thers too for sweetness, as the universall sweetness does the single Pink.

Men may talk of losses by wife and children, husbands, friends and Parents: but all is no­thing unto thine, O unhappie sinner, they have lost pebbles, but thou hast lost a Iewell, yea a God as farre excelling Iewels, Crowns and Kingdomes, as they for lustre, beautie, worth and sweetness, love, and love­linesse, excell straw, and stubble, chaffe, and vanity. Yea, and lost it too for no­thing, which must needs cut the soul and split thy Spirit too, when it thinks on it. O saith a poore Soul, I have lost the heaven of heavens, for dust and ashes; a few dying creatures saith the worlding, and I too, saith the wanton, for my Dalilah, this or that sinne which at the last betrayed me Iudas-like, in-into mine enemies hands, death, hell and De­vils, where I must lie, yea weep and wail, and see no God, no hope, no help, nor pity, for millions of yeares as that young man the Apo­thecarie once said to his servant in his despair and horrour.

And if then too, there were but any hopes to see God at last, it would be some comfort, but this everlasting departure and never seeing more, is a hell to hell, and a hell in hell to think upon, which every carelesse sinner will one day find, though he now makes a ship of God, and thinks there is no danger of finding him, or at least finding him when he needs, he is so mercifull, that if he crie but Lord, Lord, in a dying houre, God is so near and mercifull, that he will be straight found.

I will not lessen his mercie, and say abso­lutely thou shalt not; but friend, let me tell thee, thousands, and ten thousands have found it otherwise, witnesse Francis Spira, and those despairing Sinners, which thou seest daily dying so, which would give a thousand worlds might they live a little longer. O saith one in his burning feaver would I could live to see God, a reconciled God in the face of Iesus Christ, I would be contented to lie a thousand yeares in this Feaver; and I too, saith another in this Gout; and I too, saith a third, with his bowells twisted in his belly, which pains are all intollerable, yet all would fain live in them to find a God before they die.

O foolish man, O foolish sinner, what shall I like thee unto, but unto that simple man, that built his house upon the sands of peradventure. [Page 187]I hope, and thinke to finde God when I die; for all these Puritans be so stritkt, though I take my pleasure, and live in my sinnes, and doe as my neighbours, Mr. Custome, and the rest; well friend, I will take thee at thy word, peradventure thou mayst: But wilt thou venture thy soule, thy deare and pretious soul, upon a peradventure? O foolish sinner, hast thou ever another soule to save if this miscar­ry? dost not thou lose all, and for a perad­venture, which may take, and yet it is a thou­sand to one if it doth?

But with this parable, before mētioned, I shal conclude; & now for thy souls sake, hearken to me whoever thou art, that readest these lines, & this little book, mind me, for it is a truth, and shall be so, when thou and I am rotten, that Christ is the rock, yea, the rock of ages, and whoever builds on him shall stand; yea stand, and stand firme, when the windes blow and whistle, and raines fall like hailstones driven by the winde, and the stormes beat, yet thou shalt stand, and stand firme, in all these stormes, and troubles, and afflictions, and temptati­ons; yea, in death and judgement too, shalt thou stand, where millions, yea, and millious too, shall fall whilst thou stands firme on thy rock Christ, thy sure foundation, and see the face of God too for thy comfort; after all [Page 186]these stormes, like the Sunne after an April shower, or a haven after many weary leagues by day and night, like Paul upon the Seas of Creet, Acts 28.38. But how thou must build upon this rock know, and let all the world know, it is by the mighty power of faith wrought in the heart, by the eternall Spirit of the mighty God, and not by the workes which we doe, or can doe, by all created power.