THE Prophet in the former part of the Chapter, having seen and taken notice of those wonder­full works wrought by Jesus Christ, both in his Judgements and Mercies, he breaks out into wonderful praise; rejoycing and admirati­on of his wonderful Works, and of his Counsels of old, O Lord thou art my God, I will exalt thee, I will praise [Page 2]thy name, V. 1. for thou hast done wonderful things, thy Counsels of old are faithfulness and truth; In which, he gives thanks, as in the person of Jesus Christ, or as a member of him, and ex­presseth the deep and wonderful things which have been wrought onely and alone by Him. From whence we may take notice, that the songs and praises of all Saints, are only and alone to magnifie and lift up Jesus Christ:Psal. 29.9. In his Temple every one speaks of his glory: they have nothing to say in praise of man, of the power of man, wisdom of man, or the glory of man, of the faithfulness of man, of the counsels of man, but of the Lord alone.

They are not telling forth what they have done, to bring glory to themselves; or to set up their wisdome, or power, or parts, or any thing in them; of their righteousnesse, of their holiness, of their love, of their joy, of their peace, or any thing of this nature;Luk, 18.11. as the Scribes and Pharisees, I am not so and so, and I do thus and thus, thereby to magnifie themselves, or to make others think highly of them; no, but their songs and their praise is alone to exalt Jesus Christ, and to tell of his doings, of his counsels, of his faithfulness and truth, of his mercies and loving kindnesse, of his righteousnesse and judgements; this is their glory, and this is their song.

In the Second verse, you may see how he sets out the spoiles and the ruins that Jesus Christ hath made; Great and glorious Cities made heaps; of a defensed City a ruine: That strong city Babel built up by the power and wisdom of man,Gen. 11. for his protection and defence, which he would raise up to Heaven, to prevent destruction hereafter, that the deluge of wrath may not swallow him up; The soule having seen the Almighty power of Jesus Christ, ruining, and bringing down this Tower, and this BABEL in himself, and making all this work power, wisdom, providence of man, of self and flesh to be made Bable, Confusion; here now, the Saints give all the glory to Jesus Christ alone; Man finds that he was raising a Temple, setting up a Worship of his own devising; for what end? that he may secure himself, provide for himself, deliver himselfe from wrath, from hell, from the overflowing scourge, [Page 3]from the devouring flood; he thought himselfe to be wonder­full in working and glorying in his own devices,Esa. 28.15 in his own religion, in his own forms, and thereby thought this Tow­er would secure him, no deluge could reach him, he was a­bove all danger; as Paul, he was marching on confidently and boldly in his own uprightnesse, and thought he acted all things according to the rule; Acts 9. & ch. 26.9. Psal. 49.11. Dan. 4.30. Now in the height of all his pride and confidence, Jesus Christ brings him down, smites him from his horse, he had built a city (as it were) and called it by his own name, mangified his own strictnesse, his own ho­linesse, and said as Nebuchadnezzer, Is not this great Babel that I have builded? Now the soule seeing all this to be a lye, to be confusion, and a deceit, and a delusion, and all turned by Jesus Christ into ruine and confusion in his own soule, and not a stone left upon a stone which is not thrown down; Matth. 24.2. this the soule comes to see is alone the work of Christ; that he hath made, of a glorious city an heap, Esai. 25.2. and of a defenced City a ruinous place of strangers: and this to be no City and shall never be built againe: when once Jesus Christ pulls down Babel in us, it shall never be built againe: He hath laid it all flat to the ground. All of mans setting up must be utterly ruined: no part of that building set up upon the ruins of mans power, wisdome, strength, parts, will Christ make any use of for his kingdome, but all must be ruined,Luke 21.6. Ezek. 21.27. laid flat to the ground, and he will not leave a stone upon a stone. The work of Christ is an overthrowing, overturning, over­turning work: the work of Christ is to slay, strip, and undo men: to strip them of all conceit of themselves to lay them flat to the earth, to equal and level them with the worst of men. The work of the Devil is to build up man in his own wisdom, in his own strength, to make him something; to cry peace peace to him, when there is no peace; Jer. 6.14. to put wrath far away, and to tell him he is thus and thus, he hath such love and charity, and meeknesse, and conformity to the will of Christ, and therefore fear not,Matth. 16.22. none of all those things shall happen to thee. When indeed this is nothing but the work and wisedome of the Devil in man:Esai. 28.15. to make him secure, and put the evil day far from him and thereby [Page 4]hath made a covenant with death and hell; and of all men, he shall be preserved from ruin; why? he is a holy man, he hath submitted to ordinances, he is under the purest forms, most agreeable to the wil and mind of Christ: Whenas all this may be nothing but the work of the divel in man, meerly to delude him, and to keep away guilt, that he may not see the bottomless gulph of sin and delusion that is in his own heart.

But when once Jesus Christ hath thus declared his power in this soul, and brought forth his eternal counsels in it, then he comes to see that all this is done in faithfulness and loving kindness, and in tender compassion; then he comes to see that he was deluded, Hos. 12.1. and fed himself with lies, with wind and vanity, and that the way to safety was not to build up this Babel, Esay 25.4 but to bring it into confusion: for, saith he, in the fourth verse; Thou hast been a strength to the poor and needy in their distresse, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat. So that you see, the matter of Saints praises is only to mag­nifie and set up, and exalt and make Christ great and won­derful. They cannot say any thing of themselves, or of men, for they see them to be nothing but sin, and the foun­tain of misery, desolation, and destruction, even the very best, the highest, the holiest in their own esteem. And so he goes on, Thou shalt bring down the noise of the strangers, &c. the branch and the Terrible ones shall be brought low: V. 5. And all this is, but to shew forth what further work Christ makes; how he goes on making more Havock in Satans building; Mans work, or the work of Satan in him, is to set up and exalt the wisdom of man, and power and holiness of man, and to sleight and debase the wisdom, holiness, and power of God, all this is foolishness; but his own is wisdom indeed, and holiness indeed: Now the work of Christ is to pull down these strong holds and high imaginations: 2 Cor. 10.4. Babel must be confounded, and Bethel must be erected: Christ wil him­self set up his own Temple, his own house, his own Kingdom, and wil bring man to see that he is nothing but want and misery, Note. emptiness and confusion, sin and death, Hell and condem­nation: And that Jesus Christ alone is fulness, riches, life, light, [Page 5]glory, and all that can be named or esteemed good, and man s nothing but what may be named and esteemed evil, And this is certainly the work that Christ makes in every soul wherever He enters: And Christ brings the soul really to see, All this true, in it self, all done and acted in man: that this Babel, and this Antichrist is set up in him; and also, that the power and wisdom of Jesus Christ hath ruined and destroyed them in him; and that this can be no other, but the work of Christ, conquering and bringing all things, even every thought, into subjection in him,Jude. v. 5. and he gives him the sole praise and glory of these mighty works in him, why? for he knows he had no hand in it himself: he could not believe of himself, repent of himself: never would the strong man bind himself, ruin himself;Luke 11.22, but when a stronger then he comes, then he is disarm'd, and never before: and thus he sees himself delivered from bondage, set free from the divels chains, brought out of Babylon; and that Christ alone is all in all, he is all fulness and no emptinesse, all riches and no want, all wisdom and no folly, all righteousness and no impurity at all: But contrary, himself to be no­thing but emptiness and nothingness, darkness, misery, folly, madness; folly and madness is in his heart while he lives, Eccl. 9.3. and afterward goes down into the pit: while men thus build up themselves, and have these high opinions of themselves, they are in the pit, in darkness, in misery, in bondage, but they see it not, till at length they fall down and sink into it for ever.

But where Christ appears in mercy, there he brings down the noise of strangers, all this in man and of man is but the noyse of strangers, though man have a high opinion of him­self, and glories in these conceits, and thinks himself in the Kings favour, and if any shal be saved he shal, and so blesseth himself and all is wel, and no wrath, nor no divel, nor no hell, shall come neer him; yet alass, this is but the noise and the voice of strangers, which must be brought down, Christ cannot own this voyce (for 'tis the voyce of strangers) but will bring it down to hell and to the sides of the pit, for,Esa. 14.15 all this language is nothing else but the language of death, [Page 6]and the language of Babel, the language of the divel, and the language of confusion: all this is but the branches of the Terrible ones; Esay 25.5 the branch which hath enlarged and spread it self over the whole earth;Psal. 14.3. Every one is gone astray, and there is none that doth good, no not one. And all the imagination of mans beart is evil, Gen. 6.5. and only evil continually: not a man upon the face of the whol earth, but this branch hath spread it self over him,Esay 30.3 and he sits under the shadow of it; he hath something of man to shroud and cover himself withall, This is the branch of the terrible one, that Jesus Christ wil cut down. Mans holines bears great sway, and who dare speak against it? Its high and lifted up, and reacheth to heaven, yet the power and faithfulnesse of Christ shal bring it low, it shall fall and never rise again,Ibid. 24.20. and the transgression therof shall be heavy upon it. And cursed be he that buildeth again the walls of Jerico.

And then he comes to the verses read, what shall come to passe after the accomplishment of all these things, In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things, &c. He spake not of any mountain before, but of a branch, and he presently changeth the metaphor, and speaks of a mountain. It shews us thus much (by the way) that there is not any one thing in the World but it holds forth Jesus Christ:Note. all the whol creation is a representation of Jesus Christ: all tipes, all metaphors are resemblances of him.

In this Mountain: Mountains are things of the greatest strength, most stable, most immovable, most durable: and he is in Scripture often call'd, The mountain of strength, The mountain of holiness, Jer. 31.23. Esay 33.6 The strength of Salvation, and the Moun­tain of his Glory. No man ever comes into the mountain of strength, nor into the mountain of Glory, nor of Holi­ness, nor of Salvation, till they come to Jesus Christ: strength and glory and riches and power and righteousness & peace is only to be had in him and no where else, only In this Mountain will the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things full of Marrow, Esay 12.3 Rev. 2:17. & wine on the Lees well refined; in him only can we drink out of the wells of Salvation, and eat of the hidden Man­na: [Page 7]So that these words contain a further making out of the excellency and glory of Jesus Christ, unto miserable and undone man: If once man come to be thus lost, undone, and brought down in himself, then will Jesus Christ make him a Feast of fat things; if once his peace be lost, his righ­teousnes lost, his joy lost, his help lost, his strength lost, then will Jesus Christ be all these unto him, he will make out a peace for him, a righteousnesse for him, a glory for him; he will be to him, a feast of fat things full of marrow, and wine on the lees well refined.

And so, as he saith in the next verse, I will destroy in this mountain, the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all Nations. That is, mans opinion of his own goodnes, his seeming righteousnes, which was as a covering, as a vail, that man could not see himself miserable and under wrath and hell and darknesse: This is the cove­ring; every man naturally hath an opinion of his own goodness, he hath something or other to cover himself withall; but some have finer, and (as they conceive) richer coverings then others, they think they have more holines, and more repentance, and more love, and more good works: & these are by so much the worse, these are at a farther distance from the Kingdom of Heaven:Matth. 21.31, And Publicans and Harlots, and the vilest sinners shall goe into the King­dom of heaven, and they themselves (that have so much holiness) shall be shut out: Luk. 23.45. Here now The vail of the Tem­ple must be rent, from the top to the bottom, The rock of their righteousness must be rent, their shame must be laid open,Ibid. 12.3. what they have done in the secret chambers of their own hearts, must now be proclaimed upon the house top, they cannot conceal it, the covering is removed: Now they come to see that Jesus Christ is only the rock of their righteousness, and that they have none at all; all other rocks, all other righteousnesses must be rent, that so their want, their mi­sery, their condemnation, their hell, their horrour, their dark­ness and delusion, may be discovered: and if men be once brought to this, to be content to be miserable (as indeed all mankind is by reason of the fall) to be content to see them­selves [Page 8] undone, to be shut up under the wrath of God, con­demnation sealed upon them, and the pit to have shut her mouth upon them: having once thus lost all their power, wisdom, righteousnes, then all death, hell and darknes shal be swallowed up in the death of Christ, Then he wil as it is in the eighth verse,Esay 25.8 Swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God shall wipe away all tears from all faces: In this mountain he will take away all sorrow, and the rebuke of their sins, all guilt, all condemnation, all bonds, all captivity, all strong holds, all chains, all death, all fears, griefs, terrors, and all things of that nature: This rock, this mountain will swallow up all, and so take away the rebuke of his people.

When a man is brought into this mountain, he shal be thus fed with fat things and wine on the lees, and all tears washed away, nothing left of that nature and this is that day of the Lord, this is the Lords resting day, and this is the souls Sabbath and resting day, when all rebukes, all frowns, all griefes are removed: All other Sabbaths and rests externall are but figures and representations of this true rest. And then it follows in the ninth verse, And it shall be said in that day, Loe, Esay 25.9 this is our God, we have waited for him, this is the Lord, we have waited for him, he will save us, and we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation, for in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, &c. when Christ hath thus appeared to the de­struction of all things in man and hath brought him out of himselfe, and hath ruined all his strength, righ­teousnes, wisdom, &c. then Christ wil be all in all to him, then will he feast him in this mountain; and the soul seeing all these things accomplished in it self, then it cannot chuse but rejoyce, triumph and sing; Even the Song of Moses and the Lamb, This is our God that we have waited for: This is the Lord, in him alone is power, and wisdom, and righteous­nes, loving kindnesses and tender merecies, Thou O Lord only art worthy to receive honour, Rev. 4.11. and glory, and power, thou alone art our strength, and Our salvation; all their happines is concentred in this One God, and they have no God but him, no Saviour but him; they have but One God, and one faith, and one baptisme, Eph. 4.4, 5, 6. One body, one spirit, one hope; One Lord, [Page 9]one God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all. They rejoyce in this, that they see themselves made nothing, that they are emptied of themselves, of their pow­er, wisdom, righteousnes: they now rejoyce, triumph and sing because the vail of covering of the all Nations is removed, in their hearts: that their high thoughts are brought down, that their wisdom is made folly, that their opinion of their own glory, of their own somethingness, of their own holiness is re­moved, and Christ alone is He in whom they enjoy all things.

From hence ye may conclude upon this point:

That Christ alone is the Saints strong mountain, Doct. and their feast of all good things. He is only their mountain of strength, he is their joy and their song, he hath rent and destroyed the face of the Covering which is upon all people; they see that none can remove this Covering, but Christ alone: and therfore he having done this in them and for them,Psal. 4.7. this re­joyceth their hearts far more then if he had increased their Corn, or their Wine, or their Oyle: here is their feast, here is their day of Thanksgiving, here is their Sabbath, which shall never end; here is their marrow and fatness, here their wine, and their fat things full of marrow: He is their mountain, their glory, their rock; and all this they see is wrought in them by the power only of Jesus Christ. And this adds to their rejoycing, that they see they had no hand in it, they see that they did not chuse him, but he chose them; that they instead of chusing him, ran away from him, opposed him, fought against him; and yet he followed them, and never left them till he had conquered them: and this now is their joy, and their praise, and their song; and nothing in hea­ven or earth shall be exalted or magnified by them, but only Jesus Christ, their strong mountain, their feast of all good things.

These Souls only come to see, that there is a vail, and that this is the vail of Covering spread over all Nations; all those, upon whom the vail is, see not the vail, but he only in whom 'tis rent, from whom its removed: And all their desire is, that it may be removed from all people, that others may see that which he sees, and enjoy that which he enjoyes, that [Page 10]Christ may be a mountain to them as he is to him, a rock to them as he is to him, a feast to them as he is to him. And they can say truely, and name this mountaine Jehovah-jireh; onely in the mount of the Lord, can this be seen: Abraham could not sacrifice his Son, till he came up into this mount: once come in to this mountain, then the soule can part with all things for the love of Christ, nothing is so dear as Christ. And this is the conclusion wrought by the Spirit in Abraham: Jehovah-jireh, saith he, in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen: there is no seeing any of these things, nor there is no true feasting till we come into this mount of the Lord. What was that going up of Abraham to the mount Moriah think you? In the truth of it, it was no other thing but this, his going up from himself, and out of himself, forsaking all things for this one thing, and comming up to this mountain of the Lod, where the Lord alone was all in all: Beloved, know this for truth, there is no wisdome, no rightousnesse, no strength, &c. nowhere else, but here, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen, and nowhere else: There is no self-denial, no true repentance, no conquering of the least sin, no true peace, no joy, no love, no wisdom but onely in this mount; whatever men pretend, that they are wise, or holy, and the like, 'tis all but deceit and a delusion, till we come up to the Mount, till this Vaile be removed: we can never bind the strong man, we can never cut off our right hands, or pul out our right eye til then;Matth. 29 30. we can never forsake our selvs, we can never deny our own power, wisdome and holinesse.

Here now is this mountain of strength, here it was that Abraham staggered not through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Rom. 4.17.20: Here he [...] and was fully perswaded that he that had promised was able to performe; that though Isaac were sacrificed, yet God was he who could quicken the dead, and calleth things which are not as though they were. Here­in was Abraham, the father of the faithful, and Isaac the seed of many Nations, and all the faithful are his seed in this: And his going up to the Mountain, is no other but what is done by all the faithful; that litteral mountain, was not the truth, but onely the figure of this strong mountain Jesus [Page 11]Christ, he is that mountain spoken of Esai. 2.2. called there the mountain of the Lords house, Esa. 2.2. which shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the Hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it. Jesus Christ is that mountain, who is unalterable, unmovable, unchangable, never to be shaken, nor never to be removed: and to be established on the top of all mountaines above all the mountaines of man: the mountaines of mans wisdome, of mans righteousnesse, which were esteemed (by men) never so high, never so strong, yet this mountain shall overtop them all, and be established above all. Beloved, none come to know these things, but those in whom they are wrought, in whom the Vaile of the covering is removed; men may pretend to these things and be very confident they enjoy them, when indeed they are un­der the Covering to this very day.

This is that stone also that Daniel speaks of, Dan. 2. which was cut out of the mountain without hands, which smote the Image, which was so terrible in the form thereof, Dan. 2. he head being of fine Gold, his brest and armes of Silver, his belly and thighs of Brass, his legs of Iron, and his feet part Iron and part clay. Now the stone cut out without hands, smote this terrible I­mage, and it self became a great mountain, V. 25. and filled the whole earth: However this may be applicable (as by some it is) to the outward Monarchyes in the world, one succeeding and overcomming another: yet, all those things are but figures of the truth: for those things are not done without hands: but the truth is done in spirit: whatever it is that men set up to shelter themselves under, any form, any religion to defend themselves from the wrath of God, from the guilt of sin, from seeing themselves odious, with all their righteousnes and rags, All things of that nature are Images, and are such Images, and so Terrible that no man is able to break them to peices: 'tis only The Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands, can bring them down or break them to peices. These Images are diverse, and of several tempers and conditions; some are of Clay, that is, some are of low rudiments, poor and mean things that Men set up and rely upon and shelter themselves with all, their good meanings [Page 12]and good hopes and the like; and these may be esteemed but as the feet of this Image: others goe higher, and they depend up on things of more worth and strength, that seem to be made of Iron, they cloath themselves with moral vertues, and put confidence in them, and these they thinke will defend and save them: But there are some that goe higher then all these, and they pretend to cloath themselves with the garments of Jesus Christ himselfe, and the graces of the Spirit, and in these they glory: and this glisters like Gold, but it is not Gold, and they seem to have faith, but have not faith, and love, but 'tis not love, and patience, but tis not patience, &c. And they are no other but Images and Idols, upon which many men (professing Religion, and under the strictest formes and fellowships) rely, and shel­ter themselves under, and think these will defend and pro­tect them from hell and destruction, and Gods wrath: these things cover them and cover the wickednesse of their hearts, that they cannot see themselves how vile they are, how in­finitly wicked in the sight of God;Esay 30.1 these cover themselves with a covering, but not with the Lords spirit, Wo be to all such; for these poor souls do most pitifully and miserably delude themselves: these instead of putting on the rich and glorious robe of Christs righteousnesse, doe cloath themselves with the stinking, loathsome, abominable and divelish righte­ousnesse of man: I, and they preferre it before the excellen­cy of the Lord Jesus Christ: and of these Christ himselfe saith, verily, such can never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, but Publicans and Harlots, and the vilest of sinners shall enter into the Kingdome, Matth. 21.31. when they shall be shut out. For these are those that have put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face, as the Lord saith by Ezekiel; and have set up their Idols in their heart, Ezek. 7.19. & 14.4. &c. and yet come to enquire after the Lord; and these men of all other wil the Lord cut off; these men the Lord will answer, them by himselfe, and will set his face against them, and will make a signe and a proverb above all other, and will cut them off from the midst of his people Israel: I will answer them according to the multitude of their Idols, says God, and wil not be enquired of at all by them, for these are the rebellious house: [Page 13]These commit the highest abominations: These set up their posts by the Lords posts, & their thresholds by his threshold; which is the highest iniquitie: These have daubed up a wall with untempered morter; they are the Wall; and the Prophets that prophesie peace to them, they are the daubers, and the sow­ers of pillows under all armholes, that pollute the Lord among his people for handfulls of Barly, and for peices of Bread, that slay the soules that should not dye, and save the soules alive that should not live, by their lying to his people that hear and receive their lyes; having made the righteous sad, Ezek. 8.12. & 18. Esa. 29.15. and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising and shewing him the true way of life. These are those of the house of Israel that have set up the Idols of Jealou­sie in the Chambers of their Imagery, and dig deep and think to hide their Counsels from the Lord, and these are their Idols and their Gods they worship, serve, rely upon, and sacrifice to: Therefore with these will the Lord deal in fury, because these wipe their mouths and put the branch to their nose and please themselves in their owne Idols, and with the gods that their own hands have made.

Now men being thus confident in their own righteous­nes, and thinking this form, and that duty, and their strict walking, shal deliver & protect them, and they resting secure under this mighty Image, then comes the Stone cut out of the Mountains and breaks in pieces this glorious Image;Dan. 2.45. It falls upon all their duties, upon all their righteousnesse, upon all their towers, upon all their Idols, and crushes them all to peices, breaks in peices that stately Image made of iron and clay, and brasse, and silver, and gold, and makes all their high opinions of themselves become like the chaff upon the summers threshing floore that the wind carrieth away. Ib. 2.35. And then they are brought to see, that all their confidence was but an Idol, an Image, a Lye, Vanity, wind, delusion. And then, and never before, this little stone becomes (in them) a great Mountain, and this fill the whole earth: Man being once discovered to be, as he is, Vanity, a Lye, Babel, Confusion, Darknesse, Hell, Horrour, Misery, and what not, with all his glorious righteousnesses, discovering them to be but [Page 14] rags, Esai. 64.6. and filthy rags; when man is brought really and not in words onely, (for that is part of the Covering) to be nothing but sinne, emptinesse, nothingnesse; then is the work begun, the foundation laid: Thou art Peter, upon this rock will I build my Church: Matth. 16.18. and the foundation being thus laid, the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against it: the other building was but upon the sand, and cannot withstand when therain fals and the winds and storms blow, but the fal ther­of will be great; but when this work is brought about in the soule, that man is laid low, made nothing, emptied of him­self: this is a foundation upon which building, let the rain fall, Ibid. 7.25 and the winds blow, and the stormes beat, yet it shall stand, because it is founded upon a rock. This rock is onely and alone Jesus Christ, that blessed eternal rock of ages; upon whom all the Saints from the foundation of the world to its con­summation are founded and bottomed, as upon mount Sion, which shall never be removed: All the Patriarcks and Pro­phets give testimony of this rock; to him that is the rock of ages, and is that great Mountain that shall fill the whole earth: He that shall onely raign, and shall be all in all, whose Kingdome alone shall be exalted:1 Cor. 10.4. All the Fathers drank of this rock; as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 10.4. they were bap­tised unto Moses, but they all eat the same spiritual meat, and all did drink of the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

He is that unspeakable glory, power, majesty, eternity, &c. that can never be lift up enough, never able to be unfold­ed nor set forth by Men and Angels according to his great­nesse, his goodnesse, his unchangablenesse, his glory, his wisdome and infinitenesse: He is the wonder of ages, the bright­ness of his Fathers Glory, Heb. 1.3. and the express Image of his person: He it is that is set forth by all creatures, by all Types, Meta­phors, Representations, and yet all come infinitly short of him. He that once comes into this mountain we have been speaking of, he shall be fed with these fat things: there is no attaining these high and fat things but in the Lords Mountain; tis not mans Mountain, nor mans fat things can feast us with these things: but this man shall be fed and [Page 15]shall have the Vail rent from the top to the bottom: the Cover­ing that is the Covering of the Vaile of all Nations, that is more or lesse upon every man; But it is He onely in whom mans glorious Temple is destroyed, and all of mans building laid flat, and not a stone left upon a stone, Mat. 24.2. that is not thrown down.

That we may come and make some use of all we have said, and apply it to our selves:

This discovers, Ʋse 1 that all things that Christ will make use of in his Church, must be materials of his own, from him­self, of his own providing; that ever it be that man provides, that men hew out by their own wisdom, or power, and frame never such curious Images, they are all abominable, all must be destroy'd, broke to pieces, blown away, made nothing: All fat things are only to be had in this mountain; There is no destroying the Vail of the Covering of all Nations, no bringing man to see his own misery, his own hell, his own darknesse, but here; no shewing man the excellency of the riches and glory of Christ, but here; no true feast, but here; all other feasts are but death and poyson: what ever feast man provides, or takes con­tent in, he feeds himself with lies, he is but as an hungry man still, that dreams he eates, and when he awakes he is empty: but this Feast of fat things, and Wine on the lees, Esay 29.8 and fat things full of marrow, and wine on the lees well refined, is only prepared and given unto us by Jesus Christ; Man naturally feeds upon nothing but sin and misery, and hell and damnation: and these are sweet to him: why? because there is a vail upon them, the Covering of all Nations; some things, more or lesse excellent, some righteousnesse, some holinesse, some duties, some reformation, some forms, some shadows; and These are the Covering, by reason of which he neithr sees nor tasts death, nor hell, nor destruction. In Christ there is all life, all rest, all peace, all discovery of good things; but if man remain in himself, and dwel in his own mountain, there is all darknesse, and all deformity, nothing but death, trouble, bryars, thorns; but it never appears so, till but death, trouble, bryars, thorns; but it never appears so, till the vail be taken away; till then, man is never stript of [Page 16]himself, never turned outward, but all is under this Cove­ring; and while so, he blesses himself and saith I am safe, all is well, there is no death nor hell can come neer me, I am a reform'd man, I walk exactly, I presse after the strictest rules of the word, I am under the purest Ordinances; here now,Gen. 3.6. man eates death, and tasts of the forbidden tree, and the tree is sweet to him, and to be desired.

But now when Christ comes into the soul really, all these thoughts are cursed, damned, thrown to hell, and the man becomes vile, abominable in his own fight: instead of seeing himself an heir of glory, as before, his thoughts are clean altered: the vail, the Covering is removed, and he now sees himself an heir of hell, a poor deluded undone creature: He sees THE ASSE the flesh, must not goe up into the mountain with Abraham, but must be left below, let that bear the burden, as fit and meet it should, let it bear the wrath of God, it must be destroyed, it must be condemned, it must goe to hell; All the glory of man, all the excellency of na­ture, all the holinesse of man, the wisdom of man, all must be left below with the Asse, the flesh, at the bottom of the hill, and there must be a going out of our selves, a loosing of our selves, that we may goe up to the mountain, and there be feasted, and there see visions, there see strength, there see glory, there see power, there see riches, righteousnesse, and all good things; then man shall see how he called evil good, and good evil, Esay 5.20 darknesse light, and light darknesse; there he shall be feasted with all delights, there he shall see how wis­dom hath furnished her table, Prov. 9.2. there the scales are removed; here he beholds Jacobs ladder; here is the valley of Achor, here he enjoys his hopes, here he sees visions, and the third heavens opened, and here he feeds upon the hidden Manna, &c.

But know this,Rev. 2. that all these thing are not done at once, but by degrees; as man leaves the Asse behind, so he ascends the mountain: as man goes out of himself, so he enjoyes Jesus Christ, and is made one with him; as man is made nothing, so Christ comes to be made all; man becomes all in Christ, and nothing in himself: so far as man utterly denies himself, so far he eats of these fat things; when he [Page 17]see himself oppressed with sin, or wrath, or hell, he present­ly runs to this mountain when he is parched with drought he runs to this rock, to this fountain of living waters; Jer. 17.13. below in the valley in himself he can find no comfort, nothing but wrath, and death, and darkensse, and destruction, there's is nothing but the bottomless pit, there's nothing but madness and folly, nothing but lies and vanity; there's nothing but fears and frights, horrors and amazements, and the smoak of the bottomlesse pit: he now cries out, Wo is me, Rev. 9.2. did I so much delude my self, to think my self to be wise, holy, &c. when as there was nothing but folly, and an infiniteness, of mad­nesse! And now he sees that there is in him Antichrist in­deed, the beast with seven heads and ten horns, and himself bearing the mark and image of the beast.

And all this the soul sees by faith, for faith is the souls eye; when Faith goes up from its self, and looks upon Jesus Christ, there it sees all riches, all glory, all wisdom, all un­changeableness, all purity, all life, all rest, all in all; in a word, it sees him to be unutterable, unspeakable, and in him things not able to be uttered, not fit to be uttered, but only to such as are admitted into the same condition, for others cannot comprehend these words, they are paradoxes and riddles: They see themselves to be nothing but sin and hor­rour, and there is the bottom or the foot of Jacobs Ladder; and they see also Jesus Christ with all his riches, glory, power, wisdom, righteousness, there is the top of the Lad­der: these things are only to be seen in this mountain.

When Saints by faith look down into what they are in themselves, they see there is a bottomlesse pit of smoak and darkness, blackness of darkness, darkness that may be felt, Exod. 10.21. and they see the smonk covers the face of the whole earth: there he sees in this valley such a bottomless depth of sin and Misery, that he is ashamed of himself, and ashamed that others should see him to be so.

Now while the vail is untaken away, all the endeavour, all the wit, all the power of the naturall man, is, to keep on this covering, to keep it from being rent: he would by no means have it removed, he would upon no terms see himself as he it, [Page 18]to see himself undone; to be nohing but emptiness and mi­sery, this kindles the fire of hell in him: what? he that thought himself so holy, so full of goodnesse; now to see himself to be so far deluded as to be all sin, and all darkness, and all hell: he that thought himself to be a lover of God, and a lover of righteousnesse, to be no other but a hater of God, and a bater of true holines, and a hater of the truth! Oh now, by all means, he would cover and hide this monstrous Image from himself, and others: he would not for all the world see himself, nor have others see him, thus vile, and thus miserable, but the contrary to admire himself, to mag­nifie himself as good, excellent and holy; but when Jesus Christ comes, he wil in despight of all mans wisdom, and cunning, and power, discover him to himself; he shall whe­ther he will or no, behold his own shape, see himself in his own colours: Then he cries out, Ob miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me? [...]m. 7.24 Lord help me, I am undone, I am a man of polluted lips; and with Peter, Lord help or I perish, I shall fink for ever into this bottomlesse gulph, from whence there is no redemption.

He sees now the vail rent, and himself lost for ever: and that such is the bottomlesness of this gulph that he is in, that nothing can redeem him thence, but only the blood of Christ; no hand can help him, but only the infinit bottom­lesse mercy of the Son of God. He sees now nothing in Heaven or earth, no righteousnesse of men or Angels could suffice for his ransom, but Jesus Christ alone, the Son of God himself, must lay down his life to redeem him out of the nethermost hell: Now Christ revealing this to him, he hereby ascends up into this mountain, and there he feasts, and there he hath all his wisdom, all his power, all his life, all his meat,Jer. 17.13 all his living waters: here, he now hath all his teachings; he now sees Christs mountain exalted upon the top of all mountains, above the top of all mans mountains, of wisdom, power, holinesse, &c. though they have been raised in mans esteem never so high, and esteemed as the mountains of the Lord; he sees his knowledge now meer fol­ly, his wisdom, darkness; his righteousness, sin; his power, [Page 19]weaknes; his glory, shame; his Heaven, Hell: this he sees in himself, and he can see nothing else but this misery and this blindness upon the face of the whole earth; every man is under this darknes, is under this Covering, the face of the Covering of all Nations.

Christ went up to the mountain, and taught the people. Mal. 2.2. The truth is, this is that mountain where Christ alone teacheth: all other teachings are folly and ignorance till we hear the word at his mouth: Here in this mountain the soule beholds visions, and receives the manifestations of Christ, and the mysteries of the kingdome; hereit sees from the bottom to the top of Jacob, Ladder:Mat. 24.15. here he sees the Abomination of de­solation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, that had it not been for the love of Christ, the meer power and hand of Christ, he had been gon for ever; lost for ever, swallowed up in a myste­ry of iniquity; but when Christ brings him into this mount, then he sees himselfe escaped, then he sees Sodom and Gomorah all on a flame, all self & flesh, and al mans wisdom and righ­teousnes burnt up, and the smoak thereof ascend as the smoak of a furnace: and then he can say experimentally Jehovah­jireh; Gen. 22.14. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

Saints can testifie of these things, because they have seen and felt them done in themselves, and tis that which their hands have handled of the word of life: 1 Joh. 1.1. they can give testimo­ny to the wisedome of Christ, to the power of Christ, to the righteousnesse of Christ, to the evrlasting, and unexpressible goodnesse of Christ, as it is expressed and put forth in their hearts; they can give no testimony of man, of any goodness, wisdome, power, &c. in themselves, but they know Christ to be all in all: he see man and himselfe, and all things of man to be nothing but a pit of darknesse, a lump of sin, a gulf of misery, without the least wisdome, goodnesse or power; but whatever is good or strong, or holy in him, tis not him­self, tis not of man, but of an from Christ alone: he sees experimentally, that he hath (as of himselfe) no power, no strength to resist sin, no repentance, no minde to hate or re­sist the least sin, but the contrary: He findes a cursed, hellish, demned, unbeleeving heart, full of evil and that continually, Gen. 6.5. a [Page 20]heart instead of loving God, it fights against God, in stead of doing good to his Neighbour really, he seeks not his good, but his own ends in all he doth, that he doth no­thing at all for God; but himselfe is his supreame and ulti­mate end, so that his highest and best actions are loathsome, defiled, abominable. Now the soule seeing these things to be really thus, Then all his strong, high & towering conceits fall down before the light, wisedome, power and excellency of Christ: and he sees that there is none of all these through all the whol earth but in Christ alone, no wisdom at all but his, no power at all but his, no righteousnes at al but his, and no creature to receive any glory but hm alone: then he falls down and cryes out O'wretched man that I'am, who shal deliver me from that body of death? Rom. 7.24. who shal deliver me from this bot­tomless gulf? who shal deliver me from this monsterous fiend my own self?Rom. 9.3. he now sees the Locusts of the bottomles pit, cover­ing the face of the whole earth: every one running after his own ways and following his own laws, every man setting up new Gods, every man setting up the Image of his Imagery, and the abomination of desolation in himself, every man making himself his own god, and seeking to be somthing, and making the e­ternal glorious God to be an Idol and nothing: He sees him­self with the whole earth besides, saying with the builders of Babel,Gen. 11.4. go to, let us build us a Tower and a City, whose top may reach up to Heaven, that we may not be seattered and destroyed; they will save and deliver themselves from hell, wrath, and destruction, by their own power, by their own wisedome, by their own inventions, by the brick, slime, and morter that they have made; Now the Lord looking down from Hea­ven, to see what the Children of men are doing, and he in himselfe sees how God hath said, Let us go down and confound their language: God in them hath discovered the evilnesse of their wayes, the evil of self-seeking, self-glory, of their selfe-wisdome, selfe-power, self-righteousnesse; and they in whom, or to whom the Lord discovers these things, all this contrivance, and all this work n them is made BABEL, Confusion, a heap of Lyes, tis all deceit, destruction and mi­sery: but in Jesus Christ he hath righteousnesse indeed, life [Page 21]indeed, power indeed, heaven indeed: And then he can adde and say with the Apostle, Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ: O death, where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15, 54.55. Oh grave, where is thy victory; then hath this corruptible in him put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality, and then is brought to passe in him the saying, as it is written, death is swallowed up in victory.

Herein the Saints finde Jesus Christ to be their joy, to be their feast, to be their mountain, to be their glory, to be their All. In this mountain they finde and receive all these good things, and are fully satisfied, and that they are to be had nowhere else: If they look anywhere else, they know there is nothing but sin, corruption, death, hell, mortality, and the grave. And they having found this mountain, they finde themselves escaped, delivered from all those things: And now they sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Mat. 8.11. and Jacob in the kingdome of Heaven: They have found Abrahams bosome; they have found the tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God, they have found the Hidden Manna, Rev. 3. they have received the White Stone, with a New Name, which none can know but such as receive it. They see themselves delivered; I, and are at rest from themselves. They see their owne wisdome, their owne power, their owne holinesse to be as it is nothing but sin and hell and misery; and a delusion. And this they rejoyce in, to see this Pharaoh overwhelmed in the sea, this makes themselves sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, and to see all this to be done, not by their power, nor by their wisdom, nor by their watchfulnesse, nor by any endeavours of theirs, but that the whole work in e­very part of it was Christ alone, that tis he alone that is migh­ty to save, he that is also glorious in apparel, Esa. 63.1.2. and travelling in the greatnesse of his strength, none assisted him, no man stood by him, but he alone, made bare his own arme, that so he might have all the glory: These things seen and accom­blished in themselves, is their feast of Fat things, their Wine on the Lees, their keeping the Sabbath, their day of praise and Thanksgiving. They have none to praise, nor to speak well of but of him alone: They find that he alone was their [Page 22]deliverer, and he was their Captain and their Conquerer: that he alone was their leader, their guide, their teacher: And that all teachers were but Deluders, Southsayers, Lyars and Deceivers, but onely Him: they can call no man Master and Father upon earth, Mat: 23.9 for one is their Master and Father, which is Christ alone: As Paul saith, he received not his Gospel of man or by man, Gal. 1.12. but by the revelation of Jesus Christ: so they receive not their power, not their wisedome, nor their teaching of, or from man, but onely by and from Jesus Christ alone.

Then also, Ʋse. 2 in the next place, let us farther make this Use of this point, to take notice of the misery and desperate con­dition of all men by nature, what a deluge of destruction is upon them, because of the face of the Covering of all people, because they seek help, and strength, and riches, and glory, and wisdome in other mountains besides this Mountain, be­cause they find strength, and wisdom, and rest, and rejoycing, and feasting in their own mountains: And the more comfort and delight men take in their own wisedome, or holinesse, or the like, so much the more miserable, so much the far­ther from the Kingdom of Heaven; when men look upon themselves as being strict or holy more then others, because they are under such and such forms, such rules, and are so comformable to the word and mind of Christ, and here so­lace and feast themselves,Luk. 17.21. and cry, Loe here is Christ, and there is Christ, in this form, or that fellowship, and think therefore they are in a safe condition, but it will go ill with all others,Esa. 65.5. stand farther off, I am holier then thou: The dan­gerousnesse of these mens condition, I say, you may disco­ver from the present point, when they make any other thing their rock, or their mountain but Christ alone; when they think they can guide themselves, provide for themselves, teach themselves, these are in a very miserable condition, these are those of which Christ saith, go not after them, for they are deceivers and deluders;Luk. 17.20. for the Kingdome of God cometh not with observation, as they say, by observing this rule and this form, or that fellowship, or any way that man hath found out to cover himselfe withall. All these are but fig-leaves, which will not bear out the wrath of God, these [Page 23]are but mens Coverings, which cover themselves with a co­vering (as they think) from all evil and wrath,Esa. 28:20 but 'tis not the Lords Spirit: The Bed is too broad, and the Covering is narrow, it will not defend them from the Lords fierce wrath: These are they that have kindled a fire to warm themselves at, Ibid. 50.11. but they shall lie down (saith the Lord) in the fire that they have kindled, and in the sparks that they have gathered together: And for all their forms, and prayers, and duties, and ordi­nances, and holinesses, and washings, and baptizings, and receiving the Sacraments, and the like, yet this is that they shall receive at my hand, They shall lie down in sorrow: for when you did all these things, did you them at all unto me, and not unto your selves? did you at all fast unto me? though ye pretended to seek me early, and to seek me daily, and did delight to know my wayes, as a Nation that did righteousnesse, and as if they forsook not (in the least) the ordinances of their God, and take delight in approaching to God: yet for all this saith the Lord to the Prophets, Cry aloud, Esa. 58.1. lift up your voices like a Trumpet, and shew my people their Transgression, and the House of Israel their sins: All these things will not deli­ver thee from wrath, but thou (rather then any other) shalt lie down in sorrow, and Publicans and Harlots (for all your ho­linesse and strictnesse) shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you, Mat. 21.31.& 11.22. And it shall be easier with Tyre and Sydon in the day of judgement, then for these that have done these and these things in his name; yet for all this will Christ say, de­part from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity: there was nothing but iniquity in your righteousnesse, in all your duties, in all your forms and professions: you of all other I will not know: you of all others depart from me; you of all others are workers of iniquity; you above all shall lie down in sorrow, and in the sparks that you have kindled: you thought your selves better then others, holier then others, when you are indeed and in truth the vilest and worst of all others. Therefore most desperate and most miserable are these above all, in as much as they thought themselves before all: when they think because of their holiness, because of their confor­mity, because of their moderation, because of their abstinence, [Page 24]because of their meeknesse, because of their gravity, therefore they are better then others; here is the great and unspeakable delusion of their own hearts; For grace and true religion never teacheth any man to think highly of himself: but to think highly of Jesus Christ; grace debaseth man more and more; and brings him to see the Bottomlesse deceit and delu­sion of his own heart; It teacheth men not to think better and better of themselves, but worse and worse; and makes men not to desire praise or high esteem from others, but it would have Christ have all the glory and praise, and it selfe to be less and less, and worse and worse it its own esteem; for the more grace, the more light, which discovers more and more the infinite and bottomlesse vilenesse and delusion of their own natures.

Beloved, this is the true teaching, which comes only and alone from Jesus Christ: mans teaching can never bring this about; but this teaching and learning is from the Father, from Heaven: men learn this lesson onely in the Schoole of Christ;Joh. 6.45. there God is made something, and indeed all in all, and man is nothing but an infinitnesse of sin and misery. Let every one therefore examine himselfe by this rule, and lay it close to his own heart: if he feeds himself, or glories, or feasts himself with any other thing then this, that he is brought to nothing: that God alone may in him and in the whol earth be all in all: let him be sure he hath not his teaching from this one Father, Esa. 29.13 and this own Master, but his teaching is onely by the precepts of men. And till a man be come to know this in experience, whatever he thinks of himself, and whatever acquired parts or holinesse he hath, and though he be never so much admired by others, he feeds but on the wisdome of the flesh, and lives and depends on that the World adores for their gods, either on the external lusts and plea­sures of the world, or else on Silver, and God, riches and honour, Lands or preferments, &c. which cannot profit a man in the day of wrath, Prov. 11.4. or else they feed upon their own righteousnesse, their own duties, on their leaving this sin, Prov. 11.4 or that sin, or (as they suppose) all sin, all grosse sin, and it may be conceive that their obedience is according to the [Page 25] rule and mind of Christ, conforming strictly to the highest and perfectest formes and fellowships; and resting in this, they feed but upon husks and vanity, and delude their poor souls; as the Prodigall, he would fain: have filled his belly with the husks, but no man gave unto him: Luk. 15.16. none of all these things can satisfie; they will not deliver, nor keep off the wrath of God; they will prove no covering, no shelter at all, but the wrath of God will break in upon them, and make them appear wretched and miserable, vile, naked and abominable. And that soule that is brought to this, to be stript of all its garments, and made naked, and lost, and undone, (as to it selfe and all things of man;) this is the happy Soul, the bles­sed Soul. The other, all others put their trust in the arm of flesh, and are departed from the fountain of life, Jer. 2.13. from the li­ving God, and therefore are not, nor cannot be blessed, but are those that are cursed.

Therefore we would that ye should take special notice of these two things: First,Note these two things. Jam. 3.15 1. What the Vail is. Gen. 3.6: what this Cursed disposition in man is, what the Vail is wherewith he so deludes & deceives himself: and Secondly, how this Vail is removed: First what it is; It is that earthly, sensual, and devilish wisdome in the hearts of the Sons of men, perswading them to be that which they are not: that they are holy, and just, and good: that they have goodness, and holinesse, and wisdom, and power, &c. and if they improve these (say they, as they may,) they may bring themselves into a happy and a safe condition, and con­clude that they can forsake sin, and they can be righteous and holy: this is that devilish wisdome that the Devil infused into Adam in his fall: this was and is his eating the forbidden fruit: When God had created him dependant upon him­selfe for all his power, wisdome, goodness, holiness, he fell from this condition, to have a dependance upon himself and on the creaturely being, on his own wisdome and holinesse, &c. to have a power in himselfe: and thus he departed from the fountain of all good, to seek a happiness in himselfe in his own nothingness; and thus he became lost, cursed and miserable: This is THE VAILE, The Covering, the deceit that is up­on all flesh, the Vaile of the Covering of all Nations. And [Page 26]it is called a Covering, because it hides and keeps away the light that so man cannot see himselfe as he is, cursed, and hellish, and infinitly miserable. Now this Vail wil not suffer the light to come upon him, to see himself as he is, because man by all means and wayes labours to maintain a good o­pinion of himself, and for others to have the same, and would by no means see himself lost and undone; this Vail hides that darkness and gulf of sin that is in him, and tels him that it is not so nor so with him, but he is holy and righteous, and hath wisdome and power, and the like: This is the Vaile that is upon the heart, which must be rent, if ever man come to be happy; if ever he hopes to feast in this mountain of fat things. You know we use Vailes, that the defects and defor­mity of things may not appear: and so man doth by his own heart; he would by no means see the ugliness, the mon­sterous deformity thereof, he would by no means once think that hell and the bottomless pit is in him; he would by no meanes see the smoak of that bottomless pit arise out of his own heart: but tis certain, though men hide this from their sight and Beholding; yet all men have covered themselves with this Vail, and 'tis the covering of all Nations; In Adam all die: 1 Cor. 15.22. not a man upon the face of the earth, but all have eaten of this forbidden tree: and because we have eaten, all the endeavour of man now is to keep away the sight of guilt; he would not see his deformity, his lost condition; but with Adam he runs among the bushes and hides himself among the trees from the presence of the Lord; Gen. 3.8. he labours to keep a­way the light, that he may not see his own blackness and deformity. What sayes he, Have I no wisdome, no power, no holiness, no love, no faith, no power to repent, no ability to a­ny good thing? this he cannot endure to hear of, this he runs away from, as from death and the devil; this cuts him to the very heart. Therefore all his endeavour is, to keep this Vail whole, that is may stil phiremain: thus he remains under the Old Testament: 1 Cor. 3.14. and the Vail is unrent, and is still upon the heart. But in the day that the soule turns to the Lord, it is content to see and acknowledge its own misery, its own dark­ness; then is the Caul of his heart rent, Hos. 13.8. then is hell laid open in [Page 27]him, and the bottomless gulfe seen in himselfe: And that Hell men so much talk of, he sees to be really in himself, and that himself is the very Image of the Devil.

Secondly take notice how this Vaile comes to be remo­ved and taken away.

Now this Vail is only rent and done away by Jesus Christ:Secondly, How the Vail is rent. Rev. 5.5. & 9.1. not all the power: nor all the art of all the Sons of men is ever able to remove this Covering; there is none to be found in Heaven or Earth to open the seaven seales but onely he, Jesus Christ alone hath the key of this bottomless pit: None can unlock this hellish heart of man but himselfe; his heart is the bottomless pit, and the Devil is the keeper: And till Christ himselfe come and unlock and open this gulfe, Mat. 12.29. and remove the Devil, tis not all the endeavours of the Sons of men can bind this strong man, nor open the foule and dark heart of man; but all their study, and all their endeavours are to strengthen this Vaile, to make it thicker, that they may not see the hor­rible pit: man runs to this thing and tother thing, and all is to keep from his sight the knowledge of himselfe; either I say to the Cares of the world, or the pleasures, or the riches and contents thereof, that if it once begin to be opened, and he sees the smoak thereof begin to ascend, he strives by all means to cover it close again; he choaks these thoughts,Mark 9.44. and to quench the fire which can never be quenched but onely by the blood of the Son of God; or else I say, when men are still dogd with the thoughts of hell, and these things will not be a sufficient covering, they seek out farther, and get a covering of their own devising; they get to this duty and to that form, and change from better to better (as they think) and from one degree of holinesse (as they conceive) to another, and ther­by get an opinion that they are children of God and Heirs of Heaven, and therefore they are safe and all is well with them; and they think they do all this in conformity to the mind and will of God, when it is meerly to hide and cover themselves from their own beholding, and that they may behold them­selves holy, and wise, and gracious, and happy: Now I say, the work of Christ is to discover all this to be a delusion and a lye, [Page 28]and to let him see that he is a cursed, hellish, damned, undone, miserable creature; and no good in him at all; And to let him see that Christ Jesus alone is the only Ordinance appoin­ted of the Father to bring many sons unto glory, Heb. 2.10 and that there is nothing an Ordinance but Christ alone; and in vain do men talk and keep such a stir about Ordinances, except Christ be the power of every Ordinance: Acts 10.42. & 5.31 He is ordained of the Father to be Judge of quick and dead; he is also ordained to give re­pentance, and forgiveness of sins; what can an Ordinance doe if he be not the Ordinance, if he be not the power and vertue of all Ordinances? tis he alone is ordained to be the only Tea­cher, and Master, and Father; and therefore call no man Fa­ther nor Master, nor no external Ordinance a guide, but only as he is in it: and therefore, that is in it self empty and dead, and whatever acts not in this one Ordinance Jesus Christ the son of the Father without whom ye can do nothing at all, Joh. 15.5. what­ever it be, it is no other but a deceit, a Covering and a Lye.

BEloved, when the power of God from Eternity (which was himself,) was made out in the ap­pearance of flesh at Jerusalem when this eternal word (I say) was in that Vaile, which was the making out of the true body of Christ: when the Saviour of the world appeared in the flesh, to make out himselfe to the Sonnes of men; in all his actings and speakings we finde nothing else sought, acted, or spoken by him, but the fulfilling and accomplishing of the work and will of the Father, about which he was sent; Joh. 6.38 and therefore whatsoever he did, or said, was onely that he might finish and accomplish that great work about which the Father had sent him; therefore in that regard he said he had meat to eat that man knew not of, John. 4.32 understood not, did not see. And as he came to fulfil the work of the Father, not onely in the flesh in those manifold and unparalleled sufferings he under­went, but also in the power of that spirit that he might con­vey [Page 48]life and salvation to the soules of men, this was his meat and drink; so that this is it that in all his speakings he chiefly holds out; so here he having declared that he was that bread that came down from Heaven, that only true and spi [...]itual Manna which cometh down from Heaven, Joh. 6 33. that nourish­eth the soules of men, and besides which there is none other: Hereupon (he holding forth this so boldly and so clearly) the Jewes, the scribes and Pharisees, those Religious and lear­ned men of the times not knowing the mystery of this bread, became extreamly offended, and despised and derided him, saying,Vers. 41 Hew can this man give us his flesh to eat? Truly Be­loved, that which is held out to us by this, is, That the Jew is in every man by nature, and is discontented at the spea­king out of the spiritual things of Jesus Christ. When it is holden out that there is no other Wisdome, Strength, Righ­teousness, and Holiness but that which is onely in and from the Son of God, and that this is the only meat and drink of the soule: And that there is not any one of the sonnes of men, that hath either wisdom, or holinesse, or power, or any good thing of his owne: this is a hard saying to flesh and blood;1 Cor. 2.14. for the natural man receives not the things of the spi­rit of God, neither indeed can he, for they are spiritually dis­cerned.

The Words now read, are the answer of our Saviour to the murmuring objection of the carnall minded man or Jew saying, how can this man be bread unto us, or Manna, or meat and drink?Joh. 6.42 Is not this the Son of Joseph? and the reason is, because they saw onely the Vail, but not the Godhead, the eternity or everliving WORD that was under that Vail, viz. his flesh or his external appearance. Now he therefore gives an answer to this their murmuring, and shews the reason and ground why it could not be otherwise with them, that their carnal minds could do no other but murmur at these spiritual makings out of the minde of God; Because no man could know him, love him, and believe in him, but those that were given him of the Father; those that were drawn by the spirit and love of the Father onely, would understand, love, and beleeve, and know him; but otherwise all others [Page 49]they would nor could do no other but murmur and repine: for all others, in seeing they did see and not understand, for their foolish heart was blinded and darkened with impeniten­cy of heart; therefore saith he, no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.

First, here is discovered by way of Negation and Exclusi­on, the impossibility of man (as man) to come to Christ: no man, &c.

Secondly, here is laid down the power, way and means by which man comes on to Christ, and that is in and by the drawing of the Father: when the FATHER draws, man cannot but come; and when the Father draws not, man can­not come unto Christ. No man can come to me except the Fa­ther which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day (as if he should say) if he be not drawn and rai­sed up by me, he can never come, and I never raise nor draw till the last day, till mans day, mans power, wisdom, strength, holiness, all that is in or of man, is at an end, and that he is lost, distressed, and undone. Then at that last day I will raise him up, I will come in and stay no longer; for while mans day, (that is, mans life, wisdom, and strength lasts) there is nothing but resistance, blindnesse, fightings, and oppositions.

First, no man can come, that is, In his natural, blind, dead, and lost condition, wherein he is as a dead bone, Ezek. 37. there is no life at all in him, wherein he is stark blinde and sees not the things that concern his peace, therefore he hath no will, nor power, nor mind to come unto me: UNTO ME,Luk. 19.42. who am the Saviour of the world, the truth, righteousnesse, and Sactification it selfe; to come unto me, that is, to ME indeed; for men had power enough to come to Christs bo­dily appearance while he was on the earth, but this is not the comming to him: to come in conceit, notion, opinion, or in a verbal or litteral way, according to the History and rela­tion of him. But to come to Christ, is, to come in the life of Christ, in the power of God, to come unto him in the eter­nall power, that HE may onely teach them, lead them, and guide them, and be their onely Master that they may know no Master, no Father, no Teacher, no Leader, nor no strength [Page 50]besides him; Oh Beloved, this is not to be done without the drawing of the Father; or not but in a Fatherly way, since he is the fountain of eternal love; the Father or Fountain of love that hath made out his eternal Love himself in the similitude of flesh: 2 Cor. 5.19: for God was in Christ (saith the Text) reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing to them their trespasses. It must be the love and good will of the Father made out to the soule that must call it and will draw it, and cause it to come in, to be at peace with him and be reconciled, onely by his owne making out his love in Christ. So I say this Eternal love that sent out Christ, and that gives with Christ all good things, it is the same eternal love and power, Rom. 8.32 and everlasting goodness and good will of the Father that draws and brings the spirits of men unto Christ, else they come not.

Draw them; how is that? with such a drawing as must be effectual. As the Rain falleth not in vain, but the earth bring­eth forth fruit meet for them for whom it is appointed: Heb. 6.7. So the e­ternal word and power of the Father made out through the flesh of Christ to the soul, calls, invites, draws and works ef­fectually and brings home the soul; and this drawing of the Father is the eternal and everliving power of the Godhead or spirit that wonderfully draws the soules of men: and when they are thus drawn, they cannot but follow: and be­ing thus drawn by him, this is the joy, life, wisdom, and righ­teousness of the soule, here it dwels, rests, recreates it selfe; ha­ving lost its own life, it lives and receives full satisfaction in the life, and power, and wisdom of Christ. Then, it is the office of the Son whom the Father hath sent to quicken it, and raise it up at the last day, and make it like himself, even to sit together with him in heavenly places. Eph. 2.6. The point I shall offer to your Considerations is this.

That the drawing of the Father only leads the souls of men unto Christ, Doct. otherwise none can come unto him. Before this truth can be beleived in us, or be of benefit unto us, it must become a truth of evidence and manifestation and experience in our hearts; yet to witnesse this from the litteral word, that this is truth, you may be pleased to look upon a place or two; yet they can make out nothing to us except the sam be made out by the e­ternal [Page 51]spirit in u [...]; [...]lse the word is but a dry tree & a dead let­ter:Cant. 1.4. The experience of the Spouse in Cant. 1.4. witnesseth the same; draw me and we will run after thee; her experience had known, that the drawings and leadings of those cords and bands of love (that are never to be broken in Jesus Christ) the drawings of these bands of love only made her willing to go after that Husband, Father and God of Loving-kindness and mercy; otherwise man never comes, nor is ever drawn but onely by these cords of his love. Again the same is witnes­sed in Jer. 31, 3. there he tells you, because he had loved them, Jer. 31.3. therefore with loving-kindness had he drawn them: And in Hosea 11.4. he declares he had drawn them with the Cords of a man, with the bands of love; Hos. 11.4 the soule finds it is onely the power of the Father, the love of the Father that hath drawn him out of many waters: as the Psalmist witnesses, for David had found it so,Psal. 69. Ibid. 40.2 that he had delivered his soul out of the mire and horrible pit. There is nothing but the eternal power of God that is able to draw a soul out of the deep and mierry pit in which it lies: the drawing of the Father, the power of the Father only draws men unto Christ; otherwise they will not, nor cannot come. That this is so, Divine truth witnesses, and the experience of all Saints, that men will not, cannot do, act or work, nor come in unto Christ without this draw­ing.

First, because Jesus Christ is not known and understood in the pretiousness, excellency and value of him to the lost, blind, Reas. 1 and carnal heart of man; for man in this condition knows not the worth, sweetness and excellency of him; therefore man comes not unto Christ, as David witnesses; He looked down to see if any of the sons of men would seek after God, Psal. 14.2. but they are all gone out of the way; there is none thath doth good, no not one: so I say, man comes not to Jesus Christ, because he is ignorant of that life, glory, righteousness, and immortality that is laid up in him; therefore the Apostle renders it as the reason why the Princes of the world (Princes of learning, and Princes in zeal and religion) kild him; why, becau­se (saith he) none of the Princes of this world knew him; for had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of [Page 52]life. So I say, the ground why our spirit comes not to Je­sus Christ, is, that blindness and ignorance that is in the heart of man, because he knows not the excellency and pretiousness of Christ; As our Saviour said to the woman of Samaria, John 4.10.Joh. 4.10. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him and be would have, given thee living water; and so it was with Jerusalem,Luk. 19.42. Reas. 2. shee did not know the things belonging to her peace; because they were bid from her eyes.

Again, men cannot come to Jesus Christ, because as he is the power of God, and appears in the wisdom of God, so he appears as folishness unto them, and they disdaine him as a weak and mean thing; as Isaiah faith in ch. 53. v. 2. there is no form nor beauty in him why he should be desired: Esa. 53.2. as a root out of a dry ground, he hath no form, no comliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him; he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs, and we hid our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not; therefore the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 2.14. the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, because they are foolishness unto him, and are spiritually discerned: and saith he in 1 Cor. 1 23. we preach Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 1.23: to the Jewes a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishnesse; so that man doth not, will not, nor can­not come to Jesus Christ, because the spirit of Christ appears a poore despicable thing,1 Cor. 3.10. Psal. 118.22.23. 1 Pet. 2.7 and the heart of man is set against him: and even that stone that is to be the head stone of the cor­ner, it is rejected and laid by, even by those that account themselves Master builders; and this is the Lords doing, and it s marvailous in our eyes.

Again, another ground why the souls of men come not to Christ, Reas. 3 is, because the appearing of Christ in the spirit makes all the hidden things of mans heart lie open, even that which man himselfe never saw, nor never thought was in him, and this man hates, and will not abide to see nor behold that depth of pride, that selfe-glorying, hypocrisie, &c. and taht bottomlesse pit of misery; mans eye never looked into himself, into his own heart: but in the day of the appea­rance [Page 53]of Jesus Christ all this is discovered and laid open; therefore man would by no means come to Christ, because the appearing of Christ discovers his sin and condemnation: man loves his own life: skin for skin, and all that a man hath will be give for his life; but he that loseth his life shall find it: Job. 2.4. Mat. 10.39. John. 3.19 therefore our Saviour tells us plainly that this is the c [...]n­demnation that light is come into the world, and men love dark­ness rather then light, because their deeds are evil; for he that doth evil hateth the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be made manifest that they are evil. So here the ground is rendred why the Gospel is Condemnation to the sons of men; the Gospel brings light, but men resist it & hate it. Certain it is that the light of Christ is in every creature, for he is the true light that enlightens every one that come into the world. Joh. 1.9. Mat. 6.23. And if this light that is in us be darkness, how great is that dark­ness. Here is the condemnation of all the sons of men that they dare not stand in the light of Christ, not being able to behold hell in their own hearts, but labour by all means to cover it; for the light of Christ would shew them that there is no thought, action, or duty, or performance that ever they did, that had any thing of purity in it, but it was all sin; Now man not daring to see his own misery, therefore he runs from this light, and gets himselfe behinde any tree. He runs from the appearance of him that sits upon the Throne, and so resolves he will not see his own misery, death, and condemnation; Rev. 6.16 neither will he believe it though he be told it by an Angel from Heaven, he will not come to the light, lest thereby he may know, or be convinced that his deeds are onely evil.

Againe this is the work of the Father to draw men unto Christ, because no lesse then infinitness and Eter­nity is able to bring God and man together; the separation between God and man is so vast, and they are at such an infinite distance since his fall, that nothing but Infinitness can bring these two infinite ends together; for the soul of man in one sin, sins against an infinite God; in any one sin it goes out and turns away from the infinitnesse of all bles­sednesse, good, joy, glory, and peace, and so goes down [Page 54]into the infinitness of nothing, (for nothing is a kinde of infi­nitness) and he is indeed gone into a far Country, Luk. 15. 13. as the Pro­digal was; now therefore nothing but the infinite powers, and infinite wisedome and strength that is in the Lord, is a­ble to bring life out of death, something out of nothing; there­fore there is nothing to bring the heart of man out of that far country wherein to it is gone, and out of that bottomless pit into which is is fallen; nothing can do it but infinitness and eternity; 2 Cor. 4.14. nothing but the same spirit that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, can quicken our mortal bodies: there is nothing I say, able to do it (but the same spirit) to bring a poor soul from hell and condemnation, and make it one in unity with the spirit; And therefore the Apostle witnes­ses, Eph. 2.13. you that were aliens, hath he made nigh by the blood of Christ; Eph. 2.13 and you that were sometimes afar off, hath he made near by the blood of Christ. So now, I hope this appears a truth to you, and I hope the Lord will make it so in you by experi­ence; till then it is not a savour of life unto life; for except you have the Scriptures made good in the power thereof, in your own hearts, what are the Scriptures to you? And I have alledged them for that very end that you may finde and say, These things are all fulfilled, not only among the Jewes and at Jerusalem, but really and truely in my selfe. So then I hope some of you see it is the alone power of the Father that draws the soules of men unto Christ: otherwise no man can come unto him. But give me leave yet a little farther for the clearing it, and explaining it by the way; What this power of the Father is, or how the Father doth draw or bring the soules of men unto Christ?

God is said to be a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth: Joh. 4.23. God is nothing but life, glo­ry, and power, spirit and immortality; and whatsoever thing we could have a notion, or similitude of, that is able to set out strength, and life, and glory, and wisdom: yet all these come infinitly short of setting out the strength and power of the Lord of Hosts, the great Jehovah, who is (Psal. 121.5.) he that keeps Israel:Psal. 121.5. he that keepes Israel, neither slumbreth nor sleepeth; so that is is to be cleared, what power it is that [Page 55]brings the spirits of men unto Jesus Christ. Certainly there is nothing but the same eternal spirit that was in Jesus Christ: it is the same immortal and immediate hand and power of God that doth ever raise up the soule of man, and bring it unto Christ, and nothing but that spirit only: and therefore from hence is that of the Apostle, that no man can so much as say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost: 1 Cor. 12.3. Joh. 3.5. and except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot en­ter into the Kingdome of God: for tis all one, and tis wrought by one and the same Almighty Spirit, to say that Jesus is the Lord by the spirit, and to be born of the spirit: for man to say & confess so ten thousand times, if he do not feel him to be the Lord and the Almighty in him, all his confessions in words are nothing; And by one spirit (saith the Text) ye are all baptized into one body, even the whole body, and they all te­stifie one and the same thing, that there is but one spirit, 1 Cor. 12.13. Eph. 4.4. one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, one God and Father of all, Eph. 4.4. and they have all been made to drink into one spirit, which is that One, Boundless, Infinite and Eternal Spirit of the Father, that like the wind, bloweth where it lifteth, and we may hear the sound, and tasste the operation of it in us,Joh: 3.8: but know not whence it cometh, nor when it will work, but cometh and goeth when it pleaseth, and not in the least when men will: they have no command of that free and good spirit. It is onely this one spirit that makes the soul one with Jesus Christ; therefore the Apostle witnesses, if Christ be in you, Rom. 8, 11 he that raised up Jesus from the dead, shall also quicken your mor­tal bodies by that spirit that dwelleth in you: this is that spirit that searches all things, and tries all things, even the hidden things of God: 1 Cor, 2.10. this is that living spirit that blows upon the dry bones: the spirit of the four winds that blows upon the dead and rotten bones:Ezek. 37.4. and the blowing of this spirit brings sinew to sinew, bone to bone, and this makes them live and stand up before him; and there is nothing else but this spirit that doth it, there is nothing can be conjoined with it. However men may say, and keep a great deal of busling about the power of man, that so it may not be said there was any to help him: yet I say it is the spirit of God alone [Page 56]that draws man to Jesus Christ, that it may not be said that his Idol hath done it; for otherwise the mouths of all would not be stopped,Ibid. 48.5 Rom. 3.19 Zach. 2.13 and all flesh would not become silent before him. Neither would it be said that the Saints rejoyce in nothing else but in the Lord Jesus alone.

Obj. But I know it will be objected,O [...]bj. though God doth thus, and he onely draws the soule to Jesus Christ; yet this is not done without means, and instruments.

Answ. First, Answ. truly I grant it is so, but the wayes of God are like himself infinite, and he is infinitly wise, and his wayes are past all the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men; for eye hath not seen, Rom. 11.33. 1 Cor. 2.9 nor ear heard, nor is the heart of man ever able to finde out the secret wayes of the Lord.

Secondly, God hath not onely determined a thing, but determined also by what power, and instruments, and means he will bring it to passe; but in this it is otherwise with God then with man. Man may propose a means to an end, that is weak and may faile; but God never intends and purposes an end, but the means is as infinite as himselfe, and as eternal and omnipotent as himselfe, so that his meanes cannot faile: he speaks and it shall and must come to pass. 'Tis true God hath ordained the means by which he brings men to Jesus Christ;Psal. 33.9. but this means is hiw own power, and spirit, and strength.

Obj. But thou wilt say, Obi. Is it solely by himself alone with­out an Organ and Instrument? is there not something sub­ordinate?

Answ. Truly the workings of God have alwayes a sub­ject wherein to be manifested: Answ. as in man, there is the soule which is the Recipient and subject in which the things of life and death are acted; there is usually an Organ: And how should they hear without a Preacher? Rom. 10.14. yet both the Organ and the Preacher are empty dead things; And if I or any man, in being exercised about the things of God, should look up­on our selves otherwise, quite laying by all thoughts of power, wisdom, ability, to do any thing, but to be only as a Pipe or Cistern, through which those divine things passe, and [Page 57]no more, we take that praise to our selves which is alone due to God. Now though it be so, I say, that this Organ is but a dead thing through which the life of God passeth, if we be any thing else in our message and speaking to you but as men that have denied our selves, laid aside our own wisedome, strength, conceits and abilities, and all the wor­kings of our own heads, if we be not dead to all things, that so the Lord may speak through us, then I may boldly say we are not those Instruments and Embassadours by which he entreats his people to be reconciled unto him:1 Cor. 3.6 Therefore be pleased to consider that place of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 3.6. I have planted, and Apollo hath watered: So then Paul may be called a Planter, and Apollo a Waterer; but doth he goe no farther? nay, (saith he) Neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth any thing; Vers. 7 but God that gives the encrease; thoug they may improperly be called PLAN­TERS and WATERERS, yet neither is the Planter any thing, nor the Waterer any thing: So that it is clear, it is no otherwise but thus; It pleased God out of his own love and goodnesse to condescend so low as to speak the Words of Eternal Life & mercy by us, and to one another, that men of the same Blood and Frailtie should become Instruments and no other, in the hand of the Lord, taking no glory to them­selves in any thing; onely to be as weak, and fraile, and dead Instruments whereby the Lord will speak out the Words of Eternal Life. But this creature is to be consider­ed as nothing at all; neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God is all; therefore, I say,1 Cor. 3.7 till it be so with us, that we are dead to all our own wit and reason, and all our understanding; till these are killed and dead, and we stand onely waiting upon the Lord, as Habakkuk saith,Hab. 2.1. Hab. 2.1. I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the Tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall an­swer; I say, when the soule is thus dead and silent to his own wit, to his own selfeseeking, to all his own opinions, of wisdom, or strength or parts: I say, there is no man which is a true Prophet or a Messenger from God till then: For all the Prophets and Embassadours from God come thus quali­fied, [Page 58]and they are not ashamed thus to shame themselves, and to be as nothing in the eyes of themselves and others, that so the Lord alone may be lifted up and exalted in them. And when God appears thus in the poor dead Organ, then usually God works in them, and by them: For, saith the Apostle, We have this treasure in earthen vessels. 2 Cor. 4.7 God useth Organs and Instruments, but there is no Efficiency in the Instruments; for, notwithstanding all that I can say and speak, if the eter­nal sense and mind of the spirit be not at the back of it, and goe home with it, it will be but a Parable, a History, and a Paradox to you.Mat. 13.11. Saith Christ, to you it is given to know the myste­ries of the Kingdom. So then it is onely the immortal Word of the Lord that draws the soul, and it is the power of eternity which works all, and it is from mercy and great condiscen­sion (on his part) to speak out these things by such fraile In­struments; but it is so,1 Cor. 1.29. That no flesh may glory in his presence: And that the praise may be of God, and not of the Vessel, or of man.

And know farther, It is the Spirit of the Father, the same Eternal power of the Father, even the same that is God: for it is the same God, though the manifestations be diverse, and though there be the manifestations of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, yet they are One: for they are not Three, but One.

The next thing I shall explain, is, what is meant by Christ; no man come UNTO MEE: By Mee, here is not meant the coming to the fleshly presence and body of Christ: then must we (with Mary) seek him among the dead; no, he is risen, he is not here; it is not meant of the coming to Christ in the History, and Notion, and in the Letter: so all men making profession are come to Christ:2 Cor. 5.19. Joh. 1.14. the Text saith, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself: and the Text saith again, The word became flesh, and dwelt in us: what is it to come unto him? Certainly then it is to come to the EMANUEL: he that is God with us, or rather God in us; but saith the Apostle, to those that are called we preach Christ crucified: 1 Cor. 1.24. Christ the power of God and wisdom of God. So that to come unto Christ, is to come to the power of Christ in us, to [Page 59]have him abiding and dwelling in us, carrying us, and lead­ing us into all truth: and therefore he tells you againe,Joh. 16.13. Col. 1.27. Christ in you the hope of Glory; and therefore saith the Apostle, try your selves know you not that Christ is in you, except you be re­probates? So that to come to Christ, is to come unto the pow­er of Jesus Christ; and Christ is the power of God, 2 Cor. 13:5. and the wis­dome of God; Nay, it is God in us, teaching us, and guid­ing us, and directing us; he being the sole Master, Ruler, power, and strength in us; this is to come to Jesus Christ: From whence it being thus explained, there is a de­duction or two we would draw from what hath beene said.

First, if the immortal Spirit onely draw the soules of men unto Christ, that is, unto himself; Ʋse. 1 for he is the love of the Father made out unto us; for Christ was God dwelling in flesh; Then if it be so, then Man considered (as Man) cannot be any wayes drawn, or driven, or can come unto Christ: Not any power of man (as man) or the power of the whole Cre­ation is able to draw man unto Christ, but onely the power of the Father. Let men say what they will, there is no pow­er of man, or any actions or disciplines of man are able to bring man unto Christ; for he is weak and cannot, wilfull and will not, guilty and dare not come to Christ; he dare not appear before him. But this is a drawing whether the carnal mind will, or will not; though it murmur and re­pine, yet it draws him out of this spiritual Egypt and bondage: Then this shews how false all their pretences are which the world so much admires and cries up. Every man thinks he can goe to Christ, and he can bring others to Christ by arguments and perswasions, and the like, and for this pur­pose are all the forms of Religion set up under pretence of comming, and bringing, and going to Christ, and going on to the Heavenly Canaan, and to the New Jerusalem. But did they but look into their own hearts, they would see this was but going from the Lord, instead of going, or comming to him: all these devices are but to cover over the iniquity of their own hearts: For every several way and form will say, they are journying to Christ, and to find him; when alas, [Page 60]where is the man that minds him? but onely seeks himselfe, his own rest, and to quiet his own heart, and to cover the smoak, and the cry, and the guilt that lies upon him, and to get comfort to himself, and then he is safe, and he thinks he is gotten neer to Jesus Christ. And when he wants peace, then he bethinks himself of walking more close, and stricter to those forms and rules that quieted his conscience before; and thus he runs in a round, and makes himself, his works, and duties his Saviour. For if thou askest thy own heart seri­ously what is the reason of thy praying and going into this form, or the other form, is it not because thou thinkest God therefore accepts thee, and loves thee? And is not this to de­ny this truth, that there is nothing but the power of the Father can draw thee, that there is nothing able to draw thee, but the immortal seed and Almighty hand of God; and to say, that something else is sufficient to draw thee unto Christ? But here now lies the depth of this deceit; thou drawest in a Religious way, and hast gotten a covering, and a profession, and such and such actions into thy hands; and here thou restest, and what follows? thou gatherest together, and heap­est up all Nations to make thy self strong and secure; Hab. 2.5. but thou coverest not with the covering of the Lord; and so thereby layest sin upon sin, thou coverest indeed with a covering, that thereby the Condemnation,Esa. 30.1. Hell, and Guilt in thy own heart may not be made manifest in thee.

Now consider whether ever thou canst come at Jesus Christ, who is the Rock of Ages, that goest not in the leadings of the Father. But if thy heart did apprehend that thou wert that child (which Ezekiel speaks of) cast out into the o­pen field, Ezek. 16. and hadst no hand to help thee, nor no eye to pitty thee; if it were so with thee, then he would appear in thee, and lead thee: if thou thoughtst thou wast the ignorantest creature in the world: if thou wast but blind enough, and bad enough in thy own sight; but the misery of the world lies herein,Joh. 9.41 because they think they see, therefore their sin remains; for there is no difference among all the sons of men, for All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God: Thou mayest,Rom. 3.21 and I know doest think so, that there is a dif­ference [Page 61]in some; but truth hath witnessed it that every man hath sinned, and is at an infinite distance from the Lord God of mercy; and there is no salvation, nor no power, but in the hand of the Allmighty, and that he alone is able to make peace and bring together those two Infinite distances, and to make them One.

Now judge whether this, or the way of the world brings the greatest inconveniency, and whether this way of man do not set him at a farther distance from his true rest; for if man think he can come to Christ by any thing of himselfe, by any Religious actions, and performances: then from this it must needs follow, that he sees not his own weakness nor wickednesse; nor there is no sin, nor wickednesse, nor mise­ry made manifest unto him: And he makes lyes his refuge, Esa. 22.15 and under falshood he hath hid himselfe, and drawn way his heart from the living and eternal God, to depend upon the lying and deceitful power and wisedome of man, and digged to himselfe broken Cisterns. Jer. 2.13. So that

Secondly, this will follow, that this man hath made a Rock to stay himselfe upon; for if thou thinkest that thy actions and performances will bring thee neerer unto God then other men, or that any thing can draw thee neerer, but the meer hand and spirit of the Father: is not this (I say) to set up something against the power of the Father? Is not this to set up errour against truth, and darkness against light, and Antichrist against Christ? for here it is manifest that there is nothing but the power of the Father to draw men un­to Christ. Now seeing thou hast made Lyes thy delight, and vanity thy trust, see what is pronounced against thee, for all thy confidence and strong opinions of thy safety and se­curity: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his Arm, and whose Heart departeth from the Lord. Jer. 17.5. So, I say, this meerly leads man from a denyal of himself, to a setting up of himselfe; from a waiting and depending on the power of God, to a depending and hanging on the wise­dome and power of the flesh; now when the soule has made experiment of this in it self to finde, see, and feele it really in his own heart, that no hand drawes to the Father, but the [Page 62] Spirit onely; Oh then! this will make the heart of man lament, and say, what a hard heart have I? I cannot goe one step towards my Saviour;Mark. 10.51: this makes him cry out, and say, come Lord Jesus and open my blind eyes, that I may re­ceive my sight, and thou Son of David haver mercy on me; and there is none but thou alone can cure my leprosie, and save my spirit, or else I perish, I perish for ever: and this is that which makes man to have the true circumcision, and to wor­ship God in the Spirit, Phil. 3.3 and have no confidence in the flesh.

Then if it be the Fathers power and spirit, that onely draws men unto Christ: Ʋse. 2 Then neither man nor Magistrates can draw or drive them thither: the work of the Father is his own work, and he hath not substituted any other in his place; for he will not give his glory to another, neither suffer his holy name to be polluted. Esa. 42.8. Now if it be thus, that unlesse the Fa­ther draw man unto Christ, man cannot come, then it must needs be lyes and vanity for any of the sons of men to take upon them, and say they can and they must act something, ei­ther to draw or drive men unto Christ; we know this hath been the undertakings of all ages and times;Joh. 16.2 but what was the fruit of it? Under pretence of doing God good service, they have shed the blood of the Saints, that it might be fulfilled that not a Prophet perisheth OƲT of Jerusalem; Luk. 13.33. for still in all ages, who have more persecuted the Gospel, and the true Professours thereof, then those who shew most Zeal and profession of it? Christ and all the Prophets and Apostles, and generally all the Martyrs have suffered upon this ac­count; that upon them might come all the blood shed upon the earth, Mat. 23.35. Gal. 4.29. from the blood of the righteous Abel, to this ve [...]y day; and that the bond-woman alwayes persecutes those that are from above. Now, I say, for the Magistrates to say, they can propagate the Gospel, and keep back errours; alas! what is all of this nature, but high presumption against the power and absolute Authority of Jesus Christ, and taking the govern­ment of the Church out of his Hand, and proclaiming them­selves wiser then He? But I shall but propose to these poor selfe-wise Creatures, these one or two things. Are they able to rule themselves, and to keep errours out of their own [Page 63]hearts? I suppose no man so ignorant of himselfe as to de­ny or affirm that he can, the nature of man being so depra­ved, that he cannot resist really one sin, as it is sin. And moreover, is it not a truth, that if the Lord watch not the Ci­ty, the watch-men watch in vain? Psal: 127.1. And yet thou that couldest not keep one sin out of thy own heart, how canst thou un­dertake to watch over the Church of God, and keep out Er­rours and Wolves that they come not in? Alas! poor igno­rant man, this is thy pride and the vanity of thy heart; 1 Sam. 17 28. Psal. 121.4. for 'tis the Lord alone, that keops Israel, and he neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.

Againe, dost thou not say that thou art a Christian? if so, then thou wouldst believe that he is a God Alsufficient; I am God Alsufficient, walk before me, and be thou perfect: Gen. 17.1 Is he alsufficiēntly Wise, and Strong, Holy, Good, Merciful? &c. then is not this the manifestation of thy absolute infi­delity, when thou thinkest he will not take care of his own Church? Or else thou concludest thus, if he be Wise enough, yet he hath not Power enough, and therefore thou must help him. And is he not Alsufficiently Good, and will he not take care of his own cause? Never feare, but he will: I, and take so much care,Mat. 16.18 that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.

And againe, is it not said, that it pleased the Father, Col. 1.19. that in him should all fulness dwell? And that in all things he might have the preheminence: and, saith he, plainly,Joh. 5.22. Mat. 28.18. Esa. 9.6.7. the father judg­eth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto his Son: And that all power in Heaven and Earth is given unto him. And a­gain, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders. And that of the Increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdome to order it, and establish it with Iudgment and Iustice, even for ever. And that the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will per­form this. And againe,Col: 2.3. that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in him. Now, is all the power of the father given into the Hand of Christ? And, have not we all said the Pope is not the Vice-roy nor Vicar of Christ? and does not every man throw dirt upon him, and yet we can [Page 64]get into the POPES place, and sit in his seat and say, we are the Substitutes of Christ. That which we deny him, we take to our selves: certainly all this is nothing else but hel­lish arrogancy, and the pride of the man of sin, and ANTI­CHRIST within us that exalts himself (in us) above all that is called God, 2 Thes. 2.4. that puts us into these wayes: and to think that we can draw, or we can drive to Jesus Christ, when there is none can do this, but meerly and solely that only and eternal power and spirit of the Father.

Thirdly, if it be so, as we have clearly proved, and none dare deny it: Use. 3 neither can then the wisdome, nor power, nor strength, nor any rules of Fellowships, or Church-gather­ings, or any discipline of man draw nor drive others in, but 'tis onely the drawing and driving of the eternal power of the Fathers spirit; It is true, the Sons of Men may do and have done, and do compass Sea and Land: and what is it to doe? to make a Proselyte; and what then? he is but two­fold more the child of perdition then before. Mat. 23.15. They may indeed gather men into Fellowships and Churches (as they call them.) But to gather men into the spirit of the Lord Jesus, this was never the work of man: no strength, nor power, nor wisedome of man could ever doe it: and without que­stion every plant that the Heavenly father hath not planted, Ibid. 15.13. shall be rooted up.

It is true, and I grant, there was some mention made of the Church and Churches in the times of the Apostles; but what Churches were they? They were no other but what were called by God himselfe, in the power of his spirit, and not of or by man. Where do we read of this mans Church, or the other mans Members? but they were called the Church of God, and not divided by those distinctions of vain-glo­rious, self-seeking, ambitious, covetous men, as they are in these dayes. Nor did they Owne one another, or had any relation one unto another in their love or esteem upon that account.Note. But they looked upon one another in what place soever, as but one body, and having all but one spirit, meer­ly because thty were all baptized into One body by that One Spirit.1 Cor. 12.13. They did not know one another as they were of [Page 65] Paul and of Apollo, of Cephas and this mans Church (as they now call it) But as they were all baptized by one Spirit, and into one Body, and as they were of one mind and of one spirit, and so of one heart, Heb. 12.13. and so brought to the general assem­bly of the Church of the first born. And therefore we must con­clude there is nothing that gathers or draws in the soul of man unto Jesus Christ, but the everlasting power of God. We know also, men may worship at Jerusalem this way and that way, and pretend to honour that Christ who died there, and yet they doe but draw nigh to him with their lips, Esa. 29.13 but not with the spirit & in truth; but no man can do these things in the power of God, nor so much as SAY that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost, and by the power of Jesus Christ. And be sure that every plant that my heavenly father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

From whence also lastly, Ʋse. 4 If the power of the Father only draws the spirit of man unto the Son, and unto Jesus Christ: then let every man look in, and unto his own heart, and see whether he doe not resist the drawing of the spirit: Behold, saith he, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, Rev: 3.20 and he with me: enter but into thy own Chamber and be still, and look into thy own brest and see whether thou be not daily and hourly resisting the Spirit of God that would draw man unto Christ; didst thou but look into thy own heart, thou shouldst find there was never any thought that did ever arise in thee to check or controle thee in thy evil wayes, but that very thought was a light in thee, (if thou wouldst have heeded, or regarded it.) And that light also did tell thee, that all thy best actions were but sin; and that all the wayes thou walkest in, there is nothing but fear in them, and death in them, and misery in them. And thy best and holiest services are an abomination. There is a spirit within thee that is still troubling and checking thee, for every proud, and for every evil thought; and what is this for?2 Cor. 8.2 onely to let thee see that thou art dead and reprobate to every good work, and all thy deeds are evil; and all that thou knowest, thou knowest not as thou oughtest to know: It is to let thee know that thou [Page 66]art naked, and poor, and blind, and miserable: It is to take a­way thy false strength, and thy false wisedome, and riches, and to let thee see thy weaknesse, and folly, and poverty; but this is thy onely misery, and the general universal mise­ry of all the sons of men that they dare not stand in the light and abide in it; To abide in such a light which shewes that man hath not one good thought, Psal. 73.22. but is as a beast before God; That he hath no holinesse, nor no righteousnesse at all: Now for thee so farre to presume and to think so highly of thy selfe, that thou art of such abilities, and wisdome and parts as to sit down at the head-end of the Table: or because that thou hast gotten in thy own conceit into the best way of Religion for knowledge, and practice, and performances: and therefore thou art Some-body, and thou must be mag­nified and reverenced: and for these men now, to be brought back, to look into their own hearts, and see themselves as bad as the rest of the world, and to see themselves the worst of men; Oh Beloved, what a mighty fall must these men have, before ever God brings them into this condition? which must be if ever they be brought or drawn home to Je­sus Christ by the power of the Father.

And yet to adde to this, besides all this thou hast gotten a covering for thy sins, and hast wipt thy mouth, and said thou hast done nothing, when all thy wayes are nothing but resistings, fightings, and emnity against God: Do not men resist him when they seek esteem to themselves, and they must be great, and respected, and honoured? what is all this but to rob Jesus Christ of his honour, and steal it away to put upon themselves? Oh that the power of God would but make men abide in the Center of their own hearts to see that there is nothing there but darkness, nothing but folly in regard of God and Christ: if man would but dwell and abide here, to see himselfe lost, and wretched, miserable and undone, then God would lead him, and bring him unto sal­vation: but this is the condemnation, Joh. 3.19. that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather then light, because their deeds are evil. I make no question but are all here pre­tend at least to be seekers of God. Now enter into thy owne [Page 67]heart, and tell me what is the end of all thy Religious acti­ons? are they not done for this purpose, that thereby thou mayest gain and get a good opinion to and of thy self, that thou hast served God in a way he commands, and when thou hast done, thinkest thou now art accepted? is this thinkest thou the free-will offering that is in Jesus Christ, wherein we serve him not as Slaves or as Servants, but as Sons? Sons that are begotten out of love, and out of love serve him without fear all the dayes of our life. Now, I say,Luk. 1.74 when thy Religious actions are onely made use of to hide o­ver thy sin, and to get a good opinion of thy selfe, this is not the work of the spirit of God, this is not a drawing to God but from God: this is a drawing into thy selfe, to de­pend on flesh, and to feed on the dead ashes of thy own heart, Esa. 44.20 and not to know that there is a lye in thy right hand. But now if thou didst but see thy owne sinne, and thy owne evil heart, thou wouldest not dare to speak of God but with much trembling: but know if thou speak of him or of Divine things, thou speakest as vainely, and as dissemblingly as wickedly, and hast nothing of Divine nature more then another: then the world of men for all thy many words and large professions; thou wilt not say We see; for then thy sin remaineth. But if thou goest out mourning and weeping over thine owne mise­ry, and over thy cursed heart, to thee I say, the Lord will draw thee and lead thee in the everlasting pow­er, so that thy own carnal heart, and all the power of hell shall not be able to keep thee from Christ; but thou shalt understand and find that it is the power of the Father onely that draws every man unto Christ; And he will cause thy cap­tivity to return as the streams in the South: Psal: 126.4.6. and thou shalt find that he that goeth forth weeping, shall doubtlesse come againe with rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him: that so thou mayest rejoyce and magnifie him alone, utterly renouncing thy selfe, and all the power of man, as having no hand in His Almighty work.

THis Book out of which we have taken these words, is called EXODUS, that is, the Book of the go [...]ng out, or the Book of the goings forth: for it shews the manner of the going forth of the children of Israel out of Egypt, being brought out thence by a strong and mighty hand.

But Beloved, if we look on the things contained in this Book of the goings forth, or going out, onely as an History of the Jewes going out of that Land of Egypt, wherein they [Page 70]were inslaved in their cruel bondage, we fall farre short of what the Holy Ghost intends: For their going out is the type and representation of all the people of God in all generations, and of their going forth from under the bondage of spiritual Pharach, and out of the Kingdome of Darknesse.

When Moses as you may see, had obeyed the command of God, he shewing him the form of the Tabernacle, and Moses setting up all things therein according to the pattern, then 'tis said,Heb. 8.5. Ver. 34.35. in the preceding verses; when Moses had fi­nished the work, then a cloud covered the Tent of the Congrega­tion, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, so that Mo­ses was not able to enter in for the glory thereof. Which Ta­bernacle was alwayes to be carried before the children of Israel; and if the cloud was not taken up from off the Taber­nacle, then they journeyed not, but sate still; but if it was taken up, then they were to arise and goe on upon their journey: this rule they must observe, and this was to be their Leader, and their Guide in all their journyings.

Thus it is in the History, and this is the Letter: now if there were no more in it then so, what advantage is it to us, but onely to deduct and raise some moral observations and directions, which every carnal man may do, and be never the nearer the meaning of the Scriptures, or to eat of the tree of life, and of the Hidden Manna, or knowing the mind of God? and having no more, we have but the Letter that kills, Gen. 3.3. and is no other but the eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, whereof God hath commanded ADAM, that is whole ADAM, all Mankind not to eat thereof: For to think that that eternal, infinite, and most spiritual, and divine wisdom, should have no greater depth, nor no farther wisdom to imploy it self in, then in relating Histories of an outward Tabernacle, and of silken, blew, and purple cur­tains, and of the Pot of Manna, and of outward sacrifices, and washings; what depth of wisdom answerable to that infinite wisdom in the Almighty Jehovah were this in him? To tell of Solomons State, 2 Chro. 9. and his Throne, and his Majesty: of his Gold and Silver, and of the magnificent stately Temple that he builded, of the workmanship and great cost and the like; [Page 71]what were all this, if there were not more in it then the Let­ter, and what every man by his study, and reason, and lear­ning can finde out? but without all question, there is that Mystery and depth of wisdom and knowledge hid and covered in all these things which none can find or know with all their utmost endeavours, unlesse we be anoynted with that holy anoynting which teacheth all things; 1 Joh. 2.27. Mat. 19.11. neither can we ever know them, except they be given us from above, that so these things may be spoken out onely by that divine teaching in us.

And for that History for which this Book is called Exo­dus, that we are now upon, the Book of the goings forth, without all question, and to be briefe, Satan in us, is that true Pharaoh, which keeps the true Israel in bondage, which is here held forth by that external Pharaoh: for what is that Pharaoh to us, except we find in our selves all those things acted and done? And Egypt there, to us, is no other thing but mans bondage, and miserable slavery under the Prince of darkness, and sheweth what cruelty is exercised upon the true children of Israel, and what mighty signes and wonders the Lord is faine to work before the soul can be brought from under this bondage; and without question, he that hath not found it so in himself, was never yet brought out of Egypt, he never yet found the true MOSES, which is Jesus Christ, pleading with spiritual Pharaoh, that the soul may depart out thence, to serve the Lord; for till then, man serves but himselfe, even in his highest forms and duties. And like­wise the children of Israels passage through the red Sea, and Pharaohs pursuing, and their journyings, and fightings, and meeting with so many enemies in their passage to Canaan: what are all these things but the oppositions and dangerous passages of the soul to the heavenly Canaan, & the pursuing thereof, by the Prince of darkness, and the god of this world: what is this but the violence used by the Prince of the power of the air, which continually works in the children of disobedi­ence, 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 2.2. that is, in all the sons of men till they are by a mighty and strong hand brought out of this their Egypt and bon­dage?

All this trouble and shaking is that which the Lord pro­miseth in Heb. 12.26. I will once more shake the Heavens and the earth; Heb 12.26 what he did then externally, he will once more do, that is, after the same manner, but now spiritually. And this is that work and that birth of Christ, at which Herod and all Israel is troubled. The spiritual Birth of Christ causeth the whole power of the natural man to shake and tremble, even those under the purest external forms. And when the peo­ple of Israel were led a long and tedious passage to Canaan, being carried up and down, backward and forward, what is all this to us and them, in the substance and mystery, but holding forth mans lost and miserable condition in the way of his own heart, in the way of sin, shewing the desolations, the darkness, the forlorn and lost condition of all men by nature; that even when the heart of man thinks he is upon the borders of Canaan, and he is now in the right way, and shal surely by his travel and industry possess that good Land, he is for all this deceived and brought back again to the ve­ry borders of Egypt,Esa: 14.15 and is brought down to the very sides of the pit. And tis revealed and made known to him, for all his fair progress in his religion, and for all his forms and inven­tions, that he is still under misery, and darkness, and sinne, and condemnation: and that all those things were but things taken up of himself, and were no other but shewes and pretences, and coverings to delude himselfe and the world, because he could not abide to see the internal mi­sery, and that bottomlesse gulfe in himself: he could not endure to see the smoak of the bottomless pit arise out of his own heart,Rev. 9.2: and those innumerable Locusts crawling and covering the whole earth; that there are in his heart, pride, and Lust, and Malice, and Murder, and Covetuosnesse, and Idolatry, and Witchcrafts, and Sorceries, and Lyes, and e­very thing that worketh abomination, which cannot enter in­to the new Jerusalem. Rev. 21.26 Therefore, I say, because man cannot abide to see himselfe thus, nor that any other should see him thus vile and abominable as indeed he is, therefore he gets himselfe a covering for all these things; he makes him­self Aprons because he knowes he is naked; and he would [Page 73]cover himselfe as to himself, so to others, Gen. 3.17 and from the face and sight of God himself: and having done this with all the Art and Cunning he can invent, then (he thinks) he hath covered the gulf: he labours having thus seen him­self in this gulf, to forget what manner of man he is; Jam. 1.23 24. he stops the guilt and cry of his own conscience by these aprons, coverings and forms, and be begins to be secure, and he is holy both in his own sight, and in the sight of others, and he thinks he shall enter and possesse the good Land flewing with Milk and Honey. Now for this man to be uncovered and laid open, Exod. 3.8 to be emptied of all this goodness, and stript of all his forms and holiness, and to be brought back to the borders of Egypt, and to let him see he is as far from the promised Land as the worst of men, nay Publicans and Harlots are nearer then himself, this cuts the very caule of his heart, this undoes him, Mat. 21.31. and he is no more able to abide these words then the Pharisees could the preaching of Jesus Christ, who sought in all his Teach­ings to pull off their coverings, and to make them appear as they were, and not to be such as they would have the world believe them to be with their holy shewes and pretences.

Now every man, the best of men, being in this condition, if they could but be content to see themselves so, that they are filthy, and abominable in all their works, and that they were utterly lost and destroyed and confounded in them­selves, and knew not what to do, nor which way to turn them­selves, then indeed would the Lord come in and shine upon them with light and life; and the Tabernacle of the Lord should guide them, and it would shew them the way, the truth and life; and the holy spirit would guide them into all truth; Joh. 16.13. Rev. 21.23. The cloud and the darknesse should be taken up, and the Lord himselfe would be their Sun, their Light, and their Guide; then they should see experimentally by the teachings of the Father in them,Esa. 60.19 Heb. 8.2. and not by the outward teachings of men, that Jesus Christ is the True Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man, as the Apostle applyes all to Jesus Christ in the ninth of the Hebrews, at the beginning,Ibid. 9.1. &c. As the Sanctuary and all things therein contained, viz. The Can­dlestick and the Shewbread, and the Golden Censor, and the [Page 74] Ark of the Covenant, and the Golden pot of Manna, and Aa­rons rod that was alwayes green, flowrishing and budding, &c. The Holy Ghost signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, which were onely figures for that time, and could not make him that did the service perfect, as per­taining to the conscience, which stood in meats and drinks, and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed on them, until the time of reformation. But Christ being become an high Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Ta­bernacle, and not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, and so he goes on. Of which tings, I must say, as the Apostle doth that of them we cannot now speak particu­larly: Jesus Christ,Mat. 5.15 He is the light set upon the Candlestick, giving light to all that are in the House, and Hee is the Hidden Manna to nourish us to eternal life; Col. 1.19. & 2.9. and it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, even the fulness of the God­head, bodily. Oh Beloved, He is that true Tabernacle, which the Lord hath pitched, and not man: From this Ta­bernacle must the soul expect all its leadings, all its teachings, and not from the wisdom of man, or the ordinances of man; for here they are all taught of God, and they shall no more teach every one his Brother, Heb. 8.10 11. saying, know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest. And, whosoever is not led by this light, and by this Star onely to behold the Lord Jesus Christ, as his only and true Guide, if he look any other way, he does the same thing that the Prophet said of old to them that followed the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the Star of their god Remphan; and followeth after lyes, and the inventions of their own evil Adulterous hearts, Acts 7, 42 & Amos. 5.25.26. figures which they have made to worship, saith the Holy Ghost, in the fifth Chapter of Amos, and the twenty fifth and twenty sixth verses.

Now then, you may hence see and take notice, that until the cloud be removed by the Lord himself, there must be no journying, no going forward by any of the sons of men: and tis the Lord, and not man can remove it: the children of Israel must wait the Lords time (when he pleaseth) man he is alwayes furnished and ready; your time is alwayes ready, (saith our Saviour,)Joh. 7.6. but my time is not yet; There are cer­tain [Page 75]days and times while the Cloud is upon the glory of this Tabernacle; and till the Lord remove it, man can do no­thing but wait; he must sit still in his Tent: And that is, when all things are in darknesse in man, both within him and without him, and he sees himself lost as to all his own wisdom, power, endeavours; in this case tis in vain for man to arise and think to create a light, and a wisdome, and a power to him­selfe; for then he goes on in his own power and light, and not in the light and power of God. Ye know, the fire in the Ta­bernacle never went out; there was alwayes light there;Lev. 6.13 but if there be a Cloud upon it, and thou canst not see it, and yet wilt be journying, and doing, and acting, this will be thy fall and stumbling, and a curse will be upon thee, and not a blessing, and thou shalt not prosper. When that fire kindled the word in the mouth of Jeremiah the Prophet, then that word was a light to them & a command to depart out of their Cap­tivity, and to return to their own land; till then the cloud was upon their way, and they were as in a waylesse wilderness. where no man passed, a land of desarts and of pits, a land of drought and shadows of death where no man dwelt,Jer. 2.6. as in that second chapter of Jeremiah. While man is in this condition and in this night of blindnesse and darknesse, and land of death and drought, he knowes not his way, until the Lord shew him a light; till He remove the cloud, there is no finding the place of rest, nor any feeding on the Hidden Manna, nor drinking at the Wells of Salvation. Esa. 12.3. When man is in this dark night, how can he arise? but if he sit still as to all his own powers, really seeing his own weaknesse, and utter ina­bility, then this light in due time will shine forth; and if he ever stir before this day, he arises, and works, and walks unto his own ruin and destruction. It may be this Doctrin may seem harsh and very unwelcome to most men, That they shall not be doing, and going on, and journying, Phil. 2.12 and working out their own Salvation: many are hereat much offended, at which I do not wonder; for they not being able to see the Mystery of the Scripture, onely rest in the Letter, and know not the teachings of the spirit; and think they must do some­thing by way of condition, or else all is nothing. And here­in [Page 76]is the great mistake of most men who (though never so high­ly esteemed by themselves and others,Luk. 6.39 yet) herein are no other but blind leaders of the blind, and both fall into the ditch. But those who are acquainted with these things in their own experience, know and feel this mysticall interpretation to be the truth, and all other in the Letter to be but resemblances and shadows under which the truth is hid and covered from all save onely such to whom it is given to know the my­stery of the Kingdome, Mat. 13.11. but to others in parables, that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may bear and not understand; As in that seventh and eighth Chapter to the Hebrews, where the Apostle speaking of the Law, and of many particulars appertaining to that Priesthood, he shews that the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh unto God; and so there by several arguments he proves that Jesus Christ alone, was the true Priest, and the true ORDINANCE. Now in the first verse of the eighth chapter,Heb. ch. 7. & 8. he applyes all that he had before spoken to Jesus Christ alone, that per­fect high Priest:Ch. 7.19 Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the summe; And so he goes on and applyes it to Jesus Christ, that true high Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high, a Minister of the Sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man; which things serve but unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things, Ch. 8.1. &c. he having obtained a far more excellent ministry, by how much he is made the mediatour of a better covenant, and esta­blished upon better promises: he is not a high Priest of a Temple, or contained in any Temple made with hands: 2 Chron: 6.18. but he is such a one whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain; And he of­fers not sacrifices, but himself, his own body; And He and all his members are the true Tabernacle wherein the Lord is served and well pleased; for the Law made High Priests which have infirmitie, Heb. 7.28. saith the Apostle, but the word of the Oath which was since the Law, maketh the Son, who only is con­secrated for evermore.

But what shall we say then of all those things wherein Moses was commanded to be so exact, and to make all things [Page 77]according to the pattern? and here he calls Christ the true Tabernacle; what was theirs a false one? I,Ibid. 8.2. it was in regard of Christ who is the Son himself; for not any of all those things the Jews themselves were to rest in, though done ex­actly according to the Pattern. But this MESSIAH was he that they should have eyed through and beyond all those figures and shadows; for that Tabernacle was but pitched by man; mark that; though commanded by God; but the true Tabernacle is pitched by the Lord himself. So that the Apostle there, we may clearly see, expounds this last chapter of Exodus, and reduceth all those shadows to the substance, proving that Christ himself is the true Tabernacle, and the true Ministry, and the true Sanctuary, and that those things are but the Patterns and Emblems of the heavenly things. Now all things must be according to him; for he is the true pattern, and is that one and alone Sacrifice, once ffered; as in that ninth chapter of the Hebrews, Heb. 9.11. &c. and the eleventh verse and so on, Christ being an high Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this building; and by his own blood he entered into the Holy Place; and if the blood of Bulls and Goats sanctifyeth to the purifying of the stesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered up himselfe without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works? &c. Though all these things were done by Moses, and all done according to the example and pattern; yet, saith he, the things we speak of are not things done hy man, not of this building, that is, not done by the wisdom, power, or will of man; no, nor those done by them according to the direction of God himselfe, (and in that sense commanded and un­questionable Ordinances) yet these made not the commers thereunto perfect; therefore, saith he, in the three and twen­tieth verse of that ninth chapter, It was therefore necessary that the PATTERNS of the things in the Heavens should be purified with these; Vers. 23. but the Heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices: for Christ is not entered into the Holy Places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven it self, now to appear in the presence of God for us: The [Page 78]Heavenly things themselves purified, what's that? That is, the soules of men, which are of Heavenly natures and Immor­tal; and if those External Sacrifices must be purified with blood, it is much more necessary that that Heavenly and Immor­tal soul of man should be purified with the pretious blood of Je­sus Christ. Man having departed from God, and defiled his soul by turning away from him, and being gone down to earthly things, to find himself a God, and a Trust, and a Refuge: this departure is of that infinitness, that nothing but this Eternal Priest and Mediatour could reconcile and bring together again the Majesty and Nature of God, and polluted man thus at an infinite distance; but He by him­self and of his own mercy and good will hath reconciled us to his father,2 Cor. 5.20. Esa. 63.3 and hath trod the Winepress alone and none stood by him; and herein was the eternal and infinite love of Jesus Christ our alone Saviour seen.

And by the way, let me mind you of one thing: That when the Scripture speaks of Christ his Ascending and en­tring into the third Heaven, and far above all Heavens, and sitting down on the right hand of his Father: Eph. 4.10. Heb: 12.2 I would not have you so childish as to be deluded by those tricks and de­vices of the men of the Letter, who not being able to see the mystery, do take those things as spoken litterally, as though Christ now had a material body, flesh and bones, the same which he had in the flesh, when he was upon earth; these are very fond inventions of men, that Christ is in a local place and sits upon a Throne above in Heaven, next his Father as upon his right hand or the like: and when he comes to judge­ment he will set himself in the material Clouds, and call all Nations before him, just as Judges doe at the Sizes; and there to sit in a Chaire of State above all, or as Solomon upon a glorious Throne. Truly the world hath been a long time deluded with these fancies. Now as the Apostle saith, plainly, he is not entred into a place made with hands, nor into any thing of this nature,Heb. 9.24 nor of this building: But we are when we speak of him, to separate all our thoughts far from all carnal things, and all creaturely beings. For there is no tincture of the creature concernments in those heavenly and [Page 79]divine things; but all those things are done spiritually and in a way far above the thought or comprehension of all crea­turely conceptions.

But from all this which hath been spoken, hence it is clear, That the Tabernacle here spoken of, is, the glory, wis­dome, power, righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, and whatever is HIMSELF, who is nothing else but majesty, purity, glory, wisdom, love, goodnesse, fulnesse, infinitnesse, blessednesse, and Alsufficiency, and all good; he alone is the Lord, Mat. 6.13. he alone is King, his is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever, and no creature can without blasphemy in the highest degree ap­propriate or assume any one, or any part of these to himself; Here now Beloved, we have set before you the Tabernacle, and the Fire in the Tabernacle. This is that fire of the Lord which can never be put out, nor extinguished, Levit. 6.13. but is ever one and the same; it can never decrease nor increase in regard of himself, but onely in regard of manifestation to us; and which cannot be procured one day sooner by all the Wisdom, Learning, Industry of man, but onely when he is pleased to remove the cloud, then have ye liberty to journey, and walk, and wo [...]k, and not before; whatever the dark and blind and the poor deluded sons of men make you believe.

And further be assured, that until you come to possess and enjoy in your selves, these spiritual and divine things, you cannot know what they mean; and whatever you do, and whatever you see, or adore, below these, you adore nothing but the patterns and the images of them, wherein no man e­ver yet had any other but a false rest., and they lived in a false light, and enjoyed not the things themselves; nay, though we should know and behold Christ after the flesh and look upon him in his Conception, Life, Death, Crucifying, Bu­rial, Resurrection, Ascention, yet all these things are but the patterns of the Heavenly things, and of the Lord himself, Heb. 9.23 which are to pass a way and be forgotten when that Christ himself is personally manifested; Hence forth know we him no more, 2 Cor. 5.16. saith the Apostle. When the Eternal Majesty and Splendour of that which is the Truth comes in, all the glory of all other things vanishes before its presence. These are the things [Page 80]which are purified with better things then the blood of Bulls and Goats: nothing could purchase nor purifie these things, but onely the blood and the death of the Son of God. Here the soule comes to fee clearly, and to handle, and experiment and tast the Heavenly things themselvs; which were from the beginning, 1 Joh. 1.1 which we have heard, and which we have seen with [...]ur eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. Then the soul truly falls in love with Christ, then it eyes him, and surveys him, then it mag­nifies and adores him; then it loses it selfe in him, and dotes upon him, then is he all beauty, and all perfection to it; and then it loseth self-seeking and self-interest, and self-glorying and the like, and sees him onely to be the Lord of life, life alone, glory alone, riches alone, mercy alone, light alone, pretious alone; and nothing in Heaven or earth to be desired but him alone. Then it can say experimentally and feelingly with David, and not complementally as most pro­fessours do,Psal. 73.25, 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none in the earth that I desire in comparison of thee; And my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever: This soule is indeed the Temple of God, and hath in it the true light, Majesty and Glory of God; but all other men do but play with shadows, and are but exercised about the patterns of these things which are to come, and have not the things themselves, notwithstan­ding their confidences and strong conceits.

And now this light being in thee, this is to be thy guide, this is to be thy teacher, thy Master, and no other can be; till this come in, the Scriptures themselves, nay Christ in the flesh, and all things whatever ye can name, are but Dark lanthorns without these divine teachings; for he is only a light and a guide, a Master, and Ruler unto spiritual men, and he is only Riches, Peace, Power, Love, Glory onely unto these men: 'tis not those that can talk much of him, and who have high notions and speculations of him, that can love or adore him truly, but onely those who thus enjoy him. He that walks by any other light, or any other guide then by the light of the Tabernacle,Esa. 5.11. he walks in his own light [Page 81]and in the sparks of his own kindling, and they never did,Esa. 5.1. nor never can receive other at the Lords hand, but to lie down in sorrow. But this is to lean upon the highest and purest wis­dom, to depend and rest on him who is only Alsufficient: this is to be taken off all other things, all other sufficiencies, which are so to other men: They can really see there is nothing in man, nothing in the world, but that all are full of emptiness and vanity, and deceit; this man sees and really knows all this: other men talk much of them, as if they were to them the onely excellencies; and that all below them are nothing but shadows and delusions; but secretly in their hearts they do not think so, and their practices tell us other­ways: their eager seeking them, their close holding and hugging them, plainly declares, that they lye with their tongues, Psal. 78.36. and dissemble in their hearts: And they teach to others, that which they never yet touched with one of their fingers: And to them the things themseles, to act in them, to live by them, Luk. 11.46. are those heavy burdens which the Pharisees laid upon other men shoulders, but not touched them themselves.

He that is guided by any other light, or by any other tea­chers, he forsakes the light, the life and glory of Christ, and goes down into Emptinesse, Darknesse, Misery, Sin, and the delusions of his own heart. He that thinks the Scrip­tures to be a light and a teacher, or a rule, or a guide, without this Heavenly and Divine Teacher in him, he depends upon that which can never teach, nor guide aright without him; and therefore when men talk so much of the Scriptures, and misse this light, they are but in darknesse, and meerly de­lude themselves and others. While Adam in the state of in­nocency beheld this light in him, he adhered to it alone, he saw no other light, no other fire, no other guide; this was the Tree of life to him, this was Riches, Glory, Fulnesse,Gen. 3. all in all: but, he casting his eye upon the tree of knowledge of good and evil, this false light misled him, and led him down into darkness, death, blindness, irrecoverable misery, and never to return to the tree of life: and this was by following the counsels and teaching of his own heart: and indeed this is the condition of all the sons of men, not one excluded, no [Page 82] not one can return: for there is a flaming cherub turning every way to keep the way of the tree of life: And there is none can remove this Cherub, but only the Son of God: man with all his wisdom and power can do nothing in it; he with all his excellencies is gone down for ever into the pit of Dark­ness, Job. 10.21 never to return: Now only Jesus Christ is the new and living way, the gate to life, the true Teacher, the only guide, the only ƲNDERTAKER for all those that shall re­turn: He alone saith to Adam, Where art thou? hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldest not eat, Gen. 3.9. and in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die? Jesus Christ alone is he that discovers man to be naked, to see himselfe undone and miserable, by following his own will and wisdom; he alone can set up a light in the soule, to shew man his fol­ly and madnesse: he alone can set before him Hell, Death, the Curse, Damnation, and Destruction. And if man goe about to return in his own light, or by his own wisedome, he sets himself but more into misery and darknesse: and even Publicans and Harlots shall sooner return then these men, Mat. 21.31. Ibid. 23.15. who in their own and others eyes, are the wisest of men, the highest, the holiest of the sons of men. And these men for all they take so much pains, and are so strict over themselves, (as they would be thought to be) and require it of others, yet they are no other but those Pharisees and Hypocrits which compass Sea and Land, to make if possible ONE Prose­lyte; and when he is made, Gen. 2.25 they make him two-fold more the child of Hell then before.

While Adam lived in that state wherein he was created, in the Light of God, and in the Glory of God, in the Wis­dom and Life of God, man was not ashamed, though he was naked; for the glory and light of God was in him, which was his life, excellency and glory; but when he went hence and followed other Counsel, Ch. 3.6. the whispering of the sub­tile Serpent within him, then followed Death, Hell, Misery, and Condemnation: then he sees his folly and madnesse in harkning to and giving way to this false Lyar, who before told him he should better his condition, and he should be like God himself. And thus seeing and beholding his naked­nesse, [Page 83]his folly and misery, he being not able to behold it, nor live in the sight thereof, for he is not able to behold the wrath of God, and Hell-fire flashing in his face: then he bethinks himselfe of some Covering, some Shelter, some Cloaths to co­ver his nakedness; he is not able to behold his own condi­tion: and he invents a thousand wayes to shelter himself: runs to this duty and that rule, and he will find out somthing, he will do something to quench the fire in him that is kindled by the breath of the Lord. And is not man in this more mad; Esa. 30.33 and more vain, and more miserable? For by all these things he doth but adde fuell to this fire; for doth he think, till one stronger then himself come, even to be delivered? Alas,Luk. 11: 22. thus are all the sons of men deluded; but when Christ who is the true Mediatour comes, when he sets up his light in man, then he convinces him of his Emptinesse, of his Weaknesse, of his Nothingnesse, and that he cannot arise, Joh. 11.43: nor live, without the loud and mighty voyce of the son of God quicked him; when this light and life comes upon him, then though he be naked in himself, yet he is not ashamed: but he standing in this condemnation, all sin, and darknesse and condemnation vanish before the glory of these heaven­ly things and come to nothing, and empty themselves into their own nothingness, that so the glory of Jesus Christ may come in the room thereof, who is truth, and life, and fulness, and perfection, and all things.

But while man walks by the light of his own fire, Esa. 50.11 and in the sparks which he hath kindled, he is holy, and good, and pure, and excellent, and great in his own sight, and high in his own wisedome; but when once he comes to be guided by the fire and light of the Tabernacle, then he is a Miserable, Empty, Bare, Beggerly thing: nothing in him of Wisdom, Power, Glory, Riches, Goodnesse, a meer naked, empty, and simple thing, except he be made happy in the light of God, and in the union with Jesus Christ; wise in the wisdom of God, and holy in the holinesse of God: Here, sayes the Apostle, I permit not a woman to speak in the Church, 1 Cor. 14.34. Ibid. 11.16. here let her head be covered: that is, let not man speak any thing in the Church in the presence of the Lord; of his wisdom, of his [Page 84] goodness, of his upright walking, but let Christ be all these in the Church: There let all the Weaknesse and Womanish­nesse of man come upon him, and let him be covered with shame in the presence of this Bridgroom; for tis a shame for a woman to speak in the Church; let not her shew so much pride, but let her ask her Husbad at home, let him have all the glory. Let not the Bride speak any thing of her riches, of her beauty in the presence of her Lord; but to see her selfe rich in his riches, and glorious in his glory, & wise in his wis­dom: let her not meddle herein without her head be covered, so that she sees she hath nothing of glory, nothing praiseworthy, nothing beautiful in her; but that her head be perfectly cover­ed with the righteousness, riches, and glory of Jesus Christ. All the men in the world, be they of what parts, learning, strength, or excellencie can be named, are but WOMEN in this respect, and are to cover their heads in the presence of Christ, in the Church of Christ: In thy Temple every one speak of thy glory, Psal. 26.9: saith David: If a Woman offer to speak in the Church, this is but weaknesse, this is but shame and confusion of face: in the CHURCH, whats that think you? with­out question the meaning of the Apostle is not to be taken Litterally of a material Church; nor tis not meant of a Con­gregation of men or women assembled, or congregated toge­ther (as the wisest of men take it) for this in the Scripture sense is not called A CHURCH; much lesse in a low and vulgar acceptation, of a meeting place built of bricks or wood, or stone: But the CHURCH is the Temple of God, the House of God, the Body of Christ in which the Lord discovers his Riches, Glory, Wisdome, Bounty, and the Treasures of Wisdome and knowledge, and his everlasting pow­er and goodness to the soules of Beleevers: and in this Church where the Lord is present, let not weaknesse discover its pride, insolency, or vain-boasting; for, this is the Church, and this is the Woman that ought not to speak there.

Now this fire of the sanctuary, is that which discovers all this Weaknesse, Darknesse, and Blindnesse in the soul; when this light of God appears, then all shadows vanish, then all coverings are removed, and all things in and of Man, ap­pear [Page 85]as they are to be nothing but Darknesse, Deformity, Delusion, Lyes, Confusion and Misery; and God appears to the soul to be onely Light, Life, Happinesse, and Perfecti­on;Gen. 2.25 and the soule is not ashamed to be thus naked, because this makes way that God may have all the glory, all the wisedome, all the excellency, and man may come to be nothing but sin and emptinesse. Thus the soule comes with the A­postle to rejoyce in and to glory in his infirmities, 2 Cor. 12.5. and that the power and wisedom of God is made perfect in his Weakness and Folly. As a good Wife, she is not ashamed to be as nothing in the presence of her Husband, but rejoyces that He is e­steemed, and that he is made all in all to her: So doth the true Spouse of Christ; let her be nothing, so He may be all: for she acknowledges that she is only rich in her Husbands riches, and wise in his wisdom, and strong in his strength;1. Pet. 1.7. she sees she lives not by her own care and industry, but in the love and care of her Husband: and thus she glories not in her selfe, but in her Husband: This is to become NAKED, and yet not ashamed, as was Adam in his Innocency: Rev. 3.17 2 Cor. 10 5. To have a poor sinner freely to confess, to the glory of Christ, Time was when I was rich and had high imaginations of my self, and I was in my own esteem able to guide and rule, and direct my self and all my affairs, and I thought my selfe in a bles­sed and secure condition: but I finde now, that was nothing but a lye, and a delusion; But even then, the meer love and tender compassion of my Saviour and Redeemer set up a candle and light in my soul whereby I was discovered to be nothing but A sink of sin, A body of death, A bottomlesse pit of abomina­tions:Mark. 4.21. Rom. 7.24. Rev. 9: 2. that I was a fool, and madness was in my heart in all I did. And that he alone was goodness, mercy, power, wisdom, eternity, salvation, and Alsufficiency; this he freely, and with all readinesse acknowledgeth, and this he is not ashamed to declare, as those are that would be esteemed holy Ones, but to tell it to all the world; though all the wise and holy men of the world esteem him a foole and a madman, yet this is his glory, to take shame to himselfe.

But all your wise and righteous men, all their contriving is to hide all their shame, and they would be thought to be [Page 86] holy men, and strict men, and that they walk exactly, and according to the rule of the word: and this is their glory, that others have this esteem of them, they would not for a world be thought as vile and finful as others: they hate that Je­sus Christ should so far lay them open to the world and themselves:Psal. 56.8 Ezek. 8.11. What, are they to come before the Lord and have no Goodnesse, no Endeavours, no Watchfulnesse, no Bottles of Prayers to offer, no sweet incense to offer, no Duties, there­by to think well of themselves? this would be Death and Destruction, and Desolation to them. When (God knows) when once he will arise in them,Psal. 50, 21. and set their sins in order, then all their delusions and coverings will be removed, and they made naked. Then all their fine and neat contrivances to disguise themselves before God and men, shall be rent and destroyed;Joh. 9.39 when the Lord will arise and come to Judgment in their hearts, then all their inward parts shall be laid o­pen; and what they have d [...]ne in secret shall, be proclaimed up­on the house top. Mat. 24.15. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth let him understand) then shall there be in those dayes great tribulation in them, Luk. 8.17 Mat. 24.21. Mark. 13.14. Luk. 21.25. and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken. Then he that is on the house top, shall not come down to take any ting out of his house: he shall not go down to fetch any of his Riches, or Gold, or Silver: none of his fine utensils for worship, none of his fine and workmanlike duties, none of his strictnesses, none of his holy walkings: he is stript of all, left naked: and how are their houses left unto them desolate, in one moment? Ba­bylon in them is fallen, is fallen, and shee that said in her heart I shall sit a Queen, and am no Widow, and shall see no sor­row; therefore shall her plagues come upon her in one day, Rev. 18.2 &c. death and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Then is the houre of Judgment come, and the Lord will arise, and nothing can hinder or stand before him. This will be a miserable day to these men a day of blackness and gloominess, and thick Clouds, the Sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood. [Page 86]A deluge of wrath is now irresistibly comming upon them, and then the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole and the earth shall melt with fervent heat, and all their works burnt up. 2 Pet. 3.10.

Then from hence we may conclude that at that day, all men, even the wisest men of the world, will be at their wits end, to cover and hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb and from him that sits on the Throne: Rev. 6.16. Then all those Mer­chants of Babylon shall lament for her, That their Whore, their Strumpet, with whom they have all their dayes com­mitted fornication, is made desolate, &c. their trade of Religion is quite overturned;Mich. 3.11. those that made Merchan­dise of the Word, and Preacht for money and for hire, and to get bread, or to make themselves great, and to that end got into forms and duties, and fellowships, that men might have high thoughts of them; and made long prayers under pretence, and to grow rich by devouring widows houses: Mat. 23.14. and yet these things, these pretences, these prayers and duties they heap to themselves, thinking they may please God with them, and these things (as foule and abominable as they be) they think to be a goodly sacrifice. But when this day comes that the Lord will arise and plead his own cause, all these things will stand in no stead; all their works must be burnt up: then he will remember how these foolish men blas­phème his name, Psal. 74.22, 23.Psal. 74.22, 23. And if they should bethink themselve wherewithal to come before the Lord, and to offer thousands of Rams, and ten thousand Rivers of Oyle, nay if they give the fruit of the Body for the sin of their Soul, Micah. 6.7. all were to to no purpose: For the Father, the Eternal Majesty of Hea­ven can be pleased with nothing but that One Eternal and Alsufficient sacrifice, the blood of his own dear Son: For men to call themselves Christians and Saints, and for o­thers to esteem them so, is a poor covering: now in this day, it will not cover their nakednesse; The bed is too short to stretch themselves on it, and the covering is too narrow, they cannot cover nor wrap themselves in it. Esa. 28.20 Tis not all their fel­lowships and Congregatings, nor washings, nor External eatings, and sitting down with Christ at his Table, nor their Perswasions that they do the mind of God, and con­form [Page 88] exactly to the rule and letter of the word: All things of this nature is but of man, Phil. 3.19 and they glory in their own shame; Thou dishonourest thy head Christ, to pray or prophesie and thy head not BARE: if thy self be not stript naked, tis a disho­nour to Christ, who is the head of the Church; for all honor, all praise, all wisdom, all goodness, all righteousnesse, is Christ's crown, and no creature is to wear that Crown but himself alone. If thou takest these, or any part of these which are due alone to him, thou makest Christ a­shamed, he is dishonoured: for there is no Goodnesse, no Love, no Beauty, no Life, but onely in the Son of God: and whatever is in him, is his for the Church; not that they enjoy it in themselves, but in him: all glory be to him, and all shame and confusion upon themselves; and hereby is their head magnified.

Christ alone is their Covering, their Righteousnesse, their Wisedome, their Redemption, their Saviour, their Beauty; they have no shelter, no hiding place but in him: Those that are ashamed thus to acknowledge and confess him before men, Mat. 10.32. he will be ashamed to confess them, or owne them be­fore his Father. Those that are ashamed to bear this testimo­ny of him, and to be Witnesses and Martyrs for him, he will be ashamed of them. He is not ashamed to own thee in thy blood and filthiness; and shall we be ashamed to owne him and to ascribe that to him which is his due? But in stead of giving testimony to the glory of HIS name, thou studiest and contrivest, which way thou mayest be some­thing, that thou mayest be esteemed, and that Christ may be nothing, that he may be debased; but be assured In that day all these things shall be laid open. And God is a jea­lous God and will not suffer his honour to be polluted, Esa. 42.8: nor will give his glory to any other.

Further, from all this which hath been said, it appears that tis in vain to seek for, or expect any light to guide a­ny of the sons of men any where else but from the Taberna­cle: Tis in vain to follow any other Star but that which led the Wise men to Jesus Christ: he that sets up any other Sun of righteousness to guide him,Mal. 4.2. any other light, any other [Page 89] rule to walk by, that thinks he can teach himself or offer any sacrifices or prayers to be accepted with the Father, but his alone, or assumes any power to command himself in a­ny thing: this man is no other but a lyar, a thief, and a robber, a blasphemer and a traitor; for he robs God of his honour, and denyes Jesus Christ to be King, Priest, and Prophet, which is alone his right,

Beloved, happy is that soule who hath forsaken himselfe, and all other lights, and minds onely this light from the Ta­bernacle, that cannot follow any other counsel, that knows the voyce of Christ, and the light and life of Christ from all other Lights or Lives,Joh. 10.5. and that will not follow the voyce of a­ny stranger: They know the Light and shinings forth of God from all other shinings: These are the true Wise men, the spiritual and true Magicians: if they see any other Star, any other false Meteor: they can distinguish it and follow his Star alone; they have found in experience where they have followed any other light or guide, they stumbled and fell: He knowes if he do, he shall be led into the Land of darkness, into a Wildernesse of sorrows and miseries, where are Tygers, Leopards and the Owles, and the scrith Owles, the Jims and Ziims of the desart, or Night-Monsters as the Prophet esaiah excellenly and elegantly speaks. And again, saith he, Ye shall kindle a fire and walk in the sparks thereof, Esa. 34.11.14. & 13.20. Ibid. 50: 11. but this ye shall receive at my Hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow.

Man naturally follows that light that he hath found out, not regarding the fire of the Sanctuary, and as with a Stone and a Steel he strikes fire for himselfe, and gathers up some combustible matter, Wood, Hay, 1 Cor. 3.12. and Stubble of his owne finding, some things of his own getting together, and here he makes himself a light and a fire, and he thinks by his Wisdom, and by his Learning to hammer, beat and finde out the truth of the Scriptures; Rom. 2.19 Esa. 55.4. and he thinks that he can teach, and he can counsel, and he is a leader of the blind, which is only Christs work and office; and he can define out errours, and restrain them by his rules and directions, when alas poor blind man he never yet found the darknesse of his own heart, he never yet saw the errours of his own heart; [Page 90]are not these then blind leaders of the blind (as our Saviour saith) and both must needs fall into the ditch? Mat. 15.14.

This is the very same thing which Nadab and Abihu did, to offer strange fire of their own before the Lord; when thou bringest all thy duties, Levit. 10.1. all thy parts, all thy endeavours, and though thou offerest them (as pretended) on the true Altar Jesus Christ, yet if offered by thy self, thou art that Nadab and Abihu there described: And the fine of the Lord will break forth to thy utter ruin and destruction: for, never any thing ever pleased the Father, but that one alone and Eternal sacrifice which is continually offered onely by himselfe: he abhors that any of thy duties, any of thy menstruous rags should be joyned in with his most perfect, Esa. 64.6. Deut. 22.11: yea onely righteousnesse: This Garment of linsey-woolsey his people may not wear. All things that are done in the world, proceed but from two principles: there is not one action of any of the sons of men, but proceeds either from the power or wisdom of man, or from Jesus Christ: if from man as man, its loathsome, stin­king, abominable, though never so refined; though they be­stow never so much labour, industry, learning, all their Wits and Parts, To put upon it the neatest cut, and the finest dresse,Jam. 3.15 Nah. 1.5. & 2 Pet. 3 20: they are all but earthly, sensual and devilish, which must to Hell, and the earth with all the works thereof shall be burnt up for ever.

Every sacrifice that is offered in the world, must be kindled with fire from Heaven, by the fire of the Sanctuary & offered on this Altar, which alone is Jesus Christ, and that alone per­fect High Priest: else tis kindled by this strange fire which is no other but devouring fire: either tis of the earth, earthly, or else tis of the Lord from Heaven: 1 Cor. 15.47. if it be from Heaven, it shall be raised up to heaven: It is sown in weakness, but tis rai­sed up in power: if it be from man, tis from the bottomless pit, it is from fin and weaknesse, and thither it must return: and in this state and condition are all the actions of the world: even all the actions, inventions, forms, in dustrys of men: and they all tend to crucifie the Lord of life and power, that so man and his doings, Joh. 18.40. his contrivances, his Idols may stand and be adored. All the sons of men cry out for a Barrabas, that so the wis­dom [Page 91]of the flesh and the power of man may be established, and that that everlasting, righteous Son of God, which would be working, living, raigning in man, may be crucified and ut­terly destroyed: This they may do, and doe do, and yet may talk much of an outward and external Christ, which once dyed at Jerusalem, and pretend much love to him. Never a­ny of the sons of men ever received that true Christ we speak of, (though much cryed up in the world) for never any re­ceived him, but to them he gave power to become the sons of God; Never any received him, nor followed him, but he denyed him­self, Joh. 1.12 and took up his Cross: which never any man did that is not emptied of himselfe, made nothing in his own sight,Luk. 14.7 that is not stript of all his power, wisdom, parts, righteousnesse, and whatever man (as man) adores: All true Saints are brought to see this, in experience; they see, all the world seeking them­selves, following after the gods that they have made, and crying up their Diana: they see all the whole earth al­waies and continually crying out, Not this man, but Barabbas: Mat. 27.21. And they know them to be all Theeves and Robbers.

But these onely come to the light, and walk in the light:Joh. 10.8. And the light of Christ in them hath discovered, that in man is nothing but sin, and darkness, and misery, and condemna­tion: This they really see, both within themselves and without themselves, that he that would be exalted, is in them brought low, and he that humbleth himself is exalted:Luk. 14.11. Christ in them, and to them is all in all: and this is their Glory, this is their Kingdome, this their Pearl for which they have sold all, this is their Heaven. Then they come to see,Mat. 13.46. as the truth is, that they have no power, wisdom, excellency, nothing at all but what is to be condemned: and that all their works which are accepted are wrought in God: Joh. 3.21 1 Cor. 1.30. That Jesus is their Wisdom, Rgihteousness, Justification, Sanctification, and Redemption: they come to this light, and they walk in this light: they continually see, that Jesus Christ hath all power and wisdom in himself: he hath not given any part of his ex­cellencies out of himselfe, but whatever is wrought in them, is wrought by Him: they dare not say, I must doe and I must act, and I must pray that I may be accepted, nor think [Page 92]as others do; I must perform the conditions on my part to do,Heb. 6.6: and then I shall be accepted. All Doctrine of this na­ture, is no other but crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting him to open shame, and walking in darknesse: Those that preach this,Acts 20.29. John 3.31 are those grievous wolves which Paul speaks of Acts 20.29, 30. I know that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of your own selves shall men arise speaking, perverse things, to draw disciples after them. Of your own selvs, that is, men that hold forth the same doctrine, and preach Jesus Christ too, and hold him forth for a Saviour, yet under that pretence, crucifie him, and make him as no Christ, and his Crosse of no effect. But those that are in the light, they come to the light, and follow this light, live in this light, that their deeds may be made manifest, whe­ther wrought in God, or no; Then he sees this is the true wisdom from above, Jam. 3.17. which is pure, peaceable, easie to be entrea­ted, full of good works: 'tis not high, and stern, and subtile, and rigid, to keep at distance from all but whom they like: but they are easie to be entreated, meek, ready to doe good to all; they see no such excellency in houses, inheritances, money, ho­nour, praise, but for the love of Christ, they are not deare to them; they know, if they have these, they are not given to make them great, or high, or praised among the sonnes of men; but that by them, Christ in them may make himselfe great; That they may be of another spirit then any other naturall man in the world,Acts 26.18. shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God.

Then is their Tongue Touched with a coal from the Altar, Esay 6.6. and they must declare Jesus Christ, to make him alone glo­rious, powerfull, wise, mighty, eternal, &c. And then, it is no longer they that speake, Mark 13.11. but the spirit of their Father that is within them. My beloved breathren, if men were but come to the sight of this light, and were able to stand in it, and walk in it, They would not goe forth (as they doe) in their own name, and in their own wisdom and power, having fur­nished themselves by their study, and by their Books, and by their borrowed matter; but all this is because they have no [Page 93]light in them: How many Speakers be there now in the world, and with what confidence doe they come unto you? when this spirit from on high never came upon them,Pro. 8.34 Luke 24.49. they never yet waited at Wisdoms gates, never yet stayed at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, but runne before they are sent, and they of themselves have found a way to be furnished: they can goe to the Ʋniversity and there lay the foundation, and they can have the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie, and then they can study Authors, and they have wisdom, and parts, and eloquence of their own; and thus they come fur­nished, and are (as they think) able Ministers of the Gospel: 2 Cor. 3.6 John 10.1 Alas poore soules, Christ cals these no other but thieves and Robbers which come not in at the doore, they come not in by him, but climb up some other way: These have not made Christ the doore and the way, for did They but live in the true light, they durst not doe thus; they durst not speak till he had opened the dore, they durst not walk till the fire of the Sanctuary guided them, till this cloud of ignorance, not know­ing themselves, nor the work of Christ, were taken up, else they sit still.

And I say, there would not be so many speakers as there be, they would not covet so much to be some body that they may be taken notice of, to be wise, to be learned, to be holy, to be sober, to be endowed with the gifts of Christ, as they would be thought to be. All this, is but putting new wine into old bottles, Luk. 5.37 and both are lost: but if this light of God, this spirit from on high, this fire of the Sanctuary were upon them, then this new wine, would be put into new bottles, and both preserved: Oh, my brethren, it woes my very heart to see how confident and bold men are in their own light, and he that will say to the contrary, but that 'tis the light of God, he must be a deceiver, and he must be a Schismatick, a Familist, any thing, yea the most odious of all men: Oh that these men did but know from whence they speak: Oh that they did but know whe­ther they were Moseses or Magicians, whether sent from God or the Divel, whether from Christ or Antichrist, who indeed sit in the Temple of Christ, as if sent from Christ: Nay, let me tell you, they come with such deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse, [Page 94]with such signes and lying wonders, 2 Thes. 2.9.10. that they are able to de­ceive the very Elect of God, if it were possible: but the truth is, tis onely they can discover them; tis only the spirit of Christ that can lay them open; onely He that hath the true light can discover these hidden deeds of darkness.

He that hath this true light, and this true spirit, he sees he is nothing, nor cannot step one step in this work except the Lord goe with him; not onely in words to say this, that's nothing, but really from the light of God to know this. Then, hee durst not goe forth to speak of the things of God, but in trembling and fear: Nature, it thinks it selfe alwaies ready, its never unfurnished; call him when ye wil, he can preach, he can pray, he can fit you for mourning, for rejoycing, he is fur­nished for all occasions, he can manage and order all his affairs, and govern the very Church of Christ by his wisdome and learning,John 7.6. and he is never to seeke, but is alwaies ready, as Christ saith: These men are become Masters of their Reli­gion: I tis true, for Religion was never yet Master over them. But beloved, tis not thus with the Saints of God, nor with the Ministers of Christ, but they see Christ the sole Master, and the sole Orderer of the Church,Cant. 2.7. and they dare not awake their beloved untill he please; they know none other can furnish them, nor Commission, nor command them to goe forth, but onely Him; Mat. 23.9, 10. they know there is no other Master, no other Father, no other Teacher, but Christ alone: They cannot think it enough that they have Ʋniversity learning, that they have the most ORTHODOX Authors, (as they call them) and sometimes Most excellent DIVINES, but most blasphemously to rob Christ of his Honour; For, there can be no Divine but Christ,Vers. 7, 8. no Teacher but Christ, no Doctor but Christ: They know, they must have the inward teaching, before they can open their mouthes; the Coale from the Altar to touch their lips, Isa. 6.6. or else they dare not speak: They know the spirit of their Father is an Almighty, Eternall, Free spirit; like the wind which bloweth whether it listeth; Man neither knows whence it commeth, John 3.8. nor when: Sometime the Cloud is removed, when He pleaseth; and then they may, yea must goe forth, then they may journey; but when the day is cloudy [Page 95]and darke, and the spirit of the Lord doth not speake in them, then they must be content to sit still, till the day, that the Lord himself takes up the Cloud: Man can never remove it, no not one hour nor minute sooner, but when the spirit list­eth: But in the day of light, then they may goe forward: nay, then they shall go forth with power: then they shall not speak as the Scribes and Pharisees, but with Authority: Then,Mat. 7.29. they shall not regard the honour of men, nor glory in those things that the foolish and vain heart of man doth: As be­cause they are sent forth by the Presbytery, and they have gifts &c. and they can speak and declare themselves, and that they stand up in a Pulpit or high place above all their Brethren, and they are in high esteem and the like. All these things are banished in that soul, when the Lord sends forth a mes­senger. Far be it from me, to think that I have Wisdome or Learning, or Knowledge more then the meanest Saint a­mong you; what am I? what is Paul? what is Apollo? but Ministers, and your Servants, and the Servants of Christ, by whom ye believed? for me to think because I stand in this High place; therefore I am ever the better, or, have the more honour, or more esteemed, God for bid: For I am nothing if Christ speak not out by me, any, yea every experience of the truth: Therefore look onely at him;Mat. 11.7. for what come ye out into the Wildernesse to see? a reed shaken with the wind? Oh look look not at the weak instrument, but behold the Wisdom, the Power, the Majesty, the Authority of the Almighty: Ra­ther then I should hide him, let me be as I am, nothing, a vain and light shaken reed, and I confesse a Hill or a Moun­tain in a Wilderness, or a Stool were more fit for me, or for any man: Oh let no woman be heard in the Church, but only the voice of Christ; there every one speaks of and seeks his glory, even the glory of him that sent him, and that same is true, Psal. 26.9. Joh. 7.18. Psal. 69.15. and there is no unrighteousness in him. Let him encrease, but let man and all the womanly weaknesse in man decrease, and whatever is of man: when ever he would have glory or be any thing, let him be confounded, and the pit shut her mouth upon him. For tis not onely unseemly, but a shame for The Woman to speak in the Church.

WE have beloved, according as God was pleased (in mercy) to be present with us, spoken con­cerning the meaning of these words; wherein we have manifested, that the Holy Ghost holds out higher, and deeper, and more mysterious things, then is conceived of by the meer History and Letter; & we have shewed and held forth the same exposition that the Author to the Hebrews hath given of them; That these things were but the patterns of Heavenly things, Heb. 9.23 and this Tabernacle built by Moses was but a shadow, similitude, and type of the [Page 98] true Tabernacle which God did piteh, and not Man; and from thence we have shewed that the Tabernacle in the mystery is the Riches of that glory, life, mercy, and immortality which God makes out to the sonnes of men. And that Jesus Christ is that spiritual Moses, that spiritual high Priest, who hath once entred into this holy place, even once for all; And that the light in this Tabernacle, which is as a fire by Night, is that light and fire only that guildes and directs the souls of Saints in all their journeying through the desolate Wildernesse of their own dark and blind hearts, and that this Tabernacle is covered with a cloud, that the eyes of men, nay, nor of Saints cannot see or behold it, till God himselfe withdraws and removes it. And the souls of Saints are not to goe on, but to abide in their Tents till the Lord remove this cloud; as we may see expresly and fully commanded in Deu. 9. from vers. 16,Deut. 9.16, &c. to the end. And we have shewed that in the day when he doth not remove it, they are to sit still till the day and time he pleaseth to remove it; and even then, in the night, in the darke, when all other things are become darknesse, then this fire, this light is a lanthorn to them in all their journeys or waies wherein they shall goe, and whither they shall be led. For in this case,Esay 30.7.8. and under this dispensation they are not to walk or work, but Their strength is to sit still: But I know these things greatly offend some, who are wise and strong in themselvs: Yet, saith the Lord, vers. 8. Write it before them in a Table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.

First, we have shewed that the divine fire of this Tabernacle is that onely which guides and directs the souls of men in their way towards the spirituall and heavenly Canaan; we have shewed thereupon the happiness of the soul that fol­lows and keeps with this Tabernacle, that alwaies sees and beholds this fire of the Altar, that knows the fire that commeth down from Heaven, that burns up all things but it self, but that remains and abides for ever. And this is the soul that in not a stranger unto the Lord, and the Lord is his Guide: Oh! happy is the soul that knows this, waits upon it, is onely led, councelled, and conducted by it: We have likewise spoken [Page 99]of the misery of all men In offering strange fire upon the Lords Altar, in seeking for another Star, but not the Star of Ja­cob, Levit. 10.1, &c. but following the Tabernacle of Molech, and the Star of their God Rempham, Amos 5.26. Acts 7.43 Esay 50.11. and thinking to goe on in the light therof; and shewing the misery of those men who are kindling fires of their own, & compassing themselves with their own sparks, and thinking to goe on and walk in the light thereof, yet this they shall have of the hand of the Lord, to lie down in woe and everlasting sorrow.

The next thing we shall observe, is concerning the Cloud that is over or upon the Tabernacle: wherein in the first place, this is apparent, that the Tabernacle, that contains all the Mysteries of life and mercy, all the glory of life and eter­nal Salvation: But this Tabernacle hath a cloud upon it, that it cannot be seen till the Cloud be taken away and removed, which all the power of man can never remove.

And secondly, that the remover and taker away of this cloud, is God, and not man; that God, I say, is he alone that draws and takes up the cloud from the Tabernacle; and again lets it descend upon the Tabernacle when it pleaseth him: Tis the Lord that draws away the vaile, and man with all his wisdom, learning, industry, &c. cannot pull it off of himself; tis the Lord alone that opens the eys of the blind, and not the holiest man can doe any thing in this work of himself: Tis the Lord that circumciseth the heart,1 Cor. 12.13. tis the Lord who baptiseth the spirits of men with the true baptism; and all by one spirit, into one body, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; and I have shewed that one man cannot baptize another, as they undertake to doe in an Ape-like imitation of the thing; for it is the Lords work on­ly, he alone can remove the cloud from off the Tabernacle, and gives the true Baptism: otherwise it abides and must remain thereupon, and the soule is not washed, nor baptized.

Thirdly, take notice, that no man naturally walks by a true guide: and he that (when the cloud is upon the Taber­nacle) offers to journey or move towards the heavenly Ca­naan, I say, when he offers or attempts any things in the way of God and Christ, he acts but blindly and presumptuously, [Page 100]and he cannot chuse but stumble and fall; for, when the cloud is not taken off the Tabernacle by the hand of the Lord, then he ought to sit in his tent, and abide in his habi­tation, till the Lord remove the cloud: and then is the time of his travel, and day of his journey, and not before.

First then it is clear, that by the Tabernacle, is meant the Mysteries of the Tabernacle: for, whether it be the pot of Manna, the Censers, or Rod of Aaron, and the rest; All these be the mysteries of Christ; and all these have a cloud upon them, so that none can see them, or discern them, or behold the glory that is in them, till the cloud be taken away and removed.

In the beginning God made the heavens and earth: Gen. 1.1, 2. and the earth was without form, and void, and darknesse was upon the face of the Deep, till God commanded the darknesse to with­draw, and say, Let there be light: so, till God make a se­paration between light and darknesse, otherwise there is a darknesse on the whole depth; the depth of HUMANITY or Creaturely nature; there was and is a darknesse on it all, till the Lord said, Let there be Light, and there is light; there is a darknesse on all flesh till the spirit of the Lord blowes upon it, and saith, Come thou spirit of the four winds, O Breath, Ezek. 37.9. and breath upon these slain and dry bones, that they may live. When the Spirit of the Lord that blows every way, and where it listeth, comes and blows on these dry bones, and they heare the word of the Lord, then they are moved, and finews and nerves and flesh come upon them, and then they are joyned together, and breath enters into them that they may live; so that darknesse is upon the Deep, and the cloud is over the Tabernacle; none can remove it, take it up, or disperse it, but the Lord alone. When the Lord takes away the cloud from the Tabernacle, then the Tabernacle and the MYSTERIES thereof appears; otherwise they are hid, and no mortall eye, nor the sharpest understanding, nor the greatest Scholler, nor by the use of all externall Ordi­nances, are they able to discern them.

Secondly, when this cloud is removed, then is the time for the souls of Saints to act and walk; when the cloud is upon the Tabernacle, then they should sit still; and therefore [Page 101]saith James, We ought not (speaking of the Saints) to deter­mine this or that, we will goe this way or that, Jam. 4.13, &c. threatning a woe to them that say To morrow we will goe to such a City or place, and remain there a yeere, and there we will buy and sell, and get gain: but we must from our soules say, if the Lord will; when we once come under the tuition and tutorage of the Sonne of God, and come to be of the congregation of Is­rael, then we goe not when we list, or would; but we are to attend the Lords hand in removing the cloud from the taber­nacle; and if he remove it not to day, we are to stay till the next day; and whensoever he removes it, then is the day of our journey and going onwards. Therefore the Apostle tels us of a Councellor and Leader they had; and I know also the world tels of a guide and rule; but it is a Rule which they themselves know not, nor understand when it is croo­ked, and when tis straight; but the Apostle tels us of ano­ther Ruler, and Teacher, As many as are Christs, are led by the spirit of Christ. Rom. 8.14 Acts 17.7 And in the Acts it is said the Apostles would have gone into Bithynia. After they were come to Missia they assayed to goe into Bithynia, but the spirit suffered them not: for they found trouble and opposition: there was the Lord leading of them and guiding of them, otherwise they did not set a foot forward, their eye was still upon the Lord: so till the cloud be removed from over the Tabernacle, the soule will finde nothing but trouble and destruction if it goe onward, and the Lord hath not discovered the light of the Tabernacle and himselfe goe before it.

Then in the first place this discovers to us, that there are usually two things in the way of Christ which often­times in the world are mistaken, and taken one for another; there are, I say, the heavenly things themselves, and there are the Patterns of them; now the Pattern is not set forth for it selfe, but in reference and Relation unto the thing of which it is a pattern; And a copy or exemplar, it is not for it selfe, but in relation to what we should act, imitate, or doe by it: so there are the heavenly things themselves, and the patterns, or types, or similitudes of them; Take speciall notice of these two things. Now we [Page 102]shall finde it apparent if we consider it, that the world hath alwayes been quick-eyed to see the one, but not at all to dis­cern the other. The world, and especially the great pro­fessours of Religion have been quick-sighted, to discern the form, pattern, and similitudes of Heavenly things, and there they have been satisfied. But, I say, to find, feel, and en­joy, and to live in the Heavenly things themselves;Heb. 9.23. Col. 1.26. 1 Joh. 7.6 this is that Mystery that hath been hid from ages and Generations; your time that is, the time of the flesh, is always; But My time, that is, the time of Christ is not always (as to man) though always (as to God) I say, the world in all Ages could never be found, to be without living upon and in the patterns, forms and shapes of Heavenly things, according as they fancied; but to find the sons of men living in, under, and by the power of Hea­venly things themselves, that is the Mystery that hath, I say, been hidden from ages and generations, as Paul saith. We all find the Jews in the time of Moses, they all lived under the Law in that form; they all saw the outward form of the Tabernacle, & had a reverent esteem of that and there rested? And so how many are there now who rest on the outward forms of wa­shing and dipping? & these I take to be the Familists, the world so much hates and talks of, for they are all of this Family and Society; and herein lies so (far as I can see) their Church­membership which they so much Idolize. And for all this, how few are there of them that are of the inward assembly of the Saints, that are come to the general assembly of the Church of the first born which are written in Heaven; they are come and are brought but only to the mount that may not be touched and that burneth with fire, Heb. 12.18. 22. and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest. How many of them, I say, are these that are brought to Forms, Fellowships, and Washings, which as they are used, produce nothing but blackness, and darkness, and fire, and Tempest? (not into the Unity of that one Spirit) But Onely to be baptized with Moses in the Cloud, and in the Sea; 1 Cor. 10.1. &c. Ps. 95.11. & Heb. 3:17.18.19. for with many of them, saith the Apostle, God was not well pleased, whose Carkasses fell in the Wilderness: And the Text saith, they entred not into his Rest, but were overthrown in the Wilderness because of unbelief. Now we shall finde no [Page 103]age in the world, where the people have wanted their forms of things in one kind or other; but ye shall hardly find any age wherein people have lived under and upon the Hea­venly things themselves. How many patterns and similitudes have the Papists in their Church? the Pope himself in imi­tation of Christ, can wash the feet of twelve Pilgrims once in the year; and fares it any better with those that call them­selves members of other Churches, to be only Apostles in imitation? some have one pattern, some another; one thinks he hath the true Baptisme because he hath the simili­tude, and pattern of spiritual Baptism, which was then by some used by way of dipping in water, Another hath the pattern and similitude of eating Christs Body, and drink­ing his Blood in their breaking of Bread, which was but the type of the Heavenly bread that was the Body of Christ. But Christ saith,Joh. 6.53. except a man eat his flesh and drink his blood he hath no life in him. How many Churches partake of the patterns and shadows and whatever they say, they conclude from thence they are the Church of God: because say they, we have the right use of the Sacraments, which is a sign of a true Church, because they have the patterns, types, and shadows: observing onely outward rules, forms, and carnal ordinances, which all perish with the using; wherefore, Col 2.20. if ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances? yet impu­dently, and blasphemously wil they dare to say they are not Church of Man, but of God: when they know not the mystery, nor live according to the power of the Hea­venly things themselves: and therefore herein that Scripture comes to be fulfilled, that men shall have a form of godliness, 2 Tim. 3.5. but deny the power of it, for the one may be where the other is not; and the Apostle tells us, That he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, but he is a Jew that is one inwardly, Rom. 2.28 29. whose circumcision is of the heart and spirit, whose praise is not of men but of God. So from hence it is clear, many Churches, and many hundred thousands of souls may have an exact pattern, and yet want the Heavenly things themselves; they may have the pattern, as the Jews had, that were sanctified [Page 104]and washed only with the Blood of Bulls and Goats: but to have the Heavenly things themselves, viz. that Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of life, and to have the Purifications and Sanctifications that are onely by his blood, this they are stran­gers to. This is the spiritual and living fire; and where ever it is in the soul of man, it cannot but break forth to the destroying of all things of man and flesh, and magnifying and exalting all things of the Spirit of God.

So that hence it is clear, that it would be the wisdome of the sons of men, to see whether they have the heavenly things themselves, and not the patterns. For saith the Apostle, when that which is perfect is come, then that that is imperfect shall be done away; and again the same Apostle; when I was a Child I did as a Child, 1 Cor. 13.11. 2 Cor. 5.16. I spake as a Child, I understood as a Child; but when I came to be a man, I put away childish things: and hence forth (saith he) know we Christ after the flesh no more: Alas, the A­postle had (as well as other men) known Christ by the way of the flesh, and in outward conformity and observations, and in a low carnal apprehension of him; but when Christ was come into him in the Spirit, Rev. 21.5. then ALL THINGS were become New: Then he would not have a Christian to be judged in respect of a Holy-day, New Moons, or of keeping Sabbath days and the like,Col. 2.16.17. which are but shadows of things to come; for the body is Christ. But there was a time when they were under the type of breaking of bread, which was onely to shew the Lords death till he came; 1 Cor. 11.29. but when Christ was come, then he rebukes the Corinthians for using that ceremony of of breaking bread, and said, they did not discern the Lords Body. For the eating his Body, and drinking his Blood, was a thing of a far higher nature.

And from hence will follow the great miserie of the sons of men seeking rest and life in the patterns and types, and not in Heavenly things themselves: For if a man have the exactest patterns, or pictures (of any meat) that ever could be drawn in the world, or of wine, and drink; would either of these feed or refresh him when he was hungry, or satisfie him when he was thirsty? you will say they could not; and how then can the patterns of Heavenly things feed any [Page 105]more then they? So also it is the true Manna that feeds the soul, it is not that Manna that fell in the Wildernesse; your Fathers they eat of it, and are dead, saith our Saviour: No,Joh. 6.49. 50. it is the spiritual Manna, whereof if a man eat, he shall live for ever. Then it must needs be a deceit of the Devil, and a wo­ful and sad delusion on the spirits of men, and yet notwith­standing this is that great delusion, wherewith Satan is gone forth to feed men, as the Prodigal was, with the husks and shells of Divine things. He desired the husks and no man gave unto him; But when the poor man had wasted that por­tion he had from his Father, when that divine portion was gone, and he had wasted it among Whores and Harlots, that is, after his own inventions, thinking they should nourish him, he saith, he could eat Husks, But he found they would not satisfie; I, he should sterve for hunger; yet ma­ny thousands think, and accordingly do, could I go into such a Church-fellowship, and walk as they walk, I should be as well as they, and yet for all that, there is no man can give unto them; & had he them to the utmost, alas they would not satisfie and fill him: But he cannot have that others have, he would have their Holinesse, and be able to pray, hear, and speak, and have as much freedome and power against sin and the like but it, is not given unto him; but if he have all these external things, yet alas, they are but husks, and cannot satisfie: So that then there is a plain and absolute necessity falls on him, and he sees there is no way but to goe home to his Father, else he starves and dyes:Luk. 15.18. and now he sees his own weakness and poverty, then he begins to come to him­self, and saith, I will return to my Father: So when the Soul is brought into this condition, then it sees that it is not he that hath brought things into any good frame by his good husbandry, or by a providential care: now nothing will serve his turn; no, I must to my Father, and I will goe to my Father. This shews the misery of the spirits of those men that would fain feed upon husks. And from hence it comes to pass that they run here, and run there, from one to another, even as a poor creature when it is thirsty and drye, and sees many Wells or Vessels, thinking there is water: He [Page 106]runs to one to see if there be any, and then to another, but they are all empty. So alas, a poor hungry soul, here it picks, and there it feeds, and as long as it can find a crum, it will never go to God; it had rather go to any MOUN­TEBANK, then come to Jesus Christ the true Physitian. One day it will be of this Church, another day of the other mem­bership, to see if these things will feed them. But they whom God intends to bring home finde no satisfaction herein, but are ready to starve: and the true Reason is, because they live by the patterns, pictures, and resemblances of food.

Obj. I know thou wilt object, Obj. though we are to live by the Heavenly things themselves, yet we are to make use of patterns.

Answ. I confesse carnal reason will say so, Answ. though to me it is not so; else those Scriptures must be a lye; for, saith he,1 Cor. 13 10. when that which is perfect is come, then that that is imperfect shall be done away; and when the Apostle saith, stand fast in that liberty wherein Christ hath made you free, and be not entagled again with the yoak of bondage: and bids them they should not turn again to the beggerly rudiments of the world; Gal. 5.1. and again saith, the shadows and patterns of Hea­venly things consisted in washing and rudiments, and was never able to make the doers thereof, and commers thereunto perfect. Admit,Heb. 9.9. I say, that breaking of bread, as it is in the External use of it, and admit that using of water-Baptism were used by Christ, which is hard to prove, they were never, or could be any thing else but the pattern of the Heavenly things and of the spiritual baptisme; else that Text also tells us a lye, that saith, there was never any but one baptism, which is that of the Spirit.

Now the Letter tells us of divers, as the Baptisme of the Children of Israel in the Red Sea, and of the Baptisme of John and the Baptisme whereby an unbeliever was baptized: and yet the Text saith, there was but one Baptisme; for, these are but the shadows of the spiritual Baptisme:Eph. 4.5. and when that that is perfect is come, then that which is imperfect is done away. 1 Cor. 13.10. If thou didst really find thus, thou wouldest not then need to make so much of Outward washing and [Page 107] breaking of bread: for, to the pure all things are pure, but to the unclean all things are unclean, and to the impure all things are impure, and even their very hearts and consciences are de­filed.

And from hence this shews that thy soul must needs be wavering and unstable, like the waves of the Sea, and still casting up mire and dirt, while thou seekest any re­freshment in the patterns themselves, whatsoever pattern thou canst imitate, or build upon that is made by hands; and be sure God dwels not in them; for saith the Apostle,Acts. 7.43 & Ch. 17.24, 25. [...] he dwels not in Temples made with hands, neither is he worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing: seeing he gives breath and life, and being, and motion unto all: Whatever Tabernacle or Temple man builds, they are but like man, they are fading and perishing,Mark. 13.2. Heb. 12.23. and there shall not one stone of them be left upon another; but when the soule comes to the true assembly of the Saints, to spirits of just men made perfect, to the spiritual Manna, and to the Heavenly Jerusalem, to the true Tabernacle Jesus Christ, and eats that Manna that doth not perish, but is meat indeed, and life indeed, then tis silled and satisfied, and never before.

So that while the soule is seeking after a life, and to get food in the pattern, and shadow, and form of Heavenly things, it is sure to find nothing but emptinesse, bitternesse, and va­nity; he shall be like the hungry man Isaiah speaks of;Esa. 29.8. who dreams and thinks he eates, and when he awakes finds nothing. So the Carnal men they are praying and reading, and keeping themselves strict to outward rules, and when they have done, they think they find comfort and refreshment by them, and they break bread, and they are speaking one to another, and think they have consolation by it; but alas, this food will all fail; thou thinkest thou hast eaten Christ, when thou hast used these: but when the wrath of God falls upon thy soul, and thou art summoned to judgement, thou wilt finde there was no meat to feed thee in these things thou cal­lest Ordinances, nor there is no water in these Vessels to quench thy parched soul; for though God of his good plea­sure gave patterns of heavenly things, yet they were not those [Page 108]heavenly things themselves, but are onely the type and sha­dow of that divine heavenly Tabernacle, which God did pitch, and not man. Heb. 8.2. And hence it apparently appears, that the power, life, and the meat and drink of a child of God, is onely and alone Jesus Christ; for he never eats and drinks, nor moves, out of God; for he eats and drinks, and doth all in God; and thus he is come to that which is perfect, to the foun­tain of all fulness, Heb. 12.27, 28. to the Mount that cannot be shaken; now he is gone over and passed by all the similitudes and shadows and patterns, and is come to that living fountain of the wa­ter of life it selfe, of which whoever drinks shall live for ever, and it shall be in him a well of water springing up to eternall life. Joh. 4.14.

Then this further discovers to us that the Tabernacle of God is a hidden thing, that the mysteries of God in Christ are covered so that the Saints themselves cannot see them, except they be given unto them from above;1 Cor. 2.8, 14. then much more the natural man perceives not the things of God which are spiritually discerned, and which none of the men nor Princes of this world knew; for had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of life; Ibid. 1.21. and when the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased the Lord by the foolishnesse of preaching to save those that believe: So that I say, it is even now too true, according as we have a proverb and receiv'd as a Maxim, but from whence it arose I am not certain, that the place of PARADISE doth not now appeare in the earth, no man knows where it is; but sure I am that Paradise and place of pleasure which is the enjoyment of Jesus Christ, is vani­shed and disappears, is gone away, and almost quite remo­ved from the beholdings of all the sonnes of men. Adam was turned out, and you never heare where it is, nor of any that can describe the way to come to it: Even so is the true knowledge of Jesus Christ in the mystery; So that the light of God, and the spirituall Manna, it is a thing that is utterly hidden and removed from all the wisdom and endeavours of any of the sonnes of men; and unlesse the Lord him­selfe come forth, and reveale it, and make it manifest: the wisest of men in the worlds esteem may doe as those [Page 109] wicked men in Sodome, (when the Angel was sent to bring out Lot) being stricken blind,Gen. 19.11. they laboured to finde the dore, but could not: so he that is in the dark knows not whither he goes: so this is cleare and true to this very day, that the true Tabernacle of the Lord is still covered with a cloud, no man can see it till God discover it to him.

Now, notwithstanding this being so, yet what are the waies of men? what doe they undertake to doe? Doe not all men that come out under the name of being the Mini­sters of Christ, undertake the opening and revealing the Taber­nacle of God? yes; but what is the light by which they can shew it unto us? Is it any other but what man hath within himselfe, and what he hath attained by his wits and industry, by the Ʋniversity, and searching severall Authors? Yet not­withstanding they will discover this Tabernacle, and un­dertake to take off the cloud that covers it, and they will shew how the pattern leads to it; and yet if they be put to it, they themselves must deny they ever saw it truly and really what it was or is, but they will be guessing and ima­gining the way that leads to it. Now for a man to direct another the way that never understood that way, may very easily make good what Christ saith, If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch. And there be other men that are so grosly ignorant, as to tell us, That if they goe but to an Academy a few yeeres and gather a little Philo­sophy, and although it be that of the worst sort, re­lishing of those that hold the immortality of the World and mortality of the Soule, now even these they come out as they think furnished, and by this they will undertake to discover to us the heavenly Canaan and Tabernacle of God.

Generally most men what ever they be, though they differ in judgement, yet say, they are either Papists or So­cinians, &c. And they have the boldnesse to hold forth these things, though they be never so blind and dark in the things of God. And I finde very few, but generally all take up this for truth; that Humane learning is the way to disco­ver this by: Now I beseech you see whether this be any lesse then the hellish pride of Satan to make men goe out in [Page 110]the pride of their hearts, Jer. 29.23. and Ezek. 13.7, 8. Matth. 15.14. and say, they have heard the word of the Lord, and they have seen a vision, when the Lord hath not spoken by them, and they have seen nothing: If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the pit: for he that comes out and saith that he can discover the Tabernacle, or that any can remove the cloud from the Tabernacle, but the Lord himselfe, he is a blasphemer and a lyer.

But I know they will object and say, Obj. 2 Indeed if we con­sider men naturally in their sinfull condition, they are ignorant in the things of God, and are even as the Heathens: but we have the Scriptures given to us, and they contain the mind of God: And having this help, we by our wits and learning, and industry, are able to know the mind of God; for we know and understand the Hebrew, and Greek, and Syriack Languages.

Truly, Answ. if it were so, that they did so, it were well; but that very word to which they appeale, in the very Letter of it, witnesses against them: for the word witnesses that it is a sealed book, Esay 29.11, 12. Rev. 5.3. 1 Cor. 12.3. 2 Cor. 3.6 Luk. 8.10. & Mark 4.11. Matth. 11.15. Mark. 4.9. & Luke 8.8. Luke 24.45. whether delivered to the learned, or unlearned, and none is found worthy to open it but the Lamb, the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah; and that none can so much as say, Iesus is the Lord, but by the Holy ghost: and again, that the letter kils, but the spirit gives life; and to you it must be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom, or you cannot know them: and when Christ spake with a lively and audible voyce, and spake and preacht so as never man did, yet said he very often, he that hath eares to heare let him heare: and so tis said of the Disciples, that Christ opened their understandings when he was risen again; although he himselfe had taught them the same things before his death, yet tis said Luke 24.45. then opened he their understandings that they might know the Scriptures, that it behoved him (according as it was writ­ten in the Prophets and Psalms) to suffer and rise again the third day. So that hence it is clear, there is not any wisdom, learning, or knowledge in the world that can unseale this book; for though it be the declaration of the mind of God through those Saints and Apostles by whom it was written: yet never can any man read the mind of God in it, but by [Page 111]the same spirit that taught it, and unless the same Spirit that raised up Iesus Christ from the dead doe quicken us. Rom. 8.11. & 2 Cor. 6.14. Al­though the learnedest men in the world open it, it will not raise up our mortall bodies, nor be any savour unto life. Now from hence, let but the world judge, who are the BLASPHEMERS, and what is blasphemy, if this be not? We say none can truly teach the spirits of men, but God himself, and none can come to the Father but by the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne will reveale him. And they say,Matth. 11.27. the way to understand the Scriptures, is to get learning and the tongues, and to reform their lives, to get into this or that fel­lowship; I say, this sharply reproves them that say they can open it with the WOODDEN and fleshly key of carnall wisdom and humane learning; for we have shewed how there is a cloud upon the tabernacle to this day, that none can remove but only God Himselfe, not onely in re­gard of men, but of Saints: for though a Saint be brought to see into the Tabernacle, and to behold the glory of the Lord, yet when God pleaseth, a cloud shall interpose it selfe, that this Tabernacle shall be hid and covered again, and again, nay it shall be in hiding and opening continually unto the soule:Mark this. for the glory of the Tabernacle would not be made out, were there not a cloud to make it out by: the strength of the Lord would not be made out, were there not weaknesse to make it out by; the light of the Lord would not be made out, were there not darknesse to make it out by; and therefore there is a cloud on the tabernacle, and tis the Lord only that removes it, that they may goe on in all their Journeys: and when he doth it not, they must sit still; and he doth it for this very end, that the glory of God may be more made out, and that the soule of man might more fully, more gloriously, and more welcomly enjoy those dis­coveries.

Light cannot be made out in light, and wisdom in wisdome, but light in darkness, and wisdom in folly, and strength in weak­ness, and fullness in emptiness, and riches by poverty, and grace by sin, Alsufficiency by insufficiency and nothingness; and even things that are high in things that are low; one deep calls unto [Page 112]another; the DEEPNESSE of that glory and FƲLL­NESS that is in God, calls upon that DEEPNESSE and EMPTINESSE, and nothingness that is in and up­on the poor Creature; and this is that Cloud that is still co­vering and removing from over the Tabernacle, that the Glory of the Lord may be made out in and by that cloud, that we may know and behold that glory that was hid from us, and that we may know how pretious it is, by the cloud that with-holds and covers it from us.

And again, that we may know light is not in mans hand: as Peter said, Master, let us be here, and build three Taberna­cles, &c. So I say,Luk. 9.33 it is that man may not build a Tabernacle of his own, least he should say, he was Master of it, and would think to give and carry the light where he pleased; but with a Christian it is otherwise ordered, that he might walk in darkness, Esa. 50.10 and stay himself upon his God, so that the condi­tion of a true Christian, is not like the men of the world with their light; for they are the Orderers and Masters of it. But it may indeed be said of your ordinary formal Chri­stians, that they have a light never goes out, in regard of their forms of Church-Government, so that their candle is always burning, and they are Masters of their own light; and if it be out, they can light it again and recover it by their own pains and industry; but it is not so with those that truly fear God. For when the light appears, then they walk and journy; but when their light appears not, then they must stand still; for they dare not go nor stir till the glory of the Lord appears, and leads them, and that the Lord Himselfe goes before them.

Further, if this Cloud be removed onely by the hand of the Lord, then I say, First it shews plainly the vanity, pride, folly and uselessness of mens labouring to remove it, in their taking upon them that which belongs to God: and First, I say, it discovers that horrible Pride, Robbery, Blasphemy, Arrogancy and Infidelity that is in the heart of man, to think he will do that which none can do but the hand of God: And 'tis Infidelity to think God will not do that he hath promised to do to the ends of the earth; and robbery in that [Page 113]it takes away Gods honour, and wisdom, and power; and this mans Arrogancy in assuming them to himself.

One while the Magistrate he will take upon him to re­move the Cloud; and he saith, he is the great man to pro­pagate the Gospel, (which is onely and properly the pro­pagation of the Son of God) and he must plant the Ministers of the Gospel. And it may be, perhaps, there are some would have them go with the sword and blood to plant this in other Nations: surely, the fruit must needs be good that springs from such a root! The Gospel you see is a Taber­nacle that God plants and pitches, and not man; but ever and anon they will be taking upon them to do this, and then it must be their care to know and distinguish of blasphe­mies, and errours, and heresies: and this they do meerly out of that principle of errour and blasphemy that is in their own hearts; for this shewes their Infidelity, that God is not able to carry on his own work: And do we say we are Chri­stians, and believe in him, and when we have so done, tell him a lye to his face? Esa. 9.6. for he saith Esa. 9.6. that the govern­ment shall be upon Christs shoulders. And Saith the Magistrate, He hath the government upon his shoulders; and yet when we have made great profession in words, we trample him un­der the feet of men: Mat 5.13. for if he cannot do his own work with­out the power of man, then he stands in need of man, and then must be weaker then man.

Then comes another, and saith, The Churches, they must do this, they must send out, and they must remove the Cloud from off the Tabernacle, and that darknesse that is in several corners of the Land; the Harvest is great, but the Labourers are few. And our Saviours counsel is, when he tells us,Mat. 9.37 38. Joh. 4.35. that the Harvest was white, even to reaping: saith hee, pray to the Father that he would send faithful Labourers. He doth not bid you go to the men of Power, or Patrons, or Ma­gistrates. And truly, then it were needlesse to pray to the Lord of the Harvest when men can send them forth: now is not this pride, infidelity, and arrogancy for any of the sons of men to think to do it?

Obj. But you will say, if that men should not do it, men [Page 114]would become Heathens and Mahumetans, or Atheists, and of no Religion.

Answ. Thinkest thou so? is Religion Planted by men? I thought it had been such a thing as the Text saith: every plant that the Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Mat. 15.13. May man then root up and plant at his pleasure? For the truth is, mans Ministry and Ministers may send out men and plant Churches, that is, they may make PRO­SELYTES, and they may make them worse, but can ne­ver make them better: as the Pharisees, taking great pains that way, to furnish men, as to imitations, notions, actions and external performances;Rom. 2.28 29. but to bring the heart to be a Jew inwardly, whose Circumcision is of the Heart, and not of the Letter, this is that plant that is alone of the Heavenly Fathers planting, and shall abide: but what plant either the Magistrate or Churches, either by exclusion or inclusi­on have planted, shall be rooted up: But what the Lord plants, what Tabernacle he pitches among poor creatures, the sons of men that are neither cal'd by the Magistrate or Churches, that is the Church that shall abide, being founded on the Rock of Ages, and shall stand for ever.

Nay further, they will themselves remove the Cloud of the Tabernacle (which God must do and not man) and to do this they will lay heavy burthens upon other mens shoulders, Mat. 23.4 &c. and to this end they will bring forth a Doctrine to put men upon it, teaching that men have Free will, and may believe if they will, and repent unto life; that so man may be perswaded he is not fallen so low as some say, that he need but wipe or throw off a little the dust off his own eyes which he got by his Fall, and then, he may see presently, and using but his utmost industry, he may work out his own salvation. Alas, this is but a delusion of Satan, to make a poor blind man rub his own eyes, and be afterward a great deal worse. No, this is not the way; 'tis the Lord removes the Cloud, and not Man; therefore till the Lord cause the soul simply to go out by beleeving, there is still a cloud upon the Tabernacle, and upon all those Mysteries that concern Je­sus Christ,Eph. 4.21. and they cannot see the truth as it is in Jesus. [Page 115]Alas these soules look not at God, but man; the truth is, all men in their Religion talk of God, but their hearts are far from him. Esa. 29.13. This people (saith God) draw too neer me with their lips, but their hearts are removed far from me: Yet more, though all mens Religion talk of God, yet you that have eyes to see, may see plainly their Hearts are on man and the creature: they talk of God, of Christ, of grace, of gai­ning knowledge, of acting by grace; and yet do but follow the point home in practice and application, and ye shall find these are all laid upon man, and in effect they say, man must remove the Covering off the Tabernacle, and he must by his study and pains bring down light, and life, and the like. So I say, though they say it with their mouths, their hears are far from God: So that when once man really sees there is a Cloud upon the Tabernacle, then he looks not to the right hand, nor to the left,Psa. 121.1. thinking that man should remove it, but alone to the hills from whence his help and salvation comes: for when a man thinks his own zeal, per­formances, duties, belief, repentance and the like be the way to remove the Cloud, thinking surely I shall remove it pre­sently, I will goe pray, and hear, and watch over my selfe, and keep close to those rules I have chosen, and then I shall have light and peace, and joy, and so remove the Cloud pre­sently; and so he is bragging and boasting thereof in him­selfe, and throwing dirt and mire upon all others that are short of him as he conceives, and so poor man is feeding upon the dead ashes of his own heart, Esa. 44.20 and knows not that there is a lye in his RIGHT HAND; his very light is darknesse, and his goodnesse sin, and his riches beggery, and his life death, and that he holds in his right hand is a lye. And if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that Dark­ness? Are they repentings, beleevings, actings, and workings, (if these be) as thou thinkest, the means to remove the Cloud off the Tabernacle? is not this to trust in man, Jer. 2.13. & Ch. 17.5. in the power of man, and to distrust the living God? But is not this rather to repent, and believe, and trust in God, to say, Lord, I am really blind, open thou my eyes: thou Son of David have mercy upon me: why,Luk. 18, 39. now this soule [Page 116]seeing this, it cryes to, and waites upon none but God, and then indeed is the heart fixed upon him (where it should be) from whom comes salvation and deliverance: Psal. 57.7. And whoever waited upon him that is faithful and strong, and only can deliver, and was not in due time delivered?

And from hence it appears, when the soul walks in the light, he knows full well, it will be in vain for him to think to remove the cloud till the Lord remove it. It may be the time hath been when thou hast felt the heat of the Divine displeasure, and thy ear was then boared, and thy uncir­cumcised heart circumcised, and then light appeared, and thou blessedest the Lord in that day: But now there begins to come darknesse over thy eyes again, and thou beginnest to see thy selfe lost again, and the Cloud is upon the Taberna­cle, and thou art gotten into the pathless way: Jer. 2.6. and alas thou sayst to thy self and concludest, though I am out of my way, I will up and be doing, I will come to it again, and I will re­cover it: and so the poor man begins to wrestle and struggle it out, now at this thing, and then at that thing: so that the poor Saint having lost the light he once had, he runs through mire and dirt, thinking to come to the light by his prayers, and holinesse, and so recover himself. Then the poor soul thinks he is running to Canaan, when indeed he is going back to Egypt. And therefore it is clear to me both by the Scriptures and by the experience of the preciousest Saints I ever met with, that in this condition its best to sit still: For he that believeth maketh not haste, Esa. 28.16 but waits till the Lord will re­move the cloud; but if thou wilt turn from the Lord, and go by another guide and captain, and not by that Moses God hath sent, and art going to make a Golden Calfe, and and Idol to go before thee: if so, thou mayest expect that thy carkass shall fall in the Wilderness for thy unbelief,Num. 14.29. and not waiting the good pleasure of the Lord: for not one en­tred the promised Land but Caleb and Joshuah: know this is the condition and disposition of a Saint, that he only re­joyceth in the Lord; all his expectations are from him who hath made light and darknesse: I have learned, saith the Apostle,Phil. 4.11. in whatever state I am, therewith to be content: So [Page 117]that the happiness of a Saint is when he can glory in infirmi­ties (as Paul saith) and rejoyce in darkness and misery; 2 Cor. 12.9, 10. for he sees this is his portion, and he cannot remove the cloud, and he is willing to sit still there till the day dawn, and the Day-star arise in him.2 Pet. 1.19. Esa. 50.10. Happy is the soule that can sit in darkness, and when he hath no light, can stay himselfe upon the Lord his God: Happy, I say, is that soul (though there be a cloud on the Tabernacle) that can sit still, and wait the Lords good pleasure, and cry unto the Lord, till he please to lead him onward towards Canaan. And there was a cloud on it by day, and a pillar of fire appeared on it by night.

Know this further from hence, That in the time of a Saints greatest light, there is stil a cloud upon the Lords Ta­bernacle at the greatest height of light, liberty, and enjoy­ments to his own feeling and apprehension; even then there is some darknesse upon the Tabernacle, especially imme­diately after such great light and glory. When Paul was wrapt up into the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12.7. there was a messenger of Sa­tan sent to buffet him, least he should be exalted above measure; there was again a cloud let fall over the Tabernacle, when he was in the height of his joys, a prick was sent him, in the flesh, a Messenger of Satan to buffet him: and therefore he concludes in another place, we walk by faith, and not by sight. Tis so with every Christian: in the day of his light, 2 Cor. 5.7 and the time of his greatest shinings, usually and then especially there is a cloud upon the Tabernacle: why? to let man know thus much, that he must not live upon the GIFT but on the GIVER, that man must not gather to day, for ever, but he is to gather to morrow, and every day, as the chil­dren of Israel in gathering Manna: for if thou layest up store, it will be dead the next time thou commest to feed on it, it will all stinke, and it will not nourish thee; but wait still on the giver, and then his mercy will be sweet, fresh, flourishing, and green.

Lastly, from this that the fire shined on the Tabernacle by night, we shall onely note, that when the Light of the Tabernacle shines upon the soules of men, all things else be­come dark; tis night in that soule to all things but the light [Page 118]of the Tabernacle; in the night there was a fire, and in the day a cloud; now, I say, when the fire shined, all things were dark round about it: And herein observe these two things: first, when mans spirit is shut up, and sees he no light, then is the time for the appearing of this light. And secondly, this light never appears, but when all things are dark in man; for light discovers darknesse: if any thing else be light to thee, and all things else be not darknesse, thou never yet discover­edst this light: To this soule there is nothing in the whole creation that seems to be glorious and excellent; but when the Sun of righteousnesse in him hath shined upon it, then it appears to be all darkness; when the light of the Taber­nacle shines in the soule of man, then riches, honour, pleasure, preferments, all things below God are darknesse: Then the light of his reason, wit, moralitie, and holy qualities, that seemed to be a great light and shined before glori­ously, being compared one with another, or with things infe­riour; Now, when the light of the Tabernacle appeares, then all these things appeare to be nothing but darknesse, emptiness, and blindness, and are all as meer vapours before the Sun of righteousnesse, as the Prophet saith, Therefore thy goodnesse is as the morning dew, and as the cloud that wears away; so that, I say,Hos. 6.4. whensoever the fire in the Tabernacle shines on man, then this will be the sure effect in that soule, he shall look upon all things in himselfe as nothing but darknesse; and man will then no longer call light darknesse, nor darknesse light, but he will say, Woe is me, verily I thought my righ­teousness, my holinesse, my performances and duties, and wor­shippings of God, I thought these to be BRIGHT THINGS; but now the Lord hath appeared upon me, I see that all my goodness is as the morning dew, and as the cloud that passeth away: And he alone is my help, my deliverer, my holinesse, my Sanctification, and my Redemption: He alone is my song and my salvation, and of him alone will I make my boast.

BEloved, there is in all the sons of men, a spirit of hatred and opposition against the wisdom, power, and righteousnesse of God, ever since their going out and departing from the presence of the Lord; having forsaken him their rock and their stay, they have turned down into their own wisdom and power, and having chosen that for their God and their guide, they will not by any means be turned back to the Lord to forsake [Page 120]themselves, their own wisdom and righteousnesse, pow­er, and parts, but they use all their study and endeavours to goe on with all confidence after the gods of their own hands which they have made and chosen; and man never returns to that love, peace and amity with the Lord, but by the Almighty hand of the Lord, by the very same power, and no other, but only that which can raise the dead out of their graves,Rom. 4.24 & ch. 8.11 Jer. 2.13. and the same spirit that raised Jesus-Christ from the grave. And ever since this departing from the fountain of life to the broken and empty Cisterns of the creature, there are but only two Leaders, two Guides, two Masters, two Tea­chers, which all the sons of men follow: there are but only two seeds, Gen. 3.14 15. & ch. 4.2. 1 John 3.9. the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Ser­pent: There are but only two Brethren, Cain and Abel; the Im­mortal and perfect seed of God, which is holy, pure, and un­defiled, which cannot sin; and that wicked, cursed, hellish seed of Satan which never did, nor never doth, nor never shall doe any thing else but sin, rebel, and fight against the wisdom, light and power of God: There is no middle seed between these two: All actions, all thoughts, all industry, all inventions, all Religions, are either from the wisdom which is from above, Jam. 3.15, 17. 1 Cor. 15.47, 48, 49. or else from that earthly and humane wisdom which is from man, and from below. As the one is from Hea­ven Heavenly, so the other is from the earth earthly: the first man is of the earth earthly, the second is the Lord from Heaven, heavenly: And as are the earthy, such are they that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly: and as we have born the image of the earthy, so shall we also bear the Image of the heavenly. The one of these Guides, is light and truth, and glory, and leads to rest, peace, fulnesse, satisfaction; the other leads to darknesse, misery, and destruction, and yet pretends to light and truth, and wisdom, but the waies thereof goe down to the chambers of death: This earthly guide alwaies draws downward, to seek rest in the creature, Pro. 7.27. in something either without man, or within him, and so drawes and deludes away the poore soule of man from that Eternal Al-sufficient JEHOVAH, to sit down satisfied with the empty and broken comforts and help­lesse [Page 121]Idols, that the inventions of men have made and set up, and say, These be thy Gods, O Israel, Exo. 32.4 which will bring thee out of bondage, and give thee possession of the land of Canaan; the one is the true light, and the true vision, the true URIM and THUMMIM, which never can mislead or deceive; Ibid. 28.30. the other is the spirit of darknesse, ignorance, deceit, witch­craft, sorcery, a lying and a familiar spirit: And it pretends to seek after God and after holiness, and after peace and rest, but tis meer Sorcery and Witchcraft; This is that Jannes and Jambres that alwaies will withstand Moses: for they pretend to imitate Moses, but they are no other but Wizzards, South­sayers, and deceivers: they pretend for the truth, and yet withstand the truth; and saies the Apostle, As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so doe these also resist the truth, 2 Tim. 3.8. being men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith: But they shall proceed no farther, for their folly shall be made known unto all men, as their also was. They shall be found to be no other but Deceivers, Magicians, Southsayers.

These words we have now read, they shew us, what man is, and what all men doe, before they come to the light of God; they shew that he is blind in himselfe,2 Tim. 3.13 deceiving and being deceived; that he is confident in his own power, in his own wisdom: and that he chuseth to himselfe Horses and Chariots for his defence and preservation; and he will have a Captain and a Leader of his own chusing, whom he will follow: And he useth all his inventions to secure himselfe against all that shall oppose him:Esay 30.16 & Jer. 2.23. he hath builded himselfe Forts and Castles, and Strong-holds and Bulwarks; and he hath the Charitos of Egypt and swift Dromedaries (as the Pro­phet speaks) to secure and deliver him, on which he rests, trusts and depends, and on which he rides, and thinks that those things shall defend and deliver him: And the truth is, so great and so deep, and so subtily contrived are all his witchcrafts, that all the wisdom of all the sonnes of men is never able to discover them to be so, but only the wisdom & spirit of God, and that onely can discover these seeret and close, and fine contrived inchantments; like Pharaohs Magi­cians: how did they act and imitate, and doe the same [Page 122]things Moses did, for a long time, as if they had wrought by the same power Moses did,Exo. 7.11, 22, &c. when as they were no other, but Deceivers, and Enchanters, and Magicians? In the same way doe Magicians worke in all ages; Whatever the Saints and people of God doe by the power of God, they can contrive and imitate the same, in all their spirituall inchantments: they have their Temples, and their Worship, and their Groves, their forms and inventions, Mark 13.21. and cry, loe here, and loe there; when these are nothing else but their own Idols, and Groves, and Images, the inventions and works of mens hands: And when they have decked and trimmed their Idols gloriously, they not onely fall down themselves to them, as Nebuchad­nezzar did,Dan. 3.11. but enjoyn this Idol-worship to all others; and he that will not fall down to what they say is truth and Reli­gion, Him they persecute and brand with those odious names of Hereticks, Sectaries, Schismaticks, Familists, and the like.

But in the day when the Lord will appeare to make all these Magicians and Southsayers to be lyars, (which day they hate and hide themselves from, because they hate the light:John 3.20 Neither come they to the light, lest their deeds should be made manifest, and declared that they are not wrought in God, but are acted in the power of man, & by the wonderful work­ing of Antichrist in all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and in all deceivableness of unrighteousnesse: 2 Thes. 2.8, 10.) And the Lord when he shall rise, wil discover and consume them with the breath of his mouth, and with the brightnesse of his comming, and all those glorious Images and fine contrived modes and forms, and lying wonders, wherein they trusted, in so much that all the world wondred after the beast, Rev. 13.3. as if that these were the only religious men: But when God appeares with his light, all these shad­dows, deceits and delusions, all these Inchantments and Sor­ceries wherewith men have cloathed themselves, shall be cut off; These Cities that the sonnes of men have builded for their safety, security, and preservation, they shall all be cut off from their hands: Now, of all things in the world, these men hate nothing more then this light, and this day of the Lord. These Sorcerers use all the means they can to keep [Page 123]away this light, and to darken this glory, by their reproa­ches, slanders, lyes and scandals: And they will tell you, all this is false light; why? because it discovers their Inchant­ments and delusions: And they will tell you that all these prophesies concern other things: they were onely literally ful­filled when the people of Israel were carried captive into Babylon, and there can be no such Mystery in them: And so for the promises, they will tell you, are to be fulfilled externally and litterally; or at the most they will carry out the prophe­sies to be fulfilled onely in the Great Messiah who was born at Bethlem, and was crucified at Ierusalem, yet indeed know him not. And he that shall goe farther then thus, is with them a deceiver: which sense is no other then those low poore and carnall thoughts and expectations which the Jewes had of him, expecting an outward and externall de­liverer, and all things to be fulfilled in a litterall way: As if the holy and divine spirit of the Lord onely busied it selfe about shadows and forms and external worshippings, & bodily exercises, which profit nothing, & carnal ordinances and things of the world, and that he had no higher aym then what every one may come to act and doe: when indeed and in truth his main end is to declare the Kingdom of Heaven, and set forth the new Ierusalem, Rev. 21.2. comming down from God out of Heaven, and to shew, that his Kingdom is not of this world, and consisteth not in meats and drinks, touching, tasting,Rom. 4.17 or handling, or any thing the outward man can be exercised in, but that his Kingdom consists in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Yet some, yea most men who pretend very much in the knowledge of Christ, yet carry all prophesies of him no higher then his appearing in the flesh, and therein say, all Scriptures were fulfilled: As that prophesie here exprest, in the second verse of this chapter, The virgin of Israel is fallen, Amos 5.2 she shall no more arise: she is forsaken upon her Land, and there is none to raise her up: some say, this concerned Israels captivity, when all her glory departed from her, and she was stript of all her beautiful attire and virgin rayments, to which it may be applicable I deny not; but that is but in an [Page 124] outward, literall, and externall way: but the spirit of God hath a far higher aym then this, viz. That outward and ex­ternall glory, when men trust to that, and professe them­selves to be the Israel of God, because of that, then the Lord threatens that the pride of all their externall forms shall all be forsaken, and no man shall regard them, and there shall be none to raise them up. And that place in Micah chap. 5. vers. 2. they say is the promise of the restauration of the Church,Micah 5.2 and that she shall be restored and her Rulers. But some who would seem to goe further, carry it to the highest interpretation, (as they conceive) to Jesus Christ his comming in the flesh, and they have referred to this place, and cited it in the margin in Matth. 2.6. Thou Bethlem in the land of Iudah art not the least among the Princes of Iudah, Math. 2.6 for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Is­rael: That in regard he was the MESSIAH which was then born, and given to the world, and was to suffer, and die, and rise again: All which things are true in a lower and externall sense; but there is more in it then so, for Christ is yesterday and to day, Heb. 13.8. and the same for ever, and his goings forth have been of old from everlasting; and therefore cannot he be limited according to the short time he was in the flesh. But Christ is the same in all generations, and he is chiefly manifested in the spirit; and all his words expresse no lesse; he still takes our eyes off his fleshly appearance, and sayes his Kingdome is not of this World, Luke 17.21. & Joh. 18.36 John 6.51 Luke 22.20. and his Kingdome is within you: and his body is the bread which commeth down from hea­ven; and the cup which he gives is, The cup of the New Testa­ment in his blood: Tis not the eating the bread made by men, or wine of grapes in that whcih feeds the soule. And so for Christs death and his going away, there is more in it then his fleshly dying, or the application of that: But this is held out, he must goe away, else the Comforter which shall lead into all truth, John 16.7 will not come; His bodily presence, and our appre­hending of his fleshly appearing and fleshly suffering, Hee in this sence must depart, or else the Kingdome of God cannot come upon us, nor the Comforter come: Touch me not (in this way) for I am not ascended to my Father. And while ye [Page 125]look upon my fleshly presence, I cannot send the comforter;Acts 1, 11. But that must go away; Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? Why do ye gaze upon his External appea­ring? Sayes the Apostle,1 Cor. 5.16. Acts 1. Henceforth know we no man after the flesh; no though we had known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him no more. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven: that is, whatever has been done by him to your sight, shall be done in a Heavenly and Spiritual manner; after that same manner shall all those things be done over again, of which all those things were but the symbole, the pattern, and the resemblance of the actions of Christ in the soul for ever.

You know it is all along prophesied of the Messiah what a great and mighty King he should be, and that the Government should be upon his shoulders, and that he should rule over all his enemies with a rod of Iron, and the like:Esa. 9.6. & Psal. 2.9.That none of all the op­pressing Conquerors, and Nimrods of the Earth should be able to stand in the day of his power: Now we know these things were not fulfilled in the days of his flesh, neither are all the strong and mighty Nimrods destroyed to this day, but cruelty and oppression, and the Monarchyes of the World are in their full power still; Therefore there must needs be a fur­ther meaning.

Certainly, therefore they are the Mighty Nimrods in the spirits of men, which are to be brought down, those high thoughts and strong holds, and towering Imaginations, that lift up men in their own thoughts, that say, I am, and there is none besides; as Babylon,Isa. 47.8 Rev. 18.7. I sit a Queen and shall see no sor­row: I have the onely true worship, and loe Christ is in my way, and in my form, and in my rules; and I of all other Churches come neerest the rule; when Christ saith plainly, go not after them; for if it were possible, they shall deceive the very Elect: if they say he is in the street, or in the wildernesse, Mat. 24.23. Luk. 17.20, if they say he is in the secret chamber, believe them not: for the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: There is nothing to be known of Jesus Christ in the Spirit, and in the Mystery, by all the highest Forms and Ordinances (as they call them) [Page 126]in the whole world; for we see how many men doe daily live in them, use them, handle them, and never yet come to enjoy Christ in the Spirit: And all is, because they make these forms and duties, and fellowships, and washings, and eating bread, and drinking wine, to be no other but graven Images wherein they rest and blesse themselves in their Idols, Exo. 32 4. and say, these be thy Gods O Israel: For there is no one that ever entred into these Forms and Modes, mending this, and reforming tother, and thinking this mans fashion is better then tother; I say there is no one, but blesses him­self in kissing his Idol; saying (at least in their hearts) now God will bless me, now I am in a better condition, now I have my hearts desire; and to all other men they say se­cretly, stand farther off, Esa. 65, 5. I am holier then thou; I am in a better way then any other Church, and so censure all that go not in their new fashion, and after their new Cut. But be assured for all these thy graven Images which thou hast so bedecked, and that are so SACRED, that no man may speak against them but he shall be censured for a Devil, a Blasphemer, a son of Belial; yet the Lord when he comes with his light, he will discover thy Nakedness, thy Witchcrafts, thy Sorceries, and he will let thee see that thou art no Saint, as thou wouldest be thought to be,2 Cor. 11.14. but a Devil transformed into an Angel of light; and thou shalt be made to confesse this, and all thy goodness shall be as the morning dew: Hos. 6.4. And thou shalt see that all thy Inchanters, and Sorcerers, and Magitians, and Peepers, and Southsayers, with all their cunning and neat In­terpretations of Scripture (to serve their own turns, to main­tain their delusions and sorceries) all these will not (when Christ shall come in his light) stand thee in any stead: But thou and they, shall be utterly ashamed and confounded to­gether; when Christ shal once speak that word in thee in the power of the Spirit,Psal. 97.7. Confounded be all they that worship gra­ven Images; then, both the Maker, the Former, and the Wor­shipper thereof shall be in a most miserable condition: In as much, as men have taken more pains about their Idols and Images, and made them more neat and curious; and in as much as they have spent more time herein, and have been [Page 127]OLD Worshippers of Old Idols; so much the more will be their shame and their confusion. 'Tis true, you may call them Ordinances, and give them neat names, but Christ will then ask, who required these things at your hands? And yet they were the things he did require.Esa. 1.12. But think you I am pleased with sacrifices or bodily worships, which pro­fit not at all; and which never could make the commers there­unto perfect? Heb. 10.1.

If Jesus Christ appear not in these, and strip thee of thy Idols, and of thy Sorceries, thy wayes lead down to dark­ness and to the bottomless pit, and thou shalt never enter into the new Jerusalem, but wilt be without among lyars, and whor­mongers, and sorcerers, and dogs; for even thou, Rev. 21.8. & 22.15. who pre­tendest to serve Jesus Christ, thou art the very man that hast crucified him, and put him to death; thou art Hee that hast slain the two Witnesses which lie dead in the street of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,Ibid. 11.8 where also our Lord is crucified. When man thinks that any good thing is in him, or shal deny that Jesus is alone wisdom, righteousness, power, goodness, &c. he hath slain and crucified Christ, and killed those two Eternal Witnesses. And these are the two Olive trees, Verse 4, 5. and the two Candlesticks which shall for ever stand before the God of the whole Earth, and these two answer one another for ever, and run and empty themselves into each other for ever before the presence of God: and if any man shall dare to hurt these two Witnesses, which the Eternal God hath ordained to stand before him for ever; then fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man hurt them, he must in like manner be kil­led.

When Christ will arise and will raise up these two Wit­nesses, which are slain by all the sons of men, and which lie dead in every street, in every Nation, and in the streets of the great City of the whole Earth; This is no other but spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was and is cru­cified, and not onely at Jerusalem where he was Litterally and Externally crucified, but here in Sodom and Egypt spiri­tually, where was and is that true Crucifying, that every be­leever [Page 128] experienceth in himself; for else how suffered he in Sodom and Egypt?

When Christ appeareth thus in man, then he appeareth as the great and true MESSIAH; then he comes into his own Temple, and takes his own Throne; then he casts out the Prince of darkness who hath all this while usurped his Throne in man, who is his Temple: here he makes a whip of many cords, and whips out the buyers and sellers, and the money-mongers, Mark 11.17. who trade for themselves, and aime at their private ends, seek their own glory, and not his glory who is Lord of the Temple; and when he does this in man, then and never before can it be call'd the House of Prayer, then is Jesus Christ Mediatour, and Intercessour, then hath the Father made him King, Priest and Prophet over his Church; then all that he did in the flesh is made good, acted and fulfilled in thee; then thou hast experience that Jesus Christ is he who was dead, Rev. 2.8. and is alive; then hast thou experience of those two Eternal and Immutable Witnesses; then hast thou those two Olive trees in thee, and the two Candlesticks which continu­ally run one into another, and continually feed one the o­ther: and this light is the light of God which cannot be put out, but stands for ever before God: here are the true disco­veries of life and death; these are the great changes and mutations, of which all the changes and mutations, all the lives and deaths in the world, are but Types, Shadows, and Symboles: Here now is Jesus Christ indeed whom the Father sends:Mark 24.23. & Mark 13.21. & Luke 17.23. But if man say, Loe here is Christ, or loe there, or he is in the wilderness, or he is in the secret chambers, beleeve them not, go not after them: If they say, Loe, he is in this form, or that mode; in this rule or that discipline: and this mans Church is modelled after the purest form, and the neat­est cut: here thou shalt find rest and satisfaction: here is He whom thou seekest: here is thy Beloved: Know, all things of this nature are but lyes and delusions, except thou finde Jesus Christ comming thus in thee; and seest that thy heart is become an habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hatefull Bird. Christ manifests in thee where death and life is really, and he discovereth Death and [Page 129] Hell, and Darkness, and Sin, and the Bottomlesse pit, and Sathan and Antichrist, and the Dragon and the like, men­tioned througout all the Scriptures, to be all in the soules of men; and that these are the things that are to be destroyed and consumed, and that here Babylon is fallen within man, and is that great WHORE whom the Lord will Judge: Rev. 18.2. & Vers. 11. Ibid. Ch. 19.6. Then shall the Merchants of the earth weep and mourn be­cause they can Merchandise no more, and stand afar off and bewail her downfall: and here it is that the Saints sing Alle­lujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne, because he hath taken unto him his great power, and will raigne for ever and ever.

If Jesus be not thus manifesting himself in thee, doing over again all those things spoken of in Scripture (under several and divers Allegories and Metaphors) then is the Prince of Darknesse still raigning and sitting in full power upon his Throne in thy soule, and there he sits, and there he raignes, Luk. 11.21, 22. Ch. 10.18. the strong man yet keeps possession, Lucifer is not yet thrown down, nor Satan fallen from Heaven like Lightning;Rev. 17.1 Anti­christ and the great WHORE are still sitting upon the seven Hills and many Waters, arrayed in Purple and Scarlet, and decked with Gold and precious Stones, yet full of filthiness and fornications, and thou art not yet come out of her. That great Word, COME OƲT OF HER MY PEOPLE, Ch. 18.4. is not yet spoken by Jesus Christ in thy heart; though thou hast been many years a Worshipper of Christ, and pretended to him, yet if these things be not effected in thee, whatever duties forms or fellowships thou hast taken up, or any exact observances, Jesus Christ is not in thee, since he is not in this mans way, nor in that mans Church, as men blaspe­mously speak: for, hath any one a Church but only Jesus Christ? will any man dare to assume to himself any part of the Immaculate Church, or of any one member of Jesus Christ, and say this or these are my Churches and my people, and my Congregation? Oh Blaspemy in the highest degree! And though these talk of Heresies and Schismes, and charge them upon others; yet judge ye, who are those that make rents and utter blasphemies against the honour and glory of Je­sus [Page 130]Christ,Heb. 13.20. that one eternal Saviour, and that great Shep­herd of the Sheep. And who is Paul and Apollo, and others, but Ministers and Servants by whom ye beleeved? are they any thing, or is there any glory due to them? But if Jesus Christ come into thy soul discovering himself by casting out the strong man, and Antichrist, and letting thee see death and hell, and all evil to be in thee, and hath quite slain man in all his excellencies and glory, then he will arise in thee and appear to be life alone, glory alone, power alone: and till then men meerly delude themselves under all forms, pre­tending strictness, conformity, and obedience to Christ, when indeed though they have preacht and prophesied, Mat. 7.22.23. and in his name done so many great works, which shall amaze the people of the world, and the general sort of professours, yet Christ who searches the heart shall professe unto them, I never knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity; though men may admire them, and esteem them the highest, the wisest, the holiest, the meekest, the gravest, the strictest of all the sons of men; yet he sees them to be the worst, the wickedest, the profanest, the greatest workers of iniquity, the purest Hypocrits; for that which is highly esteemed among men, Luk. 16.15. is in the sight of the Lord abominable. For man hath nothing of good in him, but all his imaginations are evil, and onely evil, and continu­ally evil; and Jesus Christ is good, all good, and continual­ly good, and nothing else but good: and he that gives other testimony, either in word or deed, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. Rev. 11.8 And those two Eternall Witnesses are in him slain, and lie dead in the streets of the great City, that is, in the whole nature of Mankind: which two Witnesses can ne­ver be raised and stand up upon their feet till Jesus Chirst him­selfe come and revive them and cause them to live: HERE IS WISDOME,Ibid. 13.8 and let him that readeth understand: and he that hath read these things in himself, he alone can under­stand these things.

And when the Lord is thus doing this work, we may see the manner of his working and proceeding with the sons of men, in the following words: I will cut off thy Horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy Charets; this is one [Page 131]part of his acting: He will cut off his Horses and destroy his Charets: that is, whatever it be that man rides on, or trusts in, or thinks to be delivered by, all his helps or refuges, all his hopes or confidences that are below or less then Jesus Christ himself, hee will cut off and destroy: though his confidence be never so great, and that wherein he trusts be never so strong, and his Charets never so many, In that day when the Lord wil arise, they shall be all cut off, all utterly overwhelmed like Pharaoh and his Charets in the Sea. Let it be what it will wherein thou trustest,Exod. 14. and thinkest to sit safely in the midst of all wrath and storms: if thou puttest trust in riches, honour, power of men, wisdom, parts, or any thing thou hast chosen, and thinkest thy self ever the better, or safer for them, all these shall be cut off from thine hand: Nay, though thou art in the very Chariot of Religion,Mich. 5.12. and highest profession of the truth, and hast chosen to thy selfe the purest forms, and Or­dinances (as thou callest them) and Church-felloships, wash­ings, breaking of bread, or any thing else in thine hand, which can be named, except Jesus Christ himselfe whereby thou hast quieted thy spirit, and hast thereby gotten to thy selfe a peace and a rest, all is a delusion and an Idol. It may be, Thou, when thy conscience began to accuse thee, and wrath appeard to amaze and affright thee, thou saidst within thy self, I must now do something, that I may deliver my soule from this guilt, I must quench this flame, for I am not able to bear it: I will run to this duty and take up that form, and observe such and such rules, and then I shall do well, and I shall secure my self from wrath and hell: As the Pharisees, what think you drove them to the Baptism of John? certain­ly it was this fear, and this guilt upon their spirits: For, saith he to them, O Generation of Vipers, Mat. 3.7. who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? bring forth fruits meet for repentance: as if he should say, when ye were affrighted and terrified, you thought comming to my Baptisme would secure you, but you are but Vipers for all this; and this submitting to Baptisme, doth not declare true repen­tance: But know, the Ax is now laid to the root of the Tree, Vers. 10. and every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen [Page 132]down and cast into the fire. And further, you boast of be­ing the children of Abraham, and the seed of the faithful, and because ye are members of the true Church; but, all this is to little purpose; for God is able of these stones to raise up Chil­dren unto Abraham: So that you see, for all your Forms and Fellowships wherein you trust, you shall be in that day of the Lord stript naked of all your garments, and of all your refuges; all those Horses and Chariots which you thought should preserve you, and carry you out of all danger, they shall all be broken and cut off, and thy soul plunged into the bottomlesse pit, Psal. 38.3. and thou shalt have no rest in thy bones, be­cause of thy sin, and by reason of thy misery, for thou shalt not know which way to turn thee; for all thy Idols, and all thy Images shall not in that day be able to help or deliver thee;Jer. 4.4. for, the wrath of the Lord shall burn as an Oven, and then thou must stand naked before the presence of the Lord, who is a consuming fire; Heb. 12. &c. to burn up and consume every thing but Himself.

And not onely so, but as it follows in the next words; I will cut off the Cities of thy Land, and throw down all thy strong holds. As when outward enemies came upon the people of Israel, and invaded their Land, and the Lord had said, they should go into captivity, then nothing should be a defence to them, but the enemy should break into their strongest places, and their Cities should not secure them, nor any of their strong holds which they had made for their de­fence do them any good. This now was true in the Letter, but this is also as true in the Mystery, in the living and spiritual sense: When men have made themselves defences, and think they are secured from wrath and hell, and all storms, and no evil shall touch them, neither will they be carried captive by Satan, nor by the Prince of Darknesse; and although by their wisdom they contrived these forts and strong holds, and thought themselvs never so secure therin, yet all of them shall be vain, hopeless, and helpless: and nothing within them, nor without them shall help them, and the wrath of the Lord shall make them vile, odious, and abominable, which be­fore they got coverings for: now whether they will or no, [Page 133]they shall see themselves as they are, and they shall not be able to have one good thought of themselvs, but the contrary; for this light of the Lord discovers their blackness, their de­formity, and that there is no power nor wisdom can help them, but onely the good will, and the good hand of the Lord, no­thing but his meer goodnesse: and they shall see that there is no power, no goodnesse, no mercy, anywhere but in the Lord alone; and, if he doe not pitty them, there is no mercy at all for them.

And not only so, That men have their horses to ride on to carry them swift away, that no danger may overtake them, and Chariots wherein they ride and put their trust: so likewise that they have Cities and Strong-holds for their security: so that all the wisdome and power of man cannot make them more strong and safe to beare off the wrath of God, but also (saith he) in the next verse, Vers. 13 I will cut off witchcraft out of thine hand, and thou shalt have no more Southsayers: Men have their Juglers and Diviners, their Southsayers and their Witches: All that witchcraft whereby men have deluded and deceived their souls, in that day shall be discovered; those false SEERS who cryed peace, peace, when there was no peace: All that Witchcraft which men used in the things of God, in setting up Images, and forms, and sha­dows, and herein deluded men, making them believe they were the things themselves: And though they have wrought them up never so curiously, and made them as neere the life as might be, yet in that day they shall come to see they were but Images and dead things, which could not help at all: And now they shall no more live upon them, or hang, de­pend, or call upon them for help or reliefe, though they were made after the best pattern, and never so like the things of God, yet they shall then come and see clearly they were de­luded and bewitched, and all discovered to be meer fancies and inchantments: but then 'tis here promised they should have no more Southsayers, no Inchanters to deceive their eyes; who have so much cunning to keep up their trade and their credit, and their maintenance, that they can make things appeare as they are not, Acts 10.27. and to keep things from appearing [Page 134] as they are, as you know, that is the way of Iuglers and those that use Ledger-de-main and HOCUS-POCUS tricks; they deceive and delude the eyes of the beholders, with their nimblenesse, and with a sleight of hand: So doe these spirituall Juglers; by their wit, and by their learning, they blind the truth of the Gospel, and make you take shels for the substance, and counters for gold: Now, when the Lord himselfe will arise with his light, all these inchantments shall vanish, and all the Inchanters be confounded; you shall be no more deceived with fine, smooth, soft words; and there shall be no more a Magician, nor a Southsayer, nor a Peeper, nor a Sorcerer, nor any that worketh a Divination: And he will deliver his people out of their hand.Ezek. 13.23. Numb. 23.23. As Balaam said, when he would fain have curst the Israelites, and wrought by di­vination, and put upon them an Inchantment, he saith, Surely there is no enchantment against Iacob, neither is there any Di­vination against Israel: That soule that is enlightned by the God of Israel, and hath experience of the truth, cannot be inchanted by these lyers, or by these Southsayers, they have no power over them, for they are built on a rock, on Jesus Christ that eternall and unchangeable rock of Ages;Mat. 7.25. Deu. 32.4 who is that immovable BASIS on which all the Saints in all generations have built and rested on, for their faith stands not in the wisdom of man, or on the power of man, but in the wis­dome and power of God.

And then he goes on in the next words, The graven Ima­ges also will I cut off, ☞ and thy standing Images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine own hands. Now what is an Image, but the picture and form of that thing to which it relates? those Images and pictures which men by their own inventions have framed to imitate the things of God, and have squared them (as they conceive) very like the pattern, and have made them very neat and curious, so that they passe for current, and they are generally received, and the men themselves esteemed rare workmen; yet this day of the Lord will discover all these things, they shall all be taken away: nay, though they be Old-received Idols, and of LONG standing, and made by the most [Page 135] exact and curious workmen, and scarce ever questioned in many generations, but received as if made by God himselfe: yet even these things shall be discovered and detected, and the Idols and Idol-makers shall be confounded together.

And, why shall all these things be done? It follows in the last words read, And thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands. Beloved, what doe all men when they by their wis­dom and inventions cut out forms and platforms of Religion, and one squares his Idol this way, and another tother way; this Church hath this way and rule, & tother another form, as every one thinks best; so many Churches, (as they call them) so many severall forms, and these they pranke, and adore, and admire themselves in admiring them, this form and that new cut, and that mode: and the next he must mend, and pare, and adde, and he thinks to neatifie it, and make it more passable and commendable, and so more generally to be received, that the more may like it, that he may have the more to be of his members and Church, and they may be esteemed the best re­formed, and nearest the rule: what (I say) doe all these men doe but worship the work of their own hands? And, because they are squard according to the rule (as they say) and have stood long in the esteem of the world, therfore he that shall question their way, and their wisdom, and their Religion or their principles, must be no lesse then an Hereticke, a deceiver, a Iesuit, any thing.

Look upon the Papists, and observe how many genera­tions they have stood in their form of worship, and how gene­rally it hath been received in one halfe of the world; yet we conclude they are no other but Idolaters. And if we shall examine, and bring to the touch many received opinions con­cerning Christ, and concerning the Scriptures, and the word of God, and washings, and baptizings, and breaking of bread, as they are now used, and as they are and have been gene­rally in use, we shall finde them no other but inventions of men, according as they understand the Scriptures, and say, these are the things themselves, though not in words yet in their practices they say no lesse, and are no other (as they use them) but Idols, and the work of their own hands: and [Page 136]these they worship, adore, and blesse themselves in using there­of. And though they may goe so far, as to give the sense, and hit the litterall meaning, yet they may be and are farre from the mystery, the true meaning and the mind of Christ, as the Apostle calls it, and the knowledge of truth, as it is in Ie­sus. For if they doe hit the letter,Eph. 4.21 and square their disci­pline according to it, alass they have not the life and power for all that: they who think themselves most exact, and think to hit it, and imitate it to a tittle; yet they reach but the shaddow and the Image, 2 Cor. 3.6 the dead letter, and not the life, and the things themselves, for they are of a farre more excellent and spirituall nature, which no man (as man) could imitate nor follow, nor observe, but onely he who is taught of God, and that it is given him from above to believe and comprehend; for, the dead letter is not the life, but all things that the eye sees, and the eare heares, are things that must passe away, they must remove, that so the heavenly things may come in the room thereof, even those things of which all externall things are but the patterns and similitudes, Even Christ himselfe after the flesh: and this is that Mysterie of Christ which is hid in God, Eph. 3.5, 9. Col. 1.26. Heb. 9.23. & kept close from ages and genera­tions, but is now revealed in his Sonne, only by the holy spirt; for, saith the Apostle, it was necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these: but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices then these; for Christ is not entred into the holy places made with bands, whihc are figures of the true, but into heaven it self, now to appeare in the presence of God for us. Therefore all things but Christ in us must re­move and passe away: else the heavenly things cannot ap­peare: for whatever is not of the Fathers setting up and planting,John 15.2 must be rooted up, and tis the Lord himselfe must teach his own worship. For Paul clearly confesseth, he had his knowledge in the mystery of Christ, by Revelation: for all his great knowledge in the letter, yet he saw he was blind and ignorant of that, as you may see he expresseth at large in Eph. 3. at the beginning, and elsewhere. And none know this but the Church, and those that are true members of Je­sus Christ; nay the Angels, and Principalities and Powers, [Page 137]know not these things, which he calls the manifold wise­dom of God, vers. 10.

So that in these words read before you, it appears to me, there is included these two things.

First, here is a description of mans day, and what he doth in that his day: He gets unto himself Horses of his own, and Chariots of his own, and he builds unto himself strong Cities, and strong holds; that is, places of security of his own inventing, and in that day his hand is full of Witch­crafts, Delusions, and Lyes; and he gets to himself Southsay­ers, and Diviners to promise to him peace, safety, and secu­rity, and in that day, he is full of graven Images of his own making, and he cleaves mightily to his old, ancient, and standing Images, which both he and his forefathers have received.

Secondly, here is a threatning of an approach of the day of the Lord, and that his hand shall be upon all these things: he will cut off his Horses, and destroy his Chariots, and the Cities of his Land, and will throw down all his strong holds, and will cut off all his Witchcrafts, and Southsayers, and gra­ven Images, &c.

And however, most Interpreters do take this in a Litteral sense onely, and look upon it as a History of what God did outwardly and externally among the Jewes, when they were destroyed and carried into captivity, yet to me there is much more in it; for all those relations are types of spiritual things; the word of the Lord enduring for ever; as David saith, I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy Law is exeecding broad: Psal. 119.96. And in this sense, it is promised, there shall be no more an In­chanter in Israel.

But, we will endeavour to apply all this to our selves, and make Use thereof.

First, hence we may safely conclude, that all men with­out distinction, untill Christ be revealed in them, they are all joyned in one way of Idolatry and false worship; and that all those Histories and Descriptions of Idols and Idolaters in Scripture, are but figures of what man does in his DAY: And howerer they go not all one way, in regard of them­selves, [Page 138]but many censure and condemn each other, yet to God they are all Idolaters, Inchanters, Southsayers, &c. and are gone a whoring after their own inventions, Psali 106.39. and are mad af­ter Idols; they all have their Horses and their Chariots, and Cities of confidence, and strong holds, their Sorcerers and In­chanters, and follow the way of Balaam, Jer. 19.14 1 Kings. 18.18. and their god ASH­TEROTH, as their Fathers have taught them. All that the spirit of man can find out by his own wisdom, power, or invention is nothing but as Sauls going to Witches and Wiz­zards in the day of their distresse: they every one in this way leave URIM and THUMMIM which the Lord hath commanded, Exod. 28.30. & 1 Sam. 28.7. and they are all going to a weak woman and one that hath a familiar spirit: And all this he doth by taking counsel of his own heart, and following his own inventions, and doth not wait upon that Divine teaching of the Father, and that never failing URIM and THUMMIM which the Lord himself hath commanded him to wait upon.

All these inventions of man are but his Horses and Chari­ots to carry him away swiftly from his enemies and pursuers; when conscience is awaked in man, and he begins to ap­prehend wrath and vengeance, and sees what a vile, ugly crea­ture he is, and what wayes he hath taken, and how he hath followed after witches and wizzards to enquire of them, who have made lyes their refuge; now man gets to himselfe all the refuges, defences, and deliverers he can possibly, to save him from this wrath to come; Mat. 3.7. Deu. 19.6. he rides swiftly from the pur­suer of blood and the wrath of God: I say, let this be the first Ʋse we make of this point, even every man befroe me, and all to whom these things shal come, to examin himself serious­ly, if these things be not so; let him deal plainly with his own heart, let him get into his chamber and be still, and there Commune with himself, and he shall finde that all his go­ings out, and seekings, and inventions have been nothing else but to stop the mouth of conscience, to allay the fire that be­gan to burn within him, and to get some drops to coole his tongue, and to cover the fire and the smoak of the bottom­lesse pit.Luk. 16.24.

Did not all your undertakings arise from a sight of a [Page 139] want, an emptiness, poverty and misery? and have ye not gotten Horses to ride far away from this guilt of conscience? have ye not with the Prodigal, gone out from your fathers house, and spent your patrimony upon Harlots and riotous li­ving?Ibid. 15.13. and nothing could ever cause you to return: but though ye were never so poor, and had spent all, yet you would joyne your selves to any thing in the first place that may appear as a rich Citizen, wherein ye may not fear want; but for all this, your povertie and misery still comming more and more upon you, you, rather then you will return home and discover your folly, miserie, and nakedness, will live upon husks, shadowes, figures; and they not being able to fill your belly, nor supply that infinite emptiness in your soules, then you have been forced to return and come home unto your father, emptie, naked, ashamed, miserable, lost, and undone. And till this be, there is not one of the sons of men ever can come home or return to their fathers house, not untill they have nothing at all left, no goodness, no love, no wisdom, no power, &c. but see that all these are in their Fathers house, and nowhere else: Being perswaded that there is bowels of love, there is the rich robe, there is bread enough, there is the embraces, there is the kisses of love, there is the dancing and the melodie: Till this day comes, the Prodigal is never received with joy, his Father never falls upon his neck and kisses him. Beloved, I appeal to eve­ry soule here this day, and to all the poor received Saints, and people of God, if they have not found all these things fulfilled in them, and a thousand times more after this man­ner, more then ever can be exprest.

Have all thy goings forth to this thing, or tother thing, been any other then Jonahs Gourd, Jonah: 4: 7. to sit under the shadow thereof, to shelter thee from the burning sun and heat of Di­vine wrath? examine thy heart; Didst ever take up any dutie, any form, any way of worship, purely for love to God, because thou sawest him the fairest of ten thousand, Cant. 5.10. because that he was the joy of thy soul, thy portion, thy inheritance, thy All in All: For till then, God is not thy God; if any other thing be thought good or excellent but he, thou hast [Page 140]not chosen him for thy God; doe but examine thy thoughts and thy ends in all those things, and thou shalt find satis­faction to thy selfe, securing thy self, getting happiness and rest for thy selfe, was the chiefest moving cause; And being so, (as I am sure it is, till man see himself empty, naked, and a miserable Prodigal,) what's all thy acting, doing, sa­crificing, washing, breaking bread, Forms, Modes? what's all thy highest rules and strictnesse and walking up to the rule (as thou callest it) but working for thy selfe, Mat. 20.13. 2 Cor. 5.14. and working for a penny, and meer mercinary working by force, thou doest nothing by the constraint of love; tis not for the excellencie of holinesse and love to the Lord himself; but so thy own head may be covered, and thou mayest be cloathed, and that thou mayest have Cities to dwell in and live happily. Saith Satan,Job 1.9. doth Job serve God for naught? thou hast peace and riches, and satisfaction to thy selfe, and therefore thou ser­vest him; if thou hast not thy pennie, thou wilt rather stand idle in the market; Mat. 20.6 thy working is to be freed from miserie and to get that (which thou callest HEAVEN.) These are thy Horses to carry thee from wrath and to the place of rest; where thou mayest with the Prodigal, live upon thy own, and spend lavishly, and indeed it tends to no o­ther, but to run thy selfe out of all, and to bring thee to misery.

Beloved, from hence, let everie one, every particular form, every several division and distinction of Worshippers examin themselves from what principle they act and work; if it be not to carry them into a far countrie, Luk. 15.13. that they may not see their miserie, nor remember Hell, nor the wrath of God; and their forms have been their Horses and Chariots which have saved and delivered them, quieted their consciences, shut the mouth of Hell, kept off the gnawing worm: And when they have got into this Chariot of Religion, and these Forms of Worship, then they think themselves safe and well horst: How many thousands of people are now got into these ways, and joyned themselves to these rich Cttizens, and never yet were emptied, made miserable, and nothing, never lost their own lives, never took up the Cross of Christ, nor forsook them­selves? [Page 141]but having taken up a Form suitable to their liking, say they, now I am safe, now I am well; what ever others doe, I am in a good condition, I have secured One, I am wiser then others, I am holier then they, stand farther off, Esay 65.5 I am now somebody; and every particular Form think themselves in the best way, and censure all others, and applaud and deifie themselves: But in the day of the Lord, all thy helps, hopes, Idols, witchcrafts, shall be cut off; nothing of thy planting shall stand, but thou shalt be left empty, naked, helpless, hope­lesse, so that thou shalt be utterly stript of thy whole selfe, and no way left to escape by all thy forms, wisdom, inventions, and thou shalt be so distressed that there is nothing left to help thee but a naked Christ, onely meer mercy and the good hand of the Lord. So that except thou canst stand in this light, and bear this discovery, there is no help for thee.

And when man is brought to this condition, he wil look every way for help,Gen. 4.16 any man to direct and offer him any likely way, any Chariot to carry him from the presence of the Lord, that Hell may not pursue him, and that he may out-run his own guilt; with Caine he will goe dwell in the Land of Nod, thinking to get from the presence of the Lord; he hath now with the Prodigal, loft his fathers house, that is, he hath put himselfe out of his fathers love, care, and pro­tection, and he will mannage his own portion, and provide for and direct himselfe: but all this is to cover with a cove­ring, but not with the Lords Spirit. Esay 30.1 To the Land of NOD: whats that? that is, to the land of Forgetfulnesse, or to the Land of Dizzinesse; And there he hath a portion, and patri­mony upon which he spends, and there he happens among Harlots, and lives by his own wisdome, and inventions, and he gets to himselfe any thing that will but uphold his spirit; though he be come almost to Beggery, yet he will shift still; before he will discover and acknowledge his folly and beg­gery, he will live upon Husks, upon his own duties; Luk. 12, 19 and his own forms shall be his life, though there is no nourishment, no life in them; And yet he sayes to his soule, Soule take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years, and there he feasts himselfe, lives Deliciously every day, he eats and drinks, [Page 142]and is merry, and will not think of returning to his father, nor acknowledge his rebellions. And this is the far Countrey that he is departed into, that so he may not see his own misery, his own lost condition: But in this day of the Lord all these things shall be discovered, and he shall see that he is deluded, and hath fed himselfe with dreams, and that there was nothing reall in all he enjoyed: but all, even the best of his dainties, was but Husks, a lye, and a deceit: Then shall even the very sinews of all his strength be cut asunder, all his foundations removed, and himselfe utterly beggered and undone; the very earth, and the works thereof, and all things therein, 2 Pet. 3.10 shall be burnt up, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and he shall be at his wits end: And this day of the Lord shall be like the Refiners fire and Fullers Sope: Then he shall discover the Magicians and Inchanters of E­gypt, Mal. 3.2. to be all lyers and deceivers; when they told thee, Loe here, and loe there, In this mountain, and on that hill, in this way and that form thou shalt finde peace and rest: Then He whom thou hast crucified and murthered by thy sinnes, shall appeare in the clouds to judge thee, and will set all thy sinnes in order before thee: Psal. 50.21 Then thou shalt see that thou hast cru­cified and put to death thy innocent Saviour, That meek one of the earth, who is all mercy, pitty, loving kindnesse: him, who came to save thee, and ransome thee from thy cruell bondage, and thou hast murthered him: And that thou hast chosen Barabbas, a murtherer, rather then this innocent one. And in that thou hast followed thy own waies, and thy own wisdom, and bin thy own Guide, and by this hast crucified and murthered the Honour and glory of thy glorious Saviour; And all this was, because he would have con­demned his and thy adversaries, because he would have destroyed thy Hellish and divellish spirit:Mat. 27.66. therefore thou hast laboured to destroy and crucifie him, and hast buried him, and rolled a stone upon him, so that thou thoughtest he should never rise again.

But tis not all the powers of Darknesse can keep him un­der; for after three daies he will rise again and triumph over his enemies, and appeare in glory and Majesty: Then it will [Page 143]be discovered who are those deluders, that cried Loe here, and loe there, and said he is the chambers, or he is the wilder­nesse, or he is the secret places: Then he will speak that word in thy soule, Goe not after them, joyn not with them, for they lead thee from thy beloved; then thou shalt see,Luk. 17.23, that He whom thou calledst a seducer, a divel, a blasphemer, shall now be thy Judge; and those thou runnedst after, and thoughtedst thy friends, will be found lyers, deceivers, and blasphemers.

Now this day of the Lord man would fain put off, with all his wit, wisdome, and inventions: and this day of the Lord cannot be meant of a litterall day, or a naturall day; for that cannot be, for who is able to put off one day? And as man cannot put off a naturall day, nor the rising and setting of the Sunne, nor day, nor night; so cannot he put off this day of the Lord, but when it will come, it shall come, and he cannot put it off with all the art, wisdome, power, and all the inventions and subtilties he can devise: but Christ shall be born in BETHLEM, Micah 5.2 as it is prophecied of him; In Bethlem, that is, in the house of Bread; for he is the true bread, and the bread of life; man never had true satis­faction, or any true bread, till He was born in him:Joh. 6.55 for his body is bread indeed, and his blood is drink indeed: Then all mans wisdome and power, and all his Fortifications and Strong holds shall be blown down;Jos. 6.20. then shall the walls of Ie­richo fall at the sounding of these Rams-horns; And then, when Christ is once born, Herod and all Ierusalem shall be troubled: Mat. 23.18 then is the day when Rachel shall mourn for her children, and will not be comforted; yea, all those children which the children of men have begotten, and thought they would be a comfort, and rejoycing to them, and a support to them, they in this day shall all be slain with the sword: And that light of God that is in every man, shall tell them, that all their wisdome and endeavours, that all their righte­ousnesse, and conformity is nothing worth, and that when they have done the utmost that they can,Luk. 17.10 they are but un­profitable servants, and the best of their strictnesse is not worth one bit of bread,Ibid. 13.27. and that God is not bound to them [Page 144] in the least, when they have done never so much, but Hell is their due, Luk, 13.27. and their portion for all this; therefore depart from me ye workers of iniquity.

And this day of the Lord will come on a sudden when neither men, nor all their Magicians, nor Southsayers, nor their Sorcerers, nor all their Witchcrafts, that delude the eyes of the understanding, shall be able with all their wisdome and cunning to put it off, but they themselves shall be cut off and destroyed, though they have used their utmost devices to delude the soule, and carry it captive, and won them to a liking of their wayes: and though Satan hath so deluded people, that he appears not a Devil and seducer as he is,2 Cor. 11.14, 15. but hath transformed himself into an Angel of light, and his Ministers into Ministers of righteousnesse. And for proofe of this, consider but of two or three places of Scripture and you shall see it clear. As

First,2 Thes. 2.9, 10. the Apostle in 2 Thes. 2.9, 10. speaking of Anti­christ and his workings in man, saith, he shall be revealed and made known, and consumed with the spirit of the Lord, and with the brightness of his coming; even He, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signes, and lying won­ders, and with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse: Though they seem Saints, and to be endewed with power, yet they are but lying wonders; and though they seem to have righteousnesse yet it is deceivable righteousnesse: righteous­nesse wrought by the power of Inchanters and Sorcerers, and Magicians to deceive and blind the understanding; for there is no such thing but the contrary; for tis no other but the power of Satan, and the working of Satan, and they are his signs and lying wonders: And, in that day of the Lord all these things shall be discovered and made na­ked.

Nay farther, that Satan may hide himselfe, and not be known to be Satan, he hath this farther policy and in­chantment, he can cry down an Inchantment in one form that he may be more secure in another, and yet be Satan still, and all to conceale himself from being known; for if he be discovered, and the day of the Lord reveal him, then ye [Page 145]shall see him fall down from Heaven like Lightning: Luk. 10.18 therefore Satan will change his shape and cast out himselfe, and in this case Belzebub will cast out Belzebub, the greater Devil will cast out the less, that so he may take fuller possession: And all this is done by no other art but by Magick, Inchantments, and Sorcery. Nay often times the Devil will call that Inchant­ment which is farthest from it; even the wisdome, power, and righteousness of Christ: Because he knows that if he can but make men so apprehend of it, they will fly from it; for he knows himself hated. And except he be disguised, he can do nothing: yet many men will cry out against Sorcery and Inchantment, and Heresie, and Errours, and Delusions, when they know not what they are: nay, when they themselves are most deluded and surprized by Inchantment; So that Satan he is furnished with his subtile devices, and yet keeps men ignorant of his devices, and they shall not know they are inchanted, but cry out upon others to be so; They cry out such are Hereticks and Ranters, Seducers, and Jesuites, and see not the real Divination in themselves.

So that by this you may see, when God or the Scriptures speak of Sorcerers, Magicians, Charmers, Inchanters, Southsay­ers, Diviners, Necromancers, Peepers, a Woman with a fami­liar Spirit or the like: they not onely mean that External way of Magick, (though some things in that case may be lawful, which may through ingorance be railed against) but God by those names chiefly intends to discover and set out the Prince of Darknesse in man, and the Man of sin, and Antichrist in man, and the working of Satan in man;2 Thes. 2.3. Joh. 16.11. this the Scripture chiefly and ultimately intends all along; but men will not see it, nor acknowledge it, because they are under the power thereof and cannot endure the light, nei­ther will thy come to the light lest their deeds should be made manifest. Joh. 3.19, 20.

Adde to this another Scripture, Exod. 7.11. Then Pha­raoh also called the wise men, and the Sorcerers: Exod. 7.11. Now the Ma­gicians of Egypt they also did in like manner with their Inchant­ments. These were Jannes and Jambres which withstood Mo­ses, (which were the names of some of the Magicians, which [Page 146]wrought against Moses) which are in all the Sons of men and cited by the Apostle,2 Tim. 3.8, 9. 2 Tim, 3.9. where he applys it to the working of Satan in man. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith: But they shall pro­ceed no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all men, as theirs also was; They would undertake to do the same things by their power, which Moses did by the finger and power of God: They would be Apes and Imitators to make the world beleeve they did the same thing, and by the same power: but it was made manifest that they were no other but Deceivers, Inchanters, Magicians, and wrought by the Devil, and such shall all those be discovered to be who pre­tend to obey Christ and work by the power of Christ, but are no other then Dreamers, Inchanters, and Charmers. And who these were, that we may know them, he plainly layes them forth there; They were men, that had the form of Godlinesse, Ibid. vers. 5. but denied the power thereof: For they were lovers of themselves, boasters, proud, blasphemers, unthankful, unholy, Truce-breakers, Ibid. vers. 3, 4, 6. false accusers, feirce, despisers of those that were truly good, lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God: Of this sort are they which creep into Widows houses, and lead captive silly women: Vers. 1 and these men make the last daies perillous times:

And as Jannes and Jambres, resisted, and affronted, and laboured to weaken the credit of him who came with true miracles, and with the power of God: So these resist and oppose, and counterfeit the Spiritual Moses, as if their works were wrought in God, and done by the power of Christ; all which is no other but Magick, Sorcery, Delusion, Charming, and Inchantment.

Also, take one place more, that in Esa. 8.19. And when they shall say unto you, Esa. 8.19. seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizzards that peep and mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead; To the Law and to the Testimonies. If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Now according to the Letter, there are none in words will openly counsel to [Page 147]to Wizzards, (as such) and to such as Peep and Mutter, and that they know deal with the Devil: but of necessity, these words are spoken secretly in the hearts of men, and there they hearken and obey the Counsel and Wisdome of the flesh: There is the chief Magick wrought which Satan useth, in deluding and drawing away the soule of man, to hearken to these Inchanters, who can Counterfeit the Graces and things of Christ, that so they may be taken for Members and Ministers of Jesus Christ; And that those who truely have his Life and Power, may be counted Deceivers: this is one of Satans greatest-depths; as we may see in the Pro­phet Jer. 27.9. when he had told the people of Moab and Ammon and Tyrus and word of the Lord;Jer. 27.9. that they should go into Captivity, and therefore should submit and put their necks under the yoak of the King of Babylon; Now there were others that pretended that they were Prophets also, and brought the word of the Lord, and told them they should not consent to serve him. Sayes the Lord in that ninth verse, Hearken ye not unto your Prophets, nor to your Diviners, Vers. 9 nor to your Dreamers, nor to your Inchanters, nor to your Sor­cerers which speak unto you, saying, ye shall not servs the King of Babylon; For whatever they prophesied was but the devices of their own heart, and therefore they should not hearken to them; but that which he threatned, because it was the word of the Lord, that should and must come to passe. And the Apostle useth the same word in Gal. 3.1.Gal. 3.1. which includes all those words of Sorcery, Inchanting, Witchcraft, &c. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evi­dently set forth crucified among you? Which word Bewitched, is the same word in the Greek which signifieth witchcraft, Sorcerie, Charming, or the like; thereby signifying that what ever it was that was set up in man to cause him to mistake Jesus Christ, or is set up in the room of him, was Inchant­ments, Witchcrafts, Sorceries; though they were never so like him if they were not Him, and turned us away from the true Jesus Christ, they are Foolish and Worldly rudiments: and are ye so foolish (sayes he) in the third vers.Ibid. v. 3. that having [Page 148]begun in the spirit, ye should think to be made perfect by the flesh? Ibid. ve. 3. If any fleshly or carnal, or external thing be set up in the room of Christ, this is no lesse then Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Delusion: And whatever name the Scripture gives to any External Witchcraft or Sorcery, it is to hold out unto us that spiritual, deep, hidden and wonderful Charming that Satan useth to cause us to mistake Jesus Christ, and that his power may be taken for the power of Jesus Christ, and his wisdom and seeming holiness for the wisdom and holinesse of Jesus Christ.