The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God, Part 2 (5 of 5)

The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God · Part 2 (5 of 5)

p. 408Obj. But you will say; If there be nothing to be done by us, to what purpose are all Duties, Prayers, Attendances on the Word? If nothing can be done by us in the Acting, and Improvement of Spiritual Principles, to what end are all Admonitions, Exhortations, Instructions, Promises, in the Holy Scriptures?

Ans. These are all Assisting Love descending from the Bosom of the Bridegroom above, into the Lap of his Bride below in various forms, like the Sunshine, & Showers from Heaven falling upon the Bosom of the Earth. They are the same Assisting Love ascending again by various degrees, in various Shapes, or Growths, like the Flowers, & the Corn shooting up out of the Ground. Hos. 2. 22. It is promised; that God will hear the Heavens, the Heavens shall hear the Earth, the Earth shall hear the Corn and Wine; and the Corn and Wine shall hear Jezreel. Jezreel is the Seed of God. All the Ordinances, all Forms, all Motions not of Grace alone but of Nature also, are the Commerce, and Traffick of the Divine Nature with itself, as it is the head of Fine Gold above all; and the Hidden Pearl, the Precious Seed at the bottom of all. In every Step of things, in every Form, in every Language of Heaven, and Earth, of Grace, and Nature, in every Ordinance, God seeth the face, heareth the Voice, answereth the Cry of Jezreel, his own Seed, his own Son; Jezreel seeth the Face, heareth the Voice, answereth the Call of God, of its Father. Jezreel is the Dove p. 409whose Face is Lovely, whose Voice is Sweet to the Heavenly Bridegroom, although it be from the Holes of the Rock, and the Hollow places of the Stairs; from the lowest, the darkest Dispensations, from the nethermost parts of the Earth; from the meanest Ordinances; from an Inward, an Outward Prison, or Grave. The Heaven, the Earth, the Corn, the Wine, Duties performed, Ordinances enjoyed, Graces Acted, the Word published; All are the Green Flourishing, Fruitful Bed of Preventing, or Assisting Loves, on which the Lord Jesus, and his Spouse embrace each other.

In Ordinances the heavenly Bridegroom pipeth, or mourneth to Jezreel, the Divine Seed, his Sister-Spouse. In Duties, or Graces Jezreel danceth, or mourneth to him again. Thorow all these Assisting Love sweetly shineth, or soundeth from above; sweetly again reflecteth and Ecchoeth back from the Spirit of a Saint below. This is the Answer in its First Step.

2. Step. The Reason given by the Philosopher, why the Heavens, which we see over our heads move so regularly, so harmoniously, so constantly, from the begining of the world hitherto, is this; They have Assisting Forms, Intelligences, Angels, which move them, which turn them round. Many Souls sweetly touched with the Allurements of Divine Love in Christ, fear to come to him, to cast themselves into His Bosom by Believing. They distrust their own strength, and constancy for their continuance in a holy temper. They doubt they shall fall back with greater guilt and shame to themselves; with greater reproach to the name of the Lord Jesus. Many weak Christians are day and night tormented with like fears, and doubts; that they shall fall away at last by the force of some Corruption, or the Difficulties in the waies of Holiness. Dear Souls! be not discouraged from believing, or in believing; be not kept off from the Bosom of Christ, be not disquieted in His Bosom by any fears or doubts. You have a Good Angel for an Assisting Form, you have an Assisting Form brighter and more glorious, than the highest and brightest Angel; more powerful, than all the Angels in Heaven. You have the Assisting Love of the Lord Jesus present with you, in your Spirits, by day, and by night. This doth move, this will move, and turn about your Hearts, your lives regularly, harmoniously, constantly, in all the Circles of Divine Graces, Truths, Joys, Glories, according to the Laws, and Patterns in the Supreme Mind, in the Heart of God, thorow all times Eternally.

Preventing Love is the Golden Chain, which draweth thee to the Embraces of Christ. O run when thou feelest thy self so drawn. Assisting Love is the Golden Chain, that tyeth thee fast, and close, immediately, inseparably, for ever in these embraces. Rest with Confidence, and full Assurance in these embraces; feed with desire and delight among the Lillies here; lye down to sleep in these embraces. Thy sleep will be sweet to thee.

3. Step. Learned men and Divines teach us; that the Preservation of the world is continuata Creatio, a continued Creation. In every moment of Time p. 410from the Begi…ning of the world to the end, the Divine Act of Preserving, and Governing the world according to the Present form proper to it for that Season is entirely the same with the Act of Creation. In every moment from the Begining of the world to the end, the whole world with all things in it rise up into the form designed for that moment in the Eternal Law of the Divine Wisdom, out of the nothingness of the Creature out of the Omnipotency of the Creator, as freely, as freshly, as fully, as Absolutely, as in the first Moment of Its Being.

So is it, and much more clearly, sweetly gloriously so in this Creation of God, the Creation of Grace. Assisting Love is no other than Preventing Love Continued: A continuation of Preventing Love. They say; A line is One Individual Point in motion. This is most true; All Assisting Love; the whole Life of Grace, and Glory in a Saint is One, Individual, Unchangeable Point of Preventing Love Eternal Love in Motion, spreading itself, within Itself to an Infinite Circle.

In every moment of a Saint's spiritual Being from his first Conversion to Eternity the Act of Assisting Love in Preserving, in Governing thee is the same with that first Act of Preventing Love in Regenerating thee.

In every moment of thy Spiritual Being from thy first Conversion to thy Glorification in Eternity, thy Spiritual Man the Divine Nature in thee riseth up into the form of that Moment answering Its Pattern in the Heavenly Image, the Glorified Person of Christ, out of thine own Nothingness; out of the glorious fulness of the God-head in Christ, as freely, as …reshly, as sweetly, as absolutely, as entirely; as in the first moment of the New-Birth in thee.

I will conclude this Second State of Divine Love in Christ, Assisting Love with that of the Greek Epigram thus translated: fer Fatum; sin ferre recuses; non minus te feret Fatum. Bear thy Destiny. If thou refuse to bear it; thy Destiny will nevertheless bear thee, and carry thee along. Cast thy self, O believer into the Bosom of the Assisting Love of thy God in Christ, to be born up, and carried along in it. But if thou refuse, and murmure; nevertheless this Assisting Love will take thee into Its Bosom, and bear thee and carry thee along with It in Its own Way laid out and lifted up in Heaven in the Spirit into Eternal Joys.

If we believe not; yet is He faithful, and cannot deny Himself. God is Love He cannot deny Himself in the unchangeablness of His Divine Essence which is Love. He is True and faithful to the unity and simplicity of his own naked Being which is Love in the midst of all our changes, unbeliefs, unfaithnesses.

3. There is poured sorth from the Heart of the Father in the Bosom of our Glorified Saviour The fulness of all finishing Love. I know no Scripture, which displayeth the finishing Love of God in Christ with more sweetness, riches and fulness; than that; Ephes. 2. v. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. You have here Love under several names in five verses repeated six times; Mercy; Love; Grace; Grace; p. 411Kindness; Grace. You have it brought in with Magnifying Titles, Rich in Mercy; Great Love; Exceeding Riches of Grace. The Salvation of a Saint is here presented to us, as a rich Piece of fine Enamelling. First the Ground on which the Enamelling lieth, is Gold. Then you have the rich Enamel upon the Gold. Lastly some beautiful Picture is formed in the Enamel. Such a piece of Divine Work is a Saint. 1. The Ground of the Work is Pure Gold, Pure Love, Preventing Love, God doth all from Rich Mercy, for the Great Love wherewith he hath loved us, v. 2. 2. The rich Enamelling upon this rich Ground of Love is Love too. All the Work is a curious, close, and fine Enamelling of Divine Love upon a glorious Ground of Love. You have this brought in and doubled, v. 3, 8. By Grace ye are saved. 3. The Beautiful Picture formed in this Enamel of Love upon a Ground of Love is, the Heavenly Face of Divine Love, naked, entire in all its Lovelinesses and Glories, to ravish all Spirits into a delightful Admiration: That to the Ages to come might be shown the Exceeding Riches of his Grace, v. 7. This is the End of God in Christ. He draweth upon the whole Person of a Saint, the Heavenly Form, the Divine Figure of Love, as Love is God; of Himself, as God is Love. He draweth this Divine Figure of Love in all its Riches, in those Riches of Sweetness, Loveliness, Glory, which exceed, which transcend all Degrees, all Capacities, all Understandings in the Creature. He doth it to this end, that the Father, the Lord Jesus, all Angels, and Spirits, all Creatures, in Ages to come, that is, in Eternity may see with Extasies of Joy and Wonder, the Entire Form of Divine Love in its most naked, most lively, richest Beauties, figured upon, and shining in the whole Person of a Saint from one end of his Story unto the Other. Do you not discern the Finishing Love of God in Christ making All perfect in Eternity?

The Ground of the Work of God in a Saint is Love. It is all inlaid in every point of it with Love. It is All Overlaid with Love. When St. Paul had gone through the Particulars, and several times declared All to be Grace, Pure Love: after all that he wrappeth up all over again in Grace, in Pure Love. By Grace ye are saved; v. 8. A Saint is like a Gold-Watch in a Gold-Case; A Work of Love in a Covering of Love, as rich, as the Work. If you go never so low all thorow a Saint to the Nethermost parts of the Earth to his lowest Foundations; All is Love. If you search into the Heights of Eternity above him, round about him; All is Love, Comprehending, Crowning Love.

You will see the Fulness of the Finishing Love of God in Christ yet, more clearly: if you consider Three Things set before you in this Scripture.

1. It is Love, which is the Supream Sun of Eternity, which generateth us to a Divine Birth, which infuseth a Divine Principle of Life into us, and awakeneth it in us. For his greatest Love, wherewith he hath loved us, he hath quickened us, v. 4. 5. This is Pre-venting Love.

It is Love, which maintaineth, carrieth on, floweth forth into the Stream p. 412of Divine Life in us from the Beginning to the End. By Grace ye are saved; He hath raised you. v. 5. 6. The Way of a Saint is a Continued Resurrection Every Moment is a New Resurrection, every Resurrection supposeth a Death.

The whole Way o a Saint from the First Incarnation of Christ in him is a Contexture of Deaths and Resurrections, Divine Lights of Life and Shades. This whole Way of a Saint; the Deaths, as well, as the Resurrections the Shades, as well, as the Lights, are Divine Grace, Pure Love. Love putteth on the form of Death, and shineth thorow it. Death putteth on the Form of Love, and shineth in it. This is Assisting Love.

It is Love, which setteth us down in Heavenly places. Love maketh itself a Heaven of glory and bliss; a Kingdom of Joy, a Throne of pure Gold; a Crown of Immortality. This is Finishing Love. They are the same Riches of Mercy, the same Greatnesses of Love, which shine forth in our hearts at our Regeneration, at every Resurrection; and in Heaven at our Glorification. God rich in Mercy, for his great Love hath quickened us, raised us, set us down in Heavenly Places. All is the Same Love, the Seed, the Tree, the Blossom, the Fruit.

2 All the Steps in the whole Way of a Saint from the Beginning to the End are so many Love-Unions. He hath quickened us together with Christ; v. 5. He hath raised us together with him; He hath set us down together; v. 6 Every new Step in Grace, or Glory is a New Love-Union.

Every Act of Divine Life is composed of a Blessed, and Beautiful Trinity of Divine Loves. 1. There is the Lord Jesus, That Spirit, which is the Supream Love, the Essential Image, the Eternal Son of That God which is Love; the Bridegroom, and Beloved of a Holy Soul. 2. There is the Spirit of a Saint, the Sister, the Spouse, the Love of this Love, this Bridegroom; Spirit of the same Spirit; Love of the same Love; sprung from the same Root, formed into the same Image, and Tree, bearing the same Fruits of Divine Love. 3. There is the Holy Spirit, the Marriage-Dove, the Marriage-knot, the Love-Union between these Two Divine Loves. Thus every Act, every Moment of a Saint's Life is a Divine Trinity of Heavenly, Eternal Loves coming forth in a New Dress suitable to each New Moment.

3. All the Parts of a Gracious, or Glorious Life are acted; all the Forms, and Moments of the State of a Saint; His Beginning, Progress, End are acted, and comprehended in the Pure Element of Heavenly Love; in the Divine World of Spiritual Love; in that Great, and Glorious Deep, into which all the Fountains of Love in the whole God-Head, in the Heart of the Father are broken up, and pour forth themselves, in the Glorified Person of the Lord Jesus. He hath quickened us together in Christ; v. 5. He hath raised, us together, made us to sit together in Heavenly Places in him; v. 6. Thus you see the Absoluteness, the Compleatness of Finishing Love, as well, as of Preventing, and Assisting Love. You see the Finishing Love of the Father poured forth with all Fulness in our Blessed Saviour: You see Divine Love in the Bosom of your Beloved, p. 413Alone Beginning Alone Continuing the Work of Grace, Alone in the Purity, Power, Simplicity of Free Grace Finishing, Perfecting All in Glory.

I will make this clear to you by One Scripture more; 2 Tim. 1. 9. he hath saved us not according to works, which we have done, but according to his own Purpose, and Grace given to us in Christ, before the World was; Who hath abolished Death, and brought Life, and Immortality to Light by his Appearance in the Gospel Behold this Heavenly Sight! Believe, rejoyce, and wonder. A Saint is a Spiritual Building of all Heavenly Graces, and Glories. It is entirely composed thorowout of Free Grace, of Pure Love. The Foundation of it is laid in the Fair Colours of Divine Love, all the Rooms, the several Stories, the Furniture, the Riches, the Entertainment is of Pure Love. The Roof is laid with the Precious stones of Pure Love. The whole Work of a Saint's Salvation, the Materials, the Form the Proportions. the Measures of the Whole, and of every Part are Free Grace, Pure Love He hath saved us according to his Purpose, and Grace given us in Christ before the World was.

That Word Purpose signifieth properly the Fore-laying of a thing.

This Divine B…ilding of Love, this Heavenly Frame of Life, and Immortality, which is the True Form of a Saint, was set up in the Glorious Person of our Jesus from Eternity. All, that is done in time is the unvailing, and Discovery of this Heavenly, and Eternal Building by Degrees, according to the Measure of the Appearance of the Lord Jesus in us, in whose Person, and Spirit this Frame standeth, as a Living, Precious Corner-stone, out of which it is grown up; as a most pleasant Situation, which encompasseth it on every pa…t.

This Palace, this Temple of Divine Love, of Light, of Life, of Immortality is Eternal in the Heavens, in Christ. Time, Flesh, Sin, the whole Work of this Creation are a Vail of Darkness, and Death cast upon It. As Jesus Christ shineth forth upon the Soul in the Gospel, he casteth off this Vail, he abolisheth this Death, he discovereth, and bringeth forth into the Clearness, and Sweetness of Its own Divine Light this Divine Frame of Life, and Immortality, which is the True Saint, the New Jerusalem, the Bride, the Lamb's wife coming down out of Heaven with her Beloved ready trim'd.

How manifest, how full is the Finishing Love of God in Christ? The whole Being of a Saint is a Building, where all the Materials, the Work, the Finishing is Pure Love. Pure Love finished all its Works in this Building, before it began the World, from Eternity; and set it up in the Person of Christ. Pure Love cleanseth it from the Dust of Time, the Filth of Flesh, and bringeth it forth into the clear Lights of Grace, of Glory, which are the Brightness of its own Spiritual Beauties, in the Evangelical Appearances, and Out-Shinings of Jesus Christ.

Use 1. Receive the Love of God in Christ. 2. Resign your selves to the Love of God in Christ.

p. 4141. Receive the Love of God in Christ. It is a sweet, and easy work. For this Love giveth reception to itself in the Soul. When the Sugar taketh in the Wine; In truth the Wine into which the Sugar is cast, or which is poured upon it, worketh itself into the Sugar, then melteth, and dissolveth it into One Body with itself; until you can no more distinguish between the Sugar, and the Wine. So the Soul lieth in the midst of Divine Love. Love in its own way, by its own force worketh and melteth itself into the Soul, until it have melted and wrought the Soul into One Spirit, One Love with itself.

Divine Love is received into thy Soul, as thy Soul is received into thy Body; by Bringing it forth New out of its own Bosom; by Comprehending it in itself; by Forming it unto a Divine Image of Itself; by Inhabiting, Filling, Acting it; by Delighting in it, as its Daughter, Sister, Spouse, as its self multiplyed. Receive this Love, which thus receiveth you, giveth reception to itself in you.

2. Resign your selves to Divine Love. This Love worketh all your works, all its own works in you, and for you; all Works of Love and of Loveliness. Philosophy teacheth us, that all Colours are Light mingled with Shade in various degrees, and manners; until it break up thorow the Shades, and drink up the Shades into One Pure Brightness. The Gospel teacheth us; that all Graces are Divine Love shining variously, and gradually forth, thorow the Darknesses of our Spirits; until by a sweet and Heavenly Force, as the Fire of the Divine Life kindled from the Throne of God, it burn out, and burn up all those Darknesses, Distances, De…ilements, Enmities, into One Eternal Flame of Pure Love, of Perfect Joy.

St. James teach…th us; c. 1. 4. If Patience have its perfect work, it shall make us perfect, wanting nothing. This is the same thing, as if he had said; Let Divine Love, Preventing, Assisting Finishing Love have their Perfect work. These will make you Perfect, wanting nothing. This is the Grace of Patience; the Love of God in Christ by its own force insinuating itself into our Souls; by its own Charms alluring our Souls, tempering them to a harmonious Repose in it, a sweet, entire Resignation to it; until it have wrought out, and finished its own Glories upon it.

Patience hath its Perfect Work; when Love hath its Perfect work. Love hath its Perfect Work in us; when we oppose nothing of the Devil to it; when we mingle nothing of our own with it.

O that I were indeed a Minister of the Gospel! Then I should minister the Spirit to you, which is Love; The Fountain, and the Sea of Love. Then while I speak of Love, you would feel the Holy Ghost in his own proper Form, in the Form, and Fulness of Divine Love coming down upon you, entering into you, forming himself in you unto a Free Reception of himself, a Full Resignation to himself, until he had Finished his own most Lovely Form of Heavenly Love in you.

p. 415Use 3. Be aware, that you must receive the Love of God in Christ thorow Death. St Paul admonisheth us, that as many, as are baptised into Christ, are baptised into the Similitude of his Death. Rom. 6. 3. If we will be baptised into the Love, we must be baptised into the Death of the Lord Jesus. When Moses son was circumcised, Zipporah his wife said to him; A bloody husband hast thou been to me. Some interpret the Words, as they run in the Hebrew; Thou hast been to me a Husband in Blood. So they are the Solemn words of that Sacrament pointing out the Truth figured in that Type. The Lord Jesus is a Husband to Thee in his own Blood. Thou must also be a Spouse to him in thine own Blood,

St Paul saith; Ye are dead to your first Husband by the Dead Body of Christ, that ye may be married to another, to him, who is risen from the Dead. Rom. 7. 4. You must come thorow the Death of Christ into his Marriage-Bed. You cannot lye down in the Embraces of his Love in Glory; except ye be first married to his Crucified Body, and united to that in the Embraces of Death. Flesh, and Blood saith St Paul cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; into the Kingdom of Spiritual Love.

If a Fleshly, a Natural Spirit striveth to enter into the Love of God in the Glorified Person of our Lord Jesus: it …alleth short of the Truth, the Life; it attaineth to a Similitude only. The Love and Glory of the Father, of Christ, of Heaven to the most raised Spirit of this Creation is an Enchantment, Delusion, a Dream. This G…ace of God in the Figure, this Divine Love in a Dream is for the most part turned into Wantonness, & Lust. So men become in the heighth of the Purest Notions, of the Sweetest Images no more than Filthy Dreamers.

The Death of Christ in the New Birth, in Purity, and Power of the holy Ghost is the Angel with a Flaming Sword turning every way, which keepeth the Entrance into the True Paradise, the Way to the Tree of Divine Love, as well, as of Divine Life. The Eternal Spirit is the Flaming Sword. Death here in its outward form is an Angel ministring to this Spirit. He, that dieth by this Sword, and Flame in the hand of this Angel, cutteth off, burneth up all Fleshly Forms, and Lives; is in the same moment new-born into a Divine, Immortal Spirit. In this Spirit he entereth into the Paradise of Love in the Third Heavens, above the Heaven of Sense, or all things Visible, above the Heaven of Reason, Angels, all things Invisible, Intellectual, of the First Creation; in the Glorified Person of Christ. Here nothing entereth, which hurteth, or defil…th.

But be not discouraged, when ye hear of a Baptism in Death, before the Heavens open and the Dove, Divine Love descend to rest upon you, to give you rest in itself. It is Love itself, which is the Baptiser, which leadeth you, and goeth down with you into Death. It is a River of Love, which is the Jordan, the Death, into which you go down, and are baptised.

We are baptised, St. Paul saith in the forementioned place, into the Similitude p. 416of Christ's Death. The Death of Christ was Death in Truth; a Substantial, Real Death. The Death of Christ in a Saint is Eternal Love, Eternal Life in the Likeness, and Form of Death; a Similitude onelyonly of Death in a Substance of Immortal Love, and Glory, in the Person of our Jesus ascended.

Use. 4. Take heed of mingling the Lusts of the Flesh with Spiritual Loves. Jealousy is the Rage of God, as well, as of Man. It burneth to the Foundations of the Earth. A Fly bred out of Dung so infested the Eagle, that it forced him to lay his Eggs for safety in the Lap of Jupiter, the Heathen-God. The Fly mounteth up aloft, carrieth up some Dung with it, letteth it fall into Jupiter's lap. He arising, and shaking the Dung out of his Lap, shaketh ou… the Eagle's Eggs with it, which fall broken to pieces upon the ground.

This is a Fable. The Moral is good. Thou art a Saint. Thou layest the Births of the Divine Spirit in Thee, thy Graces, Hopes, Joyes with thy self in the Bosom of Divine Love. O take heed, that thy Flesh, that Dung-Fly, mingle nothing of its Filth with these Births of the Spirit in the Pure Bosom of Heavenly Love. If it do; assure thy self, that Love will cast all the Filth, all Flesh out of its Chast, and Spiritual Embraces, As that falleth to the Ground, thou also wilt fall with it, and have many a broken bone, many a broken heart.

We read in the Revelation of the Dragon, and his Angels in Heaven together with Michael, and his Angels. But they fought there, till the Dragon, and his Angels were cast out. Thou, O Believer, art a Heaven in which God dwelleth as Love, where all the Angels, as Angels of Love; where all Forms of things are, as Heavenly Angels of Pure Love round about him ministring to him. Shall there be now seen in this Heaven, in thy Person, O Believer, silthy Lusts, furious Passions; the Dragon, and his Angels together with the Lord Jesus, Divine Love, and its holy Angels. How hateful, how horrid a Wonder! What a Prodigy is this?

If it be so, let there be no rest in the Heaven of thy Spirit; let there be a continual Fight, until the Dragon with his Angels, the Fleshly Spirit with its Lusts, and Passions be cast out. When the Unclean Dog, and the fiery Dragon are no more; Thy Lamb will feed, and lye down to rest; thy Turtle will make its Nest, and enjoy its Mate, its Beloved in quiet. Nothing shall disturb, or make them afraid in all the Paradise of Divine Love.

Use. 5. Comfort your selves, O Believers. You travel thorough the Valley of Baca: Baca signifieth a Mulberry Tree, and Weeping. You travel thorow a Valley of Tears, a Mournful Valley; where all the Trees, that grow, are Mulberry Trees, Emblems of Grief, and Wo.

You are frequently overspread with the black Shades of Fear, Unbelief, Doubt, Distrust, Despair. You often fall into the hands of violent Robbers, Evil Spirits in the forms of various Temptations, Corruptions, Passions. These spoil you, leave you naked, wounded, desolate. You dig up pits in Duties, p. 417Ordinances. But many times no Rain, no Descent of the Spirit from Heaven filleth these Pits.

Yet be not discouraged, all you, who believe the Love of God in Jesus Christ. Strengthen the feeble Knees. You shall go on from Strength to Strength, from Light to Light; so you shall come every one of you at last to a Clear Sight, to a Compleat Fruition of the God of Gods on Mount Sion, of God in his Supreme Glory, in the Nakedness, Purity, Simplicity, Unity of the Eternal Spirit. Lift up the feeble hands. These weak Graces of yours mixt, interrupted with so much Corruption; These weak Persons; Bodies, and Spirits wearied, wounded, stained with so many Sufferings, Sins, and Sorrows shall be crowned with perfect Glory.

For why? Pure Love, Almighty Love, That Love, which is itself God over all Blessed for ever; This Love comes forth casting off all vails, pouring forth itself from all its Eternal Springs, in all its Infinite Fulnesses in the Glorified Person of Christ; This Love hath begun, and shall it not make an End?

As Certainly, as it hath laid the Foundation, and you have cried to it; Grace, Grace; Pure Love; Preventing Love; as Certainly, as it hath gone on to build you up thus far; and still you have cried to it; Grace, Grace; Pure Love; Assisting Love: so certainly will it lay the Top-stone. Your Eyes shall see it. You shall in like manner cry to it, with a Shout of Angels, and Blessed Spirits all round about you; Grace, Grace; Pure Love; Finishing Love.

There are Three Sorts of Comforts, which the Finishing Love of God in Christ ministreth to us; 1. Against the Difficulties of Life;

2. Against the Darkness of Death; 3. Against the Dreadfulness of the Great and Last Day.

1. Comfort; against the Difficulties of Life. St. Paul had prayed thrice against the Thorn in his Flesh, and the Buffetings of Satan. He receiveth this Answer; My Grace is suffici…nt for thee: My Strength is perfected in Weakness; I rejoyce therefore gladly in my Infirmities. For, when I am weak, the Power of Christ resteth upon me. My Grace. You have there the Father, the Fountain of Love, the Fountain of Free Grace. You have at the end of the verse, the Lord Jesus Glorified, into whom this Fountain floweth continually, covering his Person all over without, filling it all within with the G…ories, Immortalities and Joys of Divine Love. This Jesus resteth upon St Paul in the Power, in the Perfection of All his Loves; He maketh Perfect, he finisheth his Loves, the Pure, and heavenly Work of his Loves upon him; when he is weakest.

The Holy Ghost discovereth a Mystery here. A Mystery is a Divine Secret: A Divine Glory with a Divine Vail cast over it; a Divine Light surrounded with a Divine Darkness; The Head of Christ all Pure, Fine Gold covered with Locks, and Curles black, as a Raven. The Mystery, which the Holy Ghost here unvaileth to us is, One of the richest, and sweetest among all the Mysteries of the Gospel. It is the Mystery of Love, of Finishing Love. Blessed p. 418are those Eyes, that see the Glory; Blessed are those Hearts, that understand, and rellish the Sweetness of This Mystery. It is This: When Divine Love would put forth itself in Greatest Power, and Glory; when it would finish, make Perfect the general, or any Particular Work of Love in us: it chooseth that Season, when we are weakest, lowest, have least of Loveliness, Life, Love, or Suitableness to Love; when we are in the greatest unlikelyhood for it; when we seem to be at the greatest Distance from it.

Cant. 6. v. 12. The Spouse is brought in speaking thus: Ere I was aware, my Soul made me, as the Chariots of Amminadib. I have not Learning enough to understand, why Amminadib is set here, as One Proper name, whenas in the Hebrew there are Two distinct Words, which have their common signification, and are rendered in the Margint of the Bible; My Willing People. Moreover that word As is put in by the Translatours; and where we read Made me, the Original properly is expressed by Set me.

The words th…n run thus in the Hebrew Text; Ere I was aware, (or, I knew not, I knew not how, I knew nothing of it) my Soul set me the Chariots of my Willing People; or by the Addition of One Preposition understood; My Soul set me in the Chariots of my willing people. It will be worth our time, and pains; if we stay a little upon the opening of this verse. We shall find a Spiritual, a heavenly Treasure in it; and bring the Application home to our hearts more Clearly, more Comfortably.

There are Four Questions, which may be made here: 1. Qu. Who this People are, which the heavenly Bride calleth; My People. 2 Qu. What the Willing People are. 3 Qu. What the Chariots are. 4. How the Soul of the Bride setteth her In these Chariots or maketh her As these Chariots.

1. Qu. Who the heavenly Bride's own People are.

Answ. These whom the Spiritual Bride calleth Her own P…ople are Heavenly Spirits in Glory. It was said of Jacob, when he died; He was gathered to his People. While a holy Soul is in this World, she is, as an unknown Princess under a Disguise, in a strange land, the language whereof she understandeth not. In Death this Princess-Bride returneth home to her own People, to her own Kindred, her own Relations, and Acquaintances. There all understand the languages, Faces, and hearts of Each other. There they mutually drink in the Spirits of Each Other, and in the Spirits of Each other all Pure, Immortal Loves, Beauties, Joys.

There is another Scripture, which commenteth upon this, and confirmeth our Explication of it: It is Eccles. 12. 7. The Dust returneth to the Earth, as it was: The Spirit to God, who gave it. That which is translated God, is in the Plural Number Gods, often applyed to the Angels. The Jews say it signifieth God cum Indumentis suis: as he cloatheth himself with the Forms of Angels, and appeareth in them. The Soul of a Saint cometh forth from the Land of Angels, and Glorious Spirits, in the midst of which God reigneth, into this p. 419World, as into an Exile or Banishment. When it dieth, then it goeth home to its own Countrey, and People; to its own City, and Fellow-Citizens; The Inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, the Mother of us all.

I shall add one Text more, which will make all the rest Clear; Hebr. 11. 14, 15, 16. The Saints there are said to seek a Countrey. The Word is foreign; Their Native Countrey. Then to prevent a mistake you are told; that this Native Countrey was not that, from which they came on Earth. It is distinguished from that, and plainly called; A heavenly Country; Their Native Land, which is a heavenly Countrey. Behold those whom the Spouse of Christ calleth My People; The Inhabitants of the City of the Living God; her heavenly Countrey, her Native Land above the Heavens, as the word beareth. These are described in the Epistle to the Hebrews, The Assembly of the First-born. all Forms of things, all the Saints, in Spiritual Beings, and Beauties, in the Likeness of Christ, as he is the first-born of every Creature, before they descend from their Thrones of Pure Glory, from their Virgin-Lustre, and Sweetness in the Bosom of Christ, into Flesh, upon the Earth; The Innumerable Company of Angels the Glorious Attendants of the Saints in their higher, and First-born Glory; The Spirits of just men made Perfect; either in the Body, or out of the Body, come to this heavenly Land; Living, walking, and conversing there among the Inhabitants of this Land, in the Spirit: These are Thy People, Thine own People, O Believer, O thou Blessed Bride of thy Glorified Jesus. You have the Answer to the First Question.

2 Qu. What are the Willing People?

Answ. Again I am ignorant, why the same word is rendred in the Margin of this Scripture; Willing; when as immediately after, Cant. 7. 1. The same word Nadib is translated Prince; O Prince's Daughter; or O Princely Daughter. If I mistake not, the Church is spoken of in that Chapter, as being now in Glory, upon the Throne. You have this word Nadib used to the same sense, of the same Subject; Psal. 110. 3. Thy People shall be Willing in the day of thy Power, in the Beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning; thou hast the dew of thy Birth. The words lie thus in Hebrew: Thy willing People in the Day of thy Power, o…, thy Armies, in the Beauti…s, or Excellencies or Majesties of holiness, or in thy holy, Pure Beauties, from the Womb of the Morning, to thee the Dew of thy Youth.

You have here the Lord Jesus in Glory, in his Kingdom; in the Day of his Power with his Armies of Angels round about him; in the Beauties of holiness, in his Fr…shest Beauties, in the heighth of Excellency, and Majesty in the Glory of his God-Head filling, shining thorow, overspreading his humane Nature. You have him here in the Brightness Sweetness, and Newness of his Eternal Sonship, as he cometh …orth Immediately from the Womb of the Morning, the Bosom of the Father, who is the Morning, the Day-Spring of the God-Head. Thus is Jesus Christ with the Dew of his Youth upon him as Fair, as Fresh, as unfading as a New-blown Rose in the Morning, while the p. 420Pearly Dew lieth yet upon it. Jesus Christ is now, as a Bridegroom upon his Coronation Day, or as a King upon his Marriage-Day. Now his People are a Princely People, all Fellow-Kings together with him. Now the holy Soul is That Princess, and Daughter which is his Queen all in Beaten Gold at his right hand.

The Willing People are Princes, heavenly Spirits in Glory. This is the Answer to the Second Question.

3. Qu. What are the Chariots of the Princely People?

Answ. 1. The Chariots are the holy Angels. Psal. 68. 17. The Chariots of the Lord are Thousands; Ten Thousands of Angels. God is in the midst of them, as on Sinai, in the holy Place You may observe in your Bibles that word Place not to be printed with the same letter, as holy, to signifie, that it is not in the Hebrew but added by the Translatours.

The Holy may be here any of these, or rather all of these in their Subordinations; the Sanctuary, or Temple, the Holy Plac…, the Figure; the Lord Iesus, the Substance, & Life to this Figure, the holy One the Saints, the holy Ones, the members of Christ, Christ Mystical, the Spiritual Temples; Heaven, the Everlasting Glory of the God-Head, in which Christ resideth.

Sinai was a Type to all these. These in their several degrees are Sinai heightned to Sion, to the Perfection of the Divine Presence in the Beauty of Holiness, and Love. You may see too, that As before Sinai is added. The Hebrew lieth thus; Sinai in the holy.

The Thousands, and Ten thousands of holy Angels make all One Chariot in which God rideth. Each Angel is also a Distinct Chariot The Chariots of the Lord are according to the number of the Angels. But Each Angel comprehendeth in himself the whole Millions, of Angels. They are distinguished in their Essential Forms; but undivided. As the same Colours, and Lines varied make all Beauties: So all Angelical Forms in distinct Relations make up the Essence, and Glory of Every Particular Angel. God with the Thousands of his Chariots rested on Mount Sinai. Sinai, or Sion rather is in the Lord Jesus; in the Assemblies of the Saints; in the Person, and Spirit of every Saint; in Heaven; in the Spirit thorow all the Heavens, and the Earth, in the Lord Jesus, and every Saint.

The Chariot of Solomon is the Chariot of his Queen also. The Bridegroom, and the Bride ride together in the same Chariot; Jesus Christ and his Spouse; Jesus Christ, and his Brethren, his Fellow Kings.

Behold then the Chariots of the Princely People of the Immortal Kings, of Saints in Glory, in the Glory of Christ, and of the Spirit, whether in the Body, or out of the Body. They are the Chariots of God; The Thousands, and… Ten Thousands of the holy Angels.

These are in a double sense the Chariots of these Divine Princes; 1. These Princes ride in them; 2. God rideth, upon them in these Princes, as on Sinai, as on Sion, as in Heaven.

p. 421Answ. 2. The Chariot is the Divine Presence in the Light, and Evidence of its own Appearance, with all its Train of Glories, and Angels, as in Heaven with the Universal Form of things comprehended in it, enlivened, and enlightned by it; as in the Glorious Person of Christ, at the last day. This Divine Presence descending and ascending; resting upon, and shining forth in the Prophets and Holy men of old in their Visions; is described Mystically; Ezek. c. 1. and called by the Jews, The Chariot.

There are Wheels, Living, High, Dreadful, Glorious, Shining, as a Pretious Stone, full of Eyes, that is, of Angels, of heavenly Spirits. I humbly offer it to be considered; whether these Wheels be not the Elements, these Globes of the Visible Earth, and Heavens, made New, made Spiritual, filled with Angelical Lives, cloathed with Angelical Forms, and Glories in the Kingdom of the Spirit, and Mystical Person of Christ.

Then the Horses, which draw these Wheels are the Living Creatures, full of Eyes. If the Wheels may be understood to be the visible Part; these Living Creatures may present the Invisible Part of the Creation in its Renovation, by a Spiritual Glory flowing forth from the Fountain of The God-Head in the Glorified Person of the Lord Jesus.

These Wheels, and Horses together may perhaps not improbably be thought to be the New Earth.

Above the Wheels, and the Living Creatures is the Chariot itself, a Firmament. If I may pursue my former Apprehension with Submission to the Spirit of Truth in every Spirit; I shall call this the New Heaven; The heavenly Image, the God-Head unvailing itself, appearing in a New Glory. This is the Firmament, the Heaven, born up, and carried along by the Innumerable Company of Angels; while Jesus Christ sitteth in it, as in his Chariot.

Above this Firmament is the Similitude of a Man; as Fire, from his Loins upward, and as Fire from his Loins downward. This is our Blessed Saviour in the Union of his Divine, and Humane Nature. The Glory of the Divinity, of the Eternal Spirit cloatheth both with the same Similitude of Fire, which shineth with the Sweetest Light burneth with the greatest force of Love, transformeth all things with an Almighty Power into One Pure, Immortal, Divine Flame with itself.

The Lord Jesus himself speaketh of his own Coming, and Appearance in his Kingdom after this manner; The Son of Man shall come in his own Glory, in the Glory of his Father, and in the Glory of all His holy Angels.

Our Saviour seemeth to have had the same Vision in the Eye of his Spirit which Ezekiel had. The Jews distinguish the Angels into Angels of the Throne, nearer to the Divine Majesty; Angels of Service, at a greater Distance.

The Glory of the holy Angels make the New Earth; the Horses, and the Wheels in the Chariot of the great King. The Wheels, the Visible Part of the Creation, the Wheels are made of Angelical Glory: But they are the p. 422Angels of Service in a New, Spiritual Glory. The Invisible Things of the Creation, the Living Creatures in the Chariot are the Angels of the Thron… in the Glory of the Kingdom; of the Coronation,, and Marriage-Day.

The Firmament, the New Heaven is the Glory of the Father; The Chariot itself which containeth him, in which he descendeth, bowing down the Heavens, as he descendeth. The Lord Jesus himself in his own Glory is Distinct from all these Glories, compre…endeth them; and rideth forth in them.

This is that Image, in which he shall appear at the last Day, as a New Creator and a New Creation, making all things New; as the most Entire, most Naked Image of the Invisible God, in all his most Pure, and most Invisible Glories; as the First-born of the whole Creation in general, and of every Creature in Particular; as the Whole Creation in its Virgin-State, in its Ideal Glory, while yet it sprung up out of the Bosom of God, and stood onelyonly in the Bosom of God, and was a Sister-Spouse to the uncreated Beauty.

This is that Testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophesy; That Divine Presence, that Word of God, which came to all the Holy Men of old, in the Light of which, as in the Glass of Eternity, the First, and Supreme Truth, they saw Visions, dreamed dreams, and spake of him. This is the Chariot of the Princes; of the Saints in the Glory of the Spirit.

4 Qu. How doth the Soul of the Spouse make her, as this Chariot of her Princely People, or set her in it?

Answ. The Soul of the heavenly Bride is her Lord, her Life, her Love, her heart, her True Self, her Beloved, her Jesus. He descendeth in his Chariot, and taketh her up into it. He appearing in his heavenly Image composed of the Glory of his Father, his own Glory, the Glory of all his holy Angels, which is his Chariot, as he appeareth in her, translateth and transfigureth her into the same heavenly Image. She also is now become a Chariot made up all of the same Glories, with the same Jesus, the same Queen, the same Company of Princes riding together in it. The Soul of the Bride is also Faith, the … of God, the Divine Nature, the Spirit in a Saint.

This Divine Life in a Saint by a Descent of the Lord Jesus upon it, in a moment, ere a Saint is aware, he knoweth not how, both taketh him up to set him in this Chariot, and Transformeth him into it.

I have onelyonly prepared you by all this for the Application of the Scripture opened by us to our present purpose; that we may take in with a greater Sense, with a Deeper Impression the Comfort, and Joys of Finishing Love making Perfect its most Beautiful Works, and Displaying its most pleasant Strengths in our Weaknesses.

Ere I was aware, my Soul made me, as the Chariots of my Princely People; or set me in them.

Hearken to me, my Brethren. Is there not among you a Poor Believer, a Mournful Saint, which hath long prayed, long sighed for a Clear Sight of p. 423Jesus Christ, a Sense, and Seal of his Love, Sweet, and Constant Communion with him? To this Soul I now speak. Perhaps after all this thou art embracing the Dunghil of Distrust, and Despair. Perhaps thou art sitting upon the Dunghil of some Fleshly Lust, or Earthly Care; of Covetousness, or Lasciviousness; Vanity, or vexation. Now, in a moment, which thou thinkest not of, ere thou art aware, Jesus Christ in the Divine Brightness of some heavenly Truth flashing, like Lightning, in upon thy Spirit, may descend, may discover himself in his Heavenly Image, with his naked Glories, naked Loves to thee. Now, are thou art aware, he may make this heavenly Image, at once a Laver of Precious Blood, in which he washeth Thee white, as the Light itself, from every Spot; a Chariot of heavenly Princes, in which he cometh down to Thee upon thy Dunghil, taketh Thee off from thy Dunghil to ride with him in the Fellowship of all Immortal Spirits, while all the holy Angels bear Thee up, and carry Thee on upon the Firmament of the Father's Glory at the side of thy Beloved, whither the Mind of the Spirit is for Thee to go.

Ere thou art aware, the Lord Jesus can change thy Dunghil, can change Thee, into a Divine Chariot of Eternal Spirits, in which he will ride forth with Thee; thou shalt ride forth together with him having his Loveliness in thine Eye, his Love in thine heart, thorow all Forms of things, Light, and Darkness, Life, and Death, as thorow various Fields, differing Regions of Spiritual Beauties, and Delights in the Vast Continent, the Vast World of the Divine Nature.

Thus comfort thy self against the Discouragements of Life with the Fulness of Divine Love, …inishing Love in the Glorified Person of Christ; which maketh Perfect its Strength and Sweetness in Weakness, and Enmity; which giveth Thee the Desire of thy Soul, thy Jesus, most clearly, most dearly into thy Bosom, when thou lyest locked up fastest in the Bosom of the Strange Woman; o… This Strumpet, and this Witch, the Hellish Darkness cloathed with Figures of Fleshly Softnesses, Sweetnesses, Lights, and Treasures.

Gen. 28. 11, 12. Jacob had pursued the Spiritual Blessing, the heavenly Birth-right, and had obtained the Promise, the Purchase. After all this he fly…th alone, as a Banished Person, from his Father's house. He is benighted in an open field. He lieth upon the naked ground. He hath under his head for a Pillow, a Cold, Hard Stone. Now Finishing Love maketh Perfect its Strength in this Weakness, giving him now the Evidence, the Pledge, the First-fruits of that Spiritual Blessing, that heavenly Birth-right, which he had a Promise of, and a Title to.

Now Heaven is opened to the Eye of his Spirit in a Dream. A Ladder …acheth from Heaven to Earth. One End of it resteth on the Bosom of God above. The other End standeth upon the Ground at his head below. Angels descend, and ascend upon the Ladder. He awaketh, and saith; This is none other, than the Gate of Heaven, the house of God; and I was not aware p. 424of it. The Stone on which he lay, is now anointed, and becometh a Pillar, and Altar, a Figure of Jesus Christ in all his Divine Loves, and Lovelinesses.

Jacob is in every holy One. Hear this you broken hearts. You complain We have tasted something of the Sweetness of Preventing Love, if this be Preventing Love to cast in upon our Spirits gracious hints, and hopes of Spiritual Blessings, and heavenly things, when we sate in the Shadow of Death, and did not so much, as know, or Believe, that there was a Spirit, a Heaven.

We have also tasted something of the Sweetness of Assisting Love, if this be assisting Love to help us, to carry us on for a wearisome length of time with sighs, and groans, unutterable, to cry for the Revelation, the Possession, the Fruition of these Spiritual Blessings, and heavenly things, in the Foretast of them.

But, O! where is Finishing Love? Now instead of this, behold, we are benighted with Darkness of Spirit surrounding us, far from our Father's house, from the Bosom of our Jesus, in the wide, solitary, naked field of this Fleshly Image. We lie upon the Cold Ground of our own Natural, Earthly, Comfortless Spirits. Under our head is the hard Stone of unbelief, Distrust, Care, and Fear. Where is now Finishing Love?

Finishing Love is now nearer to you, than you are aware. This is the Season for Finishing Love▪ this is the Time, in which the Work of Finishing … is most Beautiful. What it now doth, will be for Ever, for an Eternal Joy▪ and Glory; a Work of Eternity.

It will be now Pure Love, Perfect Love; It will now work with All Freedom, with all Fulness in your Weaknesses.

Ere you are aware, Finishing Love will open itself, as the Heaven of Heavens round about you. You shall see the Lord Jesus, as a Mystical Ladder … Divine Loves reaching from Heaven, to Earth, filling with the Fulness … Divine Loves poured forth in his Glorified Person all the Space betwee… Heaven, and Earth; while One End of this Ladder toucheth the Heart of Go… in the Glories of Heaven, and Eternity; the other End toucheth thine … thou liest covered with darkness below on the Desolate Earth. Divine Love in all Angelical forms stand upon every Round of this Ladder, every Degre… and State o… Things between heaven, and Earth, in great Troops. These … once descend, and ascend; bring down the Heart of the Father into thy Bosom… and carry up thy Heart into the Bosom of the Father.

Now thou saiest; This Open Field was the House of God, of Divine Lo… This Darkness was the Gate of Heaven; the Gate of Finishing Love; and was not aware. By this Gate Divine Love cometh forth from Its Spiritual P…lace unto me. By this Gate Divine Love bringeth me into its Palace. It… enough I have received the Spirit of Promise; I am Sealed by it with … Eternal Image of Divine Loves, and Glories, with the Heart of my Jesus, m… God, set upon my Heart. O my Jesus, it is true, it is True. This was the Sea p. 425son of thy Finishing Love, and I was not aware. Thy Finishing Love maketh Perfect its Strength, Light, Sweeetness, in Weakness, Darkness, Enmity.

Thus comfort your selves against the Difficulties of Life in the Freedom, the Fulness of the Finishing Love of God treasured up in the Glorified Person of Christ for you.

2 Comfort; Against the Darkness of Death. Gladly therefore will I rejoyce in mine Infirmities. For, when I am weak, the Power of Christ resteth upon me; saith St Paul; 2 Corin. 12. 10. in the place cited before. It is the Power of Finishing Love in Christ which is here intended. For that was the Subject of the former part of the verse: My Grace is sufficient for Thee. Behold Free Grace, Pure Love! For my Strength is made perfect in Weakness. The Strength of Grace, of Love is made Perfect in Weakness. Behold Finishing Love! This maketh the Infirmities not of old Age onelyonly, but of our dying hour Pleasant to us; that, when we are weakest, the Power of Divine Love resteth upon us in its Finishing Sweetnesses, and Glories.

When the Lord Jesus hung upon the Cross, he cried out; My God, my God: why hast thou forsaken me? A Darkness covereth the face of the whole Earth round about Him. The next words, which we hear from him, just as he giveth up the Ghost, are these: It is Finished; A Declaration of Victory; A Triumph. The Mystery of my Sufferings, of Divine Wrath are finished in my Person. The Glory of the God Head, of Heaven, of Eternity; All Beauty, all Joyes; The Mystery of Divine Love are finished, and compleated in my Person. Both these Mysteries are now finished, Both Compleated in One Glory, in this One Moment of my Death.

This is the Pattern of a Saint, and of Finishing Love in the Pangs of Death. You have a Saint sick on his Death-bed; a sense of Sin, of Wrath; Doubt, Despair spreading their black Wings over his Spirit; pains, faintings, deadly pangs seizing upon his Body. In a Moment, in the midst of these Weaknesses the Lord Jesus in a Chariot of Angels, and Invisible Glories, with the full Power of all Finishing Loves resteth upon him from without; raiseth himself and shineth from within. Now in this Moment is the Whole Scen… changed. The black, and baleful. Image of Things is changed into a Heaven. The fainting dying Person into a Glorified Spirit triumphing in his Chariot of Angels, and ascending with the Lord Jesus into the Heighths of Eternity.

He crieth one moment; The Joys of Life, the Light of the Sun, the Delights of mine Eyes, My Dearest Relations, and sweetest Friends, Life itself forsake me. My hope, my Faith, my Spiritual Comforts; my God, my God, why do ye, why doest thou forsake me?

The Next moment with a Shout of Angels, with the Sound of the Silver Trumpets in Heaven, he crieth out; It is finished. The Sufferings of Christ are finished in me. Divine Love hath finished upon me all its Mysteries, and made the Joys of Eternity full in me.

p. 426A modest Person was sick, and in want: A Friend sensible of his want, and modesty conveyed a Bag of money under his head, and pillow, while he slept. He waketh, findeth it, smileth, and saith: This is the Stealth of my Friend.

Our Jesus frequently casteth a deep Darkness, the Shadow of Death over us then, when he purposeth under the covert of this Darkness to convey some finished Piece of Glory, some Compleat Work of Finishing Love, Heaven itself into our Bosom; our Persons into a Heaven of Immortalities, and Glories unsought, unexpected, unperceived by us, until we are possessed of them, until we are in the midst of Them. These are the Stealths of our Beloved. These are the Stealths of Finishing Love.

The Power of Christ with all the Fulness of Finishing Loves resting upon a Saint in his Death is excellently described, 2 Corin. 5. v. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Observe there Four things; 1. A Glorious Building. 2. The Groans of Burthened Saints. 3. The Workmanship of God, 4. The Earnest of the Spirit.

1. A Glorious Building. This is A building of God; foreign; out of God. The Materials, as well as the Builder, and the Form, are all of a Divine Nature. It is a Pallace hewn out of the Rock, and standing in the Rock of Eternity. Gold, precious Stones, Pearls, the Body of the Sun, Angelical Substances are, as Dung to the Materials, of which this Building consisteth.

It is Eternal; above Time; and so without Beginning, or End; above Succession and change.

It is in the Heavens, in the Highest Heavens, the Heavens of Eternity, the Heavens of Heavens, in the Eternal and Supream Spirit.

It is situate in the most Divine Heighths, in the midst of the most Divine Lights, Loves, Purities, Powers, and Pleasures; in the midst of the most Divine Lives, and Immortalities.

2. The Groans of burthened Saints. We groan being burthened. The Burthen is the Earthy Tabernacle; This Life; The Weight of vanity, and Corruption. These burthened Spirits groan for the Dissolution of this Tabernacle. But how? Not, that we would be uncloathed, but cloathed upon with our house from Heaven; not to be found naked, but to have Mortality swallowed up of Life.

St. Paul expresseth the meaning of the Unutterable Groans, with which the Spirit of Supplications maketh Intercession in the Saints. They would not be uncloathed of the Spiritual Image, which they put on at the New Birth. They would not be uncloathed of the Natural Image, which they put on at their First Birth. They would never, no, not for a moment be found naked of any thing of that Life Light, or Sweetness, Heavenly, or Earthly, which belong to either of these. No; they groan to have these cloathed upon with that their Bui…ding from above; to have not onelyonly their Immortal, and Inward, but their Outward, and Mortal Part itself swallowed up into Life; Life itself, in its Purity, in its Per…ection, in its Spring, which is Eternity.

3. The Workmanship of God in a Saint is wonderful▪ and indeed Divine p. 427in this. Now he that hath made us for this, or, he that hath wrought us unto this, is God. St Paul assureth every Saint, that his Groans are heard, and answered; from the Workmanship, and the Workman. We read in the Canticles; that the Thighs of the Princess, and Bride are, as Jewels, the Work of the hands of a Curious, and Faithful Workman. So the Word in Hebrew signifieth.

The Spiritual, and Natural Life; the Whole Frame, and Composure of a Saint, Inward and Outward; all are Mysterious Jewels, wrought by the Divine hands of God himself, as a most Curious, and Faithful Workman, as a most Skilful, and Firm Piece of Work. They are by an Unexpressible Wisdom, and Love framed unto this; that the Substance of these Jewels should never fail, the Vertue never decay, the Lustre never fade; no, not in Death itself; but then most of all grow bigger, and brighter; more Pure, more, Perfect more Powerful by being drunk up into Eternity; as the Waters of a fine Spring, are drawn, and drunk up by the Sun.

4. The Earnest of the Spirit. Who hath also given us the Earnest of the Spirit. The Eternal Spirit in the Immortal Soul, and Mortal Body of a Saint; The Eternal Spirit, in which a Saint possesseth Soul, Body; things of Faith, of Reason, of Sense; This Spirit is to a Saint an Earnest; both a foretast, and a seal of this truth; that both the Soul, and the Body of a Saint in Death, are like the Spice in the Golden Censor, or upon the Golden Altar in the Temple, which is the Glorified Bosom of Christ. Both lose nothing of themselves, but change into a more Spiritual, and Divine Form, in which they ascend, and carry up all their Preciousness, all their Pleasantness with them, like the Pillar of Smoak from the Altar perfumed with all the Spices of the Apothecary, in which those Spices themselves with all their Sweetness, and Vertue go up refining, and enlarging themelves, till they rest and spread themselves, in the Bosom of Heaven.

How Curious, and Sure a Workman is Jesus Christ, is the Love of the Father in the Death of a Saint? O the Freedom, O the Fulness; O the Skill, O the Faithfulness of Finishing Love in the Death of a Saint!

O Believers! Preventing Love hath brought you out of Aegypt, out of the Servitude to your Lusts, and the God, the Spirit of this World. Assisting Love hath carried you along thorough this Weary Wilderness, your Conformity, and Fellowship with the Lord Jesus in his Sufferings. Be of good Courage. Your Cloaths shall not wax old. Nothing of you shall fall in this Wilderness. You shall certainly come into the Good Land, the Land of Promise, the Land of Rest, the Land flowing with Milk, and Honey; with Life, and Peace; Immortality, and Immortal Pleasures.

Finishing Love in the Glorious, and Immortal Person of your Beloved like the Ark before the Israelites, shall lead you thorow this Jordan, thorow Death, on the Dry, Firm, and Pleasant Land of Life itself. Not so much, as any single Drops of any Dark Waters shall sprinkle themselves upon any Parts of your p. 428Garment. The clear Streams of this Beloved River shall stand on heaps, on each side of you; as Christal, or Diamond Rocks; as Lights, Prospects, and Guards of Angels, while you pass.

When You are weakest under the Pangs of Death, the Finishing Love of Christ in Power, your Glorified Jesus in the Power of his Finishing Love shall rest upon you, shall spring up in you; at once to comprehend you, and enlarge you; to Cloath you upon, and to transform you within.

Nothing of the Graces, and Joys of your Inward Man; Nothing of the Beauties, and Delights of your Outward Man shall be divorced from you, or darkened in you. Like a Heaven of Stars, they may pass under many Clouds; But under all Clouds, they shall go on shining still, and increasing their Lustre. When they seem to be extinguished in Death, they shall be only drunk up into that Pure Light of Life, which is Invisible to all Mortal Eyes by its Fineness, and Fulness of Glory. They shall disappear onelyonly by the Degree of heightning.

He, who hath wrought us unto this, is God. The Sweet Colours of a fair Summer-Morning in the Sky are so made, that they fade not, but go on changing to fair and fresher Colours still, until they all vanish into Pure Light. For These Colours are all the Light of the Approaching Sun figuring itself in divers degrees into Different Forms of Beauty; till at last It Break up into the Full Glory of unmixt Light by the immediate Presence of the Sun appearing with the unclouded Brightness of his heavenly Body.

In like manner all the Excellencies, Entertainments, and Joys of a Saint, in his Immortal, and Mortal Part; The Immortal, and Mortal Parts themselves of a Saint thorowout are so framed by the Father of Lights, and Loves; that they can never fade, nor pass away; but in the moment of Death itself, are cloathed upon from above with a Brighter, a Diviner Form, and are swallowed up into the Abysses, the Incomprehensiblenesses of Eternity.

For God is Love. A Saint is a Birth of Love; A Seed of Divine Love springing up in his Outward, and Inward Man, Forming itself into a Body and Spirit, into all the Powers, Pleasures Objects, Relations of Both. Divine Love is the Substance, and the Sap; The Matter, and the Form in all. A Saint in his Essence, and Operations, all Entirely is a Plant of Divine Love. Death is the Ripening of the whole Plant all over into the Perfect Fruit of Pure Love, of Finishing Love. In this Form It can be seen, felt, tasted no more but by the Pure Eyes, Embraces, and Mouth of Divine Love. God hath also given us the Earnest of his Spirit for this. Tell me now you, who have received the Spirit; What do you see, what do you feel, when you are blessed from on high with any fresh Anointing, any fresh Effusion of the Spirit upon you? When the Activity of Grace, when the Operations of the Divine Life are heightned in you by any peculiar Appearances, and Outshinings of the Lord Jesus in you; what do you Find? Do you not find all things made New? Do you not p. 429find the Invisible Image of things within, the Image of all Visible things without; Your self your Life, Your Soul, your Body, Your Graces, your Comforts; Husband, Wife, Children, all Objects of Life, the whole World itself renewing its Light, its Sweetness, its Lustre; All heightened, Spiritualised Immortalized, transfigured into Divine Forms Invisible to all other Eyes, and this without any Darkening, without any Eclipse, or Cloudy moment interposing.

This is the Earnest of the Spirit given unto Thee for a Figure, a Foretast, and a Seal of Thy change in Death.

Thou shalt not be uncloathed of any Garment of Life, or Light; Spiritual, or Natural, which thou hast ever put on. Thou shalt never be found naked of any Forms of Light, Life, or Love, which have ever accompanyed, and encompassed Thee.

Thy Faith-shall be swallowed up into Vision; Clear, Full Immediate Vision, Eye to Eye; Thy Hope into Entire Possession, and Compleat Fruition; thy Soul itself into a Simple Divinity and Eternity.

Thy Body; thy Dear Relations; the Delights of thine Eyes; the Precious, and Pleasant things of thy Senses shall All be cloathed upon from above with those Immortal Substances, of which here they are the Shadows; with their own Original Forms, of which here they bear the Figure; with their Flourishing Patterns upon the Mount of Glory, in that First, and Pure Spirit, the Fountain of Life, the shining Fountain of Good; in the Glorified Person of the Lord Jesus; in Eternity.

The Movable Tabernacle with its Tent, both are Dissolv'd, and fall into the Eternal Building of Glory in the Heavens; where they become, as Mysterious Figures of Divinity, in that Temple; or Rich Furniture, & Delightful Apartments of that Palace; where every Part beareth the Figure; possesseth the Life, and Beauty of the Whole.

This is the Freedom, the Sweetness, the Fulness of the Finishing Love of God in Christ. Death itself is made at once A Consummation of the Marriage Love between the Heavenly Bridegroom, & his Bride; A Bed of Loves; the Divine Embraces of Eternal Love; and the Divine Fruitfulness of these Embraces.

Jesus in his Invisible, and Eternal Form descendeth, overshadoweth embraceth his Bride; transfigureth her into a Form of Eternal Beauties perfectly answering his own; maketh her to spring with, to bring forth in the moment of those embraces, in the moment of her own Transfiguration all Forms of Things above, and below in Immortal, Divine Images, and Essences of Pure, Perfect Love.

The Dark, aud Dreadful Appearances which surround Death, are onelyonly A Cloud, which hide these Delightful, these sacred Mysteries and changes from all Natural Eyes; while the Saint himself in the Spirit seeth its own Beauties, feeleth its own Joys in these Transfiguring, and Impregnating Embraces: p. 430So Christ himself, was taken by a Cloud out of the sight of the Apostles while he ascended.

Death beginneth to the whole Saint in all parts that Coming down of the Lord Jesus in a Flame of Glory; that Rapture of a Saint caught up into the Bosom of the Lord Jesus, with the Sound of the Heavenly Trumpet: The Universal Shout of Divine Lives, Loves, Glories, thorow all things. The Resurrection finisheth them. O the Absoluteness of Finishing Love! All work of Glory is made perfect in a Saint: Jesus in all these Powers and Treasures of the God-Head resteth upon a Saint then, when he is weakest, when he seemeth nearest, likest to Darkness, Dust and Dung, in the Agonies of Death.

3. Comfort; Against the last Day. There are peculiar Terrours accompany the Day of Judgment. It is indeed the most Dreadful of all Dreadful things.

The Last Day is twofold; 1. Universal, the Day of the Lord upon the whole Earth. 2. Particular; the day of the Lord upon a City or Nation.

Both these are spoken of mixtly. The same dreadful things are attributed to both; properly, or figuratively. We know not how near the Universal Day of the Great Judgment of the Lord upon the whole Earth may be. The Lord Jesus may be now at the Door, and ready to enter. He shall come as a Thief in the Night, in Clouds, unperceived, unexpected. All things shall be in the moment of his Appearance, as from the Beginning: Some at the Mill, some in the Field, some in the Market, some at Church to be married, others in the Marriage bed, others Eating and Drinking. All the signs which are to fore-run that Great Day of the Lord's Last Appearance from Heaven, may be come to pass in the midst of us in another manner and form, differing from that, which we figure to our selves, and we not aware of it: As Elijah the great fore-runner of our Lord Jesus in his first Appearance was come and gone in the Person of John the Baptist, not understood either by the Jews in general, or by the Disciples. Watch and pray; have your Loyns ever girt, your Lamps burning; go forth from the things of Sense into the Spirit, to meet the Lord, who cometh in that Air of Heaven, and Eternity. So shall you be caught up to meet him, as he cometh, and enter with him into the Bride-chamber.

I shall give you my Reasons, which make me to believe, that the Particular Day of the Lord upon this Land and City approacheth, and cometh like a Traveller, like an Armed Man upon us.

1. Jerusalem and the Jews seem to be set up for a Type to every City and Land, which beateth the Name of God. St. Paul at large in the 11th to the Romans describeth the Succession of the Gentiles by Christianity into the place of the Jews, the Progress and Way of God with the External Professors of the Gospel, as with Israel. He representeth this by Natural Branches cut off from and Olive Tree, by wild Branches ingrafted in their place, standing upon the same Terms, in the same danger of being cut off.

p. 4312. Are not we, as Hierusalom, ripe for the Harvest? Have we not had the Ministry of the Law, of the Gospel, of the Letter, of the Spirit, in great power, and glory? Have not all varieties of chastisements, and judgments inferiour to, preparatory for the great, and last Judgment, already passed upon us? Have not our Sins among all sorts, of all kinds, grown up to maturity to be ready for the Sickle?

3. We have seen signs in Heaven above, and on the Earth beneath, and in the Waters; which Jesus Christ foretelleth, as Joel before, and St. Peter afterwards from him, to precede immediately the great and dreadful day of the Lord upon Hierusalem. Hierusalem is in London.

But, O what comforts flow from the finishing love of God in Jesus Christ to make this day of the Lord not only supportable; but lovely to us, and longed for by us.

Lift up your heads, for your redemption is at hand; your Redeemer cometh. This is the day of finishing love. Jesus Christ cometh in this day to thee, O Believer, to consummate the Marriage, and so all thy joys, thy graces, thy g…ories in thy compleat Marriage to himself. The day of the Lord is said to be; The Revelation of the Lord from Heaven. As the natural day chaseth away the shadows of the night; but is the brightness of the Suns beautiful, and glorious Body, making all things new in the pleasantness of his light to those Eyes, that watch for the morning: so is this day of the Lord a day of Clouds, and Darkness to the Children of the night. But it is to thee, who lovest, and waitest for the appearance of our Lord Jesus, the breathing forth of all finishing loves, the breaking forth of all finished Beauties from the beloved Person of thy Jesus, appearing nakedly in all the glories of the God-Head from Heaven, in thy Person, in all things round about thee; as the Sun of Eternity at once shining in every point of things, making a new day of immortality, and glory every where.

The Lord Jesus cometh indeed in flames of Fire. But these flames are the Almighty powers, and Supream glories of the eternal spirit, of eternal love in its purity, in its simplicity. These are of a truth flames of fire to the enmity, to the enemies, to all flesh: but they are to thee, who livest in the spirit, flames of finishing love, of finished beauties presenting themselves to thee in all forms of things; feasting themselves upon thee; feasting themselves with thee; making themselves a feast to thee.

I will conclude with that History of Elijah, 1 Kings 19. 11. There passed before him a Whirlewind rending the Rocks, removing the Mountains; a Fire, and Earthquake. After these came a still veice. The learned Jews say; That all this was acted before the Prophet in a divine vision; that the Whirlwind, the Mountains, the Rocks torn in pieces; the Fire, the Earthquake were Angels presenting themselves in those Forms, as so many Divine Scenes that the still voice were all the Angels in a Quire, making a heavenly melody;

p. 432Thy Royal Bridegroom cometh in every day of Judgment to make more than this, true to thee, O thou Dove, thou Bride of the Lamb. He cometh in the weakness of all flesh round about thee, to rest upon thee, upon all things round about thee in the power of his finishing loves. This is the great day of love, and of the spirit, in which he will make perfect the strength of his love, and spirit, while thou art trembling, while all things are falling with a great noise round about thee, as dreadful ruines in a devouring flame.

Now lift up thy head into that living, and glorious light of the eternal spirit; now lift up thine Eyes, and thine heart unto that living, and glorious light of divine love, which breaketh forth from the face of thy Jesus within thee, without thee, on every side of thee.

This is the day of the anointing of thine Eyes with the heavenly Eye-salve; of changing thee, and the whole world to thee into fine Gold, Gold tryed in the fire.

All things now appear to thee, as indeed they are, a divine vision in a light of Glory. The whirlewinds, Earthquakes, Fires, Deaths, Ruines are all Angelical Scenes in the Spirit. In them all thou seest the Dances, thou hearest the still voice, the calm, charming, soft Musick of all the Angels, all the Spirits, all the loves of God; as on his, and thy Marriage-day.

Thus finishing love maketh perfect the light, the life, the strength of the spirit, and of love in thee in thy personal weakness, in the universal weakness, decay, and ruines of all flesh, of the whole Creation round about thee.

A skilful Painter is most discerned in laying his shadows. By these he maketh his work softer, sweeter, more full of life, and more taking. Thus comfort thy self in all thy weaknesses, darknesses, and deaths. Say thou; now is my Jesus exercising his divine wisdom, and skill in laying, and placing his shadows. Now upon these sad grounds will he curiously lay his rich and pleasant colours. Now will he form and finish the glorious face of his divine beauties, of his divine loves upon me.

Finishing love then appears, then displayeth itself with greatest freedom, fulness, and sweetness: when it maketh perfect its strength, its beauties, its joys, its eternal light in our weakness, de…ormity, despair, darkness, death.

These are the rellishes to the Musick; the shadows to the beauty of finishing love. These are the times for finishing love; when it is most beautiful.

I h…ve now made an end of my discourse upon the first rich branch of this divine fulness of love in Christ; the fulness of love in all States. I come now to the second branch; the fulness of love in all kinds.

2. There is p…ured forth from the Father in the glorified Person of the Lord Jesus a fulness of love of all kinds. St. Paul saith; that God the Father hath abounded in Grace towards us in all wisdom, and prudence in Christ. Ephes, 1. 6, 7. There are three parts of wisdom, where it is compleat. 1. There is in wisdom a var…ety of things. 2. A contrivance of this variety into one piece. 3. A concurrence, p. 433and meeting in one of all the several varieties in each part, and point of the whole piece by the force of the Harmony. The Father aboundeth in his Grace, his love to us in all wisdom, in Christ. here is fulness upon fulness. He aboundeth. He aboundeth in all wisdom. Nay you have a threefold fulness; an abundance; an abundance in wisdom, which itself expresseth a fulness, a riches of variety. but then there is superadded all wisdom; all variety.

The Father is a plenitude of love …of all kinds, in all varieties pouring forth himself incessantly, endlesly, eternally in Christ. God is in Christ, in his electing love, in his creating love, in his preserving love, in his redeeming, regenerating, justifying, adopting, sanctifying, comforting, glorifying love. God aboundeth with a fulness, with a filling, an overflowing fulness in all these, in each of these several kinds of love in Jesus Christ. Enlightning, enlivening, softning, sweetning, healing, cleansing, defending, delighting, heightning, crowning loves, all are here, and all are full here to infiniteness.

Come all ye Souls, who want a sense of sin, or mourn under a sense of sin for want of a sense of love; come hither to Jesus Christ, and have love, love of every kind, love suitable to your longings, or wants; and have it in abundance. The glorified Person of Christ is a spiritual Garden. Indeed it is a Garden invisible, sealed up from the outward senses. But by how much the more invisible it is; it is so much the more real, glorious, and divine. This Garden is ever present before thee. It flourisheth in the midst of thee. It is continually open to every humble, believing Spirit.

In this Garden all kinds of divine love grow, as so many flowers, which are ever full-blown, ever in their full beauty, and sweetness, ever fresh, never fading, never failing. As fast as one is gathered, another springeth up in its room. These Immortal flowers of divine love grow here for thee. They have thy name written upon them. They bend and bow themselves towards thee. They invite thy hand to gather them. They are ripe in every season, and gathered with the least touch of thy spirit. Thou, who hast a Spirit black, and burning with the deepest guilt, take the flower of justifying love, stick it in thy bosom. This will take out all the heat of pain, and take away all the deformity, and stain from thy spirit.

Thou who labourest under the disease of any corruption. See here the flower of sanctifying love. Carry this in thine hand, in thine heart. It is a powerful, a pleasent remedy against every lust, or passion. Doth the Instability of thy spirit, the uncertainty of thy spiritual condition afflict thee? The flower of electing love hath a soveraign vertue in it to establish, and …ix thine heart in a triumphant peace and joy above all changes or fears. Art thou melancholy is thine heart cast down within thee for some apparent reason, or thou kno; west not, why? look upon this pleasant flower of comforting love smell to it, wear it in thy bosom. It shineth with a heavenly lustre, which recreateth p. 434the Eyes, and infuseth strange joy into the heart. It breatheth forth a sweetness from it, which will make you think your self in Paradise, or kissing those blessed Cheeks of your heavenly lover, your Jesus, which are Beds of Spices. It hath a spirit in it, which is the extract of all Cordials, which hath all comforting vertues in it, which is the soveraign Comforter of hearts, and spirits, the only causer of delight, and pleasure on Earth, or in Heaven.

If any one be dejected with a sense of shame, let him make himself a Nose-gay of these three Flowers, regenerating, adopting, glorifying love. Every one of these casteth a wonderful light from it, which will make thee to see thy self in the unity of the eternal Spirit, in the form of the Son of God. Thou wilt see the whole face of things, as a glorious Heaven round about thee, all full of bright, and shining Angels encompassing thee, guarding thee, attending upon thee, as the heir of God; Jesus in glory walking with thee hand in hand, as his Brother, God himself beholding thee with an unmoved, and full Eye of esteem, wonder, and complacency, as his onelyonly one, the Object of all his love, the Ground of all his joy.