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

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

p. 3302. The bringing us back into the Bosom of God. This is the second Rank in the Works of Grace. And hath redeemed us from our Enemies: For his Mercy endureth for ever. v. 24.

It is Eternal Love in the Bosom of the Father, which hath sent Jesus Christ forth from thence for us, and to us; that he may be our Sacrifice, our Ransom, and our Redeemer.

It is Eternal Love in the Person of Christ, which cometh down from Heaven to make itself a Sacrifice for us to the Justice, and Wrath of God.

It is Eternal Love in the Person of our I…sus, which descendeth upon the Earth, as a Field of Blood to undertake the Fight with the Powers of Darkness, that he may reskue us, and redeem us from all our Enemies on Earth, and in Hell.

It is Eternal Love in the Person … I…us Christ, that g…veth itself a Price for us, that one Pearl, in which H…ven, and Earth, with all the treasures of the Creature, and Creator lie to pu…chase us to itself.

It is Eternal Love in the Person of our Heavenly Bridegroom, that giveth itself to us, to cloath us, to form us, to act us, to be a Crown of Divine Glory upon us; to be a Fountain of all Spiritual Loveliness, Life, Grace, Purity, and Joys in the midst of us. Thus it redeemeth us from our Captivity, and Shame. Thus it maketh us a Bride fit for itself coming forth ready trim'd out of the Heaven of its own Embraces.

3. The nourishing of us in the Bosom of God. This Work of Grace cometh in the third Rank: Who giveth food to all Flesh: For His Mercy endureth for ever. Mark, how these answer one another; Mercy; Food: All Flesh; For ever.

Eternal Love is both the Feeder, and the Food. If God give Food; If everlasting Mercy, Eternal Love in the Divine Nature, and Form give Food: This is Food indeed, not the Flood of a Shadow, or a lie. My Flesh is Meat indeed, my Blood is Drink indeed; saith our Lord Jesus. The Lord speaketh not this of his Humane Nature. For of this he saith in another place: The Flesh profiteth not: but the Spirit quickneth. It is Eternal Love, which is the Flesh of Christ, the strength, and substance of the Divine Nature. It is Eternal Love, which is the Blood of Christ, the Life and Sweetness of the Divine Nature. This is that Meat indeed, and Drin… indeed, which Love giveth for Food to all Flesh in its Bosom to nourish it to Eternal Life.

I have passed thorow the second Sort of … Works, the Works of Grace.

3. Works of Glory. O give thanks unto the God of Heaven: For his Mercy endureth for ever. v. 26. and last. The Psalm begun with Goodness, as its p. 331ground of Love, v. 1. It closeth its Musick with Heaven, as the Crown of Love. The natural Heavens, the Heavens of the first Creation are not intended here, These were mentioned in the body of the Song, and pass away. These are the last and highest Heavens; the Heavens of Glory: the high and holy places of Eternity. These Heavens are all made of Love. All the precious, and incorruptible Substance; all the unexpressible, and pure Sweetnesses: All the Divine and unfading Beauties of these Heavens are Eternal Love. All the Praises given to God, as he appeareth in these Heavens with all his Saints, and Angels; all his Joys, and Glories round about him, are attributed to Eternal Love, the Root, the Flower, the Fruit, the only reason, and rellish of all. O give thanks to the God of Heaven: For his Mercy endureth for ever: For his Love is Eternal. The midst of Solomons Chariot is pav…d, or flameth with Love, Cant. 3. The Center of Heaven is a Love-fire. All the Spirits, and Spiritual Glories of it are Immortal flames of Divine Love.

2. Argum. Love is the end of all Things with God. This is the second Argument to prove Love to be the proper Name of God, and full expression of the Divine Nature. Love appeareth to be the last end of all things three ways.

1, All the Works of God end in Love. 2. All the Attributes, and Ex…ellencies of God serve his Love. 3. God resteth in his Love.

1. All the Works of God end in Love. Psal. 145. v. 9. His tender Mercies are over all his Works. The word Mercies cometh from the Belly; the inward parts; the Womb. It signifieth the very heart of Love, where it first liveth, and never dieth. where it lyeth warmest, and hath the strongest pulse. It signifieth Love in its Center, and Fountain, where its operations are tenderest, liveliest, and highest. It signifieth that the dearest of all Loves, the love of a Mother to the Child of her Womb. This Love is over all the Works of God. Over in Hebrew hath also the sense of Above. It is the end alone, which is over all, and above all. In these two respects Love appeareth to be the end of all the Works of God.

1. Love is over all the Works of God. As a Bird spreadeth itself over its Nest to hatch, and cherish its young ones: So the end spreadeth itself over all the means, and ways to it. The end fashioneth, and formeth them. T…e end directeth and moveth them. The end putteth a Beauty upon them, and a pleasantness into them. The end terminateth, and perfecteth them in itself. Thus Divine Love, as the Heavenly Dove, maketh the whole compass of things its Nest, and sitteth upon it. Love giveth Being, Form, Motion, Light, Life, Loveliness, Perfection to all the Works of God. Love is the consummatior, and Crown of all. Thus love is the last end.

2. Love is above all the Works of God. Nothing can be above all besides the end of all. The end of all boundeth all things and confineth them. Eve…y thing, which hath an end is finite. The end itself is infinite, because it ha…h nothing above it to give bounds to it, nothing beyond it to terminate a…d p. 332confine it. Divine Love is the end of all good, the measure of all good, an infinite good. For the love of God is above all the Works of God. O the transcendent Sweetness, Suitableness, Goodness of Divine Love! When you have extracted all that is sweet, all that is agreeable, all that is good out of every Creature, every Divine Work; the Love of God is sweeter, and better than all this. Yea, there is in this Love a sweetness, which so much excelleth; which is so quite of another kind; that by all this you can take no measure of it, you can make no conjecture of it. For all this is finite, and that is infinite. Now it is a firm and sure Rule: there is no proportion between a finite, and an infinite Being. You must tast this Love itself to know how precious it is. All the delights here, when they are highest, truest, and purest are dreams only of this Love. Awake, O Soul, and dress thy self to be a Bride to this Love. Stir up all those infinite desires, which are sown in thee to meet, embrace, and take in the infinite excellency, the infinite Sweetness of this Love.

2. All the Attributes, and Excellencies of God serve his Love; This proveth Love to be the end of all. We read thus, Ephes. 1. 5, 6. Who hath predestinated us to the adoption of Sons by Jesus Christ in himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the Glory of his Grace. Grace is Love with these three Graces adorning it, Freedom, Sweetness, Fulness. See if this Love be not God himself, to which the Praise and Glory is given. Can this be any other, than God in his last, and naked Appearance, the end of all, to which the Praise, and Glory of all is ascribed? Behold, with what Pomp Divine Love is brought in. A long order of Divine Glories go before it. Love followeth them, as King, and God. 1. The Counsels of God in Eternity comprehended in the head of them all predestination; Who hath predestinated us. 2. The Adoption, the Sonship, all the Sons of God. 3. Jesus Christ himself, the brightness of the Glory of God, by whom all the world Visible, Invisible; of Nature, Grace, and Glory are made; in whom all the Fulness of the God-Head dwelleth Bodily. 4. The Will of God, which is the unsearchable Treasure of all Sweetness, Goodness, Power, and Joy; the Seed, and Fruit of all Desires thorow Earth, and Heaven. Yea the good pleasure of his Will, which the Will of God, like the Sun shining in its strength, or a full Sea. All these in their Order serve to the Praise of the Glory of Divine Love. Who hath predestinated us to the Adoption of Sonship by Jesus Christ in Himself according to the good pleasure of his Will, to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace. All the most Spiritual, and highest Images of God in his Sons; all the most beautiful, purest, and sweetest Idea's of Eternity within himself; Jesus Christ the Supream Image, the Universal Idea, which comprehendeth them all, and surmounteth them all, give up all their Glories to Love, as Stars do their light to the Sun. Love is the first, and the last, the most high Father, and end of all. This is that last opening of the God-Head, in which p. 333all other lights of Nature, Grace and Glory terminate, as in their proper, and beatifical end.

Let us apply this two ways. Let it be a Caution, a quickning to us.

1. A Caution. Take heed of provoking the Love of God to Jealousy. The greatest Sea rageth with the highest, and most dreadful Waves in a Tempest, when the Wind's upon it. The Jealousy of this Love is the rage or a God in the greatness of his Power, Glory, and Majesty, at the height of his God-Head. For this Love is God in the full and final Glory of his Divine Nature, after which we are to expect no other, no further Discovery.

There are two things, of which the love of God is most Jealous, its Glory, and its Bride.

1. Love is most jealous of its Glory. The Glory of Divine Love consisteth in its Purity, its Spirituality, its Heavenliness. It is a pure Spirit, the first and purest of all Spirits. It is itself the highest Heaven, the Heaven of Heavens. If you impute to this Love any thing impure, fleshly, or earthly; it you make this Love, a pretence to the flesh, and to filth, you stain its Glory, you put it to open shame, you blow up its jealousy to a flame, which will burn to the nethermost Hell.

2. The Love of God is most jealous of its Bride. Thy Soul, O Man, is the Daughter, the Sister, the Bride to this Love. Take heed of dishonouring the Marriage-bed of Divine Love in thy Soul, and defiling its Spouse. If thou pollute thy self with any fleshly lust, with any worldly love, with any Idol without thee, or within thee: this most high, and holy Love will be an everlasting flame, and a devouring fire burning upon thee, until it have burnt up, and consumed every Idol of thine Eyes, or Heart, every Lust, every other Love.

2. A quickning. Direct the Eye of your Spirits thorow all things, thorow all the Attributes, and Excellencies of God to his Love. Terminate your desires by all Divine Actings, and Discoveries beyond them all upon the Love of God. For this is the end of all; this is God.

Divine Love is the great, and rich Diamond of the Divine Nature. All other operations, and excellencies of the Divine Nature are the Sparklings, the Lustre, the Water of this Diamond. Let all the Sparklings, and Streams of sweet light from this precious Stone draw your Eyes, and Hearts to the Diamond itself, to the naked Bosom of Love. There is the abundance of Glory. There you shall milk forth the Divine Life, Delights, and Glory in abundance,

As the Wood was of old laid upon the Altar, and the Sacrifice upon the Wood in order to the descent of fire from Heaven, which turning the Wood, and the Sacrifice into one flame with itself, returned thither from whence it came: so let your life, and religion be a continual Sacrifice to Eternal Love. Let the Lord Jesus be thine Altar, which is Love rising up out of the Earth. p. 334Lay all Duties, Graces, Truths, Spiritual Discoveries, as Wood upon this Altar. Bring thy Soul, thy Heart, thy whole Person for the Sacrifice. Now wait, look upward, pray for Love, as the pure flame of the God-Head to come down, to change all, to unite all unto itself in one Love, and so ascend again with all unto its own place above the Heavens.

I have shewed in general, how the Divine Attributes all serve Love, as their end. I will explain it yet more by three instances of the three chief excellencies in the Divine Nature. Wisdom, Power, Righteousness.

1. Instance; The Wisdom of God serveth his Love. According to the riches of his grace, in which he hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom, and Prudence. As a plentiful Spring by the abundance of its Waters maketh a bed, and channel to itself, in which it runs along: so is the Divine Wisdom a manifold, and deep channel, which the full Spring of free Grace, of Eternal Love maketh to itself by the force of its endless streams, as they flow thorow all things, and play with themselves in various courses, and forms, until they meet again in the Sea of Love, the Bosom of God. Divine Wisdom is the richness of Divine Love spreading itself into an infinite variety; sporting itself with itself in all diversity of Forms, and Shapes; thorow innumerable Changes, innumerable Windings, and Turnings bringing forth itself into a most ravishing Harmony of all Divine Beauties, and Joys. Divine Wisdom is Love forming itself into rich designs, most beautiful contrivances, full of unexpected, and surprizing turns, full of depths past the search of every created Eye: that in the close it may display its blessed Treasures more fully; that it may raise, and enlarge every Spirit to take in its Joys. Thus the riches of Grace have abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence.

The Wisdom of God is the Divine art of Love. The Divine Prudence, and Providence is the Net of Love to catch Hearts, and Souls in, spread thorow the Sea of the Creation.

O blessed Fisher of Souls, D…vine Love! O blessed Net of love, the Divine Wisdom, and Providence! Thrice-blessed Souls, that are caught in this Net, by this Fisher! These are taken only to be removed out of the Salt, and troubled Sea of this World, into the sweet, clear, and calm Sea of Love.

But wretched are those Spirits, who like Carps in a Pond sink themselves down deep into the mud of flesh, and fleshly lusts, that they may escape this Divine net of Love,

The Wisdom of God is the Musick of Love, by which it charmeth Spirits, to attract them to itself, to compose them unto a Heavenly Harmony of Peace, and Purity. Those are indeed Adders, the Seed of the Serpent, who love not the sound of this Musick, who stop their Ears, that they may not hear this Charmer the Divine Love, though he charm with so much skill.

2. Instance. The Power of God serveth his Love, Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God unto every one that p. 335believeth. The Gospel is the Ministry of Grace, or Love. The Divine Power then acting in the Gospel is the Minister, and Servant of Love.

This will appear more by laying together three Scriptures in the Canticles, which opening one another will send forth a sweet light of Divine Grace shining in them.

1. Scrip. Cant. 5. 10. It is said of the Lord Jesus; He is the Chief among ten thousand. The Hebrew word for Chief is Standard-bearer. I humbly conceive, that we are not to understand here the Person, that beareth the Standard, or Banner, who ever is inferiour to many Persons in the Army; but the Prince, whose the Standard, or Banner is, which is carried, unto which all the Army is gathered together, and under which it moveth. The sense seemeth to be the same with that; Joshu. 1. Jesus Christ appeared in the form of a man with a drawn Sword in his hand. Being asked by Joshua, who he was he answered: The Captain of the Lord's Hosts.

2. Scrip. Can. 6. 10. The Spouse of Christ, which is the Church in general, and every believing Soul in particular is described to be; Terrible, as an Army with Banners. This relateth to the Army, and Banners mentioned before; Cant. 5. 10. Psal. 34. 7. we read, that the Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Camp round about those that fear the Lord. It is in the Original Tongue; the Angel Jehovah. The Lord Jesus is God with God the Father above all Angels, and Men. He is God setting up his Pavilion in the midst of the holy Angels. He is God setting up his Pavilion with Men in the midst of their Spirits. This is the Captain of the Lords Hosts, the Prince of Glory, who as a great Prince at the head of an Army placeth things dearest to him, his Treasure, his Princess in the midst of the Army, as in a place of Strength and Honour.

3. Scrip. Cant. 2. 4. The King brought me into his Banquetting House, and his Banner over me was Love. You will say now; what hath Love, or a Banquetting House to do with a Banner of War? You shall now see, how these Scriptures come home to my end, and declare the Power of God to be the Servant, and the Soldier of his Love.

The proper intent of a Banner is to bear the Cause of the War wrought upon it, either by Image, or Inscription, or both. It is frequent, when the War is ended, for the Conquerors in the rooms, in which they feast for joy of the Victory, to have hanging over their Heads the Banners, under which they are fought. These are Tropheys, marks of the Victory, and Ornaments of the Triumph. Silken flags a… solemn Shows, at publick Feasts, at Funerals are Imitations, and Images of this.

If a King make a War for his Bride, or Love, he may very well have Love in a rich Figure, and in Golden Le… displayed upon his Banners. Neither can any thing be more pertinent, when he returneth home, and feasteth publickly with his Queen, than to have these Banners with Love inscribed upon p. 336them in golden Letters, and figured upon them in glorious Images waving over their Heads to encrease their Joys by this Declaration; Love was that, for which the King fought; Love was the force, by which he conquered; Love is the end of the Victory, the Joy, and Crown of the Feast.

I know you prevent me in your thoughts, you, who love the Lord Jesus, by applying this to your Prince, your Beloved, and his Love, his Bride, your own Souls.

I shall bring down all to my purpose, and to your practice in the exercise of those Principal, and Triumphant Graces, Faith, Love, Heavenly Joy by three Conclusions, or Spiritual Maxims.

1. Conclu. All the Armies of God, all the Powers of the God-Head, the innumerable Companies of holy Angels, and blessed Spirits, all the Hosts of Heaven, and Earth with their Captain the Lord Jesus at the head of them move, and fight in their courses under the Banner of Love. Thy Person in a glorious Image of all Divine Beauties is figured upon the Banner, as this Eternal Princes Love. Love to thee is wrought upon the Banner in Characters of Glory. This is the Cause of all motions in Heaven, and Earth. To this Banner all Powers every where resort, unto this they are united, under this they march, and fight.

2. Conclu. The Lord Jesus, as Captain of the Lord's Hosts, with all his Heavenly Armies, his ten thousands of Angels, his Chariots of fire, and Horses of fire continually encompasseth thee, marcheth, encampeth round about t…ee, as his chiefest Treasure, his Love, with Banners of Love spred, and displaid over thee; on every side of thee round about. Every step thou takest in thy way to Heaven is in the midst of these Warriours. All Divine Powers continually circle thee in. The Invisible, and Invincible Hosts of God under the conduct of thy Beloved Jesus are thy perpetual Guard, and Convoy. In the midst of these thou walkest, …ittest, and lyest down; thou wakest, and sleepest, Psal. 91. 11. The Angels have a charge of thee from their Prince, and thy Bridegroom, that they keep thee in all thy ways, that they bear thee in their hands, least at any time thou strike thy foot against a stone; that thou never stumble. The Angels of God are thy Chariots of War: thy Chariots of State, thy Chariots of Love, thy Chariots for Travel, in which thou journiest thorow this Wilderness to thy Kingdom, the Kingdom of Love and Glory. All this they are in one. They make thy way thy Palace in the midst of thy Kingdom for Strength, for Glory, for Delights, for Rest in thy Love. They bear thee up above in the light of Life, in the Life of Divine Love. This is the way high, and lifted up above all the Powers of Darkness, and Death, in which they carry thee along, that thou mayst never strike thy foot against any stone of offence, against any hard and hurtful Form of Darkness, Enmity, or Death. Thy Jesus, the Bosom of thy Beloved is this way.

3. Conclu. These Banners of Love, which are spred over thee in thy p. 337marches here, the same hang streaming over thy head to Eternity, and over the Head of thy King, as thou fittest at the Feast with him in Heaven. The Fights about thee here, are the Trophies, and Triumphs at the Feast here. The same Love is figured on all, which maketh all precious Stones, and Jewels in thy Marriage-Crown, and Crown of Glory, to shine there, and adorn it for ever.

Use. The Use, which we make of this is to see the difference between the two states of a Saint, and a Sinner; a Believer, and him, who believeth not.

1. See the blessedness of … Believer. Heb. 1. 2. Jesus Christ is said to be the Brightness of the Glory of God, that is of Love; the express Image of the Substance, or Person of God, that is, of Love. For God is Love. v. 6. 7. When God bringeth his Son again, that is, after his Resurrection, in his Spiritual, and Heavenly Appearance, into the world; he saith: Let all the Angels of God worship him. He hath made all his Ministers Spirits, and his Angels a flame of Fire. This concerneth thee O Believer, and is spoken of thee.

O the blessedness of that Soul, which indeed receiveth Jesus Christ, and his Love by Faith, if only thou didst know thine own happiness! God hath brought his Son in his second Appearance, in his Spirit, into thine Heart. He is in thee the brightness of the Glory of Love, that is, of the Divine Nature shining in the midst of thee. This is that Eternal Sun, from which all blessed Spirits continually drink in the Light, Influences, Joys of Life, and Immortality. He is in thee the express Image of Love, which is the Substance, and Person of God. This setteth itself thorow him, as a Seal upon thine Heart. Now the Power of God is a Servant to his Love in thee. Now God saith; Let all the Angels of God worship, how down to, serve my Love in this Soul. God himself maketh his Angels Flames of Love enfolding thee, penetrating thy Body, and Spirit, shining within thee, round about thee continually in the darkest night. He maketh his Angels Ministring Spirits to thee. Spirits of Glory Minister Love to thee after an Invisible manner in all visible Things. Every moment of time, every Circumstance, or Accident in time, are the Wings of Angels, a Chariot of Angels carrying thee above the snares of Death below into Heaven. This is thy Portion, who believest in the Lord Jesus and his Love.

2. See the misery of Unbelievers. How wretched art thou, who believest not, who sayest to the Love of God, and the Tydings of it from Heaven: Depart from me, I have no pleasure in you.

Those Powers of Darkness, that are ever ready to raise up Leviathan from his Stormy deep below, curse thee. All evil Spirits are Flames of Wrath burning within thee, burning from without upon thee alwaies, in the midst of thy Jollities, at thy Feasts, on thy Beds of pleasure. Evil Spirits are ever Ministring Wrath to thee after an Invisible manner thorow all Visible Things. Devils are thy Chariots. These wrap thee up in a thick Cloud, in the blackness p. 338of Darkness, and hurry thee to Hell. O be not unbelievers, but believe, that you may inherit the Land of Love, and dwell in it for ever. Love inviteth, wooeth you to believe, that is, to receive itself into your Hearts. Love will bring its own entertainment, and make the Feast for itself; if you for your parts will but take it in, as a guest.

3. Instance. The Righteousness of God serveth his Love. Rom. 5. l. Grace re…gneth by Righteousness unto Eternal Life thorow Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace is Love in its Fountain, Love upon the Throne. Love is brought in here by the Apostle under the name of Grace, as a King. Eternal Life, Heaven is the Kingdom of Love. Jesus Christ is the chief Minister of State to this great King. God is Love sitting upon the Throne. The Lord Jesus is the same, supream Love descending from the Throne to be the Universal Servant, and General Officer throughout all this Kingdom of Love. Righteousness is the Scepter of the King. Thy Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness, Psal. 45. Love reigneth by Righteousness unto Eternal Life thorow Jesus Christ our Lord.

There are three Ways, in which the Righteousness of God serveth his Love.

1. Righteousness is the Royal-Garment, and the Wedding-Garment for Love itself, and its Bride on the Coronation, and the Wedding day, which are both one, the day of the Spirit, the day of Grace, the day of Eternity. The Bridegroom himself is said to be fairer than the Sons of Men, in my Text; Psal. 45. 2. He is cloathed with the Righteousness of God, which is the Comeliness, the Beauty of Holiness, or the Holy, the Pure, the unstained, unmixt Beauty of the Divine Nature. Two things make Beauty; Features; Colours. The Features in the Face of the God-Head are the variety of all Excellencies in a Harmony. The Colours are the Glory shining in all these. This is the Righteousness of God. Jesus Christ hath both these. He is the express Image of the Person of God. There are the Divine Features. He is the brightness of the Glory of God. There are the Divine Colours, and Lustre. Both these make up the Garment of Righteousness, which is the Divine Loveliness of Love himself. In this he appeareth fairer, than the Sons of Men on his Marriage-Day in the day of the Gospel. For Behold! He cometh forth in the Righteousness of God.

This also is the Garment, with which Love cloatheth, and adorneth his Spouse, the Believing Soul to make her fairer, than all the Daughters of Men, than all the Daughters of Hierusalem, than all Angelical Beauties. The Queen is said to be brought to the King, all Glorious within, in Garments of beaten Gold, in Garments of Needle-work: Psal. 4. 5. The Glory quite thorow, the beaten Gold, the Needle-work is all comprehended in the Righteousness of God. He was made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor 5. 21. This is the Garment, with which Divine Love adorneth his Queen to make her fit for his Throne, and his Embraces. This Garment p. 339of Divine Righteousness hath a mysterious vertue in it. It is at once a Bath of Divine Blood, which taketh off all the blackest, deepest stains of deformity from the most loathed Souls. It is a Tincture of Divine Beauty which giveth in a moment Youth, Immortality, a loveliness quite thorow its whole Essence, a Substantial, Essential loveliness, a loveliness resembling, and answering that of love himself, of God. This is the beaten Gold, all Glory within.

A learned Interpreter teacheth us, that the Needle-work in the Garment signifieth properly Oes wrought in Gold, like so many Suns, all over the Garment. How rich, how Beautiful is that Garment of Righteousness, with which the Lord Jesus decketh the Soul of every Saint, in which it fully pleaseth the Eye of God, and dazleth the Eyes of Angels! It is set all over with Golden Oes of an Eternal Glory, with Invisible, and Eternal Suns, the unvailed Face, the entire Person of the Lord Jesus set in every part, and shining from every point of it. This is the first Service of the Divine Righteousness to the Divine Love, to make itself, and its Bride, the Beloved Soul Infinitely, Unchangeably Lovely, and Pleasant one to another. This is the Righteousness of our fustification.

2. Eternal love soweth the Righteousness of God, as a Divine, a Spiritual Seed in our Hearts. This Seed changeth the ground into its own Nature. It draweth the vertue and strength of it to itself. It groweth up in it, together with it to a Tree, which is an entire Paradise in itself. The body of this Tree is the Lord Jesus in the Power, Glory, Fulness of his Spirit. The Branches are all the Spirits of God, of Angels, and Saints spread thorow all times, and things. All moral Excellencies, all the Beauties, and Perfections of the Divine Image in the first, and universal frame of Nature are the leaves of this Tree, which here never fade. All Divine Righteousness, all Evangelical Perfections, and Spiritual Graces are the Fruit, which is fitted for every Season, and ever ripe in its Season. On this Fruit love itself, which is God, the Son of love Jesus Christ, all the Angels of love, the Soul herself feed, are refreshed, and raised to a Divine Joy. This is the Righteousness of our Sanctification.

3. The Righteousness of God is the Scepter in the Hand of Love, by which it ruleth all things. As Moses commanded all the Elements, the Air, the Water, the Earth by stretching forth the Rod in his hand: so the Love of God swayeth all things every where by the Scepter of his Righteousness. The Harmomony and Motions of the Divine Righteousness from the hand of Divine Love are felt, and obeyed by all things to the utmost end of the Creation. Righteousness is the Musick of Divine Love, by which all things are charmed.

Use. See the distinction between the liberty of Spiritual Love, and the licentiousness of Fleshly Lusts.

1. Divine Love is free but Divinely fair, and pure. St. James calleth the Gospel, which is the Ministery of Love from Heaven; the perfect Law of p. 340Liberty; and in another place, the Royal Law. Love is free, but it is perfect. Love is a Liberty: but it is a Law to itself in its Liberty. Love is a King: but it reigneth in Righteousness. It is itself, both King and Law to itself. Love, saith St. Paul, is the fulfilling of the whole Law. Jesus Christ said to John the Baptist; It behoveth me to fulfil all Righteousness. This is the Language of Heavenly Love in every Holy Heart: It behoveth me to fulfil all Righteousness. Love is an obligation of Righteousness to itself. Righteousness is the decency, the comliness of Love. Love is the Divine Unity, and Righteousness the Heavenly Harmony, in which this Unity of Love diffuseth itself thorow all things. True liberty is only found in Harmony. All Bondage ariseth from Discord, which hath its Root in Contrariety, and Enmity. Righteousness is the Harmony, and Beauty of Love.

It is the liberty of the Sun to shine; of a Tree to flourish with Leaves, Flowers, and Fruits. Righteousness is the liberty, the Sun-shine, the Beauty, and fruitfulness of Divine Love.

As the Sun by its light: so the love of God by its Spiritual Beauty, which is Holiness, attracteth Spirits to it; maketh them in love with it; maketh them lovely by Assimilation, making them like itself; filleth them with all delights: maketh them fruitful with all Beautiful, and Divine Births of Grace, and Glory.

Love and Righteousness are, as the Father and the Son in the Blessed Trinity. Love bringeth forth Righteousness, as its proper brightness, its lovely light, its essential Image, the express Image of its Substance, and all its Sweetnesses, or vertues. As the Father is at liberty only in the Son, his own Image; as the Son is no where at liberty, but in the Bosom of the Father, his own Principle, and Original: so is love no where truly free, but where it springeth up, and flourisheth in the Fruits of Righteousness. Righteousness is then only Free, Kindly, Evangelical, and Divine, when it springeth from the Womb of love, lyeth in the Bosom of love, hangeth at the Breasts of that love, which is God; of God, as he is in his own Eternal Form of love.

He that hath the Son, hath the Father also. He that hath the Father, hath the Son: saith St. John. Let us not be deceived. He that worketh Righteousness, hath the love of God in him; and he that hath the love of God, hath also the Righteousness of God. Love is the fulfilling of the Law, of every Law; Natural, Moral, Evangelical; of the Letter, and of the Spirit. Love doth nothing uncomely; offendeth no Principle, Humane, or Divine; of Sense, Reason, or Grace. Thus Divine Love is free, but Divinely fair and pure.

2. So is not Lust. The Lust of the Flesh is licentious, without Law, Light, Harmony, Order. All Disorder, Deformity, Shame, Bondage, Anguish, and Death are there, where Lust is. Can there be any Freedom, Beauty, or Peace in the midst of Confusion, and Contrarieties?

Every Lust maketh thy Spirit a narrow, and deep Pit of Darkness, and p. 341Horrour. Thou lyest sunk to the bottom of it in the midst of loathsom Toads, and poysonous Serpents twining about all thy parts, crawling upon thy naked Bosom, and naked Heart.

3. Cast out every flesh Lust. A Lust is the spawn of the Devil. If thou suffer it to lie in thy Soul, innumerable Devils will spring up out of it, and make thee a Hell in thy self, a Habitation of Devils. The Devil was a Beautiful, and Blessed Angel, until Lust came. Lust made him a Devil. Lust is the Nature, and Essence of the Devil: It maketh thee the Child of the Devil.

4. Take in, cherish the Love of God in thine Heart. Pray for, wait for, receive gladly the Blessed Sower, the Lord Jesus, when he cometh forth to sow the Seed of Love in thy Soul. Cherish it, when it is sown. Give it depth of Earth; let it take root deep enough in thee Suffer no cares of this world to choak it. Love is the Seed of God in thee: The Image of God with all the Graces, and Joys of it; the Divine Nature with all its Purities, Powers, and Perfection; God himself will grow up out of it to dwell and walk in thee; to fill thee with the presence of his Glory; to make thy Spirit, and Person another Heaven to him. The God-Head of God; the Guilding, Sweetning, and warming of Heaven; the life of Eternity is Love.

I have now shewen, how all the Attributes of God serve his Love, in general, and in three particular Instances of the Wisdom, Power, Righteousness of God. This is the Second Proof, that Love is the end of all.

3. God resteth in his Love; This is the third Proof, that Love is the end of all. Zephan. 3. 17. He will rejoyce over thee with singing; he will rest in his Love. Like the Joy of Harvest, when the Countryman bringeth in the last shocks of ripe Corn out of the Field with Songs and Garlands; because this is the end of all his labours for the whole year: so God rejoyceth, when his Love is come to the ripe Corn in the Ear, when it is cut off from its Earthly stalk, when in the full declaration of it, in the riches of its Glory, in the Simplicity, and Spirituality of its Divine Nature, it is brought home into his Bosom again, for this is the end of all the Circuit of his labours thorow the whole Creation. This is his Noah; his rest.

No man resteth, till he come to his last end. The Love of God is his last end. For he resteth in his love. All motion tendeth to, and endeth in rest. All the Motions, Works, and Ways of God tend to, and end in Love. For this is his rest.

God in all other Appearances, and Forms of things is in transitu, passing thorow them, as a way-fairing man, till he cometh to the full expression of his Love. This is his Mount Sion, his resting place for ever. Upon this Mount of Love God casteth off every disguise, layeth aside every vail. Here God is seen naked, in the simplicity, and brightness of his own Beautiful Person. Love is the Chrystal Glass of the Divine Essence in its own light, and purity. Here all the Saints see God, themselves, all things in their Eternal Forms of Divine p. 342loveliness with a beatifical vision. Here time is no more. The mystery of God, which is the mystery of Love is made perfect, is finished and ended.

A wise man, so far as lieth in his Power, maketh all his desires, and designs, all his works, all things within his Sphear to meet in his end; that his rest in his end may be sweet and full. God is infinitely Wise, and Almighty. All his Counsels, and Contrivances; all his Works, and Ways in Heaven above, on the Earth below; all his Attributes, and Perfections; all things, that ever were, meet in his Love; as in their end. So he resteth in his Love. His Soul, and all that is within him is well-pleased in his Love. His Joy is full. He lieth down upon the Bed of love with the perfection of all contentment; with the sweetest and highest Complacency of all those infinite Powers in him. Love is an end every way proportioned to him. For it is himself. God is Love.

Use. 1. How happy a thing were it, if Men were like to God in this, to have their rest in love? This would be a Heaven upon Earth. What a Divine Calm should we be continually in? Divine Love would be a Bed of rest to us, while the Storms only made Musick to the Heavenly Dances of things round about us. O the blessed, and unknown force of this Wine of Heaven, Eternal Love, where it is drunk deeply, down into any Soul by large draughts!

Beware of the Corruption of Love. The Corruption of the best thing produceth the worst of all things. Lust is the Corruption of Love. Beware of the Contrarities to Love. All Passions are Contrarieties to Love. There can be no Peace, no Rest, no Comfort of Love, while our Lusts, and Passion prevail. Seek God, seek the Rest, and Joy of the Lord in his Love. Behol… he giveth his Beloved to sleep. It is Divine Love alone, which singeth us into: Divine sleep of sweetest rest, and delight in its own Arms, in the midst of even Tempest of Sickness, Sorrows, or Death.

I have finished the second Argument for the confirmation, and explication … the description of Love taken from St. John; that God is Love; in as much … Love is the end of all.

3. Argum. The Unity of God is the highest, and purest love. This is … third Argument to shew, that God is Love that the first and Supream Love … the most high God over all Blessed for ever. The highest, purest, and mo… Spiritual Union of all things in the highest, purest, and most Spiritual Form… in one Eternal Spirit; this is the Love; this is God.

I will unfold to you this sweet, and glorious Unity, which is the Divine N… …ure, and which is Divine Love by three Principles of our common Orthod… Divinity rightly founded upon the Scriptures.

1. Prin. God beholdeth All things in himself. He goeth not forth out of himself to converse with any Thing. He receiveth not any Impression from thing without himself. Rom. 11. v. 35. 36. Who hath been his Counsellour? or, who ha… given to the Lord first that he should repay him? God is Simple, ever Perfect uncompounded. He seeth all things in the Glass of his own Essence He Himself All to himself, his own Center, and Circumference.

p. 3432. Princ. Every thing which God seeth in himself, he seeth at himself. All Forms of things, as they appear in God, appear cloathed with the Form of God. James. 1. 5. every good, and perfect Gift cometh from above, from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variableness; nor shadow of Turning. All appearances of things in the Fahter of Lights, the Sun of Eternity, are Lights; good, and Perfect Lights, not Beams, but so many entire Suns; Springs, and Seas of Light, the Light of Life, and Love in the Bosom of that Sun, the Father of them All. For there is no Variableness in God, although there be Variety. God is the Same in every season, and Appearance without any Shadow of Turning.

3. Princ. God, as he seeth all things in himself, in one Divine Form with himself, comprehendeth them unchangeably in the closest, and sweetest Embraces, converseth with them Eternally in the highest degree of all mutual Suitableness, Sweetness, Satisfaction and Delight. Pythagoras said; Friendship, the best Kind of Love on Earth was One Soul in several Bodies, as in so many Images, and Reflections of itself. Such is God, such is Love, One Incomprehensible Spirit multiplying itself into Innumerable Representations, and Reflections of itself; that it may contemplate itself, possess itself, delight it Self Infinitely for the Divine Form compleat in every One, endlessly for the Variety ever New.

This is the sacred, Unsearchable Unity of the Divine Majesty. Thus this Unity is the most Sacred, and Supreme Love.

Quest. Now you may perhaps say within your selves, some one of you: This Love, of which you speak, is the Love of God within himself, the Love of God to himself. What is all this Love to me?

Answ. My answers to this Question. shall be so many Applications of this Truth.

Use. 1. All this Love is nothing to thee, who separatest thy self from the Divine Unity by sin: Your Sins separate between me, and you; saith the Lord by the mouth of his holy Prophet. You have accounted your selves unworthy of Spiritual Loves, in that you have divided your selves from the Unity, the Heavenly Body, and Spirit of the Lord Jesus. You stand in the strength of your own Spirits, and walk after your own Imaginations; Principles, and …mages, which you have found out and chosen to your selves to stand in the Power, and walk in the Light of them. Matth. 23. 37. Jesus Christ mourn…th over Jerusalem in these words: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who stonest the Pro…hets, and killest those that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered …hee, as a Hen gathereth her chickens under her Wings? But ye would not. There…ore now shall thy house be left unto thee desolate. I say unto you; Ye shall see me no more, until ye shall say; Blessed is he, that cometh in the name of the Lord,

Wretched Soul, who art still in thy Sins, hear thy Saviour after this man… er mourning over thee with tears of blood falling from those Wounds which p. 344Love in him, Sin, and Unbelief in thee have made; with Words of Pity, and tender Compassions falling from his Lips: O wretched, wretched Soul, which by sin woundest that Unity of Divine Love, which first sent thee forth from its Blessed Womb; which by Unbelief continually killest in thy Self that Unity of the Eternal Spirit, which springeth up in thee, which sendeth forth sweet glances, maketh strong Impressions of itself upon thee, to draw thee into its Blessed Bosom. O sinful, O Unbelieving soul, how often within thee, without thee, in thoughts of thine Heart, in touches upon thy affections, in the ministery of my Word, in the works of my Providence have I spread over thee the Shadowing wings of the Divine Unity, the wings of Divine Love, of the Heavenly dove, my Spirit? How often would I have gathered thee under these wings; to have lien safe from every Bird of Prey, every Evil, and Unclean Spirit; to have lien warm under that Divine Heart, which would have cherished the Divine Life in thee with all the Graces and Joys of it. But thou wouldest not Therefore is thy Spirit, and Person left to thee desolate, without Spiritual Life, Spiritual Comfort, Spiritual Company; which all as Plants of Immortality grow, and flourish together in the Unity of the Eternal Spirit, as in their Root. But, poor, forlorn Soul, when thou shalt see thy Saviour come again, in his Spirit, into thy Spirit; then shalt thou fall down at his feet, fly into his Arms, and say; Blessed is my Jesus coming in the Heavenly Evidence of the Divine Unity, which is the Supream Love, that subdueth all things to itself. Now I believe. This Unity, this Love is the Ground and Root of Faith.

Use. 2. All this Love is nothing to thee, who livest in the enmity of the Serpent. Thou hast no lot, nor portion in that Divine Unity, which is the Fountain of Love, who livest in Wrath, Malice, and a bitter Zeal. The Spouse of Christ, the Soul, on which he hath set his Love, is a Dove, hath Hony and Milk under her Tongue. Divine Love, Heavenly Peace, and Joy are a Fountain of Milk, and Hony in her Heart. Gentle Language, Words of Meekness, Healing, Peace-making works are streams of Milk, and Hony under her Tongue flowing from the Fountain of Divine Love in her heart.

We read in the Book of Job; that the Wicked Man shall never see the Land of Brooks, of Fountains, and of Rivers of Waters: but the Serpent shall bite him; These expressions seem to allude to the Land of Canaan, and the fiery Serpents in the Wilderness; which things themselves were Types of the Paradise of Love in the Divine Unity, and the Enmity of the old Serpent in the Wilderness of Sin.

As thou likest not to retain Love in thine Heart, language, and life; but art a fiery, biting Serpent by deadly hate, bitter Speeches, works of wrath and malice formed in Hell: so thou shalt never see the pleasant Land flowing with Brooks, with Fountains, and Rivers of Love. The crooked Serpent shall wrap thee up in his cursed folds, to draw thee into his hideous Den, there bite, and devour thee.

p. 345Use. 3. Believe. So shall all this Love be thine, in thee, and to thee. I shall make good this to thee by 3 Arguments, which are so many Motives, to perswade thee to believe, to stand fast in the Faith, to grow in Faith.

1. Argum. Believe, and by believing thou shalt be transplanted into the Divine Unity. He, that is joyned unto the Lord, is One Sp…rit. 1. Corin. 6. 17. Faith, which joyneth us to Christ, by his Approach to us, by our Reception of him, and Acherence to him, ingrafteth us into the Unity of the Eternal Spirit.

The Unity of God is a Golden Chain, which fastned to the Throne of the Divine Essence above all Heavens, letteth itself down to the lowest parts of the Earth by several rich, and curious Links, that It may draw us up to itself. The first and Highest Link of this Golden chain is the Union of the ever-blessed Persons in the most Holy Trinity in One, Glorious, and Incomprehensible Essence.

The second Link in this Mystical Chain is the Union of the Divine, and Humane Nature in One Divine, and Heavenly Person by the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus.

The Third is the Mysterious Union of Two Persons, a Saint, and his Saviour in One Spirit by Regeneration thorow Faith. While thou believest, the Divine Unity by these degrees, like the Steps of Gold to Solomon's Throne of Gold, descendeth into thee, that thou mayst ascend to that by the same Steps. By believing thou art One with God in the Fountain of the Divine Nature. The Father himself, the Fountain of Israel, is now thy Fountain and thy Father, Believe, and thou shalt be One with God in his Son, His Image, His Glory. God giveth His Son for thee, that thou mayst believe. God giveth his Son to thee in Believing. Believe, and thou shalt be One with God in his Spirit. Believing ye received the Spirit of Promise; saith St Paul Ephes. 1. The Spirit is the Great Promise. The Spirit is All the Promises in a Knot, living, and flourishing upon the Root of eternity, like the Sun with his Beams. The Spirit is the Unity Unvailed. Jesus Christ in his Flesh is the Sun of the Divine Nature, under a Cloud. Jesus in his Spirit is the same Sun shining out clear, and shedding abroad all his Glorious Beams, which are all the Great, and Precious Promises in their Accomplishment.

If thou believe, whoever, how vile, how deep in sin, how black soever thou art with Guilt, thou art now One with God in his Righteousness. Christ is made Sin for thee, that thou mayst be made the Righteousness of God in him; according to St Paul. If thou believest, thou art One with God in his Rest. he, that believeth, entreth into Rest, as God also rested: Hebr 4. 4. Finally believe, and thou shalt be One, as the Father, and Christ are One. Jesus Christ prayeth not onelyonly for his Apostles; but for all, that shall believe on him thorow their word. He maketh this Petition expresly for them to his Father: That they may be One, as we are One. John 17. 22. If two lye together, p. 346they shall be warm; saith Solomon in Ecclesiastes. What warmth of Divine Life, Love, Joy, and Pleasure is there, where these Three, the Father, Christ and a Believer ly together wrapt up in One? See how Faith placeth the Soul in the warm Bosom, upon the Golden Throne of the Divine Unity together with Jesus Christ. This Divine Unity in Christ is become now thy Center, and thy Circle, O Believing Soul; thy Center, out of which and in which thou doest at once both rise, and rest; thy Circle, unto which thou enlargest thy self, with which thou art encompassed.

Qu. Perhaps some souls are so far touched with the Sweet sense of this Blessed Unity, that they say within themselves; We see indeed a glorious Rest and Joy, in being implanted into the Unity of the Eternal Spirit by Believing: But what shall we do that we may believe, and be set in this Root of Eternity?

Ans. This Root of Eternity, this Glorious Unity eternally comprehendeth and holdeth thee. Look then up to this Unity, fix thine Eye unmoveably upon it, as thy first Principle and Habitation. So wait, until by a Virtue coming down from thence, thou apprehend by faith this Heavenly Unity of the Spirit, in which thou art comprehended.

Arg. 2. Believe, and thou shalt partake of the Divine Love, by being planted into this Divine Unity. The Unity, in which the Sons of God dwell together, as Brethren, is compared by the Psalmist to the holy Oyntment which was poured forth upon the Head of the High Priest, and ran down to the skirts of his Garment. Thus by Faith the Unity of God in Christ poureth forth it self as a rich Oyntment of Divine Love, which spreadeth itself in its precious Substance and Sweetness over thy whole Person to the lowest border of thy Garment. Thus art thou anointed to be a King and Priest to God the Father together with the Lord Jesus. When this Unity openeth itself upon thee to the Eye of thy Faith, and taketh thee into itself; then shalt thou see thy self, and be ravished to see thy self in the midst of all the Loves of God and embraced most closely by them all.

1. In this Unity the Eye of Faith discovereth to thee Electing Love, Now thou rellisheth the Sweetness, now thou receivest upon thy Spirit the Seal of Electing Love, which was before the World was, and then had thee with it in its Bosom. Now thou seest by the Light of the Glory of this Unity shining upon the Eye of thy Faith the Father in the Height of Eternity looking upon thee in One Loveliness, loving thee with One Love together with himself in the Beautiful, and Blessed Person of his Son.

2. Faith sheweth the Justifying Love in this Unity. What peace, what Joy is there in this Sight, when a poor Believer taken out of the Dungeon where he lay in chains of guilt, and filth, a Prisoner to the Wrath of God, seeth himself set in the Court of the great King before his Throne, acceptable, and amiable in the Beloved One? Thou now appearest washed in the same precious Blood of God. Thou shinest in the same Beauty, and Righteousness of p. 347God together with Jesus Christ. Yea, he is thy Loveliness, who is Height and Sealed Sum of all Loveliness; of all Loves. For thou art made acceptable in the Beloved One; Eph. 1. v. Thou art not only Righteous, but Righteousness itself; the Righteousness of God. Thy Person is a Solid Glory, a Transparent Glory, a Pure, unmixt Glory of Divine Righteousness. For thou art the Righteousness of God in him. Faith maketh thee One Spirit with him, who is the Brightness of the Glory of God.

3. Believing thou meetest in this Unity with the Sanctifying Love of God. That Seed of God, which is One, soweth itself in thy Soul, and springeth up into the Fruits of Holiness, and Immortality. Now say to thy Soul upon a good account: Return unto thy Rest, O my Soul. The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. The Goods of Heaven, and Eternity are sure to thee. For this Seed of All Good, of Grace, and Glory, which is now sown in thee, will grow up by day, or by night, whether thou sleep, or wake; though thou know not, how it grow.

4. The Believing Soul seeth, and smelleth the Heavenly Flower of Comforting Love living, and flourishing in this Root of Eternity, the Divine Unity. The Spirit himself, whose Unity is the Band of all Peace, and Joys, is now with thee, and in thee, a Comforter, the Fountain of all Living Comforts.

5. Believe, and Faith will set in thine Eye this Glorious Unity, as the Crown of Glorifying Love. Jesus Christ saith expresly among his last Words, John. 17. 22. That Glory, which thou hast given to me, I have given to them: that they may be One, as we are One. This is the concluding, and crowning Glory; This is the Glorifying Love, Love in Glory; the Unity made Perfect. The Father hath given Glory to Christ by giving him the Being of his heavenly Person, which is the Glory, and himself in that Being a Glory, in that Glory. Jesus giveth the same Glory to us, himself, and his Father, to make us One Glory with themselves; that the Unity may be the Glory, and each in the same Spirit may be a Unity of Glories. O! believe. Can any thing be desired sweeter, s…rer, greater by any Soul, than to be one Love, one Glory with Jesus Christ, and his Father? Faith planteth thee into this Love, into this Unity.

3. Argum. Faith by planting thee into the Unity of God bringeth thee into the Light of God. The Eye of Faith seeth the Truth of Things, as it is in Jesus, and Jesus, as He is in the Unity of the Spirit. Ephes. 4. 21. If ye… have been taught in Him, as the Truth is in Christ. Ephes. 4. 3, 4, 5. Keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Band of Peace; One Body; One Spirit, One Lord. The Light of Faith, is the Light of the Divine Unity; as the Light of Sense is the Brightness, and Glory of the Corporeal Unity, which is One Sun. This Light discovereth the Truth of things in the Secret of the most sacred Unity, in the Lord Jesus, as He is One in the Unity of the Spirit. How different is the Appearance of things to Sense, and to Faith? What different Lights shine in the Diversity of flesh, and in the Unity of the Sp…rit? In the latter of these p. 348are seen all beautiful, and pleasant things, all things in Beauty, Pleasantness, in Heavenly, Immortal Forms. And this Sight alone is the Truth. Believe, so shalt thou see thy self in Christ in One Glory. Thou shalt know, that this which thou now seest is the Truth, thy True Person, and Form. Now thou shalt cry out with Joy, and Wonder. Behold I am fair, I am altogether fair. It is easie for me now to believe that I am my Beloved's, and that His desire is toward me; while I see my self in this Glass of Christ's Glorified …erson, in this Circle of Glory, the Unity of the Spirit. Believe; So shalt thou see all the Saints in One Glory with Christ, and shalt know, that this is the Truth of every Saint. Then shalt thou stretch forth thine arms to them, and say; How is my heart enlarged towards you! Ye are, as I am, all look like Princes, the Sons of the great King. My joy is fulfilled in You all. Believe: For, when thou behevest, thou shalt see all the Works of God in a Vision of Truth and Glory. Thou shalt see them in Christ, as Christ is One in the Unity of the Spirit. All shall appear to thee like the Joynts, or white Circles of the Thighs of the Spouse Cant. 7. 1. Jewels, the Work of a curious Ar…ificer, M…ster-pieces of Divine Love; they shall be all to thee, as the hands, and fingers of thy Beloved; Rings of Gold with a precious stone set in them; Circ…es of Divine Light, and Life; figures of the Supreme Unity, with that Glorious Unity itself set in them to enrich them.

Believe. O what a Paradise in the third Heavens is a Believer caught up into, when first the Eye of Faith is opened in him? Yea, as often, as it openeth itself in him; He beholdeth all Forms of Things, as they are in Truth, this Truth, as it is in Christ, this Christ, as he is in the Unity of the Spirit. With what pleasure like that of a Resurrection from the Dead, when all things, that ever we conversed with, rise together with us into the same Glory, doth a man now look round about him, and say. O all ye Appearances of Things, that ever were, or are to be! Are these your Forms, your true Forms? Is this sight of you, which I have now in the Divine Unity, the only Truth?

Then the Believing Soul stretcheth forth her hands to them all, and cryeth out with wonder, and delight: my Father, my Mother, my Husband, my Wife, my Brethren, my Sisters, my Children, all the delights of my Eyes; all the Sweetness, and Joy of all Relations are ye all.

Use. 4. You who are planted by Faith into the Divine Unity, shew the Fruits of this blessed Root in Purity and Love.

3. Let a Divine Purity shine in thy Life, O Christian. The Unity of God is his Simplicity. The Simplicity of God is his Purity. The Purity of the most excellent things is their freedom from mixture. The more they are themselves, the more they shine, the more pure, and precious they are.

Live, and walk in the Unity of the Spirit, Galat. 5. 25. Behold thy self, and all things; converse with all, as they appear, as thou meetest them in thy walks in this circle of the Divine Unity. Sleep not the sleep of Sense, or Flesh, lest thou be hurried in Dreams into the Land of Darkness, where the Light is Darkness, where there is no Order, no Unity.

p. 349Awake into the Light of this Blessed Unity. So shalt thou be ever with God. So shalt be ever like God.

2. Be unmoveable in Love. God is Love, because he converseth with all things in the Light of his own Spirit alone, which is the Light of Lovel…ness, and Love. Be thou a Child of God, a Child of this Light, and so a Child of Love. Be a Priest of Divine Love. Be ever! within in thine own Spirit, as a Temple of Holy Loves, filled with the Glory of that God, which is Love. Know nothing any more in any Appearance besides that, which sheweth itself to thee in this Temple by the Light of this Glory.

Object. Here an Objection cometh in our way, which may arise in every understanding against all this discourse, which we have had concerning the Divine Unity, and Divine Love. Doth not God see Sin, and hate Sinners? Ought not we to do so?

Ans. I answer affirmatively; the Divine Nature both in God, and in the Children of God discovereth the deformity of Sin by a most clear Light; and hateth it with a most perfect hatred.

I shall confirm, and explain this Answer by four particular Answers.

1. Ans. S…n is a privation of Holiness, which is the Beauty of Spirits, as Darkness is a privation of Light; and every Evil of some Good. Privations are known only by their contrary habits God, and all Holy Spirits see the Evil and Ugliness of Sin in the Light, and Glass of their own Heavenly purity.

2. Ans. Hatred is an intellectual contrariety. The Unity and Love of the Divine Nature, in the King of Saints, and all his Holy Ones is essentially and formally in itself an irreconcilable opposition, an active contrariety to Enmity, and Sin, as Light, Day, and Immortality are to Darkness, Night, and Death.

3. Ans. God seeth Sin in order to his Wrath. God seeth his Wrath in orde… to his Glory; his Glory as the full object of his Love, order is the Chain, and Band of Unity. Thus God beholdeth all at once, as they lie comprehended in the Unity of Eternal Light, and Love by their several Subordinations.

God beholdeth Sin, as it is swallowed up into a flame of wrath; the flame of wrath, as it is heightned to a Light of Glory; the Light of Glory, as it shineth, and liveth in the Eye of his Love, the Fountain of all Lights, Life, and Joys.

Love is the Eternal, and rich Root of all. Glory is the Tree, that springeth up out of this Root, the perfect, and full Image of Love, in which it liveth, diffuseth, and delighteth itself within itself.

This Tree of Glory spreadeth itself into many flourishing Branches, among which are Holiness, Justice, Wrath against Sin. Wrath by the force of the contrariety raiseth up Sin, as a mark to shoot its burning Arrows, and cast his fiery Darts at. Love thorow these Attributes letteth in Sin by the Law, that it may display itself more fully in its War with its Enemy, in it Conquest, and Triumph over it; that it may break forth, and rise up thorow it more p. 350powerfully, purely, and sweetly; like a flame going up to Heaven from a great pile of Wood perfectly subdued to it.

The Unity of God is now the Glass of Love, in which alone God seeth al… Things; and the Diamond, which he seeth set, and shining in every Ring of Operative, or Permissive Providences.

Sin appeareth to him in the Glass of his Wrath and Justice. These sheweth themselves to him by their reflections, and Images in the Glass of hi… Glory. His Glory shineth forth from the Arms, and Bosom of his Love, which is the inmost Center, and outmost Circle of the Divine Unity. Here all things lie, here all things present themselves to God, as Mysteries of Divinity, and Love in the Unity of the Divine Nature.

God beholdeth with a fulness of Joy his Love the reflection of himself, his own Fountain, the Fountain of his blessed Unity, in which he lyeth Eternally bathing himself in pure floods of Incomprehensible Pleasures; this Love, this Unity, this Fountain he beholdeth in all his Glory. His Glory is the Object of his Eye in the Severity of his Justice, and Wrath. He contemplateth his Justice, and Wrath alone in Sin. Thus God seeth every where the Mystery of his Divine Unity, as the great and bright deep of Eternity. He seeth every where the Seal, the express Image of his Divine Unity, where all the riches of his Glory, and Sweetnesses of his Love unfold themselves, and sport together.

Thus, O Saint, learn to look upon every Sin. See it in this Glass of Truth, the mystery of the Divine Unity. See this secret and invisible Jewel, the mystery of the Divine Unity sealed upon it, sealed up in it. Thus shalt thou see Sin so, as to preserve thy Purity, and thy Love both in one. Thou shal… see Sin so, as to be at once a flame of Wrath to it, and a Light of Glory, a flame of Love in that flame of Wrath, comprehending both, Wrath and Sin in the Wrath. So shalt thou see Sin, hate, and dwell for ever with God, who is the Beauty of Holiness, and Love.

4. Ans. God looketh upon a Sinner, as upon a Prison and a Grave, where the Truth, the Divine Seed, the Light and Life of the Divine Image lyeth detained, captivated, slain by a Lie; the Prince of Life, and Light by the Powers of Darkness. His Wrath and Hatred against the Sinner is a zeal of Love. He cometh forth with Thunders, Lightnings, Tempests and Earthquakes in his Wrath to break down the Prison walls, to break open the Grave, that the Prince of Glory may come forth into the Light of Life, and the liberty of the Glory of a Son of God.

God, as a Sun, breaketh forth with power, and in his Strength, to dissolve by the force of his Beams the Inchantment, and Light; that the Sons of Light, and the Truth may be set free.

Thus God hateth Sinners; thus do thou hate them with a perfect Hatred. Let thy fire be no bitter zeal, but a zeal of Love. Let thy woundings be Divine Anointings.

p. 351I have hitherto passed thorow only one half of my discourse upon the description of Spiritual Love by the supream Unity in the Divine Nature.

I shall take my ground for the other half; Galat. 3. 20. This shall be my Center for a time, from which my Motions shall arise, and whither they shall return to end thee.

The words are these: Now a Mediatour is not of one; but God is one. This Scripture hath a sweet, and clear depth of Love in it, but unfathomable. This depth is the Unity of God.

St. Paul stateth here the most essential difference between the Law, the Ministery of Wrath; and the Gospel the Ministery of Love. One is established in the hands of a Mediatour; in the other God is one. The Love-union in the Gospel is too near, too sure, too sweet to need, or admit a Mediator.

The Fountain of all Evangelical Grace, and Love is the Unity of God. The Unity of the Spirit is the Band of Peace between the Uncreated, and all Created Spirits, Ephes. 4. 6.

But we shall more clearly see the Riches Treasured up in this Scripture, if we look upon it by the light of another Scripture in the same Chapter; v. 16. Now the Promise was made to Abraham, and his Seed, he saith not to Seeds, as to many, but as to one. And to thy Seed, which is Christ.

The Holy Apostle in this Chapter maketh it his work to prove, that Righteousness is not by the works of the Law; but by Faith in Jesus Christ according to the Gospel.

God descending into Christ, and taking up Christ into himself; Jesus Christ in this fulness, and Glory of the God-Head entring into the Soul, and taking the Soul into himself, by the free Revelation, and immediate Union of Faith: This is the Righteousness of God, and of his Saints in the Gospel.

One Argument, by which St. Paul maintaineth Righteousness to be of Grace, and not by Works is laid down. v. 15. the Covenant of Grace was long before the Law. He confirmeth that here v. 16. The Promises were made to Abraham, and to his Seed, &c.

The Holy Ghost in this verse established the Heavenly Building of the Gospel upon three beautiful, and firm Pillars.

1. Pillar; The Gospel is a meer, simple, pure Promise. That, which was called in the verse before, the Testament, or Covenant, is here expressed by Promises. The Law is compounded of Precepts, and Promises dependant upon those Precepts, as condition of the Covenant to be performed mutually on both sides; of prohibitions and threatnings annexed. But, as the Sun is a Body streaming forth freely by a knot of Beams. So is the Gospel a knot of Promises, which are all Love in so many clear, unmixt Beams shooting themselves freely forth from the fulness, and force of Love alone in its Head-spring, the heart of God.

Obj. But you will say; Are there not Precepts set down; Conditions imposed; p. 352Duties required; high, and hard things to be performed in an Evangelical State?

Ans. It is most true. The Gospel hath its Precepts, Conditions, Duties; and these all high, hard, raised to a pitch of Spirituality, and Heavenliness beyond the reach and sight of any natural Spirit. But these all depend upon the Promise, and not the Promise on them. All Evangelical Graces, and Duties are Children of the Promise. The Promise is, as the Hierusalem above, free, the mother of all living Principles, and Performances.

We read; 2 Pet. 1. 4. That we have given to us, great and precious promises, by which we are made partakers of the Divine Nature.

You, who believe not, hear, and believe. You who believe but faintly, and weakly; hear, that your Faith may be encreased. You, who are strong in Faith; hear, and believe yet more. Hear, how all the difficulties in believing in the whole life of Faith from the Beginning to the end; the Promises are Pipes of pure Gold laid into your Hearts from the Heart of Christ in Glory. By these from that flourishing Olive Tree, the Divine Nature, as the best Oil, floweth in upon you freely, and perpetually.

When a Gardiner would set choice Plants, Flowers in a barren, sandy Soil, he first bringeth in fresh, and fertile Soil to lay upon it. Then he planteth in this good ground, which he hath made, his Flowers, and Trees, which now flourish, and make that barren Earth a rich, and pleasant Garden. So God findeth thy Spirit, O Man, barren, and sandy, a Rock. No Spiritual Plant, no Truth, or Grace of the Gospel can take root, or live here. But be not thou discouraged by all this, by the hardness of thine Heart, the barrenness, and enmity of thy Spirit to the Heavenly Seed, which it killeth, as often, as it is sown in it. Look to the Promises, God by these will bring in the Divine Nature. With this, as a good, and Heavenly ground he will overlay, and enrich thy Spirit. Now God will plant every pleasant Truth, every Evangelical Grace in thy Spirit. Now they shall all prosper, they shall unfold their several Beauties, send forth their sweet smell, and bring forth much fruit in thee. For this new Earth of the Divine Nature shall send forth its Fatness and Sweetness into them, and make them to grow.

When a Prince goeth his progress, his Gests are set down before he leaveth his Court; which way, and how far he shall Travel every day; where he shall lodge at night. His Servants with Furniture, and Provisions from his Court wait upon him all along.

A Promise is a Declaration, and Obligation of Divine Love, which it maketh of itself, which it layeth upon itself, free, and immutable.

Whoever thou art, that hearest this, believe in the Promise: Believe freely, in a free Promise. This Faith will make thee the Prince, of which I speak. Thou art now a Prince come forth from Heaven to take thy Progress thorow this world, and so return home to Heaven again. All thy Gests by day, and p. 353Rests by night are set down Eternally in Heaven in the Book of Love there, which is the Heart of God, and from thence in a Promise, which is Eternal Love, or the Heart of God transcribed, to be read by thee. The day of a Saint is the Light shining from the Face of God. The night is the drawing in, and darkning of this Light. All thy motions by day with every Circumstance, O Believer, O Heavenly Prince, are described exactly in the draught of Divine Love, the Promise. Thou goest, as it is written of thee there.

The Holy Angels, thine own Servants from thy Court in Heaven attend thee in all thy way with Heavenly Provisions, and Minister unto thee, as is appointed there. Thy resting-place every Night is ordered in the Promise. The Blessed Angels go before thee. They take up thy lodging for thee. They make it ready with Heavenly Furniture. They make thy Bed for thee. They are a Guard round about thee for the fear of the night. All things are done, as was set down before in the Bosom of Eternal Love opened in the Promise. Thus the Gospel is All a Promise. The Promises are Love shining forth by its own Brightnesses, and Beams. Love is that name of God, which is an Ointment poured forth. Love is the Divine Nature freely flowing, and diffusing itself, like Live-Honey. As a Bottom of Silk is unwound, and wrought out into divers beautiful Figures in a Garment of Needle-work: such is thy Life, thy whole Story, O Saint, Divine Love spun forth from the glorious Heart of God, as Silk from the curious Worm, is wound up into a Bottom in the Promise. This rich Bottom worketh out itself into all thy motions, and rests, into all thy Changes, and Chances thorow thy whole course, as into so many exact, and shining Figures of Eternal Glories. Thus Love maketh itself the entire History of thy Life; of that History, and Life it maketh for thee a Garment to wear in Heaven, becoming the Bride of the great King.

You may see something by my description of this first Pillar, on which the Gospel standeth, how God is one in the Covenant of Grace, and that high, Heavenly Unity the sweet Spring of all the Grace, and love of the Covenant. You will see this breaking forth more, like the day dawning by degrees upon you, as I shall set before you the other two Pillars of Evangelical Truth.

2. Pillar. The Promise of the Gospel is to the Seed, and to that Seed, as to One. To Abraham, and to his Seed were the Promises made. He saith not, to Seeds, as to many; but to his Seed, as to One. v. 16.

The Seal of the Promise upon the Seed is the Unity. God will not give his Glory to another. The Love, and Grace of God in the Gospel is his chief Glory. Therefore is Evangelical Love to the Evangelical Seed; and that for the Unity sake. The Seed every where in the Father, in all the Off-spring is one with itself. Love, and Unity are ever inseparable. The Strength and Sweetness of the Relation between the Father, and the Child is the Unity. Love is at its height in a Father, because there is the Head of the Unity. The Unity here is the Spring of Love. From hence its streams run along into p. 354all relations with the sweeter; and stronger force, as they are nearer to this Spring. God is Love. God is one.

3. Pillar. That one Seed, to which the Promises are made, is Christ. To Abraham, and to his Seed: as to One; and that one, Christ. Isaac was the Seed of Abraham. Isaac stood only, as a Figure of the Lord Jesus. Isaac signifieth Laughter. The Lord Jesus is the true Seed of Mirth and Joy. When he cometh to us by his Spirit, which is his proper, his eternal Presence, and Appearance; he bringe…h back our Captivity from the Powers of Sin, Sorrow, and Death; he filleth our Mouths with laughter; he maketh us, as those that Dream; he placeth us in the midst of such glorious Persons, and Things, he cloatheth our Persons with so much Glory; and all this by so …asy, so sweet, so sudden, so universal, so unexpected a change; that it seemeth for the greatness of the Glory more like a Dream, than Truth.

But if Isaac here typifie the Son of God; then doth Abraham stand in the place of God the Father. The name signifieth The high Father of a Multitude; or, The Father of a high Multitude.

God the Father maketh the Promises to himself, and to his Son Christ. Jesus Christ is the Seed, to which the Promises are made, and the Promised Seed, the Pearl in the Casket of every Promise. Thus God is one in the Gospel; the Gracious Maker of the Promise; the Rich Matter of the Promise; the Glorious Heir of the Promise. This Unity is the Love of the Gospel, in which the Seed is one in the Father, in Christ, in all the Saints; and this one Seed is the Lover, the Love, and the Beloved.

God loveth himself in his Son; his Son in his Saints. God, Christ, and the Saints lie all wrapt up in one Seed. This is the Unity; and this Unity the Love of the Gospel. One Seed shining out, and springing up thorow all into the Fellowship of all Beauties, and delights with itself, within itself.

We have set up some Lights in this verse to shew the Glories of Divine Love the more advantageously, as they are presented to us. v. 20. in those words; God is One.

Now let us draw nearer to the verse itself, the Center of our discourse.

St Paul raiseth an Objection, and answereth it. v. 19.

Object. This is the Objection: If the Gospel were before the Law of Eternal Force, the only dispensation of Love, Life, and Righteousness: why then was the Law added.

Ans. St. Paul answereth this Objection, by Defining, and Confining the Use, and Times of the Law.

1. St Paul defineth the end, & Use of the Law. The Law was added because … Transgression. There was a fourfold use of the Law, until Christ came; to discover, to restrain, to heighten Sin, to bring Condemnation, and Death upon Sinners.

2. The Times of the Law are c…nfined to the coming of Christ: Until th… Seed should come.

p. 355Then the Holy Apostle giveth us two Arguments to make it plain, that the Law can be no more of force, or have any place, when Jesus Christ appeareth. These two Arguments are taken from two Essential differences between the Law, and the Gospel.

1. Argum. The Law was ordained by Angels. God appeared not under the Law in his own Person, nor in that sweet, and supream brightness, which floweth immediately from his Face. He cloathed himself with the created Light of the Angelical Nature, and Glory, as with a Garment. In the Persons of Angels, and their Beauties, as under a vail, he was seen, and conversed with Man. But when the Seed cometh, which is Jesus Christ; this is God in Person, God in his own Essential Form, and Image.

Now the Scene, the Appearance is changed from the diversities of Angels, and their Glories to the Divine Unity. Now the Angels, thorow which, as multitudes of little Stars in the night, the Light of the God-Head scattered faint glimmerings of itself, vanished out of sight. They resigned their weak Beams, Beauties, and Beings to one Sun, that one Seed their Fountain, the Unity of God in Christ. Here they are New-born, they are made perfect, they shine again in one Glory. The Son of Man cometh now in the Glory of his Father, in his own Glory, in the Glory of all his Angels. When Christ is seen in his Heavenly shape, which alone is the Light of the Gospel, Angels appear no more singly, all Glories are seen united in their Center, the Person of God in Christ. Now hear, O Israel; come forth; and O ye Daughters of Sion; the Lord your God, your Jesus is one. This is the first Argument, and the first essential difference between the Law, and the Gospel.

2. Argum. The Law was ordained by Angels; in the hand of a Mediator. Now a Mediator is not of One; but God is One. v. 19. 20. Thus we are come home to the verse itself, where you shall see all this discourse come home to our mark, at which we aim; the Fountain of all Evangelical Graces, and Loves in the Unity of God.

We shall best understand these words by a distinction of Mediators.

There is a Mediator of Distance, and of Unity. This latter the Mediator of Unity is one with both the Parties, between which he mediateth, comprehendeth them both, maketh both one in himself. Such a Mediator Jesus Christ is in the Gospel. Such a Mediator the Law hath not; this place intendeth not. This hath some shadow of itself in the Medium Participationis, which Philosophy treateth of.

The Mediator of Distance is one, who standeth between two to keep them apart, because they cannot approach one to the other. This is here meant. The People of Israel said to Moses; Let God speak to thee, and we will hear thee. But let not God speak to us any more, least we die. God approved of their words: They have said well. Thus the Law was ordained in the hand of Moses, as a Mediator. This we may express by the Medium Abnegationis; a Mediator of Distance.

p. 356When the Seed cometh, this Mediation, this Administration, the Distance, and so the Law ceaseth. Now God is One. Christ is the Seed, Christ is come Christ hath two Natures in him, but he is One Person in both Natures, and that One Person, the One only God. God is the Person, the Subsistency, the Root, out of which the whole Tree with all its Arms and Branches of both Natures, Humane, and Divine springeth; in which it subsisteth; from which all operations, and fruits proceed; to which all denominations belong, which is the name to be named in all, and to which every name belongeth. This is Christ. The one Seed, the one Spirit in all the Saints, in all the Graces, and Comforts of the Gospel is this Christ, that one Person, which is the only true God. Thus God is one in all.

The Lord Jesus in his Heavenly Spirit, and Body is the Glorious Circle of the Divine Unity, in which God, Christ, and all the Elect, Saints, or Angels li… so close, so enfolded, and wrapt up mutually one in another; that no Mediator can come between them; that they need no Mediator; save as this Unity itself, the one Seed is the Mediator.