The Babe of Glory, Letter 3
From England.
Dear Sir,
IN whom I have much delight; although you are far diſtant in the ſhadow, yet I ſee you often in the ſubſtance, where Saints appear, where Chriſt appears, in the glory, honor, and majeſty of God in eternal life; which eternal life once ſeen in God, it draws men into the inviſible world, the firſt and laſt creation, which ſhall in ſhort time be manifeſted to and in our mortal bodies; by which we ſhalbe changed into the age, and ſtature, and ſtrength of the world immortal in life eternal, which is this day coming amongſt us, even amongſt dead men, blind men, dumbe and deaf men: it will indeed appear firſt unto thoſe that are dead in this world. I ſay, to thoſe that are dead, and lying ſlain and crucified in this world, to all the evil and the good thereof; to the righteouſneſs, holineſs, wiſdom and glory; alſo to all evil which dwelleth ſpiritually in the thoughts and intentions of the heart, with all the filthy corruptions of the earthly man which dwelleth in the polluted fleſh; that when we have beared about in our bodyes the dying of the Lord Jeſus, then the life of Ieſus ſhall againe be manifeſted in our mortal bodies; even when the Lord Jeſus ſhall cauſe his voice to be heard in the earth, ſaying, Thy Dead men ſhall live, even with my dead body ſhall they riſe: awake and ſing ye that dwell in the duſt. Oh the dead! it is they onelyonly that ſhall live, the blinde onelyonly ſhall ſee, the deaf they ſhall hear, and the dumb men they ſhall ſing the Lords ſong in the inward world with the holy ones, in the holy God, in heavenly places, in heavenly nature, invincible ſtrength, yet comprehenſible and attainable, for man ſhall receive that in reſtoration, which the heart of man could not conceive in the old creation, and that which never entered into the ſinful heart of man, ſhall infinitely dwell in men in the new creation (when the tabernacle of God is with men) and that which eye hath not ſeen, no not the Angels of God, (for they deſired to look into it) ſhall man behold with open face; and the depths of Gods wiſdom which was paſt finding out, ſhall through God be found in man, and man in it, even when God and man is made through Chriſt perfect in one, even when Chriſt appears a perfect Church, and the Church appears a perfect Chriſt, and both in perfect God; this is the perfect union, which will be manifeſted in man: then the mighty Immanuel ſhall be againe revealed, God with man, and man with God; to this end our Lord firſt appeared, that he might bring many ſons unto glory.
This was the work of the Goſpel, ſo to reveal and bring to light immortality and life unto the ſons of men, whoſe life is hid in God, and God is hid in man, but both ſhall be revealed: and this will be the everlaſting Goſpel that ſhall be preached unto men; even the power of the holy one which will make the people a willing people, to draw nigh unto the holy mount, to be adorned with the beauty of holineſs. to put on the robes of righteouſneſs, and the garments of ſalvation, and to enter in with Chriſt into the Wedding chamber, the immortal life, the Angelical world, or Celeſtial glory; yea, into the perfect prudenty of the inviſible, infinite, comprehenſible God; and this glorious and mighty one ſhall be revealed in us, and us in him: and both manifeſt unto the world, which will then appear; even the righteous nations that are ſaved ſhall behold God in the Majeſty of his holy people, even his ancient ones, who are the tabernacle of God, the throne of judgement: yea, his reſting place, alſo the Church and City into which the Gentiles ſhall bring their glory and honour into it, and the nations that are ſaved ſhall walk in the light thereof; for the law ſhall go forth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem, and then ſhall be the time of truth and peace in the earth (the new earth) where the knowledge of the Lord ſhall cover it, as now the waters do the ſea. Oh Lord open the gates of thy love and life, that thy holy people may enter in; That the poor Gentiles which are thine, may receive life from the dead, and let this be the onelyonly deſire of all the people of God, even all that are mindful of the Lord, and give him no reſt, till he hath made Jeruſalem the praiſe of the whole earth, and the glory and the light of the world, that the gentiles may come to her light, and kings to the brightneſs of her riſing up. But my deſire is not to ſpeak unto you in dead letters, which are but forms and ſhadows; but rather to ſpeak with you in the living word, in the morning Star, in the Son of Righteouſneſs, who is the Life-light, and power of God, which life and power is by ſome few of us in our parts waited for, and we are drawn up, and are aſſembled together at the foot of the mount, to receive the law of God, which will be given forth again unto Iſrael: and here I reſt with you,
A. H.