A Little STREAM OF DIVINE Sweetness, FROM The Living Fountain for the Paradise of God.  
LONDON, Printed by G.D. sold by Tho: Brewster and Greg: Moule, at the three Bibles in Paul's Churchyard, near the West end. 1650.   

THE subject and occasion of this little Treatise: fainting in the wilderness of affliction, I went to these Scriptures for recovery, and on them spent some few meditations, which I recommend unto the dead and live view, as useful unto both;  
Rev. 3.21. To him that over comes will I give to sit with me in my Throns', even as I overcame, and am set with my Father in his Throne.  
Rev. 21.2. And I John saw the holy City, new Jerusalem, come down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride, trimmed for her husband.  
Rev. 3.2. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open, I will come in and sup with him.  
Rev. 22.1. And he shown me a pure River of water of life, clear as Crystal, proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lamb.  
Rev. 22.4. And they shall see my face, and his name shall be on their foreheads.  
Do not look, but read, and for what you profit, let God have all the glory, for to your sinful friend there is none at all due.   

To the right honourable, his Excellency, THO. Lord FAIRFAX, Captain general of all the forces in England and Wales, etc.  
NOble captain General, will your Excellency once give leave to, I dare scarce say what; yet, I beg as on my bended knee, for the Spirits sake, leave to shelter these few lines under your greatness, hoping you will peruse them in a leisure hour, not but that your breast hath sweeter things in it, in which ye delight yourself more, then in all your victories, pomps, glory, greatness, which you are crowned with, and admired for by all men, good & bad: but the reason why I take this boldness, is, to present my thankfulness for your unwearied marches round about this kingdom, in all hours and seasons; I say, for this and your many brave, bold, gallant charges, where Cannons played, like thunder; and bullets flew like Hailstones driven by the wind, such was that at Maid-stone, and divers more besides; but in these Christ did ever keep you with his lifeguard of Angels, and now hath brought you home from the fields of deadly slaughter to refresh your greatness; now good men will bring presents, or at least, their thankfulness, as well as bad men, court you for their own advantage: both the former I would do as well as I can, will your Excellency so take it, my thankfulness it is, and a present too, like a glass of Nectar from the Spirits breathe, drink it up my Lord, for sure it will refresh you; I know you may refuse it, expecting the sons of Levi should all bring in their flagons full of rich and choicer liquor; but they are many of them angry, I cannot tell the reason, why good men should be so, unless they are weak and froward, and know not what they would have; but yet I think you value not the ingratitude of men, knowing your reward is with your Lord and Master Christ, the King of kings, who will one day set you in his throne and glory, for you have overcome; you, my Lord Tho. Fairfax have foiled, and spoilt all; yea, all the mighty ones that have risen against us, yea, you, I say, with your gallant Champions, have bravely done the thing once over, and once again to that, and with such expedition, that the world round doth wonder, for which we hope, though many stars or comets like to stars be fallen, yet your honour, glory shall endure like to the sun and moon for ever, & your merits with your Champions be remembered whilst one good man breathes in the nation; And now, we who are private christians add this short title to your Excellency, the Saints Captain General, next under Christ, and when, my Lord, you need us, we are all in readiness, to pray, to fight, to live & die at your command, for Christ and this nation, which now sits at rest: but for taxes, some poor, and widow's wants, who are all in hopes, you will speak a word in their behalf to those, who soon can help them, and surely will ere long, though murmuring men say no. Well, my Lord, I say no more, but the great jehovah, God Almighty bless you, make his face to shine in, and from you, & all those who have followed you, high and low, in faithfulness and unweariednes: doing Christ's, and the nations work; this is my wish to you, and those who are sent over to the other nation, by yours & others commands, to do Christ's work, and make him room for his Gospel; and to this I wish O all ye Saints, that love Christ your king, his cause, or these nations, say, Amen, Amen, as with one voice.  
Your Lordship's servant in Christ. WILL. BLAKE.   

To the Christian Reader.  
TO the strong and to the weak, to the merry, and melancholy Christian, I recommend these following lines, which was penned in a wilderness of affliction, by the Spirits strength and power, which hath emboldened me, to present them to thy view, and the worlds; and that on serious consideration, and some able Christians importunity.  
But first, I will tell thee what I was, and now am, that thou mayst see God's goodness, calling poor creatures out of darkness to himself; I was brought up by my parents in my youth, to learn, hall marry, Pater noster, the Belief, and learn to read, and where I served my apprenticeship little more was to be found; but in that time, I speak, without any boasting, to the praise of God's grace, he shined in some measure into me, minding me of eternity, and my soul's condition, which I saw, and I still do, to be very sinful. Well, I fell to reading the Practice of Piety, Mr. Perkins, and by these, or rather the Spirit, I got a little persuading of God's love to my soul. Well, my time being out, I set up for myself; and seeking out for a wife, which with long waiting and difficulty, much expense and charge, at last I got; Four children, God gave me by her, but he hath taken them and her all again too; who was a woman of a thousand for good nature. In six week's time, which must needs go near. My eldest Son and daughter in a fortnight, and my Wife a month after. Well, thought I, if comfort be any where, it is in God; and so fell to meditating of these Scriptures; but no more of this, nor another tedious line; only mark Gods dealing with his people in afflictions, which is most seen in that furnace; instance Peter, Paul, Daniel, and the three Children. Well friends, what ever your afflictions, or conditions be, I know not; but in these following lines, lies much comfort, which I found in penning, and I hope you will in reading; for the glory all is yours, and the sweetness too, what is yours you may rejoice in, by an eye of faith, foreseeing it a forehand: God gives a promise, after that the thing; so he dealt with us by his Son; first, sent him in a promise, after that in substance, to be our life, light, and glory, rest, peace, comfort, and salvation, in all wants, and from all wants, of all kinds and nature. Well, this Christ, and God that sent him, and the Spirit too, is the Stream of sweetness, where all your comfort lies, unless it be in the creature, which withers, like the grass when it is cut and grows no more; if creature comforts be cut off, or withering, one of these they are, or else they are not momentany, but enduring, which I am sure they are not, from my own experience, no more than a dream, which is but a fancy: when the man awakes, may fancies, riches, honours, pleasures, profits, in the dreaming hour; thou mayst do the like, and not enjoy at all what thou labourst for, whilst thou seekest it in the creature; run thou mayst, and win not, seek thou mayst, and find not, try thou mayst, and taste not, the sweetness thou expectest; true some lies in every flower, but the Bee that skips from one to another, all the Summer long can scarce fill her Hive; but grant that she do, how quickly is she rebled and strangled too at last, O thou 〈◊〉 Christian, after pleasures, profits, riches, lands, and live, death will one day strangle thee, and r●b th●e to, of all those sweet comforts thou ever g●therste here the Manna would not keep but in the pot of gold, no more will the creature, but in God and Christ, and therefore what thou hast, lay it up 〈◊〉 Christ, and lay it out for Christ, and the thou shalt be sure to find it, like bread upon the waters, after many days; but thou that seekest none, and hast none, but God, Christ, and the Spirit; thou hast all already, yea, more than all the world, ten thousand times, can give thee, for thou hast all. All they seek and crave, thou hast found in God, Christ, and the Spirit; and hence it is that a poor Christian, who hath God's love, Christ's pardon, and the Spirits seal, can bear up his head, and smile in his heart, though purseless, and penyless, houseless, and homelesse, ragged, poor and hungry, in a cheerful way, when many rich and great men complain of a thousand wants; whilst the true Christian, in the sense of God's love, wants nothing: but if some poor Christian 〈◊〉, as many there are, wailing and weeping, like to Hagar, for want of this or that comfort, a Wife, a Child, estate, pardon; this or that comfort, light, or knowledge: lo, this seeming want is in thee, only thou dost not see it, for where Christ is, all is; and therefore look about thee, yea look, and if Christ be in thee, I dare say, thou shalt find more sweetness, and drink too, more delight (out of this little Book) then in all the creature comforts thou ever yet enjoyest, and therefore when the world is still, and thy Spirit quiet, in a leisure hour, taste, try, read, and if ye be deceived pardon me, for I am a weak, froward, doubting Christian, and yet I hope a growing, though it be but slowly: let us pray for one another, for I will for you, and the Israel of God, while my name is William Blake.  
A Word, and but a Word, to many of my fellow Christians, who think they have no ability to raise, writ, or speak to a portion of Scripture, in a linked and profitable way, for want of learning. I dare say to thee, whoever thou art, if the Spirit of God be in thee, lend him thy sleep, or meditation, when thy business of the world is ever, and thy Spirit quiet, he will feed thy thoughts beyond thy expectation; I dare pawn my life for it, these few lines was brought to my hand in this way: and therefore try and see, if William Blakes words be not true.   

A STREAM OF SWEETNESS from the Spirits breathing.  
Revelat. chap. 3.21. To him that overcomes, will I give to sit with me in my throne, as I have overcome, and am set with my Father in his throne. 
THis is the revelation of God by Jesus Christ unto John, and therefore it is said: blessed is he that readeth, and he that heareth: What, this mystery, or prophesy? I, blessed is that soul for ever, as in the first chap. and the third verse: In the seventh verse Christ saith he comes; Amen, saith the Bride, come Lord Jesus quickly; In the last of the Revelation and in the second chapter, and the seventh verse. To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life.  
This tree is Christ, and his leaves are for the healing of the Nations, Rev. the 22. and the 2. v. And in the last of the 10 v. A Crown of life. And in the latter end of the 11. v. A promise of no hurt, by the second death. In the 17. v. A promise to eat of the Manna that is hid.  
This Manna was the sweet food that the children of Israel fed on in the Wilderness; Christ is this Manna, but his sweetness is a hidden thing to the carnal world; and in the 25. A promise to rule over Nations, and further, I will give him the morning Star: this Star is Christ, as Peter tells us, saying, Wait until the day dawn, and the Star arise in your hearts. In the 15. ver. of the 3. chap. Christ tells his Church, That he that overcomes shall be clothed in white array. I, then shall he stand with boldness before Christ, when Kings and Princes shall cry to the hills and mountains to fall and cover them, Revel. the 16. And further, I will not put out his name out of the book of life. and in the 12. ver. I will make him a standing Pillar in the house of my God, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, and my name: The name of my God, that is, he shall be so filled with his divine nature, that it shall be as visible as a name in his forehead.  
And now in the 21. ver. which I first mentioned, a further promise is laid down, as if Christ had not enough yet spoken, to engage his Church against hers and his enemies, namely, the world, flesh, and devil.  
Well, according to my light, I shall hint at the meaning of Christ in these words: and first,  
Observe. The universality of the promise, it is a promise to him, any him; high, low, rich, poor, young old, bond, or free, man or master, maid, or mistress: O but the world does not always so; one gains the victory, and another gets the honour, or reward many times.  
But secondly, What is meant by overcoming, surely to get the masterdom, or upper hand with those we encounter with: this masterdom is got two ways, by a Captain, or a soldier, by a Captain, or a Champion; so David. engaged with Goliath, and his slaying him was Israel's victory, and he in this was a type of our David, our Christ, who hath slain and triumphed openly over our enemies upon the cross.  
And therefore saith Christ to his Disciples, be of good cheer, I have overcome, as in John the 16, the last. Secondly, We do overcome likewise, when we do by the strength of Christ oppose and overcome the pollutions of the world. In this sense saith John, Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in this world: and yet not, but that a poor soul may be foiled, and seemingly wholly overcome, as David, but yet David, by renewing grace he gets up and fights, and like David in conclusion, wholly overcomes Saul and his house.  
Again, he may be said to overcome two ways. First, Comparing himself with himself, I was such a sinner, and such a sinner, but now I thank God I am no more the same man. Secondly, He may be said to overcome, comparing himself with the world, who lies, lives and wallows in all kind of pollutions and defilements; Revel. 16. there is a blessing promised to such a one; Behold saith Christ I come as a Thief in the night: blessed is he that keeps his garments undefiled,  
Thirdly, What is meant by Christ's Throne, and by the Father's Throne, surely here is meant both one thing, namely, the Glory of God, I say, the Glory of God is the thing meant, the eternal Glory of God is the Throne on which Christ sits on, and in which you must fit also.  
Doth Christ sit in this glory of God, Christ your Husband, Christ your Head, Christ your Vine? then must you O Christians too, for ye are inseparable.  
Where should the Bride sit but by the Bridegroom? Where should the Members be but with the Head? Where should the Branches be but with the Vine?  
O poor gentile sinner, what glory is designed for thee?  
But fourthly, What is meant by sitting down in Christ's Throne, or God's Glory.  
First, It denotes a cessation, or rest, so you know Christ is said to enter into his rest, as he is set down with his Father in glory. And Paul saith, there remains a rest for the people of God, alluding to that, so that to sit down with Christ in his Throne is to sit with Christ in the Glory of God; Moses was but a while in the Mount with God, and yet his face shined, so that Israel could not behold him. O how will thy face shine, when thou shalt sit down with Christ in the true glory of God; Moses saw him in fire, smoke, and thunder: but thou shalt see him in Christ, a loving, kind and tender father, a father rejoicing over thee, even as a bridegroom rejoicing over his bride, to do them good, saith the Lord, in Isai. O how well pleased was Jacob when he had his Joseph? O friends, God will sweetly please himself, as I may so say; when Christ shall say, he are am I and all the Children thou hast given me, make them welcome Father, they are my sons and daughters whom I dearly loved, & dearly bought: O seeing now I have them, I am at rest, while they were in the world, tossed with afflictions, and troubled with temptations, my heart was not at rest, but seeing now I have them, and from those things have freed them, I will set them in my Glory, where they shall sweetly sing: thus,  
Farewell all sin and sorrow, which now shall be no more, my work and labour is over, and nothing now remains but rest, and joy, and glory: O this is a sweet sitting down indeed for a soul tossed and tumbled with sin and sorrow, to be brought from all, to rest for ever.  
Secondly, This setting in Christ's Throne, or God's glory denotes a welcome unto Christ; we bid them sit down that are welcome unto us, take them by the hand and set them down by us: O friends, Christ will one day take you by the hand, lead you to the Father, present you as his Spouse, the Father will take both Christ and ye, and set you both down in his own Glory: and in that day saith Christ, Ye shall know the Father is in me, and I in you; then shall ye know the Father's love too, as Christ speaks, john 17. last v. O Christians ye will never know this love, nor your union, the strength, glory, sweetness of it, till that day cometh, but in that day ye shall know the relation your souls stand in to God, to Christ. You will know him then to be a Father indeed, and not in name only, you will find so much fatherly love and tenderness towards you, that your souls shall lie steeping in it like Sugar in wine.  
If a little taste of Gods love now be so sweet, O what will it be when you shall lie night and day soaking in it, and wholly melted by it into holy praises.  
Here a gracious heart mourns for want of love to God, to Christ, but this want shall be supplied, when the Father and you personally meet, which day is a coming, and I tell you this, till this day cometh, ye will never know what the love of God and Christ is.  
Now a drop is sweet, but how sweet will it be when it shall be like a flowing Fountain in you. O friends, in that day ye shall be like as a Vessel that's set under a Fountain Cock, always full and always running over: Now saith David, thy loving kindness is better than life. O but then he will say nothing but stand; stand, poor, and admire; I admire to all eternity: when great and undeserved love is shown unto us by some one unexpected, how do we admire, and as it were study and wonder why such kindness should be shown unto us.  
O precious christian, thou wilt one day admire indeed to think, that such love should be shown to such a dead dog; as that good man said before the King, so wilt thou say, O my God and King, what am I, that thou shouldest love a poor Gentile sinner, to keep me in thy presence, to have me in thine eye, to set me in thy throne, that thou mayst talk with me, and tell me there thy thoughts of old. O great and glorious God, why art thou so kind to worm, Jacob.  
Thirdly, by sitting down in the throne of Christ or God's glory, it denotes respect and estimation: we usually bid them sit down, whom we best respect and esteem.  
O happy christian, how art thou esteemed of the Son and Father, that thou shouldest sit down with them: the world hates thee, so fare as Christ appears in thee: yea, it cannot but hate thee so fare, I say it hates thee, though it love thee other ways as a friend, and kinsman, or harmless man: but I say, so fare as thou refusest to comply with their ways, and wink at their faults, to speak of their folly, to sigh at their joy, and mourn at their laughter, so fare, I say, they cannot but hate thee: but so fare as thou workest by their example, and walkest by their rule, and speakest them fair, thou pleasest them well to smooth them thus up, by laughing, and saying, and doing as they; I say, thus far happily the world may not slight thee, but esteem thee, though Christ be grieved by thee: but still I say, so fare as you make Christ your rule, his word your law, his work your pleasure, and service your delight, not at all caring who be pleased or displeased, so Christ be honoured and obeyed: this, I say, will make the world hate you, and so it did Christ.  
Well, the world slights thee, and shufes thee; so far as they see Christ appearing in thee: do not thou be troubled, Christ will one day take thee, and embrace thee as a man doth his lover.  
O thou shalt sit and sup with Christ. Rev. 3.20. thou shalt sit at his table, and stand by his side, yea cut on his trencher, and feed on his dainties, which is the feast of fat things God speaks of in Esaiah. Behold I will make in this mount a feast of fat things: of marrow, and of wines, well refined Isa. 25. v. 6. O this mount is Christ, and the feast, God's discovery to a Saint in Christ: this feast is sweet, yea sweeter than honey, or the honeycomb, though it comes far short of that which God shall make for the Lamb, and the Lamb's wife. Rev. 19.9. Which is called the Lamb's supper, of which it is said, blessed are all they that are called to it; yea, blessed indeed that ever they were borne to come to this Supper.  
O this God and Christ, familiar presence with you will be a feast and supper to you: here is Christ the tree of life, and God the river of life, eat and drink abundantly, yea, I mean now, O precious christian, by believing what is a coming.  
O, I would a poor Saint should feast his soul with expectation of what Christ hath promised, and will then make good in that day, when they shall sit in his throne, and feed at his table, and drink of his wine, at this feast of Gods own making for his sons and daughters now married to Christ, and brought to his presence, to live in his sight, and feast at his table.  
It is said, when the King sits at his table his spikenard sends forth a fragrant smell, as in Solomon's songs: This is spoken of Christ sitting in a Saint's heart.  
O but what a smell shall there be then, when a Saint shall sit (as I may so say) in God and Christ's heart at supper in their loves, by feeding on divine delights.  
O friends this is the sweet Manna that Christ promised to feed his Saints with. Rev. 2.17. Christ tells his disciples, he will drink no more of the fruit of the vine: till he drink it new in his father's kingdom with them: the Vine was a type of Christ's blood, and Christ's blood a type of Christ's love, and Christ's love a merit and manifestation of the Father's love, when ye come to sit down in the glory of God and Christ: full cups of this shall go round from Saint to Saint.  
Fourthly, this sitting down in Christ's kingdom or throne, and Gods glory it denotes familiarity, we usually bid friends sit down to interchange discourse with them.  
O friends in that day, God will tell thee over and over again his transactions in respect of decree and purpose: O when God shall tell thee, how he rolled thee in his thoughts, and carried thee in his purpose, and had thee in his eye, intending thee for glory: it is sweet to think how God's delight was with the sons of men before the foundation of the world, as himself speaketh Pro. 8. and then in that day shall Christ tell thee over his travels, troubles, and pains too, for thee his Spouse.  
It is said in a fablish story, that Dido the queen wept when Aeneas, prince of Troy, cold her of his ten year's wars. I will not say thou shalt weep when thy dear Saviour shall tell thee these true things: but I dare say, thy soul shall even melt, (as it were) to think what pains and labour, what care and cost, what grief and sorrow, thy soul did cost thy dear Saviour: besides the slights, and scorns, and jeers which the vilest of men did cast upon him, which he contentedly did bear for thee from day to day his whole life long.  
And then at last, still for thy sake, his back, his belly, his hands, his feet, his head, his side, his heart; his heart blood too, and all for thee, that thou mightest know how much he loved thee.  
O friends, I am persuaded that Christ will in that day tell you over and over such true stories, that it shall even melt you hearts and souls to think how much he loved you, how dear he bought you: but then Christ shall ask his Saints what they suffered for him, to which they will answer, O sweet Jesus, why dost thou ask us this question, seeing thou knowest all our sufferings were but fleabites to thine, thine, O dear Saviour: the most we suffered was but jeers, and scorns, and such slight things; nay, my children, ye were whipped, and stripped, and killed too for me, my sake; O Christ do not speak of that, were it to do again, ten thousand lives should not be dear for thee, thy sake O dearest Christ, to whom our souls are so engaged.  
O Christ, we now Wish we had done when time was, and suffered ten thousand times more than we did: O Christ, it even now grieves us to think we never did, nor suffered any thing for thy sake to any purpose. O Christ, that we had now an opportunity to show our love as once we had, for squibs and scorns, for stripes and prisons we would not stand, nor yet our lives, nay, souls and all to honour thee. O sweet, O dear, O precious Christ: and then Christ being taken as it were with these expressions of his Spouse shall struck her, saying, O my love, my dove, my dear, thou suffered'st enough to testify thy love to me.  
But now, my love, my dove, the winter is over, all storms past, singing, rejoicing is now at hand, come along, come along my love, from Lebon, come let us to my father's wine-cellar: who shall then say, bring them in, and set them down in my throne and glory, they are my sons and daughters.  
Friends, what a privilidge will this be to sit by God and Christ in glory, like children round about a father's table.  
Marry once sat at Christ's feet pondering Christ's sayings, and it was a great privilidge for a sinner to sit so near a Saviour: but thy privilidge is fare greater, who shalt sit by God and this Saviour, who is, far ascended above all principalities and power, and is set down in glory on the right hand of God, as the Apostle speaks.  
This is a greater privilidge than Ave-maries, bearing Christ, (barely considered;) the disciples had a great privilege to wait on Christ: a greater to sup, and dine with Christ: but what are all to the sitting down with Christ, in the throne of Christ.  
It is said, John leaned on the bosom of Christ, O loving John! O loving Christ! to give such privilege to a bold, but loving, sweet, and humble sinner: John, John, how couldst thou be so bold with Christ thy Lord and Master? John, 'twas love within that bosom that drawed thee there to rest, and loll as in a lap, it was love that drawed thee, it was love that laid thee in that same bosom: but yet I say, thy privilege far excels in sitting down with Christ in the throne of Christ, Christ was in the form of a servant, now Lord of all things: Christ was then, I say, on earth with a mean outside round about him, but now surrounded with Angels with his title on his thigh, King of kings, Lord of lords.  
Christ was then in rags but now clothed with suns and stars, Christ was then God-man, unglorified, but now glorified of God with that eternal glory of God which Christ had before the world was, as Christ speaks, John. 17.  
O friends, this glory like glistering diamonds, sparkles round the heavens, dazzling Saints and Angels. Well friend, is not thy privilidge fare above john's, to sit down with this Christ in his throne and glory, side by side, as I may so say.  
Fifthly, this sitting down in the throne of Christ, and the glory of God, denotes honour; what an honour is it for a beggar to sit at a King's table, you will say, that is a great honour indeed: but what is that to thine, O gentle sinner? to sit with God and Christ in glory.  
Seems it a small thing, saith David, to be a King's son in law? O but ye are the King of king's sons and daughters, ye are the Bride, the Lamb's wife. Rev. 21 9 Come saith the Angel, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's wife, nothing draws the eyes of the people to gaze more, than the sight of the Bride and the Bridegroom. Was the queen of Sheba so taken with Solomon's glory, that she cried out, O happy are these that tend thee, O Solomon: Angels and Archangels will be taken with thy glory, when this marriage shall be solemnised before the Father.  
It was a question once. What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour, and delight in: But I ask, what shall be done to the man whom the King of kings delighteth to honour; first, he shall be arrayed in pure white linen, which is the righteousness of the Saints, as in Revel. He shall be clothed with the Sun, and trample the Moon under his feet.  
I know, the Saints shining forth in Christ are able in some measure to trample these changeable things, by living fare above them, in an unchangeable God, by the Spirit of Christ living in them: but so far as they are flesh, they are apt to mix themselves with these things below: not knowing their majesty, nor glory, forgetting their descent, but time is a coming that they shall know God: know as they are known, they shall know God with all his attributes and glory: yea, they shall know themselves with the glory designed for them.  
Christ says, John 17. The glory thou hast given me, I have given them, that we may be one, O Father. One part of Christ's glory is this, that the Father hath appointed the Son to judge the world, and in this respect Christ will honour his Saints; know ye not, saith Paul, that the saints shall judge Angels and men: here they look like poor shrimps, as they are clothed with rags and flesh: but when Christ shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory, as the Apostle John speaketh.  
O this appearance shall confound the world, as soon as Christ hath confounded the world, with his own, and his Saints glorious appearing to the world; then shall he sit down in glory, to rest himself as it were satisfied in the finishments of all his works, and the Saints shall sit down by Christ, as well pleased with Christ and all his works, what an honour is this? Well, this honour all his Saints shall have, Thy name O Lord it above the heavens, saith David; and as his name, so his Saints too, in seating them above Angels, as taken into union with Christ, and set down in the Throne of Christ: What joy, feasting, music, is there at your Prince's marriage days when solemnised? O but when the Bridegroom, and his Spouse the Bride, & the Lamb's Wife shall sit down to solemnize that eternal match, made up in the everlasting purpose and counsel of God the Father, long before all worlds, or the Foundations of them: O what songs then? what joy? what praises shall Angels sing with lightsome hearts? Yea, I say Angels, and this too shall they count their heaven and happiness: O thou melancholy Saint, tossed with afflictions, what thinkest thou of this day? tell me, tell me true; sure thou dost not mind this, if thou didst, thou couldst never complain of wants & losses; if thou didst mind this day indeed, this endless day, when heaven shall ring with shouts and praises unto the Lord, and unto the Lamb, by Saints and Angels as with one voice.  
Doth a little Instrument sweetly touched, take and charm the ear, and Siren-like, kill all other delights, at least, for present? O how shall thy soul be taken? yea, taken and charmed to hear the Songs of praises unto the Lord, unto the Lamb, in that same day unto the Lord; O that must needs have a sweet melody in it, which must touch and take that ear, which made that ear by which weheare.  
If all the skilfullest Musicians in the world should meet, with every one the sweetest Instruments that could be thought on, with all Solomon's Singers, yea, and ten thousand more to them; I say, if all these should meet to try their skill, and strain their voices, yet would the Songs, the Praises of one bare Saint, or Angel, as fare excel them all for sweetness, as they excel the Ass' braying; and if so, what sweetness will there be when ten thousand times ten chousands of Saints, with as many Angels, shall all join as with one voice, to sing their praises unto the Lamb; O Christ, how blessed is that soul whom thou wilt to sit in thy Throne to hear these Songs, to hear these praises.  
Sixtly, This sitting down in the Throne of Christ, and the Glory of God, denotes joy and triumph: It is said, at Christ's birth, Angels and innumerable company of Angels was heard to sing and rejoice, Luke 2.13. Glory to God on high, peace and good will to men on Earth.  
Shall not this Song be sung again at that day, when Christ's marriage shall be solemnised, a match of the Fathers own making? Surely yea, and the twenty four Elders shall sing, worship God for ever, Revel. 18.20. O Heavens do ye rejoice, and all ye holy Apostles and Prophets too.  
At Israel's victory it's said, Deborah, and Barak sung praises: but for Christ's victory, and his Saints, over Worlds, Men, Sin, Death, and Devils; let all now rejoice; now let the Song of Moses be sung again, Revel. 15.3. Great and merveilous are thy work, Lord God almighty, just, and true are thy ways, O thou King of Saints; Who shall not fear thee, give glory to thee, and glorify thy name, for thou only art holy, and all Nations shall come and worship thee, for thy judgements are manifest. How glad was Israel when David had slain and spoiled Goliath?  
O friend, this David was a type of our David, our Christ, who hath foiled and slain all for his Israel; Let her therefore be glad and rejoice in God her Saviour, yea, let her rejoice now with Timbrel and Harp, let the high praises be had in their mouths, and let them sing aloud his praises, who hath now redeemed them from off the earth, out of every kindred, tongues, and nations, a people for his praises.  
O Israel, created for his praises, praise thou the Lord; O Jacob, form of God, praise thou the Lord: O all ye Saints of his, praise him day and night; O all ye Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, and Seraphims praise ye the Lord, for he hath magnified you.  
Seventhly, this sitting down in the throne of Christ, or God's glory, denotes abiding; we bid friends sit down when we would have them abide With us: so by this sitting in the throne of Christ, it denotes, that Christ is willing thou shouldest abide, and sit with him for ever. I remember Peter, having but a glimpse of Moses and Elias glory in the mount, saith thus to Christ: O Master, let us build here Tabernacles: mark Peter's desire was sure to live and die here.  
O precious Christian, thou shalt live and never die in this mount Zion, where thou shalt see Moses and Elias again; yea ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Saints, as well as with as many Angels, and God, and Christ, excelling all ten thousand times over and over again: now Peter, how much better will this be then thy wish, to sit down in the glory of this God, and throne of Christ. One thing, saith David, I have desired of the Lord, That I might dwell all the days of my life in thy house, to behold the beauty of thy temple: this is the wish of every gracious heart as well as David's: but here is more promised, far more than this wish: namely, an abiding, not only in the house of God, but a sitting in the glory of God, with Christ, where thou shalt sit time, time out of mind. Christ will never bid that soul sit up, whom he once sets down in his throne.  
Christ tells his Disciples, because I live, ye shall live also. John. 17. As if Christ should have said, I cannot live without you: and whilst I have a throne, I must have your company.  
O christian, wert thou to be in heaven a few moments, it would be a reward sufficient for all thou didst, or ever suffered'st for Christ. O happy christian, thou shalt sit, not only moments, but days, months, nay years, nay ages, yea more than ages, as much longer than ages: as all ages are longer than one moment, one bare moment, time shall be no more, nor sin be no more, nor sorrow shall be no more but thou shalt remain, and be for ever with Christ in the throne of Christ.  
O saith Daniel, his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom: so may I say, his throne is an everlasting throne, David saith, Though the heavens be changed, and rolled up like a scroll, yet thou remainest the same: so may I say of this throne: O happy christian, Princes would think themselves happy, might they but sit but a few days more than ordinary in their thrones to reign in glory.  
O friends, Christ saith, He that overcommeth shall sit with me in my throne, as I have overcome, and am set with my Father in his throne; so that thou shalt sit with Christ, and reign, as it were, within the eternity of Christ. O eternity, O eternity, when I think on thee, how is times and worlds swallowed up, and lost like little rivers in the ocean? how are joys, griefs, and sorrows swallowed up by thee, O Eternity, like little fishes by the whales? here one age passeth, and another cometh, all mouldering into eternity, like flesh to dust, here, saith Paul, we have no abiding city: but we have one to come, alluding to what Christ hath promised. O that can never be shaken: all things here, are, and must be shaken, yea, the earth, and heavens, as Paul speaketh, We see it, we see it, how are all earthly Monarches shaken now in our days. O me thinks Christ is now a shaking all powers in the world, do not you see it, nay, do not you see them fall like our ripe fruit; truly, me thinks I see Christ hewing down Kings and Princes with a voice as loud as thunder, crying, room, room, for myself, and my Gospel: O how have these kingdoms been shaking, and the mighty men overturned: overturned by the voice which is still abroad thundering, that the world round about may hear and make room for Christ, and his Gospel, and all that will embrace it: but the heavens must be shaken, the heavens that cover this earth, and the heavens that covers God's glory, the glory of his free grace in Jesus Christ: I mean, man's righteousness, that is now a shaking by the Spirit of the Lord, by proclaiming Christ, and his righteousuesse to the worst of sinners.  
Men have thought, by way of works, to find life and salvation, neglecting Christ, at least in part, by resting, as it were, on two propes, Christ, and their own works: but know this, Christ is all, and now will be all or nothing at all; your former Popish ignorance he winked at, but now he wills that all men repent of this sin, self-conceitedness. O! Christ must be all in all, but I shall step a little aside; the thing I aim at, is to tell you, what that is that remains, and cannot, nor shall ever be shaken by men, or devils; well heaven and earth must be, but these two things cannot be.  
First, The righteousness of Christ in which he clothes sinners, yea, the worst of sinners that comes to him, and makes them Saints. O sinner, sinner, come to Christ, honour him by coming, and he will honour thee, by giving his righteousness unto thee; O this righteousness is the long white Robe in which all the Saints are clothed, Revelations. Sinner, come and take this Robe, come, ye may have it, come, it is free, ye may have it, come, it is free to all, yea, free to all that will accept it: O come then, come sinners, all sorts of sinners, high, low, rich, poor, young, old, bound, free; but if ye do not come, then remember this, I say, remember this, ye shall cry one day to the rocks and mountains to fall on you, and run to the dens and caves to hid your naked souls, naked for want of Christ's righteousness which ye once refused.  
Secondly, As the righteousness of Christ cannot be shaken, so the throne of Christ cannot be shaken: Daniel saith, His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and his Throne is an everlasting Throne, and is established for ever, saith David. Well, he that overcomes by Christ, shall sit by Christ in this Throne. How we overcome I told you at first, namely, by Christ the Captain of our salvation, an easy way for thee: well, O sinner, resolve, resolve thyself what thou wilt do. For surely there are two eternities that all must pass into; one with Christ in the Throne of Christ; and of this eternity and glory, all this that hath been spoken, is but as one Grape of that Bunch which the Spies brought from Canaan for Israel to taste in her journey; you, who are travelling with your faces Zion ward, taste if there be not a sweetness in this one Grape, this one Promise of Christ, in sitting down with Christ in the Throne and Glory of Christ: but as for thy resolution I know it, I know it very well; thou art resolved to live more and more to Christ, and the honour of Christ, who will thus honour thee, by seating thee on his own Throne: but for thy resolution, I feign would have. yea, thine O careless sinner, and if it be not for Christ, and the honour of Christ, mark me well what I say; thy eternity shall not be with Christ, no, nor the Saints of Christ, but quite contrary with Devils, Zim, and Ohim, and damned spirits in dreadful flames and utter darkness: but I hope thou wilt be wise, and change thy resolution, or else, O all that love thee, mourn, mourn, mourn for thee.   
Revel. 21. v. 1. And I John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, come down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband, 
MAny glorious things did this young bosom beloved disciple see, in the chap. 20. v. 11. He saw Christ sitting on his throne in judicature, and in v. 12. The dead both small and great standing before him, and the books opened: which I conceive to be the consciences of men, by which he judges all according to their works, and in the 13. v. it is said, The Sea, Death, and Hell give up their dead, and in conclusion, all was cast into the lake, that was not found in the book of life: which book of life, I conceive to be Christ, or the foreknowledge, or purpose of God in Christ.  
And now in the 1. verse of this chap. he saw a new representation of all things, as a new Heaven, and a new earth, and of this Isaiah speaks chap. 66. v. 22. and chap. 65. v. 17. and here again. Rev. 21. I saw a new heaven, and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth was passed away, and there was no more sea, which denotes trouble. O christian, the time is coming, when sea and trouble, sin and sorrow shall be no more for ever, and now in the 2. v. he tells us of the holy city, new jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband. I john saw, etc.  
From whence observe briefly, that God makes his divine, and glorious discoveries to some singular men, to Abraham, to Moses, to jacob, to Daniel, to a Paul, to a john, as in these words.  
Secondly, I john saw the holy city too, he saw many glorious things, and this city amongst the rest.  
From whence observe, where God makes one divine discovery, he will go on to make more and more still, till at last he shows them his own face, and glory, and they shall see my face, saith God, Revel. 22. verse 4.  
Thirdly, I john saw, how didst thou see? by a divine discovery of Christ, O all discoveries of this nature, are from Christ and the Spirit: but when was this discovery to him? on the Lord's day, as chap. 1. v. 10. on the Lords day, that is, on that day, when the Lord Christ took john up in a trance, to show him all those glorious things, which he saith, Blessed are they that read, or hear these things. I, blessed are they indeed, that ever they were born, whose eyes and ears Christ hath so opened, as to see, and understand the mystery herein, which the blind bats, and carnal world, neither do, nor can see, till God enlighten them by his Spirit.  
Fourthly, I john saw the holy city, new jerusalem, the Prophet Isaiah speaks chap. 64.16: of a holy city, which lay waste. v. 26. of a city which had salvation for walls and bulwarks. But briefly, the holy city john speaks of here, is that new jerusalem, of which old jerusalem was but a type, and yet that jerusalem, which was but a type of this city, was the glory of the whole world, the only city in the world, yea called the city of the great King.  
For first, it was the figure of the everlasting city of God, and therefore called Salem, a place of peace, wherein the Priests of God reigned; it was settled on four mountains, mount Zion, mount Moriah, the two chief: on mount Zion, David's house stood, and it was called mount Zion, because it was a type of the highest heaven, or habitation of Almighty God, from which throne, or habitation, he descended in Christ to this lower jerusalem, and became our Redeemer, to bring us into the highest Mount, his eternal glory in mount Zion the highest heavens.  
And now for mount Moriah, it is as much to say, the Lords myrrh, as ministers do interpret, which signifieth our Lord Christ, which is the true myrrh, and a sweet smelling sacrifice unto God, yea a steadfast rock, and unmoveable foundation, whereon God's Church, and Christ's members are all built, as on a sure foundation, as Isaiah 28. and Matth. 16. On this rock I will build my Church, saith Christ, meaning himself, and therefore the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.  
Besides, this city had many mountains round about it, mount Olivet was one, to which Christ went many times to pray and meditate, David saith, in one of his Psalms; as the mountains are round about jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, and in jerusalem was David's house, which stood on mount Zion, as I said before, mount Zion was a great mount in jerusalem, on which David built, typing out the Saint's safety, who are built on Christ.  
Thirdly, in jerusalem was Solomon's temple, which the jews told Christ was forty years a building, and this temple was indeed the glorious piece in the whole world, for workmanship, and riches, and in this temple was all the holy things, the Ark and the Covenant, the Mercy-seat, and the Manna, the Ark of God was made of Shittim-wood, which like the Olivet, and the Cypress, are not subject to worms, and putrefaction, which did typefie the humane nature of Christ, which David saith. Psal. 16. Thou wilt not suffer to see corruption. And in this Ark of Shittim was kept, or laid up by God's appointment, the golden pot of Manna, Aaron's rod, and the two tables of commandments, as Exod. 25. and Hebr. 9 And for the golden pot of Manna, it was a clear type of Christ, who is the true Manna, and the bread that came down from heaven, to give life to the world, as himself speaketh. John 6. I am the bread of life, saith Christ to the Jews.  
And for Aaron's Rod that lay in this Ark of Shittim wood, its blosomes did signify, the sweetness of the Gospel, and the Glory of Christ, and the fruitfulness of his Members, who bud and blossom continually by his renewing grace.  
Fourthly, To this City the Tribes and all the People of God, resorted at set times to worship, and all the world to trade and traffic; it had twelve Gates, which were not to be shut day nor night; which John alludes to in the 12. verse of this chapter, Glorious things are spoken of this City; on the walls of this City, saith God, have I set watchmen, which shall never keep silence, till Jerusalem be made the praise of the whole earth; this is the city which David saith, If I forget thee, then let my right hand for get its cunning; which was his musical skill, by which he charmed the Devil in Saul many a time.  
And this was that city too, which melted the heart of Christ to think of its ruin, saying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, with rolling bowels, ●ights, and tears, O that thou hadst known in this thy day, the things that make for thy peace, which now are hid from thine eyes. For this City's sake, saith Isaiah, will I not hold my tongue, till Zion and Jerusalem be made the glory and praise of the whole Earth. I shall speak no more of old Jerusalem the Type, but of this new Jerusalem which is the Church and People of God.  
But why is the Church of God called by the name of a City.  
For three, or four reasons, which I will briefly hint at. 1. It is compared to a city for numeration, and the variety of this numeration. 2. The Church of God is called a city, for her visibility, for she is not like a candle under a bushel, but like a beacon on a hill. 3. The Church of God may be called a city, for her treasure and riches. 4. It may be called a city, for her peculiar privileges, which the Church of God hath from all the world; like a city from your country towns and villages. 5. In respect of her rivers, your cities are fed and refreshed by some great river; There is a river that the streams thereof shall refresh the City of God, Psal. 46. vers. 5.  
And first, Whereas it is compared to a city, it denotes, the Church of God are a great and numberless people, as you cannot number the Inhabitants of a city, no more, nor less; indeed, can ye number the Church of God: O saith God to Abraham, In blessing, I will bless thee, and multiply thee as the Stars in Heaven, or the sands on the Sea shore, so that if thou canst number them, then shall thy seed be numbered. Many shall come, saith Christ, from the East, and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, I sack and Jacob in the Kingdom of God. Here is the variety of the Church, some coming in, from the East, and some from the West, which is the most remote place that can be, and implies them to be the greatest sinners for Idolatry and Heathenism; yet saith Christ, many of these shall come from both places, which denotes variety. O the long ways, out ways, by ways, and many ways, that Christ brings sinners to this City, or Fould; which Christ speaks of to the Jews, saying, I have other Sheep, which I must bring into my Fould, when they shall he are my voice, or whistle, by my Spirit in their souls, and so there shall be one sheep, and one fouled, Christ commands, and commissionates his disciples, to go and preach the Gospel to every nation, tongue, and people; and therefore saith Paul, jew and Gentile, bond, or free, Scythian or Barbarian, Christ is all, and in all, he hath all in his fold, and so he is all to them.  
And as he hath great number of these varieties, so his church may well be called a numberless people, and therefore saith john, I saw with the Lamb standing, an hundred forty and four thousand, besides a great number, which no tongue could tell.  
Well, let us, who were remote sinners, not only in respect of nature and gentilism: but in respect of parentage, and families brought into the church of Christ; one from popery, and popish ignorance, another from a cursed, drunken, and hellish family, where God, it may be, never shined into one soul, before he did into thine; which mercy calls for as much thankfulness at your hands, as ever Noah's, Abraham's, Lots, daniel's. O, for God to appear to Abraham, and enter into a covenant of life and peace, and to single out Noah from the whole world, and lead out Lot, yea catch, and carry out the linger man to a Zoar, and leave the rest for fire and brimstone, did argue abundantly free grace.  
Well friend, do not thou neglect to bless God, whilst thou hast any being, for doing the like to thy soul, by choosing and pulling thee out of sin, nature, death, and hell. O saith Paul, I have obtained mercy.  
Secondly, she may be compared to a city, because of her visibility, she is not like a candle under a bushel, but as a fire, a beacon on a hill, your cities are spacious to the eye, and so is the Church, and shall be more and more: for Christ now by his providence seems to say, arise, and shine, and shake thyself from the dust, O captive daughter of Zion, show thyself, and let the nations know thy strength, power, glory, and greatness, that they may be in love with thee, and come in, fall down, and bow their necks to thy sweet yokes of obedience to Christ.  
Thirdly, the church of God is compared to a city for her treasure, you know all the treasures of God are laid up in Christ, as a store house to this city, and every citizen hath, as I may so say, is the key of this storehouse, by which he goeth and fetcheth out what treasure he will, I mean the Spirit, by which they may fetch out pardon, peace, righteousness, yea, any thing they need: but still by the Spirit, which is the key of David, that shuts and no man opens, that opens and no man shuts, this Spirit saith Christ to his disciples, shall take of mine, and show it unto you, as john 10.  
And this he doth to the whole church of God, and truly, you that know the Spirit, knows, he brings rich and costly things to your souls many times; sometime pardon for sin, and them freely too, which could not be bought out by tears and sorrows before he comes.  
O saith the Spirit, I have brought thee that, for which thou weepest, and mournest, namely, a pardon sealed in Christ's blood, and a crown to purchased by Christ's merits. O sinner, what thinkest thou of this pardon, is it not sweet, yes saith the sinner, sweeter than the honey, or the honeycomb.  
O saith a poor soul, I bless God more for this, then if he had made me the greatest prince in the world.  
Fourthly, it is called a city, for her privilidges; no city, but hath its charter, and privilidges, at least some distinct from towns and villages.  
O jerusalem, city of our God, thy privilidges excel all the worlds, who may be compared to thee for privilidges, yea, peculiar privilidges; which no nation, but thee, can lay hold on, nor people in the world neither; all the people in the world are Gods by creation, but jerusalem by purchase; all the world he feeds and .  
O Israel, who is a people like unto thee, shielded by the great God, fed by the Manna, and watered by the rocks, and sheltered by a cloud by day, and a pillar of sire by night.  
God in a way of providence, keeps all creatures, but man especially: but Israel and Jerusalem above all, who are his choice pieces of silver, yea, his treasure and jewels; now treasure, you know, men will keep choicer than that which is but ordinary, parents will let farthings and counters lie about for their children to play with: but who will leave jewels carelessly, here and there, in common places: no, men are wise, and will lay up their precious stones in choice cabbenets: and so doth God, he lays his up in his cabbenet of providence, and charges his Angels with these jewels, or sons of Zion, more precious than jewels, or choice silver either; and in this particular, he is said to keep them, as a man keepeth the apple of his eye, and is as tender over them, as a father; so saith David as a father pitieth his children, so pitieth the Lord them that fear him.  
O happy, and blessed people, pitied, saved, and kept by God; I will keep thee every moment, yea, every moment in the den, yea, every moment in the furnace, and every moment in all hours and seasons, night and day, death, and judgement, in times of troubles, wars, and judgement, yea, closet them; in reins I house them, like Noah in the Ark, and in famine feed them, like Elisha by the raven; yea, what shall I say, I will be a pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day, yea, a sun and shield, as David speaks, and sure defence too.  
And now, who art thou that forgettest the Lord thy maker, and fearest the man, or the son of man, who is as the grass of the field, and shall die.  
But in the fifth, and last place, the Church is compared to a city; because the Spirit is as a river feeding of it, O saith David, He feeds me in green pastures, and leads me by the still waters, this he speaks of concerning the Spirit; if the foundation be removed, what can the righteous do, There is a river, the streams thereof shall make glad the city of God. Psalm. 46.4. O this Spirit streaming in, and by thee, presents Christ over and over to thy soul in all his loveliness, and this must needs make glad the city, a people of God.  
Nothing is the Spirit oftener compared to, than the waters, when the poor and needy seeks waters, I the Lord will hear, and open rivers in the tops of the mountains, this is a prophecy of the Spirits pouring out to poor, and thirsty, who do apprehend themselves fare from the water of consolation, I will pour out my Spirit saith God, by the prophet joel, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, that is, they shall be enabled to open the Scriptures mysteries.  
But now, why is it called a holy city.  
The Scripture speaks of a two fold holiness.  
First a holiness of things.  
Secondly a holiness of persons.  
First, a holiness of things in four or five respects.  
First, things are said to be holy, by way of dedication, or consecration, so the bowls of the temple are said to be holy, and all the vessels of the temple too.  
Secondly, things are said to holy by way of simulation, or figure, so was the Ark, the brazen serpent, Aarous rod, and the Manna, which did figure and simile out Christ.  
Thirdly, things may be said to be holy, by way of calling, so was the Priest's office, it was a holy calling: be holy, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord.  
Fourthly, things may be said to be holy, by way of rule, or precept, so the word of God, the law of God is holy, as Paul saith, though I be sinful, yet the law is holy, and just, and good, though I be carnal.  
Fifthly, things may be said to be holy, by way of comparation, so jerusalem is called, the holy city, because the holy God was worshipped in it, though it were in itself a sinful city.  
But secondly, persons may be said to be holy likewise.  
And first, by way of creation, so the fallen Angels were made holy, and Adam too in his first creation, God created man upright: but he found out many inventions.  
Secondly, persons may be said to be holy, by way of calling, so the Priests, Prophets, Apostles, and Patriarches, O saith Paul, the holy men of God spoke as they were inspired by the holy Ghost in them.  
Thirdly, men may be said to be holy, by the inherent holiness of God in them, having the holy Spirit of God in them, purifying of them, and now they may be well said to be holy, in these respects, first comparing themselves with themselves, formerly they walked in darkness, and lived in sin, and nature: but now in light by the Spirit, who tells them they are none of their own: but redeemed of Christ, to whom they live, as Paul saith, if I live, I live to Christ, and if I die, I die to Christ, O happy change from sin and Satan, to God and Christ.  
Secondly, men may be said to be holy, comparing themselves with others, whose lives lies and wallows in all pollution, Paul speaks of some, who were drunkards, covetous, filthy, unclean, sinners, and such were some of you, but now you are washed, and cleansed.  
Lastly, and chief, men may be said to be holy, by way of imputation, having the holiness, or righteousness of God imputed to them, he was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be the righteousness of God in him. 2. Cor. 5.21. And in this sense, the whole church of God is holy, having the holiness, or righteousness of Christ imputed to her; and in this sense, she is said to be holy, even as Christ is holy.  
But thirdly, why is this jerusalem called new jerusalem, for three or four reasons.  
First, in respect of creation.  
Secondly, in respect of declaration.  
Thirdly, in respect of reparation.  
First, in respect of creation, so you call a thing new, that is newly made; what is so a building is called new, because it is newly set up: in this respect jerusalem is called new jerusalem, because God hath set it up for a building for himself, or habitation for his own glory, where he will dwell for ever, as David speaks in another case.  
Secondly, a thing may be said to be new, in respect of reparation.  
God dwells with his people. O when God shall new polish his temple, and repair all the wants of his people, may he not then be said, to new make his temple: yea, his presence with them, is the glory of them.  
Thirdly, Jerusalem may be said, to be new, comparatively, comparing it with old Jerusalem that was defiled; this washed, that decayed and withered, this fresh and lovely, even as Bride.  
Fourthly, Jerusalem may be said, to be new, in respect of the manifestation God gave to John, he never saw this new Jerusalem till now, old Jerusalem he had seen again, and again, but this new and lovely City he never saw before, and therefore it was new to him, for he had never till now the full discovery of it; I shall wind up these former lines by a word, or two, to what I apprehend, and have said of this City, this holy City, new jerusalem, which john saw coming down from God.  
But some may say, your lines would have been more advantages to the Saints and Servants of God, if they had been on some practical point.  
O christian, precious Christian, let me tell thee, nothing in the world doth more divinely fire the spirits of holy Souls, than a spiritual discourse of the holy God, and the holy City; O did the Earthly christian but mind this heavenly jerusalem, how would his low and base affections loosen from the creatures pleasures and profits hear below; or did the ignorant christian but know this holy City, new jerasalem, how sweetly would this knowledge feed his soul, if he did indeed, divinely know this jerusalem, his soul would feed on this knowledge, yea, it would feed his soul as with marrow and fatness.  
And if the fainting christian did but mind this holy City, and his eternal rest in it, how would he pluck up his spirits; this would be like the honey that jonathan licked on, which did so much revive his spirits.  
O the knowledge of this holy City new jerusalem, it would make the blind christian see, yea, see and say, O jerusalem, jerusalem, the holy City, the City of the great King, who may be compared with thee, for the glory of the Lord is in thee, the glory of the Lord is on thee, thy Sun shall never set, thy day shall never end, thy sorrows shall be no more, thy joy shall be for ever.  
And now come ye lame christian and leap for joy, for the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be their God, and dwell with them, and by dwelling with them, wipe away all tears from their eyes, so as they shall never sorrow more, and death shall be no more, for the fountain of life shall live with them; nay, with them, do I say, it shall live in them, and they shall live in it, and by it, and to it for ever and ever, wherefore leap and dance, O thou lame soul.  
Truly friends, I know no portion in God's Word like this and that which follows, which I shall point at by God's assistance, to raise and cheer christians, all sorts of christians, blind christians, deaf and dumb christians.  
O but how do you call christians, deaf, blind, and dumb? how? well enough, if they do not hear with joy these things, I think they are deaf; and if they do not see with an eye of pleasure, with an eye of joy these things, are they not blind? I am sure they are little better; and if they do not sing for joy, are they not dumb? O christian, I say, thou art dumb, if thou do not come away and sing: O but what shall I sing, and how shall I sing? O jerusalem; jerusalem, thy warfare is accomplished, thy sorrows are over, thy enemies dead, thy God, and thy Father, thy Husband, thy Christ is alive, and he lives for ever, for ever for thee, for ever with thee, for ever to thee; let this be thy Song and the burden of it, free grace, free grace, be sure of that: but now not knowing but some unclean wretch may read these sweet lines, who lives, loves, and wallows in his sins; I shall not speak many words, but one word I would speak to such a one; O poor soul, go and weep, weep, weep seas, if it be possible, that thou shouldst be still in thy filth, thy blood, and thy sins.  
O poor and unhappy man, as sure as the Lord lives, if thou be not washed by Christ's blood, faith and repentance, thou wilt be shut out of this city, amongst Dogs, Sorcerer's, and Whoremongers, and Liars, which thou mayest think me harsh for telling of thee, but read I pray, and consider, Revel. 22.15. and there it is written with a Pen of Iron what I say, which thou wilt one day find the truth of it; and then, what wilt thou then do? but mourn, mourn bitterly, mourn because thou didst not when time was, mourn for thy sins, but please thyself with a bare name of a christian, when indeed thou wert in thy heart an enemy to Christ and his people.  
But fifthly, It is called new jerusalem, because it so fare transcends old jerusalem: I shall hint something briefly. 1. In respect of her Foundation. 2 In respect of her Builders. 3. Her Materials. 4. In respect of her Walls and Gates. 5. In respect of her Watchmen. 6. Her Glory. 7. Her Light. 8. Her Safety. 9 Her Inhabitants.  
But first, For her Foundation, which was but a common Foundation; but thine O new jerusalem, is a choice and precious Foundation; Christ in thee is the foundation of thee.  
Secondly, Old jerusalems' Foundation was a decaying, mouldering Foundation; but thy Foundation, O new jerusalem, is the Foundation indeed, the sure Foundation, the lasting Foundation, yea, the outlasting Foundation, out lasting time and ages, therefore he is called the rock of ages, the rock out lasting ages, all ages and generations past and to come.  
Thirdly, jerusalems' foundation was but a single foundation; but thine, O new jerusalem, is the foundation of all foundations; twelve foundations are laid upon thee, on which twelve thousand souls have built, yea, twelve thousand times twelve thousand, which if they had not, they had been ruind, yea, soul and body for ever. O ye unbelieving and fearful Saints, did you know your rock and safety, if you did, though the winds blow, and storms beat, yet you will not fear.  
Fourthly, Thy foundation, O jerusalem, was but of yesterday, and to day it is raised, but the ancient of days is thy foundation, O new jerusalem, so that thy foundation was for time, before all time past, and is, and shall be to all time to come, yea, and longer too; the Angel swore time should be no more; God hath sworn by himself, that thou shouldst be for ever, the foundation of jerusalem above, the mother of us all: and what shall I say of it? O foundation, foundation, of Gods own laying, choice and precious, strong and stable foundation, time and age out lasting foundation, heaven, earth, Saints, and Angels foundation.  
Secondly, It might be very well called new jerusalem, if you consider her bvilders: old jerusalem was built by Bricklayers, Carpenters, and such like craftsmen, the choicest of them; but thou, O new jerusalem, by God, Christ and the Spirit; therefore art thou said by Paul, to be made without hands; we look for a City whose builder and maker is God; thy Husband is thy maker, the God of the whole earth shall he be called, thy God and he only: none laid one stone in thee, but he, none found a stone but he, no, nor stick, nor straw, as I may so say, for he found all in his own eternal purpose: O, saith God, this, and this shall be a stone to make me a jerusalem, where I will dwell for evermore, but these I will not use, throwing millions by, which was as likely as any if he had pleased to use them, to set his glory of.  
But as God found all, so Christ bears all; We on him are built, saith Paul, as a spiritual house unto the Lord, built by the Spirit; for as God finds all, and Christ bears all, so the Spirit builds all, by his Word and Prophets.  
Fourthly, jerusalem was built for the honour of the Jewish nation, but thee, O new jerusalem, for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will show his glory in thee, because his love is set upon thee, yea, thy very gates more than all the dwellings of jacob.  
Fiftly, Old jerusalems' walls and gates was but common stone, but thine, O new jerusalem, are built of all manner of precious stones, yea, thy very gates are pearl, O glorious city, thy walls, thy gates are precious living stones, thy pavements are pure Gold, Revel. 21.18.  
O King Solomon, where is thy glory? all thy glory was but a dark shadow of this glory, O jerusalem, city of the great King, which he hath built for his Jewels, and by his Jewels, and the Sons of Zion more precious than choice Silver, to dwell with him, Christ and Angels, for ever and ever.  
Sixtly, It is called new jerusalem, in respect of her watchmen and keepers; O jerusalem, God did once set watchmen on thy walls, but did they keep thee? nay, they could not keep thee, they could not save thee, for thou wast razed even to the ground. But thou, O new jerusalem, hath God and Christ within thee, Angels round about thee, well may thy gates be open day and night, Revelations the 21. all safety is in thee, all protection round about thee, who was wont to be frighted from fears within, and dangers round about.  
Seventhly, in respect of her light, thy light O jerusalem, was not to be compared to thine, O new jerusalem, thy light was but sun, moon, and creatures light: but thy light, O new jerulem, is this sun, Suns and glory, Angels are the sun of thy Sun, and God is the Sun of Angels, and glory too.  
O new jerusalem, the glory of this God in thee, is the light of thee, the increated glory, the uncreated glory O jerusalem, that is thy light: therefore is thy light, the light of lights, and the light of life too, the glory of the Lord, and of the Lamb in thee, are the light of thee, O jerusalem; therefore is thy light, the light of lights, and the light of life too.  
Now thou shalt need light of sun and moon no more, no more for ever; thou moon give place unto the sun, thou sun give place unto the Lamb, and unto the Lord; for they must shine, and ye must out for ever: and let them shine thy day throughout, thy long and endless day, thy nightlesse day, thy time and age, outlasting day. It is said, Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day, O ye seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, rejoice in this your day, for it will make amends for all your nights, your nights of sorrow, fear, and trouble, your longest nights, your darksome, could, and stormy ones, yea, David tells you so, saying, though sorrow endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning. I, this morning hath a noon of joy in it, this morning's dawning hath: and when ye by its dawning see, O then what joy, what peace, what hope, what rest! thou canst not tell, but dost enjoy thy wish, thy would; thy only wish, thy only would, which when thou hast, thou ever cravest; just as the child which sucks, and cries, and craves, but hath.  
Eightly, it is called new jerusalem, in respect of her glory, thy glory was gates, walls, temple, towers, riches, strength, and numeration of people.  
But for thy glory, O new jerusalem, it doth more excel all this, than ever solomon's did the poorest Peasant: for this read the 60 of Isa. Arise, and shine, for the glory of the Lord is risen on thee, the full glory, the true glory, which Moses could not behold and live, no man can see my glory, and live, saith God to Moses, but to thee, O new jerusalem, when darkness shall cover the earth, with all the dwellers therein, then shall the Lord arise upon thee, and his glory shall be set, and seen on thee, yea, such a glory, which shall confound the world, yea, confute the world of madness, and folly, the world hath never seen thy glory, O new jerusalem, but when it doth, shame shall cover her face, and for shame shall kings and princes call to the hills, and mountains to fall upon them. O jerusalem, the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, then shalt thou see, and shine, and be astonished at thy own glory, the seas shall convert her treasure, and the Gentiles their riches to Midian; Ephah and Sheba, shall bring their gold and incense unto thee, for I will saith God, beautify the house of my glory. verse 7. The yles shall weight upon thee, the ships of Tharshish shall bring their sons, their gold, and freely offer to thee, because of the name of the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel hath glorified thee, Kings shall minister unto thee: therefore thy gates shall be continually open, they shall not be shut day nor night, verse 12. and those kings and nations that will not serve thee shall be utterly destroyed. O, when will kings and nations mind this prophecy, till than they will never submit, their proud hearts cannot submit to lick the dust of thee, O jerusalem, as David speaks Psalm. But they shall submit, like josephs' brethren, yea, they that did afflict thee, shall fall down at the soles of thy feet, and call thee Zion, the holy One of Israel.  
And; whereas thou hast been despised, so that men went by thee, I will make thee an eternal glory, and a joy from generation to generation, and thou shalt suck the milk of Gentiles, and the breasts of kings, yea, the breast of Christ, as I may so say, the King of kings, in whose breast lies a sea of sweetness, where you may suck and smack, smack and suck, I, and so ye shall time out of mind, suck for thirst, and thirst by sucking, because of sweetness, divine time and age, outlasting sweetness.  
Tenthly, it may be called new jerusalem, in respect of her safety, thy safety, O jerusalem, was but men and walls, and creatures strength, but thine, O new jerusalem, is God in thee, and his salvation round about thee, is the safety of thee, Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Isaiah. 46.5. In the midst of her the Lord doth dwell, she shall no whit be moved. Psal. 48.8. As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of our God, our God will establish it for ever and ever. Isaiah 65, 21. They shall build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.  
Paul speaks of a city, sure and stable, which cannot be shaken or moved: but for old jerusalem, it was shaken, and ransact too, and so shall all the cities in the world, first, or last, but thou, O new jerusalem, city of safety, city of rest, blessed city, everlasting joy, and safety is in thee.  
Again, in respect of her inhabitants in thee, O jerusalem, was clean and unclean, circumcised and uncircumcised, many were called jews which were not jews, but were the very Synagogue of Satan. Revel. 3.9.  
But for thee, O new jerusalem, no unclean thing shall come into thee, God, and Christ will keep out of thee every uncircumcised sinner, I say, Christ will see, who comes into thee, O new Jerusalem.  
Friend, where is thy wedding garment, bind him hand and foot, cast him out, I will not have any unclean thing here, saith Christ, in any wise, Revel. 21.27. He is unclean, that was never washed in the fountain of judah, and Jerusalem, which stands open for sinners, therefore saith Isaiah, henceforth shall come no more into thee the uncircumcised and unclean.  
Again, in respect of her temple in thee, O jerusalem, was Solomon's temple: but it was but a typical temple; but in thee, O new Jerusalem, is the true temple indeed. Rev. 21.2. I saw no temple there, saith John, for the Lord God, and the Lamb was the temple of it. Ah! blessed temple, God and Christ, who would not worship here. One thing, saith David, have I desired of the Lord, that I might dwell in his house all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord. O David, here is thy wish, and more; for thou shalt not only dwell in his house, but dwell in himsef: for God will now dwell with his jerusalem, and be her temple, O thou needest no other temple now to offer thy sacrifices, for here shall all thy sacrifices of thanksgiving be continually offered unto the Lord, and unto the Lamb: for he is thy temple now, where thou, and all thy fellow Saints must offer their sacrifices, and sing their thankfulness for evermore.  
But I shall now hint at the last of these words, I saw her coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband.  
First, I conceive, she may be said to come from God, as being borne of God; Christ speaks of some in the first of john, which were not borne of man, nor the will of man, but of God; a thing is said, to be borne of that, of which it had its first being: O jerusalem, in this sense thou mayst be said truly, to be borne of God, and to come down from God, for where hadst thou thy first being? surely in God, yea, there thou hadst a being long before all beings; there wast thou begotten indeed, begotten in his purpose, and in his love, yea, borne from everlasting, and therefore art thou Melchisedek-like, without Father, or Mother, and hadst thy being only in the purpose of God.  
O how admirable it is, to think how long, as I may so say, God did travail with his jerusalem; a woman travailing but a few months, is in pain and longs for deliverance: But O God, thou didst with thy jerusalem, not for a few months, or years, but a time longer, yea, fare more longer than a thousand years, to a single moment, from everlasting was thy travail.  
But, O God, was there not a longing in thee, or was it else a pleasure to thee, it was both, it was both, O my dear jerusalem.  
For first, It was a pleasure to me, in all the time I bore thee, my pleasure was, I had thee, my pleasure was, I bore thee; yea, a satisfying pleasure, or if thou wilt delight, for I took solace in compassing the earth, and my delight was in the sons of men; O God, seeing thou hadst many Angels, why couldst thou not be satisfied? I wanted sons and daughters that they might be my heirs; we are now the sons of God, and if sons, than heirs; yea, joint heirs, as the Apostle speaks.  
But, ah Lord, thou hadst a son and heir before, but I had not sons and daughters to make me a jerusalem, where I might show my glory. O Lord, hadst thou not ten thousand times ten thousand Angels, Cherubims, and Seraphims? Yea, but all they were not half enough for me, to show my glory too, therefore I appointed as many more, Ephes. the 1.14. That they should be to the praise and glory of my grace; And so likewise in the 5. verse. He hath predestinated us, saith Paul, through jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, that we might be to the praise and glory of his grace, as well as Angels. But were not all man kind appointed to set forth his glory? Yea, they were so; But shall they see his glory? No, no; But why not? Because God will have mercy on whom he will, Rom. the 8. But do not question no further about this, but return bacl to the question; which was, Whether there was not a longing in him, to see his sons and daughters, with whom he travailed, though that too, were a pleasure?  
Alas, he could not but long to see them, whom he had so long borne in his purpose; and nature itself will answer this; Doth not the Mother long to see the Child she bare? Surely yes, the Parent longs to see his Child, so doth God his People too. Yea, how can he but long to see them, seeing they are his own from everlasting, begotten in his purpose, and brought forth by his providence into this world, where he a while nurseth them amongst the vulgar people of this world, though they be Princes in respect of his eternal thoughts towards them? yet I say, they are nursed as it were, and hardly kept for a few years till he send for them home, by death and angels, who indeed did always tend those Princes from the womb, for they have a charge with his sons and daughters, to keep them in all their ways whilst they live, tend their souls whilst they die; and surely no Ladies are readier to receive a Princess into this world, to present it to the King its Father, than Angels are the souls of his Children when they die; the Angel's mind the very bodies of these Children turned to dust, and must give account of this dust to Christ, for he shall one day send them to all the winds to pick it up, as himself speaketh.  
Secondly, I john, saw the holy City, new Jerusalem, descending down from God, prepared as a Bride; She descended, or came down from God.  
Observe. Nothing comes up to God, but that descends from God; Flesh and blood, saith Christ, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; no, it is a corrupt thing, but corruption shall put on incorruption, and mortality put on immortality, but this incorruption and immortality too, descends from above, and therefore, I saw her descending down from God; the spirit and power of the mighty God, may be the thing for which the Evangelist saith, I saw new jerusalem coming down from God, out of Heaven.  
But in the third place, I saw new jerusalem coming down, prepared, or trimmed like a Bride, a Bride is trimmed or adorned with new or beautiful garments, old spotred garments are ill beseeming the Bride, and therefore she never doth array herself, but in lovely ones. Well then, here is according to my light, the meaning of these words, and I think the very natural sense of the spiritual, as I may so say, or the spiritual meaning of the Spirit of God in these words. I John, saw the boly city, the new jernsalem coming down, prepared as a Bride, the righteousness of Christ jesus, God, man, imputed, reckoned and given to man by God, and put on by the mighty Spirit, is the newness of it, and the adornment of her, and this righteousness of God. 2. Cor. 5. and the last. yea it is the righteousness of God, For he was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be the righteousness of God in him.  
Well, by this mighty Spirit of God, is jerusalem arrayed in this righteousness, wrought out by Christ for her, and so given by God for that same purpose, namely, jerusalems' adornment, and now, he beholding her in this, he must needs say: I saw her descending down from God out of heaven trimmed as a Bride.  
When she is trimmed and arrayed by God, Christ, and the Spirit, yea, and she must needs be now lovely and Bridelike beautiful; doth the spotted moon, and twinkling stars adorn the cloudy element, and make it so lovely, that a David cries out, O Lord how wonderful are thy works. Psalm. 8. v. 3. then must needs Christ the Sun of suns, and angels too, to make his jerusalem beautiful, when he shall  her with his own righteousness, as with a garment, down to the ground.  
Ofriends, this righteousness of Christ is the wedding garment of new jerusalem, and in this garment, saith john, I saw her coming as a Bride trimmed for her husband. Christ the King of kings, Saints, and Angels, surely the king's daughter is all glorious without as well as within, for her clothing is all embroidered gold, wrought out by Christ, and put on by the Spirit. O when the Saints shall wait on Christ up and down the heavens in this garment, or righteousness of his, how princelike will his attendance be, when ten thousands of these shall stand before his throne, yea, ten thousandmillions of these, with as many Angels to them, shall all as one join to sing his victories over sin, death, hell, men, and devils, in this garment of love, and livery of his favour, what sparkling beams will pass from one to the other, like suns reflecting on each others glory, yet all from Christ, like Moon and stars in their horizon.  
And now, O thou poor, and prodigal sinner, what thinkest thou of that day, when it shall be said, bring hither the best robe, and the gold ring, for this my once lost, but now found son.  
O what a change will here be, when the rags in which thou tendedst hogs shall be taken off, and thou clothed with thy eldest brothers garment brought thee, will not thy change be like joshuahs', in putting off his filthy garment; yea, truly will it: if dust were turned to gold, and common stones to jewels, nights to days, and falling Comets to fixed stars, and then again to beaming suns, yet all was nothing, I say, all these changes were nothing to that change that Christ maketh with sinners, when he takes off their sins, rags and righteousness, and puts on his own righteousness on them, and therefore well might John say, I saw her trimmed as a Bride, when he had trimmed her with his own righteousness; thou art comely, in my comeliness, saith Christ to the spouse.  
Well reader, I hope in this interpretation, that thou and I am one, and do agree, that this is the beauty of the new Jerusalem, that the Spirit means by wedding garment, and beautiful adornment.  
And mark, because it is this she is trimmed with, therefore is she said to be seen coming down from heaven, as having none of this bravery, but from God, Christ, and the Spirit.  
Secondly, I saw new Jerusalem coming down in an uniform manner, she came not tumbling nor dropping, now and then a piece, as I may so say, nor in a scattering manner, but I saw new jerusalem, the whole Church, as one single person coming down from God; the whole church is but one Bride, as I may so say, for Christ the Bridegroom, neither doth he look on her any other ways, nor should we: but we are like the silly country people, who sometimes take the Courtier for the Prince, and the lachey servant for the master: so we many times, take the son for the Bridegroom, and the lazy professor, who makes a fait show, when as indeed, he is but a beggarly time server, and hath no true grace nor virtue, for the noble and royal Christian, though there be not such an outward show in respect of talk and perfection, which I speak not against in a sincere heart, but as I said before, Christ counts his church but one, and so the Angel invites, saying, behold ye the Bride, the Lamb's wife, and so saith himself, my love, my dove, she is but one, the only one of her mother. And this may justly reprove many in our days, who will distinguish the Church of Christ into as many parcels, as are forms, or judgements, and congregations, every one thinking themselves to be the true Church, when as, at the best, they are but a piece of his Jerusalem, as I apprehend, and that for these reasons.  
First, Jerusalem, or the Church of God, though she consist of many jews and Gentiles, called and uncalled; yet in truth, she is but one church or body, of which Christ is the head.  
Secondly, every particular person of the whole Church of Christ, being arrayed and trimmed by God and Christ, may be called by the name of one single person, and so counted the Spouse of Christ.  
Again, I saw new Jerusalem coming down as a Bride, here he makes no distinction of bond or free, high or low, Independent, Anabaptist, Presbyterian, this, or that form of fellowship: but he saw all these as in one coming down as a Bride, and now what shall I say of this Jerusalem coming down in her bravery.  
First, she is richly clothed, for it is in the righteousness of God, which is sometimes called a decking, or trimming, with earrings, or jewels; Isaac trimmed Rebecka so, and how lovely was she then in his eyes, surely very lovely.  
O when Christ shall look on his Rebecka, trimmed with his righteousness, as with earrings and jewels, how lovely will she then be? will he not then say, Thou art all fair, my love, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, as Solomon's songs. 4.9. Yea, she will ravish, as I may so say, the very heart of God to behold her in his Son's righteousness, or bravery, in the day of her espousals to him, when she is thus clothed as a Bride for Christ the King of kings. O now who can behold any deformity in her, she is invisibly, clothed and covered with his righteousness, from head to foot, as I may so say.  
FINIS.   
Revel. chap. 3.20. Behold, I standat the door and knock, and if any man hear my voice, etc. 
I Shall very briefly hint at these words, without any preface at all; Behold, that is a word seriously to consider. 2. The Person, I, what I is it? I the Lord of life, light and glory. 3. His Posture, Behold I stand, I the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; O high and low, great and humble Christ. 4. the Place, Where is that? At the door, Behold I stand at the door. 5. Behold I stand at the door, not gazing up and down, but I stand knocking; for this end, to see if any man will hear and open, and then I will come in, and sup with him, or refresh him with my presence.  
But first, Behold, this is a word never used in Scripture, but upon some very serious, great and weighty matter; this word, Behold, in Scripture, is like a fiery Beacon on a mighty Hill, which is to give warning to all Inhabitants round about; or like the silver Trumpet in the Law, which was blown to call the People of God together, to the worship and service of God; or like a Alarm in the night to the Soldier, which cries, arm, arm, arm all; or like an Ensign, or Banner, which being displayed, gathers all to hear and see.  
For these reasons the Spirit useth it in Scripture; Bhold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and his name shall be called Jesus. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world, John 1.29. Behold I come quickly, Revel. 3. And so in the last of the Revelations, to which the Spouse saith, Amen, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.  
Secondly, Take notice of his patience, Behold, I stand, I, the Lord of life and glory, I, the Saviour of the world, I, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, that was dead, but am alive, and live for evermore; I, that have this title on my thigh, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, with the keys of death, hell, in my hand, binding, losing, and remitting whom I please.  
Thirdly, His Posture, he stands, he sits not, Behold I stand and knock; What is that? wait for admittance, which doth denote his humility and patience; O humble Christ, Lord of life, light and glory, King of Nations, Saints and Angels, how dost thou abase thyself to wait the sinner's leisure? If a great man should wait at a beggar's door, how would men wonder? Lo, Christ waits at thy door, O beggerlesse sinner, here is humility indeed, Christ the King of Kings who hath ten thousand times ten thousand Angels at his heels, waits at thy door, O gentle sinner, did you ever see a Prince with his Nobles waiting at a beggar's door? no, I dare say, no; but hear is Christ the Prince of Princes, waiting at the sinner's door, whilst Angels and arch-Angels waits for a beck, with all readiness to do his will; and this they count their heaven too: Princes uses to send their pardons to malefactors, but Christ brings them, and waits the sinner's leisure too.  
Christ, seeing thou hast abased thyself, God shall highly exalt thee, above all the Princes of the Earth, and Angels too in Heaven; for to which of them hath he said, Sat thee on my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy footstool? O all must submit to Christ, and therefore it is said, At his name shall every kneee bow, both in heaven, earth, and under the earth, that is to say, Angels, men and Devils must submit, or be disposed by his appointment, to light, life and glory, or wrath, hell, or darkness, even which he please: but it denotes his patience too, as well as humility, if men be not ready to receive courtesy, we usally withhold them: But Christ waits with patience the sinner's leisure, who is ever busy when Christ comes to him, in his house, or calling, the pleasures, profits of the world, buying, selling, eating, drinking, marrying, like the old world, who could not all hear Noah's preaching, no more than they at Christ's knocks: O Christ, Why shouldest thou wait, seeing the sinner is so careless, to neglect his own welfare? Because I am God, and not man, and my patience must be like myself, fare above yours, as the Heavens are above the earth, so is my patience above all Men and Angels, and if it were not so, I should have no admittance no where; for I come to no sinners door, but they make me stand and wait: sometimes they do not know me, and sometimes they will not know me, and seldom it is too, they mind me, unless it be in some great trouble, sickness, death, or danger, and then they cry, help, help, with their bitter tears; help, O Christ, help, which many times I do; and after comes and sees them, Doctor like, when they are well, and free; but then they think I am paid by their old prayers, and so will scarce admit me, or desire me to sit down, my company now is burdensome, though once they thought it otherwise in their distress and misery. But O Christ, thou art the desire of all Nations; who would not desire and mind thee? for thou givest Jewels, Crowns and Kingdoms, yea, Life, Light and Pardons, to all that do admit thee; but even the sinner minds not, nor knows not thy gifts nor the richness of it, or at least way see no want of pardon, light, or knowledge; no, if he did, he would not stay so long waiting at his door; how long O Christ? ten years at some, and twenty years at others, yea, forty years have I waited, till I was grieved with them, and swore they should never enter in unto my rest.  
Well sinner, happy is it, Christ hath so much patience to weight thy leisure, do not abuse this patience, lest he leave thee, and forsake thee, and swear against thee by damning of thee, for neglecting and abusing his goodness; many poor souls are in hell now for this very sin, neglecting Christ's patience, standing at their hearts knocking for admittance, and yet, I dare say, there are some sinners at whose door Christ hath knocked twenty years by preach, teachings, afflicting, and admonishing by his word, and his Spirit, and by example too.  
But what do I speak of twenty years, are there not some gray-headed sinners, at whose door Christ hath often knocked heretofore, but now they are deaf, and cannot hear, and the things belonging to their peace are hid from their eyes, as once from jerusalems', for whose misery Christ wept, and so will ye over your own souls one day in flames of hell.  
O me thinks, I see poor souls sit looking on one another; weeping bitterly for their folly, in not minding Christ's knocks when time was.  
O saith the aprentise wring of his hands, with heart breaking sighs, I was seven years in a godly family, where my master prayed, read, and expounded every day: by which Christ oft knocked at my heart, and made me to resolve for to let him in; but I was young, and thought it was too soon to hear him yet, but I made account to do it, when my time was out, but Christ then did not knock, or at least, I minded him not: for the world, wife, and children came upon me, that I did not once mind him.  
And so another Bible-carrier doth much the like. O saith he, in these flames weeping, I went twice every Sunday in the year to the Church with my wife and family, heard-prayers, took my book, turned to text and proofs, and had Christ knocking at my heart too, but I know not how, still I forgot all, and Christ knocks too, who at last left to knock at all; but I went still to Church with my neighbours according to the custom, with old father worldling, who would always talk of business, going home and coming, putting all good things quite out of my mind, for which, cursed be the time that ever I did see him; for it may beels, I might have minded something, what I heard of there, as well as many others, whom we counted puritanes, because they would still be talking what good matter they had heard, and how sweet it was, talking of the uses: but as we followed after, we laughing for to hear them go cunning over the sermon, one to another all the way home, not at all minding what he said to us, but how he met with such a one, and such a one, and never minded once at all ourselves, like unhappy souls, for which we must lie in the flames for ever, to repent our folly, and howl for our misery, in not harkening unto Christ, when the time was, which never shall be more.  
O saith, wrinkled faced hypocrite in the flames at the bottom, I deceived myself, & many an honest Christian too, like a cursed wretch, for I was a great professor seven years together, in which time, Christ gave me many a hard rap at the door of conscience, for my hollow-heart, sometimes telling me, I was a masked sinner, and had a rotten heart, aiming at the world, name, fame, credit, all the while profession was in request, going up and down with many honest Christians, and would be talking with them in matters of religion for many by ends, little minding Christ's thundering knocks against such as I: crying, woe, woe, woe to the hypocrites, Scribes, and the Pharisees, one that did love much to have preeminency, though a great professor, bearing sway, and rule, just like a Bishop over the Church of Christ, lord and master-like, saying, he was chief, and must be believed, and obeyed in his form, minding this, his own self and interest, more than the honour of his master, or the good of poor Christians, whom he seldom went to visit without his doctor's fee, or the hope of a sermon, if in case he died, worth him five pound; Woe, woe to those that so neglect the Church of Christ, and the poor Saints, who sometimes lies in cottages, and sellers, where their worships will not come, it is to mean a thing, because they are masters, and called, Rabbi, Rabbi, which, the true Disciple never aimed at.  
But stay, I had like to forget one sinner more, where Christ hath long stood, and usually doth, yea, longer than at any door besides, I mean the simple Christian, or the ignorant Christian, who knows not right or left hand in religion, more than his grandmother taught him bringing of him up, according to the custom which their parents left them, building their religion on the old race, yet must still be called Christian, for his baptism sake: which I speak not against, but the man's ignorance, which the Lord knows, I pity; for truly at these poor soul's door, doth Christ knock many times: but the soul is so simple, it doth not know Christ when he knocks, but gapes, and stairs on the Parson in the pulpit, when it is Christ that knocks at the heart, with life, light, and knowledge, which is more worth than jewels, crowns, and kingdoms; yea, the gold of Ophir, and the rich ships of Tharshish: but poor simple, sotted, and deluded soul, thou knowest not the want of this knowledge, Christ, and thy souls misery for want of knowledge.  
And here, mistake me not, for I do not mean unlearned men, more than learned men; for truly, many of them, which are great Grecians know not the A.B.C. in the new creature, but by hear say poor simple souls, how many such be there in the world, do you not know thousands, that are cried up for wise, able men, though not such great Scholars, yet cried up for able men, fit for Jewry, Judge, or Justiceship, which I do not speak against, but honour; yet I say, I will take a young stripling in the school of Christ, without an hair on his face, shall wind him like a child in the work of conviction for sin, Christ knocking at thy heart, and the Spirits working in the new man; and old, and sound experienced things.  
I say, in these things, he will wind your old solid blades & many Churchwardens, who should be knowing men, as well as Furre-gowned, where Christ hath often knocked, before ever that came on him, but now he thinks it is enough to sit by his white rod in a majestic way, with a black soul, by cheating of the poor, to feast his own ungodly gut, with capon, sack, and claret, till his belly be so swelled, that Christ cannot come at his heart, or seldom doth hereafter; for, for the most, they turn drunkards, not that I mean right blading, cursed, or down right drunkards: but I mean, in a dry way without any roaring, by clubbing pot after pot, and then an half pint, and another to that, with a point at the last to set the reckoning right, and a gell of strong water to close up their stomach, I am sure I know some, that will sit with a coughing, and spauling discourse, from four to six, from six to eleven, with aserious discourse in a cavilere way, of a turn that shall be, but I do not know when: and so they drink healths, saying, you know who I mean, in a mystical way, from one to another, till all be half drunk, and then they depart with an equal proportion toward the shot; but I will bid these good night, and come close to the matter in a spiritual way, for I think it as vain to speak to them now, as it is to expect a swallow in winter.  
Well, the next thing is, the place where Christ knocks, which is the door, O that is without you know, who is without, why, who is within, that the King of glory is without, why, who is within, that Christ stands without? sin, Satan, the world pleasure, profits, and they always keep Christ without, till he breaks in, and whips these buyers and sellers out of his Temple, which Christ sometimes doth, as well as once those out of Solomon's Temple; but for present, Christ is without, Christ the Lord of life and glory, who stands with pardons, peace and mercy for their souls, if he might once be admitted; but what if he be not? then they are undone, for they must die without them, and be damned too, for the abuse of his patience; therefore mind it careless sinner, before Christ goes and takes his leave for knocking any more, which Christ will one day do, when he cannot have admittance for the world's pleasures, profits.  
But sure it is impossible Christ should be without, whilst they are within; nay, it is true enough, do you not hear him knock? I hear some body, but I do not think it is Christ, you do not think it is Christ; sometimes you do not hear at all for business; and sometimes you do not hear for carelessness; when shall Christ have admittance? (when) when I am for myself, saith the servant, and can tend to open; and when I have this, or that estate, saith the worldling, and for every child a portion; so saith the vain christian, or much to this purpose, when I have my swing of pleasure, I will tend Christ, and till than he must wait; and thus the servant puts off Christ, for freedom, and the worldling, for estate, and the luxurious, for his pleasure, all abusing Christ, and his patience too.  
But if these delays Christ should take, for full and flat denials, what will then become of their immortal souls, worth more than crowns and kingdoms, or ten thousand worlds, because they are immortal and breathed once from God? But now must die in their sins, as Christ told the Jews, and perish too for him; and now they had been happy, if they had never heard of him, nor his knocks neither; which seeing they have slighted, shall damn them with a vengeance. (But how do you know it is Christ that knocks?) Poor simple soul, do you not know it, that seems thou art not much acquainted with Christ, nor his knocks, when thou dost not know that; when the Servant knows his Master, and the Child his Parent, every thing knows more than thee, the Sheep the Shepherd's whistle, the Bee his own Hive, and the Ass his Master's Crib, but my People knows not me, saith the Lord, by his Prophet Isaiah.  
But I will help thee, what I can to learn Christ's knocks, expecting thou wilt open, when he comes again? 'tis Christ knocks (mark me.)  
First, I know it is Christ that knocks, he knocks thunderingly, or loudly. 2. I know it is Christ that knocks, by his still and soft knocks. 3. I know it is Christ, by his slow and leisurely knocks. 4. I know it is Christ, by his sweet and pleasant knocks. 5. I know it is Christ, by the place, he knocks at the door, where he usally comes in, and not at a window, or a by way.  
But why doth Christ knock so loud and thunderingly? He thinks you are asleep, or dead sure, as every man and woman too, is by nature; and therefore saith Christ, The dead shall he are my voice and live, as in John 5.25.  
This Christ doth not mean of the day of Judgement, though that be true, that by Christ's voice and power, the dead shall one day hear, and every man be started from his grave; some for glory, most for wrath and vengeance, or execution; like malefactors, with chains of guilt about their necks and consciences, binding up their fears about them, which heavier lays than millstones.  
O how dreadful will this resurrection be, when millions of ungodly souls shall come to join with cursed bodies. It is said, jephthah wept and tore his hair, when he saw his daughter, and the Virgins of Israel come to meet him; but surely this meeting of damned souls and cursed bodies, will be much more bitter to thy body, who laid in dust silent, free from pain; happy were it for thy body, if it might still live with worms, and mouldering rottenness, and silent darkness; but it cannot be, Christ must have thee out, and judge thee too, for thy ungodly deeds and acts, as well as reward his Saints for all their works wrought by his Spirit in their souls.  
But I shall forget myself. The thing was, that I was speaking too, Sure Christ knew the sinner was asleep, or dead, that he did not open; and truly a sinner may be well said to be dead, till Christ comes to live in him, because Christ is the Fountain of life; and therefore if Christ be not in the soul, it must needs then be dead, at least in a spiritual sense, for want of Christ; for as the soul is the life of the body, so Christ is the life of the soul, and therefore when thou keep'st Christ out, thou keep'st thy soul from thy soul; O death and sleepy sinner.  
But why doth he knock so softly? because he would not fright you, Christ would come in a mild and gentle way, and not in a furions' way, which he often doth to many souls, who hath long kept him out by delays and sins, but Chrisst doth not always do so.  
You know he discoursed and reasoned himself at the Well of jacob unto the Woman of Samaria, and invited himself to Zacheus house, bringing salvation with him, and so did not at all fright the little man, though a great sinner; the Ethiopian found Christ in his chariot, by reading of Isaiah, and many a soul doth the like by a good book, reading in a private way, where Christ comes, breathing life and peace to their souls, as once to the Disciples when the doors was all shut, and they met in a room, where Christ comes, and breathes the holy Ghost on them.  
But Thirdly, Why doth Christ knock so slowly? that you might consider, who it is that knocks, and opens to him; the Turtle hath a sweet and penetrating voice, but the most slow of any creature; you seldom hear her often at one time, but she calls her mate once, and then is silent for a while, and then she sweetly calls again, in a mournful way, even to the piercing of a man's heart, as it were, with her sweet and serious, yet dolorous call, but with a pretty distance of time, between every call.  
Well, so doth Christ by the soul, Christ comes by a Sermon, jogs and calls sweetly to thy heart; sometimes by death in a dolorous way, piercing thy heart, for a wife, a child, a husband; sometimes at night, in a silent way by thy bed side, saying, sinner, sinner, art thou awaked? it is time to rise, what dost thou mean? arise, arise, look about thee, get thy , prepare for death, by minding it, heaven, hell, and eternity, and thy soul's condition, and its eternity, which if it should miscarry thou art undone; it is time, high time, and yet not to late, if thou wilt resolve thyself in earnest, to mind me, and thy soul's welfare, which is the only thing necessary; and therefore know, thy soul's life and pardon is the main thing, when will that be minded? if thou shouldst delay this time, now away, time may be no more, no more for ever; and then thou wilt weep like Esau, yea, bitterly weep, crying, hast thou not one blessing more, when jacob hath the main, and thou canst not have it, for he hath gotten it already. Christ tells the jews, Many shall come from the East and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob; but they shall be cast into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And so saith Christ softly to thy soul, this, or that sinner may be saved, and thou damned, and how wilt thou weep, when thy neighbour's child, wife, parent, be received, and thou cast off, yea, into hell, for neglecting, slighting me, my slow, and mournful knocks, minding thee of the grave, death, and eternity, which will strait be here, what dost thou mean to build castles in the air, dost thou know how long thou shalt live.  
Death hath been at thy neighbouts, and fetched away his children, yea, in thine own house, for a friend, a wife, a child, a servant, and he will come again to morrow, or ere it be long, didst thou not meet with a coffin, nor hear a passing bell: hark, it is going now, whilst the death watch clickers, set thy house in order, quickly, quickly, it is very dangerous, all delays breed danger; but this, O sinner, simple sinner, more than any, yea, any in the world; thou talkest of wife and children, and providing for them, I pray thee, sinner, mind thy soul, let that be served first, it is time enough for them, what is wife and children to thy soul, thy dear and precious, everliving soul, if that be lost, all is lost for ever, then what good will their welfare do thee, O sinner, this will no more advantage thee, than a little thetch when the house and substance is all burned. Osinner, it is thy soul that is the substance, and the treasure too: for thy souls sake, have a care, it is immortal, everliving, and shall never die, why shouldst thou be cruel to thine own soul, or unkind, and careless of its welfare, hast thou any more souls? if thou lose one soul, dost thou not lose all, all thou hast, and all thou canst? other losses may be gained; name may be gained, and friends may be gained, and estate too, before that thou diest: but if it be not, thou mayst be happy; yea, as an Angel of God.  
But can thy soul be gained, being once lost, No, no, it cannot be once lost, and lost for ever; yea, unrecoverable, O when men lose their friends, wife, children, husbands, lands, living, it cuts deep: O but this soul of thine will cut ten thousand times deeper, that is very near, but this ten thousand times nearer; one creature may make up another in respect of loss, but who can make up thy soul, if it be once lost; sorrow cannot do it, sighs cannot do it, tears cannot do it, though they like brine, be steeped with sense of misery. O sinner thy loss is irrecoverable, men cannot help thee, Angels cannot help thee, God cannot help thee; nay, Christ himself cannot do thee any good: what wilt thou now do? weep thou mayest in vain, cry thou mayest in vain, howl thou mayest in vain, none now will pity thee, though thou weep seas, and seas again to Christ; it will be all in vain: for bowels are all shut up, all that are in men, all that are in Angels, all that are in God, all that are in Christ, men would once pity thee, for a wife, a child, a friend; Angels would once shelter thee from dangers, and mischiefs, Christ would once weep for thee, O jerusalem, jerusalem, Christ would once fast for thee, Christ would once bleed for thee, Christ would once live for thee, Christ would once die for thee, and go into the grave, that thou mightest go to heaven: but all bowels now are quite shut up, all in God, all in Christ, all in Angels, all in men, all in friends, for they are buying, selling, and never mind thy howling; nay, thy wife, and children do not think upon thee, though thou didst them once, more than thy soul, labouring still for riches for to leave behind thee, and never thought on Christ to take along with thee, in thy long journey, between the mighty seas of time and eternity, which is the dying minute, where devils lies like robbers, catching every poor soul that hath not Christ to guide them, and so will he do thine; the first step thou settst in it, hurling thee a long in a furious way of darkness, fear, and horror, trembling like the partridge in the Falcons' talon, and Satan swiftlier carrying thy soul a long to hell, then lightning flies in air, or thunder bolts falls downward, where Dives minds his brethren, but seldom they do him, thou mayest do the like by thy wife and children, but they will not think on thee; for thou art quite forgotten, for no remembrance is in grave, or at least of thy soul, and its sad condition, men will laugh and talk, whilst thou weepst, and howlst, friends will do the like while thou shreekst and christ, Saints are singing, holy, holy, whilst thou art wailing, weeping, and wring of thy hands, with bitter tears, and soul-full sighs: while Angels sing with lightsome hearts, like to the Saints, thou liest a cursing, just like the devils, sometime God that made thee, and sometimes she that bore thee, as well as thy father; sometimes the days, sometimes the nights, in which thou riotedst heretofore, sometimes thyself, thy soul, thy body, sometimes thy friends, and old companions of thy sins, whom once thou lovedst, and preferredst more than many good Christian, who then told thee of this day, which thou then always thoughtest was but untrue, or else a great way off, but now thou art a cursing every one that cometh within thy heavy, sad and doleful thoughts; sometimes thy nurse, sometimes thy midwife, because she did not strangle thee, sometimes the minister for no oftener feeding thee, when thou wast squay & squeamish, and wouldst not digest any thing from him, something was too hard, and something was too plain, something was too high, and something was too low, something was too soon, and something never should be, though he preached it never so oft, and pressed it on thee too, with arguments from heaven, and arguments from hell, with all likewise under the sun: which thou refusedst and mindedst it not, but frowned, and quarreled, and railed, and jeard, with wicked men, and saidst, thou wouldst never hear him more; but such a one should be thy Pastor, he smoothed thee up, and pleased thee well, but now thou seest what is come on it.  
But I fear, I shall offend in running wide from the words, though it be in a way of profit, and therefore come to another question.  
Fourthly, why doth Christ knock so sweetly, to tempt and allure you, to open to him for his many sweet knocks; and many a soul Christ wins by this kind of knocking, which opens, as it were, all the veins and powers in the soul wide unto Christ, and as freely entertain him, as ever did Zacheus.  
Fifthly, why doth Christ knock at the door, because he will come in there, or no where, deceivers climbs the walls, but Christ will at the door, or no where, if he comes, he can come in if he please any where, at the window, or top of the house: but you know Christ loves to come in at the door of consent, which is the common way of Christ's coming to every soul.  
But the door, what is that, the heart, the heart of man, what would it be, but why do ye call that a door: first, because it is the inlet to the house. Secondly, it is the outlet to the house, so is the heart to the soul: as Christ comes in at the heart, so the world, sin, and Satan goes out at the heart, Solomon saith, my son give me thy heart, well knowing, if he hath this door, he may lay what he will with in.  
But you said, I may know it was Christ by his thundering knocks, but what do you call Christ's thundering knocks, I mean his thundering judgements to the world, the nations, and kingdoms of the world round about, in all which Christ is now a thundering, rousing them from their dens of pomp, glory, and greatness, to exalt himself, and Saints, in the room of sinners, which must be done in every kingdom, before that all be hushed, and Christ all in all, and the kingdoms his according to God's promise, I will give thee the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession, saith God by his prophet David. Turk, Pope, and Antichristian Princes, have kept the nations of the world, and made poor Saints squelke, and hid themselves in new plantations, to keep their consciences free from their idolatrous worship.  
But Christ is now a measuring out lands and live for them, yea, cities, towns, and kingdoms, by his prospering armies, which measure, by cutting every one some: which makes the mighty grumble, as if they were losing all, and so they are in danger too: if Christ be justled by them in his way of providence by his thundering knocks.  
Secondly, I mean by Christ's thundering knocks, those righteous judgements, which thou seest befall private wicked men, Christ brains on by his thunder bolts, that twenty more might fear, sometimes strikes the drunkard with a deadly surfeit, and sometimes the worldling with a deadly heat and cold, and here and there a sinner, that thousands more might be warned.  
Thirdly, I mean by Christ's thundering knocks, when Christ knocks like a Bellman, at midnight, in thy dead sleep, crying, fire, fire, fire, and is not this a thundering knock: I truly, it would make a man start out of his bed naked, to save his house, to save his goods, truly, thus Christ knocks at a sinner's heart, or door.  
First, by judgements to the world, as I said before.  
Secondly, by judgements on ungodly men, whom, first or last, Christ will meet withal, when they have filled their measure, which thousands do apace, some by ungodly deeds, some by ungodly speeches, which Christ will reckon with them for, as it is said in Judas.  
Thirdly, by Christ crying out at midnight, fire, fire, which frights a poor man, that his sin, sin, death, hell, hell, and how doth this, like a fire at midnight, fright a man out of his sleep. And truly, many sinners doth Christ awake at midnight, that is an unexpected time.  
Secondly, at midnight, in his deep sleep of drunkenness, uncleanness, or such like sins: so you see what I mean by Christ's thundering knocks. I saith one, I have experience of this, he awaked me from my Dalilah, the sin wherein I lay: I too, saith another, that walked in his sins for twenty years together: Christ falls upon a sinner by this kind of knocking, like three or four enraged enemies upon a man, crying, down with him, down with him, and so beats him down, leaving him even dead, and so goes away: but the Spirit comes, and visits him, and raises him up again, by telling him, his sins are not past, the cure of faith and repentance, which Christ both gives to the man whom he wounds thus, with the sense of his sins.  
Secondly, what do you mean by Christ's soft knocks, by Christ's soft knocks, I mean his mild, and gentle way of coming to a sinner, craving of his due from him, and not like that cruel servant, who finding out his debtor, caught him by the throat presently, saying, pay me strait, and would have no compassion on him.  
But Christ, by his soft knocks, comes to a poor indebted sinner, & says unto him, Friend, friend, dost thou remember what thou owest me? yes, yes, saith the sinner, little minding how much it is, and so is strait a going: nay, but stay, stay friend, saith Christ, let me reckon with thee before thou goest: which the sinner less loves, than the broken Bankrupt to look into, or cast up his books, and therefore prays Christ to come to morrow, he is now busy, buying of a Farm, or setting up his shop. O but Christ tells him, he will neither stay, nor come again; but arrest him strait by death, which startles so the sinner, that he now saith, I will stay, and hear all I own thee, and then Christ tells him.  
Sinner, first, thou owest me thy soul, I bought it.  
Secondly, thy body, I redeemed it by my blood.  
Thirdly, thy estate and gifts, I gave it thee.  
O Christ, thou demands all: why, do not I deserve all? and thou own me all? yea, O Christ, but I would fain keep my estate to serve my wife and children, and my gifts and parts; because they are of great esteem with men now a days: Friend, do not talk of wife & children, I must have thy estate, thy gifts, and parts too, let men esteem them how they will, I must have them all.  
O Christ, this is hard pay, but I will pay thee some and some, as I am able: do not tell me of that, I must have them all now, and it is not so hard as due, or as thou thinkest for, either: for I learn this lesson to all my poor indebted scholars, yea, every one, and I tell thee man for thy comfort, when I have learnt them this lesson, I do give them back their estates again, with interest twenty in the hundred, and so I do their parts with the same advantage: but, O Christ, wilt thou do so by me? if I give thee my whole estate, gifts, and parts.  
Friend, I always do so, trust me, try me, prove me. O Christ, I will, I will: well friend, let me tell thee, as I am Christ, thou shalt never lose by it: but shalt have the light of life, and glory to the bargain.  
O, but what do ye mean by Christ's slow knocks: I mean, all the good purposes he puts in your souls: as to read a chapter, go to prayers in the sense of his goodness, to hear a sermon, to lead a new life, to serve God better; and therefore friends, as you value Christ's company, or your own souls, look to these knocks of good purposes, by Christ's knocking in your hearts.  
Many souls are damned in the year for neglecting these purposes, O saith one, I was going for to open, but I think, I was bewitched by my old companions, and I too, saith another, but there came some to buy commodities, and kept me in my shop; and I too saith another: but my friends began to jeer, and said, I would not now turn fool, would I, to open unto Christ, all the world would but laugh at me, to mind him so soon before the world's profits, pleasures, which every one almost feekes first of all: and then Christ, when they die; which was one Mr. Carefulls speech to his son Worldling many year ago: which I think all his sons did very much mind, and ever since have practised: but Zacheus a convert by Christ's knocking at his heart, and inviting of himself to dinner.  
But thirdly, what do you mean by Christ's slow knocks, evening meditations telling thee of death, and eternity, the vanity of the world, the emptiness of the creature, the necessity of himself.  
O saith Christ, the world is vain by knocking at the soul, Solomon hath found it so, and all the sons of wisdom too. One said it would not satisfy the soul of any man, no more then mitigate the pains of the body: another said, it was changeable like the Moon, and weather: sometimes in Eclins, sometimes clear again, not a month constant all the year about: but altering men's conditions, who live below the Sun: sometimes into sear, sometimes into care, seldom out of trouble all the year about, which are so strong in many, that they can scarcely sleep either day or night, and still after the world, which changes like the Moon,  
O happy were it for these souls, if Christ would knock, or tell them, they are dead and buried in cares of the world, and so raise them up to live in himself, and mind the other death and eternity beyond.  
O death and eternity, who minds ye, and yet thou kill'st and hoards up all yea all, high, low, rich, poor, young, and old, in thy two garners of hell and heaven, but the Saints only there, which Christ fetcheth in by his serious knocks.  
Fourthly, I mean by Christ's slow knocks his night knocks of affliction, such as straits, wants, sickness, reproach, and disgrace; O friends, Christ knocks at the door of your hearts by all these; blessed, and for ever blessed is such a soul, that hears Christ by these kind of knocks.  
But what do you mean by Christ's sweet knocks? I mean by Christ's sweet knocks, his telling thee of thy Father's love, the strength and length of this love, with thy interest in it; O saith Christ, my Father so loves thee, that he thinks nothing too dear for thee; God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; yea, and more he could not give, for in him he gives himself, and all we have, and all we need; and therefore saith the Apostle, Seeing he hath given us his Son, how shall be not with him give us all things, life, pardon, heaven, happiness, and salvation; and therefore Christ is called, The Gift of God, John 7. Hadst thou known the Gift of God, saith Christ to the woman of Samaria; and indeed to this Gift all is nothing; If a Prince should give his favour, what was that to Christ? If he should give thee houses, manors, lordships, what was that to Christ? If he should give thee crowns and kingdoms, what was that to Christ? honour's, manors, lordships, crowns, and kingdoms, are but nothing unto Christ, the Gift of God to a poor sinner: well might Paul say, O the height, depth, and breadth of this love, which he acquaints the soul with, by his sweet knocks, and of his interest in it too.  
O saith Christ to the sinner, It is firmly set upon thee, and cannot be removed, mountains may be moved, but my Father's love cannot; though the mountains should be removed, yet my loving kindness will I not remove. Men cannot, Devils cannot move it, sin cannot move it; If my Children forsake my Law, yet my loving kindness will I not take away, saith God by David, Mark, my loving kindness will I not take away; I will only visit them with a rod: O saith Christ, once beloved and ever; men may love and hate, but God cannot, he is unchangeable, Mal. 3. and so is his love too; his love is grounded in his Son, and spread in all relations to show the greatness of it; the Friend loves as a friend, the Bridegroom as the Husband, the Father as the Parent, but God's love is all at once; yea all, and more than all, ten thousand times over, and over again to that. And therefore saith the Apostle, Behold what manner of love is this, how great? how sweet? how dear? how near is this Father, Friend, and Husband's love? As a Bridegroom rejoices over his Bride, so will I rejoice over my People to do them good, saith the Lord, by his Prophet Isaiah  
Well Friend, Christ acquaints the soul of this love by his sweet knocks, which even melts it, like the Suggar in the Wine.  
But secondly, I mean by Christ's sweet knocks, his acquainting thee of the Father's glory, thy interest in this glory; Gods glory make the heaven's heaven, and fills the heavens too, and makes them heavens indeed to Saints and Angels, and all that do dwell there.  
Paul had once a glimpse of this glory, and it was unutterable; Moses with the very conceit of it, forsook pharoh's court, and chose rather to be afflicted with the People of God, then to live in his court, and glory, and be the Son in law to that great King of Egypt. Paul having once a glimple of it, desires to die, and be dissolved, that he might enjoy it: David cries out, saying, It is wonderful, yea, it fills Heaven and Earth, saith he, in his Psalms. And so it shall thy soul too, saith Christ, by his sweet knocks at the heart; O saith Christ, I will fill thee with this glory, and wrap thee in this glory, and clothe thee head and foot, and thou shalt be like Solomon, yea, like Angels, clothed with splendour from the God of glory. And now, what thinkest thou of it sinner, if thou shouldst see a lovely Princes arrayed and clothed in golden Tissue, laced and trimmed with Jewels, it were a gallant sight; but O alas, ten thousand of these were all but nothing to set off thy glory, O arrayed Saint, by God and Christ in righteousness. But when shall I have this glory? saith the sinner, quickly, quickly: Behold I come quickly, Rev. 22.20. and will then give it thee, and all that long for my appearance, as Paul saith of his Crown, which he tells you, is laid up for him, and all that loves Christ's appearance.  
But thirdly, I mean by Christ's sweet knocks, Christ telling thee of his Father's counsel and purpose, and of thy being wrapped up in this counsel and purpose of God, like time between eternities; O friend, saith Christ, my Father loved thee from all eternity, and chose thee to him, from all eternity, a vessel for his own Glory, Name, and Fame, that thou mights show in ages to come, the exceeding riches of his grace, Ephes. 4.5.6.  
O this must needs be sweet indeed, for Christ to tell thee of a love before time, and a love out lasting time; yea, all time and ages.  
O when a sinner fits poring of this love, in respect of person, God the lover, in respect of time, before all worlds; then saith he, O Lord God, what is man that thou art so mindful of him? and what am I, but less than the least of all thy mercies, as jacob once said, which was of old towards me? And why me, O Lord God, a poor gentile sinner, a runnagado sinner, who had neither house, nor home, nor grace, nor virtue, but hell, and sin, and cursed nature, and yet thou lovest me more than all, and chose me out of all my neighbours, kindred, house, and family, wherein were many sweet, and many courteous, many wise, and many knowing, but none but I chosen, the youngest of them all, the poorest of them all, the sinfullest of them all, yet I obtained mercy for his purpose sake.  
O saith the sinner, me thinks I even see how God rolled me in his thoughts, and all the sons of men too; saying, this shall be a vessel, and this shall be a vessel, and this shall be another, but these I will not use, throwing millions by, which were as like as any, if he had pleased to use them to set his mercy off; but he refused both mighty ones, and many, and chose a little remnant, of which my soul was one, to set his love upon, which hath no height, nor depth, but over-spreadeth all, and leaves no room, to think the ground, or reasons of it, but only freegrace, which makes the soul still wonder, and leaves him at a lost, why he should be the man to be exalted so, above his fellow creatures, which are alike unto himself, but for free graces sake, which only looked on him, and made him what he is, which makes him stud and still to say, it is God alone doth all, according to his purpose.  
But secondly, I mean by Christ's sweet knocks, his acquainting thee with himself.  
First, In respect of his love, which thou art by nature more ignorant of, then ever josephs' Brethren were of him, who eat and drunk with him, but knew him not to be their Brother, till tears and bowels said, it was he whom they unkindly sold.  
The sinner doth the like, full many a time by Christ, when he comes to the heart, and tells them of his dreams, as joseph did his Brethren, how they must bow to him, and eke submit their souls unto his yokes of love, his sweet and just commands; which thing they cannot away with, but huncht him for his news, by grieving of his Spirit, but Christ now makes a famine by wants, and straits, and knocks, and brings them down by need, to save their hungry souls, which now do see the need of Christ, his love and righteousness, which he cannot hid from them; but by his sweet knocks, acquaints them with his love himself, like joseph with his bowels.  
And in respect of his love, which was and is, beyond all loves; Greater love, saith Christ to the sinner, hath no man then this, to lay down his life for his friend, but mine is greater. O unkind sinner, an enemy to me, who loved thee in thy blood, and loved thee in thy sin, and hide thee from displeasure, which thou once laidst liable too, till I in love did free thee; but this thou little mindest, nor all my loves for many years together, in hunger, cold, and wants, in life, in death, still for thy sake.  
And thus Christ acquaints the soul with his love, by his sweet knocks, and wider opens the sinners bowels, than ever Joseph did his Brethren.  
But secondly, I mean by Christ's sweet knocks, his acquainting the soul with his loveliness, as well as of his love, which washed us from our sins in his blood, Revel. 1. v. 5.  
O saith Christ, sweetly knocking at the sinner's door, in a wooing way, Sinner, sinner, behold me, behold me, my locks are wet with the dew of the night, Cant. 5.1, How long shall I knock and stand? for pity let me in, I am the rose of Sharon, the sweetest of ten thousand, the Lily of the valleys, the fairest of ten thousand; How canst thou choose but love me, sinner? Behold me, behold me, with the Crown that my Father crowned me, Proverbs.  
And now for my own sake sinner, with my crown and glory let me in; I am the fairest, I am the sweetest that ever will come wooing to thee; how canst thou thus deny me, O thou hard hearted sinner, that ever I met with, to stand me out so long, who am the rose, the lily, and star of heaven too, which twinkles day and night, and darkens Sun and Moon, which cannot come near unto me, I am so fare, excelling for beauty, light and lustre, and yet still undervalved by thee, O proud and scorning sinner; But yet behold me once again, and if thou canst deny me, I will never try thee more, nor shall my spirits strive with thee, when as it is in vain; and thus Christ acquaints the sinner of his loveliness, by his sweet knocks.  
But thirdly, Christ acquaintes the sinner with his union, O saith Christ, I am Adam too, yea flesh of thy flesh, and bone of thy bone, thy brother, sister, husband, friend, and father. Matth. 12.48, 49. Wilt thou deny all these relations, and fall below nature, then farewell sinner, but I am still the same, and cannot yet deny myself in no respect to thee: O strange, unkind, and forgetful sinner, of me thy husband, head, and vine in whom thou livest, as in thy root, when once thou knowest these sweet relations, which are more strong than death, and sweeter too than sugared wines, the honey, or the honeycomb, yea, and the rose of Sharon, the sweetest in the world.  
But what my union is for sweetness, it is for time and length, and this I would acquaint thee, O foolish, simple sinner.  
And if thou didst but mind me in this, how I am one with thee in all conditions, and so will be to all eternity, thy head, and husband, vine and glory.  
But fourthly, I mean by Christ's sweet knocks, his acquainting thee of thy union with him, as well as his with thee, by which Christ saith to the sinner, thou art righteous in my righteousness, and comely in my comeliness, and so fare, fair, yea, altogether lovely, there is no spot, nor wrinkle in thee now, none that I can see, or my father either. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of thee my love, my dove, my undefiled one: it is God that justifieth. Rom. 8.33.5. and I that died, who dares to question thee, my sister, my Spouse, my love, my dove, my undefiled one. Cant. 1.2, 3. If men do it, it is no matter: if sin do it, it is no matter: if Angels do it, it is no matter: what if sin, Satan, men, and devils, Saints, and Angels, all accuse thee, and thyself too, seeing I am he that justifieth, all can do thee no hurt, and therefore be not thou abashed, for I will bear thee out against all. Sin, death, men, and devils, if thou wilt stick to me, by believing in me: but if thou dost not, tossed thou wilt be, and tumbled, foiled thou wilt be, and spoilt of all thy hopes, and comforts, joy, rest, and peace, which lieth in my union with thee, and thine with me.  
And therefore now stick to me, for I will unto thee, let's see, who dares condemn, for I am he that justifieth, in spite of men, and devils, all that comes to me, and believeth in me, and will do so still, while my name is Christ.  
Fiftly, I know it is Christ, by the place, he knocks at the door, which is the heart of the sinner. Well, what of that, first it is the most secret and retired part of man: a place indeed which none can speak to, but Christ, I have had ere now many speak to my ear, but never any but Christ could speak to my heart: many would speak to my ear, but that I little regarded; now Christ speaks to my heart, and this I cannot but weigh.  
Light things were spoken to my ear. O but Christ speaks serious things to my heart, things concerning God's glory, things concerning my soul; yea, the everlasting welfare of it. O this hearts speaking must be weighed, O this hearts speaking must be considered: it is as much as my life is worth; yea, it is as much as my soul is worth.  
I have heretofore heard talk of Christ, I have heretofore read of Christ, I have heretofore disputed of Christ; O but I never till now, knew what it was indeed to hear Christ, or speak with Christ, or converse with Christ either, nor thousands in the world as well as I, that would be thought good christians, and do pass for good christians by many.  
O but now, to my comfort, I taste him, now I see him, now I feel him, now I enjoy him, and from this tasting, seeing, feeling, and enjoying, my soul is ravished, my heart is warmed, I am now filled with marrow and fatness. Psalm.  
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better than wine. Cant. 11. v. 1. Yea, then life itself, so saith David. I will now sing of my beloved, he is the lily among the valleys. Cant. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. He is the rose of Sharon, he is white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousand. Cant. 5.10. The chiefest of ten thousand, the sweetnest of ten thousand; for beauty, love, and sweetness, there is none that can come near him.  
They are mad that mind him not, they are mad that know him not, they are mad that seek him not; did men know as I do, did men see as I do, and enjoy as I do; they would say as I say, they would sing as I sing.  
Thou, O Christ, art beautiful, thou, O Christ, art sweet, thou, O Christ, art lovely; yea, altogether lovely; thou, O Christ, art all, yea, still I say, thou art all: all for beauty, all for pleasure, all for profit, all for sweetness, pure divine sweetness, yea, they would cry out, thou art all, thou art all, thou art all, O Christ.  
At all times, in all places, and conditions, all in wants, all in straits, all in peace and plenty, all in bondage, all in freedom, all in health, all in sickness, making health by thy presence.  
O Christ, I say no more, but thou art all in life, and he that hath thee shall never die. John 4.10. & John 11.26.27. but shall live for ever with thee, and therefore thou art all, O Christ, all in life, all in death, and eternity too. 3. Col. v. 11.   
Revelat. chap. 22.1. And he shown me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and the Lamb. 
THIS Revelation was shown to John, the bosom Disciple of Christ. Whence observe, that divine, glorious, and spiritual revelations are to singular men; to an Abraham will God discourse, even as a friend, God must acquaint Abraham with his intention, concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, before he can do any thing; How shall I do this thing, or hid it from Abraham? saith God; O the secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him; often did God appear to Moses, and once he caused his glory to pass before him, and proclaimed his name unto him, I am the Lord, the Lord gracious and merciful, pardoning iniquities, transgressions and sins, Exod. 33.18.19.20. Jacob wrestels with God, and sees Christ in both his natures, in a dream of a lader reaching from earth to heaven. The Angel Gabriel was sent to Daniel, to comfort him and strengthen him; and at another time he appeared, saying, Daniel, singularly Beloved, I am come to comfort thee, to strengthen thee, peace be to thee, be strong, be strong, and I will show thee that, that is revealed in the Scripture of truth; Christ's Kingdom the glory and dominion of it, Antichrists kingdom with the 〈◊〉 of it, and all the Monarchies besides, small and great, standing before Christ, giving an account to Christ. Christ was so revealed to Isaiah that foretold all, almost he die, or suffered; his riding to Jerusalem, and the manner of it; Marry Magdalen shall conceive of Christ, by the power of the most high, over shadowing her, and in her arms shall carry him that made the world, her God and Saviour, from place to place. Paul was struck to the ground by Christ, after taken up into the heavens, with seeing such things that was unutterable: So John sees here the Throne of God, the Glory of God, the River of Life, the Tree of Life.  
Secondly, All glorious discoveries are of Christ, and the Spirit; He shown me the River of life; yea, all my revelations: as chap. 1. v. 1. and therefore it is called, The revelations which God gave by jesus Christ, to show unto his Servants; of which it is said, Blessed is he that readeth, and he that heareth.  
But I come to the words, and will open them, or at least will hint something from them, according to my weak, and glimmering light.  
And first, We have the rise of this River, and that is the Throne of God and of the Lamb, which I conceive to be his own everlasting glory, in which he dwells and lives; or otherwise, the glorious union of the divine nature, which sets up one another, as a Throne, a Prince; the Father sets up the Son, the Son reveals the Father, the Spirit sets up, and is sent forth by both, which is the River.  
Secondly, For the nature of this River, It is pure, He shown me a pure river of water: so saith David, With thee is the well of life so pure; this River is pure, pure indeed.  
First, In its nature and rise, it proceeded from the pure fountain of God's Glory, or the Throne of God and the Lamb; and so it is pure for nature.  
Secondly, It is pure for operation, it purifieth where it runneth, and so it is like the refiners fire, and fullers soap, purifying the sons of Levi, which is by washing them in the blood of Christ, and leading them in, and by the commands of Christ.  
Thirdly, It is clear, yea, so clear, as it cannot be compared to any thing but the Crystal: O the Crystal stone, it is the clearest of all stones, Diamonds are dark and cloudy many, but the Crystal stone, it is the clearest of all; you may see through, and through it; so clear is this River, you may see through and through all eternities by it; from eternity to eternity, and mystery to mystery; Christ in earth, Christ in glory, Christ in flesh, Christ in spirit, and all clear; We with open face, behold the glory of God, as in a glass, and are changed from glory to glory, but by the spirit of the Lord, the River from the Throne.  
Fourthly, He shown me a pure river of life; I, that is the well of life, saith David, 36.8 Here is the excellency of this river, it is a living river, and a lifegiving river: so saith Christ, He that shall drink of this water that I shall give him, meaning this river, shall never thirst again, but shall have a living satisfaction in it, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. O the worth of this living river, this lifegiving river, endless life and glory; Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God; so may I say of thee, O River of God, whose streams refresh the City of God, Psal. 46.4. Well, I know ye perceive by this, what this river, this living river, so pure and clear as Crystal, flowing from the Throne of God, and the Lamb, as proceeding from both, sent forth by both, to water the Paradise of God, yea, every plant and tree, especially those that want most.  
Well, are you satisfied what this river means, that John tells you is so pure, so clear; I believe you are: but take this Scripture too however, John 7. v. 37. in the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood up, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, and this spoke he of the Spirit which they should receive, believing in him. Harken O heavens, hear O earth, give ear O ye inhabitants of the world.  
O what a proclamation is here for you, from a sweet and bountiful Christ, to a poor and thirsty sinner, what the river of life to any one, high, low, rich, poor, young, old, bond, free; yea, any one that will come by believing. O free, O bountiful Christ, inviting sinners to a river, yea, a living river to drink their fils; and yet a drop is more worth than ten thousand rivers of oil; yea, the oil of spices, yea, the sweetest spices. O christian friend, here is the well of life indeed, here is the fountain of life indeed, here is the river of pleasure, I, and the sweetest pleasure too lies in this stream: for it is the river of life endless, endless life, and glory.  
And hear now, O ye sons of men, how loudly Christ calls poor sinners to come to this Crystal river; in the Scriptures before, John saith, Christ stood up in the midst of the feast upon the great day, where multitudes were gathered, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me; and drink. O sweet Saviour of sinners, how dost thou scatter life and pardon to all? by standing up, and proclaiming loudly, a river of life to all: thoughts of graces, and bounty are free, so saith David's Psalm, Free indeed, when unto all; and see the like proclamation Revel. 22. v. 17. the 〈◊〉 of God, and Christ, the heavenly Jerusalem, the misery of souls being spoken of by John, that are shut out of this glory.  
A proclamation is again made, supposing upon the former considerations, careless sinners will mind their eternal happiness, being concerned 〈◊〉.  
Well, the Spirit, and the Bride saith, come, and let him 〈◊〉 beareth say, come, and whosoever is a thirst, let him come, and take the water of life freely, freely. O friends, me thinks, this proclamation cries room, room, expecting (as it were) the whole world would now follow Christ for this water of life, the river of life, and yet where is the man that stirs: if a Prince should ride a circuit with an Herald, and make a proclamation of lands, and live, to all that would accept them: How, O how then would all men run and tumble.  
O friends, Christ proclaims both lands and live, jewels, crowns, and kingdoms; nay, more, ten thousand times more: a river of life, and glory, and men will scarcely stir: arise, arise sots, and hear, if you be not deaf, and cannot. O the Spirit invites, and bids you come too, the eternal Spirit of God, one with God, the third person in the Trinity of God; shall this eternal Spirit of God, one with God, coming down from God, inviting you in the name of God, and for your own soul's sake, to accept of this river of God, sent forth by God, for the glory of God, shall this invitation he slighted.  
O, must not this be a high contempt of God, and a great affront to the Spirit of God, sent to thee by God, so to be slighted? O thou slighting, careless, foolish sinner.  
Sinner, this contempt of the Spirits invitation, may cost thee thy soul: thy soul, I say, thy everliving soul, if thou dost not quickly mind it.  
Secondly, the Bride bids you come, the Lamb's wife, the Spouse of Christ, united to Christ, being married with Christ, by the Spirit of Christ, in faith, divine love, and sweet obedience to Christ. O she hath drunk of this river, well may she say, come all that will come, come, she knows by experience, this to be the river of life and pleasure, and therefore she saith come away, come away, or else you die, you die; and now, O every one that will come, come; Christ loudly calls you, and the Spirit still invites you, and the Bride would feign persuade you, from her own experience that she hath of this river, why will you not then come away, and take the water of life, you may have it if you will, now take it freely: so saith, the Bride and the Spirit.  
And now friends, ye see what this river is, how freely you may have it: yea, you, I mean, the worst of sinners: come away then, come away, and drink abundantly; come, I say, for the name of God, come and drink.  
For the name of God, what is that?  
His goodness, and his kindness, his unchangeable goodness, his transcendent goodness, his infinite goodness, O for this his goodness sake come and drink; for the name of Christ, come and drink.  
For the name of Christ, what is that?  
His love, his love, his bleeding love, his dying love, his living love, his eternal love. O for Christ, & his love's sake, sinners, come away, for the name, and sake of the Spirit, come and drink.  
The name of the Spirit, what is that?  
His freeing name, his sealing name, his comforting, & sweet name, his leading name, his pleading name sake, come away, O sinner, in the name of God, and for the sake of God, Christ, and the Spirit, come and drink. O sinner, I should invite thee too for thine own soul's sake: but what is that to God, Christ, and the Spirits sake: but stay, me thinks I hear one say, what is it to drink of this river of life. First, it is to delight yourselves in it; yea, drink for delight as well as for thirst.  
O then, ye sons of men, why will ye not come hither, that your souls might be delighted with draughts of living water.  
Secondly, yea, drink to quench your thirst, O come, and quench your thirst in this pleasant river; yea, quench all kinds of thirst in your souls: your thirsts for profits, pleasures, and contents, come quench them here, for here you may, and no where else: men who have run to creatures to quench their thirsty souls, have found them all a lie, and so will you too, who run, and call for creature waters, to quench their feverish souls.  
Thirdly, ye drink to cool yourselves, come hither, drink, drink, and then ye shall lay all your heats, your worldly heats, your lustful heats, your sinful heats.  
O thou laborious Worldling, thy bottle will be empty, what shall thy soul then do, when death, like night comes on thee, I say, what will you do. O me thinks, I hear thee even crying out, drink, drink, or else I die, I die.  
Why do you not give me drink, but let me thus lie burning, and dying too, for thirst of that which once was freely offered to me, but now cannot be bought with prayers, tears, nor cries, nor all my worldly riches, which I once overvalued, and thirsted after, more than God, Christ, or heaven; have you never heard dying worldlings thus complain? surely you have: why do you not that are alive, and living come then unto this river, and drink of this same water; and thee I would too, who art heated with lust, with burning lust of uncleanness, pride, passion, and such like fiery distempers burning in thy soul as if hell fire was already kindled in thee.  
O friends, those lusts which lie so secret smothering in thy soul, will one day break forth into dreadful flames, burning round about thee. Have you never seen a dying sinner despairing of mercy, lie in the midst of these flames burning, and despairing, and no friend able to bring him any comfort, no not in the least.  
Again, ye drink for comfort, to comfort your hearts: but poor hearts, know this, there is no true comfort but in God, Christ, and the river, and unless you come to this river of pleasure, this soul-comforting water of life, ye shall live comfortless, ye shall die comfortless, and be damned for want of it.  
God hath decreed, true comfort shall be no where, but in himself, his Son, and river. John 15.26. ye know, Christ promised his Disciples a comforter, and what was that Comforter, I pray, but the Spirit, and the river mentioned.  
O me thinks, I might persuade you to this river, a drop, a drop of it will sweeten any condition; art thou poor, sick, weak, what ailest thou man, take a drop, take a drop of this river, I will warrant you comfort? but here I would invite, and not discourage, for a world, such poor Christians, that are heated with temptations, and corruptions, that they go mourning and sighing by reason hereof, and Satan's temptations filling them with fears and doubts, that they cry out like David, O, I shall one day perish by corruption and temptation, such a corruption says one, and such a corruption says another, me thinks they grow stronger and stronger, and I fear at last will be my ruin.  
O my friend, let me tell thee two things, and do thou remember them.  
First, no soul is damned for the presence of sin, but for the love of sin; mark me, I say, it is not the presence of sin, but the love of sin, that damns.  
My second word is this to thee, O complaining sinner; sin flutters most, when it hath its death's wound, as soon as Christ's comes into our hearts, he wounds sin to the heart, as I may so say, by giving a sight of it, a dislike and hatred to it.  
Well, thus Christ wounds sin, and it may be now, sin like some fowl, whose neck is broken, beats the wing, and flutters, as if it were, alive; well, so doth sin, whose neck Christ hath broken in the soul, beats the wing and fluters, keeps more sputter now then ever.  
Well friend, remember these sputtering are the death pangs of sin, I, the death pangs; and be but patiented, thou shalt plainly see them to be no otherwise, and therefore do not fill thy heart with fears of ruin, for it shall never be, for thou like David shalt overcome Saul thine enemy; I mean corruption; but in the mean time come away to the river, drink, drink, and it will strengthen thee and cool thee.  
O but now me thinks I hear some soul say, I would drink with all my heart, but I am an unworthy, poor sinner. O friend, the more poor, the more worthy to Christ; art thou poor, then go to Christ's door, he feeds the poor, but the rich he sends empty away.  
Again, Thou art unworthy; What dost thou mean by unworthy? Thou seest no reason why Christ should give thee the water of life, nor the Spirit; I believe thou dost not; I verily believe thou art unworty in thyself, and cannot see any reason, why Christ should give thee the water of life.  
But, Friend, know, there is a worthiness in Christ, and so thou mayst be worthy, or any poor sinner, who lays hold on Christ's worthiness, and so goes to the Father in the worthiness of the Son, for the water of life, and the river.  
But to be plain with thee, thou art indeed a proud sinner, thou art proud, I say, and art ashamed to have this water of life on Christ's own terms freely, but wouldst feign buy the river, by a worthiness in thyself; O let me see thee, let me see thy face, o covetous man.  
What wouldst thou buy Christ's purchase over his head? that is the plain english of it, get thee gone, O proud sinner, and come again beggar-like, with a Bottle and a Dish, that is, a a poor, empty and unworthy soul; this is the way man, if thou meanest to speed; for truly I think, for a sinner to bring any thing of his own worthiness to God and Christ, is as great a sin, as thou canst commit, this is an affronting sin, it affronts God and Christ, as if they were sellers of the water of life, which they can as freely give to a thirsty soul, as rain to the thirsty ground.  
What cost, or charge, or labour, is it for God, to rain down showers, to water the earth, when it lies gaping for it? I say, it is no charge, or labour to God, who hath his clouds and bottles full; and a word from God, and they strait shower down, and do not give over till they have satisfied the dry ground; so truly can, and will God, rain down this water of life, to a poor and thirsty soul gaping for it; When the poor and needy cry for water, and there is none, I the Lord will hear, Isaiah 41.  
But again, I say as at first, this is an affront to God and Christ, to bring any thing for a pail, yea, a soul full of the water of life, it is the highway to overturn his free grace, which God will have exalted above the heavens, and that it might be known in the earth; he freely sent, yea gave, his Son, unsought uncraud and will he sell the river, think you, that is purchased by his Son? do not think so, it overturnes the glory of his free grace, freely offered unto all, that freely will accept it; and this was God's design, to make his glory known unto the sons of men, which they have little minded; I say, the design of God from all eternity, was to set up his name, his free grace, in giving Christ the bread of life, and the Spirit the water of life, freely to the sons of men, john 6.48.32.33: and 48.9.10. john 4.20.21. john 7.37.  
O, God delights to make all his attributes known, his Justice, Power, Wisdom. But the glory of his grace, freely giving Christ and the Spirit.  
This is that which especially, he would have exalted in the world, and the sons of men admire him in God would be admired for his bounty, to give so like himself a Christ, a River of life freely; I say, God thinks not much to give all this, for the magnifying of his free grace, that his bounty and himself might be admired, and we the sons of men, cry out and say, who, who is a God like unto thee? that pardons iniquity by forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, giving life, Christ, and the Spirit freely. Now I say, this was God's design Before all worlds, and for this designs sake, even the glory of his grace, john 3. v. 16. he gives his Son and Spirit freely.  
Now when a Soul will not come to God, nor accept of God, his Son, the Spirit freely, but would bring some kind of worthiness for his Son, and river: thou overturnest this grace, shearly overturnest it; O what a fearful thing is this to buy Christ's river, I tell thee, thou buying Christian, Christ will not sell one drop for jewels, Gold, nor Silver, for he bought to give, and thou talk'st of buying by so much repentance, tears, and I know not what.  
O but now me thinks, I hear some poor soul say, I see no worthiness in myself, neither look I after a worthiness, or expect to have a drop of the river of life, for any worthiness of my own; I loathe myself, and condemn myself, for I find myself wholly carnal, fold under sin, and in the self condemning way, have I like a Beggar waited at Christ's door, for the bread and water of life, praying and craving Christ for it, night and day; but I am still unserved, and yet I see thousands served, who have not waited half so long as I.  
Well friend, Beggars must be so served, that they may learn how to wait; if you give a Beggar, he like a Fiddler, strait is gone, and many have served Christ so; sometimes for a creature comfort, for a supply of help in time of need, for a wife, for a child, sometimes given by Christ, sometimes spared by Christ, from death in sickness, which as soon as Christ hath given them, they strait run away, and scarce say, I thank you Christ, but run strait away, till they know not what to do for another such like Alms, and Friend: many serve Christ so, for the river of life.  
O, they would feign have the water of life, and are night and day at Christ's door, by prayers, sermons, etc. When Christ hath once served them with a pretty deal of assurance about the river, and their souls, these beggars strait are gone away into the world's cares, and pleasures, where Christ hears no more of them for the river, nor nothing else a long time after: but this Christ takes very unkindly from them, that they should, as soon as ever their own turn is served by Christ, come no more at Christ, till some great necessity even drives them: and it may be Christ sees thee, that thou wouldst serve him so too, and therefore makes thee wait a little: a little do you call it, when I have waited whilst many have been served, and some that I know very well; but I am still unserved.  
Well friend, do not be angry, if Christ makes the last first, & the first last, by this they all learn to wait Christ's leisure, which is a lesson, he will teach his poor, who beg for the bread of life, the river of life: and such things I say he will learn them all; I, all to wait his leisure, first or last.  
But stay my friend, it may be thou art served already, I have seen beggars well served, and yet begging presently after, as if they were starved, it may be thou dost do so about the river, let me ask thee one question, and answer me truly: have you never had no bread, nor water from Christ at no time?  
Yes, I must confess the truth, and will, seeing you put me to it; I was one time very earnestly begging in my closet all alone, by prayer, and then Christ indeed, gave me a good draught of the water of life, the bread of life, I mean the Spirit, which satisfied me for two or three days, and made my heart very lightsome, and cheerful; And I will tell you of another time, when I was at a sermon where I got a sup and a bit too: for he was speaking how freely Christ did give poor sinners the river of life, the well of life, the Spirit inviting thirsty sinners; crying, come, come to me ye weary sinners, ye thirsty sinners, and so forth, and then he was speaking of that of Mat. 5. v. 3, 4. Blessed are they that thirst for Christ, and mourn for sin: which my soul then did, and truly, this proved a great deal of comfort to me.  
But I remember many a time besides this, I have had much comfort by the word: when ministers have clearly opened the Gospel-promises: but sometimes; yea, many times, I hear such sweet Gospel-texts, and precious things held from them, which hath filled me, even as with marrow, and fatness, and I have even thought with myself, all these comforts held forth by them, belong to me.  
But as soon, as he had held forth his comforts, now saith he, I will give you some marks, and signs, how a poor soul may know this belongs to him.  
I remember, I gave great attention to him, but before he had done with his marks, and signs; I had lost my comfort again, by thinking, none of it, belongs to me: for I had not so repent me of my sins, as he shown me.  
True repentance there to be, which he said, was a turning from all sin to Christ, and a forsaking of all my sin for Christ, and a sorrow for all my sins, by which I had dishonoured Christ: This one mark, he did so abundantly branch out, that before he had done with this one mark and sign of that sinner, to whom this comfort belongs, I had lost my comfort. I am sure: but he went to twenty more marks and signs, I think, and at last said, if these marks and fignes be in you, than these comforts belong unto you: but if they be not, than you deceive yourselves: but in the conclusion, he said indeed, if we would repent, and wash away our sins by that, like David, forsake all our sins, and bring our whole hearts to Christ, and deny the world, the pleasures, and profits of the world, and abundance more which I cannot now stand to name; but all this I am sure, he bade me, and others to do, before we did presume to lay hold of any comfort, so that whereas I was in hopes of being comforted, I was not; but rather cast down: but at some other time Christ served me freely with comfort from his word, for which I bless his name, and thus I have told you, what comfort Christ hath given me ere now.  
But yet, I will tell you of one or two ways more, by which Christ uses to come, and serve me with comfort, giving the water of life to me.  
One way in Christian meetings, commonly called, conventicles heretofore: but I have in these meetings, found much of Christ, and comfort to my poor soul: at our last meeting, I think, there was some twenty of us, all met in a friend's house, purposely to discourse of Christ, and wait on Christ, expecting all comfort from Christ, and whilst we were speaking, and discoursing of Christ in that place, I think verily, we were every one refreshed, only by telling how Christ useth to serve us, sometimes presently, and sometimes not at all: but seemed to be angry with us, for ask some carnal things; so at last, we found many things Christ would never grant to any of us, but rather seemed to frown upon us, for ask some things which we had all been a craving of him: so at that time we considered, what might be got by begging, and parted; but this I do remember, a scoffing Ishmael called it a tub preaching.  
And one time, which I shall never forget, I was walking all alone by Christ's door, in a way of meditation of his bounty, love, and frankness to such poor fellows as I, and while I was walking, thinking nothing, God knows: Christ stepped out, and pulled me in, set me down, and himself by me, and supped with me; we had whole flagons of wine then, of which I drank very freely, and I dare say, I shall never forget this bout. So the next day, I told half a dozen Christians, waiting at Christ's door in a sermon, how I had sped the day before, they bade me, thank God, saying, they had never such good fortune, nor such discoveries of Christ's love.  
Friend, friend, I rejoice to hear these sweet relations of your experience: but let me tell you, I am ashamed, and so may you well be; but however, I am, to think how you complained, nay, murmured but now, and said, Christ had never served you of the water of life, but you had waited so long, and so long, and I cannot tell how long you made me believe, & how Christ had served thousands, and not you.  
Friend, I am ashamed to think, how you have abused Christ, by your false complaints of Christ; surely it is a great sin in you, I pray, do so no more.  
But now me thinks I hear one say, but I am a poor thirsty soul, I do not know when in prayer, sermon, christian conference, either I was so refreshed, and therefore what would you have me do, who am even scorched with heat and thirst, I thirst for Christ, and would rather have him, than the world a thousand times, if I know my own heart.  
What would you have me do, dost thou say? Let me tell thee, first, how well I like this complaint of thine; Surely by this complaint of thine, and the high prising of this river, it doth argue his streams, strongly running in thy soul.  
Yea, let me tell thee my thoughts; This I do believe, 'tis from the presence of Christ and the Spirit in the soul, that any soul living, is drawn forth to desire Christ, or the Spirit; you know the natural man, desires not the things of God, but is dead to every good work, or desire, and sure cannot indeed desire any thing in a spiritual way, before God works it in his soul. Now friend, if God, or Christ hath wrought a strong desire after the well of life, the river of life, the spirit; let me tell thee, I verily believe he hath given it thee already; for this desire in thy soul, is to me a strong evidence of it.  
I, for my part, do firmly conclude, when I hear any soul complain for want of Christ, and the Spirit, saying, of Christ and the Spirit, his soul had rather have Christ and the Spirit, than all the pleasures, profits of the world, I say, I do conclude this to be the work of God in the soul.  
This is true, a natural man may have a heart quame, and a heart wish to die the death of the righteous, as wicked Balaam once said, O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end may be like theirs.  
I say, A wicked man may desire to be owned of Christ, nay more, to give all the world for Christ at the last hour, when they come to see a necessity, and their souls damned for want of Christ.  
O how will a carnal man dying, mourn, and beg, and cry for Christ, and howl for Christ too, though all in vain; but as these men have lived without him all their lives, so must they die without him too; for I believe he will scarce own them now, who never regarded him before; but yet as I said at first, so I do conclude, there is comfort, yea, abundant deal of comfort belongs to thy soul, or any soul in thy condition, and for this read Isaiah 41.17.  
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, and I will open Rivers in the tops of Hills, and Fountains in the midst of the Valleys, and in her Wilderness make pools of water, & her waste places Springs of water. Mark this sweet and full promise, when the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, their tongues cleaveth for thirst: Friend, this Promise is to thee, as sure as the Lord lives, and such as thee: for mark, when the poor and needy seek water; art not thou poor, yes, it was thy very objection against thyself.  
O, saidst thou, I am a poor soul, and do not know when I drank of the water of life, and so forth. Well, thy very complaint doth argue thee a needy soul, yea, thou seest the need of Christ, yea, absolute need of Christ, for thou seest thy soul undone without him, and this need of Christ, makes thee so complain after Christ.  
Well, Is it not so; yes truly, my soul stands in need of Christ, and is a thirst, as David speaketh, Yea, it panteth for Christ, like the Heart after the water Brooks in a barren wilderness, so panteth my soul after him, whom my soul thirsteth for. Truly friend, you must learn to believe that, that shall be, which seems most unlikely to be, so did Abraham, he believed in hope against hope, and obtained the promise. O poor complaining sinner, believe this promise of God to thy soul, so much against hope and reason; I say, believe God will not only give thee the water thou desirest of him, but will open rivers of water in the tops of the Hills and Fountains in the valleys.  
Well friend, you see here is God's Promise to open up to a soul, a river of water in Christ, who is the hill of our salvation; therefore saith David, I will look to the hills, from whence cometh my salvation, or, I will open rivers in the tops of the hills, that is, I think poor souls that are as far from any springs of consolation, as tops of hills are from springs of water, but I will open fountains in low grounds, or spirits in humble souls, that is the valleys here meant.  
O friend, believe thou this, that the Lord will open fountains of living water, by making peace, or joy, or comfort, flow like living fountains in thy soul; I say, believe this Promise, which shall be fulfilled in its season, and then shalt thou sing and say, Sing ye waste places of the earth, for the Lord hath comforted his people by making her wilderness become a Pool, and her waste land springs of waters.  
But why is the Spirit compared to a river, I john saw a pure river of water, Why is it, for these and such like reasons I think.  
First reason is, a river is strong and powerful, no stopping a river, but it will overflow: ye know, if ye stop a river, it will do so, so are the workings of God's Spirit in his people, see in Daniel in whom they would have stopped the Spirit of prayer by the ungodly decree of the King, but see how daniel's spirit rises like a River, and now he will call upon his God with more boldness than before. Many would have in our days dammed up this river by a Form of prayer, but O these men are drowned; these foolish men are carried clean away, like dry leaves by a mighty Land-flood, and what the Spirit is in prayer, the same it is in preaching to a strong river; see in Peter, who was forbid by the Scribes and Pharisees to preach Christ; but saith he, I cannot but must speak the things of Christ. Many have in our days paid dear for their boldness this way.  
Secondly, how powerful is this river in its conviction, when it runs in a way of discovering Sin and wrath, who can stand before it, truly none: it bears down young and old strong and stout, yea, oaks and ceders, as well as straws. Doth this spirit like a flood bear away, when it runs in a way of conviction? See in the Gaoler who, I am persuaded was a stubborn crabbed knave: see how he abuseth the poor Disciples overnight even flayed the skin off their backs; well, the same night the flood breaks in upon his Spirit, and he cries out, what shall I do to be saved? to the Disciples. Poor souls, they tell this fellow, notwithstanding their usage, how he may escape drowning by wrath and sin: and so Paul was overturned by this river, and carried back to Damascus like a dead drowned man, yea so suddenly did this river break in upon his spirit, that he was turned by it, like a straw in a whirlwind.  
Thirdly, a river is powerful in its progress, a river is of that nature, that it beats down all dams ye can throw up, or else overflow as I said before, etc. So did the Apostles bear down all opposition from threats and scorns, scoffs, whips, stones, and the like.  
Fourthly, a river is pleasant, and delightful, ye choose a river side to walk by, whose streams with silence, sweetly glides trinkling along, and makes the walk delightful, so is the Spirit in its discoveries, especially in such as these. First the love of Christ which is seen passing by this river, or rather looking in this river, where you see his love like a circle, and your Souls in the midst, where is no way in nor out, I say by the Spirit ye shall see such a love; a love from eternity to eternity, thy Soul looking both ways, like Janus two faces, especially forward.  
But as his love, so his loveliness the spirit streaming in the soul, presents Christ over, and over to the Soul. Christ rides in this river, as in a barge of State, whose various streams sweetly rows him up and down. The spirits of his Saints like a Princes in her barge of pleasure, O how lovely is Christ in the Soul, when in his glory discovered to the Soul by the Spirit, then is he indeed the fairest of ten thousand, the chiefest of ten thousand, the sweetest of ten thousand, yea altogether lovely.  
Thirdly, it shows you your union to, which you may see walking by this river, yea, all your relations to Christ, and his to you, he the vine, you the branches, he the head, you the members, he the husband, you the spouse. I say, this union you may see by the Spirit, the strength, length, glory and sweetness of it, O saith the Spirit, thy union is strong, O Christian, nothing can dissolve or untie it; men cannot, Devils cannot, sin cannot, nay death itself cannot, it is stronger than all, sin, death, men or devils, and as long as strong it was from eternity to eternity, from eternity intentionally to all eternity really, but it is more sweet, saith the Spirit, then strong or long. O the sweetness of all unions is but glimpse of this union. What is the Father to the Son? the husband to the wife? but a shadow of Christ to the Soul; yea, all relations with all the sweetness of them, and all the sweetness in them is but as a drop to this ocean of sweetness, Christ's union with the Saints.  
Fourthly, the usefulness of Christ to the Soul, without me saith Christ, ye can do nothing, to his Disciples, Christ is all in the Soul, and all to the Soul. A Christian can neither do, nor suffer any thing, but by Christ, by him he can want and abound, ye do all things, as Paul speaks, through Christ, that strengthens him. Any work is hard for a Christian in his own strength, a difficult work is nothing when the strength of Christ comes in. O in his strength, will a little David grapple with Goliath and foil him too.  
But as he is strength to the Saints, so is he all indeed to them, yea all they stand in need of him to be; he is a righteousness to cover them, and an interceder to the Father for them, yea what shall I say more, he is an everliving faithful high Priest, yea our King and Captain, our ark where we may safely ride when a world lies round, destroyed, O Christ, O Christ, what shall I say of thee? our ark, our pillar, our cloud by day, our pillar by night, our rock and shadow in a weary land, our life, our all in all, and at all times.  
Fiftly, it shows us our advantage by Christ, we are justified by his blood, we are sanctified by his spirit, and saved by his merit. O the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin, which the blood of bulls and goats could never do, as the Apostle speaks.  
Does Satan lay sin to your charge, tell him thou art justified by Christ? doth he lay great sins to thee, tell him, Christ justifieth from all sins, of all kinds, great and small; yea, tell him, thou art no sinner at all, neither doth the father look upon thee as one in his Son's righteousness. Truly when a poor soul is carried by his power, thus to argue with Satan, we wind him as a man doth a child: but else he binds, and locks us up in bondage, fears, and darkness, that our very souls are restless day and night, being filled with doubts, and his accusements, he is therefore called the accuser of the brethren, he accuseth God to man, and man to God, envying both.  
Sixtly, our glory with Christ.  
And first, the certainty of it.  
Secondly, the greatness.  
O saith the Spirit, thy glory is sure, it's laid, and kept too for thy coming: but as it is sure and safe laid up by Christ, so it is full and large, and therefore called by Paul, a weight of glory.  
Here we many times admire the light painted shadows of glory, and forget the true substance God hath laid up for us in his Son, and heavens, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither ever entered into the heart of man, to conceive, saith Paul, what God hath laid up for us. Eye hath not seen sure, the eye hath seen Solomon's glory; yea, all the glories of this world too. O saith Paul, that is nothing, these things are nothing, but painted shadows and butterflies, after which the fools of this world runs, like little children: and for the ear too, what hath that heard; surely of all that hath been true, and as much more too, by reports of feigned gods, and glories in the Poets lying stories: but were all these things true, yet God hath laid up more glory for the poorest Saints that walks in rags, than all that they have wrought, thou heard, or thought; no, thou canst not think, saith Paul, nor no man living, what God hath laid up for them that fear him. Surely, men might fancy more than hath been seen or heard.  
Well, saith Paul, fancy all that this world hath seen, or heard; yea, fancy another world too, with as many joys and pleasures of this world, as griefs and sorrows, yet all short, and nothing.  
O Christian, little dost thou think, and less the world, what God hath laid up in store for thee, and all his servants.  
Fifthly, a river is advantageous, and useful; so is the Spirit, it helps our infirmities, we know not what to pray for, as we ought: but the Spirit helpeth us, with groans which cannot be uttered. O the Spirits groan in us, are powerful prayers before God for us, the promises are made to the Spirit praying in us, and indeed those requests we are denied of God, are not from the Spirit, but from flesh and blood; and therefore it is that they are lost for the most part: but the Spirit who knows the mind of God, never draws forth a Christian to ask any thing, but what is according to the mind of God, and this he cannot but grant.  
But thou complainest, thou art an ignorant soul, true; the natural man knows nothing, but the spiritual new man in the natural man knows all things; yea, the deep things of God, as the Apostle speaks, a natural man is said to be a dead man every where in Scripture, and the dead, saith Solomon, knows nothing, he knows not he lies in the grave of sin and corruption, mouldering as it were into dust: call him to come forth from worms and putrefaction, yet he stirs not at all: even so the natural man, tell him his condition, he believes it not, call him to come forth of the grave of nature, sin and death, he stirs not, nor indeed cannot, he is bound up so by the power of the Devil, sin and darkness.  
Sixthly, a river runs silently, and makes little or no noise at all, have you never found the Spirit running in a Sermon, at a prayer, in a conference, but especially in a meditation with little noise, it sweetly turning thy very blood in thy veins, making thy heart, as it were to wamble: I know you have many times. Truly, when this river runs trickling up and down the Soul, making little noise in the Soul, yea, dipping, and diving of her in Divine delights, which many talking Christians are ignorant of.  
Seventhly, a river is deep, so is the Spirit in its discoveries. He discovers the deep things of God, and Christ, and the Gospel, which others cannot reach nor fathom by wit nor Learning, no, it is out of their element, I have heard as wise able men, at least so counted: and are so sure in civil things, in latin Law, or Fathers, speaking of this river, and the nature of it, but as much out of the way, as any blind man ever was without his guide. The maskd man turns and winds, but still beside the way: the Sinner does the like, following carnal reason, to find out Christ and his river, and therefore, friend sit down, it is midnight yet in thy soul: if the day break, and Christ the star arise in thee, thou shalt see this river, yea the depth of it in some measure, a depth beyond all depths, thou ever metst withal. Here, one depth calls to another, like the echo to the voice. God's decrees and purposes answered by his Son. These depths are clearly seen by looking into this river, and if thy sight be strong indeed, than thou shalt see the sons of men, like precious stones, and pebbles lying in the bottom, from thence plummed up by Christ to swim a top, as in a sea of pleasure.  
Eightly, a river is cool, and bathing, we go to rivers in Summer heats to cool and bathe our bodies. O come hither and bathe your Souls, your heated Souls, heated with sin, heated with guilt, heated with apprehensions too of wrath, heated with Satan and temptations: truly, many a poor soul is heated by sin, and then chased by Satan for his sin, so heard, that his soul even fainteh: well friend, my advice is, come unto this river, for here thou mayest cool and bathe thee.  
Ninthly, a river is always moving, and working, so is the Spirit, it is active in the souls of God's people, though sometimes not discerned. I sleep, but my heart awaketh, saith the Spouse in the Canticles. Thou art dead, and dull in prayer many times, but the Spirit being wakeful, sees thee, and after chides thee for it, sometimes thou art nodding in the creature, but the Spirit wakes and jogges thee by secret calling on thee, which if thou refusest to hear, than he says little for the present, but sends some afflictions to thee, and if that do not do, than he sends another, and another, every one sharper than the former, and so makes thee hear to the purpose, agine in the tenth place.  
A river is reflective, ye may see yourself, or shadows in a river: and by the Spirit, you may see yourself, your face, your souls, your hearts, your natures, and affections: the heart saith Solomon who knows it truly, none but the Spirit, and the Spirit dwelling in it therefore by the by.  
Thou that sayest, and complainest of a hard and sinful heart, sure, it is the Spirit in thy heart, that gives thee thus to see it, and all its wind from God, which are more than the doors of Solomon's Temple.  
Secondly, it shows you your nature and corruptions which have more sin in it, than there is poison in the world: sin in nature, is like an old running sore which cannot be stopped, or if it be, it breaks out again: so sin in nature stops pride, and out comes covetousness: stop that, and out comes pride, and prodigality, stop up that, and then back again to old unwearied father worldling, drunkenness stopped, does the like, lust runs as long as it can in old filthy fornicators, but when it is spent, they turn to bawdy talkers. I have seen old carnal fellows laugh and wiker at their youthful pranks in the feasts and junkets, yea, such as have had one foot in the grave; poor miserable men did they know their own condition, the reckoning they must give for every idle word, and every sinful action, which Christ speaks in Matthew, one thought, one serious thought of that would strike us dead as Belshazzar that great King was at the hand-writing, in the midst of his feast with his Nobles, dinking healths in bowls of Gold his countenance fell, his joints loosened, and his knees knocked one against another, no more, but remember this filthy sinner.  
Thirdly, it shows your affections, and which way they stream and run, a man by nature can never see how wide they run from God and Christ, sometimes bias, drawn by a wife, a child, a husband, sometimes by the world, and the world's pleasures, profits, which like two strumpets entices all, not kept by Christ, and as dangerously takes them as that strumpet, Solomon acquaints the young man with, and how her paths go down to hell.  
Again, by the Spirit you may see your name in the Lamb's book, your wedding robe, and Supper, with your rest and glory in the Throne of Christ.  
O thou foolish man, that spendest thy days in gazing up and down the world, let me exhort thee to come hither, for here's an object worth the seeing, and thou O Christian friend, let me entreat thee also to look into this river, this clear and Crystal river: but stay a little, me thinks I hear one say, what is it to look into this river? First, it is not to look into your own light, for that is blind, and hath no reflection at all. Secondly, it is not to look with another's light, for that is, as if you would look by another's eye: but to be short, if you would see this pure living river. First come in God's light to see, and then ye shall see; is it not a thousand better lights that will show you the greatest light, a thousand candles cannot show the sun; nay a thousand torches, nor a thousand stars cannot; you must see him by his own light, or not at all: but first look into this river by the light of God, and then it will be a river of pleasure indeed unto thy soul, all its streams will be pleasurable and glad thy very heart. Psal. 46.4. there is a river, the streams thereof shall make glad the City of our God. Yea all its turn will delight thy soul.  
Secondly, Look in this river by the light of Christ, he is the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world, and therefore called, the light of lights, john 8.12. I, that is the right way indeed, if ye mean to see; if men will neglect God and Christ's light, then let me tell them, they shall never see, they shall never find this well of life, this river of life, let them look their eyes out, let them look their lives out, wise men have tried, wise men strove, but Oh, alas, in vain, for they could never find it, but rather more were blinded.  
The Father shows us the Son, and the Son shows us the Father; No man knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him; no man knows the Son but the Father, and he to whom the Father doth the like. So likewise the Spirit shows the Son, Behold the Lamb of God, so saith the Son; Behold the River of God, as in this text; and all the world cannot show us the Father but the Son; nor all the world cannot show us the Son but the Father: Behold this day, saith God, have I begotten him; nor all the world cannot show us the Spirit, nor the River of life, the Well of life, nor the Fountain of life but the Son; therefore saith Christ, Buy of me eye salve that ye may see, Rev. 3. last v.  
How blind was Bartholomew till Christ came and opened his eyes; just so was thy soul, and is thy soul without Christ? I am the light of the world, saith Christ, he that walks in me shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of lights, John 6.  
So saith Paul, God that caused light to shine out of darkness, hath given us the knowledge of himself in the face of jesus Christ, mark that; and indeed john had all his visions by jesus Christ, the golden candlesticks, new jerusalem, the Glory of God, the Throne of God, the Garment, the wedding Supper, and all those heavenly things; and therefore get thee gone foolish man, that stands dreaming to see this river in thy own light.  
Get me gone, O but whither shall I go? whither; why, where thou shouldst go, and all others, that have any mind to see this pure, pleasant, living river.  
Question. O but what shall I say to Christ when I come to him: What shalt thou say?  
First, Tell him thou art a poor blind soul, and wert born so; and that thou canst not see thy right hand from thy left; and withal, as to tell him how blind thou art; so be sure to bewail thyself, and say, O Christ, I would see the river of life, the well of life; why dost not thou O man? why do not I, O Christ, I am blind thou knowest, I am blind and cannot see; why how came it, or what ailest thou? O Christ I was borne blind of my parents; yea, ring your hands, weep, wail and cry, O unhappy man, O unhappy wretch, O unhappy soul, O that I should be born blind, and have no eyes to see the Glory of God, the Throne of God, the River of God, and say as I bid thee; O Christ I came blind into the world, shall I die so too, fare be it from thee, O thou God of mercy; and be sure to, as I said, to bewail thyself, and then I will pawn my life for it, Christ will come by, and say, what ailest thou man; and now Christ is of a good nature, very pitiful, especially to poor souls, bemoaning and lamenting themselves for want of life, legs, or limbs, or light, or sight, or eyes, or any such like things, for Christ knows how useful such things are for poor creatures, and how they are like to dead men in graves without them; or just walking like ghosts in the shapes of men, which is as mere a delusion as can be in the world; but as I was about to tell thee, be sure when Christ comes by and asketh thee why thou mournest, weepst and wring'st thy hands; then say, O Lord Jesus I am blind, I am blind, O that I might receive my sight, sweet Jesus look upon me, O thou Son of David have mercy upon me; and if any should reprove thee for troubling Christ, be sure you be not daunted or beaten off for crying after him, but cry louder, yea, as loud as you are able, and say, Lord Jesus if thou passest by and will not help, I will tell thy Father of thee, who sent thee purposely to help such poor wretches as I am; and than Christ will say to them that bid him let thee alone, I must go do my Father's work lest he chide me.  
And then they will say, do it to morrow, O but saith Christ, I must do my work while it is day, the night comes, when no man can work. John. 9 v. 4.  
And then Christ will come and say, why did you cry so after me, O thou Son of David? that I may receive my sight, and this will please Christ very well.  
And thus you see what you get by my counsel in bemoaning your blind soul, and crying after Christ, you are now made whole, and see as well as any, I dare say, thou wouldst not be in such a condition for a thousand pound; no truly, not for a thousand worlds neither; for what would all the world have done me good, if I had lived blind and darkly all my days, I must needs have been ignorant of God and Christ, and the river of life, when as now, I thank God, I see all these things, and I tell you, thousands of wise men do not, but are just of my condition as can be; but sure they are bewitched, I think, for they do not know their own condition, if they did, they would cry as I did.  
O but from my soul, I thank, and I thank you Sir, my good friend, for directing me to Christ, O sir, if you had not, I had been undone for ever and ever: for I must needs have been damned; for I must have died in my sins, which I did not think of; alas, I was a man that minded nothing, the Lord knows, till you fell a talking of the river of life, and speaking many things about this river.  
I came to ask you, how I might do to see it; for I remember, you were speaking, how clear, how pure, how beautiful it was; and like wise, how sweet, and useful, advantageous, and  it was, and a long discourse you know to that purpose, so than I think, I asked you, how I might do to see this pure, living, clear, and crystal river, and you told me, to my thinking, a strange thing at the first. For you told me, I must not see it in mine own light which made me stare and wonder at you; good Lord, thought I, what does the man mean, would he lend me his eyes, thought I; nay, you told me further, I must not go in the light of another man, God bless me, thought I, the man is mad as sure as can be, I must not see in mine own light, nor another's, but then he told me, as I remember, how pure, how pleasant this river was. O said he, it is a pure, living river, and an ever living river, an everlasting river, and a great deal of discourse about this river, so that I thought indeed he would never have done with this river.  
But to be short, in my relation about this river; I think, I said, show me this river; but saith he, you cannot see it in your own light, O thought I in myself, he counts me one of the blind men of the world, because I did never much away with the new lights of our world, which was never half so many, I think, as now, since the world stood.  
But to come to my story, he told me as I could not see that Crystal river by my own eyes, so no more could I see it by another man's, so I plainly saw, he did not at all weigh the ministers, I mean the old Orthodox Divines, I think these new fellows he did well approve of, and seem to own, saying, they were clear Gospell-preachers, and did hold forth Christ very well: distingnishing the difference between the two Covenants.  
But then in relation to the river, he told me, if I would see it, I must, said he, see it in Gods own light; and so quoted David saying, in thy light we shall see light, and then he told me, I must see this river in Christ's light too, saying thus, as God was Christ's light, so Christ was God's light, said he to me, no man can see the Father, but by the Son, and he to whom the Son doth reveal him.  
And then he told me further, that the father reveals the son, and the son the father, and both the spirit and the river, by giving of it to the sons of men, and so indeed he lead me up and down in a mis-maze, for I had never in all my life before heard so much talk of revealing, and I know not what, of the father, son, and spirit, and the river, for so he called the spirit, saying, it was a pure, clear, and living river, still talking of I know not how many lights, and I never knew but of one here, which rules the day. So thought I, what doth this man mean by his lights, but he turned I know not how, about to a light of God, and a light and life of Christ, or in Christ, I think he called it, saying, it was the surest and safest, and the sweetest, the happiest, best, and blessedest life of all lives that the soul lived, when it lived in God, the fountain of light and life, endless light, and endless life.  
For indeed, God is the life of our lives, the root of our lives, the fountain of our lives, we live in our own element, said he, when we live in God, and when we live out of him: we pilgrim like, wander up and down the world, begging preservation of every poor creature, which is a sad condition for a noble soul, yea we bury ourselves as in a grave of darkness, which few loves, being nothing, but wandering and rottenness, earth turning into earth: but in one word, I wind up all, the river is the Spirit, the eternal spirit of God by which he doth all in the world, yea all his mighty works, he binds Kings and loses Captives, breaketh nations, and binds them up again, and as Kings and Nations, private men and persons, are bound and loosed, comforted and wounded, and all by this Spirit, Oh then doth it concern all, high, low, rich and poor, to embrace this spirit; for if ye slight him, he can smite you, wound you, kill you, and damn soul and body, O then come and kiss this enlightening Son, as David speaks of Christ in his second Psalm, lest that he be angry, it's said of this Sun that rules the day, that it shall one day break forth in such flames of heat & brightness, that it shall scorch and burn up Mountains, the spirit will do the same, yea, every man and woman, in one way or other, some in love, most in dreadful wrath and vengeance, for neglecting and abusing the love, grace and mercy, which he once freely tendered them, which they little minded, being like the old world, buying, felling, marrying: all the time of Noah's arkes building, yea, until the very flood came; but then how did they run and tumble, O me thinks I see the whole world shifting, some to the hills, others to the mountains, some climbing trees and cedars, and getting up to steeples, whilst others wade to Noah: yea beg, and hang upon his Ark, crying Noah, Noah, Noah, for pity take us in, but he is secure, and minds not all their skreeks and cries, nor their doleful mourning for their drowned souls, this he little minds, for he is safe, and his Ark arises by the mighty waters, in the which he rides more and more steady, the higher that they rise, carrying him at last over hills and mountains and all kinds of dangers.  
And now he sings this unto himself, God hath safely housed me, God hath safely kept me in a shelter from the reins, which the black and melancholy heavens have weeped day and night for the sins of men, till they were drowned with tears; well, Noah is yet safe, the hangers on the Ark washed off, screeks and cries over, all swim up and down the deluge. Well, the mighty waters do begin to beat, and the heavens smile by clearing up again; Noah sends out his Dove, she soon returns, he again doth the like, she brings in an Olive branch, an Emblem of peace to all in the Ark. Well, this Ark is Christ, and none there is but he, that can safely shelter from all kind of danger, and yet this Ark is open, and ready to receive all that will come in at the Spirits invitation; but what if they do not? the Spirit will break forth in dreadful flames of fire, drying up the Seas, and burning of the Mountains, none, no not one escaping but those in the Ark. Well friend mind this, Christ is the Ark, the Spirit is the River, God the Fountain too, of light, life, and glory; shall all be neglected, than thou art undone; O unhuppy soul, ill betid the time, and cursed be the day that ever thou wast born.   
Revel. chap. 22.4. And they shall see his face, and his name shall be written upon their foreheads. 
O Christians, from these words give me leave to speak a little my thoughts, for to you is this promise, and if God give in the sweetness of it to you, it will be as a little honey, yea, as a lick of that Manna which Christ will give to his Saints to feed on, Revelations 2.17.  
And first, these words they are a Promise of God to his people, who are the persons to whom this Promise is made.  
Secondly, The Promise itself, which is, They shall see my face; that is the thing, O christian, promised hear.  
Thirdly, For the time, that is a coming; they shall not yet, but they shall; from whence denote the certainty of it.  
And truly friends, if you did but consider this promise, and the certainty of its accomplishment, it would be like Moses little stick which did sweeten the bitter water which the Isralites could not drink, before he had thrown in his stick: So I think it would sweeten any condition a Saint meets with in this world, though never so bitter; be thou sick, be thou weak, be thou poor, for these conditions are they subject too as well as any, therefore hath God made a thousand of such kind of promises to his Saints, to support them here.  
Sometimes he tells them, They shall drink of the River of his pleasure, and be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house, Psa. 36.8.  
A second Promise to them is this, They shall eat of the Manna that is hid.  
A third, They shall see my face.  
I will speak no more of them, pray remember these three in all your troubles; by faith feed your souls on them, they will not only comfort your hearts, but consolate your troubled souls. O, they will make you well in sickness, they will also make you rich in poverty, they will make you feast in hunger, they will make you sing in prison, live in death, yea, triumph over death, yea, all kinds of death.  
Christians you know this, I know ye know it in some measure; but what is the reason you do not make use of these and such like Scripture, sweet promises in the times of troubles? You will say you do; you do quoth he, ye do not to any purpose; witness your whining, pining, sithing, and continually sorrowing, after a husband, a wise, a child. And how, doth another complaine for loss of trading; O my poverty comes on me like an armed man, mistake me not, I know christians have bowels of compassion more than any, and may moderately complain for friends and want; but should they, should they grieve, as men unhappy, without hope of ever enjoying of that they they have lost? No, no, they should not; my Husband is dead, but my Christ is alive, and lives for ever; my Wife is dead, yet am I the Spouse of Christ, and because he lives, I shall live, John 17. I have lost my Child, but yet am I the Child of God, the Son of God, Heirs, joynt-Heires with Christ; my estate is spent, and because of that the world will not smile, friends look strange because of poverty I was wont, but now cannot see their faces in my distress; well, what of that, art thou troubled at this? O happy christian, God hath promised that thou shalt see his, And they shall see my face, saith God, Rev. 22.4. the words I first named; what is that thou call'st thy face? O my God: what is it? this, my glory, man.  
O Lord how wonderful is that, Heaven and earth is full of thy Glory, Psal. 8.9. all the glories of this world are but shadows of thy glory; yea, all the glory of Heaven, Angels and arch-Angels, Cherubims and Seraphims are but the reflecting shadows of thy glory, thy uncreated glory, thy increated glory: O my God, when Moses begged to see this, thou wouldst not; alas, poor soul, he could not, No man can see my glory and live, but time is a coming when they shall see my glory, my naked glory, and live; yea, live by seeing, and see by living, by living in it, by living to it, in singing praises always before it; and then, O happy Christian: shalt thou forget all former things, all former sorrows, all former fears, all former griefs.  
O how then will these things pass away and be forgot, as if they had never been.  
I remember, Peter having but a glimpse of Moses and Elias glory in the mount, desired then to live, and to die in that mount; but thou, O precious Christian, shalt live and never die in this mount, mount Zion, heavenly Jerusalem, where thou shalt see Moses, yea, a thousand Moses, and ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Saints, as well as he, with as many Angels with God and Christ, excelling all ten thousand times over, and over again. O but when will that day come, that I a poor Gentile sinner shall see this glory, Heavens, Saints, and Angels excelling glory: will it come? do thou say it will come, and it will make amends for all, it is now a coming; Paul saith, We see now but darkly, as in a glass, we shall see him then naked as he is.  
Christ tells thee friend, in John 17: 22. And the glory that thou hast given me, I have given them, that they may be one, O Father, as we are one. Here thou seest, that Christ prays for this day, and yet thou askest, shall this day ever come?  
O friend, know this, that what ever Christ prays for, he wils, and what he wils shall come to pass; as in John 17.24. Father I will that all these thou hast given me, may be with me, even where I am, to behold my glory. Christ's glory is God's glory, and God's glory is Christ's glory; and this wils Christ that ye may see.  
O, said the Queen of Sheba once to Solomon. Happy are those that tend thee, and see thy glory.  
Thrice happy, yea, ten thousand times thrice happy are they, O Christ, whom thou wilt shalt see thy glory in thy Kingdom, in thy Throne. O my Christ, it is said, that the Kings and the Captains too, shall hid themselves in their dens, and among the rocks, and mountains, crying to the rocks, and calling to the mountains to fall on them, from thy glory, and thy presence. Revel. 6.15.  
And this I will, saith Christ, to confound mine enemies, which will not that I should reign over them, or in them; had they harkened to me, or accepted of me, my righteousness when time was, they should not have need to be ashamed of their nakedness, or call and cry to the hills to cover their poor souls: but this is just, seeing, they did when time was, reject me, this in one day shall come on them: but when these things shall come on them like travels on a woman, ye shall lift up your heads with boldness, because my glory and yours too, draws near.  
O friends, no marvel, that wicked men shall run to the caves and dens, and rocks, to hid themselves in: for the Saints shall in that day shine as so many suns, and Christ as a sun to all.  
O glorious day, O day of days, that is now a coming, this is that day, that the righteous shall shine in the kingdom of their Father. Matth. 13.43. Then when they see the face of God and Christ, and this is nothing but the reflects of God's glory, beaming out on the Saints, in the beholding of his face, but yet this glory is not all that is implied, when God saith, Ye shall see my face, For it implies as well as his glory, his love, and delight, which you know are most apparent in the face; for you judge of men's love and affections, by the face and countenance: so that, to see this face, is to see his love, and delight in you, and on you, Delight ariseth out of love, and flows from love, as affections from relations.  
But of this love and delight, what shall I say, and first for this love, this pure love, flowing from the fountain of love, yea, divien love. Secondly, it is sweet love, yea, sweeter than the honey, or the honeycomb. Thirdly, it is strong love, and long love, first, it is strong love, for it so binds the Saint, yea, so strongly binds him by its discoveries to him, that as with coards his soul is drawn to love, and bound, and cannot but love; yea, love still more and more, this is that love, that is stronger than death; yea, then death that kills all things: but cannot this love, nor never shall; O death I will be thy death, saith Christ, so saith love, I am, and still will be: but thou, like fading time, shall be no more, The Angel swore, that time should be no more. Revel. 10. v. 6.  
But for love, Christ wills, that it shall be for ever, john 17. v. 23. let the world know, saith Christ to the Father, that thou hast loved them, as thou lovedst me. O when God shall cease to love his Christ, than Christ shall cease to love his Saints.  
O friend, God cannot but love his Son, nor he, but love his Father, nor both, but love the Saints; and they that be wrapped thus up in love, must needs, and cannot, but love again, and thus this love binds up in one a Saint in Christ, a Christ in God; and thus a Saint, a Christ, and God is one, as Christ saith. john. 17.21.23. Father, I will that they in me, and I in thee may be one.  
O glorious union, A Saint in Christ, a Christ in God, here is Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. O earth, earth; how art thou joined to heaven, and by hearing the word of God, I mean his Christ.  
And now Adam, Adam, made of dust, where art thou now man, in the garden of God, or in God himself? O happy change, O happy man, O happy fall, from God to Eden, and then to earth, and thence raised up to God again.  
O mortality, how art thou swallowed up by immortality, no changes now no more can be, me thinks, I see thee, O yesterday-creature, sitting with the Aneient of days, like young Samuel with old Eli. Me thinks, I hear thee now, as once, the Angel swearing, time shall be no more, as in the Revelations, nor sin, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor labour, and now, thou mayst truly say, what Babylon the great did, Revel. I sit as a queen, and shall see no sorrow; yea, I am a Queen, and a Queen of queens; for my husband is Christ, the King of kings, and now, come and worship me, fall down at the soles of my feet, call me Zion, the holy One of Israel, my husband saith, ye shall. Isaiah. 60, 14. For I must now be an eternal glory, and a joy, from generation to generation. Isaiah 60.15. & 19.20. A joy to my Father, a joy to my husband, a joy to the heavens, a joy to the Angels, and all that therein is.  
First, a joy to my Father, as a Bridegroom rejoiceth over his Bride, so will I rejoice over my people, as in Isaiah. Secondly, a joy to my husband, Father, I will that they may be with me, that my joy may be in them: This Christ prays, and he being answered in all his prayers, saith, Father, I thank thee, for that thou always hearest me.  
And now, come away, my love, my dove, winter is past, storms are over, singing of birds, and the spring is come. Cant. Let me see thee, let me see thy face; for thou hast been absent, but now I have thee. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; come along with me my love from Lebon. Cant. 48, Come along with me my dear, we'll to my father's wine-cellar, and I will banner thee over with love, O my Spouse, thou art fair, thou art fair. Cant. 6.3. O, I will kiss thee, I will embrace thee, and carry thee to my father's house, I will marry thee there. And now, ye Angels, and all the host of heaven, O ye innumerable company, come and sing, come and sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, lot us be glad, and rejoice, and give glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb. Revel. 19 v. 6, 7. is come, and his wife hath made herself ready, she shall be arayed like a Princess, in pure white linen, which is the rignteousnesse of Saints; blessed are all they that come to the Supper of the Lamb. Break forth in singing.  
O heavens, do ye begin, ye holy Apostles, and Prophets do ye follow next. Rev. 18.20. and also Rev. 19.1. and come ye innumer able comprny of heavenly hosts, Sing ye, sing ye, what shall ye sing: Glory, honour, unto the Lord, and unto the Lamb.  
And come ye four and twenty Elders, down with your crowns, and come worship God, and sing Allelujah, Allelujah. Rev, 19.4. Moses where art thou, come away, come away, and sing thy song to: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. O thou King of Saints, who would not fear thee, O thou Just and true: Just and true are thy ways, thou hast avenged the blood of thy Saints, who would not fear thee, and glorify thy Name; for thou art only holy, and all nations shall worship thee. Rev. 15.3, 4. O ye that brought the news at first, come ye that brought the news of this match, sing ye your song again, glory to God on high, peace, and good will to men, as in Luke 2.13, 14. but let the burden of your song, be the burden of all your songs, Free grace, free grace.  
Thirdly, whereas God saith, ye shall see my face, it doth imply, God will one day discover himself in a familiar way unto his Saints. It was nothing but sin that made a strangeness between God, and man; for before man had sinned, there was no strangeness between God and man, but since sin came, there hath been a strangeness all along, but before there was none: for when God made man first, he was not at all afraid of God; for God before sin came, took our father Adam, and led him by the hand, as it were, and put him into the garden of Eden, as a father would his son into a vineyard Gen. 2.15. So God led, or put Adam into the garden of Eden, and bids him eat of all the fruit of the garden, only the tree of good and evil excepted, and then Adam goes to naming of the creatures of God. Gen. 2.20.  
O here was no fear at all in Adam yet, for he goes and sets names on all the creatures, which God had made, just like a child naming his father's works; but assoon as Adam had sinned, he is filled with fear, and timorousness, and hearing then the voice of God in the gatden, he runs and hides himself from God, and is afraid of God; witness his running from God, to hid himself from God. Just so have all the sons of Adam done all along, to this day, so that though God would be familiar with them, yet they cannot be so with him, there is sin got into the flesh, and to that, God is a consuming fire of holiness, so that now, God must speak in a secondary way, by an Angel, or by a messenger, and that too they are afraid of, as the shepherds were of the Angel, that bids them, fear not, saying, I am come to bring glad tidings of great joy to all nations; for unto you a Saviour is this day born, and ye shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Luke 2.9, 10.  
And now, God being clothed in flesh, man he draws near to God, which before cried out in every discovery, like Isaiah 6.5. I am undone, I have seen the Lord: but God being not willing, that man should be strange to him, or he to man, sends his own Son unto us, to tell us, he is not at all angry with us, nor will at once harm us, but rather feign would have us to be as at first, his familial creatures; yea, more, to be his sons and daughters, and to come live again in his paradise; nay, more, to live in himself, and with himself: and this is clear, by his coming down to live with us; nay, in us by his Son. And this is the way, by which God will again discover himself, and show his face, his pleasant face, in a fatherly way unto us.  
O great and wonderful, O mystery of mysteries, who would have thought of such a way as this, to have found a blessed God again. O Adam! lost! couldst thou have thought of this way? O angels, all ye angels, could ye have thought of this way? no, no, I dare say no, nor all the world besides you; it is said by Paul, when Angels heard of this mystery, Gods coming down into flesh, to find and bring back man, lost man again, it was such a mystery to the Angels, that they desired to peep into it, Oh how fare was joseph carried from good old jacob, but yet at last he saw his face again.  
So fare and further, yea ten thousand times, furthermore were ye sold by Eve, and carried by Satan; but God like Jacob comes down, though not for want, yet for his love, to bring ye back to your own place, it is said, when the Israelites were delivered out of Balloon, they were as men in a dream, they had been so long in Captivity, and were so suddenly delivered unepxected, Psalm 137. But lost man, thou lesse expectedst, if less could be, thy great deliverance, that God by Christ, should bring back thee from Pharaoh, in Egypt, a strange land to Christ in Canaan, where plenty, and all fullness dwells, and now will God again become your God, and dwell with you, now it may be truly said, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be there God with them, Rev. 21.3. Mark this, God himself will be with them; this being with them, denotes God's familiarity to them: where strangeness is, there can be no familiarity, but strangeness now shall be no more; for God will dwell with them, and they with him. O they must needs see his face, who dwell in his presence, In thy presence O God, is fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore, so saith David in Psal. 36.8.  
Here is a fullness indeed, First, a feeding fullness, Secondly, a filling fullness, Thirdly, an overflowing fullness. First, a feeding fullness, O Christian, it shall feed thy very soul, to see the face of God and Christ, Secondly, a filling fullness, it shall fill thy heart, yea every corner of thy heart and soul too: it shall so fill thee, that thou shalt be, as David said in his Psalm. filled with marrow and fatness. Thirdly, an overflowing fullness, for thou shalt be so filled with the sight of thy God, that thou shalt overflow with delight.  
Here the discoveries of God, have an emptiness in the soul, that there is still an emptiness in thee, but in that day, thou shalt be as a vessel brimful, and not so, but overflow with the fullness of God's discoveries to thy soul, he shall so immediately discover himself to thee. Here God's discoveries, are in a secondary way, but then thou shalt have them immediately from himself, and not by any hand conveyed, but by himself; his presence with thee, shall be a flowing fatness: yea an overflowing fullness in thee: and in that day, thou shalt know the relations thy soul stands in to God, thou shalt know him to be a father indeed, he shall so fatherly discover himself to thee. Here God carries himself sometimes to his children, as Joseph did to his brethren, rough and strange; but then God shall say to his children, O my dear children, how do I love you, yea, I love you more and more, I loved you before, and now I cannot hid my bowels from you; yea, I cannot but show my love to you, come my dear children for whom I prepared Glory before the world was, as Christ speaks, John; come, sit down by me, I will tell you over my love, I loved you before I had you, but now I have you, I cannot but embrace you, ye were my delight long before the world was, I rolled you in my thoughts, I had you in my eye, and carried you in my purpose, and bought you by my Christ, O my dear children, let me wipe away all tears from your eyes, Rev. 21.4.  
You were wont to mourn, but now rejoice and sing, and let no man take your joy from you, as Christ speaks, john 16.20. you wont to grieve, but grief shall be no more, nor pain, nor sorrow, nor any such thing, shall ever be again, I have you now, and I will no more nurse you abroad, but ye shall live in my presence, and because I live, ye shall live also, as Christ speaks in john 16. O dear children, how did I long for this day, that I might have you in my presence, and dandle you on my knee, & speak with you, and to you, the world was wont to snib you, joh. 20.33. therefore I plagued it: the world abused you, and mifused you, but I said, I would reckon with her for that: the world knew you not, & therefore hated you, but I knew you, and therefore loved you; yea, loved you more and more, I cannot but love, ye are my sons and daughters, my jewels, my preasure, my treasure, my purchase, my lot, my inheritance, and now what will you that I do for you, show us thy face, and it sufficeth us, John 14.8. O my sons, and daughters, I will show you my face, and glory, my heart, and all the secrets of my soul, if that will satisfy you: O God, it is our desire to see thy face, thy pleasant face, thy glory, thy transcendent glory: but thy heart O God, what is that? my love, my entire love, my surpassingand indearing love; and for my thoughts, I mean my purpose, my purpose towards you, which was of old, as David speaks of old; before time; yea, before time was at all; for before the world was no time, and then were you in my thoughts and purpose; I had a purpose of you, and on you: of you to make you my sons and daughters, and a habitation for my glory, that ye in ages to come might know, I loved you above all, and chose you out of all the Nations of the world, that I might show the exceeding riches of my grace to you, and for my purpose on you, it was to raise my glory by you, in showing it unto you, for if you had not seen my face, how could you know my glory, but this I will that ye may know, how much I loved you, carrying you in my thoughts, time, & time all along, yea, and long before time too, Christ and I was contracting your salvation, little did you once know my transactions, concerning your souls, but God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, John 5.19. But now ye see my face, and my transactions too, all which you do admire; and more, and more you shall, to think how once I made you, and after that I lost you, yet back again I bought you, and now to myself have brought you, all this you must admire.  
When jonas was in the deep, and his head wrapped with reeds and rushes, little did he think to have ever seen the shore again, less, if less could be, did your souls think to have seen this day, which now you see; what I can do and bring about, that you might prise my face at last.  
But in the fourth place, whereas God doth promise, they shall see his face; It doth imply that great reward, by which he will reward his servants that serve him; so that Christians do not fight, as if there was no crown; nor work, as if no wages. O saith Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, and henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of life, and not for me only, but for all that love his appearance too. And therefore Christian, be thou faithful unto the death, and thou shalt have the Crown of life. Revel. 2.10. Where Christ promised it unto thee, for the encouraging of thee; Christminded his own glory, and so mayest thou as well as Moses; see, Christ speaks of it, yea, demands the Crown, John 16.1. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, and now glorify thy son, or reward thy son, and then it is said, I have glorified thee, and I will glorify thee.  
O Friends, you are now glorified as you sit, by your union with Christ, in the glory of God, which shineth round the heavens, and makes them to be heavens indeed: well friends, this is the glory into which you must be taken to behold his face, and then will not this be a reward, a full reward indeed, ten thousand times beyond all your do, and all your sufferings: yea equal unto Christ his merits, and to thine hearts desire; a Saints desire is to see God, and enjoy God, nothing doth a Saint desire in comparison of that, with our souls have we desired thee, saith the Prophet Isaiah, yea, and this is the desire of every soul, every gracious soul. O when the sense of God's eternal love, glory, sweetness, lies boiling in it, how strong doth the desire rise.  
O friends, no desire under heaven, riseth and heaves so like to mighty waters in the Soul, as this desire, when the sense of God's love and glory lies boiling in it, and the mighty Spirit stirring of it, thunders do not more shake the cloudy air, nor earthquakes move the dungie earth, than these desires the soul of man, when it is strongly rocking there. O saith Moses, show me thy face, or glory, while his soul was filled with the sense of it, he would fain see it, though he died the death for it, but God spares Moses his life by hiding him and his glory for the present; wellknowing Moses was less able for to see this glory, which he requests he might, than we to see the Sun through and through: but shall Moses never see this glory therefore, because of weakness; yes, yes, he shall, he doth, he now sees it, and so shalt thou, O happy Christian, ere it be long: what was it that took Peter, when he had a glimpse of Moses on the Mount, but the beams of this glory, sparkling on his back, like glittering suns and stars.  
Well friends, you wish and would, but time shall pass, and time shall come, and you enjoy the thing you wish & crave, and often breatheth after, namely, that glory that Moses then appeared in, namely, on the mount; well, you shall, I say, you shall, as sure as the Lord lives have it, one day have it, and be clothed by it, as with a garment down to the ground, like the white robe, Rev. 19.14. and then like Moses will your appearance be, as clothed with twinkling stars from Phoebus' beams.  
And now hearken, O heavens, and give ear O earth, earth, earth, with all that dwells therein, high, low, rich, poor, how God will glorify his Son; and his Son, his Saints, to their hearts desire, with men and Angels admirations, and astonishments too. Well may David say, O Lord, I have none in heaven, but thee: and there is none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee; nay, Lord, in comparison of thee, I scorn crowns, and kingdoms, yea, ten thousand tuns of Jewels; mark, none in heaven, nor in earth, saith a David, in comparison of thee, and thus God rewards a Saint according to his hearts desire: when he promiseth to show his face unto them.  
O this reward will make amends for all, for all your sufferings, for all your sorrows; and now, in the hopes of this, raise yourselves, your souls, in all your troubles, and castings down; and indeed nothing but this consideration will do it to any purpose, for if, by the loss of one creature you raise yourselves by another; What will you then do, when all creature-comforts shall be taken away from you, which God, at first or last will surely do.  
And then, what will ye then do; ye all of you, whose hearts are bound up in the creatures, and things of this life: But mourn, mourn bitterly, like Babylon, crying, alas, alas, Revel 18.10. How in one day have I lost all my hopes, my creature comforts, my friends, my children, my wife and husband, my life and soul, and Christ more worth than all, ten thousand times over and over again.  
O unhappy man that I am, O unhappy soul, how wast thou deluded, how was I deceived, to think myself happy in a few dying creature-enjoyments, O my bewitched soul, who deluded thee, who deceived thee? time was thou heardst of God and Christ; and hadst thou then minded him, and served him, as thou didst thy King, thy lust, and pleasures, he would not now have left thee, as dying Wolsey once said, that great Cardinal, in his despair and horror.  
But thou, O precious Christian, whose heart and hopes are placed in God, shall dying say? my hopes, my heart, and expectation lives, for it was not here, nor here below, in dying things: but a living Christ, and now my soul shall live with him, and because he lives, I shall live also. John 14.19. ye live in his presence, & live in his sight; and now my soul, my happy soul, tell thou the world, thy friends, & all that mourns for thy departure, thy life, thy life for which they mourn, its sure and safe, it's hid with God in Christ, our lives are hid with God in Christ, and when he shall appear, we shall appear with him also, as the Apostle speaks. John 1.3.2. O glorious day, O day of days, unthought, unminded by most of men: now it appears not what we are, but than it shall, when the dust of this body, more precious than the seed of stars and jewels shall be gathered, and be carefully picked up by Angels, sent forth by Christ from all the winds for that same purpose, than my life was hid; but now it is found, where first it was in God and Christ, in my own root, and that to my dear souls content; and therefore let me go to my home, to my father, to my husband, to my God, to my Christ, and to my brethren; for sure, I shall be welcome, as Jacob was to Joseph.  
Welcome for relations sake, O friends, there is such a near relation between Christ and a Christian, he is the head, and you the members, he is the Bridegroom, and you the Bride, he is the vine, and you the branches, Christ cannot but bid you welcome; nor the father neither, for you are all his children; how welcome is a friend, a child, a husband, after seven year's voyage, when returned; what love, what embraces doth then pass between them, pouring heart into heart, as it were? How sweetly did joseph's, and his brethren's bowels yearn one towards another.  
O friends, Christ will one day embrace you in his arms, with his rolling bowels, like a husband his beloved wife, after seven year's absence, and you him with tears and kisses of joy and love. How glad was Died queen of Carthage, when she had Aeneas prince of Troy to look on and embrace. Well friends, time will come, when thou shalt have thy Christ to embrace and look on, who hath endured more broils ten thousand times then all Aeneas feigned ones. Here Christ to look on, is admirable, and lovely too in broils. O saith the Spouse, Who is this that comes from Bozrah, with his garments dipped in blood. Isaiah, 63.1.2. travelling in the greatness of his strength.  
Christ the prince and Captain of our salvation, comes from the fields of slaughter like some noble champion, and hath his bloody arms, which doth declare him conqueror; so Christ here travels from Bozra, a field of slaughter; this I take to be the cross of Christ, on which he might be well said, and did conquer all the Church's enemies, yea, nailed them to the cross, as Paul speaketh, by triumphing over them openly upon the cross.  
Well, in this field Christ slays the law, sin and death, making this saying good, O death, I will be thy death. 1 Cor. 15.55. And now comes in warlike vestures, which are dipped in this blood, declaring him to be the mighty conqueror,  
Well, the Spouse sits and sees him at her window, coming from the field, which is the Spirit in the soul, through which she looks upon these mighty champions, Christ, Sin, Death and Devils.  
Well, Christ foils and spoils all, by trampling on all, which being done, he leaves them dead, and comes away to refresh himself in glory; the Spouse spies him in the way, and cries out, who is this? not that she did not know Christ well enough, but she is taken with Christ, in the beholding of Christ, thus bravely wins the field, which Christ never quited till all foiled & spoilt & the day his own.  
Well, Is the Soul now so taken with the gallentry of Christ, that she cries out for joy and wonder? O then, how wilt thou be taken, when thou shalt see this Christ again, which hear is promised? yea, stroke the face of this Champion, Christ the Prince of our salvation; how will she be taken with him then? saying, O my dear Christ, it was my enemies thou engaged in Bozra, and if thou hadst not conquered, my soul and thousands more, had been undone for ever; but seeing thou didst win the day, we will name and style thee, most high, and excellent, and mighty Conqueror, King of Saints, Prince and Captain of our salvation, which thou for ever shalt be called, by Saints and Angels, men and Devils; poor drooping sinner, what dost thou think of this day, and this Christ, who is thy Champion, thy Captain and Salvation.  
I say, what dost thou think O melancholy Christian of this day, when thou shalt see the face of this Prince and Saviour, wilt thou not make one, to sing his praises, to sing his victories over sin, death, hell, men and devils, which Angels now are doing, and so shalt thou; and this shall be thy reward too, a full reward indeed, for all thou ever didst, or suffered'st.  
In the mean time bear up, bear up thy head, O drooping Christian, Christ hath conquered sin, death, men and devils, and yet it may be thou fearest all; O foolish sinner, weak in faith, men are bound, sin and satan wounded, yea, death and sin slain too, and all by Christ in Bozra: what meanest thou to be troubled? O but Sir, Sir, me thinks I see sin alive, and Satan lose, yea, both in me; I will not deny, but thou mayst think so; but all is not true that men do think; but grant both these be in thee, yet if sin be wounded and Satan bound, one cannot long live, nor the other do much mischief; if sin be wounded it is to the heart, be sure of that.  
And when Christ was wounded there by sin he strait died; well, I am sure Christ hath wounded sin there too, and it cannot live long; O Sir, Sir, it is livelier than ever, it struggles more than ever. O friend, that is to me as clear as the day, that sin is just a dying, every thing in nature will do the like; what dost thou see dying willing but a Saint, and he I must confess, on this consideration, that he shall live with God and Christ, and behold the face of God and Christ, as in the first words; I say, on this consideration, happily he may with a great deal of willingness die.  
But who besides the Saint will? will man, or beast, or fish, or foul, or any other creature? No, no, the fish yawns and gapes, the fowl flutters, the beast beats itself and yels, though bound and muzzled, man mourns and cries, alas, alas; why, must I die, and leave my hopes, my wife, my child, my lands and live, nay, friends and all? fetch the Doctor, quickly fetch the Doctor, save me if it be possible, I feign would live a little longer; and thus he mourns to think on death; and when it comes and draws near to him, than he growns, and gasps, and grins, and stairs, still striving with it while breath doth last.  
Well friend, the fish yawns and gapes, the fowl flutters, the beast yels, man mourns and cries alas; what shall sin do nothing, it were contrary unto nature, if it should die without its throws in thy soul.  
But stay, you said Satan was bound; I, I did so, and so he is in two respects, Christ hath bound him up from hurting thee; Christ hath bound him up from forcing thee.  
First, From hurting thee, you know if the most notorious thieving rogue in the world lies bound in a loan woman's house, hand and foot; there was no ground, nor cause of fear, he is bound hand and foot, what can he now do, but curse and swear? well, she being a weak woman, is troubled and frighted, notwithstanding, but when her husband comes home, her fears ceaseth and are gone.  
Well friends know this, Christ hath bound Satan for a thousand years, yea, for ever, from mischeiving his Saints and Servants; and if he be in thee he is bound.  
O no, me thinks he is lose, he doth so tempt me and accuse me, I do not know what to do; it may be so, he doth tempt and accuse thee; I did not say Christ had bound Satan's tongue, no, he hath not, nor never will, whilst the world stands; Satan shall have his tongue lose to tempt some of his Saints, and to accuse others, for divers good reasons.  
This is one, When he calls on thee to commit this, or that great sin, thou mayst call on Christ to keep thee from sin.  
A second reason is this, When he accuseth thee for thy sin, Christ would have thee pray and crave his pardon for thy sin; yea, believe it is pardoned, notwithstanding his accusing thee, which when thy soul doth by his power and strength in thee, it brings much honour to Christ, yea, very much; but I will not stand now, to give thee any more reasons, why Christ will not tie the Devil's tongue.  
But remember these two, but the thing I said, was, Christ hath bound Satan hand and foot, and so he hath from doing thee any mischief, fast enough; and yet it may be, he lies thus bound in the middle of the floor, as I said before; and raves, and curseth thee, and stairs at thee in thy house about thy calling, and this causes a great deal of trouble in thy soul; but when thy husband Christ comes home, which will be at noon in his discoveries, thy fear will be gone, and thou with joy wilt tell thy neighbours, I mean, thy christian friends.  
Again, Satan is bound from forcing thee; if a maid should be tempted day and night, to part with her virginity, yet if she consent not, and the other have no power, but by consent, what is she the worse, or her chastity the lesser, no, it is rather greater if you will. So I say to thee, who talk'st of Satan's temptations, what if Satan tempt thee day and night to part with thy virginity, or resolution against such and such a sin.  
Well, Satan tempts to yield, yea, tempts thee day and night; do not yield by no means if he should go to force thee, Christ will come and help thee, or at least excuse thee, saying, thou art yet his chaste and beloved Spouse, and will not hid his face from thee, for all that.  
But in the fifth and last place, whereas God saith, They shall see my face; It doth imply that great and sweet delight that God takes in his people's presence.  
God delights in all his works, but especially in his own people, O Israel whom I have created; God created all things for his praise, but Israel especially, more than all his whole creation; God said of all his works, that they were good, serving some design, or other, but Israel his glory: O Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen, Isa. 44.1, 2, 3. Fear not, O Jacob my servant, and Jeshurum whom I have chosen; yea, thou art chosen before all times and worlds, jacob have I loved, saith God, before jacob had a being; but he is now brought forth by creation, for the glory of his grace, that he might show the greatness of his love to them, in discovering of himself to be their God and Father, which he doth in Jesus Christ, who is the express Image of his Father's person, and so the very face of God, as I may so say. For in Christ he shows himself to the Saints a Father of love and sweetness, yea, and a God, and fountain too of all delights.  
God discovers nothing in his Son, but love, delight and sweetness to the sons of men: So that whereas God saith, he will show his face, he means, he will show you Christ, and in him his love, delight and pleasure: which when it is once discovered to the soul, it so takes the soul, that it cries out, O God, who is a God like unto thee? as Moses once said, How great, O God, is this goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that serve, love and fear thee; As David once said, O God in thy presence is life, and thy loving kindness is better than life itself, Psalm. And therefore my lips shall praise thee; nothing is better than life, but his favour is better and sweeter too, ten thousand times.  
Doth the favour and smiles of a Prince, so take the flattering Courtier, that he blesses himself, as it were, in the obtaining of it, and saith, he is now a happy man, he hath now the Prince's eye and ear; he more delights in me, than all his noble favourites.  
O happy christian, favourite of God and Christ, the Prince of princes, and nations too, as well as King of Saints; how wilt thou be delighted in these delights of God set on thee, and shown unto thee in his Son. It is said of him, I will make my first born higher than the princes of the earth; this is spoken of Christ, but it is as true of the Saints, in their creation, being the chief of it; well God sets up these higher than the Princes of the earth, as they are set up in his favour by his Son, for his own glory, to make himself a name by them.  
Children, saith Solomon, are the glory of their parents, and so are the Saints too of God; namely, the glory of his grace; by which he gets himself a Name, and praise in the earth: O Israel praise the Lord, that made thee of nothing. O house of Jacob, praise ye the Lord, O all ye servants of his praise him day and night, for he hath magnified you, by his grace in his Son, and set you above men and Angels, in respect of union; and now, where would the riches of this grace appear to the world, but for the Saints.  
The world is blind, and sees no glory, love, nor sweetness in him; but they, in Christ, see all, namely, a glory beyond all glories, a love surpassing all, a sweetness like a sea, and they in the midst, which fills the souls with admiration, and makes them like David cry out, and say, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up in store for them that fear, and serve thee.  
God hath laid up in store Jewels, Crowns, kingdoms; nay more, his own favour in Jesus Christ, which they shall one day see, and seeing, say as once the queen of Sheba did to Solomon, I have heard of thee, but not of half thy glory. So shall the Saints say, we have heard much of thee, O God and Father, and of thy glory: but never the half that we now see. One said, thou art a God of love, and sweetness; and another, of all delights and pleasures, but we never heard half we now see, and find thee to be to our souls. O had the world known thee, they would have owned thee, and counted thy favour better than life itself, or heaven either: for it is thy presence, love, and favour makes the heavens, heavens indeed to our souls. O God we met with springs of it in the valley of tears, but they were fountains to us, and filled our souls with delights. Psal. 84. v. 6. But now our joys are double, and fountains too, like seas, which breaks up every moment with new and fresh discoveries, and makes our souls admire and overflow with joy, which we have in thy presence every moment, fresh and green, by seeing of thy face, which is the joy of heaven, and Saints, and Angels too: with all that do behold thee, as we thy servants do, which once did live in darkness, and saw thee not at all: but in the shadowey creature, which hinted something to us, but short of what we see, or ever did imagine. O saith Paul, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath laid up for them that love him, this made us think, it was wonderful, but now we find it so; yea, wonderful indeed, beyond all wonders too, which Saints and Angels shall ever find.  
And now in admiration of this wonder, we all, as one, cry out, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty; Almighty in thy glory, Almighty in thy loves, and also for delights to us thy poor creatures, now swallowed up by pleasures in the beholding of thee.  
O sea of endless sweetness, and sun of all delights, and fountain too of glory, what shall we say more of thee; thou art the heaven of heavens, and glory too of Saints, who now will sing thy praise, and ever thee admire for all thy beauty, sweetness, and endless life and glory, which Song shall all join in, and make the heavens ring for ever in thy presence.  
But Lord, I do thy glory darken, to speak such low things of it, one star cannot the heaven's show, nor thousand suns, thy glory; much less a poor worm, hint out those seas of sweetness, which lies hid in thy presence, till thou shalt show thy face to worms, dust, and ashes, created for thy praise.  
But let me wind up all in two words, one to the careless sinner, and another to the Saint, who is the man, to whom this promise is, of seeing his face: but what shall I say to thee? O happy Christian, that servest God, more than is said in these words, they shall see my face. Which doth imply his glory, love, sweetness, reward, and pleasure, which he takes in you.  
This promise is sure enough indeed to bear up thy Spirit against all frowns, jeers, and scorns, that thou mayst meet with in the service of this God. I say this promise sure, is enough to encourage thee.  
And therefore, O precious Christian, bear up, bear up, and be not weary of well doing, for in due time, thou shalt have thy reward, if thou faintest not, which is to see his face.  
What will men do for the favour of a prince, and yet his favour is but a changeable thing, but the favour, and loving kindness of God, abideth for ever; it is a favour from everlasting abiding to everlasting, running out in divers springs, election, creation, justification, and glorification in the highest heavens, with Saints and Angels for ever more, which is thy crown, reward, and wages for all thy work for God and Christ. What wilt thou now sit still? or wilt thou give over running, as one that's weary, and sit thee down with men and sinners in creature vanities, which are a lie, and doth deceive all expectations, and ever will.  
But why should I be jealous of thee, O precious Christian, sure, thou canst not think of seeing his face, glory, love, and sweetness: but thy resolutions are doubled in thee, to believe that God will so abundantly reward thee, for all thou ever didst, or suffered'st for his sake, or Name.  
But I shall close up all with one word to the careless sinner, for whom my soul doth even weep to think upon that day; when he shall be banished from the face of this God, in whose presence is fullness of joy, and pleasures for ever more, as David speaks in his Psalms.  
But in his absence is misery upon misery: O said Absalon once, Let me see my father's face, though he kill me. 2. Sam. 14.32. with what a longing was here now in Absalon to see David's face, who heretofore rebelliously sought his life.  
Well, know this, O rebellious sinner, time will come, that thou shalt weep; yea, bitterly weep as once Esau did for jacob's blessing; so thou, for a glimpse of this face, glory, love, and sweetness of God; yea, thou shalt weep, and say as Absalon, let me see thy face, O God, though thou kill me, and damn me too.  
But will this prevail, no it will not, damned thou shalt be, but never see his face.  
It is said, the wicked shall not see God, no nor never shall to their comfort. O said Christ once to the Jews, Ye shall seek me, but shall not find me, for whither I go, ye cannot come, john 7.34.  
God will one day say the same, to every proud rebellious sinner, ye shall seek me, but shall not find me, no, though you seek me with bitter tears, yet it will be all in vain, you may weep like Esau but not prevail; though seas, and seas again to that be shed with sense of misery, and bitter cries for sight; yea, one glimmering sight of my face and glory, love and sweetness, it will be vain, yea all in vain.  
You might once, but must not see it now, no nor cannot for sighs and sobs with tears and cries; and then thy soul with heavy heart will mourning say, O my unhappy soul, what wilt thou now do, God will not be seen, but is wrapped up in displeasure for ever, if this Sun should do the like, how would man and beast mourn, (though but for a mouth) and prise him too, when it again should shine: but O my poor soul, from thee is hid this Sun, yea, this Sun's Sun, and glory, Angels are this Sun's Sun, and God the Sun and glory too of Angels; but what is this to me, seeing he hath wrapped himself in displeasure, and me in darknesss, by hiding of his face: Which when David once had a conceit of, mark what bitter groans, and sad complaints doth his dolorous soul then make, O saith he, restore me to the light of thy countenance, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, Mark this good man's expressions at the conceit of the loss of God's favour, O restore it, saith he, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. O friend, what a sense was here in David, of a loss that he should in the sense of it think all his bones were broken.  
Who knows the pain of one broken bone? much less of all his bones at once, well, if thou shouldest know all thy bones broken, yea and broken over again, is less painful, than the loss of this love, and favour which is seen in the face of God, though careless sinners little mind it for the present; but when the sense of it shall break in upon thy spirit like mighty seas, how wilt thou be drowned for ever, hoping or expecting it again. O this loss must needs break thy bones, yea, heart and soul too, over and over again.  
The child mourns for his father's absence, but more when he hides his face, and so the wife for her husband, but what is their grief or loss to thine, unhappy sinner, thou hast lost a father indeed, or at least, one that would have been a Father to thee when time was, in jesus Christ; yea, a sweet and loving Father for them that have found him, have found him so to be, yea, a Father as far excelling all relations and Fathers too for sweetness, as the universal sweetness does the single Pink.  
Men may talk of losses by wife and children, husbands, friends and Parents: but all is nothing unto thine, O unhappy sinner, they have lost pebbles, but thou hast lost a jewel, yea a God as fare excelling jewels, Crowns and Kingdoms, as they for lustre, beauty, worth and sweetness, love, and loveliness, excel straw, and stubble, chaff, and vanity. Yea, and lost it too for nothing, which must needs cut the soul and split thy Spirit too, when it thinks on it. O saith a poor Soul, I have lost the heaven of heavens, for dust and ashes; a few dying creatures saith the worlding, and I too, saith the wanton, for my Dalilah, this or that sin which at the last betrayed me judas-like, in-into mine enemy's hands, death, hell and Devils, where I must lie, yea weep and wail, and see no God, no hope, no help, nor pity, for millions of years as that young man the Apothecary once said to his servant in his despair and horror.  
And if then too, there were but any hopes to see God at last, it would be some comfort, but this everlasting departure and never seeing more, is a hell to hell, and a hell in hell to think upon, which every careless sinner will one day find, though he now makes a ship of God, and thinks there is no danger of finding him, or at least finding him when he needs, he is so merciful, that if he cry but Lord, Lord, in a dying hour, God is so near and merciful, that he will be strait found.  
I will not lessen his mercy, and say absolutely thou shalt not; but friend, let me tell thee, thousands, and ten thousands have found it otherwise, witness Francis Spira, and those despairing Sinners, which thou seest daily dying so, which would give a thousand worlds might they live a little longer. O saith one in his burning fever would I could live to see God, a reconciled God in the face of jesus Christ, I would be contented to lie a thousand years in this Fever; and I too, saith another in this Gout; and I too, saith a third, with his bowels twisted in his belly, which pains are all intolerable, yet all would fain live in them to find a God before they die.  
O foolish man, O foolish sinner, what shall I like thee unto, but unto that simple man, that built his house upon the sands of peradventure. I hope, and think to find God when I die; for all these Puritans be so stritkt, though I take my pleasure, and live in my sins, and do as my neighbours, Mr. Custom, and the rest; well friend, I will take thee at thy word, peradventure thou mayst: But wilt thou venture thy soul, thy dear and precious soul, upon a peradventure? O foolish sinner, hast thou ever another soul to save if this miscarry? dost not thou lose all, and for a peradventure, which may take, and yet it is a thousand to one if it doth?  
But with this parable, before mentioned, I shall conclude; & now for thy souls sake, harken to me whoever thou art, that readest these lines, & this little book, mind me, for it is a truth, and shall be so, when thou and I am rotten, that Christ is the rock, yea, the rock of ages, and whoever builds on him shall stand; yea stand, and stand firm, when the winds blow and whistle, and reins fall like hailstones driven by the wind, and the storms beat, yet thou shalt stand, and stand firm, in all these storms, and troubles, and afflictions, and temptations; yea, in death and judgement too, shalt thou stand, where millions, yea, and million too, shall fall whilst thou stands firm on thy rock Christ, thy sure foundation, and see the face of God too for thy comfort; after all these storms, like the Sun after an April shower, or a haven after many weary leagues by day and night, like Paul upon the Seas of Crect, Acts 28.38. But how thou must build upon this rock know, and let all the world know, it is by the mighty power of faith wrought in the heart, by the eternal Spirit of the mighty God, and not by the works which we do, or can do, by all created power.    

Here followeth a brief Exhortation which I gave in my own house, at my wife's Funeral, to our friends then present.  
FRiends, and Neighbours, I am beholding to you all for your love, and loving presence, at this time. I have one request to you, yea, all of you, which I hope no one will be offended at: It is to join with me to speak a word to God, after a word to you, and to my own heart, which if I know. It is not through pride, nor any selfseeking end; and could this Corpse have been conveniently longer kept, I would have had Mr. Sedgwick, whom she loved, heard, and profited by, to have preached her Funeral Sermon But seeing it is as it is, and myself am more concerned in this, than all the world; I take leave from you, without any more request to you, hoping you will take my meaning to be good, where my expressions are short and broken; for I had neither time, nor a quiet mind, but a few hour's meditation last night, when want of sleep had much besotted me. But what improvement shall we now make by this my wife, your sister, friend, and harmless neighbour, Anne Blakes death? And to improve it, First, see what is your end, a grave, a coffin, will house you all: O call in then your thoughts, your wide and wand'ring thoughts, and mind your change with seriousness before it comes, which will not be long, you may be confident. Secondly, see what you, yea, all of you must part with, at first, or last; your friends, your nearest, dearest, sweetest friends; your sons and daughters; your wives and husbands. O this grave, and death, will have them all, which once I little minded; but now I must, and cannot but mind this death, this cruel death, which hath so haunted me, and will do you ere it be long; but I hope he will not be so quick with none of you; a son, a daughter, a loving wife, in six week's space. O nimble, quick, & cruel death! how hast thou stolen my nearest, sweet, and dearest comforts? Odeath, where hadst thou this full and large Commission? Was it given thee by chance? O no, I know it was not; thou canst not take by that Commission, a bird, a sparrow; much less a daughter, son, and wife. O death, this Commission it was from the Lord, for he gives and takes, job the first, The Lord gives, and the Lord takes, and blessed be his name. O friends, death hath no Commission but from him, the Lord, that gives, and takes, and blessed be his name; yea, blessed (I say) be his holy name; for what he hath now taken from me, he first did give unto me. Why should I not then praise his name? Oh that I could, and you my friends, for all he gives, and all he takes! And that we may know first it is your duty; yea, I say, is your duty, and all theirs that truly fear God, to submit with patience to his will, and bless his name for all his dispensations, the which I will prove by some examples. I could give you many instances; as first, that of old Eli, concerning his Sons, which you may read in Samuel, the first Book, Chap. 3. vers. 18. O with what a sweet spirit doth he receive that sad message concerning his sons, It is the Lord, let him do with me what he please. O sweet and sour! A sad message is told good old Eli concerning his sons; yea, a very sad one, at which the ears of men should tingle: But yet saith Eli unto Samuel, It is the Lord, and let him do what seems him good. A second instance, is that of David, 2 Sam. Chap. 15. vers. 26. Who was feign to fly, with the Ark of God, and his servants, for his life, from his habitation, by reason of Absolom's unnatural and deceitful Rebellion. Well, many weep for this good man's danger and affliction and so doth he, for he goes from jerusalem with his head covered, and his eyes weeping; but yet sweetly thus saying, If he have any pleasure in me, he will bring me back again; otherwise, lo, here I am, let him do with me what he please. O what a sweet and Saintlike Spirit was here in David! Let him do what he please, lo, here am I to submit. A third instance, is that of Paul, who makes this his desire, To glorify Christ in his body: But whether it be by life or death, Paul cares not, so Christ be glorified. I could instance above all in Christ, the pattern of all, who sweetly says thus in the Garden, Not my will, but thine be done. But I shall only mention in job, whose sweet submission to God in his great afflictions, I little minded, till within these few days. I don't remember scarce when I read one of jobs Chapters. O how many sad messages was brought to him; not in one week after another, like mine; but in one day did his sad messengers come tumbling in with heavy messages, concerning his sheep, oxen, servants, sons and daughters: well, saith job, The Lord gives and takes, and blessed be his name. What fuller submission could there be in a gracious heart, than here is in these words? But let me give you three or four reasons why a gracious heart should sweetly submit to Gods will; and the first reason shall be this, the Holiness of his will; a Saint sees in the will of God a holiness, and therefore let things go how they will, yet thou remainest holy, O thou that inhabitest Eternity. Paul says, he works all things according to the counsel of his own will; surely, that must needs be holy, that is wrought according to the will and counsel of a holy God. A second reason why a gracious heart should sweetly submit to the will of God, is the Sovereignty of Gods will above the creature; he doth what ever he will, and all what ever he will; and therefore saith Paul, who hath resisted his will? Shall the potsherd strive with the Potter, or the creature with the Creator? No, nor the servant with his Master neither; much less a gracious heart with his God and Maker Teach me to do thy will O God (saith David, and every gracious heart too. It is our prayer to say, Thy will be done, and it would be our perfection to submit. A third reason why a gracious heart should submit to Gods will, is the goodness of God's will, the will of God is good in all his working to his people. So saith Paul, all things work together for the best to them that fear God. Yea, those workings of God's will, which most cross nature, doth he see a goodness in. O that I had more ability to see this to; but however a gracious heart sees a goodness in conclusion, which he doth acknowledge in the will of God; It was good for me (saith David) that I was afflicted, for before I went astray. And truly, affliction doth often cause a Saint to look to his ways, which he is too apt in prosperity to be mindless of. Let us search, and try our ways, (saith the Church) in afflictions; and so saith a gracious heart in every smart affliction. O how good is that will of God, that wils thy affliction for so good an end! And thus you see three reasons why a gracious heart should sweetly submit to Gods Will; because of its Holiness, its Sovereignty, and Goodness. One word or two more, and then I hvae done. First then, labour with your own hearts to submit to Gods Will, for in every submission, ye serve some glorious design of God; and for this reason's sake, labour quietly to submit. O that my soul did know well his design, and reason, why he hath dealt so with me as he hath, in a way of affliction! my afflictions are yet like the black side of a cloud. O that I could see the bright side, the glory of God, which every strong Christian sees, and by seeing, quietly submit. 2ly. Let us labour to submit our wills to Gods, for conformities sake; and here let weak Christians take the example of strong, and they, the example of Christ. Who for the Glory that was set before him, endured the Cross, and despised the shame. Thirdly, let us submit our wills to God, for it is the surest way, and the safest. First, it is the surest, if you would not offend God, for if ye storm ye sin, and offend God, which a gracious heart should be careful of. Secondly, it is the safest way; the sturdy oaks resist the wind, and are split; but the gentle reed, by yielding, stands. Doth God take a child? yield. Doth he take another? yield. Doth he take all? yield. Doth he take a Wife, a Husband? yield. If thou dost not, he can take thy soul, and throw it into apprehensions of his wrath, which will make thee roar, as if thy bones were broken, yea, all thy bones; but especially yield to God, for he cannot only take all thy comforts from thee, but thy very soul, and throw it into hell too.  
O my friends, let us yield to God, for there is safety in it, I have heard some ministers say of Augustine, Lord saith he, cut me, hack me, kill me, so thou save my soul, he hath dealt so by my wife, she hath had cutting afflictions two or three days travelling by a child as with Samuel, which some of you, my friends, well know, and as many by his loss, his loss, and the rest, must needs be cutting; well, thus was this poor woman cut, and at last cut of life too: O all cut, but her soul saved, and that I verily believe on good grounds, and now though here lies before us her body coffined, yet my soul cannot but rejoice in her soul's salvation, one thing a little troubles me, and another thing would have split my very heart, if I did not believe it confidently; that, that a little troubles me is, that I should be no more kind to so good a body, yet I hope and do believe, none, no not one of all you can condemn me but my heart doth a little, I thought to enjoy her when we were old, and to be so kind to her as we might be all along, my advice, O husbands and wives, is, yea, I wish you, pray you, entreat you, to look on one another as as parting dying yoake-fellows, and if you do, how sweet, how kind, how loving will you be, when brethren are called to part fare asunder, the one to cross the seas, and the other to go a prentice, how sweetly will they embrace one the other; do ye so, I pray ye do so, it is a duty well pleasing to God, no love but Gods & Christ's love, should be above this mutual love of wife and husband's love. O saith Paul, love your wives as Christ loved his Church, that is, for sincerity & constancy, I, & quantity too: but that is impossible, how ever, it holds forth that greatness of affection that should be between the Wife & husband. But the main thing, as I said before, which grieus me to think, is, how unfaithful a husband I have been to her soul, and that in these particulars. First, that I should put up so few prayers, & them so cold; I have been as apt to say, I hope God will bless us in our estates, I friends, I was as apt to say so, and come love, let us look to the World, as oft as to say, look to thy soul and Christ, either more worth than ten thousand Worlds. O my friends, I hope you be not guilty like me, in this particular, if you be, it may trouble you more, than you are ware of one day. O if I had doubted that her soul had miscarried, how heavy, heavy would this have been; yea, how sadly should I have followed her corpse to the garve; a body miscarrying, is not easily born; but a soul miscarrying, who can bear it. O friends, love your wives, and husband's souls, as much above their bodies, as ye do their bodies above their clothes; it will do the wife good to think, that the husband's soul is in heaven smiling, whilst she and her friends are mourning for the corpse in the coffin: when my wife was sick, and I thought it might be unto death, then, than I thought how many nights my poor wife would call on me in the night watch, sweetheart, husband, let us talk of Christ a little, let's have some spiritual discourse, pray, be not so sleepy, but talk to me; to which, I like a dead man, a stock, or stone would say nothing many times, or else I am weary, or sleepy, or some such kind of sluggish answer, and so neglect a spiritual and sweet opportunity, in which I might have done her soul and mine own good, David speaks of communing with his own heart in the night season. The wives, the husband's heart should be as one speaking to one another, being always mindful of each one another's welfare, especially in a spiritual sense, and indeed this was the main end and reason, why I desired leave from you to speak a few words to you, my friends; and truly, if I were now to be coffined for the grave to morrow, this should be my advice to you, my last and solemn advice to you; yea, to all of you my friends, to take all advantages by night and day, to do one another's souls good. O if that be saved; how will it comfort & rejoice your hearts, when you in a melancholy way walk to view again the grave of your wife, your husband: how will the heart be lifted up with such kind of sweet thoughts as these, though here lies rotting the flesh and bones of my wife, my husband, yet their fouls are with God and Christ, with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob in the kingdom of God, singing, farewell all sin and sorrow, which now shall be no more.  
Oh, how do the souls there sing its triumphs over sin, and sorrow, death, hell, and misery, devils, men, and dangers. The absence of a friend is not so much a grief, as the condition of him in his absence: if a friend be in prosperity, ye only mourn for his absence, but if ye doubt he is in misery, ye mourn double. Truly an absent soul doubted to be lost is the greatest trouble; yea, the greatest that can be in this World. I think it, I, in my conscience really think it; and on this consideration, my soul did even weep, weep, till God did further fully confirm my faith, in her souls salvation, if she should die: But I had reason to believe this of her before, for many a time had I seen her weep for want of Christ; for sin and corruption; for sin, Blessed are they that mourn for sin, for they shall be comforted, which I now believe she is, and believing this; truly, my soul cannot but now rejoice in her soul's salvation, whose body lies here coffined, I say, her souls salvation, I do rejoice in, who never did much work for Christ, but brought glory to Christ, by believing strongly in Christ to the very last moment.  
And that ye may know I do not flatter, which I would not for any good in the World, in such a case as this. I will read you a little of what she believed concerning herself, and what she spoke concerning others the night before she died, and of this I will read something to you, which I writ down, thinking it would be sweet and comfortable to read another day, when I should think upon her.  
O God, not my will, but thy will be done. Lord, what is this that lies so bitter here, pointing to her stomach.  
Lord, if it be thy will, remove it. O Lord, thou hast removed many bitter pains from me in my days, blessed be thy holy Name.  
I rejoice to hear thy sweet expressions. O sweet heart. I am full, I am full within; but so weak, not able to speak what I enjoy.  
O, that all my friends in the world were here, I would bid them live to Christ, and live in Christ; but alas, they cannot by their own strength. Well, I am willing to leave all, to go to Christ, indeed I am, indeed I am. What will all things avail me, but Christ; the Lord hath not threatened me with death, nor sin; surely, the Lord hath been good to me above all women.  
I asked her once again of her assurance, she seemed a little troubled, saying, O Lord, sweet heart, why, do you not believe me, when I have told you so often, I have peace in my conscience, and am verily persuaded of God's love in Christ to my soul.  
If I were not, what would it do me good to tell you a lie, and say, I am. The Lord hath not laid one sin to my charge, the Lord does not lay sin to our charge: But I mean, he hath not suffered Satan to do it; for surely he would if the Lord would have suffered him; but he hath not, no, there is not so much as one sin brought to my mind, so as to doubt of the pardon of it, no not so much as one sin of all my many sins. Satan was wont in my former lying, into tempt me, and accuse me; but God hath now chained him up In my first lying in, the nurse having carelessly one night left me alone, supposing, I had been asleep, Satan comes then, and mightily accused me, and tempted me strongly, to make away myself; so I knocked, and called for the nurse, or somebody, for two or three hours, no body heard me, well then I arose out of my bed, and laid every thing out of the way, which Satan would have had me mischief myself, or child, who was then in the cradle; which having done, I went into my bed again, and sweat, and prayed, and cried with all my strength; yet notwithstanding, Satan continued still his temptation, and told me, look, there lies thy garters, which I presently catcht, and threw away, and continued praying by the strength of God, so at last the nurse came, and Satan left tempting me.  
God that brought me to this weakness, can raise me, and will, or take me to himself.  
One asked, if she was confirmed in the faith; yes truly, I am confirmed; ye are a poor creature, said he, nay, I am rich in Christ. O I wait with patience, to see what God will do with me.  
Sweet heart, I am persuaded, you will go to Christ, as sure as Abraham and Isaac are with him.  
I said she, so I am too, or else I were a miserable creature to lie here as I do.  
I have both inward, and outward comfort; I praise my God.  
O my dear husband, serve God with sincerity of heart, and he will bless thee and thy little family.  
Cousin Barwick, I pray, certify my friends, all my friends in the country, that my husband hath been a loving husband to me all along.  
I do not flatter in my speaking, but what God brings to my thoughts, I speak to you.  
I thank God, I am not afraid to die, I have trembled ere now to think of death.  
O how hath Christ led me by the hand through this wilderness of my afflictions all along.  
My dear husband, marry one that fears God, and loves thee very well, or else she will quickly bring thee to my condition.  
Keep this maid, for she is a gracious maid.  
To all my friends, I wish eternal happiness: but they live in a heathenish place.  
She called her apprentice, said, Robert, see you serve God, read the Scriptures, search the Scriptures, you will find the sweetness of them when you are old. Remember what I say, they are the words of a dying mistress, do not neglect the Scriptures, nor thy master's business, nor be deluded with idle boys; and so pulled off a ring, and gave it him, willing him not to forget her counsel, & to serve his master, not with eye-service; but with singleness of heart, pleasing God.  
She called for a Christian friend, who did often visit her, who answered, she was there O said she, I have all my comforts about me: God who is all in all, and you my creature-comforts, who are a comfort to me so long as I am in this tabernacle of flesh. O I am a going, but before you, and all you must follow after.  
To a friend, she said, pray, be you not troubled, if God should lay his hand of affliction, and take some, or all your children away, as he hath mine, ye may find a comfort in it, when ye come to die.  
God hath done great things for me, for he hath taken me by the hand, and led me through the wilderness, I, and that by a hand of love, and not by an iron rod.  
She sent for a neighbour, & said, in love I send for you, & in love I desire you to serve jesus Christ. O but you cannot by your own strength: but he will give you strength, if you can lay hold on his Promises, ye are of a good nature, but do not let men, and company abuse that; but serve God, and he will lead you through the wilderness by his hand when ye come to die, as he doth now me; and therefore serve him; naturally you cannot, but he will give you strength. O search the Scriptures for there you will find eternal happiness, I hope you will, and if God give you strength to do it, than he will bless you, and also bless your family: I pray, remember the words of a dying neighbour; I pray God you may.  
A friend ask how she did, answered, I do well, I have no pain; but joy, and peace, and comfort. A friend coming late at night, ask her, how it was with her, she answered, I am well, I praise God, and have a full assurance and accomplishment of all the promises made good, holding up her hand, being the last friend that visited her that night; The Doctor coming to see her, said, God catches some, and some he draws by degrees. I find that, said she, for I am going to Christ.  
After a kind of trance, in which I thought she would have departed, she said, Sweet heart, Satan and I had a bout just now, but I got the better of it, for I got hold on Christ, and would not let him go.  
A little while after, lifting up her hands, after another trance, she said, O Christ, and by and by, O Christ, and again with a softly voice, O Christ, I will not let thee go, and about a quarter of an hour after, being a little before she died, I asked, if she had Christ and her comforts still, she answered, I I, which were the last words she spoke.  
FINIS.   

Christian friend, I pray, mend these faults, which happened in the printing.  
Page 26. line 18. for settled. read situated. p. 29. l. 22. for rivers. read river. p. 73. l. 22 for death. read deaf. p. 100 l. 12. read. conceive Christ. p. 100 l. 17. for with seeing. read, where he saw. p. 182. l. 15. leave out with. p. 186 for a ship. read make slight. Many faults more you will find, and them it may be mine.