The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God

THis Psalm is believed to be composed upon the same occasion with the Canticles; The Marriage between Solomon, and the Daughter of Pharaoh, which is made by the Holy Ghost, a Type of the Mystical Espousals between the Lord Jesus, and a Holy Soul. The Eternal Spirit delights to play with itself, casting from its Heavenly person the shaded Light of this Creation, then filling every part of it, even the darkest, with figures of its own Sweetnesses, and Beauties. Strange Wives were charged upon Solomon, as a Mother-Sin big with many hateful Birth • . Yet this cloudy piece of Providence is a Vail curiously wrought with the Divine Images of Christ on the Throne, his Queen all in beaten Gold at his Right Hand with their pure, immortal Lovelinesses, Loves, and mutual Joyes; under which Vail lies hid the Living Face itself of all these Glories.

Prov. 25. 2. It is the Glory of God to conceal a thing: but the Glory of Kings to search out a matter. It runs thus in the Original: It is the Glory of God to conceal the Word: but the Glory of Kings to search out the Word. It is a height of Glory beyond the Compass of every created Understanding, the hiding of the eternal Word, which is brighter infinitely than ten thousand Suns all joined into One, under a veil slighter, and thinner, than the most empty shadow, to form the Picture of this Glorious Word upon every part of the shadow, and then again to veil that also with the Darkness of the Shade.

But this is the Glory of Jesus Christ, to bring down these Mysterious heights, and make them familiar to the Eye of the Creature. It is an Eye of Glory in the Saints, those Fellow-Kings to Jesus Christ, by which they discover the Picture in the shade, the ravishing depths of the Life itself in the Picture, and make it their Royal Entertainment to converse continually with the Beauties, and Sweetnesses of the Divine nature in them both invisible to common senses.

This Psalm is entitled, A Song of Loves. The sweetest Matter expressed in the sweetest Manner. Both are a Divine Harmony. The Loves here are a Harmony of the most Heavenly, and most Spiritual Hearts. The Song the Harmony of the most Heavenly, and most Spiritual Voices. The Loves figure out the Father, the pure, unfathomed, unconfined Spring of Unity, and Sweetness, where all things lie embracing each other in their first, and softest Bed: The Song represents the shining Word, the harmonious Wisdom, the Essential Music, Beauty and Image of the Godhead, the Son, in whom all the Riches of Love are with an equal Richness, and Loveliness displayed. The Song of Loves, these Loves thus sung, this Marriage of Love, and Loveliness paint out to us the Joyes and Glories of the Thrid Person the Holy Ghost. But by whom was this Song sung? Some read; The Song of the beloved Virgins. These are the friends of the Bridegroom, and the Bride, which sing the Epithalamium, or Marriage-Song. In the Canticles they are called, The Daughters of Jerusalem, which some Interpreters understand to be the Holy Angels. Angelical Spirits are expressed by the name of Virgins very fitly: 1. For the preservation of their native sweetness, their primitive beauty, the flower of the Divine Image i • them uncorrupt, untainted. 2. For their single Estate, being separate from mixture, and union with any sorts of Earthly Bodies below them, and not yet raised to a marriage with the Divine Body, the Substance, and Fulness of the God-Head in Jesus Christ; because they are the fairest, softest, and sweetest Images of all created Things. It is the manner of the Hebrew Tongue to express the Beauty, and Loveliness of things by the feminine Sex. The Woman is the Glory of the Man. Christ the Brightness of the Fathers Glory is represented in this Form by the Jerusalem above, the Mother of us all. In the Proverbs he is figured by a Virgin-Queen in her Palace, his Angels as Maidens attending on this Virgin-Queen, and sent forth by her to invite her guests. Thus separate and Angelical Spirits, those invisible Beauties, which are the immediate Copies and Springs of all visible things, as also the Mark, and White to which the activity and operations, of all natural Principles, as Arrows are directed, be known by the names of Nymphs, and Virgins.

I • hn the Baptist was the Restorer of the Law, the proper Ministry of Angels, which was ministered by Angels, and by which only the Angelical Life and Glories, as figures of the Divine, were ministered to us. He therefore is called by the Holy Ghost, An Angel going before the Lord to prepare his way. He speaks of himself, as a Friend of the Bridegroom, rejoicing to hear his voice, and making one in the Choir of Angels, which sing to the Bridegroom, and the Bride, while they lie on Beds of Glory in the embraces of each others Love.

These Angels are those Friends, which Jesus Christ calleth upon, in his Song of Songs, when he comes into his Spouse's Garden, Cant. 5. 1. I have drunk my Wine with my Milk, Eat O Friends, Drink, be enebriated with Loves. St. Paul expounds this Scripture, Eph. 3. 10. That unto the Principalities, and Power in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God. The Hearts, and the Lips of the Spouse of Christ; the Marriage-Union between Christ and a saint, in the spiritual and Heavenly Image, is the Golden Cup, out of which the Angels drink in rich Discoveries of God, the Glories and sweetnesses of the Divine Nature, which are there poured forth immediately from their Fountain, which are that Wine of Love, with which Christ, and his Spouse entertain each other. O the Dignity! O the Delights of a Holy Soul! Angels sing to it; Angels pry into its Beauties, and Joys; Angels draw the Waters of their blissful Light, and Life from this Well. The Sounds, Operations, Lives, Essences of Angels are only a Music, Songs of Love, and Joy to the beloved Soul, and her Bride-groom in their Union. In this sense Christ, and a Saint in their Spiritual Glory, ride together upon the Cherubims. The Angels are made as perfumed gales of Wind, on which they Fly; Flames of a Divine Fire of Love, Joy, and Glory, which continually spring up, shine before them, and round about them; penetrate thorough all things, converting all things into the same Ministerial Brightnesses, and Harmonies of an Immortal Life, and Love under their Feet.

But there is another passage worth our observation, before we leave the Title to this Psalm: To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim. Shoshannim was an Instrument of six strings, upon which the Tune to this Song was plaid. If there be, as Divines say, Tot Mysteria quot Apices, so many Mysteries, as points of words, letters, or Marks in the Holy Scripture, we may well believe this six-stringed Instrument to allude to the Creation made up of the several Works of six several Days. He that hath Eyes to see what the Spirit doth, and Ears to hear the Sound of the Spirit, understands this great frame to be a well-tuned Instrument of so many strings, as there are Creatures in it; the whole Composure of Providence from the beginning of the world to the end of it, this Song of Loves plaid upon it by Jesus Christ to his Heavenly Bride, whose Spiritual senses see the Harmonious, and Delicate Motions of his Hand upon every string, and take in with inexpressible delight the ravishing Melody.

Shoshannim signifies also the six-leaved Lily. Can. 2. 1. It is doubtful whether the Holy Spirit speak in the Person of Christ, or the Church, when he saith in his Song, I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys. It is generally understood of Christ. In that Mysterious History of Esther, as Esther, Mordecai, the Jews, so the City Shushan, the City of the Lily represent the Church of Christ in general, or each holy Soul in particular. Interpreters here apply the Lily to the Bride, It is in the plural number Lilies, and the clause may be rendered, concerning the Lilies. So the Subject of this Song of Loves is signified to us, Jesus Christ, and his beloved Bride, two Lilies upon the same Root, Flourishing with the same Beauties, smiling Reflections each of other. Either of them with his six leaves comprehends in itself the perfections of the whole Creation in their Original Purities, and Sweetnesses. Both alike, in that Spiritual Image in which they are united, are to the variety of Creatures, as the Seventh Day to the other six, a Bed of Rest, and Delights with a Canopy of Glory; their Rest, Sanctification, and Blessedness.

But it is time to pass from the Title to the Psalm itself. The first verse is a Preparation to the matter contained in the Song. It consists of Three Parts.

1. The Flame, and fullness of the Author; My heart enditeth a good matter. The word, Enditeth, is used only this once. Some expound it, boileth with a good matter, and make it an allusion to Meat-offering in the Sanctuary prepared by fire in a Frying-pan. So the eternal Spirit, which is Love, hath the place of the Holy Fire. The Heart is the Frying-pan. The Excellencies of Jesus Christ in his own Person, and his Brides, with their mutual Affections, and Joyes are the Meat-offering.

Some interpret this Boiling by the bublings and wellings forth of a Fountain. Thus the Crystalline Waters of the Light, Life, and Beauties of Christ, mingled with the Heavenly Fire of his Love, are the Sea. The Heart is the Spring into which this Sea by Invisible Tracts, and hidden Passages conveyeth its flowing Treasures, which from thence pour themselves forth into rich, pleasant, and plentiful Streams.

2. The Excellency of the Subject, I speak of the things, which I have made touching the King. This King is called God, and seated upon the Throne of Eternity, v. 6. which verse is cited, and applied to Jesus Christ, as he comes the second time into the World, attended by all his holy Angels after his Resurrection; and Ascent to the Throne of his Father. This is the King, this is the Bridegroom, and the Beloved of the Soul; Jesus clothed with the Royal garment of his Divine Nature, crowned with the Glory of the Father, perfumed with all the good ointments of the Holy Ghost.

3. The Power, by which the Author is inspired in the composing of this Song My Pen is the Tongue of a ready Writer. Holy men of God spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2. Pet. 1. 21. As the Son is the Wisdom, Power, and Glory of the Father: So the Holy Ghost is the Love of the Father, and Son, he is called by the name of Charity, or Love, 1 Cor. 13. v. 1. 8. He is that Love, by which God and a Saint dwell one in another, as Love is described to be the Union between the Lover, and the beloved Object. So he is spoken of. 1 John 4 16. God is Love; He that dwells in Love, dwells in God, and God dwells in him. It is the Inspiration of this Holy Spirit of Love, by which this Song of Loves was penned.

My Heart is enditing a good matter. My heart is full, boileth up, and floweth forth with a good matter, sweet, beautiful and profitable, This Heart represents every Member of Christ, which all have one, and the same Spirit. These words thus opened, afford us this Doctrine.

1. Doct. A good Heart is a Treasury of good things. Matth. 12. 35. A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth good Things. A Treasure, or Treasury implieth two things:

1st. A Place. A good Heart is a Treasury like Heaven in three respects; 1. It is great, and spacious. It comprehends all things within itself. It hath nothing above it, or without it, to shut it up, and confine it. 2. It is of a sh ••• ing, and glorious Substance, made of Light. 3. It is incorruptible, immo •• impregnable. No Thief can there break in to steal. No moth, or rust consumes: There is no Principle of corruption, or decay within: No power from without can prevail there.

2. Precious things laid up in this Heavenly Heart make it a good Treasury. All the precious things of the Sun, and Moon, of the Heavens above, and the deep below, are here. Here are Eden and Paradise. Gen. 2. 10. A River went out of Eden to water the Garden. The Jews observe from this place, that there are two Paradises, a Superior, and Inferior; One above, Another below. In that above is the Fountain of Pleasure, from thence the stream descends, which makes that below ever-green, and flourishing with delights. Eden signifies Pleasure or Delight, which name in another word is given to Christ, as he was eternally in the bosom of the Father; Prov. 8. 30. I was by him, one brought up with him, Delights from day today. Jesus Christ in his Heavenly Image, in the Substance and Essence of the eternal Light, is Eden, the Paradise above. In his earthly Image, the sweet Shade where all his Beauties seem at once to sleep and spring, he is the Paradise below. There is he the Eden, and the Fountain in the midst of Eden. Here the Garden watered by the River going forth from Eden. A good Heart hath in itself both these Paradises; the Fountain, and the Stream; Eden, and the Garden. Cant. 4. 15. The Lord Jesus calls his Spouse, A Fountain of Gardens, a Well of living Waters flowing from Libanon. The holy Heart is both the Fountain which makes all things Gardens, Paradises, which way soever it flows, and those Gardens too. It is both Libanon with the Fountain in it; and the Gardens below in the valleys, in the midst of which the Living Waters from this Fountain run along.

Reas • n. The Heart is that Spirit, which is the first Spring, and Principle of Life in man. Prov. 4. 23. Keep thine heart with all Diligence: For out of it are the Issues of Life. All the treasures of this World, its Light, Forms, Virtues, operations are first in the Sun. From thence they flow forth in various Streams all round about him, while yet they are still comprehended in him, as being not only their inmost Center, but also their outmost Circle of Light, and Life. So is the Heart, or Spirit of Man, an Invisible Sun in the midst of him, far more great or glorious than this which we see; in which all forms, and acts of Life, like Beams, rise up first, and fullest; from whence they are dispensed, and dispersed.

The Hebrew word, to keep, imports a double sense. 1st. Diligently observe thine Heart, what Spirit, or Principle it is, by which thou art acted. Such as this is, such is thy whole Life. If thy Heart be a Substantial, true, pure Spirit, thy whole way, and work, all thy Joyes are Substance, Truth, Light, Immortality, as the Visions of God. If the Heart which is in thee, be shadowy, thy Life is vain and empty, the dream of a shadow. Is thy heart corrupt, and polluted? then are all thy Streams poisoned, death lurks and sports itself in them with an innumerable company of Devils. 2. Keep, that is, preserve thine own, thy true Heart with all diligence. Abide in Christ, and his Love, as the only root of Life, from whence alone spring the sap, greennesses, flowers, fruits of true Sweetnesses, Beauty, and Blessedness. Watch day and night, that no other Spirit put forth itself in thee; for every other Principle besides Christ, and his Love, will certainly prove a Counterfeit, and instead of a Heart, out of which the Issues of Life ought to be, a root of bitterness.

There is a Twofold Heart:

• 1. Natural.
• 2. Spiritual.

1. There is a Natural Heart. This is the supreme part of the natural Soul, the Angelical Spirit in Man. 1 Thes. 5. 23. St. Paul prays: The very God of Peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your whole Spirit, and Soul, and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we have the natural Man divided into three parts, which are equally capable of being sanctified, or by defilement made subject to blame. 1. Spirit. 2. Soul. 3. Body. The Spirit is as the Fountain; the Soul the Stream of Life: The Body the Channel in which this Stream runs along. The whole Man is one Beam sprung immediately from the Divine Glory. The upper end of the Beam, where it is fullest and brightest, immediately united to, and rooted in the supreme Light, makes the Spirit. The lowest point, least and darkest, almost vanishing into the Shade, with which it mingles its light, where it toucheth the Earth, is the Body. The Soul is the middle of that Beam, partaking of both these, dividing and uniting them, like the Firmament between the Waters above and the Waters below; the Angels being the Waters above the Firmament; and Corporeal Lives those below.

The Spirit is the Angel in Man, or Man in the Similitude and Society of Angels; the invisible Image, the first Treasury of all his Natural Beings, Beauties, and Life, which afterward descends, and distinguisheth itself into the varieties of Inferior Acts, and Appearances. St. Paul therefore in the forementioned place calls it their whole Spirit.

The Body is the Outward and Visible Image, the Shadow below of this above.

The Soul is the Life, by which the Spirit descends into the Body, maintains communion with it, and gathers it up again into itself.

According to these Distinctions and Descriptions Solomon discourseth, Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was: and the Spirit shall return to God, who gave it. The name of God there signifies God's or Angels, for whom it is frequently, and expressly used in the Holy Scripture. The Jews say it properly imports the Divine Nature, as it is clothed with the Angelical; God in the midst of all his Holy Angels, coming forth into the Creation, descending to be the Head of it.

It is an English Proverb: If men could live without the company of Women, men, they should converse with Angels. This is true; when the Spirit, which is the Head, and the Man in us, withdraws itself from its Shadowy Image, the Body, which is as the Woman, it finds itself in the Form of an Angel, and in the Society of Angels. From the Angelical State and Company it descends into the Body. Thither it returns again, when it leaves the Body.

This is the Natural Heart, the Angelical Spirit in Man, made in the Similitude of God, as he clothes himself with the Angelical Image, as with a Garment of Light, and so vailing his naked, unaccessible Glories comes forth to be the Head of Angels. This Spirit is the Immediate Seat of the Divine Presence, the Glory the Angelical Throne. Here the precious things of the Sun, and the Moon, of the Invisible, and Visible Image of the Divine Nature; here the Riches of the whole Creation appear together in their fullest Luster, and most beautiful Order. The Letters of the Latin Name for Heart, Cor, make the first Letters of those word, Camera Omnipotentis Regis, which being interpreted are, the Chamber of the Almighty King. It is a common observation, that the Heart of Man is Triangular, which therefore cannot be filled with the round World, but only with the Trinity. This Heart, of which we speak, is properly Triangular, consisting like the Angels, of these Three, Essence, Understanding, and Will, the proper, and Immediate Type of the Trinity, which as it can be fitted, and filled up only with the Truth of that Type, those Three ever-blessed Persons, as their Seal in the noblest metal, next themselves, it contains more expressly, more at large, and more gloriously all those Figures, and Draughts of Divinity, which are imprinted upon the Face of any Creature. O the inestimable Treasures of Mans Natural Heart, if Sin change it not from a Palace of Angels to a Prison of Devils, or a Grave!

2. There is a Spiritual Heart, 1 Corin. 6. 16. He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit. Mark the Absoluteness and Universality of the expression: one Spirit. He who is joined to the Lord Jesus by believing, is one Spirit with Christ, one Spirit in Christ, one Spirit, as Christ is one.

Galat, 3. 19, 20. St. Paul thus distinguisheth between the Law, and the Gospel: The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator. Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one; but God is one. There is a Twofold Mediator; one, who hath his Ground in the Distance, and his End to maintain the Distance between Two Parties. The other is founded in an Unity, and his work is to manifest, and make perfect this Unity. The Character of the Law is Duality, and Division. God, and the Creature are presented each to other, as two upon different Principles, treating on a Covenant of works, containing different Terms to be performed by each apart. In the Gospel God reveals himself, as he is One, as he is the Ground, the Object, the End of all his affections, and operations; as he comprehends himself, and the Creature in one Person, and in one Spirit in our Lord Jesus; as he loves the Creature with the same love, with which he loves himself, and beholds it in the same Glory, with which he beholds himself in Christ. This is the Covenant of Grace, in which the Lover, and the Beloved are both One.

You may now ask me two Questions:

• Q. 1. How God is One?
• Q. 2. How a Believer is one Spirit?

Q. 1. How is God One?

An. God is one four ways. 1. He is perfect. He comprehends all parts of Excellency in every kind and degree, Essentially in one supreme, and undivided Point of Being within himself. He is to himself the Eye, the Light, and the Object; the Love, the Loveliness, the Joy and Fruit of both; all in One. The most curious Composition of all Sweets in one Ointment, or Perfume; The most natural extraction of the virtues of all herbs and flowers into one Sweetness in Honey falls infinitely short of the Unity of all Perfections here, and the Perfection of this Unity.

2. God is Pure. There is no mixture in him. As they say of Gold the purest Mettal; It is plenum sui, full of itself: so is God in the highest sense. Every grain of pure Gold, is Gold. Every thing in God is God. There is no mixture, Division, Allay, or Bound. The Divine Nature is endlessly complete, and entire within itself, like a Sea of unshaded Light, which hath no shore, or Bottom. God is Light, and in him is no darkness. 2 John 1. 5.

3. God is unchangeable. He is the Rock immovable; He is the Rock of ages. All successions of Time, like Waters of a River pass by him, and behold him through all revolutions fixed in the same place, and State. He is the Rock of Eternity. As Wheels turning round in a Cave within a great Rock: So all the Times and Changes of this World are comprehended within the Unchangeableness, and Eternity of his Essence.

4. God is the Fountain. He is not a Broken, Barren, but a perfect, and pregnant Unity. Rom. 9. 36. Of him, and Through him, and To Him are all things, to whom be Glory forever. As all numbers are a Unity multiplied, so are all things various Sparklings of this Divine Unity; Emanations, and Manifestations of the same God presenting himself to us at sundry times, and in divers manners. Love is defined to be Partus in pulchro, a Birth in a Beauty. This is the true nature of things, that Divine Love, which is the Birth of all Varieties of, and in this Beautiful, this Blessed Unity.

2. Q. How is a Believer one Spirit?

1. That One, Eternal Spirit brings forth the Spirit of a Saint, as his own immediate, proper and Peculiar Birth; as the dear Reflection of himself. A Saint is the Workmanship of Jesus Christ, not as a Picture is of a Painter, but as a Child is of the Father, one Spirit, one Life, one Divine Nature is in Both.

2. This one Spirit begets, and brings forth the Spirit of a Saint in his own likeness. Rom. 8. 29. God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the Image of his Son; that is to his heavenly Image, as he is the quickening Spirit: 1 Cor. 15. 45, 49. The Lord Jesus is our Father, the Father of the new World, the New Birth in us, as he is the Heavenly one, that Spirit, which is the supreme Unity, the Lord and Fountain of Life, and Spirits. So he brings us forth in the Image of the same Heavenly Form, and of the same Divine Unity. Thus he prays to his Father; John 17. 22. The Glory which thou gavest to me, I have given to them, that they may be One, as we are One. Behold the Divine Birth of a Saint, the Divine Likeness into which he is born, and the Divine Unity, the Ground, and Form of the Divine Birth, and Likeness.

3. The Eternal Spirit unites itself to the Spirit of a Believer thus regenerated in the most Intimate, Entire, and Inseparable manner. They mutually inhabit, fully possess, perfectly enjoy each other. In life, and death, time, and eternity they are undivided. Thus this Heavenly Adam, the Unity, and Fountain of Spirits casts himself into the sleep of Human Life, and of Death, that he may bring forth from his Side, and his Bosom this Sister-Spirit, this true Eve, the Mother of all Living, of all Heavenly, and Spiritual Lives, as he is the Father. Then, when he awakens in the Resurrection from the Dead, he takes her to be his Spouse, as she is his Sister in the Fellowship of the Divine Unity, which is the glorious Ring, and Circle of all Relations. So she, who is Spirit of his Spirit, in the likeness of the same Spirit, is made one Spirit with him.

Thus you have an Answer to these two Questions. You see, how God is One; How he, that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit. O that men knew God unveiled, revealed in the Light, and Grace of the Gospel, as he is One! O that they they did relish the Sweetness of this Unity of the Spirit, which is the height of all Relations, by which God is one to a Believer in all times, and things, one in him, one with him; by which he also is one to, in, and with God! This sight and sense would make us to be continually in Pangs of longings to be regenerated, and brought forth into this Spirit, and Unity; as Jesus Christ is always in pangs of Love to bring it forth, and form it in us.

But to conclude this Reason; This Holy Spirit, this Spirit of Unity, and Unity of the Spirit is the Spiritual heart, of which we speak. St. Paul Ephes. 3. expresseth it by being rooted in Love. This is that Root, which we have in the eternal Love of God, in that Love, which is God, in God, as he is Love. This is the new Heart, which is bred and cherished in the bosom of the Father. These Heavens above us comprehend in their Circuits all things here below, which, as learned men teach us, are figures, & images of their virtues sent forth from them. But they have fixed in themselves innumerable Bodies of Light, and Glory far exceeding all things here. They say, that these Heavens are Circular, because that round Figure is most ca • acious, and beautiful, as being an Image of the Unity of Angelical 〈◊〉 How great and glorious a Circle then vastly transcending the Heaven of Heavens is this Divine Unity, this Spirit which is the new heart of a Saint? All the Heavens, and this earth lie within the compass of it, as Light shadows which it casteth from itself. But as for those Treasures which are proper to it, which are fixed in it, how infinitely more innumerable, how infinitely richer are they? The mind of Christ with all the Beauties, and Brightnesses there; the deep things of God, with all those Lights and Joys unfathomable to every natural Eye, and Heart, lie within the Circuit of this Spiritual Principle. A great Philosopher called the Angelical Spirit in man, which is his Natural Heart, the Flower of the Soul. It is so indeed, as the Blossoms upon Fruit-Trees; but the Divine Spirit, the Spiritual heart is the Fruit,

1. Use. Seek this good heart, which hath so good a Treasure in it. That you may seek it with all affection, and diligence, take these Three directions: Believe the Truth of this Principle: Consider the Preciousness of it: Understand your Propriety in it.

1. Believe the Truth of this Principle. When the Apostles asked the Christians in Samaria, whether they had received the Holy Ghost, they answered, that they had not so much, as heard whether there were a Holy Ghost or no. Is not this the temper of many amongst us, of most, of the sensitive, and natural Spirit in us all? We do not so much as believe, that there is a Holy Ghost; much less, that this Holy Ghost is poured out upon any Soul, as a Heavenly Anointing from above; or dwells in any heart, as the Principle of a supernatural, and eternal Life. He that comes to God, must believe, that God is, and that he is a Rewarder of those that diligently seek him: Heb. 11. 6. Fix in thine heart with an unshaken faith, these two Radical Truths, from which all the fatness, and sweetness of the Tree of Life is derived into our Spirits: 1. That God is. 2. That there is a Union between God and Man in One Spirit. Say frequently to thyself: It is true, It is the first Truth, upon which all other Truths are built; that there is a supreme, incomprehensible Being, which shines through all, and fills all, the Fountain, and Measure; the End, Perfection, and Blessedness of all Beings. It is as true, that this ever-glorious God descends in Jesus Christ to sow himself by his own good Spirit as a Divine Seed in the heart of man below; that by the unvailing of his original Excellencies he shines, as a spiritual Sun from above into the Soul, to quicken, awake, and call forth this Seed, in the virtue of which the Soul springs into a new, and heavenly Being, comes to God by the fresh Participations of his life, grows up into his Likeness, pleaseth him, is possessed, and enjoyed by him, possesseth, and enjoyeth him with an inexpressible fullness of all mutual, and Divine Pleasures. When the Merchant in the Gospel found a Pearl in the Field, he went, and sold all to purchase this Field. If you have discovered this rich Pearl of the Divine Nature, as a Root at the bottom of yo •• Spirits: go, exchange every Principle, Power, and excellency to give 〈◊〉 self up to the conduct, activity, fruitfulness, enjoyment of this alone.

2. Consider the preciousness of this Heavenly Principle, Es. 6. 13. God compares his people in the greatest desolations to an Oak, whose Substance is in it, when it hath cast its leaves: so saith he, the Holy Seed shall be the Substance thereof. Consider here three Precious Things in this good Heart, which is the Seed, and Principle of Grace in us.

1. This Spiritual Principle is a Substance. Solomon complains of all things under the Sun; the Eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the Ear filled with hearing. He brings this as an Argument, and effect of their vanity. All things here are Shadows only, and so empty, unsatisfactory, endlessly raising expectations, and desire, but never answering them. When this Spirit, which is far above the Sun is received by thee, when this becomes the Principle of all thy faculties, which sees in thine Eye, hears in thine Ear, understands, and wills in thine heart; when this is the Treasury, from which all Objects come forth to act those faculties: then thine Eye will be satisfied with seeing substantial Beauties, thine Ear will be filled with substantial Melodies, thine Understanding will sit down to a Heavenly Feast of substantial Lights, and Truths, thy Will shall lie down to a Sweet and Eternal rest in a bed of substantial Embraces, and Joys, in the midst of the Substance, and Essence of Goodness itself.

2. This is the Holy Seed. The Heavens over our Heads are pure. They are free from that gross, and dark Matter, with which all Forms of things are mixed here on Earth. This Purity of theirs, is their Transparency, Light, Luster, Harmony, Virtue, Incorruptibility. Yet they are Corporeal, and Bodily; their bright Beauties shall be turned into Darkness, and Blood. The Angels are purer far, than these Heavens. They have no Cloud, Clog, or Dross of Bodies. Yet are they mixtures of Light and Shade. Their Glories are vails upon the true Glory. They wax old, as a Garment, and are changed. Their Nature is subject to stains, and falls. But this Principle, which is the Seed, and Heart of a Believer is purer than the Heavens, or the Angels. It is the Spirit of God, the true Light, in which there is no Darkness; Simple, incorruptible, Unchangeable.

3. This Principle is durable. It is a Fountain springing up in the Soul to Eternal Life, John 4. O precious Treasure! Eternity is defined to be the full, and unbounded Possession of all Good at once, in One. Pearls have their price, because they have their luster in a lasting Substance. This Holy Seed is the only Pearl of price, both for its Luster, and for its lastingness.

The Will of Man naturally moves to good. The greater the good is, and the more clearly it appears to us; so much the more natural, and powerful are the motions of our Will to it. Did we understand the goodness of this Spiritual Principle for the Reality, the Excellency, the Eternity of it; the Waters are not carried so naturally, so constantly to the Sea, nor Fire upwards to the Bosom of Heaven; as our Souls would to this Sea of Life, and Bosom of Love, Union with God in the Unity of his own Spirit. Thus we have done with the 2d Direction to quicken us in our pursuit of a new Heart, a Spiritual Principle, which is to consider the preciousness of it.

3. Understand your Propriety in this Divine Principle. 1. You were made in the Similitude, and Image of God. He is your Original; the Substance and Truth of your Being; more truly yourselves, than you are your selves. 2. God is your Father, There is one God the Father, of whom are all Things, saith St. Paul 1 Cor. The Cheeks of Christ are said to be Beds of Spices: Cant. 5. v. 13. Our Immortal Souls, our whole Persons are sprung up out of the Glories of the eternal Spirit, as Spices, and Flowers out of their Beds in the Gardens. When we are united to this Spirit, we return to our own Original, like those flowers, we sink down into our proper Beds and Roots, to receive a fresh Life and Beauty. 3. We are made by, and in Christ, Col. 1. By Christ, as our immediate Principle, and Pattern; In Christ, as our proper Habitation. The Original Sin of Devils, which infected Mankind, is plainly set down to be this: Jude 6. They kept not their first State, in Greek, Principle: but left their own Habitation. Propriety begets Love; for both Love and Propriety have their life and root in Unity. There is nothing which is so much thine own, as God, as Christ, as the Spirit. These are thine own Father; thine own Habitation, where thou art at home; thine own Principle; thine own Original; thine own truest and best Self. Let this Propriety then by Love ascending from thee, by the sense, and influence of a greater Love far descending upon thee, encourage, allure, and attract thee to this Divine Principle, this Spirit of Union, by which thou becomest one Spirit with Christ, and the Father. Thus return, O man, whosoever, whatsoever thou art, to thine own Home, to thy proper Unity, as the wandering Bird to her nest; and the Wife of Adulteries to the bosom of the Husband of her Youths, where she finds a Fountain of Heavenly Loves still flowing fresh for her, as at the first; into which she casts herself, and finds all the Beauties of her Youth, and Purity restored unto her, as in the beginning; her sins and sorrows flying away, and vanishing into the Air of this eternal Spirit, as Shadows of the Night, and Dreams of a man asleep, when he waketh.

Use 2. This good Treasure of a good Heart is a Cordial, and Comfort against Losses, or Sufferings. Heb. 10. 34. The holy Penman tells the Disciples, to whom he writes, they took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, knowing in yourselves, that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance. Some read it knowing that you have in yourselves in Heaven a better, and an enduring Substance. This Scripture upon the riches of the Spiritual Principle in a Believer groundeth five sweet and full Consolations.

1.▪ Thou hast the Substance. A Lacedaemonian invited to hear one sing like the Nightingale answered, To what purpose, when I can hear the Nightingale itself. When thy sense mourns to thy Soul, and saith: They have taken away our Estates, our Friends, all the joys of Life. They will take away our Lives also: let thy soul reply; why should we mourn for the Shadows, when still we have the Substance?

2. Thou hast all things better. Philosophy saith, that every plant below, hath its Star in Heaven; each Star its Angel above; the Angels their Idea's, or Original Essences, and Truths, in God, to which they are as Types only. Is thy Flower withered? Thou hast it in a Star. Is thy Star darkened? For thy Star thou hast an Angel. Are the good Angels, which ministered to thee, withdrawn from thee? They are present, and appear to thee in a better manner, in the Form of God. Canst thou grieve for the loss of a Figure in Wax, when thou hast the same Figure in a Gold-Seal, from which the Impression of that Form was made upon the Wax?

3. Thou hast all to endure forever. The Scripture compares Spiritual, and Heavenly Things to Spices, for their Sweetness, and Incorruptibleness, because they partake much of the Sun. Spices are preferred before Flowers, because they have a more lasting Sweetness; and not only so, but they preserve us both living, and dead from corruption. Therefore they are used for preservatives from Infection, and for Embalmings. Thou seest thy Flesh, and all the Glory of the Flesh round about thee wither, and fade away. Trouble not thyself. Instead of these Flowers thou hast Spices. Thou hast all thy pleasant things in an incorruptible Spirit, where they not only preserve their sweetnesses ever fresh for thee, but thee also ever flourishing in the enjoyment of them.

4. Thou hast all in Heaven. A Believer is ever in Heaven, and hath Heaven in himself. For that Spirit, which is his Principle is the highest Heaven. The Joys of the Gospel are compared often to a Feast, to a Wedding-Dinner at the Marriage of a Kings Son. Now there go to make up a Feast, not only costly, and curious fare, but all things suitable, Stately, and rich Rooms, Music, Perfumes, excellent company, all the Furniture, and Entertainment great, beautiful, and delighting. Thus thy Sufferings only change the Scene. What thou hadst before on Earth; now thou hast in Heaven, in the glorious Fellowship of all Angels, and Triumphant Spirits, with the Ointments of the Holy Ghost, the Melodies, and Harmonies of Divine Love sounding thorough all the Beauties of the Divine Nature, in the purest Light gilding all; Joys, and Immortal Pleasures like Doves with Silver Wings, and Golden Feather flying about everywhere, being nothing but the Spirit of all Grace, Joy, and Glory in various forms.

5. Thou hast all this Substance, this Heaven in thyself. A Believer hath these Heavenly Things in himself by a threefold Union.

1. By a Union of Love. As these Heavenly things are thy Beloved; so thou art their Love. As thou beholdest all pleasantnesses in their faces: so thou art their Garden of Pleasures, where all precious things, new and old, are treasured up for thy Beloved. They are thy rest, and delight: their Desire is towards thee. You are in the Unity of the Spirit, as One made Two, and Two made One again.

2. By a Union of Likeness. Those Heavenly things, and thy Spirit are as Brother and Sister that sucked the breasts of the same Mother; as Twin-Lilies, or Roses springing from the same Root of Love. They are to you, and you to them, as clear and shining Glasses, in which you mutually see the Faces each of other, and yourselves as reflections of each others Beauties. Jesus Christ in the Canticles often calls the Holy Soul his Sister-Spouse. He calls her, Can. 1. 9. My Love. The word in Hebrew according to its Root is the same with that, which signifies a Friend, who is described to be Alter Idem, the same in another Person. It properly imports One made into Two by a Division, as Adam, and Eve; the other half on Ones self.

3. By a Union of Substances. Bodies can never meet in One. No one Body can ever be in two places at once; nor two bodies ever in one place. They unite only by Touches, by their outsides, by Accidents, and Shadows. A Holy Heart, and Heavenly Things unite, as Spirits, as the purest Spirits, where the Unity is most perfect. These intimately, totally, essentially, formally penetrate, possess, fill, and actuate each other. You have a shadow of it in the mixture of Lights; or in two clear, and bright Eyes, when they look full, and steadfastly one upon another. So Christ prays, John 17. 21. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us. Again, v. 23, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in One. The Radical, and Original Unity is that of the Blessed Persons in the Trinity; the most immediate Branches, and liveliest Copies of it are those Two, of the Divine, and Human Nature in Christ's Person; of the Head and Members in his Mystical Body. But this shall suffice for our present Doctrine, that a good Heart is a Treasury of good things.

THis Psalm is a Song of Loves. It containeth the whole mystery of the Gospel, and of the life of a Saint with his Savior, both in the Figure and Substance, which is all an Heavenly Song of Spiritual, and eternal Loves.

An Holy Soul in love with Jesus Christ is altogether taken up with this Threefold exercise. 1. The Description, and Contemplation of the Person of her Beloved. 2. The Desire, and continual longings by day, and by night to be possessed of, to enjoy this Person. 3. The care, and labor to be like him, to partake of his Beauties and Graces, to derive them by the channels, and streamings of the Spirit into itself, to transform itself into his Likeness.

St. Paul spends the first part of his discourses in drawing aside the Curtain, and setting the Person of Christ in its entire form, naked glories, and native sweetnesses in the Eyes of Believers. Then he leadeth, and presseth them to the enjoyment first, next to the Imitation of this Jesus upon the ground of his own Loveliness, Love, and Life.

The first part of this Psalm is spent in like manner upon the Person, and Praises of the Lord Jesus. This Verse hath Three Parts. 1. The Beauty of Christ; Thou art fairer, than the Children of Men, 2. The Love, and Sweetness of Christ; Grace is poured into thy lips. 3. The Seal of the God-Head, of the Father, of his Blessedness, and Eternity upon the Person of Christ; therefore God hath blessed thee forever.

1. The first part in the Text is the Beauty of Christ; Thou art fairer than the Children of Men. Jesus Christ is the fairest of all men. He is fairer than the whole generation of Mankind. He is fairer than any person born of Man.

The Lord Jesus excels all Mankind in Beauty, in Three respects.

1. The Human Nature of Christ taken by itself, was born of a Virgin-Mother, and God immediately supplying the place of a Father. So it was, as a Morning-beam begotten between a pure Sun, and a clear sweet Air. Then it was born without Sin, the proper, and only deformity of Spirits. Thus his Soul and Body were like a Silver stream, flowing quietly in a clean channel, where the Image of the Sky, and all the Heavenly Bodies figures itself constantly, and clearly. So did the Mind, Will, and Workings of the God-Head figure themselves, and shine in the Manhood of Christ. Lastly it is the common sense of Divines, that the Complexion of Christ was very delicate, and pure, arising from the most accurate proportion of the Elements, the most exact Harmony, and purity of the Humours, and Spirits in his Body. We never read, that he was at all Sick. As this made all his Sufferings the greater thorough the quickness of his sense: so it made him in his outward Form extremely sweet, and lovely above the rest of men.

But besides all this, the Holy Ghost seems to fix its eye upon the Human Nature of Christ in two other States different from that of his Incarnation by the Virgin Mary; as he is the First-born of the whole Creation, or of every Creature; and as he is the First-born of those that rise from the Dead; Coloss. 1. 15, 18.

The Jews say, that the Messias was the first Creature; that all the rest were made by Him, in Him, and for Him, as Pictures to the Life, and Copies to the Original. A German Divine teacheth, that he who receives the Body of Christ, receives at once all, that is good, or fair in the whole world from the Beginning to the End of it.

But the Humanity of the Lord Jesus, as he is the First-born of those that are risen from the Dead, excels Adam in all his Innocency, and primitive Perfections, yea, and Himself also, as he was the First-born of every Creature, the Natural Head of Angels, as much as Heaven exceeds the Earth, or a Paradise in the third Heavens an Earthly One, 1 Corin. 15. 49. The former was an Earthly Beauty, fading, designed for a Sacrifice, to be exposed to all sorts of shame, and Sufferings, to be made a Prey to the devouring jaws of Death. This latter Beauty is Heavenly, Incorruptible, seated upon a throne, which endureth forever, and ever.

2. The Second Respect, in which Christ is fairer than the Children of men is, the Union between the Divine, and Human Nature. All the Beauties of our Savior's Manhood are heightened by this Union to that Luster, and Loveliness, which cannot be expressed in any mere Creature; as a fine Cloud, a Garden of Flowers, a Statue of Gold are quite other things, when the naked Sun sheds his Beams immediately upon them, than when they are seen in a common, or reflected Light.

By virtue of this Union the Human Nature of Christ is One Person with the Divine. As precious stones are a common water congealed, but inclosing particles of the Heavenly, Aetherial Light, and Spirit: So the Manhood of the Lord Jesus in its lowest state of Flesh, in its Blood, in the Grave, excelled in virtue, outshined in Luster, Rubies, Diamonds, all the precious things of the Creature in Heaven, and Earth, by virtue of this Union. For in all these States God was the Person there; all subsisted in him, as Branches in the Tree of Eternity. As Thomas did to the Wounds of Christ: So may we to our Beloved in every form, in the Ghastliness of Death fall down ravished with the greatness of his Glory, and cry out; My Lord, and my God. Every thing of our Jesus seen into the depth, and inside of it, or in a right Light is an Heaven of Heavens, John 1. 14. The word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory, as of the Only-begotten Son of God.

3. The last, and highest consideration of our Savior's Beauty is, as he is God, One with the Father, the Only true God. This is the Head of fine Gold, of solid Gold, to which all his other Beauties are, as the Locks, and Curles of his Hair, blacks as a Raven, Shadows, and Foils. Can. 5. 11. This is your Beloved, and this is your Friend, O believing Souls.

I shall now give you a Proof from Scripture, and Reasons concerning the whole Person of Christ after this explication of his Beauties in particular Forms, and States.

Man was made in the Image, and Similitude of God, of the whole Trinity. For so Divines expound that, Gen. 1. Let us make man in our own Likeness, of the Three ever-blessed Persons in the God-Head. Some make it a consultation of the Deity in the Assembly of all the Holy Angels to make man an Image, where all their various Excellencies should meet in the Unity of his Person, to make Man a Musical Harmony, of which every Angel makes a part only. Upon either of these Interpretations Man is the most beautiful of all Creatures, having the perfections of all Summed, and Sealed up in himself, to make a complete similitude of the Divine Nature; like mystical Letters in the Living Word, of which the First Adam is a Figure. In the 1. of Ezek. The living Creatures full of Wings, and Eyes, by which the Angelical Nature is represented among their other manifold Forms, which appear in every particular Angel, is the Form of a Man. This Human Form is the Image of God, the Beauty of the Angelical Essences, and the proper Essence of man.

Let us then enlarge our Doctrine, and confirm it in its Latitude.

If Jesus Christ be fairer than the Sons of Men, He is the fairest of all Things.

Proof. C • n. 5. 9, 10. The Spiritual Bride, which is the Church in general, and each believing Soul in particular testifieth of Christ by the Spirit of Truth, that He is white and ruddy, the chiefest of Ten Thousand.

We have here the Beauty of Christ set forth, first, Absolutely; then Comparatively.

First, Absolutely; He is white and ruddy. The Hebrew word for white signifieth smooth, clear, shining brightness, like that of the Body of Heaven in the fairest, and calmest day. That for ruddy imports the purest, and most sparkling red, like that of a Ruby. The same Word for the substance is set for the richest Ruby, Lament, for the Ground out of which the First Man was made, Gen. 2. which, say the Jews, was the fairest Composition of all the finest parts of the Earth, with its most precious virtues far beyond the finest Gold. The same word also is used for the First Man in his First Make, when he was the fairest Flower in Paradise.

The most perfect white is the purest Light, which hath no Darkness in it. The purest red, is the most exact mixture of Light, and Shadow.

In General these words import a complete beauty in the Person of Christ. a beauty suitable to us, fitted to the Eye of our Faculties, our Sense, and Understanding. It is the manner of Men to express the most perfect beauty of a Face by pure White, and Red. We have also a signification, that the choicest beauties here are Shadows only of Jesus Christ. White, and Red in the loveliest Face below is the Type, and Figure; in that glorious Person it is the Truth, the Original. Divines call the Creatures with all their Excellencies Vestigia Dei, the Foot-steps of God. If the Print of Christ's Feet in the Dust make such Beauties in Flesh and Blood, in these Heavens, in the Angels; what are the Beauties of his own Divine Person?

1. In Particular, 1. White is the Unity of Light in its simplicity. This is the Person of Christ, Red expresseth the variety of Light and Darkness with all their Degrees, and Mixtures, as they lie in the Unity of a pure, and simple Light. This is Light in its several Forms, and Dresses. This is the high, and Universal Harmony, which maketh all sorts of Music, and Beauty thorough all things in Heaven, and Earth, as it sendeth forth Sounds, and Glympses of itself anywhere. This hath all things in itself in their several perfections. This maketh everything in itself a Divine Music, and Beauty to the Spiritual Eye, and Spiritual Ear.

2. White is the God-Head in Christ, making a Day of Beauty, whi • h hath no night going before it, or coming after it. Red is the Lord Jesus, as he is God-man, where the Day, and the Night make one entire Day of perfect Beauty, the Night sweetly shadowing the Day, the Day shining beautifully thorough the Night. Here Beauty hath all its Charms and Sweetnesses of its Mornings and its Evenings.

3. White is Christ in Glory. Red is this Christ, this Glory descending to the Depth of all Sufferings. Red is the Colour of Blood. Nothing is more apt among Natural things to delight, and ravish our Souls, than the Music of an excellent hand carried down in just degrees by soft, and melting strains to the lowest, and there, as it were, quite silenced; then on a sudden carried up again to a Sprightly, and Triumphant height. How agreeable, how delightful a Spectacle is this to the Eye of the Spirit, to see the Lord Jesus, who is Glory itself descending with beautiful Conformities to the Wisdom of the Father, with sweet meltings of himself into the Will of the Father, thorough all degrees of Sufferings into the Silence, and Darkness of Death itself; then in a moment to spring up into Glory, and Immortality by the Resurrection from the Dead? What believing, and loving Soul, when she seeth these beautiful goings of her Jesus on the Earth, on Mount Golgotha, in the Grave, would not gladly go • own with him in the Fellowship of his Sufferings into the same Grave, as in •• a Spiritual Marriage-bed, to come forth immediately in the glorious Morn •• g of the Resurrection, as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber?

I have hitherto spoken of the Absolute Praise of Christ's Beauty in this Scripture; He is White, and Ruddy. I am now to speak of the Comparative Praise; He is the chiefest of ten thousand: Ten thousand is a particular number set for All. The Hebrew word signifieth the greatest number; it is applied to Angels, Psal. 68. 18, The Chariot of the Lord is ten thousand; Angels are understood. The Angels are the fairest of all creatures. Our Savior is the fairest of all the Angels. The word Chiefest is in Hebrew a Standard-bearer. The Standard-bearer carries the Banner. The Banner is the Mark and Prize under which all the Troop march, for which they fight, to which, and under which the whole Troop is gathered together. The Beauty and Loveliness of Christ's Person, is the Banner spread over all things, under which, in the force of which, for which all things move in their several courses, to which the gathering together of All shall be. The Instinct of this is All Love. The Possession and Springing forth of this All Joy. We read in the Acts of an Altar with an Inscription, To the unknown God. St. Paul preaching upon this Text, telleth the Athenians; Him, whom ye ignorantly worship, preach I unto you; meaning Christ. In the whole frame of Nature every Heart, every Creature, every Affection, every Action is an Altar with the same kind of Inscription; To the Unknown Beauty; To the Unknown Jesus. This is the Mark, the White, which every Being in nature ignorantly moveth to, which every motion ignorantly aimeth at; this is that which all Understandings, all Loves ignorantly worship, esteem and adore; this Beauty of Jesus Christ, concerning which we now speak. Blessed are your hearts, O Believers, which are Spiritual Altars with the Person of Christ, engraven upon them by the finger of God, flaming with the fire of an heavenly Love, and bearing this Inscription; To the known Beauty of that Jesus, whom we know, whose Person our Eyes have seen, our Ears have heard, our Hands have handled, the Arms of our Spirits have embraced.

I come now from the Proof, to the Reasons of the Doctrine, which are four.

• 1. Jesus Christ is Beauty in its Original.
• 2. He is the Perfection of Beauty.
• 3. He hath all the Parts of Beauty most complete in his Person.
• 4. All Beauty is derived from him.

Reas. 1. The Person of Christ is Beautiful in its Original. He is the First, so the Highest, and Best Beauty, Heb. 1. 3. Christ is said to be The Brightness of the Glory of God. Four things go to make up the Glory of God: 1. Excellency; 2. Excellency at the height; 3. An Union of all Excellencies reflecting upon, imparting themselves to each other. All center themselves in the bosom of every one. All see themselves living and shining in the face each of other, as in a living Looking-glass. Our Beloved is that Image, into which this Glory so brings forth itself, that it is One with itself.

Brightness implies three things; 1. Glory at the Height, as Light in the Sunshine; 2. Glory appearing, Glory in an Image; 3. Glory in its Purity. The Person of our Jesus is such an Image, as is the Glory itself, a Deep of Glory, a pure, unmixed, unconfined, infinite Glory. He is an Image of so clear Glory, so One with the Glory, that All the God-Head appears in Him, and nothing of it can hide itself from being seen there.

The Person of Christ is the Essential and Eternal Glory of the God-Head in its own proper Form, in which it may be seen by Spiritual Eyes, in which it may be a heavenly Bridegroom capable of being possessed, embraced, and enjoyed by the Spiritual Bride, the Wife of this Lamb, without spot or blemish.

Can any soul that hath had the least glimpse of this Mine, this Mass of Glory, the Blessed Person of Christ, be so treacherous, like Judas, as to value him at, and sell him for thirty pieces of silver, the Riches of this world? Can any Spirit, upon whose inward Eye the least Beam of his Beauty hath fallen, be so profane, as Esau was, to sell his Birthright, his Inheritance in this Kingdom of Beauty, the Glorious Person of his God and Savior, for a Mess of Pottage, for sensual satisfactions, for a lust, for a shadowy life on Earth?

It is added, Heb. 1. 3. That He is the express Image of His, (namely, God the Father's) Substance, or Person. True Beauty is defined to be the proper and native Image of some True Good. The True Beauty calls, and allures all hearts to it. The True Good gives them rest in the bosom of that Beauty. Beauty is Goodness visible: Good is the Invisible Spring and Center in that Beauty. God is the First and Supreme Good; Jesus Christ then, who is the Express Image of His Substance and Person, in whom He is figured after the most exact and lively manner, is the First and Supreme Beauty.

God the Father is the First and Supreme Good, as the God-Head in the Root. Jesus Christ is the First and Supreme Beauty, as the God-Head in the Flower, springing out of, and standing in the Bosom of its Root, having all the virtues of the Root in clear and full figures forming themselves most gloriously, and most amiably upon it. The Holy Spirit is the First, the Supreme Love and Joy, as the God-Head in the Fruit, in which all the precious virtues of the Root, all the lively and lovely Beauties of the Flower are tasted, feasted upon, and enjoyed. To make our Esteem, Admiration, Adoration and Love yet greater, we must also observe • that these Three in the Divine Nature, in the Person of Christ, the Root, the Flower, and the Fruit, are inseparable; they all mutually comprehend each other, that every One may be perfect, having the Other Two entire in itself.

Ho! everyone that sitteth under the shadow of any melancholy, any grief, or fear; that saith, who will show us the True Good? Who will show us Beauty indeed, or where the place of Love is? Who will make us to drink of the Fountain of Joy? Come hither to the Person of Christ. But come boldly, stand not without the Vail, press into the Holy of Holies, come near to the Person of Christ himself. Come past all shadows of Glory; come to the brightness of Glory, the naked Person of your Jesus. Here shall your Eyes be satisfied with Beauty; your Souls shall rest in Goodness; you shall take your fill of Love, and Joy.

Reas. 2. The Person of Christ is the perfection of Beauty, Psal. 50. 2. From Zion the Perfection of Beauty God shall shine. There are three Things, which I would make clear to you in this Scripture. 1. That Zion is the Third Person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, 2. That the Perfection of Beauty is a description of the Second Person the Lord Jesus. 3. Why these two are so joined, as if one only were meant. This verse hath a deep Mystery of Divinity in it. Glorious Persons are contained here. But there is a Vail of borrowed Names from inanimate things upon them. It will be worth your time, and patience to stay a while at this place, to search into the Mystery, to take off the Vail, and discover the Beauty.

1. I think it will be plain to every understanding, that the blessed Spirit is figured by Mount Zion, if you compare three Scriptures, Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem above is free, which is the Mother of us all, Gal. 4. 28, 29. We Brethren are the Children of the Promise, as Isaac. As therefore it was then, so it is now, he that is born after the Flesh, persecuteth him that is born after the Spirit. In the First of these verses, Jerusalem above is said to be the Mother of us all. In the Second these, All us, are expounded to be the Children of Promise. In the Third verse the same persons are described by being born after the Spirit. This Phrase of being born after the Spirit is fully explained by that of Jesus Christ, from whence it seemeth to be taken, John 3. That which is born of the Flesh, is Flesh: That which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. To be born after the Spirit, and of the Spirit signify both the same thing. Is it not then evident, that the Jerusalem above, which is free, which is the mother of all the Spiritual Seed, is the Eternal Spirit, after which a Saint is born, that is, of this Spirit, and in the Image of this Spirit, where there is Liberty, 2 Corin. 4.

Now lay the Third Scripture by these two, Heb. 12. 22. We are come to Mount Zion, the Heavenly Jerusalem, the City of the living God, to the Millions of Angels, the general Assembly, to the Church of the First-born written in Heaven, to the Spirits of just men made perfect, to God, to Jesus Christ. Before, we Saw Jerusalem above, and the Spirit, now we see Mount Zion, and the Heavenly Jerusalem to be the same. Is it not then an infallible demonstration, that Zion and the Holy Spirit are One, as the Type, and the Truth? Can any other be the living City of the living God, where all the Holy Angels the First-born of the Father, the Spirits of all Saints, as well on Earth, as in Heaven, Jesus Christ in his Mediatory Kingdom, the Father upon the Throne of Judicature meet, and appear together in the full liberty of Eternal Light, Love, and Joy; besides the Unity of the Spirit, which is the Sweet and Sacred band between the two Glorious Persons in the Trinity, between all pure, Spiritual, Divine Beings above and below? This is the Spring, and Immortal Seat of them all.

2. We have in this place another Person set forth by this bright, and lovely Character, the Perfection of Beauty. We may discover our own Beloved, and Bridegroom the Lord Jesus under this Title, if we bring to it the Lights of two other Scriptures shining like this by his Appearance in them. In Heb. 1. 3. He is styled the Brightness of Glory. Is not this the same, as to say; The Perfection of Beauty? 2 Corin. 4. 6. God hath shined in our hearts unto the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face, or Person of Jesus Christ Can Face answer Face in a Glass more exactly than these Two Scriptures answer one another? In both you have God, God shining: in one you have God shining from the Perfection of Beauty: in the other God shining with a Light of Glory in the Face, or Person of Christ. God in all the Creatures, whether they be Visible, or Invisible casts forth Shadows only of Himself. Then he appeareth in the Perfection of Beauty; when he appeareth in the Person of Christ, as Light in the Body of the Sun.

3. But why are these two so joined, as if they were the same Thing, from Zion the perfection of Beauty? I will not examine, whether we may not disjoin them in reading, by putting in between them, and, or in, Particles frequently understood; from Zion, and, or in the Perfection of Beauty God shineth. This needeth not. There is plainly a difference between the English, and the Hebrew. The Hebrew runneth word for word thus: From Zion, from the Perfection of Beauty God hath shined. So you have the Three Persons of the everblessed Trinity clearly distinguished, and united in this shining of the God-Head. The Father shineth, from the Spirit his holy hill of Zion, from the Person of Christ the Perfection of Beauty. These Two Persons are placed here, as One in Another, a Globe of Light in a Globe of Light, and the Father shining from them both to awaken in us this great, and glorious Truth, that the Persons of the Sacred Trinity have their Perfection in each other, and are ever undivided, when they appear nakedly in their proper Forms. The whole Trinity is the Crown of Beauty upon everyone of them.

In particular Jesus Christ never appears, as the Perfection of Beauty, but when he, and the Spirit appear both in One, 2 Cor. 3. from the 14th to the end you read of a veil upon the Face of Moses, the Person of Christ in the Type; then of a veil upon the Hearts of the Jews. These are both the same veil. For the veil is never upon the Person of Christ properly, and simply, but upon the Eye of our Spirits; as the Cloud is never upon the Body of the Sun, but upon our Corporeal Eyes. For, as that doth in the midst of its world; so doth the Person of Christ in the midst of all things ever comprehend, and contemplate himself, and all things, in the simple and pure Light of his own naked Beauties. But then in the same place we read, that the Vail is taken away in Christ; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty; that is, freedom from the Vail; Christ is seen unveiled in his naked Glories. It is added; Now the Lord is that Spirit. Then mention is made in the last verse; of beholding the Glory of the Lord with open Face; that is, Eye to Eye, the naked Eye of our Souls to the naked Eye of his Beauties; every Spirit being all Eye. The verse is closed thus; as by the Spirit of the Lord; or more agreeably to the Greek, as of the Lord the Spirit.

I have alleged all this to make it plain to you, and to seal it upon your understandings, and memories, that Jesus Christ is then only seen in his true Person and shape, without a veil, when he is seen in the Spirit, when Christ and the Spirit are seen, as two distinct Persons in One. Zion, the Type of the Spirit signifieth Vision. Jerusalem the Figure of the same Spirit, the Heavenly Jerusalem is by interpretation the Heavenly Vision of Heavenly Perfection and Peace. The Lord Jesus is the Perfection of Beauty, the Heavenly Harmony of all things, the Peace of all Hearts, and Desires. The Person of the Spirit is the Heavenly Vision of this Heavenly Perfection.

By the way observe, that the Holy Ghost speaks in this 50 Psal. of the Day of Judgment the Second, and last Coming, and Appearance of our Lord and Savior, after which he shall go away, and disappear no more. See here, what manner of Appearance this is; in what State, in what Form the King of Glory comes to the Marriage of his Bride, and to reign upon the Earth. He comes in a Spiritual, and Divine Form, in the Person of the Spirit. The Eternal Spirit is an anointing of Beauty upon the whole Person of our Beloved. He again is a Sun of Beauty looking forth in the Person of Spirit. Nay, the Lord Jesus cometh in the Glory of all the Three Persons; the Father shineth in the Person of the Son; the Son shineth in the Person of the Spirit; all Three in One shine together in the glorified Humanity of the Lord Jesus, all three glorify that with themselves; Inhabiting, and shining forth round about with a full Light of glory in it, Figuring themselves in their Divinest Forms upon it; overshadowing it, and clothing it with the Brightnesses of their own most entire, and most naked Appearances.

Thus is Jesus the Perfection of Beauty. The Glory of the God-Head is now consummate in Him, when all the Three Persons appear quite unveiled in his Person. You who love and wait for this Appearance of your Heavenly Bridegroom; who see this day, which his Spiritual Beauties make, and rejoice to see it with a Joy unspeakable, and glorious; you, who live in the sweet dawnings of this day upon you; you, who have anything of the Spirit of the Bride in you; cry continually; Even so, so come quickly Lord Jesus in this Thrice-Beautiful, and Thrice-Blessed Appearance.

Thus the Person of Christ is the Perfection of Beauty.

Perfection implieth 3 Things.

• 1. Clearness.
• 2. Compleatness
• 3. Comprehensiveness.

1. Clearness. That which is perfect, is pure, hath no spot, or mixture of anything Forreign. As every drop of Milk is Milk; so everything, the smallest Point in the Person of Christ is Beauty. He is Beauty itself in the abstract, in its simple Essence. This Finite world cannot satisfy our desires, because they are infinite. Behold here the Person of Christ, a world of Beauty, and infinite to terminate, and satiate your infinite desires. For everything is bounded by another, or by its Contrary; nothing by itself; as Light by Darkness▪ Life by Death. Our Lord Jesus is a Light of Beauty, where there is no Darkness, and so no bound to set a stop to it from multiplying itself endlessly within itself, meeting nowhere in its utmost Circles of glory with anything besides itself. It is this Beauty, which is sown in every Spirit, shooting up, and budding in desires, flowring in delights. Love is this Beauty in the Seed, desires the sproutings of this Love. Therefore are our Loves, and Desires infinite, because this Jesus, the Beauty, which is their Root, and their Fruit, is so.

2. Compleatness. The Beauty of Christ is perfect; nothing can be added to it, Solomon saith, Eccles. 1. 7. All rivers run into the Sea, and the Sea is not at all the fuller. It is the Person of Christ's, which is this Mystical Sea of all Beauty, and Sweetness, all the rivers of created Beauty, and Sweetness go forth from him, and take away nothing. They all return into him again, and add nothing. When Lot had been made to drink Wine freely by his Daughters, he perceived not when they lay down, nor when they rose up. Believing beloved Souls, drink in the Lovelinesses of your own Heavenly Husband, drink abundantly of them; so will ye have little, or no sense of the presence of the Sweetness of any Object, or Relation among the Creatures, when ye lie down in its embraces; or of its absence, when ye rise up from it never to return to the enjoyment, or sight of it anymore. Your Jesus in his single Person is all Loveliness complete in itself. He is the same; that which all Creature are; that which they are not; with them, and without them. Their presence, and their absence are the same, equally full of the same Beauty, and Sweetness in him.

3. Comprehensiveness. The Perfection of Beauty comprehendeth all Beauties, and Beautiful Things in itself. It is the First, and Essential Beauty, which by its presence beautifies everything. The Beauties of Angels, Stars, and Flowers; of Bodies, and Spirits, all flourish together eminently, and unfadingly in the Person of Christ, which is the Paradise of God, and the Bed of Flowers there.

Thou, who mournest, and loathest thyself for some Deformity, or Defilement of Spirit; who bemoanest thyself for some defect, comfort thyself concerning this in the Person of Christ. God is said in one place; to call all the Stars by name, and no one of them is wanting. The Person of thy Savior hath all Spiritual, and Natural Beauties in itself. Here thou mayst call by Name the proper Beauties of thy Person, to clothe all thy shame with Glory, to supply all thy wants with suitable Grace. Thou shalt find no one wanting. Everyone will answer readily; here am I; behold I bear thine Image, and the Inscription of thy Name upon me. I have been laid up from Eternity in the Perfection of Beauty, and kept for thee, unto this Season.

You that complain for the want of any Loveliness, come to Jesus Christ, that you may have it, and have it in abundance, richly to enjoy. He is that well of Beauty springing up to eternal Life, that is, with All, with Infinite, with Endless Beauties.

You, who 〈◊〉 your hearts captivated by anything lovely on Earth, come hither. Where the Person of Christ is seen, as he appears in the Spirit, unveiled; there is Liberty; the fullness of a Divine Beauty, the freedom of a Divine Love taking off from our hearts the Chains of every ensnaring, and enslaving passion. Behold that which thou lovest, in Christ the perfection of Loveliness, where it is truest, and sweetest; so love it in him. Behold Christ beautifying by his presence every beautiful Object, like the Sun-shine on Flowers; so love him in it.

One said; if a man know not the way to the Sea, let him follow the course of a River. Every stream of Sweetness flows from our Savior, and runs into him, Let thy heart accompany it in this course, so shall it be led by a pleasant Guide to Jesus Christ. The nearer thou followest it to Christ's Person, the larger and fuller will the Sweetness be, as a River near the Ocean; till it be perfected in him.

When thy heart breaketh over any departing Beauty, or dying Sweetness in a Friend, Child, Wife or Life, then think upon the Comprehensiveness of Christ's Beauty, which holds all other Beauties in it, as Heaven doth the Angels. Solomon saith in Ecclesiastes, When man dieth, the body goeth to the Dust, from whence it came; the Spirit to God, who gave it. Each thing returns to its Original, to the Element from whence it is taken, and of which it is ever a part. Darkness sinks down into the Pit of Darkness: the Spirit, which is the Light, Life, Sweetness everywhere, every Spark, and Image of Divinity re-ascends, and retreats into the Bosom of the first Image of God, which is Christ. Each pleasantness, each beam of loveliness, is a glance, and sparkle of this Eternal Image of Essential Beauty, which enfoldeth all things, and mingleth itself with all things. That which thou callest the fading of any Sweetness dear unto thee, is only the hasting of the loving stream to its beloved Sea; the disappearing of the bright flame of Life into the glorious Brightness of its unseen Element. Thou sayst; it is now dying, now dead, when it is emptying itself into the Ocean of Beauties; retreating into the pure, and incorruptible Element of Beauty, the Blessed Person of Christ. Cleave to it in this view of it, cast thyself with it into these secret, and sacred depths of Life, and Loveliness; so shalt thou never lose it, or thyself, save by being both together swallowed up into the perfection of Beauty, the Eternal Treasury of all Beauties, Jesus Christ.

I have now finished the Two first Reasons of the Fairness of Christ above all things; the Original, the Perfection of Beauty in his Person. Before I pass to the other Two Reasons, let us look down a little upon ourselves, and make some application of these Beauties, which we have seen in the Person of our Lord, to our own Persons, to enlighten the Darknesses, and redress the deformities there.

Use. 1. A Caution. Let us take heed, that we make no inference, take no encouragement from the Loveliness of Christ to make ourselves unlovely in his Eye, to defile his Spouse in ourselves, to stain his Glory by Sensuality, Lust, or any presumptuous Sin. Our Savior now dying saith to his Father of his Disciples: I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified, John 17. Jesus Christ put off in Death everything of Earth, and Flesh. He lifteth himself up by his Cross into Glory; that he may present himself again to the Eye of our Spirits in the Spiritual, and Heavenly Brightness of the Divine Form, and Glory; that he may baptize us into the same Sea of his Blood, and into the same white Cloud of his own Spiritual Beauties; that we also by him may die to the Flesh, and live with him in the Spirit. Hath Jesus Christ to this end made himself higher than the Heavens, Heb. that our Hearts, and Live • should be low and vile, as the Earth? Is he ascended above all the Angels, all the Principalities, and Powers of Light, that we should become like Beasts, and yield up our Bodies, and Spirits Instruments to the Principalities and Powers of the Darkness of this World, and of Hell?

Is there any hope of renewing such a Person by words, who thus turneth the rightest, and pleasantest words of the Lord Jesus, and his Beauties unto nourishment to vain, and filthy Lusts, to Corruption? Is anymore to be done, but to leave him to that Dreadful, and Delightful Maran Atha; which is by interpretation, The Lord cometh; to the Person of Christ himself in his own immediate Appearances, when those glorious and inexpressible Beauties of the Spirit, and God-Head, in which he shall appear, shall be Flames of Fire burning upon, and consuming every Earthly, Fleshly Principle, or Spirit in every Form.

Use. 2. A Conviction of the Evil of Sin, which blindeth us to the sight of this Beautiful, and Blessed Person of our Lord Jesus. How should we all curse to the Pit of Hell, from whence it arose, that Charm, or Enchantment, if any had such force to change the Sun into Sack-clothe, or hinder it from shining anymore upon the Earth? How much worse than a Grave would it make the whole world, when we should have eyes open, and no Light? Far greater is that mischief, which the Devil worketh by Sin. By the charm of this world, which he raiseth, as an Apparition, and Lying Image from Hell, together with the Lusts, which he awakeneth by it, he taketh away from us the glorious Light of Christ's Person ten thousand times brighter, sweeter, and of more consequence to us, than the Sun in Heaven, 2 Corin. 4. 4. By this means all our faculties are, as so many Eyes continually awakened, continually benighted with the blackness of Darkness, deluded with empty Shadows, and disappointed of the beloved Substance. So are our Spirits wandering in an everlasting Darkness, tormented night and day with the fire of their own restless, eager, and unsatisfied desires; while Jesus Christ their only Light, and Food is hid from them under the Cloud of their Corruptions.

Take heed especially of three Sins, 3 of Covetousness; Uncleanness; Enmity. 1. Take heed of Covetousness, Mat. 6. 22. Our Savior warneth his Disciples to take heed, what they made their Treasure, because where the Treasure sure is, there the Heart will be. v. 21. The beloved Object irresistibly draweth the Heart to itself, and transformeth it into itself, as Seed doth the ground in which it is sown. The Eye, saith Christ, is the Light of the Body. If thine Eye be single, thy whole Body shall be full of Light, But if thine Eye be evil, thy whole Body shall be full of Darkness; and if the Light, which is in thee be darkness, how great is that Darkness? The whole Soul, and every Spirit is an Eye. The understanding is an Eye of Light; the Will is an Eye of Love. The same word for the substance of it in the Hebrew signifies an Eye, and a Fountain. The Object is the Light of this Eye, which sheds abroad in it the Beams of its Light, Sweetness, and Influence. These are the waters springing up in this Fountain.

The single Eye in the Language of the Scripture is the good, the liberal, large, open Eye. The Eye is single from its Object, when it hath fixed unchangeably in it that single Object, which is truly and eternally One; when it looketh upon all things only as they are comprehended in this Unity. This is such a singleness, such a simplicity, that the Eye, and the Object are both One; the Supreme, and Eternal Unity is both the Eye and the Object in this Spirit; and so the Fountain, which goeth forth from its own Eden, maketh the Soul a Paradise, and watereth the whole Body.

The Evil Eye is a contracted, divided, narrow, covetous, envious, malicious Eye.

Beware O man, that the things of this world, that this world be not in thine Eye. As Jesus Christ is the Image of the Invisible God: so is this World the Image of its God, the Devil, the Prince of Darkness, by which he becomes visible to thee, enamou • eth thy Soul, setteth himself in thine Eye, and thine Heart, with all his Hells, and Fires hid within this Cloud. And now a blackness of Darkness big with a dreadful Tempest of Wrath dwelleth within thee, and covereth all things round about thee.

But if Jesus Christ be the Object of thy Love, he will be as a Divine Sun in the Center, and midst of thy Spirit, pouring forth a great plenty of rich, and glorious Beams thorough all parts, every point of thy Soul, thy Body, every thing round about thee. Now all things shall be to thee one entire, and beautiful Body of Divine Light.

Indeed the world compared with the great, and glorious world of Light, and Beauty in the Person of Christ, is as a Mote in the Sun. But if this Mote be in thine Eye, it will deprive thee of the sight of this Sun.

2. Take heed of Uncleanness. St. Jude, v. 23. teacheth us to hate the Garment spotted with the Flesh. The Holy Spirit seemeth here to represent a Saint after this manner; Jesus Christ in the inward, and Spiritual Man, as a Sun shining in Heaven; The outward and natural Man, as a Garment of Light sent forth from this Sun, thorough which the Sun itself is seen in every point of it. As often as any unclean thought, or fleshly Imagination ariseth in us, this becomes a spot upon our Garment. Now the White is turned into Blackness of Darkness, the Beauty into Burning, the Face of Christ, and of Heaven are clouded, and appear no more.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, saith our Savior, Matt. 5. All vision dependeth upon the suitableness between the Eye, and the Object. All sense in every kind of things proceedeth from the suitableness between each Faculty and its proper Object. Suitableness is the visible Image, and effect of an hidden Unity, and awakeneth that, as the Sun doth its own Seminal virtues in the Earth, which spring up into all manner of Plants, Flowers, and Fruits.

The pure Beauties of Christ's Person are seen only by a pure Eye, which Eye is the living Image of the same Person in the Unity of the same Spirit, and awakened in us by the Appearances of that Glory. There is a Three-fold Purity; Moral; Legal; Evangelical.

If we would see the Image of God in the visible Frame of Nature, which is the Person of Christ in its Shadow; we must be baptized into the Blood, that is, into the Principle, and Spirit of this Image; we must be washed in this Laver from all the gross disorders, and pollutions of the Flesh unto a Moral Purity. If we would see the Divine Image shining in the midst of the Intellectual, Angelical, Invisible things of Nature, which is the Person of Christ in its Picture; let us baptize ourselves into the Blood, that is into the Spirit and Principle of this Image. Let us in this Spring wash off, by the Fire upon the Altar offer up all sensitive Forms, which is the Sacrifice of Beasts, that our Spirits may be like the veil of the Tabernacle having Cherubims, the Forms of Invisible, and Heavenly things only formed upon them. This is our legal Purity.

But would we see that Image of the invisible God, which is itself invisible to every Natural Eye, of Men, and Angels? Would we see, not the Shadow, the Picture, but the Brightness of Glory; the Person of Christ in the Life unveiled? We must then be baptized into the Blood, the Spirit, the Principle of this Eternal, Essential Image of God. This alone can purify the Heavenly Things themselves, Heb. This alone can wash out the impression and similitude of every Creature in its Natural State, that the uncreated Glory, which alone is the true Heaven, and lies hid under the other, as a Diamond in a heap of rubbish may shine forth. This is our Evangelical Purity, and our Evangelical Vision of God in the Person of Christ.

When thou art come never so little past the lusts of the Flesh; thou shalt meet with him, whom thy Soul loveth, Jesus Christ in his Shadow. This will be an Earthly Paradise to thee springing up thorough thy body, thy senses, all vsible things round about thee. When thou art come never so little past the Flesh itself, and all Appearances of things in that; thou shalt meet with him, whom thy Soul loveth, in a lively, lovely Picture, thy Jesus in the Form of an Angel. All that was dear to thee, and present with thee in the dark shadow, thou shalt now see again with gain, and enjoy in the bright Picture. Thy Earthly Paradise shall be grown up, transformed, and enlarged with thee into a Heaven of Angels. When thou art come never so little past these Watchmen themselves, the Angels, without the walls of the City of this whole Creation; thou shalt meet with him, whom thy Soul loves, the Lord Jesus in his naked, living, and eternal Beauties. Here thou shalt see the Light of Life far above all Shadows and Pictures, enlarging itself to take in, and comprehend them also. Not only the Persons, and Things represented in those lower Scenes, and Forms: but the Scenes, and Forms themselves appear again, and appear eternally in this last and highest opening of the Mystery of God. Not only that Rose, which was the Treasure hid in the Seed, the Stalk, the Leaf, the Thorn, showeth itself full blown in all its Beauties, and Sweetnesses, but that Seed; Stalk; each Leaf; everything of the Rose-Tree; every dust of the Earth round about it, is now a Distinct Rose. This is the Rose of Sharon, our Jesus seen, as he is, the veil taken off in the Gospel by the Holy Spirit. Follow after Holiness in all degrees of it, that you may see this Jesus, as he ascends thorough all Degrees of things. Fly from every degree of uncleanness which will be a spot upon your Garments, that the Beauties of Christ cannot shine in them, neither in your outward, and Earthly, or your Inward, Angelical Garment.

3. Beware of Enmity. The Holy Ghost saith; • John. He that hateth his Brother, walketh in darkness until now. Every Saint, every Man, every Creature, each Providence is our Brother, as it is the work of God, the Birth of God by Jesus Christ, and beareth the Image of him, who is the Wisdom of God. All Hatred is a Twin-birth with Darkness. Both arise immediately out of the departure and separation from the Unity, which is the womb, from whence spring together that Blessed Pair, Light and Love. All Enmity and Hatred besides that, which is the loving, and lovely opposition of Love itself to Hatred, and Enmity, is the seed of the Serpent, out of which himself ariseth, and by which he propagateth his Serpentine brood. The Jews say in their Proverbs; The Spirit of God resteth not upon an Angry, or a sad Man. While thy Soul is wrapped up in a black Cloud of Malice, or tossed with any Tempest of wrath, the Sun of Love, the Glorious Person of thy Savior, which is all an immortal Flame of Love appeareth not to thee, neither can it be seen by thee, all whose Lovelinesses are the Beauties, and Beams of Love.

Rom. 3. 24. Jesus Christ is called the Propitiation. This was in the Tabernacle and Temple the Golden Mercy-Seat, on which God sat between the Cherubims, and talked with Moses. In allusion to this we read of the Throne of Grace, Heb. 4. 16. The Person of Christ in his Heavenly Form is the Propitiation, the Golden Mercy-Seat, the Throne of Grace, the Throne of Love, of the freest, sweetest, purest Love, If you straighten a Flame, and bar it from its Liberty of extending, and dilating itself, you extinguish it, and lose at once its Light, and Heat. If you contract the Love of Christ in you by Wrath, or Enmity, you make yourself uncapable of the sweet Light of his Appearances, and of the Heavenly Heat of his Graces, and Consolations. While there is among you strife, anger, malice, murmurings, whisperings, hard thoughts, evil speakings, or any such thing; Heaven is not now open upon you, neither do you see Jesus, as he comes up out of the Baptism of his Sufferings into a Resurrection of Glory with the Eternal Spirit in the Form of a Dove, in a Form of Love resting upon him.

The Priests in the Temple were Morning and Evening to trim the Lamps in the Golden Candlestick by pouring in fresh Oil, that the Light might not go out by day, nor by night. Your Persons, O ye Saints, are the Temple, your Spiritual and Divine part the Golden Candlestick, the Heavenly Person of your beloved is the Light in the Lamps of this Candlestick. If you would preserve this Light of Glory continually shining in you, be continually pouring in from that vessel of Love, the Heart of the Father, fresh Love, which is the Golden Oil of the Spirit, in which the Life, and Light of the Divine Nature burneth, and shineth eternally.

But to conclude my discourse concerning these Three Sins.

The Scripture saith; Covetousness is Idolatry. We make an Idol of every Image besides the Lord Jesus alone, which we set up in our Hearts, as real, and excellent to bow down our Souls to it by our esteem, and affection. Every Idol hath its Devil in it. St. Paul saith plainly; What the Gentiles Sacrifice to Idols, they Sacrifice to Devils. You cannot eat of the Table of the Lord, which is his Glorified Person, to feast upon the Delicacies of his Beauties set before your Spirits there, and eat of the Table of Devils, which is this world; to feed upon the Dainties of the Flesh here. You cannot drink of the cup of the Lord, which is his Spirit, to take in the Wine of Spiritual Sweetnesses from this, and drink of the Cup of Devils, which is the Spirit of this World, to swallow down the riches, and pleasant things of that.

2 Pet. 2. 13, 14. We read of Spots at the Feasts of the Saints, who are those that have Eyes full of Adultery. St. Jude expoundeth those Feasts to be Feasts of Charity, that is, Love-Feasts, which were Joyned with the Supper of the Lord. The Appearances of Christ's Person in the Visible, Angelic. l, Divine Images, are our several Love-Feasts. An adulterous Eye in the moral sense, which looketh upon any visible Object after an undue manner, is a Spot upon the First Love-Feast. The adulterous Eye in a legal sense, which looketh upon any Fleshly, or visible Figure of things, is a Spot upon the Second. The adulterous Eye, which setteth its Love upon Created Forms on Earth, or in Heaven, is a Spot upon the Last, and best Love-Feasts. All these Spots are Clouds upon the Person, and stains upon the Beauty of Christ, which at once dishonor and grieve him, darken and defile us, making us unworthy, and uncapable of his blessed Appearances to us.

As an adulterous Eye of Lust, so the blood-shot Eye of Wrath is unable to look upon this Heavenly Object, or to bear the brightness of his Glory.

I will wind up this Use with this solemn adjuration, and charge: If there be such a Person as our Jesus; if this Person have such unsearchable Treasures of Beauty, and Joy in it; if the presence, and appearance of this King in his Beauty, as a Bridegroom, as a Spiritual Sun in the hearts of the Saints be no dream, or fancy, but the very Spirit, and Truth, and Life of the Gospel; I adjure, and charge you, all his Saints, by the Hinds, and Roes of the Field, by the lovely Person of your Christ, by the pleasantness of his Appearances in you, that laying aside Covetousness; casting away all Filthiness both of Flesh, and Spirit; putting off all Wrath, Malice, Envyings, and evil speakings, you fix your Eye upon, fill your Souls with the Beautiful, and blessed Person of the Lord Jesus. This is your own Fountain. Drink waters from this Fountain alone. Behold yourselves, one another, all things in the Light of this Person, of these Beauties, as they lie here, as they are comprehended in this fairest, greatest, and most Divine Image of all Loveliness. Christ is the Truth. The Appearance of things in the sweet Light of his lovely Person is True, This is that Truth, which if you walk in it, shall dwell with you forever, shining with a precious, and living luster in the darkest places of Sorrow, or Death. In this Truth live at peace, live in love within yourselves, with one another, with all things. So the God of Peace, and Love shall be with you. Amen.

Reas. 3. I now come to the Third Reason of the Doctrine, our Lord Jesus is the fairest of all things, because he hath all the parts of Beauty complete, and entire in his person. That work with my own Spirit, and with all Spirits, which is my design, and delight, is to woo them for Christ, and espouse them, as chaste Virgins to Christ. Eccles. 12. 10. We read, that the Preacher sought out acceptable words, and the words, which he found out were upright. Solomon was a figure of Christ in glory, King in the Jerusalem above. This Glorious Person is the Preacher, the Text, and the Sermon. Acceptable words in the Original Language are words of delight, as you may see in the Margin. If ever it be fit to seek out pleasant, and delightful words; it is on this Subject, when we treat of the Lord Jesus, and his Beauties. If ever it be necessary to take care to speak right words; it is now, when we speak of him, whose Person is the Center, from which all the lines of the Gospel, of Evangelical Truths, Graces, Comforts, Glories, Spirits are drawn; into which they all run; in which they all meet. My endeavor therefore is, that all my discourses may be steps from one Scripture to another, that by the explications, and applications of these I may enlighten your minds to the sight, and warm your affections to the love of these Blessed and Heavenly Beauties.

There are four Parts, of which all Beauty consisteth; 1. Variety. 2. Harmony in the variety. 3. Light in the Harmony. 4. Life in that Light. These four meet all eminently, and transcendently, in the highest degree in the Person of our Savior.

1. There is all variety in the Person of Christ. Colos. 1. 19. It pleased the Father, that in him all fullness should dwell. Observe how St. Paul cometh to this total Sum at the foot of the Account, to this Conclusion of all Fulness in Christ. From the 15 th v. to this you have the whole Compass of Things in Nature, Grace, and Glory. From the 15 th to the 18 th you have the Circuit of Nature in the full extent of the Creation with its Creator. First there is God, as he is the Author of Nature. Jesus Christ is the Image of the Invisible God; v. 15. Then you have the whole Creation. He is the First-born of every Creature; or of all the Creation. The First-born is the Excellency of Dignity, the Excellency of Strength. Every Creature is in Christ, as in the Excellency of the Divine Strength. in its Divine Root, Power, Life, Virtue; as in the Excellency of the Divine Dignity; in its Divine Form, Beauty and Fruit. As our Lord Jesus is the Image of the Invisible God, so the whole Creation lieth in him, as in a Glorious Fountain-Head, in a Beautiful Womb, in a Beautiful Pattern, in one entire Form of Beauty. As our Lord Jesus is the First-born of every Creature; so each Creature is seen distinctly in Him, and he appeareth distinctly in each Creature, in its Primitive, Pure, Paradisical State.

In the next place you have this General drawn down into Particulars, the Heaven, and the Earth; the Visible, the Invisible things of the Creature; Angels with all their Orders; all comprehended in the Light of Christ's Beauties, like the living Creatures in the White Sheet let down out of Heaven to St. Peter, as he prayed on the top of the house. All are For, By, In Him; v. 17.

Lastly, For a close you have all the Forms of Nature, like Flowers of Silk in a Garment of Needle-work, shining together in the Person of Christ; v. 19. We read in the latter part of that verse, All things subsist by him. It is in Greek word for word, All things have subsisted together in him. As Beams of Light stand in the Sun, and out of the Sun; such a Sun is Jesus Christ, such a Visible Image of the Invisible God at the Head of the Creation, in which, and out of which all the Creatures stand; like a Bright, and mysterious knot of Millions of Distinct Beams: As a great and fresh Picture taken from the Life made up of many less Pictures, which stand in it, of which, several Copies are taken from itself, and Copy from Copy: So is our Beloved the first born of every Creature, in which all the Creatures subsist together in their proper Distinctions, and their Universal Harmony.

After this first Circuit of Nature, St. Paul passeth to the second Circuit of Grace, v. 18. Here also all things appear in Christ, as their first Principle, and their proper Habitation, Jude. The Garden of All, the distinct Root, and Flower of each Spiritual Plant. He is the Head of the Church; the Beginning, the Principle; the first-born from the Dead.

Both these Circuits. St. Paul bringeth into one Divine Circle of Christ's Glorious Person, like two distinct and pleasant Apartments, one excelling the other in Riches, Greatness, and Beauty, within the same Palace, in which all the pleasures of the God-Head, and of the Father, lie. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. v. 19.

Thus we see how St. Paul bringeth all fullness through all Generals, and Particulars of things everywhere into Jesus Christ, like the Silver and Gold out of all the Mines of Nature, and Grace, refined, and fashioned by the Hand of a curious Workman, the Divine Spirit into one Jewel.

Behold! All Fulness, the Fulness of all kinds and Degrees; All Fulness, the Fulness of all Things, Invisible, and Visible; Angels, and Men; Heaven, and Earth; Flesh, and Spirit; God, and the Creature; All Fulness, the Fulness of all States, Light, and Darkness; Honor and Dishonor; Pain, and Pleasure; the Griefs of all Sufferings, the Joy of all Glories; the deepest Guilt of Sin; the brightest Crown of Righteousness; He was made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him; Life, Death, the Resurrection from the Dead, Immortality; The Earth with its nethermost parts, the Heavens with all the Heights above them; in a word, Love and Wrath with all their Changes, and Dresses; All Fullness dwelleth together in Jesus Christ.

O the Greatness of the Majesty, and Fulness of this Heavenly Person! Job saith of Wisdom, which is one of the names of Christ, Job. 11. v. 6. The Secrets of Wisdom; it is double to that which is. The Person of Christ in the Secrets of its Spiritual Treasures, containeth all things, which are, and appear in the Light and Eye of the Creature; and besides these which are Copies, their Originals. Thus is it double to that which is; having in itself the Shadow, and the Substance; the Picture, and the Life; whereas all that is, is Shadow, and Picture only. The Platonists call Secondary, and created Beings; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Beings; the Original they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an Unity above all Being. But Job going on to speak of Jesus-Christ, addeth; Canst thou find out the Almighty to Perfection? v. 7. As high as Heaven, deeper than Hell; v. 8. The Measure thereof is longer than the Earth, broader than the Sea. That is observable; The Divine Wisdom called also the Almighty, is as high as Heaven; but deeper than Hell. His Heights are all Heavens; and his Depths are Heaven below Hell itself. What are the Dimensions, what are the Comprehensions of this Spiritual Person? It is the Heaven of Heavens for height of Glory. It stretcheth the Compass of its everlasting Beauties and sweetnesses, beneath Hell itself, comprehending that in its Depths, amidst the precious things of its sacred deep below. Its Measure extendeth beyond both Earth and Sea in all their Literal and Mystical Images. As the Earth hangeth in the midst of the Air; as the Air moveth in the bosom of Heaven: So Earth, Hell, Sea, Air, Heaven, and all live, move, and have their Being in this most high Person, and Spirit. O the Greatness of the Majesty, and Fulness of Christ!

I think not fit to pass over this Part of our Savior's Beauty, the variety in him, without Two Notes; one of the happiness of Believers; the other of the Unhappiness of Sinners.

1. Note. How happy are they, who are persuaded in their hearts to trust in Jesus Christ and by faith to abide in him? They dwell together with, and in all Fulness. When they travel through the valley of Baca, of Weeping; they go from Strength to Strength, from one part of the Variety, from one Beauty, in the Person of their Beloved to another; So they see, the God of God's in Zion; the open face, and full Beauties of their Bridegroom in the Unity of His eternal Person, and Spirit in every form of things. Every Pit the deepest, and darkest is filled with Divine Beauties in him, and his Fulness.

Psal. 139. v. 6. David crieth out; This Knowledge is too wonderful for me. The Name, that is, the Person of Christ is Emmanuel, that is, God with us. Mat. 1. v. 23. God inhabiting all Forms of things, that all Fulness may dwell in him, and so he may be with a Believer, a Believer with him every where, at all times. David was in this Contemplation of Christ's Person, and ravished with it; Thou compassest my path; v. 3. Thou hast beset me behind and before, v. 6. I am encompassed, and shut in with thy Person behind, and before, from Eternity to Eternity; in every Form of Darkness, or Light; Earthly, or Heavenly. I am still with thee. All these are Varieties only in thee. It is thyself, thy Person, besetteth, compasseth, comprehendeth me, and my way in them all. O Believers, when you see Jesus Christ in the least glance of His Person with the same Eye of Light, and Love, as David saw him with; do not you also meet with wonders of Delight, and Glory, which are too great for your Hearts, Affections, or Understandings to take in? Do not the lowest, and least things seen in him, appear to you as Divine Wonders, with such a height of Light in them, as no created Eye can reach.

But David caught up into the view, and Embraces of Jesus in his Heavenly Form proceedeth in his Rapture; Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy Presence, Face, or Person? v. 7. The Spirit, and the Presence, or Person of Christ are here both one, to teach us, that this Person, and Presence of our Savior, in which he is the same, yesterday, today, and forever, in His Appearances to the Saints under the Law, under Grace, in Glory is entirely Spiritual, a pure Spirit. If I ascend up into Heaven, thou art there; if I make my Bed in Hell, behold thou art there; v. 8. Hell in Hebrew, and Greek signifies no more 〈◊〉 the Grave, or the State of the Dead. It is added in Hebrew, Behold! Thou! These words, art there, are put in by the Translatours, as you may see by the Change of the Letter. If I take the wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea, v. 9. even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right Hand shall hold me, v. 10. If I say the Darkness shall cover me, even the Night shall be light round about me; v. 11. Yea the Darkness hideth not from thee; but the Night shineth as the Day; the Darkness and Light are both alike to thee, v. 12. These last words too are added; to thee.

Go thy ways, O Believer! O beloved Spouse of this Heavenly Lover; say to him with the same tongue, in the same language of Light, and Love, as David doth: Wherever I fly or fall, I am ever encompassed with, ever wrapped up in thy Spiritual, and Glorious Person, as my Heaven, as the Air of my Life, O my Beloved! If I fly, it is in the face of these Brightnesses; If I fall, I lie in the Bosom of these Beauties. When I ascend up into Heaven, behold thou art there. Heaven is, as a great Room of State, and Pleasure in the Divine Building of thy Person. The Light of this is all the Glory; the Love, and Loveliness of this are all the Treasures, and feasts of Joy there. The several Appearances of those Distinct Varieties in thy Person, shooting forth themselves like Beams with a Divine Luster, Warmth, and Life, make all the Angels in Heaven. The Assembly of Glorified Saints is the Fruitfulness, and Fulness of thy Person; first thy Birth, and then thy Bride; like Eve to Adam in Paradise; the Heavenly Eve to the Last Adam in the Heavenly Paradise; thy self multiplying it self, that it may have a meet Help for it self to be the Object of all its Loves, the Subject of all its Joys, the Mother of all Living. What have I in Heaven besides thee? Ps. 73. 25. Thy Person filleth all those shining, and smiling Forms of things in Heaven. They are all the Beauties in thy Face; the smiles in thine Eye.

If I die, behold thee! Death itself is first an ecstacy of Love, in which thou overshadowest me, in a moment snatching me out of the Light of this world into the sweet, and everlasting Light of a far greater, and more Blessed world, thy Person. Then is it an ecstacy of Joy to find the same Jesus clothed with the same white, and shining Rayment in the Grave, as I beheld him in Heaven. The Grave becomes a Bed, and that Bed thy Bosom. Luke 16. 22. The Beggar died, and was carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom; the rich man also dieth, and is buried. That which the Grave is to the rich man, that to the Beggar, to the poorest Saint, is the Bosom of Jesus, figured by Abraham, in whom he lay hid, as the Seed of Eternity. Ere I was aware, my Soul made me, as the Chariots of Aminadab; Cant. 7. Aminadab is my Princely People; a Chariot of Angels of Glorious Spirits. This is the manner of the Death of Christ's Spouse: Ere she is aware her Soul setteth her upon, or rather itself becometh to her a Chariot of Angels, where she sitteth upon a Golden Throne of Love, encompassed with Curtains of Light, and so is transported in the twinkling of an Eye into the Arms of her Beloved; her whole way itself lying in the same embraces, which are the end of her way; and those Angels being the varieties, and the movings of those Fulnesses of beauties in the Bridegrooms Person, which is the same Spring, and Rest of love in them all.

Go on then, believing Soul, with David, and say to thy Savior: but the time may come, when I shall neither rest on thy bosom, as a Throne of Grace in Heaven, nor as a Bed in the Grave, in the Fellowship of thy Death. I may be hurried to the uttermost parts of the Sea; to that State, where storms of malice, and wrath rage most in the midst of the blackness of Darkness: But when it is so, even then thou risest upon me, and sweetly breakest, like a lovely morning, in the Beauties of thy Person round about me. Thou takest me upon thy Divine Beams, as upon Silver Wings with Feathers of Gold, in which the Glories of the Divine, and Human Nature are united. As thou in thy course circlest thorough all the infiniteness of differing Beauties within thy self, thou carriest me upon these Wings of thine to the extremities of this Sea of Darkness, and Tempests, Even here also, as in Heaven itself thy hand, which is thyself, thy Spiritual Person, thy Divine Life in Act; the Activity, and Appearance of thine inseparable Glories lead me, as my Strength within, my guide and way before me, my light round about me. Yea even here thy right Hand, which is thy Person in the sweetest, fullest Act, and appearance of Love, Beauty, Majesty, and Power, holdeth me; at once bearing me up in itself, encompassing with itself. Thus the Sea, and Tempests are still thy Person in the same Lovely, and Eternal Form opening new Wonders of Beauty, and discovering greater Riches of vaster varieties within the bright Bound of its own Spiritual Fulness.

Yea if I sink so low, that I begin to faint, and say; now the Darkness will cover, and overwhelm me; now the night will seal up my Eyes from the sight of my Beloved, and hide him from me: then the Night itself becomes a bright Sun round about me in the Heaven of thy Person, where every spot of Darkness, as well as Beam of Light is a shining Point, or line of Beauty; and all so many several Suns set thick one by another.

Can. 5, 11. The Head of Christ is said to be as fine Gold; the Bushes, or Curles of his Locks black as a Raven, which is the Bird of Death. The blackest Darknesses, with the most affrighting Horrours are but those black Locks with their Bushes, and Curls, which grow, and live upon the Golden Head of my Jesus, and are a principal part of thy Beauties. Thy Golden Head is in the midst of them, shineth thorough them everywhere; like a mid-day Sun shedding his Beams of Gold thorough a pleasant Grove, making so perfect, and delightful a mixture of the Light, and the shadow, that both seem one. The Shadow heightens, and sweetens the Light; the Light shineth in the Shadow, sweeteneth, and softeneth it. Each appeareth, as the same Beauty, the same Person of Christ, in a different posture, in a different dress. Thus the Light and the Darkness are both alike in thee to me. The Light is thine Eye. Thy Person is all an Eye of Life, Beauty, Love. The Darkness is the Apple of thine Eye. Here all inferior excellencies are lost, and covered in a deep shade. Here thy Spirit and Person is most naked; here it uniteth all the Beams, and Forces of its loveliness, and love; here I see myself, mine own Image, and Person shining with an Immortal light round about it. The Darkness is the variety making the Beauty, and distinguishing the unity of Light into the Riches of mani • old Divine Colours, Shapes, and pleasant Operations of Love-delights, in thy Person. The Darkness is the excess, and depth of thy Light swallowing up every Eye of Nature in me, then giving me a new Eye, and a new Vision of things in itself. Day unto day uttereth Speech; Night unto night declareth Knowledge: Psal. 19. 2. Thou my Jesus, the Immortal word, and only wisdom of thy Father, art this Speech, this Knowledge. The Day and Night agree in this; both are Divine Sounds of the Living Word; Divine Representations of the Heavenly Image, Divine expressions of the eternal wisdom; that is, both are thine Appearances, distinct Appearances of the same Beautiful Person; several parts of the same fullness lying together, as Lines, and Colours in the delightful Bosom, and Face of one Transcendent, Spiritual Beauty. Thy Person appeareth in them both with equal fullness, and is equally the fullness of both. Thus in this one blessed Person of thine both are made one, and are alike to me. This is the happiness of every Believer. This is my First Note.

2. Note. How unhappy is every Sinner, Prov. 5. 14. There is one brought in bewailing himself: How had I almost fallen into all Sin in the midst of the great Congregation? Thou canst never Sin out of the presence, from under the Eye of this Jesus, whose Person is the great Assembly of all Living, Immortal Beauties, pure Beauties, Spiritual, the Beauties of Holiness. A Poet in a clear night surprised by Thieves, as he Travelled, when they were now about to murder him, pointing to Heaven; so many Stars, saith he, as are yonder, so many watchful Eyes are there witnesses of this Murder: So many Forms of things, as are round about thee; so many Eyes of Heavenly Beauties look upon thee, make the darkest night to shine bright, as day round about thee, when thou thinkest to hide in the greatest secrecy the practice, or thought of any Lust. When thine Eyes shall be unsealed, how will thy Spirit within thee be amazed, and confounded, how will thine heart within thee be melted to see, that thou hast covered thyself with the loathsome, abhorred deformities of so many pollutions, so many profannesses in the midst of the great Congregation of all living Lovelinesses, and Loves walking round about thee, and seeing thee, though thou lookedst not to them? But thus much for the First part of Beauty in Christ; the Variety.

2. The Second part is the Harmony in this Variety St. Paul after that he had said; that all Fulness dwelt in Christ, addeth: and having made peace by his blood it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself, whether they be things in Heaven, or things in Earth, Col. 1. 20. The Spiritual Form of Christ is, as a Musical Instrument. All varieties of things in Heaven and Earth are so many strings upon this Instrument, which are all by the life and virtue of the Instrument itself so tuned one to another, and made to sound in Consort, that they fill the Ears of God himself with a most Divine, and pleasing Melody.

There is another Scripture, which agrees with this, and goeth further expressing the Harmony, and the Ground of it, Ephes. 1. 10. That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together all things in One in Him, both things in Heaven, and things on Earth, in Him. Here you have the Variety, all Fulness, the Fulness of Times; then the Harmony; this Fulness gathered up into One; & both these in