North, as well as the South, over (x)Dark nefs and Light too; and in confequence of that, over the (y)northern Army, Satan and his Angels of Darkness, or the invifible cold con To exprefs and confirm the fame phyfical Truth in the Images and Characters of the outer World, the Prophet Ezekiel says, in his myftic Style, that the Worshippers, (meaning in the Days of the Meffiah) who go in by the North-Gate, fhall go out by the way of the South-Gate; and they that enter (the Temple) by the South-Gate, fhall go out by the North-Gate, that is, they fhall have the centres and genitures of Darkness and Light in their own Power, and fpiritual Forms. Ezek. xlvi. 11. And in another Place, we find the fame Truth teftified, as out of the North rifes the Whirlwind, or dark Cloud, next a Fire catching itself, that is, out of the dark Centre (where the vehement Will and ftinging Defire towards Motion begins) proceeds the whirling Agitation, or the perpetual Rotation on its Centre, as its immoveable Axis; from this Wheel is caft out the joyful Light, the fource of fweet Life, and the Feelings of all other Senfes in this Principle. For the Cherubim is faid to be the likeness of t Man, becaufe it is man in the divine Image, or a Cherub, as Lucifer was once the covering Cherub, typed under the proud King of Tyre, and fo was Adam too before his deep fleep, and his Wound in his Side. In this form only, can any Man stand before God, or fit down on the Father's Throne. Rev. iii. 21. (x) Pfal. lxxxix. 12. (y) Joel ii. 20. conftriction of all Matter, where thefe (z) Rulers of the Air are bound in their own Chain, having broke their Centre of Light, and in that Divifion they have loft the Water and Blood of their heavenly Vehicles, or Bodies; and stand Prifoners in the evil one, the folitary Principle of Darkness, which is their naked State, and in itself the Poifon of Death and Corruption. For this alfo, the Blood of the Lamb was to flow from the (a) Northfide of the Altar, where he was to be flain, because he does, as a Mediator, come into (b) our Darkness, fhedding his Water and Blood there, as the atoning, or clothing that broken Image with his Light of Life, fince no Body can rife without this quickening Spirit, nor without Matter to form it from. In this Part, he bruizes the Serpent's Head, breaking his Horn, the Band and Chain of Darknefs which myftical Ground of our Lord's Power and Priesthood from the Time of his being anointed, (which was many Ages before his manifestation in the Fashion of Man) he fhewed openly, when he came into (z) Eph. ii. 2. (a) Lev. i. 11. (b) John i. v.. Into our Flesh and Blood; and through his Paffions in the Garden by Night, broke the Strength of Satan, and on the Cros brought to full Manifeftation the Water and Blood of Redemption, though all the Hoft of Satan united their Strength to di vide his two Centres, as they had done in Adam before, in the Garden of Eden. Through thefe Sufferings, he wrefiled to bring forth the Fruit of his Paffion, that precious Water and Blood, which Satan could not touch, or infect with the Ele ments of his corrupted Kingdom of Darkmess. It is this Water of Life which the Lamb gives from the (c) River out of his Throne, or the Chariot of the Cherubim and which he pours into our old Veffels by fpiritual Fellowship of his Sufferings, Crofs and Death, which are to be filled up in bis Members and while these Pangs of the divine Generation continue, they aftor nifh and terrify as the (e) Pains of travail do the Woman; and are as truly felt in the Loins and Reins, as the Prophets who knew (c) Rev. xxii. 1. (d) Phil. iii. 10. (e) Jerem. xiii. 21. (f) Ifai. xiii. 8, xxi. 3. Jerem. xxx. 6. Nahum ii. 10. Hof. xiii. 13. knew and experienced this new Creation, have declared. This State the Pfalmist fpeaks of, when he fays (g) my Reins inArust me in the Night Seafon; for here the Water of Life is firft known, sweet and joyful beyond all Defcription, only to be felt and tafted, as all Life and Senfation must be known by itself. And as the beloved Difciple writes, (b) we speak that we have feen; which we have looked upon; and our Hands have handled of the WORD of LIFE; fo do I fpeak what I have known, and testify what I have seen, as the foretaste of Life and the Powers of the World to come, lefs deceivable than the Eye or the Hand of the body and it is a Point of no moment to thefe Children of God, who have (i) tafted the good Word revealed in their Flesh, if this Teftimony appear to the Greeks foolishness and to the Jews a Stumbling Block; and though Methodists who affect to declaim on Regeneration, and yet mean nothing but vain Words, may deride this Doctrine, because it is not in their manner (8) * of Pfal. xvi. 7. (h) I. John i. 1. (i) Heb. vi. 4, S. I. Pet. 2, 3. of prophefying and interpreting the Scriptures; yet only through the Cross of Chrift, taken up by Man; and out of preceding Anguishes, Fears and cafting down, in a temporary Darkness, and Death, can any Powers of the new Creation be manifested in our Flesh. Now the begetting, and forming of every Seed of the Word, that is, Jefus Chrift, is by the fame Means and Process, as his own was in the Flesh of the Woman under the Law; which was intended to bring to Light, without Figures or Words only, the (1) Mystery of Godli nefs, which is, God manifefted in the Flesh; in the Flesh of all his Sons, as well as in the Flesh of Chrift, the Elder, and Firstborn among many Brethren: otherwife, God might be manifefted in the Flesh of Angels, that is, in their spiritual Bodies, as he is always; and yet he could not therefore be our God, or Father, till he is revealed to us in that Image of Chrift, which is his own Seed, and a Lamb from a Lamb, the Father of the Flock. Secondly, (1) I Tim, iii. 16. . |