Soul being now sensible of its present state and seeing that there 's no Safety where the Devils have such access and influence sinks down into the Mercy and Love of God and flies to the Cross imbracing and delighting in it that so the Blood of the Cross may be shed into it to cleanse it throughout and to take away those Stains which are the Devils Mansions And here it clearly finds there 's no way of triumphing over the Prince of Death but through Death so it dies daily to that the Evil One lives in and lives to that which is death to Sin In this way there may much Discouragement sometimes seize on the Soul through the strength of Satans working and the reluctancy of Flesh and the Outward Man which is loath to subject his Neck to the sharp Axe of Death But this Bitterness is recompenced with that Refreshment the Soul finds in its Constancy of Self-denial which is attended with many glances of Divine Comfort darting in upon the Soul to encourage it and though it should for a while remain in this Progress which is bitter to the Flesh without any sensible Comfort which may well be through that great opposition the Dragon will make at this remove of the Soul yet when Patience hath had its Work and the Soul is come to be wrapt up in Contentation and Passiveness as to any Change of its Condition and so fitted for Enlargement the showers of God's Love will seasonably and sweetly descend to the strength and blessed Support of the Heart so that it will be forced to cry out It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord And what the Spirit sometimes now enjoys so sweetens the Cross that it cannot but thus break forth Why should the Soul refuse that Cross That Gold returns instead of Dross Why should it fear that piercing Nail Which rends away the fleshly Vail And gives a Prospect of that Place Which Time and Age cannot deface CHAP. VI. BY this time the Soul begins to delight in the habit of strong Self-denyal and watches diligently over its self to discover whatever is to be slain upon the Cross of God's pure Will and now it begins to be ashamed of all Passions and Affections that flow from the Animal Man and therefore much restrains it and keeps it in subjection to the Angelical which is according to that Order God himself set at the beginning Now it likewise sees how the Animal Mortal part with its Motions and Passions is too much imbraced by most few understanding how it was in the Beginning or how it is to be changed and again subjected to the Angelical Part in the Children of the Resurrection But the Soul having now some Sight and Enjoyment of the inward Spiritual Body raised from the dead is much ashamed of the outward Body which stands in the Curse under awakened Wrath seeing what Temptation Spirits are exposed to by Union with this which should continually be under the Law of Mortification till its Change lest through its Earthly Inclination it should infect the Intellect and draw the Immortal Soul into Defilement which now dares not hearken to the Allurements of the sensitive Spirit which as tempting Eve oft presents the Apples of Mortality as those which are pleasing to the Eye and good for Food But through the renewal of the Spiritual Body with its five Faculties or Powers answering to the five Senses of the External Body the Objects and Pleasure of the Outward begin to be forgot and to displease instead of alluring and affecting the Heart For by the Exercise of the Internal Senses we see Spiritual Objects as the Internal Light-World Visions of Angels and Visions of Representation In this state we likewise hear the Songs Voices and Harmony of Angels with the Harpers upon Mount Sion who there continually praise the Lord We smell the Perfumes of Christ's Garments and are oft entertained with Paradisical Odours We touch and feel the powerful tincture of Christ's Body which many times strongly affects the Heart with powerful delight We also oft taste the Heavenly Manna and those Dews of Paradise which are sweeter than Honey to that Part which receives them I could here more largely particularize the several Objects Delights and Enjoyments of the inward Spiritual senses but because there may be great Variety according to the different Gifts and Capacities of several Persons and in regard some for ought I know may pass far in the Progress of the New Birth without a particular knowledge of those Enjoyments I shall not instance in many particulars I could nor set down my own with some others peculiar and various Experiences Yet in general I cannot but affirm that the unlocking the Sences of the inward Man is a great Priviledge and that the Soul by it attains many great Supports and Refreshments to uphold it and give it incouragement to hold out to the end For truly this Communion it lives in now with the Angels of God and other Divine Objects continually minds it of Heaven and Paradise and exceedingly draws the Heart from all that is in the World where Death and Corruption is wrote upon every thing And the Dragon and Beasts bring forth their various Wonders But in this state the Soul blesseth God for that Constancy he afforded under the Cross and for that Death it hath undergone in Resignation to his Will which hath proved a passage into this Life in which the Soul beholds the opening of a New World with its glorious Hoasts And begins to feel the Sweetness of the Angelical Life and to see what we fell from by descending into the Spirit of Mortality and the sensitive Nature Now this state cannot be attained but by a Death to that which was the chief Ingagement of the Soul to the World and the primary Chain that hindred its gradual Ascent towards God And we may find there is something in every one which is the Souls Dalilah that shaves its Locks and betrays its strength and whilst this remains it cannot effectually grow in the Love of God and Conformity to Christs Death But when this subtle Harlot comes to be discovered and killed the Soul flies apace and very swiftly to Eternity for when this Wheel is taken away the smaller that depended on it lose their strength and motion and so cease with it giving Freedom to the Soul of tending towards its true Center which having regained this Liberty and attained in some Measure the Restoration of the Holy Powers of Sensation sings a Song of praise to God in this manner Blest be that Power which hath that Idol broke Which did so long depress me with her Yoke Blest be that Hand which hath restor'd to me An Eye within this World a World to see Where Angels and blest Spirits freely move As they are acted by the Laws of Love Whence they a Visit sometime deign
The WAY to the Sabbath of Rest Or the Souls Progress in the Work of REGENERATION Being a Brief Experimental Discourse of the New-Birth IN WHICH Many of the Serpents Wiles are detected The Mysteries of the Cross unvailed The Death of the Old Man the Life of the New Man the Angelical Dispensation with the Entrance into the Divine clearly laid open and discovered By Mr. Thomas Bromley Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 Whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Luke 14.27 Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Printed and are to be sold by Randal Taylor near Stationer's Hall 1692. THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER Christian Reader THE following Practical and Experimental Treatise of the New-Birth was Writ and Publish'd by the Author in his Youth about Fourty Years since and having been long out of Print and desired by many has put those who are entrusted with his Writings to communicate it to the Publick a second time with some Alterations and Amendments by the Authors own hand to prevent any occasion of Offence or Mistake And forasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord not long since to take his Servant up into that Rest whereof so many Years ago he had given him so ravishing a Pisgah sight as will in part appear from the following Sheets it has been the desire of many of his Friends to whom his Memory is and ever shall be most sweet and pretious that this DisDiscourse might be usher'd-in with a short Account concerning Him and some of his last Moments till a fuller Relation of his Holy Life be prepared for publick View which is a thing much desired by many to the end that so Saint-like and Exemplary a Life might serve for a Copy and Encouragement of the Godly and for the Reclaiming and Converting of the Wicked and Profane in these Dregs of Time wherein we have so great a Scarcity of such Examples and in which true Religion and the Fear of God seem to have left the Earth But in the mean time till some or other undertake this Task be pleased Reader to accept of these short Hints concerning the Instrument by whom our good God has been pleas'd to reach forth the following Truths and Directions in the Way and Progress to the New-Birth that Land of Rest and Peace unto thee and all those who have Ears to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Mr. Thomas Bromley was born at Vpton upon Severne in Worcester-shire of an Ancient and Honourable Family according to the Worlds Account but methinks in mentioning this I sink below the Subject I am speaking of for what 's this to one who by his better Birth was a Son and Heir of God and Coheir with the King of Kings Lord of Lords the Holy and ever Blessed Jesus He was in his younger Years religiously Educated and after he had gone through the Learning of the Schools became a Member of all-All-Souls Colledge in Oxford where God was pleased to reveal his Son in him and to make great and glorious Discoveries of himself unto him such as it may be should they be here related some would scarce be able to understand or bear And from that time forwards the Supreme Love having ravish'd his Heart with his All-surpassing Beauty became a Vail to his Eyes keeping him from beholding Vanity or lusting after it and he again in return of this special Divine Grace and Favour wholly Dedicated himself to his Service from his Youth and parting with all and denying himself became a faithful Follower and Disciple of his great Lord and Master the Holy Jesus and a true Minister of the Gospel not of the Letter but of the Spirit one that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth But having spoke a few words of the Rising of this Bright Star I must next lead you to it 's Setting passing by it's whole Course he therefore having thus for many Years walked with God the Lord was pleased before he took him to himself to exercise him with a long continued Weakness which yet did not hinder him from exercising the Functions of an Evangelical Preacher About three Weeks before his Departure he preach'd his last Sermon from these Words Acts 14.22 the latter part of the Verse That we must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God from whence he took occasion to discourse not only concerning the Outward but more especially concerning the great Inward Spiritual Sufferings and Combats of Gods People After this Sermon he grew so weak that he could not Preach and but seldom Pray in the Family Yet at sometimes when he felt the Power of God upon him he would have them call'd into his Chamber and would pray with great Fervency and Strength of Voice as if he had been in perfect Health During this time for his Setting was of one piece with his Rising and whole Course he gave many holy Exhortations to those that came to visit him and would often say He could take delight in nothing but God as having been dead to the World these many Years He declar'd to a familiar Friend of his more than once That except the Lord would be pleas'd to restore him to such a degree of Health that he might Preach the Gospel and so help to Edify the Church of God he had rather if he might choose for himself die than live for he knew whither he should go viz. to God and Christ and all the Blessed Angels c. But that he must resign And would often say That he lived in the Will of God He was observed to be much introverted and exercised in Mental Prayer or Prayer of Silence and when he heard too much talk in his Chamber he would say Be silent be silent for Silence and Stilness is best He had one Evening being about Ten Days before he died such a mighty Power of God upon him as many Years ago he had experienced in the Company and Communion of his special Spiritual Friends so that having call'd some dear Friends up to his Chamber he broke forth into singing and praising of God to the great joy comfort and refreshment of all that heard him and so likewise did about four or five days before his decease Sometime before this he discours'd to some Friends of the Difficulty of Salvation which was not to be secur'd but by giving our Hearts wholly up to God without any reserve whatsoever And then mentioned the great Love he had to Souls and desire that they might not miss of Salvation and testified his Vniversal Charity to all that fear'd God of what Persuasion or Division soever The day before he dyed some Friends being come some Miles to Visit him he with great earnestness and demonstration of Truth discours'd to them of God of the Immortality of the Soul
in the Image of his Law It sees 't is impossible in this State ever to enjoy God or come near him for without Holiness no Man can see the Lord. Here it sees 't is eternally undone without the great Mercy and Compassion of God not being able to Answer the strict Requirings of the Law obliging to that which the Soul is not capable to perform through the presence and strength of Corruption Here the Soul is driven to Christ the only Mediator betwixt God and Man who long waited for this time that so he might discover himself having long stood in the midst of it unknown and unregarded who upon the melting of the Soul into Tears of Repentance upon the renouncing Flesh and Blood with all corrupt Objects and upon the opening of the Will in the Thirst and desire of Faith enters into the Heart or rather shews himself to be There by opposing Hell by shedding abroad his holy Blood to quench the fire of Gods Wrath and wash the Soul from those sad Defilements it then lyes under Here he quiets the Soul gives the wings of Faith to it by which it flies above the reach of despairing Fears and by little and little enters into Peace and Stilness and shrouds it's self in some measure from the awakened Storms of wrathful Terror Now so far as the Soul can get by Faith into Christ so far it finds Ease Refreshment and Peace and a cessation from the sense of Guilt with cherishing Belief of the present Pardon of Sin as finding at such a time no stirring of the Will to that which had so endanger'd it before by it's poysonous Insinuations Now therefore beginning to hate Evil as a Monster and to love Christ as a Saviour it feels the Effects of Christs Meditation by satisfying Gods Justice taking away the Enmity in the Soul by the Blood of his Cróss by the meltings of Love which it feels towards God and sweet Refreshments it receives from him Now it comes to be sensible how it hath resisted Gods Love Christs Mercy the Spirits motions how it hath given the Devil interest in Christs Tabernacle and shut Him out from his own Possession Hence flow Tears of Love and Soul-melting Groans with the Mournings of the Turtle Now it imbraces Jesus weeps over Him whom it hath pierced and is wounded the more the kinder He seems in Returns of Love in regard he was before so much disobliged by the Souls Unkindness now the Soul wants ways of expressing Love overwhelmed with the sense of Goodness In this State it could die Ten thousand Deaths undergo any thing in requital to it's Saviour all it's Motions and Expressions tend to advance Christ to extol Him and predicate His unutterable Love thinking nothing enough for Him who thought not his own Life too much for it O that the Soul would faithfully remain In this sweet Frame until He comes again To waft her in his Chariot to that Throne Where God and Man are in full Vnion For Love doth pitch its true Pavilion there In other Places Love is mixt with Fear CHAP. III. WHen the Soul after its shakings attains this Settlement in Christs Love freely streaming towards it usually 't is much carried out in the sight and opening of Free-Grade which for a time strongly work upon it and induce it to yield suitable Returns in constant Obedience And this is commonly a Season of much Joy and Refreshment the Soul feeling that sensible Consolation and Divine Sweetness that causes it to break forth into continual Praises and Halelujah's to God Now as this flows from the lively apprehension of Gods Love in Christ so likewise from the clear sight of Christ in us and of that mystical transcendent Union betwixt him and the inward Man the Soul now beholding him in the ground and centre of her own pure humanity there thence darting forth the Rays of Love upon her whom before she look'd upon as at a distance without her as only sitting at the right hand of God in Heaven Now whilst this Dispensation lasts the Soul is in a perpetual Spring and a kind of delightful Paradise bathing and delighting its self in the sweet Fruition of Christs Love who in this time expresseth much kindness to it and gives frequent Testimonies of his Divine Presence But this day seldom continues very long and this Summer by little and little usually inclines toward an Autumn in which the Flowers of sensible Comfort and love-Raptures begin a little to wither and benumming flesh again shews its power in secret almost insensible dullings of the Souls Affection till by little and little it comes to a sensible Deadness which is the more tedious and burdensom the more the former dispensation was pleasant and Joyous Now what may be the reason of this declining in the Souls Enjoyments I shall not positively determine for it may proceed from different causes in different persons In some it may flow from the want of Watchfulness over their Hearts thorough the great Elevations of Free Grace in which time the flesh by little and little may collect Strength Gifts then being more eyed then Graces It may also flow from the decay of the Souls lively apprehensions of Gods Love which it felt in freeing it from the poyson and Guilt of Sin when it groaned sadly under them for so long as the strong impressions of that state remained Gods mercy eminently discovered forced the Soul into suitable meltings at the sight of it but these somewhat vanishing in time the effects likewise might cease by litle and little It may also come from want of practising the way of the Cross through our misapprehensions of being Dead when we are not or accidentally through the sensible overflowings of new Comforts which may carry the Soul out of that watchful Exercise of the Cross which at such a time is most needful But whatever is the Cause of it the Soul ought to enter into a strict Examination of it's self to sift every corner of it's inward Chambers and to pray for a clearer Light to view all subtil Corruptions that may gull it and hinder its Progress and make it set up a Standard as though all were done Oh! 't is dangerous sticking here and resting upon former Changes for this tends to the indulging of spiritual Drowsiness and Stupidity and may bring the Soul in danger of losing it's former Works by present Idleness and Relapses For God looks not at what we were but what we are our present State making us either capable of Gods out-flowing Love or obnoxious to his chastising Justice If so awake dull Soul think not to be Excused from thy present Lethargy By former Kindness when the force of Love Did pierce thy Heart and made it upward move Awake and pray that Christ in thee may give New quickning to thy Dead that it may live CHAP. IV. MAny Souls stick long in this
to give To those imbodied Souls that purely live CHAP. VII THe Soul having now attained to the Death of that which so long hindered its growth in the Pure Life and to the Enjoyment of those Spiritual Objects which exceedingly refresh and quicken the Heart in the midst of all discouragements proceeds chearfully in the strait way of Resignation offering up its Sin-Offering daily as a Sacrifice to the Fathers Justice For now the Daily Oblation is restored in the Holy Place which must continue till the death of sin and the rending away the Vail of flesh from before the most Holy Now therefore the Circumcising Knife of Gods Power constantly cutts off the Fleshly part which is offered up in the Fire of Justice and consumed before the Lord Now the Soul sees it must resist to blood that is to the Death of the Body of sin which is wholly to be separated from the Spirit with all its Members For this is that false Covering it hath wrapped it self in through the Fall instead of that naked Innocency in which there was no uncomliness and therefore no shame Except therefore this Fore-skin of the Flesh be cut off the Angelical Robe cannot be put on and as that falls off this is assumed increasing as that decays for they cannot both rise and fall together for while the outward Man decays the inward Man is renewed day by day Here it clearly appears we must forsake all we have otherwise we cannot be Christs Disciples All Objects of our Carnal Affections all complacency in Fleshly things all Propriety of Will which assuredly came through the Fall and the Souls Departing from the Universal Love the true ground of heavenly Community into the particular Objects of self-affections which as it hath been awakened by the Souls going out of Gods Will into its own so it must be Crucified by returning from its self into the pure eternal Will of God which we can never attain till we are dead to the affections of the sensitive part For carnal Love Joy Hope Fear Desire Displeasure are all the selfish Motions of the Natural Man the corrupt Members of the Body of Sin together with earthly Pride Covetousness Envy Jealousy Emulation Wrath Strife all which are the Leggs of the earthly Adam and therefore to be cast away and destroyed and in their Fall the Will comes to be crucified to all their Objects and so to all selfish Propriety Here we come to lose our own Lives to hate our selfish Motions to be slain to all fleshly Things the Will hath espoused instead of God in Christ Here we begin to be truly Poor renouncing all for Christ owning no Propriety in earthly Estates We see here that the Earth is the Lords and the Fulness thereof and that Covetousness hath been the cause of Propriety and of all those engrossings of Land and Money which most are involved in and that Christ came to destroy this Work of the Devil by his Doctrine and Pattern who had all things in common with his Disciples even as the Primitive Christians one with another which was a renewing of the Law of Love by which we were and still are obliged to love our Neighbours as our selves and to do Gods Will on Earth as it is done in Heaven where the holy Angels and glorified Saints inherit their eternal Substance in common For he that overcomes shall inherit all things Here likewise we die to and forsake earthly Relations as part of that we call Ours And though we are not to destroy natural Affection nor to neglect the performing1 forming of any due Obligation laid upon us by the Law of Nature as it accords with the Will and Justice of God yet we are to die to all such Propriety of Affection as flows from corrupt Nature and hinders the impartial Communication of our Love to every one according to the perfect Example of our Heavenly Father who takes in no fleshly Respects in the giving forth of his Love to his Creatures which is our Pattern to imitate for we are to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Here those that have Wives are as though they had none returning from Idolizing and desiring the Woman of the World to the Virgin Sophia who is the unspotted Mirrour of the eternal World the first and chief Spouse of Christ Rev. 21.2 And they that are unmarried follow the Example of Christ who lived and died in Virginity as he was born of a Virgin and this they do for the Kingdom of Heavens sake according to that precept Mat. 19.12 He that is able to receive it let him receive it where Christ speaks concerning the abstaining from Marriage and of those that have made themeselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven Whence it is clear that the dying to and crucifying of that Root whence the enjoyment of that State comes is to such a real mean to the growth and encrease of Gods Kingdom in the Soul which is to be presented as a Chaste Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 And Paul 1 Cor. 7.31 32 33 34 25. prefers the Virgins State far before the Married and therefore Verse 7. saith I would that all Men were as I am Which certainly he spake according to true Light found Judgment and great Experience in the Work and Progress of Regeneration But in a word in this State before described we come to see that we our selves are not our Own but the Lords and that we are to consecrate our Bodies Souls and Spirits to him and to resign up all we call ours to him whose is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever And truly our gradual incorporation into the Body of Christ with the Enjoyment of new Relations and Treasures which are Spiritual and Eternal make it the more easie to die to and forsake all earthly Things which being of a lower Nature shew their Rise by their Fall for being of the Earth they are earthly and return to Earth as utterly incapable tâ— enter with us into the Kingdom of Love As we then leave the Spirit of the World they leave us and so we arrive to a good degree of Conquest and Victory over that Beast which rules the whole World which gives the Soul occasion thus to express its self in praise Blest be that Power by which the Beast Is made to serve and we releast From that base servile Drudgery Which some mistake for Liberty Sad Liberty that chains poor Souls to Dust And soils immortal Things with mortal Rust CHAP. VIII THe Soul having arrived so far in the Circumcision of the Heart from the Body of Flesh and in the Renovation of the Spiritual Image cannot but have attained a good step in the Command over Imagination especially in the death of it to Complacency in any corrupt fleshly Object which now becomes too gross for the renewed mind to regard But yet we shall find the Tempter working
much upon Imagination sometimes taking advantage of the strong Influences of the external Heavens and if we are so strong as to reject Thoughts which tempt to speculative Delight in Objects which our corrupt Nature formerly imbraced but now being changed abhorreth we shall find the Evil One drawing us to close with and entertain thoughts not evil in themselves yet very evil to us because they present and feed the Soul with unprofitable Pictures which should be alone entertained with the sweet Meditation of Christs Love and the way to be compleated in it And I know many are exceedingly troubled with the working of their Imaginations on inconsiderable trifling Objects when as they dare not entertain any Thoughts grosly evil and where this State is grown into a long habit it will be difficult to come out of it though a Soul be very sensible of the Vanity of it and long to be freed from it as finding the Imagination in these workings to be like the Witch of Endor raising up the Old Prophet Samuel or the Inward Man from the sleep of Silence and innocent Stilness to be disquieted with vain Earthly things 1 Sam. 28.15 In this case therefore it concerns the Soul to stand continually upon its Watch lest it be sometimes snatcht away unawares and ingaged in Vanity before it sees where it is Here the continual Exercise of the Cross is very necessary that by it we may cast down imaginations and lead Captive every thought into the Obedience of Christ so that the chief work now is the reducing this moveable Sea into Subjection to the illuminated Understanding therefore the Soul prays and strives continually against the Power of Imagination and Activity of Thoughts which hinder the silent actings of the Intellect upon Eternity and supernatural Truths And here Faith and Perseverance are very needful We need Faith to believe that by the Power and strength of Christ we may overcome these Imaginations and Perseverance that we may not faint in the Way and give off the constant Exercise of the Cross in rejecting beating down and ceasing from these Motions of the imaginary faculty till we come to be conquerors and to Command them which is possible through Christ who is come into our World to destroy the Works of the Devil and to rule till he hath put all his Enemies under his Feet of which these idle Thoughts are a part And as the Soul here uses the Power it hath received from Christ in checking rejecting and beating down all idle thoughts as a means to overcome them so likewise it is oft Exercising of its Understanding upon the Eternal Love and free Grace of God and in considering the mystery of that Paradisical World in which the Angels and Spirits of the just are It much also reflects upon the Presence of its Saviour who hath promised to be with us to the end of the World filling all things in his Divine Nature for he continually stands at the Door and knocks so that the Soul waits every moment for the fulfilling of that Promise of his coming into it and supping with it Rev. 3.20 And this constant attending upon God with the Eye of the Understanding proves a very effectual mean to the destroying of those Imaginations which come to Entangle the Soul in unprofitable diversions In this practice the Understanding gets such power over the Imaginations that it enjoys almost a continual sight or apprehension of God's Presence and sees beyond the working of Imagination by the Eye of the Understanding enlightned and by little and little attains that strength that although we should have necessary occasion to take up our thoughts in some external Employment yet the Understanding pierceth thorough it and in the very time of exercising its reason on that particular it hath strong and clear Apprehensions of the Presence of God and the Spiritual World which clearly shews that Intellection or the true acting of the Understanding is somewhat beyond Reason which is not able to do two things at once and Act upon several Objects at the same instant And this constant Apprehension or Sense of the divine Presence is without any Fantasm it being in that Moment when the Phantasms are employed upon another Object and they having somewhat of materiality cannot afford that spiritual Sight and Apprehension such a Soul hath constantly of God which is without figure colour or similitude yet I must confess the usual Contemplations of the Soul in this state upon spiritual Objects whether of Paradise Angels supernatural Truths and Scripture Verities are not without the use of Phantasms which being ordered by Divine Light and Wisdom do in some measure according to their nature express spiritual Truth Though I confess this is far below the true Intellection of the Understanding informed with the presence of Divine Light in regard these Phantasms being generally drawn from Corporeal Objects cannot reach the essence of a Spirit And truly here the Soul plainly discovers its fall from the Divine Mind Image and Light in which it saw intuitively and could give Names according to the natures of things into the imaginary Spirit which belongs to this World and is too gross a Glass to express truly and essentially Spiritual Eternal Objects And here it appears how easily Man's Reason being the apt and methodical ordering of his Phantasms may misguide the Understanding in Spiritual things as in Comments upon Scriptures which were inspired by the Holy Ghost and wrote by Revelation and so require the help of that same Spirit to elevate the Understanding above Imagination in the true Interpretation of them especially in things which are out of the Road of those Moral Vâ—â—ities which the light of Nature impresseth upon Mens Consciences to steer them in their Lives and Conversations Then let us pray for that true Light Which gives a true and constant Sight Of God Christ Angels who do lie Much deeper than laps'd Reasons Eye Which in the Glass of Phantasie A lively Picture may espy But not the Essence of true Verity CHAP. IX THe Soul having arrived so far as to enjoy almost a continual apprehension of the Presence of God and Angels finds its self much freed from those vain thoughts which in former Dispensations were very troublesom But being Conquerour over these it must take heed lest the new Objects of Heaven Angels and spiritual Gifts set the Imagination too much a work in representing their Excellencies and picturing forth such a State of the Soul enriched with them which may yield too much imaginary Delight and draw the Spirit into the admiration of fine pleasant Pictures instead of the true Substance Therefore we are strictly to watch over the Phantasie which may easily err in this particular and not without great prejudices following upon it for first by such working of Imagination we come to slacken the Exercise of the Cross both upon Imagination its self which