rest with a sober and chaste mind as to be preserved from touching any thing that defiles or wherein the soul feels not the pure love meek motion and heavenly life of Jesus Christ above all outward appearances likenesses or forms of words and as it is contrary to and envyed of all natural selfishness VII In the next place truely to know this one Lord Jesus Christ come in the flesh as the new and living way to the Father the Immanuel God with us making the atonement by the blood of his Cross to have all things subject unto him his servants in him and he in them which is the great mysterie of godliness hid from Ages and Generations until the fulness of time and then manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit believed on in the world and received up into glory which none of the wise men of this world ever knew or can know by all their learned skill of earthly wisdom nor any man that lives after the flesh or satisfieth himself with hearing reading telling or talking of him or concerning what he or his Apostles did said or suffered as those that vainly take his Name into their mouths on most occasions of their invented ways but know him not neither by his divine Nature nor Name nor how God and man became one Christ Jesus how that which may be known of God is manifest in man how he is the wonderful counsellor The mighty God The Prince of peace The Author and Finisher of our faith how he saves his people from their sins is the Reconciler without imputation of sin how he is formed in his servants and cleanseth them by his blood from all sin and unrighteousness how they take up the cross and follow him or what the cross is how the body becomes dead because of sin and the spirit alive for righteousness sake how they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones how he is their Leader and captain of salvation made perfect through sufferings how they are baptised into his death and saved by his life how the Union is perfected in all the parts and members of his body the Church what the Church is or how his Body or what it is to eat his flesh and drink his blood without which as himself said we have no life in us how every knee shall bow to him of things in heaven in earth and under the earth and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father how he is that blessed and onely Potentate King of kings and Lord of lords The head of all thrones and dominions and every name that is named c. And therefore not knowing him cannot worship him accordingly Neither are such willing to become obedient to him in his light that maketh all things manifest naked and bare whereby he brings every secret thing to light and passeth judgement upon the transgressing nature and bruiseth the branches of it with every lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and pride of life that are not of the Father but of the world nor to know him the Healer and Maker up of the breach the Repairer of the ancient path to walk in by cleansing mens souls that are full filthy while they remain ignorant of him or have any fleshly appetite lust or like desire alive in them whereby the fair pearl is blemished and much more filthy when their souls are taken up with a full love and liking of this world and wholly overcome by the sensual and fleshly part that they chuse it and delight therein as the full rest of their hearts so that they feel no liquor of life or sweetness of grace stirring them to loath what their flesh liketh nor to desire that heavenly food of their souls so they do not bear the image of sin but are born and carryed with it and of it and feel no strength but in it nor no will to leave it but yeild thereto with all ready forwardness But Jesus Christ is the food of all hungry souls and through him in him and by him are such souls reformed and restored into their first and fair likeness of God in righteousness and true holiness and so is the new man created in Christ Jesus to good works to walk in them by the Divine will and quickning Spirit whereby the flaming sword comes to be removed and the everlasting gate opened to all willing and watchful souls to enter thereat into the heavenly and endless life where Jesus Christ is the Door the Porter and Receiver always waiting ready to imbrace the souls that so watch pray wait and attend to be here in this life reformed by his Spirit into his likeness and love to live by the words of his mouth as swallowed up of the Divine will of inexpressible sweetness and so walk in the Spirit of love and meekness with sober and chaste minds as the Lords free-men without handling or touching any unclean thing that defiles or where in their souls feel not the pure love meek motion and holy life of Jesus Christ above all shadows types figures forms or fleshly things c. There be many that think they love Jesus Christ and know him to whom he may truly say I know you not depart from me ye are workers of iniquity Though they may have attained to a fleshly knowledge of him by imagining thinking and fashioning him in themselves with their minds thoughts affections desires cares and bodily wits and so suppose they love fear serve and worship him as a man like themselves yet without sin that God is wroth with them as a man that is offended that Christ died for their sins and therefore they fall down at his feet with sorrow of heart crying for mercy and pardon and like the five foolish Virgins suppose they are ready for him have good trust in his mercy and so reverence him and fear before him and thereupon do verily believe they so know and worship him because they feel their hearts moved and stirred with love to him and desire of him But this is not the worship in spirit and truth which he expects and accepts for all this while these worshippers know not their own souls nor God in Christ Jesus reconciling them to himself nor have they any Oyl in their lamps or sweet liquor of life suppling their souls for the Lord Jesus is not seen much less known and worshipped by mens imaginations for the earthly nature cannot receive retain or bear this heavenly new wine So there was a time when Christ Jesus told his Disciples he had many things to say unto them but they could not then bear them and yet being upright in hearts to the Lord he is pleased so to temper strengthen and comfort them with such an inward beholding that they forsake sins and the great love of this world whereby the invisible light of his Godhead is somewhat shadowed to the inner eye of their souls under the bedily
reasonable things But the soul is to seek for a higher knowledge of and in it self in the light as to know that it is invisible and immortal of the breath of God wherein God is to be seen spiritually which is a great mystery not to be exprest in words but to be sought out and kept clean and bright from worldly wisdom fleshly filth and earthly vanities above the sensual part to see it self in Jesus Christ the Way Truth and Life the ancient Path wherein the holy men of God ever walked to please him in diligent labour and travel of mind and sufferings of the outward man and yet with fulness of joy and spiritual delight In every spiritual work and employment mans will wisdom reasoning and earthly affections are to be left behind as Abraham left his servants when he went to offer his Son Isaac for a burnt-offering to the Lord and as Moses drawing near to God put off his shoes so all you that will draw near unto the Lord God cast aside and leave behind you your own selfishness wills wisdoms and imaginations with every high thought that exalteth it self and keeps your souls from closing with the Lord in his holy service that you may be by him prepared to meditate watch pray and give thanks in all things and at all times and embrace all divine counsel and heavenly help thereby freely tendered in the pure light and tender touches in the conscience to move the heart into an awful dread and true fear of God that by the stirrings of grace you may come to a knowledge of him spiritually which gift is common to all bat particularly received by the diligent soul that waits therein stable and firm according as it so receiveth and keepeth thereto with all ready chearfulness moving in its own measure of grace so given though it be never so little for the Lord is pleased suddenly to prepare mens hearts by putting meditations into their minds in the beginning and time of their conversions especially of such as have been much occupied in worldly defilements and then commonly the thoughts of such when once turned in are most upon their sins with great sorrow meekness and tears asking forgiveness and watching thereto as the Lord toucheth their so us sharply to make them the sooner clean for then the sin will be ever in the sight as foul and horrible and accompanied with fightings and hard conflicts in their consciences so as that they can take no rest until the Lord Jesus give it as pleaseth him wherein is his tender mercy that he may scowre and cleanse such souls the more speedily and forgive their sins as he wipeth them away wherein justification is in sanctification and sanctification accompanied with justification and fitteth the soul to receive some spiritual grace and gift of his love and so the holy Spirit oft stirreth to meditations in God which worketh a kindly work in their souls to be waited in and the fruits of the Spirit to be received and all in Jesus Christ as the pure power endless love and wisdom of God that sets the heart upon hungering after his vertue and spiritual discoveries in such exercises as God is graciously pleased to give in to the soul and so meditation watching and praying have no rules bounds or limits set by man unto them but when and as the Lord Jesus pleaseth to give by the holy Spirit for his gift it is for disposing of his chosen ones and drawing in their souls to him to be made wise in waiting knowing and obeying him spiritually wherein he giveth such tender-heartedness that they oft melt into devotion and are ravished in souls above measure somewhat like as it sometimes was with the Disciples that sate together and were filled with the holy Ghost and then spake forth the great and wonderful things of God when all they knew was oy that spiritual ravishing love and so the Lord is pleased oftentimes to open his treasury and give to some very plentifally in all ages as their souls come to be cleansed and the way made open and easie to them though the doing thereof is a great mystery to others that remain ignorant or are net watchful and diligent so that it passeth over them some growing contrary to it and at enmity with it for then the Lord withdraweth it again by reason of that slothfulness and abuse and sometimes from the more diligent to prove and try such that they may know wherein their strength standeth and after that to feel their own weakness and also know their respective states and how to love more spiritually and so partly it was with the Disciples that loved Christ much while in the flesh with them but then fleshly as in his manhood and therefore he told them it was necessary for them that he should go away and send the holy Ghost to teach them to know and love more spiritually and so the Lord oft withdraws himself outwardly that the inward and heavenly presence of his love may be the more earnestly desired meditated on and pressed after and that the soul may know its duty and employment in waiting watching and suffering until it be throughly renewed strengthned and established in his spiritual might and power to glorifie him with more fervent love and holy worship and if it so come to pass that he who is watchful and diligent therein feels not this vertue enabling him to meditation or spiritual imployment with his whole heart as he desireth but in stead thereof fee leth many other thoughts run in upon him and hinder him and the more pain he taketh to keep his heart in watching and waiting for spiritual feeling the farther off it is to the very last and again harder afterwards this is to teach him to watch more singly and sincerely within the soul and forget all things without and to know that it is no easie thing to love with all the heart until the heart be renewed for this work will be found painful and laborious at first by the pressing in of vain thoughts and a full hard task it is for him that feels no grace to be long meditating waiting and watching in his soul and much will he be encumbered with running and roving thoughts as having gotten no sure hold of his heart and therefore is the heart to be kept unto God in the light with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life or of death for there is the good or the evil treasure and when well kept there springs up wise and clear thoughts clean affections fiery desires to spititual employment vertue and vertuous actions but otherwise thereout come the contrary as evil thoughts unclean desires and affections for every mans thoughts and meditations discover to him that is of a heedful mind what he is as that whereon he thinketh and meditateth in that he loveth so that he loveth is his God and the more he loveth God the more he mindeth him and meditateth on
he witnesseth with mans spirit or how he baptiseth into the one body how the excellent mysteries of divine love are revealed to the obedient and clean soul by the holy Ghost or how so to live and walk in the Spirit as not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh This living soul is not any corporeal substance but a life invisible as God is invisible for it is of the breath of God and so is Gods in an especial manner that by its vertue beareth up the body and quickneth it and so the Spirit formed in man is said to be the candle of the Lord useful there in searching the inner parts and knowing the hearts secrets This soul consisteth of reason mind will and other faculties fit to receive and retain God in its understanding and knowledge without forgetting him or being distracted by any Creature or creaturely thing and as the Reason is enlightned and becomes clear and bright free from errour and darkness and the will and affections turned into the light and love of Christ Jesus the promised seed and endless wisdom of God and is free from all beastly love of the flesh or any Creature by his blessed love meer mercy and soveraign goodness of his holy Spirit The soul becomes as Adams was in Paradise an innocent Life of conversing with God and as Enochs that walked with God pleased him and was not found c. But this soul cannot be found or known while man hath any thing molesting it that is of his own body or bodily wits wherewith the senses may be exercised so he that will save his lise must loose it for the reasonable soul is a life immortal as well as invisible and hath a power and pure light of Christ in it self to see know and love the truth and true good which is God onely and he that truely feels and knows this and is sensible of the touches thereof feels and knows somewhat of the reasonable soul and the kindly workings of it and the more he becomes acquainted therewith in this manner the better he seeth and knoweth himself and others also and the more meek humble lowly loving tender and compassionate will he be towards all men and creatures And this was the highestate and condition the heavenly and excellent dignity that Adam lost when he became in love with himself and selfish things taking delight in earthly knowledge and worldly glory whereby he fell into a dark feeble and wretched estate like the beast that perisheth by which the love that before was clean savory and sweet in the holy Ghost was so turned into a filthy beastly love and liking of himself and the creatures wherein he sought content but found it not as it now is with all that remain in that degenerated nature and therefore the soul to be brought back to know it self and be fitted for the service whereunto it was ordained by its being gathered up into its self and fully departed from beholding all creaturely things or selfish use of bodily wits arts wisdom or knowledge of man gotten by any natural means study labour or exercise so that the soul feel it self in its own kind in being as it were without a body for as the eye of the soul is opened to Jesus Christ in his pure light and the love turned to him it is received up above all bodily creatures from beholding liking thinking on and using them and ever disdaining to be obedient to any worldly thought or earthly thing that perisheth with the using And while the soul is so kept therein cometh no errour nor deceit of its enemy because it then seeth Jesus Christ above and in him and holds the mystery of faith in a pure conscience and all created things below under his feet as not in him nor of him So David waited upon God for salvation and his heart hearkned and indited of that good matter and so became very ready in it and saw the beauty of the Lord and when the soul is brought into this heavenly harmony it truly loves God and all creatures spiritually not fleshly and carnally as in its former ignorance and is overcome with the sweetness of Christs words of love clearly revealed and spoken into the ear of the heart which that soul heareth and obeyeth with good savour and true joy in him alone and so his secrets are with his saims but not with the blind world for the ignorant soul is so over-laid with worldly love that it is all common as the high-way so that every stirring of the flesh and the Devil sinketh into it resteth therein and passeth through it as it pleaseth without controule and so if any good seed fall therein it withereth for want of earth it is choaked or these fewls of the air steal it away and devour it there being onely the degenerate nature of old Adam while that which became a living soul wants the quickning spirit to form the new man settle and establish the soul not according to the carnal commandment but after the power of the endless life But how hard and difficult this is for the rude soul so unacquainted with it self and accustomed to receive tentations make provision for the flesh and fulfil its lusts and be stirring much in filth and fleshly things to enter this strait gate to the knowledge of its self in its true light is evident by the ignorance of most and the small numbers of those that find it for most men that would finde entrance and know their souls in stead of turning in into the light of Christ turn their thoughts with imaginations into their bodies to seek for their souls and to feel them as though they were hid within their hearts as their hearts are holden and hid within their bodies Now if a man should covet to know his soul and that never so earnestly and seek for it in that manner in his body he may not possibly so find it in its self but the more he seeketh to feel and know it by studiousness as he would know or learn tongues arts or other bodily things the farther shall he be from it by that seeking and therefore so many weary themselves in vain by seeking the door in a wrong way and contrary nature whereby it is hid from the wise and prudent and revealed onely to babes and sucklings at the breasts of consolation in the pure light of Christ who is this Door and by whom the diligent soul comes truely and quickly to enter understand and know what its self is with its true Teacher and Guide while the other soul falleth suddenly into imaginations of bodily things and words supposing thereby to have or gain the light of its self and so of God and spiritual things which as I said before can never be so attained by imagination or bodily wit as the mind may see sensibly what is just between man and man by its understanding thereof for then the soul might see it self in understanding
heaven that Christ said is within the heritage of heavenly love is found and repossessed in mans soul for it is not so easily found as many usually suppose nor is it a work of one day onely but attained by much waiting in the light sweeping searching watching praying and silent mourning before the Lord and as the heart and conscience becomes purified then he shall finde that homely and peaceable presence of Jesus Christ the pearl of great price in the glimmering shadow of pure shining brightness in his soul But though Jesus Christ is so hid in the soul yet no man is any whit the better thereby that doth not there finde him and feel his operations spiritually but remains as it is written a reprobate whatsoever he may be otherwise And a great mercy it is to man that this Jewel was lost where it may be found again by the light in the scarching and watchful soul where Jesus Christ full oft calleth and knocketh by his privy voice stirring reproving and inviting the soul to a diligent search and withal to abandon other lovers vanities and entanglements that hinder the hearing of his voice for as it is said this daughter must consider and forget her own people and her fathers house of worldly thoughts loves cares and fears which hinder the soul that it can neither see him nor hear him and therefore all troublesome thoughts restless noise and imaginations are to be put away as Hagar the bond-woman that may not be heir with the son of the free woman for while the soul is in the bondage of corruption there is nothing within but black clouds and spiritual blindness with fleshly thoughts and desires crying against it in the dark conscience but as the inner eye of the soul is opened in the light which is of Jesus Christ in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily there is that pure sight and sweet love of endless vertue and blessed rest which is found within the soul by the great and burning desires for him whereby all other loves and lovers are cast out and not suffered to rest in the heart which is a right seeking for him this hid Treasure And as this stirring and waiting in the light waxeth firm stable and unmoveable it will be holpen and comforted by inward and spiritual strength of love and sweet savour in the soul with light of continual springing faithfulness and assured knowledge of him and the powers of the thoughts onely upon him and freed from every other affection to rest in the sweet anointing which is the shadow and taste of Jesus Christ and the better any soul finds him the more it will desire him in cleanness of heart and pureness of conscience to meet him more singly in the same way he appeareth and wherein it hath seen and found him at first and other times since most savourly And though thou art altogether blind and seest nothing rightly in thy self or of the Godhead of Christ yet consider seriously what thou wantest and what thou hast lost for thy soul can have no true content or sure satisfaction but in God from whence it is and if thy heart say I want and would have Jesus Christ and nothing but him onely wait therein for him as not satisfied with that appearance and follow him as he leadeth thee and more and more press forward to know him and the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings and to be made conformable to his death and so grow up in him as he moves and grows in thee and yet know that when thou hast found the most of him in the highest ravishments of spirit as Peter and Iohn in the mount or as Paul mentioned thou hast not therein fully attained to him as he is in his joy for he is still above that any soul feeleth as the fountain of all joy and sweetness but thou art ever to know and feel a spiritual longing after him and a loathing of all things else and then thou wilt find him more worth then all things even then all visions and revelations though not without visions and revelations then all joy in heaven and earth if it might be had without him for thou wilt then say in thy soul as David whom have I in heaven but thee and I desire nothing in the earth besides thee as feeling and finding that his pure presence onely gives understanding to the simple he teacheth fools knowledge whereat the Nations are angry the people and their teachers rage and imagine a vain thing against him and his holy One as not willing to know him for fear of the Cross and the shame which he despised for the joy set before him and are therefore grieved that any others should Conversion is properly a turning from evil to good from lust to pure love which is God and this conversion is ever accompanied with repentance from dead works that are past and out of that nature love and liking wherein they were wrought to serve the living and true God and therefore it is not every turning of mans body and mind from one outward form or practice to another as it were thereby to serve and worship God for then the divers Political turnings of former and latter times would be conversion to him which he may not so accept because he changeth not but is the same at all times even the unerring Father of spirits and so to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and these are outward turnings from one act of mans will to another or from evil to worse as the Proselytes that the Pharisees made sevenfold worse then before whilst the ground of sin with its branches remain standing uncut down or toucht from whence such traditional turnings arise to oppose that one truth and good way of the Lord wherein all obedient souls are made free from such shifts and changes but while men have either not know the fear of the Lord or are departed from it left and lost the power of godliness and simple truth in themselves so that their salt is without savour their minds run abroad and their hearts are filled with fleshly desires loves and fears wherein they labour night and day to gain and keep the love and friendship of this world which is enmity to God with the profits and pleasures thereof and therein serve themselves like the beasts that perish and have their hearts oft filled with wrath and revenge like unreasonable beasts against others of their own kind when they are hindred of any their desired ends and likewise against such as so hinder them not therein unless by standing in their way as the Angel before Balaam and so touching their more quick and tender parts and that onely in love to bring them back into the light and fear of the Lord that their blind and dead souls might be lighted and enlivened to have regard to the honest principle of God in themselves and others that would rule all
good and evil whereby the inner eye of Adams soul was shut and the spiritual light then over-laid as withdrawn from his soul and the outward eye of fleshly love and worldly liking was opened in him with which he did not sâ—e before nor know that new day of evil and darkness wherein he afterwards and all his posterity in that nature now rejoyce and take their pastime and yet but as in vain shews unskilful heaviness of heart with fleshly angeriness fears and dreads and this before the eye of mans understanding be opened so as to discern spiritual things or to understand Scriptures and no doubt but these are well known unto many who have also in prayer and otherwise felt and tasted the sweetness of the spiritual work so as to have thought nothing so pleasing as it and have not known what it was that they so delighted in but it was indeed the gift of God in the light to be waited on as it begets devotion contrition many sweet tears burning desires and mournings for sin to scowre and cleanse the heart and mould it into a wonderful sweetness of a ready mind to fulfil the will of God and to trust him without questioning what shall become of the outward man or other like relations so as the will of the Lord were done in him and by him But some that so obtained to this first gift of God in light that would have wrought them into a like condition and resolution had he been attended upon therein have departed from it as many did that followed Christ for a time which caused him to say to Peter and the rest Will ye go away also but if such inward feeling as this bring with it true and pure love then it may not be so lost though sloth may cause it to seem hid or clouded for a time and especially in case the mind so moved shall turn out by consent into the visible things and thereupon the evil one catch it and transform it into an angel of light and then that soul is not able to see clearly within it self who is working there much less afar off though he have a kind of outward feeling but no stability of soul or inward certainty but all sounds and favours any way satisfying the senses draw out the minde from Jesus Christ the true light so that it cannot then come to see and behold him spirituasly and love him perfectly as leading into heavenly thoughts and desires and to a loathing of self and all earthly delights and then by reason of such lazie and lustful desires the steadfast minding of JESUS is neglected and the intended knot of union then in knitting becomes loose and unties for the time But of this be sure that what spiritual feeling revelation or manifestation knits that knot of love and devotion to Jesus Christ and opens the eye of the soul to a more clear and spiritual knowing of him also begets meekness and love and settledness in the soul and casts man down by reason of his unworthiness and unprofitableness towards God and man as a wretch and out-cast of men unmeet to live amongst them by reason of his beastly lewd fleshly and blind mind ignorant of spiritual things and of his own soul not knowing Jesus Christ nor any of his spiritual workings or worship for that none worship him truely but in the spiritual revelation and feeling of himself for it is by meekness of love that a man is kept single to God and free from harshly beholding other mens deeds unskilfully done and looking on others evil actions irregularly or otherwise then as matters of mourning and cautions to himself and them and if he reprove them to do it in love soberly and secretly and to look on God and on himself as if there were no other man in the world and himself most wretched and vile and teacheth him ever to watch diligently lest sin get entrance into his soul to judge or condemn no man hastily but say always to himself What have I been what am I what hath God done for me what have I done against him and what for him thereby to come and see his own state and station and as the Lord giveth him grace to wait in that his own measure of the gift and never fain to have more then he hath in faith and feeling or act otherwise then he hath received grace and keeps to that though it be never so little and moves not our of that so received or to do any thing because another did or doth it for that cannot be of faith but will run a man out of breath and become sin to his soul And know for certain that he who waiteth meekly and acteth according to his measure of grace received until more be given by the pure motion and revelation of Jesus Christ and yet ever desireth more most and best but works onely according to what he hath shall be sure in due time to have a suitable supply And thus ought every man to enter particularly into his own soul to know it and the strength thereof with its fairness or foulness to see its dignity at first and wretchedness by sin since with the labouring in the soul against the ground of all sin little and much which ground is onely the false misruled love of mans heart to himself from which at first sin had its beginning in him and until this fallow-ground be plainly plowed up and all fleshly and worldly loves hopes desires and fears be removed the soul can never see and feel the pure burning spiritual love of Jesus Christ nor enjoy his presence in the soul or discern spiritual things by the light of understanding which is not right until wrought into the fear of God for thereby is the mind and heart drawn out to all sinful likings by mans own understanding to rest in all beastly love earthly thoughts and fleshly things and therefore it is at first so laborious to love Jesus Christ truely and spiritually and may not be while his love is not felt therein because that must teach him to hate his fleshly life father and mother as Christ said and take up the cross quietly and follow Christ as before is said to the mortifying of his members that are earthly even every unclean lust and unskilful love of himself and see the ground of sin broken within and by degrees the body thereof destroyed as there shall be a loathing and despising of it in the heart and of all the beauty liking and fairness of this present world as a stinking Carrion labouring night and day to war spiritually against it and all its enticements as the spiritual eye shall be opened for otherwise none can see it much less war against its enterprises As Adam by his sin saw and felt the new light of fleshly love and likings of this world which in his innocency he saw not in the new and evil day that Job cursed being the concupiscence which the
free to wait on Jesus Christ as he ought for so long as love to any creature or lustful desire carries the mind out from Jesus Christ his true light within he cannot die to the world nor come into this darkness of knowing himself be crucified to the world as not desiring it nor accepting it And for this forsaking said Jesus Christ he shall have a hundred fold even the profit of this darkness be hid through grace from worldly goods that he seek them not earnestly is not letted by them loveth them not looketh not after them and therefore hath an hundred fold more then any King or rich man of the earth that takes care to keep that he hath and yet covets more for he that coveteth Jesus Christ and him onely he hath more rest of heart and conscience true love and delight in his soul in one hour then he that loveth the things of this world hath or can have in all his life-time and this darkness is but as mid-day when the Sun shineth out of the darkness and Jesus Christ giveth rest to his beloved that standeth firm in his counsâ—l and doubteth not nor is afraid for any evil tydings because his heart is sined and is well assured that the light of knowledge and feeling of spiritual love is in Christ Jesus of him and for him and that the darkiness in forsaking of worldly love is by his forming and reformming the soul onely to and for himself and that he reformeth us in us and not without us for grace is inwardly given at first and so wrought by degrees as man applyeth his heart thereto As first Jesus Christ by his light and Spirit calleth from worldly vanities and that then brings great sweerness and joy with it but if left and not seconded it stayeth there but for a little season though the remembrance thereof abideth and after that the time of reforming and setting the soul at rights is with much labour and watching for when the mind is set against all sin within and without and the desire wholly on the love of Jesus Christ wherein there will be felt many lets from within in his own will and without from his enemies by temptations and his great torment that he hath lived so long in the false love of the world and this will stick close to him until he pass through spiritual tribulation and be purified through fears doubts and perplexities that he will be near unto despair and wholly left unto the enemy save onely that the Lord Jesus privately loveth him and such a soul hath also private trust in his mercy and go he never so far he shall not fall because he is born up from despair though with great inward pain so that he sometimes knoweth not whence it cometh and yet then that soul would not for all the world be blinded with the false love as before it was for that were hell to such a soul and this the Lord Jesus doth in pure love and for great profit to that soul to drive out sensuality that it might receive spiritual light And when the soul is reformed in feeling and freely accepteth the gift of perfect cleansing to enter into the rest and cease from his own works as God did from his then is Jesus Christ more sweetly familiar with the soul that is so brought through the fire of afflictions into true peace and in this working some souls have great devotion in prayer and main touchings of spiritual light in understanding and others of comfortable heat and great sweetness and never come fully to this restful darkness with a present fervent desire of lasting love and longing after God but these inward feelings where they stand in compunction and sorrow for sin or of devotion or outward imagination are not the feelings that the soul shall have and feel in the gracious habitation with God spiritually while in this life or body of flesh though they may be gracious gifts of God and not to be abused or neglected although the soul that feels them is not yet reformed in feeling for it hath not yet received the gift of perfect and spiritual burning love to Jesus Christ as they may come to if they be faithful in it and yet they may feel more of the love of God then others that have that gift in the way towards perfect feeling in as much as the feeling sheweth more outwardly by their fervour in bodily tokens as in weeping praying speaking and other bodily stirrings and strivings that some others would think them ravished with love c. Yet still consider that these stirrings and strivings are of God to stay them from the worldly love and lusts of the flesh that have so long been rooted in their hearts from which worldly love they may not be drawn out by such feeble stirrings of great fervour and outward strength which is no true token of much love but of weakness and little love in their souls that cannot bear a little touching of God for it is yet fleshly and fastened thereto and not mortified there from by the work of the Spirit of God For the touch seems so quick and also delectable over all things felt before in fleshly love of earthly things that it is over-taken with it for that it is so new sudden and strange that the body cannot well bear it but breaketh out into weepings bodily stirrings and other actions as Christ said the old bottles would break and not hold the new wine but that God keepeth it whole in mercy letteth it break out into tears and words through weakness and feebleness of soul and not because of much love as some may suppose but afterwards when through love the uncleanness is melted out of the soul by such fervour then is the love clear and standeth still and then perfect love casteth out fear then is the soul in peace and much more in love then before though it shew less outward for it is now all whole at rest within and little appearing outwardly For in the first state such feelings come to the soul suddainly before it be well aware and as it comes before the soul knows it so it oft returneth or departeth without its knowledge neither can the soul tell how to come to that state again no know where to find it for the thought are not yet kept within in the light with a firm longing desire to Jesus Christ nor the eye of the soul kept open and neer to the spiritual beholding of heavenly things and so the heart is not sixed and then what weakness and unsuitableness is in all without stedfasness firm faith and full intent to God to know his secrets and obey his will And it is always to be diligently minded that there are two manner of feelings the one inward according to mans bodily wit and skill and the other more inward or within that being of spiritual light wisdom and skill which the holy Ghost teacheth and planteth in
the powers of the soul So there is a meekness that is gained by the working of reason in fleshly feeling and another that is deeply felt in the soul and is the free and spiritual gift of love and it is a full hard thing and a great mystery to him that stands in the working of his own reason to keep constant rest and softness in his heart and charity to love men when they despise him without resisting or repining thereat c. Both these are of love but the first worketh by the reason of the soul the second worketh by the holy Spirit in the soul and so the first is imperfect the second perfect The first meekness a man feeleth in beholding his sin and wretchedness and judging himself unworthy of any mercy or good thing at the hand of God and as the worst of creatures worthy of all sufferings and thus thrusteth himself down under all others and grieveth in his heart when he is overcome by any temptation confesseth accuseth himself and asketh forgiveness c. But this is not perfect meekness for it comes of beginning to profit in grace caused by beholding of sins and this is the meekness that love worketh by the reason of the soul But perfect meekness the soul feeleth of the sight and spiritual knowledge of Jesus Christ seeing him to be all and do all in the soul and for it and hath so great love and joy in that spiritual sight that it forgetteth it self after a sort and leaneth to Jesus Christ with all the love it hath to behold him and heeds not any unworthiness or sins before done but setteth it self with all sins past and good deeds also at nought as unworthy to be remembred and judgeth no particular soul neither better nor worse them himself but loves and helps the good in all and every man therein and slighteth and despiseth all the joy and worship of this world as seeing it so little and nought in regard of the joy and love the soul feeleth in the spiritual sight of Jesus Christ and knowledge of his purity and holiness that though he might have all worldly joy and worship without sin yet he would not meddle with it The world hath no savour in this meekness but is exceeding far from it It is the lover of Jesus Christ onely that hath this meekness abiding in him with liking and gladness and that without any heaviness or stirring for it But the world hath a proud meekness belonging to an hypocrite without this joy or gladness by the gift of the holy Ghost and do heed the praises of men as also fear their dispraises taking pleasure or displeasure thereat in themselves and it 's like this was the snare that David prayed to have his heart pluckt out of And many that yet love the praise of men more then God or his praise do bestir themselves travel and labour with their wills wits and affections and so think on God Christ and outward exercises as it were by their strength to draw out of themselves a feeling of the love of God in Christ even by bodily force and mastery if that were possible But these love not spiritually nor is this a kindly or gracious work of love but a kind of maddoing of the soul at Reasons bidding which without meekness and forsaking the love of earthly things is very dangerous to beget spiritual pride which otherwise done in meekness of love and a loathing of all earthly affections may finde favour with the Lord and be by him changed from mans own works into spiritual workings for as man cannot think a good thought of himself so he ought to forbear his own thinkings words and works as not good and therefore can find no acceptance with God and wait with patience for the Lords working in him to will and to do of his good pleasure all other workings being to the soul's greater sufferings and loss as the Prophet said The kindling of fires with mans own sparks causeth the foul to lie down in sorrow In such an imperfect Lover Love worketh freely by the affections of man but in perfect Lovers Love worketh within in the light by spiritual affections killing all other affections in the soul and that both kindly and quietly but man not knowing this work of the holy Spirit will not believe how the vertues of Meekness Soberness Chastity Love and Cleanness is wrought so quietly and surely without travel or painful labour of the body and bodily wits and therefore they labour and toil day after day with their Reasons and outward exercises in their own strength to get vertues and make love by words and other stirrings and what they seem so to get they have much more ado to keep with all their fightings against sin contendings for grace and wranglings about it and therefore are like Wrastlers sometimes above and soon again underneath up and down in and out off and on getting and losing and so weary their wits and tire themselves because all this striving is in their own reason might and strength of self-will as fightings with themselves but neither in true savour nor love and therefore have not the victory or upper hand of what they strive about and such must loose the full rest because no man may so put himself fully into Gods hands for that man seeth him not but his eye being shut he thereby closeth it faster lest he should see and will not know it and though some such may suffer bodily pains for what they do as in love to Jesus Christ and that gladly yet being not of the holy Spirit led by the fire of burning love and brightness it is fully mingled with high pride presumption judging and disdaining them by whom they suffer and yet these say and think they are in charity and that they suffer all for the love of God but are begailed by the Devil's transformings because their knowledge of God is principally in imaginations and their love to him in natural affections and bodily likenesses at the best but as milk before strong meat for in strong feeding on the Father's Bread at his own Table the imaginations may not be serviceable unless to the feeling in understanding when need is and then onely as a hand-maid waiting on the hand of her Dame Many do like well of the Vertues of Meekness Lowliness and Patience as in their own reasons and wills that are enemies thereto in their affections through grudgings in themselves at those in whom they are and so can have no love to Vertue or vertuous men or know how to delight in them as such spiritually and what these men do by the stirrings of reason in them is but out of a fleshly fear of God or rather applause of men for Jesus Christ is but as a stranger to the soul until his Image be therein reformed in meekness and love which is his Livery and wherein he discovers himself and his secrets as he said to his
rightly known to it to live and grow up in it as it is in all meek souls that in a still and quiet staidness suffer him and yeild to him for the increase and finishing of his own work therein The Soul of Man which the LORD GOD formed as hath been said by breathing of his breath of life into him is a worthy likeness image or similitude of God not the bodily shape but the inner powers thereof but since falling from the light and heavenly presence of sweet love and sure joy into the painful darkness and lusts of this wretched life is by his own act cast out of the heritage of heaven So that man now in no wise can know Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world by running out with his thoughts into the most excellent way that mans wit can imagine but by a turning the Soul in to that of God within it self in the light thereof and there waiting for his still voice wherein the Lord Jesus Christ moveth which the wise and prudent men of this world imagine to be a low mean natural and contemptible thing but therein is the living and true God discovered to the soul and exalted above all created things whereby the soul seeth it self and also above it self into the heavenly place while it is so kept in the most inner and precious clean part of it self and taketh pure pleasure therein and that not onely for the light sake but for the blessed love which is in that light and the knowledge it giveth how to seek God within and forget all bodily things without and also forget thinking of it self and wayting to finde therein onely the uncreated God that made him and gave him reason will and affections and quickeneth him in Christ Jesus by his blessed light and so as Christ Jesus moves in him by his grace so moveth the soul to find and feel him more in himself as the true light which is not a natural or bodily thing but truth and faithfulness in spiritual light for as bodily light serveth to the body or outward man so this true light and faithful spiritual being which is God in Christ sheweth to the reason of the soul first it self and then in and by it self all other spiritual things that are needful to the knowledge and salvation of the Soul So said David By or In thy light we see light And thus is God a consuming fire that burneth and consumeth sin out of the soul and purifieth it even as fire parifieth Metals and these are as favory words as also is the work to those that so receive them and when the inner eye of the Soul is opened through grace to have such a beholding of Jesus Christ thereby shall the soul be raught to turn the outward powers into spiritual use and not to reft in a bare believing but grow in farther sight and knowledge of him untill the reasonable soul receive the kingdome of God as Christ said and that full blessed and endless life in him And in order thereto ever to feel and know how Jesus Christ opens the inner eye of the soul of his goodness and meer mercy when and as he pleaseth by lighting the reason with his true inner light in the conscience to see him and know him by little and little as the soul may suffer him whereby he gently sheweth the soul that he is an unchangeable being of saving strength faithfulness goodness and blessedness of endless life which the obedient soul learneth to see as much more then can be well express'd as Jesus pleaseth to reveal to him by his holy Spirit and that not blindly nakedly or unsavourily as in mans own reason by his outward learning or other bodily abilities but with an understanding enlightned comforted and strengthened by the gift of the holy Ghost with a wonderfull inexpressible love reverence godly fear spirituall savour and heavenly delight so as that the affections become ravished therewith and keeps from the minding of earthly things And thus is Go pleased to beget his owne likeness in man which beg tring is his Son in flesh even that goodness sight and sure knowledge of God in Christ and love unfained in him which is a reforming of the soul in faith and feeling and yet may not be grown so fully perfect in love as some have felt and written of but the more clean clear and simple the soul is made in parting from fleshly love the more quick sight and greater love to God it hath and it may be so as though there were no other man that believed in or loved Jesus Christ but that he were alone as Elijah once thought yet he would love him trust in him and follow him and not part with him for all other things and then a man valueth all earthly created things at one rate as nothing worth in his esteem knowing that both the love and the things themselves that worldly men esteem and delight in shall perish together coveting nothing but close communion with Jesus Christ spiritually not fleshly for he knows not after the flesh but loves and owns Jesus Christ in all men without respect to outward persons and things and flies from the vain sights of worldly delights that others take pleasure in his delight being onely in Jesus Christ lest other things should let the freedome of his heart from him neither doth he value or heed the speakings of other men unless in the same light love meekness of Jesus Christ and would rather be still in peace having nothing outwardly unless it be spoken feelingly and stirringly as of the love of Jesus to farther him therein And as for speaking or hearing of worldly speech it hath no savour in him much less stories tidings or vain janglings can have no place in his thoughts and therefore not in his affections for as the inner eye of the soul is opened through faith working by love into the beholding of Jesus Christ by inspiration of speciall grace it is thereby made clean subtill and able to move to and work in the Lords vineyard in such manner of working by the holy Ghost as the greatest learned men on earth cannot imagine with all their wit and skill much less shew it with their tongues because it is not gotten by study nor through any mans labour but by pure and speciall gift of the holy Ghost and is not different in quality from the heavenly gift in conversion of the chosen souls but is the same though it be otherwise felt and shadowed out to the soul For as the soul groweth in grace so grace groweth in the soul and increaseth more and more unto the perfect day and heavenly kingdom of especiall seeing into the secrets of the Lord Jesus so that when the heart awaketh to God and is knit to him then it sleepeth and is lost from the world And thus the Apostles slept to the worldly love while in true inspiration of
the holy Ghost contemplating on Jesus Christ they were awake though they had other sleeps sometimes as when Christ said Could you not watch with me one houre having their souls inspired through grace and the speciall eye therein opened and beholding Jesus Christ in purity and poverty of spirit inward silence true rest peace in conscience highness of heavenly thoughts with singleness and purity of heart disliking the joyes of this world and onely delighted with spirituall savour of bright burning love thirsting for and gently seeking the Lords blessed presence spiritually These are true testimonies of the inspiration of the holy Ghost in this keeping the spirituall eye of the soul but seeing that reforming onely in faith and fleshly feeling is very low and perilous in its beginning because of the aptness then to yield to the tempter and backslide and reforming in spirituall feeling and savour so high and sure great diligence is requisite in watching waiting coveting and labouring as the Lord Jesus moveth in disposing the affections and bringing the heart to cleanness and feeling of grace which is a constant work of much travel of soul against all wicked stirrings and temptations for it so falls out with some that through negligence and yielding to tentations the enemy enters the soul again and then it feels not the grace as it did but it is withdrawn and the soul returns into the state as before but then the soul is in much blindness pain sorrow and unsavouriness for it relisheth worldly things but unsavourily and is encumbered with bodily wit and earthly matters for the time and then it desireth after the grace of Christ Jesus again and may not find it for a time but this withdrawing is alwayes for just cause and also in much merey to prove the soul and let it see that without Christ it can do nothing and come to him again with much pain and labour fear care and watchfulness while it supposeth that Jesus Christ heareth not which is his dealing with many for their spirituall strength and growth in him for then the Lord Jesus is sure that the soul will not turn again to worldly love for that it can have no savour therein and then after a time Jesus Christ returneth into that soul full of grace and truth visiteth it in its desires sighs and longings for very love to his presence and then as he toucheth it softly and anoynieth it with the oyle of gladness it is healed of all pains and pantings and then it cryeth to Jesus in the spirit with a glad heart and sweet still voyce as his love teacheth This opening of the spirituall eye of the soule is a light darknesle and rich poverty leading to purity of spirit quietness of conscience inward peace and spirituall rest with high and heavenly thoughts in singleness of soul a light and feeling of grace in the secrets of the heart tasting heavenly savour of inflamed love with bright-shining light of reforming into pure feeling whereof many holy men of God have written every one according to his respective feeling thereof in the grace of the holy Ghost and though they seem divers in shewing by words because then each one spake after his own then receiving and encreasing in grace yet nevertheless they agreed in all as in one sentence of unchangable verity for the soul that through the Lords mercifull visiting with his grace comes to see the face of Jesus by that touching and especiall grace of the holy Ghost is changed and turned from what it was into another manner of living for it is wonderfully drawn first into it self from love and likings of all earthly things insomuch that it hath lost the savour of the bodily life and all things else save onely Jesus Christ and is thereby made clean from all the filth of sin and all inordinate affections are wiped off and washed away in the blood of the Lamb and hath nothing standing to hinder him between God and his soul but onely the bodily eye which is thereby become blind and the soul in spirituall rest with Jesus Christ without fears cares or desires of worldly things but fully imployed in a free and spiritual working and love therein whereby its rest increaseth to perfection it being truly called rest because grace hath wholly loosed the heavy yoak and bonds of fleshly love to work with ease in sweet amity joy and delight as the holy Spirit directeth the soul and leadeth it And this doth silence the soul from janglings of all other speakers for it is the voyce of Jesus Christ in heavenly vertue softly sounding in the clean soul by his quick and piercing word sharply dividing between the joynts and marrow and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart that slayeth all fleshly love and keepeth the soul quiet from all the stirrings thereof and so is silence made in heaven for half an hour as it is written even within in the clean soul that is lifted up by grace from earthly love to heavenly conversation and so it is in silence though but for a short time before it be again assaulted by its enemies yet hath it peace in conscience because this grace puts out all gratings prickings stirrings and fightings of sin making Jesus Christ and the soul both one in agreement of will and affections so that there are no upbraidings of sin nor reprovings for faults for the Son and that soul have kissed each other and are become friends and all faults past are forgiven whereby the soul feeleth assurance of its salvation by the witness of the holy Ghost in the heart and thereby receiveth day by day more and more spirituall joy and boldness to come to the throne of grace the holy Spirit bearing witness of its sonship and the witness in the conscience administring sure consolation with peace and pure accord love and lasting friendship between Jesus Christ and the soul so that the soul is then above the world in high and heavenly contemplation which is an earnest of true glory here in the body in the knowledge of Jesus Christ with so strong and lasting desires of love that many waters cannot quench And blessed is that soul which is ever fed in feeling of love in Jesus Christs presence is born up by desire to him in his absence for he is wise and hath well learned Christ that holdeth him sadly and reverently with pure affections while he is present and while he is as absent beareth it patiently and easily without bitter pains of impure desires and as there are diversities of feelings in the presence of grace so there are in the absence of grace according to the souls meekness or growth therein and therefore he that knoweth not the absence of grace is readily deceived by outward sounds of other mens sayings and he that is not diligent and watchfull to keep the presence of grace is very unkind to Jesus Christ that in and for love giveth it for the soul should be
THE One Good Way OF GOD CONTRARY To the many different ways of Mens making WITH Loving Warnings Exhortations Cautions to all sorts of men concerning their souls and to be at peace amongst themselves By One that truly loves them in and for God Known by the outward name RICHARD HODDEN Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap c. Ephes 6.11 12. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil for we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Ephes 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and frâ— â—nd carried about with every wind of doctrine by slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive LONDON Printed by J. C. and are to be sold by Richard Moon Book-seller in Windstreet in Bristol 1661. To the READER Friendly Reader I Have here made mention of the Good Cause and Way of God in plain words according to the knowledge of his Son revealed in me with much love to all men that they might with their eyes see and with their ears hear the voice of the beloved Son of God be converted healed and live unto him in righteousness and true holiness And if thou be willing to know this one way for thine own soul with the true state thereof turn in thy mind to the pure light of the Lord Jesus to the word that is neer thee in thy mouth and in thine heart commune there and be still to obey it that thou maist know thine own Teacher learn thine own Lesson feel and find how thy soul prospereth and travelleth in its journey towards the holy Land of heavenly Love and blessed Rest to enter therein and cease from thy own works as God did from his And thus prepared read on considerately with deep sadness great dread love and meeckness that thou maist feel the love and favour therein not to get words and thereby deceive thy soul and ever mind the present stirrings in thy heart to love and long after the Lords knocking at thy door for thee to open that the King of glory may come in and shew thee what his good pleasure it in thine own particular for thy good without running into others conditions to loose thine own strength that thou maist walk in obedience thereto by the leading of his blessed spirit of holiness whatever others scoffingly may speak thereof and so feel and find what adviseable part of the ensuing Treatise may concern thy present state and therein wait and abide faithful until thou shalt hear the voice saying Come up higher and then follow it for the eternal life here but hinted at is far from the roving wild mind and unstable soul and cannot be truely tasted or sweetly savoured so long as the soul remains ignorant of its self and true Teacher or beholds any created things and mingles with them because Eternity is perfectly free from all similitudes appearances and perishing things as being of and in the Father of lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of changing whose pure presence so ravisheth the enlightned souls that it desireth nothing but union with that light and to know and do what that willeth in him and therein seeketh to bring all others into the same heavenly frame and happy estate of endless joy and blessed love without hope of reward or fear of punishment wherein dependeth all the souls happiness which no man ought to shun neither indeed doth but he that is wilfully blind willingly ignorant of the love of God in Christ Jesus the true light and enemy to vertue and the health and safety of his own soul because this pure path is ready prepared and ever open waiting to embrace and conduct the soul that so cometh and is such as whereas the pure mind finds the entrance easie plain and pleasant such as wherein the unlearned fools in the worlds esteem and of mean capacities cannot erre but the worldly-wise prudent and learned Clerks may not thereby be acquainted with it it is so contrary to their wisdom and the entrance a strait gate to them because therein their invented Arts and earthly skill have no place which they that trust to shall one day know and pay for their credulity though otherwise commendable and useful in the managing of earthly matters And herein is the great mercy of Almighty God manifested in Christ Jesus to sinners that have long neglected his love that the poor the blind the lame and all willing watchful and weary souls that truly love him in his least and lowest appearance might come to him and in his pure path of pleasure and light see light and finde refreshment as those that have gone before in owning and witnessing his good old Cause in his way as did righteous Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ Jesus himself and his Disciples Martyrs and others did and still do to obey him in all the leadings of his love in their souls and feelings of his grace and spiritual favour that they may know him more and better and so grow up in him and by his spiritual nourishment pruning and purging be sitted to bring forth more fruit in most humble and modest manner of obedience according to the farther discoveries of his higher glory and be therein exercised that the purchased inheritance of the Saints in light and crown thereof may be in due time received Thy Friend R. H. The Contents 1 EPistle 2 Of Adam 3 Worldlings 4 Formalists 5 Zealots 6 Love of God 7 Jesus Christ 8 Soul 9 Meditations 10 Prayer 11 Pearl 12 Conversion 13 Temptations 14 Faith in fleshly feeling 15 Darkness of Soul 16 Meekness of Love 17 Faith in spiritual favour 18 Conclusion Peace in all Humility in all The Cross in all Tenderness in all The One Good Way of GOD Contrary to the many different Ways of Men's Making I Intend not here to say much though something may be expected of the Manner how Matter whereof or Time when the Lord God formed the first Man Adam and breathed into him the breath of life whereby he became a living soul or how long he abode in that innocent life of obedience according to the abilities thereby given him to converse with God and give names to the other Creatures according to their natures how God made him a meet helper how the Devil as a sâ—btil Serpent prevailed with the woman and both with Adam to learn and strive to be kingly potent and skilful to reign and rule over the Love and meekness of God and by self-will to look out with a lastful minde after what was forbidden him and to take content in the visible things of this Earthly Creation and be ambitious and covetous thereof wherein the devils Kingdom consists for which the serpent
was rejected and also man cast out of Paradice from the sweet presence of God into this visible world to take his portion where his proud heart had chosen it in the knowledge of good and evil inventions and lusts without and contrary to God and how this begot in him an evil opinion of God trouble of Mind and condemnation in himself whereby sorrow of soul seised on him love meekness and humanity was lost and he was dead unto God and all good but alive to every lust and fleshly delight inwardly as a devil and outwardly as a beast by his so abusing his trust insomuch that he then esteemed God who before was his life and delight as his enemy and became affraid of him and could in no wise change his mind to love and trust God again though the Lord God changed not but covered himself with outward things as Fig-leaves and hid himself from the presence of God amongst the trees when he heard his voice there in the cool of the day Or how Adam excused himself concerning his nakedness his fear or the prevalency of the temptation by reason of his light or loose-mindedness how he was driven out of the Garden and Cherubims with a flaming sword set up to turn every way and keep the way of the tree of life or what was figured out thereby concerning mans having his chosen portion in this world of his own will selfish wisdom and earthly glory by which sin entred and death by sin came over all men inasmuch as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God by turning his truth into a lye worshipping and serving the Creature instead of the Creator who is God over all and rich unto all that call upon him and so are become enemies in their minds through evil works and to every good work reprobares and no way to be recovered but through the love and tender mercy of the Lord God so much abused in the then promised seed to bruise the Serpents head destroy his sinful will and wisdom in mans mortal body and restore him again to God from whom by transgression he fell by turning his mind into the eternal counsel will and thereby bringing in an everlasting righteousness in the new man created in Christ Jesus by the spirit of holiness to good works and walk in them to the restauration of all things c. But of these things briefly that I may be more large touching the end of mans Creation and his duty in relation thereto in which Abel offered an acceptable sacrifice Snoch walked with God pleased him was translated and not found by any tentation for God took him into the eternal heavenly hearing seeing tasting feeling of love and firm obedience wherein the Lord GOD accepts every man that so comes unto him in Christ Jesus the same unchangeable way truth and life as babes and sucklings and so receive his kingdom as little children and in the new spiritual birth and by the sincere milk of the word grow up in him and become wholly his and for him in his eternal counsel and will and have their conversations in heaven hating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God and partaking of his holiness and glory wherein the Tempter cannot find them though he may contend as he did about the body of Moses But though Enoch so walked with God and after him Noah was singular in his generation yet as it is written The wickedness of man was great in the earth the imaginations and thoughts of his hears onely evil continually for all flesh had corrupted their way the earth was filled with violence insomuch that the Lord repented that he had made man on the earth but man by his Deed causing this repented not to give glory to God in any general way yet for all this the Lords love and long suffering waited in the days of Noah and afterwards suffered the evil manners of his people the natural seed of Abraham in the wilderness and endured as now he doth the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction by unbelief hardness of heart and rebellion against him that spend their times and weary their wits about eating drinking revelling dancin and serving their lusts of all kinds with violence in vicious living as if that were the very end of mans Creation The Lords love in tendering redemption his outward chastisements inward smitings and sufferings in his beloved servants whereby he warneth all men to repentance and to take heed how they allow or plead for their sins as most do saying They must have their sins while their souls are in their bodies or as some speak until their last gasp but it were better said by such men That they may but will not come to Christ to be led otherwise by his light and spirit of holiness to be cleansed from all unrighteousness were they but willing to follow him in his blessed footsteps before the Lords jealousie and wrath be yet farther kindled against them that so wax old in their evil ways by custom therein specially in these times of tryal while he is working wonders in the earth and delivering his chosen ones avenging his elect that cry to him executing the judgement written as well for the rebellious as for proving and purging his own houshold-servants or think the time not near when he shall say They are turned to their idols let them alone They that are filthy let them be filthy still Why should they be smitten any more Let them go to the gods they have served Give them their portion c. As ignorance is ever the mother of Devotion in erroneous principles Opinions and Practises so consequently it is of Divisions in those erroneous-paths whereby wilful ignorance is turned into immodest Zeal and hasty frowardness to make by-ways with gaudy and guilded shews for others to fall down before and worship but my business being here specially to give some directions to weary Travellers that are going out of their way and yet would know and enter the door of mercy and hope to find refreshment for their souls and likewise to the rebellious that are in bondage that the Lord God might dwell amongst them and bring them also into his fold and freedom of glorious liberty with the sons of God and therefore briefly touch and pass over the many by-ways that lead to and thorow Presumption into Despair and thence into endless misery as the way of Cain Nimrod the old world Jannes and Jambres Ishmael Esau Core and his company Nadab and Abibu Balaam and sundry other false Prophets Apostates and Persecutors as recorded in holy Scripture over-many here to mention and at this time too manifestly in use to be now hid III. The covetous prophane worldly men in their several ways chuse their portions in this world their great desires hopes fears and cares being to get save and possess an earthly inheritance which is their portion and their hearts there also some taking
liberty in the will of Satan and the flesh to use or rather abuse the outward things upon their own lusts without any touch of Conscience as being unwilling to know what Conscience and the light therein means lest it should hinder their earthly happiness of glorying in their shame as men not in their right minds but bereaved of their wits not knowing what they are of whom they are to whom they belong what their business is here or how to gain content in anything but every Toy disquiets their minds every filthy lust takes hold of them and gets dominion over them leads them captive and they say they cannot help it some adding that if God had given them grace to forsake their evil ways as he hath done to some others then they should be happy and gladly leave their sinful courses and when God giveth them grace they will c. Now to such I say They speak truely but very wickedly that they have no grace and therefore none they will have though the grace of God hath appeared to all men but they continue still in their filthy love and delight in their lusts and that because they disable themselves to receive grace and neither wait to be prepared for the drawings of God in them nor take any heed to his leading or light that would shew them better but resist all so that they seldome feel any glimpse of the light of Christ neither are willing to suffer it to rest in or shine into their souls lest it should draw them from the great love and liking of this world and the lusts that seem so sweet to them But Do they say they want grace to resist sin and tentations thereto that do presently yeild themselves to sin upon the motions thereof These men have grace truely offered to them but they withstand it and turn it into wantonness and resist the true light and holy Spirit when it moveth and striveth with them as sometime did the old world whereby it becomes as natural to such men to commit sin as the Ox to drink in water and therefore think it impossible to withstand it but it is by reason of their custom therein and willingness thereto which doth so weaken and enfeeble their wills and affections to grace that they feel not the vertue thereof to resist the Devil or sin when he offers it to the soul and when they do feel inward smitings in their Consciences or as a heavy weight upon them they presently to quiet their Consciences flee to their vain pleasures and lustful practises even as beasts and Sodomites to eat and drink and rise up to play fill themselves with worldly solace and leave tokens of their jollity behind them from whence that general Question ariseth Do you love this meat or drink this or the other outward thing c. about which lusts many do so mightily spend their strength and employ their wits in striving to get needless wealth to satisfie this love this lust this god their bellies wherein they glory which tends to their utter loss in spiritual things and that when they have over-much unless they would employ it better and also cast it off and detract from their desires inordinate affections loves and likings that keep them from the love of God sight and feeling of Gods grace and way of restauration to the heavenly mysteries of his glorious Kingdom all bodily things being for support of bodily strength as physick for health with much Caution lest Iust step in with the use so could Paul beat down his body and others following his example therein as he followed Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father IV. O ye Formalists that have in these days your ways in the aiery Element without footing or foundation that turn any way with every wind not knowing whither you go because darkness hath blinded your eyes and sloth so possess'd your souls that you are unfree and afraid to have your eyes opened in the light lest it should prove to your loss in earthly things and therefore do neglect the light and silence the voyce of Jesus Christ in your own and others Consciences by your formal and fleshly inventions of Conformity and bodily exercises that all are to perish with the using being as it is written after the doctrines and commandments of men c. from whence spring up the devised snares and gins to catch the innocent and Non-conformists that are not of your aiery minds without considering the commands of Christ Jesus the Lord of the harvest who said Let the tares and wheat grow together in the world until the harvest and again in these words Whatsoever yâ— would that men should do unto you so do you unto them or how he pleasech respectively to carry on his great work of soâ—ls to reform them into faith and spiritual feeling neither yet how you your selves or some of you are but newly released from under the yoke of your bondage and suddenly step up upon a stage of this world to shew your selves for a little season should not in any wise lay a like or greater yoke of bondage upon the necks of others then you your selves were able to bear and especially in these transient times when as it is written the holy God is pouring contempt upon all flesh and these fading glories are vanishing away ready to be left by you or snatcht from you before you have any firm hold of them but times and seasons are all in the Lords hands and his secrets with his saints and therefore in love to your souls consider well your way and be not high-minded but fear before the God of heaven and learn of him to be wise in this your day of tryal to understand what the good will of the Lord is respectively to you and let not love and meekness be mastered by any exalted peevish wrathful spirit of contention in you for he is now proving you that you might know what is in your own hearts and that others might see whether you will indeed truly incline your souls to him and his service so to act as you seem to pray to have his will done in earth as it is in heaven c. who will no more spare you then he hath done others in case you be found in their footsteps contrary to his one good way truth and life which those that have truly tasted the sweetness of cannot neglect whatever others do for the reasonable service is as it is written not a conforming to this world but a being transformed by the renewing of the mind To prove what that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is whereby he reforms mens souls through faith as pleaseth him into a perfect inward savour taste feeling and wise skill which the holy Ghost teacheth and planteth in the powers of the soul whereby he requites no hard harth or intricate service but what is according to right reason and the knowledge thereof to be received
talkers and contenders about words questions and outward things and would make themselves love God by their own strength and wisdom which may not be though they should act therein never so violently as it were to pull God out of heaven to them by their strivings pantings and burstings out into heat in their devoted zeal for though such suppose in their thoughts and hearts they love God and also resolve so to do and for his sake to suffer death yet these mens love in that manner is neither truely so nor is any strength so asked by them to stand therein for such souls have but either received that gift of love through Christ as a man or they have it not but would have it and so strive in their own strength to feel the love of God but come not to a waiting in the light to see and know their own souls nor themselves unworthy and unable to do any good thing think a good thought or in the least measure to move towards God or prepare their own hearts for him or see their own miserable blind and naked condition as dead in sins and trespasses waiting at the Pool to receive help and healing by the Angels moving of the water as the Lords free gift of love to eternal life which is the way for them to come to the sight of Jesus Christ as being all to them and working all in them and therefore not to strive outwardly but quietly wait and ask nothing but the gifts of love that they might be touched and taught of him to see God by his blessed light and gracious presence and then love him by his own gift of love so received through patient suffering as wrought in their souls by the holy Ghost without bodily strength or earthly skill these being the means whereby souls are made so meek and obedient that they work not of themselves at all by bodily wit or exercise but freely suffer the holy Ghost to will and to do in them and with them as best pleaseth him for the working of their souls into faith and feeling of his love by degrees without outward noise or strivings about it for Christs Voice was not heard in the street it is a soft and still voice to be heard in silence and felt of all the senses and powers of the soul and is very sweet to all savoury minds that have waited for him and they that so wait long and covet after the fruits of the Spirit and sow thereto shall much encrease therein But as this is not by bodily exercise so it may not be by resting in spiritual employment already done but a pressing forward toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and ever following that they feel to grow therein towards perfection for otherwise there will be a sudden settling upon the old Lees and so a declining to loss and the end without profit or comfort as some Apostates who have said they have gone round back again c. and so lost not onely their hold of perfection but their first love and leading principle of God in them for there is first a beginning with rude souls and a change of the mind in the working of faith and then faith worketh by love and after that by the more strong clear and pure stirrings as felt in all active souls towards that life of perfect love for though the body of sin be at first seen in the light then debased and in some suddenly crucified yet it will be seen felt and laboured in and against until full victory be obtained as the beloved Paul said by his rejoycing in Christ Jesus he died dayly whereby the old feeling of the body of sin comes to be destroyed and the soul brought into a new gracious feeling by the operation of the holy Spirit to grow up in him who is the head of all principalities and powers VI. These things being so it highly concerns every man respectively to weigh and warily consider his own way station and standing and to prize the time and abilities that the Lords love in Christ Jesus hath allotted him to wait and watch for his conversion reconciliation and salvation and to account the time mispent and irrecoverably past sufficient to have done the will of the flesh in thinking his own thoughts speaking his own words and acting contrary to the eternal counsel and will and that the present time is onely mans to make his use of not knowing what shall be to morrow and the loss of what is past will be his greatest grief as his ignorant soul comes to see it self its sins and duty or otherwise as Christ said of Judas better to him he had never been born Whereof I onely query as the beloved Peter What shall the end be of those that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ but take pleasure in unrighteousness and mind not the Lords love in drawing them or their duties in a willing yeilding and suitable subjection thereto For great was the love of the Lord God in creating man after his own image and likeness with a soul fair clean and fit for his service and glory and yet greater when man had proudly departed from that holy and happy condition and made himself unfree and unfit to embrace that love and serve that end in commending promising and setting forth his love again in his own onely Son to restore man and bring him back into God from whom he so wilfully and wickedly departed by the enticement of the Devil and thereby to free him from the snares thereof and pains due therefore and yet his especial and greatest love is to be felt tasted and sweetly savoured in his free cleansing of mans soul by the gift of the holy Ghost whereby it becomes to be conformed to the likeness of his dear Son by which love he giveth of his Godhead to every obedient and clean soul that comes to will and to do of his good pleasure as a fit vessel and temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in and walk in which all his sons and daughters that are heirs of this salvation do right-well know and therein are made willing and obedient ready and diligent to help all others what they may to come to the same happy condition of blessed love and heavenly sweetness that all things may be restored to their first and primitive purity and the great mercy and love of the Lord seen to and felt by all his creatures for whom he taketh care in their respective kinds feeding the Ravens clothing the Lilies and much more the obedient soul that is of his own breath and waits upon him by his Spirit being plain and simple in the truth and willing to do all things in the eternal will ever waiting to live always in his light of love by every word that proceeds out of his mouth until he be swallowed up of the divine will and inexpressible goodness and wisdom and so settled in his
likeness of Christs fleshly holiness and may be in so great love that it slayeth all wicked love in their souls and strengthens them to suffer freely for him and yet this over-shadowing of their souls whereby they are kept from the great love of the world is onely as a shadow of the invisible light of the Godhead and manhood united and lightly touching the serious and devour soul whereof the Prophet spake as being under the shadow of his spiritual wings or manhood and yet this is but Christs love received intomens dark minds and imaginations though it be that condition whereunto thousands professing Christianity have not yet attained though they pretend much and seem to teach others also But it is faith and spiritual feeling of Jesus Christ which purifieth the heart and whereby the soul comes to understand his spiritual love in the Godhead as Christ said I in them and thou in me and to be made perfect in one c. to which all bodily beholdings are but as means directing mens minds to the light and thereby their souls to a serious consideration of the wonderful love goodness power and wisdom manifested in the manhood of Christ spiritually And so it is like Martha loved him and laboured in outward service for him and that with hearty affections but Mary chose the better part she received and embraced him with more pure affections and retained him in her bea rt Mary Magdalen loved Christ well before his passion of bodily death but her love was much bodily and little spiritually for she loved him not as God before though her thoughts and affections were set upon him in which affections or actions expressing her love Christ condemns her not in that time so far as we find but after when he was risen from death and appeared unto her she would have reverenced him with such a manner of love as she did before and then Christ forbad her saying Touch me not as look not on me with a fleshly eye to rest therein for so I am not ascended to my Father nor equal to the Father so but now love me as I am one with the Father in the form of the Godhead know love and worship me as God and man like God so to be with me love and worship me onely for that I am God that took the nature of man and therefore receive and embrace me as God in thine heart and in thy love of me and worship me in the enlightned understanding of thy soul as Jesus Christ God and man the saving truth goodness and light of blessed life and spiritual joy and so Christ Jesus promised to come unto his Disciples and be with them by his holy Spirit after given them with power from on high to teach them all things and lead them into all truth the which heavenly gift of holiness and glory few have yet attained to in these latter times since the Apostacy and therefore those souls that have not attained to this spiritual understanding of him through his grace are to wait in his light with pure affections of fervent love until more grace be freely given unto them and not to over-run the conditions wherein they are but stay therein until they shall respectively feel a better revealed in them still minding that all spiritual gifts are felt and tasted in the powers of the souls chiefly in love and spiritual understanding but not in imaginations through the strength of the body or bodily wits which are not spiritual feelings and at most but outward tokens of spiritual inward feelings in the powers of their souls where the holy Ghost hath lighted their reasons and kindled their affections with his blessed Presence so clearly in fervent love that they immediately thereby received the knowledge of spiritual truth and perfect love with an outward shewing of of the inward feeling of spiritual grace And as it was in the former Disciples so it is now in other like-perfect souls visited and lighted within by the holy Ghost whereby there is an outward feeling of the inward grace and the body made obedient thereby to the Spirits moving and leading without fainedness or fancie of imagination And he is no spiritual man that hath not thus learned Christ or is taught his lesson by him in like spiritual wise nor any way qualified to judge of spiritual matters but must consequently erre in his understanding and mar all he meddles with and not know how or wherein he so erreth much less how to amend his own crrours and how then shall he reform others but as a blind man may judge of colours because these spiritual things are above the sight of his carnal eye so that he perceiveth them not that hath not the spiritual eye of his understanding opened and how then should he open the Scriptures that as Christ said neither knows them nor the power of God or be skill'd in the use of his spiritual Weapons his warfare or work to be done in his Vineyard or know the kingdom power or glory of God whereto all true service tends For as it is written The natural man understands not the things of the Spirit of God but they are foolishness to him for it is the spiritual man that judgeth all things and is judged of no man because his life is hid with God in Christ as taken from the earth and unknown to the world but well known to God and is so reformed in soul that he feels the least fleshly stirring in him and condemns it and loaths it in his heart and ever fleeth to God for strength against all such motions and loves not his life to attain the life eternal but is passive in every thing a man of sorrows and sufferings as his Lord Jesus was and left him an ensample to follow him therein Seeing the business in hand is of soul-concernment it is absolutely necessary that the soul should know it self with the facultie vertues and powers thereof by its turning into and watchful keeping in its pure principle of the light of Christ Jesus in the Conscience to love that light and observe its motions as it shall be led by the holy Spirit into all truth and thereby restored into its primitive purity fit to enjoy the sweet presence of God as Adam did before his disobedience For a miserable and wretched man is he that knoweth not the workings worth and worthiness of his own soul the first lesson to be learned in Christs school as the trade of his youth it being the most excellent Creature that the Lord God formed for his service and glory whereto nothing can give true content satisfaction or rest but God onely and therefore neither to love nor desire any thing but him for otherwise he cannot come to know the Spirit of God and what it willeth worketh or would work in him how it striveth how it is grieved how quenched how he searcheth all things even the deep things of God how he dwelleth in man how
him and his motions and the more is the soul alive and active to him accounting it a shame to be fed with swines meat of fleshly things and savours wherein he feels no spiritual refreshment or true joy of love and delight And therefore he ever sets his heart and mind spiritually upon good meditates on him to know what he willeth and to please him see him know him have love and enjoy him by his grace and by degrees more and better and as the soul ever keeps to these desires it will be shewed plainly in the light what is evil and what good what is pleasing to God and what is contrary to him and teach him all needful things for salvation gain them for him and bestow them on him and therefore as there is a standing fast in this watchful desire victory will be given so that the soul wait and meditate meekly and patiently until Jesus Christ accept thereof give spiritual savour and accomplish his own work therein with victory as to other saints in his own time and so as it may become that souls chiefest joy to know and do that heavenly will because of the true spiritual delight therein But if man should comply and strive with his bodily wits and worldly wisdom that will but drive him farther off and a wretched thing it is for any man to leave the inward watch and keeping of his heart and shape to himself any outward form figure likeness or habit of vertue and holiness in meditation prayer or other performance to live in such a form of outward exercise beholding joyning with or imitating others and supposing himself right and righteous in so doing for thereby he departeth from the light guidance and government of Gods blessed Spirit and deceiveth himself by thinking he hath acceptance with God in his own doings which so done are directly against God though they might be right and acceptable in those that were led thereto by the Spirit of God In this general calling of souls employment nothing is rightly done but in watching and prayer nor any true watch kept or prayer presented but in the light and with a spiritual understanding wherein vertue wisdom and strength comes to be received and rightly employed but this consists not in learning to say words or know how many parts prayer hath or how to word it wisely for the drawing of others affections and so to make long prayers for pretence or as to be heard for much speaking in the way that mans wisdom teacheth of bodily exercise as did the Pharisees whereof Christ warned his Disciples and lifting up themselves in their own strength for the applause of men that they may be reputed able Christians of excellent parts full of knowledge better then others c. By which means many are themselves deceived by thinking they have the grace of Christ and spiritual knowledge and thereupon do so worship and please themselves in their hearts as if they were the onely men to pray praise and give thanks to God for with and above others while all is but with their lips vain words and bodily wits wherewith they onely dishonour God and defile themselves and others that so joyn with them in words before their hearts and souls are therein agreed by stealing the thanks praise and worship from God to themselves like the Pharisees that would presently be thanking God in words and judging others without the fear of God faith in him or any true love in feeling or affections or desires to know their own hearts and the iniquities thereof much less that God or others should know them or they their duties to him But these forward minds are far from any sure savour of delight or being in God and therefore their prayers or praises find no place with him neither are they fair or seemly in the mouths of such men where self is loved and their minds employed to provide for the outward man and their pride is the greater that so move while they keep no true watch and guard over their thoughts have no hold of their hearts or stay of their minds but multiply words in a powerless way of mans wisdom by imagining evils finding faults accusing themselves and others and asking sometimes what they do not in truth desire and oft what they do not want but to spend upon their lusts wherein the most are misled as their consciences witness being ignorant of the A ostles doctrine fellowship and prayers as they are of the knowledge of God and the Godhead in the manhood of Christ But that no man may mistake my understanding in the commands of Christ Jesus my Lord how to pray or my practise in obedience thereto let every one turn in their minds to his light and there wait to know how he said Enter into thy closet and shut thy door forget not that and pray to thy Father in secret So Christ himself prayed in the mountain in the garden in the desart alone from his Disciples and required thâ—m to watch and pray And also appointed joynt praying and said Where two of you shall agree upon any thing to ask it shall be granted of my Father which is in heaven but said he Use no vain repetitions as the heathen do And again Hitherto have you asked nothing in my Name ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full And his Disciples did afterwards so ask in his Name in faith and feeling and that without wavering as it is written and prayed much without ceasing with all manner of prayers and supplications in the Spirit and with the Spirit and understanding not knowing what to ask but as the Spirit helped and made requests with sighs and groans not to be uttered and so asking they received whether privately alone as Paul when he felt the grace sufficient for him or as agreed in particular cases as was that in chusing one in the room of Judas their praying together with one accord their sitting so together waiting for the gift of the holy Ghost while they had received but the first fruits of the Spirit So likewise the Church prayed for Peter and for others on other occasions but still more and more in the pure power and fervent love as they received the more spiritual gifts of the holy Ghost By all which it is most evident that the fire of that blessed Spirit of holiness at all times kindled the sacrifice and the praise was not of men but of God And thus they prayed in Christs Name as they were made partakers of his divine Nature But what outward naming of Christ was there in all this which is a work that the rude and unâ—â—ly soul the wild and worldly mind knows nothing of Or what of set times places or personal respects was used therein though now men have learned frequently to take the Name of God and Jesus Christ in vain into their mouths while they hate to be reformed and neither know his Nature nor his Name
and therefore so many under pretence of prayers and praises to God stick not to scoft at the teachings of the holy Spirit gift of the holy Ghost silent waitings upon God watching praying new lights c. and so go on blaspheming the Father of lights and the holy Name by which his saints are called as things most contrary to their natures and fleshly affections and therefore it highly concerns you every one to consider well with what you come before the Lord and to examine your selves whether you are in the faith whether Christ Jesus be in you or you are reprobates Now if Jesus Christ be forming in you then the body is dayly dying and if he be there formed the body is dead because of sin and the Spirit alive for righteousness sake and then all sensible things of bodily wits of imaginations natural reason and understanding are brought under the true light and heavenly Spirit and yeilded up so as to know and do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus wherein I do not mean onely naming him as his names are written in a Book or on a Wall or spoken of by polluted Livs but in the light and by his Spirit with the thoughts and affections naked bare and free from beholding bodily or earthly things as altered from fleshly likings and affections into spiritual savour sweetness and delight in his divine presence wherein the Spirit of prayer is freely given and felt as a flaming desire in the heart to Jesus Christ the mighty power love and wisdom of God by the heavenly touch of spiritual love which is neither bodily nor can be bodily felt onely the soul that is wholly devoted to God may and doth feel it but not with any bodily wit wisdom or skill because it is not felt but in the spiritual desire of the soul that is cleansed or waiting to be cleansed from all unrighteousness and there it doth so warm heat and quicken to watchfulness in prayer and obedience that it enliveneth the soul and ravisheth it more and more with pure joy and consolation in him so that the thoughts are gathered in at all times to think speak and act soberly sadly and seriously and in prayer ever to express such words as God onely by his Spirit putteth into the heart like an eccho of mans voyce to his friend which prayer is much alone as Christs also was free from all lets and interruptions and is the gift of the holy Ghost and lasteth not very long at a time in the fervour of it for that it is laborious to the Spirit though very pleasant through the passion of love therein felt truely tasted and sweetly savoured not much unlike that of Moses when he opened not his lips or of Hannah when she did but move her lips which breaketh down all lusts and likings of earthly things with so great force as that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence thereby while the soul is wounded with the sword of love and thereby overcomes and obtains the requests in some sense as Jacob did but the body then seems to fall down and may not bear it because the working is of so great force that the most vicious and fleshly man on earth so touched would be right sorrowful and sad therewith for the time and loath all his lusts and fleshly likings of earthly things by him most delighted in before as Jeremy said the love and feeling of God was made as burning fire in his heart and this is the holy Ghost and fire even the love of God in man burning and wasting all other loves and likings in mans soul as a fire sticking in the bones and filling all the powers of the soul with grace and glorious sweetness as marrow fills the bones and yet not without the wits but within them so full of might and power where it worketh within that if smiteth down into and through all and throws down the body into quaking and trembling for that it is so far unlike and contrary to the body that the body cannot skill of it nor bear it as was in like manner witnessed in Moses David Habakkuk and others and also in some of my dear friends that are living witnesses thereof yet in the flesh onely our Lord Jesus moderateth it and tempereth it into a soft and sober sweetness by abating the fervour and motion in time convenient and administreth life and peace as the soul becomes capable of it So that the holy Spirit teacheth for what and how to pray watch meditate and move to please God without any mans teaching and so our prayer is continual without ceasing and most and best alone in the heart that is made pure and clean by the operation of the holy Spirit that teacheth to do all things and live ever in the love and sweet presence of God without any great letting of lusts vanities or other tentations as the soul becomes clean and purely devoted to him We read in holy Scriptures of the womans lost Groat the pearl and treâ—sure hid in the field selling all buying c. which certainly are matters of some importance to man because so significantly exprest by Jesus Christ of himself and mans soul as of lighting a candle sweeping searching finding rejoycing digging deep selling all other merchandize buying c. and therefore it skills much to have this Candle lighted whereby mans soul may see this treasure in its self and know the value of it whereby it may be induced to sell all for it which may not be until it be known that it is lost and where as in the inner part of mans own house for as Jesus Christ was lost in mans soul so there he is to be found what was lost there by Adam is to be found there in Christ Jesus the pure pearl of high price and primitive perfection but he may not be there found in naming of him by any his outward names nor as by faining his name or any power in mans heart by the labour of his minde or studying that name never so strongly or earnestly for in this manner do those that are far out of the way think to finde him and by so seeking miss of him as neither knowing his Voyce Name nor Nature or taste any savour of him or see comeliness in him to desire him but live without as strangers to him even without GOD in the world but he that comes to have an inward sight of a little of that spiritual fairness and dignity which the reasonable soul had of and in God at first that was lost in Adam and is to be had again by grace in Christ Jesus as it shall be enlightned to see him spiritually and shall not hide that light as under a bushel by over-laying it with earthly business or affections but shall love it above all earthly things even as the soul is swept with the fear of God washt with tears within c. and so the groat the pearl the Kingdom of
men according to right reason and clear them of their fleshly lusts that war against their souls did they not disable themselves thereto by withstanding it and the checks thereof in their own consciences and by yeilding to the enemy of their souls to have dominion over them whereby the working of grace comes to be stopt so that it may not enter shine finde room or rest in their souls though it be truely tendered and there sheweth it self to discover things that differ as the Sun doth outward things where it is not letted but while the strong man thus armed keeps the house the things he possesseth are in peace the root body and image of sin stands the false and misruled love lives and the soul remains insensibly wrapt up in stinking rags of sin and selfishness where it feeds on nothing but black smoke in thick darkness and spiritual blindness as a body of sin and death born about and heavily loading the soul and conscience that it cannot comprehend the light but every tentation of the same nature with it prevails over it and leads it captive more and more into a servile slavery and lustful living in fleshly filth for sin is not any corporeal thing and therefore not corporeally to be destroyed striven about or contended with neither have men any power of themselves to amend this in themselves more then in others and therefore cannot but so remain until their minds be truely turned into and surely kept in the pure light which onely can discover and shew them the fairness or foulness of their souls and the love of Jesus Christ therein giving power to take up and bear the cross within in the powers of the soul and feel the two Laws warring against each other as Paul sometimes did and the innermost of the Law of the spirit of life striving for deliverance out of captivity and to gain victory over the Law of the flesh earthly will and worldly wisdom that rests seated in the bodily wits and as the reasonable soul comes to take part with and thereby wait in the pure principle of light and spiritual leading to have some sight of it self and somewhat of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are in Christ Jesus as his free gift to all obedient souls thereby the soul begins to see somewhat of it self and how highly it is concerned to keep a constant inward watch labour and strive by the measure of light and life so in wardly received to keep the thoughts from all bodily things until the sore pain and miserable blindeness of that condition as Paul when he cried out O wretched man that I am be found and felt and then will the Lord Jesus appear as the pain of this dark soul and conscience wherein is to be a free suffering with a patient waiting and abiding with him in his love and meekness until he shall please to raise the soâ—l up and cause the light to shine out of and over this darkness as the day-star arising in the heart to give another life whereby to overlive all the former dead and dark life and then to think no more on that darkness past as a woman forgets her pain and peril for joy that a man is born loathe and despise it but be ever ready and quick in keeping the heart and taking heed that no open door nor privy hole be left to imaginations wisdom of words or earthly vanities that would draw out the soul from the love of God ever minding that as we have born the ugly image of the earthly so it is requisite that we bear the image of the heavenly and as our Lord Jesus breaks down this earthly image of false love and likings he sets up the contrary vertues of pure love meekness patience and brotherly kindeness of his own forming in the poverty of such spirits and also gives true zeal in spiritual devotion with soberness and chastity in soul and body and so puts down the old man with his deeds rotten desires and affections and there sets up the new man of a meek and chaste spirit created in him to good works to walk therein with all his parts and members fitly composed together for his service and glory wherein the old members eye ear heart affections imaginations or desires will not serve the turn but all the whole vessel must be new to hold the new wine and heavenly liquor of the blessed and endless life and thereby be freed from fleshly uses vain thoughts light looks unsavory words carnal reasonings and heeding the praise or dispraise of men and mens judgements but surmounting and over-topping all lets and impediments in the way of this perfect freedom and lightsome liberty in the Lords service as guided and strengthened therein by his holy Spirit as it turns the reason into that pure light and the will into the eternal will which is a great work and therefore to be well waited in until there be no sin charged or felt as a load on the conscience but all freely pardoned as it is discovered to the soul and clean wiped away and so the soul reformed by the siritual light and bright beams of Jesus Christ let into it as burning desires clean affections holy and wise thoughts and considerations and therewith abilities to flee all deadly stirrings in this travel of soul from the first old Adam to the second that makes all things new And though men should otherwise cease to meddle with worldly business avoid outward delights and pleasures and devote themselves to pray read study learn and confer of heavenly matters sigh weep or do any other act outwardly or otherwise yet if he love himself mind or carefully heed providing for the flesh or outward man or have any other earthly fears cares or immoderate desires this will not do it but the greater is the deceit by such forsakings and actings in his becoming affected with himself as if better then others or in slighting others by terms or titles of distinction whereby he is so much the worse and more disabled to good or if he suffer his heart at all to rest in bodily feelings of spiritual comforts or sweetness or set his heart on any such fleshly savours he thereby loseth that life he seemeth to seek for because not rooted and grounded in love but the fleshly part gains ground again in the earthly dark and dead nature and then is the law of sin served for the time but yet if there be no wilful sin or liking thereto it is not he but sin that stirreth in him which he consenteth not to And thus have many been troubled and overlaid for a time with weight upon their weaker parts that they have not had for that time any clear sight or freedom in themselves but sate sadly without any knowledge of their own conditions or abilities to move one step forward because sin got so great a hold or as a lodging in their fleshly parts that it troubled the Reason
and sometimes so far prevailed as to occupie the affections of the soul while the Spirit as a law within was labouring for deliverance until the Lord Jesus pleased to prepare the soul and break into it by his blessed presence and give it feeling of pure love and so stretch the heart forward to fathom and follow what is before for behinde are all bodily things thoughts desires fears and such like that hinder the comfort in and speed of the whole work for nothing is to be kept from the slaughter that is for destruction no mean in destroying sin though a right hand or eye they must away and give place to the divine work of the Spirit in the light which is bâ—fore as the spiritual vertues begâ—n in the Reason of the willing soul and to be perfected in love as it comes to be reformed into the grace of Christ to a perfect hatred of the deeds of the flesh and all wavering mindedness and want of love for otherwise he hinders the work through his own wâ—lfulness and choice in the contrary nature which will cause all to be to little purpose troublesom and heavie as a working in the fire if not thereby destroyed because of his not feeling any grace or spiritual savour therein The ways wiles and dâ—vices of the evil one to deceive and devour souls are such and so divers in these later days that the ignorant and unskilful souls may not easily escape because he takes all advantages by the times temptations bodily wits and faculties of such dark souls to lead them into self-love and the sundry kindes of lustful living in the vanities of their mindes wantonness and pleasure upon the earth as fitting themselves for a day of slaughter and so keeps them while he may in presumption c. but if once he see any soul would entirely give themselves to be spiritually employed then he striveth by himself and his ministers to set their sins in order before them and tells them they are great sinnâ—rs and more in this change and turning then in any thing before saying to them That is not the way but a denial of Christ a fancie and frenzie of a Fanatick spirit and for some wicked end and that it will bring them into contempt want and poverty wherein none will pity them that they must change their conditions with their mindes wives and children come to want that they will fall into bodâ—ly sickness and be laid in prisons that they should have learned men to advise them better the Ministers to admonish them and pray for them to take counsel at the Priests lips which preserve knowledge and not run of their own heads with a few giddy contemptible people that are ignorant of the Scriptures and Original tongues and if they depart not from their new way greater temptations will overtake them And with much more of this kinde doth this flattering devil seek to beguile such souls as hearken to him by the cunning craftiness of such as lie in wait to deceive and that entangle with enticing words of mans wisdom to beguile their souls with bodily savours sweetness of wits arts and outward exercises and thereby if possible draw them aside from the simplicity and puff them up with conceit of themselves as if they had by such wisdom and the ways thereof formerly found the feeling of heavenly joy and so lead them back again and up into high notions and conceits of a proud minde until they become base and blockish and thereby fall full lowe at last with their cold dry and barren souls for the more they imagine to gain by such means the greater will be their loss and they the farther off from what they so seem to seek and much more indisposed to return into the right way of obtaining it for thereby the minde will be oft and highly lifted up as if it were in a happie estate and condition more holy vertuous and better then others and to rejoyce as if they had escaped a very great temptation and to conceive angry stirrings in themselves when others seem not so to esteem of them and the flattering spirits will suddenly praise and applaud such as for good deeds and vertuous living and this last is the sorest and greatest of all temptations and most dangerous because of the delight men will seem to feel about them by such sounds to the ear and sweet savour of sense tickling them with delight therein as if all were well and they had much grace and were rightly travelling with their mindes from fleshly things while they are onely ravished with spiritual pride wherein the vain love and self-conceit prayeth weepeth speaketh and thanketh God with the Pharisee while they know not God but their proud hearts deceive them and lead them to shew outward love and meekness in speech and gesture as if they were spiritually vertuous and that they disliked nothing but sin onely because it is contrary to God and yet are even then at the gate of spiritual death so puft up with pride and pleasure therein as that they are even dead while they live or rather twice dead and pluckt up the roots become servants to men and times mistaking one thing for another with their fleshly hearts got aloft and puffed up resting in the root and rottenness of sin black and thick darkness filling their souls which may be hid from some men yet Christ Jesus sees it and abhors it and their services because of their hypocrisie and heresie so accompanied with bodily and spiritual pride which was never learned of Christ as their God for man maketh any thing his God that his heart is in love with that he takes content in dares sin against God for or wrong any man by and so such men have their divers kinds of Idol-gods one his belly another the applause of men a third his opinions and words heard or spoken wherein such serve not the Lord Jesus but their own lustful mindes and every other thing that a man chuseth by his own act to take pleasure in is his God and then when God stirs up such souls to obedience and gives them suitable abilities these proud hearts resist all and in stead of obedience become rebellious heady harsh and high-minded abusing the tender mercies of the Lord God in the light of his spiritual leadings to repentance and this condition is as aforesaid the more desperate because therein such conclude that all is well and sound and that they are right sure and righteous even above any ordinary Pharisee and so arrogate to themselves And therefore hear and consider thou that thinkest thou standest that supposest thou art raised from death to life hast tasted of the good word of God and born it may be some afflictions and take heed of this false liberty for then will Satan try and winnow thee and be teaching thee as aforesaid or as sometime he would have done Jesus Christ to cast himself down to turn stones into
bread c. And full many have so fallen by his means into this high spiritual pride and thought that therein they have done God service and unless the soul be rooted and grounded in love and so in meekness with a spiritual feeling of Jesus Christ as God equal with the Father it will be apt to yeild to such transformings and to ask as the Disciples sometimes did who shall be greatest and so may soon depart from the simple and pure life and loose their hold of that which leads the humble and meek to perfection and therefore what great care waiting and diligence yea what faithfulness is requisite in keeping in the light that will let men see the deceit and lead them in the way to escape the evil thereof for as we read the Lord Jesus was tempted but was not overcome because the Devil found nothing in him whereto he might fasten the temptation And this is of experience and advisement to all willing souls that when tentations come and move to fleshly love and likings of earthly things heed them not consider them not whether it concern outward profit or loss scorning or despising frowning or flattering for if the Devil by himself or means of his instruments prevail with thee to consider it thou art then thereby more then half overcome because the same nature in thee will be apt to joyn with it and the great danger is lest thou shouldst like it or be afraid of it and so be overcome by it Therefore keep within in the light that thou maist be able to say to thy self in that case I have chosen my way my part my portion is in Christ Jesus him I love in him I have righteousness and strength in him I rejoyce and enjoy all things and nothing will I have out of him for he accepts me as worthy to love him c. and be sure to be bold and clear therein and then shalt thou find thine enemies less bold against thee for truth never suffers more than when it is coldly and faintly owned Though these enemies will be still striving against thee and telling thee of dangers and perilous things to befal thee in that way and set themselves to hinder thee by slanders and reproaches of all kindes striâ—â— thee of thy reputation and strive to drive thee aside into anger and words of rebâ—ke that they may have whereof to accuse thee therefore take hâ—ed thereof and keep thy tongue as with a bit and bridle and as thou comâ—st to know Jesus Christ spiritually thou wilt also come to a hearty love in being despised sputned at trampled upon and abused and if there shall happen to be some inward regret or rising against it the light will shew thee the evil of it and the spirit of love will suppress it and give victory over it and as thou attendest faithfully thou wilt find and know that God forsaketh no man in such tentations unless it shall be to encrease their spiritual strength if they suffer a while patiently and not turn to folly that they may find Jesus Christ the sweet and ready way full of spiritual refreshments and comforts and themselves poor blind and naked without him and to have nothing bâ—t what he giveth and herein suffer much buffeting of Satan and his ministers withoâ—t heeding or rather with despising such tentations setting them at nought c. But if any shall strive with his thoughts and bodiâ—y wits to drive away tentations and put them out as by mastery thereby will the enemy get advantage and overcome and therefore as before so I say again ever withdraw thy thoughts from the tentations into the light of Jesus Christ where the striving and life of strength lieth and wait on him for deliverance and victory And also beware thou never shew such temptations to any worldly men though reputed never so wise learned or religious that have not felt the like tryals in themselves for they will certainly bring thy soul into greater danger by their worldly advice to thy fleshly feeling And this also know that the Lord is pleased to leave the soul so sometimes for its tryal a little season that in mercy he may gather it more cleanly into himself to grow and spring up as a morning-star and deliverance he will surely give in the needful time to all his members that they may trust in him more fully and then he gladdeth them with his presence and fasteneth them to himself shewing them his secrets and giving them treasures of wisdom and knowledge He brings in light and expels darkness opens the eye of the soul and lighteth it to see how good it was for it to be so troubled the like whereof David witnessed and thereby learned the Lords righteous judgements I shall here say little of the Faith that stands in the wisdom of men though that be most in use and esteem with the worldly wise men of this generation because it is of mentioned in other places as the great Engine of deceit serving to silence the voice of Christ in their own and others consciences and for other earthly ends and to lead them into perilous paths of sin and selfishness from the pure and spiritual path of Jesus Christ the endless light love wisdom and power of God whereby mans conversion is hindred and the way thereto as it were thereby blockt up for in mans conversion before reason be turned into light and will into love and the soul comes into a waiting condition for cleansing it usually feels its self heavy loaden dâ—ll and indisposed thereto by reason of such obstructions as thereby and otherwise also lie in the way yet as Jesus Christ moveth and desireth so is he therein covertly desired and thereupon he fâ—rther moveth to work his secret work in man as in a reasonable instrument that by degrees may have faith wrought in him with knowledge of Christ Jesus and his spiritual presence light and truth and for that end that so I begins to wait upon him at all times diligently with the whole heart until he give words whereby to pray and do fitly order the affections to that continâ—al duty without using words otherwise heard lest vanity of mind and spiritual enemies enter and blind the eyes and hinder the soul from chasing the love of God in Christ Jesus whereby the heart should be cleansed and established to feel and find how fair and profitable his work will be in and to the soul as it comes to know the two days or lights the false light and true light the love of this world and fleshly things and the pure love of Jesus Christ through grace establishing the soul with the real difference between them and begins to feel some increasing knowledge in the true light to feel the false light worldly love and lustful pleasures seem lâ—ttle and pass away as a shadow which is the light that the Devil brought in by Eve and Adam saying they should be as gods knowing
Disciples Learn of me for I am lowly and meek and you shall finde reft to your souls and again Love ye one another or love together as I have loved you by this said he shall all men know that you are my disciples He did not say They should be known by working miracles casting out Devils preaching teaching or praying which should be more minded by those that now desire signes and wonders that they may otherwise see if they shut not their eyes while true love and meekness are the greatest of miracles in these last and perilous times wherein men strive to resist evil not to suffer it to revenge wrongs rather then to forgive them as Christ commanded rather to fain love and meekness then be possessed of them suffer and endure all things and such is not worthy the name of love or meekness in mans will which is but altogether imperfect but meekness as in pure love and spiritual affections is perfect meekness and he that hath this is a meek man poor in spirit that knoweth himself as he is and ought to be known dissembleth not but loveth all others in or for God but where grudgings are in the heart towards any or unquiet thoughts the heart is not clean the conscience is not pure nor the walking charitably or with God in love of clean affections and consequently in and for God for the more evil any one doth to a meek man the more good doth he to him as to a man out of his right minde and so do thou and pray for such as Christ commanded and observe how he himself did by Judas for all his wickedness and to others never so much as saying to any man Thou lyest though some falsly accused him said He had a devil c. neither do I read that he reproved Judas openly bâ—t rather waited for his repentance to the very last and the more like to Jesus Christ thou art herein the more thou lovest thy self onely in God and not out of him and so thou lovest truly and not onely for righteousness vertue of God in thee or others so thou lovest not thy felf but God and if thou be yet bound in sin and feelest the burden of it then so thou lovest thy self for God to be freed by him from sin into his service and so if thou truly live in meekness thou lovest every man in the first place thou lovest God in man and in the second place thou lovest man for God that he may be his so should God be loved in all and for all and all in him and this is true love but if thy minde be troubled or unquiet when thou art rebuked belyed or evilly entreated then there is pride remaining in thy heart seem thou never so holy outwardly and there lyes hid like a Fox in his den And no good deed canst thou possibly do but it is spoiled therewith and thou hast thy reward for it is a mystery to love mens persons which ever ought to be and loathe their sins as contrary to God but it is no mystery to fain or pretend love fast sit silent preach give to the needy c. for these things bad men may do but to love men truly and hate the evil in them is the gift of God by the holy Spirit of Love which he gives freely and readily to all that wait truely for it and is therefore most pretious and profitable and without this there is not meekness of love to all men and a seeking the salvation of all but a stumbling and erring from the truth and mistaking one thing for another errours for truth and truth for errours because Covetousness and Anger is not forsaken while any other love but what is so in God and for God remains as to any creature or thing and thou shalt sinde it easier to forsake riches and lusts then the love of them for he that coveteth or desireth any thing he hath not and thereby keeps back the clean desires to Vertâ—e is yet covetous and look how much sorrow thou feelest upon the loss of any thing so much was thy love to it so that thou covetest not spiritual things so as thou oughtest but that thou stamblest at them and then how shouldst thou be filled with kindly savour within while the flesh retains its beastly savour without But this know that diligent watching inward hunger and pains helpeth the holy Spirit in thee to overcome yet while the bad root lives its evil branches will be springing up for therein is the compleat nature of the evil root and thereof the loathsome fruit which every evil man brings forth out of the evil treasure of his heart and there the strong man armed keeps the house until there be a free yeilding to Jesus Christ in meekness and pure love wherein he may overcome that strong man and strip him of all his strength and weapons wherein he trusteth and create the new man according to his own image and likeness of righteousness and true holiness and as thou receivest him with ability to exercise thy sences and discern things rightly to have Jesus Christ formed in thee and as thou conceivest him and he lives in thee thou wilt bring forth good things out of the good treasure of his life by strong desires and earnest actings to please him and be made like unto him not as of fleshly forming but in full meekness of minde pure love full perfection and fruition of all heavenly vertues and unchangeable blessedness whereunto Christ Jesus is the door he the Porter and not another he opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens by him is the enterance the going in and out and finding pasture for he is the pasture even the living bread that came down from heaven and is in heaven the well of water springing up to everlasting life of whom all the several sects and sorts of men that climb up another way are ignorant and so wanting the nourishment thereof fall short of the glory of God and yet forward to reprove others without any certain knowledge of those things in themselves or considering with how much meekness gentleness love and privacie for the most part reproofs ought to be even in weighty matters and in all as thrust on by divine love and some hopes of thereby shewing the sinner the evil of his way that he may be reclaimed ever weighing well how dangerous it is to abase and reprove others and not live in the light ones self and how many tribulations and tentations others have born to keep thee low in thine own eyes and learn to know how to esteem others highly in love for their works sake but but whosoever arrogates to or exalts himself thereby becomes base and blockish an antichrist unfit for any spiritual work and shall certainly fall low at last because the power of the Lord Jesus hath not had a kindly working in such a soul or his pure presence received by it or
like her head in vertue and firmness of perfect love And this take for a maxime that he who perceiveth no changes in feeling of his grace given him but still remains a like all whole strong stable unbroken or unhurt as he thinketh must needs be either full perfect or full blind but the latter is more like or most to be feared for he that is so perfect that he is above all touches of earthly things dwelleth in Jesus Christ by sweet and soft love is accepted into a high estate of heavenly glory and restfull pleasure knowing nothing but pure love which is God but he is full blind indeed that feigneth himself to be in grace and savour with Jesus Christ without spirituall feeling of the holy Ghost and setleth himself in a stay'd condition as if he were ever in feeling working in spirituall grace thinking that all is grace that he feeleth without and within and that what he doeth and speaketh is grace and that he is unchangable therein and alwayes at one stay and condition which he esteemeth good Such a soul is fully blind and altogether without feeling of grace in any its workings for they are wrought as aforesaid and by a lively inspiration thereof with the spirituall presence of Jesus Christ in the soul and sweetness of his love by his wonderfull in-dwelling there This is the life of feeling in grace after the measure of the gift with a reverend beholding him spiritually without which in some measure all is but deceitfull and nothing worth nor any way of good use but hurtfull for as the soul is the light and life of the body so is Jesus Christ the light and life of the soul by his gracious presence which cannot so well be exprest as felt for it is the light life love joy strength and rest of the soul that hath painfully felt it yet with sweetness insomuch that it cannot cease from desiring it And this is that no man may mistake in or concerning the work of grace in his own soul and he who will remain still filthy may bear his own burthen whatever he be and his shame also for God hath not left himself without a witness in every man neither is he wanting to any though as Christ said The holy Ghost inspireth where and when he will and that privily as the wind bloweth oft-times when men are least aware of him but is known by his stirring and turning the heart into a beholding of his goodness and melting it into softness of love yet wondereth at his highness shining brightness but the substance effect of this shining grace remaineth though not in its fervour while the soul is kept clean without fallings by wilfulness or negligence into a dissolute life of fleshliness and outward vanity and also know that the soul which is unacquainted with the touches of spirituall grace is an enemy to all spirituall works as being old dry rotten barren and without savour in it self for the salt hath there no savour and to be trodden under foot and nothing but the light of grace through touching maketh it lively sharp quick subtil ready and able to spirituall work by giving it great freedome and a holy readiness in will and affections to obey all the stirrings of grace in the soul and to watch thereto for opening of the spirituall eye whereby it becomes apt to meditation watching and prayer but not to pray in the common manner it did before with loud voyce many words and other mens speakings but in stilness of the voyce and tenderness of heart being gathered up into it self and in the spirituall presence of Jesus Christ wherein every word and syllable hath a savoury sweet sound and delectable melody in the heart by the holy Spirit as being wholly entered into the fire of love the powers of the soul being all heated and inflamed with love so that the sparks flie upward whence the fire came and therein is the soul so comfortably enlightned that it knowes not how to leave off watching praying and praising God with spirituall delight and heavenly joy when no matter is seen outwardly nor voyce heard And this is the food and nourishment of the soul and of much vertue against temptations and likings of the world for it beareth up both soul and body from painfull heaviness of heart and feeling of the wretchedness of this earthly life and the soul is thereby kept quick and lively This was Davids prayer as Incense ascending and perfuming the soul and so as any hath a Psalm of the spirit which is savoury and soft sweet and pleasant in the pure mind broken and burning heart it giveth up a sweet smell to the face of our Lord Jesus Christ these are the prayers and praises heard and accepted of God as before hath been said yielding and also receiving grace from him which he accepts as an addition to his Glory and all other praying wants savour and sweetness as a speaking of words with the tongue when the heart is gone after other lovers or likings of fleshly things and the soul is not master of the bodily wits and imaginations of the brain and is that wherein is no constant devotion no freeâ—om of spirit no ardent and burning love and affections nor whole mind but much speaking and running about here and there by words seeming to speak of spirituall matters without savour profit or any soul-satisfaction and therefore hear with me a few words more of this weighty business of Prayer and keep first to silence and firm watchfulness that thou maist first come to a joyfull feeling of this spirituall praying and that shall teach thee unchangable wisdome without fancy or faineâ—ness that those are possessed with that speak well or ill of things they know not and therefore abide therein untill grace come into thy soul otherwise and will remove it in part for a time and employ thee otherwise and then therein be obedient for that is the best of all sacrifices whereby the holy God will be served and so there is no need of mans teaching how to pray or praise him what words to speak how to divide duties into parts or to guide the affections for the holy Spirit teacheth all this and much more as he pleaseth and the soul feeleth it self led thereby to enjoy Jesus Christ in some measure but this praying and praising God with the Spirit and understanding the wise world accounts foolishness and being strangers to it would have others continue so likewise In this spirituall watchfulness is the Revelation of Jesus Christ whereby the writings of the holy men of God are rightly shewed and opened which mans wit learning reason or study cannot reach for the understanding thereof is freely shewed to the clear soul by Jesus Christ who is the well-spring of wisdome and knowledge it is he that maketh the soul lively and wise to understand the holy Scriptures and yet not all at once in speciall view thereof
but grace giveth ability in spirituall manner as it cometh into the pure mind and this opening of the understanding is by the working of the holy Ghost in the pâ—esence of Jesus Christ whereby the soul is enabled to expound the Scriptures one after another be they never so hard or secret and the harder they be and the farther from mans reason and understanding the more delightfull is the true shewing of them whether it be Literal as concerning the outward man Moral to inform of vertues to be followed and vices to be eschewed Mystical to see the words and works of Jesus Christ spiritually or Spirituall as longing after him and his works to do them in like love and live in them as his friends so said he and this last truly understanding Scriptures savours well and very sweetly in the Lords taste for so the spirit of life giveth understanding of what was formerly by himself directed and from him written and so of no private interpretation quickning the thoughts of the soul therein with great sweetness savour and delight in special sad and serious waiting on Jesus Ghrist to understand Scriptures in his will and his testimonies of love therein through divers inward discernings sweet movings and sudden touchings of the holy Ghost whereby the soul is taught and enabled thereto without other helps and he that thus is given to understand the Scriptures values not the knowledge of men gotten by learning arts and sciâ—nces though of never so great worldly cunning and skill for the end of the true knowledge thereof taught by Jesus Christ is that the soul may see and enjoy him and attain salvation to life eternall and therein glorifie him as God equall with the Father c. whereas the other way of knowledge is for self-ends worldly vanities and fleshly delights When the servants of Jesus Christ are well skilled concerning their hearing the voyce of Christ they truly hearken know and follow him and then neither feignedness by transformings nor otherwise can deceive them for therein is no fainedness fancy pride nor hypocrisie but soundness meekness peace and charity full of life love and grace so that when it soundeth in the soul it so aboundeth with strength and vertue that it causeth the soul to leave all to wait upon it to listen hearken perceive rest in and love the sweet breathing of his spirituall voyce according as he sheweth himself whether as a Master a Father a Husband c. keeping the soul in a wonderfull reverence and lively beholding of him with much liking and delight to the soul that it may become a true and faithfull Spouse to him in the fulness of fellowship and light of love and this is in great power and glory a state of perfection in the way to as full communion with God as Adam had in innocency and Enoch by walking with him but the sight strength and comforts of some are therein more then others though all in this state are growing into the love and life of God in Christ Jesus so as the eye of heaven is opened to all such clean souls whereof holy men have diversly written as they were moved by the holy Ghost as of a life above all appearances likenesses bodily creatures or things even as in heaven beholding the Lord Jesus spiritually and loving him faithfully and therein knowing God the holy Ghost as love uncreated and the love formed in the affections of the soul to be of and by him through the sight and knowledge of the unchangable light and truth which is of God placed and seated in all meek souls wherein the spirit of holiness resteth and pleasantly walketh pet this formed love in the soul is not God himself but the love which the soul feeleth in Jesus Christ and to him neither is this the cause of coming to Jesus Christ but pure love which is God himself is the true cause of this knowing and drawing to himself for he sheweth and giveth of this love which is the holy Ghost to teach and lead therein so that God is both the giver and the gift as Christ Jesus said I give my life c. whereby mans soul comes to know this uncreated love and to know and love Jesus Christ as the free gift of God whereby he toucheth the heart with the invisible light to know him and receive his love and to love him again as in and with the same love so freely given and received but all in his own time by more quick or flow gracious feelings imparted into such souls as are cloathed with the new light of righteousness and true holiness which is a right reforming in this spirituall savour love and meekness but he is not so lighted and led by the holy Spirit that thinks he can do any good thing of himself or otherwise then by such working in him spiritually To you my dear friends that are of the holy brethren partakers of the heavenly vocation I salute you in the pure light of unchangable and endless love in Christ Jesus our Lord according to the spirit of holiness and undefiled liberty wherewith he hath made us free to serve him in spirit and truth have you born the indignation of the Lord in your own particulars are you purged from the pollutions of the world cleansed from the filthiness of flesh and spirit and thereby departed from the shadowes of this world and received glorious garments of the Lord put off the mortall and put on the immortall cloathing and sweetly confessed and meekly suffered for the name and testimony of our Lord Jesus who is our life and who of very faithfulness and pure love hath caused us to be troubled and is near at hand to succour you and give you rest in him purifie and prepare you for further trials to your spirituall profit and advantage in filling up the measure of his sufferings in your flesh and overcoming by the blood of the Lamb the word of his testimony and not loving your lives unto the death wherein the eternall God will be your refuge and underneath his everlasting arm for your defence and therefore all to be faithfull and diligent that truth suffer not by any faint or feeble owning of it for we are not called onely to believe but to suffer also for him in whom we believe and you be here onely as pilgrims and strangers that have freely parted with your owne wills desires fleshly affections and worldly delights that the eternall will of God may be done in you and by you and now bear the Cross quietly and patiently in clean vessels as Temples of the living God for his worship in the beauty of holiness and what have you here more that is worthy your minding that man can take from you or how may you withhold any other thing from our Lord or his service wherein you know that your loss or labour will not be in vain And therefore gird up the loyns of your minds stand fast quit you
like men and be strong in the Lord and the power of his might that the fear of man careful thought or immoderate desire be not found in any of you watch and pray that you enter not into tentations or give occasion to the enemy of your souls lest there should be floath guile or dissimulation hid in any heart or a root of bitterness springing up to trouble and defile or other unskilfull stirring by inordinate affections in any soul after the bodily sufferings changes being seldome free from temptations specially in the weak who are most apt to censure the strong he that hath the beam in his own eye to pull at the moat that is in his brothers eye while contrarily the strong strive not with the weakness in any but ever to strengthen the pure principle help it over the weakness that you may appeare as you are the plant which the Lords right hand hath planted so as that none can pluck you up his portion and peculiar treasure his Jewels sons of the free woman that abide in the house for ever a people whom the Lord loves leads about instructs in his way and keeps from evil and to whom is his blessing of peace and life for evermore that are as living stones built up a spirituall house as a city set on a hill that cannot be hid to shew forth his praise in the blessed love and brightness of his shining glory and be a sweet savour to him in them that believe and in them that perish in unbelief by holding forth the faithfull word of his patience and everlasting Gospel of mans salvation c. What manner of persons ought you therefore to be in all holy conversation that by the burning beams of his beautifull and holy presence you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men that blame your good conversation in Christ Jesus and the hearts of others that tremble at the word of the Lord be melted into tender love and heavenly sweetness suitable to receive that blessed Gospel of peace and reconciliation and so suck at the breasts of consolation as to be daily delighted with the fresh springs of his love thereby to flourish as an herb and be prepared to enjoy the inheritance of the Saints in light and though the world know you not and Satan the enemy of your souls would not have you known lest it should be to his loss yet is the righteous God greater in you then he that is in the world hasting to clear up your innocency that you may be well known to have no strange god amongst you that you touch not the unclean thing but are his sons and daughters having your habitation in the holy mountain with the shout of a King amongst you and that his word spoken shall surely come to pass your enemies be found liars and confess that they have dealt unworthily with you for the Lord hath kindled a fire that shall proceed out of your mouthes to devoure the adversary which cannot be quenched and they that hurt you must be so killed and there is no project to prevent it but as you are faithfull to our Lord spirituall victory you shall have over the beast over his image over his mark and over the number of his name and be found without spot before the throne of God and the Lamb and this is it that giveth you victory even your firm faith but you have need of patience and that it have its perfect work in you so that having done the will of God you may enjoy the promises in the new heaven and earth the true voyce of God in spirituall glory in the essentiall freedome of will and restitution of all things into the heavenly rest wherein all doubts are resolved un on cleared and expectations satisfied and in the way every one is to take care there be no giving or taking offence no falling our no touching of any unclean thing noâ—haâ—…y striving with the evil nature in any others for that as pitch will defile no giving place to evil but overcome it with good as our Lord commanded and being ever apt to teach and bless that you may be heirs of the blessing And to conclude here is nakedly and barely set before all sorts of men the wayes and wages as Moses sometimes said of good and evil life and death for every man to chuse which he will for so it pleaseth the Lord to deal with every man and therein he doth man no wrong by leaving him to his own will and giving him a reward according to his own works c. and experience teacheth that every man will say he loves God and Christ and would be sorry else while he acts as his enemie against him and that he would have everlasting life his soul saved by partaking of the joyes of heaven and avoyding the torments of hell and therefore would die the death of the righteous and have his latter end like his And so said Baalam when he was striving to curse the people of God and gave wicked counsel to the King of Moab against them and to such I say Why walk you then in Balaams way for mens favours rewards so act against the Lord his servants and the light of him in your own consciences for self-ends and make such provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof And why are you not now willing to live the life of the righteous but have him in so great derision and a proverb of reproach as at this day why do you account his life madness and his end without honour why erre you so from the truth that the light of righteousness should not arise and shine in you but rest your souls so in fleshly likings and love of this world whereby godliness seems nothing to you but as a scornfull thing of nought and wrath rests in your hearts even against the Lord and his servants though you say you love him but know that for all these things the Lord God will bring you to judgement you shall see as it is written the righteous stand with great boldness and his salvation seem strange to you above all you looked for and then over-late you may say within your selves What hath pride profited us or the pomp of riches with our vaunting brought us when the â—dolgods you now serve shall depart as a shadow or Post that passeth by with the friendship of this world whereby you are at enmity with God for as it is written whosoever will be a friend to this world is the enemy of God and afraid of him seeks to hide his heart from him and inward fear possesseth him as it did Adam so that he hates his light loves darkness keeps in it flies wanders stumbles staggers and peace departeth from him and though he force to himself a kind of counterfeit mirth for a time yet therewith also he is soon pinched and feels a heavy weight and pain in his own bosom from which he cannot flâ—e but it reproves him and condemns him at every turn and as for the light that shineth in the dark place of his soul he is afraid of that also and faith or love find no room in his earthen vessel for his own lusts fill up the place and devour all by conceit imaginations and vile affections wherein he spends his time to beast himself and yet got swelling words of vanity touching things he never saw and to have mens persons in admiration for advantage sake which is a knowledge and condition that puffâ—th up the heart but redeems not to God from the worldly glory and vain conversation wherein some are so fettered that they will not be reclaimed or endure to be soberly admonished to the contrary for the safety of their souls from whence there is this one onely way Jesus Christ the pure path to be known spiritually and the Father worshipped in him to which a very plain simple man as the fishermen without humane learning may easily attain if he hinder not himself by his own willing seeking desiring hearing striving or outward contention about it because there is a pure principle in every mans conscience which hath onely need to be awaked stirred up and quickned to behold and see all things in the inner powers and parts of the soul and so cease from all outward seekings for it because it is there the free gift of God by his spirit and such as no man can fully teach the knowledge of to another though he were never so well acquainted with the Divine Mysteries which if well considered by those that have attained to some small measure or degree of grace they world not so run into words as many do or be so conceited of their little grace received as to lose it by vain glory while others that have much more wait in still silence of their souls for the Lords work to be therein accomplished as these also would oft times when they speak did they know how little grace or spirituall favour they have in respect of what God giveth to others that singly wait on him with holy and humble hearts and may give also to them if they likewise wait diligently for it Ah that worldly and vain minded men would at last consider and commune with their own hearts to finde out their wayes and see the sadness of their conditions with the high concernments of their souls and how the difference stands between the children of this world that are wife in their generation and the children of light and how the latter exceed the former by many degrees of true wisdome from above and heavenly joy when no word is spoken or matter seen outwardly whereof may be some directions found suitable to each mans present condition in what is here written according to my understanding in the simple and unchangable truth that hath a willing heart to embrace the appearances of Jesus Christ spiritually in his own particular and if not here is over-much said to rise up in judgement against him when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to his Gospel who is the Lord of Life and Glory 22. of the second moneth 1661. THE END