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 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
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
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
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