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 s [...]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 [Page 2]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 [Page 3]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 by­ways 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 [Page 4]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 [Page 5]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 y [...] would that men should do unto you, so do you unto them: or how he pleasech respectively to carry on his great work of so [...]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 [Page 6]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 in his own light, and spiritual leading in every mans conscience, there to arise, and his enemies be scat­tered, as he transformeth and reneweth the mind, according to his bles­sed will of heavenly love; and the contrary thereto is onely unreason­able, unrighteous, intolerable and abominable to God, as that which enforceth men (of corrupt and unstable minds) to formalities and hy­pocrisie, whereof ensueth condemnation in themselves, to their souls, be­sides the many other mischiefs and miseries to mankinde; for what is out of faith, is sin, both in the commander and actor; and if the heart condema, God is greater, and knoweth all: and who shall justifie where he condemns? and (as it is written) Blessed and happy is he that condemns not himself in the thing that he alloweth, and contrarily; which ought to be well heeded, and warily observed by all men; and is by those that are willing to know and perform the great trust reposed in them concern­ing their own souls, as knowing that they must give an account of them­selves to God, and ought not to trust their souls with others, that have other ends then for the Lords service, and learned Arts, whereby to call good evil, and evil good, put darkness for light, and light for darkness, as blind men, or with their eyes shut, and unwilling to know the light of life, and leading of the holy Spirit of truth, as if (as the fool said in his heart) there were no God, or not desiring the knowledge of his way; and yet concerning the things of this world, cry, Give, give, more, more, when they have not rightly learned how to use that they have.

V. You that are strict and zealous Professors in your ways, should stu­dy to be quiet in your selves, and with others: you have a zeal as for God, but not according to knowledge of him, (as a fire of love in you kindled by the holy Ghost) and therefore you are such, and so diversly opinionated, without unity or order amongst your selves; but one fort contending for the Monster Uniformity, another for their new-made Faith, a third for their dead, dumb, and empty ordinances, and each im­pleading others, and employing your selves (like Nadab and Abibu, or Core and his company) in kindling and offering strange fires before the Lord, and resisting the truth taught in the light of Christ by his blessed Spirit which leads into all truth, (as Jannes and Jambres sometime withstood Moses) but your deeds are so manifest, and you stopt and repro­ved in your inward and outward parts, so as not like much farther to pre­vail, are again (in love as heretofore) warned to turn in your minds to him that there smiteth for amendment that a remnant of you (forsa­king the sparks of their own kindling) may be purged, purished, and brought forth as gold tryed and saved by that consuming fire which burns, [Page 7]and wasts all sin our of obedient souls, with the fleshly loves and lovers thereof; so as there may be no more mis-judging by private and perverse spirits of ignorance, weakness, or thick darkness, that cannot compre­hend the deep things of God, but do turn the minds out of the true light of Jesus Christ, (wherein his servants see light to walk that pure path of holiness in him) to glory in words, emptiness and vanity of your wills, bodily wits, and works, (as did the former persecuters of Christ Jesus) not wisely heeding the Lords hand, whereby he is restoring all things into the glorious liberty of his sons and daughters, and how he therefore now shakes the earth and heavens also; which should abate the edge of mens earthly appetites, (accompanied with such strange and hideous effects) and would, if they knew any thing of the Lords pure and powerful workings, or of the times and seasons, or were but near ripe for truth, and apt to the kingdom of God; and would take such off from expecting greater signes and wonders, or acting another thing by ano­ther spirit of private interpretation, (different from the Lords purpose so many ways manifested;) and therefore it is evident that such men are sick, weak, or fallen asleep; so that they cannot discern the Lords body, his truth, and true worshippers, nor other things that differ.—And though you may not be competent Judges in spiritual matters, yet con­sider, is it righteous or reasonable, that those who are either meerly car­nal or have not yet received so much as the bare presence of the holy Spirit in grace, should judge others that are sealed with the Spirit of promise, baptised and made to drink into that one Spirit which judgeth all things, and so are partakers of the divine nature of the immortal and invisible God? Have you never read how the Lords praise is perfe­cted in the mouths of his babes and sucklings? and that whosoever doth not receive the kingdom of God as a little Childe, shall in no wise en­ter therein? or how the mysteries of that kingdom are hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed to such babes? or how the halt, lame and blind, (whom you despise) do enter, while you your selves and others art shut out, and the rich sent empty away? Remember that Exhortati­on of Christ Jesus, (to men of your sort) saying, Wash the inside, that the out may be clean also. It is high time for you to be willing to put away the evil of your doings, and yeild to his light, and leading of his Spi­rit, that your souls may be prepared and fitted to feel and know him as God equal with the Father, (spiritually) to clense you from all unrigh­teousness; and then you will not suppose that any good thing of him can make you happy, but what is so revealed, and wrought in you; or be ignorant of the danger of resisting, or neglecting such divine stirrings in your souls, by any your exquisite Arts, natural Reasons, or bodily Wits, as some do, who are so much thereby deceived, that they think they are not deceived. You may read likewise of some that had travel­led pretty far in outward Ordinances, been baptised with water, &c. and yet not heard that there is an holy Ghost; and such in those days, are not a few, that have their cars stopped with dumb and deadly sounds [Page 8]of words, or thereby become so dull of hearing, that they hearken not to the voice of the Charmer, though he charm never so wisely; nor are got­ten one step farther then those that had not heard of an holy Ghost, (though they can talk much of him by what they have read, or others told them:) and, how then should they believe on him of whom they have not heard? specially while they are so willingly led by such ignorant talking, that so dulls them, and hinders their heeding of the true light, and hearing what the holy Spirit saith, and how he revealeth the deep things of God to all watchful and willing souls; so that such have their loves to, and their faith and lives in, mans wisdom, and seldom (or never) come to the love of God, indeed and in truth, but remain vain and un­ruly 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 [Page 9]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 [Page 10]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 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 [Page 11]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 [Page 12]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 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 beart.— 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 [Page 13]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 [Page 14]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 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, [Page 15]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 [Page 16]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 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 [Page 17]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 [Page 18]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 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 [Page 19]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 [Page 20]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 th [...]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 un [...]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 [Page 21]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 [Page 22]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 tre [...]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 [Page 23]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 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 [Page 24]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 [Page 25]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 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 [Page 26]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 so [...]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 [Page 27]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 b [...]fore; as the spiritual vertues beg [...]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 w [...]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 d [...]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 sinn [...]rs, and more in this change and turning then in any [Page 28]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 bo­d [...]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 [Page 29]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 [Page 30]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, stri [...] thee of thy reputation, and strive to drive thee aside into anger, and words of reb [...]ke, that they may have whereof to accuse thee: therefore take h [...]ed thereof, and keep thy tongue as with a bit and bridle; and as thou com [...]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 b [...]t what he giveth, and herein suffer much buffeting of Satan and his ministers, witho [...]t heeding, or rather with despising such tentations, setting them at nought, &c. But if any shall strive with his thoughts and bodi [...]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 [Page 31]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, d [...]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 f [...]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 contin [...]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 l [...]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 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 s [...]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 [Page 32]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 [Page 33]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 Devil and man made) might perish, and be no more: —for the everlasting love of God in Jesus Christ, is the true light and blessed day, (love and light being of and in him) in whose light the children of the day see light, and greatly rejoyce. But they that truely seek him, must be con­tent to abide a while in the darkness, for the darkness was before the light, and the evening and morning were the first day; and man may not suddenly come from the dark day, (which is the love of himself and this world) into the perfect love of God in and to his soul, and to see and feel spiritual things, gaining victory in his thoughts to bring all in­to obedience; because it is first night or darkness with him, wherein the love of this world is shut out, and the day springs from on high, and visiteth; and as the soul becomes quiet and still, the light breaks forth more and more unto the perfect day, as he becomes wholly acquitted of [Page 34]his sin, and the favour of it.—But as there is a passing to this light through the evil day or night of darkness, (wherein is no pleasure, but sorrow and sighing, doubts and deadness of soul) there is a blind long­ing after, and thinking on Jesus Christ, how good and blessed he is, with desires to feel his love, and be lighted with his presence, (as David sought God in the night) to be hid (though in pain) from beholding the world, and its false likenesses, (which so well please those that are blind in spiritual things) and dwell quietly in this darkness, (wherein Satan cometh with his likenesses and light, under colour of true light) until the light of love (by little and little) break forth to him (so dwelling in the shadow of death) and shine through the darkness and death, &c. for there are many that would seem to forsake the love of the world, and also would come to the love of God, and his light, to under­stand him: but through this darkness they will not come to know them­selves what they have been, and are in their sinfulness against God, to enter into themselves, and view all things there, with all wicked stir­rings and risings in their hearts of pride, envy, anger, and other evils, and to wait desiring in the still silence, and spiritual watchfulness to Je­sus Christ, (as his Saints ever did) but so soon as (in their own wills) they seem to have forsaken the world outwardly, they presently think themselves holy, and full fit for spiritual understanding, and heavenly mysteries; and that they love God perfectly, and have received grace through the special gift of the holy Ghost; for they are stirred and seem to feel knowledge, as it were then given to them, without great study before-hand, and a hear of desire therewith to preach forth truth and righteousness, and will run into words thereof as with great for­wardness and zeal, &c. And this they hold for the grace of God, and visitation of his blessed light, before their souls pass through this dark­ness: — though this light of knowledge, and heat of desire, they feel, cometh not of the true love of Jesus Christ, but from the Devil, and his transformings, as being onely a fained light, and likeness of the true light, and Son of God; whereby cunningly he leadeth blind souls into a presuming of being themselves righteous, and abusing others, (as the Pharis [...]es did) and so have no light of grace to them given by the holy Ghost: for though the knowledge they have were in it self outwardly true, yet by the Devil and mans own wit, it makes onely a fained light of true things, but not the light of the true Son, nor approved of by his pure light in their Consciences; and such men are so blind by these fained lyes, and puffed up with spiritual pride, that they see it not, nor are willing to consider it; but highten their hearts against the true light, surposing the feeling in their own wills is perfect freedom of spi­rit; and so like clouds without rain, (tossed to and fro) bring forth one device, e [...]rour and heresie after another, which are known by their wild minds exercised in covetousnesaid) this wiss;s, much vanity, talking, disputing, contending about words, rayling and reviling others, and perfecuting them; and yet will not be ashamed to say, They do all this in charity, [Page 35]and zeal for righteousness.—But (as James said) this wisdom is not from above, but is earthly, sensual and devilish: and therefore this cunning (that brings forth such Saints) is not of the God of peace, and Father of lights, (with whom is no variableness, or evil speaking) but such as Jesus Christ used not, nor allowed in his Disciples; but to do all in his spiritual light, and faith in him, which is a mystery held in a pure Conscience, in the love and meekness of Christ Jesus: for it is the fire of love that goeth before him, to consume the enmity and evil works, &c. whereof such are ignorant as have not been smitten down from their height and haughtiness into the lowest degree of meekness, and there purged from all spiritual filthiness; without which they cannot endure the bright shining of spiritual light, the precious liquor of the love of Jesus Christ, because not purified in the heavenly furnace, to receive the gracious light of heavenly knowledge and perfect love, which is the true Son of rightcousaess, (with healing under his wings) and he that thereby reforms in feeling, through the dear light that springeth forth, and ariseth after this darkness, which is not well known but to the soul that travelleth in darkness, and cryeth after light, to shew it the right way, and comfort it in travel therethrough: for after true dark­ness, where one firmly sets himself to forsake the love of this world, and through grace come to a feeling and knowing of himself, and keeps meek­ness therein, he may not be destroyed by errours or fancies; for the feeling of grace in that meek darkness, teacheth the soul to be faithful, and watchful against the enemies motions, and subtil slights. — And it may so be, (and oft is) that some have these workings, and firm desires in them, and yet remain doubtful thereof what the issue may be; but such (as they know it begets love and meekness) are to keep it ten­derly, and pursue it fervently, that no creature hinder it: for this grace will ever be free from sin, and worldly business that hinders it; which cannot be, until he be throughly dead to the world, poor inward and outward, and have fully forsaken the love of it, without any worldly cunning, covering or device, whereby to be esteemed above others; but rather despised of the world, and all worldly men; sets not his heart upon his own deeds or vertues, nor loves nor allows any heart-risings a­gainst others for any matter or cause whatsoever:—so that he doth not disease, nor anger any man willingly in word or deed, nor pats any trust in worldly goods or friends: —for otherwise he cannot be 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 [Page 36]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 couns [...]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 [Page 37]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, [Page 38]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 [Page 39]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, [Page 40]and wherein he discovers himself and his secrets; as he said to his 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, b [...]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 [Page 41]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 Vert [...]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 [Page 42]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 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 [Page 43]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 [Page 44]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 [Page 45]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 [Page 46]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 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 [Page 47]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 [Page 48]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 free [...]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 faine [...]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 p [...]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, [Page 49]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 sci [...]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 [Page 42] [...] [Page] [Page] [Page 43] [...] [Page 44] [...] [Page] [Page] [Page 45] [...] [Page 46] [...] [Page] [Page] [Page] [Page] [Page 49] [...] [Page 50]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 [Page] [Page] [Page 51]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 [Page 52]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, no [...]ha [...]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 [...]dol­gods you now serve shall depart as a shadow, or Post that passeth by, [Page 53]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 fl [...]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 puff [...]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 [Page 54]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.