What Wesley Left Out

~156 words

Poverty, 

and a Contempt of Honour, Wealth, and Pleaſure, 

which (i) make up that Threefold Deity that the 

World at this Time adoreth. All theſe Things, 

| to whom the World did ſacrifice, the Lord 
Mlatt. viii. 20. contemned, as having not where to lay bu 
| Fe Head. 


§. 11. 


In David. So David in like manner, before 


and 
— 


_ 


—— — a 


habet. 


Choice of the quaint our ſelves with the State of our Pil- 


he came to the Kingdom, was poor, vile, 


Hes Tria pro Trino numine mundus 


Heaven: And when they were lain, they | 


Boox I. The Chriſtian's Inheritance: 127 

and deſpis'd; and being made King at laſt, 

yet did he count all his Royal Splendor for no- 

thing, in Compariſon of Life eternal, atid 

the Kingdom of God, to which he was cal- 

led. How amiable, ſays he, are thy Taberna- pg —_ 

cles, O Lord of Hoſts! My Soul longeth, yea, R 

even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: My | 

Heart and my Fleſh crieth out for the Living 

God: Better is one Day in thy Courts, than . 

Tponſand. 1 have indeed a Kingdom, I have '©* . 

Subjects and People, I have Kingly Palaces, 

© and the Tower of Sion; but theſe are no- 

© thing in reſpect of thy Tabernacle, O 

Lord.“ Of the ſame Mind was alſo Job, in 0b

~245 words

ſeek after one to come. 


§. 14. If then, upon all theſe Conſiderati- 


ated for this ons, it be found true, as certainly it will, that 


IL oy ld. 


we are here Strangers, and have no abiding Place 
in this World; it follows, that we were 
not created for. the ſake of this viſible World, 

e 1 | as 


with worldly Traſh, and expoſe them there 


Boox IJ. The extravagant Choice. 129 
as our laſt and ultimate End. Further: 
That there remains for us another World, 
another Country, another City, other Dwel- 
lings, other Tabernacles; for which we 
ſhould not think it hard to loſe here even 
an hundred Worlds, yea, our very Life al- 
ſo, if thereby we might gain the World to 
come. All which a ſincere Chriſtian ponder- 
ing in himſelf, he rejoiceth that he hath 
no continuing City here, but that he hath 
been created for Life eternal. He conſiders 
alſo the Madneſs of thoſe, who, purſuing 
the Things of this World, load their Souls 


ei 
Go th 
r 


by to eternal Ruin and Torment. 


The extravagant Madneſs of preferring 

— Temporal Things before Eternal. The 

| Reaſon why we ſhould not adhere 
to the Creatures with our Hearts. 


Numb. . 


The Lord heard it, and bis Anger was kindled; 

and the Fire of the Lord burnt among them, 
and conſumed them that were in the utter- 
moſt Parts of the Camp. 


T H E Children of Iſrael murmured a- The Character 
gainſt Moſes, and ſaid: Who ſhall give of carnal _ 
us Fleſh to cat? We remember the Fiſhes, the Chriſtians. 
Cucumbers, and the Melons, which we did eat Numb xi. 
In Egypt. This is a notable Type of the : 

1 K Men 


| 120 
I Men of this Time, who, under the Cover 
and Title of the Goſpel, ſeek generally af. 
ter earthly and carnal Things, and uſe more 

Diligence to become rich and great by the 

. Goſpel, than good and happy: They love 
| Joh. xii. 43: the Praiſe of Men more than the Praiſe of 
= | Ged: They are more for ' gratifying the 
Bleſh in its luſtful Propenſions, than for 

bringing it down into true Compunction and 

Brokenneſs of Spirit. Whereas the CharaQ- 

er of a ſound

~159 words

in the Imitation of God. Therefore 
ought this to be our chief Care and Con- 
cern, that we may follow Chriſt, and that grand 
Example of Life he hath left us for Imita- 
tion. All our Thoughts and Actions, our De- 
fires and Labours, ſhould aim at that Ore 
Thing neceſſary, how we might come to him, 
be ſaved by and united with him to all E- 


Tranſlation to that Inheritance which 1s re— 
ſerved in Heaven. ö ney 
| 3 


1 a 82 8 . . . . 

i (k) Summa Religioni; eſt, imitars eum quem 
- 

colis. 3 


—U— — 


The extravagant Choice. Cb. XVIII. 


ſuch as are carthly and viſible. Ina Word: 


1... 01; . S. 2. The Sum of all Chriſtianity is, to 
Leue follow Chriſt our Lord. For St. Auguſtin ſays: 


ternity, chearfully waiting here for the Diſ- 
ſolution of our earthly Bodies, and for 2 


Thirſt after eternal Things; and the Defire® Sc. 


Things ought to be done, is nothing el ſe Name of God, 


David ſays: According to thy Name, O God, Plal.xlviil. 10. 


thou, O Man of Cod, fee theſe things; to f Tim. vi. 11: 
| | E. 2 5 


Boox IJ. The extravagant Choice. 131 
F. 3. To the Obtaining of that undefi- And conſtant 
led Inheritance, all our Cares and Actions Care. 
ſhould be ſteddily directed. And again, our 
very Call, with all the Works proceeding 
from it, ſhould be influenced by a divine 
Faith, by an unfeigned g Love, and by 2 live- 
ly Hope, guiding our Deſigns, and fixing 
then on that Happineſs which is to come. 
Or to ſpeak yet plainer: We ſhould

~353 words

Love of 
the World, nothing can ariſe, but Death and 
Damnation. The World paſſeth away, and the 


1 Job. ii. 17. Luſt thereof; but he that doth the Mill of God, 


abideth for ever. And hereupon St. John be- 


ſeecheth the Faithful, entirely to withdraw 


their Love from the World, ſaying: Love 


Ver. 15.99 the World, neither the Things that are in 


tureisnct to 


be loved but 


(504 alene. 


receive any Impreſſion printed upon it: Or 


therein. 


the World. Theſe and the like Conſiderati- 
ons do powerfully convince us, that God 


will not have us adhere with our Love to 
any Creature whatſoever. But this will ſtill 


tuller appear from the following Reflections: 
(1.) Becauſe Love is the very Heart of a 


My the Cre , Man, and the nobleſt of all his Affections; 


which therefore is due to God alone, as to 
the prime and ſovereign Object. = 

( 2.) Becauſe it is a great Folly to love 
that which cannot love us again. *Tis there- 
fore to no purpoſe to love a frail and tran- 
ſitory Thing, which beareth no Love to us. 
Whereas the infinitely good God deſerveth 
to be loved alone, ſince out of pure Love he hath 
created us to eternal Life, and hath to the ſame 
Purpoſe redeemed and ſanctified us. 

(3.) Becauſe naturally, like Things are loy- 


ed by their like: Therefore God made us 


after his own Image and Likereſs, that we 
might love Him, and next to Him, our 


Neighbour, created after the ſame Image. 


| (4:) Our Soul is like a Wax, ready to 


rather like a Glaſs, repreſenting indifferently 
all Objects that are placed before ir, whe- 


ther they be of Heaven or Earth, Turn 
therefore whelly thy Soul towards God a- 


lone, that his Image may be fully expreſſed 
(5) 


-— Þ — 23 c 


92 


3 
0 


* 


Book IJ. The extravagant C boice. 


135 


(s.) The Patriarch Jacob, when he lived in Motiverto le 


Meſopotamia amongſt Strangers, and was far Lov 


removed from his native Country, after 
Twenty Years Service, demanded at laſt his 
Wives and Wages: And being ſtirred up 
by the ſweet Remembrance of the Place 
of his Nativity, did return to the ſame again : 
So our Soul, among the various Affairs of 
this World, and amidſt all the Hurry of 
our outward Employments, ought never to 


decline from longing after that bleſſed Coun- 


try, to which we are deſigned 
nence.:-- £ 


(6.) Man is either the better or the worſe 


by Provi- 


by whatſoever he loveth. If he loveth God, 


he freely partaketh of that heavenly Virtue 
and Goodneſs that reſideth in him: But if 


he loveth the World, he then is defiled with 


all the Sins and Evils that cleave to it, 
J.) When King Nebuchadnexxar was too 
much tranſported with the Love of the 
World, he then loſt the very eſſential Form of a 
Man, and degenerated into that of a Beaſt : 


So all Men blotting out of their Hearts the 
Image and Love of God, are transformed ac- 
_ cording to the interiour Man, into the Na- 
ture of Wolves and Dogs, Lions and Bears: 


For ſo indeed, and no better, are all thoſe 


| that. do wholly ſurrender themſelves to the 


Love of this World. 
(8.) Laſt of all: Whatever a Man hath 


loved here, and carried about in his Heart, 


that will be manifeſted in him hereafter, 


and with this he ſhall for ever aſſociate him- 


ſelf, whether it be God or the World. If 
the World has been the Object of his Love 


in this Life, it will never leave him here- 


after; but this corrupt Love converted at 
%%% 


e of God, 


136 


That te T HNHIsS comfortable Word our good and 


poorer any 


' 


The wiſe Poor Man. 
Tormentor to all Eternity. 


— 


CHAP. XIX, 
He is of God moſt beloved, who is 


moſt wretched in his own Eyes. How 
a Man, by the Knowledge of his own 


Miſery, is moved to ſeek the Grace 


of God. 


Tfat. LXVI. 2. 


Jo this Man will I look, even

~321 words

Shadow, 
but to the Tree. So all the good Fruits 
that perhaps appear in thy Life and Con- 
duct, are not the Product of thy own Self 
and Capacity, but of God alone, who is the 
original Source whence all good Fruits do 
proceed. Again: As the Apple groweth 
not ont of that groſs Subſtance which is 
ſeen by the Eye, as the Vulgar ſuppoſes, (tho 
=: it hang on the Tree, as a Child hangeth on 
| the Mother's Breaſt,) but from that ſeminal Il thy c 


Virtue which is contained therein, and which all di 
is impregnated from above; (1) ſo the new his! 
Man, and the Fruit he bears, doth not ſpring I ceive 
up from any thing that is groſs and vi- She 
ble to the Eye, but from a ſapernatural and I vine 
inviſible Seed grafted upon the Mind. Jeſu: 
Cl alme is . S$ 11+ Thus is Man by Nature a fruit- WW of al 
| Mins Life leſs and dry Tree; God is his Strength, where- I baft 
and Power, by Life is renewed in him, and he himſelf II finc 
made fat and green in the Houſe of God. God Two 
P{al.xxvii.1, is the Strength of our Life, as the Prophet of 
p calls him: + Whereas Man in his natu- 48 
Luk xxiii.31 ral State is compared to a Dry-Tree, which ci. 
will be deſtroyed at Jaſt and burnt an 

up. Thus is Man a Lifeleſs-Tree by Nature, I cal 

when, by the divine Grace, he will be ren- I tht 


Hol. xiv. 8. dered as green as a Fir Tree: Or, as the I 
82 | Lord ſel 
TE ! — dit 


(1) Ex Centro Seminis. | cox 


Boox I. he Wiſe Poor Man: 


Lord expreſſes it: He ſball bring forth much Joh. xv. 5. 


Fruit whilſt he abideth in Chriſt. 


js truly wretched and poor in his own Eye, to be reſpeRed 
and has nothing in the World to truſt to F God. 


but the pure Grace of God, manifeſted in 
Chriſt Jeſus; then doth God graciouſly look 
yon him. This divine Regard muſt be un- 
derſtood after the manner of God. The 
Look or Countenance 6f God, is not as the 
Countenance of Men, deſtitute of Life and 
Virtue: But there is a real Power and Influence 
that goes along with it, to ſupport and re- 
vive the faint and penitent Sinner

~241 words

by the Fire of 

his Vengeance, 


: . CG. 12, 


164 


How t bis was 


The true Worſhip of G OD. Crap, XXI. 
F. 12. The Injunction of God to the 


typified under Prieſts, not to drink Wine or any intoxica- 


the La w. 
Lev, x. 9. 


ting Liquor when they were to enter the 
Tabernacle, was a Type of this Repentance, 


and in a ſpiritual Senſe, extends it ſelf to all 


Chriſt ians. For if we wop!d enter into the Ta- 


bernacle of God, even into Life everlaſt- 


ing, 'tis neceſſary we ſhould abſtain from the 


Luſts of the World and of the Fleſh, and 
whatever tends to bring the Spirit in Bon- 


dage to the Body. For the Love of the 


World, Love of Pleaſure, Pride, and other 
Vices, are like palatable Wine, whereby the 


Power of the Soul and Spirit being cloud- 


Gen. ix. 21. 


ed, is at laſt brought under Subjection to 


the Fleſh. For as Noah and Lot were ſo 


Eik. 33, far overtaken with Wine, as to expoſe their 


own Nakedneſs; ſo Honour, Pleaſure, and 
Riches, like generous Wine, do tempt, in- 
vade, diſorder, and fubdue the Soul and Spi- 
rit. Such a Man is now reſtrained from en- 
tring into the Tabernacle of God; that is, 


he cannot arrive to the Manfions of God, to 


his Knowledge (n) and Sanctuary; conſequen:- 


ly, he is now deprived of that diſcerning 


Faculty, whick diſtinguiſhes between Things 
ſacred and prophane, clean and unclean in- 


ſomuch that he underſtands nothing at all 


of divine and heavenly Operations, and there- 


fore is unfit to inſtruct thoſe in ſound Do- 


Crrine 


* 


(n) The ſerious Practice of Religion is an ex- 
cellent: Mean, to get a ſolid Vnderſtanding of it: 


As, on the contrary, a vicious Life dot h eæceedingh 


de baſe and darhen the Mend, and ep Men from 


tne Knowledge of Truth: Mhieh not only Seripture, 


* 


Annot. upon Prov. iii. 4. 


but eren heathen Phileſopbert, have ft obſerved, Pools 


Boox I. The true Worſhip of GOD. 165 
rine that are committed to his Care. His © i 
Underſtanding and Thoughts are not enlight- | 
ned with the celeſtial Light; but being o- Aj 


yercome with the Wine of worldly Luſt, 
ruſh headlong at length into eternal Dark- 


neſs. This Repentance, Contrition, and Grief 
for Sin, as alſo true Faith in Chrift, is na- 
turally attended with Remiſſion of Sin: Which, 
as tis to be recovered

~390 words

is, that God is ſaid 
ſaid to forget to mention no more the Sin of a Man, if 
Triquities, the Sinner doth but return to his Duty. For 
 Ezek.xviii. whatever is fully and compleatly pay for, 
| 232+ .. * yea, blotted out too, muſt needs 


2 buried 
ZXEU. 16. jn eternal Oblivion. But then Converſion 


muſt go before Remiſſjon, according to the 


Order propoſed by the Prophet himſelf; 


Lal. i. 16. Waſh ye, mate you clean, put away the Evil of 


your Doing! from before mine Eyes, ceaſe to 
do Evil. Come now and let us reaſon together; 
Tho" your Sins be as Scarlet, they ſhall be as white 
as Snow, As if he had ſaid : © Ye who require 
your Sins to be forgiven, according to my 
Covenant and Promiſe, come if you pleale, 
and call me to an Account. I do nat 
indeed deny, that I promis'd you Remiſſi- 
© on of Sins; but on no other Terms, than 


© that you do firſt, Repent, Where is now 


your Repentance? Where true and living 
© Faith? If you have all theſe, all is well! It 
„ ſhall not be my Fault, if your Sins (tho 
28s Crimſon in grain, 1. e. ſo deeply dy d, 
* that neither Heaven nor Earth can blot 
* them out,) be not wholly pardon'd, and 
made whiter than Snow.“ Repentance there- 
fore, Repentance, I ſay, is the true Conteſ- 
ſion of Sin; which if you find. in your 
ſelf mixed with Faith, be then aſſured, that 
_ Chriſt, by virtue of his Death and Blood, 
will entirely forgive you your Sins. This 
Blood, as it is ſhed for us, ſo it cri 
to God in Heaven, and procureth a ful 
Remiſſion of Sin, 188 


ge 15 


15 


— 


Boox I. The true Worſhip of GO D. 167 
. 15. With this Senſe of Sin, when a- The Myftery of 
ny one is thoroughly affected, he haſtneth the Cities of 
then in Spirit to thoſe Cities of Refuge, where- Mute. 


of three, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan, are men- Deut iv. 41, 


tioned by Afoſes, being by him appointed, *" 
to the End that a Man who had unawares 
kilbd his Neighbour, might flee unto them 
and be preſerved. . 5 
§. 16. But, alas! O Lord, how often have of ſpiritual 
we killed our Neighbour with Tongue, Manſtaug hier 
Thougbts, Hatred, Envy, Anger, Revenge, 
and Unmercifulneſs! Let us therefore fly 
upon the Wings of Faith and Repentance, 
to the Sanctuary of the Grace of God, which 
is the Merit and holy Croſs of Chriſt. No 
ſooner do we get thither, but we are ſafe: 
Nor will the Revenger meaſure unto us a- 
gain in that Meaſure wherewith we ſerved 
our Neighbour. For by thoſe Three Citics 
Chriſt Jeſus is ſignified and repreſented. He 
is termed Bezer, that is, a fenced Tower, ac. 
cording to that of Solomon: The Name of Frov xv 9 
the Lord (CHRIST JESUS) is 4 7 7 Tower ; | 


Dye Righteous runneth into it, and is ſafe. He 
alſo is the true Ramoth, which Word ſigpi- 


fieth Exalted: So is Chriſt the moſt High Iſai. lii. 13: 
and Sublime, and at the Name of Jeſus, eve- ü. 15, 
ry Knee ſhall bow, of Things in Heaven, and 


Things in Earth, and Things under the Earth. Phik ü. 19. 


Nor have we any other Golan beſides Him; 
which, as the original Word imports, is no 
other than a Heap of Favours, and as it 
were a Store-Houie of all manner. of cele- SO 


ſtial Gifts. Whence we read in the Pſalm Pal. cxxx. 7. 


With the Lord there is Mercy; and with him 
1s plenteous Redemption. And in the Epiſtle 


to the Romans : The Lord is rich unto all Rom. X. 13. 
that cal upon him. | 


A4 | 6 . 


| 


Worſhip. 


The laſt Part 


168. be nas Worſhipof GOD. Cray, XXI. 


The Connexi- 


of Divine 


ledge. This Knowledge is alſo

~86 words

Tongues celebrated unto all Eternity. This 


then, as hath been already mentioned, 1s 
C 


exi- F. 17. And ſo much concerning the Third 
on F ws Part of the inward, ſpiritual, and true Wor. 
lee Pert ſhip of God, iſſuing forth from his Know. 


Soul, together with Sacrifices of Praiſe and 


> O03: W3 bow 1 CV -b- >) — — * 


Boox I. The true Worſhip of GOD. 
the true Worſhip of God; of which the Pro- 


phet ſaith: He hath ſhewed thee, O Man, Mic. vi. 8. 
what is good; And what doth the Lord re- 

quire of thee, but to ao juſtly, and to love 

Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? O 


when therefore ! ſhall we poor Mortals be- 
come truly penitent, that we may obtain a 


gracious Pardon of Sin? Seeing without that, 


it is not poſſible we ſhould ſecure unto us 
ſo incomparable a Mercy. (o) For how can 


Sin be remitted, when there is po Senſe 'of 
din, no Sorrow affecting the Mind, nor any 
Hunger after divine Grace? And how can 


he grieve for Sins, that utterly refuſeth to 


zbandon them, and to change his Life for a. 
better? May God through Chriſt turn us, 


that ſo we may truly be turned! 


F. 20. From theſe Things it may now The true di- 
abundantly appear

~265 words

faſt; not that to him the Be- 
refit in any wiſe might return, but to us 


alone. For to God no Man can give, and 
from him no Man can take away any Thing : 
Him none can profit, and none can hurt. If 


we be found good and ſincere in his Sight, 
we ſhall reap the Advantage thereof to our 


ſelves: But if we be found falſe and cor- 


rupted, then the Evil will return upon our 


own Head. But what Harm, O Man, canſt 
thou do to God, if thou wilfully goeſt on 
in Impiety and a diſſolute Courſe of Life? 


| The true Ser- F. 23. He therefore commandeth himſelf 


vice of Godis to be ſerved on thy account, not on bis 
| | profitable tO 


own; who being LOVE it ſelf, it pleaſ⸗ 


us, not to him, eth him that many be found in his Service, 


to whom he may freely impart the Streams 
of his Love; yea, even himſelf roo. For 


as a Mother cannot but love the Infant that 
hangs at her Breaſt, and grcedily ſucks her 
Milk : So doth God take a ſingular Pleaſure 


in a free and unconfined Communication of 


his Love and Kindneſs, 
CHAP, 


o rr PpFLDADY 


Boe 


As 


Boon I, The Marks of « true cih 1551. 


, | 0 


CHAP. XX 


As a Tree is known by its Fruit, fo 


a true Chriſtian is known only by 


Love, and a daily Amendment of 


Life. 


Pal. XC. 12, 15. 


The Righteous ſhall flouriſh like the Palm Tree : 


He ſhall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. 
Thoſe that be planted in the Houſe of the 
Tord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God. 
They fhall ſtill bring forth Fruit in Old Age: 
They (hall be fat and flouriſhing - To ſhew 
that the Lord is upright He is our Rock, 
and there is no Unrighteouſneſs in him. 


an Life, ſheweth a true Chriſtian : Chi? muſt 


et this therefore be the Care of a Chri- e n 4 


| N. T a Chriſtian Name, but a chriſti- The Life of 
Chriſtian. 


ſtian, that in him Chriſt may be ſeen, and 
viibly appear unto others, by his Love, Hu- 
mility, and Kindneſs. For in whomſoever 


Chriſt doth not live, he certainly cannot be 
2

~202 words

Man ſhould poſſeſs, in the more 
ſecret Corners of his Heart, even much more 


than outwardly appears in bis Life, viſible 


The Purity 
and Rg hee 
6:4/nef(s Pa 4 
Chr tian. 


to all. 


F. 3. But though in our ig werd part we 


atrain not unto rhe Purity of Angels, yet 
ris but juſt we ſhould fervently figh after 
it. And indeed, God approves the Deſires 


_ of 


. 


1 
5 
25 
t 
2 
* 
* 
5 
5 
1 
4 
1 
4 


acquit himſelf in his Poſt: So alſo ſhould 


Boox I. The Marks of a true Chriſtian. 173 


of our Spirit, eovetous of a further Purification : 


The holy Spirit alſo helps our Infirmities, and Rom. Vill-26, 


makes interceſſion for us with Groanings which 

cinnot be uttered: Yea, the Blood of Chriſt 
purifies us by Faith, ſo that we are without Acts xv. 9: 
Spot or Wrinkle: And in this reſpect, we Eph. v. 27. 
do not poſſeſs the Purity, Holineſs, and 


Righteouſneſs of ſome Angel or other, but! Cor. i. 30. 


that of Chriſt, yea, and Chriſt himſelf. 


C. 4. ln this reſpect, I ſay, our Holineſs H- Growth | 


beſtowed upon us out of mere Grace, doth“ Core. 


far ſurpaſs the Purity and Innocence of the 
very Angels themſelves, as being Chrift him- 
ſelf. But then this undeſerved Righteouſneſs, 
freely applied to us, muſt renew alſo

~137 words

by the World, or its unhappy Admi- 


rers? Fet us therefore flee both from that 


uk. xi. 37, 


watching: Of a Truth, I. ſay unto thee, 44 


bath. 4nd who is it that watcheth, bur he 


and theſe, wWell-Knowing that the Manners of 


this corrupteu Age are like fo many hurt- 


« I76 The Prienaſbip of the World. Cap. XXIII. 
the good Juice of a Tree to ſuch a De- 
gree, as to make it entirely die away in 

a little' while. 2 1 pay 6 


" 9 = 6 
— * D 4 2 of * 2 
N 2 * 


CHAP. XXIII. 
He that would advance in the Life 
of Chriſt, muſt fly worldly Friend. 
Oo 
How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord cf 


Hoſts! Ay Soul longeth, .yea, even faint- 


eth for the Courts of the Lord: My 
Heart and my Fleſh crieth out for the Liv- 
ing God. OT 


1 HHO doſt do wiſely if thou avoid- 
Chriſtian 1 eſt the too frequent Familiarity of 
muſt take worldly Men. For as it is never better for 
| heed of too Our Body than when it is at home; ſo it 
great 4 Fa

~160 words

ſo many Circles of Vanity. This 

be aſſured of, that you will eſcape many 

Faults, if you ſtudy to confine your Thoughts 

within the Limits of your Heart. 5 

FG. 3. In the Courts of the Lord our Cod, Tle Solitude 

the Plants of the Lord do flouriſh, and are 48 Spirit and in- 

the Cedars in Lebanon. Now, what are theſe erna! Sab- 

Courts? They are the internal and ſpiritual %. 

Feſtivals and Sabbaths of our Heart; which, P. xcii. 12, 13 

as Lebanon in the Deſart, flouriſh beſt in a - b 

litary Retirement of Mind, and Abſtraction 

of Spirit. Labour to attain to this Solitude of 

Spirit, and you ſhall become fit to ſearch in- 

to your ſelves, and to contemplate that 

Variety of Wonders and Mercies God hath 

beſtowed upon us. 6 „„ SG: | | 
F. 4. Neither are we to imitate thoſe A are to ſhun 


that admire ſubtle Diſputes and Inventions, whatever does 


who take Pleaſure in reading of nothing but ., We ra : 

what is fine, pleaſant, and witty: Which eee oh 

yet, if rightly conſidered, doth deprave, ra- ger of the 

ther than improve the Mind of the Rea- Foul, 

der. Whatever doth not promote the Re- 

poſe of the Heart, and the continual Renovati- 

on

~295 words

the utmoſt of 


their Power endeayoured, by carefully che- 


riſhing this bleſſed Tranquillity of Heart, to 
approach nearer and nearer to a Life raiſed 
above the World, and to emulate ſuch ele. 
vated Minds as did entirely reſt in God, as 
the Center of all their Happineſs. One of 
thoſe Souls hath expreſſed herſelf in this I 


manner: As often as J converſe with Men, 


I return always leſs than a Man in foe Part 
or other. For ſince the Dignity of humane 


Nature doth mainly conſiſt in a Similitude of 


God, and therefore God hath deſcribed Man 
to be the Image and Likeneſs of himſelf; it 
follows, that every one, the more unlike he 
1s to God, the leſs a Man he is: And the 
nigher he unites himſelf to God, fo much 
the liker to Him does he become, and re. 
covers a manly State of Life. But none can 


turn himſelf to God, who does not firſt 
withdraw himſelf from the World. The 


Nature of every Seed is, to bring forth a 


Plant of its own Kind: So if the Seed of 


Ilal.Ixi. 3. 


God, the Holy Spirit and Word, be in thee, 
thou ſhalt become a Tree of Righteouſneſs, the 


Planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. 


Flow the Son? S+ 5. Nothing is more frequent, than that 


comes to be 


ſome Word or other is drop'd in the Con- 


defiled in Con- ver ſation of Men, which being idle and vain, 
doth grievouſly wound and pollute the Soul, 
| Wherefore no Man hath more Security, Safe- 
ty, and Peace, than he who keeps at Home, 
and reſtrains his Thovghts, his Words, and 
his Senſes, from ſtraying beyond their Bounds. 
Diogenes the Philoſopher, being thus ws 

| 885 3 


dier ſation. 


50 


Book I. to be avoided. 179 J 
ed by a trifling Pretender to Wit: What 7 

am, thou art not; but I am a May, therefore 
thou art not one; chaſtiſed the affected Sub- 

tilty of the Man, and pleaſantly anſwered : 
It will be truer if you begin with me. 93 

F. 6

~396 words

Sting of an evil Conſcience. 


 T;-!7y to F. 8. But if a Man would on one Hand 


arrive at true ſeek no Pleaſure in what is frail and periſh- 


Peace and ing, and on the other, with a Mind free 


River, from ſecular Cares and Affairs, give himſelf 
. up to thoſe more heavenly Concerns that be- 


come a true Chriſtian; then verily there 


is no doubt, but he would often be viſited 
with a fervent Devotion, a profound Peace, 
a ſweet Tranquillity, a ſerene Conſcience, 


and other divine Comforts and Entertain- 


ments. But then he muſt firſt remove thoſe. 


Delights which the World affords, if he 
would have them ſucceeded by thoſe that 


are divine and heavenly. But whilſt we 


will not be perſwaded of theſe Things, it 


falls out that our Converſion, Amendment, 
and Devotion, which we might find within 
us, are by our being too freely converſant 
with Men, rather hindred than improved a- 
mongſt them. We may find within our 


Breaſt, what we eaſily loſe in an inconſide- 


rate Purſuit of Things without us. And as a 
„ Tree 


ARSE: a 


7 


e 


Conſcience be converſant with Things inter- 


FP y / v 


1 


Book I. | to be avoided. 181 


Tree no where better proſpereth, than in 
its natural Soil; ſo does the Inward Man no 
where more happily grow, than in the in- 
ward Ground of the Soul, where CHRIST 
reſides. e . "= 
§. 9. The Mind, or Conſcience of Man, abba} remind 
poſſeſs'd either with Joy or Sorrow. If the Ce 


e | 4 i 6.4 and F iti Foy 
nal and heavenly, it will in its turn refreſh, 5 rex. 


us with inward Delight and Comfort: But 
if it be polluted with cleaving too much to 
worldly Concerns, it will needs be attended 


with inward Sorrow and Perplexity. 


S. 10. As often as the Soul is ſtruck with 7% bie A 
an hearty Remorſe of her Sins, ſhe as often Effet of true 
bewails herſelf, and ſends up ſecret Groans Repentance. 
to the Throne of Mercy. This penitential 
Exerciſe is to her a wholſome Fountain of 
Tears, wherein Night after Night ſhe cleanſ- 
eth and waſheth herſelf by the Spirit and 
Faith, through the Name of FESUS; that 
ſo ſhe may be duly prepared to enter into 


the inward Sanctuary, and Holy of Holies, 


and. there enjoy a ſecret Intercoyrſe with 
the Lord. . : „ 

§. 11. And becauſe the Lord is 4 God that c erene- 
hidet h himſelf, the Soul muſt needs approach 277 God. 
him in a manner

~161 words

World, neither the Things that 


„ k | Joh. ii. 13, 
are in the World: For all that is in the 1 Joh. ii. 15 


16, 17. 


ther, but of the World. And the World paſ- 
ſeth away, and the Luſt thereof, but he that 
doth the Will of God abideth for ever, Who- 


ſever therefore hath a Heart purified from 
all Love to the Creature, ſo that it depends 


or acquieſces in no tranſient Good whatſo- 
ever, but on the contrary, cleaves moſt in- 


timately to God alone, like David, W bo 
ſaith: My Fleſh and my Heart faileth; but Pi. IXxIil 2 35, 


God is the Strength of my Heart, and my Por- 26. 


tion for ever. Whom have I in Heaven but 


thee, and there is none upon Earth that I de- 


fire beſides thee. The Charity of ſuch an one, 
I fay, proceeds out of a pare Heart. Of 


the ſame kind is alſo that Love which is 
attended with great Delight, Pleaſure, and 


joy in God: Whereof we have an Inſtance 


in David: I will love thee, O Lord, my, 


Strength; the Lord is my Rock, and my For- Pl. xvii. tes 


treſs, and my Deliverer, my God, my Strength, in 
whom I will truſt, my Buc kler, and the Horn of my 
Salvation, and my high Tower. | E 
FS. 3

~232 words

thy Love towards him, by 


And this Commaniment . 


the Marks thereof beſtowed on thy Brother? How it with 


§. 18. As Faith uniteth to God, 
uniteth to our Neighbour. 
is made up of Body and Soul, ſo do Faith 
and Love (that is, the Love both of God 


and of our Neighbour,) make up a true ]Þ 


Chriſtian. Thus he that dwelleth in Love, 


doth dwell in God. And ſeeing that God doth 

efteually mind the Good of all Men; it fol- 

lows, that he that loveth in like manner, i; 
, w 


h. iv. 16. 


ſo Love u laben, 


| aſtor the Gozd 
And as a Man 1, 


— — — - — —— ws _— " l jou = E 
* — 7 < 88 = 2 =. I 2 — > 4»; 45-44% — - . —— — 8 
— 2 - — — as. iii owned — — 22 * 
4 - 5 = 2 — — — — * 
o 4 2 * = — IMS Ez - — 
wr . — — 1——— 0 —— = r * * 
— = — — > . * A — — - — — * 

— — — ———— —ʒ44ł—ñ — — — 4 _ > - 1 3 - - . — — — w_ Y - « {wm —•— — X — — 

. — 4 — 3 > AS 57 — wore K. — 2 — — — — * 
* — — 3 — _— — o . 
5 Kb i ht N — a 22 5 * 8 * r EF, * - 2 - —— 22 - : —— rn ng 
* nd * * — * 8 — — mo * — —— — - — 
N 0 7 


. " 7 = . - 
* —— ſh — 
— — — menos — — 
— — — — ” e 
S — 9 "IIS „ — AI 


Ho by it we 


How we are 


192 Of the Love of God, Chap. XXIV. 

of one Heart with God ; and that he who 

is otherwiſe affected, is againſt God, and 

hath not the Mind of God grafted on him, 

but is God's Enemy as well as his Neigh- 

bour's. He doubtleſs is an Adverſary to 

God, who is an Enemy to Men. 

FS. 19. It is the Property of this Love to 

are to commi

~420 words

in a Fault, conſider 

„ That thou alſo thy ſelf art but a Man; and 

learn from thy own Infirmities, to bear thoſe 

of others, with Patience, Meekneſs and 
Humility. 3 

§. 20. And ſuch eſpecially as do ſin, not 

SE e of Malice or Wickedneſs, but are ſur- 

with theleak Pr iſed into a Fault by Weakneſs and Inad- 

vVvertency; and coming ſoon to themſelves 

again, are ſorry for what they have done, 

and firmly reſolve to watch the more a- 

gainſt the Snares of Satan_ hereafter : Such 

Souls as theſe are verily to be pitied, con- 

doled, and aſſiſted. He that doth otherwiſe, 

ſheweth that he hath nothing in him of the 

merciful and forbearing Spirit of Chriſt. For 

when a Man driveth haſtily for puniſhing the 

Faults of his Neighbour, and this without 


any Temperature of Love or Compaſſion, it is 


an evident Sign that he wants the merciful 

| Senſe of God, and that he is altogether void 
of God, and of his compaſſionate Spirit. On 
the contrary, a true Chriſtian, being anoint- 
ed with the Spirit of Chriſt, is for treating 
all Men as one that hath a Fellow-Feeling 
with them, and bears with them in a ſym- 
pathizing 


Book I. und our Neighbour: 

pathix ing Chriſtian Love and Tenderneſs, 
according to the manner of Chriſt, and that 
Example which he hath ſet us to follow. 
Therefore if any Man, upon a ſerious Search 
into his inward Condition, finds that he hath 


him, let him know for certain, that then the 
Love of God remains not in his Soul, and 
that he himſelf is without God. This ſhould 
ſtrike him with Horror and Indignation a- 
gainſt himſelf: It ſhould make him (after 
repenting for his Sin from the bottom of his 
Heart,) reconcile himſelf to his Neighbour 


the more ſpeedily, that in this Order the 


Love of God may alſo return to. him again- 
Then all his Actions, whilſt he continues in 


this Love and Faith, are good, holy, and 
this Love dwelling in his 


divine. And 
Heart, will make him freely and willingly 
embrace all Men and with great Affection and 
Joy do them all manner of Kindneſſes; ſo that in 


the Expreſſion of Jeremiah, he will rejoice over Je 


them to do them Good, as God himielf doth. 


193 


not the Love of his Neighbour. abiding in 


r. xxxii. 41. 


8. 21. Without this Love all is diabolical Hor without 
whatever is in Man, and exceedingly Evil. Nei- 1. 4 77 Map 


ther 1s there indeed any other Cauſe why 
the Devil can do no Good, but becauſe he 
is utterly deſtitute of Love both towards God 
and Man. Hence all which he doth, is radi- 
cally Evil, and deprived of all intrinſick Good- 


deſigns nothing but God's Diſhonour, and 
Man's Deſtruction. He cunningly contrives 


all manner of Ways to vent his Enmity both 
upon God and Man. And therefore he lays 
out for ſuch Hearts as he may repleniſh 
with Spight and Envy, and then work out 
And 

here- 
3 5 


throvgh them his Malice and Wrath. 


is diabolical. 


. Neſs. In all whatſoever he ſets about, he 


194 Of our Love of God, &c. Crap. XXIV. 
hereby it is manifeſt who are the Children 
of God and the Children of the Devil. See 
1 56 lil 10. 


How thisLove - S- 22. Love muſt be ont of Faith unfeign- 
both of God ed: Which loves God equally in Proſperi. 
and Min, muſt ty and Adverſity. For a loves God 
befrom an une ſincerely, accepts with Joy all the Diſpen- 
feigned Faith. ſations of his Providence, after the Example of 
Chriſt, who with a chearful and ready Mind 
took up the Croſs, which he knew the Will of 
ais Father impoſed on him. Thave, ſays he, 
Luk. xli. 50. 4 Baptiſm

~3,464 words

the Burden of our Croſs, and 


© render it ſweet and agreeable ; eſpecially at- 
ter the Heart is affected with a Touch of the 
divine Love? And if the Sugar does ſweet- 
en ſuch Herbs as are bitter by Nature; 
why ſhonld not the Sweetneſs of the Love 
of God make that pleaſant and eaſie, which 
to the Fleſh is nothing but Croſs and Af, 
fliction? And truly it was from the Ful- 
neſs of this Love, that the bleſſed Martyrs 
bore the moſt exquiſite Pain with Patience 
and Joy; being tranſported therewith to 
ſuch a Degree, as to be almoſt inſenſible of 
their very Torments. Ent 7 85 


CHAP. 


artyrs 
tience 
h to 


ble of 


IAP. 


Boox I. Of Charityto car Neighbour. 


CHAP. XXV. 


The Love of our Neighbour conſider'd 


more particularly. 


2 Pet. II. 19. 


07 whom a Man is overcome, of the ſame is 


he brought in Bonaage. 


"A Mongſt all the Kinds of Bondage, there priced b. 
is none more hard and grieyous, than d wretebed 


to be under the Bondage of the Paſſions : 
But of all theſe, none is ſo cruel as Hatred, 


Bondage. 


which ſo weakens and depreſſes all the Abi- 
lities of Body and Mind, as not to leave 


the Man one free Thought. But he who 
lives in Love is Free. He is no Slave to Anger, 
Envy, Covetouſneſs, Pride, Lying, or Ca- 
lumny: And being delivered from theſe by 
Love, he ſuffers not himſelf to be ſubdued 


by evil Deſires, but continues Chriſt's Free- 


man in the Liberty of the Spirit: For where 
the Spirit is, there is Liberty. Whoſoever there- 
fore walketh in the Love of Chriſt, he is 


2 Cor. 14.17% 


no longer a Slave to Sin, or a Servant to 


carnal Affections. For the Spirit of that 
Love hath freed and purified him from car- 
nal Concupiſcence. And we ſee that the 


Love of God extends its ſelf over all Men. 


of which we do not. only find ſufficient 
Proofs in Scripture, but the Footſteps of his 
univerſal Benignity are alſo every where dil- 
played in Nature. 


. 


* EE. 
, — Q . -S+ 3 
* 


196 OfC harity to our Neighbour. Cup. XXV. 
The Loneof F. 2. We are all equally covered with the 
God is Co. Heavens, and have all of us the Uſe of the 


 tholickk Sun, the Air, the Earth, and the Water; 


both they of high Degree, and they of the 
meaneſt Condition. And the very ſame Mind 


that is in God towards us, ought alſo to be 


in us towards Men; God himſelf having 
ſet us a Pattern of catholick Kindneſs for our 
Imitation. He doth not regard one more 
than another, but loveth them all with an 
equal Affection. With him there is no Re- 
ſpect of Perſons, of Dignity or Merit; but 
he beholdeth them all alike in Chriſt. This 
is for our Inſtruction. For as God carrieth 
himſelf towards us, ſo ought we to carry 
our ſelves towards our Neighbour. And 
truly after the ſame manner as we ſhall deal 
with Man, ſo God will infallibly deal with 
us again; having written this Law 1n our 
Hearts for our ſtronger Conviction, and for 
an Encouragement to animate us into Acts of 
mutval Love and Benignity. We need not 
go far to enquire what Favour we have 
with God Almighty. If we do but enter 
into our own Conſcience, it will impar- 
tially tell us, what Mind and Affection we 
bear to our Neighbour: And as we have 
done to him, fo certainly will God do un- 
to us again, and return our Works into our 
own Boſom. And in this Senſe it is faid 
Pſal.xviii.26, Of God: That with the Pare be ſhews him- 
EO ſelf pure, and with the Froward, ſhews himſelf 
 fromard: i. e. If thou beareſt an evil Mind 
to thy Neighbour, God will be thine Ad- 
 verliary. aid. 5 
I, God re- S. 3. Since therefore God hath no need 
guir n the of our Service, he hath ſubſtituted our Neigh- 
 Lmeofour bour in his Place, to reccive our Charity, 
Neig cur. EW © 


—— 2 WCAG ©. m —ůͥ!̃ ² é oe. m ]̃˙Äͤ1irn!n! 7“ 


an a cos ac fol 


Boox I. Of Charity to our Netohbour. 197 
and hath commanded ys to pay it as to himſelf. 5 
He has made this Love of our Neighbour 
the very Touchſtone by which we are to ex- 
amine the Sincerity of our Love to God. 

And for this Reaſon he has en- A. heut it 
join'd the Love of our Neighbour, with ſo theSarisfa8i- 


great an Earneſtneſs requiring us to ſhew con; on of Ciriſt is 


ſtantly the ſame Love to him which God of no Effect. 


| ſhews to us. For unleſs a Man be fully re- 
conciled to, and in perfect Charity with his 


Neightour, he cannot have the Favour or 
Grace of God. And altho' all the Sins of 
the World are ſatisfied for by the Death of 


Chriſt, and a full Pardon obtained; yet all 
Mankind may in ſome Senſe be ſaid to be 


in the ſame Circumſtances with the wicked _ 
Servant in the Parable, who when he had Marr. xviii. 


not wherewithal to pay, the King freely re- 23, Sc: 


mitted him all his Debts; but when he af- 
terwards behaved himſelf cruelly towards his 
Fellow-Servant, the King revoked his Par- 


don, and condemned the Servant, by reaſon 


of the hard Uſage wherewith he treated his 
Neighbour. Which Parable Chriſt concludeth 

with this notable Farewell: So likewiſe ſhall Ver. 35. 
my heavenly Father do alſo to you, if ye from 

your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother 
their Treſpaſſes. And: With the ſame Mea- Luk. vi. 38. 
ſure ye mete wnto others, it ſhall be meaſuredta 

you ag ain. | 5 


FS. 5. Hereby now it doth plainly appear, How our own 
that Man was not created for himſelf alone; Meaſue is 


but for His Neighbour alſo. So ſtrong is made God's 


the Commandment of loving our Neighbour, Mea e 60 fl. 
that whenſoever it is broke, the very End 
of our Creation is thereby deſtroyed, and the 


Love of God immediately withdrawn fram that 


Soul. Nothing is now left but his ſevereſt Juſtice, 
judging and condemning all that are void 
"3 a of 


Things, we ſhould never be angry with one ano. 


upon our Wrath. Tis true, on one Hand, 
that Chriſt by his Death on the Croſs haz 
offer'd a full and compleat Atonement for 
all our Treſpaſſes, and in this reſpect, (after 


it on the other, a horrid thing, to think 
that the whole Extent of the Merits of 


tinue to hate our Brother, and will neither 
pardon nor love him. We ſhal] be entire» 
ly cut off from all the Benefit that flows 
from them. 


Herbe Love S. 6. Hence then it appears, of how great 


of Grd indiſ- a Moment the Love of our Neighbour muſt 
per/ioly binds he in the Sight of God, obliging us even to 
Fo the Love of that degree, that God "will diſdain to be 
0, Neig bee. loved by us, unleſs we love our Neighbour 
alſo: So that if we fail in our Benevolence 
foward him, we fall at the ſame time from 
Grace and divine Charity. And for this 
Reaſon 'we wete created all equal, and of 
the ſame Nature, that we might not inſo— 
lently deſpiſe one another, but like Twins 
of one common Parent, living in Peace and 
Love, endeavour to maintain a good and 

c ſerene Conſcience. 
Connexion of F. 7. Moreover, whoſoever hates and de- 
the Love of ſpiſes his Brother, he alſo hates and deſpi- 
Gd ani of fes God, who has forbid all ſach Animoli- 
ur Neighbour, ties In the ſevereſt Terms. If thou con- 
temneſt thy Brother, God alſo contemneth 
thee: Which, as it certainly haſtens thy 
Judgment and Condemnation, ſo it plainly 


REV, that as yet thou haſt no Intereſt b 


198 07 Charity to our Neighbour. Cray; XXV. 
of this Charity. If we duly conſider'd theſe 


ther; neither ſhould the Sun ever go down 


the Example of the King in the Parable,) 
hath remitted all our Sins at once; yet is 


Chriſt will be of no uſe at all, if we con- 


eee OT I I ER je 


| Book I. Why our Neighbour muſt be loved. 55 
the Merit and Redemption of Chriſt, but art 
ſtill in an unpardon'd, reprobate State. 


8. 8. For it cannot be poſſible that a The fatal H. 
Heart filled with Wrath and Bitterneſs, fect er Hatred. : 


ſhould in any Degree reap a ſaving Effect 
from the Blood of Chriſt, which was ſhed. 


by a Motive of pure Love. Yea, the Para- 


ble aforeſaid doth plainly convince us, that 


God was leſs offended at the Debt of Ten 
Thouſand Talents, than at the barbarous 


Cruelty of which the Servant was guilty. 
Let us therefore ponder the Words where- 
with the Lord concludes the Parable : Se 


likewiſe ſhall my heavenly Father do alſo 


do you. 


2 * A : 
- ; 2 . 7 1 a 7 8 


— 


n — 
* — 


CHAP. XXVII. 


466 e hs es i 


' De loved. 


Rom. XIll. 8. 


Ome nothing to any Man, but to love one ano- 


ther. For he that loveth his Neighbour, hath 
fulfilled the Law. ans moerenh bh; 


ET us hear the Words of the pro- her ats * 
phet Micah, inſtructing us by Way 7 9000, 


of Queſtion and Anſwer: Wherewith ſball 1 er K 


come before the Lord? Shall 1 offer unto bim conſiſt. 
Burnt-Offerings, with Calves of 4 Tear old? Mic. vi. 6, 7. 
Will the Lord be pleaſea with Thouſands of 
Rams, or with ten Thouſands of Rivers of Oil ? 

_ Rua 0-4 = Shall 


"— 2 


F 86” © Why our Neighbour Crap, XXVI. 
Shall I give my Firſt- Born for my Tranſgreſſon, 


. the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul ? 
Mic, vi. 8. Anfwer: He bath ſhewed thee, O Man, what 


7s good, and what the Lord requireth of thee « 


Even to do Judgment, and to love Mercy, and 
to walk humbly with thy God. . 


5 We Ret. By this Queſtion, and the Anſwer 
— + Sag to it, the Prophet teacheth us, wherein the 
ment Worſhip true Worſhip of God doth properly conſiſt; as 


not in Ceremonies and Sacrifices, which are 


not able to give any thing to God, becauſe 
all is his own already: Nor in ſuch Offer. 
ings as may be made of humane Bodies, 


which he doth not require at our Hands, 
5 but rather deteſts and abhors them, be- 
. _- cauſe they are injurious to Jeſus Chriſt, the 
Joh. i. 29, 
pointed to take away the Sins of the Worl 


5 But the true Worſhip, and which is agreea- 
ble to the Will of God, conſiſts in pure Faith, 


which from the viſible Effect of it, the Pro, 
phet doth here deſcribe by doing Judgment, 


that is, by the Exerciſe of Faith in Righ- 
_ teonſneſs, in Charity, and Mercy; (which is 


more pleaſing than all Sacrifices) in true Hu- 
mility, and Contrition, as it is ſaid: The 
Pal Li. 17. Sacrifice of God is a broken Spirit: an hum- 
Or. ble and a contrite Heart, O God, Thou wilt 
not deſpiſe. 1 ; 5 „5 


— by 


eee I + Now to this divine Worſhip, found- 


whichirroGoged within the Heart, and exerting it ſelf 
4 Service, i to in Faith, Love, and Humility, St. Paul does 


Men a Debt. powerfully exhort us. His Admonition 


containeth in it both the: Praiſe of Chriſtian 
= Love, and the perpetual Debt to which we 
ſtand engaged to our Neighbour, and with- 
out which it is impoſſible to ſerve God à- 


right. For truly there is no other Way of 


| ſerving God, but by what he himſelf worketh 


great Propitiatory Oblation which God ap- 


ook I. muſt be loves. Ne 
in our Hearts: So that to ſerve God, is 
nothing elſe but to ſerve our Neighbour, and 
to do him all the Offices of Chriſtian 
Love and Humanity we are able to per- 
Dr n a de dS : 
§. 4. The Apoſtle, when he is about ex- Ia whar Senſe 
horting us into a Love of this Virtue, ib 5s he Ful- 
ufeth an elegant Argument, and an engaging Hing of the 
one, to thoſe who are Lovers of the Pra- Lw. 
ctice of Chriſtian Virtues, He calls Lovea, ... . 
Summary of all Virtues, and the Fulfilling of nine 
the Law: Not that we are able by any 
Acts of Charity, to fulfil the Rigour of the 
divine Law, or that conſequently we can 
merit eternal Life thereby; (which cannot 
poſſibly be, except our Love were compleat 
in every reſpect, and arrived to a conſum- 
mate Perfection:) But the Apoſtle gives it 
that Name, to inſinuate thereby the won- 
derful Excellency of this Virtue, and to engage 
us at the ſame time into an unfeigned Love of the 
ſame. As for our Righteouſneſs and Happineſs, it 
is not grounded on any Work of ours, but 
only on the Merits of Chriſt applied to us 
by Faith. po Og oper Oo En nr ng gd od 
S. 5. From this Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, The Foundati- 
apprehended by Faith, doth ſpring up Love” of this Love 
to the Neighbour, together with the whole 
Train of other Chriſtian Virtues, called by 
the Apoſtle Fruits of Righteouſneſs, done to 
the Glory and Praiſe of God. But ſince Thil. i. 11. 
the Dignity of this Virtue is ſo very emi- : 
nent, it will be worth our while to lay | 
down ſome more AMotives; whereby the Pra- | 
ctice thereof may be endeared to us. 
F. 6. The firſt and ſtrongeſt of all, in The firſt 
my Opinion, is that which St. John uſeth: Motive. 
God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love, 1Joh. iv. 16. 
awelleth in God, and God in him: For Who 
15 would 


202 


in our Neighbour Crt. XXVI 


That it is would not wiſh to be i» God, and remain in 
Markef being him, and that God reciprocally ſhould be 


a Child of 
God, 


and remain in him? And who, on the con- 


trary, would not abhor to be in Satan, and 


to have Satan dwelling in him? And yet is 


this the ordinary Conſequence, s often as 


Charity is repulſed, and unnatural Animo- 
ſities admitted into the Heart. For as God 


is a Lover of Men, ready to ſave them from 


eternal Deſtruction; ſo the Devil is a Hater 
of Men; and he that dwelleth in Hatred, 


dwelleth alſo in the Devil, and the Devil 


1 Joh. iv. 7. 


in him. This is further explained by St. 


John: He that loveth, is born of God, and 
knoweth God. And again: In this the Chil- 


1 Joh. iii. 10. Aren of God are maniſeſt, and the Children of 


the Devil: Whoſoever doth not Righteouſneſs, 
is not of God, neither he that loveth not his 
Brother. And can there be any thing more 


deſireable than to be ranked among the Sons 


of God, to be begotten of God, and to 


know God truly and experimentally ? But 


whoſoever hath his Heart void of all this 
Love, and never felt its Force and 
Energy, nor taſted its Goodneſs and Gen- 
tleneſs, Long-ſuffering and Patience, this Man 


doth not know God; who is pure Love. For 


the Knowledge of God muſt proceed from 
_ Senſe and Experience. And how is it poſli- 
ble a Man ſhould know Chriſt, whilſt he is 
' a ſtranger to Love, and to all thoſe loving 
Endearments that paſs betwixt Chriſt and 


the Soul? Whence it follows, that he that is 


without Love, is without Chriſt alſo. But 


he that is carneſt in the Practice of Piety 


in general, and in the Exerciſe of Love in 


. particular, he ſhall not be left empty, in 


the Knowledge of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: 


Foy 


'R- 7 > = 


Underſtanding of high and ſublime Myſte- 


Boox I. muſt be loved. e 208- -- 
For if theſe Things be in you, and abound, 2 Pet. i. 84 
they make you that you ſhall be neither barren 
nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord 
Tr Chae 5 8 
S8. 7. Our Lord himſelf faith: By this The Second 
ſhall all Men know that ye are my Diſciples, Motive. 
if ye love one another. Now for being a Joh. xii. 15. 
Diſciple of Chriſt, it is not enough to be à 1 it 11 4; 


Chriſtian in Name only, or in a dry verbal Woo, 
Profeſſion : But to be a Diſciple of Chriſt c. . 


requires much more. Such a one muſt be- 
lieve in his Name: He muſt love him, imi- 
tate him, live in him: He muſt in a pecu- 
liar manner adhere to him: He feels the 

Love of Chriſt derived into his Soul, and 

doth freely partake of all the Gifts and 

Benefits purchaſed by him. Whoever hath 

not this Love of Chriſt abiding in him, this 

Man verily is none of Chriſt's Diſciples, nor 

can he pretend to have any Share in his 

Merits: For how is it poſſible Chriſt ſhould 

know that Man, who hath neither Faith in, 

nor any Love at all to him? Therefore, as 

an Apple is known by its Savour, and a 

Flower by its Smell or Fragrancy, ſo a Chri- 

ſtian, or a true Diſciple of Chriſt, is known 

by Love only. a 2 5 1 
F. 8. For this Reaſon Sr. Paul the Apo- The Third 
ſtle doth not ſtick to affirm, that All Gifts Motive. 
without Charity are nothing; Which 1s alſo That without 
another Inducement or Motive, why we ſhould . 4 ether 
deſire this excellent Gift of Charity. And ½ 7 
in truth, neither the Knowledge of divers . þ 
Tongues, nor the Gift of Miracles, nor tde 


ries, nor any ſuch extraordinary Endows- 
ments, are ſufficient Marks to know a Chri- 
ſtian by; this Prerogative being entirely re— 
ſerved to Faith, which worketh through Love. 

tn 1 — 


204 Why our Neighbow Cray. XXVI. 


Nor doth God indeed require any hard 
Things at our Hand; (ſuch as is the Work. 
ing of Miracles,) but to exerciſe Love and 
Humility, Virtues that may be apprehended 
by the meaneſt Capacity. Neither ſhall it 
| be demanded of thee in the Day of Judg- 
ment, how thou haſt been vers'd in Arts, 
Tongues, and Sciences, or what great Parts 
thou haſt poſſeſsd in this World; but whe. 
ther thou haſt purſued Faith working thro 
Matt. xxv. Love. I have been hungry, (faith our Saviour) 
= and thou gaveſt me to eat, &c. And St. Paul 
Gal. v. 6. to the Galatians: In Chriſt Jeſus neither Cir- 
Oe cumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſ.- 
on, (no Gifts, no Parts or Endowments, no 

reſpe& of Perſons ;) but Faith which worketh 

3 SO LS „ 
TheFourth S' 9. Add to theſe, that Paſſage of $t. 
Motive. John: If a Man ſay, he loveth God, and ha- 
Ich. iv. 20. teth his Brother, he is a Liar: For be that 
That it is an loveth not his Brother whom be hath ſeen, 
outward and how can he love God whom he hath not ſeen? 
viſible Sign of And this Commandment have we from him, 
: 10 7007 oGod rp hat he who loveth God, love his Brother alſo. 
5 This all the inſpired Writers do unanimouſly 
teach, that Love towards God cannot pol- 

{ibly conſiſt without Love to our Neighbour. 

For he that hateth his Neighbour, muſt 

needs be an Enemy to God ; becauſe God is a 

Lover of Men, and requires us to be of tie 

1 fame Mind. Moreover, | 
The Fiſch F. 10. Love is the firſt and the great 
Motive. Law of Nature, and attended with many ſuch 
That ie i, Things as are beneficial to Nature, and with- 
: 2 i 7 out which Men would not be able to live. When 
Nm. any good Thing happeneth to Man, it doth 
Col. iii. 14, Of certain proceed from divine Love. Wherc- 
fore St. Paul calleth Love, the Bond of Per- 

—5 ns feet ion, 


L 


to ſay: That which you would not 


Country. 


Tranquillity of Mind. 


Book I. muſt be loved. 1 
fection; and enumerates in other Places the 1 Cor. xit. 
excellent Fruits that grow on this Stock. S xi. 
And our Saviour himſelf teacheth to the _ 2 
ſame Effect: All Things whatſoever ye would att. Lü. 12. 
that Men ſhould do to you, do ye the ſame 

unto them: For this is the Law and the Pro- 

phets. And this is ſo univerſal a Truth, that 

the Heathens themſelves, who had not the 

Oracles of God committed to them, were, by 

the very Law of Nature writ in their 

Hearts, convinced thereof. Hence they uſed 

ſhould be 

done to your ſelf, do not the ſame to another, 

Which excellent Sentence, the Emperor Se- 

verus, a Prince adorned with many Virtues 

beſides, had daily in his Mouth, and enact- 

ed it into a Law for the Good of the 

S. 11. Love is alſo a beautiful Image, and The Sixth

~941 words

to pardon, 


and" to be kind and gracious: And it mul: 


2 


Book I. Why an Enemy muſt be loved. 


Goodneſs and Virtue. os TT 


and Virtue is, when a Man, overcoming him- Motive. 


he that ruleth his Spirit, than he that taketh 


By this you'll prove your ſelf the greater Man. 


fect in Him. 


213 

be undoubtedly one of the ſublimeſt Virtues, 5 
which makes us bear the neareſt Reſemblance 
with the moſt high God, and with all ſach 
Perſons as are the moſt conſpicuous for 


S. 9. Laſtly: The higheſt Degree of Valour The Eighth 


ſelf, is ready at any time to forget Inju- That it is the 
ries, to pardon Offences, and ſhew AR of ven higheſt 
Favour and Clemency. Whoever thus gets © 44s Virtse 
the Conqueſt of himſelf, (») (ſaid 2 wiſe and Honour. 
Heathen,) is ſtronger than he that over- 
cometh Walls and Fortreſſes. No Valour 

can exceed it. He that is flow to Anger, o. 
ſays Solomon, is better than the Mighty: And Prov.xvi. 32! 


4 City. 


The Man that Towns and Kingdoms doth ſubdue, 
Shall not be half ſo Great, my Friend, as you : 
If that Your ſelf you bravely conquer can; 


This is one of the higheſt Steps of the 
Soul's Aſcenſion in her ſpiritual Exerciſe. 
She now reſts and ends in God, and is per- 
(Y) Fortior eſt qui ſe, quam qui fortiſſima vincit 
nia, nec virtus altius ire poteſt. 


PF 


: P 4 


TR» 
* 2 
* 


* 
* 
AY 4 


ſ 


The natural 
_ Neceſſity of 
Love, © 


un God is to be loved. Cixr. XXVIII. 


CH AP. XXVII. 


How and for what reaſon the Love of 
the Creator ſhould be preferred to 
all Creatures. How our Neighbour is 
to be loved in God. Es, 


1 John II. 15. 


If any Man love the World, the Love of the 
Father is not in him. ” 


HE Heart of Man is of that Nature, 
that it cannot live without Love. Let 
it be either the Love of God, or the Love 
of the World, and of one's Self. If there- 


fore Man be under fo ſtrong a Compulſion 


to Love, let him turn his Love unto G00, 


the ſupreme Good of all, and give up that 
Affection to him, who originally planted it 
in Man, and kindled it by his good Spirit: 
And who is ſtill ready, at our hearty Re- 


Joh. xiv. 21, 


None can love 
God but he 


do every Man. 


my Father. 


queſt, to reinkindle this Flame in our Soul: 
For his Love to us is ſtill the great Prin- 
ciple that produceth our Love to him. And 
if his Love to us does but meet with a 


| wuſtwiſhwell ſuitable Return on our ſide; *tis then his Love 
| will, Day by Day, more ardentfy embrace us: 


For Love begets Love, according to that 
of St. John : He that loveth me, is loved of 


F. 2. Now in whomſoèver the Love of 
Sad doth reſide, there it diſpoſeth the Soul free- 
1y to love all Men,and not only to wiſh them well, 
but to do them alſo all proper Acts of Love 
and Beneficence : This being the Properiy Of 
| | „„ * 


' 
9 


al 


Boox I, Why God is to be loved. 217 
that Love Which is grounded in God, and bes 


derived from him. Such a Lover of God, 


and of his Neighbour, will never hurt or de- 
fraud any Man in Word or in Deed. And 
this Candonr and Ingenuity is the bleſſed Ef- 
fect of the Love of God. 


§. 3. But alas! The Generality of people 74, Ercole 


are now ſo much taken up with the love the Love 
of the World, that they do never ſo much of Cod. 

as admit the Love of God into their Heart. 
This is plain from that falſe and frandulent 

Love wherewith they treat their Neighbour, 

and which, under a ſhew of Friendſhip, ſceks 


nothing but temporal Gain and Advantage. 


Nothing in the World ſhould be loved to 
ſuch a Degree, as to injure the Love of God, 


or to come any Way in Competition with 


the ſame ; eſpecially ſince there is ſo great 
a Vanity and Vileneſs in the World, and 


ſo great a Worth and Majeſty in God, as 


no Compariſon can ever be made betwixt 
them. For as God doth infinitely excel all 
his Creatures, ſo doth the Love of God in 
Holineſs, Nobility, and Dignity, infinitely ex- 
cel all the Love we can bear to the Crea- 
ture, and is 'in no wiſe to be compared 


| therewith. No Love to the Creature ought 


to have that Weight with us, as to make 
us offend the Love of God, or to ac con- 
FJ ((( 
S8. 4. St. Paul ſaith: Who planteth a Vine: The higheſt 
yard, and eateth not of the Fruit thereof? Reaſcnable- 
Theſe Words may not 1mproperly be ap- es of ie. 
Plied to this Caſe: Who is more worthy * Gore in. 7. 
of our Love, than he that hath planted it in 
our Hearts, and to whoſe Love we owe our 
very Life and Being? And as we live all 
by the Love of God in Chriſt, ſo we ſhould 
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218 


thy God is to be loved. CH. XXVIII. 
all adhere to this Love, and make it our 
conſtant Support even in the Time of Ad- 
verſity: For as a Pilot in fonl and tempeſty- 
ous Weather, doth not ſet the Ship a- drift 
at the Mercy of the Billows, but ſecures it 


by the Anchor as well as he can, and ſtays 
the unruly ' Motions thereof: So in like 


manner, when the Ship of our Faith is toſ- 
ſed about in the Sea of this World, and he- 


ſet on all Sides with the Temptations of 


Sin and Vanity, of Wrath and Pride, of Luſt 
and Avarice; we ſhould then endeavour to 
repoſe our ſelves on the Love of Chriſt, and 
not ſuffer our Heart to be removed from 


that ſpiritual Stedfaſtneſs, which is to car- 
ry us ſafe through all the Floods and Tem- 


Gen, $18.17. 


peſts of this perverſe and boiſterons World. 
Thus, when Sin and Death, Devil and Hell, 
Tribulation and Perſecution, and other forts 
of Incurſions and Miſeries, are like to over- 
whelm us, we are then to hold faſt the 
Love of God manifeſted in Chriſt Jeſus. 
This divine Love is like that Hill of Salvation 
which was ſhtewed to Lot when he went out 
of Sodom, to deliver his Soul there, and to 


eſcape the Fire of that curſed Place. 


Fe World. 


- 


§. 5. For what elſe is this World but 2 


ſpiritual "Sodom: ? And what is the Burning 
From the Evilof it, but the Burning of worldly Concupi- 


ſcence, ſet on Fire of Hell, and which muſt 
needs deſtroy thoſe that do not cndeayour 


to quench in themſelves the raging Flames 
thercof? This Fire of Luſt, attended with 


everlaſting Flames and Torments, is worſe 
than that of Sodom. But then is the Love 


and Fear of God a ſavereign Remedy againſt 


this profane Love, and againſt any Motion 
Contrary to its pure and heavenly Nature. 


It 


| Boox J. % God is to be loved. 219 


Ir It was this divine Fear and Love which il 
4. preſerved Joſe pb from the Inticements of Po- Gen. xx g. 
5 tiphar's Wife, and doth ſtill guard us againſt 

ft the Snares of an infectious World. 
it F. 6. No Man can love the World, but That none can 
8 he that hath never taſted the Love of God:“ ve theWorid 
ce Nor can any Man hate his Neighbour, de- de 

*1 fraud, or circumvent him in any thing, 4 Cs 
1 but he that doth not love God from his 
of Heart. From Witence come all the anxious 

| Cares of this Life, that Grief and Vexation 

0 of Spirit wherewith poor Mortals are. 

a W hurried about? Truly from nothing 

m elſe but from a Want of the Love of 

1. God, For the Sweetneſs of divine Love is 

Ne ſo ſtrong and effectual, that it mitigates 

d. the Senſe of all ſuch Miſeries as are inci- 

1. dent to this Life. This Love renders a Man 

1 comfortable even in Death it ſelf. 3 : 

r- _ & 7. Again: ſuch isthe Nature and Inſtinct of The Nature 


he Love, as to lay aſide all Thoughts about 474 Power of | 
any Thing elſe, and to fix it ſelf intirely on &*%*: 

the beloved Object, in order to poſſeſs and 

enjoy it alone. And why then.are the Children 

to of Men ſo much beſotred with the Things 

of this World? Why do they not eternal- 

ly forget all Wealth and Honour, Luſt and 


A | Riches, that they may enjoy God alone, whom 
18 they profeſs to love? This was in former 
10 Times the conſtant Practice of the holy Men of 
oe God; whom this divine love with its ad- 
es mirable and exquiſite Sweetneis had fo much 
th Cverpowered, as to make them forget 
ſe the whole World, and even themſelves 
5 alſo. For this reaſon they were accounted 
\ſf Fools in the World, when at tlie ſame time, 
8 they were the wiſeſt of all, and their De— 
2 ſpifſers moſt of all deſerved the Character of 
It Fools and Mad-Men, as Preferrinz a Hand- 


ul 


220 


ny thing but 
5 God, | | 


x Cor. iii. 19. 
iv. 10. above, are in a hearty Concern to obtain 


' Why God is to be loved, Cray. XXVIII. 


ful of frail and tranſient Things before an 
everlaſting and never-fading Proſperity. Thoſs 
are the . greateſt Fools, who call theſe by 
that Name, who ſetting their Love on Things 


the ſame, and eternally to enjoy them. 


That the true §. 8. A true Lover of Gad, loves God 
Lover ef God no otherwiſe than if there were nothing in 
cannot love a-the whole Univerſe to love but God alone. 


And for this Reaſon, he finds all thoſe Things 
in God, which he purſued before in the 


World. For God hath in him all Things 


eſſentially, whatever we can deſire. He is 


true Honour and Joy: He is Peace and 


Pleaſure : He is Wealth and Magnificence : 
With him is Light and Life, Glory and 


Majeſty, and all thoſe Delights that Man's 
Heart can deſire. All this is found in a 


more ſubſtantial and tranſcendent manner in 
God, than it is in the World. If there- 


fore thou loveſt any Creature, for the ſake 
of Beauty, then transfer thy Love unto God, 


who is the Fountain of all Beauty. And if 
thou wilt love any Thing that is Good, then 


fix thy Love upon God, who undoubtedly 


is the eternal Source of all Goodneſs, nay, 
the eſſential Good it ſelf, and without whom 
there is no Goodneſs at all. For whatever 


Goodneſs the Creature ſeems to poſleſs, 1s 
but a ſmall Spark, and inconſiderable Drop 
derived out of the Ocean of the infinite 


The Eaſe (f 
the Love of 
: God, | 


Goodneſs of God, and which is beſides im- 
paired by many Frailties and Imperfections 
that adhere to it. 

$. 9. And now after all, is it not far better to 
ſet thy Love and Affe&ions on God, alone, the 
unexhauſted Fountain and Well-ſpring of all 


Perfection and Goodneſs? How much leſs 


every Thing has of Earth or earthly Gra- 
5 vity 


o 


r 


Grace from us. 


us plainly, that every one committing 4 Sin 


Book I. Of Reconciliation, &c. — 0 
vity in it, fo much the lighter it is, and fo 
much the eaſier it is carry'd upwards: So 
our Soul, the more it cleaves to earthly 
Things, and is by them preſſed down to 
the Ground, the leſs it can lift it ſelf up - 
unto God, or rejoice in its Maker. In a 
Word: The leſs a Man loyeth this World, 
the more will the Love of God, and of his 
Neighbour, take Place in the Soul. For he 
that loveth God, cannot but love his Neigh- 
bour alſo: And he that dares offend God, will 
not forbear to offend his Neighbour alſo. 


CHAP. XXIX. 


of Reconciliation to our N eighbour, 
without which God taketh away his 


. . 
» _ 


Numb. „ „ 


If any Man ſhall commit 4 Sin againſt 4 Man, 
hie commitieth it againſt the Lord. 5 


HIS is a remarkable Sentence: For He that ſins 
1 it joins together bort God and Man, again? Man, 
as alſo the Love of God and Man, and the ere ns 
Offence committed againſt both. Moſes tells Si Gd. 


that Men commit, [one againſt another] did 
treſpaſs againſt the Lord himſelf. 5 5 

F. 2. From hence now it follows, that Neef. 
every one who will be reconciled ro God,“ reconciled 
muſt of Neceſlity alſo endeayonr to recon- Min 
elle himſelf ro his Neighbour. The Reaſon 


iy 


% 


222 F Reconciliation Cray. XXIX. 
is, becauſe God takes the Injury which is of. 
fer'd to Man, as offer'd to himſelf; and the 
Damage done to Man, as done to himſelf. 
When therefore any one offends both God 
and Man, he cannot return into Favour 

with God, before he be reconciled to Man 
his Neighbour: For having offended them 


both, he muſt alſo be reconciled to both, 
which is alſo expreſly atteſted by Chriſt him. 


ſelf: If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar, and 


there remembreſt that thy Brother hath ought 


Matt. V. 2 3 * 
| Q 


againſt thee: Leave here thy Gift before the 
Altar, and go thy way, firſt be reconciled to 
and then come and offer tly 


thy. Brother, 
FFF - 7 | 
The Inſepara- F. 3. Wherefore it will be ncedful to ſay 
bilityefthe ſomething again of the Love of God and 
wo of God of our Neighbour, and how impollible it is 
3 ſeparate one from the other: And a— 
. gain, that this Reconciliation ſo join'd to- 


gether, proves the true Source of Brother) 


Love and Affection; which the beloved Diſ- 


1 Joh, iv. ciple hath expreſſed in this manner: // 4 


20 Man fay I love God, and hateth his Brother, 
he is a Liar: For he that loveth not bis 
| Brother whem he hath ſeen, how can be love 

God whom he hath not ſeen? And this Com- 


21. 


mand ment have we from him, That he that lov- 


eth God, love his Brother alſo: So utterly im- 
poſſible it is, that the Love of God ſhould 
ſubſiſt without the Love of our Neighbour. 


Whence alſo it follows farther, that he who 


truly and unfeignedly loveth God, will alſo 


embrace his Neighbour with the ſame ſin- 


cere Affection: And again: If the Love we 


pretend to bear to God, be hypacritical and 


falſe; then the Love wherewith we ſeem- 
inely, love our Neighbour, will rife no high- 
er chan its Principle, but prove alſo falle 


and 


% a - 


— 1 ED,  - > 


and that brotherly Reconciliation that ought 


This 
hour. Into this Twofold End, all our En- 
deavours ought to be reſolved at laſt, and 


— — . K 8... 
a © - 


Scope wherein all our Actions ought to cen- 


the nearer we approach to Chriſt, and to

~294 words

ſet before our Eyes a moſt love- C if the 


might appear, that God Was LOVE it 


Man, by viewing ſo amianle aa Object of 


Day by Day. „ 


* 


and Reſtitution: 223 


Book I. 
and counterfeit. Therefore the Love of our 
Ncizhhonr is the Teſt or Touchſtone of our 

Love of God, by which gightly applied, 

the Truth or Falſhood of that Love will 

_ eaſily be diicovered, 

§. 4. This Cor fderatic n gives us a true Los! is the 


End of Man: 


Infic ght into the Loe of our Neighbour, Alien, 


to attend it. There is a double Scope pre- 
fixed by God to Man, to which all the AQi- 
ons bi his Life are conſtantly to tend: 

is the Love of God, and of our Neigh- 


we ought to make a daily Progreſs in ſo 
holy an Exerciſe; ſince we are to this very 
End created, redeemed, and fanitified. In a 
Word : CHRIST bimſelf is the One only 


ter. Now the nearer we approach to Love, 


the Practice of his unblameable ife. 
§. 5. For this very End. God was made How in the 
Man, or the Word was made Fleſh, that ee 
60 

ly, ſweet, and living Image of his infinite 15h e. 
Love ind Kindneſs, "and that from hence it“ Hu 


ſelf; Love in his own 1 


p ſe, jycompre- 
henſihie and unſearchahle 


Ellence; and that 


Love, as is diſplayed I -00 i leſus, 
night be transformed into the ſame Image 
§. 6. Furthermore, as in Ch: rt, - B00 and The Bond 
Man are united rogether by an Ivable of Love, +. 


Tie; ſo is the Love of Go 1 eos 
nected with the Love of Te thonr, 
that 


Of Reconciliation Cnav. XXIx 


that it cannot be without it. Nay, the Love of 
God and of our N ng can be no more 


disjoĩind or put aſunder, than the divine and 
humane Nature in Chriſt. And as he who 


injures the Humanity of Chriſt, cannot but 


affront his Divinity alſo; ſo he who offend. 


eth a Man, is in like manner guilty of of. 
 fending the infinite God himſelf. And a. 
gain: A Man that ſeparates from his Neigh- 


bour, by Hatred and Envy, does alſo at the 
ſame Time divorce himſelf from God, and 
diſſolves the Bond betwixt God and his Soul. 


Whoever is angry with Men, is alſo angry with 
God: And whoever offends his Neighbour, can- 
- not come off without offending God alſo. * 
I the Nature ef S- 7. We will illuſtrate what hath been 
Love iluſtra- ſaid, by a Compariſon derived from Nature, 


ted by a Com- When a Circle is made, and from its Cen- 


pariſon, 5 


tre a Number of Lines drawn to the Cir- 
cumference; all theſe Lines, though never ſo 


_ diſtant in the Circumference, meet together 


in the Point, which is in the Middle there- 
of. Here they are all united in One, and all 
flow into One, be they never ſo wide a- 


ſunder, yea, even directly oppoſite one to 
the other. Not one of all the Lines, let 
their Number be never ſo great, can be 
broke from the reſt, without loſing its Com- 


munication with the Centre it ſelf, wherein 
they all do meet. So GOD is a Point, or a 
Centre, whoſe Circumference is every where, 
and which in a manner extends it ſelf to 
all Men upon Earth. Whoever preſumes to 
break off the Lines of his Love from his 


Neighbour, muſt in like manner disjoin and 


break them off from God too at the fame 
Time. And as all theſe Lines do cohere 
and concur in the Center, and therein mutually 
affect one another; ſo is there a ſort of a 


Central 


Boox IJ. and Reſtitution. 
Central Sympathy, and a Fellom- feeling, as it 
of. Jaßferings of. our Neighbour, 
provided we be but all united in God, the 
Centre and unitive Principle of all good Chri- 


were, 


Ll 


the 


ſtians. 


§. 8. The Truth of what hitherto has 4 Image of | 
been ſaid, is palpably illuſtrated in the Hi- s ſet forth 


ſtory of Job. When Job had the News in Job. 


brought him, that his temporal Goods were 
carried away, or deſtroyed, he quietly, it 
ſeems, bore the Loſs of them, and without 


giving any great Sign of a Diſcontent at 


the Appointments of Providence. He till 


continued to bleſs the Lord, and freely to 
own, that he who had given it him, had 


alſo a Right to take it away whenever he 


pleaſed. But when he was told, that he had 


alſo loſt his Children, then indeed it went to 


the very Heart of him: He then aroſe, and job i. 26; 


rent bis Mantle, and ſhaved his Head, and fell 
down upon the Ground and worſhipped. So let 
every true Chriſtian behave himſelf when he 
hears of the Calamity of his Neighbour ; 


(here repreſented by the Children of Job,) as 
knowing that he ought more to be affected 
with the Miſery of his Neighbour, than the 


Loſs of all his worldly Subſtance. For the 


Property of true Love is, to be moved with 
other Mens Miſeries more than with one's 


own Misfortune and Loſſes. O happy Men! 
if they would live together in mutual Love 


and Affection

~364 words

ſo Chriſt, the 
Tree of Lite, is known by Taſting, and bya 
{ſenſible Perception. Whenever thou taſteſt by 
Faith the Humility of Chriſt, his Meeknels 
and Patience; thou doſt then eat of his 
Fruit, and ſhalt find Reſt for thy Soul. Thou 


_ enjoyeſt now in Chriſt the Favour and Col 
ſolation of God, which is beyond all Creature. 
Comfort. This is the only Way to true Rel: 
and Tranquillity of Mind. For the Gree 

an 


© CD ©. CD-- ow TD EP G2: 


with him? And truly, all thoſe that live in 990% 


For thus ſays St. John: If we ſay we have job. i. 6, 7, 


The Darkneſs is paſt, and the true Light now r Joh. 11.8, 11. 


it; the Knowledge of a Thing being the Re- 


Whoever therefore is deſtitute of the Exerciſe 


brit oor l.. 


Boor I. 
and Comfort of God cannot enter into an 
Heart that is void of Faith, and deſtitute of 
the Meekneſs and Humility of Chriſt. *Tis 
to the Humble God gives Grace. I Pet. v. 5: 


F. 5. And now upon the Whole: How is 


it poſſible that Chriſt ſhould profit 4 Man that The Mful 
doth not deſire to have the leaſt Fellowſhip #34 # 


the Darkneſs of Sin, have no Fellowſhip with 
Chrift, let their Pretences be what they will. 


Fellowſhip with him, and walk in Darkneſs, we 
lie, and do not the Truth. But if we walk in 
the Light, as he is in the Light, we have 
Foint- Fellowſhip one with another. And in the 
following Chapter he explains it more fully : 


ſhineth : He that ſaith he is in the Light, and 
hateth his Brother, is in Darkneſs even until 

now. He that loveth his Brother, abideth in 

the Light, and there is no Occaſion of Stum- 
bling in him. But he that hateth his Brother is i 
in Darkneſs, and walketh in Darkneſs, and 5 | 
knoweth not whit her he goeth, becauſe that Dark- 


neſs bath blinded his Eyes. | 


§. 6. Now as long, I ſay, as a Man conti- N, ry a; en 
nues in that dark and terrible Cloud of Sin, ;;.,, withoue _ 
'tis impoſſible he ſhould be lightned of Chriſt, purification. 
the true Light of the World, and be there: 
by brought over to a ſaving Knowledge of Gd. 
For whoever will attain to a true Knowledge of 
God and of Chriſt, muſt firmly believe that 
God is nothing but Grace and Love. Now no 
Man can know what Love is, but he that hath 


CY 


2 ͤ v:; Oe — — — 


ſult of a Man's Experience, of his Senſe, aad 
of the Works of Truth which he performeth. 


of Love, ( whatever Words he may make a- 
bout it,) continues an utter Stranger to the 
| Na- 


288 Chriſt our Light. 
Nature of Love; and what he is pleaſed to 

Call Love, is nothing but Shew and Pretence : 

: | And as CHRIST. himſelf is nothing but Love 
and FHymility, Meekneſs and Patience, and 
every true Virtue; ſo a Man that is not 

frequent in the Performance of theſe and the 


like Virtues, is altogether ignorant of Chriſt 


and of the Truth of his Knowledge. He is 


but a ſuperſicial Pretender to, and a vain 


Uſurper of his holy Name, let his Boaſts be 
what they will. The

~214 words

which he is willing to quit, and for 
which he doth heartily grieve. And here 
the Word of the Lord is verified: The Poor 
have the Goſpel preached to them, that is, Re- 
miſſion of Sin, and Life everlaſting that fol- 

oo . 

„„ ie Let us ſuppoſe à greedy Uſurer. 

nn for many Yers Meter, hath been a Ser- 

that Faith Vant to Covetouſneſs, after the Example of 
which purges Zaccheus . or to Luſt, 8 Mary Magdalen 5 or 
the Heart. to Wrath and Revenge, as Eſau was. Let us 
alſo ſuppoſe that this Man, as ſoon as he heard 
that theſe Sins were to be entirely left, or 
that elſe the Death and Blood of Chriſt 
would profit him nothing, becometh a true 
Supplicant to God, and crieth out to him: Ah, 
© God! how am I grieved for this! O Lord, 
be merciful, be merciful ? And then taketh up 
a new Reſolution, deſiſts from his Sin, craves 
Pardon and Grace, and believes in Chriſt : 
It is then that all his former Offences 
arc out of mere Grace freely remitted to him. 
No Merit of his own is here regarded, 
but purely the Death and Blood of Chriſt 
ſhed for him. This is the only Way where- 
in a returning Sinner is to obtain Mercy: 
Whereas he that does not fully reſolve to de- 
teſt his former Sins, his Covetouſneſs, Wrath, 
Uſury, Pride, Luſt, &c. ſhall hope for e- 
ver in vain for a Remiſſion of Sin, being 
condemned to everlaſting Confuſion and An- 
. guiſh. Here he ſhall be obliged to ſatis fie 
for himſelf the Juſtice of God, and yet he 
will be never able to perform ir. He has 
Acts xv. 9, here been deſtitute of that Faith which puri- 


fieth 


' Mart. xi. 5. 


BooKk 1. Chriſt Ou Light. — i 297 


'fierh the Heart, and ſo his Sin and Luſt, 


which hath not been mortified here, ſhall for 

ever torment him there. For this Reaſon St. 

Paul doth ſo earneſtly inculcate, that they Gal. v. 21. 
which do ſuch Things, ſhall not inherit the Ring- : 
dom of God. And therefore either the Loſs 

of this Kingdom muſt certainly follow, or that 

narrow Way of Self: Denial muſt be heartily 

reſolved upon. 


§. 17. Now wherever this unfeigned Con- Howall Things | 


verſion

~1,439 words

Hell, Condemnation, and everlaſting Darkneſs, 
Behold now, O Man ! how true it is, that none 
of thoſe who refuſe to follow Chriſt in their Lives, 
by an unfeigned Repentance, can ever get rid of 
the Blindneſs of their Hearts, and of everlaſt- 


ing Darkneſs, 


—_y 


1 —— 


— 2 — 


CHAP. XXXVII. 


That an Antichriſtian Life is general- 


ly the Source of falſe Doctrine, and 


he original Cauſe both of Hardneſs 
of Heart, and of Blindneſs of Un- 


derſtanding. 


Joh. XII. 35. 


Tet a little while is the Light with you : Walk ye 
while ye have the Light, leſt Darkneſs come 
Upon you | SER 


Th true End 0 NCE-:CHR IST, and FA IT in him, 


is every where renounced, and almoſt whol- 
ly extirpated by the corrupt Lives of ny 
| | ldlls, 


Boox I. Antichriſtian Life. 299 


ſtians, What ſhall then his Doctrine profit us? 
For his Doctrine, with the Word and Sacra- 
ments, is for no other End deliver'd to us, 
but that it be inwardly digeſted, and turn- 
ed as it were into our very Life and Spirit. 


And as from a good Seed, ſprings up a good 


Fruit; ſo from the Word and dacraments, 

ſhould ſpring up within vs, that noble Life 

of Regeneration, or of the new Birth, or a nem, 

boly, and ſpiritual Man, and to ſpeak all in a 

Word, a true and real Chriſtian. For he that 

is a Chriſtian, muſt needs be born again out of Toh. iii. 3, 52 
the Spirit, the Word, and the Sacrament, and Jam: i. 18. 


then believe and live in Chriſt, as in the prime! Pet. J. 23. . 


and productive Principle of the Life of Grace. 
As truly a Child is begotten by his Father; 


ſo truly our Soul muſt he begotten again 
out of God and Chriſt, by the Means of 


Ft „ „ 
FS. 2. Now whilſt we don't generouſly re- 4 good Do- 
ſolve to ſtrive againſt the depraved Bent of &rine and a 


Our Fleſh, and to digeſt the Doctrine of Cad Life are 
Chriſt into our Life and Nature; nay, when Things utter. 


we contradict the Chriſtian Doctrine with an Vincunſſtent, 


Antichriſtian Life, with Irreligion and Pro- 


phaneneſs; doth not this plainly convince 
us, we are not begotten of God, nor born 
of Chriſt? And therefore. what will Chriſt's 
Doctrine profit us, when we are ſnre our Life 


doth net at all anſwer it? And will our 
vain Boaſts of the Light of the Goſpel, and 


of a primitive Church, do us any good, 


when 'tis plain we walk ftill in Darkneſs? 


For this Reaſon the Light does deſervedly 
remove from us, and the World begins to 
be overſpread with Darkneſs and falſe Do- 
ctrines, with Errors and ſeducing Spirits. 


' Which that we might beware of, our bleſ- 


ſed Saviour hath left us this gracious Warn- 
: ing: 


3 
7 


10 he Fruitsof an Cray, XXXVIII. 


ing: Whilſt ye have Light, walk in the Light, z 


leſt Darkneſs come upon you; that is, leſt you 
be led away into all manner of Errors and 
Deluſions, into Blindneſs and Hardneſs of 
Heart, into Darkneſs and Prejudices, indiſ- 
poſing the Mind for the very Reception of 
the Light of the Goſpel. This was the un- 
happy Fate which befel Pharaoh, the Jews, 
and Julian the Apoſtate; who being in the 


End convicted by the ſtinging Reproaches of. 


his own Conſcience, exclaim'd openly, and 
confeſs'd to his own Confuſion, that Chriſt 
did both live and reign, and was Lord and 
God, ſaying: [V ICISTI] Thou haſt over- 


come, O Galilean; Thou! Thou haſt overcome: 


When it would have been better for him to 


have ſaid a [MIS ER E RE] Lord haue Mer- 
cy upon me! But alas! This was now entire- 
Iy out of his Reach, by reaſon of the Hard- 


neſs of his Heart, contrated by an unin- 
terrupted Courſe of Sinning, and by having re- 


jected the Mercy of Chriſt, and deſpitefully _ 


trampled on his moſt precious Blood. 


From whence F. 3. This Hardneſs of Heart, is that ter- 


cometh Ol dug rible Darkneſs, which in the End overtaketh 
ration of 


flicted on thoſe that blaſpheme the Truth, as 
Exod. v. 2, Pharaoh did, when he asked: Who is the Lord, 


that I ſhould obey his Voice, to let Iſrael go? 


I know not the Lord. Therefore it was but 
juſt he ſhould the more grievouRy feel the 


over-ruling Power of God, by being made an 


Example unto, the whole World, and a laſt- 


ing Monument of the Indignation of the 
Lord, and of the Weakneſs of Men, who 


vainly preſume to oppoſe him. In like man- 


ner were the Jews of old ſtruck with Blind- 
nels and Hardaefſs of Heart, when they 162 


fuſed 


all ſuch as refuſe to walk in the Light whilſt 
Heat. they have it. It is the juſt Puniſhment in- 


Antichriſtian Life. 


Book I. | 
fuſed to hearken unto the Voice of the Lord, 
being told by Moſes long before, that this 


zo! 


would certainly come to paſs: The Lord, | 
ſays he, ſhall ſmite thee wit h Madne ſs, and Blind. Deut. xxviii. 
neſs, and Aſtoniſhment of Heart. (e) And ſo 28. | 
it came actually to paſs, witneſs the Prophet xxxii. 2 5. 
Iſaiah, Chap. vi. 9, 10, 11, 12. Whereby it 

is manifeſt, that ſuch Hardneſs of Heart is 

the moſt. juſt Puniſhment of Unbelief, of the 
Contempt of God, and of the heavenly Truth 

declared by him, according to that of St. 

Paul: With all Deceiveableneſs of Unrighteouſ- . 
neſs in them that periſh , becauſe they received 2 Theſſ. ii. 
not the Love of the Truth, that they might be 10, 11. 
ſaved. And for this Cauſe God ſhall ſend them 

ſtrong Deluſion, that they ſhould belive 4 Lie. 

From whence it doth plainly appear, why 

God 1s uſed to ſmite Men with ſuch terrible 

| Blindneſs and Hardneſs of Heart; viz. be- 

canſe they receive not the Love of the Truth. 

F. 4 And indeed, from whomſoever God p wh 
taketh away his Grace, this Man is ſurely %% with- 
moſt wretched and miſerable ; neither can aws his 
he of himſelf return into the right Way at Grace. 
any time. For a Proof of this, we have the _ 
Examples of Pharaoh and Julian. For, from 
whom the Lord removeth his Light, he muſt 
needs live in Darkneſs. But then he remov- 
eth it from thoſe only who refuſe to walk in 
it; neither doth he rake his Grace from a- 
ny, but from thoſe that boldly reje& it. In 
this Senſe the Words of St. Paul are to be 
taken: I will have Mercy on whom I will 
have Mercy. Therefore on whom he will, he hath 
; 3 Pity; 


(e) See a Treatiſe of ſpiritual Infatuation, 
by W. Stamp D. D. printed at the Hague, 
1650. being the Subſtance of ſeveral Sermons, 
which more fully explaincth this Matter. 


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302 


Ads xii. 
46, 48. 


The Fruits of un CA. XXXVIII. 
Pity ;, and whom he will, he hardeneth. But tru- 


ly receive his Mercy; as on the contrary, he 
kardneth thoſe that reje& and blaſpheme the 
Tender of his Grace. And *tis this wilful 
Reſiſtance for which St. Paul reproveth the 
Jews: It was neceſſary, ſays he, that the Word 
of God ſhould firſt have been ſpoken' to you, but 
ſeeing ye put it from you, and judge your ſelves 


unworthy of everlaſting Life; lo, we turn to the 


Gentiles: And when the Gentiles heard this, 


they were glad, and glorified the Word of the 


Lord. And as man) as were ordained to eter- 
nal Life, believed : That is, as many as did 


not. reſiſt and obſtinately caſt away the Word 


__ expreſſes it. 


of Grace, or the Means of Faith. Of which 
Contempt, becauſe the Fews were guilty, 
therefore they could not believe: For the 


Lord hath not ordained thoſe to eternal Sal- 


vation, who diſdainfully reject his Word, and 
prove diſobedient to the Offer of his Grace. 
The Ordination to Life eternal, is fully 
brought to paſs in ſeſus Chriſt, with this 


Promiſe annexed: That God offereth his 
Grace to all by the Goſpel ; which, whoſo- 


ever do receive, are ordained to eternal Life; 
and whoſoever do reject, do thereby judge 
themſelves unworthy of eternal Liſe, as St. Paul 
That is, by their own Fault 
they make themſelves unworthy of that Bleſ- 


ſing, and dcebar themſelves from that Uni- 


verſal Grace which is diſplayed in the Go- 
ſpel; and fo putting their own Names out 


of the Book of Life, which is Chriſt, they 


reſiſt the good Word of God by their own 


Contumacy, and conſequently cannot obtain 


a true ſaving Faith, which the Word be- 


F. 5. 


ly the Lord hath Pity on all them who free. 


Boox I. Antichriſtian Life. 303 
S. 5. And here let us not deceive our Mo th ſe be 
ſelves, O Chriſtians ! by vainly ſuppoling that drive a- 
that they only reject the Word of God, who wer from 
being without the Pale of the Church, do not e ee . 
embrace the Faith and Doctrine of Chriſt; 0,7. of 1 
(ſuch as are Mahometans and Fews ;) but that ds —_— 
thoſe who profeſs the Chriſtian Faith, and = 
adhere to the Doctrine of the Goſpel, could F 
not be deemed as wilful Deſpiſers of the 
Tender of Mercy: For certain it is, that 
all thoſe who will not follow the Footſteps 
of Chriſt, nor take his Life upon them, nor 
walk in the Light, fall under this heavy 


Denomination. And for this Cauſe God of- 2 
ten is moved to take from them even the 
| Light of that Word, and of that Doctrine, 
| of which they made their Boaſt. 7 (faith , 


Chriſt) am the Light of the World: He that Joh. ville 12. 
followeth me, walketh not in Darkneſs, but ſhall 
have the Light of Life: That is: Whoſo- 
| WW ever followeth the Example of Chriſt, and 


N liveth his Life, ſhall be ont of Danger of be- {18 
ing miſled by any Deluſion and Error: He _\ 
S ſhall alſo eſcape that Blindneſs and Hard- 1198 
$ neſs of Heart, which an empty Profeſſor of 74 
- the Chriſtian Faith draws upon himſelf. vn 
F. 6. Do but here behold on one Hand, . the m/z? YU 
e the many excellent, noble, learned, ingent- wiſe aud | 
| ous and powerful Men of this World; and earnedef this wm 
[ on the other, the Vileneſs of Errors, Blind- Tord are 1 
- neſs, and Deviations, into which they are %% to Se- in 
i ſunk. Truly, thoſe Deluſions come from “eement. | 
)- no other Cauſe, but becanſe Men do not live | 
tin Chriſt, but are averſe to the Imitation of nn 
Y his holy Life; and therefore cannot have 588 
n the Light of Life. From the ſame Source 1 
in do alſo proceed thoſe Workings of Satan, and 1 
Co thoſe ſtrong Deluſions, together with all the l 1 
lying Wonders mentioned by St. Paul, and 1 
þ MR: which, | 1 * 


. N 
Fg 


204 Ie Fraitof n Cap. XXXVII. I 6 


which, I fear, will more and more break in De 

upon us, becauſe there is hardly a Man to he to 

found who is willing to follow Chriſt, and lit 

by this means, to preſerve himſelf from De— an 

2 Cor. vi. 15. Jaſion and Error. For what Fellomſhip is ther: ſel 
between Light and Darkneſs? And what A- 
greement is there, or can there be, between D. 

g Chriſt and Belial? For this Reaſon the pu- ed 
| rity of Doctrine, and divine Knowledge, H, 
1 cannot remain with thoſe that live in the [r 
Devil, in Darkneſs, in Pride, in Covetouſ- tz. 
Neſs, and filthy Pleaſure. How ſhould a pure th 

Doctrine dwell with thoſe who breath nothing W 

but an Impurity of Life and Manners ? No. Ba 

thing for certain is more diſagreeable and rej 
irreconcileable, than an impure Lite, and a inp 

pure Doctrine. py. 5 5 by 

He that keeps F. 7. Wherefore if we will preſerve a pure ſic 
nor Cbrijts Doctrine in the Church, the Way will be, of 
Foorf'ep!, 3% wholly to be changed in our Minds, and Do 
goes Prey to have no part with the World, and any rif 
_ . unchriſtian Actions. We muſt awake from Ir, 
| Ft eat the Lethargy of Sin, and ſhake 'off the fron 
Works of Darkneſs, that Chriſt may enlight- Chr 

en vs again with the Light of a living Faith. {am 

And from hence it is plain, that whoſoever to 

doth not follow the Footſteps of Chriſt, nor but 

imitate him in his Love, Humility, Meek- thu: 

neſs, Patience, and Obedience, he muſt needs War 

be deceived, and ſtray from the Knowledge My 

of God, ſince he doth not walk in the Way BY 
which leadeth to Truth. On the contrary, the 


if we did but live in Chriſt, if we did walk = ;þ, 
in his Love and Humility, and direct all our hid. 


Endeavours and Studies purely to this One Lor 

Thing, that the Fleſh be mortified, and the hy 

Life of Chriſt raiſed within us; that we Fif, 

might through him overcome our ſelves, and Ah 
over the Fleſh, the World, and the 


triumph 


Devil. 


0 


Book I. 


Antichriſtian Life. 305 
Devil. Truly if Things were but once brought 

to this paſs, there would then remain very | 

little Contention and Strife about Church 

and Doctrine, and Hereſies would of them 

ſelves fall to the Ground. . 1 . 
& 8. We have an Example of a moſt ſtrange „ 

"Deluſion in Ahab, who by reaſon of his wick- e 
ed and tyrannical Life, was ſeduced by Four Ju | 


It was by their Enconragement he undertook 


that fatal Expedition againſt the Syrians, and 


this in Contempt of the true Prophet Micaiah, 
who did poſitively foretel his Death in that 
Battle. But he being led by a falſe Light, 
rejected the Truth, and gave Credit to ly- 
ing Prophets, who propheſied him nothing 
but Peace and Proſperity, Hence the Ju- 
ſtice of God met him according to the Word 
of the true Prophet, and by due Deſert the 
Dogs did lick his Blood, And herein is ve- 
rified the Word of St. Paul: The God of this 
World hath blinded the Minds of them who be- 
['eve not, leſt the Light of the glorious Goſpel of 
Coriſt ſhould ſhine unto them. And is not the 


2 Cor. iv; 4: 


ſame Judgment threatned to all Hypocrites, 


to ſuch as boaſt of Chriſt and his Doctrine, 


but deny him in their Life and Actions. For 


thus faith the Lord in the Prophet: Foraſ- Wat eine 
much as this People draw near me with their . 
Mouth, and honour me with their Lips, but have 
removed their Heart far from me: Therefore Ver. 10. 
the Wiſdom of their wiſe. Men ſball periſh, and | 
the Underſtanding of their prudent Men ſhall be 
hid. Concerning the Prophets 1n particular, the 
Lord hath plainly declared, that he hath covered 
the Prophets, the Rulers, and Seers: Hence ihe 
Viſion ſhall become as a ſealed Book, &c. 
And as for the Jews themſelves, the Apoſtle 
— T6 | hath 


Infatuation, 


Hundred falſe Prophets, whom he believed. ; Kings xxil; | 


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3086 Of Purity of Doctrine. CHAp. XXXIX. 

2Co ra. 15, hath told us that there is a Vail upon their 

| 16, Heart, hindring their Eye from beholding 
the true Meſſiah: Which however ſhall be 
taken away when they turn to the Lord. 


CH A P. XXXIX. 


The Purity of the Doctrine, and of the 
divine Word, is not ſo much preſerv— 
ed by Diſputinzg (f) and Writing of 


Books

~439 words

Gift of the Holy Ghoſt. And by the 1 
Lord himſelf, in that Saying: The World can- Joh. xiv, 17. 
not receive the Holy Ghoſt, the Spirit of Truth, ber 
cauſe it ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him. And : 
what elſe is the World but a profane and un- 
godly Life, or a Life without God?  _ 
F. 8. Again: When the Lord ſays: By D-Arines to 
their Fruits ye ſhall know them; doth he not be known by 
plainly ſignify thereby, the Fruits of a good their Friis. 
and holy Life, as being the proper Marks whereby Mat vit. 20. 
true and falſe Chriſtians may be diſcerned? A 
naked empty Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith,or 
a crying of Lord! Lord! will be no ſafe Foun- 
dation to rely upon. Any falſe Chriſtian is 
apt to cover himſelf with the Sheeps-Clorhing 


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nothing leſs than a true Chriſtian. However, 
let the Lives of the Profeſſors of Chriſtianity 
be never ſo vain and wicked, it doth not fol- 
low from hence, that the whole Doctrine is alſo 
falſe and corrupted; as the Sectaries and Pa- 
piſt; do inſinuate at this Day, vainly condemn- 


Lives, For if this did hold true, then even 
the Doctrine of Chriſt and of his Apoſtles 
would hardly eſcape the Stain of Error aud 
Falſhood, becauſe even in their Days many 
impious Livers intruded into the Church, and 
made a fair Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith. 
A profane Life is no ſufficiept Proof of a falſe 
Doctrine in general, though it may give us an 
Inſight into the Profeſſor thereof, whether he 
be a true or a falſe Chriſtian. Truly he can— 
not believe aright, who leadeth a Life oppo- 
| te 


| | Gal. v. 6. 


314 Of Parity of Doctrine. CA. XXXIX. 
ſite to the Nature and Properties of a divine 

Faith. Such a Man is no more a Believer, or a 
Chriſtian, than a dead Man is a Man. As ma- 

ny therefore as are. of the Number of thoſe cor- 


Matt. vii. 19. rupt and unfruitful Trees, are fit for nothing 


but to be hewen down and thrown into 

| the Fire OD „ = 
The true Cha- Y. 9. To underſtand this the better, We 
ratteriſtick of ought to enquire into the Nature of a ſound 


| Faith. and ſaving Faith, and the peculiar Properties 


That do attend it. And in the firſt Place, a 
| true ſaving Faith doth work by Love : By 
vi. 19). Faith

~124 words

is, there is God himſelf, who 1 Joh-iv.8, 
"a i; Love. And truly, from ſuch a Soul, the 2 Tim. 1, 7., 
na- Holy Ghoſt, who is a Spirit of Love, cannot 
or- be abſent. And in this divine Order all theſe 
ing heavenly Tranſactions do moſt ſweetly conſpire 
nto and hang together; no otherwiſe than the 

| Head is one with the Members, and as the 
we . Cauſe is linked with the Effect. „„ 
md S. 10. This Connexion of Faith and Life, The Chain of 
tes St, Peter doth admirably enforce, when he bids-he Virtues. 
4 us to give all Diligence, to add to Faith, Virtue; 2 Pet. i. 5, 
By and to Virtue, Knowledge ; and to Knowledge, 6, 7, 8, 8 


is Temperance, and to Temperance, Patience ; and 
od. to Patience, Godlineſs, and to Godlineſs, bro- 
his W therly Kindneſs; and to brotherly Kindneſs, Cha- 
50d | rity: For if theſe Things, ſays he, be in you and 
pi- abound, they make you that ye ſhall neither be bar- 


irt. ren nor unfruit ful in the Knowledge of our Lord Je- 
ſet ſus Chriſt. But he that lacketh theſe Things is 
m- blind, and cannot ſee afar off, and hath forgotten 
He that he was purged from his old Sins. Where 
it. the Apoſtle doth evidently declare, that in 
but whomſoever this Conjunction of Faith and of 
ind Life is not to be found, the ſame is deſtitute of 
nt- all aving Knowledge of Chriſt; that he is 
eds falbn from Faith, and walks in Darkneſs. For 
of it is the Property of true Faith to change a 
To Man wholly, to renew, and to quicken him in 
'n W Chriſt; fo that henceforth Man may live and 
in ducll in Chriſt, and Chriſt again may live and 
11 dwell in Man. LE, D 
4 N 

oth 

fy 

nd | | 
Cre | | 

ere A | | C H A P. 
the - | 

yes 

ere 


_ — — — . ES 
- 


1 


36 Roles for leadig Cuap. XL, I Bo. 
„„ ö lf 

NE 5 . x w Hol 

_ Ty | „ 

Rules for leading a holy and Chri. ] pre 

ſtian Life. tak 

5 955 Wh. 

x Tim. -IV. 7, 8. my 

Exerciſe thy ſelf unto Godlineſs: For Godli- 110 

neſs